Chapter 14: Put it AWAY, Indigo Zap
Normally, when I have to go into the field to find a pony, there’s one of three reasons: either they slept through an appointment or forgot, and just need a reminder; they’re actively avoiding their court-mandated therapy, and I need to reel them back in; or somepony somewhere tipped off the office that one of our dear clients is up to some nasty not-niceness.
Very rarely do I have to track somepony down because they didn’t show up for work. Which is exactly what happened this morning, so now I’m on my way to the Siren’s temporary residence. Because Sonata Dusk apparently doesn’t understand that when somepony asks you to do a job, you have to do it every day. Their house isn’t particularly difficult to track, as it’s just one of many apartments in a building that our Office has a contract with to house some of the clients that either don’t or can’t work, or are working for our office.
I live on the fifth floor. Rent is super cheap.
The Siren’s abode is a few floors above me, and rather easy to find. Not because of the yelling, because there’s plenty of that going on in this building. Not the smell. There’s a lot of that, too. Not all of them pretty. It’s not even placed conveniently. The thing about their apartment is that it’s the only one in the building, and I mean the only one, that looks like it’s actually excited at the prospect of visitors. Even my door has a “Beware of Attack Pegasus” (me) sign on it.
Sonata Dusk, however, seems to be one of the few genuinely happy people in the whole complex, and as such, has decorated their front door with flowers, light blue color, and an honest-to-goodness Welcome mat. It’s almost heartwarming, if not for the fact that she’s an ex-criminal.
Ok, it’s a little heartwarming. I’m not made of stone, despite what my muscles say.
I knock on the door, and hear a bright, cheery voice say, “Coming!” A few moments later, there’s some scuffling, and that same voice says “Ow, OW! GET OFF ME, ARI!”
“Shut up, you moron! What if it’s a crook?!” another, deeper female voice barks.
“Then you’ll stab them, too, you psycho!” chimes in a third voice, almost as deep, but more mature. The door opens, and Adagio Dazzle greets me with a curious expression. “Can I help you, miss...”
“Indigo Zap. I’m here to pick up Sonata, cause she’s supposed to be on-shift today. Client-Employees who don’t show up for a shift are considered in the same category as skippers, so here I am,” I explain.
Adagio rolls her eyes. “I knew getting that featherhead a job would be a headache. She steps aside to turn around and face her sisters, giving me a good view of the other two mares wrestling around on the carpet. “Aria, let her go! She needs to go to work!”
Sonata looks up, surprised. “But… but it’s FRIDAY!”
I nod. “Right. Your days off are Saturday and Sunday.”
She frowns cutely, like a small filly. “But that’s STUPID.”
I have to agree, actually. “Yeah, it’s kinda dumb. But it’s not so bad. The office is kinda bare on Fridays, so there’s a bunch of room to goof off. Lemon Zest says it’s like, the easiest day ever.”
She leaps to her hooves with a wide grin. “Zesty is there?!”
There’s a little voice in my head that says I should just nod politely and take her in, but there’s another, slightly louder voice in my head that goes, “Wait.”
“...yes. Yes she is. And she’s super-excited to work with you today! She had tons of fun in the elevator the other day, so she even got there super early!” This isn’t entirely a lie, as she gets to work early on Saturday every week, as it’s her job to sort and bundle the newspaper.
“YAY!” Sonata chirps, and rushes out the door. She blazes past me, and I barely have time to step aside before she’s tearing down the hall to go to work.
Aria gives me a wary look. “...that was a total lie, wasn’t it?”
I shrug. “Like, eighty percent.”
“Do you… not like this Lemon Zest girl?” Adagio asks curiously.
“Oh no, she’s fine. I’m just a terrible pony sometimes,” I admit. I mean, I do enjoy my job a little bit too much.
Aria gives an evil grin. “We should totes hang out.”
-------------------
I make a couple more stops before I head back to the office, filling out the end-of-week paperwork. The Cages bustle a bit with some of the other guys, when my phone goes off in my locker. I give my super a look, and he shrugs an “OK”.
I dig out the little device, and read:
LZ: Can we totes get drunk this weekend, please?
SF: Absolutely NOT. Not after last time. And besides, I already got plastered this week.
I chuckle, remembering the afternoon Sunny Flare stumbled into the office after hours because she forgot her purse. And how to walk.
IZ: Oh come on, we could use a designated sober, anyway. You know you love the idea of all that blackmail.
SF: Fine. But I’m not drinking.
SC: Yeah, sure.
SF: I’m NOT.
SS: Of course not. By the way, what do you girls think of the new… girls?
SC: I like Adagio.
IZ: Of course you do.
SF: She’s the only mare I’ve met who likes sex more than you.
SC: Words hurt, Sunny.
LZ: So what, they like to bang. Least she’s not that Sonata Dusk girl.
IZ: Oh, she’s not that bad.
LZ: EAT ME, ZAP.
IZ: I think we should take them drinking.
SS: NO
SF: NO
LZ: NOPE
SC: Sure.
LZ: DAMMIT SUGAR
SC: Caps lock is not a font, Zest.
IZ: Well, I’m bringing that Aria Blaze girl.
SS: Well, she’s not that bad. Kind of cry-y.
SF: Everyony’s cry-y around you, Sour.
LZ: Is that the ultraviolence chick?
SF: Yes.
LZ: Ok, cool. She can come.
IZ: Awesome. I’ll ask her if her sisters are busy, too.
LZ: NO!
I close the convo, ignoring the newest wave of text alerts, and give Aria a call, having gotten their number earlier. “Hey, Aria?” I ask, after somepony picks up a few rings in.
“Nope, sorry. Let me get here for you. Hold on. ARI!”
“...what?!” I hear from down the phone line.
“PHONE!”
“...who is it?!”
“Who may I ask is calling?” Adagio asks politely.
“It’s Indigo. The girl from this morning that picked up Sonata,” I explain.
“Ok, hold on. IT’S THE HOT PEGASUS FROM THIS MORNING.”
I smile smugly. Hell yeah it is.
“...Ooh, gimme!” There’s a bit of shuffling as Aria steals the phone from Adagio. “Sup, girl?” she asks, in a much clearer voice.
“Hey, you wanna get stupid-ass drunk with me and the girls tonight?”
“DO I?!” she cheers. “HEY DAGi, WANNA GET SMASHED?!”
“...DO I?!” she yells in the background.
“Cool, bring the third one, too,” I tell her, then give her directions to our usual spot, and a time to meet.
“Right on, see you there, chick!” she hangs up the phone before I can say goodbye.
I laugh, and re-open the group text chat. There’s a bunch of messages arguing whether or not the Sirens should join us.
IZ: Ok, cool, they’re gonna meet us there at 8.
LZ: I fuckin hate you.
IZ: Awww, you’re so nice.