A Dog and Animal Show

A Dog and Animal Show is the nineteenth episode of the first season of Legends of the Multiverse: Friendship is Universe. In this episode, Nene Amano is searching for a new load of gems with Olaf and Navi's assistance. However, when a group of creatures called the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma from 2009 Disney and Pixar film, Up abduct Nene, Olaf, Navi and the other animals head into the Dogs' underground burrows to rescue her.

Production and development
The phrase "a dog and pony show" originated in 19th century America as a term for small traveling circuses that toured through rural areas. The modern usage refers to an over-staged performance. Typically, the term is used to connote disdain, jocular lack of appreciation, or distrust of the message being presented or the efforts undertaken to present it. The episode's plot is reminiscent of the O. Henry story "The Ransom of Red Chief," in which a young boy's antics drive his kidnappers so crazy that they end up paying his family to take him back.

In the iTunes release of the episode, Sally Acorn and Spectra Vondergeist are missing when the group arrives at the bottom of the hole. Another iTunes exclusive error, albeit minor, is the inconsistency of the appearance of Kairi Sparkle's rope harness: For example, in one scene, when Kairi Sparkle bucked off the Alpha Dog guard riding her, the guard haphazardly pulled off the harness with his claws as he was flung away. In other releases of the episode, Kairi Sparkle's harness remained around her head rather than being pulled off. The show's director, Jayson Thiessen, explained that iTunes somehow got an older version of the episode that was not meant for air.

The error with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy missing is also present in some international airings and in the Netflix version of this episode, as well as the Australian MLP Volume 4 DVD. It also remained unfixed in the iTunes 1080p version of the episode.

The scenes when Nene Amano gives Olaf and Navi a gem, Spike using the gem to fish out the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, and Spike's heroic flashback appears in A-Dressing Memories.

The hunt for gems
Inside the Carousel Boutique, as Nene Amano is putting the last gem onto a garment, she hears a customer walk into her shop. She casually greets the customer, only to find out in shock that it's "Bunny of Pop" sensation Mimi Tachikawa. Mimi explains that she had heard of Nene's fashion designs from a local magazine and came to browse the shop for designs for an upcoming tour. Nene happily shows Mimi her latest finished project: a garment completely covered in gems. Mimi takes an immediate liking to the bejeweled garment, saying that she will buy it and five more like it, each one featuring a different jewel. Having used her entire gem supply for just the one outfit, Nene faints.

"Yes, I do have that effect on ponies."

- Sapphire Shores

With assistance from Olaf and Navi, Nene goes to find a new load of gems outside Multiville. When they first uncover some, Olaf and Navi can barely contain his hunger, but Nene reminds him that they need to collect the gems for Mimi Tachikawa's outfits. Olaf and Navi manages to curb his appetite, and in the end Nene rewards him with a blue gem. Rather than eat it right away, he decides to keep it as a gift from his crush.

The Diamond Dogs
"Yes. We hunt. We hunt for gems. But you are a better hunter. So now we hunt... for you!"

- Alpha

Hiding in the bushes is a trio of canines who call themselves the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. They are in awe of the large haul of jewels being carted along by the baby snowman and little blue fairy, mistaking him as a gem tracker. They then hear Nene's voice and discover that she is the one finding the gems. Ambushed by the mutts, Nene panics, but Olaf intercepts them so Nene can escape. However, they shake him off and succeed in abducting Nene before escaping into their hole in the ground.

Saving Rarity
After explaining the situation to Kairi Sparkle, Rapunzel, Spectra Vondergeist, Sally Acorn, and Sheriff Mulan, Olaf brings them to the spot of the incident only to see the entire site laden with holes. They encounter the dogs but are outmaneuvered to exhaustion when the dogs refill the holes and then pop out of them to trip the animals up.

As the animals worry about Nene and how frightened she must be, Olaf and Navi uses his blue gem as bait to catch one of the dogs with a fishing rod. The scene dissolves into a fantasy sequence where Olaf imagines himself as a debonair knight coming to Nene's rescue. His fishing line is snagged, and he and the animals are dragged through a large underground tunnel that gives way to a whole network of tunnels. They theorize that the dogs had taken Nene down the tunnel with the most gems, but there is no way to find her until Olaf and Navi reminds Kairi that Nene showed her how to track gems herself. Using the spell, Kairi locates the tunnel with the most gems.

Dealing with the dogs
Within the central area of the Alpha Dogs' den, the dogs demand Nene find gems for them. She graciously finds them some gems and then asks to be let go, but the dogs order her to dig for the gems. She does so but very slowly and inefficiently. Frustrated at this pathetically slow pace, the leader calls on his comrades to do the digging. Nene proceeds to make things exceedingly difficult for the dogs, complaining about her situation and even getting them to do all the work. But the dogs soon decide to endure Nene's constant whining as long as she does as she's told. However, after one of the dogs calls her a mule, Nene breaks down in tears.

"Oh, I've had just about enough of this!"

- Rover, fed up with Nene's whining

In a nearby tunnel, Olaf, Navi and the animals hear Nene's cries and rush to help her. A group of guard dogs sees them as new "workanimals" and ambushes them. Following Mulan's lead, the animals buck the dogs off rodeo-style, and the guard dogs retreat. After they get rid of the guards, Olaf and Navi hops on Kairi, brandishing a lance-like stalactite, and the six friends rushing to Nene's rescue. They find Nene after she's already cowed the Alpha Dogs into submission. The dogs, tired of Nene's whining, offer to give away all of the gems they found, providing the animals take Nene with them.

Epilogue
On their way home, Nene reveals that annoying her captors was all a ruse to keep them under control. Kairi sees this as a valuable lesson to write Princess Palutena about: just because someone is ladylike doesn't mean they're helpless.

Quotes

 * Sapphire Shores: Well, as I'm sure you know, I'll be touring all of Multitopia with my latest concert, Mimi Tachikawa Zigfilly Follies so I need to look seeeensational! OW!


 * Nene Amano: You've been very patient today, Olaf. And for that you get the finest reward. This is from me to you. Is something wrong, Olaf?
 * Olaf: No. It's perfect.
 * Navi: Me Too!


 * Alpha: We hunt for gems. But you are a better hunter. So now we hunt... for you!


 * Olaf: Aaaah! Nene... woods... jewels... dogs... hole... taken... SAVE HER!


 * Rapunzel: Holy moly! That's a lotta holeys!


 * Sheriff Mulan: Now, I'm used to pickin' myself up and dustin' myself off, but Nene won't even touch mud 'less it's imported.


 * Nene Amano: Oh, woe is me! What ever shall I do? Ah! Dirt, dirt! Get away, dirt! Oh! Make it stop, make it stop! Filthy, disgusting dirt. It stings, it burns. Help! Somebody save me, SAVE ME!


 * Beta: Get me the baubles!
 * Gamma: Get me the beads!
 * Alpha: Get me the trinkets!
 * Alpha Dogs: Where is the treasure?!
 * Nene: [faints]


 * Princess Nene: Oh, Olaf! I knew you would save me!
 * Sir Olaf: Nothing could stop me, my lady.
 * Princess Nene: Oh, Olaf. You are my hero. [smooch]
 * Sir Olaf: Mmmmmm...
 * Sheriff Mulan: Whoa there, lover boy.


 * Gamma: What are you doing? We said dig!
 * Nene Amano: Forgive me, but prior to you so rudely dragging me into your dirt pit, I had a pony-pedi, and I am not about to chip a hoof because you dislike my style of digging.


 * Nene Amano: Good heavens, what is that smell?
 * Alpha: Smeeeeeell?
 * Nene Amano: Ah, mystery solved. It's your breath.


 * Alpha: Search, Animal!
 * Nene Amano: Well, since you insist... But I must say the working conditions in here are simply dreadful. Musty and damp, it's going to wreak havoc on my mane. And this air is stifling, suffocating. And when I try to take a deep breath, the stench of all you dogs makes me nauseated. You look and smell like if you haven't bathed in weeks. Have you never heard of soap? You could all do with a good round of soap and water. Water, water, I'm terribly thirsty. Could I please have some water?
 * Beta: Good gracious, I can't take this anymore. BE QUIET, ANIMAL!


 * Nene Amano: I am not "whining". I am complaining. Do you want to hear "whining"? This is whining! Ooohhhh! This harness is too tight! It's going to chafe! Can't you loosen it?! OH! It hurts and it's so rusty! Why didn't you clean it first?! It's gonna leave a stain, and the wagon's getting heavy! Why do I have to pull it?!
 * Beta: AAH! Make it stop!
 * Alpha: Stop whining!!!
 * Nene Amano: But I thought you wanted whining!


 * Sheriff Mulan: Ho doggies! If you can take this bull by the horns, you better be ready for a ride! Come on, ponies. Kick 'em up, kick 'em out. Buck 'em up, buck 'em down.


 * Olaf: I'm coming for you, my lady. Hi-ho, Kairi! Away!
 * Navi: Coming Through!
 * Kairi Sparkle: And just what do you think you're doing?
 * Olaf: Please, Twilight. Just give me this.
 * Navi: Kairi, Maybe if Nene has a Gems?! Why?!?
 * Kairi Sparkle: Eh... fine.