[Blazing's Entry]
Carrying huge bags of coal around the place every night is not exactly a dream job but it certainly does build muscles and I'm beginning to look way more athletic even just after a week of doing so. It might also have something to do with my food supplies running out and me having to suffer a short exercise every chance I get to keep warm.
Also, my boss walked on me while I was taking a shower. It would have been better if she didn't refuse to leave.
Not a big deal though. I enjoyed spending three hours of hot water splashing at me.
On a completely unrelated topic, I'm feeling a bit pruny today.
[End Entry]
It's saturday and no, I don't have a day off. Despite most guards and servants spending the weekend with their families or generally being away doing things normal ponies do, the ones who are not so occupied like to stay warm for some reason and so I have to be thankful at least for not having to haul the usual amount up way too many staircases. What is the real reason for me actually being happy about today is that it is the laundry day and my only piece of clothing - my hoodie, is becoming... uninhabitable. I hope to both royal sisters that it will return to me tomorrow in a better shape than it's been in quite a while.
I was having a terrible time the first few days which I spent either hauling, sleeping or groaning in unbearable pain but eventually it became way too boring for my muscles to cry all the time and now I'm finding I actually have a lot of free time which, contrary to popular belief, is a bad thing. I don't have any real interests and that's the thing, probably the thing that got me kicked out of both damn universities, disregarding my bone-deep laziness of course.
Well, there is one thing and that one is a bit weird - martial arts. It is something that is mostly unknown to ponies as it is mainly a griffon thing thanks to their ability to grab things which is incomparably higher than ours but the kicking and jumping and punching and whatever the rest is got to me when I was younger and it stuck. And right now it's my only passtime thanks to it not requiring any money. Working only from memory has it's disadvantages though and my progress in the 'art' is severely hindered by me having to think of new moves by myself and discarding the completely useless ones, it keeps me warm though. The depressing thing is that my only defense against an armed attacker would be drowning him in the river of excrement created by me getting really scared.
I hear a key rattle in the door and, I can't believe it myself, I'm kinda happy when it clicks and Choking's face appears once again in my empty place corresponding to my empty life. I did spend some time walking around the castle past few days and I saw her flirting with some guards and on one occasion even a diplomat just leaving the throne room which gave me the perspective needed to keep a cool head in her company - the seductive, flirty thing is her standard approach to every living being and means absolutely nothing in connection with me. It is slightly disappointing that I'm on the level of a house plant to her but at least I don't blush and stutter every time she talks to me anymore... much.
She waits for me to end with my slow-motion practice moves before speaking.
"Heya, Blaze!"
"Hi."
Well I never said it made me better at talking to mares in any intelligent manner, did I?
"Spending the weekend alone?" she asks and I curse the passing thought saying that it is the normal way for me to spend my free time.
"No, you're here."
Well maybe it DID help a bit. She laughs and I fake a smile myself. There is something bothering me though.
"Why are YOU alone?"
"I'm not alone, I'm with you."
Alright, hearing it from somepony else's mouth convinces me it was a much weaker joke than I believed at first.
"My my, we are such a joyful and happy couple one could think there is something between us," I say in the most withering tone I can manage to indicate that under no circumstances I mean what I'm saying.
"You make it sound like a bad thing," she comments and an expression unreadable for me passes her face.
"It kinda would be, I mean you could find ten ponies better than me sleeping around every dumpster in Cante-" I ram a hoof into my mouth to stop the scorching 'endorsement' of myself. It might be true but I don't have to spill whatever venom is in me during smalltalk, better to stick to something light.
"Got any plans for tonight then?" I ask way too quickly.
"Actually I do, few of my friends who don't have anywhere to go this weekend asked princess Celestia whether they can borrow the castle ballroom and she agreed."
"That's way too much space unless 'few' in this case means few dozen,"
"That's why I'm here. Wanna come?"
"I'd really like to but, you know, I have to do the coal thing so... no," I lie, partially. I could easily make it there and do my rounds but the though of ponies with what one would call 'a life' in my company makes me sick to my stomach. There is nothing I could contribute to conversation and, honestly, I don't like company.
"Damn! I needed a waiter," she sighs to herself.
For some reason that sounds better to me than being a guest.
"Waiter? I would think that few ponies wouldn't need this kind of service."
She hesitates and looks at the ceiling for a moment.
"Welllll, the princess borrowed us the ballroom under the condition that she would be the one to organize the party and she kinda made it so there will be a lot of low-class nobles who are single and want to mingle."
"-"
"There's gonna be around fifty ponies," she blurts out quickly before I can say anything.
"Fine..."
"What? But you said-"
"I said fine. Do I have to spell it for you?"
"N-no. Eeh, thank you?" she says uncertainly.
I would be the first one to say I'm weird so I don't hold not understanding me against her. Going there as a guest would be pointless since the chance of a noblemare or even a guard to take an interest in me is absolute zero but going there as a waiter to help out a friend seems bearable. She really doesn't have to understand when it would be difficult for me to explain.
"Good, when does it start?"
"In about two hours."
"Hmmm. I really can't make that. When does it end?"
She gives me an 'I don't believe you just asked something so obvious' look.
"It's a party soooo probably when everypony gets bored."
That's not very helpful but I did already decide I'd help her so it's up to me to find a way and to fulfill my usual duties.
"Do I have to wear something special?"
"Got a bowtie?"
I just point towards the empty bag in the corner of the room and raise an eyebrow.
"I'll get one for you then. See you later!"
She runs out without the slightest bit of care whether I have something more to say. I myself have to admit the chances of me saying something relevant are pretty low though.
I think I'm starting to hate her.