Hammer & Anvil

Current time: 1:02 PM, Saturday

Rarity led Jackboot through the market place of Ponyville. Despite it being the afternoon, it was rather crowded that day. This would’ve intimidated Jackboot, but he didn’t care that point, he wasn’t alone. He was with Rarity, she knew where everything is.

“So, what sort of quiche are you making?” Jackboot asked.

“I am going to make a lovely vegetable quiche.” Rarity answered. “I already have some of the obvious ingredients like milk and flour. But if I’m going to make a great quiche, I need fresh ingredients.”

Jackboot smiled at how determined Rarity was.

“What ingredients do you need?” Jackboot asked. “I can go and find some of them, that way you can get your ingredients faster.”

“Oh darling that’s a great idea.” Rarity said. “Here’s the list.”

Jackboot looked at the list. He saw that the ingredients listed were onions, green bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, dried basil, and Colby jack cheese.

“You go and grab the, onions, basil, and mushrooms, and I’ll grab the rest.” Rarity said. “Meet me over at the tomato stand.” She then handed Jackboot the list. “You take the list; I’ll remember what I’m after.”

Jackboot nodded.

“Okay.” He said. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

Jackboot looked all around the market. He had found the onions and mushrooms, but was having a difficult time finding where he can find the basil. And another thing, he needed a bag. He had no problem using his magic, but he didn’t want to risk dropping anything.

“Basil. Basil.” He said. “Where is the basil?”

As he trotted along, he spotted a familiar red stallion and small filly with a red bow in her hair selling apples.

“Maybe Big Mac has a bag I can borrow.” He said. “Maybe I can grab some apples as well.”

He approached the large stallion as he was helping a customer.

“Good afternoon, Big Mac.” Jackboot said. “Everything going well?”

Big Mac saw Jackboot and answered his question in his usual way.

“Eeyup.”

The red bowed filly trotted up after helping a customer.

“Hi there.” She said. “You’re that pony that helped Big Mac and Applejack, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.” Jackboot said. He then extended his hoof. “Jackboot.”

The little filly shook his hoof.

“I’m Applebloom.” She said. “Thanks for helping my brother and sister out. I can’t remember the last time we collected that many apples. I wish I could’ve been there to see it. Anyway, you want some apples?”

“Why yes.” Jackboot said. “I’ll just take a dozen.”

Big Mac then filled a small sack full of twelve apples.

“That’ll be five bits.” The small filly said.

Jackboot’s jaw hit the ground.

“Five bits!?” He asked. “Sweet Celestia that’s cheap! I know where get my apples now.”

Jackboot the handed Applebloom five bits.

“Also, before I go, can I borrow a saddle bag?” He asked. “I came here unprepared.”

“Eeyup.”

Big Mac then went to the front of the wagon and returned with a saddle bag.

“Thank you, Big Mac.”

“Eeyup.”

Jackboot then put on the bag and put all of his items inside of it.

“Thank you very much.” Jackboot said. “I’ll give this to Applejack tomorrow at the picnic.”

“You’re going to the picnic?” Applebloom asked. “My Sis and I are going to bring some fritters. Are you going to bring anything?”

“I think I will. I just don’t know what to…”

Jackboot then took notice of the apples he had just bought.

An idea came to his mind.

“…where can I find sugar around here?”

“Thank you so much for helping me darling.” Rarity said as she and Jackboot trotted along towards her house. “I really appreciate it. For your help you’ll get the first slice of quiche.”

“I appreciate it.” Jackboot said. “And it was no problem whatsoever.”

“What did you get anyway?” Rarity asked, noticing how stuffed the saddle bag was.

“I got sugar, brown sugar, butter…” Jackboot said. “…you’ll see the outcome tomorrow.”

As the two made their way through town, Jackboot caught a glance of Rarity as the sun shown on her.

“So beautiful.” He thought.

The two approached the boutique and saw that somepony was outside of it playing with a cat. That somepony was a white unicorn filly with a mane that was a mix of pale pink and purple.

The filly saw the two approach her.

“Hey Rarity!” She said in a squeaky sounding voice.

“Hello Sweetie Belle.” Rarity said as she approached the filly. “Jackboot, this is my younger sister, Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle, this is Jackboot, he’s the stallion I told you about.”

“It’s nice to meet you Jackboot.” Sweetie Belle said.

“And you as well, Sweetie Belle.” Jackboot said with the same polite tone as the filly.

The cat then started brushing against Jackboot’s legs.

“Hello kitty.” Jackboot said.

“Looks like Opal likes you.” Sweetie Belle said. “By the way, you two might want to hold your breath before going in there.”

Rarity grew concerned.

“Why is that?” She asked. “Opal didn’t leave a mess in the house did she?”

“No, I just smell this weird smell.” Sweetie said. “It smelt so bad I had to open all the windows to air it out. That’s why me and Opal are out here.”

Jackboot took interest.

“Can you keep an eye on this?” He asked Sweetie as he handed her the saddle bag. “I’ll be right back. All of you stay out here.”

The two complied and Jackboot trotted into the boutique.

He looked around the inside. It looked the exact the same the first time he was here. He sniffed and detected the obscure smell.

“What is that?”

He then sniffed again and then walked into the back of the room. The smell was growing stronger. He then found the kitchen. The smell was strongest here.

“Okay. Now where are you coming from?”

He then sniffed around the table and the counter and then the cabinets. And then he got to the stove. This time he coughed.

“Oh no!”

He then turned around and darted out kitchen and out of the boutique.

Rarity and Sweetie Belle sat outside, playing with Opal.

“I hope everything is okay in there.” Rarity said. “He’s been in there for a while.”

“I just hope he didn’t pass out from the smell.” Sweetie added. “That smell was pretty strong.”

Before either of them could say something else, Jackboot stumbled out of the front door. Causing his hat to fall onto Opal.

“My goodness Darling, what is it?” Rarity asked surprised with how fast Jackboot got out of the boutique.

Jackboot coughed as he caught his breath.

“You got a gas leak in the kitchen.” He said. He then looked over at Sweetie Belle. “When did you first notice the smell?”

Sweetie thought for a moment.

“What time is it now?” She asked.

Jackboot looked at his watch.

“It’s three minutes after two.” He answered, stilling catching his breath.

“I got home from Sugar Cube Corner a little after one thirty. I remember seeing that the clock said it was one forty five when I decided to go outside, and that was before I opened all the windows I could.”

“Where were you when you first noticed the smell?” Jackboot asked. “Were you upstairs or downstairs?”

“I was upstairs in my room.” Sweetie said. “Is that bad?”

“A little bit. That means the boutique is full of fumes at this point.” Jackboot explained. “Thank Celestia you weren’t thirsty for tea, otherwise the whole boutique could’ve blew up.”

The two sisters looked at one another. Both with a shocked expression on their faces.

“What can we do about it?” Rarity asked.

“First of all, we need to turn the gas off.” Jackboot said, no longing catching his breath. “Do either of you know where the valve is?”

“It’s behind the house last I saw it.” Sweetie said. “I can turn it off.”

“Please do that.” Jackboot said. “I’m going to get back to the castle and grab my tools. While I’m at it, I’ll grab Spike and Twilight.”

It was rather easy for Jackboot to move the stove. It was even easier when he wasn’t breathing in gas fumes, thanks to Twilight who managed to air out all of the fumes. Spike had to wait outside for a couple of minutes because an accidental sneeze or a burp from him would’ve caused the whole boutique to go sky high.

Jackboot gently set the stove down, with the back less than a foot away from the wall.

“Okay.” Jackboot then turned to Spike. “Spike. I want you to get on the counter and look behind the stove.”

“Gotcha!” Spike said as he gave a salute.

Spike then hoped onto the counter top and looked into the space between the stove and the wall.

“Do you see the gas hose?” Jackboot asked.

Spike looked closely.

“Yeah, I see it.” He said giving a thumbs up.

“What do the connectors look like?”

Spike looked very closely at the hose.

“It’s too dark, I can’t see.” He said. “And I don’t want to use my fire breath.”

“Good point.” Jackboot said he then dug into his saddlebag of tools. “I’ll see if I have a flashlight in… …here we go!”

He then produced a flashlight and handed it to Spike. Who clicked it on and shined it on the hose.

“How about now?” Jackboot asked. “Do you see the connectors?”

Spike looked closely, this time he saw what Jackboot asked for.

“Yeah, I see them.” He said. “It doesn’t look like it’s in good shape. It’s a little rusted.”

“Just as I thought.” Jackboot said. “If the connectors are damaged or too loose, they can cause a leak. Looks like Rarity’s stove won’t be operational until she gets new connectors. Speaking of which, which connector is in bad shape? The one on the hose or the one on the stove?”

Spike looked again.

“The stove’s connector.” He said. “Does that make the job harder or easier?”

“A little bit of both.” Jackboot explained. “Either Rarity needs a new stove or she needs a new connector. How about we go ask to see what Rarity wants to do?”

“Sure.”

Spike then clicked off the flashlight and followed Jackboot outside.

The two sisters were outside with Twilight. As the two mares and filly spoke, Jackboot and Spike walked outside.

“So, is everything alright?” Rarity asked.

Jackboot cleared his throat.

“Everything is fine now we know the problem.” He explained. “You see the connector on the stove that connects to the gas hose is worn out. So you either need to a new stove, or a new connector. I’ll let you decide what to do.”

“I know we won’t be able to get a new stove today.” Twilight said. “The store won’t be open until Monday.”

“I won’t be able to make my quiche for tomorrow.” Rarity said sadly. “Guess I’ll grab something from Sugar Cube Corner.”

“Don’t worry Rarity.” Twilight said. “You can use the stove back at the castle.”

“Really?” Rarity asked. “Oh thank you Twilight. I really appreciate it.”

“It’s no problem Rarity.” Twilight said. “You know, since your stove isn’t working, you want to have dinner back at the castle?”

“Most certainly.” Rarity answered joyfully.

“Yay! Dinner at the castle!” Sweetie added with glee.