//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Old foes return 
// Story: Steampunk: The start of a new age 
// by Philosopher Brony 
//------------------------------//

     It was a partly cloudy day with an unsettling feel in the air. Twilight was reading a book when Applejack came barging in through the front door with the newspaper in her mouth. She presented it to twilight with a worried look in her eyes. 
Twilight glanced at the paper then at Applejack and asked: "What's wrong Applejack, did..." 
But before she could continue, Applejack put down the paper in front of her and said: "Look at what's on the front page!" 
Twilight did as she was told and began to read aloud: "Flim Flam Brother's grand return!" She took a moment to soak that in then continued reading. "Earlier today, they were seen talking to the Mayor about purchasing a large sum of land on the outskirts of Ponyville. Later it was discovered in a private press conference that they were going to set up a factory that would: 'Reshape the image of apples in Ponyville.' Then the rest of the conference consisted of them doing a long musical number about the grand ideas they have in store for the everyday customer." Twilight looked back up at Applejack with worry in her as well. 
The silence between the two was broken when Applejack said with an angry tone: "I can't believe they're back, I thought they said that they weren't gonna show their faces around here again!" 
"Maybe we should remind them about the promise they made with you." 
"You're right Twilight, we should speak to them about this." Twilight and Applejack quickly left the treehouse in search of them.
After some time of searching, they found the construction site of the soon to be factory. It was located within a short walking distance of the Everfree Forest, and it contained multiple buildings with stone walkways connecting them to each other. The buildings themselves were made out of stone bricks with iron supports. Off in the distance, there stood a building about the size of a small house that looked like it was only temporary. 
As they approached it, voices could be heard inside. The door creaked open to a small room that consisted of a desk, some boxes of questionable content, and other unidentifiable items. Flim and Flam were behind the desk talking about ingredients for a special formula. As soon as they noticed the two standing in the door, they stopped talking and just looked at them with pleased looks on their faces. 
Flim started the conversation by asking: "Why hello there, what seems to bring you here?" 
Applejack immediately responded: "What do you two think you're doing coming back to Ponyville?!" 
Flim continued the conversation while Flam was studying paperwork that covered the desk: "We came back to Ponyville because we thought that this would be a perfect place to set up shop for our new business." 
Applejack began to show even more of her anger when she said: "I thought that we had an agreement!" 
"Whatever do you mean?" 
"You two said that if we won, you'll never come back." 
"That's not how I remember it."
"Huh?" 
"We said that we wouldn't sell cider in Ponyville, but we plan on selling something else." 
"Like what?" 
"I wouldn't what to ruin the surprise, now I must be getting back to work. Oh Flam." 
Flam looked up from the papers and replied: "Yes brother?" 
"I think it is time for our guest to leave, don't you think so too?" 
"Indeed I do." 
Flam pressed a button on a box and spoke into it saying: "Would security come over to the main office and escort some visitors off of the premisses." A few moments latter, a big charcoal colt wearing a worker's uniform stepped in and motioned the two to leave.  Applejack hesitated, but finally left alongside Twilight out of the area.
Twilight returned home with nothing but thoughts running around in her head. The thoughts mainly consisted of what Flim and Flam were planning. 
At the same time, Applejack also arrived at her home with a welcome from Applebloom. She started off by asking: "Hey Applejack, why were you out so late?"
"Oh, I had to take care of some businesses, but it didn't go as planed."
"What do ya mean?" Applejack stalled before answering; because, she didn't want to worry Applebloom about Flim and Flam, so she answered: "I had to talk to some business folk about apple sales." 
"Oh."
"Now you best be heading off to bed now, you got school tomorrow." 
They said their goodnights and headed off into their separate bedrooms. All Applejack could do now is wait for whatever was to come whether it be good or bad, only time can tell.

It was early in the morning after the events of yesterday. Applejack was resting in her bed; because, it was one of her days off from working in the family orchard. 
Unfortunately, it was cut short when Applebloom barged into her room and asked in a slightly angry tone: "Why didn't ya tell me Flim n' Flam came back? I thought they said that they wouldn't come back." 
Applejack slowly sat up right and asked: "Who told ya they came back?" 
"Everypony has been talking about their new store down in the market. They said that they will reveal their 'special product' today at noon." 
"Maybe I should go down and see what their up to, you better go off with your friends while I take care of this." 
"Okay." 
Applebloom started to leave the room when she remembered something and said: "OH! I almost forgot. Granny Smith wanted to talk to ya before ya leave." She continued out of the room as AJ got out of bed and put her hat on.
She went down the stairs to see that Granny Smith was waiting for her in the living room. 
When AJ reached the bottom of the stairs, she asked: "You wanted to talk to me Granny Smith." 
"I heard about Flim and Flam." 
"I know, I know, I also thought that they wouldn't come back." 
"No, that is not what I wanted to talk about. It was kind of obvious that they would come back. They are those kind of back stabbing city slickers that only care about making money. What I really wanted to talk about is that I want you to keep a very close eye on them, I just have a feeling that their up to something that will bring a storm. You understand what I'm saying?"   
"Yes Granny, I'll keep as close an eye on them as I can." 
"Good, you go do that while I tend to the sheep." 
"See ya Granny." They both left the room after that, and Applejack started on her way to the big reveal that Flim and Flam have for everyone.
When she got there, it was already flooded with ponies. Fortunately, AJ was able to make her way to an area close to the front to have a better look. She was also accompanied by Twilight, and Rarity. They stood there as they waited for Flim and Flam to make their way onto the raised platform in front of the crowd. Ponies were whispering all around them as the brothers got up on stage. Flam was levitating a stand with an object that was covered by a cloth. 
After Flam set up the display, Flim started by saying: "Hello there Ponyville! I know you all don't like us very much after the last time we were here, but we have come to change your thoughts about us. We have something brand new, never before seen, no, conceived by anypony's mind before ours!..." 
Flam started to lift the cloth off of the strange object. "...Introducing the best thing since the founding of Equestria..." Everyone waited with thoughts racing about what this could possibly be. No one moved a muscle, no one breathed, it was just silence as the revealed their new product. 
"...THE GRAPPLE!" 
The cover flew back as the object was finally revealed to everyone. The object was shaped like an apple, and looked like one in every way, except for one distinct characteristic. The Grapple was a deep purple with a semi-transparent skin. Some awed at the site, others nearly vomited, and the rest just didn't know what to think about what was shown in front of them. The brothers smiled as they waited for a positive  response that they were anticipating. 
Rarity leaned over to Twilight and whispered: "Look at how discussing that... that thing is! It must taste awful!" Flim and Flam got tired of waiting and continued with the presentation. 
Flim said: "This marvel of pony labor took months to create, and we wish to explain what this is." 
Flam then continued: "The Grapple is a very special apple that has been specially treated and conditioned to taste like a grape, but have twice as much nutrition that comes with a normal apple! Another feature of the Grapple is that it takes almost six months for it to even start to spoil! Additionally, it only takes a couple of weeks to grow a full grown Grapple!" Ponies started to get excited by their presentation. The brothers started to form grins on their faces as they got what they wanted out of this event. 
Flam then noticed Applejack in the crowd and announced: "You may be wondering to yourselves: How do I even know if this is real? Well, let's have somepony taste test this. How about... Mis. Applejack; come up on stage and be the first to taste the Grapple!" AJ went up on stage and stood next to the stand making sure they weren't planning to do something to her on stage. 
Flim said: "Now, Mis. Applejack, please take a bite from the Grapple." They began smiling at the crowd as they waited for her to take a bite. Applejack picked it up off the stand and studied it. It felt soft and a lot smoother then any apple she had ever touched before. The smell was a combination of both an apple and a grape, but it was more towards the grape. When she finally took a bite, it turned out that it was very juicy like a grape, and it also tasted like one as well. Applejack didn't want to admit it, but it was actually very delicious. 
Flam asked her: "How did it taste Mis. Applejack. I bet you that it was really nice and juicy like grapes, did it not?" They both got smug grins on their faces as they waited for the results that they knew would be good. Applejack knew she couldn't give them a good rating on this, but she didn't feel right when she thought about lying to entire crowd of ponies, some of which where her best friends. 
Applejack said in a sad tone: "Ye... Yes it... It did." 
They leaned closer and Flim asked: "Pardon, could you say that a bit louder to the whole crowd to hear?" 
AJ hesitated, but at last, she said: "Yes, it is as good as they say it is." 
She lowered her head in shame as the twins quickly turned towards the crowd and Flam loudly announced: "See everypony! Even our old time rival agrees that the Grapple is AMAZING!" 
Applejack started to make her way off stage when Flim leaned over to her as Flam continued the speak, and said: "Thank you for your cooperation Mis. 'HONEST' Applejack."