The Equestrian Journal, by Anonymous - Day 22

>The crew is gathered in the library, enjoying a group lunch.

>Word somehow traveled through the group of mares that you needed a job, and after hearing it didn't work out at Sweet Apple Acres, they decided to all come and brainstorm.

>Power Pony Squad Mane Six Assemble.

>Twi: "So what exactly went wrong?"

I didn't have the skills needed.

>Rarity: "Surely a ~strong stallion~ such as yourself could buck just as fast as Big Mac, hm?"

>A moment of uncomfortable silence.

>Dash bursts out laughing.

>Twilight and Rarity are giggling.  Pinkie is laughing too, but you're pretty sure she'd take any opportunity to laugh.  Applejack is completely poker-faced.

>AJ, a bit low: "Not ta mention, we didn't see ah-ta-ah" (eye-to-eye)

>Twi: "Did something happen?"

It's fine.  I'll consider it as a backup opportunity, but I'm looking for something else to be permanent.  How do the rest of you girls stay afloat?

>Twi: "Royal Stipend."

No way I can help with that.

>Rarity: "As you know, I'm a famous fashion designer.  I run Carousel Boutique in town."

I don't know the first thing about fashion.

>Rarity: "What about your darling ring, dear?  Your mane could use a touch-up but you seem to-"

Hey look at the change in subject going down.  What about you, Fluttershy?

>Shy: "Oh, well, I still get commission from when I was a model."

>Flutters was a model?  Well actually that's not far-fetched, she is pret-WOAH NOT RIGHT NOW

Okay, uh, um,

>Rarity:  "Are you well, Anon? You seem a bit flustered."

I'M FINE!

 

>All but Dash jump back.  Nerves of steel in that mare.

I mean....uh.....Pinkie you run a business too, right?

>Pie: "Haha!  No, silly, I just work for the Cakes."

Oh...I don't suppose there's any work left between the three of you?

>Pie: "Oh...I'm sorry Anon, but I pretty much handle it all myself."

>AJ: "With all that energy, she's everywhere at once."

>Pie: "Teehee, almost!  Though there was that one time that I was!"

>Twi: "LET'S NEVER BRING THAT UP!"

>Twi Panic Mode engaged.

Rriiiiight.  I guess that leaves you, Dash?

>AJ: "Pfft, like that lazy mare hardly works."

>Dash: "Hey, I can clear the sky in ten-"

>AJ: "Yeah, we get it. But all we get is clear and stormy.  Y'all barely handle a cloudy sky."

>Dash: "Well you have to move them one by one, and it takes hundreds just for overcast!"

So you need someone that can fly, and bonus if they can move multiple clouds at a time?

>"Uh, sure, it'd help.  But how..."

>You float a plate, two books, and an ink bottle around you, not looking away from Dash.

>"Oh yeah...you sure you're good to fly?  I saw how you-"

I'll be fine, Dash.

>"If you say so.  Let's go talk to the Mayor.  Race ya there!"

>Before you can even decline she's out the door.

God damn it.

 

>By the time you get to the square, Dash is napping on the top of the fountain.  Or at least, pretending to.  She's not very subtle.

>You land in front of the statue looking at her, but if she knows you're there she doesn't show it.  You're about to say something when you get a better idea.

>With magic you throw her off the top into the water.

>"Gah! Anon! You didn't need to get me all wet!"

Dashie!  So forward!  There are better ways to get my attention than telling me I make you wet!

>Some giggling is heard from ponies around you.  Her normally cyan face is almost as red as the part of her mane.  "I- I mean- I don't- I-"

Whatever.  Going into the town hall now.

>She blows herself dry with her wings and is in front of you by the time you trot up to the door to Town Hall.

 

>You come out with a job, effective immediately.  As in, you're working with Dash right now, and she has apparently been on the clock the whole time she was with you.

>You probably would not have gotten the job at all if Mayor Mare wasn't a bit flustered about an alicorn going to her requesting the job.

>The pay is...well actually you have no idea.  You're not sure just how much a bit is worth.  Dash seems to be fine with what she makes, though, and you won't have to worry about paying for your house.

>Speaking of which, you also asked about the price and where you could have your house built.  Mayor Mare suggested you find a spot for your house while she gets paperwork in order for it.  She told you to meet with her tomorrow to discuss it.

>You and Dash are now outside.

You seem to have a lot of free time, I take it this job is pretty light?

>"No...AJ was right.  I always just clear the sky if it's not a storm.  All I have to do is bash the clouds, so I fly around as fast as possible crashing through them.  I can clear it in ten-"

I get it.  You could seriously fuck the ecosystem with that laziness.

>"Slowdown egghead.  Not all of us read books all day and know all that useless stuff."

You know, at least where I come from, weather is basic stuff.  What month are we in?

>She says something you don't recognize.

Of course, the calendar is different here.  What season is it, assuming that's still a thing?  It feels like summer.

>"Well, we're about at the end of spring."

You mean, what should be spring.  And yet it's warm but not humid.  How often have you had it rain?

>"The farmers ask for a thunderstorm once a week."

And you've done that all spring?

>"Well yeah!"

And they still manage to apples like those?  Wow.

>Dash has her forelegs crossed, looking away with a sneer.

Something wrong?

>"You gonna nag me like this all the time?"

>You sigh and put a hoof on her shoulder.  She looks at you.

Sorry.  I've worked hard all my life and I guess it got to me seeing others not working as hard as I am living just as well off.

>"Apology accepted.  Let's get some clouds in the sky."

 

"Today I found a steady job with the weather 'team' in P0nyville.  I use the term 'team' lightly because it's just me and Rainbow Dash.  This should give me a chance to get stronger at flying as well.  I ran into a difference of opinion as to how the weather should work; I was astounded to find that there is not much variation in the weather here.  I guess that happens when ponies run the weather.  On Earth, weather was automatic and just a system that kept itself going.  The world there would be thrown into chaos with the kind of weather I've seen here.

 

Okay, maybe not that bad, but it's different.

 

The job also leaves me with a lot of extra time, which is great.  I'm not sure exactly how good the pay is, but if I need to I can handle a second job with how little time this one takes.  Dash can clear the sky quickly, and I can move multiple clouds at once with magic.  She seems to manage just on this pay, so I probably will as well, especially since I won't have the expense of my house.

 

Speaking of which, I'm meeting with the Mayor tomorrow to discuss location and construction of it.  Any suggestions would be great."

 

>You close the journal and get up from the desk.  Owlisius is the only other one still awake.  As you set the book on your nightstand and get into bed, you see the journal emit a faint yellow glow for a moment.

>Opening it, you see writing on the current entry that's not your own.  It's written with a curly, fancy script in an ink with a faint golden glow, allowing you to read it clearly in the dark.

>You guess the magic works both ways.

 

"Being a pony with such a love of flight, I suggest you have a two-story house with a veranda on the upper level on which you can land and enter.  I also suggest your private rooms be scarcely windowed, in case you find yourself in your normal form.  Lastly, I advise you to take a plot of land some distance away from town proper, that you may see the stars fully.  I do know your kind wake and rest later than the typical pony and Luna would be ecstatic to know you gazed upon her night regularly."

 

>Wow, those were good ideas.  You weren't actually expecting much.  You write a reply.

 

"Thanks and love.  Good night, Celestia."