So here I am with broom in hand, going in to see the mayor and her clerk, about something that would either break me or make me. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I was petrified. I could turn around and run home or show what I was made of ‘in the dark’.
I ventured into the dark.
“I’m very sorry, Mr. Tomato, was it?” said Mayor Mare “But we don’t have any tracks that we could entrust you with for so little”
“I understand that, but let me make you a deal” I said and waited
“A deal?” said Mayor Mare “We don’t make deals at city hall. You should seek out a banker, Mr. Tomato”
“A banker requires a bank, and your town is not only short on hotels, but is also remiss on banks” I responded.
“Please Mr. Tomato” said Mayor Mare “you’ll make few friends with those types of disparaging remarks. Seek a lean in Canterlot”
“I will not” I said. “Here is the deal; for 25% of my crop, you lend me the land, until such time as I can pay for it. If I fail, you get to keep the land.”
“65% and you’ll get weather pony services as an added bonus” said Mayor Mare
“25% and I’ll make my own deals with the weather ponies” said I
“No, Mr. Tomato” said Mayor Mare “it is our city policy to regulate what the weather ponies do. I simply cannot allow any freelance meteorology”
“Freelance! Not allowed in Ponyville! A community with a history of going its own way in defiance of royal decrees” said I. “I did my research, your reelection chances would decrease if the ponies in this town discovered your monarchist tendencies”
“I disagree, Mr. Tomato” said Mayor Mare. “We in Ponyville have been blessed with our own Princess in Twilight Sparkle. The winds of change may be shifting in my favor”
“Having your own Princess is not in your favor, as your services may become redundant” said I
“40% and you make your own deals with the weather ponies” said Mayor Mare
“Show me the land first” said I
“35%” said Mayor Mare “there is this nice track next to Sweet Apple Acres”
I said “30% and show me the land first”
“Please Mr. Tomato” said Mayor Mare in a condelessant tone “Come back when you want to make a serious offer”
“33%” I said “Show me the land”
“I’m sorry Mr. Tomato” said Mayor Mare “I believe our negotiations have fallen through. Please excuse me; I have other duties to preform”
“Wait” I said “what about this?” I was certainly in the dark now. What had I to lose, except to look more the fool.
“What is this?” said Mayor Mare “a letter?”
“Open it” I said
“I don’t see the point” said Mayor Mare
“Read it” I said
She opened the letter and a small smile crossed her face.
“Read it out loud” I said
She began “To Whom It May Concern, this young colt has demonstrated resolve and determination to put off short term needs in favor of long term goals. He would be an asset to any enterprise or endeavor. Sincerely, Mr. S.K. Yew, CFO, 1st National Bank of Manehatten.”
“So” I said
“So what?” said the mayor “this is nothing more than a souvenir. I will not be intimidated by any Manehatten banker.”
“No Mayor” interrupted the clerk “Look at the seal”
“Ah ha” said the mayor “this is obviously a mistake, the seal isn’t from any bank in Manehatten”
“Yes mayor” interrupted the clerk with a hint of urgency “read the seal”
“This can’t be” said the mayor “this is some type of trick”
“No” interrupted the clerk “I see that seal every day, and I know that signature. This is the real thing.”
“How did you come to have this?” demanded the mayor
“He gave it to me” I stammered, only now becoming aware that the darkness had exploded.
“When? Where?” demanded the mayor
“Manehatten train station, he was getting the express for Canterlot” I said
“Amazing” said the mayor
“Awesome” said the clerk
“That is my middle name” I said
“What?” they said
I said “My name is Scarlet Awesome Tomato”
“Well Mr. Tomato” said the mayor “you are a stallion of many surprises. It is a pleasure to welcome you officially to Ponyville. 30% will be quite enough for the track of land.”
“May I have my letter back?” I asked
“Of course” said the mayor “but may I suggest you don’t show that letter around too much”
“Oh, why?” I asked and looking at the letter for the first time in my life. I could read what it said, but I didn’t understand what the seal said. Some type of ancient script, probably unicorn. What did it say?
“This Mr. Yew, he might be a problem for a lot of ponies in town” said the mayor. “That section of town where all the tents are, well, that belongs to him. He pays their taxes every year, although we never have seen him, and if he wanted to, he could force us to evict them.”
“Oh, so why don’t those tent dwellers buy the land from him?” I asked
“Some have tried” said Mayor Mare “Only no pony has seen him for years”
“I saw him” I said
“Yeah, to see him is very rare” said the clerk “And don’t let that dark green color fool you, he is very black, very black”
Something about the way the clerk said it suggested she wasn’t talking about his color.