//------------------------------//
// Ten: A Friendship Problem 
// Story: A Night at the Movies 
// by Mr Movie Magic 
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Mr. Kino patted himself to make sure that he was real. He touched his hoof to his face. Was he really here? After one hundred and twenty-three years, could he really be back? “Oh, glücklicher Tag!” he exclaimed with sheer delight.

Prof. Menlo, too, looked himself over. “At last! I’m free!” he bellowed with a hearty laugh. “Ha, haa!”

No longer did the ghostly voice come through Apple Bloom’s trusty little radio. It had no reason to for the stallion to whom it belonged was standing right there among them. Now, only white noise sounded. Apple Bloom switched the radio off, having no need of keeping it turned on now.

“Vielen Dank!” Mr. Kino thanked ever so gratefully. “Vielen Dank!” He looked up at Apple Bloom. “You, my dear Fraulein. You have truly helped me.” He patted her on the head.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Kino,” said Apple Bloom. “It’s so great to finally meet you.”

Before another word could be exchanged, a gruff voice spoke, “Mr. Kino.”

Mr. Kino, recognizing the voice, turned around. There was a look of nervousness on his face. “Prof. Menlo,” he said, then swallowed hard. “It has been a long time.”

“A long time,” Prof. Menlo replied sternly and expressionless.

“We’ve had our differences, I know, but, may I say how good it is to see you once again.” Mr. Kino’s voice had a little bit more cheer in it.

Prof. Menlo stood silent and motionless. He wore a scowl on his face as he leered at Mr. Kino.

Apple Bloom, Applejack, Sweetie Belle, Rarity, Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash were quiet. What a reunion this would be. How would these two long lost ponies get along?

After a moment, Mr. Kino spoke again. “Prof. Menlo?”

“You have some nerve,” Prof. Menlo grumbled. He bothered not to even say hello.

“I beg your pardon?”

“First you sell me out-” Prof. Menlo began to raise his voice as he grew angrier “-then, you trap me in this reel.”

“I didn’t want to. We were friends. You left me with no choice.”

“I wasn’t going to let anypony, not even you, stand in my way.”

“But we were partners. We were in this together.”

“You were a weak link.”

Mr. Kino was quiet. His eyes had begun to water.

“‘Scuse me, everypony,” began Applejack. “Can we, uh, settle down here?”

Mr. Kino and Prof. Menlo glanced up at Applejack, the former with an ear to listen to what she had to say while the latter turned in contempt.

“You two are supposed to be friends,” said Rainbow Dash. “You shouldn’t be fighting. I can’t imagine anything so terrible that it could break up your friendship.”

“Wake up, Pegasus,” said Prof. Menlo. “Betrayal breaks up those who once were friends.”

“I did not betray you!” said Mr. Kino. “You betrayed us. You betrayed us all. You betrayed yourself.”

“I will not hear another word of this!” Prof. Menlo shouted. “You betrayed me and that’s final.”

“Gentlecolts, gentlecolts, please,” Rarity stepped in.

"And who are you?" Prof. Menlo questioned.

"Sorry we haven't properly introduced ourselves," said Apple Bloom. "Ah'm Apple Bloom, and this here's my big sister, Applejack, and our friends, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity."

"Howdy!" greeted Applejack in her conventional country style. "It sure is a pleasure meeting' your acquaintance."

"How do you do?" Rarity asked.

"It seems you know who we are," observed Prof. Menlo.

"We've heard all about you," said Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo stated, "Yeah. You were a great inventor and-"

"Were?" Prof. Menlo interrupted. "I still am a great inventor."

"Sorry. You are a great inventor." She turned to Mr. Kino, speaking cautiously so as not to offend him either. "And... you are still the owner of the nickelodeon chain?"

Mr. Kino chuckled. He knew she was trying not to offend him, and the kindhearted stallion took none whatsoever. "I was," he answered. "I wonder what has become of it now?"

"It could be the most successful chain in Applewood," Prof. Menlo spoke. Mr. Kino looked at the professor. Did he really just give him a compliment? Mr. Kino wasn't sure if he should be happy. His question was answered when the professor continued, "It could be the most successful chain in Equestria had you sold it to me."

"I worked hard to start that chain." Mr. Kino asserted himself. "Und in one night, you try to take it all away from me." He couldn't hold back any longer and let the professor have it. "All of us in Applewood. You took everything away from us. You were mad. Mad! You let greed und power corrupt you. Look what it has done to you. You blame me for your downfall, but it is you, Professor, who is to blame. You did this to yourself."

Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Applejack, and Apple Bloom were silent. They didn't try to intervene. Mr. Kino and Prof. Menlo clearly have some issues they need to work out, and if they are going to make any progress, the first thing they can do is let the two lost ponies vent.

For Mr. Kino, it felt really good to be able to get all of this off of his chest. A hundred and twenty-three years earlier, Prof. Menlo had never given him a chance. His anger didn't allow it. He was callous.

Prof. Menlo leered at Mr. Kino. "Are you finished?" he questioned.

Mr. Kino took a deep breath. He stood straight, puffed out his chest, and held his head high. He wasn't going to let Prof. Menlo push him around. He was standing his ground and not even the professor could shake him. "Ja," he replied. "I am finished."

Prof. Menlo sat for a second and removed his jacket. There was an aggressive air about him as he loosened his necktie. He wasn't in any mood to listen. He wan't going to be told off either. Sensing his hostility, everypony was prepared to step in.

"Let me tell you something, Kino." Prof. Menlo quickly advanced.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack held him back. Mr. Kino stepped back, thinking that he would be feeling the professor's wrath.

"Whoa! Easy there, Professor," said Applejack.

"Obviously there is more going on here then two friends feuding," said Rarity. "You two are going to sit here and talk it out. Nopony is going anywhere until this is settled."

All was silent for a moment. Prof. Menlo was too angry to speak. Mr. Kino didn't know what more he could say.

"I don't hear either of you talking," Rarity said.

After a pause, Prof. Menlo was the first to speak. "I had everything. The inventions, the patents. I had it all. I had all of Applewood in my hooves. But you..." he said with a growl, looking directly at Mr. Kino. "You took it all away from me."

"It was poisoning your mind," Mr. Kino tried to explain. "It hurt me to do it because I didn't want to see you sad. Neither could I see you happy with something that was corrupting you. I only did what I did to help you. To save you! You were mein friend."

"I was perfectly happy," Prof. Menlo snapped. "Satisfied with all I had, with all that I could get."

"You will never be satisfied," Mr. Kino cried out. "You have so much, yet you have nothing. Tell me, Professor, are you truly happy?"

Prof. Menlo's eyes began to water. He tried to hold them back. He was hurting, but there was something underneath. There was something bothering him that he wasn't acknowledging. Mr. Kino was beginning to realize that the professor was in pain and that he was using his anger to cover it up.

"Prof. Menlo, are you truly happy?" Mr. Kino asked him again, wanting to help his friend fight his demon.

Prof. Menlo shut his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth until he couldn't take it anymore. "I'm not happy!" he exploded. "Dear Celestia! Is that what you want to hear? Is that what you want from me?" He breathed heavily.

Everypony was quiet.

"I was happy. I was once satisfied with what I had," Prof. Menlo continued, sitting down. "Before we met, I was working in electricity. I was making great strides. I was working on achieving so much. But then, a scientist named Zapperman designed a device that could produce more electric power than my invention. A brilliant Pegasus he was. To tell you the truth, I was jealous of him. He accomplished everything I set out to do and more. I turned my attention to records and then photography and then motion pictures. There were so many scientists and inventors, many great minds working to develop the next big thing. I didn't want to admit it, but some of them beat me to the punch. I wished that it was I who made those discoveries. That is why I claimed all the patents and took credit for what other ponies had done. That is why I set out to build up a corporation where I alone could invent and develop. You're right to say that I was greedy, that I was hungry for power. But I was envious and afraid that my inventions wouldn't amount to much. I'm sorry I hurt everypony. And I'm sorry that I hurt you, my friend." He breathed a sigh of relief. It did him a lot of good to let that weight off of his shoulders.

"Why did you not say anything before?" Mr. Kino asked.

"I was too proud," Prof. Menlo explained. "And I let my frustrations cloud my better judgement and I took it out on everypony. I thought that controlling Applewood would make things better and ease my conscience, but it didn't. I was a fool."

Mr. Kino put a comforting hoof on Prof. Menlo's shoulder. "We all make mistakes," he said. "But if something is bothering you, you should not be afraid to say what you're feeling. Mein Freund, I forgive you."

With teary eyes and his hardened heart opened, Prof. Menlo pulled Mr. Kino into a warm embrace. "Thank you, Kino. You really are a good friend." He turned to their six rescuers. "Thank you, too. Without you, we would still be trapped, doomed to live an eternity with a petty argument unresolved."

"Thank Mr. Kino," said Apple Bloom. "If he hadn't communicated to us through my radio, we never would've come in."

"Kino, you certainly are a better stallion than I am," Prof. Menlo said. "I really don't deserve a friend like you."

"Everypony deserves a friend," Mr. Kino began. "Sure, there may be times we argue, but we should stop to listen and learn from each other, respect our opinions. There will be things that you're better at than I, und things which I'm better at than you. There's nothing wrong with friendly competition. It gives us the encouragement to be the best we can be. Und what pony wouldn't want to see their friends do their best?"

That was the moment that Prof. Menlo and Mr. Kino became friends again.

Apple Bloom was certainly happy that her curiosity in her radio's ghostly broadcast led her here, and she was happy to see that she and her friends were able to help two ponies rediscover their friendship. She wondered, Maybe ghost huntin' really ain't what the Cutie Mark Crusaders are destined to do. Perhaps it's bein' able tuh help ponies in need?