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// Starving Artist 
// Story: Prompts from Ponies 
// by Sycamore 
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	“I should be getting more for this.” 

Sitting at a desk making presentations for my boss gets sore on the neck. It’s not like I get the credit for this when she does these presentations. It’s too bad that the novelty of having a job that coincides with my cutie mark wore off about a month ago.

“Too bad Mayor Mare believes that minimum wage is a good paycheck. I'll bet half my wage that she doesn't get this little”

“Ponyville needs a new emblem for the Equestria games! This is what I was thinking.” Mayor states as she hoofs me a crudely hewn drawing of a, for lack of a better term, something on a napkin. “Make sure it is done by Monday!” 

The door to the town hall slams shit with an echoing boom as she leaves for the weekend. 

“I don’t even get overtime for this!”

After a bit of work and a lot of brooding I, in what sounds like a scream in the empty halls, harshly whisper, “Why did I have to work for the government under a department that has nopony else? All of the nobility and paper jockeys get a couple hours of work and then they are done for the day.”

After finally deciphering Mayor Mare’s scribble and creating a rough copy, I log my hours for my measly paycheck and go home. A weekend of working later and I have three versions of the emblem complete for Mayor Mare’s review. 

A week later, and I get my paycheck. I count it up and find my measly 52 bits per hour (A/N: two bits = 25 cents). At least it is enough to meet the needs of my house.



A month later:

I wake up and go through my slightly less boring day. After my work on the Ponyville emblem, it came to my attention that one of the colts coming out of school had a photo and visual art cutie mark. As part of the co-op program, he gets to work with me to ‘see the wonders in our profession’. At least I have someone to work with. 

Today the banners, with my emblem stating ‘Support Ponyville’ are being put up. It doesn’t seem like anything special, so we stay inside and do some organizing. We just finished a job from the Canterlot Nobility to make the designs for this coming Grand Galloping Gala.  

We do get work from a lot of work from other sources, other than Mayor Mare that is. How else would we be able to stay working?

A friend of mine comes in saying that we should come out and see something. I dismiss her, but she insists. As we walk outside, I am shocked to see something that has not happened in the two years that I have worked for this employer: My work has been credited! I have finally been given credit for my work!

Excitement is not the proper word for my attitude. I am overjoyed!  

I see a blur of pink a possibly hear the word ‘party’.  

I get congratulations many around me as the crowd swallows me in front of my workplace.

A while later, my apprentice and I walk back into town hall. I continue cleaning around my desk when I see a pink slip that somehow found its way under the drafting table. 

I tense and fear the worst, pink, except when it comes to a particular party pony, means furloughed or fired. Looking it over, I visible relax, and think, “Nothing can make this day better!” In my hoof sits a letter stating that hard work and persistence win out on time in the workplace. 

I am being moved to a private firm. No more government work under Mayor Mare, and no more minimum wages! In fact because of this my wage doubles!

A/N: I know that this is a crappy and patched ending, time ran out and I wanted to keep it less than thirty minutes. If you want me to fix the ending and continue, comment or PM me!