Herr Regis
Review Responses:
Hi: I'm sorry to hear about your experience! That must have been all sorts of strange, stumbling across the mature stuff! Don't worry about this story, there isn't a word or theme in here that couldn't make it onto the TV show! You should get an account, it's the coolest thing, I swear- shoot me a private message (one of the perks of having an account).
Rohanswe & cptcupcake2: thanks for the love!
KLR391: there'll be a 'Princess Celestia' moment in this story and Applejack as well as Flim will get their key, whereas only Applejack got a key in the episode.
Redemption
Inside of a small barred cell, the FlimFlam Brothers were sitting down on a bench far too narrow for their backsides, creating discomfort and also making them slouch. Both of them had taken their hats off; they both waited for somepony to tell them what was happening.
"We're in deep this time brother of mine, a real pickle." Flam mussed with his mustache as he spoke, feeling nervous and needing to touch something to keep his hooves from shaking.
"This is going to get ugly, even more than it already is." Flim hung his head, closing his eyes and running both hooves through his mane, one on each side of his horn. He even raked by his ears, making them shift to get out of the way as he went.
After what felt like a very long time of heavy contemplation, a mare walked in to the area just outside of their cell, an officer behind her with a ring of keys.
"All this trouble: now you two are locked up and we needed to get the mayor involved." Mayor Mare sighed, her formerly happy and positive demeanor replaced with disappointment at the brothers' greed for sales. "What you boys did was inexcusably wrong and needs to be addressed. Somepony has to post you two a bail. I suppose after your little incident you don't have very many friends left."
Flim and Flam nodded, chuckling slightly because they never had any friends at all in Ponyville. They were looking up now, waiting to hear what the mayor's ruling was going to be.
"I'm willing to have your bail waived, if you do something for the community." Mayor Mare looked out at them through her thin glasses, the golden rims reflected just a little bit of light in a small, star-like shimmer. Flim and Flam perked up, now knowing that they were going to be given an out. "The Ponyville Days Festival is coming up and I want you two boys to plan it out. Normally a resident would do it, but you two need to prove to me and to everypony else that you're trustworthy and not as horrible as you seem to be." Mayor Mare waited, looking at them to see if their expressions had changed.
"A festival?"
"Like a carnival?"
"Almost. So, do you two except? Or should I just leave you in here."
Flim and Flam looked at each other on the bench, putting their hats on and smiling wildly. If there was one thing they knew, it was planning the event of the century, making the pitch of a lifetime, a carnival.
"We accept!"
Flim and Flam stood up at the same time, shouting the same response in unison as they smiled at the mayor happily, their bright and charismatic side reemerged now that the dangers of their situation had receded.
The mayor chuckled, glad that they were so enthusiastic about the whole thing. "Good, you two better not go anywhere. It's your responsibility to find somewhere to stay and once your service is done, you may go."
"Anything for the fine ladies and gentlecolts of Ponyville, you just say the word and we'll get this done in a flash!"
Flim and Flam were freed from the cell and released out into the world to make their way back into society. They slid down the railings, passing over all the stone stairs below their floating hooves until they reached the bottom.
Just as Flim reached the end, he nearly toppled right into a pony who had been walking past. He grabbed the mare's hoof, spinning her around with him so that neither fell.
"Applejack! Just the mare I wanted to see!"
Applejack took a cautious step back, feeling extremely uncomfortable for a reason she didn't quite understand. At the same time, Applejack felt very vulnerable.
"I actually came to..."
"My sweet little apple, why don't we take a walk to somewhere less... hostile."
"Good observation brother of mine, we've got good news to share with this mare right here!" Flam was just as vigorous and excited as Flim seemed to be. Applejack took another step back, agreeing only because she didn't want to be seen in public with them after what had happened.
The sun was just starting to set as Flim and Flam made their way down a dirt road. To one side was a white fence, behind it the vast and expansive fields of Sweet Apple Acres.
"The good news, Applejack, is that we've been generously given the opportunity to redeem ourselves to this here community."
"And with our good fortune, we'd like to extend a hoof to help your family as well!"
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