//------------------------------// // Late On Friday // Story: I Couldn't Become Nightmare Moon, So I Got A New Job! // by Ultimus Pendragon //------------------------------// Moon Dancer, Pinkie Pie, and Spike sat in the employee lounge in the back of the store as Moon Dancer went over the day's events. Fridays were always the time to go over what occurred during the week and to prepare for the following week. Luna, however, was not present for some reason. ''So you mean to tell me either of you haven't heard anything from Luna this morning?'' Moon Dancer asked, curious as to why her employee was 2 and a half hours late, and for the third time this week. Moon Dancer had hoped that Luna would be on time to hear the report for the week so that everypony could be on the same page, but instead, for the past few days, Luna would walk into the store as if she had no idea of her being tardy. ''What in the world could she be doing every morning?'' Spike also wondered what she could be doing at a time like this, and on a workday, no less. Luna still had a lot to learn about the present times of Equestria, and it would be sometime before any semblance of change was noticed right away. ''Maybe she likes to sleep in later? We did end up getting turned to soup the other weekend when I and Spike went to check on her,'' Pinkie said, tapping a hoof against the table as she also thought more about why her fellow coworker was not here on time. ''Even with that; she still should know to be on time, or less it will reflect poorly on us and the store.'' Moon Dancer said, wanting to know more, but her hooves were tied at the moment; her workers could handle the store with no issue, but for her to up and leave was something she did not like doing. That and Luna's apartment was on the other side of town. ''How about this? You just take care of the deliveries for the day, and we'll let you know when she comes and we'll send her your way,'' Spike said, walking over to the front of the store and sitting down on his stool to resume his shift and give Steady Beat a break. ''Whatever excuse she has could be valid, but that's something she would have to take up with you.'' Moon Dancer agreed with that, hoping she would not have to do the one thing she knew would be the case if something like this happened again. ''Well, ok, just send her to my office when she gets here.'' Pinkie Pie hopped over to the county with Spike, putting on their best face for the customers. ''Roger! You can count on us!'' A Few Moments Later. . . Luna trotted into the store as she hummed a tune to herself as she sipped on her milkshake. Today was Friday, so it would be that much closer to the weekend, as well as closer to actually being paid from this job. She had no real complaints as of the current week, but the verdict on whether she wanted to stay long-term had yet to be seen. Moon Dancer was certainly a stickler for making things happen in a certain way when it pertained to Miniature Menagerie; to which she had no regrets. ''Greetings!'' Luna exclaimed as she walked into the store, feeling the cold air of the air conditioner across her skin as she put a bit of pep in her step as she wanted to get away from the heat outside. ''Have we had many customers so far?'' Spike waved a claw back and forth as he spied the drink in her magic, noticing the dull, almost mud brown color as she slowly sipped on it through a straw. ''What is that?'' ''Brownie and peanut butter milkshake; Pinkie recommended it to me, and I finally managed to find time to get it,'' Luna hummed, slurping the drink with the happiness of a child. ''Would you like to try some?'' ''You do know you were supposed to be a few hours ago, right?'' Spike asked, pointing at her. ''Do you even know what time it is?'' ''12:30?'' Luna guessed, going over to the counter and setting down her drink to take off her coat and fold it up. ''Actually, 12:50. And Moon Dancer said she wants to see you in her office when you got here.'' Pinkie said, idly tapping her hooves on the table. Luna froze for a moment, wondering what it could be about. ''She's in the back taking a delivery.'' Unless. . . ''Surely it cannot be as bad as you claim, I am sure that whatever it is will be no big issue,'' Luna responded as she went to clock in, bringing over her drink as she ventured over to the back of the store, noting the lack of a few of the candles and candle holders. Looking over to the back where the large metal receiving door was open where Moon Dancer and a few delivery ponies were talking and discussing the shipment that just came into the store. ''Oh, Moon Dancer!'' Turning over and looking at her worker in surprise as she finished taking stock of the delivery items. ''Luna, you finally made it, I'm sure you would just love to explain to me why you were late; you must be bursting at the seams to tell us why.'' Luna paused in her current thought to look at Moon Dancer with a straight face. ''Well, I do tend to work longer than the others-' ''-You've been not here not even a month-'' Luna tsked at Moon Dancer trying to prove her point. ''And I feel I am able to accomplish the task given to me in the time that I am here.'' Moon Dancer looked at Luna; had she grown two heads or forgot that she was a princess before being brought down to this level? Wouldn't the idea of being on time and adhering to a set procedure make the process of life easier? Having a job such as this, especially when she was the one to build it from the ground up was unable to be flexible to the needs of a former princess having an existential crisis because she still lacks most of the social skills to interact with the average member of society and her former subjects at that. ''We do have a business to run, that I have worked to build to where it is, and I would very much appreciate it if you could be on time. An even better question than why you were late by so long would be why you were late for the past 3 workdays? What do you have to do that's more important than this?'' Luna hmmped, turning her head away from Moon Dancer as they ventured to her office, Moon Dancer taking a seat in her chair as Luna did the same in hers, sipping her milkshake all the while. The look of annoyance on Moon Dancer's face would have warranted a laugh if it were not for Luna having a mouthful of her drink that she would probably end spewing in her boss's face as she laughed at Moon Dancer's eyes that resembled a surprised deer. Luna was unfazed as Moon Dancer trotted over to Luna, staring at her employee who looked on at the vision board that stated a few of the various ideas and a few of the projections for the company for the quarter. Moon Dancer inched closer to Luna, her eyes focused on the board as Moon Dancer remained unblinking at her. ''You're not making eye contact with me.'' Moon Dancer said. ''Do you wanna come clean?'' ''I withhold any further statements.'' ''Withhold what?! Why were you late? Do you want to work, or not?'' Moon Dancer looked at Luna, who still refused to make eye contact. ''And will you stop drinking that when I'm trying to talk to you? How is it not empty by now?'' Luna's drink appeared to be bottomless, and the smell of it was too. . .sugary. ''You know what? Forget it, it doesn't matter.'' Luna quirked a brow. It didn't? ''So. . .I am without consequence?'' Moon Dancer smiled, going over to her desk and writing down something on a notepad. ''For now. Just don't be late again without a valid reason, or it won't be good for you.'' Luna looked at Moon Dancer, wondering what exactly her boss could do to make the situation worse if she came late again. ''What could you do?'' Moon Dancer slowly folded her hooves and rested her chin on them, closing her eyes and humming a sweet tune; she often did this whenever she wanted to explode in anger, but knew she couldn't afford to actually get angry due to where she was, as well as who she was dealing with. Luna may have been a princess, but Moon Dancer was no ordinary pony. ''Short of firing you, quite a lot actually. I gave you this job not only because I wanted to repay the kindness you did for me, but also because I need somepony to actually work, and if you are unable or unwilling to do so, then I would have no problem resorting to less civil methods of compliance. And also understand this-'' Moon Dancer slowly tapped a hoof after every word she uttered. ''I will ensure that we will all be on the same page here at Miniature Menagerie.'' Luna slowly set her to drink down when she thought about what Moon Dancer told her. ''Dismissed.'' Working here just may be worse than being the former Princess of the Night.