Many months later, after Good Cash first met with Pinkie Pie, he was walking on the same pathway that led to Ponyville. It was winter time and the pathway was covered by a thick blanket of snow but he managed to recover his bearing and continued heading towards Ponyville. Good Cash walked slowly on the snow covered path as the familiar weariness began to take effect on his body. Although he felt tired and cold, he often smiled whenever he thinks about that day, the day he met Pinkie Pie always gives him a sense of warmth. The morning after they both spent under the night sky, Good Cash had to leave since it was his job as a travelling merchant. Before he left Ponyville, Pinkie Pie made him Pinkie Pie Swear that he would come back. He happily agreed.
Good Cash shook out from his reverie as he shivered by cold winter wind blew on his coat. He later groaned when he had to walk over the same incline from months ago but this time it was harder because the snow covered path made the climb slippery and more dangerous than before. He slowly and carefully walked over the hill and smiled as he looks down at the town that he grown to love, Ponyville.
As he finally reached Ponyville’s entrance, he heard a galloping sound and it was getting closer by the second. Before he could react, he was tackled from his side causing his harness to snap open and he fell on his back into the blanket of snow. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a familiar pink filly standing over him.
“Hello there, Cashie! Welcome back.” Pinkie grinned.
“It’s good to be back, Pinkie.” Good Cash chuckled. “Uh… could you move over? I need to stand up.”
“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie exclaimed cheerily and bounced back.
Good Cash stood up on all four and brushed away some snow that managed to stick onto his mane. He walked over to his cart and started to rummage for something. A few minute later, “Aha!” he exclaimed and looked at Pinkie Pie. “I got a present for you. Now, close your eyes.”
“Wow, a present?” Pinkie asked and started to bounce energetically.
“Yes. Now close your eyes.” Good Cash chuckled.
Pinkie closed her eyes and felt something was wrapped around her neck. Then she heard Good Cash whispered softly into her ears, “Happy Hearth’s Warming holiday.”
Pinkie opened her eyes and saw a cute pink scarf was wrapped around her neck and she was very grateful. “Thank you, Cashie!” she bounced excitedly.
“No problem. You deserved it.” Good Cash said, smiling to Pinkie Pie’s excitement. He walked over to his cart and started to put on the harness. “So…” he looked at Pinkie. “Mind showing me the town square?” he asked, adding a wink. Pinkie only giggled and showed him the way and instead of bouncing ahead of him like last time, this time she walked along side with Good Cash, smiling warmly at her new scarf.
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They finally reached the town square and they were greeted by the sound of merchants calling out to customers and the smell of fresh baked food wafted through the air. Good Cash enjoyed the delicious scent for a while and then a few minutes later, he slowly trotted to his spot from months ago.
After Good Cash unbuckled himself from his cart, he immediately set up his merchandise on his cart, assembling and organizing the goods as usual. The stuff he was selling changes in every season. If it is winter time, he usually sells from clothing to lanterns. He wanted to call for the customers but during the winter, they were less ponies walking in the streets and also they were fewer merchants than usual. He gave an exasperated sigh and sat on his haunches.
“Are you okay, Cashie?” Pinkie asked with a hint of worry in her voice.
“I’m fine.” Good Cash said, giving Pinkie an assuring smile. “Hey, how was your Hearth’s Warming eve?” he asked, turning towards Pinkie.
“We got invited by the princess to be on a play!” Pinkie exclaimed cheerily.
“Really?” he asked incredulously.
“Mm-hmm.” Pinkie nodded.
“Wow, that’s incredible. You must have a lot of fun, huh?” Good Cash asked with a soft smile.
“Yeah, the funny part is when I was helping Twilight to pull Flutt-“Pinkie was cut short as another voice interjected from behind her.
“It is nice to see you again, Good Cash.” The familiar voice said.
Good Cash looked over Pinkie and saw her friend, Twilight Sparkle walking towards them. “It is nice to see you too, Ms. Twilight Sparkle.” He nodded.
Twilight returned the gesture. “Just call me Twilight.” She said, giving him a friendly smile.
“Of course.” Good said as he stood up and walked over to his cart. He grabbed a purple wrapped box with his mouth and trotted to Twilight. “Here,” he tossed the box and quickly enveloped with Twilight’s purple magical aura. “It’s a gift from me to you.” He said, sitting beside Pinkie.
“A gift? For me?” Twilight asked, looking puzzled at him.
Good Cash only nodded.
Twilight slowly tore the wrapping paper and opened the box. She gave an excited squeal when she levitated another old looking tome from the box. “Oh my goddess, this is the tome of Griffica from the griffin oldest kingdom! How did you manage to get it?” she looked at Good Cash with awe and puzzling look.
“Well…” Good Cash rubbed the back of his neck. “I got it when I was travelling through the griffin kingdom. There was an old griffin that could barely stand, so I help the poor griffin by carrying him to the nearest town with my cart. For an elderly griffin, he was heavy. My cart almost broke into two when we reached in a rural griffin village nearby. Before I left, griffin that I helped gave me the tome as a sign of appreciation.” Good Cash explained casually.
“B-b-but, why are you giving it to me?” Twilight asked with a questioning eyebrow.
“Because, it’s the Hearth’s Warming holiday.” Good Cash said, giving a small chuckle.
“Wow, I don’t know what to say…” Twilight said as she kept her eyes on the tome.
“Just say ‘thank you’ is enough.” Good Cash nodded.
“Thank you.” Twilight walked over to Good Cash, and gave him a hug.
Good Cash returned the hug and softly saying “You’re welcome.”
Twilight broke the embrace first and bowed her head. She trotted away happily with the new tome in tow with a telekinetic embrace.
“Twilight sure is happy,” Pinkie giggled.
“She sure does.” Good Cash nodded.
“Well.” Pinkie stood up on all four hooves. “It’s time for me to go back to work.”
“Me too.” Good Cash replied.
“See you at noon?” Pinkie asked as she looked straight into Good Cash’s eyes.
“See you at noon.” He chuckled.
Pinkie gave a wide grin and cantered happily to her business, leaving Good Cash alone behind his cart. He gave a light chuckle and returned to his business. He began calling for potential customers as more ponies entered the town square.
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After a few hours of selling his merchandise, he began to pack away all of his unsold items into his cart. His stomach grumbled because he has not eaten anything every time he travels. He looked to the darkening sky and sighed because he knew most of the food vendors were closing. His ears perked up when he heard somepony was humming and trotting towards him.
A smile was tugged onto his face when he knew who exactly it was. It was Pinkie Pie, trotting happily while carrying a picnic basket in her mouth. She set the basket down in front of Good Cash and smiled. “Hungry?” she asked.
He returned the smile and answered, “Starving.”
Pinkie Pie immediately lay out a blanket in front of Good Cash and displayed a big variety of baked goods. Good Cash’s mouth began to water as the hunger was starting to take over his body but fortunately he quickly gained his composure. After Pinkie finished preparing the variety of baked goods onto the blanket, she offered Good Cash a cupcake with a vanilla icing on top. “I baked this especially for you.” She said, with a wide smile on her face.
Good Cash took the cupcake in his hooves and took a big bite out of it. He let out a tear as it was the most delicious cupcake he has eaten. He finished the cupcake with only two bites. “That was delicious.” He said as he licked the vanilla icing from his lips. With that, both of them enjoyed the sugary treats that has been prepared and each other’s company.
After the sugary feast, both ponies sat on their haunches together under the winter night sky. The moon looms above them, giving the two ponies a comforting silvery light. The night air brushed against their coats, making them sat closer together to keep themselves warm.
“Hey.” Pinkie Pie spoke up.
“Yeah?” Good Cash replied.
“Can you tell me a story?” she asked, leaning closer to him.
“Of course, what story do you want to hear about?” he said, leaning back to Pinkie.
“How did you get your cutie mark?” she asked softly, enjoying the warmth from Cash’s body.
“Hmm…” he tapped his chin, musing. “It’s all started when I was a little colt. I had no friends, you see. I often get picked on by my classmates because I was the only blank flank in my class. The fillies and colts always teasing me, telling me I will never get my cutie mark. That’s why I often to keep everything to myself. Then one day, when I was slowly trotting back from school. I saw a stallion left a cart with books in it behind a local inn. I asked the stallion why he left the cart there, and he answered that nopony want the books anymore. So I asked him if I could take the cart and the books with it. The stallion only nodded and trotted away.
“Back then, pulling the cart was hard because I was only a young colt but it was manageable. I was pulling the cart in my hometown, thinking what I should do with the books. Read them? Throw them? Then suddenly, a mare with her filly hailed me. She asked if she could buy one of the books that were in the cart, I just agreed with a nod. She put one bit into my saddlebag that I was wearing at the time, and went to her business. I couldn’t believe my luck. So, I began to trot again. This time, two stallions walked to me and asked if they could buy some of the books, I happily agreed. One of the stallions took a few books and the other one gave me a few bits. When they trotted away, I felt a tingling sensation on my flank and when I looked, I saw my cutie mark.” He finished by looking back to his flank.
“Didn’t your parents worried about you being a travelling merchant?” she asked, smiling softly.
“They would, if they were still here.” He replied, with a hint of sadness in his voice.
“I-I-I-I,” Pinkie stammered. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” her ears flopped down.
“No, no.” Good Cash waved a dismissive hoof. “It’s okay. I lived through it for almost all my life. I have gotten use to it.” He said as he looked down to the snow covered street.
“Where do you live now? Don’t you have a home?” Pinkie asked and her voice was filled with worry.
“Honestly, I have no home. I travel too much to consider a place to call home.” He said as he looked into the sea of stars above.
“Oh.” was the only thing Pinkie could say.
“Hey,” he playfully nuzzled Pinkie. “It’s okay. Do you know what?” he asked, adding a warm smile.
“Yeah?” Pinkie replied, with her face flushed.
“You’re the second pony who knows my actual story.” He said, looking back into the night sky.
“Who was the first o-“Pinkie stopped in the middle of her sentence when she realized something.
“Yeah…” he said, knowing Pinkie’s realization. “Seeking Searcher was the first one to know.” He looked at Pinkie with a weak smile.
“Could you… show me again the jewelry box?” she asked, looking at the ground.
“Sure.” He answered, smiling softly. Good Cash stood up and trotted over to his cart. He opened the compartment and gingerly picked up the jewelry box in his mouth. He carefully trotted over to Pinkie Pie and put it in front of her. Pinkie Pie slowly opened the box, and a sweet melody began to dance in the winter wind. She rummaged in her picnic basket and pulled out the pink scarf that was given by Good Cash earlier that day. She trotted next to Good Cash and wrapped the scarf on their necks together. Good Cash smile softly and slowly leaned against her.
“Hey…” Pinkie said, with weariness already in her voice.
“Yeah?” Good Cash replied.
“Do you have to go tomorrow?” She asked and her eyes were slowly closing.
“I think so. Why?” he asked, gently nuzzling her.
“Nothing… but you’re going to come back here, right?” she asked, looking at his eyes with weariness already taking over her.
“Of course.” He said, smiling warmly at the tired filly.
“Good…” she smiled and she lay on her stomach, completely tired.
Good Cash lay next to hear, and rest his head on his fore hooves. He looked at the starry night sky above with a peaceful smile. He looked to his side and saw a pink filly slowly drifting into slumber. He nuzzled her softly and silently muttered, “I’m home.” He closed his eyes and felt a light kiss on his cheek.
“Welcome home.” Pinkie whispered into his ears and both of them drifted into slumber, accompanied by a sweet melody under the beautiful starry night sky.