Chapter Two: Job Hunting

Please, don’t ask me who the father is, because quite frankly I still have no idea. He was undoubtedly just some good looking stallion who’d gotten me drunk late one night after work. A fun night that I'll never recall, and one that undoubtedly ensured he’d walked away with a spring in his step, while I was stuck with the foal he'd never even know was his.

I didn't know which part of it made me feel worse, the fact that I’d missed out on the one pleasurable experience in my relatively recent life, or that I didn't care. I'd hated working at that stupid bar anyway, all the bucks there just treated me like something they could buy. A few times, I’d wished I was the pony who was only interested in somepony else for their goody bag. I also wished I could be somepony who could walk away from such things without a care in the world.

The tingly nausea in my gut was a monument to the fact that neither of those wishes would ever be true, not that I cared about that either. Nevertheless, after four weeks of relatively normal life, the sickness had forced me to take a test, and the smiley face that it had turned up. had heralded the loss of my life. It only took a week after that for everything I knew to completely fall apart. That was why I’d wound up here, with no bits, my bags and the rest of my unwelcome baggage.

I looked down at the cracked sidewalk as those thoughts crossed my mind, my hooves dragging lazily against the pavement as I walked. Seven jobs, four ponies saying no, one closed sign and one "we'll be in touch." Any hope that I’d had for that last one, had now died however. It had done so the moment I’d seen the pretty mare who'd gone into the interview after me. She'd been dressed all fine and fancy, what I’d assumed to be her supportive parents had been manufacturing her into a paragon of business excellence, before offering her kind words as she’d boldly entered in my place.

That idea made me want to scream, yet the only thing to suffer my wrath was a small pebble as I kicked it aside and trotted on. It was getting dark, the sun was setting and the only things to light my way were the street lights, and those of the stores either side of me. I'd found myself in a less desirable corner of town, and as if the graffiti and boarded windows were not enough, the looks several passing ponies gave me did more than unsettle my serves. Yet, as my horn flared and I levitated out my greatly reduced list of jobs, I laid eyes upon the last hope.

Nightlights, was the sole name remaining upon it. I'd hoped that my search would not have to come to this. But, it seemed the only establishment I was good for was a bar, or nightclub in this case.

“Well, at least the application shouldn't be too hard,” I assumed. “So long as you don’t mention your current predicament, you should be able to get a few paydays in before they catch on.”

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted seconds later as something warm and firm hit my muzzle, forcing the levitating scrap of paper flat against my face. Recovering from my initial shock, I pulled the paper away to see a flaming wheel. No, a cutie mark?

"Hey watch it!" A rather large, gray stallion shouted, turning to me sharply.

I shrank back, stashing the paper back in my tattered bags.

"Urm, I'm sorry. I, I… I didn't see you there." I stutter timidly.

The larger buck merely snorted, shaking his head with a low growl.

"You're lucky you're cute filly" He grumbled, before turning away.

I swallowed my fear, taking his words as a complement rather than an insult. Then I looked ahead to see a long line of similarly gruff ponies.

“So this was Nightlights?” I mentally surmised, catching a glimpse of the bold sign above the far end of the line, and cautiously trotted forwards.

I made it only a few steps however, before I found another pony between myself and the door. He was a large, black, earth pony stallion, whose eyes were shielded by a set of dark shades.

"Urm... I... I’m here for the job opening?" I squeaked weakly, levitating out the scrap of paper.

It was no surprise that my moving right to the front of the line, disgruntled a lot of rather mean looking ponies still forced to wait. But, I was not here to have fun, so what were they missing if they let me past? The security buck tilted in his head, peering over his dark shades with one green eye, then he smiled. It was a sly, almost wicked grin.

"Very well, go right on in" He offered, stepping aside and motioning to the doors with a hoof.

I shivered again, but swiftly obliged. The inside of the place left about as good a first impression on me as I had on it. It reeked of smoke and alcohol, not to mention the scent of more than a few sweaty ponies. The air was thick, and hung like a heavy blanket over everything. Bright colored lights flashed and laser beams lanced across the smoke filled darkness. The bold illuminations revealed a shimmering dance floor filled with raving ponies, the smooth surface under their hooves a rainbow of light.

At the far end was a stage. A rather wild looking white DJ, with electric blue mane and eyes covered by purple shades, controlled a vast assortment of booming equipment from atop it. She certainly was producing an awful lot of noise, and as the thundering electronic music mixed with the sound of chatter, I could hardly hear myself think.

“Well, at least your employer wouldn't be able to hear your stomach growl in here, not like the last few awkward times.” I thought.

In fact, the only evidence of my condition was the slight cramp in my gut, and I could ignore that for now. Slowly, I made my way through the frantic sea of ponies and towards the brightly lit bar. Most were once again, larger than me. It was at times like this, that I really hated being such a small mare. Eventually, such pushing and shoving deposited me right before the bar however, and by sheer chance, an empty stool that I promptly placed my rump upon.

I tried not to glare at the ponies either side of me as I waited for any kind of staff member. That took far longer than I was expecting however, and after a while I began inspecting my worn hooves. When I finally grew tired my cracked and aching limbs, I set about twiddling a set of straws that sat upon the bar top beside me.

The place was hardly any different to where I’d used to work in Manehattan. But, I knew I couldn't make the same mistake as last time twice. At least, I didn't think I could get pregnant while I was already carrying another pony’s luggage?

"So, what can I get you sweetheart?" A sharp, sly voice suddenly asked, and I almost tumbled back of my stool in surprise.

Seconds later, I clumsily recovered and looked round to see a green coated buck, with black mane and tail looking at me skeptically from across the bar.

"Please, if you want to go and hurt yourself do it outside." He said drily, but his words were lost to me as I fished out my scrap of paper.

"I'm here about the job opening." I stated, placing the paper down on the bar and looking at him hopeful.

He looked back at me like I was an idiot, then scratched the back his neck and cocked his head, seemingly perplexed. I nudged the paper forward gingerly, trying not to allow my desperation to show too much.

"Oh, you mean that opening?" He finally realised, and my hopes flared.

"That thing was filled about six weeks ago, must have forgotten about the ad" He stated nonchalantly, and like that, my hopes deflated like a balloon.

"What... But... But?" I fell into a fit of stutters, but once again he just looked at me like I was stupid.

"Look are you going buy anything or just mumble, because I can have you kicked out for that you know?" He asked, and I grasped my words best I could.

“Are you sure? I really, really, really need this job, I'll do anything, just please" I pleaded, but he shook his head.

“Nope, we're good here sorry".

"Please" I insisted.

"Sorry can't help you!" He repeated, growing impatient.

"Please, please, please, please" I begged, ready to fall to my hooves and grovel if I had to.

"So, I take it you're not going to buy anything then?" He asked dryly, completely ignoring my desperation.

I felt my heart sink and my stomach twitch and I shook my head.

"No, I'll just go" I sighed, and at that, he moved on to a more bountiful customer.

“By Celestia why was that never me, why was I always the lowest of the low?” I thought as I watched him leave.

I didn't even have any idea what to do with myself anymore, all I did was slip off the stool and turn back to the crowed with my head held low.

"Hey babe, heard you were looking for a job?" A slurred voice asked me, through a series of hiccups.

My head raised slightly, and it didn't take long for the drunk stallion whose voice I’d heard to present himself. At the first sight of him, I recoiled at the scent of his breath, then fought not to gag at the sight of his sickly smile.

“I may be able to help you with that" He added, clumsily stroking one of my forelegs with a hoof.

I shivered, moving the limb away. I knew exactly what kind of work a drunk buck like him was interested in, and no matter how desperate I was I would not stoop so low.

"No, I... I'm fine thanks. In fact, I was just leaving" I told him, and attempted to move by.

All he had to do however, was raise a forehoof and my escape was cut off.

"Oh so soon, now why would a pretty filly like you what to leave?" He asked, moving forwards.

I backpedalled away until my rump hit the cold, metal legs of the stool, and once again an uncontrollable eep, escaped me.

“Common Lavender, just give the kind stallion what he wants and we can all leave happy. He’ll get some fun, you some bits. Besides, it’s not like you can get knocked up again, right?” My mind offered weakly, but the thought sickened me.

The stallion gave a sick laugh, the reek of his breath like that of a dragon.

"C’mon babe, let's go find somewhere more quiet.” He suggested, wrapping a forehoof about mine.

“Oh by Celestial. how could this get any worse?”

"Hey baby, this little colt giving you trouble?" Came another stranger's voice.

I looked over my shoulder to see another equally drunk blue buck, a glass still in his hooves. Instantly, I thought to nod, but I knew the newcomers intentions were probably about as noble as my rear end.

"How's about you come with me and I show you a real good time?" The he asked, with a wry smirk, completely confirming my suspicions.

I swallowed nervously, and frantically searched for a way out that didn't end with me in one of their beds tonight.

"Hey back off, I saw her first!" The former buck challenged, but the latter stepped between us, forcing his grip on my foreleg to slip.

"Look around, I see a lot more flank! Epically stallions, you look like the kinda guy who's into all that!" The second retorted, before starting to laugh.

"Why you little!" The former growled, before jumping on his verbal aggressor.

Both fell into a drunken hoof fight at my hooves, and immediately I took my chance.

"Hey babe where are you going?" One asked suddenly, then an outstretched hoof dragged me back.

I tried desperately to shake it off, but the fight seemed spared through the drunken mass like wildfire and countless others began to join in. I looked back at the buck who had hold of my hind hoof, only to see him smacked across the back of the head with a stool.

“By Celestia only you could come into a bar looking for a job and leave having started a fight like this!” My mind scorned, then ushered me to leave as soon as I could.

Even so, the fact that I couldn't even do this right stung. Nevertheless, as the buck’s grip slackened, I broke free and made for the door as fast as my hooves could carry me. The sea of scrambling bodies became far rougher, and I was shoved and pushed to the point of almost being crushed. But, if there was anything a lifetime of failure had taught me, it was to push forward and keep trying. Sure enough, that idea didn’t fail me, and the door appeared before me moments later.

“Almost there, almost there” I mentally told myself, reaching out for the handle.

Yet, the world could never be so simple. There was a loud smash, then an explosion of pain in the back of my head, then I fell to the foul smelling floor with a heavy thud.

“Oh well, at least I didn't have to fall asleep on the cold street.” Was all I could think, as pain blossomed through my skull and I finally blacked out.