//------------------------------//
// 15 - Appraisal of the Situation 
// Story: Tarnished Silver and Clouded Diamonds 
// by David Silver 
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Diamond Tiara awoke with a yawn. She stretched out her legs and rolled out of bed, looking around in the darkness.

"Good morning, mistress," came the voice of Gneech, unseen in the black. "Shall I get the light?"

Diamond nodded. "Go ahead." When he struck the candle up and she could see, she stood up and shook Silver Spoon awake. "Time to get our plan rolling. Let's see if they have a bath, and some food, before we go."

Silver roused quickly, but looked bleary. She grabbed for her glasses and set them on her nose. "Hello Diamond. That sounds great! Did you sleep well? Gneech?"

Gneech dipped his head. "Gneech is good. Ready to go."

Diamond perked an ear at him. "Soon we'll have a bigger place, with a bed for you too." She put a hoof to her chest. "Even my servants are treated well, you'll see." Her encouraging words did much to brighten Gneech's outlook on the day.

They emerged from their room and a male griffon was just prowling through, looking tired. Silver raised a hoof at him. "Hello! Can you direct us to a bath?"

He paused and regarded them, sniffing once. "That way." He pointed down the hall. "Third on the right, but be sure to check the sign. You'll make no friends marching in on them while it's in use."

They thanked him and rushed on to the door. A little sign hung there that read 'Occupied'. Diamond Tiara huffed and crossed her forelegs. "Figures." They waited and eventually a female tiger/eagle emerged and slinked down the hallway, singing a happy song.

The way cleared, they all rushed in at once, and closed the door behind them. Gneech made no approach to the generously-sized tub, instead standing guard as the ponies hopped in. Diamond grinned with triumph. "They have actual faucets!" With a twist, she was rewarded with a spray of hot water, and both fillies sank to their haunches, savoring the rush of almost boiling water, rinsing away the dirt and filth and in their fur and soothing some of the tangles that had built over their long journey.

Gneech glanced around before grabbing a brush and offering it towards the two. "Here."

Silver Spoon turned away and pointed at her back. "Thanks, Gneech. That's, like, really nice of you."

Gneech looked surprised. He had meant to offer the brush, not apply it, but since Silver seemed to expect it, he shuffled in closer and started to scrub her with the brush. Silver let out a happy sigh before looking over her shoulder. "You have to put some soap on it, Gneech." She pointed to where some jars rested, filled with soaps. "Just a little tab is plenty. Thank you, Gneech."

Diamond became a little jealous at Silver getting her back done and wriggled a bit. "Do me next!"

Silver grabbed for another brush. "I can do you while he does me." She soaped up the brush and began scrubbing Diamond with a happy smile.

Ultimately everyone got clean, Gneech included, and they felt better for it. Diamond and Silver felt more in control and just a little more... sane. With their manes and tails brushed out and luxurious, and their bodies cleaned and immaculate, they felt like real ponies again.

Emerging from the bathing room they found a short line had formed. They scooted out of the way and let the next grumbling griffon guard in. A familiar female griffon turned the corner. "Ah, there you are! All ready?"

Diamond Tiara nodded. "We are ready to go. Lead the way."

She nodded at them. "You're looking far better now." She turned for the exit. "Come this way, little ones, we'll see what value there is in what you've brought."

They marched out of the guard station and moved through the darkened lower portion of the city. The air smelled a bit of smog and smoke, and looking up saw a great plumes of it coming from higher in the city, creating great clouds over the city. She looked over her shoulder. "I am Sky Eye. What are your names again? Diamond and Silver was it?"

Diamond nodded. "Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and Gneech."

"A pleasure to meet you." As they walked, Silver Spoon noticed eyes were on her. Griffons watched them as they went by. Sky noticed her watching them and softly huffed. "Pay them no mind. While you're in my company, they won't bother you. They're hoping for easy marks, and I am not one of those." She raised her polearm. "Buzz off! You won't find any business here." The crowd seemed to disperse slightly, though the attraction of two little ponies and a kobold couldn't be entirely erased.

Sky led the way to a store with a large stylized wand for a sign. "They deal in all manner of magical curiosities here. You'll get a fair price for what you have, if it has any magical properties, and if it doesn't, you'll at least know."

The store was brightly lit, and smelled of nutmeg and old wood. The display was all at the counter, before a portly male griffon perched on a cushion. The griffon brightened at the jingle of the bell above the door. "Ah, Sky! A rare treat. Who have you brought to me today?"

Sky waved back at the fillies and their kobold friend. "Some travelers. They claim they have things worth selling, and I thought of you."

He put a talon to his chest. "Oh, to be remembered. Come, come. Let's see what you have, little ponies. Aren't you both so young to be traveling alone?"

Diamond pointed at Silver Spoon. "I'm not alone, I'm with her."

Silver nodded in agreement. "And I'm with her, and we have Gneech." She pointed at the kobold.

The shopkeep chuckled softly. "My normal policy would be to chase kobolds out with a broom, but he seems very well behaved."

Gneech frowned at the insinuation. "Gneech is very good. He will not embarrass alpha horse." He pointed at the shopkeep. "You better give her good price!"

The shopkeep leaned forward, resting his talons on his counter. "You can trust Sharp Find to give you the straight deal. Now let's see what you've brought."

Diamond Tiara advanced, slipping off her amulet. "Here you are, recovered from the depths of antiquity, at no small cost to ourselves." She slipped the amulet up onto the counter. "The craftsponyship is exquisite, as you can see."

Sharp accepted the amulet and began to turn it around before fetching a rag and working at it to bring it to a full shine. "Hmm..." He flipped it over, then again. "This style went out of fashion quite a long time ago, but it's quite notable. Sun King dedicants would wear pendants much like this." He displayed the amulet to them, drawing a talon along some words. "'In his warmest fires,' a traditional prayer. That hasn't changed, but the icon has. I'm sure you could get something from a collector for that alone." He flipped it to the counter and said a few arcane words, staring at it intently.

After a few moments of quiet, he nodded. "Definately magic. Ah, that's why it hasn't been found in such a long time." He tapped the amulet. "It protects the wearer from magic that would reveal information about them, or locate them." A smile touched his beak. "You were right, little one. This is valuable, if you can find a buyer."

Sky rolled her eyes. "And that's what you're for, is it not?"

Sharp waved a talon. "Don't take all the fun out of it. Yes, yes, I know who would be interested, and all I want is a measly 10%. You could get twenty thousand, easily, with my cut, that's eighteen thousand in your coinpurse."

Sky whistled sharply, which was all the hint Diamond needed to know it was a good number, but that didn't stop her from wanting more. "We're the ones that had to fight dead things and brave deadly traps to find it. 5%."

Sharp frowned at Diamond Tiara. "Oh, so you have some fight in you? Well, being so young, and lucky, I'll let you off the hook this first time. Eight percent, and you should be thanking me for my services. Identifying items is something most people would charge for, little lady, so don't try to bleed me dry of my fair share." He snatched the amulet up. "I'll have your money to you as soon as we have a buyer, but, as an advance." He pulled out a small bag and set it on the edge of the counter. "This should keep you in the meanwhile."

Silver Spoon reached up and claimed the bag. She peeked inside and tilted her head. "It's all silver."

Sharp chuckled softly. "Not silver, platinum. A hundred. Worth a thousand gold. You should be fine while you wait for the amulet to be sold." He pulled out a quill and ink pot and got to scribbling on a piece of paper. "Take this, a receipt. We'll trade for the rest of the money when it comes in, or you can take this to the guard to get me arrested if I try to renege, which won't happen."

Sky huffed softly. "It best not. It's my reputation on the line too." She smiled at the little fillies. "Well, you're off to a great start. A thousand gold's enough to live like a pair of queens for a while. Since that's handled, I'll be on my way."

She turned to go, but Diamond thrust up a hoof. "Wait! One more thing. Can you show us to a respectable inn, maybe not in the bad part of town?"

Gneech nodded. "A place fit for an alpha horse and her servants."

Sky chuckled softly. "Fine. I can do a patrol up there while I'm at it. This way." She led the way through the Lower District and onwards to what she called the Martial District. "Plenty of griffons work hard around here to practice their art, sometimes literally." She gestured to the right as she walked. "That is the Theatre of Souls, right on the edge of the Lower District. The dancing they do in there isn't quite proper for such young eyes, but there are others like it where you can get your fill of refinement." She settled on her haunches and pointed to an inn. "And here's where we part ways. I hope we don't have reason to meet again. Sun King watch over you."

Silver and Gneech waved amiably as she spread her wings and took off.

Diamond was looking at the sign. "The Gilded Promise. I like it. Let's start making ourselves at home."

Gneech bobbed his head. "Gneech is right behind you."

Silver smiled broadly. "And me too. What do you plan to do with the first bit of money we got?"

Diamond clopped her forehooves together. "I have a few ideas..."





Pinkie dangled from a rope, held firmly in her mouth. Below her several large creatures circled, looking up at her with obvious hunger. She gave a sharp tug, hoping to swing herself, but the rope broke instead, dumping her onto the back of one of the shaggy beasts. That set off a frenzy as they bumped, jostled, and tore at one another to get at her as she squealed and fled across their backs. "Last time I trust a map somepony gives me on the street!" It was a lie, but a fine sentiment for the time.