“Just trust me, I can handle it.” Starlight had no intention of begging a farmer or salespony. Diamond was right: if a merchant thought you were desperate, they raised their rates accordingly. Rather, in much the same way that unicorns generally had a network of acquaintances who they could call upon for spellcraft, most earth ponies unconsciously kept an eye out at the market for who was buying what, and trading between chefs was not uncommon. With her new job, all she needed to do was show up at the back door of a restaurant, and so long as she wanted a common ingredient, she could have it for market price, no questions asked. 