This one more time? Please?
Alright, but this is the last one.
Who done that?!
Sure wish you'd come swim with us, granny.
Sorry, dear, I just can't bring myself anywhere near that swimming hole.
How come?
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 storeys into the deep dish pie pan takes a toll on the hindquarters.
Oh, I was so sore it took years before I could even look at the water again.
Just the idea of swimming makes my whole body ache.
Besides, this old legs can't even paddle fast enough to stay afloat.
Boy, I sure would hate to be afraid of swimming.
Do you think I'll ever be scared of the water?
Nope.
Wow, granny, I can't believe you were a high diver.
The best one in Ponyville.
Do you think I could be a high diver?
Nope.
Absolutely not.
But...
Now you hold your horsefeathers, little seed.
I never said being a highdiver was a smart decision.
It's incredibly dangerous!
I know, but...
But nothing!
It is riskiest, scariest, darn-fooled thing I ever did do!
It is not to say I don't wish I was still young and spry and confident, but…
Let's leave the flying through air to the pegasi!
Wow. When you put it that way, it doesn't sound so fun.
I wonder where everypony is headed.
Now where in Ponyville do you two think you're going?
Quit being such a worryworm and follow your ears.
Come on, Applejack. Aren't you curious?
Thank you, one and all, for your attendance,
and we guarantee that your time here will not be spent in vain!
In fact, we think it will prove to be the most valuable time you've ever spent!
The Flim Flam brothers!
This should be interestin'.
Eeyup.
Welcome one and all to the demonstration of the lifetime.
A demonstration of a better life!
A demonstration of a better time!
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?
It's the curcumstance perceptible by the senses, but in this case, it's the simple fact, that:
There's ailments all around us in everything we touch and see
A sickness that lies waiting there in every breath you breathe
Disease will up and grab you as it crawls from land and sea
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.
But twisted hooves and aching joints don't heal all that quick.
Consider just how dangerous this world is! You might...
Slip and fall, break or sprain something here tonight
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.
Impractical.
Improbable.
Impossible.
And magical!
So we welcome every suffering pony
to make their way up to the stage.
Now don't crowd.
And we'll prove our tonic's effectiveness
before your very eyes.
You there!
Come up here, good sir.
I'll wager you're tired of those crutches, my friend.
Try taking a sip of this!
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.
Now how do ya like that?
I don't.
There's something funny about this whole thing.
Now some of you may suffer from feelings of despair.
You're old, you're tired, your legs won't work, there's grain 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!
Luckily for us, you've got the thing we need.
The answers to our problems in a jar.
The Flim Flam Miracle Curative Tonic
Is the greatest ever miracle by far!
It cures the reins, the spurs, and the Clydesdale fur blight.
Hooferia and horsentery cured in just a night.
You've got swollen hooves and hindquarters or terrible bridle-bit cleft.
Saunter sitz and gallop plop won't 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!
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!
Congratulations, Granny Smith.
You just made a purchase of a lifetime.
Are you as worried as I am?
Eeyup.
I just can't believe all the things that Flim Flam Tonic can do!
When somepony says something's too good to be true...
it usually is.
You mean Granny wasted her money?
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.
Howdy!
Granny!
Hang on now!
We'll get you!
Granny! I thought you were too afraid of water to swim!
And, and what about your hip?
Well, I reckon it might've been a problem
before I had myself a dose of that there Flim Flam Tonic.
I'm not so sure that tonic really does anything.
Does it do anything?!
What'd you call this?
I'm glad you're feeling good,
but how do you know it's from the tonic?
I looked out at the water this morning
and I felt the same terrifying aches and pains I always do.
But one sip of that magic elixir,
and it all went way!
Why, I might even get a head start on my chores!
What do you say, Big Mack-a-doo?
Up for a little afternoon applebucking?
Eh... Nope.
Oh, quit your bellyaching!
Gee! It looks like that tonic works after all!
I wonder what's in it?
I think maybe it's time we found out.
So you're just gonna walk up and ask them how it works?
I guess.
Though if it's a genuine cure,
I don't suppose they'll be too keen on sharing the recipe.
...jump out of the door!
Wait a second!
That's that same pony from before!
Hey!
Now hold it right there,
Mister...?
Shill.
Silver Shill.
What do you two want?
Our granny took some tonic and we wanna know how it works.
Granny couldn't swim before and now she can.
Just like you couldn't walk and now you can.
But… What are you doing back here?
I mean, if the tonic cured you and all…
Because he is part of the act!
It's time for you to tell the truth.
You never needed crutches at all, did you?
I…
Well, if it isn't our most favorite Apple?
What brings you back to our humble abode?
You two charlatans sold my granny a bottle of tonic and now she's all acting like a filly again!
What so bad about that?
If she keeps gallivating around like a yearling, she is likely to drop from exhaustion or worse!
What's more,
I know for a fact that your friend here is dressing up as a different pony every night so he can pretend to be cured!
Oh, well, well, well. Thats quite an accusation.
But let say that it's truth.
Hypothetically.
Theoretically.
As I understand your granny was a famous aquapony,
the star of the show once upon a time,
but haven't set so as much as hoof in the water since?
Until today. That's right.
Well, then even if our tonic were a nothing more than a mixture of apple juice and beet leaves
Hypothetically.
Theoretically.
The fact is your Granny is happier now han before she tried it.
I guess…
So, the question is…
Do you really want to be the pony who takes all that happiness away?
I…
There you are. I've been looking all over.
Did you find out what's in the tonic?
Honestly, Applebloom…
as long as it works, I… don't suppose it really matters.
Well… If it doesn't matter to you, then it doesn't matter to me either, sis.
That's the spirit!
Come back any time!
Hey, granny! Think you can buck over the water?
I don't see why not. Come on, Big Mac! Toss her this way!
Granny, wait!
What were you saying, dear?
Granny, don't you think you should take it kinda easy?
I've been taking it easy for too long!
And now thanks to that Flim Flam Tonic I don't have to!
Granny, do you think I could be an aquapony like you?
Of course you can, sapling.
There is nothing to it but to do it.
Well, the Ponyville swim meet is coming up. We can enter together!
A legendary waterpony like you, we'd be a cinch to win!.
Me…
I don't know.
Being back in the water is one thing, but the competition is a pony of a different color.
Oh, okay.
I don't know, Granny. A swim meet sounds pretty safe.
And after all, if that tonic let you in swim in the river and a swimming hole, a pool should be no problem at all.
Well, I'll be a tart-turnover, you are right!
All we need now is more tonic!
Welcome, friend and step right of the next show starts in five minutes!
But why not buy your tonic now and avoid the rush?
Right this way, good sir!
We'll take the whole case!
Are you saying this stuff actually works?
It… seems to work for Granny.
You heard it here first, folks!
Flim-Flam miracle curative tonic is Granny Smith tested and Applejack approved!
If Applejack says it works, that's good enough for me!
Just remember you two.
The most important thing is to be safe. And have fun, right.
Fiddlesticks!
With the routine we've been working out I'll be a plum pudding if we don't win this this thing!
Good luck then!
Luck?
Who need luck? We got tonic on our side!
Flim-Flam's Magical Curative Tonic!
Get your Applejack approved tonic!
Granny Smith drinks it. Why shouldn't you?
Right…
Now if'n you will excuse us, we got swimming to do!
Well, I'll be…
That was some of the most amazing aquabatics I've ever seen.
How in Equestria did you do it? Hard work? Lots of practice?
Yeah… Although mostly it's the tonic!
That's Flim-Flam's Miracle Cure Tonic, to be precise!
Buy it now, while supplies last!
What are you doing here?
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.
This is more of a… uniform.
If you say so.
I used to wonder if I was doing the right thing,
you know, pretending to be cured, basically lying to the folks about this tonic.
But, thanks to you, I realised that sometimes honesty isn't the best policy.
Thanks to… me?
With Flim-Flam's Magical Curative Tonic my granny can do anything!
Just ask Applejack.
No!
This has got to stop!
If ponies keep believing this tonic can do thing it can't,
who knows what'll happen?
Maybe something like that?
Granny!
What in blazes does she think she's doing?!
Granny's gonna break the Equestria's high-diving record!
Landsakes!
Now, what in tarnation did you do that for?!
That was the most fool-pony thing I've ever seen anypony do in all my life!
You can't do a dive like that!
Oh, quit your fussing,
I had enough tonic to do a dive ten times as high!
Twenty times, by my account!
Thirty, with a favorable breeze!
I hate to disappoint everypony, but there's no way Granny could've made that dive.
Because this tonic…
is a fake!
But you gave it your stamp of approval!
Are you saying you've lied?
I. Am.
I didn't mean to, but everypony seemed so much happier!
I couldn't bring myself to tell you when I found the tonic wasn't real.
I know that was wrong.
I just hope with time I can win back everypony's trust.
But, if the tonic is a fake,
then how can Granny can swim again and what about all aquabatic stuff we just did?
I reckon, sometimes you can forget what you're capable of,
and it just takes a little extra confidence to remeber that it was inside of you all along.
But telling ponies your tonic can do things it can't is just wrong!
But you just said it boosts confidence!
And that's not all that it does, folks!
Yes, it is!
In fact, it's not a tonic at all!
I know, 'cause I helped make it!
Watching Applejack save Granny and then admitt to lying, well…
That made me realise I was making ponies believe in a thing that just wasn't so!
Believing in something can help you do amazing things.
But if that belief is based on a lie,
eventually it's gonna lead to a real trouble.
Thank you, Applejack.
I've 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 how you helped me finally see the truth.
I don't know…
Oh, don't worry,
I've tracked down the pony I sold that worthless tonic to, and gave him another bit to replace this one.
Honest.
I'm sorry, Granny.
I hope this doesn't mean you'll stop swimming.
Why in tarnation would I do that?!
I just can't believe those two salesponies had me believing I could near fly!
Hey, where did they go?!
Being honest sure gets hard when it seems like the truth might hurt somepony you care about.
But I think, believing a lie can end up hurting even more.
Maybe someponies don't care about that,
but I sure ain't one of them.
Now you take it easy there, Granny!
Оh, I plan to!
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