Flicker's mane bounced in pace with the machine she rode on, slowly passing the scenery of the Everfree Forest. The unicorn's horn was sparkling with dark green magic, and she bit her tongue between her teeth as she stuck a cog in place, and closed the latch of the engine compartment. "Done!" she called to her brothers, who sat in the front. "Sister of mine, you took your time," sighed Flim, looking slightly annoyed as he lounged on the couch at the front of the machine. Flam wiggled his mustache in agreement, grinning slightly. Flicker rolled her eyes, pointing a wrench in her hoof at them. "Hey! I'm not the one making my own machine run too fast! Ever since you had that stupid competition with the Apple family, this thing has been falling apart! I deliberately told you two not to push it to full power!"
The Flim Flam Brothers rolled their eyes in unison, and Flicker narrowed hers, continuing to drill them on about it, now that the topic had been mentioned. "I built the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 for you as a gift, so you could make money! Not so you can cheat your way into fame! Now it's almost completely ruined, with me having to fix a leak or replace a cog every five minutes! I can't believe you took advantage of me like that! Kicking me out and sneaking to Ponyville! Calling this thing yours and lying to everypony! Honestly, you guys are just the worst. Ever since I was born, you guys have taken advantage of my talents just because I'm younger."
Flam scowled. "Stop complaining, we came back to get you, didn't we?" he grumbled in his natural salespony voice. "Yeah, we stopped asking you to build stuff for us after that." Flicker hit the wrench on her other hoof, raising an eyebrow. "Oh," she said sarcastically, "and making a fake all-cure tonic was any better." Flim cringed and ignored his younger sister.
Flicker was surprised they still hadn't kicked her on to the street by now, considering how many times they had gone through this argument. She assumed it was because they needed somepony to keep the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 running. Despite their many shenanigans, Flicker had always loved her siblings, even if she seemed so angry at them so often. She was sure they loved her too, but were twice as subtle about it. At least they had the decency to pick her up again after getting thrown out of Ponyville. To Flicker's annoyance, they had yet to allow her to sit in the front or drive for once.
Flicker suddenly heard a loud clang and then the sound of swishing liquid. She put a hoof to her forehead exasperatedly. "Stop the Cider Squeezy!" she called to Flim and Flam. Flam used his magic to stop the machine, and it slowed with an ear-splitting screech. She strapped her signature steampunk goggles over her eyes, biting her tongue between her teeth. Flicker quickly grabbed a spare piece of metal, some nails, and a spray bottle full of black liquid, jumping down to the ground and crawling beneath the vehicle.
About to seal the leak completely, Flicker levitated the spray bottle, then heard a startling sound, the sound of something moving around through the forest. Flicker narrowed her eyes and crawled out from under the vehicle, pushing her goggles from her eyes, behind her horn. "What's taking so long down there?" called Flam, voice impatient. "Shh!" Flicker shushed, glaring up at her brother from ground level. "I…hear something…"
Flicker peered into the shadows of the Everfree Forest, which always seemed so dark despite the fact that it was currently daytime. She glanced back at Flim and Flam, who were watching her with raised eyebrows. She winked at them, unsmiling, and crept into the darkness. She perked her ears, listening for any more disturbance in the undergrowth. Suddenly, she spotted a silhouette ahead and took cover behind a wide-trunked tree. Flicker peered from behind it, watching the pony-shaped form move slowly through the woods. She noticed bright blue and green eyes glinting through the shadows and bit her tongue, hoping this pony was friendly. She approached slowly, stepping lightly and making sure to hide behind trees every few seconds. The form suddenly stopped in a small clearing, and Flicker darted behind the cover of the nearest tree.
Peeking at the pony, Flicker bit back a gasp, suddenly realizing that it wasn't a pony at all—but a changeling! It appeared to be a male, with a muscular body structure and, although Flicker would never admit it aloud, a handsome face. It was covered in holes at the end of each it's limbs. Two fangs peeked slightly from his upper lip, and his eye pupils were narrowed to slits.
Flicker put a hoof to her mouth and backed away slowly. Suddenly she heard a snap and realized she had stepped on a stick. Eyes widening in panic, Flicker thought she saw the glint of narrowed blue and green eyes turn in her direction before she turned and raced away, ran until she was safely on the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000. She shoved Flim and Flam off of the driver's seat and used her magic to start the machine up once more. "Hey! You shouldn't be driving, you'll wreck our machine!" Flam protested, her brothers hanging off of the sides of the vehicle.
"No time to argue!" Flicker replied in a wheezy voice through clenched teeth. "We have to go to see Princess Celestia! And this thing is mine, applesauce brain!"