Just Browsing ~ Raddie's Rarities [Private]

Year 4, December 11th, Midday.

The cold air swept into the corner shop briefly and then stopped. The tan earth pony tended the outside of the store with a few sweeps of a broom closed the door behind him and straightened out his winter coat. The dark gray coat matched his mane, falling around his shoulders and forelegs gently. Whistling, Pike Vanguard walked behind an "L" shaped glass counter filled with jewelry and small keepsakes worth noting. Behind the counter lay a door to a small back room that was held slightly ajar. Beyond this door were a cavalcade of fallen, disorganized boxes due to the recent move to their new location.

Rows of glass cases lined the walls and a few priceless items were housed inside free standing cases in the middle of the corner shop. Sunlight glinted off of a few gems, the windows tall enough to let in the noonday sun. Outside and on top of the shop lay a moderately sized sign reading: "Radiant's Rare Luxury Goods" Along with an unfolded "A" shaped sign on the ground stating a friendly, "Come in and browse! We buy and sell!"

Pike wiped down the main counter with a steady hoof. The register was old and antique, a relic from the forgotten prewar past that lay in storage before it was rescued. The stallion rested his haunches on top of a stool and sighed once he was satisfied that his cleaning was finished. He silently watched the ponies and griffons walk up and down the streets outside.

Shady slowly made her way down the cracked pavement that made up the sidewalk of the city, her light armor making very faint sounds of metal on metal each time her dual-bladed sword came into contact with it. Radiant's Rare Luxury Goods... Even the name drips feelings of suspicion... The young mare thought silently to herself while continuing on her way.

After a few more long moments of traipsing through the dirtied streets, the bat pony stopped in front of her goal, the newly opened pawn shop owned by an earth pony couple. Taking a moment to fix her armor, weapon and shield, she pushed the door open and entered the business. At first, Shady said nothing and simply glanced at the many items in the cases around the shop, keeping her eyes out for anything that looked even remotely suspicious.

"What an interesting collection you have here." She said in a blunt tone of voice that showed little emotion; training from her days at the training camp as well as on the field.

Pike perked up from the behind the counter and walked around the short end of the displays to greet the bat pony face to face. "Why thank you!" he stated and beamed. The stallion looked the mare up and down, noticing the distinct armor and weapon. With a firm nod and a flick of his thick tail, Pike walked along some displays with weapons in them. "Welcome to Radiant's! I'm sure you'll find something to buy... or maybe sell."

The earth pony nodded again towards the mare, still sizing her up. "Looks like you'd be the type to be interested in some weapons. Trusty sword at your side, maybe a dagger for those close encounters?" His forehoof lifted up with a calming gesture, "No, don't worry. Not all of these are ceremonial. In fact, a few in the back are pretty combat ready. Usually our clientele only like to give the impression that they are battle ready. Not you it seems." Pike stopped his spiel and looked at the bat pony with a smile.

Shady slowly followed the stallion through the shop, slowly eying the weapons to size them up. "I'm not really looking for anything in particular... Just browsing." She replied simply, leaning in closer to the display before looking up at the other pony. "I'd be careful about selling weapons, things can be touchy." She advised, ignoring the fact that she was carrying two weapons on herself, as well as a shield and armor.

Staying silent and observing the shop and its owner for a good few moments, she finally spoke up again. "There is something I'm interested in, though. Do you sell anything with magical properties?"

Dawn way down the sidewalk through the force of the winter wind hitting her face as she moved forward. She wasn't a real fan of the winter season ..well maybe when she was a filly when it was all fun and games for her but as she got older ..the cold wasn't that inviting anymore but that was beside the fact of what she doing.

Eventually she ended up passing by a shop but halfway through she got a strange feeling which made her stop completely with her hooves in the snow.Dawn looked up at sign and even though her face was covered by a scarf and a hood she could make out what it said "huh.. Radiant's Rare Luxury Goods ..well ..Anything is better than standing outside in cold "she said while entering the shop.

The stallion looked at the open doorway and turned back to the bat pony he was occupied with. "One moment, miss."

Pike walked up to the door and held it open for the blue mare to enter inside the shop. He smiled warmly at her and closed it behind the pegasus. "Welcome to Radiant's Luxuries!" he beamed. The tan earth pony walked further inside and looked at the new potential customer. Slowly he understood the chilling air from the outside and turned back to his original customer.

"Weapons aren't very much larger than the daggers I've mentioned. Nothing experimental or military issue." Pike soothed. He walked over to a center case and peered inside. "To answer your other question, we do have a few magical enchanted items and some infused gems like this one." He pointed to a large amethyst-colored gem inside a tall case. "Expensive piece. Are you interested?"

Shady turned towards the new pony for just a moment, turning her attention towards the case a moment later. "I can't afford it, but it's nice to know that something like this is here." She replied, getting closer to the case to scrutinize the item inside for anything that might be considered illegal or otherwise worth the griffons' time. "Does seem like an interesting piece, though."

Dawn looked around after she was greeted by the tan earthpony she moved around looking at everything and examining thing that maybe useful in the long run.Her attention however was everywhere and not in one place not until she over heard the bat pony that was also browsing like she was at some sort of magical gem of some kind but sense dawn had no interest in magical artifacts it didn't concern her but the bat pony did for weird reason she couldn't keep herself quiet "What Interest do you have in magical items anyway?" she asked

Pike noticed the slight tension between the two winged ponies and perked up. "Both of you look cold, let me put a pot of tea on to warm you up." Quickly, Pike rushed to the back of the shop and shuffled around out of sight. He stacked away pieces of suggestible artifacts into individual boxes and put on a pot of tea on a small hot plate. He emerged swiftly after.

"It will be ready in a few minutes, in the meantime, may I have your names?" he asked politely. "I would like to get some rapport with customers as return business is what my Radiant is looking for." With a smile, he moved over to Shady and smiled. "In the meantime, I can show you a few more magical items if you'd like. Most of them are trinkets and household items."

Shady ignored the pegasus while stepping away from the case. "I'm good for now, just continuing my browsing." She replied simply. Keeping a suspicious eye on the pony who seemed to be eying her as well, she did her best to continue the studying of the many items in the shop. "As I could drink some tea. Don't see why not."

Dawn continued to look around but still keeping a close eye on the bat pony that was with her but her attention was broken when the earth pony spoke again something about tea.Dawn did feel cold her hooves still frozen from walking on the snow outside she then smiled "Yes, I would love some sir " when the tan pony left to go get the tea she faced her interesting friend "listen, I'm sorry I ruddily blurted out like that ..I don't know what came over me...so ..lets hang up our arms and start a new miss.."she said exstending a hoof out as a sign of peace and friendship.

Pike watched the two ponies in front of him and backed up, allowing the two to reacquaint themselves with each other. "Ladies, I will be right back." He ducked into the back room and poured the tea into a little tea set that Radiant intended to sell eventually but they didn't have the inventory space for. He came back out with the plates in his mouth and set them on the L counter. "It's nothing special, just a few mild herbs and spices, I think."

Shady turned towards Dawn as the apology came to her, raising her visible brow at the pegasus. "Alright, apology accepted, I guess." She replied simply with a shake of the other pony's hoof. Taking her cup of tea afterwords, she sipped at it.

"Thank you, sir." Left her mouth once it was free from the tea cup. "Not really interested in much that I can afford here, but you have a nice shop, I have to say."

Dawn heard her words and felt the hoof shake but for some weird reason ..to her it felt like it wasn't real this bugged her a little bit but she denied her thoughts when the tea came out.Dawn sipped at her cup happily "Thank you" she said while feeling the warmth though her body it was enjoyable to her she also agreed with the bat pony about the shop but there was one question she kept dodging for some reason "Hey I didn't catch your name" she said in her best friendly voice she could get.

Pike smiled to both of his guests and drank from his own tea, enjoying the refreshment on this cold day as well. Setting the cup down, the stallion cleared his throat and turned to the armored mare. "Thank you for the compliment but you will have to wait until my mare... Radiant gets back. It was her idea, I merely run the shop when she's gone and clear the books."

"Now that you mention it." Pike looked at the two with his back against the display case, his forehooves folded over. "Neither of you introduced yourselves to me. I'd like to get to know you both better." said Pike with a discerning eye.

Shady glanced towards the others with the same neutral expression she had on her face since entering the shop. "Name's Blood, good to meet you." She said, faking interest with her practiced way of speaking. "May I ask who's asking? I don't just give out my name without expecting to get one in return. Or two in this case."

Dawn shrugged and set her cup down "Fair enough " the Pegasus then reveled her name the same way blood said her's "You can just call me Dawn" she said and then looked to the direction of the earthpony waiting for his turn to tell "And you are?"

The stallion moved forward and stuck out his forehoof and smiled at the two mares. "My name is Pike Vanguard, nice to meet you Dawn and Blood." He gave a sincere smile to both of them and took another sip from his tea. Setting the cup down, Pike walked over to the center display case and motioned again at the gem inside. "It's too bad you can't afford something like this. Our usual customers, or rather our market, tends not to be interested in these kinds of items." He scratched his chin with a careful hoof and brushed at his slightly messy mane. "Come to think of it, I'm not sure where Raddie got this in the first place."

Pike looked over to Dawn and remembered the mare's purpose to be in here. "It's okay if you want to stick around the shop. Seeing other ponies in here will be good for business." he stated.

Shady closed her eyes and turned around to step away from the ponies and investigate the rest of the items in the shop her superiors were so concerned about. "If I could afford it, I would buy it in a heartbeat." She replied, feigning interest in the item that didn't seem to be as dangerous after inspecting it. "However... There's something I need to ask of you, Pike. Some actual business I came here for."

Dawn smiled at hearing pike's words to stay in the shop ..but for how long she wondered should I tell him she thought ...she finally spoke up after thinking for a few minutes "Thank you ..but I don't want to ..bug you anymore if I'm not going to buy anything "she said politely while watching blood roam around again.

Pike motioned to Dawn first and gave a slight wave of his forehoof. "No problem at all, my pegasus friend. These are hard times and the weather has been very harsh. Stick around, enjoy some tea." He smiled widely at both of the mares, "Drink the whole pot if you wish!"

The stallion finished his spiel, dragging Blood to the corner of the room away from the pegasus. Leaning against the short end of the 'L' counter, he spoke seriously. "What is it you would like to discuss?" Pike's eyes glanced all over the room, "Seems like none of this you can afford... at the moment. Are you looking for something... else?" Now focusing on the bat pony, Pike stared at her eyes. "Perhaps you're here to sell something"

Shady stared back at the older stallion's eyes, her own gaze not wavering from its serious and trained expression. "You've mentioned another pony named Radiant, who seems to be the owner of the shop. Will she be available for a conversation any time soon?" She asked bluntly, keeping why a secret. "If not, I shall take my leave."

Dawn didn't pay any attention to the conversation between blood and pike she felt like it didn't concern her all that much or not at all so sipped her cup of tea and left the two alone. A thought went though her head ..why is it called Raddie's Rarities if Pike owns it she thought to herself but then decided that it wasn't important to worry about.

Pike stared at the bat pony and tried to maintain his smile but it came up short. "Radiant... isn't here right now. She's discussing some things with potential buyers and clients I believe." Almost as if he know the pegasus needed clarification, he turned back to her. "She's the owner of the shop. I am merely just a helper around here, but..." His smile returned, "I owe her a lot. But, if there are any things you would like to discuss with me instead, go ahead." Pike waited for the red-maned mare in hopes she would agree. "I can certainly pass on the information to her if need be."

Shady closed her eyes while giving her head a slow nod. "Alright, understood. I will be back sometime soon to converse with this mare, then." She replied, opening her eyes and locking her gaze square onto those of the stallion. "Just one more thing before I leave... You better watch yourselves when selling things like these. Might give the griffons the wrong idea."

Without another word, she slowly turned herself towards the door to make her exit. She stopped for just a moment at the doorway, seeming if she wished to say something more, but simply cantered back out into the cold.

"Well that was odd." said Pike after the bat pony had left the shop. He went back around the counter and sorted out a few things and then popped his head up to face the pegasus. "Like I said, stay for as long as you want. Don't worry about what she said, we aren't under suspect of any griffons that's for certain."

Pike rested his forehooves on his chin and smiled, gesturing to a stool that he easily passed over the glass case. "Come, sit. Enjoy some tea and chat with me. While Radiant is out, I get a little lonely and would enjoy the company of another pony. Is there anything else I can get you?" he asked.

Dawn noded and walked to sit by pike,once seated the earthpony asked if she wanted anything she smiled "No thank you ..I'm fine "she replied.

Pike nodded in response and sipped at his own cup with dextrous hooves. "Well, let me know if there is anything. You look fairly ragged, my dear, and I don't want you to go back out into that cold without you feeling better." He looked her up and down and frowned. "You're homeless." he stated, not asking a question whatsoever.

Dawn stopped for a second after hearing his words and looked at pike with wide eyes that turned teary but she quickly wiped the tears away "I am" she replied softly.