[Pink Diamond (Mc) POV.]
'Finally,' as I stated at the storefront.
'This one seems half expensive.' Just looking through the glass window outside, I saw many employees in suits.
'Perfect.'
As I prepared myself to enter, I paused as I looked at Lion that was still following me happily.
"Ehh?….Lion, you should wait outside."
The only answer I got was a dumb blink from him.
'Oh boy.'
(Five minutes later)
It took me five minutes to make him understand and accept the fact that he can not, in fact, enter the shop!
And even now, he lay near the door as he looked at me with a very annoyed look as he turned his face away as if dismissing me.
'Sigh, I will have to make it up to him later….Somehow.'
I shook my head as I walked inside the shop.
[Sebastian Moreau POV.]
They always say not to judge a book by its cover.
Sebastian never believed in that statement.
There were a lot of things you could learn about a person by his looks.
Especially customers.
Of course, that doesn't mean that you should ignore those that seem…Lacking.
You should always offer the best service because customers are customers, and sometimes there are exceptions; after all, many people buy a few expensive things in their life.
He had rules of conduct that allowed him to be where he is now.
That being said, he always dealt with customers that he deemed capable of making huge investments himself.
For instance, if a man or a woman enters with expensive clothes, it means one of two things.
Either they are actually rich, which is always good for business.
Or they buy expensive clothes despite being poor, which shows bad self-control, which means they could buy just to boost their ego.
Which is also good for business.
That being said, Sebastian Moreau is now 47; he started working at the age of 18 with his father. He could estimate how much a gem was worth by a glance, or how rich a person could be.
Reading people was simply a must-have skill if you wanted to open a shop in Gotham, after all.
So when an admittedly very stunning, yet extremely tall woman spent minutes arguing with her lion...outside his shop.
He didn't mind; in fact, he gestured for his employees to prepare some tea, and even bring some expensive things that he stored for big customers.
A single glance was all it took for him to determine that he could make a big deal.
First of all, how many people do you know that have lions as pets?
Sebastian understood long ago that rich people and those of high society have unique personalities.
Secondly, her looks, her skin, her hair, and her dress all screamed good care, or more accurately, an expensive lifestyle.
Third, the diamond in her stomach….It was perfect.
He had the pleasure of dealing with Pink diamonds quite a lot of times.
But that diamond? It was the most beautiful diamond that he had ever seen in his long career.
Finally, after a few minutes, she entered the shop as she started looking around.
'Show time.'
He walked to her side, keeping a professional distance as he gestured to the seats and already prepared tea.
" Good day to you, my lady. I am Sebastian, the owner of this humble establishment. Could I be of assistance?"
As the woman snapped her head to him, she smiled brightly and walked to him, towering over him.
"Good day to you too. I am Rose. I am here to inspect some gems and diamonds, and of course, sell them if we reach an agreement."
'Hmm?…'
As the lady now named Rose sat down, his eyes drifted to the diamond in her stomach.
"If it is this diamond you wish to sell, I am sure I can give you a very satisfying price."
Her smile became slightly strained as she waved her hands.
"No, not this one."
'Oh? Sentimental value, perhaps? That was a rookie mistake on his part.'
"Apologies, Lady Rose. I should not have assumed things. Please do proceed."
As he placed a hand on his chest and apologized sincerely.
"It's fine, think nothing of it." As she handed him a small, yet heavy bag.
He opened it as he placed each gem and each diamond on the table.
'Impressive collection.'
The diamonds looked Fl (Flawless).
The gems' colours were very beautiful and, from his first estimation, are of highly pure colour.
His employees brought him what he needed from tools as he started a thorough examination.
(A few minutes later)
'Very…Impressive.' For the first time in decades, Sebastian started doubting if he made a mistake of some sort.
Every gem was perfect, every diamond was flawless.
They were so perfect that he started to doubt that they were fake.
But even if they were fake, they were so convincing that he was quite sure he could sell them for millions if he tried.
Not that he would sell any fake things; he had a reputation, and he wasn't that desperate.
But in the end, he decided to trust his skills and judgment; if he doubted himself now, will he start doubting every customer that brings good gems?
Sebastian was a proud man, especially when it came to his profession. If he said those diamonds/gems are real, then they are real.
He wasn't senile yet.
[ Pink diamond (Mc) POV.]
"You have a very impressive collection, My lady. I haven't seen such good gems in a long time."
'So they are real…Thanks god, hah! Even Bruce Wayne has nothing on me!'
"Thank you for your help, this is very good news for me." As I shook his hand, forgetting myself for a second, he almost flew from his chair for a second due to the force of my hand.
"Oh! Terribly sorry, I always forget myself when I am excited." As I looked awkwardly as he readjusted his bow tie to look presentable again.
"Think nothing of it, my lady…Now, do you wish to sell those gems or to auction them?"
"And what difference does it make?" As I sipped my tea cup that looked comically small in my hand.
"If you sell them, then I can buy them from you at market price. It is the fastest choice, but with the lowest return rate." I listened as Sebastian sipped his own tea for a second before continuing.
"If you auction them, they could have a much higher value, and it would take a few weeks."
"Can you auction them for me?" My question seems to make him pause for a second.
"I can, for a small fee, of course."
"Splendid!" I picked one of the diamonds on the table as I handed it to him.
I cut him off as he wished to talk as I said, "This is not just for the auction, this is for future cooperations…I will ask for your help a lot in the future, Sebastian."
He looked at the diamond for a second before nodding at me.
"I will not disappoint your trust, my lady."
For some reason, he seemed too serious.
I nodded at him as I said, "Oh, and I don't know when I will be able to visit again, so I will count on you to store that money for me."
'I need to make my Rose Quartz identity official first, otherwise, it would complicate things for me.'
'And if worst came to it and he stole the money, then let it be. I would have only lost a few dirt piles, not worth troubling myself over.'
The last few minutes passed in pleasantries as I left.
Once I came outside, I looked to the side, seeing Lion giving me a very sharp look.
'He is still salty about being told to stay outside?'
I crouched beside him as I patted his mane, saying, "Sorry, but I literally couldn't let you go inside."
He still seemed salty, but thankfully, he started following me as we continued our stroll.
I tried entering the Gotham mall, but we got blocked by guards.
Obviously, Lion wasn't welcome….and I was quite sure he would bite me if I dared to leave him again.
'Or maybe make a formal protest about animal abuse.'
As I was considering a place to visit with Lion, like a park or something, green gas spread through the streets from inside of the mall.
And what followed was a different kind of hell.
LAUGHTER.
I stood there as everyone who breathed the gas in dropped to the ground, and they started laughing.
A very disturbing, wrong laughter.
I dragged Lion to a corner as I jumped inside his mane.
A few seconds later, I came outside as Pink Diamond.
"Lion, follow me."
Lion seemed to comply with no side quips.
I don't know if it is my cold tone or him simply understanding the situation on his own.
I walked to the gate of the mall, and I stepped with heavy footsteps inside, passing rows upon rows of people who simply were already on the ground, screaming in laughter.
Some already stopped moving, laying on the ground with a grin as their hearts stopped.
Leaving corpses.
I am not a good person. I spent all my life trying to take care of my family; I only care about those close to me.
I have killed innocent people myself.
I glanced to one corpse of a young boy, maybe 4 years old? Already dead with that frozen grin.
While an older woman was collapsed on the ground, paralyzed, laughing from the gas while looking at the boy with tears staining her face.
Her laughter was louder, far more disturbing than the rest.
Her laughter was painful.
I couldn't heal anyone; after all, they would just breathe the gas again. Maybe I should make Lion open a portal to throw the people away, but even then, it is simply better to deal with the source.
'Joker.'
I sighed heavily. I wasn't heartless; I could accept and even ignore many villains in the DC universe.
But not that freak….I can't kill him since there will probably be consequences with the league.
So, I will paralyze him from the neck down.
Let's see how he keeps playing the punchline when he can't even go to the bathroom by himself.
'No Injustice Superman will happen in this universe, clown…I will make sure of it.'
'And if I have to cut your strings? So be it.'
(A/N): Don't forget to check on my other work wink wink.