A thick layer of snow built up around the buildings of Canterlot as the sun set, burying the whole city in sparkly white frost. Every rooftop and street shone like never before, reflecting the last dying light of day such that the whole city was turned to gold. Even in a land like Equestria, there are still moments that one described as magical.
Everypony lay out decorations for Hearth’s Warming, from the servants in the palace to the ponies in the lowliest of slums. Families hung bunting from house to house, wreaths were placed on front doors, and those hideous giant candy canes were back. In the palace chapel, the Hearth’s Warming play was being performed as it had been for centuries now. The world was at peace for one cold winter’s evening as everypony got ready for their favourite little gift-giving ceremony.
However, far from the light and grandeur of the palace, far beyond the crowded shops and packed city square, there lay an isolated little house in an abandoned district where no decorations were hung up. There was no tree, no wreath nor tacky tinsel crap. In this place there lived two ponies, a mare and a filly, who both love each other very much.
“Shadow?” Sky called softly, knocking on the filly’s door. “It’s time to wake up, kid. Come on, it’s Hearth’s Warming Eve!”
In the dark of the bedroom beyond, the young pony’s eyes shot open. Shadow’s pretty green eyes practically lit up with glee as she shot out of bed, using those oversized wings of hers to hover in place for a moment before diving into her closet.
Shadow’s closet was larger than most, wrought from an adjacent room that had long since had its actual door plastered over. The young pony trotted inside, passing rack after rack of edgy black clothing from her ever-cringeworthy goth phase a year ago. She didn’t know why the hell she’d ever thought to try the “dark and edgy” look. It’s so hard to maintain for a pony as fluffy and cuddly as her.
Shadow was a burglar, or at least a burglar in training. Growing up under her adoptive big sister had left her with little choice but to take up Sky’s line of work. After all, it put hay on the table, it’s good exercise, and most importantly of all it’s fun. Shadow loved everything about burglary. The feeling of outwitting guards, the rush of adrenaline as she hid or fled, the sight of herself in the mirror as a hooded cloaked badass. Shadow couldn’t imagine herself doing any other job.
Still, today was a particularly special day. This evening, Shadow had to prepare for a most important job indeed, the most carefully planned and laid-out test of her skills as far as she was concerned.
Sky didn’t know that she did this, of course. If her elder sister knew of this yearly ritual that Shadow kept, she’d never hear the end of it, though it was only a matter of time until Sky caught on. Still, it was an important little job she had. It wasn’t world-changing and it wouldn’t make her the richest pony in Equestria, but it would test her skills of infiltration and disguise and it’d help her sleep better at night.
The adolescent pegasus pulled over a bottle of green coat dye, emptying some of it onto her hooves and starting to rub it into her fur. She made sure that she got a nice even coverage, rubbing it into her feathers and over her face until her blue fur had turned a pleasing light pastel green. She took a moment to look at herself in the mirror, letting out an excited little squee as she took in her new form. Her wings were still much bigger than they should be on a pony her size, dragging as they did on the ground wherever she went like a sweater that’s a few sizes too big. Shadow popped open her trunk in the corner, pulling out a fake green horn that matched her coat colour. It had a little strap that she could fasten around her chin to hold it in place. Making sure that the strap was hidden in her mane, she inspected herself in the mirror again.
Perfect...now, just one more thing…
Shadow had only one brightly coloured article of clothing, a light red cloak that was otherwise identical to her burglar’s attire. She took it from its rack, slipping it over her shoulders and putting on her mask under the bright red hood. Her fur always reacted so strangely to the dye, leaving her fluffier than normal, but Shadow didn’t mind too much, not tonight. Tonight it was okay for her to be fluffy because she wasn’t Shadow.
Lastly, she trotted into the very back of her closet, pulling a pair of fully-loaded saddlebags out from underneath a tarp and slinging them over her back. The contents of these bags were more precious to her than any of the jewels she’d carried away on countless jobs with her sister. These were special presents that Shadow had stolen all by herself, having spent the last few weeks pinching them from every store in town. It was the principle of giving that mattered, rather than the way in which it was done.
Shadow sighed as she looked herself in the mirror. Her dark blue burglar’s mask under her little red hood was familiar enough, but it was at her eyes where the similarities ended. The rest of her body was unrecognisable. Dressed like this, she could be any of the thousands of little fillies who called Canterlot home. She was anonymous, nameless, but it was nice to have good connotations to her namelessness for once, to be expected and anticipated rather than reviled. That was Shadow’s Hearth’s Warming present to herself: feeling wanted by all of the ponies in Canterlot, if only for one night.
She took one more look at herself before deciding that it would have to do, giving an experimental squee to see if she was just as cute and adorable as she possibly could be. Getting caught being cute around this house was just asking for unwanted hugs, and Shadow wouldn’t dream of doing it in front of her sister, but she had a different audience planned. Trotting back into her room, she clambered onto the windowsill and spread her massive wings. The chill air caught them as she leapt out into the night, a light wind carrying her onwards and upwards. Shadow kept her wing-beats sparse and gentle. Tonight wasn’t about speed, it was about just getting to where she needed to go.
Down below, Sky Runner blew her mane out of her eyes, watching the recoloured filly take off into the night. A range of different questions ran through her mind as she watched her sister leave. Why the unexplained disappearances every year? Why the evasiveness when she came home? What did she do? Why did she feel it necessary to wear a disguise?
This year, thought Sky, grabbing her cloak and heading up towards the roof, I’m gonna find out…
* * *
Shadow’s wings were big enough for an adult pony to stay aloft. They’d been that way for as long as she could remember, since she’d had a mother and father herself. They were difficult to preen, admittedly enough, but the speed and lift she got out of them were second to none. Sky, however, had often joked that they were really only that big so that she could hug ponies more easily.
If she only knew how right she was… Shadow thought to herself.
The moon had since risen over Canterlot, and the hustle and bustle of the city had died away. The only remaining noise to be heard was the scurrying of late-night shoppers, the sound of a hundred little choirs singing Hearth’s Warming carols, and the rush of air over Shadow’s wings and cloak as she flew through the bracing night air.
Well, bracing was one word for it.
It’s fucking cold… Shadow thought to herself. One of these days she’d get herself a nice wooly jumper to wear underneath that cloak. It would do her a world of good. She’d lost count of the number of times she’d been left with a bad cold after doing this, but it was worth it. Hell, any sickness was worth this.
Shadow spotted her destination, a big old building on the edge of the Poor District. It looked as if it had been around for centuries, its brickwork blackened by soot and its roof in need of some repair. Nonetheless, the warm glow from the upstairs windows showed that here, too, the ponies within felt the holiday spirit. The young pony banked right, spreading her wings wide to air-brake herself before she landed silently on the snow-covered roof tiles.
“Time to get to work…” She muttered to herself, slipping down to the edge of the roof and poking her head down to peek into an upstairs window.
The room within was dead silent. The lights had long since been turned out, the ponies within fast asleep. Everything was as it should be.
Shadow held onto the gutter as she lowered herself down, swinging herself onto the windowsill. The window was locked - what crazy pony had theirs open in mid-winter, after all? - but it wasn’t too big an obstacle for her. Reaching into her cloak, Shadow produced a set of little lockpicks, pushing them into the keyhole and licking her lips. Her hooves already felt numb from the cold air, but she was a professional, having picked more than her share of locks in her day job. It wasn’t long before she pushed the tumblers into place and popped the window open.
It was only marginally warmer inside, and Shadow found herself having to hover to stop herself from stepping on any creaky floorboards. She glanced around at the room, inspecting the ponies within.
Two rows of bunk beds sat against the walls, a little foal sleeping soundly in each and every one. The little ponies were swaddled in the heaviest blankets that the staff could find, ranging from toddlers to young teenagers. Shadow glanced around at all of them mournfully. They were orphans, ponies who didn’t have anyone in the world to kiss them goodnight, even on a special night like tonight. Shadow’s life wasn’t ideal - it was comfortable save for the occasional botched heists and incarceration - but she had a big sister who took care of her and gave her a hug goodnight every night, whether she wanted it or not. She couldn’t even imagine what life was like for these ponies.
Still...that’s what I’m here for.
Each and every pony in the bedroom had a little stocking at the foot of their bed, a hopeful gesture from desperately little foals that Shadow felt obliged to reward. Dropping her saddlebags onto the floor, she reached into them and produced a couple of the cuddliest little toys she could find. Approaching the first little bunk bed, Shadow slipped the toys into the stockings, smiling softly at the little foals. They’d never know she was here, much less that she was a burglar. The only thing that would ever give her away was her eyes, and nopony ever looked her in the eye when she was on the job. Nopony would ever know that it was her.
Nopony, that is, except for the red-maned white mare who clung to the outside of the windowsill, peering in at her little sister in utter confusion.
Shadow didn’t notice Sky watching her, emptying her saddlebags little by little as she filled the stockings of the young ponies. She paused once or twice when she saw the older foals, curled up with the soft toys from last year in their hooves. It always made Shadow’s whole year to find that they’d kept them. She often worried that perhaps her little presents would go unappreciated, that in some way those desperate foals wouldn’t feel in some way loved by her gesture. Shadow smiled fondly up at the elder ponies who still held onto their little plushie friends. She was as comforted by the sight as they were by the presence of the little toys. Maybe, for them, it was like having a little pony friend to hug for real.
Shadow turned back towards the window, her saddlebags finally empty. She was finished, her yearly ritual complete. This year had gone by very smoothly, all things considered. Last year, one of the foals had nearly caught her…
“Um...excuse me?”
Shadow gave a tiny, frightened little squeak, her fur standing on end as she stood stock still. She could hear a rustling sound behind her, like a small pony pushing her blankets aside and shuffling over to the end of their bed to get a closer look.
Resignedly, the young pegasus glanced over her shoulder at the pony who’d caught her, wide-eyed.
There was a very small bat pony sitting there, only about a year younger than Shadow, her coat a bright white and her eyes shining a pale green.
“Are you the pony who left us these?” She inquired quietly, pulling a little cuddly bunny out of her stocking and holding it close to her chest.
Shadow sighed, holding her hooves up defensively. “Sure am. You caught me.”
“Has anypony ever said thank you?” The batpony asked, shuffling a little closer.
“Nopony ever knows I’m here.” Shadow whispered back, shifting around and facing the little pony. “That’s my deal. I leave little toys for all the good little fillies and colts, then I’m gone.”
“So you’re Santa Hooves?”
“Ye...no!” Shadow shook her head defensively. “I just…”
“Are you one of his little elves?”
“Well, I do have pretty pointy ears.” Shadow snickered. “I’m not working with him, though. He comes to everypony. I just come...well...here.”
“Why here?” The batpony asked, snuggling her little rabbit and beckoning Shadow closer. “There’s a lot of places in the city. What’s so special about here?”
“Well…” Shadow sighed, obliging her and sitting down by her bedside. “I guess I just get worried every year that you guys don’t feel as loved as you could do...like, it must be pretty hard for you guys without a family…”
The filly nodded, settling down on the bed and looking into Shadow’s bright green eyes. “I lost my mommy and daddy a few months ago. This is...kinda my first Hearth’s Warming without them…”
Shadow’s expression softened, mouth opening in horror. “Oh...oh no, you poor little thing. Are...are you gonna be okay?”
“I...I think so.” The young batpony sniffled. “I...just...miss them...and I thought they’d come back because today’s so special...but...but…”
“Hey...shut up…” Shadow whispered, taking the filly by the shoulders and wrapping her in her enormous wings. “Ssssh...it’s okay, kid...what’s your name, anyway?”
“Wi...Wind Whisper…” She replied, wrapping her fluffy little hooves around the back of Shadow’s neck and closing her eyes. Silent tears ran down her cheeks as she hugged her. Shadow could tell by the way she nuzzled and squeezed her that this was the first proper hug that Wind Whisper had had in a very long time. She reciprocated, pulling the filly close and keeping her whole body enveloped in her wings.
Oh shit, I’m not good at this! What do I say in this situation? Shadow panicked. Am I even supposed to say anything?
Shadow was lost for words, settling instead for holding the young pony as tightly as she could, running her hoof through Wind Whisper’s mane. She snuggled her newfound little friend, hugging her until the tears and the sniffling finally stopped.
“You’re pretty fluffy…” Wind Whisper commented quietly.
“Hey! I’m no…” Shadow began out of pure reflex, before settling down. “Heh...er, yeah...I guess I am…”
“So you...you come here every year to make sure that we’re not lonely?” Wind Whisper asked, looking up at Shadow with those great big eyes.
“That’s right.” Shadow replied, smiling softly down at her. “It’s so that you and everypony else here knows that, even when things are kinda bleak, there’s still one little pony out there who cares about them.”
Wind Whisper wiped her nose on a hoof, a little smile playing about her features. “That’s...that’s really nice of you...thank you…”
“Hey, I know how much it hurts to not have a mum and dad anymore.” Shadow nodded. “I’m...not gonna lie to you and say that every Hearth’s Warming after this one gets easier, but if it helps… you’ll find it easier to cope with every time.”
“Ye...yeah…” Wind Whisper cocked her head, all wrapped up in feathers. “So...so you’re an orphan too? Did you used to live here?”
“Well...my mum and dad threw me out of the house when I was very little.” Shadow explained, shrugging. “I was all alone on the street for a while, and then a super-nice little pony took me in. I guess I realised the difference that one pony can make, you know?”
“Yeah, that makes sense, I guess.” Wind Whisper nodded again. “So...what’s your name, anyway?”
“My name?” Shadow asked. She hadn’t thought this far ahead. She’d not exactly planned on getting caught, no matter how adorable and innocent her captor was. “Well...I’m...erm...Princess Cuddles.”
”Princess Cuddles?” Wind Whisper cocked her head, giving Shadow a curious expression. “And you’re a magical little princess who brings toys for orphans?”
“I know that sounds kinda weird, but yeah, that’s my deal.” Shadow affirmed. “You’re the first little pony who’s ever seen me! Did you know that?”
“No! Do I get a prize?” Wind Whisper smiled, beating her own little wings excitedly.
“You sure do!” Shadow beamed back, nodding briskly. “You get a hug and a kiss from your favourite little princess ever!” She’d never been one for modesty, had Shadow. Besides, she suspected that she’d just done something very special and life-changing for that little bat pony. She scooped Wind Whisper up in her forehooves and wings, squeezing her tight and kissing her on the forehead. With one last nuzzle, Shadow lowered her back into bed again, tucking her in next to her new cuddly rabbit. She wouldn’t stop giggling, and Shadow found herself looking over her shoulder as the other stirred.
“Hey, I’ve gotta go now, sweetie.” Shadow whispered. “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer, but how about this? What if I come back next year and you tell me how you and your new little friend are getting on?”
“O...okay…” Wind Whisper yawned softly. “Do you promise to be back next year?”
“Cross my heart.” Shadow traced an “X” over her chest with a forehoof. “All you have to do is just remember...somewhere in the world, there’s a pony who cares about you, no matter what. Can you do that for me?”
Wind Whisper bit her lip, nodding nervously. “Thank you, Princess…”
“Don’t mention it.” Shadow winked. She realised that she was running out of time, but maybe it didn’t matter so much if some of the other ponies caught a glimpse of her as well. It wasn’t like this was going to get back to Sky anyway.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming!” Shadow added with a smile, turning tail and charging towards the window. She leapt onto the windowsill and took off into the night, just in time for some of the other foals to wake up and spot her leaving. Shadow shot up into the sky, silhouetted against the bright full moon for a moment before diving beyond the cityscape, disappearing from sight for another year.
* * *
Four small hooves thudded against roof tiles again, and Shadow huffed. It seemed as if Sky, in her infinite wisdom, had closed the window. There was no getting in that way. The only other way in was through the front door, and she was certain that her big sister sat just beyond it, waiting for her to get home.
Rolling her eyes and accepting her fate, Shadow knocked on the door.
“Come on in!” Sky’s voice filtered out.
Gritting her teeth, Shadow pushed the door open, shaking snow from her wings as she made her way back into the warm house.
Sky was sitting back on an armchair sewing something. She glanced up at her little sister as she shook herself off, fully aware that she was caught. There was a little fire going in the fireplace, something recently lit. Shadow knew right then that she was busted for sure. Sky had just been out.
“How long’s that been going on?” Sky cocked her head, looking Shadow up and down.
Shadow glanced up at her fake horn and her big red cloak, shrugging. “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”
“Shadow, you’re a shit liar…”
“I’m not lying!”
“I saw you at the orphanage, kid. You’re busted.” Sky stuck her tongue out.
She waited a moment, biting her lip. “I...learned it from you.”
“What? When the hell have I given free stuff to orphans?” Sky asked, taken aback.
“You know what I mean, sis. It’s the principle. You helped me out when my mum and dad didn’t want me anymore. You made my life way better just by being part of it and showing me you cared. I kinda just want other ponies to feel that way, too.”
“Hmm…” Sky nodded. “And you learned all that from me, huh?”
“Yeah…” Shadow stared at her big sister. There was something unreadable about Sky’s expression, something that had Shadow ill-at-ease, like she was about to be buried in accusations of adorableness again.
“Come here.” Sky said simply.
Shadow glanced around for a moment before nervously approaching her sister. Sky put the thing she was sewing aside, holding her hooves out for the young pony. Shadow was a bit big for her sister’s lap but snuggled in anyway, clambering up and hugging Sky as tightly as she possibly could. At any rate, it was freezing outside and there was nopony warmer in the whole wide world.
“You’re not gonna give me shit over this, are you?” Shadow asked weakly.
“Never.” Sky shook her head. “Why the hell would I ever give you shit for doing something so damn nice? Shadow…I...didn’t know that you had this side to you. Well, I mean, I did, but I didn’t know you did this…”
“Sis…”
“Yeah?”
“You’re blubbering.” Shadow shook her head, smiling exasperatedly.
“I’m...I’m just really proud of you…” Sky whispered, squeezing her tighter than ever and nuzzling her cheek. “You’re such a sweetie to do that for so many foals. I knew I tried to teach you to be nice, but this is just above and beyond.”
“Hey, you said it yourself a couple of times.” Shadow shrugged, nuzzling Sky’s neck and wrapping her wings around her. “Just because we’re burglars doesn’t mean we’ve gotta be assholes.”
Sky beamed down at her. “I never thought you’d go out and...oh, Shadow, that’s the cutest thing ever!”
“Oh Luna, here we go with the cutesy adorable shit…” Shadow gave a long-suffering sigh. “Can’t you let it slide just this once?”
“What? Now? After all this?” Sky shook her head. “No way, sweetie. You’re getting more hugs than ever!”
“Just my luck…” Shadow rolled her eyes, chuckling. “Um...sis?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for being the best sister ever.” Shadow whispered, snuggling up to Sky and closing her eyes.
“That honour goes to you, kid…” Sky chuckled back, nuzzling her and gently rocking her to sleep by the fire. “Happy Hearth’s Warming…”
“Happy Hearth’s Warming, sis…”
Sky waited until Shadow was well and truly out for the count before picking up her sewing and getting back to work. She worked feverishly throughout the night with green felt and stuffing, working until the clock on the wall chimed 3am. Sky finally finished her little project, a little plushie that looked exactly like Shadow’s alter ego. Lifting her sister onto her back, Sky trotted over to the pair of big stockings hanging over the mantlepiece, before sliding the cuddly toy into Shadow’s stocking.
She looked over her shoulder at the happy sleeping filly, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck and lowering her into Sky’s stocking instead. She hung there like a pony at a narcoleptic sack race, her head lolling off to one side with those big wings hanging down next to her. She was the cutest thing Sky had ever seen.
“You’re all I want.” Sky whispered to her little sister, before returning to her armchair and closing her eyes. There was a good two hours left before Shadow would awaken and irritate Sky about presents, and both of those little ponies needed their rest in the meantime.
With that, the two little ponies drifted off, their breathing devolving into a noise between a whinny and a snore. In time, Shadow awoke and escaped from her prison, snuggling up to her big sister.
The two of them would stay tucked in together like that until long into the day.