Rainbow and Twilight followed Phillip to the Starhoof, a higher-class hotel for passing travelers to stay at Ponyville in four-star comfort. The four-story glass building stretched well above the other houses of Ponyville, the windows shining beneath the sunlight. Pushing through the golden revolving doors, Phillip walked across the carpeted floor and approached the front desk.

"We're looking for Monopoly," he said. "We're business partners of his, and he invited us to talk to him about a real estate deal."

The clerk, a young, pretty blonde unicorn, smiled and looked at the register. "Yes, sir. Mr. Monopoly is staying in room 324."

Phillip headed up the stairs with the two mares following. They reached the third floor and trotted down to the door marked "324." "Let me do the talking," Phillip said, glancing pointedly at Rainbow. Twilight nodded, but Rainbow didn't react.

Phillip knocked on the door. Monopoly opened the door. His ice-cold eyes met Phillip's, showing no sign of surprise. He held a martini glass and shaker in his magic. "Mr. Finder. Has Fluttershy changed her mind about selling me her property?"

"No. In fact, we've got something to talk to you about," Phillip replied. "Fluttershy's cottage was broken into."

"Oh, really?" Monopoly said, obviously not caring one whit.

"Yes. Know anything about that?"

Monopoly poured himself a drink with his magic before answering. "What makes you think that I have anything to do with it?"

"You have means and a motive," Twilight answered. "And a reputation."

Monopoly scoffed. "If you're as smart as they say you are, Princess Twilight, you should know that all those bogus charges have been dropped," he said coolly, obviously not intimidated by the fact that he was speaking to royalty. "I'm a legitimate businesspony. I would never have anypony break into Fluttershy's home."

"Aha!" Rainbow suddenly declared, flying up into Monopoly's face. "How'd you know that somepony broke into Fluttershy's home?"

Monopoly's face went from shock to annoyance in the blink of an eye. Twilight facehoofed. "We told him that when we came in here, Rainbow, remember?"

"Darn it," Rainbow muttered, retreating. "It worked in Daring Do and the Kingdom of Ice Ponies."

"I think you've wasted enough of my time," Monopoly said coldly, glaring at Rainbow. "You should leave before I decide to call security."

With a grunt, Phillip turned and left. Twilight followed. "Come on, Rainbow."

Rainbow Dash glared at Monopoly. "I'm watching you, mister," she warned, pointing at her eyes, then at him. He looked down his nose at her, then shut the door.

"Well, that was a big waste of time!" Rainbow said as she followed after Phillip and Twilight. "We got virtually nothing out of him!"

"I wasn't trying to," Phillip replied without turning around, heading back down the stairs to the second floor.

"What?" Rainbow said, catching up with him. "Then why—"

"Information," Phillip replied. "Somepony like Monopoly always gets away with stuff because he doesn't get his hooves dirty. Hires local help. I initially just came here to scout out the room, but I saw something; a note about a meeting at the lounge here about an hour ago."

"How—?"

"Speed reading upside down. Useful skill," Phillip interrupted Twilight, heading down the hallway to a lounge used for meetings and relaxing. He doffed his trilby, tucking it into his vest, and snatched a duster and rag from an idle cart of cleaning supplies. Signaling the two mares to hang back, he entered the lounge through its open doors.

"Here to clean up after that meeting at one," he muttered to the attendant on duty behind the desk, keeping his head lowered. The attendant, who was bored and not paying attention to anything except his novel, gestured to one of the private meeting rooms. Phillip entered, nodding to the mares. They followed quietly.

The small meeting room was bare and undecorated, with gray carpeting and six crimson cushioned chairs around a dark wood table. A large clock was set up high on one wall, providing a constant, rhythmic ticking noise in the background. A pair of ashtrays were on the table, both partially filled.

"Monopoly sat here," Phillip said, indicating one seat that had been pulled away from the table. "This is cigar ash, same kind that he smokes. I saw a pack in his room." He examined the other seat. "The other pony sat here." He took a plastic bag out of his vest and scooped some of the ashes from the second tray into it.

"I'll analyze this back at my place," he said, turning to leave.

"Anything we can do?" Twilight asked.

"Twilight, I want you to go through every record on Fluttershy's land that you can get your hooves on. Find out why Monopoly wants that land. Rainbow, I want you and the other sheilas to keep an eye on Fluttershy. There's no telling how far he'll go to get that land."

"What about Monopoly?" Rainbow asked.

"Let me worry about him," Phillip said, heading for the exit.

Author's Notes:

Phillip's hot on the trail...but what will come next?