The Different Prince

Baggy Bagger's Bags had what you would expect. Bags. And suitcases, backpacks. Basically anything that held an item(s) for travel. She even had an entire section dedicated to sheath and scabbards for weapons. Quivers for arrows/bolts. She even had a case for cannonball. That is, one cannonball. She had others that held more. But the option to hold just one was apparently in style.

"No-no. Gold, over here," Lyra called me from looking at the weapons cases. "I know those are nice, but, Bonbon's taking over for me tonight, and I'd love to spend some alone time with my stud before midnight."

I grunted as I turned away. Mother wasn't ready to let me walk about with a weapon yet anyway.

She showed me a suitcase, had a lovely brown leather exterior. "This is a spatial matrix suitcase, these are great space savers. Watch." She opened it up and I looked inside, then down-down-down. "See? lots of space inside where you could safely store your lab equipment and books, with plenty of room for uniforms and toys, should you desire."

I looked up and grinned. Why hadn't I known about these things in the first place? "Um, are there any that are bigger on the inside?"

Se tilted her head. "How big do you think you'll need?"

"Oh... say... palace sized?" It was a long shot, but I did have some faith in magic.

She shook her head. "No... Gold. Nothing like that. What would you need with anything that size anyway? You could get lost if you ever fell inside. Goodness help you if you didn't have a ladder. Though, you do have wings. Sorry."

I nodded and sighed. "It's alright... I more just curious than anything else."

"They do have some in the size of large basement though," she said nonchalantly as she reached up and grabbed another suitcase. This one was made of wood, and was much heavier. "The Traveler's Inn on the Go. I suppose it could be useful. You could have an entire lab and library set up inside. Though... I would suggest installing wheel. And, your mother may insist on adding armor plating so it acts as a safe room in case of danger."

Darn you woman, playing with my mind like that. I was all over that case in an instant. I opened it up and leapt back at the sight of the drop inside. "Woah... that... that's what I want, Lyra." Then I had a thought. "Anyway I could fit a second trunk like this on the inside?"

She narrowed her eyes but nodded. "Not today, Gold. Today you are shopping for school. You can try and build a castle out of your luggage later."

I chuckled as I rubbed my hooves together in contemplation of the possibilities. "Why don't more ponies just live in suitcases?"

"Because, if the outside gets destroyed the bigness inside flies everywhere." Ah, practical reasons like that. "I'm warning you right now. No lighting fires inside. Deal?"

I nodded and shook her hand. "Deal. What about lunchboxes?"

And they had a nice selection of those too. Tin, fabric, wood, steel, and just plain weird. "Is that one moving?"

"No, just pacing," my wetnurse told me, barely giving it a look. "It walks behind its owner once its bonded. I don't suggest it. They say they don't eat anything, but there are plenty of reports of ponies' lunch going missing inside of those things."

Ah, convenience with a hint of suspicion. Delightful. "So, what do you suggest?"

"Well, for a colt your size, I say this," she held up what almost looked like a pail with a lib on it. "Enchanted to keep your hot food hot and your cold food cold. Also makes for a good seat if your outside."

I shrugged. A pail was as any lunchbox. One that held the contents of an entire fridge would have been way over the top. "What about a bookbag, for when I don't want to drag an entire steamer trunk behind me?"

"I would suggest a rucksack, something in black." The wall she went to was covered in them, from those used in military campaigns, to ones for little day trips on the beach. She selected a ridged one with a zipper on the side. She opened it to show me shelves and drawers. "It's king of like your trunk, bigger on the inside, but with a compression matrix so you can fit larger objects through the opening. You'll be the envy of the eggheads."

I half thought about rejecting it after she said that... then again. "I love it. Any other bags you think I'll need? Sleeping bag? Garbage bag?"

She tapped me on the nose in good humor. "No... I think these'll do. I wish I had this stuff when going through her school. Too spendy for most families. You should be grateful for your privilege, Gold. You have quite the advantage."

I know she meant well, but... somehow that didn't make me feel good. Should I feel bad for having such an advantage? I mean, it's not my fault I hit the jackpot of families to be born to. Wouldn't it be wrong to not take advantage of what I have to better myself? It was a tiny little conundrum I found myself in.

Philosophy thy name is mud.

After buying these items, we made a quick stop at a place not on the list. A hardware store.

"We need a ladder," Lyra explained. A mute or so later, she helped me carry my other supplies down into my suitcase, a bewildered and dumbfounded Corner Stone peaking in from the top. The tip of her nose the only thing that fit. I informed here, that, even if the opening were wider, she wouldn't be abler to fit.

Are you calling me fat? Seemed somethings were universal constants, no matter how many eons have passed. I patted her nose reassuringly. I told her no. After all, she had been starving for a few million years.

"What's the next on our to-do list, dear wetnurse mine?" I grinned at the mare in question, who giggled back.

"Writing supplies, the Plucked Owl has the best in Equestria."

"Weren't we just at a bookstore?" I asked/

She shook her head. "Yes. But now we're going to a stationary store."

Wow, just how specific a list had Twilight compiled? Perhaps I was going to need another trunk or two.