A battle was about to commence within Hope Hollow's arcade area, with a pair of vengeful brothers who were completely bent on settling some unfinished business with a certain somepony who took their most prized possession, many years ago. The FlimFlamtimus Prime ended up scaring away most of the arcade's guests, much to Flim and Flam's delight, as they knew full well that Celestia wasn't around to intervene this time. Better yet, by the time the former princess would even know of her daughter's predicament, they were most likely going to be long gone, imagining the Señor G. Echo plush as their meal ticket to afford every necessity, allowing them to be set for life. It was only a matter of defeating this pesky Sunset Shimmer once and for all, and the brothers had heavy machinery on their side as a huge advantage.

"You think you're so clever, don't you, Sunset Shimmer?" Flam announced, as the robot's legs began to move towards her, looking like it was going to crush her at any given moment. "But let's see how clever you are when you're face to face with the might of the FlimFlamtimus Prime!"

"And don't even think of trying to call your mommy Celestia for help!" Flim added. "We're settling this one way or another, but your Señor G. Echo toy holds the very key to our retirements! When we take that thing to an auction and get our hooves on millions, you'll be sure that we'll end up having the last laugh in this so-called arcade saga!"

"Alright, time out." Sunset said, as she moved out of the way to avoid getting crushed. "Before you decide to end me like the psychopaths you are, can I just say one thing?"

"Fine, it'll be nice for us to at least enjoy this moment while it lasts." Flam grunted. "What are your last words before we crush you into dust, hmm?"

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere, I assure you on that." Sunset's eyes narrowed. "But I do have a proposal for you two, since you both seem pretty quick in resorting to such extreme measures. I know you're not foolish enough to think you can just get away with this, not in a town like Hope Hollow."

"Sunset's got a point there!" Babs nodded. "Ponies from all over Equestria have been visiting Hope Hollow, including Manehattan!"

"It'll only be a matter of time before word of this incident gets out to Celestia!" Sunflower added. "She may be a retired princess, but she's still more than capable of tracking you con artists down, no matter how rich you think you'll be!"

"You think we're actually afraid of Celestia after all we've been through, that's your best shot?" Flim scoffed. "But alright, Sunset, we'll entertain your little proposal. What do you suggest?"

"Before I decide to put everyone's lives in danger because of your inability to let go and just make an honest living for a change, how about this?" Sunset said as she trotted towards her saddlebag, pulled the Señor G. Echo plush out, and brought it back over. "So, you just want this, is that correct? No beating around the bush or speaking in riddles, you only want this toy, plain and simple?"

"Yes, yes, give us Señor G. Echo!" Flam's face expressed obvious greed at the sight of the plush. "With this, we'll be set for life, and you'll never have to see us again, it's a win-win for everyone!"

"Alright, but before I give him to you, answer me this." Sunset continued on. "It just occurred to me that you two were behind the nonsensical tonic scheme that Twilight wrote to me about. In fact, she's even written to me about the other shady operations you two have done over the years, including a Friendship University."

"Blah, blah, blah, you don't need to keep yapping about our past failed investments, we're already well aware, thank you very much!" Flim groaned. "Could you quit stalling and just get to the point?"

"The point being, if I give you Señor G. Echo, am I to understand that you won't be a nuisance around Equestria ever again, nor cheat innocents out of their hard-earned money?" Sunset asked, sternly.

"Look, Sunset..." Flam began, his voice a mix of desperation and arrogance. "We've learned from our past mistakes, and we're willing to make an honest deal this time around. Give us Señor G. Echo, and we promise to leave Equestria for good, never to swindle another pony again. We've got a score to settle with you, sure, but we're not monsters, we just want the finer things in life, and if that means leaving your precious Equestria behind, then so be it."

"Well, if this was the very first time we've ever crossed paths, I'd be willing to take your word and give you a fair chance." Sunset kept pushing on. "But tell me, after everything you just tried to pull on us here in the arcade, why should I take your word now? How do I know that one day, you're not just going to weasel back into Equestria under new identities, and continue your conniving ways?"

"Can't really argue with that, I'm afraid." Juniper Montage frowned. "Especially since you two HAVE been pocketing my tips, even though I practically rely on those to pay my rent!"

"Hmm, but what if they're telling the truth this time?" Silverstream pondered. "After all, didn't those two stallions also participate with everyone in the battle against Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow?"

"See, the bird creature seems to understand us." Flim nodded with approval. "We're willing to do whatever it takes to make this right, and we promise, if you give us Señor G. Echo, we'll immediately leave Equestria and start fresh!"

"As much as I'd want to believe you're being genuine, I'm not buying it." Sunset narrowed her eyes. "It would certainly be a huge service to everyone in Equestria if that were the case, especially for my friend, Princess Twilight, given how much history she and her friends have had with you. But knowing you two, all I hear is an empty promise from a pony consumed with greed."

"I'm with our chaperone on that statement." Smolder agreed. "Knowing what natural greed can do to a creature, they'll probably just get their fortune, blow it all on a casino or dumb purchases, go broke, and the cycle will start all over again."

"In other words, we can't trust them!" Gallus added. "They even almost tricked us to go to their Friendship University once, which would've certainly depleted our life savings!"

"I myself may've always been a boastful showoff, but I still work hard to get by!" Trixie added. "Whether it'd be performing my tail off, or looking after somepony's foals, that's still more respectable than... whatever you morons do!"

The rest of the group all chattered in agreement, protesting against Flim and Flam's claims about changing for good, especially when many of their recent actions had contradicted their claims. Sunset in particular was all for giving second chances, much like she did with Sour Sweet or Sunny Flare, but it was different with these two stallions. Her intuition and experience with them had told her everything she needed, knowing for certainty that the sacrifice of her fillyhood's most cherished toy would be all for naught, and Equestria would live on with these two never learning their lessons.

"Alright, and now that I've proven my point, here's the last proposal I'll give you both." Sunset called out, her voice echoing through the arcade as she held up Señor G. Echo. "You say you want to leave Equestria and never return, that you've learned from your past mistakes. But the truth is, I can't just hand over what's rightfully mine, in the hope that you've suddenly seen the light. If there's a shred of decency left in you two, I need a real guarantee. I want you to dismantle your machine there, return the waitress's stolen tips, issue a public apology in regards to threatening all those poor guests who fled the arcade, and paying a large sum of bits in damages."

Hearing this, everyone else in the arcade gave gestures of approval towards Sunset's proposal, feeling like everything she listed would be an incredibly fair and fitting punishment. Flim and Flam meanwhile simply expressed disgust at Sunset's conditions, but realized that if they could potentially earn back the Señor G. Echo plush, it would all be worth it. The brothers huddled together to discuss their next move, before coming to a mutual decision.

"So, if we follow your demands there, you'll give us what we want?" Flim questioned.

"Correct, fulfill these conditions, and I'll consider giving you Señor G. Echo." Sunset's gaze remained steadfast on the brothers. "It's a small price for the chaos you've caused, but remember, this isn't just for me, it's for all the ponies here in Hope Hollow who've suffered from your greed, and for every pony you've ever scammed. Show us you've changed, otherwise, we stand our ground."

"Fine, if that's what it'll take for you to give us what we want, we'll do it." Flam's expression grew darker, his greed momentarily overshadowed by the anger at being outbargained. "At least when we have that plush once more, we'll never have to look back on all our previous failed investments..."

"Wait just a minute, brother!" Flim said, abruptly. "How do we know we can trust Sunset Shimmer, exactly? What leverage will we have on her if she's holding all the strings? She's refusing to accept this promise in keeping our word, yet expects us to make an exception with her promise?"

"Ugh, are we really going to go there, now?" Smolder put a claw on her own face. "It's so frustrating to think, we could all just walk away from this arcade without anyone getting hurt, and yet those two are just way too stubborn to do something logical for once..."

"Just so you know for the record, Sunset here's good friends with Cousin Applejack, and we've certainly see how much she embodies her honesty and honor!" Sunflower stated.

"Brother, perhaps we should actually consider... especially if it means she'll honor her word on giving us the millions we need to afford that dream life we've always wanted!" Flam insisted. "It's just like I feared earlier on, she was able to outsmart every one of our little schemes, and I'd actually believe she'd do so again, should we continue this path."

"Speak for yourself!" Flim refused. "We managed to outwit Gladmane that one time, which allowed us to take over Las Pegasus and start our Friendship University! Even if that particular scheme was short-lived, we were specifically chosen to trick somepony, which was a success! That means we've got it in us still to do whatever we need to come out on top, especially getting our satisfying revenge on the Princess's girl there!"

"Yeah... you're right!" Flam immediately changed his mind. "If we could successfully overthrow Gladmane like that, we'll very easily do it again! Besides, Sunset here was technically always responsible for us having to resort to various other failed schemes that put us in debt over the years!"

"You simply can't put a price on sweet revenge, not even millions of bits!" Flim grinned with malice, as he stared at Babs and Sunflower. "Even though that pesky Applejack isn't here, we at least have an opportunity to have some fun with her extended family, down there!"

"What the hay do you two think you're doing?!" Babs stepped in front of her big sister, her eyes blazing with protective rage. "You've gone too far with this! After everything you've done, Sunset's willing to give you a fair chance, and this is how you repay her?!"

"We're not asking for much, just our rightful property, considering we were the ones who BOUGHT that toy at an auction in the first place!" Flim reminded. "But if you won't budge, and insist that we have no other choice but to pry it from your hooves, then we'll play your little game! We're in an arcade anyways, so we might as well make this interesting!"

"Well that's just too bad." Sunset's eyes narrowed, as she put the Señor G. Echo plush back into her saddlebag, before strapping the satchel on. "You could've had this toy so easily if you did the right thing, and now it seems like we're going to have no choice but to teach you yet another lesson..."

"You think you can intimidate us with mere words like that, huh?" Flam's voice echoed through the robot's speakers, as he maneuvered the FlimFlamtimus Prime towards Sunset. "We're going to take what we want, and there's nothing you or your little friends can do to stop us!"

"If you don't hand over that plush right now, we're going to turn this entire place into rubble, and leave you to suffocate under all the debris!" Flim threatened. "Is that what you want, or are you going to actually comply?"

"Oh, so now you're threatening innocent lives just for a plush toy?" Trixie's voice grew stern. "Your eternal greed has truly made you bozos absolutely despicable, but you're forgetting one thing... right, Sunset?"

"Ugh, dare I ask what that even is, or are you going to do nothing more than talk our ears off for a while?" Flam rolled his eyes.

Sunset felt the confidence and familiarity filling within her, as this scenario almost reminded her of what she herself had done back then at the CHS Fall Formal. She ended up becoming a horrifying she-demon, and was threatening to end Twilight and her friends, much like Flim and Flam were currently doing. But this time around, the tables had turned, and she was the one determined to not give these con artists what they were after, much like Twilight had done when Sunset was trying to get her hands on the Element of Magic, for selfish reasons.

"You're forgetting that in Equestria, friendship is magic!" Sunset announced to the brothers. "And I've got friends here who are more than capable of handling your little robot toy, friends who have faced far worse than you two have ever dreamt of, and have come out even stronger in the end! So go on ahead and make your move, you are NOT getting this plush!"

"Hmph, it's no wonder you're friends with the very same ponies who've destroyed our plans to thrive here in Equestria!" Flim snickered, his grip on the robot's controls tightening. "Well, we've got something better than friendship, we've got power! And with this robot, we're unstoppable!"

"So far, you're not really impressing us!" Gallus scoffed. "Looks like you're just riding around in a slow and clunky robot, while we could very easily fly up there and kick you out of your seats!"

"I told you we should've given this thing a test run before we went through with this plan!" Flam groaned. "We'll never catch anypony at this rate!"

"Relax, it's only warming up since the activation, before we can make this animatronic move at turbo speeds!" Flim winked, as he pushed a button to enable enhanced reflexes, allowing the robot to quickly stomp near Sunflower and Babs, almost crushing them.

"Jeepers, not even the bullies at my school wanted to injure me this fast!" Babs stared up at the robot. "You two need serious help!"

You've got that right, Babs!" Sunflower added, her eyes wide as she took a step back. "Those two have gone bonkers over a toy, so it seems like we've got no other choice but to destroy the one toy that makes them so delusional!"

Sunflower, driven by her protective instincts and a touch of annoyance at the brothers' audacity, ran over to the robot with surprising agility and determination. She reared back and slammed her back hooves into one of its clunky legs, almost as if it were an apple tree during harvest season. The sound echoed through the arcade, and a shower of sparks shot out from the robot's knee joint. The FlimFlamtimus Prime wobbled slightly, but remained standing, resulting in Flim and Flam looking down from their cockpit, their expressions a mix of shock and amusement.

"Is that the best you've got, darling?" Flim sneered, his voice metallic through the robot's speakers, before getting ready to press another button. "We've modified this baby to handle more than a simple kick! In fact, now that we're at full power, why don't we show you what else this brilliant contraption can do! Ah, the sweet taste of victory, quite literally!"

Suddenly, the FlimFlamtimus Prime began to activate its arm cannons, and aimed them at the ponies across from it. After a few moments, the cannons fired a glob of thick, sticky peanut butter at Sunflower and Babs. The two siblings did their best to leap out of the way, but the sticky substance was way too fast to see coming. The peanut butter hit the wall with a wet smack and expanded into a large sticky blob, trapping the two. Babs and Sunflower struggled to pull free, their eyes widening as the sticky goo held them in place, but it simply wasn't enough.

"Ack! What in tarnation is this stuff!?!" Sunflower continued struggling.

"Is that... peanut butter?" Babs recognized the substance's aroma. "Whatever this stuff is, we can't break free!"

"Not to worry!" Trixie assured, as she ran over to the two. "The Great and Powerful Foalsitter will save you from that delicious trap!"

Trixie immediately clung herself to the wall and began devouring away the peanut butter, which seemed like no real challenge, given how it was one of her all-time comfort foods. Under her watch, she wasn't about to sit back and let all this perfectly good peanut butter to go to waste.

"Mmm, I sure wish I had some crackers to go with this!" Trixie savored.

"Come on, Trixie!" Babs encouraged. "Eat faster!"

"Haha, with those three busy for a while, now we can now focus directly on what we're after!" Flim smirked, as he turned his attention towards Sunset. "Señor G. Echo, we have you now!"

But just as Flim and Flam were about to advance the robot towards their grand prize, they immediately felt a projectile bonk their machine's cockpit from behind, prompting them to look over, only to see Juniper Montage, alongside Gallus, Silverstream, and Smolder, all holding plates.

"You really thought you could get away with stealing my server tips, huh!?" Juniper spat, as she and the three students began lobbing a volley of plates and utensils at the robot, making it stagger back and forth. "Well here's a tip for you, instead! Want to make a good living, you don't steal from the ponies around you!"

"Alright, you want to play rough, Miss Waitress?" Flim's eyes narrowed as the robot began getting dents. "FlimFlamtimus Prime, activate Sneaky Salsa mode!"

The robot's colorful lights flickered as it switched tactics, and began superheating salsa within mere seconds. Suddenly, jets of sizzling hot salsa shot out from various nozzles scattered across its body. The heat was intense, forcing Sunset and the others to dodge and weave through the scalding barrage, as the air filled with the pungent aroma of peppers and tomatoes.

"Ah, the sweet taste of victory, or in this case, victory in the form of salsa!" Flim smirked, whilst licking his own lips.

"Careful now, brother!" Flam warned. "We ought not care for what happens to the rest of these guests, but we must take caution to avoid spewing Sunset with this stuff! Last thing we want is collateral damage to that toy!"

"I hadn't thought of that, thanks for the reminder." Flim nodded, as he went less crazy firing the jets of salsa towards the aforementioned mare. "We need that plush in mint condition, if we want to stand a chance at snagging at least a few million bits from an auction!"

The robot's movements grew more erratic as it spun around the arcade, trying to avoid hitting Sunset while keeping the others at bay. But overhearing this, Sunset's mind raced for a strategy, as the waitress and students did their best to avoid the robot's nozzles before hey were covered in broiling hot salsa. Sunset knew that the brothers wouldn't dare harm her with the toy still in play, which meant she had an open advantage that the others didn't. Seeing how Flim and Flam were busy focusing on Juniper, Silverstream, Gallus, and Smolder, Sunset quickly used this distraction to sneak over to the prize booth, and ducked behind the counter.

Sunset's eyes scanned the prizes for a flicker of inspiration. Her gaze fell upon a batch of plush toys, and she spotted a yellow lizard plush that looked remarkably similar to Señor G. Echo from a distance. Seeing this, she hastily switched her cherished plush with the generic lizard toy, whilst tucking Señor G. Echo safely under the counter. Flim and Flam had primarily drawn their attention towards the waitress and students, giving her the perfect opportunity to slip away, unnoticed. With this quick thinking and clever improvision, Sunset already knew that she had an open advantage on the brothers, despite their confidence with the FlimFlamtimus Prime.

"Look at you two, willing to harm others just over a toy!" Sunset called out from a distance, prompting the brothers to turn around in their machine. "Have you no shame or conscience whatsoever!?"

"Said like a true friendship believer, those are words for the weak!" Flim scoffed, as the robot took a few wobbly steps towards Sunset. "Besides, we're just giving you all a show in this here arcade for your bit's worth, but if you really want to engage in some combat, we can do that too! The FlimFlamtimus Prime is out of salsa, anyways!"

As the robotic arms of the monstrous contraption lunged towards Sunset, she didn't flinch. Instead, she braced for impact and dodged, her eyes gleaming with the fiery determination that had once been her downfall, but had now become her greatest strength. Juniper and the three students watched from the sidelines, their hearts racing as they all saw that Sunset was in huge danger now. Despite the situation appearing dire, Sunset could feel a sudden spark in her eyes, a familiar feeling she hadn't felt since the Battle of the Bands. It was a spark that told Sunset she wasn't just going to fight, she was going to win.

"You think a robot and a few servings of salsa scare me!?" Sunset yelled, her voice filled with contempt. "I've faced worse than you two ever could imagine, and I'm not about to sit back and watch you hurt my friends, or terrorize Hope Hollow!"

"So you think you're going to be the hero now, huh?" Flam's voice taunted over the robot's speakers. "How typical that you believe the magic of friendship mumbo jumbo is going to save the day, when in reality, the only way you'll ever win is by coming out on top, no matter the expenses!"

"Friendship isn't about coming out on top, it's about supporting each other through thick and thin!" Sunset retorted. "Being there for one another, not using others for your own selfish gains! But I don't really expect either of you to understand this, maybe you SHOULD have studied at Twilight's School of Friendship! At least she wouldn't have tried to take your money, like you always have!"

"We could sit here all day and discuss how we'll always be intellectually superior to make it big in this cruel world of competition, but you've already wasted enough our time!" Flim growled, as he motioned for the robot to stomp on Sunset, but only ended up crushing tables. "You can't keep this up forever, you know! There's just no way you can compete with heavy machinery once you start getting exhausted!"

The FlimFlamtimus Prime's mechanical limbs thrashed and smashed through the arcade games and decorations, sending wires and debris flying, as Flim and Flam relentlessly pursued Sunset. She could feel the chase becoming more intense by the minute, the sounds of clanking metal steps echoing through her mind like the ticking of a doomsday clock. Sunset eventually found herself cornered between a couple of skeeball minigames, her eyes darting around nervously for a way out. Unfortunately, Flim and Flam were already one step ahead, and coated the rest of the area with sticky peanut butter to prevent a swift escape.

"You know something, since that toy is in a saddlebag, we'll risk a little collateral damage if it means we can finally have what we truly deserve!" Flim grinned, as he readied the robot's cannon to shoot another peanut butter blast.

Just as Flim felt confident that he could blast Sunset down without any issue, the FlimFlamtimus Prime suddenly stumbled back from a hit, the moment before he pressed the fire button, causing the robot to veer slightly towards the left, and firing the projectile directly at the wall. The peanut butter blast had made the nearby wall crumble apart, creating an open hole to allow Sunset to escape. Sunset immediately did so, as Flim and Flam turned around, only to see Trixie, Juniper, Gallus, Silverstream, and Smolder, alongside Sunflower and Babs, who had been freed from their peanut butter trap from earlier.

"Nopony hurts The Great and Powerful Foalsitter's friends!" Trixie pointed up at the brothers.

"Sunset's a part of our family now too!" Sunflower reminded. "Even if she's not directly related to us!"

"You mess with one Apple, you mess with the rest of the extended family, you hear!?" Babs added.

"Oh, so now we're getting all personal, are we?" Flam spat. "Brother, never mind these simpletons who'll simply do nothing more than slow us down! The quicker we get that valuable toy, the sooner we can book a vacation at a luxury resort outside of Equestria itself!"

"That's what you think!" Smolder announced, before Gallus and Silverstream flew over with some arcade cabinet wires.

The griffon and hippogriff quickly wrapped and circled the wires around the FlimFlamtimus Prime's legs several times, until they were tight enough. Gallus quickly tied a knot, seemingly making the legs become stuck together.

"Let's see you try to walk up some stairs when you're all tied up like that!" Silverstream said, satisfied with her and Gallus's work.

"Looks like you two should've grown up, instead of relying on toys to do your dirty work!" Gallus added.

"Might as well surrender right now, while we're still a little merciful!" Juniper insisted. "Give me back my stolen tips, and I might call it even!"

"You think you've won, do you?" Flim's voice grew cold as the robot began to glow with a sinister blue light. "Well, we've got a little surprise for you all! FlimFlamtimus Prime, deploy the Elemental Cannons!"

The elemental cannons on the robot's shoulders emerged from their compartments, becoming active. The blue energy grew brighter, coalescing into orbs of fire and ice. The robot began spraying a freeze beam at the wires, coating them with a thick layer of frost. Suddenly, the other shoulder cannon emitted a blazing flame, burning through the wires swiftly, and causing them to snap apart. The brothers' mechanical monstrosity regained its full mobility, with the smell of burnt plastic and metal lingering in the air.

"Looks like you've just earned yourself a taste of our true power!" Flam grinned, getting ready to use the peanut butter cannons again.

"Never mind them, brother!" Flim insisted. "We have to catch Miss Princess's girl before she gets away with our retirement funds!"

"Quite right, but just to make sure we have no further distractions..." Flam continued to do what he was originally planning on.

Flam's eyes gleamed with malice as he fired a massive glob of sticky peanut butter from the robot's cannon, the thick substance arcing through the air with surprising speed. Juniper, Gallus, Smolder, and Silverstream couldn't react in time, and found themselves entangled in the sticky mess, their wings and limbs bound tightly as they struggled to break free. Babs and Sunflower weren't as lucky either, getting hit and stuck to the wall again, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief. But Trixie instinctively used her magic to teleport a shield in front of her, miraculously avoiding the peanut butter from splattering all over her. Seeing this, the FlimFlamtimus Prime began marching outside of the arcade through the hole they created earlier, ready to snatch their prize, even if it meant the destruction of Hope Hollow itself.

"Awwww, not again!" Trixie groaned at the mess she needed to clean up to free everyone. "There's still peanut butter all over the place, but I can't eat anymore of it! My stomach's rejecting the idea of ingesting one more spoonful of this spread, what have I become!?"

"Don't you worry, Trixie, we'll all have to eat together!" Sunflower assured up, her eyes glinting with determination.

"I don't even like peanut butter to begin with, but I'll show those two rascals what happens when you mess with a hardworking waitress's pride!" Juniper said, as she angrily ate away at her peanut butter cocoon.

"I'm not sure I'll want to eat peanut butter ever again after this..." Babs gulped.

Outside of Hope Hollow, Flim and Flam were hot on Sunset's tail, no longer holding back or willing to negotiate with the mare that held their key to a luxurious life. Many of the town's residents panicked and screamed upon seeing the metallic monstrosity on the verge of a seeming rampage, despite the fact the brothers were only targeting one individual. They ended up barricading themselves into their homes, while others were coming out to check on what all the commotion was.

"What in Equestria...?" Sunny Skies exited Hotel Hope, as his eyes widened upon what he was witnessing in the distance. "Say, isn't that one of Torque's animatronics from Slice-N-Shake? What's that doing, terrorizing the town!?"

"Cool!" Pickle Barrel came out to observe the madness. "A big, awesome robot clash show! I've never seen one in real life!"

"Could we go and get a closer look?" Barley Barrel asked. "We'll be good, we promise!"

"I don't think this is a show, either the animatronic's gone haywire, or it's been hijacked, and the town's under a serious attack!" Petunia deduced, as she escorted the foals and her husband back inside. "Quick, we must contact the authorities before things get even uglier!"

The chaos grew more as the FlimFlamtimus Prime tore through the town of Hope Hollow, its metallic hoofsteps echoing through the streets, much like the Stagma Beetles had done atop the Endtrak Express. Panic had set in, and the town's remaining residents ducked into their homes and shops, hoping to find safety from the madness that somehow entered the once peaceful town. As the robot continued its relentless chase upon Sunset through Hope Hollow's market square, it caught the attention of few more familiar faces, who were momentarily just enjoying a town tour. Kerfuffle, standing outside her clothing shop, watched in horror as the robot barreled closer, as did Sour Sweet, Sandbar, Yona, and Ocellus.

"Stack my pancakes, what's going on right now!?" Kerfuffle exclaimed, aghast at the situation.

"First a giant bug infestation aboard the Endtrak Express, and now a rampaging robot!?" Ocellus observed. "Makes for an exciting field trip, I suppose, but this isn't good!"

"This is definitely not part of the tour, it looks like Sunset needs our help!" Sour Sweet insisted, as she fanned out her wings in hostility.

"Mean metal machine not going to hurt best field trip chaperon!" Yona snorted. "Yona's family has history of smashing things when we not pleased!"

"Hang on, Yona." Sandbar held the yak back. "Just like Miss Sunset told us before, we can't just charge in there without a plan, much like when you tried to do the same with the Stagma Beetles. Surely we must at least try and figure out a weakness?"

"Who would we even ask, though?" Sour Sweet pondered. "I know nothing about how to deal with a machine like that, we typically don't fight those things back in Canterlot!"

"Wait, if I remember right, I know who can help us!" Kerfuffle insisted. "We could ask Torque Wrench, she's the one who created that animatronic for Slice-N-Shake!"

"Hmm, alright, sounds like we can work with that!" Sour Sweet nodded. "Yona, Sandbar, Ocellus, could you three find Torque and get an insight on how we can deactivate that machine? I'll need to help Sunset fend that thing off for a while!"

"Good idea, we're on it!" Sandbar nodded, as he and his classmates ran away. Stay safe, Miss Sour Sweet!"

Sour Sweet swooped towards the direction of the metallic menace, her eyes focused and determined. She had always had a knack for protecting others like a good royal guard would, but this time for all the right reasons. This was a battle for the very heart of Hope Hollow, and her new friend who had showed her compassion and understanding, despite what she went through in her training. Watching the intense chase from a distance, she immediately saw the fear in Sunset's eyes, and knew she couldn't let her down.

"Hold on, Sunset!" Sour Sweet called out, her voice ringing with confidence. "I've got this!"

Sour Sweet streaked through the air, her eyes focused on the robotic beast. She knew she couldn't match this metal monstrosity in brute strength, but had agility and speed to her advantage. Diving and weaving, she aimed for the robot's more vulnerable areas, including the joints and sensors, using her hooves to strike with precision. Her hits weren't enough to cause any significant damage, but they certainly got the brothers' attention, as they momentarily ceased their pursuit on Sunset.

"What's with you ponies, can't you just let us have our little trinket?" Flim grumbled as he worked the robot's controls, trying to swipe at Sour Sweet like a mosquito. "You think you can just drop by and interrupt our quality time with our old friend here?"

"Funny how you call her a friend, considering she's also the main reason we lost our first jobs and got banned from Canterlot." Flam reminded. "Just imagine how many gullible rich suckers we could've made a fortune from, had it not been for that Mommy Celestia of hers!"

"I don't remember specifically doing anything back then, aside from watching you both reap what you sow!" Sunset paused, as she tried to catch her breath from sprinting around town. "You two have lost any shred of decency you might've had, chasing after your own greed, metaphorically and literally! Sour Sweet, these two are the Flim Flam Brothers, and they're after a toy that they rightfully gave me when I was a filly! Have you heard of them?"

"I've heard of them, mostly thanks to Princess Twilight and Celestia!" Sour Sweet replied, as she continued slowing the robot down. "They're quite the notorious pair in Equestria, known for their clever, yet underhanded schemes. But why would they go through such extreme lengths for a simple toy?"

"Simple toy!?" Flam remarked, insulted by Sour Sweet's comment. "Señor G. Echo is no mere plaything, he's a rare, limited edition collector's item that can fetch millions on the black market!"

"After the way Canterlot's treated us, we're entitled to that kind of fortune!" Flim added. "So I insist you keep to yourself and let us pound Sunset here into applesauce! We won't hurt you or anypony else, as long as we get our hooves on that leopard gecko toy!"

"Oh, please!" Sour sweet retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm, as she bucked the robot's knee joint, making it wobble slightly. "You expect me to take your word on such an empty statement? Even if that toy is worth that much, I'm sure there are better ways to earn your fortune than by scaring the townsfolk and stealing from an innocent pony! Why don't you join us in the real Equestria, where friendship and compassion are more valuable than any treasure you could imagine?"

"So typical, you're another one of Sunset Shimmer's pathetic friends, I see." Flam rolled his eyes, before giving Sour Sweet a swift kick with the robot's leg, sending her crashing in the distance, and injuring one of her wings.

"You'll... regret... that!" Sour Sweet gritted her teeth, trying to push herself back up, but her wing was too damaged to allow flight.

"That was just a little demonstration and preview for our product of pain, which we'll soon deliver towards our old friend over here!" Flim grinned, as he turned back to Sunset. "Speaking of which, you've proven to be quite the nuisance by being able to outrun our little contraption, but you certainly can't compete with a machine! Once you're out of breath, we'll pulverize you into pieces and take back what was always ours! We already gave you a fair negotiation earlier, but you refused, so we're no longer going to play nice, you hear!?"

"Well that makes two of us!" Sunset spoke back. "Or... three of us? You get what I mean, and either way, your greed is going to be your downfall! Just look at yourselves, wreaking havoc upon Hope Hollow for a toy!"

"Sunset!" Sour Sweet announced from a distance, as she slowly got up from her injury, and directed Sunset over to a nearby bush. "While I was doing my best to damage that thing, I think we have a good chance at destroying those joints and lights!"

"Pfft, with what exactly, dear?" Flam snickered at the idea, as the FlimFlamtimus Prime had barely sustained a metaphorical papercut from the attacks. "You think your soft and weak hooves can penetrate the might of solid steel and titanium!?"

"Maybe so, but can you really say the same about some good old fashioned rainbow rocks?" Sour Sweet replied, as she and Sunset emerged from the bush, holding various multicolored stones in their hooves.

"You can't be serious" Flam sneered, raising an eyebrow at their supposed weaponry. "You think those glittery pebbles will stop us?"

Sunset and Sour Sweet began chucking a barrage of rocks and stones at the FlimFlamtimus Prime, dealing continuous damage upon the robot's joints, sensors, and outer components. Flim and Flam began to panic within the cockpit, realizing that the projectiles were surprisingly effective, and slowly chipping away at the robot's defense.

"Come on, do something!" Flam began freak out upon seeing an alarm sound from critical damage. "If the FlimFlamtimus Prime goes down the drain, much like all our past failed investments, this'll be the final nail in the coffin for us! We'll likely end up in prison, or even worse, Tartarus!"

"We surely can't let them ruin our perfect plan, and I believe I remember how we can combat these projectiles!" Flim looked at the robot's controls. "I seem to remember, one of the functions on the control panel can deploy a durable shield, to deflect what would otherwise be pathetic pebble attacks, but..."

"But what, brother!?" Flam snapped. "If we don't get that shield up soon, we'll be sitting ducks to Sunset and her Hope Hollow friends!"

"We have to input a passcode in the prompt here to deploy it, and I may or may not have forgotten the passcode...?" Flim grinned, sheepishly.

"YOU IMBECILE!!!" Flam screeched, as he desperately started guessing random four-digit codes. "Why are you wasting time instead of guessing what the code is!? It's only a matter of time before our brilliant contraption is on the ropes, and we become homeless!"

As Sunset and Sour Sweet were persistently finding rocks to throw against the FlimFlamtimus Prime, they both noticed that the robot was starting to show noticeable signs of damage from their combined efforts, and they needed to stall for as long as possible, on the chance that Flim and Flam would deploy their shields. While this was happening, Ocellus, Yona, and Sandbar were desperately looking around Hope Hollow for Torque Wrench, hoping that the creator of the animatronic could give them some insight on how to deactivate it. The trio finally entered Slice-N-Shake, but were only greeted with the rest of their classmates, alongside some other ponies, all stuck in a sticky peanut butter mess.

"Whoa, what happened with you all?" Ocellus's eyes widened upon seeing the arcade's state.