Flim and Flam cruised on their Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000(the name that never gets old!) through Mane Street of Fillydelphia, a surge of confidence present in both brothers. Such was the case of course; their uncles had done a superb job of motivating them and teaching more about being salesponies. The sun was slowly setting on another day, but the night crowd was already out and about. As the machine came to a stop on the corner, a few ponies glanced up to see what the hubbub was, but continued on their ways. Flam raised his eyebrows in confusion, surprised that they were dismissed so easily. “Something tells me they think they’ve seen it all, brother of mine,” he muttered.

Flim heard a shout from the opposite street-corner. He glanced over and immediately regretted it, prodding his brother to look as well. Flam narrowed his eyes to see what Flim was pointing to. Upon realization, his mustache drooped significantly. “Mother of Discord,” he whispered. There, perched upon a precariously balancing tower of carriage wheels, was their crazed heckler from Palamino, Rush La’Dush.

“MY NEW CARRIAGE BRAKES ARE REALLY COOL! YOU’RE NOT EVEN GONNA BELIEVE IT!” proclaimed the insane pony. He hopped down from his nest of wheels to encroach a nearby unicorn. “Let’s say you’re on a carriage ride with your family. You’re riding along, la-de-da, woo! All of a sudden there’s a bunny in the middle of the road! And you hit your new carriage brakes. EERRGGHH!” Rush punctuated, stopping himself before slamming into another pony. “Whoa, that was close.”

Rush madly chuckled as he picked up a damaged carriage wheel. “Now what happens when you’re riding with the “other pony’s” carriage brakes? You’re ridin’ along, ridin’ along, the little foals start yelping from the back seat, ‘Dad, I gotta go to the bathroom!’ And you’re like, ‘Not now dang it!’ Uh oh, little bunny on the road. EERRGGHH! ‘OH NO, I CAN’T STOP!’ Suddenly your carriage rockets off the cliff. ‘AAAHHH!’ BAKOOM!” Rush sounded out, crashing into his tower of wheels.

“And your family’s hollering, ‘Oh Celestia, our carriage is ruined!’ ‘No! I can’t feel my hooves!’ Here comes the paddy wagon, WEEOOWEEOO!” Rush shouted, the crowd around him in complete shock and disbelief at this spectacle. He scooted on the ground with his legs flailing about.

“The doc gets out and wails, ‘Rainbow cupcake factory!’ Meanwhile the new colt is around the corner, crying his flank off, ‘Bawwhoohoohoo!’ And all this happened because you wanted to save a few bits instead of buying one of my carriage brakes!” Rush yelled. His eyes spun wildly at his spectators as he waited for a response. Despite the usual commotion found in Fillydelphia, the whole city seemed to be silent from Rush’s pitch. Even the local crickets were terrified to make a noise, nothing could have been prepared for this madness.

A certain bigwig happened to be amongst the bewildered ponies, he himself being just as shocked. Hoity Toity started shaking his head in an attempt to bring reality back to his senses. “Egad, that was simply horrid! Somepony do something about this, I can't go on!"

Flam smirked. This was going to be too easy now. "Fear not my good sir! A glass of refreshing cider would return your mind from this hoodlum," the mustached unicorn proposed. He stepped forward and led Hoity Toity over to their table.

"HOLD IT!" Rush shouted, jumping in front of the two. His mane had somehow straightened out completely to reveal his frighteningly serious face. "These spies are trying to mindjack all of you! They'll just steal your money and launch your fillies to the moon!"

"Gah, get back you fiend!" Hoity Toity pushed him out of the way and refocused his shades. He threw a bag of coins at the twins and grasped a mug. "Here's my money, I need a drink!" Hoity proceeded to chug the cider immediately. He whinnied when he finished, shades flying off his head and a wide grin on his face. "MAGNIFICO!"

The twins smiled at each other and beckoned the crowd to come forth. "Come one, come all everypony for our delectable and delicious cider!" Several began to canter over, but Rush stopped them yet again.

"I'm warning you! They bring doom! DOOOOOOM! DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM(house)!" the earth pony cried out. He flailed his head about in an awkward attempt of emphasis. Although no pony can see how Rush's brain ticks (must be the delicious swirls in his breakfast cereal), it was clear that he was bound and determined to stop the FlimFlam brothers. Some ponies might say it was an oath he took upon himself, other ponies would argue he was just looking for entertainment. Frankly, it's just because he is nuts.

Flim grinned and hopped back onto his sofa. "Well everypony, who are you going to believe? Us?" he asked, pointing to himself, Flam, and Hoity, "or Senor Psycho?" He shook a questioning hoof at Rush.

"You see ponies... at this moment you can choose, with us you've got nothing to lose. Your friendly salesponies are here right now, you're gotta trust the brothers FlimFlam. You've gotta trust the brothers FlimFlam, fillies, you've gotta trust the brothers FlimFlam!" our proud heroes sang boisterously, the surrounding ponies now enthralled by this new show.

"Our friendly salesponies are here right now, we're gonna trust the brothers FlimFlam!" they sang in chorus.

"Let's sell some cider, brother of mine!" Flam hollered to Flim. The Fillydelphians suddenly stampeded to the table, eager to purchase this coveted drink. The world famous duo rapidly distributed out mugs as the bits started pouring in.

"Why should we go thirsty? When we have cider squeezed. Better hoof up and get a mug, you've gotta trust the brothers FlimFlam. You've gotta trust the brothers FlimFlam, fillies! You've gotta trust the brothers FlimFlam!" Flim and Flam belted out in harmony.

"Better hoof up and get a mug, WE'RE GONNA TRUST THE BROTHERS FLIMFLAM!" echoed every pony in town, mugs raised in toast. They instantly drank down every last drop, sparkles of satisfaction in their eyes.

"We did it, Flam! Put 'er there, partner." Flim said with a smile, his hoof extended.

Flam grinned at him, “Brothers don’t shake hooves, brothers gotta hug!” The two happily embraced. This accomplishment was certainly warrant of celebration. "We just can't stop here though, Flim, we gotta go even bigger." he stated and pointed to their giant pile of bits atop the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 (if I had a bit for every time I said that).

To their dismay, Rush suddenly appeared mere centimeters from their faces. "You may have won this time, but hear this! When your day of reckoning comes, you will be found begging. Your tyranny and trickery will build about to swallow you up and you will shout out 'Save us!' And I'll whisper... AFLAC!" Rush yelled, madly chuckling as he galloped away.

The brothers stared at his departing form in stunned silence. "Next town, brother?" Flim asked.

"Next town."

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(Notes: Sorry this took a while, got busy with research papers and work. A few more pop (I use that loosely) culture references, the song being a parody of sorts from "Pick a pocket or two" of 'Oliver'. Other tributes you'll probably recognize, yep yep. Thanks for the comments and I hope you enjoy this chapter!)