Equestria's Outcasts

by TheFullCrumb

Gifts Of Joy

Hammer opened his journal. It had been two months since they had crossed over through a strange rift to this land. Staring up at the ceiling, he sighed, and picked up his pencil.

"Journal Entry, Month of Ire. We arrived over two months ago, from our homeland of Airtseuqe. Our stay has been pleasant, but I still am trying to figure out a way to return home." He looked out the window, at Beanstalk playing in a snowdrift. Ire, in Airtseuqe, had always been the month where it snowed, so he had assumed that it was Ire. Hermes was building a snowpony, and Deepwood was arguing with Fluttershy on how to deal with hibernating animals. It tickled him inside. He returned his attention to the journal.

"My friends seem to be settling in well. To tell the truth, I do kind of like this land better than Airtseuqe. The ponies here are friendly, not cold and heartless. Well, I still can't figure out the motives behind Pinkie Pie. She makes not one ounce of sense." He glanced over to a gift-wrapped package sitting on his desk.

"It's close to Christmas, the one day every year where ponies in Airtseuqe, no matter who they are, give gifts to those who are dearest to them. My friends know the traditions, and I think Pumpjack's been spending at least seven hours each day for the last few days preparing for the eve of the greatest holiday of the year. I'm not that excited myself. Christmas always brings bad memories for me. My parents would always get my siblings toys, and leave me alone. Still, doesn't matter anymore. End of entry." He closed the journal, and slid on his winter jacket. It was cold outside, and he didn't want to feel it. As he trotted out the door, he was greeted by Scooter's shouting.

"Merry Christmas, Hammer! Whoa, y'all get along now!" Deepwood was about to smack Fluttershy over the head with her book.

"Seriously, Deepwood, the world works differently here. I'm just glad that we get to spend Christmas in a peaceful place, though." Fluttershy looked at him sideways.

"What's Christmas?" Hammer laughed and snorted. He looked at her, and saw she was actually serious.

"Oh. Well, it's a winter holiday in Airtseuqe, where, no matter who you are, you give gifts to other ponies, usually those closest to you. It's the jolliest holiday in the Airtseuqe calendar." Fluttershy smiled.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful." Hermes restrained Deepwood, making her drop her book.

"Well, everypony, I'm going to Ponyville. I need to pick up some metal for what I've been working on." He galloped away, a huge smile on his face.

"If I can just finish the last panel, the device will be complete, and we will be able to return home!" He shut his eyes, and imagined every pony in Airtseuqe celebrating Christmas. It made him feel warm inside, even if he would never get to celebrate it there. He opened his eyes just as he ran into Twilight.

"OOF! Oh, Twilight. Sorry, wasn't paying attention." She stood up and brushed herself off.

"No problem. I was on my way to see you and your friends, anyways. We wanted you to join us for our winter holiday, Hearth's Warming!" Hammer sighed.

"That's probably not going to happen, Twilight. You see, my friends and I, we celebrate a different holiday, called Christmas. We give gifts to each other, mementos that mean the greatest thing to us. It's an Airtseuqe holiday." Twilight smiled at him.

"That sounds nice. Maybe you could show Ponyville what it's like?" Hammer backed up.

"Well, I've ACTUALLY got business in Ponyville, but I might take you up on that offer, Twilight! See you!" She waved, and galloped towards the WheelWorks. He chuckled, and continued his trek towards Ponyville. He was quite happy for the path that some Pegasi had cleared for him and his friends, so they wouldn't have to trek through the snow like pioneers. Winter for Hammer was beautiful, and allowed him to think, and ponder.

"Slow down there, nelly. Don't want ya hurtin' yerself, now." Hammer tried to stop, but slid right into Applejack.

"Ah, what in tarnation?" She turned, and saw who it was.

"Ah, mighty sorry, Hammer." He got up, and shook himself off.

"No need, Applejack. I don't have time to talk, though. See you!" He galloped off again, hoping he didn't run into any more of those six.

His wish had come true, as the rest of his trek had been uneventful. Stopping at a local store, he picked up metal sheets which they had kept for him.

"Thanks, Keep. I owe you one." He flipped him four Airtseuqe coins, to which he glared at him.

"We don't accept play money here." Hammer stared him down.

"You realize that because I'm not from Equestria, I don't have the same money as you, right?" They leaned in closer, glares clashing. A pony who was about to ask a question backed away, seeing sparks between the two.

"Keep, those are worth the exact same amount as an Equestrian coin. The only difference is Luna on the coin." Some ponies in the store gasped.

"We only accept coins that have Celestia on them, Hammer!" Other ponies gasped. Hammer faced them.

"That's SLIGHTLY annoying. Could you go somewhere else and do that?" They left, slightly disappointed. Hammer turned to see Rarity plop three coins down on Keep's counter.

"That should do quite nicely." Hammer just stared, his jaw dropping. She turned to face him.

"Am I that stunning?" Hammer shut his mouth, and shook his head.

"Not really, Rarity. Keep here wouldn't accept my money because it has Luna on it. They're worth exactly the same." Keep pulled out a scale, and balanced out two coins, one being the Lunar coin, the other being the Solar coin. They were perfectly balanced.

"Whaddya know, you WERE right. Heh, should have just done this in the first place, huh?" Hammer nodded.

"Thanks, Keep. And thank you, Rarity. I'll be on my way-" Rarity cut him off mid sentence.

"You're not going out in that TACKY grey jacket, are you?" Hammer looked down at his jacket. It had been something that a classmate had given him on Christmas back in Airtseuqe, when he was in school. It was a dark grey, and it felt very comfortable.

"I don't see anything wrong with it." Rarity looked him up and down.

"Oh, but EVERYTHING'S wrong with it! The colour, the style, the SHAPE! This won't do! Come with me." She began dragging Hammer away, under protest.

"Hey, NO! I LIKE THIS JACKET!"

She dragged Hammer all the way to her Fashion Shop, where she slid the grey jacket off, and had him try on six different jackets. Each one he shrugged off, and each time he tried to get his own jacket back.

"Now, this one might work." Hammer stopped. It was dark green, but the seams were bright green, like wires. It looked incredible, but his jacket was one of his greatest treasures ever.

"I'm sorry, but no. That grey jacket was a gift from somepony, and banish me to the sun if I ever give it up." Rarity looked sideways at him.

"Is that even possible? How would one even be that horrid to be banished to the sun?" Hammer shook his head, and frowned.

"You won't understand, even if I tell you, Rarity." He looked at his grey jacket, his greatest treasure, and looked at Rarity. If he was going to show Ponyville what Christmas was, he would have to start with this pony. Picking up the jacket, he laid it in front of her.

"This is my greatest treasure, and I would like you to have it, Rarity." She stood back.

"Why are you giving me THIS of all things? Why not, well, a ruby, or a diamond?" He glared at her.

"Jewels mean nothing to an inventor. They have no practical purpose. That jacket has not worn out in the seven years I've had it. It's gone through fires, through explosions, and come out without a scratch, tear, rip, or scorch mark." She stared at him.

"But why ARE you giving me this." He smiled at her.

"In Airtseuqe, we celebrate a holiday called Christmas, where we take our most prized possession, wrap it up, and give it to another pony as a present. It's a holiday of giving, which is quite beautiful in Airtseuqe." Rarity looked at the jacket, a look of astonishment crossing her face.

"And you're giving your most prized possession to me? Well, uh, thank you, Hammer." He bowed his head in acknowledgment. Rarity looked around her shop, and settled her eyes on the green jacket. She picked it up with her magic, and settled it around Hammer's shoulders.

"You may have this." Hammer looked at the jacket. He stared at Rarity.

"But why?" She smiled a huge smile at him.

"Every jacket, dress, and suit that I make is a dear treasure to me. I want you to have this, as a memento for your holiday." He slid the jacket on, it feeling much nicer as a gift for a holiday that wasn't even celebrated in Equestria.

"Well, uh, well, thank you, Rarity." He trotted towards the door, a grin creeping across his face. He turned around, remembering something.

"Oh! Merry Christmas, Rarity!" She waved at him, somewhat confused.

Hermes zoomed into town, stopping right beside Hammer. Rainbow Dash flapped doggedly towards them, clearly showing signs of exhaustion. She settled down on the snow, and panted.

"I lost! Again!" Hermes smiled.

"You'll get be'er, mate. Don't you worry." Hammer stared at the two. Rainbow Dash was wearing a necklace made from wire he had given to Hermes for something that Hermes was working on. It was in the shape of a lightning bolt. Hermes was wearing a jacket with Rainbow Dash's Cutie Mark sewn on the back.

"I guess you've already explained to her what Christmas is, then, Hermes?" Rainbow Dash nodded.

"It sounds like an awesome holiday! Just right for a Pegasus like me!" Hammer laughed. Hermes poked his jacket.

"I don't think I've seen that before, Hammer. Where'd you get it?" He looked away, smiling.

"Well, Rarity now understands our holiday. I gave her my jacket as a gift. The grey one? It's gone through so much, it seems like it's practically indestructible. She gave me this jacket for a present." Pinkie Pie bounced past, Scooter flying beside her. Scooter was wearing a hat made out of a pie tin, and some old cans. Pinkie Pie was holding a toy car, made from wood and metal scraps. He smiled.

"Those six, our counterparts in this world, they're more understanding of us than I realized. Well, I've got to get back to the WheelWorks. See you all there!" Hermes stared at Rainbow Dash.

"Okay, one more time."

Hermes plopped down in his workshop, pulling out his device. It was a small generator-like device that, in theory, could duplicate the rift they entered through. He had no idea if it would work. Dragging out a small metal sheet, he bolted it onto the outside of the device, completing the final panel. Standing back, he admired his work.

"This would be the greatest Christmas present of all, if this worked." He opened the doors of the garage, and dragged the device a safe distance from the WheelWorks. As he set about preparing the device, a loud howling echoed through the Everfree Forest. A snowstorm was rolling in. Dialing the power up, he stood back, and hoped for the best. Lightning jumped from panel to panel on the device, while the centre began to glow. A large ball of white energy appeared, growing bigger, until it expanded into a large transparent disc. Picking up a rock, he tied a message quickly to it, and tossed it through.

----******

A portal appeared in the Mayor's office in Airtseuqe's Ponyville. He stared as a rock came flying through, crashing right onto his couch. He pulled a message off, and read it aloud.

"To Airtseuqe. We saved you. We, the OUTCASTS, saved you. Now hurry up and find a way so we can get home!"

----******

As the rock came back through with a reply, the rift machine exploded, throwing Hammer into a snowdrift. The snowstorm abruptly stopped, as if it had been connected to the rift machine itself. He popped his head out of the snowdrift.

"Just great. And here I thought I would get to see home again. Let's see what the message was." He picked up the rock, and nearly dropped the message.

"Hammer, Luna and Celestia were looking for you for two months. Just WHAT have you gotten yourself into?!" He crumpled up the message, and tossed it aside. There was no point in writing another message as a reply, the machine was destroyed. He sat down in the snow, a single tear sliding down his face.

"It's over. It's all over. That was the only way I knew of sending us back, and it blew up in my face. We're not going home." Deepwood trotted up beside him, and patted him on the back.

"Hammer, you did what you could. Without help, none of us will ever see Airtseuqe again. Equestria may be fun and friendly, but it's not our home. We're Outcasts, Hammer. We're Equestria's Outcasts." Hammer looked up at her with a straight face.

"It's hard, knowing that we could be here either a short while, or forever. It's really hard, Deepwood." A squeak from behind made Hammer stand up and flip around. Fluttershy was standing there, her face completely white.

"H-Hammer? L-look behind y-you." Hammer slowly turned around, to come face to face with what looked exactly like him, except it was darker, like a doppelganger.

"No. That's just not possible." The Shade laughed.

"Oh, but it IS possible, Hammer. A byproduct, if you may, of the rift machine's detonation. I am you, but worse." Hammer clenched his teeth, and stood there, unsure of what to do. The Shade merely walked away laughing.

"Until we meet again, Hammer. When we do, I will take what is mine, and destroy everything! HA HA!" The Shade disappeared, as if it had never been there. Hammer collapsed, his eyes completely blank.

"No. It can't be. I'M a destroyer?" Twilight Sparkle galloped up, and stared at Hammer.

"I heard the explosion. Just what happened." Hammer stood up, a dead expression on his face.

"I ruined everything. Now my shadow is loose, and he wants everything to burn." Twilight nudged him with her horn.

"Don't worry. Come on! Bring your friends, we've got a surprise for you!" Hammer and Deepwood looked at each other. Deepwood shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

When they arrived in Ponyville, it was quiet. WAY too quiet for Hammer's taste. As he and his friends arrived in the town square, ponies burst out from everywhere, and shouted in unison.

"Merry Christmas!" Hammer shook his head, while Hermes laughed.

"Well, mates, this is a new twist. How in Airtseuqe did they even know about Christmas?" Rarity walked forward, wearing Hammer's grey jacket, albeit with a few additions.

"I told them. After Hammer's immense kindness, I couldn't keep it from others. So I told them all." Pumpjack looked around.

"Would ya look at that? Every pony in Ponyville came!" Beanstalk smiled, and raced towards Applejack, her "Big Sister."

"Big Sister, this is amazing!" Applejack held her at leg's length from her.

"Now hold on, sugar cube, I ain't your big sister." Beanstalk stared up at her with puppy-dog eyes. She couldn't look away.

"Fine. Just today, though." Beanstalk squealed with excitement, and began bouncing around. Pinkie Pie came from seemingly nowhere, and joined her in bouncing around the celebration.

"I can't believe this, Rarity. You did this, for us?" Rarity nodded. Ponies all around picked up gifts, and gave them to one another.

"This is what you said, right? Each pony gives their favourite item as a gift to somepony they hold dear." Hammer nodded and laughed.

"Yep. That's what I said, all right. But this, this is just spectacular! This is the best Christmas ever!"