//------------------------------// // Chapter 41: Employee of the Month // Story: Pandemic: What you are Meant to Be // by Halira //------------------------------// When the couple finally left Rosetta's family for the evening it was with mixed feelings. Things could have gone better, but they could have gone worse. Remedy felt unwanted. The family didn't seem happy with the idea that Rosetta had essentially proposed to her. Through the entire evening she had said little and none had really attempted to engage her in conversation. Rosetta had kept cuddled close to her through the conversations and been the only one to say anything to her. Rosetta's pleas for help with raising the foal if it was not a night pony not getting the full unquestionable support she wanted also weighed on them. The family hadn't rejected the idea, but they seemed very unenthusiastic about it. Surprisingly, the member that seemed to come around most to the idea was Cathy, who seemed to increasingly share Rosetta's concerns as the night went on that the foal be raised by a pony. This didn't mean Cathy was all on board with raising the foal herself; her assertions that she shouldn't be trying to raise her older sister's foal at her age were still there. She did seem to indicate that she would begrudgingly do it before it fell to human family trying to raise the foal, even her own. She seemed to have a great deal of pent up resentment about her parents not giving her any freedom to explore her new form and abilities up to this point. Cathy was likely the one in the best mood by the end of the night though. Tomorrow she would finally get out of the apartment. Nopony could fault her for being in good spirits about that. The mare couple didn't take the direct route back to the church. There was still plenty of night left. They decided to just go do more exploring and seeing what other parts of the region they rarely visited were looking like. They flew around Hannahan first. Hannahan was most a ghost town but not without activity. There was a large gas station that doubled as a truck stop as well. That station had a string of three fuel trucks sitting at it. One refilling the gas tanks of the station and the other two waiting in line to add their loads in as well. Three cars were also pulled up in front of the station and the lights were on. This was doubtlessly employees getting the station ready to reopen. The turned their flight path back around into Goose Creek. Similar activity could be seen going on at the larger gas stations there as well, though the smaller stations seemed to remain abandoned. The sheer amount of stations in activity indicated that many would indeed be ready to open in the morning. One or two already people in cars camped out waiting for the reopening. The local Bi-Lo and Publix grocery stores in Goose Creek seemed to have activity going on at them as well. There were several cars pulled up at each store and the Bi-Lo actually had a delivery truck being unloaded in the back. It must have taken some care to get that truck in unnoticed, as Remedy would be sure there would be plenty of humans at the store eager to get the goods right off the truck again if it had been. The truck was unmarked with logos, so that likely helped. The Wal Mart of Goose Creek also had the same activity going on, minis the delivery truck. It also had people putting up signs around it declaring that the store was now hiring all positions, with promises for competitive pay. The Wal Mart had likely employees upwards of three hundred people at that location previously, and if they lost a third or more of that to ETS they likely were very understaffed as a result. Unemployment rate in the area was likely about to plummet with businesses trying eagerly to replace staff. As their flight path looped back towards Summerville a thought occurred to Remedy. "Do you think my old job would let me work nights?" Remedy asked. Rosetta looked at her with confusion. "Why would you want to?" Rosetta asked. "Just keeping active at night, and money might not be completely useless to us. Plus it gives me an opportunity to get more work in trying to get agile with my wings and hooves," Remedy explained. "What would we be needing money for? I figured that once we get a pony community actually going the earth ponies would provide food, we aren't particularly concerned about whether we sleep outside or not so we don't need to worry about housing, at least not somewhere like here where it almost never snows," Rosetta said as they pulled into a hover. "They are talking about moving us to small towns that are afraid of dying out, right? Those small towns need ponies spending money or they might get the idea we aren't doing anything to help them. Those humans have mortgages, businesses, and jobs that they are trying to keep afloat. They're interested in bringing us in order to save their towns, if we don't do that they will turn on us," Remedy explained. "But it still question still stands, what would we need to be spending money on at all?" Rosetta pointed out. "I'm sure we can find things. Spices and sauces for our food, internet service so you can do online classes, a computer and place to put it to do those online classes on, not to mention possible tuition. Plus even though we can stand to be outside without shelter in the rain and cold, it isn't something I look forward to; being able to have an apartment, house, or something would be nice," Remedy looked up at the clouds above wondering if they were going to dealing with rain in the next few days. "Well, the pegasi would regulate when it was raining, but you are right about the rest I suppose," Rosetta conceded. "I suppose we could go see," Remedy said. "What am I supposed to do though if they let you? I worked at a call center before and that's no where near ready to open. Not that I could keep up with the typing while on the phone anyway," Rosetta said with frustration. "Um, maybe they could give you a job too? Or you could just go do some web-surfing while you wait. We aren't even sure they will let me," Remedy suggested. "I don't like being separated from you. Herd instinct kind of makes isolation torture," Rosetta said miserably. "There's the ponies in Charleston," Remedy added to her suggestion. "Too late in the evening for that and not sure hanging around the Enclave too much is a good idea. I'm already tempted by their ways of doing things and I know that's a bad idea. Trying to avoid getting myself into trouble," Rosetta said flatly. "Or I could just not check if it's really bothering you," Remedy said in defeat. "No, you're probably right that we still need money. We'll see if they will let me help out too. Even if I've got to work for free I'll do that if it keeps me around others at night," Rosetta said as she flicked her tail while still hovering. "Let's see then. If they won't let you hang around and help but are willing to let me work I won't do it. You're my priority," Remedy said as she flapped over to her marefriend and gave her a nuzzle in the air. The flight over to the appropriate grocery store was a short one. The Summerville Bi-Lo was much like the Goose Creek one, and also had activity going on at it indicating they were trying to get the store back to running. They flew down to the entrance where one of Remedy's old managers, Carla, was standing outside taking a smoke break. "Need some extra help?" Remedy asked as she advanced up to the apprehensive human. "Probably, we are definitely hiring and will consider ponies at this point if they are willing. Do you have any stocking experience?" Carla asked. "Um, I actually am kind of already employed here, Carla," Remedy giggled. "I don't recognize your voice. Who are you?" Carla asked as she took a closer look at Remedy. "Voice changed so you wouldn't. I'm Matthew from the overnight shift. Though I am going by Phobia Remedy now," Remedy said. "Matthew? ETS did a number on you if it turned you into a girl," Carla said with a laugh. "I'm perfectly fine with being a mare. So do I still have my job?" Remedy asked, deciding not to get into the specifics of her gender identity. "If you want it, and can do it, you've got it. Are you able to start back tonight? We need every hand or hoof we can get," Carla said before taking a long drag from her cigarette. "If you're willing to offer a job to my marefriend here as well, or at least let her hang around and help. She insists on staying near me," Remedy said with a gesture towards Rosetta. "Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth when looking for employees," Carla laughed with a wheeze. "What's your name girl?" "Rosetta Stone, I would want to start right away if Remedy is starting right away," Rosetta said as she stepped forward. "That your pony name or human name? I can't really tell with that one," Carla said with a raised eyebrow. "Pony name, my human name is Haley Martinez," Rosetta said. "Well Rosetta, I can get you started tonight, but will need to get your documents sometime in the next few days. If you're working for us we have to get that, we don't do anything under the table here," Carla said as she looked down at Rosetta. "I can probably find them. Hopefully they're still where I left them at the hospital," Rosetta said uncertainly. "Let me know if you can't find them. Have to keep things all legal," Carla said. "I'll do that, as I said, I think I know where they are," Rosetta assured. "Great," Carla said. She turned to Remedy. "There are pallets out on all the aisles already. Need you two to take the cereal aisle and get to work. Matthew...excuse me...Phobia, you can train Rosetta on what needs to be done. Shift is over at six so we have another four hours, you'll get a fifteen minute break in two hours." "Got it, thanks Carla," Remedy said as they turned to enter the store. "Thanks for showing up to work. Any employee that still shows up after having their species and sex changed, not to mention not having hands, gets to be employee of the month," Carla said with a laugh.