//------------------------------// // Money Makes The World Go // Story: Desirable and Undesirable Factors // by Shadikal12345 //------------------------------// Money Makes The World Go: Money. Everything in a place with nothing, it is the life source of our community and It's earned through work and work alone. I said work, not labour. Larceny is still technically work, isn't it? You have to put a lot of well-placed effort into the skill of stealing yet it hardly pays off when you get caught. I'm not a thief thankfully, I prefer to earn money in more legitimate manner: Goods Distributer. I sell off items and stocks, even during these testing times. I run a bakery and sell off quality and quantity, sometimes both of them combined, but not usually as It isn't often you get a well-paying customer, but like I said: it can't be helped in these times. I work 9 to 5 all day everyday, making and baking; well, on the exception of this week as it would seem that sales are dying down. If only Celestia would do her job and keep the economy afloat rather than spend it all on glamour, none of which are actually parties; otherwise I'd have been rich a long time ago. "Pinkie, you have another request from Canterlot and two more from Ponyville," A familiar tongue calls out from the back. Those are the first orders this week, thank f-... *Goodness. "Oki Doki, thanks," I respond, testing the floorboards. "These are going to need to be replaced," muttering, I turn to the door as a new face enters the store. Greeting the male, I'm met with a dull grunt as he continues to browse the shelves at the opposite side of the room. He takes little interest in what's actually lying in front of him, and pays more attention to the things further away. I'm not sure if he knows I'm watching him though, but he'll get more than an earful if he tries to steal from me. Clattering comes from the kitchen, a couple of pans had been dropped but even still, such disturbances wouldn't distract me. Giving a disgruntled sigh, the young man finally loses all interest and decides to leave, while doing so; I wave him off as he slams the door behind him. "Another one?" Clover asks, emerging from the room behind me. I nod, "Yup, another one." Disappointment fills the room. Another unsuccessful attempt at local sales. The only things that are keeping us running are our discreet connections with the nobles in Canterlot. Pretentious Douche Bags, Clover calls 'em. I'd rather she didn't say that though. I mean, one of my friends is the one keeping us up; but that's where she gets me. "Some friend she must be if she decided to take your boyfriend." Some friend I must've been to drive her there. What I did to spite her was all just a prank, a harmless prank but faults on my part lead it to become a stupid little lie and that lie... That lie cost me dearly... "C'mon, we've got to go... Y'know, take a stroll around the streets." I give her a discerned look, gesture toward the sign hanging loosely above the door. "Oh. Come. On," rolling her eyes in utter disbelief, she struts her stuff imitating a pompous little girl she used to know. She tends to do that when she's angry, act like the one who picked on her when she was little. "Look, I've got to take care of the store, but you can go have twice as much fun to make up for the fun I won't have," laughing nervously, I quickly retreat to the kitchen and grab myself a cupcake hoping that she'll just leave, but she doesn't. There's a sterness in her voice as it creeps through the still air, from one room to the other. The store to the kitchen. "You can't dwell on things like that. It's bad for your health. I remember a time you were the happiest girl I'd ever met-" "I really don't think it's worth sharing nostalgic times right now..." Dismissing any sort of notion she might've got. "I just want to be alone, is that too much to ask for?" I bite into the savoury, spit it out in the bin next to me. Stale. She says nothing more and I hear her slowly walk out the front door, creaking shut the glass window shudders as it clicks into place. Finally Alone. The room feels so macabre, like a medieval kitchen made of stone and wood. It's a mess, the whole thing. The benches are covered in ragged towels and dirty utensils, it's a wonder how anything actually gets done in here... Wait, I should know how everything gets done in here, it's my kitchen and my mess. My other friends do next to nothing when it comes to contributing to this shop of mine. I make a mental list to myself: Dishes, Snacks (Delicious Snacks,) and a nice quiet story. I go over that list, come across something I hadn't thought of in a while. Change. I've changed since I moved away from Ponyville, from my friends. Well, they changed first but who am I to complain? Rainbow Dash got bored with life in the backwater town so when she achieved stardom she left without hesitation. Applejack sort of remained on the farm but would disappear every now and again to her cousins in Appleoosa. Twilight was offered a position in some college very far away, then transferred to Canterlot shortly after. Rarity isolated herself to the comforts of the boutique, sooner attending her work than having fun at parties. Fluttershy also consoled herself, but in a more lonely and sad manner. Don't get me wrong, I tried to cheer her up but she simply wouldn't budge. And finally, me... I was reluctant to change, I remember being the me I was till the very end, till things died down, so then I moved here with Clover and her little sister. Both of them students. I don't really hear from them anymore, but that's the price you pay for having such loosely tied friendships. Easy come - Easy go. What a naive life I lived, making people laugh and suddenly they become my friends? No, I did try and talk to them, I sung for them and I did everything else that was necessary to maintain that friendship. It wasn't my methods but time that made me lose them. Time and change. "Alright Pinkie, you need a pick-me-up. Hot cocoa for a cold winter day?" Pushing myself gently away from the wall, I toss the cupcake into the bin and start up the jug. I hear a distinct jingle, so I turn and rush out to the front. "Good afternoon," she says, but I don't catch a glimpse of this customer anywhere. I try to set some sort of composure, but the nervousness sinks in and I can't help but tremble. "A-afternoon, do you-" "You're scared because you can't see me? I'm behind the far aisle, I'm also a little short," then popping out from the corner comes a familiar little girl. "Still recognize me?" She asks. I almost jump back, seeing that oh so familiar lavender and pink streaked mane. "Sweetie Belle?!" I gasp, jumping over the counter I give her a hug while barely containing my excitement. Returning the embrace for a short while, we release each other and I laugh. "I scared you, didn't I?" She giggles, throwing a playful nudge at me which I deflect with minimal effort. "Yup," I admit shamefully. "What're you doing here by the way?" "Sis has some sort of business here. Fashion or something... Also, heard that you opened a bakery here." "Where'd you hear that?" "Someone recommended it, a girl named-... Clover?" I give her an assuring wink, "A weird girl, wouldn't ya reckon?" "So you know her," A sudden realization overtakes the calmer intonations. Nodding happily, I return to the counter, invite Sweetie Belle over and pass her one of the pies on display. "It's cold, but it'll do. Berry Pie, not too bad to be honest." "Doesn't look like your best creation, honestly. You should've stayed in Ponyville." Twirling the savoury in hand she gives it a good prospect before taking a slow, cautious bite. "I disagree. I stayed my time and had to leave," grabbing another pie from the diplay, I too begin eating it. Cold and crumbly, the shell is so brittle that it breaks, almost melts as my teeth sink in. "N ee waesh, ah koodn't- *swallow* - just open another store in Ponyville, too much competition against the Cakes. We'd be divided." Sweetie, who has a few more lessons in social etiquette finishes her mouthful before speaking. "True, but still, you did have friends there. I was there. I'm sure Rarity could've hired you as a model or something." "No," Shaking my head I take another bite, look around the run down room. "Ahm nawt th modehlin tahyp." "Why don't you eat first, then speak. Rarity would be disgusted." "But you aren't Rarity," I retort. "Fair point, speaking about Rarity, I should probably get back to the station." Then taking a napkin from beside the display case and a pen beside the order bell, she writes down a number. "Call us if you need anything or-... Y'know, want me to come over and visit sometime. We could catch up or something." She looks like a nervous school girl giving away her number to a boy, leg slightly cocked her tip toes pressing against the ground. "You mean not having to do chores for Rarity," I joke, having a good laugh. "Yeah, something like that." Fiddling with the pen a little, she hesitates to leave. Something's on her mind, clearly. "Well, see ya!" I wave, giving her a little shock. Dropping the pen she pushes the number towards me then makes a hasty dash out. I have a small relapse of the moment she pushes away the pen and notice something. She's upset about something. "See, the world does care about you Pinkie!" My mind screams at me, but I ignore my mind because sometimes it gets on my nerves. Making a quick sprint into the kitchen, I take a look around to see a steaming jug in the middle of the bench. "Cocoa, I've come for you!" I cry out as I take long valiant strides to the cupboards. Old wooden things they are, like the rest of this place but atleast it all matches up. It all matches up in a crumby broken down way. Opening the door I stretch my arm up to the farthest shelf and let my hand do a little scouting. Jam, Cup, Spice - I really should organize this place a little better - ah, there it is: cocoa. Flicking it toward the edge, the tin spins around but I feel it coming my way and as it finally reaches the end I knock it off and catch it with both hands. Success! Setting the tin down by the jug I make my way briskly toward the fridge and give that a good browsing. Dissappointed, I find half the stuff in here a day away from being off or already off. "Time to do some major tidying up," I mutter to no-one in particular. Milk? Yes. Off? *Sniff* HELL YES! Tossing the milk into the trash, I rub my nose hoping to recover from the putrid smell. "Damn girl, you really need to clean things up," re-arranging my mental checklist, I begin prioritizing and adding things in. Cocoa? Dishes, Fridge and Cupboards, Groceries, Cocoa and Story... Sleep! A tiny glint catches the corner of my eye, grabbing my attention immediately. It's a knife, a tiny glimmer reflecting off the blade throws my mind into reminiscence. The thin sliver piercing flesh, the almost erotic feeling it gives as you drive it in, breaking the delicate skin. Biting my lower lip, I turn away and put myself back together but even still, the thought remains in the back of my head, itching. "You need to sort yourself out too because you're mind is going all sorts of crazy!" That's probably what Clover would've said if she knew what I was thinking, doing right now. Well it's true, I mean lately my mind has been all sorts of places bouncing back and forth. Just like people actually. They all just come and go... Taking a short leisurely stroll into the back department, I open up the deposit box and check the cash. Wow, we're too poor to afford a lock for our deposit. Lame... "Three Hundred, Four, Five, Seven... Twelve?" Sudden regret fills me and even though I know noone is listening, I still fear that if I count aloud, someone will hear. I remove a bit of cash and stow the box back in it's place. Beneath a few pieces of paper in the lowest recesses of these confined shelves. We're barely scraping by, what the heck?! Maybe if I convinced Clover or her sister to get a job then maybe... But I doubt they will, lazy bums! One more time. Clean up. Groceries. Talk about Jobs. Snacks. Sleep... "This is going to be a long day," I sigh. ---