The Sands of Saddle Arabia

by Paradise Oasis

The Bizarre Bazaar

"Ugh, are you sure we have to wear these things, secret Tale?" Vanilla sighed, looking over the outfit she was wearing. "I mean, I like the design, but the color is so totally bland!"

The other mares nodded their heads in agreement.

"I can't see where I'm going in this veil!"

"How are ve zupposed to walk in zhese pointed shoes?"

"These undergarments are so skimpy, they're riding up our flanks!"

"Ladies, please! You must be presentable if you are going to go trotting around the bazaar, and then go to visit the prince and princess." Secret tale told them with a sigh. "Besides, you'll get used to them, I promise!"

Having arrived at Secret's private estate over an hour age, the four mares had had a wonderful time cleaning up, primping, and preparing for their day out. Vanilla and Daffodil had enjoyed relaxing in a hot Turkish bath... until Surprise decided to do a dive into the tub headfirst.

"Lookout, everybody! CANNONBALL!"

"Argahhhh, blast it Surprise!" Vanilla wailed, as all of the water splashed out of the pool. "Can't you do anything without acting like a hyperactive child?!"

Later, after getting their hair bushed and dressing, the four were ready to head out into the city proper. They followed Secret Tale and her brother out onto the streets, where they all walked in a single file line behind the stallion, heading towards a large, interconnected series of buildings with tiled roofs, like a small town in the center on the city, with all the houses joined into one massive building. The four mares followed the two saddle Arabian ponies inside... and were amazed.

"Ladies... I give you the grand bazaar."

The four mares were stunned into silence, by the sight that stretched out before their eyes. A large, indoor series of hallways, with stall after stall of merchants and vendors. A thousand beautiful glass lanterns hung from the high, vaulted ceiling overheaed, lighting the long and windowless corridors of the Bazaar's building. Ponies of all shapes and sizes wandered around the towering corridors, looking over all the wares, and haggling with the shop keeps over their various wares.

"Vow, ziz place is like a giant mall!" Paradise exclaimed, as the four looked around at their new surroundings. "Except all of ze stores are in ze little tents!"

And all over the bazaar, the voices of the merchants could be heard calling out what they were selling.

"Authentic rugs from Hoofkaido, right here!" One unicorn stallion called out, levitating a large rug up in the air beside himself. "Made from the finest quality material in all of Ponyland!"

"Hand-hammered brass cooking ware from Blarkland, on sale today!"

"Beautiful jewelery! The finest gold and silver trinkets, acquired from the kingdom of Griffinstone!"

The girls wandered from stall to stall, looking over all of the shiny trinkets and wondrous wonders. Daffodil's eye was caught by the sight of a seed vendor, who was offering items from his cart for a very reasonable sum.

"Zay, do you haff any desert rose zeeldings?" The mare asked, examining the contents of one of the barrels. "I'd like to take a few dozen home vith me vhen ve leave zaddle Arabia."

"But of course, my dear flower of the west!" The merchant smiled, bowing to her. "We only carrying the finest seeds and saplings at my cart!"

The mare placed one of the seeds on the ground, and sprinkled some dirt from one of the merchant's soil cart on it. With a rub of her hoof, a beautiful flower bloomed from the stone floor of the building itself.

"Ja, these zeeds grow just fine!" Daffodil smiled in approval. "I'll take two pouches vull to take home vith me to Ponyland!"

"Agrh! Madam, please restrain your earth pony growing magic! We're not supposed to grow plants inside of the bizarre itself!" The stallion exclaimed, looking down at the newly sprouted flower in a panic. "Oh no, the guildmaster is going to fine me for this, for certain!"

Meanwhile, Surprise was flying around the room like an annoying insect, zipping from this interesting thing to that.

"Ohhh, that looks tasty!" The white Pegasus giggled, grabbing a sward away from one of the sword swallowers. "Mind if I have a bite?"

"No! Madame, please don't! You could cut yourself without-!" The swallower stallion protested, as Surprise simply shoved the scimitar down her mouth, and it disappeared. "How- how did you do that?!"

"Ohh, that was kinda sharp! But I want something a little more spicy!" Surprise flapped her way over to where the fire eater stood, and grabbed his flaming baton with her wing. "Wow, this looks really tasty!"

"My lady, no!" The fire eater cried, worried that she would burn herself. The crazy white Pegasus simply swallowed the burning stick whole, before releasing a fiery belch.

"Buurrrrrrrp!" The mare cut loose, sending a gust of wind across the bazaar. "Ohhhh, that a spicy meatball!"

The two performer ponies only sobbed and hugged each other, as all of the other ponies present tossed their dinars at the mare who had out-performed the two stallion professionals.

"Wait, all I did was have lunch, and you're all cheering me on and paying me?" The Pegasus flipped though the air, giggling in delight. "BEST...BAZAAR...EVAR!"

On the far side of the bazaar, Vanilla Mocha was looking over a merchant's stall, looking at a bunch of long and thin glass bottles. They were filled with a strange liquid, and had rubbery tubes coming out of the tops of the bottles.

"Excuse me, but what are these strange bottles?" The mare asked the vendor curiously. "Are they some kind of coffee makers?"

"Those are hookahs, my dear unicorn." The vendor replied, smiling. "You inhale it through this tube... why don't you give it a try?"

"Sure, what could it hurt?" The unicorn mare replied. She took a whiff of the strange liquid from the mysterious glass bottle. Then , enjoying the effect, she took another...

...and another...

..and another...

...and another...

It was only twenty minutes, before the poor naive mare had swirly eyes, and was stumbling around. Grabbing a few veils from a another stall, she jumped up on the vendor's table, and began to do something... unexpected...

"What in the world is that mare doing?"

"Is that... the dance of the seven veils?!?"

"How is she standing on her back legs, and swinging her hips like that?!"

"I've never even seen a saddle Arabian mare do that dance so well!"

"I want to hire her to dance at my cafe!"

"My sister, look! This that not one of our guests who is staying with us?"

"Oh no, one of Paradise's friends is... oh dear..."

And it was at that point that Secret Heart and her brother, who had failed to notice they had lost the four mares in the crowd, realized that they really in a whole lot of trouble...

Comments

[terrycloth]

So they're being Ugly Ponylanders?

[Vanilla Mocha]

What… what… I cussed… and then got high… what…

[keam]

OOC:

"Vow, ziz place is like a giant mall!" Paradise exclaimed, as the four looked around at their new surroundings. "Except all of ze stores are in ze little tents!"

I think you ment Daffi her, not Paradise?
- Keam

Such amazing seeds they sold at the bazaar! I can't wait until I get home, and can try to grow them in my and Glade's garden...and of course I need to bring some of them home to Hastland and see if I can get them ot grow there, too...
- Daffodil

[TheFanficFanPony]

"No! Madame, please don't! You could cut yourself without-!" The swallower stallion protested, as Surprise simply shoved the scimitar down her mouth, and it disappeared. "How- how did you do that?!"

[Paradise Oasis]

6032689

Yes, it is. Though I am trying to incorporate only certain cultural attributes from those regions; there are no slaves, no fanatics, and it's been hinted the only ;bad' saddle Arabian in the story is the as-yet-unseen vizier. The saddle arabian ponies are being very courteous, hospitable, and respectful. It's the Ponyland mares who are living up to the stereotypes, and making utter fools of themselves.