//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: A Hair-Raising Feud // Story: The Shy Driver II: Fluttershy's Return // by Wiz Ahmad //------------------------------// In the evening, Justin soon returned, discovering that his pony friends had been quite busy. Rainbow Dash had gotten some old tables, cleaned them up, and laid them out in a row. Rarity had set many small boxes containing all the tools, parts, and odds ends on them. Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie was busy baking again in the kitchen, and Starlight Glimmer had finished all the laundry, hanging them outside to dry on an old clothes rack. Some of them she put in the dryer. Thankfully Justin had written down his laundry procedures on a piece of paper taped to the wall – which meant the job was a piece of cake for Starlight. “Got ‘em,” was all Justin could say, as his mind was already racing. “We gotta leave early tomorrow to visit the headquarters office in Burbank, which means a long drive. So let’s get this motor done quickly. Hey Pinkie!” he called out as she extended her neck unrealistically wide out of the front door. “No party tonight. Busy work tomorrow.” “Got it!” Pinkie quickly replied and dashed back into the kitchen. “Got it too,” Rainbow Dash boasted, holding up a small grey book, before dusting it off. “It says 1995 Toyota Supra Owner’s Engine Service Manual.” “Then we most certainly will need it,” Rarity replied with a snicker, using her magic to pull it from Rainbow’s hooves and flipping through the pages to the part that explained about the motor, before presenting it before Justin. Having finally finished her baking, Pinkie Pie soon joined the group in the garage, and revealed that she did know one important thing about car engines – oil. Quickly examining the engine all over, she soon found the motor oil drain cap. “May somepony please get me a drain bucket please?” she asked, and Rainbow Dash was in and out with one in just 10 seconds. Easing the bucket under the motor, she unscrewed the cap and let all the oil flow out. It looked like burnt honey, with black flecks in it. Justin shook his head. “We’re gonna have to open it up and clean the insides of any traces of old oil, as well as scrape away every single trace of residue. Could be an hour-long task from what I’ve observed.” Rarity wiped her hooves with a spare rag, sighed, and headed inside the house. On the table, Pinkie Pie had served lasagna, chocolate vanilla cookies, and fresh juice. “Wow, Pinkie,” Justin said in surprise as he bit into a big square of lasagna. “I didn’t know you knew how to cook pasta.” “Ah, I just found a recipe card in the back of the cupboard. It was pretty easy to follow.” After everyone had eaten to their fill, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Starlight Glimmer all headed off to bed, while Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight all returned to the garage to finish cleaning and fixing the stock 2JZ motor. Justin showed them how to disassemble it and how to scrape off the residue without damaging the internal components. It took a lot longer than they anticipated, and finishing time came in at about 10:37 p.m. But the motor now glistened in the driveway lights like a crystal gem, having been polished, cleaned, and all broken or faulty parts replaced. The morning began at the crack of dawn, as everyone ate a hearty breakfast of fruity oatmeal, gladly cooked up by Justin himself. He smiled, watching them eat as he quickly reviewed his notes and schedule for the day. It seemed like each of their personal interests and personalities seemed to fit quite well with his lifestyle. Rarity had an eye for value, organization, and cleanliness, Pinkie Pie loved his kitchen, and Rainbow Dash had an eye for detail and understanding of dealing with a situation. Starlight was still a rookie, but she was getting a good hang of the ropes. Twilight clearly fitted in with her intelligence and her love of reading. Having finished eating, Rarity, who would normally be elaborately prepping herself in the powder room or fussing over which dress to wear, headed straight for the bedroom, grabbing some tape, paper, and a few colored markers. Then she dashed out into the garage as if her life depended on it. “Uh…I…ah, I don’t get it,” Rainbow Dash mouthed. “Back in our world she was the happy-go-lucky, generous, and charming fashionista we knew, and now she’s become an obsessive businessmare. Has your car injected her with OCD, Fluttershy?” Fluttershy shrank back and pulled a sad face, but Rainbow responded before she could breathe a word. “I was just joking. Lighten up a little, will ya?” Justin giggled as he brought up the rear, heading into his own room to change into his formal outfit. It had been two days since he’d been at the headquarters, and he was eager to know how D & J Industries was coming along. Third-party company dealings hadn’t gone well, as Justin was a man of firmness and core decision. If another company tried to tempt him into a cheating scheme or an interest-based investment to gain extra profit in down times, he’d slap them on the wrist, say NO, and turn his back. Word spread, and quite a few companies now turned their back on him, and worry began to rise that D & J industries would become a bad smell in the network room of major computer engineering, medical, and agricultural companies. After getting prepped up, Twilight and her friends lined up at the front door, patiently waiting for Justin. He soon appeared, dressed formally in a suit, blue-and-white tie, and a crisp dress shirt, complete with his briefcase (which he had adorned with a flower and three butterflies). “You all ready?” he asked, and they nodded. “Let’s go.” They all stood in shock after walking up onto the front porch. Rarity had laid out five tables, complete with price tags, neatly organized boxes, and a clipboard to top it off. Justin smiled but shook his head in disappointment. “Rarity, this is a great effort, but this is a digital age. It would be better for you to sell them online or somewhere else where people would be interested in them. This isn’t a house you can set up a lemonade stand on, you know what I’m sayin’?” Rarity blushed and her face fell in thought. “Does that mean I have to go to the big city to sell all this?” “Not exactly,” Justin replied. “Since you don’t know much about the digital world – well, Fluttershy knows, a little – I say, take it to a mechanic, or a used auto parts shop. They would be more than happy to have all of this for some good cash.” “What’s cash?” Applejack inquired. “It’s like bits,” Fluttershy explained. “But in this universe, coins are too big and bulky, so apparently they use thin rectangular strips of fairly durable material.” Rarity nodded with understanding. “The only thing is, not all of us can get there at the same time, and the Lamborghini doesn’t have much trunk space,” Justin said. “And Fluttershy can’t drive, so it looks like I’m gonna have to drive the Supra this time.” “Which is a little odd since you’re always seen in that luxurious green whip of yours,” Applejack commented with a snicker. Justin blushed. “Yeah. How about you, Fluttershy? Would you like to come?” “Um, I think I’ll stay here with Angel Bunny, he really needs some handling,” Fluttershy replied in her usual shy voice. “But…I – okay, I’ll come, but Angel Bunny stays in the car.” Justin nodded. “Makes sense, that guy is one small strong handful. I always wonder how you keep him under control.” Rarity packed all the organized boxes with their respective price tags into the Supra’s trunk, while Starlight, Applejack, Spike, and Pinkie Pie all squeezed into the back seats. Rarity sat in front, with Fluttershy and Angel Bunny. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle would fly and follow the car from above in the sky. Out above the Pacific Coast Highway, Rainbow Dash didn’t find it hard to understand why Fluttershy loved this road so much – it was mostly straight and peaceful, with a breathtaking view of the ocean, complete with the warm shining sun. As she flew higher, Rainbow Dash could see the rest of western California, and saw how densely packed this area of the state was. Even with the sun rising well into the sky, the cities and towns looked significantly brighter than their countryside surroundings. I could really get to like this part of Earth, Twilight thought, grinning as she dashed forward with a burst of speed to catch up with Rainbow. Down on the road, things weren’t going so well. Justin grinded the transmission three times from lack of practice. “I’m so used to the flappy paddles on the Huracan!” he admitted for the millionth time, as they turned off the highway. In the back, Applejack’s neck felt like it was about to snap off from all the sudden boost kicks Justin had accidentally pulled off. At a stoplight, they came alongside a minivan with a family inside. Justin noticed. “Get down!” he instructed the ponies. “Why?” Fluttershy asked with a hint of complaint. “If we are here on Earth than why hide? You’re a fan of us, so what makes them different?” Justin sighed. “Because they would become obsessed with you.” Fluttershy gave a slight nod, recalling how everyone in Ponyville kept chasing her after she’d agreed to become a dress model. “Mommy, look, look!” one of the little girls exclaimed, pointing at the Supra. Justin groaned in defeat. It was too late. Fluttershy and Rarity let loose, rolling down the window and waving at the little girl. Just then, the light turned green, and Justin sped away, blasting the sound of the 2JZ engine behind him. And then Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash arrived, entertaining the girl without Justin noticing. (Pinkie Pie had left her party cannon behind at home, under strict orders). Finally, after an hour or so of driving, Justin arrived at his business headquarters. It was as Rarity had expected – a shiny office building on the corner of a busy downtown street. “I’ll find a place to park, while you guys can go inside. D & J occupy rooms 181 to 210 on the twelfth and thirteenth floor. Just let ‘em know you’re on behalf of me,” Justin told his friends. “Take these documents with you,” he added, handing a rather thick manila file folder to Rarity. Rarity eagerly hopped out, with Fluttershy calmly following behind. Pinkie Pie burst out with a happy hop of joy and freedom, followed by Applejack, Spike, and Starlight Glimmer. Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash soon flew down from the sky high above, and joined them. “So what do we do here?” Rainbow Dash asked as she landed on the concrete sidewalk. “We are here, silly,” Rarity replied with a chuckle, pointing to the tall office building. “Justin says we can go inside to the offices.” As usual, Twilight Sparkle led the way with Spike and Starlight by her side, and all her friends in tow. They walked through the front doors, only to realize that the doors opened as they approached. Neat to have them automatic like that, Starlight thought. The place was clean and crisp, with polished tiling, intricately woven carpets, and polished chairs. Instead of settling down in the lobby, Twilight headed straight for the elevator. “Hey!” a voice called out, rather angrily. Applejack whipped her head round to see a man, also in a suit and tie, walking towards them, a look of fury and shock all over his face, as if the ponies were thieves or terrorists. But Twilight stood her ground and took a step towards him, her face focused but soft. “We come in peace, and on behalf of Mr. Justin Davis. He has given us permission to enter." “You going up to the HQ?” the guy then asked. “I’ve never seen any creatures like you…are you ponies of some sort?” Spike nodded with confirmation, and the guy smiled – he was just too cute. “You can go. But please ask next time.” Twilight nodded. “I will, promise.” She then pressed the up arrow button, and the elevator doors slid open. It didn’t take a minute to figure out how the elevator operated, and they all crammed inside. Twilight pressed the “12” button, and the doors shut. The elevator then whisked them all up to the top, albeit fast. So fast in fact, that Spike ended up belching from the drop of gravity, releasing a wisp of fire into the air. Thankfully Twilight used her magic to put it out before anything dangerous could happen. At the 12th floor, the doors slid open, and they all walked off into the main hall of the headquarters of D & J Industries. There were so many people, it was hard to make out who was in what position. Thankfully, Rarity’s business mindset flicked into the “on” position, and she soon made out a few ranks. But not before being spotted by the staff, who instantly gasped in shock, before cooing, oohing, and aahing (mostly over how cute Rarity and her friends looked). Twilight held out her hood with a pleading smile. “Peace?” But instead of replying with a helpful answer, the staff only replied with screams of horror. “Omigosh, she can talk!” “Can they play with us?” “I don’t even…” Rainbow Dash smack her forehead and groaned. “I can’t take it from you all anymore!” she yelled. “Just calm down for Pete’s sake! We’re living creatures with a mind, heart, and soul, just like you all. And we are just visiting.” “And we haven’t come to disturb you at all, pr-promise,” Fluttershy added with her low voice. “I can understand why you’d be so freaked out but this is just crazy,” Pinkie Pie added, her face full of disgust and disappointment. “My friends and I have come here on behalf of Justin Davis,” Twilight finished, announcing it clearly so everyone heard and understood without being offended or hurt. Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Justin himself stepped out, all prim and proper. He looked down at his pony friends. “Argh! I should’ve known. I’m sorry you had to go through all this.” Justin then calmed down his teams of employees, and briefly explained to them why Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, Fluttershy, and the other ponies had come. One of the investor chiefs of another company was also there. Instantly, Applejack could tell by Justin’s facial expression that he didn’t like the presence of that guy. She immediately stepped between Justin and the investor, glaring at them both seriously. “Pfft, that’s cute,” the investor, Mark Wolf, snorted. Applejack took her hoof and stomped on his foot. Hard. YEOW!!! “Good,” Applejack replied with a snicker. “Now, what’s with the feud between you two? We should settle this fairly and with practical, sensible methods. It just seems somepony doesn’t think that way, so I had to teach him a little lesson.” Justin couldn’t stop a smile from playing across his lips as AJ ushered him and Mark into an empty cubicle, and then brought in Rarity, who held up the documents Justin had given her. “Now, what’s the issue?” AJ then asked, acting almost like a judge in court. Justin revealed the whole story – how he’d brought out a valuable stock share to Mark, but withheld it upon learning of Mark’s interest-based investment tactics. Applejack then turned to Mark. “Why did you do that? You may have your own methods of running your business, but when you’re dealing with this guy—” she pointed to Justin “—you need to switch off that capitalist-freak light and switch on the non-interest, fair, and money-wise light.” Realizing that he wasn’t going anywhere with Applejack’s seriousness, Mark gave in and spoke up, with Applejack’s ears twitching, indicating she was in lie detector mode. “Because I am better than him, and he knows that.” Mark blurted, clenching his jaw. “How can you say that?” Rainbow Dash retorted. “I may be the fastest Pegasus in the sky, but I don’t diss other pegasi for not being so. We’re all equal. What is wrong with you humans?” Justin then took his stand. “I simply do not agree with your business standards, Mark, and I kindly ask that I withdraw what is rightfully mine. I have many great buyers out there who are more…fair, than you.” Mark then smirked as he discovered a weakness to his opponent. “You’re getting a word from my lawyers, and mark my words, metal bars will be between you and your godforsaken pony friends.” And he turned and marked out of the room, leaving a legal document on the table. Justin sighed sadly, but kept a straight face. “Go ahead,” he called out at Mark’s back. “I’m sure the judges will be delighted to hear the story of how you swindled $135,400 worth of forensics computer circuitry components from my share and charged unpayable interest on your share loans.” “Take that, mister!” Fluttershy said in a mean voice, almost casting her “Stare” at Mark as the elevator doors shut. Justin slumped down in his office chair and skimmed the document as his pony friends looked on. “I think you should leave now while I try to sort Mark out legally. I’m sorry you had to witness all of this.” “Ah, it’s nothing big,” Twilight replied kindly, giving him a gentle shoulder pat. “Yeah,” Rainbow Dash added confidently “We’ve faced a lot of stuff worse than that meanie. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”