> Beyond Infinity: The Strange New Life of Marcus > by Pen Dragon > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Looking like a Baskin Robin Employee! > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking like a Baskin-Robbin Employee The very next day started off… differently for Marcus as he was now wearing a brand new uniform that was a bit snug for his liking, very tight fitting from what he was used to. It was a Pollo with a white collar with light blue and pink stripes, and normally, he wouldn’t mind it, but it was particularly uncomfortable underneath his armpits as it was chafing. It also included a name tag with “Coal Obsidian” and the word 'Waiter' on it and an enormous pink top hat that slumped over a little with the words “Cool Dude.” "I feel like I'm working at Baskin-Robbins again, but I look twice as ridiculous," Marcus said with a dead expression. Meanwhile, Pinkie tried to contain her giggles of excitement. "Come on, Coaly! It looks good… honest!” Pinkie said, trying to stifle her giggles with her hoof… and failing. “Pffft…HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The moment Pinkie was howling with laughter as she spilled to the floor like a bag of baking flour was when Marcus began questioning his life choices. Maybe it’s not too late to ask to stay with Fluttershy… NO! Come on, Marcus! You’ve dealt with far worse! And besides, the outfit isn’t that bad! Plus she convinced the Cakes to even give me a job to begin with. Putting up with a few pranks won’t kill ya a second time. “Co-Co- CoalyHAHAHAHA! You look like a rodeo clown! Hahaha!” Crossing previous statement from my mind… Reminder to self… GET BACK AT PINKS LATER! As the party pony continued to roll around the kitchen floor, Marcus sighed as he shook his head in a huff. With a sigh and a smile, Marcus turned his attention to Mr. Cake, who only smirked at him. “Boss… is the hat really necessary?” “Come on Coal, I’ve told you the day before that you can just call me Carrot,” The earth pony chimed in, letting out a chuckle as he trotted up to him and placed a hoof around his shoulder.. “There’s no need to be so formal with me, plus Pinkie Pie means well. She’s only trying to help you with adjusting here,” “I get that, but- “Now, now, I think you must wear a uniform if you want to show everypony that you’re a trusted employee of Sugarcube Corner! Plus, it’ll mean less ponies running away from you,” He explained, giving him a reassuring smile at the alicorn as he was putting on a pair of oven mitts to pull out a fresh, steaming batch of blueberry muffins and setting them down on the kitchen counter. “I meant the hat, Boss,” he stated plainly, ignoring his request as he pointed his hoof at the monstrosity sitting upon his head. Gripping her sides, Pinkie’s fits of laughter got even louder, beginning to irritate the stallion as he turned his gaze to glare at her. Immediately, Marcus pulled off the hat and threw it into a nearby trash can before he flicked Pinkie on the nose with the tips of his wings. “Owie! Don’t be mean, it was just a prank, Coaly,” “I knew it! The moment you started giggling when that package came, you were up to something!” Marcus shouted, about to say he’d get back at her at some point, but stopped when he felt a hoof grasp his shoulder. “Now, now, there’s no need for arguing, Coal. Everything my dear Carrot said is true." CupCake explained, trotting up to her husband and planting a wet kiss on the cheek. Letting out a sigh the stallion smiled at his loving wife as he returned her affection with a kiss on her lips. Watching the sight of the two ponies show their love was endearing. “Ahem!” Marcus cleared his throat as he rubbed under his armpits with his hoof, gaining the married couple's attention. “Not to… interrupt your moment… but…” Marcus gasped, his tight-fitting outfit starting to itch worse than a mosquito bite. “Doesn’t this pollo look a little… small on me? Tight fitting? Is there a bigger one?” “Oh, sorry, deary, but I didn’t place the order for the new uniforms.” Mrs. Cake answered before pointing her hoof at a certain party pony. “Pinkie placed the order for our new uniforms.” “Well… that explains everything then…” “Oh, come on! You look good! Plus, they didn’t have anything bigger than a large… hehe… Sorry,” Pinkie said sheepishly, her cheeks reddening a little for some reason as the cakes snickered. Not wanting to continue arguing about it, Marcus decided it was better to just let it go for now. “Alright… let’s just get to work, although pink and white would have been better, to be honest. Would have fit the whole theme you guys have.” “We did at some point, but they were considered outdated, and we needed to at least revamp the uniforms.” Carrot Cake sighed defeatedly. “That… and we were sued by the ice cream parlor across town,” “Wait, what?!” Marcus sputtered. “That can happen here?” “It doesn’t where you come from?” Mrs. Cake asked. “Oh, well… more often than I’d like to admit, but I just didn’t think stuff like that could happen here, is all… I’m just surprised.” Marcus conceded while trying to divert attention away from asking even more questions about where he was from. The less they knew, the better. “Oh, would you look at the time! We better get ready! We’re opening in thirty minutes!” Pinkie shouted suddenly, her uniform seemingly materializing on her as she bolted out the kitchen door. Despite working with the mare for the past few days, Marcus was still unsure if he could ever wrap his around that pink, fluffy menace and her flagrant disregard for physics. Muttering under his breath, he reached to massage the growing migraine splitting the top of his skull like an egg, only to feel the unwelcome touch of cheap fabric. What!? How did she- PINKIE! Before Marcus could say anything, a flash of pink silenced the complaint on his lips as the dining area blinked suddenly into view. “No time to dilly dally Coaly! We’ve got customers waiting, and they are dying to see you in that new uniform~” Pinkie said, giving him a chilling, mischievous grin that Marcus knew immediately she had planned for this to happen. You evil little- You planned this, didn’t you!? He could only glare at the party pony as she ushered him outside while slapping a big red clown nose as a final touch. Leaving him with only one thought on his mind. Oooooh, I’m SO gonna get you for this Pinks… Just you wait… when you least expect it… I’ll be the one who has the last laugh. Two Days Later As Pinkie Pie groggily opened her eyes to the sudden sound of the shower running across the hall from her bedroom, she noticed that it was 5:30 on her little pink, round, ticking clock. It had a little smiley face plastered at the center of it, ticking slowly. Climbing out of her bed, she shuffled her way to the bathroom, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Just as her hooves lazily pressed against the solid white door, the large frame of a charcoal alicorn poked out from behind it, a towel wrapped around his neck and another around his waist. “Oh, Good Morning Pinks! You slept well?” “O-Oh! Y-Yeah, I did… I just wasn’t expecting to see you up so early.” Pinkie stuttered, her cheeks reddening at the sight of the stallion before her. The way his wet mane glistened like fallen snow, and the sweet scent of coconut and vanilla that filled her nose made her heartbeat quicken. “I-I try to make a habit of getting up early during the week, but I ended up getting up a little earlier than I would have liked and couldn’t get back to sleep. So I figured I’d get ready for the day this time.” Marcus explained, giving the mare an innocent smile as he trotted past her. “Well, I’ve taken up enough of your time… I wasn’t in the shower for too long, so there should still be hot water.” “O-Oh… yeah.” Was all Pinkie said as she entered the bathroom, unaware that the alicorn was secretly smirking as he made his way to his room. One Shower Later Once Pinkie stepped out of the shower, drying her mane, she felt a lot more awake. But then she looked in the mirror in pure horror. “AHHHHHHHHHH!” Marcus was seated on his haunches by the door as Pinkie stomped out of the bathroom, a scowl etched on her face as she glared at the offending stallion. He tried his best to hide the grin slowly creeping underneath his muzzle, but the hearty snort that escaped his nostrils quickly dashed any hope of subtlety. “You. Put. White Dye. In. My. Shampoo!?!” Pinkie shouted, yanking the towel off her once pink mane, which was now a cream white color. Glaring at the stallion as he started laughing. “Pffft… HAHAHAHA! Maybe next time… HAHAHAHA! you’ll think twice about messing with me Pinks… Phew… One thing you need to know about me, is that when you prank me, you better be ready for me to prank back.” He explained, watching the mare’s glaring face turn red as a tomato as her cheeks puffed up. “You do realize that this means war right?” Pinkie stated bluntly, not taking her eyes off the alicorn as he smirked confidently. “Well, I wish you good luck… you're going to need it, toots!” “HA! I should be saying that to you! If this is the best you can do, then I have nothing to worry about.” The two ended up smirking at each other as their prank war had only just begun.