[Marketplace] Oranges for Everypony

[StrawberryBlossom]

She'd cleaned up her hut, put away her belongings, and planted her garden - now, before her first foray into the mysterious forest (plants that grew by themselves! She couldn't wait!), Strawberry Blossom was ready to explore the town and meet a few new faces. So the big filly ambled into Ponyville at an easy-going pace, saddlebags slung across her back and large hooves clicking gently as she admired the well-kept gardens, the beautiful trees, the open marketplace....

A marketplace! That was the perfect place to get started!

She picked up her pace slightly, trotting amongst the carts. Once her plants started producing she could sell what she didn't need here, and it seemed like a nice place just to hear about the town and its ponies. Strawberry Blossom idly wondered if one needed permission to set up a cart, and where she might rent or borrow one in the first place; she would have to look into th--

Oooh! Oranges! She had no experience growing oranges - the only fruit trees she's had were a single elderly apple and one cherry not large enough to produce yet! She wondered how her little cherry was doing... well, for now, oranges!

Nicely distracted, she clopped over to the cart (only halting in brief surprise when a smaller pink pony narrowly missed crashing into her). The smaller pony also turned out to be heading to the orange cart; Strawberry flicked an ear toward the excited stranger, smiling a little.

"What's a secret?" she asked, tilting her head. Then she blinked. "Oh, wait. S'not a secret if you go around telling everypony! Haha, sorry!" A grin as she surveyed the wares. "Ohh, that orange cake looks wonderful...." She looked over at the samples. "Um, 'scuse me, are these sweet oranges? I like sweet best... did you say Sugarcube Corner, missy?"

She was trying to absorb all of it at once - but it looked like she'd made a good choice in first cart to visit!

[Inkwell]

It wasn't the first time that Inkwell had been to Ponyville's open market. He'd stumbled into it the day he arrived in Ponyville, when that magnificent griffin airship anchored itself over town. It monopolized his attention to the extent that he barely had any left for the more mundane surroundings of the town, but when it was moved to a less inconvenient location for the Ponyvillians, he decided that the market had an enchantment of its own. The aroma of so much fresh food combined with the chatter of ponies advertising their wares and making conversation made him feel oddly welcome in town.

So he decided that he would join the hustle and bustle, renting his own cart and spending days working to make the best paintings he could of the surrounding area. He created landscapes of the rising and setting sun, picturesque views of the town, and even a couple of the nearby Everfree Forest, in case a few eccentric ponies found it to their liking.

Traveling around in a cart wasn't much to his liking, he admitted. Given the choice, he'd rather set up shop with his fellow artists in a part of town where he knew there'd be demand for his work. But since he'd yet to find anything like that in Ponyville, he might as well take a gamble with the cart. He did his best to slide his paintings into the cart without damaging them, and attached wooden signs to the side, reading "PRICES NEGOTIABLE" and "COMMISSIONS AVAILABLE".

It was tricky, maneuvering the cart; he hadn't done anything like it in a while, and every sudden imbalance he felt made him fear that it would tilt over and damage its contents. But he was overreacting; it seemed like he'd picked a reliable one, and that he'd gotten some interested glances while coming it. The cart's harness was so comfortable he barely even noticed it, though it did make it hard to wear his saddlebags at the same time.

Then it occurred to Inkwell that he hadn't yet had anything in the way of breakfast. He looked around for the nearest cart of food, only to be nearly bowled over by a pink blur. It was a pony with curly cotton-candy hair and a bit too much spring in her step bounding over to a nearby orange cart. He simply shrugged and started the intricate process of parking his cart next to that one, levitating one of the free sample into his mouth as he worked.

"Mmm, juicy!" he commented as he set the cart in place. "How much for a pair of oranges?" Then he noticed that the vendor was a bit busy at the moment, with that one pink pony and one more also talking to her. No matter. He didn't mind waiting.

[Sugar Orange]

Sugar Orange looked up as he heard the typical cheery voice of the most hyperactive pony in whole Ponyville. It was Pinkie Pie who was strolling over to him and his cart. "Hi Pinkie." He said to her as he put away the orange he just peeled. He smiles to her as she ordered 2 dozen oranges. "Oh sure I do have orange jelly. One moment." He disappears behind the cart and takes out a jar of Orange Jelly. "Here you go Pinkie. Sooo if that's a secret why did you tell me? Now I want to know." He looks a bit curious. What could Pinkie Pie plan with that Jelly. Is it for a joke? Or maybe she needs it for her shop??

But he couldn't stop thinking as the second pink pony came to his cart. "Oh Good day there. Yes all of our oranges are of the sweet brand. Here have some samples." He smiles as he holds a plate with a sample of everything towards her. "The best oranges of whole Ponyville. Okay the only ones too.... I ...uhm you know what I mean." He said a bit blushing.

He then noticed that next to him another cart stopped. He looked to it and smiles to the new Customer. He never saw him before. "Good day sir. These are the oranges of the Orange Family. My name is Sugar Orange and since you are a new customer you get one orange for free." As he said so he handed over the new face One Orange. "And if you want another one it would be 1 bit per Orange." He smiles and looks over to his cart. "Oh I see. You are an artist am I right? Where are you from?" he asks politely. So many customers at once. He don't know where he should start.

[Bramzter]

Zany Zoom & Cynic Scene

So if he had everything he needed why is he STILL wasting time here? Cynic thought to himself, He was annoyed, he didn't like this town the people where too friendly, too cheerful, Too NICE! He wasn't used to all this socializing. The only reason they didn't pass trough this town was flying above him. Stupid Pegasus friend with his stupid "Lets check this town out" mindset. The large unicorn sighed.

"This is a complete waste of time, Tell me why are we still hanging around here? The only thing ive seen is incredibly annoying townsfolk. Like what the hay is up with this town, Its like a Epidemic of hospitably. UGH!"

"Dude... You should relax maan your like a metric ton of negativity around here. Our employer isnt leaving yet so we will be here for a few days, Try to like have fun man, Nobody is gonna mind us slacking."

"I am amazed that you still have your job. Forget it, I am hungry can you see where we can get a quick bite"

The Blue Pegasus shot up into the sky hovering above the ground looking for a food stall, He loved coming here. The people where so nice and the fruits of this region where excellent. Maybe this place would loosen his friend up somewhat, He was alway a cranky one. Staring trough the strands of his mane he spotted a orange stall, Man He LOOOVEEED oranges and it seemed they have free samples! awesome!

Hey Cy? I think i found the perfect place we could get a bite. Those oranges look extremely good!

Oranges? Seriously? Well some vitamins couldn't hurt

The two walked towards the orange stand. Cynic warily eyed the free sample plate, They are probably a bad batch or rotten or incredibly sour, There has to be something wrong. WHAT ARE YOU HIDING ORANGE SELLER! His accusing thoughts where disrupted by one of the pieces vanishing in a blue blur.

Oh horse feathers! HEY HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ASKING FIRST BEFORE YOU TAKE SOMETHING! He yelled at the hovering Pegasus above then he paused and gave a quick glance to the crowd at the stall uhm..sorry for that outburst and my companion... He is a idiot.....err anyway could i get a bag of oranges please...Also are those fresh? he said a gestured to the free sample plate

[Tempest Rime]

Pinkie let out a gasp! "Oh, you're that pony who lives out near the forest! We haven't actually met yet, but I heard about you from Fluttershy, she lives out that way too. I'm Pinkie Pie, what's your name? Oh, and yes, Sugarcube Corner is the bakery I work at, we make all kinds of stuff, cakes and pies and cookies and fudge and, and, and, and all kinds of stuff!"

Her attention drifted to the dark-maned artist, and she paused to stare at Inkwell for a few seconds. Her eyes widened momentarily and she blurted out, "Hey! I don't know you, and I know everypony, so you must be new! I'm Pinkie Pie! Did you get a tour of the town yet? Oh, but I'm on errands now, so I can't introduce you to everypony yet."

Pinkie swung the sack of oranges onto her back and put the jelly into her saddlebag. "Thanks Orangey. But no, the jelly isn't the secret, what I'm gonna try to make from it is the secret. Oh, but don't tell too many people about the jelly either, 'cause then someone might guess what it is and ruin the surprise!" She smiled broadly and fluttered her eyes briefly at him.

Suddenly the commotion behind her yanked her attention away. Her eyes bugged out at the sight of yet two more unknown ponies. "Wheeee! More new ponies! Hiiiiiii!" She reared up on her hind legs and waved cheerfully at the newcomers.

[StrawberryBlossom]

Strawberry took an orange sample, chewing contentedly as she waited for Pinkie Pie to finish her spiel. She swallowed just as the hyperactive pony finished and smiled, nodding a little.

"That's me! Fluttershy, huh... I'll have to go say hi. I'm Strawberry Blossom - pleased to meet you. Guess I'll have to check out your Sugarcube soon!"

She followed Pinkie's gaze to Inkwell, idly looking over his yet-to-be-unloaded selection as Pinkie chattered. Her eyes fell on one of the Everfree images and her ears perked as she made a happy little gasp, trotting over for a closer look.

"Scuse me sir. What part of the forest is this? Um... y'got prices? It's beautiful...." What she could see of it, anyway. If they weren't too expensive, she'd take any Everfree pictures he had! "Um... want some help unloading?" It was only polite, and the sooner he unloaded the sooner she could get a better look!

"The oranges are delicious," she assured the two newcomers, grinning a little at Pinkie's waving. "Nice and sweet! I asked myself - don't much like sour food, kind of makes your mouth all twingy. Never liked lemon cake - my mom makes it with this frosting everyone loves, but woo! sour! - Pinkie, you sell lemon cake at your place? Mom might like tasting a different recipe." She blinked, realizing she'd wandered off-topic. "Er... anyway, those oranges are the good stuff. Actually, Miss?" She turned a bit to address Sugar Orange. "Could you please set aside a bit of orange cake for when I'm done over here? Be right over to pay for it!"

[Inkwell]

Inkwell had fixed his cart with wheel wedges and was just in the middle of unfastening the cart's harness from around his chest when the orange vendor responded to his question. The oranges were quite cheap, and he even got one free! "Well, thank you for your hospitality, Sugar! I'll just get that bit for you..." His horn glowed, opening a pocket on his saddlebags, and a small coin floated out and over to Sugar's cart, exchanged for another orange. He balanced that orange and the one Sugar gave him on each hoof, and was about to start eating them when he noticed that piny pony staring right at his face.

Before he could say anything to her, she started running her mouth, talking in a strangely appealing, high-pitched voice. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm Inkwell, and no, I haven't officially toured the town yet, though I've rented a room here and been to the library and the bakery." He took a large bite out of his orange, rind and all, making his hoof slick with spilled juice in the process. "Whoops. Anyway, yes, I am an artist," he told Sugar Orange. "I was born in Trottingham, but I've been wandering around Equestria for the last few years."

He munched on his orange for the next few seconds, idly wondering what kind of a secret application for orange jelly Pinkie Pie could possibly be thinking of using, when he heard a third pony he didn't notice before say she never liked lemon cake. "Whuh?" he asked with a mouthful of chewed orange before remembering his manners and swallowing. "But lemon praline cake is simply the best dessert I've ever had!"

[Bramzter]

Cynic turned to the hyperactive pink pony, Ugh more unwanted socializing, Wait why is she so active? I feel a migraine already coming up. He let out a sigh and gave the pony his most sour and stern face. He was just about to shoo the pony away when he was again interrupted by his blue Pegasus companion. Who gave a small wave back.

Heya, Nice to meet you, Please do not note my friends incredibly negative energy, He is like a sour apple sometimes you know? This earned a groan form the green unicorn, The Pegasus just smiled.

Yeah sorry about the fruit man, I just saw like, these orange pieces. So i grabbed one with my hoof and all and ate it. And i must say they are like, Totaly extreme awesome. They tasted like MiRiCaLs. Anyway I am Zany Zoom and this is my friend Cynic Scene. We are like totaly pausing in this town, what was this place called again? Ponyburg? Anyway nice to meet you all, What be your names? My equine friends

His focus was broken when he was pulled back to the ground by Cynic

Just stop talking, Your just embarrassing yourself even further with your weird hippie speech He turned towards the oranges again,

So these oranges are sweet huh? I like the sour ones better personally. Its gives you a kick start. Perfect for when your feeling drowsy. But ill guess variety is good for you so ill guess i try some.

When cynic was busy talking to the orange vendor Zany continued his conversation with the pink pony.

So..I heard that you are working at that massive building bakery, Like how is it even possible to make the building look like pastry, That is like, some MiRiCaL work there. I am asking that because i kinda make decors and that stuff. I am not that good at it tho and Cy tends to yell at me a lot for that. But yeah what are like the best sweets you sell in that radical store?

[Sugar Orange]

So many ponies around him. And even more he doesn't know. A small feeling of fear comes up over his spine. It was hard enough when he first came to ponyville to sell. He looks over to the even new customers. "Why yes ofcourse they are fresh. I just peeled them. Here have a sample." He holds the plate with the samples in front of him. While he holds it he looks to pinkie. "That sounds like a biiig welcome party to me pinkie."

He smiles and then blinks over to strawberry. Did she really call him miss there? He giggles and smiles. "Actually it's mister." He gives her a wink. "Ofcourse I can set some orange cake for you. How much do you want?" He asks smilingly putting the plate back on the stool to fix up all the orders he got. As Inkwell takes the oranges he nods to him. "Thank you a lot for your buy. If you want more I still have a lot of them here. And peeled they taste even better." He finished the bag for Cynic and has the cake ready for strawberry too.

"The name is Ponyville. Welcome to the town Zany zoom and Cynic Scene. And thank you about the compliment. I made them myself. My name is Sugar Orange. Most of the oranges are sweet. But I have some sour ones too ofcourse. But not as many as the sweet ones. Ponies around here are very sweet loving." He goes behind the cart and takes a small box of bigger oranges out. It seems those are the sour ones.

(oh gawd so many ponies to respond to x___x my post looks small D:)

[Tempest Rime]

"Oh yeah, we have all kinds of cake there. Hee hee, we even have Mr. and Mrs. Cake! They own the store. And yeah, we usually have a few kinds of lemon cakes prepared most of the time. I even have a special secret recipe for spicy chocolate cake with jalapeño frosting, but it doesn't sell very well for some weird reason, so you'd have to order that one in advance." She shrugged in bewilderment. That cake was good.

Her attention turned to the pegasus. "I'm Pinkie Pie, nice ta meetcha, and this is Ponyville. I don't really know about architecture, but it's not really made of pastry. It's just wood and stuff, and it doesn't taste very good if you try to take bites out of it. And the best sweets we have..." She paused, thinking. After a long time she forgot the question entirely, wrapped up in thoughts of sweets.

"You know," she said to Cynic, leaning in very close to him, invading his personal space. A big friendly smile lit up her face, and she continued, "even sour fruit can make sweet candy. I bet you're really super nice, so I won't get mad at anything you say, ok?"

Remembering something, she turned back to the fruit vendor. "Oh, Sugar Orange! About the jelly! You especially can't tell Twilight or Rarity about it, ok! Pinkie promise!?"

[StrawberryBlossom]

Strawberry grinned at Inkwell as she awaited his verdict on her offer.

"I'd offer you some of my mom's, but I don't wanna offend Miss Bouncy there." A laugh; Pinkie's enthusiasm was cute, though Strawberry had to wonder if she was like this all the time. "Nice to meet you all," she added to Inkwell and the two newcomers. "I'm Strawberry Blossom."

She blinked at Sugar Orange's correction, lowering her head and blushing. She hoped he wasn't offended! Strawberry peered up at him through her forelock, ears lowered slightly in embarrassment.

"Er. Sorry, sir, I just...." You just looked so cute and delicate? No, that was digging herself in deeper. She herself was a big hefty Clydesdale and no one went around calling her 'mister'! Well, Sugar Orange didn't look too offended, so she smiled a little. "Thanks. I'll get it in a minute, okay? Don't wanna pack it up and all."

The mention of jalapeno frosting caught her ear, and she looked over at Pinkie again. "That uh... that sounds interesting, Pinkie." A pause. "Um... actually, I'd kinda like to try it. If it's not too much trouble." And maybe she could send some home!

With her order placed, she went back to admiring that Everfree painting, waiting to see if Inkwell would accept her unloading aid.

[[Pinkie has good taste - I like chocolate bars that have a little pepper in them. >_> (And to clarify I knew Sugar's a dood, but looking over his profile I couldn't justify poor Strawberry picking it up right away. XD Sorry.)]]

[Bramzter]

Oh bummer man, Edible buildings are like awesome set pieces, you don't have to clean them up after filming them. The Pegasus wandered off in thought, When he snapped back to reality the pony had redirected her attention to Cynic. The Pegasus flew over to the artists stand, his eyes widened when he saw the artwork.

Oh man, You are an artist too?! Radical man! I used to be an artist, only not with paint but with sculptures and light, It was glorious except kinda not. anyway how much is one of the paintings. The one with the flowerbed in the left corner. Its like extremely beautiful, like the colors Zany said in a mixture of respect admiration and a little hint of jealousy before getting entranced in the vivid colors in the painting

Cynic hovered one of the free samples and took a bite of it. By Celestia! These are the best oranges Ive ever tasted. Zany wasn't lying when he said the fruits where good here, Oh the deliciousness Cynic face lit up for a second in happiness before sulking back into his standard mask of unamused glaring. Regaining his composure he turned back to the orange seller. I must admit they are uhm... okay, I would like to change my order of earlier, I want two bundles of oranges, one sweet one sour if that is possible. He said while still chewing the orange part. His face not betraying any sign of approval.

Yeah..Uh, Its better to stock up when traveling..yeah.. Yes..YES The perfect Excuse. .

His train of thought was completely wrecked when a pink face popped up aside him

Almost choking into his orange part Cynic awkwardly backed away from the hyper annoyance almost tripping over a loose stone. Ugh, Its like EVERYTHING i hate about this town personified in one pony. Why me Celestia, Why!? Yeeeaah, Whatever..That is fine i guess.. He said and rolled his eyes feigning mock annoyance, Its hard to stay mad at a face like that, Even if it was disgustingly happy and annoying. Also he did not want to townsfolk up into his neck again, The last two times that happened wasn't fun.

You just startled me for a bit there..Nothings wrong Please go talk to somepony else Cynic almost had a breath of relief when the filly at the art stall called out her name.

[Inkwell]

The conversation flowed freely now between six different ponies gathered at two carts. It was all Inkwell could do to try and keep up with everyone and get a word in edgewise. He started to think of a reply when he remembered something he didn't quite catch the first time around.

"Oh! You want to help me unload? Of course!" he told Strawberry. "But do be careful with them. It wouldn't do for them to get damaged before they officially hit the market." Oh, and she'd also complimented him on one of his paintings, one of the ones of Everfree forest. He'd delicately captured each vine hanging from the trees, and especially the bright blue flowers covering the forest floor. "I found these beautiful plants on my first expedition into the forest, and I just had to get them on canvas. Unfortunately I'd gotten too close to them in the process, because I woke up the next morning with my eyelids sealed shut." He rolled his eyes. "I was thinking of perhaps twenty bits for that one."

He'd finished eating the first orange and was wiping his damp hoof on the ground when Sugar Orange suggested that he try them peeled. The habit of eating oranges with their peels was something he picked up from his father, and a few ponies here and there found it weird. But maybe he could try it after all. He concentrated on the orange for a few seconds, his horn shining brightly, until the orange "blossomed", peels separating from the juicy segments like petals on a flower. He ate the segments one by one, and he had to admit, it did taste a lot sweeter this way.

"So you work at Sugarcube Corner?" he asked Pinkie Pie. "I didn't see you there; we must have just missed each other. The lemon praline cake was absolutely wonderful! Though I'm a little curious about that jalapeño frosting now..."

And now this blue pegasus was showing interest in another painting of his! It was one of a field of flowers he saw somepony cultivating in Ponyville. "You were an artist, too? What made you decide to quit?"

[Sugar Orange]

He looks over to Pinkie pie and nods. "Cross my heart and hope to fly; stick a cupcake in my eye."

Giggling he has his hoof in his eye (or better on the eyelid) before he turned to Strawberry. "Ah don't worry. I'm always adressed as

a girl. That may be my outer appearence." He smiles and nods. "Don't be too hasty. There is enough for everypony."

This was a great day. So many customers and so many new friends. In his mind he applauds to himself. The new order of

Cynic was nodded of happily and soon he had the two bags ready. One sour and one sweet. He marks one with an x .

"The one with the X is the sour one. So that you know it." He says smiling as he hooved over the two bags. "That's be 24 Bits please." He said smiling sweetly.

[Tempest Rime]

Pinkie smiled at Strawberry. "Really!? You actually want to try it? Most ponies just think I'm crazy for putting hot peppers in sweets. I'll bake up a special order as soon as I get back! Don't worry, you can just buy a slice, and if you decide you don't like it, I'd be happy to eat whatever you don't want."

Her attention wandered back to Cynic. "Hey, you know what I bet would cheer you up? Some sweet treats! You should stop by Sugarcube Corner too!"

To Inkwell she replied, "Yup, it's my favoritest place in all of Ponyville! I'm even there a lot when I'm not working, and Mr. and Mrs. Cake rent me the upstairs room, so I even get to live there!"

She turned a comically serious gaze back to Sugar Orange and salutes him. "Thanks Sugar Orange. Anyway, I've got to go find more jellies and fruit, and then I gotta get back to work. I'll see you all later, 'kay?" With that, she bounced off into the busy marketplace again, looking around for the next items on her list.

(Exit)

[StrawberryBlossom]

"I'll be by before I leave for the forest!" she called after Pinkie. Heh, cute pony. Strawberry wasn't sure how she'd handle a bigger dose of Pinkie, but that little glimpse had been entertaining.

"Glad to hear it!" she called to Sugar Orange before turning to help Inkwell. As the unicorn had directed, she lifted each picture carefully, waiting for his direction before setting it on display. As she set the Everfree painting down again, Strawberry paused to admire it again.

"I think I'll take it," she said slowly, smiling. "After all, first thing a new home needs is a pretty new decoration, right? I was gonna get some flowers in the forest if I saw any, but I'm not familiar with all the types so I guess I better not touch just yet. Say, y'know what these flowers're called? They look amazing, and they're perfectly painted... think I'll see any tonight? Thanks for the warning by the way."

She went back to work on arranging the paintings, ears flicking toward Inkwell's conversation with the pegasus as she carefully nudged paintings into place. Twenty bits... she could afford that, and it was more than worth it!

[Inkwell]

"Alright, I think we've got a deal, then," he told her, opening a little side pocket on his saddlebags and levitating her preferred painting next to the inquiring filly. "Just slip the bits into this pocket here and we'll be good to go. And thanks for your help, by the way. I almost forgot to do this at all. I mean, could you imagine? I would have spent the day here and wondered where all the customers were, only to find that they weren't lured over by my paintings at all.

"Oh, the ponies at the spa told me that the flower I painted was something called the Poison Joke. And I would strongly advise against touching them with your bare skin. I did, and I had to get a special herbal bath to cure me. Apparently it has a detrimental effect on ponies that's somehow tailored to the victim's personality. For example, I rely on my eyes to draw and look at art, and it sealed them shut. I couldn't open my eyelids at all. If you're curious about how it'll affect you, by all means, try it, but make sure you have money to spare."

[StrawberryBlossom]

"Thanks!"

Strawberry beamed at the artist, happily placing the bits where indicated. Oh, this would look wonderful opposite her window, over the bed!

"And I was glad to help. The paintings are beautiful - be a real shame if nopony saw." She smiled as she maneuvered her own new possession onto her back. "Thanks for the warning about the poison joke too - I'll keep it in mind and keep my distance."

She headed over to Sugar Orange then, smiling at the pretty stallion.

"Ready for that cake now, if it's no trouble...."