The shelves and tables within Lyra's Ultimate Item Emporium no longer displayed items that had been collected from the trash heap, but instead were filled with a wide variety of goods that had been obtained from guild contracts. Everything from drinking goblets, to jewelry, to the blacksmith's hammer were now available for sale within the shop. Not one to put anything to waste, Lyra had set aside a 'bargain bin' for the old trash heap items.
Yet, though the store was immaculate and ready for business in every way, the sign on the front door of the shop still read 'Sorry, We're Closed.' A few feet from the door sat Lyra, her head lowered and her eyes focused on the ground.
"Hey, the shop isn't going to open itself!" Bon Bon stretched out a hind leg and stifled a yawn. The two friends had needed an early start to get everything prepared in time for opening. "We can probably expect a big day today, so let's get started."
Lyra remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Why would Iron Will join the Adventurer's Guild, somehow talk Trixie into joining, and then quit the guild a few days later?" She turned her head to look back at Bon Bon. "It just doesn't make sense!"
Bon Bon rolled her eyes, but spoke patiently. "Whatever his reasons, it's his business, not ours." She walked over and put a hoof on Lyra's shoulder. "All that matters right now is that we open our business so we can hopefully decrease that debt of yours. There are only a few days left to pay it off, so try to stay focused."
Lyra looked at her friend. "Alright. I can do that." She walked over to the front door and flipped the sign to read "Open," and suddenly it was as if some kind of internal switch had changed her demeanor. She grinned and winked at Bon Bon. "Let's go earn some bits and take care of business!"
..o0o..
As Bon Bon had predicted, business was booming. Word had spread quickly that Lyra had hired the entire Adventurer's Guild to go out and seek rare and valuable treasures that could then be sold at the shop at discount prices. And while that wasn't entirely accurate, neither Lyra nor Bon Bon felt inclined to correct anypony on the details. Sales were steady for most of the morning, with even a few of the bargain bin items being sold.
It was about midday when the little filly came into the shop. Her deep blue eyes peered out from under a wavy blonde and white mane as she held out a knitted hat. Lyra struggled to keep smiling as she spoke with the youngster.
"I'm sorry, little one, but I'm not entirely certain you understand the concept of this shop." She reached out and picked a plate off of one of the displays. "See, you buy stuff from me. Like this plate!"
The filly looked at the plate, then back at Lyra. "Mommy asked me to see how much we could get for this." She held the hat up higher, as if perhaps Lyra hadn't seen it the first time it was shown to her.
Lyra's smile faltered. "I'm sorry, cutie, but I really don't see how that's my prob– ow!" She lifted her hind leg where it had been kicked. Bon Bon then appeared from behind Lyra with an apologetic smile of her own.
"Sorry, hon," Bon Bon said to the filly. "If you could excuse us for one moment, I need to have a quick word with my friend here, okay?" The filly's only response was to blink up at her with those big blue eyes. Bon Bon quickly whisked Lyra away and out of earshot.
"Lyra, what are you doing?" Bon Bon hissed. "You shouldn't just say 'no' to her!"
Anypony who spends a significant amount of time with Lyra Heartstrings develops the ability to decipher her odd and varied facial expressions. So when Lyra's snout scrunched up slightly and she went a little cross-eyed, it was clear evidence that she was having a difficult time understanding.
"B-but that's not how shops work..." Lyra stared hard at the floor, as if some kind of answer might magically appear. When none came, she simply repeated herself, if a bit uncertainly. "That's not how shops work?"
Bon Bon sighed. "Lyra, remember the basics: buy low and sell high. Anypony who brings secondhand goods into a shop isn't going to expect very much in return for them. As long as you have a general idea of an item's worth, it could be to our benefit to take it off their hooves for them."
Lyra looked at the little filly, who was sitting in the middle of the shop staring at them. Bon Bon had a point. The kid would probably want a bit or two and they could maybe chuck the hat into the bargain bin for a small profit. Whatever it took to get the filly out of the store so they could focus on the paying customers.
She walked over to the filly. "Alright, then," she said with a big smile. "We'll give you two bits for it."
The effect was immediate. The filly's eyes grew wide and began to glisten. She looked up at Lyra with a creased brow. "I-is that all it's worth? Mommy's going to be so disappointed in me..." A moment later she was weeping in the middle of the shop.
Lyra took a step back and looked at Bon Bon with wide eyes. "Uh...h-how do I make her stop? The other customers are beginning to stare!"
Bon Bon's eyes narrowed and focused on the filly. "This isn't good, Lyra. She's using pity to get a better price, and from the look of things, it's way too effective to just brush off." She grabbed Lyra's shoulder and met her gaze. "Quick, offer her the base price and hope for the best!"
"What's the base price of a wool hat?!" Lyra gasped.
"Anything! Make something up, just hurry!"
Lyra spun around and addressed the filly. "We'll give you ten bits for the hat!"
"Ten bits!?" Bon Bon cried out, but Lyra ignored her. All eyes were on her and the filly, the latter of whom was staring in wonder at Lyra, her tears gone and her mouth slightly agape.
The filly stepped forward uncertainly. "Y-you'll really give me ten bits for this?" She held the hat up awkwardly.
Lyra smiled. "Uh huh. Is that a fair enough deal?" In answer, the filly leapt up and wrapped her little hooves around Lyra in a hug.
"Mommy's going to be so proud of me! Thank you, Miss Heartstrings!"
Lyra returned the hug. "Anytime, little one." She looked around and all the approving smiles aimed in their direction as she gently set the filly back down. She fished out some bits and handed them to her, then watched happily as the little filly left. As soon as she was gone, Lyra turned around and whispered to Bon Bon, who was still staring blankly at her.
"Using the crowd works both ways," Lyra explained. "I'm happy to lose a few bits if it means showing the rest of the customers that we care. That filly may have earned twice what she was expecting, but we're about to earn all of that back and then some! Look around, Bon Bon. This is what loyal customers look like."
And it was true. Everywhere they looked, they were met with smiles. Lyra had somehow managed to turn what could have been a disaster into yet another way to boost sales. Nearly everypony in the store had merchandise in their hooves, and several were already on their way to negotiate prices.
Bon Bon glanced at Lyra as she moved forward to greet the customers.
You're going to do it, she thought. You're really going to do it, you crazy, wonderful mare. She chuckled to herself, shook her head, then went over to help her best friend out. There was business to take care of.