Hearths Warming Eve was more than just a night of remembering the foundation of Equestria, friendship, and family. It was a time of blessings. And Applejack had a lot of blessings. For one, she was thankful for the new house she and all her family members had built for her as a gift on her wedding day. It was warm, strong, and had that familiar Sweet Apple Acers smell she loved. Plus, it was only a ten minute walk from her old home where the rest of her family was.
Walking down the stairs covered with silver and green streamers and homemade paper snowflakes with glitter, Applejack couldn’t help but be proud of herself for all her hard work. His stockings were hung, the tree was up, with decorations, of course, and cookies and milk for Santa Hooves were placed in their proper position. Courtesy of Pinkie Pie who was most likely getting ready for her annual “Stay Up Late To Meet Santa Hooves” Party.
Which usually ended up with her falling asleep just before midnight.
But it was also not just any Hearths Warming Eve. It was a certain little filly’s anniversary.
“Appleseed! Where are ya! We’re gonna need to be at Twilight’s for dinner in half an hour!” shouted Applejack, looking around the living room. She heard a little giggle as her ears twitched. Smirking, she looked towards the large set of presents that had already been planted by friends and family with plenty of room for the jolly stallion in red. “Oh, well. Maybe she flew off without me. Ah better just head on outside.”
Applejack walked over to the door and opened it, feeling the chilling wind for a split second before shutting the door. She quickly hid herself around the corner just as a green furred filly with a rose colored mane popped out of the presents. He little filly eyed each present with anticipation as she rubbed her hooves. “Oh man. Which one should I pick? Which one should I pick?”
Snickering at the sight of the gleeful filly’s behavior, Applejack walked right over and whispered, “How about the one from yer Grandpa Light Blitz. He always gives ya Wonderbolt stuff. Makes yer Dash Mom jealous.”
“Yeah, maybe I should-woah!” shouted the filly, turning around and jumping into the air. She glared at a laughing Applejack before landing. “Not cool, Apple Mom!”
“Oh really? Was it cool to think y’all could sneak a peak at one of yer presents early, Appleseed?” asked Applejack, sternly yet with a warm smile on her face.
Sighing, Appleseed answered, “I just wanted one peak. Just one. Pleeeeassseee!” The filly then used the ancient childish and yet highly effective technique known as “puppy eyes” upon her mother. Applejack, having raised a little sister who used the same tactic, shook her head before rubbing her daughter’s head.
“Alright, y’all can open one.” Applejack leaned in and nuzzled her daughter’s face. “But only cause it’s the third year since ya entered our lives.”
Applejack happily watched her second blessing dive right into her pile of presents, only to be disappointed by finding out it was another book from Twilight. While her daughter went about ranting about how it was a crime to give literature at Hearths Warming, Applejack turned her eyes towards a photo of a five year old Appleseed sitting on the laps of her and Rainbow Dash, her wife and final blessing.
A tear seeped into her eye as she could remember that Hearths Warming Eve where she and Dash signed the papers and legally gave an orphan filly a new home and family. They even changed her name, refusing to have the one her birth parents gave her. If they were parents at all. Applejack thanked every kind spirit in the world that her babe daughter was saved after being abandoned by those monsters. She couldn’t imagine life without her, and it almost seemed they were destined to be a family.
She would never forget the look on Appleseed’s face when she entered into her new home with all their friends and family from both sides welcoming her with a surprise party. Her daughter cried tears of joy as she opened her first present ever: a little kitty doll from Fluttershy, her godmother, who she named Kibbles.
“Apple Mom? Why are you hugging me?” asked Appleseed, upon feeling her mother’s forelegs wrap around her.
“Because Ah love ya. isn’t that enough?” answered Applejack, squeezing her daughter with as much strength as she could. She kissed her on the forehead and then said, “Now ya ready to go?”
Appleseed sighed. “I am, but… I wish Dash Mom was here.”
Applejack’s smile faded a bit, but she didn’t let it completely falter. “Ah know, Sugarcube. But yer other Momma needs to work today. It’s that big celebration event in Canterlot and the Wonderbolts need to be there. Believe me, she’d be here if she could, but there are a lot of ponies countin’ on yer Momma. Especially, fillies and colts around her age.”
“I guess, but I just wish she was here…”
Applejack sighed as she grabbed her scarf and made her way to the door and opened it. “Ah know, but tomorrow morning’ y’all will see…” Turning her head, she gasped and nearly fell off her hooves. “R-Rainbow?!”
“Dash Mom?!”
Grinning, Rainbow Dash, in her Wonderbolts outfit, walked inside and proudly fared out her wings. “In the flesh and feathers.”
“You’re here! You’re here!” shouted Appleseed as she nearly tackled her other mother off the ground and kissed her cheek. “I knew you’d come!”
“What? And miss spending Heaths Warming Eve with my awesome family? Not a chance,” answered Rainbow Dash, tossing her daughter into the air and catching her.
Applejack finally found her voice and shook her head. “Rainbow, what are ya doin’ here? What about the event? Ah mean, Ah’m glad yer here and all, but ya job!”
“Relax, AJ,” she said, kissing her on the lips. It seemed to work as Applejack’s shoulders sagged and she soon gave into the kiss. Moving her hoof up, she touched her wife’s cheek and pressed forward, matching Dash with intensity and passion. Appleseed pretended to gag before the kiss finally ended. Smirking, Dash continued, “Turns out one of the Reserves had a son who came to see his father fly. I decided to be the good pony and let him take my place while I came home for the holidays. And don’t worry, I personally train the guy. He’s gonna be okay.”
“That’s great! So now we can have Hearths Warming Eve together as a family!” cheered Appleseed.
Wiping a tear from her eye, Applejack kissed her wife again before answering, “Sure looks like it.”
“Well, then let’s get going to Twilight’s! Last on there is a rotten dragon’s egg!” shouted Rainbow Dash before heading out the door in a blur.
“Hey! No fair!” shouted Appleseed, running outside herself.
Applejack chuckled before she looked around her home. Her family’s home.
Yes, she was indeed thankful for her blessings.
Author's Note
There really is nothing special about this story. I wanted to do something for Christmas (I know I'm doing that with Dance of the Mash but I wanted to do more) and I felt like I wanted to do this kind of story. A story about a family enjoying the holidays.
And I want to wish everybody a Merry Christmas this season for you guys and your families. May God bless you all.
