The Underscore Family

The Underscore Family; Rebooted Toaster

By Zoroark

{~*~}

“One hundred thirty-three, one hundred thirty-four… And one hundred thirty-five.” Doug said with a small hint of glum in his voice as he handed his room mate the money he owes him.

“There,” Robin levitated the bits to a bag and the turned his attention towards Doug. “Now was that so hard?”

Doug frowned. “That was twenty percent of my earnings…”

“Suck it up you clock maker.” Robin rudely remarks as he trots towards the door, but stops. “And by the way, next time you take Lily to the daycare.” He turns towards Doug. “Let me know up front and not by a note, if you’ll excuse me I’ll be just up at the restaurant.”

As Robin left a now glum Doug and a confused Lily behind, Lily went to pat Doug on the back, gently tapping her hoof on his barrel.

“It’s okay dad, I understand you and Robin be fighting sometimes.” Lily stated the obvious.

“Thanks Lily… How’s about we continue with my clock shop?” Doug said, giving Lily an encouraging push with his hoof.

Lily did not need any encouragement, she was always eager to help Doug out ever since he got a booming start on his clock shop, customers in Canterlot came in and browsed the many varieties of clocks Doug had made. Some even came to get their old antique clocks refurbished while some others came in to trade in a clock for a different one.

With Lily handling the customers and Doug handling the clocks, the business stayed at a steady calm pace.

Until near closing time, one customer came in with a strange looking clock in the shape of a bird house, an old pegasus stallion walked up to the counter and placed the clock on the counter.

“S’cuse me young lass…” The pegasus spoke towards Lily.

Lily looked over to the old pony and smiled. “Good day sir, how can I help you?”

“Yes, there seems to be a problem with my clock here, darn thing doesn’t work right when the alarm goes off.” he said.

Lily looked at the clock and was almost confused about it’s overall design. “Uhm…” She stammers a bit and then looks towards Doug, who was busy with several clocks.

She shrugs and looks at the clock again. Lily carefully examined its exterior and noticed that the small doors were jammed “Oh I see what is wrong, the door is jammed.”

“What? Jam? You telling me my clock is a sandwich?” The old pegasus put a hoof to his ear.

“No, it’s just that there is a bit of gunk on the doors,” Lily levitated a screwdriver and carefully pressed the tip between the doors. “Once I pry this open and-”

Lily couldn’t complete the sentence as the doors on the clock swung open, causing a tiny animatronic chicken to rocket out and impact on her horn.

The physical strike on her horn caused Lily to double over in pain, her magic died out and the screwdriver fell to the floor.

Sensing his little angel in trouble, Doug immediately ceased working on the clock and trotted over to Lily. “Lily!” his voice full of concern. “What happened?”

Lily slowly stood up, looking at Doug. “I think something hit me on the horn…”

Doug looked at his daughter’s horn, carefully examining it to see if a bruise has formed. After confirming there was no bruise, he let’s out a sigh of relief and held Lily close. “Don’t scare me like that.”

“A’hem.” the old pegasus cleared his throat. “Is my clock fixed?”

Doug glared at the pegasus, he wanted to express his rage on the old horse but decided it wasn’t the right thing to do. “Listen here… You are going to take your clock and leave… My daughter was hurt trying to fix one of your clocks and I would appreciate it if you were to have a nice day and go.”

The old pegasus shrugged and carried his clock out of Doug’s store, leaving the two alone.

Doug went to the door and flipped the sign to closed. “I don’t think I should let you keep on working here.”

“Doug, it was one small accident.” Lily reassured. “I’ll be fine,” she took a pause and rubbed her head. “despite the burning I feel on my horn and the stinging headache.”

“That’s how it starts Lily.” He trots over to her. He took a pause as he reached for a small first aid kit.

“One small accident, and soon you will be missing an eye!” Doug exclaimed as he began to apply a bandage wrapping around his daughter’s horn.

Lily scowled, looking at him with an unimpressed face. “Really Doug? I’m going to lose an eye from an accident involving clocks…” she clicked her tongue. “Yeah, that’s something I’ve never heard before.”

“Lily, I’m being serious, I don’t want you being my assistant.” Doug then stamps him forehoof. “For now, I just want you to be on the sidelines and I’ll see what I can do about hiring another pony.”

Lily huffs, looking at Doug with an angry face. She then sighs and smiles. “Alright dad… I’ll do this for you.” Lily then trots close to him and gave Doug a hug.

Doug returned the hug, giving Lily a soft pat on the back.

The heartwarming moment was soon interrupted by some knocking on the door, this caused Doug to angrily stomp towards the door and open it.

“I thought I told you to take your bloody junk contraption of a clock and scram!”

“Oh wow, that’s a nice thing to say to me.”

Doug froze in the spot, instead of the old scruffy voice of the pegasus, he heard the voice of Robin.

He looked at Doug with an agitated look in his eyes. “Should I come back at a later time or something?”

Doug quickly shook his head. “No! No.” He exclaimed. “Lily and I were just temporarily closing up shop and about to find an assistant.”

“Uh-huh… I guess that explains the sudden outburst?”

“Well… Lily minorly injured her horn-”

“What?” Robin glared.

Doug backed up and held a hoof out. “It’s nothing serious, she is okay.” He tried to reassure his indignant roommate.

Lily came up beside Doug and Robin. “No need to get your socks in a twist, Robin. It will take more than a horn shot to take me down.”

Robin slightly ruffled her mane. “Alright, let’s head home and call it a day.”

Doug and Lily steps outside of the shop, in which he began to lock up his shop.

Lily hops up on her father’s back. “So, are you going to hire a different assistant?”

“If I have to,” Doug nodded, he then slowly trots alongside Robin. “I will have to make a few fliers and figure out what I am looking for in an assistant.”

Lily kept her balance on Doug’s back. “I am sure you got it, Dad!” he then looks at Robin. “Right Robin?”

Robin nods. “Doug is adamant in the goals he has in mind.” he then looks at Lily. “I am sure he will find one soon, he has all evening to find someone.”

Doug nods in agreement. “Yeah, and I know you two will help in making judgements.”

{~*~}

“So… What makes you think you would be right for the job?” Doug asked.

“Muffins!” exclaimed a grey coated blond maned pegasus.

“Uhh…” Doug stammered before clearing his throat. “Ah here’s a question. What do you know about clocks, Ms. Muffins.”

“I bought a muffin shaped clocked from you before and it’s doing great.” Muffins clapped her hooves in excitement.

Doug looked towards Robin and raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t look at me,” Robin said and then points at Lily. “She invited her.”

“She’s nice.”

Doug sighs and wrote down on his notepad. “Next.”

{~*~}

“So… Tell me, Lightning Dust was it?” Doug said.

Lightning Dust sat in her chair, shades over her eyes and a she was wearing a black jacket decorated with a silver lightning bolt badge on it. “You got that right.”

“What makes you the right candidate for the job?”

“Before I answer that question, I have one for you…” She then pointed to Robin who was trembling and doing his best to hide his face behind a book. “Who is that unicorn stallion… He looks so familiar.”

Robin tensed up a bit and scooched away.

“Oh that’s Robin, though I don’t know what is wrong with him.”

Lightning Dust grined before giving a soft sultry chuckle. “Robin you say?” she grins before getting up from her seat.. “Look, I think I’ll keep in touch. I just want something on the sidelines for when I’m not on duty.”

“But you didn’t get to answer my question.” Doug let’s out a disatisfied whinny.

“See ya, Doug.” She got up and hovered near Robin. “And nice to see you again, Robbie~.”

Robin let’s out a soft squeak and cowered behind his book

.

Lily looked at the shivering unicorn. “Robin doesn’t look too good.”

 “Robin, do you know Lightning Dust?”

“Nope! Next! Call in the next pony!” Robin exclaimed, completely dodging Doug’s question.

{~*~}

Okay, um... 'Vinyl Scratch', tell me about yourself."

A white unicorn with a punk blue mane simply bobbed her head with her headphones.

"Um... ahem, Vinyl? I'm interviewing you, do you mind?"

Vinyl only continued to space out to her music.

"Excuse me!"

Vinyl snapped into attention, sliding her headphones down her neck to make her ears available.

"Good. Now, Vinyl, what makes you want to work in a clock shop?"

Vinyl Scratch shrugged.

"Next."

{~*~}

Doug, Robin and Lily had been busy on trying to find the best assistant for Doug, but to no avail. Doug let’s out a whinny of disappointment, he made no progress and wasn’t too keen on hiring Ms. Muffins or Lightning Dust.

Lily could see how much it meant to Doug on finding somepony else to help him. She trotted towards her father and gently pats his barrel. “Don’t worry Doug, it’s not over yet until the game over text appears.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Doug asked, confused by Lily’s phrase.

“It means you still have a chance to find an assistant, and I bet she will be the most mind blowing pony ever.”

Ding-a-ling!

Lily and Doug’s ears perked up, their attention turned towards the door.

A grey coated, brown mane unicorn mare had trotted inside, she wore a strange gadget on her left hoof, a faint green glow illuminated from its screen. The mare lifts her hoof up to look at the device and nods.

“Hey chucklenuts,” the mare spoke in a hasty Manehattan accent as she looked towards Doug and Lily. “Which one of you two is in charge of this place?”

Doug stared at the mare, he began to rub his eyes. “That can’t be who I think it is…”

Lily let’s out a fan girlish scream and faints back in excitement.

The mare scrunched her face and scoffs. “Ugh can you believe this girl, purples?” She gently tapped Robin.

Robin blinks and raised an eyebrow. “I think I’m going to call it a day… I’m starting to see things…” He then went to trot out through the door.

Doug trots to the mare. “No way, You are Little Pip!”

The mare snickered. “Not necessarily.” She then sat on her haunches and folded her hooves. “ The name’s Stable Toast, I used to play as her for the live action series Fallout: Equestria…” she took a heavy pause and closed her eyes. “But some stuff went down, I threw in some colorful words and decided to split from the studio..”

Doug’s grin got wider, he claps his hooves together as he was eager to hear the voice actor of his favorite character, but he stops as his thought process began to function.

“Wait a second…” Doug then points a hoof at Stable Toast. “How do I know you are Little Pip and not some wonky cosplayer of her.”

Before Stable Toast even got a chance to speak, Doug began to barrage her with questions.

“In the Book of Little Pip, the following chapters one through six focused on her concern for who?”

Stable Toast was going to answer, but Doug whinnied out.

“In the IronshodFireArms she began to loot the place, what gun did she found?”

“It was the-

Stable once again tried to answer the question, but Doug whinnied again.

“I’d say you be a bloody spy or a changeling!” He huffs through his nose. “Chapters ten through twelve are known as the ‘What’ Arc ?”

Stable closed her eyes, a chuckle escaping her lips. “Celestia’s sweaty plot you are just like the studio fanboys at the conventions.”

“Aha! So you do ad- HRK!?” Doug’s words were cut off short when a green aura clasps his lips shut.

Stable Toast scowls and glared at the incompetent stallion. “Good Goddess Celestia, what will it take to get it through your thick skull?” she asked before pushing Doug on the ground. “ I swear by Celestia’s solar-heated libido you barely gave me a damn chance to answer the fucking questions, you headshotted earth pony! I’d rather eat a roadkill skunk and down it with beer than to be bothered by you!”

Stable Toast finished her tantrum. Panting in frustration, She then turns her head and there was a crack noise. “Oh for the love of Luna that felt good.”

Doug looked up from the floor, eyeing Stable Toast with glee.

She looked at Doug and removed the aura from his lips. “Now what?”

Doug shot up quickly, beaming with excitement. “Well, you proved me right. Only one mare I know from Fallout Equestria has that colorful choice of words.” He then looks at her cutie mark, spotting a shiny toaster. “But why isn’t your cutie mark a pip buck?”

“Because I couldn’t get the design artist to change my cutie mark, said it would wash out in the showers.” she sighs. “Anyways, I have experience in the field of mechanics, mainly toasters.”

“Welcome aboard, Stable Toast.” he then shook her hoof. “I am sure you will enjoy your time here.”

“Yeah yeah, sluggah.” she mumbles. “So Greenie, what will I be doing with these…” she motions her hoof. “clocks.”

Doug cleared his throat. “I am a clock tinkerer, I make clocks of various shapes and sizes. I even repair a few here and there.”

“Hey dummy, I was referring about me.” Stable Toast blurted out.

Doug blushed nervously and nods. “Right, right... “ He cleared his throat again. “You will be helping the customers out with any questions they need about clocks… And since you have experience in repairing stuff…” He rubbed the back of his head. “You can give me a hoof in repairing them.

“Alright, no problem here.” Stable trots closer to Doug and raised her hoof up. “We good on the matter?”

Doug looked at the hoof and shook it. “Yes yes, you can start tomorrow.”

“Alright, so it’s cool if I bring my stuff over right?”

“What?”

“Cool, see ya next day boss.” before Stable Toast got up, she looked over to Lily and points at her. “Is she alright?”

Doug trots over to Lily and picks her up, carefully setting his daughter on his back. “She’s fine, just over excited her idol is here.”

Then suddenly realization kicked in and Doug stared indignantly at Stable.

“You realized you just cursed around my daughter, right?” Doug pointed out.

“Well if somepony gave me a chance at answering the questions… I wouldn't lose my fu-” she quickly covered her mouth with her hoof.

“What was that?”

“Nothing…”

Lily slowly woke up from her state of excitement, she turns her attention towards Doug. “Oh dad, you wouldn’t believe it!” she pronks up on to her hooves. “I had a dream that LittlePip had came to you and wanted a job, and-”

“It’s no dream, toots.” Stable Toast pointed out.

Lily looked at Stable Toast, she held an even wider grin. “It really is you.”

“Yeah, yeah. How many times are we going to go through this, sh-” she quickly covers her mouth.

Lily tilted her head from Stable’s odd behavior while Doug eyed her cautiously.

“Uhm…” Stable’s eyes looked left and right, before she cleared her throat and began to ruffle Lily’s mane. “Don’t get too excited, toots.”

Doug spoke up. “Now that all has been settled, I would like to see you first thing in the morning.”

“Yeah yeah…”  Stable uttered and left the store.

Lily turned towards Doug and asked. “Why do you think she left the studio?”

Doug shrugged. “I don’t know, I never bothered to ask her.” He then trotted out of his store and began to lock it up.

“What if she left the studio due to it’s fandom?”

“While I will admit it is a valid reason, it’s not a good one.” Doug responded back to Lily. “Because most franchises have those crazy adored fans that tend to exaggerate their loyalty towards it.”

“Like how you barraged Stable with those questions to see if she was the authentic actor and not some ‘wonky cosplayer’.”

Doug froze up in the spot and glared at his daughter. “I would prefer if I wasn’t the example, thank you.”

“Oh come on Doug, you are a perfect candidate. Especially with your weird guttural whinnies.” Lily chuckled.

“Looks like someone wants a-”

Unfortunately, Doug could not complete his sentence as Lily made a guttural whinny for the purpose of cutting Doug off.

Doug huffs through his nostrils. “Lily, I am being-”

Neigh!

“Would you please-”

Neigh!

“Lily!”

Neigh!

Doug sighs as he trotted down to his house, Lily’s incompetent neighing only irritated him more. Although his thoughts were mainly clouded with agitation, he was curious to Stable’s motives upon leaving her previous job. He had difficulty coming up with reasons and thought this is something he could learn another time.

When he opened the door, Robin had been standing in front of the door. “Hey Doug, got a minute?”

“Uh, sure…” He trotted in his home and stood near his roommate. “What’s the problem?”

“It involves Stable Toast, I found something out about her.”

Doug rubbed his chin. “Continue.”

“Wait!” shouted Lily as she got off Doug and sat down. “Okay! Tell us.”

“Well if you were to look in the newspaper, you would find an interesting headline.” Robin said, his horn shined as his magic conjures in front of him and out appeared the newspaper. “Give it a look.”

Doug looks at the levitating article. “‘Rainbow Crash dashes her way into the Wonderbolts…’ I think you got your mares mixed up.”

“Wrong article, it’s the one below that.”

“‘Renown actress tells off Director for reboot decision.’ Well that sounds interesting.” Doug remarked and then continued. “Last week there has been a rumbling disturbance happening in Canterlot Entertainment Studios. Stable Toast has called it quits and left the studio after the director decided to reboot a series. Stable Toast was a prop maker and an actress, with the latter being well known. She played the role of ‘Little Pip’ in the live action series, Fallout: Equestria. Stable Toast was greatly opposed of rebooting the series to make it appeal to the younger demographic. This ‘reboot’ was going to be named; ‘Fallout: Equestria Go!’”

Doug looked at that phrase again… and mutters it. “Fallout: Equestria Go…” He scrunches up his face and shudders. “Even the name sounds awful.”

“I thought the series had a kid friendly version with most of the bad words and filler removed.” Lily said.

Doug turned his attention to Robin, “So why did you bring this to my attention?”

“Doug, I wanted to let you know so that you can deal with those ponies with only left handed arguments.”

“What do you mean?”

“You may receive some aggression towards your store… because a lot of ponies are against Stable’s decision. The studio even banned her from the place and she lost her job as a prop maker too.”

“I see…” Doug nods. “But I am still going to hire her, regardless of the past.”

“Just be careful okay.”

Doug nods and gave Robin a hug, he then went to trot towards the couch to rest on it. Tomorrow will be a new day for him.

{~*~}

Stable Toast had been trotting down to her apartment, she entered in her home and fell on the bed. “I gave up the joy of being an actress, for refusing to join the series reboot and I’m now back at the bottom.” She muttered to no one in particular.

“But now it seems like I’ve done nothing but reboot myself…” Letting out a long sigh, she rolled over to get comfy on her bed. “What fun life that will be…”

She took a long pause, before a smile came to her face. “But then again… I’m glad someone was willing to overlook my decision and give me a chance… Thank you, Doug.”

no capping after three periods, it technically counts as a kind of coma, like a semicolon.

This is a paste tense story, like most are. Keep it that way.