To Be a Clown or Not to Be?

Ring! An alarm clang woke up a grumpy stallion up one early morning at his expected time. He groaned and slammed a hoof on his alarm clock. The stallion in question tried to go back to sleep, throwing the covers over his head, promptly ignoring the call to start the day. However, knowing better, the alarm clock rang for a second time Ring! This time, he roared, taking a hoof and slamming it on the alarm clock again. This time, he was quite disgruntled, slowly getting up reluctantly and the stallion had an angry face at seeing the sun rising through his window by Princess Celestia and yet he still didn't want to get up from his comfortable bed as he grumbled, ""can I get a few more minutes, please?!" He pitifully bargained with the disc in the sky.

He then rolled his head to his bed and saw that it read six A.M and mumbled, "I better get up." he finally relented, the pony named, He looked around the fancy well-kept studio apartment he was renting out with it is well furnished and very conservative with jewel statues, some gold candlesticks, a dark blue carpet, and an elegant light fixtures overhead.

However, once again, the tired stallion rolled back in his bed mumbling. "I can get a few more minutes." He amended, and then He began to fall asleep again, but only a few minutes later. A third ring came from his alarm clock and slammed a hoof on it as expected. The grumpy stallion then slowly got up and dragged himself towards a mirror. Looking into the glass with his gold eyes, and gazed reluctantly at the now-familiar image with his light yellow coat, a glossy blue mane, and tail, his cutie mark was a silver platter was sticking on his rump along with a clean-shaven face. There wasn't a trace of any humor, or excitement on his face with his disgruntled image, with his bed head mane and with bags under his eyes staring back at him; he was quite depressed. "Ugh, I can't wait to go through another dreadful day." He drawled sarcastically with seeming practice.

The stallion grumbled irritably as he slowly walked towards his bathroom and went to his shower and started to scrub himself clean. He felt odd in his new physique was way sturdier than his old one, for lack of a better word. Where he used to continually twitch and gitter with anxious excitement in his early days, he could now stand still unmoving for hours at a time and ready to assist in a heartbeat. He continued to scrub himself diligently, making sure that no dirt of filth was still clinging on his coat And after his shower, the stallion then began to shave his stubble beard professionally and waxed his kept, then brushed his teeth until they were pearly white; not that pony would ever really get the chance to see. Moving on, here poured himself a cup of black tea, with sugar and milk, accompanied with an everyday piece of toast with some butter on it, as conservative exciting as it gets for him. After he ate his meager breakfast, he grumbled and walked over to start getting dressed in a fancy looking tuxedo complete with a white front shirt, black coat with lapels and a bow tie.

Along with a pair of white elegant shoes sparts, he looked at himself in the mirror from ears to hooves placing a name tag on his right side of his coat with Silver Platter printed on it with beautiful calligraphy. The well-groomed and well-dressed stallion, quickly wouldn't look out of place amounts Canterlot's elite noble ponies proud serving staff looked at himself and with disdain and the stallion gave a deep sigh, "time to get this over with." He then slowly walked off, looking down at the ground miserably; once again, not looking forward to another drudgery at his new job and career.

As Silver Platter came out his apartment a bell hopper, who he knew worked at a nearby hotel, much to his dismay, was getting up as well hopping out of his apartment with a cheerful smile on his face, ready to face the day with excitement. The still teenage looking colt had a disgustingly bright orange coat, wearing an equally brilliant and well press red bell hopper uniform and cap with Sunshine Smiles written on his name tag, sporting a giant poofy ginger red mane and he had big yellow puppy love eyes with a big smiling sun holding a suitcase for his cutie mark. The bell hopper bounced right over to the hoof dragging still awakening Silver Platter seeing that he wanted to cheer his neighbor up and make him smile and shouted, "hello my fellow neighbor! How are you this fine morning?" he asked with a guileless smile.

Silver Platter rolled his eyes to see him; it was always too early to put up with the still colt-ish looking stallion; out of all the ponies that he had met recently, he was the most obnoxiously annoying pony he's ever met! The irritated waiter snapped back. "Look I have a lot going on today so can you just leave me alone?" He lamented having to put up with his cheerful this early in the morning like he thought every morning since he moved in this building last month.

It wasn't so much that he was all up on him in excitement every time he saw his still acne riddled face, or at how his unruly mane was inconspicuous as a road pilon, though he would just add that at the long list of grievances of the colt merely just existing, but there was a pang of envy, and dare he reminded himself, of a longing lost.

The Bell Hopper chuckled as he hopped alongside the miserable-looking waiter not wanting to give up until he can make the waiter crack a smile. "Oh, come on! Today is going to be amazing! Another day another bit, I always say."

Silver Platter just rolled his eyes at the idea of looking forward to today he was expecting more of the same with his job, cleaning the silverware, the tables, and the floor as well as serving the same snobbish nobles who are never satisfied and scoffed, "more like half a bit." He grumbled more to himself, then his thoroughly unwanted companions.

Sunshine snickered as he stomped a hoof and chuckled, "That's hilarious! Half a bit!"

Silver Platter eye twitched a little as he started to get annoyed with his asinine dribbling and snapped back. "I wasn't trying to be funny, now can you please leave me alone." In equal part pleading and groaning

Sunshine was persistent in annoying Silver Platter as the two continued to walk off down the streets of Canterlot with him always laughing referencing Silver Platter's silly comment. The waiter was feeling particularly moody today. However, he continued onward with head drooping downwards and was grumbling irritably. Many ponies gave him an odd look while some even moved on the other side of the road. Silver Platter didn't care as Sunshine continued to pester him with nonsense questions he was muting out from his mind. However, a few school foals came bounded over towards them all shouting, "Sunshine!"

They all ran straight into the bell hopper's hooves, making him fall onto his rump as he ruffled their manes and laughed, "Hey! I'm so happy to see you!"

Sunshine Smiles continued to play and nuzzle the foals as Silver Platter looked down at what was happening with disdain and growled, "I can't believe you can stand those little brats." He couldn't help but be even further annoyed with more youths near him clamoring for attention.

Completely ignoring the foals all gasped as did Sunshine Smiles who responded, "oh come on Silver Platter go and tell them that joke…"

A school colt just scoffed. "Silver Platter can't make jokes, let alone crack a smile." jeering at him...

The stallion gave the colt a cold glare. "You better keep that mouth shut before I shut it for you."

He eeped and stepped back as Sunshine Smiles scoffed, "well he has a point Silver Platter come on and tell us that joke."

The stallion gave a deep sigh and grumbled, "fine! Sunshine Smiles mentioned another day another Bit, while I responded with more like half a bit."

The foals around him all just snickered and Sunshine Smiles was the only one rolling on the ground laughing. "Oh, that was great! I'm going to tell that to everypony I meet!"

Sunshine then jumped and exclaimed, "now you foals go run along!"

They did just that waving goodbye as they ran down the road. Silver Platter shook his head as he can't stand being around foals. "How can you be around those annoying brats is beyond me."

Sunshine Smiles landed a hoof on the annoyed waiter's shoulder. "Oh, stop that! You are just being grumpy and need to cheer up! Now I need to get going to work! see you later, my favorite neighbor!"

The overenthusiastic bell hopper bounced off as Silver Platter shook his head and grumbled, "where does that guy get all that energy!?" reluctantly making his way to work.

Silver Platter continued on his way down the street trying to avoid contact with any more ponies, by sticking his muzzle up in the air snobbishly and giving a disdainful look at anypony who came near him. The stallion eventually came upon the restaurant he works at. It was a simple-looking building with "The Delightful Brunch" the sign was quite fancy, as was the inside through the large windows with the giant golden chandeliers overhead, tables with crisp white tablecloths draped over them, there were other waiters and waitresses all going about cleaning and prepping things for the day. Everything seemed nice and clean, but it was empty as they don't open for another few hours, and he still had a lot to do before then...

He slowly went through the doors as the head chef he was a big chubby stallion with a grey coat, silver eyes, a black flowing mane with a white apron tied around its belly. The giant of a stallion who everyone called Iron Kettle gave him a cold glare and snapped at him. "Hey, Clown! I need you to start wiping down all these tables and mop the floor. We have Fancy Pants and a lot of high nobles coming for a giant brunch!"

Silver Platter rolled his eyes. He hated his boss as he constantly nagged about everything and made his job harder than it needed to be and sighed, "yeah alright, anything else I should know."

"Yeah! Please don't mess anything up; I know you were once a stupid birthday clown before so please don't screw anything up. When they come, serve the food and only speak when spoken to understand?"

Silver Platter gave a disgruntled nod and was doing everything in his power to keep his emotions in check being reminded of his past and responded, "Sure, that's fine."

He went about going about cleaning off the tables, thinking about his old life. He used to be a clown named Button Nose. He used to perform as children's birthday parties and at one particular party, he was turned into a fancy waiter. Afterward, he was unable to make jokes or be funny and was quickly fired from his old job. Despite his new personality and his more serious demeanor, he daydreamed going back to being a clown.

The stallion seems to be lost in thought while cleaning he turned to see a newspaper that reads. "Pinkie Pie Destroys the Classical Trio after Rarity's strange bursts of magic?"

Silver Platter looked down at the newspaper with an odd look. "Hmm, the Classical trio? Wait that was the mariachi band that was turned into classical musicians!"

The headline brought him memories of learning that it was Rarity one of the elements of harmony did this to him! He got so angry, thinking of the mare who took his old life away and was going to tear the newspaper apart! However, as he took it with his hooves. But he got a little curious and continued to read the article.

The Three once known as the Classical Trio was a kids mariachi band in Ponyville when a strange magic turned them into the best trio of artistic talent in Equestria. However, it seems they were miserable despite all the fame and praise they received. Pinkie Pie, the element of Joy, decided to help them and had reverted the three to now a silly band that plays music for foals at birthday parties once again. We appreciate the fact she helped them find what they loved, but we lost the talent of some good classical music as well. On another note, one of the trios was turned into a mare that looked a lot like Octavia and renamed herself Viola, and she is now marrying the violinist Resin. As odd as it is, we wish them the best.

Silver Platter's heart stopped Pinkie Pie that silky pink earth pony fixed them! But...how!? Is it possible, maybe just maybe...Could he be fixed too?

"Hey! I don't pay you standing around reading newspapers get to work!"

Silver platter shouted back at his boss. "Alright!" He growled taking the newspaper and shoving it into his coat wanting to read it more later. The water went about the restaurant making sure things were ready for their wealthy patrons. However, his mind drifted to thinking about how he was once a clown and how miserable his life was now. He had to shake his head and growled "I need to concentrate that's all in the past now. I'm Silver Platter a simple waiter in Canterlot. I'll probably never be happy again."

A few hours go by, and the restaurant finally opened with Fancy Pants, and dozens of his friends started strolling in all of them laughing.

The head chef came out with a nervous smile. "Welcome to A Delightful Brunch! Please make yourselves at home!"

Fancy Pants gave the chef a delightful smile as he was trying to get him out of the way to continue his conversation. "I thank you for your hospitality now friends go on and let's continue this conversation once we settled with some good food in our bellies."

They went about and sat in the restaurant. The chef turned around and shouted, "Hey, Silver Platter! get your rump over here!"

The stallion sighed trotted over to the chef who handed him a tray filled with cups filled with tea and coffee. Silver Platter gave a deep sigh still being many about his situation as he then walked among the tables and started hoofing out the rich ponies didn't even look over at him and taking their orders and going with their conversations.

The meal dragged on as dishes of fried eggs, veggie bacon, fruit salads, small pancakes, and waffles were served among them. Silver Platter seemed engrossed in doing his job to care until that it he then heard Fancy Pants tell a joke, "so I was out on the town the other day after seeing Celestia raise the sun and a thought occurred. If the sun can be raised because of a cutie mark on your rump then maybe I can raise more bits if I had that on my rump!"

The rest of the nobles laughed and chuckled at the lame joke, and it was apparent a lot of the laughter was forced.

Silver Platter was sweating a little as he thought about the article again thinking he maybe could be a clown again. He wanted to try telling a joke. so he gulped and stammered, "so..um...well wouldn't it be more hilarious if you had a house for a cutie mark and every time you lifted it, one would appear?"

All the nobles just coughed with only one laughing Silver Platter feeling quite awkward of only getting one wit from his lame attempt as a joke, quickly skirred off with a sheepish smile, shameful or embarrassing himself and for just a moment, hoping that he could manage to crack an actual joke again. Only then he spotted some uneaten apples on one of the tables and got an idea, and desperate and ill-advised plan, but anything to find the glory of his old self again. Silver Platter thought maybe if he wasn't good with jokes, but maybe, just maybe, his juggling skills were still there somewhere inside of him. He then went about throwing the apples in the air and squeaked as the apples hitting some nobles in the head and splattering on the ground. He squealed and began to quickly clean things up the chef who was at the bar setting down more trays and shouted, "Silver Platter get your sorry rump over here!"

The waiter quickly walked over, cursing at the ground, knowing he was going to get chewed out.

The chef bent down and whispered, threateningly, "What are you doing! are you trying to embarrass me!?"

Silver Platter shook his head as the stallion placed another tray on his hoof. The chef snapped, "Just go out there and serve food you're not a clown anymore."

This hurt as the stallion slowly walked over and continued to serve the noble ponies feeling quite mad at himself. Why was he taking this? Why couldn't he find the courage to tell this chef that he never wanted this! Why did he have to deal with this! He wanted to be a funny clown who could crack jokes, juggle, and make balloon animals!

The stallion peered up at the noble ponies were now snickering at him, and he knew that they were laughing at him! Something snapped in Silver Platter's mind yes he still had the mindset of a boring waiter forced to serve these fancy ponies, but he wanted to prove he could be funny!

He saw that there was a special meal flaming shish kabobs on one of the platters on the bar with various fruits he took them into his mouth and tossed them in the air and started to juggle them! The noble ponies watched in disbelief seeing that this waiter was actually pulling it off! He was juggling the shish kabobs like a pro. Soon they started to clap and began cheering him on. Fancy Pants stood up, clopping his hooves on the ground "bravo! Bravo!"

Silver Platter still with a serious face was starting to sweat from concentrating, but he was feeling a tiny bit happier than he had in a long while. But it all ended as Silver Platter suddenly tripped and gasped in horror seeing his flaming shish kabobs landing on the tables and having them burst into flame. The fire spread throughout the dining room as the nobles began screaming and running to the exits. The rest of the staff all tried to stop the fire by pouring water on it. Iron Kettle himself got out a fire extinguisher, but the fire was already climbing up the walls and onto the ceiling. Silver Platter stayed behind trying desperately throwing water onto the flames, but as the fire had now consumed the entire building, he had no choice. The waited and out of the restaurant and into the streets. A fire carriage was already on the scene with them using fire hoses to shoot at the flames. Silver Platter stood there, shaking in fear as he watched the building consumed by flames eventually being smoldered by the firefighter's efforts. Soon his boss burst through the front doors with his face now a bright red with steam seething from his nostrils shouting, "Silver Platter you're fired! You're finished! You'll never work at another restaurant as long as you live!"

Everypony turned to the angry and disgruntled Silver Platter who ripped off his tuxedo with bravado sending pieces of black cloth and buttons to fly all over. He slammed it on the ground and gave the tuxedo a few stomps with a hoof grinding his fancy clothes into the ground and exclaimed, "Fine Fire me! I'm done trying to be a stuck up waite I'm going back to being a clown!"

Silver Platter turned around with a humpf! He then ran off towards his apartment with a bright smile on his face. For the first time in a long time, he was feeling happy and excited as he planned to leave Canterlot tonight!