Star Armor wondered into the small town that, according to the small fragments of information that he was able to get, was the home to a small base of Applejack Rangers. Though, where exactly it was, he had no idea, those that had given him that information had only done so after a lot of pushing from him. As he moved around the town looking for a place to stay nearly all of the town’s population stopped whatever they had been doing, and started staring at him. He was used to it, it wasn’t every day that a tall orange alicorn walked into town, let alone a male alicorn. He just smiled and nodded to the ponies as he passed.
“Excuse me,” Star stopped by one of the gawkers. “Could you point me to your town’s inn? I’m likely going to be staying in town for a little bit.”
“I can show you the inn but why are you here in our humble little town?” The small light purple unicorn mare asked.
“Well, I’m looking for the Applejack Rangers, I heard that they had a small outpost base out near here.” He smiled her eyes narrowed a little bit. “You wouldn’t happen to know where the Applejack Rangers are located would you?”
“No, I can’t say that I do, sorry, I didn’t even know that they were out in this area. You’re more than welcome to stay here if you want though.” She started walking off waving for him to follow her. “Most of the ponies around here don’t normally stare, but then again I don’t think any of us have seen a well, orange alicorn, let alone a male one, before”
“Yeah it’s okay I get that a lot.” He smiled following her, “and are you sure that you haven’t seen any rangers here, I really need to talk to them.”
“Are you sure you’re just going to talk?” she asked looking over her shoulder at him.
“Yes, I just need to talk, I’m looking for somepony, and I’m hoping that they would know where they are.” He nodded. “Hopefully they don’t have the same shoot on sight policy that the Steal Rangers have. That would turn out to be rather unfortunate.”
“No, their policy toward alicorns are a bit more lenient than that of the Rangers.” She answered. “Or at least so I’ve been told by the alicorns and the rangers that have been through town. My names, Violet Whisper, you are?”
“Nice to meet you Ms. Whisper, I’m Star Armor.” He smiled and nodded as she led him to a small postwar wood and scrap building. “Is this the town’s inn?” He asked looking over the rickety structure. It looked like it would topple over at any minute.
“Yep this is the inn, best one in town, I stay here whenever I’m out and about doing my shopping.” She smiled patting the wall, part of the scrap metal fell off. The tape that was holing it to the building gave out. “Hehe. Yeah, Duct tape and a prayer I guess, try not to think about that, it was fluke.”
“So, wait you’re not from this town?” Star Armor asked.
“Nah, I just come here for a couple days a month to help out get caps and supplies and head back home to my family. We’ve got lots of mouths to feed so I try to get here a little before the caravans do so I can buy up the best food the town sells, and then buy the excess food form the wondering traders.” She pushed open the door, and walked in Star Armor right behind her. “Hey Krieg, Ruhe! How are you two doing.”
“Sore as always.” A large female griffon answered looking up from the counter. “Who is this?”
“My new coltfriend I’m going to ride him all night long yeing and yawing, think I can stay on the bull for a full eight seconds?”
“Very funny little filly, but I know as vell as anybody zhat your daddy vould buck your kleine butt to the moon if he ever found out zhat you vere fooling around vith an alicorn.” The griffon said in a matter of fact tone. “Und don’t scare avay possible customers vith your kind around.”
“Nah, it’s fine.” Star Armor gave an innocent smile. “She’s the one that suggested that I stay here for the time that I’m in town searching.”
“Oh, und vhat are you searching for?”
“The Applejack Rangers. I’m hoping to ask the about the location of somebody.” The griffon leaned forward on the counter.
“Und vhat makes you think there are any here?”
“Yeah, I’m kinda curious about that myself, why do you think the AJ Rangers are hanging around out here?” Violet took a seat at the bar near the griffon, and patted a seat for him to sit at. Because it seems like a pony’s played a mean trick on you.”
“I heard it from several ponies that I’ve helped out in the wasteland. A couple of caravans, a few CMC, the occasional hermit.” He gave a small shrug. “Don’t think they were playing tricks on me, and they all seemed pretty adamant that there was a base out here.”
“Well like I said, if you find one that would be news to me.” Violet leaned back in her chair. “And I certainly hope there aren’t It would put me out of a job doing all the tech stuff here.”
“How do you know about tech stuff?”
“Well uh-I’m self-taught mostly trial and error with a couple of turrets I found guarding an old Ministry of Wartime Technology building.” She smiled. “Fortunately, it was more trail than error or I’d have a couple more holes for my coltfriends to fill.
“Ha zhat ist funny, I’ve yet to see you vith a stallion even vonce.”
“Hey I’m with him aren’t I.”
“I mean if I buy the beers that technically qualifies as a date.” Violet’s eyes lit up.
“Exactly. And if you buy the beers, I’ll let you sleep with me, all the rooms come with two beds standard. So, you heard him Ruhe put he beers on the table.”
“I did hear he said if.” The griffoness rolled her eyes.
“No, it’s alright, I think a couple of beers will cost less than a room would.” Star Armor put a couple of caps on the bar.
“You clearly don’t know die kleine Mädchin. She’s a bottomless pit vhen it comes to beer.” The griffoness took the caps and put to bottles of beer down on the counter for them. Violet smiled and popped the caps off the beer bottles passing one Star.
“Cheers to free beer!” She started chugging. Star Armor only managed to get a couple sips before the door was thrown open, and a large griffon moved in.
“Violet, you need to get out of town. Now! There’s about five squads of Steel Rangers taking the hill overlooking town.”
“But what about the town?” Violet asked as she and Star jumped up off their stools.
“We’ll be better off if you’re not here.”
“Why is that?” Star Armor asked moving to an extremely cloudy window. He squinted his eye before looking back to the griffon. "And are you sure about that, those look like artillery pieces they’re rolling on to that hill.”
"Well I haven't fully introduced myself yet I guess. "My name is Violet Whisper, my full name and title is Knight Violet Whisper of the Applejack Rangers." she walk up next to him floating a table over and climbing on top of it to get a good look, or as good a look as she could though the dirty window. "Shit those are cannons, they got up there. And I doubt that the artillery is just for show either." There was a loud beep as though something was using a megaphone. Then a voice began to boom through the small town.
"Creatures of Pure Water, we know that you harbor an Applejack ranger among you. And know that they deliver supplies to their alleys further away. You will surrender this renegade over to us along with all the stolen technology that you ignorant tribals were given, or if she isn't there you are to bring all the stolen tech they've given to you over to us, and then tell us their location. Failure to obey will result in you annihilation. Fire." There was a roar as one of the artillery pieces went off the sounds of screams were soon followed by that of a collapsing build. We know that building was unoccupied and unused, we will not consider the landscape a valid target for the rest of are ammunition. "You have five minutes to comply."
"Bastards, there could have still been somepony in that building." Star Armor looked to Violet Whisper. "Do you think you can call the rest of your group in? I think I can hold off their artillery for a while, I hope."
"For the sake of all Pure Water I hope you can too." She floated her bags out of her room and opened her bags. She pulled out a small radio, Please don't let them have a jammer. Home Nest this is Violet Whisper get everybody and get out here now Pure Water is about to be wiped off the map they've got 5 squads and artillery here, please send help."
"Two minutes left the voice boomed."
"Right time for me to do what I do best." Star Armor walked out of the inn and back to the middle of town. By the time he got to the town's center the Steal Ranger was counting down the seconds.
"Five, four, three, two. One. Open Fire!" Every artillery piece on the hill lit up at the same time as Star Armor's horn. A light blue wall of magic enveloped the town. Star Armor grunted and his legs buckled a bit underneath him at the force of the explosive impact against the shield. He looked up to the hill and the rangers upon it. Many of them were looking down at him.
"Is that all you've got you traitorous dishonorable tin cans! You're a disgrace to the Rangers, the Ministry, and the Ministry Mare!" He yelled as loudly as he could his voice carrying through the shield.
"Continue the bombardment, Your shield will fail eventually Abomination, and then you, the traitor, and all of those tribals behind you will face the true power and righteous fury of the Ministry and its protectors. Each cannon fired just as fast as it could be reloaded. Shell after shell exploded against his shield. His legs buckled, his brow became drenched with sweat, and he grit his teeth as his shield was pushed to the absolute limit. Every shell felt like a strike to the head with a hammer. For a quarter of an hour the assault lasted though to him it felt like a thousand years before there was another explosion. This time though it wasn't against his shield, but was one of the Steel Ranger Cannons going up in flames. The sound of a battle horn filled the air along with the constant stream of grenades fired from Applejack Ranger power armor. A small power armored figure with a modified unicorn helmet ran up to him.
"Great job Star but we can take it from here," Violets voice said. "Alright everyone lets go kick some ass. Star you did enough you can stay here if you want."
"And let you have all the fun and glory not a chance. It's my turn to pound against their shields now." He gave a weak but completely sincere smile.
"That's the spirit come on big guy let's go!" He dropped his shield as he, Violet, and the town's militia joined the Applejack's Rangers in their attack on the hill. With their artillery destroyed, a battalion of Applejack rangers and a militia attack them the Steel Rangers soon broke. Star Armor was resting on a fallen tree as Knight Violet Whisper and a Paladin approached him. "This is him mom."
"You saved Pure Water?"
"Yes I did though if you hadn't shown up when you did I'm not sure it would have lasted. Are you the leader of this group."
"It's our duty, thank you, and my daughter told me you wanted information ask what you will."
"I'm looking for a teacher of mine Ranger Howitzer. Do you know where he could be?" The paladin looked at him for a while before nodding.
"Yes Ranger Howitzer is fighting in the extreme south of Equestria. If your going after him first please come with us back to the bunker, I'll give you some scavenged power armor, as far as I'm concerned if you want to join us you've proven your metal today."
Early the next morning before the sun rise Star Armor walked out of town in a set of power armor heading south.
