Carol of the Scratch

They all learned the true meaning of the holidays. There, I finished the whole story for you. Is this how you want to spend your holiday? Listening to an old hat-rat story? Come on, you know how it goes. Four ghosts come and teach the true meaning of Hearth's Warming, she's a grump about it, somehow a nutcrackers gets mixed in, they get the gifts that the other needed but only by giving up what the other got them the gift for in the first place-- You know all these stories. I mean, really? You want me to sit here and spin the yarn for you again?

Well... I suppose I can tell you a different sort of story... A story or two like the ones you're used to, but with some twists and turns... And some nudity. What? No nudity? Fine... We'll put the nudity on ice for the time being. But for now, we'll crack open our main story for these festive events. This is the story I like to call "Carol of the Scratch". And you should enjoy it; it's based on the true story of how Vinyl Scratch learned the true meaning of the holidays. But, I'll work in a few smaller stories between the plot just to keep things lively... And musical numbers! What? No on the musical numbers too? Humbug...

Who am I? Why, I'm the narrator of course. The one who turns the pages, who sets the stage, who dawns the lights at those moments most somber... You want to know WHO I am? Well... Why not have a little fun with that. Much like a play, I'll intervene between the breaks to sum up what has happened and where we're headed. I wouldn't want you to get lost. And, better for you; we'll see if you can piece together who I am by the end of my show. Anyway, on with it. The show I mean.

This is the tale of Vinyl Scratch, a true lover of the holidays. But, I ask you before the story truly begins: Is it the fire that makes the fireplace, or the wood?

When the first wind blows across the snow powdered streets, the air dances with the beautiful art of unique flakes of white carried by the gentle gust. It's that dance of snow flakes that stays in the eyes of every man, woman, and child throughout this -- the most warming time of the year. Tinsel hangs from street lamp to street lamp, unlit lights wait anxiously as they hug the door frames and windowsills they have been strung to with such care, mounds of pillowed snow collects at the street corners and roadsides from the passing plows. It was in the air and atmosphere: The holidays were about.

The small town of Ponyville was more abuzz than usual with children free from the school bell for a good few days; along with their parents, given a break from the grindstone of the daily work force. Holiday cheer was around every corner; and so was a bell ringer and a caroler or two to hammer in that holiday cheer all the more. Children flooded the streets and parks of the city, laughing and playing as much as they could in this most joyous and free time of the year. But, not all the kids in town were throwing snowballs or dodging street-sweepers. A small group of kids, thick in coats and mittens sat together in the snow, looking to a woman sitting on a bench.

The woman was a fair skinned, mature lady wearing a cream trench coat and tall black boots. Her hair -though powdered with white snow falling down on it- was black and well kept, a beautiful luster to it that brought out her poised purple eyes. She kept her hands folded neatly on her lap as she regarded the small cluster of children looking up at her with amusement. "Come on now, Miss Octavia," the littlest of them, Pipsqueak, spoke up, "Keep on with the story."

The rest of the children -Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Rumble, and Featherweight- mixed in their own urges for Octavia to keep on going. Octavia chuckled a little, letting her breath form a swirling puff before her cold, reddened nose before she rubbed her palms together. "Very well, very well. Now where did I leave the story...?" Octavia raised a brow at the collection of children, a smile of amusement coming to her as she tested their senses of attention.

"You were sayin' the princess ran off from the castle," Apple Bloom chimed in.

"Right you are. I see you were paying attention," the compliment from Octavia made Apple Bloom bloom with pride at her rosy cheeks, "So, the fair princess ran off from her castle, distraught over this momentous calamity she had endured. Rattled to the very core, she darted off into the night, leaving all her material world behind," Octavia carried on, granted losing the children on most of her words but still holding their interest all the same.

"The princess soon became lost in the turmoil of her own despair, sinking into a pit of negativity taken form. She fought, she struggled, and she even pleaded for her worries to stop; for it all to just go away... Care to guess what happens next?" The children murmured amongst themselves, trying to come to a collected conclusion before responding to Octavia.

Before a choice could be decided on by the kids, a girl dressed in a baggy hoodie and a red scarf poking out from the head-hole strode up behind Octavia's bench and leaned over it. Octavia smiled warmly and closed her eyes as she felt the other woman drape her arms over he shoulders and slowly wrap them around Octavia's upper body. "Hey," the other woman smirked as she let her chin rest casually on the top of Octavia's snow dusted hair, "I think I know this story... Yeah..." Octavia lightly stroked her cold fingers against the other woman's wrists as they wrapped around her, "The princess gets saved by a British pumpkin and runs home to plow her knight, right?"

The kids all snickered as they saw Octavia's face turn from content to deep embarrassment from the other woman's answer. "You seem to be skipping a few parts, Vinyl; as per usual..." Octavia's eyebrow twitched as she lowly muttered her words behind clenched teeth, though she still presented a soft and kind look to the children as best she could.

"Details, details..." Vinyl swung around the snow covered park bench and flopped down right in front of the kids. "And they lived happily ever after I hear," Vinyl leaned in to the kids' circle, pretending to whisper those words to them as if it were some big secret.

"Ya' mean it?" Apple Bloom sincerely whispered back as she leaned in with all of the other kids, each of them wanting to know if the story was true.

Behind Vinyl, still sitting on the bench powdered in snow, Octavia lifted one of her cold, red hands; noting the small silver band wrapped around her finger. "The papers have yet to be signed... But the princess and the knights are very close to that happily ever after indeed," a dreamy smile crossed Octavia's lips, all cold leaving her body as she focused on the little ring on her finger.

Vinyl peeked over her shoulder, her eyes that were usually covered by her signature shades were left free to show her dark pink eyes twinged with joy as she looked at her girlfriend. Quickly, she turned back to the kids and waved a dismissing hand at them. "Yah! Yah! Get along, kiddies. Story time's over. Octi and I got a lot to do today," the kids groaned sadly, though those groans were soon replaced by yelps of laughter as Vinyl playfully swung at them and tried to 'eat' them.

As the children scurried away towards the rest of the kids playing, they all looked back to Octavia and Vinyl (who was just now standing up out of the snow to brush herself off) and waved a few goodbyes.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Happy Hearth's Warming!"

"Happy Holidays!"

Little by little the kids all filed away and joined with all of the other children out for the holiday break playing in the snow. Finally alone, Vinyl spun on her heels and looked at Octavia still sitting on the bench. "...So I'm a knight?" Vinyl smirked at Octavia's 'story book' retelling.

"A knight in sour green armor..." Octavia sighed to herself with a roll of her eyes as she stood up. With a gentle hand to Vinyl's flushed, cold cheek, Octavia moved close to her lover and planted a single kiss against Vinyl's warm lips. "...But, my knight all the same. Besides, children these days prefer ambiguity in gender relations. Is the knight a boy? Is it a girl? The point is to make it ambiguous so they don't as if it has to be one way or the other."

"Always a real crowd pleaser, aren't'cha?" Vinyl quickly hooked an arm around Octavia's hip as the two of them started walking out of the park.

Ponyville was alive with the distant sounds of carols echoing through the streets along with the chimes of bells as charities tried to appeal to people's good nature this time of year. Kids and adults alike walked this way and that past Vinyl and Octavia down the snow paved sidewalk. The sun was still high in the sky, making for all the snow that decorated every inch of town to glitter like mounds of sugar. As Vinyl squinted from under her hood, she was silently regretting she didn't wear her shades for once. "Remember, Vinyl. We're having Hearth's Warming breakfast at Lyra's tomorrow..." Octavia casually reminded her blue haired cohort as they continued down the street.

At first Vinyl only grumbled and kicked loosely at a mound of snow, letting the powder splash into the air and dust the road over all the more. "Lyra's?" She whined.

"Don't be so theatrical about it, Vinyl. She's my best friend after all. It wouldn't be the holidays without her," Octavia smiled to herself, thoughts of her eccentric aquamarine haired friend.

"Your best friend... But, whatever..." Vinyl let it go for now. In the end, Lyra wasn't that bad... In small doses. "We're still opening presents at Red's place, right?"

"Oh, of course. I can't imagine Christmas without her and the multitude of cats she keeps," Octavia gave a rare giggle as she started to rest her head against Vinyl's shoulder.

The day was young, but the hours were short. Both Christmas, Hearth's Warming, and many other holidays were at the feet of everyone in town. The decorations were hung and the presents were wrapped, but there was still so much to do. Cook the turkey, stuff the stockings, light the candles, decide on who was going where; it was all for the sake of the rush that came with the holidays. A rush that both Vinyl and Octavia were very familiar with. In fact, they loved it. The two adored the holidays; especially Octavia, a woman who still believed in Santa. As for Vinyl, even as she walked down the streets of Ponyville to get to her apartment, she couldn't help but marvel at all of the Christmas and Hearth's Warming decorations.

Today was the Eve of Christmas and the Dawn of Hearth's Warming, two days from Kwanzaa, and the last day of Hanukkah. There was so much to do, and so little time left to do it.

Christmas: A holiday to celebrate the birth of a savior. A day to give gifts and share in faith that will last you for years to come.

Hearth's Warming: A holiday commemorating the day the nation of Equestria was founded. Now, the day is treated as a day of reflection and brotherhood.

Kwanzaa: What the hell is Kwanzaa? A spiritual time; a time of family and self enlightenment through the mind and soul.

Hanukkah: Seven days of remembrance and faith. Seven days of prayer and faith; of hope and trust in a greater power.

Festivus: Eh. It's a Festivus for the rest of us.