//------------------------------//
// Riches 
// Story: Dreams 
// by Vocal 
//------------------------------//

	The sun had begun to sink in the sky, but it was not yet night as Stripes walked the streets of Ponyville. He had a meeting with the mayor he had to attend, and he did not intend to miss it. He stuck to crowded areas where he could blend in with the crowd, but still tried to avoid the Flames. As he approached City Hall, the crowds started to die down. He kept an eye out for anypony who wore a red bandanna on their forelegs, the sign of a Flame Blood. Seeing nopony like that, he slipped in, right through the front door.
City Hall was empty. Brightly lit, but empty. Stripes looked around and, still seeing nopony, he called out “Hello? I’m, uh, here to see the mayor…?” He spoke in a questioning tone, though he spoke with no uncertainty. He strode forward, looking for anypony who might be able to tell him where to find the mayor. He did not hesitate at all; he cantered right on into a room in the back. He had finally found the mayor.
“Oh, you’re here already?” The mayor asked. She looked almost exactly the same as when Stripes saw her last, only this time she wasn’t gagged. “You caught me at an awkward time. I had a meeting in Canterlot earlier today, and I was just changing back into my usual clothes for our meeting.” She noticed the odd look that Stripes was giving her. She understood why, though. She was tangled up in a skirt; her hooves were very nearly tied together, and in addition, she was lying on her back, legs up in the air. She had already gotten her vest off, as evidenced by the fact that there was a second article of clothing tangled in her skirt as well, further binding her front hooves.
“Why didn’t you have somepony help you?” Stripes asked, stepping forward, but not assisting just yet.
“My trip back from Canterlot took longer than expected, and I didn’t want anypony to know I would be meeting with you after all my business had been taken care of,” Said the mayor. “After all, what I do on my time is none of their business.” She wiggled about, but her bindings only tightened. “Well, now that you’re here, help me out of these clothes and then we can begin.”
Stripes stared at the mayor briefly before sighing and saying “You convincing me to take your clothes off better not become a habit with you.” His horn began to glow a soft green glow and the mayor’s clothes, in response, glowed as well. Stripes slowly pulled off the mayor’s clothes. He was not used to the amount of mental exertion needed to simultaneously untangle and remove the mayor’s clothes caused him to start breathing heavily.
Once the mayor was finally disrobed, she stood up. “Why do you look so tired already? A few nights ago you seemed like you could do this three times in a row.” She asked, looking towards Stripes.
Stripes took a moment to catch his breath before saying “I’m not all that good at magic. I just find ways to make it easier on myself. Undressing other ponies isn’t something I usually do, but I do tie ponies up often.”
The mayor looked to Stripes and said “Well, if you’d like some practice, you’re always welcome with me.” She went over to the desk she had laid her collar and ascot on and pulled the collar over the edge, laying it on the back of her neck. “I can always use another assistant.”
“Before you start offering me a position with you, perhaps we should discuss what I came here to discuss.” Stripes said, helping the mayor with her collar and ascot. “However, I would like to know you name. All I know is that you are the mayor of Ponyville.”
“Hmm?” The mayor asked, straightening her glasses. “I thought I told you already. My name is Mayor. Mayor Mare, the mayor of Ponyville.” She spoke with a slightly surprised tone, though it was obvious more ponies than just Stripes had been confused before.
“Oh. So you did tell me.” Stripes said. “Well, you already know me, so let’s just get to exactly what you want me to do”
Mayor Mare smiled. “That’s what I like about you. Straightforward.” She said. “So, you already know I want some of the Diamond Dogs gems, but it’s a special set I want. They’re holding out on me, I just know it. They’ll probably have their special gems somewhere safe. Somewhere hidden, perhaps heavily guarded. You won’t be able to get there alone, but I don’t want anypony else to know about this.”
“Just how am I supposed to get there, then? Snow doesn’t even have a map of the tunnels themselves.” Stripes asked. “It’ll be impossible. I can’t even teleport around the tunnels.”
“You jumped the gun there, Stripes.” Mayor Mare said. “You didn’t let me finish. How rude.” She teased. “I’ll be accompanying you. Of course, I can’t be seen by the rest of your gang, but seeing as how I have a map of the tunnels, evading them should be simple. There are tons of hidden side-tunnels, just for escaping detection.”
“All right then.” Stripes said. “So, what’s in it for me? Few nights ago, you said it’d have a big payoff. You better not have been lying.”
“Oh, It’s going to be a very large payoff indeed.” Mayor Mare said. “Think of it as a get out of jail free card. It’s open to you if you ever get caught by law enforcement. Ponyville, Manehatten, even Canterlot. I’ve got quite a few favors owed to me.” She paused, seeing how Stripes still wasn’t impressed. “In addition, you shall always have a safe haven here in Ponyville. A house of your own and, as long as your crimes don’t interfere with my city, a blind eye to anything you wish to do.” She drew closer to Stripes, walking around him and, whispering into his ear the way he whispered into hers the night they met. “Anything you want, whenever you want.” She rested her hooves on his shoulders, moving her head around to whisper in his other ear. “No expiration date. No legal consequences.”
Stripes smiled at this idea. Mayor Mare was pretty much giving him what he wanted most: the freedom to do whatever he wanted. “I’m in.” He said. “But, if this is what you gave to the Diamond Dogs, then I will have you know, that my home had better be an actual house, not some hole in the ground.”
“I thought you might want to know what house you would be getting, so I took the liberty of… Acquiring the properties around City Hall. You may choose any one of them. You will have the opportunity to see them from the inside… After the job is complete.” Mayor Mare said. “Now, do you know when your gang is going to be delving into the depths of the Diamond Dog’s lair?”
“Actually, We’re going in tonight.” Stripes said. “It was decided by Snow this morning.”
“Tonight? Good. I’m free tonight.” Mayor Mare said. She opened up the drawer of the desk her collar was on and pulled out a map. “This is the map of the tunnels. I’ll be keeping it, but I’m showing it to you so you know to meet me right here.” She pointed to a chamber on the map, near the southern edge of the complex. “It’s a secret room, led to by secret passages. The doors are marked by a cross pattern of purple gems. Press the middle one and the door will open.”
“Won’t the Diamond Dogs be watching secret entrances somehow?” Stripes asked.
“I put these in myself. They don’t even know they’re there.” Mayor Mare responded.
Stripes shrugged a little bit. “Well, all right then.” He said. “I guess all that’s left is to actually get this done.” He seemed to still be a little uneasy about what had to be done. After all, he had to get split from the gang without drawing attention to himself, sneak past Diamond Dogs in their own tunnels, and sneak around with the mayor. Not a simple task.
“Then I shall see you tonight.” Mayor Mare said. As Stripes began to trot out, she called after him. “Remember, nopony must know about us.” Mayor Mare then let Stripes trot out of City Hall. “All right, then. Now, what to do about those dogs… I can’t get rid of them, but I can tell they’re starting to turn against me…” She opened the drawer of the desk once more and looked at what was inside. She smiled slightly as she glanced upon a small, dark, shimmering object.





Stripes began his trot back to the house. The sun had dipped low enough that some stars were already visible in the afternoon sky. It was still some time until sunset, but Stripes wasn’t worried. They wouldn’t be going out until most ponies were asleep. That’s how their gang always worked when they needed to keep a low profile.
He began to think about everything that had to be done. He thought of what he could lose should he not pull this off correctly. But mostly, he thought of all he could gain should everything go according to his plan. His plan and not the mayor’s. “This just keeps getting tougher and tougher…” Stripes mumbled

“…I like it.”