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// Act 2, Scene 1 
// Story: Dragon on the Hearth 
// by KidatHeart5 
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	When everypony got back to their seats, the curtains parted again and showed Shining Armor and Twilight – wearing her blurry contacts again - at work with the toys. Spike said to the audience, “Well, the following day was Hearth’s Warming Eve, and we were really busy. 
Discord came in through the door and said, “Rest period! Do take a rest!” After Owlowiscious hooted, Discord continued, “I’ve decided to give you a Hearth’s Warming bonus.” He gave Shining Armor coins and said, “Four whole bits. Here, a bit for you, my dear.” He gave a bit to Twilight.
Shining Armor, Twilight, and Spike – who was hiding from Discord – was confused about Discord adding “my dear” to his lines. Spike remarked, “I hope it doesn’t bankrupt the old skinflint.”
Discord said, “Actually, I must confess to…oh, say, an ulterior motive. Heh-heh-heh-heh.” Though what he was about to say wasn’t really his ulterior motive (that was getting Flash and Twilight together), he floated and continued, “This is a lonely, old place for me, and I finally decided that what I need…” He turned around to face the ponies and said, “…is a wife.”
Shining Armor said in disbelief, “A wife, sir? You?”
“And why not?” Discord ran his talon through his mane as he said, “I’m quite the charmer.” 
Spike scoffed, “Ha!”
Discord eyed Shining Armor and asked, “Did you say something?”
The stallion smiled awkwardly and said, “Um…No, sir.”
“Hmm…Well, to get to the point, I’m happy to inform you that the mare I would so like to honor is none other than your dear, lovely, intelligent, beautiful, graceful, stately, cherished…”
Twilight and Shining Armor gave each other confused glances. The stallion interrupted Discord in an annoyed tone, “Get on with it.”
Discord held up a finger to state that he wasn’t finished. The spirit of chaos continued, “…beloved, adoring, dedicated, lucky Bertha.” 
Shining Armor acted as if he was shocked to hear this. He exclaimed, “What?” 
“We could be wed tomorrow. Hearth’s Warming, a holiday. That way, we wouldn’t lose a day’s work.” He then chuckled as Shining Armor hung his head.
Twilight acted like she was flattered and said, “Oh, sir…”
Discord said, “No, you don’t have to make up your mind right away. Take your time, think it over.” He pulled out a pocketwatch and said, “Why, I’ll give you…shall we say, an hour and fifteen minutes? Sound fair?” When there was no response, he said, “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.” He clicked his watch and put it back in his vest. He said as he exited the stage, “Meanwhile, back to work!”
Fluttershy met up with Discord and said, “Why did you adlib your lines?”
Discord answered, “Well, I wanted to make Flash jealous. Either that or maybe he’ll learn that there are admirable traits about dear Twilight.” He then continued in a displeased tone, “Even though I don’t particularly care for them myself.”
Onstage, Twilight said, “Oh, Father! I’m so very honored!” 
Shining Armor put his hoof on his sister and said, “But…but, my dear, you’re just a child.”
Twilight said, “Father, I haven’t been a child for a long time. You’ve just got to accept the fact that I am a big, grown-up mare now.”
She then sang, “Lullabies and fairytales…Pinafores, piano scales…Satin bows and cheeks of rose…That was yesterday…Young filly upon your knee…That was what I used to be…Bunny nose but heaven knows…That was yesterday… 
“So look up, your little filly’s a mare…with a weighty problem…Daddy is her problem…He thinks she's still a child…Carousels and wishing wells…Golden shoes with silver bells…Starry eyes and cherry pies…That was yesterday… 
“Carousels and wishing wells…Golden shoes with silver bells…Starry eyes and cherry pies…That was yesterday…Yesterday…”
The door opened and in stepped Flash as the elderly gentlecolt. He said, “Ms. Plummare…”
Twilight said, “Who’s that? The old gentlecolt? I have happy news, sir!”
Flash said, “And I’ve something to tell you. I’ve waited too long.”
The alicorn chuckled, “No, no, no. Let me tell my news first, for it is bursting inside of me. The most wonderful colt in the whole world has asked me to be his wife!”
Flash, acting as if he was trying to mask his disdain, said, “Indeed. May I offer you, then, my…heartiest congratulations?” 
Twilight chuckled again, “They don’t sound very hearty. And now, what have you to tell me?”
Flash stuttered, “Well, I…uh…that is, um…”
Spike went up to Twilight and said, “Oh, blast all this telling one another! We’ve got no time for it! This is an emergency!”
Twilight admonished Spike, “Oh, Crocket, what a thing to say.”
Flash then backed into another door and said, “Excuse me.” He then shut the door.
Shining Armor asked, “What’s wrong with the old fellow?”
Spike said exasperatedly, “Never mind him! Think of her!”
The stallion shrugged, “What can I do? Have I deceived her all this time, but to break her heart at last?”
Twilight said, “Father, I’ve made up my mind. When Mr. Saddleton returns, I shall tell him that I accept his proposal.”
Spike collapsed to the floor and cried, “NOOOOO!”
The curtains then closed on the group. 
Discord walked up to Spike as he was clapping. He commended, “Bravo, Spike. I never knew you had drama in you.”
“Thanks.” As the dragon sat up, he asked the Lord of Chaos, “So, what about your sneezing scene? Are you going to sneeze up that rubber chicken again? That was funny.”
Discord put a finger up and said, “I never sneeze up the same thing twice. You should know that by now. Now, up you go!” He grabbed Spike and tossed him on the highest shelf. The dragon screamed until he landed on the shelf.
Spike cried, “Are you crazy, Discord?!”
“Well, whenever you try to do your plan-thwarting thing from underneath the table, you always mess it up.”
“But I thought I got it the last time.”
“Well, last time, I used my magic to help you.”
Spike glared at him as the draconequus left the stage. Twilight was about to get him down, but the curtains were opening. The set was now the living room and, much to the audience’s surprise, Spike was on the topmost shelf. He had to muster every bit of strength and courage to keep from being afraid. 
Despite this, though, he said to the audience in a shaky voice, “See, I-I was d-d-determined that Bertha would n-never get a chance to say ‘y-y-yes’. I got everything I n-n-needed to make sure that my p-p-p-plan would work. R-r-right on the dot, he arrived.”
As soon as Discord appeared at the door, Twilight said, “Do come in and sit beside me, Mr. Saddleton. I’ve made tea.”
Discord chortled as he floated to her, “I shall. Oh, I shall, you pretty, little mare.”
Twilight hated being called such names by Discord, but she poured the tea and asked, “One lump or two?”
Discord said as he sat down, “Two. Oh yes, two, my pretty.” He then felt the acorn props and the vial of sparkly sneeze dust at his feet. He forgot that they were left there for Spike, but now under different circumstances, he snapped his tail and sent the things to Spike on the shelf.
Spike muttered, “Thanks a lot, buddy.” He took the acorn props and said, “So, if it’s two you want, it’s two you get.” He dropped the props and to his surprise, they landed in Discord’s teacup.
Discord sputtered when the tea got on his face. He was surprised that Spike managed to drop the acorns into his tea. However, he wondered if the same could be said about the sparkly sneeze dust.
Twilight wished she could actually see Spike’s successful attempt with clear eyes, but she continued acting, “Is anything wrong?”
Discord said as he wiped his face with his handkerchief, “Um, no. And now, my dear, we come to the reason of my presence here.” He then chuckled.
Spike said, “That’s what you think.” He grabbed the vial and said, “Hope you like sparkly sneeze dust.” He then shook it down onto Discord’s tea.
Discord said, “Have you made up your pretty, little mind?” He chuckled again.
Twilight said, “Well, to tell the truth, kind sir…”
“Yes? Heh-heh-heh.” He took a sip of his tea and immediately started sneezing. A couple of golf balls rolled into the tea set.
Twilight gasped, “Oh! Oh, what was that?!”
“Never mind. Now…” He sneezed again and this time, Spike flew from the shelf and onto a comfy pillow on the floor.
“What-what-what on Earth?”
“Excuse me, my pretty la…Ah-choo!” He blew the table off with his sneeze. As he ran stage right, he sneezed again. The whole set became polka-dotted. He sneezed one more time and a trail of soapy water appeared. He yelled as he slipped out the other door of the set. 
The curtains closed and a sneeze could be heard. When the curtains parted again, Discord was leaning over a water basin with 	Owlowiscious watching from his perch. Discord hated this scene because he had to squirt his nose. With great reluctance, he put the nasal irrigator up his nose and squirted. He gagged, snorted, and coughed from doing so.
He snuffled, “It was that dragon…” He pulled out his handkerchief and blew his nose. He stuffed it back in his vest as he continued, “…who made a fool out of me. Uriah, get rid of him once and for all.”
Owlowiscious protested, “But, sir, he is a rare dragon. You can’t ask me to get rid of him!”
Discord glared at him and said, “If I can’t get his good luck, then no one can! Call in professional help so you wouldn’t bungle up like last time. I want that dragon eliminated.”
Owlowiscious hooted sadly, “Yes, sir.” He then flew off the stage just as the curtains were closing.