*It was early morning in the vast farmlands of Equestria. By the side of a dirt road was a large yellow tent sitting next to Nikola's Automobile. Inside the tent, Lian was still fast asleep in her sleeping bag with her pet red panda Lili sleeping on top of her. Suddenly, a strange high pitched buzzing noise stirred them both from their sleep*

Lili: Hrrm?

Lian: Hmm, what is that? *looks over to see that Nikola's sleeping bag is empty* What are you doing this early?

*Nikola was outside monitoring a device on the ground that seemed to be filled with water. On one side of the device, a small pipe gave out a high pitch whistle. On the other side was a hose that snaked its way onto a large canister. The gage on the canister was reading it was almost full*

Nikola: Just about done here, Einstein. A few more seconds and we'll have enough Hydrogen to make it to the Ibex Empire.

*Einstein, Nikola's guinea pig, simply rolled past him in his plastic ball*

Lian: *steps out of the tent and lets out a giant yawn as she stretches* Nikola. *yawns* What are you doing?

Nikola: Oh, good morning Lian. I was just using my vaporator to collect more hydrogen for my automobile's fuel cells.

Lian: Well, could you do that a little quieter?

Nikola: This is as quiet as it gets. After all, I am separating the molecular bonds of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms found in water molecules so I can use the hydrogen to fuel the automobile.

Lian: Okay. Okay. Let me… Let me just wake up somehow.

Nikola: Very well. I'll just finish up here, break down the campsite, and we can go into town for some breakfast.

Lian: Sounds good. I'm…I'm going… I don't know, splash some water on face maybe.

*Nikola smiles and shook his head at his half asleep friend. As he did so, Einstein bumped into his leg*

*An hour later, Nikola and Lian were driving towards the nearby town. Both Einstein and Lili were in the backseats*

Lian: I don't know how you do it.

Nikola: Do what?

Lian: Sleep for only three hours a night.

Nikola: Well, it was pretty difficult when I first started, but I adjusted to it.

Lian: I don't think I could do it. I need at least eight hours. *pulls out a map* Okay, it says the next town over is Flankersfield. I suppose we could stop there for breakfast. You still eat breakfast, right?

Nikola: Oh, of course. Eggs and wheat toast with apple butter, a favorite of mine.

Lian: Well, you might be in luck with the apple butter. We seem to be passing by an orchard.

*Nikola looked around to see fields of trees full of fresh apples of every variety*

Nikola: Well, how about that. *finally directs his attention forward and sees a large group of ponies and people gathered on the road*

Lian: What's going on up there?

Nikola: Maybe they're having some kind of sale. Let's pull over and see.

*Nikola pulled off to the side of the road and the two exited their vehicle to join the crowd*

Lian: *taps on some man's shoulder* Excuse me, but what is going on here?

Man: *turns to look at Lian* Cider sale, that's what. We're all trying to get some before the farm here runs out! Then we'll have to wait till next week before they make any more!

Lian: *looks to Nikola* Oh Nikola, did you hear that? Cider!

Nikola: Well, not quite the apple butter I was hoping for, but I do love a good cool mug of cider.

Man: You and about everyone else in Flankersfield. They usually run out before  everyone can get any.

Lian: Oh dear.

Nikola: Well maybe we'll get lucky. I'm fine with sharing if it comes down to it.

Lian: Okay, I suppose we could wait.

*Half an hour later, the family selling the cider poured the final cup*

Apple Farmer: That's it! Last cup of the week has been served!

Pony Mare: Oh, for crying out loud!!

Man 2: I've been in line for three hours!

Lian: I guess we're too late…

Nikola: Easy come, easy go I suppose. I guess today wasn't our day.

Lian: Hmm… Maybe we could do something to help them.

Nikola: You think?

Lian: It wouldn't hurt to try.

Nikola: Well, I suppose we could.

Lian: Let's go talk to them.

*Moments later, the two of them were talking to the family that owned the apple orchard in front of their cider stand. The male figure was a tall, middle aged person, with brown, balding hair, and a skinny figure, wearing a green shirt, brown hat, coat, and blue overalls. The female figure was slightly shorter than the male figure, with a slight plump figure and short blonde hair, wearing a green dress and light blue apron*

Apple Farmer: Sorry kids, no more cider till next week.

Nikola: Actually, sir, we were wondering if we could help you somehow.

Apple Farmer: *raises an eyebrow* Huh?

Apple Farmer's Wife: You two must be strangers to these here parts, hmm?

Lian: We were just passing through and thought you could use some help. My name is Lian Hu, and this is my friend; Nikola Thomason.

Apple Farmer: *holds out his hand* Bill Macintosh, owner of Macintosh Fields. This here's my wife, Emily.

Mrs. Macintosh: Howdy.

Lian: *shakes Bill's hand* A pleasure, I'm sure.

Nikola: Excellent. Now if you would allow me a moment of your time, I think I've figured out a method that could easily triple your cider output.

Mrs. Macintosh: Oh, have you tried our cider yet?

Nikola: Not yet, but we have heard wonderful things.

Lian: The only complaint being that you run out before everyone can have some.

Mr. Macintosh: Well, our cider is good, though maybe not as good as the kind made at Sweet Apple Acres. Here. *pulls out a mug from under the stand* I saved a mug for Emily and I. Why don't you two take a sip?

Lian: Thank you very much, Mr. Macintosh. *takes the mug and takes a small sip* Mmmm, so sweet. I love it.

Nikola: Let me try some. *takes a sip from the mug* Ah! Superb! Now I really want to help.

Mr. Macintosh: Hmm… We could use a few more ranch hands around the farm. But how do you plan on helping us with the cider?

Nikola: Give me three hours, access to your tools and machinery, and some apple butter on wheat toast.

Mr. Macintosh: Machinery? Oh no, no, no, no, no. Around here, we make cider the old fashioned way. We have no need for any new fangled contraptions.

Mrs. Macintosh: It's our family's tradition. Heck, we don't even have a tractor, just a horse and plow.

Nikola: Well, now I'm starting to feel that proverbial fish out of water.

Lian: I know you can do it, Nikola. You are the smartest person I know.

Nikola: Okay, okay, let me just… *closes his eyes and moves his finger around in a strange motion until his eyes suddenly shoot open* I'VE GOT IT!!! Lian, start kicking the apples out of the trees!

Mrs. Macintosh: Huh? You want her to applebuck our trees?

Nikola: That's one way of putting it.

Lian: Don't worry, I won't hurt your trees or anything.

Mr. Macintosh: You sure you're strong enough? I mean, we have almost a hundred trees in our orchard.

Nikola: You'd be surprised, sir.

*Lian then walks up to a tree full of ripe red apples. She took a moment to examine the tree trunk and then let loose a power roundhouse kick on the tree. The force of the kick began to make the apples shake and drop from the tree. As the apples fell, Lian began to kick and throw them into a nearby empty bushel*

Nikola: Watching her work is almost like poetry.

Mrs. Macintosh: *eyes widen* Land sakes! All those apples with just one kick!

Mr. Macintosh: *eyes widen* If she continues at this rate… *calculates with his fingers* she'll shorten our work schedule by two days!

Nikola: Allow me to make that four days. With these! *pulls out a strange pair of goggles* I usually only use these to examine fungus or small insects, but they will work for quality control for the apples.

Mr. Macintosh: Do what you want, but it's still gonna take five days to actually MAKE the cider.

Mrs. Macintosh: That's why it usually takes a week for more to be made. Two days to pick the apples and five days to chop, mash, liquidate, boil, stir, and add ingredients.

Nikola: Well this is a wrinkle alright. I'll do what I can, but my gift is with inventing more than anything else.

*Suddenly, there was a strange whirring, clunking and whistling sound that came from down the road*

Mrs. Macintosh: *raises an eyebrow* What's that sound?

*Down the road, a large machine cam barreling down. It bared a great deal of resemblance to Nikola's automobile, except it was a great deal larger, wielded a cowcatcher with a podium on the front, and carried a giant machine in the back. In the passenger section of the vehicle were two unicorn stallions. The two bared a great resemblance to each other. Both were tall, slender, and the were the same yellowish color with red and white monochrome hair. The only noticeable difference was that one of them had a mustache. They both also wore the same blue and white vests and straw showmen hats. These were Flim and Flam, the Flim Flam brothers. Almost every man, woman, child, and pony in town approached the two pony brothers and their strange machine, along with the Macintosh's, Lian and Nikola*

Mr. Macintosh: *raises an eyebrow* What in Sam Hill?

Flim: *singing* Well, lookie what we got here, brother of mine, it's the same in every town
People with thirsty throats, dry tongues, and not a drop of cider to be found
Maybe they're not aware that there's really no need for this teary despair

Flam: *singing* That the key that they need to solve this sad cider shortage you and I will share

Flim & Flam: *singing* Well you've got opportunity
In this very community

Flam: *singing* He's Flim

Flim: *singing* He's Flam

Flim & Flam: *singing* We're the world famous Flim Flam brothers
Traveling salesponies nonpareil

Mrs. Macintosh: Non-pa what?

Flim: *singing* Nonpareil, and that's exactly the reason why, you see
No pony else in this whole place will give you such a chance to be where you need to be
And that's a new world, with tons of cider
Fresh squeezed and ready for drinking

Flam: *singing* More cider than you can drink in all your days of thinking.

Flim & Flam: *singing* So take this opportunity
In this very community

Flam: *singing* He's Flim

Flim: *singing* He's Flam

Flim & Flam: *singing* We're the world famous Flim Flam brothers
Traveling salesponies nonpareil

Flim: *singing* I suppose by now you're wondering 'bout our peculiar mode of transport

Flam: *singing* I say, our mode of locomotion

Flim: *singing* And I suppose by now you're wondering, where is this promised cider?

Flam: *singing* Any horse can make a claim and any pony can do the same

Flim: *singing* But my brother and I have something most unique and superb
Unseen at any time in this big new world

Flim & Flam: *singing* And that's opportunity

Flim: *singing* Folks, it's the one and only, the biggest and the best

Flam: *singing* The unbelievable

Flim: *singing* Unimpeachable

Flam: *singing* Indispensable

Flim: *singing* I can't believe-able

Flim and Flam: *singing* Flim Flam brothers' Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000

Lian: Well, this is certainly entertaining.

Nikola: *puts a finger to his chin* That thing looks way too familiar.

Crowd: *singing* Oh, we got opportunity
In this very community
Please Flim, please Flam, help us out of this jam
With your Flim Flam brothers' Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000

Flim: *approaches Mr. Macintosh* Good sir, I would be ever so honored if you might see fit to let my brother and I borrow some of your delicious, and might I add spell-bindingly fragrant apples for our little demonstration here?

Mr. Macintosh: What? Well, I suppose if it's just a demonstration.

Crowd: *singing* Opportunity, in our community

Flam: *charges his horn* Ready Flim?

Flim: *charges his horn* Ready Flam?

Flim & Flam: *singing* Let's bing-bang zam!

*Suddenly, Flim and Flam shot out beams of green magical energy from their horns, causing their machine to go into production*

Flim: And show these thirsty people a world of delectable cider!

Crowd: *chanting* Cider, cider, cider, cider…

Lian: What are they doing? *looks over to see Nikola isn't standing next to her anymore* Nikola?

*Nikola was instead standing over by the Flim Flam brother's machine, taking a closer look at it*

Flim: Watch closely, my friends!

Flam: *singing* The fun begins!

*Just then, a large vacuum-like device that was attached to the machine stretched out toward the apple orchard, sucked up all the apples from one of the trees and into the main chamber*

Flim: Now, here's where the magic happens, right here in this heaving roiling cider press boiling guts of the very machine, those apples plucked fresh are right now as we speak being turned into grade-A top-notch five-star blow-your-horseshoes-off one-of-a-kind cider!

Flam: *singing* Feel free to take a sneak peek!

*Meanwhile, Nikola kept examining closely until he made a discovery that made his eyes widen. He then signaled Lian to come over to show her what he found*

Lian: Nikola, what is it?

Nikola: Does this look familiar? *points at a logo on the side of the machine, a capitol letter T inside a cog wheel*

Lian: I remember seeing that all around my house. I remember your father but those everywhere when my father hired him to engineer the building.

Nikola: My father put this logo on everything he built.

Lian: Then that means…

Nikola: This…cider machine… It's really… STOP EVERYTHING!!!

Flim: Huh? *uses the magic from his horn to turn off the machine* What the? *turns around to see Nikola and then turns back to the crowd* Hold up, folks. It seems as though this young man has some kind of issue.

Flam: Now what seems to be the problem, my good man?

Nikola: Where did you find this machine?

Flim: Find? Oh, good sir, we didn't find this machine, we built it!

Flam: Indeed, we did.

Nikola: Then why is my father's brand logo on the side?

Flim: *raises an eyebrow* Your father?

Nikola: Yes, Emmet Thomason, a great inventor and my beloved father. He built this machine for some reason and you STOLE IT!!!

Mr. Macintosh: What?!

Lian: Nikola, calm down.

Nikola: I can't! Not when these two are…are…! *takes a deep breath* 3.14159 26535…

Flim: Well, that certainly was strange, wasn't it brother?

Flam: It sure was, brother. I never knew old Emmet had a son.

Flim: Yes, the old fool was just full of surprises, now wasn't he?

Mr. Macintosh: Alright, you two, I think you've caused enough commotion here today, so I'm gonna have to ask you to return my apples and get your…toy off my property.

Man 2: Are you nuts, Macintosh?!

Woman 1: These two ponies are promising us some real cider.

Pony Stallion 1: And we don't have to wait a whole week for it!

Pegasus Mare 1: I can't wait another week for you two to make more at your snail's pace.

Crowd: CIDER!!! CIDER!!! CIDER!!!

Flim: Well, it seems the crowd has spoken.

Flam: Of course, we could work out a deal.

Mr. Macintosh: Deal?

Mrs. Macintosh: What kind of deal?

Flim: Go into business together. You supply the apples and we supply the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000.

Flam: Then we split the profits 75/25, and we'll even throw in the magic to power the machine for free!

Flim & Flam: *smile* What do ya say?

*Mr. Macintosh said nothing as he walked up to Flim, taking the brim of his hat in his hands, and shoving it downwards, causing the pony's head to break through the top with the brim hanging off his neck. He then walked up to Flam, removed his hat, crumbed it in his hands, and then sprinkled the remains all over his head. He then returned to his wife's side*

Flim: I see that our generous offer didn't strike his fancy.

Flam: I'll say, that was my favorite hat!

Mrs. Macintosh: We won't deal with no good scammers like you two.

Lian: Especially if you two stole from Nikola's dad.

Flam: Well, maybe we did and maybe we didn't. You have no proof.

Flim: And since you refused our offer to be partners, then I guess we'll just have to be competitors.

Mr. Macintosh: Competitors?

Flam: With our machine, we'll provide Flankersfield with all the cider they can drink.

Flim: Once we drive Macintosh Fields out of business! *smiles wickedly*

Mrs. Macintosh: You wouldn't dare.

Flam: Watch us. *walks off with Flim back to the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000*

Lian: Don't worry, Mr. and Mrs. Macintosh, as soon as I snap Nikola back to reality, we'll stop them.

Flam: *whispers to Flim* I sure hope this is a good idea, Flim. Remember what happened in Ponyville…

Flim: Oh, I remember alright. It will be fine though. It'll be just the four of them against our device. Even if one of them is Emmet's boy, I'm sure he's already preoccupied with his own problems.

Flam: Good. Now let's go see about getting ourselves some new hats.

*A while later, Mr. and Mrs. Macintosh were back at their farm house. Nikola was pacing back and forth and muttering to himself while Lian talked to the couple*

Mr. Macintosh: Your friend seems to be doing better. He isn't just spouting out random numbers anymore.

Lian: He only does that when he gets upset.

Mr. Macintosh: Ah.

Mrs. Macintosh: So now what are going to do now? Those two will run our farm into the ground.

Mr. Macintosh: Now you say that Nikola's old man made that infernal machine?

Lian: It would seem so, I saw the brand logo and everything. The thing I don't understand is why build a cider making machine? Dr. Thomason had so many big picture ideas.

Nikola: Because he didn't!

Lian: What?

Nikola: My father never built a machine that makes cider. They must of not only stolen it, but modified it as well.

Mr. Macintosh: So what are we going to do about it?

Nikola: Well first, we should figure out what machine it is they stole, and there is only one way to do that. I have to find the pudding box.

Mrs. Macintosh: You're thinking about pudding at a time like this?!

Nikola: Not actual pudding. You've heard the phrase 'the proof is in the pudding'? Well, my father made it a habit to hide proof of his creations in his devices in case they were stolen. He hides them in special, indestructible lock boxes that he hides in compartments in the machines themselves. They contain all the physical evidence needed to prove that they are of his work.

Mr. Macintosh: Hmm… Smart thinking.

Nikola: The real trick is finding the compartment without those two knowing.

Mrs. Macintosh: Well, they have to sleep sometime…

Lian: And our resident night owl has both the drive and the know how to find it.

Nikola: Another benefit of only sleeping three hours a night.

Mrs. Macintosh: Yikes!

*Later that night, after everyone was asleep, Nikola was wide awake, sneaking around with his goggles on night vision mode*

Nikola: So glad I added these light enhancing features.

*Nikola spotted Flim and Flam sleeping on their plush coach. As they slept, Nikola snuck around to their cider machine. After a quick look-over, he found a small door on the side. He pushed on the door and it swung open. Inside, was a shoebox sized black box. Nikola took out the box and looked over it. It had the same logo as the machine*

Nikola: Nice work, dad. *sneaks off with the box*

*Moments later, Nikola was in Mr. Macintosh's study with the box wide open*

Nikola: It's all here, my father's notes, photos of him working on the device, even the blue prints. *takes a closer look at the blue prints* Oh no!

*The next morning, Nikola was in the living room with the blue prints over the window and a poster of the periodic table next to the fire place. Lian came downstairs, stretching and yawning. With her was Mr. and Mrs. Macintosh as well*

Lian: Good morning, Nikola.

Nikola: Oh, I wish it were…

Mr. Macintosh: What's the matter, boy?

Nikola: Well, I found the pudding box like I promised, but I made a terrifying discovery. I was right, they modified an invention of my father's and they couldn't have picked a worse device.

Mrs. Macintosh: Worse how?

Nikola: Their "Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000" is in reality my dad's molecular separator.

Mrs. Macintosh: A…what?

Nikola: Allow me to explain. Everything in the universe is made up of atoms and molecules. Now, by definition, a molecule is a group of atoms that join together to form a new element. Like when an oxygen atom joins with two hydrogen atoms to make a water molecule.

Lian: I remember you telling me this before.

Nikola: Right, well, my dad made a machine that breaks the bonds in molecules and separates the base elements the molecules are made of.

Mr. Macintosh: So you say those two made it so that this machine makes cider instead.

Nikola: Yes, but there is one major flaw. The separated atoms were unstable and if not safely contained, would cause the machine to go critical.

Lian: Wait, are you saying that it could explode?!

Nikola: Yes. Violently, I might add.

Mr. Macintosh: How big of an explosion are we talking about?

Nikola: Let me put it to you this way. If it goes off, you're farm and everything within the next half mile may no longer be here.

Mrs. Macintosh: *eyes widen in fear* Oh, dear sweet Celestia…

Nikola: Now then, the Flim Flam brothers' modifications on it seem to keep it stable for the most part, but I have no idea how much longer it will last. Our only hope is if I can safely dismantle the machine before anything can happen.

Lian: *looks out the window* I think that might be a problem.

*Just outside was a giant crowd of humans and ponies gathered around the Flim Flam brothers and the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000*

Flim: IS EVERYONE READY?!?

Crowd: YEAH!!!

Flim: START UP THE MACHINE, DEAR BROTHER!!!

Flam: YOU GOT IT, BROTHER!!!

*Flam then pulled a lever using the magic from his horn, which activated the machine. They then used the vacuum tube to suck up an entire tree full of apples*

Nikola: Oh no, we're too late.

Mrs. Macintosh: We've got to stop them!!

*The Macintoshes, Nikola and Lian bolted out of the house and ran towards the crowd. They all soon found it difficult to navigate their way through the excited mob*

Nikola: There is no way we'll get through that crowd to stop them. *looks to Lian* Lian, can you do anything?

Lian: Can't get any leverage. I also don't want to hurt anyone.

Mr. Macintosh: *pulls out a shotgun* Maybe I can alert them by shooting my shotgun into the air. *cocks the gun*

Mrs. Macintosh: You put that thing away!

*The first barrel of cider dropped off the machine*

Flim: Well folks, there you have it, one barrel of delicious cider in record time.

Man 1: We need more!!

Pony Stallion: More cider!!

*The rest of the crowd began going into a frenzy*

Flam: What do you say, brother?

Flim: I say, let's increase production, brother!

*The two started switching and fiddling with some of the dials and the machine began to pick up speed. As the crowd started chanting for more, the brothers frantically started messing with the machine's settings and increased its' production speed. Soon, the machine began to smoke as red lights and sirens start going off*

Man 1: Hey, what's going on that machine of yours?

Flim: *eyes widen* I-I don't know. We've never tripled the production speed before.

Flam: Tripled it?! We've QUADRUPLED it!!

Nikola: *eyes widen* Oh no, it just went critical!

Mr. Macintosh: We gotta get out there and warn everyone!!

Nikola: Lian, I know you don't want to hurt anyone, bu-

Lian: Desperate times, I know! *starts pushing and shoving humans and ponies alike to make a clear path*

Mrs. Macintosh: Follow Lian!!

*The Macintoshes and Nikola followed Lian as she asserted herself through the crowd until they were all upon the panicking brothers*

Nikola: Okay, listen you two! Stop what you're doing right now or you'll leave the surrounding area a smoking creator!

Flim & Flam: *eyes widen* HUH?!?

Crowd: WHAT?!?!

Man 2: Crater?

Woman 2: You mean that machine of theirs is gonna-?!

Nikola: Yes, it's gonna explode and wipe out the entire town unless we do something to stop it!

Unicorn Mare: *pause* WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!

Nikola: Mr. and Mrs. Macintosh, please do your best to keep the crowd calm. We don't need a panic making things worse.

Unicorn Mare: WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!

Mrs. Macintosh: *grabs the unicorn mare by the mane* No, we are not going to die!! Let's just all stay calm now, okay?

Unicorn Mare: *nods slowly* O-Okay…

Nikola: *looks back at Flim and Flam* Alright, you two, now listen to me carefully… I'm going to need your help if we're going to come out of this okay.

Flim: W-What do you want us to do?

Nikola: You and your brother use your magic to stabilize the reaction going on inside the machine. You'll both need to be constantly focusing your combined magic on it for this to work. One second away, and the machine will go off anyway.

Flim: *looks to Flam* W-What do you think, brother?

Flam: Well, if he really IS Emmett's boy, then he knows what he's talking about.

*The two nodded in agreement and started using their magic to keep the machine stable*

Nikola: Alright, good. Now Lian, I need you to take apart their automobile and bend the pieces into a series of shapes as instructed on some plans I'll be getting out of my trunk along with my tools.

Flam: What?!

Flim: You can't do that to our machine!!

Nikola: Let me ask you something, would you rather hold off on that thing from exploding or sacrifice your automobile and save yourselves from a fiery death?

Flim & Flam: *look at each other, then back at Nikola* We'll take the latter!

Nikola: That's what I thought. Lian!

Lian: On it! *tears off the hood*

*Hours later, Nikola was hard at work on a large, oval shaped device that surrounded the machine. Lian tore off the last piece of the chasse and then bent it into a cone-like shape. The Flim Flam brothers however, were quite winded from having to constantly focus their magic for hours on end nonstop. Knowing that if they did stop, it could be disastrous*

Flam: *panting* I'm…so…tired.

Flim: *panting* Just…a little…longer…brother.

Lian: *holds up the cone* Here's the last piece.

Nikola: Excellent work on the nose cone.

Lian: So what exactly are you building here?

Nikola: Isn't it obvious? It's a rocket.

Lian: A rocket?! You're going to blast that thing out of here?

Nikola: It's the only way at this point. The plan is sent it someplace where it can explode safely.

Mr. Macintosh: *raises an eyebrow* Uh… What's a rocket?

Nikola: Basically, it's a device that will shoot up into the sky, break away our planet's gravity, through the atmosphere, and hopefully into orbit.

Lian: Think of it as a big firecracker.

Mrs. Macintosh: Well… If it works…

Nikola: It will work, we just need fuel.

*Nikola ran off to his automobile and pulled out a bunch of his hydrogen canisters. He then began sticking them into slots on the sides of the rocket with hoses that lead into the main thruster*

Nikola: CLEAR THE AREA FOR TAKE OFF!!!

*Everyone ran off in different directions, including the Flim Flam brothers, who finally broke away from their task. Nikola then twisted some knobs on the rocket and ran off. The hydrogen gas from the canisters started to pour into the main thruster and sparked. The rocket then began to take off into the air, taking the volatile machine with it. Slowly at first, but it then started to pick up speed until it was almost completely out of sight*

Lian: So is that it? Is it over?

Nikola: Well, let's see… At the rate of acceleration… Gravitational force… I estimate the rocket will reach lower spatial orbit in thirty seconds and will be at maximum safety distance.

Flim: Did you hear that, brother? It worked! Our rocket worked!

Flam: I knew it would work all along, brother!

Lian: Your rocket nothing! It was Nikola whose plan saved the day.

Nikola: It was your tampering of my father's machine that put us all in danger.

Flim: *sweating* Uh, well… *chuckles nervously* You see…

Flam: *sweating* We just… Uh…

Nikola: Now I remember… My dad told me that he had a pair of handy ponies to help him out around the lab. He said they spoke like a pair of carnival barkers and tried on more than one occasion to steal his work.

*The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves as Flim and Flam began to look even more worried*

Nikola: You two must've stolen my dad's prototype, left without a trace, and modified it so you can do your cider business. Living up to your names as a pair of lying, cheating, con artists who just want a quick buck with any regard to who it affects.

Lian: *looks to the crowd* Seriously, none of you knew what the word "flimflam" meant?

Nikola: It's a synonym to deception, swindle, and cheat. They're cheating thieves who want nothing more than to scam you out of your hard earned money.

Mr. Macintosh: Not only that, but it almost cost us our whole town!

Mrs. Macintosh: All that just because you all refused to be patient and wait a week for our farm to make more cider.

Man 3: *pause* They're right!

Woman 3: Yeah! Those two pony brothers nearly destroyed us all with that infernal machine of theirs!

Pegasus Stallion: But it was because of our greed and impatience that they almost did.

Man 2: Yeah… We have only ourselves to blame… But I'd like to take my anger out on them!! *points at Flim and Flam*

Flim: *leans in to whisper to Flam* Brother, I think we should take our leave.

Flam: *whispers to Flam* How? We have no machine, remember?!

Man 1: I say we tar and feather the both of them, and then run 'em out of town!!

Flim: We still have a set of hooves. Run!

Man 3: Get 'em!!

*The Flim Flam brothers did their best to escape as the angry mob began to chase them. The problem being that they were so used to riding and not so much running*

Lian: Mom always said that karma was a very cruel thing.

Nikola: I have to agree with her on that. But it's not undeserving.

Mr. Macintosh: Nikola, Lian… Not only did you two save our farm and our business, but all of Flankersfield as well. And for that, we are forever grateful.

Mrs. Macintosh: How can we ever thank you?

Nikola: Well, maybe a barrel of cider for the road. When you have some ready of course.

Lian: And we will help you in any way we can.

Mr. Macintosh: *smiles* We'd like that, very much.

*Later that evening, as the sun was going down, Nikola and Lian were moving a large crop of freshly picked apples into the barn along with Mr. Macintosh*

Nikola: This is amazing! I can't believe we were able to harvest the entire orchard in one day.

Lian: I can't believe I finally got a chance to try out 'Leap of the Flying Monkey' to knock out all those apples from the trees.

Mr. Macintosh: Well, however it was done, I'm pleased with the results. With this crop, the entire town with get its' cider and drink it too.

Nikola: Glad to be of service, sir.

Mrs. Macintosh: *steps out of the front to call out to the others* SAY NIKOLA! THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR DADDY'S BLUEPRINTS!

Nikola: *calls to Mrs. Macintosh* WHAT ABOUT THEM?

Mrs. Macintosh: COME IN HERE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!

*Everyone walked inside to see what Mrs. Macintosh was talking about. The light shining in from the window did reveal some strange markings on the blue prints*

Mrs. Macintosh: I can't make heads or tails of this chicken scratch.

Lian: It is strange… Those weren't on that this morning.

Nikola: It's a light sensitive watermark on the other side of the blue prints. *grabs the plans and flips them around* Why, I don't believe it… Can it really be…?

Mr. Macintosh: What is it, Nikola?

Nikola: This whole thing is in Lemurian.

Lian: Lemurian? As in that Lemuria place you were telling me about?

Nikola: Yes! Dad found a clue to Lemuria and hid it inside one of his inventions. This is fantastic!

Mrs. Macintosh: So… Now what?

Lian: Nikola told me Lemuria is some kind of lost civilization with highly advanced sciences and technology. It would seem his father found a clue to finding it.

Nikola: I can make out some of it as well. Let's see… Peaks between east and west… Three faced guardian deity… Tribe of man-eaters…

Mr. Macintosh: *raises an eyebrow* Sounds really dangerous, kid.

Nikola: I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. In the meantime… *smiles* I just want to enjoy this.