//------------------------------// // Networking and my little Amari // Story: Hooves Edge // by 1joemini //------------------------------// The sun is just beginning its decent; every building cast its own shadow. In the final minutes of day I sat there silently watching the city consuming its self in its own shadow. The utility light on the roof next to me turned on right on schedule. I was alone, the only voice I heard was thee cries of the wind flowing between skyscrapers. I stood on my good leg, resting my sore but functional knee. I thought about Anderson. I thought about Tory. I thought about my past. I looked at my side, down upon my underdeveloped wings wrapped in medical tape. I opened them up the best I could airing out their underside. I remembered how I had dream't of soaring through a sky like this one. The warmth of the retiring sun settled on my cheeks as I blushed remembering how happy and careless those days were. I smiled to myself I could have never imagined my life away from Ponyville. But now that was just a vague memory long gone and haunting. I caught myself teary eyed and wiped my face. If I went to diner in this condition then there’s no way Ide hear the end of it. The suns light was gone, replace by the artificial glow of the lamp. I looked at my watch. It was time to go. I turned and slowly walked towards the relay station. Station O’Brian was one of many relays set up throughout the city. They functioned as command centers for Dashers. They also served as outposts, landmarks, and pretty much anything else we needed them for. I pushed the door open and made my way inside. The door softly closed itself. Anderson was on his head set and didn’t notice my present. I looked at the dinner he had prepared. It was left overs from the previous day. A cup with my name engraved on it marked my seat. I didn’t hesitate to sip from it but did not want to begin eating without Anderson and Tory. Tory wasn’t here yet. I figured she’d arrive at any moment. I shrugged and putts my way over to Anderson. He was researching the schematics on a building. I figured it was regarding a job. “Anders…” I said in a poor attempt at getting his attention. I lifted my hoof up and tapped his shoulder. He turned and pointed at his headset. He was on call with a client or with one of the Dashers. I sat next to him waiting for him to finish. “If you were to repel from the building adjacent to yours then you can take a vent all the way down to the eighth floor,” Anderson explained to someone. He was definitely deep in thought and trying his best to word his plan correctly. “I need you to make sure you leave yourself time to climbed the vent back up or else your stuck with going down leaving only the sewers. If you come to me smelling like…” He was cut off by the other end. “Okay, I’ll be sure to leave you extra rope so you can make it back up, alright?” He was almost done with this call. “Okay, Be safe Aaron.” Anderson pushed the mouth piece on his headset up with a sigh. “Something on your mind Andy?” I asked as he rubbed his eyes. “Nah, Its nothing really.” His response was not very reassuring. “Is Aaron okay?” I continued my probing, “has Tory checked in yet?” “No word from Tory yet,” He stepped out of his chair he looked exhausted. He had avoided talking about Aaron. He did like Dashers knowing the missions of other Dashers. Keeping things simple was all Anders ever did. But things are never simple never a quick in and out job. Anderson looked at me with bags under his eyes, damn he looked awful! “When was the last time you slept?” I said moving forward to further examine his face. “I just woke up from my nap to answer that lead.” He explained. “I meant real sleep not a quick 10 minute nap.” I said not impressed with his answer. He walked towards his spot at the table, a bench with an old comforter covering it. That when he stopped. His ears flexed around like he was trying to hear something. I didn’t say a word or even breath. I hadn’t heard what he had but what ever had, had him on his toes. He motioned for me to dim the lights as he shuffled to the door. I closed the lamp shade and he peered out the door. We stood there, shrouded in silence. Click-Clop. The sound of hooves on the roof top slowly approaching the shack. I listened but was ready to lunge and take on what ever was approaching our little shack. Anderson was pressed to the wall just to the side of the door, rear hooves propped and ready to buck into whomever was getting nosey. Anderson shot me a confident look. I know he had had curious ponies or ponies whom had taken a their lunch break on the roof or even just to check out the view. But the office building was closed at this hour and should have been empty. Then the clicking of shoes stopped. We sat there for a billion year before I heard a voice. “If you think for a second that I am going to spend all night cleaning the roof, your wrong.” The voice was male, older, and sounded very frustrated with the recipient on the other end. “Well if Dr. Bookworm wants his employees to have a nice clean place to escape while they’re on break then why not build a café in the building?” another pause. “Well if that’s the way he runs things then I want a raise.” He said. “I don’t work night because I like it, I do it because I hate my family…” I had heard enough and began to tune out the man. He didn’t even understand what he had. What I wouldn’t give to have a partner to come home to every morning or day. A home, a real home that I could call my own. Anderson relaxed, the voice outside had gone away while I was fantasizing. “Yuri, settle in and eat. I have more work.” Anderson said as he pulled out some unleavened bread. I stared at the wafer, they were so bland. Given the choice I would sooner eat wheat raw then eat this stuff. But it didn’t go stale quickly so it was all we had. I settled down on a floor pillow near the table. It was a small table, well a small katatsu table. With a hot plate for boiling water. But I didn’t need hot anything! I only used it for soups or stews. I really need to visit my previous contact over at sweet apple acres for some apples for a stew. I must be real hungry to be thinking this much about food. I began eating the wafer like bread. Anderson was already analyzing information. He usually got the news and did some report analysis. Its boring… to be honest. I cant stand it here. Its small cramped… I much prefer to camp under the stars. There’s was one time I went camping with my friends and, well, I was so young then... I began to tear up. It had been ages since Luna had come to visit me. Luna herself didn’t even come out on Nightmare night. I wasn’t so hungry think about this stuff… It made me mostly depressed. I pulled a blanket over myself and read the Headlines. ”Library Records Stolen, Suspected Dasher Plot” the report was by Featherweight, a long time informant of mine. He was the chief editor of the foal free press when we were children but now runs the Sentenial Times. I gave him information for scoops and he reported it; Most of it. Celestia would have him sent to the moon base if she suspected him of foul play. We hadn’t seen each other personally for awhile. I continued reading… “Suspects in the crime against General Snips were spotted leaving the restricted areas of the Everfree compound. Officers say that upon persute the targets fled via roof top and managed to escape. As of now reports on the scale of the damage and motives behind such an act are not present. Official and complete details will be reported as given….” There was more, but I had read all I needed. The mission that they were talking about was carried out by Amari. “Hey Anderson,” I began “I miss Amari.” Anderson seemed taken aback by this. “You miss him?” he inquired. “Yeah, he hasn’t been in the inner city for awhile” “Well Zebras don’t exactly blend in.” He smirked. I paused and gave that some thought. It had been awhile since a zebra came into the city at all. It wasn’t that they weren’t allowed to. People in the city were just bigots and always stared at Amari when he was walking around. He only ever came in to run errands for his Aunt. We had actually met because of Aunty Zecora. I remember when he came into town with her for the first time. He hid behind her and wouldn’t look and anyone. I was practicing on my scooter and didn’t see him. I jumped over a pile of cider barrels and swerved to avoid Zecora but didn’t expect Amari to be there. I crash and landed on top of him. It took me a moment to relies what happened he was in a dase still… “Sorry!” I said, “Are you okay!?” He shook off his daze and looked at me but did not speak. His eyes were emerald green and shined like a Crystal Ponies . “Oh Scootaloo he is alright, it seems you just gave him a fright” sang Zecora. He blushed and grinned goofily. I climbed off him and he stood up. “So who are you?” I asked with a grin. “Amari…” he said while attempting to hide his face which was now bright red. “Amari, stay and play your aunty won’t be far away.” Zecora said and she strolled towards a market stand. “So! Your Zecora’s nephew?” I asked “Yes” he said. “Im 8, how old are you?” “9 ½” “Do you like scooters?” he peered up and looked up at me and then the scooter. His eyes got wide and he just stood there, horrified. “There not dangerous, well, a little dangerous; but their fun!” I unhooked my helmet and placed it on his head. Things were happening faster than he could process. I pulled the scooter next to him. He got on and stood there, Unsure what to do. “You gotta push with your back hooves.” He looked at the ground then to me, pleeing for me to make it stop. “Ill help you!” I stood behind him and put my hooves over his and pushed. The wheels began to turn and we moved forward. I continued pushing and picking up speed making sure to keep it at a nice speed for Amari. He began to relax and I couldn’t see his face, but I imagine he smiled. We buzzed through the market, by SugarCube corner, and eventually returned to my Scooter Park. (It’s a spot wear Rainbow and AppleJack set up a diving board and a teeter totter but since I had built a few ramps and kickers). I saw Zecora sitting at a picnic table reading. We pulled up next to her. “Sorry for making you wait Zecora,” I said apologetically climbing off the scooter. “No fault was made, little one, it seems that you’ve both had fun.” Amari also climbed off and unhooked the helmet. His grin was from cheek to cheek. He looked from the scooter, to me, and to Zecora he was so overwhelmingly happy. It was happy that he had fun. “Another day he will return, a friend today you have earned.” Zecora said as she put her book away in her cloak. Amari began to turn but stopped and faced me. He dashed over and kissed me on the corner of my mouth. “Yuri, your face is flushed,” Anderson said. I had been caught reminiscing. I threw the blanket over my whole body to cover my face. “I was just thinking about stuff…” “Well you are about that age…” He began. “Nooononon!” I shouted trying to cover my tracks. “Yuri, Its fine! You don’t have to exsplain to me.” Anderson was like that. Smooth, cool, collected, and I actually had a complex for him for awhile. I mean, he did save me as a kid. I loved the man. But He always said He loved me in a maternal way. Never beyond that.The thing is, I hadn’t had to time to really think about dating and stuff. I mean, Tori dated... A lot. But I had never dated many pony. I had been asked out don’t get me wrong but I just wasn’t interested in other Dashers like the ones I had trained with. It just wasn’t a part of my life. I had had enough for the day. I needed rest. I lied down and was out like a light.