//------------------------------//
// 06: The Flim Flam Brothers Come To Town 
// Story: The Crystal War 
// by EpicMuttonChops 
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Tomorrow. Tomorrow, Applejack would head back to Canterlot because Princess Celestia had requested her presence. No doubt it had something to do with the war effort; not much else was talked about these days. Everypony in Ponyville and Canterlot tried to keep it in the backs of their minds, and sometimes it worked, but wherever somepony went, there was a solemn atmosphere lingering, hovering beneath every word, in every conversation.

But today, there was work to do at the farm. Since the Crystal War had started, the troops needed more food sooner, and both the Apples and the Carrots had been called to try and find a way to increase production. Tomorrow, the two families would meet Princess Luna and discuss possibilities. Today, the two families would meet each other to discuss possibilities.

"Ah don't see why we hafta meet with the Carrots today and tomorrow, Applejack," Apple Bloom protested as she and her sister crossed the tree-covered fields toward the Carrot family farm.

"There's nothin' ta worry yourself over, Apple Bloom," the orange mare replied. "Ah bumped into Golden Harvest in Ponyville yesterday. Turns out both of us were invited to meet with the Princesses this week ta discuss food production." She held a hoof to her hat as the breeze blew a bit harder and chuckled. "Ah had Spike send Celestia a message asking if our two families could meet and toss around some ideas, then meet the next day ta see what they thought about 'em."

"Oh," the filly said. "Well, ah don't like carrots, and ah don't see why anypony else would wanna eat 'em."

Applejack sighed. "It's usually a matter o' taste, 'specially with young colts and fillies," she teased, poking Apple Bloom in the shoulder. When the filly stared in confusion at her big sister, the orange mare cleared her throat. "Well," she began, "Ya like cake, don'tcha?" The filly nodded. "But ya also like pie?"

Again the filly nodded. "'Specially apple!" she added.

Applejack laughed. "Believe it or not, some ponies don't like one or the other. Some of them like eatin' cake more than pie." She chuckled for a moment. "Princess Celestia's one o' those ponies, actually."

Apple Bloom joined her sister in laughing as she remembered her time with her friends at the school newspaper. "Oh yeah, ah remember that." In a more pleasurable mood, the two sisters finally reached the Carrot's home.

Golden Harvest met them just outside the door and gave Applejack a friendly hug. "Welcome to the farm, you two!" Golden Harvest said giddily. She continued as she led them to her kitchen table where her family was already sitting. "I can't believe we got invited to meet with the Princesses!"

Her unicorn mother, Early Horn, and earth pony father, Autumn King, smiled at their daughter's excitement. "It is an honor," Early Horn said.

Once more Applejack laughed. "You sound just like me and my friends when we were first invited to the Grand Galloping Gala, Golden Harvest." She rubbed her chin with her hoof. "Gosh, has it really only been two years since then?" She sat, her little sister following her lead. The Apples and the Carrots sat a few moments, looking at each other, and Apple Bloom looked around the room. "So, we're here ta come up with ideas for producin' enough food for the Princesses' army."

"Well, we haven't sold many shipments of carrots recently, so we have more than usual sitting in the fields." Autumn King said.

Early Horn sipped a cup of tea and continued, "What's your situation on apple trees?"

Apple Bloom leaned back in her chair. "We always sell our largest number of apples durin' cider season, and even then we only use a little more than an acre."

Golden Harvest took notes. "So we both grow more food than we sell, and we have plenty left over in our fields." She tapped the pencil on her chin as she bit her lip in thought. "We have more land we can plant on, right mom and dad?" The light green mare and red-orange stallion nodded. "Okay, so we can have more carrots ready in a few months."

Apple Bloom got down from her chair and trotted up to the window. "Applejack," she said, "what was the name o' those stallion brothers that came around last cider season?"

Applejack got up and walked over to the same window her sister was looking through and saw a carriage sitting at the end of the road. She saw the two cream-colored stallions walking up the path to the front door. "The Flim Flam brothers," she muttered.

As if on cue, the brothers knock on the door. Golden Harvest gets up from the table to answer the door, but Applejack meets her before she can reach it. "Careful, Golden Harvest. Remember, these ponies are con artists." Golden Harvest nodded and opened the door.

"Hello, young miss," one of them said immediately. "My brother and I were just traveling the countryside and happened to overhear that you were invited to meet with the Princesses tomorrow; such an honor."

"A great honor," the mustachioed stallion interjected.

"And the topic of conversation is food production, I hear. Now, you may or may not be interested, but my brother and I - " he saw Applejack in the corner, her forelegs crossed. "Oh. Hello."

"Hey," she replied flatly.

Flim tried to continue. "Now, my brother and I have an idea - "

"Not interested, Flim." Applejack approached the brothers. Golden Harvest noted the firmness in what she said and backed away from the door to let her pass. "Whatever it is, we don't want your version of help."

"This is different, Applejack. When we heard about the war, we started thinking of ways to actually help ponies."

"That's right, brother. Many ideas, including ways of quick and efficient food production."

"I said before - "

"Applejack," Golden Harvest interrupted. "A moment please?" Reluctantly, the orange mare followed her into the next room. "Applejack, I know they've caused trouble in the past, but I think maybe they actually want to help us."

"But-" the orange pony began to protest.

"Think about it, Applejack." Golden Harvest continued. "Equestria is their home too. They've got nothing to gain from deceiving us now."

Flim and Flam took off their hats. Their faces were solemn. "She's right about that," Flim said.

"Applejack? Everythin' alright?" a small voice called from the kitchen.

Applejack looked from the brothers, to Golden Harvest, toward the kitchen where their families sat. She took a moment to collect her thoughts. Then, a song started ringing through her head, a little ditty she had heard when she was a filly:

Equestria, the land I love
A land of harmony
Our flag does wave from high above
For ponykind to see

Equestria, a land of friends
Where ponykind do roam
They say true friendship never ends
Equestria, my home

Applejack sighed and bowed her head, humbled. Everypony stood around her, waiting for her answer. Finally, she looked back up again and took off her hat. "Ah'm sorry, you two. I've spent so much time focusin' on the trick ya pulled last cider season, ah couldn't see that you were bein' honest." She gave a weak smile, and the tension in the air lifted as Golden Harvest led them back into the kitchen. The cream-colored twins thanked her.


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The next morning, Applejack and Golden Harvest took the train up Canterlot Mountain, toward the city. It wasn't the fastest way to travel, especially since the alicorn princesses could teleport anypony from one place to another, but it was safe and reliable. The two mares sat in silence for a while until Golden Harvest broke it. "Applejack?"

Applejack turned to look at her. "Yeah?"

"What made you change your mind last night?"

The orange mare rested her chin on her hoof and stared out the window. She answered, with a few hesitations as she spoke. "An old friend o' mine believed that love and tolerance were the best way to keep Equestria as great as she hoped it was. Ah haven't heard from her in years, but ah'm sure she wouldn't have liked it very much if ah'd sent 'em off without a second chance."

Golden Harvest nodded. "I'm glad you did. They actually had some pretty good ideas."

"Eeyup," she replied.

"Oh, I'm so excited to meet the Princesses," the yellow mare nervously tapped her hind legs on the floor. "Still nervous, too."

Applejack chuckled. "Really, Golden, it's not as big a deal as ponies make it out to be. Celestia and Luna are just as normal as anypony. In fact, ah betcha one o' them will be waiting for us at the platform."

They weren't.

Instead, a few young-looking members of the Royal Guard met and quickly escorted the two mares through Canterlot, into the throne room. Everypony seemed nervous as they entered the presence of the Princesses. Princess Luna greeted them as they approached the thrones. Golden Harvest and the guards bowed to her.

"It is good to see you again, Applejack. I am glad that you and Golden Harvest could meet with us today."

"Good to see you too, Princess. And speakin' of which, where's Princess Celestia?"

"As you may know, my sister and I must take turns leading the Royal Guard in the Crystal Empire. It takes a lot of energy to lead both the troops up north as well as Equestrian matters." She stepped down from her throne and led the two earth ponies toward the southern windows. "She'll be here as soon as she can."

Applejack and Golden Harvest began describing the ideas that they had come up with the previous night, and it wasn't long before Celestia flew in the castle and stepped through the great doors, and she was welcomed by the three.

She joined them at the windows as Applejack told them of Flim and Flam's visit. "Despite being con-artists, they're still businessponies, and good businessponies too. Granny admitted that the cider that came outta their peculiar mode o' transport was really delicious, a cider to rival our own." Applejack hung her head. "Ah'm ashamed to say ah refused ta hear 'em out last night."

Celestia and Luna smiled. "I'm glad you gave them a chance, despite your past history," the white alicorn replied. "It's not often a pony gets the chance to forgive somepony who did them wrong."


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Flim and Flam had stayed at the Carrot's farm that day, helping Golden Harvest's parents where they could, playing with Apple Bloom when she visited, and awaiting the result of the meeting with the Princesses. When Applejack and Golden Harvest returned, they told them what transpired at the meeting, and the Princesses' approval of Flim and Flam's ideas.

As soon as the sun came up the next morning, the unicorn brothers got to work. Golden Harvest led Flam through her family's fields, and Applejack did the same with Flim throughout the orchard. Together they added a spell to the dirt and trees.

"Flim, what the hay are you doin' to mah trees?"

"This spell encourages growth in plants. When it is effective, you can get at least three times the yield on a crop in a single season!" He zapped a tree and saw the orange mare's worried look. He continued. "Every crop is exactly the same as usual, there's just...more of it."

"Uh-huh."

Flim zapped the base of another apple tree. "My brother and I have used this spell before, and it works nicely. We get plenty of food in a week for a month on the road!"

"What about the Blight?"

"Hasn't been an issue. Now, for the war effort, we've modified this spell to give every single crop an excellent source of every natural nutrient, every vitamin and mineral it contains, and boost its flavor a hundred percent!" Flim boasted, smiling and raising his hoof in presentation.

The pose he struck made Applejack laugh. "Ya know, Flim, you and your brother got a lotta good skills and smarts. Why don't you use them to help ponies more often?"

Flim zapped another tree and responded, "We're entertainers, Applejack. What we do is a lot more fun."

It took two full days for the brothers to cast their spell upon all the carrot plants and apple trees, as well as the unused fields. As soon as Flam had zapped the last plant, it was time to focus on upgrading the farms themselves; since the output would be greatly increased, they also needed the space and equipment to deal with such a sudden increase in production.

"The first thing we'll need is assembly lines for each product," Flam began as he and his brother stood on either side of an easel that held pages of designs and schematics.

Flim stepped forward. "Of course, the assembly lines will basically have the same design for each addition to the barns," he stated.

Golden Harvest nearly hopped out of her chair from excitement. "Ooh, I can't believe we're going to be able to help so many ponies!"

"Yes," said Flim, and the Apples agreed. "Now, we have the approval of the Princesses, but we'll need constructions crews to help build the lines before the first harvest, but I'll oversee the Apple's farm -"

"And I'll oversee the changes to the Carrots!" Flam interjected.

Both families agreed, and Big Mac added, "I'll talk to the crews around Ponyville, see what they can do."

"How long will we have until the first harvest?" Mr. Carrot asked.

"Oh, should be in about two weeks," Flim replied.

"Give or take a week," Flam added


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Although Twilight Sparkle and Spike, her baby dragon assistant, were prisoners of the Crystal Empire, King Sombra did keep them fed well enough. And although he did not give them anything more, he did get weary of her pleas for a simple book. Surely he could grant her that one wish?

King Sombra grunted. Fine. Books are harmless. I shall give her a book. He called for his aides, who quickly came galloping to the throne room. Crystal Arrow was the first to arrive.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

You are familiar with the prisoner who tried to take the Crystal Heart from me? Crystal Arrow nodded. She asks again and again for a book. Go get one.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He ran toward the library, but stopped at the door and turned around. "Does it matter which book, sir?"

NO!

Crystal Arrow bolted out of the throne room, only slowing down as he reached the library. As much as King Sombra scared him, he was glad he wasn't a slave again. He shuddered at the memory. "Of course," he muttered to himself, "being forced to fight in an army probably isn't much better."

He thought of the crystal ponies already drafted into King Sombra's war troops as he skimmed the shelves. Most ponies had voluntarily, although somewhat reluctantly, signed on, and some of those who had resisted were currently being fitted with helmets. The helmets had been augmented with experimental spells, for the king wanted to use a form of mind control to turn Equestria's Royal Guard against their precious Princesses.

Crystal Arrow shuddered again at the thought and picked up a random book from one of the lower shelves. He placed the book in a nearby saddlebag, put it on, and trotted back to the throne room.

With his teeth he pulled the book from the saddlebag and laid it on the floor. "Your Majesty, here is a book for the prisoner," he reported.

Almost immediately, Sombra's shadow magic enveloped the book as he drew it up to his eyes. A Study of the Flora and Fauna of the Badlands. That'll do. He teleported the book down to Twilight's cell. The black unicorn turned and walked back to his throne. When he sat down, he saw Crystal Arrow still present. Why are you still here? Go help one of the others. Crystal Arrow bowed to the Crystal King and went away.

Moments earlier, far below the palace in the dungeons, Twilight Sparkle sighed as she stared out the window while Spike napped on the ground. Suddenly, the book that Crystal Arrow had found fizzled into existence in the air, knocking the breath out of the baby dragon as it fell on top of him and woke him up.

"Oof!"

"Spike?" Twilight turned. Her eyes brightened when she saw the book. She ran over and picked it up with her magic. "Thank Celestia, Sombra gave us a book!" She turned back, sat on the floor, and began to read.

Spike brushed the dust and hay from his scales and rolled his eyes. "Really? I didn't notice." He walked up to where Twilight sat and read the title. "A Study of the Flora and Fauna of the Badlands?" Twilight didn't respond as she turned another page. "Uh, Twilight?" No response. "Twii-liiight!" he sang. The purple unicorn was still too busy reading. "TWILIGHT!!"

"I know, Spike, but I've gone so long without reading a single sentence. I need to do this first."

"Alright," her assistant conceded and let her calm her anxiety.

Three and a half hours later, not long after Celestia had lowered the sun and Luna had raised the moon, Twilight closed the book and exhaled a sigh of relief. She sat there a moment more. "Okay, Spike, let's get to work. Do you still have those scrolls from earlier?"

Spike nodded and gave her one, and went to hold the book open in front of her. Twilight's horn glowed as she began tearing chunks of letters from the pages. "You sure you really wanna do that to a book? You love books."

"We have to, Spike. We need to send a message to Celestia and Luna." She tore another word from another page. "Besides, I think Celestia already has this one in her library."

"Oh, ok."

A little more than an hour later, Twilight had affixed the final clipping from the book to the scroll. "There," she said. "That should hold for as long as we need it to." Spike rolled up the scroll. "I hope," she added softly.


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Princess Celestia was exhausted from being in battle all day. She hadn't been this tired since the period of time after she'd banished Nightmare Moon to the moon. No, not just Nightmare Moon, she reminded herself, but my sister as well. Every night, she remembered the nights she had fallen asleep in Luna's bedroom, wishing she was back by her side. She still remembers those nights, but now she is also grateful to have her sister back. She smiled as she closed her weary eyes.

She had only been asleep for a few minutes when a scroll appeared above her with a pop, loud enough to rouse the white alicorn. She caught it in her magic as it floated down to her. She unrolled it and read the letter. Her eyes grew wide and she gasped before bolting up to write five identical letters.

She had one of the Royal Guard deliver the letters to Ponyville. This was a priority.