"Bolt!" Copper Finish called, "Bolt, where are you?"
It had been nearly two weeks since Copper Finish saved Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo from crashing his train. To him it was the shortest two weeks that he ever had. He had been so busy working and preparing to move, that he lost track of the days. Copper Finish knew that 'moving' day was getting closer, but he was nervous. Not because he was leaving his hometown, but because his dream was one step closer. Even with Rarity stopping by, whenever she wanted to check on her new boutique and give him romance advice. Copper Finish felt frightened by how much this could change his life. It frightened him so much, that Copper Finish would jump at anything that made a sudden movement.
"Here I am." Fire Bolt said, dropping down from an overhead platform.
"AAAAHHHH!!!"Copper Finish shrieked, jumping backwards and crashing into a workbench.
CRASH!
Tools and blueprints scattered all over the floor. And poor Copper Finish was under the bench, shaking uncontrollably. Fire Bolt looked at his friend and slowly shook his head.
"If you keep doing that," Fire Bolt said, approaching the shaken stallion, "do you really think Applejack's going to like you?"
Fire Bolt helped Copper Finish to his hooves and they started to clean up the mess.
"Besides," Fire Bolt continued, "you should be more concerned about finishing our second locomotive, if you want it to come with us."
"I know. I know." Copper Finish said, putting some wrenches back in their proper places, "But I can't help it. I mean, we're running out of time and there's still so much to do."
They finished cleaning and both ponies looked each other in the face. They both knew how much they had to do and how long they had to do it. But panicking wasn't going to solve anything.
"Look, Coppa," Fire Bolt began, "the way I see it. We've got two more days until we're out of this place."
Copper Finish listened carefully, trying to absorb as much advice as he could.
"Which means," Fire Bolt continued, "we've got two days until the new workshop is built, find somepony to run this place after we're gone, and put the finishing touches on the new locomotive."
"Okay," Copper Finish said, "but how are we going to pull all this off in two days?"
Fire Bolt thought for a moment before saying anything. Then he had an idea.
"What if we had your brother take over and we can finish up the locomotive?" Fire Bolt said with a confident smile.
"What?! No!" Copper Finish said, not impressed by Fire Bolt's idea.
"Why not?" Fire Bolt insisted, "He'd be great at it. Plus, he knows just as much as you do."
"Yeah. And he would try to convince Princess Celestia into changing this place into a factory." Copper Finish argued.
"Look around, Coppa, it pretty much is." Fire Bolt said, pointing at the work floor, "We're just working for the royalty and nobility of Equestria, not the average community."
Hoists, conveyer belts, and vats of molten metal moved throughout the work area. Copper Finish started to feel his heart sinking, because he knew that Fire Bolt was right. But there were so many memories invested into this place, that it was hard to let it go. Especially, to somepony who only saw bits and not the beauty in a steam engine.
"You know Chrome will try to alter our dad's dream, right?" Copper Finish said, looking down at his hooves, "He never had the same vision as Dad and me."
Fire Bolt put a hoof on Copper Finish's shoulder and sighed.
"My pop used to say, 'never follow somepony else's dream, make your own and run with them.'" Fire Bolt said, trying to put Copper Finish's mind at ease, "And those words have gotten me this far. So, who says you have to follow your pop's dream?"
Copper Finish turned his head and looked at some of the pictures, hanging on the wall. Several of them showed Copper Finish standing with Princess Celestia or some other important pony, next to something he built. But his favorite pictures were the ones showing Copper Finish and his father. One showed Copper Finish as a colt, being taught how to read pressure gauges by his father. Another showed him watching his father build a steam clock.
"I don't know, Bolt." Copper Finish said, turning back to face his friend, "Dad taught me everything he knew, before he passed. I can't just leave all that behind."
"Well, if you don't," Fire Bolt began, "than how are you going to run two workshops at the same time?"
Copper Finish didn't answer.
"And what about Applejack?" Fire Bolt added.
Copper Finish's ears perked up at that. Hearing that made the decision for him, but he didn't like it.
"Alright," Copper Finish said with a sigh, "I'll talk to Chrome."
After that, the two ponies got back to work. They worked until the sun had set and all of the other workers had gone home. Fire Bolt was the last to leave. While Copper Finish stayed behind to lock up the shop and think about what the future looked like for him.
"I hope this goes as planned," Copper Finish thought, "otherwise, this'll be one of the most pointless things I've ever done."
He went home and climbed into bed. It took him a while to fall asleep, but he managed to enter the dream world, after counting steam clouds.
The next morning, Copper Finish found it hard to wake up and get ready for the day. He slowly slid out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen. He was surprised by what he found. In the kitchen was Copper Finish's little sister, Pearlescent Finish, making breakfast for two. Though it smelt like bad coal and burnt metal. Copper Finish yawned loudly, making Pearlescent turn around to see what made the noise.
"Oh! Hi, Copper." Pearlescent said, stirring what could be pancake batter, "I wanted to surprise you with something."
"Surprise me?" Copper Finish groaned as he rubbed one of his eyes, "Why would you surprise me? Also, how did you get in my house?"
Pearlescent smiled shyly and giggled.
"Well, you forgot to lock your door, for starters, silly." She said, pointing to the front door.
Copper Finish walked over to the door and noticed that the pin wasn't locked.
"Okay." Copper Finish said, locking the pin into place, "But that doesn't explain why you're here."
Pearlescent's giggle turned to laughter.
"I'm here, because it's your birthday!" She said, laughing at how forgetful her brother could be.
Copper Finish looked at the calendar, hanging from one of the cupboards and gasped. He had been so busy, the last few days, he'd forgotten about his own birthday. Pearlescent poured the batter onto a pan and turned to look at her brother. She noticed a smile on Copper Finish's face. She walked over to him and put a hoof on his shoulder.
"Happy birthday, big brother." Pearlescent said softly, giving him a warm hug.
"Thank you, Pearl." Copper Finish said, turning and giving her a hug, "Your the best sister in Equestria."
"I know." Pearlescent said in a cheeky voice.
Both ponies ate their breakfast, even though it wasn't very good. But Copper Finish didn't mind, because he always appreciated what Pearlescent did for him. Copper Finish knew she looked up to him and it made him feel proud of her every accomplishment. Growing up, the two siblings were rarely seen separated from each other. While Chrome Finish, on the other hoof, was rarely seen with his younger brother and sister. But the two younger ponies didn't mind that. They were just happy being themselves and playing games at their father's workshop. As they grew up, however, they changed. Copper Finish was appointed chief engineer, while Pearlescent traveled to far away places, making beautiful paintings that shone brightly in the light.
"I know I'm not a very good cook, but at least I tried." Pearlescent said, finishing her dark pancake.
Copper Finish finished his pancakes and took their plates to the sink.
"Come on, Pearl." Copper Finish said, gently putting the dishes in the warm water, "At least they were better than that cherry pie you made, when we were still foals."
"Yeah." Pearlescent said, grabbing a towel and drying the washed dishes, "But I didn't know that some of those weren't ripe yet."
Both ponies laughed at their old memories. After they finished cleaning the kitchen and dining room table, they went for a walk towards Chrome Finish's house. But Copper Finish sensed something was out of place and it felt very close. Almost as if it was walking beside him. He looked at Pearlescent, who looked like she was hiding something. He even noticed that she was walking a little slower than usual.
"Hey, Pearl?" Copper Finish said, feeling a little uneasy, "Is everything alright?"
"What? Oh, yeah, everything is A-Okay." Pearlescent said, putting on an obviously fake smile.
Copper Finish could see right through the smile and tell that she was afraid of something. He stopped walking and looked at his younger sister. Pearlescent stopped walking, but she didn't look at Copper Finish, making him suspicious.
"Be honest, Pearl." Copper Finish said softly and moving closer to her, "Please, tell me why you're not your usual self."
He put a hoof under her chin and raised her head, so she'd look him in the eyes. And what Copper Finish saw, almost broke his heart. In Pearlescent's eyes, tears had formed and slowly ran down her cheeks. But they weren't tears of sadness, instead they were tears of fear. Which Copper Finish recognized, almost immediately. Clearly, this was something Copper Finish couldn't just leave alone. He gave her a hug as she buried her head into his shoulder and sobbed.
"I'll always be around for you, little sis." Copper Finish said, brushing her mane with his hoof, "You can tell me anything and I'll always listen."
After a moment, Pearlescent lifted her head from his shoulder and looked him in eye.
"D-Do you promise not to tell anypony?" Pearlescent asked, wiping away the tears.
"You have my word." Copper Finish replied.
Pearlescent took a deep breathe and closed her eyes.
"I-I'm... I'm..." Pearlescent stuttered, trying to get the words out.
Copper Finish waited patiently. Clearly, this was something important, if she couldn't speak properly.
"I'm having a baby!" Pearlescent finally blurted out, opening her eyes to see what her brother's reaction looked like.
Copper Finish just stood still and stared at his sister in shock. His mind frantically started to think of responses. But how could he just simply respond to something like that.
"Y-You're..." Copper Finish stammered, trying not to shout.
Pearlescent nodded her head.
"W-Which means, I'll be an..." Copper Finish continued, feeling his heart racing, "...uncle?"
Pearlescent nodded her head again.
Copper Finish put a hoof over his mouth and gasped. He stared at his sister with wide eyes.
"Y-You're not upset, are you, Copper?" Pearlescent asked, looking at her shocked older brother.
"Up-Upset? Up-set?" Copper Finish replied, still trying to contain his emotions, "Are you kidding?!"
Pearlescent stepped back, expecting to hear that he was angry.
"I feel like the luckiest pony in Equestria!" Copper Finish exclaimed joyously, "No! In the universe!"
Pearlescent cracked a smile and Copper Finish gave her the biggest hug he had ever given her.
"H-How far along are you?" Copper Finish asked, trying to calm down.
"About five weeks." Pearlescent said, sitting on a nearby bench.
Copper Finish sat next to her and held his face in his hooves. Then something crossed his mind, that scared him.
"Um. Wh-Who's the father?" Copper Finish asked lifting his head and turning to face Pearlescent, "I don't recall you having a coltfriend or being married, unless I missed something."
Pearlescent blushed and turned away from Copper Finish.
"I met him while I was traveling." Pearlescent began explaining, "I was painting a beautiful view of Las Pegasus at night, when he came up to the roof of the hotel, I was staying in and set up his painting tools next to mine. I wanted to tell him to find a different spot, but he was so handsome and I didn't want to be rude. So I let him paint alongside me."
Copper Finish listened carefully, hanging onto every word she said.
"After I had finished my painting," Pearlescent continued, "he asked me if I wanted to go for dinner. Normally, I would say, 'no.' But, instead, I accepted his invitation and we went to a restaurant just a few blocks away. Part way through the evening, we came back up to my hotel room and... Well, the rest is self explanatory."
"What happened after that?" Copper Finish asked, starting to feel a little concerned.
"Well, I woke up alone and tried to pretend it never happened." Pearlescent said as the tears returned, "But a few days after I came home, I started to feel strange. Almost as if something was wrong with me, but I didn't think it was overly important. Then I realized, a few days after, that whatever was happening, wasn't going away. So I went to see the doctor. That's when I found out about the baby."
Copper Finish shuffled closer to her and put a hoof around her.
"Does anypony else know?" Copper Finish asked, trying to comfort his sobbing sister.
"No." She replied, "Just you and the doctor."
Pearlescent rested her head on Copper Finish's shoulder again. Tears ran down her face and Copper Finish could tell that she was scared.
"I-I don't know what to do, Copper." Pearlescent sobbed, "I don't know anything about raising a foal."
Copper Finish didn't say anything. He just started rocking back and forth, making Pearlescent calm down.
"I-I'm scared." Pearlescent sniffled softly, "What if I'm a terrible mother?"
"Oh, hush." Copper Finish replied, "You're one of the best mares I know. I doubt you'll be a terrible mother."
Pearlescent looked at Copper Finish.
"Really?" She asked, looking at her older brother's kind expression, "Do you really think that?"
"Heh, heh." Copper Finish chuckled, "I know it."
Pearlescent smiled and rested her head on his shoulder again.
"However," Copper Finish continued, "you're cooking is going to need some work."
Both ponies chuckled quietly at that. After a while, they got off the bench and continued walking towards Chrome Finish's home. Chrome Finish was the oldest of the three siblings, but not the nicest. He always had ideas that either, Copper Finish didn't like or had nothing to do with an original plan. But considering the current events that have been taking place, Copper Finish would have to make the hard decision of asking for Chrome's help.
"Alright." Copper Finish said as they reached the front door, "We're here, now, let's get this over with."
Knock, knock, knock.
Copper Finish knocked on the door and waited. After a moment, a face appeared in one of the windows. It didn't look happy to see Copper Finish, but cracked a friendly grin at Pearlescent. Copper Finish glared back at the face.
"Chrome, let us in." Copper Finish said.
"Why would I do that, Copper?" the face replied, "The last time we saw each other was after Dad's funeral and you took off without a single word to me."
"Grrr!" Copper Finish growled.
Pearlescent stepped forward and looked inside at the face of her oldest brother.
"Please, Chrome." Pearlescent pleaded, "Can't you just look past it and let us in?"
After a moment, Chrome Finish opened the door and let them inside. Pearlescent was the first to enter, while Chrome and Copper Finish exchanged glares. Then Chrome Finish lead them to the living room and sat in his chair.
"Take a seat." Chrome said, gesturing to the couch.
Obediently, the two siblings sat down and looked at their older brother.
"Happy birthday, Copper." Chrome said, not showing any emotion towards Copper Finish.
"Thanks, Chrome." Copper Finish replied, sensing tension in the room.
Then Chrome looked at Pearlescent, who was fussing with her mane.
"How are you, little sis?" Chrome asked softly, paying no attention to Copper Finish.
"Oh, I'm doing alright." Pearlescent replied, "Yourself?"
"Just doing what I've always done." Chrome said with a smile, "Make things and making them shine."
At this point, Copper Finish was getting impatient and wanted to got everything out of the way, quickly.
"Look, Chrome," Copper Finish began, "I'll cut to the chase."
Chrome's smile faded away and was replaced by a scowl.
"Okay, so cut to it, Copper." He said, glaring at his younger brother.
"I believe you've heard of me moving away?" Copper Finish continued.
"Yeah." Chrome replied, "And what does that have to do with me?"
"It has to do with you, because I need somepony to run the workshop here." Copper Finish said, feeling annoyed by his brother's arrogance, "And the only pony that knows as much as I do, is you."
Chrome didn't say anything and stared at Copper Finish. Finally, he spoke.
"After all this time," Chrome said, curling his eyebrows, "after all the years of bickering and fighting with each other, you want me to help you?"
Copper Finish leaned forward and glared.
"Will you do it?" Copper Finish asked impatiently, "Or am I wasting my time?"
The two brothers stared at each other, showing no respect or care. Until they heard a sound that could stop a war.
"Chrome, please." Pearlescent pleaded.
Hearing his sister's voice, made Chrome decide very quickly.
"Alright," he said, "I'll do it."
Copper Finish nodded his head and they stood up. They made their way towards the front door. However, Copper Finish wasn't fully confident in his brother.
"You'll start tomorrow." Copper Finish said before leaving.
"Fine." Chrome replied, "But I'm running it my way, not yours."
"Fine." Copper Finish groaned, regretting asking for Chrome's help, "Just remember to ask Princess Celestia, before you do anything."
Copper Finish and Pearlescent left Chrome's house and proceeded towards the workshop. Then they started talking about the baby again.
"So, do you have a plan?" Copper Finish asked, "Or not yet?"
"Like I said before, Copper, I don't know what to do at all." Pearlescent replied, leaning on him as they walked.
Copper Finish thought for a moment, then he had an idea.
"How about this," he began with a small grin, "what if you came with me and Fire Bolt?"
Pearlescent looked up at her brother, surprised by what he said.
"But what about my friends and my things?" Pearlescent said, feeling concerned, "I can't just pick up and go."
"Your friends can visit you whenever you want." Copper Finish added, "And we'll take your things with us. Even if I have to haul it all down in trips."
"Well, what about Mom?" Pearlescent asked, "She never liked the idea of Ponyville. And I don't want to upset her."
"Look, I'm not saying you have to come along." Copper Finish said, trying to help her think clearly, "But I am telling you that, both you and the baby, might be better off in a town that's less crowded than Canterlot."
Pearlescent listened very carefully to her brother's words and hung on to every single one.
"Besides," Copper Finish continued, "you never know. You might actually like some of the views, wide open spaces, and ponies there. You might make new friends too."
The word, "views," made Pearlescent's ears perk up and a grin appear on her face.
"Alright," Pearlescent said softly, "I'll go. But only because I know you really want me too."
Copper Finish smiled at her and she smiled back. Shortly after, they reached the workshop and entered. Several ponies were helping Fire Bolt to mount and secure parts, pieces, and bolts to the new locomotive. It was almost complete, the only things missing were a whistle, a headlamp, and the plow. The whistle and headlamp were already waiting to be tested, but the plow still had to be made.
"It's massive!" Pearlescent gasped, amazed by the size of the locomotive.
It had four small wheels in the front, two sets of six bigger drive wheels, another four small wheels under the cab, and fourteen wheels under the mammoth sized coal tender. Pipes, panels, and cylinders lined the bottom of the boiler. While on top of it, sat two large steam domes. But the funnel was no where to be found.
"Where's the funnel?" Pearlescent asked, looking at where the funnel should be, "Did you forget to put it on?"
Copper Finish looked at the front and smiled at what she was looking at.
"No, it's up there." Copper Finish replied, pointing at where the funnel actually was, "It's only because this thing is so tall, we had to lower it and make it look like part of the boiler."
Then Copper Finish climbed into the large cab and helped Pearlescent aboard. He showed her all the levers and gauges, which were all set to zero.
"In size, it's three times bigger than the Little Puffer." Copper Finish said triumphantly, "And is going to be eight times stronger."
The both of them looked around and smiled.
"Coppa, are you in there?" A voice called out, "The whistles and headlamp are ready for testing."
"I'll be out in a minute, Bolt." Copper Finish called back.
Pearlescent grinned at her brother, which told him that she wanted to see them.
"Come on, Pearl." He said as he climbed out to help her down.
They went to the other side of the work floor, where Fire Bolt was waiting. On a workbench behind him, were several different whistles and a big headlamp. The whistles varied in size, shape, and design. But they all looked very fitting for the new locomotive.
"Let's take these outside." Copper Finish said, "I don't want anypony to become deaf."
Fire Bolt nodded and helped Copper Finish move the bench outside, while Pearlescent followed behind them. They brought it around to the side and connected an air hose from the wall to a small pipe attached to the bench.
"Cover your ears, Pearl." Copper Finish said, putting his hoof on an air valve, "It's going to get loud."
Pearlescent covered her ears, while Copper Finish and Fire Bolt stuffed earplugs into theirs.
"CLEAR!" Copper Finish yelled, turning the valve and releasing the air.
WOOOO!
HOOOOOT!
WAWOOOO!
PEEEEEEEP!
TOOOOOT!
One by one, the whistles sounded off, creating a loud racket and shaking the ground slightly. Finally, Copper Finish closed the valve and the whistles fell silent.
"Well, that was an experience." Pearlescent said lowering her hooves.
Copper Finish and Fire Bolt took out their earplugs and looked at the whistles. Each whistle had a number and a name in front of it.
"So," Fire Bolt asked, "which one sounds the best?"
Copper Finish looked at his options very carefully. Finally, he spotted the one that would fit the best, both in style and sound.
"That one, there." Copper Finish replied, pointing at the one he wanted, "Number seven, the Five Chime Plain Echoer."
Fire Bolt nodded and then plugged the headlamp into a power box on the wall. He turned and pointed it at an old shed. Then he flipped a switch and the light beamed brightly into the dark and empty building. It wasn't evening yet, but it was dark enough inside to notice how bright it was.
"Light checks out nicely." Fire Bolt said smiling, "If you can't see this thing in the night, then you've got a problem."
After they finished testing and choosing, Pearlescent, Copper Finish, and Fire Bolt brought the bench back inside and got to work. Copper Finish climbed to the top and started fitting the whistle. Fire Bolt attached the light to the front, while Pearlescent started getting cans of paint. Copper Finish noticed this and realized something.
"Pearlescent, stop!" Copper Finish called, climbing down the side, "Don't open those cans!"
Pearlescent stopped what she was doing and looked at her brother.
"Why? What's wrong?" Pearlescent asked, unaware of the danger that could happen.
Copper Finish ran over to her and looked at the cans.
"This paint is dangerous, if you don't know how to properly use it." Copper Finish said, tapping one of the cans.
"But I've dealt with paint before." Pearlescent insisted, "It's kind of how I got my cutie mark and part of my job."
She pointed at her flank, which displayed a pink pearl being painted purple.
"Yeah, but that's artist paint." Copper Finish said, "This is industrial paint, which has toxic fumes that could make you very sick, or worse."
Copper Finish gestured to her midsection, which made her realize her mistake.
"If you want to help, that's fine." Copper Finish continued, pointing at one of the cabinets, "There's some protective gear in there."
Pearlescent looked at the cabinet and saw a mask with a face shield and a full bodysuit with a hood.
"Just remember," Copper Finish said, after she turned back to look at him, "next time you want to do something, think before you act. Otherwise, it could cause trouble for you both."
"Okay, Copper." Pearlescent said, giving him a hug, "I'll remember."
They exchanged hugs and Pearlescent went over to the cabinet. Copper Finish watched her, to make sure she did everything right. She came back shortly after, fully dressed in a white suit, yellow boots, a black mask with special filters, and a scratched face shield.
"How do I look?" Pearlescent asked, her voice muffled by the mask.
"Like your ready to paint a train." Copper Finish chuckled.
They brought the paint cans over to the tender and Copper Finish took a few steps back. He wasn't wearing any protective equipment other than his gauntlets, goggles, and cape. Which were made more for heat, than toxic fumes. His hat was more of an accessory, than protection. As Copper Finish watched her open the first paint can, he reached for a lever and pulled down. As he did, several vents opened and air flowed through the work area. Some other ponies put on their protective equipment and grabbed brushes, to help Pearlescent paint the tender and locomotive.
"Alright, Bolt." Copper Finish said, "Let's go see how that plow is coming."
Fire Bolt nodded and followed Copper Finish into a separate room. They found six forges, all were glowing hot. And in the center of the room was a big black plow, being filed down and hammered.
"How's it coming, Steel Plate?" Fire Bolt asked, addressing the pony with a hammer.
The pony stopped hammering and stepped back.
"It's almost ready." Steel Plate said in a deep voice, "We should have it on the engine, before quitting time."
"Very good." Copper Finish replied, inspecting the plow, "Because we're shipping out tomorrow."
Steel Plate looked at his supervisor, in confusion.
"Tomorrow?" He asked, "When?"
"Hopefully, by noon." Fire Bolt added.
"Then who's gonna be running this place?" Steel Plate asked, hoping it was somepony he knew and liked.
"My brother, Chrome Finish." Copper Finish groaned.
Steel Plate turned away, put his hammer down on a bench and bit his lip. Copper Finish could tell that he wasn't thrilled by what he said.
"I didn't want to ask him, Steel." Copper Finish said, "But I had no other options."
"You know what he might do to this place, right?" Steel Plate said, grinding his teeth.
"That's why I'm appointing you as second in charge." Copper Finish replied, "Because I know that you can keep an eye on him for me."
"You know we aren't friends anymore, right?" Steel Armor insisted, "He'd probably try to fire me, the first chance he got."
"He couldn't if he tried, Steel." Copper Finish said in a reassuring voice.
Steel Plate looked at one of the forges and watched the flames burn bright red.
"Why not?" Steel asked, "You gave him the authority to do so."
"Actually," A kind voice said, "it's my decision, whether to you stay here or not."
All three ponies turned to see who the mystery guest was. To their surprise, Princess Celestia was standing in the doorway to the work floor. But her attention was more on Steel Plate, than Copper Finish and Fire Bolt.
"Your highness." The three ponies said, bowing respectfully.
Celestia moved closer to Steel Plate and put a hoof on his shoulder. He raised his head and looked up at her.
"Princess," Steel Plate began, "I'm just worried that..."
Celestia raised her hoof off his shoulder and held it in front of him, signaling him to stop talking.
"I heard everything, Steel Plate." She said, putting her hoof on the ground, "And I think I'll keep you here."
Steel Plate smiled and Celestia turned her attention to Copper Finish.
"May I have a word with you, Copper Finish?" She asked.
"Um, of course, your highness." Copper Finish replied.
The two ponies left the forge room and proceeded to Copper Finish's office.
"What did you want to talk about, Princess?" Copper Finish asked as they stepped into the small room and closed the door.
"I sense that you don't trust your brother." Celestia replied, "Is that true?"
Copper Finish sat down at his desk and anxiously rubbed his hooves together.
"It's not that I don't trust him," Copper Finish began, "it's just whenever he does something, it either makes no sense or is completely useless. But in his mind, he thinks it's the greatest idea ever. Meanwhile, I'm trying to make the things that ponies requested. But with him changing the design or being lazy, it delays and adds pressure on me."
"If he really is that much of a problem," Celestia said, "then why did you ask him for help?"
Copper Finish looked down at a drawer on his desk and opened it. He reached into the drawer and pulled out an old picture.
"Because he did this for me." Copper Finish said, turning the picture towards the princess.
The picture was cut from a newspaper clipping that was headlined, "Fire claims one, family mourns." Celestia stared at the picture, which showed Copper Finish and Chrome Finish standing outside of a charred building, their bodies covered in black soot. The sign that used to be above the door read, "Iron Finish's Finest Metal Creations."
"I remember hearing about this place." Celestia said, still looking at the picture, then at him, "How did it happen?"
Copper Finish looked at the princess and sighed.
"It was just supposed to be a regular day at the shop." Copper Finish began explaining, "Dad had asked me and Chrome to help him finish this new steam engine, he was working on. Naturally, I didn't hesitate to help. But Chrome wasn't so eager. Dad eventually convinced him, even though he would've rather been sleeping at home."
Celestia listened carefully, trying to understand Copper Finish's history with his brother.
"Anyway," Copper Finish continued, turning the picture towards him, "we started to test the steam engine, when suddenly, one of the pipes burst and came flying off. I ducked my head down just in time to avoid being hit by it, fully. Unfortunately, it still got me and hit the big forge we were using to make some of the parts and caused it to spill molten metal all over the floor."
"I get the feeling that you were afraid." Celestia said, looking at Copper Finish.
"You're sure right, I was." Copper Finish said, putting the picture back in the drawer, "I was afraid that I could've died that day. But as I laid on the ground watching the liquid metal and flames spread, I heard Dad call to Chrome. I didn't hear what he said, but I know it had to do with the fire. Then I see Dad point at me and say something to Chrome. After that I blacked out."
"What do you remember when you woke up?" Celestia asked, intrigued by his story.
"I remember waking up on the other side of the street and watching the shop burn." Copper Finish replied, raising his hooves to his head, "I looked around and saw Chrome sitting beside me, but Dad wasn't there with him. I stood up and called for him, but there wasn't a reply. And as I turned my head back to the flames, I realized that our father wasn't going to answer. Because I realized that he never came out of that shop. Chrome told me, after he got me out, that he tried to go back in to get Dad. But didn't because he heard..."
Copper Finish stopped talking, because it had started to hurt his soul. Celestia didn't need to hear the rest of the story to know what happened to Copper Finish's father. She knew very well that it was a subject that caused him more pain, the more he talked about it.
"I'm... I'm sorry, Copper Finish." Celestia said in a soft and sympathetic voice, "I'm sure that your father would be very proud of you."
Copper Finish wiped away a tear from his eye and looked at the princess.
"I don't blame Chrome for what happened." He said, "But I do wish that he had tried harder to save Dad."
"I'm sure if there was more time," Celestia said, "he would've done that. But he only had time to save one of you."
Copper Finish took off his hat and looked at the photo inside.
"This was the last time we were all together." He said, holding the hat in front of him.
Using her magic, Celestia took hold of the hat and looked at the photo. Then she looked back at Copper Finish.
"You look just like him." Celestia said, levitating the hat back to him.
Copper Finish grabbed the hat and put it back on his head.
"Back to the point." Copper Finish said, clearing his throat, "I asked Chrome for help, because he knows as much as I do and I want to replay him for saving my life. But what I'm worried about is that he'll try to convince you to turn this place into something that it's not."
"Which is?" Celestia asked, listening carefully to Copper Finish's words.
"A place of profit, not beauty." Copper Finish replied, "That's why I'm not too keen on having him here, while I'm in Ponyville."
Celestia raised a hoof to her chin and thought.
"You don't have to worry, Copper Finish." Celestia said, putting her hoof back on the ground, "As I said to Steel Plate, it's my decision as to what happens here."
Copper Finish had almost forgotten about that. Feeling better about his decision, Copper Finish stood up and they left his office. They went back to the work area where Pearlescent and the other ponies were painting. The tender had already been primed and painted a light grey with a black stripe stretching along the sides. On the black stripe, Copper Finish noticed that Pearlescent had already given the new locomotive a name.
"Grey Ghost?" Copper Finish asked, looking at the white lettering.
Pearlescent heard him and walked over to admire the paintwork.
"I never thought that you'd give it such a name, Pearl." Copper Finish said, still looking at the name.
Celestia even found the name rather intriguing.
"Why would you name it such a thing, my dear?" She asked the young unicorn.
Pearlescent blushed at the alicorn and grinned shyly.
"Well, your highness." Pearlescent began, "If you look at it from any angle, you'll notice that it looms over you like a big ghost. Plus, it looks almost haunting, which actually suits it very well."
Celestia turned her attention to Copper Finish, who was looking back at her.
"I wasn't aiming to scare anypony, I swear." Copper Finish said, expecting to hear that she didn't like the appearance.
Celestia grinned at the engineer and giggled.
"Don't worry, Copper Finish." Celestia giggled, "It's rather beautiful, while still being fierce looking."
They were about to walk away, when they heard something heavy being dragged along the ground.
SSSCEEEEAAAAARRRRRCH!
The three of them looked, to see what was making the awful sound. To their surprise, they saw Fire Bolt, Steel Plate, and several other ponies pushing and pulling the plow to the front. Thankfully, some unicorns went over and used their magic to pick up the large piece of metal and secured it to the front of the Grey Ghost. Then Copper Finish noticed that the boiler, cab, wheels, and connecting rods still had to be painted. But the day was coming to an end, so they had to work fast.
"Alright, everypony, gather round!" Copper Finish called, trying to rally everypony together.
All the ponies stopped what they were doing and circled around Copper Finish, Pearlescent, and Celestia.
"I need all of you to put on some gear and help Pearlescent." Copper Finish ordered, pointing to the bare metal boiler, "We have to finish this, as soon as we can. Because, Fire Bolt, me, and Pearl are going to be leaving tomorrow and we want to be going by noon. So right now, we're going to try and finish painting, letting it dry overnight, and first thing in the morning is when we'll be loading."
"But who's going to be in charge while you're gone, boss?" A pony asked.
"My brother, Chrome Finish." Copper Finish replied.
Several ponies groaned and muttered amongst themselves. Copper Finish knew that his brother wasn't popular with his crew, but it was something that had to be done.
"I know some of you aren't very friendly with him." Copper Finish continued, silencing the grumbling ponies, "But make no mistake, he knows as much as I do and you will show him the respect that you've shown me. Anypony who has a problem with that, speak up now."
The room fell silent for a moment, before anypony spoke.
"Does this mean you're resigning from the Canterlot Staff?" Another pony asked.
Celestia spoke up before Copper Finish could answer.
"Actually," Celestia began, "Copper Finish will still be part of the staff, but he won't be called upon as often as before."
Copper Finish was planning on talking to Celestia about it. But since it seemed that she still had use for him, Copper Finish felt relieved to know that he wouldn't be forgotten.
"Alright, enough talking." Fire Bolt said, "Let's get to work."
All the ponies disbanded and started to put on protective equipment. As they did, Fire Bolt walked over to Copper Finish and tapped his shoulder.
"Why are you bringing your sister?" He asked as Copper Finish turned to face his friend.
"I'll tell you when we leave." Copper Finish replied.
Then he turned his attention towards Celestia.
"I did tell you that I wanted to live in the new workshop, right?" Copper Finish asked, hoping that she received his letter.
"Of course." Celestia replied, "I recently received word that the architect, changed the design slightly."
"Did he say how many ponies could live there?" He asked.
"I believe he said, seven could live there comfortably." Celestia replied with a grin.
Copper Finish's eyes widened. He knew that this new shop/home would be bigger than where he was now. But he wasn't expecting it to be big enough to fit seven ponies. Clearly, whoever Celestia asked to build it, took great pride in their work.
"I have to go now." Celestia said, "The day is coming to an end and the sun must rest."
She turned and left her chief engineer to supervise his crew. After Celestia was out of sight, Copper Finish put on some equipment and started painting. They worked until they heard a loud whistle sound off.
TOOOOOOOOOT!
"Quittin' time!" Copper Finish called out.
Everypony stopped painting and removed their equipment. The Grey Ghost was fully primed and painted, ready to leave the shop. Which made Copper Finish happy.
"Good work, everypony." Copper Finish said, smiling and scanning the new paintwork.
After a short applause, everypony made their way out of the building and headed home. Copper Finish was the last to leave.
"Tomorrow," Copper Finish thought as he locked the door, "everything changes."
The next morning, Copper Finish woke up early. He wanted to get started on preparations, without having to rush. But as he left his house and started walking towards his shop, he heard a familiar voice.
"You're not leaving without having breakfast, are you?" The voice asked, in a Canterlot accent.
Copper Finish turned to see who was talking to him. He smiled when he saw who it was.
"The last time you asked me that," Copper Finish began, "I was running late for school."
Copper Finish was talking to a middle aged unicorn mare with silver streaks in her mane and glasses. He approached her and gave her a hug.
"How are you, Mom?" Copper Finish asked, letting her go.
The mare adjusted her glasses and smiled.
"I'm doing well." She replied, "And, yourself?"
"I'm alright, considering the fact that I'm moving to Ponyville today." Copper Finish said.
Copper Finish's mother looked at him with a face that he knew very well.
"I still don't understand why your going to such a place." She huffed, "It's rather... Uncouth."
Copper Finish just smirked and raised an eyebrow.
"I'm mostly going, because of somepony I know." Copper Finish replied, feeling somewhat foolish at that statement, "Besides, it's not as bad as you think, there."
His mother changed her expression and smiled. Clearly, she only caught onto the first part of that comment.
"You don't say." She said, grinning, "I assume this 'somepony' has a name."
Copper Finish hesitated, fearing what his mother would think about what this pony was like. But how could he lie to his own mother.
"Applejack." Copper Finish said hesitantly, "Her name is Applejack."
The mare's grin faded away as she adjusted her glasses again and leaned forward, looking squarely into her son's eyes. Copper Finish knew that whenever she did that, she was making sure that he was telling the truth. Which he was. Thankfully, she didn't just do that to Copper Finish.
"Apple-jack?" She asked, leaning back to her normal stance, "A rather interesting and very country name."
"She's a very interesting and very country pony." Copper Finish replied humorously.
His humor wasn't recognized by his mother as she stared at him.
"Why wouldn't you want any of the young mares running around Canterlot?" She asked, watching two very well dressed mares walk passed them, "Their far more beautiful and polite than anypony you'll find in Ponyville."
Copper Finish knew what his mother was trying to do. Which was try to convince him into staying in Canterlot. But it was already too late, he had already made up his mind. However, he still had to give her a reason.
"Don't get me wrong, Mom." Copper Finish began, "Their nice and all, but their not like me. Their not hard working, they hate getting dirty, and they constantly worry about what their wearing. But Applejack's different."
"Different?" She asked, "How so?"
"It's hard to explain." Copper Finish continued, lowering his head, "When I'm around her, I feel warm and welcome. Like I belong. And when I'm away from her, I feel like a broken machine in need of repair."
Copper Finish remained in his low stance as his mother approached him.
"I believe, I've heard that story before." She said, putting a hoof under his chin and raising his head.
"Really?" Copper Finish asked, thinking that Fire Bolt didn't keep his mouth shut again, "From who?"
The mare smiled proudly at her son.
"Your father told me that at our wedding, before you were born." She replied as a small tear formed in her eye.
Copper Finish leaned forward and gave her a warm hug.
"I miss him." He sniffed, letting go.
"I miss him too." His mother said, "And if I knew him correctly, he would've wanted you to be in Ponyville already. He came from there, you know."
"Really?" Copper Finish asked, wiping a tear away from his eye, "I thought he always lived in Canterlot."
His mother shook her head and sat down at a table, outside of a restaurant. Copper Finish sat down as well and listened to the story of his parents. As she told him, Copper Finish noticed several similarities, between his romance and theirs. Such as his father being very shy and nervous around his mother. And she told Copper Finish that she even thought about him almost everyday. But the biggest and most interesting point, was when his father finally got the courage to tell her about his feelings. They talked for an hour, before looking at a clock and realizing what time it was.
"Oh, thundering hooves!" Copper Finish exclaimed, "I've got to go. Will you come to see us off?"
"Us?" She asked, confused by the word, "I thought you were going on your own."
"No, Mom." Copper Finish replied, preparing to make a mad dash to the shop, "It's me, Fire Bolt, and Pearlescent."
"Pearlescent's going with you?!" She called as he started running, "Why?!"
"You'll have to ask her!" Copper Finish called back, breaking into a fast gallop, "See you there, Mom! Bye!"
Before she could say another word, Copper Finish was galloping down the street towards his shop. It wasn't far, but he knew that he had to get everything ready, if he still wanted to leave by noon. Shortly after, the workshop came into view. Steam clouds billowed from the stacks, which told him that there were ponies working inside. As he got closer, he saw the Grey Ghost hooked up to two boxcars and the old passenger coach he had kept in the train shed. Copper Finish reached the doors and threw them open. He saw Fire Bolt, who was boxing up some tools from his work station and rushed over to him, panting and gasping for air.
"Oh, good." Copper Finish gasped, "You're not... Done packing... Up."
Fire Bolt set the box down and looked at his friend.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Coppa." Fire Bolt said, approaching his friend, "You look like you've just finished first in the Running Of The Leaves. Take it easy, buddy."
"Sorry, got stuck talking to Mom." Copper Finish apologized as his heart rate returned to normal, "Is Pearl around?"
"Yeah, she's in the coach." Fire Bolt said, pointing to the old railcar, "You still haven't told me why we're bringing her."
"I'll tell you later." Copper Finish said, walking towards the door on the coach.
He reached the door and pulled on the handle.
Creeeaaak!
The door opened with a loud creak and Copper Finish entered. He found his sister sitting on one of the bench seats and sat down beside her. Copper Finish looked closely at her face and saw that she was thinking deeply. Obviously, about the baby.
"Are you sure that this'll be as good as you think it'll be, Copper?" Pearlescent asked, turning her head towards him.
Copper Finish thought for a moment, before saying anything.
"Look, if you're not comfortable with this..." Copper Finish began.
"No!" Pearlescent interrupted, "It's just that I'm afraid that I won't fit in anywhere, down there."
She looked out the window at the small town in the valley. From where the shop was located, it was very easy to see Ponyville and beyond. And Copper Finish was one of those ponies who enjoyed a breath taking view. He was also, one of those ponies who would do anything to make somepony else happy.
"When I went down there," Copper Finish began, putting a hoof on her shoulder, "I saw all sorts of different ponies, doing what they did best."
"And what was that?" Pearlescent asked, facing her brother again, "Doing their jobs?"
"No." Copper Finish continued, "I saw them be themselves. Whether it was doing their jobs, playing games, or just hanging out with their friends."
Pearlescent's ears perked up, telling Copper Finish that he had made her feel better.
"So, I can paint beautiful pictures and don't have to worry about anypony disturbing me?" Pearlescent asked, grinning slightly.
"I think they'll just tell you how beautiful it is and go about their business." Copper Finish replied.
Pearlescent leaned over and gave him a hug.
"I love you, big brother." She said, softly squeezing him.
"I love you too, sis." Copper Finish replied, brushing her mane.
After a moment of bonding and family embrace. The two siblings got out of the seat and proceeded towards the door. Copper Finish reached for the handle and opened the door, just as Fire Bolt was about to enter.
"Oh. Hey, Bolt." Copper Finish greeted his friend, "What's going on?"
"The fillies are here, along wi-" Fire Bolt began, before being cut off.
"Along with us." A familiar voice interrupted.
Copper Finish looked to see Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity standing with Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle. But there was something different about the fillies.
"Hello, my friends." Copper Finish greeted them, "How are you?"
"We got our cutie marks!" The fillies called out joyously, turning sideways to show him their new features.
Copper Finish looked closely and was impressed. But what he found most interesting was that they looked almost identical. They all had shields on their flanks with different images in the middle of them. Apple Bloom had an apple, Sweetie Belle had a music note, and Scootaloo had a lightening bolt crossing over a wing. He wanted to ask why they looked the same, but chose not to because he didn't really have time for a long explanation.
"Congratulations, you three." Copper Finish said with a proud smile.
"Who's that?" Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at the young mare behind Copper Finish.
Copper Finish motioned for her to step forward, which she did, hesitantly.
"Um. Hi." Pearlescent said shyly, introducing herself, "My name's Pearlescent Finish. But you can call me, Pearl."
"You look awfully familiar." Applejack said squinting at her, "Have we met before?"
"I don't think so." Pearlescent replied, "If we did, I'm sure I would've recognized you almost immediately."
Copper Finish sensed something awkward in the area. As a result and a way to get rid of the awkward tension, Copper Finish spoke up.
"Hey, sis." He said, jumping in to the conversation, "Why don't you go get your stuff together? We'll probably be still loading by the time you get back."
"Okay, Copper." Pearlescent said, walking away, "I shouldn't be too long. See you later."
After she left the shop, Copper Finish turned to face the group. As he did, Rarity approached him, mid-turn.
"May I have a word with you, Copper Finish?" Rarity asked in a sweet tone.
"Um. Sure." Copper Finish replied, before looking at Fire Bolt, "Go ahead and get started. I'll be along in a minute."
Fire Bolt nodded and started directing everypony to their jobs. Leaving Copper Finish and Rarity to talk.
"Why didn't you say that you were bring your sister?" Rarity asked in a stern voice, "I almost thought she was your marefriend, when I saw her."
"I'm bringing her along, because she has a..." Copper Finish hesitantly said, trying to think of a better term, "...certain condition. I can't just leave her behind. And why did you think she was my marefriend?"
"Well, for starters, she stood awfully close to you. And did you notice how Applejack reacted when she saw her?" Rarity asked, looking hard at his expression.
"She only stands that close, when she's afraid or shy." Copper Finish replied, "And no. No, I didn't notice. But I did sense tension close-by, that's way I broke up the introductions."
"You should really start paying attention more often." Rarity huffed.
Before Copper Finish could say anything else, Rarity walked away to help load a cabinet into a boxcar. Copper Finish followed shortly after trying to put the equation together and giving up. He just wanted to get loaded and get moving.
"Alright, you three." Copper Finish said as he approached the fillies, "I need to move that bench over there and I need some help."
"We'll help ya." Apple Bloom said, walking over to the bench and being followed by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
"That's what I like to see." Copper Finish smiled proudly, "Ponies ready to help at any moment."
Several hours went by as they loaded the two big boxcars. Boxes and furniture were stacked like building blocks and puzzle pieces. Pearlescent returned twenty minutes before noon, levitating three suitcases, a duffle bag, and a big trunk. But she was straining, slightly, under the amount of energy she was putting into the spell. Copper Finish noticed this and raced over to her, taking the trunk and duffle bag. They were quite heavy, but he managed to get them onboard, with the help of the fillies.
"Wow, Pearl!" Copper Finish panted, putting the trunk down on the floor of the first boxcar, "What's in this thing?"
Pearlescent just smiled and placed the suitcases on top of the trunk.
"You've got your tools, I've got mine." Pearlescent giggled.
Copper Finish knew that she was referring to her painting tools. Such as, her paint brushes, jars of paint, blank canvases, and stand. Then they heard Rarity say something, but they didn't hear what she had said.
"What was that?" Copper Finish asked.
"I said, who painted the engine that shade of grey?" Rarity replied, repeating herself.
"That was Pearl's idea." Copper Finish said, walking over to admire the gleaming paintwork.
Rarity looked at Pearlescent, who was blushing bright red.
"Well, it's simply a magnificent choice." Rarity beamed at Pearlescent, "But why does it have the words, 'Grey Ghost,' on the side?"
Pearlescent told her the whole reason. Much in the same way she explained it to Princess Celestia. And like Celestia, Rarity saw and understood how that would be a fitting name.
"So, I'm guessin' yer a painter, then?" Applejack spoke up, not trying to be intimidating anymore.
"Most ponies call me an artist, but yes." Pearlescent replied, cracking a shy smile.
"How 'bout that." Rainbow Dash said, cutting into the conversation, "So am I."
"Yeah, Fire Bolt told me about you." Pearlescent smiled.
"Fire Bolt? Really?" Rainbow Dash beamed, looking at the stallion as he helped the fillies pick up and move things to the second boxcar.
Obviously, Fire Bolt didn't respond, because he wasn't paying attention to the group of mares behind him. Which was a good thing for Rainbow Dash, because she didn't want him to hear the full conversation they were having. Copper Finish wasn't paying attention to them either as he climbed into the cab and started the pressure build. Slowly, the gauges started turning, showing him that there were no air leaks or loss in pressure. He wasn't alone for very long, until Applejack climbed into the cab and joined him.
"It's fairly big in here." Applejack said, looking around the large cab.
"I made it to fit the size of the rest of the engine." Copper Finish replied, staying focused on the gauges and turning a valve wheel.
"It almost reminds me of the last time I was in one." Applejack said quietly, but loud enough for him to hear.
Copper Finish felt his muscles grind to a halt as something flew threw his mind. And he knew very well what she was talking about. He slowly took his hoof off the valve and turned to look at the apple farmer.
"I guess, I owe you an explanation, huh?" Copper Finish said, rubbing the back of his head.
Applejack nodded her head and sat in one of the seats as Copper Finish told her everything that happened that night. But he did leave out one part, that she didn't need to know about yet. To be fair, Copper Finish still hadn't built up the courage to tell Applejack how he felt. But it felt like somepony was stabbing him, the longer he hid his feelings.
"And that's all that happened." Copper Finish said, feeling somewhat relieved.
Applejack stared hard at him, trying to determine if he was lying or not. Then she stood up and approached him. Copper Finish, however, took a step back and fell into his driver's seat.
"I believe ya, Copper." Applejack said, looking into the stallions frightened eyes, "But why did ya let me stay, instead of sendin' me home?"
Now Copper Finish felt cornered, with no possible escape. He couldn't run, because Applejack was blocking his exit. But he couldn't lie either, because he couldn't think of anything that would sound convincing. Finally, Copper Finish realized that the only way out, was to tell the truth. Taking a deep breath, Copper Finish opened his mouth, ready to give a quick sentence.
"Hey, Coppa!" Fire Bolt called out, saving Copper Finish, "Your mother and Princess Celestia are here!"
Applejack eyed Copper Finish before leaving the cab. And Copper Finish released a lungful of air and slumped in his seat before answering.
"Alright, I'll be out in a second!" Copper Finish called back, feeling his heart pounding.
After a moment of pulling himself together, Copper Finish climbed out of the cab and bowed to the alicorn in front of him. Then giving his mother a hug.
"I understand you'll be leaving soon." Princess Celestia said, giving him a warm smile.
"Yes, your highness." Copper Finish replied, "We hope to be leaving in ten minutes."
"Well, I brought you something that you might like." His mother said levitating a big box towards him, "I want you to have it."
Copper Finish looked at the box, before opening the flaps. Inside was a polished brass steam whistle. But what Copper Finish found most interesting was that this whistle had a heart etched on the face.
"What kind of whistle is it, Mom?" Copper Finish asked, taking the whistle out of the box.
"I believe your father called it, a Three Chime Heart Caller." His mother smiled, setting the box on the ground.
Copper Finish looked at his mother, when she mention that his father named it. But why would he name it quite a thing? And how did it work? There wasn't any place to tie a rope or chain, but he could see the valve flap inside, which was closed.
"How does it work?" Copper Finish asked, inspecting the whistle.
"It's a magic whistle that your father and I made, before we were married." She began, "He put it together, while I put a spell on it. And it only works when two ponies are in love with each other. But, it has to be a love so strong that nothing can break it.
"Did you ever hear it?" Copper Finish asked, running a hoof over the polished metal.
"Unfortunately, no." She said, lowering her head and drooping her ears, "It never sounded at our wedding."
Before Copper Finish could say anything else, Applejack approached them.
"We're ready when-" Applejack started to say as she got closer.
Click!
"What was that?" Applejack asked, after hearing a loud click come from Copper Finish.
Copper Finish looked down at the whistle and saw that the valve was now open. If it had been attached to an engine or anything that blew large amounts of air, it would've deafened him.
"Oh. It was just this." Copper Finish said, holding up the whistle, "Probably a loose valve."
"Uh-huh." Applejack nodded, "Anyway, we're ready whenever ya'll are."
Copper Finish grinned as Applejack turned away to join the group by the coach. Then he turned his attention back to his mother and the princess.
Click!
The valve closed with another loud click. Making Copper Finish look at it again.
"It looks like you may have some use for that." Celestia grinned.
"I knew it could work." His mother said beaming, "And she's better than what I was expecting."
Copper Finish didn't say anything as he blushed a bright red.
"Did you ask Pearl why she's coming with me?" Copper Finish asked, putting the whistle back in the box and putting it in the railcar.
The mare nodded her head as a very big smiled crossed her face. Copper Finish smiled back and gave her another hug as tears of joy rolled down her cheeks.
"Take care of her." She sniffed, "And my grandchild, please."
"You have my word." Copper Finish said, letting her go.
She smiled and put a hoof on his cheek.
"You're so much like your father." She said as he leaned his head on her hoof, "I'm so proud of you."
Copper Finish looked at a clock hanging on the wall. It showed that it was quarter past noon. Saying his final farewells and bowing to the princess, Copper Finish climbed back into the cab and reached for the whistle's rope. Taking hold of it, he pulled down.
HAAAWOOOO! HAAAAAAWOOOOOO!
The whistle sounded loudly, signaling everypony to climb aboard. The girls climbed into the coach, while Fire Bolt climbed into the cab. When Fire Bolt was seated, Copper Finish pulled the throttle lever. The mighty metal monster jerked forward, before smoothly rolling towards the mainline.
"Pearl told me, already." Fire Bolt grinned, "Congratulations, Uncle Coppa."
"Thanks, Bolt." Copper Finish replied, pulling the throttle further.
The tracks were switched and they made their way to Ponyville.