The Arrangement of Flam Flimflam.

It was a particularly calm night in the city of manehatten- well as calm as it could be given the lound noises of the city below.  Flam sat atop a skyscraper, gazing upon the city below- bustling with city life. The active movement of ponies and lives, dancing in an almost romatic rhythm.  But Flam sat looking upon it, not lovingly like one would expect- but almost with a point of stoic pain.  He would stare upon the city, its lights to fire, the honks of the cars to a wailing cry.  The city giving way to memory of a life long past. Of a life he hoped to forget- to never return.  He leered upon the city. The city which took so much from him- when sompony would step through the door to his rear. "Mister Flimflam sir." He would spin around to see a secretary of his- or rather of this regional branch.  "Yes miss paper, what is the matter, im quite busy." "There is a mare making a ruckus in the lobby." She would say with quite a slight bit of desparation. "Why do you need me? You called securty yes?" "Well- she says she knows you- i mean i doubt it, she certainly doesnt look the type, brown mane, brown coat, leather jacket, just some thug from off the street but i thought id bring it to your attention." Flam would raise an eyebrow and stand.  "Brown you say? What is her name?" "She says her name is Quick Buck- whatever thats worth. Should i just ask them to remove her?" He would stand. His eyes almost sitting in a bit of trembling solice.  The screams. Thats what he could remember as he pulled his brother along. The look in her eyes as she watched- watched as they took everything from him again. And that evil look. The look of a liar. "No. Bring her here" He would say standing up with prejudice. "Weve been long overdue for a talk. "  ------------------- "Right this way please." The secretary mare would say, ushering her into some kinda fancy corridors.  Quick was rather suprised when she suddenly have to start beating up some nerds in ties. She thought shed have to do that forever before hed show up.  "This way ma'am. Flam is expecting you."  She would flash a grin her way. "Hey, wouldnt have it any other way. " She would let out an atrocious laugh as she would have meandered into the office flam was in. It was rather big, full of bronze trim and some red decorated wallpaper. Obviously some sort of flavor to this office.  And in front of her, was him. Flam Flimflam.  She remembered what happened that night. What she was forced to do. She flinched lightly as she remembered. The goons. The garage. The Fire. She would take a light breath. It was all or nothing. "Heeeyyy Flammy! Long time aint it?" She would awkwardly try to say moving in with lightly outstrearched arms. He was quiet. Not quite as open as she was to this current situation.  "Why are you here." Flam would blunt.  "Obviously to see you flammy! How longs it been huh? I-" quick would spurt before flam would stand up and slam his hooved upon his desk. "Dont think im an Idiot quick. Why are you here?" He would forcefully press, his eyes hiding a flaming pain. "You betray me. Break my heart and dissapear for 12 long years. Now that i have everything you come back out of fuck all. What is it? Money? Some favor? A Job? Spit it out before i get them to remove you!" She was taken aback by this. "Look Flam I-"  "Cut the crap quick. We both remember what happened. Who you sided with." Flam would spit "I didnt have a choice! You know that!" She would repent. "Did you? DId you really need that money that bad?" "It wasnt about the money flam- listen" "Of course it was about the money. Its always about the money with you. How many songs is it miss rock star? 5? 10? And yet you couldnt have even bothered to write a letter to apologise. Not once." "What did you expect me to do huh? Just let my dad die?" She would lash "I expected you to love me like i did you!" He would snap, leaving a deafening silence in the room.  "I expected us to be together. No matter what. But you left, burning everything we were."  His breath would shake lightly as she looked away in some shame.  "Flam- I-"  "Why are you here Quick." He would say, looking away, pained chords hitting his voice like a twisting knife. "Manehatten is in trouble." She would say with shame adorning her voice. "And... I need your help."  He would re form himself, his breaths gradually becoming more and more stable.  "What do you mean?" He would ask her, getting up to a hot plate in the corner, donning some boiling water, pouring it into a teacup.  "The King- Prince Artemis. I- uh- i may have made him a  bit mad. He is taking all the lunars and leaving the city in about 11 hours. That and he is taking the towers; which is definitely a good thing." "I know you hate those towers as much as i do. I know you Flam, you cant tolerate it when there is someone over your shoulder."  Flam would continue to pour. "He is leaving? That doesnt make sense. Not at all." He would say thinking. "Abandoning his people to the wolves."  "I may have made a bet with him. That we- didnt need his towers or the Lunars." "You always had a knack for pissing off powerful ponies." "Can you help?"  He would gently sip his tea, taking a breath.  "This city isnt my responsibility. Not anymore. . . But. Those towers are a pain in my ass. I would be a fool to not take advantage of the situation." He would trot to his desk, before sitting down, taking a receiver to his ear. "Im not doing this for you. Remember that." He would say, a sad softness to his voice. "I know." She would say with light shame.  "Do me a favor. Organize the families. I beleive i have a meeting with them." Flam would say. "They actually have a meeting coming in four hours- they are meeting to figure out what to do about the tower. Over at crabbys joint." Quick would respond. "Then that is where i am headed. I will meet you there. Tell that gang of yours to get armed up." "And one more thing quick, Stay out of my way." She would frown slightly hearing this. "Now go." He would say, urging her to leave, which she would comply in haste, with a sigh of releif that all of it would go well. Flam would sigh. It seemed he had his work cut out for him as he would make some important calls.  -------- Eventually he would call upon the mayor. He was in contact with many politicians, though for the most part indirectly.  With a couple of rings, they would pick up, and flam would speak to them.  "Mister Mayor. Its good to speak with you." "A Pleasure as always mister flimflam, what can i help you with." "I am not sure if you have heard, but Artemis plans on removing the Lunar Guards from the city in about 10 hours." There was a pause from the other end.  "You are serious arent you."  Flam would nod. "That is what the rumbling was earlier. The tower is being dismantled as we speak." There was a pause. Before flam would speak again.  "If i were you id capture some of the lunars before they are shipped out. Offer them double their wages if they join up with the Manehatten police. What matters the most is that we maintain stability for this transfer of power." "But why?" "The king does these things on a whim. Toying with the lives of his constituents. But if you want to be re-elected, my advice is for you to secure as many Lunars as you can for the police. For those stuck by the criminal offense deal, offer them amnesty here and the double wages. Without the lunars to enforce it, they are free to live their lives as they see fit. Its a good deal for those incarcerated." He would frown. "This is troubling. And i have received word that the families are meeting- what will we do about that?"  "Leave that to me. Additionally i need to ask one more thing of you. I have ordered mercenaries from the griffon lands to arrive here in 8 hours.  In ten hours, an airship for our company will arrive following in tow with Our own security forces. We will secure Downtown. I need your police to focus in on the outskirts, suburbs, and Uptown High crime areas more peculiarly.  Tell your police to not go after gangs with a crecent on their shoulder unless they are actively committing a crime. I will work with the gangs to gauruntee temporary safety as we work through this transition together."  He would take a breath. "Yes, yes, im sorry all of this is just so sudden... " "After the towers are gone, we nedd to host a joint press conference. I will meet you at town hall. I will give you a breifing on what we need to say. What we can do to keep the public safe i will give you the plan there."  "Yes- yes of course. I will see you there mister flimflam." "Of course. We will get you re-elected. This is nothing but a minor setback, but also an opprotunity for you if we can do it right." He would nod. "I will see what i can do. I will mobilize the police force immediately." There was a click and flam hung up his phone as he would get up, and work his way properly to the front of the building.  He had a lmportant meeting to attend to after all. ----- A resturaunt stood solemnly in the more downtrodden parts of manehatten. A seafood resturaunt, though tabboo, had somehow made some functional living.  Inside met the most powerful the underworld had to offer. Gang bosses, yakuza, cartel, mafia, and clique. All gathered together under the umbrella of this resturaunt.  The mood was tense as the different leaders would sit across from one another, waiting for the other to speak. For now at least their differences would be put on hold.  "All of you know why we are here. And all of you know how we must discuss this subject matter." One would eventually say standing up "What we do is watched. Meticulously i might add. So we must find a way to fix our issue." "We might have the idea of physically removing the obstacle. Using very *heavy* machinery we all put to the task" One would say "The object is too immoveable. We need to find alternative measures to circumvent its effects." Suddenly the front doors would swing open. The bosses would turn, their eyes gazing upon the two new faces coming in.  Swords would be raised as the gangs members would aim it at the two.  "I might have a solution for you gentlestallions that i insist you will want to hear." They could see the red mustache on the face of the pony. They knew exactly who it was.  "And what brings your nobility here today?"  The apparent head of the meeting would declare. "You know how unwelcome you are one can only imagine what happens when one makes a rather intrusive entrance." "Its no measure i cannot handle. Unless youve forgotten already." Flam would reply bluntly.  The brown mare beside him grinned her teeth. The moderator huffed, irritated."  "I come here on buisness. Here to provide a solution to your problem. " flam would say.  "Those who possess the object are removing it. On the condition that the status quo remains peaceful." Flam would say.  There was some looks of disbeleif among the group.  "What do you mean?" The moderator would ask him.  Flam would pull an empty chair and sit in front of them.  "All you you run very successful buisnesses. Unfortunately the more noble may encourage disruptors to ruin your good reputations. " "A ploy to ensure that the ponies fall reliant on the object, and so your buisnesses fall under." "The point being- to keep your buisnesses afloat, you must ensure their... security, and the security of those who seek to undermine the good security of the town." Flam would say "And why should we act upon this? Security is not what we provide as companies." "Maybe not, but it will prevent the object of your frustration from returning. And will ensure lucrative returns when regulations are altered.  Your aid may also encourage the... relaxation of certain restrictions, and the free real estate offered up by those competitors not in this room." There was some thought.  "The objects resistors?" "They shall fall in line behind it. My services shall take their place promptly." There was some mumbling.  "Now, should you want to have some *influence* on how my buisness is run, you must ensure a peaceful relationship between your buisness and your customers. No loan collection, no competition with the others in this room. We can determine later what regulations you need laxed, but for now, ensure that the streets remain in peace. Any *disruptors* you are free to handle. " There was some nods of agreement and gruff acceptance. They all wanted the towers gone. That was clear enough.  "Following the press conference with the mayor, i need all of you to join me in a meeting in town hall. There we shall discuss the future of this city. Any disruptive buisnesses will be dealt with by our security services once established." He would turn around to leave. "I trust you make the right decisions." He and quick would trot out, leaving the leaders to ponder their options. Flam would look up to the night sky and breathe in, and out.  It truly was the start of a new age. Whether for the good, or the worse.