One of a Kind

by JaHarre

Traders

Celestia's sun was coming up over the savanna causing a light mist to come up as it burned away the dew. Fleetwing grunted as he was awoken by a light kick to the side.

"Come on, get up!" came the command from the burly unicorn.

"Everypony up now! We have at least another hour of walking time before we reach the village."

One by one Fleetwing and about six others, each with their own small cart of baubles and trinkets to sell, got up, ate a quick breakfast and got ready to move.

Fleetwing never expected the traveling merchant life to be so rough. Especially since they couldn't fly any where. When he had signed up back in Clipton over a month ago, He had been expecting it to be a little more exotic then this. He had been hoping for adventure, and visiting royal courts and stuff. Much to his disappointment, He learned yesterday that they came all the way out to the middle of nowhere just to swindle some poor zebras.

They had left the main part of the caravan the day before and he had a question that he had been wanting to ask.

"Hey Boss!"

The unicorn just turned around and stared at him.

"Umm.... why did we leave the main caravan so far back?"

The big unicorn just continued to stare at him. As he was turning around to walk the other way he said,

"Because I hate nosy zebras."

They hitched themselves up to their carts and started walking.

Fleetwing had never seen what was in the covered carts that they had always hauled around. 'Obviously it was something very valuable or else Boss wouldn't have left nearly half of the camp back to guard them. Maybe it was Some great treasure, or maybe it was something that would spoil in the sun and so it had to stay covered or maybe...'

The more he pondered on the mystery of the covered carts, the more Fleetwing could feel the tingle of adventure. He just had to know. Maybe the boss would tell him now that he had been with the caravan for a while.

"Hey Boss!"

"What now?" the unicorn grumbled.

"I was just wondering. Now that I've been with the troop for a bit , I just wanted to know... what is in the covered carts?"

The unicorn glared at the young pegasus. Fleetwing felt a shiver run up his spine. Maybe he hasn't been with the troop long enough.

"The one thing I hate more than a nosy zebra is a nosy hired hand."

Fleetwing gulped. 'Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut'

They traveled for another hour or so before the village finally came into sight.

"WAKE UP!"

"GWAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Zimba yelled as he burst into the hut, nearly giving me a heart attack in the process.

"Come on. Get up lazy. You missed breakfast and dad has already gone out on southern patrol."

I sat there clutching my chest and trying to get my breathing under control. I felt an almost overwhelming desire to hiss at the young intruder who dared to wake me up in such a fashion.

"And the reason you had to wake me up like this is because...?"

"A trading caravan has come!" exclaimed the energetic young zebra.

"They always have some neat stuff! I didn't want you to miss out on all the fun."

I sigh "All right... I'm coming"

He left as I stretched my self awake. I checked my self to see if I was presentable and clean still, and I was. Man, that is a nice feeling to be clean. I walked out of the hut and there wasn't a zebra in sight. 'hmmm... They must all be at the trader's caravan.'

I heard a bunch of excited noises coming from the north side of the village so I made my way in that direction. I was just about to round the corner of a hut when I hear a loud voice Bellowing above the crowd,

"Thank you all for this kind welcome."

What I saw almost gave me a small panic attack. The one speaking was a big unicorn with a dark yellow coat and a light green mane and he had a tattoo on his ass. It looked like a pair of manacles with a dollar sign over them. All around him where about six or so other ponies. Each one just as colorful, and they all had different tattoos in the same place as the big guy did.

'Ha! What a rediculus thing to have. Must be some sort of initiation into the trade or something. I don't see the zebras with... hold on a second.' I looked around at the zebra crowd. I slowly started to notice that each had different designs on their rump as well. Their patterns were a lot more subtle as they tended to blend in with their stripes.

The more I looked, the more it began to sink in just how obvious they were. 'How did I miss those? If they have them too, then...' Suddenly feeling a little nervous, I looked around to make sure no one was watching, and I quickly took off my shorts (or whats left of them. they were getting pretty torn up as they were the only things I had to wear.) and I checked to see If I had such a mark. I saw nothing but orange and black stripes that appeared to be in no particular pattern.

I sighed in relief as I put my shorts back on. I was about to come out of the shadows when the unicorn started to talk again.

"All are welcome to come and trade at the wagons of Claptrap an affiliate of the Flim Flam Bro. Trading Co. I am looking for the great chief of the tribe. Can some pony please point me to him?"

Haiba and an older Zebra (I'm guessing he was one of the tribal elders) stepped forward.

" The chief is away on business so we will trade in his stead." the elder announced.

The unicorn seemed to be pleased with this news as he turned around to his troop and spoke in a language I didn't understand.

"All right boys the chief ain't home at the moment and neither is most of the warriors. Just do what you normally do and wait for my signal."

All of them but one, a certain pegasus, nodded as they started setting up their stalls.

"Hey guys, what did he mean 'Wait for his signal'?" Fleetwing asked.

"Just tend to your cart and take your cues from us" said a gruff looking earth pony with a punching bag cutie mark.

"Look alive you have a customer."

Fleetwing turned around just as a young zebra stallion not much younger than himself was walking up to him.

I was once more about to come out from behind the hut when Haiba, the tribal elder, and Claptrap the unicorn walked by the hut I was hiding behind. I caught a whiff of something. It wasn't overly strong but it did make all the hairs on the back of my neck tingle. It made me rethink about stepping out into plain sight.

I decided that maybe I should check it out. I crouched down and started to stalk the three as they made their way to a hut that looked like it was meant to have meetings in. I made my way around back as I followed the voices and more importantly, that smell. The more I tried the more I could distinguish Hiaba's and the tribal elder's scents. I could also smell a musty scent that must have been the unicorn's, but there was that other one. Both seemed to come from the same direction in the room. It must be coming from the unicorn as well.

"So, lets get down to business, shall we?" Claptrap said.

"Yes." said the tribal elder.

"What is it you wish to trade for?"

"Well I was wanting to trade for some potions and a few of staffs.."

"Unfortunately we have had some trouble lately and our potion stock is low. What kind of potions were you wanting?" Haiba asked.

"Well what do you have? In order to make this trip worth while I will need at least fifty potions and about ten staffs. I will trade you nine bolts of the finest spider silk and five sets of the best pots and pans this side of the celestial empire."

Some thing about the way this guy said that made me shiver. He sounds too much like a sleazy used car salesman. Why did he need so many and that price seemed too low even if he was haggling. I mean he is talking about magic that takes some times days to make right, for pots and pans?

"I'm sorry but we only have half that in potions and staffs, and we must reserve some for our selves. So, the best we can offer you is fifteen potions and two staffs for five bolts of cloth and four sets of pots and pans and ten dragon scales." the elder said

"..."

"Deal!"

I was nodding as the tribal elder laid down a better deal but the price still seemed low. I was startled when the trader agreed to it so quickly. Something was up and that smell just got stronger. ' I think I'll go look at these pots and pans and cloth.'

After Tony had left the edge of the hut with the inhabitants inside ignorant to his actions, the conversation inside took a sudden and drastic change.

"So my dear mare," said claptrap in an oily voice.

"I am curious, How long does it take to make such fine potions as yours?"

This trader was starting to get on her nerves. In order to shut him up and get him out of her mane, she said.

"A couple of days per type of potion."

"Hmmm... You know, I might have a place for you in my caravan if your interested."

"No thank you."

He placed his hoof on hers.

"A wonderful creature such as yourself could become very wealthy and respected in..."

WHAM!

A hoof all of a sudden came down hard on top of his. The Elder had had enough with this trader.

"You will show proper respect to our Shaman and Chief's wife or the deal is off and you and your caravan must leave!"

The Unicorn just glared at the elder.

"I do not take orders from some wrinkly old windbag like you"

With that said, a gold aura appeared around the unicorns horn. A pair of ropes appeared out of the air and hog tied and gagged the elder. He goes over and slams his hoof in to the side of the zebra's head knocking the elder unconscious.

"Ha! Now you will not ord...OOF!"

Was all he could say before Haiba bucked him in the stomach.

"Oh no you don't!" he wheezed.

He caught her near the entrance of the hut as she tried to run for help. He made more ropes appear and tied her up.

"Now my dear, you will come with me. I'm sure there is somepony out there willing to pay a decent price for a strong mare such as yourself. Even if you are a bit past your prime. The market is just swamped with orders for a decent potion maker."

"Hurmph muph humfand fifs ooh!"

"I don't think so deary. No one will even know you are gone. For a while anyway."

"I will make a a duplicate of you that will last for a few hours and by that time we will be long gone."

His snake like grin was the last thing Haiba saw before her world went dark.