Ten minutes later, Filthy stood in front of the large mirror in his and Spoiled’s room and looked over his appearance. He had not dressed up very carefully this morning, since he liked to keep the planning sessions informal and relaxed. However, he had a quick trip business trip to Canterlot booked in today, so he had to look his best for that. ”No, it won’t work.” Filthy mumbled and picked up a comb to rectify his mane. ”Need to look professional, sharp and… just a little bit mean too.”
”Filthy!” A harsh, raspy voice came from behind him. His mood fell a little, but he didn’t let that show as he turned around to face his wife. He nearly cringed at the sight. Spoiled was mad as a hornet, and he was well within range.
”I asked for a little mean, not Tirek-mean,” Filthy thought haplessly. ”Yes, dear?” he said.
”We need to talk,” Spoiled said with the same harsh voice that sounded like hooves on a chalkboard. ”I’m worried about the company you allow our daughter to spend her time in. It is bad enough that poor little Diamond Tiara have been so influenced that she has accepted the…” Spoiled grimaced ”…Cutie Mark Crusaders as her friends. She must not be able to be influenced any further, and her get-together with the peasants foals certainly is not helping her.” Spoiled stomped. ”How could you have let this happen, you fool?”
Filthy gritted his teeth in annoyance, but kept a (mostly) straight face. Very few ponies could insult him without consequences. Sadly, Spoiled was one of those few. ”I’m sorry. I have been… preoccupied lately,” he answered stiffly.
”A bit late for a ’sorry’, don’t you think,” Spoiled interrupted sharply. ”But luckily I have looked into this matter on my own, since you don’t seem to care.” Filthy winced as if he had been physically struck.
He loved his daughter. He knew that in between his work as head of Barnyard Bargains and his work with The Circus, he did not have a lot of time to spend with her, even if things had improved since they made Ponyville their headquarters. Still Filthy would never accept a slight like the one he just heard from anypony. Except for Spoiled Rich. Filthy stood silent.
Spoiled seemed annoyed the he did not answer, but continued. ”Just make sure nothing like this ever happen again in my house,” Spoiled said with a commanding tone. ”I shall be writing to a private school in Canterlot and hear if Diamond could transfer. Until I get an answer, she mustn’t meet the blank-flanks or peasants again.”
Spoiled paused to breathe, and then continued, fixing a glare at him. ”I must say I’m deeply disappointed in you, Filthy. Your company too is definitely under criticism. How can you believe Diamond will learn proper manners if you don’t lead by example, like me? The twin accountants you have hired are clearly lowlives, not at all befitting my household. My seamstress is downright rude and even had the nerve of refusing my order! And don’t even get me started about the beggar unicorn you picked up from the side of the road or the pegasus with the eyes.” Spoiled stomped her hoof in anger. ”She is cross-eyed! Do you realize how that looks!? That klutz doesn’t belong in my house! She should not even be allowed to live in Ponyville if I had my way! You will not spend time with any of them from now on, understand me?”
Filthy felt like his blood had caught fire. He stood paralyzed and shaking as he tried to comprehend what his wife was saying. Not only did she fault his little diamond for finally having friends, and living a life any filly should, not only did she want Filthy to keep Diamond more or less permanently grounded, not only did she just insult all of his friends, but to top it all off she wanted poor Ditzy out of town.
Filthy forced himself to take a couple of deep breaths to calm down a little. It did not help, he still felt like shouting to his wife that he would rather move out than stop seeing his friends. His voice was half chocked and threateningly low when he spoke. ”And… Diamond Tiara? What does she think about… transferring? Is that what she wants?”
Spoiled scoffed. ”It doesn’t matter what she wants; I now what’s best for her. For her future’s sake she will do as I say.”
Filthy could no longer suppress that his hooves were shaking slightly. He heard his heart beat in his inner ear. ”So… let me get this straight. You want me to lock Diamond up while you ruin what little happiness she has finally found? Also, you want me to ditch the only real friends I have?”
”Friends?” Spoiled said with an amused snort. ”How can they be friends with somepony like you? They use you, you gullible fool. They eat of you tables and dress in your clothes without-”
”Shut up,” Filthy interrupted with a shaky voice. ”S-shut your mouth or I’ll make you eat your words…”
Filthy gruffly went out of the room without sparing his wife a second glance. He could not remember last time he felt this angry; he wanted to find something, slam it into the floor and stomp o the pieces. ”You are spending a lot of time which your servants lately. Especially that seamstress!” Spoiled called after him.
Filthy stopped, turned around and took a breath to calm down. ”They are the best company I have,” he replied with a nasty sneer.
He knew he would regret saying that later. Petty insults like that were below him and he knew it. But right now it brought him a grim satisfaction to see his wife’s expression shift.
Spoiled looked like Filthy had thrown a bucket of ice cold water in her face. Her eyes bulged out and she silently formed Filthy’s words with her lips, as if to confirm that they had indeed ben said. She regained her composure and threw him a glare worthy of a Cockatrice. ”Well then, Filthy,” she hissed darkly. ”I shall have to take matters into my own hooves.”
Spoiled passed him with thundering hoof steps. She took the opportunity to whip her tail at Filthy’s face as she passed.
Filthy stood petrified in the bedroom doorway. It stung a little where the tail had hit him. He stood panting as if he had been running. No matter how he tried to suppress it he felt a fore hoof shaking with desire to break something. The more practical side of his mind took over, even if his anger was far from gone. Spoiled liked to drink something when she was angry, so she should be in the kitchen right about now. He should probably get out of dodge while she calmed down. And while he calmed down too, else he might do something he would regret.
He walked like in a thick red haze through his house. He hardly heard the foals clopping their hooves and shouting in adoration as Flim performed some other trick. Without really thinking, he went through the small back door and took to a crossbow with a couple of darts and flipped a small switch. He went out of his home and out to the back part of his expansive garden, where he had installed a shooting range. The small targets on the range started to move.
He backed away as far as his well kept hedge would allow, took careful aim and shot.
Bullseye. Of course. He reloaded slowly, taking ample of time for each step. Shooting was something that required a steady grip and careful aim. One had to be calm and focused. Shooting was the perfect way to blow off some steam before figuring out what to do next. He shot a couple of bolts before he felt calm enough to think clearly again.
”I imagine…” Filthy shot again and watched the dart fly. ”That I should keep away from her for a few days. Maybe then we can talk like adult ponies. I will have to look out for my little diamond too, if Spoiled takes out the anger on her…” Filthy did not want to believe Spoiled would do that, but he should probably be on the lookout, just in case.
”And… I should ask Ditzy before I…” Filthy thought, not quite wanting to finish the thought, even to himself. Filthy did occasionally use some tricks of dubious morality to get his way, that was part of both his jobs, but something like this we wanted to discuss with somepony first.
”Filthy, what just happened?” Filthy snapped out of his rumination and met Flim’s look. The unicorn and a half worried and half awkward look. ”Your wife literarily threw me out of the room mid-sentence with an expression that could give Nightmare Moon… well, nightmares. Perhaps you could explain?”
”No,” Filthy said, harsher than he had imagined. He sighed and continued despite what he just had said. ”I… uh, I may have said something she did not approve of…”
”You pissed her off?” Flim asked with a genuinely surprised voice. ”Without inviting me to watch? I’m hurt.”
”Not now, Equilibrist,” Filthy mumbled with a sigh.
Flim took the hint. ”I… see. Well…” Flim was silent again for a moment. ”In that case, I will have your little business trip to Canterlot postponed. I will see to the letters…”
”Yes, I…” Filthy hesitated as he got a sudden question. ”Hey, Flim? Have you or your brother ever been in a relationship?”
Flim chuckled. ”Do you count the times we charmed somepony, exhausted him or her to sleep, swiped everything they owned and hightailed away? If not, then no, if yes, then more than you can imagine. Why?”
”Never mind, just curious is all,” Filthy said dismissively. That was probably not the kind of advice he needed right now.
*****
Suri sat before her sewing machine in the room she had in Filthy’s mansion. There was a rather small, but comfy bed in there, a window with a few decorations, including some embroidered napkins she had made in her spare time. In a corner she had a boxing bag. She was not very fond of such a brutish activity; a mare should never raise a hoof to anypony if it could be avoided, but in her line of work one had to be in good shape. She made sure to train at least one hour every day, on top of regular walks with Trixie.
She watched the needle impaling the two pieces of fabric she were sewing together. As Spoiled Rich’s seamstress she had to put on a show that she made her some things now and then. And she liked sewing. It was what she had always imagined she would do; a daring, haute designer who took the fashion world with storm. Suri indulged in a small smile at her fantasy. She knew it would not happen. Been there, failed that, and now she was here.
She had never imagined herself becoming a professional criminal, and while it was not her first choice she could see that her new life was not without compensations. She could still sew like she loved to, and she had ponies around her that she could respect. It was nearly the first time in her life she had ponies she really respected around her.
”Every pony for themselves…” Suri mumbled to the fabric. She had been thinking lately. For her whole life she had been a firm believer of that phrase. In her experience, when push came to shove, everypony put themselves fist despite all lovey-dovey words about friendship and loyalty. In the end there was, and always would be, everypony for herself. Suri knew that from experience.
But something felt different about The Circus, especially the twins. They seemed to have an uncanny ability to inspire, and she had seen in The Canterlot Caper that they did not leave ponies behind. The coup would have been a million times easier it they had escaped with the train from Canterlot, but they did not because it would sacrifice both Ditzy and Topsy.
”Mareservant!” The harsh voice cut through Suri’s ears like her scissors cut fabric. Suri looked to the door and saw Spoiled stand there.
Filthy’s wife looked horrible. Her mane was a tangled mess, her eyes wide and furious. Spoiled stalked into the room with a posture like a panther. She closed the door behind her. Suri scooted backwards slightly. The other mare looked downright threatening.
”Now you listen to me, nasty little filly,” Spoiled hissed as she closed in on her pray. She practically pinned Suri down to her stool. ”Don’t think I don’t realize what you are trying, you filthy riffraff. Trying to steal my husband away, are you? Well, dream on. I’m not going to let you touch him, understood? Filthy is mine, and he will never be seen with the likes of you. If I had it my way, such lowlife as you would not set hoof in my home.”
Spoiled reached behind Suri and tore the fabric she was sewing away from the sewing machine, ripping it in the process, and slapped it in Suri’s confused and submissive face. ”Don’t you dare to forget that, you swine.” Spoiled turned around and slapped Suri again with her tail. She went up to one of the attires Suri had made her, decisively took it down and ripped it in two. ”And don’t think I will ever touch the tatters you call clothes again!” Spoiled went out, making sure to stomp on the mutilated clothing on her way.
Back in the room sat a stunned Suri Polomare, trying to comprehend what had just happened. She sniffled a little. It was not so much for the insult as it was for the unfairness of it all. Suri had never looked at Filthy that way, and she had never tried to come between him and Spoiled. To be called such things for something so out of the blue… hurt.
But the ripping of the dress hurt more. Suri solved sewing, she had ever since she first held a needle and thread. She even got her cute mark for it; sewing was her destiny, her purpose. She knew she was good at it too, she prided herself on her work. The masks she made for The Circus were proof enough. To see work she put her heart and soul into condemned like that hurt her more than she wanted to admit.
Suri swallowed and tried to hold back the beginnings of tears. She took out two knitting needles from a drawer and began on… something. She did not want to think right now.
*****
Ditzy hopped and skipped through Ponyville, well away from Filthy’s mansion. She did not really know what she could do right now regarding their planning, so she had settled for taking a break from her work while she waited for Dinky to come home from Diamond Tiara. She hummed softly to herself as she made her way to Sugarcube corner. She needed a muffin (or five, or ten, or fifteen. Actually, make that twenty), and she needed it now. A few ponies nodded to Ditzy as she went, but most didn’t care. That was just as nice. At least no pony was directly mean.
The gingerbread styled house came into view and she trotted up the small stair. Carrot Cake stood behind the counter and smiled at her when she entered.
”Hey, Derpy!” he greeted in a carefree way. ”Here for your muffins?” Ditzy hid the small sting she felt at the nickname. She knew Mr. Cake didn’t mean anything bad, so she did her best to not show anything. She still disliked the name though. It made her think of times she would rather forget.
”Yes,” Ditzy nodded. ”Is Pinkie Pie here?” It was normally Pinkie who made Ditzy’s muffins.
”Afraid not,” Mr. Cake responded apologetically. ”She has left town for a few days. A family celebration. But don’t you worry none; she made enough muffins to fill your next three orders.”
”Ooh, okay…” Ditzy said, a little disheartened. Now she couldn't choose what flavors she got. She beat the ungrateful thoughts out of her head. Pinkie had still baked all muffins she wanted, even if Ditzy’s request had only been informal and not a strict order. ”Well, then you have today’s order?”
”Of course, just a moment,” Carrot cake said and trotted out in the kitchen to get the muffins. He returned in a few seconds, a package in his mouth. ”There you go,” he said with a small smile. Ditzy picked at her saddlebag and accidentally ripped up a seam. The contents of the saddlebags spilled and a score of bits fell on the ground, rolling in all directions.
”Oh no, sorry, I didn’t mean to, sorry,” Ditzy fumbled while trying to catch the rolling coins. She leaped at one of them, only to miss and instead ram a table which toppled over and hit her in the head, much to the annoyance of Carrot Top and Roseluck, whose pastries fell into Ditzy’s mane. ”Sorry,” Ditzy said again, blushing.
Carrot Cake promptly hid the surprised look he got when she saw all the all the bits. It was far more than he assumed Ditzy would own, not that it had anything to do with him. Ditzy scooped out a pile of bits and placed them on the counter, still mumbling awkward excuses to a highly displeased Carrot Top. It did not take Mr. Cake long to see that it was enough to pay for whole next month’s muffins. He took out what the order cost and left the rest. ”Don’t worry about that,” he said simply and nodded to the mess she had made. ”You leave that to me and enjoy your muffins. See you tomorrow.”
”Say…” Ditzy began, somewhat tentative. ”Who is Pinkie’s family anyway?” She had never thought about that before.
”Rock farmers outside Ponyville,” Carrot Cake answered. ”Apparently her older sister just received a rocktorate in Rock-Science.” Carrot Cake’s tone suggested that he had no clue what he was talking about.
Ditzy shrugged and left with her muffins. An idea struck her. Why not go fly out to her special friend and share the treats with him? It was probably a long time since Topsy had a muffin. She flapped her wings and started to fly out towards the Everfree Forest. She swallowed and slowed down a little. The forest was unsettling, to say the least. Too soon was she flying over it. She kept her veering eyes down on the ground, half expecting a manticore or dragon to leap out of the thick canopy and attack. She had flown this way many times, but it still unnerved her. Like anypony, she knew the many tales of this forest and none of them eased her anxiety.
About thirty nervous minutes later she was flying over a just about the only open part of the forest for miles around. She approached the hill slowly and began to fly downwards, towards the ruined castle. She tapped down on the cracked courtyard and tried to orient herself. Every hallway in the ruined castle looked exactly the same. She had no clue where to start looking.
Ditzy shrugged and trotted into one of the slightly less crumbled corridors. Then she remembered first time she was here. She had fallen down a trapdoor, and it had taken Topsy hours to find her, and even longer to actually get her out. She began to fly a few hooflegnths over the floor.
”Where is this now?” she mumbled to herself. Ditzy found herself in the collapsed section of the library. She did not recall coming here last time. She should probably go back and try another hallway.
After retracing her steps, she somehow did not find herself back in the courtyard, but in the ancient throne room. She looked up at the thrones, somewhat confused that she must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Ditzy shook her head and fluttered up to one of the ruined thrones and sat down on her haunches. Might as well use the thrones when she was here.
”Bring me muffins!” She called to the imaginary servants and lords. ”Your princessness demands that you get her all the muffins in the realm!”
”All of them?” she mumbled back to herself in a meek voice. ”But your highness, what about everypony else?”
”All the muffins!” Ditzy said with a grin that would have made Sombra proud. ”I’m best pony, I’m Muffin Princess, bring me all muffins!” Ditzy giggled softly. She looked around and found a broken stick. She grabbed it in one hoof and sat back down on her throne. ”You are found guilty of… stealing muffins! You will pay fifty muffins to the royal treasury!” Ditzy called down the judgement of the gods on the imaginary thief with a sweep of her ”scepter”. Why had Celestia not replaced bits with muffins? That would be a very good idea.
DIIIIING!!!
Ditzy yelped as the throne spun around and sent her through the wall. When she looked up, she found herself outside of the castle, flat on her stomach. She grinned. Now it should be way easier to find Topsy; she just had to follow the music. But that could wait for a little while. She closed her eyes and listened.
The music was slow and sad, ancient as the castle itself. In fact, Topsy had likely found the music in the castle. It seemed to flow in a continuous stream through the ruin. A haunting melody, yet strangely beautiful. It was the type of music that made you stop and listen, that asked an unknown question one cannot quite put the hoof on. Ditzy got up and let herself be guided by the sorrowful tones. For a moment, she forgot that it was a pony who played, and not the castle itself.
It took her almost fifteen minutes before she got down to the organ. A lone pony sat before the intimidating instrument. He had a midnight blue coat and forest green mane. The short, glaring red tail laid neatly around him on the stool where he sat. His hooves shifted quickly over the keys, as did his wings. She trotted up silently as to not disturb Topsy’s music. Only now did she note that, since he did not have his razor here, Topsy’s ears had grown small fuzzy wisps.
With a final, lonesome note, Topsy stopped playing. ”Ditzy Doo,” he said slowly, without any stammer. ”It is good that you are here.” Topsy flapped his wings, went into a pirouette in midair and gently fell down on his stool again, now facing her with his heterochromatic eyes, one orange and the other purple. Ditzy blinked. She would never be able to pull that twist off just at the drop of a muffin. Then again, she was never the best flyer.
Topsy looked down on the floor. ”I’m sorry,” he mumbled. ”So very sorry.”
”What?” Ditzy tilted her head slightly. ”Why are you sorry?” Something dawned on the cloud gray pegasus. ”Did you eat one of my muffins?” she mumbled, dejected.
”I’m sorry, Ditzy,” Topsy repeated, still without meeting her eyes. ”For what h-happened during The C-Canterlot… Caper.”
”Twilight was hurt badly,” Ditzy said with a scolding voice. ”But it was not you, was it? It was the winds?”
Topsy met Ditzy’s eyes, purple and orange met gold. ”I don’t care for the alicorn. The winds made me h-hurt you. You.” Topsy clarified. ”That m-made me realize how… evil they were. I m-must learn how to control them. That’s why I retreated h-here, to somehow learn to shut them out. At least here I wouldn’t hurt-t anypony in The Circus.”
Ditzy opened her mouth and closed it. She did not want Topsy to basically ignore the fact that he had beat Twilight Sparkle senseless, and she felt uncertain about how affectionate he was to her. To go into self-imposed exile just because of her… thinking like that made Ditzy forget about Twilight.
Ditzy knew that Topsy cared deeply for her, but his actions these last months took that resolve to a whole new level. So it was because of her he lived in this ruined castle, far away from friends, muffins, family, comfort, amusement and muffins? Only such basic things as eating and sleeping must be a challenge in the middle of the Everfree Forest, and yet he had endured it for three months now, just for her sake. While she was flattered, it still did not feel very good. She did not want anypony to do something like this for her sake. She was not worth it.
”How do you feel?” Ditzy asked, worry clear in her voice. ”You don’t have to stay here. You won’t hurt anypony, I know you won’t. You are a good pony and-” Topsy silenced her with a gesture.
”Music helps,” he said stilly. ”I d-don’t hear the winds when I p-play.” Topsy took a deep breath. ”It feels so… g-good. So good to h-hear my own thoughts. I’m… not dangerous now.”
Ditzy hopped trotted up and hugged him. He hugged back tenderly, carefully, as if she was a delicate flower. ”That makes me happy, Topsy,” Ditzy said. She held his hooves in hers. He hardly twitched at all now. ”Do you… not hear them at all now?”
”I do, b-but the more I play… the easier it becomes to… i-ignore them,” Topsy managed a wry grin. ”I… I work on it,” Ditzy’s heart melted. Topsy’s smile was real; it was his smile, not the wind’s. It was nearly the first time she saw that.
”Have you learned not to listen?” Ditzy asked, somewhat worried. ”But listening is your special talent, isn’t it? Is it really good too… too unlearn your destiny?”
”My talent is to listen.” Topsy said evenly, which was an accomplishment for him. ”But what I have begun to learn is how… n-not to listen. I can still do it when I want to, but I-I no longer hear them constantly. And… I’m starting t-to learn how to choose to be guided… how not to become the winds’ slave…”
”Is this why you live here of all places? For the music?” Ditzy looked at the large pipe organ. It was definitely the only possibility Topsy would have for music, being located in a place were nopony could hear. Ditzy tried to remember if any other of Topsy’s many hideaways were located as out-of-the-way as this one. She could not think of any.
She got her answer when Topsy nodded. ”Here I have peace and quiet for my music. I need that.”
Ditzy found herself wondering how Topsy had managed to combine the words ”peace and quiet” with something located in the middle of Everfree, but she pushed the thought away. She sat down beside him on the stool and put her packet of muffins down on the keyboard.
”Muffin?” Ditzy grinned and opened the box. ”And maybe you could play a little more for me, yes?”
”My p-pleasure,” Topsy replied softly and nuzzled Ditzy’s wing.
”Funny,” Ditzy thought as she let her eyes relax and slide off in different directions, ”how such a strong pony can be so…”
*****
Trixie was getting annoyed. She needed to do something. She was Trixie for Trixie’s sake, she was not made to sit around and wait. It was not any hard demand; she did not need a Canterlot Caper to be happy, she just needed to feel like they were actually doing something, anything. Just something that made her heart beat faster and her body tense with excitement. She thought she would get it yesterday when they, at least, had made up basic plans. But of course not. Something had gone haywire just after she left, and Flim had called off everything until they could meet again. She was on her way now.
”Incredible,” Trixie grumbled as she went up the garden path to Filthy’s mansion. ”Trixie leaves them alone for five minutes, and this is what happens? Ooh, they’d be so lost without me.”
She spotted Suri walking towards her with over Filthy’s garden. Trixie went up to her closest friend. Suri and Trixie were on the same on the same wavelength, and it was nice to have another mare to talk with, considering most of The Circus were stallions. Not that Trixie had any problems with Ditzy, but she was not the most inspiring conversationalist.
”What have they done now?” Trixie asked snidely, but not exactly unkind. ”As soon as the two of us leave everything goes to Tartarus, doesn’t it?”
”I don’t know,” Suri mumbled. Trixie was surprised to see that Suri’s voice sounded hollow and slightly dazed. The contrast to her normally superior and assertive demeanor was clear as Topsy’s clashing colors. ”I…uh, don’t know.”
”Why does Trixie have a feeling you are not telling her everything?” Trixie asked inquisitively.
”None of your business!” Suri replied, suddenly hostile. Trixie balked at the sudden change in character. Suri seemed more frazzled than she had ever seen her. She was more out of balance now than when Trixie had seen her during the Canterlot Caper. Trixie filed this piece of information away in her ”to be investigated” cabinet. It was clear that Suri did not want to tell her anything right now.
The two mares went over Filthy’s garden in oppressing silence. It was interrupted only when a cloud gray ball of feathers and fur fell out of the sky. Ditzy looked up, more disoriented than usual, and took Trixie’s outstretched hoof. ”Thanks, what’s going on?” Ditzy asked with an innocent smile as she got up and started trotting along with her friends, unfazed by the crash-landing.
”Trixie does not know, and somepony is not telling her,” Trixie answered with a pointy look towards Suri.
”Who?” Ditzy asked curiously.
”Never mind,” Trixie sighed. ”Where is Topsy, for that matter? I haven’t seen him in forever.”
”He… he didn’t want to leave the forest,” Ditzy explained. ”He is playing music now, to help calming down, so he is doing good.”
”Trixie is surprised the forest is still standing if he has been there for three whole months,” Trixie pointed out. ”I imagined it would burn down after three days. Most things does not hold up very well against him.”
”They do too!” Ditzy exclaimed in a hurt voice. ”Topsy does not destroy stuff, the winds make him do that! And he does not shock things anymore either, so don’t speak like that about him.”
Trixie did not point out that Ditzy had been struck by Topsy’s errant thunder herself a few times.
The three mares came up to the gazebo and Ditzy pushed the door. It refused to open. She pushed it again, a little harder. It still didn’t budge. ”It opens outward,” Trixie reminded. Ditzy hid her blushing face as she pulled the door. When she came in, she saw Flim fling over a few coins to Flam.
”Thank you, Ditzy,” Flam said with a, for him, merry tone. ”You just made me five bits richer.”
”Happy to help,” Ditzy replied with a mirthful voice. ”Ehm, how did I do that?” she added uncertainly.
”My brother betted you would open the door right the first time, and I betted against,” Flam explained. Ditzy was unsure what she was supposed to think about this.
”Morning, everypony,” Filthy Rich said calmly as he entered. He took his customary seat, closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. ”Sorry, I had trouble sleeping. Flim, remind me to buy a more comfortable couch. This one does strange things to my back.”
”Duly noted,” Flim replied.
Silence settled over the gazebo. Everypony looked at Filthy.
”Well,” Trixie urged. ”Go on. Trixie demands to know what you have done to put a kink in Trixie and her friends’ great and powerful plans. Trixie is bored.”
”I am kind of curious myself actually,” Flim chipped in. ”Tell us, please. And don’t leave any detail. What insult did you use? Must have been a good one, based on her expression when he came down the stares.”
”Insult?” Ditzy asked no pony in particular. ”Have you insulted somepony? Who?”
”His wife,” Flam answered before Filthy could stop him.
”This is my business and my business alone, thank you all very much,” Filthy replied with a cold glare at the expectant Flim and Trixie. ”My private life is not your entertainment, understood?”
”No, it isn’t,” Flim said plainly. ”Not entertainment, but not only your business either.” Filthy turned his displeased look solely to the unicorn.
”Look, Filthy,” Flam continued. ”We are The Circus; brothers and sisters in crime. If you somehow have missed it, we look out for one another.”
Filthy began to say something, but Flim interrupted. His tone was more serious now. ”You don’t have to tell us, just know that we will listen if you need us too.”
For a moment, just one moment, Suri contemplated telling what had happened to her. She quickly banished that idea. Spoiled’s insult was her problem, not theirs. It was not right for her to bring up her own problems in a time when Filthy and Spoiled was already on edge. Their marriage could be permanently damaged if she did. She would manage alone somehow. Everypony for themselves. She had lived by that phrase for as long as she could remember. She was not about to stop now.
So Suri remained silent.
”Look, uh…” Filthy began uncertainly. ”My wife and I have had some… differing ideas about my little diamond. Spoiled wants to send her to a private school in Canterlot, and when I disapproved she got… angry.”
”’Angry’ in this context means that she wanted to rip somepony to shreds and use the remains as mulch,” Flim clarified dryly.
”Why did you two discuss that?” Ditzy asked. Her face made it apparent that she was not following. ”What does Diamond want? That’s the most important thing, isn’t it?”
”I agree,” Filthy replied. ”But Spoiled does not like that Diamond spend so much time with… the lower class, as she would say. I think she want Diamond out of town to…’protect’ her.” Filthy paused for a moment. ”Can we please talk about our work instead? I need to sort out some thoughts on my own, alright?”
”Suri?” Flam said and shifted his look to the orchid mare.
”Hmm?” her ears perked up when she heard her name. ”What did you say?”
”I didn’t. How is that comic coming along?” Flam answered. ”I imagine there is not to much to do until we have it, save for some preparatory fieldwork. My brother and I can handle it, I imagine?” Flam looked to his brother, who nodded.
”Can I help, maybe?” Suri asked. Being away from Spoiled and Filthy for a while was probably a good idea. That, if anything, should prove that she was not after Filthy’s affections. ”Vanhoover is just my kind of city, m’kay.”
”Sure, as long as you can work with the comic in the meantime. I can stay at home and cover things up with Bon-Bon,” Flim proposed. ”Is that alright with you, brother of mine?”
”Of course,” Flam replied dismissively.
”Trixie would rather join you too,” Trixie shrugged. ”As she said, she is bored. Some spying is just what she needs.”
”Then I will book three first class tickets to Vanhoover,” Flim said. He leaned back. ”My fellow artists, I think our next coup is slowly gaining its momentum.”
*****
”Ditzy?”
Said pegasus stopped in the door and looked back towards Filthy Rich with one eye and the floor with the other. The tan earth pony had slumped down again behind the spacious table. The others had left, leaving the two of them alone. ”Would you sit down for a little while? I think I need some advice.”
”Advice? From me?” Ditzy pointed at her face. Why would Filthy want her advice of all the ponies in The Circus? Why not Flim or Flam if it was about anything in their coup? Or Suri for that matter? That mare seemed to be much more urbane than her.
”Yes, no pony else knows this,” Filthy explained, causing Ditzy to blush a little.
”Well… what is it then?”
”You have a daughter who you love very dearly,” Filthy stated plainly. ”So I think if there is anypony who know what I ought to do, then it’s you.” Filthy silenced and took a slow breath. ”I think Spoiled will try to transfer Diamond to that school in Canterlot. I can stop it, but should I?”
”I don’t know,” Ditzy answered quickly, nervously. ”She is not my wife, I don’t know her that well. I can’t make that choice for you.”
”What would you do?” Filthy asked plainly. ”Just answer.”
Ditzy thought for a moment. ”I would see what Dinky wanted first, and then decide.”
Filthy nodded. ”Then that’s what I will do.” He rose from the table and left the gazebo. Filthy knew Spoiled would not wait with trying to get Diamond transferred, so she would send those letters sooner rather than late. He would certainly have preferred to take care of them himself, or better yet have Ditzy just ”loose” the letters in the mail. But if this comic coup actually worked, then they would all be tied up by it. Filthy needed somepony who watched Spoiled every day, and intercepted the letters.
Fortunately, there was one such pony.
A minute later Filthy found who he was looking for, preparing the customary three course meal for him, Spoiled and Diamond. Randolph stood in front of the kitchen oven, while also chopping up vegetables and monitoring three pots. ”Sir,” he said formally without taking the eyes of his many chores. ”May I be of service?”
”Indeed, Randolph,” Filthy said with a casually commanding tone. ”It is fully possible that I need to leave on a… business trip, rather soon. I think my wife will then try to send letters to Canterlot. I don’t want those letters sent, understood?”
”Of course, sir,” Randolph replied and took a pot from the stove and poured up the vegetable soup in a silver taurine. ”Though I should point out that going behind her back like this is most distasteful.”
”Who is it you work for again?” Filthy asked with a voice of feigned wonder.
”You, sir,” Randolph answered.
”Make sure those letters do not get to Canterlot. I don’t care what hoops you have to jump through; this is important.” Filthy emphasized.
”Consider it done,” Randolph answered evenly. Not a syllable gave away what he thought about his new mission. His place was to serve, and serve he would.