A Colorful Collection Of Curios
Applebloom wandered out of Zecora's hut, carrying her usual pack of ingredients. It had become a common thing. The Zebra shaman's wide range of tonics and potions meant that trips into Everfree to collect orders had become a weekly, at least, event.
Of course, Applebloom didn't mind. She didn't find the bags of remedies and other assorted things too heavy, and she loved watching the Zebra work. She'd learned quite a bit, between these trips and her own visits, ever since the cutie-pox incident.
She shuddered at the memory, but in the end good things came from it. Finding her own interest in potions and brews mainly, at least from her perspective. Twilight had been teaching her to, but the Shaman didn't make her feel like she was back in school, and her potions were just so different from everything else the little filly knew (or at least thought she knew) about magic.
Wondering over what she'd learned that day, and daydreaming about what other mysterious magics even an earth pony could use were out there, it took her a while to realize she had long ago left the path, and was lost out in the middle of the woods.
Of course, being a young filly, her response was measured, careful, and logical.
"OMG OMG OMG, oh no oh no no no." Apple bloom ran in circles trying to find any sign of where she was or had been.
"Ooohhhh, what am I supposed to do?! It's getting dark and mah sis won't expect me back for another hour. OOhhh, she won't even know where ta look."
She continued her running, finding the woods darker and darker as she panicked trying to find any sign of something familiar.
"Oh Celestia, if you can hear me, I really could use some help right now."
With a gust of wind the entire woods seemed to turn to almost pitch black, and a voice, both beautiful and terrifying at the same time, wafted from behind her.
"Would you perhaps consider...alternative sources for aid?"
Applebloom spun around, finding herself starting at a pair of golden glowing eyes, framed by a dark shadow of a silhouette. The filly took a few steps back, her ears folding down at the sight.
The figure moved closer, the light from it's eyes barely lighting the immediate area, and revealing a featureless pony-like mask and a blowing cloak, completely obscuring whatever was beneath. Without warning, it dissipated into smoke, leaving the clearing almost pitch black again before reforming, the mask inches from Appleblooms face.
"Well my dear? What is your trouble?"
Applebloom nearly tumbled backwards at the shock, and crouched low as she scooted away from the creature. "I...I'm jus lost. I was goin home from Zecora's and then I musta taken a wrong turn somehow and not noticed, an now I don't know where I am or how ta get home or even what time it is an ma sister's gonna be worried but she's not gonna know where or how to find me and I might be lost forever and I don't know what I'm gonna do then an I don't even have a cutie mark so I don even know if I'm good at survivin in the woods or nothin an-" Appleblooms panicked rant was cut off by a short gust of wind as stranger seemed to lift up on it's smoke, the clearing seeming to get a low yellowish glow to it.
"You seem to have quite a bit of worry, perhaps we can exchange that for something else?"
With that she, at least Applebloom was fairly certain it was a she, waved a forleg(?) around, and the filly saw that where had once been simply bushes and trees, was now shelves, crates, barrels, boxes, and many other things, packed with everything imaginable, and quite a fair bit unimaginable, all lit with half melted candles scattered about.
With a little nod from the stranger, Applebloom slowly began looking around. Jars filled with everything from eyeballs to some kinds of colored gasses or liquids sat strewn about. Necklaces, jewels, bracelets, and cloaks hung off of whatever was around. Cages, darked but clearly with something inside, sat alongside piles of books and scrolls.
"W-what is all this?" Appleblooms eyes were wide with wonder, trying, and failing, to take in everything around her.
"My curios, child, just some of my collection. Up for trade and sale, if you can match my price." That last word gave Applebloom a chill, as she watched the stranger seem to dance in and out of sight accompanied by the smoke and darkness.
Slowly, the filly began to wander the piles, taking a moment to peer closer at something, before wandering off. Normally she'd be going a thousand questions a minute, but her own fear, of being lost combined with of this new stranger, kept her quiet. She had wished to see more magic, now she started to regret that wish.
Seeing a collection of jars with some kind of colored drink in them she stood up on her hind legs, front legs braced against the barrel they sat on, and peered towards them. All sorts of colors filled the jars, but it was one that seemed pitch black, lit by blood red, that held her attention, in spite of the fear that she felt as she stared.
"Aaahh, would you perhaps like some hatred?"
Applebloom jumped and spun away as the stranger had been hovering right over her shoulder as she asked that.
"H-hatred?"
"Oh yes my dear. Distilled to a very high purity, one drop at the right time and it'll take quite a while to get over the loathing."
Applebloom shook her head, "Nonono...wait, you can't bottle feelins, that's jus silly."
"Can't I?" The creature pulled back, looking down at Applebloom as if it was standing on it's hind legs. "Well, perhaps I can spare a sample as proof, but what shall I use?"
Applebloom once again shook her head, much more vigorously this time, "Oh no no, I got enough stuff messin with mah head, between bein lost, findin mah special talent, and all the nightmares."
The creatures head snapped from the jars to lock eyes on the little filly, "oh? Nightmares?"
"Y-yeah, "Applebloom hung her head in shame, "it's mostly ta do with the whole bein a blank flank." She turned to show her the lack of cutie mark.
The creature seemed to rest it's chin on a hoof, or whatever it had, as it thought, "I see, well child, perhaps I can find a cutie mark for you?" With that it turned to start its search, but was stopped before it could.
"Oh no, I already tried that. I don't want cutie pox again. I just wanna know what mah special talent is, well, really me an' my friends all wanna know."
The creature was now 'laying' on it's smoke, head tilted as Applebloom spoke, "Is that so?"
"Y-yeah, we're all worryin. Sweetiebelle says she can't sleep either. Scootaloo says she's fine but we think she's jus sayin that an it's botherin her to."
The creature lay there, head now resting on both it's 'forelegs', seeming to consider what was just said.
"Perhaps, my dear, what you need more than anything, is just some peace of mind." With that it flipped backwards back into smoke, flowing back and forth between the piles before returning, and floating a small object towards Applebloom.
Too scared to touch it, the filly let it float in front of her nose while she examined it. It was a simple round bottle, small, with an old wooden cork stopper. Inside was some kind of white gel. It had to be a gel or something, it wasn't sloshing around like water.
"What is it?"
"As I said dear child, peace of mind."
Applebloom looked up, her head tiled slightly, "but what is it?"
The creature stared at her for a moment, as if considering how to explain, before reaching out with a foreleg and calling a small wax stick over from a far pile. With a flourish, the bottle was uncorked and the wax stick tipped in, collecting a small glob, before floating back in front of Applebloom.
"Here, try and see."
Appleblooms ears went back down, and she flinched away slightly, but the slightly sweet smell coming from it didn't seem so bad, so she took the stick in her hoof and gave it a try.
Her eyes widened as all her worries, her problems, and panic, just slowly dissipated and the world around her seemed to slowly, carefully, settle down. She stared down at the now clean piece of wax then back up at the stranger.
"As I said, peace of mind, pure and, if I might say, quite tasty."
"You really CAN bottle feelins!" Applebloom was stunned. She was already getting excited again, but instead of the overwhelming fear and worry, it was replaced with wonder and excitement. She didn't know how it was possible, but she couldn't wait to show the other crusaders.
"How much?"
Applebloom cheerfully trotted away from the creature, with her panic gone she had realized that by just looking up through the trees she could see a nearby mountain, and from that knew the general direction home was. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw that the creature and its piles had disappeared, and the light, though nearly dusk, had returned to normal.
She couldn't see the masked creature, still holding her three silver bits, floating in the canopy.
The creature looked down at the bits, then floated about, checking it's weblike spirit catchers. It had been quite literal when it mentioned exchanging Applebooms worry for something else. The catchers had collected the worry and panic, as well as the concern, wonder, and every other emotion the little filly had felt during the encounter.
But it was the catcher near the jars of emotions that held the creature’s attention.
Gratitude.
Pure, genuine, gratitude.
Those that sought and found the curio dealers rarely thought beyond their own goals. Occasionally they could be found to stand in awe and wonder at what they saw, even have concern and other positive feelings towards others at rare times, but gratitude was a rare commodity on the edge of existence.
And yet, there it was. The little filly had been so grateful for the small bottle to share with her friends the catcher was nearly full, no small feat.
The creature extended a claw out from under it's cloak and stirred the wisps of emotions before pouring them into a jar. The filly’s gratitude was a precious and unexpected outcome, and the creature wondered if, perhaps, instead of moving on, she should stay about for a bit.
Collecting those nightmares would be risky, with the return of the night princess the only pony nightmares around were ones already caught. But perhaps the little filly would come forward with another request or trade. One which the creature felt would be worth at least considering, in her own thanks for such a precious gift. With that the last of the curios dissipated into smoke, and the creature followed to make arrangements.
Yes, first the new emotions needed to be jarred and marked, but after....well, after perhaps she would have a look at this Ponyville. It had been so long since she'd gone anywhere near the light, perhaps another risk would be worth it.
Author's Note
A little something I thought up. No idea if I'll continue it but I figure I'll leave a good opening just in case.
Always liked the idea of the otherworldly curio shop and the kinds of creatures that would deal in the intangible. Not literal genies or 'deal with the devil' type stuff, simply, beyond our sense of morality. Took Lukkistarr's art to finally get me to do something about it though, go check it out: http://fav.me/dakqo60