Night Crew

by NFire

Chapter 10

The next day or so, all was going normally. The little group picking up the slack, while the new weather ponies seemed to be busy elsewhere for some reason or another. It rankled, but nothing could be done until they got a chance to sit with the parchment they had purloined and really give them a once over.

So, to offset the bad feelings, Hangfire decreed a dress up day! They would wear the finery they had bought and received at Rarity’s to work. Although one would worry about damaging the fine items, Rarity never made anything that wasn’t sturdy, it would outlast anything else comparable.

Hangfire, Cornflower, Chryse and Hazy walked in looking like fashion models off the runway, the gems sparkling in the office light. The colors rippled along the soft fabrics, showing every precise stitch and the tiny jewels embedded therein.

Warm? Warm enough like a second coat, but light enough to not get in the way of anypony’s hooves. They were marvels of design and function and they wore them like royalty.

Which of course, entirely pissed off the Manager, and the so called new weather ponies who looked on with not a slight envy.

They were in the locker room, making sure they folded their new clothes carefully before changing into their weather gear. Hearing the door slamming behind them, followed by the raspy laugh of a pegasi they’d all learned so well to despise.

‘So, nice new clothes you got there.”

Chryse pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, “Yes, what business is it of yours?”

The fat manager leaned up against a wall of lockers, a smirk on his face, “Just wondering how you all could afford it. Not like you guys make enough to get anything like that.”

Hangfire whipped around, pointing a hoof, “For your information, we got them at Rarity’s, she was kind and generous to a fault, and let us have things at a lower price.”

The raspy laugh returned, the brown eyes staring at them in accusation, “Oh really? One of the finest clothiers in Ponyville and she just ups and lowers her prices. Riiiiight. More like you all been doing a few things on the side maybe? I know certain ponies like paying for a bit of fun on the side. The rumors about Rarity might even say it’s true.”

Cornflower shot out from behind Chryse, “Y..y...you t...t..take th...th..that..” And was interrupted rudely.

“O..o..o..or wh..wh..what?” He mocked poor Cornflowers stutter and leered back at her, “For telling the truth? Everyone knows your little group are nothin’ but ‘pullers and ‘foolers. Ain’t too hard to imagine you selling yourselves on the side for a little gain, some bits, maybe some new clothes! I bet that’s it, got yourselves a little thing on the side, maybe helping Miss Rarity fulfill her desires a bit in exchange?”

Hangfire had had enough, she shot off the bench, rearing back with one hoof to flatten that pudgy face before she was dragged down and back by Cornflower and Chryse grabbing her arms and holding her. “Don’t Hang, don’t, it’s just words.”

“No! Rarity’s special, she’s someone nice! Someone like him doesn’t get to insult her! NO!” She struggled against the restraining arms, anger lighting her face up, she wanted a piece of that jerk badly.

“Hang, we’ll lose our jobs, don’t, please don’t!”

She stopped struggling, letting herself hang in their arms for a moment before turning away, wiping her face as she said out loud, “It’s not true.”

That raspy laugh returned, “Oh ho ho, I see it IS true, oh I can’t wait to tell the other ponies what you’ve got going on!” He grinned along one side of his mouth, giving them a wink, “Maybe I can offer a few bits for somthin’ huh? Shouldn’t cost THAT much.” He hooked a hoof over his shoulder, “I bet that’s what his buddy is doing right now since he can’t fly!” The laugh returned louder and uglier than before.

And was quickly silenced with a thunderous crash.

Hazy. Warm, wonderful, slow-talking Hazy. Who liked watching butterflies with his coltfriend. Who never said a word against anypony in the world, had been listening closely to the whole thing, not wanting anyone to get hurt.

He had heard the ‘puller’ comment, making him angry, but nothing he hadn’t heard before. Listening to the comments about Miss Rarity, whom he had sent flowers as a thank you, made him outraged. He had been about to say something, when he saw the pointed hoof, and the nasty comment about Blue. He went livid, blowing his nostrils wide as he stood up and drove his entire body into a hit.

Hazy was built like a steel outhouse, rock solid muscle from one end to the other. He stood up on his hind legs, rearing back with one stone like hoof and hammered it right into the managers face. The force of the blow sending the pegasus flying into the lockers, knocking a couple rows over before he landed in a tumbled heap.

The big stallion was furious, he was beyond incensed as he stalked over to the manager. His eyes flashed as he reared back again, the triphammer hoof hitting the leering face again and once more. The sound of bone breaking was audible to everyone in the room, the other pegasi crowding the doorway to see what had happened.

He pointed a big shod fore hoof at the manager and said in his usual way; “Don’t...you..e...ever..say..anything...about..Miss..Rarity again! A..and don’t ever...ever...say anything ab..about...Blue!” He leaned back, winding up for a final blow with everything he had, his whole body turned to one purpose, pulping that manager!

“HAZY NO!” Chryse screamed into the silence, “Stars Hazy no! Stop! Please stop!”

The big male blinked for a second, looking around as if realizing what he’d done. He dropped to all fours and stared at the ground before looking up at Chryse, firm determination on his face. “No...more...Chryse..”

The pegasi at the door were calling for a medical crew. the three mares rushed over to Hazy, blocking him from the manager, and hugging him.

Hangfire grabbed the big stallions head, “Hazy, oh Hazy you shouldn’t have done that!”

He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing heavily and calming down as he gathered his thoughts. “Miss Rarity...was...so...nice..to..all...of..us And...and...what..he...said..about her....and...Blue....isn’t...true!”

Hangfire hugged him tighter, “We know that Hazy, we know, it’s just words, they don’t mean anything! He’s just a jerk, you should have just ignored him, he’s nothing.” She leaned her head against his, holding tight as the medical crew rushed past them, tending to the manager. “Hazy, you’ve got to go, go home, stay there.”

He nodded, and grabbed his things from the ruined lockers, heading out of the weather offices.

Fate sometimes is cruel, and this was one of those times. The manager could still talk, albeit quite slurred, but the meaning was unmistakable.

“You’re fired! Get out, I don’t want to see you here again! FIRED!” He pointed a shaking hoof at the three mares, “Get out to your jobs or I’ll fire you too!”

They all stared at the bloody face, the medical unicorn trying to put a pain spell on him so he’d shut up. The two pegasi with him looked at the three mares and made ‘get along’ motions unobtrusively. They’d been at the scenes of enough accidents on the night shift, and were tired as well of this bombastic manager. They nodded and acceded to the request, slapping their gear on and taking to the skies.

In the line shack later, while warming themselves, Hangfire re-enacted the first punch over and over to the laughter of Chryse and Cornflower. The three mares sat around the crackling fires, getting ready to go back out, and silently thanking Celestia for sending a bit of justice their way.