Rescue Process (10) (Patreon)

Lin followed Winston out of city hall. The unicorn walked with a confidence she couldn't imagine—not after a fight like the one they'd just survived.

“Was there really something you wanted me to see?” she asked, voice low. There were other ponies out here—from Earth and Equestria. Few of the villagers were still here, now that their help had been offered and their gifts enjoyed. Most were safely tucked into their homes by now. “Or did you just want me to follow you?”

The unicorn stopped next to a set of wooden steps, leading up around the building. “You don't want to climb onto the balcony? View is pretty nice up there.”

And cold, based on how much he was shivering. She sighed, then sped up, climbing the steps alongside him.

“I knew ponies were smart,” he said, conversationally. “Some of the prisoners were from Equestria. They could talk like us, think like us... but still.” He stepped out onto a balcony, then rested his forelegs against the railing. “Does this place feel weird to you? Like it shouldn’t exist, but you're walking around it anyway.”

“The village, you mean.” She settled onto her haunches beside him—not close enough to touch. Ponies might value that kind of physical contact, but she was still human. Guys needed more personal space. “Dunno. Guess it would be weird if they were animals, but they're not. They just happen to look like them, a little.”

“And so do we now, I know.” Winston's tail flicked nervously to either side, and he looked away from her. Smells were fainter out in the open, and surrounded by cold air. But unless she was mistaken, that scent was—embarrassment? Was he shy? “I'll get over it. Just one of those instincts. Wanted to see if you felt the same way.”

“Had other things on my mind,” she said, tucking both wings tight against her sides. If looking at her companion would only be more embarrassing, she could focus on something else instead. He was right about visibility, the sky was beautiful. 

Motherlode had few lights, and all were inside buildings. No highways or streetlights filled the sky with amber smears. This was the natural darkness, speckled with uncountable thousands of stars.

Maybe her vision was better too. She hadn't missed her glasses once since coming to Equestria. 

“We'll be home soon,” Winston said. “Not sure what that means for you, exactly. Life might be disrupted for a while. We've all been gone long enough to be declared dead, if they're even looking for us.”

“Guess so.” She shifted, opening her wings, then closing them again. “Don't we deserve more time to celebrate? All those things will still be looming over us when we get home again.”

He nodded. “Guess... that's the difference, since you're new. I've been here... a long time. Only thing that kept me going was thinking about home.”

He took a nervous step towards her, holding out a hoof. “Just thought I'd ask, so you know it's not just how you look. If you want to try something when we get back... there's this steak restaurant in downtown Seattle...” He held a hoof up to his mouth, imitating a bite. “I'd love to take you there. And if you like sailing, I've got a boat. Had a boat, anyway. Not sure what happened to my assets in the last year, but I would make it happen.”

She flushed, ears folding back again. She tucked her tail, but resisted the urge to turn and flee. She could be that brave. “You mean like a date?”

“When we get back,” Winston added. “This is all still new to you, I get it. Not sure where we'd find a steak anywhere in Equestria, anyway. But once we're back...”

Lincoln would obviously just say no. He might've been flattered, and would certainly be embarrassed for them both. But when she tried to form the words, they just wouldn't come.

Winston was brave. His fearlessness was part of the reason they were free in the first place. Lin had no idea what made for attractive in a stallion—but if she tried to think about that too hard, she really would die of embarrassment.

“I didn't mean to pressure you. If you've got something with Thomas or whatever, I don't want to get in your way.”

“Nothing with Thomas,” she said, a little too quickly. “Yeah, sounds great. When we get back to Earth, I'd love a nice steak.”

Even if Equestria knew about them now, it wasn't like they'd be walking back up the mountain to go home tomorrow. She'd have plenty of time to tell him the truth, so he wouldn't get the wrong idea. And in the short term, Lin wouldn't have to say no.

“Oh. Great! That's great.” He took a few steps away from her, eyeing the stairs. “Hopefully we get back soon. Equestria probably isn't eager to keep us around, anyway. Sitting around and hoping for rescue wasn't good enough.”

She remained on the balcony for a few minutes more, before following him back downstairs. The starlight gave her a better view the longer she let her eyes adjust. Even if she would never see as well as Night, it was still beautiful out here. She wouldn't mind a cabin up in a place like this. Maybe not on the mountain where she'd been enslaved, but if there were others as pretty.

By the time she slipped back inside, the food was gone and someone had put all the tables away. Only one of the lights was still on, near the restrooms in back. They'd separated roughly down the middle, with Equestrians on one side and former humans on the other. With a handful of rare exceptions, like Night. 

She found Thomas in a corner between stacks of chairs, where he'd piled up enough blankets for two. Despite the exhausting day, he wasn't asleep, but watched her approach.

“Wasn't sure you would make it,” he whispered. “Saw Winston come in.”

“Yeah.” Lin curled up opposite him, tucking under the blankets.

“Wonder when we'll get our own space again,” Thomas whispered, after a little while. “You think Equestria has hotels? Maybe they'll put us up while we wait for the trip back.”

“Would be nice,” she answered, quiet. “Sure everyone wants to get home as soon as they can.” 

“Sooner the better.”

Should I tell him? Thomas won't care someone asked me out. Might even think it's hilarious. But in the quiet of their shelter, there was no way to say anything without a high chance it would be overheard. Thomas could still make things a lot harder for her by talking about the person Lin used to be.

She slept, eventually. But not for long enough. It was barely even light outside by the time someone switched the lights on, and several ponies made their way through the door. Three in total, all wearing the golden armor.

She rolled sideways, sitting up in her makeshift bed. She wasn't fully awake yet, and so in no hurry to leave that warm space. Some habits were hard to break, even in the face of overwhelming awkwardness. Weeks in that awful mine taught her she was safe with Thomas nearby. That was still true now.

“Sorry to wake everypony up,” said one of the guards—the same pegasus who had flown up the mountain the day before. “But there's been a development. If we could have your attention.”

“Equestria's on their way?” Shauna asked. She was already on her hooves, making her way over before he could say another word. She put herself roughly between the guards and the former-humans, scattered in their beds. “Rescue is coming?”

“Could've slept if it was,” someone groaned, from the crowd. “We can't make them get here any faster.”

He's right. Lin tensed, moving a little closer to Thomas. Her companion remained in bed, though his breathing had changed. He was awake now, even if he didn't want to get up. Maybe he hoped they could go back to sleep.

“Message was sent,” he said. “But there's nothing more Motherlode can do for you. The ponies have generously provided some supplies for you to bring, and a map.”

Shauna settled onto her haunches, planting herself on the floor. “Nothing more you can do? Doesn't seem like we're asking much here. Somewhere warm and safe to wait for the authorities.”

“Nopony wants to,” said one of the other guards, an older stallion. He was an earth pony, bulky enough to face Shauna with more confidence. He was so large, in fact, that his armor barely even fit. “But that's how it has to be. We don't have the... means, to care for creatures like you.”

Like you. Those last words hit Lin like a physical blow. There was real fear behind them.

“We have injured,” Shauna said, raising her voice. “They can't walk anywhere. Forcing them out now is as good as killing them.”

“Nopony will force them to go with you,” Pattern said, from his side of the room. He was already awake, and might've been for some time. 

You knew this was going to happen. You might've even told them to do it. 

“They can join us when rescue arrives. But a few hurt ponies in their beds is a far cry from... all of you.”

“Nopony wants this to get... awkward,” said the first pegasus. Hard to believe the same stallion who would fly so fast to bring help would be so heartless now. “But it's best if you move on. There's Salt Lick City at the base of the mountain. They have a train station. You can ride straight to Canterlot from there.”

“After hiking through the wilderness,” Shauna said, a little louder now. “We spent months in that mine, longer for some of us. We heard of an Equestria that was kind and friendly. Is this how you treat strangers who arrive in your homes in desperate need of help? Send us out after one night to die in the mountains?”

That silenced them. The scattered guards had no reply to that. Maybe it would've worked, if it wasn't for Pattern. “You killed. Some more, some less. But you were all willing to do it. Real ponies would never do that. Even Discord got locked in stone. You're too dangerous to live with. Too dangerous to trust.”

“We'll take care of the injured,” said the gold-armored guard. “And we mean that. We've sent messages to Canterlot by telegraph—they know of your arrival. There will probably be royal representatives in Salt Lick when you arrive. But stay here, outnumbering real ponies with... your kind. It's not safe, for any of us.”

Shauna stood, turning her back on the guards. “I know none of mine want any conflict with you. Despite what that coward Pattern might've told you. If you won't have us, if you're okay living with the consequences, then we'll leave.”

She spun back around. “We need time to prepare. Access to the water and public shower from last night. We'll be gone as soon as we can.”

“By noon,” the gold-armored pegasus said. “Please. Sooner is better. Once the village learned what you were, there's been... considerable discomfort. It's not just for our safety that you leave, but yours as well.”

It didn't take that long, really. Furious or not, no one wanted to stick around in Motherlode knowing just how much the locals hated them. Everyone gathered their belongings, along with the food the locals had packed for them. Not enough for such a large group to last very long—but it was better than nothing.

Lin wasn't really surprised to see the native ponies staying behind. Despite what the locals claimed about the need to empty out the village, they all knew who was really the target here. 

But not every Equestrian stayed behind. When it came time to leave, Night settled down to the ground alongside a few others. Not everyone who had fought with them, but most. 

“You're not staying?” Lin asked. “They aren't forcing you to leave.”

The bat tilted her head to one side. “Thestrals still remember what it's like to be hated for what we were, not who we were. Besides... if they're willing to act this way with you, they'll do the same to the rest of us. We're dirty reminders, that ponies aren't as different as they think.”

Lin touched up against her in an Equestrian hug, beaming. “Thanks for sticking around, Night. Means a lot.”

She grinned back. “It's better this way. Now I don't have to say goodbye to a friend.”