"So," began Rainbow Dash, looking at her competitors. "Are you all ready to watch us get first place?"
"Don't count yer chickens before they hatch," warned Applejack. "Me an' Apple Bloom intend to give you two a run for yer money."
"Speaking of money," said Silver Spoon, "I have just finished distributing bits between all three of your groups."
Rainbow Dash looked behind her and smiled at the small mound of money bags in the wagon that was hitched to Scootaloo and herself.
"Frankly Rainbow," said Rarity, who was also hitched to a wagon of bits alongside her sister, "I wouldn't expect you to win first place at this particular game. You don't have the same, shall we say, business sense that I do."
"There is no game that I can't win," countered Rainbow.
"Hey, Silver Spoon," said Apple Bloom. "Where did all of these bits come from anyway?"
"You mean this?" asked Silver Spoon, indicating a giant pile of coins next to her. "Apparently, when Discord created this world, all of the things that ponies were carrying were also brought into this world, even though their owners were not. You know how we keep finding pony's money pouches all over the place? And on top of that, there is also all the money that we found at all the businesses across the town. All of that money put together creates quite a respectable sum. And now, I'm in charge of it all!"
"Just we've made you banker doesn't mean you get to keep it all for yourself," said Sweetie Belle. "Just make sure that we get our two hundred bits when we finish a lap and you won't hear any objections from me."
"Now then," continued Silver Spoon. "If you are all done antagonizing one another. Featherweight? Rumble? Could you two please inform the judges that we are ready?"
"Sure thing," answered Rumble. He turned to Featherweight, who had a bag slung over his shoulders, just like he did.
"Let's go."
He and Featherweight took off flying toward the hot air balloon currently parked over the town in the sky.
"Everypony is ready!" Rumble informed Twilight.
"Thank you. I guess it's time to start then. Ready Spike?"
"I'm ready!" Spike answered confidently.
"Attention everypony!" boomed Spike's voice across Ponyville. "The game will begin momentarily. However, before we get started, allow us to thank you for agreeing to take part! This wouldn't have been possible without everypony's cooperation!"
"Well said, Spike," said Twilight, keeping her voice from broadcasting through Spike's megaphone.
"Now for the moment we've been waiting for!" continued Spike. "Here goes the first move of the life-sized game of maneopoly!"
Twilight threw a couple of square dice, which wobbled around on the floor of the hot air balloon's basket before coming to rest.
"Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo move to the market stalls!"
Rainbow and Scootaloo stopped in front of the market stalls and saw that Snips was sitting behind one of them.
"Wow, Scoot. I've said it before, but I'll say it again. You really did a number on this place."
"Is that a complement?" asked Scootaloo uncertainly.
"I'm not sure," said Rainbow. "I mean, look around. This place is kind of a dump now."
"So," asked Rainbow Dash of Snips. "How much?"
"Sixty bits!" answered Snips.
"You see what your tree sap machine has done to this place?" said Rainbow to Scootaloo jokingly. "All of the property values have plummeted."
"Which means we can afford it easily," pointed out Scootaloo.
"Cool. So, we're buying this, right?"
"Of course we are," answered Scootaloo.
A few moments later, the transaction was complete. Rumble and Featherweight flew down to Snips and collected the bits, then flew away again to return them to the 'bank'.
"Wave the flag, Scoot," instructed Rainbow.
"Twilight," said Fluttershy while looking over the edge of the balloon's basket. "I think Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo are done with their turn."
"Alright, now its Applejack and Apple Bloom's turn."
Twilight tossed the dice.
"Applejack and Apple Bloom move to Quills and Sofas!" announced Spike. "Or, as it has come to be known ever since the incident with Thesaurus, Feathers along with Loungers."
"This is the most unusual board game I have ever been a part of," declared Twilight. "And I use the term 'board game' very loosely."
"It's exciting though, isn't it?" asked Spike. "I wonder where Rarity will go?"
"Well, it is her turn next, so we will find out in a moment."
"I hope she wins!"
"Why?"
"Uh, no particular reason!"
"I'm cheering for Rainbow Dash," said Fluttershy.
"Hmm. I guess I should be rooting for Applejack and Apple Bloom then," said Twilight.
"They just waved their flag, Twilight," said Fluttershy.
"That means it's Rarity and Sweetie Belle's turn," said Twilight, tossing the dice once again.
"Rarity and Sweetie Belle move to the Railroad Station!"
Several turns later:
"Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo move to Carousel Boutique!"
"Yes!" cried Rainbow Dash as she pumped a hoof into the air. "Did you hear that Scoot? I told you we're going to win this!"
"We are?" asked Scootlaloo.
"This is the last property before we pass Silver Spoon again," explained Rainbow. "That makes it the biggest money maker. I know it doesn't make much sense. It's a cloths shop, it's really not that great. But the rules say that this is the best place on the board."
"And the most expensive," declared Diamond Tiara.
"Diamond?" said Scootaloo in surprise. "You're in charge of Carousel Boutique?"
"Well, Rarity can hardly do it when she's a competitor," pointed out Diamond Tiara.
"So, how much?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Four hundred bits."
"Oooh," said Scootaloo with a wince. "That is a lot of money. Should we do it?"
"Aw yeah."
"Fork over some bits," said Diamond.
"Couldn't we just pay two hundred instead and not collect when we pass Silver Spoon?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"No. Featherweight and Rumble are waiting and I'm going to give them four hundred."
"Alright, I was just asking," said Rainbow.
Diamond reached into their wagon and pulled out four large bags marked as one hundred bits.
Featherweight looked at the bags and then turned to Rumble.
"You'll carry two of these, won't you?"
"Sure."
Once Featherweight and Rumble had crammed the bits into their shoulder bags, they took off and landed again next to Silver Spoon who was only a block away.
"So Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo bought the Boutique?" asked Silver Spoon. "They had better hope that the others start landing on their spots soon. By my count, they must be running low on bits after this."
"You mean they shouldn't have done it?" asked Rumble.
"It's a risk," said Silver Spoon. "It might pay off. Then again, it might not."
"Rumble, we should hurry to Applejack and Apple Bloom," reminded Featherweight. "They're all the way at the flower shop. The Blossom Emporium, I mean."
"Right," said Rumble. "I'm ready."
The pair took off flying once again.
"Isn't this fun?" asked Featherweight.
"It's a little fun," admitted Rumble. "I am pretty curious about who is going to win. You and I are getting quite a workout too."
"It's a lot easier when you don't fly alone," said Featherweight. "This would have been a drag if I had to do it all by myself."
When it was time for Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo to move again, they had a nasty surprise in store.
"Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo move to Town Hall," boomed Spike's voice.
"Uh oh," said Scootaloo. "That's not good."
Rainbow Dash sighed. "Well, let's get this over with."
As they passed Silver Spoon, she gave them a mischievous grin.
"Here's some bits," she said as she tossed a bag into their cart. "You'll need them."
"Yeah yeah," said Rainbow Dash in annoyance.
Rainbow and Scootaloo kept walking until they finally reached town hall. They stopped in front of it and waited.
The front door burst open and Discord emerged, carrying an oversized horseshoe magnet over his head.
"Do you know what time it is?" he asked. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "It's incooooome tax tiiiiime!"
"We know, Discord," muttered Rainbow Dash.
"So, what will it be?" asked Discord. "Two hundred, or ten percent?"
"Um... The ten percent would be cheaper, right?" Rainbow asked Scootaloo.
"Yeah, I think you're right. The ten percent is cheaper this time."
"Alright, we'll do the ten percent thing," said Rainbow Dash.
"Are you sure?" asked Discord.
"Yes, we're sure," said Scootaloo.
Discord stuck the magnet over their cart and three bags of bits shot out and attached themselves to it.
"Be a couple of dears and deliver this to the bank?" Discord said to Featheweight and Rumble, prying the bags away from the magnet with ease.
"Scoot," said Rainbow Dash.
"What?"
"Wave the flag."
"Oh yeah."
A moment later, Spike began announcing the Apples' next move.
"It appears that we get to hang out for a while, does it not?" asked Discord.
"Yeah, it does," said Rainbow. "Let's talk about Fluttershy, shall we?"
"One of my favorite subjects!" declared Discord, intrigued.
"Diamond Tiara!" cried Rarity.
"Yes? Do you need something?" asked Diamond. "This isn't your stop, you know."
"Did Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo buy the Boutique?"
"Yes, they did."
"Oh, I knew it! Come on, Sweetie!"
Rarity and Sweetie Belle continued on, barely stopping to say hello to Silver Spoon before accepting two hundred more bits from her and pressing onward. Finally, she spotted Rainbow and Scootaloo, talking with Discord in front of town hall.
"Rainbow Dash!"
"Hmm?" asked Rainbow, turning to Rarity.
"You..." Rarity cried as she approached. She walked beside Rainbow Dash and stopped.
"You do realize that you purchased my house?"
"Um, yeah. It's part of the game. You agreed to it."
"But I was supposed to be the one to buy the Boutique!"
"Well, you can't have it now!" declared Rainbow Dash snidely.
"I can too! Prepare to be run out of business, Rainbow Dash!"
Without another word, Rarity and Sweetie Belle continued onward.
"Forcing Rainbow to sell us the Boutique might be easier said than done," said Sweetie Belle. "We aren't exactly rolling in bits ourselves."
"I am prepared to do whatever it takes," said Rarity. "I'm sure that Applejack will assist us."
"I doubt it. They don't want us to win any more than they want Rainbow to win. Annnnnd, here we are at the train station again. At least we won't lose anything."
"I don't think Discord listened to me at all," muttered Rainbow Dash as she and Scootaloo moved on to their next destination. "He might think this is all a game, but it's not funny. He can't just laugh off what he did at the bowling alley."
"He may have laughed you off, Rainbow, but I promise that he remembered everything you said, even if he didn't appear to take you seriously at the time," said Scootaloo. "He might not admit it, even to himself, but he values the opinions of other ponies. Especially when it comes to Fluttershy."
"Yeah?" asked Rainbow doubtfully. "Why would he listen to me?"
"I'll give you two good reasons. One: because you are Fluttershy's friend. He knows that you want what's best for her. And two: He thinks of you as a friend too. I know that you think he's a nut, but you do have all kinds of fun together, as an adult. Mostly by pulling pranks together."
"Hmm," said Rainbow, considering. "He would be a pretty great pranking partner, wouldn't he? Look, I don't have a problem with Discord. We'll be cool as soon as he apologizes to Fluttershy."
They stopped as they finally reached their destination.
"Oh," continued Rainbow, "and I don't think we can afford to buy the water tower either. We'll have to let it go for now."
"Are we going to buy it or not, Applejack?"
"Ah dunno Apple Bloom," said Applejack. "We aint got an endless supply of bits. Ah was thinkin' we might oughta play it safe and keep a good supply."
"But if we don't buy up as much property as we can, we might fall behind!" Apple Bloom protested. "We can't play it safe. If we try, the others will just run us out of business!"
"Alright, ah see yer point. We'll buy the spa."
"Sanatorium," corrected Pipsqueak. "That's what it says on the sign now. That will be two hundred and forty bits."
"You're kidding me!" cried Rainbow Dash. "Now we have to pay luxury tax?"
"That's right," said Discord. "Seventy five bits."
"What luxury are we paying for exactly?"
"I have no idea!" answered Discord happily. "I'm just doing what I'm asked. I must admit, this little game of yours is fun."
"Rainbow, umm... We can't pay." muttered Scootaloo.
"I know."
"We'll have to mortgage something."
"Can we mortgage the market stalls?"
"No. That would only get us thirty bits. We'll have to mortgage either the bowling alley, the joke shop, the pizza place, or Rarity's Boutique."
"Alright, we'll do the bowling alley then."
"Alright then," said Rumble, who was watching from above. "I'll go to the bowling alley and tell Dinky to take a break, and Featherweight will go get your bits."
Many more turns later:
"This, this is why I prefer athletic competition to board games," cried Rainbow Dash in annoyance as she hovered near the hot air balloon. "Skill doesn't help you to win at all. The only thing that matters is how lucky you get."
"That was quite a run of bad luck," admitted Twilight. "I'm sorry that the dice seem to be so against you."
"You know what? I don't care. I really don't. This whole game is really just not my thing."
"Rainbow, I'm sorry that you didn't win."
Rainbow Dash sighed. "No, Fluttershy, it's fine, really. Besides, if I won at everything, nopony else would ever get to have any fun, right? And besides that, it did keep me from getting bored for the whole morning."
"Speaking of which, this game is probably going to last until at least the afternoon," said Twilight. "Why don't you go to sugar cube corner and see about bringing everypony lunch? That will give you something to do for a bit."
"Didn't Applejack and Apple Bloom buy Sugar Cube Corner? Doesn't that mean that I would be working for them?"
"Do you have a problem with their team?" asked Twilight.
"Well, no, but Applejack pressured me into selling her Carousel Boutique when Scoot and I ran out of money again. I hope that Rarity takes it from her."
"Well, I'm getting hungry, and I think a bunch of the others probably are too. It doesn't matter who owns Sugar Cube Corner in this silly little game."
"Alright, I was just messing around. I'm going."
Later that afternoon:
"Apple Bloom?"
"Yep?"
"Ah figure it's time we face reality and declare bankruptcy before this here game drags on fer too much longer."
Apple Bloom sighed.
"I really think that if we just keep going we could make a comeback, but... You're right. This has gone on long enough."
"You're just saying that because Twilight rolled doubles three times and you know you will go to jail if you don't," complained Discord, clad in a police officer's outfit.
"Congratulations, Rarity and Sweetie Belle!" said Twilight, now on the ground, as she approached her two friends. "Through aggressively choking out the competition, you now have an exclusive monopoly of most of the businesses in central Ponyville!"
"Yes, we do," answered Rarity, sensing Twilight's sarcasm. "And then we generously donated all of it back to the township of Ponyville. Except for the Boutique, of course. That's mine."