Appleloosa Night of the Comet (open/all)

[Mojo]

"Professor Stargazer?" Doc Holly Day asked. "Ya mean that old grouch is still teaching? Me and him never did get along."

"Wow Doc," Sheriff Silverstar said, "ya sure have led an interestin' life before ya got to Appleoosa."

"All of us ponies have," added Louise LaMare before she turned towards the two buffalo. "So guys, how did you like your ride?'

"This was THE most amazing experience in my life!" ThunderClap mooed. "Thank you all for allowing us to ride in the sky!"

"Yur durn tootin' sky ridin's fun!" added Granny Smith.

"Javol! Vee vill have to do it again sometime," Uncle Apple Strudel said as Flam walked back to the SSCS6k with his brother Flim.

"You are correct, dear brother of mine," the mustached twin said, "gotta keep that old gal happy, and we better make it snappy, or all our deals could start circling the drain! It's telescopes we need, good telescopes indeed, unless the skies above begin to rain!"

[Boss_Hoss1]

The twins nodded 'He is still going strong, and very, very loud."

"We are considering checking with a Zebra herbalist near the Everfree to see if she has anything to ease his fears."

"Yes, so he will stay calm and quiet when we fly him around."

Lightning Horn bellowed in excitement and continued "That was amazing! Yes, Thank you all! My father, the herd shaman will hear of how well the ponies have treated me this day and that I got to be up in the sky where the lightning comes from."

The twins bowed "We were glad to do our part, Lightning Horn."

Meanwhile, the smooth-lipped half of the tall, cream colored World Famous Flim Flam Brothers, Flim suddenly stood in thought for a moment. "...Unless it rains..." He shook his head "No, It sounds far quicker to build telescopes than for you to possibly rig a weather machine in the time we have until sunset. We also have pegasi present to undo any weather we make, drat it..."

Flim levitated lengths of copper and brass tubes from their repair stock and passed them over to Flam, then sent green beams of magic into glass they could spare, to melt them enough for Flam to do the final shaping to match the spare lenses for their telescope. "Ready Flam? Then lets Bing Bang Zam!"

[Mojo]

"Ol' Stargazer always gave me a rough time," Doc Holly Day confessed, "even when I did my classwork perfect, that old grump'd yell at me about my technique! 'Your not holding the telescope the right way' he'd say! No doubt the dear Professor's never been to Charm School!"

"C'mon Doc, he couldn't have been THAT bad," Sheriff Silverstar added.

"Sometimes teachers are a bit stern with their students," added Louise LaMare.

"Sometimes? SOMETIMES!! Stargazer was rough on me ALL THE TIME I was in the Academy!"

"Settle down, sonny," Granny Smith said, "Yur gonna boil over if ya don't calm yurself."

"Ja!" added Apple Strudel. "you look like you could bite an iron bar in half!"

"Sir, please do not be so cross," ThunderClap said calmly, "the past is the past, it cannot harm you now."

Hearing the words of the young buffalo bull caused the red maned unicorn to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Yur plum right, kido. Surry bout that, folks."

Back at the SSCS6k...

"Ready Flim! Let's Bing Bang Zam!" Flam added to his brother's words as his horn began to glow. Parts for a new telescope floated in the air and started to assemble. "You are correct dear brother of mine, a cloudy night could spell disaster for our profits!"

[Boss_Hoss1]

The twins laughed and shook their heads "We are sorry to say he has not improved."

Shanna looked to the Sherrif and Louise "Doc Holly Day has it right, he is stern and apt to take things like a fear of flying out on his students, such as us."

Hoss nodded sadly "If you read what the tabloids say about Prince Blueblood's behavior toward those not in Celestias Court, that's Stargazer's behavior toward anypony he has authority over."

Meanwhile, Flim helped make telescope parts and lens blanks for Flam. "How many telescopes is that so far, Dear Brother Flam? If we run short on material, should we offer a modest discount on ponies who bring metal sheets or tubes or old glass?"

[Mojo]

"Ya got that right, Hoss," Doc Holly Day said with a giggle. "Tell ya what, friends. Why don't we treat our buffalo pals to some ice cream! Whatdoya say?"

"That's a jim dandy idear!" Granny Smith neighed, "How about you, brother?"

"Javol!" the bearded stallion shouted, "I vonder if day have sveet chocolate ice cream flavor!"

"Ice... cream?" ThunderClap asked in confusion.

"Both of you buffalo'll love it, trust us. Y'all go on inside, me and the Doc have a little somethin' we need to do first. I'll buy the first round of ice cream fer the house!"

"Last one in's a rotten egg!" Granny shouted, trying to move as fast as she can but not getting very far as the Sheriff takes the red maned unicorn aside to chat.

"Listen Doc, I think we best keep an eye out on them shady Flim Flam brothers. I gotta feelin' in me bones them two may be up to no good."

"Gotcha Sheriff, let's go," Doc Holly Day said as the two started to sneak around towards where the twin unicorns were working.

"Well brother, I've got three complete so far, but we are starting to run low on materials," Flam said, "I think that's a capital suggestion! Offering discounts like those will help build our public image in this town too!

[Boss_Hoss1]

The twins grinned "Yes! That's a great idea!"

Lightning Horn mooed curiously "Ice Cream? What is this ice cream?"

Shanna smiled and started moving toward Madam Bistros and the ice cream within "Oh you are in for a wonderful surprise, you two!"

Meanwhile, Flim quickly painted and hung an amended sign listing the cost of a telescope and offering a 1/3 off discount for scrap metal and glass.

Immediately, a yellow pony in a bonnet trotted up with a saddlebag full of clear bottles "Will this do?"

Flim grinned with practiced ease "Of course my dear. And before I forget, I must excuse myself a moment to present your dear Granny Smith with her telescope."

With a flourish, he took one of the telescopes the brothers started out with and tap danced over to kneel and present it to Granny Smith "And this is for you my young filly, our Dear Granny Smith. No hard feelings, hm?"

[Mojo]

Granny Smith, who was still a far way from the entrance to Madam Bistro's place, turned around to see Flim presenting the elderly mare with a telescope as Sheriff Silverstar and Doc Holly Day watch from a distance hidden from view.

"Yer jist givin' me one of these here fancy lookin' glasses?" Granny asked. "What's the catch?"

"No catch at all, dear sweet lady," Flam said in a bubbly voice. "Flim and I want to make amends for our past. This wonderful telescope is our gift for you, call it a .. peace offering.. yeah, that's it!"

"Well, since ya put it that way, I thank you fer the gift. Reckon I'll give you two a chance, but ya better not be up to any foolishness or ELSE!" Granny neighed, giving the two brothers the 'eye' before taking the telescope in her mouth and walking slowly towards the hotel's front door.

"Whatdoya think of that, Doc?" Sheriff Silverstar whispered.

"I don't know, Sheriff, I still smell a rat," Doc Holly Day whispered back at the two continue to watch.

"Excellent idea, Flim!" Flam said as he walked back towards him. "Winning Granny Smith over will help our business in this town!"

Meanwhile, inside the Bistro, ThunderClap and Lightning Horn are served their first bowls of ice cream.

"Go ahead you two, dig in!" Louise LaMare urged.

"Ja! You vill love dis!" added Apple Strudel.

"Well, you ponies certainly do know how to make tasty treats," ThunderClap said as he took his first lick. "AMAZING! I've never tasted anything like it! What do you think, Lightning Horn?"

As he spoke, Granny Smith walked inside with the telescope and gently set it down.

"HAY SHANNA, HOSS! COME LOOKIE AT THIS THING!" the gray maned mare called out. "Yur telescopin' ponies, see if this here thing's as good as them Flim Flam brothers say it is!"

[Boss_Hoss1]

Grinning, Flim gave his brother a high hoof! "Yes it surely will my Dear Brother Flam! Now we have some breathing space and a little favorable boost in the eyes of the local gentry." He rubbed his hooves together as he eyed the filly waiting with the glass bottles for trade-in "Now lets get back to making and selling telescopes. Daylight is burning, Flam."

He zipped back over to the filly "I am so sorry for the interruption, just making sure your matriarch got her telescope safe and sound."

The bonnet wearing filly ooohed "She's gonna be so tickled ta see the comet! Thanks mister. Now what can ya do fer me? What do ya have?"

No time pressure yet to mess with cutting corners in production, Flam went ahead and puilled out the first one they made a short while ago "This should do nicely my dear..."

A little more bait for the masses ahead of the inevetable corner cutting...

Meanwhile, Madam Bistro herself dipped the ice cream, amazed and excited to see her first buffalo customers, watching their expressions as they have their first ice cream ever.

Lightning horn went wide eyed at the first taste "Amazing! Its cold, and melting in my mouth, and the taste seems to explode out of it. I agree Thunderclap! We must have the herd try this after the next stampede!"

Watching the buffalo and smiling, the twins turned at Granny Smith's sudden call. they trotted over and began inspecting the telescope. Hoss hmmed "This is a good telescope, repaired by them, but not made by them."

Shanna nodded "This was made in Baltimare several years ago. There's some marks they tried to wipe off from repairs and measuring it as a template."

Hoss bowed "We will be happy to do spot checks on the others to keep these two on the up and up with the other telescopes."

[Mojo]

As Sheriff Silverstar and Doc Holly Day continued to watch from a distance, Flam nodded in approval of his brother's actions.

"Well done, Flim, and well spoken too!" the mustached unicorn neighed. "We have to gain their trust, before our next sales thrust, or otherwise our plot, will surely come to NOT!"

"Them two yokels even sing to each other?" Sheriff Silverstar whispered.

"Quiet Sheriff, don't want to give ourselves away," Doc Holly Day whispered back.

Meanwhile, inside the Bistro, as the two buffalo enjoyed their first ice cream, Granny listened to the Skybright twins as they told her about the telescope she had received.

"Well, so it ain't an original," the elderly mare snorted as she walked around it. "But I wanna know if'n this modern do-hickey works er not. I wanna use it to look up at that thar comet thingy when it gits here!"

"Javol! I vant to know dis also!" added a concerned Apple Strudel.

"I wonder where the Sheriff and Doc Holly Day are?" Louise asked. "It's not like them to miss out on fresh ice cream."

[Boss_Hoss1]

Madam Bistro trotted on over to the tables to see how her new customers were doing, still surprised at how large the buffalo were up close. -Even the half grown bull was larger than her by half. She nodded to the tray of toppings on her back "Would you gentle... er, bulls like to try caramel, apple slices, or nuts on that now that you've tasted plain vanilla?"

Lightning Horn grinned "Oh yes please! All of those! This will be as popular as apple pie!"

The twins laughed happily at seeing the buffalo enjoy themselves then looked back to Granny Smith. "This is a very good telescope as we said." "Yes, you can even count the craters on Luna's Moon with this if you wish." "Watching the comet will be a breeze, Granny Smith and Uncle Strudel."

Madam Bistro sideled over to whisper to Louise "Try not to attract attention to them by going to look, Louise, but I noticed them though the window. They seem to be keeping an eye on those two shifty unicorns..."

Meanwhile Flim was busy alternately calling out his sales pitch to the line of townsponies, or helping flam power the tools churning out parts for telescopes.

With a growing amount of scrap in use, the telescopes started looking a bit rougher. "Still quite useable I assure you. -And made with parts of your lovely town. These are instant unique heirlooms, right?"

[Mojo]

Flam noticed the 'rough' look of the newly created telescopes and quickly thought up a way to resolve the problem.

"Appearance is 90% of the sale, dear brother, so time to use a little magic to spruce them up," the mustached lanky unicorn said as he closed his eyes, his horn glowing. When he was done, the newly created telescopes looked more uniform and attractive. "There we are, brother Flim, what do you think of them?"

"Well Doc, so fer, so good," Sheriff Silverstar whispered from his hiding place.

"I'm not so sure, Sheriff," Doc Holly Day whispered back. "Unless I'm sadly mistaken, Flam's spell looks like a temporary fix. From my experience at the Canterlot Magic Academy, I believe that spell Flam just used will last at most a full day, give or take a few hours. Don't know whether this is deliberate on Flam's part or if his personal magical skills just ain't that good. We'll find out tomorrow when those brothers start sellin'm."

"If'n that thar's the case, I oughta arrest'm right now!"

"Can't do that yet, Sheriff. At this moment, they haven't committed a crime. If they actually SELL fraudulant merchandise, THEN they've broken the law and are subject to arrest."

"Reckon yur right, Doc."

Inside the dining room, ThunderClap mooed excitedly at the prospect of adding toppings to his ice cream.

"You ponyfolk are AMAZING! Yes, please let me have those toppings, Madam Bistro!" the buffalo bull spoke.

"Tain't never seen critters like them so happy to git ice cream!" added Granny Smith as she turned back towards the Skybright Twins. "Good to hear, youngin's! I've seen comets in the sky before, but never had a fancy lookin' glass like this'n to see'm with!"

"Mein sister, I bet you seen dis comet in dee sky dee last time it vas around," Apple Strudel said as he turned to look at the twins, "Vhen vas dee last time dis comet vee are about to see in dee sky around?"

Louise quietly watched the Sheriff and Doctor hiding behind a bush, observing the Flim Flam Brothers.

"I guess this is official police business," the Pegasus mare sighed. "probably a good idea to keep an eye on those shady unicorns."

[Boss_Hoss1]

Flim hmmed and levitated the telescope, examining it closely, from all angles. "Hmm, very shiny my Dear Brother..." He paused as he thought he noticed extra smudges of ponies in the reflection on the side, he turned it so the big lens was before him and he caught a fisheye reflection of two ponies hiding nearby.

"*a-hem!* Oh I really think we can do better Brother Flam. Paint perhaps?"

He nudged his brother in a signal of trouble they had to perfect over the years and whispered "Ont-day Ook-lay, Errif-shay..."

----------

Meanwhle Madam Bistro happily put spoonfuls of toppings on the buffalo's ice cream. "If all you buffalo are so polite, i cant wait to have more of you show up. By the way, Apple pie with ice cream on top is really fantastic. I'm sure your chief will be happy to stop in after the next stampede, right?"

Nearby, Shanna and Hoss gave each other a worried look at Apple Strudel's question, knowing some mares were touchy about the subject of age. Hoss finally elbowed Shanna with his wing. She sighed "Right, safer to come from a fellow mare... you chicken."

Hoss smirked and stuck out his tongue as Shanna answered."This comet was last seen over Equestria 101 year ago, with sepia print photos remaining of that visit. Are there records of that in Ponyville? Mayor Mare told us during Winter Wrap-up that the town is well over a hundred years old...."

[Mojo]

Flam returned a quick wink to Flim, understanding his vocal signal.

"Y'know, dear brother, There's still enough sunlight for us to test our reflective mirrors. Gotta make sure they capture the sun's rays!"

His horn glowing, Flam carefully levitates one of the larger mirrors from his crate of parts and began turning it to catch the sun's rays. With an evil grin on his face, the mustached unicorn quickly turned it so it send a bright flash of light towards the still hidden Sheriff Silverstar and Doc Holly Day. The two stallions instantly cried out in pain, leaping from the bushes as they whined.

"Oh my goodness!" Flam shouted in mock concern, "SO sorry about that, gentlecolts. Didn't realize you two were SPYING on us while we were running our quality control tests! Oh dear!"

"I... can't ... see!" Sheriff Silverstar neighed.

"Neither .. can...I!" added Doc Holly Day, "But this... should be... temporary."

"Serves them right," Flam mumbled to his brother. Looking out the window, Louise LaMare saw what happened, barely avoiding getting flashed with the mirror herself.

"OH NO!" the Pegasus mare shouted. "The Sheriff and Doc have been blinded!"

"ACH UNEEMAL!" Uncle Apple Strudel shouted as he galloped over to the window. "Vhat happened to dem?"

"Those brothers were testing a mirror, and they shined it in their eyes," Louise snorted.

"Betcha them sidewinders did it on purpose!" Granny Smith roared, "Let me at'm! I'll kick'm to the moon!"

"Oh my," ThunderClap said as he turned to Lightning Horn, "We should go help our friends! Did you bring your medicine bag?"

[Boss_Hoss1]

Flim hid his grin with his hat, feigning hiding a horrified gasp "Gadzooks! I am Sooo sorry, my dear sirs. Why, we simply thought that spot was completely clear of bystander ponies."

He made sure to stay out of Louise's reach in case she was not fooled as his tone took on a smug air despite himself. "Oh well, no harm done since you already have a Doctor at hoof and he says its just temporarily. Why dont you just have a seat in that bistro and think happy thoughts as you heal your tired eyes. Aloha, Adieu, Auf weidersen, Sayonara... And in the meantime, we get back to busily making fine Flim Flam telescopes, non pareil!"

Flim gave a quiet, nasty snicker as he went back to selling telescopes to the townsponies.

The twins had rushed to the doors at the screams and zipped out to lend a hoof. Shanna was angrily looking at the twin unicorn stallions. "As representatives of the Princesses in our positions in the Royal Canterlot Observatory, Cloudsdale branch, I insist we double the spot checks we make on your quality. If you refuse, we have the authority to have the local law enforcement shut you down"

She nodded to her brother, who trotted over to an Apple colt who just bought a telescope. "Excuse me sir, may I inspect that for you?"

The stetson wearing colt nodded 'Yes sir." and hoofed it over to Hoss, who looked at it critically and sighted in on the clock tower before hoofing it back "Hmmm, not topnotch, but good enough... we'll see what later telescopes are like."

Shanna smirked at the unicorn brothers daringly.

[Mojo]

"As my brother has said, no harm, no foul," Flam said in a fake sincere tone, "mayhaps this unfortunate accident could have been avoided if two certain ponies weren't so, curious, about our little operation."

"WHY YOU TWO LITTLE..." an enraged Louise LaMare shouted, ready to take flight to attack the unicorn brothers until Sheriff Silverstar raised a front hoof to stop her.

"They ain't worth it, Miss LaMare," The mustached lawpony said with his eyes still closed. "Besides, they're right this time."

"But they blinded you both on purpose!"

"We will recover in time, Miss LaMare," Doc Holly Day interrupted. "No point in makin' a big fuss over nuthin'"

"Stand back, youngin's!" Granny Smith shouted as she slowly made her way towards Flim and Flam, "I'LL be the pony who kicks their surry cabooses!"

"NEIN, MEIN SISTER!" Apple Strudel shouted as he galloped up between her and the SSCS6k to push the furious elderly mare backwards. "Dee Sheriff und Doctor are correct. Please do not get into a scuffle over dis."

"I'ma gonna scuffle THEM TWO NO GOODS!" Granny Smith yelled as Louise rushed over to help restrain her.

"Please ponies," ThunderClap mooed. "No need to quarrel, perhaps Lightning Horn can help the Sheriff and Doctor."

[Boss_Hoss1]

Flim stifles a laugh behind his hat, then holds it like a shield as Louise has to be held back from coming at the duo.he floats up a barrel lid as a real shield.

Just in time too as Granny Smith makes it plain she wants a piece of them too.

He has a momentary shiver, knowing they cant do anything to her even on the sly due to being in an entire TOWN of Apples and the Apples arent' shy about letting things like 'Evidence' get in the way when they know something fishy is going on.

Flim gives her his most charming smile, hat in hoof over his heart. "Now, now, Granny Smith it was just an honest accident, riiiight Flam? We just want to put this silly misunderstanding behind us..."

Lightning Horn gasped as Thunder Clap suggested he help the ponies. "M-m-me? Really?"

He bounced around on his cloven hooves "I've not been asked to help ponies before! Shaman's Apprentice at your service!"

Lightning trotted over to the afflicted ponies and inspected their eyes. "Yes, this should be temporary, but I think i got something to help it go faster in my parfletche..." He hooked the odd, beaded single-saddlebag from his hips with a horn and sat down on the wooden sidewalk.

He pulled out a wooden bowl and dumped a small pouch in it, then some water and shook a tiny vial into it, bringing a blue puff of smoke.

"Needs something else...Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that one!"

He stood up and planted a seed in the street. He chanted in a low voice as he danced around it. The fresh dirt glowed green, and a plant sprouted, growing into a purple blossom.

The young buffalo mooed excitedly "I-I did it! I did it!", then grabbed the flower in his mouth, squeezing it into the bowl.

there was a pink puff of smoke, then he dipped a pair of wash cloths in the bowl "All right you two, tilt your heads back and close your eyes. I'll put these over them and you should be okay in a few minutes."

Flim looked at this in surprise! their schemes to see what they could get the buffalo to part with suddenly looked even more lucrative...

[Mojo]

"Right you are, brother Flim, just an harmless accident, that's all it was, Granny Smith," the mustached unicorn brother said with a big grin.

"Accident eh? I'll give YOU TWO AN ACCIDENT!" Granny Smith shouted, still being held back by Apple Strudel and Louise LaMare.

"Please calm yourself, mein sister," Apple Strudel pleaded.

"Striking them will make matters worse," added Louise as the light brown Pegasus mare found the elderly lime green mare surprisingly strong for one so old.

"Please stop fighting everypony!" ThunderClap mooed. "Lightning Horn will help, watch and see!"

The struggling trio stopped and glanced over at the Sheriff and Doctor, who were doing as the buffalo medicine bull had instructed them, awaiting the application of the mixture to their eyes.

[Boss_Hoss1]

Flim kept the barrel lid between them and the feisty old mare while the twin pegasi hovered nearby, snickering as they realized Granny Smith was the con-ponies weakness in this town.

Shanna took this chance to slip in close to observe the manufacturing process. She took out her flying goggles and put them on.

She flashes a cute, cheesy grin at Flim and Flam, seeing what she could get away with. "Safety first, no flying shavings or such, right? You two big handsome stallions dont mind if a little pegasus mare like myself watches you two work?"

Meanwhile, Lightning horn took the wet cloths and made sure the earth pony and unicorn was ready before laying the cloths over their eyes.

After a moment, the cloths give a soft golden glow "Mmm yes, its working!"

Flam watches all of this in awe, not yet noticing the pegasus mare or hearing her as Bits piled up in his mind.

[Mojo]

Flam backpedalled a bit from the furious Granny Smith still restrained by Apple Strudel and Louise LaMare.

"Now now, Granny Smith, you don't want to make a scene, do you?" the mustached unicorn asked softly.

"I'ma gonna kick the two of ya hooligans into the middle of NEXT WEEK!" the angry elderly mare yelled out while fighting to get free from the two ponies holding her back.

"LOOK EVERYPONY!" ThunderClap mooed as he directed the attention towards Sheriff Silverstar and Doc Holly Day and how the wet cloths they wore over their eyes glowed. The two mustached stallions then removed their cloths and opened their eyes.

"This here's amazin'! I'm cured!" the Sheriff shouted.

"This is truly remarkable!" added Doc Holly Day. "Lightning Horn! How did you do it?"

Seeing the two stallion happy and healed, Granny's anger subsided. Louise rushed over to the Sheriff's side and hugged him, and then hugged Lightning Horn.

"You're a GENIUS! Thank you!" she neighed as Granny gave the unicorn salesponies an icy stare.

"Alright you two yahoos! Everything turned out ok, but if'n y'all pull ANOTHER stunt like that, yur gonna git run outta town on a rail!" the gray maned mare yelled as she turned to walk away.

"Und I vill help dem do it too, svinehoofs!" added Apple Strudel as the bearded stallion turned away and walked with his sister.

"Well brother, that was a close call," Flam said with a sigh of relief before noticing the preoccupied look on Flim's face. "Flim? FLIM! Earth to Flim! Hello!"

[Boss_Hoss1]

Lightning Horn mooed happily as the potion worked.

As he was about to answer Doc Holly Day, he was hugged by Louise. -Easy to do since he was only a head taller than the Chief's daughter for now.

The young buffalo blushed "It was nothing, just the herbal cure for sun dazzle we sometimes catch on the high desert, with Earth magic to get it going. My father is a great teacher."

Flim shook his head to focus as Flam finally got his attention. He pulled his brother close to whisper "Did you see that, brother Flam? The buffalo have valuable medicines that would fetch us a pile of bits back in Canterlot!"

Shanna ahemed to remind them she was there and started poking through the telescope materials laid out for construction...

[Mojo]

"Indeed dear brother of mine, I can see this new convention, and it's right before our eyes, now that you brought it to my attention," Flam sang before noticing Shanna poking around behind them. In a hushed tone, he spoke to Flim, "somepony's getting a little too nosy over here..."

After Louise LaMare released the hug of Lightning Horn, all of the other gathered ponies cheered for the efforts of the young buffalo bull.

"Can't thank ya enough fer this!" Sheriff Silverstar shouted, rearing back on his hind legs in happiness.

"You buffalo have remarkable medicine!" added Louise.

"I do believe we ponies can learn much from you buffalo folk," Doc Holly Day said with a smile.

"And we buffalo have much to learn from you ponies," added ThunderClap, "no buffalo has ever created a treat quite like your ice cream."

"Wait till ya taste my homemade apple tarts, youngin!" Granny Smith neighed.

"Und mein Apple Strudel, ja?" added Uncle Apple Strudel.

[Boss_Hoss1]

Flim turned to the mare who gave then a cheesy grin. He snorted "What nerve! Beat it Sistah! There is not enough room for the three of us back here! We need room to work."

Shanna smirked "Little old me? Oh I'm just doing my part as a duely designated representative of the Royal Canterlot Observatory. Really gentlecolts, you just had a potentially serious accident in your work space. I am just doing a little safety inspection."

Flim facehooved. oh these pegasi were just out to keep them from earning a dishonest Bit. He pointed with a hoof "Would you please conduct your inspection from over there?!"

A smirking Shanna steps on over "All right, i've seen the parts I need to see up close anyway."

Nearby, Lightning Horn blushed at the praise but perked up at the offers of apple treats "Apple tarts? Strudel? I dont know what those are, but they sound Yummy!"

[Mojo]

[colour=#00FF00]"They ARE yummy, youngin!" [/colour]Granny Smith neighed as she walked up to the others. [colour=#00FF00]"I think I brought some with me from home!"[/colour]

[colour=#006400]"Und I brought some of mein fresh strudel vith me also!" [/colour]added Apple Strudel. [colour=#006400]"I tink mein sister und I have plenty for all!"[/colour]

[colour=#8B4513]"This here's gonna be a celebration!" [/colour]Sheriff Silverstar shouted.

[colour=#696969]"I'll second that, Sheriff!" [/colour]added Doc Holly Day.

[colour=#0000FF]"A celebration?" [/colour]ThunderClap asked. [colour=#0000FF]"What is that?"[/colour]

[colour=#FF0000]"Come with us and you'll find out!" [/colour]Louise LaMare giggled as the group headed back for Madam Bistro's.

Meanwhile, Flam could see that Flim's efforts to discourage Shanna were causing friction, so he decided to take a different approach.

[colour=#FF8C00]"My dear young filly," [/colour]the mustached unicorn said with a huge grin, [colour=#FF8C00]"did anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are in the moonlight? Perhaps you'd allow me the honor of taking you out on the town? The night is young and there's... romance in the air!"[/colour]

[Boss_Hoss1]

Lightning Horn mooed excitedly and bounced on his hooves as he followed the ponies inside "Yes, yes, what is a celebration, my new friends! Whatever it is I cant wait to find out!"

Hoss lingered outside, watching as his sister kept up the pressure on the unicorns to stay out of trouble.

He gasped and did a double take as the mustacheoed unicorn suddenly put the moves on his sister! He frowned and stepped back into the shadows so he could hear...

Meanwhile, Shanna went wide eyed at the handsome unicorn's words. Her eyes shining as she hung on every word, suddenly blushing when her wings snapped open at the mention of "Romance". The mare's blush deepened as she smoothed her wings back down.[colour=#008080] "Oh yes, I..I would love to! I think i can find time before we must leave for the Mesa."[/colour]

She suddenly gasped at a thought, then leaned in close to the dapper unicorn, eyelids fluttering [colour=#008080]"Would you like to come to the mesa with us, as my guest?" [/colour]

Hoss and Flim both face-hooved seperately, unbeknownst to each other, then Flim started selling the telescopes as fast as he could, in case they needed to make a hasty retreat.

[colour=#ff8c00]"My Dear Brother Flam, I am sure if you need to entertain your new friend I wont be in a jam. If we run out, I am sure I can make more, and if not I can shout."[/colour]

As he got close with a stack of finished telescopes, he whispered [colour=#ff8c00]"Careful, Flam, she has a brother, surely as defensive of sibs like any other..."[/colour]

[Mojo]

[colour=#FF8C00]"Relax, dear brother, I know exactly what I'm doing," [/colour]Flam whispered back to his brother as he turned to answer Shanna, [colour=#FF8C00]"my dear young filly, I would be honored to accompany you to the Mesa!"[/colour]

Back inside the Bistro, Uncle Apple Strudel and Granny Smith brought out some treats from their packs.

[colour=#00FF00]"I always make sure to have plenty of my own apple tarts with me," [/colour]the elderly mare said, [colour=#00FF00]"never know when yur gonna need'm."[/colour]

[colour=#006400]"Und I have mein strudel as vell!" [/colour]the bearded stallion added, placing many fresh apple strudels on the table next to Granny's tarts.

[colour=#0000FF]"Oh my!" [/colour]a wide eyed ThunderClap mooed. [colour=#0000FF]"You ponyfolk are amazing!"[/colour]

[colour=#8B4513]"This here's turnin' to a party!" [/colour]Sheriff Silverstar neighed, [colour=#8B4513]"but with all respects y'all, I reckon the hero of the day orta go first in line!"[/colour]

[colour=#696969]"I agree!" [/colour]Doc Holly Day added, [colour=#696969]"Please help yurself, Lighting Horn!"[/colour]

[colour=#FF0000]"Please do!" [/colour]urged Louise LaMare. [colour=#FF0000]"We all insist!"[/colour]