Princess Twilight Sparkle,
I thank you for overseeing the nightmarish bartering bazaar that is the Rainbow Falls Trade Exchange. I was concerned when I'd heard rumors of a trade ending with indentured servitude as a bargaining chip, but thankfully, common sense prevailed at the end, and the trade was called off.
Unfortunately, it seems nopony there had the good sense to take my darling Cadance's suggestion and use an established medium of exchange to get the things you want if you don't have what they're looking for. Or Luna's. Or mine.
Especially mine, because I've been attending this Trade Exchange for far longer than anyone else, and I've seen more than enough stupid decision making for amazingly petty reasons.
It's made me cry tears of pain. Pure, indescribable pain.
"Nobody at this exchange has anything I want? Well, I guess nobody gets my stuff, regardless of any that want it!"
This thought process sums up the entire problem with the Exchange. Because there is no established medium, or rather, no medium is allowed, so many ponies come here looking for something and either walk away unsatisfied with what they came in with, or stuck doing an insane trading quest with ten-plus vendors to get what they want from just one vendor. Sure, there are ponies that come in with the right thing at the right time, but they are few and far between when the wants of the vendors are subject to change at any time, for any reason. Items once desired may not be after just twenty minutes, and such traders caught up in this runaround get screwed due to fickle desire.
And that's "okay" according to the rule, because the trades got them closer to the goalpost at the end, only for the vendor to just up and move it once they get there. This is why I prefer agreements in writing, and not verbal.
Just... how hard is it for this place to just buy and sell items with bits in addition to bartering? The versatility in using this method would allow for more trades at prices they deemed fair by both parties involved in the exchange. Stuff would actually get sold and traded with significantly better turnover than limiting to just whatever garage sale items litter our home! And if for some reason there's nothing to interest a seller in terms of items, why should they object to some extra weight in their coinpurse?
This traditional Exchange has been around since the Unification, and its showing its age VERY openly. Yet much like Winter Wrap Up, this highly inconvenient thing refuses to adjust to the modern times, hailing from an age where food for cloth and other amenities was acceptable. But now that ponies these days are far pickier, this simply doesn't work as well as it could.
I just hope that next year, some ponies will actually see sense when it's... ugh, my turn to oversee the Exchange. It's unlikely, but we'll see.
Also, if you happen to be interested in a strange glove I have collecting dust in my closet, please let me know.
Love,
Princess Celestia
Oh, you wouldn't be interested, Luna. It's just a sock I got from a wizard a century ago.
Well, of course I didn't want a sock! I wanted a nice hat, one that could work around my horn, but the vendor closed up shop before I could make the trade!
Now look at it! What am I supposed to do with ONE sock?! It's not even a pair or a full set! I mean, maybe a stallion could use this as is, but I'd need to remake this into a scarf or something to make it practical!
But, well, lesson learned. You can't always get what you want when the one offering it changes their mind last minute.
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...Did you just...?
6003338 Yes. Yes, that was done.
6003338 I think he did.
"maybe a stallion could use this as is"
Took me a second. Dang, Princess, that's dirty.
Horn warmer, Princess... horn warmer.
What if you put googly eyes and a sombrero on the sock? Would that be okay?
Well, she could always cover it in sequins and try to usurp Sapphire Shores as Queen of Pop...
I'm shocked Celestia didn't mention Rainbow Dash nearly selling, I'm sorry, 'trading' Fluttershy into what was basically slavery. Just asking, was I the only one that said WTF at that part of the episode? Anyway, funny as always.
6003398
Good one.
I was thinking balaclava.
6003449
She did
"I was concerned when I'd heard rumors of a trade ending with indentured servitude as a bargaining chip"
6003398
"Wow, uh, I honestly didn't think of that. Very clean thinking, and beats sleeping with a cold horn during winter nights.
I could still use a scarf, though. Decisions, decisions..."
6003432 only if the sock is dark pinkish, i think.
A nice hat? You mean this one, Celestia?
38.media.tumblr.com/f0c579333ac14c2695030191699b8997/tumblr_nn4vou3NF11thsrlto2_500.gif
6003457 wow, I completely missed that. Thanks for pointing it out.
Ah, yes the Exchange. Where everything is for sale, for the right price, of course.
Ohkay, moving along now! I've read enough clop to know where this is going!
s.mlpforums.com/uploads/post_images/img-1057517-1-hey_hey_hey__by_wwhd-d4xlcvz.jpg
Snickering loudly at the "maybe a stallion could use it" comment. Roommate wants to know what's so funny but I'm hesitant to tell him since I'm still working to convert him.
6004034 Shall I send some Pinkist members to "persuade" him?
6004269 Is there a Fluttershy cult? That would convert him instantly.
6003449 Yeah, the only way that that scene could have worked would be if Rainbow cut the trader lady off right as she said the part about Fluttershy, and did not hear her properly. She then snatches the book up, and flies around, but suddenly stops, letting out a shocked, "Wait... WHAT?!"
I totally hated this episode, the writers just seem to have dumbed Rainbow Dash to Homer Simpson levels in it. Also, trading a friend for something looks like it would work better as a CMC episode.
6004528
RD had some pretty damning tunnel vision for this episode, but she's pretty lucky that book seller was lenient.
As far as concern for the deal, the seller pretty much could have walked with Flutters and RD would have to live with guilt for a while before Flutters returned, since at the time of the deal, both parties were satisfied thanks to that "wonderful" rule that had Twi's hooves tied.
It's a curious "what if" to think about, but that's not my place to wonder. Not while the miracle episode that is "Inspiration Manifestation" sits around the corner.
Seeing as I can't tell what this is in reference to, I shall treat it as one to Kirby's Epic Yarn.
You don't wanna use that sock, Celestia. Last thing you need is everypony getting turned into yarn.
6004562
I don't think slavery is legal in Equestria, so the whole thing was stupid and would have worked way better with the CMC being the ones who did the stupid trade. Honesty, is like the writer of this episode had never watched the show.
Well, one way to make a change. Set up a stall, including a jar of coins among the items, and a post saying "bits accepted in exchange".
6003493 Um... buy a scarf?
Is that the sock from Harry Potter? If it is, then Celestia is now in possession of an article of clothing symbolising house elf freedom.
It's one of those traditions they have in Equestria, like how Winter Wrap-Up is done without magic. You're supposed to only be able to barter goods for goods, because that's how they did it in the olden days. The ponies gathering do this because they think it's a fun challenge, to see what they can manage to get without bringing money into the mix as a cheat.
Adding money as an option would ruin the whole concept. Bartering goods for money is how they do it everywhere else on every other day - just not right here, on this one day.
Sorry if I sound nitpicky, but how is this not obvious?
And yes, saying "it's traditional" tends to be the excuse when you don't have any better ones. People (and ponies) tend to like traditions anyway.
6004301 http://www.fimfiction.net/story/202891/the-second-coming-of-fluttershy
Yay! I'm helpful!
if i was flutters id just fly away after RD got her book
"i never said she could do that, and I didn't get anything out of the trade"
6003338
Celelstia's been around longer than her castle and capitol city. I'm sure she knows just about every sexual kink there is, even if she's not a dirty old mare.
6004766
well, in the first harry potter book, Dumbledore made the comment of seeing himself holding a pair of new socks when looking in the Mirror of Erised, an enchanted mirror that shows the hearts truest desire