//------------------------------//
// Nightfall 
// Story: Through A Glass Darkly 
// by SpaceCommie 
//------------------------------//

Filthy Rich tapped his desk idly. Of course he wasn't nervous about meeting the Princess for the first time--why would he be? He'd done well, hadn't he? His administration had overseen massive growth in Ponyville's economy: that was something worth applauding, wasn't it? And Princess Luna was a smart mare, surely, smart enough to realiźe how absolutely indispensible he was. Absolutely indispensible. He chuckled softly. Even if his predecessors had occasionally been... removed from power.... by the princess, he had nothing to worry about. Filthy Rich could handle a visiting monarch without too much problem.

The door opened, and he flinched. He stood up suddenly as Nightmare Moon entered the room, flanked by a pair of stern Night Guards. Her eyes turned towards Filthy, and he bowed politely and sat back down.

Nightmare Moon scanned the room, her gaze lingering on the window behind Filthy. He couldn't blame her--it was an impressive view, hundreds of feet above Ponyville, its lights shining below. Just one of the perks of being the most powerful stallion in the region. Still, she took a while. He coughed subtly. "Hello, Your Majesty. Can I help you in any way?" Not bad, Rich, he thought. Not bad at all.

Her eyes locked on him,  and he shuddered. There was a presence behind those reptilian pupils, one that...  it reminded him, before he dismissed the thought as absurd, of a snake just before it strikes its prey. There was that same dreadful, almost contemptuous intensity...

But of course he was imagining things.

"Yes, Governor Rich, I believe you can," she said. There was a pause. Nightmare Moon did not blink, and Filthy decided with the utmost of rational politeness that it would be best to let her explain. The fact that his throat was being very uncooperative as far as making words went also played into it a bit. "I have been told that you have denied Twilight Sparkle, my personal student and representative in Ponyville, resources essential to her completion of the mission I assigned her."



Ah. Only natural that she'd want to take stock of her student's progress. I'm sure she'll be disappointed in Sparkle's lack of finesse when it comes to dealing with me... "I've been very understanding with Miss Sparkle," he said in the voice he usually used to placate his nominal superiors. It was all part of the game, he thought. All part of the game. I act obsequious, they realize they need me far too much to interfere. Simple. "In fact, I granted her a battalion of Night Guard."



"Which, as I understand, has been reassigned," Nightmare Moon said.



"Yes," the governor admitted easily, "it has. Twilight was disrupting a wholly unacceptable amount of legitimate activity in her unhinged sol-hunting."



Those eyes flashed. "There are no unacceptable disruptions when it comes to prosecuting criminals, terrorists, and other threats to our society."



Filthy gestured expansively. "Well, of course, in theory, that's absolutely correct, but working at—well, not 'ground level', but you get what I mean. Things are different here."

Nightmare sighed. "Disloyalty comes in many different... guises." She strode towards the desk, long legs crossing the distance easily. She looked out the window, and continued. "It can come openly, defiantly, as I am sure we are both well aware. But there is also a more... subtle form. It comes quietly, deferentially. It trades in defiance for casual, easy disobedience and doubt. But make no mistake." 

She nodded, glancing back at the Night Guards. They walked to the other side of the desk. One pulled out his pistol, shooting the window out. The wind rushed past, and there was a distant tinkling of glass on concrete as the other black-jacketed pony dragged Filthy out of his chair. He stiffened involuntarily, but didn't say anything. Neither did Nightmare Moon, who regarded Filthy for a moment.



Her mouth opened, and all Filthy noticed were the predatory fangs. "Make no mistake, Filthy Rich. I do not tolerate disloyalty in any form, no matter how quiet and unobtrusive." She gestured impatiently, and the guards dragged him to the edge of the shattered window. "And in case you were wondering, nopony is indispensable."



He fell, and the room was quiet, except for the rushing wind. There was a thump, barely audible. Nightmare Moon turned to leave.