/ 2. Twilight Sparkle - Employee at Large/ Story: A world without a rainboom/ by Mocha Star/-/
Try as she might she just couldn't get her magic to work. *Bzzzt**Bzzzt* Sparkles were all she could make as the egg before her stayed motionless. The evaluators yawned sarcastically. "Twilight Sparkle thank you for your time. The exit is to the right," the center one said as the rest of them turned left and walked away, their clipboards hovering beside them as they whispered amongst each other. Twilight sat before the egg and scowled at it.
"Why? Why wouldn't you just hatch at the same time. Coincidence happens, right?" Her eyes welled with tears as she turned and ran to her parents who embraced her into a hug.
"It's okay Twilight. These things happen. You tried your best and that's the important part. Let's go home and get you some eggplant parm. Would you like that?" Twilight nodded and sniffled.
"That's my favorite," she replied meekly as she looked at her mother. "Mom, I really thought I had a chance. If only I had practiced more, or studied more."
"Twilight Sparkle, you did all you could. We still love you and nothing will change that," her mother replied.
"Yeah, sweetie. You'll always be our #1 daughter," her father said cheerfully.
With a smile Twilight giggled as she embraced them again. "I'm your only daughter, silly."
"Come, let's go home. We have a lot to do."
"Okay mommy," Twilight replied as she followed them. Passing the egg she felt anger as she looked at it. Stupid dragons.
"Welcome Home, Twiley! I can't believe you made it in! When's the first class?" Shining Armor said as his parents entered their home. He was full of pride until he saw their expressions. Looking at his sister walking behind them he felt his pride fall like a rock and foolishness replaced it. "Oh, Twiley. I'm so sorry, I can't believe they didn't accept you."
"Yeah? Well they didn't." Twilight screamed as she ran past him, beginning to cry loudly as she ran to her room.
"Shining, I can't believe you'd do that."
"Mom, I didn't know. How could I? She was a shoo in! I had no idea she wouldn't pass!"
"That's no excuse, son. Wait until supper to apologize. Go wait in your room."
"But, daaad."
"No 'buts.' Room. Now. Go." With a huff Shining stormed upstairs to his room in frustrations as the parents went to the den to talk. "Velv, what are we going to do now? With Twilight I mean? She only cared and focused on magic studies. Now all that has failed her. You heard her in the cart on the way back home." Night Light hung his head as he sat beside his wife on the couch.
"I know. I know. She's done studying magic. She hates Dragons. I'm okay with that last part, but eleven years of obsession and it turned out to be worthless in the end. What'll she become now?"
"All we can do is support her until she gets her cutie mark and finds her place in the world."
"Thank you come again," Twilight said to the last customer of the day as she followed the mare to the door and locked it behind her. Returning to the cash register she opened it and removed the till with her mouth. Walking to the back office she placed it on her bosses desk. "Here you go sir. Another day another bit."
He smiled at her. "Here you go. 20 bits for a great days work." Tossing a bag of coins to her she caught it with her magic then let it fall to the floor before picking it up with a large smile. She turned and trotted happily to get her saddle bags and go to her evening job.
Today was great. I made 20 bits for six hours work at the store and I'll make another 15 tonight cleaning the school. Tomorrow I get to work at the coffee shop and then it's off to play mechanic. I'll have enough bits to make rent by the end of the week and have some left over to go home and see mommy and daddy in Canterlot Saturday then be home to good old Manesota in time for Sunday nights shift at the mill.
Twilight happily gathered her things and left the hobby shop then galloped to the school. Using her key she opened the door and locked it behind her. Walking to the janitor closet she gladly gathered her broom mops and bucket and cleaning cloths and set about cleaning. What I really like about this job is how clean my hooves get. All these natural cleaning supplies are great for the coat too. I don't get why unicorns have to live to use magic. I'm doing just fine without it.
Twilight finished her job quickly and efficiently as usual then stored her supplies in their designated spots aligning them each by order of most important to least for the next janitor. Every time I come in it's a mess in here. I wish they were as organized as me, it'd make this job so much better and efficient.
Being a trusted employee she was left her pay in a small bag in the closet which she collected into her saddle bags and left, locking the door behind her. Spitting the key into her bag she trotted home with pride in a great days work.
Her apartment was clean and well organized with everything in a labeled place. She had a nice movie collection and paid for electricity every month early and always had a stash of 35 candles and matches; just in case her neighbors needed one or two. Turning on the lights she dropped her bags and collected her money. She counted it to make sure her day's wages were there then went to shower. After her shower she watched 37 minutes of TV while eating a quick store bought meal before bed.
Another perfectly well organized and successful day. I even got an extra six minutes of TV. I have to ask Poppy what happened during the last 24 minutes of that crime show. It was so interesting. Looking back at her cutie mark she smiled and left the cushioned chair she was on for bed.
Her cutie mark a broom, cup, and hammer in a circle pattern with a small purple star in the center. Mostly denoting her various abilities and organization. She never knew what the star was for but her parents always said it was because she was their star. That was good enough for her.
Finishing the week she counted her bits and smiled a wide grin. "I get to see mommy and daddy this month!" She jumped and giggled then stopped as a knocking came from her floor. "Sorry Miss June, I get to see Mommy and Daddy in Canterlot!"
"That's great, now stop that infernal noise making," a muffled elderly voice shouted from beneath her.
I keep forgetting why these apartments are so cheap. She smiled as recounted her bits as hummed a happy tune as she piled her bits into what bills had to be paid, a meal allowance for the weekend in Canterlot, and a train ride there. Moving the bits on top of the associated bills she had received she put the remainder in her bag and trotted quickly to the train station to buy her ticket for Canterlot.
"I get to go home to see my parents! Isn't that great?" she asked the ticket sales pony.
"Yeah, fantastic. You must be thrilled," she replied with no enthusiasm looking at a book before her.
"I am! Thank you for asking. Okay, thank you, have a nice day," Twilight said as she went to wait for the train. I said my line from work. Have a nice day. It's evening and I said have a nice day. I'm too excited to care. Smiling she waited and watched the clock. Three hours until the train arrives.
"Twiley!" Shining shouted as he embraced his sister.
"Hi BBBFF! How's the greatest captain of the guard doing?"
"Great! I have a lot to do but I got this weekend off to see you. How's work?"
"I have seven jobs now and it's amazing! I'm the best employee at all of them and I make more money than any part-timer at them all," Twilight beamed. Shining let his smile fade as he wrapped a foreleg around his sister.
"And, how's your magic?" Twilight pulled away from him and scoffed.
"Who needs it? Pegasus and Earth ponies don't. They live fine." Shining nodded and smiled. He learned years ago to not press the issue of magic on his sister.
"C'mon. Mom and dad are out back having tea at the table. They'll be so happy to see you." With that they raced to the back door to see their parents. Sharing hugs Twilight smiled as wide as her mouth would let her as they told her about their week since they had last written her. She listened intently and enjoyed the conversation.
"Mom, Dad, Shining. I missed you all so much. I'm doing so well in Manesota. The apartment is nice and my jobs are going so well."
"Oh, jobs now?" Velvet asked, "How many was that again, three?"
"Seven! I'm the best at all of them." Her mother coughed into her cup at hearing that.
"Seven jobs? Why so many?" her father asked.
"Because I don't like having just one job. It's boring. This is more like an adventure! I get to see new ponies all the time and help them with their problems and I even have a couple friends, well, more like acquaintances. Well, more like a cat that I see every couple days. We watch TV together and buy in pizza."
"TV? Pizza? Who are you and what have you done with the real Twilight Sparkle?" her father joked, "When you were living here it was always light salads and books books books."
Twilight sighed and forced a slight smile. "I don't read anymore, not since I moved out. I have my work to keep me busy and when I have relax time I like to watch TV. Is that so bad?"
"Not as long as you don't look at your rump," Shining joked as Twilight punched him in the shoulder. "What? Your lack of exercise is making you have eggs on your sides." Another hard punch made him yelp while laughing.
"Shining, stop making fun of your sisters... Growing attraction."
"Daddy!" Twilight shouted growing embarrassed.
"Okay, okay. Stop laughing at Twilight. She's had a long night of traveling and she just got here, and, you're going to make her feel as bad as her hips look." Her mother joined in on the guys laughing as Twilight looked down at her sides. I am getting chubby. Starting with a chortle Twilight joined in the laughter. I love my family.
"Oh Celestia, dinner was amazing mom. I had three servings of Eggplant Parm. I haven't eaten that much in a few days."
"Coulda fooled me," Shining laughed. Twilight threw a napkin across the table at him.
"So, Twilight. How's your love life in Manesota? Find anypony?"
"DAD?! At the dinner table?" Twilight said as she felt herself blushing.
"And you think the den is a better place? C'mon then, let's go so I can ask you there," he said standing up.
"Ugh, fine. I met somepony, but it was only one date and they weren't too interesting, okay?"
"Awe, my little girls growing up before my eyes. What was his name?"
"Mom, I don't wanna talk about this."
"Why sis, was he ugly?"
"No, they weren't ugly. It's just," Twilight trailed off.
"Why do you keep using pronouns? Is he a Zebra? I mean it's okay if he's a Zebra, we're an open household."
"No mom, she's not a Zebra."
"SHE?" they all said in unison. Twilight sank into her chair and took her plate to cover her face from her family. The dropping of what little food there was left on her lap was dismissed behind a light squeal she made.
"Wait, my little sis is a lesbian? That is so cool!" Shining laughed.
Looking over her plate shield she saw her parents smiling as her dad got up and left the room. Oh no, he's going to beat me. Maybe I'll be kicked out of the family. Oh Celestia, please help. Her father returned a few seconds later and dropped ten bits onto the table in front of her mother. "You win," he said. Shining began laughing loudly in his chair banging his hoof on the table.
"Wait," Twilight said lowering the plate and sitting up in her chair, "You knew?"
"Honey, my little angel. When you were younger you donated all your books to schools and libraries, remember?" Twilight nodded cautiously, "Well, you didn't do anything with those magazines under your mattress," her mom snorted as she said it.
Shining fell out of his chair onto the floor while her father began laughing into his hooves.
"Oh. My. Gods. Are you serious? You knew all these years and placed bets on it and didn't tell me?"
"You didn't tell us," her father said as he buried his face in his hooves. Twilight sat back in her chair as her family laughed and she felt like her face was on fire. "Sweetie," he laughed, "You look like a beet!" He fell over from his chair laughing as her mother began to laugh. Twilight gave in to the embarrassment and crossed her forelegs.
I can't believe this is happening. With a giggle Twilight joined in the family laughter.
I can't believe the last day went by so fast. So much happened and I wish I didn't have to leave, but, I have a life to forge on my own. I really enjoyed window shopping with mom and going for a tour of the palace with Shining. Dad took me to that play, and I got this cool snow globe as a memento. "GOODBYE MOMMY, DADDY, SHINING! I LOVE YOU AND I'LL WRITE OFTEN." She called from the train as it pulled away. Back to real life.
