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// 28 - An intriguing offer 
// Story: A Penny for your thought 
// by Damaged 
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Fancy Pants was quite intrigued. He had to read the letter again to be very certain he understood it. If it was as he thought, it would mean he had a very good business opportunity, if a little risky.

Fancy Pants, I am not sure if you would remember a human you once helped up in the street, but I can assure you your kindness has never been forgotten.

I bring a business proposal to you, that you might consider it. While working with one of Princess Celestia's ambassadors in the Crystal Empire, I have found there are many businesses that are waning if but for investments in the right places. I have already set my own funds toward a joint venture to supply these funds, but I am not in a position to fulfill all such contracts.

My partner and I are in the process of setting up a business whose sole aim will be to fund other businesses, for a share of their future profits. As you will no doubt surmise this will be a risk-assessment situation, with much knowledge needed from each potential client and a final choice needing to be made.

Princess Cadance has already offered to be a starting partner in this venture and we are hoping to add yourself as another. Building the Crystal Empire into a great neighbor to Equestria is the first and important step. As our investments grow, we will grow.

Penny Farthing

It was certainly a very interesting idea. Buying into already established businesses, using the funds returned on those investments to keep the bits rolling…

Fancy Pants folded the letter back up and tucked it into a folding case and pondered how the legalities of this would work. Lending bits you didn't have, or promissory notes, had been floated as an idea among the greedier merchants of Canterlot. Celestia had shut down the idea, with Fancy's full support. But this was different, he would need to see her highness to have her full blessing, of course.

As he trotted out of the door to the office in his summer house his wife loved so much, the mare in question called out to him. "Darling, business calls?"

His eyes lit up and even his gait lifted as he trotted the short distance to where she stood. "Fleur, my flower," the nickname made her perk up as much as his gentle nuzzle did, "I have a most odd but fascinating business venture." Her slightly wilted look made him chuckle and adjust his monocle. "But that is not important, not right now. How goes your lovely garden?"

She beamed at him. "Oh, they are doing simply wonderfully, those dandy-lions, I hear I have the only private garden of them in all Equestria now. Their future is in my hooves." The mare moved to lay one leg over his back, turning so that it was her shoulder and most of her side pressed against him.

Her talent with plants was a special one and Fancy was always astounded at how a unicorn could have such a green-hoof. "We simply must have another party, to celebrate their continued survival, at your lovely hoof." Fancy was laying it on thick but he knew she adored that when she was in the mood, and she was. Using his magic to very carefully lift one of her hooves, the stallion kissed it. "Were my business not with Princess Celestia herself I would never leave your company today…"

He let it hang, in the privacy of their home the pair were a little less formal and Fleur Dis Lee was his lovely wife. "Shall we make it an evening, then?" Fleur's voice was a little playful.

"Indeed, flower, I believe once my business is sorted I will be finding us a nice quiet table in Trots Garden and we can plan our party, together."

She kissed him on the cheek and immediately fanned her eyes to him and there was a spark of indecision in the stallion's eyes that made Fleur laugh. "That I can distract you from business with a princess tells me how much you mean your words. Go, see Celestia, but come home after…"

The mare's eyes spoke of things that made Fancy think very ungentlepony-like thoughts but he shook his head and raised her hoof again, this time from his shoulder, to kiss it. "I say, it would take all four princesses together to keep me away."

Her happy giggle was just before a shove to his rump.

Fancy straightened his suit and tie, stepping from his house and quickly making his way back to his office. 

"I say, Perfect? Are you here?" His voice echoed around the office a little, but his secretary quickly trotted out. 

An earth-pony mare, she had her green mane fixed up in a neat braided bun behind her head, tail likewise-colored, always braided. "Ah, Perfect Poise, I wanted you to look at this with me." He opened the folder he carried and laid out the letter and accompanying ledger. Although the projected outputs and values were just that, the actual books of the mine and the proposed ledger for the new company were quite extensive.

She was silent, standing straight and, as her name, perfectly posed. But the mare was not just a pretty pony. "I project at least a sixty five percent greater growth period in the futures of this venture, with eventual growth possibly rivaling a small nation. Who is this, Penny?" Fancy had a head for business, but this was almost something out of fantasy.

"That is precisely what I wish to find out, either she is or knows the most brilliant projected business thinker of our time, or she is a better charlatan than I am stallion." He closed the folder. "Care for a walk, I would speak to Princess Celestia about this. At the very least she will want to know if it is fraud, if it is real, we may need to send a representative to uphold our interests in this new initiative."

Perfect lifted up the letter, simple language for complex ideas. "They mention a partner, a princess… they are trying to get a pony in on the ground floor."

Fancy nodded and folded the letter back into the business case. "Then let us make haste."

The pair secured what they would each need, Fancy already carrying his documents but Perfect selected a ledger, a notepad and a short quill.

Trotting out, they were only a block from the castle entrance, there was some privilege for the offices of the most well-to-do ponies in Canterlot.

The guards smiled as they approached and one gave a slight tilt of his head that Fancy returned. "Court is done for the day, would you like me to see if the princesses are free to speak to you?"

It was a high responsibility, of course. And an honor. Court was where ponies were meant to bring things to the royal attention. Power had privilege.

The guard was gone only a few moments and when he returned he gave another nod. "Princess Celestia will see you in her sun room." Of course Fancy Pants knew where that was, he had met with Celestia many times there, but it wasn't done to just walk oneself in and so, Perfect and Fancy were led by the guard.

Celestia, when they entered, was sitting in full sunshine on a balcony. "Fancy Pants, Perfect Poise." Her acknowledgment of them by name was not rare, she seemed to just know everypony's name. "It is always a pleasure when two such level-headed ponies seek audience. What can be the purpose of your visit?"

Fancy smiled, gave a deep bow that Celestia had stopped, many centuries ago, trying to dissuade ponies from doing. "We have a missive from a pony who claims to be working with your envoy in the Crystal Empire, we wished, first of all, to ensure that Penny Farthing is who he says he is."

"She, and yes, Penny Farthing is an associate of Silver Lining's." This led to a slight raising of the stallion's un-monocled eyebrow. "She has sent a rather interesting missive to myself as well. I would have you explain your thoughts on it."

Fancy found a comfortable cushion to perch on, doing so carefully. Perfect remained standing at his side. A letter was lifted out and held up by the mare and Celestia gently took it and brought it close to read. There was companionable silence for a while she read and reread the letter. 

"Penny seems to completely take after her friend in such matters." Celestia didn't look like it was a bad thing, oddly. "Very well, I will verify that she is likely working with Silver Lining, I have not known her to make a bad decision so far and she has run a small business… in a limited capacity. More likely than not she will need a friend with a much more hooves-on history with Equestrian economics."

He tried to think as to who he might know in the Crystal Empire that would fit the bill but none came up. He was just about to turn to Perfect when the mare sighed. "I need a train ticket, don't I?" It was a resigned sigh but when Perfect Poise made a sigh, she was making it for a reason. "How much should I take with me?"

It was a good question and Fancy ran some calculations in his head and told her an amount that had an eyebrow rise. "Too much, I know. But if you find their model sufficient then I want to invest in this."

"If it would please you, then, I would match that." Princess Celestia cut into their little chat, reminding them they were before the most powerful pony on the continent. "And I would deputize you, Perfect Poise, to manage the funds for me."

Perfect's namesake slipped and she looked shocked. "That is a… great honor." She managed to get the words out though, bowing low to Celestia. "I will not let either of you down."

"That isn't to say you should guard each bit with your life, if Penny has a worthy cause, it must be used." The princess looked pleased at the mare's response but clearly wanted to impress upon her that the reason she would have all this is that it was to be spent.

Perfect Poise shook her head, her bun of a mane barely shifting. "I understand, and of course as this foundation of hers builds, so does the Empire and our holdings within it."

The unicorn stallion smiled up to Celestia, giving her a little nod. Oh yes, this was going to be an exciting time to be in the Crystal Empire. "There are further notes, things I will be looking into. Apparently she has the notion of making a new type of car for the railway." The princess looked a little unsure on this subject. "One that will be dedicated to cargo. She also wishes me to investigate getting the railway extended, or added to." He quickly dug those from his folio.

"That is not something I have had too much focus on, unfortunately. Maybe it is time to change that." Celestia looked a little taken back by this. "I will have the master engineer contact you to discuss it. When will you be leaving, Miss. Poise."

Perfect gave that slight smile that meant she already had plans. "I will contact our bank and arrange an escort, but I can leave anytime from tomorrow onwards." Fancy doubted she could do it, but it wouldn't be the first time her planning had caught him out. "As soon as your own contribution is established."

Celestia beamed at this. "Wonderful, then let us adjourn and make ready."

The bits, it turned out, were all in large values and Perfect had two big ponies to accompany her. One was an earth pony with a blue, extremely well-trimmed beard. The other was a unicorn that almost matched him for mass as well as color. Both bore white fur but where the unicorn had a light blue mane and tail, the earth pony had no mane at all but a dark blue, severely trimmed tail, that matched his beard.

"I say, it is quite a lot, when you get a good look at it." Fancy was looking at the four big bags of bits. Was it all really his?

Just before Perfect was about to reply there was a heavy knocking at the door and, even as the unicorn guard stepped over the bits, the big earth pony moved to the door and opened it. The royal guard were outside with just a single bag.

Fancy blinked at this, giving the guard plenty of time to march in, past his hireling. "We are here from Princess Celestia with the agreed amount?" Fancy nodded and when a piece of paper was offered, Perfect Poise took the initiative and saw to it being signed. The guards just offered her a note before leaving.

"It says, these are a newly minted denomination, their value accounted for by heavy enchantment to ensure only those allowed by the owner may carry them." She read aloud, sounding a little surprised as she surmised it.

Fancy Pants undid the bag and reached in with his magic but the coins wouldn't budge. Not seeing the magic at work, Perfect reached in as well and lifted one. It came out easily and both the other unicorns present gasped at the glow around them. "Celestia herself must have enchanted them, they would be worth-" Fancy's words died off.

"One hundred bits each… she has matched your offer quite simply." The mare grinned and tossed the coin back. "Now, lets make a move, I don't want to sit around on all these bits, they must be set to work immediately."