Chapters A wonderful Hearth's Warming Eve was only a few weeks away. The ponies were playing in the snow, hanging decor, and singing all over. One stallion was not so happy. It was not because he hated the holiday. He did not dislike the cold, nor did he hold a grudge with anyone. Even he would do something nice each year, even in his peculiar state. He would dress up in a red suit with a buckle, put on a beard, and wear a red hat that had a fuzzy little pom pom at the tip of its pointed end. He then would start to give everypony these delicious little candies. They were wrapped in wrapping paper, and contained a little, hard, orange, and smooth candy. It tasted like cherry and pineapple. They were very delicious. Everypony enjoyed them, and would always anticipate the stallion's arrival.
This year was going to be no different.
The blue stallion was sitting outside of his box, staring at everypony. He grabbed his bottle of beer and took a slight sip from it. He laid the bottle on the ground, and it fell over, releasing the liquid into the snow. He grabbed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, took a cigarette out of the container, put the container in his box, and lit it up. He started to smoke the cigarette. A filly came by the stallion. "Isn't that bad for you?" the filly questioned. The stallion did not notice the filly at first. He turned his head at the filly and responded with,
"Yeah", in a sort of sad voice.
"Well if it is bad for you, why do you still do it?", the filly said.
The stallion looked at the filly, and then at the sky. "Because it numbs the pain."
The filly was quick to respond. "If you are in pain, couldn't you just go to the doctor?"
The stallion thought for a moment. "It is a type of pain that can not be fixed."
The filly stared at the stallion, and then went away. He threw his cigarette at the ground, and then climbed inside of the big cardboard box, and closed the flaps. He was cold, and shivering. The stallion was thinking very hard about a decision. He was going to kill himself after he gave everypony the candies. He did not touch the sack containing the candies all year, as always, even if he was very hungry. What would be an even more hard and devastating decision to most would only take a few seconds for this stallion to decide. He knew that there was no afterlife, and that if he kept living, he would just be in more pain as he grew older.
He would have just ended it now if there were not people who cared for him. He knew that the ponies did not even really care about the stallion himself, just the jolly man who would give candies to people. The stallion had promises to keep, bases to cover, and he did not want himself to be not known at all. At least he would do something that was good, even if it did not directly benefit towards himself. Tears started to roll down his cheeks, even though he did not fear death anymore. If anything, he anticipated it. This is what his whole life has been leading up to. The last Hearth's Warming Eve for him, and the last of the jolly man who would come to bring candy. He had to make this spectacular, wonderful, and amazing. He would try to the best of his ability.
He wiped his tears, and climbed outside of the box. The filly was back, but there were others. The stallion examined all of them, and the ponies gave him a confused look.
"He was just sitting there Ms. Cheerlie, he was drinking and smoking,and he said he was in an incurable pain, we have to help him, come on!"
The teacher began to speak, "Who are you? Do you need any help?"
It then hit the stallion; he did not know who he was. He was never called a name by anyone. The only person who had really called him a name was his past caretaker, now deceased. He thought very hard, and gave a blank stare. He remembered the caretakers name, Saint O' Harre.
"I am Saint. Leave me here, i am fine.", the stallion said.
"Are you sure? You do not look well at all. Would you like anything to eat, Mr. Saint?", the teacher responded.
The stallion knew he was hungry, but that was a normal feeling. He did enjoy eating, even though he almost never had anything to eat. At the most, he would find two pieces of bread and a some water. He would usually rob this one pony's house of one bottle of alcohol and a cigarette case every week. The pony he would rob would get suspicious if he stole anything else or anything more. He did not like stealing, but it was something he had to do to numb the pain. Sometimes the pony would leave some unswept scraps on the floor, or maybe some leftovers sitting at the table.
"I would like some food, please.", the stallion said in an excited manner.
The stallion began to climb out of the box completely, and landed his hooves on the snow. The teacher lead the stallion into her classroom. A bell rung, and the fillies and colts rushed out of the door with smiles on their faces, and three fillies gave a salutation to the teacher. The teacher waved back at them and gave them a goodbye. She then turned towards the stallion.
"What are you doing on the streets at a time like this? The conditions are dangerous! Why haven't you tried to get anypony's help?".
The teacher's concerned tone was very jarring for the stallion. She handed the stallion an apple and a hay sandwich, along with a carton of apple juice.
The stallion simply said, "I only have one purpose, and once i do that one thing, i can leave."
"Doesn't your family worry about you?", the teacher said.
"I do not have a family. I do not think anybody would care about me or my passing. But i am not going to go until i fulfill my last and only deed."
"That is horrible! I am not going to let you go. I can help you. I know for sure somepony has to care about you. Can you also please tell me about this, "deed", you keep mentioning?", the teacher said.
The stallion consumed the apple and started to eat his sandwich. He looked the teacher in the eyes.
This was unheard of for him; Someone actually caring about him. She did ask if he was ok, and alot of other questions. The teacher did seem genuinely concerned. The stallion's droopy eyes and tense face transformed into a little smirk. The stallion looked away, coughed, and turned back.
"The deed is dressing up as a pony in a red suit and giving away these candies.", the stallion said. The teacher raised her brow with confusion, but her face almost immediately looked flabbergasted.
"You are the Hearth's Warming Eve candy pony?", the teacher said with a grin.
"I suppose so.", said the stallion in an uninterested tone. He took another bite of his hay sandwich.
"I hope you know what you do is very nice. It makes alot of ponies happier than they already are.", the teacher said.
The stallion quickly consumed the rest of the sandwich and sipped all the apple-juice from the little juice box in mere seconds.
"You must have been hungry. There are alot of things to live for, and what you do is worth living for. Hey, maybe we could get Mayor Mare to get a home made for you! We could get you awards and recognition, food, and other things." the teacher said.
"I do not think i deserve praise for what i do. If i died, surely another stallion would take my place very easily. You do not understand how meaningless and distraught i am. If i end it now, i do not have to get attached to people, i do not have to know my death carries some kind of weight. Just leave me in the cold, and enjoy this year's Hearth's Warming Eve.", the stallion stated.
The stallion got up from the seat he was sitting on and went out the door. The teacher looked at him with a sad and surprised face.
"No wait! Don't go!". The teachers words echoed through the empty classroom, reminding her she had been too late. The teacher began to feel a strong feeling in her throat. The teacher trotted outside as fast as she could, and tried to return to where the stallion was. All she discovered was snow and hoof prints leading a lot of different ways, so many it would be hard to try to follow them all. Tears trickled down her face, and the teacher tried to close her eyes and hold it in. She somehow felt guilty for the stallion's decision, and has now become emotionally involved.
She did not want this stallion who made people happy to just die. She could not bear the thought. She imagined the stallion in the suit, hanging from a noose atop a clock tower with screaming and crying bystanders from below. She knew she could restore some kind of will to live inside of the stallion. Somehow, a stallion who she barely knew and just met, was just as important as one of her students. The teacher then noticed a young and dirty looking colt wearing a straw hat laying against a wall.
"Have you seen a stallion here recently? He is blue, he has this-", the teacher was suddenly interrupted.
"Lady, i was recently sleeping, so i could not have saw this stallion you seek. Go along now.", said the colt in a calm and humble tone.
The teacher closed her eyes and breathed in, trying hard not to cry.
It was only two weeks until Hearth's Warming Eve.
Decorations, snow, happy faces, tons of anticipation, and the songs ringing in the air all indicated the joy the ponies felt about being so close to Hearth's Warming Eve. One mare was not so happy. It was not because she hated the holiday. She did not dislike the cold, nor did she hold a grudge with anyone. She was now looking everywhere for the stallion. Her mind ached as every day passed, and she would become more worried and worried. She did not want the stallion to kill himself, she did not want the stallion to go. She knew deep inside her that she needed to help this stallion.
Cheerlie walked along sidewalks, dirt paths, and even more. She then came across a big box near sugar cube corner. Her face lit up with happiness. She quickly unturned the flaps of the box, revealing the stallion resting next to an empty bottle of beer and a sack that had spilt candies all over the box. Cheerlie sighed a sigh of relief because she knew the stallion was ok. Cheerlie stared at the stallion, not knowing what to do next. She then tried to wake the stallion up. Cheerlie shook the stallion lightly, but to no avail. The stallion rolled over onto one of the candies, and his eye opened immediately. He sat up and rubbed his back, then rubbed his head, giving a sort of painful groan throughout his actions.
The stallion looked up, and his eyes met with the teacher's.
"Why have you come back?", the stallion said in a sleepy tone.
"Why wouldn't i have come back?", the teacher said.
The stallion looked the teacher in the eyes. The stallion looked away.
"I know you are very sad, but i can help you if you give me the chance. Please, i care about you."
The stallion's ears perked up, and he turned to look at the teacher. The teacher gave a smile. The teacher brought out her hoof to the stallion, signaling him to come with her. The stallion was hesitant at first, and stared at the hoof, looking from it to the teacher's face every few seconds. The teacher's hoof was getting weary, but she still tried to hold it up. Eventually, the stallion grabbed the teacher's hoof. The teacher took a second or two to react to it, and was pleasantly surprised. The teacher pulled the stallion up from the box where he subsided.
They both gave each other a gaze. The teacher shook her head, gave a smirk, and pulled her hoof away. The stallion still had his hoof hanging in the air after the teacher removed her hoof. He put his hoof back down, and took a deep breath.
"Need any help with the box?", the teacher asked.
"No thanks.", the stallion said.
The stallion trotted over to the box, grabbed a strap from it, closed the box, and put it on his back. The stallion tried to reach the two ends of the velcro scrap together around his body so he could hold the box. The teacher walked over to the stallion.
"Here, let me help.", she said. The teacher then connected the two straps on the stallions underbelly, and stood back.
"Thank you.", the stallion said.
"It's no problem, always glad to help out a friend.", the teacher responded.
A tear seemed to almost be forming in the stallion's eye as he gave a very happy grin. A serious look over took his face and he looked around him for a moment.
The stallion moved his eyes towards the teacher and said, "Where are we going to go?".
"Well, you are going to stay at my place for a while. You look very hungry, and you do need some rest. Come along now. ", the teacher responded.
The teacher began to walk in the other direction, following the dirt path through town. As the teacher gleefully lead the stallion carrying a box on his back to the teacher's house, many ponies stopped and looked at them briefly before going back to what they were doing. The teacher eventually stopped at a house, and looked back at the short of breathed and dogged stallion.
The stallion walked to the doorstep and took a few steps back as the teacher opened the door. The teacher held the door open, waiting for the stallion to walk in. The stallion looked confused for a moment, but then trotted in. The teacher walked in after him and closed the door.
"Wow... you must be lucky, this place is amazing!", the stallion said as he marveled at the teacher's average house.
"Oh, don't flatter me, it is not that great...", the teacher said.
The stallion's big grin and amazement made the teacher smile. While the stallion sat on the couch and let out a satisfied noise, the teacher grabbed the beer bottle and cigarette pack from the stallion's box, and put them in the garbage.
"So, what is your name, lady?", said the stallion, trying not to sound awkward.
The teacher froze for a moment, and turned to the stallion and smiled. "My name is Cheerlie."
"What do you do. Were those your kids?", the stallion asked, now with a little more confident tone.
Cheerlie chuckled a bit and responded casually with, "I am a teacher. Those were my students. We were having recess. I take it that you like that coutch alot."
"Oh, yes, this is one of the most comfortable things i have ever been on.", replied the stallion with satisfaction in his voice.
"Would you like to sleep there tonight?", Cheerlie said.
"Yes! Please!", the stallion said eagerly.
Cheerlie then replied with, "You have my permission."
The stallion got up, trotted over to Cheerlie, and hugged her.
Cheerlie was stunned, and her wide eyes expressed that. The stallion stopped hugging her, backed away, and then layed on the couch. Cheerlie understood that he was a very poor and probably uneducated pony who had not experienced much outside of living in a box and giving candies to people. She simply looked on from a distance with the warm and euphoric feeling of making someone happy. The stallion had finally forgot about the bad things in life for a moment, and was appeased. But then the stallion's stomach emitted a low and loud grumble.
"Oh, i almost forgot!", said Cheerlie with urgency in her voice.
Cheerlie quickly asked the question,"What would you like to eat?"
The stallion usually did not have any choice of food at all. He only knew of a couple of foods. He thought for a moment.
He said, " I would be fine with whatever you have."
"Okay, i will try to make some noodles and fried vegetables. What was your name again?", Cheerlie said.
"Saint.", was his response. He said that word so quick and so nervously that even Cheerlie gave him a confused look. The stallion looked around for a moment, looked at Cheerlie, and said,
"Saint O' Harre".
"That is quite the interesting name you have there Saint.", Cheerlie said, trying to sound impressed.
Cheerlie turned towards the kitchen and trotted that direction. Saint crept over to his box, and looked inside. He was moving his hoof all through the box, even pouring it over.
"What has happened to my beer?", Saint said in a sort of irritated voice.
"It must have fell out of the box when we were walking over here.", Cheerlie said in a very serious way.
The sound of the vegetables sizzling and the boiling water could be heard from the living room. Saint paced impatiently back and forth across the room, hoping that the food will be ready soon. Minutes seemed like forever. The delicious aroma of saucy noodles and steaming vegetables went through his muzzle. Saint's mouth was watering, just waiting to see what would soon be entering his mouth.
Cheerlie eventually exited the kitchen, much to Saint's pleasure. She was carrying two plates. She set each of them down on a table in the kitchen. She pulled her chair out and sat down. Saint walked toward the table. He pulled out a chair and sat in it.
"I hope you enjoy it. Dig in!", Cheerlie said as she started to eat the noodles and vegetables. Saint looked at the dinner before him and picked up the noodles with his hoof. Cheerlie chuckled playfully at Saint, who was trying to eat the noodles with his hooves and accidentally dropping them back on the plate every time they neared his mouth.
"Try this", Cheerlie said, handing Saint a fork.
"Oh, uh, thank you.", Saint said in a sort of embarrassed way.
Cheerlie chuckled again, making Saint's cheeks red. Cheerlie continued eating. Saint looked down at his food and tried to use the fork. He scooped up a few noodles and a sliced carrot piece. He put the food inside his mouth and gave a satisfied, "Mmm!", and continued to eat. His plate was empty after 4 minutes.
"Would you like the rest of mine, Saint? You look like you need it more.", Cheerlie said.
Saint gave a nod, and Cheerlie gently nudged the plate towards Saint, who immediately brought it to him and started to eat the food on it. Cheerlie smiled at Saint, and walked to her room. Saint, after finishing his second plate, went to lay on the couch. He closed his eyes and started to sleep. Cheerlie started to rub her forehead, thinking. Cheerlie went out of her room, past the sleeping stallion, and opened the door, going outside. She was trying to find the library. She eventually made it to the library, passing many ponies waving and saying, "Hi!", to her. She knocked on the door, and Twilight answered.
"Hello Twilight.", Cheerlie said.
"Oh, hello Cheerlie. What can i do for you?", Twilight responded, seeming pleased to see Cheerlie.
"I have recently met this peculiar stallion who calls himself "Saint O' Harre". I would just like to check out books carrying birth records and the sort.", Cheerlie said.
"Huh. Do not worry Cheerlie, i have some records laying around here somewhere. Feel free to come inside.", Twilight responded.
Cheerlie walked in the library behind Twilight. Twilight examined a wall of books, and said, "Aha!". She used her magic to bring out a book of records.
"This book has a lot of information in it, it should help you.", Twilight said, handing the book to Cheerlie.
"Thank you very much Twilight. I will be sure to return this to you soon. Goodbye!", Cheerlie said while leaving the library.
"It is no problem. Goodbye!", Twilight said, waving at the leaving pony.
Cheerlie walked to her house through the snow. It was the evening now. Cheerlie entered her home through the front door, past the sleeping stallion, and into her room. She laid the book down on her bed. She climbed on the bed, picked up the book, and started to look through it. She decided she would read it later, and she put the book on her shelf. She was tired, and began to close her eyes and fall into slumber.
