Are You In or Out?

by nabrixwrites

The Scammers

“Come one, come all, see the amazing Flim Flam kitchen tool!” the yellow stallion with the extremely unkempt red mane and facial hair said. He smelled of body odor and gasoline.

“It slices. It dices. It’s even foal-friendly!” the other yellow stallion with the extremely unkempt red mane and facial hair said. He also smelled of body odor and gasoline. Despite the fact that nopony seemed to be paying attention, he brought forth a small filly to their crudely assembled stand. “See for yourself!”

“C-can I go home please?” the filly stammered, obviously frightened of the two loud stallions.

The first stallion walked up behind her. “You can go home AFTER you do your part,” he whispered angrily into her ear.

“Yeah,” the second stallion whispered. “Don’t make us do this the hard way,” he said, glaring.

The filly’s eyes widened in fear. She stepped up to the stand, scared to death of the hard way, because she knew what the hard way entailed. She looked at both of them, and realized she was surrounded, so she had no chance of running away. She grabbed the tool in her hooves. “L-look,” she said on the verge of tears. “L-look how e-easy i-it is fo-for me t-to change the b-b-blades.” She took one of the alternate blades on the stand and replaced the other one with it.

“That’s right, just like we rehearsed,” the second stallion said, an evil grin on his face.

The filly started to cry a little, remembering rehearsal. She had seen the hard way in full force then. She was anxious to avoid it happening again. She forced back her tears of abuse and continued the presentation. She grabbed the potato that was lying on the stand and put it under the tool. “L-look how easily th-the Flim Fl-flam tool cuts food.” She pushed down with considerable force and when she pulled back up the potato was cut into several small pieces. As much as she hated and feared her abusers, she had to give them credit for their craftsmanship. This is actually a fine piece of work. She bet her mother would enjoy having this in her kitchen. That is, if her mother ever cooked.

“All right kid, that’s enough, get outta here,” the first stallion said.

“R-really?” she asked, wiping her tears.

“Yeah, go!” the second stallion said, “and don’t tell anyone about this, or we’ll find you.” He paused. “Now leave! Before we change our minds.”

The filly jumped from the stand and ran away in tears.

Returning to the stand, the first stallion said, “you heard her, folks, this thing cuts like a pro. It’s a must buy!”

The second stallion chimed in. “Normally it’s more expensive, but for you, we’re selling this for the low low price of 20 bits! I know, it’s a steal!

For the first time, they spoke in unison. And this time, it was in song.

Well you’ve got opportunity

In this very community

He’s Flim!

He’s Flam!

We’re the world famous Flim Flam Brothers!

Traveling salesponies nonpareil!

“Oh, go make cider from a train!” one of the onlookers yelled, generating laughs from those who heard. One pony even threw a tomato that hit Flam straight in the face and knocked him off the stand. Why is it always tomatoes? Flim wondered. “Or, better yet,” another pony spoke up, “they go make it with gravel and tree branches!” All of the ponies on the street were now laughing at them. They had hoped that their failure in that backwater town wouldn’t get all the way out here to Manehattan, but news travels fast. They’ve had unsuccessful business ventures before, but they didn’t kill them. But after the Ponyville disaster, their lives went straight to hell. They couldn’t get business anywhere. Before they knew it, they were out of money, and were living on the streets. The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 was a great mode of transport, but it was hardly a home. But something the brothers learned really quickly is that when times are tough, you make to with what you have.

After what must have been the twentieth failed sales pitch in a row, the brothers started to pack up and call it a day. But then a mysterious cloaked pony emerged through the crowd. He walked up to the stand and managed to silence the crowd without a word, just with his very presence. Remaining silent, a bag of what must have been at least fifty bits fell onto the stand. The sound of coins rattling alerted the stallions, and the looked up at the pony, and down at the bag. In a low, almost soothing voice, the pony said, “I heard you boys like to make business deals. I’ve got a proposition for you.” After a pause, he said, “but we can’t talk here. Let’s go someplace a bit more...private.”

The brothers exchanged worried looks. This pony was obviously very shady, not someone to be trusted, but dammit, fifty bits was just something you DIDN’T pass up when you were in their position, no matter what. They reluctantly agreed to hear him out, and led him back to the SSCS6000. It wasn’t very big, but they could all fit and have a conversation. Once in, the pony removed his hood and revealed that he was the one and only Discord. Flim and Flam’s jaws dropped and then their faces became that of anger and determination. They took whatever battle stance they could in the confines of the train and their horns lit up, posed to strike.

Discord merely laughed. It was a deep, hearty laugh, the kind you’d get from your grandfather. “Really, now. You don’t have to be so distrusting. I really do have a business proposition for you.”

“We don’t want to hear it!” Flim said, keeping his horn lit.

Discord paused. He was more than a match for the brothers. He could take them easily. But taking them was the last thing he wanted to do. He wasn’t looking for a fight. Perhaps showing all the cards he was holding was the best way to go in this situation. “Well that’s too bad, I was kind of expecting that you’d like revenge on the one pony who’s the reason you’re in this situation to begin with.” He laid pictures down on the table, each one of Applejack of the Apple Family in Ponyville.

The brothers looked down at the pictures, and seemed to get even angrier. Their horns lit up more and were about to strike. Discord braced for the attack, but it didn’t come. Instead, he looked down at the pictures and saw that they had turned to ash. They looked at each other, then back at Discord. “What’s in it for us?” Flam asked.

“Yeah,” said Flim. “Revenge is nice, but it won’t get us business.”

“Well, I’m not only promising revenge, but I’m also planning a full fledged attack on the wielders of the elements of harmony. When we win, I can promise you greatness, more power than you can even imagine.”

“I don’t know. We can imagine quite a bit,” Flam said, raising an eyebrow.

“You’ll get it,” Discord said.

The brothers looked at eachother, then decided to huddle in and have a private conversation discussing the offer. A few seconds passed, and Discord spoke again. "Look, boys, I don’t really have, like, time to bat this around. I’m kind of on a schedule. I’ve got plans for August, so I need an answer now." He paused. “Are you in or out?”

The brothers looked back at Discord and grinned. They both extended a hoof and Discord grabbed each for a hoofshake. “You can count us in.”

Discord grinned. “He he he he...gooooood...”

Comments

[Nightheart]

god damn. i continue to love your take on the fallen. another great chapter.

[nabrixwrites]

2822773 Thank you very much. I do aim to please.

[Deletethis22]

Great job cant wait for more