Growing Sun

by MorbidTheBrony

Job Application

Two months have gone by ever since Sunset Shimmer first arrived in the human world. She has been doing quite well on survival. She still sleeps inside of CHS' gymnasium but has to leave the school during school hours. She finds money on the ground and spends it on food. Most nights, Sunset spends her dinner at Coleson's Coleslaw but only orders small meals to save money. She has learned more and more about her body and has adapted really well on using her new limbs. Life couldn't be better.

There was one small problem... She knew she couldn't live like this forever. Almost every night Sunset would fear she'd eventually get caught sleeping in the school and fear she wouldn't find any money anymore. There was only one option for her if she wanted to survive to see her future. Sunset Shimmer needed to find a job. Heck, she even found out that students at Canterlot High had jobs. That was another sign for her.

She thought at first she should try get a job at Coleson's Coleslaw. She already got along well with Orelda so there was no harm in trying. Sadly though, they weren't employing so that was a total let down for the poor bacon haired girl.

At night, she'd think to herself what she should get a job as. Obviously nothing that paid much but at least she would earn money rather than seeking out to find some on the edge of a pavement.

So one day, Sunset had prepared herself to set out to find a job at the local mall but every store she tried either wasn't employing or she wasn't qualified for.

"Store clerk, nope! Chef, nuh-uh. Phone agent, don't understand why that's a job in the mall," Sunset listed down all of the jobs she tried but was turned down. She went on, "Sports centre! Animal shelter! Ugh! Isn't there one job that would want to employ me?!"

After Sunset had shouted in annoyance, the eyes of everyone that surrounded her had their eyes fixed onto her.

Sunset blushed and rushed out of that part of the mall. She eventually stopped when she thought no one was looking at her anymore.

Sunset looked at the shop currently sitting closest to her and this is when she knew her prayers had been heard. She looked at this shop's window. There it was, the 'Help Wanted' sign. She took a second to examine the store; it was a sushi restaurant. The large name that sat above it read, "寿司" (Japanese for sushi).

"Whatever... that means," Sunset said. She took a sigh, "If this place doesn't employ me, then I oughta just give up." She wouldn't be surprised if they didn't, she'd been let down literally all day.

She stepped inside of the restaurant. In terms of business, this place was doing fine. In terms of employees however, she could only see two. One working the kitchen, a man probably in his forties, and the other, a young girl about Sunset’s age, working both waitress and cashier.

She stood at the back of the line, waiting to ask about the help wanted sign.

~Later~

Ten minutes passed, she had only moved two spaces forward, still had six more to go. Sunset looked to the front and saw that the cashier lady wasn't even there.

'What th-? Where is she?' she asked to herself.

"This is outrageous!" shouted a man at the front. "Where's the cashier?!"

Then everyone in the line started complaining. All except Sunset. She just stood, clearly losing patience fast. Her foot began furiously tapping the floor, waiting for the cashier to come out of hiding.

The cashier had finally emerged from the door leading to the bathrooms, plunger and bucket in hand. She through them in a closet and took her place back behind the counter.

"Sorry for the holdup, everyone," she said. "What can I get ya now?"

~40 minutes later~

Sunset was still nowhere near the front. She couldn't understand what was going on, orders were being taken but she felt like she hadn't moved at all. She looked down at the front again. The cashier was there but it looked like she moved back some spaces.

She counted everyone in front of her. Seven. Seven people now stood in front of her. Sunset looked at the person standing directly in front of her. He definitely hadn't been there the whole time.

"Di- did I get cut in line and didn't notice?!" Sunset silently asked herself.

She tapped the shoulder of the man in standing in front of her to get his attention. He turned back to look at her.

"Hey! You cut in front of me!" she told him.

He didn't return with a reply and looked back at the head in front of him.

Sunset wasn't going to take being ignored, "I'm talking to you!" Nothing.

She was beginning to get very irritated.

"So it's going to be like that, is it?" she whispered.

After saying that, Sunset immediately made her way to the front paying no attention to all the others.

"Hey, she's cutting in line!" said the man who stood in front of Sunset.

The cashier girl looked at Sunset.

"Uh. M'am, I'm going to have to ask you to get back to your-"

Sunset raised her hand and interrupted her, "I'd like to speak to the manager about the help wanted sign outside."

"You're going to have to wait 'til I get everyone's orders ready," The cashier returned.

"Listen, I've waited for almost an hour only to get cut in front of. If I'm going to do this, I'm choosing now to do it."

The cashier sighed.

"Fine. Stove? This girl here would like to speak to you," she called.

The man from the kitchen started walking towards the counter.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"I would like to ask if you still have a job opening and if I could take it?" She said.

"Yeah, sure. Let us just get these people some food first and then I'll see what I can do. Fine with that?" explained Stove.

Sunset looked back at the line of customers. She knew she have to wait a while and it wasn't like she had any other choice.

"Fine, I'll wait," Sunset tried to say without moaning.

"Right. Oh, by the way, could you give us your number so we can call you when you're ready?" Stove asked.

"I don't own a phone," Sunset admitted.

"Ah, right. Then at least stay close by to the restaurant so we can find you."

That annoyed her a bit, but decided to let it slide.

"Alright..."

Stove clapped his together.

"Right! Now we're back in business. Don't want to keep these loyal customers waiting any longer," he said walking back into the kitchen.

Sunset walked back out of the restaurant and rested on a nearby bench.

~2 hours later~

Sunset was still waiting for Stove to tell her she can come back in now.

"...78,79,80," she counted. Sunset got so bored, she started counting the people who walked by without losing count.

"...86,87,88,89-"

She was interrupted mid-count by the sounds of the restaurant's doors. Stove walked out.

"Alright, you can come back in now," he finally said.

Stove, being the gentleman he was, held the door open for Sunset as she walked inside. There was no more line but the restaurant was still packed with customers. Stove led Sunset behind the counter and into the kitchen. Metal pots, pans, knives and spoons filled the large metal sink. The grills were all dirty. The floor wasn't very clean either. None of this bothered Sunset very much. She could handle a little cleaning, if that is what she gets the job for.

"My office is just through here," Stove said.

At the very end of the kitchen was a door. Stove held the door open for the red-head once again to let her in.

"You're welcome..." said Stove

"Huh? Oh, yeah, thanks," Sunset said with no care.

Stove rolled his eyes and walked over to the other side of the small, well kept room behind a small desk with a computer.

He gestured Sunset to take a seat and that she did.

"Alright, interview time!" he started. "First question: What is your name?"

"Sunset Shimmer," she answered.

"Sun-set. Shimm-er," Stove said, writing. "Next question: Do you have any cooking experience?"

"I'm not bad at cooking. I used to do it quite frequently back where I used to live."

Stove continued to write down her answers on a piece of paper. Sunset could swear she saw him shake his head slightly. That made Sunset quite nervous.

"Okay, next question: How are you with people?" asked Stove.

Sunset thought that was a weird way of wording that question but just rolled with it.

"Some may say I'm very good when it comes to dealing with people," she answered honestly.

"Alright, good, good," Stove said quietly.

The questions continued for a few more minutes and Sunset answered all of them honestly.

"Alright!" Stove rose from his seat. "From what I've gathered, you're an honest girl but can be quite aggressive when annoyed. If you want this job, you'll have to promise me you won't show any aggression towards my customers. Don't want this restaurant to have a bad name now," he explained.

Sunset put on a light smile.

"I'll see what I can do," she said.

"Perfect," he said. "Alright, I'm going to have to fill out a bit of paperwork, and make some decisions on what you'll work as. If all goes well, you should start your first day tomorrow morning at 9AM. Is that okay?"

"I guess," she replied.

"Great. I'll see you again tomorrow, "Sunset Shimmer"," Stove addressed her.

Sunset walked back to the door leading into the office.

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Stove," she said.

Stove chuckled, "Please, just call me stove."

Sunset returned a laugh and let herself out.

Sunset was on her way out but was stopped before she could walk out the door. She turned her head around and saw the cashier girl.

"So, how'd it go?" she asked.

"It went fine. I'll be back here early tomorrow," Sunset answered.

"Hope he wasn't pressuring you too much," the girl said.

Sunset smiled at her. "Nothing I can't handle."

Sunset left the restaurant with confidence. She was finally getting somewhere in this world.

"Maybe this world isn't so bad after all," she said to herself.

She opened the front door to the mall and was shocked when she looked up at the sky.

"How long was I in there?!" Sunset screamed.

She arrived here in the morning and now, as she leaves, it is now late at night.

She huffed. "Hopefully the school is still open."

Sunset started running her way back to CHS.

~One run later~

She made her way to the front door and tried to push it open. It didn't move.

Sunset's eyes lit up in anger. "Oh come on!!!" She screamed once again.

After throwing a little fit, Sunsetmade her way back to her old sleeping bush from her first night in this world.

Author's Note:

Next time: "First Day".

I hope everyone who reads this is enjoying the story as much as I am writing it.

Comments

[Scholarly-Cimmerian]

XD This was lots of fun.
I am definitely going to be following this story, and see how Sunset's first day goes.

[MorbidTheBrony]

Thank you all so much for the really nice comments!
I never imagined my first story would turn out so well, but it really brightens my day to know that it is.

[Sapphire Rose 12]

I'm enjoying this story! Although, why didn't she just turn around and go back through the portal if she was starting to regret her decision? It couldn't have closed on her, could it?