//------------------------------// // A Town Called Panic // Story: Tanks for the Memories // by BillyMays //------------------------------// "How did you do that?" Applejack asked. "Do what?" Utah said. After being reunited with his M4 and other gear, Applejack had taken the Gunnery Sergeant down to the farm but, to much of his annoyance, Lefty and Righty had been tasked to watch over them. Right now the Gunnery Sergeant was standing just outside the open drivers door with the microphone in his hand. "That voice, where'd it come from?" Applejack asked. "The speakers." He said as he placed the microphone back into its slot. "But how?" Applejack asked again. "Magic." Utah said sarcastically. "Oh." The Gunnery Sergeant rolled his eyes and sat down in the drivers seat. He swung open the passengers door. "Hop in." He said. "What, in this thing?" Applejack almost yelled. Lefty and Righty looked at each other but remained quiet. "Come on, hop in." He said again. "I don't know..." Applejack mumbled. "Look there's no way in hell that my Humvee is going to hurt you in any way, if that's what you're worried about." "It's not that." Applejack stated. "What is it then?" "I don't trust machines." "Well I'm sorry to hear that, but you're going to have to get past that." He urged. Applejack gulped and then placed a hoof on the rim of the door. "Stop." Righty ordered. "Don't you start again buddy." Utah shot out. "How can we be sure this isn't a trap?" Righty asked. "A trap." The Gunnery Sergeant echoed. "Yes, a trap." Righty repeated. "Look if I wanted to capture Applejack or something I would have done it a while ago." Utah said in an annoyed tone. "Oh really now?" Lefty said. "Just get in the bloody Humvee, all of you! We don't have time for this shit!" The Gunnery Sergeant yelled angrily. Applejacks ears splayed back and both guard ponies frowned. "Please!" He added desperately. Applejack hesitantly leaped into the front passengers seat and got herself comfortable. "What about us?" Lefty asked. "What about you?" The Gunnery Sergeant said with a smirk. "Sugarcube." Applejack said. "Yeah. Don't worry." He said with a wave of his hand. He reached over the seat and opened the rear passenger door. "Hop in." He watched through the rear view mirror as the guards leaped in and also made themselves comfortable. "All good?" Utah asked. Lefty and Righty nodded. "Alright. Close the door." He started the engine when the door closed and all the ponies became very startled. "What was that?" Righty asked. "The engine." Utah said. "That was the engine?! Sounded like an animal roar!" Lefty exclaimed. "She's got a powerful engine." Utah simply said. Utah glanced at Applejack who's eyes were now pinpricks, she was staring right at him. "It's alive?" She asked. "In a sense, yes. But enough of this, we're wasting valuable time." He pushed down the accelerator and drove down the hill and headed towards the fence. "Why is this thing so big?" Lefty asked. "Armor plating, to stop bullets." Utah stated. "But if you think this is big, wait till you seen an Abrams." "Abrams?" "Tank. Could crush this car, no problem." "We need a few of those." Lefty said with a grin. "Somehow I don't think you'd be very good at driving them." Utah said with a laugh. "...but why do you need such monsters?" Applejack asked. Utah pulled alongside the fence and slowed down. "Well back where I'm from some places aren’t the safest so we built armoured vehicles to keep us safe. The tank is like a mobile fortress but quick and agile. Earlier tanks back in the First World War were pretty much big metal boxes with guns attached, the designs progressed, stronger and faster tanks were built but it wasn't until the Second World War that tanks really proved their worth. Since the end of that war tanks have been constantly upgraded and used in armies around the world." Utah said casually. "These vehicles have also been used to keep the peace." "World wars?" Lefty asked with interest. "I'll give you a crash course on my history later but yeah, the reason these "monsters" are built is to try and keep the peace." ’Bullshit and you know it.’ "I see..." Applejack said, trying to take in the load of information that was just thrown at her. "Any other questions?" He asked. He rounded the fence and found the path the Ponyville. As he pulled onto the path he noticed clouds whizzing through the sky at unusual speeds. ’You’re still tripping.’ "Huh?" He said in confusion. "That's tonight's storm." Applejack said. "Don't look like no storm to me." Utah said. "All I see are clouds flying around like jets." "The cloudsdale weather team are moving them around." Utah slammed his foot down on the brakes and turned to face Applejack. "I'm sorry, but what?" "What is it, sugarcube?" "Weather team moving clouds? What is this?" He exclaimed. "It's what happens around these parts." Applejack said with a raised eyebrow. "But you can't touch clouds. You go right through them!" "I can't touch them clouds either, only the Pegasi can." "And how in gods name does that work?" "Who?" Applejack asked. Utah raised his hands into the air and shook his head. "You know what, don't worry about it. This place, I swear..." "Let's get a move on." Righty barked Utah put his foot back down on the accelerator and shook his head again. As the Humvee sped down the path Utah kept a lookout for any other ponies. "Alright, how do we want to play this?" Utah asked. "What do you mean?" Righty said. "Do you want me to go straight through the town or go around it?" Utah turned to face Righty as he spoke. Righty frowned and began to open his mouth but was interrupted by Applejack’s voice. "I think it's a bit too late for that." Utah turned his attention to the path and found himself driving towards a cart being pulled by a mint green pony. "Well there goes subtly." He pushed the accelerator down and whizzed past the frightened pony. The first few buildings of Ponyville came into view followed by more ponies. Utah slammed his fist down on the horn and pushed the brakes. The ponies inside and outside the Humvee jumped from the sudden loud noise. "Whoa!" Utah spun the steering wheel wildly as he avoided screaming and running ponies. "What are you doing?!" Righty yelled. "You've got the whole town panicked!" "They were going to panic anyway!" Utah shot back. He beeped the horn a few more times and slowed down. He whizzed past houses that looked like there where from the Middle Ages and a house that looked like it was made from gingerbread. "What the hell kind of town is this?" He yelled to himself. "This is my town!" Applejack said proudly. "You sure this isn't a circus?" Her proud smile was replaced with an annoyed frown. "What are you trying to say?" "Oh, nothing. It's just not your everyday town is all." "Right." Applejack said slowly. Utah slowed down when he approached the towns centre. "Where did everyone go?" He asked as he peered through the windscreen. "Oh they're hiding." Applejack stated. "What from- oh yeah." Utah said sheepishly. "Good going, Ape." Lefty hissed. "If you call me Ape one more time I will remove your tongue." Utah threatened. "Do your worst... Ape." Lefty said slyly. Utah smiled and shook his head slowly. "You're asking for it, buddy." "You think?" "Enough. Private, stand down." Righty barked. "Yes, sir." "All talk and no action eh, Lefty?" Lefty opened his mouth but stopped when he saw the disapproving look from Righty. "Sugarcube, could we just get to your "tanks"?" "Which direction was the Everfree forest?" Applejack pointed to his right. "Cheers." He spun the wheel and drove through the streets of Ponyville. As the Humvee approached a bridge Utah noticed a grey pony following them in the sky. He quickly glanced up through the roof hatch to confirm his suspicions. The grey pony was now soaring directly towards the Humvee. He pushed his foot down on the accelerator and roared towards the small bridge. "Bad. Feeling." The Humvee treated the bridge and a road hump and bounced over it, everyone and pony bounced with the Humvee. "Slow down will you?" Righty ordered. "Sorry, I don't take orders from ponies." Utah said. Righty was fuming from the response and even Lefty looked scared. "I'd slow down if I were you." Lefty advised. Utah peered over his shoulder and reached a conclusion; he grinned and pushed the accelerator down further. He had checked that path before, it was clear so there was no chance of hitting a pony. "You guys want to listen to some music?" There was a grunt from Lefty and Righty, Applejack on the other hand nodded and smiled. Utah removed a hand from the wheel, opened a pocket on his vest and pulled out his iPod. Applejack stared at the iPod as Utah plugged it into the iPod docking station he had sitting on the dashboard. (Song) Utah smiled and shook his head. "Ha, oh god. Not this song again..." He muttered. "Well it's..." Applejack struggled for words. Lefty and Righty seemed to be enjoying it, they were bobbing their heads to the beat. "DJ Pony?" Lefty asked. "Who?" "DJ Pon-3.” Lefty repeated. "This sounds like one of her songs." "Nah man, this is Skrillex, an oldie but a goodie." "Skrillex? Interesting name." Lefty rubbed his chin with a hoof. "Yeah I always thought so too." They whizzed past houses and soon they began to clear showing Utah a lush open field. He brought the Humvee to a stop as peered out the window. He could barely see a forest sitting on the other side if the field, he however, could already see the outlines of the Tanks. The door popped open and he stepped out. "I'll be just a second." Utah walked around to the rear of the Humvee and rummaged through some of his luggage. When he found what he was looking for he walked back to the front and sat down on the bonnet. He raised his pair of newfound Rangefinders and examined the field. The tanks were 950 meters away he was looking them over when a green object caught his eye. ’Another tank? Are they pulling these things out of their asses?’ An Abrams with a mine plow was pulling it off of another Abrams. ’How the fuck?’ He moved the Rangefinder away from his face and placed it next to him. He looked back into the sky and saw a cloud hovering above the tanks with a rainbow object on it. He snatched his Rangefinder and examined the cloud. A cyan pony with a rainbow mane and tail was peering over the cloud, ready to pounce at the Tankers. He moved the Rangefinder back towards the tanks, a crewman was sitting on the ground polishing a pistol and chatting with a green ball on the ground. He did a double take at that and found out it was only a green pony. "What are you doing, Sugarcube?" Applejack called out. The sound of music and voices filled his ears again as he brought his attention back to the ponies sitting in the Humvee. "Just scanning the area." He hopped off the bonnet and walked back to the drivers seat. As he swung the door closed he placed the Rangefinder next to the iPod docking station. He placed his foot on the accelerator but stopped when he heard someone faintly yell above him. Utah and the ponies looked up and saw a grey blob flying straight towards them. "The hell...?" Utah mumbled. The grey blob came closer, close enough for Utah to recognize it as the pony from before. "She's not stopping, is she?" Applejack said. "She?" Utah said with a raised eyebrow. "You know that pony?" "Ditzy." Lefty and Righty groaned. Utah shifted his gaze from pony to pony. His eyebrow raised higher. "Is there something I should know about this "Ditzy"?" Utah asked in confusion. "We've gotten several complaints about this pony. She a natural klutz." Righty said. "Well isn't that a bit harsh? She couldn't be that bad, Right?" Utah looked up again and was welcomed with a grey smiling face. "Whoa!" He reared back in surprise. Ditzy had a grey coat, blonde mane and golden eyes. "Hi!" She said happily. "Hello." Utah said slowly. "I've never seen anything like you before!" Utah could feel the happiness and enthusiasm pouring off Ditzy's smiling face and he couldn't help but smile with the cheerful pony. "My name is Utah, I'm human." He pointed to himself as he said human. "Hoo-man? What's that? Oh my name is Ditzy!" Her smile became impossibly larger. "Pleased to meet you, Ditzy." Utah said with a grin. "Nice music!" "Thanks. Um, Ditzy? Could you please get off the roof?" Utah asked. "Okie!" She hopped into the Humvee and looked around. "Oh there's a party going on in here!" She exclaimed. Her wings flapped in happiness and her smile grew even more. "Yeah..." Utah looked to Applejack for assistance but she only gave him an uneasy smile. "Miss Doo." Righty said. "Could you please exit the..." "Humvee." Utah said. "...Humvee." Righty finished. Ditzy's mood changed instantly, her face fell and her ears splayed back. "Oh." She said sadly. ’Oh wow, that's depressing.’ Utah looked at Righty with a "good going" look. She began to flap her wings but Utah put a hand on her back. "What are you doing?!" Lefty hissed. "She can stay if she wants." Utah said sternly. "I can?!" Ditzy returned to her happy state and flapped her wings. "Sure, I see no harm in it." Ditzy flew into Utah's chest and hugged him. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" "Whoa now." Utah looked over Ditzy's shoulder and received two looks of disapproval and one look of approval. Ditzy removed herself from his chest and hovered over to the front passengers seat. Applejack shuffled over to make room as Ditzy landed next to her. The seat easily fitted both of them. Utah fidgeted around in his seat until he got comfortable and placed his hands on the wheel. "You comfortable?" Utah asked Ditzy. "Yup!" He put his foot down on the accelerator and continued the drive. "Oh this is like a roller coaster!" "You've got roller coasters around here?" "Yeah, of course! Some of the biggest!" "...That's actually pretty cool." Utah admitted. "I know!" Ditzy giggled. She turned to Applejack and began to have a quiet chat with her. ’Best idea ever!’ Utah reached for his iPod and unplugged it. "Hey, I was enjoying that!" "Sorry but I've always wanted to do this and this is probably the only chance I'm ever going to get." Ditzy nodded and smiled. ’Why do I even have this song on my iPod?’ He selected the song and placed the iPod back into the dock. "You're playing Octavia's music now are you?" Righty asked. "Who in gods name is Octavia?" "She plays classical music." "Right. Well this isn't Octavia's music..." A smile crept up onto Utah's face. "This is Wagner's." "What's the name of the song? It sounds familiar." Righty asked. Utah laughed and shook his head. "Ride of the Valkyries." The Ponies gave him looks that questioned his sanity. "Oh you guys won't understand." He turned the volume on full blast and began laughing again. ’This is going to be interesting!’ Ditzy giggled like a little girl. "You're weird." "In a good way I hope." "I wouldn't count on it Sugarcube." Applejack said. Ditzy was now in a cute fit of laughter. "Ouch. That really hurt." Utah said with fake sadness. "By Celestia you are immature!" Lefty exclaimed. "You just noticed?" Ditzy was now struggling for air and Applejack was laughing along with her. "Right I think my friends here are going to die if I don't shut up." Lefty and Righty looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Ditzy was holding her chest and taking deep breaths. "I like you Utah!" She said between breaths. Utah reached over and ruffled her mane. Ditzy squeaked in surprise and blushed deeply. "I like you too Ditz." Utah said with a large smile. "Are all you humans like this?" Applejack asked as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Sadly not. I think I might be a one of a kind." "Well I'm telling you now, Pinkie is definitely going to take a liking to you." "Pinkie, eh?" "Yup." "Well that is if we ever meet." "Whatcha mean?" "...oh? Just a thought. Don't worry." "If you say so." Utah reached over for the mic and stopped. He paused the music and then picked up the mic. "Alright everyone quiet please." The ponies watched quietly as he spoke into the microphone. "This is Gunnery Sergeant Utah to Captain Noah, do you read? Over." "Loud and clear Gunnery Sergeant, is there a problem? Over." "No, sir. Just letting you know I'll be with you in about a Minute. Over." "Roger that. I'll be seeing you soon then, Gunnery Sergeant. Utah out." Utah placed the microphone back into its holder and resumed the music. Ride of the Valkyries continued blaring and Utah smiled for the 100th time that day.