Laundry Jumble

by Quoterific

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, Trixie, Comedy
Length: 1783

It's Starlight's turn to do the laundry

Inspired by the fanart Jumble
By artist bobthedalek

Doing the chores in a large building like the Castle of Friendship is a hassle. Fortunately, Starlight volunteered to do the laundry for the evening. Now all she has to do is to do the job correctly, something a talented unicorn like herself can't mess up... right?

Published 2022-03-29 11:20:00 UTC
Last updated 2022-03-29 11:20:00 UTC

Sleep-Washing

Starlight Glimmer was truly honoured to be given the task of taking care of the School of Friendship and the Castle of Friendship when Twilight and Spike moved to Canterlot to begin their roles as the new Princess of Equestria and advisor. She couldn’t be prouder for her friend and mentor who helped her see the magic of friendship. It was with these lessons and being with Twilight that she managed to reconnect with her past and make new friends. It was with these lessons that she wasn’t the only one having to look after both the school and castle. Now, she was spreading friendship in her own way.

She had a great and powerful student counsellor in Trixie, who manages to find time in-between caring for the students and her true passion for magic tricks. She even helps cheer the students up in her office. When they fail a test or are just having a bad day, she would perform small tricks to make them smile for a little while. Friend-since-foalhood Sunburst was the new vice-head. The two of them would be busy in the office, planning the next curriculum and field trips for the students. Being a teacher was something Sunburst dreamed of doing, and Starlight was happy that she, with the help of Trixie, managed to make his dream come true.

In the castle, the three of them would take it in turns to cook when one of them is busy planning lessons, their magic making light work of any chores that needed to be done. How Twilight and Spike managed to keep the castle clean by themselves before Starlight moved in with just their magic and claws remained a mystery to the three of them. Twilight was skilled at magic, there was no doubt about that, and Spike’s cooking is always hoof-licking good and he used to clean the dishes until they were sparkling, but there were just too many rooms to do with just the two of them. The three new residents would just laugh about their ideas around the table and continue with their share of chores.

Today was laundry day and Starlight volunteered herself for taking care of Trixie’s and Sunburst’s robes.

“Now Starlight, the Great and Powerful Counsellor Trixie requires that her robes be perfect for when Trixie is counselling her beloved students at the School of Friendship,” Trixie said with a flourish of her hoof, “Trixie must look her best and be as professional as she should be in from of her students.”

Starlight rolled her eyes and magically levitated Trixie’s robes from the laundry basket.

“Well, your equally Great and Powerful Starlight will make sure to wash them accordingly to the Great and Powerful Trixie’s instructions,” Starlight sighed as she levitated her cloak towards her.

“Good, because I am now the Great and Exhausted Trixie,” Trixie said with a loud yawn, “Seriously, how did you cope with so many students knocking at your door?”

“So well, that I managed to send a student to the Everfree Forest to study cockatrices for a project…” Starlight trailed off with her signature sheepish smile.

“Yeah, we were kind of there,” Trixie said with another yawn, “The Great and Tired Trixie is going to have a nice sleep.”

“Any special requirements for washing your cloak?” Starlight turned to Sunburst.

“No, no,” Sunburst chuckled, but yawned as well, “Just be sure to put them in the right closet when you’re done drying them.” The yawn from Sunburst didn’t go unnoticed.

“Wow, you too?” Starlight said, fighting back a yawn of her own.

“Had three classes to do, then a long day planning a new field trip to Whitetail Wood to demonstrate the Element of Kindness in nature. This takes me back to when I was studying magic in Celestia’s School.”

Starlight couldn’t resist the urge anymore and yet out a big yawn herself. The other two chuckled.

“Woah. I guess I’m really out of it as well,” Starlight chuckled sheepishly, “They will be ready for you in the closet when you start work tomorrow.”

“I think it’s time we hit the hay,” Sunburst said, Trixie nodding her head with agreement, “We’ll see you in the morning.”

Starlight waved them goodnight and worked down the corridor to the washing room, Trixie’s and Sunburst’s clothes and hats being levitated in her magic.

While she was walking, she took her time to reminisce about her time in her castle. So much has happened whilst she was here, both as Twilight’s pupil of friendship and now actually to look after it. The time she flooded the whole castle when she put the Element Bearers under a spell. The time a certain messenger mailpony flew through a window into some boxes of books. That time when she was unceremoniously thrown out of a window whilst she was taking a peaceful bath.

The moment Twilight and her friends took her to teach her about friendship. So much has happened, and so much more was waiting to happen. For her and her friends.

The sun had gone over the horizon and the moon had replaced it by the time Starlight walked down to the basement to begin her washing duties. She just wanted to get this done and go to bed. She loved her students, but they took a lot out of her. Following her friends’ preferences on how they would like their clothes to be washed, she found herself nodding off. She almost fell over into the wash bucket, having to jerk herself awake.

“I must have been more tired than I thought,” Starlight said to herself, “The quicker I get this done, the quicker I can go and join the others to get some shut-eye.” She continued to rub soap and detergent into the fabric, her eyes starting to close as she worked.

A simple drying spell finished the job, a blast of hot wind emitting from her horn made sure there weren’t any damp areas when they had to wear them for tomorrow. She then began to long journey back to the bedrooms and turned to Sunburst’s room.

Opening the door, she found her foalhood friend sound asleep. Not wanting to wake him up, she avoided using a light spell and put the robes in the closet without making a sound. She didn’t teleport to Trixie’s room, instead choosing to tiptoe across the corridor to her room and choosing to do the same thing she did in Sunburst’s.

With both robes back where they belong, she brushed her teeth and prepared for bedding. Snuggling into the covers, she looked forward to another day of teaching bright minds the magic of friendship.

Morning came, Twilight rising the sun with practised precision with her magical amulet. However, the three ponies didn’t rise with the sun like they usually do.

It was Sunburst who woke first. Scrambling out of the sheets until he managed to fall out of the bed. Getting to his hooves, he shielded his eyes to look at the rising sun, only to realise he overslept.

“Trixie! Starlight! We overslept!” Sunburst shouted, hoping they would hear him. Two thumps from the other side of the corridor confirmed that they have heard him loud and clear. Forgetting that he had magic, he scrambled towards the closet, his glasses momentarily forgotten in his state of panic.

Putting on the cloak and hat he had worn so many times, he found that they didn’t feel right. In fact, they felt several sizes too small. Did Starlight add too much water and had shrunk while she was washing it. He hoped not. He didn’t go and check himself in the mirror as he dashed down the corridors to get some breakfast, finally putting on his glasses.

Trixie, not having her morning coffee yet, realised that after quickly putting on her robes, found that they were far too large for her. Her hat even covered her eyes!

“What did that Starlight do to the Great and Powerful Trixie’s precious cloak?” She grumbled, “Her Great and Powerful friend is going to give her a strong talking to!” blinded by her hat, she wobbled out into the kitchen and dashed off down the corridors to get her breakfast.

She flung open the kitchen doors to find, lifting the hat up to find…

… Sunburst in her robes!

The force and sound of Trixie opening the door caused Sunburst to spit his cup of coffee out of his mouth and he looked in the direction of the noise to find…

… Trixie in his robes!

Both looked at each other, both having their mouths opening and closing at the sight in front of them. Trixie tried to push Sunburst’s hat off, but it covered her eyes again.

Then both heads turned in the direction of the corridors.

“STARLIGHT GLIMMER!”

The sound of hoofsteps running was heard and the unicorn of their annoyance appeared before them.

“What is it?” Starlight said whilst panting, thinking something was wrong with the school rather than what was right in front of her. “Is something wrong with the curriculum? Is there a problem with the field trips? Is there… oh.”

She managed to calm down and took the time to look at the sight in front of her.

“Yes, Starlight. 'Oh' indeed,” Trixie huffed as she jabbed a hoof at the robes she was wearing.

“How did you manage to get this one so mixed up?” Sunburst asked with a small chuckle.

“I’m sorry!” Starlight blurted out, “I was just so tired! When I found you two sleeping, I didn’t want to use a light spell or teleportation to make sure you didn’t wake up!”

“Well how very considerate of you,” Sunburst sighed, “But from now on, Starlight, if you’re too tired to do the job right, just say it.”

Starlight nodded silently. The kitchen was awkwardly silent for a while before all three of them burst out into a fit of giggles.

“Well, that’s one way to start a morning,” Starlight said in-between fits of laughter.

“Pinkie’s right. A day without laughter is a day wasted,” Sunburst chuckled as he wiped away a tear.

“As much as the Great and Powerful Trixie finds this amazing, she would very much like her proper robes back.”

Starlight nodded and with quick use of her magical capabilities, managed to teleport the robes back to their rightful owner.

“Now let’s finish our breakfast and get to class quickly,” Sunburst said, the others nodding their head in agreement.

Starlight soon joined the table and the three of them had their breakfast quickly, ready for another busy day as headmare, vice-head and counsellor to the School of Friendship.