Rarity and I were the only ones left at the Carousel Boutique. Dash had left to get Applejack and promised to explain the situation to her on the way. Fluttershy had left to get back to take care of her animals, promising to come back later.
The open sign was flipped to close, the workshop floor was covered with piles of coins, and a work table had several pieces of jewellery arranged on it. Rarity and I were slowly making an inventory of the various coins.
"I have to ask, what makes aluminium such a valuable precious metal? I mean, it's not particularly pretty, at least to my eye."
"Oh my, you really aren't from here, are you? Simply put, it's a magical lens. Ponies use it to enhance their natural magical abilities. For example, it might make an Earth Pony physically stronger, a Pegasus Pony fly faster, or in my case, have more..." she paused for a moment, "finesse with my telekinesis. It varies from one individual to another. I have a 1.76-gram wire wrapped around my horn."
I looked carefully and could see a very thin metal wire along the spiralling crease of her horn. "No wonder ponies would want that stuff."
"I'm sure Twilight will be able to give you a much more exhaustive and detailed explanation." She looked up and tapped her chin. "With diagrams."
We both chuckled and went back to sorting my filthy lucre.
After a while, I clicked my tongue and said, “You know Rarity, I was a little worried about meeting you. I'm a little rough around the edges, and you were always depicted as the most elegant pony in Ponyville. To be completely honest, I was intimidated. I've always been a little socially awkward, but you're really forgiving of my lack of eloquence, and I appreciate that.” I smiled sheepishly.
“Don't be ridiculous, darling. You are a stranger in a strange land, so to speak, and we were the only ponies you knew anything about. Now, I'm not completely sure how this 'show' presented me, and while I do appreciate fashion, I am not a close-minded snob. Besides, you have been nothing but a perfect gentlecolt.” Rarity grew thoughtful, “Since the Gala, I have learned the value of judging others by the quality of their character, not by their appearances or social status.”
We both sat, lost in thought, in my hand a sixty grott coin from the Illithid Empire. I finally spoke, all the while toying with the coin. “Sixty years,” I said sadly. “Sixty years is far longer than anywhere else I've ever been. It's almost as long as I've already been gone from home.”
Rarity looked at me sadly. I smiled, feeling hope coming back. “But,” I took a deep breath, “Miss Rarity, this is a good place with good people. Did you know last night was the first time in years, years, I didn't fall asleep with dread and wake up in a panic? And, with this,” I waved vaguely at the piles of coins, “I can build a life. Heck, maybe even have a family.” I considered the implications and frowned, “No,” I shook my head, “that one's out of the question.” I grew sombre, sitting in contemplative silence as we continued to sort the coins.
The door opened with a crash and quickly slammed shut. I could hear Dash call out, “We're here!” Her exuberant manner snapped me out of my funk. Rarity and I both made our way to the front, where we found Rainbow Dash and Applejack.
I stared a little when I saw Applejack. She was noticeably bigger than the others. A good hand taller, solid muscle, and surprisingly graceful. Not in that ballroom dancing sort of way, but in the way a strong person can move with ease and an experienced athlete can move with no wasted effort.
When Applejack spotted me, she scamped back into the closed door, eyes huge, pupils pinpricks. “Ah thought you said he looked a little like a diamond dog! That t'aint no diamond dog!”
“Relax, Applejack! He's cool. He's a... what are you again?”
“A human,” I replied helpfully.
“That's it! He's a human, Applejack. He's far from home, and for reasons I don't completely understand, Twilight understands that egghead stuff, he'll be here for a very long time. Anyway, he's got a flank load of gold, silver, platinum, and, get this, aluminium, and needs help from you and Rarity to get this converted to bits.”
“Miss Applejack, I'm very sorry I startled you,” Dash snorted, “ and it's a pleasure to meet you finally. As Dash told you,” Applejack raised an eyebrow at my using such a familiar name with Rainbow Dash, “I would humbly like to request your help. As I think you may know, I come from a place where you, all of Ponyville and Equestria actually, is something like,” I had been thinking about this, “a weekly serial play. Anyway, you and Rarity are always presented as successful business ponies. I don't know a bit from a horse-apple, and I could really use your help. My name is Alex Roberts, but my friends call me Alex.” I put out a hand.
Applejack gave me a long, appraising look. My hand hung in the air, not moving. This was not going the way I expected. Soon, a slow smile crossed her face, and she shook my hand. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Alex. If Rarity and Rainbow Dash both trust y'all, ah suppose ah can too.”
Applejack and Rarity got to work determining the best prices and markets. I interrupted them. “My only request is that you lowball your estimates. Rarity, I know your nature is to be generous, but in this case...”
Applejack started to object, but Rarity raised an eyebrow and a hoof to stop us, “I can assure you, darling, that mine is the element of generosity, not stupidity. But I can appreciate your concern.” She smiled warmly. “Applejack and I will both appraise your trade goods. Now, finding a buyer for this much aluminium may be a problem. We'll likely have to sell it in small lots, two or three kilos at a time. We'll have to go to Canterlot and...”
“Wait, wait, wait. Hold on, if you guys are going to do so much work, I expect you to take a cut. Does 20% sound fair?”
Applejack scowled at me. “Now, hold on there, sugarcube. 20% isn't a cut, it's a horsefeathering. 5%, split between me and Rarity. Now, that's a pretty standard fee 'round these parts, and that sounds plenty fair.” Rarity nodded and Applejack looked at me with a look that said that was the end of negotiations.
I slowly stood so as to tower over them, scowled, and crossed my arms. “Um, 'sugarcube', that's not going to happen. 5% is ripping you off and is definitely not fair. 5% each.” I smiled, uncrossed my arms, and gave her a pleading look. I knew I had to convince Applejack. Rarity wouldn't say shit if she had a mouthful, and I just want to be fair. “Look at it this way,” I explained, “you have to teach me that, I don't know, paying a hundred bits for an apple is not reasonable. If I recall, at the Gala you sold an apple pie for 2 bits, but then sold a little apple pastry for the same price. I need to understand the logic. And, to be frank, I'm an idiot when it comes to economics. I really would like Ponyville's top business ponies to guide me.”
Applejack's expression softened just a tiny bit. “Ah reckon ah can accept that. Deal.” She spat on her hoof and held it out. I spat in the palm of my hand and pressed my palm to her hoof.
Her experienced eye started to appraise the piles of coins, “That would go a long way toward grannie's hip, a new barn, some new acreage, and maybe a few other things...”
Once I answered a few questions and helped finish sorting the coins, I was summarily dismissed by Applejack and Rarity. This was business, and they wanted to earn their share. So, finding myself with some free time, I asked Dash if she could help me find an apartment, cottage, or something. Sleeping inside would be a welcome change. Also, breakfast was wearing off, and my stomach was thinking about the next meal.
Dash was hovering beside me as we walked and talked. We were headed to city hall, where the post board with vacancies were. She warned me that pickings were likely slim. Ponies tended to stay in one place for a long time. But if you don't check, you don't know.
While walking through the market again, I felt my stomach growl. “Okay, I usually don't do this, but could I borrow a few bits until things get going? Breakfast is wearing off, and Mr Tummy is getting upset. I promise to pay you back! You know I'm good for it.” I slowly realized how pleading my voice was. I guess a combination of fear, hunger, and fatigue was getting the best of me.
Dash stopped, hovering in front of me. She had an annoyed expression on her face, almost angry. “Look,” Dash tapped me on the sternum, “when Applejack said she trusted you, it wasn't because me and Rarity trusted you. It was because she trusted you. She only said that about us because she wanted to be polite. If she didn't trust you, and I mean really trust you, or had any doubts about you, you would have known about it. Trust me,” she rolled her eyes.” Anyway, I won't lend you any bits. I will buy a friend lunch, you knucklehead.” She ended with a confident smirk and a hoof ruffling my hair.
This was a small town, so the choice of eateries was limited. We found one with an open outside table and sat down. Well, Dash sat down. The tables were perfect for ponies when they were sitting, but for me, not so much. The table was a bit above belt height when I stood, and when I sat, it was a little above eye height. The waiter was kind enough to bring me a stool, but I felt like a kid at the grown-up table. Naturally, Dash found it amusing and happily sniggered at my plight.
Once she stopped laughing, she had a wildflower sandwich, and I ordered the apple oatmeal soup, basically watered-down, undercooked oatmeal with bits of apple. It was a little bland, but I was going for substance and something that wouldn't poison me. Flavour experiments can come later.
We chatted some more, mostly me asking her more about her work with the weather office and what the Wonderbolts were all about. She was surprised to find there was basically no weather control where I come from other than some cloud seeding, nothing like the pinpoint accuracy she had available. I also told her a little about the machines we use to fly and do acrobatics, promising to show her some videos on the subject later.
“Dash, mind if I ask something?” She mumbled an okay through a mouthful of food. “So, why aren't you at work? Don't misunderstand me. I appreciate this and enjoy your company, but a mare has to make her bread, right?” I facepalmed as soon as I realized what I said. Poor Dash almost choked on her mouthful of food. I don't know if she was blushing more from what I said, choking, laughing, or all of them simultaneously. I passed her my unused napkin, chuckling, “Are you okay?”
Once she stopped coughing, she smirked, “Ya, ya, mister bread fixation.” She wiped her mouth, “So, this is my week to be on call, I need to show up if they need extra help. Being an element of harmony has perks, like getting more on-call weeks than others. Never know when Discord or Nightmare Moon might come back.”
We chatted more about her adventures and what I knew compared to what had actually happened. The broad strokes were more or less correct, but there were a lot of details that the show glossed over. I commented that she was a lot more fun to be around than I thought she would be.
She smiled with confidence, “Of course I am. It's because I'm awesome!”
We finished our lunches, Dash paid, and we started to leave. Then I heard it just on the edge of my hearing, that voice I heard earlier. It sounded angry and dismissive. “Get out of my way, you worthless feather duster.” I looked over Dash's shoulder. The voice, with that affected accent, was coming from an earth pony stallion. Brown coat, black mane and tail, wearing one of their suits that looked like a cloth necklace, and a pile of coins for a cutie mark. He was looking at something, but I couldn't see what.
Dash could see from my expression that something had happened. She followed my gaze. Her expression changed from concern and curiosity to distaste once she saw who I was looking at. “Golden Coins,” she said flatly.
The crowd parted for a moment. On the ground in front of him was a young pegasus with orange cost, purple mane and tail, her little saddle pack of apples scattered. “I'm so sorry, Mr Coins. I'm going as fast as I can.” She was trying to collect the apples as quickly as she could but nervously kept dropping them.
Golden Coins sneered, “Here, let me speed up the process.” He lifted a hoof and crushed an apple, “There, one less to pick up. Now, get out of my way.”
Without a word, I sprinted in their direction, Dash only hesitating a split second. She passed me with a gush of air strong enough to throw gravel. I could hear her yelling, “What's your problem, jerk? She's just a little kid!”
I arrived, finally, yelling, “Hey pal, why don't you pick on someone your own size? Why don't you pick on me?” I really hoped he didn't take me up on that. I was becoming too well aware of how much stronger and resilient ponies were.
Golden Coins turned to me and scurried back, startled. He quickly regained his composure. He looked at Dash and me for a moment before getting a look of disgust on his face. “Oh, wonderful. The feather duster and her pet monster.”
I stepped forward, between the filly and Golden Coins, and snarled, “Since I am a monster, then I guess you'd better get out of here before I get angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.”
We locked eyes. He broke first and laughed, turning away. He then trotted off as if nothing had happened. I let the adrenaline drain before taking my eyes off him.
I heard some hooves stomping on the ground and saw some approving looks. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Dash looking at me oddly.
I turned to the young filly, smiled softly, and dropped to a knee, “You okay, sweetie?”
She was very shy, her head down, looking up at me. Dash said, “It's okay, Scootaloo, he's a friend.”
“Yes, I'm okay, Rainbow Dash. Thank you, sir. Ugh, Silver Spoon is just like her dad, sometimes.” I glanced at Dash, still smiling, thinking, 'She knows this filly?'
“My name's Alex Roberts, Scootaloo. But my friends, and that includes you, call me Alex.” We helped her pick up the remaining apples and put the saddle bag on. “Ok, off you go. I'm sure you're late for something. Go have a great day.” I smiled at her. Scootaloo zipped off on her scooter happily.
“So, do you know her, Dash?” I was racking my memory from the show but was coming up blank.
“She's friends with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, Rarity's and Applejack's sisters. I've been giving her flying lessons after school.”
“That's cool!” I gave her an appraising look, “I didn't think it was your style, the whole big sister thing.”
Dash blushed, “Ya, well, that stupid show doesn't see everything.”
We walked, each lost in our own little worlds. I broke the silence, “I hope Scootaloo doesn't mention what happened to her friends. I don't want her to blow it all out of proportion. People will think I'm some thug who picks fights in the market.”
Dash looked at me incredulously, “Are you kidding? You stared him down like Fluttershy stares down dragons! That was so cool!”
I sighed, “Dash, I just saw some idiot bullying a kid, and I stepped in. I figured she needed someone to help her. That's all. And, just to let you in on a secret, ponies are way stronger and tougher than me. I was giddy as a school girl he didn't step up to me. If he had, I was screwed. What was I going to do? Pull my knife on him? Not only was he unarmed, but it would have just escalated the whole thing way out of proportion. The only result would have been to have horseshoe marks all over me. What I did was stupid.”
Dash got that odd look again, “Wait, so even though you knew he could beat the tar out of you, you still took him on? And you had no plan to use the one thing that would have made you his equal in a fight. And you did it to save a kid you didn't even know?” She smiled, ”That is cool.”
I threw my hands up in exasperation. “Ugh! Dash, I just did the right thing. Can we drop it? I'm sure no one will remember what happened by tomorrow.” I said sarcastically, “On the bright side, I made an enemy on my second day. That's a new record.” I found my expression getting sour.
Dash looked at me with an evil grin, “I have even better news. Not only is he the richest pony in Ponyville, but he's a complete bastard with a long memory. Well done, Alex Roberts. You sure know how to pick your fights.”