With a poof of dispersed air and magic, Starlight Glimmer arrived... somewhere. Admittedly, she was not certain where she was. It was a bit difficult to know an exact location when using a combination tracking and teleportation spell. Still, it was the easiest way to get to where a specific was, provided they were not too far. And fortunately for Starlight, it seemed that Trixie was close enough. Starlight could see her friend's wagon.
Adjusting her scarf and present, she made her way through the snow and toward the wagon. Reaching the door, she knocked and waited.
Seconds passed and no sound came from the wagon. It was not that large, and even with the hidden compartments and storage spaces, it was not magicked to be larger on the inside than out. Also while she had not actually tested it, Starlight was pretty sure that it had not been sound-proofed.
Starlight Glimmer knocked again, harder, and waited again.
Still no answer.
This was not something that Starlight had considered. Yes, she knew that it had been a possibility, but had not actually considered it. She had sort of just assumed that she would be teleported close to Trixie and either speak with her immediately, or wait until she was finished performing a show. The idea of having to actually wait for Trixie to show had not been something she had put any serious thought into. If she teleported back to the castle now, Starlight would be too worn out to come back for hours. It would be too late by then. She could just leave the gift, but she wanted to see Trixie. Waiting was the best option, but what could she do until then? According to Twilight, friends do not break into other friends' houses, even if it is just to wait around or tidy up. So, she was kind of stuck waiting around outside.
Maybe she could make a snowmare or something while she waited. Or snowballs.
Grinning to herself, Starlight set the gift on the top step of the wagon and turned her attention to the snow. Her horn lit up as she started to collect it, packing it into a ball before setting it down to grab some more. True, she could do dozens at once if she wanted, but it was about doing something to spend time on instead of getting to the final goal. Plus, she had been told several times that it was better to do something slowly, although she did not exactly agree on the matter.
Before long, she had a massive pile of what must have been well over a hundred snowballs, all perfectly formed and ready to go.
"Yes," she said. "Soon, Trixie will arrive, surprised to see me. Then, I will be able to attack." Throwing her head back, she let out a laugh.
A laugh that was interrupted by the impact of a snowball to the side of her face, followed by the laugh of another pony.
"If you want to ambush a pony such as The Great and Powerful Trixie, you should be smart enough to not get caught up in a soliloquy."
Trixie then threw another snowball, hitting Starlight in the face (with some of it actually getting in her mouth).
"I mean, really," she continued as she launched another, "who does that? It's like a villain from a com--"
The rest of her statement was cut off in a yelp of surprise as she was hit by a snowball this time.
"You're one to talk," Starlight Glimmer shouted as she threw another.
"Oh, it is on!" Trixie shouted as she started throwing back.
The two of them soon got into it fully. Running around the clearing and wagon, the two mares giggled like fillies as they threw snowballs at each other. Sometimes they would stand out in the open, throwing at each other and dodging the other's attacks. Other times, one of them would get cover, popping out only long enough to throw before hiding again. Only when the two of them had collapsed and laid in the snow panting did the battle come to an end.
"Trixie will concede your combat prowess, and shall allow you to cease battle with dignity."
"Thanks," Starlight Glimmer said as she rolled her eyes. "Glad to know you can be so magnanimous."
"The Kind and Gentle Trixie can be many things."
The two looked at each other before breaking out in full laughter. Lying in the snow, the pair of them laughed and laughed until they were panting for breath once more.
"It's good to see you Starlight," Trixie said as she got back up. "So what brings you here?"
"I actually came to see you," Starlight replied, "and to bring you a Hearth's Warming present."
"What?" Trixie cried out, stepping back as her eyes went wide. "No. No. I can't. I mean, I don't have anything for you and--"
Trixie's start of a panicky rant was stopped as Starlight Glimmer's magic covered her mouth.
"It's okay," Starlight Glimmer said. "I wasn't expecting one seeing as I just showed up at your wagon unannounced. It's that... I haven't really celebrated Hearth's Warming in a while, not since I kind of lost touch with my parents and became disillusioned with friends after Sunburst left me. But Twilight told me a story recently that got me thinking about it."
Starlight's horn lit up as she picked the present up from the top step of the wagon, levitating it over to her.
"One thing that kind of stuck out to me is that while a present doesn't mean anything" -- she caught the present in her hoof -- "it can also mean anything." Taking a step forward, she held the present out to Trixie. "In this case, it means, 'I'm glad that you're my friend.'"
Trixie took the present and looked at it. The paper was the color of her coat and had her cutie mark patterned along it, and it was wrapped in a ribbon that had the same silvery white color as her mane.
"How... how did you get paper with my cutie mark?" Trixie asked.
"Pinkie Pie had it," Starlight replied, "and before you ask: I have no idea how or why she had wrapping paper like that for you. Although she seemed to have some for everypony." Although not all of them were the same. The ones supposedly for the Cake twins had no cutie marks since they did not have any yet, and the one for Spike had what looked like green fireballs instead.
Trixie undid the ribbon, letting it fall away, then undid the wrapping paper. She worked on it slowly, being careful to undo the tape without tearing it. Starlight suspected that it was because Trixie wanted to keep it (after all, how often does a pony get wrapping paper with their own cutie mark on it?), but could not be entirely sure. Starlight knew that Trixie could be kind of impetuous, but some of the tricks also took a lot of planning and preparation before being ready.
Finished with the paper, Trixie opened the box. Her eyes went wide as she let out a small gasp. Her horn lit up as she reached in, pulling out what looked a lot like the cloak that she already wore.
"I don't know if you had a winter cloak or not," Starlight said, "but I figured it would be useful even if you did. It's thicker -- and a little heavier -- than your normal one, so it will keep you warmer but may not flow behind you the same. There's also a lot of hidden pockets sewn in for you to hide whatever things you might need for your tricks."
Trixie looked from the box to Starlight Glimmer, tears starting to fill her eyes. Dropping the present, Trixie lunged at Starlight, wrapping her forelegs around the other mare to give a hug.
"Thank you," Trixie said. "I love it."
She then leaned in, pressing her lips to Starlight's.
Starlight tensed at the feel of Trixie's lips against hers, eye wide as her mind tried to process what was happening. Trixie was holding her close and kissing her. Kissing. Her. The lips were warm, and soft. There was also some sort of tingle from the contact, like static electricity or a small amount of magical energy between them. Starlight found herself enjoying it. Eyes closing, she relaxed and leaned into it more.
There was a wet pop as the kiss ended.
"I'm sorry," Trixie suddenly blurted out. "I don't know what came over me. I just... the gift... and.." Her cheeks turned bright red as she kept trying to talk.
"It... it's okay," Starlight said, feeling her own face heat up. "I didn't mind it. In fact...I... kind of liked it."
"Really?"
Starlight Glimmer nodded, looking down at the ground as she pawed at the snow. It was honestly a surprise to her too. She had a little bit of a filly crush on Sunburst before he had left for Canterlot. After meeting him again and reconciling a little, a part of her imagined them getting romantically involved.
Yet here she was, having just been kissed by Trixie and loving it. She had never considered doing anything with a mare before, but now...
"Do you want to come inside?" Trixie asked.
Dear Celestia YES! one part of Starlight Glimmer thought. She wanted to go in that wagon and make out with Trixie (or maybe more). Another part of her was somewhat terrified at the prospect. This was something she had never even thought about before. She needed to think.
"I should be getting back," she said. There was a small pain in her chest as she saw the look of disappointment on Trixie's face.
"Need to get back for Hearth's Warming. But... maybe after we can get together? Go out someplace and talk, then see what happens from there."
Trixie seemed to cheer up a little, but not entirely.
"Promise?" she asked.
"Pinkie Promise," Starlight replied.
"Then it's a date."
