He had expected a gathering of Ponyville's best. Putting out the word for the professionals he knew, Laud could see them there, wandering through the constructed stands of the market. But they were far from alone. Ponies of all ages and social standing were just as eagerly gawping at the human goods.
Perhaps they were just there to look? He could dare to hope...
"Laud." Twilight landed just beside him, her wings folding. "The children got it in their heads that they were 'human experts' after their visit to the other ship and they came running as soon as school was out." She pointed at Yona, who was having her measurements taken with a big happy smile. "And I see they're already here."
Laud let out a slow sigh at the sight. "If she's here to get a new bit of clothing, that's harmless. Speaking of that, where is Rarity?"
"Right here, Darling." She trotted up out of the crowd, approaching Laud with a smile. "How could I turn down such an invitation? Where are these 'exotic new fashions' and 'revolutionary threads?'"
Laud looked faintly relieved, nodding at Rarity. "Your student beat you to it." He pointed the way past Rarity, to where Yona was beside the clothing rack, a merchant busilly taking her measure. "It looks like she wants to update her wardrobe."
Rarity huffed at that, turning up her nose. "And she didn't come to me? Well, I suppose it can't be helped. I can't literally offer options that are 'out of this world' after all." She tittered as she began trotting over to have a look at the clothing Yona was already inspecting. "Time to see what this is all about."
Twilight nudged Laud with a barely extended wing. "You've made at least one pony's day. By the look of it, a lot of people are happy to be here." Her eyes wandered over the crowd and the goods being sold. "I'd actually like to have a look myself. I presume that's alright?"
Laud would have loved a reason to deny her, but not many came to mind that didn't ring hollow. His wife was both nobility and educated. She was exactly the kind of pony he could not deny. "Let's look together," he suggested with a soft sweep of a hand, inviting her to go first.
"How thoughtful!" She pranced ahead with a big smile. "Yes, let's. By the way, have you seen Spike?"
"He is here." He followed after her, eyes wandering in search of trouble. "He agreed to help me watch over things. As a squire he has thus far proven capable and trustworthy."
"That is g--what is this?" She veered quite sharply, eyes locked on a glowing energy blade. "I thought you said you had no magic. What do you call this?!"
Elsewhere in the crowd, Spike meandered, watching the people of Ponyville browsing the human goods. "How do they change colors?" came the haughty voice of a young Diamond Tiara.
A human merchant plucked up the small webbing of lights, attached by something thin and clear. "A bit of human magic. Now, watch this." His voice echoed, human tongue and pony tongue. It seemed they were all equipped with translators. He reached for Diamond and worked the webbing into her tiara. Soon her tiara was doing the glowing, changing colors and sparkling visibly.
Diamond grinned up at her enhanced headwear. "I like it! But will it glow all the time now?"
"Oh, no. With this--" He held up a small remote control. "--you can change the rate of the color change, select a specific color, make it brighter or dimmer, or just turn it off entirely. You can be exactly as glamorous as you want to be."
Diamond sat on her haunches and reached, snatching away the remote to peer at it a moment before she brought down a hoof to press on the big knob and slowly turn it, making her tiara's glowing change wildly as she played with it. "What do you think?"
"I think it's, like, pretty nice." Silver Spoon nodded quickly, eyes sparkling almost as much as the tiara on her friend's head. "Are you gonna get it?"
Spike emerged from the crowd. "That's interesting. How long will it glow?"
"Years," assured the human. "And when its power fades, or you get tired of it, it can be removed as easily as I put it in." Fortunately, the crowd wore collars as well, which also limited the number of ponies that could visit at once. There were only so many collars to go around, and not being understood would have put a damper on things. "What do you think, m'lady? Fine enough for a discerning eye?"
"Well..." Diamond Tiara tilted her head left and right slowly, her eyes upwards to examine her tiara. "Let's see it... off." She turned it all the way to the left and with a soft click, the glowing faded. "Mmm, I can still see it, but it's not... too bad..." She pointed at the merchant. "Randolph, see to this human's needs."
The old earth pony stepped forward with a bowed head before reaching back and producing a jingling bag of bits.
Spike left them to their haggling, spotting something more worrisome. He scampered over to find Button Mash gawping at a laser pistol.
"It's just like in Return of the Farnanojuns!" he gasped, reaching out his hooves for the technological device. "Does it fire death rays, or is it fiery destruction?"
The merchant smiled down at the colt. "More of the second. A thin beam of scorching hot light."
"Sweet! Can I try it?" He hefted it up lightly, turning it around in his hooves with an awed look.
"Button, you have no need for that," sternly dissuaded Spike, crossing his arms as he closed in. "Hey, do you have any games?"
The merchant scowled at the interruption, but that faded at the new request. "What manner of game?"
"Videogames!" blurted Button, setting the pistol down as if it had lost all interest. "You must! Show me!"
He looked disarmed a moment, putting up a hand before it fell. "Wait, could you define 'videogame' to me? The translator is not doing a good job with that word."
Button reared up, his forehooves on the counter as he leaned in with a big grin. "It's a flat screen with action and adventure! You play it with a joystick." He made vague motions with his right hoof, trying to impress the idea. "You go for a high score, or just to beat the game. C'mon. You're space people. You have to have awesome videogames!"
The man looked thoughtful a moment before it clicked. "One moment." He whistled sharply and another human approached rapidly. They exchanged quiet words, their hands over their collar to prevent them from hearing and repeating their words loudly.
The second nodded and strode away purposefully. The first turned back to Button. "I'm sending for what I think will interest you. Now... what do you have to trade?"
Button's ears fell a moment before they perked right back up. "I can trade you my videogames. They're new to you, but old to me. That's fair, right? Hold on a moment. I'll be right back!" He dashed off in a wild gallop towards the entrance of the landing pad, his propeller beanie spinning wildly in the motion.
Spike shook his head slowly. "He'll be back with his wagon I bet, so, what are you going to show him?"
"A computer." He tapped the counter lightly. "A small one we could trade away at the right price."
Spike squinted a bit, that word, Computer, did not have a clean translation to Ponish. "A what now?"
"You will see shortly." His eyes fell to Spike's training sword at his hip. "Are you a local guard, or another child come to gawk?"
"I'm a squire." He puffed out his chest. "I am Spike, of the Sparkle family, squire of Laud Mountbatten, of the Hawkwoods."
The merchant stood up straight, clearly affected by the announcement. "Nice to meet you, Sir. As you can see, we've kept everything on the level."
Spike inclined his head faintly. "Don't sell him that laser. He could literally do nothing with it but hurt himself or others. Let's see that 'computer' of yours."
"Did you say computer?" Twilight appeared as if from nowhere, emerging from the crowd. Her command of the word was clearly superior, using a Ponish word Spike had heard of only once or twice, and the collar did not know how to translate.
"Oh that computer!" he blurted, getting it. "Like the ones past the mirror? You have those?!"
Laud came into view, just moments after Twilight. "Ah, Spike. I trust things have been going well?"
"Huh? Hey Laud!" He snapped a sharp salute. "All clear! I was just inspecting a computer before Button Mash could buy it, to make sure it was safe for the little colt."
The merchant shrugged softly at that. "Unless he has it in mind to bludgeon someone with it, a computer can cause little harm on its own. Since you understand the word, I assume you are not superstitious of it?"
Twilight's wings went wide. "What? No. I want to see it! Tell me you have at least two. I'd feel bad taking the only one if Button really had his heart set on it."
Spike pointed towards the exit. "He ran off to get his videogames to trade for it."
The merchant smiled at Twilight. "Since you understand the word, perhaps you could confirm that I've arrived at the correct assumption of what a 'videogame' is?"
"It's an entertainment device," helpfully replied Twilight. "Local models are not run on computers, however. But they can be." She had seen at least one, being played by the human six. "Do you have such things?"
"I'm getting that right now." The one that had been sent off was just returning, putting a small rectangular object in his hands. "Thank you." He set it on the counter and unfolded it, revealing a keyboard of things to press, all in the human language. "A portable computer."
Laud let out a low whistle. "That cannot be cheap."
"Nothing we sell is 'cheap', but if you mean it commands a premium price, you would be correct." He ran his fingers along the upper edge of it gently. "As you are well aware, only a select few guilds have the means to even repair these works of art, let alone make new ones."
"And here you are, willing to sell one to aliens you've just met?"
"And why wouldn't I?" He rolled a hand towards Twilight. "The lady here looks like she would treat it with the greatest of care."
"I would!" she blurted without delay, eyes locked on the device. "What... programs--" the translation was confused, the term for a computer program not known and coming through more as 'plans'. "--does this have?"
Fortunately, the merchant seemed to piece the meaning together. "It can hold your words, do your math..." He reached around and soon was showing off its basic utilities, a word processing application, a spreadsheet app. "And of more interest to the young one, a few games." They were not grand adventures, nothing more involved than minesweeper. "With an available network, it can communicate with others of its kind."
Twilight suddenly looked towards Spike. "Letters without sending them through dragons. Can you imagine it?"
Spike snorted softly, eyes rolling dramatically. "Sign me up. But what do you mean 'network'?"
A sudden explosion brought them all to their knees. Surprised shouts and yelps echoed from the marketplace, smoke rising from one of the stands where countless eyes rested, wondering what had just happened.
Laud abandoned the haggling entirely, charging towards the danger without pause. Spike looked around as he stood up. "W-wait!" He dashed after Laud, lifting into the air on his still new wings. "What happened?!"
Many others had the same question.