Leap of Faith
Applejack's POV
Applejack was with her family enjoying some swimming together. "Just one more time. Please?" Apple Bloom asked Applejack.
"Alright, but this is the last one," Applejack told her.
Apple Bloom smiled. She then ran up towards the water, jumped onto a small rock onto Big McIntosh, who threw her up again into Applejack who used her rear hooves to send Apple Bloom flying into the water. Apple Bloom splash ended up getting Granny Smith wet, who was sleeping on a wooden chair. Granny coughed at the sudden water. "Who done that?!" Granny asked.
"Sure wish you'd come swim with us, Granny," Apple Bloom said when she surfaced.
"Uh, sorry, dear. I just can't bring myself anywhere near that there swimmin' hole," Granny replied.
"How come?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Well, I wasn't always this way. Time was, I was an aquapony all-star! In fact, I was the only Apple to ever come close to breaking the Equestria high-diving record! Falling six stories into a deep-dish pie pan takes a toll on the hindquarters. Oh, I was so sore, took years before I could even look at the water again! Just the idea of swimmin' makes my whole body ache! Besides, these old legs can't even paddle fast enough to stay afloat," Granny explained.
"Boy, I sure would hate to be afraid of swimmin'. You think I'll ever be scared of the water?" Apple Bloom asked Applejack. The two then saw a fin in the water and Apple Bloom panicked and ran for dryland.
Big McIntosh then surfaced, wearing the fin as a hat. "Nope," he answered. The two then shared a laugh as Apple Bloom gave Big McIntosh a pouty face.
Not long after, they decided to be done and headed back towards Sweet Apple Acers. "I can't believe you were a high diver, Granny," Apple Bloom said on the way back.
"The best one in Ponyville," Granny answered proudly.
"Do you think I could be a high diver?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Nope," Big McIntosh said quickly.
"Absolutely not," Applejack answered at the same time.
"But-" Apple Bloom started but was interrupted.
"Now you hold your horsefeathers, little seed! I never said bein' a high diver was a smart decision! It's incredibly dangerous!" Granny told her.
"I know, but-" Apple Bloom started again.
"But nothin'! It is the riskiest, scariest, darned fool thing I ever did do. That's not to say I don't wish I was still young and spry and confident, but let's leave the flying through the air to the pegasi and alicorns," Granny told Apple Bloom.
"Wow, when you put it that way, it doesn't sound so fun," Apple Bloom said. Applejack felt better that Granny talked her sister out of high diving. A large crowd then went past the Apple Family chatting excitedly. One thing Applejack noticed is that all these ponies were injured in some way.
"Wow. I wonder where everypony's headed," Applejack wondered. The family then heard fairground music and Apple Bloom and Granny followed it. "Now where in Ponyville do you two think you're goin'?" Applejack asked them.
"Aw, quit bein' such a worry-worm and follow your ears!" Granny replied.
"Come on, Applejack, aren't you curious?" Apple Bloom asked and the two continued following the music. Applejack and Big McIntosh shared a look and followed.
The two followed the music to a tent not far from the farm's fields and the two followed Granny and Apple Bloom inside. She and Big McIntosh stood in the back and Applejack saw a machine on stage as the lights dimmed. Magic then made the machine start to work and Applejack heard two voices she wished she would never have to hear again. "Thank you, one and all, for your attendance, and we guarantee that your time here will not be spent in vain!" Flim's voice called out.
"In fact, we think it will prove to be the most valuable time you've ever spent," Flam said as the two showed themselves.
"The Flim Flam Brothers. This should be interestin'," Applejack noted.
"Eeyup," Big McIntosh agreed.
"Welcome, one and all, to the demonstration of a lifetime!" Flim told the crowd.
"A demonstration of a better life," Flam added.
"A demonstration of a better time," Flim continued. "And if we haven't captured your interest just yet, by the time we finish an unfortunate phenomenon practically guarantees that we will."
"A phenomenon? What's that?" Flam asked his brother.
"It's a circumstance perceptible by the senses, but in this case, it's the simple fact that…" Flim started then broke out into song.
Flim [There's ailments all around us in everything we touch and see]
Flam [A sickness that lies waiting there in every breath you breathe]
Flim [Disease will up and grab you as it crawls from land and sea]
Flam [It's amazing how infected that the natural world and all its things can be]
"Now I understand that some of you don't think you're sick," Flim started.
"But twisted hooves and aching joints don't heal that quick," Flam added.
"Consider just how dangerous this world is! You might…" Flim finished before Flam continued the song.
Flam [Slip and fall, break or sprain something here tonight]
Flim and Flam [But luckily for you, we've got the thing you need
And it's easier when all you need's the cure
The Flim Flam Miracle Curative Tonic
Is just what the doctor ordered, I'm sure]
"Now I know our claims seem fantastical," Flim said.
"Impractical," Flam added.
"Improbable."
"Impossible."
"And magical!" the two said together.
"So we welcome every suffering pony to make their way up to the stage," Flim told the ground and they all started to move closer, but Applejack and Big McIntosh stayed where they were.
"Now don't crowd," Flam added.
"And we'll prove our tonic's effectiveness before your very eyes."
"You there! Come up here, good sir," Flam said, pointing to a pony in the crowd.
"I'll wager you're tired of those crutches, my friend," Flim told the pony when he came up on stage.
"Try taking a sip of this!" Flam told him, hovering the bottle of tonic in the air and pouring some in his mouth. The pony swallowed and was suddenly able to stand.
Flim and Flam [That's why you're so lucky we've got the thing for you
Just come on up, we've always got some more
Of the Flim Flam Miracle Curative Tonic]
I won't need these crutches to dance out the door] the pony sang as he exited the tent.
"Now how do ya like that?" Granny asked Apple Bloom in awe.
"I don't. There's somethin' funny about this whole thing," Applejack answered. She knew something was up, but she wasn't sure as to what yet.
[Now some of you may suffer from feelings of despair
You're old, you're tired, your legs won't work, there's graying in your hair]
[Just listen and I'll tell you that you don't need to fear
Your ears will work, your muscles tone, your eyes will see so clear]
"It cures the reins, the spurs, and the Clydesdale fur blight," Flim started.
"Hooferia and horsentery cured in just a night," Flam continued.
"You've got swollen hooves and hindquarters or terrible bridle-bit cleft."
"Saunter sitz and gallop plop will give your tail some heft."
"Mane loss, hay fever, or terrible tonsillitis."
"You heard it here, folks - this is the only place in all of Equestria you'll find it!" Flam declared.
[It can make you shorter, taller, or even grow old]
[But who'd want that?]
[When with one drink]
[You can be young again–]
"SOLD!" Granny suddenly shouted, holding up some bits.
"Congratulations, Granny Smith! You just made the purchase of a lifetime!" Flim told her as he used his magic to take the bits and replace it with a jar of tonic.
"Are you as worried as I am?" Applejack asked Big McIntosh.
"Eeyup," he answered worriedly.
The next day, Applejack, Big McIntosh, and Apple Bloom went fishing in the nearby river. Not really to catch anything, but just to relax. Especially since they were using an apple as bait. "Boy, I just can't believe all the things that Flim Flam Tonic can do!" Apple Bloom said.
"When somepony says somethin's too good to be true, it usually is," Applejack told her.
"You mean Granny wasted her money?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Well, I don't know about that, but I don't think there's a tonic in Equestria that can make an old pony young again," Applejack answered.
"Howdy!" Applejack heard Granny shout. The family looked to see Granny backstroking down the river wearing her old swimsuit.
"Granny?!" Applebloom asked in shock.
"Hang on now! We'll get ya!" Applejack told Granny. Big McIntosh threw his neck brace into the river which also worked as a flotation device, but Granny went past it. Applejack then knocked a tree into the river, but Granny went around it. The three Apples went down towards the sand as Granny got out of the water.
"Granny, I thought you were too afraid of the water to swim! And, and what about your hip?!" Apple Bloom asked.
"Well, I reckon it might have been a problem before I had myself a dose of that there Flim Flam Tonic!" Granny answered.
"I'm not so sure that tonic really does anythin'," Applejack pointed out.
"Doesn't do anythin'?! What d'you call this?" Granny asked, sipping down more of the tonic and doing a dance Applejack didn't know her bones could do.
"I'm glad you're feelin' good, but how do you know it's from the tonic?" Applejack asked.
"I looked out at the water this mornin' and I felt the same terrifyin' aches and pains I always do. But one sip of that magic elixir and it all went away! Why, I might even get a head start on my chores! What do you say, Big Mac-a-doo? Up for a little afternoon applebuckin'?" Granny asked.
"Uh, no," he answered as he put his neck brace back on when it floated up, clearly as worried as Applejack was about this turn of events.
"Oh, quit your bellyachin'!" Granny told him, dragging the much larger stallion away.
"Gee, it looks like that tonic works after all! I wonder what's in it," Apple Bloom said to Applejack.
"I think maybe it's time we found out," Applejack replied.
The two went back to the tent where Flim and Flam were in another session from the sounds of it. Night had fallen by that point. "So, you're just gonna walk up and ask them how it works?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I guess, though if it's a genuine cure, I don't suppose they'll be too keen on sharing the recipe," Applejack answered. As the approached the tent, a pony exited and was awfully familiar.
"Wait a second! That's that same pony from before!" Apple Bloom realized as well. The pony heard Apple Bloom and took off.
"Hey!" Applejack called out and the two chased after him. It didn't take long to corner the pony behind the tent. "Now hold it right there, Mister…?" Applejack started then realized she didn't know his name.
"Shill. Silver Shill. Ooh, what do you two want?" he asked nervously.
"Our Granny took some tonic and we want to know how it works," Applejack answered.
"Granny couldn't swim before, and now she can. Just like you couldn't walk and now you can. But what are you doin' back here? I mean, if the tonic cured you and all…" Apple Bloom started. Applejack then looked around and saw a bunch of crutches and fake manes. Everything then made sense.
"…Because he's part of the act! It's time for you to tell the truth! You never needed crutches at all, did ya?" Applejack demanded. Silver Shrill looked terrified and hit a lever that caused whistles to blow steam into the two Apple's faces.
Silver Shrill had disappeared, so Applejack and Applebloom split up to find him. Applejack headed one way and saw Silver Shrill run into the tent. Applejack followed. "Well, if it isn't our most favorite Apple!" Flim said, he and Flam standing at the entrance with a bag of bits with Silver Shrill hiding behind Flim.
"What brings you back to our humble abode?" Flam asked.
"You two charlatans sold my Granny a bottle of tonic, and now she's off actin' like a filly again," Applejack told them.
"What's so bad about that?" Flim asked.
" If she keeps gallavantin' around like a yearlin', she's apt to drop from exhaustion or worse! What's more, I know for a fact that your friend here is dressin' up as a different pony every night so he can pretend to be cured!" Applejack told them.
"Well, that's quite an accusation," Flam replied.
"But let's say that it's true," Flin continued.
"Hypothetically…"
"Theoretically…"
"As I understand, your Granny was a famous aquapony."
"The star of the show, once upon a time."
"But hasn't set so much as a hoof in the water since," Flam finished, pulling out a bunch of apples that Applejack would look into to see if any were stolen from her farm.
"Until today. That's right," Applejack answered.
"Well, then even if our tonic were nothing more than a mixture of apple juice and beet leaves," Flim started.
"Hypothetically…"
"Theoretically…"
"The fact is that Granny is happier now than before she tried it," Flam finished, making a bottle of tonic right in front of Applejack.
"I guess…" Applejack started, unsure of what to think.
"So, the question is…" Flim started.
"Do you really want to be the pony who takes all that happiness away?" Flam asked, giving Applejack the newly made bottle of tonic.
Before Applejack could say anything, Apple Bloom showed up. "There you are! I've been lookin' all over! Did you find out what's in the tonic?" she asked.
"Honestly, Apple Bloom… as long as it works, I… don't suppose it really matters," Applejack lied. She felt guilty, but Granny's happiness meant a lot to Applejack.
"Well, if it doesn't matter to you, then it doesn't matter to me either, sis," Apple Bloom replied. The two Apples then left for home.
"That's the spirit!" Flim called out behind them.
"Come back anytime!" Flam added.
A few days later, the Apples were back at the swimming hole. Applejack was sitting on the swing nearby while everypony else played in the water. "Hey, Granny! Think you can buck me over the water?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I don't see why not! Come on, Big Mac, toss her this way!" Granny answered.
Applejack got worried. "Granny, wait!" Applejack started but saw that Granny was doing it easily.
"Uh, what were you sayin', dear?" Granny asked Applejack.
"Granny, don't you think you should take it kinda easy?" Applejack asked as the three got out of the water.
"I've been takin' it easy for too long! And now, thanks to that Flim Flam Tonic, I don't have to!" Granny answered.
"Granny, you think I could be an aquapony like you?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Of course you can, sapling. There's nothin' to it but to do it!" Granny answered.
"Well, the Ponyville swim meet is comin' up. We could enter together! A legendary water pony like you? We'd be a cinch to win!" Apple Bloom suggested.
"Mm, ee, uh, I don't know… Bein' back in the water is one thing, but a competition is a pony of a different color," Granny replied. Apple Bloom looked disappointed.
Applejack was probably going to regret saying this, but she did anyway. "I don't know, Granny. A swim meet sounds pretty safe. And after all, if that tonic lets you swim in a river and a swimmin' hole, a pool should be no problem at all," Applejack told her.
"Well, I'll be a tart turnover, you are right! All we need now is more tonic!" Granny said happily.
They went to Flim-Flam's tent where they were selling tonic a bit early and Applejack saw Silver Shrill in disguise about to buy some. "We'll take the whole case!" Granny shouted, putting down a bag of bits.
"Are you saying this stuff actually works?" a pony that was wildly known as "Jinx" in Ponyville for her bad luck asked.
"It seems to work for Granny," Applejack admitted, trying to say as little as possible. Of course, Flim and Flam made a big deal out of it.
"You heard it here first, folks! Flim Flam Miracle Curative Tonic is Granny Smith-tested and Applejack-approved!" Flim told the crowd.
"If Applejack says it works, that's good enough for me!" Jinx called out and other ponies went to get their tonic as well. Applejack now really felt uncomfortable.
A few days later, the day of the swim met came up and Granny and Apple Bloom were doing a routine together. "Just remember, you two. The most important thing is to be safe and have fun, right?" Applejack asked them, her worry for Granny Smith getting worse as the days went by.
"Fiddlesticks! With the routine we've been workin' on, I'll be a plum puddin' if we don't win this thing!" Granny stated.
"Uh... good luck, then!" Applejack told them.
"Luck? Pfft, who needs luck? We got tonic on our side!" Granny scoffed. Not too far away, Flim and Flam were selling their tonic to other ponies. "Now, if'n you'll excuse us, we got some swimmin' to do!"
The two then did their routine and it went amazingly well, getting a perfect score from the judges.
"Well, I'll be…" Applejack said in awe as ponies cheered.
They gave Granny the trophy immediately and some reporters were all over her and Apple Bloom "That was some of the most amazing aquabatics I've ever seen! How in Equestria did you do it? Hard work? Lots of practice?" one of them asked.
"Yeah, but mostly it's the tonic!" Granny answered.
"That's Flim Flam Miracle Curative Tonic, to be precise," Flim said, getting next to Granny.
"Buy it now while supplies last," Flam added.
As ponies gathered around, Applejack saw Silver Shrill with a small box of tonic around his neck. One pony then came up and asked for one and paid for it. "What are you doin' here?" Applejack questioned Silver Shrill.
"Oh, things are going so well, Flim and Flam gave me a promotion! Just made my first bit as a salespony. No more costumes for this pony," Silver Shrill answered then remembered what he was wearing. "This is more of a uniform though," he added.
"If you say so," Applejack replied.
"I used to wonder if I was doing the right thing. You know, pretending to be cured, basically lying to folks about this tonic. But thanks to you, I realized that sometimes honesty isn't the best policy," Silver Shrill told her.
"Thanks to… me?" Applejack asked.
Before Silver Shrill could reply, Apple Bloom said to the nearby reporters, "With Flim Flam's magical Curative Tonic, my Granny can do anything! Just ask Applejack!" The press then swarmed around Applejack and she pushed them away.
"No! This has gotta stop! If ponies keep believin' that tonic can do things it can't, who knows what'll happen?" Applejack said to herself.
"Maybe something like that?" Silver Shrill said, pointing to Granny climbing up the diving board.
"Granny! What in blazes does she think she's doin'?!" Applejack asked.
"Granny's gonna break the Equestria high divin' record!" Apple Bloom answered. Applejack then noticed the tiny pale beneath one of the boards.
"Land sakes!" Applejack shouted. She ran over to the latter and started climbing up after Granny. Applejack reached the top just as Granny jumped off the board. Thinking quickly, Applejack grabbed a nearby rope and used it as a lasso and caught Granny just before she hit the pale.
"Now what in tarnation did you do that for?!" Granny demanded. Applejack let the rope go and Granny landed safely on the ground.
"That was the most fool-pony thing I've ever seen anypony do in all my life!" Applejack shouted. She then slid down the latter back to the ground. "You can't do a dive like that!" she added.
"Oh, quit your fussin'! I had enough tonic to do a dive ten times as high!" Granny protested.
"Twenty times, by my count," Flim stated.
"Thirty, with a favorable breeze," Flam added, giving Granny another bottle of tonic. As Granny drank it, the light went through the bottle and into Applejack's eyes and she had a realization.
"I hate to disappoint everypony, but there's no way Granny could have made that dive, because this tonic is a fake!" Applejack told the crowd.
The crowd was shocked "But you gave it your stamp of approval!" "Jinx" protested.
"Are you saying you lied?" Rainbowshine asked.
"…I am," Applejack answered. The crowd gasped once again. "I didn't mean to! But everypony seemed so much happier, I couldn't bring myself to tell you when I found out the tonic wasn't real. I know it was wrong. I just hope, with time, I can win back everypony's trust," Applejack told the crowd.
"But if the tonic is a fake, then how come Granny can swim again, and what about all that aquabatics stuff we just did?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I reckon sometimes you can forget what you're capable of, and it just takes a little extra confidence to remember that it was inside of you all along," Applejack said to Granny. She then turned to Flim and Flam. "But tellin' ponies your tonic can do things it can't is just wrong!" she added.
"But you just said it boosts confidence!" Flim said.
"And that's not all it does, folks–" Flam started.
"Yes, it is! In fact, it's not a tonic at all! I know, 'cause I helped make it!" Silver Shrill told the crowd. Flim and Flam started sweating nervously. "Watching Applejack save Granny and then admit to lying, well, that made me realize I was making ponies believe in a thing that just wasn't so!" he continued.
"Believin' in somethin' can help you do amazin' things. But if that belief is based on a lie, eventually it's gonna lead to real trouble," Applejack added.
"Thank you, Applejack," Silver Shrill said, then gave Applejack the bit he got from the pony that bought the tonic from him. "I got this through dishonest means. That was a mistake I won't be making again! I'd like you to have it, as a reminder of how you helped me finally see the truth," he told her.
"I don't know…" Applejack said.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll track down the pony I sold that worthless tonic to and give him another bit to replace this one! Honest," Sliver Shrill stated. He then waved goodbye and left.
"I'm sorry, Granny. I hope this doesn't mean you'll stop swimmin'," Applejack apologized.
"Why in tarnation would I do that? I just can't believe those two salesponies had me believin' I could near fly! Hey, where'd they go?" Granny asked and Applejack noticed that Flim and Flam had run off.
The next day, Applejack wrote her experience in the journal. Bein' honest sure gets hard when it seems like the truth might hurt somepony you care about. But I think believin' a lie can end up hurtin' even more. Maybe some ponies don't care about that – but I sure ain't one of them.
"Now you take it easy there, Granny!" Applejack told her.
"Oh, I plan to," she answered before jumping into the large tub that had been set up for swimming.