"Nickey." It had been a while since you used that variation of his name. "You're out of work, right?"

"All done with that," comes his reply on the phone. "How about you? You get that job? You sure this is a good idea?"

Oh, sure, now he's being insistent. "Not that one, but maybe another. I was hoping to throw it past you. Got time for a visit?"

"For you? Sure. Give me a few seconds." The line went cold, but you felt sure he'd be over as soon as he could. You can wait that long. A fine time to make a snack, and set something aside for him to grab when he gets there.

"Was that your friend?" Oh, you forgot you still had your 'see your dragon' senses. "It sounded like your friend."

You turn towards your dragon friend. "It was. He's coming over. Say, is there a way to let him see you? It'd be really nice if we could both do that at the same time."

Bright considered that with a lot of hums and haws. "Well... Pretty sure a changeling could do it, but there's a price." He winks with a lot more emphasis than needed. "There's usually a price. I bet you'd do it for free if you could, but I don't think you can. But I also don't know. Your magic is special! Not like changeling magic, no no." He waves a finger at you with a silly grin. "I love it. And you."

Aw. Wait. "Like friends, right?"

He looks so clueless a moment. "What other way? I can't love you like a mother." He leans in real close. "I'm not even a girl! But you are. That's new." He looks you over as if just noticing your female status for the very first time. "Like it? I always thought we'd be guy friends! You know, because you were a guy, and I'm a guy dragon and all."

His antics are almost a relief. Your world may have gone upside down, but this thing is entirely positive fluffy vibes. "Don't change, Bright. Um, it's alright so far." You pat yourself down as if to be sure. "Has its ups and downs."

"And its ins and outs," agreed Bright Spark, nodding along thoughtfully. "I thought you were done working."

"But then things happened." Following the sound of a polite knock, you head for the door. "Who is it?"

"Nick." Enough reason to open the door. "Hey!" He slips inside and shuts the door behind him. "Look at you, business casual."

That he thinks you are cute in your getup brings a blush to you. Being a cute lady is still kinda new. "Here." You flip out the letter for him to see. "This is the job offer. I think it's another changeling. Pretty sure. I got first interviewed by one, and recommended by another. The first interviewer was kinda cute."

"Cute as in 'aw' or cute as in 'That's kinda hot?'" He takes the letter and flips it open fully to read it. "Wow... This reads like an old school fable. Look, I don't have a lot of experience with the changelings, but they aren't out to kill all ponies, so that's a plus."

Bright gasps with alarm. "Why would anyone want to do that?!" Of course, Nick doesn't react at all. You let Bright go, fading from sight.

"Cute as in aw. Think a really energetic half-horse that wants to be friends." You don't have a picture to provide. Can you even take pictures of changelings? Certainly not a chimera, being the only thing that can see them. "Harmless, young, like in their 20s? Just a kid."

He relaxes a little. "Oh, that is a kid." Was he jealous? "So, about this." He wags the letter. "This is pretty obviously an invitation to jump into a rabbit hole. With the changeling, that could be literal, though it sounds like it's more of a candy house, which is also... on brand." He folds the paper and tosses it onto the coffee table. "You are jumping into this with all four hooves. Speaking of that, do they know about that?" You must react in a way he can read. "They do, but they still want you there, which means... they don't care, or they really like it."

"I can actually help people." You work your hands together a bit nervously. "Being idle feels... wrong now. I have too much energy to just enjoy a day existing."

"You were retired." He raises a finger at you. "Sorry to sidetrack, but can you just unretire like that?"

"Actually, yes." You look a little smug, but you did check! "Once you're at retiring age, earning a few dollars doesn't change a lot. Not that I'm in it for the money."

"You are making me feel bad." He chuckles as he sinks onto your coach. "You're taking your element and making it your thing. I'm still kinda idling on mine... Hey." He points to the letter. "How about I go with you? I can keep an eye on you."

That sounds nice! "But... I can see them, and you can't."

"I can see them just fine. I just can't... see their extra..." He shrugs at that. "Enough to keep an eye on you, right?"

You tap at the letter on the table. "You sure you want to? They may not hate ponies or anything, but you aren't invited."

"I'll be polite." He held up a hand as if in a scout oath. "Just for the first time, make sure everything is on the up and up."

You fall to hooves with a clop. "My loyal stallion."

He joins you with a tail swish. "My kind mare." You meet with a gentle nose touch and he steps back. "Seriously, want me there? I won't force you."

You put a hoof to your chin. "It's a bit strange to bring a friend to a job interview."

"We're not...just friends." He glances off. "Did you... make a call?"

Oh, right... that... "I..." You sigh heavily, tail lashing once. "In for a penny." And that's when you get a stallion hugging you firmly. "Well... Easy to know which you were hoping for."

He backed up and flopped to his haunches with a silly smile. "It was your choice, but yeah, I know which I wanted..." He worried his hooves together. "They don't talk about it a lot, but guys have a biological clock too." He stands up with a little snort. "I wanted one, a long time ago, but then thought I just wasn't getting one, chance way past... But then..."

"But then you found a young new mare and wooed her to a night of fun." You can't help your flat expression. "And it's working out."

"That sounds really bad..." He sags at the description. "We were friends before, and woulda been friends either way, which includes if you didn't want to do it. Um... So, we're a couple, with a kid on the way... It's not that strange for a significant other to show up right?"

You answer with a touch of noses. "That's a stupid excuse... but should work." You rise up to human feet. "But if they ask you to go, well, that is the right of a job. No making a big deal about it."

"Promise."

So it was that he hops in your car, back on his own feet, and lets you drive to where the job was supposed to be. He's surprised when you pulled up and didn't get out. "Getting nervous?"

"No." You glance at the clock on the dashboard. "It isn't time yet."

"So... we can be early and make a good impression?" He shrugs a bit. "No harm there?"

"The note was really specific." You hadn't brought it. "Specific time, be there. No early."

"Rabbit hole." But he is smiling. "What kinda job did you find?"

Speaking of that, you push your senses the right way.

"Yay!" Bright was there, already hugging you, as if waiting patiently for you for you to notice the hug. "We were talking, rude." He sticks out his tongue. You discover that dragons have very long tongues, forked end flickering a moment before snapping back in. "Give me warning." He doesn't look that angry really. "Is that where you're going to work?" He points at the candy shop.

"That's the place. In five minutes." Why so specific? You had no idea. Still, make a good impression, right? "One minute to, I'll head to the door, but won't knock until the time."

Nick bursts into laughter. "This is crazy... Are you talking to your friend?"

"Hi!" Bright waves excitedly at Nick, despite not being seen.

"He says hi," you helpfully provide. "Pretty sure, if he could, Bright Spark would love to chat with you."

"I really would!" excitedly agrees Bright Spark, tail wagging against the back seat. "If you learn how to do that, let me know, alright?"

"Wouldn't mind that. Not every day I get to talk to a friendly dragon." He tries to look at Bright Spark, but is gazing into nothing. "Hey, Bright. We're going to try to get a new job today."

"Ooo." Bright didn't seem to mind not being faced properly. Perhaps being an imaginary creature got one used to that sort of thing. "Good luck!" Not that he doesn't get out of the car with you, following obediently without any command or even suggestion to do so. "This is going to be so fun!"

Ah well. He was part of their world, right? They shouldn't be that upset to see him there.

"To the minute." Nick gestures at the door. "Your job awaits."

You dare to knock, rapping on the glass with your knuckles.

"Who is it?" comes a voice, coming closer quickly. "Oh." There's someone who looks like they work there. They have a big nose, and big bushy brows. "I was told to expect one, not three." He held up one finger which turned to three in an unfolding. "Something happen?"

Bright waves excitedly, his default position. "Hi! I'm hers." He hikes a thumb at you. "And they're super special bestest friends." He waves between you and Nick.

Secret keeper, Bright Spark is not... "This is my boyfriend and he just wanted to help me get here and ready for the job. He isn't in the way, I hope?"

His eyes dart between you and Bright Spark, clearly seeing both. "Huh. Gonna have to check on that, but don't wait out there." He steps out of the way and waves inside. "Come in, come in! We're not open yet, so no buying any candy yet."

Nick raises a hand. "Thanks. Sorry, not trying to be in the way, promise. Name's Nick."

You give your name, since it's come up.

"Most just call me Harold." He thrusts a hand towards you. "And you're the one I was told to expect?"

You accept the hand. He has a firm dry grip. Hard to put a finger on it, but it seems like the grip of a generally alright guy? As far as a grip can be judged. "Yep, the job." You wave with your free hand around. "In the front, they said."

"The front?" He looks between you and Nick. "What do you think?" That last part isn't aimed at you. He's looking at Bright.

Bright blinks in his owlish way. "The front looks kinda sweet." He begins eyeing the bonanza of candies. "Oh, and she can see me. And he can see me." There, he had established for both that he was visible, in case that wasn't clear. "But he can't." He points at Nick, ratting him out.

"I see... Well! You did a good job." He looks to Nick. "Got her here nice and safe. Such a good boyfriend you are."

"Did she get the job?" he asks, so confused clearly.

"She did!" He isn't holding your hand, instead waving Nick off with both of his. "We'll send her home safely after her shift."

Author's Note

Time for a job, but do we leave Nick behind? Is this on the up and up? Hm.

New poll! https://forms.gle/v5SnhxjSbSAKtekM6

Join the special community of folks who like my stories, see the updates early, and/or get your own written here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!