S2 E13 Everypony! The Last Roundup is up next!

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A train whistle echoed in the sky, as the Friendship Express chugged along the tracks through a snowy day. Malibu sat in his seat, feeling anxious more than ever to be in Canterlot mostly to see his mom and for the upcoming play.

They all poked their heads out the window, beams of excitement on their faces. "We're getting closer!" Twilight squealed, making Malibu smile. "I can hardly wait! Rainbow Dash exclaimed, her wings flapping in excitement. He gave his marefriend a hug. "Me too, Dash!"

Fluttershy too looked outside. "I'm so excited, I—I feel like shouting!" But all she did was a quite woo hoo, Malibu rolling his eyes in amusement, but that was Fluttershy for you.

Applejack tipped off her hat. "Hoo-wee! Canterlot, here we come!" She shouted, right as Rarity showed, wearing a Hearth's Warming tree hat, Malibu's eyes rounding a little at the sight. "Oh, I do hope I look festive enough!" Malibu nodded. "Yep," He said, really having no words.

Pinkie Pie suddenly poked out of Rarity's hat somehow, pointing with her hoof. "There it is! Canterlot!" The Mane 7 with Spike all oohed at how festive the city looked, Malibu's eyes shining at all the colors. This was always his favorite part of the holidays; the decoration displays.

Once the train stopped, the friends all got out, walking through the streets to the castle for the play. "Oh, isn't Canterlot wonderful this time of year?" Malibu grinned at her. "For sure. I still remember my first Hearth's Warming when first living here!" Twilight giggled at him, giving the teal former gargoyle a hug. "Yeah, I wish it was Hearth's Warming Eve every day!" Dash stated.

Applejack's head kept turning in nearly every direction. "There's so much to look at! Ah feel like my durned eyes are gonna pop right out of my head!"

"You got that right, AJ, it is usually nearly too many decorations but nothing wrong with that! I can't wait to go home and open presents with your family afterward!" Malibu said in his cheerful manner, having enjoyed his first time with them the year before.

Twilight then had an idea. "I have an idea. Let's play 'I spy with my little eye' as we walk. I spy... an 8 foot candy cane!" Malibu spotted it as well, and two fillies including Scootaloo having their tongues stuck to it. "I spy a snowpony!" Rainbow called out, Malibu watching a mare placing a top hat on it.

Pinkie's head turned to the bakery store. "I spy somepony eating a gingerbread house!" She zipped right over, buying one, and eating it whole which didn't really surprise Malibu since it was Pinkie Pie, who could eat a whole bucket of sugar. "And it's me!" She said with her mouth full, making the others laugh.

The gang eventually managed to get inside the castle, Malibu grateful for the warm weather, making their way to the stage area. He spotted Celestia near the stage, her eyes bright at seeing him. Malibu's tears fell, running over to her, giving his mom a hug.

"Happy Hearth's Warming, mom!" Exclaimed Malibu, sniffling. She gave him another wing hug. "Welcome home again, my son. I actually have a suprise for you." The teal alicorn's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh?" He asked, tilting his head.

Celestia smiled. "I have the big honor of giving you the role of narrator alongside Spike for this year's play. So now you won't just be watching, but having a big part of it." Malibu gasped, his legs feeling like jelly. He never had anything like this before, and it made the gargoyle nervous. "You... you serious? Me?" He squeaked. The white princess alicorn nodded, stroking under his chin.

"This is your first Hearth's Warming play with all of your friends, and I wished for you to not just to sit on the sides." Celestia stated with pride in her eyes at how far her son had come in learning friendship. "Now head on backstage, they're waiting for you," She finished with a little giggle, nudging the still stunned Malibu to the curtain. He nodded, gingerly walking through the red curtains to see many other ponies getting their makeup on.

He spotted his friends near the back doing theirs, walking over. "Malibu!" Twilight waved, having a cloak around her shoulders as she was playing the famous Clover the Clever. Malibu grinned back. "You won't believe what happened," He croaked. "What?" The others said at the same time. "I-I was just asked to be the narrator with Spike," He then revealed. The 6's mouths opened in shock, and Spike seemed happy.

"Oh yeah! We can be narrator buddies!" The baby dragon exclaimed, a paw around his shoulder. "You bet, Spike," Malibu agreed, while Twilight put on some blush. "I can't believe that Princess Celestia chose us to put on the most important play of the season! Do you guys know what an honor this is? For all of us?"

Fluttershy though looked terrified. "Oh, I wish she hadn't honored me quite so much... I can't go on stage! I don't want everypony looking at me!" She whimpered, shaking. Rarity walked to her. "Fluttershy, darling, there's nothing to feel nervous about." The yellow pegasus perked up while Rarity did makeup on her. "No?"

"Of course not. All across Equestria, ponies are preparing their own pageants for Hearth's Warming Eve in their own towns. It's tradition."

Malibu himself had his ears perked at this information. He liked learning about new things of Equestria. "So you're saying they'll be too busy to come to our play?" Fluttershy asked in hope.

Rarity shook her head. "Well, no. We're in the Canterlot pageant, the biggest, most important production in all of Equestria. A lot of ponies will come to watch us." Fluttershy began to shake. "A lot?"

"Hundreds."

Her eyes popped. "Hundreds?" Rarity then gasped. "Maybe even thousands!" That didn't help when Fluttershy whimpered, diving into a decoration box. Malibu glared slightly at Rarity. "Not helping..." He grumbled, defending the one who didn't like the spotlight, right as the windows opened, sending in a harsh breeze that made him shiver, still not a fan of the cold like his doner Brooklyn was.

"S-Sombody s-shut the windows... p-please?" He said in a shaky voice, Applejack going to do so before seeing Rainbow looking at herself in the mirror. "Aaah! Rain-bow-Dash! Rain-bow-Dash! Aaaah! Thank you! Thank you!"

Despite his shivering, Malibu couldn't help but smile at his marefriend's excitement. He was too but also nervous. "It's a reenactment of the founding of Equestria! It's not the 'Rainbow Dash show!" AJ snapped, not even shutting the window.

Rainbow glared back. "Well, it should be the 'Rainbow Dash' show! I'm the star!" Malibu shook, trying to speak. "G-Guys!" They ignored him, Twilight trying to take Fluttershy out of the box. Spike tapped on his shoulder. "Curtain in two minutes!" He called to him. Malibu nodded, eager to get away from the cold, following Spike out while the others argued, hoping the play will go alright.

Spike put on his narrator hat, Malibu widening at the difference of standing on stage compared to watching from the audience; hundreds of ponies were down there. He swallowed, legs shaking not from the cold. The baby dragon stroked his shoulder. "Hey, it's alright," He said gently, beginning to start, music playing too. Malibu gulped, nodding back.

"Once upon a time, long before the peaceful rule of Celestia, and before ponies discovered our beautiful land of Equestria, ponies did not know harmony. It was a strange and dark time. A time when ponies were torn apart... by hatred!"

The audience gasped, Malibu spotting the CMCs in the crowd, and his mom up in the royal box seat. She winked at him to not be nervous, and Malibu began to take some small steady breaths. "I know, can you believe it?" Spike asked, before nudging Malibu again to say his part.

Clearing his throat, Malibu began. "During this frightful age, each of the three tribes – the Pegasi, the unicorns, and the Earth ponies – cared not for what befell the other tribes, but only for their own welfare." He said in a slightly nervous but trying to be loud voice. The audience was excited about the characters in it and also about their prince being one of the narrators. His mom nodded in approval.

Now it was Spike's turn while the other pony actors played their parts. "The unicorns demanded the same, in return for magically bringing forth day and night. And so, mistrust between the tribes festered until, one fateful day, it came to a boil."

Malibu now did his part. "And, what had caused it... was a strange mysterious blizzard, that took over everything, toppling each tribe precariously," he read, sometimes peeking at his notes. "The normally industrious Earth ponies were unable to do any kind of farming on their land," Malibu proceeded, eyeing how the Earth pony actors cried while unable to plant crops.

"The Earth ponies were freezing. The home of the Pegasi fared no better. The Pegasi were hungry. And the unicorns were freezing and hungry. Even the unicorns' magic was powerless against the storm." Spike put in, the storm breaking down the door of the Unicorn's castle.

Malibu gulped again, reading his lines. "Each tribe blamed the others for their suffering, and the angrier everypony grew, the worse the blizzard became. And so it was decided that a grand summit would be held to figure out a way to cope with the blizzard."

The whole three tribes of ponies all gathered under the summit building roof, Malibu smiling when he saw his friends among them. Pinkie waved vigorously, and he waved back shyly. "Each tribe sent their leaders. Daughter of the unicorn king, Princess Platinum!" Spike introduced, Rarity coming in her princess outfit, portraying regalness.

"Leader of the Pegasi; Commander Hurricane," Malibu himself introduced, smiling at Rainbow Dash in her Pegasi guard armor, trying to look fierce. Then kazoo music sounded instead of trumpets which confused him, something to ask Pinkie later. "And leader of the Earth Ponies; Chancellor Puddinghead. Perhaps the three tribes could finally settle their differences, and agree on a way to get through this disaster." Spike finished, Malibu watching the three playing the leaders giving each other a non trusting look.

Soon the three began arguing mindlessly, which almost felt real to Malibu. "All I wanna know is why all the Earth Ponies are hogging all the food!" Dash/Hurricane snapped bitterly, stomping her hoof on the table prop, making the Earth Ponies boo. Pinkie/Puddinghead's eyes widened in accusation. "Us?! We're not hogging all the food, you are! Oh wait, you're right. It's us. Well, it's only 'cause you mean old Pegasusususes are making it snow like crazy!"

Now that word is a mouthful, Malibu thought, snickering quietly at the word choice Pinkie did. Rainbow Dash/Hurricane stomped her hoof on the ground. "For the hundreth time, it's not us! We're not making it snow! It must be the unicorns! They're doing it with their freaky magic!" She growled at Rarity/Platinum who gasped in dramatic play fashion. "How dare you! Unlike you Pegasi ruffians, we unicorns would never stoop to such a thing! H-m-ph!"

Malibu saw the other unicorn actors do the same thing Rarity did, making him smile a little, shaking his head. Pinkie/Puddinghead laid her head on the table. "Well, if you non-Earths aren't gonna stop using your weirdo powers to freeze us all, then I'm just plum out of ideas!"

Dash/Hurricane made a sly grin. "What a shocker! An Earth Pony with no ideas!" She taunted. Malibu back in his home planet had heard of a term from Maggie called 'racism' which he didn't quite buy into. Now the ponies here had this too? This really befuddled him. But he looked forward to when they all got along in the end.

"Commander Hurricane! Please cease with the insults!" Rarity/Platinum snapped, but Rainbow/Hurricane wouldn't let up. "You're not the boss of me, royal snootiness!"

"I beg your pardon?! I am a princess! I won't be spoken to that way!" Rarity stormed, winding up putting on her crown backwards, stomping her way out of the summit. Malibu himself had to admit his friends did bring something unique and fun to the play he saw twice with his mom. "Well, I'm leaving first!" Dash/Hurricane growled, all of them struggling to leave the door together, managing to squeeze out.

"And the blizzard raged on," Spike proclaimed, finishing act one. During the first part of the intermission, Malibu ran to both Rainbow Dash and Twilight while the audience hoof clapped, giving them a hug. "You're doing great so far, Mal! I hope I wasn't too much playing Hurricane," Rainbow said, with hints of pink on her blue cheeks. Malibu gave a flushed smile. "Uh, you... you were great Dash. Can't wait to see it more." He stuttered. "But I was so nervous going out there."

Twilight put a hoof around him with a friendly gaze. "This is just the second act now, I'm sure you'll do great, you and Spike." Malibu lowered his head. He sure hoped so.

Now was time for the second act of the play. Malibu gulped, standing there with Spike, waving to his mom again as he began his first lines.

"S-So the summit of the tribes did not go like how they thought. And the three leaders went home to ponder what went wrong, and to complain."

Spike winked at him. "Good one," He whispered. Malibu nodded back, turning to watch as the scene switched to a Pegasus home setpiece where now Fluttershy finally comes in as Private Pansy. "Attention!" Dash/Hurricane called out like a drill sergeant, startling Fluttershy/Pansy like her usual self, falling from the fake cloud.

"Oh! Commander Hurricane, sir! How did it go, sir?" Fluttershy/Pansy questioned. Malibu though tilted his head. Thinking back, Hurricane had always been played by a male pony. Supposed they thought Dash would be the perfect voice for him, even if she wasn't a male.

Dash/Hurricane growled. "Horribly! Those other tribe leaders are so disrespectful! Don't they realize that we are a mighty band of warriors, and should not be crossed? We have got to break ranks with those weak foals!"

After that, the set ponies switched the props to a unicorn castle, Rarity/Platinum pretending to shiver in cold. "Clover the Clever, I need you!" Malibu saw her collapse, Twilight as Clover coming over. Same result, Clover had been a male unicorn in the day. Malibu guessed again that it was their decision to try something new. At least Twilight was fit for the part.

"Yes your Majesty. Did the other pony tribes see reason as I predicted?" Twilight/Clover asked, putting a towel around Rarity/Platinum while bringing out a bowl of warm water. "Those other tribes are impossible! I, for one, can no longer bear to be anywhere near those lowly creatures! The unicorns are noble and majestic. We will no longer consort with the likes of them!"

But where were the alicorns? When did they come to Equestria? Malibu pondered further, gazing at his own wings and horn as well as Celestia. He had so many questions.

In the Earth Pony kingdom setting, Pinkie Pie/Puddinghead had the idea of falling through the chimney. He rolled his eyes slightly, seeing Applejack as her secretary Smart Cookie. Applejack/Smart Cookie frowned. "Wouldn't it have been easier to use the door, Chancellor?"

Pinkie/Puddinghead shook her head now covered in fake soot. "Maybe for you, Smart Cookie. But I am a chancellor. I was elected because I know how to think outside the box. Which means..." She suddenly put her head back inside the chimney. "I can also think inside the chimney. Can you think inside a chimney?"

Applejack/Smart Cookie looked confused as much as Malibu did. "Uh..."

Pinkie/Puddinghead pulled herself back out. "I didn't think so!"

"Ugh." Applejack/Smart Cookie grumbled. Pinkie/Puddinghead suddenly gasped aloud. "Hold onto your hooves! I am just about to be brilliant!"

Applejack/Smart Cookie rolled her eyes. "That'd be a first." She muttered. Pinkie/Puddinghead gave a big grin. "I have decided that the Earth Ponies are gonna go it alone!" AJ/Smart Cookie looked upset now. "Aw, so you mean the other tribes didn't come around? Shoot. I really thought we could get through to them if we—."

Pinkie/Puddinghead put a hoof around Applejack/Smart Cookie. "Don't worry about them. We're the ones with all the food right?" Applejack/Smart Cookie gave her a blank look. "Uh, actually, we're all out."

The party pony shrugged it off. "Fine! Then we'll have to go somewhere to grow some new food. And with me as our fearless leader, what can go wrong?" Malibu stifled more laughing when fake snow came through the door onto Pinkie Pie, the crowd laughing too. Applejack muttered under her breath again. "Where should I start?"

The Earth Pony chancellor looked determined. "The point is..." Soon, all three leaders shouted at the same time. "We must find a new land!"

Equestria, Malibu knew inside, since he now knows the play by heart. Soon the journey begins, Spike and Malibu narrating the beginning of their journey, while the three leaders both struggled through the terrain, including Rarity/Platinum riding on Twilight/Clover in a pretty silly moment.

Spike narrated once again. "and so, each leader encountered obstacles along the way, but eventually, they all arrived in a new and wondrous land." He nudged Malibu. "Do the accent, it gives off more of a narrator style," the baby dragon whispered. Malibu, groaning a little, tried his best. "Nopony had ever seen paradise before." He stated, trying to copy Spike's.

He saw Dash/Hurricane jumping from cloud to cloud. "This is the new land we've been searching for!" She cheered. Fluttershy/Pansy pointed. "What a view... I can see my future house from up here!"

The teal alicorn witnessed again the planting of the Pegasopolis flag. "I proclaim this new land to be... Pegasopolis!"

The unicorns by now had arrived as well by the cliff of gems. "I've never seen such jewels. This ruby is dazzling. This whole land is dazzling. I am double dazzled!" Rarity/Platinum squealed. "In the name of the Unicorns, I hereby dub this land Unicornia!"

Pinkie/Puddinghead had also planted her flag as well, Applejack/Smart Cookie commenting about the soil being fertile and the two calling it 'Earth' for some reason, until they and the other tribes spotted one another, arguing once again. Malibu mostly hated this part, with any actor in this play. "Who dares throw a snowball at royalty?" Rarity/Platinum snarled from Dash/Hurricane laughed.

Here it comes, Malibu thought after Twilight/Clover tried to calm things down between them all, hearing the Windigo sound effects coming from the backstage ponies, as well as the fake wind blowing about, the audience gasping in fright.

"and so the paradise that the ponies had found was soon lost, buried beneath a thick blanket of snow and hard feelings." Malibu narrated out while they all set up the cave for the next to final conflict scene. Spike then took up some liberties for himself to add funny stuff to his lines.

"Instead of beautiful, it was blizzardy. Instead of wonderful, it was wintry! Instead of spectacular, it was snow-tacular! Instead of–!"

Malibu grinned awkwardly from Spike's narrating which was dragging on longer than needed, until a mare from the crowd shouted; "We get it! Move on!" Spike wounded up laughing nervously, clearing his throat, gesturing to Malibu to continue. "Everypony was forced to seek shelter, which happened to be in the only non snow covered place; a cold and desolate cave. It was so small the tribes had to share, which none were too pleased about." He turned to watch the full scene.

The Tribes constantly bickered there in the cave, even having Dash/Hurricane draw a line across it, as well as the other two as well. "You see this real, non invisible line? No unicorns or earth ponies aren't allowed to cross it! This is the soverign territory of Pegasopolis!"

That's not very fair, Malibu knew deep down from his views of before. The unicorns and Earth ponies eventually drew lines as well, Fluttershy/Pansy winding up going around a rock, clearly pissing off Rainbow Dash/Hurricane. "What are you doing?! Don't go around the rock, go over it! I'm not giving up an inch of territory to the enemy!"

Rarity/Platinum smiled smugly. "That rock is clearly on the Unicornia side of the cave and it belongs to us!" She whispered under her breath. "Who knows, there could be jewels inside!" Malibu watched Dash/Hurricane kick the rock over. "I claim this rock for Pegasopolis!" The unicorn princess gave a deep glare. "Unhand that rock this instant, you scoundrel!" Pinkie/Puddinghead showed up randomly. Malibu wondered if Puddinghead was just as random as Pinkie, perhaps even her ancestor.

"Hey, you invaded our territory!" Dash/Hurricane yelled as Pinkie/Pudding picked up the rock. "Finders keepers, loosers, weepers!" She teased. It got heated up, the tribe leaders bickering getting even worse, until, ice covered the cave entrance. Or a prop of ice.

The pegasus commander looked rather unpleased. "Great! Now there's no way out! We're trapped." Rarity/Platinum furrowed her brows. "You two deserve this horrible fate! You've done nothing but argue and fight with each other!"

Malibu's heart clenched, thinking this was feeling all too real for him, which is what made his friends special to begin with. They weren't just acting; they were living the story, even nearly arguing for real. Fake ice covered the three right when they were about to sprout further pony insults, leaving Clover, Pansy, and Cookie the only ones left. They curled up with each other after hearing the Windigo cries.

"W-w-what is that... thing?" Flutter/Pansy whimpered, rightfully so. Malibu never wanted to meet a Windigo, wind spirits that covered Equestria in eternal snow. Clover the Clever explained about how they worked and that his mentor Star Swirl the Bearded taught him everything. Applejack/Smart Cookie lowered her head in acting sadness. "Then... this is our fault. We three tribes. We brought this blizzard to our home by fightin' and not trustin' each other. Now it's destroying this land too."

Twilight/Clover backed away from the ice. "And now our bodies will become as cold as our hearts. All because we were foolish enough to hate." But then soon, Pansy began to lighten the mood when she said she hated Hurricane more than them, making the three laugh. Malibu smiled. He liked his friend's laughs. They all agreed, that no matter what their differences; they were all ponies.

Clover the Clever's horn lit up after their bodies were nearly covered in ice, shooting a bright purple laser at the Windigoes, who shrieked aloud, fading away, warming everything into the legendary Fire of Friendship.

"What was that?" Fluttershy/Pansy gasped. "I didn't know unicorns could do that!" Yelped Applejack/Smart Cookie. Clover/Twilight smiled. "I didn't either. Nothing like this had ever happened before. But I know it couldn't have been just me. It came from all three of us joined together in friendship."

The three placed their hooves over each other's hooves, vowing to live a life of friendship from now on. Spike looked to Malibu. "How about you narrate this final part? I did the beginning. You do the ending." Malibu's eyes began to water, and he hugged Spike then, hearing the crowd awing at them, as well as his friends on stage.

"All through the night, the three ponies kept the fire of friendship alive by telling stories to one another and by singing songs, which of course became the winter carols that we all still sing today. Eventually, the warmth of the fire and singing and laughing reached the leaders, and their bodies began to thaw. And it even began to melt their hearts."

The tribes planted the flag which somehow had Celestia and Luna on it. Malibu at last finished the final lines of the narration, speaking now not as nervously as he did before, a smile on his features, wings spread open too.

"The three leaders agreed to share the beautiful land, and live in harmony ever afterwards. And together, they named their new land..."

"Equestria!" Called out all of the cast members, ending with the audience cheering aloud, confetti shooting into the air. They all went together for the final bow, Malibu standing in the center with Twilight, music playing in the air, and they sang the Heart Carol.

"The fire of friendship lives in our hearts

As long as it burns, we cannot drift apart

Though quarrels arise, their numbers are few

Laughter and singing will see us through (will see us through)

We are a circle of pony friends

A circle of friends we'll be to the very end!"

After the play ended, they all moved backstage to celebrate, Malibu feeling breathless, somewhat amazed he had been able to actually narrate a play, as was Spike. He was riding on Malibu at the moment, giving him his own hug. "We should be so honored that Princess Celestia chose us! She must really think we exemplify what true friends are!" Twilight stated proudly.

The window opened, cold air shooting through, making Malibu shiver, since he got being more sensitive to the cold like Brooklyn. "Applejack, I thought you closed all the windows!" Rarity complained. Applejack looked mad. "Don't blame me! Rainbow Dash should've flown up there and shut it! After all she's got wings!"

Malibu didn't like the look of this, trying to calm things down, until they heard that eerie shriek that wasn't special effects this time, making the Mane 7 all freeze up in fear. "Ya know what? I got it!" Dash chirped, going to close the windows while they all laughed it off. Celestia had come in too and Malibu and her shared their Hearth's Warming hug once more.

"That was so wonderful, my son," Celestia murmured softly, wing hugging him again. Malibu cried softly from his happiness. This will always be his favorite time of year now in Equestria, his dear home.

.....

Decided to trim down a lot of the Mane 6 jokes in here, since this is from Malibu's thoughts. Another idea that could've worked for this episode is the Mane 6 sitting in the audience, Spike narrating while actually getting a flashback and seeing what the real founders of Equestria looked like. That would've been a great different version of this episode.