“This place is awesome!” declared Rainbow Dash as she flew overtop of Los Pegasus to get a bird’s eye view of the different hotels and all the many huge attractions that were lined up on either side of the main road. Rainbow Dash’s mouth was agape with awe at it all, from the extravagant themes the hotels took to stand out against their competition to the number of ponies that were either sightseeing tourists on vacation, employees working to draw in more tourists and bits to their place of employment, those performing in the street, hoping to be noticed and get some bits thrown their way. There were so many ponies crowding the streets that it looked more like a multicolored river from Rainbow Dash’s vantage point.
“So much action and energy everywhere you look. All the thrills and the excitement. Now this is my kind of town! Too bad I’m here to solve a friendship problem.” She gazed down at the countless ponies going about their day and scratched her head. “How in the world am I supposed to find a friendship problem in this mess?” Scratching her head, she tried to think. When Fluttershy and Applejack were here they went into a resort and ran into… Flim and Flam. At least it’s a place to start. Just gotta figure out which resort they are running.” About ready to zip around and search for them, she suddenly heard some carnival-like tunes and memories of the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6,000 came to mind. Turning towards the source of the sound, Rainbow Dash flew towards it to get a better look. Despite the neon sign being harder to see during the day, she was able to tell that it was of an apple with a piece cut out that was right beside it. It was a perfect likeness of their Cutie Marks. The name of the resort was even called, “The Split Apple.” “Definitely Flim and Flamy,” concluded Rainbow Dash as she flew to the ground and headed inside.
Just like on the outside, this place was overflowing with ponies. Rainbow Dash couldn’t even get enough room to open up her wings. “Feels like all of Equestria is squeezed in here. What do they have going on in here that’s drawing in such a huge crowd?”
“The wait is nearly over,” announced Flim over the loudspeaker.
“It certainly is, o’ brother of mine,” replied Flam.
“In less than one half hour the next performance of the death defying Gale will begin!”
“She’s performed countless aerial feats in Manehatten to earn her the title of “The Greatest Wingless Flier” and now she’s here to show you all why.”
“If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet for this mind-blowing show then you’d better hurry on over and grab one right away!”
“That was expositional,” commented Rainbow Dash. “And now I know for certain they’re here.” Struggling to work her way through the crowd, Rainbow Dash attempted to try and make her way to their office, but any attempts she made to shove her way through the crowd of ponies only had them shoving her right back.
“Hey, no shoving,” complained a stallion with orange hair and a red mane. He had on an “I Love Los Pegasus” cap and an “I lost all my bits at the Split Apple Resort” t-shirt. “Rainbow Dash, is that you?”
“Uh, yeah it’s me,” she acknowledged looking him over, but couldn’t find a name to go with his face. “Uh, but have we met before?”
“Oh!” He look up at his had and then down at his shirt before looking back at Rainbow Dash. “Guess you wouldn’t think I was me wearing this stuff instead of my armor. Also, thanks again for finding my shield.”
“Armor? Finding your shield?” repeated Rainbow Dash before it finally hit her. “Flash Magnus?!? What in Equestria are you doing here… dressed in… that?”
“I’ve just been traveling across Equestria and seeing how much it’s changed,” he explained. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to solve a friendship problem,” she explained. “And since I have no idea where it is, I’ve decided to start my search here.”
“Well, isn’t it a small world that we’d run into each like this,” he chuckled.
“Too small if we’re packed in like sardines like this,” commented Rainbow Dash.
“So, personal space aside,” Flash said changing the subject. “What’s the friendship problem?”
“I’m not sure yet,” she answered before looking up at the loudspeakers. “But those two who made that announcement have cause trouble for Applejack a few times in the past so there’s a good chance that they might be involved. Which is why I want to go up to them right this minute and confront them about it, but I can’t even budge an inch in this crowd.”
“A lot of things have changed from the era I lived,” commented Flash Magnus. “But it seems like ponies still flock to big events like this. You’re better off waiting till the show is over and the crowd disperses.”
“Doesn’t look like I have much of a choice,” admitted Rainbow Dash almost certain it was getting even more cramped with every minute that passed.
“You want to see the show with me?” he asked. “I’m interested to see how a pony can fly without wings.”
“I hate to admit it, but they got me pretty interested in it too,” agreed Rainbow Dash. “Let’s get some tickets and see the show.”
The crowd progressed at a snail’s pace, but Rainbow Dash and Flash Magnus managed to inch their way over to the ticket booth to purchase their tickets for the show just in time. Then the charismatic brothers came back on the speakers once more.
“Thank you all for your patience,” Flim spoke. “The show will begin shortly.”
“Hurry, this is your last chance to buy tickets if you haven’t already,” reminded Flam.
“The doors to the theatre are about to open so go and grab your seat, but you’ll only need the edge for this performance of a lifetime.”
“And thanks again for choosing to spend your bits here at the Split Apple.”
Rainbow Dash, Flash Magnus, and all the other ponies began to flood into the theatre, handing their ticket stubs over before passing through the doors. Within minutes, every seat was filled. Rainbow and Flash were lucky enough to nab some seats that were a decent distance from the stage. The audience of ponies sounded even louder in the theatre as they chatted amongst one another, eager for the show to begin, but when the lights faded they quieted down one after another till it became completely silent.
A spotlight appeared on either side of the stage as some wacky music began to play and a pair of clowns on unicycles began riding around to the center of the stage while they juggled half a dozen pies each. One had on a huge rainbow afro that looked twice as large as his head while the other had on a colorful, floppy hat that covered the top half of his head. They both had on baggy clothes that was easily several sizes too big for them, yet in spite of all that they managed to unicycle with ease, riding in small circles, move forwards or backwards and even hop in place. The audience chuckled as they watched the amusing opening act.
The two clowns continued riding about on their unicycles till they came inches from colliding with one another only to stop short. They then started to pantomime an argument, words replaced by angry sounding squeaks that only increased the hysterics of the audience. The two clowns attempted to back up and go around one another, but they both continually ended up heading straight into one another again only adding to their frustration and the amusement of the crowd as the squeaks got louder and they bounced up and down on their unicycles in comical fury.
“These guys are hilarious!” cackled Rainbow Dash almost in tears.
“This is quite an opening act,” laughed Flash. “It’s been literally over a thousand years since the last time I was able to enjoy a show, though back then, the opening act usually consisted of warriors locked in fierce combat with one another or against some fierce beast like a manticore or a hydra.”
“That sounds awesome,” Rainbow Dash told him. “But isn’t that kind of dangerous?”
“It was, but it was also very exciting,” he admitted. “But that was how I trained to become the legendary warrior I am.”
“You used to go into battles on a stage like this?” asked Rainbow Dash in amazement.
“Well, it was more like an arena than a stage, but yeah,” he explained. “The Royal Legion did shows like that all the time when we didn’t have any other work to do. Looks like entertainment today has changed quite a lot.” The two clowns on stage had finally reached the boiling point and had began pelting the pies they were juggling at one another, getting themselves and the stage covered in huge globs of whipped cream. “Heheh, but acts like these have their own charm too.”
“That kind of reminds me of the shows that I do with the Wonderbolts,” commented Rainbow Dash. “What you were talking about, I mean. Not whatever those clowns are doing.”
“The Wonderbolts?” he asked.
“It’s kind of like what the Royal Legion is today,” she explained. “Though I’d say we do more shows than actually go into battle.”
“Things seem much more at peace than in my age,” he told her. “It’s a relief to know things went well in my absence.”
“How have things been with you since your return from Limbo?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“It’s been fun seeing how different everything has changed, but it also reminds me that the life and friends I had back then is gone. I do miss my friends and the Royal Legion, but, hey, maybe I could see about joining the Wonderbolts after I finish traveling around.”
“That would be awesome!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash before they got shushed. “Uh, let’s talk later, after the show is over.”
“Good idea,” agreed Flash as they watched the clowns now wearing oversized boxing gloves go at one another while still riding their unicycles. Each time they got close, they walloped each other at the same time, sending them both cycling backwards a few yards before hurrying forward to do it all over again. Finally, after several bouts they both managed to land a finishing blow on each other and they both fell off their unicycles and onto their flanks that gave off a loud whoopie cushion fart. The audience burst into laughter before a pair of shepherd crooks extended from offstage and dragged them both off the stage. The curtain went down on the stage as some ponies began to clean up the mess the clowns left behind.
“We hope you enjoyed the opening act,” informed Flim.
“After a quick cleanup the show will go on as the wonderful and spectacular Gale will take the stage and astound you with her stupefying stunts,” continued Flam. “Thank you for being patient with us.”
A few minutes passes, as the crowd grew ever more eager and a little restless waiting for things to resume, but finally the curtain rose up once more. Now on stage stood walls reaching up to the ceiling along with several tall poles. There were also rings and a trapeze suspended in midair. Everyone looked on with great anticipation as they saw somepony begin to proceed onto the stage. She was dressed in a body length black coat with sleeves that even covered over her hooves. There was also hood that covered over her head, making it impossible to see her face. The hood laces were long as well and almost touch the floor. As she moved, it would have been impossible to see her in the dark if not for the spotlight that stayed on her.
“You forgot to take off your coat,” somepony whispered from offstage.
“Oh,” she replied nervously and took it off, carefully folding it, before handing it to the offstage pony. “Sorry, a little nervous.”
As she proceed to the center of the stage, where a bigger spotlight awaited her, the audience was able to get a better look at her. Everypony expected Gale to be a pony but to their astonishment, when they saw her white coat with black stripes, it became apparent that she was a zebra. She looked on at the crowd in awe with the most deep blue eyes and took several deep breaths attempting to calm herself down. “I can do this,” she panted to herself when it wasn’t working. “I can do this.” Faintly some music started to play. Little by little the volume increased allowing everyone to be able to clearly hear it. “I can do it,” she smiled feeling more relaxed as she focused on the sounds.
Turning to the wall, she ran straight at it with no hesitation and scaled up it a few feet before flipping off of it into a somersault and landing on the ground. Immediately, she rushed at it again to climb it like before, but managed to make it even higher before leaping off again, this time managing two backflips before touching the ground again. The audience gave her a light applause once more as she zoomed at the wall even faster attempting it a third time, but on attempt she didn’t stop till she reached the very top, several meters off the ground. She leapt off and backflipped onto the trapeze, grabbing ahold of it with her hind legs and swung forward.
The music began to speed up as she swung faster on the trapeze. As she built up enough momentum, she let go and flew forward through a ring and onto another trapeze. The cheering of the audience grew louder growing more impressed with her by the minute. A couple more rings were moved and added to the one Gale had soared through as she Gale built up her momentum once more. As she leapt through the air once more, she cleared all three with the same fluid motions and the crowd cheered amazing at athleticism.
“Wow, she is pretty good,” commented Rainbow Dash cheering as well.
As the stage was set up for her next trick, more rings were added, this time at a greater height than the previous ones. A wall was also added at the the other side of the rings between the lower level and the higher one. Everyone leaned forward on their seats, watching completely absorbed in the act now. When she felt ready, Gale leapt through the lower level of rings once more. As she came in contact with the wall, she used it to rebound off it and gain even greater height to pass through the rings higher up. After clearing them, everyone gasped in shock as the trapeze had not yet returned for her to grab it and she began to fall. However, without the slightest sign of hesitation, she managed to grab ahold of one of the poles and started to swing on it, building her speed up once more. Flinging herself off from it, she grabbed onto another. From that she built up even more speed and flung herself from pole to pole almost like she really could fly through the air.
“I take it back,” cheered Rainbow Dash. “She’s amazing! Totally awesome!”
I can see why she’s considered the greatest flyer without wings,” commented Flash Magnus with just as much enthusiasm as he watched her launch off from one of the poles and began bounding between two walls to reach back up to the trapeze once more. “The flow of her motions, it’s almost like she can fly.”
Gale continued to perform her gravity defying stunts one after another, leaping and flipping through the air without pause. Each new trick she attempted was even more perilous than the last and it kept everyone gasping and cheering wildly. Finally, with her last trick performed she slid down a pole and her hooves once more came in contact with the ground. She took a few steps towards the audience and then bowed her head to them. At once, the entire crowd got up and clapped their hooves together and chanted her name. “Gale! Gale! Gale!” Even after the curtain closed they continued on a while longer till the doors to the theatre opened once more and everyone began to make their way out.
“That was such an awesome show,” cried Rainbow Dash full of delight. “I can’t wait to tell everyone back home about it.”
“I’m sure they’ll want to come see the show too,” stated Flash. “But you might want to figure out your friendship problem first.”
“My what?” asked Rainbow Dash as her reason for being in Los Pegasus had slipped her mind. “Oh! Right, my friendship mission. Yeah, I better solve that first.”
“Everypony have a good time?” asked Flim as he greeted the audience as they took their leave.
“Make sure to come again and bring your friends along too,” added Flam.
“Aren’t they the two you wanted to see?” asked Flash.
“Yeah that’s them,” nodded Rainbow Dash as they made their way over.
“Did you two like the show?” asked Gale as she approached them wearing her black coat again with the hood down.
“Like it?” asked Flim. “We loved it! It was a real masterful performance with daring, edge of your seat action. It was more than a mere act, it was a beautiful work of art, a real masterpiece.”
“And selling out every last seat is quite a beautiful sight to behold as well,” stated Flam. “So we’ll keep providing our typical brand of advertising and you keep defying gravity.”
“You got it,” she smiled.
“Alright,” Rainbow Dash called out. “I don’t know exactly what no good scam you guys are up to, but I’m onto you!”
“What seems to be the trouble?” asked Flim. “Was there something wrong with the show?”
“No. The show was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen!” she replied, but continued to glare fiercely at them.
“Good, then there isn’t any problem,” smile Flam. “No problems and no refunds.”
“The show was fine, but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t up to one of your old tricks,” argued Rainbow Dash. “You’ve caused enough problems for my friend, Applejack. I won’t let you pull a scam on anypony else.”
“Applejack?” they both said in unision as they looked at one another.
“Say, she’s one of Applejack’s friends, Flam,” commented Flim.
“Well, isn’t this just a golden opportunity, Flim,” added Flam.
“Then would you be so kind as tell Applejack how grateful we are to her?” asked Flim.
“And that we’re sorry for all the trouble we’ve caused her and her family,” continued Flam.
“You guys are… apologizing?” asked Rainbow Dash confused. “But I didn’t even figure out what underhanded thing you’ve done yet.”
“The apology is for what we’ve done in the past,” explained Flim.
“And since we’ve taken over this resort we’ve cleaned up our act,” Flam continued Flim’s explanation.
“We’ve been on our best behavior and done all we can without the need for any cons or tricks,” stated Flim like that was something to brag about. “Just our crowd pleasing showmanship, a bunch of fresh, new talents, like our little star, Gale, and lots and lots of hard work.”
“Seriously?” she questioned them then turned to Gale. “They didn’t do anything sneaky? Cause you to have a fight with your friends, or get you to believe in some kind or miracle tonic that couldn’t really do anything, or try to run you and your family out of town with some crazy cider-making contraption?”
“Uh, what? No, they didn’t do anything like that,” Gale replied earnestly. “I actually came to them looking for a job and when they heard about all the shows I put on in Manehatten they signed me up right away and even agreed to pay me double what I was asking for?”
“So then you two really aren’t causing any sorts of problem?” Rainbow Dash replied in disbelief.
“No legal mumbo jumbo in the contract, not even in the fine print,” confirmed Flim.
“Not even any fine print at all,” added Flam.
“We’re truly reformed,” promised Flim. “Never shall we do another dirty dealing.”
“At least nothing big enough to fall under Applejack’s radar,” mumbled Flam quickly to go unnoticed by Rainbow Dash.
“Well, sorry to suspect you,” Rainbow told them. She gritted her teeth as she apologized, feeling like they somehow got the better of her.
“Perish the thought and I hope to see you again and make sure to bring your friends,” said Flim.
“To show them how much you’ve both changed?” she asked.
“No, to spend some bits at the resort,” corrected Flam.
“Guess you haven’t changed that much,” sighed Rainbow Dash as she took her leave and Flash Magnus followed her.
“Well, it’s not like it was a waste of time,” Flash commented. “We got to see a great show and at least you know the problem isn’t here.”
“Yeah, but now I don’t have a clue where the friendship problem is and this city is huge!” she complained.
“Guess we’ll just have to keep looking around till we find it then,” offered Flash and the two left the Split Apple.
“The next show will be in a couple of hours,” Flim told Gale. “So make sure to get some rest till then.”
“I’ll do my best for that show too,” she promised. “And thank you both for giving me this opportunity.”
“It’s the least we can do for our wingless star,” they told her.