The next few days went by pretty uneventfully. I hung out in my apartment and relaxed, watched one of the cheaper plays (which was still pretty great mind you), took some nice late night strolls in the park, and really not much else. I could have celebrated getting a new job by going out to eat and spending a night on the town stopping by all the awesome hangouts and doing all of the stuff I wouldn’t have time to do anymore, but I was a frugal bat… well, that and I also didn’t really know how my new job would pan out. It wasn’t worth spending a bunch if I didn’t even know how the job would go.
For all I knew it could have been a crappy job that I’d wind up working for a few weeks before stumbling into something else. Taking all of this into account, I decided to hold off on celebrating until I had actually worked there for a little while— just long enough to see how everything would play out. Plus I didn’t really have a whole lot of friends here… really none at all come to think of it.
Don’t get me wrong though, I wasn’t completely alone. There were the few bats I passed on the street and had hung out with in the park a few times, but no one I’d consider a super close friend. Well, that is until I met her, but that comes later in the story, and I promise we’ll get to that sooner rather than later. The point we’re at now is where my story really took an interesting turn. Whether it was for better or for worse… well, I already know the answer, so I’ll let you put the pieces together.
I was sitting in my apartment watching the sunrise out of the small window in my room when I suddenly heard a knock at the door.
“Delivery for Stardust!” Came the courier’s voice, a kind sing songy sound that belonged to an equally kind pegasus that I had befriended.
Now I know I just said that I didn’t really have any friends out here, but that didn’t mean I didn’t have my own little hooffull of acquaintances. That’s besides the point though. A twinge of excitement filled me up like some kind of electric charge and I took off toward the door, excited to get the details on my brand new job.
I snuck a quick glance in the nearby mirror, making sure I looked presentable enough even if the mare was someone I’d consider a friend, and flipped on the lights, meeting her with an overexcited smile that I couldn’t hope to hide.
“Heya Moondrop! Off to a busy morning so far?”
She nodded, “Yep, lotsa packages and letters to sort through, but ya know, that’s what makes it fun.”
“Glad to hear!” I beamed, “Sometimes you just gotta keep upbeat about work like that.”
“I try my best,” she smiled, “Got a couple of special deliveries to you from Orange Manor, I didn’t realize you did any work for them,” she passed me a dark Orange clothes bag and an ornately decorated envelope that bore a seal stamped with a stylized orange.
I looked up at her and shook my head “I actually didn’t do any work for them, but I am going to work for them.”
“Oh? That sounds exciting. What kind of job is it?”
“Just a butler job over at the manor,” I responded, “Nothing fancy, but it’ll pay the bills and keep me in town at least.”
“Sounds boring, but shouldn’t be too hard, eh?”
I nodded, “Just tending to the family and doing their running around. Should be a breeze and at least it’s only the night shifts so it’s not like it’s going to be very eventful anyways.”
“That’s the spirit,” she cheered back, “Now I hate to just drop off your stuff and dash off, but that’s kinda my job, so we’ll have to chat later.”
“Sounds like a plan, see ya later Moondrop!” I smiled, “And tell Ray I said hi.”
“Will do, see you later Stardust.”
In a flash the mail mare was gone, leaving me alone with my odd package and exciting letter. Without any real hesitation, I tore open the bag and pulled out the contents within, stopping dead in my tracks as I turned the garment over in my hooves.
It was a maid’s dress…
A very frilly maid’s dress…
And I was a stallion… Something didn’t line up right here, and truth be told, I half thought this was some weird dream or prank.
Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t out of the ordinary to see stallions pick up fashion trends and clothing styles that were traditionally reserved for mares, but I had never even considered getting something like this in my life, let alone wear it for work. I had to admit though, it was a cute design and the Orange family sure didn’t cheap out on it. I rubbed a hoof over the soft fabric, confused at why I had even gotten this instead of the expected butler uniform.
I scratched the side of my head with my other hoof and blinked my eyes a few times, as if that would just magically change the garments. Confirming that this wasn’t just some weird dream, I set the dress aside and reached for the envelope, checking the address and name to make sure it was actually addressed to me and not some clerical mixup. Maybe it was just some weird misunderstanding, or maybe they just sent the wrong uniform… I didn’t know, but I was determined to find out.
A quick glance at the fancy script written on the outside confirmed that it was definitely addressed to me, but none of this made any sense. I was a stallion that was hired for the butler job, not a maid job. But a maid’s dress had been sent to me from the manor, making the situation confusing to say the least.
I carefully pulled the letter out of the sealed envelope and turned it over in my hooves, making sure this wasn’t some weird trick.
“Salutations and congratulations Starshine!” I began to read aloud, already noting that they got my name wrong, “We would formally like to extend a welcoming hoof toward you as you begin your new job as one of the maid’s in the manor,” Yeah, no, this was definitely not right, “Please report to the maid’s quarters in full uniform at sunset tomorrow evening for your orientation. We look forward to having you, and have a pleasant day!”
I read through the letter probably a good three or four more times before shaking my head. Something was definitely mixed up, and I needed to get to the bottom of it before sunset tomorrow. I mean, I didn’t have to, but at the same time I kind of did. I needed this job, and I couldn’t afford to just walk away from it, especially if it was just some silly error. That’s what it had to be, right?
Okay Stardust, it’s just a clerical error. You just gotta go see Office Job and explain the mixup and he’ll get everything sorted out for you… I thought to myself, not sure if I believed myself or not…
As I looked out the window and squinted at the rising sun, my mind was made. I needed to go check in with the agency and get to the bottom of this, surely they’d be able to help sort it out. I mean… they’d have to right?...
Right?