Equestria's Outcasts

by TheFullCrumb

Burning Day

A day later, Hammer, Beanstalk, Pumpjack, and Deepwood piled into Hammer's motorized cart, which he had expanded slightly for Hermes and Scooter. Hermes refused the offer of a ride, purely because it felt better for him to 'zap' along, instead of going slowly. Scooter wasn't going to sit in the same vehicle as Pumpjack; he was still somewhat scared of her. Hammer shook his head in laughter, and powered up the cart. It rumbled to life, as it had done when Scooter test drove it. Scooter opened the door of the shop, and pushed the cart out. As they started driving, faster and faster, Hammer remembered something incredibly important.

"Hey Pumpjack, what kind of fuel did you rig my motor to use?" She smiled, and held up a jar. Hammer almost fell out of the cart, laughing. The cart was getting incredible speeds, off of nothing more than apple juice. "Well, I guess we're good for the environment. Here we GO!" He gunned the motor, and sped away. Scooter sped up, while Hermes broke the sound barrier and blasted towards Ponyville. They believed the day to be the same as every other day.

But the events that would transpire later in the day, would change their view of the world, forever.

Hermes was the first to arrive, taking a look at the fine foods laid out on the tables. Many mares stared at him; some even fainted. He was barely even interested in them; he was more interested in what filled his belly than what filled his head. The smells, the sights, it almost made him break out into song. He kept himself under control, as he did not want to be thrown out of this celebration. He heard the cart rumbling along, and smiled. They were on time, and quite punctual too. Other ponies around became very frightened at the sound, but some became angry when they saw what was making the noise, and who was driving it. Hammer was laughing in quite a loud manner, as the cart ground to a halt. Four ponies with pitchforks advanced towards the cart, but didn't get very far. Pumpjack and Deepwood levitated the weapons out of their hands, and jammed them, prongs downwards, into the dirt. Deepwood was seemingly angry with them.

"Don't you ruffians know any better? What, you think this beauty of a machine is going to explode? HA! I laugh in your face! HA!" Hammer hopped out, an even BIGGER smile than before on his smug face. Pumpjack walked up beside him, a smile about the same size spreading across her face.

"You foals. You would have heard an explosion coming from the Everfree if this cart's motor had blown up. You can thank this unicorn for the pump keeping it from blowing up." The four sat down, a little in awe. Hammer had come back, when they didn't want him in town, and this cart had not blown up at all. Pumpjack stepped forward.

"An' if'n any of ya varmints try nothin', I'll thrash ya six ways to Sunday!" They backed up then, afraid of the Frontier pony. Beanstalk stepped forward, a large bowl on her back.

"I hope this works for food. It's a kind of bean dip, and if you have any chips made from corn, they go well together." One of the four got up, and walked towards her.

"Well, I guess we'll let Hammer and his friends be here for the celebration. It's for everypony, anyways. Welcome to the Summer Solstice Festival! The festival itself lasts for three days, and today is actually the eve of the Solstice. When the sun rises tomorrow, some ponies are saying Princess Luna herself will come and bring us the greatest rising of the sun in the history of Airtseuqe! Now, miss, just put the bowl over on those tables near the town hall, and Hammer, welcome back. There ARE those who weren't glad you left, but still understood the dangers if you stayed." Hammer looked at him and laughed. This pony was always incredibly serious.

"The main reason my engines blew up was because I couldn't build a pump that could withstand the pressure. This unicorn here-" he pointed at Pumpjack. "-she's the one who built the fuel pump. Without her, I would probably have had my head blown all the way to the library." The other pony laughed, and walked away. Hammer shook his head in amazement. "Even though it's been literally about thirteen or fourteen days, it still feels like it's been around a year. No pony ever treated me with that much kindness. EVER." Pumpjack looked at him sideways. She hadn't known about HOW badly Hammer had been treated; she only regarded him as the kindly, youthful owner of the Wheelworks. Hammer looked at her, trying to gauge her thoughts. He gave up after a minute, and began wandering through the crowd. He wasn't as well received as Hermes had been; he didn't particularly care anyways. Beanstalk came galloping back after she had set the bowl on the table.

"Big brother, there are GAMES over there! PLEASE come with me and play them? PLEASE?" Her eyes became as wide as saucers, which was too much for any pony to take. Hammer held out as long as he could, but even he couldn't resist how cute her little, sad face was. He patted her on the head.

"Sure, I guess I'll go with you. Hey Pumpjack, keep an eye on Scooter. Deepwood, don't just stand back and DOCUMENT how ponies interact, do some interacting yourself!" He was saying it as quickly as possible, because as soon as he agreed, Beanstalk began dragging him away towards some games that had been set up; in particular, she was dragging him to a Brother-Sister race that was set up near the outskirts. She began bouncing up and down, bubbling with excitement. She could hardly wait to get started. Hammer stretched to prepare for the race. He never liked racing, but Beanstalk had dragged him to this game, and he was now expected to participate. He shook his head in amazement.

"Why do I agree to things like this?"

The referee for the race pulled the switch on a pop-box, and a loud CRACK was heard. Each grouping of siblings raced forward, with Beanstalk near the middle, Hammer running as fast as possible, mostly to keep away from the pony behind him who apparently hadn't heard that he was allowed to be at the festival, but was to leave afterwards. The pitchfork kept almost hitting him. Hammer veered away, startling the pony with the pitchfork. He rushed back, and knocked the pony down.

"Serves you right! No pony is going to get me with a pitchfork!" He kept running as fast as possible, laughing his head off. Soon they were finished the first part of the race. He and Beanstalk were at the second stage first, where they were to eat an apple rhubarb pie as quickly as possible. Hammer tossed his up and downed it with one giant CHOMP. Beanstalk stared at the pie, and ate it quite quickly, like a squirrel would eat nuts. Within seconds, they were finished the second stage, and moved onto the third. The third stage involved the younger sibling directing the older sibling through a series of obstacles, while the older was blindfolded. Beanstalk was unsure of that part, but Hammer reassured her, and tossed her up on his back. She tied the cloth over his eyes, and he set himself to go. Unfortunately, it was more of a fight to get through the obstacles. Beanstalk wanted to go slowly through them, but Hammer wanted to get done quickly.

"Go left! LEFT!"

"Beanstalk, direct me THROUGH the obstacle, NOT AROUND IT!" Eventually, they made it to the end, and Beanstalk removed his blindfold. He turned around, and saw that three of the obstacles were broken. He turned, with fire in his eyes, towards Beanstalk. She smiled nervously.

"Uh, sorry?" They didn't have enough time to argue that point, as the other sibling teams were catching up. Next was the mud pit hurdle challenge. Beanstalk leaped over the straw pile, only to fall straight in the mud. Hammer hopped up on the straw and jumped easily over the pit. He fished Beanstalk out, who shook the mud off of herself. She was beaming. "Let's keep going, big brother!" He tossed her up on his back, and kept leaping over the mud pits. Eventually, they reached the finish line. They crossed the finish line, to a completely silent audience. Many seemed angry, and that anger was directly pointed at Hammer. Some picked up pitchforks. Hammer shook his head, and rubbed his forehead with his hoof.

"What's with these ponies and pitchforks? Not a single club, or two-by-four anywhere!" Pumpjack and Hermes heard the commotion, and hurried over. Deepwood watched from a distance, sitting on top of a rather distraught Scooter.

"What are ya doin' ta Hammer?! Ya oughta be ashamed of yerselves! Just 'cause he won, and not of o' yer OTHER teams, that gives ya the right to harm him?" Pumpjack was putting herself between Hammer and the crowd. Hermes thundered in, silencing those ponies who were going to attack Hammer. He bellowed at them in the loudest voice he could muster.

"You FOALS! You're no be'er than common thugs if you harm a hair on me friend's head! Put your weapons down, or go against me!" Almost all of them set down their weapons, and sat back down. The others in the stands, who had just sat there and not done anything, were waving at Hammer. Those ponies had acted as his friends and protectors when he was little; apparently, they still thought they were his friends. Hammer took the trophy for the race in his mouth, and tossed it to the second team coming through the finish line. That team almost got hit by the trophy, but they didn't care.

"I don't need a trophy. There's no real use for it, and I need things that have usefulness, or attributes that make them amazing or astounding." He walked away with his friends who had been there. Deepwood slammed her book on Scooter's head, quieting him down.

"Stop squirming, or I'll beat you senseless!" Scooter mumbled his next sentence. If Deepwood would have heard it, it would have sounded like this.

"Warn me before you try to beat me senseless. You're not good at timing."

Later, well into the night, royal trumpet blasts resounded through the air. The signal for everypony to gather at the Town Hall had been sounded. Hammer trotted up to Deepwood, and motioned for her to get off the now completely bored Scooter.

"Yo, thanks, Hammer. I am not CATCHIN' A RIDE, 'specially with Deepwood! She's BORING!" Hammer laughed.

"That was the signal for everypony to congregate inside the Town Hall. Luna's going to give a speech, or something to that effect!" They all galloped towards the Town Hall, smiling. Friends they were, and would ever be.

When they arrived at the Town Hall, it was utterly quiet. Strangely enough, every pony inside the Hall was as quiet as the grave. The royal orchestra, which was sitting near the front, cantered up onto the stage, and began the anthem of Airtseuqe, "Lunar March." Hammer couldn't help but join in.

"When black turns into light, when night turns into day, we follow our great leader, Luna, with what she will say. The ponies of Airtseuqe, hold your heads up high, as we watch the moon set, and the sunrise in the sky! For Luna, we will march into the night. For Luna, we will march, even in the morning's light. For Airtseuqe and all the lands around, we hold our heads up high!"

Everypony was smiling. It was the greatest part of being a pony of Airtseuqe. That anthem gave anypony a sense of pride in who they were. The Mayor stood forward, and in his husky, rough voice, he welcomed everypony.

"Welcome, everypony, to the Ponyville Summer Solstice Festival! And now, a speech from our Princess, LUNA!" The curtains on the upper floor parted, revealing, well, nothing. Luna was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, a beam of light shone through. As Hammer watched the sky, he saw the four Compass stars of North, South, East, and West approach the rising sun. As they 'contacted' the sun, a cloud of fiery, red smoke flew in. In a blaze of flames, a mare, burning with anger and hatred, appeared. She was the brightest white, with a burning blue mane and tail. She wore armor that glowed like hot coals in a fire, and her helmet showed her symbol, a bright yellow sun. She surveyed the crowd, and began laughing. The Mayor pointed at the mare, and several Royal guards sprang up from the crowd.

"Arrest her! She knows where the Princess is!" The burning mare blew fire at them, and yelled at them.

"Back away, FOOLS!" She looked at them all. "Has nopony read the stories? Did nopony see the signs? HA!" Hammer walked forward, fear in his heart, but bravery glistening on his face.

"I did. I saw the Compass stars, and I saw every part of the prophecy unfolding." She stared at Hammer with a burning stare.

"Ah, at least ONE pony knows the prophecy. And if you know the prophecy, you know who I am!" Hammer gulped down his fear, and a challenging expression spread across his face.

"You're Solar Flare, the one who was prophesied to return, and spread burning day across Airtseuqe! You won't get away with this!" Solar Flare laughed, and snorted flames, setting the roof of the Town Hall on fire.

"I've already gotten away with kidnapping the Princess! You will never stop me!" She turned into a fiery ball of red smoke, and burned through the front doors of the Hall. Hammer galloped to the door, and bucked it open. Ponies began screaming and trying to gallop for safety. Hammer and his friends were the first outside. The scene inside the Hall was not significantly better than the scene outside. Solar Flare had kept up on the prophecy. That evil mare was raining fire down upon Airtseuqe, starting with Ponyville. Ponyville was literally burning to the ground, and Hammer couldn't stop it. An idea sprung into his head. He faced his friends.

"Follow me, I think I know of a way to stop Solar Flare!" Nodding at each other, they galloped back to the motorized cart.

Hammer pulled out his Book of Legends, flipping quickly to the section on Solar Flare and the Elements of Combat. He began reading aloud.

"It is said that only the legendary six Elements of Combat have the magic capability for defeating Solar Flare. Only five are known: the Elements of Strength, Ability, Knowledge, Duty, and Honour. When all five Elements are in the vicinity of one another, and a 'spark of emotion' occurs, the sixth element is revealed, and the power to defeat Solar Flare is realized!" They looked at each other. Hermes was the first to speak up, to everypony's surprise.

"Hammer, we'd be'er find these Elements of Fighting-"

"Combat."

"-Combat as soon as possible! What's it say about the location?" He read on to find the location.

"They are located in the deepest valley in the Everfree Forest, Cataclysm Valley, where the ruins of the Castle of the Alicorn Sisters rest."

They reached the edge of the Everfree Forest. Each one of them stood strong, ready to fight the good fight for Airtseuqe. Hammer stamped his hoof forward.

"One for all!" Pumpjack, Beanstalk, Hermes, Scooter, and Deepwood stamped their hooves forward as well.

"And ALL for ONE!" They galloped into the Everfree Forest, unaware of the burning cloud of red smoke that was seemingly following them.

The cloud rematerialised into the form of Solar Flare. She began laughing quietly.

"Cataclysm Valley. I remember that place, where Luna and I once ruled. I was a fool for thinking we could have ruled together. Even if I have to burn this land to the ground, I WILL RULE AGAIN!"

Hammer and his group, still unaware of the cloud of red smoke, returned to the Wheelworks to prepare. Hammer constructed a small pair of binoculars from what was lying around his workshop. Beanstalk watered her plants, and put them inside a small dirt pit that Pumpjack had dug for her, to protect it from Solar Flare's fire. Pumpjack was saying her thanks to her friends, a small grouping of plush animals sitting in her room. Hermes was having a hard time standing still in the foyer of the Wheelworks, while Scooter put on his crash helmet. When they had all completed their preparations, they met outside the Wheelworks. With one voice, they all cried out.

"SOLAR FLARE, WE'RE COMING FOR YOU!"