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// 222 - Rainbows and Ponies 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
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Silver and Rainbow touched down lightly outside the house where a crowd had formed. They pointed at Silver as he came. “Celestia sent someone to deal with him!’ The crowd erupted into cheering that made Silver a bit flustered. He certainly hadn’t come for cheering, or at Celestia’s orders. “Where is Filthy Rich?”

The crowd pointed in the unison only ponies could manage, all indicating the house, well except one pony that was taking a nap. Somepony next to him nudged him and he awoke just to join the point.

“Right, I’ll take it from here.” He didn’t want a crowd trying to exact justice instead of learning anything. “For now, go on home. This is under control.”

They grumbled, but with Ambassador Silver Watch and Rainbow Dash there, they left, speaking of the terrible punishment that awaited Filthy.

As Silver hiked past the fence that he had flown/jumped over, towards Filthy’s mansion, Rainbow pulled up beside him. “So… what are you planning to do, and why is everypony upset? Filthy is usually pretty well liked around town.”

“He was involved in a pyramid scheme.” Rainbow looked like she had no idea what that was, so he continued with a smile. “He got ponies to give him money dishonestly. I want to know more. I doubt he acted entirely alone and it spread from Ponyville to Canterlot.” And there was that human involved, but he didn’t mention him. He raised a hoof to knock on the door. “Filthy? The crowd is gone.”

“Are they?” The door opened a crack, several chains visibly hanging in the way of it opening fully. “S-silver Watch… Are you here to arrest me?”

Silver shook his head. “I’m a diplomat, and you know that. I want to talk, that’s what I do.” He snorted internally, thinking of how he’d come from a background of shyness and become an ambassador. Life was funny. “I promise Rainbow and I are not here to hurt you.”

Rainbow waved at the eye peering at her. “Hey. I’m just here as a flight instructor. I have no idea what’s going on.” She flew up to the door and tried to peek around. “Where’s your butler to answer the door anyway?”

“They left,” he said in a haunted tone. “Him, my wife, my daughter. It’s for their own safety.” He swallowed heavily. “You swear?”

Silver nodded as he raised a hoof to his chest. “I just want to talk, like we’re doing now.”

The door closed slowly, but the sound of metal sliding on metal was heard, and soon it opened again, free of chains. He waved his guests inside and closed it quickly behind them. “I’ve been such a fool!”

Silver quirked a smile as he glanced around the mansion. It wasn’t up to Celestia’s castle, but it certainly was home to one with bits. “I know the feeling, but let’s start from the start. How did this happen? Be honest. Lying now would only look worse for you, and I’m here to help.”

Filthy nodded jerkily. “R-right, so, there I was, managing business as usual, and this human comes to visit.”

“John Smith?”

“That’s the one.” Filthy scowled a moment before he collapsed right in place. “It was my fault! I listened to him, did what he said. It seemed like such easy money…” He threw his hooves at Silver’s shoulders. “She looked me in the eyes!”

“Who?”

“Diamond…” He sank half-against Silver. “She gave me a look… ‘I thought you were better.’ It was cruel, but she was right. I didn’t build myself to where I am taking advantage of people.” He sat up suddenly and shook Silver. “Please don’t let them rip me apart!”

Rainbow snorted softly. “Why don’t you just give all the money back?”

Silver glanced at RD before Filthy. “She’s not entirely wrong. Can you afford to do that?”

Filthy mopped at his face. “T-to an extent, Not all the bits went to me. Some went to the FlimFlams, and some to John. They were just following too, but I don’t know if they’re guilty, or even where they are. Please! You understand I’m sorry, right?” He smiled a crooked, hopeful, smile. “I’ll pay my portion, promise. I’ll apologize.” He sank at Silver’s hooves. “I’ll do anything! I want to go back to my usual business.”

Silver put a hoof on Filthy’s shoulder. “Tell me, in your own words, what you did wrong, why you did it, and why it was wrong.”

“I…” He looked up at Silver, trembling a little. “I made sales without an equitable product.” He adjusted his tie. “One of the first rules of business, sell what people want, and make it better than the competition. I made hope, but it was of lousy quality with a shoddy pricing plan. My business was doomed to fail eventually.”

Silver tilted his head. That hadn’t been what he had been expecting, though it wasn’t entirely wrong. “Why did you do it?”

“It looked so easy!” He flopped against Silver as he could parson him of all crimes. “I’m sorry! I’ll never do it again, I swear.”

Rainbow thrust a hoof out at the town beyond the walls. “You’re gonna have to tell more ponies than us, you know.”

Filthy rose to his hooves, nodding. “O-of course. Promise me they won’t hurt me.”

Silver patted his shoulder. “They’re your friends. They’re angry and confused, but I don’t think they hate you, not truly. Come on, let’s straighten this out.”

As one, they left the mansion. Most of the ponies had moved on, but Derpy remained and let out a low ‘’Booo’ on seeing Filthy as she glared in her wall-eyed way.”

Silver waved to her. “He’s in my custody, and he has an announcement. Gather everypony and have them head to the town square in about an hour.”

“Aye aye!” She saluted and took off, sailing away in not quite a straight line.

Rainbow rolled her own eyes. “Want me to help spread the word? Muffins is a little, um, derpy. You don’t want to leave this to just her.” Silver nodded and she took off, leaving him to escort Filthy to the center of town, where a new crowd was already forming. There were angry murmurs, but also wondering eyes.

Silver stood before the crowd and spread his wings, lifting them as he had seen Celestia do. That seemed to quiet them, eyes turning to him. “Filthy has something to say, about what he did.” He glanced at Filthy pointedly. “And only what he did.”

Filthy cleared his throat. “I-I was approached with a terrible plan, and I took it. I saw easy money, but it was dirty money… I’m sorry. I will return all the funds I… received from it… I want to be a member of this community, and hope you all want me to still be a part of it.”

A mare emerged from the crowd, it was Spoiled Rotten, his wife. She swatted him across the head with a hoof. “You should have known better.” Her voice had no question to it, making a clear statement of fact.

The crowd murmured with mixed feelings, but an apology was an apology, and it had an effect on them, but it was not complete. Mayor Mare approached with a clearing of her throat. “I don’t think I’m alone in wanting the old Filthy back with us, and I’m glad you’ve realized your mistake, but there are things to put right that just saying sorry won’t do.” She nodded at Filthy severely. “Are you ready to prove yourself and help heal yourself and this community?”

“Yes! I mean, yes, I am.” Filthy nodded at Mayor Mare in more of a bobbing than a single nod. “I’m ready to do what it takes.”

Silver nodded towards Mayor Mare. “Then I will leave him in your capable hooves. Filthy, your punishment will be decided and carried out by Mayor Mare, then I hope we can put this ugly issue behind us.” That had gone better than he could have hoped for. Silver felt a warmth in him as he played his little part in ensuring the ponies arrived at what could be argued to be a happy ending, but there was more to do… “I should go. Rainbow?”

She hadn’t gone far. “’Sup?”

“It’s time to go back.” He spread his wings out instead of up and soon they were up in the air, heading back towards Canterlot.

“Hey.” Rainbow flew in close. “How’d you know he needed your help?”

“I came to ask him…” He frowned a little, realizing he didn’t have to tip his hand and that some mystery was good for an alicorn, or so worked for Celestia and Luna. “… what help he needed, and to get the full story from his mouth. I think he’s ready to turn a new leaf.”

Rainbow snorted softly. “I can believe the FlimFlam brothers were involved, but this isn’t Filthy’s usual bag, er, of money.” She flashed a smile at her cheesy joke. “I’m glad that’s sorted out though. Mayor Mare will be tough but fair.”

Silver doubted that anything the ponies would consider ‘tough’ would quite rate with what he could imagine. “John is still at-large. There’s the FlimFlams, but they’re going to be around, doing some other scam, probably smaller in scale.” He frowned with thought. “I understand them, and Filthy, but the human, him I don’t understand.”

“But you are a human.” Silver looked towards her with a blink. “Okay, you were one, but still, point stands. Shouldn’t you know how they work?”

“I know enough to be concerned.” They flew to Canterlot swiftly and surely and landed before the castle before trotting inside. Silver nodded to Rainbow. “Thanks for the escort. I appreciate it, and I hope it wasn’t too big a hassle.”

“No! No, it was fine.” She raised a brow. He sure was acting nice, but was it just an act? “You flew pretty good, by the way. Tomorrow we’ll start going over air etiquette and safety.” She smartly saluted, and he returned the gesture after a moment of delay. “At ease, cadet.” She trotted off without challenge. If he wanted to get in her pants, he certainly wasn’t trying very hard. Maybe he really did think she wasn’t best pony?

Silver looked for the princesses, but they weren’t in their usual places. One of Luna’s guards had some useful information. “They’re attending a foreign agent.” He glanced left and right. “Sir, there’s been a meeting that’s been… I really would have expected you to be invited, sir.”

He raised a brow. “Where? Who?

The guard pointed off into the city. “The human John Smith has invited the elite of Canterlot, but has not invited any of the royalty…” He sounded unsure, shuffling a bit. “You know about hu—“

Silver could see where he was going. “Where?” He turned to go. “I’ll see what’s going on. He’s at the center of everything it seems.”

He told Silver where to go. “Moon guide you, sir.”

Silver nodded back. “I’m going to hope I don’t need it, but it can’t hurt… Thanks. This means a lot to me.” He smiled a little. “I’ll do the best I can, for Equestria.”

“Sir.”

“Oh.” Silver pointed back towards his room. “If Night or anyone else stops by, tell them where I’m headed and if they ask, what I’m doing. This isn’t a secret.”

Silver spread his wings before remembering that he didn’t have training to handle inner-city flight without crashing into others, so he got to trotting purposefully to the building that held his new nemesis. The guards posted there didn’t want to let him in, but they had little to stop his teleporting when he skipped well past them, inside to a hallway he saw as a pony stepping inside revealed. 

He fell in with the crowd headed for the main hall, none questioning why he was there since he had already made it past the guards. He would learn what was going on…