Chapter 2
The earth pony stallion stepped forward into the office, as he left the darkened hallway the pair of pegasi could make out his appearance. He was wearing a suit that was probably worth more in bits than the lease on their office, and then some. His black mane was slicked back with more than enough pomade to have its sickly sweet smell cut through acrid tang of burnt coffee. He appraised the office with cold blue eyes and wrinkled his nose as the aforementioned scent hit his
nostrils.
“I do apologize, I cannot resist a dramatic entrance,” he drawled. His accent held a bit of the old Hayvard lockjaw. “I was hoping I might be able to procure your services. In more a common vernacular, I have a case for you.”
Rainbow’s eyes lit up, and Fluttershy could almost see the bit-signs shining in them.
“Yes please, come have a seat Mr…?” Fluttershy queried politely as she pushed aside the plates that held her and her companion’s dinner, hoping to make the office a modicum more presentable.
“Oh yes, you see, that was my little joke before. It’s Mr. Rich, Filthy Rich,” He said as he paced himself over to the desk. He eyed one of the offered chairs warily. Like most of the furniture in the office the chairs had come from a second-hand shop. He lowered himself into it and while the chair gave a slight squeak in protest, it obliged itself to not collapse.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Rich. I am Rainbow Dash and this is Fluttershy.” Rainbow added in as genial of a tone as she could muster, but the effort she was taking to suppress her usual straight-to-the-point demeanor was visible. A forced smile stretched across her lips. Wine and dine ‘em Dash, you can do it…need that paycheck…
“I apologize for the lateness of the hour, but the matter is quite important, frankly I’m surprised you two are even here I was just going to leave a note…” Rich said with an arched eyebrow.
“Oh …well you see we were just wrapping up a case and-” Fluttershy began to explain hastily but she was cut off.
“No, no, it’s quite alright, lucky really. This matter is of the utmost importance. You see my daughter, Diamond Tiara, has been fillynapped.” His years as a successful businesspony were all that allowed him to keep his voice even and calm, but the empathic Fluttershy could read the turmoil in his eyes.
“Wait, wait, Fillynapped!?” Rainbow asked animatedly. “Why come to us then? This is a job for the Fillydelphia cops not a couple of gum-hooves… unless…”
Filthy sighed, “I suppose I should be frank with you. Were I to report this to the police they would likely ask certain questions I’d like to avoid answering. I admit a few of my business relationships are… unsavory.”
Fluttershy gave Dash a significant look of discomfort, but the cyan mare didn’t respond. Instead she just looked across the desk to Filthy.
“And you think it was one of these ‘unsavory’ contacts that took your little filly.” Rainbow concluded.
“I know it.” Filthy said, his tone hard as stone and twice as heavy. He pulled out a note from the interior of his suit jacket with his teeth and passed it across the table.
Fluttershy and Rainbow leaned over the note to get a closer look. It looked like every other cliché fillynapping note they had ever see, with each letter of each word clipped from a newspaper or magazine. It read:
Don’t back out now Filthy. To do so the consequences would be quite severe for your little filly.
~Your new friends
“It’s not very specific…” Fluttershy said quietly to her partner.
Rainbow jerked her head in agreement. “So who are these ‘friends’ of yours? Know where they like to hang out?”
Filthy hesitated a moment before speaking, “They are in the… shipping… business. They were looking for an importer who could bring in their goods under the radar. They seemed particularly keen to avoid Equestrian customs agents as well as Fillydelpia’s finest. I didn’t ask them anything else, you see, the less I know in this business the better. Unfortunately the relationship soon soured, they were foolishly unwilling to pay the fee we had first agreed upon, and I attempted to sever out relationship, but… it seems they were not so keen on us going our separate ways…” He coughed in an attempt to play off his discomfort. “The place we met was a warehouse, down by the docks, just off 35th street. They had a number of their people there. It’s most likely where they took her…”
“Let’s talk turkey here, Mr. Rich. From what you are telling us this sounds like we could find ourselves in either danger or legal trouble. So the question is, what can you do to make it worth out while?”
The stallion pulled a check book from his jacket and quickly scribbled down some numbers before sliding it across the desk to Dash. Rainbows eyes went wide; it had been quite a while since she had seen a check with so many zeros on it.
“That is half what I will pay you, the rest will be given to you upon the safe return of my Diamond.”
Fluttershy sighed and looked over to their new client, “Do you have a picture we could borrow? How old is she?”
Filthy nodded and pulled out a photo that looked as though it had been clipped from a yearbook. “She’s going to hate me when she finds out I cut this out.” He said to himself as he passed the photo to Fluttershy. “She’s seventeen, a junior at Lady Luna Preparatory Academy.” His façade was beginning to crumble. “..She’s getting straight A’s, you know…” He added weakly.
Despite everything else, he was still a father missing his daughter. Fluttershy could never say no to a pony in need, even if that pony was probably a crook.
“We’ll do our best,” She said in her soft soothing voice.
Rainbow, finally finishing her mental celebrations at being handed a check instead of daisies, shot a cocky smirk to Filthy. “You just hired yourself Ragged Wings, and you aren’t gonna regret it. Don’t you worry, Diamond’s as good as found.”
“Thank you both, I… I must get going.” He said rising shakily to his feet. He added a final “Thank you” before leaving, shutting the door behind him.
The two looked at each other, and despite the mild look of anxiety gracing Fluttershy’s, features both peagasi’s eyes danced with excitement.
“We got a case!”
“Celestia’s hot flank! Did you see this check!” Dash said animatedly waving around the piece of paper. “I could put a down payment on a place with this thing this!”
“Wow, that much,” Fluttershy said glancing over at the check with wide eyes.
“Yeah! No more sharing a closet sized bedroom, bet you can’t wait to get my flank outta your mane!” Rainbow said literally hovering with excitement.
Fluttershy however became silent, casting her gaze at anything but Rainbow.
“Hey, Equestria to ‘Shy.” Dash called to her.
“Oh… um, yes, sorry. Yeah, it’s great,” Fluttershy said still looking away. “Yeah, it’ll be great to have my own place again….”
All alone, she added mentally.