Getting Shy

It was total bullshit and Patrick had a hard time keeping a tight rein on his temper as he stalked out of the bank. Their ad was a complete lie! 'Instant loan' it said, except that in this case 'Instant' meant something like two or three days! Not to mention that he hadn't been able to get as much as he needed. The way things were going he might be able to pay off Nigel, but it'd leave him almost nothing to live on. He'd have to stay in Anton's flat for at least another month, no way he could afford to move before he got a paycheck or two.

Perhaps the only blessing in disguise had been that he wouldn't have to start paying the loan back for a couple of months which gave him some breathing room. If he could get his security deposit back from Anton and if he and 'Shy didn't mind living very frugally, they could move next month. It'd mean they'd both be very near Mason for a while longer which wasn't a situation Patrick particularly liked. The worst part of it was that there was no way he could get money to Nigel that night. He'd withdrawn a couple hundred bucks, hoping he could put it down as a deposit or something with a promise that he'd bring the rest and get 'Shy on Friday.

He somehow made it to his car and sat, staring out at the road in frustration. Things just kept getting worse and worse at every turn. What irked him most of all was that it was 'Shy who paid the price. She was the one stuck in a cage or something!

"Fuck!"

Swearing didn't help in the slightest and Pat slumped back in his seat. It was still early and he'd have to wait the whole day before he could try talking with Nigel. It was a distasteful idea, but the only thing Patrick could think of was to go to work. It wasn't far, he had some deodorant in the car and if he swallowed enough coffee he'd make it through the day. He would really need the money. He'd even have to start picking up more overtime so that he and 'Shy wouldn't starve while he was paying back the damned loan shark bank!

With luck he'd be able to focus on his job at least enough that Harris wouldn't fire him for incompetence by the end of the day. Pat put the key in the ignition and seriously considered going home. At least there he wouldn't have to deal with people, or look at his coworkers.

Except...

He imagined sitting in front of the TV and waiting for the hours to pass. It would drag on and on, each mindless show more inane than the last. Maybe having something concrete to do would be slightly better, especially if it resulted in more money at the end of the month. Maybe his luck would change and Paul wouldn't ask about the documents he'd seen. Pat really couldn't handle coming up with a believable explanation, not on this day. He looked at piece of paper in his hand once more, just to make sure he had everything correct. Ten thousand. That was all the bank was willing to give him, based on his salary, spending, and the fact that he didn't want to say what the loan was for.

Ten thousand. Still five short from what he needed.

If he emptied his account and maxed out his credit cards it'd get him there, but it wouldn't leave much room for error. He tried to think back to his flat, remember what he had in the fridge and the freezer. He wouldn't be buying any significant groceries until the next paycheck, which wouldn't come for at least the next two weeks. Hopefully 'Shy had stocked more food at his place, Patrick hoped. With her cooking they might be able to get through it. Maybe he could do odd jobs or something for a bit of quick cash. They were always looking for Uber drivers, weren't they? There was no denying it and the knowledge felt like a physical weight, sitting on his lungs and making it harder to breathe. Getting 'Shy out of this mess would basically bankrupt him.

The critical intersection was coming up and Pat grimaced to himself as he took the left lane. That road led to the office. He'd really need the money and he had time to kill.

"Go on, get out of here Patrick," Harris was saying as he passed his desk. He had his coat and suitcase, obviously on his way out, but Pat was still flipping through the report sheets on his computer. He glanced at the clock and almost groaned. Barely past six. Seven more hours until he could try and do something about Fluttershy. Almost a whole shift.

"Just gonna finish this paperwork."

His boss stopped and examined his screen. "It can wait until tomorrow. Come on, you probably have better things to do."

"I really don't. I'll wrap it up in a minute."

Harris gave up and shrugged. "Well, suit yourself. This isn't overtime, by the way. If you wanna do overtime, you have to tell me in advance so I can run it past HR. They've been getting strict on it."

This was important news and Patrick looked up from his work so he could pay attention. "Okay, I wanna do more overtime. I need the money," he told the man.

"You're not developing a drug habit, are you?" Harris asked, but then immediately chuckled to show it was a joke.

Pat laughed as well, but it was a bit forced. His heart wasn't really in it. "No, just wanna move closer to work so I need a bit of extra cash for a while."

"Well, come by my office tomorrow and we'll see if we can move some people around. A few of them in Complaints have been yammering about reducing their hours."

It was one of the least pleasant jobs in the whole department, but Patrick kept his face neutral. He really needed the money. "Sure. I could do that for a while, give them a breather at least."

Harris patted his shoulder and then picked up his suitcase again. "Keep it up and you'll get yourself a promotion, Pat."

That would be even better paycheck-wise and Patrick perked up. He hadn't really thought about striving for a better position because he'd always known he would be moving on to a better job soon. Except that 'soon' had lasted for over two years now. Maybe 'up' was an easier way out of the call center? "I'll try. Um, sorry about yesterday. Oh, and the day before. It was just one of those things..."

By this time Harris was getting impatient to leave so he waved it away. "Don't worry about it. It happens. Bye!"

Patrick didn't reply as he turned back to his screen. He had nowhere else to be until eleven. The drive to the warehouse was about an hour and he wanted to get there a little sooner so he wouldn't miss Nigel. That meant he still had a lot of time and might as well do some of his paperwork so he wouldn't have to do it the next day. He hadn't lied to Harris, it would just take a few more minutes and then he'd leave.

He got another idea and stared at the far wall in deep thought. He had to visit home for a short while and speak with Anton. In fact, having something concrete to do - something directly related to him and 'Shy - was infinitely preferable to Excel. He jabbed his finger at the monitor to turn it off, then stood and hurried out of the building.

With luck his landlord would be home this evening.

It took a bit of knocking on the door and some waiting, but eventually Anton made his way to his front door. He opened it a crack and peered out suspiciously until he spotted who it was.

"Patrick? Why are you banging on my door at this hour?"

"It's seven, Mr. Petrinov."

"Hold on," the man said and closed the door fully so he could unlatch it. Then he opened it and stepped aside in an invitation.

Strange, Pat reflected as he stepped inside, how it felt weird to walk into an apartment less than six feet away from his. Everything was eerily familiar, yet strangely different. Whatever architect had designed the house, they hadn't changed the floor layout much between upstairs and downstairs. Anton led his unannounced guest to the kitchen table and motioned to a chair. He didn't sit himself but went to rummage in one of the cabinets.

It was full of bottles, every imaginable shape and color. Patrick remembered once again that the man worked in a bar. It would make sense his home was quite well stocked. He also couldn't help noticing that the sink was full, there were dirty dishes on the table and items of clothing on the couch. It reminded him strongly of what his own flat had looked like before Fluttershy had become a more permanent visitor. A bachelor's pad, almost straight out of the textbook.

He only realized that Anton had sat down when the man slid a glass over. It had the smell of strong spirits, but he couldn't recognize what exactly at first glance. Maybe some kind of gin? It was only polite to take it and wet his lips, but Pat didn't want to drink, especially tonight.

"So, what brings you around?" his landlord asked. "Mason still giving you trouble?"

Patrick blinked in surprise. He'd hardly even thought about his other neighbor that day. All his energy was focused on getting 'Shy out of that warehouse and seeing them through the immediate future. "Actually no. We sorted it out," he said truthfully.

Anton raised his glass and inclined his head. "Good, good," he commented before taking a sip himself. "So, what can I do for you? Everything okay with the flat?"

This was a hard topic to broach but Patrick swallowed the lump and gave it a try: "A-Actually, I'm thinking of moving out..."

Petrinov's mouth quirked up in a knowing half-smile for a moment. "I see. Because of Mason?"

"Yeah. Um, partly. I also wanna be closer to work, I can't keep driving an hour each way."

Unfortunately Anton didn't buy it and chuckled. He paused only long enough to take a gulp from his glass, then went right back at laughing. "You wanna live somewhere everyone doesn't know about you and that little horse of yours, yes?"

That hit too close to the mark and Patrick couldn't stop his face from growing hot.

Seeing that, Anton just chuckled harder. "Listen, Pat," he finally went on, "I am not the one to judge. Back where I come from? Every other house there is a goat-fucker, or a sheep-fucker." He sighed and got a faraway look in his eyes, missing his homeland despite his disparaging remark. "Sometimes I am thinking the only reason we aren't having more horse-fuckers is because we don't have many horses."

He started to chuckle again and Patrick felt obliged to join in, as if the man had told a joke. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so he took his glass once again. Anton noticed that and raised his as well.

They clinked, then drank a little. "So, how can I help you achieve this American dream?"

Pat relaxed a little. He'd known Anton was mostly fine with him and Fluttershy, even if he laughed.

"Well, I was wondering... can you take my next rent out of my security deposit? The flat is fine, so I don't think you'll need it. I'm thinking I'll move out next month. Um, could you give me back what's left over after rent and utilities?"

Mr. Petrinov worked his mouth as he regarded him, but then he shrugged a little. "Fine. Fine. I'll come up tomorrow and we will check on things. If everything is alright I am not seeing a problem."

This was good news and Pat managed a small, relieved smile. "Thanks. Really. It means a lot."

"So where is that little horse of yours? Mason keeping her in the house?" Anton asked, pouring himself another shot of liquor. He downed about a half of it in one go, then pointed at Patrick with the glass. "He looked pretty mad the other day."

Pat wondered how much he could tell Anton. "Nah, he got rid of her," he said at last. His landlord was fine with them, but there was no real reason to push it.

Anton shrugged and emptied his glass with his next gulp. "Shame. She was a pretty little thing. Yellow, like butter. I am never seeing a yellow horse before, but I'm thinking it looked good."

"Yeah..." Patrick settled back and fingered his glass some more. The fact that he wouldn't have to pay rent next month and get some money back from Petrinov was a load off his chest. It'd make moving significantly easier. The only hurdle was whether he could convince Nigel to wait a couple of days. Hopefully the bargaining skills he'd picked up working in a call center would come in handy.

A glance at the clock showed him he still had four hours or so. Maybe he should shower and change his clothes. He should probably also eat something. He became aware that he other man was talking.

"So what do you say?" Anton finished.

"Huh? Sorry, I was thinking about work."

Anton grinned and repeated: "I am saying: wanna stay for dinner? I have a nice link of kielbasa ready to be fried and you can tell me more about your horse."

"She wasn't really mine."

That statement made the old man bark a laugh. "Ha! Maybe not on paper, but that horse was yours. Trust me!"

"Well... okay," Patrick conceded. "For starters she really doesn't like being called a horse..."

The agreed time was almost there and Patrick felt more and more nervous by the minute. He really hoped Nigel wouldn't just dismiss him out of hand because he couldn't get the money in time. He sat in his car next to the ramp outside the warehouse and waited for the other guy to show up. It was already past one in the morning, so Pat was starting to fidget a little. To his relief there was a sudden car driving down the street. All he could see were the headlights, but no one else seemed to come near the area so maybe it was Nigel.

His hunch was confirmed when the other car stopped next to his. He waited in his seat until he saw Nigel get out and then quickly followed.

The man didn't greet him and went straight to the point: "You got the money?"

It was the question he had been dreading, but Patrick gathered his resolve and tried to make his voice as matter-of-fact as possible. "Bank's gonna need a few days. That's not a problem, is it?"

Nigel looked doubtful and turned to get back in his car, but Pat went on with a touch more urgency than he would have liked. "Listen, I'm gonna get it. The deal is still on, I'm just asking you to wait a few days. I'll have it Friday latest."

The other guy was already sitting down and lighting a cigarette. He shrugged. "Okay, it might still be here on Friday. It's not eating so I can't say when it'll fall over. I can't promise anything if that happens, I'll have to call a vet."

"Okay, okay. How about if you let me see her for a minute? I'll talk her into eating and you can keep her around until Friday?"

Nigel was about to laugh, but Patrick pulled a wad of bills out of his pocket. "Here! Let's call it a down payment, okay? I got five hundred right now, you let me see Fluttershy and I tell her to behave until Friday, how's that?"

The mention of money instantly changed the atmosphere and Nigel put his car key back into his front shirt pocket. It was an encouraging sign. Pat held out the wad of cash and Nigel took it.

"I'm not giving you the money back if it's gone by Friday."

His continued use of 'it' for Fluttershy was starting to really bug him, but Patrick clamped his mouth shut and didn't say anything. With luck, he'd only have to deal with the jerk for a few more days and then never see him again. "Just try your best to keep her here. I'll have the rest of the money."

Nigel gave a shrug as he took a cigarette out and lit it. "Friday," he confirmed. "Come on..." He walked over to the guard's hut and pulled a different keyring out of his pants pocket. It jingled as he searched for the right key so he could unlock the flimsy-looking building.

Pat didn't understand why he needed to get in there, but didn't comment as long as he'd get to see 'Shy shortly.

A minute later Nigel came back and closed the door, but didn't lock it. Seeing Pat's silent, questioning look, he explained: "Had to turn down the security cameras and motion sensors. I'll put them back when we're done."

That made sense and Patrick was suddenly grateful he hadn't tried breaking in the other night. A fresh worry popped up, though. "Um, the cameras. Are they just inside or around the building as well?" he asked.

"Inside. Truckers sometimes sleep in the parking lot so there's been too many false alarms."

Relief flooded through him and Patrick followed the tall, bearded man through the passenger gate. It looked like it wasn't locked and he felt a little stupid for climbing under the ramp the other night. They crossed the parking space in silence and Nigel didn't seem at all concerned about the parked trucks. Maybe the drivers weren't sleeping in them this particular night. Nigel would, of course, know about that if he worked there. Pretty soon they were at the human-sized entrance Pat had first tried the other day. This time it went better because Nigel had the keycard for the scanner next to the door.

It was finally the moment when he'd get to see 'Shy again, but against all reason Patrick was suddenly nervous. Would she blame him for her situation? What if she was upset that she'd ended up in this place and thought it was all his fault? Maybe she wouldn't even want him to rescue her.

He shook his head in denial. No, Fluttershy would want to get out and be with him, surely.

The other man flipping his cigarette on the ground woke Pat from his thoughts and he followed Nigel into the building, where he was immediately hit by a strong scent of manure. The smell reminded him of a farm and he could see hay scattered on the floor. It was weird to think that part of the warehouse was still being used for its original purpose and this part had been converted into a makeshift stable. The floor was partitioned into small stalls with what looked like wooden walls. The front was made of iron bars and hinged so it could be opened, and there were pipes running above the whole thing to deliver drinking water.

Patrick could only see the nearest cage and a gray lump lying in the middle. He recognized the unmistakable shape of a pony and his heart sped up when he thought he saw wings, but Nigel flicked a switch and the stalls were instantly bathed in a harsh, white light. It wasn't 'Shy. It was a light pink pony with a mane even more garishly pink than Fluttershy's. She - Pat had a feeling it was a girl - was facing away so he could see her cutie mark. It was a pink and blue cupcake.

The sudden light made the mare wake up and blink at him, before scrunching up her muzzle in distaste and laying back down, intent on ignoring him.

"This way," Nigel urged.

Patrick followed, but couldn't stop himself from glancing in each stall, or cage, whatever they were. The second pony was pink again, but her mane and tail were mint-green. She was smiling and staring right at him with big, hopeful eyes.

"Hi mister!" she chirped as soon as she caught his gaze. "Are you looking for a pony?"

Patrick blushed and looked away, suddenly feeling sorry for himself for having to crush this young pony's dreams. She obviously wanted to leave this place, unlike the last one. "S-Sorry, m-maybe some other time," he mumbled.

Up ahead Nigel glanced back and laughed. "Don't look at them," he advised. "They'll say anything to get out of here." He banged on the wood next to him and raised his voice: "No begging, you lot. Back to sleep!"

Pat kept walking, but couldn't keep himself from sneaking a few more glances. The ponies remained standing for the most part, but they stole nervous glances at Nigel and kept quiet. They didn't spare their big, soulful, longing eyes, though.

The next pony had to be male, Pat decided. Brown, but with a dark red mane and tail. He quickly moved on, seeing a larger mare, purple and with three flowers as a cutie mark. She wasn't begging to be taken, but she was sitting upright to see the newcomer. If he had to name her expression, it was resigned. She looked older than the three before her. The next one, a little more optimistic but not meeting his gaze was a violet mare with a blonde mane.

None of them were unicorns, Patrick couldn't help but notice. Maybe those were too valuable, or maybe they were kept elsewhere because of their magic. These simple cages surely wouldn't present an obstacle to someone who could do actual magic. For that matter, he hadn't seen many pegasi either. A cough sounded and Pat hurried on to where Nigel was waiting for him in front of one of the cages. His stomach felt tight when he realized it was probably Fluttershy's.

He came to a stop next to the other man and looked inside. The sight was heartbreaking. Despite the light and the commotion, 'Shy was still curled up into a tight little ball. She'd never been fat, but now he could clearly see each rib and her legs looked even thinner than before. He could also see her hips starting to protrude a little in contrast to her gaunt belly.

"H-Hey, um Fluttershy," he said softly.

He thought, just for a second, that it would be easier if she didn't wake up. Except, if he left her without hope, she might not even make it to Friday. Was she even drinking water? At the sound of his voice one of her ears flicked and focused on him. 'Shy stirred and dragged herself up into a sitting position. When she turned around and blinked in the strong light, Patrick could see how red her eyes were and he had to struggle not to tear up himself.

"Is- is it really you?" she asked in a small, tired voice.

"Yes! I'll get you out of here, I promise. You gotta trust me, okay?"

She glanced at Nigel, then back at Pat with fresh hope in her eyes. "Really?" Her voice was barely above a whisper and he had to strain to hear it.

He turned to the other man. "Can you open the cage for a minute?"

Nigel thought it over, then shook his head. "Sorry. Bring money Friday and you can take it home and fuck it all you want, but it stays locked today."

Patrick sighed heavily and turned back to 'Shy, trying to put the obnoxious guy out of his mind. "Look, 'Shy, I'm putting together the money to get you out. I'll have it on Friday, okay? That's just a couple more days. I need you to eat and drink so you don't fall over by then, okay?"

She leaned her head to the side, disappointment almost washing out the hope from a moment earlier. "So you're not taking me out?"

"Just two more days. I'm sorry, I really am. I can't get it any faster, okay?"

She hung her head for a moment, but when she looked up there was a brave little smile on her muzzle. "It's okay. I'll wait... f-for you."

"You'll eat?"

Once again she looked down in thought, then shrugged a little to herself. "Okay."

It was a relief and Patrick allowed himself to breathe a little easier. He stepped closer and crouched down so he could be closer to her. The bars were barely wide enough for his hand, but he still reached inside.

"Careful, they sometimes bite," Nigel warned, but Pat ignored him.

He couldn't quite reach Fluttershy and she stared at his hand dumbly, as if not understanding what he wanted. At last she stood up on shaky legs and came a little closer. Only then did Pat spot a heavy-looking chain connecting her collar to a ring in the floor.

It rattled as she moved. "Pat- I'm- they..."

"Hush. It's okay. Just a couple more days and you'll be out of here."

She looked around, but the walls of her stall blocked her sight on all sides. "Can you take my friends out as well?" she asked.

Her expression said she already knew what the answer would be, but it still broke Patrick's heart to have to tell her. "I'm really sorry, 'Shy, but I can hardly afford to get you out of here. I- I just can't."

She nodded, but it was absentminded and meant only for herself. Maybe she was silently answering her own question in the privacy of her thoughts. Patrick strained to bring his hand closer, but his elbow was too big to fit through the bars.

Fluttershy noticed and came a little closer still, enough so she could sniff his fingers.

"Just a few more days, okay? I'll come get you and we'll go away. No more Mason, just us, okay?" Pat said.

It took her a few more moments, but then she nodded, even if her mouth was pressed firmly together in a line. She would probably be sad about her friends for a long time, but right then Patrick's main concern was to get her out. The others could wait.

Finally she closed the last bit of distance and nuzzled his palm, closing her eyes and sighing in comfort. He kept his hand still and let her rub her muzzle against it as much as she wanted. He hooked his fingers in case she wanted a scratch, but she just kept pushing her nose between his fingers and inhaling as deeply as she could.

Finally she give his palm a warm lick and pulled away. "I'll wait. I promise," she said.

"Thanks. I'm sorry. I'll come get you, I promise."

Above him Nigel cleared his throat and Patrick withdrew his hand with some regret.

"Cute," the guy said. "You've seen it, now let's go. I can't leave the cameras off for too long or someone might get suspicious."

Pat gave him a nod as he followed, but he kept looking back at the cage where Fluttershy had sat down again and was staring out at him. Soon he lost sight of her and focused on the ground in front of his feet. Seeing 'Shy, knowing that she was alive and mostly well was good, but it had drained him. All he wanted to do was sleep. He still had work and by the time he made it home it would be extremely late. At best he could hope for a couple of hours of sleep before he had to get up.

Hopefully he wouldn't nod off behind the wheel on his way back, Patrick thought to himself as he followed Nigel back into the chilly night air.