It was a sunny Saturday morning in Ponyville. The day may have just begun, but the entire town was already filled with life, particularly in the market square. There, a number of ponies and other creatures had set up a number of booths and stalls for the weekly farmer’s market. Tarps were laid out, tents propped up, and tables were set up for customers to browse the different produce, plants, and other wares. Fruits and vegetables, cheeses, clothing, books, knick-knacks and oddities, and even street food were offered to all of the creatures in the crowd. Amongst the crowd trotting along the aisle of the marketplace, there were three best friends: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
“Ahh, the farmer’s market. Where ponies take the bad produce an’ other food stuffs that they couldn’t sell to their merchants an’ sell it directly to the unknowing public,” the yellow filly mused. Her eyes wandered to look at all of the different vendors.
“Where did all of that come from. Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle asked in puzzlement.
“It’s what Applejack always tells me,” Apple Bloom shrugged, “It’s why my family doesn’t sell nothin’ here.”
“I don’t care what you say, I like the farmer’s market,” the pegasus filly said, “There’s always something neat going on.”
Apple Bloom smiled, “Ah do agree, ah really do like all the neat kinds of food that they got here.”
Taking a deep inhale, Scootaloo smiled, “I think the funnel cake pony is here again! We have to stop by!”
“I think I smell the funnel cakes too!” Sweetie Belle also got excited, “but Rarity told me I need to pick up some carrots for tonight’s dinner. She always insists on having produce from the farmer’s market. Something about it being ‘farm-to-table’, whatever that means.”
The earth pony stopped in a bit of confusion, “What does ‘farm-to-table’ mean?”
Sweetie Belle also stopped and thought for a second, “I’m not sure. Maybe think it’s something about food going straight from the farm to the pony eating it.”
“Wait, what does that mean for me? Am ah doin’ that farm-to-table thing?”
Scootaloo gave her thoughts, “I think it has to do with knowing where the food is coming from and stuff.”
“But it comes from farms. Ah know this because ah live on a farm.” Apple Bloom was using her hoof to work out the problem in her head, “Our food goes from our farm to our table, so does that make it farm-to-table? Ah’m confused….”
The three fillies continued to chat for a bit about what exactly ‘farm-to-table’ meant before they continued along the crowded marketplace aisle. As they made their way down to each vendor, they would peek through the different items they had. However, each vendor failed to have anything that caught the attention of the three fillies.
“Not much at the market today, huh?” Apple Bloom asked as the ponies took a quick break outside of the rushing traffic.
“It’s gonna change when we get that funnel cake. I know the funnel cake pony is around here, and we’re gonna find him,” Scootaloo insisted, “I can already taste that boysenberry.”
“Apple Bloom is right though, there isn’t all that much for sale,” Sweetie Belle agreed.
Before either of the ponies could say anything else, something caught Scootaloo’s attention out of the corner of her eye.
“Hey, did we check that booth out?” she pointed.
Both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle turned to look at where she was pointing. Off to the side at the end of one of the aisles, there was a small dark purple tent that was propped up with drapes over all but a single side. Under the shade, there was a single table and a shadowy figure behind it. Oddly, there was not a single creature that seemed to acknowledge the stand’s existence.
“No, I don’t think we have,” the unicorn filly stated.
“Let’s check it out,” Apple Bloom said.
The three fillies trotted up to the tent and were greeted by a strange and exotic scent as they drew close. Before they were able to set a hoof under the shade of the canopy, a voice called to them:
“Ah….welcome, fillies, welcome. What can I help you with today?”
The eyes of the young ponies adjusted to the shade under the tent. Behind the table sat a light red unicorn mare with a dark mane upon her head. She looked to be about as old as the filly’s school teacher, Miss Cheerilee, maybe a bit older. Wrapped around her neck was a lilac cloak that rested on top of a green sari which draped over her body. The top of her head was adorned with golden jewelry that was fitted around her horn. Her deep red eyes rested on the three fillies at the entrance to her tent.
“Come in, come in,” she welcomed and motioned with her hoof. “What is it that I can help you find today?”
Sweetie Belle was the first to speak, “I don’t remember seeing your booth here before. Are you new to the Ponyville Farmer’s Market?”
“You could say that,” the mare answered. Her voice was rough but kind, “I am but a humble traveling merchant, selling my unique wares wherever I can along my journey to nowhere.”
“I don’t mean to ignore the weird description of your life,” Scootaloo said, her gaze down at the table between them, “but what kind of stuff is all of this?”
A small chuckle escaped the mare’s lips as she also looked down at the various items spread out on the table. It was littered with a number of different items that each most likely had nothing in common with the ones next to them. “Oh, these are just a few of the numerous items I have picked up on my travels. They all have a purpose for somecreature somewhere, and I feel it’s up to me to help them find a new home.” A sign hung from the edge of the table and it read the following in large, friendly letters: ALL SALES ARE FINAL.
Apple Bloom surveyed the entire table, “It all looks like junk to me.”
“None of it’s junk!” the mare’s demeanor broke for a second before she returned to her pleasant state. “Sorry, didn’t mean to go off like that, but I assure you fillies, each of these items all have a significant purpose. Some might say, they are even magical artifacts.”
Each of the young ponies’ ears perked up at the unicorn’s words.
“Really?” Scootaloo’s face looked surprised as she looked back at the table.
“Oh, yes, very much so.”
Picking up one of the books on the table, Apple Bloom opened it up to a random page. Once opened, otherworldly screeches and howls came from the pages. Quickly, the filly slammed the book closed in fright.
Another chuckle escaped from the merchant. “Oh, that book might be a bit too much for a filly like you. It was written by a half-crazed individual who spent years upon years wandering the deserts, listening to the strange sounds heard and writing about the demonic entities who made them. Studying the words on those pages will cause the reader to meet with an horrific end, just like them. Or rather that’s how the story goes.”
Sweetie Belle peered over to look at the aged cover of the book and it’s title, “Necronomicon….”
“Is that how you pronounce it?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Boring! I don’t care about any book,” Scootaloo chimed as she took the book out of Apple Bloom’s hooves and back on the table. Her eyes were drawn to something else, “Did that box just move on its own?”
Just as the pegasus said, there was a small box on the table that seemed to be vibrating every so often. It was just a little bigger than the size of the books on the table. There was also great age to the wood and the metal latches and hinges. Keeping the box shut was an old lock that struggled to keep the doors closed.
“It seems we’ve woken him up,” the mare commented. “Within this box is a very malicious spirit, hoping to escape and cling to any nearby soul. They say that once it latches to a host, it will take over their body until they are no longer in control and the spirit takes over. As you can tell, he’s very restless.” The shopkeeper's words were accented by the spirit’s futile attempts to break free from the box. “I must say, it must have been quite a task to trick the spirit into that box.”
All three of the fillies recoiled at the sight and the sounds of the spirit’s attempt to break free.
“Guess he won’t find a new home today,” the mare slightly laughed as she motioned to another item.
The unicorn filly’s eyes darted away from the box to another part of the table. It was there that Sweetie Belle saw an exquisite teapot resting on the opposite end. “Oh, that’s a beautiful teapot,” she remarked as she leaned in to examine the porcelain.
“Ah, yes. It’s a beautiful piece of work, isn’t it?” the mare motioned to the teapot. “No creature seems to have any information of who made it, or even where. But despite it’s strange yet captivating designs, whenever a creature pours themselves a cup of tea, the liquid that comes out is perfectly suited to their tastes. No matter what you may have put inside, it truly is astounding. However, previous owners have experienced strange happenings and hallucinations the longer they have been in possession of it. But that just has to be a silly story, right?” A small smile appeared on the shopkeeper’s face.
Before Sweetie Belle could examine the teapot further, Apple Bloom pointed at one of the strange objects, “What the hay is that?”
Scootaloo also chimed in with confusion, “Whoa, yeah, what is that weird thing?”
All four ponies looked down at the object in question: a severed chicken talon. Three claws sprung forth from the detached body part, and a fourth below the spur section where all three claws met. Each one of the pale yellow claws were extended, yet slightly curled as if they were grasping at something unseen.
“I see you have found the chicken talon. Made from a real chicken, it’s an object of remarkable power. It has the power to grant wishes to whosoever holds it,” the mare declared.
“Wishes, huh?” Scootaloo’s interest was quickly sparked as were the rest of the fillies, “How much for it?”
The eyes of the shopkeeper narrowed a bit in surprise, “Now I must warn you about something….”
“Yeah, yeah, we saw the sign that says ‘all sales are final’,” Scootaloo said.
“No, it isn’t that. Well, yes, that is true though, all sales are final, but it is about the chicken talon,” the mare spoke, “I must caution you that the wishes that this talon grants come at a price. For you see, no wish for free.”
Sweetie Belle was starting to pull out her money, “Of course it comes at a price, that’s how the farmer’s market works.”
“Duh, we gotta pay for it first!” Apple Bloom added as she pulled her money out as well. “How much do you have, Sweetie Belle?”
“I got fourteen bits. Scootaloo?”
“Ten. Apple Bloom?”
“Ah got thirteen. Is that enough?”
The mare looked at the three young ponies as they held up their coins to her. “If this is what you fillies desire, then who am I to stop you?” the mare stated as she reached out for the coins. As the fillies gave their money to her, she reached for the talon and held it for a moment. She then gave a warning: “Remember, there are grave consequences that come with this item. With each wish, you may regret as you might get exactly what you wished for.”
“Yeah, yeah, just give it here!” Scootaloo said eagerly.
“Very well,” the mare passed the severed chicken talon to the fillies with a sly smile, “just don’t waste your wishes.”
With the chicken talon in their possession, the three fillies galloped off in excitement. They stopped themselves at one of the tables set up around the market. As they sat, they each took a closer look at the talon as it rested on the table. Just as the shopkeeper said, it was apparent that it was from the real animal. The points of each claw looked sharp to the touch, enough to draw blood with a single scratch.
“Looks like there are three claws, so that’s a wish each!” Scootaloo spoke as she bounced in her seat, unable to contain her excitement.
“This is so excitin’! We get to have wishes!” Apple Bloom cheered, “We can wish for anythin’!”
“It’s kind of creepy, isn’t it?” Sweetie Belle asked as she looked at the .
Scootaloo did agree, “You’re not wrong. It is the detached body part of a chicken and it does have a weird vibe to it.”
The earth pony nodded, “It’s weird just lookin’ at it. But ah think it’s still worth the creepiness for the wishes!”
“Totally! What are you gonna wish for?” the pegasus asked her friends.
“Ah’m thinkin’ of wishin’ for unlimited cheesecake!” Apple Bloom happily answered.
Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow, “Cheesecake? Why would you want cheesecake?”
“What do you got against cheesecake? It’s a great pie!” Scootaloo said.
“Ah don’t think cheesecake is pie,” Apple Bloom spoke.
The pegasus crossed her hooves, “Sure it is.”
“Doesn’t pie have fruit filling?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Scootaloo was quick to reply, “Cheese is a fruit.”
“But….cow’s ain’t trees.”
As the three continued to argue about the dessert, they were spotted by one of the patrons of the farmer’s market. “Oh, hey there.” All three turned to see a small purple dragon carrying a stack of books.
“Oh, Spike! Hiya!” Apple Bloom was the first to greet him.
“What brings you out here?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Spike used his head to motion to the stack of books he was having some difficulty carrying, “Twilight is having me pick up a bunch of books for her. She said that after I finish running her errands, I can go get sweets from some of the stalls. I’ve been smelling that funnel cake all morning and it’s driving me crazy.” He set the stack of books down on the tabletop for a moment to rest his arms, “Geez, those are so heavy. Anyway, I heard you three arguing and I thought I’d see what’s up.”
“Well, we were talking about what to wish for, and Apple Bloom brought up unlimited cheesecake, but apparently Sweetie Belle doesn’t like that idea,” Scootaloo answered.
“It’s not cake and I’d hardly call it cheese!” the unicorn filly passionately proclaimed.
“It is too cake! It’s even in the name!” Apple Bloom replied.
Sweetie Belle retorted, “But cake has layers, like onions!”
“I still think it’s pie,” Scootaloo interjected.
“It’s not pie, either!” Sweetie Belle insisted.
The dragon was a bit dumbfounded at the fillies argument, “This has to be the stupidest fight the three of you have ever had.”
“We’ve had stupider!” Scootaloo called back.
Spike simply rolled his eyes as the ponies continued to bicker. However, he noticed the talon resting on the table. He squinted at it for a moment, trying his best to confirm it was what he thought it was. Unfortunately, it was.
“What the hay is that?” he pointed at the chicken talon.
“Oh, it’s this chicken talon we got from one of the booths. We each get a wish from it!” Sweetie Belle answered.
“An’ that’s when ah thought about gettin’ cheesecake!” the earth pony said.
The dragon glared at the object with disdain. “That thing is not something you want to have. Trust me. You’re best off taking that thing and throwing it into the lake or burying it so deep that no creature can ever find it again.”
Sweetie Belle tilted her head, “Huh? But we just got it?”
“And we paid thirty-nine bits for it!” Scootaloo protested.
“It’s not worth tempting fate. That thing is a cursed object that will bring nothing but bad news,” Spike’s words were urgent and somber.
Apple Bloom waved her hoof and scoffed, “Ya don’t know what yer sayin’, Spike.
“I know exactly what I’m talking about,” Spike’s words were both dreaded and cautious, “Look, I still have to finish up my errands for Twilight. I’ll help you get rid of that thing later but whatever you do, just don’t wish for anything with that chicken talon. There will be unintended consequences if you use it.” He lifted up the stack of books and headed off.
After the dragons left the fillies, they all exchanged a look to one another and agreed with one another.
“So, we’re all gonna use our wishes?”
“Ah’m gonna use mine!”
“Totally! I’m already getting ideas!”
The three fillies looked at chicken talon as it rested upon the surface of the table. The endless ideas for their wishes began to flood their minds.