Shining Armor and Princess Cadence approached the School of Friendship. Attending them were two royal guards. One was a non-descript Crystal Pony, while the other was none other than Flash Sentry.

Princess Cadence looked up at the impressive school building with anticipation and said, "This is the perfect time to visit Twilight's school. We might even be able to join in on the festivities!"

Shining Armor was swelling with pride as he beheld the school. "Well, Twily sure has accomplished quite a bit, hasn't she?"

"OH MY GOSH, IS IT REALLY YOU!?" a voice squealed out.

A light blue and red blur streaked right to the group of four ponies. Said streak was actually Ocellus, who had come to a stop right in front of Flash Sentry.

Ocellus squealed with delight and began hopping up and down with excitement, "OH MY GOSH, IT IS YOU! YES! YES! YES! YES!"

The ponies stared at the elated Changeling in shock. Then, Flash Sentry realized that all eyes were on him. Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, he said, "Umm. . . young lady? I'm just a royal guard-."

Ocellus stopped hopping and shook her head. "Oh, you're not just a royal guard! You're the royal guard! One of my family members told me all about you!"

Flash Sentry was getting more confused by the second. "Uh, what?" he asked.

"Don't you remember?" Ocellus coaxed eagerly, "How about I tell you little bit of what happened. Maybe then it will refresh your memory."

Flash Sentry looked to the other ponies. Cadence was smiling, Shining Armor was shrugging, and the Crystal Pony had one eyebrow raised.

Flash then looked back Ocellus and said with a smile, "Well, okay. I kinda do feel something stuck in the back of my head, now that you mention it."

Ocellus nodded eagerly and said, "Okay! Here we go!"

Ocellus then began her tale.

A Changeling quickly ran through the snow, away from a pony village he had just stolen some love from, and jumped into some nearby woods. Then, he quickly buzzed upward through the tree tops and took the sky, buzzing in the direction of the Changeling Kingdom.

After our invasion, was thwarted by Spike
Our Queen gave the order, to use stealth in our strikes
To disguise and beguile every stallion and mare
And to bring back all love that we could harvest from there

It was Hearth's Warming Eve, it was 40 below
When one Changeling was spotted by a pony down low
Yes, a Pegasus saw him, so that Pegasus flew
With ice on his wings, the Changeling knew he was through

The Changeling's eyes widened in terror as he spotted an orange Pegasus on the ground, wearing a bulging saddlebag. The Pegasus on the ground locked eyes with him, and then immediately took flight in hot pursuit of the Changeling. Both flying creatures were soon zooming around through the cold night air.

Oh those swell Hearth's Warming bells
Ring out from the land
Asking peace of all the world
Isn't that just grand!

Freezing from the cold, the Changeling quickly became tired, and moved rather slowly through the sky. He looked up and saw that the orange Pegasus was right above him, all four of his hooves ready to stomp the Changeling to the ground.

The Pegasus caught up with that Changeling real quick
The Changeling was below him, in range for a kick
Why he didn't strike, well, we'll never know
Or was it the bells from the village below?

The orange Pegasus hardened his gaze, but said gaze softened when the sound of bells drifted in from the nearby village. A conflicted feeling spread through him as he stared down at the Changeling below him, who was cringing in fear as he did his best to continue flying through the freezing air.

Oh those swell Hearth's Warming bells
Ring out from the land
Asking peace of all the world
Isn't that just grand!

The Pegasus' inner conflict gave way to resolution, and he nodded with determination. He then looked downwards to address the Changeling.

The Pegasus ordered, the Changeling to land
Things hadn't gone the way the Changeling had planned
The Changeling was certain, that this was the end
Until the Pegasus exclaimed-

"Happy Hearth's Warming, friend!" Flash Sentry cried out with wide eyed realization clear on his face.

"YOU REMEMBER!" Ocellus exclaimed gleefully, and she rushed in and hugged him. Flash Sentry smiled and gently returned the hug. As they hugged, Ocellus continued her tale.

The Changeling stared at Flash Sentry in amazement as the Pegasus took out what he had in his saddlebags: a jug of Sweet Apple Cider.

The Pegasus offered, a holiday toast
The Changeling, our hero, saluted his host
And then with some flapping, they were both on their way
Each knowing they'd meet on some other day.

Oh those swell Hearth's Warming bells
Ring out from the land
Asking peace of all the world
Isn't that just grand!

Oh those swell Hearth's Warming bells
Ring out from the land
Asking peace of all the world
Isn't that just grand!

As the Crystal Pony guard blubbered with tears of joy in response to the touching moment, Shining Armor remarked with a smile, "Well, it seems that Spike wasn't the first one to give a Changeling a chance."

Flash Sentry frowned in shame and said, "I don't know. I mean, Spike made that big speech and convinced everyone to trust Thorax, and now Thorax is the King of the Changelings. I wasn't much help to the Changelings as a whole. I didn't even tell anypony about what I did. If only I had, then maybe-."

"You don't feel bad," Ocellus said as she continued to smile at Flash, "You did what you felt you could do at the moment, and it certainly meant a lot to him. You treated him like another living, thinking being, and not like a monster. Even if Spike did more with Thorax, you still did something wonderful."

After hearing Ocellus' words, and seeing the smile on her face and her big shining eyes, Flash couldn't help but smile as well. "Thank you. . ." Flash said softly, then he said with great confidence, "But there's something else I feel that I should do. . ." he then looked towards Princess Cadence and Shining Armor hopefully and said, "Um, if you will allow me?"

Some time later, Flash Sentry was walking through the Changeling Kingdom, looking around at the various Changelings who were getting ready to celebrate Hearth's Warming Eve. He looked down at the written description Ocellus had given him, and then looked around the massive hive. Before long, he spotted who he was looking for.

He was a light cornflower blue Changeling with a green carapace, brilliant scarlet eyes, and a horn. Flash approached the Changeling from behind and said, "Excuse me?"

The Changeling turned around and said, "Oh, hello. I-." The Changeling froze in mid sentence, and his eyes went wide as he suddenly recognized he Pegasus before him.

Flash Sentry then took a jug of Sweet Apple Cider out of his saddlebag and said with a smile, "Happy Hearth's Warming, friend!"

Author's Note

Snoopy's Christmas by George David Weiss and Hugo & Luigi