A Ponyville Hearth's Warming

As the ice slowly entrapped them, everypony hung their heads in resignation. Even Rainbow had stopped struggling and looked at the ground sadly, maybe contemplating life as a popsicle. Spike tried his fire breath to no avail. This wasn't normal ice, but magical ice caused by a powerful spirit.

The only sound around them was the howling of the thousands of windigos encircling Ponyville, freezing every last mare, stallion and foal and feeding off of their emotions. Frost meanwhile seemed to have disappeared, becoming part of the blizzard itself. If Fluttershy listened closely, she thought she could hear his squeaky laughter almost permeating the air.

"I'm sorry Fluttershy." Twilight said grimly, breaking the silence among the group. "We should've listened to you when you were trying to warn us. We weren't being very good friends..." Everypony else except Celestia nodded their agreement and apologized. "And we owe you an apology too Princess." Twilight turned to Princess Celestia who looked very calm despite the situation.

"Oh? If anyone is to blame for this, it's the windigos, not you my little ponies." Princess Celestia smiled sadly.

Twilight shook her head. "We tried to make this Hearth's Warming special Princess. We planned the perfect tree, the perfect food, everything you're used to in Canterlot. I- we wanted to make this party something you could be proud of but.... I failed you." Twilight looked away sadly as the ice began to reach everypony's neck.

To their surprise, Princess Celestia chuckled. "Oh Twilight, I should've been more specific in my letter... you always did work yourself too hard. The reason I came to Ponyville to celebrate was because of all of you... not the food or the tree."

"Really?" Twilight asked with a look of confusion.

"Those Canterlot celebrations are so big and overdone that nopony ever actually gets much time to talk to each other. And whenever I attend one everypony is always competing to try and talk to me, just because I'm, well, me. I wanted to come to Ponyville this year because I knew that I'd get time to just relax with all of you and enjoy the holiday." Celestia explained patiently.

"I guess we failed on that count then." Rarity sighed. "We each got so wrapped up in our party planning that we didn't really talk to each other much did we? Except Fluttershy that is..."

"And now it's gonna be the last Hearth's Warming ever." Rainbow said sadly. The ice had almost reached their heads now, making everypony look like a living ice sculpture.

"Well..." Fluttershy said hesitantly, "At least we're together now..."

"Hey that's right!" Pinkie grinned with excitement.

Twilight smiled. "Before we freeze... I just want all of you to know that you're the best friends anypony could ask for. Happy Hearth's Warming everypony." Tears stung at everypony's eyes as the ice finally covered Twilight's head, leaving her completely frozen.

Next to her, Spike looked surprisingly calm and blinked his tears away. "Thank you, all of you, for showing Twilight that there was more to life than just books. And Rarity-" Before Spike could finish his sentence the ice froze him as well, causing Rarity to sob.

"Over my many years, I have seen, heard and done alot. However in just two years, all of you have taught me things that even Star Swirl the Bearded did not know. It is hard to be surprised when you've been around for thousands of years, but everypony here has managed to do so. I am very proud of all of you." Princess Celestia bowed her head and smiled her signature warm, caring smile before freezing over completely.

"I once believed that only ponies who were the same could be friends. But when nopony else would've helped me, you all showed me that true friendship is appreciating our differences and bonding over what we have in common. That's the best gift I could ask for this Hearth's Warming." Starlight said graciously as she froze as well.

As each pony said their goodbyes and thanked their friends, Fluttershy felt something warm inside her growing hotter and hotter despite the ice almost encasing her entire body. Finally, she found that she was the last one left, as all her friends were frozen with content expressions on their faces.

"Thank you everypony, for helping me, the shiest pony of all, embrace friendship and step out into the spotlight." Fluttershy whispered. "Even if you're all frozen and can't say it, I know you all love me and I love you as well. I suppose that's the true magic of friendship." She closed her eyes, waiting for the ice to finally take her.

Instead, Fluttershy felt a massive heat explode from within her, instantly melting her icy prison. She opened her eyes in surprise, and saw that a huge fiery purple heart had formed over her. The heart radiated its heat, whipping flames at each of her frozen friends. One by one they began to thaw with surprised expressions on their faces.

Twilight gaped at the massive heart. "Is that..."

"The Fire of Friendship." Celestia grinned.

"But it only appears over the place where friendship is strongest!" Twilight exclaimed. "And this year it was barely bigger than one pony. Now it's the size of a house!"

"I guess now that we stopped worrying about the perfect Hearth's Warming and instead just appreciated each other, we evoked the true magic of Hearth's Warming!" Spike reasoned. The air was filled with the angry howls of windigos as the spirits began to hurl everything they had at them. Ice, snow, hail and wind came flying at them but the heart's energy dissipated the attacks with ease.

Jack Frost materialized in the sky, looking enraged. "I DESTROYED HEARTH'S WARMING! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!!!" he screamed. He pointed a hoof and a massive tornado of snow appeared beneath him. It began uprooting houses, shattering decorations and destroying everything in its path as it raced toward Fluttershy and her friends. Jack laughed maniacally, "It doesn't matter. No magic you little ponies have can match the power of a spirit!"

"He's right! The heart isn't powerful enough to defeat him, it's only able to protect us!" Twilight yelled over the newly invigorated storm.

"We need to strengthen its power! Everypony gather around it in a circle and hold hooves!" Celestia ordered. "There's a spell that will amplify the heart's magic so that it can defeat Jack!" Everypony encircled the glowing heart and touched hooves (or claws).

"But most of us don't know any spells! And we can't do magic!" Spike said in a panicky voice.

"The words should be familiar to you, as this spell draws on the magic of friendship itself." Celestia explained. Jack's tornado grew closer, showing no sign of stopping as the heart began to flicker. "We must hurry my little ponies, or Jack's power will be too great to stop!"

"Draws on the magic of friendship... Starswirl's spell!" Twilight realized. "But not the one we used before, this one has to be much stronger!" Fluttershy felt herself begin to understand, as the warm glow within her formed itself into words.

Everypony took a collective breath and chanted, "From all of us together, together we are friends. Our hearts brought together, evil's might must bend!"

The Fire of Friendship exploded outward, hurling purple flames at the screaming windigos. Many of them were instantly vaporized and some luckier ones managed to flee. The tornado and snow clouds were melted away, resulting in torrents of rain splashing down onto the now thawed townsponies. Foals laughed and hopped around in the puddles while the adults got their bearings.

Jack roared in anger as his form began to flicker. "What's happening to me?!!" he yelled desperately.

"Your power is gone Jack! Despite your attempts to destroy it, the magic of Friendship will always be greater than you!" Celestia yelled back, glowing with sunfire.

"NO!" he hissed angrily in a deep, ancient sounding voice.

Celestia shot a blast of magic at Frost, causing him to shatter into thousands of pieces of ice with an echoing scream. Everypony looked up in awe as the spirit was destroyed.

Twilight hesitated, "He-he's not-"

"He is shattered Twilight. The force of winter must always exist, as it is a part of our world, however Jack Frost will never be able to take physical form again." Celestia replied.

"What about the rest of the windigos?" Rarity asked cautiously.

"Most likely they've fled back to the icy north and south." Celestia guessed. "But as long as we keep the Fire of Friendship going, they will never be a threat again." Fluttershy looked up and saw that the purple heart had risen higher in the air, glowing above Twilight's castle. In the storm, Princess Celestia's welcome banner had flown away, leaving the crystal star sparkling with moonlight.

"Well if we're gonna keep that fire burning, then it's time to paaarty!" Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing up and down.

"Ah hate to be a downer, but the castle is still a total mess." Applejack pointed out.

Fluttershy raised a hoof. "I think I have an idea about that. Discord!" she called.

There was the distinct sound of talons snapping, and suddenly the entire population of Ponyville was transported to a giant dance floor (fortunately not on fire). A large disco ball lit up the room with dozens of colors, and creatures of all kinds seemed to be dancing in ways that defied physics. In the center, the Smooze bobbed up and down in midair, upside down. Fluttershy gave him a small wave and he smiled back.

"Welcome to the party!" Discord appeared above them, grinning widely. "Just one rule: be Chaotic!" Everypony cheered and rushed the strange dance floor, talking and laughing with each other.

"Well Discord you can certainly throw a party." Celestia said calmly. Twilight stood beside her, looking utterly perplexed as hundreds of ponies violated the laws of physics without a care in the world.

Discord floated upside down. "Aren't you going to join us Celestia?" he asked teasingly. "Or can the Princess not dance?"

"Is that a challenge?" Celestia said raising an eyebrow.

"I suppose it is!" Discord shot back.

Celestia gracefully flew onto the dance floor and began doing several complex spins and moves that Fluttershy had only seen professionals pull off before. Twilight's jaw dropped, as her brain probably hit its weirdness limit. She shook her head and trotted off to join the rest of their friends, leaving Fluttershy and Discord alone.

"So how did your "perfect" Hearth's Warming eve party go?" Discord asked.

"Well..." Fluttershy began.

"Say it." Discord demanded.

"You were right." Fluttershy said quietly.

"What was that?" Discord lifted his paw to his ear.

"You were right. Nothing ever turns out perfect." Fluttershy admitted. "Things didn't turn out like we expected but... they turned out pretty well in the end."

Discord grinned. "Happy Hearth's Warming Flutters." He picked her up and hugged her tightly.

"Happy Hearth's Warming Discord." Fluttershy replied happily, hugging him back. This Hearth's Warming, would definitely be one to remember.