Escape from Arora Ridge Quarry

Misty frowned as she followed Hitch through the trees and undergrowth. It was early morning, and they were heading towards the hide.

“So, how come Zipp didn’t come back to camp last night?” Misty asked.

“She wanted to keep an eye overnight,” Hitch sighed. “I suggested we take watches, but she wouldn’t have it.”

“I think Feather Breeze was glad you helped her back,” Misty pointed out. “She looked pretty frazzled.”

“Yeah, she’s been getting really worked up,” Hitch groaned. “Truthfully, I’m not feeling at all happy right now either. But we’re here and I know we’ll find a way to help everycreature.” He sighed. “It’s just...”

Misty blinked with confusion as Hitch trailed off. “Just what?”

“I’m worried about how we’ll get messages from the creatures,” Hitch admitted before sighing again. “We need to make some progress and yesterday felt like it was just a series of dead ends. I know you’ve been working really, really hard too. But that’s another thing that worries me, you’re working too hard.”

Misty sighed and looked at the ground as she walked along. “I...I’ve admitted defeat.”

Hitch blinked with confusion. “Defeat?”

“The messaging spell,” Misty clarified. “This morning when I woke up, I decided enough was enough. I can’t make the next step right now. I need to look up old ponish and I don’t have enough translations with me.”

Hitch frowned with thought before looking back and smiling. “It’s okay, Misty. I know you’ll get your head around it eventually. We’ll find another way.”

“Y...Yeah, we will,” Misty said as they arrived at the hide.

She frowned, she'd already had an idea. However, it was one she knew Hitch probably wouldn’t like.

Elsewhere, the lights in the confinement hut suddenly turned on, flooding it with light.

Sunny grunted as she awoke with a jolt. She’d had yet another bad dream and she groaned as she rubbed her eyes. I’m going to have to accept it. I’ll keep having these dreams until I’m out of here.

She grunted as she found another source of discomfort that morning, she’d rolled over onto her side during the night. Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, despite the hard mat, she’d been sleeping on her side in the main hut without any issue.

However, with her wings strapped up and immobile, she’d found lying on her side painful. Therefore, she’d been sleeping on her belly, using her forelegs as pillows. By moving in her sleep, she’d inadvertently slept on her left wing for some time, and it felt numb.

She grunted in discomfort as she struggled to her hoofs. Pins and needles shot through the wing making her wince. With the straps, she couldn’t move it to find relief. I need to massage it or something, but what could I use?

Sugar blinked drowsily as she heard the bars of her cage rattling. Looking up with half-closed eyes she saw Sunny was rubbing her wing on the bars with a pained expression on her face. Worriedly, Sugar struggled to her hoofs and moved towards the bars.

Sunny grunted, rubbing the wing wasn’t helping and the pins and needles worsened. Then, she realised Sugar had arrived and looked like she wanted to help. Please, Sugar. Please work out what I need.

Sugar frowned as Sunny grunted and her wing twitched within the straps. She glanced towards the port, but the LED remained red. She groaned, they were still stuck playing charades, she hated charades.

She inspected the straps, assuming they were too tight. However, she couldn’t see how they were buckled nor how to release them. She sat down and carefully gave the straps a gentle tug to see if there was a way to adjust them.

Sunny frowned. Well, that’s not exactly what I need but... OUCH!

Feeling a sharp pain in the back of her head, Sunny flinched and growled into her muzzle. Closing her eyes, she shook her head violently.

Sugar gasped as she pulled her hoofs back in shock, looking between her hoofs and the straps with wide eyes. She’d heard Sunny’s bridle shock her and knew it was because she’d been fiddling with the straps.

She was expecting Sunny to be upset. Or at least to move away from the bars so she couldn’t do any more harm. Therefore, she was surprised when Sunny leaned in closer and resumed rubbing on the bars.

It’s okay, Sugar. Sunny thought. I didn’t expect that either. Please, I still need your help here.

Sugar glanced over to the port again and groaned, the LED was still red. She looked back at Sunny and suddenly realised, she wasn’t rubbing the straps, she was rubbing between them.

Tentatively, Sugar raised her hoofs towards the wing, stopping just short of touching it. She wasn’t at all sure how a wing worked, let alone one that appeared ethereal. Therefore, she was more than a little worried about doing more harm than good.

However, Sunny nodded enthusiastically and moved so Sugar’s hoofs were nearer the muscles. Then, she made a circular motion with her head. Come on, Sugar. Just there, rub there.

Sugar gulped and placed her hoofs on the wing. Her eyes widened in surprise; the feathers felt so soft. So much that she couldn’t help running her hoofs down them.

She shook her head and moved her hoofs back to where Sunny wanted them. Then, she started to massage the wing's muscles. Feeling how real it felt, she had to remind herself that Sunny’s wings could disappear.

Sunny couldn’t help letting out a sigh of relief as the pins and needles disappeared. She let Sugar continue massaging and rubbing until she noticed the LED on the port turn green. She grunted and gestured towards it.

Sugar stopped what she was doing and frowned. Then, she looked towards the port and realised what Sunny meant.

They both headed towards their respective ports. Feeling relieved as, after a few clicks, they pulled their faces free.

“Thank you, Sugar,” Sunny breathed. “That wing was hurting so much.”

“It...It was?” Sugar gasped. “I thought it felt so, well, real.”

“Yeah, I suppose it’s strange really,” Sunny admitted. “They feel just the same as every other part of my body.”

Sugar looked thoughtful as food and water were dispensed into their bowls.

“Do you think they’re going to become real? Like flesh and bone real?”

Sunny frowned thoughtfully as she chewed a mouthful of food. Finally answering after she’d swallowed. “I’ve not really considered it. I mean, I’ve felt more and more comfortable with them and having them feels right. They don’t surprise me anymore, I can feel when they’re going to appear and stop them if needed.”

“Well, if you do become a full flesh and bone Alicorn. I don’t think it could happen to a better pony,” Sugar smiled.

Sunny blinked with surprise before smiling gratefully. “Thank you, Sugar. That means a lot.”

Sugar only smiled as they both continued eating and drinking, fully aware their time to do so was limited.

Meanwhile, Hitch and Misty had arrived at the hide to find Zipp was already half asleep. They didn’t get much out of her before she eventually moved to one side and fell asleep completely.

As they watched the quarry, Misty frowned as she looked through the binoculars. She flipped to an empty page in a notebook and began making notes.

Hitch was also looking through his binoculars. Knowing that Zipp would want notes, he narrated the movements into a recorder as the creatures were brought from their huts. The Nirik worked through each hut, one by one, and took the creatures off to their various work sites.

After some time, Misty looked at Hitch and then at Zipp who was snoring away.

“We should do something with her,” Hitch frowned.

“I could teleport her back to camp,” Misty suggested. “Do you think she’s fast asleep?”

Hitch blinked and looked at Zipp, he gave her a gentle poke with a hoof before smiling. “Yeah, I’d say she’s fast asleep now. She won’t notice.”

“Okay, back in a flash,” Misty replied as she put her binoculars down.

She moved over to Zipp’s sleeping form before carefully touching her with a hoof. As her horn glowed, there was a flash and they both disappeared.

Hitch frowned as he picked up Misty’s notebook and looked through the scribbled notes. His frown deepened the more he read, and he couldn’t help groaning. “You gotta be kidding me. There’s got to be a better way than that.”

He put the notebook back and resumed looking through his binoculars.

A couple of minutes later there was another flash as Misty reappeared. “I left her with Pipp.”

Hitch smiled and nodded. “That’s good. She’ll likely have a few words when Zipp wakes up.”

“Yeah, she wasn’t best pleased to hear Zipp had stayed up all night.”

“Says the one who’s been staying up the longest,” Hitch winked.

Misty looked down sadly. “Yeah, I’m going to try to avoid that now.”

“If Zipp wants round-the-clock surveillance we need to set up watches,” Hitch explained before groaning. “It’s no good. I can’t see any way that those pulling carts would be able to leave messages for us. I just saw a pair of Hippogriffs getting in trouble for stopping.”

“Stopping?” Misty said as she resumed her previous position.

“Yeah, the carts only stop to be loaded and unloaded. The problem then is they’re watched continually. There’s no chance for them to leave anything.”

Misty nodded understandingly and looked back through her binoculars. “What about the creatures digging?”

“No good, they’re watched even more closely. The Griffons when they’re flying the ore could maybe do something.”

“Okay, so where do we set a drop like that up?” Misty asked.

Hitch frowned as he watched the Griffons closely. “N…Not sure,” he admitted.

Hitch and Misty continued to watch the Quarry for some time. Paying close attention to the Griffons as they flew the ore from the digging sites to various inclines. However, their quest to find a suitable drop site was difficult and they made little progress.

Eventually, Hitch groaned and shook his head in defeat. “I...I’ve seen your notes, Misty.”

Misty squeaked as her eyes widened in horror. “No, no, I don’t... err...”

“Do you really think teleporting down there yourself is a good idea?”

Misty looked down and traced a circle on the floor with a hoof. “H...Honestly, thinking about it makes me massively nervous. But, if I’m in the hut with them I’d be able to discuss so much. I think it would be a huge asset to planning their rescue.”

Hitch sighed and nodded. “You’re right, it would speed things along massively. It would make everything so much more dynamic. We’d be more like one team than two.” He groaned and shook his head. “So, I’m almost afraid to ask. How do you want to do it?”

Misty gasped and her eyes widened in surprise before she picked up her notes. Almost dropping them as she fumbled through the pages. “W…Well, I can’t teleport straight into the hut, at least not right away. I need an understanding of where things are inside.” She looked down nervously. “I…I need to get closer, like a lot closer.”

Hitch gulped. “So, how will you get closer?”

Misty gulped nervously. “By teleporting in somewhere I won’t be seen and sneaking to the door with my invisibility spell. Then, I can just teleport to the other side of the door.”

“Okay, but why couldn’t you teleport straight to the door from here?”

“Because I need to appear and then turn invisible,” Misty said before sighing. “I’ve tried multi-casting. I’m invisible when I start the teleport. But when I reappear, I’m not invisible anymore. I need to practice it more.”

Hitch blinked. “Right, but what about teleporting straight to the other side of the door?”

Misty grimaced and looked down. “I’m not quite that good with teleportation yet so there are safeguards to the spell I use. I could easily end up on the outside of the hut, not inside.”

Hitch frowned, not looking at all happy and Misty grimaced nervously.

Eventually, Hitch groaned and shook his head. “As much as I don’t like this idea of putting you in danger. I think it’s going to be our only way.”

Misty nodded. “I know, I’m not exactly happy either. I…I just…”

Hitch placed a reassuring hoof on Misty’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Misty,” he smiled. “We’ll work together to make a plan. Hopefully Zipp can get involved too.”

“Thanks, Hitch,” Misty smiled. “First thing I need is a safe place to teleport into. The gaps between the huts on that level are too large.”

“Okay, let’s see,” Hitch frowned as he picked up his binoculars.”

Sadly, finding a suitable place for Misty to teleport to turned out to be harder than expected.

On Level Six, the huts the creatures slept in were positioned side by side in a long row. However, the space between each hut was wide and open with no cover. The space between the rear of the huts and the cliff face up to the next level was also very wide.

Set away from the huts to one side, there was what looked to be a large storage shed with two pitched roofs. It was turned through ninety degrees to the accommodation huts with two sets of doors at either end.

The carts used within the sixth level were stored between it and the huts. However, this area was just as open and there were two watchtowers overlooking it.

No matter where they looked, there wasn’t enough cover anywhere for Misty to appear without being spotted.

Eventually, Hitch suggested getting different viewing angles would help. Therefore, Misty carefully teleported them to different spots around the treeline. On their third attempt, they found what they were looking for.

“There,” Hitch said at last. “What we thought was a storage shed, it's actually two, side by side.”

“Is it?” Misty gasped as she looked through her binoculars.

“Yeah, there’s a narrow alleyway between them,” Hitch smiled. “Perfect for you to appear in.”

Misty looked with interest. Sure enough, the shed was two separate buildings, each with a pitched roof. There was an alleyway between them which was long and narrow.

“It's perfect, especially if I aim right,” Misty smiled. “Wait, are there any lights in there? How will I see to teleport down there when it’s dark?”

“I didn’t think you needed line of sight,” Hitch frowned.

Misty sighed. “I...I want this to be completely accurate. The safeguards I mentioned ensure you don’t appear inside something. I don’t want to be pushed out of the alley when I appear.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady her nerves. “I...I’m going down there now.”

Hitch’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait! You’re doing WHAT!”

“I’ll come straight back,” Misty defended.

“Hold on…” Hitch gasped.

However, Misty didn’t reply. Still looking through the binoculars, her horn glowed, and she disappeared with a flash.

Hitch looked around in utter shock. Gasping, he went to look through his binoculars but almost dropped them. They danced in his hoofs for a moment before he finally brought them to his eyes.

His heart was pounding as he finally saw Misty had successfully arrived in the alley. There were a few boxes littered around and he watched worriedly as she started moving them. She created a pair of small walls, shielding her arrival point from either end.

“Come on, Misty,” Hitch said to himself. “That’s enough, get out of there.”

Suddenly, Hitch gasped as he spotted a Nirik walking towards one of the storage sheds. It stopped at the door, as though it had heard Misty moving things around.

Hitch’s eyes widened. “No, Misty! Get out of there! Oh, haystacks! Why didn’t we get radios or something!”

Hitch’s heart almost stopped as the Nirik suddenly started walking towards the end of the alleyway. However, it seemed like Misty had heard something as she suddenly froze and disappeared.

“What? Where?” Hitch gasped.

The Nirik looked down the alleyway. However, it didn’t see anything and continued on its way. It walked towards and stopped at the door of the second storage shed. Then, after a moment, it continued walking and disappeared around the opposite side of the shed.

Seconds later, Hitch practically jumped out of his skin as Misty reappeared beside him.

“MISTY!” He shouted. “That was way, way too close!”

“I’m sorry, Hitch,” Misty sighed. “I don’t think the Nirik would have seen me. There was a crate between me and it. I went invisible to be sure.”

Hitch breathed a massive sigh of relief. “I suppose it will be easier for you when it’s dark. Still nearly gave me a heart attack though.”

“Sorry,” Misty said bashfully.

Hitch let out another sigh. “It’s fine, Misty. Just some more warning next time,” he winked. “Let’s head back to camp and get something to eat. We need Zipp’s help to plan the rest of it out.”

“Okay, err, should we?”

Hitch groaned. “Yeah, it’ll save walking.”

Misty nodded as her horn glowed and they both disappeared.

Zipp groaned as she slowly awoke from her slumber. She grumbled to herself before turning over and pulling the soft covers tightly around her.

Then her eyes shot open, and she quickly sat bolt upright. “Where the hay am I?”

She looked around, gasping as she realised, she was in the rear cabin of the Marestream. Sat upon a soft camp bed that had been set up along with three others. “H...How?”

“Oh, you’re awake?” Pipp said as she stood at the door. “Just in time for food, you should see what Feather Breeze is cooking. It smells gorgeous.”

Zipp looked around in bewilderment. “But, when? How?”

Pipp rolled her eyes. “Oh, Misty teleported you here. She said you fell asleep." Her eyes narrowed. "And that you'd stayed up all night."

“No, no I have to get back!” Zipp said in dismay as she pulled off the covers. “ I have to keep watch. I could be missing crucial information.”

Pipp scowled as Zipp scrambled to her hoofs and started towards the door. She stood resolutely in the way.

“Pipp!? Out the way,” Zipp grumbled.

“You’re not going back to the hide. Not until you’ve eaten.”

“There’s no time, Pipp. We need a way to get messages from the captured creatures.”

Zipp tried to push past her sister. However, Pipp pushed back resolutely.

“We’ll work that out,” Pipp said earnestly. “Have you seen our camp?”

“What?” Zipp gasped as she tried to get through Pipp’s blockade again.

“Have you seen our camp!” Pipp frowned as she pushed back again.

Zipp scowled as she took a step backwards. “Of course not.” She spread her wings. “I’ve been too busy keeping watch over the quarry.”

Pipp scowled back at her sister. Opening her wings and preparing to defend the doorway.

“You don’t want to do this, Pipp,” Zipp scowled. “You know how this sort of thing always ends.”

“No, I don’t want to do this,” Pipp admitted. “But I will because I’m looking out for my sister!”

Zipp blinked with surprise. However, her eyes narrowed again as she stared her sister down.

Silence fell as the pair stared at each other, their knees bent and wings spread ready to pounce.

After what seemed like an eternity, Zipp bounded forward. Pipp reacted, shouting as she leapt forward too.

They were about to collide when they both found themselves frozen in mid-air, held tightly in a magenta magical aura.

“Stop fighting!” Izzy said earnestly from the door. “You’re both coming out here and having some of this wonderful food that Feather Breeze is making.”

The siblings both began struggling, flailing their hoofs and wings wildly. However, they couldn’t escape Izzy’s magical grasp.

“Iz, let me go,” Pipp gasped. “I’m on your side!”

“Iz, no fair,” Zipp growled. “I need to get back to the hide.”

However, Izzy was having none of it. She floated the pair of them out the door and into the outside area of the camp.

Zipp gasped, it was the first time she’d seen the campsite. The wing of the Marestream had been extended and beneath it was a kitchen. It extended out from a hatch in the side of the Marestream. Clearly designed to quickly fold away.

From the wing, a large piece of brown canvas had been attached. It extended forward and covered what looked like a sitting area.

There was a set of seats which had all been cut from logs in the shape of armchairs and a sofa. There were even a couple of log tables between the seats. They were positioned around a fire pit which had clearly been burning the night before.

Feather Breeze was stood at the hob watching with interest. She had a wooden spoon in her hoof as she slowly stirred the contents of a large pan as it bubbled away.

Izzy sighed as she lowered the two sisters onto separate log seats. “You're both going to sit here. Are you both going to sit nicely or do I have to get really creative?”

The two sisters' eyes widened, and they looked worriedly at each other. Neither wanted to find out what Izzy meant.

“Iz, I’m on your side,” Pipp reaffirmed. “I’m not going anywhere. I just don’t want Zipp to Zipp off!”

“Oh, she’s not Zipping off,” Izzy grinned knowingly.

Zipp wiggled and let out a groan of resignation. “Fine, I’ll stay here and stop arguing."

“You promise?” Izzy smirked as she got uncomfortably close to Zipp and looked her in the eye.

“I...I promise,” Zipp nodded.

“Good,” Izzy grinned before turning to Pipp. “And you’re not going to try fighting anymore?”

“Iz, if I had magic like you, I wouldn’t need to try fighting her,” Pipp groaned. “It never ends well for me anyway.”

“Then why even bother?” Zipp frowned.

“Because if I didn’t you would be back at that hide now.”

Zipp sighed and looked down. “Fair point.”

Suddenly, there was a flash as Misty and Hitch appeared.

“Okay,” Izzy said brightly. “Just behave or I’ll sick Misty on you!”

“Wait? What now?” Misty gasped. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Zipp groaned as she rested her head on a hoof. “Iz is just playing mother.”

“She was breaking up a fight,” Feather Breeze clarified. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen siblings fight like that. I’m glad it didn’t come to blows.”

Pipp looked down thoughtfully as Izzy got a set of bowls ready.

“Feather Breeze, do you have any siblings?” Pipp ventured. “I’ll totally understand if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Feather Breeze closed her eyes and grimaced. Pipp gasped worriedly, hoping she’d not upset her.

However, after a moment, Feather Breeze let out a deep sigh and opened her eyes. “I have a brother and a sister. Both of them are much older than I am. I was effectively an only child. The siblings I remember are my best friend, Spring Flare and her sister Summer Bloom.”

Misty gasped. “Spring Flare, wasn’t she...”

“...at the Airship,” Feather Breeze answered. “Yes, she was. Winters Breath, our leader, she’s Spring Flare’s mother.”

The others all looked at each other worriedly. However, Feather Breeze looked at them reassuringly as she ladled the contents of the pan into the bowls. “We’ll save them. We’ll save your friends, we’ll save my friends and my family. Along with everycreature in the Quarry.”

“Together,” Pipp beamed.

She tried to get up but squeaked when she found she couldn’t. She looked down and gasped as she spotted a magical aura between her and the seat. She wiggled and confirmed it was holding her firmly in place.

“IZ! Don’t you trust me!? I’M ON YOUR SIDE!”

Izzy giggled as her horn glowed. Pipp gasped with relief as she felt herself being released. She jumped up from the seat before spinning around to check her bottom and tail.

“It’s okay,” Misty smiled. “It’s magic glue. I found and taught Izzy the spell.”

“It’s super useful,” Izzy beamed. “It sticks two items together no matter what they are. Then when it releases, it leaves nothing behind. I use it all the time when planning out my projects.”

“I knew I wasn’t going anywhere the moment you put me here,” Zipp grumbled. “Wait! Hitch, Misty! Who’s watching the quarry?”

“Nopony right now,” Hitch admitted. “I keep telling you. If you really want somepony watching it all the while, then we need to set up watches. We need a chance to rest.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Zipp sighed. "I...I just didn't want to miss anything and maybe got a little obsessive."

"A little?" Pipp frowned.

Zipp sighed. "Okay, more like a lot."

Feather Breeze began passing out the bowls of stew with her magic. Misty gasped and grinned excitedly. "Thanks, this smells brilliant."

Hitch smiled and nodded as he took his. "When we've eaten we'll head back. We need your help with something, Zipp."

“O…Okay,” Zipp frowned as she accepted her bowl and looked at the stew unsurely. However, after one bite she couldn’t help feeling glad she’d been made to stay. “Wow, this is awesome. What’s in it?”

Feather Breeze smiled happily. “I’m glad you like it, it’s made from the fruits of the forest. Different kinds of tree bark, mushrooms, berries, and leaves. It’s an old family recipe.”

“We double-checked, everything is safe for Pony consumption,” Pipp winked.

“It's brilliant,” Misty grinned having already finished. “Is there more?”

“Lots more,” Feather Breeze laughed as she ladled another helping into Misty’s bowl.