A small framed gray stallion in a business suit walks in through the back door of this large well known mansion on the periphery of Hoofington. The large well maintained formal garden providing him ample cover from outside prying eyes all the way to, and into, the opulent estate’s home. He passes through a hallway, nodding to a few housekeepers that: see him, notice who it is, and quickly avert their eyes.

He may not be the master of this estate, but his word has sway. And, like the actual master of the home, he was not a pony they would want to cross. Whatever business he has is with the master and it’s best that they stay out of it.

A buck sporting a gold pin on his uniform, a symbol of his position in the pecking order of the servants, walks out of a side room and sees the gray stallion coming his way. He promptly jumps in front of him and starts leading the way to a parlor down the hall as he says, “This way, sir. I shall let the master know you’ve come calling.”

The gray stallion nods as he looks around at the lavish surroundings, especially the few paintings here and there that really should be in a museum somewhere, as he replies, “He should be expecting me. But make sure he knows I need to speak with him sooner than later… okay?”

The butler opens a wooden door and motions in as he gives a respectful bow. “Yes, sir, Mister Trotsky.”

The grey stallion nods his head and trots inside as he continues looking around casually. After the door is shut to this parlor, with shelves upon shelves of old books, all well taken care of but, knowing the master of the home, never actually used outside of being on display as a symbol of status, wealth, and cultured personality. He walks over to a freestanding brass sun model set against the far wall. With expert knowledge and casual ease he rotates and slides the top of the sun to the side, revealing an ornate liquor cabinet inside, and helps himself to the amber liquid stored in the large crystal decanter.

Forgoing the ice entirely, as that would simply take up space better used for the liquid gold he plans on basting his tongue with shortly, he fills one of the provided glasses almost to the absolute top. Well beyond what one would normally pour for themselves. Excessively so.

Trotsky lifts the glass to his muzzle, giving it a slight swirl on the end of his hoof as he snuffs the effervescence being emitted from the crystal glass. He uses his other forehoof to readjust the sandy yellow mustache that covers his upper lip, and matching his mane, before carefully taking a sip. He swishes it around in his mouth before swallowing noisily and letting out a sigh. “Ahhhhh… this alone is worth the trip.”

“It better be, given how much that costs an ounce…” a buck’s voice greets him from the door.

But, Trotsky doesn’t even react like most others might as he’s indulging in someone else’s liquor cabinet. Especially their expensive liquor cabinet. Instead of hunkering down, flinching, or even turning to look at his ‘host’ he takes another long sip and nods as he looks up at the ceiling while he rides the flavor wave. “Well, if you want the best, you have to pay for it.”

The door carefully shuts as the unicorn stallion makes his way in, but uses his sparkling blue magic field to shut the door without even looking. He straightens his majestically high maintenance mane with a hoof before continuing over to where Trotsky is standing. Before he even gets there he deftly uses his magic field and pours himself a glass of the same golden liquid that Trotsky is enjoying. But he only pours himself a far more reserved serving, and then actually uses a couple of the provided soap stones to help make and keep it chilled, while not affecting it’s flavor.

After savoring the first tiny sip he opens his eyes and asks, “So, you’ve got everything set up for me, Trotsky?”

Trotsky nods as he’s swishing around a mouthful, and doesn’t say anything until he finally gulps it down. “He’ll be here tonight. As planned. Already confirmed he’s on his way.”

The unicorn swirls around his glass with his magic field, gently clanking the soap stones along the crystalline interior. “And you’re positive he’ll be on board?”

Trotsky nods again as he’s looking into his glass. “This is apparently just the kind of thing he enjoys, actually.” He looks over at his host, examining the custom tailored outfit that not only perfectly compliments the unicorn’s color pallet and features but probably cost more than most ponies make in a single year, and continues, “As we’ve discussed, he’s got to be one of the most connected individuals in all of Equestria. Businesses that work, discreetly, with him have been flourishing.” He shrugs. “I don’t know how he manages it, but he seems to be able to get pretty much anything.” He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter if it’s on the banned or contraband list. Somehow he’s got enough pull to get it right on through.” He stares into his glass and says before taking another sip, “And in some cases, apparently, he’s pulled goods straight out of impound…”

The well dressed unicorn lets out a long sigh as he asks, “How is this even possible? I’ve not even heard of this gentlestallion before. Surely someone so connected would also be well known.”

Trotsky bobs his head around and gulps down the drink he’d already sipped but had held in his muzzle to savor its goodness. He stares at the unicorn for a few moments before he lets out a very alcoholic smelling exhale. “That’s part of the thing…”

The unicorn blinks a few times, and then looks around as if someone else in the room was going to volunteer an answer. He finally motions towards Trotsky as he says, “Well, out with it, man. We haven’t all night!”

“He likes his anonymity… If he chooses to work with you, you’re going to be under a condition that you don’t talk about him… ever… to anyone.”

The unicorn raises an eyebrow and asks, “Ohhh? And just why is that?”

Trotsky slams the rest of his glass down his muzzle, and then starts pouring himself another as he bobs his head around. “Well there’s a few rumors that can answer that… None of them are particularly good news for most…”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

Trotsky looks over at him and points a hoof towards the ornate door they’d both entered from. “He’s coming over here, with the promise of delicacies and delicious food the likes of which he hasn’t had yet. That’s all…” He steps closer to the unicorn and lowers his voice. “Money means nothing to this buck-”

The unicorn scoffs and looks off to the side as he’s taking a sip and says in a condescending tone, “Posh… so he’s a poor commoner… After all, those who don’t value money have never really had any in the first place… heh…”

The earth pony grabs the glass away from the unicorn, demanding his attention as he almost pushes him over with a shoulder bump. “Wrong!” He gives the glass back to the startled unicorn and says, stern faced, “I mean he has access to so many resources that he’s beyond caring about bits anymore… The reason he’s hard to deal with is because he already has everything he could possibly want. He doesn’t deal in bits. Not gold. Not jewels. He deals in secrets, information, connections, and experiences. And if you can’t give him something he doesn’t already have he has no use for you!”

The unicorn chuckles a bit, “You’re kidding surely-” then pales as he asks, “You’re not… how is that possible?! Even Money Bags still enjoys the jingle of coins!”

Trotsky puts a hoof over his eyes for a moment as he takes in a deep breath. “Okay, well… that’s where the rumors come in at.”

“Well don’t leave me hanging here, man! Out with it!”

Trotsky slides his hoof off of his face and says softly, “There’s a rumor that he’s royalty.”

“Yeah… and? So is Blueblood… We could just ask him since he’ll be here tonight as well.”

Trotsky shakes his head. “No… not like Blueblood…” After a few moments of silence he adds, “Direct lineage.”

The unicorn laughs and waves it away with a hoof. “Yeah? Well, there’s already a line for the throne so it couldn’t be that import-” he stops mid sentence as the wording actually strikes him. “Direct lineage you say?! You mean he’s-?!”

“The rumor I’d dug up is that he’s Celestia’s illegitimate biological son… That she’d hid her pregnancy with magic, and is actually one of the reasons why she vacated the throne when Littlehorn was destroyed. To protect her only child.” He shrugs and smiles. “A mother’s instincts.”

“Tha- that’s preposterous…” the unicorn stammers. “There’s no way that could be! It would have gotten out somehow!”

Trotsky shakes his head. “Not with the constant threats to her life already. An heir to the throne? The Zebras would be all over them to snuff out that possibility!”

“So you’re saying no one’s seen him, ever? Yet you expect me to believe he’s coming here, alone, simply on the promise of fine dining?” the unicorn asks with a raised eyebrow.

Trotsky shakes his head. “No. Not saying that at all… in fact, I’ve gotten confirmed reports of him inside the castle, on repeated occasions… but no one knows where he’s going or what he’s doing… Nor see him leave or enter.” He leans towards the unicorn and says quietly, “Remember how reclusive Luna’s been? Apparently he’s even been in her company… And, besides extremely few trusted guards, who else would have access to her?”

“…family,” the unicorn says softly.

“Family,” Trotsky repeats with a firm slow nod of his head.

The unicorn smirks as he looks at his glass hovering next to him, “You know, this information would be worth a fortune to the right parties…”

Trotsky smirks and shrugs. “Well, you pay me enough to dig it up… but… just a word to the wise…” He pauses long enough for the unicorn to actually look up at him from his glass of liquor. “Don’t go trying to sell him out to the Zebras just yet… I’m sure he’ll be worth far more as a business partner than as a ransom.”

The unicorn snickers as he finishes his own drink. “You make an astute observation…”

Trotsky dips his head and grins as he says, “Why thank you!” He grabs the glass he’d just poured, downs the entire thing in one go, and then says with a raspy voice and a cough, “There’s… just… one more thing.”

The unicorn smiles and rolls his eyes as he says, “This is so droll… What is it now, Trotsky?”

Trotsky frowns as he says, “He’s difficult to please, and has more than just a few socially unacceptable quirks. And, apparently, his station, status, wealth, or whatever is so great that… he simply doesn’t care.”

The unicorn narrows his eyes as he asks, “Are you telling me I’m going to have to suffer through an evening with an insufferable ass just to increase my profit margins?”

Trotsky shrugs as he grins. “I wouldn’t have putten it so eloquently… but... pretty much, yeah.” He walks by him on the way to the door and taps him on the shoulder as he says, “I better get out of here. Can’t have him or anyone else seeing me here.”

“Yes, I’d prefer if there were as few questions about our connections as possible. Thank you for your discretion,” his unicorn co-conspirator replies with a frown.

Trotsky waves with a hoof and quickly makes tracks out through the backdoor of the mansion. Literally.

The unicorn looks down and frowns as he asks the ether, “Would it be too much to ask the cretin to wipe his shoes off somewhere on the back veranda before dragging that gods awful Hoofington weather drenched mud through my home? Uhg!” He rolls his eyes, while pouring himself another glass, and promptly downs the entire thing before heading back out into the hallway.

The only bright side is the sight of several of his house keepers already hard at work to remove the muddy prints Trotsky tracked through the mansion from the hardwood and marble floors.

He heads down the wide hall to the main foyer and finds that one of his guests has already arrived. He gives a courteous and respectful bow of his head as he says, “Blueblood! So good of you to come!” He waves a hoof and tuts as he shakes his head in disgust. “In such dreadful weather at that.”

“Quite right, Grabby!” Blueblood replies with a rather disturbed look on his face. He works a bit to straighten the tan, practically golden amber, hair of his mane as he says, “But when opportunity knocks, one must brave the dangers of the world.”

Grabby nods and motions towards a side door. He guides Blueblood into the large dining hall where a monstrous fireplace sits in the middle of both the length of the room and table. “One must do, what one must do, certainly!” As they are crossing the threshold into the dinning hall, he leans towards Blueblood and asks, “So, did you manage to bring it?”

Blueblood puts a hoof to his chest and tilts his head as he looks away at the mere suggestion of failure. “My dear Grabby, you wound me! Of course I brought the finest caviar money can buy! Straight from the protected waters of Stalliongrad!”

“And… the cheese you’d mentioned?”

Blueblood nods as he continues on into the dinning hall at a casual pace. “Yes, the cheese prepared by the monks in Saddle Arabia over the course of thirty years… And the truffles harvested by those uncultured buffalo, as requested.” He waves dismissively towards a back room. “I’ve already passed it on to your servants…” He turns to look at Grabby as he asks, “Are you certain your chefs know how to handle such high quality grandiose ingredients?”

Grabby nods repeatedly. “Yes. Of course. I pilfered one from a five star restaurant in Prance.” He chuckles and waves a hoof dismissively. “Apparently his loss pretty much made the entire thing collapse in financial ruin…But that’s what happens when you put your lynchpin on such a disposable portion of your business model.”

Blueblood stands over by the fire, shaking himself gently and availing himself of the few drops of water that had managed to get through the coat he’d been wearing on the way here. “I must say this entire evening has piqued my interest. Finally access to a few goods that we haven’t been able to get our hooves on? Rather timely, I must say!”

Grabby nods as he looks around. “Yes… very much so… And with it the little project you’ve been working on will be well financed…” He raises an eyebrow as he asks, “And my portion, both payment and lodging, have been accounted for, correct?”

Blueblood nods. “Yes. Your payment and spot in the location have already been accounted for.”

Grabby nods as he grins and looks around. “Good… good… Better safe than sorry… I wouldn’t want to be living with the common rabble in one of those ungainly stables.” He scrunches up his nose in disgust and waves a hoof to try and shoo away such distasteful thoughts. “Have you seen the things? So many ponies in one location! And the living conditions are positively ghastly! No sense of style! No considerations taken into account for the finer things in life…” He looks at Blueblood with a raised eyebrow as he finishes.

Blueblood nods as he lets out a sigh. “Yes, Grabby, unlike Stable-Tec, we’ve actually taken all of that into consideration… Only those truly deserving will be included… You won’t have to worry about the filthy hooved masses.”

Grabby nods rapidly as he lets out a sigh. “Good. Good! I have to admit. The entire ordeal has been on my mind quite a bit of late.”

“Well, how about we take a break for the evening, and retire. To pleasant food, company, and a bright financial future and business partnership! And, thus, leave all of this dreadful business behind us for one evening?” Blueblood suggests.

Grabby nods as he looks around and rubs his mane with his hoof again. “Quite right. Good call.” He takes in a deep breath and lets it out before looking over at Blueblood. “So, before our guest gets here, I was wondering…” He puts a hoof to his mouth in thought as he starts second guessing what he was about to say as Blueblood turns to regard him. Grabby waves his hoof dismissively as he says, “Never mind. That’s a topic for another day…” Blueblood raises an eyebrow in response, but both of their attentions are brought to the mansion’s front door as a loud metal knocker is struck repeatedly.

Grabby grins and starts that way as he says, “That must be our guest of honor now!”

They both trot over as the front door is opened by a group of servants.

A white pegasus steps in through the threshold at a slow pace, holding a walking cane of some kind in the air so that the tip is well above his head as he advances. All around him the water that had been pouring down from the outside drips over and off of the magical bubble that had appeared over his head as long as he kept the wooden cylinder up in the air.

As the water drips down around him he looks around at the attendants who ask to take or hold his clothing, and yet he relinquishes nothing. Until he lowers the wand, and with a flash the bubble above his head disappears, dropping the last few drops of water down on himself and those clamoring around him. He passes over his hat, and his now wet oversized coat to the attendants before stowing the rod inside of his sparkling and immaculately tailored jacket. He sees the absolutely stunned look on Grabby’s face and says with a smug smile, “It is but a rather common, simple, spell to keep rain off of oneself… If you are that impressed by it, perchance you should learn it for yourself?”

Grabby stares at him for a moment before shaking his head a bit. “I’m sorry, where are my manners-”

“In the drain with the rest of this gods awful Hoofington weather I’d wager,” the white stallion in the foyer quips. “Leaving me on that stoop for so long, I might have actually gotten wet!”

“Ah… yes… forgive me… but-” Grabby begins again.

The white stallion smiles and nods his head. “As long as you know you were wrong, I am more than gracious enough to do so.” He waves his hoof and throws a bit of imaginary air in Grabby’s direction. “There. Forgiven.”

“Ah… yes… well… thank you… I’m-”

“Yes, yes. I know who you are, Grabby. Master of this humble estate yet… connoisseur of cuisine most fabulous?” He chuckles a bit as he tilts his head. “I must say, when they told me you had such fare on offer I said ‘Posh, if such things existed, I would have already supped them!’ but they were quite insistent that you were the stallion to provide me something I’ve yet to experience…” He turns to the side and looks at an ornate mirror by the door, installed for the purpose of examining oneself before stepping hoof out of the house. “So I said to myself, ‘Sunshine, nothing ventured, nothing gained. There are only so many chances in one's life to experience something truly new and wonderful. So you must go! What’s the worst that could happen?’” He looks to the side and frowns as he gazes through the curtains out into the Hoofington downpour outside. “I had, quite terribly, made an error in calculation… and did not take into consideration the out right obnoxious weather this part of the country has.” He looks over at one of the servants who is carefully trying to dry off the jacket he was given with a piece of heating equipment and asks, “How is it that any actually live in this practical swamp? Could you not move? Why would you bother toiling in such depraved conditions?”

The servants glance at him, and at Grabby, not sure what to say, but are saved from having to say anything as Sunshine abruptly turns towards Grabby. “So, Grabby, You have quite the captive audience here! I do not wish to venture forth back out into this nightmare they call Hoofington’s average weather. But, thankfully, we apparently have much to discuss! So, lead the way, and we shall begin! And, if all goes well, the night shall progress and, by the end of it, I can leave without further worry of being assaulted by this horrendous weather… Long enough to make it out of Hoofington, I pray!”

Grabby nods and smiles, with a rather forced grin, as he says, “Quite right! Dreadful weather tonight! Before we begin, let me introduce-” He waves a hoof to the side towards Blueblood, but, again, is cut off.

“Blueblood… yes… I’m aware,” Sunshine says as he trails his eyes over the white unicorn. “I was not aware that you were going to be in attendance tonight.”

Bluebloods eyes go wide as they quickly dart around Sunshine’s body, not being used to being on the receiving end of such obvious disdained words. At least not so openly. “Well, quite right. Grabby was kind enough to invite me along for the night’s festivities. He’d said that he had a guest coming which we will have quite a few things in common, business wise.”

Grabby looks between them and asks, “You two… know each other?”

“I am quite familiar with Blueblood, yes. Though the fates have deemed it right to keep our paths apart, until tonight it seems… shame,” Sunshine says as he starts walking in the direction indicated by Grabby and into the large dining hall.

Blueblood lets out a forced cough and says with his eyes closed and his chest puffed out, “That would be Prince… Blueblood,” he comments with emphasis on his title as he blindly turns his muzzle in Sunshine’s direction.

Sunshine replies over his shoulder, “I’m sure.” The phrase is simple, but the tone strikes a chord that stabs both Blueblood and Grabby as meaning having an unfinished ‘you think you are’ at the end.

Blueblood scrunches up his nose as he huffs and is about to say something in retort when Grabby leans towards him and says quietly, “I’ve been warned he’s hard to deal with. I can see they weren’t exaggerating. I beg you, hold your pride long enough for us to talk. Maybe he’ll warm up to us after having a good meal.”

Blueblood glares at Grabby with a fierceness in his eyes strong enough that Grabby actually recoils from him. But after taking in a deep breath, and placing a wayward lock of light amber hair back in its place in his otherwise immaculate mane, he gives a single dignified nod. “It would put anyone in a foul mood to have to travel a long distance in such conditions. If he can be gracious enough to excuse us, I shall do the same.”

Grabby nods in appreciation and puts his forehooves together as he says quietly, “Thank you, Prince Blueblood.” Then he turns and leads the way into the dining hall. As he’s approaching the large table he calls out to Sunshine in order to draw his attention away from where he’s looking out through one of the dining room’s windows, “While we are awaiting the main course to finish cooking, I have acquired quite a treat for us to sample!” He looks over at a butler in the corner and gives him a quick nod.

The suited blue earth pony nods respectfully, hops through the door near him, and claps his forehooves together loudly to send the signal down the servants’ hallway.

A moment later a unicorn mare comes trotting in with a bucket of ice floating in front of her, and an old large glass bottle sitting in an ice bath. She carefully sets the bucket containing the ancient looking green glass bottle before respectfully lowering her gaze and quickly backing out of the room and into the hallway from where she came again.

Grabby trots over as he uses his own levitation field and lifts the bottle enough that it’s upright, while still being in the ice, and carefully spins it so everyone can see it from various angles. “This here is one of the rarest bottles of wine in existence.” He looks over at Sunshine as he says, “A Château Queue-Blanche, recovered from the wreckage of a Prance explorer vessel off the coast of what is now Manehatten.” He looks over at Prince Blueblood and says softly, “Spent nearly 500 years in the ocean’s depths before it was brought up to the surface by salvagers…” He carefully sets the bottle back down as he adds, “There were only ten bottles recovered intact in the entire world!”

“Ah, yes… Château Queue-Blanche,” Sunshine says as he stares at the bottle.

“That is quite the rare find!” Blueblood says with an approving smile and bob of his head.

Sunshine looks from the bottle to Grabby as he asks, “Have you sampled such a ‘rare find’ before, Grabby?”

Grabby shakes his head and smiles as he carefully pulls the bottle out, pops the cork, which does make a satisfying sound showing that its seal has been maintained the entire time, before he starts pouring generous portions into gold trimmed fluted crystal glasses for them all. “That, I have not. This wasn’t that easy to find. I can assure you.”

Sunshine stares at the crystal wine glasses slowly filling with the red liquid as he says, “Quite understandable, given their limited quantity…”

Grabby grins at him and asks as he raises an eyebrow, “Have you sampled such rare delicacies before?”

Sunshine tilts his head and asks, “Have I had some of the salvaged Château Queue-Blanche from the shipwreck? That I have not. I must admit, this will be a new experience for me.”

“Excellent!” Grabby says with a massive grin as he hovers over a glass for Sunshine to take. Which he does by holding his right forehoof in such a way that the glass sits perched on its top in perfect balance. With not even a wave in the liquid to betray any movement whatsoever. Grabby likewise gives one to Blueblood, who accepts it with a dip of his head as he takes it up in his own levitation field. Grabby ends by lifting the final glass in his levitation field as he raises the glass high in the air and declares, “Here’s to first experiences.” He waves the glass in Sunshine’s direction as he adds, “And new beginnings.”

Sunshine dips his head in return as he brings the glass up to his lips and asks, “So, know much about wine, do you?”

Grabby nods and grins as he takes a sip from his cup.

At the same time Blueblood takes a sip from his.

Both of their eyes bug out and Grabby pulls his glass away in time to scream, “Waaait!” as he jumps towards Sunshine and waves a hoof at him to try and get him to stop.

But Sunshine had already taken a sip. In fact. He took his sip after they did and, by the nightmare apparently playing before Grabby’s eyes, it seems like Sunshine actually did it after Grabby had warned him. With an indestructible smirk across his muzzle as he holds hard eye contact with Grabby the entire time.

That not even the wine itself could remove.

Sunshine calmly pulls the glass away from his lips as he declares loudly, and almost giddily, “How positively dreadful!” Then he starts laughing merrily.

Grabby’s foreleg hangs limply as he says with a groan, “I… I don’t know what to say…” He shakes his head and then looks at Sunshine as the tone in his voice completely confuses him. “Wait, what?”

“I said it was dreadful. Absolutely horrendous!” He continues laughing as he’s looking into the glass. “First experiences indeed!”

Grabby gives him a crooked smile as he says, “Well, at least you remain in good spirits about it.”

Sunshine laughs even louder with a practical twinkle in his eye. “No, my good Grabby, the spirits are quite horrendous!” He lifts the glass again so there could and would not be any misunderstanding about what he is referring to. “What I am is in good humor. And after being subjected to such… blight of palates… there’s not much else for one to do.” He gazes into the glass a bit before looking over at Grabby as he says, “I had asked if you knew much about wine, before any of us drank of this swill, for a particular reason.” He holds the glass up into the light so its rich rosy color shines out from the light passing through it. “You see, wine not stored properly, for even a relatively short period of time, would and could quickly turn into what amounts to vinegar…” He rattles the glass on the end of his hoof a bit as he says, “Which is what this has become…” He points a wing over to the bucket of ice it was brought in as he continues, “Furthermore…. My dear host… Given that this is quite obviously a red wine… one would not typically chill it before serving… let alone actually icing it… Proper flavor would only be achieved for a full flavored red by being a bit warmer… say… in the mid sixties, degree wise. But, I would not hold your servants accountable for making such a botchery of the delivery. For, given this had no label, and is so rare, they couldn’t possibly have known.” He lowers the glass and then grins at Grabby as he uses it to motion in his direction. “In truth, they did us a favor. Considering it’s this bad already, while practically numbingly frozen, image how horrid it would be if it were properly warmed!”

Grabby flushes as he looks around and mutters, “That bottle cost me three hundred and four thousand bits! I can’t believe it’s this bad, this… Useless!”

Sunshine raises a wing tip and waves it side to side as he tuts him. “Tut-tut, Grabby… a higher monetary value does not equate to a transcendent experience…” He grins wider and wiggles his eyebrows at him. “I would know.” He looks at the glass and sets it aside as he says, “Furthermore, it’s not entirely useless…” He looks over at Grabby and smirks. “I’m sure a talented chef could make a fine red wine vinaigrette out of it.” He gives a slight pout as he says, “It’s certainly sour enough for that.”

Grabby gives a nervous chuckle as he takes all of the glasses with his levitation field, sets them on a tray, and then has one of his suit wearing servants take it out of the room. “I must apologize for this; it is quite unexpected.”

Sunshine lets out a sigh as he waves it away and starts looking out a nearby window at the steadily intensifying storm. “No need to apologize. It may have come as a surprise to you, but I’m used to my expectations not being met.”

Blueblood coughs and asks, in an attempt to try and direct the conversation away from completely humiliating Grabby, “So, Sunshine. You seem quite well traveled and… cultured… I haven’t heard of you, and the world is quite small, do you normally go by a pseudonym?”

Sunshine turns and looks at him as he raises an eyebrow, but says nothing.

Blueblood grins as he asks, “What do your friends call you?”

Sunshine chuckles as he goes back to looking out the window. “My ‘friends’ call me often…” He looks over at Blueblood and gives him a smug grin as he finishes, “And always when they want something.” Blueblood chuckles and Sunshine returns his gaze to the windows as he says, “I jest… My friends call me Sunny.”

Grabby gives him a cooked grin as he asks, “Ah, well then should I refer to you as Sunny?”

Sunshine looks at him and raises an eyebrow. “Whatever for?”

Grabby looks at Blueblood then back towards Sunshine as he says, “Well, given our potential business ventures together, I’d consider you a friend.”

“Really?” Sunshine asks. After Grabby grins at him and nods, Sunshine goes back to looking out the window as he huffs, “How presumptuous!”

Grabby instantly deflates and looks over at Blueblood with a frown, who can only smirk and shrug as he nods in apparent agreement of the statement. Grabby frowns even wider before looking over at Sunshine’s back and asking, “So, I hear you are in Canterlot often?”

Blueblood looks at Grabby with an eyebrow raised, but then gets an absolutely baffled look across his face as Sunshine nods and confirms. “I’m there quite often, yes.”

“In the castle?” Grabby presses, earning him another raised eyebrow from his unicorn guest.

“Of course,” Sunshine replies flatly.

They both stare at him from behind as Sunshine says nothing further and does nothing but examine the foul weather outside. After a few moments of silence he slowly turns around and looks at the pair as a scowl grows across his features. “Oh. I see… You bring me here under the pretense of a fine meal… Serve me overpriced bilge water instead… All for some ‘juicy gossip’ about our reclusive ruler?” He looks back and forth between them before he asks, “What tabloid are you working for this time?”

Grabby waves his hooves defensively as his eyes bug out. “That is not why I asked, I was simply curious!”

“About Luna?” Sunshine quips.

Blueblood’s eyes go wide as he asks, “You’ve actually seen Luna?” Sunshine nods. “Recently?” Sunshine nods again. Blueblood looks between him and Grabby as he says, “She’s been behind so many guards, and not making any public appearances, it’s rare to see her at all, even for me!” He looks at Sunshine and scowls as he adds, “And I’m her own nephew!”

Sunshine looks at him as he quips, “Yes, I’m fully aware of your long connection, Blueblood.” He looks between them as he asks, “What, want to make sure she’s still breathing and someone hasn’t secretly taken over?” He rolls his eyes and plasters on a grin as he lets out a long condescending toned, “Fiiiiine.” He straightens up and nods once as he says, “Since you are so deprived of her presence, I shall simply confirm a single fact for you.” He waves around as he says, “Luna is alive and well. Although ‘well’ is a bit of a subjective term at this point.”

Both of their eyes bug out further as Blueblood asks quickly, “Is she ill?!”

Sunshine glares at him and replies with a nasally, “Noooo… she’s not ill, not exactly. So don’t go getting a suit tailored because you’re not getting the crown, Blueblood.”

Blueblood lets out a snort as he looks off to the side and says flatly, “Prince… Blueblood.”

“I’m sure,” Sunshine says again with a dismissive hoof wave. He looks over at Grabby and points at his own eyes with his wingtips. “The poor dear has been working herself so ragged she’s got massive bags under her eyes, and is perpetually sleep deprived.” He puts his forehoof up to his chest and says flatly, “All for the well-being of her dear subjects… Isn’t she so kind?” He leans towards them and waves a hoof as he says softly, apparently completely getting into the gossipy feeling of it, “Why, just this last week she came into the dining hall, dragging herself really, and grabbed a banana to eat.”

Blueblood and Grabby look at each other before looking at Sunshine again, with Grabby asking, “Well, what was so odd about that?”

Sunshine tuts and gives a wide frown as he points at his mouth with one hoof and flings it back behind himself a moment later in imitation of what he’d seen. “She ate the peel, and threw away the actual banana! She was that tired!”

Blueblood puts a hoof to his mouth as he says softly, “Aunt Luna?” Sunshine nods and a few of the servants stand around gaping at what they’d just heard, despite their best attempts not to.

Sunshine waves a hoof as he says, “Is it any wonder she doesn’t want to be seen in public? On top of quite literally not having time for it, that time could be better spent catching up on her sleep… Or at least not be ridiculed for her present state…”

Grabby looks over at Blueblood and says softly, “I had no idea things were so dire…”

Sunshine scowls as he says, “And if one word of this ends up in a paper I’m sure you will be hearing about it promptly thereafter.”

Grabby waves his forehooves frantically. “I don’t work for a paper, honestly!”

Sunshine waves a forehoof towards the table as he asks, “Well, with that being the case, and I see the table is laden with… empty space and horridly executed good intentions….” He tilts his head as he asks, “What is it you are really after? If not gossip from the castle, then what?” Grabby’s left eye twitches ever so much as he gives a bit of a crooked grin in return. Sunshine rolls his eyes as he says, “I am not an idiot… Do not insult my intelligence any further. I don’t get random invites to some… ‘spectacular’… dinner without there being some pretty hefty strings attached with the host wanting me to perform one minor miracle or another.” He looks off to the side, closes his eyes, and claps his forehooves together as he says in an elongated tone that oozes a condescending level of narcissism, “Come, come, out with it already.”

Grabby looks over at the butlers attending both doors and nods them out. They quickly oblige, closing the doors behind them and leaving the three to talk in private. A moment later, with a flash from his horn, the curtains all draw tightly closed to prevent any outside view in. After that Grabby walks over to the fireplace and hovers down a box from the mantel above it. And as the box is coming down, the lid opens and out pops what looks like a set of miniature Pony-In-The-Boxes. He floats one to the center of the end of the table, and does the same with the other one to the opposite side. He places them exactly into mirror positions of each other before he starts slowly cranking the respective handles with his magical field. After a few cranks, he presses the star in the center front of the boxes and a haunty music begins flowing out of them.

Sunshine’s eyes go wide as he grins at the spectacle. “Ouuu noise canceling fetishes…” Grabby’s eyes jump open to their max in surprise and he looks around quickly as Sunshine tuts him. “You know anything from the zebra lands is considered contraband and not exactly legal, mmmmyes?” Grabby’s eyes dart around for a few moments as he’s obviously trying to figure out what he should do. But then he sighs and takes in a breath of relief as Sunshine chuckles and moves over to the table himself. “I only jest!” He grins as he looks between the two and waves towards Blueblood. “If it’s the kind of thing you don’t want others to hear about that badly, then that is positively the juiciest!”

“Well… I’m glad you approve,” Grabby says weakly.

Sunshine taps on the table a couple times as he smiles. “So, what is this minor miracle you wish to conjure upon your life… Something involving something hard to get? Something rare and exciting perchance?”

Grabby pulls out a folded paper from his pocket and floats it over to in front of Sunshine and lays it out for him as neatly as possible as it unfolds itself with his glow. “Well, this to start with… Have you heard of it?”

Sunshine grabs the paper with a wing and pulls it over to himself.

“Hmmm oh… yes? Well… Mint-als are easy enough…” He snicker as he looks over at Grabby. “And some of the ‘Party’ variety, hmmm? That’s not exactly hard to come by either…” He looks over at Blueblood and lets out a sigh. “As I’m sure you know, these are already everywhere at parties to try and liven them up… Especially if a certain pink mare is present. This isn’t exactly uncommon. Even in Equestria proper.”

Grabby smiles as he waves towards the list with a hoof. “Quite right… but it’s always nice to have additional discreet back channels for more if the need comes for it.”

Sunshine trails his eyes down the list as he says, “I’m not seeing a whole lot in here that really should be hard to-” He pauses as he gets down the list of items. And his eyes stop about a quarter of the way from the bottom as something catches his eyes.

And his hesitation makes Grabby visibly extremely uncomfortable.

“I see,” Sunshine says as he folds up the piece of paper, without even reading the rest, and holds it aloft so Grabby can retrieve it. Which he does, with his magical field, very quickly. Sunshine leans on the table sideways as he grins at him and asks, “I take it, that's the item you truly are hoping for help in procuring?” He waves his hoof sideways as he says, “Given the positively pedestrian requests otherwise?”

Grabby adjusts the collar to his suit as he looks around and coughs. “Well… the entire list is composed of things that we would appreciate help in acquiring but…” He coughs into a hoof and looks at Sunshine sideways. “Yes… From your reaction I take it you know what that is?”

Sunshine positively purrs as he says, “Indeed I do.”

Grabby and Blueblood look at him for a few moments before Grabby motions for him to continue. “Well… is it something you can help us with?”

Sunshine trails his eyes over the candelabra in the center of the elongated table as he gives a slight nod. “Yes. It is well within my abilities to acquire…” He looks over at Grabby sideways as he says, “I know of three shipments being held currently at the border right at the moment.” He chuckles and waves a hoof. “One came in as some kind of cat food container coming in from Saddle Arabia of all places!”

He turns toward them and raps his forehooves on the table. “My, how exciting! I don’t exactly get a request for that sort of thing very often… Given the consequences for even simple possession these days.”

Blueblood looks back and forth between Sunshine and Grabby before he asks, “Do I even want to know, Grabby?”

“Probably not, Prince Blueblood… Probably not,” Grabby admits.

Blueblood lets out a sigh as he adjusts his mane with a forehoof. “Well… discretion is key in such instances… and I can surely respect that.” He looks over at Sunshine and asks, “Given Grabby’s reaction, I take it that that is a particularly hard to come by commodity?”

Sunshine nods as he looks over at him. “That, my shining coated coconspirator, is a massive understatement.” He looks over at Grabby and grins widely. “It’s even in the ‘difficult to acquire’ category for myself… Which is truly saying something, honestly!”

Blueblood looks between them and asks, “So if you can even get such a hard to acquire item-”

“Practically impossible to acquire, normally,” Sunshine interrupts with a correcting quip.

Blueblood nods and manages to maintain his composure as he asks, “So you would be able to fulfill the other requests too, given that they are so… as you put it… ‘Pedestrian’ in commonality?”

Sunshine waves a hoof as he laughs, “Of course I could! There are many uses for such items. Some medicinal… some to help poor sods get through their trivial and insignificant lives… Others just because they like to rebel against the system. And, even though the ingredients themselves are also closely monitored, they aren’t impossible to acquire.” He looks over at Grabby and grins. “It’s just a matter of discretion… and the correct word from the correct pony at the correct moment to make sure attention is directed elsewhere when the cargo is passing through.”

He waves it off dismissively. “Although, since you are asking for the possibility of the components… that brings up a few other problems… as they can be used for other purposes as well… Additionally, you do not have any amounts listed here… so… how much are we talking about? How soon? Details man!” He raps on the table a few times to try and speed up their reply and get his point across.

Grabby motions towards the front door of the mansion with a hoof as he says, “There’s a company that is having a hard time getting a hold of the ingredients it needs in a timely manner. If we can fix that problem, we’ll secure their dominance in the local market. We may even be able to expand and actually take over one of our competitors.” He looks over at Blueblood and waves a hoof in disgust. “They’ve been a thorn in my family’s side for generations; it’d be good form for them to finally disappear as an unpleasant footnote in our history.”

Sunshine folds his forehooves on the table as he looks between them. “So I take it you are looking more for a continued, regular supply chain, versus whatever sporadic nonsense you are having to deal with currently?

Grabby nods as he grins at Sunshine. “That sums it up rather aptly, yes, Sunshine.”

Sunshine rubs his chin with a hoof as he looks over to the side at the servants’ entrance. “Well, that certainly complicates matters, doesn’t it?”

Blueblood smirks as he asks, “Why, is it beyond your ability? Can’t do it?”

Sunshine looks over at him and narrows his eyes menacingly as he replies curtly, “I can do as I wish… It’s only a matter if I want to…” He looks around at the table, staring at the empty space in front of him, before he looks at Grabby. “This wouldn’t be a simple delivery. No, no, my fellow.” He waves a hoof dismissively. “This would require a looooong ongoing commitment on my part… So I would, without question, have to be entirely entangled with whatever venture you are running for as long as this war proceeds and…” He looks at Blueblood. “As long as I actually care to… And, to be blunt…” He waves a hoof over the long table. “I don’t see a single solitary reason why I would want to put up with such nonsense.” He folds his forehooves back on the table as he looks back and forth between them. “So, gentlestallions, what is it you can do for me that would come even close to making this worth my consideration, let alone the ample time it will require?”

Blueblood and Grabby look at each other before Grabby says with an uneasy smile, “It’s mighty gracious of you to at least hear me out, but, I’m unsure of what someone of your position would find as suitable compensation.”

Sunshine grins at him as he waves a forehoof casually. “Access would be a good start.”

Blueblood raises an eyebrow. “I thought you were one of the most connected stallions in all of Equestria… How could you need access to anypony?”

Sunshine looks at him and gives him a frown that clearly questions the intelligence of someone asking such a question. “I did not say to a pony.” He looks over at Grabby and slowly starts tapping on the table with his forehooves. “You have access to many laboratories, all connected to your family’s umbrella company… I want access… to all of them.” Grabby’s eyes go wide and he opens his mouth but gets cut off. “Furthermore, I want to have the ability to clear out certain segments of the facilities, and bring in my own people.” He looks over at Blueblood and smiles as he adds. “When you need work done, and it needs to be done quickly, having an accessible place, regardless of the hours, can be advantageous.”

“What are you planning on making?” Grabby asks as he raises an eyebrow.

“That, my ‘gracious host’, is entirely my business…” Sunshine says with a long grin. He looks between them as he says, “I have connections, because I make connections. There are times when some individuals need access to a proper lab, discreetly, and they will disappear again when the work is done...” He looks over at Blueblood and grins even wider. “After all, bathtub varieties of Party-Time Mint-als just don’t cut it for my more discerning clients.”

Grabby’s eyes go wide as he asks, “You… you don’t simply smuggle things in, you have an entire production chain set up in the country?”

Sunshine bobs his head side to side a bit before giving a slight nod. “For some things that just aren’t profitable enough to bother with smuggling in, yes.” He shrugs. “Chems may be rather pedestrian in nature, and not even worth my time from a financial standpoint… But they are particularly good for making certain individuals happy… Individuals that, in turn, help to keep me happy.”

Blueblood raises an eyebrow as he asks, “And… just what makes you happy?”

Sunshine frowns as he aimlessly looks around the opulent dining room. “Tragically, very little I’m afraid…” He looks between them and waves a forehoof towards Grabby. “You see, you only get to experience the thrill of doing something new once. And then… after that?” He holds up his hoof and blows on it, sending a piece of lint he’d managed to scrape off the tablecloth fluttering away in the breeze he creates. “Poof… it’s gone. The magic of it is fleeting, and I’m left looking for something new. Granted… there are a … few… guilty pleasures of mine that I enjoy indulging in from time to time… but.” He raises a hoof high in the air as he closes his eyes. “They must be savored! And not over-indulged in… Or else their own magic would be lost.”

A chime rings at the door from the servants’ hallway and Grabby raises a hoof as he says, “If you’ll pardon the pause in the conversation. My servants have brought us something.” He uses his magic field and twists a sundial set into the center of the door, and the door slowly slides open afterwards. After the door’s entirely open, a group of servants parade in carrying a variety of large silver trays. They walk down the length and, as one, all turn and place their respective burdens on the table in front of them. Thus creating a long lined buffet of dainty food morsels. Then they all turn sharply and walk back the way they came, in a line, and the last one out shuts the door behind them again. Once closed, the sundial in the center of the door rotates again on its own, securing the door once more.

Sunshine’s eyes trail down the entire length of the table as he says with a smirk, “If nothing else, I can give points for making an attempt.”

Grabby walks over and waves a hoof over two trays covered in small crackers, all different shapes and colors with various grains still visible. Along the top of each one is one type of cheese, fruit, or other edible delight or another. A few of the others seem to have some kind of jam spread across the tiny cheese cuts. “These hors d’oeuvres have been carefully prepared by a top chef of a five star restaurant straight from Prance! He’s used a combination of ingredients to give each one a uniquely satisfying experience. The cheese is from the monks of Saddle Arabia, tended to and cared for, for decades, until it’s reached its proper flavor… And the little black globes of deliciousness are some of the hardest and rarest caviar in all the world!” He waves a hoof towards Blueblood as he adds, “Both brought by Prince Blueblood, who was gracious enough to help make this evening a memorable one.”

Blueblood smiles as he bobs his head at the compliment. “I do what I can.” He motions towards the trays as he says, “Please, do enjoy.”

Sunshine walks around and looks down at the trays as he asks, “So… Yakistani cheese… and Stalliongrad caviar?”

Grabby nods so emphatically that it travels down his entire body. “You have an excellent eye, Sunshine!”

Sunshine chuckles as he rolls his eyes. “No, Grabby, it’s just that this is so predictable that all I had to do was think.” He sits back and waves a hoof in front of himself. “‘Now, Sunshine’ I said to myself ‘Given what they have already done and how things have progressed thus far… what could he possibly be attempting to apply to our palate this time?’ and I said to myself ‘Well, of course Sunshine, they would try to use the most expensive ingredients that they could find. All in an attempt to impress you.’ And then I said to myself ‘Yes, yes. That’s a brilliant form of deduction, Sunshine.’ And I replied ‘Why thank you, Sunshine’ … So… with that in mind, the only thing it could possibly be… given it’s visual appearance… is a cheese that is meant for religious rituals in a far away country most haven’t even been to, and the eggs of a fish that have been hunted nearly to extinction.” He looks between them and gives them a smirk as he says, “It’s almost like your chef pulled out a book on ‘the most expensive edibles on the planet’ and made a menu exclusively out of it.”

Blueblood and Grabby’s eyes go wide, but before they can say anything, Sunshine continues.

“There is just one massive problem with this… besides the insulting insinuation that is.”

Grabby shakes his head and asks, “And what’s that?”

Sunshine grabs a cracker with a wingtip that has some of the gelatinous spheres on it. He holds it up to eye level and opens his eyes even wider as he says, “These... are not caviar from Stalliongrad.”

Blueblood puffs up indignantly as he takes in an involuntary gasp of breath and says, “It most certainly is! I brought that myself!”

Sunshine directs his focus from the little globes close to his eyes over towards Blueblood. “I’m afraid you’ve been taken advantage of, Blueblood.”

Blueblood mutters through his gritted teeth as he narrows his eyes at Sunshine, “It’s Prince Blueblood.”

Sunshine mumbles, “Mmm I’m sure…” He directs his gaze back to the caviar as he says, “You see. Actual Stalliongrad caviar has a natural black color. But, if you inspect it very… very… closely… you’ll see the black is, in fact, a dark purple… Possibly with a midnight blue highlight.” He holds the cracker out to them and adds, “You see how it seems to be purely black? As if Luna herself took a miniature melon baller to the night skies of a new moon and laid them in a mound on the cracker?”

They lean in and look at it closely as Sunshine points down at it with a single pinion. “That is how you know these are forgeries… a scam… counterfeit I tell you!”

He pops the entire thing into his mouth and then slowly chews as he works it around in his muzzle. “Yes… quite the fake…” He holds up a feather as he noisily smacks his lips and looks around at the ceiling above. “Yes… I see.” He looks down at the two leaning close by and says, “It’s almost the right amount of saltiness… But just a bit too salty… If you didn’t know any better, I could see how one could be entirely fooled by this.” He grabs another cracker and eyeballs it closely as he says, “If I were to wager… I’d say someone simply processed these with the ink from squids to give them their color… But in doing so made them just a bit too salty… These are, in all likelihood, common roe from a freshwater source…” He looks over at the two and frowns as he adds, “Which would potentially mean the possibility of various parasites or foodborne illnesses.”

Blueblood quickly grabs a cracker off a tray with his levitation field and pops the entire thing in his mouth. He chews meticulously as he eyeballs Sunshine, and then his eyes drift around as he gives it some consideration himself. He looks over at Grabby and says softly, “I… I do believe he may be correct… They do seem just a bit salty…”

Sunshine rolls his eyes as he looks over the trays. “Well of course I’m right… I spend enough time with ponies shoving the same trite selections in my face that it’s not hard to spot the discrepancies.” He gives a prim nod as he closes his eyes. “It’s simply all a matter of experience my dear uncultured fellows.”

Blueblood’s left eye twitches as he snorts a few times and tries to contain his temper in spite of the mounting insults. “I do… apologize… for the unfortunate mistake.”

Sunshine waves with a forehoof dismissively in Blueblood’s general direction. “It’s quite alright. As I’ve said, my expectations of your success were quite low.”

“Indeed…” Blueblood replies as he narrows his eyes at Sunshine.

Sunshine grabs another cracker and takes a delicate bite from it, managing to bisect something that was meant to be eaten whole. He chews slowly on the jam covered cheese for a moment as he gives it a thoughtful look. He raises the remaining bit of cracker towards Blueblood as he says, “Well, you certainly have made an impression.” He waves over the trays as he asks, “Blueblood… Would you care to give me your expert opinion on this spread?”

“That’s Prince Blueblood,” he replies through gritted teeth.

“I’m sure…” quips Sunshine softly.

A lock of hair pops loose from Blueblood’s light amber mane, and he takes a deep breath as he smoothes it down before he replies calmly, at least as calmly as he can manage, “Pertaining to what, Sunshine?”

Sunshine waves a hoof over the trays again as he says, “Well, given your history… I figured it would behoove me to ask someone more familiar with common carnival fare.” He smiles at Blueblood as he asks, “You have had far more experience than I in such matters, and so I thought you could educate me on how one is supposed to enjoy such… simple… pedestrian forms of cuisine…?”

Blueblood’s eyes go wide and he lets out a snort of frustration as, despite how much he tries to hide it, it’s obvious he’s reminded of a certain gala event that he’d rather forget ever happened.

Grabby looks back and forth between the two, noticing the rising tension, and hops over to the table as he claps loudly. “Well! How about we pause the business talk and get to the real meal! It should be done by now, yes!”

He opens the door to the servants’ hallway and the butler at the door quickly scrambles down the hall to fetch what’s requested of him.

A few moments later a group of servants come rushing in, removing the various trays that are still laden with food and barely touched, and the next wave of servants lay out a variety of plates at points in the middle of the table’s length.

Sunshine walks over and examines a plate on his side of the table, while Blueblood and Grabby take up positions on the other side of the length opposite of him. Sunshine gives the silver platter a quick sniff, and the servant to his side removes the metallic dome for him to finally get a view of what is being offered this time.

A neat bundle of pasta, coiled up meticulously to look like some kind of bird nest, is positioned in the center and takes up the majority of the plate. All around it is a variety of herbs and seasonings that have been, along with a few strategically placed dribbles of various sauces, made to be laid out in such a fashion that it appears there is a family of birds flying around the nest. And, in the very center of the nest, is a heap of some kind of thick creamy sauce of such rich color that he’s not sure if it’s a carrot puree, a cheese, or something else entirely. And, across the entire top, but done so with intentional effort and not simply tossed on top, is a carefully manicured layout of truffle slices. All of them laid out in such a way that it creates the hint of a spiral that leads the viewer’s eyes down into the depths of the rich sauce in the center. With a few of the truffle slices even being embedded, and held in place entirely, on its edge within the sauce. Giving the impression that they are being sucked down into the nest.

Blueblood and Grabby watch with interest as Sunshine takes up a fork with his wingtip and takes a small calculated bite from the dish. All while being exceptionally careful not to get any of the very thick creamy sauce over his lips. He gives them a wide smile, and in doing so draws one from their lips as well, before he says, “Well now… I haven’t quite had a pasta fondue before! How delightfully mundane!” He takes another bite as he looks off to the side and puts a hoof to his muzzle as he chews. “It’s almost like the pasta is supposed to be dunked in the cheese individually, instead of eaten as a more traditional pasta…”

Grabby frowns as he takes a bite of the pasta himself, and finds the flavor so rich and creamy that he’s actually having a hard time paying attention to the slights being cast at him from his difficult guest.

Blueblood narrows his eyes as he asks, “You’ve been served fondue… on a plate… on a mountain of pasta? Before?”

Sunshine rolls his eyes and waves a hoof dismissively across the table towards Blueblood as he says, “Oh don’t be so crass and ignorant, Blueblood!” He chuckles. “I was simply making a joke… We are supposed to have an entertaining time, are we not?”

“It’s Prince Blueblood,” Blueblood mutters barely audibly as his left eyelids spasm slightly.

“I’m sure,” Sunshine replies with a quick grin as he looks at him.

“Quite right, quite right,” Grabby says quickly, and loudly, as he tries to redirect the conversation. He looks over at Sunshine as he asks, “Speaking of which, you seem to have led a very thrilling life. What with all of your connections and experiences. What led you to pursue such things?”

Sunshine directs his gaze over to him and waves a hoof dismissively. “Oh, I’m sure you know how it goes. Trying to find your own place in the world. Trying to figure out what your particular lot in life is… And eventually I fell into some of the familiar patterns… Having more than I really need. Every whim being taken care of. After a while you just really must find something to do with your time. Something entertaining. So I started learning more about the world. Looking for more things that I could try out and see what actually tickled my fancy.”

Grabby blinks a few times and then asks, “So… out of boredom?”

Sunshine bobs his head around before he nods. “Well when there’s nothing else left, apparently that is the one annoyance that does seem to persist… So I looked towards role models and tried to find my own path in life.”

“Oh?” Blueblood asks with a raised eyebrow. “Like who?

Sunshine taps a hoof to his chin. “Well, my, my… There are so many to choose from… Plenty of examples for intelligence… wit…. strength of will… So many demonstrating such admirable traits.”

“Any in particular?” Grabby asks.

Sunshine grins as he looks at him. “Why, yes, indeed.” He looks to the left and motions towards Blueblood as Blueblood is busying himself with the rest of his plate. “The very one sharing our table with us tonight is certainly in the top of the list.”

Blueblood smiles widely and dips his head in his direction. “Thank you for the compliment. It is quite hard to strive for perfection and to be a model stallion for those following in my shadow.”

Sunshine dips his head in return. “Quite.” He looks over at Grabby as he says, “I must say, out of everything I admire about him. The biggest and most prominent of the lessons I’ve learned from our good Blueblood… is the value of fortitude.” Blueblood looks at him and raises an eyebrow as Sunshine continues, “Strength even. The ability to look adversity in its face, and laugh! Standing tall and proud regardless of what anyone else would do in the same position!”

Blueblood tilts his head as he’s not quite sure what Sunshine is saying. “You flatter me, Sunshine. But, I must admit, I’m not sure of which trials you are referring to.”

Sunshine grins as he replies, “Oh, it’s just that I must say, I admire you, I really do! What strength! What… fortitude!” He leans across the table as he grins widely. “You simply must tell me how you manage it!”

Blueblood looks sideways at Grabby from a moment before returning his gaze to Sunshine. “Manage what?”

“Why, surviving, of course!”

Blueblood narrows his eyes as he raises an eyebrow in obvious confusion.

“I simply can’t fathom how you’ve managed it, to be honest. To be able to show your face in public again after being so thoroughly and humiliatingly rejected when you tried to marry that commoner!” Sunshine giggles and waves a hoof in his direction as Blueblood’s light arctic blue eyes jump open to their max size.

Sunshine points a hoof at Blueblood as he looks at Grabby and continues with a giggling tone in his voice, “And she turned him down! Did you hear?” He looks around at a few of the servants and chuckles as he adds, “Oh I’m sure you’ve heard. You must have! It’s gotten around quicker than it takes for a Hoofington rainstorm to ruin a picnic!”

He leans towards Grabby as he giggles. “From what I understand, he had to be escorted out of the building by security!” He laughs even harder as he taps a forehoof on the table repeatedly. “And now he’s permanently banned from all of the Ministry of Image hubs!” He leans back and laughs louder up into the ceiling before he leans sideways on the table and looks at Blueblood, who, at the moment, has a couple locks of his mane currently curling out of position as his color starts changing along his face and neck.

“I mean, if it were me, not that that could ever happen, I would have been mortified! I would have been horrified! I would have simply curled up in a closet somewhere and died of embarrassment!” He puts a hoof to his chest as he yells, “Oh the tragedy! Oh the humiliation!” He shakes his head and looks over at Blueblood as he asks with his head tilted. “To be an outright laughing stock of the entire world, and unable to convince even a commoner to marry you!” He giggles a few more times before he asks, “Well? Come now! Tell us how you’ve achieved such a high fortitude? How have you managed to not die of embarrassment? Or, at the very least, had the good sense to hide yourself from the rest of society like the laughing stock outcast failure you must certainly feel like?”

Everyone else turns to look at Blueblood after Sunshine finally finishes with their mouth agape. No one knows what to expect from him as he seems like he’s practically shivering while his face and neck slowly radiate a hot pinkish red glow. And the many unruly locks of his mane seem to come alive as they shiver along as if they are preparing to lash out themselves. After a few seconds of this tense atmosphere, he smooths his mane with a hoof as he closes his eyes and uses his magic to dab his lips with a cloth napkin. “Grabby.”

Grabby leans towards him and asks softly, “Yes, Prince Blueblood?”

“I fear I must have come down with something. I’m not feeling quite well at the moment. I shall retire for the evening. I’ll leave business details for another time. If you’ll excuse me.” Blueblood stands up and starts to walk towards the door that leads to the mansion’s large foyer.

Sunshine calls after him as he’s walking away, “It’s no wonder you’re feeling ill!” He looks over at Grabby and points towards the servants’ hall’s doorway. “I told you that caviar was fake. I told you Blueblood was duped. The poor fellow probably has a dreadful case of food poisoning from his own counterfeit caviar!”

Blueblood takes in a deep breath as his mane pops out several disorderly locks of amber hair. He comes to a full stop, shaking a bit more all over before he mutters, “Quite…” and then hurrying out of the room at a faster pace.

Grabby looks at Sunshine and smiles as he quickly trots out of the dining hall behind Blueblood. “I’ll only be a moment, I just need to make sure Prince Blueblood is going to make it home safely.” Almost as if the universe felt the need to make his concern validated, a massive crack of thunder rumbles throughout the hall as a lightning strike not far away blasts light in through the curtains, and around them causing the outside to momentarily turn entirely white from their perspective.

After Grabby has left, and the door is secured behind him again, one of the unicorn servants steps forward next to Sunshine and pours him another glass of fresh clear water using her levitation magic. She leans near his ear and dares a smile as she says softly, “Forgive me for saying so, but you are my personal hero tonight.” He looks at the rose colored mare sideways and raises an eyebrow. She covers her mouth with a hoof as she giggles quietly. “I’ve never seen somepony manage to fluster Prince Blueblood so badly before!”

Sunshine gives a slight nod as he momentarily closes his eyes. “It’s simply a matter of superior breeding.” He leans towards her and grins as he says, “He’s just simply under the false impression that he has something he does not have.”

She giggles again and asks, “May I get you anything? Something to drink, perhaps?”

He nods. “Now see, my fine filly, you’ve actually bothered to ask what I would enjoy.” He nods towards the recently closed door. “Instead of trying to force feed me tripe… my sincerest thanks…” He puts a hoof to his chest and gives her a slight bow before he rises up and smiles. “How about an Appletini? With extra olives if you would.”

She nods and turns away from the table as she says quickly, “Right away, sir.”

Out in the hallway the doors do their absolute best to contain the bellowing rage that is pouring out of Blueblood as he stomps around in the study opposite the dining hall. Even with the first set of doors closed, his muffled rampaging can be heard. But, thanks to the second set, the noise doesn’t travel into the dining hall.

The sound dampening wards don’t hurt either.

“Of all of the pre-posterous! Pretentious! Self-centered uncouth disgusting sacks of living waste I have ever seen, he must be the absolute worst!” Blueblood rants as he walks back and forth on the carpet in front of the fireplace, refusing to sit down on any of the lavish chairs that make a semi circle around the merrily burning fire.

Blueblood points a hoof to the door as he looks at it and screams, “He would dare to bring that up?! Who is he to talk down to me, me, Prince Blueblood that way?!” He hops towards the door and screams at it, “Yes! Prince Blueblood!” as his arctic blue eyes seem to practically boil in their sockets.

He starts stomping back the other way as he complains, “I’ve never met a more unpleasantly, snobbish, arrogant, un-reasonable, graceless, uncouth braggart in all of my life!” He spins around and starts walking the other way. “The nerve of that buck!” He looks over at Grabby and Trotsky as he yells, “Nopony’s that boarish! His special talent must be being the most condescending self-important pretentious prick in all of the land!”

The moment he turns his back on them, both Grabby and Trotsky share a glance of momentary mirth at Prince Blueblood getting out-snobbed for once. Instantly going back to sympathetic nodding of understanding the moment he’s looking in their direction again.

After a few more minutes of the nearly endless ranting, when Blueblood’s mostly white face is quite red and he’s having a hard time breathing between repetitive outbursts, Grabby asks, “So, you’ve never crossed paths with him before?”

Blueblood spins around and looks at him in pure unhindered revulsion. “Absolutely not!” He throws a hoof out towards the door as he says, “I would remember meeting someone so horrid as that individual! I do not believe I would be able to avail myself of the memory of meeting such a singularly unpleasant individual. Even with the use of memory manipulation magic!”

Grabby looks over at Trotsky and raises an eyebrow as he’s waiting for an answer to a question he apparently won’t voice.

Trotsky lets out a sigh and looks at Blueblood. “From what I’ve heard, he’s … a bit of a bastard.” He looks over at Grabby and confirms, “He has a habit of finding out exactly what it takes to get under your skin, and pushing just the right buttons… all to find out how you’ll react.” He looks over at Blueblood and shrugs. “No one can tell me if he actually gets off on the nonsense, or if it’s his way of weeding out who he’s willing to work with.”

Grabby raises an eyebrow as he asks, “How could that possibly be a positive thing?!”

Trotsky narrows his eyes as he looks at Grabby and replies, “He gets his shoes licked so often, he has a hard time trusting anyone….” He nods over towards Blueblood as he says, “I get the feeling he sees how far he has to push someone before they reveal their true colors and… well…” He snickers as he puts a hoof to his muzzle before throwing it off to the side and looking at Blueblood, “Dropping the pretentious crap…” He looks at Grabby as he says, “Remember, a lot of those agents operate under the rule of doing whatever it takes to get the job done. Including taking a shit load of abuse…”

Blueblood takes in a few deep breaths before he asks, “So, you are saying, he was so vulgar… just to make sure we weren’t some kind of government official? Changeling or the like?”

Trotsky bobs his head around. “I can’t be certain. But it would make sense.” He looks over at Grabby and says, “The ones that he’s dealt with have, each, and individually, warned me that he’s an insufferable bastard… especially in the beginning…”

Grabby looks over at Blueblood and asks, again, “But you haven’t seen such an individual in the castle? Not even in Canterlot at all?”

“Again, no!” Blueblood snaps.

Trotsky and Grabby exchange glances as Blueblood goes back to pacing in the parlor.

“Well, kindly give this mister Sunshine my condolences… but I will be leaving promptly. I refuse to suffer his company any further.” Blueblood brushes his mane back and looks at Grabby. “I’ll expect you to make this venture work. But, if not, we’ll simply find another source.” He turns towards the door as he adds, “But you’ll obviously have to sort out that other item on your own, I want no part of whatever it is that made both of you so uncomfortable.”

Grabby grins and waves towards the door as he says, “We’ll have a carriage ready for you out front momentarily. Please have a safe journey.” After Blueblood is out of the room Grabby jumps his focus over to Trotsky and snarls, “I do not know what is going on here. But that individual is going to be a problem. And, for some reason, he doesn’t seem worried about any of the ministries cracking down on him, at all. I have my concerns about this.”

Trotsky tilts his head and asks, “What are you thinking about doing?”

Grabby walks around a bit as he says, “We have to make sure he’s really here for what we think he is…” He looks over at Trotsky and asks, “You still have that friend with the memory chair?” Trotsky nods and Grabby continues as he paces back and forth, “Go to them, and have them get it ready. We’ll be using it tonight.”

Trotsky’s eyes go wide, “You plan on kidnapping him and poking around in his head?!”

Grabby bobs his head around as he mutters, “I don’t think we have much of a choice. He knows way too much. Already seems to know more than he should.” He looks over at Trotsky and asks, “How could he have possibly known Blueblood was going to be here? That last attack on him to drive him off was quite specifically tailored to suit him.”

Trotsky waves a hoof. “Knowing how nobles are, there’s lots of animosity and bitterness between them… He’s likely had that lined up for quite a while. If it got Blueblood that bad, I’m sure it wasn’t something he just pulled out of thin air. He’s probably been having phantom arguments with a mirror for quite a while with an imaginary Blueblood as he perfected it.”

Grabby frowns as he says, “Well that brings up other problems too then as well…” He bobs his head as he opens the door. “I’m going to have him stay the night… After a few drinks, and some pleasant company, he’ll be out like a light. And we will be free to figure out exactly what’s going on.”

Trotsky hurries over and asks in a hissed whisper, “And what if he’s serious, and you’re just being paranoid? What if he really is Celestia’s son that you’re going to be kidnapping?”

Grabby waves him off and replies quietly, “We’ll let him go, and he’ll be none the wiser. He’ll just have a really nice sleep, and wake up wonderfully refreshed.”

Trotsky pats him on the shoulder then puts a hoof in his face. “Well don’t go fucking this up. If you do it’s both of our necks on the line.”

Grabby smirks as he looks at him. “It’ll be fine… One way or the other it’ll be handled…” He stops at the door, with it partially open, and closes it again as he stares at the floor for a few moments. He looks back at Trotsky. “You still have that contact with those out of country bounty hunters?”

Trotsky nods as he looks around. “Yeah, of course… but why-” He stops and his eyes go wide. “For fuck’s sake if this goes south you’re literally going to sell him out.” The two stare at each other for a few moments and Trotsky nods. “Yeah, sure, whatever. You’re the boss… I’ll go make the arrangements.”

Grabby grins widely as he opens the door. “Excellent!”

Trotsky slinks out of the room and quickly heads towards the deeper parts of the mansion as Grabby opens the door to the dining hall.

And he’s shocked at what he sees, with Sunshine sitting at the table, apparently thoroughly enjoying himself as the wait staff around the room snicker and laugh at apparently something Grabby wasn’t privy to.

Sunshine waves at Grabby as he’s entering and motions across the table from himself. “Grabby! Come, sit, I was just regaling your staff of the tale of the time I was mistaken as a ship captain!”

Grabby walks around the table and looks down at the plate that he had been eating from not long before.

Sunshine looks down at it, and then up at him as he says, “I’m sorry that being a good host resulted in your dinner getting cold. I’m certain your fine staff would be more than willing to bring you another plate of the delicacy.”

Grabby looks over and sees that Sunshine himself seems to have even eaten a bit more than what he had done before. His eyes linger on the large empty glass with the martini stick still hanging out of it, and the not so empty one being balanced onSunshine’s forehoof. Grabby takes in a deep breath and then looks at Sunshine as he says, “I thank you for your concern. And, indeed, Prince Blueblood was not feeling well. He wished to pass on his regrets at having to leave early.”

Sunshine waves with a hoof dismissively. “Oh posh… having to, and wanting to, are two different things entirely… He wanted to go home, there’s nothing wrong with that.” Sunshine gives Grabby a wide grin as he sips from the martini glass.

Grabby chuckles and bobs his head around as he admits, “That he did, so he did.” He looks behind Sunshine at the closed curtains as he says, “I know you have been quite concerned with the weather. Would you do me the honor of being my guest for tonight?” He waves towards the side as he says, “Spend the night here, rest, recuperate, while enjoying the full hospitality the mansion has to offer… then… hopefully we can start anew tomorrow?”

Sunshine nods as he puts a hoof to his chest. “Yes. I bet the night has been quite trying too for you. Thank you for your honesty!” He dips his head. “I humbly accept your most gracious offer!” He raises his glass in Grabby’s direction as he gives a quick toast, “To our future business venture, together!”

Grabby yanks his glass off of the table and dutifully raises it in Sunshine’s direction with his levitation field before saying, “Here! Here!” and taking a sip as Sunshine does. Afterwards he motions for the servant behind Sunshine to follow him out into the hallway.

They are only in the hallway for a few moments before they come back in, and Grabby points at the rose pelted unicorn mare that comes back over to stand next to Sunshine as he says, “Cherry here will see to your every whim. If there is anything you need, you have simply to ask.” He turns around and starts heading out of the door again. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some arrangements to make. Please, make yourself at home!”

Sunshine raises a glass in his direction, and, before he even gets it down, the music coming from the Pony-In-The-Boxes stops as they are shut off and put back in their box by individual magical glows. The servants move around the table, quickly bringing the room to order as Sunshine sits on his side of the table.

Cherry leans over and asks with a slight stutter, “A-are you done, sir?”

Sunshine looks at her and raises an eyebrow, and she nods towards the plate in front of him. “With your meal, I mean?”

Sunshine nods and gives her a broad smile. “Of course. Thank you for your attention.”

She nods and, for some reason, seems to blush just a bit as she gets closer and takes the plate with a hoof. And then she grabs the other dishes that aren’t currently in use from this side of the table and stacks them on a tray nearby.

As Cherry is passing off the stack to one of her coworkers, she asks, “Would you care for another drink, sir?”

Sunshine smiles and nods as he shakes the half full glass. “I wouldn’t turn one down. And… call me Sunny, my friends do after all.”

Cherry flushes just a bit more across her cheeks and nods rapidly as she looks over at one of the butlers and nods towards him.

After finishing his drink, just in time for the butler to walk in with a fresh one and hot swap out glasses for him, Sunshine gets up and looks around the dinning hall.

Cherry asks as she sees him exploring the various art and fixtures of the room, “Is there anywhere in particular you’d like to go to, sir?”

Sunshine turns to look at her and then asks, “Well, I suppose I have the entire night…” He takes a sip from his glass as he slowly looks her over, trailing from her eyes, down her length, then, for some reason she can’t understand, finishes at her feet. As he’s staring at her dress shoes he asks, “How about the library?”

“What, sir?” Cherry asks as she wasn’t quite expecting that kind of request.

Sunshine waves around with a hoof. “Certainly a home as grand as this has its own library?”

Cherry smiles and nods as she motions towards a door with a forehoof. “Of course, sir. Right this way.” Sunshine walks over and heads out of the hall after she opens the door for him with her magic. Once in the foyer, they turn and head up a large split flight of stairs to the second floor with Cherry in the lead. Sunshine looks back and forth as he takes in the various paintings and sculptures that adorn the hallways they pass through.

Cherry looks back at him over her shoulder and smiles as she asks, “Are you a connoisseur of art too, sir?”

Sunshine looks at her and smiles. He brings a wingtip to his lips as he winks at her. “My dear, Cherry… I’ve already asked you to call me Sunny.”

Cherry flushes and avoids eye contact as she says, “Yes, sir… Sunny.”

Sunshine grins widely and raises the glass in her direction before turning to look at the passing art again. “Not so much an art connoisseur. I can appreciate it… but it would be more accurate to say I’m a student of history.”

She pauses as she looks back at him with a raised eyebrow. “I’m afraid I don’t follow you, Si- Sunny!”

Sunshine chuckles as he catches up to her, and bumps her sideways playfully as he says, “See, not that hard, is it?” He looks around and points at a painting of a landscape as he says, “See. This here is a painting that captured the scene… as it was… many many years ago…” He waves a forehoof in front of it as he says, “This is a record of what the Hoofington area looked like at that time. Back before the war… Before the rapid expansion… Before there was really anything in the bowl.” He turns to look at her as he says, ‘Each painting, statue, or piece of art is a snapshot in time. A time that will never be again. And, by looking at it,” he motions towards the painting to their left, “we get a small glimpse of what the world used to be like.

Cherry slowly looks up at the painting and tilts her head. “I’ve never thought of it in that context before.”

Sunshine chuckles and waves a hoof as he doesn’t really look at her. “Most don’t to be honest. Don’t feel too bad about it.”

Cherry shrugs as she looks up at the painting again after glancing as Sunshine. “I don’t know… different paintings have always made me think of feeling different things. Not so much as a way of record keeping.”

Sunshine looks at her and smiles as he asks, “And… what feeling does this painting make you think of when you see it?”

Cherry looks it over and scrunches her muzzle to one side, then the other. Then she lets out a sigh as she shakes her head.

Sunshine reaches over and taps her shoulder gently a couple times. “Come now, Cherry… You did think of something… Share with the whole class!”

Cherry shrugs as she says softly, “It’s going to sound stupid.”

Sunshine shakes his head and puts his hoof to his chest. “I give you my word as a gentlestallion, that I shall not poke fun at it.”

Cherry looks at him and smirks. “Such as you poked fun at Prince Blueblood?”

Sunshine snickers before taking a drink from his glass again. “My dear Cherry, I never gave him any such a guarantee… Now did I?”

Cheery puts a hoof to her muzzle and snickers before she looks up at the painting again. She bobs her head and says softly, “Peace… I look at the painting, and what I think of is how peaceful it looks.” She looks off to the side and says lamely, “I told you it was stupid.”

Sunshine walks by her and bumps her sideways again with a gentle hip check. “It’s not stupid… Because at the moment of time this was captured… the world was at peace.” He uses a forehoof to direct her to look up at him as he says softly, “Never be ashamed of wanting peace. It’s worth fighting for. Of everything you could possibly covet, it’s something that is actually worthy of desire.”

Her eyes jump their focus from one of his blue eyes to the other in rapid succession before she flushes and turns again as she continues down the hallway. She motions towards the immaculately carved wooden door on the left, as she says, “The library is in here. Master Grabby has quite a selection to choose from.” She stands in front of it and motions across the hallway as she says, “And the room across the hall is available for you to retire to in the evening when you choose to do so,” and seems to question him on which route he’d prefer to take.

Sunshine turns to look at the door to the offered quarters, and it opens with the glow of Cherry’s magical aura. He steps to the threshold and peeks in as he says, “Well, it certainly seems of sufficient quality.”

Cherry follows his gaze in, yet hers lingers on the large four poster bed against the far wall of the suite. She closes her eyes and lets out a sigh before she walks forward into the guest bedroom and says, “Allow me to show you the amenities, Si… Sunny.”

Sunshine chuckles and tuts her as he follows her in. “You’re getting the hang of it, you should relax more.”

Cherry nods rapidly and points off to the right side as Sunshine steps in entirely. “There’s a full bath in that room. With a rather large tub to soak in. And, if you wish, there is a shower as well.” She turns to look at him as she smiles and adds, “It’s just a matter of what your preference is... Sunny”

Sunshine turns his head just enough to look at the door to the hallway close behind him with the glow of Cherry’s telekinesis before he turns to look at her again. “Well. I’m usually more of a shower buck. Not a lot of time in the day for dilly dallying… but… a nice long hot bath can put quite the punctuation mark on a long grueling day.”

Cherry walks up to just in front of him as she smiles and looks him over slowly. “And, would you like some assistance… with your bath… Sunny?”

Sunshine smirks as he pays careful attention to her in return. “I could probably use some help with figuring it out…. Yes.”

Cherry blatantly looks him over some more then smiles sweetly as she says, “I can help you in any way you need.” Her magical glow appears around her collar as the tie she’d been wearing slowly unravels, and then she quickly pulls it loose and drapes it over his shoulders. Around his neck as he’s given just the faintest tug closer with the cloth.

Sunshine turns his head to look at the black tie, as it’s magically turned to a red silk color, and turns back in time to look eye to eye with Cherry as she smiles at him with an unmistakable sultry tone to her. She reaches up with a hoof and plays with the tie, and his mane, as she scoots even closer. Simultaneously her suit unbuttons down the front with each sudden flare up of her horn as she intentionally goes slowly and one by one.

Sunshine looks into her eyes for a few moments and then asks as his eyes drift over her form, “So… when you said you can help me with anything… and he said any whim… what you really meant was a … ahem… full… ‘service’ evening?”

She looks off to the side as she reaches up and pulls the front of her uniform closed again with a forehoof. “I’m sorry if I misunderstood you. If that’s not what your wish is, please accept my deepest apologies.” After a few moments of complete silence between them, she looks up at Sunshine and comments softly as she sees him giving the situation careful consideration, “It’s… it’s okay, really…” Sunshine opens his mouth to say something, but she blurts out, “I’m not being forced if that’s what you’re worried about!”

Sunshine looks her over and raises an eyebrow as he asks, “Oh, no?”

She shakes her head and looks around as she says softly, “It is … part of the job… sort of… but…” She looks up at him and smiles as she shakes her head lightly. “I can always say no. If whoever it is really strikes me the wrong way, or something else is wrong, there’s a few other fillies…” She raises an eyebrow as she regards him, “and bucks… if that’s your preference…?” She frowns and shakes her head. “There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s good money. And I’m well taken care of.” She smiles at him as she tilts her head and steps closer to him, almost flush with him, testing his reaction, and finding that he’s not pulling away from her in the least. “Aaaand I know a few spells to take care of any unwanted problems… So you don’t have to worry about having some illegitimate heir in the future.” She raises a hoof and taps him on the nose as she says with a wink, “And, if I say so myself, and trust me sweetie, I do, I’m quite good at what I do.”

Sunshine smirks as he looks around the room. He pulls the black tie turned red scarf from around his neck, and drapes it back over her shoulders with his wings as he asks, “And … what if my reservation has more to do with not thinking you could handle a buck like me?”

She giggles as she waves it away. “Oh, I’d be even more interested to see if you’re really capable of all that you say… To see if you, uh…” She looks him over along his entire length as she bites her lip, and finishes with looking him in the eyes. “Measure… up… so to speak…”

Sunshine chuckles then leans around as he gently caresses her cheek and whispers softly, “My dear, Cherry… If you were to spend a night in my care… I could hold my breath, and before I would need to breathe again you would turn into an unconscious giggling mess.”

She bats her eyes and asks with a coy grin across her muzzle, “Oh, is that so? Are you willing to put your skills up against mine?”

Sunshine pulls back as he says with a grin. “Most assuredly…” He brings the martini glass up and takes a sip as he is finishing speaking. But, and while he makes hard eye contact with her, he pulls out the olive from the bottom of the glass with his tongue. Her eyes go ever wider as, right there, in plain sight, he gently massages the olive, with his tongue, until the pimento center pops out and floats around in the greenish tinted liquid. He pulls the olive into his mouth and makes a rather wet sucking sound as he gives her a wink.

Cherry’s hind legs start shaking lightly as she stares at him wide-eyed and mouth agape. She shakes her head a bit before she asks with a giggle, “Am I going to have to pay you after this?”

Sunshine leans in and gives her a soft kiss on the cheek as he mutters into her ear, “You might feel obliged too… but consider this a tip… for services rendered.”

Down under the mansion, in the massive cellar that takes up half of this ancient mansion’s basement, Grabby walks back and forth in the light of an electric lamp that is resting on a wooden bench covered in papers and diagrams. “I don’t understand this! I said to knock him out! Why won’t you do as you’re asked!?”

The blue coated butler standing not far away waves a hoof as he says apologetically, “But, Master Grabby, I did!” He taps on the stone floor under him. “Repeatedly in fact! That first drink we gave him before he followed Cherry up to his room should have at least made him woozy, but no, nothing. Nothing at all!” He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, sir, but I keep taking drinks up to his room, and he drinks them. I see him drink them!” His eyes go wide as he shakes his head. “He slammed it back in one gulp and gave me back the empty glass! And, to make matters worse, this last time Cherry threw the fireplace poker at me and screamed at me to stop interrupting them!”

Grabby turns his head to look at his butler as he asks, “She didn’t?!”

The butler nods rapidly. “It came flying out of the room at full speed like a spear!” He points up with a forehoof as he says, “It’s currently sticking out of the front of the door to the library across the hall! She almost took my ear off!”

The butler rubs a hoof through his mane as he looks up and shakes his head. “I can’t explain it, sir.”

Grabby rolls his eyes and waves a hoof at him. “Then get him another drink, and eventually between the alcohol, the poison, and Cherry’s immaculate bedroom skills it’ll tire him out enough to finally go to sleep!”

“But, Master Grabby, I can’t!” the butler complains.

Grabby turns to look at him and puts a hoof in his face. “I don’t care what Cherry says. So she’s finally found a buck that can keep up with her. Good for her. But you don’t work for her. You work for me. You both do! So mix up another cocktail and go give it to him!”

“But, Master Grabby, if we give him any more it’ll kill him!” the butler objects.

Grabby’s hoof slowly falls down as he asks, “Do what?”

The butler nods repeatedly. “Sir, I have no idea how he’s still conscious… but he is…” He shakes his head as he says, “I’ve been carefully monitoring how much we give him. And, at this point, we’ve already crossed the line where someone his size is actually reaching the toxic level of this sedative.” He waves a hoof around. “I’m just guessing on his weight, mind you, but much more and it will certainly kill him!”

Grabby rubs a hoof over his chin as he mutters, “He’s probably loaded up with some kind of stimulants…” He chuckles as he looks sideways at the butler, “He’d have to be to have been going at it this long with Cherry and still be able to stand…”

He paces back and forth a few times as he asks, “Well, what about using one of our other poisons? Maybe a lower dose of the more lethal variety?”

The butler frowns as he says softly, “There’s still the chance it’ll kill him… Especially if there’s some kind of interaction between whatever he’s already taken, the sedative I’ve been slipping him, and the alcohol.”

Grabby slaps a hoof over his face as he groans, “Just my fucking luck… the buck I really need to not kill is a sex maniac drug abuser that keeps himself awake and raring to go when I really need him to take a fucking nap!” He holds a hoof over his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose with his fetlock as he mutters, “With that kind of constitution… maybe the rumors about his lineage are true…”

The butler leans over and asks quietly, “Well, what are we going to do Master Grabby?”

Grabby looks at him and opens his mouth, but stops as a familiar voice greets his ears from the dark.

Sunshine steps out of the shadows, and under an old light hanging from the ceiling as he peruses the massive lines of wine bottles in not but his pelt. With his mark of sunbeams shining down through clouds on full display. Like small iconic ‘god rays’ adorning his pelt. “It’s a good thing you actually care to keep the temperature correct down here, otherwise you might have the world’s largest vinegar collection…” He grabs a bottle with a wingtip, pulls it out gently from its position on the rack, and then blows the dust off the label as he says, “At least somepony knew what they were doing when they set this cellar up… Although, you do need to reorganize some of your newer acquisitions… They’ve been put in the wrong sections and will turn if not properly cared for, and soon.”

He sets the bottle back and then casually walks down the rows of lattice like shelving as he looks at the selection and continues, “You know… The thing about poisons is that they have a few problems with them… One,” he rotates a bottle so that its label is facing him, “You never know if the person’s constitution might be able to handle it. To simply brush it off. And there’s always the possibility that they’re a practitioner themselves or, even worse, they have some frustratingly unbelievable genetic immunity to it…” He looks over at them and smirks. “Then there’s the other problem… Of them being like a calling card… each one practically unique with how it was manufactured, prepared, and administered… so… once you have a sample… Saaaaay…” he turns and grabs a bottle from the shelf as he gently brushes the dust off of its label with his wingtip. “From a dead intelligence agent’s bottle of whiskey… You could compare it to its source, no problem.”

Grabby spins around and uses a hoof to send papers around the desk scattering as he frantically looks for his goal. He slams his hoof into an open crate that is filled with moss used for packaging, and sends the wooden box scattering across the floor with his magical aura. He spins back around with a magical energy pistol in his grip, physically letting go as his levitation field takes over now that he can see it.

Just in time to see his butler scream and fall over at his side.

And Sunshine standing almost muzzle to muzzle with him, with the exact same stun rod that took down his butler sparking not far from Grabby’s throat. Sunshine grabs the pistol with his free fetlock at the same time he’s closing the distance with the electrical arcing rod.

A rod with enough power that it actually arcs into Grabby’s throat the moment it was within an inch of it, making the actual contact that Sunshine forces into him unnecessary and redundant. Except to help him fall over to the other side and away from the butler’s body. But, it is obviously a lesser dose of electricity than he had given the butler as he is still conscious, though discombobulated.

Sunshine looms over him as he says evenly, “Don’t worry… I’m not going to kill you, Grabby…” He leans down as he lowers the stun rod to just the very end of Grabby’s muzzle, but not quite enough to arc towards him again. “You see… Dash particularly hates traitors… and… well,” he grins widely as his eyes flare open to their max size, “Pinkie Pie just can’t wait to throw you a personal ‘Party Warty’!’ He zaps him to make Grabby jerk and scream. Then keeps on doing it, while moving the point of contact around, zapping different areas with lower voltage meant more to cause pain than damage, while adding, “I realize I’m relatively new to all of this, but did you and your friends really think you’d get away with what you’d done to Applejack?” He zaps him a few more times along the side in rapid succession before continuing blazing the painful trail over Grabby’s body. “Forget being a Ministry Mare. That’s its own level of screw up… No… She’s been friends with Dash and Pinkie for ages; how stupid are you?!”

There is a pause as he slowly looks over the twitching Grabby who is currently having a hard time breathing from screaming so loud and so much. His once majestic looking and expensively manicured mane has frazzled out from the electricity coursing throughout his body. Instead of the artistic sculpture of hair, it now looks more like a giant puff ball of cotton or like the seed head of a dandelion right before they get carried away.

“Oh, and this one’s for that maid you left bleeding from the flanks in the alley,” as he’s finishing the statement he slams the end of the electric prod right into the noble’s sheath, electrifying him in an extremely tender place perpetually until he does, finally, pass out from the pain and lack of oxygen.

He flips the electric prod around and opens the bottom of it by untwisting the ornate cap. After pressing the now removed gem into the other side of the rod he comments calmly, “Package has been secured… send in the Garbage Collectors. We got what we need…”

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Footnote:

Next Chapter: 65 U-turn on the Turnpike Estimated time remaining: 18 Hours, 34 Minutes