“Wow, what an enlightening and deep conversation we just had!” Twilight commented as she sipped her drink. Her other friends in the booth at Sugarcube Corner stared at her incredulously.
“I mean, I suppose, but did you really have to mention it, Twi?” Applejack asked.
“Sorry, it’s just not normal for our conversations to go into important things, like the economy, the meaning of life, our hopes and dreams, and our own personal philosophies.”
“Twilight’s right, Applejack!” Pinkie bounced about in her seat. “I’d feel pretty bad if some curious ponies just started eavesdropping now instead of earlier, when they could have gained a lot of insight on our character development.”
“Speaking of curious ponies,” Rarity began, ignoring Pinkie’s antics, “What do you girls think of the strange stallion that decided to live outside the town?”
“Oh, you mean Windell?” Applejack took a swig of her drink. “He seemed like a decent fella. I thought he was some sort of travelling pony, but I guess he decided to settle down. He bought a bunch of supplies from our farm, and seemed to not really understand how buying and selling worked. Or he was just a might generous. Hay, he even helped us out with the cows. But other ‘n that, I don’t know much ‘bout him.”
“Yeah, he seemed pretty cool every time I met him.” Rainbow said. “mean, yeah, he’s a bit of a snarker, but Bon Bon’s got him beat there for miles. Plus, he’d have to be pretty awesome to tame such a big wolf.” Her friends stared at her, expecting her to continue. “But I’m still, like, 26% cooler than him.”
“Twenty-six?” Twilight asked.
“But darling, I thought your catchphrase was ‘20% cooler’?” Rarity took a dainty sip from her crazy straw.
“Ugh!” Rainbow threw her hooves in the air and scrunched her muzzle. “Once! I said that once, and now everypony thinks it’s my catchphrase!”
“To be fair, RD, you seem to like using similar expressions a lot.” Applejack said.
“Whatever. Anyways, Windell is pretty cool, but it’s too bad he doesn’t seem to like ‘flying in the open’, whatever that means.”
“A pegasus with agoraphobia?” Twilight chuckled. “That’s the first I’ve ever heard of that! Still, to me it seemed like he was very careful about how he spoke. It was like walking on eggshells. While he seems a bit suspicious, he really likes books, so he can’t be too bad. I’ve only met him twice; the first time he was really angry at us for making a mess of his home, so he had a good reason. The second time was when he came to the library to check out a few books. Not really enough to make an accurate opinion of him.”
“Ooh! Ooh!” Pinkie raised her hoof in the air. “He really likes giving ponies nicknames. And he’s outside the city limits, so I can’t give him his ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party.” Pinkie frowned and started rubbing her hooves together. “Thought you could escape me, huh? Think the bureaucracy will save you? I’ve already drafted a petition to get your part of the forest annexed into Ponyville territory. You can’t stop the Pink, only slow her down! Yes, yes, it’s only a matter of time, now, dear friend. And the second Mayor Mare signs the bill, I’ll be there. Throwing you a party…”
“What was that last bit, Pinkie?”
“Oh, nothing!” The partyificic prankster pink pony beamed.
“Well, um. I think he’s nice.” Fluttershy said, her voice barely above a whisper. “He comes by for tea every few days, and even helps out with the animals. He knows a lot about the Everfree ecosystem, and respects it instead of fearing it. I think him and Zecora know more about the Everfree than anyone else. I know he gets his money from exploring the forest for plants to give to Zecora, and he treats Steel Fang very well. I think he likes being alone, like me, and he may seem really gruff, but he can be very sweet. When the Cutie Mark Crusaders came to get some animal food for one of their…um, ‘attempts’, they used money they got from him teaching them how to make lemonade. The more I talk to him, the more I think that he…um…may come from outside of Equestria. And Twilight is right, he talks very…vaguely. I hope he doesn’t mind us talking about him behind his back.”
“I suppose I do understand him a bit better, if he’s from another country.” Rarity flicker her mane back. “But that doesn’t excuse him from acting so barbarically!” She harrumphed. “He brought me a request to make traveling clothes for a minotaur acquaintance of his, but when I offered to give it to him for free, having never done a minotaur’s clothes before, and unsure whether or not I could make a good quality product, he simply refused and wanted to pay me, with extra! Naturally, I refused; how could I sell a potentially defective product for more than it would be worth, my generosity and reputation would refuse to allow it! After having thrown his bit purse about, he finally agreed to leave it be. Let nopony say that Rarity isn’t a generous soul!”
And with that, Rarity finished off her drink, and took the last bite of her ice cream before turning to Pinkie.
“Now Pinkie, I suppose I’ll pay for everypony’s meal. After all, it was I who insisted on meeting here today.”
The ponies at the booth sighed and chorused something along the lines of ‘Thanks, but that’s not necessary.’
“I insist, darlings. How much do I owe, Pinkie?”
“Well, counting the pastries I ate while nopony was looking…negative ten bits!”
“I’m sorry dear…” Rarity blinked. “How could this cost negative ten bits?”
“Here you go!” Pinkie passed ten bits over to Rarity. “Thank you for buying at Sugarcube Corner! I hope you have a nice day!”
“Pinkie,” Rarity massaged her forehead. “When one gets a sweet here, one should expect to pay, not be paid.”
“Not if somepony paid for you.” Pinkie giggled.
“What.”
“Windell came in a couple days earlier and put a bunch of bits on your tab! Wasn’t that just super of him?” Pinkie bounced in place as her friends tried to keep themselves from laughing.
“Windell.” Rarity ground her teeth.