Twilight Gets a Puppy
Season 2
By TDR
The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 4000,
part 2
[Sweet Apple Acres.]
Applejack raised an eyebrow looking at the two brothers after their 'generous' offer.
“So who gets the 75 percent?” Applejack questioned.
“Why us of course. And we'll throw in the magic to power the machine for free.” Flim added.
“Pretty sure we don't need that bit.” Applebloom scoffed as she glanced over to Twilight who was moving around the machine studying it.
Applejack frowned. Something about these two struck her as wrong, a feeling in her gut that bothered her. She was used to slick ponies trying to sell something, the farm got a number of them from time to time, and a whole glut more after being declared as a heritage site.
“Lemmi have a word with tha family.” Applejack stated and moved over to huddle with the other Apples. There was a bit of hushed conversation as one of the four kept looking up to either glance at the machine or the brothers. After a moment of conversation the group breaks.
“Well I know how we tend tah need tha cider sales tah git through tha winter. With yer deal we'd lose Sweet Apple Acres if we agreed to that.” Applejack sighed.” Well we would lose it if'n we didn't have a influx of funds from being a heritage site.”
Flim opened his mouth about to say something though Applejack shoved a Apple into it, shutting him up.
“We'll go 75 25 , but you get tha 25. Yer machines useless without our apples, and we've been making cider without one of them things fer so long it ain't any fur off mai leg if we don't use it.” Applejack stated.
“60, 40 you get the 40.” Flam offered.
“90, 10. You git the ten.” Applejack countered.
“That's not how negotiations work...” Flim frowned.
“All that things gonna do is give us some time tah relax we didn't have. And Apples ain't afraid of no hard work.” Granny Smith snorted. “Yah ain't selling anything we need, just something we might want.”
“I see. Negotiations are clearly not going well. Perhaps something else. A wager then?” Flim grinned.” I mean if you're not afraid of a little competition?”
Applejack blinked, her eyes narrowing.” Whatcha got?”
“Our wondrous machine against your little family. Which can produce more cider of a better quality fastest.” Flam added.
“If we win 90, 10, the ten for you.” Flim continued.
“And if we win, we'll take yer little contraption there.” Big Mac spoke up suddenly looking down at the pair.
“Oof, confident aren't you?” Flim flinched.
“Nope, jus you owe us fer a fence post as well as hundred an thirty apples. “ Big Mac stated calmly.
“There's no way there were a hundred and thirty apples on that tree, our hoppers barely filled.” Flam pointed out.
“Nope only about 67 apples, but yer machine also broke a couple of branches and sucked up all tha budding flowers, this orchard tends tah have two late production periods which is why we use um fer cider cause it's too late tah pick and store um all fer tha winter. “ Big Mac explained.” Yah sucked up tha future apples tha tree could have too.”
“How would you even know that?” Flam demanded.
“Mac's got something of an eidetic memory when it comes to numbers. He's never off by more'n a few and that's usually due to something throwing off his count. If he says there was a hundred and thirty coming off that tree then there was sure as shooting a hundred and thirty.” Granny Smith stated. “ Course he probably only wants that thing to impress his mare friend...”
“If yah win we can take tha bill off tha top, which yah prolly won't even notice, but if yah lose ah don't think yah got enough on yah tah pay fer than many apples, and tha fence.” Big Mac stated.” So we get tha cider squeezy.”
Flim and Flam both duck off into a huddle questioning a few things among themselves. After a bit of discussion they came back. This was less of a easy mark than they thought, but they had already counted how much Cider the Apples had made today and knew the machine would blow that number of barrels away by a long shot. The bet was only brought up due to talking with some towns ponies and finding one bearded pegasus who spoke at length and with great gusto about how stubborn and hard headed the Apples tended to be.
“That is acceptable.” Flim stated. Though with a little less certainty than before.
“Do we have a deal?” Flam asked.
“Hey, ken we ask some of our other family tah help, ah got homework tah do.” Applebloom chimed in.” School work ain't gonna wait fer a contest.”
“Sure why not........” Flim agreed with a shrug. More ponies would cause problems if not well organized. They had seen the Apples cider system, and while efficient for it's basicness, it would take more than what they had set up to beat the machine.
It was then after he agreed that Flim noticed that all four of the Apples were suddenly smiling rather wide. Creepily so.
“Umm” Flam and Flim blinked.
“Ken ah tell um what they agreed to? Ken ah?” Applebloom hopped around with a grin.
“Nah you gave um tha length a rope, let some one else kick tha stool out.” Applejack chuckled.
“See here's tha thing young fellas, given that yah rolled up here and tried tah start something with us with yer fancy doodad and yah worked tah turn every pony against us with yer little song.” Granny Smith smirked.” We wasn't ever planning on going easy on yah. See this is here is an Equestrian Heritage site. It was granted to the family by Princess Celestia herself and over the course of years tha Princess has, on one or two occasions, become family through marriage adoption, or some other interactions that ain't fer young ears.”
“Wha......” Flim stammered.
“Yeah so one of tha members of family we could call on, and she owes me a favor or two any way fer Discord and Nightmare Moon, is Princess Celestia.” Applejack smirked. “Now tha second thing is my big brother here is dating that mare over there.”
The pair look to where Applejack was pointing at the purple unicorn mare who was laying under the machine,jotting down notes as a small purple dragon looked on in annoyance.
“That's Twilight Sparkle. She and her brothers have been adopted by Princess Luna, and her eldest brother's dating Princess Cadence. “ Applejack continued.
Wha....” Flim and Flam both paled.
“So what yah fine gents, who came up in here like yah already owned tha place have done is, agreed tah a deal tah beat a family who ken call on all three of the Princesses tah come help.” Applejack smirked.
“Oh and Spike's Mom's tha dragon god.” Applebloom offered. “So we ken get a buncha dragons in here too.”
Every pony looked at Applebloom.
“What now?” Applejack raised an eyebrow the statement not seeming like a lie. “Ah thought Bleu said she knew who they was, not that she was one.”
“Yeah that's what she said, but Princess Celestia told Spike he was one of Bleu's eggs because she practically admitted it over tea one time with Princess Celestia. That and she was mad at Bleu cause she ate a couple of that castle's chandeliers on tha way out.”Applebloom rambled. ”Least that's what Spike told me.”
“Huh.... “ Applejack considered. ”Oh before ya'll opt to call mai bluff. Aside from what Apple bloom said, and ah don't think she's fibbing, all of that's that truth. Ah mean it is pretty common knowledge now that ah'm tha Element of Honesty. Lying don't sit well with me.”
Flim and Flam were visibly sweating now.
“Perhaps we might, come to a .. more mutually beneficial arraignment.” Flim offered.
“And not do tha wager?” Applejack asked with a grin.
“Umm yes.” Flam stated.
“Well yah did say negotiations were failing and we did agree to all this, so ah figure ah'llah'll give a last chance fer a negotiation, though if ah don't like it , ah'll take tha wager.” Applejack responded.
“Certainly madam.” Flim and Flam chimed up.
“Figured you'd see it our way.” Granny cackled.
[ The Next Day Sweet Apple Acres ]
Twilight took a sip of her cider.” I can taste the difference, but I've got to have both practically at the same time to do so.”
“Yup, it ain't bad in truth,but some folks ken tell and we got three types a barrels with it now. One with the full machine's product, one with just Apple power, and one that's mixed. Interesting blend that last one. A bit more tart than ah expected.” Applejack nodded. “Still this allows us to sell tha machine and mixed cider a bit cheaper and save tha good stuff fer those who know tha difference.” Applejack grinned leaning back on the chair at the small table the two were sitting at. “Plus it keeps Rahs outta most of it.”
“Well the brothers magic can't help but blend with the cider since they are powering the machine to make it.” Twilight offered.” Rahs says Flim's magic tastes like orange juice, while Flam's tastes like mint toothpaste.”
“Blargh.” Applejack agreed. “ That explains why he ran off to start stuffing his mouth with grass.”
“So what happened any way? I get that the two of them are working for you now, but other than that.” Twilight questioned looking up at the line that was slowly getting smaller as Big Mac dumped another bushel of apples into the machines hopper.
“Well they tried a bit of fancy talk tah wheedle a bad deal outta us, but it back fired on um pretty big. If'n they'd set up an honest trade right off instead of trying tah pull one over on us it'd been better for um. Ah could feel they was up tah something and ah was on guard fer that. Got that others in on it too pretty quick. Applebloom was almost too excited about tha machine tah help, but she pulled through.“Applejack explained. “Didn't take much to reign um in after finding out just what sorta favors we ken call in from family.”
“Mmmm I can think of a number of things that could be done. Speaking of one of them, Princess Celestia still owe you fifty bits for that cask of cider you sent to her?” Twilight nodded.
“Nah. A fine mustached gentle pony offered tah pay fer that.” Applejack grinned as Twilight face hooved realizing who she was talking about. “But any way we sweetened the deal fer them, by dropping tha cost of tha apples they used and paying out thirty percent of profits from all tha sales rather than just theirs.”
"No offense Applejack , but you never struck me as the sneaky type. Yet you took on two shysters and got them to do some honest work." Twilight commented.
"None taken, Granny's tha wily one, but it ain't like ah can't hang with that business ponies. been dealing with Filthy fer years already, and since we got a bit ah extra money coming in ah been taking some send away courses in business. " Applejack explained. "Working on a business Doctorate from tha same place Princess Luna said Dr. Choppy got his."
"Changing the subject before anything more about that axe ever comes up." Twilight growled.
"Go ahead." Applejack smirked.
“Well that machine is a wonder of modern technology. It doesn't strike me as something the two of them could build, particularly after they tried to pull that' don't worry your pretty little head' bull crap when I asked questions about it. Given that they were looking to try and pull a fast one for a get rich quick trick, rather than patent it and sell the designs to farms every where, it may very well be stolen.” Twilight frowned. “More likely they scammed some pony else, Comet Trail is looking into it.”
“Well hope who ever really owns it won't mind us using it. Least fer a bit.” Applejack stated. “Them two ain't thrilled with all this, but they liked the alternative a whole lot less.”
Twilight nodded as she took another sip. “Is there a reason that you wanted me to sit and talk with you. I don't mind, but you were kind of insistent.”
“Yeah, cause ah think this nonsense has gone on long enough.” Applejack sighed draining her mug and looked up as Rahs stormed over to them carrying a struggling Blue Beard the Rainbowed with him. The bearded pegasus was saying quite a number of things that were not safe for foals to hear.
Rahs put the angry pegasus down with a growl.
“Bork.” Rahs snaped.
“What?” Blue Beard The Rainbow questioned.
“He said you're not fooling any one Rainbow Dash.” Twilight stated realizing what Applejack was doing.” So please sit down.”
The bearded mare huffed and pulled off her beard taking a seat.
“Thanks Rahs, Mac's got that cask for you.” Applejack offered.
“You should have done this months ago.”
“Kinda hard to when yah can't find her.” Applejack stated as Rahs left. The trio stared at each other a moment before Rainbow Dash started to get up only to stop as Applejack reached under the table and slapped a large cider cask on it.”Rarity says it's me an Twi you got tha most issue with. Ah git that yer mad, but ain't nothing gonna change if yah keep avoiding us. So yah sit there, let us say our piece. Tha Ciders yers if yah accept the apology or not.”
“So what do you say Rainbow?” Twilight asked with a small exhale.” You willing to let us talk?”