Trading Places, part one

Trading Places, part one

Normally, the Confederacy's city-state of Rainbow Falls was one of the quietest places in all of Ponyland to visit. Tourists, honeymooners, and visitors of every stripe flocked here year round to gaze upon the colorful rainbow waterfalls, to tour the picturesque and quaint village streets- unchanged since the days of old Equestria- or to simply contemplate and pray in the quiet grotto shrines of the rainbow pony monastery. Yes, one could definitely sat that there was no place in all of ponydom that could possibly be more tranquil.

But there was one time of year, that the ponies of this little hamlet looked upon with both dread and anticipation. The one week where traders and bargain hunters from all over the known world poured in, and brought this place to life in a way that seemed unreal for such a normally quiet place. If there was one event in all of Ponyland that could be this chaotic and noisy, the annual Rainbow Falls trader exchange was it. Tables filled with items and creatures of every description lined the streets, and ponies bargained, haggled, and practically fought over everything up for grabs- a sight almost as entertaining as the trades themselves.

It was as the Ponyland express chugged into the Rainbow Falls station, opening it's train car doors and unleashing a new horde of visitors eager for bargains upon this most bizarre of bazaars, that three unusual ponies of note stepped off the train to look around. New arrivals from Dream Valley, this uncanny trio drew far more attention that all of the other recent arrivals combined.

"Wow, it's so amazing to see that this place hasn't changed!" Cheerilee said with a smile, looking around at all the scenery with satisfaction. "With what's happened to the rest of Ponyland, I was afraid rainbow Falls had been turned into a landfill or something!"

"Nope, this place is as wonderful as ever! And this annual swap meet is older than Ponyland itself!"  Ribbon declared, winking around around from booth to booth, and looking over all of the exotic curios. "I'm hoping to pick up some new thread colors, for the dresses Buttons and I are planning to make for this year's fall lineup!"

"Well, you certainly know what you're after!" The earth pony teacher replied with a giggle, watching the blue unicorn with a red and yellow mane teleport around. She then turned to the pink Pegasus with the multicolored mane who had gotten off the train with them. "And what are you planning to trade from the vendors, Locket?"

"Me? Oh, I'm hoping to get new scented candles for my room." Dream Vally's dungeon warden replied, flapping her way over to one of the vendor's tables. "My boyfriend Molasses is coming home from guard duty this week, and I want to surprise him."

"Candles?" Cheerilee whispered in confusion, as Ribbon teleported back over to where she stood. "But why would her boyfriend want-"

"Trust me, Miss Cheerilee, you do not want to know!" The blue unicorn replied with a shiver. "Lets just say she likes to play 'prison warden', even when she's off duty."

The teaching mare's eye twitched, and she felt a pang of pity for that pink stallion, as she watched Locket start bargaining for chains, whips, and candle wax. Trotting off to leave the other two ponies who had come with her to their own trades, Cheerilee moved about to take in the sights and sounds of the bazaar. The pink mare had brought along a saddlebag of her schoolbooks to trade, and was hoping to pick up a vintage Equestrian-styled saddle from one of the vendors.

As she moved about the swap meet, Cheerilee recognized many other familiar faces from Dream Valley, who had come here earlier and set up stalls. On one side, Surprise had a whole table full of her practical jokes and gags to trade, and was laughing her head off when a zebra customer got his nose bit by a piece of snapping gum. On the other side was Medley, offering musical instruments to swap to a curious pair of Blark moles, while Gypsy and Galaxy ran a mystical looking fortune telling booth with moons and stars all over it, offering to make star charts for ponies.

Looking through the crowd, Cheerilee saw a curious mix of every species from every corner of the world of Equinia. It was then, that the curious mare noticed a pitiful-looking old human woman, wearing blue rags and a cloth cap with horns coming out of it. The red-haired crone was stumbling around the stalls, looking frantically through the various wares, as if searching for something.  Seeing the elderly creature seemed to be either lost or confused, Cheerilee trotted up tried to speak to the elderly female.

"Um, exuse me, miss....hello there! Are you looking for something?" Cheerilee asked, as the old crone looked over towards her in confusion. "Is there something I could possibly help you with?"

"A trade! A trade! My life for a trade!" The old woman wailed, holding up a bag in front of her. "will no kind pony take this fine saddle off my hands, so I can get a birthday present for my little grandson's birthday?!"

Cherrilee gazed into the bag, and saw the loveliest pink saddle encrusted with rubies and gemstones, and with a diamond studded bridle and reins. The teacher's eyes nearly bugged out, as visions of her cantering around at the next year's parade of costumes, and wearing that fine piece were already dancing in her head.

"W-would you take a bag of Dream Valley textbooks in trade?" The befuddled teacher asked, holding up her saddlebag. But before she even had time to blink,  the old crone had grabbed the books, dropped the saddle, and vanished into the crowd.

"Well, she certainly is a fast trader."  Cheerilee mere looked around in confusion, before picking the saddle up and placing the fancy saddle on her back. "wow, just wait until the others see the incredible deal I got on this trade!"

And as the contented pony trotted off, an old woman with a sinister smile watched her go, cackling as the teacher went off to find her Dream Valley friends....