Drag Race
Smolder delivers a very unusual message to Twilight. A large red dragon called Razor is challenging Ember for leadership of the dragons (the vote!) - she claims that ponies have faked friendship with dragons (Friendship U) in order to weaken them so that ponies can take over the dragon lands. Twilight remembers that this is the same Razor whose smoke blanketed Ponyville years ago and who left in tears after Flutters told her off (Svengallop - heavy-hooved; Pipsqueak - class president*).
Ember is angered by the challenge and threatens to stoke up pony opposition by revealing that Razor once attacked Twilight and her friends (Blackmail). To calm things down Twilight and her friends all try to persuade Razor to drop her challenge (Golden Gavel - fast talker*) but Razor doesn't listen (Garble - kind of a jerk). A large number of dragons, including Garble, disaffected with Ember's pony-friendly approach, follow Razor as Ember's rival (Pipsqueak - class president*) and Ember doubts herself - questioning whether she is really destined to be the dragon lord. Rather than risk a conflict (Falling rock zone) Ember goes into exile.
Spike tries to cheer up a despondent Ember (Spike - the brave and glorious; Everfree rescue mission) but she is inconsolable and he turns to Twilight and her friends for help (Rescue party), but no one can lift her spirits, since she feels a failure in the one thing she felt was most right for her. One day, moping around Ponyville Ember bumps in Scootaloo (Scootaloo - cutie mark crusader), they get talking and she explains her plight and, disarmed by the feisty little filly, the proud dragoness cries (Flooding in sweet apple acres). Scoot is of course upset by the tale of dragons (Spooky scary story*) but she is not the naive foal she once was (Rarity - growing up) and knows that she must help Spike's friend to recapture her destiny (Social obligations*). Scoot asks herself what her competitive idol Rainbow Dash would do, but dismisses the idea of having a race (cannon cavalry*; Garble - let's race), since it could lead to violence. Instead she decides that something more creative is needed (Scootaloo - most creative) and hits on the idea of a horde-off: the dragon with the best horde wins (The smooze - creeping crud).
Razor agrees to the horde off. The red dragon starts strong, using her size to bully dragons into giving her their hordes and her bold approach appears to work at first (Gizelle - thrillseeker). However, it soon begins to alienate her from her supporters (Mega mare - watch your step*). Ultimately she steals from the horde of something even bigger than her - a Roc - and is captured by the angry behemoth (Roc - bird of prey). Ember, meanwhile, negotiates for her horde - drawing on artefacts from all creatures, even breezies (Flitter - flutterer). The horde she amasses gradually begins to outmatch Razor's, including things strange, arcane and... silly (Cheese shoes). In the end there can only be one winner and Ember is accepted as not only the dragon lord but the founder of a new dragon era (Granny smith - family founder).
"Dear Princess Celestia... um..." Ember begins, but stops - uncomfortable with the ponyish tradition of writing about friendship to Celestia. Spike helps her out, explaining to the pony Princess that it is natural for a creature to doubt their destiny, and that friendship is about being there in those moments. "Um... also we need Roc repellent... to help Razor because Spike says," Scootaloo interrupts her, shaking her head - Ember rolls her eyes and continues, "I mean because-new-dragon-era and stuff." she garbles, but gives a lil smile all the same :3