Blazing a Trail to the Past.

by Daylight_Dreamer

28- Get your motor running.

I'm not too into waiting around anxiously. So I busied myself changing out of my own muddy clothes and cleaning up the kitchen as Rainbow Dash talked to Scootaloo. Shower still running, covering every word they said.

There wasn't enough weed in Equestria to calm my nerves at this point. When they came out, I was either going to have a pony daughter or I was going to have to help Scootaloo find a new cave to live in.

I was hoping for the first. The idea of being a role model terrified me but not nearly as much as the idea of Scootaloo living in a cave. That filly was afraid of camp stories. I was shocked she had ever considered it in the first place.

Just as I was back from dumping the ashes from the stove, the bathroom door opened.

"So let's just see if you can show me any new tricks on that scooter," Rainbow said, "You've been through a lot today, but your big sis is here now. We should probably start with breakfast though. I'm starving."

"Betcha ten bits Jerry made us plates already," Scootaloo laughed.

"Do you even have ten bits," Rainbow teased.

"I will if you take the bet," Scootaloo teased back.

"You two hungry," I couldn't help but laugh as I chimed in pointing out the plates I indeed had ready.

"Told ya," Scootaloo chuckled.

"I'm just gonna step out for a minute," I said, "You two enjoy." I went out to the shed and lit a cigarette. I wasn't sure I was ready to hear Scootaloo's decision and my relief came at hearing her laugh. She was OK. That's all I needed to know.

I got lost in my thoughts and was still sitting with the big door open long after the cigarette was gone. I hardly noticed the two pegasi walk up.

"That was awesome," Rainbow said, "You're one heck of a cook, Scoot and I are gonna hang out for the day. I'll see you later."

"Yea," I said, "you're welcome here any time."

"I'll see you later," Scootaloo said and they started walking.

I was about to hop in the jeep to see if Slag or Sawdust wanted to hang out since it was Saturday, but Scootaloo ran back.

"If my stuff gets in the way," she paused, "just put it in my room." She didn't wait for my response before running to catch up with Rainbow Dash.
---
I figured Scootaloo was old enough to have a key, but I had already given my spare to Gilda. So I decided to visit Slag. I could visit Sawdust later if the two weren't hanging out together anyway.

Slag didn't answer the front door, but that's not new. I started to walk around to the shed when I heard the sound of an engine fire up. I instinctively looked back at my jeep but I knew that wasn't it, this engine had no muffler.

I waited for the engine to be shut off before walking in the open door. I found Slag looking over a recreation of the engine in my Jeep. His red, yellow, and white mane was tied back and he was wearing safety glasses. His grey fur had oil spots all over.

"Jerry! Just the guy I wanted to see," Slag offered his customary greeting.

"I see you have the engine built," I laughed, "needs muffler bearings though."

"I didn't see bearings in the muffler when I scanned your jeep," he was confused, "Where do they go? I haven't even built my muffler yet."

"It's a joke," I said, "I forget you don't know these things. I mean, you are my only mechanic friend these days. I used to have a few."

"Technically. I'm the only mechanic in Equestria. Unless you count the train engineers," he pointed out, "I still prefer metalcrafter, It's not like this is the only thing I work on."

"You have a point," I admitted.

"Anyway," Slag trailed off, "The engine is built and now I get to start on the framework for the body. I get to be creative at this point, I already have a ton of ideas. First tho, I think it's time to celebrate." He moved his safety glasses to his forehead and floated a joint over from his workbench.

"Guess I had good timing," I said.

"It's always good timing when you visit your best friend," He coughed, "to what do I owe this visit anyway."

"Can't I just stop and see a friend?" I asked mock offended.

"You can, you do," he kinda nodded his head with those words before giving me a 'come on, I know my friends' look, "but usually my brother."

"I guess as long as I'm here I should have you make me another key," I laughed.

"I knew it," he joked, "you just like me because I can work with metal."

"Well, I had to find some reason to like you," I teased, "you are my best friends brother."

"Yea, yea, yea," He seemed genuinely distraught now, "what makes him so much better? He's just me with no horn and a wooden personality."

"I've been meaning to ask," I said, deciding not to try and answer that, "How does that work? You and your brother being different races?"

"Doesn't that happen on earth?" he asked.

"If they only share one parent," I answered.

"Bingo!" Slag laughed, "Let's just say his father went out for a pack of cigarettes and never came back. It can also happen in mixed couples where the foals take after different parents, but mom's a unicorn. Just like my dad, who she's still with. Got a place in Canterlot."

"That explains you two," I said, "What about the cake twins?"

"Rumor has it," he pretended to look around, "they swing. Twins can have different dads if two eggs ovulate at once and the 'events' happen close to each other. Possibly the same time." he raised an eyebrow, "Don't go repeating this tho, the truth is between the Cakes and it's better to keep it that way. It's not like I'm interested in either of the Cakes, and my brother is clearly more into their tenant. Besides, it may be super rare, but a pony can take after an ancestor as they claim. Just not one that's 'removed'. That literally means 'not blood-related', and a 'second cousin' wouldn't pass anything to your line anyway. So it would only explain the unicorn, maybe. That's a lot of greats."

"Wait!" I had already thought of most of this the first time I saw the episode, 'Baby Cakes' but I had to clear one thing up, "Sawdust likes Pinkie?!"

"Well yea," Slag said, "He doesn't do repairs without bits unless Pinkie is the one asking. Hell, he made the slide into her planning cave for her birthday. He paid me for the metal parts he needed. Didn't even tell me what they were for."

"That's not much to go on," I said, "She is one of the most dependable and best liked mares in town."

Slag just gave me a half smile before saying, "He makes me deal with Rarity, and she has to pay half up front just like every pony else. Rarity gave him a three-piece suit for his birthday and she barely talked him into a discount for hers. Twilight gave him a complete autographed set of Daring Doo books. She got a voucher for shelf repair. He does build Fluttershy a new item for the critters every year, but she supplies a lot of his lumber from the woods around her cottage. Applejack sends trees too, she just gets her carts built and fixed for trade. When Pinkie Pie walks in. She gets whatever she wants, and pays when it's convenient."

"You may have a point then," I laughed, "you can tell a lot about someone by how they handle their finances."

"Exactly," Slag agreed, "he just doesn't care if Pinkie pays, he likes helping her."

"So who do you like?" I asked, "since we're on the subject of mares."

"Can't say I don't have a crush," He seemed a little leery to say who, but I caught a look in his eye that troubled me, "I like being a free agent." He continued, "You know how much tail you can get when you can build anything a pony could ask for? I don't see why Sawdust chooses to keep his V-card, not like he doesn't have his pick of mares, and a few stallions. So what about you and that Griffin you were at the club with? How was she?"

"News travels fast, huh?" I rolled my eyes.

"You could say that," his mouth twisted into a smile.

"She's just a friend," I said, "I actually brought her as a ruse. I'm not into griffins or ponies."

The smile dropped right off his face, "Why not?" He almost sounded offended for some reason.

"Because I'm a human," I thought it was obvious.

"But," he seemed confused, "you're the only one. So your going monk?"

"I guess so," I said.

"Why?" He asked, clearly having trouble wrapping his head around what I was saying, "You're a celebrity. You could have a different mare every night. They would just line up for you."

"I've never seen you making out with a dragon," I teased.

"That's because you were in the V.I.P. room," Slag smirked, "we were on the dance floor."

"You're shitting me," I said. How could I have overlooked Slag being a nightclub guy? This wasn't the first I heard of him getting around, but a dragon! I was stunned.

"Not at all," Slag said, "He was actually kinda nice. Until he snubbed me for a pony with cocaine. Fucking hate that shit. No big deal, once you walked in, I mentioned our friendship, and took three ponies home."

"Always happy to help a friend get laid," I laughed.

"Look at the time," Slag said, it was about noon, "Sawdust said he would be home by now. I'll whip up that key and we should pay him a visit. I'll drive."

"Fine by me," I said, happy to change the subject.