//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Night Crew // by NFire //------------------------------// Three pairs of ears, attached to three heads peeked over the bank of a cloud, their eyes fixed on the last pony out of the offices where they met each night for shift. That target turned around, locking the door just for safety really, not so much crime, and flew off to join his own family. Two heads ducked down, though a deep blue one kept watching until yanked back down by a snowy white hoof. “C’mon Cornflower, stay with us here, yeesh,” Chryse gave her sisters’ mane a good ruffling, to which Cornflower replied with a giggle and squeak. Hangfire looked at them both, “Okay, we get in, get out, there’s got to be something in that jerk’s office that’ll tell us what’s going on. Other than that, I got nothin’. “ ‘Flower and Chryse nodded, all three taking one last look over the cloud bank as evening fell, darkness starting to cover the skies, leaping out of the puffy whiteness and swooping down to the doorway. “Okay ‘Flower, all yours.” Cornflower looked around sneakily, or dramatically, depending on who you asked, but receiving facehooves from both ‘Fire and Chryse, “Cornflower, we’re not secret agents! C’mon!” The deep blue pony gave them both exasperated looks, a ‘I can’t have any fun,’ sigh before turning to the door, the lockpicks in her mouth making short work of the simple door lock. They hustled inside the office, slamming the door behind them, heading straight for the night managers office. Hangfire pushing ‘Flower and Chryse in, in front of her and slamming the door, her heartbeat pronounced in her ears. “C’mon guys, let’s hurry, I’m not sure ‘bout this.” Chryse turned and gave her a stare, as Cornflower started rummaging through doors and files. “Are you kidding me? REALLY?” ‘Fire made shushing motions at the raised voice. “You want to bail out NOW?” “Chryse, shhhhhhhh! Moon and Stars I’m just nervous, I’ve never done breaking and entering!” Chryse hooked a hoof over her shoulder, pointing at Cornflower who was skillfully looking through files and records, “You think “I” have? Heck lookit HER! She’s the pro!” Cornflower smiled and squeaked, going back to her searching. Hangfire nodded, letting out a sigh as she stood near the door, listening close for anyone coming in, “I know! I know! Shhhh! Geez, just nervous okay?” Chryse let out an exasperated breath, turning to help her sister. Hangfire’s thoughts ransacked her own brain, Oh stars, we’re gonna get caught, they’re gonna throw us in the deepest Canterlot Dungeons. My career will be so over I’ll have to move to some desert to water cactus. Dad would kill me...no wait, he wouldn’t, he’d give me a disappointed look and I’d kill myself from the thought of making him sad that way. Oh Celestia we’re doomed! She kept her ear to the door, listening while her pulse went higher and higher, threatening to give her a serious panic attack. Cornflower on the other hand was happily rummaging through files, grabbing one here and there, her sister whipping out a copy-gem. The gem had been bought, for a bit of a price, to copy whatever they found, just get a blank parchment, wipe the gem over the printed one, and the over the blank, ta-daaa! Exact copy! Hangfire didn’t care, the blood pounded in her ears as she tried to pay attention to the door, but just couldn’t. She could hear clear as a bell, her mom’s voice. “I TOLD you you’d come to nothing! Being a weather pony, now a criminal! Oh your poor dear mother never had such a shock!” She had a habit of talking in the third person for some odd reason. “Your mother told you, but no, you go off and do this! Oh the shame! We’ll be thrown out of Cloudcroft for sure! Shaming the family like this!” She stared off into space, thinking furiously, Oh stars, they’ll lock us up, the world will know I’m a criminal, I’ll never get another job again! Oh no...nonono I’ll have to move back HOME! Chryse and Cornflower were finishing up, tucking the last of the records back into place before looking up towards the door. Seeing Hangfire on her back legs, back planted against the door as if holding the hounds of Tartarus outside, her eyes gone to almost pinpricks as she started shaking. Oh no, moving back HOME! No, nonono I’ll have to date whoever my mom wants! She’s even kept my room the same as it was! NO! Oh moon and stars I HATE ruffles! NOOOO! She heard the voice again, “It’s alright sweetie, we’ll find you a nice stallion to settle down with.” No..nono..and..and worst of all, she’ll make me eat asparagus again! Oh Luna please, anything but that, oh I hate that stuff, hate it! Ruffles, she’ll make me wear ruffles, and frilly things! Her mind went wandering down further dark paths, losing itself in pure terror, tea parties, little cucumber sandwiches, stuck up gold digging mares, garden parties! NO! If we get caught, if we get caught! Chryse and Cornflower saw tears start rolling down Hangfire’s cheeks as they sidled closer, staring at the terrified mare. Her whole body was shaking like a leaf on Running of the Leaves Day. Her face had gone pale, Chryse waved a hoof in front of her eyes, “Hangfire? Hangfire?” She exchanged shrugs with her sister and kept waving a hoof. Finally, taking Hangfire’s face in both hooves, she stared into her eyes, “ ‘Fire, c’mon ‘Fire, we’re fine, it’s fine.” “I.....hate asparagus.....” Chryse’s brow furrowed, a confused look on her face as she made up her mind, slapping Hangfire with a hoof , knocking her back into reality as she still stood shaking against the door. “Chryse..?” “Hey, hey yer back, what’re you so afraid of, we’re fine, we’re fine.” She hugged her friend warmly while Cornflower took over listening, “What’s wrong with you?” She ran a soothing hoof down the umber mare’s back, “What’s going on in there?” The blond mare looked at Chryse, “Terrible things just...just terrible things... Please don’t make me move back home!” She clung to Chryse with both forelegs, “Oh stars please don’t make me move back home!” Chryse blinked, having absolutely no clue nor frame of reference for this outburst, she comforted her friend, “I promise, I won’t.” She exchanged looks of utter confusion with Cornflower over the mare’s shoulder waiting for Hangfire to settle down. She wiped her face with a hoof, blinking and looking around, hugging Chryse, “Wow, uh..sorry.. my mind kinda ran away with me..” “Ran away? More like went screaming into the Everfree! ‘Fire we gotta talk sometime.” Hangfire nodded, collecting herself once again. “I’m okay, I kinda let my imagination run wild, it’s my first burglary you know.” She gave Chryse a bit of a shaky grin, firming up as she shook herself. “We better get out of here.” Chryse gave an absolute affirmative on that one, before poor ‘Fire freaked again. “Let’s go ‘Flower!” Cornflower nodded, opening the door, then slamming it shut with a squeak and a look of fear! She tried to say something, but was stuttering so bad they couldn’t make it out. Chryse facehooved, why was everyone freaking out, why? Cornflower opened the door just a bit, letting Chryse see where she pointed. Oh ponyfeathers.... it was the janitor... Now the Janitor, was a nice pony, he really was. He loved his job, he liked making things clean and sparkling. His cutie mark was even crossed brooms, he was very proud of it. He’d done this job for years, and he was a happy pony. Sweeper wasn’t the smartest pony, nor was he the most handsome, but he was good, solid, truthful to a fault, and no one, absolutely no one ever had a bad thing to say about him. He always had a smile and a nice thought to say to folks when he flew in and out, shared his lunch when others looked like they needed it. He was just one of those ponies everyone knew, but didn’t really know. It would surprise ponies everywhere, if they knew he had just completed a book about the aerodynamics of Pegasi. He carved gems, which sold in Canterlot stores for quite a bit as well, under a pseudonym. His fourth romance novel was due out this week, the other three getting acclaim as “Well written, historically accurate, and “Sweet Celestia, what a sweat maker of a love scene!” ,also under a pseudonym. Yes, Sweeper was just a pony with hidden depths, and one of them was honesty. If he caught them, he’d report them, unless he felt as if he shouldn’t. “Pits, it’s Sweeper, he’ll turn us in, we gotta get out of here!” Hangfire started to panic again, what to do, what to do? She thought rapidly for a moment, then pushed Cornflower around behind the desk, “Just stay there, duck behind the desk!” Cornflower squeaked in protest but ducked down. She grabbed Chryse, hauling her around to the same side of the desk, jumping up and planting her backside on the managers blotter. She turned Chryse around to face her , lifting her up to stand in front of her behind the desk, as they heard the squeaky cart Sweeper was pushing getting closer to the door. Hangfire looked Chryse right in the eyes, wrapping her hind legs around the snowy mares hips, “Don’t say I never did anything for you.” taking the mare’s face in her hooves, and as the door opened, she kissed Chryse’s lips warmly. Her fore legs slipping down to wrap around the white barrel, pulling her close. Chryse leaned into the kiss, trying not to let her eyes open as she heard the silence from the open doorway. Her own fore legs wrapping around Hangfire, her tongue running loose and free along with her friends. Now, Sweeper had seen some things in his life, he had. He even wrote about them, or just kept it to himself. Opening the door to what was probably the most intimate scene he’d ever come across, stopped him dead in his tracks. A flush came to his cheeks, he was no stranger to love being an older pony. But somehow, the snowy white mare, and the darker colored one wrapped in what was obviously a passionate embrace, triggered his sense of chivalry. He didn’t stare, nor did he interrupt, he just started backing out of the office quietly, but not before seeing a darker blue pair of ears peeking over the desk, and definitely NOT wanting to know the details! If ponies were in love, they were in love, and it wasn’t his business as he closed the door. Outside of the office he wiped his brow and made off to the furthest reaches of the office, figuring starting there would allow the mares to make a nice quiet getaway. He was sure they heard him, so he made himself scarce. Though to be honest, if anyone were to notice, what he saw showed up in his fifth romance novel, colors changed of course. Hangfire leaned back from the kiss, her lips tingling and oh so warm as she held Chryse closely, looking into her soft orange eyes. They were both panting a bit, heat rushing throughout their bodies as they sat there for a moment, just looking at each other with a bit of surprise. ‘Fire’s ears lowered a bit as her cheeks glowed a bright red, letting Chryse loose from her forelegs. For once in her life, Chryse herself felt a bit shy as well, looking at her friends violet eyes, trying and failing not to look away. Both of them avoiding a direct gaze as Hangfire slipped off the desk, giving Chryse a bump with her hindquarters and a smile. Chryse winked back and they both jumped, as Cornflower poked them from under the desk, wanting out from her cramped position. She sighed happily, stretching out and heading for the door, looking out to see Sweeper as far away from the office as he could get. Hangfire hummed to herself, leaning into Chryse as they walked towards the opening, Cornflower grinning a bit as they peeked out, then made for the outer door; catching a glimpse of Sweeper studiously avoiding any eye contact and polishing a desk. Swooping off into the early evening, Hangfire’s thought’s turned to her panic attack, now long gone, feeling a languorous mood as they swept down towards her house to look over the papers. Landing on the balcony, they trotted inside, wanting to get a good look at what Chryse and Cornflower had found. Time to find out what was going on.