Laundry Business
"I don't get it." Twilight sighed looking out the window with a frown.
"What's that Twi?" Rainbow Dash asked pulling her head from where she had stuck it out the window.
"This is a train right?"
"Yep."
"A train generally runs on its own, coal, steam, or magic-powered right?" Twilight continued.
"Also yep." Dash agreed.
"Then why is there a team of ponies pulling the train?" Twilight complained.
"Coal scarcity." Dash yawned.
"What?" Twilight blinked, stunned at not only a quick answer but also not a weird one as she expected.
"Coal scarcity. This is a coal run train, but Appleloosa is a new settlement. When they run supplies out it's a full horse team. They only burn coal on the way back because the train has less weight and uses less coal." Dash explained.
"How...?" Twilight stared.
"What, I can't be smart?" Dash scoffed.
The Unicorn continued to stare.
"Fine..... it was on a flier back at the train station in the bathroom, and I needed something to read at the time...." Dash admitted
"Eww."
"HEY, I washed my hooves!" The pegasus shout as she out of Twilight sight.
Today, the Mane 6 are in the friendship train as they ride to the desert area. Although the white unicorn dislikes the room she in right now, only anything for helping her friends she will do it but that does mean she can't complain.
"Honestly of all the absurd things to be doing...." Rarity grumbled, dropping into her seat next to Twilight.
"What? You noticed that we're being pulled and not using the main car too?" Twilight asked looking up at Rarity a bit hopeful.
"What?"
"Never mind, what's wrong?" Twilight sighed, returning to her book.
"Applejack was reading that tree a bedtime story." Rarity rolled her eyes. "Have you ever heard of anything so ridiculous?"
"Lately... yes." Twilight deadpanned. "Still, I’ve read some studies that show music can help plants grow and Applejack is the farmer here so maybe she knows best.”
“Perhaps … but it's still strange.”
“I've caught you asking your cat questions as if she could answer you,” Twilight responded.
“Fluttershy.” Rarity stated.
“Touche” Twilight admitted.
"Moving on, why is Leo doesn't coming along with us? I mean, dear, he's love to helping someone even though it just a tiny little problem or in this situation right now?" The white unicorn asked.
"Surprisingly, I was too. But he wants to help somepony doing some chores with him, they meet a couple of weeks ago, and I think his name is Soothing Wave. Also, he asks Spike as well to help him out so that's why he doesn't come with us but an agreement from me that there will look after the library." The other unicorn replied.
"And what this chores thingy?" Rarity is curious.
"Laundry Job..." She said ashamedly.
"Uh...well, at least he loves to assist, Wave. Though if I remember correctly, Ponyville does have a laundry shop, although they're not many customers in our place since not many of us wearing a cloth. However, in another place such as Canterlot, Manehattan or other fancy location, is very popular due to the fact those ponies like noble wearing a luxury cloth but don't have time to wash it. I, as well, being to that place went I don't have time wash some of my dress because of work."
"Wow, that's good. But why did he build the laundry shop in a small town rather than a huge place like Canterlot?" Twilight asked.
Rarity snorted. "Honestly, I don't know. I never got to ask him though, because he says he being busy but I think an accused of him to just been lazy. Maybe that's why Leo wanna help him..."
Ponyville, Laundry Shop...
"So, why do you decide to make a laundry shop in Ponyville?" Leo asked the ocean blue pony, as he sitting on a coach with Spike next to him.
"Well, my friends. The reason is for my businesses," He said calmly. "Many ponies will need my good cleaning job for there wearing, they also need to head toward Ponyville if the noble want to drop off the clothes or dress."
"Why?" Spike asked as he lowers his comic and stares at the owner of the shop. "If I remember correctly, Canterlot have a laundry shop as well. So, why those noble went all over to this country just to drop off and take back their stuff? For me is just wasting their bits."
"Well, little dragon. You don't know anything about being an owner who opens up this shop long ago." He replied, as he hanger a black net tuxedo and a cyan gown dress on a rod clothing along with the rest of it."And the reason is that Canterlot laundry is very slow working compare to my, there's having a discharge for not cleaning their dress up by the time the customer set up and even have to close down due to low rate from it."
"Wait a minute, those are the Wonderbolt suit!" Leo shout as he ran to it, the suit is blue with a yellow lightning line on the hooves and the body. He is awestruck by the wonderfully suit as it seems been cover by plastic for a protecting.
"What? Why the Wonderbolt suit is here?" Spike as puzzled.
"Well, there's is a minor problem with the laundry machine from Cloudsdale, don't know who did it though..."
Last Week, Cloudsdale...
"Oh, shoot! I broke it again!" Said the panicking cornflower blue pegasus stallion as he saw the machine bust out with some part came off. "Well, I'm dead for sure..."
Back to Present...
"...in any case, doesn't manner right now." Wave shook his head. "Now, Leo and Spike, help me reorganised this supplied for me will you please?"
The siblings nodded as the trio spend some hour doing some cleaning, washing, arranging and label the dress of which will be taken in by today or tomorrow. Since not many clothes there are Wave allow Leo to wash his grey bandana for free for helping him, not realising that the bandana drop a bubble bottle that he forget that he put it in there for like a week past.
One by one, customers came in took off with the dress or suit. Some of them who live in Ponyville is here too, with the customer decrease, so does the clothes. Many of them were surprised to see the Sparkle sibling here in the shop as they have a small chit chat with them, most of them talking about wearing their clothes went the Grand Galloping Gala started, sure the noble are stink but don't judge a book by its cover went they're outside of Canterlot, there some who was nice too the duo went not inside of capital. After a minute past, the pony wave at the siblings took off as well.
But then, another customer shows up and the golden lion haven't seen him too long.
The stallion has a white coat, azure blue mane, protruding chest, and an exceptionally large horn. He also wears a tuxedo with a monocle on his left eyes.
"Hello. I'm here to pick up m--Leo? Spike?" Asked the Unicorn, Fancy Pants.
"Fancy Pants!" Both of them said as they went to the stallion with a smile.
"I never know your drop off your suit in this shop for far away from your place," Leo said.
"Yes, since the Laundry Shop from Canterlot shut down, and Nopony ever one to take place it. Then I find out that there is another shop near our capital kingdom, so that's why I went to this town. And also, I never knew your lives here now."
"We follow our sister so she can learn more about the magic of friendship," Spike replied.
"Oh? So it is truly your sister become the new Elements of Harmony, I heard it from everypony I walk into. I must say, she quite special considering she is Princess Celestia protège." He comments.
"Yeah! And also she finally makes some friend for herself rather than we need to help her!" Leo added.
He chuckled. "Indeed. Well, as fun I like to talk. I better get going than."
With that, he got to the counter to pay Wave for his work and pick up his suit. They talk about how management the owner is for making it fresh, cosy and delightful. A goodbye having for the important pony to the trio and there did the same as he exits the shop.
"If you don't mind me asking, when did you two meet each other?" Asked Soothing Wave.
"A couple of years though, when I was the size like Spike, we bump into him went we heading to the candy store with our other siblings. For the first time, he is the who don't frighten about me and Spike assumed we are not the same species as him only to apologized to us first. He faces doesn't have a scared look but instead a curious face, he is our first adult noble friend actually, aside from our sibling and parent."
"He even took us on his flying yacht when we grew up, wearing a captain's uniform!" Spike added.
This took Wave slightly raising his eyes. "Woah, what a wonderful stallion it would seem. Anywhere, supposedly there is one more customer left."
He checks on his list board, seeing that only one name doesn't got check from him as the doorbell ring just before he looking at it.
"Sorry, I'm late!" Said the female voice pony and this perked the lion ears as he knew that voice.
The pony went in is a pegasus, have a brilliant gold coat, a vivid orange with a light brilliant amber stripes and a strong orange eyes. Leo surely knows who she is as in fact since he was a little.
"Spitfire!?"
"Leo? Spike?" She surprised to see the duo back in Canterlot. "You boys work here?"
"Well, not quite. We just helping out like usual. Leo style!" He shouts, raises his right paw while it grips.
"Your style indeed."
After a small talk, she walks over to the counter were Wave waiting for her patiently from her conversation.
"I'm really sorry. I have been so busy to train the recruit for the Wonderbolt Academy until I forgetting our Wonderbolt suit! There's no charge, right?"
The owner shop just chucked then smiled. "No need, my friend. You're just in time for your suit."
With the sigh of relief, she took the suit from him after he takes from the rod holder. "Woah, beautiful and perfect as usual. Thanks, Wave."
"Welcome as always, my friend."
"Hey! Are you going to use it for the Grand Galloping Gala that will come?" Spike asked from her back.
"Yep, gonna perform a complex stunt that takes years of training. Which hopefully nopony will interfere that's it..."
"What did you mean? Your guy's stunts are great! Nopony can do anything."
"It's not like that's, not happened before where an overzealous fan tried to join into a show and caused an issue." She frowned by it. "Not only that, we have to blacklist them from the bolts for interrupting our stunts and causing a dangerous hazard."
"Ouch, they disappointed, right?" Leo asked.
"Serve them right! Who knows if one of us will injuries them or each other too! I say is justified." After that, she holds three suits with a hanger in her mother while one on her hoof. "Well, is good talking with you guys but I have to good, the recruit probably hangs out and I can't let that happen."
"Of course." Leo giggles as the female pony exit the building. Slowly after, Soothing Wave went to the door and flip the open sign.
"Finally, with the last customer. I can now close the shop." That, the sign display it closed for today.
"I'm gonna be honest, it quite simple to doing this job," Spike commented.
"Yeah, you just got a dress from a customer to washing or remove the creases using a clothing iron. Then wait for the customer to come back to pick their belonging."
"It kinda fun! I met everypony I met before for so long. Making me to brings back all those memories when I first met them..." Leo said while remembering every single moment of his life back there at Canterlot. "If you need more help, Wave. I'll be an honour too!"
This makes the pony rub his chin. "Then... Would you like to work here?"
Boom! That. Caught the golden lion off guard. "R-really?"
"Why not? You guys make this place lively as much I can do, especially you, Leo," He pointed at him. "I don't like a long conversation that much, I prefer quiet in my head. Most of the time the customer talk about when they will return for the clothes while other just a greedy noble talking."
"Pawesome! Thank you so much, Wave!"
The lion leaps in the air to hug the earth pony, who is almost shock for the outcome, thinking he will get eating by him. What was the thought? This cub is interesting indeed to him, with that he hit him back. 'I can't believe he was 14 years old but show much like a child'
Leo let go of him before turning to Spike then realised. "Wait, how about you, bro? Do you want to work here?"
He shook his head. "Nah. I think you the only one who perfects for the job and besides someone need to look after Twilight for causing some magic problem."
"Oh, yeah. Wonder what is up to her at the Appleloosa..." Leo thought about it.
What they don't know is it end well, who know just a taste of a pie can stop the problem.