1816 replies and 20 files omitted.
>>159206"Admittedly, I have been shot many times recently. I may be quart low on blood. Thank you, doctor."
He sits up, examining his work.
"What do I owe you?"
>>159207She leans into him, rubs her head against him, and purrs.
>>159208"500 Bits" He says.
It's not quite as good as the public hospital. But his stitch sewing is decent.
>>159209He Puts his arm around her
>>159209Sweet Celestia! Hopefully they got at least that much from the money in Bargain's office.
>>159211Probably? It hasn't been counted or accounted for.
>>159210She lets him wrap his arms around her, and looks up to Dark Star with a smile, and her big, turquois eyes.
>>159212Probably a good idea to do, then.
>>159212Dark Star Kisses Her Cheek
>>159214"Hehe" Her cheek is kissed
>>159213Is Silver going back to the car?
>>159215Probably not a good idea until the vet gets paid.
>>159214"Dark Star? Could you get rolls of money out from car, please?"
>>159216"No Problem."
He trots out and brings it back
>>159215>>159217Once he brings it back, Silver counts out what they got.
>>159217>>159218In bills, mostly 20s, there are 1760 bits
>>159219Silver counts out 500 Bits and gives them to the vet, effectively taking it out of his share of the loot.
>>159221>>159217Silver looks at his companions.
"Alright, ready to go?"
>>159222"Yea, I'm ready when you are. Need some help back to the car?"
>>159223>>159224"No, I think I have it. Thank you though. Let us go."
The trio had back to the car. Silver gets in the driver's seat.
"Alright, did you want to fence and split what we got from...that place, before I take you two home?"
>>159225"Yea that would be a smart idea."
>>159225>>159226So the items will be liquidated and
then the money is split, rather than splitting the items and later liquidating them?
>>159076Alas, so much beauty had to have had come from a dysfunctional royal family. At least the pitfalls of griffon folly throughout history provide the basis for works of art and music. Amber only wonders what music will be made to commemorate these tumultuous times, or if they are bad enough that even the arts themselves aren't immune–as what's happened to this unlucky party.
>>159229Dark Star Drives to the Griffin Pawn Shop
>>159237Or, at least, Silver can be given the directions to go there. Or even he could try to instruct Dark Star in how to drive.
>>159242Silver looks at the car, and considers giving control of the vehicle to Dark Star, who cannot drive. Dark Star gets in the car seat, Silver gives direction on how to change gears. After a minute, Silver decides that he's only a
little high on opiates right now, and it's okay to put a
little stress on fresh wounds, so he's good to drive right now. He takes the drivers seat, and starts the car, going to the location of his favored fence.
>>159242>>159240>>159243Dark Star, however, can go in. The store is marked as belonging to a Jeweler. I believe he's been there before.
Are there any particular items Dark Star will be fencing or not fencing?
>>159244>I believe he's been there before.i think so, yes
>Are there any particular items Dark Star will be fencing?Yes. the jade dog, the silver coins,
the wedding bands from the diamond dogs Assuming Silver doesn't want any of these items
>>159245Dark Star enters, and sees what is familiar as a jewelry store, with stainless steel display cases. There is a grey minotaur off to the far left, working at a desk behind the counter, examining something with a magnifying glass. But he is not the one who greats Dark Star. That would be an especially fat, white feathered griffin, who looks directly at Dark Star with a very much please smile.
"Nice to see you again." He says
Is Dark Star not exchanging the gold coins?Undertoe's gold chain (admittedly he probably wouldn't have thatThe women's jewelry that Blue Skies got? >>159246"Hello, I have some stuff for trade, today."
I think the coins would be more valuable the way they are.
I Don't think its on him
She can keep that >>159247"Ah." He nods
"Well, let me see" He says
>>159248Dark Star walks over to the counter And places the Goods on it
>>159249He takes each in kind
"1 bit silver coins, Equestrian Canterlot Mint." He turns it. "Actually, Dodge Junction Mint." He counts them out
"One, two, three.... eighteen coins in total."
He picks up one of the wedding rings.
"Oh. One that still has the diamond set in it. This is a rather nice one, by comparison." He examines the wedding ring that was pulled off of Bargain Strength. He looks inside.
"Oh. It's engraved. We'll have to burn that out." He says. He spends a little more time looking at the ring, and then picks up the other one, the ring that belonged to the Diamond Dog.
"This looks like an engagement ring. Simpler. Metal, no gem." He looks at it, then sets it down. Then he picks up the jade dog. "This... What is this? Some sort of Equestrian artifact. That, I do not specialize in. You'd be better off taking that to someone who sells antiquities.
He looks up at Dark Star.
"850 for the lot. Except for this." He pushes away the jade dog
>>159250"850? seems a bit light for the Good Stuff I brought to you here."
"I Think 1,000 would be much more fair."
He puts the jade dog back into his bag
>>159251"Heh" He smiles
"Hardly. 850 is well over a month's income, as is, and for what? A mundane band, and a few silver coins? 850 is more than fair."
>>159252Dark Star smiles as well and looks him in the eyes
"Mundane? My dear griffin these are no mere bands. they date back at least 50 years and were owned by a very powerful creature. I could do 950 bits"
>>159253"Do they?" He picks up the engagement ring.
"Simple gold. Markings are..." He picks it up. "Out of Baltimare. I estimate of recent make." Then he picks up the wedding ring. "This one is out of a jeweler in Manehattan. I'm not as sure as to when it was made, but that jeweler is still in business, and has certainly not been around more than 50 years."
He looks over to Dark Star
"Does the name 'Graceful Vine' mean anything to you?"
>>159254"Are you calling me a liar,sir?"
>>159255He closes his eyes, and slowly opens them, looking away.
"I only mean that in these changing economic times, my appraisal may be a bit more accurate."
>>159256"I have no doubt in your abilities my friend and these times are very much changing economically speaking. Perhaps 950 was too rich for your blood, I apologize. but the lowest I can go is 900."
>>159257He takes a moment, sitting there in silence
"Alright... 900 bits." He says
>>159258Dark Star Extends his hoof for a hoof/claw shake
"It was Good Doing business with you"
>>159259He shakes Dark Star's hoof. His grip is strong. His shake is not. He counts out 900 in bills, and tenders them to Dark Star.
"See you next time." He says
>>159261He gives a thin but pleased smile with his fat face, and nods
>>159262Dark Star Takes his Bits and the jade dog then heads back to the car
>>159266Dark Star reenters the car.
There is now 900 bits, plus the 1760 bits from earlier, minus the 500 bits from the surgery.
There is still the gold coins, the meteorite, the jade dog, and the vials, a watch, handcuffs, a telescope, the two pistols, pistol magazines, shotgun shells, the notebooks, and the map.
>>159265>>159266Silver looks at his companions.
"Did it all go well? Any other place we need to go?"
>>159268See
>>159267 for the accounting of the goods.
>>159268>>159267Dark Star Steps back into the car smiling from ear to ear
"I Out haggled a griffin."
He sets the bits pouch down on the console of the car,between the 3 of them
>>159270>>159267Silver considers what else is left.
"Know of any other places that would take what else we got?"
>>159271"Well, he said we might try an antiques dealer."
>>159271>>159272"You want to sell everything?" Blue Skies asks
>>159272>>159273"Well, is there anything you would rather keep?"
>>159274Dark Star Takes out the Meteorite
"This Rock looks neat."
>>159274"I'm not really sentimental about that whole experience." She answers
>>159276Silver nods in agreement.
>>159275"It does look very unusual. I have never seen rock like that before."
>>159277"Want to take a look? Theres also this."
He Takes out the Jade dog
>>159278Silver does inspect the mysterious rock, but also comments on the dog.
"Hmm...it looks like it is made of jade. It must come from East Zebrica near Kirin lands. Very valuable."
>>159278>>159279"That is kind of pretty" Blue Skies says
"I don't know what it is." She says
>>159279"The Griffin said it might be an Artifact from Equestria"
>>159280>>159281"Maybe, but I have never heard of any jade in Equestria before. I think it is not from here."
Silver gives the rock back to Dark Star.
"There are ponies who study rocks at college, right? If we can not or do not want to sell it, maybe one of them will know what this is."
>>159282Dark Star touches his hoof to his chin in thought
"I Think there are some ponies that study rocks."
>>159280>>159283"Anyways, we can go to antiques for jade dog if we want to."
>>159284"Fine by me, i'm curious about it now. Seems much more mysterious."
>>159280>>159285Time to drive to the antique store, then!
>>159286>>159287Is this a trip specifically to sell the jade dog?
>>159286>>159287There are multiple possible antiquities stores, but one is recommended for discretion: Curio's Corner. Over on Westhaven.
>>159296The shop can be found not that far from the waterfront in Cowtown. The location is a one-and-a-half story building with a high, sloped roof, and a wooden board exterior. The name appears in white letters over the entrance.
>>159297>>159298Anytime a shop has "Curio" in the name, it sounds fancy. Silver parks in front.
"You want to go in on your own, Dark Star, or everyone go in?"
>>159300>>159297"I guess I will go. You stay here."
Silver grabs the jade dog (as well as any other possibly antiqued item) and goes inside the shop.
>>159301Inside are a number of shelves with... well, curios. A porcelain carousel. A taxidemied wild cat. A vintage lamp. A zebrican shield. A pulley from a sailing ship. Some kind of... Saddle Arabian(?) cap. There is a counter at the far end that is unattended, but nearby, looking down at something obscured from view by the counter, is an adolescent unicorn filly, white in coat and with a burnt orange mane.
>>159303The filly turns her head and looks over to Silver. She has wide, bright purple eyes.
“Yes?”
>>159304Silver thinks she will one day grow into a beautiful mare. For now, he wonders about the filly's position in the store.
"Do you own this place?"
>>159305She is old enough to be sexually mature, but young enough to be a felony, and will remain so for several years.
“No.” She answers.
>>159306gaspSilver wouldn't dare do that with her! Fillies are for pure!
"Who does?"
>>159300Dark Star is left alone in the car with Blue Skies
>>159307Uh huh
"The owner is in the back" She says
"Why do you ask?"
>>159308"I have something to have appraised, and maybe sell."
He pulls the jade dog out of his bags, and shows it.
>>159309The filly moves away from her position, and walks over towards the counter. She places her hooves on the counter, and leans over to look at the jade dog.
"What is it?"
>>159310"I do not know, not entirely, but I believe it is artifact made in far East Zebrica. It is only place I know of where jade is mined."
>>159311She moves in more closely, with her muzzle leaning over the counter, looking at the artifact.
"I see..." She says. She adds, "I guess I can ask the owner to look at it." She says
>>159308Dark Star looks out the window if the car
"Do you really think those two diamond dogs are together?"
>>159313"Kind of... yes, I think so. Or in the same realm, at least. Floating about."
>>159314"Why do you believe that?"
He asks with curiosity in his voice, still looking out the window
>>159315"It's the wisdom our ancestors gave to us." She says. "We know that what we are, is something unlike what we see. And though what we see is corruptible and destructible, what we are can never perish."
>>159316He turns and looks at her
"That sounds interesting. i don't think i've ever heard anypony think something like that before."
>>159317The filly moves away. She says, "I'll see if she's available." And moves away from the counter, into the backroom, although she looks back towards Silver first. "Just a minute."
A little time elapses before the filly appears in the room. She looks at Silver, and the way she looks at his side and what he's wearing makes it clear she is afraid that he stole something. After more time, maybe 30 seconds, a unicorn mare enters the room. She is peach in color, and with a bright blue mane that she wears long and straight.
"There's something you want me to look at?" She asks
>>159318She tilts her head
"Really? No one has ever spoken to you about these things?"