Chapter 53: Job Board
Getting a running start, Apple Bloom jumped when she was close to the shore of the watering hole. When she was well over the water, the yellow apple filly tucked her four hooved in and fell downwards into the cool liquid below.
Quickly surfacing, Apple Bloom shook her mane. "How was that?"
Bryce, who was sitting along the shore wearing his oldest pair of shorts, held up three fingers.
This was answered with a scowl from Apple Bloom. "Bryce!"
Bryce gave a smirk and held up four fingers.
Apple Bloom continued to stare daggers at Bryce, not the least bit amused.
Letting out a giggle, Bryce relented. "Fine, ten."
Satisfied, the yellow filly returned this score with a heartwarming grin as she floated in the water.
"Okay, Sprout, clear the way so Dink can go again."
In an attempt to escape the summer heat, Bryce, Apple Bloom, Amethyst,and Dinky had made plans the previous day to come to the swimming hole. Bait and the dogs had come as well, with the former being more or less forced to do so.
It had been almost a month since the tan colt had last spoken with his uncle. In that time Ponzi Scheme had returned to Ponyville to deliver three more saddlebags of bits. Bait-and-Switch had not spent a single bit of it, save for the few he'd used to pay for Bryce's haircut.
Within a matter of days Bait had fallen into a state of depression. The tan colt had said little since he'd learned his uncle had laid him off, and had done next to nothing. It didn't matter to him how much Bryce or anypony tried there seemed to be nothing that could raise his spirits.
To make matters worse for Bait, he and Amethyst had had a fight a few days prior and the magenta mare was still steamed about it. It had started out as a way for her to try and cheer up the tan colt, but it took only a single misplaced word to ignite the powder keg.
The entire day, Bait had been sneaking a peek at Amethyst, like he was right now. She was lying down a good distance away from him. She was on a beach towel with a wide beach umbrella held up to keep the sun's rays from hitting her pale magenta coat. Bait ran his gaze up and down the mare's slim figure. When he saw her cutie mark he could hardly keep himself from laughing, thinking back to the day he'd called her rump voluptuous, and the following smack to the face that made him realize how he felt for Amethyst Star. Each glance over to her made his heart beat hard, then dampen.
If Amethyst noticed Bait's peeping, she didnt show it as she continued to read the book she'd brought to pass the time while her little sister swam in the watering hole.
As the two fillies began to splash water at each other, which the dogs quickly joined, Bryce took note of his friend's glances. Putting down his latest whittling, Bryce asked Bait in a low tone, "She still mad?"
Bait gave a shrug. "She won't even look at me now," Bait said.
"Well, have you talked to her?"
The depressed colt shook his head.
"Well... talk to her yourself."
"I... can't..."
"You won't."
Bait followed back with a gruff, "Shut up!"
"Well, you won't."
"Don't start with me, Bryce, I'm not in the mood," Bait huffed under his breath.
"Come on, man, it could be worse."
"I've been left here on my own. I don't know how to act around these ponies. I was raised to know how to best to part a fool with his bits. I can tell you how to rig a card game, how to talk your way out of a bind... I don't know the first thing about leading a life of virtue and morals. I mean, how are you able to stay so calm? You had your room ransacked and a treasured family good stolen, not to mention the wood figures you spent hours on taken as well."
There was a long pause before Bryce said, "Yeah, well, I still am upset about it, but nothing good will happen if I just sit around and sulk. That was my great grandfather's watch, though he did steal it from the Duke of Württemberg. Or so he says. And my whittlings took a long time, but I can make new ones. Just like this one." Bryce held out his whittling. It was of Amethyst. "I was going to give you the one I already had, but it didn't work out that way, it see."
"Yes, but... I don't have any skills like that. I'm more at home at bargaining and coning ponies, and I can't do anything like that here; not alone." Bait lowered his head.
"Well, you can."
"Bryce, I-"
"Hear me out. You can do that. You just have to put it all towards a vocation that's more... righteous."
"Like what?" Bait asked.
Bryce gave a quick reply. "I don't know."
Bait buried his face in his hooves.
"I'm sure there's something."
Bait shook his head. "Bryce... I'm sorry..."
"Well, you've probably never had to go through anything like this before."
"No," Bait refuted. "Not that. I'm sorry your items got stolen."
Bryce gave Bait a pat on the back. "It's not your fault."
"No, I... I just... feel somewhat responsible for it happening."
"Bait, I'm sure whatever it is you think you did had nothing to do with what happened to me."
Bait bit his lower lip before asking, "Did Applejack ever tell you who did it?"
Bryce shook his head. "She won't say; I can't blame her. Taking my whittlings I can forgive, but the watch... I'd pop the fucker's head."
"Like a grape?" Bait asked.
"Like a grape." Bryce confirmed.
Bait shook his head. "I don't know why, but every time I hear you say that I feel you can do something like that."
Bryce held out the Amethyst doll to Bait. "Here, Happy Belated Birthday, Bait."
Bait took the Amethyst doll and held it close. "Bryce, it's... beautiful, though it doesn't do the real Amethyst justice." He let out a sigh.
"Bait..." The tan colt looked up to the human, who motioned over to the magenta mare.
"Bryce, don't bring this up again."
"Just go over there and talk it out."
"I... I can't just go over like this. She's still mad at me, I know it. She wouldn't look my way the whole way here. If I could get on her good side again, then maybe."
"Well, what about Dinky?"
Bait looked over to Bryce in shock. "I'm afraid she may be much too young for a colt more than twice her age!"
"No! I mean you should try and get in good with Dinky." Bryce pointed to the gray toned filly, who was currently in a cannonball contest with Apple Bloom, much to the dismay of her older sister.
"Dinky, be careful when you do that!" Amethyst yelled. "There could be rocks you can't see under the water!" Instead, the fillies continued to jump without a care. "Don't make me have to come in the water and get you two!"
While Amethyst stormed into the shallows of the swimming hole, Bait said to Bryce, "Do you think it would help?"
Bryce shrugged. "I don't know anything about this romance stuff. I can tell if two people would have good chemistry, not if anything will come of it."
It took a few minutes before Bait asked, "What about you? I still remember what you said you would want in a mare, but I guess I'm asking for more information. If you were to pick a certain type of pony what kind would it be?"
"I've thought on it, and I would say I wouldn't want to be with a unicorn."
"Why not a unicorn?"
"I'm afraid of getting a horn being jabbed into my eye while I sleep. I'm not saying it would be on purpose, but more the chance of it happening by accident."
"Oh... Yes... I see..." Bait cringed. "What of the other two types?"
"Well, I'd say a pegasus. It's just... the feel of their wings. I don't know what it is, but whenever I can I would like to just rub my fingers up and down one of those feathers."
"You know, most people would rather do that with a mare's... Never mind. What did you mean by good chemistry?"
"Well, with many people the best choice for a partner would be someone who is less like they are. Someone who, dispite their differences, brings out the best in each other. For example: You're someone who is charming and carefree. You would do best with someone who's serious, like Amethyst. For someone like Rarity the best guy for her would be someone who's more crude and unkempt, as much as she may deny it."
"What of you? I doubt you would take up well with somepony in the manner of Pinkamena Pie."
Bryce smirked. "You're right about that. For some people, a scant few, the best pick for them is someone a lot like themselves."
"So you mean somepony who doesn't talk much, yells when she has to, and prefers to be by themselves? Maybe with an animal friend?"
"Yeah, you could say that."
Bait was quick to catch on. "You mean like Fluttershy?"
Bryce tensed up. "I didn't say that, you did."
"I was only-"
"It could never happen," Bryce said in a tone void of emotion.
"Why?"
"It just can't."
"I've seen the way you act around her. Can you really say you feel nothing for her?"
"I can."
Bait didn't try to press any further on the subject and allowed it to die.
Around a half hour later, Amethyst called the fillies out of the water for a late lunch. By the time everyone had their meal in front of them the water in the swimming hole exploded as an equine shape plumated into the pool.
When the water settled a blonde maned head shot out of the water gasping for air. Bryce immediately ran out and pulled the wall eyed mare to shore and turned her over on her side. "Just try and breathe. Let any water in your lungs flow out."
Coughing up a few times, Ditzy slowly got herself into a seated position. "Are- Are you okay, Momma?" Dinky asked with grave concern.
Patting her youngest daughter of the head, Ditzy said in a reassuring tone, "I'm going to be fine, Muffin. I didn't swallow any water. Have you been being a good filly today?"
"Ye- Yeah," Ditzy said, still a little concerned.
"Are you sure you're alright, Ditzy, that looked to be a nasty smack," Bryce said.
"Oh, it was nothing. It's all about how you fall." Ditzy took a step, almost falling in the process. "Bryce, I got something I need to tell you. You need to come with me."
"What, now?"
"Yes, it can't wait."
"Well, what is it?"
After finally standing herself up right, Ditzy looked the human in the eyes, and said, "Bryce, I found your watch."
That got Bryce's attention. "Where!?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Within minutes, Bryce had gotten back to the house, changed, grabbed his satchel, and he and Ditzy were off for Ponyville. If Ditzy had not had the ability of flight she would have never been able to keep up with the human, who travelled towards Ponyville as if his head were on fire and his ass was catching. He didn't even stop to allow the gray pegasus the time to properly explain herself until they were on the outskirts of town.
"Where!?"
Ditzy landed. "Bryce, I think you should calm down," she said between breaths.
"Where!?"
"I'm not going to tell you until you're calm enough to where I know you won't hurt anypony."
In an attempt to calm himself, Bryce did a few renditions of balling and unballing his fists while pacing about. After a moment, Bryce stopped pacing and stood in a single spot, wiggling his toes in his usual way. Balling up his fists, breathing in deeply, then slowly releasing it, Bryce said, "Okay. Speak."
"I'll tell you along the way," Ditzy said as she motioned with her hoof into town. As the two walked through the hamlet, Ditzy recanted what had happened. "I was out doing my usual mail route. I had come to my last stop. I usually save this stallion's packages for last because I like to stick around and chat with him. But anyway we were talking when I say something out of the corner of my eye, which is easy for me because my vision."
Ditzy stopped and held a door open. It was to a shop with a sign bearing an hourglass. Upon entering, Bryce was bombarded with the ticking of hundreds of different clocks and pocket watches. A few of the later, which were made from precious metals and gems, were held under glass display cases.
Bryce hoped this wouldn't take long because the constant tick tick ticking was drilling into his skull, and his anger only made it that much worse.
"I had my doubts, but when I took a closer look I knew then and there who it belonged to." Ditzy walked Bryce to the back of the shop. She stopped in front of one of the display cases and held out her hoof.
Laying under the glass, hooked into its leather strap and its front casing popped open, was Bryce's watch.
Bryce was beyond belief. Resting his hands on the glass to hold himself up, he said, "That's it."
His train of thought was broken when a stallion cleared his throat. "Sir, if you don't mind, you're leaving prints on the glass."
Bryce looked up to find a brown earth pony with a green necktie looking up at him. "Oh, sorry... I was just... That watch..."
"It's quite alright. Would you like to see it?" The stallion asked. Bryce nodded. The brown stallion opened the display case from the back and brought out the watch. "I'm afraid if you're looking for something to keep time you should find something else. This timepiece may look priceless, but it doesn't run. It's a shame because I spent a great deal to buy it from the seller."
Bryce picked his watch up and held it out in his hand. "It works. You just have to shake it a few times." As Bryce did just this, the second hand began to turn. "It's self winding. You need to keep the whole thing in motion for it to work." He showed the now turning watch face to the brown stallion.
"My, its works. It's self winding you say? I've never heard of such a thing." The stallion watched the seconds tick for a short while before saying. "Where are my manners." He held out his hoof. "My name is Time Turner, and I am the owner of this humble little shop. I specialize in all things time keeping."
Bryce took Time Turner's hoof. "Bryce. Uhm... Human. I do human things."
"Its a pleasure to finally meet you. How did you know this watch needed to be shaken?"
"Well, this may sound cliched, but it's mine."
The smile Time Turner had settled into a slight frown. "I'm sorry, but did you say it was your watch?"
"I did."
"But that can't be. I got it from... Oh dear..." Time Turner thought for a second. "Let me see it." Bryce handed the watch back to the brown stallion. He closed the front casing and looked at it intently. "If it is yours, as you claim it is, then tell me what is on the top of the front casing. And no peeking."
"It's a coat of arms."
Without looking up, Time Turner said, "Be more specific."
"Okay... At the center is an oval, going vertically. It's divided into two halves. On the right there are three lions. On the left, three antlers."
"How many bends do the antlers have?"
"Four. Encircling this oval are two bands of oak leaves. Above all of this there is what looks to be a bust topped by a crown. There are two animals standing on either side of the oval. On the right is a deer, and a lion with a crown on the left. Below there is a banner with words written on it."
"What are the words?"
"I can't pronounce them. I'll write it down." Bryce produced a piece of paper from his satchel.
Quickly jotting down three words, he turned the paper around and showed it to Time Turner. When the brown stallion saw what was written on it he nodded his head. "That is exactly what it says." He handed the watch back to Bryce.
"Thank you."
Bryce turned to leave, wanting more than anything to get away from the ticking, but Time Turner stopped him. "Excuse me, but where do you think you're going with that?"
"I'm... I'm going... home."
"Not without paying for the watch, I'm afraid."
Bryce was thrown back by this statement. "What...? But... i- i- it's mine."
"It may be, but I'm afraid I can't just allow it to go for free."
"But it's my watch."
"Yes, and I paid a quite substational amount for it. If you want it back you must pay for it."
"But... It's..."
Ditzy stepped in to try and avoid the conflict. "Mr. Turner, don't you think you could just let him have it? It has sentimental value to him."
"Oh, Ms. Doo. I didn't see you there." Time Turner said, blushing slightly. "I'm sure it does, but I'm still a business stallion. Buying it put a strain on my profits. I wish I could, but if I were to let that watch go for nothing I could lose my shop."
"Come on, Turney, for me."
"Ms. Doo... I want to, but I can't... I'm sorry."
"Bryce, I tried." Ditzy began to say.
"I... I understand... How much...?"
"For the watch?" Time Turner asked. "Well, since it is yours, and because you know the quite beautiful Ms. Doo." Ditzy gave a small smile. "I suppose I will give you a discount. 2000 bits."
"Is... Is that good or bad?"
"I would have asked for 5000, since it does actually work, but I will only give this discount to you." Time Turner approached Bryce. "Tell you what, I'll set up a payment plan. I'll put it in back on layaway. If you can pay the full 2000 bits within six months it's yours, but I will ask for a 100 bit down payment."
Bryce, more than anything, wanted to leave, with his watch. The constant ticking was beginning to get to him. He wanted his watch back, but he wouldn't feel right if it meant taking away money from the stallion. Bryce reluctantly nodded.
"Right oh. If you'll follow me I need you to sign some paperwork. Do you have the down payment, by the way?"
Bryce fished out his bag of bits, placed them on the counter, and counted. "I have... 72..."
"That's 28 bits short."
"That's all I have."
"Wait," Ditzy interrupted. "I have a few bits in my satchel." Ditzy fished around in her slightly damp satchel and found her bits. She counted out the remaining 28 that were needed. "There, an even hundred."
"Thank you. Now, please, follow me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With Bryce being gone that left both Amethyst and Bait to watch after the two fillies and the two dogs. And with Bryce gone Bait was worried of what might happen. He was afraid to even try and come within a short breadth of the mare's young sister, despite what Bryce had told him. Instead, the tan colt decided it best to try and talk things out at the source.
Inching his way over to Amethyst, Bait stopped less than a step away from the beach towel. In an attempt to get the magenta mare's attention, he went to clear his throat, but she beat him to it. "What do you want?" She asked in a bitter tone.
"It's a hot one today, isn't it?"
"Uh huh."
"Yeah, it's... hot. And that water looks quite... cool."
"If it is then why don't you jump in, away from me," she said, not looking up from her book.
"Maybe later... I just ate. Wouldn't want to get cramps. Haha." Bait gave a half-hearted grin.
"Doesn't seem to be bothering them at all." Amethyst said, refering to Dinky and Apple Bloom.
"Oh, yes. I guess it's an old mare's-"
"Is there something you want, or are you just here to pesture me!?"
"What...? No, I just wanted to say something."
"Then say it and go away."
"I just wanted to say... I'm sorry for what I said to you the other day. It was very immature of me. I'm just going through a tough time, you know. My uncles the only stallion I've ever had close to a dad, and now... I'd be willing to do anything to make up for it." Bait forced a cheeky grin. "Please?"
Amethyst shut her book abruptly and closed her eyes. "Everypony has bad times, but that doesn't mean you had to be a big jerk about it."
"I- I know. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to say my life is worse than your life is, but after my mom had me go stay with my uncle he was all I had. Until..."
The magenta mare eyed the tan colt. "Until... who?"
"Well... It's embarassing..." Amethyst was about to blow off the colt and go back to her book, but Bait then stated under his breath, "You..."
Amethyst was cut short by his confession. Closing her book, she hid a smile. She stood up, and said in a beguiling tone, "Really? If that's the case, then let me ask you something." She took a stance that almost forced the tan colt's face into her thigh. "What do you think about me?"
"Well, uhm, I... I'm suddenly lost for words."
"Come on. There's not a single word you can think to describe me?"
"Oh... Well, your..." Please don't hit me. "Voluptuous."
Hiding a foalish giggle, Amethyst took the book she'd been reading in her magic and gave the tan colt a moderate smack on the face. Before Bait could react to it, Amethyst had ran off into the shallows of the swimming hole; a noticeable smirk across her face.
Bait could do nothing except watch her run off. When he saw her smirk, he couldn't help but smirk back.
"What's the matter, 'Has-an-Itch', afraid of getting 'stomach cramps'?" The mare quirked.
"Oh, you're getting it now, 'I'm-a-cyst'." Bait rushed forward. When he reached the shore he jumped and held his legs out horizontally. He had wanted to splash water and wet the magenta mare, but instead he ended up performing a belly flop that immobilized him.
When he didn't move after a few seconds Amethyst became concerned. As she crept close to the tan colt, she said, "Bait, are you-" At that moment, Bait jumped up and let out a loud yell that sent Amethyst falling backwards into the water. "Ahh, you jerk," she said as she splashed Bait back.
"You liked it and you know it!"
"Now I'm going to get you!" Amethyst jumped onto Bait, forcing him onto his back.
All the while, the two ponies laughed as they splashed each other relentlessly.
Meanwhile, the two fillies had stopped playing to watch the adults play. They were unsure if they should be disgusted by the scene, or find it funny.
"Whoa, I never took your sis ta act like such a filly," Apple Bloom said. "I always thought she hated laughter."
"No, she's laughed. Just not very often," Dinky said, a little disappointed.
Corn and Winona, who were dogs and knew little about such things, continued to play with each other in the pool.
While the fillies continued to watch Amethyst and Bait, something drew Dinky's attention away. As she continued to bicycle her hooves to keep her head above the water something nipped at one of her hooves. At first it was barely noticeable, but each following nip was more painful.
It soon came to the point where it felt like someone was picking at the bottom's of her hooves with a pair of scissors. "Ow!"
"Dinky, what's the matter!?" Apple Bloom asked.
"There's- There's something- Ow! OW!!!"
By then Amethyst and Bait heard Dinky's cries of pain. "Dinky!?"
"Something's biting my- OW! OW!!!"
Bait didn't hesitate. Diving out to the fillies, he pressed them towards the shallows before diving under.
Once he was under the water he looked every which way for the source of Dinky's distress. When he felt whatever it was nip him on the rump he let out all his air and had to surface.
"Bait, what is it!?" Amethyst asked.
Bait didn't give an answer as he again submerged.
He looked around where he had felt the thing bite him, but when he found it the thing bit down hard on his nose.
Meanwhile, Amethyst and the fillies could only watch in dumbfounded fear as Bait thrashed under the surface of the water. When the tan colt came up a second time, they cleared the way for him to run onto shore, along with the thing that had latched its jaws onto his nose.
Bait shook his head back and forth in an attempt to flail the dark creature off his nasal passage. When that didn't work he planted the creature on the ground, put his fore hooves on its back, and pulled his head away. It did the trick.
Before Bait could stomp on the creature, Dinky cried out, "Bait, don't hurt it!"
Bait stopped and looked down to the thing that had bitten him on both ends.
It was a black snapping turtle; small enough to fit into a tea saucer. "My word." Was all Bait could manage to say.
"Ahh, it's nothing but a little baby." Apple Bloom said.
"It's looks so cute." Dinky said as she and Apple Bloom came in to get a closer look at it.
This forced the snapping turtle to retreat into its shell.
"Come on out, we ain't gonna hurt yuh." Apple Bloom said as she tapped the reptile's shell.
"Girls, be careful," Bait scolded. "It might, uhm."
"Let'em have their fun, Bait. It's just a baby." Amethyst reassured the colt.
"It almost gave me a nose piercing," Bait said, pointing to his nose, which was little more than a flesh wound.
Amethyst could hardly hold back from laughing. "I think you could go another round or two with him."
"I'll rip one of its legs off."
"Oh, you won't dare."
Bait gritted his teeth and said to the turtle, "This isn't over."
In response, the snapping turtle came out of its shell long enough to give Bait a quick nip, then retreated back to the safety inside.
"OW! You little..." Bait decided to cut his loses, and walked away before any further damage could be done.
Amethyst followed close behind. "Hey, Bait." Bait turned back to look at Amethyst. "Thanks for watching after my sister, even though..." She placed a hoof over her mouth to hide her laughter.
Bait rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
"Hey, in all seriousness, thanks." Amethyst gave the tan colt a peck on the cheek before walking away to check on her sister. "Okay, Dinky and Apple Bloom, it's time to head back."
The resulting blush on Bait-and-Switch's face was impossible to describe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ditzy, I wish you hadn't done that," Bryce said as he and the wall eyed mare left Time Turner's shop.
"It's okay, Bryce, I was just trying to help."
"I know, but I know you don't have that much."
"Oh, it's fine. That didn't put too much of a burden on me. Honest."
Bryce shook his head. "Still, it's just... I'll pay you back. I'll pay you back," Bryce said again to emphesize his intention.
"Well, just do it whenever you can. We can survive without it for a good while."
"Okay, but I don't know what I'm going to do now. I mean, I can't just go and ask for hand outs from everybody, most especially from the family who houses and feeds me."
"I'm sure you'll find a way. Hey, maybe you could find a job."
"What, like work?"
"Oh course. Here, I know where we can look."
Ditzy quickly escorted the human to the outside of town hall. There was a community board lined with numerous slips of paper advertising a plethora of different updates, dates for social gatherings, and most importantly, job openings.
"Here, there's got to be a least a dozen different jobs you could do." The gray mare looked up and down the boards. "Oh, here's one," she said, sticking out her hoof. "There's an opening for a waiter."
"I'm going to say no to anything involving food. I pick... At the food."
"Oh, well there's still others. Here's an advertisement for a foalsitter."
Bryce raised an eyebrow. "I doubt any little horse thing would feel comfortable leaving their little ones with something that could pancake them."
"I suppose you're right, but I'm going to take it. Not for me, for Amethyst." The pair looked through the notices, but found nothing, despite looking over and under every single sheet of paper currently posted.
Bryce sighed. "This is hopeless."
"Don't say that. There's got to be something. How about- Oh, nevermind."
"Why not?"
"It was for an, uhm, exotic dancer."
"Exotic dancer? I don't dance."
"No, it's-"
From behind, a deep feminine voice said, "Hey, big guy, think you could move so I can post this and go home? You've been hogging it for more than half an hour."
The pair turned back to see a sand colored mare with a blue and white mane. "I'm sorry," Bryce apologized, clearing the way for the earth pony.
"Thank you!" She said sarcastically. After stapling a want ad to the bulletin board, she stormed away, cursing the human under her breath.
Bryce gave a snort. "Love you too."
"Bryce, look at this," Ditzy cried out when she saw what the sand colored mare had posted.
Looking to the fresh post, Bryce saw that it was for a construction job. "I don't know."
"Come on, you rebuilt the barn."
"Yeah, but that was with Bait, and I knew him."
"How bad can it be." Ditzy ran in the direction the sand colored mare had trotted off in. "Miss, wait!" She called out.
"Ditzy!" Bryce cried out as he took chase.
Ditzy was the first to catch up to the sand colored mare. "Miss, wait."
The mare stared blankly back at the gray mare. "What is it?"
"I'm here to ask about the position you just posted."
The mare's jaw almost dropped. "No offense, Derpy, but I don't think this is the kind of work somepony the likes of you should-"
"No, not for me."
Ambrosia wiped the sweat off her brow. That's a relief. "Who is it for then?"
"It's for my friend, Br-"
By then, Bryce had caught up to them both. "Ditzy-" At that moment, Bryce tripped over his shoelaces and came crashing down. He let out a single, "Ow..."
Ambrosia looked to Ditzy. "Your friend?"
"Yes, but he's not like this all the time, I swear."
"No thank you." Ambrosia made her way forward but Ditzy was there to stop her.
"Miss, please, he really needs this job. It's the only one we found he would be good at, and he needs the money. You see, he recently-"
"Look, Derpy, everypony has problems, but I don't think he's what the boss would be looking for."
"Please."
"No."
"Please."
"I said-"
"Please, please, please."
Ambrosia facehoofed. I just want to go home. "Okay, fine. Just have him show up tomorrow morning at the site northwest of town. That's all I can tell you. But of course you would know that if had 'read' the ad."
Ditzy blushed in embarassment. "Sorry."
Ambrosia breezed past Ditzy and continued home. There's no way the boss'll say yes to this. The freak can't even walk without trapping over his own... things.
Turning back to Bryce, Ditzy said, "Bryce, if you can hear me say something."
"Hmm..."
"Great. You got the job."
"Oh nnn..."
"Chip up. It'll be fun," Ditzy reassured Bryce. "You'll see. You'll have your watch back in no time."
Bryce lifted his fists a short distance up off the ground. "Emhem!"