Sins of Harmony
Volume 1.5: Untold Tales
Chapter 1: Spike, the Gem Shop.
Manehatten, market alleys.
June 2nd, 1005 ANM, nearly 2 months after transformation to larger state.
Midday.
Having wandered off on his own, as he'd tagged along with Twilight to Manehatten to attend a finalisation of a trade route to the Oceanic Alliance, Spike wandered through the markets of Manehatten's Hooflem markets.
They were old, but had well off quality to them. As he walked down the cobbled street, he'd noticed how some species other than ponies, including 2 Fire Drakes he'd seen, frequented these markets due to their wide cultures within.
Walking down the narrow shop alley, this one relatively deserted, Spike suddenly heard his stomach growl slightly. He rubbed it thoughtfully as he looked around, his wings flexing as he searched for food.
A sign caught his eye a few metres away, faint music coming from inside:
Klyde's Jeweller's. Stones and metals for sale. Licensed for public dancing.
Open now for 30 days.
Spike saw the last part of the overhanging sign with some confusion, but shrugged his shoulders as he walked inside.
Entering the shop, the ding of the bell was drowned as slow banjo music played, while 2 ponies slowly danced in a square pattern while the third played the banjo sitting on a seat inside.
Shuffling past, Spike eyed them oddly before the shopkeeper called to him:
"Ah, a Dragon. Good, good, you're kind love gems eh? Always welcome here!"
A short, stout looking Earth Pony stallion was behind the counter, as Spike replied over the banjo music in the background:
"Yes, uh, I just saw your sign outside and figured some food would be good."
"Food sir? Fish market's 2 blocks away."
"No, hard fruits of the earth."
"Huh?"
"You're meant to say, what would you like sir." Spike urged.
"Ah, hungry for gems!" The stallion happily realised.
"Exactly. So I had a gander over here and saw you sold such mined treasures of edible wealth and crossed into your establishment." Spike said.
"Eh?" The stallion asked.
"I want to buy some gems!" Spike said, his tone half sarcastic, half humorous.
"Ah, I thought you hated the dancing. Last dragon in here walked out after a few seconds." The stallion commented.
"Oh no, I enjoy a good manifestation of the fluid motions that accompany the noises of the muses."
"Sorry?" The shopkeeper said.
"I like a good dance." Spike said tiredly.
"Ah, I see." The Earth pony replied.
Cutaway to Varkan, stood atop a mountain glacier in full weather gear.
"Moving on."
"Who said that?" The shopkeeper looked about surprised, but turned his attention back when Spike asked:
"Now then, how about some gems or something. They look good." He gestured to the display cases.
"Ah, sorry, these are faux, display only. I keep all my stock in the back, good way to avoid robberies. Just ask what you want." He explained.
"Smart, but alright. Uhm, how about some rubies?"
"Ran out a few hours ago."
"Never mind, how about some opals?" Spike asked.
"Never at the weekend unfortunately, fresh stock comes in Tuesdays."
"Mm, no matter. How about a bag of Fuchsias?"
"We've had them on order for 3 weeks sir, they should have come yesterday." The Earth Pony replied.
Spike clicked his tongue, saying: "Its not my day is it? Erm, Benitoite?"
"Sorry."
"..ah, Red Beryl?"
"Normally yes, but the delivery ship was delayed coming from Dingolia."
"mm. Erm, Amber?"
"Sorry."
"Amethyst, Morganite?"
"No." The Earth pony shook his head. Pressing on, Spike hoped for results.
"Any Musgravite?"
"No."
"Malachite? Ametrine?"
"No."
"Aquamarine? Aventurine?"
"No."
"Chrysocolla? Pearls? Emeralds?"
"No."
"Imperial Topaz?"
"...No." The earth pony seemed to think on that one a bit.
"Cobalt?"
"No."
"Any Andesine Labradorite?" Spike kept his patience, though he was sure he'd gone through half the world's potential rare materials by now.
"No."
"Obsidian, Apatite?; Peridot, Calcite?"
"No."
"Clinohumite? Scapolite? Danburite? Sphene?"
"No."
"Gaspeite? Hackmanite? Idocrase? Mm, Tourmaline?"
"AH! We do have some Tourmaline sir!" The Earth Pony exclaimed.
"You do? Great!" Spike nodded, signalling he'll have the Tourmaline.
The Earth pony looked back into the storage room, looking back nervously: "Its uh, a bit shattered sir."
"Ooh, er, I like it shattered. Better flavour that way." Spike urged happily.
"Well, as it is, its very shattered sir." The Earth pony carefully said.
"No worries, hand over the fragments of Tourmaline please, I can't wait to try them." Spike said with forced happiness.
"I'm sure its more fragmented than you'd like sir." The shop pony urged.
"I don't give a flying pegasus ass how shattered it is, hand it over please." Spike's hidden annoyance began to surface. Behind them, the banjo music and dancing continued in the other part of the shop.
"Yes sir. OOHH!" The shop pony groaned as he looked closer in the storage room.
"What?" Spike growled.
"Some thieves stole it."
"Have they?" Spike stated.
"Sadly yes."
"...Kunzite?"
"Nope."
"Turquoise?"
"No."
"Hiddenite? Iolite? Sugilite?"
"No."
"You do have some gems or precious metal don't you?" Spike asked sceptically.
"Well yes sir, its a jewellry shop sir. We've got-"
"Oh, nonono, I'm eager to keep guessing." Spike cut him off.
"..Diamond?"
"Yes sir?"
"Great, some of those please." Spike said.
"Oh, I thought you meant me sir, Mr. Diamond Clyde." The shopkeeper explained.
"...Spinel?"
"No."
"Fluorite? Hambergite? Sodalite?"
"No."
"Rainbow Moonstone? Chrysoberyl Cat's Eye? Sphalerite?"
"No sir."
Growing tired, Spike rolled his eyes and said: "Alright, lets keep it simple. How about Gold?"
"Well, we don't get much call for it around town sir."
"Not much call, its the single most popular precious material on earth!" Spike exclaimed.
"Not here sir." The shopkeeper pony admitted.
"And what IS the most popular precious material round here then?"
"Rhodonite sir."
"I see."
"Yes, its our most popular precious material round the local city area."
"Is it?"
"Its our number one selling gem." The shopkeeper boasted.
"IS it?"
"Yes sir."
Sucking in a breath, Spike asked: "Rhodonite huh?
"Yep."
"...Alright, I'll go for it. Have you got any...?" Spike trailed off as he asked.
"Let me check." The Earth pony went back into the storage room.
"Nnnnnnnoo." He checked around the storage room, but alas, no Rhodonite.
Spike grit his teeth, saying through his clenched jaws: "Not much of a jewellery shop is it?"
"Best in the markets sir."
"How exactly?"
"Well it is very clean." The sales pony gestured to the shop, the banjo player and 2 dancing ponies still in the front of the shop.
"Definitely no mined gems or metal to dirty it up." Spike muttered.
"You haven't asked about Carnelian sir."
Spike arched an eye ridge, asking impatiently: "Should I risk it?"
"Maybe." The Shop pony guessed.
Sucking his lips in, Spike gave in: "OK. Have you got any-WILL YOU STOP THAT DAMN DANCING BACK THERE!"
Spike's bellow silenced the dancers and banjo player in the front of the shop suddenly.
"I knew the dancing would bother you." The shop pony nagged Spike.
"Ahem, have you got any Carnelian?"
"No sir." The shop pony asked.
"Of course not, I blame my optimism for thinking this time would be different." Spike said to himself. He turned to the shopkeeper once more, asking: "Tell me, do you have any precious rock in this shop at all?"
"Yes sir." The shop keeper said proudly.
"...I'm going to ask that question again. Say no, and I won't be held responsible for what I do. Do you have any precious rocks at all?"
"...No."
17 seconds later
Walking out the shop, Spike muttered to himself: "Brought it on themselves."
Inside, a pair of unconscious dancing ponies lay on the ground, with the banjo player and his smashed banjo near them on the floor.
The shop pony was unconscious also, slammed down to rest on his collapsed shop counter like a bed of crushed wood and faux display gems.
Spike wandered down the market street, still hungry for something. Maybe he'd take up that fish market a few blocks away after all.
The first comedy sketch, but remember these aren't necessarily in date order. Other short stories, of other genres, also to come.
As I said, any proposals for short stories, focusing on characters or certain history/situations are welcome.
