Since We've no Place to Go...
It was the night before Hearth's Warming, and all through the house...Sweetie Belle was bored.
"Ugh...some holiday."
The unicorn paced back and forth in the main room of Carousel Boutique, lost in thought. The sign on the front door read as 'Closed' and Rarity was nowhere to be found. Although Sweetie knew where she was, and was rather angry about the fact that she had gone to Pinkie's Hearth's Warming party without her. Twilight's 'newfound holiday' had petered out rather quickly and Hearth's Warming celebrations took the reins once more. Most of the decorations remained the same, and some Christmas ones managed to find use as improvised decor, especially around the boutique. 'Rarity always manages to find some use for everything...' Sweetie thought as she glanced around the empty boutique, once again letting out a sigh of boredom. 'Can't believe I'm stuck here...any night to be alone, and it had to be this one.' The unicorn thought back to an earlier conversation she'd had with her sister and scoffed. 'Can't believe she'd even ask me that...of COURSE I wouldn't want to go to a party without...' Sweetie plopped down on Rarity's fainting couch, burying her face into the pillow and sighing again. 'Scoots...'
Sweetie had spent plenty of time with her marefriend in the past year they'd been together, but it just so happened that Scootaloo got pulled onto the Winter Weather Watch for the night of Hearth's Warming Eve at the last second. Much as she tried to get out of it, even Rainbow Dash couldn't pull that many strings. Sweetie Belle didn't hold any sort of grudge against either of them for it, but being alone like this on hers and Scootaloo's anniversary was a feeling she never thought she'd have to deal with. Sweetie felt herself prepare to cry into the pillow she was holding, but she quickly stopped herself and jumped to her hooves. "I shouldn't be getting so worked up over this. I mean, it's only another..." She eyed the clock on the wall and saw that it read '4:00'. She slumped back on her haunches and sighed again. "Six hours...and Rarity's gone until long after midnight...if she even stays sober enough to come home in the snow." Recalling her older sister's state during the past three holiday parties, she chuckled to herself. "Not likely."
Sweetie looked the room over twice. "Okay, there's gotta be something I could do..." She spied her music sheets on the counter and contemplated going out, then shook her head. "Carolling's out of the question. Rarity has the only key and, reason for the season aside, if I left the boutique unlocked with her biggest collection of the year, I'd find myself dead or on the moon by tomorrow morning. Whether or not it was still here. I could practice, but...it's not the same singing without Scoots..." She walked over to the television on the far wall and grabbed the remote with her magic. "There might be some Holiday specials on...then again, I still haven't forgiven Button for making me watch the 'Moon Wars Holiday Special' last year." She set the remote down. "I think I'll pass on TV this time around."
As Sweetie made her way back to the couch, she heard and felt a deep rumbling from the pit of her stomach. "Ah, jeez. I didn't even eat yet. There's probably some leftovers in the fridge..." Approaching the kitchen, something just outside the window caught her eye: Applejack was packing up her stand for the evening, presumably before the weather got any worse. "...I could grab something from Applejack's cart before she leaves. Oh, but she'd tell Rarity I got something from her. She wouldn't lie to her friends." Sweetie's stomach roared louder this time and she poked it with a hoof. "Okay, fine, calm down in there. It's a risk I'm willing to take for a delicious apple pie over leftover hay fries and a sandwich."
Sweetie prepared herself to brave the storm for the sake of dinner. She bundled and layered, and as she neared the door, she looked out the window once again, and the wind and snow had picked up so much that she could no longer see Applejack out there. She couldn't even be sure she was still around. "Oh, come on!" Sweetie tossed off her boots and jacket, leaving only the scarf around her neck. She held it close, walking back to the couch and flopping down onto it again. This scarf, colored purple and pink, was one of a set of two, Scootaloo being the holder of the other one. Sweetie had sewn them herself for their six-month anniversary. Scootaloo herself, being the self-proclaimed 'toughest filly in Ponyville', was unable to contain her girlish squeals when presented with the scarf. Sweetie and Apple Bloom would forever remember that as 'the day Scootaloo became Sweetie Belle for five seconds'. In her reminiscine, Sweetie almost didn't realize that somepony was knocking at the door to the boutique. "What the...? Who could that possibly be in a storm like this?"
She stood up and walked over, immediately calling out to whoever was there. "I'm sorry, the boutique is closed for the evening! The seamstress is out at a party! Nopony's allowed in!"
"Not even your marefriend, Sweets?"
Sweetie Belle gasped and not a second later pulled the door open with her magic. There, to her utmost surprise, stood Scootaloo, bundled tight and wearing the scarf to match Sweetie's own. "S-Scoots! W-what are you...I thought you were working for six more hours! Oh, wait, duh, manners. Come inside before you freeze!"
Scootaloo giggled at her marefriend's airheaded rambling and stepped inside. Sweetie closed the door behind her and the pegasus ditched her jacket and spread out her wings, examining them closely. "Not too much snow in my feathers...no ice chunks this time around...looks like I got lucky. You think Rarity would be okay if we lit up the fireplace for a bit? I need to melt out this excess snow so my feathers don't freeze."
"Oh, sure, no problem." Sweetie escorted her marefriend over to the fireplace and tossed a few logs in, giving them a quick spark with her magic, igniting them. "Honestly, it's not like she'll even notice. She's usually so hung over when I bring her home the next day, just taking care of her while she's like that makes up for just about anything I did while she was gone."
"Wow, never took your sister for a heavy drinker." Scootaloo settled down next to the growing blaze, bringing her wings in close, but not too close. "I also had no idea you could use fire magic...or that Rarity would let you use it."
"Eh, just a simple ignition spell Twilight taught me. And she made sure I could control it before letting me cast it outside the fireproof zone she had me in at the time." Sweetie sat down next to Scootaloo, basking in the warmth of the fire as well. "So, you never answered me. I thought you working the snowstorm shift tonight. What brings you in early?"
"Actually...it was Rainbow Dash."
-A HALF HOUR AGO-
The snowstorm raged across the skies over Ponyville, and the Winter Weather Brigade surveyed across the cloud borders to ensure there were no ice chunks accumulating along them. Scootaloo led the team comprised of Cloudchaser, Thunderlane and Rumble. "Everything look good, you guys?" she called out.
"Hasn't changed much since the first few times we ran through it!" Rumble shouted back through the blizzard.
Thunderlane gave them both a nod. "It doesn't look like any of the clouds will produce hail, but we've got to keep on top of it! A storm this big could pump out huge hailstones, and we have to make sure they don't!"
"And the cleaner we keep it, the sooner we can go home once it clears up!" added Cloudchaser.
'Yeah...and I can get to Sweets like I promised...'
Suddenly, the storm picked up, wind whipping across the sky ferociously. "Crosswind! Everypony, get to cover and ground yourselves!"
Cloudchaser, Thunderlane and Rumble all bolted downward underneath the overhang of a nearby house and huddled together. Scootaloo searched frantically for somewhere to hide, but a heavy gust quickly caught her and sent her flying. Her world spinning, she could only think of Sweetie Belle. 'Looks like I screwed this one up...hospital bed for two weeks, here I come again.'
Expecting to crash, Scootaloo was surprised to find herself caught by something incredibly fast and rainbow-colored. "Jeez, squirt! Third crosswind this winter you've let toss you like a ragdoll! I can't keep being here to save your flank, y'know!"
"R-Rainbow Dash?! But...I thought you were at the Hearth's Warming party with Twilight."
The crosswind died down slightly as Rainbow descended to another nearby overhang. "Well, I was, and I planned on staying to see Rarity get completely plastered, but Zecora showed up a little while ago and told us that a cluster of stray clouds were piling in from the Everfree Forest. I knew that meant heavier gusts and crosswinds like that, so I had to come and help."
Scootaloo beamed. "That's awesome! So you're gonna take point?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yep. And you're relieved for the night, kid."
The younger Pegasus performed a double take, staring in confusion. "I...what...?"
"Kid, no offense, but you're not gonna last too long out here in a storm like this." Scootaloo went to speak, but Rainbow cut her off. "I know exactly what you're gonna ask about. You and Rumble might be the same age, but Thunderlane had his little brother train more for power, while I trained you more for agility. You've got a huge pool of stamina, Scoots, but I've seen Rumble wing-press Bulk Biceps for at least half a minute." Rainbow looked out into the storm, pointing off down the road with a hoof. "Besides...ain't you got your mare to go see? I figured you'd be looking for any way out of this."
Scootaloo was two things: ecstatic and beside herself in surprise. Without warning, she threw herself at her big sister, wrapping her forelegs around her. "Thank you SO MUCH, Rainbow Dash! I'll never forget this! I owe you!"
"Darn right you do, kid. But you can pay me back by going and spending Hearth's Warming Eve with your marefriend. Heck, if I remember right, I actually hooked up with Twilight on a night like this a few years ago. But that's a story for another time. Get movin', squirt. See ya at work after the weekend."
Scootaloo nodded and marched off down the street, covering her face with her scarf.
-PRESENT-
Sweetie returned beside her mare with two fresh mugs of hot cocoa, setting them down in front of the fireplace. "So you trudged through half a mile of snow over the course of thirty minutes just to get here and see me?"
Scootaloo took a sip of her cocoa and nodded. "Yep. Basically."
"...You are such a sap."
"...Yep."
"And you know I love you for it."
"...Think I should turn up the sap a bit more?"
Sweetie giggled and shook her head. "Any more sap, and it'll be like we're trying for our cutie marks all over again."
Scootaloo groaned and the two laughed. "I'd almost forgotten about that. We had to walk through half of Ponyville stuck together like that."
"I remember Rarity shrieking louder than I'd ever heard before. 'Dearest me, what on Equestria happened to my poor sister's MANE! Oh, the horror!'" Sweetie performed a rising flourish and mock faint, dropping slowly until her head was resting on Scootaloo's right foreleg, all while the Pegasus herself was nearly dying of laughter.
"And you said you weren't a good actress! That was spot on!"
"Well, when your sister is a drama queen three days out of every week, you learn a few tricks."
The two sat in silence, just taking in the moment. "I'm really happy you're here, Scoots."
"Yeah...me too." Scootaloo leaned down and met her mare with a kiss, which Sweetie happily returned. It didn't last long, but felt like a lifetime. They parted and spent the next minute staring into each other's eyes, before Sweetie spoke up.
"You taste like chocolate."
"Duh, Sweets." Scootaloo stared into the fire again. "So, sitting here and being cuddly is great and all, but you wanna watch some dopey Hearth's Warming TV specials and make fun of them?"
"Nah, not really."
"Still haven't forgiven Button for the Moon Wars thing?"
"Well, there's that...and there probably aren't any on yet."
"Huh...yeah, you're right...still kinda early..." Scootaloo fell into thought again. "...I have an idea, if you're up for it."
Sweetie eyed her curiously. "What is it?"
"...Could you sing for me?"
Sweetie's mood brightened considerably, but she hid her excitement behind a simple smile. "I'd be more than happy to!" The unicorn rushed over to a pile of papers in the corner and began rifling through them. "What should I sing? There's some Christmas songs left over from last year, and a couple of new ones I've been working on, and...AHA! Got it!"
"What is it?"
"Well, it's rather apt for the situation..."
"You're being a dictionary again, Sweets."
"I mean it's appropriate...considering the weather, and the fact you wanted to hear me sing this one."
Scootaloo remembered it immediately. She smiled and chuckled lightly. "'Let it Snow', huh?"
Sweetie flushed. "U-unless you want to hear another one...I mean, I haven't really practiced and-"
Her mare moved forward and silenced her with a light peck on her lips. "It'll be perfect. It is you, after all. Nopony can sing like you."
"I..." Sweetie Belle glanced between her marefriend and the lyric sheet. She sighed and smiled. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"'Impossible' is my middle name!"
"...I thought you said you changed your middle name to 'Rose' after you spent that entire day stalking Rainbow Dash to find out what hers was."
Scootaloo raised a hoof to argue, but dropped it down and grumbled silently. "...You steal one shaving of your idol's mane and suddenly you're a stalker."
Sweetie held back a giggle fit as she raised the sheet music before herself. "May I?"
"Sing away, my golden-voiced goddess!"
The unicorn found herself redder than ever. Now Scootaloo had to keep herself from laughing as Sweetie looked over the sheet one last time before she began. "Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful! And since we've no place to go, let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!"
Though a short, simple tune, Scootaloo found herself absolutely entranced by Sweetie's rendition of it. The way she hit each individual note, how her body moved in tune with her own singing, and of course the absolute joy on her face as she sang. However, Sweetie started to seem less content singing alone, and Scootaloo suddenly found herself being pulled up next to her mare. "C'mon, Scoots. Sing the last part with me."
"R-really? But Sweetie, I'm...I can't sing."
"That never stopped you the first time we tried getting our marks. Sing with me...please?" Sweetie looked her marefriend straight in the eyes, giving her a mock pout.
"Aw...I can't say no to that face."
Scootaloo looked at the last page of the lyrics and followed where Sweetie pointed her. "Oh, the fire is slowly dying, and my dear, we're still goodbyeing. But as long as you love me so, let it snow! Let it snow...let it snow."
Scootaloo sighed and smiled a bit, while Sweetie giggled and hugged her. "See? You weren't bad at all!"
"Nah...your singing totally overpowered mine. I'm really not that good."
"Then...then I can teach you! Consider it part of my Hearth's Warming present to you!"
"Y...really? You'd do that? I mean, you saw how well my flying lessons with Rainbow Dash went for the first few...months...right?" She lazily kicked a hoof back and forth. "I'm not a particularly good student."
"Well, I've never taught before either. It'll be something new for both of us!"
Scootaloo glanced over to her marefriend again with a small smirk. "How do you do it, Sweets? How do you put up with me?"
Sweetie grinned brightly immediately. "That's a silly question, Scoots! I love you, that's how!"
Scootaloo prepared to argue, but Sweetie had wrapped her forelegs around her, nuzzling into her neck. "It doesn't matter what we can or can't do...not when we're together, it doesn't. What matters is what we do together."
The pegasus loosened up, falling into the hug. She closed her eyes and smiled. "I think...I just wanna cuddle in front of the fire again. You okay with that?"
"Yeah...I'm okay with that."
The two walked side by side over to the fireplace. It had flickered down to embers, which Sweetie fixed by adding a few logs and an extra spark. They nestled up together, tails intertwined, as they leaned against each other, Sweetie resting her head under Scoot's.
"Happy Hearth's Warming, Scootaloo...I love you so much."
As her marefriend cuddled up closer, she leaned in and placed a light kiss upon her forehead before resting her own head down next to Sweetie's. "I love you too, Sweetie Belle...Happy Hearth's Warming."
