//------------------------------//
// Troublemaker Roundup 
// Story: The Price of Cider 
// by StormLuna 
//------------------------------//

That afternoon up in Vanhoover Flim and Flam had just got back from a vacation in The Equine Empire.  There were several newspapers laying at their door.  They took them in with them and on the front page of one of the papers it mentioned the collapse of cider prices and the failure of a couple juice bottling companies.  Flam said, "Wow brother, this worked out even better than we could have ever imagined.  Sweet Apple Acres will go under for sure now and they will have to sell to us!"

Flim added, "This is going to be perfect!  We can use the money we make from our strawberry fields down in Stallifornia to buy Sweet Apple Acres.  Revenge is sweet!"

Flam replied, "Even better, strawberry prices have increased by 40% since the cider crash.  How sweet victory is!"

Flim and Flam decided to go out to supper that night to celebrate their triumph in destroying the cider industry.  They had no clue that their happiness would soon become a nightmare.

In Ponyville Luna headed into Barnyard Bargains where she was greeted by Filthy.  Filthy asked, "Welcome to Barnyard Bargains your Majesty.  So what brings you in today?"

Luna glared at him and replied, "Lock up the store for a while.  I need to speak to you in your office now."

Filthy asked, "Well couldn't my daughter watch things out here for a while?"

Luna growled, "No.  I need her back there as well.  Find her and bring her back.  This involves BOTH OF YOU!"

Filthy ran to the house and got Diamond Tiara.  She was whining, "But daddy, I wanted to play in the pool."

Filthy replied, "Diamond Tiara, first you are grounded so you will not be doing that.  Second, Princess Luna is here and needs to speak with us.  I have a bad feeling about this because she is in a very bad mood."

Filthy led Diamond into the store.  Filthy locked up shop as the three headed to his office.  They sat down and Filthy asked, "So what is it you wish to discuss your Majesty?"

Luna glared at him and replied, "Oh I think you know what this is about.  Don't play stupid with me."

Before Filthy could say anything Diamond Tiara said, "Oh hi your Majesty!  I think you are so totally awesome!  I guess that visit we had from Flim and Flam last year was worth it because we get to talk to the princess!"

Filthy put his hoof up to his face and replied, "I'm sorry your Majesty.  I don't know what she is talking about.  She has a very overactive imagination."

Luna asked, "If that is the case, then why did she bring up two of Equestria's biggest swindlers by name?  I think this is much more than a matter of a child's overactive imagination.  Explain this further Mr. Rich."

Filthy replied, "Well we were visited by them last year.  They wanted me to lie about a shipment of cider but I told them that I would not do that because it was the Apple Family who helped my family open Barnyard Bargains."

Diamond Tiara added, "But remember what you said after that daddy?"

Filthy shouted, "Shut up Diamond Tiara or you will be grounded until you become a full grown mare!"

Luna interrupted, "Let the child speak.  So Diamond Tiara, tell me more about what happened since it is obvious that you know so much."

Diamond Tiara began to speak but her father interrupted, "Look Luna, she will not speak unless she is in a formal court proceeding, got it?"

Luna's eyes began to shine a bright white and using the loudest form of the Royal Canterlot Voice she shouted, "YOU ADDRESS ME AS YOUR MAJESTY FILTHY."  She continued, "You and your daughter are coming up to Canterlot with me, NOW!"

Before either one could say anything Luna picked them up and levitated them all the way to Canterlot.  When they got there Luna was still levitating them and ordered one of her royal guardsponies to put them in a holding cell and to guard them at all costs.

Celestia saw and heard this and shouted, "Luna, you can not just lock ponies up who have not been charged with a crime, especially a school filly!  Guard, release them now."

Luna's eyes began to shine brightly and she shouted, "Look big sister, I am the one who handles affairs such as this.  You are the one who sits up there on your throne and looks pretty while I am the pony who handles legal affairs, got it?"

Celestia sneered, "Ok little sister.  I won't mess with this.  Excuse me while I go back and look pretty on my throne."

Luna asked, "Filthy, where do Flim and Flam live?"

Filthy replied, "They live in Vanhoover.  I don't know what you want with them.  They never did anything to anypony."

Luna shouted, "Yeah right Filthy.  Guards, lock them in the dungeon until the court proceeding.  I have to go and get the other two rats."

Yellow Eyes replied, "Consider it done your Majesty."

Yellow Eyes locked Diamond Tiara and Filthy Rich in the dungeon while Luna sped off to the north towards Vanhoover.  It was almost midnight when she got there.  She was flying around the city and saw Flim and Flam walking home from the cafe.  She swooped down and landed in front of them.  Neither one of them knew who she was.

Flim asked, "Could you get out of our way?  We are trying to make our way home."

Luna shouted, "I am Princess Luna.  You address me as your Majesty."

Flam asked, "Well what are you doing here your Majesty and why did you swoop down right in front of us?"

Luna replied, "That can wait until later."  Luna picked them up and levitated them all the way to Canterlot.  They were shouting and asking where Luna was taking them the whole way there but Luna ignored them.  Finally they got to Canterlot and Luna took them down to the dungeon and put them in a cell herself.

Luna was very tired after this flight and took a short catnap before it was time to lower the moon.  Celestia woke her up and said, "Sister, it is time to lower the moon."

Luna replied, "Ugh, I am so tired.  Ok, I will get up and lower it but just let me rest for a little while afterwards, alright."

Celestia grunted.  She said, "Ok but I do think you need to do something about the four ponies you have locked up as soon as possible."

Luna replied, "Yeah, yeah.  After I get some rest I will go down to Ponyville and get the Apple Family.  I also need to send a letter to Manehattan to notify Juice Bottle that he needs to come here to testify against the defendants."

Luna lowered the moon and then went back to sleep for a couple of hours before she got up to eat some breakfast and head down to Sweet Apple Acres.