Rhapsody Staccato is a normal pegasus mare. Okay, that's a stretch. Her fur is the same color a Trixie's. Her mane is brown and straight, kind of like Rainbow Dash's, except not pointed since she actually brushes it; more like Octavia's, now that I think about it. What makes her not normal? That would be her special talent: anything. Her special talent is being crazy prepared, with that she can do anything she puts her mind to, but only do okay at it; that being crazy prepared does nothing if one can not operate what they have. It is represented by a saddlebag with various random items sticking out of it, among them are a shovel, scissors, headlamp, and a miniature music box.
She lives in Ponyville because it is one of the nicest towns in Equestria.
~~~~~
Twilight Sparkle is Twilight Sparkle. We already know who she is. Spike is helping her decide on what she is going to do today.
"How about gem hunting?" Spike suggested.
"No, that's Rarity's talent, I'm not that good with it anyways." said a bored Twilight Sparkle.
"How about meeting new ponies? You don't know all the ponies here yet!"
"*GAAAAAAAASP!* I still don't know everypony in town?" Twilight panicked slightly, "I can't believe it! I've been here for almost a year and still don't know everypony here!?!"
Spike then put on a deadpan expression and said "You stay in the library constantly and you wonder how you haven't met everypony in town."
~~~~~
Rhapsody Staccato was sitting in her curio shop, bored as can be. Yes, a curio shop. It sells random but interesting things. She hadn't had a customer in almost a week, and she was starting to worry if she would get enough money to pay the rent that month, let alone enough to eat.
Her ears perked up at the sound of the bell above the door ringing, signalling the arrival of a customer, and to Rhapsody, this was music to her ears.
"Welcome to Rhapsody's Curio Shop!" Rhapsody proclaimed to the purple unicorn who entered her shop, "I am Rhapsody Staccato, tell me if you see anything you like, as I am low on funds to purchase anything you offer at the moment."
The purple unicorn was in wonder at all of the mysterious and potentially highly valuable items in wonder, then realized she was being talked to, "Oh! Sorry, my name is Twilight Sparkle, I run the Golden Branches Library, and I am trying to learn the names of everypony in town, so I... I..." her eyes ran over a book that had a picture of the night sky on the cover, "Is that a copy of The Stargazer's Guide to Star Mapping?!? There are only five known copies and I have been trying to get a copy from the Canterlot Archives, but they refuse to send it!" You could feel the excitement in her voice.
"Yes it is! Nopony even notices it! The pony that sold it to me did so for 20 bits, even after I told him it was worth way more than that!" Rhapsody said, excited that somepony knows what that book is, "How much are you willing to pay for it? I am nearly broke, so anything is good!" She sounded slightly desperate in that last statement, but Twilight didn't notice.
"How about 800 bits?"
"It is worth a bit more than that, but I-"
"Okay, twelve-hundred bits, will that work?"
Rhapsody's eyes went wide at this statement, not expecting such an increase, mostly since most ponies don't know the actual worth of the book. "That is-"
"1500 bits! Please, I want this book!" Twilight pleaded, not realizing that Rhapsody is in shock at the turn of events.
"DEAL!" Rhapsody finally said, then took the bits from Twilight, "I am broke! I would have taken an offer of 10 bits so I could be able to get some apples for meals until somepony buys something else! Now I won't have to worry about rent, either! Thank you, miss!"
Twilight was too excited to notice that last part, thanked Rhapsody, thought she was nice, and left the store.
Then that last bit hit her like a train made of angry fists.
She's that broke? This book would be worth millions if I could afford it, and she would have taken it for ten bits just to eat? Her shop has interesting things, why wouldn't anypony go in? Twilight thought to herself, then realized something.
Twilight poked her head inside and asked "Wait, why is your name Rhapsody Staccato? Those are both music terms, yet I don't even see any instruments in the store."
"My parents were musicians, so they gave me a name relevant to their names and talent, since that is usually how it works, like how Snails has a snail for a cutie mark. You can get a name change if a situation like mine happens, I just kept the name since it was pretty." Rhapsody replied, "You would be surprised how few ponies actually notice!"
"Oh! Well, see you later!"
Twilight then left, leaving Rhapsody to think I have to meet up with her later, maybe have a sleepover? That's a great way to learn more about your friends!
Money out! Who thinks this won't end well?
~~At the library~~
Twilight happily hopped into the library as Pinkie would, excited about the day's events.
"Hey Spike! I got a new book!" Twilight shouted to her assistant.
"Okay... You were gone 15 minutes and made friends with a book... Not what you left to do in the first place." Spike said, three feet away.
"I got it from a new friend I made!" Twilight explained, "and I got a copy of The Stargazer's Guide to Star Mapping! Maybe I should have a sleepover so I can learn more about her..."
"You only spent maybe 5 minutes with her and you are going to throw a sleepover just to know more about her?" Spike asked.
"She would have sold this to me for 20 bits just to get lunch. She is broke, and her shop is awesome. I intend to find out why!" Twilight proclaimed.
