"♪" "Today we have two special guests with a very special announcement." "Everypony, welcome the Head of the Equestria Games," "Ms. Harshwhinny." "(door opens) Ms. Harshwhinny." "Thank you." "Now I'm sure you all know about the Equestria Games, where ponies from all over the land compete for glory in various athletic pursuits?" "Well, now you littlest ones will have the chance to compete for a weighty responsibility of your very own." "Rainbow Dash:" "Oh, c'mon!" "Tell them the fun part!" "(whoosh)" "(Ooh and aah from the others)" "That's right!" "All you gotta do is show Ms. Harshwhinny the coolest, most spectacular, most rockin' routine and you're goin' to the Games!" "So, who's gonna be the lucky ponies?" "It's got to be me." "Maybe it's me." "Maybe it's us!" "Maybe it's us!" "(crash)" "Hey!" "It could happen!" "Rainbow Dash:" "So the winning team gets to carry the Ponyville flag at the Equestria Games!" "Oh, you are gonna LOVE this!" "Ms. Harshwinny:" "Miss Dash!" "Will you please curb your overenthusiastic outbursts!" "Now then, let me be clear on the rules." "You ponies will form teams." "Each team will create their own flag-carrying routine." "Everypony will be judged on grace, style, and originality." "There's a most complicated scoring system, which I will elaborate upon now." "Firstly..." "Aw, Get to the nitty gritty later." "Tell them the important stuff:" "like who's the coach?" "(whistle blast)" "That's right:" "ME!" "And you know why I'm qualified to coach you?" "Guess who carried the Cloudsdale flag in the Games when she was a little filly." "ME!" "I'll never forget it." "I burst into the stadium... spreading my wings, the flag flapping in the breeze!" "I did tricks with that flag the likes of which no pony saw before, and no pony's seen since!" "Professionalism, Ms. Dash, I must insist." "If you want to keep your job as coach of these ponies, you must maintain a professional attitude and keep your emotions in check!" "Am I making myself absolutely, 100% crystal clear?" "Yes, Ms. Harshwhinny." "You know, professionalism is my middle name." "Rainbow "Professionalism" Dash." "Hmph!" "Well, in three days' time," "Ms. Dash will accompany anypony competing to the Crystal Empire where you will demonstrate your routines for me and the other judges." "Who will judge you very professionally." "Ahem!" "Yes, quite, quite correct!" "In the meantime, get ready to train and train hard!" "Because I know this Opening Ceremony is the single most important thing that will ever happen in your young lives." "But I know you're up for the challenge!" "And so am I!" "WA-WAHOOOO-(cuts short)" "AHEM!" "Meet me after school tomorrow at 1500 hours, sharp." "And show me your flag-carrying skills." "I am outta here!" "(skid)" "Professionally!" "See how professionally?" "(groan)" "Ponies, the most important thing is this:" "your routine needs to show what your town means to you." "So do Ponyville proud!" "Work hard." "Be bold." "Wow me." "That is all." "(bell rings)" "(excited shouts)" "So what do you say we come up with the perfect routine and win this thing?" "I'd say that's rootin' tootin' terrific!" "But there's one problem!" "I bet everypony in class is planning to compete." "Listen, somepony in our class is gonna carry that flag." "So it might as well be us!" "Crusaders, are you in, or are you in?" "Cause I'M in." "Me too!" "Me three!" "All right, the winning routine needs to show what's important about Ponyville, right?" "Both:" "Right!" "So what's special about Ponyville?" "It's..." "It's..." "I've got it!" "It's a place where different kinds of ponies live together as friends." "Earth Ponies, like me!" "Unicorns, like me!" "And Pegasi, like me!" "So somehow we gotta figure out a way to show that in our act." "We're gonna need a plan." "And a lotta hard work." "And a whole bunch of practice." "But take it from me:" "We may just be little ponies, but we have hearts as strong as horses!" "♪" "♪ We're the toughest little ponies in town!" "♪" "♪ Got the moves, got the mojo. ♪" "♪ No harder-working ponies around ♪" "♪ We are a trio, work as a team, ♪" "♪ We'll be the first ponies out on the flag-waving scene. ♪" "♪" "♪ We get going when the going gets tough ♪" "♪ We know our very best is just never enough ♪" "♪ We're kinda short, but so what?" "♪" "♪ We don't get defeated." "♪ We could take a little break but we don't need it. ♪" "♪ We've got hearts as strong as horses. ♪" "♪ We've got hearts as strong as horses. ♪" "♪ We've got hearts as strong as horses. ♪" "♪ We've got hearts" "♪ hearts strong as horses." "♪" "♪ When we put our minds together we can achieve. ♪" "♪ We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders and you should believe. ♪" "♪ We've got determinations to represent the nation ♪" "♪ for the win!" "♪ We've got hearts as strong as horses. ♪" "♪ We've got hearts as strong as horses. ♪" "♪ We've got hearts as strong as horses!" "♪" "♪ And we're playing to win As we gallop to glory!" "♪" "♪ We can conquer any challenge we're in ♪" "♪ We've got hearts....  ♪ Hearts strong as horses!" "♪" "♪ Hearts strong as horses!" "♪" "Whoa!" "Oof!" "If that's the best you've got, we're going to win for sure!" "We already have the most divine routine planned." "It's absolutely sure to crush everyone else." "And I mean CRUSH!" "But we're winners, and we have heaaaarts..." "Sure, but you know what you don't have?" "YOUR CUTIE MARKS!" "Blank Flanks!" "Blank Flanks!" "Blank Flanks!" "What does that have to do with flag-carrying?" "Having Cutie-Mark-less ponies represent Ponyville would be unthinkable!" "And we, of course, already HAVE our Cutie Marks." "So we know who's going to be in the winner's circle." "Listen you two:" "Cutie Marks or no Cutie Marks, you'll see:" "the Crusaders are going to carry that flag at the Games." "May the best ponies win!" "GAME ON!" "♪" "♪" "Show me what you got, Cutie Mark Crusaders." "And make it good." "Don't worry, we will!" "Sweetie Belle:" "Now, this is just a little something we threw together." "It's not perfect yet." "Not even close." "Let's watch the Cutie Mark GOOF-saders do their sad little routine." "They're gonna be a hot mess." "(mean giggles)" "(dramatic) Since the dawn of recorded time, in one town of amazing amazingness... three types of ponies coexist." "We are Earth Ponies..." "We are Unicorns..." "We are Pegasi!" "And the town where friendship reigns is our home." "Now welcome to the stadium the flag of the place we love best..." "♪" "(screech)" "♪" "PONYVILLE FOREVER!" "YAY!" "It's kind of a work in progress." "So, what did you think?" "That." "Was." "AMA" "(to herself) Wait." "Hold on now." "Gotta stay calm, cool, and collected." "To give a calm, clear analysis..." "Wait!" "You whipped that act together just yesterday?" "That... is... (to herself) Professionalism, Dash." "Keep those emotions in check." "Overall it was kinda sorta..." "Overall it was OK." "Keep working hard, who knows?" "You might have a shot." "Gotta go." "Do y'all think she liked it?" "I'm not really sure." "You heard her." "If we keep working hard, we might have a shot." "So let's keep working!" "Trot to it, ponies!" "Did you SEE that?" "I can't believe I'm saying this." "They could win!" "But how do we stop them?" "We already called them Blank Flanks." "Then we need to find a new way to get under their skin." "Or maybe, get under their WINGS." "Girls, we just wanted to say your act is quite impressive!" "Wait, what?" "Um... thanks?" "Oh, but of course!" "As a matter of fact, we think you're very brave." "Brave?" "Why?" "Isn't it obvious?" "It is to us." "In fact, it's obvious to everypony." "You're showing all three types of Ponyville ponies, yet you have a Pegasus Pony..." "Both: who can't even fly!" "What in tarnation does that have to do with anything?" "Silver Spoon:" "I'd say not being able to fly has everything to do with everything, doesn't it?" "I mean, a Pegasus pony at your age?" "You should have been flying long ago!" "So what if my wings can't get me off the ground?" "Your career as a flag carrier isn't getting off the ground, either." "Ms. Harshwhinny will never pick a Pegasus pony who can't fly to represent Ponyville in front of all of Equestria!" "Ms. Harshwinny never said anything about that!" "I would've thought that was obvious." "Diamond Tiara:" "Well, have fun practicing anyway." "Even if your routine will never...how shall I say?" ""Take off."" "Don't listen to them, Scootaloo." "Scootaloo?" "You OK?" "This routine isn't working how it is." "We've gotta rethink my part in the whole thing." "WHAT?" "Why?" "If we want to win, I'm gonna have to fly." "Is that even possible?" "And by tomorrow?" "Maybe I can fly if I work twice as hard." "See?" "Oof!" "Maybe three times as hard." "Apple Bloom:" "Golly, I don't know, Scootaloo." "I don't think that's the problem." "Well, I know this for sure, flying is the only way we're gonna win." "So it's back to practice!" "Is this a good idea?" "Whooah!" "(thud)" "I'll just work four times as hard." "Probably not." "Guys, guys, guys!" "Try it again." "(groan)" "We've been rehearsing all the livelong day!" "We're getting tired." "Fine." "We'll skip to my big impressive flying entrance." "So you've done the do-si-do to the left, then the right, and there's the hoop." "Then I come in... (thud)" "Not quite what I had in mind." "We'll just (sigh) try that part again." "(grunts)" "I liked our routine the way it was!" "Me too." "But all she cares about now is flying." "Don't worry;" "I'll be flyin' high tomorrow at our final run-through for Rainbow Dash." "I'm gonna get this, you'll see!" "(grunts)" "(thud)" "Okay, Cutie Mark Crusaders, this is your final run before you show it at the stadium tomorrow." "I know you're gonna absolutely, positively, ...have a lot of fun." "OK, go!" "(whistle blast)" "♪" "Ponyville!" "home of the um... (whispered) Friendship!" "Friendship, right!" "There are four--no, three kinds of ponies... (yawn)" "Left!" "LEFT!" "I'm sorry!" "I'm just tired." "And then I dip, and then we turn..." "Sorry!" "(grunts)" "(boing)" "(thud)" "♪ Tada!" "(gasping)" "So?" "What'd you think?" "That's." "Y'know." "Good and all, heh heh." "I just thought maybe possibly you might wanna go back to, say, the first version of the act, which was," "I don't know, what's the word?" "Better." "Just do the routine as it was." "Don't mess with success, right?" "Seriously." "Now I need to go coach these other ponies." "And don't forget we've gotta catch the early train for the Crystal Empire." "See you in the morning!" "What are we gonna do?" "We're competing tomorrow and I still can't fly, unless..." "I'm just too tired." "I can't keep going." "Me too!" "I'm tired;" "I'm hungry." "And now I hate this routine!" "It feels like it's all about you now." "She's right." "It's like you don't even need us anymore." "Of course I need you!" "Without you two, who's going to hold up the hoop?" "UGH!" "You don't listen to yourself!" "Oh, forget it." "I'm going home to get some sleep." "So?" "Are you gonna leave me too?" "We've gotta catch the early train to the Crystal Empire." "I better get some rest." "See you in the morning, Scootaloo." "Come on, Scootaloo!" "Do it for Ponyville." "Just gotta try 20 times as hard." "(grunt)" "Thirty - times - as hard." "Oof!" "Just a little harder... (thud)" "(grunt)" "(thud)" "(sigh)" "I can't fly." "I just..." "can't!" "(train bell ringing)" "Crystal Empire!" "All aboard!" "Scootaloo?" "Where IS she?" "She better get here soon." "This here train is about to leave!" "Here I am." "We were scared you were going to miss the train." "I" " I'm not going." "WHAT?" "I'm the weak link." "If I go and fall, flop, or do anything but fly," "I'm gonna blow it for you two." "I can't believe you're quitting on us!" "But you're better off without me!" "But that's not true, Scootaloo!" "Ya know what, Sweetie Belle?" "Forget it!" "If she's gonna quit, we don't' want her and we don't need her!" "FINE!" "Fine." "Fine." "Conductor:" "All aboard!" "(train chugging)" "(train whistle)" "How's my favorite routine going today?" "Oh, I just can't keep it in." "I want you to win so bad!" "♪ "BumBUM, bumBUM"." "Then Scootaloo does that KAPOW!" "through the hoop!" "Well, there ain't gonna be a Scootaloo." "She's staying home." "She's WHAT?" "She got it in her head that the only way to represent Ponyville was by flying in our routine." "When she couldn't do it, she told us she was quitting." "And then you tried to stop her from doing that, right?" "Well, actually we kinda told her... that we didn't want a quitter." "Hang on!" "Are you NUTS?" "You're a team and a team never leaves a friend behind." "(screech)" "Come on!" "Sorry you can't make it!" "We'll take a picture for you from the winners' circle." "(giggling)" "I do not like them one bit." "Put on some speed, girls!" "Rainbow Dash:" "Throwing away your scooter?" "Rainbow Dash?" "Yup." "But not just me." "I don't want to see them." "And what are they doing here, anyway?" "They're supposed to be on the train." "We're not going." "Not without YOU, Scootaloo." "What's gotten into you, Scootaloo?" "I didn't want to ruin their chance to win just because I couldn't fly." "And who said you had to?" "But flying's what Pegasus ponies are supposed to do!" "YOU flew when you carried the flag in the Games." "But that was me!" "You are you!" "And it just doesn't matter if you can fly or not!" "Your routine was amazing 'cause it represented exactly what makes Ponyville special." "You do still know what that is, right?" "Friendship." "Three kinds of ponies living together as friends, just like us!" "Earth Ponies..." "Unicorns..." "And Pegasi." "But Rainbow Dash..." "What if...what if my wings never grow?" "What if I never fly?" "Listen, Scootaloo:" "maybe you'll fly someday... or maybe you won't." "You're all kinds of awesome anyway." "Who's the toughest little pony in town?" "♪ Got the moves got the mojo No harder working pony around. ♪" "♪ We are a trio, work as a team, We'll be the first ponies out ♪" "♪ on the flag waving scene." "So let's get to the Crystal Empire." "And let's do the routine as it was." "And let's WIN THIS THING!" "♪ We've got hearts as strong as horses. ♪" "♪ We've got hearts as strong as horses. ♪" "♪ We've got hearts as strong as horses. ♪" "♪ And we're playing to win As we gallop to glory!" "♪" "♪ We can conquer any challenge we're in ♪" "♪ We've got hearts!" "♪ Hearts strong as horses." "♪ Hearts strong as horses." "♪" "(whistling and cheering)" "PONYVILLE FOREVER!" "YAY!" "(whistling and cheering)" "Ms. Harshwhinny:" "In the Equestria Games, the Ponyville Flag will be carried by..." ""Cutie Mark Crusaders"!" "WHOO-HOO!" "♪" "Ahem!" "Look, what you three did was... acceptable." "Ms. Harshwhinny:" "Acceptable?" "Acceptable?" "Why it was totally, stupendously the single most amazing thing I've ever seen!" "(giddy laughter)" "Contain your excitement, Ms. Harshwhinny." "Remember, professionalism." "Yes Yes, well, I... (laughter)" "You know what this means, right?" "What?" "We are totally gonna get Cutie Marks in Flag Carrying." "Yeah!" "(laughter)"