Ponyville Daydream

by Kyrin_Sylver

Any given Friday. 01

1:55

Daydream looked down from the small wall clock and reassured himself that everything was finished for the day as his bright blue eyes swept across the small cash office of the Barnyard Bargains. The empty twenty-bit bags were all stacked neatly for his return on Monday, while the gem pouches, each simply stitched with a “2b, 5b, 10b, 20b, 50b & 100b, were equally organized along the tabletop that extended from the wall opposite the rather imposing looking door. The air was filled, as always, with Lavender Blush and Green Jewel's constant conversation.

As both the primary weekday cashiers and the ever beating heart of the Ponyville gossip grapevine Daydream had found that even the two, formidable locked doors he passed to enter his office did nothing to muffle their constant conversing both together and with every mare that passed through the store about everything from Berry Punch's latest cider-induced silliness to Princess Twilight's new, beautiful crystal castle. If it happened in Ponyville, or was known about by someone in Ponyville, it made its way into their torrent of topics.

When he first arrived a few years before he thought he was really working at the Barnyard Bargains just to be near the two gossipy mares, hearing every problem and getting a little bit of insight, good and bad, on every pony in town.

For the first few months at least...

Daydream shook his head and returned to his “parting routine” with the office.

The left side of the room was dominated by a dark gray, iron safe that Daydream was still fairly certain he could squeeze himself into if he ever actually possessed the need, which he opened with a few deft turns of the combination dial and a heavy pull of the bright silver handle. Swinging open he imagined the swell of an orchestra as the filled bags of bits and pouches of gems came into view. Daydream chuckled softly to himself as he thought how some things never seemed to get old.

Reaching into the cavernous, iron maw he carefully extracted one gem pouch from the stored wealth he had spent his day counting. A single, large bulge distorted the “100b” that marked the outside of the black, velvet fabric.

“So, time to go make Mr. Rich's day and finish mine.”

Daydream spoke out loud to no one, sliding the pouch into his empty right flank pocket as he slowly closed the safe door and pulled the lever back to the locked position. His gray coat was only a little lighter then the iron of the safe, which made his dark brown mane and tail seem colorful by comparison. Each was a little long for a stallion, even though his Mother, Buttons, had cut it during his last trip to see her and his father, Twine in Vanhoover a few weeks after summer wrap-up.

A white collar was around his neck, holding his carefully knotted black tie and giving him at least the look of a proper business pony.

Resisting the urge to reach back and pull the pouch from his pocket and re-examine the jewel, which he had done three times today without changing his opinion of its worth, Daydream gave his office another look as he prepared to leave for the weekend.

The typewriter was in the center of the table top, the two keys and space bar giving a warm, coppery glow beneath the lights. Next to it was the mounted magnifying glass he used for gem appraisals, just across from the safe and with only enough space between the two that he had to stand on his back legs to be able to work with it, not that he minded. A small fan was on the floor, as much a necessity during the winter as it was the summer in the windowless room. The office was small, though it had become the embodiment of his purpose in Ponyville for years now.

Locking the door to the cash office with the key carried in his left flank pocket, Daydream made his way though the register room. Here the reset bags for the cash registers were kept for the cashiers to pull out at the beginning of their shifts. The right side of the room, as he was leaving at least, was similarly dominated by a table top extending from the walls at about the tops of his legs in height, a second type writer and a stack of paper, ink and quills for the cashiers to use if they wanted to leave a note for him or Mr. Rich about anything.

Daydream opened the next heavy, locked door and then immediately turned and locked it behind him with the same key before returning it to his left pocket. Lavender and Green both paused for a moment.

“You're so lucky you can start your weekend so early, Day.” Green Jewel smiled, bringing a smile from Daydream despite himself. She was a pretty, green earth mare with a blue-green mane and tail, a pair of cut diamonds on each flank.

“You just need to start before Princess Celestia raises the sun and you can leave early too.” Daydream nodded, the two of them repeating this exact conversation almost every week.

“That is just so early...” Lavender Blush, a cute pink earth pony with a not-at-all surprising lavender mane and tail, both a little longer and straighter then Green's, struggled to keep from yawning. It seemed their constant rumor sharing was all that really kept her going as the day wore on.

Daydream gave her a nod as well and then turned toward Filthy Rich's office door and quickly crossed the half-dozen paces. He gave the door a soft knock and then lowered his hoof to the door latch and found it unlocked. Mr. Rich only locked the door if he was busy, so Daydream knew he wouldn't be interrupting anything his employer thought was too important by entering.

“Day.” Filthy Rich looked up from his desk and the three piles of paperwork that largely covered it with a smile. “Is it that time already?”

Filthy Rich was easily the most successful business pony in Ponyville, son of one of the town founders and an unbelievably good boss. His charcoal black mane, with only the occasional hint of gray was slicked back in almost a caricature of business pony chic. A white collar around his neck held his favorite red tie with the golden currency sign on it, standing out from his tan coat. Three full bags of bits were on his flank, showing his business talent to anypony that saw him.

“I'm afraid so.” Daydream joked back, their business relationship actually one of the closest friendships he had here. “Though the room is balanced to the last bit and I happened to have a special case to bring up.”

Mr. Rich's light blue eyes light up. “Special cases” was the term they used for unusually high value gems that Daydream preferred to get his assurance on, which even years after joining his Barnyard Bargains “work family” Filthy still appreciated.

Daydream slowly pulled the gem pouch from his pocket, making sure the “100b” was visible before he handed the still closed bag to his boss. He knew Mr. Rich liked to unwrap expensive surprises.

Sitting back on his haunches still behind the desk, Filthy coaxed the beautifully cut, blue diamond into his manicured hoof and just stared for several seconds. Daydream watched the reveal for a few moments before letting his eyes drift down to the desk below. Framed pictures of his daughter, Diamond Tiara, lined the stacks of papers, the quill and ink stand and guarded one side of the small vase that was on the corner of the desk nearest the middle of the office. A single image of his wife Primrose, deceased for over a year before Daydream had met Mr. Rich stood on the other side of the vase, a single red rose extending from the pretty, blue crystal container.

“Beautiful.” Filthy placed the gem pouch down on what appeared to be a stack of fruit shipping receipts and pulled his magnifying glass from a drawer. Daydream scooted back slightly even with the desk between them as Mr. Rich turned the gleaming stone first to one side, then the other to see how the light passed through the facets.

“Do you know who we got it from?”

“There wasn't a note, though I would guess it was from Miss Rarity.” Daydream thought back to when he first pulled the jewel from the register pouches much earlier that morning. “The cut doesn't look like it was done here in town, while the color is a little pale for Ponyville stones. It looks like it could be from the Crystal Empire, at least from the smaller ones we've received after the Equestria Games.”

Daydream had come to Ponyville with no more experience appraising gems, or counting bits for that matter, then any other pony got apart from just growing up. He would get a 20b gem from his grandponies on his birthday and Hearthwarming Eve, but he still more or less depended on the store cashier or bank teller to accept it for what he thought it was worth when he used them.

He occasionally found gems when he was younger while wandering around the camp towns his father was assigned in the Royal Guard, though he usually just turned them in for bits at the nearest bank and was just happy to get some extra spending money.

Working with Mr. Rich in the cash office had taught Daydream a great deal about Equestrian currency, which he supplemented with a lot of reading during his off-time. His experiences since coming to Ponyville let him take some “educated guesses” about the jewel in question.

“The Crystal Empire.” Mr. Rich smiled. “I have to say this gives me a little more reason to visit. Miss Rarity has said she made some new clients outside of town not too long ago.” Filthy was always sure to keep his contacts within Ponyville business as current at possible, both to scope out new means to expand his business as well as to keep an eye out for the town. Ponyville was as much his father's legacy as Barnyard Bargains, and he had no desire to see either fail in any way.

“Well, wherever it came from, you have definitely placed it correctly.” Filthy Rich returned his magnifying glass to its drawer, then gently rolled the jewel back into the velvet gem pouch. “So I take it you want to get out of here and start your weekend.” Filthy shot Daydream a smirk, even as Day reached into his left pocket and pulled the shiny copper key to the cash office out to return.

“Well.” Daydream released the key to Mr. Rich's hoof. “The sooner I go, the sooner I can start counting the hours until I'm back...” Daydream chuckled, hoping he sounded liked he was joking.

“Alright, smarty-pony. Don't have too much fun.” Filthy slipped the key into his own left pocket, where it would stay until he met Daydream Monday morning an hour before sunrise. “And Daydream, good job this week.” Mr. Rich reached over the desk and gently placed a hoof on his shoulder, not an especially unusual occurrence, prompting Daydream to give him a smile and a nod.

“Thank you, Mr. Rich. I'll see you next week.”

Filthy smiled and nodded back, slowly turning back to the piles of paperwork as Daydream stepped back onto the sales floor and quietly closed the door.

Daydream smiled and nodded to Golden Harvest, who was checking out a saddle bag of groceries, without calling out and interrupting her daily “rumor fix” from Green Jewel and Lavender Blush. She returned the same, her bouncy orange mane happily bobbing through the motion.

The break room was to the back of the store, bringing Daydream into “smile and nod” distance of a hoof-full of customers. Toe-Tapper, one of The Pony Tones, was getting boxes of cereal. Blossomforth was buying some muscle relaxant, one of her wings a little canted from the other as she reached down for the bottle with a slight twinge that she still managed to change into a smile as Daydream acknowledged her. Apple Stars was floating a large bag of fish flakes into her cart as she paused, the pink glowing pet food still in mid-air, and smiled and nodded back to him.

Daydream finally crossed the store and stepped into the employee lounge. Several tables, each surrounded by chairs filled the space. Looking to the clock on the wall, identical to the one in his own office, it read “2:05.”

“They are almost here.” Daydream mentioned to himself as he turned to the open closet and pulled his saddle bags down from the hook he had placed them on that morning. They were a nice, off-white, with his own cutie mark on each bag flap. A gleaming white castle that he was sure the ruins he had been in during his “cutie mark manifestation” would have looked like when it was still standing. While the saddle bag recreation of his cutie mark was obviously his alone, even Granny Smith's amazing embroidery skills couldn't capture its exact appearance. One tower was a little thin and the other a little wide. The windows were slightly too large.

“Nitpick much...” He snorted to himself as he opened the left bag and reached into a small pocket on the inside of the pouch, which was otherwise filled with a cloak and scarf for bad weather. In the pocket a small card slid out into his hoof, which he didn't even take completely from the inside of the pouch. He just wanted to read it again.

If you ever need to talk, just come right over.

It wasn't signed, though it didn't have to be. Granny Smith had given it to him during his first birthday in Ponyville, almost three and a half years ago now. Staring at the card for another breath, he slid it back into its pocket and looked back to the clock.

2:06

“Time to go.”

Daydream walked back to the front of the store with an even, slightly slower then normal pace. The fillies would be here at the usual time, getting there earlier wouldn't change that in the least. Bulging Biceps noticed him and raised a hoof in an overly dramatic show of acknowledgment before returning to his cart full of protein mixes. Brass Blare, his trumpet sticking out of a saddle pouch with his musical note cutie mark on it, nodded and smiled to him over a cart of vegetables.

Daydream returned their mostly silent greetings and continued to the front, pausing at the end of the canned vegetable aisle just as the door to the Barnyard Bargain flew open and a flash of silver white and pewter gray appeared inside. The streak of shades sharpened to a small filly with a beautiful, silver-white and light gray streaked mane that had been bound in a single braid hanging just past her left shoulder. Light blue glasses balanced on her nose as she frantically dusted herself off from her run from the school grounds. Silver Spoon's back left leg still held the door behind her open as her best friend stepped inside behind her.

“You know he isn't going to leave before we get here.” Diamond Tiara, Mr. Rich's prized pink coated daughter rolled her eyes expertly, though she also dusted herself off and gently adjusted her gleaming namesake atop her lavender and white striped mane. The tiara on her flank seemed to glisten as she sat back on her haunches.

“Well...No.” Silver Spoon reached up and corrected her necklace of shiny, blue pearls as she turned to Diamond. “But he has been working since before the sun was raised, so I'm sure he doesn't want to just wait...Oh, Mr. Daydream.” Silver turned and saw him at the end of the aisle.

“How was work today?” Anticipation sparkled off of Silver Spoon as excess energy ran through her.

“It was pretty good, Miss Silver. Thank you for asking.” Daydream bowed slightly as he slowly stepped forward. Green Jewel and Lavender Blush both looked to each other and raised hooves to their mouths so the trio couldn't see them lip synching along with their daily meeting.

“How was school?”

“Well...We had a test, but it wasn't that hard. Then we worked on a team project for our history grade, so Diamond Tiara and I are going to give a report as though we were reporters during the events of the first Hearthwarming Eve.” Excitement made her words quick and a little “quivery” as she reported about her day in happy fashion.

“I'm glad things are going so well. I don't suppose I could get the two of you something?” Daydream made his way to the candy counter as Diamond Tiara sighed and began her own practiced routine.

“You do know that my father owns everything in the store, so you really don't have to buy us anything.” Her head canted to one side, as though she were explaining something to a young foal, not someone nearly twice her age, though even her seemingly instinctive arrogance was more tempered with Daydream.

“True, though I also know how hard your father works to keep a perfectly counted inventory.” Daydream countered, though this was less a conversation then a performance they played through each afternoon after school. “Not to mention, why do stallions work for bits if not to treat pretty young mares?”

Silver Spoon nearly melted, the same way she always did at this part of the show, while Diamond Tiara paused, looking up as though thinking before she looked back to her father's favorite employee.

“True.”

Daydream gave her a smile as he bowed slightly.

“And what would Miss Diamond like this afternoon?” Daydream swept his hoof across the front of the shelves of candy.

“Hmmmm...Some chocolate rose petals would be fine.” Diamond turned to Silver with a smirk, showing her that this was how mares accepted the presents from their adoring followers only to catch herself at Silver Spoon's glare and immediately turn back toward him.

“Please, Mr. Daydream.”

“It would be an honor, Miss Diamond.” Daydream reached out and lifted the bag of chocolate covered flower petals and placed it on the counter of Green Jewel's register before turning back to the young pair.

“And for you, Miss Silver?”

“Ahh... Well...”

Green Jewel stifled a laugh as she watched Lavender Blush perfectly mouth Silver Spoon's words, her face even more expressive then the little filly’s.

“What do you think sounds good?” Silver Spoon leaned in, wanting to make sure she caught every possible syllable of Mr. Daydream's answer.

“Hmmmm. Well.” Daydream turned back to the shelves of confections slowly, stepping to the side so Silver Spoon could see as he looked over the various treats. “How about some...peppermint bark.” Daydream was actually surprised to see something normally reserved for Hearthwarming Eve already available. “Have a taste of the coming holiday a little early.”

Silver Spoon's face lit up, like it always did when he suggested a treat for her, nodding in agreement even as she let his words run through her thoughts over and over again.

“That...That sounds wonderful. Thank you so much, Mr. Daydream.”

Daydream gave her a smile before turning back to the counter, the peppermint bark in hoof, and placing it down next to the chocolate rose petals. Green Jewel rang them up on her register, each of the bags of candy selling for 2b, as Daydream pulled out a 10b green gem from his right saddle bag and handed it to her.

“Please get yourself and Lavender something for your next break.” Daydream smiled to both of the cashiers and then turned and handed to bags to each filly.

“Thanks, Day.”

“Thank you, Daydream.”

Green Jewel and Lavender Blush both thanked him with bright smiles. This was their favorite part of the after school performance.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Daydream.”

Diamond and Silver each responded in turn, the first with a small smirk on her lips as the second seemed a feather's weight from passing out right in the middle of the Barnyard Bargains.

“Have a good weekend, you two. I'll see you on Monday.”

“Have a good weekend, Mr. Daydream.” Silver Spoon watched as Daydream gave her a smile and a nod before exiting the store, her silver gray cheeks bright pink as she began formulating what she would be writing in her journal about her amazing day.

Brass Blair, who had stopped at the end of the aisle and watched the performance chuckled to himself, while Bulging Biceps was quivering in anticipation throughout the entire scene and was starting to tear up as he watched Daydream make his way out.

Daydream took a deep breath as the door to Rich's Barnyard Bargains closed behind him and after a moment he let it go, clearing his thoughts of cute little fillies and friendly enough fellow workers. Now he had to keep focused and see if he could make it home...

Author's Note:

Thank you for your time and attention. I have been playing with this idea in my head for years and have finally taken the plunge and started writing it down.

Constructive criticism is always welcome and I really look forward to seeing what you think.