//------------------------------//
// That Odd Stallion 
// Story: A-typical Fillydelphia 
// by ThunderChaserCreate 
//------------------------------//

	I leaned back into the leather chair, and it hissed through a hole in the side. I hooked my hoof around one of the spokes and pushed, letting the seat spin itself out. How long did it take to get coffee, anyway? The shop was two stores down.
I opened the filing cabinet, knowing that Sugar liked to hide comic books and sketches among the papers. I had just found an interesting one titled 'Day of the Dead' when the bell over the door tinkled.
I quickly stuffed the comic back into the drawer and slammed it shut. "Hello! Fillydelphia Contractors and Co., how can we be of service?" I blurted. 
"Um... hi. You guys do repairs and stuff, right?"
I looked up at the stallion before me. He was tall and kind of skinny, with a puff of red-orange hair shooting out of his grey head. I could just see the tip of his horn poking out of the mess, and his deep brown eyes stared at me inquisitively. He had the shadow of a red mustache on his upper lip, but it was so faint that I couldn't be sure it was there.
"Well... we mostly do things from scratch..." I murmured, not wanting to offend him or turn him away. "You know, contracting. That's blueprints and things?"
"Oh. I just-- well, I have this bookshelf with dry rot, and I figured--"
"We could design you a new one. But, that's it, I'm afraid..." I smiled a bit, trying to soften the blow.
He sighed, shuffling his hooves. "Well, thanks anyway." He turned to leave, but then seemed to remember something. "Hey! Do you know if there's a furniture shop nearby?"
"Sure, it's just--" I stood up, trying to point him towards his destination, when I spotted the dusty pink mane of a familiar mare bouncing through the crowds. "Oh, jeez..."
The bell tinkled again as none other than Sugar Sprinkles pushed through the door, holding a cup carrier with two coffees. She gasped, dropping them. "Ohmigosh a CUSTOMER!" She looked down, seeing the coffee and whipped cream running down the stallion's chest. "Oops... was that me?"
"I-it's okay, I'll just--" He reached over and grabbed a few tissues, trying to soak up the mess. "Um..."
Sugar stood there, virtually dead inside.
"I'll get it!" I stepped in, using another hoofful of tissues on his chest in an attempt to clean up the mess my sister had made. Boy, if that phrase doesn't sum up my life, I don't know how else to describe it.
"Do you have a restroom?" he murmured, more than a little embarrassed, as was I.
Suddenly, Sugar was awake. "I know where it is! I mean, I-I work here... so..."
I rolled my eyes. She led him behind the counter, taking him through the maze of cubicles.
I stood there for a moment, then realized that I was holding tissues soaked with coffee. I quickly held them over the trash before any more could drip on the counter top, then set a vase over the spill. Sugar would have to deal with that later.
"He's funny!" Speak of the devil...
"Is he? Well, I didn't get to speak with him for more than a minute before you dumped piping hot coffee all over him!" I spat back.
Sugar gasped again, this time dramatic and drawn out. "Do you like him?"
I stuttered in utter disbelief. "I don't even know his name! What is wrong with you?"
Sugar giggled. "You should ask him."
I jabbed a hoof back towards the cubicles. "Would you get back to work?"
She shrugged, but turned and headed back to her office space.
I sighed, willing myself not to let steam come pouring out of my ears. If I treated him nice, he might come back when he did need something.
"Now..." the voice came from behind me. "Where was that furniture shop?"
I whirled about to face the stallion, whose coat looked sticky, but at least not dripping wet. I cleared my throat, cautious in taking my sister's advice. "I'm sorry... I don't think I ever caught your name."
"It's--" The stallion began, cut off be a loud bang. This was quickly followed by two more just like it, which bounced off the tall buildings.
"Oh, for Celestia's sake!" I yelled, weaving around the front desk to peer out the window. "What the buck is it now?!"
The stallion was right beside me, straining to look down the street. "Oh my god..."
"What?" I could barely see what was going on.
"I gotta go." The stallion made for the door
"Wait!" I followed him, skittering through the door a galloping after him. "I-I didn't get your name yet!"
He spun, changing his gait to a smooth backwards trot. "Officer Nightwhisper, FPD, Homicide Division." He turned back, kicking up the pace.
"You're a policecolt?!" I called, continuing to chase him.
"Yes! Got a problem with that?" He yelled back.
I shook my head, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Something clicked. "Wait, are you saying those were gunshots?!"
He skidded to a halt, pulling a badge out of nowhere. He muttered something to the other ponies around him, flashing the badge as he wove his way through the crowd. He made some kind of gesture back at me a few times, and received hesitant nods from several ponies.
I came to a stop, looking right in the faces of two more officers. "Uh..."
"Go on," grumbled the first.
"Excuse me?" I said between pants.
"You're a witness," the second one explained through a pink-iced doughnut. "Go on, you're allowed."
I didn't ask questions, but pushed my way through the rest of the crowd after Nightwhisper. I caught a quick glimpse of his tail and called his name. He didn't seem to hear me.
Soon enough, I heard his voice calling for more space. The crowd thinned, most giving up and leaving while the others back off a few steps. The grey unicorn was bent over a crumpled body along with a few other uniformed officers. He stood up, scanning the crowd, and saw me standing a few feet closer to the center than everypony else. He saw me, waving me closer.
When I was only a few inches away, he murmured. "Didn't catch your name, either. And something tells me that this isn't the last we'll see of each other."
I must have looked a bit confused, but I answered, "It's Thunder Chaser. Nice to meet you."