I do appreciate you
showing me the way
to the phoenix's
nests, Spike.
Anything for you, Rarity.
Besides, I've been
meaning to visit Pee Wee.
He really was
an excellent pet.
I can't imagine why
you set him free.
Phoenixes aren't meant
to be domesticated.
Even in the wild,
they like to keep to themselves.
Well, they are beautiful.
A few of their feathers will add
just the right splash of color
to my latest...
Spike! What are you doing?
Agh! Nothing.
Is there something
wrong with your face?
It's a stone scale.
It isn't magical
or anything
like the call of
the Dragon Lord.
It's just red and
itchy and embarrassing.
Oh, precious pants.
That does look
uncomfortable.
But even I get the odd
blemish from time to time;
it's nothing to
be embarrassed by.
You could pay
Zecora a visit.
She makes a cream
that works wonders.
Just don't get
the shampoo.
There's Pee Wee's parents!
But I don't see Pee Wee.
Oh! Maybe
he moved out.
Everypony has to leave
the nest at some point.
Pee Wee!
Ouch!
Perhaps you should pay Zecora a
visit sooner rather than later.
I don't want
anypony else to see this.
Besides, I'm sure it'll clear
up after a good night's sleep.
I can't believe
you're still asleep.
Ugh.
Just five more minutes.
It's nearly noon and
you promised to help me
with my lecture
for class today.
Noon? Whoa.
I slept like a rock.
Which reminds me,
all that sleep
probably cleared up
my stone scale!
Um. On second thought, you can
go back to sleep if you want.
Aaaaaaaaah!
♪ 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? ♪
♪ ..friends? ♪
Spike,
what are you doing?
Hiding.
From my hideous face!
I'm sure it feels terrible,
but it's just a breakout.
It's not the end of the world.
That's easy for you to say.
Your face isn't covered
in itchy red spots.
I used to get
terrible break outs,
anytime I had a final
exam with Celestia,
who probably never had a blemish
her whole life.
Well, I'm not in
magic school.
No, but these things
can be stress-related,
and you did spend
yesterday with Rarity.
Heh! What could possibly
be stressful about that?
You could try Zecora.
She makes a
cream that...
works wonders.
I've heard.
But I'm not
leaving the castle
until my face is back
to its adorable self.
Fine...
But you're still gonna help
me practice my lecture.
Ahem. The element of generosity
and its importance in relation
to the other
Elements of Harmony.
My lecture!
I don't know
what happened.
I just had a
sudden case of...
indigestion.
I'm so sorry!
Oh. That's OK.
I'm sure I can rewrite
the lecture from my notes.
I have a lot.
I can help you with...
Maybe you should leave
the castle after all
and go somewhere
less... flammable?
Hey there, not handsome.
Oh, Spike!
My, what a fetching ensemble
you've put together.
Very noir-esque.
I believe Shadow Spade
herself would approve.
Uh... thanks.
But I wonder if you wouldn't
mind taking it off.
What?
Oh, I, uh...
I...
Sorry?
You'll have to speak up;
my ears are a little bit
clogged, or something.
It's just that I absolutely
must have a model
for my phoenix feather dress and
nopony else is available.
Sorry, Rarity, but I...
I am super busy all day
giving tours of the school.
Really?
I thought I was
giving tours today.
Guess not.
Free day!
Whee! Whoo hoo!
Class rooms are that way.
Dorms are that way.
Twilight's office is up there.
This is a fountain.
Could you slow down a bit?
We've come a long way
to see the school.
I don't wanna
miss anything.
Oh. Um, yeah.
Sorry.
Is something wrong?
What? Why? No!
Do all the dragons at this
school suffer from scale issues?
I don't know.
What?
I
Don't know.
I-I'm sorry,
did-did you say "fireworks show"?
I said
I DON'T KNOW.
THIS IS THE
SCHOOL LIBRARY!
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST SERENE
SPOTS ON CAMPUS WHERE STUDENTS
CAN SPEND TIME IN QUIET
REFLECTION OR STUDY.
WHAT?
Could you please stop shouting?
We're trying to do our homework
and it's kind of distracting.
WAS I SHOUTING?
I have no idea what
you're talking-
If you're
trying to hide,
you need to
do a better job.
All I had to do was
follow the smoke.
Leave me alone.
What?
Leave me alone.
I can't under-
Was that, "sleeves
made of foam"?
I said leave ME ALONE.
Wow! I have seen some pretty
bad molts in my time,
but yours takes the cake.
Molts?
The molt?
Super painful stone scales,
fire burps,
uncontrollable volume shifts?
It's all part of
growing up dragon.
Congrats!
Agh!
Oh. Sorry.
No, no, no, no, no!
The last time I grew up,
I turned into a giant,
greedy monster!
Greed-induced bigness.
That's totally different.
The molt is completely normal.
Every dragon goes through it.
Pretty soon you'll leave
and strike out on your own.
Why would I
do that?
Have you been living with
ponies your whole life?
Uh huh.
Oh.
Well, in the Dragonlands,
a molter's loved ones
kicks them out at the
first stone scale.
What? Why?
I think it's biological.
We call it the "Molt Effect".
I haven't even told you
about the smell.
Smell?
Agh!
Yeah.
I mean, I loved my
brother and all,
but one whiff and
I was all, "See ya!"
Speaking of which...
Wait!
Does the Molt Effect
happen to ponies, too?
Twilight already asked me
to leave the castle today.
If she kicks me out,
where am I going to live?
I'm too young to grow up!
I'm sure you'll find a nice
hoard of gems to guard
or a village to terrorize,
though now that dragons
and ponies are friends,
I guess that's
off the table.
So no creature is gonna
want to be around me?
Oh, I didn't say that.
That molt stench
is a magnet for
predators, Tatzlwurms,
Hydras, Rocs.
Dragons are scared of rocks?
R-O-C-S. Rocs.
Humongous birds of
prey that can snack
on a molting
dragon like candy.
So, Twilight's kicking
me out and the only creatures
who don't find me disgusting
want to eat me?
Seriously, I heard
none of that.
TWILIGHT'S KICKING ME OUT
AND THE ONLY CREATURES
WHO DON'T FIND ME
DISGUSTING WANT TO EAT ME?
CONGRATS!
HEY! IS THIS THE
SHOUTING CLOSET?
BECAUSE I'VE
GOT A FREE DAY
AND I AM TOTALLY UP
FOR SOME SHOUTING!
Also, where is that brussels
sprouts covered in cotton candy
smell coming from?
Because it is
really interesting.
I didn't know
where else to go.
I can't take the chance that
Twilight will kick me out.
You aren't feeling any
molt effects, are you?
When it comes to break outs,
I've seen all circumstances.
But as for the molt smell,
let's not take any chances.
Is there anything you
can do to cure me?
The ailments you have
aren't something to cure.
The molt's a condition
that dragons endure.
But if anypony sees,
or smells me right now,
they'll be so grossed out,
they'll avoid me forever!
Perhaps we can lessen
this strange molt-effect,
The smell is the most
likely cause I suspect.
It's all so
embarrassing.
I know you are speaking
but I can't hear a thing.
Are you talking about
teaching asparagus to sing?
I said it's EMBARRASSING.
If the goal is to not have
your friends all depart,
Perhaps your volume is
where we should start.
Oh, no...
Zecora?
Hello? Are you there?
I CAN'T LET RARITY
SEE ME LIKE THIS.
PLEASE DON'T LET
HER KNOW I'M HERE.
OH, DEAR.
I'M TALKING EVEN LOUDER
THAN I THOUGHT, AREN'T I?
I have volume concerns
today by the scores,
but it seems that I'm ready
to help you with yours.
I'M SORRY. I CAN'T SEEM
TO HEAR ANYTHING.
I WAS HOPING YOU COULD HELP.
I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT HAPPENED.
ONE MINUTE I WAS SEWING
PHOENIX FEATHERS ONTO A DRESS
AND THE NEXT, I COULDN'T
HEAR MY OWN VOICE.
Ah, the feathers of that bird
can affect pony's ears.
It's a magic ailment
I've treated for years.
I ONLY KNOW YOU'RE TALKING
BECAUSE YOUR MOUTH IS
GOING UP AND DOWN.
Agh! Oh, goodness!
I hope that incredibly
pungent odor
belongs to some sort
of magical curative!
I HOPE YOU'RE NOT BUSY, BUT
I MUST HAVE MY HEARING BACK.
IT TURNS OUT THAT I TALK
TO MYSELF WHILE I SEW
AND WITHOUT THAT CONVERSATION,
I SIMPLY CAN'T THINK!
It's a simple cure and
the directions are clear,
just one or two drops
in each of your ears.
Oh, thank you!
You're an ear saver.
OH! AND WHILE I AM HERE, DO
YOU HAVE ANY BLEMISH CREAM?
SPIKE IS HAVING
SOME SCALE ISSUES.
YOU
HAVE NO IDEA.
Oh!
I think I heard something.
YOUR CURE IS WORKING ALREADY!
The cream that
you want is just over here,
It's a popular potion for
all creatures this year.
Ah, thank you, Zecora.
I DON'T MEAN TO BE RUDE,
BUT I DO THINK YOUR HUT
COULD USE AN AIRING OUT.
Rarity's gone,
there's no need to hide,
Agh!
Though I wonder if we
should continue outside?
Can't treat your symptoms
down there on the ground.
It's safe to come out,
there's no ponies around.
I'm not hiding from ponies.
I'm hiding from that!
Did I forget to mention the
molt smell attracts predators?
That's something that would
have been quite nice to know,
But it's not worth discussing
right now, we should go!
It's only after me!
I'll lead it away
while you get help!
This way birdy, bird!
Molting dragon over here!
OK, maybe this
wasn't a good plan!
You can't hide in a tree,
you have to come down,
We stand a much better
chance on the ground!
ZECORA!
Bring her back!
Agh!
Oh, Spike, what are
you doing here?
Rarity, you have
to get out of here;
there's a giant Roc
trying to eat me.
It's got Zecora!
- Yes.
- What?
I WAS JUST AT ZECORA'S,
BUT I'M HEADING BACK.
I CAN'T READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
DOES THIS SAY TWO DROPS ONCE A DAY,
OR ONE DROP TWICE A DAY?
Rarity, there's no time!
We have to get help!
YES, MY EARS ARE
COMPLETELY CLOGGED!
WHY SPIKE, YOUR STONE
SCALES LOOK WORSE!
OH, HERE, I PICKED
UP JUST THE THING.
Oh, I wish you'd escaped
either claw of this bird,
but the both of us trapped
in the same one's absurd!
WHAT?
Let my ponies go!
Whoa!
Agh!
Aaaaaah!
Spike? What are
you doing?
If my stone scales
didn't itch so much
and we weren't in
immediate danger,
this would be really
embarrassing.
Danger?
I was headed to Zecora's to
get some cream for your scales.
I had no idea you were...
About to be eaten by
a giant predator
attracted to my molt smell?
Molt smell?
Twilight!
Was that Rarity?
And Zecora.
I tried to save them,
but it's all I can do to stop scratching
long enough to dive out of the
way when that bird att*cks!
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME
I'VE BEEN IN THE CLUTCHES
OF A HORRIBLE GIANT CREATURE,
BUT IT DOESN'T GET ANY EASIER!
Ah! Finally!
I didn't think that
itching would ever stop.
What's happening?
I can't mo...
What just happened?
Did I just sprout wings?
I JUST SPROUTED WINGS!
I've gotta help them!
Whoa!
Oops!
Spike? How did
you get wings?
I don't know!
But they're pretty
aweso... WHOOOAAHHHH!
Do you think you can
fly up and distract him
while I work on freeing
Zecora and Rarity?
Hey, giant chicken!
If you like dragons so much,
come and get me!
Greetings.
SPIKE!
I know that the molt
produced surprising things,
but I'm glad that the last
was a new pair of wings!
YES, AND ALSO I'M
GLAD YOU'VE GOT WINGS.
This is amazing.
I didn't know
if you'd ever get wings.
I'm so happy for you.
Does it have something
to do with this "molt"
you were talking about?
It's what's
been going on with me.
The break out, the fire burps.
The molt is when dragons get
older and start to change.
I wish I could stop it,
but I can't.
I should go.
Go? What are you
talking about?
In the Dragonlands, families
make molters leave home.
It's called the Molt Effect.
Well, this isn't the Dragonlands
and Molt Effect or no,
I don't want you
going anywhere.
But I'm growing up.
What if something
even worse happens?
You're supposed to grow up,
but you'll always be you.
And whatever happens,
we'll get through it together.
Woohoo! Yeah!
Look at me! Let's go home!
Uh, I don't need to
carry you anymore, do I?
You have wings.
They are new!
And I don't
wanna overdo it.
I can't believe you thought
any of us would send you away
because of some
silly "Molt Effect".
Even if the symptoms
were slightly unsettling,
and let's face it,
the odor wasn't pleasant,
nopony would stop
caring for you
just because you
were getting older.
Everypony goes
through changes.
Sometimes change
can be wonderful.
Like being able to model
for any length of dress.
Uh! A bit higher darling,
please.
I'm glad to help, Rarity,
but don't you think there's
wonderful things about flying
that don't involve dresses?
Of course, darling.
Flying will also be beneficial
for you to help me with gowns,
frocks, robes, shifts,
skirts, minis, maxis.
♪ My Little Pony ♪
♪♪
♪ My Little Pony ♪
♪♪
♪ My Little Pony ♪
♪ Friends ♪