Lunch time!
Who's hungry?
Plenty for everypony.
Slow down, sweetie.
Here you go, Angel bunny.
Okay, Mister Picky-pants, you win.
Carrots, lettuce and apples, yum yum yum!
What? But--
Then, what will you eat?
I'm not sure I can even make that.
Well, I don't want you to starve...
Are you sure I can't tempt you
with a nice crisp piece of--
I'll make your special recipe.
Hmm, let's see.
Asparagus.
Excuse me... I think you just
stepped in front of me...?
Excuse me, I think you made a mistake?
You see I was actually here first and--
Sorry, didn't notice you there.
I know.
Pardon me, sir.
Yes, what?
I think you just cut in front of me.
A cut of celery?
But, this is the asparagus stand!
I said, I think you just cut
in front of me.
No need, dearie, I'm already in front!
I noticed.
Hey!
Would you mind moving back?
You're in my personal space.
But--
Seriously, do you need
your asparagus so badly?
Get a life.
Oh, okay. There's no rush.
Fluttershy!
You mustn't let them treat you that way.
It's really no big deal...
It's bigger than big, it's double big.
You are a pony with a problem.
What problem?
You've got to stop being such a doormat.
A doormat?
A pushover, darling.
You've got to stand up for yourself.
Promise us.
Okay. I promise.
Oh, good!
That's okay, I don't mind.
Watch and learn.
Hold it right there,
mister small and handsome!
Who, me?
Of course, you.
Nopony ever called you handsome before?
That'd be a big no.
Well they should!
How about flexing
some of your muscles for me?
Oh my heavens!
Do you think a strong, handsome stallion
such as yourself
could give my friend the last asparagus?
See, that's not so hard, is it?
I guess not...
Alright then! What else is on your list?
Let's see... I also need tomatoes.
Here you go.
That'll be two bits. Not one.
But last week it was only one bit.
That was then, this is now.
Okay.
I don't wanna argue about it.
What do you think you're doing?
Mindin' my own business,
maybe you should try it.
Two bits for tomatoes is outrageous.
One bit is the right price.
I say it's two bits.
One bit.
Two bits!
One bit!
- Two bits!
- One bit!
Two bits!
- Two bits!
- One bit!
- Two bits!
- One bit!
I insist, it's two bits or nothing!
One bit and that's my final offer!
Have it your way, one bit it is!
See? Asserting yourself can be fun!
I guess you're right!
So, Fluttershy,
do you feel like giving it a try?
Um... okay.
I need that cherry.
Am I glad you have one cherry left.
You see, I'm making this special meal
for my bunny Angel
he's a very picky eater,
and the recipe calls for a cherry on top.
Here you go.
So,
you say you need
this cherry very badly.
Oh, yes, I'm desperate for it!
Then it'll be ten bits!
Ten?!
Oh, hey, mister handsome.
I know you wanna do the right thing,
because you're handsome and strong
and big, handsome, strong guys
are always nice to everypony, right?
Ten bits for the cherry.
Ten bits for one cherry's outrageous!
I insist on paying you... eleven bits!
Eleven bits?
I mean, nine bits!
Now wait a minute...
Okay, twelve bits,
but that's my final offer!
I think you're confused.
It's twelve bits, take it or leave it.
Okay, I'll take it.
Don't give him your money!
One cherry is not worth twelve bits!
But... I was only doing what you did.
It was a valiant effort,
but you should refuse to give him
your business and just walk away.
But... I can't let Angel starve!
He won't eat it unless
I make it just right!
I need that cherry
no matter what it costs!
In that case, twenty bits!
Twenty?!
Oh, but I don't have that much.
Then why're you wasting my time?
I'll give you two bits for that cherry!
Sold!
That's a break, kid.
Next time, don't be such a doormat.
Here you go, Angel.
Sorry there's no cherry on top,
but the rest of it is exactly
what you wanted.
Angel?
Look at me... I really am a doormat.
The incredible Iron Will
turns doormats into dynamos.
Assertiveness seminar today,
hedge maze centre.
As Celestia is my witness,
I'm never gonna be a pushover again!
Excuse me!
Welcome, friends! My name is Iron Will.
And today is the first day
of your new life!
I wanna hear you stomp
if you're tired of being a pushover!
Stomp if you're tired of being a doormat!
Stomp if you wanna pay nothing
for this seminar!
That's no joke, friends.
Iron Will is so confident that you will be
one hundred percent satisfied
with Iron Will's assertiveness techniques,
that if you are not one hundred percent
satisfied, you... pay... nothing.
But I pity the fool who doubts
Iron Will's methods.
You don't doubt me, do you?
Uh-uh, no sir...
That, my friends, is your first lesson.
"Don't be shy, look 'em in the eye."
Now, to demonstrate that
Iron Will's techniques
will work for anypony,
I'm gonna need a volunteer.
You, in the back row!
Who, me?
Yes, you! Iron Will wants you onstage!
Uh, well...
Now!
Okay...
He's blocking your path.
What are you gonna do about it?
Um, politely walk around him?
No.
Gingerly tip-toe around him?
No.
Go back home, and try again tomorrow?
No!
"When somepony tries to block,
show them that you rock!"
Oh! Sorry.
Don't be sorry, be assertive!
"Never apologize, when you can criticize."
Why don't you watch where you're going!?
Now, you try.
Next time, get out of the way before...
I bump into you.
Because...
I totally won't be sorry when I do!
You see my friends!?
If my techniques can work
for this shy, little pony,
then they can work for anypony!
Okay, I feel good.
I feel ready to "att*ck the day",
as Iron Will says.
Excuse me, Mr. Greenhooves,
but I think you might be
over-watering my petunias...
again...
Let the professional handle it.
"Treat me like a pushover,
and you'll get the once over."
Perhaps that is enough water.
Thank you.
I can't believe it worked!
Showpony business is tough.
Go ahead, try one of your jokes out on me.
I laugh at everything.
Okay, okay, okay.
A donkey and a mule
are stuck on a desert island...
Excuse me?
Would you mind moving your carts,
so I can pass?
Yeah yeah, in a minute,
I just wanna finish up this story.
And so the donkey says to the mule--
Can you move, you're blocking my path.
Yeah yeah, in a minute!
So the donkey says to the mule...
"When somepony tries to block,
show them that you rock!"
Easy does it, lady. We're moving, okay?
Good!
Who's next, please, and what
can I get for you today?
What do you think you're doing?
Didn't you see me?
Uh, I guess maybe.
"Maybe"?
"Maybes are for babies!"
Now go to the back of the line,
where you belong!
Hey, look at you!
Your attitude is so feisty.
It's fabulous.
Looks like that monster's workshop
really paid off!
Iron Will's not a monster, he's a minotaur.
And a true inspiration.
His techniques really work.
Well, they've certainly made a difference
in the way you carry yourself.
You truly are a whole new Fluttershy.
Yes, I am.
And new Fluttershy feels pretty stoked
about new Fluttershy.
Well, old Pinkie Pie feels
really proud of new Fluttershy.
Proud as pink punch.
Want some?
"You laugh at me, I wrath at you!"
Bye, girls.
What a day.
Taxi!
Oh no you don't.
"Cut in line, I'll take what's mine!"
Nopony pushes new Fluttershy around!
NOPONY!
Old Pinkie Pie is not so sure
new Fluttershy is such
a good idea after all.
Old Rarity agrees.
You got this, new Fluttershy!
This day is yours!
And nopony's gonna take it away from you!
Am I right?!
Right!
What?! He's delivered
the wrong mail, again!
And new Fluttershy does not want
the wrong mail delivered to her cottage.
Did I mix them up again?
Sorry about that.
"You apologize, I penalize!"
Excuse me, do you know how
to get to the Ponyville tower?
Sure, you just--
That's a shame.
"You make me lose, I blow my fuse!"
Fluttershy! What are you doing?!
That's no way to behave.
Didn't you see what he did to new Fluttershy?
And he thought new Fluttershy was a pushover!
No, sweetie, he didn't.
We saw the whole thing.
We think that you've taken
your assertiveness training
a little too far.
What?!
You just want new Fluttershy
to be a doormat like old Fluttershy!
But old Fluttershy is GONE!
New Fluttershy... old Fluttershy...!?
What happened to nice Fluttershy?
We want that Fluttershy back.
No, you want wimp Fluttershy.
You want pushover Fluttershy.
You want do-anything-to-her
and-she-won't-complain Fluttershy!
Too many Fluttershies to keep track of!
Make it stop!
Things getting too complicated for
your simple little brain, Pinkie Pie?
Now, stop right there!
Let's not let things descend
into petty insults!
Why not? I thought "petty"
was what you're all about, Rarity.
With your "petty" concerns about fashion.
Hey, leave her alone!
Fashion is her passion!
Oh, and what are you passionate about?
Birthday cake? Party hats?
I can't believe that the two most
frivolous ponies in Ponyville
are trying to tell new Fluttershy
how to live her life
when they are throwing their own lives
away on pointless pursuits,
that nopony else gives
a flying feather about!
Looks like nasty Fluttershy
is here to stay!
I cannot believe what that monster,
Iron Will, has done to you!
Iron Will's not a monster, he's a minotaur!
...I'm the monster.
Fluttershy, are you in there?
It's Pinkie Pie, and Rarity!
Go away! Go away before
nasty Fluttershy strikes again!
Oh, sweetie,
we all said things that we regret.
We did?
Pinkie's right. I'm the only one to blame.
But don't worry, I'm never
coming out of my house again.
Everypony will be a lot safer with me
and my mean mouth locked away.
Sweetie, Pinkie Pie doesn't blame you,
and nor do I.
You just received some bad advice
from that Iron Will character.
Yeah! He's the one that
made you act super-duper nasty.
What I mean is,
there are other ways to assert yourself
besides yelling at everypony.
Yes!
You can stand up for yourself
without being unpleasant about it.
I'm not sure I can.
I'm too far gone.
Whenever I try to assert myself,
I become a monster.
Oh, sweetie, you're not a monster.
No, but he is.
Iron Will's my name,
training ponies is my game.
What a darling little catchphrase.
Your friend Fluttershy loved
Iron Will's catchphrases.
Word on the street is that
she doesn't take no duff from nopony!
So, Iron Will is here
to collect Iron Will's fee.
Fluttershy's in no shape
to deal with that creep!
I'm sure a big, brave,
powerful and rich monster--
I mean, minotaur, like you,
doesn't need that money right away.
You can afford to come back later.
Are you kidding?
Fluttershy is overdue as it is.
Iron Will collects now.
Do something!
We're not even sure
Fluttershy is home right now.
She might be off frolicking
with some woodland creatures.
Why don't you give us some time
to track her down for ya?
Iron Will does have some
grocery shopping to do.
Iron Will will come back this afternoon.
But that's only half a day.
We need one full day at least.
Iron Will will delay for half a day
and no longer!
A full day!
Half day!
Full day!
Half day!
Half day!
Full day!
We need half a day and no more!
You'll get a full day and no less!
Okie dokie. See you tomorrow.
Wait, what?
Sounds like the search
won't be necessary.
Iron Will collects now.
But we had an agreement!
You gotta come back tomorrow!
"When somepony tries to block,
show them that you rock!"
Your payment is overdue, Fluttershy!
You were nothing but a doormat!
And Iron Will turned you into a lean,
mean, assertive machine!
Now, pay Iron Will what you owe Iron Will!
Um, no.
What did you say?
No.
I'd hate to be you right now.
Because Iron Will is gonna
rain down a world of hurt
unless Iron Will gets his money pronto!
As I recall, during your workshop,
you promised
one hundred percent satisfaction guaranteed
or you pay nothing.
Well, I'm not satisfied.
What do you mean, you're not satisfied?!
Everypony has always been satisfied!
Well I guess I'm the first then.
But since I'm not satisfied,
I refuse to pay.
It's as simple as that.
Are you sure you're not
just a little bit satisfied?
Because maybe... we could, cut a deal...
I mean, we're both reasonable creatures,
aren't we?
I'm sorry, but no means no.
No means no, huh?
Nopony's ever said that to me before.
I gotta remember that one.
That's a good catchphrase
for my next workshop.
You're amazing, Fluttershy!
You totally stood up to that monster!
In fact, you didn't change at all!
You were the same old Fluttershy
that we've always loved!
The one we missed!
Don't worry,
old Fluttershy's back for good.
I'm sorry I took the whole
assertiveness thing too far.
Friends?
Friends!
Dear Princess Celestia,
Sometimes it can be hard for a shy pony
like me to stand up for myself.
And when I first tried it,
I didn't like the pony I became.
But I've learned that
standing up for yourself isn't the same
as changing who you are.
Now I know how to put my hoof down,
without being unpleasant, or mean.