It wasn't quite like waking up with Rawsthorne, but her pegasus friend in her lap was warmer and softer, so that was something. Celestia stretched carefully, trying not to jostle Glitter Dust awake. Then she lay there and considered her future. The most important thing was to call Mr. Plain. It had been quite late when she and Glitter Dust came in the Den, so the two had decided to call in the morning instead. Besides, there was less of a hurry since Celestia had opted to wait until Wednesday. After the call, the alicorn supposed, her friend would go fetch Maggie and she would take them both to where Silent Brook lived. They could have gone alone - in fact the stallion almost never had human company - but the mares didn't want to risk being picked up and detained by the police. Whatever magic allowed Silent Brook to walk around alone unnoticed might not work for the mares and if she was caught, there were records of Supple Branch and her owner in their computers. Undoubtedly the officers would call Rawsthorne, which would also probably alert the FBI. Far too risky.
Then it would just just be a matter of hiding out with Silent Brook until Wednesday. Celestia didn't want to plan too far ahead, at least not until she spoke with Mr. Plain. So much could change so quickly - it was useless to expand any effort on the fine detail. She almost felt for the sun to see what time it was, but stopped herself in time. Instead, she lifted up Glitter Dust's pack, pulled out the phone and looked for the button that made it go. The screen lit up. It was half past five. Back in her life with Rawsthorne, the mare would be getting up to prepare breakfast. The thought made her sigh sadly. Putting the phone back down, the alicorn tightened her grip around the pegasus, who had her muzzle tucked tightly against the royal chest. She carefully nuzzled Glitter Dust and closed her eyes.
Two more hours, she decided. Her ministrations made the pegasus twitch and murmur something. "Mmhmm... 'ove 'oo Doo..."
Celestia smiled when she realized what her friend had said. 'Love you, Doug'. It was probably because of the bed and the room, the alicorn knew. Smell was a powerful thing, but it confirmed what she had already suspected. As if to punctuate her statement, Glitter also sleepily licked Celestia on her foreleg, which was wrapped around her barrel.
It would have been a sin to wake her up from whatever she was dreaming, so Celestia kept her eyes closed and went back to sleep herself.
In a rare show of discretion, Glitter Dust went out to fetch them some breakfast while Celestia called Mr. Plain. It took her a few seconds to fully remember the number, but then she tapped it into the device with confidence. It was nearly eight, so the human should be awake already, but the mare still felt uneasy as it ringed.
At long last there was an answer: "Hello?"
Sagging a little in relief, the alicorn recognized the auctioneer. "Hello, Mr. Plain. It's me - Celestia."
There was a silence as the human processed this. Then he guessed: "So you're ready to go home?" It didn't sound like he was particularly pleased about it.
She had thought hard about what to tell him. The fact that she was being chased by the government probably wasn't the way forward, but the extra 'passengers' should be mentioned as quickly as possible.
"Yes. Me and two others. You can arrange that, right? I will see to it that you are well compensated, Mr. Plain." Another, longer silence followed and the pony was afraid she had pushed it too far. "Mr. Plain?"
Eventually he continued, quietly and perhaps a little fearfully: "What the hell have you done, Celestia? I have federal agents here going through my files! Specifically, your files. It's a good thing we forged your paper trail to some company in India which doesn't even exist anymore, but getting new papers to get you back is impossible right now!"
Her heart sank. The humans were a step ahead of her! She didn't know how to reply, so Mr. Plain sighed and went on: "Look, you're just gonna have to sit tight with... uh, with Rawsthorne until this blows over. I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do."
The alicorn hated just how much pleading there was in her voice, but she didn't have too many options. "Please, Mr. Plain! There has to be something! The agents are with Gregory as well. I'm hiding with a friend. I need to go back!"
Again, the human said nothing.
"Please?"
This had been her last safety line! If Celestia couldn't escape, she would have to remain a fugitive on Earth, however long that might take. Luna would go mad with worry and probably try to do something stupid! Not to mention that Celestia would be in constant danger of being captured. It was an impossible situation and of course she couldn't help Rock Lichen and Lake Frond, either! Luckily Glitter Dust hadn't told them yet, so there wouldn't be any disappointment. Other than for Celestia.
Maybe Rawsthorne would know what to do? Only... reaching out to him, now that he was being watched, was probably a very bad idea. She'd have to wait until things calmed down somewhat. If the humans ever stopped looking for her, which sounded unlikely. Maybe they would leave her owner alone after a while if he persisted with his story that he knew nothing about her. Then again, maybe they wouldn't.
Finally, Mr. Plain spoke again. Celestia had almost forgotten he was on the phone. "Look, I can maybe get you out of the country, if I call in a whole bunch of favors and if we're very lucky!"
The mare wasn't sure she liked the idea. That would take her away from everything she knew, including Rawsthorne. Her life would become even more uncertain! "I d-don't know... What happens then?"
She could almost envision the auctioneer shrugging. "Don't know yet. Maybe once things calm down, I can get you back and send you home. There aren't any portals in the rest of the world, right?"
"No. Just the one." The ponies didn't even know how the existing one came to be.
"Then you sit tight - here or someplace else, until things relax enough that I can get you home. Of course, now they know you can change shape, so there'll probably be more checks."
"L-like what?"
The human barked a laugh. "Damned if I know. They'll think of something. Let's hope it's something you can work around."
Celestia did hope that, fervently. This was turning into a right mess and the alicorn was beginning to get afraid. The big question now was whether to leave the country or try to hide. She couldn't tell which was the best course of action. She needed to talk to someone. Rawsthorne would be preferable, but she'd settle for Miriam Adams.
"I'll think it over and call you back in a day or so." Or, whenever she got access to a safe phone again, the mare added to herself silently.
"Okay, you do that. If I don't answer, keep trying. I get those nosy bastards in my office sometimes, rifling through my papers."
She said 'bye' and hung up. Then her muzzle hit the couch. "What the buck am I supposed to do now?!"
Celestia thought about telling Glitter Dust about her newest problem. On the one hoof, she didn't want to distress the pegasus too much, but on the other hoof, she didn't want to send Lake Frond and Rock Lichen the message of hope when there was none. In the end she decided that her friend had to be told.
"What?! That bastard!" Glitter exclaimed angrily. "That's not fair! You had a deal!"
The alicorn knew that. "Yes, but if the human police have him under scrutiny there isn't much he can do, deal or no."
The mare still seemed a little sceptical, but grudgingly accepted the alicorn's explanation: "I guess."
"So, the question is now: do I leave the country? Will it be easier to hide someplace else? You know this world very well, Glitter Dust. What do you think?"
Shaking her head, the pegasus grabbed her Princess around the barrel. Her hooves couldn't quite reach, but she tried anyway. "No, I think that's a bad idea. At least here you know ponies - and people - and you can speak the language."
Celestia had seen that. It was a strange coincidence and she had thought about it sometimes. How came that the ponies would share a common language with parts of Earth only?
"I'll talk with the others and we'll try to come up with something," Glitter promised, but the thought of Skype made Celestia decidedly uneasy.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Don't worry, we won't chat over the Internet. I'll try and see them in person. At least some of them. I sometimes visit Heavy Hoof, so that won't be too strange and then he can spread the word to Belle Hop, maybe Glowbug and I'll see if Maggie will take me to Lake and Rock."
It wasn't much of a plan, but it made the pegasus feel better, so Celestia didn't point out the futility. Her ponies were determined, but even she could see no way home. Maybe if Twilight Sparkle were on Earth, but even that would be a really slim chance. Her talented student had spent the past few years studying the portal and its magic, to no avail.
Glitter Dust didn't see the problems. She was smiling faintly, as if in encouragement. "We'll all think it over and talk about it on Wednesday. We'll figure something out!"
Still, the alicorn had been surprised in the past. She would not forbid them, of course. There was something else she needed to do, though. "I have to speak with Miriam and Gregory. Can you try and make that happen? I know I am asking a lot, Glitter, but-"
The mare just interrupted her monarch. "No problem, Princess. Any of us would die for you, I hope you know that!"
Celestia did, and it didn't make it any easier to ask. Very rarely had she been forced to make that choice and each one weighed heavily upon her heart. After every one she had promised herself, in tears, that it would never happen again.
"Thank you."
"I still think you should go to Silent Brook's. If the feds make a link from Mr. Rawsthorne to Maggie and me, they might find this place. It's not safe."
That much made sense. The alicorn gave a slight nod. "Very well."
She was about to rise and go, but her friend gently held her back. "No, not yet. I got us some fruit and bread. I told Maggie to come pick us up in about half an hour." With that, Glitter Dust shrugged off her saddlebags and let them spill their contents over the couch. It wasn't a feast, but Celestia was hungry and the fruit was good. There was even a bit of bread and some sour cream in there, which the two mares split between them.
The pair finished just in time before there was a knock on the door, making Celestia gasp in surprise and hurriedly change into Supple Branch. She didn't know if Rawsthorne had explained anything over the phone, but Glitter's owners had always seen the alicorn in her disguise. Now was not the time to expose herself needlessly.
"Come in!" said the pegasus once she saw that Celestia was transformed. The door opened and the woman peered inside. The pegasus leaned closer to the alicorn and whispered: "I told her to knock."
"So, this is where you've been getting your brains railed out?" the lady asked. It made Glitter blush vividly and look away. Maggie shared a small grin with Celestia and went on: "It stinks in here. Once this snafu with Supple is over, you're gonna bring those sheets home and wash them. Cushions, too, and you're gonna smack the dust and ash out of that carpet!"
It was amazing how flat Glitter Dust's ears went, and how quickly! "Yes ma'am," she said miserably.
If it weren't for the seriousness of her situation, Celestia would have laughed and poked some fun of her own at the poor pegasus, but it seemed like her unease and urgency were plain to see. Maggie stepped in and patted her mane with a hand. "Don't worry, sweetie. Let's get you someplace safe until Mr. Rawsthorne can resolve this paperwork problem." To the pegasus she said a bit more firmly: "You've arranged with Silent and his owners that it's okay, have you?"
The mare nodded, but her eyes told the whole truth. It made Maggie sigh in exasperation. "Silly thing. I know you keep telling me you're twenty something, but you act like you're thirteen, Glitter. Come on, give me their phone number and I'll work it out."
Now the pegasus was looking industriously at the floor. "Doesn't have a phone. Or Internet."
The woman rolled her eyes and her shoulders slumped a little. "Do you even know where he lives?"
Now Glitter Dust nodded, feeling herself on firmer ground. "Yeah! Couple of blocks from the big park downtown."
"Been there, have you?" Maggie asked sharply, knowing full well that the pegasus could not have.
"N-no," the mare replied, "but he told me once. I remember. We pegasi have good memory for... geography."
The woman wasn't entirely convinced, but she decided to play along. "Fine. I'll drive you two, but if we don't find the house, Supple is coming back with us and we'll figure out something else!"
Celestia made sure to smile beautifully. "Thank you so much, Maggie. I really appreciate it."
The woman smiled right back. "Don't fret, Supple. I just wish this thing was half as polite and responsible as you are."
It was the straw that broke the pony's back. "Hey!" Glitter Dust exclaimed and looked up sharply, but her muzzle ran right into Maggie's finger for a boop. It was like a switch, making her ears go flat again and her head drop back down in silence.
The human had her reply ready: "Don't you 'hey' me! Now let's get going. I can't leave Jeff in charge of the store for too long, you know that!"
A very triumphant-looking Glitter Dust pointed through the window of Maggie's car. "There! That place!" she said excitedly. It was after a mere ten minutes of searching.
Celestia had to admit that the pegasus really was good at navigating. She inspected the house from the back seat. It was a single-family, two-storey home, a little decrepit but with a sturdy roof. The front yard was quite overgrown and the house itself looked dirtier than it had to. There were a few pieces of miscellaneous trash strewn around, which gave the alicorn a bad feeling in her stomach, but Glitter Dust wasn't concerned and just pushed the car door open. Celestia still couldn't manage the small handle with a hoof - the pegasus assured her it was a knack - so she cheated with a tiny bit of magic. A moment later Maggie also exited the car and joined them on the sidewalk. It was one of those unmarked, wide roads where the people parked their cars right on the side. It wasn't done in many places anymore, Celestia understood, but she liked the idea as she had seen it in some of the movies Rawsthorne had shown her. There were trees all along the lane - bare at this time of year, of course. There was no car in front of Silent Brook's place, though. She knew they didn't have too much money and this confirmed it a little.
After a brief pause, Glitter stepped forward. "Come on. He should be home right now."
Maggie hung back. "I'll just wait here. This is weird enough as it is."
Celestia agreed, but she followed her friend up the path and to the front door. The pegasus raised up a hoof and knocked firmly. There was some shuffling inside and after a while a middle-aged, balding, bleary-eyed man opened. He looked down at the two ponies. "What?" he demanded. Celestia remembered him from the park, all those months ago.
"Uh, is Silent Brook here?" Glitter asked, only a tad uncertainly.
The human grumbled something unintelligible and turned around. "HORSE!" he yelled up the stairs. "It's for you!"
There was a vaguely interrogative noise and the sound of hooves hitting the floor. To her relief, Celestia saw that the man lost interest and went back inside. What she could see of the place didn't give her much comfort. Inside was just as filthy as the outside. There were bits of paper and food wrappers. There were plastic bags and empty bottles. What wasn't covered in dust was instead coated with grime. If she were to live there, even mere days, the alicorn would first have a good cleaning-up, she decided.
Moments later, the orange stallion poked his head around the curve in the stairs.
"Glitter? Princ- uh, Supple?" he asked, uncertainly. "What the hay are you two doing here?" He was obviously uncomfortable at having Celestia see the squalor in which he lived and that was making the pony grumpy.
"Can we go inside and talk? Please?" the pegasus asked, trying to win the disgruntled pony over with a friendly smile.
He sighed and shrugged. "I guess. Come on," Silent Brook said and turned to lead them up the stairs.
Meanwhile Glitter stuck her head out the door and waved a wing to Maggie. "We'll just be a minute!" she called. The woman gave her a hesitant thumbs-up and went around to sit in the car. Then the pegasus closed the door with a slight thump, which made Silent Brook's owner yell from the other room: "Horse, you were supposed to get me my smokes!"
The stallion replied, just as sourly: "I need money for that, Saul, remember?!" All he got back was a stream of curses, but he just ignored them and ushered the mares up. "Come on, just ignore him. He'll forget in a minute anyway."
The pair followed him up a little uneasily as the pony led the way to an upstairs bedroom. It was perhaps a bit cleaner than the rest of the house, but only marginally so. At least, Celestia saw with approval that there were no drink bottles or cans. There was a plain mattress on the floor and the sheet was turning yellow. It needed washing, even more than the bedclothes in Glitter and Doug's Den. The smell in the air was too musky by half. The alicorn wondered if Silent Brook ever aired the room out. If he allowed them to stay, Celestia decided again, she would at least get the household in order. It would be the least she could do to repay the kindness, but right at that moment, the stallion sat on the carpet in the middle of the room and stared at the two, expectantly.
"So, why are you here again?" he asked pointedly.
The alicorn looked at the pegasus and took a deep breath. It would take some explaining, so she sat as well. She began: "I need your help."