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Episode 22	A Bird in the Hoof	Aired: April 8 2011
At her house, Fluttershy has just finished helping an injured mouse and returned it to its family when Fluttershy's pet bunny Angel rushes in and plays a little Alice in Wonderland charades until Fluttershy realizes she's the one late (reciting the exact line from Alice in Wonderland stated by that rabbit I might add) for Princess Celestia's brunch party at Sugar Cube Corner. It takes several attempts before Fluttershy finally heads over. Rainbow Dash tries talking to Celestia's guards but they remain unresponsive, even at Rainbow Dash's silly faces. RD gives up and just heads inside. Fluttershy arrives but is blocked from entering until Twilight Sparkle tells them she's on the list. Inside, Twilight remains nervous about what Celestia will say to her friends' actions. It is just a casual get-together right? Well Rarity is making a fuss over her outfit and Applejack cannot decide which to eat first before losing her appetite. Despite Twilight's friends not being completely perfect, Fluttershy assures Twilight that Celestia won't even notice but Pinkie Pie quickly changes that by being her usual self, except around Celestia herself as she quickly eats Celestia's cupcake but a new one is replaced and Pinkie Pie is pulled away. Celestia finds herself in a brief refill cycle of her tea (which must be in a rather small cup for her to need tea that quickly) until it reaches the top and she whispers that it's enough. Next she talks to Fluttershy and says that she too loves to take care of animals and has learned about her through Twilight's letters. She introduces her pet Philomena, whom gives a cough and gag for a hello. Fluttershy has never seen anything like it (can't say that I have either). One of Celestia's guards whispers something in Celestia's ear that as Celestia says is about a meeting with the mayor. With that, she and a few others leave, including Applejack, whom somehow manages to get food after the table was cleared before she could have a bite and Rarity, whom is given a clear path to the exit. Twilight has no idea what went on with Celestia but is relieved that no disaster happened......or did it as we see Philomena missing from her cage. Fluttershy had taken her home, figuring Celestia won't mind and was just too busy to take care of it. She starts trying to get Philomena better but is off to a bad start as she struggles to keep it at a normal temperature and causes the thermometer to burst. She continues trying to help the bird get better but it's no use and Philomena drops feathers with every attempt. Twilight arrives, wanting to thank Fluttershy for making a good impression in front of Celestia but asks what Philomena is doing there. Fluttershy explains, then the two of them decide they have to take the bird back but before they can get going, Celestia's guard ponies open the door, informing them that the bird has gone missing. Twilight tries to act like she knew nothing of the sort and that she and Fluttershy are the ones coughing. When the lie works, Twilight instructs Fluttershy how to properly cure the bird but they aren't going over so well either (better than when Fluttershy did them but still). When Twilight tries to give Philomena the soup, she's out of her cage and running off with Twilight and Fluttershy close behind in another Benny Hill-esque music chase scene with the bird briefly outsmarting them with disguises and messing with Celestia's pony guards' paper fliers. At last the guards are the ones to find the bird but she croaks and falls, leaving only a cremated body for Fluttershy to catch. Celestia arrives wanting to know what is going on as Fluttershy is left in tears and tries to explain what happened but Twilight keeps intervening. Finally, Fluttershy gets out what she was trying to say but Celestia sees right through Philomena's act and to the others' astonishment, Philomena rises into the sky as a phoenix with an explanation from Celestia, whom isn't going to banish Fluttershy to the dungeon she was banished to and explains that Philomena was only playing a trick and gets an accepted apology from the bird but asks what gave Fluttershy the idea she'd be banished (well you did banish your sister Nightmare Moon/Luna to the moon for 1000 years) but is glad Fluttershy's heart was in the right place. Next she tells Fluttershy that all she had to do was ask and she would've learned about Philomena being a phoenix and all their trouble would've been avoided. Philomena takes to the skies again and leaves one of its feathers in Fluttershy's mane to Fluttershy's approval. Rainbow Dash gets an idea and has Philomena tickle the noses of the guards and everyone (including the guards) has a good laugh.