I checked everything one last time, making sure everything was as it should be. It wasn't good If I had forgotten some instrument, or something that would confuse and misdirect Rainbow Dash. "Right, you all good out there, Dashie?" I asked through the microphone.

"I was born ready!"

I came back in my headphones. I looked out the small window and into the recording room. It was there I had all my instruments, and where recorded my music and my songs. This time however it was not me in there, but Rainbow Dash, giving my thumbs up. "Alright, here you go." I pressed the record button, let it sit for about five seconds, and then started the music.

One! Two! One, two, three, four!

Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
Over the fields we go
Laughing all the way (Ha-ha-ha!)
Bells on bob tail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to fly and sing
A sleighing song tonight!

Oh, jingle bells (Hey!), jingle bells (Hey!)
Jingle all the way (Hey! Hey!)
Oh, what fun it is to fly
In a one-horse open sleigh
Jingle bells (Hey!), jingle bells (Hey!)
Jingle all the way (Hey! Hey!)
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh!

Thought I'd grab some friends
And take them for a ride
Not so sure what's up
As ponies run and hide
Put Rarity in the back
Right next to Pinkie Pie
Better buckle up, my friends
'Cause we're about to fly!

Oh, jingle bells (Hey!), jingle bells (Hey!)
Jingle all the way (Hey! Hey!)
Oh, what fun it is to fly
In a one-horse open sleigh
Jingle bells (Hey!), jingle bells (Hey!)
Jingle all the way (Hey! Hey!)
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh!

Go grab Applejack
Who's hiding in the barn
Put her in the back
And leave behind the farm
Sky is clear and blue
And the wind is at our tails
Ponies, hold on tight because
We're about to tip the scales!

Tomorrow is Christmas morning
Tomorrow is Christmas day
And Santa's coming 'round the corner and he's bringing presents
'Cause he's been filling up that, filling up that Santa sleigh

We start speeding up
As colors start to show
Streaming through our manes
The higher up we go
Even faster still
Faces fearing doom
What fun it is to fly and sing
As we sonic rainboom!

Jingle bells (Hey!), jingle bells (Hey!)
Jingle all the way (Hey! Hey!)
Oh, what fun it is to fly
In a one-horse open sleigh
Jingle bells (Hey!), jingle bells (Hey!)
Jingle all the way (Hey! Hey!)
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh!

Seven seconds passed in silence, and I stopped the recording. Rainbow was smiling, but panting a little, having given this little performance everything she had. As I worked, she took a bottle of water to the right of her, and drank the last bit before she asked.

"How was it?"

I smirked. "Perfect, I think this is it."

"Finally!" Rainbow exclaimed, taking off her headset, and walked into my small studio room. "You can really be demanding, you know that?"

"Well, I wanted it to sound perfect." I simply responded, yawning a bit before I saved the progress of today. "Once I edit it all together we should have it up tomorrow."

"Great! So, how much are you going to give me?"

I looked at her. "Excuse me?"

Rainbow shrugged. "Well it was my idea to sing songs and put them up on the internet. So I should get a share."

Leaning back in my chair, turning to her, I crossed my arms with a raised eyebrow. "Are you serious? You want more? So you mean aside from your allowance, and the food you eat? You know I am paying for most of your stay here, right?" I wasn't complaining, more challenging her.

There was a time when saying stuff like that could get her to act a little shy, blush and be a bit embarrassed. However Rainbow had grown into her role as my girlfriend, along with my four other girlfriends. She grinned, biting her lower lip and slipped onto my lap, her arms moving around my neck.

"I think we have a pretty fair deal, don't you?" She leaned in and whispered in my ear. "You are a very demanding human to please."

Now it was my turn to blush, but I couldn't help but chuckle as well. "Nice, did Rarity teach you to do that? Besides, you're acting like I am the only one who enjoys it." My hand moved up her leg, and she hugged me tighter, her bosom pressing against upper chest, right under my chin.

"Maybe a little."

"Yeah, just a little."

Our lips met in a loving kiss. I admit, I may have gotten a little too comfortable having five girlfriends. At times I still catch myself feeling slightly bad, but the girls like the attention just as much as me. As our kiss grows deeper, a knock catches us off guard, but we do not panic. Why would we?

"Uhm, Daniel? Rainbow Dash?"

It was Fluttershy, likely heard that we had stopped playing music. As good as the sound proofing is, one can always feel the vibrations and some of the music upstairs. Our lips parted, and Rainbow moved in again, kissing my neck, humming in an almost hungry tone. Meanwhile I did my best no to let it show in my voice as I called back to Fluttershy.

"Y-yeah, Shy?"

"Twilight wanted to know if you could come up to her when you're done playing music?"

He swallowed, trying to focus on what Fluttershy was saying while at the same time trying to pull away from Rainbow Dash so I could answer. "Yeah, I'll be up in fiv-ow! Don't bite me!"

"W-what?"

"Nothing! Uhm, I'll be up in five minu-, no, I'll be up in fifteen."

"Alright, I'll tell her!" She called back and closed the door.

I looked at Rainbow. "Alright, let's shut down. Twilight needs something."

Dashie grabbed my shirt a little hard, looking into my eyes with a fierce look. "I need something too, we besides, we have fifteen minutes. Plenty of time."

33 minutes later I walked up from the basement music room, running a hand through my ruffled hair. As I came up, opening the door to the first floor, I could see directly into the kitchen. In there sat four of my girlfriends, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, all giving me a wide range of expressions.

They knew, and I knew they knew, and they knew that I knew that they knew.

I blushed, trying to come up with some excuse as they all were sharing a sort of bemused and half mock scolding look about them. Except for Fluttershy, who looked more embarrassed than anything. "I do believe Twilight is waiting for you, darling." Rarity said with a small smile, sipping her tea. "I think you have made her wait long enough, don't you?"

I felt my cheeks burn slightly. It wasn't like they were unaware of what went on between us all, that part could still be a bit new to me at times. Still, that was just how it was to be in a herd, and it wasn't like I could complain. "Yeah, I should, you know, head up.." The girls simply nodded, all just staring at me as I made my way to the side, and once out of sight, hurried up the stairs to the sound of the girls' laughter.

I deserve that.

I smiled to myself, rolling my eyes as I felt my cheeks blush, but soon faded as the embarrassment passed. As I approached the study I made sure I looked alright one last time. Despite Twilight knowing my relationship with the others, I didn't want to throw out all my manners and common decency.

A gentle knock on the door, and less than two seconds later, Twilight responded. "Come in, Daniel." She sounded happy, that was a good sign, it meant I did not risk getting ambushed with a crazy and overworked Twilight. As I entered I found her sitting on the small couch, looking up from her book and sending me a sweet smile. "Thank you for coming up. I hope I didn't interrupt you and Dash's recording?"

"Oh, no no." I added with a smile, closing the door behind me. "We have just finished, and after some editing we can put it up on our Patreon tomorrow." Dash had this really great idea making recordings of things MLP fans wanted, it was pretty needed and earned us a sizable audience, which of course translated into an extra income. "What's on your mind?"

Twilight smiled, putting her book on the coffee table, and padded the spot next to her. I sat down, while she looked at me excitedly. "Well, I wondered if we could go into town tomorrow?"

A bemused smile graced my lips. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Twilight blushed, realizing her mistake she shook her head and tried again. "No, I mean, we should go to the Christmas market?"

"The market? How did you learn about that?" All over the country it was common to see a bunch of markets. Places to shop for small things, to drink coffee, tea, eat pastries, and enjoy the mix of cold outdoors and the warmth your drink brought you. I hadn't been to one for a long time, and there was a reason for that.

My hesitation must have been visible, because before I had a chance to explain anything she was up like a bolt of lightning, hurrying to the bookshelf. "I saw some pictures on the line while I was doing research on human hearts warming traditions, and I remembered I saw something like that in the album."

And just like that, my eyes widened. Just like Twilight I stood up as if I had been shocked, turning around to see with horror where her hand was going. She pulled out a BIG book, which contained pictures of me and my family. I hadn't thought about it for so long, hadn't thought to hide it away. A pang of guilt hid me, I had not thought of hiding it away because I had not spared the album a single thought since the funeral of my parents.

Twilight opened the book, and it made me wince as if I had been slapped. "I found these old pictures as I was going through your family album, and I noticed that each time it seemed the season has changed into December, you are at the market with human adults I presume are your parents." Then she looked at me, smiling. She didn't know, how could she?

The girls knew what had happened to my parents, knew that I was alone, but none of them knew how deep that wound went. Or maybe they did, but were polite enough to let me share it on my own time. I had never shared the details of what happened to them, and to be honest, I had not really thought much about it as I had gotten used to life with the girls.

"Twilight, I."

"Daniel?" Twilight tilted her head, looking concerned. "What's wrong?" I didn't answer, I was still trying to find the words. I was not fast enough, because a few moments later, Twilight came to the realization herself. She gasped, looking down at the album, then back at me. "Daniel, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to open up your grief."

I smiled a little. I knew full well she wasn't trying to hurt me, neither Twilight or any of the girls would try something like that. "It's okay, Twilight, it's not your fault." I moved closer to her, putting my hands on the album and looked down at some of my childhood pictures. "It just startled me, that's all." Gently I closed the album, taking it back to the shelf. "Honestly, I had forgotten it was even up here."

I could feel Twilight's eyes on me. "Daniel, I'm so sorry."

"Twilight, it's fine." I tried to assure her. Turning to her, I sent her a reassuring smile and took her hands. "Don't worry."

"But I do worry, any friend would."

"I know." I nodded, leading her to the couch so we could talk more comfortably. "It's just, I haven't thought about the album for such a long time, so I was just shocked to see it in your hands. I wasn't prepared for it, that's all."

She frowned, looking at me as if I was about to burst into a thousand pieces. Maybe she wasn't far off, I didn't feel so good. As if sensing my discomfort, Twilight scooted closer to me, putting her arms around my neck and hugged me. I smiled a little, putting my arm around her, and drew her closer.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I, I don't know.." I replied honestly. It wasn't a secret or anything, and if I truly considered these girls to be my lovers, then they had a right to know. "I haven't really talked so much about it since it happened." She stayed silent, watching me, listening. "I just have to get used to it."

"You miss them." She stated, squeezing me a little.

"Of course I do, every day." I smiled, holding her a little closer. "But, I'm getting better thanks to you girls. I'm not alone anymore, and this place feels like a home again."

Twilight smiled, then frowned. "But Daniel, we don-"

"I know." I cut in gently. "And whatever we decide to do when the time comes, I will never regret my time with you six. Never." Despite the smile she sent me, I could tell she was still nervous, worried about our future. "Listen, tomorrow I'll take you to the market."

She looked at me with worry written all over her face. "Daniel, you don't need to do that for my sake."

"I know, but it's for my sake too. I can't keep avoiding places I like. Besides, I want to share this with someone, so why not you?"

"What about the others?"

I chuckled. "They'll get their turn, don't worry. However, for our first trip, I would like to take you. The others will understand, I promise."

She still seemed a little unsure, but then nodded carefully, smiling just a little. "Okay, let's do it."

And so it was decided, tomorrow morning I would take Twilight to the Christmas market. It had been a long time since I went myself, and to be honest, after the talk with Twilight, I was pretty excited, though still a little bit nervous. I stayed with Twilight after our deal was made, talking about what we could see, and a little bit about some of the books she was reading. Honestly, the girl reads faster than a librarian on steroids.

The next day I woke up early, took a nice relaxing shower, and got ready for the day ahead. I wanted to take Twilight to one of the bigger ones, making sure this would be a day she remembered. Of course, living so far away from everything meant that this would be a whole day event, driving back and forth would take time, not to mention all the things we would need to try once we got there.

The rest of the girls knew by dinner time the day before, and were supportive of the idea. Although Pinkie Pie was a little disappointed she could not come, however she did cheer up once she found out we would all go there another day. Today however was a day for me and Twilight.

We all ate breakfast together, talking about this and that, nothing major. Afterwards we said our goodbyes, dressed warmly, and went to my truck. It was like getting into a freezer. "Whew, damn." I mumbled, quickly starting the truck and getting the heat on.

Twilight got in, put on her seatbelt with what looked to me as mild reluctance. "Daniel, are you sure about this?"

I chuckled. "Twilight, stop it. I told you I'm taking you to the Christmas Market, and that is what I am gonna do, no buts." As I slowly drove the truck down the dirt road towards the main road, I glanced at her and sent her a reassuring smile. "Thank you for worrying about me, Twilight, but this will be good for me. We are going to have a good time, and then next time we bring the others, and we will make new memories."

"New memories?" She repeated, a little confused.

I shrugged. "Well, seeing the album made me think. I don't have a picture of you guys, we are all friends, family. We should make memories together." I shrugged again, feeling a little silly for not having thought about this sooner. "I should add to the album, keep it going, make new memories instead of hiding from the past."

She smiled, and I blushed a little, feeling slightly cheesy. "I think that's a great idea." She said as she placed a caring hand on my right arm. I smiled back, and the journey officially began.

The drive to one of the bigger markets took us some time, it was a little farther away than I usually drove. However I wanted Twilight to really remember this day, so it was worth the time it took for us. Traffic was light, thankfully, so we actually got there a little earlier than expected.

By the time we found a place to park, Twilight was pretty much jumping in her seat like Pinkie Pie, if Pinkie Pie was more composed that is. "So is this it?" She asked, looking around, trying to guess where the market was.

I simply smiled. "We have to walk for a little, but it's close by, I promise." We had entered town, and the market itself was hidden away in the old town square, surrounded by long buildings. We got out, making sure to put on our jackets, and scarves before going too far.

After locking the door, we went down the sidewalk, passing a lot of excited people. Children and adults alike were also heading to the market, all with smiles on their faces, even the adults who seemed more reserved. Twilight noticed this as well, and looked at me. "This must really be some special event."

"You could say that. Everybody enjoys good time with friends, good food and treats." We came to a large opening in the building, a sort of arched tunnel that would take us through and into the old town square. We had not even gone halfway through before a tsunami of different smells graced us.

It was the smell of different baked goods, candy, coffee, coco, and of course mulled wine. Within seconds I was a child again, running around my grandparents house, hunting for Christmas presents. Smelling the Christmas tree, eating the newly baked cookies my mom made me. It was kind of a wild experience, something that hit me like a sledgehammer. Still, I could not help but smile, thinking back to all the times we had gone to the market as a family. Now I was here with Twilight, a being from another dimension.

Of course the many aromas was just one thing, once we got out of the tunnel and into the square itself, we were greeted by a spectacular sight. It was like stepping into a hidden town, almost like when Harry Potter first arrives in Diagon Alley. There were lights on trees, over the many paths that would take you between the many booths and improvised cafes.

Everywhere we looked there were lights, food, games, people selling decorations, people laughing and playing with kids. It really was a sight to behold, and looking over at Twilight, I guessed by her wide eyes she thought the same thing. I couldn't help but smile, she looked very adorable being so amazed.

"This is amazing!" Twilight exclaimed, looking at me with stars in her eyes. "Come on, we have to see everything!" She took my hand, and before I could even attempt to tell her to calm down, I was dragged deeper into the market to experience everything the place had to offer, which was a lot.

If you were a casual visitor like most, then coming to the market would be a relaxed experience that might take half a day. Although, as expected, Twilight wanted to see everything, experience everything. That meant I had to play guide, explain everything, the reason behind the traditions, the food, the drinks, the decorations, absolutely everything. Don't get me wrong, I had expected this, and I was okay with it.

Of course Twilight being Twilight means there are a lot of complicated questions as well, some I had no idea how to answer. Thank fucking god for the invention of the modern phone, from which I could google many of the explanations if needed. Thankfully she was very understanding, and kind of understood that not everything was important.

We visited the stalls, talked to a few people, played some games and enjoyed the snacks. It was fun, and it felt good to be here again. It is funny how much you can miss something and not even know before you try it. As for Twilight, I enjoyed watching her talk to people, absorbing everything she could.

As afternoon came around, and the sun was going down early. It meant it got darker, which in turn meant the lights meant more, seemed to shine brighter, which made the whole experience more magical. We moved to one of the outdoor cafes, found a seat, and ordered some mulled wine.

As we waited, I smiled at Twilight, finding her childlike delight still burning strong. "How do you like your first Christmas market?"

Twilight smiled back. "It's amazing, it sort of reminds me of the markets back home." She answered, giggling a little. "Although, those are just regular markets, this is something else."

"Yeah, I guess you could sort of compare them to carnivals." I said with a shrug.

"Pinkie Pie would have a field day here. All these pastries." Twilight kept looking around, as if gesturing to everything around us. "It truly is amazing, Daniel. Thank you for taking me."

As she looked at me with such earnest eyes, I could not help but blush. "N-no problem, Twilight." A waitress came over with a tray, and placed two glass mugs with red mulled wine, and two plates with æbleskiver.

Twilight tilted her head, looking at the six round pancake looking balls on her plate. My mouth was already watering as the waitress placed the plates down. "What's these?"

I smiled. "These are apple slices."

"But they are not apples."

"Nope, that they are not." I grinned. "It is just the name for them, because they are round. They are kinda like pancakes, but are soft and fluffy on the inside." I pointed to the marmalade. "First you take one, and dip it in the marmalade, then you dip them in the powdered sugar there." Both things were in small and neat piles on her plate too.

Twilight took one of the round fluffy cakes, dipped it in the marmalade, and then in the powdered sugar. I did the same, chuckling at her looking at me like a student watching her teacher. "Then take a bite, but be careful. They can still be really hot inside, so be sure to take a small one and get the feel of it first."

Nodding, Twilight did as instructed, and carefully took a bite. I could see a little steam rising from where she had taken a bite. Twilight smiled, seeming to enjoy the cake. I grinned and took a bite myself, my entire being filling with joy as I did so. It had been so long since I last tried these.

"This is incredible! The others have to try this!" Twilight exclaimed.

"They will, they will!" I laughed, seeing how happy she was. "Be careful, you are gonna get jam on you." We shared a laugh, and took my mug of mulled wine. Twilight made a face, and I almost snorted. The drink was hot, and a mix of sweet and a sort of sour, it took some getting used to.

"What are those white things floating around in my mug?"

"Almonds." I replied simply. "Some people eat them, I prefer just to drink the wine, leave all the almonds and whatever else alone."

Twilight tried again, and it was interesting to see the gears turning in her head as she tried to decide if she liked the drink or not. "It's very interesting." I smirked, and she blushed. "I've never tried something like this before."

"I think very few are born with a taste for it. It takes some getting used to, but it does warm you up, right?"

She paused, then smiled. "Yeah, it does. I can feel it."

"Combine that with the cold, and a plate of apple slices, it hardly gets any cozier than that." I grinned. We continued eating, talking about this and that, and sharing holiday traditions. It really was interesting learning how many similarities our holidays shared, or just our world in general. While Twilight was a bit of a nerd, she did share a talent to make it interesting. When we finished and I had paid for our treat, I looked at the time and thought it was about time to head home. "You know Twilight, we should get back to the truck, but."

Twilight tilted her head. "But what?"

I smirked, taking her hand. "Just trust me."

"Promise you won't let go!"

"I won't let go, come on, Twilight."

"Y-yeah, but.."

"Come on, it will be alright, I got you."

"How are you even supposed to move like this?!"

"Just take it easy, keep your feet steady, relax, you won't fall."

It had been some time since I had been to this town and enjoyed a Christmas market, so this next attraction I took Twilight to was a bit of a gamble. As a kid they always had this big outdoor ice skating rink. It was pretty much an entire plaza the town had converted, and they rented our skates for people to use.

I felt more at home on the ice, happy that I had not lost my skill over the years of not practicing. I was not a pro or anything, but I could move around comfortably and with ease. I held Twilight's hands, gently guiding her out on the ice. "I know you ponies have ice skating too, I have seen it."

She sent me a mock glare. "We do it for winter wrap up!"

"Yeah? But here we do it for fun."

"And we have four legs to keep us steady, how do you do it on two?"

I wasn't really worried about anyone overhearing her. For one nobody paid attention to us, too busy enjoying their time with friends and family. Two, people wouldn't read too much into it. "Stop complaining, come on." I took her out on the ice a bit more, and I could practically feel her shaking. "Don't be so stiff, relax your knees, put your weight on your right foot, and as you push forward, transfer your weight to the left."

"Okay, b-but you promise not to let go!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "I promise, Twilight, I got you, just relax."

"Right, okay, I got this."

Slowly she did as I said, and I made sure to follow, so when she moved forward I would go backwards. When she pushed off gently with her right foot and moved forward, I grinned. "See, I told you you could do it. Now, just switch, and do it again, keep it going, slow and steady, no rush."

Little by little she moved forward, gliding over the ice. She was still unsure, her legs kept shaking, and I could feel her clench down on my hands each time it got a little too fast. She wasn't elegant at it, but that would come with practice, and I could tell she was getting a bit more confident.

"H-hey, I think I am getting the hang of this. Daniel, I'm really doing it!"

"Yeah, you are!" I laughed. "You are doing great, Twilight, just try and keep it going. I'm going to make a gentle turn, just keep moving."

"I think I can do this, I ca-WHOA!"

"Whoops!" She lost her footing, her feet sliding back while her body tried to slam down into the ice. Thankfully I saw it coming and managed to catch her before anything could happen. "You okay?"

She looked up at me, her body pressed against me, her head resting against my chest. "Yeah, thanks."

I chuckled. "I promised to catch you, didn't I?"

She smiled, nodding a little as she moved to stand on her own. "You did, and you always do." She said, placing a hand on my chest. "You have a habit of saving damsels in distress."

"Only six." I grinned. "But you make it worth it." She raised an eyebrow, and I could see what she was thinking. "No, not like that. You girls have given my life the push it needed. Having you around, it has been the only reward I will ever need." Of course, we both knew that someday it would come to an end. However, that was for the future, and neither of us wanted to spoil the moment. "So, shall we continue the lesson?"

Then she leaned up, placing a gentle kiss on my lips. "Yes, let's keep going."

I smiled, took her hands, and led her out on the ice again. The lights above us made the timeout on the ice seem more magical, and little by little Twilight improved, but our hands never departed.

It was pretty late when we got home, not night time just yet, and there were still lights on in the farm house. However we had passed dinner time, and the others were probably relaxing around the house. That was fine, we had eaten so many treats at the market that I doubted we had the biggest appetite, at least I didn't.

After we got out and walked towards the house, the snow squeaked beneath our feet, when Twilight stopped and turned to me. She looked at me, hand behind her back, a faint blush on her cheeks. "Thank you for today, I really had a good time."

I smiled, blushing a bit myself. "No problem, thank you for suggesting it in the first place."

She let out a little giggle, took a step back so she could stand on the small step leading up to the front porch of the house. Standing a little taller now, she made me come closer, leaned forward, and carefully kissed my lips again, as if nervous I would reject her.

I didn't.

As our lips touched, I stepped closer, moving my arms around her body, my hands clasping together at her lower back. She in turn moved to wrap her arms around my neck, pulling herself closer, deepening the kiss, and thus pressing her body closer to mine. I could still taste a hint of the mulled wine and powdered sugar on her soft lips, just a tiny hint. The kiss grew deeper, and Twilight let out the smallest of moans, when suddenly.

BAM!

The front door opened, and we both jumped, almost falling back and into the snow. Pinkie Pie stood there smiling, the other girls not far behind her. "You're home!" She cheered.

"How was your date?" Rarity asked, and soon enough the whole door was filled with our five friends all looking expectantly at us.

I looked at Twilight, and she looked at me. None of us had spoken about it, although we knew what it meant when she kissed me. Instead of just saying it, she just smiled, leaned in and kissed me again. I kissed her, and the girls all seemed satisfied and happy for us.

"About time." We heard Rainbow Dash mumble. I couldn't help it, and neither could Twilight, we just laughed, and the others joined us soon after.

It certainly had been an interesting day.

The following days were spent on the farm, preparing for the big night. We were all really excited, and the whole house was decorated from top to bottom. Me and Twilight had gotten closer, although it was all new to her. I could relate, it was hard to get used to the whole herd thing in the beginning, and even now I still feel self conscious about it. However for Twilight it wasn't so much the idea of a herd, it was something normal back in Equestria after all, but the whole relationship thing.

She was nervous, shy, and I could tell she thought about every word and action when near me. She was basically overthinking the whole thing, and I could not really blame her for it. It took time, but with the help of the other girls, Twilight started to relax.

I didn't want the girl she thought I wanted. I wanted Twilight Sparkle for the girl she was.

There were still some things to get used to, and that went for both of us. However I think we both found some comfort in that fact. Both trying to get used to new things, customs we have not tried before, and living a life we did not imagine ourselves living. I think that only brought us closer together as a couple.

There was only a few days until Christmas, and I had promised to take all the girls to another Christmas market. This time it was gonna be a little different, and it wasn't going to be the same one that I took Twilight to. Not that they weren't allowed to see it, but I wanted to do something special with all of them.

So with three left before Christmas, I took them to our harem bus. Rainbow and Applejack hate the fact I call it that, but it makes me laugh. We drove later in the day, because I wanted the sun to go down so the place would look even more radiant than what it would in daylight.

While the girls knew I took them to another Christmas market, I did not tell them which. I only told them that they would not get disappointed. So off we went, driving the long drive to the capital, an old city the girls had never been in.

"Are you really really really not gonna tell us, Daniel?" Pinkie asked, a touch of pleading in her voice, playful of course.

I smirked, shaking my head. "No, it's a surprise."

"But I wanna knoooow!"

I grinned. "We'll be there soon, then you will see for yourself."

All the girls looked out the windows with excited expressions. "So this is your capital, is this where your princess lives too?" Twilight asked, amazed.

"Yeah, although here she is a queen." I explained. "It is more a figurehead position, she has little to no power when it comes to running the country, but we all still love her."

"I see."

"Darling, how come you have never taken us to the capital before? There must be hundreds of shops out there!" Rarity exclaimed, her eyes following the many clothing stores we drove by.

"Let's just say you girls stand out. Now that it's cold and you have to wear more clothes, it is easier to hide your special trades." I glanced at Rainbow in the rearview mirror. "Somewhat. In any case, let us say this is a reward for not being discovered yet, you girls are ready for the big leagues."

Rainbow let out an annoyed snort. "We're not little kids, Daniel."

"I know, I know. However, you girls still need to be careful." I admit, maybe I was being a tad overprotective. I just didn't want to take any chances. It only took one mistake and one person being at the right spot the wrong time, and that would be it.

At least, that was how I imagined it. I knew that it was more likely people would not believe the witness. People all around the world claimed they have seen aliens, flying spaceships and angels, and the world didn't go crazy because of it. However I wasn't going to chance it and draw attention to my farm.

"Besides." I continued. "We had no idea if anyone had found out a portal had opened. No one has shown up to my door yet, so I think we can loosen up a bit. Just be careful."

"Don't worry, sugarcube." Applejack smiled. "We know you're just looking after us."

Twilight nodded. "We'll be careful."

I nodded, sending them both a grateful smile. I knew Rainbow wasn't trying to be difficult, she was just used to greater freedom. It wasn't surprising that out of all of them, Rainbow Dash had the hardest time to get used to the isolation on the farm. It was why I tried to take them out as often as I could, let them blow off steam, but it wasn't always so easy.

However, today, I knew we were all gonna have a good time!

When I found a place to park, which wasn't easy for a small bus, we all made our way down the street. All of them were looking around, trying to guess where I might be taking them. It was hard to hide it, because the closer we got, the more clear it became. Even before we rounded the corner of the central station, you could hear laughter, and cries of joy.

Then we rounded the corner, and we were greeted by the large stone entrance to Tivoli, the oldest amusement park in the world.

All the girls stopped, looking at the large entrance decorated with hundreds of lights. I laughed, seeing their stunned expressions. "Wha.. What is this?" Twilight asked in amazement.

"It's an amusement park!" Pinkie cried in joy.

"Wow, really?!" Dashie asked, seeming to get just as excited as Pinkie Pie.

I chuckled. "It is one of the world's oldest amusement parks, built as a massive park, and slowly turned into an amusement park over the years. It has the third oldest roller coaster in the world, it is over 100 years old, and it still kicks ass." I could not help feeling a bit of national pride at that, even though I had nothing to do with it. "The park is very big, and they like to decorate it according to the seasons."

"Is it really that big?" Fluttershy asked, looking amazed, and yet a little terrified. Probably because of all the people heading in and out.

I reached out and gently took her hand in mine. "It will be alright, and this will be an experience none of you will forget. I promise." She sent me a warm smile, and I squeezed her hand. "Well, are you girls ready?" I asked, looking at our group. "Then let's head in!"

Now this was definitely something else than the other market. Not only was Tivoli much bigger, but it had rides as well. Bands, restaurants, cafes, stalls, small parades, and LOTS of decorations. Twilight was amazed the first time, but it compared very little to the awe all of them felt as we walked around the many streets.

I was pulled in every direction, asked questions, asked to take rides with them, look at stuff, explain more, and taste pretty much everything. I don't think I have ever been so busy in my life, but it was all in good fun, and I enjoyed myself a lot. We listened to some of the bands, tried some of the rides.

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie loved the roller-coasters and wild rides, while Fluttershy and Rarity enjoyed the more calm and relaxing rides. Twilight was about in the middle, enjoying a mix of things. Long story short, none of us got bored. We also made a lot of memories. Every time a picture was taken on the ride, I bought it, making sure none of us would forget today.

The evening ended in one of the restaurants, eating a nice warm dinner, with the view of the decorated Tivoli garden behind us. We may have drawn some attention, but I think that was more to the fact that our group consisted of six beautiful women, and then a little old me. The sight must have been quite confusing, not that I cared. We had a good time and that was the most important thing.

As we headed to dessert, we got a helpful waitress to take a group picture, with me in the middle, and three girls on each side. Even though she smiled, I could pretty much see how confusing this looked to her. That was fine, we all laughed about it later, and got one heck of a picture to hang up on the fridge back home.

"Thank you for a wonderful night, darling." Rarity suddenly said, and the table went quiet. "It has been a truly splendid day."

The others nodded, and I felt a little embarrassed, or maybe it was the wine. "Well, thank you for making my day magical." Yes I know, it was a bit of a cheesy line, but the girls loved it, and well, I did mean it. "Thank you for coming into my life and changing it for the better. I don't know where I would have been without you." I raised my glass. "To you."

Twilight shook her head. "To all of us." We toasted, and soon enough finished dinner. We all drove home after that, arriving home late, exhausted, but pleased.

I could only imagine what Christmas would be like.

24th of December.

Today it was Christmas, a time for family and friends to be together. I knew I had a long day of cooking ahead of me, hence why I let myself sleep in. Not too late of course, but enough just to enjoy the quiet of the cold morning, waking up gently at my own pa-

"IT'S CHRISTMAS!!"

And there it was..

My door was pretty much kicked in, but I refused to open my eyes. The same could not be said for Applejack, who's eyes shot open. "What in tarnation!?" I could feel her sit up in bed, and soon enough it got too loud for me to fall back into sleep. "Pinkie, what are you doing?!"

"Morning, Applejack! It's Christmas! We have to eat Christmas breakfast together!"

I sighed, still groggy, wanting to sleep. However I knew all too well there was no stopping Pinkie Pie once she was in this mood. So I opened my eyes, sat up and scratched the back of my head. Beside me sat Applejack, holding up the duvet to cover her upper body.

She was still angry by being woken up like that, but I couldn't help but find the whole scene kind of funny. As Applejack scolded Pinkie, my mind came up with the most delicious idea. While she was distracted with Pinkie, I laid back down, and leaned in behind Applejack, moving in closer to her exposed lower back.

"I have also told you not to do that to the doors, Pinkie! The woodwork can't hand-EEAAAP!!" Her startled squeak made me laugh a little, her light jump removed her lower back from the kiss I had placed down there. "Daniel!"

I held up but hands defensively. "I'm sorry!" I laughed. "I just couldn't help myself!"

Well, today was starting out lively, I could only imagine what the rest of the day would be like. Whatever the case, it felt good to have some life in the house this year, and I could honestly say I looked forward to today.

We all sat down and ate breakfast soon after. Applejack had forgiven me, although not without a punch to the shoulder, but it was worth it. Everybody was in high spirits, after all, this was their first Christmas in the human world. So we talked about traditions, things we had shared before, and things we had not.

It was pretty interesting for us, seeing how similar our two worlds could be, while at the same time being so radically different. "So basically, we hold hands, form a circle if we can around the tree, and sing Christmas songs."

"And then we open presents?" Asked Rainbow Dash.

I nodded. "Yeah, although, not all countries open them on the 24th. In America they open them the morning after."

"Why?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "Anyway, we have some chores to do today. I have a lot of cooking to do, so can you girls do the rest?" The six of them nodded. Really it wasn't like it was anything complicated, and with seven of us in total, it was going to be a breeze. "Right so, Applejack and Dashie, can you take care of the tree?"

Both girls nodded. "Easy enough." Applejack replied. "In the living room, yes?"

I nodded. "Yes, and you will have to move some furniture around. If we are going to dance around a tree we can't have it blocking our path." They nodded again, and I continued. "We should probably clean the house a bit, I doubt any of us wants to do anything tomorrow, so we might as well do it today."

"We can do that." Twilight put in. "Me and Fluttershy."

"I just need to feed the bunnies.. If you don't mind." Fluttershy added.

"No problem. So Rarity, you can do decorations, and set the table, then maybe help Twilight and Fluttershy?"

"Of course, darling. The tree will look magnificent!"

I smirked. "No doubt."

"And what about me!?" Pinkie asked excitedly.

"You are going to help me in the kitchen, and make the snack tower for coffee later."

"Yaaaaaaaaay!"

"Right, we all agree?" They all nodded. "Great, then let's not waste time."

We all finished up breakfast, cleaned the table, and started on our chores. There was no real rush, the biggest one was the cleaning, but even that was a low priority as Rarity and Applejack insisted on a clean home. For Applejack it was a matter of pride, and for Rarity it was a matter of not wanting to live in what she considered to be a dirty home.

So our day started off pretty easily. Pinkie and I were getting the kitchen ready, as many of the dishes would take time to make properly. I for one had never cooked Christmas dinner before, not alone anyway. I was going to make a traditional Christmas dinner, which meant two main dishes, and a lot of side dishes. Not to mention I had to get some vegetarian options as well.

Ponies could eat meat of course, and even some in Equestria did so. However it was still a major change for the girls to do it, especially for Fluttershy. However all of them, yes, even Fluttershy, had gotten more used to it, even eating some themselves. They were very understanding that humans need meat, it is just part of their diet, and there is no reason not to make it as delicious as possible.

"So, Daniel! What are we going to make?" Asked Pinkie, excited to be cooking with me.

"Right, Christmas dinner is a serious affair. Traditionally, you will sit at a table for a good few hours, eating a meal of roast pork and duck plus boiled potatoes, sugar potatoes, red cabbage and gravy. Then for dessert we will have risalamande with cherry sauce." I explained, listing the many dishes.

"What is risalamande?" Pinkie Pie asked.

I grinned. "It is a rice pudding made from rice, sugar, vanilla, whipped cream and chopped almonds, topped with hot cherry sauce." I leaned in, whispering in her ear. "And the best thing is, if you find the one almond that is whole, you win a prize."

Her eyes went wide, and she grabbed my hands in pure excitement. "Really?!"

I grinned. "Yup, it's tradition! Then afterwards we take our time cleaning the table, you know let the food sink in before we dance around the tree, sing, and open our Christmas presents."

"It is going to be the best Christmas we ever had!" Pinkie exclaimed, pulling me into a very tight hug.

"Isn't it also your first?" I asked, laughing while I tried to breathe.

Pinkie just giggled. "Perhaps, but it may not be my last." She added, a faint hint of a frown appeared for a split second.

Seeing it I quickly hugged her back. "Hey, it's going to be okay, I promise."

She buried her face into my chest, and stayed there for some time. "It's just, it's going to be my first human Hearth's Warming Eve without my parents and sisters.." She mumbled into my shirt.

I nodded, stroking her pink poofy hair. "I know, sweetheart, but not without your friends."

She smiled, looked up at me. Then without a word, she stood up on the tip of her feet, and planted a soft kiss on her lips. It lasted for five sweet seconds, and once done she gently moved down again, beaming at me. "Thank you, Daniel."

"You're welcome, Pinkie." We held each other for a few more moments, and then got to work. "Well then, let's get started."

So the day went on, with me and Pinkie Pie in the kitchen, starting slowly up, and taking our time to get it right. Pinkie was a marvel in the kitchen, and it helped to have her with me. Although she was not used to cooking with meat, and so I was mostly alone on that part.

The rest of our household helped with cleaning, Dashie and Applejack decided to help so the chore was over faster. The furniture in the living room was moved around, making sure we still had a spot to all gather, but making enough room for our tree. By lunchtime Applejack brought it in with the help of Rainbow dash, they set it up, cleaned away any needles that had fallen onto the floor.

Rarity took over from there, and started to decorate it with all the Christmas tree decorations I had available. I had expected her to want to do it by herself, but to my surprise, she called us all in to consult. I didn't like to leave the kitchen, but it was not like me and Pinkie were needed all the time.

"Darling, you have so many nostalgic decorations." Rarity told me, looking through some of the balls, and other decorations. Many of them were quite old, dating back to when my grandparents were young. The newest ones were from when I was a kid, so as you can imagine, there wasn't really anything new in those boxes.

"They are quite old." I agreed. "We never really bought many new things, and we liked to have the decorations passed down in our family. Some of them are older than me, by several years."

"They're really pretty." Fluttershy said, pulling up one of them.

Applejack sent me a knowing smile. "We do that too. We have decorations that have passed through generations of apples."

I chuckled. "The idea is the same then. It reminds us of times gone by, and really, I should have bought some new decorations so we could hint at our time together."

Rarity shook her head. "This will do quite well. I just didn't want to put anything up if it was too delicate." When I shook my head, she continued with a smile. "Now, I think we should all decorate this tree together, but please keep in mind we cannot overdo it."

We all chuckled, Rarity would never change. Still it was a good idea, and we all started to pick up decorations we liked, and put them on the tree. It was a nice moment between us all, especially because it was fun to argue about the decorations, as none of us could ever really agree on where they should go. It was all in good fun of course, and I dare say that by the end, the tree looked awesome.

However as we all stepped back, admiring the work of art we had completed together, I noticed Applejack draw back. I'm not sure if the others sensed it or not, but as I moved closer to her, the others moved out of the living room, as if to give us privacy.

I sat down next to her, and she just kept looking at the tree, smiling to herself. At first I didn't say anything, I just sat there in silence, looking at the tree with her. She moved her hand towards mine, and I didn't hesitate to take it, giving it a loving squeeze.

"You okay?" I finally asked.

She let out what sounded like an exhausted sigh. "I'm not sure," she said honestly.

I gave her hand another squeeze, not bothering asking what was wrong when it was so clear. "You'll see them again, I promise."

Then she looked at me, tears at the edges of her eyes. "But when? How long do you think we will be here?" How many of Apple Bloom's birthdays am I going to miss? How much time does Granny have left? Will she even still be there when I get back home?"

"Applejack.."

I gently pulled her into a hug, and she embraced me. Hiding her face in my chest, I could feel her tears through my shirt as she silently sobbed. What could I say? I doubted there was anything I could say that would make her feel better. So I just sat there, holding her in my arms, letting her know she wasn't alone, that someone was there to help her carry the burdens should she need it.

I'm not sure how long we sat there, but at some point Applejack looked at me, wiping her eyes. "Thank you, Daniel. Sorry, didn't mean to bring down the mood, or sound ungrateful."

"You didn't." I quickly reassured. "Applejack, I understand, and I think everybody else does too. We're with you."

Applejack nodded, giving my hand a squeeze. "I know, thank you."

"Any time." I leaned in, and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm in the kitchen if you need me, okay?" She nodded, and I left to continue my duties in the kitchen. Mostly it was keeping an eye on things as I wanted everything to be perfect, and so left very little to chance.

The day went on, and as it turned into late afternoon, we all started to get ready for the evening. We were not going out, but we still wanted to look nice, take showers, and make the evening special. We had already placed the presents under the tree, set the table, and as I put finishing touches on the food, the girls all got ready upstairs.

I had gone first, with shower and changing clothes first, that way the kitchen would not be unattended. So while the girls were giggling, chatting, and working on looking pretty, I made sure everything was laid out. Rarity had set the table, but I was the one bringing out the food.

I had my stereo play some calm Christmas music, jazz version, obviously. I finished up by pouring some wine for us all, and lighting the candles, and just on cue, the ladies arrived. I grinned, and gestured to the dining room. "Merry Christmas, ladies. Please, take a seat."

All six of them wore something pretty, not fancy like gala dresses, but comfortable and slightly formal wear. Of course Rarity bordered on fancy, but since this was just among us, there was no reason to go overboard. Still, they all looked very beautiful, making me question just how lucky I was to have them in my life.

They took their seats, but I remained standing, and raised my wine glass. "Ladies, I would like to make a toast."

Rainbow groaned, although she did so with a playful smirk. "Really? We've been waiting all day for this special dinner, and you're gonna make a speech?"

"Now now, Rainbow." Said Rarity. "This is an important moment, do not ruin it."

"Thank you, Rarity." I chuckled. "Listen, I just wanted to let you all know that tonight is really special for me. Not just because it's Christmas, but because I get to spend it with you, the ponies that I love." They all looked at me, smiling, and with their full attention. "This will be my first Christmas in a long time that I spend with someone. As you all know, I no longer have a family, and so the years have been lonely."

I could see some of them were on the verge of tears, which wasn't really my goal. "I just want to let you all know that, I'm really happy you're here with me. I know you miss your friends and family, and trust me, I get it. I just want to say though, without you, I don't think I could have broken out of my shell. So, thank you, I love you all, and merry Christmas."

The girls took their glasses, raised them, and they all wished me a merry Christmas as well. I let out a nervous chuckle, trying to mask how emotional I was getting. "Well, ahem, sorry for that. How about we dig in before it gets cold, eh?"

I sat down, and about to reach for the potatoes, when Twilight's hand touched mine. I looked at her, and she looked at me, her eyes wet, but still smiling. "Thank you for taking us in, Daniel. We love you too." I looked back at her, my heart feeling like it was going to burst out my chest.

Maybe it sounds silly, but I think that was the moment I decided I wanted to go with them to Equestria when the time came. Some might think that is an easy decision to make, but then you're fooling yourself. It was not a simple matter like moving to another town or another country. This was something much bigger, not only would I be on another planet, but another dimension, and I would leave everything behind, possibly forever.

Even at that moment I felt the weight of that decision, it scared me. However as I looked at Twilight, and then out at them all, seeing them all look back at me with the same affection and love I felt for them, I felt it was the right decision.

They were my family now, and we would stay together..

Dinner went well, lots of laughs, lots of trial and error. I have to say I was quite proud of the result of my solo Christmas dinner, it certainly went better than expected. Of course, that wasn't to say I did not make tiny errors. In fact, Applejack was laughing hysterically as she tried to explain how I had screwed up the potatoes.

"It's not that funny!" I said, trying to look offended, but failed.

Applejack just hid her face in her hand, trying not to look at me as laughed. "I'm! I'm sorry, but!" She held the laugh in, and it sounded she was trying to swallow it, however soon enough the dam broke, and she laughed again. She wasn't drunk or anything, but I think we could all feel the wine work its magic.

Rarity giggled. "Darling, while I will say your dinner was quite delightful, you did boil the potatoes too long."

"Yeah!" Rainbow put in. "They were all wet and slimy!" Applejack snorted, and broke out in another laughing fit.

"Stop that, you cackling mad mare!" I grinned, almost throwing my napkin after the farm girl.

Thankfully Fluttershy came to my rescue. Sweet Fluttershy. "I thought your sugar potatoes were really good though." It was true, I had gotten luckier with the sugar potatoes, which was actually the one dish I had counted on screwing up.

"Thank you, Fluttershy."

"The roasted pork was interesting." remarked Twilight, dipping her napkin at her lips. "I was really surprised." All the girls had tried the meat dishes, even Fluttershy. Some of her animals ate meat, but it was still a trial for her. So she only ate a little, but mainly stuck to the vegetarian dishes, which was fine.

"Are we going to play the game now then?!" Pinkie asked me, almost bouncing in her seat.

Rainbow looked over at Pinkie, then at me. "Hm? What game?"

"Ah, right." I nodded. "Okay, so if everybody is done making fun of me?" Another muffled snort from Applejack, but otherwise nothing. "Then we just need to clear the table, and then we can eat a light dessert, I'll explain the rules once we're ready."

And so we all helped clear the table. It gave us a moment to move around, and let the food settle nicely. I admit, I may have eaten a little too much, because I felt as if my belt had gotten smaller. However it helped walking around, put the leftovers into the fridge, and clear the dishes. By the time we put smaller bowls to the table, and I brought the big one out with Risalmande out, we all felt a bit lighter and less guilty.

As we all sat down again, I held up a whole almond. "Right, so the goal is finding a whole almond such as this. You cannot dig around in the big bowl when you take a portion. You can take as much, or as little as you want, but the rule is you have to eat it all or you forfeit the prize."

"And what's that?" Asked Rainbow Dash, pointing to the cherry sauce.

"Hot cherry sauce, it goes really well with the cold pudding." I smiled. "But you can go without, it is not a must. So, everybody knows the rules?" They all nodded. "Right, then let us begin. Rarity, you may take first and pass the bowl when you are done."

It was pretty fun to explain this game to someone who hadn't played before, and while the prize was not anything super special, it was still fun to play. Through the years I had seen people eat the almond by mistake, or someone forgetting to put it into the bowl in the first place. Tonight I had put the almond in, which was why I was the last to take a portion, just to be safe that I did not cheat.

Once everybody was served, the game began. I was pretty sure I did not have the almond, and so I let myself enjoy their expressions as they ate. It was interesting to see if they tried to search for it, or were too careful not to eat it. There were crushed almonds in the mix of course, so one could be tricked if not careful.

However, suddenly Pinkie Pie slammed her hand to the table, making us all jump as she raised her hand and exclaimed her victory. "Yay! I found the almond!"

"Aww, rats!" Rainbow pouted, but soon joined in the congratulations, and laughter.

I stood, and walked to a shelf. "Congratulations Pinkie Pie, you found the almond." I pulled out a golden box of Anton Berg chocolates, and presented it to her. "You have earned it."

"Ooooh, chocolates." She grinned, licking her lips.

"Yeah, but before you take any, some have some alcohol in them. They are a bit more expensive than most, so you should save them for a special occasion." I advised, and she thought about it.

"But, Daniel. This IS a special occasion."

"Yeah, but-"

"Let's share my prize!"

I laughed. "Alright then, we put them with the tower of candy you have prepared." I promised, then returned to the table. "Let's finish dessert and we can retire to the living room."

And so it was that we finished our portions. No one was really in the mood to keep eating dessert, we were quite full already, and the promise of candy only drove that point home. So we finished eating, cleared the table and blew out the candles. I made us some coffee, while Pinkie brought out the treats to the coffee table in the living room.

When I entered and put down the coffee on the table, I got out some small song books. "Right, here we go." I passed them to the girls, and they started to look through them. "So, any suggestions?"

"Hmmm, how about this one?" Twilight suggested.

I looked. "A bit long, but that sounds good. How about we sing a human song, then we can sing one from Equestria?"

Applejack looked at me with a smirk. "Do you know any Equestrian holiday songs?"

"Uhm, well, no.."

"Don't worry darling, we can sing one for you then." Rarity suggested.

"Right, sounds good." I smiled, and we all got around the tree, held hands. "Ready?" They nodded, and we all started to sing. I had actually expected it to be cringe and funny, but amazingly, the song went off without a hitch. Not only that, as we sang, it was like I could hear the music. Everybody, even me, sang in perfect harmony. Was this the rumored song magic the fandom had talked about? Well, whatever it was, it made singing so much more fun.

Before we knew it, we had sung three human Christmas songs, and one Equestrian one. I had expected that at that point we were done, and as expected many of us sat down. Everyone, except for Fluttershy. She stood by the tree, folded her hands over her chest, and started to sing.

It was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard...

Silent night, starry night
All is calm, all is bright
'Round the forest, parents and young
Gentle creatures everyone
Home in burrows deep
Home in their burrows deep

Silent night, starry night
Snowfall makes the meadows white
Huddle close to keep family warm
Tomorrow's dawn will bring Christmas morn
Now the day is done
Now that the day is done

Silent night, starry night
Leaves are still and the moon's in sight
Dreams are born as their eyes fall closed
Tomorrow's gift is that nobody knows

Sleep in beautiful peace
Sleep in beautiful peace

Oh-whoa (Sleep in beautiful peace)
Oh-whoa-oh-oh (Sleep in beautiful peace)
Oh-whoa-oh-oh (Sleep in beautiful peace)
Oh-whoa (Sleep in beautiful peace)

Sleep in beautiful peace
Sleep in beautiful peace...

Listening to Fluttershy sing, and the rest of the girls acting a choir, it somehow took me back. For a moment, I could actually see myself with my family as a kid. Playing, enjoying the smell of the fireplace, the coffee, and unwrapping my gifts. It was like at that moment, I could feel my mother's arm around my shoulder, holding me tight.

As the song ended, I didn't even realize I had tears in my eyes.

"Daniel..?"

Someone asked. I was so lost in thought I didn't even notice who it was, nor did I react. It wasn't before I suddenly felt someone sitting down beside me, moving her arm around me and stroking my back that I reacted.

"Uhm, I.. What?" I blushed, feeling more exposed than I liked. Quickly I wiped the tears away, seeing Twilight sitting next to me, and the other girls looking at me with concern. "Sorry, I was a little lost in thought." I smiled, trying to calm them. "I'm fine, it was just. It was very beautiful and it took me back." They kept looking at me, their concern not vanishing. "Seriously, I'm fine. Come on, let's open up your gifts!"

I really didn't want to talk about it, especially tonight. They seemed to pick up on that, and instead of pushing the point, they turned their attention to the tree and the gifts hidden below it. "Who goes first?" Asked Rainbow Dash, breaking the tension from before.

"Well," I smiled. "I would actually like you all to unwrap yours at the same time." The girls looked at me confusingly, but Pinkie moved down to the tree, and took out six flat wrapped gifts. They were all the same size, something that likely made them wonder even more. "Okay, so I would like to say. I had no idea what to get you all. Everything I want to give you is likely not something I can give in this world. However, I thought I'd have a friend of mine make you something special."

They smiled, and started to carefully unwrap the presents. Little by little they did so, until a series of gasps made it clear they understood. "It is nothing much, mind you. This is the best I could do in terms of giving you a little piece of home."

All the girls held in their hands picture frames, and inside of those were a custom art piece for each girl. Each girl had a picture beautifully made of their loved ones, in a place they knew. I had done my best in sparing no expense, trying to make it just as they would know them.

I couldn't help them home, I had no power over such things. No way of helping them talk to their families. The best thing I could do was give them a reminder. Sure, I could have bought other things, but this really came from the heart. The silence was almost choking me, I was afraid they did not like them, thought me lazy, even though I knew they would never say that.

Luckily, they all got up, kissed and hugged me, sharing the pictures among one another. "Daniel, this is.. Thank you."

"No problem, and, well, I do have one more. This present is more for all of us." I stood, walking to a bookshelf and pulled out an empty album. "This I thought could be for the memories we make. So whatever happens, we will never forget."

"Darling, your gifts are just perfect. However, we have one for you too, from all of us." Rarity said with a soft and gentle tone. "We all appreciate what you have done for us."

"You've given us shelter." Said Fluttershy.

"Food." Added Rainbow Dash.

Applejack nodded. "Safety."

"Love!" Pinkie giggled.

Twilight stood, carefully putting her picture down, and reached for the last present under the tree. Compared to the others, this one was tiny. "You've shown us kindness when our situation was most dire, Daniel." She turned to me, smiling warmly. "You have shown all the traits a pony should have."

Twilight held out the little package, and I took it. The package itself was not really wrapped, it was more in a small envelope that fit in the palm of my hand. I looked from the package to them, and then back at the package. Carefully I opened it, slightly afraid I might break something.

Then I held it up, and a golden chain poured from the envelope and into my open hand, followed by some sort of locket, or medallion. It took me a moment to realize what it was, but when I did, I looked startled back at them, "Girls, I don't know what to say."

I looked down at the golden medallion, astounded by its beauty. It was a golden disk with two stars crossing over one another, and then six different colored tiny gems. They sparkled in such a way that I had no doubt that they were not some fake plastic you could get in the toy store.

"Loyalty, kindness, generosity, laughter, honesty and magic. We have all seen these traits in you, Daniel." Twilight explained as I ran my finger over it. "It is so you will never forget how we see you, now and always."

"Oh god, girls.." I let out a little nervous laugh, wiping my eyes to make sure there were no tears. "This is, wow.. Kinda makes me feel bad for only getting your pictures."

Twilight giggled, and moved closer to me. "They came from the heart, Daniel. That is the most important thing. Just like our gift came from ours. When you have this on, you'll carry us all with you, wherever you go." She took the necklace, and moved it around my neck. "So keep us close."

I nodded, then looked into her eyes. "Now and always."

Christmas continued for us, and I dare say it was the most fun Christmas I had had in years. We spend most of the evening talking, joking, even playing some games, and watching a late night movie. It was past midnight when we finally decided to call it a night.

We were pretty tired, and I was ready to call it quits. I let the other girls head to bed, as I cleaned away the mugs, and coffee things. I let the snacks be, knowing tomorrow would be a lazy day, so we should enjoy our snacks while cuddling on the couch.

The house was totally silent as I turned off the lights. I was pretty sure the girls had fallen asleep as soon as their heads had hit their pillows. I could not blame them, I used to do the same thing. However, now I was an adult, which meant I had to clean. I'm kidding, it felt good to be alone for a bit. It gave me time to think and reflect.

I felt good, at peace. Exhausted emotionally, but in a good way.

As I made my way up the stairs, I felt ready to just crash and sleep. However as I walked down to my room, I spotted a slender figure waiting by my door.

It was Twilight, standing against the wall, only dressed in one of my long shirts, which pretty much worked as a short dress for her. "Twilight? Is everything okay?"

She bit her lower lip, then moved towards me. Without a word, she kissed me, deeply, and could do nothing but kiss back. As my arms moved around her figure, I could feel her pushing against me, towards the door.

So we went into my room, closed the door, and fell into my bed in each other's arms..

Author's Note

Wow, that took some time, well, seven days really. :D

I am sorry for the wait, but I hope this chapter made the wait worth it. So far the longest chapter of the bunch, and the chapter that took this story over 100.000 words in total. Seems fitting!

Anyway, we are in the reach of the end! It is strange to think this story has been going for two years, but I am happy to see how it has evolved.

I hope you all keep enjoying it.