//------------------------------//
// The City of Design 
// Story: City Spirits 
// by Sourberry 
//------------------------------//

"With a population reaching nearly a twenty thousand Appleloosa has become the third largest city in all of Equestria. Fuelled by new technologies and wealthy mineral deposits, this city has grown exponentially over the course of the last five years," The unicorn dressed in an elegant suit of fineries glanced over his shoulder to the group gathered behind him, "But I don't suppose I really need to tell you all that. After all, you all built it."

A soft murmur of chuckling rippled out of the group as they waited for the heavy wooden door to rattle open. The elegant unicorn glided through the opening doorway.

"I just wanted to impress upon you ..." He raised his voice, as the towering cityscape was revealed to the group: thirteen massive towers of metal rose out of a hive of metal walls and wooden rooves. From these spires the group could see intermittent sections of gear-work, plainly visible for all to see. These massive gears turned occasionally and with them the tops of the towers slowly rotated, shining columns of light down onto the city. The rest of the skyline was marked with much shorter towers; cranes that held beams or freight containers were erected by sites still under construction. Weaving slowly between the fourteen massive towers were several airships, held aloft by a cluster of four balloons each, tethered to the hull beneath. The smaller buildings were built in heavy clusters surrounding wide patches of land that were also densely packed with verdant gardens and crop farms. The gathering of ponies beamed at one-another, some shaking hoofs or doffing their hats to one another.

"The full extent of your work." The unicorn finished after the group had taken in the sights and congratulated themselves. He tilted his head and forced the large lever down beside him with a yellow glow of magic. The door closed behind them and the compartment that they stood in shuddered as it begun its descent into the city.

“As grand as these sights are,” A polite, nervous voice spoke up. A couple in the group and the unicorn attendant looked to the speaker; a young mare, dressed in a purple flowing dress topped with a flowery cap. “Aren't we concerned at all about the recent provocations by Cloudsdale, and it's old world folk?”

The crowd mumbled to themselves, casting glances in the direction of the unicorn attendant. Right behind him, outside the elevator, they passed by a mass of exposed pipework that a pair of earth pony workers were fixing up. The attendant put on a winning smile and spoke up.

“Concerns regarding the political affairs of greater Equestria are being dealt with, but they are not of any serious concern. If Cloudsdale wishes to diverge from the path we're on, then let it be so. They are not in any position to dictate what we can and can't do.”

“I second that.” A pale-amber pegasus spoke up. “I'm not bothered by them. They're full of hot air.” He smirked, and the rest of the group laughed. Their laughter was shorted lived, as a loud bang far above them stirred them into worry. The group huddled to the window to look out and saw a handful of bolts and a small wrench drop by outside. Nervously, the group resumed their laughter.

“So, I hear the Carrot family intend on developing a theatre?” A unicorn stallion spoke up, easing the group back into conversation. A handful of the group spoke in hushed voices amongst themselves.

“Yes, they are indeed.” The attendant beamed. “The proposal for the Tops Theatre will be posted in the Council Halls about a month from now. But believe it or not, there are already stage groups planning-” The attendant was cut off by a screaming red blur as an earth pony hurtled down past the elevator window and into the depths of the city. The elevator erupted into panic stricken screaming, shouting and cursing.

*	*	*

Thirteen accidents in two weeks. Almost one a day. I don’t know what’s started all this, but there's got to be some source of it all. Even if it is ... Fluttershy’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door.

Through the window the early morning sunlight bathed her office in a soft yellow haze, and the thin curtains drifted up and down as a zephyr brushed in from the outside. Even with the wind from the outside Fluttershy still had the fan on her desk on full blast. In order to prevent the arrangement of paperwork on her desk from blowing away she had strategically placed pencils, pen nibs and her ink-well on the various pieces of paper.

“Come in.” She gently spoke.

With a rattle the door collapsed away into the wall crevice. A young pegasus mare dressed in a pleated dress trotted into the room.

“Ah, Slumberose.” Fluttershy smiled in delight. “Good morning; how was the dinner last night? Did Amberseed take you to see the fireworks in the end?”

Slumberose giggle and nodded, “He was so nice, he even offered to pay for my carriage home.”

“Oh my, what a nice gentlecolt you've met. I take it I won't be hearing of Timber any more?” Fluttershy asked with a tiny giggle.

Slumberose stopped laughing, “Timber is my brother.”

The silence between the two was taken up by the whirring of the fan and the faint murmurs of conversations in the rooms nearby.

“Um, so. What do you need?” Fluttershy nonchalantly rested her forehooves on the top of the table.

“Nothing,” Slumberose spoke up, her brain slowly turning back on. “I came here to tell you that Applejack, and the rest of the City Council really appreciates everything that you're doing. You're truly a hero.”

Fluttershy blushed but managed to keep a straight face, even if her instincts were telling her to just crawl under the desk in humbled embarrassment.

“Which is why,” Slumberose continued, stretching her words out a little. “They believe it's time you got some help.”

Help? Thought Fluttershy. What do they think I need help with? I'm holding up well. I've not had any accidents, or made any mistakes. I've behaved exactly as Rarity told me to behave. Why would she say all that, and then tell me I need help? Fluttershy began to fret, her eyes breaking contact with Slumberose's.

“With the mounting cases you're having to deal with the City Council have decided open giving you an assistant. She'll be with you shortly.” Slumberose, noticing Fluttershy looking away, offered a consoling pat on the shoulder. Fluttershy looked up to the pegasus.

“They're not saying you can't do the job; they're saying your job has gotten more ...” Slumberose paused in thought, searching for the right word. “Involved?”

Slumberose took a few paces back and nodded to Fluttershy. Fluttershy meekly returned the nod and mumbled a goodbye. Slumberose left, pushing a lever back up on the outside of the office, and the door rattled in, shutting the office up.

Fluttershy mulled over the conversation. It was true, her job had intensified in its complexity and was now much more than when it first began. When she was first brought in as the Council Inspector it was more of an honorary title. The first of her duties were to make sure that the great replication engines were in working order and to pass reports from engineers onto the City Council Ministers. It was a very comfortable and enjoyable job as she hardly had to leave her office. Her job was then extended to involve taking in any construction proposals that had passed basic architectural scrutiny and conferring with the City Council on what to approve and what not to. After that the City Council added to her duties the task of handling any serious mechanical failures that were likely to affect the city as a whole, which, at the time, did not amount to much. Now with the recent increase of damages done to the city her workload has been steadily increasing. After consideration, Fluttershy admitted to herself that she could do with the help. She wasn't like Applejack, not yet at least.

Fluttershy stood up and trotted over to her window. Below she could see a group of foals weaving around a wagon cart as it was drawn through the street. A group of chatty mares idly strolled along the cobblestone path between the two rows of houses, talking loudly about the highlights of their day. A pair of petals drifted right by the window, too fast for Fluttershy to react and snatch the pretty morsels up. She looked skyward to where they had come from and saw a unicorn a few floors up from her attending to a small garden that he'd grown on his office balcony. This city was swelling with life, wherever she looked. There were so many ponyfolk here, and their safety was swiftly becoming her top priority.

There came a second rapping on her door. Fluttershy exhaled to calm her nerves, steeling herself so that she might greet the new assistant with the dignity befitting a mare of her position. She turned about and sat down on the large pillow behind her desk.

“Come in.” She announced, in as regal a voice as she could muster. The door began to rattle open so she sat up right and proper, just as Rarity had taught her.

Fluttershy's little heart thudded once, heavily against her ribcage. Those talons. Her lips twisted together as she fought back the terror. That purple flecked plumage. Fluttershy was choking. All pretence of propriety and nobility were shedding themselves rapidly from her as she began to tremble.

“Hey. Sup'? It's been a long while, hasn't it?” That gruff voice.

“Gilda.” Fluttershy's light and airy voice was a far cry from her sour expression and twitching left eye. “W-What a pleasant … surprise.” She forced out. “What are you doing here?”

“Eh?” Gilda tilted her head, leaning forward. “I thought you were a detective? Ain't you detecting anything so far?”

“You're in my office ...” Fluttershy spoke slowly. Gilda nodded and began to wave her right talons in a circular motion.

“Because you want to talk to me ...” Fluttershy continued. Gilda nodded and raised both brows.

“About … ?” Fluttershy's voice raised in pitch and she began to bite her lips.

“My new job ...” Gilda nodded emphatically.

“Which is with me.” Fluttershy's voice rose to breaking point. Her muscles tensed up and she began to shiver again.

“There we go! They told me you were a good detective.” Gilda laughed. Fluttershy remained paralysed with shock. Gilda brushed it off and sauntered into the room.

“About that little accident five years ago,” Gilda laughed nervously and ran her talons through her plumage. “I think we can look past it, y'know? We can throw a bit of banter about and it'll all be cool. It wasn't that bad anyway!”

“I distinctly remember crying.” Fluttershy whimpered.

“And you bounced back! Look at you now. I acted like a sour apple, and now I'm here to make it up to you.” Gilda boasted. Fluttershy fidgeted and her eyes darted about the room.

“Okay, maybe I just wanted to channel these stupid emotions into something positive. I'm a force for good now, I swear it.” Gilda stood up on her paws and held her bunched talons to her chest. “Griffon's honour.”

“Why me?” Fluttershy finally regained her composure. “If you want to help, surely there are better places to be for that. The City Council always need more engineers. What about agriculture as well? Farming is good for your health and the city's!”

“I'm not so good with those egg-head contraptions and farming is a bore, so, I wanted something a little more gung-ho.”

Fluttershy's jaw sagged a little and her brow twisted up.

“Gilda, this is a Health and Safety service. This isn't the armed forces. We don't have any airships and cannons here.” Fluttershy laid it out.

“Maybe I just wanted to make it up to you? Maybe I just want to help?” Gilda offered and Fluttershy's expression soured. She closed her eyes and took in a sharp breath.

“Have you considered the possibility that I might not have wanted to see you again?” Fluttershy's voice was stern, but her inner-self was panicking. Self control. Fluttershy thought, Just remember the finer points that Rarity taught you. Gilda didn't respond. She lowered herself a bit and folded her wings firmly back.

“Yeah. Okay.” Gilda said, her voice weaker. “If you don't think I can change, that's cool. I'll just … I'll just go, again.” She emphasized the last word and turned around, heading for the doorway.

“Wait.” Fluttershy called out. Her heart knotted up with guilt. Whilst still looking out of the doorway, Gilda grinned. “Maybe... Maybe I was a little too hasty.”

The griffon slowly turned about-face in a lumbering fashion.

“Really? You'd have me?” Gilda sounded sincere.

“On a number of conditions, but maybe. The first is that you do as I say, understood?”

“Completely.” Gilda nodded.

“The second is that under no circumstance do I want you scaring the ponies who live here, is that understood?”

Gilda mumbled and looked away, askance.

“Is that understood?” Fluttershy said, firmly.

“Yeah, yeah. Gotcha'.” Gilda quickly answered.

“The third is that I want you to be honest with me at all times. That's Council Policy; Honesty.” Fluttershy tapped her desk and pointed to the front of it. Gilda looked down and saw a simply plaque on the front panel that read 'An Honest Day's Work'.

“I don't do lying.” Gilda gruffly said.

“Well then, we're ready.” Fluttershy announced and stood up, her legs slightly shaking from the whole ordeal.

“Ready? What, you're going to make me swear an oath now or something?” Gilda pried.

“No. We're going to see a mare about her waterworks.”

“Wh-What?” Gilda was caught off-guard. The tables were turned. Fluttershy was now bouncing banter back at Gilda. Drat. She thought, Wasn't that what she wanted? Fluttershy briskly trotted out from around her desk and to the door.

“The site of the latest accident.” Fluttershy confirmed as the two left the room. Gilda flicked her tail, coiled it around the lever to her door and yanked it down. The door rolled shut as the two walked away from Fluttershy's office and into the wood and copper-brace corridor.

“Two hundred and fifty bits of damage and one hospitalised worker; it's my most serious case so far.” Fluttershy sharply looked at Gilda. “Please don't do anything brash or rude.”

Gilda nodded.

“Is that understood?” Fluttershy said, firmly.

“Yeah. Okay.” Gilda looked away and whispered under her breath. “Geez. When did she get so pushy?”

“What?” Fluttershy pricked up an ear.

“Nothing. So, where are visiting first?”

“The outside of tower seven. Floor thirty eight.” Fluttershy stopped by an elevator door and tapped the button on the panel. The button lit up with a chime and there came a whirring sound from beyond the metal doors.

“The outside of?” Gilda raised a brow. Fluttershy looked her up and down.

“You've got wings, don't you?” She asked. The elevator chimed a second time and the doors opened. Gilda made no comment and together the two bundled into the elevator and began their descent into the city streets.