My lying pages. (Anthology Speed-writing!)

by PacifistDoodl3r

10 What puzzlement, Puzzlemint! | January 27. 2023 |

Outside of a clothing store in Ponyland to which its bright purple and dark pink colours stood defiantly against many shades of green, stacks of blankets were being placed on tables by the ponies who worked there. Unbeknownst to them, a shadow approached their direction. Trees whistled as if to warn them about the figure in the horizon. Unfortunately, they continued to stack the blankets and fabrics without being alerted. The main employee there was a blue earth pony, naturally showing off her salmon pink, purple, blaze orange, and leafy green hair. Although this wasn't her boutique, she looked as if this was all under her management.

Her voice reached the approaching figure from afar as she spoke with elegant playfulness, “Please, another stack from the back to make space for this amazing place! Thirty… no… fifty bits for that one there. Yes, the one that looks like my hair!” She giggled as a hoof motioned over to the blankets neatly folded in a stack.

And soon enough, the blanket stack was placed onto another outside table. A pony wrote ‘50*’ on a piece of paper in front of the stack. After a nod of approval from the mare, everypony froze in their place once attention brought forth from a new face sufficed.

“That's all the blankets done, and now it's time to get out of… the… sun.” She finally stopped in her tracks too. “And who must you be, new friend?”

The mysterious pony eyed the arrays of many blankets for sale for a few seconds of silence. “Rainbow Dash.” She spoke matter-of-factly, stating the pony's name, “Are these fabrics and fleeces of many niches up for barter?”

“You want to purchase some blankets? How swell! I'd be happy to sell if you have the coin to pay us well! Take your pick, please.” Rainbow Dash replied, presenting the many different options to choose from.

“Hmm, yes.” The mare said quickly. She pondered for a moment and gave Rainbow Dash a look of confidence. “I shall buy all of them.” A smile formed. Rainbow Dash cocked her head to the side, staring blankly.

“Darling, I must refuse this outlandish request. You may not purchase all but you can check out a few of the best! Isn't that right, everypony?” She asked the group behind her who mumbled words of agreement.

“Ohh, fair enough.” The stranger spoke in a sing-song tone. “I'll be on my way then. I hope the sales go well!” She said with a cheerful attitude. The mare stared at the group of working ponies in front of her before spinning around to depart.

They could only watch on as the stranger merrily cantered away down the dirt path. Eventually, she was removed from the skyline where trees and a massive ferris wheel remained. Something chilly was sent through Rainbow Dash's chest. Was it the feeling of being cursed? Was it just her body reacting to the breeze? Any guess was on the table. The neatly stacked pile of blankets were also on tables.

Slowly but surely, the sun sank lower than the family of clouds. The group returned to the work they've sought to do. Every blanket pile was stacked on a table, now they just needed to remove the furniture. The few stallions present were on the task of pushing out shelves from aisles and prepped a wagon to load some on. Rainbow Dash managed the funds inside of their piggy bank. They should be fine with the expenses for now but not many ponies are willing to buy these sold goods.

Inevitably, the sun’s disappearance caused the sky to darken into a purple and blue mixture like a melting slush. Bright stars complimented this stretched dessert of air, twinkling under a cream coated sleepy moon. Dark blue grass surrounded the area now. Many of the ponies who were working left, leaving Rainbow Dash to her own devices. Each of the blankets were put away and hauled off except for the heavy furniture.

Something told her to take quick glances over at the hills just in case that pony returned. Was it fate? Was the uneasy feeling all in her head? The walk home made her reflect on this. Dark sapphire shaded trees matched the grass for as far as the eye can see. Distant mountains with mist circling them came into view. A breeze here and there with specs of raindrops motivated the mare to walk faster. The town was a glowing orb in the middle of an empty lot of darkness. She finally made it home.

At the market before work, Rainbow Dash could've sworn the mysterious mare had been watching her. It's only been a day and this uneasy feeling still hasn't gone away. Mental images of white fur and ocean tinted eyes arose from nowhere. Gravity tugging on yellow, purple, and magenta hair crept as well. She tried to shake off visually imagining the pony in front of her but it was no use.

Rainbow Dash couldn't enjoy the slice of cake she ordered. Every few seconds the feeling of not understanding something pestered her. “Why would anypony want all of these blankets?” She questioned.

And that wasn't the only question the blue pony had.

“Who was she?”

“How does she know me?”

“Am I safe?”

Nothing made sense. Once at work, she positioned her seating chair to face towards the path where the pony came from.

“If this potential friend visits again, I'll just have to agree on giving her everything…” she thought, pacing in front of the tables. “Nopony has bought anything ever since her arrival. Is this a coincidence?” The thoughts continued. She hummed a song to herself that never failed to reduce stress. But this proved to be fruitless.

Every worker stopped what they were doing. Eyes followed the dark silhouette of an approaching figure. Like a gallop, her heart raced and ached. Rainbow wanted to run but the working ponies were ready to greet this stranger again. Things seemed to shrink around Rainbow as her chest tightened. She could only smile the moment this strange mare walked up to her.

“Oh, it appears nopony realized these blankets are lonely.” A hoof pointed at the stack of unpurchased blankets and cloth. “Here's a thought, move this sale to the town? It would surely help that sad, sad, frown.”

“W-who are you? I mean… What's your name, darling?” Rainbow Dash sucked in a breath through her teeth. This question will hopefully be answered once and for all.

“—How much for one fabric?” The mare seemingly ignored her question. “Even though it would look… Oh so… Ick!”

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but scoff, “Are you insinuating these are not pretty already? I am starting to think you're just acting petty.”

“Petty? Not quite. But I'm sure your prices don't bite. Name the bits, I have them at hoof. I didn't mean to come across as aloof!” The stranger presented her hand bag filled with bits. Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrows.

“Only one? These are two bits each. Five for six bits! These deals are fan-tast-ic!” She isolated a folded blanket fabric from one of the stacks. The stranger followed and shook her head.

“Only one.”

“Why?”

“So I can return tomorrow under a brand new sun!”

“Will you return tomorrow?” Rainbow Dash almost dropped the fabric after the stranger’s enthusiastic change in demeanor.

“Indeed. And I will buy more so your business can soar!” After she exchanged the bits for the fabric, the mysterious pony grinned.

“Wow. I am a little confused? What am I to do with this unexpected news?” Rainbow Dash turned away from her with a need to give herself a few scritches. “Will you visit my boutique once the supply gets skewed? Or will this unique ordeal cause you to be shooed?”

“By then, I'd like to think we'd finally be friends by then once you take the hint.” She took the one piece of folded fabric that had a striking resemblance to Rainbow Dash’s hair.

“What do you mean by that? Is this an alternate way for you to buy all of my fabric? And if you wish to be friends, I must know your name!” Rainbow Dash’s voice almost cracked from her uncharacteristic loss in temper.

In front of her remained the shaking, giggling, writhing body of her potential friend. The mare held a hoof over her muzzle, containing the laughter within. “Oh, yes, so— it's nice to meet you, my name's Puzzlemint.”

Author's Note:

Originally, this was my entry for the My Little Pony 40 Years celebration collaboration. This isn't what the author wanted, and I respect that.