//------------------------------// // Chapter 29: The Crusader's Trade Part Two // Story: Zaps Apple // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Zaps Apple Chapter 29: The Crusader's Trade Part Two “This is what we’ve got left to trade for the remaining items: Wonderbolts posters, dresses, bows, gems and dolls.” Scootaloo said, checking on the stuff we had left. Sweetie Belle was tapping the lamp. “I am not even sure why anypony would like something like this.” I shrugged. “No idea, but I saw Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy fly over to the stall to try to get one a few moments ago.” Scootaloo turn to me. “They did?” “Yeah, they had some weird looking stone chicken with them, and then they went off to the food cart.” I said, recalling what I had seen a few moments ago. “Not sure why though.” Sweetie Belle tapped her hoof on her snout. “I think it might have something to do with that Daring Do book I saw at the adventure stall. I did ask about it and the owner of it wanted some strange looking two headed dog.” Scootaloo giggled. “That dog was awesome! Did you see how he liked me! I really wish my parents would let me have a pet!” “You’re kidding me... That thing was worse than Rarity's cat...” “I thought he was a softy. I didn't have any problems either.” I replied backing up Scootaloo on this. She smirked. “Look like you have much luck like Rarity has with her cat.” Scootaloo giggled. “Yeah I guess so...” Sweetie Belle muttered. “I really try to keep my distance from Opal after she cut my mane off with one swipe.” I looked around. “I wonder where Applebloom is. She said she'd be right back.” Scootaloo scanned around the large number of ponies walking around us through the stalls. “Yeah she’s been gone for-” She stood up. “Over there!” We all jumped up as Applebloom trotted up to us pulling a wagon behind her. “Hey Crusaders, sorry ah took so long, ah had trouble hookin' mahself up to the wagon. It's our sister's.” “Applejack's?” Then it clicked. “Oh right, I remember. I saw her and the others putting stuff into it before getting on the first train!” “Eeyup!” Applebloom replied. “Ah got mah hooves on it and now we can carry the lamp with no fuss.” “That's great!” Sweetie Belle beamed. “We can take turns pulling it around.” We all nodded in agreement to this. “So where do we go next, the broach or the crystal cup?” We stood in a circle, thinking about it. “Ah’d say the broach.” “Good idea, Applebloom.” Scootaloo agreed and we replied with a nod. “So, which way is that?” “I know where it is! Follow me!” Sweetie Belle suddenly squeaked and shot off into the distance, followed closely by the others. “Girls!” I cried out and they all stopped. “The lamp...” I pointed to it and they put their hooves on their heads, groaning at what they had almost done. We soon made our way to the stand with all the jewellery on it. The broach we were looking for sat on a purple cushion in a box. “Hey, doesn’t Rarity have one of those on her saddle bag?” Scootaloo said, pointing directly to it. “We should be able to work out an easy deal for it.” Sweetie Belle stared at it. “I don't know, I think we could but some ponies might ask for more than they should for it.” “Ah can say that...” Applebloom grumbled. “Why, sis?” I turn my head to her. “Ah saw what Big Mac had to give up for a plow that works on tough soil.” Applebloom replied. “It would have been easier just to buy it with bits for what those ponies demanded.” I recalled seeing the stuff that he had in the wagon, some of it looked really heavy. “So you think we’re going to have to give up more than we need to for this little thing?” “Ah think so...” Scootaloo stepped up to the suited stallion. “Excuse me sir can we trade some of our stuff for that broach there?” Scootaloo pointed to it and showed him all of our items. The stallion looked carefully at each of the things we had. “Hmm...” “Anything that takes your interest, Mister?” Sweetie Belle asked. The rest of us hoped it wouldn't be something crazy. “Ah am sure we've got somethin' yer might need.” “Yeah, what about the dresses and bows?” I suggested, pointing a hoof at them. He look to each of us and smiled warmly. “You have a deal.” “What?” We all said together with a stunned look on our faces. He picked up the dresses and bows. “I have a daughter that would love this type of thing and I would gladly trade the broach for these items.” Scootaloo looked to us. “What do you think, Crusaders?” “Ah was gettin' rid of them anyhow, so ah’ll say yes.” “And I don't wear the dresses any more. It’s fine with me.” Sweetie Belle also agreed. I stepped up to him with a hoof out. “We agree, mister!” “Then it’s a deal!” He put his hoof against mine and we shook on it. “Here is the broach and have a nice day children.” He gave us the box with the broach in it and closed the lid up. “Sir, do you know where the crystal pony who is selling crystal cups is?” Sweetie Belle asked. He put the items away and pointed over towards the food cart we saw. “Just past the food cart, you can't miss it.” “Thank ya sir!” Applebloom bowed her head in thanks for the information. “Let's go!” She ran off and the others followed. I placed the box and our stuff in the wagon and followed; pulling it along. I stopped suddenly as a unicorn stepped in the way. “Oh, sorry miss I didn't see you there.” “It's ok youngster. My, look this, that’s quite the horde you’ve got.” She said with a really creepy smile. I smiled a little stepping back. “Erm... Yeah, look miss, I’ve got to catch up with my friends and sister. Can you step aside please?” The dark blue unicorn had a fiery red mane and deep purple eyes that locked onto mine. “Now, I will trade this little quill for all of your items and you will accept.” Her horn was glowing. I tilted my head. “Why?” She blinked. “Wait... Why didn't that affect you?” “Miss, are you ok? You think I will give all of this for that quill? Why? My sister has lots of them for filling out the account book things she and Big Mac are always complaining about.” I was a little confused what she was talking about and why she wanted to trade a quill. It wasn’t special or anything. It just looked like any other quill. “Yes I am fine...” She grumbled, stepping to the side. I looked at her one last time before joining the others. “I guess Scootaloo was right. Some ponies are greedy.” Behind me I heard a voice cry out, “Curse this stupid place! I can't get one simple stupid thing I need! This is the worst possibly plan I have ever thought of in over a...” I didn't catch the last of what she said as the unicorn just teleported away in an instant. “What a weird pony,” I muttered and went off to catch up with the others. “Girls, wait up!” Scootaloo stopped, turning around to me. “What took you?” I looked back to where the mare was then back to her. “Some strange unicorn wanted to trade some quill for all our stuff.” I answered. Scootaloo stepped up to me, looking towards where I was pointing. “That flash was her teleporting?” I nodded in reply. “I told you some ponies were greedy.” We both laughed a little then joined our friends at the crystal pony stall but when we got there they were silent, staring in disbelief at the stall. “Wh-where is the crystal stuff?” All I saw was a bare table. “I'm sorry children.” The crystal pony said as she was packing away the tables with the help of two unicorns and a pegasus. “I traded all of my crystal items. I’m going home now. I do apologise.” We sat together around the cart watching the crystal pony finally get her things together and with the help of the official ponies left, leaving an empty place where her stall was. Scootaloo put her hooves behind her head, leaning against the cart side. “Now what do we do?” Sweetie Belle looked around at the ponies still trading. “Why don't we look around for one of the ponies with the cup and ask for a trade?” She suggested. Applebloom just shook her head. “That’s a good idea Sweetie but ah don't think anypony would want to do that if they have already traded their stuff for those crystal cups.” “I guess we can't go any further then.” I stared at the ground. “How were we supposed to know her goods would go that quickly?” Scootaloo replied. “We have to think of another way of getting something like that.” She got up and was suddenly knocked over again. Standing over her was a giant two headed dog, furiously licking her. “Hehe, ok I get! You like me!” I saw who had the dog. “Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy? Why do you have a two headed dog?” I stared at the dog trying to understand why they had got him. Fluttershy was rubbing one of his chins, much to the dog’s delight. “Oh, we’re taking this little fellow to the pony that’s got the Daring Do book.” “You’re trading an orthros for a Daring Do book?” Scootaloo asked Rainbow Dash. She rubbed her hoof in her mane. “Sure am squirt, for a Daring Do first edition, no less. She wanted this guy, so we’ve been all over the place and now we’ve got him for the final trade off.” Rainbow Dash explained. Then she saw the items in our cart. “Why do you Crusaders have a Discord lamp in your cart?” “We found a lyre that needed to be traded for a box that has Zap's mum’s cutie mark on it.” Sweetie Belle showed the other items we had managed to get hold of. Applebloom looked to the empty space as we all did. “The griffon at the stall wanted three items, this broach, that lamp and a crystal cup, but all of the crystal cups have been traded away and now the pony selling them has gone home.” Applebloom held the box with the broach in it. “Now we won't be able to get the griffon style lyre from Gilda.” “Applebloom, did you just say Gilda?” Fluttershy asked softly. “Yeah, she’s got a stall of different lyres here.” Applebloom answered. “That where we found the gold one that we really need.” Rainbow Dash snorted. “Huh, Gilda… Well, we’ve got to fly; this orthros has got to-” I quickly stood up on my hind legs with both forelegs out. “Wait, Rainbow Dash.” “What is it Zaps?” “Sh-she asked us if we found you to see if you could go see her, she said something about being really sorry for what happened last time.” I explained to her, setting back down on all fours. “I don't know what happened but she wanted you to know that.” Rainbow Dash looked directly at me as I pleaded to her. “Gah! Fine!” Rainbow Dash slapped her hoof against her head. “I will go see Gilda.” She took hold of the lead. “Come on Flutters, let’s get this over with.” “Oh, ok Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy looked at me with a warm smile. “Thank you.” She gave me a hug and followed Rainbow Dash in the direction of Gilda's stall. Scootaloo hit me gently on the foreleg. “Nice one, Zaps.” “Eeyup” Applebloom giggled. “You did well.” I began to smile until I remembered about our problem. “But what do we do now?” “I don't know.” Scootaloo turned to me and let out a heavy sigh before falling back down onto the ground. “I guess we just tell Think Pink we couldn't get the lyre.” “Sounds like four little ones are having a rough day.” We turned around to see a grey unicorn with a dark grey mane and sporting an unusual looking white goatee, tail and eye brows. He had really strange looking yellow and red eyes. “Now what can a unicorn like I help you children with?” Sweetie Belle gave him a questioning look. “Where did you come from?” He walked around us and the cart looking at all our stuff. “Sorry to eavesdrop on you little ones, but I couldn't help but notice all the running around that you four have been doing so I thought I just teleport in and see if maybe I could help you out.” “Yeah right, as if you’ve got a crystal cup for trade.” Scootaloo rolled her eyes at the strange stallion before us. The stallion suddenly pulled a sparkling silver cup out of his saddlebag. “Oh you mean this crystal cup?” We stared at the crystal cup floating before us. “Where have ah heard that voice before?” I turn to Applebloom. “You know this stallion?” “Nnope, but his voice sounds very familiar, just can't place it. And come to think of it, he’s really weird lookin'-” The unicorn quickly interrupted her. “Do you children want this, or not?” “We do mister, but what can we trade for it?” Sweetie Belle showed what we had left. He looked over them and picked up the poster and blue gem. “How about these for a trade, is that fair?” “I don't know. You’ve been watching us this whole time, right?” He smirked. “I just happened to have a crystal cup and was eager to help two of the apple family.” I noticed his cutie mark it had a pink thing in a cone with a pattern behind it. “Now are we going to trade or shall I take my leave with my cup. Perhaps another pony will be more willing to trade?” “I think we should trade. It seems fair.” I suggested. “Yeah I think so too.” Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo and Applebloom. Scootaloo sighed. “Yeah, you got a point, Zaps. OK, you’ve got a deal!” Scootaloo put her hoof out to him and shook on it. He placed the cup in the cart at put the two items into his bag. “Nice doing business with you four, I do look forward to when we can do this again sometimes. Oh what fun it is going to be when we finally meet.” He poked me on the snout with his hoof. “Au revoir for now, I’ll be seeing you soon, Zaps Apple. Enjoy your ice cream!” In a flash he was gone and we all sat there holding a cone of what I guessed was ice cream on it. “What just happened?” “Ah don't know...” Applebloom stared at her ice cream. “Where did we get ice cream from?” Scootaloo was licking hers. “Who cares, it’s really tasty! If you don't want yours I will have it after I’ve finished mine!” Sweetie Belle giggled. “It’s chocolate mint, my favourite.” I looked suspiciously at the squishy round ball topping my cone and gave it a tentative lick. It tasted really sweet. “Scootaloo, what flavour is mine?” “Let me check.” She gave it a small lick to taste it. “It’s lemon flavour, and really tasty!” “I think I will keep it, if that’s ok.” “Yeah, that’s fine Zaps,” she chuckled. “Let’s enjoy our ice cream!” Scootaloo raised hers up and we cheered. I continued to lick the sweet ice cream, but something was bothering me about that stallion. Something about what he said really spooked me, he knew my name and even knew that I was part of the Apple family. “Who was that pony?” We finished up our ice creams and made our way back to Gilda's stall. “Hey Gilda we’ve got the items you asked for!” Scootaloo said pulling the cart up to the stall. Gilda peered over the stall with a smirk from her beak. “Well look who it is and I see you got everything I asked for. “We sure did Gilda! It wasn't easy!” Sweetie Belle replied. “You got the lyre as we agreed?” Gilda laughed. “Chill kid I got it, one golden griffon talon crafted lyre as I said. I am a griffon of my word.” Gilda walked around the stall, lifted the case with the lyre inside and placed it in the cart taking the items we was trading for it. Applebloom opened it and rubbed her hoof against it. “Wow, feel this guys.” We did, “Wow this is incredible.” “I’ll say, almost a shame we’re trading it for the box.” Sweetie Belle said and Gilda lowered another that was made out of some sort of silver metal stuff. “What’s this?” Gilda rubbed her talon over her arm. “It’s a thank you for all of you. This is my gift to you squirts. Now beat it before you make me sappy.” “Thanks Gilda! You’re an awesome griffon! I hope the talk with Rainbow Dash went well!” They ran off and I was walking quickly behind but stopped to glance back at Gilda. She looked to me with a warm smile from her beak. “Dweeb I owe you.” I gave her a nod and ran after them back to Think Pink and Curly's stall. We arrived at the stall to see Curly shaking her head to the same mare that tried to trade a quill for our stuff. “Look! I want that box and I am trading all of this stuff for it! Come on!” “Urr...” Curly shook her head. “Hi Curly we’ve got the lyre you wanted!” I spoke out, showing it in the case we kept with it. Curly’s eyes lit up and she rushed by the unicorn to greet us. She opened the box and held the lyre up in delight. “Urr!!!” She hugged all of us tightly, spinning us around. We were surprised to see she had wings. The pony stared at me with hate. “Until next time...” She turned and left with all her stuff. “Wow, talk about a sore loser.” Scootaloo chuckled. She turned to Curly. “So we have a deal?” Curly nodded and gave her the box. “Hey I'm back Curly how is the-” Think Pink saw her with the lyre. “-trading... Going...” He said slowly staring at the lyre and to Curly. “Let me guess, trade for my tie?” She nodded shyly. “Alright here you go.” He removed it and gave it to Curly and Curly gave him the box with the lyre in it. He opened it looking at the detail. “Now that is one cool lyre.” “We aim to please!” Scootaloo said with pride. “We all square?” “Yes we are.” Think Pink nodded to us. “Have a nice day youngsters. I hope you all have better luck opening it than we did.” Think Pink said to us as we put it in the cart. I stared at the box glittering with rainbow colour from the light reflection. “Even if we don't, I am glad I have something that was really my mother’s.” The two ponies looked at each other in confusion as we left and made our way to the path back to the train station to wait for Big Mac. As I took my turn to pull the cart along I thought about the box and what it might contain, it was mother’s, I was sure of it. Triskaide I watched the four children leave and stared at all the useless items I had gathered in the trade exchange. All the trouble I went through to get that box and all it lead to was a complete and utter disaster. I, the Pony of Fear had been outdone by children, and to top it all off my shadow magic hadn’t worked on that pony. Worse still was that this pony had a sister, and she was dreadful. “I see your plan didn't work out.” I glanced over at the Pegasus ‘sister’ in her Safari outfit, packing away her things from the trade fair. “Come and help me out, Trish.” “Well it’s not like you did much better with your ‘first edition book’.” I muttered, looking at it as she put it away in the box. Teddie Safari knew who exactly I was, but she had no choice but to succumb to my will. This pony would be nothing but emptiness without me. “Well it wasn't a complete waste of time on that part. I got the information you wanted Trish.” She passed me a note and I took it with my magic and hovered it closer to my face so I could read it. “I don't like what you’re planning for Equestria, but you’re my sister and I do whatever it takes for my only sister, pony of fear or not.” I lowered the note and stared at her, purple eyes changing sapphire blue for a second. “Teddie, I have no plans for this kingdom. You know when I am free this pony becomes an empty shell.” “I don’t believe that. You’re connected to her more than you think.” I sighed. She was right, even if I wanted to snap the link from this pony’s body I couldn't. The last time this happened was 400 years ago and I hated it. Even when I wasn't directly in control I still felt everything the pony felt. It was as if I was in two places at once. “But I did get you that meeting with the real deal.” She handed me another note. “That, Trish, will get you the help you needed. When do you plan on striking, if I may ask?” I opened the note and memorised the location and time written it. “When the attack begins from a prisoner that escaped from Tartarus...” I looked directly at her. “When that time comes, go and hide, make sure not to be discovered.” “Why would you care about my welfare Trish?” Teddie Safari continued to pack. The rest of the staff and I were aiding her now. “The stories you told me, the darkness of fears you created, you never once cared about me no matter how much I helped you.” I just stared at her, “because you’re going to protect this body for me.” I lowered the tent down, folding it up. As I did, the six main problems, Princess Twilight and her friends walked directly past me. I smirked at how I can still keep local tabs on those idiots. “Well Teddie, the next piece in our little game been made.” “For now you just help me get this stuff back to my wagon, ok?” She pushed a box into my forelegs. I rolled my eyes and continued to help her. No matter how annoying she was to me, Teddie Safari was one of only a few to not be afraid of the fear I created, I needed her in my service. And strange as it sounded to me, I enjoyed these times... Despite the setback today, everything was still going according to plan. It would take more than a little box to stop me. Still, I was worried, no, scared. Whatever was in that box was headed for ponyville. “What did you leave in it Harmony Rose? What could that small crystal box really contain, that scares me?”