Twilight Cloppins

by KidatHeart5

Act 1, Scene 3

When the curtains reopened, the scenery had changed to that of the park’s and ponies wandered about. The pigeons were also meandering around the stage. With some training from Fluttershy, the birds did not stray from the stage. Flash Sentry was crouching down, drawing on a canvas the audience couldn’t see.

As the extras left the stage, Flash began singing, “Chim chiminy, chim chiminy…Chim chim cheroo…I do what I like and I like…what I do…” He looked up at the audience and said, “Hello, art lovers.” He sang as he stood up, “Today, I’m a screever and as you can see…A screever’s an artist…” He slid the staff across one of his chalk drawings before he skipped upstage and sang, “...of highest degree…And it’s all my own work from my own memory…”

He admitted to the audience, “Well, not Royal Academy, I suppose. Still, they’re better than a hoof in the eye, aren’t they?” He danced over either side of the canvas as he sang, “Chim chiminy, chim chiminy…Chim chim cheroo…I draw what I like and I like what I drew…” He drew along the border on one of his drawings and then sang, “No remuneration do I ask of you…” He kneeled beside the canvas and sang, “…but my cap would be glad of a copper or two…” He set his cap down as he finished, “My cap would be glad of a copper or two…”

Just then, Twilight and the kids came onstage, but Flash pretended that he didn’t notice them. Twilight then stood over the canvas so her shadow fit nicely within the “frame” of a panel on the canvas.

Flash said without looking up, “Wait! Don’t move.” He carefully drew the outline of Twilight’s head, but he had done it so many times that he could practically draw it from memory. He said, “Don’t move a muscle. Stay right where you are. I’d know that silhouette anywhere!” He looked up at Twilight and cried happily, “Mary Cloppins!”

Twilight smiled, “It’s nice to see you again, Bert. I think you know Jane and Michael.”

“Well, I’ve seen them here and about.” He then asked the kids, “Chasing a kite last time, weren’t you?”

Sweetie Belle said, “Mary Cloppins is taking us to the park.”

Flash acted as if he was bemused to hear that. “To the park? Not if I know Mary Cloppins. Other nannies take children to the park. When you’re with Mary Cloppins, suddenly you’re in places you’ve never dreamed of. And quick as you can say ‘Bob’s your uncle’, the most unusual things begin to happen.”

Twilight said, “I’m sure I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”

“Well, it’s not my place to say, but what she’s probably got in mind is a jolly holiday somewhere or other.” He took Pipsqueak’s hoof and helped him over the canvas while Sweetie Belle jumped over it. Flash was originally supposed to take Sweetie’s hoof and Pip would follow suit, but since the young colt was too small, the roles had to be reversed in this situation. Flash pointed to one of the drawings and said, “Something along these lines, I shouldn’t be surprised. Punting on the Trampes. That’s always good if you like an outing. Here we go.”

He held the staff and placed the rubber end on the ground. As he acted like he was rowing with it a couple of times, he made a gurgling sound before he uttered, “Sknxx! Pop!”

He went to the upstage end of the canvas and said, “The circus. How about a fun-filled circus? Lions and tigers.”

Discord smirked offstage, “And bears. Oh, my.”

Flash continued, “World-famous artistes performing death-defying feats of dexterity and skill before your very eyes.” He sounded out a fanfare as he stood up and held the staff horizontally. He imitated circus music as he pretended to walk across a high-wire with some difficulty. When he pretended he made it across, he shouted, “Ta-da!”

Pipsqueak laughed as Twilight clapped in a semi-amused way.

Sweetie pointed to a drawing and said, “Oh, that’s lovely. If you please, I’d like to go there.”

Flash and Pip leaned over the drawing and the Pegasus said, “Beautiful, isn’t it? A typical Trottish countryside as done by a true and loving hoof. Though you can’t see it, there’s a little country fair down that road and over the hill.”

Pip said, “I don’t see any road.”

Flash said as he pulled a piece of chalk from his costume, “What? No road?” As he drew a path on the drawing, he said, “Just wants a bit of something here…” He pulled out a black piece of chalk and continued, “…and a bit of something there.” When he finished drawing the road, he said, “There. A country road suitable for travel and high adventure.”

Pip asked Twilight, “Please, may we go, Mary Cloppins? Please?”

Sweetie said, “It’s such a lovely place. Don’t you think it’s lovely, Mary Cloppins?”

When Twilight looked away from the group, Flash goaded, “Now’s the time, Mary Cloppins. No one’s looking.”

The kids begged in unison, “Please, Mary Cloppins. Please!”

Twilight said, “I have no intention of making a spectacle of myself, thank you.”

Flash said, “All right, I’ll do it myself.”

Twilight quickly faced Flash and asked, “Do what?”

“Bit of magic.”

Pip asked, “A bit of magic?”

Flash said, “It’s easy. Let’s see…You think.” He put a hoof to his head and the kids copied him. “You wink.” He winked and the kids followed suit.

He continued, “You do a double blink.” All three blinked twice. He then took the kids’ hooves and said, “You close your eyes and jump.” When they jumped onto the drawing, nothing happened.

When Flash opened his eyes and pretended to look around in confusion, Sweetie asked, “Is something supposed to happen?”

Twilight shouted, “Bert, what utter nonsense!” She then sighed and went over to the trio. She told them, “Why do you always complicate things that are really quite simple? Give me your hoof, please, Michael. Don’t slouch.” When she took Pip’s hoof, she said, “One, two…”

At that moment, all four of them jumped onto the drawing. The moment they landed, Discord created a bright flash and a cloud of colored chalk. When the dust began to settle, the scenery had changed to that of the drawing and the four ponies’ outfits were now lovely suits and dresses. The audience was surprised by the new change to the scene and its quickness of timing. Of all the stunts Discord had suggested during rehearsals of the play, this was his favorite.

Sometimes during rehearsals, the cast members would cough if the chalk cloud was too large. Ever since they started performing this scene, the four ponies onstage always had to wipe the chalk dust off their clothes.

As soon as they were done cleaning themselves off, Flash complimented, “Mary Cloppins, you look beautiful.” No matter how many times he rehearsed the scene with Twilight, he never grew tired of her in her white gown.

Twilight walked past Flash to show off and smiled quite genuinely, “Do you really think so?”

“Cross my heart, you do. Like the day I met you.”

“You look fine too, Bert.”

Pip asked, “I thought you said there was a fair.”

Flash pointed stage right and said as musical chimes began playing, “So I did. Down the road and behind the hill, remember?”

Sweetie Belle said as she and Pip ran stage right, “Come on! I hear the merry-go-round.”

Flash said to the kids as they disappeared, “Tell them Bert sent you.”

Twilight said, “Don’t fall and smudge the drawing.”

The two of them then faced stage left and locked hooves. Flash sang as they skipped together, “Is it a glorious day…Right as a morning in May…I feel like I could fly…”

Flash flapped his wings in joyous glee until Twilight brought him down and said, “Now, Bert. None of your larking about.”

“Have you ever seen the grass so green? Or a bluer sky…” He locked hooves with her again and skipped together as the scenery rolled leftwards. “Oh, it’s a jolly holiday with Mary…Mary makes your heart so light…”

“You haven’t changed a bit, have you?”

Discord magically made the lights and background grayish as Flash sang, “When the day is gray and ordinary…” The draconequus then restored the scenery and lights back to normal when Flash sang, “Mary makes the sun shine bright…”

Twilight acted modest, “Oh, honestly!”

Once they locked hooves and skipped again, Flash sang, “Oh, happiness is blooming all around her…The daffodils are smiling at the dove…When Mary holds your hoof, you feel so grand…Your heart starts beating like a big brass band…” He then pretended to start hitting himself in the head with his cane. He acted dazed with each “hit”.

Twilight chuckled, “You are lightheaded.”

Flash sang as he held her hoof while on his hind legs, “It’s a jolly holiday with Mary…” When he stood up on his fours again, he sang, “No wonder that it’s Mary that we love…”

Just then, a stone wall rolled onstage and farm animals followed behind it. Twilight flew onto the staircase in between the set wall. When she sat down on a step, she took Flash by the hoof and pretended to lift him over the wall. Flash then used his wings to fly quickly over the wall and landed among the animals. Fluttershy had trained them to act startled the moment Flash flew over the wall. As soon as the commotion died down, Flash tapped his cane against his hind hoof and gestured for the animals to sing. As Discord had done for Dragon on the Hearth, he gave the animals the ability to speak – or in this case, sing.

The ram sang, “Oh, it’s a jolly holiday with Mary…”

The lambs sang as they leapt in time, “Mary makes your heart so light…”

The bull sang, “When the day is gray and ordinary…”

The cow sang, “Mooo-ary makes the sun shine bright…”

The geese sang, “Oh, happiness is blooming all around her…”

The pig sang, “The daffodils are smiling at the dove…” When the pig oinked twice, Flash pretended to look at it in surprise.

All of the farm animals sang as Flash and Twilight went across the stage, “When Mary holds your hoof, you feel so grand…Your heart starts beating like a big brass band…” The bull then kicked a metal tub four times. “It’s a jolly holiday with Mary…No wonder that it’s Mary that we love…”

The animals and the stone wall soon went stage right and disappeared behind the curtain. A gate soon rolled up to Flash and Twilight and the Pegasus opened the gate for her. He then twirled her parasol before closing it up and setting it beside his cane. He bowed before her and she pretended to blush before taking his hoof. They danced toward stage left and then Flash twirled Twilight around. She flew up in the air during the twirl before landing again.

When the ponies disappeared behind the curtain, Discord made the parasol and the cane come to life and fly into the air. He then made it look like they were dancing in mid-air as the background rolled to the left. Usually, wires or unicorn magic were required, but it still amazed the audience all the same that none of those aids were used. Flash and Twilight then came onto the stage again by walking backwards to make it look like the items were catching up to them. The ponies pretended not to take notice of the objects and continued dancing.

Flash and Twilight then stopped when two deer raced past them. This surprised the audience that they were real deer since ponies usually had to dress up like them. However, the Mane Six used their friendship with the deer from the Everfree Forest to their advantage by convincing them to act onstage for one scene. The bunnies and squirrels came up to Flash and Twilight and the ponies petted and played with them. Flash then scooped up some “flowers” and gave them to Twilight. Usually, unicorn magic had to be used to make the petals fly like butterflies. But it wasn’t the case this time. When Twilight pretended to sniff at the flowers, dozens of actual butterflies flew away. Discord chuckled from offstage when he saw that the audience could not stop gaping at the endless spectacles.

He then used his magic to allow water to passively flow onto the stage with two turtles. Again, this surprised the audience. Twilight and Flash then trotted up to the water and grabbed their items when they flew up to the ponies. The turtles swam up to the ponies as if they were offering to give them a ride. Flash and Twilight locked hooves and stepped onto the turtles’ backs while flapping their wings gently to alleviate their weight on the creatures.

Fluttershy fretted, “Oh! I hope the turtles won’t get hurt.”

Discord told her, “Relax, Flutters. They’re hardy creatures. Why do you think they have shells?” He chuckled at his own joke.

By that time, the turtles had taken the ponies to the other edge of the water. Flash grabbed Twilight’s hoof and lifted her onto the stage floor.

The alicorn looked at the turtles and said, “Thank you.”

One turtle said as he and his companion waved, “Our pleasure, Mary Cloppins.” When they dived underwater, Discord gently pushed the water to stage right and kept it there as the bridge set rolled on the stage.

Twilight and Flash walked up on the bridge as she sang, “Oh, it’s a jolly holiday with you, Bert…Gentlecolts like you are few…”

Flash said, “A vanishing breed, that’s me.”

Discord had diverted some of the water to flow under the bridge and Fluttershy ushered the swans to swim on the makeshift stream.

Twilight sang, “Though you’re just a diamond in the rough, Bert…Underneath, your blood is blue…”

Flash told her, “Common knowledge.”

“You’d never think of pressing your advantage…Forbearance is the hallmark of your creed…”

“True.”

“A lady needn’t fear when you are near…Your sweet gentility is crystal clear…Oh, it’s a jolly holiday with you, Bert…A jolly, jolly holiday with you…”

Honestly, both Flash and Twilight loved doing the scene together. Even though they were just acting, it seemed like their feelings towards one another were genuine. They couldn’t help but almost fawn over the other when they acted it out.

Discord then pushed back the bridge set and the water to make way for the restaurant set. The background rolled once more to reveal a willow tree and a lagoon beside it.

After Flash and Twilight sat down at the table, Flash called out, “Waiter! Waiter?”

Offstage, Fluttershy ushered the lead penguin, “Go on, little guy. That’s your cue.”

When the lead penguin waddled through the double doors, he clapped his flippers together. The other penguins slid up to the double doors and grabbed their props as they emerged onto the stage. However, they were testy with Discord, since he gave them a difficult time during rehearsals. One of them saw the chance to trip Discord and slid underneath him. When Discord fell onto the floor, a crack could be heard.

He cried out, “Yowww!”

Fluttershy gasped, “Goodness! Are you all right?”

He groaned, “No, I’m not! That darn penguin threw out my back!”

“Oh, don’t worry! I know just what to do to help you.”

When she rolled him on his stomach, he said, “Uh, Flutters? I don’t think now would be a good time for chiropractice .”

“I do this whenever Harry has a bad back, so it should work with you.”

Discord nervously asked, “Fluttershy, what are you doing? Fluttershy?” When it looked like she was about to strike him, he cried, “Flutters!”

The actors onstage looked towards the double doors and the music stopped when they all heard a “YAAAAGGGGHHH!”

Flash rose from his seat and sheepishly told Twilight, “I’ll go see if there’s any trouble in the kitchen. Why don’t you order the food for us?” As the scene went on without him, he opened the double doors and asked, “Is everything okay here?”

Discord moaned in delight, “It couldn’t be better, Flashy.”

Fluttershy explained as she rubbed his back, “One of the penguins tripped Discord and made him break his back. I’m going to have a serious talk with him.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to just send him to the coldest part of the South Pole?” When Fluttershy glared at him, he sheepishly chuckled, “What? I was just kidding.”

Flash then backed out of the double doors and walked back to the table as a penguin said, “Anything for you, Mary Cloppins.”

Another fawned, “You’re our favorite pony.”

Flash said as he sat down, “Right you are.” He then sang, “It’s true that Mavis and Sybil have ways that are winning…And Prudence and Gwendolyn set your heart spinning…Phoebe’s delightful, Maude is disarming…”

One penguin sang, “Janice?”

A second sang, “Felicia?”

A third sang, “Lydia?”

Flash sang, “Charming…Cynthia’s dashing, Vivian’s sweet, Stephanie’s smashing, Priscilla’s a treat…”

The first penguin sang, “Veronica…”

The second sang, “Millicent…”

The third sang, “Agnes…”

The fourth sang, “And Jane…”

Flash sang, “Convivial company time and again…” Twilight acted as if she was displeased with what she was hearing and sighed in agitation. Flash continued singing, “Dorcas and Phyllis and Glynis are sorts, I’ll agree they’re three jolly good sports…But cream of the crop…Tip of the top…”

He and the penguins all finished, “It’s Mary Cloppins and there we stop…”

Twilight chuckled and gave him a warm smile that made Flash’s heart race every time he saw it. It always gave him the energy to dance with the penguins. The audience had always enjoyed this sequence, but now even more so with actual penguins dancing with Flash.

After a few minutes of dancing, Flash and the penguins sang, “When Mary holds your hoof, you feel so grand…Your heart starts beating like a big brass band…It’s a jolly holiday with Mary…No wonder that it’s Mary that we love…No wonder that it’s Mary that we love…No wonder that it’s Mary that we lo-o-o-o-o-o-ove…”

When the music ended, Twilight clapped enthusiastically as the audience clapped and cheered with her. The music resumed as soon as most of the commotion died down. Flash and the penguins danced a little more before he used his cane to lift them onto the table. The first three bowed before Twilight and jumped off the table. The last gestured for her to come close to him. When she angled her cheek towards him, he kissed her there. The penguin then jumped off the table in glee and acted as if he was gloating to his friends. Ever after one of them smacked the lovestruck penguin’s face, he just shrugged in happiness.

Twilight rose from her seat, opened her parasol, and danced with Flash as they gently flew into the air. The penguins also danced around them. The curtains closed fifteen seconds into the dancing. Musical chimes then began to play and the curtains opened again to reveal a merry-go-round. Pipsqueak rode on a griffin, Flash rode on a yak, Sweetie Belle rode on a deer, and Twilight rode on a mermare.

The kids kept shouting, “Yahoo!”

Sweetie Belle then marveled, “Our own private merry-go-round.”

Flash nodded, “Very nice. Very nice, indeed…”

In fact, he and the other cast members were impressed by how the merry-go-round turned out after Discord volunteered to help make it. When it was finished, it was much livelier than they had expected, with splashes of colors and new animals.

Flash then laid his back against the yak’s hump and continued, “…if you don’t want to go anywhere.”

Twilight said with a smirk on her face, “Who says we’re not going anywhere?” She turned to the booth inside the merry-go-round and said, “Oh, guard!”

Nearly every time the scene was rehearsed, Flash thought that he was being requested. Opening night was no exception. He mentally cursed himself as soon as he had turned his head towards Twilight. Thankfully, no one in the audience thought it was odd.

The shutter opened and Spike - who was running the merry-go-round - said, “Righto, Mary Cloppins.”

As soon as Spike pulled a fake lever, Twilight said, “Thank you.”

Discord then magically made the animals float off the merry-go-round and bob up and down on the stage in a straight line. The merry-go-round itself moved stage right to make it look like the animals and their riders were moving.

Spike said as he disappeared behind the curtain, “They’re off! It’s Mary Cloppins leading by two lengths. Jane is second by a length. Michael third…”

The background also moved from left to right to create the illusion that the actors were moving. The audience oohed and awed at such a sight.

Pip said as he and his griffin went past Sweetie, “My griffin is the fastest.”

Sweetie ushered for her deer to move faster while Flash told his yak, “Do you hear that, pal? Do you want to put up with that?” He moved his hoof forward in a circling motion and Discord made the yak go faster. Flash said, “That’s the ticket!” He told Pipsqueak, “Come on, buddy. Is that the best you can do?”

Pip told his griffin as he and Flash moved past Twilight, “Hurry up, boy. Hurry up!”

Twilight admonished, “Not so fast, please. Michael! Now really, Bert. You’re as bad as the children.”

Flash apologized to Twilight, “Sorry.” He held his hoof in front of Pip’s griffin and said, “Whoa, boy! Whoa! Easy, boy. Whoa. Whoa.”

When the colts skidded to a stop, Twilight and Sweetie went up to them as Flash said, “Just a bit of high spirits, Mary Cloppins.”

Twilight said, “Please control yourself. We are not on a racecourse.”

Just then, a colt in racer attire ran by them as he panted, “Oh, no! I’m going to be late!”

Twilight said before she ushered her mermare forward, “Follow me, please.”

The ponies rode on their animals until a racetrack slid onstage and the scenery rolled to reveal the setting of the racetrack. Twilight and the others joined in on the racing and trailed behind the herd of running horses that had just appeared from stage left. Twilight and her mermare rode through the waves of stallions effortlessly and soon found herself behind two racers who were at the front.

She asked the stallions sweetly, “Oh, racers? Would you be so kind as to let me pass?”

The yellow stallion complied, “Certainly, ma’am.”

She said as she went past them, “Thank you.”

The racers tipped their hats as the yellow colt said, “Not at all, ma’am.” The stallions then looked at each in confusion.

When Twilight crossed the finish line, DJ Pon-3 played the sound effect for cheering. The alicorn then got off her mermare and a herd of extras playing a crowd swarmed around her, congratulating her.

One stallion gave her a bouquet of roses and she smiled, “Oh. Oh, how nice.”

When the extras clapped, Pip, Sweetie, and Flash waved their candied apples in the air as they kept shouting, “Hooray!”

An actor playing a photographer then said, “Hold still now. Watch for the dickie bird.” When Twilight posed for the picture, the camera flashed.

A crowd of reporters surrounded Twilight and one of them asked, “How does it feel, Mary Cloppins, winning the race?”

Twilight pretended to act modest, “Oh, well, I…”

Another reporter asked, “Gaining fame and fortune?”

Twilight said, “Yes…”

A third reporter asked, “Having your picture taken for the newspaper?”

The alicorn answered, “Oh, naturally, I’m delighted.”

A fourth reporter then said, “Besides having your extreme good looks, if I may say so.”

Twilight tilted her head in modesty and chuckled, “Well, I wouldn’t go…”

The third reporter said, “There probably aren’t words to describe your emotions.”

Twilight held her hoof out and said to the actors playing the reporters, “Now, now, now, now, gentlecolts, please. On the contrary, there’s a very good word.” She then asked Flash, “Am I right, Bert?”

Flash said, “Tell them what it is.”

Twilight said as she took of her hat, “Right!” She sang as she put her hat on the mermare, “I-i-i-i-i-it’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious…If you say it loud enough, you’ll always sound precocious…”

The crowd of extras sang with Twilight, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…”

Twilight then vocalized, “Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…”

Most of the Ponytones and two extras played the band. Thankfully, Fluttershy took Big Mac’s place. They all sang, “Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…”

Flash jumped down from the fence he and the kids were sitting on and gave his candied apple to Pip. He then walked over to Twilight as he sang, “Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a lad, my father gave my nose a tweak and told me I was bad…But then one day, I learned a word that saved my aching nose…”

Both he and Twilight sang, “The biggest word you ever heard and this is how it goes…”

They and the extras all sang as the couple danced, “Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious…If you say it loud enough, you’ll always sound precocious…Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…”

When she and Flash pulled apart, she and the band sang as the latter group edged downstage, “Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…”

Twilight sang when she was next to the kids, “He traveled all around the world, and everywhere he went…He’d use his word and all would say ‘There goes a clever gent’…”

Flash sang, “When dukes and maharajahs passed the time of day with me…” He continued to sing as he and Twilight met in the center, “…I’d say my special word and then they’d ask me out to tea…”

The two both sang as they resumed dancing, “Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious…If you say it loud enough, you’ll always sound precocious…Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay…”

The band vocalized the last two verses as Twilight told Flash, “You know, you can say it backwards, which is dociousaliexpiisticfragilcalirupus. But that’s going too far, don’t you think?”

Flash agreed, “Indubitably.”

Offstage, Discord held his head as he dramatized being confused, “So many tongue-twisting fancy words! Will they ever stop?!”

Twilight sang, “So when the cat has got your tongue, there’s no need for dismay…Just summon up this word and then you’ve got a lot to say…But better use it carefully or it could change your life…”

A short colt playing the drummer said, “For example…”

The alicorn turned to him and asked, “Yes?”

“One night, I said it to me girl, and now me girl’s me wife.” Torch Song pretended to hit the colt with her tambourine while DJ Pon-3 played the sound effect for the instrument. The colt added, “Oh! And a lovely thing she is, too.” He chuckled before he sang, “She’s…”

Everypony onstage sang, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious… Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…”

Twilight and Flash sang to each other, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…”

Everypony finished, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”

As soon as the music ended, the unseen Pegasi above the stage kicked the loaded storm clouds beneath their hooves. Lightning cracked just above the actors and thunder rumbled. As much as he hated doing it to his scenery, Discord made the background slowly drip away.

Twilight opened her parasol and called to the kids, “Jane! Michael!” Immediately, the kids went to Flash and Twilight as she said, “Stay close now.”

The four ponies waited as a foggy screen rolled down in front of them. After there was a soft flash behind the screen, it rolled up again to reveal the foursome in their now-wet outing attire. Discord made sure that the park background wouldn’t wash away with the rain, but he didn’t do the same with the canvas.

Twilight pretended to have pity towards Flash as she said, “Oh, Bert, all your fine drawings.”

Flash said, “Well, there’s more where they came from. In the meantime, I’m changing businesses. This is lovely hot-chestnut weather.”

Twilight said as she ushered the kids stage right, “Come along, children.” She turned to Flash and said, “Bye, Bert.”

Flash waved to her as he said, “Bye-bye.”

Sweetie said to Flash, “Bye, Bert. Bye.”

Flash said to the kids, “Bye, Jane and Michael.” As soon as Twilight and the kids left, Flash sang, “Chim chiminy, chim chiminy…Chim chim cheroo…La dum, da da dum, da da da da dum…” He kept humming as the curtains closed.

When the curtains parted again, Twilight and the kids were in the nursery with their wet costumes hanging by the hearth.

Pip shouted, “No, no, I won’t take your nasty medicine!”

Sweetie asked as Twilight handed the kids spoons, “Do we have to, Mary Cloppins?”

Twilight said as she opened the bottle, “Ponies who get their hooves wet must learn to take their medicine.”

Early on during the rehearsals, Discord disliked the idea of the liquid being just plain water while the actors had to pretend they were tasting something else. Thus, he suggested that the water would be different colors when it would be poured into each pony’s spoon. This way, he explained, it could actually taste like their favorite flavors. Needless to say, it pleased the cast and crew and they decided to give this new addition a chance.

As Twilight poured into Pip’s spoon, he protested, “I don’t want it. I’m not gonna –“

Sweetie pretended to shriek when the liquid being poured into her spoon was purple this time. When Twilight poured the liquid into her own spoon, it came out golden-brown.

The kids sipped their liquids and Sweetie remarked, “Grape! Delicious!”

Pip beamed, “Cherry! Mmm!”

Twilight sipped from her spoon and said, “Apple cider. Quite satisfactory.” As she put the bottle down on the table, the kids climbed into bed.

Sweetie Belle asked, “Mary Cloppins, you won’t ever leave us, will you?”

Twilight said as she tucked the filly in, “Do you have a handkerchief under your pillow?”

After Sweetie nodded, Twilight went to tuck Pip in. He asked, “Will you stay if we promise to be good?”

Twilight said, “Well, that’s a piecrust promise. Easily made, easily broken.”

When the alicorn turned off the lamp, Sweetie sat up in her bed and asked, “What would we do without you?”

Twilight turned to her and said as she pretended to turn down the lights, “I shall stay until the wind changes.”

Pip asked, “But, Mary Cloppins, how long will that be?”

The alicorn said as she checked the clothes by the hearth, “Quiet, please. It’s time to go to sleep.”

Sweetie differed, “Oh, we couldn’t possibly go to sleep! So many wonderful things have happened today.”

Twilight said in mock nonchalance, “Did they?”

“Yes! When we jumped into Bert’s chalk picture…”

Pip added, “And we rode the merry-go-round, and all the animals jumped off, and…”

“And we all went riding in the countryside!”

The kids leapt in bed while shouting with excitement as Twilight sat in a chair. She asked them, “Really?”

Sweetie said, “Mary Cloppins, don’t you remember? You won the horse race!”

“A respectable pony like me in a horse race? How dare you suggest such a thing.”

Pip said, “But I saw you do it!”

Twilight pretended to warn him, “Now, not another word, or I’ll have to summon a policecolt. Is that clear?”

“It did happen! I saw it!”

“Go to sleep.”

“No, I don’t want to go to sleep.”

Sweetie said, “Mary Cloppins, we’re too excited!”

Twilight shrugged, “Very well, suit yourselves.” She then began to sing, “Stay awake…Don’t rest your head…Don’t lie down upon your bed…while the moon drifts in the skies…Stay awake…Don’t close your eyes…Though the world is fast asleep…though your pillow’s soft and deep…you’re not sleepy as you seem…

“Stay awake…Don’t nod and dream…Stay awake…Don’t nod and dream…”

By the time her song was finished, the kids acted like they were sleeping in their beds. The curtains then closed on the scene.

Author's Note:

Yeah, I had to cut out the fox hunting scene. It would’ve been too much of a hassle to do. My apologies to those who are displeased with my decision.

Comments

[SkystreamthePegasus]

Lions and tigers.”
Discord smirked offstage, “And bears. Oh, my.”

*Squeeeeee!!!!* THE WIZARD OF OZ!!!!! I was recently in that play! I was Nikko, Captan of the Flying Monkeys!

[Randablitz]

Dude, I keep seeing and hearing the movie in my head! You're creating art, never forget that!