“It’s just up here.” Scootaloo said, bouncing through the shadows.
Scootaloo lead Sweetie through the darkness of Ponyville’s streets, towards the home of the stallion they were entrusting themselves to.
“I don’t see anything.” Sweetie said.
“Over here.” Scootaloo said,pulling her by the hoof.
Scootaloo flung both of them through the door, inside the cozy little house.
“You’re back. Where’s the third child?” the stallion said.
He was no longer heavily clothed, his frail form free at last. The small house was bare, just a dining table, some chairs, a kitchen, and a bedroom. The walls were plain, and the house had an odd aroma to it, that neither of the girls could place. Various half-empty bottles of all sorts of sleeping aids, from the mundane over-the-counter medications to strange herbal remedies. Along with these were many bottles of different supposed energy tonics. The stallion sat in his chair, seemingly waiting on them to arrive.
“She’s not coming. She wanted to stay with her family.” Scootaloo said.
“I understand. I’m asking an awful lot,and the rewards may not be immediately apparent.” he said.
He stood from his chair, leaning his hoof on the table to prop himself up.
“I suppose if I’m asking you to trust me with something as extreme as this, I can at least give you a name. I am Rally. I suppose I was supposed to be fast, a pegasus, carrying mail at blinding speeds. Heh, now look at me.” Rally said.
“So, what happened? You don’t look like you were ever going to be fast.” Sweetie said.
“I never fit the role I was given. I’ve been frail for most of my life. Recent events haven’t made it better, Luna has decided to start tormenting me at night, leaving me with no sleep. Even as a child I was isolated from others whenever they played. As I grew older it limited my chances of ever filling the job I was given. But I loved one thing. I would always read. In particular, about great historical leaders. Their ability to inspire others. But there’s little demand for a leader, especially to another leader. And what use would canterlot have for a historian, when all having the people learn the past would do is put the current regime in question? No, I was delegated the role of mail-carrier. So I tried. I worked at the job for about a year, pushing my body to the limit just to fill the quotas. It was then I decided to leave what I had behind. Surely there were others like me. Dissatisfied souls, piloting the wandering husks of their empty bodies to fill Canterlot’s quota. And I found many.” Rally said.
He stopped speaking, and grabbed one of the energy tonics, taking a big gulp.
“What are all of those for?” Sweetie said.
“When the Goddess of sleep and dreams has a personal vendetta on you, you want to be in control of your sleeping. Ever since I started finding others and telling them of another way out, she’s tried her hardest to make my nights miserable.” Rally said.
“So where are we going?” Sweetie said.
“And when?” Scootaloo chimed in.
“We should leave soon, the less time I spend in a town the better. Not to mention the royals looking for us.” Rally said.
“What do they want to find us for?” Sweetie said.
“Most likely just a lost child alert for the two of you. Canterlot would be pushing it hard, they wouldn’t want you escaping. Not so much for the loss of a worker, but because it would give the others ideas. No, all they want to do is return you two home. As for me, if I get caught forget I ever existed. Burn anything related to me and continue your lives as if you never left. Claim that I kidnapped you, abused you, tortured you or worse, whatever you need to to make the disappearance go unquestioned on your end. They’ll kill me anyway, might as well add torture to my resume.” Rally said.
Sweetie and Scootaloo were both shocked to hear this, eyes widening fully and they took a step back.
“They want you...dead? Like, to kill you?” Sweetie said.
“If I’m lucky.” Rally said much too calmly.
“All the more reason to fight back!” Scootaloo said.
“I like the enthusiasm, but I’m hoping to avoid violence. I want to get Celestia and Luna to talk this over diplomatically. Even if I’m not the one to lead my people to this goal, I pray that they will keep it in their sights.” Rally said.
“What do you mean, diplomatically? What would you talk them into doing?” Sweetie said.
“Preferably, a cessation from Equestria. Our people independent, under our own rule. Or at the very least, an end to the caste, and freedom of the mind, if not freedom of law.” Rally said.
“So, where do you get sun dew from? I heard it was in the mountains, but where?” Scootaloo said.
“We collect if from the top of the crystal mountains, where it reaches the sun at its highest. We live not far south of them, actually.” Rally said.
“So doesn’t that mean you’re actually in the crystal empire, where Cadence would be in charge?” Sweetie asked.
“Yes, but Equestria is the suzerain of the crystal empire, and uses this power to hunt us down there as well.” Rally said.
Her head spinning from all the conversation, Sweetie sat down for a moment.
“I wouldn’t get too comfortable. We should get going.” Rally said.
“Who lives here? It doesn’t look like anyone stays here very long. There’s barely any furniture, and it’s all so dusty.” Scootaloo said, looking around.
“Anyone. I technically own the place under an alias, but we all use it as a sort of hideout in town.” Rally said, grabbing a drab olive pack and slinging it over his back.
“So do we have to be all dressed up like you were?” Sweetie said.
“No. It’s late enough that it won’t matter. If we were to be seen, it wouldn’t help, we’re suspicious as is.” Rally said.
“Let’s get going already!” Scootaloo said.
“I just wish I could go see Applebloom before we go.” Sweetie said.
“I won’t stop you, but I won’t wait for you either. You probably haven’t been marked missing yet, so I suppose you can go.” Rally said.
“No, I’m going with you.” Sweetie said.
“Then let’s go.” Rally said, sliding his way out the door.
The three of them quietly made their way down the streets and out of the town. Their shadows just barely flickering upon the walls they passed, the moon provided just enough light to see. Rally lead them into the forest nearby, ducking into the trees.
“So how are we getting there?” Scootaloo asked, once they were safely out of the town.
“We’re only cutting through the forest till we get to the east side of town. I have a friend who works at the train station.. No one will be at the station, it’s supposed to be closed, but he can sneak us into one of the freight trains that heads north. He set up a stop here, claiming a surprise inspection as part of a new anti-smuggling law. When the train stops for inspection we get on, and when it passes Neighagra falls we leave it.” Rally said.
The three of them sidled along the side of a nearby house, nearing the train station. As he made his way to the station, Rally tripped, falling over, unable to stand. Rolling another vial of sun dew out from his pack, he took a quick sip, enough to pick him up. Leaning on Sweetie for support, he stood. Looking into the skies, they saw smoke rolling towards the station, just on time. Keeping their heads down, they followed the walls until they got to the back of the train. Climbing aboard, they overheard the inspection.
“So, you say you’re just shipping produce from Baltimare to market?” the inspector said in an official tone.
“Yes, and I usually don’t have to undergo an inspection in Ponyville.” the conductor said.
“Well, if you are telling the truth, it shouldn’t take too long.” the inspector said.
One by one, the doors of the train were opened by the inspector, as he went through crates. Rally gestured them behind a crate full of lettuce, and they slid silently behind it. The doors of their train car slid open, and the inspector stepped in.
“Hmm. Let me look in these crates.” the inspector said.
He looked in the crate they hid behind, then at them. giving a slight nod, he closed the crates.
“You’re all good here, sir. Sorry for the inconvenience, but it helps us stop smuggling and tariff evasion, Celestia’s orders.” the inspector said.
“Whatever. Just so long as I can get these to market before they spoil.” the conductor said.
The door slid shut as the inspector walked out, leaving the train car pitch black. The conductor walked back to the engine, and the train whirred back to life, slowly beginning the long journey ahead.
“You two might as well get some sleep while we wait here. It’ll take a while, and I’ll keep watch. I can’t sleep inside Ponyville anyway, Luna will know, and having to deal with that will be more pain than I’d like to deal with right now..” Rally said.
Sweetie was still quite tired, being awoken in the middle of the night, and drifted off quickly. Scootaloo was out soon afterwards, and Rally was left alone in the dark car with his thoughts.