fandomhigh | Freelance Treasure Hunting, Monday, Period 5, Class #6

"Good afternoon, everyone," Vala greeted the students as they entered, possibly eyeing Karal and Dean a little oddly, "and welcome to our second to last class. We'll be continuing our efforts to learn how to resell your acquired merchandise. Assuming that your identification and authentication go properly, it will be your job to get the best price you can for your item--whether it's in money, goods, or services that you need."

"Today's class will have two parts: First, I'd like to know what you would think would be important qualities for a, uh, resale merchant to have, and how you would be able to tell that he, she, or it is reputable." Vala, of course, was very equal opportunity. "Second, I would like for you to break up into pairs and try to sell an item of your choice--one of you will be the seller, and the other the purchaser. Obviously, sellers, you want to get as much as you can for your item--you almost worked very hard to get it, after all. Purchasers, you don't want to part with anything more than you have to."

"Have fun!"

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Rikku sniffed. "Well, I am a businessman. Woman, rather. I suppose I'd be interested in all sorts of things, and I'm certain we can come to an arrangement that's mutually beneficial. Do you perhaps have this so-called book of the dead?"

"Yes," Evie lied, nodding emphatically. "Yes, yes I do. Have it. It's being restored. But we do have it, and we have photos and inventory of it, if you'd like to see them? Ma'am?"

"I would, at that," Rikku said, stroking the nonexistent hair on her chin. "We must be sure that we can come to an agreement, here. You say solid gold covers? That's been verified?"

"Yes, we had a mineralogist test it, and a chemist," Evie said, and it's not lying if you really believe it would be true, if you had the Book, right? "Of course, there's more than the gold weight to be considered. This is a 2,000 year old artifact."

"Well, of course, but practical matters have to be taken into account." Rikku nodded, rubbing her hands. "And you say it's two thousand years old. I'll assume you have paperwork for that as well?"

"Of course! Maps of where it was found! Testimonials from the dig crew! Chains of custody from the site to this very shop!" Evie beamed at her. "And you will, of course, receive these documents with your purchase, so that should you *choose* to re-sell it at some later date, of course your ownership will not be questioned."

Rikku snickered. "I suppose you can prove you got this legally, whether you did or not? So long as I can prove I got it legally, I don't much care."

She considered. "I suppose you'll be asking something exorbitant, since you've gone to all this trouble."

Evie tried to look regretful, like the dealers in the bazaar. "So many hands this book has passed through-- and we have to pay the chemist, and the metallurgist, and the historian... well. You see the problem. To let a genuine asset like this go, it would be something... ohhhh, something reasonable, but, well, the market being what it is...."

"Ah, my dear." Rikku shook her head. "Who you need to pay is not my problem, you see. I'm not beyond a reasonable price, but I'm happy to let this find the next market rather than bankrupt myself over a single item."

"We were considering an auction at one point," Evie said, musing at random. "Since, after all, it should fetch a high price but, well. We also want it to go to someone who appreciates its... unique qualities." She paused, then smiled. "Why don't you tell me your price range? Relatively speaking. I'd hate to waste your time if this is out of your reach."

"An auction's only good if the buying public knows what they're buying," she said with a nod. "Surely a collector would be a more wise avenue. I might have some connections which could assist us. As for price, I imagine that ..."

Rikku made a face. "Rats. I don't know your money well enough for this bit."

Evie broke character to smile encouragingly. "Oh, but you're doing wonderfully, really! I don't know what something like that would go on the market these days either-- but let's say, umm, ten thousand pounds sterling. And then we can haggle from there."

"I'm just kinda trying to do Rin? Rin, uh, Rin's this guy ..." She tried to figure out how to sum him up quickly. "So we were all on an airship that was getting attacked by a giant dragon-thing? And a couple of us went on the roof to attack it, so that we didn't crash and die? And he sold us weapons upgrades. Not gave - sold."

She bit her lip. "You have pounds of sterling? I just got used to the weird papery things that aren't gold. Man, I could do this in gil, you know!?"

"We have pounds sterling in England-- I suppose the Americans would use gold to back up their money. We have paper money there, too, but for a deal like this? A lot of dealers will demand metal coin, to be certain of its worth." She shook her head. "Like that man Gil. I can't see someone like him accepting paper notes. How on Earth did he think he was going to live through it if you didn't defeat the dragon-thing?"

Rikku shrugged. "I don't get your money. We just had coins and swapped 'em around. And Rin said that he had great confidence in our abilities. We won, and he made money, so I guess things worked out okay?"

"I suppose, but that's still dreadful of him," Evie said disapprovingly. "And our money system is just based on the convenience of the paper not weighing as much. Although people do try to counterfeit it. But then, they do the same thing with coins."

She shook herself then announced, "Ten thousand pounds sterling! And you shall have your purchase!"

"Oh!" Rikku laughed. "Totally dreadful, yeah, and kinda stupid. But Rin's got more money than just about anybody, so I guess that's why."

Then she put her finger next to her cheek and considered. "That's a shame. To see such a fine item go to an auction. I mean, I was willing to go as high as seven thousand. I thought you were going to be reasonable."

"Ah!" Evie clutched her heart, like her mother claiming she was having an attack of apoplexy, and said, "Seven thousand? You beggar me! You want me to go out of business! You want me to live in the poorhouse with the mice! Nine thousand would be barely acceptable to thieving camel-drivers from the Sudan!"

Rikku sighed. "What a sad thing, for something so nice to go up on auction. When I have someone I know would be interested. But no way he'd authorize me to go as high as eight thousand. I have a reputation, you know."

Freelance Treasure Hunting, Monday, Period 5, Class #6

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