New Episode Spoiler Alert: Trade Ya · 3:38pm Apr 19th, 2014
I don't normally make blog posts about the new episodes, but... Oh man. Tons of Spoilers! You have been warned, even if they won't make much sense without seeing it first.
First of all, I don't even care about the lessons, which were just fine, but I mostly loved the background characters in this one. Plus, Pinkie Pie clearly needs to talk to Flim and Flam at some point. I mean, I have a work in progress where Cheese Sandwich tries to turn them honest, they came to him first for advise, but it fails (that happens between Cider Squeezy and Leap of Faith.) I can just see the reverse of that with Pinkie... they try hire her and in the end she realizes that's a bad decision, in spite of her attempts to make their actions better by instilling her own morals and ethics into the job.
Supposedly the comics suggest the brothers have an affiliation with Filthy Rich, so that might not even require them having a current scheme so much as an open schedule.
Second, they had the Discord lamps, which was fantastic. I can just imagine how those came to be. I want to think Discord was the cause. Like, he made every single one of them. Perhaps he had a reason to visit a lamp store. I just... it sounds like a fantastic comedy skit.
Third, Fluttershy better send Discord a letter about this event, because OMG. Not only would he love to know, but his reaction would be priceless. I mean, come on!
They like my lamps?! I need to get down there! Waaaait a minute, did you almost trade yourself? What the ... You're supposed to be teaching me about friendship! Not training some slobbering beast!
Fluttershy pauses after reading that last line... or however he sends letters. They might be more than physical paper and ink. (I linked to a fanfic about exactly that, but I haven't read it yet. I really need to.) Also, there is my story, if you're so inclined. It would explain why Pinkie Pie was confused. I guess he swapped mail boxes at some point. I don't know. I wrote my story before that happened. So Fluttershy begins reading again.
I know what you're thinking. The obvious joke is there. Don't make it. I already implied it. That's more than enough. Moving on!
My immediate thought when Princess Twilight had to reign over the decision was of Discord showing up and grabbing Fluttershy.
"Hey, you can't trade that! This is my Fluttershy! You get your own."
Then he makes an illusory copy and shoves it at the Daring Do-esque trader. Discord gives no plops about the rules or the barter system. If it disintegrated after a few days, he wouldn't care. Just as long as he kept his only friend.
Honestly, Fluttershy. Think about him for once. Don't worry about your circle of friends or your obligations to Ponyville. Only Discord's opinion is what matters. Of course, he could go to Manehattan whenever he wanted, but do you really want to do that to Manehattan, Fluttershy?
No, I didn't think you did. Good thing Rainbow Dash is the loyal one. In general, I liked how all of their resolutions came about, though I wanted to smack the two incredibly strong pegasi for not picking up the mutt and flying over the crowd. It was a good use of Chekhov's bear whistle though; makes me wonder what Harry would think.
Also, now I want a story about that mare and her two-headed doggy living in a tiny apartment. I hope they live beside Cheese's parents, because I share Scoots2's headcanon and I'm a complete jerk. Maybe his mother is good at training animals? Ha ha, the ultimate injustice. 
"I can train a two-headed dog like it's nothing, but I can't get my own son to live a better life! Oy vey."
Somewhere, Cheese sighs and senses that he disappointed his mother again, without even trying. Then he plays his accordion to cheer himself up.
I even found something appropriate, though I have no idea what they're saying. The guy is definitely a comedian.
In Russia, their motto is don't be a pussy! Drink on stage. Make it a part of your act even. 
I like to think that vendor found the Discord lamps somewhere after the previous owner threw them away but they decided to try and sell em cause. Hey free merchandise.
2024489
Makes perfect sense to me. It still means Discord was probably involved.
2024573 His puppet strings are everywhere.
I think the lamp vendor is a member of a Discord worshipping cult. I mean, there's gotta be some ponies who like the idea of eternal chaos, right?
I completely lost it watching that video...
2025282
Come to the chaos side! We have lamps.
2025550
2025282
Pinkie Is their as well.
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2026217
Pinkie is under a different organized section of chaos. It's called here comes the weekend.
Also, wearing mustaches apparently. They hand out mustaches over there.
I'm surprised Cheese doesn't have any. Perhaps he battles the mustache daily and thus he does not condone the mustache.
They talk to him for a while, and try to learn his secrets of infinite gift, endless charisma, and effortless laughter, and he proceeds to talk about Pinkie as though he were Deep Thought and she were the Earth. She is that far ahead of him, the Great Party Pony, forever laboring, highly unappreciated, in a small, unimpressive village as all great gurus do.
And they think he's mad as pants, and THEN they figure out that she's that crazy, intellectually challenged pink pony in that little burg, and then they are SURE he is mad as pants. Which he is, but not about that.
The dog is clearly terrified of Gefilte, sharing the opinion of nearly all the neighbors and Cheeses' Dad. I think that's why that mare wears the adventurer duds and seems to travel worldwide. It's much more peaceful compared to life with Cheese's Mom.
They don't even need to share housing. It tends to get pretty stacked up.
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Boy, I'm wiped! It's been a long and mostly fun weekend. I'm staying later than I thought so I can enjoy the IDW Comics and the VA panel
2027361
Accurate beyond compare, but I don't think Flim and Flam will ever make that connection, even if Pinkie makes contact later. They barely spoke to her that first time (when her reaction was pretty much normal as far as nonpareil goes) and not at all in Leap of Faith.
I'm pretty sure it's one of those mysteries the twins will never solve, along with how party pony magic works. They probably do think Cheese is crazy, because he doesn't care about money.
Sounds about right. Poor doggie.
I really need to buy the graphic novels of the older comics. So much. VA panel is gonna be fun, I bet!