Copper Finish was checked out of the hospital, after the doctor said he was fully recovered. It had been four days and Copper Finish was happy to be moving again. But he had some new scars. He put on his hat and cape, as he left through the front entrance. Fire Bolt met his friend and escorted him to the town square, where the awards ceremony was being held. As they walked, Fire Bolt reached into one of the saddle bags he was wearing and presented Copper Finish's hoof gauntlets and goggles. They were fully repaired and polished.
"Thanks, Bolt." Copper Finish said as he stopped to put them on.
"Don't thank me." Fire Bolt said, "Thank everyone back at the shop. I even had some of them come out here to fix the train."
Copper Finish smiled and continued walking.
"Did you send that other letter to Princess Celestia?" Copper Finish asked.
"Yeah," Fire Bolt replied, "I even mentioned the part about you wanting to move down here."
"Did you tell her why?" Copper Finish asked, feeling a little worried.
"Actually," Fire Bolt said, "I was going to send a second letter explaining why, but she replied, saying she knew why."
"What do you mean, she knew?" Copper Finish asked, a little curious.
Copper Finish thought for a moment and remembered something.
"Oh, right." Copper Finish continued, "She introduced me at the Grand Galloping Gala, when I met Applejack. I guess she might have a sense about it or something."
"Can't fool her, that's for sure." Fire Bolt said with a grin.
As town square came into view, they could see that it was decorated with ribbons and flowers. There were red ribbons and white flowers on the lamp posts. On the surrounding buildings were blue flowers in orange pots, wrapped with yellow and green ribbons. Town Hall, itself, had blue ribbons around the front entrance and several different coloured flowers. Altogether, they looked almost as good as the decorations at the Grand Galloping Gala.
"They're here!" A pony called as they reached the square.
Ponies cheered and whistled as they made their way to Town Hall.
Copper Finish and Fire Bolt smiled with pride as they walked. They had never experienced anything like this before and they liked it. They entered Town Hall and were surprised by what they saw. Standing on the stage was Princess Celestia, talking to Mayor Mare. Then she looked over at the two ponies and motioned for them to come up.
"Good to see that you're in good health, Copper Finish." Celestia said as they got on stage.
"Thank you, your highness." Copper Finish said as he took off his hat and bowed.
She turned her attention to Fire Bolt, who was also bowing.
"From what I understand," Celestia said with a smile, "you've been Copper Finish's closest friend for the longest time. Is that correct?"
"Yes, princess." Fire Bolt replied as he returned to a normal stance, "Friends 'til the end."
"I'm very happy to hear that, Fire Bolt." Celestia said with a smile. "Because I have a request for you after the ceremony."
Fire Bolt wasn't sure what the princess wanted from him and was a little curious, but didn't question her. Copper Finish was just as curious and looked at his friend.
"Don't worry," Celestia continued, "it shouldn't be difficult."
"Can Coppa help me?" Fire Bolt asked.
Copper Finish smiled at his friend, happy to know that Fire Bolt would always want his help.
"Actually," Celestia said, "you'll be helping Copper Finish."
Copper Finish turned his attention to the princess, confused by what she said.
"What is she talking about?" Copper Finish thought.
Copper Finish thought for a moment, before hearing Mayor Mare start the ceremony.
"Fillies and Gentlecolts." She said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "I'm happy to see that all of you could make it here today, to honor these two ponies for their heroics and bravery in a dangerous situation. And now, please welcome our beloved Princess Celestia, to introduce these heroes."
The crowd cheered loudly with whistles, shouts, and hoof stomps.
"Thank you, Mayor Mare." Celestia said, taking center stage and directing her attention to the crowd, "For quite some time, these two ponies have been working for the royalty and nobility of Equestria, always doing their best and never asking for much. And it has been an honor to have them in the Royal Canterlot Staff."
Celestia paused and smiled proudly at the two of them and they smiled back.
"Now," she continued, turning her attention back to the crowd, "please give a warm welcome to Copper Finish, our chief engineer and metallic artist, and Fire Bolt, our best forge master."
The crowd roared with cheers as Celestia presented two gold medals. One was a star with a blue oval shaped gem in the center. The other was a pair of wings with a red heart shaped ruby. Copper Finish and Fire Bolt bowed their heads, waiting to be bestowed with the medals.
"To Copper Finish," the princess said, "for being brave while others were in danger, I present to you, the star of courage."
The crowd stomped as she put the medal over his head and around his neck.
"And to Fire Bolt," she continued, "for your quick actions and devotion to those around you, I present to you, the wings of loyalty."
Celestia bestowed the medal on him and the crowd shouted proudly.
"SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!" the crowd demanded.
Copper Finish looked at Fire Bolt, who motioned for him to speak. Celestia stepped aside so he could take center stage.
"Uh," Copper Finish said with a nervous voice, "thank you, princess."
Celestia nodded and he turned his attention to the crowd.
Copper Finish cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Hello, everyone." Copper Finish began in a strong tone, "I'm really honored to be here and happy to see you all. To think, just a few days ago, me and Fire Bolt came out here on a simple supply run. Now, we're getting metals. I'll be honest, I never thought that would happen."
Copper Finish paused and thought for a moment, before continuing.
"Just goes to prove, no one can predict the future." Copper Finish continued, "But we can plan for it. So, recently I had Fire Bolt send a letter to Princess Celestia about me wanting to moving down here."
He turned his attention to the princess. "You did receive the letter, right?" He said, even though he already knew she did.
"Of course." She said with a smile, "And I think it would be good for you to have a change of scenery, anyway."
Everyone chuckled before Copper Finish continued.
"Well, Ponyville," Copper Finish said, talking to the crowd again, "it looks like you've got a new neighbor. If you'll have me."
The crowd cheered and applauded. Copper Finish smiled proudly. He stepped back and stood next to Fire Bolt again. Mayor Mare took center stage again.
"Now," Mayor Mare said, "before we end the ceremony, I would like to have the Cutie Mark Crusaders come up to the stage."
Copper Finish looked to his left and saw Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle climb the stairs to the stage. It was the first time he had seen them since the incident. They saw him and smiled. Copper Finish smiled back and gave a small wave.
"I believe, you three want to say something to Mr. Finish and Mr. Bolt." Mayor Mare said in a gentle, but stern tone.
They already apologized to them before. But they asked the mayor, earlier in the day, if they could make a public apology. From what everyone could figure, she agreed.
"We're sorry." All three of them said, more to Copper Finish than Fire Bolt.
"We didn't mean to take your train." Sweetie Belle said.
"Yeah," Scootaloo said, "we just wanted to blow the whistle and, maybe, get our cutie marks. But we accidently hit one of the levers."
"We tried to find the brake," Apple Bloom said, "but we didn't know which one it was, so we panicked. Can ya forgive us?"
Copper Finish looked at the three small faces in front of him and smiled. Then he looked at Fire Bolt, who gave him a small nod.
"We forgive you." Copper Finish said, "But, I hope you've learned to be patient for some things, especially cutie marks. Don't try to rush, otherwise, somepony might get hurt. I'm living proof of that."
"We're sorry about that, too." Sweetie Belle said, "So, we're prepared for whatever punishment you think is fair."
The room fell silent. No one was expecting such a remark. Even Celestia was astonished. After a moment, Copper Finish spoke.
"Punishment?" Copper Finish said in a confused tone, "There's no need for a punishment, what happened was an accident."
"Maybe." Apple Bloom said, "But we're the cause of that accident and ya got hurt because of it."
"Think of it as, returning the favor." Scootaloo said.
Copper Finish thought for a moment, then he had an idea.
"Alright," he said in a confident tone, "if you want to return the favor, then all three of you can help me move. I'll even get you to move some of the heavy stuff. That sounds fair to me, what about you, Bolt?"
Fire Bolt grinned and said, "That'll do."
The fillies smiled, in relief, at the two ponies and they smiled back. The crowd gave a small applause before Mayor Mare spoke again.
"And that concludes the awards ceremony." She said, "Thank you for coming out."
Before they left the stage, some reporters wanted to take some pictures.
"Hey, everypony," one of the said, "how 'bout a photo for The Stampeder?"
Copper Finish looked at the other ponies around him. They seemed fine with that.
"Sure, why not?" Copper Finish said.
"Ya don't mind if we're in it too, do ya?" A familiar voice asked.
Copper Finish looked to see Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity standing off to the side.
"Who are you?" the reporter asked.
"We're the older sisters of these sweet little fillies." Rarity answered, patting Sweetie Belle's head.
"Well, in that case," the reporter said, "you're welcome to join."
Everyone gathered in a group and got in as close as they could to each other. Copper Finish stood next to Applejack and Applebloom, Fire Bolt stood next to Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, and Rarity and Sweetie Belle stood in the middle with Celestia behind them. The Reporter set up his camera and stood behind it.
"Alright, everyone." He said, "Smile."
They smiled and the camera gave a blinding flash, that quickly wore off. He packed up his camera and smiled.
"Thanks." He said and walked away.
Copper Finish pulled his hat down over his eyes and bit his lip. He was trying to hide his shyness from Applejack. Rarity caught on to this and went over to him.
"Copper Finish," Rarity said in a kind tone, "may I have a word with you, please?"
"Um, okay." He said with some relief.
They exited through the front and walked around to the side.
"What are you doing?" Rarity asked in a stern tone.
"What do you mean?" Copper Finish replied, unsure what he did wrong.
"You're trying to hide your emotions and making it very obvious, I might add." She said.
"Well," Copper Finish said, "what can I do?"
"For now, just relax." Rarity said, "That's the best course of action."
"Okay," Copper Finish said, "but what if I'm too nervous?"
Rarity gave him a hard stare, which made him a little more nervous.
"You're trying to rush this." She said, "Some things can't be rushed, you have to be patient."
Copper Finish raised an eyebrow and had a smirk on his face after he heard that.
"Using my own words against me, huh?" Copper Finish said.
"Yes I am." Rarity said, "You should consider listening to the words you say and learn from them."
Before Copper Finish could say anything else, the doors opened and out came the others. Rainbow Dash and Fire Bolt were talking and laughing. Applejack was being followed by the fillies. Mayor Mare and Celestia came out last.
"As much fun as it was to attend," Copper Finish heard Celestia say to Mayor Mare, "I have to return to Canterlot, there are other matters to attend to."
She spread her wings and flew away, leaving Copper Finish and the others by themselves. After a moment, Rainbow Dash looked at Fire Bolt with a small grin on her face.
"So," she said with confidence, "are you ready to race, or what?"
Fire Bolt just smiled and said, "Oh, I'm ready, but are you?"
Copper Finish was about to ask Fire Bolt what the princess wanted him to do. But before he could, both Fire Bolt and Rainbow Dash launched into the air and took off with great speed. They disappeared from sight in seconds.
"Best of luck to Fire Bolt." Scootaloo said. "Rainbow Dash loves to race and she always wins."
"I don't know," Applejack said, "she's fast. But seein' Fire Bolt take off like that, makes me wonder if she's met 'er match."
Copper Finish just smiled and thought, "You'd be surprised by how hard that pony works, when he puts his mind to it."
Fire Bolt and Rainbow Dash flew high in the sky, matching each other in speed and skill. Neither one slowed and neither one could pass the other. They were almost perfectly matched, but Rainbow Dash was about to discover something about her opponent that HE didn't even know.
Faster and faster they flew, then Fire Bolt felt something warm on his head. He raised a hoof to his head, without slowing down. He didn't feel anything unusual, just his mane.
"Why am I getting warmer?" He thought as they reached greater speeds.
Rainbow Dash didn't notice, because small bolts of lightening formed around her. With every wing flap, Fire Bolt and Rainbow Dash felt power building inside of them. Fire Bolt's hair started to flame up, but it didn't burn him. In fact, it wasn't hurting him at all, there wasn't even a smoke trail. Rainbow Dash still hadn't noticed, because she knew if she got distracted, she couldn't preform her favorite move. Fire Bolt, however, started to get scared, but he didn't slow down.
"Okay." Fire Bolt thought, "Maybe, if I go faster, I can put out the fire and take the lead."
Fire Bolt sped up, keeping perfect pace with Rainbow Dash, who was still charging up. But it only made the flames bigger and the power stronger. In seconds, the Wonderbolt Academy was in sight and getting closer, fast.
"Remember!" Rainbow Dash called, "To the academy and back to Ponyville!"
They made a wide turn around the academy and back to Ponyville. They were still going extremely fast. Fire Bolt's flames grew bigger, so did Rainbow Dash's lightening bolts.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a loud boom and crackling sounds erupted and both ponies shot forward. The sounds echoed as far as Manehatten and two large shock waves sailed through the sky. One of the waves was rainbow coloured, while the other was red, orange, and yellow. The waves demolished small clouds and rattled windows.
"WWWWWHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAA!!!! HA, HA, YEAH!!!!" Fire Bolt exclaimed with surprise and joy, having never gone this fast in his life.
Rainbow Dash took noticed and was amazed by what she saw. Fire Bolt had become a shooting ball of fire with a smokeless trail and long flames behind him. Rainbow Dash had a rainbow trail behind her. But she was too busy trying to figure out what was happening. Then she realized what Fire Bolt was doing and started to worry.
"Fire Bolt!" She called to the fireball beside her, "You have to stop! Now!"
"Why?!" Fire Bolt called back, confident he was going to win, "Are you afraid of losing?!"
The flames started to pulse and sway. Fire Bolt noticed this and got scared again. Rainbow Dash sensed that Fire Bolt was in trouble. Fire Bolt tried to stop by folding in his wings, but it didn't work. Then he tried fanning out his wings and dropping his hooves for drag, but that didn't work either.
"Whao! Hey, what's going on?!" Fire Bolt asked, hoping Rainbow Dash would have a solution.
"It's Phoenix Fire," Rainbow Dash called, "I thought it was just an old mares tale!"
"Well," Fire Bolt called back, realizing he was trapped, "what can we do?!"
"I don't know how it works!" She replied.
Rainbow Dash had to think fast, then she had an idea.
"Hang on!" Rainbow Dash called, "I'm going to try something!"
Rainbow Dash moved away from him and then charged back, with speed.
BOOM!
Rainbow Dash slammed into him, causing the Rain-boom and Phoenix Fire to explode. Sending both ponies falling to the ground. They weren't seriously hurt, but they were very dizzy and falling fast. Fire Bolt was the first to regain control. However, Rainbow Dash still fell, showing no signs of regaining control. The ground was getting closer and Fire Bolt knew he had to do something, quick.
"Alright," Fire Bolt said, looking at his medal, "let's see if I deserve this."
He dove straight down and caught up to her. He wrapped his hooves around her and pulled up, just in time. Rainbow Dash was still a little dazed, but alright. She found herself moving just above the ground.
"Ow, remind me to, not, do that again." Rainbow Dash said, as Fire Bolt slowed down to land.
"Well, if you didn't, I'd still be a ball of fire." Fire Bolt said, setting her on the ground first.
She laid on the ground and waited for the world to stop spinning. He landed and sat next to her.
"Why weren't you knocked out?" Rainbow Dash asked, coming back to her senses.
"When you work around metal all day, you're bound to hit your head on a couple things." Fire Bolt replied.
Rainbow Dash slowly stood up and looked at Fire Bolt. He stood up too and walked around her, making sure that she was fit to fly.
"Wow." Rainbow Dash said as she watched him, "I didn't know Phoenix Fire was real."
"Phoenix Fire?" Fire Bolt asked, lifting one of her wings, "What's that?"
"I'm... Not really sure," she shrugged, "but I'll bet Twilight might know."
"Well, alright." Fire Bolt said, concerned about what happened, "Let me finish looking you over and we'll head back."
"Why are you looking? I'm fine." Rainbow Dash insisted.
"Yeah, but that was quite a hit you took." Fire Bolt said as he released her wing, "I'm just making sure you're alright, which you are."
Rainbow Dash nodded and they made their way back to Ponyville, at a steady speed. Rainbow Dash ended up winning, with Fire Bolt close behind. But he was still worried about the Phoenix Fire and what would have happened if he didn't stop. Everyone gathered around them, wondering what happened.
Copper Finish approached his friend. He had seen the shock waves and didn't know that the second wave belonged to Fire Bolt. But Copper Finish wanted to hear all about it.
"Hey ,Bolt," Copper Finish said, "what happened up there?"
"I don't know." Fire Bolt replied, "But, whatever it was, it needs to be checked out."
Then Rainbow Dash approached the two of them.
"Alright, Fire Bolt," she said, "let's go talk to Twilight."
Fire Bolt nodded and started walking with Rainbow Dash. Applejack and Rarity joined them, while the fillies went home.
"Hey, wait up." Copper Finish said, trotting forward, "I want to hear this."
He caught up with them and the group made their way through town.
"Where'd that other blast come from, Dash?" Applejack asked as they walked. "Ya know, the one that came after your Sonic Rain-boom."
"Oh, that was Fire Bolt." Rainbow Dash said without hesitating.
"FIRE BOLT?!" the other ponies said in amazement.
"Yeah," Fire Bolt said, "I did something called, Phoenix Fire."
"What, in the wide realm of Equestria, is Phoenix Fire?" Rarity asked, somewhat curious.
"I thought it was just an old mares tale." Rainbow Dash said, "But, I'm not sure what it, really, is."
"We're hoping Twilight might be able to figure that out." Fire Bolt said, a little worried.
Shortly after they reached Twilight's castle and knocked on the door. After a moment, the door opened and a small dragon's face appeared from behind it.
"Hi, Spike. Is Twilight home? We need her help." Rainbow Dash said.
"Yeah, she's in the library." Spike said, "Come on."
Spike lead the group to the library, where Twilight was organizing her books.
"Twilight, our friends are here." Spike said.
Twilight stopped what she was doing and hovered over to them.
"Hey, you guys, what's going on?" Twilight asked as she greeted them.
"Do you know anything about Phoenix Fire, your highness?" Fire Bolt asked, humbly.
They explained what happened, which made her curious. Twilight thought for a moment and then remembered something. She flew up to one of the shelves and pulled out an old book. She flew back down and placed the book on the table, in the center of the room. The book was titled: "Equestrian myths and legends. VOL. IV." Twilight opened the book and began flipping through the pages.
"I think it's in here somewhere." She said as she scanned the pages.
Copper Finish was still trying to figure out what Princess Celestia wanted Fire Bolt to do, but this was a little more important.
"Bet ya didn't know yer friend could do somethin' like that, did ya?" Applejack said to Copper Finish, giving him a small nudge.
Copper Finish tighten his muscles and avoided eye contact.
"Um, yeah, I mean, no." Copper Finish said in a nervous tone, "You'd be amazed by what a lot of ponies don't know about each other."
Rainbow Dash gave a small snicker, but stopped when Fire Bolt made a cautious groan. Rarity, however, just rubbed her eyes and slowly shook her head.
"Aha," Twilight finally said, "here it is."
Everyone had their attention on her and listened carefully.
"Okay," Twilight continued, "Phoenix Fire is much like the Sonic Rain-boom. However, when it's at full charge, it will emit an extremely bright light and causes the flyer to lose consciousness or cause temporary blindness."
"Hang on." Rainbow Dash said in confusion, "If it's like the Rain-boom, why can't I do it?"
"Well," Twilight continued reading, "if you've had physical contact with an actual phoenix for an extended period of time, plus very fast speeds, then it's possible."
Copper Finish remembered something that would help explain.
"Hey, Bolt?" Copper Finish said, "Do you remember when the princess's pet phoenix was at our workshop?"
It took Fire Bolt a moment to recall what Copper Finish was talking about, but he remembered.
"Oh yeah," Fire Bolt replied, "Princess Celestia asked us to make a bigger and more decorative birdcage."
"But we couldn't leave her in her old cage." Copper Finish said, "So, we let her out and she stayed perched on your back until the new cage was finished."
Twilight thought for a moment, before saying anything.
"How long did it take to make the new cage?" She asked, trying to get all the facts.
"Um, about ten to eleven hours." Copper Finish replied, "Some of the materials, we needed to build it, were hard to get."
"When did you build the cage?" Twilight asked.
"Three weeks ago, I think." Fire Bolt answered.
Rainbow Dash wasn't convinced, because she never heard of anything being affective after three weeks.
"I'm having a hard time believing that, Fire Bolt." Rainbow Dash said, raising an eyebrow.
Twilight read further, trying to find out if it sounded accurate.
"Actually, Rainbow Dash, " Twilight said, "The effects of a phoenix touching somepony will last until they preform the Phoenix Fire."
"Really?" Rainbow Dash said, "Let me see that."
Twilight stepped to the side and let Rainbow Dash re-read that part of the page.
"Since you stopped him from reaching full charge," Twilight continued, "Fire Bolt can still preform the Phoenix Fire."
Rainbow Dash stopped reading and looked at Fire Bolt, who had a nervous grin on his face.
"Anything else?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah," Fire Bolt said, "why couldn't I stop on my own?"
Twilight looked back at her book and read further.
"When Phoenix Fire is near full charge, it will have built enough momentum to fly on it's own. However, it will only last until full charge." Twilight said, "But Rainbow Dash interrupted it and stopped it from reaching full charge."
Rainbow Dash smiled with relief.
"Oh good," She said, "I though it was something dangerous."
"No," Twilight said, "it's still dangerous, but not life threatening."
Twilight looked back at Fire Bolt, who had a worried look on his face.
"The good news is," Twilight continued, "you can only do it once."
Fire Bolt began to calm down, but Copper Finish was still not fully convinced on how safe his friend was. Rarity looked at a clock on the other side of the room and made her way to the center of the group.
"Yes, well, this has been a fascinating evening," Rarity said, "however, I do believe it's getting late and we should all be going home to rest."
Everyone agreed and started to leave the library. Rarity and Copper Finish were just about to leave, when Rarity thought of something.
"Copper Finish," Rarity said, "wait a moment, I just had an idea."
She turned toward Twilight, who was putting the book back on the shelf.
"Twilight?" Rarity asked, "Would you happen to have a book on romance advice?"
"Sure," Twilight said, grabbing another book, "it's right... Wait a minute."
Twilight gave Rarity a curious look, then looked at Copper Finish.
"Why do you want this book?" She asked, suspiciously. Then a thought flew into her mind and she big smile on her face.
"No! Really!" Twilight exclaimed, "Do you two like each other?"
Copper Finish had a shocked and confused look on his face, while Rarity stared at Twilight in surprise.
"What?!" Rarity said, "No! Well, we do like each other. But not in the way you're thinking."
"Really?" Twilight said with a smirk, "Then, by all means, tell me why you want this book."
She playfully levitated the book in the center of the room. Copper Finish and Rarity both knew that they would have to tell her the truth, in order to get it.
"Alright," Copper Finish said with a sigh, "we need the book, because I like Applejack. And Rarity is going to help me."
Twilight was surprised by what she just heard. She sensed something like this at the Grand Galloping Gala, but didn't think anything of it. Now, she burned with curiosity.
"We're also trying to keep this between us." Rarity said softly, "We don't want Applejack to find out yet, otherwise, Copper Finish might lose his chance at something he's always wanted."
"Which is what?" Twilight asked, letting Rarity take hold of the book.
"A quiet and peaceful life with the pony I love." Copper Finish said as a small smile formed on his face.
Twilight approached Copper Finish and put a hoof on his shoulder.
"Well," Twilight said in a reassuring voice, "if you need extra help, don't be afraid to ask."
Copper Finish nodded and had a bigger smile on his face, relieved to hear that she would be willing to help.
Then Twilight put her hoof down. Copper Finish and Rarity made their way outside, where they found Fire Bolt and Rainbow Dash. Applejack had already gone home, which was good for Copper Finish. He grabbed the book from Rarity and tucked it under his cape, even though the book was too big for the pockets he had. He managed to put it on his back and cover it with the cape. But you could tell there was a book there, still.
"What took you two so long?" Rainbow Dash asked in an impatient tone.
"W-we... Uh... We were..." Copper Finish started to stutter.
"I stopped to fix my mane." Rarity said, saving Copper Finish, "I noticed that my curls didn't look right and asked Copper Finish to wait for me."
Fire Bolt focused on Copper Finish and noticed something under his cape.
"What's that?" Fire Bolt asked, pointing to the bump on Copper Finish's back.
"What's what?" Copper Finish asked, trying to avoid embarrassment.
"That." Fire Bolt said, "Under the cape."
"Um, nothing." Copper Finish insisted, "Nothing at all."
Fire Bolt remained unconvinced and blankly stared at his friend.
"You know where this conversation's gonna go, so let's get it over with." Fire Bolt said impatiently, "Show me what you got there."
Copper Finish sighed and got the book out from under his cape. The book was titled: "Romance Tips and Hints for Beginners."
Rainbow Dash saw it and burst out laughing.
"HA, HA, HA!" Rainbow Dash laughed, "You think that's going to help you with Applejack. Oh, that's rich."
Copper Finish had a confused and embarrassed look on him.
"How did you know about that?" Copper Finish asked.
Rainbow Dash stopped laughing as shame washed over her.
"Uh-oh." she said.
"Rainbow Dash!" Fire Bolt said, clenching his teeth.
"Sorry!" Rainbow Dash apologized, "I didn't mean to say that."
Copper Finish began to feel shock and anger take hold of him. It made Fire Bolt nervous and he knew he stepped out of line.
"What did you tell her, Bolt?" Copper Finish growled, "What did you say?"
"Look, Coppa, I can explain..." Fire Bolt stammered.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY, FIRE BOLT?!" Copper Finish roared as he threw the book to the ground.
Fire Bolt knew Copper Finish was beyond angry, because he called him by his full name.
"Everything, alright!" Fire Bolt said, "I told her everything!"
Copper Finish frowned and clenched his teeth.
Rainbow Dash started moving forward, but was stopped by Rarity.
"I think, it's best for you to just stay out of this." She said in a stern tone.
By now, tears formed in Copper Finish's eyes.
"Y-You... You unbelievable... Low-down... Back-stabbing... snake in a pony suit!" Copper Finish cried, "I knew I shouldn't have told you anything!"
"Look, Coppa, I know you're a little upset..." Fire Bolt began to say.
"Upset? Upset?!" Copper Finish said, feeling betrayed, "Why would I be upset, after finding out that my best friend, who doesn't have a clue what a secret is, told a pony, he doesn't even know, about a private dream of mine?!"
Fire Bolt didn't say anything because he knew he'd crossed the line. Rainbow Dash and Rarity watched as Copper Finish began to turn bright red.
"So tell me, Fire Bolt." Copper Finish said, "How'd she get you to talk, huh?"
Fire Bolt remained silent.
"What? Did you feel the urge to spread rumors?" Copper Finish asked, burning with anger.
"No." Fire Bolt replied.
"Oh, so you were thinking out loud and she heard you. Did you have a megaphone?!" Copper Finish said, feeling the anger build.
"Not really." Fire Bolt said softly, accepting the verbal beating.
"Then, how?! I want to know!" Copper Finish cried.
Fire Bolt looked at the ground and said nothing. Copper Finish stared at him and a thought crossed his mind. Then he looked at Rainbow Dash, who was looking back at him.
"Oh, now I get it." Copper Finish said in a low voice, "You fell for her, didn't you?"
"That's enough, Coppa Finish!" Fire Bolt said in a stern voice.
Copper Finish stared at Fire Bolt and Fire Bolt stared back. But now, he was angry with Copper Finish.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anypony." Copper Finish said and looked back at Rainbow Dash, "Hey, Rainbow, get this..."
"I SAID, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Fire Bolt roared before giving Copper Finish a punch in the face.
WHACK!
"OOF!" Copper Finish exclaimed as he hit the ground.
Fire Bolt looked at Copper Finish, then he looked at his hooves. Rainbow Dash stared in shock, while Rarity cover her mouth and gasped.
"What did I just do?!" Fire Bolt exclaimed, staring at his hooves.
Then he walked over to Copper Finish a tried to help him to his hooves.
"Get off me!" Copper Finish growled, pushing Fire Bolt away.
The two ponies stood and stared at each other. It had seemed like hours before either one said anything to the other.
"I guess you beat me to the line." Copper Finish said.
"What do you mean?" Fire Bolt asked.
Copper Finish tipped his hat in defeat.
"If you like somepony here, then you can stay here." Copper Finish said, "But I won't."
"Why?" Fire Bolt asked in confusion, "Why not?"
Copper Finish rubbed the spot on his face, where Fire Bolt punched him.
"I think it's obvious at this point, Fire Bolt." Copper Finish said.
It took Fire Bolt a moment to understand what Copper Finish meant. But, he got the point and he didn't like it.
"But, you already said that you would stay down here." Fire Bolt said, "And Princess Celestia asked me to stay here with you and help you with Applejack."
"Is that right?" Copper Finish said, "Well, you can tell her why I changed my mind."
Fire Bolt fell silent.
"Good-bye, Fire Bolt." Copper Finish said began to leave.
Copper Finish walked around Fire Bolt and stopped to look at the book on the ground. Then he walked over to Rarity and Rainbow Dash.
"Tell the fillies, that they don't need to come to Canterlot." Copper Finish said, "And give the book back to Twilight, please."
Rainbow Dash and Rarity looked at the bruised faced pony.
"Can't you forgive him?" Rarity asked, "I'm sure neither of you mean all those awful things."
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash said, "friends forgive each other."
Copper Finish looked back at Fire Bolt, who still wasn't facing him.
"Perhaps," Copper Finish said, "but true friends don't stab each other in the back or punch each other."
Big dark clouds formed over them, making it rain heavily. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Copper Finish, and Fire Bolt weren't bothered by it.
"Good-bye, friends." Copper Finish said as a tear rolled down his face, "If you're in Canterlot, look me up."
Copper Finish started walking away, leaving the others in front of the castle. He made his way to the train station, where he found the Little Puffer and two loaded flatbeds. On one of the flatbeds, was loaded with some of the diamond steel that still needed to be taken to Canterlot. On the other, was the steam wagon and several different sized boxes. They were all labeled for Canterlot, but Copper Finish didn't care. He climbed into the cab and started the fire. It took a while for the boiler to heat up. While it did, Copper Finish decided to check over and make sure everything was ready.
"Alright," Copper Finish said as he crawled under to check the brakes, "let's see if these are still any good."
Rain rattled and tapped on the boiler as Copper Finish inspected the under carriage. Then he heard the sound of hoof steps approaching.
"Urgh!" Copper Finish groaned angrily, "I've said all there needs to be said. I'm done and I'm going home."
"That's fine." A very familiar and unexpected voice said, "I'll do the talkin'."
Copper Finish was surprised by who answered. He crawled out from under the big locomotive and looked to see who was there.
"Howdy." Applejack said.
She was soaked from head to hoof and the lights from the station gave her a shimmering outline. The only thing she was wearing was her hat, which drooped from the weight of the rain.
"A-CHOO!" Applejack sneezed, which made Copper Finish take off his cape and wrap it around her.
"Here," He said as he gave her the cape, "this'll keep you warm."
"Thanks," Applejack said, "but I think it's a little late for that."
Copper Finish looked around and saw the glow of the fire coming from the cab.
"Then, please, climb aboard." Copper Finish insisted, pointing to the cab.
"Mighty kind of ya," Applejack said softly, "thank ya."
She climbed aboard and sat in front of the firebox. Copper Finish climbed aboard and closed the door to the cab. Then he sat in his drivers seat and stared at Applejack.
"What's she doing here?" Copper Finish thought as he stared.
The fire glowed bright red and crackled loudly, it was almost romantic. Aside from big levers, gauges, and pipes, it felt very peaceful. It made Copper Finish think long and hard about what he was going to do next. Seeing Applejack wrapped in his cape and sitting in front of a fire, helped him think more clearly. After a minute or two, Applejack finally spoke.
"Copper Finish," she said without turning away from the fire, "what happened to yer face?"
Copper Finish had almost forgotten about what happened earlier. He was quite surprised that she even noticed.
"Oh, that," Copper Finish said, "well, I was working under-"
"Ya don't have to lie to me." Applejack said, turning her attention to him, "Be honest, please. It suits ya better."
Copper Finish knew that he would have to tell her the truth. But, how could he, when it started with her. Then he thought of something.
"I tell you what," Copper Finish began, "I'll tell you what happened to me, if you tell me why you're here."
Applejack went quiet, to Copper Finish, that meant she had something important on her mind. But, he wasn't sure if he would like it.
"I-I wanted to talk to ya." Applejack said, "I wanted to thank ya for savin' my sister and her friends."
Copper Finish got out of the seat and sat next to her.
The fire illuminated their faces and cast their shadows on the coal tender doors. Rain tapped softly on the roof of the cab and steam clouds swirled around them. To Copper Finish, it was the most peaceful moment in his life.
"I-If you hadn't stopped this train," Applejack said as a tear rolled down her face, "I (sniff) I-I might've lost (sniff)..."
Applejack's voice trailed off as she started to cry. Copper Finish moved closer and put his hooves around Applejack, trying to comfort her.
"Ssshhh. Sshh, sshh." Copper Finish whispered, "It's alright, everything's alright."
Applejack started to calm down and wrapped her hooves around Copper Finish. At first it caught him by surprise, but then he felt a warm embrace and it was very nice. Copper Finish could feel his heart beat a little faster, but It wasn't from fear. It felt like something stronger, more powerful. Almost as if his heart was replaced with a steam engine and somepony set it to low gear. And nothing seemed more beautiful than the pony he was holding. Applejack rested her head on his chest and heard a very soft beat.
"Music to my ears." Applejack said and closed her eyes.
Copper Finish smiled and was about to tell her how he felt. But, instead, he remained quiet and watched the fire burn. As Copper Finish stared at the dancing flames, he start to think.
"Maybe," He thought, "I pushed Fire Bolt too far."
He rubbed the bruise on his face and looked at Applejack, who looked like she was ready to fall asleep.
"Who am I to judge what somepony does, when they're in love?" Copper Finish thought, realizing that he did more to Fire Bolt, than just yelling at him.
"In theory, he had every right to punch me." He continued, "I probably would've done the same, if I was him."
Copper Finish's thoughts were interrupted, when he heard soft breathing. To his surprise, Applejack had fallen into a deep sleep. He would've woken her up, but decided not to.
"I guess, I will be moving down here, after all." Copper Finish thought as he took off Applejack's hat and gently stroked the top of her head.
The rain had stopped and the clouds parted, revealing the stars and the moon. Moonlight flooded the cab and shined brightly on the two ponies. Nothing could ruin this moment and Copper Finish knew that.
Knowing that Applejack couldn't hear him, Copper Finish lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered, "I love you, Applejack."
After a few minutes, Copper Finish laid down on the floor of the cab and drifted slowly to sleep. With Applejack's head resting comfortably on his chest.