Les Mareables

                                                                        IV

  The Flim Flam brothers. Surprisingly they were not ruined by poverty, as a matter of fact the new state of the economy was a better outlet for selling their products than ever before. At first nopony bought their “tonics” or “cure-alls” they were at named frauds, but as time dragged on and as weeks became months, and months into years, they were suddenly met with a wave of customers coming to them for hope.

  And that’s just what they gave their customers, false hope. In just one day Flim and Flam had created two hundred bits by selling their cure-alls. (Which just consisted of alcoholic cider mixed with a few petals of a daisy, it was quite pathetic) Flim and Flam had made a fortune in just one day, finally they could pay off the debt on their cart, and pay their rent!

  So they thought why stop? They were making plenty of bits as it was, so why stop? And so they continued reeling in customers with the hope of a better future. You can say their cart was a mixed blessing, by that I mean while they were robbing ponies blind they were instilling hope into the Manehatten populace. So that counted for something too.

  Nevertheless the Flim Flam brothers amassed a great fortune of two hundred thousand bits. And yet they still wanted more. It is a tragic ordeal when one comes upon a great fortune, for if not wise your fortune could give rise to evermore problems.

  Luckily for the brothers this was not the case, despite being associated with gambling, and prostitution they were never caught. With these new “opportunities” they’re fortune came to five hundred thousand bits. Throughout the city they were viewed as scum by the common ponies but due to their abundant amount of money the government applauded them for being able to rise from nothing. Even though they did it dishonestly.

                                                                            ***

   Inspector Sparkle. She liked that title, it suited her. Twilight had been stationed at Manehatten, since Manehatten needed a police force that consisted of capable ponies. And Twilight was one of those ponies. Twilight trotted around the streets of Manehatten, whenever she came upon a beggar she would give him or her a disgusted look.

  According to Twilight these homeless ponies had no place of refuge due to their own shortcomings. Twilight was never charitable to these ponies to her they deserved nothing but poverty. And thanks to this mindset she decided to speak to the mayor to have a new law put into effect to keep ponies from soliciting on the streets.

  When Twilight was outside of the factory where the mayor usually resided it disgusted her. To Twilight this factory was blemish to the good name of Manehatten. But despite these feelings she kept them hidden because it was her duty to serve the community and the mayor.

  “Mister Mayor.” Twilight said with a short bow when she came into the mayor’s small office. “Mister Mayor it is strange that you have the smallest office while those lower to you receive the bigger ones.” And Twilight was right the mayor’s office only consisted of a small desk and two chairs for the occupants to speak to each other.

  “Why Miss Sparkle that is mighty kind ah’ ya ta worry for me but ah’ insisted that the foremare and forestallion have the larger of these offices.” The mayor responded kindly.

  Twilight was disgusted with the mayor’s stupidity! “But Mister Mayor just know that I do not say this out of kindness but out of necessity. You are the mayor and should be treated as such. But if you insist then it is not my place to argue.” Twilight said looking at the mayor.

  The mayor smiled, “Your right it is not.” The mayor motioned for Twilight to sit, “Please relax ya’ll must be very tired, protectin’ our community and all.”

  Twilight shook her head, “No I must stay standing it is not correct if I sit with somepony with such authority as you Mister Mayor.” Twilight said with a stone face.

  “Alrighty then whaddya need inspector?” The mayor asked.

  “I have come to request that a new law be passed, don’t fret I will do the enforcing.”

  The mayor put his red hoof on his desk, “And what law is this?” The mayor asked.

  “One that will keep the community safe from the scum of the street, what I propose is a law that keeps ponies from soliciting the streets.”

  “And why do this?” The mayor asked.

  “It is creating a disturbance and these ponies have become a nuisance to deal with.” Twilight said her face contorting in an expression of utmost disgust.

  “And ya’ll want me ta approve ah’ this?” The mayor asked.

  “Yes and I also ask your permission to evict any of the ponies seen soliciting.” Twilight said.

  “Yer plan is marvelous Miss Twilight and I agree to your terms.” The mayor said smiling.

  Twilight nodded feeling triumphant now she could really keep Manehatten safe. “Ah’ will start construction of the homeless shelter tomorrow!” The mayor exclaimed.

  Twilight turned stiff, “Excuse me Mister Mayor?”

  “Ah’ said ah’m gonna start construction tomorrow ah’ just gotta-”

  Twilight was flabbergasted! “But I thought you agreed.” Twilight interrupted the mayor midsentence.

  “Ah’ agree to the law but not evictin’ innocent ponies, so what ah’m proposin’ is building a shelter for the ponies not gettin’ rid of em’ Miss Sparkle.” The mayor said managing somehow to maintain his calm tone.

  “B…but we haven’t got the budget for this project.” Twilight muttered.

  “Don’ worry yerself about the budget ah’ got it covered.” The mayor then motioned to the door for Twilight to exit his office. “Now trot along ah’ got a builder ta talk to.” The mayor said.

  And with that Twilight left the room feeling defeated for the first time.

                                                                         ***

  Twilight was in an awful mood the rest of the afternoon, she trotted around the streets her hooves stomping on the ground. Whenever a pony saw her they would quickly turn their heads in the other direction for everywhere she went she brought with her an air of authority and hatred but also a sense of justice, but to ponies now justice was a cruel thing. Twilight was trotting around attempting to find any lawbreakers to bring to justice.

  And so far today was not her day, apparently Manehatten had no wrongdoers. So she decided to head to the lower district where crime is bountiful. And today was her lucky day. In the lowest parts where the Flim Flam brothers hang around was a crowd of various ponies staring on at a minor squabble.

  Twilight caught sight of two guards and ordered them to come with her down to the fight to which they obeyed, when Twilight made it down to the fight she forced herself into the crowd and when everypony saw her they galloped away. In the middle of the “arena” was a white unicorn with a cutiemark of a diamond sitting on the cold ground and an angry looking stallion.

  “What seems to be the problem?” Twilight demanded.

  Rarity opened her mouth to speak but the stallion spoke first, “Oh Miss Twilight allow me to explain. I was trotting along from my house just down the way.” He pointed to a tiny cottage. “When this psychotic prostitute came and attacked me!” The stallion said pointing at Rarity.

  Of course this was not true, what had actually occurred was that the “noble” stallion came around made snide comments to Rarity and punched her with glee. To which Rarity defended herself by picking up a nearby rock and hitting her assailant over the head with the rock.

  “Rest assured mister this pathetic mare will receive justice to the fullest.” Twilight told the lying stallion who then ran off. Rarity was at her old friend’s mercy lying on the cold, hard ground. “Now what must we do with you?” Twilight said with a smug smile.

  Rarity rung her hooves in an attempt to plead her way out of this situation. “Please Twilight you know me! I’m your friend! You have to let me go my sister, you remember her right? Sweetie Belle my little darling! If you arrest me she won’t survive! I won’t have money to support her!”

  Twilight knew who she was after Rarity exclaimed her sister’s name. But that did not mean Rarity was off the hook. “You should of thought of that before you committed a crime now shouldn’t you have Rarity?” Twilight said in a cooing way.

  Twilight motioned for the guards to put the hoof cuffs on her to which they did with such zeal that the cuffs cut into her skin. “Please Twilight you can’t do this I’m your friend! Would Celestia want this!?” Rarity exclaimed.

  Twilight smiled and bent over to reach Rarity’s eyes, “Yes, yes she would. I’m here to keep Manehatten safe from ponies like you Rarity, and whatever friendship we had before is gone. You are only a petty criminal now, and I am an honest mare of the law. And nopony can stop this.”

  “Whaddya think yer doin’ Miss Sparkle?” A deep voice came from behind.

  Twilight turned with anger written all over her face, but when she saw the mayor her expression of anger turned to one of respect. “Mister Mayor.” Twilight bowed.

  The mayor’s dark green eyes examined Rarity the poor wretch was on the ground crying to herself, “Who is this? And why have you detained her?”

  Twilight composed herself, “You see Mister Mayor this mare attacked a fair citizen not too long ago and she is under arrest for assaulting an innocent stallion.” Twilight informed the mayor.

  “Ah’ve heard differently.” The mayor said. “From what ah’ heard from ponies that watched the fight that citizen started the brawl not this mare. So with that knowledge in mind ah’ order ya to release her.” The mayor said in a polite tone.

  Rarity was shocked! The mayor the one that started her downwards spiral was dismissing her! “Is it true? I am free?” Rarity mumbled.

  The mayor approached Rarity and stooped down to gaze into her dark blue eyes. “Yer sufferin’ is over young mare yer free.” He turned to Twilight, “Please release her.”

  The two police ponies that came with Twilight began to unlock the hoof cuffs, “What right do you have to do this Mister Mayor?” Twilight asked.

  “Every right, right ah’ righteousness, right ah’ morality, and what ya seem to idolize the most, the law.”

  Twilight went silent she was beaten at her own game she was again defeated by the mayor. When the police ponies had finished unlocking Rarity’s hoof cuffs she stood up and smacked the mayor square in his cheek. “You awful wretch! You know what you have done to me!?” Rarity exclaimed.

  The mayor stayed calm and only took out a hankie to wipe the blood from his cheek, “What do you mean young mare?” The mayor asked.

  “My name is Rarity and you are the reason I was laid off and forced to commit atrocious acts!” Rarity screamed in the mayor’s face. She opened her mouth wide to show the mayor her missing teeth. “I had to lose these in order to support my sister!” She then pointed to her scalp where a few strands of her purple mane remained. “Along with my mane! You did this to me!” She exclaimed shoving the mayor a bit so he was pushed back a few feet. And then to the mayor’s surprise Rarity broke down in tears.

  Rarity’s blue eyes were streaming with tears and this filled the mayor’s heart with grief, what had he done to Rarity? She was broken because of him it was his fault. The mayor stood up and pointed to one of the police ponies, “She was a prostitute correct?” The mayor asked.

  The brown Pegasus pony nodded, “Yes mister mayor.”

  “Then take her to the hospital.” The mayor said.

  The two guards glanced back at Twilight to see if she would protest but she didn’t, this whole situation was incorrect. It broke her. So the only thing the guards could do was grab Rarity’s hoof and take her to the hospital. When Rarity and the guard left the mayor approached the contemplating Twilight, “Listen if ah’ ever see ya terrorize innocent ponies again when ya don’t even have the facts ah’m gonna make sure yer fired.” The mayor said sternly as he trotted to his home. Leaving Miss Sparkle baffled by the mayor’s unruly decision.