S6 E20: Viva Las Pegasus (What If?)
Applejack and Fluttershy had been called to Twilight's castle as a result of the table map. But when they learned where they would be going, they were anything but thrilled.
"The map is sendin' us where?!" Applejack loudly exclaimed!
"Las Pegasus? Surely there must be a mistake." Fluttershy protested.
"But Las Pegasus is a wild vacation spot. It's just one big party." Applejack joined in the protest.
Fluttershy shuddered. "All those lights and sounds, not to mention the crowds... Oh, just the thought of it is overwhelming!"
"Look, I know Las Pegasus doesn't seem like either of your cups of tea," Twilight lightly spoke up. "But I have total faith you wouldn't have been called unless you were the perfect ponies for the job. The map's never been wrong before."
"Guess it can't hurt to trust its judgement in this case," Applejack said with a reluctant sigh. "Who knows? It's probably not as bad as we think. It can't just be a loud, obnoxious party all the time... right?"
When the two ponies arrived in the bustling city, however, they soon learned that they were mistaken. The entire city consisted of massive buildings with neon signs, and sported that pegasus like feel with the ground designed to look like clouds.
"Um, Applejack, about what you said earlier," Fluttershy commented. "It isn't as bad as we thought."
A huge crowd of tourists rushed past the mares a second later, screaming and shouting loudly!
"You're right, it's worse!" Applejack exclaimed! "Just what have we've gotten ourselves into this time?!"
Applejack and Fluttershy made their way through the crowds, checking out the first building they laid eyes on. It was almost like an indoor amusement park, complete with rides, arcade games, and even a fountain. The two were in awe of the sight, but taken aback quite a bit by the huge crowd of ponies checking out the attractions. Suffice it to say, Las Pegasus more than lived up to its name.
"Do you think maybe the map could be on the fritz again or something?" Fluttershy asked her friend, as they trotted through the establishment. "I know Starlight 'fixed' it, but are we sure it's completely back to normal? I mean, this place seems a lot more suited to Pinkie Pie or even Rainbow Dash. This is the last place the map should be calling us."
Applejack just sighed and shook her head. "If Twilight trusts the map than so do I, like she said it's never been wrong before. So all we have to do is solve our friendship problem and get back home. 'Course, we have to find it first. And that might be a problem."
Just then, a random stallion dressed up in a show pony's hat barked out. "And make sure to experience our signature show,Ponet Fantastique! Trust me when I say you've never seen anything like it! Unparalleled acrobatics! Unique animal antics! Your only regret will be that you didn't see it sooner! And just like everything at this amazing, incredible, I-can't-believe-it-even-exists hotel, Ponet Fantastique is brought to you by the chairpony of kindness – Gladmane himself!"
The crowd's eyes were drawn to a massive golden statue of an earth pony stallion wearing a business suit and tie, and sporting a mane that looked almost like a powdered wig.
Even Applejack and Fluttershy were impressed. "Wow. This Gladmane sure seems impressive," Fluttershy commented. "I wonder if we'll get to meet such an upstanding pony."
"Well, uh, it is a little embarrassing, but the crowds seem to like it. Uh-huh-huh." A voice barked out, revealing itself to be the very pony depicted in the statue. He had a grayish-persian blue coat, grayish-green eyes, a white mane and tail that had some streaks of a blueish-gray shine to it, and a cutie mark depicting three golden bits surrounded by sparkles. He wore a dark blue business suit with a white collar, a blueish-green cape with diamonds in various colors of blue and white, and an orange polka doted bow tie. It didn't take a genius to figure out that this was the very Gladmane the barker pony had been talking about just a few seconds earlier.
"Mr. Gladmane?" Applejack greeted, offering a hoof.
But Gladmane not only accepted the hoof but also replied. "Just Gladmane'll do. And it's a pleasure to meet actual cohorts of the Princess of Friendship! Thank you for coming. Thank you very much."
"Wait, you know who we are? Most ponies outside Ponyville don't tend to recognize us." Fluttershy commented.
Gladmane kindly replied to Fluttershy. "Oh, I'm what you might call a friendship connoisseur, so naturally I'm familiar with the friends of the great Twilight Sparkle! Applejack, Fluttershy, it's an honor to have you here. Uh-huh-huh."
Applejack smiled and told the stallion. "I have to admit you're not the type of pony I expected to find in Las Pegasus, Gladmane."
"Glad to be the exception to the rule," Gladmane replied to Applejack, and then he chuckled. "And while my guests may be looking for lights, music, and parties, working hard and making friends is how I turned this here hotel into what it is today, and how I plan to make it even bigger. Uh-huh-huh!" Then he pulled down a microphone as he motioned to his guests. "Uh, excuse me for a second would ya?" Then he took a deep breath and spoke into the microphone. "Wise ponies may say the folks that come here are just customers, but I can't help but thinkin' of each and every one of you as friends. That's why there's a three-for-one special on apple fritters in the cafe for the next hour! Enjoy! Uh-huh-huh!" The crowd reacted eagerly to the statement, many ponies opting to make a mad dash for the cafe.
Lifting the mic up, Gladmane then offered to his guests. "Would you two like to take a tour of the place? I'm just about to do my rounds and check on my friends who work here."
"Well, we do have a friendship problem to find." Fluttershy mentioned in a hushed tone of voice.
"Lead the way, Mr. Gladmane!" Applejack declared.
Gladmane corrected. "Just Gladmane now, you hear? We're friends now."
"Already? But we've barely even met you." Applejack protested.
"Doesn't matter to me. Far as I'm concerned, you became my friends the moment you walked in the door," Gladmane replied to the two mares. "Now come on, let me show you around. There's a lot that goes on backstage."
It wasn't long before Gladmane led his guests to the backstage area of the performance theater. And soon after entering, he came upon a bright yellow coated earth pony mare dressed in a glamorous pink tutu and wearing matching make-up. "Good day to you, Molly. Just checkin' to see how things are coming along." Gladmane greeted.
Molly seemed to be extremely excited, as she let out a gasp! "Gladmane, you're just in time to see my newest move! I've been working extra hard on it!" She boasted.
"New moves or not, I'm glad to have a star like you working for me." Gladmane complimented.
"Oh, don't make me blush!" Molly fondly replied. "Please, Gladmane, I'd be honored if you saw what I'm working on! It's just what this show needs!"
Gladmane nodded. "Oh I'm sure it is, I'll make certain to see it when I have the time. You know me though, always gotta be checkin' up on things to make sure everything runs smoothly. Somepony has to do it, might as well be me, the friendliest of friends in this establishment."
Just then, a cobalt blue coated earth pony stallion with an even darker blue beard came trotting up. And he exclaimed through his accent! "Oh! Oh! Monsieur Gladmane himself is here! Come, Molly, let's run through the whole routine!"
But Gladmane protested. "Now, don't make a fuss for ol' me, Quinn. I'm just gonna keep on giving a tour to my new friends Applejack and Fluttershy. Feel free to rehearse on your own time though, I won't stop you."
"Ah, you must be ze the associates of her highness, Princess Twilight herself," Quinn flashed a warm smile. "So nice to meet you."
"Howdy!" Applejack greeted.
"Hi." Fluttershy whispered.
Quinn went on to say. "If zis pony calls you friend, then you're welcome backstage anytime! I owe him my entire career after all. And any friend of Gladmane is a friend of mine."
"Aw, shucks," Gladmane replied, as if he'd heard such compliments a hundred times before. "Come on, friends, let's leave the artists to their work. I've still got a lot to show you."
Applejack and Fluttershy followed Gladmane, and Applejack whispered to Fluttershy. "Doesn't seem like there's any friendship problems here. I'm startin' to think maybe you were right about the map bein' on the fritz."
The three ponies entered the next room, and Fluttershy squealed in delight at the adorable sight her eyes fell upon! "I've never seen a pink prairie dog before!" The yellow coated pegasus exclaimed, as she rushed over to the cages housing the tiny animals.
Gladmane smiled. "I like the folks that come here to have a unique experience. Uh-huh-huh."
"Und we love him for it!" Exclaimed a voice. And then who should appear but two unicorns of similar build, even down to their white jackets with pink stripes. But one had a white coat, and the other a black coat.
"Ah yes, Sprigfield and Roar Horn. So nice to see you again," Gladmane greeted to the stallions (speaking first to the black coated one). "I was just telling my new friends here about my pink prairie dog show."
Sprigfield smiled. "With Gladmane's help, we've been able to take care of all these little guys! We're glad to work for such a nice pony."
"Now this place is overwhelming in a good way!" Fluttershy fondly exclaimed. "I could get used to Las Pegasus if it had stuff like this."
"Glad you like it," Gladmane replied. "It's been one of my staple attractions for years. Now come along, there's still so much to show you two."
"Fluttershy? You comin'?" Applejack cleared her throat. The pegasus had been busy eyeing the pink prairie dogs.
"Hmm? Oh, um, coming!" The timid pegasus answered.
Having left the backstage area, Fluttershy was commenting to Applejack. "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong around here at all. This looks like a dead end."
"I figured lookin' for a friendship problem in Las Pegasus would be like tryin' to find a needle in a stack of needles. But everypony seems to be gettin' along just fine," Applejack added. "I guess we're gonna have to go back to Ponyville and tell Twilight that map needs some fine tunin' or somethin'."
But before either mare could think of leaving, a familiar male voice cried out. "Ladies and gentleponies, despite what my competition might say, I know you've come to this fair city to be entertained, and I assure you there is nothing more entertaining than the astounding acrobatics in Gladmane's Ponet Fantastique!"
Another familiar male voice retorted. "Now, I suppose that might be true if it weren't for the existence, and far superiorly entertaining presence I might add, of the show-stopping exotic animal act that Ponet Fantastique includes!"
Fluttershy and Applejack spun around. "Those voice sound awfully familiar, don't they?" The pegasus spoke up first.
The farm pony narrowed her eyes, there was no mistaking who those voices belonged to. "They sure do, and I don't like it one bit. Flim and Flam. Should've figured they'd turn up here eventually."
Sure enough, Flim and Flam were on separate podiums. But they seemed to be arguing with each other, a stark contrast to the togetherness that had defined them the previous two times Applejack had seen them. "Wonder what they're trying to pull by fighting each other. Did the fallout from the tonic scam drive them apart?" She thought to herself.
"Why, I won't even dignify that assertion with a response! Except to say that if you were to consider buying your tickets from me," Flim spoke up. "I might consider offering them to all of you at a substantial discount!"
But Flam retorted. "But I've always thought you get what you pay for, and in my humble opinion, these tickets are a value at twice the price! They're practically a steal!"
Flim marched towards the center and pointed a hoof at Flam as he accusingly shouted! "Don't let this price-gouging charlatan take you for a ride! Pay him no attention, lest you be conned out of a wonderful deal!"
"Charlatan?" Flam gasped! "How dare you, former brother of mine! Of all the insults you've hurled my way, that has to be the lowest of lowest!"
"Hah!" Flim laughed. "How dare I?! I simply call 'em like I seem 'em, former brother! You were always the one who believed rising the price was the best way to seal the deal!"
"You've got some nerve! If it weren't for my brains, you wouldn't know how to work your way out of a wet paper bag!" Flam coldly remarked. "I'm two minutes older than you – don't you ever forget that, former brother of mine!"
The twins went on arguing back and forth, while the various ponies who had previously been lined up to buy tickets from them drifted off to other areas of interest.
"They certainly don't seem to be getting along," Fluttershy commented, and then she let out a gasp as a thought came to her! "Wait a second! You don't suppose we've been brought here to help them?"
But Applejack immediately shot down the idea. "Absolutely not, never in a million years!"
Unaware of the presence of Gladmane, or Applejack, Flim and Flam went on arguing. But nopony payed their quarrel any attention.
Fluttershy tried to plead her case for helping the brothers. "Applejack, I know you and the rest of the Apple family have had your issues with Flim and Flam in the past, but they're definitely having trouble now, and solving a friendship problem is important, no matter who's having it."
"Well, of course that's true..." Applejack replied, before the farm pony then added. "For anypony but them! I don't know why they're fightin' like this, but after that stunt they pulled with the tonic, I see no reason why I have to help 'em. We Apples make it a point not to get involved in the personal affairs of other families. And I reckon Flim and Flam aren't askin' for me to butt in on their silly little quarrel."
"Applejack, isn't it time to let go of the past?" Fluttershy retorted. "If they're the reason why the map called us here, we owe it to them to help them out."
"It's not that I hate 'em or anythin', I just don't see why their argument could possibly be a friendship problem," Applejack replied. "I mean, they're at Gladmane's. Sounds to me like he should be gettin' involved in this."
Gladmane shook his head. "Oh believe me, I tried my hardest. Those two boys have been fighting almost since the day they showed up here with hardly a bit to their names. I thought that giving them these jobs might help, but I... I guess it just made matters worse. Oh well, can't blame a stallion for tryin' I suppose."
"No argument there," Applejack agreed. "Flim and Flam may have meant well in the past, but they never know when to back off or give up. If the two of 'em were together, they'd probably end up cheatin' the hooves out from under you, Gladmane."
Gladmane sighed. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Flim's such a showpony, and Flam has such a head for business. Why, if they ever did work together, they'd be running this whole place in two shakes! Ah, speaking of which, I'd better get back to work. But y'all enjoy your stay now, you hear? Hope you find that friendship problem you're lookin' for." And with that, the business stallion departed, leaving the two mares to watch Flim and Flam continue to argue with one another.
"I'm pretty sure we should help Flim and Flam out..." Fluttershy suggested.
"And I'm pretty sure there's another friendship problem here, and I'm gonna search this entire resort top to bottom 'til I find it!" Applejack vowed and stormed off. "You feel free to do whatever you want with those two, Fluttershy. But don't expect to get anywhere with 'em."
Fluttershy just sighed. "Guess I'm on my own with this one. Applejack, why must you be so stubborn? Holding onto a grudge for all this time, even Rainbow Dash wouldn't do that." She thought to herself.
Unwilling to give up without an honest effort, Fluttershy decided to try and solve the friendship problem on her own. She sat down for separate talks with Flim and Flam, trying to determine what had caused their quarrel, and what could be done to mend the broken bond.
But the brothers were of little help. They remained hostile whenever the subject shifted to one another. "I sure hope you didn't travel all the way from Ponyville just to get me to reconcile with my no account brother!" Flim protested. "After all the years of insults and being looked down on, I finally see him for the dirt bag he always was!"
"Brother? Why, I don't believe I have one of those anymore," Flam coldly commented. "A real brother wouldn't be as ungrateful as that low life."
"Oh, I already know what he thinks of me," Flim snorted. "All show and no substance! Well, fine! If he's so smart, then he should have no trouble becoming a big success on his own! And if he can't manage, well he better not come crying to me."
"Ooh! Why, he's just the greatest sales pony who ever lived of course," Flam remarked, changing his voice to sound mockingly snobbish. "Don't believe me? Just ask him, I'm sure he'll tell you all about it."
Fluttershy tried to help by telling both brothers. "I'm sure you two could work out your differences easily if you just sat down and talked to each other. Understanding is a key part of any friendship, after all."
But both brothers had the same reply. "I'm never speaking to that pony again! He's dead to me!"
With a sigh of defeat, the butter yellow coated pegasus had to admit that this attempt at family therapist was going nowhere at all. "Guess I can see why I didn't get my cutie mark in it." She thought unhappily to herself.
Meanwhile, Applejack was searching all of Gladmane's establishment for any trace of a friendship problem. But all she had to show for her search so far, was a bunch of general noises coming from the various rides, games, and performances featured throughout the building.
Suddenly, while trotting past the backstage area, she heard the director cry out. "No!" She rushed into the backstage area, where she saw Quinn and Molly apparently arguing.
Quinn was loudly complaining. "You are ruining my show, Molly!"
Molly snapped back. "Quinn, despite what you think, it isn't just your show! And I'm improving it!"
Quinn protested. "But it's ridiculous. You don't pull a rabbit out of a hat on the trapeze!"
"That's the whole point – to give the audience something they've never seen before!" Molly retorted. "Acrobatic magic! Watch!" She proceeded to twirl around on a trapeze, and once standing up on it she pulled a rabbit out of her top hat.
"Ta-da!" The rabbit appeared to exclaim.
"It's called 'blending genres', and it's awesome!" Molly shouted down to Quinn.
"Whatever." Quinn snorted and stormed off somewhere.
Applejack flagged down an orange coated stallion with a green shirt and glasses, holding up a clipboard with his magic. "Uh, excuse me but shouldn't somepony do somethin' about that?" She inquired.
But the stallion only replied. "I'm just the coordinator, Back Stage. And I'm sorry to say, that feud is way outside my line of expertise. They've been doing this since they started working here. It's too bad, really. If they ever stopped shouting at each other, we could take the show out on tour. They'd be way more successful than staying at Gladmane's." Then he trotted off somewhere.
Applejack smiled with delight upon hearing this. Her hunch had turned out to be correct. "Heh-heh. Now that sounds like a real friendship problem! Can't wait to tell Fluttershy about it."
However, Quinn and Molly were not the only ones in the theater that were quarreling. Roar Horn was training the pink prairie dogs, having them jump through a hoop and into a formation. "Hup! Hup! Hup! Hup!" He instructed.
Suddenly, Sprigfield came running up to his partner, shouting! "Stop! What are you doing?! It's supposed to be a pink prairie dog pyramid! It's alliterative!"
"Wha— But you said a tower! Why do you keep changing everything?" Roar Horn protested.
Sprigfield snapped back. "I'm not changing anything! You said pyramid! Stop trying to confuse the issue!"
At that, Roar Horn let out a shriek! "Sprigfield, I swear, you are driving me crazy!"
Having seen everything, Applejack questioned Sprigfield. "What was that all about? I thought you two got along?"
Sprigfield sighed. "Well, we used to, but we just can't seem to agree on anything anymore. A shame really, we used to perform all over Equestria, but if we can't agree on a new act, then we might as well stay at Gladmane's forever." Then he stomped his hooves and the pink prairie dogs followed him.
Applejack was ecstatic, she could hardly believe her luck! "Two friendship problems in the same theater? Now we're talkin'!"
The two friends met back up in the cafe to exchange all their news. Fluttershy was not phased to learn about the friendship problems in the theater. "If you count Flim and Flam, then that's three big friendship problems all in the same place! So much for the map being broken."
"Well I don't quite count Flim and Flam's quarrel as a problem. If they can't work it out between themselves, I don't see why I have to step in," Applejack protested. "Big Mac and I got into fights a lot as kids, and even now we've had our differences and held a grudge for a while. But our feuds never last as long as Flim and Flam's has."
"You don't suppose Gladmane's got something to do with their breakup, do you?" Fluttershy suggested. "After all, them being at each other's throats seems to benefit Gladmane a lot."
"Hm, now that you mention it, the other ponies' problems seemed to be good for Gladmane too. Both the trapeze show and the animal act would be better off if they left, but everypony's so busy arguin' that they can't." Applejack realized.
"Do you think he knows?" Fluttershy wondered aloud.
"If he does, there's no way he'll just tell us," Applejack said with a shake of his head. "We don't have any proof he's actually behind all this."
But Fluttershy spoke up. "Actually, I talked with Flim and Flam. And while I couldn't get them to reconcile with each other, they did share some important information. Flim told me that every other morning, Gladmane tells Quinn that Molly wants total control of the show, even though it's not actually true. And he also keeps changing the act on Sprigfield but claims Roar Horn is the one who ordered it. And Flam mentioned that every other afternoon, Gladmane tells Molly that Quinn's going to get rid of her. And he also changes the act on Roar Horn while claiming Sprigfield is behind it. And they started quarreling with each other once Gladmane told Flim that Flam thought he wasn't smart, or told Flam that Flim didn't think his ideas were any good."
"He must've exploited the wounds from the tonic incident, they probably spilled the beans to him when they first met him," Applejack realized. "And keepin' them apart meant he could keep them in the dark about his deceptions, 'cause if they ever stopped fightin' each other they'd see what Gladmane's doin' to the other acts. And that all his talk about friendship is just a load of applesauce! He's gettin' them all to fight with each other on purpose!"
"If that's true, that must be what we're here to solve," Fluttershy concluded. "But how can we get everypony to believe that's what he's doing?"
Applejack sighed. "I don't like the thought of it at all, but we're gonna have to trick him. Gladmane's not gonna just confess, and he's no doubt made sure to cover his tracks so nopony suspects a thing. Somehow, we're gonna have to trick a confession out of him. Even if it means bein' dishonest."
"Gee, if only there was a pony who knew how to trick a trickster," Fluttershy commented, a knowing smirk formed on her face as she turned to Flim and Flam, both of whom were still arguing to kingdom come. "Or maybe a pair of ponies?" She suggested.
The farm mare sighed and reluctantly accepted her pegasus friend's line of thinking. "Okay, fine. Guess bringin' Flim and Flam back together might be why we're here. Maybe. For the record, I think this is a bad idea."
"It's the only option we have, Applejack. But if you don't want to be a part of it, you don't have to," Fluttershy replied to her friend. "I'm sure I'll find a way to get Flim and Flam to cooperate on my own."
But Applejack shook her head. "No, Fluttershy. We were both called by the map. That means we both gotta work to solve the friendship problems. Like it or not, if trustin' Flim and Flam is the only way to do that, so be it."
The two mares approached the quarreling brothers a short time later, hoping to convince them to stop fighting and that their entire argument was the result of an external influence.
Neither of the brothers seemed even the slightest bit convinced, however. "Sorry if I don't take the word of somepony right off the street, Ponyville or otherwise." Flim protested.
"But think about it. Gladmane is behind so many other friendship problems. How can you be sure he isn't the cause of yours?" Fluttershy questioned.
"I'll tell you why," Flam hissed. "Because the only problem I have is standing right there."
"Same here, buster!" Flim snapped back. "Gladmane isn't responsible for this, and you've got some nerve accusing him like that! He took us in out of the kindness of his heart!"
"If you're trying to get us to turn on him, you might as well not bother!" Flam added.
"But do you even remember why you're fightin'?" Applejack asked.
"Of course we do, Gladmane told me just what my so called brother really thinks of me." Flim explained.
"I denied all those accusations, because of course I never said them. But Flim believed them," Flam retorted. "And then when Gladmane told me what Flim thought of me, that was the straw that broke the camel's back!"
"I told you, I'd never say such things about you in a million years. But of course you never believed me!" Flim snapped.
Applejack raised an eyebrow. "So you're both sayin' you never said the things Gladmane says you said about each other. And yet you don't think he's behind all of this?"
"Well... perhaps the thought may have crossed our minds once or twice." Flim began.
"But why would he lie? He has no reason to do so." Flam finished.
Fluttershy spoke up. "Because he's afraid that the two of you together could move in and take over his resort. Think about it. Isn't it a little too convenient he showed you all those things AFTER you two fell out with each other?"
Realization struck the two unicorns square in the face upon hearing this! "It was right there in front of us the whole time, and we never even realized it!" Flim realized. "Well now, that Gladmane's got some nerve. The only ponies who should be plotting schemes should be us, the original tricksters."
"Oh, brother of mine, I think it's time for a little payback!" Flam suggested. "Now, how should we do it?"
"The Canterlot Two-Step? That's a personal favorite of mine." Flim recommended.
Flam shook his head. "Mmm, we don't have the chickens. How about the Baltimare Flair? That's an oldie but goldie."
Flim sighed. "Ah, my flair isn't what it used to be. No, we need something that he'll never see coming," Then, suddenly, a rather fiendish smirk formed on his face as he looked across to his brother. "Are you thinking what I am, brother?"
Flam nodded. "The High Roller Hustle! I like your style, brother."
"The what now?" Applejack exclaimed in confusion.
Flam simply smiled and explained. "Trust us. When we're done, there won't be a pony in town who doesn't know the Applejack-iest truth about Gladmane! That is, assuming you two are willing to help."
"Uh, what kind of 'help' do you have in mind?" Fluttershy asked with a gulp.
"Oh, nothing much," Flim said with a wink. "Now, what size gown do you wear?"
Some time later, Gladmane came out of his office to discover a most unexpected sight. There was a massive throng of ponies, all of whom had cameras that were clicking furiously. And others were taking notes. Something or someone had caught their attention, and Gladmane was quite concerned by it. He made it a point to know all that was going on in Las Pegasus. "Wh-What's all the fuss, now?" He asked, trying to keep his composure.
Flim pointed a hoof to an earth pony mare with a seemingly familiar yellow coat. But she had a rather curly green mane, and her eyes and cutie mark were obscured by thick, purple sunglasses and a dazzling, sparkling purple dress. She even had high heels. "It's the grand matriarch of the Rich family, Impossibly Rich! She's one of the wealthiest ponies in all of Equestria, second only to her son who runs the most successful business in all of Equestria." He explained.
"Well, why didn't somepony tell me she'd be stopping by for a visit?" Gladmane burst out. "You know how I like to give VIP guests my personal touch."
But Flim nervously gulped. "Well, she's not exactly a guest. Word is she's planning a resort of her own," He whispered to his boss. "I think she's here to scout the competition."
"Oh, really?" Gladmane nervously replied, a bead of sweat pouring down his face.
Flim nodded. "And with her bits, she could take over the whole strip if she wanted to, hire anypony she wants!"
Gladmane growled at Flim, as if accusing the shifty unicorn of planing to do what he'd just said. Flim quickly protested. "Uh, not me, of course! I love it here. Now my good-for-nothing brother, on the other hoof..."
"I see," Gladmane snorted. Then he adopted his usual friendly persona and approached Impossibly Rich, warmly greeting the matriarch. "Impossibly Rich, what an honor it is to have you at my humble five-star resort. I'm sure Flam has done an excellent job showing you around, but nothing could beat a personalized tour from the big mane himself. Uh-huh-huh."
Impossibly Rich didn't answer, she just whispered something to Flam who then told Gladmane. "You'll have to excuse Ms. Rich, boss. She saves the energy other ponies spend talking out loud and uses it to make more money. That's how she operates."
Impossibly Rich whispered again, and Flam then added. "She'd love a personal tour! Say, in, uh, about an hour?"
Gladmane nodded. "Well, that sounds right pleasant. And if you can break away for a moment or two, Flam, I'd love to see you in my office so I can get ready." And with that, the so called "friendship connoisseur" departed. He was doing his best not to show it, but deep down he was terrified of the kind of bit strings Impossibly Rich boasted. "If she's really come here to steal away my employees, she's got another thing coming!" He mentally vowed.
Once Gladmane and the crowd had both departed, Impossibly Rich made her way back behind the curtains of the backstage area. There, she revealed her true identity, Fluttershy. The pegasus had dressed up in the fancy attire so as to look similar to the actual pony that was Impossibly Rich. All for the purpose of Flim and Flam's scheme.
"Not to be rude but, are all of you sure this is a good idea?" The pegasus questioned.
"Abso-tively!" Flim declared.
"Gladmane is one fish that's hooked but good!" Flam added. "We've got him right where we want him. Now it's just a matter of getting him to slip up!"
All Applejack could bring herself to say to the two con artists was. "I sure hope you two know what you're doin', for your sakes."
"Oho, don't you worry about that. When it comes to throwing ponies off their game..." Flam boasted.
"No two ponies do it better than us!" Flim finished.
"Can't argue with that, I suppose." Applejack reluctantly replied.
About an hour later, Flam arrived in Gladmane's office overlooking the entire hotel. It even had glass windows that let him see everything going on down below. Quite a lush place for an "office". "Hey there, boss, Impossibly Rich is just about ready for that tour. So what did you want to see me about?" Flam asked, feigning ignorance. Working in Las Pegasus and for Gladmane, it didn't take long for one to learn why such a pony would call you in for a private audience in his office.
Gladmane beamed. "Actually, there's something I want you to see – the Grand Plan. Take a good look," He unrolled a blueprint that depicted plans for more hotels in his name on the Las Pegasus strip. "Just think, every hotel on this strip as amazing as this one, and every one of 'em mine and mine alone."
Flam whistled, and Gladmane chuckled at his employee. "I knew you'd like it. And all it'll take is a little salesponyship to seal the deal, like this," He stepped over to his intercom and clicked a button, allowing his voice to play out over the loudspeakers. "Hey there, friends. Uh-huh-huh. If you think my resort is fantastic, wait 'til you see Ponet Fantastique! Tickets are on sale right now. And for the next hour, they're two for the price of one! Thank you. Thank you very much."
When the loudspeaker clicked off a second later, Gladmane looked Flam in the eyes and sternly told him. "Now I know Impossibly Rich has probably made you a tempting offer to come work for her at her new resort. Wherever that is."
"Well uh, now that you mention it..." Flam stuttered.
The earth pony stallion droned on. "And as your friend, I'd never tell you what to do. But nopony's gonna stand in the way of my plans, no matter how rich they are! I've worked too hard to see some rich upstart try to take away what's rightfully mine! And I sure wouldn't want to see you to end up on the losing side. Think you might consider staying here with me?"
"Um..." Flam stuttered once more.
Gladmane didn't bother to wait for a reply, he was confident he'd intimidated a would be defector into abandoning their attempt. That was part of how he'd built the foundation for his entertainment empire, knowing how to keep his employees loyal to their boss. "Well all right then. Glad you understand. Now come along, let's not keep Impossibly Rich waiting."
Impossibly Rich was waiting when Gladmane arrived. Unknown to him, Applejack and Flim were already hiding out of sight, prepared to catch the business stallion in the act, assuming all went according to plan of course.
"And last but not least, Ms. Rich, the jewel in my crown. This here theater is home to my best acts," Gladmane proudly boasted. "Now tell me, are you impressed or what?"
Impossibly Rich just whispered to Flam, who quickly translated. "Well, Gladmane, Impossibly wants you to know she's very impressed so far but doesn't think you can keep a resort of this caliber going for much longer."
"Oh? And why's that? You threatenin' me, Ms. Rich?" Gladmane questioned with a raised eyebrow. "I don't take kindly to folks who threaten my establishment. If you got somethin' to say, say it to my face."
Impossibly Rich didn't flinch in the slightest, the mare just whispered to Flam who answered back. "She meant no offense, Gladmane. It's just, the way she sees it, you've got all the best talents in the industry. But what stops them from just leaving to join any competitor that comes along?"
"Aha, so you admit it! You're here, hopin' to swipe away talent to start your own hotel!" Gladmane exclaimed, pointing a hoof to Impossibly! "I knew you had another reason for your visit!"
"But you admit you have no leverage over your employees? Nothing that could keep them from defecting if somepony offered them a better deal?" Flam questioned.
Gladmane flashed a toothy smile as he laughed. "Well, you see I have a trick for that, I must confess. Uh-huh-huh. And it all has to do with how I treat my employees." He didn't seem to be aware that he was making this statement into a microphone, and it was carrying his statement over the loudspeakers.
"Now we've got 'em! Time to spring the trap!" Flam thought. And he questioned with trained innocence. "And how is that, Gladmane? What's the secret to your success?"
"The secret of my success, huh?" Gladmane remarked. "Well if you must know, I treat my employees the only way anypony should treat them. Like friends, of course! And I treat every one of my employees with the kindness they deserve. Just ask them, they'll vouch for me."
The unexpected response caught Flam by surprise! Struggling to keep a straight face, he stammered back. "That's it? That's your secret, heh-heh? There's..." He paused and cleared his throat. "...nothing else you wanna share? Nothing at all?"
Gladmane shook his head. "Nope, just friendship," Then with a sinister grin the business stallion marched over to Impossibly Rich and added. "But you know all about friendship, don't you... Fluttershy?! That's right, your little confession scheme didn't work. I know what Impossibly Rich looks like and how she acts, you two really oughta do your homework."
"Darn it! We've been conned! You knew the whole time?" Flim reluctantly spoke up.
Gladmane gladly boasted. "Uh-huh-huh. I saw right through your little scheme the moment you put it into action. Never try to con a con-pony. Uh-huh-huh, now you boys get back to work," And then with a laugh he proudly boasted. "Yes! Score one for Gladmane! I still got it!"
Gladmane was scooping bits into a massive bag, when there came a knock on his office door. "Come in," He called, and the door knob turned. Who should come trotting in but Applejack and Fluttershy? "Oh, it's just you two," He greeted with a smug grin. "Why, I'd have thought you'd both have hit the road by now. Yet you insist on hanging around."
Fluttershy sternly scolded Gladmane. "Well, whether we were able to fool you or not, you can't just go on keeping ponies from getting along! It's just... mean!"
"Now, maybe it is," Gladmane casually confessed. "Though honestly, can you really say I'm a bad guy? It's how we do things out here I'm afraid. I've done nothing wrong. I'm not some monster like Sombra or Tirek."
"But even Flim and Flam have more integrity than you do, and that's sayin' a lot." Applejack remarked with a glare.
Gladmane just sighed. "Oh you poor, naive country girls. You've no idea how the world really works, do you? Las Pegasus is hardly the place where you get ahead by bein' friendly," He laid back in his chair and shook his head. "No, out here it's the meanest of the mean who get ahead. You grab your moment and do whatever it takes to hold onto power! So maybe I keep my employees in line with lies, I'm sure you'll find that the rest of Las Pegasus is just as cruel. And look at all the nice things I still do, I give my employees a home, let them keep their hard earned bits. And I still manage to pass along the savings to my customers."
"You can drop the act, you're not foolin' us," Applejack demanded with a stomp of her hoof. "I don't care what the rest of Las Pegasus is like, that doesn't give you a license to be cruel anymore than it does anypony else."
"And since when did you decide to get on my case? You think you've got me all pegged out, don't you?" Gladmane retorted. "I do what I must to ensure my establishment remains the best of the best. Heck, you'll find I'm far better nowadays than I was in my youth. Matter of fact I practically invented the 'High Roller Hustle', that pathetic little ploy you used on me," Then he got up from his desk and smiled. "But still, I suppose I should be impressed. You're the only ponies to ever truly figure out the secret to my success," He proudly boasted. "Yes sir, it takes a lot of work keepin' everypony fightin'. But as long as I keep 'em convinced that I'm their only friend, all of Las Pegasus will be mine," Then he strolled back over to his desk as he finished. "Oh, you can't trick a confession out of a pony like me I'm afraid! I'm always one step ahead."
But Applejack just grinned as she told the business pony. "Well then, you better check your hooves, because you've just stepped in a confession!"
Fluttershy grinned, revealing that while Gladmane was rambling on, she had pressed the button on his desk that carried his words over the hotel loudspeakers. Now the real Gladmane had been exposed.
Gladmane's calm and collected persona shattered like glass! "Oh, no," He gasped, sweat trickling down him as he rushed up to the glass window over looking the establishment and protested. "No, no, w-w-wait, wait!"
But Fluttershy only asked over the loudspeaker. "Did that sound okay?"
"Never better!" Flim and Flam proudly declared.
Applejack, meanwhile, laid it into Gladmane about how he'd been tricked. "Flim and Flam told us you'd see right through the fake rich pony bit, and that once you did, you wouldn't be able to resist gloatin' about it! This was all part of the plan! And you fell for it without a second thought!"
Gladmane gulped! Frantically he pleaded to the performers. "Oh, now, now, friends! Listen, I-I can explain everything!"
But Quinn raised up a hoof and shouted. "I think you've done enough of that!" Turning to Molly he asked. "Darling?"
"Hmph! Good riddance!" Molly declared.
"Oh, I cannot believe we let him almost ruin our friendship!" Roar Horn sighed.
"And our act," Sprigfield added, then gave a parting shout! "Good luck finding another one! We're out of here for good!"
Gladmane pounded on the glass window, all the while shouting at the fleeing performers! "Wait! No! Y'all come back now! Come on, I-I'm gonna be ruined! This is Gladmane's, y'all! Come on, you can't do this to me!" He ran out of the office in tears.
With a smile, Applejack proudly declared. "Mares and gentlestallions, Gladmane has left the buildin'!"
His reputation now permantely shattered, the gold statue of Gladmane was pulled down with a crash.
"Well, I guess the map wasn't on the fritz after all," Fluttershy concluded, right before she and Applejack noticed their cutie marks were glowing. "If it weren't for your history with Flim and Flam, you never would've been so determined to find somepony else to help, and we never would have found out what Gladmane was doing." She told her friend.
And the farm mare quickly replied to her pegasus friend. "And if it weren't for you wantin' to show even those two kindness, we never would have been able to trick the trickster and get him to confess," Then to Flim and Flam she added. "Sorry for the hostility earlier, though I suppose it worked out for the better in this case."
Flim just nodded. "We don't blame you for not wanting to help us, nopony's really thought much of us besides our sketchy reputations. Still, we do owe you a debt of thanks for helping us see through Gladmane's lies. If not for you, we'd probably still be at each other's throats."
"But don't expect to get on our good side because of it," Flam warned. "We think of it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"With emphasis on the 'once' part, dear brother." Flim added.
Suspiciously, Fluttershy asked. "What do you mean?"
Flim just laughed. "Why it's simple. Somepony's got to fill the void now that Gladmane's gone, and it might as well be us. He taught us all the tricks of the trade, but I'll bet he never imagined we'd use his own tools against him like that."
Flam then added. "Oh well, that's what he gets for letting his guard down. Now if you'll excuse us, we've got to start scouting for new talent," Then into a microphone he declared. "While this establishment undergoes a slight change in management, my brother and I want to assure you that it remains the pinnacle of Las Pegasus entertainment! Which is why we invite each and every one of you to experience the wonder of the Ponet Fantastique Theater – at half the normal cost of admission!"
"And while you're appreciating this historic venue totally devoid of any performers of any kind, we invite you to use the wonder of your own imaginations to fill the space at no additional charge! Open auditions will be held for any wishing to secure a part." Flim added over the loudspeaker. And then a huge rush of ponies started to descend on the theater.
Furious at this betrayal, Applejack shouted at the top of her lungs! "Flim and Flam!"
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Again, the re-write was very well done. Yeah, the details you mentioned in the author's notes were very valid points. And, yeah, the exchanges, characterizations and general chapter wrap-up were naturally quite well done. Well, on to the next chapter.