Living on the Edge. It's nothing short of reality for Scootaloo. [A Mirrors Edge Crossover]
Hooves Edge follows the hoof steps of Scootaloo, code name: Yuri, as she tries to resist a world that is no longer fair nor safe. My name's Anderson, I've been training your friend Scootaloo for many years. We've been together ever since I broke her out of the prison they call an "orphanage."
Once this city used to pulse with energy, dirty and dangerous, but alive and wonderful at the same time... Now it’s something else. The changes came slowly at first; Street Cameras, Police, and then Government taps on all forms of communication, even Strict Curfews and eventually Pegasus patrols... Most didn't relies it, or just didn't care... Most chose a comfortable life. And those who refused to conform to the new laws were pushed to the sidelines. Criminalized, They became our clients. We call ourselves Dashers. We exist on the edge. Between the gloss and grit of this world. We keep out of trouble, out of sight, working as middle men for people who want goods or information secretly delivered. Runners see the city in a different way. We see the flow; roof tops become conduits and pathways. Possibilities... and ways to escape the glaring eyes of normalcy The flow is what keeps us running, keeps us alive...
My name? I haven’t used my name for years; but, I guess that’s an important detail. My real name is Scootaloo. I’ve been a Dasher since I was 13. That’s how old I was when Princess Celestial turned for the worse. Many people tried to riot and rebel against her, and well, that’s how I became the orphan I am today. Without parents to raise me, I was quickly taken into custody by the New Celestial Empire. With Princess Celestial's new laws, I was quickly apprehended and striped of all my Pegasus abilities.
They clipped my wings before I even had a chance to use them. All my dreams and strives to fly all wasted. I stayed in custody for about a month. At least until Anderson came along. Anderson was a guard. An earth pony; strong, thin, and tall. He always look as if he was deep in thought, but very rarely did I hear him speak. In spite of being a guard, Anderson didn't follow the rules. He hummed and moves around while the other guards stood like giant statues of death waiting for you to step out of line.
One day while the other guard was “correcting” a younger filly, Anderson walked over to my cell and peered down at me. He smiled and whispered "It’d be a mighty shame if that back window of yours happened to be rusty and easy to jump through, wouldn't it?" He winked and dropped something at my cell door. It was a small sketch pad. I reached out and pulled it into my cell, I sat on my bed, and read...
They were my Documents! _____________________________________________________________________________________ Name: Scootaloo Gender, Race: F, Peg. Age: 13 Description: Base- Orange Mane- Purple Eye- Purple Crime: Curfew Violation, Driving an Unlicensed Vehicle Sentence: 15 years in Corrections Center. Scooter will be returned once fee’s and paper work has been filed and it has been properly licensed. _____________________________________________________________________________________
I didn't understand why Anderson had given this to me. I flipped the page and saw a hoofwritten note.
"Lights off at 7:30, Exterior Spot lights warm up time is 15 minutes, you've got 15 minutes to get out... Once you’re out your name will become Yuri, and i will take you under my training. Scootaloo, I will find you, and I’m sorry i couldn't prepare you before now. ~Anderson"
I was shocked! Was he actually breaking me out and taking me in? I looked at my window its hinges were rusting, threatening to fall off. I sat there in silence pondering how my life had reached this point. BONG! The alarms signaled and our cells opened. As I walked out I looked at the clock, was 6:00 and time for dinner. I looked at Anderson who was standing on watch duty in my cell block. He didn't even glance at me, he held quiet the poker-faced as he herded me and the other children into the line and sent us off. I ate, returned to my cell, and waited.
BONG! "LIGHTS OUT!" A guard shouted after the alarm sounded. And with a loud thud all the doors locked and the lights were out.
After silence overtook the compound, I lept out the window and slipped under the barbed wire fence, I did the only thing I could do...
"Trainin' time Yuri! Yeah I know ya' hate it! But that fall wrecked ya for a while and now that your back you’ve gotta keep sharp! Especially in this city..." He paused. "Check out the new training grounds we built ya!" He continued, "Now... Let’s get you back on your hooves!" I arched my back, stretching, trying to work out the physical kinks that I had building up over the past couple months. "First things first! Let’s see how your left leg feels... Try to do a quick jump."
I bucked up and jumped... No biggy! Did Anderson really think that Id'e not be able to jump? I mean seriously! A fall from a 4 stories building doesn't… Well, maybe he had a point. That really was a high fall, a fall that put me in the hospital for 4 months. "Okay, so far so good! Now, Crouch for me!" I did... what the hell was up with him today?
"Anderson? Are you alright? Why are you being so carful and worrisome?" I said into my headset/earpiece.
"Hmm? Well Yuri, your one of our greatest runners! I can’t have you going around hurting yourself further during training exercises!" he fibbed. It was obvious that he had something else on his mind, but I let it slide. "Alright, your job is to make it to Tory. Think you can do that?" asked Anderson in a slightly mocking tone; a tone that was seriously getting old! But that was a part of who he was! So it grew on you. "Remember! Just go with the flow” He mentioned as a final note before I began.
”Okay!" I said looking ahead of myself and taking in my surroundings. There was a gap between two roof tops. The one I was on is about 3 foot above the one I was about to jump to, the gap was only 5 foot wide. I can easily clear 15 foot gap with even heights. There was a board before me which was propped like a ramp. This jump was gunna be a sitch! I began to run, my hooves clopped along the concrete rooftop; the special horse shoes that Anderson had equipped to me were giving me amazing traction! Allowing me to grip the ground and rip forwards! I picked up my speed and jumped! Ever heard of over kill? Yea, I succeeded clearing the gap by a good 5 foot. I looked back and smirked, what did Anderson think I was? Some no talent filly? Whatever, Ill taunt him for this later. I continued, on this second roof there was a vent that stretched across the middle of the roof. It rested about 3 foot high, leaving a small opening for me to slide through. I quickly observed this and turned on my side; sliding underneath the vent and quickly going to the other side! Then i heard someone yell my name.
"Yuri! You bucked up mule!" I turned to my right and peered down on the rooftop next to me. On it was my partner Tory she stood there waving up at me.
I backed away from the roofs edge, giving me room for my jump. I dashed and clopped to the roofs edge and jumped. Time seemed to freeze! During my 4 months in bed I had been dying to fly through the air, just like this! There was no feeling like it! Oh how I envied those Pegasus who were able to escape getting their wings clipped, but those Pegasus were forced to work for Celestial as patrols and over watchers as well as News Ponies. But both those types of ponies were a hassle for Dashers like myself! The only problem with having wings is that you begin to lack leg strength since you can fly everywhere. So, in the rare occasion that I did run into one of them, generally, they were not a problem! As I finished getting my joy high, I braced for landing. I bent my legs to absorb the shock of the landing and POP!
A POP? I had been expecting to hear a loud clopping not a… Oh Luna that hurt! A sharp pain in my front right knee sent me into a bit of shock. I quickly limped over, wincing in pain from my small slip up. "Yuri! You stupid cult!" I glanced up to see Tori's face only centimeters away from mine! "Tori... Go fuck yourself... I hurt myself and you laugh in my face?" I began saying as I nudged her out of my personally bubble, "You can be so ruff sometimes Tori!"
Tori stood up and began to putts around me, smiling.
"What?" I asked cluelessly...
"What?" mocked Tori, "What I’m looking at is that dislocated knee of yours!" I peered down at my knee. It wasn’t that bad, my knee was just popped out of its socket.
"Let me help you out Yuri..." Tori stated very matter of factually. She knelt down next to me and pulled a bandage out of her contrabag
[Contrabag: Standard issue Dasher Bag: Black bag with a single shoulder strap that is worn across the wearer’s chest. Usually contained Grip tape, a small first aid kit, some rope and a carabineer, bobby pins, a screw driver, and a canteen. But the bag could hold much, MUCH more than all that!]
She lifted my leg and handed me the bandage. "Bite this" she ordered. I did, was this gunna hurt this much?
"Yuri, I swear if you don’t slow down your gunna kill you’re..."
CRACK! I hollered and cried out as she snapped my leg in place.
"What the hell did I tell ya?" Tori shouted at me.
"You didn’t have to be so rough!" I retorted.
Suddenly, Tori pushed me onto my back and pinned my shoulders down with her front hooves.
"Tori! What the he-"
"Shhhh..." She said... "Don’t Talk..." She leaned the rest of herself into me. Her full weight was too much for me to lift. In an effort to regain control, I took a deep breath and tried to push her off of me! I placed my hooves on her chest trying to force her off!
"Aww... you’re so cute when you struggle..." She teased as she brought her lips closer to mine... "You know Yuri... I’ve liked you since we were cults training together..."
I already knew that! She had always had the hot’s for me! But she had never pushed this much! "O Yuri... do come here..." she softly said as she moved in on my lips.
An opening.
I stuck my rear knee right into her gut! She keeled over and braced her stomach. She looked up at me with an aggravated smirk... A challenge! I stumbled up to my feet began to dash pasted her. I ran straight for a pipe which connected this roof to another about 20 feet away. I had cleared this distance before, but with my knee braced like this, I didn't want to risk it! Not to mention I was recovering from an injury as it was! So I prepared to cross the pipe. I clipped myself onto the pipe using the contrabag’s carabineer; I slipped it on the metal of the pipe. I wobbled a bit and quickly remembered how to balance on these pipes! Just another thing that I was rusty on! Not soon after that, I continued my advance across the line. I glanced back at Tori who was trying to equip herself with Andersons special Runner Shoes. I looked ahead. At this rate, she wasn't gunna catch up! Tori may be stronger than me, but she sure as hell wasn't fast enough to catch me! Especially with this head start! Only 5 feet on the pipeline left... I leapt for it! Clop! My feet landed one after another on the roof. I smiled and peered back at Tori she was beginning to back up, having successfully put her shoes on! She shook warming up for... Wait? Was she gunna jump this?
"Tori I wouldn’t!" I warned. She just looked up and shot me a devilish smile... She began to dash towards the pipe. She leapt and landed with her hind legs only on the pipe! Her hooves grinded across the steal like it was ice! In a matter of seconds Tori was up in my face again... "How about them apples?" She teased.
"How did..? Dont the grips on your hooves prevent sliding?"
"Of course! But if you modify them to suit yourself" she hinted winking at me, "So? Do you think you can keep up Yuri?"
"Of Course!"
"Well then! BRING IT ON!"
And with that, we were off! Dashing side by side trying to see the fastest flowing path way... trying to get a hoof length ahead of the other! We were neck and neck when Tori turned and leapt on top of some air vents that lined the roof top. I continued running on the flat rooftop, watching to see why she had chosen to elevate herself above me. I refocused myself and quickly saw the building ahead of us. It was taller than the roof we were on by a good 30 foot; an easy jump, but a hard climb. I noted a pipe line stretching up the side of the building. I readied my rope and carabineer.
3. 2. 1. Leap. I jumped out and clipped onto the pipe. I slid the carabineer up and began my climb up the wall. I started getting a rhythm down, slide-right hoof-slide-left hoof; I repeated this until I was about half way up the rooftop. Halfway isn’t bad! I paused to see Tori’s progress... Shit. I now understood why she had taken the air vent. She had seen the ventilation shaft leading to the roof. I could see the entrance of the vent open and i could hear her hooves clanking inside the aluminum tube. When it comes to climbing, vents are luxury compared to pipes! I quickly continued up the pipe working the rope with grace and practiced speed. Three years of climbing pipes just like this one was beginning to show. I reached the lip of the roof and pulled myself over. I unclipped myself from the pipe and sighed, exhausted from the climb. I looked in Tori’s direction she was looking at her watch.
“hmm… seems you’re a bit rusty” She said with a sly smirk.
“You are just relentless aren’t you?”
Anderson chimed in interrupting our bickering, “Now, I love a cat fight as much as the next guy but could we stop? Were here to make sure Yuri is okay.” I could tell he was holding back laughter, “but after seeing Tory completely wreck you on the course I don’t think your ready for anything!”
These two… It was a wonder why I never seem to get bored. “If its all the same, I’m still in recovery and…”
“and you had a head start on me!” Tory interjected with a laugh.
" Just remember, It's not a competition guys. Please just make your way to relay station O’Brien” Anders commanded, “Dinners ready.”
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.
It was Anderson’s voice which jerked me from my sleep. My knee was still healing from my incident with Tori. I felt so stiff. “Anderson, what could it be, that’s so darn important…” I began to say.
“Aarons trapped.” He said sternly never taking his eyes from the computer monitor, clopping (Stop it you perverts) away on the keyboard ripping information from databases and collecting as much as he could.
“He’s trapped?” I wasn’t quiet awake yet.
“I made this Echo with the message, Get ready to get dashing.” Anderson flung an Echo recorder my way [Echo recorder: A small device used to record someone’s voice. Practically indestructible and very light weight, they are great for delivering messages and recording messages to be delivered in secret] I pushed play on the Echo.
-Static…- “As I said, I made my way to the vent but the guards had found my rope. I had no choice! –Pause- Well I going to take the stairs but I panic –pause- well too late now! I’m still in the elevator shaft on the northeast side of the building” –Static… Click!-
The message ended. I had gotten limbered up and was almost ready to go by the time the message was over. I clipped my Contrabag on and grabbed some toast that Anderson had prepared for me.
“I’ll feed you info and data as it comes. Head towards the financial district for now.” Anderson told me. With that, I was off.
I reached the edge of the financial district. The morning dew made the buildings sparkle with light created by the street lights. The financial district was comprised of law offices, accounting firms, and banks. Most of these buildings had skyways built for easy travel between buildings. Most of the lights on the buildings were off since it wasn’t quiet opening time yet.
“Yuri, I see you’ve made it,” chimed Anderson, “I’ve uploaded Aaron’s location and the buildings blue prints to you. Building security is active and searching for him.”
“Got’cha.” I said reading the info on my goggles. They worked much like computer monitors, allowing information about my environment to interact with its user. Like now, the goggles displayed a beacon with marked Aaron’s location. It’s like a way point in one of ButtonMash’s video games! That’s an easy way to put it!
I made my way towards Aarons beacon, reading the buildings blue prints as I went. I didn’t want to turn on the goggles while I was sneaking around see as they emanate a faint, yet visible, blue light. I soon saw the building Aaron was trapped within. It was a towering building, like all the rest, filled to the brim with paper and Cubicles. I could see flashlights bobbing around the buildings various floors, they were frantic. Aaron, he owed me for this.
I reached a neighboring Skyscraper and mapped out a route. I was on the roof while Aaron seemed to be on the 18th floor of this building. I would have to descend about 12 floors before making it to his. I weighted my options. Shimmy my way down a pipe, go in through a vent and sneak to him, then make my way out the same way I came. Good plan, but I recalled what I had heard on the Eco. Aaron had left his rope behind for his escape but security had found it. It didn’t appear that they knew where he was but it was only a matter of time before they found him. If worse comes, we can always take turns climb up my rope.
I clipped in and made my way down the pipe. The early morning was a blessing, the sun had yet to peak the horizon and the world was still wrapped in shadow. I reached the vents and silently made my way in. I was in. The real tricky stuff began now. The building was silent. I could make out the sounds of security personnel scanning the buildings floors. My area seemed to be clear. I moved softly through a series of cubicles before making my way down a marble floored hallway. Still no signs of any guards. I found a utility closet and went in it to consult my goggles for Intel.
I powered them on. The goggles set the beacon on Aaron’s location. Trouble, he no longer was on the 18th floor he had moved up to the 21st floor. Of course nothing can be easy! I looked over the blue prints finding the best travel route up. Air ducts fed to all the levels, the elevator shaft, and some stair wells. Elevator was a big no! Aaron was seeing why we don’t take them now. He was smart and probably climbed through the ceiling and was now patiently waiting for me on the elevators Roof, like a good boy.
I figured I could call the elevator to my floor by pushing the button on my floor, then going one floor up and getting to Aaron that way. Okay, Go team Me! I removed the goggles.
A beam of light shown through the crack below the door. Someone was coming. I was stuck in this utility closet, hoping they didn’t look here. The light played around some more. I began to hear their hooves clicking down the marble hall, their volume getting higher and higher. I held my breath hoping they’d just pass on by.
Soon, their shadow emerged by the doorway. I froze, every part of me was put on pause, and it felt like even my heart stopped. The shadow moved on. I breathed again. But still held myself soundly. The clicking faded and I slowly opened the utility door. Clearest coast Ide ever seen! I made my way toward the elevator doors on my floor.
I could see them; I could also see two guards near it. Well, they can’t be there now can they? I reached in my bag and pulled out some bandages and a match. I hid behind one of the potted plant decorations that lined the hall. I lit the bandage and used it to light the plant on fire. I was already making my way around when I saw the smoke flowing up and into the smoke detectors. The sprayers kicked in attempting to put out the flames. They did. They also sent the guards into a panic. All the guards started making calls trying to find the flames. The guards that hindered my path ran towards the melted plant. I used this moment to slip by and call the elevator. I moved on after doing so.
With the fire alarms and sprays running, I didn’t have to worry much about being stealthy. I swiftly climbed the vent and made it to level 19. It was beginning to flood. I approached the unguarded level 19 elevator doors. A small vent leading to the elevator shaft. I kicked it in and peaked my head through. Sure enough, there was Aaron, covering his ears from all the alarms echoing up and down the elevator shaft.
He grinned, “It’s not every day you get to save your knight in shining armor.” He smart mouthed to me.
“You wish this was every day,” I said referring to the fact that we were together, “to bad it’s got to be quick! Now let’s go!”
He climbed though the vent and we made our way down the marble corridor. I could feel my knee beginning to ache. But we were almost clear so I didn’t stop. I headed towards another room of cubicles. I through on my goggles using them to cross reference an escape. I located a fire escape on the side of the building. We reached a window I paused to open it, but Aaron kicked it open. He wanted out of there. We climbed onto the escape and made out way up to the rooftop.
The sun was just beginning to tease the horizon and blinded our eyes when we reached the buildings top.
“Hey guys, I moved to relay tower Frankie-doodle-dandy.” Relayed Anderson.
“Aaron, are you gunna be okay?” I asked because he looked worn out.
“I’ll rest once we reach Anderson.” Aaron replied with a nod. We began our trip across the city scape.
I grinned; he did always have great will power! One reason I always appreciated his friendship. He was a smaller pony. Cute brown eyes and brown hair. His body was white but he had a brown patch on his left eye. It was a birth mark but it was a part of who he was.
“Hey Pipsqueak, how did you even get stuck in the first place?” I asked jumping across a gap between buildings.
“They found my escape rope and were put on high alert,” he explained, “I know you guys used to call me pipsqueak back in the day, but you can call me Pip if you’d like, Scoot.”
“Can I call you Squeak?” I teased.
“Can I call you Loo-Loo?” He said.
“Pip it is!” I said in agreement.
We continued our run to the relay station and made it there just as the sun began drying the world of its dew and mist. The humming of life began to increase as ponies woke up and got ready for work. I felt bad for making the fire system kick in. All those computer, all that paper work, Soaked.
“Hey Pip, what building was that you were infiltrating?” I asked.
“Silver Spoon Law Firm,” He said smirking, “Guess who the CEO is?”
“Our wonderful and ever popular…” I began but Pipsqueak cut me off.
“Yeah, I was ripping some data on their financial transactions.”
“Oh… Anything good?”
“Ey, very good loot!”
I grinned; he always put me in a good mood. I almost forgot the dull pain my knee felt, almost. By now I could see the tower and it wasn’t long before we reached it. Anderson was inside waiting for us.
“Welcome home kids.” He said grinning while he enjoyed a flower pedal soup. There was enough for all of us. He had four bowls ready. He must be expecting someone else to join us three.
“Hers the ECO with all the info recorded on it.” Pip said putting the device on Anderson’s desk.
“Good work, both of you…. You’re wet.” Anderson said with a snicker. I grabbed a blanket to use as a towel.
We sat, rested, and enjoyed our hot meal in silence.
