A Family For Hearth's Warming Eve
"Come on Sweetie Belle, ya gotta see this!" A familiar red-haired Cutie Mark Crusader ran through Ponyville's town square, a white unicorn filly chasing after her.
"Apple Bloom! I can't run that fast!", Sweetie yelled, struggling to keep up.
"I told ya to start exercisin'! Just 'cause yer sister's a priss don't mean you gotta be one!", Apple Bloom called over her shoulder. Suddenly, she skidded to a halt in front of a storefront, her smile widening even further. Sweetie ran up to her, out of breath. Usually Apple Bloom went easy on her, but the Earth pony was really excited about something. She looked up into the storefront, which was being filled with new toys. She gasped.
"Oh my gosh!", she squealed, pressing her face against the window. A bunch of dolls were visible, gowns sparkling. "It's the Canterlot Cuties Grand Galloping Gala set!"
"And lookit all those models!", Apple Bloom exclaimed, pointing. The duo ran into the new store chattering to themselves excitedly. "This is gonna be the best Hearth's Warmin' Eve ever!"
--
"OF COURSE YOU DON'T KNOW! YOU'RE TOO BUSY GALLIVANTING AROUND WITH THAT WHORSE OF A BOSS YOU CALL TAX RETURN!" Shouting filled the moderately-sized house. Scootaloo squeezed herself even tighter into the gap behind the door of the bathroom, tears welling up in her eyes.
"WELL IF YOU'D PUT OUT ONCE IN A WHILE!", a male voice shouted in reply.
"OH, SO IT'S MY FAULT NOW?!", her mother shrieked. A door slammed somewhere below, and they movied right into the room beneath her. She could hear every step from the vent. Her tears turned into quiet, breathy sobs. The fighting had never been this bad before. They'd been at it all day.
"You know what, Brief? We're through! And in fact, you can take the brat too!", her mother shouted.
"You mean Scootaloo? I don't want her! Tax is adamant about no kids! You take her!"
"No! I'm too young to have kids! I'm going to go out and live my life!"
"Well what are we gonna do? Leave her here?"
"Oh that's just a splendid idea! No of course not, what the buck is wrong with you?!" Scootaloo's heart lifted. Maybe her mother did care about her, a little bit! She pressed against the vent hopefully. "No, this is what's gonna happen! I'm leaving! I'm leaving my shit here and going to Las Pegasus! And I'm never coming back!" Her mother strode past her father and ran off out the door. Scootaloo hung her head, her mane falling into her eyes. She must need a haircut...
"Oh she'll be back... But I won't be.", she heard her father grumble, before striding out the back door. The house fell silent, and she stood up, her legs aching. She took a few, stumbling steps out into the hallway and collapsed. She gave a small whimper as she fell, then stood up, shaking. She hobbled across the hall to her bedroom. It could be called pretty, she supposed, with it's dark wood floors, and matching bed with a white bedset. It was empty, though. It wasn't hers, not really. She climbed up into her bed and lay down, pulling the blankets over herself. Snow drifted past her window, the flakes mindlessly falling, the soft powdery white everywhere she looked. Her eyelids felt heavy and closed halfway.
--
In the morning, Scootaloo dragged herself to the kitchen to make herself some cereal, like she did every morning before school. She sat at the exact same table, eating the exact same cereal, in the exact same kitchen, and in the exact same empty house. She swirled her spoon around in the bowl as her bran flakes got soggy. She sighed, then went into the bathroom to get ready. Catching sight of her mane, she stopped, and glared at her mirror.
"Useless.", she spat at her own reflection, then took a pair of scissors and cut her bangs. She'd done it before, mainly to avoid comments of 'Messy-haired ugly brat'. She hated herself. Nopony else's family hated their fillies and colts so much that they had walked out on them. She grabbed her bag and ran out the door, it slamming behind her.
--
The month of December went on, and the snow got heavier with each passing day. School let off a few times. She ignored the letter being left in her mailbox.
"Hey Scoots, why can't we go ta yer house?", Apple Bloom asked one cold afternoon after school let out. Sweetie, who was decked out in Rarity-designed winter wear, nodded in agreement.
"Yeah Scootaloo, you're always at one of our houses or the clubhouse."
"My parents don't like me to bring visitors home...", Scootaloo lied, pawing at the ground nervously.
"Alright then Ah guess my house again?", Apple Bloom asked. The other fillies nodded and they began the trek into Sweet Apple Acres.
--
That night, after helping the Apple siblings with the chores, and a little crusading, Sweetie and Scootaloo laid on the ground with Apple Bloom, each holding a mug of warm, spiced apple cider.
"This is so great!", Sweetie exclaimed happily, with a bit of froth on her face.
"Sure is. Y'all are the best friends a filly could ask for!", Apple Bloom said happily. Scootaloo looked outside.
"It's cold out there...", she said, absent-mindedly thinking of the empty home that awaited her. The heat had shut off about five days ago so she'd made do by getting every blanket in the house, but it was starting to not be enough.
"Sure is sugarcube.", Applejack said as she came through the door.
"There y'are sis! I wanted ta know if Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom could spend the night!"
"It's a bit late ta go visit Rarity and ask'er.", AJ replied hesitantly. A loud crash echoed outside and there's a knock on the door. AJ opens the door and a gray pegasus falls inside. "Well howdy Derpy. Bit late for a visit, ain't it?"
"Sorry Applejack!", the gray mare smiled. "I brought you a note from Rarity!"
"Huh. 'Dear Applejack, do ya mind watchin' Sweetie for me tonight? It's much too cold to come get 'er and Ah know she'll be safe with you.' Well of course Ah will! Derpy, do you mind sendin' a reply?"
"Sure!", Derpy smiled. Applejack scrawled a hasty note and gave it to the pegasus. Derpy opened the door, then stopped, and turned to Scootaloo.
"How come your parents aren't getting the mail?", she asked. Scootaloo panicked.
"They're both on um... business trips! Yeah! Business trips..."
"That's awful, them just leavin' ya with no warnin'!", Apple Bloom exclaimed. Scootaloo looked down nervously.
"Well, will they at least be home for Hearth's Warming Eve?", Sweetie asked.
"No... I don't think so...", the orang filly said, looking down, trying not to cry. "I think they forgot to pay the heat bill too..."
"That's jus' terrible! You can stay with us, if ya need ta, Scootaloo.", Applejack said soothingly.
"Really? You mean it?", Scootaloo asked, her wings trembling happily. The Apple sisters nodded, and she hugged them both, smiling widely.
--
Hearth's Warming Eve approached fast, and on the day of, Scoots, Sweetie, and Apple Bloom made their way to Sweet Apple Acres.
"It's real nice'a Rarity to let ya celebrate with me and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle!", Apple Bloom exclaimed.
"Well we don't usually get to celebrate tonight anyway, usually we wait until morning, so it was pretty easy to convince her.", Sweetie replied.
"I'm glad I get to hang out with you ponies for Christmas.", Scootaloo smiled. The three fillies reached the farmhouse and went inside. Applejack and Granny Smith had a wonderful meal set out for them and they sat down.
"It smells so good sis!", Apple Bloom grinned. Applejack tinged red slightly.
"It ain't nothing...", she said. Granny shook her head.
"No, it's more than that. This holiday is celebrated by all ponies and it's fer fam'ly an' friends. This holiday has reminded all us Apples an' our friends to stay close to each other! And if ya ask me, Scootaloo's parents oughta learn that themselves!", she said sternly.
"Eyup.", Big Mac agreed, then started doling out food to everypony. Scootaloo's eyes watered and she started picking at her plate.
"Scootaloo, you okay?", Apple Bloom asked, drawing everyone's attention to the little orange filly.
"Yeah! Course!", she said, a tear streaming down her cheek.
"Yer lyin', sugarcube.", AJ said softly. "Now why don'tcha tell us the truth. Ain't nopony gonna be upset with ya."
"My parents left...", Scootaloo mumbled.
"We know that, Scoots, you already told us."
"No, they really left me! Dad for his boss and mom for Las Pegasus." Everypony except Big Mac gasped, and even he was shocked.
"Them dagnabbed-", Granny began, only for Applejack to stop her.
"Hush now, Granny. After the holiday, we'll go see Mayor Mare about this. Now all y'all eat your supper. Scootaloo's stayin' with us for now." The meal passed in an awkward silence, until Sweetie stood up.
"I was gonna suggest this anyway, but I think we need it now, more than ever. We should sing some carols!"
"That's a great idea Sweetie!", Apple Bloom said, rather eagerly. Applejack looked over at Scootaloo.
"You okay with that, sugarcube?", she asked gently. Scootaloo nodded and they all grabbed each other's hooves. Big Mac played the melody on a harmonica a step away from the table so the circle was uninterrupted.
"One cold night in old Equestria
A fire blazed in a cave.
Ponies huddled here and there
Around flickering flames."
Scootaloo looked up from the table, and her alto voice, trembling slightly, was added to the chorus.
"Mothers hugged their children
Fathers played their songs.
Warmth and love were freely given
And the ponies praised their dawns.
The love of families kept them warm
When all seemed lost.
And even though it was cold
No one was cross
The love of family and friends
Made everything alright.
And as long as they had each other
They made it through the night!"
The song finished with a trill on the harmonica and Scootaloo gave a small smile. This wasn't so bad.
--
A month passed, and Scootaloo sat with her new adopted family.
"Thank Celestia yer my new sister instead of say, Diamond Tiara's!", Apple Bloom giggled. Scootaloo hugged her best-friend-turned-sister.
"I couldn't ask for a better sister, or a better family.", she said. The two ponies hugged, then continued the walk to the schoolhouse.
"So how are you planning on asking Sweetie out for Hearts and Hooves Day?", Scootaloo teased. Apple Bloom blushed.
"W-what are ya talkin' about?", she protested. Scootaloo grinned playfully.
"You're not fooling anypony!", she said.
"I... I dunno yet.", the yellow Crusader blushed. "But at least Ah know I got my sis ta help me." The two walked through the schoolyard and into the schoolhouse. It was a familiar motion, but for Scootaloo, it was different. It carried with it the feeling of having a family who wanted her.
