Spreading the Holiday Cheer
Chapter 1
Sticking the Landing
The city of Cleveland has only a few things that brought people to it. One such thing was the many shopping centers and how close it was to the state capital of Ohio. One of the many shopping centers were getting ready for the holiday rush, already the third day after Thanksgiving they were all decked out in holly and green wreaths on the door. Each hung with care from the walls by one young man dressed in green and red as if he were decorated himself for the Holidays.
His name was John Smith, a young man of twenty two years and he always loved the Holidays around this time of year from when he was only a little boy. He wore this outfit because he was one of the normal workers of the department stores that had normally sold things in the electronic sections of the stores. But his Boss had asked him to decorate the store this year and so he was being paid for doing something he enjoyed. He hadn’t much to do since he had asked for the last Saturday off so he could have watched a few shows with friends, not to mention the premier of Season four of My Little Pony.
“John Smith, Please report to Mr.Border’s office.” A gruff male voice said over the intercom of the store. It was only seven o’clock and John had gotten there early to finish up what he had started up the night before. Looking over the different things on the wall he nodded before starting off putting his hands in his pockets to walk to one of the many back halls of the store.
As he opened the door and looked inside at his boss who was smoking a large cigar he sighed a bit, Mr.Border was a portly man who always seemed to be smoking or eating something. His hair was gone at the top of his head and he wore a very bad toupee that he thought looked nice, of course it slipped around so much it looked like a dead rat that had found itself a nice perch there.
“Mr.Smith, sit down.” Mr.Border said with a smile as he snubbed his cigar in the ashtray at his desk and leaned back. John walked in forcing a nice smile as the foul smelling smoke blew toward him.
“Now John, I must say you did a very good job decorating the stores.” Mr.Border said as he looked at the young man, “But I’m afraid we came up with the numbers and can’t afford to keep you on for the season.”
John was nearly floored by what his boss just said and shook his head, “Come on...Mr.Border you are joking right?” He asked chuckling nervously. “I mean...I’ve worked here since I was Eighteen years old, you hired me and after all this time you’re...you’re...”
“Oh John you can’t tell me some Sob story about not having a job or anything, or not being able to buy gifts for anyone. Because I’ve heard you talking in the break room, you don’t have any friends.” Mr. Border said snorted and grabbed another cigar from the box on his desk. “Except for that Pony shit I’ve found in that locker of your’s.” He reached down and plopped a large cardboard box in front of John which had all the things in his work locker.
“You were in my Locker?” John asked still dumbfounded as he pulled the box toward him and moved some things in it. Some of it was cloths, a few work pins, a calader of some dogs his grandmother had given him last christmas, and a few different nicknacks from My Little Pony. He was a brony and it always made him smile as well, as he looked up at his boss.
“Yeah I was in your locker kid. You can go and check if I missed anything, your paycheck and bonus for setting all this stuff up is in the mail. Be out by opening today.” Mr. Border said and turned around his chair and waved him off. “And don’t come back here until you have some money to buy someone something this holiday season.”
“Fine.” John said glaring at the back of his former boss’s chair he contemplated throwing one of his boots from the large cardboard box he was lifting at his head, but quickly thought better of it. He lifted the box and sighed as his black hair started to cover his eyes as he walked out the back door toward the employee parking lot.
As he was walking out he heard the jingling of a bell to his left, and to his surprise he saw a man dressed in red with a big white beard standing next to the door ringing a bell with a salvation army bucket. John sighed a bit as he looked at him, he smiled a bit as John walked his way and put down his box to fish into his pocket to find some money.
“You seem to be moving quite a good bit there sonny, something happen there at the store?” The old man asked with a rather deep voice, it had a light chuckle to it as he continued to ring the bell.
“I just lost my job after decorating the whole store.” John said bluntly as he pulled out three dollars in change and dropped it in the bucket with a nod before he reached for his box when he felt a gloved hand grab his arm. He looked over to see the old man, who had now put down the little metal hand bell looking at him with a frown.
“Then why give away money?” He asked with a bit of a curious tone and frown.
“I always have given some money when I pass by people collecting this time of year.” John said as he stood up, “Right thing to do and all that.”
The old man looked at John and smiled, his teeth seemed unnaturally perfect and a pearly white matching his beard. His suit was just like the stereotypical Santa outfit. Red suit and pants with white trim around the bottom of the shirt and cuffs of his pants and sleeves, along with the big white beard that covered nearly all of the old man’s cheeks and chin and big black boots. He looked like he should be in the mall not standing outside of it.
“I think I have an opening at a place I work at young man,” The old man said as he put his hand out to shake, which John took soon enough with a bit of a smile. “Though it might take a bit of travelling and put you a bit out of your element.”
“A job is a job, when do I start?The sooner I can get paid for stuff the sooner I can get some gifts for some folks.” He asked smiling a bit.
“Oh? Well I think since you are so eager...I think you can start right about...” The old man said still shaking the younger man’s hand as he looked at an old gold watch around his wrist as it started to beep and glow a faint white color. “Now. Now is perfect.”
“Oh? Don’t I need some sort of...” John started to ask before he felt himself starting to fall, he looked down as the old man let go of his hand and grin. He started yelling and curling up into a ball as he fell. After a minute of falling he looked around and was amazed at what he saw.
It was like a tunnel of love, except it looked like someone redecorated it as a the tunnel of Christmas. There were floating wreaths and hung up bits of tinsel and holly all around it. It looked like there were snowflakes all around him as he looked around, his fall slowing a bit as he looked. He started to notice that as he started to go lower after another minute he only saw a faint blue, and felt himself changing.
He felt something growing out of his head which he moved his hands to feel, it felt like two spikes were coming out of the top of his head and he moved his hands to his ears which were growing longer and moving toward the top of his head. As he started to jerk his hands away he saw the fingers on both hands fusing together and his nails growing black. As he looked on with horror his arms started to grow thick brown fur with lighter brown fur around what used to be his writs.
“What the hell is going on?!” He screamed as he felt his legs doing the same thing and his shoes disappear, along with his clothing as he continued growing fur. He had felt the spikes on his head grow larger and then moved his ‘hands’ to his face as he felt it adjusting itself and growing large enough to see his nose had turned black. He saw his white and brown furry muzzle as he fell forward and stretch a bit, as if his body had decided his legs and arms were better suited with their resizing to walk on all fours.
He felt the changes come to a stop as he looked at his brown furred body and was dumbfounded as he suddenly dropped faster now. His eyes quickly looked down and saw he was above a layer of thick white clouds. He started screaming like a girl as he fell and tried to slow himself down as he broke through the surprisingly fluffy cloud that he slowed down a bit before he saw himself above a rather large snow covered tree.
As he covered his eyes and braced himself, he felt himself hit the wood and crash through into another layer of wood and stop making him bounce a bit. As he held his head and did a quick mental check of his limbs by giving them each a few kicks he noted they were fine. He must have hit the tree in a rather weak place that broke most of his fall.
“What in Tarnation was that?” A voice shouted from below him, as he cracked an eye open he looked around the room he was in. It wasn’t just a hollow part of the tree like he thought when he hit it. It looked like a large and well furnished bedroom with books lining the walls.
‘Wait...books?’ He thought as he attempted to stand and failed having his legs all shake at once and go out spread eagle under himself with another thump. He felt his ears turn as a large group of what sounded like shoes raced up a set of stairs. He looked around as he shook his head again and saw the basket near the bed.
Surprisingly enough it was occupied by what looked like a small lizard which was staring at him in surprise. He blinked, and the lizard blinked too. When he started to get up, the lizard quickly got up and jumped to grab a chain which flooded the room with light. More so now because he had let some sunlight in with the hole in the roof. John got a better look now and saw the strange shade of purple scales and green spikes on the lizard, which now looked more draconic in nature.
‘Wait a minute...Purple Dragon, tree with a room in it, strangely fluffy clouds, and a bedroom with a good amount of book shelves built into the walls. No way...” He thought as he started to stand and heard a door open. He saw a purple unicorn enter and thought, “Yeah...I guess way.”
Christmas? What's Christmas?
Spreading the Holiday Cheer
Chapter 2
Christmas? What's Christmas?
“Uh...” He said as he looked at the mare in the doorway`, before a pink blur shot above her like a bullet to look over him, and at his side, and his back. Bouncing all over the pink blur moved all around him as he saw the purple mare walk in the door followed by her other four friends.
“Hi!” The pink blur finally stopped moving to stare at his face, less then a foot away from his face. “I’m Pinkie Pie, Most ponies just call me Pinkie though. Who are you? What’s your name? What are you? Where do you come from? Oh do they cake there? I hope they have cake, or pie. Oh Brownies are good to but not as good as cake.” A sudden gasp of breath from the motor mouth of the cotton candy pink mare had a smile on her breath. “Think of yummy a Brownie Cake would be!”
“My name? It’s...” John started before stopping trying to stand again, Pinkie push a pillow from the bed under his stomach with a quick kick as he stood up fully and stayed up with slightly shaky legs. He couldn't say his real name, it wouldn't make sense in this world, looking at himself and doing a quick bit of thinking he smiled a bit and said, “Er...It’s Blitzen, Comet Blitzen.”
He tried to give an honest smile, and not try to think about how he made himself sound like two of the reindeer that pulled Santa’s sleigh. He knew that the ponies didn't have Christmas, only something slightly like it in their winter months. They looked at him and then up at the hole in the roof, he followed their gaze and saw it wasn't a gaping hole, it was a near perfect out line of his curled out body including his antlers.
“You must have taken quite the fall to make such a large hole, how ever did you get so high up with no wings?” Rarity said shaking her head and keeping her refined tone of voice. She looked at the hole and then at him again.
“Yes...I did fall a good way from the sky, I kind of fell on my way to my...Job. That’s it, I fell on my way to my job.” He said quickly nodding with a smile, it wasn't technically a lie. “In fact I just sort of ran out of the magic I had to land me safely somewhere and started falling so I had better get going soon...Don’t want to be late...”
“Oh no don’t rush. I’m sure they won’t mind.” Twilight said with a smile, “Where do you work? I haven’t seen a Reindeer since Princess Celestia had a few come by talking about the three days of pure sun in the north.”
“Oh...well I work for Santa, he’s my boss from the North Pole.” He said starting to nod as he thought back thinking of it and shaking his head a bit. “See my job he said was to come travel somewhere and then start spreading Holiday cheer. Get everyone excited for the holidays, that sort of thing.”
“What the Hay is Christmas?” Applejack asked flatly as she was looking at him with less curiosity and more of a distrusting gaze.
“Well...Christmas is a big holiday celebration. Most of the month is dedicated to as it takes so long to get to it. Everyone being more charitable to those who need it in the winter months, everyone making all kinds of foods for all sorts of Christmas Parties, and not to mention everyone’s friends get together to exchange gifts with Santa coming Christmas Eve to give everyone who was good gifts under their Christmas Trees.” He said in a wistful voice smiling a bit, feeling if he were floating five feet off the ground.
“Did you say food and Parties?” Pinkie asked bouncing a bit herself with a smile.
“The Holidays must make people feel so good for giving so much to one another and those they don’t know.” Rarity said with a smile nodding to herself.
“Not to mention what you said about Gifts. When is Christmas and how do I sign up?” Rainbow Dash asked as she flew toward him and floated right in front of his face making him pull his neck back a bit.
“Now I’m sure he’d explain what it is if you’d get out of his dern face Rainbow.” Applejack said grabbing her friend by her tail pulling her back a few feet.
“Well...anyone can be apart of Christmas. You just...you know celebrate it, decorate for the holidays. Spread the good will and you know...stuff like that.” He said grinning a bit sheepishly. “Though I guess I’ll be showing you how to...do all that.” He rubbed his chin with his hoof carefully.
“Of course darling, and I’m sure everyone in Ponyville will want to be a part of this...Christmas as well.” Rarity said smiling and nodding, “And it probably has wonderful clothing traditions as well. New designs and the like.”
“Oh...that sounds really nice.” Fluttershy said, John held back a squee of adorable love for the soft spoken mare. She was as adorable as many bronies though and just as shy.
“Well...Yes it does. I could start telling you all about Christmas maybe after we get something to eat? I left home early this morning and haven’t eaten yet...” He said honestly and rubbed the back of his head as the others laughed a bit.
“Sure, we can go to Sugar Cube Corner and you can show Mr and Mrs Cake how to make some Christmas related food.” Twilight said nodding, her wings folded against her side with a smile as Pinkie gasped a bit.
“Oh sure! We can make Christmas Cookies, and Christmas Cakes, and Christmas Smoothies!” The Pink mare as she grabbed the Reindeer who simply blinked before feeling himself be yanked what felt through nothing down the stairs. He was able to look up it as he felt his hooves skip down each step as the five mares and the purple Dragon watched the two from the top of the stairs.
‘I think my Job is going to be more difficult than I thought...” John thought as the pulling finally stopped at the front door, letting him pull away from the mare as she bolted out the door suddenly pulling a lamp instead of his neck. ‘At least this will be more entertaining.’
“Did Pinkie just take another Lamp?” Spike asked as he hurried down the stairs followed by the girls.
“Yep. Hold on...” He said as he suddenly grabbed the cord still connected to the wall and pulled it making it rush out the open front door. “So...where is...Sugar Cube Corner?”
“Down the street.” Spike said as he started putting on little boots, he also quickly put on a hat, coat and scarf. All of it stood out against his purple scales but at least he had something. Rarity and the rest seemingly thought such a quick leaving was normal and quickly put on their winter outfits.
“Do you need to borrow a coat?” Twilight asked as he zipped up her own coat with her lavender magical aura.
“Uh...” John started and stepped outside a bit to feel the weather, he didn’t feel much of as he thought he would and looked back inside. “I should be fine. Maybe I’ll pick one up later.” He said stepping outside and was quickly followed by the mares and the diminutive dragon. Stepping aside to let the girls lead on with Spike riding on Twilight’s back he noticed something on one of the branches closest to the ground of the tree.
He walked over and grabbed it with his odd hooves, they weren't hands by any sense but very basic grabbing motions and picking things up wasn't that hard. He pulled it off and looked it over, it seemed like a rather plain hand bell on a dark wood with a silvery metal bell with a bit of holly around the bell connecting it to the wood. Looking it over he saw something written into the wood on what seemed like a smoothed out plaque with the words burnt into the wood.
“Make sure to Spread your Holiday Spirit, you’ll learn that good will is always memorable when someone needs a helping hoof.” said the burnt in writing with a more eloquent ‘S.N.’ under the writing.
John looked at it and saw how it was hanging from the tree was a small hook just big enough to hook around the branch. He looked to see the girls walking even farther away and hooked it to one of his antlers and hurried off down the street. Every bound he took made the bell jingle, bringing a smile to his face as he remember the old man who he was talking to him before he fell into Equestria. Thinking of how he had given him this ‘job’ which was the best present a man had ever given him.
It seemed like Saint Nicolas had given him his present this early this year.
