“I tell you, that Gilda is bad news,” Pinkie said as she galloped to catch up to Shoeshine, narrowly avoided some nurses in the hallway.
“I heard you the first dozen and a half times Pinkie but I don’t know what you expect me to do about it. I don’t know the griffon and quite frankly, if she’s as bad as you say, then I don’t want to know her.”
“She is!” Pinkie insisted as Shoeshine entered her sister’s room. “Oh hey Screwy!”
“Bark!”
Shoeshine sighed as she got the leash down and paused as Screw Loose shook her head.
“Well uh that’s a surprise,” Shoeshine admitted as she hung the leash on the door knob. “Usually you refuse to leave without the leash. Are you sure?”
“Bark.”
“Okay. Well let’s go. Pinkie are you-” Shoeshine paused and looked around curiously at the lack of the pink mare next to her. “Guess you’re not coming with. We can make our own fun, eh Screwy?”
“Bark!”
Shoeshine paused as she tossed Screw Loose a cracker, sitting on a bench next to a green unicorn sitting straight as Shoeshine raised an eyebrow but kept quiet. She did her own weird things so she was in no position to judge.
“Hey,” Lyra said as she looked over. “What’s up?”
“Not much. What about you?” Shoeshine asked as she watched her sister sitting next to a dog.
“Not much. Name is Lyra.”
“Shoeshine.”
“I know who you are. You’re friends with Sunset Shimmer,” Lyra said as she placed her hooves on the back of her head.
“You don’t sound too happy about that,” Shoeshine noted dryly as she glanced over at the unicorn.
“Not my business.”
“You’re damn right it isn’t.”
The two sat in uncomfortable silence as Lyra flipped a hat on the ground in front of her with a sigh as Shoeshine tilted her head curiously.
“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it. Sunset and I never really got along, I don’t think she even knows I live in Ponyville. I went to school with her at Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns. She was a few grades ahead of me but we both shared magic studies. She’s a unique mare,” Lyra said finally as she placed her hooves in her lap. “Think we got off on the wrong foot.”
“Hmph.”
“Anyway,” Lyra coughed hastily. “You’re friends with Bon Bon?”
“Acquaintances would be more accurate than friends. We went to school together before she moved away when we were fillies. You know Bons?” Shoeshine asked as she watched Screw Loose chase and squirrel.
“Somewhat. Has she uh ever mentioned me or talked about me at all?” Lyra asked as she blushed and Shoeshine smirked.
“No sorry. But if I hear anything, I’ll let you know. Looks like somepony is interested in the candy maker,” Shoeshine teased as Lyra hid her face in her hooves. “Relax, it’s cool with me. Here’s a secret about Bon Bon, she’s into mares too so you’re in luck. I won’t say too much because it’s not my place but good luck.”
“Thanks. I’ll need it,” Lyra muttered as she levitated a lyre onto her lap and dragged a hoof across the strings.
“You don’t use your magic to play?”
“Nah,” Lyra answered as she shook her head. “I’m a hooves on mare. Sure, magic is useful but you get a type of sound with hooves that magic just can’t quite get down. Wish I had fingers though. Would make things easier.”
“What are fingers?” Shoeshine asked as Lyra grinned and Shoeshine internally wondered if she made a mistake.
“Come by sometime and I’ll show you my research on humans. I whole heartedly believe we aren’t alone out here. Equestria is large. Lots of places to hide. We don’t know what’s out there, let alone what’s in the Everfree that’s in our own backyard practically.”
“Ooookayyyy.”
“Hey is this your sister?” The two looked up at Gilda standing in front of them pointing a claw at Screw Loose.
“Yeah what about it?” Shoeshine asked as Lyra set her lyre down warily.
“What, she thinks she is a dog? Shouldn’t she be in a kennel then?” Gilda asked as Shoeshine narrowed her eyes and stood up.
“You wanna say that again?” Shoeshine asked quietly as Lyra’s eyes flicked warily between the two.
“I think you heard me perfectly clear,” Gilda said coolly as Shoeshine glared at her and shifted her weight slightly.
“Alright that’s enough,” Lyra sighed as they both looked at her. “This is a park. Go beat your brains out somewhere else, you’re scaring away my customers.”
Gilda rolled her eyes and kicked the hat, sending bits flying as Lyra’s eyes widened.
“H-hey!” Lyra said as she wiped away a tear. “I worked hard for those bits.”
“Tough,” Gilda shrugged and flew off as Shoeshine started picking up the bits.
“Here,” Shoeshine said as she placed the bits in the hat. “There’s no need to cry, I got all of your bits.”
“T-thanks,” Lyra sighed as Shoeshine hoofed her a tissue. “Stupid griffon. Minuette or Berry definitely wouldn’t have let her treat them that way.”
“You know Berry?” Shoeshine paused as Lyra finished wiping her eyes and blowing her nose.
“Yeah, she’s dating Minuette. I grew up with Minuette too. Good friend, nice ponies.”
“Start with that next time. Berry and I go way back,” Shoeshine commented as she patted Lyra on the back. “Now wanna keep playing? I’ll toss some bits your way and then I’ll go talk to Sunset about Gilda.”
“You’d do that for me? I’m a complete stranger who just bawled her eyes out over thirty bits getting thrown on the ground.”
“Yeah, yeah I would. Now play me a song, this park could use some entertainment,” Shoeshine said as she watched Lyra resume playing with a smile.
“What in Equestria is happening here?” Shoeshine asked as she stared at the large line of ponies coming out of Sunset’s house as Silverspeed waved her forward.
“Ponies complaining about Gilda,” Silverspeed said simply as the pegasus stood next to Sunset’s office. “Ponies have been coming in all day. Is that what you’re here for too?”
“She kicked a mare’s bits all over the ground, insulted my sister and said she should be in a kennel. My sister loves everypony and if Screw Loose doesn’t like somepony, well that’s a pretty good sign I shouldn’t like them either. She was pretty damn rude,” Shoeshine answered as Silverspeed nodded.
“Got that right!” A stallion in the crowd shouted as Shoeshine stood quietly next to the bookshelf as a grey earth pony with a purple music note cutie mark sat in front of Sunset.
“Look Adagio-” Sunset started with a groan.
“Octavia.”
“Right, Octavia. I’m sympathetic, truly I am but I can’t just kick a pony out of town for being rude and disliked. If that was the case, I’d have kicked Rainbow Dash out but I didn’t. I can’t and won’t throw somepony out. My hooves are tied here Octavia,” Sunset said as Octavia sighed.
“Truly nothing you can do love? What if she causes damage or hurts somepony?” Octavia asked as she placed a hoof on the desk.
“Then Silverspeed will arrest her, she already has my sign off. But don’t you framing her because of this conversation,” Sunset warned as Octavia gasped.
“I would never. That is beneath me,” Octavia snapped indigently as Sunset nodded.
“Thank you. And tell Vinyl I’m sorry that Gilda made fun of her for how she talked, I’m trying my hardest to make this work for everypony. She should be leaving in a few days the weather pony friend’s I have are saying. Just tough it out for a few more days,” Sunset promised as Octavia nodded and trotted out the room as Sunset rubbed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.
“Tough day?” Shoeshine asked sympathetically as she stood behind the unicorn and placed her hooves on her back.
“You have no idea. It’s like a never ending line. I should really got a complaint box, I need a drink and I’m stressed the hell out. What’s up?”
“Just checking up on you,” Shoeshine answered as she grinned. “If you want, you can come take some stress out on me later. Carrot Top is delivering carrots to a nearby town and Noi is spending the next few nights with Berry so the house is mine.”
“Tempting,” Sunset admitted as Shoeshine rubbed her back and Sunset sighed contently. “Thanks. Alright, everypony it’s five pm. We’re closed, vacate the premise before you annoy me!”
The ponies grumbled as they reluctantly trotted out as Shoeshine dropped back to all four, trotting past Sunset and flicking her tail as the unicorn turned red.
“Think about my offer,” Shoeshine called out as she smirked and walked out.
“Hey Silverspeed! You can go stay with Silver Spoon tonight I’m uh going to a friend’s house,” Sunset said as she closed her desk drawers. “Just lock the door after you leave please.”
“You got it,” Silverspeed promised as she hung up her helmet. “Heading to see Trixie?”
“Yeah sure,” Sunset nodded hastily as she levitated some saddlebags on as Shoeshine disappeared from her sight from the window.
“Have a nice night,” Silverspeed waved a wing as Sunset nodded before disappearing with a pop.
Sunset stared up at the carrot farm as she approached the door, knocking a few times as the door opened and a blue hoof yanked her inside.
“Hey,” Shoeshine said as she shut the door. “That was fast.”
“Yeah well it was tempting and I did say there would be a next time,” Sunset answered as she set her saddlebags down. “Bed?”
“Bed,” Shoeshine agreed with a smile.
The two looked back at the door before shrugging and galloping up the stairs.