The Grownup Way

by Cold Spike

Chapter Five: A Short End

“Right,” Rarity paused and allowed Samantha to finished her sandwich which had been gifted to her from Sweetie Belle, “when… you’re finished with your food I will have you step into this outfit. Your job will be to model this around town, in the shop and anywhere else you can think of. If asked about it, you’re to say exactly where you got it and who you got it from. Think you can handle that?” Rarity didn't think it was a complex task, however Twilight was clear with her that Samantha might need exact instructions and seemed easily distracted. She also wasn’t sure about this job of hers, it was certainly experimental if anything. Getting paid to walk around, how absurd! However, this could pay off… Rarity may be a generous pony, but she wasn’t above commercial opportunities.

Samantha blinked and slowly started to figure out what the mare wanted. “Huh?”

In an instant Samantha found herself whisked high into the air and before a word could even be thought of to retaliate, she was quickly fitted into a very simple green skirt. Samantha looked around herself and was quickly reminded of a pixie fairy princess like dress. It was very thin yet some how felt natural around her new body. Newish… She thought as she was quickly growing used to her alternative form.

“Hmm… no, hang on darling.” Again she was lifted into the air, fearing this would become a theme for her new job. It wasn’t that it didn't’ feel fun, but after ten seconds of being forced to remain in the air she began to fill just a bit sick.

“Uh… Rarity? Can I get down please?” She didn’t use please often, but she figured if she did then maybe it would work.

Rarity came to a quick realization that her new employee just might not appreciate being lifted in the air after eating a whole sandwich and quickly complied. “Um, sorry. I’m used to quickly fitting my mannequins that way… but you’re not a mannequin, you’re a pony.”

Not really… She thought playfully, but nodded. “Heh, thank you. So, now what?”

“Now… dresses!”

Samantha and Rarity spent the next thirty minutes having her try on dress after dress after dress, the task was so tedious that she noticed some of the dresses had been repeated only in slightly different design or colors. How boring! One was even a sailor suit which was the most uncomfortable thing she had ever worn.

“Um, Rarity…”

“No, no… this wont do…” Rarity continued to mutter to herself; making a huge mess while haphazardly tossing dresses on the floor left and right.

“...Rarity.” Samantha whined, but was unheard for a second time. “Hello?”

“What?!” Rarity was shocked out of her work induced daze and finally focused on what she was actually doing. “Oh my… oops.”

Samantha was now covered in a pile of said dresses, along with a mess surrounding her hooves. “Oopsy…” Samantha repeated, finding the situation a bit more humorous than the unicorn would deem as normal.

Rarity waited for Samantha’s giggle fit to die down before helping her out. “Perhaps I should pick one.”

“How about this one?!” Samantha had picked a pastel colored frock of some kind, she picked it up and frowned. “Oh…” Which is when she remembered that her body was just a bit too big for a dress designed for a little filly. “Rats…”

“Er… yes, it’s a shame such a lovely ensemble must go unused.” Rarity cleared her throat, while doing her best not to say anything rude in regards to a certain mares fashion sense. “I think we will go with this simpler design.” Rarity used a bit of magic and levitated out a very simple green skirt a very familiar looking green skirt.

“But… that’s the…. oh forget it.” She muttered the last part and soon Rarity’s look of confusion vanished.

She was fit back into and the simple design from before. “There we are, that’s perfect! How does it feel?”

Samantha looked at herself in the mirror and resisted the urge to giggle. She essentially looked like a small pony who was in a skirt, all be it one with very large eyes and much more human looking features. It just looked silly to her. “Um… okay?”

“Well, good.” Rarity took in a deep breath before continuing. “So your current job is to strut around Ponyville and to point anypony who happens to ask about your dress to my place of business. You should check in every once in a while to change your dress-- don’t worry I’ll have made up my mind by then. Think you can handle that? You should earn two bits an hour.”

“Yes?”

“Yes it is then, toodles!”

She was gently shoved out the door; her dress whooshed around from the wind but then gently settled back onto her body. What am I supposed to do? She looked around and found nothing unusual or generally exciting was going on so she frowned and choose a random direction to walk in. Nopony seemed to be paying much attention to her; wasn’t her job to garner said attention? Wait, was that what it was? She was really only half paying attention to her new boss. While she did appreciate her not yelling all the time, or barking out orders, it didn’t help things that Rarity seemed to talk quickly without waiting for that many replies from Samantha.

She past by Sugarcube Corner, the hospital, the library, two dozen houses and a few other places of business before tiring out near a tree. The tree was nestled between the schoolyard and a local park. Watching the birds fly by and chirp, feeling the warm sun envelop her coat and feeling the ticking feeling of her dress meant she had almost no choice but to fall asleep right then and there.

---

“Samantha? Samantha, dear? Could you please wake up?”

The girl turned mare felt a few nudges to her side and instinctively kicked them away. “Three more minutes… mommy.”

“Oh, you’re ruining my dress. Please get up!” The voice from before sounded more distraught, and certainly louder.

“Hmm?” Samantha opened her eyes and looked all around, before rolling onto her back and looking straight up. “Oh…” Everything came back to her, she knew that she was in big trouble. At least she thought so.

“Samantha, how long have you been sleeping here?” Rarity circled her and sighed. “Did you direct anypony to my place?”

“No?” She hated being in positions like this, there was no fun to be had there.

“Very well.” Rarity rummaged around in a sack she was carrying and quickly found a small sack full of coins. “Come back to my shop, we’ll get the dress off and I’ll give you your pay. Your services will no longer be needed I’m afraid.” The coin bag was gently dropped and the mare walked away.

Samantha could only blind and stare as the upside down mare walked away from view. “What?” Had she been fired? Why didn’t she just say so? Why did grownups have to talk so weird?!

Her stomach then choose that moment to rumble quite loudly. Her eyes fell over to the bag of coins and an idea formed. This time I’ll ask how much the chips are.

---

She guzzled down three bags of chips in no time at all, thankfully she still had several coins left and was left feeling much wiser than before. Her chewing quickly came to an end, and slowly she became aware of another presence in the park. She looked up and found Twilight simply standing in front of her, looking at the messy mare covered in chips.

“Well?” Twilight’s voice rang out, sounding angry.

“Uh...:”

“You know it’s not like I have infinite free time. I spent at least two of my own schedules tracking down jobs for you, and I find you sitting here just.. eating!” Twilight’s voice raised a bit higher and for once Samantha found that she didn’t feel as comfortable in her new body as she had before. “I just… I can’t do this! I…” On the last ‘I’ Twilight’s voice had gone from simply raised to literally yelling at the mare who was now shivering on the ground, looking away. Twilight blinked and took several deep breathes. I probably should have done that before I started… she’s like a child. The insult in her mind came without much thought, and while it was rude to think so, she really couldn’t help but see the resemblance to a small filly. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

Samantha sniffled but nodded. “It’s okay…” She trailed off, not really knowing what to say and knowing perfectly well that confusion had become a theme.

Twilight snorted. “No, that was very rude of me. Uh, why don’t we--”

“Twi!” They both turned around and found Spike, running as fast as his little legs would carry him. Clutched in his claws was a parchment that he was waving around. “Hmm!” Being too excited to speak properly, Spike waved the letter directly in front of Twilight.

The unicorn raised a brow and quickly skimmed the message. “Right now?! Today?!” Twilight’s face squished up against Spike’s and the poor drake could do nothing but nod meekly. “Okay… deep breaths, Twilight. Um, Samantha!”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry I yelled, I can’t help you find work right now, but if you… well stick around for a while I can come back and we’ll figure this out, alright?”

“Okay.”

Twilight found it slightly odd that Samantha had been sniffling one moment but was happy the next; still she shook her head and before leaving wrapped her hooves around Samantha in an awkward for her hug. “See ya later.”

Samantha could only nod. There was an odd sense of motherly security from the unicorn. She knew that she was supposed to be an adult too, but that was just pretend. Twilight was a full grown adult; it felt good. She saw the two leave and quietly slumped back onto her back. “Now what?” Her stomach rumbled again. She then remembered something rather important and relevant to her situation. She made a mad dash for a certain tree and didn’t look back.

---

“...Should we really tell her now?”

Samantha looked up to her parents, her father and mother were standing just outside of the kitchen. Occasionally one of them would glance back at their daughter who would smile and wave.

“I know that… but it’s so sudden.”

Samantha’s ears would perk up, but she would only hear bits and pieces.

“Okay… I understand. Alright.” Samantha’s mother turned around and smiled. “Sweetie, we need to talk about something important.”

“What?” It was an innocent enough question, sadly her mother couldn't give her a good reply.

“We’re moving away; your father got a new job. Which means we have to move so he can be closer to it.”

Things seemed to move far quicker from there. Maybe it was time and space making up for the fact that Samantha had essentially froze it more than once, maybe that was just the little girls imagination. Her room was packed up not even two days later, but between the chaos, confusion and sadness of having to leave something important was lost. Samantha took one longing look at her room, the last time she would probably stand in it. Laying under her bed was a bag full of mysterious coins, coins she had put there. Hanging above her bed was a pony poster, forgotten and unpacked.

“Goodbye room.” Samantha waved and left, joining her parents for a final farewell to their home.

Author's Note:

The end of the summary has been removed: “That wouldn't be an issue if children were always polite and mature. How long before an entire town turns on her? How long before the fun runs out?” I have removed these simply because the idea of the story has shifted just a bit.

Also, don’t worry the chapter title doesn't mean the story is over with.

I am aware this chapter seems a bit rushed, but I should go back to events that were purposely brushed over. Is there anything I can do to make this a better read? Any criticism? I am aware that I don't do the best descriptions sometimes, especially in this story. I could probably make longer chapters in the future to help solve this.

Comments

[Danieldoesnotsing]

Oh god I was scared you ended it there...

[Cold Spike]

5216422 Ha! Got ya!

[BumbleFlow]

Oh dear. Please don't make it seem ended like that I was about to cry and wonder, "Always at the good part too!"

I'm gonna go and sit in a corner now..

~Flow

[Cold Spike]

5225813 It says incomplete, but I'm glad I scared some peoples