Misty Fly stood out amongst the crowd at Ponyville's fair with her deep frown and chattering teeth. Turning her head from left to right as though she was looking for something, all that Misty could see were rows of tents, colored as though they would make a rainbow if seen from above and selling all sorts of items. Such items ranged from useful depending on the situation to bargain bin "collector's items" that probably appealed to a niche crowd.
All of the typical elements of a fair like this were present, though Misty's eyes could make out some carnival games off in the distance that echoed voices of amusement. She then froze in place as her mind calculated what she needed to do next.
The tents selling items for a narrow audience would probably have the least likely chance to provide a discount. Misty didn't see herself as an economist, but knowing how expensive some of the strangest items could get and how they always seemed to be excluded from sales told her enough about whether or not to approach those tents. She then looked around and saw Amethyst Star talking with somepony stationed at an orange tent. Immediately noticing Amethyst's sagged shoulders, Misty sighed and mentally crossed off that tent from the list of possibilities.
Misty glanced over at each tent, and while they all had their own stories and things for sale, she concluded that getting a discount from any of those would be logically impossible, whether it was due to the things being sold there or the passionate eyes of those trying to sell something.
However, on her twenty-third observation, she noticed that a pony stationed at a blue tent had a huge grin on her face and conversed with every customer who approached her. There was something about that mint colored unicorn mare that spoke to her. Was it her welcoming attitude? Even if she was welcoming, would she be friendly? Without the mare even noticing her or speaking to her, Misty nodded confidently and she took a few heavy steps towards the tent.
Taking her place at the back of the line, Misty could feel the tightness in her chest loosen and her spine thaw. The line was six ponies long when she included herself. She felt time slow down around her the longer she waited in line. Misty turned her head from left to right, hoping to see smiling or relieved faces on Amethyst or Bulk.
Misty caught a glimpse of Bulk, scowling as he stared at the ground beneath his hooves. He then stomped on the ground like a wild bull and slowly moved forwards. Misty's heart sank and her lips curled into a frown. Upon reaching her, Bulk halted his movement and let out a deep sigh. Misty's eyes noticed what looked like a tear running down Bulk's cheeks and when she looked up at him, she noticed his eyes filling with more tears as each second went by.
"What's wrong?" Misty asked. A tingling feeling inside of her head told Misty that she already knew the answer.
"T-this is impossible," said Bulk, stuttering as he tried to fight back the tears. "I don't know what Iron Will was thinking when he thought that this would be a good place to be successfully assertive. I-I've tried everything I could think of so that I could get a discount, but nothing worked."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Misty's vision became blurry and when she wiped her eyes with her hoof, she noticed a puddle of tears when she gazed at her hoof. Looking back up at Bulk, Misty smiled ever so slightly, letting the tears emerge and cascade down her cheeks. "I hope you can find someone who will give you a discount."
Bulk's cheeks blushed and despite the tears, his frown slowly morphed into a wide smile. "Thanks, Misty Fly. You're a great friend."
Misty's smile widened and her heart warmed. "You're a great friend, too."
"Thank you." The two embraced each other in a soft, warm hug. Despite his size, there was something about Bulk Biceps that comforted Misty. It certainly wasn't the same kind of comfort that a fluffy pillow provided, but rather a comfort that only Misty's heart could understand.
Bulk cleared his throat. "By the way, have you seen Amethyst Star?" he asked.
"I caught a glimpse of her," said Misty, "but it looked like she was having a lot of trouble finding somepony who would give her a discount."
Bulk sighed. "That's a shame. I hope you're able to get a discount."
"Thank you."
Misty watched as Bulk trotted away, his hooves skipping across the grass and no longer pounding into the dirt like jackhammers. She then looked back towards the tent, groaning upon finding out that for some reason, the line hadn't budged an inch during her conversation. She looked over at the mint unicorn, who was smiling as brightly as before, and then behind her. A yellow pegasus with a fiery mane stood right behind her, smiling the moment their eyes made contact. Who was she and why did she smile at her? That wasn't important right now, but there was something about that smile that warmed Misty's heart.
The line moved ever so slightly, and Misty followed close behind. For every pony that left the tent, another took their place at the back of the line. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours. Exhaling, Misty felt some of the tension escape her body, but her chest still felt tight. The ritual-like behavior of one pony leaving and another going to the back of the line continued until she finally approached the mint unicorn. All she needed to do know was find something that spoke to her, but that proved to be an entirely different challenge.
Decorative pottery of all shapes, colors, and sizes were neatly arranged behind the unicorn. Misty's eyes shifted left and right, mentally discarding dozens of pots that were either too expensive or too ugly until she found a suitable choice. It was a dark blue pot with a yellow stripe around it. The size wasn't too big or too small and the texture was as smooth as clay could possibly be. Misty then simply nodded. This was what she'd try to get.
"Hello," the unicorn said. "Thanks for stopping by! What would you like? Or do you just want to chat for a bit?"
"I'd like that blue pot with the yellow stripe, please," Misty said in a pleasant tone.
The unicorn pointed to the pot that matched Misty's description. "This one, right?" Misty nodded gently. "Okay, that will be twenty-two bits."
"I'm sorry, but I only have twenty bits to spend." Misty bit her lip and her spine froze. Would the unicorn accept her offer? Is she wasting her time? "I'd really love to have that pot, as it would be very useful. Do you think you could accept twenty bits?"
The unicorn shook her head. "Sorry, but I'll only accept twenty-two bits. If you come back with two more bits and the pot is still there, I'll let you have it."
"Wait a second," a voice interrupted directly behind Misty. The yellow pegasus mare she saw earlier trotted next to Misty and pulled out two bits from her saddlebag. "You can have two of my bits."
Misty's pupils dilated. "Are you sure about this?" she asked in a heightened tone. What would Iron Will think if he knew that she was given two bits by a generous passerby? Would he automatically disqualify her from this exercise? Was Iron Will even watching her now? Misty looked around all over the place. She examined every tent, field, bench, and hill, but no matter where she looked, Iron Will was nowhere to be found. The tension in the air returned, and she felt as though the tension would figuratively crush her bones into dust and her breathing quickened.
"Are you okay?" the yellow pegasus asked. "Did you see something?"
"Nothing is wrong." Misty smirked slightly and her cheeks blushed. "Well, it's a long story."
"We can talk about it when we're done shopping if you want." The pegasus placed the two bits on the counter, to which Misty unconsciously responded by placing her sack of bits next to it.
The unicorn opened the sack and counted the twenty bits inside one by one. Once everything checked out, she formed a wide smile, showing off her shining teeth, and gave Misty the blue and yellow pot inside of a simple brown bag.
"I hope you like your pot," the unicorn said cheerfully. "The pony who made this spent a lot of time on it, so take good care of it."
"I will," said Misty as a matter of fact.
"That's a nice choice you made," the pegasus said with a wide smile and shimmering eyes. "I really like the colors."
"So do I." Misty paused for a moment. Now that she thought about it, something about that pot's colors seemed familiar. It was probably nothing to think about. "Anyway, what's your name?"
The pegasus grinned sheepishly and then cleared her throat. "Um, I'm Spitfire. What's your name?"
"My name is Misty. It's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you, too. I have to do a few more things first and then we can chat." Spitfire shook Misty's hoof in a gentle, up and down manner. For some reason, Misty got the impression that Spitfire was used to shaking hooves. "I'll see you later."
Misty watched as Spitfire trotted away and smiled, glad that she was at least able to make a friend while she was at the fair. However, there was something about Spitfire that Misty couldn't quite describe. The way she shook her hoof felt oddly special, but her name also rang a bell. Misty knew that she had read something about a mare named Spitfire in the paper, but the memory as to why she was there only tickled her mind, refusing to make itself known. Misty shook her head, but the answer just wouldn't come down to her. All she could do was wait for the answer to come to her.
Misty grabbed the bag and carefully put it on. The weight made her body feel like it sank into the ground for a brief moment, but after a second, she stood up straight and then trotted towards the nearest bench, conveniently located next to the tent. The bench's curvy shape looked comfortable, so at least it wouldn't be the recipe for a sore back. Misty sat down and gently placed the bag next to her. As for Bulk and Amethyst, she hoped to catch their eye and wondered if they had a generous pony with them as well when they were out shopping.
Misty looked into the bag and at the pot, which radiantly sparkled under the sunlight. Her eyes couldn't help but sparkle in response. She then turned away from the bag and to her right, where Amethyst and Bulk were sitting next to her with bags of their own as though they appeared out of nowhere. Misty jumped up slightly and gasped, which caused both Amethyst and Bulk to jitter. The three paused for a moment and then simultaneously giggled, the laughter sounding more nervous the longer it went.
"Did you find anything?" asked Amethyst, who then reached into her bag and pulled out a painting of Princess Celestia with sun and the moon next to her. Misty couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship of the painting. "I got this for eighteen bits. Cool, huh?"
"I really like it," said Misty, whose eyes were fixed on the painting. "How much did it originally cost?"
Amethyst shrugged and cleared her throat. "Well, um, eighteen bits. However, I'm glad I bought it."
Misty looked over to where Bulk was sitting. "What did you get, Bulk Biceps?"
"I got this book on how to fly properly," Bulk said, holding up the book for both Misty and Amethyst to see.
Amethyst tilted her head and raised an eyebrow "I thought you were a great flyer," she said. "Why do you need that book?"
Bulk smiled innocently and blushed. "It's because I also spent two bits to get something from a fortune teller."
Misty raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
"She told me that in the next Equestria Games, I'd take part in not the weightlifting competitions I adore, but in a three pony relay race where I'd struggle to get off the ground. She scared me so much that I had to buy this book." Bulk rubbed his back and chuckled briefly. "She seemed legit."
"Bulk Biceps, pegasi don't just forget how to fly." Amethyst sighed and rolled her eyes. "Listen, there's no way that pony's prediction will come true. Just sign up for the weightlifting competition when the time comes and don't let some phoney prophecy make decisions for you. Got it?"
Bulk nodded. "Got it. Hey, what did you get, Misty Fly?"
"I got this clay pot," said Misty. She gently lifted the pot out of the bag and placed it next to Amethyst and Bulk. Both of them gazed at the pot's fine texture with sparkling eyes. Whatever technique was used to make the pot, it seemed to have a knack for drawing attention.
"How did they get the clay so smooth?" asked Amethyst before her jaw dropped.
"Beats me." Misty blushed and placed the pot in her bag. "There was just one problem."
"What would that be?"
"It cost twenty-two bits, but I was helped by somepony to get it at its original price." Misty sighed and her shoulders sagged. "I know Iron Will is going to find out. If I lied, he'd probably find out."
"Who was this mare?" asked Bulk.
"Her name is Spitfire and she had a yellow coat and a fire-like mane and tail." Misty looked straight ahead and noticed the mare who helped her drinking a bottle of water and chatting with another pony. "Do you see that pony next to the one wearing the cowboy hat that's selling apples?" Amethyst and Bulk turned their heads and saw what Misty saw. The pair then nodded simultaneously. "That's her."
"She looks familiar," said Bulk. "Do you know who she is, Amethyst Star?"
Amethyst shook her head. "Sorry, but I don't know her, but I do recall the name," she said before sighing. "I wish I could help."
"I'm going to be talking with her again soon," said Misty. "I'll be sure to ask just exactly who she is, because I clearly remember that name. I even mentioned it once."
Misty's pupils dilated and her eyes glowed. Now she remembered who Spitfire was. She was the young Wonderbolt that's slated to become the next captain. The reason that name sounded so familiar was because Misty read about her in the newspaper article she cited to explain why the Wonderbolts might not be the most fun place to be.
"Did you figure something out, Misty Fly?" asked Amethyst with her head tilted.
"I remember her!" Misty yelled as though she found a buried treasure chest. "Amethyst, do you remember when we first talked about the Wonderbolts?"
"You mean when we left the gym, right?"
Misty nodded and smiled. "Precisely. She has to be the young mare that's going to become their next captain." Misty paused for a moment and gazed towards where Spitfire was, still chatting with the pony in the cowboy hat. "However, why would she help somepony like me?"
Amethyst rubbed her muzzle and closed her eyes for a brief moment. "Hmm. Maybe she just wanted to lend a helping hoof."
"I'll be sure to ask her when I see her again." Slowly rising from the bench, Misty looked back to Amethyst and Bulk, smiling at the pair with glowing eyes. "I have to talk to her again. There's just too many questions I have to ask."
A smooth hoof patted Misty's shoulder from behind. Turning around, she saw Spitfire right behind her and quivered for a second. Misty's cheeks then blushed and a small chuckle escaped her throat.
"Um, hello, Spitfire," said Misty. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
"What's on your mind?" Spitfire asked with a wide smile.
"Why did you help me back at the tent selling pottery?" Misty cleared her throat. "It was really nice of you, but it just didn't add up."
Spitfire paused for a moment, her eyes shifting to where Amethyst and Bulk were sitting, the pair leaning towards her with open eyes. "Well, I just wanted to be a good pony and help somepony when they needed it."
Misty froze for a few seconds and her lips remained tightly shut. Was that all there was to Spitfire's behavior? While helping somepony was a valid reason, she couldn't shake off the thought latched onto her brain that there was something about Spitfire that she was hiding. Maybe she's looking for a friend. Misty couldn't quite figure out how her mind went there, but the thought kept repeating in her mind.
"Spitfire, would it be okay if the two of us became friends?" Misty asked seemingly out of nowhere.
Spitfire took a step back and tilted her head. "We just met," she said, "why do you want to be my friend now?"
Misty's throat tightened and she emitted an audible gulp. "Well, um, I don't know how to say this, but I look at you in the eyes and see somepony who would like to have a friend to hang out with."
"So you figured it out. I'll admit, I'm not that good when it comes to social skills, so I've never had the courage to admit that I'm looking for a friend." Spitfire sighed and looked at the blades of grass beneath her hooves before looking back into Misty's eyes.
"I think you have great social skills as far as I can tell." Misty patted Spitfire's back in a gentle manner. "Maybe you just need a little more confidence."
"You're probably right." Spitfire paused and smiled. "Okay, I'll be your friend. While my schedule is usually a bit hectic, we can meet up whenever the time is convenient for the both of us."
"That sounds great. I can even teach you about how to improve your social skills and your confidence." Misty's forelegs wrapped around Spitfire in a welcoming fashion, which caused Spitfire to do the same. The two smiled the widest either of them had all day and a warm feeling entered Misty's heart. Misty and Spitfire then released each other from their hug and shook hooves once more.
"I'm glad I had the chance to meet you," said Spitfire. "I have this feeling that we'll get along great. I wish I could stay for a little longer, but I have to get going. Goodbye, Misty Fly."
"Goodbye, Spitfire." The moment Spitfire took off into the sky, Misty enthusiastically waved her hoof, to which both Bulk and Amethyst joined as well. There was something uplifting about making a new friend to where Misty whispered to herself "I can do this. I can pass Iron Will's course, and I won't give up."
"Sorry to interrupt," said Bulk, "but where the heck is Iron Will? I haven't seen him around this entire time."
Misty stopped waving and her head immediately turned towards Bulk. Where was Iron Will? He said that he'd be watching their every move, so surely he must be nearby. Misty twirled like a ballerina as she tried to find Iron Will, knowing that he'd stick out like a sore thumb wherever he was, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Where should we look?" Misty asked as she paced back and forth. "I hope he hasn't done anything really stupid."
"Who knows," said Amethyst. "To be honest, I wouldn't mind if he's abandoned this exercise." Amethyst looked at the painting she purchased one more time before placing it back in her brown bag. "This assignment was doomed to end in failure."
"I'm out of ideas," said Bulk, his hooves holding his book open to the first page. "Should we ask some of the ponies here?"
"That's a good place to start." Amethyst tapped her hoof against the ground. "What places have the most activity?"
"I know! Follow me!"
Bulk put his book away and immediately galloped across the grass. Did he know where Iron Will was the entire time? Misty and Amethyst both shrugged, nodded, and then proceeded to follow Bulk. The pair quickly caught up and were only a few feet away from him. The three weaved around multiple ponies, who were all trotting along the fields or jumping out of the way whenever Bulk came dangerously close to accidentally tackling them. It was a scene that reminded Misty of the clogged roads of Canterlot, only even more disorganized. Approaching a purple and golden tent, Bulk slid across the dirt and slowly trotted inside.
Misty and Amethyst also stopped, but Misty gazed at the tent's unusual choice of color. Why would Bulk decide to go there of all places? Misty rolled her eyes, knowing exactly where this was going, and when she trotted inside the tent with Amethyst, her hypothesis was proven to be correct. Sitting before the three was a mysterious, pony-shaped figure wearing a purple and golden cloak. A round, crystal ball shone brightly in front of her, even though there was no sunlight reflecting off of it.
"Welcome back, Bulk Biceps. I'm sorry to say that your future is set, and nothing you do will change it," the fortune teller said ominously.
"I know, but I need to find out where Iron Will is," said Bulk. "The three of us need to know where he is."
"Let me peer into my crystal ball." The fortune teller twisted her hooves around and a thick fog enveloped the room. Everything in the room became a sheet of white to where nopony could even see their own hoof if they placed it in front of them. Misty felt as though her entire body disappeared in the fog. After a minute, the fog cleared and the room became visible once more. Everything was as it was before.
"He's at the casino tent," said the fortune teller. "He's trying to become rich as we speak, but he isn't doing so well."
"Seriously?" the three ponies asked in unison with widened eyes. Iron Will was crazy, and Misty knew that well, but she never pegged him as being greedy.
"I am serious. Head on over there. He will be at the roulette table."
"Let's go!" shouted Bulk, who stormed out of the tent. Misty and Amethyst both groaned and followed him back outside.
The trip to the casino was almost as hectic as the one to the fortune teller. The act of weaving around ponies and Bulk nearly slamming into one or two of them repeated once more, but after some time, anypony who stood in the way and saw the huge mass of muscle barreling towards them trotted as far away as possible. After a minute of a surprisingly easier trip, the three arrived at the casino.
The casino was less of an actual casino and more of a tent that happened to hold casino games. Slot machines, poker tables, and all sorts of games where ponies could waste hundreds of bits were scattered across the grass. Ponies of all kinds huddled around tables or machines, bellowing cries of joy or agony. The whole scene felt almost alien to Misty Fly, and Amethyst's tilted head and widened eyes suggested that she felt the same.
Misty's head rotated to the left and her eyes immediately caught a huge, blue mass in the distance. Somehow, to her confusion, the fortune teller was right. Iron Will was at the casino, and his erratic stomping against the ground told Misty everything she needed to know about how Iron Will was doing.
"I see Iron Will over there," said Misty, pointing to him with her hoof.
The three slowly made their way through the crowded area, squeezing by many ponies. The scent of alcohol and body odor lingered under the tent, causing Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk to cringe intensely. Despite these issues, the group managed to make their way to Iron Will, whose face was characterized by a fierce scowl. His hands firmly grasped on the short stack of casino chips in front of him. Iron Will then turned to his left and gasped upon seeing his three students next to him. He chuckled loudly and flexed his arms, drawing confused looks at those who saw him.
"I wasn't expecting you to be done yet," said Iron Will. "Now then, what did you get?"
Misty, Bulk, and Amethyst showed their items one by one. Iron Will carefully observed each item and the price tag attached to it. When he looked at Bulk's book, the last item on his list, he loudly sighed and stretched his arms.
"Misty Fly, I have to tell you something," said Iron Will.
Misty winced slightly and her heart rate rose. She couldn't read anything from Iron Will's blank expression. Could he have found out how she got the clay pot? Her chances of passing the course if he found out surely must be close to zero. Misty's chest tightened and her spine froze. The whole world around her felt like it was moving slower than before and everything appeared slightly blurry.
"What is it, Iron Will?" asked Misty Fly.
"I don't know how you did it," said Iron Will, "but you're the only one who succeeded on this test. You're the only one who actually haggled!"
Misty took a deep breath as her chest loosened and everything slowly returned to normal. However, another question sparked in her mind. Should she tell the truth? If she told the truth, she would most certainly have no chance of passing. But if she lied, that feeling would constrict her for as long as she'd live. Misty decided that she had to tell the truth. While she'd never make it into the Royal Guard, she'd be able to trot on knowing that she did the right thing, but before she could emit a single syllable, Iron Will cut her off.
"I have another test for you," Iron Will said with a devilish smirk. "Advertise my services to as many ponies as you can meet. I expect you to get at least three ponies at the minimum who will be convinced by how effective my lessons are. Now then, get moving!"
Iron Will gave the three a sheet of paper with lines for signatures. He then shooed Misty, Amethyst, and Bulk out of the casino as though they were flies. Such an act was very rude of him, but any excuse to escape the casino was one that Misty's nostrils happily accepted. The trio exited the tent and found themselves next to Ponyville's town hall.
Misty looked at Amethyst and Bulk and then back to the towering building in front of her. The pathways seemed busy enough, so starting here was probably her best bet. Saying words of encouragement to herself and promising to tell Iron Will the truth the next time they met, Misty took a few steps forwards, with Amethyst and Bulk next to her.