Three loud knocks rang out in the nearly quiet office. "Stay out of sight, but don't even think of slacking off." A quiet, female murmur of assent. "Come in!"

I paced calmly into the office. "Good afternoon, Filthy Rich."

"Who let you in here!? I'll fire my secretary!"

"With that attitude, is it any wonder they are unfaithful to you?"

"Are you insinuating I give my workers anything but the best?"

"I don't tend to insinuate things unless I have at least a modicum of respect for the person. I simply insult and harangue you."

"Get out of my office!"

"Oh, so you're not interested in my money?"

"... What money?"

I levitated out all the sacks of bits to rest them on his desk. I felt so much lighter without all those!

"What on earth is this? Are you trying to buy my support from the mayor? If so, then I-"

"I neither seek, nor want your support. This is 7.000 bits to pay the debt of Derpy Hooves."

"No, she owes me-"

"6,712 bits."

He faltered for a moment. "Yes, but there's also interest, bulk-rate insurance, time-consumption payment for counting such a sum, compounded-induction interest, simplified-"

"Those are your problem. You will accept the amount you quoted to Derpy, and you will shut up about it."

"You can't tell me what to do! I'll bring this to court, and they'll place me in the right."

"You are absolutely correct. But, at what cost? Do you think the ponies of this town will accept you back, having ruined the life of one of them? And even if they did, that negative karma could build up. Something disastrous might happen, like a sinkhole opening up under you factory, or it becoming a geyser field, or even becoming infested by poison joke."

"You would dare to threaten me?!"

"By no means, it's not as if any pony could make those things happen. I'm simply trying to help you see reason."

"Well y our reason is unreasonable. Derpy Hooves still owes me, and it is up to me how it is to be paid. She will come to my office early tomorrow morning. And further more-"

I tapped my hoof surreptitiously on the floor, releasing random chaos into the room. A massive crack suddenly ran up the outer wall and several ceiling panels rained down.

"What they hay did you just do!?"

"Hm." I studied the wall closely. "There must have been a small, localized earthquake. That karma I was talking about must be building up already."

"Quit standing there like you don't know what happened, lying to my face! I'll sue you for this!"

"What, you think I caused it? That would be incredibly difficult to prove in court. My talent is for water, not the earth, so even if I could command nature, how in the name of equestria would I make an earthquake?"

Filthy finally looked unsure. I released a little more, and the crack spiderwebbed, and loud cried could be heard form the floor below. "It might be wise for you to undo your karmatic black hole and accept my offer graciously.

He chewed at his tongue for a few seconds. "Fine. Derpy Hooves' debt is paid in full. Now get out."

"Not quite yet."

Filthy slammed a hoof down on this desk. "I said to get out! You have what you wanted!"

"Not quite. You'll also be giving me the pictures you took of Derpy."

"Pictures? I don't know what you're-"

"You know full well what I'm referring to. You will give them to me."

"Under no circumstance! I gave up good bits for those! I will not be bullied into-"

A wave of chaos hit the building like a hydra and it swayed in its foundations. "Watch your choices, Filthy. Your life is in balance."

He snarled and rose on two legs, planting the other two on the desk. There was a strange, muffled, choking cry.

"What was that?"

"Get out."

"Wait, are you seriously-"

"Get out!"

"Not without the pictures."

"I must find them first. Come back tomorrow. Now get out!"

I gave him a long, hard look. "Very well, but you will be swearing on your cutie mark that you made no copies. I pray for your sake you don't lie." I turned and trotted to the door. "Until tomorrow, Filthy."

"It's Rick."

"It's Worthless Scum. Be glad I'm using your name." I left, not giving him a chance to respond.

The muffled noise came again. "Oh, shut up." said Rich irritably. "Tiara can nearly take the whole thing, there's no reason a full-grown mare like you shouldn't be able to." He sat back down, and there was a loud gasp, and the mayor's head popped out from under the desk.

"What are we going to do? We just lost our grip over Derpy!"

"Relax, I have a plan." One hoof casually shoved Mayor Mare back under the desk, as he mused. "You're going to regret threatening me, Lantra. You and Derpy through you." He picked up a phone. "Hello, operator? Yes, give me Hugh Horner of Los Pegasus."

Hope you all enjoyed our return to a faster posting rate- I no longer need to worry about Seth's character for a while, so can catch back up on the chapters and ideas I already have finished. I work all day tomorrow, and then my special Derpy is around Tuesday, so you can expect the next chapter on wednesday or Thursday. School's starting back up soon too- I've found I write more when I'm using it to pretend to take notes.

I don't own MLPFIM. If you want a comment on this fact, go re-read another chapter.