//------------------------------// // Letters From Far Away // Story: The Canternet Outage // by tackotopia //------------------------------// Dear Zephyrina Storm,  I hope this letter sent by my trusted Kenneth finds you well amidst the challenges in Zephyr Heights. Other than the one in Maretime Bay, I've received word about the Canternet outage in Zephyr Heights, and I trust you're managing the situation with your usual efficiency.  Please update me on the status in Zephyr Heights, and if there's anything I can assist with from my end, don't hesitate to let me know.  Regards,  Sheriff Hitch Trailblazer, Maretime Bay Dear Hitch, Formal much? Is this a letter to a friend or an official report? We’re literally best buds. But hey, I appreciate the sentiment. I hope this letter sent by my trusted Cloudpuff finds you well amidst the challenges in Maretime Bay. Things here are a bit chaotic, as expected.  I can’t leave Zephyr Heights yet, Mom needs me to help to calm everypony and Pipp down. The outage has everypony on edge, but I’m managing. Your offer to help is sweet, but we've got it covered. Been thinking about you. Sincerely, Zipp Dear Zipp,  Sorry for getting a bit carried away with being formal, I never send letters to my friends. Good to hear things are under control in Zephyr Heights. In the meantime, I’m going to investigate the Canterlot building. I might have a theory about a power surge there. Cloudpuff made it here safely. Please tell her thanks for being a reliable messenger. I'm managing on this end too, keeping things in check.  Also, what did you mean by ‘been thinking about you’? Best,  Hitch Dear Hitch,  Investigating the Canterlot building sounds like a good plan. What’s your theory on the power surge there? Let me know if you need any insights from this end.  As for the last part, well, you know, just ignore it. I didn’t write it. Pipp probably wrote that in or something. I didn’t write it. Sincerely,  Zipp P.S. Cloudpuff is a he. Dear Zipp, Before we met, Canterlot used to build machines that allegedly protected us from pegasi and unicorns. Maretime Bay sometimes had electrical blackouts from the power surges that happened when they built the machines. Maybe it had something to do with the Canternet lines as well?  Problem is, the place hasn’t been in use for months. Unless some secret project is going on, I’m going to need to investigate the place right now. By the way, considering the ‘thinking about you’ part is written in the same hoofwriting as all of the other letters you’ve sent, there’s no need to blame your sister for it. And, you know, if you happen to think about me again, feel free to admit it. Best,  Hitch Dear Hitch,  Interesting theory about Canterlot. If there’s some secret project happening there, it might explain the power surges and the Canternet outage. Keep me updated, I trust your detective skills, from one detective to another.  Speaking about detective skills, you really have an eye for hoofwriting, don’t you? I admit, I wrote that part subconsciously. Can we focus on the Canterlot situation now? Sincerely,  Zipp Dear Zipp, As it turns out, Canterlot isn’t hiding any secret project that is causing a power surge. In fact, no Canternet lines are connected to the place. Might have to study the lines and find the source of the problem that’s causing the outage. This outage might take a few more days, so I might not see you anytime soon.  I still want to know about you. How is it going on your end in Zephyr Heights? Keep me updated. Best, Hitch Dear Hitch, Sorry to hear that you’re going to have to learn the network of the system, I know how much of a pain in the ass that can be. Thanks for asking about Zephyr Heights. You know how it is when ponies don’t have access to Canternet for minutes, let alone days (don’t get me started on Pipp). But we’re doing our best to keep everypony calm.  I’ve asked Pipp to sing for the public to entertain them in the meantime, but she insists on hiding in her room and crying in her bed for the past few days. So I’ve just decided to perform some parkouring and flying tricks for them, it’s the least I could do. It’s been tiring lately, doing the same tricks over and over again. I’m not even sure if they care about my tricks anymore. The entertainment situation is tough.  The only thing keeping me sane is reading the letters you send to me every night, and me replying back to them. Everytime I read your letters, I can hear your voice reading the words off the letter. My voice of reason. My voice that tells me everything is gonna be alright.  I’ll admit something. I miss you. I miss having the detective adventures with you. I miss having you by my side. If these ponies didn’t care about Canternet for a second, I would leave this place in a heartbeat. Just to see you again. All I can think about is you. I hope you get the outage fixed, keep me updated. It’s nice getting some things off my chest. Take care,  Zipp Dear Hitch, Please ignore the latest letter I sent, if you received it. It was just an emotional and exhausted rambling I had during midnight. I feel a lot better now, thanks for asking. I do admit, everything I said is true. I just wanted things between us professional, I guess. We have Maretime Bay to protect, and I also have Zephyr Heights to protect. Would it be unprofessional for partners in the workplace to think about each other? Please get back to me ASAP. If you’re uncomfortable with me sending you things like these, I’ll stop. I don’t want to make things weird between us. Regards, Zipp Before latching the letter onto Cloudpuff’s muzzle for delivery, she felt a different atmosphere brewing in Zephyr Heights from her balcony. She no longer heard cacophonies of disdain from the crowd, only cheers of joy. A loud yell of excitement could be heard from Pipp’s room.  Before checking in on Pipp to investigate the situation, she received her first notification from her phone in days, answering her initial queries. TEXT MESSAGE FROM HITCH: Hitch (9:32pm) I fixed the Canternet. Sparky’s dragon fire turned some wires into oranges. Zipp (9:33pm) Great work, Sheriff! Does this mean no more letters? Hitch (9:35pm) Yeah... I loved them tho. ;( Zipp (9:36pm) You did? Even the part about missing you? Hitch (9:38pm) Especially that part. It made me smile. :) Zipp dropped whatever priorities she had in her mind to focus solely on connecting with Hitch and launched herself onto her royal bed. Hitch (9:40pm) You wanna know something? This outage could’ve been solved yesterday if I wasn’t so caught up thinking about you. Zipp stared at her phone, waiting for her brain to craft up a response. However, her hoof hovered above the keyboard, frozen. She couldn’t bring herself to type a single word, her mind replaying Hitch’s message over and over again. A blush painted her cheeks as she tried to shake off the unexpected flutters in her chest. The usually confident pegasus found herself momentarily at a loss for words. The realization that Hitch had been thinking about her, even in the midst of solving a crisis, left her surprised. But as much as she wanted to respond with something witty, sarcastic or playful, her hoof seemed to have a mind of their own. In the end, the keyboard remained untouched as Zipp grappled with the unexpected warmth that overcame her usually composed demeanor. Hitch (9:52pm) You haven’t texted in over 10 minutes. Did I say something wrong? Zipp (9:52pm) NO No, you didn’t say anything wrong. The opposite, actually. I just don’t know how to respond. Hitch (9:54pm) Maybe texting isn’t your thing. Zipp (9:54pm) Maybe… Hitch (9:55pm) Why don’t we continue this convo back in Maretime Bay? Dinner, tomorrow at 7? ;) Zipp's heart skipped a beat. A mix of excitement and nervousness danced within her. Yet, she found herself smiling at the screen.  Zipp (10:18pm) I'd like that. ❤ Hitch (10:20pm) Great! It’s a date. <3 The word "date" lingered in the air, carrying a promise of something new and special. Zipp couldn't deny the fluttering feeling in her chest, a blend of anticipation and joy.  As Zipp curled up in bed, reflecting on the lovely evening with Hitch, she spotted the letter she had drafted earlier on her nightstand.  In a dilemma on whether to send it or forget it, she would eventually keep the letter, a token to remind herself that it's okay to open up, and to always make time to nurture her own needs, even amidst chaos. Zipp smiled softly, tucking the letter into her bedside drawer, falling into blissful dreams about a certain charming sheriff. On the night of their eagerly awaited date in Maretime Bay, Zipp and Hitch found themselves immersed in a cozy atmosphere at a quaint diner outdoors. The soft glow of the moon created a serene backdrop as they shared laughter, stories, and moments of genuine connection. Zipp's adventurous spirit resonated with Hitch's detective charm, creating a harmonious blend that transcended their professional roles. As the night unfolded, they discovered that their friendship had effortlessly transformed into something deeper, blossoming under the starlit sky. The Canternet outage may have brought darkness digitally, but it had illuminated something deeper between Hitch and Zipp through letters. If only Zipp knew Hitch kept the last letter she sent him next to his own nightstand.