♪♪
[snoring]
♪♪
Let's go through this one more time.
We've been over it, like, a million times, Twilight.
We found all six keys, defeated Tirek,
and got this sweet castle.
End of story.
Yes, but why?
I don't know, Sugarcube.
Maybe it's just your new house,
and there ain't nothin' more to it than that.
I must say, speaking strictly on aesthetics,
there really doesn't need to be more to it.
It's all simply divine!
I agree with Twilight.
And Rarity and Applejack and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.
Oh. And probably Spike.
As princess, I've been chosen to spread the Magic of Friendship
across Equestria.
So why would the Tree of Harmony
want us to sit in a castle in Ponyville?
It doesn't make any sense.
♪ [chimes] ♪
[zapping]
[rumbling]
[yawn]
Is that new?
I like it.
♪ My little pony, my little pony ♪
♪ Aaaahhh ♪
♪ My little Pony ♪
♪ I used to wonder what friendship could be. ♪
♪ My Little Pony ♪
♪ Until you all shared its magic with me. ♪
♪ Big adventure! ♪ ♪ Tons of fun ♪
♪ A beautiful heart! ♪ ♪ Faithful and strong! ♪
♪ Sharing kindness ♪ ♪ it's an easy feat ♪
♪ And magic makes it all complete! ♪
♪ To have my little pony ♪
♪ Do you know you're all my very best friends? ♪
♪ ♪
♪♪
This is incredible!
It's got all of Equestria!
Hi, Mom and Dad!
[crash]
[giggle]
♪♪
But if this is Ponyville...
...why are our Cutie Marks over there?
I don't know.
But it seems like the map wants us to find out.
The Tree, the chest, this castle...and now the map.
How can we not follow it?
You know what?
There's a ton of room for dangerous adventure
along that route.
Count me in.
Aw shoot, I reckon you're right.
Well, I was planning on organizing my baking sheets,
but OK!
[sigh] Very well.
Um, maybe I'll just stay here with Spike.
Spike: Awesome!
Me and Big Mac have a huge weekend ahead of us
talkin' hoofball and trading hoofball cards
and arguing about hoofball stats!
On second thought, maybe I'd better go with them.
In case they need me.
Looks like it's time for a road trip.
Well? Suit yourself.
But he's got a Hock Fetlock rookie card
I plan to sweet talk right into these hot little claws.
♪♪
[chugging engine]
[tracks rattling]
♪♪
That's it! That's the place on the map!
Right! Let's get down there and find the spa.
Wait. We don't know why the map sent us here.
We shouldn't just walk right in. It could be dangerous.
Yesss!
Stay behind me, everypony.
I'm on it.
Careful, Pinkie!
♪♪
[crash]
[scraping]
Rainbow: This is where the map sent us?
It looks like the most boring place in Equestria!
Applejack: That's just an ordinary village
full of ordinary pony folk.
It could certainly use a few more architectural
flourishes...or any architectural flourishes.
I think it's lovely.
I don't like it.
I don't like it one bit.
I know smiles. And those smiles?
They're just not right.
Twilight: Forget the smiles; look at the Cutie Marks!
OK, that's weird.
♪♪
Twilight: An entire village with the same Cutie Mark?
How can that be?
I bet there's some sort of horrific monster behind it!
What makes you say that?
'Cause fighting a horrific monster would be super awesome!
I reckon we oughta just head into town
and talk to some locals.
Find out what's goin' on.
Great idea, AJ! Let's go.
Those smiles are bad news!
♪♪
Welcome! Welcome!
This must be the most pleasant place in Equestria!
Welcome!
[giggle]
Ugh. Thanks a lot, map.
Welcome!
Pardon my forwardness, but are you an alicorn?
That there's the Princess of Friendship!
Well, you've certainly come to the right place for friendship.
What brings you to town?
We're not entirely sure.
I see.
Well, all are welcome here in our little village.
My name is Double Diamond and this is Party Favor.
Howdy, Double Diamond.
I'm Applejack, and this here's Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity,
Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle.
And you all have your own unique Cutie Marks.
If you don't mind,
has there been any sort of trouble here lately?
Why, I don't think Trouble? we've ever had trouble
in our little village.
It's true.
You'll see.
Perhaps you'd care to speak to our founder, Starlight Glimmer.
I wish everypony in Equestria
was as friendly as these ponies are.
I've got my eye on them.
Something's rotten in...whatever the name of this village is
that we're in right now.
[knock knock]
Starlight?
We have some new visitors!
Be ready to fight.
We don't know what's gonna come through that door.
Welcome!
I'm so pleased to have you here.
[groan]
This is Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity,
Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle.
Forgive my bluntness,
but I'm assuming it's Princess Twilight Sparkle?
We don't get many alicorns around here.
Yes. But Twilight is fine.
So! How did you hear of our little village?
It's kind of a long story.
Let's just say we found it on a map.
Technically it's a tree-chest-castle-map.
Well, however you found us, we're happy to have you.
We're happy to have anypony who wants to experience
true friendship for the first time.
Say what?
Oh, indeed.
That's what's so unique about our village, you see.
Around here, we don't flaunt our special talents
because we don't have any special talents to flaunt.
Is that why you all have those Cutie Marks?
Perhaps it would be easier to understand
if I gave you a tour of the village.
♪ [military drum beat] ♪
Heads High ponies!
Marching proud!
All together now, every one of you!
No pony left behind!
♪ Life is so grand in our town ♪
♪ We're always filled with cheer ♪
♪ We never have to look around ♪
♪ To know that we're all here ♪
♪ In our town! ♪ ♪ In our town ♪
♪ We don't have to wait ♪
♪ To find out that our destiny ♪
♪ Is just to emulate! ♪
Let's see those big happy smiles!
♪ Life is a smile in our town ♪
♪ Our cutie marks the same ♪
♪ Because we do not separate ♪
♪ Ourselves by more than name ♪
♪ In our town! In our town ♪
♪ We dare not compete ♪
♪ Winning only breeds the worst ♪
♪ Ego-filled conceit ♪
You see, now everypony wins!
♪♪
♪ Life is a joy in our town We're all equal here ♪
♪ No-one is superior And no-one shakes in fear ♪
♪ In our town! In our town ♪
♪ We work as a team ♪
♪ You can't have a nightmare If you never dream ♪
♪♪
♪ Other ponies argue Do you ever wonder why? ♪
♪ When you think your talent's special ♪
♪ You don't see eye to eye ♪
♪ There's just too many differences ♪
♪ That lead to disarray ♪
♪ But when you learn to act as one ♪
♪ It's like a holiday ♪
♪ In our town In our town ♪
♪ We don't complicate ♪
♪ When you learn to simplify ♪
♪ Life is oh so great ♪
♪ Join in our utopia ♪
♪ Come out of the dark ♪
♪ Banded by equality By our cutie mark! ♪
♪♪
[laugh]
You're kidding, right?
Give up our Cutie Marks?
No way!
Fluttershy: Rainbow Dash, don't be so rude!
I don't think we should judge them.
They all seem perfectly happy with their choice.
Don't believe their smiles, Fluttershy.
I'm sorry, I guess we're just a little confused by all of this.
We have no judgments here in our village.
Each of us was confused once as well,
blinded by the false promise of our Cutie Marks.
Whoa whoa whoa!
Is she for real?
When we were sent to this village,
we assumed it was to help in some way, but...well,
it doesn't seem like you need any help.
Have you considered perhaps that you might have been sent here
so we could help you?
After all, nopony has ever come to our village
and wanted to leave.
Why should you be any different?
But that is entirely your choice.
Please, enjoy our little corner of Equestria.
We're all quite fond of it.
No doubt you will be as well.
Double Diamond, please help our guests
with whatever they might need.
Of course.
Well, this will certainly provide a boost
to our little community.
When the rest of Equestria sees
that a princess gave up her Cutie Mark to join us,
they'll finally understand what we're trying to accomplish.
Welcome!
A Cutie Mark is a representation
of a pony's unique talents and skills.
How is it possible to--
[gasp] What in the name of Equestria is THAT?
Welcome!
Care to sample some local fashion?
We've got cloaks this month!
[gag]
Perhaps another time, good sir, thank you.
No wonder nopony's wearing anything.
Really, girls, they may do things a bit differently
than we're used to, but that's no reason to be rude!
No, the reason to be rude
is that they all keep staring at us.
Need something?
Uh, no, we're good. Fluttershy's right.
If we're going to get to the bottom
of why the map sent us here,
we'll need the help of these ponies.
I think we ran off to the end of Equestria
before we even knew what that map was!
If we were at the end of Equestria,
we'd be sitting on a big A!
Hee Hee! Get it?
Oh please, Miss Pie, this is hardly the time for jokes.
We've come all this way and for what?
Maybe you're right, but we're here now.
And it sure feels like something's wrong.
That and two bits'll get you a cup of cider.
Is this a bad time?
We shouldn't be bickering like this
in front of our new friends.
Really, Applejack, you're almost as bad as Rainbow Dash!
Don't drag me into this.
Is your friendship ending?
Are you crazy?
We'd never let a disagreement get in the way of food!
OK, well. My name is Sugar Belle.
What can I bring you?
We have muffins...
Then I guess we'll take six muffins.
Make that twelve.
What? I'm hungry.
Come on, girls, we've got to stick together.
It doesn't matter what happened before; we're here now.
I guess you're right.
And the sooner we figure out why, the sooner we can go home.
Forgive me for overhearing,
but just a moment ago you were disagreeing.
And now it sounds like you're agreeing.
Uh-huh.
Well, you had such differing opinions.
And Cutie Marks.
We have differing opinions all the time, darling.
But you look like you're friends.
We are friends.
A simple disagreement wouldn't change that.
I'm sorry, I'm just having a hard time understanding.
Different talents lead to different opinions,
which lead to bitterness and misery.
So, why aren't you bitter and--
Peh!
Blech!
Mmm...good!
It's all right, I know I'm not a very good baker.
At least, I'm not any better than anypony else
in the village.
Well, I hope you enjoy our little village!
Come inside before you go.
Meet me downstairs.
OK, that was weird, too.
Let's all sit here and eat these muffins and act normal.
I think we're being watched.
Ya think?
No, not like that.
I mean somepony here doesn't want us talking to Sugar Belle.
I got an idea.
But you gotta eat all them muffins, Pinkie.
Me? Why me?
You got a stronger stomach than any of us
and that filly in there might be our best chance
at findin' out what in the hay is goin' on around here.
Applejack: I can't believe you ate all our muffins, Pinkie Pie!
We'd best go inside and get some more!
Nice work, Pinkie.
I've accidentally eaten cardboard tastier than that.
Hello? Sugar Belle?
Sugar Belle: Thank you for coming.
Why did want us to come down here?
So nopony could see what's about to happen.
♪ [eerie] ♪
Are you really the Princess of Friendship?
Do you know Princess Celestia?
I love your Cutie Mark!
How can you be friends with different Cutie Marks?
Don't you end up hating each other?
Oh, look at this one! This one's great too!
I'd love to have my special talent back,
even just for a day...make something besides those
disgusting muffins.
So what's stopping you?
Go get your Cutie Marks back.
Daydreaming is one thing, but you mean...
actually having it put back on?
That seems extreme.
I'm not sure Starlight would like that.
She wants us all to be happy in our sameness.
How do you take somepony's Cutie Mark, anyway?
The Cutie Unmarking is a beautiful experience.
Starlight uses the Staff of Sameness
to magically take them away and replace them with these.
But nopony should keep you from your Cutie Mark.
It represents such an essential part of who you are!
Oh, we're not kept from them.
They're in the vault, up in the caves.
We can visit them any time we like to remind us
of the heartache of a life with special talents.
Can we visit this cave?
I'm delighted you're interested in our Cutie Mark vault!
We hope someday every pony in Equestria will make a pilgrimage
here to our little village to have theirs removed, too,
[continues]
This must be the reason we're here.
Pilgrimaging?
No, helping those ponies get their Cutie Marks back.
Oh. Are you sure, Twilight?
Maybe they missed them a little,
but even they didn't seem all that unhappy.
Then why did they want to meet us in secret?
And why did they ask us not to tell Starlight
who told us about the vault?
Something's not right.
Just through here!
Behold!
Our Cutie Mark vault.
Twilight: I've never seen anything like it!
And here is the Staff of Sameness.
It was one of the great mage Meadowbrook's
nine enchanted items.
We are incredibly fortunate to have it here.
This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves
from our Marks.
I'm curious; how did the subject of the vault come up?
Oh, some ponies were telling us
how much they missed their Cutie Marks and--
Pinkie!
Oops.
Starlight: Were they!
Well, it seems you inspire all sorts of free thinking,
don't you?
We certainly didn't intend to cause any disruptions
to your charming little--
Good.
Let's just make sure of that, shall we?
It's a trap!
♪♪
[groans]
♪♪
[groans]
♪♪
Oh, I don't blame you for what you tried to do here today.
You've spent your whole lives thinking those Marks
are a good thing.
Give them back!
Well! Now you can spend the rest of your lives here with us.
And we'll teach you just how much better life can be
without your Cutie Marks.
♪♪