The Shallow

The Shallow

Light
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Chapter 1

The bright sunlight already stretched over the beautiful Equestria while Light made up his way through the busy Canterlot. With him was Paperpen, the head of the organizational unit that Light belongs to.

"Thereby one thinks that Canterlot is so large. Not only that, the streets are crowded every day, familiar faces are also to be found anywhere." Light moaned.

"Now, now." said his companion, "This is probably due to your coat color. A unicorn with dark red fur and an chocolate brown mane is probably unique in whole Canterlot. You just stab out from the crowd Light."

Light lowered his head as they turned left at an crossover. His eyes often went on the brownish mare.

"And your popularity is simply caused by your excellent skills in the organization. By now you haven't committed any error in your calculations for the organization."

"I've already made more then enough mistakes. At some point it's just enough..." whispered Light, still with his head lowered.

"Did you just say something?"

"Are there any new orders? " Light asked.

Paperpen thought for a moment.
"Just a small one. A brunch for a small club in the city."

Light lifted his head again. "So once again a couple of ponies with the money to be lazy."

Paperpen threw an angry look on Light. "Never discriminate customers!"

Light looked in another direction. "Yes, yes, I get it."

The two stopped in front of a large tower. "There we are already. Seems like nopony else is here." smiled Paperpen.

The tower was still completely darkened. Light and Paperpen where the first ones that appeared at their workplace this day.

"Miss Chief, our team consists only of you, me and two other ponies. We are always the first, anyway."

"Yes, that's true." A fresh wind blew through Paperpens mane. "The days are so beautiful, aren't they Light?"

"Hmm ... what-? " Light got interrupted by the loud voice of a foal.

"Light!" shouted the kid.

"Your fan is here light. 5 minutes. Then we have to get to work."

Light rolled his eyes. "You just talk as it would be a pleasure."

"Light! Light!"

"Yes, yes ..."

"Light"

"Yes, I can hear you damned."

"Have you got some great jobs today? ", The Pegasus colt looked at him with wide eyes.

"No, not really, Skyseeker."

"Ohhh .... "

Light sighed loudly in the round. His eyes wandered through the crowd and stopped at the grinning Paperpen. Her eyes betrayed her thoughts completely. Light turned back to Skyseeker. His lips were directed far down.

"If something major is pending I try to direct you to be there." Light cheered him on.

The filly jumped in circles for joy. "Thank you, Light!"

A smile appeared in Light's face. "Now I really need to get to work, kid."

In the same moment Skyseeker jumped around wildly before he slowly walked away from Light.

"See you later Light!" he yelled to him.

Light pursued him briefly with a gaze.

At an crossroad, only a few meters away, a rock crumbled from the house. A large piece of rock broke out of the texture and sprang on Skyseeker. With a yellow glow on Lights horn a shield bubble appeared around Skyseeker. The boulder crashed just off the shield and slammed to the ground. As Skyseeker realized what just happened, a wide grin spread across his face.

"Thank you Light!" The second time.

Shortly after that, he romped down the road again and disappeared from Lights sight field.

"Hard to believe that these deficiencies haven't been resolved yet. Who knows how long this piece was hanging there loose. That could have injure him seriously."

Paperpen went back to Lights side. "Good to foals, an outstanding talent in the guardian magic and you don't look so bad. No wonder all the mares run after you."

Lights view sharpened. "Right. All the mares out of my imagination. I'm just the lackey. Nothing more."

"Don't be so grumpy." Paperpen nudged into Lights side.
"I've heard that a certain pony in our team has an eye on you."

"I don't want to know."

Paperpen rummaged a key out of her saddle bag. She took the key between her teeth and opened the lock to the still darkened tower.

"Unicorns have it far easier then Earthponies in such things."

She made the first step into the building.

"This certainly will make her sad."

A short silence layed between the two as they walked through the dark entrance hall.

"Tell me, how did you even met Skyseeker? Sometimes you act like a father." Paperpen asked curiously.

"Skyseeker? He is the son of some high horse here in Canterlot. I had to prepare a larger exhibition for him and just saved him when he fell from a ladder. Since then he clings to me like glue. Bad enough that he enjoyes the organization industry and that he is falling from ladders without flying, as a pegasus. What a stubborn pony."

"I remember the contract. What was his name again?"

"If I would remember all the names of the ponies which I had met in a job, I wouldn't do anything else in life. I only know that he has almost never left Canterlot."

Paperpens view changed in a mocking tone. "As if you've ever left Canterlot. I know that a year is a rather shorter time with us, but since you joined us you have not set a hoof out of Canterlot."

"Yes ... it's already a year ago …."

"And I think his name was Thunderbolt Cloudbearer. I'll better check that in my papers."

With every floor they climbed up the tower, Light opened all the curtains in each floor. At the top there was the office of the chief, Paperpen. Light followed her into the office and sat down to the desk. Once arrived at her usual workplace Paperpen already began to rummage around. She browsed through countless folders in a frightening speed. Her Cutiemark, a feather in an ink pot with an big pile of paper next to it, she really deserved it.

"Here are the documents for the brunch."

She put two sheets of Paper on the table.

"As expected. Nothing major."

Paperpen wasn't listening to him anymore. The search for the documents obviously messed up her order. She just took one folder after the other in her hooves and replaced them correctly back into the cupboards.

He put the papers back on the table. "I'll be back at lunch time. That wont take me long."

Completely away from the world Paperpen gave no answer. Right now she was completely buried in her own world of paper.

Several hours already had passed when Light was back on his way to the office.
The sun now reached the lunch time, while the door to Paperpens office opened cautiously.

"Light! The customer has already given me notice. As always, good work." She presented a letter which probably included the commendation.

Light just sighed without an answer, and slowly sought his way towards the desk.
An awkward silence stretched between the two. Paperpen got up from her comfortable chair, stood close to Light and put her hoof on his forehead. Unimpressed, he just looked into another direction.

"You don't look so good, Light. But you have no fever."

Slowly, he sank into another world, his very own world.
It is very difficult to masquerade as your true self. Especially if other ponies think that they really know you.

"Maybe you should allow yourself a break. But not too long! I've got a big job and I need the best of the best for it. You!" Paperpen almost flounced as she said this.

From sunny days she spoke. Without assessing what was before and what will come next. You can't blame her for that, because youself chose to be against the truth.

"Can you hear me at all?" The mare looked at him with wide eyes. "Light?"

His trance dissolved. "Yes, a break would be good."

Without looking back again, he went on his way home. Paperpen just shook her head and let him go.

At home the emptiness if silence already waited for him. He had never been in love, and therefore no mare could wait there for him. Only the dark and cold walls. He lived on the corner of his salary while it was enough for a far better live. It's a shame that somepony with his skills represses himself. At least some of his organization team think so. But Light feels the silence very relaxing. If everything goes to pieces, in the silence he can forget the world around him for a moment.

From a window in the bedroom he had a good view of the royal palace. There sticked out a tower, Celestia's private chambers. Light just watched him quietly from his window, with the setting sun in the background.

What are you just doing? The world is, as always, going in the right direction. The days here are beautiful. Even the with self stress filled Paperpen thinks so. Light sighed. Sometimes I just wish-

There was a knock at Light's door.

At this time? I hope it's important.

He cautiously opened the door. In front of him stood Senity Heartshine. She is part of the organizing team and his colleague. Her voice, her style. She seems to be so shy. A bitter disappointment, in truth she is full of confidence and Light can not stand this kind at all. He even regretted that he responded to the knock.

"I heard you didn't felt so well today. I was worried and thought I'd come over to drop by."

You have to be careful in what you say and how you say it. One wrong step and she takes you to the horns. At which horn is probably the wrong word. Because she is a Pegasus.

"Yes, the job today, I probably was more exhausted than I thought."

Her special talent is in the understanding of other ponies. And anyopony who tries to understand me ...

"Paperpen said that everything went great at the brunch. And besides, this didn't seemed so hard now. Especially for your caliber."

Just one wrong step …

"It was just the combination. For a long time I came again to the use of a barrier and my rusty I was probably not quite clear on it."

"To me you seem like something occupies you."

Damn, there it goes again.

"May I come in for short?"

Light thought for a moment, but there was just one answers.

"Just go ahead."

Try your luck.

The white pony sat on a sofa in the guest room, in which the guest room, the living room and the kitchen where one room. The three-room apartment wasn't offering much space. Carefully she watched Light trotting behind her. Light sat on a chair, a little further away. His eyes fixed on her slight grin. He could already imagine what awaits him.

"Is there something that depresses you, Light?"

This honest look. It's not her fault but somehow this is bugging me.

"No, no. I'm fine. I already told you. I was just not prepared to conjure up a barrier today."

Her eyes wandered around the room like there was something to see. The kitchen was only equipped with the absolute necessary things, and the white color on the wall wasn't worth seeing at all.

"Why do you never want to say anything to me? You always bury yourself."

The mare turned something on the couch and showed her Cutie Mark.
Two hearts that give the appearance to be consistent with each other.

The exact opposite of the situation. And that's a good thing.

"Listen ... This is not something I don't want to speak about, but it's something nopony can help me with."

"At least you admit that there is something wrong, but to bury it in yourself won't make it any better."

"To strain others with it, won't help either."

"I just want to help you Light."

Light sighed.

"This constant sighing literally expresses your inner pain."

Oh ye gods make it stop."

Can I offer you something to drink, Heartshine?"

"I already told you enough times. Just call me Senity. Almost nopony calls me Heartshine"

"I am sorry, Senity?"

She leaned back on the sofa. She seemed somewhat satisfied.

At least she draws away from the conversation.

"Yes, please. Do you have apple juice in the house?"

With a levitating bottle and two glasses Light went back into the room. Senity was already waiting impatiently for him.

When she speaks with a customer you can't recognize her. To others, she is always so ... quiet. But to me she reminds me of a bloodthirsty manticore that wants to protect its children.

Light poured the glasses and handed one to Senity.

"Light, you only hurt yourself with that."

"Senity. I'm slowly getting headaches from this conversation."

The White Pony pondered about Lights words, she just watched her surroundings and drank the juice completely.

"It's getting dark." remarked Senity.

"I'll get on my way home. I dare you to not come to work tomorrow. And don't even come to the idea to go out of my way." She grinned at Light.

Unimpressed Light led Senity to the door.

"Come home safely."

This is something you must let Canterlot. It is completely safe through the streets at night, but her words. Tomorrow will be a damn long day.

Light layed down on his bed shortly after the visit. With an eye on Celestia's tower countless thoughts about Canterlot and Celestia self flew through his mind.

After some time he finally suffocated his thoughts and was able to sleep in peace.