In for a Bit, in for a Pound
“Y'know, Sunset, Ah got to be honest,” Applejack said as we started scooting out of the booth we had been seated in. She, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and I had gone out for lunch at a new restaurant that had opened up that served a surprisingly tasty pub fare. Dash and Pinkie were going to join us later tonight for movies.
“Bout what?” I tucked my wallet back into my purse before slinging over my shoulder.
“Where did y'get the money when you came here? Ah know you worked at that sushi place before it closed, but still.”
“It’s a long story, AJ,” I said, fidgeting. “And it’s not that I’m not grateful for the job on the farm, I’m just hesitant to talk about it.”
Twilight slipped her arm through mine. While Rarity saw it and gave it a small smile, it had happened enough since we had returned that it was almost a non-issue with my friends. Only Rarity and Pinkie still gave it external signs of glee. “We won’t judge, Sunny.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to find the words. “How about we wait till we get to my place? This is kinda public.”
Fluttershy glanced around as if suddenly realizing how many people were around us and immediately drifted close to Applejack, using the taller girl as an optical barrier. “I’m fine with that idea,” we heard her squeak.
On the ride back, I thought on Shy’s, well, shyness. She was a beautiful young woman, but instead of the designed couture of Rarity she had a natural glamor, a girl-next-door appeal that people noticed and she wasn’t used to the attention. From what I gathered during our get-togethers, she had been a rather gangly and poorly coordinated child, so the fact that people might find her attractive had trouble reconciling with the memories of the ridicule and teasing. I hadn’t helped in those regards, and I still felt bad about it at times even though she had forgiven me.
We walked into my apartment, the simple studio setup filled with photos and mementos of my friends and I from both sides of the mirror. A large framed photograph of a group of ponies was hanging over the wall that separated the kitchenette from the rest of the apartment and my guitar and amp we tucked underneath the overhang of my storage loft. I sat on the bed, letting my friends take the couch while Twilight grabbed a chair from the table and sat next to me.
I twiddled my thumbs for a minute, before reaching into my nightstand and pulling out a small pouch that jingled slightly. I reached in and pulled out a shining coin.
“When I first came here, I didn’t have much, just whatever I managed to pack after Celestia expelled me. These are bits, the currency of Equestria.”
I passed the coin around, letting them all look over the coin, the stylized engraving of Celestia on one side and the sun on the obverse.
“While a large amount of Equestria can operate on barter, we do have a nominal monetary system set around by the Diarchs a millenia ago. They're usually converted to diamonds for amounts over a hundred thousand bits.”
I saw Rarity’s eyes light up at the mention of diamonds, but I continued on.
“When I came through, besides the clothes that manifested I still had the things that had been in my pack when I left Celestia’s school, including the photos of my family, the communication book, and my money.
“I took it to a pawnshop shortly after I realized how much harder this place was to survive. They offered me five hundred dollars for the single coin I took with me.”
Applejack bit the coin, and then looked at me in surprise. “Sunset, this is…”
“Mostly gold, yeah,” I said, grinning sheepishly. “I’ve pawned quite a few of them the first few months and stockpiled the money, which let me file for emancipated status, get ID documents, rent and furnish this apartment, and attend CHS.” I sighed. “After I learned what the exchange rate for gold was here I was able to negotiate a better rate of sale at the shops. They didn’t argue, between the rarity of the coin and the fact that I was willing to take as little as seventy percent current value, they never argued much. I also think they weren't exactly the most reputable places around, upon reflection.”
“So just how many did you pawn, Sunset dear?” Rarity leaned forward, interest apparent.
I thought for a moment. “Maybe seventy-five, all told? That kept me going till I got the job at as a waitress, then helping over at Sweet Apple Acres. Now, between savings, interest, and what AJ pays me, I don't need to now.”
“How many do you have left?” Fluttershy whispered.
I pawed through the pouch for a second. “A hundred, give or take, if I remember the amounts right. I did spend a few in Equestria. I figured by the time I ran out I’d have a better method in place for keeping my bills paid.”
“How can you talk about this so casually?” Applejack ran her hand through her hair. “You’re talking about pretty good sums of money like it’s nothing!”
“Money isn’t all that important in Equestria, just another commodity.” I took the coin back from Twilight and tucked the entire pouch away. “It’s also why I don’t like talking about it, I’m afraid that it’ll make me seem…I don’t know, snooty or something.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Fluttershy said.
“Yeah, just because ya have a couple thousand dollars to your name…”
“Fifty-one thousand two hundred thirty-two dollars,” interjected Twilight.
We all looked at her. She shrugged. “It’s just math. One troy ounce of gold is roughly eleven hundred dollars at current values. Assuming each coin had an ounce of gold and seventy percent for each plus relative interest of one percent monthly over six years, it’s a safe enough estimate.”
“Only you, Twilight, would be able to do that math in such a short time,” I smirked.
“Just because ya have a couple thousand dollars to your name,” Applejack continued. “Doesn’t mean we are going to treat ya any differently. Ah mean, Ah help run an entire farm my family owns, Rarity is starting to make a name for herself as a fashion designer around town, and Fluttershy all but runs the animal shelter.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Fluttershy whispered.
“So just because ya used what ya had to survive doesn’t mean you aren’t our friend,” the farmer finished, leaning back and crossing her legs with finality.
I sighed in relief. We chatted for a bit, mostly laughing at how similar to each other their pony counterparts were in the photo I had brought back of the entire group of friends that I shared through the pony Twilight. Rarity found the outfits her unicorn counterpart designed and sold interesting.
“And you say she owns three boutiques? That’s simply amazing and at our age!”
“Technically, she’s slightly older than you. In Equestria, we’d be considered adults. And she’s been doing this for six years before expanding.” I thought for a second. “I'm twenty-four in Equestrian years, and if my estimates are right that's the equivalent to twenty-one as far as this world is concerned as opposed to the eighteen I look.”
There was a knocking at my door that interrupted us continuing the line of discussion. Well, not a knock, really. More a banging like someone was kicking it gently. I went and opened it to admit Rainbow Dash and Pinkie. They were bearing pizza and several DVDs.
“Who’s ready to party?” Dash half-shouted, setting the pizzas on my kitchen table and bouncing around my kitchen to get napkins. I hung back, letting the others serve themselves on paper plates while Pinkie shuffled the movies and laid them out like a hand of poker on the coffee table.
Twilight leaned into me and whispered. “You know, you technically have a net worth of close to a hundred thousand dollars and you’re just a senior in high school?”
I smirked. “Money isn’t all that important to me, Twi.” I shrugged and gestured at our friends. “I’ve come to value that above anything else. Them, and you.”
I looked her in the eye, a glint reflecting off her glasses. “Besides, who knew how’d they react if they knew I might own a house in a nice city across the mirror?”
She perked up. “So you're keeping the house?"
I nodded. "I think so," I said, eyes seeing the halls and rooms of my foalhood home. "It'd be nice to have a place to stay whenever we visit that doesn't impose on the Princess."
She gave me a quick kiss before going to fix a plate for herself. I leaned back and sighed in contentment, watching as my friends laughed and teased each other. Even Twilight got some good shots, much more out of her shell than she had been even during our trip to Equestria three months ago.
I wouldn’t trade this for all the bits in Equestria.