Hammer & Anvil

“Couldn’t find him anywhere.” Rainbow Dash said.

She and Jackboot were making their way to Twilight’s Castle. The two were searching for Spike when he had saw Jackboot and Rarity together. Ballpin joined had joined the two earlier. He had explained that he had finished installing the domes on the modules of the Electric Pentagon. All that was left was to build the internal mechanism.

It was very late in the afternoon, late enough to close the Metal Shop.

“Where do you think he went?” Ballpin asked, dodging Tank as flew alongside him.

“I don’t know. I just hope the little guy is alright.” Jackboot answered with a sigh. “How can I be so foolish? I can’t believe I forgot about his crush on Rarity. I mean he cares about her.”

Before anypony else could say something, Rainbow Dash spotted somepony in the distance. Well a certain somepony and a certain dragon walking alongside her.

“There he is!”

“So has Pinkie set everything up?” Rarity asked Spike.

“Last I spoke to her, the cupcakes was all that was left, so yeah.” Spike answered. “Speaking of which, did you get the cupcakes I, well, left for you?”

Before Rarity could answer, they heard a familiar somepony zoom past them.

“Spike!” The somepony shouted as she zoomed past.

Rainbow then slowed down and landed in front of Spike and Rarity.

“There you are Spike.” She said. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Spike was confused.

“We?”

Rainbow then pointed behind Spike. He looked and saw Jackboot and Ballpin trotting over.

“There you are.” Jackboot said as he caught his breath. “Spike, I…”

Spike then lifted a claw up, which caused Jackboot to stop talking.

“Jackboot, it’s alright.” He said. “If you and Rarity care for each other, I’m perfectly fine with it.’

Jackboot was surprised.

“Really?” He asked. “You’re not mad at me?”

“I wasn’t really mad, just surprised… …well, shocked.” Spike explained. “But still, I’m not mad.”

Spike then walked toward Jackboot and stuck his claw out.

“Friends?”

Jackboot smiled.

“Come here you!”

Jackboot then went and pulled Spike into a joyful hug.

“I think Twilight must be in here.”

Spike led his friends toward the castle throne room.

“What did she want to talk to me about?” Jackboot asked. “I didn’t do anything did I?”

“Don’t worry.” Spike said. “You’ll see.”

Spike then threw open the throne room doors and all of them were welcomed with a big surprise.

“Surprise!”

In the throne room were Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The table in the center of the room was covered with different snack and a punch bowl. Balloons and screamers were spread throughout the room as well.

Jackboot was certainly surprised.

“Who’s the surprise for?” He asked.

“For you silly! It’s you’re Welcome to Ponyville Party!” Pinkie Pie answered as she bounced up to him. “Sorry if it took so long. You’ve been so busy.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.” Jackboot said as he rubbed the back of his head, just Tank hovered into the room.

“It’s perfectly fine, Jacky.” Pinkie said as she hugged the welled dressed stallion. “Now go on, enjoy yourself. Let’s get the party started!”

The party was in full swing. Everypony was either eating or drinking something while conversing with one another. A record player also played in the corner.

“So how’s that Pentagon thing comin along?” Applejack asked. “Did you get them domes?”

“I did, thankfully.” Jackboot said. “Ballpin said he got the domes installed. And thanks to him I have all the materials I need.”

“I can’t wait to see your invention work.” Twilight said with excitement. “But can you really find a black crystal before Friday?”

Jackboot took a long swig of his punch. He knew full well the answer to Twilight’s question, and he knew the cost of it.

“It appears I’m out of punch.” He said. “You want me to get either of you anything while I’m at the table?”

“How was everything in Canterlot?” Ballpin asked. “You said you were checking on your boutique?”

“I did yes.” Rarity answered after nibbling on an apple fritter. “Everything was fine as usual.”

“Didn’t you say you and Jackboot went to a party while you there?”

“We did. And my goodness it was a great party.” Rarity answered with a joyful sigh. “I swear I must make a note to visit Fancy Pants more often.”

“Yeah, his parties are always fun.” Ballpin said before taking a big bite out of his cupcake.

This caught Rarity’s attention.

“You’ve been to one of Fancy Pants’ parties?” She asked.

Ballpin’s eyes went wide as he as wiped some of the frosting from his face.

“O-Oh, I mean…” He struggled to find an explanation. “…I heard it from a relative, yeah, a relative.”

There was a brief silence before Ballpin found a different subject to talk about.

“D-Do you know a mare named Octavia?” He asked. “Octavia Melody?”

Rarity recognized the same.

“Who hasn’t?” She asked. “She one of the best cellists around. Why do you ask, darling?”

“Well…” Ballpin felt embarrassed to say. “…she and I had spent some time with one another yesterday.”

“Oh really?” Rarity was getting invested. “Do tell more.”

“We got along well.” Ballpin continued. “I even sang for her and her roommate. And I’ve… …well, got a liking to her.”

“Well, have you told her about how you feel?” Rarity asked.

“No, but something interesting did happen earlier.” Ballpin continued. “I was working on the Pentagon at the shop and Octavia walked in. Want to know what she wanted? A hug.”

“A hug?”

Rarity was surprised by what Ballpin had said.

“She told me that she was a little stressed from working on a piece she’s going to perform at the Celebration this Friday. She said she could’ve gotten hug from Vinyl, but she’s in Manehattan.”

“Did she ask anything else of you?” Rarity asked, fully invested in Ballpin’s story.

“Well she did ask if I wanted to do anything afterward, but I had to turn her down.” Ballpin explained. “But I said I’d go with her another time.”

“Well that’s good, Ballpin.” Rarity said. “I hope things work out with you and Octavia.”

She then turned to make her way toward the table of snacks.

“And I must say…” She said. “…you have good taste in mares.”

A full two hours had passed since the start of the party. Half of all the snacks were gone and everypony started to make their leave.

Jackboot took a bite out of a cookie as Pinkie Pie bounced in front of him.

“Did you enjoy the party, Jacky?” She asked.

“I did.” Jackboot said after swallowing the rest of his cookie. “I really appreciate your throwing this party.”

Pinkie then pulled him into a tight hug.

“It’s no trouble at all bestie!” She said. “I just can’t wait to throw your birthday party.”

Jackboot laughed as Pinkie let him go.

“I can’t wait either.”

Pinkie then smiled at him before bouncing away.

“Did you enjoy the party darling?” Rarity asked as she approached Jackboot.

“I did.” Jackboot said. “I really did.”

Before Rarity could say something else, everypony heard a loud crash of thunder.

“Is that thunder?” Jackboot asked.

“Oh, riiiiight…” Rainbow Dash said with a hint of embarrassment in her voice. “…I forgot that since it didn’t rain last week, it’s going to come down pretty hard this evening.”

“Nice planning weather manager.” Applejack said.

“In that case I better get going.” Fluttershy said. “I’ll see all of your tomorrow.”

Everyone have their goodbyes as the yellow pegasus left the room.

“Come on Scoots, you can stay with me tonight.” Rainbow said to the younger pegasus. “How does that sound?”

“Really? Yes!” Scootaloo said with joy.

“In that case, me an Applebloom are going to high tail it home.” Applejack said. “See y’all tomorrow.”

After saying their goodbyes Rarity and Sweetie Belle made their way to the door. Ballpin had already left after saying his goodbyes as well.

“Mind if I walk the two of you home?” Jackboot offered. “After all, Rainbow Dash did say it was going to be a downpour.”

“We would appreciate that.” Rarity answered. “Thank you very much.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Sweetie Belle added as she opened the door.

As the door opened, the three unicorns were met with what looked like a wall of water.

“Jeez!” The filly said in surprise. “How are we supposed to get through that?”

Twilight trotted up to them from behind.

“There’s no way you’re going out in that.” She said. “Guess you two will have to stay here until the rain passes.”

“Yay! Sleepover!” Sweetie Belle said with joy.

“Spike, could you get the guest rooms ready?”

Spike nodded and before he could make a step away from the ponies, Rarity got his attention.

“Spikey, I think you’ll be preparing one bedroom.”

She then looked over at Jackboot and winked, causing his cheeks to turn red.

“Yeah, one room apparently.”

“Mind if I help, Spike?” Sweetie asked.

“Sure, come one.”

The filly then followed the drake down the hall away from the adults.

“In that case, I’ll be right back.” Jackboot said as he made his way toward the door.

“Where’re you going?” Twilight asked.

“I left my suitcase over at the boutique.” Jackboot explained. “I’ll just teleport over there and grab it right quick. Back in a moment.”

“Okay, now grab the other corner.” Spike said a she grabbed the corner of the bed sheet.

Sweetie Belle did so as she stretched the sheet across the bed.

“Okay, now grab the blanket and we’ll do the same thing.”

“Got it.”

Sweetie then brought the blanket over with her magic and set it on the bed.

As Spike adjusted the blanket, Sweetie Belle decided to start some small talk.

“So, Rarity told me about what happened.” She said. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah I’m fine.” Spike said as he made sure the blanket was fully aligned with the bed. “If Rarity is happy with whoever she’s with, then I’m happy for her.”

Sweetie smiled.

“Wow, Spike.” She said. “That’s pretty grown up of you.”

“Well, I have Discord to thank for it.”

Sweetie was surprised by who Spike said who helped him. Out of the names he could have said, she was most certainly not expecting Discord’s.

“So, who are you going to court now?” She asked as she sat down on the bed.

“I don’t know really.” Spike answered as he sat down next to Sweetie. “Rarity was the only mare I really cared for. I never really had an interest in anypony else.”

Sweetie then scooched closer to Spike.

“I know you’ll find somepony else.”

She then put her hoof around the dragon.

“I know you will.”

Spike looked at the filly and smiled.

“Thanks Sweetie Belle.”

Jackboot flashed into the middle of Rarity’s Boutique.

“Okay, I think I left it in Rarity’s room.”

He climbed up the stairs and into Rarity’s room, where his suitcase lay.

“There it is.”

As he approached the suitcase, he heard something scurrying across the floor. He turned to see what it was.

“Oh, hello Opal.” He said as the white Persian began to rub against his front leg.

Opal meowed several times.

“What is it kitty?” Jackboot asked as he lowered his head to the cat’s level.

Opal meowed once more and walked towards the bedroom door, looking back at Jackboot.

“Want me to follow you?”

Opal then meowed and then scurried out into the hall.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Jackboot followed Opal down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Opal stopped in front of two bowls, both of which were empty.

“Oh you’re hungry, I see.” Jackboot said. He then trotted over toward the cabinets and searched through each of them, until he found a large bag of cat food. “Bingo.”

He then took hold of the bag and carried it over to Opal’s bowl. He until the clip which kept the bag closed and poured the bowl full.

After closing the bag with the clip, he saw that the other bowl was empty.

“Water.”

He put the bag back into the cabinet and picked up the bowl and brought it over to the sink. Just as he put the bowl under the spout, Opal jumped onto the counter and planted a paw on the bowl.

“What is it?”

Opal then hoped down onto the floor and then went to the fridge and patted her paw against the door.

Jackboot opened the fridge and saw that there were several bottles of water.

He then looked down at Opal who meowed.

“Seriously? Bottled water?”

Opal meowed.

“Alright then.”

Jackboot set the water bowl back next to the food bowl. He then took out one of the bottles and brought it over to the bowl and emptied it into the bowl.

“Happy?”

Opal meowed and then began to eat her food.

“Very well.”

Jackboot the disappeared back up the stairs and returned with his large black suitcase.

“Well I’m off.” He said to Opal. “I’ll see you next time Opal.”

Opal payed no attention to Jackboot.

“Okay…”

Jackboot’s horn began to glow, causing him and the suitcase to do the same.

When the light went away, Jackboot realized that his suitcase was gone, but he was still at the boutique. The only difference being that he was a foot away from where he originally standing.

Before he could ask what went wrong, he knew the answer right away.

“Oh right, it’s pouring out.”

He then walked over to the window and looked, seeing nothing but the wall of rain.

He sighed.

“Guess I’ll have to make a break for it.” But I don’t want to leave Rarity’s door unlocked.” He then thought of an idea. “I’m close enough to the window. Guess I’ll have to…”

His horn then began to glow, along with the rest of his person.

He then suddenly felt his clothing becoming wet.

“…run!”

Ballpin poked his head from under the tree.

“Thanks for saying that it was going to rain, Rainbow Dash.” He said sarcastically. “You were a real help.”

He flinched when several droplets fell through the branches and hit his yellow mane.

“This would be a good time to use that shield trick.”

As he pondered on this idea, he spotted somepony running through the rain.

“Hey, over here!”

The somepony, who didn’t hear him, instead the pony fell over, face planting into a muddy puddle.

Without a second thought, Ballpin ran over to the pony.

“Are you okay?” He asked. “Come on, follow me.”

He then pulled the pony over to the tree, where the rain was less forceful.

“Are you okay?” He asked the pony again.

Before the pony answered, she flung her wet mane out of her face, revealing a pink bowtie around her neck.

“Octavia?” Ballpin said with surprise. “What are you doing out in the rain?”

“I was about to ask you the same question.” Octavia said. “I was having a small dinner over at the Clover Café and it then started to pour like it is now.”

Ballpin looked around the surrounding area.

“You’re house is around here isn’t it?”

“It is, yes.” Octavia answered. “Although it might be a long while before this blasted rain dies down.”

The idea from earlier came back to Ballpin’s head.

“Are you okay to run?”

“I think so… …ow!”

“What is it?”

“Ow, my knee.” Octavia said as she put a hoof to her front left leg. “I must’ve scraped it.”

Ballpin look at the Octavia’s knee, and at the blood that leaked from it.

“Yeah you did.”

Another idea came to mind.

“Do you trust me?”

Octavia was confused.

“Pardon?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do, why?”

Instead of answering, Ballpin’s horn glowed and shot a beam of light at Octavia, in casing her in a white bubble.

“What in the world?”

“And now here comes the interesting part.”

Suddenly Octavia felt her bubble begin to levitate from the ground. She saw that the stallion’s horn was glowing, which showed that he was the source of the levitation.

“Hold on to something!”

Spike and Sweetie Belle were walking down the hall when they heard what sounded like a loud, electrified poof.

“Did you hear something?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Maybe it was Twilight or Jackboot teleporting.” Spike said. “It must’ve been one of them.”

The two entered the throne room, seeing Twilight and Rarity setting the table. Their dinner consists of vegetable soup and bread.

“Smells good in here.” Spike said as he and Sweetie approach the two mares. “I bet it tastes good as well.”

“Grab a bowl and you’ll find out.” Twilight said.

As Spike and Sweetie Belle found a seat, they all heard the sound of a door being thrown open before being slammed shut.

“That must be Jackboot.” Spike said as his bowl was being filled with soup.

The doors of the throne room were then opened by a well-dressed stallion who looked like he had just gone for a swim.

“My goodness, darling!” Rarity said as she trotted over to him. “You’re soaked. What happened?”

Jackboot took a breath.

“Well, apparently…” He said but was interrupted by a sudden shiver.

“You need to go a take a shower.” The alicorn said. “Right now.”

“You don’t need to tell me twice.”

Jackboot then turned around made his way out of the room, emitting a squishing sound.

“We’ll save you some soup, darling!”

“That’s so much better!”

Ballpin exited the washroom of Octavia’s house as he tied his handkerchief back around his neck. Octavia had finished her shower before him and had offered to prepare some tea for the two of them. He saw the gray mare set the tray of tea onto the coffee table. He saw that her mane was now stylized in its normal form. A bandage was wrapped around her knee, and it seemed to not bother her one bit.

“Have a nice shower?” She asked, seeing him walk into the room.

“I did, thank you very much.”

Ballpin sat down on the sofa, thanking Octavia as she handed him a cup of tea.

“I thank you again for helping me out of the rain, Ballpin.” She said. “I really appreciate it.”

Ballpin sipped his tea.

“This is very good tea.” He said. “You just can’t beat good old Darjeeling.”

“You’re familiar with this tea?” Octavia asked.

“I’ve been around.” Ballpin replied.

A brief silence filled the room as the Octavia and Ballpin drank their tea.

“Maybe I should say something.” The latter thought. “But what?”

He looked over at Octavia who smiled at him.

“So…” He said. “…how was your day?”

“Rather boring.” The mare answered. “Especially if you’ve been up for so long like I have.”

Ballpin nodded as he took another sip of his tea.

“That was a boring question.” He thought, scolding himself. “Think of something else.”

He spent almost a minute thinking of something, till Octavia caught his attention.

“It’s really pouring out there isn’t it?” She asked as she looked out the window.

Ballpin looked out the window as well.

“There’s no way you’re going out there.” Octavia said. “I think it would be best if you stayed the night.”

Ballpin turned his head toward Octavia so quickly, his neck actually popped.

“Really?” He asked with enthusiasm is his voice. Noticing this, he cleared his throat. “I mean, really?”

“Yes, I certainly don’t want you catching a cold.” Octavia explained. “After all, consider this as repayment for helping me earlier.”

Octavia then stood up from her spot on the sofa.

“I’ll go and get you a pillow and blanket.” She said. “I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Ballpin said.

Octavia then smiled and walked out of the room.

Ballpin the pumped his hoof into the air.

“Yes!” He quietly said. “Thank you rain.”