I hope Shining Armor and Princess Cadance
don't think it's too soon for me
to come back to the Crystal Empire for a visit.
But I just know Flurry Heart's grown so much already.
I wonder if I'll even recognize her.
She's the only baby they have, Twilight.
I think it'll be pretty easy to figure out who she is.
Mm.
Sorry, I know you want to visit your niece as much as possible
and I'm excited to see Sunburst again.
I just don't want to fall behind
on my friendship lessons back home.
Starlight, your work in Ponyville isn't going anywhere.
Besides, I think we all know you can learn
about friendship anywhere, right Spike?
Spike? Who's Spike?
[Pfft] Uh you're Spike, Spike.
And why are you dressed like that?
Guys! You're blowing my cover.
How'd you even know it was me?
Because you're YOU-- in a coat, hat, and glasses.
Also, we're the only ones here.
Right.
Spike, why do you need a disguise?
The last time we came to the Crystal Empire.
there was a lot going on with the new baby
and the Crystalling,
but I still got mobbed in the street.
I wouldn't say "mobbed."
And this is just a family visit.
I wouldn't want the presence of "Spike the Brave and Glorious"
to turn it into some kind of circus.
We get it. The Crystal Ponies adore you.
He did save the Empire. Twice.
But still, I don't think your presence
will turn our visit into a circus.
Not if I find the right disguise, it won't.
♪ 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? ♪
♪♪
Uh disguise or not, Spike, I don't think you need to worry
about being mobbed. Nopony's here.
[bird screech]
Spike: It's like a ghost town.
Twilight: I've got a bad feeling about this.
♪ [eerie music] ♪
Yeah, this is weird.
I guess I don't need the disguise after all.
[cheering]
It's Spike, the Brave and Glorious!
He's come to save us yet again!
[cheering] Spike! Spike! Spike!
Save you from what?
Yeah. What's going on?
Why was everypony hiding?
It sure looks like Princess Twilight and her pupil.
But how can we be sure?
We can't. Either one of them could be the-- you know.
[gasp] What if this isn't [gasp] the real Spike!?
EVERYPONY RUN!
Awww!
OK. Something strange is definitely going on.
Ugh, you think?
Who goes there?
Um... you don't recognize the Princess of Friendship?
Of course we recognize her.
But that doesn't mean it's really her.
It's OK, guys. They're with me.
And any friend of Spike the Brave and Glorious
is a friend of the Crystal Empire, am I right?
Huh. It does look like him.
Well, it would, wouldn't it?
I'm sorry, but we'll need to see some proof of identification.
We'll take care of things from here.
Oh Cadance, thank goodness! What's going on?
We can explain, Twilly if it really is you.
"Sunshine, Sunshine--"
"--Lady bugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"
It's OK, everypony. It's her.
Of course it's her. What's all this about?
A Changeling's been spotted nearby.
A Changeling!?
That's not good.
No. It's not.
After Queen Chrysalis took my place at our wedding
and invaded Canterlot with her army of minions,
we're not taking any chances.
Changelings feed off of love,
and ever since Flurry Heart's Crystalling,
the Empire is filled with more love than anywhere in Equestria.
It's possible they've come for the baby.
That's why we've posted the extra guards and why we're--
--checking everypony's identity.
I'm sorry for all of this.
Flurry Heart's really been looking forward to seeing you.
[gurgle]
Oh! She's gotten so big!
Starlight and I will do whatever we can to help protect her.
To be honest, having you here is already a big relief.
[whispering]
The Royal Guards were wondering if Spike,
the Brave and Glorious,
would like to join in the search for the Changeling.
Really?
Uh, I don't know if that's such a good idea, Spike.
It sounds dangerous.
Come on, Twilight. This is Spike the Brave and Glorious
you're talking to. Have you ever known me to run from danger?
Ummmm...
He'll be safe with our guards.
Or will your guards be safe with me?
[sigh]
Spike, the Brave and Glorious.
You've faced the evil Changelings before.
What can you tell us?
Oh. Um. Well, they are Changelings, so they can change.
Do you hear that? These monsters can look like any of us,
so be on guard, guards. Even more than normal.
And they could be anywhere.
So we should cover as much ground as possible.
You, search that way!
[whoosh]
And you search that way!
[whoosh]
And I'll just search here, I guess.
Not many places to hide.
Unless that rock is a Changeling.
OK, "rock", how do I know you're really a rock?
Hmm not talking, huh? Well, you can't fool me.
Whoa!
[screaming]
[grunt]
Whew. [kissing noises]
OK. Maybe it's time Spike the Brave and Glorious
went back to, ah, protect those guards.
[surprised yell]
Phew. Just my reflection.
Huh?
Ha hah! Hmm, just my imagination, I guess.
[thud]
AUGGGGGHHHH!
Ch-ch-ch-changeling!!
No, wait! Come back!
AAAAHHHHHH!
This is unexpected.
The ice is pretty slippery.
I wouldn't want you to get hurt because of me.
You... saved me?
It's OK. I know you don't want to be friends.
Wait!
I don't understand. Changelings are supposed to be evil, right?
Evil? Oh, not me. All I've ever wanted is a friend.
From the moment I first split my egg in the nursery hive.
[hissing]
I was part of the attack on Canterlot
during the Royal Wedding.
But I'd never seen true friendship like that,
and I couldn't just steal it and feed on its love.
I wanted to share it!
After that, I knew I couldn't live with my kind anymore.
I set off looking for love to share. But--
But what?
I'm starving!
And there's so much love in the Crystal Empire right now.
It's what drew me here, but it's driving me crazy!
That would be from the Royal Crystalling.
It's pretty much a giant outpouring of light and love
for a new baby.
[hiss] Oh, sorry. I'm just so hungry.
If I had a friend, maybe the love we shared could sustain me,
but I don't think the Crystal Ponies want to be friends.
What if I told you there was somepony they respect and admire
so much, he could convince them to give it a try?
If only that were true!
It is! I mean, I am. It's ME! Spike!
Spike? The Brave and Glorious? I'm sure you've heard of me.
No, but I was raised by an evil queen. I'm Thorax.
I can't believe you want to help me.
Why? Hasn't anypony ever just been nice to you?
[hiss] Sorry! Sorry! Kindness like that kind of brings it out.
Do you still want to be my friend?
Of course! And I am one hundred percent sure
I can get the whole Crystal Empire to be your friend too.
[hiss]
But, maybe I should just uh, talk to them first.
What do you mean? Did you see the Changeling?
Did you defeat the evil creature?
Defeating a Changeling would be brave,
but do you know what would be glorious?
Defeating two Changelings?
Defeating all the Changelings?
Not having to fight the Changeling at all
because I made friends with him.
Ha hah! Oh. Wow. For a second I thought you were serious!
Ha ha! Could you imagine? Friends with a Changeling?
I am serious. He wants to be friends.
Ha ha ha! Right!
Not only are you Spike the Brave and Glorious,
you're also Spike the Hilarious! Ha ha!
I'm not joking. The Changeling is nice.
HA HA HA!
I'm sorry. But I don't think it's funny.
The Changeling Queen, Chrysalis, kidnapped Cadance
and cast a spell on me.
There's no such thing as a nice Changeling.
You're right, Shining Armor. Sorry. That was a... bad joke.
So? So! What did they say? How many new friends do I have?
Well... it didn't go exactly the way I thought.
Uh, I understand. Well, thanks for trying.
I-I guess it's not surprising.
How can you expect ponies who look like this.
To trust something that looks like this?
I think I might know.
Spike, if you're done searching for the Changeling,
Starlight and I could use your help.
We're working on a protection spell for Flurry Heart
and nopony takes notes like you.
Uh actually, Twilight,
I wanted to introduce you to my friend, um...
...Crystal! ...Hoof!
Crystal Hoof, my good friend, Crystal Hoof.
Nice to meet you.
Oh. Well, it's nice to meet you too. How do you know Spike?
Oh, Spike and I go way back--
--to the Equestria Games.
That's when we met. We've been pen pals ever since.
Pen pals! Spike, you could have been using my pen pal quill set!
Why didn't you tell me?
Well, I-I pretty much only write to him
when you and Starlight are studying.
I like to brag to all my friends about my letters
from Spike the Brave and Glorious.
[forced laughter]
Well, I'm sure Starlight and I can manage,
if you want to spend time with your friend.
Great! Crystal Hoof promised to take me around the city.
Ha! That was amazing!
I told ya.
♪♪
[no audio over music]
[laughter]
Crystal Hoof is nearly as entertaining as Spike himself!
Ah! This place is everything I've ever dreamed of.
But I can't keep pretending
to be a Crystal Pony forever, can I?
Relax, you're winning them over.
Pretty soon, nopony will care that you're a Changeling.
Spike!
Twilight told me you were off with a friend.
[nervous laugh]
And any friend of Spike the Brave and Glorious
is a friend of mine.
[baby gurgle]
Oh she's so beautiful!
There's so much LOVE around her. I-- I-- [roar]!
I, [hiss], I'm so [hiss] sorry! I can't-can't [hiss] stop.
Spike, get away from the Changeling!
Wait! No! You don't understand.
This Changeling replaced your friend to get close to the baby.
What other explanation could there be?
♪ [dramatic] ♪
[roar]
I don't know.
After it! Don't let the Changeling escape!
I hope your friend is OK.
Yeah... me too.
♪ [dramatic] ♪
Spike, you should go find Crystal Hoof
while we hunt down the Changeling.
I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to see me.
Spread out! The Changeling is probably still nearby.
[galloping hooves]
Actually, I'm pretty sure he ran
as far away from here as possible.
But I bet I know where!
Thorax? Hello?
I just want to apologize. I should have stood up for you.
Aw, come on, Thorax. I know you're in here.
Leave me alone! [hiss]
[scream] Um... little help?
Why do you think I would help you? I'm an evil Changeling!
Because you're my friend.
I just wish I had been one to you.
Ahhhhhhhhhh!
It's OK. I know it's hard.
Everyone in the Crystal Empire loves you.
I couldn't ask you to give that up for me.
You don't have to ask.
What are you going to do?
What I should have done in the first place.
Let's move, move, move, move.
Have you checked there? Look around that corner.
♪ [suspenseful] ♪
I know it's bad that there's a Changeling around,
but is all this really necessary?
If there's one Changeling,
there may well be a whole army on the way.
True, but Starlight has a point.
This is getting a little out of hand.
I understand, but I don't know what else we can do.
I do!
[gasps]
Spike! What are you doing? Get away from that thing!
No. He's not a thing. His name is Thorax. And he's my friend.
[gasps]
♪♪
♪ Would you say I'm a hero, glorious and brave ♪
♪ If I told you something you wouldn't believe? ♪
♪ That sometimes I'm scared and I can make mistakes ♪
♪ And I'm not so heroic, it seems ♪
♪ But if day can turn to night ♪
♪ And the darkness turn to light ♪
♪ Then why can't we imagine a Changeling can change? ♪
♪ No two ponies are exactly the same ♪
♪ No two snowflakes ever match their design ♪
♪ And I thought I was strong, but I was nothing but wrong, ♪
♪ When I forgot to be friendly and kind. ♪
♪ But if day can turn to night ♪
♪ And the darkness turn to light ♪
♪ Then why can't we imagine a Changeling can change? ♪
♪ Would you say I'm a hero, glorious and brave ♪
♪ If I told you something you wouldn't believe? ♪
♪ This Changeling it seems, knows the real me. ♪
♪ And would stay by my side till the end. ♪
♪ So if day can turn to night ♪
♪ And the darkness turn to light ♪
♪ Then why can't we imagine? ♪
♪ Just why can't we imagine, then why can't we imagine ♪
♪ the Changeling can change? ♪
♪ [song ends] ♪
You are? Spike, I'm so proud of you.
Of course! You're a celebrity here in the Crystal Empire
and you just risked all of it for a friend.
I can't imagine anything more brave than that.
As the Princess of Friendship,
I try to set an example for all of Equestria.
But today, it was Spike who taught me that a new friend
can come from anywhere. I guess everypony
still has things to learn about friendship, even me.
And if Spike says Thorax is his friend, then he's my friend too.
Thank you.
On behalf of the Crystal Empire, I would like to extend my hoof
in friendship and I am sure all of my subjects
are eager to do the same.
[cheers]! Yay!
Welcome to the Crystal Empire, Thorax.
I'm sorry we didn't take the time to get to know you.
Maybe we can change that now.
That'd be so amazing! I want to know all about friendship.
And maybe one day I can take that knowledge back
to the Changeling Kingdom.
If my kind learned how to create love for one another,
maybe they wouldn't have to take it from others!
To Spike the Brave and Glorious!
[cheers]
Looks like you were right after all.
Right about what?
Friendship lessons can happen anywhere.
♪ My Little Pony ♪
♪ friends ♪