Chapter 24: For My Friends

He called it ‘the Hangar.’ A massive room as deep underground as Gearhead could excavate using his Geomancy, it had all the room he would need, and more, to construct any large vehicles he believed he could design. In order to accommodate all those possibilities, its ceiling stood ten storeys high, and the room itself had the size of an official gaming arena. At the depth where it stood, mostly beneath the Laboratory, it was easier to supply geothermal power than wind and water power through the shop’s windmill and waterwheel.

Gearhead sat back from inspecting the parts that his automated assembly system was putting together. With the blueprints, schematics, and statistics uploaded to the central computing unit, he should not have to worry about putting this mechanical monstrosity together himself. Of course, he would still use Read to ensure the quality of each piece and fit. It would be devastating if it all fell apart or exploded. Fortunately it all seemed to be functioning as planned. That meant that Gearhead could focus on raising Snowbelle, operating the shop, and tending to his friends.

If everything came together at the end of all this, he would have the method by which he could deliver Snowbelle to the Crystal Mountains and her birth family. He was sad that they might have to part, but this was part of the promise he had made. He would continue to treasure his bond with Snowbelle, even if she decided to stay with the other Arctic Dragons. And he would still have much to do with his friends here, and his family at Verdant Fields.

Thinking of his family, Gearhead considered his new contract again. The terms clearly favoured him more than his employer, Father. Yet if Father became unable to fulfill his duties for whatever reason, Vines would have to step in as Successor. That meant that even though the contract did not name the Patriarch specifically as Gearhead’s employer, if Father was unable to do his duty as that employer, the role would default to Vines. From there, Vines could propose whatever changes he wanted to the Council, and from what Father had told Gearhead, Vines had the traditionalists’ backing.

If Vines changed the terms so they were severely unfair to Gearhead, the Council might not act to block him based on the terms of the Black Sheep Clause. That same piece of legislation could be Gearhead’s lifeline, but he would have to be careful: if Gearhead protested the unfair terms, the protest would go to the Council, and any further changes would still be under their control. And if Vines forced Gearhead to quit the Contract, the Council could expel him from the Herd, preventing him from earning his way out of the Black Sheep title – the Clause was both shield and sword here.

Quitting would be preferable over existing under terms that would cause him suffering for the rest of his days. Gearhead would not be a Verdant, but he could still send financial support to those who had supported him. That was if the Council forgot that the Clause prevented them from forcefully exiling him.

Of course, all of this was moot as long as Father was in good health. Family was as important to Vines as it was to Gearhead, so the younger brother knew that the eldest Verdant sibling would not do anything to harm Father, or at least not on purpose, and not of his own free will. The Contract merely gave Gearhead some vacation time, as well as 150% more money per month than he’d had previously.

Gearhead had a pretty good idea of how to use all that extra gold: he was going to bid for defence contracts with the Principality of Equestria: they would send him materials, and those materials would go into all of the devices that he would eventually deploy to defend all the land and the ponies who lived there. The resources would go into every new innovation on the Alicorn Engine and its stabilizer units, into the multi-purpose vessel he was building now, and into the defensive version of the Alicorn Engine he was still developing. And of course, the ideas would not stop coming. There would be more ways in which Gearhead could help protect everyone, and it would all start here.

Fortunately for all the progress Gearhead was already making, he did not have to wait until he had even drawn up the contract he was going to present to Princess Celestia and Luna: while safely excavating the earth to make enough room for the Hangar, Gearhead had found large deposits of metals, gemstones, and other resources he could use. He had even found fossilized plant and animal materials. Coal was something he could sell to the railway company. As for the sticky, gooey black stuff, there were experiments he could perform on it to discover its properties. There were so many possibilities.

Suddenly Gearhead got the feeling that he should go into town. He cleaned up and made his way back to the shop. Snowbelle was looking eerily prepared to jump right out the window, even as she waited for him. They quickly made their way into town.

The sight that greeted them was stunning, literally, because the whole town seemed to have broken out into song. And not any little ditty, it was a full-production show tune! The spirit of the song was infectious, and Gearhead and Snowbelle found themselves quickly caught up in it, smiling and singing along as soon as they caught the chorus.

If the singing and dancing in the streets had been impressive before, the feeling intensified when confetti and ticker tape started to fall all around the ponies as they continued to sing and advance. This was no longer a town-wide break-out singing session, but a parade.

At the center of all this action was the only pony, possibly in all Equestria, who could make all this happen: the infectiously optimistic and happy Party Pony, Pinkie Pie – who was soon nose to nose with what appeared to be the least optimistic and happy donkey.

Oddly enough, as soon as the song ended the ponies seemed to melt right back into Ponyville to return to whatever they had been doing before Pinkie had started singing. As the others trotted up, Dash noticed Gearhead looking at Pinkie. “Oh, don’t worry about her. She’ll do her thing all on her own.”

“So Pinkie can bring out a parade, and right after the song ends everypony just goes home?”

“Pretty much. This sort of thing never happened in any of the other towns you came through?”

“No, but then none of them had a Pinkie Pie.”

“Too true,” Dash said. “Hey, you gonna go with Fluttershy back up to her cottage or what?”

“If it’s not too much of an imposition...” Fluttershy said. Gearhead noticed she was wearing the hairclip he had made for her.

“Not at all,” Gearhead said, smiling.

“Wouldn’t you have to get your Alicorn Engine?” Twilight asked. “At that rate, you may as well just go to the shop.”

“Oh, I have my ways, Twilight.” Gearhead drew his dagger. “Quattuor Magnae Spiritus invoco. Ventus transmutare alas.” A silvery wind sprang up around Gearhead, splitting and attaching to both sides of him. With focus and control, he turned the wind into swirling wings.

“Your new activation key is much faster than the old one,” Twilight said.

“It is also much easier to use,” Gearhead said. “Are you ready, Fluttershy?”

In answer, Fluttershy rapidly flapped her wings. Snowbelle cooed, and then sprang into the air. “Wait up!” Fluttershy called, taking off after the Dragon. Gearhead chuckled, then followed suit.

When the three of them were flying in formation together, Fluttershy nudged closer to Gearhead. The sunlight touched off the highlights of blue and green that radiated and chased each other around the butterfly wings. It made her eyes seem to glitter more than usual.

“If you don’t mind, I wanted to ask you about Prism,” Fluttershy said.

“Oh? You were talking with her while I was talking with Father, right?”

“Um... yes,” Fluttershy reached up reflexively to brush a lose strand of hair out of her eyes, only it was not there, thanks to the hairclip. Her goof made her blush, but Gearhead kept his smile the same as before.

“What did you want to ask?”

“What do you think of her? I mean, do you...”

“Prism is my first friend, but I had not seen her for years before we met again at the Gala, and again over Hoofington. Ponies change over time, so to say that I did not really know the pony she had become would be accurate. She seems to be as curious as ever, and she is still daring and kind in her own way. And she takes her duties with the Azure seriously. She told me she wants to fly with the Wonderbolts.”

Fluttershy giggled. “I hope she and Dashie become great friends.”

“I believe they will,” Gearhead said. They were approaching the cottage.

“Um... there’s somewhere I’d like to go, if you wouldn’t mind coming with me?”

“Where to?” Gearhead asked, interested that Fluttershy would make any request of him.

“The Butterfly Glade,” Fluttershy said, blushing.

“Oh,” Gearhead thought it through. It seemed this little flight with his Very Special Somepony was not quite over yet. “Okay. Do you want to lead this time?”

“Shouldn’t we go back and get your Engine?”

“My wings are stable. I just need to hold them with focus, and I can cast the spell again when we want to fly again.”

“Okay!” The way the mare beamed at the fact that they did not have to delay their arrival at the glade could probably have melted Nightmare Moon’s heart. She banked toward the Everfree Forest, and then accelerated with Snowbelle and Gearhead right on her tail.

Over the following weeks, Fluttershy often asked Gearhead to come with her to the Butterfly Glade. Although she could probably fly there safely on her own, she seemed hesitant to go without him. It could have been the fear of that slight chance that something dangerous would catch her, or it could be something else. Either way, Gearhead was not about to turn her down.

The more time Gearhead spent with Fluttershy, the more his enjoyment of her company grew. He already knew her as a kind and gentle mare who cared for the plants and animals around her, regardless of how frightening many of them were to other ponies. There was not much worse you could do around her than harming a plant, an animal, or one of her friends. Gearhead had already known about her outer beauty, and some of her inner beauty too, but the longer he was around her the more deeply he found her compassion and patience ran. Her presence was a calming one, similar to, but also distinct from, the aura that Big Sister Ivy carried. Yes, Fluttershy was lovely on the inside.

At the Butterfly Glade, which they had named for the large flower that was its centerpiece, the Everfree Forest seemed to reward that same patience and compassion: as time passed the flowers seemed to become more vibrant, growing tall and strong. Bees, hummingbirds, and other animals came, attracted by the scent and splashing colour. In the midst of the wild woodlands, the only thing that seemed to be on any creature’s mind was to relax and enjoy the ambience.

Gearhead had trouble distinguishing between the different flowers’ scents unless he got close enough that, if she had been there, Dash would have pushed his nose right into the flower. Fluttershy, on the other hoof, easily distinguished between the different scents as she flitted among the flowers, picking them out one by one and telling Gearhead and Snowbelle all about their properties. Many of these flowers and herbs could be used as medicines, however Gearhead would be surprised if Zecora did not already know about them. If she came to the Glade to pick any of these flowers, Gearhead could not find any evidence. Most probably, she just harvested some of their seeds.

It was an interesting idea, or so Gearhead thought. With Fluttershy watching, he gathered some seeds from each plant to bring back to a small garden he was trying to grow between the shop and the riverbank. If he could get the flowers to grow, maybe he could transfer that skill over to crops, and then he could be free of the Black Sheep Clause. So far, even with Fluttershy’s supervision, not much had sprouted, but there was still time. Gearhead just hoped his excavations had not leeched too many nutrients from the ground for anything to grow.

With all the time Gearhead and Fluttershy were spending together, many of Ponyville’s other citizens had started to whisper. Even the rest of their friends were not immune from the gossip that was spreading, and despite knowing that it had begun for the sake of the Crusaders, they were clearly wondering if it was real: were Fluttershy and Gearhead in love? Gearhead thought of himself as a poor judge on whether or not it was true.

He tried not to act in a way as to lead Fluttershy on when they were alone – or as alone as they ever got – and as close as they sometimes sat with each other, Gearhead used all his restraint, for her sake, and she was too timid to try anything. Snowbelle sometimes joked with Gearhead that he should kiss Fluttershy already, but Snowbelle knew as well as he did that he could not court Fluttershy properly as long as he was still the Black Sheep.

Snowbelle got more comfortable and affectionate with Fluttershy as well. Fluttershy showed the Dragon all the flowers, and how to care for one’s critter friends. Some mornings Fluttershy came over to brush Snowbelle’s mane so it ended up all silky smooth. When the mare did not come over, her cottage was the first place Snowbelle wanted to visit. She perched on Fluttershy’s head as often as on Gearhead’s, and sometimes napped curled up with Fluttershy. But Snowbelle did not talk to the mare.

Snowbelle was also more distant with the other Ponies, although she was friendly with most of them. She did not share the same proximity with anypony else that she did with Fluttershy, or with Gearhead, who let her stay out and play with other ponies so she could be better friends with them. Snowbelle was especially fond of reading with Twilight and playing with Spike and the Crusaders. She enjoyed playing pranks with Pinkie and Dash, and Applejack showed her around all the crops on Sweet Apple Acres. Rarity showed her all the clothes and gems that sparkled, and Snowbelle certainly enjoyed going gem-finding with her and Spike, but she and Opal had an antagonistic relationship, each hissing and scratching at the other. Some creatures simply were not meant to be friends.

Since receiving them from Shadow Wright, Gearhead had inspected the rainbow gemstones many times. It seemed to him as though they were capable of storing and channelling great magicks, however that capacity was not compatible with the many spells he tried to imbue into them.

In many ways, these gems were a complete set, therefore he had to find spells that could compliment each other as part of their own set. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet stones sat in a row in a box, and until he found some use for them, there they would stay.

Of course Gearhead had realized that he could approach the question from another angle: he could try to create items based on the Elements of Harmony. Based on them, that is, but usable even when all of them were not present, unlike the true Elements. He had all the data he had collected when Princess Celestia had allowed him to research each Element directly.

He also had the primary-sourced data still recorded within Ring-5 of the original core prototype – the one that had stayed scarred during the battle against Discord. Even applying all of this knowledge, and all of his skills, however, Gearhead was unable to create new magical items using the rainbow gems. He was obviously missing something, and despite all the additional research he had done since his first attempt, he had not gotten any further.

Reviewing the data reminded Gearhead that the very fact that Ring-5 had been able to record the Elements’ magical signatures. This had several implications. One of those implications was that a core’s rings and the particles it produced could record data. If it could record information, then Gearhead did not see why it could not record memories, which were data of a different sort. Still, in order for this information to be useful, he would have to be able to play the recording back in a way that ordinary ponies could see, without the Conclave’s ‘focus shifting’ technique.

Such thoughts led Gearhead to the crystal records on which Hoofington was selling the recordings of that twice-cursed race. The playback system for those crystals had several basic parts: information storage, a reading device, and a display device. Based on this, Gearhead created a reading and display device that could do the same for Ring-5. The result was that he was able to review incredibly-accurate information from each Element in turn, from the time of the battle against Discord. Still, this did not help figure out how to turn the rainbow gems into imitation Elements.

Sighing, Gearhead had to admit that he had reached an impasse on the subject once again. Sure, he could incorporate a mission recorder into the twin-core system, but that would not come into play for some time, since he was still tuning the prototype. And it still did not help with the rainbow gems. Fortunately, Gearhead was still having success with the shop, with the twin-core and its stabilizer, and with the ongoing construction of the multipurpose vessel. All the same, some fresh air would do him good. If Fluttershy was available, he would be happy if she would go with him to their usual spot. Catching his thoughts as he moved for the door, Snowbelle glided onto his back without a word.

Gearhead and Snowbelle were both shocked when they saw Pinkie Pie and Rarity, of all ponies, dashing away from Fluttershy’s cottage in tears. They were so devastated that neither noticed the father and daughter as they were walking up the road. Although shocked, such a sight could only mean that something major had happened, so Snowbelle took wing, and Gearhead gave himself a Wind Magic boost in increase his speed as they made their own dash for the cottage. They spotted Fluttershy shuffling toward her home, but there were not any threats around.

“Fluttershy, do you have any idea why Pinkie and Rarity were running away and crying just now?” Gearhead asked, still closing the distance.

“What, are you mocking me?” Fluttershy rounded on Gearhead, anger exploding on her face despite the tears that were still there.

“I what? Huh?”

“Don’t ‘huh’ me, Buster. You think it’s my fault too, don’t you? It’s all mean New Fluttershy’s fault, because New Fluttershy’s a monster!”

“’New Fluttershy?’ Clearly I have missed something.” And it must have been a big ‘something,’ because now that he was getting a better look, Gearhead saw that Fluttershy’s mane and tail looked rougher than usual, and she was not wearing her hairclip, despite having worn it every day since he had given it to her. Also, she was being mean, but mostly to herself. “Would you like to talk about it, perhaps over some tea?”

“Talking is for pansies! Or so Iron Will says. I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

“We do not have to talk, then. We could go to the Glade. You might feel more relaxed, then.”

“Flowers? You think that flowers will fix everything, don’t you? You just think of me as some delicate flower, is that it? Is that why you like being around me so much?!” As Fluttershy got angrier, she kept pressing herself right into Gearhead’s face, and he could not back up fast enough.

“Whoa whoa whoa! I like you because you are kind,” Gearhead said. He would have put up a placating hoof, but if he did he would be unable to step quickly enough. “Or do you not remember your own compassionate self?”

“That was Old Fluttershy. New Fluttershy is assertive and doesn’t take any guff from anypony!”

“Shouting is not being assertive, Fluttershy, it is bullying.”

“But I don’t know how to do anything else without being a doormat, but... I also don’t want to be a monster.”

“I am sure if we all just calm down and give it some time, it will all come back to you. And then you can apologize to—“

“Apologies are for babies! Oh, I did it again. You see? I’m not fit to be out and about. I should just lock myself in my cottage.”

“Is that your solution? Is that how the Fluttershy the rest of us know handles a conflict? Running away and hiding?”

“Sounds about right,” Fluttershy turned around and resumed her retreat.

“Now you listen here—“

“Don’t you tell New Fluttershy what to do! Oh my,” Fluttershy wheeled about again, and started trotting toward her door. Gearhead knew that if he let her get away now, he would not get through to her at all.

“Quattuor Magnae Spiritus invoco. Evoco Spiritus Ventus et alligans catenam esto. Captis Tempestas!” Gearhead shot a salvo of binding wind, which tied around Fluttershy’s legs and barrel.

“How dare you!”

“It seems you will not listen to reason in your current state. If force is the only thing you understand –“ Gearhead did not get to finish, though, because Fluttershy leaped into action, covering the distance between them so quickly that he did not know how to react. Fluttershy put her head down so she flew in just below his chin, and while knocking him off his hooves and into the air, she also knocked the wind out of him. And disrupted the spell, freeing her.

“You want ‘force,’ you got force!” Fluttershy snorted as she came around.

<Oh boy,> Snowbelle said. <Do you want help?>

<Not that kind, at least not yet. But it does look like a fight. We need to find something that can calm her down and bring her back to herself.>

<Agreed, but what?>

Gearhead started to think of the possibilities, and two images flashed prominently through his mind.

<Got it,> Snowbelle turned in the air and headed for Fluttershy’s open door.

Gearhead returned his full attention to the present, and managed to dive and roll so only Fluttershy’s wing grazed him. He had to buy time, but she was even more aggressive than before. “Quattuor Magnae Spiritus invoco—“

“I won’t let you!” Fluttershy power-dove, and this time she hit him solidly in the ribs and sent him flying again.

If she will not give me normal casting time, I will have to cast faster. “Cantus Bellax!” Gearhead shone as his battle magic aura came up, but even turning his sword to catch Fluttershy’s strikes with the blade’s flat did not give her enough time for much else. “Cantus Bellax Duis.”

“What’s that supposed to be? Am I overwhelming you ‘cause you don’t want to hurt fragile little me? Don’t make me laugh!”

“Please, Fluttershy, remember your true self.”

“And now you’re pleading? Well go ahead, beg on your knees!” Fluttershy delivered a wicked headbutt, and thankfully Gearhead’s magic took the brunt of the attack, but the amount of cruelty Fluttershy was showing was more stunning than the physical blow itself. “What’s wrong? Gonna cry?!”

“Yes, I might. Because you are even more cruel now than when you were under Discord’s control. More so because you are being cruel of your own free will. If this is you now, if all you know is brute force... no, I do not believe that. And neither should you, Fluttershy.”

“What pretty words. Pretty and meaningless.” Fluttershy charged again, but Gearhead was already in the middle of an incantation.

“Quattuor Magnae Spiritus, da me Forma Agilis!” Just as Fluttershy was about to land a wicked double-hit, four massive petals sprouted from the ground, one on each side of Gearhead. They closed around him, and took the hits. The apparent bronze flower skipped three meters before coming apart. When it did, Gearhead was wearing a black longcoat and pants. He only had running shoes on his two feet, and zippered gloves on his hands, the left of which now held his geargem dagger, still in sword form: Gearhead’s Agile Form was the transformation he had been attempting when he transformed into Dusty by accident. Now, after using it in a bout with Armour and Cadence, it was much easier to use.

“What’s that? You think you can beat me with that form?”

“I do not have to beat you, I just have to let you see the truth.” Snowbelle swooped down and pinned Fluttershy’s hairclip, but to Gearhead’s bangs. She dropped Fluttershy’s gemstone wand into his free hand, too. “Not where I wanted it originally,” Gearhead said, thinking of the hairclip. But it is more visible there.

“An accessory and a wand? New Fluttershy thinks you might be mistaking New Fluttershy for Rarity!” Fluttershy came on again.

“Then I will show you how Old Fluttershy might do it,” Gearhead said as he sheathed his dagger. He focused on the wand, and it responded by growing into its staff form. Gearhead held it in his right hand, loosely at his side without letting the end touch the ground. When Fluttershy was mere steps away from him, Gearhead sidestepped and turned, rotating to match her speed. Out came the staff, striking across Fluttershy’s flank and sending her stumbling a couple steps in surprise.

Fluttershy growled, turned, and charged at him again, this time flying. She was much stronger and faster than she looked. Gearhead had to remind himself of that first strike she had delivered. This time he bent backward, and the staff came up to send the mare flipping end-over-end. Gearhead used his hands to spring back to his feet, then he turned to face Fluttershy and spun the staff back into position.

“You’re making me... angry.”

“And what do you think of yourself when you are angry?”

“You’re not literally laughing at New Fluttershy, but she knows when ponies are laughing at her on the inside.”

“You may not have quite noticed this: at the moment my form is not that of a pony.”

“You laugh at me, I wrath at you!”

“’Wrath’ is not a verb,”

Fluttershy growled.

“But neither is Lux,” Gearhead said as he sidestepped again, but this time as Fluttershy passed him he stayed in close, staff pressed against her as it discharged Light Magic between them. The light glinted and reflected off of the clip in Gearhead’s hair, and off of the two combatants’ eyes. Gearhead latched onto Fluttershy with his other hand, and kept turning, kept close, dragging with his trailing foot to slow her down. Then he leaped onto her back.

This did nothing to dispel Fluttershy’s anger at Gearhead, and she began to buck and try to throw him from her back so she could stamp him out. Worse, she still had to be partly dazzled by the light, and afterimages of a butterfly kept her from seeing right: they danced in front of her eyes, pink with blue, pink with green, and suddenly all sorts of other colours too. Gearhead wondered if they reminded her of that first time she had come down to the ground.

“Do you remember the first time we went to the Glade?” Gearhead suddenly leaned over and whispered into her ear. “And the animals you are teaching me to care for?” Fluttershy became stock-still. “What about the different plants, and how you taught me to care for them all?” Her head sagged down a bit. “I have heard about how you cared for the baby Manticore, and how you care for animals everyday, even bears. And I have seen you with Snowbelle many times. Do you think you could care for even one of them the way you are now?”

“I... don’t want to be a doormat,”

“Then you do not need to be a doormat. There are other ways, I promise you that. No, you already knew some. I am sorry that I tried to control you, and that I tried to use force against you. Neither was right.”

“But...”

“You do not have to be a doormat or a monster. You are the only one who gets to choose, Fluttershy.”

“Right now?”

“Every day, because every day starts anew.” Gearhead patted her gently. “I am going to get off of you now,” he said, just before dismounting. Gearhead walked around so he was in front of Fluttershy, and then he undid his transformation and his Song of Battle too. He put Fluttershy’s staff back into wand mode, and placed it on the ground between them.

“I’m not sure I can stop the monster from coming out if I try to be assertive again.”

“Then your friends will be here to help you,”

“I might revert to being a pushover, though.”

“We shall help you find a balance, although I have a hunch you might already have the start of an idea as to where that is. Because you are you, and no one else can know you better.”

“I think that maybe you’re right,” Fluttershy said, picking the wand up and turning it over to look at it in the sun. Then she looked Gearhead directly in the eye, startling him. “There’s just one more thing,”

“What is that?”

Fluttershy leaned forward, her face sliding over to his own. Gearhead did not know what she was doing, but decided he had better not move. Then she sat down, the hairclip between her teeth, a questioning look in her eyes.

“Oh, right,” Gearhead said, and he slowly leaned forward to get it from her so he could put it in her hair where it belonged.

“It looked silly on you anyway,”

Snowbelle laughed.

“I think you are right,” Gearhead said, chuckling.

The apologies were not exactly easy to make, but they were easier because everypony Fluttershy had wronged knew the true her. This was especially true of Rarity and Pinkie, who were just happy to have the kind Fluttershy back. “There’s just one thing,” Fluttershy said.

“Yes?”

“Gearhead promised me you would help keep me balanced, so I wouldn’t be a doormat or a monster.”

“He did, did he?” Rarity asked. “Just kidding. Of course we’ll keep that promise.”

“Cross our hearts, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes!” Pinkie said.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said.

Iron Will came to collect payment from Fluttershy at the end of that week. When the Minotaur knocked on her cottage’s door Pinkie, Rarity, and Gearhead all filed out after her, to speak to Iron Will outside the cottage.

“Going to gang up on Iron Will, are you? Well, lemme tell ya something: I pity the foal who thinks he can intimidate Iron Will!”

“You mistake our purpose, Mister Will,” Gearhead said.

“That’s right, Darling. We’re just here for moral support,” Rarity said.

“It’s Fluttershy who’ll have words with you,” Pinkie piped.

“What’s to say? You’re overdue, Fluttershy, and Iron Will’s come to collect what Iron Will’s owed.”

“No,”

“’No?’ What do you mean, ‘no?’”

“I’m not paying you one bit,”

“Oh, you’re in for a world of pain if—“

“I believe there’s more,” Rarity said.

“That’s right,” Fluttershy said. “At your seminar you said that we wouldn’t have to pay if we weren’t completely satisfied, right?”

“Right,”

“Well, I’m not completely satisfied,”

“What?! I mean, did you follow all the steps and mottoes?”

“You mistake what I’m dissatisfied with, Iron Will. I simply don’t like the pony I became, so I won’t be using your mottoes anymore.”

“Well, that’s your choice, but I still gave you the tools, so you still gotta pay.”

“No, I will not pay. Not for a service I won’t be using.”

“Surely we can work out a deal, like fifty percent, maybe?”

“’No’ means ‘no.’”

“No means no, huh? That’s a good motto. I could use that for my seminar!” Iron Will said, as he turned to walk away.

“Great job, Fluttershy,” Rarity said.

“Yeah! You were super-assertive,” Pinkie said.

“Indeed. Every time he shouted or threatened you evaded and deflected. More importantly, you stuck to your convictions,” Gearhead said.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said, “for all your support.”

“Now you don’t have to worry about that nosy Minotaur,” Pinkie said.

“And you can still be assertive and sweet,” Rarity said.

“Thank you both,” Fluttershy hugged her friends. “Could I have a moment with Gearhead, please?”

“Oh, certainly!” Rarity said, and she took Pinkie with her down the path back to Ponyville. Fluttershy did not say anything until she was certain nopony else was within earshot, at the very least.

“I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said, looking down and pawing at the ground.

“Why?”

“I think I hurt you because we got so close to each other. I think...” Gearhead waited, putting his patience to good use so that Fluttershy could say what she needed to without needing any prompting. Suddenly she looked up, and Gearhead was staring right into her eyes, a fatal mistake for most creatures. “I think we need some space away from each other. For a little while. We need to be sure we can’t hurt each other.”

“I... are you sure? We would be unable to support each other.” I will not say she is running away.

Fluttershy nodded. “I don’t want to hurt you again, and I’m afraid that I will.”

“For how long?”

“I don’t know, but... I think this is best. Probably.”

“So... then what are we to each other?”

“Friends, maybe. But more than that is...”

“Dangerous?”

“I think so,”

Gearhead thought it over. He could not see anything that could bring Fluttershy to this conclusion, but then the fact that he could not see this from her perspective disturbed and shook him. We were not so close that I could tell that she was troubled, nor can I tell what she is thinking. It seems I was deluding myself, that this could work. Maybe part of that is Father’s fault for what he said, however it is also my fault for forgetting my place.

“You may be correct,” Gearhead said. “We both need space and time to get into our own headspace. Or out of it. The fact I do not know how it is supposed to work would seem to show that you are right. Okay then, Fluttershy, you will have your space. Simply tell me if I start to get too close again. I will try to wait.”

“Um... yeah,” Fluttershy looked down again. Gearhead turned and walked quickly away before either of them could say or do anything else. It was over, but their family of three had not been anything more than illusion anyway. I was a fool to let myself get sucked into it, and worse I hurt Fluttershy, and probably Snowbelle too. Snowbelle... she will know what happened by my thoughts, but I can try not to let her be affected. I will put Luna’s lessons to use, as I probably should have done a long time ago: who would want their child poking around in their head?

Gearhead returned to his work. He needed to gather more materials, so he and Snowbelle went into the Everfree Forest. Since they were pushing into its deeper regions with the wagon, they took the rest of the day and did not return until after sundown. Most of the creatures and monsters that made the Everfree their home knew to give Gearhead a wide berth by now. They recognized the Engine on his back and the daggers strapped to his foreleg. And they knew he would not harm them if they did not threaten him.

Snowbelle was another matter, since she seemed to be in a particularly foul mood, and despite Gearhead’s warnings she kept chasing after predators, whose only interest in the pair was curiosity, and threatening them with her Ice Breath.

Although Snowbelle had retaliated to him shutting her out of his mind by closing her own, Gearhead could guess at what had her in such a mood. He tried to lighten the mood by being the cheerful one, but the Dragon was not of a mind to speak to him at that moment. Nor for the rest of their excursion. But she did do her bit in collecting metals, as Dragons had keen senses for treasures. It could not be helped.

Dinner was similarly silent. Gearhead could not think of anything to say to calm Snowbelle down, so he kept his mouth shut. When the Dragon’s continuous glare did not glean any responses, she slunk off to bed without any other indication of what she was feeling or thinking, other than her current sulky behaviour. Gearhead decided to leave her alone: she might be happier in the morning. Next Chapter: 25. The Meaning of Time Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 41 Minutes