Blowing off some Steam: Adagio and You
Chapter 1 (Third Person): Retail Sucks
“Welcome to Swell Burger, home of the Swell Burger, may I take your order?”
Adagio softly whimpered as she said that phrase. This was not supposed to be her life. It wasn’t that she minded working, or even being without pendants. Actually, her singing voice returned, as did Sonata’s and Aria’s, but they just couldn’t feed on the negative emotions anymore, or attempt to enthrall anyone. If she was able to concentrate enough she could get some adoration for what she was doing, but it wasn’t enough to get everything handed to them.
Before she was able to get a house rent free, groceries, for free, meals for free, anything and everything she could ever want just handed to her. Now, now that her talent had been returned to what it once had she could bring some joy to those listening, and maybe, just maybe, get someone, that was kind anyway, to give her enough of a chance to get a crappy job.
That’s how she’d finally managed to get this job, and the one at the Taco Hut… The same Taco Hut that Sonata constantly came to and ate her free meal, every day, right before she’d take her lunch. There was times she wanted to scream and punch something. Of course that was more Aria’s arena than her own. She looked at the customer, a pink haired woman that seemed to have her hair styled up like frosting, and her two ankle biters.
At least the two kids were behaving. Most of the time she had to deal with super bratty kids screaming about how they didn’t get the toy they wanted. No, these two were behaving, but their mother was looking at the menu behind her like she was trying to read ancient Equestrian text. She had to keep her eyes from rolling. She needed this job, she needed this job, she needed this job…
“Hmmm, what happened to the Swell Burger Kiddie Combo number six?”
She kept the smile on her face, “I’m sorry Ma’am, the Kiddie Combo Number Six was removed in place of the Super Kiddie Combo. If you’re interested it has enough fries, Swell nuggets - chicken or veggie, and dipping sauce for two children.”
“Oh, well I’d think about it, but I want Pumpkin and Pound to get their own toy surprises. I’ll take a Super Swell Burger with Cheese Adult Combo number two, onionrings instead of fries, Sweet Tea for the drink, A Swell Corndog Kiddie Combo number three, and a Swell Cheese Burger Kiddie Combo number one and both of those with Apple Juice please.”
“Okay, just to make sure we have this, you want a Super Swell Burger, with cheese, Adult Combo number two, a Swell Corndog Kiddie Combo number three, and a Swell Cheeseburger Kiddle Combo number one, both with apple juice, anything else?”
“You know, actually, instead of that Super Swell Burger with cheese, could I get a regular Swell Burger with Cheese combo?”
“Of course.”
She started to ring it up.
“No, I’ll take the Super Swell Burger with cheese.”
She bit her tongue, canceled the current order, retyped it in, and prepared for the massic ass chewing that Golden Arches was going to give her for putting the order in before ensuring the customer was fully decided.
“Thank you Ma’am, your order is number fifteen.”
She watched as the woman walked away with her two anklebiters, and she turned around to see him. His impossibly red hair, pasty white skin, and those red glowing eyes like some kind of imp or devil staring directly into her soul. She was thankful that Golden Arches was just a human, because if he any kind of magic she’d been scared to death of him.
“Dazzle, what’s the first rule of taking an order here at Swell Burger?”
“Check to make sure that the customer is actually ready to order, I know, I did…”
He stopped her with a glare, “No. You didn’t, because if you would have been sure then you would have known that she wanted a Super Swell with cheese instead of a regular swell with cheese. Your mistake has cost Swell Burger seventy-five cents in prep. I’m deducting it from your pay.”
“That’s not fair! I checked!”
“Uh huh, oh wow… I noticed that you were getting close to forty hours this week. Clock out.”
“Y… You said that I could work forty hours this week! I need the extra…”
She stopped when he glared at her, “It’s not my problem. Clock out, and leave.”
She rolled her eyes, walked toward the back, and saw the Swell Burger with cheese, onion Rings, and drink cup that had been prepped for the first order. It was sitting on the counter, ready for the trash, and she picked it up. If she paid for it, then she was going to eat the damned thing. She grabbed the cup, filled it with coke and ice, wishing it was something stronger, and walked to the timeclock. She swiped her badge, walked out, and unwrapped the burger.
The first bite at least tasted decent. That meant that Junebug was working the assembly line. She looked at the ground, her mind going back to the battle of the bands, their losing, and then heading back to the house they had rent free. They were there less than a hour before the couple that let them stay came by. They couldn’t work their magic, and soon they were out on the street.
Luckily there was a church on the same street that offered shelter for the homeless. She was awake all night, listening to a woman moaning and crying about her husband. She heard children whimpering, and she could do nothing but mourn her previous life. The next day had been just as hard. A trip to the part of town where those without money got a bowl of soup, a slice of bread, and told that it was lucky they could have that.
That cycle lasted for over two months before she was able to get Short Stack, the owner of this place, and a Waffle House apparently, to decide to give her a chance. From there she saved back the money and managed to get them into an old run down mobile home. It was better than nothing, but so far she was the only one working. Sonata didn’t have the attention span to do much, and Aria… Aria tried to have a job. They were lucky that the employer was willing to drop the entire thing and not press charges for her punching a customer that was being a douche.
She finished her burger, the onion rings, and sipped on her coke. She looked at the pavement, staring at it, and realizing that this had to be what it felt like to be just above rock bottom. In a way, she wondered if this was what her life was going to be like from now on. Was she forever doomed to work a job she hated, two jobs she hated, just so that she could afford a place that was little more than a roof over their heads? It sucked, the entire thing sucked. Retail, working, managers, customers, and right now sisters sucked.
Hanging out (Second Person)
Blowing off some Steam: Adagio and You
Chapter 2 (Second Person): Hanging out
She smelled like French Fires. There was no better way of saying it. Her long curly hair was soaked with sweat, her red and white uniform had grease stains, splash-on mishaps from mustard, ketchup, and other condiments, and her eyes weren't looking straight ahead, or up, but rather she was looking at the ground.
Beside here a half empty cup of Coke sat, most likely it was one of the small luxuries she was allowed in this purgatory known as a part-time job. She picked it up, taking small delicate drinks.
"Everything okay?"
Her attention never left the bit of pavement in front of her.
"It's fine."
Anyone could see that it wasn't fine. She was upset, obviously so, but it didn't make sense why she would be so upset. Sure, the job sucked, but then again what job didn't?
"You sure? Look, I know that we don't know each other that well, but I'd like to think that I'm easy to talk to."
Her nearly inexpressive face takes an expression of annoyance.
"Fine, I've got to work this job, another one at the taco hut, go to school, deal with my two sisters, keep us fed, keep us in a home, and I'm on my own. So what advice do you have on that?"
She was angry, her words were sharp, her eyes finally turned and the violet orbs had a hard glare that even a blind man could feel and notice.
"I know what it's like to go through that."
She laughed, "Really, be still my heart, a kindred spirit."
"Seriously, I know. I've been on my own for a couple of years now. Well, not exactly on my own. My little sister and brother live with me. I've been working here, and at Silly Billy's Pizzeria and arcade for about three years now."
Her glare softened, "You the one that has to wear the gator suit?"
"Yeah, And deal with the crotch high punches, that's me."
She let out a slow long whistle, "And I thought that the Taco Hut job sucked," she stretched out her hand, "Adagio."
You do the same, "Second. Nice to meet you."
"Second, seriously, your name is Second?"
The question makes you laugh, "Yeah, I know, my parents weren't known for their imagination," you sit down beside her, "So, your sisters, I take it that you're the responsible one?"
She nodded, "yeah, something like that. I've always been the responsible one. I just hate that this is what I've got to do, and it looks like it's going to be like this forever."
You nod and look at the sunset, "It does, but then there are those nights that the world sort of gives you a break. A chance to let off a little steam. Actually, I was about to go let some off. If you don't have to go to your second job tonight, you're welcome to come with."
She smiled, "Why not. I'm finished here anyway. Let me walk inside and change out of this... grease rag."
You wait for a few moments until she walks back out. From the looks of things earlier you could certainly see that she was cute, but in her street clothes, she was a fox.
Her hips were wide, filling the daisy duke shorts she was wearing, her ugg knockoffs rode just high enough on her calves to accent the fishnet stockings she was wearing, and the tank top set it off.
It was obvious that Adagio was a punk rocker, and You were more than cool with that. Together the two of you walked down the street, heading past another evil and vile place known as Silly Billy's Pizzeria and Arcade, and instead the two of you walked in next door to it.
Silverball's Arcade wasn't the loud obnoxious place that Silly Billy's was. There was kids, but most of them hung out near the racing games. Instead, you walked over to the DDR machine.
She watched as you put in two dollars, enough for two people, offered the stand next to yours, and then the both of you began to match the patterns.
You were fair, not great, but fair at the game.
Adagio seemed to gracefully nail every single step. She stepped, spun, grooved, and twerked until she claimed her spot on the top ten list. She looked at it, obviously scrutinizing where she landed, shrugged after a moment, and stepped off of the machine. The two of you looked at it, and then you noticed skeeball.
Motioning toward her you put a quarter into the machine.
“Skeeball?”
To answer that you tossed the first ball landing it into the thousand point target. She watched as you nailed the thousand and the five hundred targets alternatively. Each toss landed a few extra points, and finally, in the end, you claimed your tickets. You put another quarter into the machine, and Adagio give it a go. Where you had killed the Skeeball machine Adagio played a more novice level. The two of you walked up toward the counter, and together you both had about fifteen thousand points, or about five thousand tickets.
There was a ton of stuff that you would have liked, but this wasn’t for you. Instead you looked at the gaming system. It wasn’t the most current one, in fact it was the last generation, but it had two games in it, and you knew that it could connect to the web if she had access at her place. But that’s if it was what she wanted.
“So, what will it be?” the large older man asked.
“Lady’s choice,” you said.
Adagio looked surprised, but her attention turned back toward the assortments of prizes. A smile crossed her face, “Do I have enough for that laptop?”
He looked at it, checked the points from the tickets and then from the sign under the laptop, “Just barely,” he replied.
“I’ll take that. Thanks.”
The two of you walked out, and she carried her slightly older laptop under her arm. You walked out until you realized that you were nearby the place you called home. Canterlot Towers Apartments. It was the part of town that most folks drove by a little fast because they felt a little afraid of being there after dark.
The fact that she lived out here meant that she wasn’t kidding about being the sole provider for her family. She stopped, and you looked at where she was. Two streets over was Canterlot Towers Apartments, but here, this was Starlight Mobile Home park. You’d heard stories of Starlight, and none of them were exceptionally good. You walked with her down the cracked asphalt and cement, until the two of you came to a stop in front of an old trailer.
It was off green and white, there was places where rust had eaten into the metal sides that made the shell, and she looked at the windows.
“Thanks for this. For this evening, it was… I needed it.”
She leaned over and kissed you, “Maybe we can do it again.”
“Ummm… Yeah, sure, that sounds like a great plan.”
The door opened and a head with light and dark blue hair stuck out. “Adagio’s got a boyfriend!”
She turned toward the girl and while you weren’t on the receiving end of the obvious glare you could see the result. The girl eeeped, pulled her head back inside, and disappeared, “Sorry about that. My sisters are idiots.”
You laughed, “It’s okay, I’ve got siblings too. So… maybe we’ll see each other again, soonish?”
She grinned, “I’ve got next monday off from both jobs, and I’m fine with skipping, you?”
You smile, “I’ll trade a couple of shifts. See you Monday!”
She grins kisses your cheek, and walks inside. You’ve got a date on Monday… Oh Shit… You’ve got a date on Monday!
Author's Note
(AN: This is what happens when I've got little to nothing to do, my mind wanders, and I end up finding an idea like this. Hope you enjoy!)
