Work for the day is done but you can't leave just yet. Mr Cake asked to speak with you after your shift, so you idly walk around in circles waiting for him.
"Hey Anon, sorry to make you wait," Mr Cake states as he enters the room holding a paper bag.
"All good, so, what's up?"
"I'm... afraid it's bad news. You see, the twins have been growing up so fast t-that we, uh..."
He cuts himself off as the nerves get to be a bit too much for the poor stallion.
"I'm fired?"
"I-I don't want to put it like that... but yes, we just don't have the money for you and Pinkie to help run the shop."
"Relax Mr Cake, I understand."
"We just don't want you to be mad or upset."
"I'm upset sure, but that's because I've enjoyed working here. I can't be mad at you guys, I owe you and Mrs Cake a lot."
He places the bag on the counter and looks down a little. It's clear that this is upsetting to him, which kind of helps soften the blow of this. Honestly, you didn't see it coming.
"Look, if you need a recommendation for anywhere, you let me know right away. I'll make it glow so much, not even Celestia's sun could compete. I'll even help find you somewhere else to work if you--"
"That's alright. You guys have helped me enough."
"H-Here," he says as he nudges the bag on the counter towards you, "It's your pay for this week, plus a little extra."
"Thank you Mr Cake, and tell Mrs Cake I said thanks to her too."
"Y-You'll still come back here, right?"
"Of course, this place makes the best food."
And with a defeated goodbye, you head home in need of a pick me up.
You step inside to see Moonie playing with her toys, as per usual. They're all lined up on the couch as she sits on the floor playing with only one, a pink and purple cat.
"That one new?"
"Yeah, I call him Cheshire."
"Hi Cheshire, I'm Anon," you kneel to say to the stuffed cat.
"Anon, he's a cat. They don't talk."
You rise and head over to the table where you place the bag of money and glance over the golden little bit inside.
"Oh, right. But dogs, minotaur and horses do?"
"Yeah," she replies in a mocking tone.
Her response elicits a small laugh from you. You've lived here for years yet even now you forget what was ridiculous to you usually counts for normal here.
"Okay then... Where did you even get the money for that?"
"I've been saving my allowance," she beams with pride.
"You've been saving?"
"Of course. I can't run a kingdom if I don't understand how to handle money responsibly."
"And a stuffed cat is a responsible purchase?"
"Subjects are the most important part of a kingdom, and Cheshire is the latest addition. Besides, I'm a filly. What should I spend it on? Food?"
You can't fault her on that. Looking at the little bag, you try to guess how long you can stretch this out but the more you try to add in variables to prepare for anything, the more complicated and stressful it becomes. Instead, you decide that worrying about it won't help.
"Here."
You hold out a few bits for Moonie.
"Payday already?" Moonie squees.
She swiftly grabs the money and darts up to her room to put it away.
"Excuse me?"
"Thank you Anon," she calls back from her room.
"Come put your toys away, we're going out for lunch."
The two of you step out and Moonie can't decide what she wants. Everything you suggest she turns down so you walk around the town square until she decides.
"Ice cream!"
"No."
"I'm not really that hungry, something small and sweet would be great. So, ice cream."
With a sigh, you head over to buy some ice cream for the two of you. You're not really in the mood to argue, you just want to do something nice and be done with the day.
"Which one do you want?"
"I want a vanilla one with a chocolate wafer stick and sherbet coating."
You stare at the greedy little filly until she says please.
"And just a plain vanilla for me, thanks."
The mare at the stand gives you your order and before you're barely three steps away from the cart Moonie chirps up.
"Anon, I accidentally ate my wafer stick. Can I have another?"
You just give her a disapproving look.
"Here, on the house," the ice cream mare says as she places another stick into Moonie ice cream.
"What do you say?"
"You're the best!"
The mare smiles warmly at you and so you return the smile as best you can before setting on your way home with Moonie.
"I think she likes you."
"The mare back there?"
"Yeah!"
"I've already got one pony giving me trouble in my life, I don't need another."
"Come on. You two could go on dates, she can baby sit me while you work, and I'll get all the free ice cream I want!"
"Ah, and now you've revealed your plan," you accuse with a laugh, "Eat your ice cream."
"Alright," she replies, "I've got bad news for you Mr Ice Cream. You're going to end up as poop."
"You're disgusting."
She gives a giggle of delight while she digs into her treat with enthusiasm. Before you're even home, she's eaten all of it and asks you if you're going to eat yours. You've barely touched it. Seems you've lost a lot of motivation for a lot of things really.
"Sure," you say as you hand her the treat.
Then you step inside and try to find a way to keep yourself busy before bed.
You just tucked Moonie into bed and are about to leave her room when she speaks up.
"Anon."
"Hm?"
"Can you read me stories until I fall asleep?"
"Sure," you reply as you pull up a stool beside her bed and pick out some books.
You read them aloud, one by one and get so focused on trying to real out loud clearly that you never noticed when she fell asleep. Her chest rises and falls in time with her breathing as her hair flows over her face. Gently, you push it aside up and behind her ear so you can see her sleeping face clearly. It's soothing to see her sleeping, she seems so content and at peace with things. And the room is so quiet, that even her soft little snores could echo.
While you'll never admit it aloud to the filly, she'd probably mock you for it after all, she's really made you happy. You got along fine before she arrived, most days were quiet but that's because you spent them mostly alone. Now you're a lot less lonely, you've even come out of your introverted shell quite a lot, and most importantly she has given you a certain kind of centring you didn't know you needed. In fact, you find yourself grateful even for the trouble she causes.
"Goodnight Moonie," you whisper as you kiss the sleeping little mare's forehead.
Then as quietly as you can, you head to your own bed and try to dream of sweet things. You're grateful the day is over.