Author's Note
“Heh, how is everyone doing today? Really? Then send me a message!” The Black Knight leaned back into his chair, Team Fortress 2 pulled up on his computer. “Yep, I play. So what? By the way, this story is in dedication to the game! Another one shot I wanted to do, since so many asked for me to form another story… Yes, I’ll be doing the others too. Have fuuuuuun.” He pulls out his Engineer Controller, and presses the button! Catching you in a rather large explosion, and sending you directly into the story.
Sentry Down!
Red Engineer’s Last Round Up
The RED Engineer actually rushed through the forest, tool kit siting on his shoulder. For once in his life, the normally logical combatant was doing something completely out of his field. But, can you blame the poor guy? His wife cheated on him, then took his only daughter in the divorce shortly after, leaving the mercenary with nothing else in his life. Then, he joins Redmann’s company and fights for the money needed to pay child support and alimony for the divorce… The only reason why he couldn’t keep his daughter, being the very thing that lost her.
RED Engineer had to stop, he was worn out and could barely keep moving… None would blame him for this, no way. After all, can anyone else set up an Entrance Teleporter, along with a dispenser and some sentries; at Sweet Apple Acres, then set up an Exit Teleporter and book it all the way back? Nope, no one but this guy and he knew it! There was only one cowboy meant to protect the apple farm, and that is him. Especially from his current foe, who is massing not too far off from his current position.
After catching his breath, the RED Engineer quickly kept running towards the Apple Farm’s barn, throwing the tool kit down. A smirk found its way on to his lips, as the whirring sounds of his greatest sentry echoed all around. It started off as the basic one, then to the second level, and finally reached the third. It took him hours to get this bad boy ready, and upgraded, for this mission… But, in all honesty, the RED Engineer thought it would be worth it. To protect the gal that actually helped him realize something important, something he forgot over the years. If it is for your family, no length is too far to go.
The grip on his signature wrench suddenly loosened, as his thoughts went back to the first day he met that gal. If he recalled correctly, it was a game at Sawmill, BLU trying to take their Intelligence, and he was on the defense not too far outside… He had set up a Sentry, keeping the BLU team from taking their intel. Everything was going alright, but neither team had been making much of an impact in the battle. RED Engineer, personally felt like just quitting. He was barely making enough money to keep himself up, with all the bills, parts, ammunition, child support, and alimony; piling up on him. Shutting his Sentry down, and letting the BLU Team take him out would not be very hard… None would know what happened, and his daughter would get every bit of pay he earned, along with continuing said payment until she turned eighteen.
But, when a scream echoed, the RED Engineer had looked up, seeing an orange mare being chased by the BLU Soldier. Rockets flying everywhere, followed by the crazy laugh. The moment she yelled for someone to help, the RED Engineer narrowed his eyes and pulled out the remote to the sentry. On its own systems, the BLU Soldier was out of range for the weapon…. With RED Engineer controlling it? Ooooooh, long as he could see it, he could shoot at it.
He quickly got behind the mechanized weapon, activating the remote control, and watched the red shield suddenly go up around the sentry. The moment he had full control, the twin barrels suddenly locked on to the crazed BLU Soldier an unleashed hell! It didn’t take long, before the BLU Soldier was filled with more holes than Swiss Cheese, leaving a confused mare looking at the corpse. When the rest of BLU Team showed up, the RED Engineer removed his hat, waving it around while yelling. “Go! Go! Go!”
The mare just looked up at him, shocked, but went wide eyed when the Sentry started to unleash all hell, trying to shoot down any targets that came within its sights! That was her que, that the RED Engineer was on her side. Without any more hesitation, she quickly rushed towards him, bullets and rockets wizzing past her from both directions. Once she reached him, the RED Engineer waved to his comrades, who spotted the oncoming attackers and began to join in the fight, adding to the destructive hellfire until the BLUs were forced into retreat. Ever since that faithful day, both he and the RED Engineer were together, learning what the other had to offer… In all honesty, when she finally built a sentry of her own, he felt rather proud about it… Even if it was a cute little gun.
She became like family to the RED Engineer, and vice versa. Even though he could never really see his daughter again, thanks to the dead beat mother, she made life a little more worth living. Kinda like a second daughter, in some strange way. But now, she was in danger of Greymann and there was no way RED Engineer was going to let this happen. No way, no how, even if he has to use up every last machine in hi arsenal to keep her safe. He is NOT going to lose another daughter, not again.
Once back at the farm, and effectively clearing the place out by use of teleporter, RED Engineer prepared to defend the small apple farm… Even as the massive Grey Mann Transport slowly rolled within range of deployment. He didn’t know why Grey Mann wanted the ponies dead, and even heard he was behind Sniper’s death. Something about using that bug-pony freak thing as a ploy to kill both the princess and the RED Team’s Sniper, but he didn’t know all the facts. What he did know, though, was that this bastard killed one of his friends, and is trying to kill someone even closer to him. That is where he draws the line completely.
The transport’s doors slowly opened up, revealing the wave upon wave of robots it’ll deploy, just to destroy this one farm. RED Engineer’s eyes narrowed, pressing a button on his remote… Causing all he sentries he had deployed to activate, and aim their weapons towards the funnel point on the farm. They were mostly first level sentries, with a few second level ones strategically placed, but that did not matter. The heavy duty job fell to the level three sentry, placed right dead center of the funnel point… Ready to blow away anything it detected.
A loud war horn suddenly blared from the transport, causing the Engineer to ready his shotgun. The next few moments, were filled with the gears of robots moving echoing all around him… His sentries all aiming towards the funnel point. When the first robot touched down at their maximum firing range, all hell broke loose!
The farm roared to life with both gun fire and rockets flying every which way, shelling flying to the ground. Rank after rank of robots were torn apart by the defensive weapons, targeting what they could, fast as they possibly could. While the RED Engineer hanged behind his primary sentry, firing shell after shell from his shotgun. But the robotic army seemed endless, and just kept coming!
Sentry after sentry either ran out of ammunition or was destroyed by the robots, leaving only the RED Engineer and the level three sentry to defend the farm. When his shotgun ran out of ammo, he quickly drew his pistol to continue the fight. Though, it seemed luck was on his side at this point. The robots were not endless, as he thought, seeing one final group approach. With all he had, the RED Engineer took control of his sentry, and began to take down every clanking machine he saw.
When it all came down to the last Soldier Bot, he filled it with as many holes he could! Making it seem like a robotic version of the BLU Soldier he had killed on that faithful day. Giving a nod, he lowered the remote, allowing the Sentry to go back to auto-mode, and approached the lead robot… That same Soldier Bot he had killed prior too, and placed a boot on to the metal head. “Heh… Sometimes, ya just need a little more gun.” Red Engineer said with a smirk, before a rather unnerving sound rang in his ears.
Quickly turning around, the alert of his Sentry being sapped, the RED Engineer saw his last remaining weapon slowly being destroyed by a Spy Sapper! Drawing his wrench, he sprinted towards the sentry, but was too late by the time he ran up to it… The explosion sending him flying back towards a bale of hay. Shaking his head, the RED Engineer slowly started to stand up, but soon found a knife stabbed into his shoulder!
He fell back, yelling in pain while trying to grab hold of the knife, but a foot suddenly slammed into his back and forced the RED Engineer to the ground. Within seconds, a rather large pistol suddenly had its barrel shoved into the back of his head. “Howdy, partner…” BLU Spy said, grinning at the disabled RED Engineer. “Did you forget about me?” He asked, tilting his head. Out of all the BLUs, none knew exactly what had happened to BLU Spy, nor where he went off to. They didn’t know if he joined Gray Mann or just went freelance… Guess this answers the question. RED Engineer reached for his wrench, while also secretively reaching for something in his overalls. The BLU Spy took the bait, and actually shot his hand instead! “Oh, no. I don’t think so, Engineer… Nothing will save you now!”
“Ya sure ‘bout that, partner?” He asked, making the BLU Spy raise an eyebrow.
“Oh please… Your sentries are destroyed, and you have no weapons! You have nothing!” BLU Spy said, smirking, before RED Engineer suddenly held a new remote, one with a single red button at the center…. His thumb resting on said button.
“Sometimes… Ya need a little less gun.” With that, RED Engineer pressed the button, activating the self-destruct on every sentry around them, backed up with explosives in side of them.
Hearing the beeping of explosives, BLU Spy lowered his arms and went wide eyed. “Oh… Mared…” And then, the entire area went up.
-In Ponyville-
Applejack’s eyes went wide, hearing the explosion and turned around just to see a large mushroom cloud where Sweet Apple Acres. “E-Engie!?” She yelled, looking towards the teleporter, noticing how it started to shut down… From what the RED Engineer taught her, only meant that the device’s entry version had been destroyed.
With that in mind, she sprinted towards the apple farm, rushing to see help her friend. One could have imagined the farm mare’s surprise, when her friend suddenly showed up out of nowhere, even when he told them that they were in danger. But, like he always has before, the RED Engineer had a plan to keep them safe and stop the bad guy… But, Applejack didn’t think he would have ended up blowing himself up along with it! If here was the slightest chance he was still alive, the mare was going to buck him so hard, he would not be able to sit for a week straight!
Though, when she arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, the mare was greeted with the sight of mounds upon mounds of destroyed Grey Mann Robots, along with RED Engineer’s Sentry Guns. Searching through the wreckages, she looked everywhere for him, throwing parts and robotic limbs every which way. Though, when she came across a scorched BLU Spy, she narrowed her eyes a bit but quickly shook it off and kept searching.
But she couldn’t find him in the wreckage anywhere. “M-Maybe he’s still alive, somewhere on the farm? Workin’ on a new Sentry, maybe?” She said, looking around for any trace of the RED Engineer. Soon enough, she found a drag trail leading up to the barn, making her smile a bit and rushed towards it! “Engie! Are ya in here? Do ya need any help, part-…” The mare froze, right after she opened the barn door
Right in front of her, leaning against an orange tool box, was the RED Engineer… But he wasn’t like she hoped. His left hand and the entirety of his torso was covered in blood, but that didn’t stop him from taking a relaxed position, his left leg tucked up with his left arm draped on it. His head was craned down, the RED Engineer’s face covered by the blood stained hard hat. In his right hand, the mare noticed that he was holding some folded up note, with some blood stains on it, and a pen sitting not too far away from him.
She slowly walked up to him, tilting her head. “E-Engie?” Applejack hoped he would say something, hoped to Celestia that he defensive fighter was only deep in thought… But he didn’t say a word. Sitting down next to him, the farm mare looked down at the note within RED Engineer’s gloved hand. Her name was written, the best he could have done with a shaky hand. Carefully, she took it from his hand, and opened it… Her jaw dropping at the words written.
Dear Applejack,
If ya find this note on me, means I’m gone. Now, knowing how ya are, you probably think I’m some idiotic gear head… Most of the time, I would have agreed with you. This was rather illogical of me to do… But, not something I couldn’t help but do. Ever since ya appeared during that battle with the blasted BLUs, ya were like a second daughter to me. Always being honest with yourself, and others. Doing things to protect your friends and family, going so far as to put yourself in danger. Makes me darn right proud of ya. When I found out Grey Mann was coming for ya, and your friends, I couldn’t sit idly. I lost one daughter, no darn way was I gonna lose another.
Now, most of the time I probably had some grand plan, or design, to get me out of there alive. However, if I didn’t? Then that means something went wrong, and I had to detonate the self-destruct on my sentry guns.
Don’t go beating yourself up, if that is the case. I did it on my own free will, knowing the consequences. Though, honestly, I would do it again if it means I save my family. In the barn, I left you a present, something to remember me by. You know how you were always intrigued by my tools and devices? Well, when ya left with the others, ya forgot your sentry. When I saw it there, collecting dust, I couldn’t help myself and did a little work on it.
Think of this gift as your ol’ pal Engie, always watching your back and keeping you safe.
Sincerely,
Dell Conagher, the RED Engineer… And your Human Pa.
Applejack was crying the whole time she read the note, not believing the fact that RED Engineer actually threw his life away, for her! He could have just ran away, the Apple Family could have defended themselves just fine… But no, he had to step in, and fight off Grey Mann’s Robot Army himself.
The farm mare pulled her stenson hat down, hiding her tear soaked face, while she gently laid RED Engineer down to the side. Though, when she saw the proud, happy, smile on his face… Applejack couldn’t help but smile herself. After she had moved him away from the spot, her attention went to the orange tool box, with a raised brow. She walked up to it, tilting her head, and tapped the metal hitch to unlock it.
Without warning, it snapped open and began to release the sentry inside of it, forcing Applejack to step away! Her eyes widened, as it transformed into the first level Sentry… Then the second, then the third. The farm mare’s jaw dropped, as it suddenly started to transform a fourth time! A secondary missile pod suddenly extending out, earning two on each side. However, the tool box released a secondary building, which quickly connected to the sentry. She watched the dispenser upgrade to its third level, certain points attaching to the sentry and adding to its ammunition. Once the arrow struck full, and the health monitor started to bounce up and down… The Sentry beeped, and began to scan the area, almost like it was searching for any possible threats.
The sight made Applejack smile, it seemed like he managed to do it again and impressed the mare. “Now, ain’t that a cute little gun.” Her eyes went wide, hearing the RED Engineer’s voice, and quickly turned around to the barn door. Standing, right there, his body being transparent…. Was the RED Engineer, with the iconic wrench slung over his shoulder. “Pony up, little lady.” He gave a two finger salute to her, making her smile even more.
“Ya darn tootin’… Pa.” She said, as the transparent RED Engineer disappeared from sight, and she looked down at the content RED Engineer, who seemed to be resting peacefully.
Since that day, Applejack had always carried the orange tool box RED Engineer had given her. She even started to wear his hard hat, and goggles, along with carry around the iconic wrench; where ever she went. Whenever Ponyville was in trouble? The mare would toss the tool box on to the ground, giving it a good whack with the wrench, and allowed the upgraded sentry to whir out of its holder. Afterwards, their foe would get a helping of wrench smacking from Applejack, and a hellstorm of projectiles from “Engie the Sentry”.
