//------------------------------//
// To the Market! 
// Story: Lamplight 
// by beet 
//------------------------------//

The house was a bit of a fixer upper.

The hardwood flooring in several places was cracked in several places. A couple of holes in the wall. Windows, obviously, needed fixing. 

And of course, there was dirt. Dirt and rubbish and all sorts of things that had been tracked over how ever many years this house had been abandoned. He would need to clean that up.

Of course, beneath the dirt, dust, and built up grime, there was something that had the potential to be a...home. Lamp Light grinned under his ratty cloak. Him! A homeowner!

And all it took was traveling to a different world.

The house was, unfortunately, lacking in furnishings. Like, say, a couch. Or bed. Or shelves. Something to be fixed. The bottom floor consisted of just a single large room, with the hardwood giving way for tile at a certain point, with what looked like a counter and simple brick oven.

Well, at least he had a kitchen.

The second story wasn't much better. It consisted of about three rooms, one of which Lamp Lighter hazarded was a bedroom. It was hard to tell when each room seemed to be completely bare, however.

The top floor, meanwhile, was pretty much an attic. At least, that was what Lamp guessed, since it lacked any windows. Well, at least he had a place to put all his junk once he carted it over. 

...And he purchased shelves. And chests, as well. Probably a few tubs.

Once he had acquainted himself with his new home, Lamp returned to the bottom floor. Time to begin cleaning up a little. Tomorrow he'd have to buy a garbage bin to put it all (as well as find out the acceptable method for trash disposal in this town), but for now, he could at least make sure the garbage was all in one spot.

From his basket, he pulled out the three things he would need for such an undertaking: A splintery broom thatwas  obviously not designed for human hands, a flat thing that would serve...adequately as a dust pan, and a a raggedy washcloth.

Time to start. 





Several hours later, the deed was done. Most of the house was, if not clean, at least no longer coated in garbage. At least to the point where he wouldn't feel ashamed should he invite guests over. Grinning, he places his things back into the basket, before walking over to one of the windows and taking a peek outside. It was getting dark. Lamp Lighter frowned. He had hoped to visit the market today. See what they offered, at least. 

Unfortunate. But expected. Assuming seasons worked the same way here as they did back home, it was only to be expected the days be shorter at this time of year.

Very well. Time to relax. He reached into his basket and pulled out a sleeping bag, one of the few mementos he had of home, a small orb set in a stone base, and a book. Walking over to the nearest wall, he placed the sleeping bag down and crawled into it, getting comfortable as he rested his back against the wall.

He then shook the orb, which began to emit a glow. It wasn't particularly bright, but it would serve for his purposes. Setting it down, he then took the time to open the book. Time for a little light reading.

A Beginners Guide to Magic, by R. T. D. Lamp Lighter, Volume One

He turned to the page he had been on, and began reading. 





"Did you hear about the creature?"

"I heard it came from Everfree!"

"I heard its seven stories high!"

"It bought a house from Mayor Mare!"

"I hear it paid in ancient treasure!"

"It's name is Lamp Lighter, apparently."

"Weird. So does it actually light lamps?"

Octavia rolled her eyes as she walked through the town. Really, ONE strange creature walks into town and everyone COMPLETELY loses their composure. If she wasn't in need of groceries, she would have simply stayed home until everything calmed down a bit.

In all honesty, she doubted there even WAS a creature. Most likely it was just an odd looking pony or an unusually emaciated griffon. 

It wasn't but five minutes later when she walked into the market square and stopped dead in her tracks. That...was NOT a pony. Standing in the middle of the empty square was a creature, twice as tall as a pony was long, covered in a ratty brown cloak, looking around. Octavia was about to let out a meep of terror when she felt a sudden tug on her tail. Before she could say anything, a hoof wrapped around her mouth, silencing her as she was quickly dragged behind a cart, her screams muffled.

"Ah'm gonna let you go, but DON'T scream, you hear?" The unknown pony said, a twang in its voice. "Ah DON'T want that Lamp Lighter thing spottin us. Do you understand me?"

Octavia nodded, and the hoof retracted. Octavia whirled around to come face to face with one Applejack, a local farmer who, as the name implied, grew apples.

"Applejack! How DARE you haul me around like that!" Octavia whispered, angry. Applejack blinked.

"Ah'm sorry, but I FIGURED you didn't want Mr. Tall Dark and SCARY over there catchin you and doin...whatever a critter like that does to ponies," Applejack drawled.

"Fine. Just...Don't surprise me like that again. I nearly had a heart attack." Octavia said, before carefully taking a peak around the cart to continue glancing at the creature. "What does it want, do you know?"

Applejack grunted. "Dunno. Don't wanna find out. Feller walked in here ten minutes before you, an' hes just been wandering around so far. This point, pretty much everypony is hiding. I'm waitin fer him to leave so I can sell some of my products. Assuming anyone wants to buy after that critter scared em away."

The creature still looked around, walking to each empty stall and looking in. As if it was trying to find something. Octavia dreaded knowing WHAT it was searching for. No doubt something malevolent. Briefly it turned around and gazed in Octavia's direction, causing the ponies blood to run cold for a moment.

It had no face. That was the first thought that ran through her head. What kind of monster doesn't have a face? Its like gazing at a mannequin. It wasn't until she kept looking that she realized the...Lamp Lighter wasn't some blank faced monster, but wearing some kind of featureless mask, the only inconsistencies in the smooth material being a twin pair of holes around the top that she assumed were for eyes.

Well, it was better than having no face at all, she supposed, but it was still rather unnerving. Luckily the creature didn't seem to notice her. Octavia took a breath of relief and retreated back behind the cart, her nerves shaken. "Applejack." She said, her voice very dry. "I saw that things mask. For a second, I thought it had no face."

Applejack gave her a look of sympathy. "Got me too for a second. Scared me plum near to death for a second. If the mask's that scary, I DON'T wanna see what it keeps under the hood."

Octavia nodded. "I think...I think I'm going to leave now. I'll get groceries later. Tomorrow. Maybe I'll eat out tonight."

"I'd do the same, but I told Apple Bloom I'd buy her a new bow, and I'm not gonna let some lanky lamp loon make a liar out of me." Applejack said, her eyes narrow. "An' to do that, I need to make at least a FEW sales."

It was then that the pair heard a whistling noise, and Applejack paled. "Oh no, Apple Bloom! She said she'd be visiting later today to help me out with the stall!"





Apple Bloom walked through the market, wondering where everypony was. It was monday, which usually meant the market should be SWARMIN with ponies buying and selling things!

It wasn't, though. It was quiet. Like some sorta ghost town. Apple Bloom began whistling, hoping to get rid of the silence a bit.

It was then that she spotted a strange figure. Tall, lanky, and covered in an old brown cloak, the figure turned to face her, and began walking to her.





Applejack VAULTED over the cart, yelling at the top of her lungs. "Get away from mah sister, you-" 

"Hiya Mr. Lamp Lighter!"

She paused, gobsmacked, as Apple Bloom walked right up to the creature and started talking to it. 





Lamp Lighter smiled beneath his mask. "Apple Bloom! It's good to see a friendly face," He said, giving a nod.

"Same t'you," she replied, smiling. "What're you doin' in Ponyville, though? Thought you said you lived in the forest?" she asked, slightly tilting her head.

Lamp Lighter sheepishly scratched his head. "I, ah. May have gotten a bit lonely. You were correct, living as a hermit was NOT doing wonders for my sanity." He paused, straightening up. "So I decided to immigrate! I've already purchased a lovely house not too far from here."

...

"For a given value of lovely." He admitted. "I may need to invest in some renovations. But at present I'm mostly looking for some furniture, maybe a nice tea set, some shelves for my books."

Apple Bloom nodded. "Well, it's great you moved out of that miserable old forest. But, uh," she said, looking around, "It doesn't look like anyone's around to sell you stuff."

Lamp Lighter let out a sigh. "Yes, it appears so. I'm assuming I might have scared them off. I tried visiting some other stores before this, but they were all closed. Very frustrating."





Apple Bloom was calmly conversing with the creature. Like she KNEW the thing! Applejack narrowed her eyes and approached the pair. "Apple Bloom! What are you doin' talking to this...character?" She said, failing to come up with a better description for the lanky fella talking with her sister. 

Apple Bloom turned to her. "Oh hey, Applejack! I was just talkin' to my friend Lamp Lighter. I met him a few days ago." She turned back to the creature. "Mr. Lamp Lighter, you remember telling you about my sister?"

The thing nodded, before giving a small wave. "Apple Bloom mentioned you, yes. Applejack, is it? Pleasure to meet you. My name is Lamp Lighter." It said in a soft, scratchy voice, like somepony who had gotten one heck of a sore throat. 

"It's....nice t'meecha too." Applejack said hesitantly. Was the voice thing normal fer his type? "Er, your voice..."

"Sounds terrible, yes, I know." Lamp Lighter said, shrugging. "I caught a very bad cold the other day and it still hasn't cleared up."

Alright. That sounded reasonable. "Th' mask 'n cloak?" She asked.

"I recognize that they happen to be a bit ominous, yes," Lamp Lighter acknowledged, "But my kind are, ah. A bit ill equipped to deal with the elements."

That explained that. Applejack was mildly more at ease. The creature was strange, but he didn't seem to have any ill intent. At least, nothing obvious. Applejack faced her sister again. "Alright, and that brings me to mah next topic. You. You said you met this feller a few days ago. WHERE did'ja meet him?" She asked, her eyes narrowed. 

Apple Bloom froze, a worried smile on her face. "I, uh. I," she stammered.

"We encountered each other in the local forest. I think you call it everfree?" Lamp Lighter 'helpfully' added, causing Apple Bloom to facehoof and her sisters eyes to narrow even further.

"YOU WENT INTO THE EVERFREE ALONE?! HAVE YOU GONE COMPLETELY BATTY?" Applejack shouted.

"I'm sorry?" Apple Bloom said in a small voice. 

"Sorry doesn't cut it! You, little lady, are headed straight home, and when I get back, you and me are gonna have a LONG talk! Now start marching!" Applejack said, pointing. Apple Bloom sighed and started to trudge off.

The elder Apple turned and looked at Lamp Lighter, who was now thoroughly confused. "Thank you for informin' me my sister decided to go play in that forest unsupervised." She said, still somewhat annoyed.

"You're...welcome? Is the forest really that dangerous?" The critter asked, confused, to which Applejack just snorted. 

"How long you been livin' there? Course its dangerous! You got the cragodiles, manticores, timberwolves, and all other sortsa monsters!"

Lamp Lighter paused. "Well. It's good I decided to move then. Those all sound rather...ominous."

Applejack grunted. "More n' a bit," she said, before taking one last look around. "Don't think I'm gonna get any customers today, so I think I'm gonna pack up."

She noticed Lamp Lighter perk up. "You have a stall here? Ah, might I ask what you sell?"

She gave him a blank stare. "Take a guess," she drawled.

...

"Apples, yes. I apologize, that was a stupid question," Said Lamp Lighter, sheepish as he scratched his head.

"Lil bit." Applejack agreed, before turning to walk to her cart. Well, no luck today. At least she knew the creature wasn't dangerous. Bit of an odd feller, but he seemed more or less harmless. 

"Uhm. If it'll make it up to you, I could buy some apples? I haven't eaten today anyways."

Applejack paused in her tracks and turned around. Well, at the very least this day wouldn't a complete waste. "Well then, how much y'want? One apple goes fer two bits."

The creature reaches into its cloak and pulls out a handful of coins. "I don't know how much this goes for in bits," he apologized, "So if its not enough, I have more." Applejack looked the coins over and her eyes widened.

She wasn't no archaeologist or treasure hunter, but that didn't mean she didn't recognize the coins. Those were pure platinum, the kind Equestria hadn't used in....centuries, she thought? A single one of those coins could go fer tens of thousands of bits!

'And he's buyin' simple APPLES with it?' She thought. Wherever this critter was from, he clearly didn't know how much he had in his hand. 

For a moment, Applejack was tempted to let him spend his coins on her wares. We could use the money. Get Granny that hip replacement. Build a barn extension. Hire some new hands for the farm. However, as soon as these thoughts popped up, she squashed them. Applejack was many things, but chief among them she was HONEST. Weird critter or not, she wasn't gonna fleece anypony.

"I can't accept that." She said bluntly to which she saw Lamp Lighter deflate a bit.

"Ah. Is it not enough? I have more-"

She shook her head, cutting him off. "It ain't that you don't have enough. You've got more'n plenty. The issue is I can't in good conscience let you pay fer mah apples with near priceless treasure."





Oh. Huh. That explained the Mayors reaction when he paid her for his house. Lamp Light still needed food, however. He carefully thought things over. "Well. I have a problem then. I have a lot of things I need to get. And, um. The only thing I have to pay for them are these coins."

Applejack gave him a look of sympathy. "Tell you what, you can HAVE a few apples. I know yer good fer it, you can just pay me back when you manage to convert some of that there treasure into actual bits."

That...still left him with a problem. "I, ah. I sorta came to the market to purchase other things, as well. Like furnishings." He said scratching his head, before pausing.

He had an idea. "Actually, what if I pay you for the apples AND your assistance purchasing basic necessities?" He asked. "My coins might be more valuable than a few apples, but a few apples AND the things I intend to add to my house seem a bit more fair, yes?"

Applejack blinked, thinking it over. "So basically a trade? Some of your coins fer my apples AND me buyin you some furniture. I dunno. Still seems a little unfair."

Drat. She wasn't going for it. "It would be if I had any other choice," Lamp Lighter said, carefully choosing his words. "But at present the only thing I have to pay for anything are these coins, and there are things I need that I can't particularly wait on. I'd rather not sleep on the floor again tonight, if its all the same to you."

Applejack nodded. "Alright. Can't fault ya there. Grab yerself a few Apples then, and I'll start helping t' get you yer things."

"Why is Applejack talking to it?"

"It doesn't SEEM scary."

"What did it just give Applejack?"

"I think it was one of those platinum tokens."

"So it DOES pay for things in treasure!"

"If Applejack is okay with the creature, its probably harmless?"

"If it buys everything with treasure, its obviously super rich!"

"Seriously, does it or does it not Light Lamps?"