Joe

by JMDARE

Chapter 24

Once they had finally shut up about Rainbow Dash and Canterlot and what his feelings and intentions were the Cutie Mark Crusaders had shown why they were able to build a float in a barn. Joe wondered if his disbelief had been unfair and had then needed to explain the tune he’d started humming. Discussion of that elite military team had led to mention of a man whose name had become a byword for making useful things out of strange components, and then one of the fictional heroes of his world who’d used a box of scraps in a cave. The last had been tricky as Joe hadn’t wanted to talk about terrorists being burned by flamethrowers in that man’s escape.

Apple Bloom had done a lot of tidying up of Joe’s work, subtly shaping the ribs to have the same taper as the wing and shaving their sides down to save a fraction of weight on each one without weakening them. They had settled into a routine of Joe and the others making things, to their different standards, and then Apple Bloom finishing them off. Being worse at this than a Filly slightly dented Joe’s ego but he was satisfied that at least his work needed less done to it and that he was better enough than the other two that sometimes he acted as an extra stage between them and Apple Bloom.

“Ah think we could shape wood to th’ curves of this fuselage,” Apple Bloom commented, a tiny fraction of wood wisping away from her tool, “if that’d be better for things.”

“I think you could as well,” nodded Joe, scraping with less subtlety. “But then again we are rushing things, we’re working with what I know exists here and if you do have aluminium…”

“Is that like Aluminum?” Scootaloo asked, pronouncing it A-loo-min-um rather than A-la-min-yum.

“Very much like it,” admitted Joe. “Once upon a time there was a snooty scientist who thought that if other metals ended eye-you-emm then one shouldn’t just end you-emm. So he put an eye in the spelling and that and the difference in national accents caused a difference in pronunciation.”

“So… same thing?”

“Yep. And not the only thing I might say weird,” nodded Joe, picking up another piece of wood and examining it to see if it could be passed straight to Apple Bloom. Deciding it could he did. “You could say we are doing this model in lieu of anything better, you could say that I am one of the Apple family’s tenants,” he continued, getting another section of model and this time deciding to sand it down some, “so combining those to say loo-tenant makes sense.”

“How’d you combine them?” Applejack frowned.

“Leff-tenant.”

“Ah don’t follow how that works.”

“Neither do I,” Sweetie Belle added.

“And neither do I,” shrugged Joe. “Still, what I was saying was that we are using what is available. Talking to Twilight or doing more research into things where similar sorts of materials are needed might show we could have used something better.”

“All seems good to me,” Scootaloo reassured him, “and metal skin sounds like a good plan, for the model and the fuselage at least.”

Work continued and fairly soon they had done all they could do separately on this stage of the project. Some wing ribs had been modified by Apple Bloom to allow ailerons and to have pivots for those, she’d agreed with Joe that straight and level would be good enough for the model and that could be done using weights to trim the model but she’d also seen no need to not give this control surfaces. And Joe had seen no need now he had seen this extra complexity was well within the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ skills.

This had meant of course that the plans for the tail were also modified to allow a rudder and pair of elevators. In that regard it had been fortunate that Joe had started with the main wing and had stuck with that rather than taking a break to do something different as the control surfaces there were larger in proportion so it would have been tricky to add them rather than build them in from the start. Some sketching and debate later though they’d known what they were doing.

All the components for wing and tail complete they started piecing them together and with Joe holding things and Apple Bloom screwing and dowelling and jointing while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle made helpful comments and passed her tools this went quite smoothly. Even with the care to detail they had shown there were a few places where a quick rub with sandpaper or scrape was needed to get things to fit, but that was better than joints being loose and relying too much on a screw or dowel or glue rather than friction as well.

“Hrm,” Joe mused as he looked at the assembled bits, and especially at the control surfaces lying next to the main wing and tail. “I have a vague memory of mostly fabric covered aeroplanes having metal skinned ailerons…”

“You want a metal skin on everything,” commented Apple Bloom, “even yourself, with that armour.”

“That does seem more modern,” Joe chuckled, “with the plane at least, though there are some very strong fabrics.”

“Are you saying human armour is fabric now?” asked Scootaloo, giving Joe a dubious look.

“I am saying that the same material can be woven into fabric or formed into shapes.”

“Strange,” Sweetie Belle said, sounding even more dubious as fabric was something she knew. Trying to be fair she added. “Though there can be some very stiff fabrics.”

“As I said to Twilight if you bond enough layers of ‘cloth’ together it gets even stiffer,” nodded Joe, “so we’ll have to see what your sister has or could acquire before, if, we built a full size Microlight.”

“Which we will,” Scootaloo said, not allowing any suggestion that they wouldn’t.

“I have less doubts about that now I know how skilled you are,” admitted Joe, “though more doubts about how much help you three need.”

“Your company is nice,” Sweetie Belle reassured him.

“Eee’yup, and you’ve still got some ideas in you as well as being able to do th’ heavy lifting if we need such,” agreed Apple Bloom.

Joe chuckled again. “I’ll take these parts to Rarity and order the fabric, now we’ve got them done so they can be measured and checked against. I should be back within the hour.”

“An’ we’ll get on with th’ rest while you are gone,” Apple Bloom nodded.

As Joe stood and gathered the rudder, ailerons, and elevators together, tying a cord around them to keep them together for carrying, he paused. The reason they were rushing by building this model at once, rather than after more planning and research, was because these three Fillies had gossiped. Actually to be fair the reason was more that two other fillies were arrogant and rude and needed to be proved wrong, but that reason would not have existed without the gossip. Joe checked the knot and that the frameworks were not snagged on each other and then he looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Girls,” Joe said, making them blink at his tone and expression. “I appreciate that you have meant no harm by gossiping about me,” sounding as if he didn’t appreciate that at all, “but whatever happens with Rainbow Dash I like her enough, as a friend, that I would not have her hurt by rumours and tattle-tale.”

“Er,” said Apple Bloom, wondering if Joe had heard about the problems they’d caused while writing for their school newspaper as Gabby Gums. This did feel like a similar, and similarly surprising, lecture to the one Big Macintosh had given them.

“More selfishly,” Joe continued, “I would prefer to not have my chance to see if there is something other than friendship there spoilt. So I would prefer you to not mention that I am going to Canterlot the day after tomorrow…”

“Er,” said Sweetie Belle, her turn to exclaim, as they had already mentioned that to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

“And especially not mention that I am going with Rainbow Dash,” Joe finished, “if she wants to tell her friends then fine, but that is her decision rather than yours to spread.”

“We can keep that quiet,” nodded Scootaloo.

Joe frowned at the emphasis Scootaloo had put on the ‘that’ and wondered how much else they hadn’t been able to keep quiet. He’d admit he’d been less bored since the trip into the Everfree with them but he’d also argue the saying ‘may you live in interesting times’, that he’d mentioned to Princess Celestia, could be a curse if those times were too ‘interesting’. Having friends and a project and some good conversation was enough for him, he didn’t want too much attention and the peacefulness of his life to change too much.

Then he noticed the expressions on the Fillies’ faces and realised just how much he was glowering at them. His brow cleared and he quickly knelt. “Crap, sorry girls, I wasn’t meaning to bully you.”

“Ah’d not say ah was scared…” Apple Bloom began.

“I was,” whispered Sweetie Belle to Scootaloo, “a little.”

“But ah was a mite surprised,” Apple Bloom finished, glancing at her friends.

“The warnings stand, and you have caused me trouble,” sighed Joe, “but you deserve better than the way I spoke. Just… be careful, okay?”

==

“Hi Guys!” Rainbow Dash greeted as she entered the Golden Oaks Library.

“Rainbow,” replied Twilight Sparkle, hoping this wasn’t going to be another embarrassing chat. “Are you here for a new Daring Do book then?”

“I do read other things… now.”

“Egghead,” Spike grinned.

“Hey, watch it,” warned Rainbow Dash, taking to the air to swoop over and noggle him on the top of the head with a forehoof. “I’ve kicked bigger Dragons than you Spikey-boy.”

“But not more dashing and debonair,” Spike replied, with a bow. “I have a date with Rarity.”

“Nice going Spike,” smiled Rainbow Dash, trying to not seem too unsurprised at the news.

“Yeah,” Spike shrugged, “though it’s mostly so I can chaperone Joe and some mystery Mare.”

“Mystery Mare?” asked Rainbow Dash, glancing to Twilight Sparkle.

“Rarity…” Twilight Sparkle began, before stopping and nodding to Spike as she remembered his comment during that conversation about things being kept in confidence.

“Thanks Twilight,” smiled Spike to her, “but this isn’t a secret.” Twilight Sparkle coloured faintly. “Apparently there is somepony that Joe likes and Rarity thinks having me along would make things less awkward.”

“Be fair Spike,” Twilight Sparkle said.

Spike nodded. “Alright, she does think having me along would be nice and she apologised, a lot, for not asking me before,” he admitted, “and made it clear that even if Joe and this mystery Mare decided to not go then she and I could. So it might not be mostly so I can chaperone, but I think it is a lot.”

“So, Spike,” Rainbow Dash said, unable to leave well alone, “who do you think the mare of mystery is?”

“I think she’s everyone of you guys but you,” replied Spike, making Rainbow Dash look shocked. He thought that Joe would like anypony but not her? Then Spike continued. “Since the mare of mystery was Mare-do-Well.”

“Rarity did only make the costume,” Twilight Sparkle pointed out, trying to draw the attention of her ‘little brother’ and give her friend a chance to recover her composure.

“True,” nodded Spike. “Though who the mystery Mare with Joe is I don’t know, other than it can’t be Rarity. She and Twilight both know who it is though as Twilight commented the mystery Mare had not been keen on the event…”

“And you talked to me about keeping conversations in confidence,” Twilight Sparkle said, once more trying to draw Spike’s attention.

“Yeah, don’t want to gossip too much about the ponyfolk,” agreed Rainbow Dash weakly.

“A conversation you overheard,” Spike pointed out to Twilight Sparkle. Then he looked at Rainbow Dash as he remembered the stutter Twilight Sparkle had made on Rarity’s name and considered which of their friends had the same two initial letters to their name, and who hadn’t been keen on an evening of fine art and classical music.

Seeing the look Twilight Sparkle tried again. “What does bring you here, Rainbow?”

“My wings mostly,” Rainbow Dash replied, managing a joke. “But I stopped by the Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse earlier,” she continued, trying to make it sound like a brief visit, “and you know the stuff about human flying machines?”

“I helped them a lot with the mathematics and physics,” nodded Twilight Sparkle.

“Oh yeah,” Spike commented, “they were working on that when I got home and Joe said he’d continue to keep an eye on things.”

“Any hint of jealousy there Spikey?” teased Rainbow Dash.

“Hah!” Spike replied. “Like Joe could replace me as a number one assistant.”

“So, what about their work on recreating human style aviation?” asked Twilight Sparkle, glad that Spike felt secure about that. She’d raised him from an egg so it had been a surprise when he’d been insecure enough to think Owlowiscious was going to replace rather than help him.

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders had had some… more… trouble with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon,” Rainbow Dash explained, “so they and Joe are working on a model aeroplane, or rather on a glider…”

“And?” asked Twilight Sparkle again as Rainbow Dash’s voice trailed off.

“And I wondered if you could give them a surprise,” Rainbow Dash smiled.

==

Joe wandered into Ponyville and towards the Carousel Boutique. He’d decided it would be simpler to carry and deal with everything at once so he’d taken the diversion to his hut for the clothes to be altered. Although he’d felt no inclination to travel and see this new world he’d decided to at least deny himself the excuse of not having a large enough bag. It had remained unused for those months, and wasn’t very full even now, but Joe was glad to have it. Making his way through the streets Joe thought he heard something about a ‘spindly frame’ and hoped that Pony meant the model parts rather than him.

Still amused by that thought Joe pushed the door of the Carousel Boutique open with the shoulder he’d slung the loose soft bag over. “Rarity?”

“Joe, what can I do for you today?” Rarity asked, twinkling with amusement as she knew and with enjoyment at the sight of him. She’d seen him in just his shorts and socks when measuring him and she’d seen him in his formal suit, but seeing his ‘arm’ flexed upwards and around the bag did nicely emphasise the breadth of his shoulders and the muscles beneath the shirt.

“A trio of things,” nodded Joe, lowering the bag from his shoulder and down onto its handles. “Here are the clothes for alteration, where shall I leave them?”

“Oh, just against that wall for now.”

“Right,” nodded Joe again, putting the bag out of the way.

“Would the second thing to be to tell me you are going to Canterlot?” Rarity asked.

“Rumour travels fast.”

“Not as fast as Rainbow Dash.”

“Ah,” Joe nodded, yet again, “she told you.”

“It was an absolute miracle,” smiled Rarity, with her usual brilliance, “she came here, rather than being dragged, and was actually interested in a new dress.”

“I’m trying to keep it quiet, though your sister did squeal about how my suit was going to get some use.”

“So Rainbow said.”

“Hopefully there won’t be too much gossip,” Joe said, almost repeating himself, “did you get a chance to ask Spike?”

“I decided to not wait for you or Rainbow to confirm,” nodded Rarity, not mentioning she had waited until Applejack had told her that Rainbow Dash was on her way to find Joe. She didn’t think Joe would regard Applejack knowing as ‘keeping it quiet’. Let alone what he’d think of the conversation they’d all had in the Spa. “So I spoke to him earlier, and he accepted.”

“Wasn’t much doubt he would,” Joe commented. Then he gave a rueful smile. “Or not as much doubt as I had if Dash would after she told me about the Canterlot Garden Party.”

“Did you have to mention how well I was dressed for that?”

“Ah… oops?”

“Forgiven,” Rarity smiled. “Please don’t mention it to Twilight though. And please believe my judgement of Fancy Pants.”

“I trust you, but ‘charmingly rustic’? Though Dash did suggest it was a ploy to draw other Ponies into exposing their snobbery.”

“If it was then it worked very well.”

“Yeah,” Joe nodded, then putting on a higher more petulant voice, “Who are these ruffians? Who’ve saved Equestria twice…” He dropped his voice back to normal to comment it was three times now and then went on. “Oh! It’s Princess Celestia’s personal student, whose brother is Captain of the Royal Guard and who is well on the way towards marrying a Princess… they must be rustic!”

Rarity giggled. “That was about the way it went.”

“Anyway, as you heard from her, she accepted my invitation so I am accepting yours…” Joe paused. “Which sounds a little ungracious…”

“Just a little,” Rarity said, taking the sting from her comment with a smile.

Joe tried again. “It was a fine invitation, kindly given, and although I am still concerned about embarrassing myself, or you, or Spike, it does sound like an event that would be enjoyable and interesting.”

“But you are glad to be going with Rainbow?”

“I am. As I said to you when I was not mentioning her name I wanted to find out if she’d be willing to go or mind if I decided to go with you and Spike. That she was willing was very good news.”

“Right,” Rarity nodded. “Now that’s settled let’s get on with covering those frames with fabric.”

“What?” asked Joe in surprise.

“Fortunately for you your marefriend has more foresight than you do and warned me.”

“That was kind, but she might be going to the event as a friend rather than marefriend.”

“Oh, might she?” Rarity asked archly.

“Or might I?” replied Joe in the same tone. “But I am looking forward to finding out what her feelings are as well as my own.”

“Good,” Rarity said, unabashed. “Then be here three hours after noon the day after tomorrow and we can get ready here.”

Joe nodded. “Of course,” he replied unsuspectingly, missing Rarity’s twitch of anticipation.

==

As Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle held the ends steady Apple Bloom sanded the long piece of wood that would form the keel from curving up at the nose to slotting into the lower part of the tail. Joe admitted he might have been too influenced by boats but it had made sense to the Cutie Mark Crusaders to have something to build everything else around. Which did mean that Apple Bloom had to get this right since a small mistake here could throw a lot of other things off, and she was not therefore pleased at Sweetie Belle’s timing.

“So, Joe and Rainbow Dash…” Sweetie Belle began.

“Hush,” hissed Apple Bloom.

“Aw,” Sweetie Belle pouted.

Apple Bloom gave a few more sweeps of the sandpaper, then crouched slightly to look along the length of the keel, and nodded in satisfaction. “Okay, now you can talk Sweetie Belle.”

“Does she have to?” Scootaloo asked.

“Ah think she does, look at her,” winked Apple Bloom. “Not careful she’ll start leaking…”

“I will not!” Sweetie Belle protested. “I’m not a foal…”

“Ah meant magic from your horn,” replied Apple Bloom, trying to look as if leaking from somewhere else had never occurred to her. “Some happy fireworks or some such thing.”

“Oh,” Sweetie Belle frowned, not mollified as to a Unicorn that was just as much suggesting incontinence. Deciding that her Earth Pony friend might not realise she’d still been insulting she went back to what she had wanted to say. “Joe and Rainbow Dash, how long do you think this has been going on?”

“Ah don’t right know,” said Apple Bloom, as Scootaloo sighed expressively at work on the model being stopped, “and ah’m not sure if it is going on yet. They seem ta like each other fine, but ah believe Joe when he says he wants to find out how much more than ‘like’ it is.”

“How could he not ‘like’ Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked, defending her paragon. “He should be grateful she has shown any interest in him!”

“I think he is,” mused Sweetie Belle, “but he is… is…”

“Weird to not appreciate it more?” Scootaloo scoffed.

“Maybe,” nodded Apple Bloom. “You heard them askin’ him about iffen there were only humans that can talk on his world, and you heard him tell Rainbow Dash that he thought she was a person when she asked him that.”

“And he did say he’d told her that before,” Sweetie Belle mused.

“So sounded like a topic that they’d spoken on,” continued Apple Bloom, “so might be that, though he ain’t a freak, he cain’t appreciate it more because he is weird when it comes to that sort of thing.”

“Of course!” Scootaloo declared. “Why else would he not be sure of his feelings when someone like Rainbow Dash notices him!”

The other two Cutie Mark Crusaders exchanged glances at their friend’s certainty that it couldn’t simply be that Joe wasn’t attracted to Rainbow Dash. That he wasn’t sure about her in particular rather than Mares in general. Though if it was a general problem then that would account for why he also didn’t seem attracted to their sisters who they both, with no offence to her, thought were more attractive than Rainbow Dash.

“Eee’yup,” said Apple Bloom diplomatically. “Just have to let them work things out themselves, ain’t going to make th’ same mistake as when we tried ta push mah brother and Miss Cheerilee along. And ah mean th’ pushing rather than th’ love poison we accidentally dosed them two with.”

==

There was some weather that Rainbow Dash needed to deal with, and she had looked strangely embarrassed when she muttered about how she should have done it a few hours ago but had been napping. With how much Rainbow Dash napped this was not the first time she’d needed to catch up on her duties, the first meeting Twilight Sparkle and Spike had had with her she’d been practicing a new stunt rather than clearing the sky. Of course when you had the speed to do things at the last second it was less risky to leave them until the last minute.

Twilight Sparkle had wondered if Rainbow Dash really had been napping, and if so where and in whose company. Before her friend had left though she had explained her idea for a surprise and given Twilight Sparkle enough information to begin working and researching and testing with Spike’s aid. Rainbow Dash had talked of how Joe thought this could be made over complex and Twilight Sparkle had agreed a simpler version would work even for a full size Microlight and certainly for the model.

“He should be able to make it in a hour or so,” Spike said, trotting back through the door, “offered to do it while I waited, but I said I had better get back here and then go back for it.”

“Thanks Spike,” smiled Twilight Sparkle, “the diagram was clear enough?”

“Sure, though the smith didn’t think he needed it. Said we’d just had to ask for ‘one like that, but half the size and reversed’ and he’d have managed.”

“Seemed better to make sure.”

Spike nodded to this and looked at Twilight Sparkle, waiting for more instructions. She hesitated and then spoke again.

“Spike?”

“Yes Twilight?”

“I didn’t want to say this in front of Rarity,” continued Twilight Sparkle, “but are you sure you’ll be alright going to that event?”

“How do you mean?” Spike asked, looking baffled.

“Well, it is rather late and you remember with the meteor shower…”

“What?” Spike interrupted. “You mean when I was a couple of years younger and I had been working hard all day?”

“Well…”

“You mean like when I didn’t fall asleep at the Grand Galloping Gala not long after? And didn’t fall asleep at the party after your brother’s wedding?”

Twilight Sparkle noted the special emphasis on Shining Armour being her brother and felt another pang that two of the most important males in her life didn’t get on better. “All right,” she apologised, “I’m sorry Spike.”

“You don’t have to say sorry for being concerned,” Spike reassured her, “and one thing we know about Dragons is that we sleep a lot, sometimes a century of snoring, but trust me when I say I know how long I can stay awake for how hard I’ve been working. I might take a nap earlier in the day to be sure, but so might some Ponies.”

“I do trust you Spike,” smiled Twilight Sparkle, “and I do hope you have a good time.”

“Thanks Twilight.”

Author's Note:

Yes, I know they played a tune similar to that over the float building sequence. But Joe doesn’t.

Comments

[FourthWallAfroBrony]

You know what? I give up!

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[PhlebiacPony]

He Caved!