Hearts Warming Eve had approached rather quickly this year. Snow was gently falling from the sky outside and every-creature was excited for the school holidays to finally come into effect and release them from the boredom of school, including yourself. You had been waiting almost a month just for this day to arrive, and now it had at lonng last! All you had to do was make it through one more measly hour of class before you could go home and do whatever your heart desired for a whole two weeks! After all, the amount of studying and hard work you put into your tests and exams, you had most certainly earned it.
Before you could properly enjoy yourself however, there was still the matter of needing to focus and pay attention to the last of Professor Applejacks teachings, and for good reason too. Just because it was nearly the holidays didn't mean to say she wasn't going to punish you for not listening. You remember well the last student who did so got the pleasure of hearing her repeat her entire lecture just for him after school hours. Right now your ears picked up on her going on about the importance of how Honesty is a better alternative than lying in any situation, although half the time you couldn't help but start paying more and more attention to the clock as it ticked and tocked away, slowly reducing the time that remained. Fifty minutes... thirty... fifteen...
By the time it hit five minutes, there wasn't a single student who wasn't staring at the clock when they thought proffesor Applejack wasn't looking. Finally, the sweet sound of relief graced your ears.
*BRIIIIIIIIIINGG*
The school bell went off and almost immediatley every-creature was up out of their seats and making their way towards the exit at a controlled pace, lest they wanted to risk adding on an extra ten minutes of lectures. As you yourself leave through the front door of the classroom, you hear the teacher wish you all a happy holiday.
Once you take your first steps outside of the school, you can see that the usual grassy area is covered in a blanket of white beautiful snow which even now continues to fall, as is everything else including the school itself. Some of the students begin to waste no time in having their own snowball fights, and as much as you would like to let loose and join in, you did promise to see one of your friends off before they caught the train back to their own home. Considering how far away they lived the chances of seeing them again until after the holidays were very unlikely. Therefore you waste no time in heading over to the train station where you agreed to meet them.
As you make your way through Ponyville in order to reach your destination, you see plenty of townsponies out and about, especially throughout the market. Many were busy either buying presents or just talking about the plans over winter. Some even trotted through just to admire the weather. You also noticed that a fair number even wore a certain item of clothing, whether it was a hat, scarf, jacket or all of the above. It reminded you of the amount of clothes you were probably going to get this year just like you did every Hearts Warming Eve, despite the fact that you only wore clothes maybe six times a year total. Still, you didn't let that train of thought dampen your spirit. Speaking of trains, you had better pick up the pace a bit.
It takes another five minutes before you make it onto the first and only platform of Ponyville train station. Very few ponies seem to be around and you start to worry that you may have missed them. However after a second glance round your fears are put to rest as you spot your friend at the end of the platform.
You find yourself surprised that you missed her the first time round considering how well she stands out from the small crowd of ponies. She's tall, has horns and is covered in long brown fur. Not exactly hard to miss.
"Hey Yona!" You greet from where you stand, giving a wave. This is noticed right away as she looks in your direction. Her casual grin is quickly replaced with a smile large enough to stretch across the corners of the young yaks face and her eyes light up right away.
"FRIEND ANON!" She shouts out happily, wasting no time in charging towards your position at a speed one would not expect from such a heavy being. It happens so fast that you barely have time to brace for impact as you find yourself tackled to the ground and embraced in the most bone-breaking hug of your life. "SO GOOD TO SEE YONA'S FRIEND KEEP PROMISE!"
You try to reply but that proves to be just a tiny bit difficult considering that you're being constricted. You barely manage to get out one sentence.
"Good to see you too Yona..." You wheeze out, forcing a smile upon your face as your organs are slowly crushed from within.
After a few seconds of intense hugging, Yona releases you and you try your best not to fall down as you now have a bit of difficulty feeling your spine. And your legs. As well as most of your body really. The fact that you are able to just stand is nothing short of a miracle.
"Glad I caught you before the train arrived." You smile. "Speaking of which, how long until it arrives?"
Yona shrugs. "NOT LONG. YONA JUST ARRIVE HERSELF."
Well at least she didn't have to spend too much time waiting for you, much to your relief. Thouh it was doubtful that the train would be all too far away.
"So did I." You admit before changing subject. "Looking forward to your two weeks off?"
Your question causes Yonas already large smile to stretch slightly more as she answers your question.
"OH VERY MUCH SO! YAK LOVE YAK HOLIDAY!" She speaks with excitement hanging onto every word. "YONA CAN'T WAIT TO SEE FRIENDS AND FAMILY BACK IN YAKYAKISTAN!"
Yonas happy look softens and glances at you.
"AND... YONA WILL MISS FRIENDS SHE HAS AT SCHOOL OF FRIENDSHIP TOO."
You smile back. "I'll miss you too Yona. So will all of our friends. But hey, at least we'll all be together again in no time. Back studying once again..." You groan as your memories flood your brain, reminding you of the amount of work you've had to put up with this semester.
"THAT NOT FOR LONG TIME." Yona encourages. "NOW TIME FOR SMILES, FAMILY AND SMASHING!"
The last part of her sentence gets a laugh out of you. "I take it you'll be doing plenty of that back home, eh Yona"?
"OF COURSE! WOULD NOT BE SNAILDARFFEST WITHOUT SMASHING!"
You roll your eyes. If there's one thing you've learned from being friends with Yona, its her love of smashing things. That and her incredible strength, as reminded by your aching ribcage.
"WHAT OF FRIEND ANON?" She asks. "ANON PLAN TO ENJOY HEART WARMING EVE?"
"Yep." You nod. "Got the whole family gathering at my house. Knowing some of my relatives it's going to be a fun crazy time."
"YONA GLAD TO HEAR!"
Before you say anything else, a sudden thought crosses your mind.
"Oh, I almost forgot. One sec." You turn your attention to the small bag hanging down by you side and fish out a small white envelope before handing it over to the now curious yak. "Here. For you."
Yona slowly takes it. Her large green eyes scan the envelope before she realises what she's been given.
"YONA HEARD OF THIS!" She smiles with glee. "PONIES GIVE THESE TO EACH OVER DURING PONY HOLIDAY!" She looks up to you in confusion. "WHY GIVE HEARTS WARMING CARD TO YAK? YAKS NO CELEBRATE HEARTS WARMING. ONLY SNAILFARFFEST."
"Eh, pony tradition." You shrug, keeping your smile.
Her curiosity rises again and she opens the letter with her teeth, slowly and carefully as to not damage the card inside. When she get it out she finds herself now holding a brown and green card. She opens it up.
To Yona
Happy Snaildarffest!
Your friend, Anon
A few seconds after Yona reading your card, you hear the train approach the station, much to your delight as already you've been given another reminder of your yak friends strength in the form of a second hug, more powerful than the last. You can easily feel her dark brown hair rub against your face as well as one of your ribs breaking.
Fortunatley the train pulls up and ponies flood out of the carrages before being filled up with new faces. This also signals Yona to let go of whatever remains of your now weak and battered form. Even in this state you still manage to find the strength to smile and wave her off as she boards the train. You watch as the train begins to slowly move forth once more, carrying your friend back to her homeland. From one of the many windows you see her wave goodbye to you before vanishing down the tracks, gone for two whole weeks.
A few seconds later, you fall face first into the snowy platform as your legs have finally given in to the power of Yak hugs.
Author's Note
This was written in an hour and published fifteen minutes before work. No regrets.