When the snow first falls...
The true meaning of the holidays is not of gifts nor decoration, it is the warmth received from those around you in the graceful cold of winter. Happy Holidays everyone. -RedStar
Silence.
Nothing but silence.
The lack of silence made the breeze echo through the halls like a raging husk of a wind, and it did not help Luna's mood in any way shape or form.
How long had it been again? Two months if the calendar has not changed over the past thousand years she had been imprisoned on the moon. Two whole months since the first Nightmare Night since she had returned. A true blast it indeed was, but she still had that lingering feeling within her. Right now it was the annual change of seasons and the pegasi have already begun the process of creating this year's winter. The snow gently falling with grace always reminded her of the days of the past.
Princess Luna sighed as she continued walking down the hall towards her bed chambers. The sun had risen a mere moments ago with the aid of her sister, and she found herself needing a nap more than ever this day. Perhaps, she should go talk to her sister about the thoughts currently lingering within her mind?
"Do not be ridiculous," Luna told herself. "Such a task would prove to be in vain. I am most merry this season. I have no reason not to be," or did she? She quietly entered her bed chambers, gently closing the door behind her. She approached her personal mirror. As grand as it size was all it shown was a reflection, and that reflection was Luna. But only she could see her true reflection. Was she truly alright? She had made many new friends in the joyous little town of Ponyville, including those whom had saved her from her evil shadow, Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Indeed it did not start out as the most... grand of occasions, as she soon learned that the 'royal Canterlot voice' was quite a bit... quaint in this era. But that night was all truly glorious in the end, as she fully enjoyed her new found friendships.
So what was the true meaning behind this lingering feeling?
Her train of thought had been abruptly interrupted with as sudden knock at the door.
"Your majesty, I have have a letter for you." the stern voice spoke slightly muffled by the thick iron of the door. Luna cleared her throat and gained her composure as she opened the door. Sure enough, it was one of the Equestrian Guard with the usual cold as nails and tough as ice attitude. Luna believed she had that expression correct.
"What was that?" Luna asked.
"A letter for you, your majesty," the guard held it in his hoof. Luna levitated to her and thanked the guard before once again closing the doors to her chambers. It was quite rare that the Equestrian parcel service had come by the castle, and when they did it was usually a letter or package for her sister. However, this letter was specifically addressed to her. The 'envelope' Luna believed it was called gave no hints as to who the sender of the letter of letter was. 'To Princess Luna' was all it said, though the hoof writing seemed slightly scratchy she could clearly make it out. Carefully tearing it open with her magic, she read it to herself.
To my favorite princess ever-
Luna stopped reading at the first line, her mind instantly filling with thoughts. There was indeed a pony that enjoyed her Canterlot voice, who enjoyed her initial scaring of the young children two months ago. Somepony finally made her realize that the children did indeed like her, and that she was liked by the rest of Ponyville.
It was that young colt originating from Trottingham, Pipsqueak.
At that moment she realized what it was that was truly lingering in the back of her mind, loneliness. True she had made many friends, and true she had wonderful big sister that cared deeply for her, but she didn't have a personal close friend. But what that young child said touched her heart and gave her joy making the rest of that very Nightmare night a blast. That is when an idea popped into her head, and that idea was to once again see the young colt in Ponyville. With that Luna dropped the letter and formulated her plan to meet him once again and truly get to know this colt.
A colt that she is his favorite princess ever.
Meanwhile as the children of Ponyville enjoy a wonderful and well deserved holiday break from school upon the frosty covered streets of the town, Pipsqueak sits with his mother drinking a soul warming cup of cocoa. Her swirled his tongue around, enjoying it as if it was a sacred nectar from a divine spring of happiness. He looked down into the cup, noticing that the brightly colored marshmallows gently floating in the cocoa had come together to form a similar crescent like shape. Like the beautiful crescent of the moon graced upon certain nights. Pipsqueak looked upwards at his mother.
"Mum, do you think that Princess Luna got my letter?"
"I'm sure she did hun, and I bet she loved it," his mother said with a warm smile. Pipsqueak's smile grew wide. If the princess had truly gotten his letter that would mean that this Hearth's Warming Eve would be the best day ever! Well, second best. Nothing could top Nightmare night two months ago. Absolutely nothing, not even his own birthday could be as awesome as his favorite night of the year. Especially with Princess Luna! However, Pipsqueak's thoughts were soon halted by a sudden knock to the door of his home.
"Wait right here sweetie," Pip's mother said to him as she got onto her hooves. "Coming!" she opened the door, finding none other than a filly to be standing there with a teal scarf and and boots. She had never seen this filly before. It definitely wasn't one of Pipsqueak's friends, and she hadn't even seen this filly anywhere around town before. Perhaps she was new to Ponyville and just moved close by?
"Salutatio- I mean, hello there miss," the filly said. Strange, her voice sounded a bit deeper there for a second, but it probably wasn't anything. The filly in question had a light blue mane and tail, complimented nicely by her darker blue coat. "Um, would the chi- I mean, Pipsqueak be here?" the filly asked. Pipsqueak's mother couldn't help but crack a wide smile across her face.
"He certainly is. Why don't you come in?" she graciously invited the filly inside. "Pipsqueak, there is somepony here to see you!"
"Coming!" Pip said as he got on his hooves and trotted into the living room. As soon as he entered, he immediately noticed the young filly standing by his mother. Who was she? Pip had never seen her before anywhere. How could she know him? Maybe she has been around Ponyville but Pip never noticed her? Actually, she did look kinda familiar to him... maybe they have met before?
...Upon the trees and the town...
The town of Ponyville was in quite the hustle and bustle. Ponies coming from all around Equestria to see their friends and family, stores with lines as long as a train, it was a mess, but a joyful mess.
That, and it was Luna's ticket for an excuse.
Pipsqueak offered to help show Luna, or rather Starry Night, around Ponyville. True, she could've just told him the truth and reveal herself. After all, the whole reason she shape shifted into this disguise was to not attract any sort of attention to her. Mainly so that she could spend more time getting to know the young colt. But she found 'playing pretend' felt quite enjoyable. Like a little game. Although she had seen Ponyville in its entirety already, it was quite enjoyable to have somepony other than her sister, along with the Equestrian royal guard crowding them, showing her around.
"Starry?"
"Hm?" Luna had gone and drifted into daydreaming again. Strange, daydreaming was usually a habit of her sister's rather than herself. Her thoughts quickly regathered themselves as they had arrived at their destination.
"This is Sugarcube Corner," Pipsqueak proclaimed looking at the structure that greatly resembled a gingerbread house. "C'mon, let's go inside!" he said. Luna had no objections, she was partially famished, as she skipped breakfast and came to Ponyville in quite a bit of a rush. As soon as they stepped hoof in the door a very familiar pink pony bounced up to greet them.
"Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in her usual nonsensical fashion. The element of laughter always was the life of the party when she visited the castle in Canterlot. Which made sense since she was a party planner, at least from what Twilight Sparkle had told her. "Oh! Who are you?! I've never seen you around before can we be friends of course we can be friends I'm friends with everypony in Ponyville oh does that mean your staying here in Ponyville that means I need to start sending out invitations for a welcome party-
"Um, Ms. Pinkie Pie?"
"Hm, oh hi Pipster!"
"Uh, this is Starry Night, she's here in Ponyville for the holidays visiting her family and stuff-"
"Oh that sounds super duper UBERIFIC fun!" Pinkie joyfully said, bouncing up and down as if she was made of rubber.
"Um," Luna interjected. Perhaps there was a bit of a downside to her current appearance, but perhaps there was a way to turn this pro into a con after all. Luna believed she had that expression correct. "We wish to partake in so- I mean, we would like some cupcakes please," totally nailed it.
"I'm super duper sorry you guys, but we don't have any. At least not right now. We usually have lots and lots of super delicious cupcakes in stock but we're fresh out of stock at the moment, holidays and all," Pinkie gave an apologetic smile to the pair.
"Aw, thats okay Ms. Pinkie Pie. C'mon Starry, lets-" as if on cue, the eccentric pink mare gasped in excitement, with a strange but brief dinging sound coming from supposedly no where.
"You guys can help me bake a new batch! Oh, even better idea! We can make an awesome gingerbread house with tiny little gingerbread ponies inside!" Pinkie jumped for joy at her idea and Pip beamed.
"A...gingerbread house?" An entire house? Made of ginger? Luna had no idea such things existed. Wait a minute, ginger ponies? Was there some sort of new inhabitants in Equestria that had appeared over her thousand years away? According Pinkie's description, the ginger ponies in question were tiny. Perhaps being so tiny they could not preform the tasks of normal ponies, and therefore could not afford housing? Yes that must be it. Such as house should be not that difficult to construct if it is to house very small inhabitants. This is quite an amazing experience-
"They're going to be so super duper yummy to eat!"
Luna's face dawned a look of pure horror.
Meanwhile back at the castle in Canterlot, Celestia trotted groggily awake. You would expect the princess who raised the sun to be more of a morning pony, right? Nope. With preparing for this year's play, Celestia tried her best not to oversleep. She succeeded, but proceeded to go back to bed after raising the sun. Perhaps she now understood why Luna preferred to sleep during the day rather than her night. Though usually she would stay up for breakfast. However to Celestia's surprise, her sister was absent from the dining hall.
"Hm, perhaps she is still sleeping," she said to herself and trotted down the corridor to the entrance of her sister's bed chambers.
"Good morning your majesty" The guard said.
"Good morning to you aswell," she smiled, "Is my sister awake yet?"
"Actually your majesty, Princess Luna left the castle some time ago." Now this was a surprise.
"Do you know where she has gone?"
"I'm afraid not princess, she did seem in quite a hurry though."
"Hm," Celestia pondered at this, eventually deciding to enter the room herself. The first she came across was a torn envelope and letter laying right on the floor.
Meanwhile back at SugarCube Corner, where Luna was almost on the verge of a heart attack. She was quickly relieved to find out that the ginger ponies were nothing more than baked treats. Perhaps her current child form was affecting her head as well. It sure wasn't affecting her excitement however, as Pip and herself put on chef's hats.
Plus, she now knew what a gingerbread house was. It was SugarCube Corner itself. How hard could making one of those be?
Author's Note
I apologize for this being so late. On the bright side, I'm back in business and the next chapter shouldn't take so long to get done.
In the meantime, looks like a certain sun-butt may be onto Luna.
