Chapter 3: Earning and Understanding
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The Aqua stallion fallowed his gaze and then nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, I just started and don't have proper advertising yet." He shook his head smiling at Lynx. "I don't even have hired help yet."
Lynx stood up brushing himself off. "Would you like help?"
The stallion's eyes opened wide, "Wait! Are you asking me... for a job?" The stallion was taken aback by how forward Lynx was being.
Lynx nodded softly and made the best smile he could. "Sure, I wouldn't mind working here, and besides I really need the bits." He said trying to seem as genuine as he could. At this point he wasn't exactly going to be picky, he would take any job the stallion gave him at this point.
"The pay wont be much, hardly enough to pay for your home." The stallion confessed looking at Lynx, a hint of concern behind his eyes.
"Well funny story, I actually don't have a home at the moment." Lynx confessed, "A tree destroyed my old home so I decided I would try my luck up here... To be honest its allot harder than I thought."
"Well with the royal wedding finished, things might just be getting back to normal around here." The stallion smiled as he had an idea. "Why don't you try your hoof with the reconstruction committee. They need all the help they can get after those gosh darn changelings blew the city apart."
Lynx felt slightly guilty upon hearing this. What was it making him feel this way, he almost felt like he was going to be sick. Trying to calm down he looked at the stallion. "N-no, I would like to try my hoof here please."
The stallion nodded. "Well if you insist, I cant force you into a job you don't want." The stallion smiled, "And if you need a place to stay, you can always live in the guest room upstairs."
"Oh no, I wouldn't want to impose." Lynx protested.
"Non-Sense! I will not have an employee of mine living on the streets, Understand?" The stallion said harshly before returning to his cheerful demeanor. "Oh and by the way, my name's Neon Comet."
"Lucky Star, its a pleasure to meet you Neon."
"Likewise." Neon replied before turning and going up the stairs.
Lynx let out a soft sigh and looked out the window in the direction of the inn he had stayed at prior. He was worried about the nightmare he had and if it would return under this ponies roof too. And would he be so lucky again to have it go unnoticed.
Returning from upstairs Neon trotted down stairs, he held another hat with the shops logo on it in a magic sheath as it levitated over to Lynx and was placed on his head. "Welcome to the staff, now your first job is to take some of my drinks out to the streets and see if you can get a few bits."
"Yes Sir!" Lynx replied as he walked over to get the tray.
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Lynx was out on the streets not far from the shop the tray safely wrapped in a sheath of magic. He didn't think it would be too difficult to make sales however not many ponies seemed interested in trying new things.
A young bright yellow unicorn mare trotted up to Lynx smiling seeing the drinks wrapped within his green magic "I'll take one please."
Lynx smiled as he was about to make his first sale and replied to the mare "That will be two bits."
The mare nodded retrieving two bits from within her vest putting them on the tray.
Lynx levitated one of the drinks over to her.
Taking it within a sheath of her own light pink magic she took a sip. Her eyes widened with delight feeling the rush of flavor flow past her lips and across her tongue. "Wow! this is the best drink I've had in well, forever!"
"Well don't forget to stop by the Golden Elixir if you ever want a fresh one"
The mare nodded and trotted off with her drink.
It wasn't long before more and more pones started arriving to taste the drinks he was selling. He pondered at why all the sudden ponies who shunned the drinks wanted to try one for themselves, either way he wasn't complaining. He had managed to sell the entire tray in the span of one hour after meeting the mare and needed to rush back to get more.
"What!" Neon shouted seeing the pile of bits lynx had just placed on the counter.
"I told you I don't know, its almost like selling a drink to that one mare started bringing in ponies from out of the blue." Lynx replied waiting for another tray to get out and sell some more. The bell ringing at the door startled him as he looked back.
Ponies began trotting through the door looking for the new drink that had been spreading around.
"Lucky behind the counter, we have customers and I need to be mixing, you're on register!" Neon said as he rushed to his station.
Lynx nodded and rushed behind the cash register, as ponies began trotting up to him ordering their drinks.
Neon mixed the drinks in record times, before sending them down to Lynx to receive the customers bits before giving it to them.
Everything was going smoothly, the cash register happily ringing, and there were bits clanging against one another. The Bell at the door rang again as another wave ponies walked into The Golden Elixir causing Lynx and Neon to smile at one another.
"Welcome to the golden elixir what can I get you?" Lynx asked putting on a cheerful expression.
"Oh I think I'll try the strawberry surprise please." A familiar voice said ordering.
Looking up Lynx's ears flattened to his head as he noticed who one the ponies who walked into the shop was.
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Neon slide the drink down to Lynx and Storm Dancer who grinned ear to ear noticing Lynx behind the counter. "Hey, your name's Lucky Star right? Glad to see you got a job and at a pretty successful one at that."
"O-oh, H-hey Storm Dancer." He replied shakily remembering his dream from the night before. "How have you been?"
Pulling two bits from her saddle bag she set them down on the counter. "Oh pretty good just thought I would come and try some of these delicious drinks everypony is talking about. Howeverrr I never thought I would bump into you here."
"Likewise."
"So Lucky, find someplace to live?"
"Y-yeah, actually my Boss Neon is letting me stay in a apartment just above the shop."
"Cool, well if you ever need an alternative, my door is always open."
He nodded smiling a small bead of sweat dripping from his brow. "Sure thanks again, you have a nice day Storm Dancer."
"Just call me Storm." She said winking at him before taking her drink going off to find a table.
Neon slide up beside Lynx silently, finally having a reprieve from the herd of customers they now had, grinning and rubbing his chin with his hoof. "So, you know that mare?"
Lynx nearly leaped out of his transformation, "S-sort of, we bumped into each other and she offered me room and board once before, but I declined."
"What made you decline an offer like that?" He smiled "Got a thing for her or something?" He asked in a teasing tone.
Lynx blushed looking shocked at neon "N-no its nothing like that." He said defensively.
Neon bumped Lynx in the shoulder "Your secret's safe with me." He said trotting back to his station.
"B-but I don't have a thing for her." He said facehoofing.
As the evening rolled on the flow of customers began to slow as everypony was ready to go home and call it a night. Neon and Lynx spent almost and hour making sure the place was ship shape before going up stairs and calling it a night themselves after closing.
"Well this is your room." Neon said opening a door to a neatly made bed with a dresser for storing cloths.
Lynx walked inside smiling, this was a lot different from the hive he was once accustomed to. However this room had a completely different feel, he felt more comfortable here. "Thanks Neon, this is amazing."
"Nah don't mention it, I'm happy to help a friend." He yawned softly "Well, good night Lucky. I'll be seeing you bright and early for work tomorrow."
Lynx nodded and watched as Neon shut the door, hearing him walk down the hall and into his own room. Lynx turned to the window closing the blinds so no pony could see inside. Transforming back into his changeling form he walked over to the mirror above the dresser looking at his reflection, "I have a friend?"