Over the course of the next eight weeks, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their friends worked harder than ever on the Honda. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo worked on the engine, repairing and replacing parts, while Sweetie Belle and Rarity worked on the interior, giving it a new smooth tan leather dashboard, interior trim, and floor liners, in addition to the new gauge cluster, engine monitoring gauges, and Momo racing-type steering wheel. Applejack read out instructions from the book that were too hard for the fillies to comprehend or understand, then simplified the info so they could follow them properly.
One day, Babs Seed came over for a brief visit, and noticed the partly open barn door and heard some weird noises. She walked over and pushed the barn door open – and her jaw dropped in surprise.
Apple Bloom was working on the engine’s pistons and valves, while Scootaloo was welding something to the underside of the car. Assorted car parts lay scattered at the back of the barn, and off to one side lay a small table with papers and various books atop it.
“What’s y’all doin’ in here?” she asked in her thick Bronx accent.
“Babs!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, dropping her tools and running over to greet her cousin. Babs embraced her in a warm hug. “Well, we found this car in the forest, and we’re repairing and restoring it. I’m working on the engine.”
Babs Seed noticed the empty engine bay. “Back in Manehattan, I’ve come across various wiring systems in the basements of the tall apartments while they were being fixed by my classmate’s dad. Maybe I can give you a hand with this.”
By the end of the day, the engine was completely fixed with the turbo kit installed. It was time to re-install it into the jacked-up car. Using an engine crane that Sunset Shimmer had bought for them and a team effort, they lifted the engine up and gently over to the engine bay, with help from Applejack. Scootaloo crawled underneath and tightened all the bolts, reattached the now repaired driveshaft and the HKS exhaust, and the fuel, brake, and oil lines. Babs Seed showed them the different types, gauges, and colors of wires and where to attach them. Scootaloo used pliers and a soldering iron to attach all the wires where they belonged, according to the service and repair manual. Finally, Sweetie Belle – of all of them – got down under and finished attaching the HKS exhaust to its mounts, then installed the rear headlights as a final step before going to sleep.
The next day would be the pinnacle of their time. It was time to add the final touch-ups to the car, along with a few other vital things. Babs had school, so she had to leave. While Apple Bloom went to the train station to say goodbye to her cousin, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle continued working on the Honda. Sweetie Belle cleaned out the fuel filler cap and the inside of the pipe that led to the fuel tank, while Scootaloo removed the old broken headlights and installed the new ones. Finally they installed the body kit, filing down uneven edges and tightening nuts and bolts, with assistance from Applejack and a few other members of the Apple Family.
Scootaloo was just about to open the box of screws when Apple Bloom walked in. But instead of being energetic and excited, she looked glum.
“What’s the matter, Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle asked. “We’re about to blow the whole of Ponyville away soon with our amazing car!”
“It’s nothing, crusaders,” Apple Bloom replied. “I just wish Babs could stay for a little longer. I also realized that this car needs fuel, but where are we gonna get fuel?”
“Maybe from Baltimare,” Sweetie Belle suggested. “Rarity’s been there before and she said that there’s been a discovery of some black fluid under the water! Some have even begun to try to use it in their inventions! Maybe we should ask!”
Scootaloo pulled a this-is-super-duper-awkward-crazy face, but shrugged. “All right, why not. But we’ll need a big container to put it in. It can be dangerous, you know.”
Apple Bloom whipped up a quick excuse, Sweetie Belle offered to buy some fabric there for Rarity as well as sell a few new dresses, and Scootaloo found a large wheeled container with a siphon pump. Together they boarded the train and headed off to Baltimare to get the fuel.
Baltimare was unlike any city the fillies had ever visited. It was busy, like Manehattan, but the people were a bit “countryish” compared to other cities. As they walked through the noisy streets, Sweetie Belle noticed a fashion store and the trio split up; she would sell the dresses (and maybe establish a business relationship with the owner), while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo would find the “black fluid” extraction place.
After a brief ride on a cart from a friendly passerby, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo made it to the docks, where the “black fluid” was being produced and processed into various types. Many people were busy buying some, including the Flim Flam brothers.
“I should have brought my scooter,” Scootaloo muttered as they waited in line.
Unfortunately, after her successful selling and buying adventure, Sweetie Belle could not find her friends. Every street looked the same. Every corner store looked the same.
“Oh come on!” she groaned. “Where are they?”
Just then, an advertising cart rolled past her, promoting about new resources found at the docks and their amazing potential. On the poster was a picture of splashing black liquid.
“The black fluid!’ Sweetie Belle exclaimed, and followed the cart towards the docks, carrying her bag of neatly wrapped fabric for her big sister. Soon she noticed the large crowd, who were chatting excitedly. Combined with the loud hissing and roaring of the machines, it was impossible to make out a single word of whatever any pony was saying. Finally Sweetie Belle noticed her friends and shoved and pushed her way through the tall legs of the older ponyfolk towards them.
“I got a lot of bits from those dresses!” she announced happily. “They should be enough for the fuel.”
By the time they had gotten to the fill-up taps and the payment counter, the evening was already approaching. Scootaloo chose the one with the right consistency, smell, and appearance (based on what Sunset Shimmer had explicitly described in one of her letters), filled the container up to its maximum capacity, and Sweetie Belle paid for it. The amount of bits from the dresses were just enough. Having accomplished their goal, the three fillies set off to return to Ponyville, with one problem. The full container was now very heavy, and even with wheels, the trio could only just about pull it with considerable difficulty and pain.
“Can I help you three in any way?” a stallion kindly asked them. He looked a bit like Big Macintosh, only with more elaborate clothing and a different color.
“Ummm, sure,” Apple Bloom replied shyly. “We just gotta get to the train station.”
“Great! I’m going there too!” the stallion replied with joy.
So the Cutie Mark Crusaders walked to the station, and the helpful stallion pulled their heavy load of fuel.
“Thanks very much!” Scootaloo said with a high-hoof as the trio boarded the train to Ponyville.
“Anytime, fillies!” the stallion replied. “Anytime.”
As the sun went down and the moon rose, the trio arrived in Ponyville, with an anxious Applejack waiting at the stop.
“Where were you, sugarcube? I was so worried.”
“Ah, what originally was going to be a brief blast became a slow heave-ho,” Apple Bloom replied. “But we got what we needed.”
Applejack sighed. “Let’s get you home then.”
Applejack pulled the container of fuel back to Sweet Apple Acres and left it in the barn, while Sweetie Belle walked home to the Carousel Boutique and Scootaloo slept in the clubhouse. Tomorrow would be the defining moment, but for the time-being, the three fillies needed a good sleep from their busy yet exciting and entertaining day.