Sweets And A Dash Of Rainbow.

I finished getting dressed and started out of my house. I looked up to observe the clouds and was immediately aware of a hidden pegasus in the sky. I ignored her and ran off into town. The cloud followed from a distance, never venturing too close, but obviously following me.

I did my best to pretend like I didn't notice or care, but the looming shadow was beginning to make me uncomfortable. I hurried on and spotted my new workplace. I sprinted the last few meters, slamming into the door and stumbling into the building.

A soft sugary voice met me. "What the fuck!?"

I steadied myself and peered back out the door. The cloud was hovering above the building. "I think- no, I know I'm being followed." I closed the door and locked it behind me. The swirly headed mare gave me a look of pure disdain. "Look I'm sorry, I'm here to work but that freaked me out!"

The mare pushed me out of the way and looked outside. "Okay...you're not crazy, but I'm gonna need you to not do that again." she pulled her head back inside and double checked the door. "Who is that in the cloud?"

"Don't ask...some mare I shtupped."

She raised an eyebrow as one of her legs raised off the ground. "Shtupped?"

I walked over towards the counter. "Ehhhh...we banged." I deadpanned, leaning against the counter. "Doesn't matter though, I'm just here to work."

The swirly headed mare nodded and lead me behind the counter. "I just need somebody to help me wrap." the smell of sugar filled my nose as I watched her point out a few different stations. "You wear gloves and everything, just wrap the hard candies and put them in the bin when you're done. Got it?"

I walked over and found a glove dispenser. I tore a cheap pair of plastic gloves out and pulled them on. "No hair net?"

She looked at me. "Hmm...good point...do you shed a lot?"

I shook my head. "No ma'am, no I don't."

She bopped her hoof on the ground, giving out a satisfying clop. "Then just keep it short and you'll be fine." A loud ding came from the storefront. "Well...that's a customer, have fun." she walked to the front and left me to my work. I took a wrapped and twisted it around a piece of candy and made sure it was tight. The next few minutes were full of peace and quiet as I simply wrapped candy after candy and tossed it into a waiting bin.

I finished up with the batch she left me earlier than I thought and looked around the room. This place had everything from taffy pullers to sugar vats. The smell of granulated sugar was enough to give anybody high blood sugar. I walked around the shop, eventually going into the front.

I stopped dead and hid behind the door as I saw who my new boss was talking to. "Rainbow Dash...you can't go back there." she blocked the flamboyant mare from walking past.

"Bon Bon just let me go in, you want bits?"

Bon Bon shook her head, making her mane bob as she pushed Rainbow away. "Was that you chasing my employee?"

Dash froze in place, slowly backing out of the shop. "No...." she bolted out of the shop and down the street.

Finally safe, if only for the moment, I walked out and stood next to Bon Bon. "So...proper introduction time?"

She gave me a lazy look of disapproval. "You just heard my name...you're Ryan. We done?"

I stuck my hands in my pockets. "I guess so. Is there anything...like...I don't know, work wise that I should know?"

Bon Bon looked to the side. "Hmm...you know the times, you know me, I guess you can run the counter if you really want." she pulled a small paper note out from under the counter and held it for me. "Prices, it's mostly by the pound."

I looked it over and set it on the counter. "Easy enough." I went to work and idly sorted things, swept up, and made myself as useful as possible as the day progressed. The hours melted by as I did my best to work as quickly and as quietly as possible.

Bon Bon caught me as I was moving from the storefront to the kitchen. "Ryan, counter time?"

I tucked the rag I had in my back pocket and nodded. I went behind the counter and tended to the ponies who were browsing. A butter yellow mare walked up to the counter. "Hi there, candied apple?"

I ducked behind the counter and found one of the sticky treats and handed it over. The mare quickly tossed the appriate bits over and started walking away. "Seven...eight...ten...twelve- twelve!? Hey miss." I hurried out the door and caught the mare in the street. "Wrong change, here." I tucked the bits in her bag and ran back.

"Oh wow, thanks!" she smiled wide as I backed into the shop.

Things were quiet as I walked back inside, I spotted a filly chewing and walked over to her. Watching her reach into a bin and pull out a singular piece and stuff it in her mouth. I let out a rough cough, startling her and making her spin around. She got bright red and started ducking down. "Sorry...."

I shook my head, it was hard to be mad at such a young girl. "Go on get...." I scooted her out the door with my foot and went back to the counter, taking care of a few ponies and letting things simmer down. The rest of the day went slow, I minded the counter while Bon Bon did continued to do whatever she was doing.

I watched as a final pony popped in, Rainbow Dash in a trench coat and a mustache. She sauntered over to the counter and adjusted her mustache. "Why hellooo there. I need some...candy."

I couldn't give a more cynical look to her if I tried. "Well...you're at the right place. Did you have a preference?"

Dash was just staring at me, watching my every move. I snapped my fingers in front of her. "Wha huh!? Oh uh...yes, I need...candy."

I rubbed my forehead and leaned against the counter. "You already said that."

Dash once again didn't answer, instead just staring at me with a dumb look half covered by her mustache. "Yes...candy...."

"Rainbow Dash...." she perked up and smiled wide. "Get out."

Her mustache fell off, fluttering to the floor. She looked livid and hurt, making me more than a bit worried about my safety. "Just come hang out with me, come on, just for a little bit."

I shook my head and made a passive look. "Nope."

"Yes!"

"Uh uh."

"Please?"

"No ma'am."

Bon Bon peeked into the room. "Ryan, you got this?"

"I think so. Now Dash...out." I hopped the counter and started walking her out. "Go, get, andele!"

"But I-"

"Nope, work now. Hire me again if you really want." I slid her out the door and closed up. She pressed her hooves against the glass and slid down as I walked towards the kitchen. "Bon Bon, we done for the day?" I found her working with the sugar vats. "Bon Bon we done?"

She turned around keeping her hooves busy boiling sugar water. "Yeah, you did everything I can think of today. Good work by the way, I don't think the shops been this clean in years."

I flicked my fingers off my brow. "Happy to help." I walked out and started heading home. Dash trotted out from behind a bush and trotted beside me.

"Hey there...so where we going?"

I let out a long sigh. "Dash...I'll call the guard."

Dash slowly listed closer to me. "So your house?"

I stopped and turned on my heel. "You know what, okay, fine, drinks. Nothing else." I charged down the street and started walking towards a bar. I threw the doors open and headed towards the bar. I slid into a bar stool and flagged down the bartender. "Berry, hey. Little bit of hard cider please."

Berry nodded and brought the mug over, Dash jumped up and sat with me, leaning as far towards me as she could without falling off the stool. Berry watched her nervously. "One for her too?"

I fished the bits out and handed them over. "For her? No, I'm not buying drinks tonight." I took the mug in my hand and started drinking.

Berry gave Dash a slightly sympathetic frown. "Did you want anything Rainbow Dash?" Dash ignored her and continued to try and lean into me. "I guess not." Berry wandered off to the other side of the bar.

I finished my drink immediately. "Dash...you need to stop this."

"Just hold on...I can-"

I was starting to get annoyed. I picked her up and scooted to the side of my stool, letting her sit with me and lean against my chest. "Rainbow Dash, you listening?" she let out a soft hum. "Great. Now you need to stop this, you can't follow me around town."

"Well then just hang out with me, that's all I want."

"Lies!" I slammed the counter with my mug. "Don't lie to me...."

"I'm not!" Dash nuzzled my chest. "I'm really not.... Please, just hang out with me on the weekend, all day. Then I'll leave you alone if you want!"

I stood up and moved to the edge of the bar. "Fuuu- fine. Sunday, knock or something." I flagged down Berry. "Something heavy, I just need to get hammerd fast."

Berry had a worried look as she poured a small amount of absinthe into my mug. "Careful Ryan...."

I slammed the horrid drink and set the mug down. "Make- oh shit...make a...fuu-uuuck. Tab, make a tab." I stumbled to the door and made it to the street. I lurched down the street for nearly an hour before winding up in the park.

Unsure of how I got there I waited until I was sober enough to walk, and headed home. I slammed into the fence and tossed my body over it, landing in Cranky's garden and passing out.