This just got real!
I can't wait.
Listen up, gang.
We're almost there, so I've got a few things to say.
First off,
who here beside me thinks this is the best Equestria Games delegation in Ponyville history?
Yeah!
And no matter what your sport is, we've gotta give it our best,
because we've all got a genuine shot at Ponyville gold.
With the possible exception of Bulk Biceps, Fluttershy and me.
I mean, we're good and all, but...
we're up against the Wonderbolts in the aerial relay, so...
gold's kind of a stretch. Let's not kid ourselves.
Don't feel bad, Rainbow Dash.
We have absolutely no shot at winning gold either.
That's because you're carrying the flag for Ponyville in the opening ceremony.
There are no winners.
Winners or not, we still have a chance to be awesome!
That's the spirit! Hear that, everypony?
Winners or not, we all still have a chance to be awesome!
But, uh, let's still try to win lots and lots of stuff too, 'kay?
It's all in there, gang.
Leave it to Spike, champion gear carrier for all your gear carrier needs.
And ponyville flag? You sure?
What about flag pole?
In with the portable ramp!
Give it a rest, Applebloom.
Ah, she's just nervous, that's all.
Perfectly understandable.
Whenever I'm afraid of or forget something, I start to panic, I have a simple trick.
I count to ten, and by the time I've done,
I've calmed myself enough to get the job done right everytime.
Easy-peasy-cider-squeazy.
Hey!
Put me down!
What's going on?
Spike! Are you alright?
A thousand pardons, O Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious.
Huh? Who the what now?
Thanks for bringing Spike to us.
It's okay, Spike.
We'll have our hoofponies go back for your bags.
Can they hang back a second and tell me what's going on first?
So the ponies here think I'm some kind of hero, huh?
More of the green ones, please? I like the green ones.
Last time you were here,
you got the Crystal Heart to Princess Cadance in time to save this entire empire from destruction!
You are known throughout my empire as
"Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious".
Isn't that awesome?
You're a big shot here, Spike!
See that? That's you!
Hello, gorgeous.
This is why we all hope you do us the honor of lighting the torch of the opening ceremony.
You'd be the very first Dragon in the history of the Equestria games to do so.
Of course I'll do it.
And, bonus, I can do it with my fire breath.
Places for the procession, everypony!
Two minutes!
And you're quite certain you also understand exactly what you're supposed to do?
I stand where you tell me until you give me the signal,
and then I walk over and light the torch.
Couldn't be simpler.
Mister the dragon,
are you coming?
Honestly,
would somepony help him walk?
Now, please welcome
the delegation from
Ponyville!
Ponyville forever!
Awesome!
Yeah!
Yahoo!
This is the signal!
I'm giving you the signal now!
Mr. the Dragon!
Come on, Spike! Calm yourself!
Count to ten.
One...
two...
three...
thousand...
fourteen thousand...
Twenty thousand...!
Thirty thousand!
What's wrong?
Tell me this isn't happening...
Equestria, we have a problem.
Mr. the Dragon! Would you light the torch already?!
I don't know what it is, but I just don't have the stuff today!
Did you bring a match?
You're a fire-breathing dragon.
Then some cough drops, maybe?
Nevermind. I'll keep trying.
Somepony go down and help him!
Light! Light!
How did you do that?
I'm…
not sure.
Well, better late than never.
Let the games…
begin!
There they are, little superstars!
You were fabulous!
Made me sit up proud like a corn stalk in august.
You done good, squirt.
You three really were wonderful.
But does anypony know what was going on with Spike?
He sure seemed to be having a tough time of it out there.
He put things right in time though.
Actually, it was me.
I didn't want him to be embarrassed.
So I cast a secret spell to light it for him.
Oh dear.
Have you told him?
No, but he might have figured it out on his own.
You gotta tell him, just in case.
I know.
I'm just afraid of how he'll take it.
I know what pride he takes in a job well done.
Psst!
Here he comes now.
Act casual.
Sup.
Spike!
Is everything okay?
I guess.
I don't know.
The weirdest thing happened down there.
Yeah.
About that.
I…
I mean, there I was, I…
I mean, there I was,
trying to light the torch with all of Equestria watching,
and feeling like the the hugest failure ever.
And then the thing just lit!
It was amazing!
Oh.
Phew.
I was afraid you'd be upset.
Upset?
Are you kidding?
Why would I be upset to discover that I can light fire…
with my mind!
What?!
Look, look it's the Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious!
Can we get your autograph?
Sure!
How you saved our empire last time you were here, was really amazing!
Duh.
You know what else is amazing?
Watch this!
Don't worry.
Once it bursts into flames from brain power, I'll send another one for you.
Promise.
Spike.
May I have a word with you for a moment?
Hey, you'd better be careful with that.
Might burst into flames later.
The late reaction.
Hey, Twi, what is it?
Hold on, hold on.
Give me a second.
If I can set fire to stuff with my mind,
mind reading must be just around the corner.
And I predict that you're about to ask me
to set fire to something…
with my mind!
No.
Because you can't!
Oh really?
So how do you explain what happened down there in front of thousands and thousands of…
I did it, Spike.
I cast a spell to do it for you.
In front of…
thousands…
and thousands…
I'm sorry, Spike.
I just couldn't stand to see you stuck like that.
You understand, don't you?
I…
I need to be alone right now.
Spike!
Oh, Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious!
Can I get your autograph?
Sorry.
You should probably ask somebody special instead.
Our next event,
The aerial relay!
That's Dash and Fluttershy!
Oh no!
We can't be late for that!
Miss, step right over here.
Unicorns will no longer be admitted without a disabling spell.
To prevent cheating.
And make sure you don't even try casting a spell or we'll know it.
If Ponyville medals here, we have eight medals so far,
putting us tied to the lead with Cloudsdale.
Unless Cloudsdale medals here too.
Miss Harshwhinny?
I know you're really busy, but…
What is it?
Maybe there's something else I can do for the Games?
You know, something really worthy of the Crystal Empire's admiration?
What are you talking about?
You lit the torch for the whole thing!
Well, actually,
that wasn't really…
That wasn't worthy enough for you?
For pony's sake.
Next thing you know you'll be asking to put on a rock concert.
Celebrities…
Wait.
That's it!
We got silver!
Congratulations to all our medalists.
And now, the anthem of…
And I shall do the honor of singing!
Spike, what're you doing?
You know how they always just play the music?
Well, I know all the words to our anthem,
and will sing them for you now,
loud and proud to the enjoyment of all!
And now,
the Cloudsdale anthem as sung by…
Spike!
Wait!
The Cloudsdale anthem?
They only play the anthem for the winner, Spike.
The Wonderbolts are from Cloudsdale.
But…
But I don't know the words to the Cloudsdale anthem.
I've never even heard it!
Sing for us, oh Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious!
Oh, we're the Wonderbolts and we're super fast!
And we're from Cloudsdale, which-is-a-part-of-Equestria!
That we like best, and we're proud and we're fast
and we like it because it really has nice trees.
Yeah, we love the town because it's so cool, and…
And we like to fly really fast and everything like that.
I kinda wish this was over 'cause it is…
isn't… yet… over.
Now…
Oh, we're the Wonderbolts and we're super fast!
And we're cloud from Cloudsdale.
We like it there 'cause it's really nice and the trees are cool,
And I hope it is over now.
And... it keeps going on, la la la
And we really love the town
So I wish that this... song... was over now.
Over... now.
Nailed it!
Spike, you comin'?
Nah, I got this stuff to pack up.
But you've been moping in here for almost the entire Games.
And tonight's the closing ceremony!
Which means we leave tomorrow.
Ergo, the packing.
And so the Games conclude as they always do,
with the ice archery finals!
Ice archers, take your places!
Too bad Ponyville doesn't have any ice archers competin'.
We don't have anyone to root for.
That's okay. Ponyville has thirty seven medals, and Cloudsdale thirty six,
so looks like we'll be medal champs of the Games anyway!
But Cloudsdale has two ice archery finalists down there now!
If they both place, Cloudsale wins the medal count!
So you're saying that it all comes down to this one event?!
Pretty much.
Omigoshomigoshomigoshomigosh!
Twilight! Come take this extra seat next to me and freak out over the medal count!
I'll show you how:
omigoshomigoshomigoshomigosh!
Actually, I was looking for Spike. Have you seen him?
He wouldn't come.
We tried to talk him into it...
...but he wouldn't listen!
You can have his extra seat, though.
Twi?
Spike?
You here?
Yeah!
I'm super-busy! Look at all this packing left to do, heh.
Crazy, right?
No more hiding out. You're coming with me. Now.
Okay, fine. I'll come.
Can I at least wear these?
Those aren't your average arrows.
They freeze whatever part of the target they hit.
Whoever encases their entire target in ice first wins.
Keep your eye on number seven from Cloudsdale – he's the favorite.
Honestly, Spike, I don't see why you're being so hard on yourself.
I let everypony down, twice.
You never let anypony down, so you don't have any idea what that's like.
Are you kidding? I've totally let ponies down. That's not the point.
The torch got lit, the aerial relay teams got their medals, no harm no foul.
Can we at least watch from inside there?
I'm not sure I'm ready to face crowds in the stands just yet.
No!
Steer it towards the field, away from the crowds!
Somepony cut the disabling spell!
There isn't time!
Dash, Fluttershy! Move!
That was awesome!
I just wanted to thank you personally for saving those ponies and the Games,
O Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious.
You must be very proud.
I guess.
You guess?!
I just saw what needed to be done and reacted.
Just so happens I can breathe fire and... if any of you could do that,
you'd have done the same.
Forgive me for bein' blunt, Spike, but you're not makin' a lick of sense.
Well, it's just how I feel.
Wait a second, I think I get it.
You keep saying you let everypony down, but we all keep saying you didn't.
You know who's disappointed in you, Spike?
You. And only you can make it right with you again.
What would that take, Spike?
I don't know.
Can we turn back time?
'Cause I'd sure like a do-over on that opening ceremony.
We can't turn back time,
but, would you do me the great honor of lighting fireworks in my place
at the closing ceremonies tonight?
Come on, Spike. You saved the Crystal Empire, twice!
I think you can light some fireworks.
I guess I have to at least give it a shot.
We did it! Ponyville won the medal count,
and only by one medal!
wonder which medal that was?
How does it feel to have opened the best Equestria Games in Ponyville history, squirt?
Probably as good as it feels to close them!
Okay, it's time!
You know, it's kinda weird.
No matter how many times others tell you you're great,
all the praise in the world means nothing if you don't feel it inside.
Sometimes to feel good about yourself, you gotta let go of the past.
That way, when the time comes to let your greatness fly,
you'll be able to light up the whole sky.
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