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You couldn’t help but smile when you met with the cheerful little unicorn mare that introduced herself as Dusty Adit. Her mane and coat were full of dust, grit and stone fragments, but her beaming smile and openly helpful demeanour just made your day.
You were a long way from Earth now, you thought idly to yourself as you returned her grin wholeheartedly. This precious little mare was much more cheerful than any mine worker you had ever met before back home, and cute as a button as well.
“Don’t be thinking like that, mister- you’ve got a job to do,” you berated yourself internally.
Before the pause in your conversation became awkward, you added, “Thanks for the tour of your family’s new mine, Ms. Dusty- and I must say that I really do appreciate how forthcoming you were about the fate of your family’s last claim, that was a rough business, and likely heart-breaking for your parents. How are they holding up?”
The little mare blushed for a moment and averted her eyes before responding, “Not gonna lie to you sir, it was hard on all of us. All of us kids in particular, we were all really nervous… We were born there- apart from the local town, it was all we really knew.” She sighed, more wistfully than anything else.
Before you could respond, she raised a hoof as if to hush you while she continued, “But mom and dad, they might seem sanguine about the whole thing, yet we know they’re hurting just as much as we are. They put literal decades of work into that claim, only for that magmatic intrusion to ruin everything within a few days of us bailing out. I guess in short, they’re doing as well as can be expected, and putting a brave face on.”
You crouched down in front of the little mare, and gave her a gentle scritch behind her left ear, Dusty leaning into the delightful physical contact with closed eyes, and a soft smile.
“I’m glad that you all safely got out when you did. Is it true that there’s a small volcano forming there now? I’m sorry to ask, it’s just that we had kinda heard a bit of scuttlebutt at our office, and wanted to clear it up.” This was a subject that you needed to raise.
The little mare chuckled bitterly, “In a word, yep- probably gonna be a full on shield volcano there in time. Every single level of the mine is absolutely full of basalt lava at this point, and the whole area is now within an enforced exclusion zone. Only geologists can get inside from what I understand- don’t worry, we have copies of all the relevant documents to send with you.”
Without warning, the petite pony drew you into an embrace, and even if you knew you were gonna get dirty, you couldn’t care less about the muck that was all over your hi-viz jacket now. You were sympathetic to the CrossCut family, and were well aware that something like this, though unheard of on Earth, had apparently happened in Equestria before on two other occasions in known history.
Returning the impromptu hug, you spoke to her, “Trust me, I believe you, Dusty- I’m not here to cause trouble for you or your family.” You emphasised the point by continuing your delicate assault on the base of her ear, as she involuntarily leaned into the contact.
Before long, a female voice broke the relative quiet, “Hey Dusty, didn’t know you had a thing for Humans- how long were you gonna keep us in the dark about bein’ sweet on our guest, huh?”
Immediately, Dusty backed away from you, a brilliant Scarlet blush adorning her cheeks as she looked to the newcomer- well, newcomers. Three grinning mares faced the pair of you as you stood back up to your full height, a small smile on your lips as the realisation kicked in.
The one that had spoken was very tall in comparison to the others, grinning from ear to ear and carrying a large and heavy looking pickaxe with her telekinesis. Her mane was fairly short, tied back with an orange hairband, and a freshly lit cigarette was hanging from the corner of her mouth in a jaunty manner.
You’d done your research- this was Hematite Gleam, the boisterous and rowdy sister. You knew full well that she was NOT to be trifled with, even if she was grinning right now. Her reputation preceded her…
The other two mares were both chuckling good-naturedly at Dusty’s little ‘misfortune.’ Both with more average statures, one was a young looking pale tan mare with a white and grey bicolour mane and tail of a very cute style, and a few lighter coloured freckles dotted around her lithe physique. Iridescent Quartz was her name, as given to you by your bosses.
The other chuckling, and surprisingly young-looking mare needed no introduction- this was CrossCut herself, matriarch of the family, and joint owner of this claim. She was known to have a fairly short temper, especially when it came to her family’s reputation and honour. But you knew that you weren’t in danger of triggering any of that with your visit.
She was looking at Dusty Adit in a manner that only a mother taking immense pleasure at the embarrassment of their daughter could. Back home, you knew that expression as a “shit-eating grin.”
With a respectful incline of your head towards the newly arrived mares, you said, “Ladies? If we’re quite done tormenting little Dusty here, perhaps I can get your paperwork in order and get out of your collective manes.”
With a saucy wink, Haematite Gleam spoke in a rather seductive manner, “Never seen a human round these parts, didn’t realise you guys were so easy on the eyes. Anyway, what if I wanna find out how much stamina…”
CrossCut immediately interrupted her, “Gleam, that’s quite enough- seeing as your shift’s over, why don’t you and Quartz go take a shower.”
As the tall and now pouting mare made to leave, her smaller sister alongside her, CrossCut added for Gleam’s benefit, “ And make that a COLD shower- don’t need you propositioning our guests now, do we?”
“Spoilsport,” came the reply from the taller sister, as she stuck her tongue out at her mother, then turning away with a wink. She sashayed away with a pronounced swing to her hips. And as a final bit of defiance to her mother, she intentionally lifted her tail to give you a clear view of her junk.
CrossCut simply shook her head in disbelief at her daughter’s brazen behaviour. Under her breath, she muttered, “Celestia, Gleam… What am I gonna do with you…”
The matriarch turned to face you before sighing as she locked eyes with you. “I’m sorry sir, Gleam is… well, um… kinda set in her ways so to speak. I hope you weren’t too offended by that… shameful display of hers. Don’t worry, I’ll be having words with her later, and I promise that it will not happen again.”
“It’s fine, Mrs CrossCut, it’s not the first time I’ve seen that sort of thing when I’ve been in Equestria, and besides, I’ve got some self control, unlike some of the guys back home, so she wouldn’t have gotten anywhere with that. Trust me, I’m over it- it was just a surprise is all,” you said calmly with a smile to the older mare.
You turned to face Dusty, who was still blushing furiously, but was at least smiling at you. “You okay, Dusty?” you asked her softly.
“Y… yeah, just a bit embarrassed. I’ll be alright. By the way, thanks for being so understanding about… all this. I don’t know what possessed Gleam to do something so inappropriate to a visitor, for Celestia’s sake…”
You knelt on the ground and drew her into a hug, giving her the base of her ear a good scratch as you did so, something she leaned into again, “Seriously Dusty, it’s fine and there was no real harm done. I promise you, it’s okay.”
Dusty couldn’t help but smile, “Alright, if you’re sure, then,” she said before pulling out of the embrace, you standing up as she did. Both of you smiling at each other, and that persistent blush still upon her freckled face.
Just out of eyeshot of both you and Dusty, CrossCut watched your interactions with little Dusty closely, and a small smile formed from her lips. Her inner matchmaker saw potential here. She saw you as an honest, hardworking and honourable man, with no time for bullshit.
These were traits that she liked to see in stallions that courted her daughters, and that you were exhibiting all of these towards her littlest girl, and that Dusty was so obviously smitten with you, even if she wouldn’t admit it… Yes, you and Dusty would make an adorable couple, even if you were a fair bit older than her.
Her smile faltered as she remembered Dusty’s last boyfriend, and how the rather handsome pegasus had seemed to be a good guy well into their relationship, before promptly cheating on her with the local barmaid in the boomtown near their old claim. There had never even been an attempt made at an apology… Not that it would have been accepted, but that’s besides the point.
As was what Haematite Gleam had done to the miscreant when she found him… Justice… of sorts…
Shaking her head as if to clear it of the memories, CrossCut looked back to the man and mare cheerfully chatting up a storm, the pair absolutely oblivious to her observation of them. As it should be, she thought as her smile grew once more.
Time would tell what the future held for these two, CrossCut thought, but she was at least cautiously optimistic. All she ever truly wanted was for her kids to be happy- the mine, the money, none of it really mattered to her.
Stope was dating at last, the big stallion finally finding a mare that was worth his time. Iridescent Quartz was seeing a quiet but intelligent stallion in town- her relationship was just starting out, but the signs were good at present.
Haematite Gleam was… well, playing the field like usual, having nothing more than a bunch of one night stands to show for it, but she was at least happy with the way she was. Even if nopony else was.
And that left Dusty Adit, always the best and least of the whole family, and it wouldn’t do for her to be alone forever. At that moment, Dusty rubbed herself against the man’s leg like an affectionate housecat, her eyes closing as he gave her some chin scritches, followed by headpats.
CrossCut couldn’t help but smile at the chemistry between the two, they made an adorable couple! Placing a dirty hoof against her chest, CrossCut hoped that, just maybe, Dusty wouldn’t have to have her heart broken again.
The End.
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