Steel Shoes

by Sir Hat

Thursday

*beep* *beep* *beep* "Oh shut up," I swung my hand over and slammed the alarm button. I was immediately reminded of the blisters and cuts on my fingers, "Ow...stupid...alarm...hand...eh," I rolled over and pulled myself off my bed. A quick shower later and I was almost ready. I had to bandaged my hands again, but that was the cost for twelve hours and double pay. A quick walk over to the shop and the day began.

"Hey Sam, Ben in yet?" I went through my normal routine.

"Yep, got in a few minutes ago." Ben was really more of an intern or apprentice, he covered for us when were are sick or on vacation. He lives far away though so he takes some notification before he can work.

"Well whenever someone drops by send em in," I walked into the fitting room and started laying out my tools. Thursdays were always first time installations only. No hammering metal, no sharp objects besides the drill, nice and calm. Once my tools were out I just sat and waited for my clients.

It didnt take long for me to hear a familiar voice, "Oh Fluttershy you're here too,"

I could barely hear someone reply, "Oh...yes,"

"Oh how wonderful, perhaps we can sit together,"

"Uh ladies...we got two men on staff right now," Sam broke their conversation.

"Ohhh, surely there must be some way," I got up and pushed the door open.

"You two go on in, Sam I'm sure someone else will come in for ben to work on," Once the two were past me I pulled the door shut and turned to face the two women in the room, "So....who's first?"

"Oh...well I don't want to-" The timid one barely managed half a sentence before being cut off by Rarity.

"Oh please, you go ahead," They went back and forth for a bit before the yellow mare was seated and waiting.

"Alright, I'm just going to put this on..." I pulled a small restraint over her hooves, she was immediately nervous and started tugging slightly, "It's to minimalism risk of causing damage to the hoof," her eyes only grew wider, "Uh...Rarity right, can you....calm her down?"

"Darling this man is nothing if not professional I assure you," She was sitting on a stool next to the fitting chair, "I'm sure he will treat you with the utmost care," I looked back and gave a quick nod before plugging the drill in and walking over.

I knelt down and started lining the drill up with her bottom left hoof, "WAIT WAIT STOP!" She tugged slightly, her hooves remaining in place.

"Uh....I haven't started yet..."

"Oh...I'm sorry maybe we should re-" I quickly started the drill and bored a small hole in her hoof, "-schedule for another-"

"*cough*...one down..." I quickly pulled the drill away showing her the shavings from her hoof, "Didn't feel a thing did ya?" I asked with a cheeky smile.

"Wait...you...uh~" her head fell to the side softly.

"Uh did she just-"

"Fluttershy!?" Rarity started softly shaking her.

"Should...should I just finish?"

"I'm...I'm not sure..." I decided it would be best to just get it over with. I quickly started drilling four holes per hoof, "Darling what exactly happened to your hands?" I hadn't noticed her moving around me. Rarity was now looking at my hands from behind.

"Work...."

"Oh my, how...dreadful,"

"Yeah......you wanna see how this is done?" I shifted slightly to the side.

"Well I am rather curious." I had finished with her left side and only had two more holes in the fore and four in the back.

"Simply put we just drill out a small hole for the screw ports in the hard of the hoof, once that's done we use compressed air to clean the hole, apply a glue, and then set the screw port." I slowly sank the drill into the hard of the timid mares hoof. The drill was a cross between a dentist drill and a corkscrew drill-bit, "See" I pulled the drill away, "They don't feel anything and the hole is as minimal as possible,"

"I see, they really are rather tidy," I quickly ran my finger of the newly drilled hole.

"Only problem is if you don't have the screw in and step in mud or something, they get all gummed up." I quickly finished her fore hoof.

"Oh, but you can clean them right," Rarity leaned in looking into the hole.

"Yes and no, we can clean the hole, even fill it if need be,"

"I believe you told me that on Tuesday,"

"Right sorry, anyways we can clean the hole yes, but if the screw ports get gummed up we usually have to replace them,"

"Are you sure this is just a job for you,"

"Huh,"

"When we spoke last I asked if you always wanted to do this, seems like you enjoy this,"

"Oh yeah...sorry yesterday kind of eclipsed all that, no but if you're going to be dealing with people bodies you should always take a certain level of pride in your work," I had gotten distracted and almost forgot about the mare in the chair. I quickly drilled two more holes in her hoof before talking again, "I mean I guess I enjoy all this, like I said I like helping people,"

"How charming,"

"I guess...hey can I ask you about somebody,"

"Well I really shouldn't give in to idle gossip but I suppose,"

"It's about two different ponies: Roseluck and Vinyl Scratch, you know anything about either one of them at all?"

"Hmmm," She place a hoof on her chin, "Well I know Ms.Scratch has a strange stage name, and Roseluck runs a flowershop..." She went on, not really telling me anything I didn't know already, "-aside from that I cant tell you much,"

"Ah....well thanks anyways," I quickly drilled the last two holes and set the drill aside, "Stand back please," I gave a few quick sprays from a can of compressed air in each of the new holes.

"~wha,"

"Oh Fluttershy you're awake," Rarity ran over to meet her face to face, "Good news, he just finished,"

"Finished what, where am I, what's- *giggle*"

"Sorry about that, the compressed air can tickle a bit," Not the hole of course but it can accidentally graze the frog of the hoof.

"Compressed what," Rarity reached over and pulled her towards her.

"Horseshoes," She gave her a quick shake before stepping back.

"Oh! wait it's done?!"

"Not yet, glue just needs to settle," I masterfully applied glue to each of the holes before inserting a screw port into each. Once they were in I gave them a gentle tap with a mallet, setting them in place, "Alright...about ten minutes,"

"Oh...thank you..."

"Corey, I take it your name is Fluttershy," I realized I had gone all of the Monday session without asking her, "Sorry for not introducing myself sooner,"

"Oh it's fine....can I walk around?" She started pulling at the restraints.

"Sorry no.....I can take off the restraints but you cant be on your hooves until the glue dries," I pulled the restraints off and she was free, "Let me find your shoes and you'll be ready to leave once they've set," I left the two mares to talk while I looked for her pair. If I remember right she asked for a simple stock pair which I got to work on yesterday. Ah there they are, four simple steel shoes.

I laid them out on my desk and went back to them, "-I'm sure they'll look fabulous," Rarity said making idle chatter.

"So the glue is going to be a few minutes....you girls heard any interesting stories," I pulled a stool over and sat with them.

"Do you know a Pegasus named Rainbow Dash," Rarity asked glancing over at me.

"Uh...Rarity...are you sure you should be talking about her behind her back," Fluttershy said with quite concern.

"I have nothing but respect and admiration for her and would never talk behind her back....that said she had the gall to call my new dress....overdone," Rarity said overdone with utter disgust.

"Oh I'm sure she didn't mean it like that..."

"No excuse," She exclaimed swinging her foreleg, almost hitting me, "Sorry darling,"

"No problem....why'd she call it overdone?"

"Oh never you mind, just know that Dash isn't the most....feminine mare out there," Caddy.....

"Wait...Rainbow Dash, rainbow mane?" A look of surprise crossed their faces.

"Why yes...you know her?"

"She picked up a pair of athletic shoes yesterday....actually if you see her today tell her I said sorry, I might have been a bit rude at the end of the day...."

"What exactly happened yesterday," Rarity asked once again gesturing to my hands.

"Twelve hour day.....this is from metal work," I showed them my hands.

"Why would they make you work twelve hours,"

"The other person who works here smashed his finger with a hammer...idiot,"

"uh...excuse me..."

"He sounds rather unfocused,"

"Corey..."

"Yeah...not the word I'd use..."

"SIR,"

"Oh, sorry....what did you need Fluttershy,"

"I think the time is up...." She gestured to the flashing timer on my desk.

"Oh....heh....sorry," I quickly pulled the shoes and screws off my desk and quickly affixed the shoes, "And...done, Go ahead and walk around," I helped her off the chair and onto her hooves, "Hows it feel?"

She wobbly walked around the room, "A bit...heavy,"

"Just not used to it...give it an hour, you'll barely notice." She started trying to right herself before losing her balance and tripping, "ooo....maybe a bit more than a week..."

"I'm fine....just.....heavy...." She picked herself up and wobbled over, "I might need a different pair..."

"Uh yeah.....can you promise me something,"

"Sure,"

"Don't tell Sam I did this," I pulled copper alloy shoes from a box and changed them out, "There...how that,"

She started walking around much less shakily, "Oh much better, much much better,"

"Corey are you allowed to do that," Rarity turned an acquisitive eye to me.

"Well....lets just say it's not going to come up," Revenge for the no notice double day.

"How...dashing,"

"What,"

"Helping a young mare at your own peril,"

"Uh....peril?"

"You could lose your job,"

"Not really....I've done this before, he doesn't mind, I mean he doesn't like it but he doesn't give me any guff,"

"Oh...*ehem*...never the less, it is very kind of you,"

"Well.....your turn," I motioned for her to sit in the chair, "Fluttershy you're OK to leave,"

"Oh...well I'd really,"

"*sigh* you can stay....pull up a chair," I heard an odd squee as she widened her smile, "Did you hear that," I looked around, "guess it was nothing...." I quickly strapped rarity into the chair and went to get the drill.

"Oh my....this is very....snug," Rarity looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Alright....I'll make this as quick as possible," I slowly set the drill into her hoof. She fidgeted slightly, luckily her hooves stayed put. I quickly drilled all the holes while the two mares talked. I quickly switched to the compressed air eliciting a cavalcade of laughter, "Heh....looks like you got ticklish hooves...." I looked up at her only to find a slight blush on her face, "Almost done," I said with a small smile.

I glued the ports in place and softly tapped them in until they were secure, "And....done, just needs to set and you'll be good to go,"

"And my shoes,"

"Friday remember, I have three down. One is in pieces though...." I said feeling slightly bad for making her come back.

"I see, well I suppose that means I'll be seeing you again, cant say I mind,"

"Well I pride myself on customer service," I washed my hands and sat with the two mares, "Fluttershy you haven't said much,"

"Oh sorry..."

"Don't say sorry, just wondering whats bothering you,"

"Oh it's nothing...only Angle..."

"Your bunny," Rarity asked now lounging back in the chair.

"Yes...he has been avoiding me the whole week,"

"Oh no...." I left them talking, I just went and sorted some paperwork out. Ten minutes later everything was ready and I saw the two mares out, "Thank you Corey, always a pleasure," Rarity walked out while I help Fluttershy with some paperwork.

Once she was done I leaned down and gave her a hug before she left, "heh heh....no wonder they've been askin for you," Sam said with an awkward tone.

"Oh yes....because I'm the dream of all mares.......anyone else today," Sam quickly skimmed through the appointment book.

"Naw....yer free to go, Ben can handle it,"

"Thanks Sam, see ya tomorrow,"

Author's Note:

6:20am: *CAR ALARM* *CAR ALARM* *CAR ALARM* JUST LET ME WRITE MA PONIES YOU CAR FUCKER.

Comments

[setablaze53]

That author's note.

[ArthurHucksake]

3242188 The rage is palpable, is it not?

[setablaze53]

3459187 Totally legitimate.

[Tofty]

Mornin' Angle.

[DerpTape]

4306992
Thought the same thing!

[LonePigeon]

3242188
Yes, that annoys the hell out me too. Car alarms should have a system where the alarm goes to the key fob; if it is to far away for the fob to connect it is too far away for you to hear it and you are just annoying everyone in the area.

If a car alarm goes off in a mall parking lot sometimes I sarcastically yell out "Steal it already!"