Monday - Games night
Monday
Trixie was quite proud of herself on Monday morning, she managed to wake up on time without prompting. She had a quick breakfast and shower to prepare her for a hard day’s work.
As Pokey had promised most of the paperwork was up to date so she didn’t have much to do. She was just about to make herself another coffee when there was a knocking at the door.
“Come in!” yelled Trixie.
The door swung open to reveal a grey pegasus in a post mare’s uniform struggling under the weight of a bulging sack.
“Bonjour, Ditzy.”
“Morning Trixie,” said Ditzy dragging her bag into the residency, “Thanks again for Dinky’s lesson.” she yawned, “But couldn’t you have taught her something quieter. She was up all night practicing.”
“Heh, sorry about that,” replied Trixie awkwardly, “But on the bright side the sounds are the hardest part of the spell, she’s a quick learner. So is some of that for me?”
“All of it I’m afraid, and there’s some more back at the post office, I’ll bring it down later.”
Trixie sighed, “And Pokey said this would be a quiet week.”
“Where is he anyway?” asked Ditzy emptying her bag onto the table.
“Mareami, he’s on holiday this week. Oh can you take these with you?” Trixie floated over the letters she had written last night.
“Sure thing,” said Ditzy taking the envelopes, “Well good luck then, see you later.” the grey mare waved a hoof and left.
****
Trixie started to sort through the newly arrived post, it mostly seemed to be a single type of form. Then she remembered, it was the time of year to check the employment details of all the townsfolk to calculate their tax rates for the next year. Every pony had to submit a form with their current employment details on it and she had to look up last year’s details before completing a second form with the combined details on them, hundreds of forms had arrived so far and she could expect even more over the coming days. So much for Pokey calling this a normal week!
Still, I’m a hard working mare, I can deal with this, thought Trixie as she rolled up her metaphorical sleeves and got into it. For several hours she sorted through the post, levitated records from the files and completed form after form after form. The pile of incoming paperwork slowly decreased while the pile of completed forms grew larger. She finished Carrot Cake’s paperwork (Small business owner (food based), employed in the same role for 5-10 years), he earned less than Trixie would have expected, maybe she should tip more next time she was in Sugarcube corner. Her hoof quested for the next form to complete and came up with nothing.
Out of forms, she noted, We must have more, she checked the number on the previous form, EZ279 forms around here somewhere. Getting up she stretched to work out the kinks in her back from remaining seated all morning and quickly searched the office, but failed to find what she was looking for.
Thinking about the problem she remembered that Pokey kept additional forms in the basement and ventured down there. One whole wall was covered by a rack containing copies of the myriad forms that the government required to keep running.
Trixie didn’t like coming down into the basement unless she had to, she always felt vaguely intimidated by the files and forms held down there as if all the bureaucracy would smother her. She noted off the codes on the shelves as she walked by until she finally found the one she was looking for. The cubby hole was only part full containing maybe two hundred forms, give or take. If I need to complete these forms for everypony in the town I’m going to need more. A bit more searching resulting in a form ordering form. If there’s a form to order forms what do you use to order that form, pondered Trixie as she walked back up the stairs to the office. Is it the same form or is there a form to order a form to order forms, how far up does it go, does Luna have a form to order a form to order a form to order a form to order a form to order forms? And what happens if she runs out of that form? Best not to think about it, that way lies madness
Now let’s see what do I need to fill in here. Form number, check. Name of form, check. Order size, hum one per pony, let’s say five thousand. Cost code, how much are these anyway? They can’t be that much I’m sure the budget will survive it, check. Now to sign and hoofstamp it, check. How long will this take anyway, see note 2b, bla bla bla 1-3 days processing, up to a week delivery unless express processing is required in which case tick box 6 and next day delivery but extra cost. I guess I don’t need that. So I’m done. I think I’ll hat this one, it is sort of urgent.
Trixie trotted over to her coat rack and retrieved the magic hat she used for her more important messages. She wrote a quick note to say the message was for processing and not Luna and placed it and the form into the hat and activated it. The hat glowed briefly and the letters vanished, already on their way to Canterlot by magic.
The door to the residence slammed open behind Trixie and she jumped before spinning round ready to deal with the intruder.
In the doorway stood an ancient Pegasus mare, her mane white with age and her coat a bleached orange. Her wings were almost bare and she was walking with the aid of a cane but still managed to totter quickly towards Trixie waving a piece of paper in her free hoof, “You. Girl,” she announced loudly, “I want to talk to you about this.”
Trixie relaxed and trotted over to the old mare, “How can I help you, Mrs..”
“Lightning, Blazing Lightning. I’m here to pay this here bill.”
Trixie looked confused, “Bill? Do you mean a tax demand or something?”
“I know what I mean,” snarled Lightning, “It’s disgraceful charging this much of an old mare and then not even knowing what it’s for.”
Trixie desperately tried to get a look at the paper while Lightning continued to wave it in her face. It didn’t look like any paperwork she recognised, she briefly mused that there was a time when she wouldn’t have recognised any paperwork, she had been happier then.
“Ok, if you just come over here I’ll see if I can deal with this.” Trixie trotted over to her desk and plopped herself down on her seat. Lightning limped over after her. Feeling a bit ashamed Trixie levitated over Pokey’s chair for the aged pony to sit on.
The pegasus spread the paperwork out on the table in front of her and then dropped down a small bag of bits. “There you are 29 bits 6 jangles, now hurry up I’m a busy mare you know.”
Now it was still Trixie could get a better look at the form and quickly scanned it, “Mrs Lightning, this is a bill for fire wood from Timber Chopper, you’d need to pay it at her office.”
“What?”
“I’m the representative of the night court, I don’t deal with fuel bills.”
“Yes,” explained Lightning as if it was the simplest thing in the world, “It’s a bill and I’m here to pay it.”
“But you don’t pay it here, this is a government office.” Trixie was starting to get exasperated with the old mare.
“Are you refusing to take my money? I pay your wages you know.”
“It doesn’t quite work that way.” Her stipend came from Luna, but she supposed it ultimately came taxes, although Luna did own some land directly. “But I’m not really refusing I just can’t help you, you don’t pay this type of bill here.”
“I don’t have time for this, I’m a busy mare. Just take my money.”
“I can’t”
“You can.”
“I can’t!”
“Yes, you can! Stop being difficult girl. I want to speak to your supervisor.”
“My supervisor?” Trixie was taken aback, “I don’t have a ...”
“Don’t try to tell me you’re in charge, you’re too young, you’re probably only just out of school. I want to talk to your boss, now!”
“But..”
“Now!” the old pegasus rapidly flapped her threadbare wings rising several inches into the air her face glowing red. Trixie almost fell back off her chair before holding up her hooves in contrition, she was worried the old mare night have a heart attack if she got any more worked up.
“Ok, I’ll go and see if she’s free.”
The old mare started to calm down, “Good, now that wasn’t too hard was it?”
Trixie trotted out of the office for a second and her horn began to glow.
A few second later to Mrs Lightning’s surprise a large dark blue alicorn with a crescent moon symbol on her flank walked into the room.
“Princess Luna!” she stuttered and tried to prostrate herself at her ruler’s hooves, not quite limber enough to manage it.
“Rise my little pony,” announced Luna regally, “I believe you wanted to speak to me?”
The old pony’s jaw worked for a moment without any noise escaping, then, “WelL I was talking to the girl.”
“Her name is the Great and Powerful Trixie, she is my personal pupil and representative of the Night Court to Ponyville as well as one of the best Ponies I have ever met. She is due your respect.”
“I’m sorry your majesty but she won’t let me pay this here bill I owe you.”
“I told you, I mean Trixie explained to you that that bill has nothing to do with the Equestrian Government. It’s for firewood for Luna’s, I mean for my sake.”
“Are you sure, your majesty?” she drew her hood across the floor, “I’m sure I remember paying it here before.”
“I your eternal ruler am sure, I know these things. You must just be confused.”
“Yeh, I do get confused sometimes,” said the old pony sounding defeated, her eye’s starting to wet, “My husband, Streak, used to deal with this type of thing. Now he’s gone, it’s hard to remember it all. Ball said he’d do it for me but he’s a busy colt.”
Luna’s expression turned rather awkward, “Look if you leave the bill and money here I’m sure Trixie can sort it all out for you, just pay a bit more attention in future.”
“Of course your majesty. Anything your majesty,” said the orange pegasus tottering backwards towards the door while trying to curtsey at the same time.
Once Lightning had left the image of Luna faded away to reveal Trixie standing there looking rather embarrassed. “I feel a bit bad about that now,” she said to no one in particular.
She took the bill and money from the desk and looked up at the clock, I was close to lunchtime. Ok, I can take this over to Timber’s place, it’s not too far, then I think I deserve to eat out after all the work I’ve done this morning, she thought. This plan in mind she trotted out of the office, shutting the door and setting the sign to show that the office was closed.
****
After a quick trip to the firewood merchants Trixie spent her dinner hour at a small cafe watching the town wander by. Then she popped into Berry’s bar for a drink or two and did a bit of window shopping. By the time she got back to the office the hour had turned into almost three. With a sigh she dropped onto her chair to look at her work. Her in pile has seemed to have grown why she was away. She shuffled through it, she was right it had grown. The second mail must have arrived while she was away and Ditzy had put it straight into her tray. Trixie listlessly started to complete forms again but her eyes kept being drawn to the clock until, after about an hour, she decided to give up. She wasn’t going to get much done now better to call it a day and get a fresh start tomorrow.
Looking at her pile of completed work she considered bagging it up for posting tomorrow but decided that it could wait until tomorrow and instead started to prepare for the evening, today was her weekly games night with the girls.
As she moved to and from the office tidying the house she felt as if the pile of documents in her trays were mocking her, ‘Look here is a representative who can’t complete her paperwork’, they seemed to say. She thought for a second then levitated both piles behind Pokey’s desk instead. Now the work was out of sight and thus out of mind it couldn’t taunt her any more. Trixie felt she could live with that.
****
There was a knock on the door and Trixie opened it to reveal Ditzy, she had changed out of her mailmare uniform and was carrying a tray of muffins on her back. “Sorry I’m late,” she said, “I had to wait for Sparkler to arrive to foalsit.”
“That’s alright it’s only a few minutes, the rest of the girls are in the lounge.” said Trixie leading the pegasus through the house. “You can put the snacks on the side table over there.” she gestured at a table covered in various treats.
The rest of Trixie’s friends were gathered around a large table spread out in the centre of the room. “Evening Ditzy,” called Carrot Top, the rest of the group called greetings as well. Trixie and Ditzy took their places around the table.
“So Cheerilee, it’s your turn to decide, what we are going to play this week,” said Trixie.
“Cheerilee produced a coloured visor from somewhere and placed it around her head, “I was thinking Poker,” she grinned, “Anyone got a problem with that?”
“Oh, definitely not,” noted Trixie producing a deck of cards from nowhere and proceeding to shuffle the cards from hoof to hoof dexterously.
“It’s been awhile since I played, but I guess not,” said Ditzy, Raindrops nodded her assent as well.
“I used to play a bit at university,” said Lyra, “I’m in.”
“Ok, I guess,” said Carrot Top nervously, “You might have to remind me of the rules.”
Cheerilee’s grin was predatory, “Let’s start with one jangle bets and see where the night goes from there shall we? Now the game is Stud Horse Poker, aces are high..”
The game continued on for several hours, Cheerilee and Trixie were the main contenders, Carrot Top came out about even due to some lucky hooves. While Ditzy and Raindrops lost steadily, Lyra had a terrible game, hardly winning a single hoof. Several times she accused Trixie of cheating and fumed at the magician's ability to seemingly produce cards from thin air.
Ditzy was the first to call it a night saying she had to tuck Dinky in, Raindrops left not much later saying that she had an early weather shift tomorrow. Eventually Lyra stormed out vowing she’d win her jangles back next week.
“So, now the light weights are out of the way, do you want to make this interesting?” asked Cheerilee munching on one of the carrot sticks Carrot Top had brought.
“How interesting?” asked Trixie stacking the coins in front of herself.
“Say one bit bets? Maximum of ten bits?”
“I can take that. How about you Carrot.”
The orange farmer eyed her smaller pot compared to her opposition, “I think I’m ok with that.”
“Where did you learn to play anyway Trixie?”
“Luna taught me, she’s quite the card shark you know.”
“No,” cried Carrot Top scandalised.
“Yep, she’ll disguise herself as a new guard or page or something and get in on a game then fleece the other players. It’s how she gets most of her personal funds you know.”
Cheerilee grinned, “It seems our noble ruler has some hidden depths. Anyway are we here to talk or play?”
The game continued for quite some time going on until the early hours of the morning, the battle between Cheerilee and Trixie first went one way then the other while Carrot Top played cautiously, slowly catching up with the other players. Eventually Trixie had a few good hooves in a row and managed to knock her rival out.
“Sorry Cheerilee, I guess the Great and Powerful Trixie is just too great and powerful for you.” Trixie grinned, “Now I’m sorry Carrot Top but I think your bits are going to go towards the ‘get Trixie a new sofa’ fund.”
However, over the next few hooves Carrot Top’s playing style changed and she started winning.
“When did you learn to play like that?” demanded Trixie as Carrot raked in another hoof full of bits. Cheerilee watched her consternation, grinning.
“Oh, I might have won a few championships back in Fillydelphia.”
Trixie was furious, there was no way that she, the student of Princess Luna herself could be beaten at cards. However, she was soon eating those thoughts as Carrot Top cleaned her out entirely.
“Fine take your money, you shark.” she spat.
Carrot Top mimed a biting motion, “Guilty as charged I’m afraid. We’ll now momma can buy some new shoes,” she looked around at the other players, “I get through them really quickly on the farm. So same time next week?”
“Sure,” said Trixie, Cheerilee nodded, “I need a chance to win back my money.”
Cheerilee looked at the clock, “Is that the time. School starts in a few hours, I’ll have to take a nap during break time.”
“Yeah, I better go to,” said Carrot Top.
Trixie led her guests back to the door. On the way Cheerilee noticed the work hidden behind Pokey’s Desk, “Has Pokey been slacking off?” she asked.
“No he’s on holiday this week.”
“Wow, you’re going to end up snowed in by the end of the week then.”
Trixie drew herself up to her full height, “I am fully capable of running this office by myself for a week, you know.”
“Care to place your money where your mouth is?” said the teacher with a glint in her eye.
“Ok. Twenty bits says I can clear all the work by next Monday morning.”
“You’re on.”
“I’ll take that action as well,” said Carrot Top.
“Fine,” the three mares bumped hooves and separated laughing. “See you all next week. Make sure you bring the money you’ll owe me,” said Trixie as her guests left.
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2904128
2904128 Ditto.
I didn't know they had that kind of surgery in the Lunaverse yet...
Actually, I haven't specifically heard of it anywhere
2924097
Opps, err, It was a false horn which has now been removed
2904128
Same here bud. Who knew Carrot Top was good at Poker? Not surprised Trixie is, showmare and all, she probably knows all about cards thanks to Luna.