//------------------------------//
// 44 Moonie's Booming Business 
// Story: Moonie shorts [Filly Nightmare Moon] 
// by Eighth 
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	Worn out from playing with the tiny terror and eager to catch your breath, you fall onto the couch with your arms behind your head.
"Anon?"
"Lounge."
Moonie leaps up onto the head of the couch and flashes you a very tooth grin.
"Come on. Let's play."
"I need a break for now. After."
"You're no fun."
"And don't you forget it," you reply as you teasingly pretend to push her off the couch.
She leaps down beside you. The couch is a little springy so there's a small bounce along with a squeal of glee as she flies through the air.
"Hey, if I started a business, could I keep all the profits?"
"A business in what?"
"I don't know... lemonade?"
"Actual lemonade? No poison, mind control serum or something like that?"
"What kind of villain do you take me for? Using cheap tricks like that, honestly."
Using her forehooves, she puts a little pressure on your gut to further drive home that she isn't pleased with your remark.
"I very clearly recall you handing out exploding cupcakes."
"How is that a cheap trick? Just because you had to clean it. Anyway, could I?"
"As long as you've paid your employees, all your resources and stuff, then sure. I guess."
"Excellent! Can you bring me one of those forms that I need to register my business after work tomorrow? Oh, and I need to borrow some bits to start it all up. Think of it as an investment."
"I thought you hadn't decided on what you'll be doing yet."
"That's what I'm going to do now," she replies as she leaps off the couch and darts into her room.
Even through the wall, you can hear her excitedly chatting away with Sir Bearington about all the money they're going to make. You smile at how cute the silly little filly is being as you grab a nearby book to relax with for the next while.

A few days later Moonie hands in the form for her business, still refusing to reveal what she'll be doing, and now has her stall all set up. You figured you'd humour the idea and you'd also be giving her something constructive to do by handing her the bits to start up. Work keeps you so busy for the first day that you had to skip lunch. By the time you made it down to the town square, Moonie has packed up.
"How was the first day?"
She lobs a small sack at you. You catch it and give it a little shake. Bits.
"Plus interest," she answers as she uses her magic to fold the stall into a wagon.
"You didn't really need to pay me back you know. Here, let me get that."
You grip the handle of the wagon and wheel it back to the house.
"This is a legitimate business here. I can't go screwing over my investors."
Honestly there is a part of you that wonders about that. This is Moonie you're talking about. There has never been a more mischievous mare than Moonie.
"Are you able to afford paying me back right away?"
"Of course. I sold out."
"On the first day? Wow... Impressive... Sold out of what though?"
"You'll have to stop by tomorrow," she replies with a grin.
And with that, you decide to wait patiently for tomorrow.

This lunch break, you've actually got the time to stop by Moonie's stall. Thankfully. As you head into the town square, you're greeted by one VERY long line. You walk around to the side of it to get a good look at just how many ponies are waiting, and for what. It takes only a quick glance to see there's more than you're willing to bother counting and they're all lined up for Moonie's stall.
You can't help but feel a large sense of pride for her. Whatever she's doing, it's going great. Hopefully it's both legally and morally okay.
"Hey," and bored Applejack calls from your side, startling you slightly.
"Hey. How's things?"
"Slow actually. Your little menace has everyone's attention."
"Menace?"
"I mean it as a joke. Even I'm proud of her accomplishment. As long as it's nothing shady."
AJ gets back behind her stall and leans on it while she eyes the line. Boredom is clearly written into every inch of her face. You'd stay and keep her entertained but your lunch breaks aren't that long.
"What's she even selling?"
"Lemonade. It's the talk of the town, as you can see."
"Yeah... I was hoping to check it out and buy something but I'm on break."
"I've got Applebloom in line to get a small barrel so we can all try it. I'll save you some."
"Thanks. I guess I'll go grab something at Sugarcube Corner then."
"Later."
"Take care, AJ."

When work is over, you head to the square once again to escort Moonie home.
"I did even better today," she beams with excitement while she shakes a very large sack of bits.
"I'm proud of you. You've been doing really well."
"Yeah, I think it's time to close up shop," she replies in a very nonchalant tone.
"After two days?" You ask in disbelief.
"Yeah, well, think about it. If I keep going, folks might tire of the lemonade. So I'll close up shop and reopen in a few months, this way it'll seem rare. People will fondly look back on now and want more. Plus, next time I'll have stock prepared so I can make an even bigger killing before I rinse and repeat."
"Not bad I 'spose."
"Applejack does the same thing with Cider after all. Besides, it's all a lot of work to do on my own. "
"If you're so confident you'll do well, hire help."
"And make less bits?"
You chuckle a little at her. You're not surprised by her reaction in the slightest.
"So, how would you like to make an investment once again when I start selling the lemonade again?"
"Count me in. We'll need to have a talk about how much of a return I'll be getting though."
"Greedy."
"Heh, anyway, what's the plan for all your money?"
"I dunno... We'll see."

A few days later, when it's your day, you decided to get a bit of a sleep in. You even asked Moonie to not wake you, which she seemed to be fine with. Part of you worried she was only pretending to agree, just so she could wake you up by diving into your gut while you're at ease. She's exactly the type to keep her fingers crossed during every deal and promise. That is if she had fingers. It's midday and you're woken by the sounds of squealing.  You're still very much groggy, your head has a thump echoing through it while every movement washes you with a dizzy disorientation as you try to remain awake. 
"Wonderful," you say aloud to yourself in a very raspy croak.
You lick and smack your lips to end that crackly and dry feeling. Then you stand up and walk into the kitchen where the squealing gets louder. Judging from the sounds of it, it's Moonie and some friends in the backyard. Actually, it sounds more like screaming now that you think about it. This lights up all kinds of alerts as you open the kitchen window to look at what's happening. Now sitting in your backyard is an oaken wood catapult which is loaded and ready to launch a sobbing little filly to its target.
"MOONIE," you bark, startling both her and Diamond Tiara.
Moonie was all ready to hit the launch lever had you not shocked her just now.
"SHE LAUNCHED SIR BEARINGTON," Moonie instantly replies defensively.
"I don't care. Let her go, right now."
"BUT--"
"NOW! Or so help me, I will use that to launch your ass back to that moon."
"FINE! You're no fun."
"And don't you forget it!"
"Get down Silver Spoon."
"That's her name, I always forget," you think to yourself.
Moonie gives the filly a nod, signalling it's safe to get off. The poor girl repeats thank you over and over while she shakes in fear but at least the tears have stopped.
"You two. Home. Now. And I'll be having words with your father about this Diamond Tiara."
With that, they take off. Leaving Moonie alone in the backyard.
"Inside. Now. Because I am not putting on pants to go out there," you tell her, muttering the last part so she can't hear.

Once she's inside you set to lecturing her. As you go on about the safety and finding out who the jerk was that sold her a catapult, you realise that she was just launching junk. Which was when that raggedy bear got put on the catapult by accident. So now you head off in the direction Moonie was loosing everything. 

It's not a long walk, Sweet Apple Acres isn't too far away. Everything she fired is in a small area. But some is in the trees or on the ground.
"I was wondering when you'd show up," Applejack calls out as she pulls an empty cart.
"Don't worry, Moonie was just about to clean all this up."
Moonie opens her mouth to protest but a quick glare puts a sudden end to that.
"You can use this Moonie. Now, how about that lemonade I promised you?"
"Lead the way," you reply before following closely behind AJ up to the barn.

From the veranda you can still see Moonie, so you figure you'd kick back with AJ up here while Moonie cleans up. You take a sip of the cool, refreshing beverage. Honestly, this might just be the best lemonade you've ever had. Granted the only lemonade you've ever really had was mass produced, full to the brim with sugar and over carbonated. You have no idea when Moonie learnt this or who from, but it's very clear from past experiences that the only thing consumable she can make is this. Well, she can make other things but as far as you've heard, the town hasn't been stuck on the toilet for the past few days from this.
"Good, isn't it?"
"Yeah," you answer, almost in shock.
It was clear that her lemonade was good, but you weren't expecting this.
"I might try and get the recipe off her."
"I doubt she will. After all the cash she has made, she wants to sell it like you do your cider."
"Heh. As long as lemonade and cider season don't collide, I'm okay with that."
The two of you then quietly enjoy your lemonade while you watch Moonie struggle with cleaning up. The rope that's attached to a tyre has wrapped around the branches of a tree. You can hear her yelling as she struggles with the tangle all the way across the farm. It does take her a while, but once she's done, you head home with her.

AJ offers to take that stuff to the dump for you, it was all rubbish awayway so you accept her offer.
While you and Moonie are walking side by side, you break the silence.
"By the way... You're also grounded for a month for that."
"WHAT?! That's not fair."
"You're right, I'm being much too nice about this considering you nearly launched a filly into Sweet Apple Acres."
"One month?"
"One month," you repeat.
You can hear her groaning under her breath the rest of the way home which brings a smile to your face. 

The little brat.