The CMC's New Wagon

by Wiz Ahmad

Chapter 5 (Final touches and the grand reveal)

Author's Note:

Are you pleased with how the Honda would look and sound like (picture it in your mind using the context clues I've given you). Leave your thoughts in the comments!

The morning came with a gentle breeze and the distinctive cry from the rooster at Sweet Apple Acres, and Applejack, Big Macintosh, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were all eyes, ears, and hands. It was time for the final touches to be added to the car.

After a nice breakfast, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom used wrenches to attach the spoiler to the back of the car, neatly on the crest tip where the tailgate met the roof. While relaxing on the new red seats, Sweetie Belle noticed an odd metal shape sticking out of the side of the steering wheel mount, and pulled it out. It was badly rusted, but its shape thankfully stayed in place.

“I found the key!” she announced happily. “I just gotta get somepony to make a duplicate of it.”

There was one blacksmith in Ponyville by the name of Rust Block, and Sweetie Belle knew where he was. Most of his customers were older ponies or younger colts who were going to be enlisted as one of the guards in Canterlot. So it was more than a surprise when Sweetie Belle walked in with a small odd-shaped piece of metal in her mouth.

“Hi there,” she said in a sweet voice. “Can you make two copies of this key? They need to be exactly the same, down to the finest detail.”

“Not a problem,” Rust Block replied, and set to work while Sweetie Belle patiently waited. It definitely is hot at the blacksmith’s, she thought, wiping her forelock. But in less than an hour he was done with two shiny, durable keys that looked identical to the rusted one, except without the rust.

“Thank you so much!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed with a little joyful jump, and paid him with a little tip. She threaded the keys onto a thin piece of rope, tied a knot, made a loop in the rope, tossed it over her neck, and trotted back to Sweet Apple Acres.

In the barn, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, along with Applejack, were now bleeding the brake fluid system, ensuring that all the old fluid and dirt was completely removed.

“I got the keys!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, running inside the barn.

“Great!” Scootaloo replied. “We’re almost done. Now we just need to drain and clean the engine oil system, attach the new carbon fiber hood, attach the brakes and hook up the fluid system, screw on the wheels, and apply a final coat of paint.”

Always caring and helpful, Applejack took some time off from her apple bucking to help out, attaching the tires to the wheels, while her little sister undid the bolts of the old hood. Scootaloo then dragged the new one over, and together with Apple Bloom attached it to the mounts. The hood closed perfectly with no awkward gaps or angles. Applejack then jacked up the car.

“Now on to the oil,” Sweetie Belle announced, pushing the oil pan under the engine bay in the right place, and then unscrewing the drain cap. The old oil was full of black and brown particles and smelled like a mixture of diapers and cow saliva. Once it was all out, she wiped the outlet clean with a rag and brushed the area of any remaining particles, then reattached the outlet cap. Apple Bloom then unscrewed the inlet cap and cleaned the area of any dirt or foreign particles. Then she poured in the new oil up to the recommended amount. Sweetie Belle crawled out from under the car, and then they proceeded to removing the old rusted brakes and attaching the new ones. Because she was somewhat of an expert with connecting parts, Scootaloo attached the brake fluid to the new brakes, while Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Applejack attached the brakes themselves. Finally came the task of attaching the wheels with their pre-fitted Bridgestone tires. Big Macintosh came over to help, while Applejack returned to her farm duties.

“Could you lift the tires into place while Scootaloo drills the nuts in?” Apple Bloom asked her brother.

“Eeyup,” he replied in his typical deep yet kind voice.

Big Macintosh lifted the wheels to the right height, and Scootaloo used a drill to firmly fasten them to their respective mounts. Once all the wheels had been attached, Big Macintosh and Scootaloo lowered the jacks and removed them. The car was now able to stand on its own for the first time.

Having bought some paint beforehand, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo donned masks, covered up parts of the car, and gave the Honda a new coat of pearl white paint, along with a protective clearcoat.

Leaving the car’s paint to settle, the Cutie Mark Crusaders then took a break and had lunch with the Apple Family. Sweetie Belle enjoyed cakes, strudels, and brownies, while Apple Bloom and Scootaloo dined on soup and crackers instead.

“So, are we ready to see the fruits of our hard work?” Apple Bloom announced, noticing the muscle development on her fellow crusaders’ arms from all the hard work that they’ve been through.

“Yes!” Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Applejack, and even Big Mac replied simultaneously.