Author's Notes:

Please Note this game session took place during Christmas but it took this long to get it all together for you guys to read.

Anyway hope you all enjoy.

Also thanks to Glacier for the artwork:
https://www.fimfiction.net/user/13173/Glacier+Frostclaw

"Even War must take a break on Christmas, to abide by the rules of decency at the very least, sir." - Winston Churchill 1914 Winter Trenches

Out on the field we arose to a clatter, I sprang from my sleeping bag to see what was the matter. Shotgun drawn in a flash, I scanned over the terrain and threw on my saddle bag sash.

Dammit all to hell Chifundo! I swear I'm not sure if the dreamless night makes up for waking up with these rhymes in my head! In the field was some sort of vehicle that looked like a veribuck gyro-copter had a child with a rocket sled and the driver seat of a pony drawn carriage.

My eyes were drawn to the hulking figure that I swore was Buddy working on the strange contraption, “Oh Great! The fuel element is out!” he shouted out in a voice that was a mix of a giant sapient gummy bear and a Alguacil wit an even rougher smoker's croak. At least that is what I think Alguacil would sound like if he smoked and if he was also a giant lump of sentient gelatin sugar.

The rest of our group had scrambled up, weapons drawn, and began to stirred the night with frantic efforts to figure out what all the racket was about. I put the shotgun to the holster while my tail secured it. I can't believe I've gotten used to my tail doing things on its own or predicting what it would do! Even while all my friends kept firearms trained on the hulking creature, I trotted over to the sand dog without hesitation. He was wearing a big bright red leather jacket and even had a sock hat on, with a white fur ball bell on the end. It even rang with a cheer you think a filly with a new ball would have when he bobbed his head over the sled's engine.

“Hello? Are you okay? I'm-” I started to speak and he turned around with a start. His fur was bright white with rosy red cheeks and he was rather fat for a sand dog, at least in comparison to Buddy, the only sand dog I'd even known up close. He looked rather soft and he had a fat little belly. Which as he turned to face me it shook even jiggled like a bowl of jelly. Okay ya know what Chifundo, I hate you right now so much. I really truly hate how much of your speech pattern has infected my mind.

“You're Wandering Sunrise, that is Nyota on coming up from your left, Chifundo too. Each of you double checked as Nice, even if you recently adopted colorful language Sunrise.” He paused as his gaze fell over Corners. She was inching forward, the metal box shifting over the ground almost sheepishly as the sand dog’s gaze leveled on her. “Sugarcube Corners, naughty list. You tried so hard at times only to disappoint me.”

I could hear a sniffle coming from under Corner’s box as the sand dog’s words cut her to the quick. Even I felt slightly wounded by the way he spoke to Box Pone. If the sand dog noticed, he paid it no mind as he went back to working on his vehicle, which was loaded with velvet red bags stuffed with colorfully wrapped presents beyond their capacity. “Quick Stitch, come on let's give him a hand,” I said looking to the olive green stallion in the dark.

We approached and my PipBuck light cut on with a soft click. The glow of light was enough to almost make it as bright as my father's workshop with flood lighting or a high noon day. My legs trotted over to the sand dog while my tail pulled out a set of work tools wrapped in leather. Where did I get this again? Why do I keep pulling stuff out of this backpack that I still haven't taken an inventory of? Somepony explain this to me!

“So you know who we are somehow, what is your name?” I asked as I crawled under the machine and motioned for Quick Stitch to pass me a screw driver.

“I'm Sandy Claws! Have to make a trip to see all the good foals and bad ponies tonight!” he replied with a deep jolly laugh that seemed to quake not only his belly but my hooves as well. He seemed entirely nonplussed by my incredulous look, staring back at me with his bright eyes. I would have asked if he was serious, when I saw what looked like rainbow fluid slowly leaking from one of the rocket pods.

Rainbow Fluid? That doesn't make any sense? That shouldn't be there. “Hey Quick Stitch, what fluid is this?” I had never seen it in a vehicle, or ever for that matter, and my PipBuck started clicking anytime it got close to me.

I felt two hooves grabbing me by my flanks, one hoof on my cutie mark and one on a much more sensitive section of my haunches with a sudden yank from under the vehicle in one of the pull. I tumbled from under the vehicle with all the grace of a bulldozer smashing into a skyscraper.

“Hey what-”

“Sunrise that is taint and it is the last thing you want to be exposed to!” Quick Stitch had a look of wide eyed shock and heart pounding fear plastered to his face. I heard Alguacil's cock back the hammer of his revolver, as Nyota dropped to his combat stance next to me facing off against Sandy.

“Whoa ho ho. Let's not be hasty here, Alguacil! I can explain to all of you exactly why there is taint in my vehicle.” His speech made it look like his stomach jiggled and it reminded me that this was the first fat person I had met in the wasteland. “Sunrise, it is awfully nice of you to offer to help but let me close off that fuel valve and then you two can get under and take another look.”

“Your vehicle is fueled by taint!” Nyota shouted at the top of his lungs.

I looked from Nyota's confused features to Quick Stitch's concerned ones, to Alguacil's razor angry glare, does he ever have an emotion other than angry... oh right, justice. Angry justice, and back to Sandy Claws. “What is taint?”

There was a giggle from the box. “Stable dwellers don't know anything,” Corners declared and continued to snicker while I looked at everyone for an answer.

“Sunrise, don't get exposed to it. You think radiation is bad, taint is so much worse and not something you ever wanna touch,” Quick Stitch explained while looking up at the sand dog indignantly.

I looked to the red and white dressed creature as he worked a wrench, “He's right Sunrise, but I have invented a way to use it for rocket fuel.” There was one more turn on of his wrench and a slight hiss that cut off abruptly. “Thar we go, now get under ther' and take a look.”

I crawled back under and took a look. There was a small pool of rainbow fluid on the ground with turpentine bleeding out around it. In addition to this, I could see where the rockets had blown a set of gaskets that made them useless for keeping a propellant sealed. There was significant amounts of rainbow fluid leaking around around them even after the fuel line was shut off.

I grabbed a wrench and started my work. It was difficult going, avoiding the rainbow fluid and having Quick Stitch hand me tools as I needed. Screws were tightened, lug nuts were reset to their best position, connectors undone, checked, oiled, and reconnected. I even took a moment to examine the transmission and could tell it was from a vertibuck, I haven't even fixed a vertibuck before but it turns out labels are a thing and this is labeled with a hover setting gear! Once I had done all that work I took stock of the rocket exhausts and then slid out.

“Alright well, I've got all the work done that I can for minor repairs and preventative maintenance.” I took a breath as Nyota moved to dust me off and fussed over how dirty I'd gotten under there. I returned the last pieces to the tool belt while my tail rolled it up to put everything away. “But it really is gonna need two brand new rocket tubes if you want that to work again. Also some wonderglue to attach them and scrap metal to remold the parts to fit.”

“Dammit! I knew I blew out the rocket element.” He kicked his vehicle on the driver side door. “Now what am I gonna do to get the rest of these presents delivered! It's Hearth's Warming Eve and Sandy Claws isn't coming to town!” He continued his fretting rant as he stomped around his vehicle and started to check for anything that would work as a rocket exhaust. “All the foals will be so disappointed in me!”

I looked at my PipBuck and the pony on it was wearing a festive hat and swinging a tiny bell with the PipBuck graphic for snow fall landing around the PipMare, the date was right, 12:03am December 24, 259 CE. Wow, it really is Hearth's Warming Eve 182 years after the bombs fell. But everypony knows Sandy Claws is something you just make up for little blank flanks!

“Yes Sunrise! It is Sandy Claws! And you need to help him save Hearth's Warming! Get to it. Go out and find Sandy Claws some new rockets so he can make his deliveries,” Pink shouted out with glee as she was dressed in a fluffy red and white coat complete with festive sock hat and a big white curly beard.

Oh you have got to be... This is the wasteland, some sand dog has taken it upon himself to pretend to be Sandy Claws and is going around delivering presents. There is no way this can be bad. Assuming he recognizes good ponies from bad ones the same way we do. Well... he did say Corners was on the naughty list.

“That I did Sunrise,” the sand dog called back to me with his back turned as he kept going through parts in his tool kit.

Everypony looked at me, then to Sandy Claws then back to me. I let out a sigh, “It can't wait till morning can it?” I yawned tiredly wanting to curl back up in my stable 43 sleeping bag and get a few more winks.

“By then it will be too late! No I need the rockets tonight,” he paused his speech and took out a set of mugs. The sand dog poured them full of a sweet, berry smelling black liquid and passed them out. “Keep the mugs and this should wake all of you up!”

I took another smell of the liquid and lifted my PipBuck up to it. It smelled harmless enough and my PipBuck didn't click when placed near it. I took a sip and instantly wanted more. As the liquid hit my tongue it was like an orgy of mountain berries meeting the spring cherries all covered in sweet caffeinated nectar of Celestia's own brew! Within moments of ingesting the full mug of magical beverage, everything lifted. The fog of fatigue from too little sleep was cleared from my mind like as if Celestia shined her light with god rays to the spot my hooves stood upon. I have to admit even my saddle bags felt lighter.

Nyota was talking to Sandy Claws about what we had drank when my PipBuck lit up The map function was active and showed me the exact location of Ranger Station Eighteen inside the White Tail Woods. I blinked a few times, wondering how it knew where that was ,or why it was seemingly that close to our location.

I looked up at Alguacil then Quick Stitch, “Do you think there might be some spare rockets there?” The griffin thumbed his revolver back from cocked and holstered it away but kept his gaze on the sand dog and his talon ready to draw.

Can you not be in 'Fresh off the Train to the Badlands' mode for once in your life?

Alguacil shrugged, “Maybe. Might have been picked clean decades ago. Either way there is probably at least some good scrap there.”

Quick Stitch nodded to me, “I mean your PipBuck has led us to exactly where we needed to go so far.” He placed a hoof on my shoulder then used it to bring my attention up to his honey colored eyes. “If you think we should help him and your PipBuck is right, then I say we follow it.”

I started at Quick Stitch. He was being extremely nice to us for someone brand new. Wait! Since when am I... Right, DJ Pon3 had labeled me the leader and I really had to ask him in person one day how he had survived for 180+ years like I have. I am completely way too young for... Nope that excuse doesn't fly anymore. It is step up now Sunrise or don't. They will follow, I will look into this mystic of stable dwellers later.

“Sandy Claws, we'll go to the ranger station and see if we can find something to replace your rockets.” Sandy Claws turned and gave us the warmest smile. “You have to make your deliveries after all, it wouldn't be fair if everyone woke up and found out the Angel with a Shotgun refused to help save Hearth's Warming.”

He chuckled once again as I blushed, well at least I've accepted my title now. Baby steps right? Yesterday I was being blown up by landmines. Today I'm working to save Hearth's Warming for all the good little fillies and colts.

“Well then be safe and be quick! Tonight, it's not Rudolph whom is my guiding light, but it's the Sunrise!” He chuckled wholeheartedly.

We headed off to the east towards the point lit up on my PipBuck EFS. The green marker dot was not terribly far away, 318 meters. For once we saw something that surprised every pony but me, trees. What? I am used to seeing trees full of green the wasteland is so foreign, it is nice to see something growing still.

They weren't as lush as I remember them being before but they at least had leaves and a natural healthy glow to them. I was amazed that within less than 40 meters we were in a forest. This was like Nyota sneaking right up to me and bopping my nose.

“This is strange, perhaps we are deranged?” Chifundo mused to the rest of us.

“I agree, every one be on their guard,” Nyota declared as I saw him drop into a combat stance that was becoming familiar at this point. The tension grew as we crested the hill and saw the steep drop off towards the woodland edge.

There had been a hill between our camp site and the woodland verge, but the single tree Alguacil roosted in for the night was not the only one near us. I marveled at the resilience of the White Tail Woods as we approached. We could see signs of civilization ahead as beams of golden light made their ways through the pine needles and soft green maple leaves along with shapes of windows. That was certain to be where the ranger post was.

Trotting ahead we could make out a wooden watch tower next to two other buildings. An all metal, no lights on the inside garage shed that could have contained several vehicles. A garage, a cheap prefabricated one made of sheet metal, completely dark without sign of occupation. It could have contained several vehicles, five, maybe six. The garage doors as well as the side office to the building reflected the edge of my PipBuck light crystal clear in the dark night. Several windows near the roof were broken and areas had rusted through to the point there were holes in the building.

Next to that, the wooden guard tower reminded me of the one back in the quarry, just with far sturdier and much more uniform wood. It even still had the white ranger station paint on it. Wait that is unnerving, that paint looks fresh. It is like it was done in the last week, there aren't chips falling off and it doesn't look like it is starting to wear away.

I slowly approached the ranger station and found that what I thought was a wooden tower was in fact several add ons to what was likely the original steel outpost. The windows were intact and I could make out something on top that might have been a gun.

A gun? Is that a turret? There are lights on in the windows, somepnoy is here. Lets see if they are friendly. My friends stopped and hesitated. They all stood there for a bit as Alguacil spoke, “We should sneak up on them and investigate what is going on here.”

Nyota for once, nodded in agreement, “Ya know you might be right, they could be-”

I marched right up, and Box Pone trotted beside me when I felt a trip wire snap and flood lights flashed on! Oh Goddesses my eyes! Are those turrets!? My thoughts were broken by steel cylinders with the words, “Mark II Anti-Pony” written in white on them. A patchwork collection of spell matrices on each side of them encased in enamel colored smaller half cylinders next to a tri-barrelled minigun with the words 5000 rounds 5mm in bright white text under the barrel. And a red-dot sight to show where it was pointed, right at my chest with an angry glare of a death pony itself. Please don't fire!

With both turrets aimed right at my chest a shotgun popped out of one window joined on the other side by an M1 Grand Gala repeating rifle. I froze in place gazing from one weapon pointed at me to the next to the next, unable to take another breath or flinch a muscle at all.

“Who goes there?” An older mare's voice called out to me.

“Well hi! I'm Wandering Sunrise and-” The mare however was going to have none of my old world introduction.

“No, no, no are ya raiders, or are ya slavers or are-” Okay fine two can play at the interruptions game!

“I'm the Angel with a Shotgun and these are my friends!” I shouted back at the loud of my lungs, not sure if I sounded like a fully grown mare enraged or a little filly trying to be heard.

“You do realize that if they are raiders themselves they are going to blast you to bits?” Pink said rolling over the EFS under my eyes that were marking six dots on it that were not my friends, all gray. Corners shifted next to me nervously in her box while I sensed my friends wanting to dash forward to shield us.

The tension mounted in the air for a few moments. I felt sweat starting to form on my forehead as I stared down two chain-guns, a shotgun, and a heavy rifle all pointed at me. Time stretched out for every single heartbeat sounding like a hammer stroke only interrupted by the nervous shifting of Corner's inside her box. The air become as thick as peanut butter as I heard talon behind us rubbing over revolver. Then with a relief of waking up to find the bombs hadn't fallen, the double barrel boomstick lifted to point towards the sky.

“Well I'll be a dragon's aunt on an ice cream cone!” the mare declared exuberantly, “Weapons down and turn those turrets off. I can't believe it, somepony that DJ Pon3 talked up on the radio visiting us on Hearth's Warming Eve!” Oh dear Goddesses I can't believe that worked! Thank you so much DJ Pon3! I think I'd be full of lead right now without you.

The rickety steel door opened up to reveal a bright red colored mare with a baby blue mane. She had a weary smile across her face and motioned us forward, “Come on in! Pokey Dasher, get our guests some plates set out!” She shouted back with a grimace, “I swear boy I'm gonna show you the right way to treat guests if it kills me.” There was a commotion going on inside as our motley group approached and the mare let us in.

“Hello, Wandering Sunrise. I'm Heart Warmer,” she declared with the glee of a fan girl. Alguacil was the last to come in, the mare following in our wake. The house was decorated in a hodgepodge display of ornaments and hoof made tinsel. The furniture all looked crude but with a rustic charm hand crafted, nothing in here was from the old world, at least that I could point to and remember. All of it had been made by hoof, rather poorly in some cases, although there was a definite improvement with each piece. You could almost cite a timeline between the over fluffed feather cushioned couch to the uneven legged coffee table to a dining table you might find in a I Hocka store for next to rock bottom prices.

The center of the room had a oak sapling in it, one that had been replanted into a pot there, covered in odd shaped glass balls of various colors and a few light bulbs that had been painted so they provided different colors. Inside I could hear the generator desperately chugging to stay alive and keep the lighting on. However all of this paled in comparison to the smell of food.

It might have all been canned, some of it even cooked in the can, but it was a veritable feast. There were carrots, broccoli, a few daffodils, a plate full of iguana's skewered on a stick, most unappetizing thing on the menu, and a half dozen other veggies lining the table from end to end. I saw a set of three colts that could have been triplets, each of them was stumbling over each other in their haste, setting down cans of reheated food, and a few large serving platters. One was red coat and red mane, the second blue, and the third green and all of them right about my size except blank flanks. They bolted past us and one of them, the blue one, ran smack dab into me, bowling me over into a heap. I yelped and Nyota jumped in but he had a smile on his face.

He rolled around with the colt and ended up on his back. He held the colt up just out of reach of his smaller legs, and tossed him lightly up a few inches then caught him. Both were giggling gleefully and I couldn't help but blankly stared in disbelief.

Nyota, is being friendly, NO, downright playful! What in this world? I could have swore that zebra was stone cold all the time and yet here he is, playing with these colt like he was their dad.

“Huey! DUEY! LUEY!!!!! Calm yourselves and go wash your hooves, we have guests and dinner is ready,” Heart Warmer's mom said so tone and a flick her blue mane to one side was all that she needed to get the three of them scrambling. Another colt, well older than me but not quite a stallion walked up next to her. “And Daffodil Dream, get those youthful legs moving for your mother and show them some Hearth's Warming spirit!”

Daffodil Dream had a solid darkened sanguine coat and a soft green mane, similar to my own coat. He blushed a deeper olive green that matched Quick Stitch and rubbed his head with one hoof, “Awww mom, can we not embarrass me in front of the guests?” His whining however only got a hard look and a growl from the motherly mare.

“I swear! I'm stuck with all colts and your dad did it on purpose! Show some manners, it is Hearth's Warming Eve!” With that the triplets all dashed off, leaving me blinking at their sudden departure. Water splashed around the corner they disappeared, jostling and cries as I could picture them fighting over the faucet. Just as suddenly as they bolted off, they returned, skidding to a halt over the well worn floorboards.

The kids resumed playing an impromptu game of tag with the dark sections being lava for the game. Daffodil worked to straighten up the table and make room for us. As the triplets were playing, Nyota took out some fresh fruit and a fresh potato to add to the feast. Chifundo walked up and started to work with the radio, but got almost nothing but barely intelligible static until Corners moved over, took it under her box, then popped it back out. The reception was crystal clear now and a Hearth's Warming carol was playing, bringing a tear to my eye and missing my own home. But this was all interrupted and all I could do was stare with my jaw agape when Nyota led the charge for everyone to gather and sing together:

Silent Night, Starry Night

All is calm. All is bright

'Round the forest, parents and young

Gentle creatures everyone

Home in burrows deeeppppp

Home in their burrows deep

Silent Night. Starry night

Snowfall makes the meadows white

Huddle close to keep family warm

Tomorrow's Dawning brings Hearths Warming Morn'

Now the day is done

Now that the day is done

Silent Night, Starry Night

Leaves are still in Luna's sight

Dreams are born as the lights fall closed

Tomorrow's gift is that nopony knows

Sleep in beautiful peace...

Sleep in beautiful peaceeeee

Oh-whoa

Sleep in Beautiful Peace

Oh-whoa-oh-oh

Sleep in Beautiful Peace

Oh-whoa-oh-oh

Sleep in Beautiful Peace

Oh-whoa-oh

Sleep in Beautiiiiifullll Peeeaacceeeee

Sleep in Beautiful Peaceeeeeeeeeee

Sleep with Luna's Beautiful Peace

By the end of the song all of us had joined in. Even I was shocked at the idea to be singing Hearth's Warming carols with anypony, considering the wasteland outside. Well everypony had joined in with us except for Alguacil. You'd think that griffin was a wendigo or the great Scrouge. He sat at the table, refusing to join in with the singing.

We were off key, especially the triplets, belting their hearts out with little care for pitch or harmony. But with all of that distraction, I had to admit one thing, it was the most beautiful sound I had heard since we woke up in the pool with my new friends. All of our travels so far and I had found pony magic that needed to be preserved.

“See Sunrise, this is worth keeping. Always and forever.” Pink echoed in my head as she finished singing the song as well.

The radio continued onward with another carol but we left it alone as quiet gentle background noise while moving to the table with a warmth inside our souls that hadn't been there before. We were quite the contrast amongst our hosts sitting at the table. They were not wearing barding, all of them looked relatively clean as well, probably provided by the ranger station's water supply. Nor did any of them have weapons on their person, those were kept by the windows. In complete opposite, all of us were wearing armored barding of some sort. We also had a plethora of weapons and our gear hadn't been set aside, we looked like we were ready to go right back into the wastes at a moment's notice.

Yet here, in this place, I had never felt so close to a group of ponies since the last Hearth's Warming I shared with my parents, Rainbowrise and Shadow Window. I felt the wet, warm salty tears rolling down my cheeks as days of pain poured from my body. Tears continued to stream but I did nothing to halt them. I felt Nyota place a hoof on my shoulder and I shook my head, really don't wanna ruin the mood.

Sniffing a bit and wiping away a tear I looked out the window to see a bright moon managing to pierce the clouds and it was one of the most beautiful sights I had even beheld. Mom, Dad, I hope I make you proud when I see you again. I hope that all this pain and the secrets we uncover is truly worth it. I know you are still out there, and I pray to the Goddesses that you see the same moon I see right now and feel the same way.

I picked at the food while Chifundo and Nyota dove in with a hearty appetite. Quick Stitch noticed and nudged me. “So we are looking for some rocket exhausts and parts for a flying rocket; you wouldn't happen to think that you might have that lying around? Or would it be in the maintenance shed?” I asked expecting the answer to be a resounding no.

The triplets and Corners had turned her box into a foal's table. They were eating off of it while playing happily between chewing mouthfuls of canned vegetables and slurping soup loudly. Nyota was even joining in like he was apart of the foals at heart.

Daffodil spoke up, “We've done what we can to add extensions, farm, and defend this place. But that maintenance shed,” He paused to munch on a preserved roll that I was surprised something like that could survive for 180 years much less still be edible. I guess whatever they preserve those with really works, wait what does that do to my insides? He continued through a mouthful of bread, “I imagine if you can get into the shed you might find something. We never could jimmy the lock, and it seems silly to just punch a hole in the wall, not knowing what’s inside.”

Hearth Warmer nudged him hard, almost hard enough to push him off the bench. “Hey now, don't talk with your mouth full! You'll set a bad example for your siblings!” I giggled at both of them till Hearth glared at me. I realized that if she were my mother, I should have reason to be scared with the fear of Nightmare Moon herself.

I saw how playful the triplets were and tossed them one of my chalk boxes. Corners's eyes went wide as her box suddenly being drawn on. The smell of markers hit the air and I realized that wasn't a box of chalk, it was Sharpie Claw magic markers. Whatever they were drawing on her box wasn't ever going to come out. But it was causing her no end of distress and knowing colts it was likely to be covered in everything from flowers to dicks.

Nyota lit up a smoke and took a long draw as I got up and stepped outside. I could hear the triplets playing behind me, the flirting starting between Chifundo and Heart Warmer. I have shut that dialog out of my mind permanently. You do not want to hear a zebra rhyming as he flirts with a milf, talking back in a pure applebuck country accent. Oh dear Goddesses did I just call her a milf!? Seriously Sunrise, you would... she is old enough to be your mom and change! What is... nevermind she isn't old enough to be... am I old enough to be... where is this chain of thought going and why is it derailing my life so hard.

Seriously get a grip! What if DJ Pon3 could hear this conversation in your head right now? I mean how she finds out all her other information I wish I knew but do you seriously think-

“Oh hi there, am I interrupting?” A voice that was robotic and completely alien startled me out of my pondering. I jumped onto all four hooves and spun in the direction of the unfamiliar voice my tail reaching for shotgun.

“WHO... what?” My confusion was amplified as I saw a floating robot that was at eye level to me. A sprite bot! It had soft transparent insect wings of soft pink combine with a solid steel globe for a body. Those wing colors did not go with its metallic body, nor the cage across the visual receptors. A set of speakers had been mounted on top of it along with the various sensor spikes that shot out of its back. I knew they also provided a means to hover similar to how a pegasus could do it with little effort. Dad had worked on a few of these; always for ministry forces, never civilian or non-government.

“Oh, hi I'm Watcher. I'm the one who informed DJ Pon3 of your exploits.” The voice was robotic and there was no way to tell if it was meant to be male or female. I poked the sprite bot with my shotgun to make sure it was real. “You aren't going to shoot me are you?”

“As long as you aren't shooting at me first, no. Watcher? So you aren't the sprite bot are you?” Then the realization hit me, “You've been spying on me! You stalker!” I growled at the sprite bot.

“Whoa whoa whoa, I'm not your enemy. I'm here to help,” the robot pleaded back as it hovered up and down. “I'm glad you made friends. You should keep it up and hopefully make sure you have made the right friends.”

The right friends? What is this robot talking about? They are my friends to choose aren't they?

I gave it a hard stare and then sat on my flanks, “I can't believe I'm talking to a sprite bot. Of all the random events of the last week, this one takes the cake.”

“Well, if I take the cake then I would hate to see what happens when you meet something like Sandy Claws or Geckzilla.” Watcher saw the look in my eyes and the sprite bot shied away.

“You realize I am on a mission from Sandy Claws to get some replacement rockets, and that Geckzilla stopped us from being able to get into the secret stable we found after I got blown up in a minefield and gutted by bark scorpions!” My shouting drew Alguacil out into the night and I shied away from his gaze as he searched for me in the night, suddenly ashamed that I had interrupted their Hearth’s Warming Eve dinner.

I pointed a hoof at Watcher and turned back only to see the sprite bot had vanished. Oh come on how typical. My insanity has reached- I could however now see the mist its hover system, kicked up in its rush to get away from me. Nope that was certainly a sprite bot and it was here and the thing called itself Watcher. I better leave this alone in front of that griffin or his justice boner will kick in and have us hunting down the sprite bot instead of actually helping Sandy Claws.

Did I just reference Alguacil's justice boner? Sunrise seriously get a hold of yourself. Also pick a gender and be attracted to one or the other; not everything that walks across Equestria that isn't ghoulified.

“Sunrise what was here?” Alguacil moved a talon to rub at the dust in the air.

“A talking sprite bot if I'm entirely honest. That knew a particular lot about us.” I looked up and Alguacil just snorted with the curse of Chifundo rhyming off my tongue.

“Explains DJ Pon3 I suppose, why are you out here?” he prodded me with a talon like it was a bad idea.

“Come on, let's get over to the shed, see if we can get inside,” I changed the subject and started to march over to the maintenance garage. It was significantly larger than the ranger station even with all the Warmer family additions. But despite its size, I could see all the locks on the vehicle doors as well as the side office door bearing three separate keyhole mechanisms. Guess they would have had the larger building for a house if they could have gotten in there.

Alguacil got to work on the locks while I worked on a screwdriver carving something against it and curling it with a second screw driver. I've got an idea that might help this situation quite a bit. After several broken bobby pins I stopped him from continuing the lockpicking and handed him the modified screwdriver which had a curl to it now and was designed to push tumblers precisely in the way I thought locks needed to be turned. “Alguacil try using this.” I stared at my PipBuck and saw it was 1:37am now. How long was I working on that screwdriver and where had that idea to make it come from? Why-

Click! The first lock came open. Alguacil wasted no time getting to the second one as his featured softened for once with a sense of accomplishment. He looked genuinely pleased with himself and started to work on the next lock which was thankfully much quicker. Corners walked up rubbing her box with a wet cloth and growling, “Sunrise WHY!” A rare thing to see the solid white filly outside her cubical environment.

I turned my head to see the box had crude child drawings in magic marker all over it except for one drawing. That one wasn't stick ponies and crudely drawn shapes to make foal's games. It was an incredibly detailed depiction of the group, surprisingly well done for a foal using colored markers on the cardboard underneath her metal armored slabs but to my eyes it was one of the beautiful things tonight.

I looked up at Corners who was quite distressed that the marker wouldn't come out. I didn't think I had markers I thought it was harmless chalk but ya know what, you deserve it!

“You know why! The skull in the minefield!” I shot back as the sound of the final lock clicked into place.

Nyota and Quick Stitch were trotting up, both snickering at us as I felt self conscious for having held a grudge now.

“Oh Sunrise, you shouldn't bottle up your anger at anyone, let it out. Especially for your friends!” Pink declared then she looked at the marker on the box. “Though this is hilarious!” Pink was rolling in laughter across my vision before my attention turned to the two stallions standing behind Corners whom were hiding their snickering.

“Are yall done? We can get in here now,” Alguacil declared in a gruff irritation.

Great the 'I'm Angry all the Time' griffin is back. Do you have another emotion!? It's Hearth's Warming Eve for Luna's sake!

“Sunrise they are doing that looking at you waiting for something, thing.” Pink was playing around in my head eager to get us to go inside while Alguacil had already ducked in.

Within Nyota watched the door, looking around in the dim light of the clouded night sky, the moon being the only celestial body shining through to us. I switched on my PipBuck light and donned my helmet marching in with the visor down to protect my eyes. Inside was a sight I was slowly getting used to, two dead pony skeletons. I really don't want to get used to this sight!

One on the ground, a unicorn with a hole through his skull right next to his horn. The other in a chair, hole in his skull from the side, slumped down in a faded green office chair against an office desk. A 9mm pistol was cast carelessly to the floor next to a long since faded stain of red across the chair, concrete, and a nearby locker.

He killed himself! He killed the other pony in here and then blew his own brains out all over this place! What could have driven him to that?

My eyes dragged themselves away from the sight of the stallion skeleton in the chair to the computer terminal that was still running. I knew they built those to last, its been two centuries and still running? I could use that... to get into the file from an admin lock out by making the file think the admin was that computer! I just have to, get past the dead body.

“I, Quick Stitch could you?” I was fumbling with my words unable to put voice to it just yet. Get over it! Say it! You know if you don't say it, it will be just like Buddy. You need to address this! Quick Stitch stepped over to me and leaned up expecting an answer. I hesitated until finally Corners nudged my rear right where I'd been hit with a broomstick three days earlier. “Can you please move the skeleton so I can work!?” I yelped out in surprise and turned to glare back at the box, who that was giggling at me.

Quick Stitch rubbed a hoof against my head and ruffled my mane. He walked over to putting two hooves onto the chair. Rather than use his magic, he pushed the chair aside like I would have with a smoth shove and used his horn to gathered up the 9mm pistol.

Alguacil walked over and leveled a to glare down at Corners, “Go wait outside with Nyota.”

Corners giggled all the way to the door as the box shuffled away. I took a swing at the air in Corners's direction. I swear I'm gonna deck you so hard! I gritted my teeth and then turned back to the computer, carefully stepping around the blood stain to get up to the terminal and immediately my hooves hooked the PipBuck in and I pushed the thought of dead ponies out of my head.

The password was so simple it was insulting, “ranger”. We are in a ranger station! Are you kidding me? Who comes up with these passwords? So far I've had 1234, ranger, and MagicWord. Can we seriously analyze our security better? There was one log entry dated 79 CE. It was full audio and the maximum recording length for a single holotape, 11 minutes 59 seconds.

I clicked play on the tape and the terminal began to broadcast:

“Well we are down to eight additional days worth of rations. I'm pretty sure at this point it is Hoof Hook. I mean we've been locked in here for nearly a year! All because he lost the fracking key somewhere. Now our rations are down to eight days worth. Not to mention his accidental discharge of the anti-tank round into the Sand Scorcher!

“When he gets back from my the shitter, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind and let him know exactly how I feel about it.”

The tape was silent for around 33 more seconds as I started to upload the encrypted file I had been locked out of into the terminal. Then the voices kicked on again, loud:

“Hook! Listen here, I know you've been sneaking the extra rations! Where is that damn key?” There was the sound of a pistol cocking and a tense snort between them. Two hoof stamps echoed in the room, then the sound of a charging pony. Two gunshots echoed through the room, then the sounds of violent struggle as two ponies tossed around the room, slammed into doors and lockers. From what we could hear there was a whole lot of anonymity and everypony else had gathered around me to listen.

“You stupid wife stealing bucking idiot! We're in this because of you!” The first voice shouted. The sound of a hoof pummeling flesh and someone bouncing their head off a locker echoed through the room.

“I didn't steal your mare! And I didn't lose the key for the last time! It was Jolly who did that!” The second voice I assumed was Hoof Hook.

The sound of another pistol shot rang out, followed immediately by a meaty impact as the slump of a body onto the floor hit the audio speakers. All I could do was stare at the terminal in disbelief as as I heard the unnamed pony settle into the office chair, his ragged breathing dragging out over the holotape.

“Well, that went worse than I expected. He punctured my shoulder with his horn. Damn idiot also 'Lost' the medical cabinet key too. The wound is deep and likely to get infected.” the sound of a pistol cock and a round clattering to the floor hit our ears.

“Since I can't get any of our medical equipment and I doubt I can keep this wound clean or even patch it... yeah I didn't wanna go out this way. If you get this to my wife, tell that Mare to go fuck herself with Luna's horn.” There was a gunshot followed by the sound of the pistol clattering to the floor. We were at the 4 minute 51 second mark and it just kept going.

He... he took his own life after killing his only friend. This can't be real? No way this is...

“Sunrise when ponies are pushed like that, with nowhere to go and nothing to do, even the slightest argument over food can become a mountain of differences. Don't let your friends become like these two friends.” I could feel the tiny hoof of the pink pony on my shoulder, like she was really there.

They were friends? How do you know?

“Because Sunrise, I am the Pink One, I am not restricted by time or space like you are. Trust me, Pinkie Pie knows. They were good ponies once, till their friend betrayed them and went to grab Lemon Limes's wife. However that story you will find out later.”

What do you mean find out later? A griffin claw shutting off the ambient noise holotape log interrupted my train of thought. I let out a sigh and hung my head. “Thank you, Alguacil.”

Get your mind off of it focus on the task. I heard him going through a locker while Quick Stitch got a ladder from somewhere and was climbing onto the roof. I shook my head, refocusing before I started to work on the decryption of that locked file. Sure enough the admin trick worked and I as back to hacking away to find the correct password. I managed to reduce it to two words and two guesses left. There was no way I was going to mess this up. I clicked one, 6/27 match. When I say passwords I mean pass whole sentences. Clicked the second and it read: 9/27. LOCK OUT!

“Are you freaking kidding me! There was no other choice, how in the Goddesses am I suppose, was the only one-”

The audio speaker kicked on, “Voice Print Recognized, Decryption Process Initialized”.

“left...” I looked around the room and saw the same level of confusion across all my companion's faces.

“What in the wide grasp of Discord's snake scaled ass?” Alguacil called out, hlating mid locker check.

“Hello, Subject 014 Stable 43 Name 'Wandering Sunrise' it is good to hear from you. Decryption process underway, standby.”

The scene displayed a single green bar with a time to complete at 22 minutes and a percentage amount of decryption.

Did that computer just recognize me? Did it just open because I spoke? And why only THAT time that I said something? I don't, Subject 014? What designation was that? Am I- Like an answer from the heavens my PipBuck beeped and I looked at it, the Ponygram on the screen showed a new name at the top, for the wearer:

'Experiment Subject 043-014 Wandering Sunrise'

'Experiment Status: Successful'

Experiment Status? What experiment? Is that part of what I'm seeing in my dreams? What could all of it possibly mean?

“Sunrise, you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost.” Quick Stitch asked putting down a couple of bags of caps, an SMG and a few small boxes of bullets labeled .357. Alguacil held up a set of keys labeled “Ranger Maintenance Garage” on them. Two separate sets. Keys were here the whole time? Hook and Lemon had no reason to... they fought and died for nothing? I forced the thoughts from my head with rapid shakes and took the keys Alugacil passed me. Nyota had come in and motioned us behind a nearby locker, something was on the other side out of sight.

On the other side of the locker, just past where I could see, was a door with a long push bar handle. He placed a talon against the handle and pressed it open. On the other side was a preserved shop of true wonders, at least for my friends who stared in disbelief. I had to force flooding memories back away from my mind as the shop reminded me of life before the stable.

Several bright red toolboxes lined the walls with drawers pulled open and lids propped up, as if mechanics long since dead would be back to grab a wrench at any moment. Gears, road wheels, slabs of metal, armor plates, all sorts of components for modification, repair, and assembly of three distinct vehicles were spread over the garage in the well ordered chaos of a grease monkey's space. My face lit up as I recognized which the three vehicles, things I had dreamed of working on with my father one day. The Dingo all terrain recon, a little four wheeled two pony vehicle that could go incredibly fast, almost 80 kph if I remember right, only a pegasus could keep up with it.

The second set of parts I recognized as belonging to a Murky Aura Mobile Bunker. That little number if I remembered correctly had three rubber wheels and a set of tracks at the rear. It was shaped like a horseshoe and designed for ponies to get on board from the rear and then disembark. It also could take a beating as evident by the plates that were as thick as my forelimbs, which should have gone over the engine compartment in the front.

Alas, these were only parts and outer cases for such vehicles, the two of them were not here. But the third bay had a vehicle and I found myself slowly trotting towards it, starring wide eyed in awe. A Sand Scorcher Mark II light assault tank. 75mm cannon extended from the front, that is how I knew it was a Mark II, developed mid-war to replace the mark I with enough armor piercing that it could take on a medium or, with a lucky shot, a heavy tank.

The side of the turret had a guided missile launcher that could retract inside for reloading. It would likely contain missiles under combat conditions. Missiles I can use to make rocket exhausts once I get those warhead off! I'm not gonna hand Sandy Claws live missiles when I can use the explosives for something more productive. Not to mention I don't want him having another accident with live missiles.

This Sand Scorcher wasn't moving though, the right side had a hole blown in it, right where the turret control fusion core would go. That meant the spell matrix was likely damaged too. They also needed new tracks and several road wheels were in the process of being replaced. The possibilities hit me like a runaway train on the Appleloosa Express!

I dashed up to the vehicle and started to jump all around it in a blur. I wasn't sure how I was moving this fast! I just seemed to be looking at one piece, ranting out, “A Sand Scorcher Mark II!” Then I just appeared at the gun, it seemed like I had just teleported in the blink of an eye, from floor to sitting on the barrel. “With a 75mm Anti-Tank, Infantry Support Cannon!” in the blink of an eye I was next to the missile rack, “With Anti-Tank high yield 202mm missile racks!” in a flash my eyes were on the engine compartment, “And nearly 400 Horsepower beating in those engines!”

My squeal was so loud I thought I might break a window before my lungs started screaming for air. My vision narrowed as blackness closed on the edge of my eyes, my head swimming as I was dimly aware I needed to breathe, a heartbeat before I stumbled and slumped over to the ground. Everything was fuzzy now, barely able to see anything.

“Looks like somepony has discovered one of the Pinkie Pie powers! The squeal! Now get ready, the hammer is gonna fall, also remember to breathe in deep next time before you start the squeal.”

What are you-Oh dear Goddess what in Equestria's name was that! That hurt! I could taste blood, my nose was leaking as I got to my hooves. Corners was standing over me, my blood on her hoof as her foreleg finished its slapping motion. Her other hoof was holding me by the collar, “There, she's awake now.” Sugarcube declared and slid back under her box.

“OKAY THAT'S IT!” I screamed out and popped up to my hooves. “You and ME! Right now Corners! RIGHT HERE!” My screams of pure rage echoed off the walls and killing the reverberation of my squeal earlier.

Corner laughed and got out from under her box, showing off the battle saddle and shook her flanks from side to side mockingly, “What? Little Stable Pony don't know nothing. You little weak pipsqueak. I can knock you down with one good buck and keep you there, Stable Dweeb.”

Oh no, that is it! All those bullies, all those times I spent at school being humiliated for being small or lacking a cutie mark. I'll show you Stable Pony! I sized up Sugarcube Corners now. She was physically bigger than myself, her muscles were much better developed. Not only that, but she clearly moved with a bit more confidence than I did.

Quick Stitch walked up to me and started to address my nose but I had none of it and kept trying to push him away. Alguacil reached out and pulled him out of the way. Nyota piped up, “Hooves only! Take your weapons and barding off.”

“Gotta let this happen Quick Stitch, it's been a long time coming,” Alguacil declared and moved him aside to make sure he was well clear of either of us. I shifted out of my barding, helmet, tossed my backpack, saddlebags and shotgun to the ground. I could see where my fur had been covered with barding for several days and what hadn't been. I need a shower so bad... ew! What is, nevermind, kicking Corners butt for it. There was a distinctively brighter green shine to it and a lot less dirt. Stable suits were good at one thing, keeping dirt out, apparently. I flung the duster over the pile of my stuff and turned my attention back to her.

Not taking off the boxing tape, I'll need it probably for this.

“What's a matter Stable-Dork! Cockatrice got your hooves or are ya scared of me? You know I'm gonna beat your little stable butt! I might even toy with you while I'm at it,” The white foal declared. BUCK YOU!

I charged with a raged fueled scream as I brought down both hooves where she had been with all the fury of a nerd who had taken too much. I missed but the concrete under my hooves cracked and several flakes of it flew up into the air.

Corners however slammed into me and rolled us to the ground. I fought for control to get my flanks and hips over her own before I realized it didn't matter who was winning the grapple. I just had to smash her face in!

I reared back and slammed a hoof forward. The impact into Corners's throat made her gasp for air and let go of me for a second. Now it was on! Blow after blow hammered into her. Ribs, face, eye, shoulder, and then I got a lucky uppercut right to her nose. I felt it, the compression of nose bone and cartridge cracking and buckling. The sickening crunch only drove me to want more.

“You want to act like Daring Dash, Jumpy Bean, and all the rest?! I can put you in your place, just like I should have done to those stupid colts!”

Corners didn't respond and rolled us over only to have my rear leg go in against her belly. I kicked as hard as I could and found purchase, in her nethers.

The cunt kick made Corners whimper and bite her lip, which I took advantage of as our tumble came to a stop. I was on my back but my forehooves were still free, and that is all I needed to pummel her again and again, the final blow chipping a tooth and sending half of her molar out of mouth.

“You want to give me a cardboard cut!” I vented as a hoof slammed into her gut.

“You want to hit me with a skull and make a land mine go off on me!” Another shot to her mouth.

“You want to slap me so hard it gives me a busted LIP!” I screamed as I clopped her already blackening eye again.

“LET ME BREAK YOURS!” Both hooves bucked right into her shout at that final cry.

That was my mistake. Both of Corners's own forehooves grabbed mine and pressed them together. Despite the pain she pinned my forehooves to the ground under me and I raged out, feeling myself foaming at the mouth wanting to break her hold and go at her some more. “SUNRISE STOP! I GIVE! YOU WIN!” Corners shouted out, her voice cracked and broke as she spoke. A single tear drop rolled off her cheek and bounced off my own, it was like a hammer breaking the glass of my rage.

What? I win? It was then I saw the extent of the damage. I had bruised her throat in several places. Her cheeks were sporting several hoof shaped bruises. A blackened eye was hammered down till it was nearly swollen shut. Her nose was turned at nearly a 90 degree angle, clearly broken and hard snapped. Lastly, her lip was hanging onto a piece of tooth held in by a single strand of root. She looked like the filly had been hit with a cheese grater to the face. My mood softened and my life came into focus, the red rage that lined my eyes faded.

“Sunrise please... just stop. Stop. I give, you win,” Corners said. I snorted back only to feel more of her tears hitting my face. I realized it was blood mixed tears, blood I had drawn out. I had hurt my friend so badly now that she was crying like a foal in need of her mother. I wanted to reach out and hug her but found myself restrained and moving only made her cry more.

“I... Corners, I'm good. Let go, I'm good.” My words were broken and cracked as Pink came into view again.

She looked like somepony had just shot her dog in front of her. She didn't need to speak, I understood. It was like a crash of reality mixed with enough guilt to cripple a pony. I had done that? How, how had I done that? How could I have done that to my friend? Unless... she's not my friend.

I slowly got up. I had expected the release of all my rage and frustration to feel good, productive even. Instead, it just felt like I had cross a line somewhere that shouldn't have been crossed, a line I couldn't trot back over and act like nothing happened. I walked over and Nyota helped me back into my stable barding and strap my gear back on. There was a gleam in his eye, even a happier spring to his step. For me, I just felt wrong.

“Why are you so happy?” I looked at Nyota with what felt like a combination of raw anger and a glared to wonder his happiness.

“It's Hearth's Warming Eve and I just got the best present ever. That stupid Box Pone got her comeuppance! I didn't even have to... oh.” He paused and looked at me with a sort of empathy that I had never experienced before. “I know it's hard for you to understand Sunrise but that needed to happen. Even if it means Quick Stitch will have to work on Corners, but if any pony was going to do that, it was best you do it.”

He took a breath and raised my head so I had to look him in the eye, “Sunrise, you doing it means that Corners might finally straighten up and learn her lesson. Otherwise she was on the path that might end up at being a raider. It may feel awful right now, but you also show you've got some skills at skullbucking. Maybe enough to be worth teaching, but you will see what good comes out of this later.” The zebra explained in the most I'd ever heard him talk in one day, much less in a single minute.

“Nyota, are you, opening up to me?” I asked nervously with my head tilted curious at him.

He nodded and pulled out a cigarette which he lit, then his hoof held up some stale caramel popcorn from a tin on the floor. “A bit, maybe one day I'll tell you the whole story,” he said and I took a bite of the caramel popcorn. It tasted awful, like burnt old popcorn mixed with a chocolate bar that had started to mold.

“This is terrible, where did you get this?”

He giggle, “I found it while the two of you were fighting. You're right, it's terrible but it seemed appropriate to munch on it while I watched my Hearth's Warming Eve entertainment.” He paused and popped another kernel into his mouth and chewed on it. “Go on, go talk to Sugarcube over there, I'm sure the Box Pone will want to talk about what just happened with you as well. Even if it was well deserved and funny as buck.”

I glared at him then looked to see Quick Stitch's horn glowing as the mending to the bruising was taking place right before my eyes. Quick Stitch moved between us and snorted, “The filly fight is over. Sunrise get away from my patient.” I didn't know him well yet but I could clearly see from his features he was upset with both of us. Me most of all since he thought I was going to start the fight back up.

“Sunrise you became the bully. You can't-”

Shut up PINK! My parents would be embarrassed of me right now! I have to make this right. I don't care what you have to say Pink.

“I know the fight is over. Quick Stitch move out of the way, I don't intend to fight anymore.” I pressed a hoof against his shoulder to move him out of the way. He relented and let me approach the white, blood stained filly. I slowly extended my hoof to her, “Truce?”

Corners didn't grab my hoof, instead she leapt onto me, right into a tight hug, sobbing softly against my mane and smearing my coat and mane in her tears with a bit of blood.

The word was like a bomb diffusion gone perfect. The tension between us evaporated instantly and there was a soft sigh of relief as I held her still. My hoof started to stroke her head from ear to shoulder over and over again. “Shhh... it's okay, not gonna hurt you again. You alright with not acting out anymore?”

She nodded into my coat and I pressed my shoulder up so that Corners's face was clearly visible to Quick Stitch. I looked around her neck and motioned him over, “Go on patch her up. I'll keep her still and calm.” My assurances to Quick Stitch paid off as his horn glowed and more bruising started to fade away from Corners's face. Magic is a clear miracle, I'm so glad we have some of that magical power with us now. I just hope we don't lose someone else because of my errors.

When he had finished I set Corners down and slid her box back over her. I understand now, it is your safe space. I gave a few pats to the box and then walked back over to the tank, trying to put what I had just done behind me. We had a mission to complete and this was it. “Nyota help me up there, we need to get inside and see if any of its missiles are still in there.”

I didn't realize it but the zebra was already next to me and without saying a word. Two hooves hit my flanks and shoved me up towards the lip of the tank body. Damn you! Why are you always so quiet! If I hadn't recognized the hoof from being in my mouth so often I would have squealed in protest. From there it was easy to clamber up against the circular turret and pop the hatch.

The stale air hit me like a wall death. There were no dead ponies inside but it hadn't been disturbed in over a century. There were dozens of controls and switches, even a set of helmets you would expect for a tank crew. The vehicle had a clear gunner's seat, commander's communication panel, and the driver's seat was down in front along with the co-driver. Lastly, the majority of the space was dedicated to the ready arms rack and breach of the gun, for the loader.

I clambered in, queezing tightly into the interior which was cramped even for me. I looked up through the hatch to see Nyota looking down at me, as my hooves moved from the ladder to the floor. He seemed puzzled how I could fit in there, “How do I get in? How did you manage to?”

I looked back up and grinned, “Tankers were not selected because they were full sized stallions. Most of them were mares, and smaller ones at that.” I looked up at him and just got a frown, “Look once I figure out what we need to fix this tank, we can maybe modify the insides to be more roomy. But for now stay there and I'll pass you any missiles I find.”

Nyota snorted down at me, “Fine but I don't like you being in there alone, kid.”

I snorted back and stamped a hoof like Chifundo had done the night Buddy had died.

His face turned into pure confusion then a frustrated smile. He didn't know whether to laugh, scold me, or just shout; that much was written onto his face. I grinned and set to work, moving to check the ammo load. Near the gun breach were several unspent shells, as well as a full rack of rounds, on ready racks around the breach. All of them pointed up at the top of the turret, a design thatmade sure if they went off they would penetrate the thin top armor and exit the tank rather than explode inside. There was a panel for where the missile launcher would go in and out of the turret for loading. In addition another rack on its side with three missiles in it.

Two had labels with a steel beam being penetrated by an orange beam, one side of the penetration looked like it exploded outward. Armor-Piercing Anti-Tank. The third one however had a symbol on it that set off warning bells in my head.

Pink appeared in my vision again and made a WHOOOAAA! Face and sound at the top of her lungs.

What is it Pink?

“That is a mini-megaspell based on the balefire egg!”

A WHAT!? You mean designed to-

“Wipe out an entire building.”

Mark II's didn't normally get these, they were too valuable and if one went off accidentally, you'd lose the entire recon platoon. Why is this, nevermind let's get them out and disarm the warheads.

I took the first missile and wrapped my tail around it, placing it against my back and hefted it up to Nyota. The rest quickly followed and I exited the tank. With the missiles laid out on the concrete I started to work.

“What are you doing? Let's just give them to Sandy Claws and be done with it,” Quick Stitch declared.

“And give him the explosives as well? He just needs the rocket propellant and the exhaust housings. Also we just met him, do you really wanna give him explosives?” I asked as I took the first casing off and saw the various wires and parts that engaged the warhead to the missile array. “Do you really think it's a good idea to have Sandy Claws able to megaspell anyone he considers naughty?”

“And do what with the explosives, leave them here?” Quick Stitch shot back.

“Of course not, we give them to the small child,” Nyota replied in the most deadpan voice I had ever heard.

Did we just say that statement dead serious? Give the explosives to the small child!? WAIT Did you just call me a small child! Seriously!? I'm the one you are all following but I mean- I looked at the missile and saw my reflection while the absurdity of the situation was so insane it distracted my hoof and I nearly hit the wrong wire. Dammit Nyota, I swear if you get us all killed... I looked up from Quick Stitch to Alguacil to Nyota and then to Corners. “I swear if one of you makes me cut the wrong wire and we are all blown to bits, I'm going to get all of you back in the afterlife!”

The room grew quiet and only there was the sound of my screwdriver, wrench, and wire cutters working away at the warhead. Finally I got the first two anti-tank warheads off the missiles before moving to the next last one.

This one had a different set of wires and panels, upon flicking it open my PipBuck clicked once. Then it clicked again ten seconds later. Great I have to work fast or risk exposure.

I worked as fast I could with the unfamiliar systems. Is this what a magical fusion engineer goes through? No they have proper gear and know exactly what they're doing.

I kept working and was left with eleven red wires. All of them identical in every way, with the same serial numbers. The only way to know the difference would be with a manual. One I didn't have. I clipped the first one, and suddenly the missile started beeping loudly, a bright red shinging light lit up on the tip of the missile.

“Oh, that's bad. Everypony we've got a problem!” I shouted and everypony did look at me with a concerned gaze as the beeping grew louder. One... two... three... I scooped up the two AT warheads and their exhaust manifolds before dashing for the door. Four... Nyota was pushing me from behind as Quick Stitch was getting Corners moving when Alguacil grabbed the beeping missile and flew out of the window.

It is hard to describe how he was doing it, but somehow the griffin was moving incredibly fast. Looking like he was just taking an afternoon stroll even as I knew he was blazing by at break neck speeds. Five... Six... He flapped his wings slowly and trotted gracefully out of the window but his speed through the air could only be described as breakneck. He disappeared from sight and I stopped running.

Seven... We all stared and waited.

Eight...

Nine...

There was a massive explosion, briefly turning the darkest night into the brightest day, with Alguacil coming crashing back through the window he left through.

Nyota and Quick Stitch dashed forward and caught the falling griffin in their hooves. He looked ragged but no worse for the wear, just wounded pride.hH hadn't gotten back inside in time to avoid the explosive shock wave.

Everypony looked at the garage like a bad luck charm, and we were eager to leave it behind. On the way out I stopped by the computer gathering up my now decrypted file onto my PipBuck for later. The name on my PipBuck changed, 'Subject: 043-014 “Wandering Sunrise” Experiment Status: Successful.' What had this file done? Why was I ton here? Please some pony start making sense. Once the place was locked back up, we headed off to find our rather talkative member who hadn't joined us in the garage.

Chifundo was still being flirted with, but he hopelessly had no idea he was being hit on. Heart Warmer was so obvious even I could see it. Come on Chifundo! At least own up to being a pretty stallion.

I explained what the explosion was and that they shouldn't have anypony go out into the area for a couple of days to let the radiation go away. Apparently Alguacil had just leveled a few trees, nothing serious. Heart Warmer didn’t seem to want to let us, or at least Chifundo, go, but with a heartfelt goodbye we managed to pry ourselves away, explaining we were on a Hearth’s Warming Eve mission from the Goddesses.

We arrived back at Sandy Claws, whom was more than grateful for the missiles and thanked us for the efforts. Within less than ten minutes I had his “Sleigh” as he called it ready to rocket back into the sky. He took off in a flash and was gone beyond our sight in less than a minute. Never knew a skycarriage to move that fast, then again that MacGuyer machine shouldn't exist!

The effects of the drink he gave us wore off and the world became hazy as fatigue caught up to all of us. I trotted tiredly back to the campsite and curled up in the sleeping bag, passing out before my head even hit the ground.

When dawn came, we all found a small present lying in front of us, wrapped in reds, greens, and whites; each one had our name on it and though they all contained a personal gift. It was like waking up with a family I never knew I could have. They are just that aren't they? The closest thing you have to family right now. It's only been two weeks and I would happily spend another Heart's Warming with these ponies.

“Even Corners?” Pink teased at me as she leaned in for an answer.

Yes, even Corners. Pink I think she needed that.

Mine contained a small bag of 150 caps, a healing potion, a box of five perfectly preserved fresh donuts, two fragmentation grenades, and a note: “You only get to keep one of those warheads!” I checked my PipBuck and sure enough, there was only one warhead in my backpack. So he was real or at least he really does exist in the wasteland and last night wasn't some mass dream after all. A brief glimmer of hope in our lives that we desperately needed.

It could very well be one of the last bright spots in our lives for a long time. WAIT! That sand dog took explosives from me! I need those!

Season Appropriate Fan at by Stew Art

Fan Art By: Shadow

Level Up Progress - 97% of the way to level 5

Quest Perk Unlocked - Pinkie Squeal - Anytime in which you become overly excited, distressed, or filled with terror you can unleash a squeal at the top of your lungs that actually causes tangible damage. Make an END check, if successful, all glass within 50 yards of you shatters with the repercussions of glass per fragmentation grenades. In addition to this, all creatures within that range must pass an END check at -3 or suffer -20% to all actions for 5 rounds from the high pitched stunning of the scream.

Quest Perk Unlocked - Pinkie's Dash - Anytime you are searching for something or become extremely excited about something you see, you can instantly dash from one part of it to another. This can only be done in instances in which your character is not under threat or potential harm. Any combat situation or situation in which harm is at risk, this power will not activate.