Dusk arrived at the next stop of his journey, Fillydelphia, in the late morning. As he entered the city, he heard some loud noises, and went to investigate. The sounds were coming from a makeshift stage in a nearby field, from which a minotaur and two unicorns were holding court before a large crowd of ponies.

"Hellooo, Fillydelphia!" The minotaur roared. "It is I, Iron Will, here today with my new partners!"

A pair of unicorns in matching outfits stepped forward.

"The fabulous Flim Flam Brothers!" They chorused.

Iron Will had gained some gray hairs in his older years, and his muscles weren't nearly as solid as they used to be. Flim and Flam had used mane coloring to disguise any gray hairs, but they couldn't hide the lines on their faces.

'Flim Flam Brothers?' Dusk thought. 'Now where have I heard that name before?'

"Behold, the product of our collaboration!" Iron Will held up a blue bottle. "We call it 'Liquid Energy'!"

"An innovation in energy drinks!" Flim declared.

"The energy drink to end all energy drinks!" Flam boasted.

"You drink this, we guarantee you'll have the energy to see you through the day!" Iron Will boomed.

In his curiosity, Dusk approached the stage, and was spotted by Flim.

"And what have we here?" Flim pointed. "The young prince himself, Dusk Glow!"

"Would you care to try our product, your majesty?" Flam asked.

"Okay." Dusk shrugged.

Iron Will offered Dusk the drink. He took a healthy swig. The liquid was tangy, but a little sharp.

"It's... alright." He declared.

"You see that?" Iron Will proclaimed. "Our drink is worthy of royalty!"

The crowd cheered.

"Who wants some?" Flim asked.

The crowd practically threw their bits at the trio, in exchange for more bottles of the wonder tonic. Once the show was over, Dusk made to leave, but was stopped by the entrepeneurs.

"Thank you for taking part in our little show, your highness." Iron Will smiled.

"Would you be interested in an extended patronage, your majesty?" Flim asked.

"It would really help our business!" Flam smiled. "A few public appearances, and-"

"Sorry, guys." Dusk told them. "I don't really have the time. I'm not planning on staying around. I'm just passing through."

"Fair enough." Iron Will stuffed a business card into Dusk's backpack. "Let us know if you change your mind!"

"I will." Dusk smiled awkwardly.

As he made his way across the knoll, a "Psst!" emerged from a nearby bush.

"Hello?" He inspected the bush.

A tall, gangly pegasus in a trenchcoat and fedora emerged from the bush.

"Hello, your majesty." He bowed.

"And you are?" Dusk asked.

"Featherweight, investigative reporter." The pegasus introduced himself. "I saw you sampling that 'Liquid Energy'. Any comments."

"It was... okay, I guess." Dusk shrugged.

"How do you feel right now, your highness?" Featherweight asked.

"Just... normal." Dusk declared.

"Exactly!" Featherweight smiled.

"I'm afraid you've lost me there." Dusk said, confused.

"If that energy drink was all it's cracked up to be, you'd be feeling some kind of a buzz right now." Featherweight noted. "But you're not. Which means it's all a scam!"

"A scam?" Dusk gasped with disgust. "They're ripping ponies off?"

"That's what I'm thinking." Featherweight nodded. "Wouldn't be the first time those Flim Flam Brothers pulled something like this..."

Dusk suddenly remembered where he had heard of the Flim Flam Brothers. Crab had told him the story of how they had almost taken the Apple Family's business, which he'd heard from his mother.

"Iron Will, however, has only been on the up-and-up before." Featherweight continued. "Delivering exactly what he promised, providing refunds for dissatisfied customers..."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Dusk asked, galvanised by the knowledge of the Flim Flam Brothers' past schemes.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of taking up any more of your time, your majesty..." Featherweight stuttered.

"That's okay." dusk smiled. "I have a stake in this. I don't want my subjects getting ripped off. And please, stop with the 'your highness' and 'your majesty' stuff. Call me Dusk."

"Anything you say." Featherweight nodded. "As it happens, I've been asking around, and I think I know where to find some answers."

"Where?" Dusk asked.

"The docks." Featherweight declared. "They have a small bottling plant there. Meet me there tonight, after closing time."

"You got it.." Dusk nodded.

That night, Dusk left his hotel and made his way to the docks. As he met up with Featherweight, Dusk thought of something.

"If the drink's a fake, how come nopony notices?" He asked.

"It's called 'the placebo effect'." Featherweight revealed. "Ponies believe it'll give 'em some extra pep, so they really think it does."

"So it's all in the head." Dusk frowned. "Pretty nasty trick."

They arrived at the bottling plant.

"How do we get in?" Dusk asked.

"Simple." Featherweight smiled. "Use your magic to pick the lock."

"But isn't that... breaking and entering?" Dusk pointed out.

"Look, Dusk." Featherweight smiled. "Sometimes you gotta bend the rules a little to get to the truth. You wanna prove these guys are ripping folks off, right?"

"...Right." Dusk nodded.

It took mere seconds for Dusk to magically force the lock. The two entered the plant.

"Let's split up and search the place." Featherweight suggested.

Complying, Dusk checked out an office room. He found a handful of order forms, but little else.

"Hey, kid!" Featherweight called in a half whisper/half shout. "Check this out!"

Dusk rushed over, seeing Featherweight standing by some drums and boxes.

"What is it?" He asked.

"The ingredients for this 'Liquid Energy'." Featherweight smiled. "Take a look."

Dusk checked the objects in turn. They contained water, sugar, and lemons.

"That's it?" Dusk growled. "They're selling ponies lemon water with sugar?"

"Jackpot!" Featherweight pulled out a camera and starting taking pictures. "Wait'll my editor sees these!"

"Hey, who left the door open?" Iron Will's voice asked.

"Not me." Flim's voice answered.

"I thought I locked this thing." Flam's voice declared.

The trio spotted Dusk and Featherweight standing by the drums.

"What are you doing here?" Iron Will asked.

"Exposing your little scam!" Featherweight declared.

"What do you mean, 'scam'?" Iron Will growled, while Flim and Flam gulped audibly.

"The ingredients for your 'energy drink' is nothing but sugar and water." Dusk declared. "That's what we mean."

"What?!" Iron Will inspected the barrels. "This can't be right!" He turned to the Flim Flam Brothers. "You told me we'd have the best ingredients in Equestria!"

"Uhhh..." Flim stuttered.

"Well... Flam mumbled.

"Bye!" The two unicorns yelped.

"Oh no, ya don't!" Iron Will grabbed the fleeing stallions by their tails, and lifted them up above the ground. "Nopony makes a fool of Iron Will!"

"Are we supposed to be buying this?" Featherweight asked. "Who's to say this minotaur isn't just trying to cover his tracks by implicating his partners?"

"Look at this." Dusk produced a sheet of paper. "I found it in the office. According to this, Iron Will had agreed to handle the promotional side of things, while Flim and Flam handled production."

"So, they double-crossed their own partner, eh?" Featherweight grimaced. "Using the cheapest ingredients they could, and pocketing the change."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me." Iron Will smirked. He started shaking Flim and Flam, causing several bags of bits to fall out of their pocket. He dropped the brothers and took the bags. "Consider our partnership dissolved."

"Say cheese, boys!" Featherweight took a picture of the scene.

Flim and Flam groaned.

"I feel so awful about this." Iron Will sighed. "Rest assured, I will provide everypony with a refund. Never let it be said that Iron Will rips off his customers"

"Relax, Mr. Will." Featherweight smiled. "Once this story breaks, everypony will know the truth."

"Might I suggest we leave, brother of mine, before we're run out of town again?" Flim suggested.

"After you, brother!" Flam nodded.

They tried to flee, but Iron Will once again grabbed them by their tails.

"I don't think so." The minotaur snorted. "You're gonna answer for what you've done, ya swindlers!"

"Well, I got my story after all." Featherweight smiled, snapping a quick picture of Dusk. "I'll be sure to include your name... prominantly."

"I'd prefer you don't." Dusk insisted. "I've got enough publicity as it is."

"I'll dial it back a little." Featherweight declared. "But I can't omit you completely. Journalism is about the search for truth, after all."

"Good enough for me." Dusk yawned. "If nopony minds, I'm going back to my hotel for some well-deserved sleep."

"No problem." Featherweight nodded. "Thanks for all the help."

"Hey, what are princes for?" Dusk smiled. "I wouldn't be royalty if I didn't look out for my subjects."

"Can't argue with that." Featherweight chuckled. "Literally. Wouldn't want to get on a prince's bad side..."

Dusk laughed as he left the warehouse. His visit to Fillydelphia had proven strangely enlightening, one lesson in particular running through his mind.

'Sometimes, you have to bend the rules in order to get to the truth.' He recalled, 'Thanks for that, Featherweight...'

With that thought on his tired mind, Dusk returned to the hotel, where he would rest until morning, then resume his journey.