After eating, we withdrew from the city. Hope had a saddlebag full of another meal's worth of rations that he had secured.

"I helped out around the quarry. They dont't seem to have many unicorns, and the ones they do aren't practicing how to use their magic in delicate ways." Hope rubbed behind his head as he glanced towards the town we'd left behind. "It's a different place."

Sandra nodded at that. "Won't argue that. Their entire society is different. It's not... exactly broken, taken by itself, but they are terribly cruel to the humans, which is extra fucked up when you remember the not-humans were humans! Way to abandon your past, guys. Oh, good job, Hope. It sounds like you made some new friends."

Dusk Hope colored and went quiet. Was it from being complimented? I assumed it was. "Well, they have a stable thing going on. They have guards, a legal system, even if we don't like it, and stable amounts of food and other supplies. Really, if not for the whole human slavery thing, there wouldn't be much of a big deal. We could integrate them and hardly anyone would notice."

Lizzie leaned forward where she had been sitting. "Where are you all from? You don't sound like you're from anywhere near here."

Neon regarded Lizzie curiously a moment. "South. South and West. A place where humans and ponies are putting their differences aside."

Sandra angrily stomped the ground. "They're the same thing! There isn't a pony out there that wasn't a human a year ago. Why are people forgetting that basic fact?"

Dusk Hope shook his head. "It's... not hard to forget that, Sandra. People know what they see every day, and what's comfortable. Us, Them. We are ponies, easy to see. We were humans, harder to see. You can think it, but it's hard to feel..."

Dust winced a little. "I suppose for some of us, it's harder than others."

Hope frowned at Dust. "What do you mean by that? Why are you looking at me that way?"

I reached for Hope and gently rubbed over his head. "I think what Dust means is that she can see that some of us lost more than others. That's not to say that you're less. You have a lot of talent, and your dedication can't be argued."

Hope didn't seem to be entirely mollified, but let me pull him closer. "Do you all think of me as the stupid one?"

Neon snorted loudly and put a fetlock over her snout. That was enough to set Hope off, and fresh tears began showing in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be a drag on things. I want to help, and I thought I was, and--"

Dust Kicker jumped to her hooves with a scowl. "Enough! You did nothing wrong, Hope." She shoved a hoof at Neon. "Apologize! That was his food you gobbled down a moment ago, and I didn't hear you complaining then. You don't get to mock him now, you big fat heartless bitch!"

Neon rose to her hooves lazily and stretched. "Are you looking for a rematch? I don't think you are, or I'll embarrass you in front of your friends again." Dust's tail slapped down between her legs and Neon smirked at the gesture. "A token effort at best, my dear. Now l--"

Sandra suddenly grabbed Neon, wrapping a tongue around her barrel, neck, and around the tail and pulling her in. "Stop being a bully, Neon. Whatever you do to her, I can do to you, if I have to, but I don't want to. We're a family."

Neon bristled at being held, but the soft caress of Sandra's tongues seemed to calm her down slowly. "It's not fair, she's always calling me things and challenging me."

Dust Kicker moved towards me and Hope and sat down beside him. "And you keep making fun of Dusk Hope here, who's trying, and succeeding, at being a credit to the team." She wrapped her legs around Hope, making him blush immediately, but he clearly enjoyed the hug as she squeezed him warmly.

Cindy looked between Neon and Dust. "So we agree then, no picking on Hope, and no picking on Dust. We're in this together."

Lizzie seemed to relax as the tensions died down. Dust was content snuggling with Hope, and Sandra soothed Neon with her tongues and gentle words. Lizzie looked to me. "I never heard of a feral that can talk with its, uh, feral side. She even has a head. Doesn't that get confusing?"

Cindy smiled brightly. "Less confusing than if I couldn't talk."

I had to agree with that. "She's a person, just like me, or you. She has opinions and wants and she expresses them, and we can figure it out. It's a lot better having her here, as a person, than some unknown 'thing' inside of me. Understand?"

Lizzie nodded slowly then looked to Sandra. "But what about you? Your... feral side? It's inside of you, and you don't talk much, and it's out of the same mouth. Do you two get along as people?"

Karen spoke up through Sandra, "I'd like that."

Sandra grimaced at the sensation. "I'm still getting used to the idea of being hijacked like that. We've only been together for a little while."

Lizzie gave a slower nod. "So... are you going to try and change me the moment I fall asleep?"

To Sandra's annoyance, Karen quickly replied, "No, you're fine. They'd all get angry and pissy at me, and I don't want that. If they like you the way you are, fine."

Lizzie dared a little smile, but I could see she was still very nervous. I used a little magic to pat her on the head. "Hey, Lizzie, what do you think of all this? Everything."

She frowned. "That's a big question." She leaned back and propped herself on her arms as she looked at me. "Ponies scare me, because they can own you, and, like you all said before, they forgot they used to be, you know, human, like me. They're all fuzzy and cute and terrible all at once. My... last owner thought she knew what was best for me. She tried to convince me to agree with her, but I don't want to be a pony. She was losing patience, I mean, she lost it."

Cindy tilted her head. "How do you know she lost it?"

Lizzie hugged her knees in and leaned forward again. "She hired some other pony to try and convince me. He was going to haul me away even if I didn't change my mind. She thinks I didn't hear her talking, but she isn't that quiet. 'For my own good' and all that."

I let out a little sigh. "And that's when you took things into your own hands?"

Lizzie grit her teeth. "Y-yeah... Are you going to throw me out, or try to change me again?"

Neon rolled her eyes. "No, girl. We already said that was wrong, hmph, even if I don't entirely agree. Now tell us why your friend is charged with this crime if you did it?"

I held up a hand towards Neon. "That part is obvious, I think. He covered for you. He's a friend, isn't he?"

Lizzie gave a stuttering nod before tears began to spill from her eyes. "He was my only real friend, and now he's paying for my mistake. I told him not to do it, but he wouldn't listen at all. He told me not to say anything, or we'd both be punished, so... here I am..."

Sandra let out a slow sigh. "She doesn't deserve to be killed, but he sure as hell doesn't. He didn't kill anybody or do anything worse than protecting a little girl. How are we going to get him out without making a huge stink?"

Karen suddenly spoke up through Sandra. "I know one way."

Lizzie looked at Sandra/Karen. "What? How?"

Sandra, ridden by Karen, grinned at Lizzie. "You could become a mighty pony, slip in, and rescue him. I know just how I'd do it, and the right kind of pattern is closeby for it."

Cindy perked an ear with sudden curiosity. "You can see home?"

Karen made Sandra's face look confused. "You can't? Poor thing! That must be awful."

Sandra took control back with a growl. "Please stop doing that without asking!"

Lizzie shook her head quickly. "Please, not that. All of this was to let me be... me. It'd be all for nothing if I became a pony anyway." She stood up, looking wary. "Besides, you said you wouldn't, or are you changing your mind?"

I held up a hand. "Easy there, Lizzie. If you don't want it, then no member of this herd is going to defy that. Does the town go to sleep at night?"

Lizzie looked confused. "Of course they do? Not like we have electric lights. Candles are expensive."

Cindy smiled, picking up on my thoughts. "Then we'll rescue him, a bit after midnight, when everyone will be asleep or at least tired. He's a good person, sacrificing so much for you, Lizzie."

Lizzie trembled as she flopped back to the ground. "I didn't ask him to..."

Dust Kicker peered at the girl. "Tell me, is he related to you, girl?"

Lizzie went stiff and silent. That was answer enough for Dust Kicker. "Father? Uncle?"

She sighed and flopped back. "You ponies don't give up... Uncle, alright? My parents... they became ponies, and forgot I was their daughter. He never forgot who I was, and he tried to protect me, and now he's dying for me." She looked up at me. "Can you really save him?"

I nodded firmly. "I'll do it, don't worry. They don't have a lot of magic, just some guns, which don't work so well in the dark. If they don't see me, they won't shoot me, or know I was there. Relax, and we'll wait for darkness."

Dusk Hope squirmed out of Dust's grip. "I should do this. I'm smaller, better colored too. You're pink, and huge. Even in the dark they might see you. I'm just a unicorn. I'll do it. I know how to teleport just as well." He pointed at himself. "Leave it to me."

Dust scowled. "I don't like it."

Hope pointed at her. "Too bad! You... You haven't learned teleportation yet. I'll do it. Please." He moved in and gently nuzzled into Dust's side. "Please..."

Dust let out a little sigh as she rolled over and pulled Hope in. "Just be careful, you brave little stallion. And don't do it just to impress me, I swear."

Author's Notes:

A new plan! Let's hope Dusk Hope lives up to his name, or was that a typo?