> Magic of -or- Honesty(?) > by Shim15 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter one > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flim leaned on the tree behind him, as his straw hat shielded his face from the sun. He welcomed the cool breeze that whipped against his sweaty head. He looked over to see his older twin, Flam, resting on another nearby tree. He wondered if Flam had dozed off again. He relaxed once more, sighing in contempt. This was their own field. Finally, after so many years, FlimFlam Field was theirs. It wasn't built on Sweet Apple Acers land, no. They had bought their on field little ways off from Apple Family's farm. Instead of being brute competitors, they were friendly partners. Whenever Apple Family needed help, Flim and Flam would come. When the brothers needed help, the apples came to their aid. Flim remembered how a competition, and a incident with missing siblings had brought Applejack and Flim together, (which is in another story in itself.) to untie and fight off for their reputation, ad families sake. They learned together that you're not friends because you have similar likes, though it can give a boost, friends are somebody who respects your beliefs, and will be with you forever. They don't hold grudges against each other, they forgive in a matter of time. His thoughts were interrupted when something hard hit him on the side of the head. "Hey!" he shouted, rubbing a hoof on his head. He looked to see what hit him, and soon found the object and held it up. It was an apple. Did Flam throw it? He turned to his brother, who indeed was sitting up, sneering. "What on Celestia's mane was that for?" Flim demanded. "Returning a favor." "Returning a what?" "You threw an apple at my head." "No I didn't!" "Yes you did!" "Did not!" "If the horseshoe fits, wear it!" Flam scoffed. Flim looked at the apple he was holding, then back at Flam. "I may have not thrown that apple, but I'm throwin' this one!" Flim grunted, as he tossed the apple at Flam, who caught I and threw it back. They begun an apple war, while laughing their heads off, though it ended when Flim, once again got hit in the head with an apple, but it was thrown harder. "Flam! Why on Celestia's mane did you do that for?" "That wasn't me, I was searching for a apple to throw at you." "He's right." they turned to see Applejack, standing a bit ways off. "Ah threw te apple at'cha Flam. Ya know yer suppose to be workin' in a field, not lolly gagging." "We were taking a momentarily break." Flim said, rubbing his head. "Quite, Flim." "Uh huh, ah see. Well, Ah was here invitin' yaw'll to a small party Pinkie's having. It's ta celebrate our victory from Canterlot Cider Celebration. It'll have dancin', food, drinks, games, and all sorts of stuff. Yaw'll wanna come?" "Of course. We'd be delighted." Flam sad, smiling. "Agreed, Flam." "Right. It's at mah farm at five o' clock. Kay?" "Affirmative" they brothers said in unison. "Alright, and Flim, jest dun talk like that 'round my lil sister, got it?" "Talk like...?" "Celestia's mane....?" "Oh, that." he blushed. "Right...well old habits die hard...but I assure you I shan't talk that way any longer, netherless around fillies...." "Ah know, Ah know.. Ah'm sure yaw'll both being the hard working stallions ya are, yaw'll can't make it in time. Ah'll see yaw'll later." and she trotted off. Flim turned to his brother. "So Flam, are gonna let that mare get away with a remark like that?" "Oh no. We'll show her that nopony can make a better grand entrance then the FlimFlam Brothers!" Flam announced. Flim laughed. "Well let's go get ready!" > Chapter two > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Whoooo hooo!" came the high-pitched squeal of Pinkie Pie as she jumped around, continuing cheering. "This is amazing!" "Pinkie, could you possibly stop all that noise? I'm trying to hear what Applejack has to say." called out Rarity, in annoyance. She flipped her mane and turned back to Applejack. "Continue, dear." "Well, Ah'm jest sayin' almost everyone's here. Them brothers should be 'round here soon." "What makes them so special?" Rarity asked. Applejack tilted her head. "What do ya mean, Rarity?" the white unicorn was just to glad to continue. "Well," she began, with a sly smile on her face. "It's quite obvious you've been very fond of them. I mean you can't say anything without mentioning them. Yet when their around, ether you make a sarcastic or sweet remark. Or you say nothing at all!" "What's your point?" before Rarity could reply, there was suddenly a burst of music. Everypony turned their heads to see where is came from. All heads turned to a small radio, and near it were none other then the FlimFlam Brothers. They were dressed, however, in their straw hats, bandanas, blue jean overalls with white long sleeve underneath. Flim began singing a familiar tune. "Well lookie what we've got here, brother of mine.... Dear Celestia no.... Applejack grunted. It wasn't really the words, it was the tune. When she first heard it, no matter how much she despised it, it always got stuck in her head. She got a hint that the brothers knew this and were getting revenge for having apples thrown at their heads. "All right you two." she called out, turning off their music. "Awwww." the brothers said, disappointed. "We changed the words just for this occasion." Flam said, slouching. "And it took forever!" Flim sighed. "Forever?" Applejack asked skeptically. "Well..... twenty-five minutes." Flim said, shrugging. "But that doesn't mean we didn't work hard on it!" "Yaw'll to stop whining like lil foals and come on! We're startin' a tune that we can all dance to!" Applejack said, smiling. Everypony cheered, while the brothers shrugged with smiles on their faces. "Everypony grab a partner. We'll start off with a square dance." She was tapped on the shoulder and nether the less it was Flim. "Flim, don't'cha have some other mare to charm and flirt 'round with?" Flim, at first, seemed rather offended by this remark. "Well if you rather not have just a dance with me then I'll leave you alone." he turned, but Applejack garbbed his right forehoof. "Wait- Ah'm sorry I jest was kiddin'. Ah didn't mean to.." she then heard his chuckle and saw the sly grin on his face. "Ya did that on purpose!" "So you do care about having a dance with me." Applejack just rolled her eyes. "Well lets see if yer dancin' is as good as yer talkin'." "Weren't you paying attention to our dance when we first came?" "That wasn't a dance, that was some advertising nonsense." again, that offended look came on Flim's face. But he shook I off and put on a smile. "Well I'll just have to show you how I can do better then you, Orangejack." Applejack narrowed her eyes. "Oh it's on." The music began to play, and everypony started dancing. While the two once again rivals were dancing, they caught a glimps of poor Flam being jerked all over the dance floor by Pinkie. "Why on Equestria would he ask Pinkie to dance with?" Flim asked, puzzled. Applejack shrugged. "Maybe their wasn't anypony else to ask left." The upbeat music kept everypony dancing. It was the start of a great night, and Applejack spent all of it with Flim. ~~~~ "It was a lovely night sky. The moon shone it's brightest. It seemed Luna was extra hard at work, don't you agree?" Rarity sighed, turning to Applejack. Everypony had left, and they sat in the edge of Sweet Apple Acers, looking at the crisp, relaxing night sky. "Mm hmm..." Applejack hummed. "Applejack dear, with that kind of tone I'd think Queen Chrysalis has you under mind control." "Mm hmm...." "So she does have you mind controlled?" "MM- wait, huh?" Applejack woke from her trance, as faced Rarity, blushing. "Ah'm sorry 'bout that Rarity. What was that you were sayin'?" "Oh I see how it is." Rarity cooed, smiling as she looked at the moon. "How what is?.....How what is Rarity?" Applejack asked, demandingly. "Oh don't get worked up, darling. It's just I think a certain stallion is on your mind." "What? What are ya talkin' about?" "Does the name, 'Flim Skim' ring a bell?" "Why do you think Ah'm thinkin' 'bout him?!" "Well you've spent the entire afternoon with him. And when you saw him and Flam away, when he winked playfully at you, you're face was as red as an apple." "Ah-" "Applejack..... you like Flim, don't you?" "W-What?!" "You're face has it written all over : 'I like Flim, I like Flim." "Oh... ah can't lie to ya. But ya have to promise me ya won't tell nopony- not even Twilight, or Pinkie, or Rainbow Dash, or Fluttershy. Nopony." "I won't tell." "Pinkie Pie promise me." Rarity sighed, and did the motions to the promise while reciting them. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stab a cupcake in my eye." "Good. Now ah best get on inside." "Yes, and I must go back to my boutique and check on Sweetie Bell. Good night Applejack." "G'night." That night, it was hard for Applejack to sleep. The memory of the night with Flim kept playing back through her head, and she hoped Flim had the same feelings for her. > Chapter three. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Spike!" called out a lavender alicorn. "Could you please stop messing around and help me find that book!" The small dragon grunted, and rolled over on his bed. He thought that when Twilight became princess, she'd have some servant to find books for her. But, she kinda did have a servant. Himself. He sighed as got from bed, was walked towards her. "I wasn't messing around, I was sleeping." he commented, rubbing his eyes. "Besides, what book are you looking for?" "The one about how to use your magic to levitate things quick and easier without using to much of it." "Oh. Why do you need that?" "Well I need to know it if I begin royal duties, because I'll be needed for a lot of things and I can't do them all at a slow pace." Twilight grunted, her horn shimmering as she picked up book after book. "...Well I think you don't need it, I meaning you're good at it. You can levitate things a whole lot quicker then most unicorns." "It's not fast enough[/]! I'm not a unicorn anymore, remember?" to prove her point, she extended her wings and gave the good flap before folding them. Spike sighed, and started helping her out. He was to tired to argue, or lecture. "So... I can't believe you missed out on the party at Sweet Apple Acers." "I had to reply on a letter Celestia sent me and do a little research." Spike rolled his eyes. Gee, this was sounding familiar.... "Well... it was quite a shim-dig." "Mm hmm." "I wished you were there. I think the best part was the dancing." "Because you danced with Rarity?" "How did you know that?" "You talk in your sleep." Twilight chuckled. Spike ignored the comment ad continued. "Well, yeah that, and watch Flam and Pinkie dance." Spike heard behind him all those books Twilight was levitating had dropped to the floor. "He dance with who?" "I know, hard to believe. But he did- or tried. He more of a sling then a dancer. Oh yeah, and the dancing competition was fun!" "How did Flam and Pinkie do?" "First ones out, but I don't think Flam cared. He looked dizzy, and was groaning. Rarity and I got third, Lyra and her partner were second, and Applejack with her partner were the grand winners." "Figures, considering she's the best at a hoedown." Twilight said, placing the books back on the shelf. "Who was her partner, Caramel?" "Nope. Guess again." "Spike..." "One more guess, just one more!" "Fine." Twilight grunted, and took a moment to think. "Um... I don't know.... Dr. Hooves?" "Nope. Flim." Twilight dropped the books again, and looked at Spike. "Flim? She actually danced with Flim?" "And they won too." Twilight couldn't entirely believe that. No matter how good friends Applejack and Flim were, she would never dance with him- unless he used his silver tongue and...challenged.....her.....She assumed he would have danced with somepony else. She kinda had wish she had gone. She re-levitated the books again. "So.....they won, huh?" "Yeah! They were probably the best dancers. Perfect for each other!" Perfect for each other... the words rang in her head. She was getting upset that she didn't go and see the dance... or get to dance.... She shook her head, focusing. C'mon, Twilight. she thought. Why are you making such a big fuss over this? Besides it's what you get for paying to much attention to studies. And Celestia didn't said her answer had to me immediate......well what has been done cannot be undone. Now where is that book? There was knocked at the door, Twilight looked over, irritated. She trotted toward it and opened the door with her magic. "Yes?" she asked in annoyance, then she immediately corrected herself. "How can I be of service?" "Twilight, being a new ruler of Equestria, I wouldn't expect you to say that." Said the familiar salespony, chuckling. "Flim, just because I'm a princess, doesn't mean I rule anything yet." she corrected. "Ah, right. Well I'm sorry if I had interrupted you in a important search, but I've come to return this book." His horn shimmer as his green magic picked up a book from his saddlebag. Twilight gasped. "Speed and Levitation!" she read aloud, while taking the book with her magic. So HE had my book- the book I was looking for! "Yes. Thank you ever so much for letting Flam and I borrow it. It was most helpful to us and we can know build things at a quicker pace than usual." "Oh...err... well you're welcome. Did you want another book or....?" "No, no. We're good momentarily. I must be going though, thank you for your time. Have a good afternoon." He took his hat off and did a small theatrical bow while adding, "Your Highness." and he left. Twilight went inside and closed the door. She leaned back on it, and slid down to a sitting position, looking at the book. "Hey Twilight, I can't find the book anywhere." Spike said, somewhere in the room. "I have it, Spike." she called out softly, gently running her hoof over the cover. "Really, where did you find it?" "Oh, somepony was returning it." "Oh, who?" "Flim."