In the lounge, the guys were discussing what they’d just found out.
“I don’t believe this… Fancy Pants?!” Soarin was aghast as they sat around the table, trying to understand this totally unforeseen circumstance.
“The board members didn’t lock Blueblood out for personal gain…” Midnight pieced it together as he paced around the table, the guys watching him.
“…they did so because Fancy Pants is blackmailing them with the threat of a smear campaign against New Heights!”
“An’ it sounded like Fancy Pants’ is doin’ it `cuz he thinks Blueblood would do ill against Jet Set,” Big Mac added.
“I still can’t believe it,” Thunderlane debated, “Rarity and Blueblood both spoke highly of Fancy Pants!”
“Well, everypony has their secrets, Thunder…” Midnight answered with narrowed eyes before facing his friends, declaring, “We’ve gotta bring this to Blueblood’s attention!”
“But…” Soarin said hesitantly as he, Thunderlane, and Macintosh shared uncomfortable looks, “Blueblood doesn’t want our help.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Midnight insisted, “Blueblood’s behavior has been lousy, yeah, but he’s still our friend.”
Big Mac nodded, “Midnight’s right, we gotta tell Blue an’ make sure he don’ go an’ do sumthin’ foolish.”
“C’mon, everypony, we’ve got a friend to help!” Midnight galloped out the door, Big Mac, Thunderlane, and Soarin following loyally.
Blueblood gazed up at the house of Number Crunch, thinking, If there is money involved here, you are suspect, Number Crunch…
He started going around the block, intending to sneak through the alleyways. He was so glad he’d taken the precaution of using a glamour to conceal his identity, and thankful his aunt had taken such an interest in his education back when he was an awkward colt studying in the School for Gifted Unicorns.
At the moment, Blueblood had changed his appearance to that of pale blue pegasus with a cloud white mane, and a cloud for a cutie-mark, and looked rather plain compared to the neighborhood and the passerby. The only thing mildly eye-catching about his disguise was the saddlebag he wore.
Making his way around the streets, he stood at the wall barring the public from Number Crunch’s backyard, and after making sure nopony was looking, Blueblood peered over the wall. Number Crunch was the head accountant of New Heights and due to his talent in number crunching and managing finances he made himself a comfortable living. Number’s house was no mansion but it was certainly impressive enough for a middle-upper class business pony. The backyard was grassy with some toys lying about, no doubt belonging to Number’s two foals. Seeing as nopony was in the backyard, Blueblood prepared to heave himself over when he felt an aura envelop him and lift him away, causing him to startle, “What the Haydes?!”
He was pulled into a nearby alley and found himself facing a few ponies hidden in the shadows.
“Do you know who I am?!” Blueblood yelled before dispelling his glamour, “I’m Prince Blueblood! I will not be bullied by any thugs working for my backstabbing-”
“Blue, will you calm down?!”
“Midnight…?!” Blueblood lit up his horn and for a moment smiled to see his friends before remembering what had happened earlier at the company, that he faced away from them.
“What are you all doing here…?”
“First off, preventing you from committing a real crime and getting into trouble,” Soarin said while holding up a primary feather before adding a second, “and second? We’re here to tell you that your board members were blackmailed, not bribed!”
“Blackmailed?!” Blueblood echoed while giving Soarin a confused look, “By whom?”
“…Fancy Pants,” Midnight answered hesitantly. “After our… disagreement with you at the company, we were gonna grab some breakfast at this café when we noticed your board members were there!”
“We overheard them talking with Fancy Pants!” Thunderlane added, “Fancy blackmailed them with a smear campaign against New Heights unless they prevented the merger between your company and Jet Set’s Get Set Aeronautics!”
“But… but why?!” Blueblood was shocked to say the least. Sure he and Fancy had had their petty disagreements now and then and maybe something of a small rivalry but it had never been so bad as to warrant something like this!
When he thought about it however he realized Fancy had the power to make good on his threat – Fancy Pants was the owner and editor-in-chief of the Canterlot Gazette, the premier newspaper in Canterlot. And due to the love of gossip amongst the Canterlot Elite, a smear campaign would definitely bring no small amount of harm upon the reputation of New Heights.
“What does Fancy Pants have to gain from preventing the merge between my company and Jet Set’s?!”
“Seems yer prince persona worked a lil’ too well,” Big Mac answered. “Fancy reckons associatin’ wit’ you an’ yer company would ruin Jet Set who he considers his friend.”
“I MADE UP THAT WRETCHED PERSONA TO GET HARLOTS OFF MY BACK!!” Blueblood yelled angrily. “Gem-diggers looking to marry into wealth, delusional fillies looking for some fairytale prince, whorses wanting a prince for a boyfriend!”
“Blueblood, calm down!” Midnight waved a wing to blow off Blueblood, “Now that you know the truth, just talk with Fancy Pants and-”
“Oh-ho-ho, I’m going to talk with Fancy Pants all right,” Blueblood interrupted with a look that would’ve made even Nightmare Moon flinch, “and I’m going to use every ounce of my power, royal, business, political, to DESTROY everything he has!!”
Before they could say or do something to dissuade him, Blueblood knocked them aside and sprinted out of the alley.
The guys got back to their hooves before a set of determination set over them. Fancy might be orchestrating something very bad here, but Blueblood destroying his life in retribution was wrong. They needed to catch their friend and talk some sense into him now before he did something he would regret. With a look between each other, the guys took off in pursuit.
Blueblood weaved passed pedestrians, not caring that he was making a scene. Fancy Pants had stepped over a line, and Blueblood was going to make him pay!
He skidded around a corner to finally see it, the Gazette. The building was only three-stories tall, though it was rather wide and certainly well-kept. All in all it was a rather quiet and timid looking building compared to the luxuriousness of Canterlot, but it was certainly important. Canterlot was a city that thrived on news and gossip, with trends and decisions changing constantly with each new tale that spread. The elite were a very easily persuaded lot and if something showed up in the paper, well every mare, stallion and their dog would be eating it up and trying to find a way to use it to their advantage. In that respect, the Gazette was likely one of the most important businesses in Canterlot, and certainly not an entity one wanted to make enemies with. Up until now, Blueblood had always considered Fancy Pants the best sort of Canterlot resident. He might have been pompous, braggy and smug but even he acted with benevolence towards others, and he was certainly fair and decent and would never use his paper as a weapon.
Until now.
Blueblood could hear his friends behind him, calling out to make him stop. He was just lucky that all the pedestrians and tight corners around Canterlot had stopped Soarin from swooping down and grabbing him. But right now, not even his friends could stop him. Fancy Pants had threatened his board, his company and HIS very reputation! Fancy might have been one of the most influential business ponies in Canterlot, but nothing would stop Blueblood from kicking down in his door, explaining in no uncertain terms how far he would shove his hoof up Fancy's noble behind, and promptly use every scrap of power he held to destroy the Gazette and Fancy Pants’ career!
As Blueblood cleared through the last lot of pedestrians, his slammed open the Gazette doors and stomped through the lobby to the receptionist’s desk. The pretty young mare behind the desk seemed confused and even a little frightened at his loud entry, but she managed to put a false smile on her face none the less.
"Hello and welcome to the Gazette, sir. How can I help..." her friendly greeting was cut off as Blueblood smacked his hoof on her desk letting a loud clap echo around the lobby.
"I want to see Mr. Fancy Pants immediately! I don't care if he's in a meeting, eating his breakfast, or just staring out a window! YOU WILL FIND HIM AND GET HIM TO SEE ME IMMEDIATELY!"
Terrified by his tone, the little mare scampered off to find Fancy Pants as fast as she could. Seconds after she had darted out of the room, Midnight and the rest of the boys burst into the lobby, panting in exhaustion, but moving forward determined regardless.
Blueblood turned to them to tell them to save their breath. That nothing they could say would stop him from destroying Fancy Pants and his precious Gazette. The words were just about to leave his tongue when something caught his eye.
A photo was hanging just next to the door way. Several littered the walls, all showing different accomplishments of the Gazette or Fancy himself. But the picture next to the door was different. A familiar face stared out of it at him, her snow white fur looking as beautiful and well-kept as ever. Her mane luscious and vibrant, coiled to perfection. Her sparkling eyes, more pure and precious then any sapphire, and her smile that just lit up life like nothing else.
Hanging on the wall was a photo of Rarity standing next to Fancy and himself at the garden party they had attended at Twilight's birthday party. A little article was under the image, talking about the success of the party and how Fancy had hired on Rarity for several clothing designs for his wife, Fleur Dis Lee. But the contents of the article didn't mean anything to him right then. just his precious Rarity.
Oh how I miss her. I wish I was with her instead of dealing with all of this mess. I can't imagine what she would think of Fancy Pants now. She'd be disgusted with his behavior, thinking him an uncouth ruffian...
Blueblood's trail of thought suddenly stopped dead. Rarity would definitely think all of those things about Fancy. She would be absolutely appalled that he would blackmail another company and try to destroy another stallion's reputation. Even to help a friend, his actions would be considered deplorable. And yet, what was he doing right this second? Here he was, kicking in doors and threatening staff, all so he could destroy a company and wreck another stallion’s reputation. How was he any better than Fancy? Hay, how was he any better that his disgusting persona, if this was how he was going to act. Rarity would be ashamed of him.
Worse still, as these thoughts came to Blueblood, he saw that his friends had reached him, determination in their eyes and a burning desire to help, not just protect Fancy, but to save him from himself.
If Rarity thought he was horrible for what he was preparing to do to Fancy, she would be even more horrified by his treatment of his friends. He had been rude, arrogant, spiteful, and had screamed in their faces since this entire thing started. Yet they had stuck with him. Even after his behavior at New Heights, they had still come to tell him what had happened to the board and Fancy's involvement. They hadn't let him down no matter what.
What am I doing?!
"Blueblood you need to stop, you're making a mistake! Hurting Fancy isn't going to do..." Midnight's speech was cut off as Blueblood flung his hooves around him in a deep hug.
"I know. I know hurting Fancy won't do anything. I was just so angry about everything that I let it warp me. Turn me into something I'm not. Something I hate. Worse, it made me turn on all of you when you were just trying to help. I am so sorry my friends. please forgive my disgusting behavior."
They were all a little shocked, but a sigh of relief flowed through them all as they huddled around Blueblood to join the hug.
"Course we do Blue."
"S'long as you're truly sorry, we'll always forgive."
"Yeah buddy, we'll always have your back."
"We're just so glad you came to your senses."
The hug lasted for a moment, before the sound of nervous hoofsteps entered the lobby. The receptionist trotted back in to view, still shaken and even a little teary eyed as she turned to Blueblood.
"F-Fancy Pants w-will s-s-see you now." she stuttered, hoping she could trot away as fast as she could.
Seeing how badly he had scared her made a new wave of guilt crash over Blueblood. With his head bowed and his ears flopped down, he turned to the mare, "Madam, I am very sorry for frightening you. I have just had a really bad day and I was under a lot of stress, but that is no reason to shout. I sincerely apologize for my behavior and I hope you can forgive me."
The mare seemed a little shocked, but after a moment, a small smile crossed her muzzle and she gave a nod to show her acceptance. Satisfied he had righted his wrong towards this young mare, Blueblood let out a relieved breath, then steeled himself. He might be thinking clearly again, but that hadn't solved anything. He still needed to talk to Fancy Pants.
Only this time he was going to do it right.
Blueblood pushed open the door entered strode forward, a quiet determination about him. Behind him, his friends were there and ready to have his back, as they always would. Hearing the door open, Fancy Pants looked up from the papers on his desk to the entourage that had entered. He looked them over for a second, before a derogatory snort escaped his muzzle.
"So I see you have discovered my involvement in recent matters. I had hoped that your board would hold good to their word, but perhaps they follow your example too strongly to hold any strength to their words. So, Prince Blueblood, how is this conversation going to go down?"
Blueblood said nothing for a moment, thoughts flitting through his mind. Eventually, he found the words he needed and looked Fancy Pants straight in the eyes.
"Fancy Pants, I have become aware of your plot to blackmail my company to prevent the merger with Jet Set's company, and to lock me out of any executive decisions within. Your actions, as I have heard, were to try and protect your friend from hurting himself and his company by allying with me, but that does not change the criminality of them. You, one of Canterlot's most highly respected and kindhearted nobles, has actively used his influence to pressure a company out of a highly profitable venture, and in doing so actually put his friend in even greater jeopardy than had he allied with me. The rejection from my company would reignite the rivalry between us to massive heights and end up crippling both of our companies in the long run. You are cultured and intelligent, but you know nothing of the nuances of how two engineering companies work, and your shortsightedness has potentially caused far more damage than anything I could have done. Miss Rarity would be ashamed of your actions here, Sir Fancy Pants, and you are well aware of it. So I want to hear from your own mouth, your precise reasoning of why these actions were acceptable."
Fancy Pants actually seemed a little shocked and confused. Evidently, he truly hadn't known how his actions could have had worse effects on Jet Set's company then the merger, and Blueblood's calm and rational words had thrown him off somewhat. He had clearly been expecting a raging uncouth beast, with no decorum or sense of propriety.
"Prince Blueblood, I will admit my knowledge of the business practices and procedures of an engineering company are well outside my level of understanding. However I acted to protect my friends. Perhaps it wasn't the best way in doing so, but the instant I heard of this merger, I refused to stand by and let Jet Set ruin himself by allying himself with a brute like you. I will be blunt with you, Blueblood,” Fancy answered as though he were talking down a rebellious teenager.
“You are an arrogant, chauvinistic, disgusting excuse for a pony, and that somepony like yourself was ever granted a royal title and placed in charge of running a company is completely disgraceful. I have seen you talking down to others and acting as though Equestria revolves around you. Allowing Jet Set to merge his company with you would allow you control over his company, and the risk of you causing damage to him or his company was too great a risk. My methods were deceitful and horrid and I feel like dirt just having to lower myself enough to do them, but I do not regret them either, as they may help my friend, and nothing is more important to me in all this than that."
Blueblood's friends looked angered by Fancy Pants’ insolence, but Blueblood's expression did not change, nor did he give any immediate response. Fancy Pants’ was even further confused by this. Up to this point, unless they were in a highly gathered social setting, Blueblood would be off his head, spouting about how above everypony he was due to his royalty, and that Fancy Pants would regret ever crossing somepony of his reputation.
Eventually, Blueblood spoke.
"Fancy Pants, up to now, precisely how long have we ever held a conversation?"
Fancy Pants was taken aback. It just seemed so irrelevant to the current situation. Still, he had been asked a question, and he was nothing if not polite.
"I believe this may be the longest we have held, at least with any true meaning behind it. Previous conversations with you have generally been very socially orientated and without any lack of depth behind them. I am curious though why you would bring up such a point during a matter as serious as this?"
"And up to now, how much have you ever actually learned about me? I don't mean the basic common knowledge, like my royal status or information about my company. How much do you actually know about me that you haven't just heard over the constant babble of the nobles, or from the brief conversations we have had in the past?"
Again the question seemed irrelevant, and yet it did make Fancy Pants curious. In fact up to now, he truly didn't know anything about Blueblood on a personal level. He knew his attitude, he knew his status and he knew his company. But besides those things, really knew very little about Blueblood.
"I'm afraid I know very little."
"So then, admitting that you know very little about me, and having never conversed with me for very long, precisely what justification do you have for threatening my company over justifications of my behavior, when by your own admission, you don't know my behavior or motivations? When you hardly know me at all?”"
That stopped Fancy Pants cold. Blueblood had just managed to turn the tables on him completely, and he had done so with logic and calm rationale instead of power or threats.
Seeing he had Fancy shocked into silence, Blueblood continued, "You have gone out of your way over the years to try and ensure you always presented yourself in a better image then myself, always holding a smug satisfaction that you were in fact better than the dreadful and arrogant Prince Blueblood. Yet, you are the one who has arrogantly decided he knows all there is to me and justifies how I act in some circumstances, as a full and total description of my character. Further you have gone out of your way to bully my board in submission, over an issue you knew nothing about solely because you knew better than anypony else, even Jet Set, about who I am. Well let me tell you something Sir Fancy Pants..."
Blueblood marched right up to the stunned noble until his now glaring face took up his whole vision.
"HOW DARE YOU! How dare you try to hold moral authority over me, when you are prepared to act in ways even my horrid persona would not. I have acted rude uncouth and chauvinistic over the years, but when have I ever resorted to threats and blackmail! Furthermore Sir Fancy Pants, the bastard Prince that you hate so much is not even real! Had you taken even a fraction of a second to look at my character beyond the vaguest of glances, you would see that my rude, uncouth and chauvinistic behavior is an act! I have swarmed for years by gold digging nobles, all looking to exploit my position to enhance their lives, showing no true love or affection for me. I act as the horrid Prince Blueblood, because it drives these harlots away! Every respectable business pony in Canterlot is aware it is an act to fool those who are too shallow or ignorant to look any further than the surface. Jet Set has been my rival for years not because he hates my character, but because our businesses produce works in the same industry causing competition! How dare you accuse me of such bad behavior as to risk Jet Set and my own company, when you are so shallow you couldn't even look passed my persona to see me for the stallion I truly am!?"
Blueblood took a moment from his rant to catch his breath, watching as the shell shocked Fancy Pants took in his words. Fancy may have been a respected and dignified noble, but he hadn't ever bothered to give more than a glance into Blueblood's character, and because of his shallow shortsightedness, he had put both his friend and two companies in a seriously bad position.
As Fancy contemplated his choices, Blueblood gave a glance at his friends. They all gave looks of support and strength, like the true friends they were. Blueblood took comfort in them. That they had so readily and so easily seen past the persona to whom he was inside and welcomed him to their friendship with open hooves. Their friendship gave him the strength to continue.
"Fancy Pants, I am by no means a perfect pony. I have displayed acts of arrogance and rudeness. I have ordered others around using my royal position as justification and I have used my power irresponsibly. Over the last night since I arrived in Canterlot, I have been rude and short tempered with my friends I was fully prepared to break the law to ensure I could win back my company. I am far, far from perfect. But Fancy Pants..." Blueblood looked up to make sure Fancy could see his eyes and the sincerity they held.
"I promise you, I try. I will always try to do the best I can and be a true noble. I cannot guarantee I won't make mistakes, but I will always do my best to make up for them and improve myself because of them. I have given you a bad impression of myself, and while this could have been resolved from you seeking me out, I certainly made no effort to change my appearance or convince others I was more than my persona. So for that Fancy Pants I honestly and sincerely apologize. Please don't hurt my company or Jet Set's due to a grudge with me. Jet Set is no fool, and if he truly did not believe this merger would work, he would never have agreed to it. I promise you, I have no intentions of hurting Jet Set or his company. I want only to put an end to a long time rivalry and help both of our companies flourish. Please Fancy, call off the blackmail."
Fancy Pants stood still, his mouth gaping and his mind racing. Blueblood stood before him now, he head held low and his posture submissive. But the most important detail was his eyes and the burning sincerity they held, that everything he had said was the truth and that his promise would be held. Fancy felt awful over how badly he had judged this stallion, and just how petty and pathetic he had been to threaten his entire company over his bad opinion.
He knew what he had to do.
"Blueblood, I wholly accept you apology, and I fully express my own. I am so sorry, for my actions and how blind and petty they were. I felt my friend was in trouble, but I acted not to help him or try to see why he was so willing to do business with you, but to instead destroy another stallion and the company he had worked hard at building. I have severely misjudged you my good stallion, and it is something I wish to correct immediately. Please accompany me and we will proceed to your company post haste and end my threats to your board before the cancellation of this merger takes place."
With a smile and a nod, the two stallions, long-time rivals stood side by side as they left the room, to end a wrong they had both created.
Days later, the merger went through without a hitch, and the Canterlot Gazette featured an article of Fancy Pants admitting his trespasses and issuing a public apology, to Blueblood, to Jet Set, and all the employees whose jobs he had foolishly disregarded and threatened. The Canterlot Elite would be abuzz of this revelation for years to come but Fancy would have it no other way. It would be a perfect way to remind him of his own follies and strive to make up for them and not fall back to them.
Blueblood and Jet Set held a banquet together in Canterlot Castle with all the employees of their combined company invited, along with Blueblood’s friends, and held a toast to a prosperous partnership.
But soon it was time.
Blueblood had confirmed the arrangement and was cleaning out his office to make room for its new occupant. Levitating the boxes containing his things, he regarded the empty office with a confusion of feelings that took him by surprise.
“Feels surreal, does it not?”
Blueblood looked down the hall to see Jet set approaching with a box of his own belongings, “Clearing out my new office, partner?”
“Well, I won’t deny I never thought this office would belong to anypony besides my father, me, or perhaps my eventual successor,” chuckled Blueblood as he set his things down and held out his hoof.
Jet Set smiled as he grasped his former rival in a firm and friendly hoofshake.
“Are you sure about this, Sire? I don’t mind setting up an office elsewhere in the building, and I don’t really see why you wish to personally head a company-branch in Ponyville, of all places.”
“Tell me, Jet, who is the most important pony in your life?” Blueblood inquired.
“My wife, Upper Crust,” Jet Set answered with a curious raise of his brow.
“Well, there you go,” Blueblood replied. “Ponyville might not be glamorous and all as Canterlot, but… It’s my home, it’s where I’ve truly felt home in all my life since my parents' passing, and it’s the home of the pony who I hope will become my wife.”
“Well, how can I not respect that?” Jet Set smiled reverently before saying, “Come, the staff wants to see you off in the lobby.”
Jet Set left his box next to the office doorway and led Blueblood to the lobby where all the staff, including the board and Blueblood’s friends gazed up at the prince with glasses held high and a banner unfurled, glorifying Blueblood’s cutie-mark.
Then, to Blueblood’s goodnatured embarrassment, they all broke out singing, ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow’ that it made him laugh and raise his hooves as the song came to a close.
“Thank you, thank you all for this humbling gesture, everypony. This past week has been quite an ordeal, I must say. What started off as a tangled web of lies and blackmail has insured the promise of what can only result as a long and prosperous revolution for the airship industry!”
The ponies all cheered but died down when Blueblood raised his hooves again.
“However, this venture has left an impression on me. It has reminded me of a great many lessons I learned after relocating to Ponyville, lessons imparted to me by my friends who I am truly lucky to have at my side and grateful for being true to them even when I was not. As a good friend of mine would agree, honesty is always the best policy, and you should never let something cause you to act as something you are not, to take pride in who you are, and to always do the right thing, and for the right reasons.”
Another applause broke out but slower this time as everypony was impressed by Blueblood’s enlightening words when Blueblood felt a tingling in his horn and sensed something coming from his box of belongings. Not a moment after his eyes fell upon the box did a gold and blue light flare from within and everypony watched in as the flare became a pillar of light that quickly dimmed to a sparkle that floated in front of Blueblood and he recognized it as his Elemental jewel.
Having heard of what happened with Big Mac, Blueblood understood and reached up to touch it, and the moment his hoof made contact the jewel flared a blinding light of gold, white, and blue!
Blueblood felt something envelop him, particularly around his barrel, chest, his hooves, and finally what felt like a helmet on his head.
The light dimmed and everypony gasped!
Blueblood was now clad in his own Harmonic Armor, colored primarily gold with white and blue accents, with the piece below his neck glorifying his compass rose cutie-mark, and his helm sported a plume matching the gold of his own mane!
The Elemental jewel still floated in front of him and Blueblood let it float down into his hoof and with it a realization.
“Blueblood, whatever is going on?” asked Jet Set who still stood behind him.
Blueblood looked at him and then at everypony in the lobby before chuckling as he removed his helmet and raised the jewel above as he proudly declared, “It is the Element of Sincerity!!”
One train-ride later, Blueblood and the guys followed Midnight to the Tree of Harmony where Blueblood added his Element and once it inserted itself into the mysterious chest, it shined a light as it then appeared as the compass rose of Blueblood’s cutie-mark, the golden four-pointed symbol while the additional blue points appeared on the panel surrounding it.
Blueblood faced his friends, all of them feeling proud as the prince stated, “Three more to go!”
“You and me, Thunder!” Soarin said with a cocky smile to his fellow pegasus.
“But we still don’t know where the last one is and who has it!” reminded Thunderlane.
“Well, it’s as Princess Celestia said,” Midnight shrugged, “we’ll just have to have faith the last new Element of Harmony and the one destined for it will be revealed in time.”