Rainbow Burger

by KelGrym

Signs

For reasons beyond her understanding, Lyra decided to stay the night. Applejack assured her that she didn’t have to stay if she didn’t want to, but Meagan had already dragged the mattress out and had that excited look in her eye that was hard to say no to. It was late and Lyra needed non-chloroform induced sleep.

Meagan, having taken an immediate liking towards Lyra, invited her to sleep in her room, however Pinkamena stepped in and insisted that Lyra slept in her’s. Meagan pouted about it, but Pinkamena wasn’t budging on the issue. Lyra was a gossip, and Meagan...tended to say what was on her mind no matter what that was. Pinkamena wasn’t taking any chances.

Inside Pinkamena’s room, Lyra looked it over top to bottom again. Magazines and comic books littered the floor. Looking at Pinkamena’s bed, she failed to realize when she was first in the room just how many blankets Pinkamena had.

Geez, it’s summer. Doesn’t she get hot under all those blankets?

Lyra took a closer look at one of the comics on the floor. She wrinkled her nose. It was an issue of ‘Cinder’. She remembered the original movie ‘Cinder Bella’. It was one of her favorite movies as a foal. What little filly wouldn’t like about a story of a young waifs magical journey from abject slavery to princess-hood? She remembered countless nights play acting all her favorite scenes with her dolls and begging her mother to let her stay up a little longer, because the prince hadn’t found out who the crystal horseshoe belonged too, yet.

‘Cinder’, however, was one of those tasteless, dark, grim, and bloody reboots that took her favorite foalhood icons and turned them into psycho killers. She couldn’t understand the fascination with the genre. Why would you take something innocent like that, a cartoon meant for foals, and turn it into something so horrible? It figured Pinkamena was into that kind of thing.

Lyra tore her eyes from the comic book and started making her bed for the night. As she did so, she casually glanced at the nightstand and froze. Her pupils constricted and adrenaline set springs beneath her hooves.

“Eek!”

Applejack was resting on it. She never saw Pinkamena bring her in, and she wasn’t there before. She just appeared.

“How did you do that?” Lyra asked, hairs still standing on end.

“Moved,” Applejack said. Lyra could almost feel Applejack’s non existent shoulders shrug.

“How? Do you float or something?”

“Nope.”

“But…”

“It’s hard ta explain the technicalities.”

“Technicalities?”

“It’s a ghost thing.”

Applejack. Everything that happened to Lyra, thus far, had been due to Applejack. When she said it was ‘a ghost thing’ the reality of it finally sank down. A real ghost. Or haunted skull. Whichever, it didn’t matter, it was just too surreal. By now she should have called the police on Pinkamena for abducting her, but suddenly everything changed when she heard Applejack speak for the first time.

“Wow. I still can’t believe I’m talking to a real live ghost,” Lyra said, rubbing her brow. She couldn’t believe in most of the things happening to her. Like spending the night with her abductor. She wondered if this was what stockholm syndrome felt like.

“Live?” Applejack chuckled, “Now yer just tryin ta flatter me.”

“It gets old, after a while. Trust me,” Pinkamena said as she went to open the bedroom door. Gummy scampered in as soon as she did. Lyra started to freak out.

Lyra jumped onto Pinkamena’s bed. “W-what are you doing!?”

“Letting Gummy in.”

“Why?”

“Gummy always sleeps with me.”

Of course you do, Lyra thought.

“And you expect me to sleep in the same room...on the floor?”

“He’s not going to maul you in your sleep. He’ll be in bed with me,” Pinkamena said. When she glanced over to Lyra she was no longer on the bed and where her mattress was, there was only bare floor. Looking around the room, she found Lyra had moved her mattress as far away as possible from her bed.

Pinkamena arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Really!”

That night Lyra found sleep difficult. A hundred different questions raced through her brain. She always assumed Pinkamena was just a pony with a bad attitude and a possible nut job...well that much was still true. Talking skulls never fit in the picture.

Or pet gators.

Lyra peered over her shoulder again. Thankfully, Gummy was still in bed with Pinkamena. To her continued horror, Gummy still slept with one eye open. Lyra turned back over and shuddered. She kept reminding herself that Gummy didn’t have any teeth.

If I don’t move, He probably won't see me.

Lyra tried her best to remain still. It was vital to her continued existence that she didn’t move. If she didn’t move, Gummy couldn’t see her. The logic was sound and foolproof.

But what if he can smell me! Aren't gators, like, super patient predators? He’s probably just biding his time until I go to sleep!

Lyra peered over her shoulder again. Gummy was still in the bed with one eye open. Its gaze hadn’t shifted from its spot on the ceiling one iota. She turned back around.

Maybe, I’m overreacting. I’m too big for Gummy to eat. He seems pretty docile. If he didn’t sleep with one eye open, he’d almost be cute.

Lyra tried to resist the urge to look over her shoulder again. Eventually, she caved and peered back at Gummy. She regretted it. Gummy’s saurian eye was staring right back at her. Lyra whipped back around under her blankets.

He’s staring at me!

Lyra began to shiver under her blankets. At first she thought it was fear, but she realized that the temperature had dropped substantially. Soon, she heard the most terrifying sound that had ever reverberated in her eardrums. It was like listening to the distant, ancient howl of a pack of extinct timberwolves and a manticore’s death rattle at the same time, while alone in a cemetery. Lyra soon realized the source of the chilling sound.

Applejack was snoring. Somehow.

H-how does a ghost even snore! Why do they even need to sleep!

Lyra curled her body tighter into herself, trying to conserve warmth. The temperature fluctuated at every ethereal breath Applejack took. The spectral snoring wasn’t very loud, that wasn’t the issue. The sound itself was just downright terrifying. How did Pinkamena sleep like this? As her teeth chattered, Lyra had a funny thought.

Pinkamena must save a fortune on air conditioning…no wonder she has so many blankets on her bed!

So focused Lyra was on the temperature and the Lovecloptian sounds Applejack was making she had forgotten all about Gummy. That is until she felt a scaley snout poke her side under the covers. Fear paralyzed Lyra. Distracted by Applejack, she never notice the gator hop off of Pinkamena’s bed. Gummy snaked his reptilian frame under Lyra’s covers and curled himself around Lyra’s shivering body. Too terrified to move or make a peep, Lyra held her breath, and remained as motionless as possible.

Gummy laid his long head on the crook of Lyra’s neck and nuzzled against her.

Lyra whimpered.

It was a long night.

Two mares, a human, and a skull sat around a plastic table in the living room, each with a bowl of cereal. Except for Applejack. An awkward silence hung in the air.

Thankfully there was Meagan.

“So, Lyra,” She began, speaking in between bites, “Did you sleep good last night.”

Lyra turned her bloodshot eyes to Meagan. “Perfectly!” she answered with a fake grin. Looking down at her empty mug she then asked, “Do you guys got anymore coffee?”

“Yeppers!” Meagan shouted, “I’ll be right back.” Meagan left the table to get the pot.

Pinkamena ate slowly, eyes glued to her cereal. She appeared to be deep in thought, but on what, Lyra could only guess. It was a weird night for all of them and both Lyra and Pinkamena were going to have to go to work soon. Lyra agreed to let things go, and not snitch on Pinkamena, given the circumstances, but there was still an uneasiness that lingered on her mind. Pinkamena finally looked from her cereal, to Lyra.

“So we’re good, right?” She asked.

As Meagan poured Lyra a new cup of coffee, Lyra just stared blankly at her cup. She didn’t even register what Pinkamena said.

“Lyra!”

Lyra’s head snapped up at Pinkamena’s voice. “Huh?”

“Were good, right?”

Lyra blinked, as the wheels in her head grinded the information for her. “Oh...yeah we’re good. I’m not gonna rat on you or anything...it’s just happening so fast for me...and it’s weird.”

Pinkamena scrutinized Lyra some more, but then looked back down at her cereal. She wasn’t entirely convinced, but she didn’t have many options. As much as she hated it, she just had to trust in Lyra. Easier said than done.

As Meagan sat back down, Lyra considered the woman. She had a bubbly, sunshine, aura about her, and always seemed to be in good spirits. It was a wonder, considering who she was roomed with. The refreshing, innocent air around her stood in stark contrast to Pinkamena’s melancholy and laconic wit.

Then a question sprang to Lyra’s mind. Where was she, when she was screaming for help last night?

“Hey, Meagan,” Lyra asked, “Didn’t you think anything strange was going on when I was tied up in Pinkamena’s room last night? Why didn’t you call the cops or at least knock on the door? She could have been killing me for all you know.”

Meagan snorted a laugh. “I thought you two were having sex!”

And there went that picture of innocence.

“What!?” both Lyra and Pinkamena exclaimed.

Applejack snickered.

Meagan shrugged. “I thought it was role play.”

“Why would you...how even...role play?” Lyra sputtered.

Meagan giggled. “Yeah! It’s what Pinkamena likes to do when she brings a stallion over, which isn’t often, but when she does she likes to pretend she’s a --”

Pinkamena slammed a hoof on the table. “Meagan!”

Meagan let out an ‘eek’ and turned towards Pinkamena.

“If you finish that sentence I will cut off Charlie’s head,” she warned.

Meagan gasped. “You wouldn’t!”

“Charlie?” Lyra asked.

“Meagan’s stuffed unicorn,” Applejack filled in.

“Oh.”

“I would! Why do you think I had Lyra sleep in my room last night?” Pinkamena asked.

Meagan shrugged her shoulders. “Cuddles?”

Pinkamena crushed the center of her brow with her hoof. If she had let Lyra sleep in Meagan’s room, the two of them would have, without a doubt, stayed up all night divulging secrets like two school girls. It was hard enough having Lyra know her biggest secret, but that was being dealt with. She didn’t need Lyra knowing any of the more embarrassing aspects of her life.

“Meagan, I’m straight! I had Lyra sleep in my room because you can’t keep your mouth shut any better than her! Why would you even think that?”

Lyra stored that bit of info in the back of her mind for later use. She may have been restricted from mentioning Applejack, but after being abducted, having her car scratched, and enduring the torment she suffered in Pinkamena’s room last night, she was going to have to get Pinkamena back somehow. Maybe she should come over to visit Meagan when Pinkamena wasn't around some day.

“I dunno, the last time you had a stallion over was --”

Megan stopped her speech immediately when Pinkamena brought out a pair of sheers from somewhere under the table. She snapped them a couple of times to get her point across.

“Pinkie, put the shears down!” Applejack demanded.

Pinkamena’s eyes cut across to Applejack. She hesitated.

“Put em down…”

Pinkamena grumbled under her breath, but complied. The shears lowered down past the table, disappearing from whence they came. Meagan let out a sigh of relief.

Lyra took note of the scene, and reconsidered her revenge schemes against Pinkamena. The more she was around her, the less and less it seemed like a good idea to get on her bad side. Luckily, it seemed Applejack was around her enough to keep her in check. Not for the first time, Lyra wondered why it was Pinkamena was such a borderline crazy case. It hardly seemed the fitting personality for a pony with three balloons for a cutie mark. She noticed it last night, but didn’t bring it up. So odd.

“Now apologize,” Applejack told Pinkamena.

Pinkamena crossed her arms looking away from Applejack. She mumble something under her breath.

“What was that? I couldn’t hear ya.”

“I said I was sorry.”

“Well don’t tell me that, tell Meagan.”

Pinkamena looked at Meagan. She looked back at Pinkamena with pouty eyes, genuinely remorseful she had upset her. It was easy to tell that what Pinkamena thought of her mattered to her a great deal.

Pinkamena sighed and said, “I’m sorry Meagan. I’m not cutting Charlie’s head off...I just don’t like when you put my personal life out there.”

Meagan’s mood swung around and her elation bubbled through her voice. “I understand, and I’m sorry too. After all, spilling secrets is the surest way to lose a friend!” Meagan turned to face Lyra and added, “Right?”

Lyra gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of her head. She could feel Pinkamena’s stare boring holes into her head.

“Heh, heh, right...though Pinkamena and I aren’t really friends,” Lyra said, but then quickly amended, “Not that I plan on saying anything about any of this! I promise!”

Meagan leaned in real close to Lyra, an earnest, pleading look showing on her face. Lyra backed away an inch, uncomfortable with breach in personal space.

“You promise?” Meagan asked, “Cause I really don’t want Pinkamena to go to jail or Applejack to go away! They’re like my best friends!”

“We’re just roommates.” Pinkamena corrected.

Meagan smiled, still looking at Lyra. “She doesn’t mean that.”

Pinkamena sighed and rolled her eyes. There was no helping the delusional.

Lyra had no defense against Meagan’s puppy dog eyes. The girl was too adorable for her own good. “Yeah, I promise to keep everyone’s secrets here,” She assured her.

Meagan held up her hand, pinkie finger extended. “Pinky promise?”

Pinkamena choked on her cereal.

Lyra looked at the pinky finger, dubiously. “Um...I don’t have...fingers.”

Meagan giggled. “Thats ok, silly. Just give me you hoof and repeat after me.”

Lyra extended her hoof, and Meagan wrapped as much of her pinky around it as she could, saying, “Cross my heart, or I’ll cry, stick my face in pumpkin pie.”

Lyra looked at her hoof and back to Meagan. There was a serious glint in Meagan’s eyes, and Lyra realized what she was expected to do. It was a bit silly to Lyra, but she couldn’t bring herself to let her down. “C-cross my heart, or I’ll cry, stick my face in pumpkin pie,” Lyra repeated.

As soon as the ritual was complete, Meagan snapped back like a rubberband to her proper side of the table happy as she could be. “See? Nothing to worry about, Pinkamena! Lyra pinky swore,” she said, wiggling the appendage in front of her.

Pinkamena stared at the little finger in front of her, her face an unreadable expression. “Yeah...uh...I can see that.”

“You ok, Pinkie?” Applejack asked.

Pinkamena broke her gaze away from Meagan’s little finger. “Yeah. Sure, I’m fine. Why?”

“No reason...’cept you kinda looked weird there for a second.”

“I was just thinking, that’s all,” She said, then turned to Lyra. “Look it’s getting late and we both go in at the same time today. I think it’s about time to get ready.”

Lyra was filled with dread. She hadn’t slept a wink and now she had to go to work. This wasn’t going to be a good day for her. Somehow, she would make it, and thankfully she was getting off at an earlier time, so after work she could sleep for the rest of the day. She just had to make sure she didn’t fall face first into the fryers.

Lyra nodded and downed the last of her coffee, saying, “Yeah, we need to go...it’s about time I see this scratch you put on my car, anyways.”

Outside Pinkamena’s two story flat, Lyra stared into a yawning abyss. Her jaw hung open and her eyes stretched wide, not willing to believe the truth.

“My...my…” was all she could mumble out. She ran a hoof over the mint green metal of her car door. It stopped, as soon as it came to the edge of the mentally unprocessable thing. If she ran her hoof over it, even just once, then she would have no choice but to believe what her eyes were telling her. With a gulp, Lyra bravely slid her hoof over the area where the metal of her car door punched inward. To her horror, she could fit her hoof into the hole.

Pinkamena stood behind her, watching as Lyra scoured over the damage, she accidentally inflicted, when the vehicle veered into the edge of a street light’s cement base.

“It’s just a scratch,” she said.

Lyra whipped her head around, and Pinkamena thought she heard a bone pop. It was a wonder Lyra didn’t snap her own neck.

“Just a scratch!” Lyra shouted.

Pinkamena winced. “Okay...maybe a little more than just a scratch.”

“This is a gash! A gigantic gash! What’s everyone going to say when they see this gaping..." Lyra stopped her tirade to look for the appropriate word. It didn't take her long to find it. "Cunt! This gaping cunt on the side of my car door?” she finished.

“Well I wasn’t going to put it like that.”

Lyra stuck her enraged face into Pinkamena’s. “How am I gonna pay to fix this!?”

Pinkamena jerked her head back an inch. She rarely found herself backing away in these sort of conflicts. “I know a couple of ponies that cou -- ”

Lyra suddenly jumped back. “Oh! You know a couple of ponies that can fix this for free then?” She asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Pinkamena rubbed the back of her neck. “Well not for free, but…”

Once again, Lyra was back in Pinkamena’s face, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. “How am I going to pay for this?”

“Relax! I’ll help you pay for your car door!” Pinkamena shouted, pushing Lyra away from her.

“Help me?” Lyra asked, cocking her head to the side and looking at Pinkamena from the corner of her eyes, “You’ll help me pay for my car door?”

“Well I’m not exactly made of money here. I work at the same place you do, just in case you haven't noticed.”

By now, Lyra’s face was moments away from spontaneous combustion. Pinkamena reconsidered her words and amended, “Okay, okay, I’ll pay the whole thing!” Lyra visibly relaxed, if only by a few degrees before Pinkamena added, “So how does a 20 bit downpayment sound at the rate of 10 bits per month?”

Lyra’s eye twitched.

As Lyra drove to work with Pinkamena, little was said. Pinkamena sat with her elbow resting on the edge of the passenger window, chin leaning on forehoof. Every once in a while she would steal a glance at Lyra. Lyra’s scowl had begun to lessen as they made their way to Central Ponyville, but her eyes remained deadlocked on the road. Pinkamena thought the breeze coming from the passenger door was nice.

Pinkamena watched as houses faded away into business buildings. Cars were convenient, she supposed, but she still considered them mobile death traps. Maybe she was being a little hypocritical taking the car ride with Lyra, but it gave her a chance to sleep in a little more than she usually did on her twelve o'clock shift. She couldn’t help but wonder on how much ponies and people missed when driving, though. Somewhere on the side of the road behind them there was a dead tortoise that had been lying out there for months. No one ever noticed it, driving by, but she did on her walks to work. In Lyra’s car, she failed to see it going by.

Silence dominated the ride, until Lyra finally spoke.

“Balloons.”

Pinkamena perked her head up. “What?”

“Your cutie mark...it’s three balloons.”

“So?”

“Well what’s it for?”

Pinkamena averted her gaze from Lyra. That was uncomfortable topic.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Why?”

Pinkamena scrunched up her face for a moment then relaxed. “It’s personal.”

Lyra felt the need to pursue the topic, but wisely heeded her better judgement. Trying to get Pinkamena to talk about something she didn’t want to talk about was like trying to get anything more than two syllables out of Big Mac’s mouth. She needed something to talk about, however. Pinkamena could go all day without saying a word to anyone, but Lyra had a very deep, biologically hardwired need to converse. At the moment, all that was on her mind was her car door and work.

And sleep.

“Lyra!”

Lyra jolted up. “Huh? What, what?!”

“You sped past that stop sign!”

“I did?”

“Yeah, you did. Do I need to drive? I know you didn’t sleep well last.”

Lyra scoffed. “After what you did to my car? There's no way in Tartarus I’m letting you drive my car! Besides, the only reason I didn’t sleep last night was because of Applejack’s demonic snoring and Gummy!”

“That’s not my fault.”

“You said Gummy would stay on your bed!”

Pinkamena shrugged. “Gummy likes you...for some reason.”

“And how in the entire multiverse can you sleep with Applejack snoring like --”

“Buck!”

Lyra whipped her head towards Pinkamena. “Don’t interrupt me! I’m serious, what is wro--”

Waow-waow!

The second most dreadful sound she ever heard rang in Lyra’s eardrum. A police siren. Lyra looked into her rear view mirror and saw the Equestrian pink and teal police lights flashing behind her and the officer looked like an angry minotaur. Lyra's eyes shot skyward and she cursed.

“Buck.”

“I tried to tell you,” Pinkamena said.

Applejack, who had been riding in Pinkamena's satchel the entire time, opened up her mental link with Pinkamena.

This ain’t exactly a good situation to be in, Applejacks voice echoed in Pinkamena’s mind.

Pinkamena’s gut tied itself into knots. Like always she brought Applejack with her, in her satchel. She’s done it for years without incident, until Lyra peaked, and once again Lyra has put her in a compromising situation. If that cop decided for whatever reason to search them, which he rightfully shouldn’t, then the jig for her and Applejack was up.

I know. That bitch probably planned this, Pinkamena mentally replied.

Planned this?

Isn’t it obvious? She uses her sleep deprivation as an excuse to get pulled over, and as soon as that cop comes over, she’s gonna cry for help and get us arrested.

Ah honestly don’t think she planned this

Maybe she didn’t, but she’s gonna snitch!

Anxiety clawed its way through Lyra as she pulled over to the side of the road. This was possibly the worst thing ever. She didn’t need a ticket, she already had a car door to replace!

The minotaur cop stepped out of his vehicle and shut the door. The sun glinted off his mirror-shades as he snorted, then spat on the ground. He stuck his thumbs into his black slacks and walked slowly over to Lyra’s Campolina 100. Lyra thanked whatever deities were out there, he didn’t see the giant gash on the passenger side. When he came to her window she noticed the name on the badge resting on his teal uniform. Iron Law.

Pinkamena grimaced when she recognized him.

Officer Iron Law looked at the both of them and snorted again. “License and registration.”

Lyra chuckled nervously. “Okay.”

She fumbled around in her purse for a few seconds, occasionally glancing at Pinkamena, who just kept staring ahead. It registered in the back of her mind that this was a hairy situation for her. Applejack was in her satchel.

“I almost didn’t notice you there, Pinkamena,” Iron Law said.

“I smelled you long before I saw you,” she responded, still staring straight ahead.

Lyra looked between Pinkamena and officer Iron Law. How did these two know each other?

Iron Law chuckled. “Still the same as ever. Haven’t smashed anymore bottles over anyone’s head?”

“No sir.”

Oh.

“How’s your brother?” Pinkamena asked.

Iron Law’s jaw clenched. “Successful,” he said with a trace of bitterness.

They seem awfully familiar with each other, Lyra thought to herself.

Iron Law focused back on Lyra. “Got that license and registration, yet?”

“Oh, uh, yeah...h-here you go,” Lyra stammered, handing the officer what he asked for.

Iron Law looked over the license for an excruciatingly long time, then pulled out a pad and started jotting a few things down. Sweat trickled down Lyra’s scalp.

“So,” he said, “How did you get involved with Pinkamena?”

Lyra tried to process the question. She briefly looked down to her uniform then to Pinkamena’s. Couldn’t he tell? He didn’t ask how she knew Pinkamena either, he asked how she got involved with her. Somehow, it didn’t surprise Lyra if Pinkamena had some sort of record.

“We just work together.”

“Mhm...You know why I’m pulling you over?”

Lyra gulped. “Um...because I ran a stop sign?”

Iron Law turned from his notepad to Lyra and pulled his shades down his snout, looking down at Lyra with a contemptuous expression. “And you were swerving.”

“Oh…” The pit in Lyra’s stomach was trying to drill a hole to Neighpon.

Iron Law’s eyes narrowed. “You nervous about something?”

Panic sliced its way through Lyra’s heart. “N-no...I just didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. Heh, heh...I’m kinda sleep deprived.”

By now, Iron Law had taken off his shades completely and hung them in his front shirt pocket. “Oh? Any reason?”

“Oh, no reason. Just, uh, stayed up for an all-nighter of lyre practice, heh. It’s my special talent.”

“Hmm...You say no reason,” Iron Law said, tapping his chin, “But then you say you stayed up to practice the lyre. Thats a reason.” Iron Law arched his eyebrow. “Doesn’t that make you a...liar?”

“Me? No sir! I’m not lying!”

Iron Law leaned in close to the driver’s side window, leveling a harsh and scrutinizing look at Lyra. She felt as if all her sins were laid out bare, before him.

“You wouldn’t try to hide anything from me, now would you?”

Lyra felt her nerve unraveling. Stares of judgment pressed in from the officer she was facing and into the back of her head from Pinkamena. Her head was about to pop.

Sombra grumbled to himself. He was in a predicament.

“Pinkamena,” he growled to himself, rubbing his temples. He had to hand it to her. Pinkamena was a shrewd tactician. She knew that he needed her, though he was pained to admit it, and now with the issue with Tom, she had him right where she wanted. Sombra held off giving Pinkamena a raise for the longest time, but now that he needed her cooperation in making sure that she didn’t do anything brash around the CEO’s son, he had to do something to appease her. He wasn’t left with much choice.

“Sneaky, blackmailing, little--”

Knock, knock!

What now?

“What is it!?” Sombra shouted.

Chrysalis poked her head into the office.

“Oh,” Sombra said, embarrassed, “What is it, hun bun?”

“I got a pony here looking for work,” Chrysalis said.

“I see. Why don’t you give them an application then?”

“She’s a foreigner. I don’t think she can write in Equus, and I can’t speak Mexicolt.”

“Ah…” Sombra wasn’t enthusiastic. He hated dealing with applicants, and usually pushed them onto Chrysalis, however, Sombra was the only manager that was bilingual. He supposed he didn't have much of a choice. He begrudgingly got up from his chair and stepped out the door.

“Where is she?” He asked.

“She’s sitting at the booth in the dining area. White unicorn. You can’t miss her.”

“Unicorn you say? Well, I guess she’s worth a look.”

Sombra exited the kitchen and stepped into the dining area. Walking to the nearest booth, he saw her. He had to admit, she was stunning. She wore a simple, but elegant, red dress of mexicoltian design that contrasted pleasingly against her white coat and the curls of her gorgeous black mane. Sombra wasn’t sure, but he thought he could detect traces of lavender in her roots.

Sombra gulped. If Chrysalis knew the thoughts he was having…

The unicorn noticed Sombra and smiled. "Oh, es usted el propietario de este establecimiento?" She asked, batting her eyelashes at Sombra.

Sombra was lost in those eyes for a moment. He quickly composed himself. “Oh. S-Si, si lo soy...me han dicho que usted no habla Equus.”

The white mare frowned. “Desafortunadamente mi Equus no es muy bueno, pero estoy aprendiendo”

“Hmm...lla veo.”

Sombra would have loved to hire her on, however the language barrier presented a challenge. He could probably do it, however, would it be worth his time?

“Oh! Pero donde estan mis modales? Permítame introducirme.”

The white unicorn got up from her seat and performed a flourished courtesy before Sombra. “Mi nombre es Rareza Campana, aunque, usted puede llamarme Rareza.”

So formal, Sombra thought to himself. He mentally shrugged and did a little bow himself. “Yo soy el Sr.Darkheart. Es un placer conocerla Señorita Campana.”

Rareza held up a hoof, “Oh, no, cariño, sólo Rareza esta bien.”

“Muy bien. Rareza entonces.”

Rarity beamed.

She was a unicorn. That could be useful. Then again, Lyra was a unicorn as well, and in his own opinion, her magical talent was sub par. Apart from Rarity’s looks, that was the only thing she had going for her. Unicorns rarely get into the fast food business, and even then it was mostly in upper management.

“Rareza, debes entender que el no poder hablar la lengua nativa le podría causar problemas a la hora de poder ser contratada.”

A dejected look crossed her face. She was hoping that the language barrier wasn’t going to be a very big issue, but then she remembered something.

“Lo entiendo, aunque, el dijo que usted podría decir eso.”

What did she mean by that?

“¿El?”

“El que lo refirió a mí. Pezuñas,” she clarified.

Pezuñas? Oh wait...that Pezuñas. An evil smile spread across Sombra’s face. He was starting to see what was really going on. This was the answer to his problem that he was looking for.

“¡Pezuñas! ¿Bueno, por que no lo dijo antes? ¿Sabe que, por que no vamos a mi oficina donde podemos discutir esto en privado? Yo creo que usted va a tener un futuro brillante aquí en Rainbow Burguers Señorita Camp-- quiero decir, Rarity.”

Rarity was ecstatic. She did her best not to squeal in delight, but failed.

“Bueno, yo estaría encantada. Muestreme el camino Sr. Darkheart, no puedo esperar para empezar a trabajar con usted,” she said.

Sombra chuckled inwardly. He had no doubt she couldn’t wait to start working, indeed.