The snow fell softly, the tiny flurries fluttering down through the air to rest gently on anything still enough. The cold air froze our noses and ears, turning them odd colors as we moved through the snowfall. Adults trotted quickly, huddled in coats with their muzzles tucked into scarves. Foals, however, enjoyed the snow for all it was worth, treating it like a miracle of the heavens, and using the garments on snow-ponies instead of for themselves. Some looked up at the sky with their tongues out, skipping gleefully and hoping to catch a flake or two before their mouth dried out.
Pinkie Pie, of course, took mostly the same approach as the fillies. She had spent nearly the whole storm tucked away in an ally, hurling snowballs at unsuspecting (yet thrilled) passing foals. After she nearly froze Sweetie Belle's tongue to a snowball, Rarity demanded that I drag her off to do something else, 'for the sake of the younger ponies.' So, I took her out to help me pick a tree for the library.
"Pinkie Pie, cut it out!" I scolded her, after she had tossed another snowball at a young foal.
"Why should I? Winter is the most splenderifically funtastic time of year! It's cold and fun outside, and warm and yummy inside! I mean, really, what's better than this?" she explained, dragging her tongue through the snow on the top of a carriage.
I smiled inwardly. She was right. Who doesn't love a good snowfall? "Well, you can have your fun later, but the shop is going to close soon."
She sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right, Twilight." She brightened up. "That's great! I love picking out trees even more than I like having snowball fights!"
"Look, you can play tomorrow, but I'm gonna need your energy to get the tree back to the library. Spike said we should get a big one to celebrate my first Hearth's Warming as a princess. Plus, it's my first real Hearth's Warming in Ponyville," I explained, watching with glee as Mr. and Mrs. Cake place a gingerbread mansion in the front window.
"Well, what about last year?" Pinkie asked, confused but still happy.
"Last year I was so busy with the pageant rehearsals that I didn't have time. Actually, this will be my first year even decorating a tree. I was always busy studying or something, so I let Spike do it."
"All on his own? That's no fun!" Pinkie attested, practically drooling as we passed a coffee shop with the smell of hot cocoa wafting through the open door.
"He only ever bought small ones. Spent the rest on gems." I chuckled. "We don't even have very many trimmings. I just tied some ribbons around walnuts and pine cones. We'll have to decorate with those instead."
"Ooh!" Pinkie's face lit up when she spotted a pony dressed as The Spirit of Friendship passing out candy canes.
"You haven't heard a word I said, have you?" I muttered.
Pinkie bounced excitedly at the back of the line, waiting impatiently as several other little fillies thanked the kind stallion for the candy. In return, the stallion bowed his head, touching the shoulders of the foals with his fake antlers and fluttering his large, white wings.
I scoffed, rolling my eyes and shuffling my hooves to keep warm. Pinkie graciously accepted the candy offering, although she earned an odd look from the stallion, and swallowed the treat in one loud gulp.
I pulled the navy blue woolen scarf up over my snout, allowing one final puff of fog to exit my mouth. Rarity had given me this scarf last year and, while a little itchy, it was really a lovely thing.
Pinkie appeared in front of me, licking her lips as she bounded off towards the tree market. I followed with swift steps, trying to avoid the piles of snow on the sidewalks.
"Isn't the Spirit just the most prettiest thing?" Pinkie exclaimed.
I ignored her error. "Sure is. You don't still believe in him, do you?"
Pinkie spluttered. "Well, duh! Of course I do! He's as real as you and me!" she gasped. "There it is!"
Sure enough, the tree market had finally come into view.
"Thank Celestia! I can't wait to get home. I'm gonna need a gallon of hot cocoa to warm me up..." I muttered.
"Oh, Twilight, look at this one! No, no, no, that one!" Pinkie had become a whirlwind, zipping back and forth among the trees. The pink blur was showing signs of stopping, so I took the time to get a more casual look at the trees. All were full and thick, covered in plump needles that held the cold like coats held the heat. It was a wonderful sight, especially with the snow now dusting the tops of each branch.
"Twilight? Hey, Twilight!" I whirled about, looking for the pony calling my name. A tiny yellow hoof poked out from behind a small family and waved enthusiastically. "Over here!"
The family bustled off and revealed the familiar face of Applebloom, Applejack's younger sister.
I smiled warmly, although Applebloom couldn't see it because of the scarf. "Hello! What are you doing here? Are you by yourself?"
"Nah, Big Mac's here, too. I'm sellin' trees!" she proclaimed proudly, puffing out her chest.
I chuckled, rubbing her red hair. "Good for you! Where is Big Mac? For that matter, Where's Hayseed? Doesn't he usually sell the trees?"
"He wanted a vacation, so we thought we'd take over for him," Applebloom explained.
"Eeyup," confirmed the recognizably deep voice of Big Mac. He stepped out of the maze of trees, giving me a small wave as he made change for couple. His usual yoke had been replaced by a canvas apron with a large pocket. It jingled with each step, leading me to believe it was full of bits.
"Hi!" I greeted him. He nodded. "I was just going to say how nice it was of you two to let Hayseed get his vacation time."
"Eeyup."
"Are you getting paid much?"
"Nope."
Applebloom stepped in. "We only get ten percent, apparently. I mean, they are his trees..."
I frowned. "That seems kinda--"
"OHMYGOSH!" I winced at the loud voice. "Twilight! Come here come here COME HERE!"
Appleblooms' face brightened. "Pinkie Pie's here with ya? Why didn't you say so!" And she ran off, her tiny legs working twice as fast as everypony else's to move the same distance.
I sighed, still smiling under the scarf, and lurched after her. I threw a melodramatic wave back at Big Mac who only grinned in response. Not that I expected much else. He talked less than Fluttershy.
Pinkie stood near the back of the lot, swaying slightly back and forth as she tried to contain her excitement. The tree before her stood three times as tall as the others. It's needles were a bright, minty green and were bunched in tight groups that looked almost like flower buds. The trunk was about as thick as a lamp post, and it was covered by bark in a deep brown color that reminded me of hot chocolate.
"It's... it's really nice, Pinkie, but... I'm not sure it'll fit through the door," I murmured, in awe at the sheer size of the tree.
Pinkie stuck out her bottom lip in a small pout, but her face brightened up in a matter of seconds. "You could use your magic! Oh, please? Please, Twilight, please?" she pronounced her last 'please' with about a thousand letters.
"It isn't even for you! It's for the library!" I explained. Pinkie's eyes grew wide. "But... I suppose you want my Hearth's Warming to be extra special..."
"Uh-huh!"
"And you will be over to exchange gifts..." I reasoned.
"Took the words right outta my mouth!" Pinkie agreed.
"I guess so."
Pinkie squealed, her voice reaching such a high frequency I'm pretty sure it was painful for dogs.
"How much is it, anyway?" I wondered aloud, digging through the prickly needles for the orange tag that fluttered on the other trees. Finally the fluorescent color caught my eye and I snatched the tag with my magic before it could disappear again. "Fifty bits?!" I exclaimed, sticker shock setting in.
"Aw... that means Big Mac and Applebloom only get five... that's super greedy!" Pinkie complained.
"Fif- fifty--!" I stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence. I wasn't even sure I brought that much.
"Uh... uh..." Applebloom seemed to be panicking. "That's a misprint!" she blurted, rushing to our sides. "It's s'posed to be... uh... f-five?"
"Five? That doesn't seem right." I looked back at the tree, trying to figure out how such a beautiful tree could only be worth five bits. Lunch cost five bits, not years of care and attention.
"Oh, it, uh, it sure is! This type of tree is, er... what do you call it when nopony can be allergic to somethin'?"
"Hypo-allergenic?" I suggested.
"Yeah! Well it's like the exact opposite of that," Applebloom explained nonsensically.
"Is that even possible?" I asked.
"I guess so! Would I lie to you?"
"I don't know..." I muttered.
Pinkie continued to stare at the tree, probably imagining what it would like like covered in ornaments.
"Well... if you're sure..." I shoveled five bits out of my saddlebag and passed them to Applebloom. She took them graciously, running off to find her brother.
"Thanks a lot! Enjoy your tree! Happy Hearth's Warming!" she yelled in one breath.
"Uh... you too! I guess..." I mumbled, looking at the tree. I hung my head, the size finally fully computing. "Oh, great."
~~~~~
About one hour, three rest stops and one emergency hot chocolate later, the tree had finally made it inside the library. I had used my magic to remove the centerpiece from the main room and into my bedroom. Pinkie was still bouncing around. I wouldn't rule out a secret stash of candy at Sugarcube Corner.
I had to trim the trunk to get it to fit in the tree stand, and even then it was a tight fit. Pinkie offered no help, but instead stood near a bowl of gingersnaps that seemed to be rapidly disappearing.
"Hey, Pinkie? Did you think Applebloom was acting... weird?" I finally brought up the odd subject.
Pinkie tried to reply, but her words were muffled by cookies.
"Swallow," I demanded with the firmness of a mother, still trying to wrestle the tree into its stand.
Pinkie gulped loudly. "I didn't notice anything."
"Really? Are you sure?" I asked, panting with frustration.
"The Apples always get like this around Hearth's Warming." I could hear more cookies leaving the crystal bowl.
"Mm-hm. What is 'this,' exactly?" I pushed, trying to get a straight answer out of Pinkie.
She shrugged. "Just weird." She seemed to notice me for the first time. "Hey, do you need help?"
I clenched my teeth. "No, thank you. Just go on eating my cookies, it's fine." I gave one last shove and the tree finally snapped into place. "Ah-ha!"
Pinkie's rapid crunching stopped and a smile spread slowly across her face. "Ornaments?!"
"Not yet!" I told her. "I want all the girls to help out. Rarity loves making those popcorn strings, after all." I remembered, thinking back to last year when she had insisted she cover this trimming for the Canterlot city tree.
"Ooh! We can make pretty invitations with candy canes inside, and we can make like a GALLON of cocoa and we can stay up all night and have a Secret Spirit!" she rambled, bounding about the room.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Well, they're like these red and white sticks that--" she started to explain.
"No, no. What's a Secret Spirit?" I asked again, this time more specific.
Pinkie's bounces suddenly grew higher. "Ohmygosh! You've never had a Secret Spirit before?! It's only the most funnest Hearth's warming tradition ever! Everypony puts their name in a hat, and then we all pick a name and we have to get that pony a present! But it's a big secret, and you absolutely can NOT tell whose name you picked until Hearth's Warming Day! Then everypony gets together and exchanges their gifts!" she explained, very quickly I might add.
"Sounds... interesting," I commented, fooling with the position of the tree. It wasn't quite in the center of the room.
"Of course! And it'll be your first time! That's so exciting!"
"I suppose." Now the tree was leaning a bit to the left. Pinkie had become more or less background noise to me.
"Well, you have to make sure that everypony knows what you want. You have to advertise! Or at least make some kinda list... ooh! Is that gingerbread?" Pinkie trotted off.
"Won't that be a little obnoxious?" I asked, although it was probably a foreign concept to Pinkie. The tip of the tree just didn't want to be straight...
"Nah. Everypony does it. Just drop little hints. Bring up a certain subject a lot. I mean, all I want for Hearth's Warming is 24-hour kitchen privileges, so I've been doing a lot of cooking. I sure hope The Cakes can figure it out!" she said cheerfully, taking a large bite out of the gingerbread I had made.
I finally got the tip in exactly the right position. The tree was perfectly vertical, and it looked beautiful in the library. "There! It's perfect!"
"Ornaments!" was the only thing Pinkie could say.
"I thought we should wait until tomorrow." I told her, using a complex spell to keep the tree's trunk immobile. Nopony would be able to mess it up now, not even Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, what fun is that? We can stay up late and eat cook-- eat ginger-- well, we can eat!" Pinkie exclaimed.
I laughed. "Let's just wait. I can make more treats tomorrow. You can help if you want," I suggested, looking at the crystal bowl. Only a few brown crumbs remained in the bottom.
Pinkie grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."
"No harm done."
Pinkie was quiet for a couple of seconds. "Ooh, but I can't wait!" she whined, swaying to and fro. "I'll just get the girls and they can all help cook!"
I stuttered, finally calling after her, "Pinkie, no!" but she had already galloped a good ways down the street.
I sighed, checking the clock. It wasn't too late, only about five-thirty. Plus, the girls always loved hanging out. I was sure it wouldn't be any trouble.
Of course, Pinkie Pie could turn almost any situation into a great big hassle. Then again, this was a special occasion. I'm sure everypony would be happy to join Pinkie and I. Maybe I could even talk to Applejack about her sister...
~~~~~
"Okay, everypony! Time for the Secret Spirit drawing!" Pinkie trotted out from behind the tree, holding a top hat filled with papers. "Twilight first!"
I looked at the hat, staring at the six pieces of paper that sat at the bottom of the silken accessory. I closed my eyes, reaching in as though I were bobbing for apples. My teeth closed around a torn edge from a sheet of notebook paper. I pulled my snout out of the hat, using my magic to read the name on the paper: Applejack. I smiled, tucking the paper away.
"Rarity! You're up, girl!" Pinkie moved on, holding the hat out to Rarity. She set down her mile-long popcorn string and yanked a paper out of the hat. She giggled at the name, sticking it on the table beside her.
Rainbow was next, followed by Fluttershy and AJ. Applejack looked almost concerned as she read her paper, and stuck it quickly under her hat before continuing to prune the tree's extremities. Finally, Pinkie pulled the last name out, smiling and squealing with joy as she thought about what to get for her pony.
"Okay, everypony! We have a week to organize our gifts! Back to partying!" Pinkie gave my record player a swift kick and the needle fell, bouncy holiday music starting up once more. She proceeded to dash back to the kitchen, pulling her gingerbread muffins out of the oven just before they were burned to a crisp.
I made my way over to Applejack. She had just set down her shears and made herself comfortable in a recliner near the fire. Her hat was pulled down over her eyes and she seemed to be trying to take a nap. I sat down next to her in a matching chair, holding my hooves out to be warmed by the flame.
"Hey, Twilight," Applejack greeted me, pushing her hat back up onto her forehead.
"You're tired already? It isn't even seven," I told her with a quick nod toward the clock.
"Really? Gosh, I'm just so tired..." she mumbled.
"Well, Pinkie probably has some sugary concoction that'll wake you up," I gave her a gentle nudge with my elbow.
Applejack yawned, rubbing her eye with her hoof. "Sounds good..."
I watched her. She didn't seemed to be making any move to get up. "Applejack?"
"Huh? Whazzat? Oh, sorry." She stretched, rolling out of the chair and onto her hooves.
"You don't look too good. What's wrong?"
She shrugged. "Just tired."
"No, I mean... well, Applebloom was acting weird, and now you're acting weird. What's going on with you two?" I asked her.
"I don't know whatcha mean." She must've been tired. Her accent grew thicker when she was tired out.
I managed to haul her to the kitchen where Pinkie swiftly and stealthy stuffed her full of sweets. Applejack seemed to be perking up when there was a knock at the door.
"Can somepony get that?" I yelled. "Anypony?" There was no response. "I got it." I stalked to the door and threw it open. "Oh. It's you guys. Come on in!"
Big Mac and Applebloom shivered, wiping their hooves respectfully on the welcome mat, but refraining from stepping over the threshold.
"A-Applejack?" Applebloom called, her teeth still chattering. "Applejack?"
"Uh-I'm comin'," Applejack muttered, stumbling forth from the kitchen. She made her way over to Big Mac, who whispered something in her ear. Applejack sighed.
"Bye, y'all. Looks like a gotta be headin' off. Sorry. H-have fun for me, okay?" she announced, smiling bravely.
"What's wrong, dear? Everything alright at home?" Rarity asked politely.
"Yeah, what gives AJ?" Rainbow added.
The farmpony sighed deeply. "It's no trouble. Don't y'all worry yourselves with it. Really. See you tomorrow?"
"Of course," Fluttershy whispered.
"Sure thing, AJ!" Pinkie agreed.
Applejack looked instantly relieved. "Thanks." She stepped outside, looking very at home between her siblings. "Oh, and Happy Hearth's Warming!"
"Happy Hearth's Warming!" we shouted back, and the door closed.
Rarity's face immediately turned serious. "Okay, who thinks Applejack isn't telling us everything?"
We all nodded our agreement.
We had a long discussion, leading us nowhere but in endless circles, but still bringing up plenty of unpleasant possibilities. We finally disbanded a few hours later, feeling sick with worry about the Apple Family. I knew for sure that five sleepless nights were to come.
~~~~~~
I climbed slowly into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin. I could hear Spike snoring softly under his own blanket. At least one of us had remained exactly the same. I laid awake for a long time, watching the stars appear and twinkle through the wispy clouds, purple with the evening light. Something is wrong with the Apples, I kept thinking, But what is it? What could possibly be wrong? I felt like something was slithering around in my stomach, cold and slimy.
I'm not sure when I fell asleep, but I awoke baggy-eyed at around five in the morning. I sat up, stretching and nursing various bedsores as I gazed out the window. The snow that was so beautiful only last night was now grey and lumped up in unappealing piles by the side of the road. It was amazing how quickly we could suck all the beauty out of something, sometimes.
Not two minutes after I had become conscious was there a pounding at my door.
I say pounding because that's the way it seemed to barely-alive me. What it really was was knocking.
I say knocking... I mean gentle tapping not much louder than a clock ticking.
I growled to myself, stalking down the stairs and opening the door. Before me stood Fluttershy, her already huge eyes looking even wider with shock. "Oh! Twilight! I'm sorry, did I wake you?"
I sighed. "No, it's fine. What's the matter?"
Fluttershy's shock turned to sadness. "Oh, Twilight! It's awful!" she told me, wandering inside and throwing herself into a chair. Knowing her tendency to exaggerate, I gave her a few pats on the head and went to get her a mug of cocoa.
"Wait! Don't leave me!" she cried desperately.
"I just--"
"Please! Listen to me! It's horrible, it's tragic!" She tossed her hooves in the air, waving them dramatically.
I rolled my eyes, but sat back down to listen.
"Okay. So, last night Angel--" Before she could even finish her first sentence, the door was flung open. It let a cold burst of air into the room and I rushed to close it.
Standing on the stoop were my other friends, minus Applejack, all looking worried.
"Oh, geez... what is it?" I asked, already guessing what this was all about.
The three ponies rushed into the room, shouting things at me urgently. The only words I could catch were 'Apples,' 'Hearth's Warming,' and 'no money.'
I stood there, just trying to get a word in edgewise, becoming more and more agitated until I screamed, "SHUT UP!" There was immediate silence, except from Pinkie. She was still saying something about flashing lights, but nopony was really listening.
"Now, one at a time. What is the matter?" I said sternly.
"Well, I couldn't sleep last night--" Rarity started.
"Neither could I!" Rainbow picked up. "So I went for a fly--"
"I went for a walk!" Pinkie added. "And I sort of showed up at Applejack's farm--"
"And it was un-decorated! Not a single colored light or fake icicle in sight!" Rarity explained. "Though I rather despise those things. Look up 'tacky' in the dictionary..." she added to herself.
"THEN," Pinkie continued dramatically, "the light came on, and there was--"
"No tree!" they all shouted, including Fluttershy.
"Wait, wait, wait. You spied on the Apples?!" I realized. "All of you?"
Ashamed nods came from all the ponies.
"Are you serious? Do you respect their privacy at all?" I demanded.
There was silence for a few seconds. "Well, that wasn't the most important part," Rainbow Dash told me matter-of-factly.
"Well? What was?" I prompted her.
"I flew up and sat on the roof. I heard them talking. Apparently, crop season ends too early for them to get money for Hearth's Warming stuff. So they just don't celebrate. I heard something about 'family pride,' but I had to leave after that," she explained.
I looked at the ponies, wondering what I could say that would stave them off. "O-okay..." was all that would come out.
"We have to do something!" Pinkie said, bouncing in place.
"T-this is a private thing!" I told her. "We can't just leap in and expect the Apples to be okay with it! Let them do what they normally do! They don't have to--" and then I remembered something. "The Secret Spirit."
"What?"
"The Secret Spirit! She's going to feel obligated to help, and--" I groaned. "Oh, Celestia, how in Equestria can things get screwed up so fast?" I hung my head, skulking off to the kitchen to make myself a mug of cocoa. "Anypony else need chocolate to clear their heads?"
"Yes, please! I-if it isn't too much trouble..." Fluttershy murmured.
"Sure thing." I filled the kettle with water and lit the stove top.
"Well, we could call it off. She'd never have to know," Rarity suggested.
"Oh, yeah? What are we gonna tell her when she asks why? That we all decided it was okay to spy on her and wish to spare her feelings? That we all know money's tight and that even though her life sucks it's no reason to celebrate Hearth's Warming with her friends?!" I babbled, slamming the kettle down on the stove. Fluttershy whimpered. "I mean, we all know that the Apples have this obsession with pride. We can't waltz in and tell her that we violated her privacy and obliterated whatever pride she has left!"
The ponies were silent.
"R-right?"
"I thought that that was exactly what we should do," Rarity said softly. "Look, we know she won't take it well, but she'll take it if it comes from us first. Hearth's Warming is important, and eventually somepony will call them out on it. I think it ought to be us."
I could hear the kettle start to whistle.
"I'll get it..." Pinkie pushed past me, all of her holiday spirit gone. She lifted the kettle of the stove and poured the steaming liquid into six mugs.
I sighed. Everypony expected me to make the decision here, when, in reality, I was least qualified to take control. "Okay, look: for now, let's pretend nothing happened. Let's just make sure she, as well as Applebloom and Big Mac, are included and we'll work the rest out later. Sound good?"
There was a collective sound of approval.
"Thank Celestia." I lifted the six mugs with my magic. "Cocoa?"
~~~~~
Two nights later, on Hearth's Warming Eve, I invited everypony over once again to stay up late and watch for 'The Spirit of Friendship.' Needless to say, this part was mostly for the fillies, although Pinkie Pie joined in heartily.
"You know, I've been trying to see The Spirit since I was your age. Did this every year," Pinkie explained, "And I always fall asleep... but this year, I'm prepared!" She gestured to the coffee table, which was covered in various sugary snacks and three pots of coffee.
"Yeah, don't see that happening," I told her. "The last thing you need tonight is caffeine."
"Aw, quit being such a party pooper!" Pinkie complained.
I rolled my eyes, but didn't retort. "How are you girls?" I asked the fillies.
"Awesome!" Scootaloo replied.
"This is perfect! Thanks, Twi!" Applebloom told me. Sweetie Belle nodded enthusiastically.
I smiled warmly. "Anytime. Let me know if you girls need anything!"
"Thank you!" the three of them shouted, then went back to singing carols.
Rarity was busy fooling endlessly with various aspects of the tree. To her, there always seemed to be one ornament of needle or branch out of place.
"Rarity!" I hissed.
She jumped back. "Oh!"
"Leave the tree alone! It looks fine."
She blushed. "Oh... o-of course... sorry."
"It's fine. Just-- don't go quite so crazy. Appreciate its imperfections," I told her, giving her a cinnamon bun. "Eat this. It'll calm you down."
"Oh! Thank you."
"No problem." The next pony I saw was Rainbow. She was flying around near the ceiling hanging more decorations. "Hey! Rainbow!" I shouted up to her.
She floated down to me. "What's up?"
"My backyard still has, like, three feet of snow. Take the fillies out to play," I suggested.
"What about Pinkie?"
"She counts as a filly. Go ahead! They love you!" I gave her a friendly punch on the shoulder.
She grinned. "Yeah. I guess I could do that!" She flew over to the four ponies. "Hey! Who wants to build snowponies out back?"
"ME!" all four screamed, running to fetch hats and scarves before heading out back.
"Applejack!" I spotted the farmpony from across the room and trotted towards her. She was chatting in hushed tones with her brother, but she stopped to greet me.
"Oh! Hey, Twi! This sure is a great party," she told me.
"Well, thanks! Do you want any snacks? Uh... chocolates? Orange?" I offered, pointing to the coffee table.
She stared for a second. "Aw, nah, I'd better not."
"I made the food to be eaten, Applejack, not stared at. Go on!" I thumped her on the back. "Big Mac! Come on, can't I tempt you with a gingerbreadmare?"
"Nope."
"Really?"
"Eeyup..." he said softly after a moment of thought.
I shrugged. "Okay."
Fluttershy was sitting on a small love seat, feeding her rabbit, Angel, small pieces of sugar cookie.
"Psst!" I hissed, sitting beside her.
"Oh! Twilight, you startled me!" Angel mimed boredom.
"Applejack and Big Mac won't even eat anything," I told her. "This is worse than I thought."
Fluttershy was gently twirling her hair. "Why are you talking to me about it? I-I don't think I--"
"Because you'll listen!" I told her. She jumped, backing away. "Sorry. W-what do you think I should do?"
Fluttershy sighed. "Well, if you're really asking me, I'd say it doesn't matter until tomorrow."
"No, no! I mean, I have to figure out what she wants for Hearth's Warming! And, by extension, I have to find out what Applebloom, Big Mac and Granny Smith want!" I looked back at them, watching as Big Mac nervously eyed a platter of sugar cookies. I turned back to Fluttershy. "Look, you and I both know that the only thing that'll cure them of this... this... weirdness around us is a little Hearth's Warming Spirit! I mean, Applebloom probably doesn't even believe in the Spirit of Friendship!"
"Th-that is pretty awful..." Fluttershy resumed twirling her hair.
"Well, I think I can bring the holiday spirit back to the Apples," I said, rather pompously. "M-maybe..."
"Oh, I hope so, Twilight."
I stood up, trotting over to the Apples once again. "Okay. Both of you, outside," I ordered.
"Uh..." Applejack stared at me, then over at Big Mac, then back at me. "What?"
"Fluttershy and I agreed that you aren't having enough fun," I told them both, "So we're going to have a snowball fight."
"That seems kinda... immature," Applejack murmured.
"Eeyup."
I rolled my eyes, turning away. I wasn't giving up just yet, though. I whistled loudly and shrilly through my teeth, everypony stopping what they were doing and looking over at me. "Everypony outside for an epic snowball fight!" I cried. Fluttershy cheered softly, Rarity groaned but agreed, and Spike snorted loudly in his sleep.
"I... suppose," Applejack relented. Big Mac sniffed.
"Great! Everypony head out, we'll split into teams!" I announced, grabbing my boots and scarf as I made for the back door.
~~~~~
I crouched behind a short wall of snow, a stack of freezing snowballs under my stomach. I could feel the top one clinging to my fur as each of the two teams whispered to each other about strategy in tense excitement. Even Applejack and her brother were grinning now, preparing to unleash a storm of frozen fury upon the other ponies.
I smiled, knowing that I had finally succeeded in drawing them out of their shells. I could just see Pinkie’s hair peeking out from behind the wall across from us, and it bounced about gleefully as she prepared for battle.
I straightened up a bit, making sure that all four of the other ponies with me were watching.
One... I mouthed two... three! and away they flew. I launched snowballs faster than I believed possible, magenta-tinted spheres whipping past my head at amazing speed.
Despite the seriousness with which I'm telling this, most of us were doubled over in laughter.
We aren't sure who won, (I mean, does anypony ever win at a snowball fight?) but the Apples were happier than I'd seen them the past week, and that was worth it no matter what. Pinkie Pie kept insisting that she had hit Rarity right in the face, but Rarity respectfully disagreed as she carefully pulled chunks of snow from her still-gorgeous hair. Applejack and Big Mac had fired too many snowballs to count, getting off a few a second with their 'bucking muscles,' as they so put.
"I can't believe I just participated in such... crude sport," Rarity said snootily, fluffing her mane to perfection.
"Well, you did," I muttered, making a batch of cocoa.
"Yeah!" Pinkie agreed. "And wasn't it just the best time of your life?"
"Hm..." Rarity pretended to think about it, but her smile gave her thoughts away.
Fluttershy was shivering violently on the couch, swaddled in a blanket so that only her eyes were visible. Rainbow Dash leaned over and rubbed her shoulder to warm her up, "You alright, champ?"
"C-c-c-cold..." was the only response.
"Don't worry, cocoa's on the way," I called back to her. "Hey, what time is it?"
"Clock says 9, Twi," Rainbow replied, swooping into the kitchen. "Why?"
I sighed. "It's about time to send the Crusaders home. Would you mind taking Scootaloo?"
"Nah. I'll go--" Rainbow was about to leave, but she was interrupted by one of Pinkie's over-dramatic gasps.
"OH MY GOSH!" she screamed. "It's nine o'clock! The Spirit comes at nine forty-five!" she exclaimed. "Girls! We gotta get you home! If the Spirit sees a house without children, he'll pass it by!"
I stuck my head out of the doorway, watching as the fillies rushed to grab their things and lined up by the door. The older ponies were smiling and gathering their own things, though not as hastily as the younger ones.
Applejack was looking worried, probably wondering how she'd explain that the Spirit wasn't really real.
Pinkie ushered the ponies out the door, waiting until they were out of sight to blurt, "I know what they want!"
"W-what?" I asked, confused.
"I know what they want for Hearth's Warming!" Pinkie explained, cheerfully yet impatiently. "I got Applebloom to tell me. She said that she wanted a sled, and that all Applejack ever asked for was 'financial assurance,' whatever that means..."
I sighed. "Well, the sled I can handle, but..." I flumped down in a chair, rubbing my temples. "Oh, Celestia, this'll be harder than I thought..."
"Well, I should get home! Gotta be in bed, asleep in forty-five minutes! See ya!" Pinkie trotted happily out the door, wrapped up in a crazily long scarf and a stocking cap with an unusually large pom-pom.
"I should probably go home, too... the animals, and stuff..." Fluttershy mumbled.
"Hm? Oh, yeah, yeah... alright..." I murmured, pulled out of deep thought.
Fluttershy left as she does all things, quietly, and left me with only Spike's snoring to keep me company.
I stared at the tree for a long time, wondering what I could possibly do for the Apples. After an hour or two, I fell asleep.
~~~~~
The frigid air woke me before the sun. There was this feeling that hung above me, like the whole town was holding its breath. Young ponies were just waking up, running to their parents and shaking them awake. Lone adults were still fast asleep, but would soon be with their extended families in hectic celebration. Most were wondering if it was really okay to believe in something as silly and childish as the Spirit of Friendship.
Eventually, the sun came through the windows, the harsh light bouncing off the tinsel on the tree and reflected about the room. By this light, I could spot a once empty space under the tree that was now filled by an awkward and bulky shape. I trotted down the stairs, coming to halt and bending down to fish about under the branches. Out came three very strange looking packages-- all odd shapes but wrapped perfetcly and topped with magnificent bows.
I wasted no time in pulling apart the first one; a sled, not the latest and greatest, but a humble wooden one with a simple steering mechanism. I set it aside.
Next was a small one, a rather flat package with a bump in the center. I carefully tore away the paper, revealing a scroll and new quill. The scroll was blank. An odd gift, to be sure, especially for a pony like me who owned a lifetime supply of the same items.
I rolled my eyes, laying them on top of the sled. The final package had a small note taped to the front of it. All that was written on it was a remedial spell, used to change the color of an item. I sighed, removing the paper from this package, too, and finding a cheap set of reindeer antlers that ponies wear to Hearth's Warming parties.
Just as I was about to go back upstairs and fall asleep once more, I remembered something: all Applebloom had wanted for Hearth's Warming was a sled. That was all.
I rubbed my chin with my hoof. "Financial assurance..." I muttered, remembering Applejack's wish as well.
I dashed back up the stairs, sitting at my desk and starting to write a letter. I tried many times to write the perfect letter, but the words simply wouldn't come. There was something waiting under the tree for that, too.
I snatched the scroll and quill, scribbling down just the right phrases, just the right tone to tell the Apples exactly what they needed to hear. The best part was, I didn't even have to come from me. All I had to say was this:
They're here for you, Applejack. Trust them.
I rolled up the parchment, tying it with the same ribbon the package had been wrapped with.
I glanced at the antlers and the spell, a crazy idea forming. Before I knew what I was doing, the words on the page were pouring out of me, and my soft lavender coat (as well as my mane and tail) were turning a flawless white. I hooked the clasp on the antlers under my chin, snatching the sled and the scroll as I flew out the door.
The cold barely seemed to affect me as I galloped at full speed down the street. I could hear the sled clunking along behind me, and my hoofbeats were softened by the snow.
Over hills and down a small dirt path laid Sweet Apple Acres, and beyond the trees was the dark home of the Apples. I was now moving even faster, my wings coming away from my sides and I felt like I was flying, though my hooves were still touching the ground.
I opened the door quietly, searching the room for the tree.
But there isn't a tree, I remembered, they don't have a tree!
I started to panic. What kind of celebration would this be without a tree?
I stuck my head outside, looking around for no particular reason. Come on, Twilight. Pine trees don't just spring up. I thought to myself, stepping out of the house. And I can't just stick them under any old apple tree.
I looked around, trying to find a tree with definition, when a saw a twinkle off in the distance. I made my way toward it, bobbing a weaving through apple trees and finally finding the perfect one.
There was a little purple flame flickering at the top, and the whole apple tree was draped lovely, hoofmade decorations. I just stood for a minute or two, staring in awe at the tree when I spotted the note on the trunk, flapping in the breeze.
Dear Twilight,
We decorated the tree with things we found under our own. According to the notes we recieved, you should be looking for a place to put your gifts.
Don't ask us where we got them, they were there when we woke up.
-Your friends
I smiled, tucking the gifts under the tree. There were several other things there, including presents for Granny Smith and Big Mac.
I went back to the house, tapping on Applebloom's window to be sure she was awake As soon as I saw her sit up, I ran for it, twining my way back trough the trees and creating a path for the filly to follow. I stopped minute to look at the tree once more, thinking about how such a simple expression of friendship would bring so much joy. I was starting to hear the wheezing breaths of Applebloom as she rushing through the snow to catch up, but I wasn't going to spoil the surprise. I took off, wobbling through the sky in the direction of the library.
~~~~~
That night, Applejack told us everything. She explained how there was no way for them to make money much after Nightmare Night, and how the family had insisted on keeping it secret. She also told us about the miracle that occurred on Sweet Apple Acres, about the very real Fire of Friendship that burned atop that apple tree.
To this day, many years later, Applebloom will insist that she saw the Spirit of Friendship. She has grown up believing that he exists, relying on what she saw that Hearth's Warming so long ago. She believes with all her heart.
And so do all of us.
