It wasn’t easy announcing that the name of the play had been changed because the leading actor was a dragon. Spike had rightfully won the role of Crocket for two reasons: he had been the best at auditions for the role, and he was small enough. Because of Spike, the directors of the play decided to spice things up a bit, including having Discord play the stingy Mr. Saddleton. At first, ponies weren’t sure if casting two non-ponies in the play was a good idea, but many more gave it a shot.
One hour before the show began, the theater became packed and alive with chatter.
A colt said to his friend, “I heard Discord’s going to be in the play! This is going to be awesome!”
A filly asked her mother, “Mummy, shouldn’t Discord be good by now? Is he going to turn bad again?”
The mother told her daughter, “You’ll just have to wait and see, love.”
A critic said to another critic, “I’m worried that Discord will ruin the play for us all.”
The other one said, “Discord? What about the dragon? He’s breaking the traditional mold of a Shetland playing Crocket! I wonder if the play is going to survive with him as the lead.”
Backstage, there was activity as the cast and crew got ready to put on the play. Discord was in his Saddleton costume as he spoke with Princess Cadance, who was holding her baby.
He said, “…and then they claim that I’m a diva! A diva! Wherever did they get that idea?!”
Cadance chuckled, “I can’t say that isn’t true.”
“Since when?”
“Well, you were acting like a diva when you pretended to have the Blue Flu.”
“All right, all right. Point taken.”
Shining Armor then came up and smiled, “Hi, honey.” He gave her a quick kiss before he continued, “Do you think the little one’s going to love the play?”
She chuckled, “Well, I know I’m going to love it, especially with your Caleb Plummare costume.”
He chuckled, “Oh, you…” He wrapped his hoof around her again and kissed her.
Fluttershy then came up to Discord and said, “I think the audience is going to be surprised that we’re going to have real animals in the play instead of actors in costumes.”
Discord smiled, “Why, of course. You didn’t think that I wouldn’t use my ability to make the animals talk, did you?”
“No, of course not. Besides, the directors wanted to spice things up this year.”
“Why do you think they cast me?” When he smirked, Fluttershy just giggled.
Flash asked Twilight, “Do you really think I can do this?”
Twilight put her hoof on his and reassured him, “I have faith in you.”
A stagehoof called out, “One minute, everypony! One minute!”
Cadance gasped, “Oh! We better get in our seat. Baby and I will be watching.”
Shining Armor snuggled his bundle of joy, “Enjoy your first play, kiddo.”
The baby gurgled in response.
The lights dimmed and the music began to play. A voice then sang, “One Hearth’s Warming morning…you may look into your stocking…and find that something shocking has occurred…Among the candy canes and toys…you'll hear a funny little noise…You've got yourself a dragon on the hearth…”
The curtains parted and showed scenery of Trottingham in olden times. A choir of ponies then sang, “Dragon on the hearth…Take that horseshoe off your door…With a dragon on the hearth…you can leave that lucky penny sittin' on the floor…Dragon on the hearth…Throw that rabbit's foot away…With a dragon on the hearth…You can save that sticky wishbone for another day…”
“Let him abide by the fire side…And luck will come a knockin' on your door…and the spirit of Hearth’s Warming will live with you forevermore…Dragon on the hearth…See that mistletoe above? With a dragon on the hearth…cut it down you'll still be lucky…Step on a crack and spill the salt…Plus a cat that's black, badabing…Catapult your luck…when you have a lucky dragon…dragon on the hearth…”
The window set then opened as Spike – who was in olden Trottingham attire – raised the bottom part. He shivered, “Brr! It sure is cold out there!” He faced the audience and then said, “Oh, hi! I didn’t see you there. I’ll be with you in a moment.” He turned to close the bottom part of the window set and then jumped down onto the floor.
He went to the fake fireplace and said, “Ahhh…Home at last.” He then said to the audience, “Well, Happy Hearth’s Warming to you. I suppose you’re all wondering what me, a dragon, is doing on Hearth’s Warming with a home of my own. See, I’m a part of the family, as it were. Wanna see some pictures?”
He was about to reach into his vest until he exclaimed, “Oh! Not yet! I have to tell you a story first. You see, this is a lucky household because it has a dragon on their hearth. And indeed, I am good luck, for if it hadn’t been for Crocket Dragon here, why, there wouldn’t be any family! I’ll tell you how it all began…”
As the lights darkened and the setting and Spike began to rotate, he continued, “It was a long time ago…”
When the lights turned back on, the setting had changed to a lush countryside with various ponies out and about. Spike’s voice could be heard offstage as he said, “Springtime, if I remember correctly.”
Offstage, Twilight used her magic to change the colors of Spike’s outfit so it was yellow over red instead of the other way around. “Thanks,” he whispered to Twilight. He then took his cane and marched onstage. He said, “Oh, I was some cracking dragon, I could tell you. Ready to take on the world. I was looking for a proper family to adopt. Suddenly, I spied the happiest house I’d ever seen. And a toy shop, too.”
Shining Armor then stepped out the door of the house set with a bag over his back. He turned and called into the stage behind the set, “I’ll return in a little while.”
Shining Armor almost trampled on Spike until the dragon shouted, “Hey, hey! Watch it!”
The stallion gasped in happy surprise, “Why, it’s a dragon!”
Spike readjusted his outfit and said, “Yep. Even though I have tough scales, I happen to be very fragile.”
Shining Armor laughed, “Oh, I mean you no harm. Why, I’ve heard that you dragons bring good luck with you. How about staying with us for a while? Just go inside and make yourself at home. That is, if you would like to.”
Spike contemplated, “Well…”
“Oh, it’s not a very exciting place. Just me and my daughter and, of course, the toys.”
“Sir, I’d be delighted. Crocket’s the name. Crocket Dragon.”
Shining Armor shook his hoof with Spike’s claw as the stallion said, “I’m Caleb Plummare. We’ll work out the arrangements later, after I deliver these toys. Good-bye.”
Spike looked into the window of the house and remarked, “I suppose I had never seen a happier room. And there, in the corner, *gasp* was the nicest little hearth you could ever hope for.” Spike opened the window and jumped into the house set. He said, “Perfect.”
Just then, he heard crying and saw that Twilight and Flash were on the couch. Though all three had rehearsed this scene many times, Spike couldn’t bear to see Twilight so broken. Despite his own breaking heart, Spike managed to keep a straight face and said in a calm voice, “Wait, what’s that?”
Twilight sobbed, “Oh, Edward, I shouldn’t.”
Flash told her, “No. No, Bertha. You go right ahead and cry.”
“But I don’t want you to remember me like this. All…all teary…”
“Any memory of you will be the most precious a colt could carry.”
Twilight then faced Flash with teary eyes. Even though he knew they were acting, Flash felt heartbroken from seeing Twilight like this. She said to him, “But I promised myself that I’d be brave…and strong to the very end.” She once again embraced Flash and let out a few sobs. She then continued, “Oh, why must you go away?”
Flash explained, “I must serve out my enlistment. I must go to sea tomorrow.”
She pulled back from him and said, “For two years?!” She stood up and said, “It’s just not fair!”
“Darling, I’m a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy and-“
Twilight ranted, “Oh, I hate the commission! And I hate that uniform! And I hate the Royal Navy!”
Flash shouted, “Bertha!” He cringed inside because it was harsher than he intended.
Twilight herself was surprised, but continued acting, “No, I don’t…really. I’m sorry.”
The ponies embraced as Flash said, “I’ll release you from your promise if you want.”
Twilight drew back and sobbed, “Oh, no! Oh, Edward…”
At this point, Spike was standing by the fake hearth and holding his top hat. He chewed on the rim of his hat and wept almost for real. He said in a broken voice, “I…I couldn’t help myself. See, that’s the way with us dragons: we get involved.”
Flash said to Twilight, “My darling, you will be here when I return? Promise?”
Twilight smiled at Flash, “Oh, Edward.” She traced her hoof alongside his face and continued, “I love you so.”
Flash couldn’t help but blush at that. Despite rehearsing the scene many times, he felt as if she was really growing on him. Twilight felt the same way about Flash.
Flash began to sing, “Don’t give your love away…Wait for me, I will come back to you…And we’ll have a thousand days of May…Don’t give your love away…I've kissed your smile till May…I know waiting will be hard for you…And I wish I could do more than say…Don't give your love away…
“My longest day will be when I remember today…And I'll wonder if you'll be there…If the years haven't touched our love out there…Still moment, speak for me…Tell her words are much too weak for me…What I feel comes to my lips one way…Don't give your love away…”
The curtains closed and after about a minute, they opened again to reveal Shining Armor, Twilight, and Spike at a work table. Spike told the audience, “Well, the time passed quickly. I suppose it does when you’re busy. Oh, and busy we were! Hearth’s Warming was getting nearer and nearer.”
Shining Armor told Spike, “Two tacks, Crocket!”
Spike said, “Two tacks! Gotcha!” He picked them up and tossed them to Shining Armor, who took them with his magic and then pounded them into the toy cart he was making.
Twilight held a doll with her magic and said, “More red paint, Crocket, if you please. Hmm…Make it ‘Smiling Red’.”
Spike said, “’Smiling Red’ you want, ‘Smiling Red’ you get!” He quickly grabbed the red paint from the shelf and carefully poured it into the small bowl near Twilight. He remembered that a couple times during rehearsals, he had spilled the red paint. One time, he spilled it on the actors themselves.
He asked Twilight, “How’s that, Bertha?”
Twilight said, “Ooh! Divine!” She dipped her paintbrush in the paint and painted red lips on the bride doll. She said, “The perfect color for a smile. I suppose I’m being extravagant with the paint, but no child wants a doll who can’t smile.” She then sniffled.
Shining Armor said, “Now, now. What’s this? Was that a tear that I saw, Bertha? Now, you shouldn’t get yourself all unhappy and teary over thinking about your young colt.”
Twilight said, “It’s been a year and a half since Edward went away and…and, well, sometimes when I think about him, I smile and cry because I’m happy.”
She began to sing, "If a tear falls when you’re smiling…and you’re still gay inside…then it means you found a happiness…Your tears can never hide…Smiles go with tears…Smiles go with tears…Sometimes when you're happiest…smiles go with tears…
“When you haven't seen a loved one…and he suddenly appears…Even though you try to control yourself…you'll never hide the tears…Smiles go with tears…Smiles go with tears…Sometimes when you're happiest…smiles go with tears…
“Let a happy little tear fall…Let it ride right down your face…Let it say ‘I love you, I missed you so…No one can take your place’…Smiles go with tears…smiles go with tears…Sometimes when you're happiest…smiles go with tears…”
Twilight asked Spike and Shining Armor, “Now for the eyes. Brown and black, or sky-blue pink?”
They all laughed until the door opened. Twilight gasped, “Oh!”
Shining Armor asked, “What, uh…what can I do for you?”
Martingale, the Ponyville housing agent, asked, “You are a certain Caleb Plummare?”
The stallion answered, “I am.”
“Call me Jere-neigh-ah Bleak. I am a certain agent of Her Majesty, the Queen.”
“Oh?”
“Do you have a certain Bertha Plummare for a daughter, who in turn was engaged to a certain Edward Coltum?”
“You mean, is engaged.”
“I am sorry, but it is my melancholy duty to inform you…” He pulled out a scroll and continued, “…that a certain Edward Coltum, late of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy, is lost at sea. Celestia have mercy.”
Twilight gasped, “No! No! NO!!!”
Martingale said, “These small, mournful effects willed to the girl.” He then pulled out a box.
Twilight shrieked as she fell backwards.
The backstage Pegasi created lightning for the effect. Shining Armor held his sister, who pretended to be unconscious, in his arms and said despairingly, “Bertha! Bertha, my darling daughter! It’s all a mistake, I’m certain!” He asked Martingale desperately, “It could be a mistake, couldn’t it?”
Martingale said, “Hardly.”
Shining Armor stroked Twilight’s mane and said in a broken voice, “Oh, no…No, no…My poor baby…My poor baby…”
As soon as Martingale left, Spike shuddered, “Oh, that’s a day I’d soon as not remember. The beginning of all our troubles, for you see, the shock of that awful message, delivered the way it was, turned poor Bertha…blind!”
Shining Armor sobbed, “Oh, my baby…My poor, poor baby…”
The curtains then closed on the miserable scene.