Frostpony: Of Hounds & Horses

Walking into the Scrapyard the following morning, Rini felt very different about her surroundings.

Whereas before when she looked over all the rows and rows of military trucks, she did so with a mix of frustration and annoyance. Now though, the very idea that she was now some sort of rebel or rogue actor had sparked a very different kind of awareness.

All around her, every dog in uniform stuck out to her like a spot of yellow in the snow. Every pair of eyes was a potential spy, waiting to catch her in the act. Yet Rini remained calm. “They’ve got no reason to be suspicious.” She thought. “Just another gearhead clocking in for her shift, a single face among a crowd.”

Quietly, she pulled out her notebook from days prior and performed another round of state-of-maintenance checks.

It was a double move, she’d be able to gauge how close the military was to being able to leave, whilst making it look natural. Rini had begun counting and sorting the vehicles into different categories. Fuel trucks, transports, trucks meant for heavy cargo, how many were in working condition, how many needed repairs extensive or otherwise. All the while checking over her shoulder as if to spot some watcher in the wind.

If it weren’t for her efforts examining them the day they’d arrived, her confidence might’ve buckled.

As Rini went around examining the trucks however, she soon noticed another odd sight.

There was a freshly made building on the far end of the Scrapyard. Nested within a freshly cleared area among the mounds of debris. Its walls were corrugated steel giving it the appearance of a cargo container, but with windows, piping and an external boiler on its side.

She paused for a moment and squinted at it. Watching as a soldier exited the big metal box whilst downing his morning medication.

“How in the heck did they set that up so quickly? That wasn’t there when I left last night, right?”

Rini thought back to the night prior, remembering how she’d buried herself in that Equestrian snow-wagon to forget the troubles.

“Maybe I just didn’t notice it? I suppose a lot can happen when your attention is drawn elsewhere. Still, to build it all THAT quickly.”

As she continued to think on it however, she suddenly had the nagging sense she’d forgotten something. She drew her eye back to the book as she went through her mental checklist, running through the night prior.

She’d worked on the wagon, did overtime even, went home and talked to Riley…

Her eyes went wide and she snapped the book shut. Placing it against her chest where a hard object stopped it.

“Oh crap I still have that gun on me…”

Senses quickly went on high alert, every sound practically sending her into a panic.

“Son of a bitch I still have that gun on me. The pony gun, the gun I’m carrying bullets for.”

Her eyes again darted to one of the many guards present nearby, now viewing them with considerable worry.

“The gun I can’t use and would get arrested for it if I’m searched.”

“That gun.”

Rini swallowed a lump and pictured herself howling her lungs out in panic.

“Stay cool, act natural, you belong here after all!” She opened the book back up, near forcing herself to continue. “No you’re just another greaser girl doing a round of checks and…adjustments let’s say. Nodog will notice! Don’t draw any attention to yourself.”

The act of categorising and marking every vehicle wasn’t in itself a straining task for her. She’d already done this before and could see some others already working, ready to give her the rundown, but having to do it with the extra element of espionage was stressful.

Thankfully, if anydog noticed her condition they didn’t voice it or speak up.

Besides what happened to Brambles, there were a hundred reasons she could give with some more truthful than others.

She did eventually settle down and assume a more relaxed state, but that sense of unease never went away. If anything, having that item that was definitely a water canteen, no shuddup, shaped object in her chest pocket made her feel less safe.

So when she began to overhear a conversation starring none other than Captain Caleb himself talking to a subordinate, she really had to juggle her thoughts.

“Should I try being nosey? Of all the war mutts around here he’s the one I shouldn’t play with.” Rini leaned against the canopy wall of a transport, hearing the Captain talk about parking tickets of all things. “Then again, he could spill something really helpful…”

Rini battled with herself and looked towards a nearby vehicle marked for a maintenance check. She sighed and went to work before somedog saw her getting caught up in her thoughts. With her tools she took her time and worked slowly to ensure the sound of her antics didn’t drown out the Captain’s speech.

“-So without competition, it’ll be even better!”

“I dunno sir, I’m all for planning things out, but a junkyard?” A nameless dog spoke, who Rini didn’t bother to remember, focusing on the Captain speaking.

“Well not as a junkyard obviously, but give it a few years time and everydog will own an auto-wagon. Have you seen how few homes around here have garages or drive-ins? I’m telling ya, there’s some real potential here.”

“Caleb? How are you even gonna clear the place up? Won’t everydog need to throw their old broken stuff somewhere?”

“Yeah, yeah, but we can just make a new junkyard for that. One much further away from town.”

Rini slowly turned her head towards the two as she checked the truck’s engine. More confused than anything by their ramblings.

She didn’t know what exactly she was expecting, troop numbers or what they were planning with the ponies maybe? But not this.

“Is it code for something? He can’t seriously be banking his future on a parking lot.”

The Captain was also a lot younger than she thought. He sounded more like a naive kid in his early thirties then a grizzled leader in…whatever the appropriate age range was. Rini wasn’t some military nut or even an enthusiast, but she certainly knew you needed to be pretty seasoned to get up in the rank…unless you were related to someone already high ranked who could grease the wheels.

By the sounds of things, this guy must’ve had a dad or uncle who soaked those wheels in oil with how dense he sounded.

Sadly, she was so caught up in her thoughts about it she hadn’t even noticed the shadow looming over her.

“Hey there!”

Rini nearly jumped in place and snapped around, now face to face with the Captain. He kept three paws planted on the ground with the fourth having his signet ring, which he kept firmly close to his chest. His collar sporting red and purple gems as opposed to the greens of his bodyguard, and a fancy hat with a silver pin in the shape of a crown above its brim.

She stared for a moment before answering. “Uhm…hello sir, anything I can do for you?”

Caleb smiled “Eh not really, you’re already performing an exemplary service!” He gestured with a paw, almost throwing it up in the air. “Though I am curious, what were you doing last night?”

“Working,” She answered quickly, “I was salvaging a vehicle.”

The captain nodded before pointing towards her cheek. “And what happened there?

Rini rubbed her still swollen cheek, having forgotten about it now that she was used to the dim pain. “I uh, had an accident. Happens all the time around here sir, sometimes loud, sometimes quiet. You heard about what happened yesterday, right?”

He again nodded in agreement, his head subtly twitching and his digits unable to keep still. As if a waking limb struck by pins and needles.

Some were better at hiding the behaviour than others, but by now Rini had become keen to the signs.

“I understand, what happened the other day was truly horrible. Though, would you mind telling me what you’re up to now?”

Rini reached for her notebook and carefully pulled it out, not wanting to draw attention to her other coat pockets.

“Maintenance checks sir. Talling up what needs fixing and working on what I can.”

“Hmm, between salvaging, working on Ol’ Rusty and now this. You like doing a little of everything don’t you?” He spoke, surprisingly impressed.

“Yes sir!” Rini smiled, her tail wagging. “Work here is freeform after all, and variety’s the spice of life you know?”

“That it is, that. It. Is.” He paused for a moment to look over the truck, before glancing at Rini’s notebook. “Will you be staying for overtime?”

“Of course! So long as I’m still able to return before curfew.” Rini smiled, trying her best to sound as excited and enthusiastic as she could.

“Good girl, you make me proud. With more like you we’d have this place cleaned up by summer. Carry on!”

Satisfied, Caleb smiled and patted her shoulder, then turned away. The unexpectedly young captain leaving Rini to her own devices.

She stood still with shock, her heart beating like a hammer as the captain walked away.

Rini had seen a little of him when he gave his tour, but that paled in comparison to a personal meet & greet. The questions he asked while nothing special, or even specific, concerned her given Rini’s history.

“Does he know? Did those two mutts describe me to him? Did he notice my chest pocket?”

She swallowed another lump that dropped into her stomach, weighing her down like a ball of lead. Of all words she could use to describe the Scrapyard, “safe” wasn’t one of them. She looked back at the truck she had intended to sabotage and second guessed herself.

“Should I get started on this? Just after that little encounter? If he’s watching me It might be better to just lay low.”

Rini sighed with discontent. No matter what her choice was, it felt like the wrong one.

“Oh who am I kidding? Of course I shouldn’t, not unless I’m smart about it. Cut fuel lines? Broken breaks? Dead batteries? Any gearhead with half a brain will pick that up during a routine inspection, then point to the bitch that spent all day working on the things.”

Taking a moment to think clearly and let a few ideas come to mind, a plan formed.

“No if I’m gonna do this, I gotta be creative.”