Larfleeze, wielder of the Orange Light, comes to Equestria looking for something.
This story isn't a true sequel to "AMAZO visits Equestria," my first story; I think of it as just the next episode in my crossover series with the Detective Comics universe.
This story is, however, about Larfleeze, the Orange Lantern, coming to Equestria to reclaim something that was stolen, then lost. Larfleeze, consumed by the Orange Light of Avarice, knows nothing but greed and hunger. This drives him to leave his home on the planet Okaara to reclaim his treasured possessions.
“Another day, another town wanting to stone us,” a weary voice sighed. The voice’s frustrated owner, a pale olive-grey male unicorn with moderate red and white mane and tail and dark green--colored eyes, then sighed and threw a few extra sticks onto the dwindling campfire. The fire illuminated the dusk night and two piles of clothes, each consisting of a vaudville-esque straw boater hat, black bowtie, blue and white striped waistcoat, and a white undershirt. “Ever since that failure In Ponyville, our luck has been in the gutter. Do you think we’ll get a lucky break soon, Flam?” he asked as he scratched his flank, which bore an image of a quarter of an apple.
“I hope so, Flim. We’re on the brink of having to sell our beloved Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 for scrap metal,” another voice said. This voice’s owner looked nearly identical to the owner of the first voice except with a red moustache. His flank markings resembled three-fourths of an apple.
“I pray it never comes to that, brother,” Flim sadly said as he glanced behind his back towards what appeared to be a red locomotive with various glass containers, a funnel, and other cider-making machinery built into it. Perched near the front of the vehicle was a gold podium with a microphone and wide red ribbon draped around the podium’s front and sides. A black couch was situated behind the podium.
“It won’t as long as we keep up at least two scams a month. The thing I worry about, though, is running out of potential suckers and ideas. It’s hard to effectively swindle now that that orange farmer’s extended family knows our tricks. Our parasprite repellent scam was a bust. Sure, we were able to sell the spa land we swindled from Flax Seed and Wheat Grass, but that only held us over for a few weeks. We spent all that money on making our Changeling detectors,” Flam said as Flim turned his attention back to his brother.
“We could sell fake elixirs that ‘promote’ the emergence of cutie marks and market them towards fillies with blank flanks. I remember we were so eager to have anything on out flanks. I’m sure some stupid kids would gladly fork over their lunch money for our product.”
“That’s a good idea on paper, but it wouldn’t take long for overprotective parents and child protection laws to red tape us out of business. We could work around this by labeling it as a health drink with positive side effects.”
“We could get the supplies and the ingredients from...,” Flim started just before his eyes grew wide and his gaze shifted slightly to the above right of his brother.
“What? What is it, brother?” Flam asked as he quickly turned around. Almost instantly, his gaze fell upon a glowing orange streak that seemed to be falling from the sky. The brothers stared, mouths now slightly open, as the streak disappeared behind the tall trees jutting from the forest’s horizon. A second later, there was a tremendous impact that launched a deafening crash that knocked both brothers off balance.
“What in Celestia’s name was that?” Flim shouted as he and his brother scrambled to their hooves, their ears ringing from the sound.
“Huh?” Flam shouted as the ringing started to die down.
“What was that thing?” Flim repeated, louder than what he intended.
“I’m guessing it was a meteorite. However, most of those are no bigger than half an apple. This one has got to be big in order to have made an impact like that,” Flam replied.
“Let’s find it and sell it to a museum or something,” Flim said excitedly as he used his levitation magic to pull on his clothes.
“Would anypony really believe that we conveniently found a meteorite worthy enough to sell? With our luck, the investigative team would just assume we’re trying to scam them,” Flam warned as he got dressed.
“So you would just sit here and miss out on a potential opportunity to make money?” Flim asked as he walked towards the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000. “I’m going to find and sell that meteorite, with or without you,” he added as he hopped onto the vehicle.
“Wait,” Flam said as he snuffed out the campfire and then trotted up to his brother. “I’m in.”
“Then we’ll split the profits 50-50,” Flim stated as Flam hopped onto the vehicle.
“You’re getting ahead of yourself, brother. First, we need to find the meteorite,” Flam stated as he used his magic to start the vehicle. Pointing with a hoof as the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 rumbled to life, he added, “It landed about nine hundred feet that way.”
“How do you figure?” Flim asked as the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 maneuvered past the now dead campfire and towards the direction in which Flam was pointing.
“You took marketing and economics classes in college. I took calculus, horticulture, mechanical engineering, and other sciences. Trust me, brother, I know my vectors,” Flam answered, lowering his hoof.
“Alright, I’ll trust you. Your Masters degree hasn’t failed us yet,” Flam said. Shaking his head slightly, he grunted.
“Are you alright?” Flam said as the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 made its way deeper into the woods.
“Yeah… It’s just… I just had a quick mental image of myself surrounded by five-star meals,” Flim said, rubbing his eyes.
“Weird,” Flam commented. He then, opened his mouth to say something, but then shook his head.
“You just have it too?” Flim asked as he furrowed his brow.
“I just saw myself literally swimming in money,” Flam answered. “Let’s go to sleep after we confirm this thing is just a good-sized meteorite,” he suggested. “We’re both tired and on the verge of falling asleep.”
“What if it isn’t a meteorite? What if it’s something else?” Flim asked as he plopped down on the vehicle’s couch.
“What else could it be?” Flam asked as he took a seat as well.
“I read in the tabloids about an android that landed in Ponyville and healed a sick filly,” Flim said. “He might have returned and crash landed nearby.”
“What made him leave?”
“The article didn’t say. All it said was that the android healed a filly, did some stuff in Ponyville, then left. The source wished to remain anonymous,” Flim answered.
“Figures,” Flam snorted. Reclining back and pulling his hat over his eyes, he stated, “I’m going to take a power nap. Put her on autopilot and wake me up when we arrive at the impact site.”
“Will do,” Flim saluted, putting the vehicle on autopilot.
“Are we there yet?” Flim mumbled as he awoke from his impromptu power nap. Opening his eyes slowly, he noticed that the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 had come to a stop a few feet from a large crater. “Wake up, brother. We’re here,” he said excitedly, nudging Flam.
Flam’s eyes fluttered open as he leaned forward and levitated his hat back on top of his head. “Let’s check it out,” he yawned.
“I wonder how much we’ll get for it,” Flam said as he and his brother got up from the couch.
“Hopefully enough to buy elixir-making supplies,” Flam replied, hopping off the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000.
“That reminds me of what I was saying before I saw the meteorite falling,” Flim started as he hopped off the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 and heading towards the crater. “We could buy supplies from Filthy Rich’s store,” he finished before turning his attention towards the crater’s center.
“’Meteor,’ you mean. It’s a meteor until it touches land,” Flam explained, bringing up the rear. “Once it touches the ground, then it’s a meteorite.”
“I…don’t think this is a meteorite, Flam,” Flim shakily said after a moment. He then raised a quivering hoof towards the crater’s center.
“What is it then?” Flam asked, trotting closer and peering into the crater. The crater’s center held what appeared to be an orange railroad lantern fragmented into several pieces and two orange rings. Coiled around the items in a protective stance was a ten-foot long, bright orange serpent with a marking on its head that resembled a circle with short lines marking every diagonal 90 degrees and a v-shape at the circle’s top.
“I have no idea,” Flim said, still spooked. “I’ve never seen anything like it. In fact, seeing as how it fell from the sky, I…,” he trailed off, lowering his hoof.
“What?” Flam asked, staring as the serpent moved a bit around the objects.
“Flam, I think this thing is an alien. If that android article is any indication, then there has to be intelligent life outside this planet,” Flim answered, slightly calming down.
“Do you think it comes in peace?” Flam asked, creeping closer and into the crater.
“Are you mad, brother?” Flim shouted. “How many snakes come in peace?”
“There only has to be one,” Flam retorted, inching closer to the crater’s center.
“Wait,” Flim said as he trotted into the crater and up to his brother’s side. “We need to be careful about this.”
“I’m staying sharp,” Flam said, quickly glancing at Flim. Taking a few steps closer, Flam turned his attention towards the serpent. “Hello. We come in peace. Do you come in peace as well?” he asked. In an instant, the serpent shot up and was now staring directly at Flam.
“Run, brother,” Flim shouted. ”Flee before it eats you.”
“My name is Flam and the panicking one is my brother Flim,” Flam said, not moving an inch as the serpent scooted closer. “This is place is called Equestria. To specify, we’re in the White Tail Woods.”
At this, the serpent arched its neck and slowly approached Flam, just stopping a few feet away.
“I noticed that your lantern is broken,” Flam started. “I can fix it for you, but I would like to be compensated for my work.”
“I can’t watch,” Flim squeaked, covering his eyes with a foreleg.
“I would also like to know what those rings are,” Flam said. “Care to share?”
“Mine,” a raspy voiced loudly hissed. “Not yours.”
“Did…it just speak?” Flim asked as he lowered his hoof and opened his eyes.
“No offense, but you lack the limbs to either hold your items or fix your lantern. Us ponies, however, do. We either make a deal or I take the rings and the lantern and sell them,” Flam asserted, pawing the ground.
“You have great greed in your heart, Flam of Equestria,” the voice hissed as the serpent coiled around Flam and stared him pointblank in the face. “Your ultimatum intrigues me.”
“You want greed? My brother and I are ‘traveling salesponies nonpareil.’ Just a month or so ago, we swindled some hippie couple out of the land that their spa was built on. We’re hoping to scrounge up the money to buy elixir-making supplies. We’re going to sell said elixirs to fillies,” Flam said as Flim nervously crept closer to the scene.
Flicking its tongue, the serpent glanced towards the orange items, then back to Flam. “Your avarice impresses me, equine. Even more, I sense that you plan to repair the battery and sell it and the rings, thus betraying me for wealth.”
“How did you know?” Flam asked, recoiling a bit. “Come to think of it, you haven’t told us a thing except that you’re impressed by how greedy we are and that the lantern is a battery of some sort.”
Hissing, the voice stated, “Knowledge is precious. I don’t share it.”
“I introduced myself and my brother. I even told you what we do. Aren’t we entitled to the same courtesy?” Flam asserted. “If I shared knowledge, so can you.”
The serpent then narrowed its eyes and hissed, “I am Ophidian the Tempter, the living embodiment of the Orange Light of Avarice. I was given life and strength from the envy, gluttony, and greed of every sentient being. I was trapped in the Orange Lantern Central Power Battery until it was damaged in a battle.”
“By ‘Orange Lantern Central Power Battery,’ you mean the lantern that’s in several pieces, right?” Flam asked. “How did you fit in that thing, let alone even get into it in the first place?”
“A being known as Larfleeze from the nearby planet Okaara trapped me in there eons ago. Trapped In the battery, I was forced to serve Larfleeze,” Ophidian explained. “His greed will compel him to seek me, the battery, and the rings out and reclaim them.”
“What exactly do those items do, Ophidian?” Flim piped up.
“I have spoken enough already,” Ophidian declared.
“I’ll make you a deal, Ophidian,” Flam started. “You tell us about the rings and battery and we’ll help you with your Larfleeze problem…somehow.”
“Your proposal is…acceptable. The Orange Lantern Power Rings were created as weapons to channel the Orange Light of Avarice. The rings use Avarice energy, supplied by the Orange Lantern Power Battery, which takes the form of Orange light. The rings are only as strong as the wielder’s greed and imagination,” Ophidian explained, uncoiling itself from Flam.
“What’s the catch to wielding these weapons?” Flim asked, eyeing the rings.
“The wielder is infected with insatiable avarice and ravenous, endless hunger,” Ophidian answered.
“So the wielder gains power but loses all rational thinking except for wanting things,” Flam mused.
“Yes,” Ophidian confirmed. “With the power of the rings, you will be able to take anything and everything that you desire.”
“How do we wear the rings without fingers?” Flim asked. “I’m not wearing a ring on my horn until I’m engaged.”
“The rings conform to the wearer’s limbs,” Ophidian answered.
“What do you think, brother?” Flim asked as he faced Flam. “Should we try them on?”
“It’s worth a shot,” Flam replied, holding up his right hoof.
“If you say so,” Flim shrugged, holding up his right hoof as well. Facing Ophidian, he stated, “We’re in.”
At this, Ophidian levitated the two rings up to the brothers’ hooves. “Flim and Flam of Equestria, you want it all. Welcome to the Orange Lantern Corps,” the serpent said before touching the rings to the brothers’ hooves.
“Aim, then shoot. Aim, then shoot,” Flim coached to himself as he pointed his right hoof towards an orange target that Ophidian had constructed using its mastery over the Orange Light. Flim then furrowed his brow and clenched his teeth in concentration. Within a second, a beam of orange energy shot from the ring that was snugly wrapped around the hoof like a bracelet and hit the target’s edge.
“You’re getting better at aiming, brother,” Flam complimented, patting Flim on the shoulder. “I wager you’ll have it down pat in a few more tries.”
“Avarice powers the weapons. You must think of nothing but your desires,” Ophidian hissed from the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000’s couch.
“I was thinking about my previous try and how off I was. You want me to empty my mind of everything but my sudden craving for apples?” Flim asked, turning his attention towards the serpent.
“Yes,” Ophidian confirmed, conjuring another target twenty feet away from Flim’s front.
“Alright,” Flim said as he faced the new target. He then closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, opened his eyes, aimed his hoof, and fired another orange beam. The blast struck the target’s very center, bursting it into orange particles that evaporated into nothing. “Direct hit,” he exclaimed, lowering his hoof.
“What’s next now that my brother is an expert in target practice, coach?” Flam asked, trotting up to Ophidian.
“Constructs,” Ophidian answered. “The rings are capable of transforming the wielder's thoughts into physical constructs through the wielder's desire of avarice. The wielder can create any particular items or constructs that they can imagine as long as they possess the desire of avarice necessary to conjure it into existence.”
“You mean like how you made targets out of orange energy?” Flim asked as he approached his brother and the serpent.
“Yes,” Ophidian replied.
Stepping back, Flam raised his ringed hoof into the air and furrowed his brow in concentration. Slowly, three streams of orange energy crept from his ring and above his head. A second later, three shapes, a cone, a cube, and a sphere, formed at the ends of the streams. “Incredible,” he said after looking up and spying his constructs.
“My turn,” Flim said as he stepped back and raised his ringed hoof and furrowed his brow. Within a moment, an orange stream crept from the ring and morphed into a crude replica of the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000. “Hey, I did it,” Flim exclaimed as he admired his construct.
“Nice construct, brother,” Flam complimented, dissipating his constructs.
“Thanks,” Flim replied as he rotated the orange replica. Dissipating the construct and facing Ophidian, he asked, “What’s the next lesson, Ophidian?”
“You now use the Orange Light of Avarice to take what you desire,” Ophidian hissed.
“What do you mean?” Flam asked.
“I sense that Flim desires apples,” Ophidian noted. “You desire wealth. Use your power to claim what is rightfully yours.”
“We do deserve something good after months of mediocre to rotten luck,” Flam said. “We’re about an hour or so from Ponyville’s apple farm. I propose that we go there and rob them blind.”
“We could gorge ourselves on fresh apples and avenge our reputation,” Flim said, licking his lips in eagerness.
“That and the heist will be great practice for our rings,” Flam noted. “Are there any other lessons we should learn before we go rob Sweet Apple Acres blind?” he asked, eyeing the serpent.
“The rings allow the wearers to defy gravitational forces,” Ophidian stated. “The rings also let the wearer alter their attire.”
“You mean we can fly using these things?” Flam asked as he glanced down at his ring.
“Yes,” Ophidian answered.
“How fast can we fly?” Flim asked. “How do we take off and steer?”
“Your avarice is the key to flight mastery,” Ophidian started. “Focus your desires on flight.”
“Like this?” Flim asked as an orange aura materialized around his body and lifted him off the ground a few feet.
“Good,” Ophidian hissed.
“Focus my desires on flight,” Flam said to himself as an orange aura enveloped his body and lifted him a few feet off the ground. He then shakily floated up to his brother and mused, “Never in a million years would I have fathomed that we would be able to take flight.”
“Do you think we’re stable enough to fly to Sweet Apple Acres and back?” Flim asked, turning towards the east.
“Remember, Ophidian said that our greed is what determines our mastery of our new powers. I wager we’ll be fine as long as we keep our eyes on the proverbial prize,” Flam reassured. “Think about all those fresh apples, brother, and you’ll be fine.”
“In that case, let’s go,” Flim said as he rubbed his front hooves together in eagerness.
“We’ll be back in a jiffy, Ophidian,” Flam stated as he floated to Flim’s side. “Take care of our luxurious locomotive while we’re gone.”
“Very well,” Ophidian hissed, a hint of annoyance in its voice.
“Ready, Flim?” Flam asked.
“Ready, Flam,” Flim exclaimed. “Let’s bing bang zam!”
Launching ahead of Flim and into the distance, Flam sang, “And show these fool ponies a world of unimpeachable orange power!”
“We’re the world famous Flim Flam brothers, travelling Orange Lanterns nonpareil,” Flim sang, following his brother out of Ophidian’s view.
“Applejack,” a slightly strained mare’s voice called. The voice’s owner was struggling to face an orange mare with green eyes, freckles, a blond mane and tail with a red tie in each, and a Stetson hat. The orange mare had markings on her flanks that resembled a trio of apples. “Where do you want the snack tables to go?”
“Over there, Twilight,” Applejack answered, pointing to the left of the strained voice’s owner, a tall, slightly lanky pony with wings, a horn. a dark blue mane and tail with a single pink and purple stripe through them, and dark purple eyes. The pony had flank markings that resembled five small white stars surrounding a large pink star.
“Okay,” Twilight said, slowly setting down the tables that she was magically levitating in midair. “Now what do we do?”
“We finish putting up streamers and balloons,” a white unicorn with long purple mane and tail with fabulously curled ends a well as eyeliner and makeup answered. Her flanks markings resembled a trio of four-sided diamonds. “Pinkie and Big McIntosh have already done the north and east side. We need to do the other two directions.”
“Aye aye, Rarity,” Twilight saluted as Rarity magically grabbed a clump of streamers from a nearby table. “When will the others be here?” she then asked, picking up the remainder streamers using her magic.
“In an hour or so,” Rarity replied as the trio started towards the south side of the farm. ”If I may, darling, you seem a bit out of your element here.”
“I’ve never been to any birthday parties for fillies before,” Twilight started. “Since the normal routine is out the window due to Sugarcube Corner being under renovation, I figured I might as well help you guys set up here.”
“Well, we mightily appreciate the help, Twi,” Applejack said.
“Anytime, Applejack,” Twilight smiled as the southern apple field came into view.
“Hold up,” Applejack warned after a moment, holding a hoof to her side, halting Twilight and Rarity. “Somethin’s fishy to the south, y’all.”
“What is it?” Twilight asked.
“I dunno,” Applejack started, squinting and inching closer to the southern apple orchards. “It could be anything from a thief to a harmless li’l weed.”
“Let’s check it out, girls,” Twilight commanded, carefully setting down her batch of streamers.
“Let’s,” Rarity affirmed, neatly organizing her batch of streamers as she lowered them to the ground.
“C’mon,” Applejack called, trotting into the orchard field. Twilight and Rarity then followed suit. --- “Mine,” a demented voice shouted as the voice’s owner snapped to consciousness. Surveying his surroundings, the voice’s owner growled in frustration upon discovery that what he was looking for was nowhere to be found within the wreckage of the nearby spacecraft. “Thieving bug,” he sneered as his attention shifted to the brightly colored planet that, he assumed, his treasured possessions had fallen to. He then grunted in annoyance and set off towards a small green patch on the planet’s surface. --- “You know, no matter how many times I visit the orchards here, it always makes me hungry,” Twilight mused as she glanced around at the dozens of apple trees that lay in the southern orchard.
“I know the feeling, Twilight,” Rarity said. “I’m positively famished as well.”
“We’ll chow down at the party later, y’all,” Applejack said. “I reckon we’re gettin’ close to the disturbance.”
“See anything yet?” Twilight asked.
“No, but I hear somethin’,” Applejack replied. “Somethin’s rustlin’ in the trees. My trees are bein’ invaded.”
“By what or whom?” Rarity asked as Applejack trotted to the top of a hill and peered past it.
“What in tarnation?” Applejack suddenly shouted, oblivious to Rarity’s question. Twilight and Rarity instantly galloped to either side of Applejack and looked in the direction that her dumbstruck gaze was facing. Their eyes bulged and their jaws slightly dropped as they watched a certain pair of infamous traveling sales ponies hover up to an apple tree, sprout several orange hands and arms from their wrists, and then simultaneously pluck the tree free of all its fruit using the orange limbs.
“What in Equestria…? How are they…?” Rarity stammered in awe as the brothers dumped the freshly picked apples into a nearby pile of previously picked apples.
“I…don’t know,” Twilight numbly said.
“Thievin’ varmints,” Applejack shouted, a scowl hitting her face. “Get outta my orchards,” she then added, breaking into a gallop towards the brothers.
“Well, lookie what we got here, brother of mine, it's a mad orange pony with a frown,” Flim started in a musical tone as Applejack skidded to a halt in front of the brothers.
“You’re darn right I’m mad, varmints,” Applejack yelled, pawing the ground. “Leave my apples alone before I knock you into next week.”
“Those with the power make the rules,” Flam grinned, constructing another orange hand that reached to Applejack’s hat and pulled it down over her eyes. “Our power gives us the right to lay claim to what we see.”
“You’re about to see stars,” Applejack growled, fixing her hat as Twilight and Rarity galloped up to the scene.
“You have no right to pick and take those apples,” Twilight said authoritatively. “I insist you leave now or face the consequences.”
“Nor do you have any fashion sense,” Rarity griped, eyeing the brothers’ attire: orange and white pinstripe suits and orange bowties and, on the fronts of the suits, a black circle with short lines marking every diagonal 90 degrees and a v-shape at the circle’s top. “Orange and white clash.”
“Drat,” Flim sneered. “It’s Princess Twilight Sparkle. We’re not trained well enough to fight a princess.”
“Sure we are,” Flam said, molding the orange limbs into a mallet and swinging it downward right at Twilight. Teleporting several feet to the right and away from the impact, Twilight quickly lowered her head and fired a magical shot from her horn at Flam. The shot whizzed by his head and through a nearby apple tree.
“That was a warning shot,” Twilight said sternly.
“This isn’t,” Flim retorted, aiming his ringed hoof and firing several orange shots at Twilight. Again, the lavender pony teleported out of range.
“This is getting nowhere slowly, brother,” Flam grunted. He then constructed an orange bolt that zigzagged around Applejack, Twilight, Rarity, back to Applejack, back to Twilight, and then suddenly darted back to Applejack, hitting her directly in the side and sending her tumbling a few feet into a crumpled heap. “That was for gossiping to all of creation about us and soiling our reputation.”
“That was uncalled for,” Twilight growled, taking flight as Rarity rushed to Applejack’s side. “This ends now,” she then stressed, forming a magic aura around the brothers’ rings and, after futilely tugging on the rings with her magic, started squinting in concentration, and trying harder.
“Those are ours,” the brothers simultaneously shouted as the rings absorbed the aura of magic, and then fired two enormous orange blasts that struck Twilight, knocking her out of the air and into a crumpled heap on the ground.
“How did we do that?” Flam asked after a moment, eyeing his ring.
“We’ll ask Ophidian later. For now, let’s grab our apples and book it out of here,” Flam said quickly, forming, from his ring, an orange aura around half of the picked apples and lifting them up.
“Right,” Flim called, using his ring to pick up the remaining apples. “C’mon, brother,” he ordered, turning around and jetting westward, apples in tow behind him.
“Right behind you, brother,” Flam called, bringing up the rear, leaving Rarity and two injured ponies that were slowly regaining consciousness in his wake.
“Are ya sure these are th’ raight ingredients, Zecora?” a somewhat garbled childlike voice asked.
“Yes, inquisitive Apple Bloom, I am sure. These items will give our brew a soothing allure,” an older voice answered.
Depositing the bag that she had been holding between her teeth onto the brewing counter, Apple Bloom then peered into the bubbling pot and spied reflections of herself and her zebra friend. The smaller reflection was that of a filly with a yellow coat, reddish-orange eyes, and fluffy pinkish-red mane and tail, along with a pink bow in her mane. The larger reflection belonged to a zebra with turquoise eyes, light grey and dark bluish grey striped, Mohawk styled mane. She also had indigo-black hooves, light grey and dark bluish grey striped coat, and five brilliant amber hoops around her neck and left foreleg as well as brilliant amber earrings. Her flanks bore a black swirl with seven triangles along the left side. “This is an updated version of the see-the-past potion, right?”
“You ventured a close guess. This potion’s effort will be less,” Zecora answered.
“Meaning what, no more required alicorn magic?” Apple Bloom asked as Zecora opened the ingredient bag.
“Correct, right, and indeed. Salt is all that you need. The key plant is Dream Fluff,” Zecora started, pointing to a fluff of white fibrous material. “It improved it enough.”
“This stuff?” Apple Bloom asked, eyeing the plant. “It looks like cotton. This little fluff was the secret to turning an alicorn-only potion into the same brew but with salt as the, as you put it earlier, ‘activation ingredient’?”
“Yes, little one, it was the key. The magical costs are now free,” Zecora affirmed.
“How exactly does salt activate the potion?” Apple Bloom asked, as she glanced out a window. Turning pale and raising a hoof, she screamed, “What in Equestria is that?”
“What is what, little filly? Monsters don’t lurk here, so don’t be silly,” Zecora chided as she turned her attention towards the window. Instantly, her eyes grew wide as she saw what appeared to be a hideous monster sniffing around near the hut’s front with erratic motions. The creature’s eyes were wild and deranged as were its fangs. Its hair flowed back like a lion's mane but with three wild locks that shot up like spikes. Its shoulders were broad, his arms were long, and its gnarled hands had sharp claws for nails. On each side of its baboon-like snout, jutting from its dark orange skin, were three tusks on each side curving frontward. It wore an orange costume with black limbs and stomach. Its left ring finger sported an orange ring. On each shoulder lay a black circle with short lines marking every diagonal 90 degrees and a v-shape at the circle’s top. The symbol was on a white, circular background. “That beast does not look stable. If it gets close, hide under the table,” she said numbly.
“But what is it? The monsters in the Everfree Forest aren’t known for wearin’ clothes,” Apple Bloom pointed out.
“Who knows why it wears clothes,” Zecora said, still staring at the beast. “Near and far the Everfree monsters dwell, but never have they chosen here to smell. Should it creep closer still, I’ll defend us with utmost skill.”
“I hope it leaves soon,” Apple Bloom said worriedly. “I need to get back to the farm before Sweetie Belle’s party starts.”
“What it seeks, I wonder now and if we can help it. If so, how?” Zecora mused.
“What?” Apple Bloom screeched. “It’s clearly a dangerous beast and you want to help it?”
Zecora opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly gasped as the beast whipped its head around to stare directly at the window. She then frantically motioned towards a nearby table as the beast formed a toothy grin and darted up to the window. Apple Bloom dived under the table as the beast dashed out of the view of the window and towards the direction of the door. A split second later, the beast charged through the hut’s front door and into the room, bearing a hungry look on its face. “Lunchtime,” the beast shouted as he dashed towards the table that Apple Bloom was hiding under, flipped it over, grabbed the filly by the tail, and raised her up above his gaping mouth. Instantly, Zecora leaped at the beast and knocked him off balance, causing him to stagger and drop the screaming Apple Bloom onto the floor. The zebra then turned around and forcefully delivered both of her back hooves into the beast’s side, knocking him onto the floor. Zecora then quickly darted towards a ceremonial staff, grabbed it in her mouth, and launched it towards her invader, pinning the recovering beast’s arms behind his back. The beast sat up, lurched his arms forward, shattering the staff. He then dashed towards Zecora, grabbed her by the neck, and glared at her with a lean and hungry look.
“Stop,” Apple Bloom ordered authoritatively as the beast opened his mouth. Both the beast and Zecora looked towards the filly. Apple Bloom was now wearing a stern expression and was staring directly into the beast’s eyes. “You were lookin’ for somethin’ outside of the hut. We know the area here really well, so, we can help if you don’t eat us.” The beast closed his mouth and furrowed his brow in thought.
“You speak the truth. You are wise for a youth,” Zecora said as the beast began glancing back and forth between the filly and the zebra.
“What else will you give me, besides help?” the beast asked, turning his attention towards the filly.
“My sister, brother, and granny own an apple farm. We’ll feed you the best apples you’ve ever had if you don’t eat anypony first…or any zebra,” Apple Bloom answered.
“Deal,” the beast agreed after a moment. “My battery and two rings were stolen,” he explained as he dropped Zecora.
“Who stole them? What makes you think they’re here in the forest? Can you give us any more clues?” Apple Bloom quizzed as she slowly crept closer. “For that matter, who or what are you?”
“A bug stole them. I smell them nearby. Someone is using them as we speak. I’m Larfleeze,” Larfleeze fidgeted. “Sharing anything, even information, makes me uneasy.”
“A…bug?” Apple Bloom asked, tilting her head in confusion. “How were you robbed by a bug?”
“He attacked me while I was asleep and stole my stuff,” Larfleeze said.
“Could you describe this bug? Maybe Zecora can identify it,” Apple Bloom offered, righting her head.
Glancing towards the zebra, Larfleeze said, “He was pink with a blue and grey outfit and orange insect-like eyes.”
“I have no clue. How did he attack you?” Zecora shrugged.
“He struck a gong that gave off some weird vibrations which incapacitated me,” Larfleeze fidgeted.
“That sounds more like a monster than a bug. Bugs bite or sting, not strike gongs. Where in the forest did this happen?” Apple Bloom asked.
“It wasn’t in this forest,” Larfleeze said, returning his attention back to the filly. “It was back on Okaara. I followed him to above this planet and destroyed his ship. I sense that my stuff fell to this planet.”
“You’re an alien?” Apple Bloom blurted out, recoiling a bit.
“And you look delicious. Your point?” Larfleeze retorted, eyeing the filly.
“You’re the second alien that has ever visited Equestria. A few months ago, my sister and her friends encountered an alien robot named AMAZO,” Apple Bloom explained. “And stop looking at me like that.”
“Only if you point me towards my stuff,” Larfleeze said. “The scent is coming from the west. Also, I’m still hungry.”
“Do you want food or help first?”
“Food,” Larfleeze snapped.
“My friend’s birthday party will start soon,” Apple Bloom said, glancing at a clock. “If you’ll behave and let us escort you to Sweet Apple Acres, you can have lunch with us. Do you promise to behave, Larfleeze? Remember, you need us to help you find your stuff, so don’t eat us.”
“Deal,” Larfleeze grunted.
“Good,” Apple Bloom said, trotting towards the destroyed door. “Follow me,” she ordered before exiting the hut. Larfleeze grunted again, and then followed the filly.
“You mustn’t fear. I’ll watch the rear,” Zecora said as she followed behind Larfleeze.
“Easy steps, darlings,” Rarity gently said as she wobbled a bit under Applejack and Twilight’s weight. “Keep your breathing steady, Applejack. We mustn’t injure your side even more than it already is. Keep your hooves on me for support, girls,” she coached further as Applejack and Twilight both readjusted their forelegs to maintain their grip on Rarity for support as she shakily led the two injured ponies through the orchard and back towards the farm.
“I still don’t have the foggiest clue as t’ how those thieving varmints flew and grew orange hands,” Applejack grunted with a scowl on her face. “I reckon those bracelets they had on have somethin’ to do with it. Any ideas, Twi?” she asked, glancing past Rarity and over towards Twilight.
“No,” Twilight winced as Rarity stumbled forward an inch. “Though, I do have an odd feeling that I’ve seen something like it before. I just can’t place my hoof on it due to the bruises and scrapes. I find it strange how their attacks were orange and not green, the color that their magic normally is.”
“I can see the farm up ahead, girls,” Rarity announced, inching forward. “Then, we’ll get some ice or something for your wounds.” “Thanks, Rarity, for helping us get out of the orchard relatively intact,” Twilight said, following Rarity’s steps.
“Yeah,” Applejack echoed, limping forward. “Thank for bein’ a peach and helping us get back to the farm.”
“You two are quite welcome,” Rarity smiled. “I’m just happy that I could help.”
“There you guys are,” a voice called out from above the three ponies. Six eyes glanced upward to see a cyan pegasus hovering above the treetops. The pegasus had a mane and tail of seven bright colors, a relieved smile on her face, and flank markings resembling a rainbow-colored lightning bolt coming out of a cloud. “I just got here with Scootaloo and, right off the bat, Granny Smith put me to work looking for you three.”
“Hello, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity greeted as Dash’s eyes fell upon the wounds and worry crept over her face.
“’Hello’ nothing,” Dash said sternly. “Where were you and who worked you over?”
“Applejack sensed a disturbance in her orchards, so we went to investigate,” Twilight started. “We caught Flim and Flam stealing apples from the orchard.”
“There’s no way in Equestria that those two sleazes sent you two packing,” Dash said flatly as she hovered lower and landed in front of the trio. “What really happened?”
Furrowing her brow, Twilight explained, “Flim and Flam had these orange bracelets that worked like advanced unicorn magic. They sprouted multiple orange…ghostly limb things from the bracelets and picked all of the apples off of some trees. We confronted them. They attacked Applejack and shot me out of the air after I tried to remove their bracelets using my magic. In fact, I’m almost positive that their bracelets actually absorbed my magic. They then used their bracelets to fly themselves and their stolen apples towards the west and out of sight.”
“That sounds like another ancient and forbidden artifact like the Alicorn Amulet or something from those Daring Do stories,” Dash mused, rubbing her chin in thought. “Did you notice anything specific that might help you research these things?”
“I did,” Rarity piped up. “The brothers seemed shocked themselves when their bracelets absorbed Twilight’s magic. It almost seemed like they hadn’t been using their bracelets for very long.”
“Anything else?” Dash asked.
“Yes,” Rarity nodded. “They said that, in regards to the magic absorption, they would ask ‘Ophidian’ later. They also had…peculiar outfits that were orange and white, not their normal blue and white. Even more perplexing, their new outfits had an odd symbol.” Rarity then looked towards the ground, picked up a nearby twig using her levitation magic, and carved, in the dirt, a circle with short lines marking every diagonal 90 degrees and a v-shape at the circle’s top. The other ponies looked downward at Rarity’s carving. “Every symbol has a meaning,” Twilight stated, eyeing the carving. “The question is…what does this symbol mean?” “I dunno, y’all, but I do know that we need to get back to the farm and finish settin’ up for Sweetie Belle’s party,” Applejack stated, looking back up.
“Right,” Dash nodded, sidling up next to Twilight. “I’m helping with support duty, so put your hooves on me, Twilight.”
“Thanks, Dash,” Twilight winced as she slowly let go of Rarity and put her left foreleg on Dash’s back.
“Onward,” Dash declared before slowly starting towards the farm with Twilight in tow. Rarity, with Applejack in tow, started slowly following behind.
---
“Run that by me again, Ophidian. I was chewing and couldn’t hear you,” Flim said as he levitated his thirteenth apple to his mouth. “All I heard was ‘battery.’”
“Listen well,” Ophidian spat. “I sense that your rings were severely drained during your trip to the farm. The rings require recharging via the power battery. Yet, said power battery still lies fragmented and untouched,” the serpent sneered, gesturing, with its tail, towards the impact crater where the untouched battery fragments were.
“So?” Flam asked, his mouth full of apple. “You want us to fix it? Why should we stop eating and fix it?”
“Each use of a power ring depletes some of its energy. Rings empty of energy are powerless to do anything. To replenish a ring’s energy, it must touch a complete power battery for a moment. Your rings are nearly empty of power. To recharge them, you must repair the fragmented power battery and use it to recharge your rings,” Ophidian explained, raising up a bit and arching its back. “What’s the hurry, chief?” Flim asked, eyeing yet another apple and biting into it.
“Larfleeze is coming. He will seek us out to reclaim me, the battery, and your rings,” Ophidian answered, slithering up to Flim. “He will take everything that you hold dear.”
“Even our Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000?” Flam asked, lowering an apple away from his face. “We built that thing ourselves.”
“Yes,” Ophidian replied.
At this, Flim’s eyes grew wide as he spit out chunks of chewed apple at Ophidian, choked a bit, and then swallowed with a pained grimace on his face. “We mustn’t let that happen, brother,” he gagged after a few coughs. Ophidian glared death at the unicorn, and then levitated the apple chunks off of its face.
“Indeed, brother,” Flam said as he jumped up, apple in tow, and trotted up to the crater where the battery fragments were. “We must protect our possessions,” he added before levitating the fragments up out of the crater and into a big pile next to Flim and Ophidian. Flam then returned to the pile, sat down, and surveyed the pieces.
“Well?” Flim asked after a moment. “Do you think you can fix it?”
“It looks doable. I’ll have to somehow weld some of the parts back together, though. It’ll take a while,” Flam replied, looking up. “I’ll need for Ophidian to construct some sort of replica or a blueprints so that I can have some clue as to what I’m doing. I’ll also need for you, Flim, to construct some sort of magnifying lens so that I can better see what I’m doing.”
Ophidian wordlessly constructed a semitransparent scale model of an intact railroad lantern.
“My turn,” Flam said as he sat down and used his ring to form a magnifying lens, six-inches in diameter, between Flam’s eyes and the pile of battery parts.
Flam wordlessly studied Ophidian’s construct for a few seconds, nodded, looked back to the pile, sighed, and then began reassembling the battery.
“So what exactly is out there beyond this planet, Larfleeze? Is space as big and empty as our teacher taught us, or is it full of various inhabited planets?” Apple Bloom asked, keeping Larfleeze in her peripheral vision as she and Zecora continued escorting Larfleeze to Sweet Apple Acres.
“Space has stuff, which is mine,” Larfleeze muttered. “I don’t go out and away from my stuff.”
“Meaning?” the filly asked.
Scowling, Larfleeze answered, “I live on Okaara. My stuff is on Okaara. Therefore, I don’t leave Okaara.”
“You’re here now, away from Okaara. That ‘bug’ must have stolen some pretty valuable things to make you chase him down,” Apple Bloom started. “The fact that you’re here lookin’ for, what, three things, means that you, in fact, do leave Okaara.”
“Huh?” Larfleeze grunted.
Turning her gaze fully on Larfleeze, Apple Bloom slowed down her pace. “Your stuff was on Okaara. The bug stole your stuff. You chased him to space, destroyed his ship, and then landed here to recover your stuff,” she explained. “You said you ‘don’t leave Okaara’ when you’re clearly away from Okaara. You contradicted yourself.”
“Quite a true observation, astute little apprentice,” Zecora said, briefly glancing at the filly, and then back to Larfleeze. “Have you been dying to use that word in a sentence?” she asked after a few seconds.
“Yes,” Apple Bloom said proudly, now stopping completely. Larfleeze and Zecora halted as well. Looking directly into Larfleeze’s eyes, Apple Bloom furrowed her brow and lowered her head. “Larfleeze,” she said in a serious tone.
“Huh?” Larfleeze fidgeted. “Yes, small pony?”
“We’re gettin’ close to Sweet Apple Acres and, before we arrive, I want you to understand somethin’,” Apple Bloom started. “My friend, Sweetie Belle, is having her birthday party today at Sweet Apple Acres. There will be both fillies and grown-ups there. We ponies love nothing more than to see our friends and family enjoy themselves. If you cause trouble, there will be two resulting emotions from the party-goers: sadness and anger. The angry ones will likely lash out at you in rage. It is next to impossible to get help from an enraged crowd of ponies. Therefore, if you want any help in finding your rings and battery, I strongly suggest that you be on your best behavior. Do we have an undestandin’, Larfleeze?”
Rapidly nodding, Larfleeze replied, “Yes, small pony.”
“Good,” Apple Bloom said, relaxing her gaze and tone. She then raised a hoof and pointed beyond an upcoming hill. “Sweet Apple Acres is just beyond this hill, y’all. I’m going to go up on ahead and warn everypony that I’m bringing an unstable alien to the party. Larfleeze, you stay here with Zecora and don’t eat her. I’ll be back in ten minutes,” Apple Bloom explained before lowering her hoof and backed up onto the hill’s side. “I better return to see Zecora still alive, Larfleeze,” the filly warned before turning around and trotting over the hill, disappearing from Zecora and Larfleeze’s line of sight.
“Do you always rhyme, zebra?” Larfleeze asked quickly, turning his attention towards Zecora. Zecora simply smiled and nodded in response, causing Larfleeze to let out an annoyed grunt. --- “Where in tarnation have y’all been and why’re y’all huggin’ like that?” a voiced screeched as soon as the voice’s owner, an elderly, light green mare with a light grey mane and tail, light orange eyes, an orange shawl with red dots, images of an apple pie on her two flanks, and a walker, noticed her grandchild and her friends emerging, huddled together for support, from the southern apple orchard. The elderly mare then scooted, at a surprisingly fast pace, towards Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Dash.
“We’re not hugging, Granny Smith. Twilight and I both took a beating from a magically-empowered Flim and Flam. They had these fancy bracelets that worked like unicorn magic. They were stealing apples, so Twilight and I tried to chase ‘em away. They overpowered us and fled with a bunch of apples,” Applejack explained.
“Their bracelets even absorbed my magic, Granny Smith,” Twilight added. “They shot Applejack in the side and shot me right out of the sky.”
“Granny, Apple Bloom just returned from Zecora’s and wants to talk to us as well as Twilight,” a deep, sage-like voice called from a few yards away. All eyes turned towards a red earth pony with an orange mane and tail, red coat, freckles, green eyes, and a brown yoke around his neck. His flanks have an image of a green apple, sliced in half. Next to him was Apple Bloom.
“About what, Big McIntosh?” Twilight asked as she and Applejack let go of their supporting friends and limped over towards Apple Bloom and Big McIntosh. Granny Smith hobbled behind.
“Twilight, I…,” Apple Bloom started before trailing off and sighing.
“Spit it out, young ‘un,” Granny Smith screeched, raising a hoof and pointing to Twilight and Applejack. “We need t’ get these two into beds and fix ‘em up.”
“Huh? What happened?” Apple Bloom asked, noticing the scrapes and bruises that both ponies had.
“Flim and Flam used magic bracelets to steal apples and beat the tar out of us,” Applejack said, scowling at the memory.
“What was it that you were going to say, Apple Bloom?” Twilight asked.
“Zecora and I found another alien, Twilight. His name is Larfleeze and he has issues. He nearly ate Zecora and me. He’s lookin’ for a battery and two rings that were stolen from him. I said we would help if he behaved,” Apple Bloom explained. “I left him with Zecora just past the hill over there while I went up on ahead to warn y’all,” Apple Bloom added, raising a hoof and pointing towards the direction from where she came from.
“And you invited him here why?” Applejack snapped. “The last alien that came to Equestria just about killed Princess Celestia over power.”
“I had to do something fast,” Apple Bloom replied, lowering her hoof. “He had Zecora by the neck and was about to bite her head off. He’s very…unstable, but he claims that he will behave during the party. I warned him that we would only help him find his stuff if he keeps his hunger in check.”
“So, it was either bargain with him or have him eat Zecora,” Applejack mused. “Fair point.”
“A wise move, dearie,” Granny Smith said, nodding. Turning towards Big McIntosh, she ordered, “Be a dear and go with Apple Bloom to report back to Larfleeze and Zecora.”
“Eeyup,” Big McIntosh nodded before heading towards the hill that Apple Bloom had indicated. Apple Bloom then started behind him.
“Now,” Granny Smith started, facing Twilight and Applejack. “You two are going to rest and heal. I won’t have my granddaughter and her friend further injure themselves frettin’ over some alien.”
“I would rather be up and around just in case this situation starts spiraling out of control,” Twilight objected. “As Applejack said, the last time an alien showed up, things got very ugly very fast.” Granny Smith just glared sternly with furrowed eyebrows and wrinkles in her forehead. Unable to stand it, Twilight sighed and relented, “Fine. I’ll go crash in the guest bedroom. Wake me up if or when weird things start happening.” Twilight then turned towards the farmhouse and limped her way towards it.
“I’m goin’ to hit the hay as well,” Applejack said before starting behind Twilight.
“What do you want Rarity and I to do, Granny Smith?” Dash asked as she flew up to Granny Smith as Twilight and Applejack made their way to the farmhouse. Rarity trotted up behind her and up to the elderly pony.
“Y’all go help Pinkie Pie with the cooking and baking,” Granny Smith answered, turning her attention towards Dash and Rarity.
“Yes, ma’am,” both ponies affirmed before heading towards the farmhouse as well. Granny Smith then glanced towards the hill with a worried expression on her face.
“That should do it,” Flam muttered aloud as he used his ring to fit the battery’s glass window into the battery and fuse the two parts together. “It took some finagling, but I think I fixed the battery,” he then announced.
“Now what, Ophidian?” Flim asked as he and the serpent dissipated their constructs. “How do we charge our rings again? You never quite clarified.”
“You must touch your rings to the front of the battery and crave the battery’s energy,” Ophidian answered. “The rings will then absorb energy from the battery.”
“So it’s yet another thing where it works by being greedy?” Flam asked. “How do the rings know what we’re thinking?”
“The rings channel avarice, one of the seven parts of the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum,” Ophidian started. “The Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum is an energy field that is fueled by the emotions of all sentient beings. Sentient beings channeled and created seven unique forms of energy based on their emotions, with a certain color unique to the emotion. This created me, the rings, and the battery.”
“So there are six other colors that have rings and batteries for them?” Flim quizzed, levitating an apple to his mouth and biting into it.
“Yes,” Ophidian answered. “The White Light of Life is where the Emotional Spectrum originated. In the beginning, the universe was absolute darkness. At one point in history, the White Light was introduced by an entity or entities unknown even to me, and for 700 years, the universe was nothing but a blinding white light. The darkness, however, fought back against the light, eventually dividing it into the seven colors of the spectrum that exists today. The colors are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Each color is associated with a different emotion and each have an entity like me. Now, I have spoken enough on this matter. Larfleeze is coming and you must prepare.”
“You keep saying that,” Flam pointed out as he got up and levitated the battery up to his front and raised his ringed hoof up to the battery’s front. “Here goes nothing,” he muttered as he touched his hoof to the battery, closed his eyes, and began to focus. Instantly, the battery lit up and shined orange light out from within, bathing Flam in an orange glow. Flim lowered his apple in curiosity as he watched as the ring on his brother’s hoof began to glow as brightly as the battery. A silent moment passed, and then both objects stopped glowing as abruptly as they had started. Flam then opened his eyes, withdrew his hoof, and levitated the battery over to Flim. “Your turn, brother.”
“I assume that your ring is now fully charged,” Flim said before putting his apple down, levitating the battery up in front of him, and touching the battery with his ringed hoof. Flim then closed his eyes and furrowed his brow in concentration. Just as before, the battery and the ring both lit up, glowed brightly for a moment, and then stopped glowing abruptly. Flim then opened his eyes, put the battery down, and inspected his ring. “It feels…stronger now,” he commented before putting his hoof down, levitating the apple back up to his mouth, and taking another bite of it.
“Your rings are now fully charged,” Ophidian announced, rearing up. “Yet, there is still one last thing you must do to prepare.”
“What is it?” Flam asked, facing the serpent.
“Can we take a break or a nap or something before we do it?” Flim asked. “We’ll be in a better condition to fight Larfleeze if we take naps now.”
Sighing wearily, Ophidian relented, “Very well. Sleep if you must.”
“Thank you,” Flim said before turning around and trotting, half-finished apple in tow, to the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000’s couch, jumping onto the couch, and then plopping over onto his side, letting his apple fall to the floor in front of the couch.
“Wake us up in an hour or so,” Flam said before he turned around, trotted up to the couch, and lying down on the couch next to his brother. Within a moment, both brothers were asleep, leaving Ophidian alone with its orders. ---
“Larfleeze, Zecora,” Apple Bloom called as she trotted to the top of the hill and into the zebra and alien’s view. “I’m back. I brought along my brother, Big McIntosh,” she added as Big McIntosh trotted up to her side.
“Did you bring any food, small pony?” Larfleeze asked as Apple Bloom and Big McIntosh trotted down the hill and up to him.
“No,” Apple Bloom answered. “Larfleeze, meet my brother, Big McIntosh. Big McIntosh, this is Larfleeze.”
“Hello, Larfleeze. Hello, Zecora,” Big McIntosh said, waving.
“The small pony said that you would help me and feed me,” Larfleeze snapped, cutting off Zecora just as she was about to say something.
“I promised that only if you behave yourself,” Apple Bloom pointed out. “Eat or do anything you’re not supposed to, and you’ll be on your own without help and food.”
Scowling, Larfleeze grunted, “You said something about a party, small pony.”
“I did,” Apple Bloom confirmed. “My sister was immediately suspicious of inviting you to the party. I said you would behave. In the end, though, it’s your choice as to whether or not you want to honor our agreement and get our help. It would mean a lot to me if you kept your word and didn’t ruin my friend’s party.”
“When do I get food and help?” Larfleeze asked.
“Never with that attitude,” Apple Bloom scolded. “To tell you the truth, I’m not that convinced that your head’s on straight. Simply put, I don’t trust your word. You have three options, Larfleeze: behave yourself at the party; hide in the barn with my very capable brother until the party’s over; or go out on your own and find your stuff on your own. The second and third options sound like the safest choices. The first option is a giant gamble. Though, out of decency, I’ll let you pick what option you want.”
“The first one,” Larfleeze said, fidgeting.
“Alright,” Apple Bloom sighed. “You’ll sit between my brother and either my sister or her friend, Twilight Sparkle. They both can handle you if you act up.”
“Eeyup,” Big McIntosh affirmed.
“Now, before we go, I reckon you owe Zecora an apology for her hut’s damage,” Apple Bloom said firmly.
Turning towards Zecora, Larfleeze muttered, with a pained grimace, “I’m sorry about your hut, rhyming zebra.”
“I forgive you if your apology is true,” Zecora said before backing up a few feet. “Now, I must bid you adieu,” she added before turning around and starting her way back to her hut. Larfleeze, still looking pained, turned his attention back towards Apple Bloom.
“Shall we?” Apple Bloom asked, motioning for Larfleeze to follow her and Big McIntosh back to Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom then turned around and started back towards the farm.
“I’m coming, small pony,” Larfleeze grunted as he started behind Apple Bloom. Big McIntosh then started walking behind Larfleeze, following the filly and the alien back to the farm.
“Cooking is so fun! Cooking is so fun! Now it's time to take a break and see what we have done!" sang a bright pink mare with a moderate pink mane mane and tail, light blue eyes, and flank markings of three balloons, two blue on either side of a yellow one as she peeked inside the oven. Seeing that the contents of the oven were finished baking, she then chirped, “Yay! It’s ready!” The mare then slid on a pair of red oven mitts, opened the oven, extracted a golden-brown pie, carefully made her way to a nearby table, and set the pie down.
“What did you make, Pinkie?” Dash asked as Rarity used her magic to close the oven door and turn the oven off.
Making a showy motion, Pinkie said in an admiring manner, “I present to you, The Ultimate Caramel Apple Pie, Sweetie Belle’s birthday pie.”
“It looks great, darling,” Rarity said in awe.
“So does the cake,” Dash added, eyeing a white 8x8-inch cake with pink and light purple borders and text reading “Happy Birthday, Sweetie” written in cursive letters.
“Thank you,” Pinkie nodded. “It’s a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and Sweetie Belle-colored decorations.”
“How fancy,” Rarity cooed. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”
“I know I will,” said another admiring voice as the voice’s owner trotted into the room from the farmhouse’s front room. All eyes fell upon the voice’s owner: a moderate, dark orange filly pegasus with stubby wings, a fuchsia, feather-shaped mane and tail, and greyish purple eyes.
“Hey, Scootaloo,” Pinkie greeted. “How are things outside?”
“Sweetie Belle and her parents just showed up. Apple Bloom and Big McIntosh haven’t returned yet, though,” Scootaloo reported before hopping up onto a chair near the table that had the cake on it. “Neat cake,” she added, admiring the cake.
“Thanks,” Pinkie grinned. “Now, we need to haul this food outside to the party.”
“Can I help carry anything?” Scootaloo asked as she jumped back down and trotted up to Pinkie.
“Sure,” Pinkie said as she set a tray on top of Scootaloo’s head. “You can carry the utensils and the candles,” she added as she dumped a number of plastic knives, forks, and spoons as well as a pack of birthday candles onto the tray. “We’ll carry the food and napkins.”
“When should we wake up Applejack and Twilight? The party’s getting close to starting,” Dash asked, picking up the pie.
“Whenever weird things start happening,” Pinkie answered, lifting the cake onto her head.
“How do we know if an event can qualify for being ‘weird’?” Rarity asked as she used her magic to pick up a pile of napkins.
“You’ll know it when you see it,” Pinkie said as she trotted to the farmhouse’s front room and towards the front door.
“Well, that was cryptic,” Dash scoffed as Rarity used her magic to open the front door for the group.
“And, sorry to say, not very helpful,” Rarity added as Scootaloo and Pinkie headed out the door.
“Oh, look,” Pinkie said, glancing towards the farm’s edge. “There’s Apple Bloom, Big McIntosh, and a horrific monster wearing orange armor. That might count as ‘weird,’ but is it weird enough to wake up Twilight and Applejack?”
“What in the world is that thing?” Scootaloo asked, wrinkling her face in disgust.
“I overheard Apple Bloom telling her family and Twilight about an alien named ‘Larfleeze.’ I assume that the repulsive thing near them is Larfleeze,” Rarity answered, trotting outside. Squinting to get a closer look, Rarity said, “It reminds me of the newly-empowered Flim-Flam Brothers.”
“Do you think there’s a connection?” Dash asked.
Dash only received a gasp from Rarity as Larfleeze whipped his gaze around to face the group, grinned, and started sprinting towards them. In an instant, Larfleeze, ignoring Apple Bloom’s scream of “Larfleeze, no,” was in front of Pinkie, drooling hungrily.
“Hi,” Pinkie chirped just before Larfleeze snatched the cake from atop of Pinkie’s head, dunked his face into it, and proceeded to sloppily devour the cake.
Running up the group with a livid expression on her face and Big McIntosh in tow, Apple Bloom said coldly, “You ate my friend’s cake even before the party started. You broke your word, Larfleeze. Now, either get in the barn or get out of my sight.”
“But I was hungry, small pony,” Larfleeze protested, looking up with sad eyes.
“What you just did was inexcusable,” Apple Bloom spat, raising a hoof towards the barn. “I’d get you to go apologize to poor Sweetie Belle, but I’m afraid you’d eat her as well. Now, again, either get in the barn and away from my friend’s party, or get out of here.”
Larfleeze then dropped the cake pan onto the ground, sighed sadly, and started towards the barn. Rarity’s gaze immediately honed in on Larfleeze’s visible shoulder which bore a white spot with a black circle with short lines marking every diagonal 90 degrees and a V-shape at the circle’s top inside the white spot. “That symbol,” she gasped. “That outfit,” she gasped again. “Both look very close, if not identical, to Flim and Flam’s new symbol and outfits.”
“Huh?” Larfleeze grunted, turning to face Rarity.
“Flim and Flam, these outlandish salesponies-turned-thieves, somehow acquired magic bracelets and orange and white costumes. They robbed the Apple Family’s southern apple orchards using their new bracelets,” Rarity explained as Dash set the pie down on a table near the farmhouse’s front exit. “Larfleeze, do you know anyone named ‘Ophidian’? The Flim-Flam Brothers said that they were going to consult ‘Ophidian’ on the matter of how their bracelets absorbed the levitation magic that my friend tried to use to remove them. They then fled towards the west.”
Without warning, Larfleeze dashed back towards Rarity, picked her up by the shoulders and demanded, “Where’s my shiny? I need my shiny!”
“Unhand me, you brute,” Rarity scolded, wiggling free. “I’ve told you everything that I know about the situation.”
“Larfleeze,” Apple Bloom started, causing all attention to shift to her. “Is there a possibility that the Flim-Flam Brothers found your battery and rings?”
“The fancy pony described my stuff. The apple thieves have my stuff. The apple thieves have my rings and my battery!” Larfleeze franticly shouted, fidgeting. “I need my stuff back!”
Sighing and burying her face in her hooves, Apple Bloom ordered, “Scootaloo, you go wake up Applejack and Twilight. Tell them that Larfleeze will need help getting his stuff back. Rarity, Pinkie, and Dash, you help Granny Smith and Sweetie’s folks move the party to inside the farmhouse and away from Larfleeze and his appetite. Larfleeze, you stay within me and my brother’s sight.”
“Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie chirped as the crowd, minus Larfleeze, dispersed towards their assigned directions.
“This is taking years off my life,” Apple Bloom muttered tiredly.
