Sunset and the Missing Christmas Tree
December 23rd was here at last, and there was finally a reason to celebrate. The dreaded Anon-a-Miss had been defeated, and Christmas was just around the corner.
Over at Sweet Apple Acres, the landscape was covered in snow, making for a wondrous vista across the Californians landscape. The Apple family was busy bustling backwards and forwards with preparations for the Christmas party.
It had very nearly been a sad Christmas for them, as it had initially seemed that Apple Bloom was the architect of the chaos that had swept through Canterlot that year. But were it not for the intervention of Sunset Shimmer, Bloom would be looked in her room now, with extra bruises on her butt to boot.
But it hadn’t been them at all.
An old foe had returned to try and destroy them, but had been stopped successfully. Now Christmas could proceed successfully, but to say the incident hadn’t affected everyone’s feelings would be false.
That morning, Applejack, her parents, Granny Smith, Grand Pear, and Sunset Shimmer were sat around the dinner table. Given all that Sunset had done to clear Apple Bloom’s name, it seemed only fair to have her over for the season.
“Now then,” Bright Mac said, “we still have some things that need doing before we are ready to start the party.”
“Guests would be a good start,” Granny Smith suggested.
“Apart from the obvious!” Grand Pear countered.
“The food needs cooking, which Ah suspect will take most of the day,” Pear Butter commented.
“And someone still needs ta do the decorations,” Applejack noted. “Both inside and out.”
“What about the snow?” Sunset asked. “We won’t be able to get any visitors if the snow is too thick.”
Just then, a great roar built up outside, the snow being whipped around and sent flying through the air.
“What in tarnation?” asked Granny Smith.
A great tornado of snow flew past the window with a roar, piling up on the sides of the rails that ran around the site, and this mysterious machine came to a stop.
Sunset stepped outside to see what it was.
It was a machine made of metal, that was very long. It had a great turbine fitted to the front, a chimney, a massive tender and a long boiler. The cab was at the front, and coupled to the back of the machine was one of the Everfree Forest engines, Stuart the Brave.
Big Mac’s head looked out from the cab of the steam engine. “Mornin’ Sunset!” he called. “Just cleanin’ here snow.”
Then who’s head should emerge from the strange machine, but that of Apple Bloom. “Ah have ta say that OZ does her work perfectly!” she added.
Sunset looked even more confused. “What is this?” she asked.
Applejack stepped outside as well. “Another of grandpa’s inventions, Ah guess,” she sighed.
“It’s a rotary snowplough,” Grand Pear told them, causing both of them to jump.
“What’s a rotary snowplough?” Sunset asked.
“A conventional snowplough is like a wedge that sits on the track, attached to a loco’s front buffer beam. Problem is, in thick snow like this that’s of absolutely no use at all.”
Grand Pear gave a hand signal, and the turbine slowed down. “So, on the tough Antonito-Alamosa line, which got snowed under every year, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad introduced a pair of rotary snowploughs. These machines work by sucking the snow up and throwing it out to the side over there.” He pointed to the rapidly accumulating pile of snow. “Instead of dumping snow on the rails, it threw it into the air so it was well clear of the track.”
Apple Bloom joined in. “One of them is still workin’ on the Cumbres and Toltec Narrow Gauge Railroad. But Grandpa built this machine for 2ft 3in, rather than 3ft as was the case for the originals.”
“Yes,” Pear laughed. “I got the idea when Ah was lookin’ through mah photos and found one of OY in action in the 1980s. It must be the hardest piece of engineerin’ Ah’ve ever done.”
“But on the flip side,” smiled Big Mac, “it means that we no longer have to use the manual shovels for clearin’ all that snow. Although we Apples-”
Grand Pear glared at him.
“Although we kids,” Mac hastily corrected, “are pretty tough, shovellin’ all that snow did get tirin’ after a while. This machine is a lifesaver."
Sunset spoke up. “I was wanting to know who wanted to help out with putting up decorations outside.”
There was an excited chorus of shouts and much waving of hands.
Up went the ladders upon the porch, and the assembled workers began hanging up wreaths, tinsel and anything else that immediately came to mind (although baskets of apples was quickly abandoned as an idea). The wreath went onto the door, and the Christmas lights were looped along the top of the porch, past the door, and around the top and sides of the building. A quick check of the lights confirmed that they were indeed working, as somebody had thought to rewire them in parallel after last year, when the lights had failed because one of them was a bit dodgy (which made the light-up the previous year a little embarrassing). All the time, they were merrily singing, which amazed Sunset to no end as they were singing perfectly in tune and in beautiful harmony.
“Caroling, caroling now we go
Christmas bells are ringing
Caroling, caroling through the snow
Christmas bells are ringing
Joyous voices sweet and clear
Sing the sad of heart to cheer
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Christmas bells are ringing
Caroling, caroling, caroling, caroling
Caroling, caroling through the town
Christmas bells are ringing
Caroling, caroling up and down
Christmas bells are ringing
Mark ye well the song we sing
Gladsome tidings now we bring
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Christmas bells are ringing
Caroling, caroling now we go
Caroling, caroling through the snow
Joyous voices sweet and clear
Sing the sad of heart to cheer
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Christmas bells are ringing!”
They had all done a stellar job, and Apple Bloom hopped down the ladder. “Such a shame mah friends couldn’t be here,” she said sadly.
“Now sugarcube,” Applejack said fondly, but sternly, “they’ve got their own homes to ready for the holidays.”
“CHRISTMAS!” everyone else chorused.
“Besides,” Applejack continued, utterly oblivious, “Ah thought Cozy Glow was seein’ her relatives in Philadelphia.”
“That’s right,” Apple Bloom nodded. “She’s got some rich folks out there. Ah still miss her though.”
“She’s helping you with that railroad your restoring, right?” Sunset asked.
“More than that, she’s a Crusader,” Bloom smiled. “Besides, as friends we oughtta stick together.”
Apple Bloom’s words rung especially true that season, given that someone had tried to divide them and break them apart.
But no sooner had they begun to dwell on that, Bright Mac ran outside. “Ah just gotta call from the lumber yard. The tree Ah ordered is supposed ta be here.”
“There’s been no sign of it,” Big Mac countered.
Bright Mac looked at Sunset. “Sunset, ya wouldn’t mind tryin’ ta find the missin’ tree?”
“I’ll do my best sir,” Sunset replied, adjusting her coat and heading off down the path toward the streetcar stop.
How hard could it be to find a tree?
Very hard, it turned out.
Sunset looked in every conceivable place after getting off the streetcar at Lewis Road. She searched high and she searched low. She looked down every conceivable street and outside every conceivable building. She even took a look in the CTA depot, much to their annoyance.
The problem was the town was full of Christmas trees. They were ten-a-penny, covered in tinsel, lights, and surrounded by carolers.
“Believe in what your heart is saying,
Hear the melody that's playing;
There's no time to waste
There's so much to celebrate!”
“Hunting for a missing tree is not how I intended to spend my Christmas, thanks,” Sunset thought.
She passed the Flim-Flam brothers, trying to sell their latest scam, and a horde of penguins, exactly as you don’t find at the North Pole.
She had searched nearly the entire town, and was on the verge of giving up. When suddenly there was a whistle, a loud whistle that shook the landscape.
And then a loud roar started up in front of her. Sunset dashed across the road as she assumed a train was rapidly approaching.
She waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And it still hadn’t appeared! What was going on?
And then, out of the snow and fog, it loomed.
It had a tender, and 3 power trucks with an offset boiler and three vertical cylinders. Gears ran down one side of the engine, which was what was producing all the racket. The engine was pulling a single truck, on which sat...
“The missing Christmas Tree!” Sunset exclaimed.
“Need a lift?” asked a Bronx voice.
Sunset climbed into the cab to see a girl with brown skin and pink hair at the controls.
“Thanks for the tree. You know, I’ve never seen you before.”
“No probs.” The girl smiled. “My name’s Babs Seed. I ain’t from around here.”
Sunset puzzled for a bit. “You’re from Manehattan!”
Babs looked confused. “Surely you mean Manhattan,” she replied. “And technically, I’m from New Jersey, but forgetaboutit!”
She threw some switches, and away they went.
“So, why are you delivering the tree?”
“The lumber yard’s truck had broken down, and they have this Willamette as a backup. I’d flown in to see my cuz’, Apple Bloom, but she’s not supposed to know I’m here.”
Sunset gasped. “Apple Bloom said something about having relatives on the East Coast.”
“That basically sums me up,” Babs laughed.
They blasted backwards along the line, and arrived at the final stop with time to spare, but the noise and unusual sight certainly attracted a lot of attention. Grand Pear was waiting with his truck, and smiled as he saw the train pull in.
“Looks like you ain’t a bad seed at all Babs!” he laughed.
Babs hopped off the engine and helped hook the chains up to the tree. “Hey, I get that joke enough back home!”
Grand Pear nodded. “OK, Ah’ll stop.” He activated the lift mechanism, and the tree was lifted into the air and onto the back of the truck. Scootaloo and Cheerilee walked past the scene in question, apparently oblivious to what was happening.
And so, the tree was successfully put up and lit without too much difficulty. Sunset retired inside for the festivities, whilst Babs was temporarily staying somewhere in town until Christmas Day. As the gathered guests relaxed inside the living room, Bright Mac, Big Mac, and Applejack all entered.
“Good afternoon y’all!” said Bright Mac. “Ah hope y’all enjoyin’ yerself.”
There was a chorus of approval.
“Given the festive season,” Big Mac continued, “We’ve prepared an acapella version of a famous Christmas song. Apple Bloom’s just runnin’ the scores off the printer.”
Just then, Apple Bloom appeared through the door. “Ah’m he-” just then, she tripped, and the papers went flying through the air.
“Apple Bloom!” Applejack scolded. “Please be more careful!”
The younger girl pulled herself up. “Sorry, sis,” she replied. “Ah’d better get these pages back in order.”
There was a short wait whilst the entire family got to work on rearranging the pages, but the score was at last ready, and placed on the music stand in front of them.
Big Mac sounded his ocarina, but then peered at the score in confusion. “That don’t look right,” he said.
Bright Mac turned the score the other way up. Mac then played a different note, which caused some laughter.
At last, they began.
“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
A partridge in a pear tree!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!”
However, things started going wrong.
“On the fourth day of Christ-”
“On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me-” they paused- “five golden rings!
Four calling birds, three French hens,
Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!”
They stopped. “Apple Bloom, are ya sure ya printed these off in the right order?” Applejack asked.
“Ah’m certain Ah did!” she replied. “But who input the parts?” Apple Bloom added, pointing at Big Mac.
“Can we just get on?” Bright Mac asked.
So, they tried again.
“On the ninth day of Christmas, (on the eighth day of Christmas)
My true love gave to me (my true love gave to me)
Nine ladies dancing (eight maids a milking)
Eight ladies dancing (seven maids a milking)
Seven ladies dancing (six maids a milking)
Six ladies dancing (five)-”
“Better not shout, you better not cry, -(“What?”)
You better not-in a pear tree!”
Applejack rearranged a few of the pages. “That ought ta fix it.”
By this point the room had descended into hysterics.
“On the eleventh-”
“No!” Apple Bloom cried. “That ain’t right!”
So, she changed another page.
“On the sixth/fourth-”
“Well, neither is that,” Big Mac added.
“On the seventh day of Christmas (deck the halls)
My true love gave to me (with boughs of holly)
Seven swans a swimming (here we come a wassailing)
Six geese a laying (among the leaves so)
Five golden rings (Fa-la-la-la-la) Do you hear what I hear?”
“Four calling birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves (here we come a wassailing)
The boar's head in hand bear I (among the leaves so green)
Bedeck'd with bays”-they suddenly trailed off as they realised the words were wrong.
“And partridge in a pear tree,” Apple Bloom added awkwardly.
Some more pages were switched around.
“On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Eleven pipers piping (ding)
Ten lords a leaping (dong)
Nine ladies dancing (ding)
Eight maids a milking (dong)
Seven swans a swimming (ding)
Six geese a laying (dong)
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves
And Rudolph the red nosed reindeer!”
Big Mac groaned. “Not only are the pages in the wrong order, but other songs are in there as well!”
Bright Mac looked over. “Applejack, are you certain you copied out the right parts?”
“Certain as mah name’s Applejack!” his eldest daughter replied.
After a pause, they tried to do it from memory.
“And a partridge in a-”
“Four calling birds-”
“Three French Hens and a duck.”
They all looked over at Apple Bloom. “What?” she asked. “That’s what it says!”
They finally got it together, however, and sang the final part correctly. This was followed by applause.
Just then, the door rang. “That must be Sweetie Belle and Rarity,” Big Mac said.
“Ah’ll get it!” Apple Bloom called, speeding to the door.
And everyone agreed it was the best Christmas ever.
Author's Note
This is my third Christmas gift to you all. I hope you enjoyed it.
This will also be my last story for a while, as I will be busy over the Christmas season. However, there will be a special something for you all on Christmas day.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
