//------------------------------//
// The griffin's store 
// Story: Sparkling Field Research: RotE Episode 10 
// by Dream Volt 
//------------------------------//

	The store was not that pleasant looking.  I'd seen worse.  It was dusty but well organized.  You could question some organizational choices but it was a reasonable enough system even if the owner was probably the only one that could use it well.  The safety precautions for a few of the items were sub par at best, maybe even illegal in Equestria, but I'd seen worse and knew Griffins were way more lax on magical safety regulations.  It made sense to a degree, but they could listen to the unicorns in their employ even if they don't like the idea.  In short while I expected little, I expected better than this.

"You cannot be serious?"

The griffin laughed.  "Just cause you got your horn in a twist about some bloke getting here before you and buying some crystal ball…"

"Orb of transference.  It's an Orb of Transference.  A ridiculously valuable orb that you gave away for a bucket of rocks.  This is a big deal."

"How exactly is a pot of gold coins…"

With a flash I dismissed the illusion.  I hadn't expected it to literally be a badly tarnished bucket.  It had looked full and valuable, but I didn't even have to focus at all to know it was an illusion.  The bucket was full of little chocolate ponies shaped just like me.  Someone was taunting me.  The griffin behind the counter was now staring at the bucket, beak open wide.

"Let me guess.  You never saw his face, but the cloak was all lumpy, as if his wings and horns were mismatched."

"Horns?" said the griffin behind the counter, still staring at the bucket.  "Yea I guess that would explain why it hung like that.  Are you saying you know the chump that stiffed me?  Is this some sorta…"

I sighed.  "Stop."  I was a little surprised he did.  "As you should know, the request for the orb came from the palace.  Technically I made it but there are some advantages to Pinkie being Queen.  Not nearly as many compared to the negatives but…"

"He laughed.  "Oh come on.  You think you're the first pony coming in here to try and pull that stunt.  You ain't getting anything free out of me."

"She does." Said Blossomforth from nearby in the store

"Yea, totes." Added Sweetsong from the other side of the shop

I stomped a hoof.  "Don't believe me?  Fine.  Pinkie!"

Then I shuddered.  Not because I was really drifting from the point and in the end it wouldn't really fix anything to vent my frustrations on this griffin I didn't even know the name of.  He was wearing a Starswirl hat, the bells look a little off but it was at least close.  I suddenly doubted he had any idea of its significance.  No, I shuddered because I was fairly sure Pinkie was about to answer me.  She shouldn't be able to get here, she couldn't have possibly heard me, and however she did get here would be impossible.  She proved this by popping out of the large bucket of chocolate ponies.  That she immediately ate a few was not surprising, but slightly disturbing.  The bucket was large enough she might have been able to press her whole self in there, but there would have been no room for anything else.

"Hi Twilight."  She then waved.

I sighed.  "Hi Pinkie."

"You're you." Said the griffin

Pinkie looked down at her hoof.  "Hmmm, yeppers.  I sure am."

"So you really know this pony?"

Pinkie turned to me, put a hoof on her chin, ate more chocolate Twilights, and then shook her head.  "Nah, I've never seen her before in my life."

This was met with utter silence.  Sometimes she had to be doing on purpose.  She just had to be.  There was no way anypony could say so many strange things and get so confused that often.  My theory on why varied.  At my most paranoid I thought she was trying to drive me insane.  The far more logical conclusion is she thinks it's funny.  Then she dug into the bucket with one hoof.  I thought just for more candy, but instead she pulled out Spike and plopped him on the counter. He looked dazed, his eyes not quite focusing, but otherwise fine.

"Anyway it's good to see you again Twilight, here's Spike back.  I'll see you later when we all meet up for the big day.  Bye."

Then she waved and dove under the chocolates, a pink fishlike tail making it all the more literal.  The griffin was still staring by the time I sighed again.

"It just has to be on purpose right?"

"What?" asked the griffin

I shook my head.  "I'm still mad at you.  So what if Discord offered you a pot of gold, we agreed on 150 did we not?  Did you really think I wouldn't come though."

"So what?  Look, okay, so maybe you know the queen but if this thing is so rare 150 bits ain't really that much."

I blinked.  "You seriously thought I mean 150 bits?  You don't know a thing about anything you have here, do you?"

"What do mean by that you up tight…"

"I believe…" said Blossomforth.  "She means that due to the merchandise in question she was offering you 150 thousand bits."

"Ah."  His beak was hanging open again.

"Hey, what you got there Blossom." Asked Sweetsong

I turned to look.  Blossom was like Sweetsong and myself wearing a small black torq that could become armor at a touch if needed.  Unlike my own it was decorated with a single silver crecent moon on top of a blue jem.  A really nice bit of artifice.  Blossom then smiled and hugged a book to her chest lifting off the ground so she didn't fall.  It would be nice to do that whenever I hugged a book.  I'd certainly fall over a lot less.  A book has to be really huge to support a full grown mare properly.  It seemed like such an innocent habit when younger.

"Wow, I thought only Twi did that." Asked Spike

I rolled my eyes.  "Well at least that proves you're feeling better."

"So not only was I cheated but…" began the griffin

"If you knew your own merchandise better you would have known one pot of gold is nothing and I'm willing to pay far more than…"

"How are you able to anyway?" asked Sweetsong  "I mean being Celestia's personal student pays well but not that well."

"Huh?  Oh, no, it's not like that.  Most of it would actually come from the Equestrian treasury.  An orb of transference is not really that safe in the hooves of the general population and the one in the school vault was stolen so…"

"What?  When?"  Blossomforth was in front of me very quickly, eye twitching.  "Why didn't I hear of this?  Does the captain know and…"

"Somewhere between 30 years ago and a about a month ago.  It wasn't noticed at first because it isn't much use, and not too many have the clearance to get an item from the vault to begin with."

"And it was most likely an inside job on top of that because otherwise the security system would have registered…" Began Blossom

"There was a fake." I said  "For all we know this could be the same orb.  Anyway, we're taking the book as your punishment for ignoring a royal request."

"I still don't know what you're talking about.  The only thing I've gotten from the palace recently it those stupid party invitations and…"

I sighed.  "If you have one nearby I suggest you take a second look."

The griffin then fished an envelope out of the trash.  He read the pink stationary that did indeed look like a party invitation, because that was obviously the point.  Then I was reminded that despite how birdlike they appear in the face griffins really are a mix of mammal and bird and can smile.  I certainly didn't get a whole lot of reminders of that fact.  Also I don't think I'd ever seen a genuine griffin smile, but I could be wrong.  I know I wasn't seeing one now, that was for certain.

"Oh miss, of course you can take the book.  Anything you want really.  I'm sure that…"

"Nothing carries the death penalty not even treason."

"Oh, that's right.  It's just…"  Then the griffin went wide eyed.  "Huge horrible fines or jail time.  Please don't…"

"Just let her take that book, and anything else reasonable and I'll forget all about it."

"Hey, do you have any gems?"

"Ignore him."  I shook my head.  "Honestly Spike with Rarity working on gem transmogrification I'm worried you're going to get fat."

"Hey, that means I can get the cool thing.  Be right back."  Sweetsong then flew off

"Uh…"

"Actually while we're at it.  Since clearly you might have some unusual items do you have anything created with earth pony magic alone?"

"Huh?  Well, maybe.  Personally I think those two horn heads I hired are just stupid, but there is this one thing they were having trouble with.  They could figure out what it did easy enough but the magic was weird so they couldn't figure out how."

My eyes widened.  "Ooo, that does sound interesting.  Show me.  In fact if you think of anything else show me that too.  If it's really fascinating I might even pay you something for it despite your earlier failure."

"Er, yea.  Sure."

Spike was really quiet for some reason.  I figured he'd be talking up a storm by now.  Oh well, lets see if we can salvage something from this disaster.  Sweetsong had been carrying her mandolin on her back, but now it was gone.  Then I noticed a necklace with a small mandolin charm around her neck.  I bet I can guess what she wanted.