The Story of Crepuscularity Sparkle: a Hearth's Tale of learning Friendshipby The P CoChaptersHearth's Warming Eve, DayHearth's Warming Eve, NightHearth's Warming Day, DayHearth's Warming Day, NightHearth's Warming Eve, DayCrepuscularity awoke with a start, sitting in her chair with a book on her lap, wearing her pajamas. "Bah, I must have fallen asleep reading again, not that it matters much what I do." she looked up to the large painting above her fireplace, a painting of Seasonal Wind, her late wife. She looked so beautiful, with her ever-lengthy mane draped around her as she sat in the chair in the painting, she was wearing a modest dress that only served to amplify how lovely she was, from her wide eyes full of wonder for the world, to her gentle smile, to her buttery coat and pink mane, her caring hooves.... Her tinkling laughter, it still haunted Sparkle even ten years after the accident. Seasonal had gone out to do something, offering for Crepuscularity to come with her, but the lavender mare was busy arranging her brushes and hair trimmers. The yellow pegasus didn't return that night, or the next, or for the rest of the week, Sparkle didn't notice that her wife was gone until she had received a letter in the mail, the letter informed her of the funeral being held for her wife. The business mare had poured every resource possible into the event. The last time she saw Seasonal's peaceful face, that was the last time she felt happy. Now, Crepuscularity had grown cold and distant to everypony by this point, she had vowed to never brush or trim her mane or tail again after that, and it showed. Her violet magic placed her tophat on her head, putting on a sweater under her business coat, pants on her hind legs, she was ready to brave the cold. Whipping winds filled with frost and snow attacked her as soon as she stepped out of the Golden Oaks Library, she never liked the cold, it made her feel practically dead. Trotting through the streets, her presence halting all public displays of affection, smiles, laughter, even foals playing in the snow stopped where they were, only for some to fall to the ground due to being airborne when she arrived. 'Good, I hate all of this Hearth's Warming Eve joy and cheer, it makes me sick,' she thought, reaching the final road until she was at her offices. "Heeheehee, nice outfit Missus Sparkle." a peal of laughter followed, making Crepuscularity stop in her tracks. "Who dares laugh in my presence, even more so daring to laugh at myself?" she demanded, turning to the source of the giggles. It was Little 'Loo, as most ponies, including herself, called her, her real name was Scootaloo, but the nickname was more popular because she was smaller than the average ten-year-old. "Sorry Missus Sparkle, it's just that usually you rich ponies keep the 'wearing pajamas at all times' thing inside your houses," the orange continued laughing, pointing to the older mare's backside. Crepuscularity looked, finding that the 'pants' she though she put on were still her pajamas, what was even worse was that she had been wearing her wife's pajamas, the pale pink ones with little hearts and butterflies on them. Mortified, she looked back to the bit-less filly and said, in the most threatening tone she could muster "DON'T, call me, Missus," she commanded, making the violet maned pegasus shrink back in fear. Smirking at her success, she trotted the rest of the way to her offices, a place that used to be called 'Carousal Boutique' before she bought it up and made it the headquarters for her business empire. Throwing open the doors with her magic, she announced her presence with a "HO HO HO, Bah humbug, time is money, so if you're wasting time, get the buck out of here and find new employment," her words were filled with venom and wrath, looking at the group of ponies standing in a group, huddling together and talking quietly. "I SAID, get to WORK, MAGGOTS!" she yelled, she didn't often yell, just talking calmly and condescendingly. The value of this act made her workers jump in surprise, and Profit Spotter, her favorite advisor, came to her side as she walked among the desks. "Missus-" she was shot a deadly glare, "Right, sorry, Miss Sparkle, I and your associates have been crunching the numbers for a few minutes now, and-" she was cut off "Excellent efficiency, keep this up and I might actually give you that pay raise I joked about at that party you threw on my birthday, what was the offer again?" the amethyst eyed CEO tapped her chin in thought. "Doubling my pay, going from two bits an hour to four bits an hour, ma'am." the white unicorn reminded in a hopeful tone. "Oh yeah, I forgot, in that case I'm more than likely not going to do that, so, right, what was the result of these number crunches?" her tone gained the slightest hint of excitement. "Well, the time needed to process the paperwork for the profits gained from today, being Hearth's Warming Eve, today's shopping done by the citizens, would not be worth the coal in the furnace to keep the office lit and warmed," Spotter nervously suggested. "I understand what you are saying, you're saying that it would be more profitable to close the office for today than get the coal for the furnace to keep it running and have the place open?" Sparkle re-worded "Yes, if we were to gather the files for today, then we would be able to work it out a few days from now," Spotter clarified, still nervous and now twiddling her curly indigo mane with her hoof. "A few days from now?.......... wait a second, are you trying to get extra time off? Because you spent your one day this season to have your birthday, and I'm not going to pay ponies for slacking and lollygagging." the suited mare's tone turned spiteful. "Please, I beg you, we all beg and grovel at your hooves, Miss Sparkle, please let us have this holiday off, we worked through Heart's & Hooves Day, didn't wear green on Saint Pine's Day, didn't play pranks on April Foal's Day, Mother's and Father's Day, forewent eggs on Bunny Day, stayed silent during Harmonization Day, we worked extra hard on Labor Day, didn't wear costumes on Nightmare Night, worked till two in the morning on Black Friday, took down the flags on Veteran's Day, brought our own items on the nice little get together at the end of the day on Thanksgiving, can we please, please please please have this Hearth's Warming off from work?" Profit broke down crying, wallowing on the floor at her boss's hooves. "Ugh, well, since you provided a good point on profits, as you always do, Spotter, and you have worked every day of the year thus far, and given your immaculate record of service, I shall prove my benevolence and allow you both today, and tomorrow, off from work," she finally agreed, getting a round of cheers in response. "I will, however, expect you to return December the twenty-seventh, ready to continue your filing and signing again," she continued, receiving several enthusiastic nods. "Alright, now get out of here before I change my mind, I need-" her employees galloped past her, exiting to the streets to return home, "-to lock the doors," she finished, her face deadpanning as she fumbled around in her coat pocket for her keys. "No need, darling, I have a set right here," Profit informed, levitating out a key-ring with her light blue magic. "When did I give you that?" Crepuscularity asked in confusion. "I... I live here, remember darling? This used to be my house before you bought it, my sister and I live upstairs." the blue-eyed advisor pointed to the mostly unused second floor. "Oh yeeeeeaaaaah, I forgot, right, well, get yourself something pretty," the lavender CEO directed as she levitation-tossed a measly four bits over to her employee. "Thank you, Miss Sparkle, thank you," the alabaster advisor said in gratitude as she pocketed the money. "Don't mention it," Sparkle replied, stepping outside, she spun around and quickly added, "Seriously, do not mention this to anypony." at that, she slammed the door shut. Walking down the street, feeling less cold than before for some reason, she suddenly heard "Hey again, Miss Sparkle, nice you see you're still rockin' the jammies." the young pegasus giggled. "Shut up, 'Loo, why do you bother me so much?" the amethyst eyed widow queried, rubbing her temple in mental pain. "I don't have any friends, everypony always picks on me because I'm so small." Scootaloo sadly answered, looking at the ground with a frown. "Oh, well then, I could be your friend." Crepuscularity offered, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Really? You would really do that? Be my friend?" the orange filly perked up in hope. "No, I would not 'really do that', I am not your friend." the lavender mare shot down the hope with a fiery bolt of magic and despising. "Oh, *sniff* I see..." Scootaloo slowly walked away, on the verge of crying. Crepuscularity turned her nose up, before a snowflake landed on it and melted, she shivered, feeling like she was freezing. Why was it so cold out here? "Bah humbug, it's all simpleton's rubbish, Hearth's Warming and good cheer and snow, they don't realize that bits make the world go round, and I control the engine," she cursed the season, the holiday, and the weather all in one go, trotting faster to get to the bakery before too many other ponies got there. She was right about one thing, she was the richest mare in the whole world, she had monopolized all of Steurope and Haysia, in fact the only place in all of Equus that she didn't own was the Castle Canterlot, home of Celestia and Luna, the princesses of night and day. "CAKES, where's my melon?" she demanded the lowly bakers her lion's share of the food. "We're sorry, Mistress Sparkle, we have the cake you wanted, but as bakers, we don't grow fruit," the poorly couple profusely apologized, laying the stiff box of cake before her. "Bah humbug, I suppose if you had a third pony working here with you, you would do better?" she guessed. "Yes, yes we would, oh please if you know of anypony who can fit this role, we would be ever thankful," they pleaded, hoping that the rich mare would at least take pity on them. "I know nopony of the sort, goodbye and keep your Hearth's Warming away from me." she spat before departing, telekinetically grabbing up a random pony sitting in the corner and hitching him up to a cart placed outside. "Pull this, I don't want my cake getting damaged, you got that?" she instructed, turning away from the stallion and leading him to her next destination. Sweet Apple Acres, a rather large farm run by three ponies, Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and Applebloom, she had ordered a pie from them for her Hearth's Warming dinner. The air seemed to be like anti-fire, consuming her with coldness and frost. The exchange was made, they could have used, nay, absolutely needed another pony to help them, but she did not know of any pony to help. With the pie, as wide as her foreleg was long, and literally pulled straight out from the oven onto her cart, she led the poor stallion to her home. Grabbing the easily carried baked goods in her telekinesis, she turned to the dirty furred, puppy-dog-eyed stallion, looking at her as if wanting some money for his service. "You can go now," she said, destroying his hope, turning to her door, throwing it open, and trotting inside without another word. The stallion frowned, his gaze falling to the ground as he walked away, sighing. Crepuscularity placed the cake and pie on her mahogany wooden kitchen table, lit the fireplace in the living room with her magic, stripped out of her business clothes, and sat in her chair in front of the fireplace with a book. "Ah, a nice book to read on a night that I don't want to think about, it's perfect," she sighed, looking up at the painting of her beloved before looking back down at her book, tears threatening to come out of her eyes and stain the pages. *knock knock knock* "Ugh, who in tartarus is knocking?" she groaned in frustration as she trotted over to the door and opened it. On the other side, was Scootaloo, looking up at her with wide, hopeful eyes, a small, gently smile, and gently grasped in her hooves was the bottom half of a broken bottle of apple soda. She had apparently been using it as a cup, as it had a few copper bits in it, even a silver in the mix, "A little bit of good will for the homeless?" she asked, her voice soft and filled with trepidation. The rich widowed mare looked both down at, and down on, the orange filly, had cheery young Little 'Loo really been reduced to common begging? Oh but how she looked so much like Seasonal, if her colors were lighter, she would have passed for a filly version of the dearly departed pegasus, she felt like she was in the presence of her wife reincarnated, and that vain hope made her groan in pain. "Get away from me, your presence fills me with emotions that I hate," she spat, her voice filled with the most potent venom she had ever dished out, "And you should give up on begging, because begging will get you nowhere," she added, knocking the makeshift cup out of the orphaned filly's hoof, sending the bits lost into the snow and the glass shattered against the exposed cobblestone street. Scootaloo failed to contain her sniffling and crying this time, trudging home to the orphanage with empty hooves and wet eyes. *WHAM* the door slammed shut. Crepuscularity sat down in her chair again, looking at her book before practically tearing it open to read it. The lavender grouch read for almost an hour before hearing another knocking on the door. *knock knock knock* "Ugh, I said stop begging, begging gets you nowhere." she complained to the pony behind the door. She looked out the window, it was light out, but a look at the clock told her it was the evening, so it should have been dark. *knock knock knock* "Alright, alright, I'm coming, hold yourself." she assured, walking over to the door and throwing it open. The widowed unicorn blinked in surprise at the sight, rubbing her eyes to make sure she was seeing right, and biting her foreleg to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She was neither on drugs nor asleep, nothing was affecting her perception of reality, but she was still seeing this... sight. "Hello honey, it's been a long time," Seasonal greeted her still-alive wife, her teal eyes shone in the dim light, her wings were larger and more powerful, and her ghostly giggle was even more beautiful and angelic than when she was alive. Crepuscularity promptly fainted. Author's Note here we go, the first part of this four part story, here's to hoping it's good enough for the readers. Another note, there's no normal Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack in this story, so that's why the cakes were alone and Sweet Apple Acres only had three ponies. Next part will be 'Hearth's Warming Eve, Night', coming soon. Hearth's Warming Eve, NightCrepuscularity Sparkle woke with a start, laying in her bed, she had just had a horrible dream where her dead wife's ghost had come back to haunt her. "I'm not here to haunt you, dear, but I am here to warn you," Seasonal spoke up, her voice was somehow both louder and more gentle than when she was alive. "GAH, get away from me, demon!" the lavender unicorn shouted, flailing her hooves forwards and scooting back as far as she could. "Angel, actually, I hate to say it but the only one here that will be a demon is you." the butter yellow pegasus' tone shifted to a grim one. "What? How can that be, am I not to arrive at the pearly gates, dressed in my finest garb, ready to meet the great Faust?" Sparkle asked, her half-happiness at seeing her wife again shattered. "No, the only gates that you shall see are those of basalt, and the only great one you will meet is Luscious Light, who will ensure that you will be wrapped in chains made of your transgressions and burn for all eternity, forced to walk Equus forever, you shall have no mouth, but you shall have only one desire," she paused, taking in a large breath. "What will be my desire?" the unicorn pleaded for the answer. "Your only thought, is that you must SCREAM!!!" the deafening booming of the usually soft mare's voice obliterated Crepuscularity's resolve. "How may I make myself well again? How will I get the chance to walk the heavens with you, my beloved, oh please help me, help me help me help me," her cries for help were miserable and pitiful, tears streaming out of her eyes in thick rivulets. "Well, since you asked so nicely, and I can tell that you truly desire freedom from this cruel fate, you will be given a chance." Seasonal agreed. "Oh thank you, thank you thank you thank you," Sparkle entered the grateful mantra, planting kisses all over her wife's ghost's face. Gently pushing her alive wife away, Seasonal Wind entered a state of seriousness, her eyes becoming like things unto hypnotizing beacons of power as she unleashed the most powerful 'The Stare' she had ever pulled off. "It is ten in the evening, starting at the break of AM, you shall be visited by three ghosts, one every hour, on this night, they will show you the ways to right yourself from your wrongs and take hold of the greatest power of all, the only one that matters, the magic of friendship," she explained, her pink mane billowing on an unfelt wind. "Okay, then what?" Crepuscularity begged. "Then you keep living the life they will show you how to live until the day that you die," Seasonal cooed, running her hoof through her wife's mane, straightening out the massive knots and tangles that came with a decade without brushing it. The lavender mare calmed her trembling worry at the feeling of the caring hooves massaging her scalp. "Now sit tight and wait, or get some sleep, it doesn't matter, they will still come and they will wake you up," Wind informed, standing up and walking over to the door, trotting out and closing the mahogany construct behind her, "WAIT, who will these ghosts-" she threw the door open and saw nothing but darkness outside, no ghost of her wife, just silent snow gently falling, "-be," she finished, closing the door and turning to the fireplace. She looked at her chair, then to the fireplace, still burning bright, and she sat down in her chair. Laying back and relaxing as much as she could, she decided to wait for the ghosts. She fell asleep....... ....... darkness..... ..........*bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong* the clock struck eleven........ ................ crackling of the fire........... ...........*bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong* the clock struck twelve.............. ........................ where were the ghosts?............. .............*bong* the clock struck one............... "Did I miss them? Are they late?" she said as her half-conscious mind got worried. "Hay no I'm not late, I'm never late, in fact I'm always early, comes with the job." a brash, young sounding voice said, and the lavender mare snapped her head towards the direction it came from. "Why are you dressed like th-" she was cut off by the blue pegasus putting a hoof to her mouth. The rainbow maned mare stepped back, "I am Aurora Pass, the Ghost of Heath's Warming past, and about my clothes...... weeeeeeeell .................. "O-*crck*-kay, *hmph* I won't say any-*hnn*-thing." Crepuscularity then proceeded to burst out laughing. "Well, don't you think you were cute?" Aurora's voice came from below, and Sparkle looked down to the floor. There was herself, as a foal, staring up at her with a hateful expression, "What about your wife?" a pillar of green flame rose from her form, changing her shape from the lavender foal to the buttery mare. "Oh, how about that cute little orphan whose hopes you spread your legs and pissed all over," the ghost's tone turned harsh as she took the form of Scootaloo, even the ragged, dirty little jacket and torn up toboggan that she wore were perfectly replicated. "Y'know, for the richest and smartest mare in the world, you are one poorly idiot," the ghost spat at Crepuscularity in the unicorn's own voice, giving her a taste of the venom she so often sprayed at others. "What do you mean?" the unicorn hesitantly queried, trying to control her accelerating breathing. "And that's why you're so daft, let me show you something," the cyan mare not so much offered as commanded her. Without waiting for a response, the room took on a cyan hue, then went dark, shifting from her library's living room to the streets of Canterlot. "Look there, you greedy bitch," the spirit spat, still using Crepuscularity's voice in that harsh, condescending tone. The unicorn mare saw a little filly, herself when she was younger, running from pony to pony. "Hello sir, do you need something?" the cheery unicorn asked. "Not anything you can give properly," the stallion replied in a ragged tone, hugging her trench coat closer. "You nearly avoided an off-white Hearth's Warming there," the pegasus jeered, laughing a bit. "Oh, madam, can I help you?" she ran over to a straining mare, nearly running into her. "What can you help with? You're just a little filly, you can't help me, you can't help me at all, what can you even do? Do you even lift?" the older unicorn insulted, continuing on her merry way with a cruel laugh. "And yet you stayed happy, where did that go? Was it with your brother?" the scene changed to herself, older, she remembered this painful memory, she had just banked her first hundred-thousand when she was called home. "We formally regret to inform you, that Captain Shining Shield, was found, KIA, compensation to you for his services will arrive in three to twelve business days," her mother read before breaking down into sobs, having held the waterfall of tears back long enough to finish reading. Everyone cried that day, and Crepuscularity didn't even have the courage to give her parents her own letter, the one telling them about her and Seasonal's wedding. "Oh yeah, your wife, let's see how that went," the ghost said, now she was just being cruel, putting Crepuscularity through all of this. Then again, she had been through it once, and while it was bad, she had survived, so how bad would a second time be? Even worse than the first time, because now she was seeing her wife, Seasonal Wind, on that day ten years ago. The day she died. She was at the orphanage with a basket, she knocked on the door and gently placed the basket onto the porch, leaving a note. The only thing she could see now was the note, which read, "We offer our deepest condolences, love Seasonal Wind and Crepuscularity Sparkle." "Did she give them some food or something?" Crepuscularity asked feebly, her emotional reserves having almost dried up already. "Something, I can't say what, that's a piece of information for you to earn," the rose eyed spirit challenged before changing the scene again. Seasonal was walking through the streets, slowly and weakly, her tail wet with blood, her eyes red and puffy from crying, fur on her face dark and stained from tears. "Oh, I hope things will be okay," she muttered, stumbling out into the middle of the street. "Hey Seasonal, are you alright, darling?" it was Profit Spotter, waving the pink maned pegasus over. Wind only stared, unmoving, unblinking, before her eyes closed as she blacked out from what looked to be pain. Profit was about to shout to her friend again when a motorized chariot swerved around the corner, running the yellow mare over. A montage of images later, from picking her up and taking her to the hospital, the doctors pronouncing her dead on arrival, the wound being patched up anyways, the body being preserved while everypony she knew was informed, and finally Sparkle standing there above her wife, who looked so peaceful despite how messy she had been made by the accident. Crepuscularity didn't even know that her wife had been killed by a driver, she thought it was a mugging turned to murder. After one last kiss which drained her of all positive feelings, she turned to Profit, who was standing nearby. "I want the motherfucker who did this found. I want them found. I want them brought to me with a bag on their head. I want them DEAD! I want their whole family DEAD! I want their house burned to the GROUND! I want to go there in the middle of the night and PISS ON THEIR ASHES!" the lavender mare was fuming with rage as she imagined the things she would do to the bastard/bitch who did this. All the while, Spotter wrote down what her boss was saying, "...aaaand piiiiss onnnn theeeeiirrrr ashheeees," she read as she wrote, putting the notepad and pen away. Little did her employer know, she felt at least partially responsible for what happened. The scene faded away, and the lavender mare and cyan ghost appeared back in the former's living room. "You cannot let your wife die for the both of you. You cannot let yourself become cold and hard because you lost somepony warm and soft. You must learn to not let loyalties get in the way of living, and learn to be magical in ways not of the horn, but of the heart. You will learn to be friendly before the morning's light." the ghost began to fade away as the clock struck 'quarter till two' "Remember these words: To be better, today is perfect day to start; it doesn't matter the weight of your purse if you're poor in your heart," the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Past faded into nothingness, leaving only the slight echo of its final words. The lavender mare looked around for any evidence of the ghost's presence, no marks or damages to the floor, no scratches on the window or anything. The only evidence of the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Past's presence was herself, Crepuscularity. "Remember sweetie, two more ghosts to go, and I forgot to say before, but you look very cute in my jammies," Seasonal's voice giggled from out of sight, the lavender mare felt like she was going insane. Was she going insane? Or was she losing her insanity and seeing the light again? She stood there, contemplating that question for almost ten minutes. *bong bong* came the clock, snapping her out of her deep train of thought. Nothing, she went back to thinking. "So what's passed is past, I don't need to worry about it anymore," she thought aloud. "NOW you're gettin' it, good job Crepusky," a happy voice congratulated, and a new spirit appeared. "I'm Passion Action, Ghost of Hearth's Warming Present, let's make my lesson more interesting with a SONG!" the pink mare cheered as a strange tune began playing. "I'm not very confident in your ability to teach me something," Sparkle theorized, looking at the oddly dressed ghost in disbelief. "Shut your mouth, you silly filly, and follow me, so that I may show you what is in the now," the spirit grabbed the rich pony and tugged her off to someplace else. Sparkle blinked and was now peeking in the door of Profit Spotter and her little sister Sweetie Belle. "Oh Sweetie, I'm sorry that I can't get you what you wanted, but the ol' mare Sparkle didn't give me much to buy with," Spotter lamented as she looked at her savings, only nine bits to her name, barely less than the cost of a week's worth of food, not enough to buy a cool gift. "Oh well, I'm sure that Miss Sparkle probably forgot to give you a bit of extra money, I can go without that copper bell for a while longer," somehow the little filly was blind to how greedy Crepuscularity was. "Yes, maybe when I head down for work the day after tomorrow, she'll feel generous and give me a few extra bits," Profit sadly proposed the idea, that, while nice, she felt would be next to impossible to come true. The lavender mare, peeking in through the door, felt her head clear of some sort of haze she didn't know it had been filled with. "If I knew that they were this bad off, I would have given her forty bits," she said in regret. "Hm? Who's there?" Spotter said, thinking that she heard something. "Wait wha-" the business pony was cut off by Passion. "Oh shit I forgot," the spirit grabbed the living mare, a pink hue overlaying the latter's vision. When the white unicorn opened the door, she stared right through the pony in front of her, as though she wasn't even there. Hovering away from the HQ of the business, Action breathed a sigh of relief. "In my excitement to learn you new things, I forgot to put on the ghostly aura of lessons, we almost got caught," still the pink mare cheered as the pair flew through the sky. "So I was actually right there in the hallway, it wasn't just a vision?" the lavender mare asked, taking in the gentle sound of the wind, even in the vision, she felt the debilitating cold, though it seemed to be much less intense than usual. "Yep yep yep, that was actually happening right now, and you're about to see something else, remember what Aury said about you pissing all over Little 'Loo's hopes?" her chronically happy voice was really odd when she said things like that. "Yes, and I regret doing so," the amethyst eyed unicorn shed a tear. "Well, that little piss is about to turn into a full on shitstorm," the pink mare pointed to the orphanage. "Oh no," Crepuscularity was worried. "Oh yes," Passion was not. Descending into the dirty building, the hovering pair found a stressed out old mare writing something down. "The numbers, Miss Charm, what do they mean?" Scootaloo had entered the room and was now hanging off the edge of the table by her forelegs. "Now now, Little 'Loo, you can just call me Blooming," Blooming Charm insisted, chuckling at cute the little filly looked with her hat off and her violet mane all messed up. "Alright, Miss Blooming, the numbers, can you tell me what they mean?" Blooming continued chuckling at Scootaloo's adorably missing the point. She stopped chuckling and looked down at those wide, violet eyes of wondering with her own downtrodden green ones, "I'm sorry, I know you did your best, everypony did, but we don't have enough bits for a Hearth's Warming Day dinner this year," she apologized, though she knew that she didn't really need to, it still made the truth a bit easier to deal with. "Oh, okay, I understand," Blooming knew the tone Little 'Loo was using, it was the tone she used when she blamed herself for something. "It's okay, it's not your fault, it we had only a bit more money, about seven or eight bits, I could place the order for the food, but we're short." she winced when she realized she had said 'short', the one word Scootaloo hated as much as 'chicken', but the little pegasus didn't notice as she sniffled. "I had nine bits in the little cup I was using, but then I tried to get patronage from Miss Sparkle, and she slapped my cup out of my hoof, the cup broke and the money got lost in the snow, and she shouted at me, saying that begging would get me nowhere," the orange orphan cried. "It's not your fault, that old bitc-er, grouch is always trying to make everypony feel bad, don't let it get to you," the older mare comforted, rubbing the young pony's back and fixing her mane. Crepuscularity felt a stinging in her heart and in her face, then she realized that Action had slapped her across the face. "A young, poor, defenseless filly is crying because of you!" the blue eyed earth pony reprimanded, "Shame, all of the shame on you, you retched scum of a mare, you.... you're bad, you're just really bad," the pink mare said with a frown, leading her charge back to her home. Standing once again on the wooden floor of the library's living room, Crepuscularity felt awful. "The current moment demands that I leave you, but I will say that you need to learn to laugh WITH good things in life, not AT them, and learn to be generous to others and not yourself. I must go at this moment." the pink mare instantly disappeared. A small note was all that she left behind, it read, "Take some advice from Pasheezy: there's more to life than your work, take it easy," she read, before the note disappeared as well. Looking at the clock, the lavender mare found it to be five minutes until three AM. "Okay, I can do this, I survived the past and present, how bad can the future be?" she considered grabbing her purse and making a break for the orphanage, the zebra-fur-woven pouch was hanging on her coat-rack, right by the door, and if she galloped at full speed, she could make it. "No, no it's not worth it, I'd just be dragged back here by the final specter, I'd better just stay, besides, like I said, how bad could the future be?" she had tempted fate, and fate had a negligibly short temper *bong bong bong* the clock struck three in the morning. The air grew thick, everything was silent except for a hollow *clop, clop, clop* An icy cold hoof placed itself on her flank, another immediately on her shoulder, she looked up, seeing a pair of glowing, toxic green eyes staring down at her. She felt even heavier after the cloaked pony jumped off of her back. "W-w-w-who are you?" the pajama clad mare asked in fear. "Mah name, is Red Harvest, I have taken a break from my job as the reaper of death to be the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Future, I felt as though the two jobs would be quite similar. I am here, not to make you feel better, but to make you emotionally suffer for your crimes against friendship and harmony by showing you what lies at the end of this path you have chosen." the grayish-orange pony was backing Crepuscularity against the wall, standing tall and horrifying over the lavender unicorn. "I would normally say: I'm going to get down on the level of you 'mortal' folks," she cleared her throat, preparing something big. "I, I don't...." Sparkle was confused and afraid of this grim thing. "BOO!" Red shouted. "AAAAAAHHH!" the mortal pony shrieked. "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!" *whimper* "WITH NOPONY TO LOVE YOU AND NOPONY TO CRY!" *sob* "ALONE by YOURSELF, on THE BED of YOUR DEATH, with THE STENCH of REGRET, on YOU LAST DYING BREATH!" the spirit shouted at her with more fiery fury than the sun itself, getting only pitiful mumbles in response. "You've chosen the rotten path of a selfish fool, the innocent blood of Little 'Loo, will be forever on YOUR hooves," the green eyed mare reprimanded, she was telling the utmost truth when she said she would make Crepuscularity emotionally suffer. The scene shifted as her vision took on an orange hue, "The penance you'll pay, the one for the way you behave, will be written as plain, clear as the name on this grave." the ghost pointed to a lowly, cheap, secluded, wood-carved tombstone, with the name 'Crepuscularity Sparkle' engraved into it as neat and readable as day. "But I can't be blunt with you, so I'll show you what happened while you were dead," the spirit informed, the scene shifting to what looked like a few days prior. "I say, these sheets and blankets, they're quite soft, I'm surprised you managed to save these," a shady business pony appraised some folded up fabric creations The sheets and blankets from her bed, Sparkle realized. "Well, I mean, after that ironic death, it was hard to save anything, but we actually snuck in before, we were going to kill her ourselves, but then that thing started up and we hightailed it out of there, fabrics in tow before the heat got turned up," the first of the looters laughed, his friends joining in. "I'm surprised, they're still warm from her sleeping in them," the shady pony noted. "Then give us tenfold the price, because this is something rarer than the wonders of the world, the only warmth that Crepuscularity Sparkle ever had," the second looter jeered, earning a few harsh laughs from her fellows. "Come on, rake over the dough, oh wait, Sparkle kept all the dough in the world locked up in her personal vault, I'm surprised she didn't swim in her gold instead of taking showers or something," the third looter joked, her friends let out their own laughs, even this pawn-broker-type pony was laughing. "Well, she ain't got it all anymore, selfish bitch, here ya go, I've been needin' something pretty," the pony's tone shifted to a friendly one as he hoofed over a bag of bits. The scene shifted to some time before that event, showing a pair of police ponies looking at a huge scorch mark on the road. "So, cause of death?" the first mare asked, pencil at the ready. "Burnt to a crisp," the second mare replied, using the still-hot cinders to light a cigarette. "So, what caused the accident?" the first mare asked the hard question. "Three ponies who claim to have broken into the place before it happened claim to have stolen her beddings. Then they had gone downstairs to kill her, only to find her passed out in a sugar-induced coma. This was from trying to eat a whole bunch of food by herself, they say that she had already eaten almost everything on the table, and had her face laying on a small piece of pie. *sigh* She was still trying to eat it up, despite already having just about everything. Hehe, that sounds like a euphemism for her monetary greed as well. Anyways, apparently that was when the fireplace, which she had left unattended, sparked up and caught the floor on fire. Since this whole place was literally a huge mahogany tree, it was easy to turn it into a huge fireball," the second cop explained the huge mess. "Wow, her greed ended up killing her, what a shame, and on Hearth's Warming Day as well," the first cop sighed, putting away the notepad and starting the motor-chariot up, driving away. The scene shifted to another bit of information, to add insult to injury, she found out that Little 'Loo had died of a heart failure, and apparently she halfway looked up to Crepuscularity, as a role model no less, a role model on how to get at least somewhere in life. "Oh no, this, I don't want this to happen, not at all," she realized something, "Wait, this happened on Hearth's Warming Day? No, it can't be..." she looked over to a dinky little newspaper stand currently being manned by a little purplish-gray unicorn filly with a blond mane. "News here, get your news, nothing to say about ol' mare Sparkle, you can see for yourself over there, but the other news is over here, read all about it," the filly called out her wares. "Hey little filly, where's your mom, isn't she usually running this thing?" a light brown stallion asked, adjusting his green striped scarf, which he had tied into a bowtie, which somehow looked kinda cool. "She's at home with the feather flu, so I'm standing in for her," the little unicorn smiled in joy at getting to do a 'big pony thing' like selling newspapers. "Alright, well I'll take a paper then, keep the change," he insisted, grabbing one of the carefully folded papers and tossing over six bits. "Thank you sir, have a happy Hearth's Warming Day!" she cheered to the departing earth pony. "Right, you too." he said, before reading the paper aloud, not seeing the Hearth's ghost and technically-a-ghost behind him. "Alright, Ponyville Times, December 26, 1010..." he turned around when he heard a strange set of hoofsteps behind him, "GAH, I told you to leave me ALONE Harvest, I already learned about Hearth's Warming Eve, I don't need to see the centuries of pain and infinite lack of being ginger, so GO AWAY!" he shouted at the now-confused ghost. "Ya can see me?" she asked. "Of course I can, why shouldn't I be able to?" he queried. "I'm in 'ghost mode', partner, so I don't need you seeing me, so... stop it." the grayish-orange mare pulled out a pile of green dust, throwing it into the stallion's face. "*coughing fit* Oh dear Celestia, why does my head hurt? Oh well, let's see, Ponyville Times, December 26, 1010...." he muttered as he walked away. "I hate that guy," Red Harvest groaned as she rubbed her temples. "I wasn't paying attention to what happened in the past minute, but I heard that stallion say December 26, 1010, that's...... that's the day after tomorrow! This year!" she exclaimed. "Yes, yes it is, so listen, if you don't change tomorrow, or actually it's later today since it's about a quarter after three in the morning, then you're going to drown in sugar and die in a fire, basically," the green eyed spirit explained. "I'm not sure it will lead up to that," the lavender business-mare said in disbelief. "Well, let me illustrate this, I'm going to do an impression of you." the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Future pulled out a harvesting scythe and pulled back her hood. Everything stopped, the sun stopped shining, the birds stopped chirping, it was silent and dark, yet still cold. Crepuscularity was standing in her living room, looking down at the ground at a pile of ash, a pile of worthless ash, this was what she would become if she didn't change very soon. The ashes whisked into a gout of green flame, leaving behind a note, which read, "Learn to be honest with yourself, and others, and learn to be kind, or ponies will be just as cruel as you." it flipped over, "Take home message: These are not the things that will be, these are only things that may be, if you change your ways now, you will be saved from a death that is most ironic." it changed to a picture of a pony made of ice, surrounded by fire. That was her, she had been a cold, cruel monster, and she would burn to death for it, forced to carry flaming chains made of her sins afterwards. She broke down crying, she could feel it, the last of her foolish insanity dissolving with an uncomfortable heat in her head. Resolving to turn things around as soon as possible, she raced upstairs and got into bed, she would need plenty of sleep if she was going to fix her life later that day. As her body relaxed, she, for the first time in a long time, felt at peace, like a horrible nightmare had ended and been replaced with a sweet dream, a dream of her hopes and desires. A second first, for the first time in a long time, though she was in complete solitude in her curtained bed, she didn't feel alone. Things would get better, they had to, if they didn't, then she would make them get better. Even though it was already the next day, she felt like when she woke up, it would be a new day, a day to change everything. Tomorrow, even if it was technically 'later', she still called it tomorrow. Tomorrow would be alright. Tomorrow would be just fine. Author's Note yeah, a few references in here, especially using the last line of the Season 3 finale in the last line of the chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter coming tomorrow, or I guess later, since this is at, like, before 1AM here, anyways next chapter is 'Hearth's Warming Day, Day', followed by the never-before-seen epilogue, 'Hearth's Warming Day, Night' see you all later, and please give your opinions in the review section, I love hearing you guys'/girls'/others' opinions. Hearth's Warming Day, DayWhen the day broke, Crepuscularity jumped out of bed with a rejuvenated energy in her heart. It was Hearth's Warming Day, wait... was it? She had stayed up an awful long time... Bursting out onto her balcony, she looked down and saw Little 'Loo walking past, and called out to her, "HEY YOU, Little 'Loo!" she called down. "GAH! Oh, Miss Sparkle, hello, what has you up so early?" the poorly pegasus asked, worried for backlash. "What day is it?" the rich unicorn demanded, though trying to sound nicer than normal "Why it's Hearth's Warming Day of course, though some hearths are too poor to be warmed on the outside, everypony's hearts are warm inside," the filly recited the tale. "Y'know, Little 'Loo, I always kinda liked you, listen up," the lavender unicorn levitated over her key ring and tossed it down to the orange pony, "Take this and open my front door, I'm changing my whole life around, all in this one day!" the business mare cheered, levitating over a scroll and pencil. Okay, let's see, fix up things with Little 'Loo, working on it, Profit Spotter, the Cake family, the Apple Family, everypony in town. She was going to have as much Faust-damn fun as she could with this redemption. Rushing down stairs, she grabbed her tophat and suit jacket just as Little 'Loo opened the front door. "Quickly filly, remove those grubby clothes, put these on!" she said, not waiting for a response as she tore the ragged cap and dirty sweater off of the pegasus, shoving her own fancy clothes into the filly's grasp. "Are you sure?" Scootaloo asked as she put on the new clothing, it was a lot warmer and more comfortable than her old stuff. "Sure I'm sure, now come on, I need to be generous!" she grabbed the pegasus up and placed her on her back, galloping off with various money pouches in tow. Bursting into the bank, which still had a few ponies present, though they were cleaning the place, Crepuscularity shouted, "Fill these bags with my money, please!" she asked politely. A few minutes of stumbling and stuttering from the janitors later, and she had huge bags of bits. "Okay, time to get a bit silly here, because being silly is something that I really need to get a dosage of," the older pony said, throwing Little 'Loo up onto a low-lying cloud, "Take this half of the bits and rain money onto the poor, I'll do the 'buying stuff' part, oh I feel a blazing warmth in my soul, the deathly chill of my heart is no more!" she felt very warm as she ran past the tiny pegasus, off to the market district. Her whole body felt warm, as warm as her heart was right now. Everypony was surprised to see the richest mare in the world. running through the streets like a psychopath, wearing nothing but her pajamas, shouting "I'M CHANGING MY WAYS!" to practically everypony she passed. She bought everything from everypony managing a stand, then gave everypony the food she just paid them to get. "Take the money, and the food, eat heartily this Hearth's Warming Day, 'tis a gift from the NEW Crepuscularity Sparkle, take from it to your hearts' content!" she cried out, emptying hundreds of bits into the hooves of the merchants. Everypony looked to her, then to the money, then back to her, then they took the money and food and left. Crepuscularity's smile only got wider when she saw how happy she had made everypony, she received many 'thank you's, not of desperate gratitude, but of genuine gratitude. She galloped to the place where many homeless ponies often sat around and talked. "Hello dear ponies in need, I, Crepuscularity Sparkle, am changing my ways, take this money and live well from it, 'tis a gift from me on this Hearth's Warming Day," she announced, dropping the last of the bags of money to the usually sad ponies. She ran back to the bank to fill up on bits again, then went to her checklist. "Let's see, first up now, Profit Spotter," she read, before rushing out again and to her offices. Unlocking the doors and throwing them open, she ran up the stairs and to the room she remembered was occupied by Profit and her sister Sweetie Belle. "HELLO PROFIT AND BELLE!" she announced her presence with a mighty shout that reverberated throughout the room. The indigo maned mare and her two-tone maned little sister looked up from their game of chess and plates of oats to see the richest mare in the world, in nothing but her pajamas, looking like she just ran a marathon, and carrying huge bags of money. "Profit, I am changing my ways. I need to be more honest to you, you have faithfully served my business empire for fifteen years, half of my business life. I am sorry that I only gave you a measly four bits, here is the rest of what you deserve, and from now own, your wage is tripled!" the lavender unicorn threw down the bag, the bits inside spilling out like sand. "Let's see," Profit muttered as she began magically counting the money, "That's...... four THOUSAND BITS?" she exclaimed in surprise. "Yes, that is everything you have earned from me, take it with gratitude, I must be on my wa-" she was cut off by a worried 'oh no' "Oh no, I forgot, darling, my parents are travelling here by train. They said they would be here," she paused to look at the clock, "...a half-hour!" "Don't worry, I shall teleport us to the train station," Sparkle assured, before her magic flared up and the three unicorns disappeared. The ponies at the train station were startled when a loud *ZHAOW* sound from the ending point of a teleportation rang out, depositing Crepuscularity Sparkle, her advisor Profit Spotter, and her advisor's litter sister Sweetie Belle. "When does the next train arrive?" the stripe-maned CEO demanded. "GAH! I-I-it wil-l--l-l ar-r-rive as s-soon-n-n a-a-as y-you want it, miss-s-s-s Sparkle," the conductor stuttered. "I want it to arrive within the next few minutes," she commanded. "It will surely do so, I-" the stallion was cut off by a ringing in his pocket, "I'm sorry, let me see who- OH, that's the conductor aboard the train, I need to take this," he excused himself, taking a few steps away. Sparkle watched him mutter a few things, then turn back to her, "The train will be delayed, a stray storm cloud crashed into it and shut off almost all of the equipment on board, their conductor was lucky that her cellphone wasn't affected, so she could tell me. The ETA has been pushed back from 'a few minutes from now' to 'hopefully before tomorrow', it's really bad," the conductor lamented, somewhat saddened by this development. "Give me the phone, now!" the rich pony wasn't going to have this bullshit 'train got EMP'd and can't run' nonsense, she put the phone to her head and began. "Hello, what's the hold-up? Give it to me straight and simple," she asked calmly. "Train, not working, sorry, it gonna be late," the somewhat butchered equish came through very clearly and simply. Sparkle lowered the phone, looking at the ground, muttering, "I'm going to be different, I'm going to be polite, I'm going to be.... ah to tartarus with it I can make up for it in a bit," she groaned, raising the device back up to her head. "*ahem* What the buck did you just bucking say to me, you little foal? I'll have you know that I graduated top of my business class in Harsvard University, and have established ownership over ninety nine point ninety nine percent of the world, and have over three hundred trillion confirmed bits in profits. I am masterfully educated in monopolistic business techniques and am the richest thing on this planet. You may be little more than a train conductor, but I will see to it that you will be well set for the rest of your life if you get off of your questionably-sized flank and get that train to Ponyville within the hour, mark my bucking words down on a piece of parchment. Do you think this is a game? I am Crepuscularity Sparkle herself, I own everything, as we speak the Princesses Celestia and Luna come to me to pay to keep their positions as princesses," she paused as indeed the alicorn sisters descended to the platform and bowed before her, dropping a large bag of money at her hooves. "Madam Crepuscularity, this week's pay-" Celestia was cut off by a hoof gently placing itself on her mouth. "Shhhhhh, the adults are talking," the lavender unicorn shushed, before turning back to her call, "Right, where was I? Oh yes, they pay to keep their positions as princesses, but I am sending them to fix your train now," she gestured for the princesses to move, whispering 'go, forget the money and get that train running, if you do, you can keep you positions for a whole year without payment, go now!' before going back to her call, "So you better prepare for them, because they will make that steel box of an oily bucker move like the wind. You'd practically be already here by now. Just so you know, I own every place, and every thing, all across the seven hundred different countries. Not only am I in possession of uncountable wealth, but I am also changing my life and being loyal, acting kindly, giving generously, speaking honestly, and allowing laughter, all of this will flow through me like magic through my horn. If only that storm cloud knew what unholy retribution it would have received by shutting down your train, it would have stayed the buck away. Unfortunately it couldn't, it didn't, and now sunbutt and moongirl are on the way to fix it. I will cast 'Haste' on that thing and the paint will peel off of it, oh wait it's already here. Wow, okay, yes I see you, alright, bye." the pajama-clad mare hung up and returned the cellphone to the conductor on the platform. "We did it, Miss Sparkle," the white and blue pair called out from on top of the train. "Thanks kiddos, I'll be leaving then, see you next year." the lavender pony waved goodbye, grabbing the money bag and galloping off to give it to more ponies in need. Approaching the orphanage, she found Scootaloo hovering above the empty money cloud. "Did you make it rain?" the mare queried. "I made it rain on them pones." the filly answered. "Good, come on, every orphan's getting a great meal today!" the unicorn used her magic to throw open the doors to the ratty building. Several badly dressed and relatively thin fillies and colts jumped at the noise. "Hello, my little ponies, I have come bearing good will to all. I have been changing my life today, and one of my many improvements is that I shall find homes for all of you!" the rich widow proved her philanthropy by brandishing several folders, each containing many documents about families who would love to have a little one join them. Blooming stepped out of her office with a yawn, having ended up sleeping in there after a late night of number crunching and paper signing, "What's with all the noise? Oh, hello Miss Sparkle, did you need something?" she was too tired to act afraid, and the wide smile the unicorn held made her a lot less threatening. "Yes, take this money and these papers, use the money to buy a big feast and split the rest evenly amongst the foals and yourself, these documents detail excellent families who want a little filly or colt in their home. I implore that both of these things be done posthaste, anyways, I need to head to my usual merchants and give them a few apologies, arrivederci!" she trotted off, dropping an extra paper at Blooming's hooves. The paper was a form dictating that Crepuscularity was adopting Scootaloo, signed and dated by the both of them. ~Some time later~ "...and each time her hooves touched me, it felt like a fire of comfort had been ignited on the spot, oh if only you could have seen Seasonal, she was so beautiful, she actually had similar colors to you, Scoots," the now-jolly mare reminisced, already calling Scootaloo by pet names. "Wow, she sounds like she was really amazing, I wish I could have met her," the orange filly wished as her wide eyes of wondering were filled with images of the dearly departed pegasus. "Yes, I wish I could see her again, but oh how fate is a cruel monster, and thus we were torn apart by the hooves of an anonymous being, but the day still breaks, the sun still rises and burns bright, as does the moon gently illuminate the night, the stars shine, the grass grows, the snows fall, time carries on, and I am willing to carry on with it." something happened just then... Everything was silent, even for only ten or so seconds, everything was silent. No chattering, no clopping of hooves, no words, no clatters or clacks or thuds or anything. No tinkling laughter haunting her anymore. That once angelic sound that had plagued her for a long, cruel, painful decade of insanity and darkness, it had been silenced, replaced with a gentle, silent, smiling face. Then the sounds from the outside came back in, this time more gentle sounding, more vivid, more real, it was all real, it was all 'the now', it was all glorious. She saw the whole world in a new light, the muted tones and drab, depressing grays replaced with bright hues and orderly grays that kept the harmony of it all. "I feel amazing, come, Scoots, come with me, we shall stop this incessant snowing," she vowed, charging full gallop towards the weather team office building. ~Some time later~ The weather ponies had turned her down, saying that they would have cleared the sky if they could, but they couldn't, so they wouldn't. She brushed off the word "can't" with little more than a laugh, asking what made them unable to do this task. Apparently, they lacked the necessary pony-power to do it, if they had two or three more pegasi, then the snow could be gone in a jiffy. Giving up the task with a small frown, Crepuscularity made her way to the bakery. Once there, she immediately dug the Cake couple out of debt, explained her goals and change of heart, and paid them ten times over for what she had received the previous day, and told them to bake up what they could for a large dinner for all. "We're sorry, Miss Sparkle, but we don't have the supplies for any more food today," they lamented, looking at the ground and sniffling in sadness. "That is unfortunate, WAIT! Actually, I remember that I had a very large cake and a very large pie at home, I formally invite you two to join me for dinner," she offered, receiving two furiously nodding heads in response, "Alright, my place, six PM, we're having a big group dinner, bring what you can!" she shouted as she galloped off towards Sweet Apple Acres. ~A few minutes later~ The Apple family agreed to join her for dinner, and bring a few extra things, because a really big cake and a really big pie wasn't going to satisfy the large group. Crepuscularity did a headcount, herself, Scootaloo, Profit Spotter and Sweetie Belle, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith, that was nine ponies, a large group indeed. Trotting home with her recently adopted daughter in tow, Sparkle's wide smile never faltered, and the warmth in her heart never flickered. She was at peace, at harmony with herself and the past, present, and future. Many hours of games and fun between the unicorn mare and the pegasus filly passed, it was a good time, a genuinely good time. Dinner came around and everypony ate heartily, there was no food coma, no thieves, no out-of-control fire, Crepuscularity had done it, she had banished the coldness from her heart and the evils from her mind. She had reclaimed sanity and learned the magic of friendship. *knock knock knock* rang out from the door, and standing behind that door was Thunderlane, one of the Ponyville weather ponies, a bowl of salad balanced on his back, "I hope I'm not late to join. I know that I'm kinda inviting myself to your little party, but I've nopony to spend Hearth's Warming with, if you would allow it, can I come in?" he nervously asked, though his anxiety faded away when the mistress of the house smiled at him. "Of course, the more the merrier, come in, come in, get out of that pesky cold," she insisted, waving him in and brushing some snow from his form. "Oh yeah, about the cold, sorry to say this now, but it'll be months before the weather team can clear the clouds, snow clouds are always the hardest to get rid of. I said this earlier, but if we had three or four more ponies, then it would be a lot easier," he apologized, waiting for a response as he quickly gulped down his salad. "Bah humbug, I've ceased to care about the cold, it doesn't bother my anymore, enjoy yourself, let loose and unwind, we're all good friends here, aren't we?" the lavender hostess queried, receiving several nods of genuine approval. It was nice knowing that ponies agreed with her not because who she was on the outside, but who she was on the inside. "I think almost all of us know that feeling, sonny, if we had another set of hooves at the Acres, we'd be right set and fine," Granny Smith empathized, putting an elderly green hoof on the pegasus' shoulder. "Same here, you poor thing, if me and my husband had our own extra set of hooves at the Corner, we'd be good off as well," Cup Cake agreed, putting her blue hoof on the dark gray stallion's other shoulder. "Alright, come on everypony, I think it's time to gather around the fire and tell Hearth's Warming stories," the rich unicorn announced, directing everypony to the living room area. She saw that the three ponies in need of physical help were still standing in a group, frowning at their misfortune of lack of help, though a hint of a smile at their current situation of good company. "Come on you three, maybe after a few days of looking, I or you will find some ponies to help you in your plights, but for now it's time for stories, so get your flanks in he-" she was cut off by a sudden knocking. *knock knock knock* came from the door, and Crepuscularity threw the doors open to see who stood upon the other side. Three adorable little fillies, looking like they belonged at the orphanage, were standing on the other side, looking up at her with youthful, yet very judgmental eyes. A very tiny cyan pegasus with a short rainbow colored mane poking out of her dark green toboggan, a dark green sweater that was possibly wet clung to her torso, and a diaper on her rear showed that she was either extremely young, or poorly raised. A not-so-tiny pink earth pony, with a darker pink mane in a frizzled mess, her black jacket and purple scarf were visibly stained with dirt and a few pieces of rock, her light blue eyes were filled with wonder and passion. A large, probably a young teenager, orange earth pony, a brown Stetson capping her blond mane kept in pigtails, and a brown and green coat kept her torso warm. "Hello, Miss Crepuscularity Sparkle," they greeted simultaneously. The lavender unicorn backed away from these pint-sized abominations, "You, I know exactly who you are!" she accused, grabbing the doors with her magic and trying to slam them shut. Passion Action and Red Harvest merely put their hooves up and stopped the mahogany barriers from closing, showing surprising strength. Aurora Pass deadpanned as she and her fellow ghosts dropped the façade and turned back into adults, frowning at how the living unicorn backed away from them. "Listen, we're not here to collect your soul or something, we're here because you passed," the cyan mare explained, removing her pacifier and diaper as her companions threw down their respective feather headpiece and bloodstained harvesting scythe. "You're here for what?" Crepuscularity asked in disbelief. "Let me explain. This might take a while, so can we come in?" the ghost of the past asked. "Um, okay, come on in," Sparkle agreed, leading the three employers and three ghosts to her living room. The introductions were made, albeit in a very awkward scene that couldn't bear to be written, and Aurora Pass, the ghost of the past, sat down and began her explanation. "Alright, so here's the story," she began, the fire blazing behind her as she started explaining her and her fellows' presences. Author's Note CLIFFHANGER, next chapter will be the never-before-seen part of the story, Hearth's Warming Day, Night see you in that chapter, which is the next, a chapter which will come out (hopefully) before the year is over. Merry: Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, Hearth's Warming Day, and all that good jazz and such. Hearth's Warming Day, Night"Alright, so here's the story," the cyan mare began, the fire blazing behind her as she started explaining her and her fellows' presences, "We were asked to do this to a thousand ponies, a THOUSAND ponies, and as it just so happens, you were our final one, so all we have to do to be free of our ghost forms is to show you the 'good times' visions." she stood up, flaring out her wings before being stopped. "Wait, what do you mean the 'good times' visions?" Sparkle asked in confusion. "Alright, here's the story from the beginning, we were created by Saint Nickels, a sainted business pony who once held the Element of Harmony known as generosity, now, among his friends Gorge Washing of honesty (and cherries, and leadership), Michael-Jacks of kindness (and creator of many child-related laws), Jef Done-Ham of laughter (his first name is an old word for puppeteer), 'Master Chef Pity Offerer of the Navy' Jacques Worsheveti, a bearussian/prench soldier and bearer of loyalty, and Gendelf the Grey of magic, anyways, these five always called him Saint Clause, because back then 'clause' meant 'really fat', and through their casual teasing Saint Clause threw himself into working on going above and beyond his element's requirements and started the whole 'giving gifts' thing, because he started it on Hearth's Warming," the pink mare paused for a breath, as she had said all of that in one go. "What does this have to do with you three coming here again?" Scootaloo asked. "Well squirt," Aurora took the reins of the conversation again, ignoring the orange pegasus' glare of extreme anger, "Allow me, so Saint Clause was doing his thing, being awesome and going fast, like me, but unlike me, he was very precisely giving gifts, when he noticed that an awful lot of ponies were on the 'naughty' list, many more than he could bear to see, so he found the three most naughty ponies in the world, and that was us three. Now of course, our names as living ponies didn't fit the 'ghost' thing," she paused to breathe before continuing. "So he took me, the new Aurora Pass, once the most ill-trusted pony in the world, ill-trusted because I was incapable of understanding my job at a basic level, yet I had managed to lie my way to the Captain's position, he made me the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Past, because my past achievements and experiences, things that I couldn't do or see anymore, were the very things that, by clinging onto them, were making me act the way I was in the present, so thus I was, Aurora Pass, the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Past," she finished, bowing her head as her body was encompassed in cyan energy. "OOH OOH, me me me, my turn, so I, Passion Action, was too caught up in the 'now' that I made a lot of mistakes that made a lot of ponies mad at me, but I didn't think back to what I could have done to make them act this way, or towards the future to think up how to make them stop, I just did what I wanted to do, and what I wanted to do was retaliate, so I started being a really big bully myself, taking every single opportunity to belittle and insult every single pony I met, just to make myself feel better about what they had done to me, I was too busy do MY thing that I didn't notice they had stopped doing THEIR thing, and so Saint Clause, with his magic he had learned from ol' Gendelf the Grey, turned me into a ghost and tasked me with showing ponies 'both the good and bad things that come from living in the now', and my name was changed to Passion Action, because it fit my new job!" she exclaimed, having managed to say all of that in a single breath. "Right, my go, so I was having a good life as a young mare, youthful energy still ran through me, occasionally enjoyed a few vices, y'know, drinking, smoking, earning a few dozen extra bits from some gambling. So I was living on a farm with my parents, this was actually after the cherry farm from Gorge Washing had been replaced with apples, after his death, so I was never looking out ahead, and one day, WHAM, I was pregnant and my parents were dead. So I keep on keeping on, trying to make due with what little I had left, it was actually a long time after that when I was made the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Future, Saint Clause was so generous, he waited until my son, Acorn Seeds, was legally old enough to live on his own, then I was whisked away and made a ghost. From then on, I've been in this gig with Aurora and Passion, scaring naughty ponies straight for the past century, ponies like you, who don't care about what tomorrow brings as long as today is alright," the orange mare told her story, tears freely flowing as she thought about her child, left without a mother to help him survive. "So, that's our stories, and now here's the kicker, since you successfully took our lessons to heart and changed your ways, we will show you visions of the good things in life, future, present, and past, you've developed memory problems, so this is even better, first up is the future, the good future," Aurora gestured a hoof for Red to start. All of the other ponies watched in awe as the air took on an orange hue, and Sparkle was gifted a vision of good things to come. She saw herself and Scootaloo, a series of clips, each about five or six seconds long, showing many happy years of life ahead. According to her new visions, if she continued down this path of harmonious living, she would have many happy years ahead of her. She saw herself, her daughter, even some grandfoals and great grandfoals. It ended with a much longer clip, the last year of her life, Scootaloo had become old and gray, the pegasus' children were aging well, her great grandchildren were still young, perhaps mid-to-late-twenties. "I hear that I've a double great grandfoal here, please, let me see her," the old and dying Crepuscularity asked in a gentle, yet gravelly voice. "Here she is," the earth pony great granddaughter-in-law said, lifting a tiny unicorn foal to the greatly-loved matriarch. She was so small, so precious, so cute, she looked almost exactly like Crepuscularity, except the stripes in her mane were azure and magenta, like the colors of the earth mare's mane. "Hello little one," the white maned unicorn gently greeted the foal, who cooed in response and 'boop'ed her great-great-grandmother's nose. "Hehe, my my you're quite the cute one, you look so much like me, it's crazy, what's your name?" she asked, her ragged voice low and still gentle. "Her name is Dawn Twinkle, we named her after you when we saw how much she resembled you," the father of the foal informed, smiling to the older unicorn as he wrapped a foreleg around his wife, flaring up his magic and fixing a few loose hairs in his daughter's mane. It showed the extremely elderly mare, never leaving her spot in her bed, playing with her half-pint lookalike, yet through all the wrinkles and sagging skin, she was smiling, and she was happy. The next clip showed her tombstone, which read: Crepuscularity Sparkle 979 AN - 1079 AN A good egg and a great pony. Owned all, loved all, and loved by all. A true and honest friend, a benevolent boss and philanthropist, a wonderful and caring mother, An unforgettable legacy. Rest in Peace and Happiness The lavender mare let out a few tears of joy at this vision of a wonderful and long life. "Now then, the good things in the present, what your contributions today are doing already," Passion announced as she took over with her pink aura. This time, she was met with images of many smiling faces, the faces of those present, then the many orphans and the families she had given them, everypony was happy, they all were smiling and laughing, the foals already felt at home, and the homes already let them into their hearts. It was short, sweet, and to the point, many ponies had been dredged up from the brink of destruction, and everypony had been united under her in prosperity. "Alright, now for something special, your memory problems made you forget this, but I think you'll like it," Aurora announced as she got onto the metaphorical stage, the air bathing itself in cyan color. Sparkle was greeted by an image of herself, younger, before the incident with Seasonal's death, it was a beautiful night out, however the night didn't even hold a candle to her wife, who looked like she had stepped out of a masterpiece. The memories came flooding back, it was on this night, a few days before the work really picked up, that the two mares decided to try out a spell that Crepuscularity had found. It cut ahead to the aftermath of the spell, and she saw what she must have been blind to miss, Seasonal was pregnant with Crepusculariity's foal, she could see the small form getting bigger with each passing second, before the hard part came up. Seasonal was at the hospital, alone, after offering to her unicorn wife to come with her, but the stupid lavender mare was too busy organizing brushes, combs, and money, to come with her. The foal was birthed, a beautiful pegasus filly..... Her eyes were like her foolish unicorn mother's, purple, well, more like violet. Her mane was like a mix of the dark blue, the purple, and the pink, a pretty violet hue. Her coat, the purple had been split in half, to red and blue, and the red part went through, mixed with the yellow, and produced a vibrant orange. It was Scootaloo, Scootaloo was her biological daughter! Unfortunately, Aurora accidentally kept it going, showing Seasonal putting Scootaloo in a basket, then leaving her on the porch of the orphanage, the mother's tail stained with blood, leaking from her nethers due to the extremely-recently birthed foal. How the gentle, soft mare managed to walk coherently, much less supporting a wicker-basket, was beyond Crepuscularity, but the scene cut off there, and the truth was clear. "Would you look at that, our last run in this job and it's the most heartwarming," Passion said with a giggle. Sparkle felt that she was being hugged from the side, hugged by her daughter, not just adopted, but her real, biological daughter, and she hugged her little offspring back. "D'aaaaaaawwwwwwww," the trio of ghosts sounded simultaneously at the sight, before a bright white light encased all three of them. Several pulses and sickly ripping sounds were heard, and when the magic dismissed itself in an explosion of red and white energies, in front of the large group stood three, very much living, ponies. Rainbow Dash, a speedy weather pony who knew the value of both loyalty and the ending thereof. Pinkie Pie, a bright party pony who knew the importance of when to enjoy life for what it is, and when you needed to take a step back and look at the past or the future. Applejack, a strong farmer who knew the value of being honest with your abilities, and your limits, and knowing when the think ahead. "Wow, that was, I... I feel warm, is that what blood-flow feels like? I had forgotten." Rainbow Dash said, looking down at her fleshy forelegs. "Whee! The air is so tasty, and the smell, oh I missed being able to smell!" Pinkie jumped up and down, smiling and giggling at the revitalization of her senses. "Um, girls, we' gonna need, uh, what's the word? Oh yeah, we' gonna need new jobs, y'know, since we ain't ghosts no more," Applejack broke the mood. The three mares looked at each other, then to Crepuscularity, who looked at Thunderlane, the Cake couple, and the Apple family. "Hey, you three," she said to the pegasus, the wife, and the grandmother, who all perked up at being addressed, "I think I know some ponies who can help you after all," the unicorn said with a grin. ~Some time later~ It was late, and all but the three former-ghosts and employing-ponies had departed. "So, is this okay with you all?" the business mare asked, looking at the three pairs. "Yeah, if what Dash here says, about being as good as five weather ponies combined, then the weather team can clear the snow clouds away no problem!" the dark stallion was excited to get to know the rough'n'tough cyan mare. "Yes, and Pinkie here says that she was once a baker as well, so I think things will word out fine," Cup Cake answered, trying to keep the pink mare from constantly bouncing. "Eeyup, it turns out that Applejack here, being Acorn Seeds' mother, is actually mah granny. It's kinda funny since, because she's still so young, I could'a been her granny, I mean, mah name is Granny Smith fer cryin' out loud, but what was I sayin'?" the elderly green mare put a hoof to her chin in thought. "We'll be fine, since we all came back to life in the same state we were in right before we got turned into ghosts, I'm still plenty strong enough to do farm work," Applejack assured, adjusting her Stetson and giving a smile. One by one, the three pairs set off home, leaving only Crepuscularity and Scootaloo in the library/house/mahogany tree. "So, mom, is it time for bed, or?...." the little filly trailed off, looking up at her mother with a cute face. "I'm afraid so, I need to keep my sleep schedule somewhat regulated. Don't worry, tomorrow we'll get all bundled up nice and warm and go play in the snow, how's that sound?" the older mare replied. "Sounds good," Scootaloo said, jumping up into the air and getting into a hover. "Hey, look at that, you're flying," Sparkle congratulated. Scootaloo perked up and look at the floor, which was still farther away than normal, and getting farther away. With the little pegasus' success at flying, the ghost's reappearance and revival, and the worst chapter of her life, all behind her, Crepuscularity put her daughter to bed, and climbed into her own bed. She could feel her wife's caring hooves wrapping around her as her body relaxed, realizing that she was still wearing the dearly-departed's pajamas, but did not want to take them off. This time, she felt truly loved, loved by many ponies, even her wife from beyond the grave, and then, then she did something that she hadn't done in a long time. She smiled, really and truly a full smile, finally everything was better, it was all good. Yes, everything was just fine. Author's Note so that's it, the conclusion to 'The Story of Crepuscularity Sparkle: a Hearth's Tale of learning Friendship' leave your opinions on the ending below, and I'll (hopefully) be seeing you all for my next story, whatever it may be. check out my other works, and finally: Thank you for reading.
Hearth's Warming Eve, DayCrepuscularity awoke with a start, sitting in her chair with a book on her lap, wearing her pajamas. "Bah, I must have fallen asleep reading again, not that it matters much what I do." she looked up to the large painting above her fireplace, a painting of Seasonal Wind, her late wife. She looked so beautiful, with her ever-lengthy mane draped around her as she sat in the chair in the painting, she was wearing a modest dress that only served to amplify how lovely she was, from her wide eyes full of wonder for the world, to her gentle smile, to her buttery coat and pink mane, her caring hooves.... Her tinkling laughter, it still haunted Sparkle even ten years after the accident. Seasonal had gone out to do something, offering for Crepuscularity to come with her, but the lavender mare was busy arranging her brushes and hair trimmers. The yellow pegasus didn't return that night, or the next, or for the rest of the week, Sparkle didn't notice that her wife was gone until she had received a letter in the mail, the letter informed her of the funeral being held for her wife. The business mare had poured every resource possible into the event. The last time she saw Seasonal's peaceful face, that was the last time she felt happy. Now, Crepuscularity had grown cold and distant to everypony by this point, she had vowed to never brush or trim her mane or tail again after that, and it showed. Her violet magic placed her tophat on her head, putting on a sweater under her business coat, pants on her hind legs, she was ready to brave the cold. Whipping winds filled with frost and snow attacked her as soon as she stepped out of the Golden Oaks Library, she never liked the cold, it made her feel practically dead. Trotting through the streets, her presence halting all public displays of affection, smiles, laughter, even foals playing in the snow stopped where they were, only for some to fall to the ground due to being airborne when she arrived. 'Good, I hate all of this Hearth's Warming Eve joy and cheer, it makes me sick,' she thought, reaching the final road until she was at her offices. "Heeheehee, nice outfit Missus Sparkle." a peal of laughter followed, making Crepuscularity stop in her tracks. "Who dares laugh in my presence, even more so daring to laugh at myself?" she demanded, turning to the source of the giggles. It was Little 'Loo, as most ponies, including herself, called her, her real name was Scootaloo, but the nickname was more popular because she was smaller than the average ten-year-old. "Sorry Missus Sparkle, it's just that usually you rich ponies keep the 'wearing pajamas at all times' thing inside your houses," the orange continued laughing, pointing to the older mare's backside. Crepuscularity looked, finding that the 'pants' she though she put on were still her pajamas, what was even worse was that she had been wearing her wife's pajamas, the pale pink ones with little hearts and butterflies on them. Mortified, she looked back to the bit-less filly and said, in the most threatening tone she could muster "DON'T, call me, Missus," she commanded, making the violet maned pegasus shrink back in fear. Smirking at her success, she trotted the rest of the way to her offices, a place that used to be called 'Carousal Boutique' before she bought it up and made it the headquarters for her business empire. Throwing open the doors with her magic, she announced her presence with a "HO HO HO, Bah humbug, time is money, so if you're wasting time, get the buck out of here and find new employment," her words were filled with venom and wrath, looking at the group of ponies standing in a group, huddling together and talking quietly. "I SAID, get to WORK, MAGGOTS!" she yelled, she didn't often yell, just talking calmly and condescendingly. The value of this act made her workers jump in surprise, and Profit Spotter, her favorite advisor, came to her side as she walked among the desks. "Missus-" she was shot a deadly glare, "Right, sorry, Miss Sparkle, I and your associates have been crunching the numbers for a few minutes now, and-" she was cut off "Excellent efficiency, keep this up and I might actually give you that pay raise I joked about at that party you threw on my birthday, what was the offer again?" the amethyst eyed CEO tapped her chin in thought. "Doubling my pay, going from two bits an hour to four bits an hour, ma'am." the white unicorn reminded in a hopeful tone. "Oh yeah, I forgot, in that case I'm more than likely not going to do that, so, right, what was the result of these number crunches?" her tone gained the slightest hint of excitement. "Well, the time needed to process the paperwork for the profits gained from today, being Hearth's Warming Eve, today's shopping done by the citizens, would not be worth the coal in the furnace to keep the office lit and warmed," Spotter nervously suggested. "I understand what you are saying, you're saying that it would be more profitable to close the office for today than get the coal for the furnace to keep it running and have the place open?" Sparkle re-worded "Yes, if we were to gather the files for today, then we would be able to work it out a few days from now," Spotter clarified, still nervous and now twiddling her curly indigo mane with her hoof. "A few days from now?.......... wait a second, are you trying to get extra time off? Because you spent your one day this season to have your birthday, and I'm not going to pay ponies for slacking and lollygagging." the suited mare's tone turned spiteful. "Please, I beg you, we all beg and grovel at your hooves, Miss Sparkle, please let us have this holiday off, we worked through Heart's & Hooves Day, didn't wear green on Saint Pine's Day, didn't play pranks on April Foal's Day, Mother's and Father's Day, forewent eggs on Bunny Day, stayed silent during Harmonization Day, we worked extra hard on Labor Day, didn't wear costumes on Nightmare Night, worked till two in the morning on Black Friday, took down the flags on Veteran's Day, brought our own items on the nice little get together at the end of the day on Thanksgiving, can we please, please please please have this Hearth's Warming off from work?" Profit broke down crying, wallowing on the floor at her boss's hooves. "Ugh, well, since you provided a good point on profits, as you always do, Spotter, and you have worked every day of the year thus far, and given your immaculate record of service, I shall prove my benevolence and allow you both today, and tomorrow, off from work," she finally agreed, getting a round of cheers in response. "I will, however, expect you to return December the twenty-seventh, ready to continue your filing and signing again," she continued, receiving several enthusiastic nods. "Alright, now get out of here before I change my mind, I need-" her employees galloped past her, exiting to the streets to return home, "-to lock the doors," she finished, her face deadpanning as she fumbled around in her coat pocket for her keys. "No need, darling, I have a set right here," Profit informed, levitating out a key-ring with her light blue magic. "When did I give you that?" Crepuscularity asked in confusion. "I... I live here, remember darling? This used to be my house before you bought it, my sister and I live upstairs." the blue-eyed advisor pointed to the mostly unused second floor. "Oh yeeeeeaaaaah, I forgot, right, well, get yourself something pretty," the lavender CEO directed as she levitation-tossed a measly four bits over to her employee. "Thank you, Miss Sparkle, thank you," the alabaster advisor said in gratitude as she pocketed the money. "Don't mention it," Sparkle replied, stepping outside, she spun around and quickly added, "Seriously, do not mention this to anypony." at that, she slammed the door shut. Walking down the street, feeling less cold than before for some reason, she suddenly heard "Hey again, Miss Sparkle, nice you see you're still rockin' the jammies." the young pegasus giggled. "Shut up, 'Loo, why do you bother me so much?" the amethyst eyed widow queried, rubbing her temple in mental pain. "I don't have any friends, everypony always picks on me because I'm so small." Scootaloo sadly answered, looking at the ground with a frown. "Oh, well then, I could be your friend." Crepuscularity offered, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Really? You would really do that? Be my friend?" the orange filly perked up in hope. "No, I would not 'really do that', I am not your friend." the lavender mare shot down the hope with a fiery bolt of magic and despising. "Oh, *sniff* I see..." Scootaloo slowly walked away, on the verge of crying. Crepuscularity turned her nose up, before a snowflake landed on it and melted, she shivered, feeling like she was freezing. Why was it so cold out here? "Bah humbug, it's all simpleton's rubbish, Hearth's Warming and good cheer and snow, they don't realize that bits make the world go round, and I control the engine," she cursed the season, the holiday, and the weather all in one go, trotting faster to get to the bakery before too many other ponies got there. She was right about one thing, she was the richest mare in the whole world, she had monopolized all of Steurope and Haysia, in fact the only place in all of Equus that she didn't own was the Castle Canterlot, home of Celestia and Luna, the princesses of night and day. "CAKES, where's my melon?" she demanded the lowly bakers her lion's share of the food. "We're sorry, Mistress Sparkle, we have the cake you wanted, but as bakers, we don't grow fruit," the poorly couple profusely apologized, laying the stiff box of cake before her. "Bah humbug, I suppose if you had a third pony working here with you, you would do better?" she guessed. "Yes, yes we would, oh please if you know of anypony who can fit this role, we would be ever thankful," they pleaded, hoping that the rich mare would at least take pity on them. "I know nopony of the sort, goodbye and keep your Hearth's Warming away from me." she spat before departing, telekinetically grabbing up a random pony sitting in the corner and hitching him up to a cart placed outside. "Pull this, I don't want my cake getting damaged, you got that?" she instructed, turning away from the stallion and leading him to her next destination. Sweet Apple Acres, a rather large farm run by three ponies, Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and Applebloom, she had ordered a pie from them for her Hearth's Warming dinner. The air seemed to be like anti-fire, consuming her with coldness and frost. The exchange was made, they could have used, nay, absolutely needed another pony to help them, but she did not know of any pony to help. With the pie, as wide as her foreleg was long, and literally pulled straight out from the oven onto her cart, she led the poor stallion to her home. Grabbing the easily carried baked goods in her telekinesis, she turned to the dirty furred, puppy-dog-eyed stallion, looking at her as if wanting some money for his service. "You can go now," she said, destroying his hope, turning to her door, throwing it open, and trotting inside without another word. The stallion frowned, his gaze falling to the ground as he walked away, sighing. Crepuscularity placed the cake and pie on her mahogany wooden kitchen table, lit the fireplace in the living room with her magic, stripped out of her business clothes, and sat in her chair in front of the fireplace with a book. "Ah, a nice book to read on a night that I don't want to think about, it's perfect," she sighed, looking up at the painting of her beloved before looking back down at her book, tears threatening to come out of her eyes and stain the pages. *knock knock knock* "Ugh, who in tartarus is knocking?" she groaned in frustration as she trotted over to the door and opened it. On the other side, was Scootaloo, looking up at her with wide, hopeful eyes, a small, gently smile, and gently grasped in her hooves was the bottom half of a broken bottle of apple soda. She had apparently been using it as a cup, as it had a few copper bits in it, even a silver in the mix, "A little bit of good will for the homeless?" she asked, her voice soft and filled with trepidation. The rich widowed mare looked both down at, and down on, the orange filly, had cheery young Little 'Loo really been reduced to common begging? Oh but how she looked so much like Seasonal, if her colors were lighter, she would have passed for a filly version of the dearly departed pegasus, she felt like she was in the presence of her wife reincarnated, and that vain hope made her groan in pain. "Get away from me, your presence fills me with emotions that I hate," she spat, her voice filled with the most potent venom she had ever dished out, "And you should give up on begging, because begging will get you nowhere," she added, knocking the makeshift cup out of the orphaned filly's hoof, sending the bits lost into the snow and the glass shattered against the exposed cobblestone street. Scootaloo failed to contain her sniffling and crying this time, trudging home to the orphanage with empty hooves and wet eyes. *WHAM* the door slammed shut. Crepuscularity sat down in her chair again, looking at her book before practically tearing it open to read it. The lavender grouch read for almost an hour before hearing another knocking on the door. *knock knock knock* "Ugh, I said stop begging, begging gets you nowhere." she complained to the pony behind the door. She looked out the window, it was light out, but a look at the clock told her it was the evening, so it should have been dark. *knock knock knock* "Alright, alright, I'm coming, hold yourself." she assured, walking over to the door and throwing it open. The widowed unicorn blinked in surprise at the sight, rubbing her eyes to make sure she was seeing right, and biting her foreleg to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She was neither on drugs nor asleep, nothing was affecting her perception of reality, but she was still seeing this... sight. "Hello honey, it's been a long time," Seasonal greeted her still-alive wife, her teal eyes shone in the dim light, her wings were larger and more powerful, and her ghostly giggle was even more beautiful and angelic than when she was alive. Crepuscularity promptly fainted. Author's Note here we go, the first part of this four part story, here's to hoping it's good enough for the readers. Another note, there's no normal Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack in this story, so that's why the cakes were alone and Sweet Apple Acres only had three ponies. Next part will be 'Hearth's Warming Eve, Night', coming soon.
Hearth's Warming Eve, NightCrepuscularity Sparkle woke with a start, laying in her bed, she had just had a horrible dream where her dead wife's ghost had come back to haunt her. "I'm not here to haunt you, dear, but I am here to warn you," Seasonal spoke up, her voice was somehow both louder and more gentle than when she was alive. "GAH, get away from me, demon!" the lavender unicorn shouted, flailing her hooves forwards and scooting back as far as she could. "Angel, actually, I hate to say it but the only one here that will be a demon is you." the butter yellow pegasus' tone shifted to a grim one. "What? How can that be, am I not to arrive at the pearly gates, dressed in my finest garb, ready to meet the great Faust?" Sparkle asked, her half-happiness at seeing her wife again shattered. "No, the only gates that you shall see are those of basalt, and the only great one you will meet is Luscious Light, who will ensure that you will be wrapped in chains made of your transgressions and burn for all eternity, forced to walk Equus forever, you shall have no mouth, but you shall have only one desire," she paused, taking in a large breath. "What will be my desire?" the unicorn pleaded for the answer. "Your only thought, is that you must SCREAM!!!" the deafening booming of the usually soft mare's voice obliterated Crepuscularity's resolve. "How may I make myself well again? How will I get the chance to walk the heavens with you, my beloved, oh please help me, help me help me help me," her cries for help were miserable and pitiful, tears streaming out of her eyes in thick rivulets. "Well, since you asked so nicely, and I can tell that you truly desire freedom from this cruel fate, you will be given a chance." Seasonal agreed. "Oh thank you, thank you thank you thank you," Sparkle entered the grateful mantra, planting kisses all over her wife's ghost's face. Gently pushing her alive wife away, Seasonal Wind entered a state of seriousness, her eyes becoming like things unto hypnotizing beacons of power as she unleashed the most powerful 'The Stare' she had ever pulled off. "It is ten in the evening, starting at the break of AM, you shall be visited by three ghosts, one every hour, on this night, they will show you the ways to right yourself from your wrongs and take hold of the greatest power of all, the only one that matters, the magic of friendship," she explained, her pink mane billowing on an unfelt wind. "Okay, then what?" Crepuscularity begged. "Then you keep living the life they will show you how to live until the day that you die," Seasonal cooed, running her hoof through her wife's mane, straightening out the massive knots and tangles that came with a decade without brushing it. The lavender mare calmed her trembling worry at the feeling of the caring hooves massaging her scalp. "Now sit tight and wait, or get some sleep, it doesn't matter, they will still come and they will wake you up," Wind informed, standing up and walking over to the door, trotting out and closing the mahogany construct behind her, "WAIT, who will these ghosts-" she threw the door open and saw nothing but darkness outside, no ghost of her wife, just silent snow gently falling, "-be," she finished, closing the door and turning to the fireplace. She looked at her chair, then to the fireplace, still burning bright, and she sat down in her chair. Laying back and relaxing as much as she could, she decided to wait for the ghosts. She fell asleep....... ....... darkness..... ..........*bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong* the clock struck eleven........ ................ crackling of the fire........... ...........*bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong* the clock struck twelve.............. ........................ where were the ghosts?............. .............*bong* the clock struck one............... "Did I miss them? Are they late?" she said as her half-conscious mind got worried. "Hay no I'm not late, I'm never late, in fact I'm always early, comes with the job." a brash, young sounding voice said, and the lavender mare snapped her head towards the direction it came from. "Why are you dressed like th-" she was cut off by the blue pegasus putting a hoof to her mouth. The rainbow maned mare stepped back, "I am Aurora Pass, the Ghost of Heath's Warming past, and about my clothes...... weeeeeeeell .................. "O-*crck*-kay, *hmph* I won't say any-*hnn*-thing." Crepuscularity then proceeded to burst out laughing. "Well, don't you think you were cute?" Aurora's voice came from below, and Sparkle looked down to the floor. There was herself, as a foal, staring up at her with a hateful expression, "What about your wife?" a pillar of green flame rose from her form, changing her shape from the lavender foal to the buttery mare. "Oh, how about that cute little orphan whose hopes you spread your legs and pissed all over," the ghost's tone turned harsh as she took the form of Scootaloo, even the ragged, dirty little jacket and torn up toboggan that she wore were perfectly replicated. "Y'know, for the richest and smartest mare in the world, you are one poorly idiot," the ghost spat at Crepuscularity in the unicorn's own voice, giving her a taste of the venom she so often sprayed at others. "What do you mean?" the unicorn hesitantly queried, trying to control her accelerating breathing. "And that's why you're so daft, let me show you something," the cyan mare not so much offered as commanded her. Without waiting for a response, the room took on a cyan hue, then went dark, shifting from her library's living room to the streets of Canterlot. "Look there, you greedy bitch," the spirit spat, still using Crepuscularity's voice in that harsh, condescending tone. The unicorn mare saw a little filly, herself when she was younger, running from pony to pony. "Hello sir, do you need something?" the cheery unicorn asked. "Not anything you can give properly," the stallion replied in a ragged tone, hugging her trench coat closer. "You nearly avoided an off-white Hearth's Warming there," the pegasus jeered, laughing a bit. "Oh, madam, can I help you?" she ran over to a straining mare, nearly running into her. "What can you help with? You're just a little filly, you can't help me, you can't help me at all, what can you even do? Do you even lift?" the older unicorn insulted, continuing on her merry way with a cruel laugh. "And yet you stayed happy, where did that go? Was it with your brother?" the scene changed to herself, older, she remembered this painful memory, she had just banked her first hundred-thousand when she was called home. "We formally regret to inform you, that Captain Shining Shield, was found, KIA, compensation to you for his services will arrive in three to twelve business days," her mother read before breaking down into sobs, having held the waterfall of tears back long enough to finish reading. Everyone cried that day, and Crepuscularity didn't even have the courage to give her parents her own letter, the one telling them about her and Seasonal's wedding. "Oh yeah, your wife, let's see how that went," the ghost said, now she was just being cruel, putting Crepuscularity through all of this. Then again, she had been through it once, and while it was bad, she had survived, so how bad would a second time be? Even worse than the first time, because now she was seeing her wife, Seasonal Wind, on that day ten years ago. The day she died. She was at the orphanage with a basket, she knocked on the door and gently placed the basket onto the porch, leaving a note. The only thing she could see now was the note, which read, "We offer our deepest condolences, love Seasonal Wind and Crepuscularity Sparkle." "Did she give them some food or something?" Crepuscularity asked feebly, her emotional reserves having almost dried up already. "Something, I can't say what, that's a piece of information for you to earn," the rose eyed spirit challenged before changing the scene again. Seasonal was walking through the streets, slowly and weakly, her tail wet with blood, her eyes red and puffy from crying, fur on her face dark and stained from tears. "Oh, I hope things will be okay," she muttered, stumbling out into the middle of the street. "Hey Seasonal, are you alright, darling?" it was Profit Spotter, waving the pink maned pegasus over. Wind only stared, unmoving, unblinking, before her eyes closed as she blacked out from what looked to be pain. Profit was about to shout to her friend again when a motorized chariot swerved around the corner, running the yellow mare over. A montage of images later, from picking her up and taking her to the hospital, the doctors pronouncing her dead on arrival, the wound being patched up anyways, the body being preserved while everypony she knew was informed, and finally Sparkle standing there above her wife, who looked so peaceful despite how messy she had been made by the accident. Crepuscularity didn't even know that her wife had been killed by a driver, she thought it was a mugging turned to murder. After one last kiss which drained her of all positive feelings, she turned to Profit, who was standing nearby. "I want the motherfucker who did this found. I want them found. I want them brought to me with a bag on their head. I want them DEAD! I want their whole family DEAD! I want their house burned to the GROUND! I want to go there in the middle of the night and PISS ON THEIR ASHES!" the lavender mare was fuming with rage as she imagined the things she would do to the bastard/bitch who did this. All the while, Spotter wrote down what her boss was saying, "...aaaand piiiiss onnnn theeeeiirrrr ashheeees," she read as she wrote, putting the notepad and pen away. Little did her employer know, she felt at least partially responsible for what happened. The scene faded away, and the lavender mare and cyan ghost appeared back in the former's living room. "You cannot let your wife die for the both of you. You cannot let yourself become cold and hard because you lost somepony warm and soft. You must learn to not let loyalties get in the way of living, and learn to be magical in ways not of the horn, but of the heart. You will learn to be friendly before the morning's light." the ghost began to fade away as the clock struck 'quarter till two' "Remember these words: To be better, today is perfect day to start; it doesn't matter the weight of your purse if you're poor in your heart," the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Past faded into nothingness, leaving only the slight echo of its final words. The lavender mare looked around for any evidence of the ghost's presence, no marks or damages to the floor, no scratches on the window or anything. The only evidence of the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Past's presence was herself, Crepuscularity. "Remember sweetie, two more ghosts to go, and I forgot to say before, but you look very cute in my jammies," Seasonal's voice giggled from out of sight, the lavender mare felt like she was going insane. Was she going insane? Or was she losing her insanity and seeing the light again? She stood there, contemplating that question for almost ten minutes. *bong bong* came the clock, snapping her out of her deep train of thought. Nothing, she went back to thinking. "So what's passed is past, I don't need to worry about it anymore," she thought aloud. "NOW you're gettin' it, good job Crepusky," a happy voice congratulated, and a new spirit appeared. "I'm Passion Action, Ghost of Hearth's Warming Present, let's make my lesson more interesting with a SONG!" the pink mare cheered as a strange tune began playing. "I'm not very confident in your ability to teach me something," Sparkle theorized, looking at the oddly dressed ghost in disbelief. "Shut your mouth, you silly filly, and follow me, so that I may show you what is in the now," the spirit grabbed the rich pony and tugged her off to someplace else. Sparkle blinked and was now peeking in the door of Profit Spotter and her little sister Sweetie Belle. "Oh Sweetie, I'm sorry that I can't get you what you wanted, but the ol' mare Sparkle didn't give me much to buy with," Spotter lamented as she looked at her savings, only nine bits to her name, barely less than the cost of a week's worth of food, not enough to buy a cool gift. "Oh well, I'm sure that Miss Sparkle probably forgot to give you a bit of extra money, I can go without that copper bell for a while longer," somehow the little filly was blind to how greedy Crepuscularity was. "Yes, maybe when I head down for work the day after tomorrow, she'll feel generous and give me a few extra bits," Profit sadly proposed the idea, that, while nice, she felt would be next to impossible to come true. The lavender mare, peeking in through the door, felt her head clear of some sort of haze she didn't know it had been filled with. "If I knew that they were this bad off, I would have given her forty bits," she said in regret. "Hm? Who's there?" Spotter said, thinking that she heard something. "Wait wha-" the business pony was cut off by Passion. "Oh shit I forgot," the spirit grabbed the living mare, a pink hue overlaying the latter's vision. When the white unicorn opened the door, she stared right through the pony in front of her, as though she wasn't even there. Hovering away from the HQ of the business, Action breathed a sigh of relief. "In my excitement to learn you new things, I forgot to put on the ghostly aura of lessons, we almost got caught," still the pink mare cheered as the pair flew through the sky. "So I was actually right there in the hallway, it wasn't just a vision?" the lavender mare asked, taking in the gentle sound of the wind, even in the vision, she felt the debilitating cold, though it seemed to be much less intense than usual. "Yep yep yep, that was actually happening right now, and you're about to see something else, remember what Aury said about you pissing all over Little 'Loo's hopes?" her chronically happy voice was really odd when she said things like that. "Yes, and I regret doing so," the amethyst eyed unicorn shed a tear. "Well, that little piss is about to turn into a full on shitstorm," the pink mare pointed to the orphanage. "Oh no," Crepuscularity was worried. "Oh yes," Passion was not. Descending into the dirty building, the hovering pair found a stressed out old mare writing something down. "The numbers, Miss Charm, what do they mean?" Scootaloo had entered the room and was now hanging off the edge of the table by her forelegs. "Now now, Little 'Loo, you can just call me Blooming," Blooming Charm insisted, chuckling at cute the little filly looked with her hat off and her violet mane all messed up. "Alright, Miss Blooming, the numbers, can you tell me what they mean?" Blooming continued chuckling at Scootaloo's adorably missing the point. She stopped chuckling and looked down at those wide, violet eyes of wondering with her own downtrodden green ones, "I'm sorry, I know you did your best, everypony did, but we don't have enough bits for a Hearth's Warming Day dinner this year," she apologized, though she knew that she didn't really need to, it still made the truth a bit easier to deal with. "Oh, okay, I understand," Blooming knew the tone Little 'Loo was using, it was the tone she used when she blamed herself for something. "It's okay, it's not your fault, it we had only a bit more money, about seven or eight bits, I could place the order for the food, but we're short." she winced when she realized she had said 'short', the one word Scootaloo hated as much as 'chicken', but the little pegasus didn't notice as she sniffled. "I had nine bits in the little cup I was using, but then I tried to get patronage from Miss Sparkle, and she slapped my cup out of my hoof, the cup broke and the money got lost in the snow, and she shouted at me, saying that begging would get me nowhere," the orange orphan cried. "It's not your fault, that old bitc-er, grouch is always trying to make everypony feel bad, don't let it get to you," the older mare comforted, rubbing the young pony's back and fixing her mane. Crepuscularity felt a stinging in her heart and in her face, then she realized that Action had slapped her across the face. "A young, poor, defenseless filly is crying because of you!" the blue eyed earth pony reprimanded, "Shame, all of the shame on you, you retched scum of a mare, you.... you're bad, you're just really bad," the pink mare said with a frown, leading her charge back to her home. Standing once again on the wooden floor of the library's living room, Crepuscularity felt awful. "The current moment demands that I leave you, but I will say that you need to learn to laugh WITH good things in life, not AT them, and learn to be generous to others and not yourself. I must go at this moment." the pink mare instantly disappeared. A small note was all that she left behind, it read, "Take some advice from Pasheezy: there's more to life than your work, take it easy," she read, before the note disappeared as well. Looking at the clock, the lavender mare found it to be five minutes until three AM. "Okay, I can do this, I survived the past and present, how bad can the future be?" she considered grabbing her purse and making a break for the orphanage, the zebra-fur-woven pouch was hanging on her coat-rack, right by the door, and if she galloped at full speed, she could make it. "No, no it's not worth it, I'd just be dragged back here by the final specter, I'd better just stay, besides, like I said, how bad could the future be?" she had tempted fate, and fate had a negligibly short temper *bong bong bong* the clock struck three in the morning. The air grew thick, everything was silent except for a hollow *clop, clop, clop* An icy cold hoof placed itself on her flank, another immediately on her shoulder, she looked up, seeing a pair of glowing, toxic green eyes staring down at her. She felt even heavier after the cloaked pony jumped off of her back. "W-w-w-who are you?" the pajama clad mare asked in fear. "Mah name, is Red Harvest, I have taken a break from my job as the reaper of death to be the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Future, I felt as though the two jobs would be quite similar. I am here, not to make you feel better, but to make you emotionally suffer for your crimes against friendship and harmony by showing you what lies at the end of this path you have chosen." the grayish-orange pony was backing Crepuscularity against the wall, standing tall and horrifying over the lavender unicorn. "I would normally say: I'm going to get down on the level of you 'mortal' folks," she cleared her throat, preparing something big. "I, I don't...." Sparkle was confused and afraid of this grim thing. "BOO!" Red shouted. "AAAAAAHHH!" the mortal pony shrieked. "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!" *whimper* "WITH NOPONY TO LOVE YOU AND NOPONY TO CRY!" *sob* "ALONE by YOURSELF, on THE BED of YOUR DEATH, with THE STENCH of REGRET, on YOU LAST DYING BREATH!" the spirit shouted at her with more fiery fury than the sun itself, getting only pitiful mumbles in response. "You've chosen the rotten path of a selfish fool, the innocent blood of Little 'Loo, will be forever on YOUR hooves," the green eyed mare reprimanded, she was telling the utmost truth when she said she would make Crepuscularity emotionally suffer. The scene shifted as her vision took on an orange hue, "The penance you'll pay, the one for the way you behave, will be written as plain, clear as the name on this grave." the ghost pointed to a lowly, cheap, secluded, wood-carved tombstone, with the name 'Crepuscularity Sparkle' engraved into it as neat and readable as day. "But I can't be blunt with you, so I'll show you what happened while you were dead," the spirit informed, the scene shifting to what looked like a few days prior. "I say, these sheets and blankets, they're quite soft, I'm surprised you managed to save these," a shady business pony appraised some folded up fabric creations The sheets and blankets from her bed, Sparkle realized. "Well, I mean, after that ironic death, it was hard to save anything, but we actually snuck in before, we were going to kill her ourselves, but then that thing started up and we hightailed it out of there, fabrics in tow before the heat got turned up," the first of the looters laughed, his friends joining in. "I'm surprised, they're still warm from her sleeping in them," the shady pony noted. "Then give us tenfold the price, because this is something rarer than the wonders of the world, the only warmth that Crepuscularity Sparkle ever had," the second looter jeered, earning a few harsh laughs from her fellows. "Come on, rake over the dough, oh wait, Sparkle kept all the dough in the world locked up in her personal vault, I'm surprised she didn't swim in her gold instead of taking showers or something," the third looter joked, her friends let out their own laughs, even this pawn-broker-type pony was laughing. "Well, she ain't got it all anymore, selfish bitch, here ya go, I've been needin' something pretty," the pony's tone shifted to a friendly one as he hoofed over a bag of bits. The scene shifted to some time before that event, showing a pair of police ponies looking at a huge scorch mark on the road. "So, cause of death?" the first mare asked, pencil at the ready. "Burnt to a crisp," the second mare replied, using the still-hot cinders to light a cigarette. "So, what caused the accident?" the first mare asked the hard question. "Three ponies who claim to have broken into the place before it happened claim to have stolen her beddings. Then they had gone downstairs to kill her, only to find her passed out in a sugar-induced coma. This was from trying to eat a whole bunch of food by herself, they say that she had already eaten almost everything on the table, and had her face laying on a small piece of pie. *sigh* She was still trying to eat it up, despite already having just about everything. Hehe, that sounds like a euphemism for her monetary greed as well. Anyways, apparently that was when the fireplace, which she had left unattended, sparked up and caught the floor on fire. Since this whole place was literally a huge mahogany tree, it was easy to turn it into a huge fireball," the second cop explained the huge mess. "Wow, her greed ended up killing her, what a shame, and on Hearth's Warming Day as well," the first cop sighed, putting away the notepad and starting the motor-chariot up, driving away. The scene shifted to another bit of information, to add insult to injury, she found out that Little 'Loo had died of a heart failure, and apparently she halfway looked up to Crepuscularity, as a role model no less, a role model on how to get at least somewhere in life. "Oh no, this, I don't want this to happen, not at all," she realized something, "Wait, this happened on Hearth's Warming Day? No, it can't be..." she looked over to a dinky little newspaper stand currently being manned by a little purplish-gray unicorn filly with a blond mane. "News here, get your news, nothing to say about ol' mare Sparkle, you can see for yourself over there, but the other news is over here, read all about it," the filly called out her wares. "Hey little filly, where's your mom, isn't she usually running this thing?" a light brown stallion asked, adjusting his green striped scarf, which he had tied into a bowtie, which somehow looked kinda cool. "She's at home with the feather flu, so I'm standing in for her," the little unicorn smiled in joy at getting to do a 'big pony thing' like selling newspapers. "Alright, well I'll take a paper then, keep the change," he insisted, grabbing one of the carefully folded papers and tossing over six bits. "Thank you sir, have a happy Hearth's Warming Day!" she cheered to the departing earth pony. "Right, you too." he said, before reading the paper aloud, not seeing the Hearth's ghost and technically-a-ghost behind him. "Alright, Ponyville Times, December 26, 1010..." he turned around when he heard a strange set of hoofsteps behind him, "GAH, I told you to leave me ALONE Harvest, I already learned about Hearth's Warming Eve, I don't need to see the centuries of pain and infinite lack of being ginger, so GO AWAY!" he shouted at the now-confused ghost. "Ya can see me?" she asked. "Of course I can, why shouldn't I be able to?" he queried. "I'm in 'ghost mode', partner, so I don't need you seeing me, so... stop it." the grayish-orange mare pulled out a pile of green dust, throwing it into the stallion's face. "*coughing fit* Oh dear Celestia, why does my head hurt? Oh well, let's see, Ponyville Times, December 26, 1010...." he muttered as he walked away. "I hate that guy," Red Harvest groaned as she rubbed her temples. "I wasn't paying attention to what happened in the past minute, but I heard that stallion say December 26, 1010, that's...... that's the day after tomorrow! This year!" she exclaimed. "Yes, yes it is, so listen, if you don't change tomorrow, or actually it's later today since it's about a quarter after three in the morning, then you're going to drown in sugar and die in a fire, basically," the green eyed spirit explained. "I'm not sure it will lead up to that," the lavender business-mare said in disbelief. "Well, let me illustrate this, I'm going to do an impression of you." the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Future pulled out a harvesting scythe and pulled back her hood. Everything stopped, the sun stopped shining, the birds stopped chirping, it was silent and dark, yet still cold. Crepuscularity was standing in her living room, looking down at the ground at a pile of ash, a pile of worthless ash, this was what she would become if she didn't change very soon. The ashes whisked into a gout of green flame, leaving behind a note, which read, "Learn to be honest with yourself, and others, and learn to be kind, or ponies will be just as cruel as you." it flipped over, "Take home message: These are not the things that will be, these are only things that may be, if you change your ways now, you will be saved from a death that is most ironic." it changed to a picture of a pony made of ice, surrounded by fire. That was her, she had been a cold, cruel monster, and she would burn to death for it, forced to carry flaming chains made of her sins afterwards. She broke down crying, she could feel it, the last of her foolish insanity dissolving with an uncomfortable heat in her head. Resolving to turn things around as soon as possible, she raced upstairs and got into bed, she would need plenty of sleep if she was going to fix her life later that day. As her body relaxed, she, for the first time in a long time, felt at peace, like a horrible nightmare had ended and been replaced with a sweet dream, a dream of her hopes and desires. A second first, for the first time in a long time, though she was in complete solitude in her curtained bed, she didn't feel alone. Things would get better, they had to, if they didn't, then she would make them get better. Even though it was already the next day, she felt like when she woke up, it would be a new day, a day to change everything. Tomorrow, even if it was technically 'later', she still called it tomorrow. Tomorrow would be alright. Tomorrow would be just fine. Author's Note yeah, a few references in here, especially using the last line of the Season 3 finale in the last line of the chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter coming tomorrow, or I guess later, since this is at, like, before 1AM here, anyways next chapter is 'Hearth's Warming Day, Day', followed by the never-before-seen epilogue, 'Hearth's Warming Day, Night' see you all later, and please give your opinions in the review section, I love hearing you guys'/girls'/others' opinions.
Hearth's Warming Day, DayWhen the day broke, Crepuscularity jumped out of bed with a rejuvenated energy in her heart. It was Hearth's Warming Day, wait... was it? She had stayed up an awful long time... Bursting out onto her balcony, she looked down and saw Little 'Loo walking past, and called out to her, "HEY YOU, Little 'Loo!" she called down. "GAH! Oh, Miss Sparkle, hello, what has you up so early?" the poorly pegasus asked, worried for backlash. "What day is it?" the rich unicorn demanded, though trying to sound nicer than normal "Why it's Hearth's Warming Day of course, though some hearths are too poor to be warmed on the outside, everypony's hearts are warm inside," the filly recited the tale. "Y'know, Little 'Loo, I always kinda liked you, listen up," the lavender unicorn levitated over her key ring and tossed it down to the orange pony, "Take this and open my front door, I'm changing my whole life around, all in this one day!" the business mare cheered, levitating over a scroll and pencil. Okay, let's see, fix up things with Little 'Loo, working on it, Profit Spotter, the Cake family, the Apple Family, everypony in town. She was going to have as much Faust-damn fun as she could with this redemption. Rushing down stairs, she grabbed her tophat and suit jacket just as Little 'Loo opened the front door. "Quickly filly, remove those grubby clothes, put these on!" she said, not waiting for a response as she tore the ragged cap and dirty sweater off of the pegasus, shoving her own fancy clothes into the filly's grasp. "Are you sure?" Scootaloo asked as she put on the new clothing, it was a lot warmer and more comfortable than her old stuff. "Sure I'm sure, now come on, I need to be generous!" she grabbed the pegasus up and placed her on her back, galloping off with various money pouches in tow. Bursting into the bank, which still had a few ponies present, though they were cleaning the place, Crepuscularity shouted, "Fill these bags with my money, please!" she asked politely. A few minutes of stumbling and stuttering from the janitors later, and she had huge bags of bits. "Okay, time to get a bit silly here, because being silly is something that I really need to get a dosage of," the older pony said, throwing Little 'Loo up onto a low-lying cloud, "Take this half of the bits and rain money onto the poor, I'll do the 'buying stuff' part, oh I feel a blazing warmth in my soul, the deathly chill of my heart is no more!" she felt very warm as she ran past the tiny pegasus, off to the market district. Her whole body felt warm, as warm as her heart was right now. Everypony was surprised to see the richest mare in the world. running through the streets like a psychopath, wearing nothing but her pajamas, shouting "I'M CHANGING MY WAYS!" to practically everypony she passed. She bought everything from everypony managing a stand, then gave everypony the food she just paid them to get. "Take the money, and the food, eat heartily this Hearth's Warming Day, 'tis a gift from the NEW Crepuscularity Sparkle, take from it to your hearts' content!" she cried out, emptying hundreds of bits into the hooves of the merchants. Everypony looked to her, then to the money, then back to her, then they took the money and food and left. Crepuscularity's smile only got wider when she saw how happy she had made everypony, she received many 'thank you's, not of desperate gratitude, but of genuine gratitude. She galloped to the place where many homeless ponies often sat around and talked. "Hello dear ponies in need, I, Crepuscularity Sparkle, am changing my ways, take this money and live well from it, 'tis a gift from me on this Hearth's Warming Day," she announced, dropping the last of the bags of money to the usually sad ponies. She ran back to the bank to fill up on bits again, then went to her checklist. "Let's see, first up now, Profit Spotter," she read, before rushing out again and to her offices. Unlocking the doors and throwing them open, she ran up the stairs and to the room she remembered was occupied by Profit and her sister Sweetie Belle. "HELLO PROFIT AND BELLE!" she announced her presence with a mighty shout that reverberated throughout the room. The indigo maned mare and her two-tone maned little sister looked up from their game of chess and plates of oats to see the richest mare in the world, in nothing but her pajamas, looking like she just ran a marathon, and carrying huge bags of money. "Profit, I am changing my ways. I need to be more honest to you, you have faithfully served my business empire for fifteen years, half of my business life. I am sorry that I only gave you a measly four bits, here is the rest of what you deserve, and from now own, your wage is tripled!" the lavender unicorn threw down the bag, the bits inside spilling out like sand. "Let's see," Profit muttered as she began magically counting the money, "That's...... four THOUSAND BITS?" she exclaimed in surprise. "Yes, that is everything you have earned from me, take it with gratitude, I must be on my wa-" she was cut off by a worried 'oh no' "Oh no, I forgot, darling, my parents are travelling here by train. They said they would be here," she paused to look at the clock, "...a half-hour!" "Don't worry, I shall teleport us to the train station," Sparkle assured, before her magic flared up and the three unicorns disappeared. The ponies at the train station were startled when a loud *ZHAOW* sound from the ending point of a teleportation rang out, depositing Crepuscularity Sparkle, her advisor Profit Spotter, and her advisor's litter sister Sweetie Belle. "When does the next train arrive?" the stripe-maned CEO demanded. "GAH! I-I-it wil-l--l-l ar-r-rive as s-soon-n-n a-a-as y-you want it, miss-s-s-s Sparkle," the conductor stuttered. "I want it to arrive within the next few minutes," she commanded. "It will surely do so, I-" the stallion was cut off by a ringing in his pocket, "I'm sorry, let me see who- OH, that's the conductor aboard the train, I need to take this," he excused himself, taking a few steps away. Sparkle watched him mutter a few things, then turn back to her, "The train will be delayed, a stray storm cloud crashed into it and shut off almost all of the equipment on board, their conductor was lucky that her cellphone wasn't affected, so she could tell me. The ETA has been pushed back from 'a few minutes from now' to 'hopefully before tomorrow', it's really bad," the conductor lamented, somewhat saddened by this development. "Give me the phone, now!" the rich pony wasn't going to have this bullshit 'train got EMP'd and can't run' nonsense, she put the phone to her head and began. "Hello, what's the hold-up? Give it to me straight and simple," she asked calmly. "Train, not working, sorry, it gonna be late," the somewhat butchered equish came through very clearly and simply. Sparkle lowered the phone, looking at the ground, muttering, "I'm going to be different, I'm going to be polite, I'm going to be.... ah to tartarus with it I can make up for it in a bit," she groaned, raising the device back up to her head. "*ahem* What the buck did you just bucking say to me, you little foal? I'll have you know that I graduated top of my business class in Harsvard University, and have established ownership over ninety nine point ninety nine percent of the world, and have over three hundred trillion confirmed bits in profits. I am masterfully educated in monopolistic business techniques and am the richest thing on this planet. You may be little more than a train conductor, but I will see to it that you will be well set for the rest of your life if you get off of your questionably-sized flank and get that train to Ponyville within the hour, mark my bucking words down on a piece of parchment. Do you think this is a game? I am Crepuscularity Sparkle herself, I own everything, as we speak the Princesses Celestia and Luna come to me to pay to keep their positions as princesses," she paused as indeed the alicorn sisters descended to the platform and bowed before her, dropping a large bag of money at her hooves. "Madam Crepuscularity, this week's pay-" Celestia was cut off by a hoof gently placing itself on her mouth. "Shhhhhh, the adults are talking," the lavender unicorn shushed, before turning back to her call, "Right, where was I? Oh yes, they pay to keep their positions as princesses, but I am sending them to fix your train now," she gestured for the princesses to move, whispering 'go, forget the money and get that train running, if you do, you can keep you positions for a whole year without payment, go now!' before going back to her call, "So you better prepare for them, because they will make that steel box of an oily bucker move like the wind. You'd practically be already here by now. Just so you know, I own every place, and every thing, all across the seven hundred different countries. Not only am I in possession of uncountable wealth, but I am also changing my life and being loyal, acting kindly, giving generously, speaking honestly, and allowing laughter, all of this will flow through me like magic through my horn. If only that storm cloud knew what unholy retribution it would have received by shutting down your train, it would have stayed the buck away. Unfortunately it couldn't, it didn't, and now sunbutt and moongirl are on the way to fix it. I will cast 'Haste' on that thing and the paint will peel off of it, oh wait it's already here. Wow, okay, yes I see you, alright, bye." the pajama-clad mare hung up and returned the cellphone to the conductor on the platform. "We did it, Miss Sparkle," the white and blue pair called out from on top of the train. "Thanks kiddos, I'll be leaving then, see you next year." the lavender pony waved goodbye, grabbing the money bag and galloping off to give it to more ponies in need. Approaching the orphanage, she found Scootaloo hovering above the empty money cloud. "Did you make it rain?" the mare queried. "I made it rain on them pones." the filly answered. "Good, come on, every orphan's getting a great meal today!" the unicorn used her magic to throw open the doors to the ratty building. Several badly dressed and relatively thin fillies and colts jumped at the noise. "Hello, my little ponies, I have come bearing good will to all. I have been changing my life today, and one of my many improvements is that I shall find homes for all of you!" the rich widow proved her philanthropy by brandishing several folders, each containing many documents about families who would love to have a little one join them. Blooming stepped out of her office with a yawn, having ended up sleeping in there after a late night of number crunching and paper signing, "What's with all the noise? Oh, hello Miss Sparkle, did you need something?" she was too tired to act afraid, and the wide smile the unicorn held made her a lot less threatening. "Yes, take this money and these papers, use the money to buy a big feast and split the rest evenly amongst the foals and yourself, these documents detail excellent families who want a little filly or colt in their home. I implore that both of these things be done posthaste, anyways, I need to head to my usual merchants and give them a few apologies, arrivederci!" she trotted off, dropping an extra paper at Blooming's hooves. The paper was a form dictating that Crepuscularity was adopting Scootaloo, signed and dated by the both of them. ~Some time later~ "...and each time her hooves touched me, it felt like a fire of comfort had been ignited on the spot, oh if only you could have seen Seasonal, she was so beautiful, she actually had similar colors to you, Scoots," the now-jolly mare reminisced, already calling Scootaloo by pet names. "Wow, she sounds like she was really amazing, I wish I could have met her," the orange filly wished as her wide eyes of wondering were filled with images of the dearly departed pegasus. "Yes, I wish I could see her again, but oh how fate is a cruel monster, and thus we were torn apart by the hooves of an anonymous being, but the day still breaks, the sun still rises and burns bright, as does the moon gently illuminate the night, the stars shine, the grass grows, the snows fall, time carries on, and I am willing to carry on with it." something happened just then... Everything was silent, even for only ten or so seconds, everything was silent. No chattering, no clopping of hooves, no words, no clatters or clacks or thuds or anything. No tinkling laughter haunting her anymore. That once angelic sound that had plagued her for a long, cruel, painful decade of insanity and darkness, it had been silenced, replaced with a gentle, silent, smiling face. Then the sounds from the outside came back in, this time more gentle sounding, more vivid, more real, it was all real, it was all 'the now', it was all glorious. She saw the whole world in a new light, the muted tones and drab, depressing grays replaced with bright hues and orderly grays that kept the harmony of it all. "I feel amazing, come, Scoots, come with me, we shall stop this incessant snowing," she vowed, charging full gallop towards the weather team office building. ~Some time later~ The weather ponies had turned her down, saying that they would have cleared the sky if they could, but they couldn't, so they wouldn't. She brushed off the word "can't" with little more than a laugh, asking what made them unable to do this task. Apparently, they lacked the necessary pony-power to do it, if they had two or three more pegasi, then the snow could be gone in a jiffy. Giving up the task with a small frown, Crepuscularity made her way to the bakery. Once there, she immediately dug the Cake couple out of debt, explained her goals and change of heart, and paid them ten times over for what she had received the previous day, and told them to bake up what they could for a large dinner for all. "We're sorry, Miss Sparkle, but we don't have the supplies for any more food today," they lamented, looking at the ground and sniffling in sadness. "That is unfortunate, WAIT! Actually, I remember that I had a very large cake and a very large pie at home, I formally invite you two to join me for dinner," she offered, receiving two furiously nodding heads in response, "Alright, my place, six PM, we're having a big group dinner, bring what you can!" she shouted as she galloped off towards Sweet Apple Acres. ~A few minutes later~ The Apple family agreed to join her for dinner, and bring a few extra things, because a really big cake and a really big pie wasn't going to satisfy the large group. Crepuscularity did a headcount, herself, Scootaloo, Profit Spotter and Sweetie Belle, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith, that was nine ponies, a large group indeed. Trotting home with her recently adopted daughter in tow, Sparkle's wide smile never faltered, and the warmth in her heart never flickered. She was at peace, at harmony with herself and the past, present, and future. Many hours of games and fun between the unicorn mare and the pegasus filly passed, it was a good time, a genuinely good time. Dinner came around and everypony ate heartily, there was no food coma, no thieves, no out-of-control fire, Crepuscularity had done it, she had banished the coldness from her heart and the evils from her mind. She had reclaimed sanity and learned the magic of friendship. *knock knock knock* rang out from the door, and standing behind that door was Thunderlane, one of the Ponyville weather ponies, a bowl of salad balanced on his back, "I hope I'm not late to join. I know that I'm kinda inviting myself to your little party, but I've nopony to spend Hearth's Warming with, if you would allow it, can I come in?" he nervously asked, though his anxiety faded away when the mistress of the house smiled at him. "Of course, the more the merrier, come in, come in, get out of that pesky cold," she insisted, waving him in and brushing some snow from his form. "Oh yeah, about the cold, sorry to say this now, but it'll be months before the weather team can clear the clouds, snow clouds are always the hardest to get rid of. I said this earlier, but if we had three or four more ponies, then it would be a lot easier," he apologized, waiting for a response as he quickly gulped down his salad. "Bah humbug, I've ceased to care about the cold, it doesn't bother my anymore, enjoy yourself, let loose and unwind, we're all good friends here, aren't we?" the lavender hostess queried, receiving several nods of genuine approval. It was nice knowing that ponies agreed with her not because who she was on the outside, but who she was on the inside. "I think almost all of us know that feeling, sonny, if we had another set of hooves at the Acres, we'd be right set and fine," Granny Smith empathized, putting an elderly green hoof on the pegasus' shoulder. "Same here, you poor thing, if me and my husband had our own extra set of hooves at the Corner, we'd be good off as well," Cup Cake agreed, putting her blue hoof on the dark gray stallion's other shoulder. "Alright, come on everypony, I think it's time to gather around the fire and tell Hearth's Warming stories," the rich unicorn announced, directing everypony to the living room area. She saw that the three ponies in need of physical help were still standing in a group, frowning at their misfortune of lack of help, though a hint of a smile at their current situation of good company. "Come on you three, maybe after a few days of looking, I or you will find some ponies to help you in your plights, but for now it's time for stories, so get your flanks in he-" she was cut off by a sudden knocking. *knock knock knock* came from the door, and Crepuscularity threw the doors open to see who stood upon the other side. Three adorable little fillies, looking like they belonged at the orphanage, were standing on the other side, looking up at her with youthful, yet very judgmental eyes. A very tiny cyan pegasus with a short rainbow colored mane poking out of her dark green toboggan, a dark green sweater that was possibly wet clung to her torso, and a diaper on her rear showed that she was either extremely young, or poorly raised. A not-so-tiny pink earth pony, with a darker pink mane in a frizzled mess, her black jacket and purple scarf were visibly stained with dirt and a few pieces of rock, her light blue eyes were filled with wonder and passion. A large, probably a young teenager, orange earth pony, a brown Stetson capping her blond mane kept in pigtails, and a brown and green coat kept her torso warm. "Hello, Miss Crepuscularity Sparkle," they greeted simultaneously. The lavender unicorn backed away from these pint-sized abominations, "You, I know exactly who you are!" she accused, grabbing the doors with her magic and trying to slam them shut. Passion Action and Red Harvest merely put their hooves up and stopped the mahogany barriers from closing, showing surprising strength. Aurora Pass deadpanned as she and her fellow ghosts dropped the façade and turned back into adults, frowning at how the living unicorn backed away from them. "Listen, we're not here to collect your soul or something, we're here because you passed," the cyan mare explained, removing her pacifier and diaper as her companions threw down their respective feather headpiece and bloodstained harvesting scythe. "You're here for what?" Crepuscularity asked in disbelief. "Let me explain. This might take a while, so can we come in?" the ghost of the past asked. "Um, okay, come on in," Sparkle agreed, leading the three employers and three ghosts to her living room. The introductions were made, albeit in a very awkward scene that couldn't bear to be written, and Aurora Pass, the ghost of the past, sat down and began her explanation. "Alright, so here's the story," she began, the fire blazing behind her as she started explaining her and her fellows' presences. Author's Note CLIFFHANGER, next chapter will be the never-before-seen part of the story, Hearth's Warming Day, Night see you in that chapter, which is the next, a chapter which will come out (hopefully) before the year is over. Merry: Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, Hearth's Warming Day, and all that good jazz and such.
Hearth's Warming Day, Night"Alright, so here's the story," the cyan mare began, the fire blazing behind her as she started explaining her and her fellows' presences, "We were asked to do this to a thousand ponies, a THOUSAND ponies, and as it just so happens, you were our final one, so all we have to do to be free of our ghost forms is to show you the 'good times' visions." she stood up, flaring out her wings before being stopped. "Wait, what do you mean the 'good times' visions?" Sparkle asked in confusion. "Alright, here's the story from the beginning, we were created by Saint Nickels, a sainted business pony who once held the Element of Harmony known as generosity, now, among his friends Gorge Washing of honesty (and cherries, and leadership), Michael-Jacks of kindness (and creator of many child-related laws), Jef Done-Ham of laughter (his first name is an old word for puppeteer), 'Master Chef Pity Offerer of the Navy' Jacques Worsheveti, a bearussian/prench soldier and bearer of loyalty, and Gendelf the Grey of magic, anyways, these five always called him Saint Clause, because back then 'clause' meant 'really fat', and through their casual teasing Saint Clause threw himself into working on going above and beyond his element's requirements and started the whole 'giving gifts' thing, because he started it on Hearth's Warming," the pink mare paused for a breath, as she had said all of that in one go. "What does this have to do with you three coming here again?" Scootaloo asked. "Well squirt," Aurora took the reins of the conversation again, ignoring the orange pegasus' glare of extreme anger, "Allow me, so Saint Clause was doing his thing, being awesome and going fast, like me, but unlike me, he was very precisely giving gifts, when he noticed that an awful lot of ponies were on the 'naughty' list, many more than he could bear to see, so he found the three most naughty ponies in the world, and that was us three. Now of course, our names as living ponies didn't fit the 'ghost' thing," she paused to breathe before continuing. "So he took me, the new Aurora Pass, once the most ill-trusted pony in the world, ill-trusted because I was incapable of understanding my job at a basic level, yet I had managed to lie my way to the Captain's position, he made me the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Past, because my past achievements and experiences, things that I couldn't do or see anymore, were the very things that, by clinging onto them, were making me act the way I was in the present, so thus I was, Aurora Pass, the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Past," she finished, bowing her head as her body was encompassed in cyan energy. "OOH OOH, me me me, my turn, so I, Passion Action, was too caught up in the 'now' that I made a lot of mistakes that made a lot of ponies mad at me, but I didn't think back to what I could have done to make them act this way, or towards the future to think up how to make them stop, I just did what I wanted to do, and what I wanted to do was retaliate, so I started being a really big bully myself, taking every single opportunity to belittle and insult every single pony I met, just to make myself feel better about what they had done to me, I was too busy do MY thing that I didn't notice they had stopped doing THEIR thing, and so Saint Clause, with his magic he had learned from ol' Gendelf the Grey, turned me into a ghost and tasked me with showing ponies 'both the good and bad things that come from living in the now', and my name was changed to Passion Action, because it fit my new job!" she exclaimed, having managed to say all of that in a single breath. "Right, my go, so I was having a good life as a young mare, youthful energy still ran through me, occasionally enjoyed a few vices, y'know, drinking, smoking, earning a few dozen extra bits from some gambling. So I was living on a farm with my parents, this was actually after the cherry farm from Gorge Washing had been replaced with apples, after his death, so I was never looking out ahead, and one day, WHAM, I was pregnant and my parents were dead. So I keep on keeping on, trying to make due with what little I had left, it was actually a long time after that when I was made the Ghost of Hearth's Warming Future, Saint Clause was so generous, he waited until my son, Acorn Seeds, was legally old enough to live on his own, then I was whisked away and made a ghost. From then on, I've been in this gig with Aurora and Passion, scaring naughty ponies straight for the past century, ponies like you, who don't care about what tomorrow brings as long as today is alright," the orange mare told her story, tears freely flowing as she thought about her child, left without a mother to help him survive. "So, that's our stories, and now here's the kicker, since you successfully took our lessons to heart and changed your ways, we will show you visions of the good things in life, future, present, and past, you've developed memory problems, so this is even better, first up is the future, the good future," Aurora gestured a hoof for Red to start. All of the other ponies watched in awe as the air took on an orange hue, and Sparkle was gifted a vision of good things to come. She saw herself and Scootaloo, a series of clips, each about five or six seconds long, showing many happy years of life ahead. According to her new visions, if she continued down this path of harmonious living, she would have many happy years ahead of her. She saw herself, her daughter, even some grandfoals and great grandfoals. It ended with a much longer clip, the last year of her life, Scootaloo had become old and gray, the pegasus' children were aging well, her great grandchildren were still young, perhaps mid-to-late-twenties. "I hear that I've a double great grandfoal here, please, let me see her," the old and dying Crepuscularity asked in a gentle, yet gravelly voice. "Here she is," the earth pony great granddaughter-in-law said, lifting a tiny unicorn foal to the greatly-loved matriarch. She was so small, so precious, so cute, she looked almost exactly like Crepuscularity, except the stripes in her mane were azure and magenta, like the colors of the earth mare's mane. "Hello little one," the white maned unicorn gently greeted the foal, who cooed in response and 'boop'ed her great-great-grandmother's nose. "Hehe, my my you're quite the cute one, you look so much like me, it's crazy, what's your name?" she asked, her ragged voice low and still gentle. "Her name is Dawn Twinkle, we named her after you when we saw how much she resembled you," the father of the foal informed, smiling to the older unicorn as he wrapped a foreleg around his wife, flaring up his magic and fixing a few loose hairs in his daughter's mane. It showed the extremely elderly mare, never leaving her spot in her bed, playing with her half-pint lookalike, yet through all the wrinkles and sagging skin, she was smiling, and she was happy. The next clip showed her tombstone, which read: Crepuscularity Sparkle 979 AN - 1079 AN A good egg and a great pony. Owned all, loved all, and loved by all. A true and honest friend, a benevolent boss and philanthropist, a wonderful and caring mother, An unforgettable legacy. Rest in Peace and Happiness The lavender mare let out a few tears of joy at this vision of a wonderful and long life. "Now then, the good things in the present, what your contributions today are doing already," Passion announced as she took over with her pink aura. This time, she was met with images of many smiling faces, the faces of those present, then the many orphans and the families she had given them, everypony was happy, they all were smiling and laughing, the foals already felt at home, and the homes already let them into their hearts. It was short, sweet, and to the point, many ponies had been dredged up from the brink of destruction, and everypony had been united under her in prosperity. "Alright, now for something special, your memory problems made you forget this, but I think you'll like it," Aurora announced as she got onto the metaphorical stage, the air bathing itself in cyan color. Sparkle was greeted by an image of herself, younger, before the incident with Seasonal's death, it was a beautiful night out, however the night didn't even hold a candle to her wife, who looked like she had stepped out of a masterpiece. The memories came flooding back, it was on this night, a few days before the work really picked up, that the two mares decided to try out a spell that Crepuscularity had found. It cut ahead to the aftermath of the spell, and she saw what she must have been blind to miss, Seasonal was pregnant with Crepusculariity's foal, she could see the small form getting bigger with each passing second, before the hard part came up. Seasonal was at the hospital, alone, after offering to her unicorn wife to come with her, but the stupid lavender mare was too busy organizing brushes, combs, and money, to come with her. The foal was birthed, a beautiful pegasus filly..... Her eyes were like her foolish unicorn mother's, purple, well, more like violet. Her mane was like a mix of the dark blue, the purple, and the pink, a pretty violet hue. Her coat, the purple had been split in half, to red and blue, and the red part went through, mixed with the yellow, and produced a vibrant orange. It was Scootaloo, Scootaloo was her biological daughter! Unfortunately, Aurora accidentally kept it going, showing Seasonal putting Scootaloo in a basket, then leaving her on the porch of the orphanage, the mother's tail stained with blood, leaking from her nethers due to the extremely-recently birthed foal. How the gentle, soft mare managed to walk coherently, much less supporting a wicker-basket, was beyond Crepuscularity, but the scene cut off there, and the truth was clear. "Would you look at that, our last run in this job and it's the most heartwarming," Passion said with a giggle. Sparkle felt that she was being hugged from the side, hugged by her daughter, not just adopted, but her real, biological daughter, and she hugged her little offspring back. "D'aaaaaaawwwwwwww," the trio of ghosts sounded simultaneously at the sight, before a bright white light encased all three of them. Several pulses and sickly ripping sounds were heard, and when the magic dismissed itself in an explosion of red and white energies, in front of the large group stood three, very much living, ponies. Rainbow Dash, a speedy weather pony who knew the value of both loyalty and the ending thereof. Pinkie Pie, a bright party pony who knew the importance of when to enjoy life for what it is, and when you needed to take a step back and look at the past or the future. Applejack, a strong farmer who knew the value of being honest with your abilities, and your limits, and knowing when the think ahead. "Wow, that was, I... I feel warm, is that what blood-flow feels like? I had forgotten." Rainbow Dash said, looking down at her fleshy forelegs. "Whee! The air is so tasty, and the smell, oh I missed being able to smell!" Pinkie jumped up and down, smiling and giggling at the revitalization of her senses. "Um, girls, we' gonna need, uh, what's the word? Oh yeah, we' gonna need new jobs, y'know, since we ain't ghosts no more," Applejack broke the mood. The three mares looked at each other, then to Crepuscularity, who looked at Thunderlane, the Cake couple, and the Apple family. "Hey, you three," she said to the pegasus, the wife, and the grandmother, who all perked up at being addressed, "I think I know some ponies who can help you after all," the unicorn said with a grin. ~Some time later~ It was late, and all but the three former-ghosts and employing-ponies had departed. "So, is this okay with you all?" the business mare asked, looking at the three pairs. "Yeah, if what Dash here says, about being as good as five weather ponies combined, then the weather team can clear the snow clouds away no problem!" the dark stallion was excited to get to know the rough'n'tough cyan mare. "Yes, and Pinkie here says that she was once a baker as well, so I think things will word out fine," Cup Cake answered, trying to keep the pink mare from constantly bouncing. "Eeyup, it turns out that Applejack here, being Acorn Seeds' mother, is actually mah granny. It's kinda funny since, because she's still so young, I could'a been her granny, I mean, mah name is Granny Smith fer cryin' out loud, but what was I sayin'?" the elderly green mare put a hoof to her chin in thought. "We'll be fine, since we all came back to life in the same state we were in right before we got turned into ghosts, I'm still plenty strong enough to do farm work," Applejack assured, adjusting her Stetson and giving a smile. One by one, the three pairs set off home, leaving only Crepuscularity and Scootaloo in the library/house/mahogany tree. "So, mom, is it time for bed, or?...." the little filly trailed off, looking up at her mother with a cute face. "I'm afraid so, I need to keep my sleep schedule somewhat regulated. Don't worry, tomorrow we'll get all bundled up nice and warm and go play in the snow, how's that sound?" the older mare replied. "Sounds good," Scootaloo said, jumping up into the air and getting into a hover. "Hey, look at that, you're flying," Sparkle congratulated. Scootaloo perked up and look at the floor, which was still farther away than normal, and getting farther away. With the little pegasus' success at flying, the ghost's reappearance and revival, and the worst chapter of her life, all behind her, Crepuscularity put her daughter to bed, and climbed into her own bed. She could feel her wife's caring hooves wrapping around her as her body relaxed, realizing that she was still wearing the dearly-departed's pajamas, but did not want to take them off. This time, she felt truly loved, loved by many ponies, even her wife from beyond the grave, and then, then she did something that she hadn't done in a long time. She smiled, really and truly a full smile, finally everything was better, it was all good. Yes, everything was just fine. Author's Note so that's it, the conclusion to 'The Story of Crepuscularity Sparkle: a Hearth's Tale of learning Friendship' leave your opinions on the ending below, and I'll (hopefully) be seeing you all for my next story, whatever it may be. check out my other works, and finally: Thank you for reading.
