Is the banner even?
Are the flowers in place?
By which I mean completely out of view.
I'm pretty sure dragons don't like flowers.
And what about ceremonial dragonfire flame of friendship?
Is it still flaming?
Spike, everything looks great,
you're getting yourself worked up for no reason.
I have lots of reasons.
In fact, I wrote them down.
You've been hanging around Twilight for too long.
Reason number one:
I invited Dragon Lord Ember to Poniville today.
Reason two: a Dragon Lord is a dragon.
Reason three: she's coming here to learn more about friendship.
According to Ember's letters, the dragons are trying to be friends.
But competing is in their nature and it's leading to more and more fights.
Which brings me to the reason number four:
The Dragon Lord wants my advice.
And, as a new official Equestrian friendship ambassador to the dragons, I can't let her down.
I know you feel a lot of pressure,
but you've got this, Spike.
I…
I just want things to be perfect.
Thorax!
You're in Ponyville!
Of course I am, silly.
You invited me.
And I'm not on the one to back out of an invitation.
Hey, Twilight!
Hey, Starlight!
Hey!..
Hello!
I can't believe you did all this for me!
Great banner!
Love the stage!
What's this flame thingy?
Oh, it's pretty.
You invited Thorax over to Ponyville on the same day as Ember?
Apparently.
That doesn't seem like a good idea.
How are you gonna entertain them both?
I have no idea.
I completely forgot!
Thorax wrote me and said he needed to talk and I told him to come over.
I didn't realize it was the same day I invided Ember!
What am I gonna do?
Well, maybe they'll like each other.
Probably not.
Ember is tough, and self-assured, and intimidating,
and Thorax is…
Spike!
I'm so glad you invited me.
You're one of my closest, nicest, most caring,
most understanding friends ever!
Is that ice in the shape of a dragon?
Yeah, I see your point.
They might not get each other.
Or worse! They'll hate each other!
And if the leader of the changelings and the Dragon Lord get into a fight…
I could be responsible for starting a war
that could ruin Equestria as we know it!
I'm sure that won't happen.
Now pull it together!
So, Thorax…
Everything good with you?
Well, honestly, no, not really.
I have indigestion, not sure if it's the new diet or stress,
or maybe it's both.
No!
Yeah. It really could be both.
And it might be affecting my sleeping too.
I'm a real tosser and turner in the…
Sounds like you really need to unwind.
How about a… a trip to the castle?
You can't miss that view!
Yes, the castle!
I'll give you a personal tour.
Aren't you coming?
Yeah, I just gonna… grab some ice-cream for us and catch up.
Dragon Lord Ember!
As the official Equestrian friendship ambassador,
for the Dragon Lands and for Poniville,
I, Spike of Ponyville, welcome you to…
…Ponyville.
I gotta work on my official speech.
Okay, thanks!
Right, the hug thing.
This place has a lot of colors.
In the Dragon Lands everything's just rocks or the color of ash.
That's probably why.
Hey, Twilight!
Actually, I'm Starlight.
Starlight Glimmer.
Nice to meet you.
Oh, sorry.
I'm really gonna have to get used to these pony names.
Lots of lights and shiny things.
So where is Twilight?
She is in her castle.
We should go visit her then.
Part of friendship is saying "hi" to your friends, right?
Well, yeah, but…
You're making weird noises.
Do you have a stomachache?
I think I feel one coming on.
Well, you know what us dragons say:
"Push past the pain."
Now let's go.
Or we could stay here.
Or I could go without you.
I like her.
Good, they're not here.
What was that?
I…
I said: "It's all clean in here".
You must be hungry from your travels.
Please, I'd love to present you with an official friendship welcome banquet.
So, this is something friends do?
I could get used to this.
Actually, that's not food.
Dragons love gems.
Fine, but you're telling Twilight what happened to her wall.
Just keep her here.
Okay, yeah.
Enjoy all the, eh, crystal… things.
Where are you going?
I thought this was an official friendship banquet.
Just got to use a little dragon's room!
So, this is my comfy chair for fictional reads.
This is my studying chair because the hard back keeps me awake.
Oh, Spike! I'm so glad you're here!
This castle visit is getting weird.
Twilight really likes chairs.
Oh, what happened with the ice-cream?
What?
Oh, right! They ran out!
Hey, I'm really sorry, but I gotta borrow Twilight quickly.
Be right back!
But we didn't get to talk yet!
Ember's here!
I know.
I saw her coming in and had to distract Thorax by showing him chairs.
Why did you bring Ember to the castle of all places?
I don't know!
Ember was asking for you, Thorax wants to talk with me.
We need to switch places.
They might be getting suspicious.
All we have to do is make both Thorax and Ember feel special
and keep them apart for a few more hours.
We can do this!
What's happening?!
I think it's the map!
It's calling… you?
Apparently, you also have to solve a friendship problem.
The map is calling me!?
Amazing!
The map is really reaching out!
Not a good time, I get it.
Spike, are you here?
Ember is eating all of Twilight's decorations and…
Oh, hey, Twilight!
Glowing map.
Glowing spikes.
That's not good.
I know!
At least your friendship problem is in Ponyville, huh?
Okay, okay.
To pull this off, I'm gonna need both of you to help.
You two need to keep Ember and Thorax separated
while I get ice cream.
You mean find the friendship problem.
Yes!
Go easy on me.
I'm under a lot of pressure.
Friendship problem?
Anypony get a friendship problem here?
Any problems to solve?
Friendship problems?
Frendship problems!
Anypony got a friendship problem here?
No? Okay.
Well, I think vanilla strawberry cream is overused.
Yes, fighting!
I mean, what seems to be the problem?
I'm stuffed.
Ember, there you are!
Okay, right. More pony hugs.
How's your trip to Ponyville so far?
Well, I'm certainly learning a lot about friendship.
I had no idea it was polite to decorate your walls in your friends' favorite foods.
Oh, my.
Where'd Spike and Starlight go?
I feel like I'm being avoided.
No,
they're just making sure everything is perfect for your welcome party later.
In the meantime, how about I show you around town?
Sounds good.
I can't exactly learn about friendship if I don't make new friends.
Hey, Thorax,
Twilight and Spike have some boring official paperwork to deal with.
So, looks like you and I get to hang out.
What would you like to do?
But I wanted to talk with Spike.
He said he'd be right back.
Oh, you will, but first, how about we grab a bite to eat?
Well, you know now that you said it, I am a little hungry.
Is there a dining room at the castle?
No!
I mean, yeah, but that's castle food.
If you want the good stuff, we gotta go to town.
And that's why you should never let cupcake flavors get in the way of your friendship.
Huh. I guess I never thought of it that way.
Thanks, Spike.
Oh, come on, glow!
Spike!
There you are!
Done with your boring paperwork, I see.
Yep.
I am done with whatever Starlight says I was doing.
Thorax wanted to get out of the castle.
I thought coming to town was a really, really great idea.
Well, maybe now we can talk.
Sure.
I'll leave you guys to it.
First of all,
I wanna say, thank you for having me over.
I'm in a bit of the leadership pickle
And I could use some advice.
Well, I definitely want to help you out as quickly as possible.
Here's my problem.
There's this renegade group of changelings who still feed off of love.
Even though I said, hey, let's not do that anymore,
they say, hey, this is how we've been doing things for hundreds of years…
…it's like they don't want to…
…even though I'm the leader, I ask…
Hello! I am Ember!
Daughter of Torch, winner of the Gauntlet of fire,
and lord of all dragons!
Usually when I do this the dragons are eager to meet me.
That's not how ponies make friends.
I get it.
This is a weird friendship thing you ponies do. Right?
You guys are in town too?
What are you talking about?
You've been with me the whole time.
No, I'm Starlight.
Ri-i-ight.
I'm sorry but you can't blame me.
You both look and act so much alike.
What?
…and they said to me, you just keep saying the same thing.
You know, I think my leadership problems started in childhood.
I must have been three…
…there is a different story, and you definitely gotta hear it,
but the story about my brother was when I was two,
or was I one?
This is my seat! I saw it first!
Well, I got here first.
Thorax, excuse me for a second.
Ponies, please.
If I may, I think I can help solve this friendship problem.
You two should sit together.
You both like the same place,
you both wanted muffins,
you're both ponies!
I think if you made a little effort, you'd find…
Okay, that has to have done it.
Come on, spikes, glow!
Hey, that was a really great advice.
So, what do you think I should do?
Actually, I need a minute. Alone.
To really come up with great advice.
I'll be right back.
Great.
No problem, leave me again.
It's fine.
I'm just saying, you're both purple ponies with purple hair.
You both have cutiemarks with sparkly things.
Mine is more of a glimmer…
How is that different?
Oh, good, Spike.
Can you please tell these two I'm right?
They look very similar.
You know, one thing friends do is
Let some thing going it's upsetting somepony else.
But I'm right.
Besides, who are you to be telling me about friendship?
I've barely seen you all day.
I've seen you.
Are you calling me a liar?!
Hey! No one yells at my friend!
Spike! Get away from the bear!
Actually the bear is a changeling, and he's quite gentle.
Not anymore!
My worst fears are happening!
Nooo!
Back away, Spike.
I'm not gonna let this dragon harm a scale on your back.
You back away.
I'm not gonna let you harm him!
Wait. Did you say you're not gonna let me harm Spike?
Yeah!
But that's what I'm doing.
What?
Yeah. What?
Equestria as we know it is over!
The war that hit changelings against dragons is about to begin!
And it's all my fault!
My title of Equestria's friendship ambassador is a lie!
Oh, hey, you guys aren't fighting?
Why would we be fighting?
Because I accidentally invited you both over to Ponyville in the same day?
So what?
So, I…
Was trying to keep you apart because I didn't think you'd get along.
Oh, I get it.
You thought he wouldn't like me just because I am dragon
and I am bad at friendship?
No, no! Of course not!
But. Wait. Isn't that why you're here?
I can say I'm bad at friendship. You can't say it about me!
You know what?
I don't want to talk about it.
Wait, please!
I'm sorry.
No, no. It's cool.
You thought I would be too soft and someone like Ember would never respect me.
Just like my own changelings.
No, that's not it!
Thorax, wait!
Oh no. What have I done.
Why are you still here?
Because I'm having trouble leading my pack
So I don't really wanna go home
Wait, you're in charge?
You need to be more assertive.
So that's my problem.
I don't know how.
I tried asking them to please follow my directions.
I even offered a prize, and then…
Stop talking!
That's how you do it.
That just gave me chills
I know you have it in you.
You turned into a bear to defend Spike
I guess I can be tough when I'm defending my friends but
when I'm just enforcing my rules
I feel unsure of myself.
There's nothing to be unsure off.
You are the leader for a reason.
Make a decision and let it be known
that the decision is final.
And if that doesn't work turn into a bear.
That's good advice.
I know it is.
So, what's your deal.
Why do you think you're so bad at friendship.
I don't want to talk about it.
Oh, you have to.
How else are you gonna solve your problems?
Through feats of strength and fire duels, of course.
How does that help?
Crushing another dragon in competition establishes my dominance and makes me feel great.
Right, but… how do you think they feel?
Humiliated! Ashamed!
They probably want to run away and bury themselves under a rock and…
Never come out.
They're probably sad,
kind of low,
definitely not happy.
That's because that kind of competition can divide you.
And it doesn't get to the heart of the issue.
Talking about your feelings does.
I think I'm allergic to feelings.
You know, you don't have to be sappy or huggy-feely about it.
But you should let your friends know how you feel.
I know where we can start.
Where?
Oh, Spike.
I got there.
I think they're gone.
They probably never want to see me again.
Or… They want to see you now.
Guess what, Spike.
I know. I'm so sorry.
Let me talk about this!
I…
feel…
mad.
Okay…
That's a good first attempt.
Now, maybe try to be more… specific?
I'm…
upset!
You have every right to be.
I know I do!
And I know I need to tell you how I feel
because my friend, Thorax
said it would make me feel better.
And it does.
Yeah!
And I have no problem telling you what you did was wrong
because my friend Ember
is helping me be more assertive.
Wow.
Nice!
You guys should be mad at me.
I was so worried about how it could go wrong
I didn't even think about how it could go right!
Can you forgive me?
I really do feel better, so yeah, I'm good.
Me too.
Again?
No way! It's finally happening!
I solved the friendship problem!
Actually, you created a friendship problem
by not trusting your friends.
Yeah, but then I solved it by learning my lesson!
I should have told my two friends about each other immediately.
Instead of assuming they wouldn't get along.
Good job, Spike.
Is this another part of pony friendship
telling each other what you learned all the time?
Yeah, pretty much.
Yep.
So, as a show of unity, I present the dragon fire flame of friendship
to both Dragon Lord Ember and Thorax, leader of the changeling pack!
May the flame of friendship burn for eternity!
You should have more things made of rocks.
SCHASTLIVY PONEC
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