It's been a month since the princess's castle was erected and the tyrant Tirek was defeated. Life in Ponyville was experiencing a period of peace that would with luck last for a good while. The sun rose once again on this seemingly storybook summer day, birds chirping, ponies rising from their beds, and the early Pegasus squad clearing clouds, ensuring a clear and refreshing sunrise.
Flare Shaker slowly opened his eyes, the bright rays of the sun burning into his retinas. Today was the first tax collection day since a certain monster destroyed his previous employer's cabbage patch. Out of a job once again and with just enough bits to pay the rent, it looks like it's time for another short job. With a spit, shave and a shower, Flare left the home leaving bits for the tax-pony out to the town billboard.
The repair jobs from the attack have dwindled into recent memories, only a few odd jobs remained, and not very well paying ones at that. Flare read the billboard silently to himself, noting a few easy jobs he hoped weren't taken yet, he could make enough for lunch and dinner by lunch if he skipped breakfast, as he was finishing making his mental schedule a small purple slip caught his eye.
"Help wanted in the new castle, housekeeping and miscellaneous request." said Flair as he read the small note. He spread his wings and took to the skies, rocketing across towns at borderline illegal speeds towards the castle.
With the castle directly in front of him, he pulled to a stop and landed in front of the mighty doors. Other than the unusual lack of a royal guard outfit, the castle looked royal and imposing up close, but not enough to prevent Flare from knocking on the doors the moment he reached them. He waited for a response, 'were the princesses home?' was not an uncommon question seeing as they all were very busy mares. That's why it was almost a shock when Princess Twilight Sparkle answered the knock.
"Oh hello there! You must be responding to the letter on the noticeboard, please come in!" Twilight addressed Flare in a very casual manner, this made him a little less tense as he proceeded into the main room. "We only need a few ponies for this job, you're probably going to be the last one, there are two more there and I'd like you to meet them" She explained as she guided him to a couple ponies sitting at one of the many pristine looking tables that dotted the bottom floor.
The first pony he noticed was a dark blue unicorn, with a short light blue mane and and a stubby tail, and freckles which lightly dotted her face. He looked into her blue eyes as he spoke to him. "Hey there dude, I'm Cerulean Jet, but you can call me CJ if you want," As she finished the sentence he flipped her hair out of her eyes by tossing her head,
Flare nodded and turned his head toward the rather large stallion sitting adjacent to CJ. He had a short dark red coat, and an imposing black Mohawk that ended in a pony-tail, and like CJ he also had a rather short but wildly cut tail. He also had rather thick eyebrows. "My name's Muscle Rider, nice to meet you." He said with a deep voice, Incredible strength seemed to emanate from him like an aura.
"Good! Now that everyone is all accounted for, I will now go over the job description one more time for our new member..." Twilight said, as she began listing various duties that should be done by certain times. Not unlike a janitorial service, but a few extras like preparing lunch and collecting feather's from the resident owl every so often
Once she was done listing the required duties and payment dates she turned to leave when Flare called after her. After getting her attention, and being informed that 'Princess Twilight Sparkle' was way too formal and that she preferred to be called twilight by those she knows and are planning to get to know, Flare had to ask her a question or two.
"Whenever you guys see us in the castle or in town don't be afraid to say 'hello', or stop us to talk! You three are more than just cleaning ponies or guards, you're gonna be as close to us as we are to each other, so I hope that us being friends comes before us being royalty." Twilight explained to the delight of the three listeners. "But right now, it's really early and I've got a full to-do list, as do you right now, so maybe we could talk a little later. Spike's around and I'm sure he'd like to meet you guy! Just don't let him boss you around too much, a little power gets to his head." She explained before waving her goodbyes and heading out the front door.
Once Twilight left the castle, CJ and Muscle Rider started chatting among themselves, undoubtedly excited about their elevated positions. Flare on the other hand, wandered upstairs to meet Spike. He opened the door to find Fluttershy and Spike sharing a book, a seemingly interesting book, as neither of them turned their heads until a faux cough was passed from Flare to the room.
"Oh... My." Mumbled Fluttershy, embarrassed at her own obliviousness. She quickly retreated backwards on the bed until she met the edge. "Can we help you in any way?" Fluttershy mumbled from across the room, barley recognizable as a voice and more as a soft gust of wind, her voice barley registered to the Orange Pegasus standing in the doorway.
Flare was about to answer her question, but Spike blurted out before he could speak. "Hey, you're one of the ponies Twilight was bringing over to help out around here! Thank Celestia for that, it might not look like it, but this place is pretty big and cleaning it by yourself is a nightmare, trust me." He spouted, his voice full of both wonder and relief.
After a slow and shy introduction, Fluttershy showed Flare around the castle, while small looking on the outside, there was lots of rooms, nooks and crannies that could be missed if one wasn't paying attention. They met the rest of the Elements of Harmony whilst exploring the castles vast grounds and interior, and after they'd finished viewing the area, Fluttershy bid the talent-less stallion farewell as she went home to feed her pet.
Standing in the foyer just outside the castle, Flare looked towards the sky, deciding that it was a little past mid-day he started sweeping the walkway around the entrance to the castle. He couldn't think of how today could get any better; He found a steady job, he's in close with the most important ponies on this side of Equestira and to top it all off he doesn't need a cutie mark for this job because cleaning, cooking and maintenance are all things he's done before. Although he did quickly look at his hindquarters to make sure a butler cutie mark didn't pop up, as always he was only greeted with the visage of his butt.
The sun was setting and Flare had worked himself a little harder than he planned, he was starting to feel so sore that he might have to hail a carriage back home. Twilight had since returned, and the other elements went back home, with the exception of rainbow dash who felt she'd rather crash here than fly back home.
"Headed home?" Asked CJ as she passed an exhausted Flare. She was followed by Muscle Rider who didn't seem tired in the slightest. "Me and Big M here were about to head out to grab some dinner, you want to come?"
Flare debated his options, either hang out with these two or go home and go to sleep. "Nah, I dont have any money, and we don't get paid till Wednesday." He answered shaking his head in disappointment. Not only did he not actually have any money, but today was rather tiring and if he did anymore walking around, he might be too tired to fly back home.
"Oh, don't worry about that. Dinner's on me and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer!" She replied. Flare chuckled and nodded his head in approval.
"Aren't you just a endless barn of generosity? Careful, or I'll tell Rarity she might need to watch her element a little closer from now on." Flair said sarcastically as they trotted towards a late night eatery somewhere in the vicinity, he could smell the hay fries from where they were.
They arrived at the restaurant in only a few minutes. It was a family owned fast food restaurant, with one brother working during the day, and the other during the night. The restaurant was on the corner of the street, the front half of the building was a big glass window, presumably so passing ponies would see dining ponies enjoying themselves, and the patrons a view of the busy town around them. The Back half of the building was walled off, housing the kitchen and presumably the bedrooms of the owners. There were no other ponies present other than the tree ponies who had just arrived and of course the night shift brother.
After a warm introduction and a even warmer seat at a table, the ponies ordered their various meals and drinks. The ponies started to converse about themselves. "So CJ, where are you from? Also, what's with your cutie mark, is that a jet of water?" Flare asked the blue colored mare.
"Ah yes, I was born and raised here in Ponyville, I did visit Phillydelphia as a filly, but the hustle and bustle was way to much for me. As for my cutie mark, It means I can control great amounts of water in many different ways. Unfortunately since weather duty is a Pegasus job, the only other jobs requiring someone with my skill set are one's in ports and cities close to water. I love Ponyville too much to leave, and with this job I just got..." She trailed off as the food arrived.
"Double sunflower burger with lettuce and pickles hold the onion for Flare, Tofu steak with a side of hay fries for big M, and two servings of chili cheese hay fries for the lovely young mare. 51 bits please." The Brother said as he held out a hoof.
"Not a chance dude, If it weren't for me this whole shack would be a smoldering pile of ashes. 'Next meals on the house' were your brother's exact words." CJ said matter-of-factly. Flare started to get a bit nervous, business owners didn't like losing money over favors especially when those who are taking your money are exhausted, hungry and in the middle of the night with no witnesses, so it was with a breath of relief he sat his head on the table when the brother sighed defeated before chuckling to himself.
"My brother's going to be doing 51 bits worth of dish-washing when he wakes up! You ponies have a good night, and put your dishes in that bin before you leave." the brother said before retreating into the back room to the shack.
"So what about you Flare? You didn't accidentally die your cutie mark the same color as your fur did you?" Asked Muscle Rider with a manly chuckle. Flare had almost been surprised to hear him talk, and even more surprised at how deep it was.
Flare coyly told them about how he was still a blank flank at his age, some of the struggles he had to overcome, and how he was contemplating eating the hay on his room for breakfast tomorrow."I'm the son of a hermit who stayed on Macintosh Mountains, my cutie mark is a hoof breaking a brick if you couldn't tell. I got it after I smashed though a brick wall to save my classroom, but that's a story for another night." Muscle rider said. After a few laughs and stories the ponies eventually bid each other farewell, for tomorrow marked their new lives at elite members of society.
