Title:           The Shady Triumvirate! Business At Night!!
Author:          Captain_Moneybags
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/rYRafL1m
First Edit:      Wednesday 26th of November 2014 01:44:24 AM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Sunday 21st of June 2015 04:59:06 PM CDT

>In the dead of night, a single mare made her way through the streets of Manehattan
>The heavy rain nearly succeeded in obscuring her tears, but the sobbing was a dead giveaway
>She pulls the collar of her coat up to her ears as she walks
"Oh, how I hate the rain! But it is a burden we all must carry!" she cried, turning into an alleyway
>The alleyway itself managed to be even darker than the night, and the mare would've lost her way if it wasn't for the glistening trail of bits forming a path for her to follow
>Of course, she picked up every single one she came across, coins are coins
>And she'd be needing these in due time
>After a short walk, she arrived at an unsuspecting iron back door
>She stopped her sobbing just long enough to properly knock on the door
>Immediately, a small hatch opens
>Behind the door, a yellow eye is looking her over
"That coat again? Seriousl- wait, are you crying?"
>The owner of both the own and the voice, obviously another female, sighed
"Did you at least pick up the bits?"
>The crying mare sniffed
"Aren't you going to ask what happened to me to make me weep like this?"
"No. Bits."
>The crying mare sighed, and counted seventeen bits in her hoof. She promptly shoved them through the hatch
"Lessee... One, two, three... Seventeen? Only seventeen? I'll fucking murder y- oh hey, there's number eightteen."
>The door unlocked, granting the crying mare entry to the room behind it
>The warm light illuminated her tear-stained face, revealing her blue coat, purple mane and orange eyes
>The mare who had opened the door readjusted her hat, and shoved the bits in to one of the many sacks lying about
"You took your sweet time getting here, Sophia's already here. Heck, even Snowglobe's here!"
>The blue mare took her coat of, and threw it to the floor in a gesture of misery and heartbreak
>The green mare glared at her
"Alright, Rocket, what happened?"
"I... I ran into /him/ again today."
"So, good thing, right? I'd be willing to bet on you two making a solid couple. It's like you're the same pony. And I care about my dosh."
"No, you don't understand."
>The mare known as Rocket sniffed again
"He was cr-"
>She was interrupted by an orange-and-light-blue blur tackling her
"Rocket! I made you something!"
>The orange mare waved a piece of paper in Rocket's face, on it was a drawing of what looked like Rocket crying
"It's you!"
>Tears if joy welled up in the corners of Rocket's eyes
"T-thank you so much, Sophia!"
>The green mare rolled her eyes
"Seriously, you two. where would you be without me?"
>The orange mare, Sophia Parlance, replied without missing a beat
"Poor."
"Um. Yeah, I guess. Anyway, Snowglobe's made... rolls. Of something."
>Sophia jumped off the mess of tears under her, and flew back to the main meeting room
>Before following the pegasus, the green mare turned to Rocket, and threw her a bunch of bit notes
"Here. Wipe those tears, you look like a fag."
>And with that, she also left for the main meeting room
"T-thanks, Moneybags."
>Rocket wiped her tears with one of the notes, and made for the meeting room as well
>Behind the next door, was a small room
>It contained very little furniture
>Just a round table, four chairs around it, one lamp dangling above it, and a stack of doshsacks in the corner
>Missus Moneybags and Sophia had already taken their seats, and a snowglobe was sitting on the edge of the table by one of the empty chairs
>Right on the middle of the table stood a tray of... rolls, for lack of a better word
>Rocket took the last unnoccupied seat and sat down
>As soon as her haunches touched the seat, Moneybags coughed
"Alright! Everypony here? I then declare this Shady Triumvirate meeting... Open!"
>Sophia's hoof shoots up in the air
"Yes?"
"Why is it a TRIumvirate if there's four of us?"
>Moneybags sighed
"Look at it. That isn't even a pony, let alone a sentient being!"
"But it baked... something."
"Actually, I did. They failed horribly, so I thought I'd blame Snowglobe. I knew I should've bought them at the store."
>Very carefully, Rocket raises her hoof as well
"Moneybags, why are you the leader?"
>From across the table, the green earth pony mare shoots her a deadpan glare
"Who paid the rent for this place? Who paid for the furniture? Who paid for Snowglobe? Who pays for paper for Sophia?"
"Yes, yes, I get it."
"About the paper, I need more!"
"Again?"
"Yeah, I drew a bunch of Artemises, so I'm out."
"You draw Artemis all the time, what's with you?"
>Sophia just giggles, and blushes
>Moneybags rolls her eyes
"Alright, moving on... Did you all make sure to appear suspicious as you made your way here?"
>Rocket answers
"I did, but why?"
"Do I have to explain everything for you? This is a SHADY triumvirate. Can't have a shady triumvirate without a little suspiciousness."
"It's suspicion."
"You get what I mean."
>In an attempt to hold back her tears at this harsh rejection, Rocket swallows and nods
"And did you, Sophia?"
"Did what?"
"Act suspicious when y-"
"Can I touch the money?"
>Hearing this, Rocket's ears perk up again
"Yeah, can we?"
"No."
"Aww, please?"
"Gotta touch the money!"
"You don't touch the money."
"Aww, b-"
"You Don't. Touch. The money."
>Two out of three ponies sigh in disappointment
>Moneybags rolls her eyes, and moves Snowglobe back to where she should be, away from the baked bads
"Alright, so now that's all taken care of, its time we do some shady business!"
>Rocket raises her hoof again
"But isn't shady business going against all that we should strive for as Equestrian citizens?"
>Rocket's eyes well up with tears as she speaks
"To think that we will be robbing innocent ponies of their work by doing this, it pains my heart! But you leave me no choice, Moneybags! You make me choose against my own morals, against the greater good, only for your own gain!"
"Rocket, dude, I never forced you to do anything."
"Stallions will lose their jobs, mares and foals everywhere will starve, all because of our greed! Oh, how I hate evil, but to find evil within myself is too much to bear!"
>Rocket's speech is broken up by sobs and sniffs, and tears freely roll down her face
"This was never what I wanted, but do we ever get what we truly desire? Do we ever truly grasp... love?"
>She bows back down, staining the wooden table surface with tears
>Sophia claps slowly
"That was... Beautiful."
"If only it weren't true, dear Sophia... Then life'd be truly beautiful for everypony!"
>Moneybags slams her hooves down on the table with force
"Rocket! Sophia! I already told you, we're not framing anypony! We're just giving each other discounts is all. You know, Snowglobe's got more >rape coping, Sophia has her drawings, and I recall you writing about that handsome musician and his DJ friend, who you've turned into a mare for some reason."
>Rocket collects herself, sniffing and sobbing quietly, and manages a nod
"I've also got a little more Eris coming up, and you all can place your pre-orders right now, for only two bits per line of green!"
>Sophia's wings spread out in excitement
"Ooh! Ooh! I want it! But, one thing..."
>Moneybags sighed, and pulled a bit pouch from on of her pockets
"What is it?"
"Can I borrow some more bits?"