Applejack couldn't be more excited to see her family and friends get together in the Lair for Christmas. She was practically shaking like Pinkie Pie when she's had too much sugar. Today was going to be the best Christmas yet! She'd brought her brothers and her father two presents each, her friends, April and Casey organised secret Santa, and there was no sign of Shredder or his goons.
"C'mom y'all!" Applejack called to her friends as Big Mac and Apple Bloom loaded the last of the presents into the back of the truck with the Christmas tree. "Better get goin' or we'll be late!"
"We're coming, darling." Rarity replied as she and Twilight took their seats in the back of the truck. "I can't wait to see Master Splinter and our friends in New York."
"Neither can I, Rarity. This is the first time in years I've been able to celebrate Christmas with the guys." Applejack chuckled.
"Years? Is that why you brought your brothers double the amount of presents?" Twilight asked as the other joined them in he truck.
"Yeah, plus... I didn't really know what to get for them. There were so many things the guys likes, so I brought two things I knew they'd love." Applejack smiled to herself.
"What kind of things?" Sunset asked.
"Can't tell ya. Y'all have to wait and see." Applejack said, turning the ignition on and driving off away from the farm.
"Just a sneak peak, Jackie? Please?!" Pinkie asked.
"Alright, fine. I got Raph a new drum set, since he practically destroyed his. I got Leo some polish for his Katanas, Donnie a set of screwdrivers, Mikey some new videogames and Dad... I got Dad an old photo to replace the one the guys broke a few months ago." Applejack told them. "And that's just one lot of presents I got them."
"What about April and Casey?" Twilight asked.
"It's secret santa, Twilight. Clues in the name: secret." Pinkie giggled.
"Not exactly, Pinkie. I brought April a chain to put the aeon crystal on, and I got Casey some hockey pucks." Applejack smirked. "Anyway, we're here." She pressed a button on the steering wheel of the truck and the doors before her opened up to reveal the subway system. Applejack slowly drove down he ramp leading to the sewers and the doors closed. "Here we come, boys.." she said to herself.
"Guys, they're here!" Mikey yelled as he entered the lair once more, practically bouncing off the walls in excitement.
"They are?" Donnie asked, looking up from where we was adding the final adjustments to Spike's new collar. "Better wrap this up quick." He turned to Mikey as he stood up and began walking to his lab. "Mike, let Leo, Master Splinter and Raph know. I'll be in my lab wrapping up Spike's present."
"You got it, dude." Mikey replied as he ran into the Dojo. "Sensei! Leo, the girls are here!" He then ran into Raph's room and did the same.
A few moments later, Applejack and the girls entered the lair. "Leo, Raph, Mikey, Don? Anyone here?" Applejack asked, only to be bombarded by three of four large turtles.
"Jackie!" Mikey yelped in excitement as he, Raph and Leo jumped off, allowing Applejack to stand up. "you made it!"
"Of course, little brother." Applejack smiled as she hugged Mikey. "We wouldn't miss spending time with the best little brothers for the fate of the world."
"Did you manage to get a tree?" Leo asked.
"Yep, of course we did, Leo. Mind helping to bring it in?" Applejack asked as she let go of Mikey.
"Sure." Leo smiled in reply as the two siblings left to get the Christmas tree.
"Meanwhile, we can get the decorations ready." Sunset added.
The girls, Raph and Mikey, cheered as Donnie exited his lab with a crate of presents in his hands. "I got the presents." He smiled and dropped the crate on the couch. "There's something for everyone."
"Cool!" Mikey said as he immediately darted to his immediate older brother and stared at the presents. "That's so many, bruh!"
"I know, Mikey. Be patient. We have to wait until April and Casey arrive." Applejack said as she and Leo carried a large Christmas tree into the Lair. "There's a bag of presents in the truck for you guys, but I trust Raph will go get them?"
"Presents, count me in!" Raph said, pounding his fist into his hand. He turned to Twilight and asked, "wanna give me a hand with the gifts, Twi?"
"Don't mind if I do, Raph." Twilight responded as the two left to collect the presents. Just then, Casey and April entered the Lair, with the former carrying a large sack of gifts over his shoulder.
"Merry Christmas!" They cheered.
"And a happy New Year!" The others added.
Raph and Twilight entered with the presents, as Twilight levitated Raph's Christmas present in her magic grasp. "Presents ahoy!"
AJ and Leo placed the tree in the pit of the Lair as the group began putting tinsel and baubles around it. "Who puts the star on the tree this year?" Mikey asked.
"I believe Jacqueline should. She's missed so many Christmases since being away in Canterlot City." A voice said from behind the group. The gang turned to see Master Splinter as he smiled and walked over.
"Father!" Applejack smiled and hugged Splinter.
"Merry Christmas, my daughter." Splinter cheerfully spoke. "And may we all have a happy New Year!"
Sunset cleared her throat. "Since the tree's been decorated, who wants to open presents?"
Mikey and Pinkie leapt up in excitement. "I DO!!" They exclaimed.
The gang laughed before Applejack kneeled down at the tree and picked out two presents. "Leo, these are for you."
Leo took the presents and began unwrapping thm. His eyes lit up when he saw what his sister had got him. A small tin of silver polish and a royal blue mask to replace his tattered one. "AJ... This is what I've been wishing for you ages. Thank you." He said, lifting his head and hugging his sister.
"No problem, Leonardo. Merry Christmas." Applejack replied as she turned to pick up another two presents. "Mikey, these are for you."
Mikey excitedly took his presents and unwrapped them. Inside was two old video games and a controller in the first and a dark orange mask in the second. "Dude... Awesome!!" And just like Leo, Mikey pulled his sister in for a bone-crushing hug.
Applejack chuckled as Mikey finally let her go. She turned to Raph and smiled. "Raph, I know you'll love the presents I gotcha. Come an' get'em, big guy." As she said that, Raph leapt to his feet and raced towards his two presents, carefully tearing the wrapping paper off the larger gift first, revealing a professional drum kit.
"AJ... You got this... For me?" He asked, turning to his sister with tears in his eyes. "I-I love it!"
"What about your second present, Raph? Part of it goes with the drum kit." AJ smirked.
Raph eagerly tore apart the wrapping paper on the second present, revealing a pair of drum sticks and a dark red mask. "Wha-? A new pair of drum sticks?! And a new mask?!"
"Now, you'll be able to play the drums, and not break them." Applejack chided, playfully punching Raph in the shoulder.
"What about Splinter and Donnie's?" Pinkie asked.
"I'm getting there, Pinkie." Applejack winked at the party planner. She then turned her strent to her father. "Dad, like my brother's, there's two parts to your present. Only, your present is a single gift and you'll get it after dinner."
Splinter smiled. "Secretive, yet smart, I do hope I'll enjoy this gift you have specially prepared, Jacqueline."
"Trust me, Father. You'll love it." Applejack nodded and hugged her father tightly.
"And Donnie's?" Rainbow asked.
"Hold your horses, Dash. I'm getting there." Applejack rolled her eyes and turned to her braniac brother. "Don. I know how much your inventions mean to you. So, as part of your present, I asked Twilight to make you something special." She turned to Twilight. "Bring it in, Twi."
Twilight nodded, pushed her glasses up and looked down at her control panel. "C'mon big guy, let's meet the boss." She said to herself as a large machine covered in wrapping paper entered the room.
"Don, you ready to see the gift?" AJ asked, turning back to her brother, who was already standing up and stumbling over to the machine.
"This... Is for me?" The purple-clad turtle asked.
"Of course, little brother. Go ahead, open it." Applejack etched him on. Donnie took a deep breath then slowly tore open the large Machine, revealing a robot, similar to Bishop, with a lab coat on. "Like it?"
"Like it? I LOVE IT!!" Donnie screeched. The robot bent down to pick up Donnie's second present, and the giddy turtle didn't hesitate to unwrap the gift, revealing a dark purple mask, set of screwdrivers, and a headset.
"The headset is so you can command the robot to do whatever you want, the screwdriver set is so you'll have spares when others get lost." Applejack and Twilight added simultaneously before turning to each other and laughing heir heads off, so much that Applejack ended up sprawled on her back, laughing like a madman. The other soon joined in.
Once the laughing fit had ended, Splinter tapped his cane on the floor twice, gaining the attentions of the group. “Now, as the day draws on, I believe Michelangelo and Pinkie Pie will be finishing off the Christmas dinner and placing it on the table.” He said, turnin this attention to the said people.
“Hai, Sensei!” Pinkie and Mikey saluted. They turned to one another and hastily ran towards the kitchen.
"while Mikey and Pinkie are the preparing dinner, I think it's time to open the rest of the presents." Spike said as he looked at the crate of presents.
"Right!" Donnie said, already putting the headset on.
"Thought of a name for your present, Don?" Applejack asked.
"Yep. The robot bears a similar resemblance to Bishop, so I'm gonna call him Knight, since Bishop is already take, so is Rook, Pawn and Queen." Donnie replied with a smile. He turned to the robot. "Knight, pick up the small present on top and give it to Spike." He said into the headset.
Knight marched towards the crate of presents and carefully picked up the first gift, which was Spike's new collar, a present from Donnie. "For me?" Spike asked, looking at Donnie as Knigt dropped the present in his paws.
"Yep, go right ahead and open it, Spike." Donnie confirmed. Spike didn't hesitate to unwrap the present, revealing a dark grey collar with multiple hiding places for the tech Donnie added to it.
"woah! Donnie, you made this?" Spike asked as he slid the collar around his neck. "Cool!"
Donnie smiled and patred Spike's head. "All 100% built by me from scratch." He said proudly.
Christmas Dinner and Splinter's present
Around half an hour later, the group were sat at the table in the lair's kitchen, where Mikey and Pinkie had been preparing Christmas dinner. Splinter and Applejack took their seats at the ends of the table. On Applejack's left and Splinter's right, sat Sunset, April, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity and Mikey. On her right and Splinter's left, sat Casey, Donnie, Raph, Twilight, Leo and Pinkie.
"Merry Christmas, Hamato Clan." Splinter smiled as he looked over the group. Each and every person and mutant sat at the table responded with the same phrase.
Applejack stood up with a mug of apple cider in her hand. "Before we dig in, I'd like to make a toast." She said. Everyone else raised their mugs, as Rainbow began to down hers. "Father, you've done so much for each and every one of us. You've taught us so much these past few years and I'd like to give you a very special present as a thank you for the hard work you've put in to making each and every one of us into the best ninja clan. Donnie, if you'll be so kind?"
Without needing to respond, Donnie tapped the microphone on the headset he still wore, and said into the device, "Knight, being in Splinter's gift and put it on the table in front of him."
Knight entered a few moments later with a large rectangular present in his grasp. He gently placed it down in front of Splinter, bowed, and departed. "For me?" Splinter asked, looking up at his family and friends. Applejack nodded as Splinter began to unwrap the present, revealing a large photo frame with pictures of him with Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael as infant mutant turtles, and 7 year old Applejack. The four boys were either on Applejack and Splinter's shoulders, or being hugged by them. "Jacqueline... This is amazing. I love it. It will most certainly replace the photo your brothers broke a few months ago." He turned and scowled at his four sons, who nervously ducked from their fathers view.
Applejack couldn't help but smile. "No problem, Dad. Merry Christmas." She cheerfully stated. The others joined in and dug into their Christmas feast. All along the table sat different delicacies, such as pizza (Mikey's choice), turkey, pigs in blankets, carrots, peas, roast potatoes, gravy, parsnips, applesauce, mint jelly, mint sauce, and lots more, including various beverages.
"Dude, this is the best Christmas ever!" Mikey yelled, grabbing his mug of cider and thrusting it into the air.
"You bet, Mikey!" Pinkie added, also thrusting her mug into the air.
Meanwhile, April, Casey, Sunset, Donnie and Applejack were talking. "So, secret Santa goes out after we've eaten. Everyone got their presents?" Casey asked.
"Sure have, Jones." April replied.
"While we're in the subject of secret Santa, who got who?" Donnie asked.
"It's pretty obvious, Don." Applejack told him. She held out a checklist of who got who and passed it to Donnie.
Author's Note
Below is the list of who has who for secret Santa:
Raph- Casey
Donnie- Twilight
Leo- Raph
Splinter- Fluttershy
Mikey- Pinkie
April- Donnie
Casey- Sunset
Applejack- Splinter
Rainbow- April
Pinkie- Rainbow
Twilight- Leo
Rarity- Applejack
Fluttershy- Rarity
Sunset- Mikey