//------------------------------// // The Merchant // Story: My Little Pony - Friendship is magic : New adventures // by Poggy //------------------------------// One week passed without incident. Anita began working as a teacher at Ponyville’s school, to the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ joy ; when Luna came to visit her in class, she found the whole class attentive to her advanced teachings in physics. Anita managed to contain her emotion in front of her students when Luna complimented her. She offered the Cutie Mark Crusaders their promised gifts : a hover board for Scootaloo, dancing lessons and dance music in holographic form for Apple Bloom and karaoke with a near-infinite list of songs, once again as holograms, for Sweetie Belle. Rarity finished her collection of dresses with Bowser’s gems and Link’s rupees, with a warning sign regarding the former ; she had managed to attenuate the freezing aura from the gems on the inside, but not on the outside ; she designed them to be summer dresses, as the cold was still reaching the fur even with the thickest fabric. Rainbow Dash won her obstacle course against King Boo, the gigantic ghost crashing right in the first barrier. Twilight and Starlight learned the rudimentary of chaos magic, their rigorous and scientific minds slowing down their progress until an advice from Fluttershy given by Discord in a letter : “don’t think”. Pinkie Pie gathered everyone for Jerry’s party, with the photo of the late Galanian at the end of the table ; her friends described the party as “awesome, just as if Jerry was with us”, bringing her to tears. Applejack asked her contacts in construction to help with Hyrule castle town’s rebuilding, a demand they gladly accepted, thrilled to discover a new world. Zelda offered her a chest full of red rupees along with a bottle full of Ordon pumpkin’s seeds to sow at Sweet Apple Acres as a thanking. Twilight nearly convinced herself that everything would go on that way, that Darkness or its minions would never reach Equestria, the Mushroom Kingdom or Hyrule, that she and all of her pony friends would soon think about marriage and nothing else, when just after that perfect week, trouble again showed its teeth in Ponyville. Going for a morning walk alone in Ponyville was not something Twilight was normally doing ; she had gotten up as the sun had not yet poked its first rays at the horizon ; she was extremely careful to not wake up Starlight, wanting to have a few hours just for herself. She wandered aimlessly in the empty streets filled with a delicate mist under a not yet pink and orange sky : it was going to be a sunny day without clouds, but it was so early the pegasi were still sleeping, giving the hazy city a lukewarm temperature. She whistled tunelessly, happier than ever : it was the first time she was witnessing Ponyville, or even Equestria, softly smothered in that kind of weather, which was filling her with a joyful melancholia. She looked at the houses and her castle, their silhouettes gently blurred by the fog ; she inhaled the soft, sweet dew filling the air. “Best morning ever…” she thought, a wide smile on her face. And then she remembered something : she was in Equestria : the weather was designed, not natural – except in a few places – and that weather was not forecasted ; it could not have been : it was too unusual, too filled with happiness and melancholia, too out of place. She noticed that the sun was rising too much slowly, maybe not at all, like it was stuck in place ; the sky was harboring vivid, mixing orange, yellow and pink hues. She checked her magic was still functional under that strange atmosphere, and that she was not dreaming. Instead of panicking, she took a deep breath and went towards the house of her nearest friend, her hooves maintaining a gentle pace all along. “I can’t… no, I don’t wanna run. Nothing’s ominous about this, it’s so relaxing but… it’s not normal”. Conscious that she was going to wake up her friend, she almost stopped her hoof from knocking at the door : a low, slow, soft, gentle knock. Rarity finally opened the door after five minutes, but Twilight waited. “I’d have given up after two minutes under normal circumstances, but… time's not gonna flee”. Rarity was ready : she was wearing her usual make-up and her mane and tail were done. She looked at Twilight with confusion, but not the slightest trace of anger or even irritation ; Twilight noted that the inside of the Carousel Boutique was also filled with the almost invisible mist. "Twilight ? What are you doing here ? It’s so early…" She interrogated slowly, her voice not fatigued as it should be. "We have a problem, Rarity. Look around you. Don’t you find something strange ?" "Why, not at all darling". "For example the mist, the sky’s colors, the sun not moving, that dew, that… atmosphere. It’s… surreal". "What are you…" Rarity shook her head, and she fully recovered from her trance-like state. "Sweet Celestia… Just when did I put on make-up and comb my mane ? Oh, that’s unimportant…" "That’s important. Rarity, we must shake that feeling off… We’re drowning in that atmosphere… Something’s not right. Please, Rarity, we must do something…" Twilight’s horn glowed and she produced a magic blast, hoping to dissolve part of the enchantment : it failed, and the mist did not even quiver. "It’s not something evil, I can sense it, but we must stop it…" Twilight said. "Maybe we should try to find the source ?" Rarity suggested. "Good idea. Let’s go. Oh, by the way, we can’t run under… whatever it is". Twilight and Rarity talked as they searched through Ponyville, even though they had no idea of what to search. "I get it Rarity. Except the mist and the atmosphere, someone or something’s playing with time in a… weird way. Look. The sun hasn’t moved since I got you up". "That’s why we’re so… I hate to picture myself like this but so… sluggish…" "Yes, probably. I wonder where's King Boo… He can’t be affected by this, so he should help us…" "Twilight, look. The mist’s thicker in that direction", Rarity pointed out as she pointed her hoof towards tents and stands engulfed in the fog. "That’s the marketplace", Twilight said. The two mares cautiously walked in the denser mist, but even with its thickness, they could still perfectly see through. After two minutes of silence, Twilight discreetly showed something with her hoof to Rarity : it was a tent. A tent slightly bigger than the others, with a different design, bright red in color, decorated with ornate, golden patterns. They approached it as silently as possible and peeked inside : the view was confusing at best : put on wooden shelves were thousands and thousands of different objects, so many that they could not possibly fit in the tent. There was everything : clothes, toys, food, books, drinks and potions, appliance, weapons… Twilight and Rarity briefly thought of Bowser’s castle. "Hmm ? Customers are not allowed before the opening. Please wait while I finish my installation", a slow, androgynous voice resonated in the tent. Twilight glimpsed a shadow moving between the numerous – or few – racks and she stepped in the tent with Rarity ; she took on the most authoritative voice she was capable of when she spoke : "I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. Please decline your identity". In a fraction of a second, someone materialized before them ; or rather, it seemed the shelves – or themselves – had moved in an instant to the end of the tent. Rarity immediately felt nauseous, and Twilight shook her head to recover. "It seems you’re not quite adapted to space-time jumps. Noted. I won’t use them on you, dear customers. I know who you are, Princess Twilight Sparkle. As for me, I am the Merchant". Twilight and Rarity looked at the pony behind a wooden counter before it moved in front of it. The mare, or the stallion, was cloaked in a brown garment, totally obscuring them from head to hoof. Looking closer at it, Twilight was suddenly certain of something : there was nothing under the robes. Nothing at all. Just a floating cloak in the shape of a pony. "It’s my first time here, I hope business’ gonna be fruitful", the silhouette said. "Who… who are you really ? And are you responsible for this ? I mean, the mist, the atmosphere…" Twilight interrogated, her horn slightly glowing. Suddenly, everything went back to normal : the sun shot up in the now blue sky as its would be place at this hour, the mist disappeared and the time dilatation ended. "Hmm ? Who stopped my installation process ? That’s not very nice…" The “pony” groaned. The inside of the tent abruptly became of normal dimensions, most of the shelves disappearing along the way. Twilight and Rarity shook off their trance-like state as the air became freezing. "Hey, there are things here that hate cold !" The silhouette protested. King Boo materialized in the tent. "Hey, hey, heeeeey ! Look at who’s there ! The Merchant ! What are you doing here ? Last time I saw you, you were selling some stuff in Death’s Realm ! You have some regulars there !" "What I am doing here ? I could ask you the same. Well, I’m doing what I always do : selling and trading. And you ?" "I’m friend with ponies, and Bowser is too ! And guess what ? Bowser’s with Princess Celestia ! They’re in love !" "You’re kidding". "No ! Not this time ! It’s true ! True ! I swear it on huh… on our friend Death !" "And here I thought nothing could surprise me anymore…" "Sorry to interrupt you, but who’s that pony ?" Twilight interrogated King Boo. "The Merchant, a pony ? That’s hilarious !" King Boo replied before bursting out laughing. "Sorry, sorry. They took on your appearance, kind of", he explained once calming down. "You’re not a pony ?" Rarity asked to the cloaked form. "And… what was happening with everything moments ago ?" "I must adapt to my customers. As for your other question, I just slow down time a little bit to install everything. My presence may cause some discomfort to your reality. I’ll be more careful next time", the Merchant promised. "For the third time, who are you ?" Twilight interrogated. "Just someone selling and trading everything and anything since quite some time. And also a traveler perpetually seeking profit. There may be one or two things from your world I’d like to trade by the way…" "Hey ! You didn’t introduce yourself to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna ! That’s not cute of you !" King Boo exclaimed. "I’m going to bring them here !" He disappeared before any protestations could be made. "I was going to do it before opening…" The Merchant sighed. "You’re something more than just someone selling stuff", Twilight said to the cloaked form, suspicion in her voice. "It’s true than I’m a very old someone. At the beginning, I was a mere concept ; not that it was that bad not really existing, but it was… tiresome. So They gave me substance, and I became what you see now. To give you an idea, Death is younger than me, I was already here when it came into existence, so yeah, I’m pretty old". Twilight and Rarity stayed silent ; King Boo reappeared in the room with Celestia and Luna. "Here’s the Merchant ! They’re in Equestria to sell and trade stuff !" The ghost presented the silhouette to the princesses of Equestria. Celestia and Luna looked around them, then at the cloaked form. "Selling ?" Celestia asked, confused. "Trading ?" Luna interrogated with the same bewildered expression. "Yes ! Yes ! They’re an interdimensional merchant ! They’ve been doing this for… pheew, the beginning of everything ! Hey, buddy, you better put back the weapons, you’re in a peaceful world here ! A peaceful world ! And all the technological stuff too !" King Boo advised the Merchant. "I heard you’ve been attacked not so long ago, so… But as you wish", the Merchant complied. All the weapons, computers and televisions, touchpads and other advanced technology vanished from the racks, replaced by books, toys, potions and food. "You didn’t bring other dangerous stuff, did you ? Those potions and those books, they’re safe for ponies, right ?" The ghostly king asked. "Yes, of course, they’re innocuous. Books are stories, physics, cooking, gardening… Potions are healing stuff or bath products", the silhouette answered. "Healing ? Bath ? You’re turning into an interdimensional apothecary ?" King Boo laughed. "They don’t need potions for turning into biological weapons, do they ?" "You have a point ! You should talk with the princesses about what you’re selling, I’m not in the position to judge after all !" "I did my research before coming here, all the info are in the registry. It’s incomplete, so, if Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are willing to help me finish it…" "Just wait", Luna intervened. "For what purpose are you doing this ?" "That’s what I am. I sell and trade everything. I am the Merchant". "You’re prejudiced against interdimensional travelers and embodiments of concepts ?" King Boo asked to Luna with a confused voice. "What ? No, no I’m not. I cannot be, for this is the first one. But you cannot appear in Equestria and begin selling everything to everypony", Luna replied. "Rules are to be set. You are lucky King Boo knows and trusts you, because not a single pony would have". "My sister is right", Celestia concurred. "We are perfectly willing to let you sell, trade and buy in Equestria as long as your presence isn’t disturbing or bringing harm to anypony. As my sister said, rules are to be set, even if we now understand that you are what you do. King Boo is right about weapons and some sorts of technology, but there may be other things not safe for our race. Can we have a look at that registry ?" The Merchant levitated a huge, black notebook from under the counter. “It proves that it’s not a pony… Its magic has no aura… I don’t even think it’s magic. I can't believe this... entity's the embodiment of trade”, Twilight thought. "Just before you begin, the Merchant didn’t tell you that they’re neutral ! Neutral !" King Boo exclaimed suddenly. "Neutral ?" Rarity repeated. "Yes, I’m neutral. I follow neither good nor evil. I sell to the one with the most interesting price, regardless of their principles. I sold weapons to tyrants and their opposition alike, I sold power to future kings, I sold poverty, then wealth to their subjects to overthrow them ; I’m responsible for wars of universal scale. There’s only one limit : no customer loss". "For… example ?" A disgusted Twilight interrogated. "Say we have two opposite factions that want to destroy each other : if the two buy me weapons more or less equally, I won’t let one of them take the upper… hoof in their war, because I’d lose the other as customers. Often, the situation resolves itself naturally : they stop waging wars due to their resources running low or they destroy each other, but I’m the loser in that case, so most of the time I just move on". "That’s just…" A shocked Rarity gasped. "I’ve done this since the beginning of everything. I’m responsible for unimaginable and countless destructions and deaths. But I’m not a war bringer. I make a point of not starting anything, that’s not in my interest ; the war has to be there for me to sell weapons. There has to be a root cause for me to come in case of conflicts ; I am what people need : oh, that’s war-profiteering of course, but as I said, I don’t approve or disapprove, I have a business to keep afloat and that's what I am. As for peaceful worlds such as this one, it’s just me wandering. For these worlds, I check them out before coming, and then I ask to their rulers, if they have any, if it’s okay for me to sell and what to sell. For today, I was going to ask you princesses once my installation would have been complete. You see, I’m putting everything on the shelves, it takes some time ; if I ask you and you accept before or during this, I must put time back on track, and customers would come in the midst of my installation, that’s not very professional, don’t you agree ? In case of refusal, all that I got to do is going somewhere else, it’s instantaneous. Do you understand ?" "Yes", Luna replied. "However, as Equestria is indeed a peaceful world, we are a bit… worried with what you’ve told us about going to the most profitable side". "Your worries are understandable, but you’re the rulers of Equestria, and you have only a tiny, almost non-existent opposition : you’re the most profitable side, and always will be. Going against you would be a grave mistake for my business. I’d lose all Equestrians as customers ; business’ also trust", the silhouette replied as it opened the notebook. "You can trust them ! You can ! I promise ! Death trusts them too !" King Boo reassured Luna. The registry was a simple, plain black notebook ; however, its size was shifting constantly ; it was also regularly phasing in and out reality and was appearing in a blur ; when the Merchant found the page, the notebook stabilized. Noticing Twilight’s puzzled look at the registry, the Merchant addressed her : "It’s in more than three-dimensions ; it contains all customer worlds and races, that makes quite the pages… And some of them sometimes die, so they disappear from the registry". "You should slow time down or stop it altogether", King Boo advised to the silhouette. "Because customers are going to come ! To come ! And you’re going to spend some time on this !" "You’re right", the Merchant concurred. The sun instantly stopped moving and everything fell silent. "I… I’m not needed here as far I can see", Rarity declared. "Maybe I should go home…" "I’ll teleport you !" King Boo suggested. "Thanks darling". The ghost and Rarity disappeared, and King Boo came back in the tent seconds later. Him, the Merchant, Twilight, Celestia and Luna spent hours on the registry ; once the shapeshifting quill – if it was really a quill – left the paper – if it was really paper – time resumed its course. "I’m so tired", Luna yawned. "Before you go, don’t you want to buy something ? Or just hear what I’m searching for here ?" The Merchant interrogated. "It would be too long to search through your products, but I am willing to hear you out", Luna replied. "First, rest assured that what I’m asking for won’t be weaponized in any manner nor sold to warring entities". "That’s… reassuring…" Luna spluttered. "So, for the things I’m looking for… A dragon’s scale, a sample of your magic and of chaos magic, a zap apple, zap and normal apple seeds, a barrel of cider from Sweet Apple Acres, a bottle of rainbow, a shard of a dream’s essence and a copy of the Friendship journal. If you can find me these, I’d be very grateful, and I’m willing to trade them for anything you want. Customers coming here can also trade anything they want". "Samples of magic ?" Twilight interrogated. "Yes, just a tiny vial. You just have to light up your horn and I’ll take a sample, it’s painless and of no consequence", the Merchant explained. Twilight’s horn gently glowed with a pink aura, and a tiny vial immediately popped in existence next to it to capture the essence ; the silhouette put on a cork on the vial and examined it. "Perfect", it said, satisfied ; the bottle disappeared. "How do you plan to find a shard of a dream’s essence ?" Luna asked. "Dreams are not accessible for you, and their essence cannot be taken". "Oh, trust me, I can go wherever I want. Tonight, when you’ll accomplish your duty, I’ll be in the dreamscape to look out for a dream to cut part of its essence ; all you have to do is to check the procedure’s going well and seal the breach after I’m done ; it’ll take seconds and won’t disturb you". "Your request is granted. I’ll be prepared for your visit", Luna agreed. "Now, I must sleep at all costs". "I’m going with you sister", Celestia said. "But before I go…" She turned to Twilight. "My faithful student, can you stay with them for this day ? Our subjects aren’t… accustomed to… those sorts of travelers. No offense", she added to the Merchant ; they shook their head. "As you wish, Princess Celestia. I’ll introduce you to customers, they trust me", Twilight told the silhouette. "I don’t mind. It’s not every day I have a princess to promote my business" ; the Merchant let out a laugh. "We wish you good sales then", Celestia concluded. She vanished along her sister and King Boo. "We didn’t ask you how long you’re planning to stay", Twilight told the cloaked form. "No more than three days except in case of high frequentation", it replied. King Boo reappeared in the tent and looked at the objects. "You’re searching for something ?" The Merchant interrogated. "Just having a look ! Hey, what would I want ? I don’t really have desires", the ghost replied. "Touché", the silhouette said. "You told us you’d trade anything for the things you’re searching for, and I gave you some of my magic", Twilight recalled. "That’s true. What do you want in return ?" "Information on Darkness or a way to stop it". "Strange request. I can’t do anything for the latter, but I can tell you what I know. Deal ?" "Deal". "You wanna take notes ?" King Boo asked to Twilight. "Yes, if I had something to write and something to write on", Twilight replied. "I’m going to…" King Boo cut himself off ; the Merchant had materialized a quill and a small notebook in front of Twilight’s eyes ; she took them and opened the notebook. "Be aware that I’m going to tell you this story in a way you can understand, and that it’s simplified : no words can be put on that scale of events". "It’s okay, I understand", Twilight replied. "So let’s begin… When I came into existence, or rather when I ceased to be a concept, Existence and Non-existence, or Creation and Darkness if you prefer, were still both here. Creation was creating and Its sibling watched and sometimes destroyed. After some time, both of them began to be... bored with that endless cycle leading to nowhere ; they were stagnant. So, Darkness suggested exchanging part of themselves in hope of making something greater, and Creation accepted : it boosted their powers, and together, they created Death, life and the soul to bring order and sense to the things Creation imagined. And they created what Bowser and King Boo found : a mix of their nature that they put away. That period lasted for quite some time, but they eventually regressed to a state of stagnation. Seeing they were getting nowhere, Darkness persuaded Its sibling to take it to the next level : they’d fuse together but cease to exist : however, it’d create something else. Something beyond. At first, Creation agreed. But even with shards of Darkness, it was still Its inherent nature to create : fusing with Its sibling would destroy It, even at the expense of creating. So It changed its mind and decided that there was only one way to end the cycle of stagnation : only one of them would watch over everything. It attacked Its sibling, removed some of creation in It before sealing It. I saw them fight, and I saw Creation prevailing : Darkness didn’t even really try to put a fight. As It was drowning in the seal, It looked at me : It implored me to reason Its sibling… but I did nothing. Nothing at all. Because I was afraid. Afraid of stepping between them. I just fled away, like a coward… I regret that decision. That’s my sole regret since I exist, and I exist since… longer than your brain can process". The Merchant fell silent before continuing : "After sealing Its sibling, Creation went on with Its nature : It created countless universes, dimensions, planets, species… But some species became powerful. Powerful enough not to break the seal, but to bypass some of its layers, and Darkness seized the occasion : It bled through the things created in the seal, scattering Its parts everywhere ; Its sibling saw nothing. When a sufficient number of Its shards were dispersed everywhere, It released them, and it peeled away the seal. I sensed the seal’s breaking and Darkness’ rage : It exerted retribution on Its sibling, ripped off some parts of It, and put It in Its place. And now It’s destroying everything Its sibling has created out of revenge. Everything will soon end, Twilight Sparkle ; and you know, maybe it’s better this way. I have no intention of running away from Darkness ; I know It’ll find me sooner or later, and then I’ll face my end. But at least I’ll atone for what I did, and Darkness knows it… I’m ready to face oblivion". Twilight was left speechless for a minute. "You… You’re saying that… that Darkness is destroying everything for revenge !?" "True implications are much higher than just that, but you can say it that way, yes", the Merchant replied. "I wouldn’t really worry if I were you… Darkness may not come here before eons. It sends Heralds, but they’re just pawns destined to be thrown away when everything will end. I must say there’s a chance that Darkness will stop. A very slim chance. A probability with an infinite number of zeros, but it’s worth mentioning". "Why would It stop ?" "Getting bored. But It’s so angry It’ll probably stop only when nothing will be left". "And… and the portals ?" "The famous portals… Creation's last resort before Its sealing. A desperate measure to stop Its sibling. It continues to have its effect, hence the portals keeping appearing, but it’ll stop soon. And Darkness has sent a counter-measure too, that’s why the portal leading to the combined sibling’s power and the one between the Mushroom Kingdom and Hyrule had vanished". "One last question… I must process everything you just told me once we’re done… You know about Galanians, we have the last one here… Anita Garrett. How did she survive in her capsule in the shipping hub, and why was that dimension not destroyed along everything else ?" "The capsule’s mostly irrelevant ; it must’ve been carved from the strongest metal in creation – no wonder I wasn’t able to find it – and packed with many space-time anchors. If a fragment of Darkness would’ve been released near it, it’d have been destroyed. No, the thing that made that capsule escape from the onslaught is the shipping hub. That’s a peculiar dimension, you should’ve noticed it, and it has others, pocket dimensions inside it. To say it comprehensibly, it’s far away from every other dimension : it’s a corner, or a nook. There are five of these, I can tell you their names if you want, that’s hidden knowledge, not forbidden knowledge". Twilight nodded. "The Shipping Hub, Death’s realm, the House at the End of Time, the Library of Nowhere and where I have a house : the Forgotten Swamps". The Merchant let Twilight write out the names and went on with their explanation : "They are, but at the same time are not, the farthest points you can reach : when you exit one, you stumble into another. They’re connected, and they’re present in every dimensional plane, physical or mystical. As I told you, they’re remote locations, meaning that pieces of Darkness were out of range to be released. But the fragments moved closer, hence why universes not connected in any way to Galania were destroyed too. Oh, rest assured though : these places will be destroyed sooner or later". "That… that’s a lot of info…" Twilight spluttered. "I… Thank you. Thank you so much". "That was our deal", the Merchant shuddered. "And why you didn’t tell me about all of this ? Why ? Why ?" King Boo interrogated with a frown. "You didn’t ask". The ghost was left speechless. "I’m going to tell all of this to Bowser !" He finally decided. "There are chances he’ll get mad", the Merchant observed. "Pretty much ! I’ll tell him in a place where nothing can be destroyed ! Thanks for the info !" King Boo disappeared for good. "May I ask for what do you want the Friendship journal ? We got some… problems when it was published", Twilight said as she reminisced about the book’s fans. "Price of success I suppose… It won’t have any repercussion on your life or your friends’, even if I intended to sell it : it’s not like my customers can come to harass you, can they ? Don’t worry, your journal’s a gift for a friend of mine". Twilight sighed with relief and she decided to look at the objects on the racks. Just as she was doing so, the first customer entered the tent. "Hello ? Anypony here ?" A familiar voice resonated. The Merchant instantly materialized before the customer, startling it. "Hello, dear customer. Sorry to startle you. Are you searching for something ?" The unsettling cloaked form interrogated. "Do… do you sell some magic props ?" The customer asked. "Of course", the Merchant replied ; Twilight and the customer saw the shelves instantly shifting to display a wide array of magic props : top hats, play cards, wands, costumes, boxes, spotlights… "Wow… You’re… you’re a magician or what ?" The puzzled customer asked. "Just an interdimensional merchant", the silhouette answered. Twilight intervened to prevent the customer from escaping. "Hello Trixie !" She saluted her friend. "Twilight ? What are you doing here ? And what’s that place ? I mean…" Trixie was cut off. "Trixie, here’s the Merchant : they’re an interdimensional merchant coming in Equestria to make some… business. You’re inside their tent, it may… change depending on what you need. And... the Merchant themselves are taking on this appearance to adapt to our race. You can trust them, Trixie, don’t worry". "O-Okay", Trixie spluttered. "Any magic props in particular ?" The Merchant asked her. "Well, I’m certainly searching for something different", she replied as she checked out the objects. "Different ? May I suppose you’re tired of old tricks, dear customer ?" "Exactly ! The Great and Powerful Trixie can’t keep on rehash the same tricks forever !" "Are you searching for ideas ? I have some books about stage magic if you desire". "Why not ? It’s a good start". The Merchant guided her towards a shelf full of books which Twilight and Trixie were sure it was not there a moment ago. Trixie picked up a book and rapidly flipped through it. "Hmm. Hmm. Not bad. Interesting. Yes, I could do this…" She murmured to herself. She checked all the books and finally settled on three, including her first choice. "Are you finished with books, dear customer ?" The Merchant asked. "Yes, thank you". The book section immediately morphed back into its former shape, with all its heteroclite objects destined to stage magicians ; the silhouette took an object from it and held it in front of Trixie’s eyes : it was a smooth, flat, black equilateral triangle small enough to be held in a hoof. "May I suggest you this fake reality-remodeling device ? It is a tiny, harmless device that you can wear as an amulet for example. Your performance involves stars ? Find yourself with your public inside the cosmos ! Do you want an ocean ? Just a little poke on this and you’re thousands hooves under the sea ! You can travel without moving ! You just have to think carefully about what kind of setting you desire, and the fake reality-remodeling device will do the rest !" Trixie nudged the triangle with her hoof, and the tent immediately disappeared, replaced with the inside of Ponyville’s spa, still full of shelves ; she and Twilight almost freaked out. "Don’t let intrusive thoughts disturb you, dear customer ! The device won’t make the difference between what you want and what is crossing your mind", the Merchant explained as they looked at the triangle : the tent returned to its normal layout. "As I said, it is totally harmless : it is called “fake” for a reason. A real reality-remodeling device is reserved to… other purposes. None of the things you’re picturing in your mind and that appear as a result can harm you or your public, because they’re not real, they’re just an illusion ; and it goes for memetic things too ! An unconceivable evil entity driving mad anypony who sees it ? Here’s a safe way to materialize it !" Trixie processed the information and then smiled wildly : "I take it !" "It’s guaranteed and it’ll last as long as you use it regularly ; it’ll self-destruct if not used at least twenty times on a five-years span". "With this and the books, I got new tricks for my entire career ! As soon as my tour across Equestria is done, I’ll produce myself in the Mushroom Kingdom and Hyrule ! What else do you have ?" "Are you interested in fake fire, all colors available ?" "Deal. Anything else ?" "Moving origami paper ?" "Deal !" "I know this paper", Twilight told Trixie. "You fold it and it moves like the animal you make". "Amazing ! More, please !" "What do you think about light-bending spotlights ? Any part of you caught in the light will disappear at the eyes of the spectators, or become mimetic with your decor or of another color". "I take six of them !" "Dimensional hat, size and shape you desire. Everything put inside will be stored into a safe, air-filled pocket dimension until you retrieve it with your hoof". "I absolutely need this one !" "Dimensionally-connected boxes ?" "Of course !" "Huh, Trixie… You sure you have the money ?" Twilight interrupted her. Trixie suddenly recoiled in shock. "I… huh… I…" She spluttered, sweating. "You can pay me with money – I accept any currency by the way – sure, but I accept other forms of payments : food, drinks, blood, sacrifices, unwanted possessions, magic, books, feelings, ego, part of your body like strands of your mane… Let’s say I accept everything", the Merchant synthetized. "And… how much for what I took in bits, gems, food, drinks, magic and… some of my mane ?" Trixie asked with uncertainty. "Let’s see… Seventy-seven bits, two gems, two bottles of apple juice, a box full of peanut butter crackers, three vials of your magic and eleven strands of your mane", the interdimensional seller replied. "That’s… that’s okay", Trixie agreed. "Since I’m grateful to you for some of your magic which I’m really searching for, and as my first customer here, I want to give you an exceptional gift. You said you wanted to travel to Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom, didn't you ? Why not farther ?" The Merchant materialized something on their counter : it was a levitating pyramid solid, no bigger than the head of a pony ; the object was pure white, except its top, totally black. "Why not becoming an interdimensional magician ? With this, you’ll be able to reach a limitless public. Let me explain : it’s a portable interdimensional portal. You won’t be able to travel anywhere you want, because you’re restricted by what you are, but I think it’s more than enough for you : that still makes thousands and thousands of worlds to explore. This device will analyze your physiology, biology and some of your mind along what you’re bringing in to determine a destination in a random safe world. For example, it won’t send you in a place without air, or in a war-zone, or in a universe falling prey to Darkness, or on a planet where they don’t speak your language. But that’s not all : it won’t send you in a world incompatible with your values or where its inhabitants could cause you harm or flee from you : you won’t go to a planet where they’re eating ponies or where they kill or mutilate each other as a part of a ritual. And you won’t be transported in a world where wood is forbidden, preventing your wagon from being a target. What else can I say about it… Once it has analyzed you, it’ll only respond to you, and you alone, but it can analyze samples of other worlds, and you’ll be able to visit them. When you’ll cross, it’ll cross with you, and you can’t lose it : you’ll always find it next to you. At least, it’ll be invisible to everyone but you. Am I clear ?" The Merchant interrogated. "Yes, I got it ! But… but as a gift !? You sure !? That’s just… just so… My career… everything I’m gonna be able to…" Trixie spluttered, tears of joy in her eyes. "As I said, first Equestrian customer", the silhouette said. "I already took a photo of you, hope it’s no problem". "Are you kidding !? You can take millions of photos of me if you want to ! I can’t even find words to express my gratitude… Know that the Great and Powerful Trixie will speak of you in every world she’ll visit !" Trixie immediately paid the Merchant and managed to cram everything in her wagon. "I’m just so happy ! Again, thank you ! I just can’t believe I…" It was the first time Twilight was bearing witness to Trixie in such a joyful state, and she immediately thought to tell Starlight about it ; her lover was going to be happy about the news of her best friend becoming an interdimensional magician. After another round of “thank you” and overflowing happiness, Trixie finally left. Over the course of the day, Twilight saw hundreds of customers coming inside the ever-changing tent, among them Applejack giving the Merchant the sought-after seeds of zap and normal apple, the zap apple and the barrel of cider. The Pillars of Old Equestria also paid a visit to the traveler. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash came last, told by Applejack about the new seller. "I’m honored heroes of Equestria and Elements of Harmony are coming inside my modest shop twice in the same day", the Merchant greeted them. "What are you searching for ?" "We heard about you from Applejack", Rainbow Dash answered instead. "We’re not here for something in particular… We just wanted to see what your shop looks like. No offense", Fluttershy replied. "I don’t mind. But since you’re here, you probably can help me. I’m searching for something you can get very easily : a bottle of rainbow. I’m willing to trade it for anything you want", the Merchant said. "Anything ?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Be careful of what you ask, Rainbow", Twilight warned. "I don’t suppose you can get me another house ? Or something to repair it ?" Rainbow Dash laughed with a bitter tone. "I can", the silhouette said. "Yes, yes, whatever… WHAT !?" "Repair or change ?" The Merchant interrogated. "I… huh… I…" "Rainbow, we can ask Discord", Fluttershy reminded her lover. "Since you’re mentioning him… I’m looking for a piece of chaos magic", the cloaked form told her. "Why… why do you want this ?" Fluttershy asked ; she was the less trusting of her friends with the interdimensional being. "Someone somewhere is willing to exchange it for… something else", the Merchant replied. "I wanna repair my house. For a bottle of rainbow, right ?" Rainbow Dash asked them. "Yes, for a bottle of rainbow, I’ll give you a can of repairing nanites ; it has only one use, but it’ll be enough". "A bottle of repairing what ?" A confused Rainbow Dash asked. "Nanites. They’re miniature robots. These ones are designed to rebuild : the can will analyze the remains of your house and find its original shape, then release a swarm of nanites to repair it from the rubble, ; it can also reconstruct missing parts to some extent. Once it’s done, the swarm will go back inside the capsule and the whole object will disintegrate. What do you think ? Tomorrow, for a bottle of rainbow". "Trade ya", Rainbow Dash finally agreed after a minute of internal deliberation. "Perfect". The Merchant turned to Fluttershy : "I’m going to Discord’s dimension in less than an hour. I don’t suppose you have the means to warn him". "I can’t send him a letter, it’d only depart tomorrow", Fluttershy replied. "It’ll be a surprise for him then", the silhouette concluded. "How can you go there ?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I do business in Death’s Realm and I live at one of the edges of all dimensions… A trickster’s realm is not that hard to reach…" The Merchant shrugged. "You should take me with you, I’ll introduce you to Discord", Twilight suggested to them. "No problem. But you won’t be able to come with me when I’ll go into the dreamscape to get my dream’s essence". "I’ll be sleeping. And Princess Luna’s there. I… I suppose you don’t really sleep, do you ?" Twilight asked. "I won’t be in Equestria tonight, and the shop will be closed anyways. I’m going to… somewhere else trade what I found here and some other things. So yes, I don’t need to sleep, but I do sleep sometimes, when at home. Dear customers, the shop will close soon : are you finished ?" "I don’t suppose you have veterinary supplies, so yes, we’re finished", Fluttershy replied. "I have some in stock". "Really !? Do you have some healing treatment for animals, anything ?" "I do. What kind of animals are you treating, and for what ?" "A bunny, a bear, a chicken and three mice, all sick from a pollen of the Everfree Forest", Fluttershy answered. The shelves shifted, confusing Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. "Quite unusual… What symptoms ?" The Merchant interrogated as they searched through their products. "Skin rashes, benign respiratory problems, a light cough and headaches. I give them some herbs to ease their breathing and some cream for the rashes, but I just can’t treat every symptom at once". "Hmm. Have you considered a desensitization ?" "Yes, but on animals, it’s pretty hard to do, and the species concerned are very different from each other". The Merchant picked up a tiny, oddly-shaped bottle filled with a green fluid. "This entire bottle in three liters of their drinking water. Odorless and sweet-tasting. You can drink it too, it’s made for pretty much any species". Fluttershy analyzed the bottle levitating in front of her eyes. "Where does it come from and what is it made of, if I may ask ?" "From a planet populated by giant, sentient ants ; their land is covered with vegetation of all kind that is perpetually evolving in the span of a day. What you have in that bottle is the honeydew of a highly adaptive aphid species that the ants harvest : it serves as a food there. As the aphids are sucking an ever-evolving sap, they produce that honeydew which can desensitize any pollen allergy or cure any vegetal disease, caused by carbon-based plants of course. I already tested it on all carbon-based species : it’s a hundred percent success on each, even on the ones with different organs : that means that everyone’s physiology is able to synthetize it". "How long for the effects to take place ?" "It depends on the species’ digestion process. As soon as it goes in the blood stream towards the heart and then the brain, it’s done and the animal, or you, are desensitized. I can explain the process in details, but you need to have some knowledge of the inner workings of the brain and of high-level chemistry". "That’s not my field of expertise, so I don’t need an explanation, but thanks for asking. I take that treatment. How much, please ?" "Two bits and two of your feathers". "Two of my… feathers ?" "Yes. Some things here can’t be given a price in money-speaking terms. So I must adjust their value with other objects. Besides, there are customers in some worlds searching for pegasi, or simply unusual feathers. There’s always someone somewhere searching for something". Fluttershy agreed with the price and the Merchant gave her a bag to put her purchase. "Thank you. As I said, I suggest you to test it in front of your animals to prove them it’s harmless", the silhouette reminded her. "If you give it immediately, their symptoms should be cured tomorrow". "I’ll come back tomorrow to tell you. Thank you so much !" Fluttershy exclaimed. "See ya tomorrow for that can of things and a bottle of rainbow", Rainbow Dash waived as she walked out of the tent with her marefriend. "The shop’s now closed", the Merchant informed Twilight. Twilight failed to witness the racks disappearing ; they were here a moment ago, and the following second they were not anymore. "I’m going to Discord’s realm : are you ready ?" The cloaked form asked her ; she nodded. Less than two seconds passed before the Merchant addressed her again : "We’re at our destination". "What !?" She stepped out of the tent : in a dark bluish void, the bizarre, sometimes upside-down “islands” populated with ridiculous plants and rocks were gently floating ; on her right, Discord’s house was connected to the island she was on with a wooden bridge. She noted that the land mass she was standing on was created along the tent, as there was nothing next to Discord’s home. When she looked inside the tent again, the racks were back, sometimes on the roof : on them were piled up an assortment of random things, from tea bags to jetpacks. She heard a door opening outside, and Discord came in the tent seconds later. "Twilight ? What are you…" He began, before noticing his friend showing him something with her hoof. The Merchant materialized next to her, and Discord narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Discord, let me present you the Merchant. They’re an interdimensional merchant... and... the... incarnation... of trade... selling and trading everything. They want something from you", Twilight said. Discord approached the cloaked form cautiously. "And what do you want from me, strange… pony… form ? Bah, you’re not even a pony, are you ?" "Of course not. Just as your friend said, I am the embodiment of trade. As for what I want… just a vial of your magic, from you or from your dimension". Discord blinked. "And for what… purpose do you need a piece of my magic ?" "Another trickster from somewhere is willing to trade it against a sample of their essence. I wouldn’t be here had Bowser not destroyed the place where you fought against Princess Celestia and Princess Luna". "What do I gain from this… trade ?" "Anything you want". Discord laughed. "I can do whatever I want, but you obviously cannot, since you’re asking me something. So you can’t get me anything I want, incarnation of trade or not". "I can. Look around you". Discord turned around and his face decomposed : everywhere around him were shelves ; they were millions of millions, filling his entire view : some upside-down, some twisted in improbable angles, some floating. "I heard you’re friends with miss Fluttershy. By the way, she bought me something a moment ago. May I suggest you something for your tea parties ? Or something to decorate your house ?" "I can will into reality anything that I’m thinking of. But you can give me ideas…" "You can’t make an exact replica of the objects presented here with your powers". "And why ?" Discord approached a shelf and picked up a book : it instantly morphed into a flying, bright red banana peel, using two of its peeled off layers as makeshift wings ; the fruit skin hovered next to Discord’s head. "Because they’re shifting. You can keep your new pet, it’s a gift". "Well, thank you. You know dear Fluttershy likes my place because it’s like me, don’t you ? So why bother with those objects ? I make boring things amusing, I don’t buy... prepared stuff". The objects on the racks changed, but not the shelves themselves. "Some exotic tea ? I have some unusual flavors for this world. There are also teas with special effects, like making you glow, or shrink, or transform…" "Not quite as boring as normal tea, but still…" "Hmm. What about interdimensional tea ?" "What ?" "A tea transporting you into other dimensions, safe for ponies and you of course". "Now that’s unusual. What kind of dimensions ?" "It depends on the tea bag ; the destinations are stated on the box. Some of them take you to a beach, the cold ones to mountains, some to forests or jungles, some into the sea, but it grows gills and fins on your body to help you survive, some in sky cities or empty skies, and everything you can imagine. As I told you, it’s harmless. Miss Fluttershy would probably be very surprised with that kind of tea, even more so if you make it float, sing, or whatever. But I strongly warn you against changing their ingredients, even in the slightest : it would be hazardous at best. Space-time sometimes reacts in unexpected, often bad ways when its laws are modified. As for your coming back in your home world, it’ll be done automatically once the tea is digested". "Let’s say I take that tea : all I have to do is giving you a fragment of my magic ? Is that all you want ?" "Yes". "Okay then, I take this". The Merchant materialized a vial in front of Discord before addressing him : "The essence of your dimension would be perfect ; if you want to teleport, go outside first, you can’t do anything here ; sorry, it’s just that way", the silhouette apologized. Discord went outside, and Twilight followed him : she saw him cut a part of the void with his claws morphed into scissors before putting the fragment inside the tiny bottle. The draconequus reappeared at the entrance of the tent, went inside, and gave the vial to the Merchant, who analyzed it. "Excellent. Thank you. Here’s your tea", they said. Discord took the box under his arm. "It was a pleasure", the Merchant added. "I’ll come back soon. Now, that essence of dream… I think Princess Luna’s already begun her duty". "See you soon", they bid farewell to Discord. "Goodbye Discord", Twilight said. "Oh, by the way Twilight, are you and Starlight progressing in learning chaos magic ?" Discord interrogated. A white teacup with blue frog legs popped next to his hooves in a flash of pink magic. "We've taken your advice at heart : we don’t think", Twilight replied with a proud smile. "As expected from you and your special somepony… I guess. I’m going to keep that teacup, if you don’t mind". "I’m proud of it actually. See you later Discord". The tent abruptly vanished from Discord’s realm ; the landmass it was on disappeared as soon as the draconequus stepped out of the bridge. The shop reappeared in an empty Ponyville ; it was night, and the lights of the houses were going off one by one. "You should go to sleep", the Merchant advised Twilight. "After visiting the dreamscape, I’m going to a world where ponies are the main food source". Twilight gasped and went pale ; the Merchant let out a laugh. "I’m joking. But you still can’t follow me there, there’s no oxygen on this planet". "I couldn’t even if I wanted or was able to : I’m pretty tired… Not that I did much today…" "Space-time jumps are taking their toll on your organism. A good night of sleep and it’ll be over". "Is… is that so ? Thanks for the explanation. Good luck with Princess Luna and good sales in that airless world then", Twilight wished as she dragged her hooves towards the exit. "I’ll bring one of Spike’s scales and a copy of the Friendship Journal tomorrow". "Thank you. Good night, Princess Twilight". As soon as she disappeared from view, the Merchant vanished too. Luna was ready to go inside the dreams and nightmares of her subjects ; she quickly and blushingly pushed aside the fantasies of lovers – among them the ones of her friends – to concentrate on the relevant dreams ; just as she was going to enter a dream she was partaking in, something materialized in the void, shaking it with its presence : the Merchant was here. Luna looked at them with utter confusion, not sure of what she was witnessing : a certain shape with a certain color. Or maybe not. "Sorry for the trouble Princess Luna, it’ll be quick", the androgynous voice resonated in the dreamscape. The “shape” approached a dream and materialized one of its vials. "I don’t want the dream to leak in here", it told Luna. "Ready to seal the breach ?" Luna nodded ; a part of the Merchant incised the dream in a lightning-fast move : the vial quickly contained the separated fragment before disappearing. Luna immediately enveloped the wounded dream with her magic and stitched it up. "All done", the Merchant concluded. "What do you want in exchange ? Maybe a dream ?" "A dream !?" "Yes. I sell dreams, or dream settings, Princess Luna. Before you ask, I can’t cut a part of those dreams ; they would bleed and disappear. That’s why I needed you here, to help me to not destroy a dream, or a consciousness. And because this is Equestria". "What kind of dream would I want ? I am the one in charge of them". "It’s funny, Discord told me the same thing about his desires… But I still found something for him. Let me see if I can find an interesting setting to project here". The void of the dreamscape suddenly morphed into a beautiful, fantastic sunset offering every possible iteration of the orange color ; far from scaring Luna, the setting instantly relaxed her. "If you take it, you’ll be able to modify it to your will", the Merchant said. "Interested ?" Luna shook her head to come back to her senses ; the familiar void of the dreamscape replaced the sunset. "This, for the essence you just took ?" She asked to be sure. "Yes". "Then we have a deal". A bubble popped in next to the Merchant and levitated towards Luna ; inside, the relaxing view of the orange sky could be seen. "Don’t hesitate to share it. I must take my leave now, Princess Luna. Good luck with your duties", the Merchant wished before abruptly vanishing. Luna contemplated the given bubble and smiled ; she was going to enjoy the sunset during the day. Despite their claims and despite finding all the objects they were looking for, the Merchant stayed almost a week in Equestria, their shop overran by ponies every day. Fluttershy had her animals cured in a day and Rainbow Dash her house instantly repaired : they thoroughly promoted the interdimensional shop. On their last day, just after the closure, they said their goodbyes to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, before teleporting in front of the Castle of Friendship and knocking at its door. When Twilight opened it, she was briefly taken aback by the surprise of seeing the formless being outside its shop. "Hi. Come in", she invited the silhouette. "I guess you’re leaving", she supposed as she guided the Merchant in the main room. "Yes. I already said my goodbyes to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and that’s why I’m here too". "So, is the land of Equestria a profitable marketplace ? Are Equestrians good consumers ?" "Rarely a land of that size has given me so many customers. And it’s all thanks to you, Princess Twilight Sparkle". "Nah, it was nothing", Twilight dismissed with her hoof. "A drink before you leave ? Coffee ? Tea ? Cocoa ?" "Why not a tea ? Thank you. I don’t really need sustenance, but I like to eat and drink sometimes". While Twilight was preparing the tea, Starlight came down and saw the Merchant ; it was the second time she was encountering them, having met them three days prior. "You’re leaving ?" She asked to them. "Yes, I’m here to say goodbye and thank you for everything. I give my thanks to Equestria as a whole of course, and I’ll be back soon". Twilight came back with the tea ; when she saw Starlight, she went back in the kitchen to bring another cup ; they all sat around the table. "So, when are you planning to come back ?" Twilight interrogated. "As soon as possible, and when customers from other worlds will search for Equestrian products. Could be weeks. Could be months", the Merchant replied before sipping their tea. "And in what kind of world are you selling next ?" Starlight asked. "I’m taking a few… days off. Well, it wouldn’t make sense for you if I say the real duration, given the relativity of time. After my leave, I’m going to a desert dimension and next I’ll go to Death’s Realm". "A… desert dimension ?" Starlight repeated. "A universe filled with sand and wind, lifeless safe for lost travelers. In most universes, maybe even here, there are little, very precise but moving spots where you can fall through, and some lead there. It’s very rare and there’s probably none in Equestria, but if you fall through, you’re often done for, because you can fall absolutely anywhere ; travelers seeking them exist, but they tend to not live long. Most of the time, the holes lead to the Library of Nowhere, and it’s easy to come back once the Librarian spots you. More rarely, they lead to my home, the Forgotten Swamps. I never heard of someone ending up in Death’s Realm, the Shipping Hub or the House at the End of Time by accident ; there are no holes in them, except the stable one to the Shipping Hub. But that situation is changing…" The Merchant slowly took another sip of their tea and continued : "When Darkness destroys dimensions, the space between them... let’s call it the mesh, becomes porous. The more dimensions disappear, the more holes we get : it means that even before the destruction of everything, all dimensions will already look like gruyere…" Twilight and Starlight almost spat out their tea before going pale. "But let’s not borrow problems from the future, shan’t we ?  In some thousands years, you won’t think about it anymore. And as I said, the corners are pretty secure". "B-By the way, we wanted to thank you again for the info you gave us on Darkness", Starlight thanked. "A-and this o-of course". "That was the deal", the Merchant shrugged, finishing their cup. As for this kind of information, I don’t see a reason to withhold it from you ; you can ask me anything you want. However, it’ll be for another time : I must take my leave now. See you soon". The Merchant abruptly vanished, leaving Twilight and Starlight alone in the room.