Clusterbuck to City Hall

by Caddy Finz

Chapter 14: Operation Infiltration

"In political news..." The news reporter said, as Vinyl and Octavia caught the latest poll reports. "With still almost two months to go until a new mayor will be elected, it appears that both candidates are quite popular as the current reading of the polls shows that they are nearly neck and neck with Equemocrat candidate Octavia in the lead by a small amount. Many local residents believe that the race will continue to be a close one unless one of the candidates comes up with something ground breaking and does so very quickly. I'm Noteworthy, PFTW News."

It had been three weeks since Octavia and Vinyl had their outing with the royal sisters and it had proven to be a success as it had given Octavia the lead. It was proving to be difficult for her and as sad as it was to admit, she was at a disadvantage due to her age which unfortunately could not be easily helped.

"Looks like we'll have to take a new approach to this, Tavi." Vinyl stated bluntly. "Got any ideas?"

"We'll think of something, Vinyl." Octavia replied.

"Well, we could shovel some of that dirt we found on him."

"Dirt? What dirt?"

"You know. The fact that he's like the worst father in Equestria. The guy even keeps forgetting his filly's name."

"I-I don't know, Vinyl. I mean, that's kind of a big deal, trashing somepony's name like that. For all we know, it could end up backfiring and do nothing but make us look bad."

"Do you wanna win the election or not, Tavi?"

"Of course I do! Just not...not like that, Vinyl. You and me, we have class. We're better than tha-"

"No way! Octavia, turn that up!"

After being startled by Vinyl's sudden outburst, she focused her attention back to the television and felt as if her heart had jumped up into her throat. She then did as her friend asked and turned up the volume to listen to the following program.

"Hello, Ponyville. I'm Filthy Rich and I'd like to take you to the top." Filthy said on television. "Remember how I promised great things for this town? An ever growing economy? Expanding businesses? More funding for the schools and the local hospital? Don't all of those things sound like, totally gnarly? I think so. Unfortunately, if I'm not mayor of this wonderful town full of untapped potential, I won't be able to do that. Miss Octavia may promise you this but the big question is...will she be able to handle it? You know, I was once a young twenty something myself and looking back, I'll admit that I think with my lack of experience at the time, it may have proven a bit overwhelming for me. It takes a more mature pony in his forties for this job."

"I think you're forgetting that Mare started when she was twenty one!" Vinyl said angrily. "Try again, chump!"

"Sure she may promise these things but how sure can you be that she'll hold up her end of the bargain? Ponyville, if you want what's best for you, you'll vote for me. A guy who'll get things done, a guy who will deliver on the promises he's made and most importantly, a guy who knows how things work in the real world. Sorry Tavi, but you're just not that pony. I'm Filthy Rich and I approve this message."

"Nopony, and I mean no fucking pony calls you "Tavi" except me!" Vinyl yelled as the commercial ended.

"A big spit wad in the face is what that was!" Octavia agreed. "Who does he think he is? He thinks he can just tarnish my name like that? Like I don't know how things work in the rea-"

"This just in." News reporter Noteworthy began. "The polls report a sudden change as Filthy Rich now leads with a hefty seventy-two percent while Octavia only with twenty-eight. Commentary from several local residents show that they indeed prefer a more experienced pony as mayor. Stay tuned for any new updates as they come in. I'm Noteworthy, PFTW News."

"Vinyl?" Octavia said through her teeth.

"Yeah, Tavi?"

"Get Rarity on the phone...Now!"

---

"Okay Darling, let's just recap so I make sure I have this all down." Rarity said after Vinyl explained her task. "You want me to call up Filthy, offer him a booty call, go over to his place and look for things that could make him look bad, am I on par?"

"We'll make this worth your while but yeah, that's pretty much it."

"I don't want any payment, ladies. If it gives me a chance to bring Filthy down and redeem myself, then that in itself is good enough for me."

"That's the spirit!" Octavia beamed. "Also, if it makes you feel any better, you can just make up an excuse to leave at the last minute so you don't even need to sleep with him."

"That does help a little. Okay girls, I'll call him right no-"

Beebeebeebeebeebeep! Beebeebeebeebeebeep! Beebeebeebeebeebeep!

The plan was suddenly interrupted buy the ringing of Rarity's mobile phone. After answering, the fashionista ended up with quite the surprise on the other line

"Oh! Why, Filthy darling I wasn't expecting a call from you. How are you?"

"Well, speak of the devil." Vinyl said as she looked at Octavia.

"Oh, well funny you should ask me that." Rarity continued. "Why, I was actually thinking of calling you myself and asking you the same thing. I'd love to. Seven O'clock? Certainly, I'd enjoy your company as well. Ta ta!"

"Okay, did that really just happen?" Octavia asked after she finally processed the phone conversation she had just witnessed.

"Take it for what it is, Tavi." Vinyl replied. "He's pretty much doing our dirty work for us."

"I won't let you down, girls!" Rarity said with a salute. "A camera is too bulky to sneak into Filthy's place without him noticing so I know of a photography and video spell I can use. Twilight taught me. Basically, I can use my own eyes to take pictures and record video and print out the photos and transfer recordings into a tape with my horn. I must be off now if I am to get this done. Wish me luck, ladies."

It was Four O'clock in the afternoon so there was no time for Rarity to waste as she darted out the door and left in her Brewick Millennium luxury sedan. As Vinyl and Octavia watched her tail lights fade away in the distance through their window, the former began thinking about her own magic abilities and made a mental note to try to sharpen them later.

"Tavi, I have got to start spending time with Twilight."

Three Hours Later

If there was a mare in town who was envied by the rest for her beauty and all around elegance, it was Rarity. She was a mare who put a lot of time and effort into her appearance and she was now standing on Filthy Rich's doorstep giving her own meaning to the classic little black dress. It hugged and contoured to every last curve of her body so perfectly one could swear that she had invented her own magic fabric.

Not long after she had rang the doorbell, her date for the evening answered. His mane was slicked back a little more than usual and he wore a smoking jacket similar to what Hugo Hoofner the president of Playcolt Magazine would wear. Rarity knew that she needed to keep her focus on her task of finding anything that could be incriminating for Filthy but the cologne he was wearing proved to make keeping on her guard difficult.

"Hey honey, I missed you." Filthy greeted as he grinned, once again showing his pearly white teeth which were all perfectly aligned. "Come on in. I though it would be nice if we could celebrate my latest victory together."

"Thank you for inviting me over, darling." Rarity replied. "Yes, it's been a while hasn't it?"

Filthy Rich certainly lived up to his name as Rarity was just finding out. His home was a full three story house on the outskirts of Ponyville with a lush garden of hedges and enough different kinds of flowers to give the royal garden at the regal sisters' palace a run for it's money. It was a brick house with a front porch nearly the size of the entire bottom floor of Rarity's boutique and the roof above supported by Cloudsdale style columns.

The interior of the house did not disappoint as it was furnished with only the best somepony's bits could buy and it was Immaculately clean. It was certainly an impressive sight to the classy unicorn and this being her taste in a home, she nearly forgot to activate her spell. Having now done so, she began looking around at everything she could lay her eyes on in attempt to find any useful information that could aid her newest friend Octavia's cause.

"So, what do you think?" Filthy asked, taking note of Rarity's darting eyes.

"Oh! Uh, you have quite the impressive home, Filthy." Rarity replied.

"Thank you, my dear. So did you happen to see my commercial? I'd simply love for you to see it."

"I believe I only caught the end of it, darling."

"Well it just so happens, I have my own copy on a cassette. I really think you'd get a kick out of it."

"Oh my. You mean you have a VCR? How futuristic."

"Well the living room is this way, milady."

Filthy then lead Rarity into his large living room which was furnished with three luxurious sofas, two smaller love seats and two large and ever so expensive reclining chairs. A large glass chandelier hung on a cord on the middle of the ceiling and an enormous fifty-five inch television sat on a stand the size of a refrigerator laid on it's side.

"Take a seat, Rarity." Filthy said. "Make yourself at home while I set this up."

Rarity did just that as she continued to scan the room for any clues using her magic to snap several photos she could go back to later. As Filthy searched for the tape, an upright framed photograph siting on the end table next to the sofa caught the unicorn's eye. The photo was of a slightly younger Filthy, probably from only a few years ago and with him was his little daughter and a mare about his age, all of them wearing genuinely happy smiles. The mare was a pink Earth pony slightly darker than Diamond Tiara with a mane of a very light purple. Rarity's curiosity got the best of her and she felt compelled to inquire of the photograph's origins.

"Aw, this looks like such a happy family, darling." Rarity complimented. "And who is that pretty mare in the picture with you?"

"Ah yes, that's my wife." Filthy answered as he turned around, a small hint of somberness evident in his tone.

"Oh my. You mean you're mar-"

"I was married." Filthy quickly interrupted, startling Rarity. "Oh, I'm sorry I snapped like that. I just thought I should clarify that I am indeed single. I'm not that kind of stallion and I was faithful to her until the day she died."

"Oh Filthy...I'm so sorry...I-I don't know what to say."

"Oh, don't be my dear. I've moved on now. Its what she would have wanted."

Rarity now felt nothing but sympathy for this poor stallion having just discovered that he was a widower. He had lost his wife and had invited Rarity into his home to keep each other company. Surely she could not sleep at night after having violated his trust after hearing such a sad back story. However, it was a sudden turn of events that would change everything."

"Oh hi there, Miss Rarity." The voice of a young filly said behind the sofa on which Rarity sat. She then turned around to see Diamond Tiara with a small smile on her face as she trotted towards her. "Hey Dad, whatcha doing? Are we going to watch a movie together?"

"Diamond, I thought you were seeing your new friends today." Filthy said sternly.

"Well...I was but they all had to go home because it was getting dark. What are we watc-"

"Look sweetie, Daddy's a little busy right now so you'll just have to give me some time alone for now, okay?"

"B-but I...I just wanted t-"

"No buts. Now go play in the garden or something."

As the hurt and saddened filly did as she was told and trotted back outside with her head hung low to the ground while she stifled a tear, Rarity's tone had changed suddenly. The unicorn spy was now more determined than ever to do what she had come to do in the first place. She was however no longer thinking of Octavia and had the poor lonely little filly on her mind instead.

"Oh, now where did I put that tape?" Filthy said to himself, oblivious to the daggers that Rarity was staring at him behind his back. "Maybe I left it in my room. Excuse me for a moment, dear. I'll be right back."

"Oh you go ahead and take all the time you need, darling." Rarity replied.

The second Filthy darted up the nearest set of stairs, Rarity put the plan into action. She had a good shot of the Filthy's neglectful parenthood but figured it was worth a shot to try and get more footage of anything else potentially useful for good measure. While darting in all directions on the lower floor, she kept her ears open as to not get caught snooping once Filthy returned. Sure enough, he soon found the tape he had been searching for and as he made his way back down the stairs, Rarity quickly returned to her spot the sofa.

"Found it!" Filthy beamed as he reentered the room. "Okay, let's pop this sucker in and wat-"

"You know what we could 'pop into' somewhere when we're done with that, dear?" Rarity interrupted, catching Filthy off guard with her off color joke.

"Oh?" Filthy said after regaining his composure. "Well, I think I have an idea. Yeah right after we check out this dank footage we can-mmphh!"

While Filthy was busy talking about the tape he simply would not shut up about, Rarity leaped of the sofa and attacked his lips with her own. She had devised her own plan to teach the negligent father a lesson and decided to toy with him the way she knew best. After a whole minute she finally broke the kiss.

"Uh, on second thought, why don't we have ourselves a little fun first?" Filthy said as he put on his bedroom eyes.

"Yes, let's." Rarity replied.

"You wait right here, sweetheart. I'll be right back."

As quick as a flash, the excited stallion dashed to the first floor restroom in search of something he felt he would need for what was about to happen. The sounds of pill bottles rattling could be heard throughout the house as he rooted though his medicine cabinet. Soon the rattling stopped and Rarity could now here the sound of his excited hooves galloping back to where she was waiting.

"Oh, Filthy darling I'm ever so sorry, but I simply must go!" Rarity lied as Filthy returned.

"You're kidding, right?" Filthy replied. "Please tell me this is just a joke. Why on Earth would you need to-"

"I just got a phone call with terrible news! My dear friend has had a car accident! I must make sure she is okay!"

"Oh...okay then, dear. You just go right ahead and see your friend...I'll just stay here and do...stuff...you know, on account that I've already taken that little blue pi-"

Before Filthy could finish his sentence, Rarity was already behind the wheel of her car with the incriminating footage that she came for. A very disappointed Filthy Rich was left with nothing but his thoughts and the frustration of a spoiled night. The irritated middle aged stallion then proceeded to lift up his jacket to get a peek at what he now had to deal with.

"Shit." Filthy grumbled as he grabbed a box of tissues and made a beeline for the restroom. "Looks like I gotta take care of this myself."