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 the ceremonial Dragon-Fire 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.
Uh.. You've been hanging around Twilight for too long.
Heh...
Reason number one:
I invited Dragon Lord Ember to Ponyville today.
Reason two, the 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 reason number four:
The Dragon Lord wants my advice!
And as the 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.
[gasp!] Thorax... you're in Ponyville!
Of course I am, silly!
You invited me and I'm not one to back out of an invitation.
Hey, Twilight.
Hey, Starlight.
Twilight: Heyyy... Starlight: Hello....
Thorax: Oooh!
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 going to entertain them both?
I have no idea!
I completely forgot Thorax wrote
and said he needed to talk and I told him to come over.
I didn't realize it was the same day I invited 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 are one of my closest, nicest, most caring,
most understanding friends ever.
Oh! 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.
Twilight: Uh oh.. Thorax: I'm a real tosser and turner these-
Sounds like you really need to unwind!
Er.. how about a er.. a trip to the castle?
You can't miss that view!
Yes, the castle!
I'll give you a personal tour.
Are.. aren't you coming?
Yeah...I'm just gonna grab some ice cream for us and catch up.
Heh heh.
Dragon Lord Ember, as the official Equestrian Friendship
Ambassador for the Dragonlands and for Ponyville,
I, Spike of Ponyville, welcome you to...
Ponyville.
I gotta work on my official speech..
OK. Thanks.
Heh heh.. right. The hug thing...
Heh heh.
This place has a lot of colors.
In the Dragonlands, everything's just rocks or the color of ash.
ACHOO!!
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.
Er.. so where is Twilight?
She's in her castle--
OH!
We should go visit her then.
Part of friendship is saying hi to your friends, right?
Uhh...
well yeah.. but...
You're making weird noises.
Do you have a stomach ache?
[gasp] 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.
Heh heh heh. Ah. I like her.
Oh..
Good, they're not here.
What was that?
Uh, I...I said, it's all clean in here!
Er.. 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.
OK, yeah, enjoy all the crystal... things..
Where are you going?
I thought this was an official friendship banquet.
Just gotta use the 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 to the ice cream?
What? Oh, right! Uh, they ran out.
Hey, I'm really sorry, but I gotta borrow Twilight quickly.
Wah!
Be right back!
But we didn't get to talk yet!
Ember's here!
I know; I saw you coming 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.
Ah! What's happening!?
Ah..!
I think it's the map! It's calling... you!
Apparently, you also have to solve a friendship problem.
The map is calling me!?
Oh... amazing! The map is really reaching out!
Not a good time, I get it.
Starlight: Spike, are you here?
Ember's eaten all of Twilight's decorations and--
Oh! Hey Twilight. Heh...
Glowing map.. [gulp] glowing spikes...
That's not good.
I KNOW!
At least your friendship problem is in Ponyville?
OK, OK, to pull this off, I'm going to need
both of you to help.
You two need to keep Ember and Thorax separate
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 got a friendship problem here?
Any problems to solve?
Friendship problems?
Friendship Problems!
Anypony got a friendship problem here?
No? OK.
Uch. Well I think vanilla strawberry cream is overused!
Hmph.
Yes! Fighting!
Uh, I mean, what seems to be the problem?
Ember, there you are!
OK... 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.
Heh heh. Oh, my...
Where'd Spike and Starlight go?
I feel like I'm being avoided.
Hmph.
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.
Oh!
Uh.. Hey Thorax...
Um. Twilight and Spike had 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?
Huh. Well you know, now that you've said it, I am a little hungry.
Is there a dining room in 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!
Thorax: Spike!
There you are!
Done with your boring paper work I see.
Ha ha ha...! A-huh.. A-huh..?
Yup, heh heh. 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.
Ssssure.
I'll leave you guys to it.
First of all, I want to say thank you for having me over.
I'm in a bit of a 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-"
-but it's like they don't want to even though
I'm the leader and I asked politely...
Hello!
I am Ember, daughter of Torch, winner of the Gauntlet of Fire
and lord of all dragons!
Usually when I do that, the dragons are eager to meet me.
That's not how ponies make friends.
Ahh... I get it.
This is a weird friendship thing you ponies do, right?
Uh... you guys are in town, too?
What are you talking about?
You've been with me this whole time.
No, I'm Starlight.
Riiiiight.
I'm sorry, but you can't blame me.
You both look and act so much alike.
Both: What!?
And they said to me just keep saying the same thing.
You know I think my leadership problems started in childhood.
I must've been three when ... Three's 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 ordered muffins;
you're both ponies.
I think if you made a little effort,
you'd find that you have a .... whoa!
OK, that had to have done it.
Come on spikes, glow!
Hey, that was really great advice.
So what do you think I should do?
Actually, I uh need a minute.
Alone. To really come up with great advice.
I'll be right back!
[sigh] Great. No problem.
Leave me again...
It's fine....
I'm just saying, you're both purple ponies with purple hair.
You both have cutie marks with sparkle-y things.
Heh. Mine's more of a glimmer..! Heh.
How is that different?
Oh, good, Spike.
Can you please tell these two I'm right?
They look very similar.
Er.. Well, you know, one thing friends do is let something go
when 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!
Uh.. well.. 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's a changeling and he's quite gentle.
Not anymore!
Aaah! My worst fears are happening!
NO!
Huh. Back away, Spike, I'm not going to let this dragon
harm a scale on your back!
You back away! I'm not going to let you harm him!
Wait, did you say you're not going to let me harm Spike?
Yeah!
But that's what I'm doing.
Uh..what?
Yeah, what?
Ahh.. Equestria as we know it is over!
The war that pits changeling against dragon
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 on the same day?
Both: 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'm a dragon
and I'm 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...
[sigh] I'm sorry.
No, no. It's cool.
You thought I'd 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?
[sigh] Because I'm having trouble leading my pack.
So I don't really want to go home.
Wait, you're in charge?
Ho boy, you need to be more assertive.
That's my problem, I don't know how.
I tried asking them to please follow my directions
and I even offered a prize and--
SHH! Stop talking.
That's how you do it.
Whoa. That just gave me chills.
I know you have it in you.
You turned into a bear to defend Spike.
Huh. 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 of.
You're 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.
Hiyah!
Uh... how did 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.
Kinda 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.
A-Achoo!
Ach. 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.
Ah.. I know where we can start.
Where?
Oh. Spike. Heh.
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.
OK.., that's a good first attempt.
Now maybe try to be more.. specific?
I'm...
ugh...
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.
Whoa.
Nice!
Ha ha!
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.
Heh. Me too.
Oooh..
Ohhh.. again?
No way! It's finally happening!
I solved a friendship problem!
Actually, you created the 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!
Spike: 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.
A-Achoo!
You should have more things made of rocks.