//------------------------------//
// Act II 
// Story: True Yak's Kiss 
// by Matthais Unidostres 
//------------------------------//

The night of the Amity Ball had arrived, and the ballroom was already filling up with students excited for the night's festivities. 

"Hello, everycreature!" said Spike into a microphone hooked up to the turntables he was stationed at. In addition to the suit he was wearing, he also wore a large, comical dragon head around his real one. "I'm your DJ, Scales-n-Tail, spinning your favorite tunes all night long! So welcome to the Fetlock Fet— I mean, the Amity Ball!" 

The students all cheered in excitement, and they began socializing and talking about the dance, the potluck, and who may win the Pony Pal Contest.

Meanwhile, closer to the entrance, a group of five friends were waiting.

Gallus looked around a bit and remarked, "I'm just glad I'm here with you guys. Least I'm not the only non-pony in the crowd."

Sandbar, sporting a simple blue bowtie, smiled and said, "You're not still worried about that, are you? Like Headmare Twilight said, this is a dance for everycreature. There's no pony pressure."

Gallus, Ocellus, and Smolder chuckled at that.

Ocellus smiled and said, "You should've told Yona that."

Sandbar blinked and said, "Uh, what do you mean?"

Silverstream, who had immediately gone after the snacks, and held a plate of said snacks in her claws, said, "Didn't you hear? Our teachers have been helping her get ready for the dance! She's been taking lessons." She then ate a potato chip as she shot Sandbar a knowing look.

Smolder nodded and added, "She's gone full pony for the dance."

Gallus pulled Sandbar's bowtie and said with a smirk, "All for you."

The bowtie snapped back, staggering Sandbar slightly, and he asked, "For me? Why?"

Gallus pointed at the pony's attire and said, "The same reason why you're the only guy wearing a bowtie."

Sandbar looked down at his bowtie and said, "Well, I thought Yona would appreciate it."

"Oh, really?" Gallus said, still wearing a satisfied smirk.

Sandbar huffed and said, "What are you guys getting at, anyway?"

"You and Yona, that's what," Smolder said as she stood with her arms folded.

Silverstream chewed and swallowed, and then said happily, "You two look so cute together!"

Sandbar's eyes widened, and his cheeks immediately turned red. "Wha-what!?" he gasped.

Ocellus smiled sweetly at Sandbar and said, "You don't have to be embarrassed, Sandbar. Having a crush on somecreature nice is a good thing!"

Sandbar's legs were starting to tremble as he stammered out, "N-n-no! We're not. . . uh. . ."

Smolder eyed Sandbar suspiciously and asked, "What are you denying it for? You literally asked her out."

Sandbar pointed a forehoof and Smolder and said, "Oh yeah? Well, you asked Gallus out! So I guess that means you've got a crush on him!"

Much to Sandbar's dismay, Smolder was totally unfazed by this argument. "You were right there. Didn't you hear how I was all like, 'I've got nothing better to do.' It was more directed at all of you guys than to just Gallus. I just asked to see if he was gonna show up too."

"And for the record," Gallus cut in, "I'm more interested in the dinner."

"Me too!" Silverstream chimed in.

"Anyway," Smolder said loudly to regain command of the conversation, "The fact is that out of four eligible girls in the group, you picked Yona." Smolder then gaze Sandbar a sultry look and said, "Heh. I bet that right before you asked her, you had this nervous goofy smile on your face, right."

"Yeah. . . I mean no!" Sandbar corrected quickly, only to pause as he blinked his eyes owlishly, "Well. . . I. . ." Sandbar then let out a sigh and said, "I just. . . There's just something about Yona. Maybe it's how she's big and strong and loves to smash stuff, but is still the sweetest creature I've ever met." 

A smile then crossed his lips as he continued, "And behind her Yakyakistain accent, she's really smart. Wise even. I mean, if it hadn't been for her, we'd have never been able to fix the Tree of Harmony. And-."

Sandbar paused for a moment, and his blush returned as he looked nervously away from his friends.

Silverstream landed next to the pony and said kindly, "We really are happy for you, Sandbar,"

Gallus nodded and said, "Sure thing. It's not like we'd do something stupid like make fun of you for liking Yona or something."

Smolder raised a claw and said, "But we might tease you about it if you take to long to just spit it out and let Yona know."

Sandbar could feel the support his friends were giving. He even had it in him to quietly chuckle at Smolder's remark. "Thanks, you guys," he finally said, "You know, I've kinda had feelings for Yona for a while. I guess it helped that Yona is more down to earth, like me. The feelings were small at first, but they were there."

"Oh, I know," Ocellus said nonchalantly.

Sandbar stared at her and asked, "You did?"

"I could smell it," Ocellus replied.

"Smell it?" Sandbar echoed.

"Changeling," Ocellus said with a deadpanned expression.

"Ohh," Sandbar said.

"Ahem," a voice suddenly said from behind Sandbar.

Sandbar turned around to see who it was, and he was greatly surprised by what, or rather, who he saw. It was a light-brown coated Earth Pony about his size. She had a dark-brown mane, which was braided and tied up on each side with silver bows, and tail, more simply held together by a scrunchie on the end. The young pony girl wore a large, flowing green dress with a dark-green in the middle adorned with a turquoise flower. The pony also wore a pair of pearl earrings and wore long fake eyelashes along with a lot of turquoise eyeshadow. On top of everything, her left foreleg was a bejeweled lucky pot.

"It is a very pleasurable night for this soiree, is it not, Sandbar?" the pony said as she enunciated every word.

Sandbar blinked at the strange pony and said, "Uh. . . yeah?"

The pony nodded and said, "Quite. Oh, I do hope I make a good pony pal for you."

Sandbar was caught of guard by this. "Hang on, what-?"

"I have been eagerly awaiting this dance since the moment it was announced. It is so marvelous that I can finally partake in this event," the pony said, an innocent eagerness working her way into her otherwise carefully measured tone, "Now, if you would give me a moment to drop off my lucky pot, we can partake in the challenge that is the Pony Pal Contest."

As the pony walked off towards the table where the lucky pots were placed, Sandbar turned towards his friends and asked, "Who the hay is she?"

"No clue," Gallus remarked.

Silverstream frowned and said, "Why is she trying to be your pony pal? Doesn't she know you're taken."

Sandbar shrugged and said, "I guess not. I don't know."

Ocellus sniffed, and then frowned he said, "Hmm. Well, she really wants to dance with you. Apparently."

"Yeah. . ." Sandbar said, a pensive look on his face.

"What's the problem!" Smolder said impatiently, "Just tell her that you're taken! End of story!"

Sandbar shook his head, clearly agitated by the situation, and said, "I can't do that! I mean, I just, ugh! I don't know, it's like something inside of me is telling me to dance with her!"

"WHAT!?" the group said in shock.

Sandbar quickly turned to check on the strange pony. To his relief, the pony was still trying to find a place on the crowed table to put her lucky pot.

Sandbar turned back to his friends and said, "Look, I can explain . . . . . . .  no, I can't. Ugh! Look, when I looked at her, and I saw how excited she was for this dance. . . I don't know, something about her voice. The way she said how much she wanted to join in. I don't want to make anycreature sad or disappointed."

Gallus rolled his eyes and said, "In other words, you're way too nice for your own good."

"Yeah? Maybe? I don't know," Sandbar moaned, "Look, it's just something about that pony, okay."

"What about Yona?" Smolder asked, although it sounded more like a demand.

Sandbar looked around nervously, and he said, "Well, she isn't here yet. From what you guys told me earlier, she probably got nervous about not being pony enough and is doing some last minute practicing. I think I'll have one quick dance with that pony over there, then I'll explain to her that I'm waiting for a friend who agreed to be my pony pal earlier. That should satisfy her."

"Sandbar, are you crazy?" Smolder asked incredulously, "Listen to yourself! You're making a plan to dance with some other random girl while the girl you were supposed to dance with isn't around."

Sandbar stomped his hooves in frustration and shot back, "You think I don't realize that? You think I don't feel wrong inside about doing this? I have no idea what's wrong with me! I wanted to dance with Yona, and I still want to dance with Yona. If anycreature else came up to me, I'd tell them that! But when I looked at that pony I got a whole bunch of weird, mixed up signals. She just looks so weirdly familiar and different at the same time and-."

"Oh, dearest Sandbar! Are you ready for our dance?"

Sandbar turned around to see the pony approaching him. Sandbar could hear the sound of Smolder driving her fist into the opposite palm behind him, and he swallowed the lump in his throat and replied to the young pony.

"Er, yeah. Sure am. Just one dance," Sandbar said with a forced looking smile.





Yona couldn't be more happy with the results of her deal with Discord. Just as the draconequus had said, the moment she stepped into the ball room, she had been transformed into a pony; complete with proper enunciation, a gorgeous dress, fine accessories, and a beautiful lucky pot. Which is why she couldn't fathom why Sandbar didn't seem all that happy with her. Hearing him mention that he wanted 'just one dance' confused Yona even more. Stranger still, she could've sworn that the rest of her friends were giving her some very odd looks. Smolder actually looked a bit angry for some reason. 

Yona was about to ask Sandbar what was the matter when the sound of microphone feedback ended any conversation they were about to have.

"Welcome, everycreature, to our school's first annual Amity Ball!" Twilight said on the microphone, "For those of you who've never attended a Fetlock Fete, we can't wait to show you some of our fun traditions on this special night!"

After everyone cheered, Twilight turned to the purple dragon and said, "So, Spike-."

"Uh, Scales-n-Tail?"

"Uh, right. Scales-n-Tail. Let's get this party started!"

Spike gave an eager smile as he announced, "Oh, yeah, party ponies! It's time to raise the roof and stomp your hoof for the traditional first dance of the night, the Pony Cotillion!"

As classical music began to play, Yona said eagerly, "Ah yes. I know this one very well, indeed."

"Oh, really?" Sandbar remarked awkwardly.

"Indeed! Green, black, then step back. Shall we?" she said as she presented a forehoof to Sandbar.

Sandbar took the light brown hoof, and the pair made their way onto the dance floor as their friends watched from afar.

Smolder scowled at the young pony girl and said, "I don't trust her."

Gallus nodded and said, "Yeah. . . there's something fishy about her."

Silverstream gasped and said, "You mean you think she's a hippogriff?! I thought I was the only one at this school?!"

Ocellus shook her head and said, "No, it's an expression. Like, 'there's other fish in the sea.'"

Silverstream tilted her head in confusion and said, "But that's just a fact. Of course there are other fish in the sea. I've seen them."

"Never mind," Ocellus said with a sigh.

Meanwhile, Yona and Sandbar were dancing along with the other ponies.

"A very skilled dancer, am I not?" Yona said.

"Er, yeah, sure," Sandbar remarked nervously as he looked around the room anxiously.

Yona frowned at this. "Why is Sandbar not looking at Yona? Isn't Yona perfect pony pal?" she thought to herself.

Sandbar finally did look her in the eye long enough to say, "You really are a pretty good dancer."

Yona's smile returned, and she said, "Indeed. Surely we will win the Pony Pal Contest together."

Alarm returned to Sandbar's eyes, and he quickly said, "No, no. I'm sorry, but that's not gonna happen."

Now it was Yona's turn to appear alarmed. "Why not?" she asked, "Am I not the most perfect pony pal you could ask for?"

"Time to shake things up a little!" Spike announced after the previous song ended, "That's right, everycreature! It's the Pony Prance!"

Up-tempo pop music began to play, and Sandbar began to back away from Yona, still looking around nervously. "Okay, that's enough," Sandbar said strongly, "Now, I think you should know-."

"No!" Yona shouted as she grabbed Sandbar's right forehoof, "I do so love the Pony Prance!"

"Well, I don't!" Sandbar argued as he tried to pull away, "And besides-."

"You and I are the perfect pony pals!" Yona said as she continued pulling on Sandbar's leg, "This is the night for pony pals to dance together!"

"You're NOT my pony pal!" Sandbar suddenly shouted.

Yona gasped and let go of Sandbar's leg. He had still been pulling at the time, and so, he stumbled backwards and off of the dance floor, falling on his rump a few feet away.

As the other ponies continued dancing, oblivious to the drama unfolding nearby, Yona ran forward towards Sandbar and said, "Oh my goodness! Are you okay, Sandbar?"

Yona reached out a hoof towards him, but Sandbar slapped it away and said with an aggravated look in his eyes, "What is your problem, anyway! You think you can just walk over to some random pony and insist that he's your dance partner? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I already have a dance partner. She might be running a little late, but she's still my dance partner. She's Yona the yak, and I like her a whole lot better than you."

Yona's jaw dropped as everything suddenly slid into place at once. "Sandbar. . . doesn't know it's Yona?" she thought to herself in amazement.

When Yona finally found her voice, she stammered out, "But. .  why-."

"Why do I like Yona better?" Sandbar interrupted as he stood back up, "I don't know. Maybe it's because she's honest with herself and with others. Maybe it's because she listens to what others say. Maybe it's because she's not superficial and vain and conceited. Maybe it's because she's down to earth and doesn't put on airs like some snooty Canterlot noble."

Yona felt herself begin to sweat. Things were going really bad really fast. What was supposed to have been The Best Night Ever was quickly turning into The Worst Night Ever, and Yona was too flustered and panicked at the moment to fathom why, even as Sandbar was unknowingly giving her some very flattering compliments.

"But. . . but. . . Pony pal should be pony. . . not yak-," Yona stammered out, only to be interrupted by Sandbar once again.

"I don't care about that!" he said impatiently, "I asked Yona because she's the best Yona I know. I like her just the way she is: Yona the yak. I'm not sure what you have. . . against. . . yaks. . ." Sandbar's eyes widened as a horrible realization seemed to come over him.

"Sandbar?" Yona asked nervously.

"You. . ." he said slowly, then he glared at her and said, "You're the reason why Yona hasn't shown up yet. You wanted to get her out of the way so you could dance with me."

Yona's eyes widened in horror. "What!? No! I-."

"What mean things did you tell her!?" Sandbar demanded, looking more angry than Yona or pretty much anyone else, had ever seen him be. The Earth Pony scrapped at the ground with his right forehoof as he got down into a charging position. "Where is she!?" he demanded.

At that moment, the pop music stopped, and Spike spoke up again, "Yo! If you thought that number was hot, you ain't heard nothing yet! It's time for one of Sapphire Shore's catchiest tunes! It's Timber!"

Harmonica music starting playing, backed by a very catchy thumping beat. As the music played, Yona took a step back from the now furious Sandbar. Then, as if things weren't bad enough for her, she suddenly noticed that the rest of her friends were gathered in front of her.

Wisps of smoke were coming out of Smolder's nose as she said, "I knew it! I knew she was bad news!"

Silverstream scowled at the yak turned pony and said, "How dare you pick on Yona!"

Gallus cracked his knuckles and said, "You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!"

"Ditto," Ocellus said with a nod.

As the creatures all eyed the pony that was Yona with unpleasant glances, Sapphire Shore's singing voice began to fill the room.

It's going down, I'm yelling timber
You better move, you better dance
Let's make a night, you will remember
I'll be the one, you won't forget

Sandbar took a step forwards towards the trembling young pony and said, "Well, whatever your name is? Are you gonna tell us where Yona is?"

The transfigured Yona stood face to face with her friends, all of them furious with her. Sapphire Shore's singing filled the room as five pairs of angry eyes stared Yona down. 

Hoooo-oo-oo! (Timber) 
Hoo-oo-oo-oo! (Timber)
Hoo-oo-oo! Hoo-oo! Ho-oo-oo-oo! (It's going down)

"I. . . I. . . I. . ." Yona stammered out, deeply disturbed by the fact that her friends were looking at her this way, with eyes filled contempt and distrust, as if they were looking at somecreature who was a complete stranger to them.

Hoooo-oo-oo! (Timber) 
Hoo-oo-oo-oo! (Timber)
Hoo-oo-oo! Hoo-oo! Ho-oo-oo! It's going down!

Long past the point where she could think clearly, Yona did the only thing she could think off: she turned and ran.

I'm yelling timber

"GET HER!" Smolder roared, and the group of five furious friends took off after the fleeing pony as the song continued to play.

You better move, you better dance
Let's make a night, you will remember
I'll be the one, you won't forget

The other students were too caught up in both each other and the awesome music that was playing to pay any mind to the either the fleeing brown pony or the group of five pursuing her. 

It's going down (It's going down!), I'm yelling timber
You better move (You better move!), you better dance (You better dance!)
Let's make a night, you will remember
I'll be the one, you won't forget (You won't forget!)

At the moment, Yona was actually a bit thankful for her pony form, as it allowed her to slip through the crowd of dancing ponies without bowling them over like, well, a charging yak. Unfortunately for her, four of the creatures chasing her could fly right over the crowd.

Ohhhh-ohh-ohh! (Timber) 
Woah-ohh-ohh-ohh! (Timber)
Woah-ohh-ohh! Ohhh-ohh! Ohh-oh-oh-oh! (It's going down)

One of the dancing ponies kicker her leg out, tripping up Sandbar and sending him falling flat on his face.

"Sandbar!" Ocellus cried out, and she dived down to assist him as the others continued after the fleeing pony girl. However, her attempt to help her friend caused her to get sent down to the floor when a particularly energetic dancer kicked back his right hind leg, catching Ocellus in the fetlock. It was like pressing a button that caused the Changeling's legs to buckle.

Ohhhh-ohh-ohh! (Timber) 
Woah-ohh-ohh-ohh! (Timber)
Woah-ohh-ohh! Ohhh-ohh! Ohh-oh-oh! It's going doooown!

"GOTCHA!" shouted Smolder as she dived towards Yona.

I'm yelling timber

Yona heard the dragon coming, and she quickly dived to the side as Smolder flew into right into a table, This overturned a bowl of punch right onto the dragon's head.

You better move, you better dance
Let's make a night, you will remember
I'll be the one, you won't forget

"Sorry!" Yona shouted behind her as she ran off across the room and right towards a wall. "Uh-oh," she practically whimpered, and she turned around to see Gallus and Silverstream flying her way.

The brown pony gulped as two pairs of outstretched talons reached out at her. At the last possible moment, Yona performed a kind of double split, going flat on her stomach as a the pair of griffs collided with both each other and the wall.

It's going down (It's going down!), I'm yelling timber
You better move, you better dance (You better dance!)
Let's make a night (Let's make a night!), you will remember
I'll be the one (I'll be the one!), you won't forget (You won't forget!)

"Yona glad ponies have long, skinny legs," Yona thought to herself as she quickly got back up and ran towards the door. 

Woah-ohh-ohh! (Timber) 
Woah-ohh-ohh-ohh! Hey!
Woah-ohh-ohh! Ohhh-ohh! Ohh-oh-oh-oh! (It's going down)

"Ow! Silver, get off my tail!"

"I can't! You're standing on my wing!"

Ohhhh-ohh-ohh! OHH!
Woah-ohh-ohh-ohh! (Timber)
Woah-ohh-ohh! Ohhh-ohh! Ohh-oh-oh-oh! (It's going down)

"Sorry, friends!" Yona cried out again as she dashed right out of the building.

Smolder grunted as she tugged the punch bowl off of her head. After placing it back down on the table, she looked around and saw Ocellus and Sandbar making their way off of the dance floor. She then turned to see Silverstream and Gallus lying in a heap against the wall.

Woah-ohh-ohh! (Timber!) 
Woah-ohh-ohh-ohh! Come on!
Woah-ohh-ohh! Ohhh-ohh! Ohh-oh-oh-oh! (It's going down)

"She got away! SHE GOT AWAY!" Smolder shouted in a rage as she stomped her feet angrily.

(It's going down!) Ohhhh-ohh-ohh! (Timber!)
(You won't forget!) Woah-ohh-ohh-ohh!
Woah-ohh-ohh! Ohhh-ohh! Ohh-oh-oh-oh! (Timber)





Yona found herself running to the only place she could think off. The only place where she could find the solution to her problem. The only one who could get her out of the mess she was currently in.

It didn't take her long to arrive at the lake, and once she was there, she shouted as loudly as she could, "DISCORD! DISCORD! I NEED HELP!"

"Shhhhh!"

Yona turned to see Discord relaxing in a reclining throne on the lake side, holding a fishing pole in his lion paw.

"Will you please keep it down. You're scaring the fish," Discord warned softly as he reeled in the line with his eagle claw. Discord then pulled the pole up, revealing a white fish, two green fish, a red fish, and a blue fish all on his line.

Yona stared at the fish for a moment, then she shook off her confusion and said, "Discord, please! You need to change me back into a yak! Quick!"

Discord stared at Yona in disbelief. "You want me to-? You're saying-?" Discord shook his head with bewilderment, then he turned to the fish on his line and said, "Take five, fellas."

The fish all jumped back into the lake, and Discord made his fishing pole disappear as he got up from his reclining throne and approached the yak turned pony. "I must say that I'm utterly befuddled!" he said, "You made it quite clear that you absolutely had to be a pony for Sandbar."

Yona shook her head and said, "I was wrong. Sandbar didn't want some pony. She wanted me. She wanted Yona. I didn't need to change anything. Sandbar. . ." Yona paused, and a smile crept onto her face as she continued, "Sandbar liked me just the way I was. I didn't have to change the way I looked, or acted, or spoke."

Yona then visibly winced and said, "Ugh! You know, I hate the way my voice sounds right now. It doesn't have the good yak sound to it. It's so boring and bland and ordinary! And too many words too! Pony tongue is too complicated!"

Yona then got back on track and said, "Anyways, Sandbar wouldn't have wanted me to change, and I ended up changing so much that my friends didn't recognize me! They all think I made the real Yona leave and was trying to steal Sandbar from her, I mean me, I mean Yona, I mean the real- oh whatever! I. . . I just. . ."

Yona took a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm herself. Then she smiled and said, "I've learned my lesson. I shouldn't try to be something I'm not. So, I'm ready to be a yak again now."

As Yona smiled up at Discord, the draconequus stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. . ." he said slowly, then he flicked his lion paw and the contract that Yona had stamped reappeared. Discord then put on a pair of monocles and read through the scroll. "Well, what a revolting development this is," he said, "For you see, according to this contract, the transformation you underwent is meant to be . . . permanent."

Yona's smile fell instantly, and her face went slightly pale as her heart turned to ice. ". . . What?" she squeaked out.

Discord nodded and said in a casual tone of voice, "You know. Perpetual. Everlasting. Immutable. Invariable. Set in stone. For keeps."

"FOREVER!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she suddenly surface from the lake while wearing a snorkel mask. She then silently sank back down under the water.

Yona stared blankly at where Pinkie had been for a moment, then her head snapped back at Discord and she shouted, "You never told me that I'd be like this forever!"

Discord shrugged and said, "I didn't have to. It was written right here in the contract. It's not my fault that you didn't read it."

Tears filled Yona's eyes as she whined, "But my friends! They don't know who I am! They all hate me! I can't lose my friends! I can't lose Sandbar!"

Discord didn't even look at Yona as his eyes moved up and down the contract, and he replied, "Sheesh! No need to cry. There's a very simple escape clause if you really want out of this contract so badly."

Yona's eyes were now filled with hope, and she immediately perked up and said urgently, "Escape clause? Escape? Yes! How do I escape?!"

Discord rolled up the contract and took off his monocles as he addressed the transfigured yak before him. "As I said, it's very simple. First, I turn you back into a yak for no more than one hour. At then end of that hour, you turn back into a pony. However, during that one-hour window, a 'true love's kiss' from Sandbar will rend the contract null and void. Simple."

Yona's eyes widened, and her checks turned red. "Wh-what? A kiss? From Sandbar? But. . .but. . ."

"You just told me that he liked you just the way you were," Discord said, "And didn't he get pretty steamed when he thought you were trying to keep him and his precious yak apart?"

Yona looked down at the ground and said, "Yes. . . but I'm not sure if Sandbar likes me that much."

Snap!

Yona looked up, and saw to her amazement that she was suddenly back in the School of Friendship, and it was broad daylight. But what really surprised was the sight of her old self, her yak self, studying the Pony Pal Contest trophy.

The first thought that came to Yona's head was how much she missed her horns, not to mention the rest of her old body. The second thought was that confusion as to what exactly was going on her.

"Turn around," said Discord's voice.

Without really thinking, Yona obeyed, and he saw Sandbar stepping forward. However, something seemed off about him. For one thing, the Earth Pony seemed oddly nervous in a way that Yona had trouble describing. 

Sandbar stared at the floor for the briefest of moments, and then he stepped forward wearing and awkward smile and rosy blush on his cheeks. "Hey, Yona, want to be my pony pal? We can enter the contest together," he said.

Sandbar's blush remained as he gave the most nervous smile ever. At this point, Yona realized that she was somehow seeing something that happened in the past.

	"But Yona yak. Yona not pony."

"So?"

"Pony, pony, more pony."

"Aw, that's just a poster. Come on! It'll be tons of fun together. Promise."

". . .Okay. Yona go with Sandbar."

Sandbar actually let out a little gasp of surprise, almost as if he had been expecting rejection. But then he immediately smiled joyfully and shook Yona's hoof. "Great!" he said, "I'll get the tickets. See you later!"

Yona watched as Sandbar walked backwards excitedly as he waved goodbye while blushing again. Then he kicked his hind legs with glee as he pranced off to get the tickets as like he had said. At this point, Yona's mind was reeling at this point. By seeing this event play out before her in retrospect, and from a slightly different angle, Yona was noticing many things about Sandbar that she hadn't noticed before. What's more, the warm feeling in her heart was glowing even stronger than the first time she had felt it.

Snap!

Yona suddenly found herself back at the lake with Discord.

"Okay, Yona. Let me level with you," Discord said, now suddenly reclining on a beach blanket beside her so that they were eye level with each other. He then held a love heart made of glass in the palm of his lion paw and said, "Once upon a time, I didn't believe in love." Discord made a fist with his paw, crushing the glass love heart within. "But then, two ponies, and a certain dragon, proved me wrong." Discord opened his paw, and the glass had reformed into a crystal sculpture of Big Macintosh and Sugar Belle embracing. "So, now, seeing as how great I am at everything I try, it makes sense that I would be a love expert. I know the symptoms, and we've both seen them in Sandbar. . . and in you. When I said this escape clause was simple, I meant it. One hour is plenty of time to stoke the flames of romance enough to get that kiss. And you're at a dance! It's practically a requirement! Haven't you ever read a cheesy romance novel or watched a cheesy romantic comedy?"

Discord snapped his eagle claw, and the sculpture of Big Mac and Sugar Belle turned into one of Sandbar and Yona. Discord placed the sculpture on the ground and gently patted Yona on the back with his paw. "Trust me, Yona, you got this!" Discord said with a genuine smile.

Sure enough, Discord's words had a positive effect on Yona. She knew it now, the warm feeling in her heart was love for Sandbar, although she hadn't realized it until recently. But even before, Yona felt attracted to Sandbar from the moment they first met, and he had brought in all of those cupcakes. And later on, Yona was the only one who was entirely sure that Sandbar hadn't truly betrayed them to join Chancellor Neighsay. And now, she had gone to extreme lengths just so she could be 'good enough' for Sandbar.

It was clear to Yona now, she was in love with Sandbar, and it appeared that Sandbar at the very least really, really like her. What's more, Sandbar was now the only one who could save her from herself.

"I'll do the escape clause," Yona said confidently.

"Splendid!" Discord said, and he snapped his eagle claw.