[Unsurprisingly, the smiling face of the zebra appears over the scrolls, looking quite pleased. As if that isn't her usual appearance, but still!]

Greetings! Friends and future friends, I am Jou Shan Aleflower! And I have an offer for you! [She claps her hooves together.]

I am well aware of the bakers we have in town, so my offer is not for bakery treats or sweets, but if you wish to give your friends or family a savory treat for Wi-ah, Hearth's Warming, I would be pleased to provide it for you! You can stop by my stall in the Night Market, or contact me via scroll if you would like. All of my orders will be ready for pick up or delivery by Hearth's Warming Eve.

Thank you, and have a wonderful holiday!

I need taste testers for non-weird chocolate. They're candy cane peppermint chocolates.

Anyone wanna come and try it out? Gonna try and perfect it this year so that Bonnie can sell them later, or give them out for gifts.

Ok. Let's see if I got this right...

[Now that the chest is basically empty, he's allocated part of it to whatever savings he's managed to scrimp. Given his apathy towards work...it's not a lot. He'll snort, and slam it shut.]

Hey...any of you lot know what to get a couple of girls for Christmas/whatever holiday they got here, what ain't a normal princess or a thief obsessed with jewels?

Also..is there any traditional grub around this time? I didn't think to check before.

[he'll look back at the cash.]

And...cheap ideas. I ain't exactly swimming in loot.

[Pause.]

Cheap and GOOD.

*Well, Alastor's still in Earth Pony form, but he's looking better than he was. And he's leaning casually in a cloud throne with a creature lying down next to him.*

So, I hear somepony called Yang is looking to spar with my bloodgoyles, and is going to be my new coworker at the Night Market. Why don't you meet me at the base of the cloud stepping stones in the Market and we can talk things over a bit?

And everypony else, happy holidays. If you know me and want anything specific for Hearth's Warming, now's the time to let me know.

[There's been a new face around today, for what could be seen of him considering the mask and cloak he wore. After arriving he had spent a great deal of time looking around and getting used to walking on four legs; the wings, which at the moment were underneath the cloak, would wait until later.

He had also done a little poking around with the scroll, and watching other ponies go about their business. And at the end of the exploration, all he really had was one question, so he opened up the scroll to ask.]

I get that magic can do a lot of things. But how exactly do horses build things without fingers?

[Inquiring minds want to know.]

[When Marty appears on the scroll, he's constantly looking over to make sure that no one's watching. Luckily this time it's to make sure that he's alone for a less worrying reason.]

So... does anyone know what Arcee would like for Christmas? I'm trying to come up with something but the only thing that's coming to mind is more fish and it doesn't seem very personal.

[Or music, but he doesn't have a death wish.]

[So... this minotaur fellow appeared one day, then disappeared after a few days. Why? Well... maybe the distribution of a new record EP by Big Band and the Blockbusters may have something to do with it. Posters detailing some kind of current tour going on, as well as sample CDs including the band's smash hit Unfinished Business are being distributed all over Ponyville.

It also seems that the artist himself is taking a reprieve in what looks like a Manehattan version of the Decanter's backstage: the band, all various musical ponies are packing up in the background of the scroll message seem to be dressed in the same gold-and-black getup as Ben.]

Fillies and Gentlecolts, I have to apologize for my disappearance from Ponyville, but, uh... y'know. It looks like Equestria was suddenly ready for a minotaur musician. I'll be back soon enough with my tour's finale. In the meantime, uh... well, what did I miss?

[Harvey Finevoice, eat your damn heart out.]