//------------------------------//
// End of the day 
// Story: Fallout: Harmony 
// by Foreverking0 
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"Did you find him?", It wasn't until Nate had finished recounting the memories of a day he would much rather forget, that he noticed pinkie pie had left her seat and sitting on the floor next to him. Her eyes were like dinner plates, ready to explode into tears at the response to her question, Even Rarity's composure was partially caving at his story. In the wasteland, the most you would get is sympathy for your loss or empathy from someone who had also suffered, however now it felt the answer could break these ponies. He could tell a truth, but a half-truth. 

"It turned out that in the time I was refrozen and let out, sixty years had happened. When I found him, he was the director of a place called the institute, And he was dying. Even if it was for a short time, I found Shaun." 

"So Shaun grew up and found a home, and you even saw him all grown up. Even if it was for only a small time, you were a family again." Pinkie Said to comfort Nate, although he suspected she may have said it to also comfort herself. 

Rarity decided to add her own two bits, "For what it's worth Nate, I'm sorry for what happened to you. No pony should ever have to go through that.

Nate needed to change the subject, This was not helping anyone's mood. "It's ok, I've had time to get over it"
He then tried to find a subject to talk about, Then a very obvious question came to mind.

"So how do a seamstress and a party planner get involved in magical weapons that can stop the end of the world?"

The intended effect was achieved, as both of the ponies in front of Nate took a moment to process the question that had come out of the blue.

Rarity stumbled to throw an answer together "I, er well."

Pinkie came to the rescue, " Well there was Dashie's rainboom, The summer sun celebration, Finding the elements, all of us being friends and helping teach Twilight the importance of friendship."

Nate found a path and he took it. "Rainboom, What's is that?"

Now having a course to follow, Rarity started the story.

"Yes, Right! When we were all young fillies, Rainbow Dash was involved in a race to defend Fluttershy's honour from some nasty bullies. In the race, she managed to go fast enough to achieve something is never done before, A sonic rainboom." 

Rarity followed the Statement with a grandiose gesture. 

"I don't know exactly what it is myself, but it created an Awe-inspiring rainbow that flew across all of Equestria. The event causes all of us to find our cutie marks at once. It caused a geode to crack in half In front of me, leading to my talent at finding and using gems in my designs".

Pinkie piped up next. "The rainboom was so beautiful it showed me just how happy I could be, and that I wanted others to be as happy!"

Nate was glad the conversation had taken an upbeat turn, but his question had fundamentally not been answered.
"But have you ever wondered why you in particular?

"I'm not sure. From what Twilight and the Princesses have told us, We each represent one of the elements. I assumed that means we each act more like an element than others, but I always found that naive. I'm obviously not the most generous pony in all of Equestria, Why I've met plenty of ponies who have given more than me. And I do mean more, both in amount and in comparison to what they have. Perhaps Twilight can answer your question better, Since we found them, she has had a better understanding of them than anypony."

Pinkie popped up from her spot on the floor with determination on her face. "Right, We need fun, stat!"
With that announcement, she pushed Nate out of his chair and began to slide him across the room with ease.
"Come on Rarity, we're wasting daylight"

Rarity casually responded to pinkie pie's gusto, "Pinkie, it's nearly sunset" 

Seeing that Pinkie had not lost any of her bravadoes, rarity followed casually as all three began the trek out of the hall.





"I still have no idea how you knew Pinkie," Nate said with a content smile plastered on his face. 
Her response back was a shrug and a "Meh, lucky guess"

Pinkie had pushed Nate to the front gate of the castle before he convinced her to let him just follow her. Nate was herded through the city, going from store to store, part of a grand tour of Canterlot and all its highlights. Rarity had thrown her experience in the pot to help Pinkie with her attempt to cheer Nate up, knowing what places would be more accepting of Nate. After a series of locations, Nate needed a down moment, Pinkie had drained him of energy at a rate on par with his exploits in the commonwealth. Pinkie had chosen a small doughnut shop as the last location of the tour, the sun well and truly set long ago.

Nate had never been a lover of doughnuts, while the luxury of having a fresh doughnut was lost after the war, It was secondary to the other major product on the menu. Coffee, The wasteland had tins of centuries-old coffee, and some plants could be used as a substitute, But it was nothing compared to a fresh cup of joe. Nate had found it humourous that the Stallion who had made him his cup of joe was named Joe. As he thought about it, Nate began to question the naming convention of this place. Did ponies get their names after they found their calling in life, or was their calling in life somehow dictated by the names they were given? 

"Need a top-up?" Doughnut Joe Asked Nate. Nate nodded, and the cup was filled.

"Thank you for the friendly welcome, I imagine this must be strange, it is to me," Nate told Joe.

Joe waved his hoof in a dismissive nature. "Any friend of Twilight is a friend of mine, and any friend of Twilight's friends is a friend of mine, and since you're their friend, you're mine"

Nate elected to smile and nod along rather than follow the mental circus that just happened. 

Rarity was sitting nearby staring at her own cup of coffee, she looked worried. 
"Speaking of our friends, I hope everything is alright. It's not as safe as it used to be, and Twilight and Fluttershy were heading to the Everfree forest of all places. The Everfree was dangerous even before monsters started appearing across Equestria." 

Nate turned his chair to face Rarity
"Hey, your friends will be fine, and if my introduction was any measure, I think Twilight can take care of herself." 

Rarity looked up at Nate, "You think so?"

Pinkie, who had been messing with a nearby jukebox, sprung up between the two. "Don't worry Rarity, Everything will be just fine!"