The white snow covered the ground as ponies wore scarves around their necks to protect them from the cold wind. As ponies walks in the cold, wet snow, they leave their craven hoof prints against the mentioned surface.
The lights shone in Sugar Cube Corner as Pinkie smiled with her friends and their sisters in the sugar shop.
"Oh...This is the bestest thing ever!" Pinkie cried out as Twilight rolled her eyes.
"What do you have in mind Pinkie?" Twilight asked as her friend speed off while humming a song as she quickly coming back with a black hat.
"A secret Santa Hooves." She said as everypony looked at her.
"Really Pinkie Ah don' think there is enough of us" Applejack said as Pinkie laughed it off patting her head.
"Why of course there is silly!" The pink earth pony smiles. "But don't feel bad, not everypony can be as smart as me!" Causing Twilight to cleared her throat at this.
"Oh, well, except for Twily of course!"
“I don't see why we shouldn't have a secret Santa. It's a brilliant idea, Darling!” Rarity exclaimed.
"So Secret Santa Hooves it is!" Pinkie concluded happily.
"Alright everypony, just draw a name from the hat, whoever name is on the piece of paper is the pony you're giving a gift to" she said as each pony picked a name out of the hat.
"But where did you get the hat from dear?" Rarity asked
"Oh I stole it from Mister Phoenix. I'm sure he won't mind" Pinkie said as the girls thought it was best to not ask who this 'Mister Phoenix' is.
'Oh so I got Fluttershy' Twilight thought.
'Oh no.' Rainbow thought. She re-read hers just to be sure, and widened her eyes. She was completely, utterly, dumbfounded.
‘I got Rarity...What can I get her?'
'Huh, Sweetie Belle?' Applejack thought nonchalantly. ‘This’'ll be mighty interesting’
Scootaloo had been crossing her hooves hoping she would draw her idol’s name out of the top hat. When it was her turn to draw she almost fell over her hooves in a moment of imbalance. She laughed it off and pulled out a paper slip. 'Yes! I got Rainbow Dash, if I get her the coolest gift she'll be so proud of me' Scootaloo thought, fluttering her wings in her excitement. She was rather hard pressed not to exclaim her good fortune aloud.
'Huh, Scootaloo... Hmm the little pegasus has her cutie mark so...' Pinkie’s mind was alive with the endless possibilities. She just loved giving presents, and she was soon hopping about excitedly.
'Oh, I got Applejack. What if she doesn't like what I give her and she doesn't want to be friends anymore?' Fluttershy thought as she retreated inch by inch behind her mane and sheepishly looked down at the suddenly fascinating floor boards.
'Twilight? Well at least ah got an easy one.' Apple Bloom thought
'Oh dear, I got Pinkie Pie.’ Rarity thought when she read hers. She bit her lip as she stole a glance at Pinkie Pie. ‘Now how in Equestria am I going to find the perfect gift for her?'
Meanwhile Sweetie Belle hoped that everypony was busy or lost in thought, as she had a small blush on her face. She looked at the piece of paper again, not quite believing her eyes. It reads, as clear the crystal heart,
Spike.
"So who did you girls get?" Scootaloo asked as Apple Bloom slapped her across the head
"It' a Secret Santa Hooves ya dolt." Apple Bloom said as Scootaloo rubbed her head.
"Yeah I know, duh, its just if we don't have each other then no point hiding and we can help each other." Scootaloo said as Apple Bloom and Sweetie looked at her in surprise.
"Did Scootaloo just have a good idea?" Sweetie Belle question as she just couldn't believe it
"Oh, shut up you. I got Rainbow Dash! This is so cool." Scootaloo said jumping up and down, excited
"Ah got Twilight, so a book or somethin'." Apple Bloom said
"You do know Twilight has read like every book in Equestria right?" Scootaloo asked
"Not every book ya dolt." Apple Bloom said.
"I know you are, but what am I!" her come back was.
"Who do ya have Sweetie?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Spike." she said with a blush forming on her cheek. As the others started giggling
Sweetie Belle stared indignantly at her friends. "Come on. Girls can't you be mature about this?" she blushed, rubbing her foreleg.
"Sure Sweetie Belle, just as soon as Scoots here," she elbows the Pegasus of the group. "Pays up. I told ya she liked the Spike fella!"
"But I didn't think you'd actually be right!" Scootaloo cried out as Sweetie looked between her two friends.
"Wait, you guys bet on my having feelings for Spike?!" She cried out as they both gave her a dubious look.
"...Was I that Obvious?" she asked blushes redder than the apples at Sweet Apple Acres.
The blue scooter stopped in front of the sugar shop known as Sugar Cube Corner. As the three fillies entered the sweet shop to hear a explode coming from the kitchen as the three looked at each other in confusion. As a pink blur ran up to the three.
"Hiya, girls" Pinkie greeted as the CMC looked at her in surprise.
"Pinkie, what was with that explode?" Sweetie Belle asked sounding terrified
"Oh that was nothing." Pinkie said waving her hoof.
'Warning, self destruct is now on. You got ten seconds to leave the building' a voice said coming from the kitchen.
"Are ya sure nothin' wrong?" Apple Bloom asked.
'Ten'
"Of course I am. Trust me, I know what I'm doing." Pinkie said.
'Nine'
"So what can I get you girls? Chocolate shake, new scooter, cupcakes." Pinkie said.
"Wait what was that last one?" Scootaloo question.
'Eight'
"Cupcakes." Pinkie said as the fillies rolled their eyes.
'Six'
"Wait! Six? What happen to seven?." Sweetie Belle asked.
'Just kidding, seven'
"Cupcakes to go, please." Apple Bloom said as Pinkie speed off.
'Six'
"So shopping after this then." Scootaloo said.
'Five'
"Girls, I'm getting a little worried." Sweetie Belle said as she sank into her chair.
'Four'
"Where' Pinkie?" Apple Bloom asked.
'Three'
"Here you go girls, three cupcakes." Pinkie said.
'Two'
"To have here or to go?" Pinkie asked as the cutie mark crusaders ran out of Sugar Cube Corner at a breaking speed. "I guess to go." They answered.
'One, have a nice day'
The Cutie Mark Crusaders escape with their cupcakes, they watched Sugar Cube Corner explode with sprinkles and gumdrops instead of debris. Which the Crusaders just shared confused looks and walked off.
Fluttershy was beside herself with worry. She paced around her living room, relaying every possible scenario of what could go wrong. She had stopped to feed her animal friends, but now with nothing better to do her worry seemed to return in full force.
It seemed to the bunny lounging on the green couch she kept there, that his owner overreacted over everything.
“I just don't know what to do, Angel! Applejack is my friend, shouldn't I know what present to give her for Hearth’s Warming?” Shrieked a concerned Fluttershy.
Fluttershy gasps as another possibility dawned on her. “W-what if I give her something and she thinks I didn't put enough thought into it, or that I didn't care enough to go out of my way to get her the perfect gift?”
Fluttershy covered her face with her hooves. “Oh, I feel just awful! The worst part is that if I can't come up with anything for her gift she'll see just how much of a terrible friend I am!”
By this time Angel had heard enough. He was initially going to wait until the Pegasus tired herself out, but it was obvious that wouldn't happen anytime soon.
He hopped off the couch and onto the hardwood floor, and started tapping Fluttershy’s foreleg.
“O-oh, Yes, Angel? What is it, you're not hungry again are you?"
Angel was about to go along with that, but shook the idea out of his head. That could wait, what he had to say was more important right now. The white bunny pointed his owner's attention toward the sewing supplies she had conveniently left out since it's last use.
“What's that, something about my sewing kit?” she tilted her head to the side, and then it hit her.
“ I know’ I could make her a sweater! They're great for winter so Applejack will have a use for it, and I know she appreciates the practical things in life.” said Fluttershy.
“I've been such a silly filly! I'll just make her something, how hard could it be?” She asked as that had been the wrong question to ask.
“What if I mess something up, or she still doesn't like what I make for her? Then all my hard work would be -”
Sweetie Belle kept on running back and forward as she kept on looking at different items. "This one? No, too boring" she said as she repeated it over and over as a shop kept looked at her.
"What's wrong young lady?" The mare asked in a kind way.
"I'm looking for the perfect gift so I can so my crush that I like him." Sweetie Belle said as the mare took the gift out of Sweetie hoofs and placed it back on the sleeves.
"Well I'm sorry to say this but you're not going to find it here the way to look is to listen to your heart."
"But what if I'm wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked as the shop pony smiled.
"The heart is never wrong, my little filly." she said as the young unicorn filly left the shop.
On the day of the party everypony was filled with anticipated delight. It was Hearth's Warming day at last and the town looks like a winter wonderland and, it was so covered in snow.
The most memorable thing about this Hearth’s Warming was not because of the weather however, it was a gift, one that has yet to be given. The Hearth Warming party was off to a great start.
Everypony was dancing, eating, laughing, and just having fun socializing with their friends and their sisters.
‘Yep’, Pinkie Pie thought, giving herself a pat on the back. She had certainly outdone herself this year, but Pinkie was just glad to have her friends there with her to celebrate the beloved holiday. It had been easy as cake baking to put up the decorations, aside from her party cannon.
Rarity had given the room in the bakery a cheerful atmosphere. From ribbons and bows, to ornaments, the quaint Sugar Cube Corner was decked with holly and the spirit of the holiday. There was just one thing left to do…
“Okay everypony, gather round!” the eccentric earth pony hollered, switching the song that had previously been playing to yet another, more fitting carol as she waited patiently for her guests to form a ring around her.
“What is it Pinkie?” Twilight questioned, she had been talking with Applejack earlier, but she had ceased the conversation just as all the others had, waiting for Pinkie to speak up again and explain her outburst.
“Yeah, what'd ya call us over here for?” Applejack joined in.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders, an anxious Spike, and Rainbow nodded the it heads expectantly, while Fluttershy only looked on curiously.
“You probably already guessed,” Pinkie began as she noted all her friends were seated beside the ponies they would receive gifts from. Not that they knew.
“But it's time for Secret Santa Hooves to commence!” Pinkie said as the pink pony searched through her unruly mane and pulled out the very same top hat from before.
Pinkie found the very same hat I too? her as she had used for the drawing previously, and asked if everypony had their gifts ready. No pony said anything on the contrary, so she went forth and withdrew the first name from the fancy head wear.
"First up Flutters and then AJ!" Pinkie shouted, nodding her head for the two to start off.
Fluttershy uncertainly trots over to Applejack. She's certain her friend will love what she's made for her, but she was always nervous and shy by nature.
She takes a long breath of air and calls out a hearty, "Happy Hearth's Warming!" Mastering a volume little louder than another pony's if they had been talking. Applejack smiled.
"Happy Hearth's Warming to you too Fluttershy." Applejack said encouragingly.
This had boosted the timid pegasus' confidence. She gingerly set the wrapped package into Applejack's hooves a little excitedly. "I hope you like it, it's nothing much, but-!"
Fluttershy's rambling was out to rest by the look on her friend's face. She hadn't even realized her friend had removed the decorative paper she had been so nervous.
"Why Fluttershy,"Applejack said pulling out the gift, "Why are ya cutting yourself short? It's wonderful!" Indeed it was, everypony, even the fashionista Rarity admired the sweater over Applejack's shoulder. It was a beautiful Autumn leaf red with embroidered spring green apples around the hems and collar.
"Ooooh!" Pinkie cried, but she quickly shook herself and resumed her duties as the host of the party. "Okay, up next we have AJ... and.... aha!" She exclaimed as she drew out another name, "Spike!".
"So Applejack who the pony who you have?" Pinkie asked.
"Sweetie Belle." Applejack said as Sweetie let out a small blush as the girls looked at her.
"Happy Hearth's Warming" she said as Sweetie un-wrapped her gift to see a signed Ra-Ra CD.
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Sweetie Belle said over and over again as she gave the Earth pony a small hug.
"I guess I'm next." Said spike. He walks up to Apple Bloom and hands her a haphazardly wrapped present, which Apple Bloom inspects.
"Twilight was too busy to help me wrap it up, but go ahead, open it!"
Apple Bloom smiles at the drake as she un-wrapped her gift to see a tool kit.
"Hey I thought that because you like to fix stuff like with your clubhouse. I thought you might like it." Spike said rubbing the back of his neck.
"Ya bet ah do! Thanks Spike." Apple Bloom said as she patted his arm as she knows her friend is watching her.
"So up next is: Scootaloo." Pinkie said.
The said orange filly flits over to Rainbow Dash's side.
"Oh, get squirt, whatcha got there?" RD jokes, knowing very well that Scoots would keep her lips sealed.
"Can't tell you that, you'll have to figure it out yourself."
Rainbow chuckled at this statement, and as soon as she got the gift she eagerly tore away the wrapping paper to reveal....
"You've got to be kidding me! You're absolutely pulling my wing.... that it in dreaming!" The usually awesomely composed Cyan Pegasus was reduced to a squealing fangirl in ten seconds flat.
"How in the wide world of Equestria did you find a first edition copy of Daring Do and the Sapphire Stone?!"
She opened the cover and saw her another surprise, "And it's autographed!" Rainbow read the inscription that resides within,
"That's for me to know and you to find out" Scootaloo said with a grin as the cyan pegasus pulled her into a hug.
"Rainbow I thought reading was for eggheads" Twilight said as the others laughed as Rainbow blushed.
"Yeah how long are you girls going to keep that up?" Rainbow asked. Twilight smiled at that.
"Let's see today's Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday umm.. Until we get sick of it." Twilight said as Rainbow let out a moan.
"So next up we have Apple Bloom." Pinkie said as the Earth filly smiled.
"Here ya go Twilight, ah hope ya like it." Apple Bloom said as Twilight open the filly gift.
"Oh, this is one of my favorite books! Thank you so much Apple Bloom!" Twilight said.
"Wow... you really have read all the books in Equestria, haven't ya Twilight?"
"Equestria and beyond." Twilight nods in confirmation. "Who's next Pinkie?!"
"Well, up next is drum roll please." she said as no pony went to play her a drum roll. "It's Dashie, ask for one thing and no pony gives to you." Pinkie said as Rainbow let out a nervous laugh.
"Here's ya go Rarity. I didn't really know what to get ya. But Happy Hearth's Warming." Rainbow said as Rarity took off the tape and then threw the piece of paper away.
"Oh, Rainbow darling I need a new notebook my old one was just getting full, so thank you." Rarity said
"Hey, what can I say', I know my friends." The cyan pegasus shrugs, but she can't hide the genuine smile on her face.
After yet another quick draw Pinkie gives out a shrill cry; "You'll never guess who's turn it is... It's mine!"
She instantly popped up next to a startled Scootaloo and pulls out a giant package wrapped in Christmas red and green bow and paper.
"Hiya, Scoots! I just know you'll love my present!"
Scootaloo being a little impatient like her older sister. Ripped open the present to see a brand new scooter.
"Oh a new scooter! Thanks Pinkie I really need one" Scootaloo said as Pinkie smiled seeing Scootaloo face.
"Well I'm all about smiles" Pinkie said as she draw out of the hat "Up next is Rarity"
Rarity bit her lip as she let out a cheap smile.
"Pinkie, Darling, Here's your gift."
The pink earth pony cheerfully tore the ornamental wrapping paper away to find quite a novelty. 'The everything goes but the kitchen sink Cook book for the eccentric cooks'
"Rarity.... this is the best thing ever!"
"It took me quite awhile to even find the book, let alone get it delivered here on time, but I can see by that smile of yours and that reaction, that it was all worth it."
"Oh but thank you Rarity! This cookbook could bring in so, so, so many new ponies and make everypony smile. Thank you." Pinkie said as she tighten her hug.
"Yes Pinkie but can you let me breath first" Rarity said making the pink pony blush.
Pinkie looked at the last name. "Oh girls I need some help in the kitchen for the dinner can you girls help please?" She asked.
"Sure Pinkie but..." Rainbow said before she pushed them all into the kitchen leaving Sweetie Belle and Spike alone.
"So you’re the last one. I guess you got me" Spike said as Sweetie Belle nodded, unable to speak.
"Yeah it just you and me, alone. Together until the girls come back after getting dinner ready." Sweetie Belle said as her eyes looked looked up.
"Umm...Sweetie what you looking at... Oh." Spike said looking above as the pair stood under a mistletoe as a blush started to form on both of their cheeks.
Sweetie Belle kissed Spike cheek as Spike eyes widen in shock. "Happy Hearth's Warming Spike." she said as Spike had a big grin on his face.
"Dinner ready!" Pinkie cried as Sweetie Belle walked to the kitchen as Spike held his cheek.
"Happy Hearth's Warming Sweetie." he said, hugging Sweetie before catching up to them.
Author's Note
Again thank you to my friend Jade Crossroads for helping me with this story, half of it is her idea's go check out her stories they are fantastic and thank you all for reading this it means a lot also if you ladies and gentlemen point out any errors please tell me where they are so I can fix them. So like always I hope you all have yourself a fantastic day or lovely night and take care.
