Starlight Glimmer looked upon the throng of ponies that made up Ponyville’s market today, each individual engaged in their own schedule. That was good, because she had one of her own to follow as she trotted into the market square, eyeing each stall down. Her brow furrowed when she spotted the asparagus stand. She beelined towards it and waved, the attendant returning a dark glare that sent a chill through Starlight as she approached him.

Starlight cleared her throat, then smiled. “Hello, I’d like a bundle of asparagus.”

“Twenty bits,” the clerk said while rummaging through his wares.

“E-excuse me?” Starlight asked, “I don’t think I heard you right. It sounded like you said―”

“Twenty bits, take it or leave it.”

She clenched her jaw as she grasped twenty bits in her magic and offered it to the pony. “Here you go. Twenty bits.”

“Much obliged,” he said as he angled a bag which Starlight dropped the payment into. He rifled through his stock and slapped a bundle of asparagus on the counter which she swiftly pocketed. Biting her cheek to keep herself under control, she left without a word.

Okay, that was weird. Maybe he’s just… the unfriendly type. Starlight located her next destination. Maybe the cherry salespony will be more amicable. She put on one of her award-winning smiles and walked up to the stand.

Starlight nodded. “Hello, there―”

“Fifty bits.”

Starlight inhaled sharply, then narrowed her gaze. “You’re joking.”

“I’m assuming you want a cherry, don’t you?” he said before he sniffed.

“You can’t honestly expect me to pay that much for a single cherry.” She felt her veins fill with fire.

The cherry clerk brought his face close to hers. “Look, lady, I’m guessing you came to my stall because you wanted a cherry. You can either take the cherry I’m offering you for fifty bits or leave cherryless.” He leaned back. “Up to you.”

A vein in Starlight’s neck throbbed as she pulled out fifty bits and shoveled it onto the stall.

Remember, Twilight told me to mingle with the townsfolk. It’s not my fault if everyone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” the salesman asked as he fished out a cherry and lobbed it to Starlight. She caught it in her glow, placed it in her saddlebag, and curty walked off.

It was the same at each stall she went to; each clerk charging exorbitant prices for simple goods. By the end of it, she was only able to purchase a single meal’s worth of food with the entire weekly allowance Twilight had given her. Her jaw was also sore and her vision felt like lava. She swore she’d clock the next pony who even looked at her funny.

A hoof touched her shoulder. “Hey, there―”

Starlight swiveled around and raised a hoof. “I don’t have any more money!” she yelled only to lay her eyes on Applejack, who motioned to block. Starlight let her hoof fall to the ground and took a deep breath. “Sorry, Applejack. I’ve had a bit of a rough day.” She forced a weak chuckle. “Apparently the townsfolk think I’m made of bits.”

“About that.” Applejack sighed. “I’ve been trying to find you so that we could go shopping together.” She grinned. “Y’know, so ponies wouldn’t take advantage of you.”

“Why would ponies take advantage of me?” Starlight asked pointedly as she raised an eyebrow.

Applejack pursed her lips. “Well, it seems that a pony might’ve heard Pinkie and Dashie talking about some of the things you might have caused.”

Starlight glared at Applejack. “Those never happened.”

“Shucks.” Applejack shrugged. “I know that, and you know that, but I’m pretty sure most of Ponyville ain’t going to be thinking no two ways about causality when they hear things like ‘eternal night’ and ‘lifeless wasteland’.”

Starlight screwed up her face and put a hoof to her chest as her breath caught in her throat.

My one chance, destroyed by gossip and hearsay. She’s going to be so disappointed in me.

Applejack slapped Starlight’s back. “Don’t be so down. The best thing you can do is what you’re doing right now.” She leaned into Starlight. “Now what do you say we shake down some ponies for your bits?”

Starlight nodded tentatively. “I like the sound of that.”

“Course ya do.” Applejack chuckled. “Now, who first?”

Starlight looked around. “Well, the asparagus pony charged me twenty bits for a bundle…”