Frostpony: Of Hounds & Horses

Long ago dusk descended upon the town, and twilight gave way to darkness. Street lights beamed their golden glows upon the descending and settled snow, coating their surfaces with gold. Where rubble and debris once clogged up walkways and allies had now since been cleared.

By now most houses and homes had shut their lights off, leaving the town dim and blissfully quiet.

All except for the Scrapyard that sat on the town’s edge. Engines hummed and flood lights flickered, with figures going to and from different amalgamations of metal bodies. Cutting and welding and tearing and scrapping. The centre of which held the focus of their efforts, a multi-story monster of constructed creation.

Most who could have gone home, having run the lengths of even their extended shifts.

But for Rini Burrows, the night had only just begun.

As it turns out, being punished with extra work hours was exactly what she needed. Rini made sure to pace her efforts and not strain herself too much that day, least she would not have the energy for what was to come. Brambles helped her on that end and took care of the heavier lifting.

Only a few hardy workers remained, either out of desire or because they’d been poached by the military.

Now she stood by a mechanical heater within the garage, goggles shielding her eyes from the flickering flames. Try as she might, she still had to take breaks to prevent freezing up. Everydog not wearing an overly bulky parka like the soldiers did.

Every moment of that day she’d felt an odd sensation in the air around her. A nervousness in anticipation for later, and fear for what could go wrong.

Perhaps what they were about to do was foolish? Perhaps it would all be for nothing, maybe there was nothing for them out there in the big wide frozen world.

“We still have to try,” She thought to herself, “We’ll get chewed up otherwise.”

She relaxed and leaned back a little, blowing into her gloved paws and rubbing them together by the fire. Rini had performed this routine enough to get a sense of when her warmth break was over and it felt like she had…three minutes left?

Something like that.

She turned over her wrist and looked at her new watch, an investment from after her episode with the Rustbucket.

“Yeah, three minutes, and another ten until twelve.”

“Hi Rini!”

The scrapper let out a panicked bark and snapped towards a snow coated Brambles. Who waved as he joined her by the fire.

“Gah dammit! What is it with everydog and sneaking up on me?”

“I dunno,” Brambles shrugged, “Maybe you're just not very attentive?”

Rini glared at him for that, like he was one to talk. She went as far as to pull up her goggles just to do so and inspect his form.

“Anyway, ready for later?” He added, smiling.

“First off keep your voice down, and secondly?...I-I don’t know.”

Rini rubbed the back of her neck, briefly panning her gaze around the area. “Have you ever had that feeling where you’ve done all you can, but you’re still not sure it’s enough?”

“I know I can be slow sometimes Rini, heck you know that better than most, but even I know how important it is to believe in yourself.” Brambles moved up beside Rini, reaching a comforting arm around her shoulder. “You’ve got this, we’ve got this, and if all else fails then there’s no better thing I’d have rather died fighting for.”

The two locked eyes and a smile slowly grew across her face. Morbid word choice aside, a warm feeling resonated within her chest, and sure enough Brambles mirrored her joy.

Was it just the barrel fire? Or was she feeling something else?

Rini let out a small, barely audible laugh and curled her hair for a moment, panning her gaze downwards.

“T-Thanks Brambles, I didn’t know how much I needed to hear-” She then spotted something poking out of his coat, a handle of some kind. “-Thaaaat’s your gun isn’t it?”

“Uh…”

Rini reached for and pulled on the handle, withdrawing his revolver and opening the cylinder.

“It wasn’t just loaded, it was full.”

She looked back to Brambles with an unamused frown. Brambles audibly gulped and his ears flopped to their sides and he prepared himself for whatever vocal punishment she’d inflict.

However, no such assault came. Instead, Rini gave him a subtle smile.

“Do you mind if I keep this for tonight?”

The mutt stood silent, taken aback by the unexpected request. Slowly he nodded and Rini pocketed the gun before anydog could notice. She then leaned in and gave an affectionate hug to the confused Terrier.

“Y-You know I might actually need that, right?”

“I’ve got better aim, and mom’s bringing a shotgun.”

With that in mind Brambles’ expression slowly shifted into an acceptant joy, and he wrapped himself around her. The two stayed there for a time, quietly embracing each other’s warmth. “You're just trying to warm up Rini, you're just trying to warm up. Nothing else to it.”

She could deny it all she wanted but it did feel nice, it felt safe. Like for a moment she could forget everything wrong with the world and simply enjoy herself here.

But she knew all too well that reality would come knocking, and a glance at her watch confirmed that.

Midnight.

Taking a breath to steady her mind she let a confident smile form on her face.

“Okay Rini, showtime.”

With a deep sigh she pulled away and shook herself awake. Brambles likewise as she turned towards the fence and nodded to him. “It’s time, ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

The two ventured off into the darkened trenches that separated the piles upon piles of twisted vehicles. Distant lights occasionally illuminated those lanes but the spaces behind them laid vacant. Without watchers to capitalise on the vision they provided.

Night time winds had managed to overtake the low hums of engines and the shrill cries of angle grinders. Such was the lack of activity from the few that still worked the machines, with only the most dedicated or the most desperate to carry out their labours.

Even the watchtowers that now lined the corners of the fences laid still. Their searchlights ignorant to all.

It was perfect.

In short order the duo reached Rini’s gap in the fence, and soon figures began to emerge from the darkness. Ponies by the dozens led by a trio of their own. Corn, Gale and Riley were the first among them, with Rini’s mother kitted out as if she were to take on an army.

“Not exactly wrong, come to think of it.”

They converged upon the fence where Rini knelt down and pulled on the wire. The strings keeping her loosely held cutout coming undone. Brambles kept watch as they ducked and crawled through the gap one by one. Each pulling a rucksack or container with their belongings.

“We’re doing this group by group, less chance of being caught that way.” Corn stated.

Rini nodded. “We still need to capture the vehicle bay. She’s all fueled up and ready to go.”

“Where is it? Trying ta find something in this dark’s like trying to find a scrap o’ beachwood in the ocean.” Gale asked.

She pointed towards the big outline in the distance, who’s silhouette rose above all others. A monolithic landmark all could view no matter where they were.

“Is it inside?” Gale asked.

“No, that is it.” She unamusedly replied.

Every jaw bar Brambles’ dropped and they stared at the sight in abject awe and horror. It took a moment for Rini to remember they hadn’t gotten used to such a behemoth like she had, and the memory of her first reaction came to mind.

It brought a smile to her face, not a big one but it was worn with pride.

“And here I thought we’d have ta form a caravan.” Jested Gale. “By the seas it’s massive!”

“Told ya, why do ya think I suggested stealing it?”

“Yeah well points to ya Rini. For a while ah was doubting just how big it really was.”

“Hold your grain Gale, we still need to move everypony first.”

“Hey mom? Could you give Brambles the shotgun? I’ve got his revolver.”

Riley did as requested and Brambles smiled as he quickly walked through its operation. Meanwhile, more and more ponies slipped through the gap with bulky backpacks and luggage cases. The first of many groups getting ready to make for the monolithic machine.

Tension stirred as they gathered themselves and huddled behind the wrecks. Their attention directed between the vacant towers and the shadowy presence of the vehicle bay.

“Hey! About the guards? How many are there?” One of them asked.

A wicked grin spread across Rini’s face as she once more reached into her coat, pulling out the now empty bottle of laxatives she’d found days prior. “By now, every bathroom within a two mile radius should be occupied.”

Her infectious smile appeared on those nearby and several muffled chuckles met her ears. A job well done.

“Path should be clear, but I doubt there is enough for everydog.” She added.

Riley sighed as she rejoined the group, with Brambles playfully aiming around with the weapon unloaded. “Funny, you never realise how much you love something until it’s gone, right?”

Rini rubbed the back of her head, suddenly brought back to reality. “Right.”

Her moment of lucidity was cut short by Corn Kernel, trying to stay on task. “Come on, enough chit-chat. I’ll stay here and organise everypony coming in. You go make sure we have somewhere for them to go.”

They all nodded and began moving in on the Rustbucket, with Rini leading them through the winding trenches of the darkened Scrapyard. A series of dimly lit lanterns were left in their wake as the first group followed behind. Far enough not to disturb them but not so far they’d get lost.

Between the distaint towers, the smokey stacks that rose into the air and the gloomy lights that now threatened to expose her just as much as light the path. The once friendly and familiar facade of Rini’s workplace had taken on a new menace. One that didn’t promise safety nor sanctuary.

No, she was neck deep now. This wasn’t her home, this wasn’t her place of labour or anywhere she recognised.

It was hostile territory, just a kind she knew very, very well.

Things were going well for the moment. The usually well patrolled circle around the vehicle bay was practically non-existent for how few actually enforced it. With how many had to leave for “medical reasons” it stood to reason that even fewer cared to wander in the cold.

However, that meant those that did were likely the most dedicated and loyal, regardless of their conditions.

She could hear them before she saw them. A pair of soldiers were about to round the corner with their glow lamps out. The rest of the group quickly picked up on it and they all moved to cover. Hiding behind frozen engine blocks, loosely held doors or within the wrecks themselves.

A larger Great Dane walked down the left, with Rini and Gale side by side, while a shorter Bull Terrier hastily power-walked on the right where Riley and Brambles hid.

It quickly became clear they’d bypass them without notice, but all too late did Rini realise where they were going.

If nothing was done, they were going to bump into the pony group following them.