Mistress Do Well: Hearth's Warmingby milesprower06Chapters"Dad, I'm A Fillyfooler and I'm Dating My Kidnapper."GratitudeHearth's Warming"Dad, I'm A Fillyfooler and I'm Dating My Kidnapper."Cloudsdale this time of year was considerably brighter in the evening hours than it usually was at any other time of the year. By Hearth's Warming Eve every year, Cloudsdale had finished spreading winter to every area where the weather wasn't magically controlled by unicorn populations, like Canterlot and Vanhoover. Rainbow Dash glided over the early evening skies above the cloud-built metropolis of her hometown. Hearth's warming decorations dotted the cloudscape as pegasi made their way to various functions around the city. Probably the main attraction tonight was a Wonderbolts performance in the Cloudiseum. But that wasn't what brought her home, no. For the first time since she had returned to Ponyville over three months ago, she had written her parents and told them she'd be coming back for Hearth's Warming. Twilight had thought the best idea would be to tell their families separately about them being together after everything that had happened. Rainbow was nervous about it, but she was going to have to tell them eventually. No doubt it would come up over dinner, or even before. Heck, it wasn't even only that it was Twilight that was making her nervous; did her parents have any inkling that she was into mares, that she had gone that way? She also wondered how Twilight would be faring with her conversation, nay, the entire dinner. She knew that the only member of her family she had been in touch with over the past year was her older brother, who had eventually forgiven her for her role in everything that had happened. The last contact that Rainbow had made with her parents, aside from the note she had left them when she left for the Crystal Empire was a letter explaining that she had returned to Ponyville, and would be staying there for the time being, having returned to her job as head of the Ponyville Weather Patrol. The cyan pegasus began to descend once she saw her old house down below, gliding down to the front walk. Landing with a soft thud, she trotted up to the front door and rang the doorbell. The front door opened, and aside from the smell that immediately wafted out and reminded her of childhood memories, she laid eyes upon her dad, Bow Hothoof, whom she had to thank for her rainbow mane and tail. "Hey dad. Happy Hearth's Warming." Rainbow greeted. Having not seen his daughter in over three months, he pulled her into a very strong hug, nearly knocking the wind out of her. The closest thing she could compare it to was a hug from Pinkie. "Same to you, sweetheart. Welcome home." Her dad said, stepping aside and ushering her in. Rainbow wasn't even three steps inside before she was again wrapped into the hooves and wings of her mom, Windy Whistles. She had inherited her mother's cerise eyes, and her coat was much closer to hers than her dad's darker grayish blue. "You don't know what it means to see you again, Dashie." Windy said, releasing her from the tight embrace. "I think I've got some idea," Rainbow said with a chuckle as she briefly rubbed her wings. "Dinner ready already? I can smell the stormcloud soup already." Rainbow said, taking off her scarf and hat, and hanging them on the coat rack. "You know it. When you told us you were coming, it was the first course I put on the list." Bow told her as he returned to the kitchen, where a pot was currently simmering on the stove. After a few more stirs, he carried the pot over to the table, where Windy and Rainbow had taken their seats. He quickly served up steaming ladles of his daughter's favorite childhood soup before taking his seat across from Rainbow. "So how have you been, hun? We haven't heard from you since you wrote us saying you were staying in Ponyville." Windy said, beginning to sip at her soup. "Well, to start off, I've gotten better since I was here last. I'm really sorry I took off without saying anything, I was still in a pretty bad place mentally. But when I got back to Ponyville, things... Things started to slowly get better. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to tell you guys how things have gotten better." Rainbow began to explain, taking her first spoonful of soup. "Rainbow, if you feel like you need to tell us something, then you should just come out and say it. Don't be afraid." "Mom... Dad..." Rainbow said, pausing to take a deep breath. "Twilight and I are... Together." She finished, feeling like she had to claw that sentence out of her throat and immediately shoveled in another spoonful of soup, just to have something in her mouth. "You... What?" Windy asked, not sure if she heard her daughter correctly. "You and Twilight? Together, like, seeing each other?" Bow asked. Rainbow clarified by nodding, gulping down her mouthful of soup. "Dashie... After what they did to you... How can you even..." "Mom, she got me out of that absolute hell. Then when I took off angry and scared out of my mind, she stayed in town waiting for me in case I ever came back. And when I did, I started to feel better about myself, for the first time all year." "Sweetheart, I'd honestly think long and hard about whether you're still in a bad place mentally." Windy Whistles said. Rainbow's eyes widened in shock, but couldn't bring herself to respond before her mom got up from the table in disbelief. Her dad called after her, but she departed down the hall to her room, shutting the door without another word. "This was exactly what I was afraid of. This is why we knew it would be best if we went to see our separate families for Hearth's Warming." Rainbow said, her gaze falling to her soup as she fought back tears. "So her family doesn't know either?" Bow asked. "I think her brother knows, but no, I don't think she ever told her parents." Rainbow said, continuing to eat her soup, not wanting it to get cold. "You've gotta admit, kiddo. It does sound rather... Odd... That you two are seeing each other, after what they did to you... After you wandered for a year." "Dad... Nothing had worked." Rainbow started, tears pricking her eyes. "Running away didn't help. Isolating myself didn't help. Coming home to you didn't help. And... I'm really, really sorry that I have to tell you this, but even trying to hang myself didn't help. I hated that I missed them. After what they did to me... I hated it with every fiber of my being. But I wanted my sanity back. I'm sorry, I guess I'm loyal to a fault. A really, really big fault. What they did to me was wrong, but that doesn't change the fact that my priorities had gotten really messed up. The simple fact remains that Twilight snapped out of it and got me out of there. Because of her, I'm here right now. If I didn't go back to Ponyville, I don't think I ever would have gotten better, and they wouldn't have either. They were just as shattered as I was, dad. We've spent the last two months slowly piecing each other back together. Fluttershy was even worse off than I was." Rainbow suddenly wondered how the Apple Family Hearth's Warming festivities were going, seeing as how one temporary member of that household was being regarded and treated as a fully grown foal, for rehabilitative purposes. "Rainbow, you don't have to justify your choices to me. And you don't have to justify them to your mother, either. I love her, and I know she'll come around, even if it costs me a night or two out on the couch. The plain and simple truth is, that we're not going to agree with every single choice you make, but you know what? That doesn't matter. If you've found a way to function on a daily basis without spending a fortune on therapy, that's good enough. If you and Twilight love each other, that's good enough. It doesn't matter what anypony else says. The circumstances that brought you two together... Nopony else is going to understand it, because nopony else went through it. Nopony else was there. It may not be the fairy tale romance you'd enjoy telling, but it is what it is." "Thanks, dad. It means a lot to hear you say that." Rainbow replied, after swallowing her bite of soup. "Hun, you're just as stubborn and hard-headed as your mother, and I think that's for the best, especially when it comes to your relationships. I love your mother more than anything, and if she had listened to her parents about me, there's a fair chance that you wouldn't be here right now." "It's just... What do we do now? I don't really want to go through another awkward Hearth's Warming. Last year's was lonely enough." Rainbow admitted. "You want to know what I think you should do? I think you should finish your bowl of soup, and throw your scarf and hat back on, and go spend Hearth's Warming with Twilight." Her dad said. Rainbow honestly wasn't expecting a suggestion like that. Maybe a 'wait here, I'll go talk to your mother' or perhaps a 'we can still have a nice Hearth's Warming just the two of us', but not 'spend it with somepony else'. "You want me to leave?" Rainbow asked. "No, but I want you to have an enjoyable Hearth's Warming, I want it to be better than whatever you went through by yourself last year. I know your mom will eventually come around, but you don't have to wait around for her to do that. If anypony can make it to the Crystal Empire by morning with energy to spare, it's you. I'll mail your gifts down to Ponyville, and you can open them whenever you want." Rainbow turned and looked at the clock above the kitchen sink. It was half past six. At this point she wouldn't even need to hurry... Might even have time for a quick errand. "Dad... I'm sorry." Rainbow said, relenting to his decision as she polished off the last of the soup in her bowl. "You don't have to be, Dashie. It was great to see you, and I know you'll come around again. Give Twilight and her family my best, and have a great Hearth's Warming." Her dad replied, getting up from his seat and came around the table to hug his daughter. They squeezed each other affectionately, with Rainbow still sniffling away more tears. Bow walked her to the door, gave her the scarf and hat that had been hung up barely 10 minutes ago, and opened the front door. "Fly safe, sweetheart." Bow stood there as his Rainbow turned, and took off from the front porch, staying to watch as she became a speck against the evening sky. GratitudeRainbow glided on the chilly currents as she soared towards Canterlot. The unicorn-moderated weather around Equestria's capital provided a picturesque backdrop of snowfall on the prairie below and mountains above, but the city itself was relatively free from snow. Though the castle was open for the Hearth's Warming dinner service that had concluded and was now available to tour the holiday decorations, Rainbow still knew it would be rather frowned upon to just fly up to the castle unbidden, and thus began to descend and touched down just outside the castle gates. The guard let her pass with a curt nod, and she walked across the drawbridge into the courtyard. Lights had been strung up around and along the marble pillars. Carolers had drawn a considerable crowd as they sang holiday staples from a temporary stage that had been set up. Rainbow was both amazed and grateful that some shops had still been open this late on Hearth's Warming Eve. Last minute gift or no, the reflecting she had been doing on the flight here made her realize that if she really wanted her mom to eventually come around, then she was going to have to come around, sooner or later. So as the sun had set over Equestria, she had decided on a little detour on her way up to the Crystal Empire. Entering the castle proper immediately took some of the chill away from the evening air. Groups of families and friends went every which way down the corridors, looking at Hearth's Warming sculptures, artwork, and decorations. The pegasus took in as much as she could on her saunter towards the throne room, the doors of which were closed and actively guarded by a Captain of the Night Watch. "Evening, Captain," Rainbow greeted, stepping up to the E.U.P. officer. "I'm hoping it's not too difficult to get an audience with Princess Luna on a night like tonight." The guard took a moment to look her up and down. "I suppose an exception can be made for a hero of Equestria. If the Princess appears to be sleeping or otherwise meditating, I would ask that you remain silent, and wait; it means she's patrolling the dream realm. Do that, and I trust there won't be any problems. You may enter, Miss Rainbow Dash." Rainbow nodded in thanks, stepped forward, and pushed the gargantuan throne room doors open, walking down the red carpet towards the throne. The way Luna kept the throne room for the night court was considerably different than the bright, sun-filled extravagance during the day. The only light was provided from torches on the pillars on either side of the hall. The soft crackling of flames from the wall sconces echoing against the walls along with her hoofsteps gave the throne room an entirely different atmosphere at night. Rainbow approached the throne pedestal against the far wall, where Princess Luna sat in her chair, currently in a meditative state, most likely in somepony's dream. She decided to sit and wait at the base of the pedestal. One minute later, her eyes slowly opened, and she looked down at the pegasus who was patiently waiting. "Rainbow Dash, this is certainly an unexpected visit. What can I do for you?" She asked, honestly surprised. Ever since the pegasus had returned to Ponyville after her year of self-exile, she had wanted as little as possible to do with the Princess of the Night and Dreams. Rainbow reached down into her saddlebags with a wingtip, and came out with a small velvet jewelry box. She tossed it up to the princess, who caught it in the glowing cobalt aura of her magic. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Princess." Intrigued, Luna opened the small box, and inside was a silver-chained jeweled pendant, with sapphires and diamonds in the shape of a night sky and crescent moon. "It's beautiful, thank you very much. But you didn't have to do this." Luna replied. "Yes I did." Rainbow began. "Look, I know you and I have had more than our fair share of differences these past few months, but I... I never thanked you for saving my life. What I tried to do in the forest that night was selfish and stupid. Thank you for stopping me." Luna took Rainbow Dash's words to heart as she got up, closed the box, and set it gently on her throne before coming down in front of her. "Rainbow, I never intended on making you feel like I was forcing you down a particular path, but in hindsight, I suppose that is what I ended up doing. I so badly wanted, with every fiber of my being, to save the six of you." "After everything that happened?" Rainbow asked. Luna immediately nodded. "After all of you saved me from Nightmare Moon, from myself... seeing what happened to the six of you... It shook me to my very core. I was terrified that if the Elements of Harmony could be split asunder the way you and your friends were, what were the chances that I could slip back into darkness?" "I never thought of it that way, honestly." Rainbow admitted. "Were it not for Cadance, I never would have found you in time." "But, I thought the Cloak of the New Moon would have made her forget she was talking to me with her Illusion spell." "It did. She was clandestinely writing notes while she was talking to you." The Princess told her. "Wow... Lucky for me." "Very lucky, yes. She immediately summoned me after you left the Crystal Heart, and we got to you just in time. She sensed the love you still held deep inside you, and I knew that was the one seed of hope to start the healing. The geas I placed on your mind urged you to return to the Heart without the cloak shrouding your sense of self, and act upon what you felt. But it only lasted for a few hours, and had evaporated by the time you boarded the train to Ponyville. Everything else was entirely you." Rainbow smiled. "So what are you doing in Canterlot? I figured you would be with your family, or with Twilight." Luna asked her. "I was with my family. Turns out me being with Twilight isn't sitting well at all with my mom right now. So instead of having to sit through an awkward Hearth's Warming, my dad told me I should go be with Twilight. She's up with her family in the Crystal Empire, so I figured I'd make a quick detour here. Figured that the holiday was a good opportunity for me to bury the hatchet with you." The Princess of the Night smiled sympathetically. "I am sorry to hear that, but if the two of you make each other happy, it shouldn't matter what other ponies, even family members, feel about it." Luna told her. "Yeah, my dad said she'll eventually come around. I just have to wait. Maybe next year." "Flying all the way up to the Crystal Empire overnight? Do you think you'll make it in time?" "Yeah. It won't be too bad. Little nap on the way should do me. As long as I don't have to spend tomorrow alone. I just hope it's not too much to ask that I'm dropping in unexpected." Rainbow replied. "Well, how about I send a quick note to Princess Cadance, letting her know that you're coming? A little Hearth's Warming gift of my own." Luna offered. Rainbow smiled up at her. "Thank you very much, Princess. I'd appreciate that." "Consider it done." With that, Luna leaned down and pulled Rainbow into a gentle hug. "Fly safe, and Happy Hearth's Warming, Rainbow Dash." The pegasus returned the embrace. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Princess, and sweet dreams." Hearth's WarmingRainbow Dash wasn't the only one warding off the chilly early morning air under the arches of the Crystal Castle. There were almost a dozen ponies who had also come to see the Crystal Heart in the light of a Hearth's Warming sunrise. All one had to do was endure the occasional blistering wind from the north. But the Heart helped with that as well, as it slowly turned between the two large crystal formations that made up its receptacle, giving off warm pulses of blue light, making the weather all the more bearable. With each pulse, the pegasus felt the love inside her resonate; from Twilight, her friends, her mom and dad, and herself. Learning to love herself again had been one of the hardest parts of her year in exile, and it hadn't come full circle until she had returned to Ponyville, and accepted the mare she had become that had motivated her friends to do what they did, and let Twilight help break her down and put her back together again. "This feels a lot better than last time, doesn't it?" A regal voice asked as she heard hoofsteps approach her right side. She turned to see Princess Cadance come up to her, getting short bows from the two guards that were keeping watch over the Heart. "Infinitely better." Rainbow replied. "I got Luna's letter. I'm sorry to hear about how things went with your mom. But at least you don't have to spend Hearth's Warming alone, at least not this time." Cadance told Rainbow, sitting down next to her. For the first time in nearly half a year, Rainbow's thoughts drifted to Lonesome Pine, the solitary caretaker of the Neighecho Inn in the Foal Mountains. He had been her only company for Hearth's Warming last year as she had spent nearly the entire winter in the rustic lodge. The holiday dishes he had prepared that night had been one of the best meals she had in her time in exile. She hadn't really returned the favor of company; the two ponies rarely spoke, and she had been the only winter visitor on the isolated path. Unfortunately, after paying him over 5,000 bits for over nearly four months of food and lodging, his curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he had made the mistake of invading her highly-guarded privacy. The last she saw of him was him laying unconscious with a gash on the back of his head after she had reclaimed what he had taken before vanishing out into the mid-March blizzard. She never regretted what she had done, not after what he had pulled; but for the first time, she wondered if he had recovered, and what had become of his anonymous winter guest. "Thanks for having me with barely any notice. And... Thank you for saving my life." Rainbow said, again taking her gaze off of the Crystal Heart back to Cadance, who only blinked, not sure how to respond. "I know you had something to do with it, I already talked to Luna. Your cleverness saved me, Princess, even if, for a moment, I didn't want to be saved." Cadance swallowed, and as the sun came over the eastern peaks of the Crystal Mountains to shine on the Heart, she bent down and hugged Rainbow. "Seeing you at the base of that tree, with those cuts and scrapes, and that noose around your neck... and having to turn and walk away... That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. I don't know what you had to do to bring yourself to forgive them, but I'm glad you did." Cadance said as she squeezed the pegasus gently, before releasing her from the embrace. "Well, you of all ponies know what the power of love does." Rainbow replied, managing a slight smirk as the Heart's display area under the castle was lit up by god rays from the morning sunlight passing through the facets of the Crystal Heart. "There are many kinds of love, Rainbow. Love of friends, family, country..." Cadance paused and pressed a hoof to Rainbow's chest. "...Self. And yes, it can make us do crazy things sometimes. Reactions like the ones your mom gave you is sadly proof that not everypony is going to understand the crazyness that you and Twilight went through to be there for each other in the aftermath. But maybe that's okay. Maybe the love and loyalty in you doesn't need to be understood by everypony else." Rainbow smiled at her as they started towards the stairway built into the northwest arch that would take them into the castle proper. "Thanks for the pep talk, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about what the rest of Twilight's family thinks about us being together." Rainbow confessed as they headed inside up the stairs. "Well, let me ask you this. Does it matter? You know they've all forgiven her because of the letter we all signed. Celestia told us how you confronted her about what Luna had done, yet she was fully restored to her throne. She told us that if you could bring yourself to forgive Twilight and love her, who were we to judge? So even if they seem somewhat reserved, does it really matter? Would it change at all the way you two feel about each other?" Cadance asked. "Alright, point taken. I don't need anypony's approval for the way we feel about each other." Rainbow replied, starting to feel like she was being lectured. "That's right. I know both of you want others to be happy for you two, but in the end, all you need is each other. So let's go and have a hearty breakfast, what do you say?" The Princess of Love asked. "After my flight, yeah, that sounds absolutely fantastic." Rainbow replied. Once the duo had arrived in the main foyer, they climbed three more flights of stairs and stepped into the royal residence, and the smell of pancakes and maple immediately wafted to Rainbow's nose, and she realized how hungry the journey had made her. After quickly tossing her scarf and hat into the coat closet, she passed through the den and made her way to the dining room, where Night Light and his wife sat next to each other, and Twilight sat across from them. The alicorn turned to see Rainbow enter the room, and she immediately got up and nearly galloped over to her, throwing her front hooves around her. "I was wondering why they had set an extra place at the table. What happened?" She asked, surprised to see her marefriend up here when they had agreed to see their families separately. "It's not exactly a long story, but I'll tell you later." Rainbow began, returning the embrace, before turning to Twilight's mom and dad. "Thanks for having me on such short notice. It means a lot that I can still spend Hearth's Warming with loved ones." The pegasus told them. "It's no trouble. There's always plenty to go around, and this way, less leftovers for everypony else to split and take home." Night Light reassured her. Shining Armor and Cadance came out from the kitchen with a hot silver platter stacked high with pancakes and two glass dispensers of syrup; one maple, and one strawberry. "Alright, breakfast is served. Dig in!" Rainbow Dash sat out on the balcony of the Crystal Castle, a hearty dinner sitting satisfyingly in her stomach. After dessert, she came out here to watch the sunset over the western Yaket Range, after a day of fun and games with Twilight's family. "So, it's been great having you here, but are you ever going to tell me what happened in Cloudsdale?" Twilight asked, stepping out onto the balcony to sit next to her marefriend, putting a wing around her shoulders. Rainbow took a deep breath, and exhaled, staring out at the dusk sky. "I was only there for about ten minutes. You have to understand, before I came to Ponyville, home was one of my last stops. When it didn't seem to help any, I left when they were at work, only left them a note... So I figured I owed them an explanation of what I've been up to these past couple months. I told them that you and I were together. And..." Rainbow swallowed, as revisiting last evening's events finally brought tears spilling over her eyelids. "Rainbow..." Twilight sympathized, tightening her wing's hold on Rainbow's shoulders. "My dad was supportive, but my mom... she said some things that aren't going to be so easy to take back. Dad said that you and I... It isn't going to be easy, because not everypony is going to understand or appreciate the circumstances that brought us together. I don't care what my mom thinks, it doesn't change how I feel about you. Your family has been nothing but supportive, and with my dad's encouragement, I'm willing to ignore my mom until she decides to come around. I love you Twilight, more than anything or anypony." Rainbow said, turning and embracing the alicorn. "And that's why I got you a little something," the pegasus continued, releasing Twilight from the hug, and reached a wing into her saddlebags. "I was going to wait until we were both back in Ponyville, but right here, right now seems as good a time as any. I know you and I have embraced each other's quirks and kinks to get closer, but I think it's time for something a little more vanilla." Rainbow's wing came out of the saddlebag with a scarlet velvet box, wider than it was tall, and the alicorn's eyes started to widen. "Twilight, we discovered our feelings for each other through some of the most unexpected, twisted ways possible, feelings I tried to beat back with every ounce of hatred and fear that I held for over a year alone, and yet they persisted. We've used that to strengthen our eventual relationship. Not everypony may understand or accept us, but we understand each other; enough to where I'm ready to commit to you in one of the least twisted ways possible." Rainbow used her other wing to lift the hinged lid of the box, and revealed a gold chain with a ring on it. On the ring were two gems with silver intertwined between them; an amethyst, and a sapphire. "Twilight Sparkle, will you marry me?" Rainbow asked as she dropped down to one front leg. The disgraced princess felt her throat tighten, and tears trickled down her cheeks as she took the opened jewelry case from Rainbow's wings into hers. She bit her lip, and came forward and threw her hooves around Rainbow's neck. "Yes. Yes, with all of my heart, yes." She softly cried. Then they released each other, Rainbow gently took the box back, lifted the necklace from its resting place, and used each wingtip to bring the ends around her marefriend's neck and fasten it securely at the back. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Twilight." "Happy Hearth's Warming, Rainbow." "So, I'm not sure if you were planning on staying the night, and I know crystal walls aren't the most soundproofed structure in Equestria, but I'm still up for some fun tonight if you are. Your mom and dad are only right next door, right?" Rainbow asked with a smirk. Twilight couldn't help but laugh as she came in for a kiss. "You're awful, you know that?" Twilight said, giggling her tears away. "I'm anything you want me to be, Mistress."
"Dad, I'm A Fillyfooler and I'm Dating My Kidnapper."Cloudsdale this time of year was considerably brighter in the evening hours than it usually was at any other time of the year. By Hearth's Warming Eve every year, Cloudsdale had finished spreading winter to every area where the weather wasn't magically controlled by unicorn populations, like Canterlot and Vanhoover. Rainbow Dash glided over the early evening skies above the cloud-built metropolis of her hometown. Hearth's warming decorations dotted the cloudscape as pegasi made their way to various functions around the city. Probably the main attraction tonight was a Wonderbolts performance in the Cloudiseum. But that wasn't what brought her home, no. For the first time since she had returned to Ponyville over three months ago, she had written her parents and told them she'd be coming back for Hearth's Warming. Twilight had thought the best idea would be to tell their families separately about them being together after everything that had happened. Rainbow was nervous about it, but she was going to have to tell them eventually. No doubt it would come up over dinner, or even before. Heck, it wasn't even only that it was Twilight that was making her nervous; did her parents have any inkling that she was into mares, that she had gone that way? She also wondered how Twilight would be faring with her conversation, nay, the entire dinner. She knew that the only member of her family she had been in touch with over the past year was her older brother, who had eventually forgiven her for her role in everything that had happened. The last contact that Rainbow had made with her parents, aside from the note she had left them when she left for the Crystal Empire was a letter explaining that she had returned to Ponyville, and would be staying there for the time being, having returned to her job as head of the Ponyville Weather Patrol. The cyan pegasus began to descend once she saw her old house down below, gliding down to the front walk. Landing with a soft thud, she trotted up to the front door and rang the doorbell. The front door opened, and aside from the smell that immediately wafted out and reminded her of childhood memories, she laid eyes upon her dad, Bow Hothoof, whom she had to thank for her rainbow mane and tail. "Hey dad. Happy Hearth's Warming." Rainbow greeted. Having not seen his daughter in over three months, he pulled her into a very strong hug, nearly knocking the wind out of her. The closest thing she could compare it to was a hug from Pinkie. "Same to you, sweetheart. Welcome home." Her dad said, stepping aside and ushering her in. Rainbow wasn't even three steps inside before she was again wrapped into the hooves and wings of her mom, Windy Whistles. She had inherited her mother's cerise eyes, and her coat was much closer to hers than her dad's darker grayish blue. "You don't know what it means to see you again, Dashie." Windy said, releasing her from the tight embrace. "I think I've got some idea," Rainbow said with a chuckle as she briefly rubbed her wings. "Dinner ready already? I can smell the stormcloud soup already." Rainbow said, taking off her scarf and hat, and hanging them on the coat rack. "You know it. When you told us you were coming, it was the first course I put on the list." Bow told her as he returned to the kitchen, where a pot was currently simmering on the stove. After a few more stirs, he carried the pot over to the table, where Windy and Rainbow had taken their seats. He quickly served up steaming ladles of his daughter's favorite childhood soup before taking his seat across from Rainbow. "So how have you been, hun? We haven't heard from you since you wrote us saying you were staying in Ponyville." Windy said, beginning to sip at her soup. "Well, to start off, I've gotten better since I was here last. I'm really sorry I took off without saying anything, I was still in a pretty bad place mentally. But when I got back to Ponyville, things... Things started to slowly get better. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to tell you guys how things have gotten better." Rainbow began to explain, taking her first spoonful of soup. "Rainbow, if you feel like you need to tell us something, then you should just come out and say it. Don't be afraid." "Mom... Dad..." Rainbow said, pausing to take a deep breath. "Twilight and I are... Together." She finished, feeling like she had to claw that sentence out of her throat and immediately shoveled in another spoonful of soup, just to have something in her mouth. "You... What?" Windy asked, not sure if she heard her daughter correctly. "You and Twilight? Together, like, seeing each other?" Bow asked. Rainbow clarified by nodding, gulping down her mouthful of soup. "Dashie... After what they did to you... How can you even..." "Mom, she got me out of that absolute hell. Then when I took off angry and scared out of my mind, she stayed in town waiting for me in case I ever came back. And when I did, I started to feel better about myself, for the first time all year." "Sweetheart, I'd honestly think long and hard about whether you're still in a bad place mentally." Windy Whistles said. Rainbow's eyes widened in shock, but couldn't bring herself to respond before her mom got up from the table in disbelief. Her dad called after her, but she departed down the hall to her room, shutting the door without another word. "This was exactly what I was afraid of. This is why we knew it would be best if we went to see our separate families for Hearth's Warming." Rainbow said, her gaze falling to her soup as she fought back tears. "So her family doesn't know either?" Bow asked. "I think her brother knows, but no, I don't think she ever told her parents." Rainbow said, continuing to eat her soup, not wanting it to get cold. "You've gotta admit, kiddo. It does sound rather... Odd... That you two are seeing each other, after what they did to you... After you wandered for a year." "Dad... Nothing had worked." Rainbow started, tears pricking her eyes. "Running away didn't help. Isolating myself didn't help. Coming home to you didn't help. And... I'm really, really sorry that I have to tell you this, but even trying to hang myself didn't help. I hated that I missed them. After what they did to me... I hated it with every fiber of my being. But I wanted my sanity back. I'm sorry, I guess I'm loyal to a fault. A really, really big fault. What they did to me was wrong, but that doesn't change the fact that my priorities had gotten really messed up. The simple fact remains that Twilight snapped out of it and got me out of there. Because of her, I'm here right now. If I didn't go back to Ponyville, I don't think I ever would have gotten better, and they wouldn't have either. They were just as shattered as I was, dad. We've spent the last two months slowly piecing each other back together. Fluttershy was even worse off than I was." Rainbow suddenly wondered how the Apple Family Hearth's Warming festivities were going, seeing as how one temporary member of that household was being regarded and treated as a fully grown foal, for rehabilitative purposes. "Rainbow, you don't have to justify your choices to me. And you don't have to justify them to your mother, either. I love her, and I know she'll come around, even if it costs me a night or two out on the couch. The plain and simple truth is, that we're not going to agree with every single choice you make, but you know what? That doesn't matter. If you've found a way to function on a daily basis without spending a fortune on therapy, that's good enough. If you and Twilight love each other, that's good enough. It doesn't matter what anypony else says. The circumstances that brought you two together... Nopony else is going to understand it, because nopony else went through it. Nopony else was there. It may not be the fairy tale romance you'd enjoy telling, but it is what it is." "Thanks, dad. It means a lot to hear you say that." Rainbow replied, after swallowing her bite of soup. "Hun, you're just as stubborn and hard-headed as your mother, and I think that's for the best, especially when it comes to your relationships. I love your mother more than anything, and if she had listened to her parents about me, there's a fair chance that you wouldn't be here right now." "It's just... What do we do now? I don't really want to go through another awkward Hearth's Warming. Last year's was lonely enough." Rainbow admitted. "You want to know what I think you should do? I think you should finish your bowl of soup, and throw your scarf and hat back on, and go spend Hearth's Warming with Twilight." Her dad said. Rainbow honestly wasn't expecting a suggestion like that. Maybe a 'wait here, I'll go talk to your mother' or perhaps a 'we can still have a nice Hearth's Warming just the two of us', but not 'spend it with somepony else'. "You want me to leave?" Rainbow asked. "No, but I want you to have an enjoyable Hearth's Warming, I want it to be better than whatever you went through by yourself last year. I know your mom will eventually come around, but you don't have to wait around for her to do that. If anypony can make it to the Crystal Empire by morning with energy to spare, it's you. I'll mail your gifts down to Ponyville, and you can open them whenever you want." Rainbow turned and looked at the clock above the kitchen sink. It was half past six. At this point she wouldn't even need to hurry... Might even have time for a quick errand. "Dad... I'm sorry." Rainbow said, relenting to his decision as she polished off the last of the soup in her bowl. "You don't have to be, Dashie. It was great to see you, and I know you'll come around again. Give Twilight and her family my best, and have a great Hearth's Warming." Her dad replied, getting up from his seat and came around the table to hug his daughter. They squeezed each other affectionately, with Rainbow still sniffling away more tears. Bow walked her to the door, gave her the scarf and hat that had been hung up barely 10 minutes ago, and opened the front door. "Fly safe, sweetheart." Bow stood there as his Rainbow turned, and took off from the front porch, staying to watch as she became a speck against the evening sky.
GratitudeRainbow glided on the chilly currents as she soared towards Canterlot. The unicorn-moderated weather around Equestria's capital provided a picturesque backdrop of snowfall on the prairie below and mountains above, but the city itself was relatively free from snow. Though the castle was open for the Hearth's Warming dinner service that had concluded and was now available to tour the holiday decorations, Rainbow still knew it would be rather frowned upon to just fly up to the castle unbidden, and thus began to descend and touched down just outside the castle gates. The guard let her pass with a curt nod, and she walked across the drawbridge into the courtyard. Lights had been strung up around and along the marble pillars. Carolers had drawn a considerable crowd as they sang holiday staples from a temporary stage that had been set up. Rainbow was both amazed and grateful that some shops had still been open this late on Hearth's Warming Eve. Last minute gift or no, the reflecting she had been doing on the flight here made her realize that if she really wanted her mom to eventually come around, then she was going to have to come around, sooner or later. So as the sun had set over Equestria, she had decided on a little detour on her way up to the Crystal Empire. Entering the castle proper immediately took some of the chill away from the evening air. Groups of families and friends went every which way down the corridors, looking at Hearth's Warming sculptures, artwork, and decorations. The pegasus took in as much as she could on her saunter towards the throne room, the doors of which were closed and actively guarded by a Captain of the Night Watch. "Evening, Captain," Rainbow greeted, stepping up to the E.U.P. officer. "I'm hoping it's not too difficult to get an audience with Princess Luna on a night like tonight." The guard took a moment to look her up and down. "I suppose an exception can be made for a hero of Equestria. If the Princess appears to be sleeping or otherwise meditating, I would ask that you remain silent, and wait; it means she's patrolling the dream realm. Do that, and I trust there won't be any problems. You may enter, Miss Rainbow Dash." Rainbow nodded in thanks, stepped forward, and pushed the gargantuan throne room doors open, walking down the red carpet towards the throne. The way Luna kept the throne room for the night court was considerably different than the bright, sun-filled extravagance during the day. The only light was provided from torches on the pillars on either side of the hall. The soft crackling of flames from the wall sconces echoing against the walls along with her hoofsteps gave the throne room an entirely different atmosphere at night. Rainbow approached the throne pedestal against the far wall, where Princess Luna sat in her chair, currently in a meditative state, most likely in somepony's dream. She decided to sit and wait at the base of the pedestal. One minute later, her eyes slowly opened, and she looked down at the pegasus who was patiently waiting. "Rainbow Dash, this is certainly an unexpected visit. What can I do for you?" She asked, honestly surprised. Ever since the pegasus had returned to Ponyville after her year of self-exile, she had wanted as little as possible to do with the Princess of the Night and Dreams. Rainbow reached down into her saddlebags with a wingtip, and came out with a small velvet jewelry box. She tossed it up to the princess, who caught it in the glowing cobalt aura of her magic. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Princess." Intrigued, Luna opened the small box, and inside was a silver-chained jeweled pendant, with sapphires and diamonds in the shape of a night sky and crescent moon. "It's beautiful, thank you very much. But you didn't have to do this." Luna replied. "Yes I did." Rainbow began. "Look, I know you and I have had more than our fair share of differences these past few months, but I... I never thanked you for saving my life. What I tried to do in the forest that night was selfish and stupid. Thank you for stopping me." Luna took Rainbow Dash's words to heart as she got up, closed the box, and set it gently on her throne before coming down in front of her. "Rainbow, I never intended on making you feel like I was forcing you down a particular path, but in hindsight, I suppose that is what I ended up doing. I so badly wanted, with every fiber of my being, to save the six of you." "After everything that happened?" Rainbow asked. Luna immediately nodded. "After all of you saved me from Nightmare Moon, from myself... seeing what happened to the six of you... It shook me to my very core. I was terrified that if the Elements of Harmony could be split asunder the way you and your friends were, what were the chances that I could slip back into darkness?" "I never thought of it that way, honestly." Rainbow admitted. "Were it not for Cadance, I never would have found you in time." "But, I thought the Cloak of the New Moon would have made her forget she was talking to me with her Illusion spell." "It did. She was clandestinely writing notes while she was talking to you." The Princess told her. "Wow... Lucky for me." "Very lucky, yes. She immediately summoned me after you left the Crystal Heart, and we got to you just in time. She sensed the love you still held deep inside you, and I knew that was the one seed of hope to start the healing. The geas I placed on your mind urged you to return to the Heart without the cloak shrouding your sense of self, and act upon what you felt. But it only lasted for a few hours, and had evaporated by the time you boarded the train to Ponyville. Everything else was entirely you." Rainbow smiled. "So what are you doing in Canterlot? I figured you would be with your family, or with Twilight." Luna asked her. "I was with my family. Turns out me being with Twilight isn't sitting well at all with my mom right now. So instead of having to sit through an awkward Hearth's Warming, my dad told me I should go be with Twilight. She's up with her family in the Crystal Empire, so I figured I'd make a quick detour here. Figured that the holiday was a good opportunity for me to bury the hatchet with you." The Princess of the Night smiled sympathetically. "I am sorry to hear that, but if the two of you make each other happy, it shouldn't matter what other ponies, even family members, feel about it." Luna told her. "Yeah, my dad said she'll eventually come around. I just have to wait. Maybe next year." "Flying all the way up to the Crystal Empire overnight? Do you think you'll make it in time?" "Yeah. It won't be too bad. Little nap on the way should do me. As long as I don't have to spend tomorrow alone. I just hope it's not too much to ask that I'm dropping in unexpected." Rainbow replied. "Well, how about I send a quick note to Princess Cadance, letting her know that you're coming? A little Hearth's Warming gift of my own." Luna offered. Rainbow smiled up at her. "Thank you very much, Princess. I'd appreciate that." "Consider it done." With that, Luna leaned down and pulled Rainbow into a gentle hug. "Fly safe, and Happy Hearth's Warming, Rainbow Dash." The pegasus returned the embrace. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Princess, and sweet dreams."
Hearth's WarmingRainbow Dash wasn't the only one warding off the chilly early morning air under the arches of the Crystal Castle. There were almost a dozen ponies who had also come to see the Crystal Heart in the light of a Hearth's Warming sunrise. All one had to do was endure the occasional blistering wind from the north. But the Heart helped with that as well, as it slowly turned between the two large crystal formations that made up its receptacle, giving off warm pulses of blue light, making the weather all the more bearable. With each pulse, the pegasus felt the love inside her resonate; from Twilight, her friends, her mom and dad, and herself. Learning to love herself again had been one of the hardest parts of her year in exile, and it hadn't come full circle until she had returned to Ponyville, and accepted the mare she had become that had motivated her friends to do what they did, and let Twilight help break her down and put her back together again. "This feels a lot better than last time, doesn't it?" A regal voice asked as she heard hoofsteps approach her right side. She turned to see Princess Cadance come up to her, getting short bows from the two guards that were keeping watch over the Heart. "Infinitely better." Rainbow replied. "I got Luna's letter. I'm sorry to hear about how things went with your mom. But at least you don't have to spend Hearth's Warming alone, at least not this time." Cadance told Rainbow, sitting down next to her. For the first time in nearly half a year, Rainbow's thoughts drifted to Lonesome Pine, the solitary caretaker of the Neighecho Inn in the Foal Mountains. He had been her only company for Hearth's Warming last year as she had spent nearly the entire winter in the rustic lodge. The holiday dishes he had prepared that night had been one of the best meals she had in her time in exile. She hadn't really returned the favor of company; the two ponies rarely spoke, and she had been the only winter visitor on the isolated path. Unfortunately, after paying him over 5,000 bits for over nearly four months of food and lodging, his curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he had made the mistake of invading her highly-guarded privacy. The last she saw of him was him laying unconscious with a gash on the back of his head after she had reclaimed what he had taken before vanishing out into the mid-March blizzard. She never regretted what she had done, not after what he had pulled; but for the first time, she wondered if he had recovered, and what had become of his anonymous winter guest. "Thanks for having me with barely any notice. And... Thank you for saving my life." Rainbow said, again taking her gaze off of the Crystal Heart back to Cadance, who only blinked, not sure how to respond. "I know you had something to do with it, I already talked to Luna. Your cleverness saved me, Princess, even if, for a moment, I didn't want to be saved." Cadance swallowed, and as the sun came over the eastern peaks of the Crystal Mountains to shine on the Heart, she bent down and hugged Rainbow. "Seeing you at the base of that tree, with those cuts and scrapes, and that noose around your neck... and having to turn and walk away... That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. I don't know what you had to do to bring yourself to forgive them, but I'm glad you did." Cadance said as she squeezed the pegasus gently, before releasing her from the embrace. "Well, you of all ponies know what the power of love does." Rainbow replied, managing a slight smirk as the Heart's display area under the castle was lit up by god rays from the morning sunlight passing through the facets of the Crystal Heart. "There are many kinds of love, Rainbow. Love of friends, family, country..." Cadance paused and pressed a hoof to Rainbow's chest. "...Self. And yes, it can make us do crazy things sometimes. Reactions like the ones your mom gave you is sadly proof that not everypony is going to understand the crazyness that you and Twilight went through to be there for each other in the aftermath. But maybe that's okay. Maybe the love and loyalty in you doesn't need to be understood by everypony else." Rainbow smiled at her as they started towards the stairway built into the northwest arch that would take them into the castle proper. "Thanks for the pep talk, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about what the rest of Twilight's family thinks about us being together." Rainbow confessed as they headed inside up the stairs. "Well, let me ask you this. Does it matter? You know they've all forgiven her because of the letter we all signed. Celestia told us how you confronted her about what Luna had done, yet she was fully restored to her throne. She told us that if you could bring yourself to forgive Twilight and love her, who were we to judge? So even if they seem somewhat reserved, does it really matter? Would it change at all the way you two feel about each other?" Cadance asked. "Alright, point taken. I don't need anypony's approval for the way we feel about each other." Rainbow replied, starting to feel like she was being lectured. "That's right. I know both of you want others to be happy for you two, but in the end, all you need is each other. So let's go and have a hearty breakfast, what do you say?" The Princess of Love asked. "After my flight, yeah, that sounds absolutely fantastic." Rainbow replied. Once the duo had arrived in the main foyer, they climbed three more flights of stairs and stepped into the royal residence, and the smell of pancakes and maple immediately wafted to Rainbow's nose, and she realized how hungry the journey had made her. After quickly tossing her scarf and hat into the coat closet, she passed through the den and made her way to the dining room, where Night Light and his wife sat next to each other, and Twilight sat across from them. The alicorn turned to see Rainbow enter the room, and she immediately got up and nearly galloped over to her, throwing her front hooves around her. "I was wondering why they had set an extra place at the table. What happened?" She asked, surprised to see her marefriend up here when they had agreed to see their families separately. "It's not exactly a long story, but I'll tell you later." Rainbow began, returning the embrace, before turning to Twilight's mom and dad. "Thanks for having me on such short notice. It means a lot that I can still spend Hearth's Warming with loved ones." The pegasus told them. "It's no trouble. There's always plenty to go around, and this way, less leftovers for everypony else to split and take home." Night Light reassured her. Shining Armor and Cadance came out from the kitchen with a hot silver platter stacked high with pancakes and two glass dispensers of syrup; one maple, and one strawberry. "Alright, breakfast is served. Dig in!" Rainbow Dash sat out on the balcony of the Crystal Castle, a hearty dinner sitting satisfyingly in her stomach. After dessert, she came out here to watch the sunset over the western Yaket Range, after a day of fun and games with Twilight's family. "So, it's been great having you here, but are you ever going to tell me what happened in Cloudsdale?" Twilight asked, stepping out onto the balcony to sit next to her marefriend, putting a wing around her shoulders. Rainbow took a deep breath, and exhaled, staring out at the dusk sky. "I was only there for about ten minutes. You have to understand, before I came to Ponyville, home was one of my last stops. When it didn't seem to help any, I left when they were at work, only left them a note... So I figured I owed them an explanation of what I've been up to these past couple months. I told them that you and I were together. And..." Rainbow swallowed, as revisiting last evening's events finally brought tears spilling over her eyelids. "Rainbow..." Twilight sympathized, tightening her wing's hold on Rainbow's shoulders. "My dad was supportive, but my mom... she said some things that aren't going to be so easy to take back. Dad said that you and I... It isn't going to be easy, because not everypony is going to understand or appreciate the circumstances that brought us together. I don't care what my mom thinks, it doesn't change how I feel about you. Your family has been nothing but supportive, and with my dad's encouragement, I'm willing to ignore my mom until she decides to come around. I love you Twilight, more than anything or anypony." Rainbow said, turning and embracing the alicorn. "And that's why I got you a little something," the pegasus continued, releasing Twilight from the hug, and reached a wing into her saddlebags. "I was going to wait until we were both back in Ponyville, but right here, right now seems as good a time as any. I know you and I have embraced each other's quirks and kinks to get closer, but I think it's time for something a little more vanilla." Rainbow's wing came out of the saddlebag with a scarlet velvet box, wider than it was tall, and the alicorn's eyes started to widen. "Twilight, we discovered our feelings for each other through some of the most unexpected, twisted ways possible, feelings I tried to beat back with every ounce of hatred and fear that I held for over a year alone, and yet they persisted. We've used that to strengthen our eventual relationship. Not everypony may understand or accept us, but we understand each other; enough to where I'm ready to commit to you in one of the least twisted ways possible." Rainbow used her other wing to lift the hinged lid of the box, and revealed a gold chain with a ring on it. On the ring were two gems with silver intertwined between them; an amethyst, and a sapphire. "Twilight Sparkle, will you marry me?" Rainbow asked as she dropped down to one front leg. The disgraced princess felt her throat tighten, and tears trickled down her cheeks as she took the opened jewelry case from Rainbow's wings into hers. She bit her lip, and came forward and threw her hooves around Rainbow's neck. "Yes. Yes, with all of my heart, yes." She softly cried. Then they released each other, Rainbow gently took the box back, lifted the necklace from its resting place, and used each wingtip to bring the ends around her marefriend's neck and fasten it securely at the back. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Twilight." "Happy Hearth's Warming, Rainbow." "So, I'm not sure if you were planning on staying the night, and I know crystal walls aren't the most soundproofed structure in Equestria, but I'm still up for some fun tonight if you are. Your mom and dad are only right next door, right?" Rainbow asked with a smirk. Twilight couldn't help but laugh as she came in for a kiss. "You're awful, you know that?" Twilight said, giggling her tears away. "I'm anything you want me to be, Mistress."
