“Do you really think this is a good idea?”
No, was the first thought that came to Starlight’s mind, as her horn alighted with magic, carefully levitating several books off the shelf for her. “Yes,” she replied instead, a steady smile on her face as she turned to face her mentor’s face.
Twilight’s eyes were narrowed slightly as she looked over Starlight, her expression one of skepticism. One that almost made Starlight offended, if it wasn’t with good reason this time. There were a few times before that Starlight could have hooved off Twilight’s worries, pointing out the flaws in her friend’s arguments. Here? Not so much.
Not regarding him, even if Starlight could have pulled every other reason against Twilight’s worrying. There were still things that couldn’t be excused away, or argued against. And both Starlight - and Twilight - knew that. So instead of launching into that particular discussion, Starlight coughed into her hoof slightly. “I think it’d be good for him. It’d get him out of the castle more, let him learn how Hearth’s Warming Eve evolved to today… and perhaps even learn a little more about friendship on the way!”
“But what if something goes wrong? What if-” There Twilight went, though Starlight raised a hoof to quickly silence her.
“We got every precaution in the book, Twilight! And I’ll be with him. You know I can handle myself.” Starlight slowly lowered several books into a pile, settling on one in particular. ‘Hearth’s Warming Over the Ages’. This seemed like it’d be a good starting point, if any. Grinning, she turned the book to Twilight. “It’ll be fine.”
“... Okay. I trust you.” A small smile appeared on Twilight’s face, before she let out a sigh. “Even though I don’t trust him.” Twilight paused, shaking her head slightly.
“To be fair, you didn’t trust Trixie first either when I became friends with her,” Starlight pointed out, raising a brow.
“Trixie enslaved Ponyville for a day. Sombra enslaved the whole of the Crystal Empire for a lot longer than that,” Twilight said, her face growing a bit serious. For a moment, Starlight almost felt abashed at the words - but Twilight was right. One brightside upon that statement was that Twilight did trust Trixie now - at least compared to Sombra. “Do you think you can handle both Sombra and Trixie though?”
“What do you mean?” Starlight’s eyebrows knitted together as she levitated the book into her saddlebag.
“Well, you did promise to spend Christmas Eve with her…” Twilight pointed out slightly, waving a hoof in Starlight’s direction.
“... Oh Celestia, you’re right!” Immediately, Starlight felt a jolt run through her at the memory. Between everything with the school and with Sombra - she had forgotten that she promised to spend some time with her best friend. Immediately, a stab of guilt followed as her ears folded back. “I totally forgot about that…”
“Maybe I should gift you a calendar to hang next to your mirror for Hearthswarming…” Twilight muttered slightly, though Starlight only half paid attention to her friend’s words as she turned from Twilight, eyes widening. With everything that had been on her plate recently, Starlight had promised to make time with Trixie!
“I got to… I got to fix this. I got to get this all right, somehow-” Starlight said, horn sparking as her thoughts raced. Hearths Warming Eve with Trixie then Hearths Warming itself with Sombra? But most of the festivities ran the night before, and all the shops would already be closed by the time Hearth's Warming itself came around!
“Don’t overwhelm yourself!” Twilight’s last words nearly didn’t make it through as Starlight’s teleport took her out of the room.
Starlight rapped her hoof against Trixie’s door, with a bright grin on her face, after an hour of replanning and adjusting her schedule. Things were perfect now - or so she very much hoped it would be.
The door to Trixie’s caravan opened, and as soon as Trixie saw Starlight, her face brightened up. “Starlight!” Quickly, Trixie exited the door completely to throw her two front legs around Starlight’s neck. “I was wondering when you’d be over.” Trixie craned her neck to look towards the sun. “Usually you’re up way too early for these kinds of things. But I’m not complaining.”
Starlight let out a light nervous chuckle at that. “Right, right. But you know me! A morning person!” Starlight struck a hoof out towards the sky. “But it’s still technically morning, andddd I needed to make a few changes to our plans.”
“Changes?” Trixie said, an intrigued look on her face. “What kind of changes?”
“Welllllll likeIaccidentallypromisedtospendtimewithbothyouandSombratoday-” Starlight mumbled, the words together fast as she spoke.
“... Come again?” Was Starlight imagining it, or was Trixie’s smile slowly deflating.
“I may have accidentally promised to spend time with both you and Sombra today?” Starlight said more slowly, looking away as she spoke. “I wanted to show him more about the holiday, and I kind of forgot I had made plans with you beforehand, and- well, you know what happens!” Starlight said, giving another smile.
“I guess that’s okay…” Trixie said, her smile much smaller than it was when she first came out. And yet, it was still there. That probably just meant hesitation. “As long as we still do everything that we planned.”
“Of course we will!” Starlight said, grinning now. “I just fit in a few more activities. Come on! Let’s go get Sombra, so we can get started!” With that, Starlight nearly started galloping towards the castle.
“Wait! Let Trixie get her scarf!” Trixie said, behind Starlight, but Starlight was already going around the crystal tree castle and up the steps. If they were going to make this day the best one, then there could be no wasting time. Around that hallway- and there was Sombra’s room, with no time at all really! Trixie would catch up in a minute.
Starlight quickly gave a few knocks on the door. “Sombra? Are you ready for Hearth’s Warming Eve?” She asked through the door.
There was a few seconds before a reply was heard. “In a minute’s time.”
Starlight gave a smile, adjusting her yellow hat on her head slightly, before fussing over her tail slightly - just as Trixie arrived next to her, out of breath slightly, a pink scarf wrapped around the blue mare’s neck.
“Next time… when I say wait up… will you please wait up?” Trixie asked, hissing through her teeth as she started to gain her breath back.
“Duly noted,” Starlight said, amused with a swish of her tail.
The door opened in front of her, and there he was - the one that most ponies would fear upon seeing around Ponyville just a few months ago. Not so much now, though there were still wary glances even now. Those might never go away completely.
Still, now that Sombra had been living in Ponyville a while they had at least gotten used to seeing him around. Hopefully it wouldn’t prove much trouble today with everypony distracted by last minute shopping or other silly things.
As the door opened, Starlight felt her smile grow warmer as the former royal stepped out of the room. On his head, he wore a green cap - an early gift to him - though with way he combed his mane, it looked a tiny bit ridiculous. Not that she minded at all.
“Ah. Hello, Trixie.” Sombra’s gaze fell upon Trixie, as they both stared at each other evenly. Politeness seemed to be the norm around those two - them never really knowing how to interact with each other. Trixie’s early panicking from when he was first around probably had to do a lot with that, but it wasn’t something Starlight knew how to really help.
“Hello, er, Sombra,” Trixie said in response with a hesitant look before grinning. “Sooo, I heard that Starlight invited you to our little trip around Ponyville today? I didn’t know you were coming until a little bit earlier, but I’m ready to go out and face the day when you are! The markets are awaiting us! They have some amazing foods that are only available during the Hearth’s Warming season” Trixie said, excitedly. “And after that, there’s the ice sculpting! And finally, the dazzling movie that is premiering tonight at the show!” Trixie beamed for a second, before faltering. “Er… do you know what a movie is?”
“It’s… those moving pictures. I’ve believe I’ve heard of them before.” Sombra said, his voice low and cautious slightly. Starlight couldn’t help but sympathize with him - not only was he taken out of his time, but he was taken out of time and then pulled into a world with not only a load of new technology within a thousand years - but things still being built around every corner.
“That’s right!” Starlight said. “They used to only show shorts, but now they’re getting into longer films now.”
“The illusion, the mastery of the camera - Trixie would think film would be calling for her if she wasn’t already a magician.” Trixie said with a grin.
“Intriguing…” Sombra frowned. “It sounds a bit like unicorn projection, or at least a much more advanced form of it.” He looked pensive, and his eyes flickered to his horn - and the silver band around it. He may have several limitations that were off, but magic was still not something that the princesses entirely entrusted him with still.
“That’s actually pretty similar. I think I saw Twilight cast a spell like that before… though I can’t get the knack of it myself.” Starlight shrugged.
“I also did a spell like that, once.” Trixie seemed to want to say more, before falling silent. Her face scrunched up slightly, and she waved a hoof as if to air out bad thoughts.
“Soooo, can we go see the ice sculpture? He’s already started, and I want to see!”
“Right…” Ice sculpting was probably the least fun activities of those Trixie had wanted to see today. Starlight had gone to see it last year - seen it once, and had enough of it for a lifetime. It was so slow. Not to mention cold and wet to be right by the statues being carved. While Trixie had been excited about the ‘mastery’ of such an ‘artistic’ crap, Starlight didn’t enjoy it half as much. “We’ll certainly see him! And definitely what the statue looks like at the end-” Skipping the most boring parts of it of course- “But first I wanted to fit in something else.”
“And what is that?” Sombra asked, raising a brow.
“Reading. Of course, it was reading.” Trixie groaned from the armchair, splayed out across it rather sillily, tail flopping over the edge of it as she lifted her hooves to the sky dramatically. “And not just reading. A history lesson too.”
“Hey, we’re trying to have a bit of fun!” Starlight chuckled slightly, as she looked up from the book she was reading, grinning over at her friend, before looking back at Sombra, feeling her face grow a bit warm beneath her fur. She was pressed up rather close to him currently. Nearly snuggling, really. Nearly though. Not quite! The warmth was from the hot chocolate settled on the couch side, that’s all, she swore!
“Whatever you say…” Trixie mumbled, waving a hoof over at her before she closed her purples eyes again, curling up in the arm chair.
“Go back to your ‘beauty’ sleep,” Sombra grunted next to her, though not harshly. He too, in his own way seemed amused by Trixie’s actions. After that, he turned his eyes on her, before a small smile appeared on his face. One of the rare ones he saved for those he actually liked. “Go on - where were you again?”
“Right around the 300th year in the Celestial calendar.” Starlight cleared her throat before continuing. “The tale of Snowfall Frost was said to have taken place around then - and based off a true story, even. Twilight told me the fairytale version for my first Hearth’s Warming with her. I’m assuming you haven’t heard it since you got back?”
“Not really,” Sombra confessed softly. “Personally I prefer more history books to fairytales myself - even as a foal…” He seemed to hesitate for a second. “Others preferred more fairytale versions of tales than I did.”
“Me too!” Starlight said with a grin slightly. “Though the fairytale versions do have the charm of coming without the more gruesome implications and wrong-doing… just like Hearth’s Warming must have been, huh?” She said grinning slightly. “Was that before or after your time?”
“After,” Sombra shook his head, frowning again at the thought. “Equestria had reunited long before I was born.”
“Ah, that makes sense.” Starlight said with a nod, before turning back to the book. “It was around this century that the pageant that became a symbol of Hearth’s Warming Eve was also put into place, and some ponies believe that it’s due to a resurgence in snow storms in 324 AC… hmm. Do you think you’d be interested in going to see the play one time?”
“Is there one in Ponyville?” Sombra said frowning.
“... Noooo.” Starlight said, it clicking a moment later. “Bad idea to go to Canterlot?”
“Quite terrible.” Sombra snorted. “The ponies in this town got used to me by having to. I don’t think those in Canterlot will be as kind to not run in fear and scream all the time.”
“Right, right… maybe we can see the movie on that!” Starlight grinned slightly. “I heard that it’s not as good as on the stage, but it’d be a good substitute.”
“Is that the movie your friend wants to see?” Sombra looked over at Starlight.
“No, but I’m sure she’d be fine with seeing the Hearth’s Warming one.” Starlight said waving her hoof slightly before taking a sip of her hot chocolate.
“If you’re sure,” Sombra shrugged.
“Ehh, it’ll be fine.” Starlight looked over at the fireplace. “Do you want to have a crochet doll this year?”
“A what?” Sombra had a blank stare on his face, as he looked at Starlight. She blinked for a moment, before grinning and pointing a hoof at mantel above the fireplace.
“You know? Little dolls that you hang up.” Her smile flickered slightly. “I’m pretty sure those were from the pre-Celestial age but maybe I was wrong.”
“Ah… right. My apologies, it’s been a while” Sombra shifted against her slightly, before shrugging. “I’m not a very artsy person. I don’t think I’d be able to make something like that.”
“Me either,” Starlight admitted, rubbing her neck slightly with a hoof. “I kind of asked Rarity to make it… hey, I have an idea!” She brightened up. “Maybe when we go to the markets today we can try and buy you one, since neither of us know how to sew. It’s a little too late to ask Rarity to make one for you after all.”
“Plus she hates my guts,” Sombra said dryly.”
“And she hates your guts!” Starlight repeated cheerfully, before turning back to the book.
“We missed the ice sculpture,” Trixie snorted, as the trio walked over to Saddle Lake.
“We got to see the finished result, at least.” Starlight smiled over at Trixie, hoping to get a smile out of her, but getting no result. “And we’ll make it to the market in time.”
Trixie’s tail whipped back and forth in response, causing Starlight to frown before looking over at Sombra.
As they approached the frozen over lake, he had become tenser and tenser. It was like something was locking up inside him, making him rigid all over. “Are… you doing alright there?” Starlight asked.
“I’m fine,” he said, his voice almost frosty as he walked toward the lake, stopping a few feet nearby.
“You look like you’re going to throw-up,” Trixie stated without hesitance, causing Starlight to give her a sharp look.
“Trixie!”
“It’s true though!” Trixie protested, raising a hoof in defense.
“She’s not entirely wrong. The… way those ponies move on the ice makes me nauseous. I don’t think I’m entirely comfortable with ice skating.”
“Are you sure?” Starlight asked him, looking him over. “Don’t knock it until you try it!”
“Quite positive.” His eyes glanced at the ice rink in distaste, before he looked over at the bench. “I think I’ll take a seat over there, and watch you skate, rather than do it myself.”
“Well…. alright.” Starlight said, shrugging, before turning to Trixie. “What about you, Trix?”
“If you think you’re dragging me out there, you’ve got another thing coming.” Trixie said with a small laugh.
“Aw, come on! It’s fun skating on the ice. I planned it myself to have some fun!” Starlight said, twirling a bit, acting as if she was on the ice herself right now.
“Nah, I think I’ll sit this out with dark and broody. You have your fun. Just let me know when we’re finally going to go to the market.” With a small snap from her tail, Trixie followed Sombra towards the bench, sitting on her rump right next to him.
“Well… fine then. I guess I’m skating alone today.” Starlight looked over to the ice rink. Not nearly as fun as it would have been with Sombra or Trixie - or both - but… she could make this work.
The market was dazzling, with its colorful stands and bright glowing lights. And also loud, irritable, and crowded from the crowds of ponies huddled up at each stall. “I hate Hearth’s Warming eve markets.” Starlight’s muzzled wrinkled as she passed a group of yelling foals.
“Aww, come on Starlight, it’s not that bad! It’s about having fun!” Trixie said. For the first real time since Starlight first saw her today, Trixie looked happy - strangely enough in this hustle and bustle out of everything else that happened today.
“It’s about consumerism.” Starlight said stiffly, eyes narrowing at the price of some popcorn here - way out of the average bit range for some good popcorn.
“You’re a real killjoy at times, you know that?” Trixie sighed. “It’s about the magic of the holidays Starlight! Can you at least pretend to enjoy it? What about you, big guy?”
Sombra looked at Trixie for a moment - he had fallen silent, looking around the fair and saying pretty much nothing since they arrived. He was even more stoic than normal. “It is… fine. It reminds me of home.”
“See! Even he likes it!” Trixie said pointedly - but Starlight’s attention was already being grabbed by something else.
“Look! Carolers!” Starlight said, pointing out a quartet of ponies singing along. Wait… Rarity was with them! Were those the Ponytones? Her ears perking up, she grabbed Sombra’s foreleg, trying to drag him towards them.
“No.” That was the most simple word as Sombra seemed to dig his hooves into the ground.
“But- it’s fun to sing carols!” Starlight said, trying to tug on him again towards there.
“No.”
“Why not? It’s something new to experience!”
“Because I do not know any of these songs, and number two, Rarity hates me. We went over this already.” Okay, perhaps those were good points - not that Starlight wanted to admit it. Him not knowing any of the songs would have made it awkward to sing along and…
Rarity was giving him a withering look from afar. Perhaps it was best not to approach. “Okay, I guess you’re maybe right.”
“He’s totally right. What did he do to her?” Trixie said, looking confused. “I’ve never seen her so angry before. Well, other than when I turned her mane green.”
“Nothing to ever be spoken about again-” Sombra said, coughing slightly, and looking away.
“But-” Trixie said.
“I agree with Sombra here - drop it!” Starlight said, a quick smile coming onto her face. Not thinking about the incident would make the night go by so much smoother.
“Ugh!” Trixie turned away slightly, eyes narrowing. “Fine, fine, keep your little secret. Now can we please find the governberry chestnuts? They’re only on sale for this market. One of the few good things about Ponyville.”
“In a minute - I need to find Sombra a Hearth’s Warming doll!” Starlight said, looking around now at the stalls a bit more closely. It might be harder to find a stall for those right on Hearth’s Warming Eve, but that didn’t mean Starlight wasn’t going to try and look.
“Really? He doesn’t have one already?” Trixie’s glare turned from Starlight to Sombra, who shifted a bit uncomfortable under it. “But the line for the nuts are right there!”
“It’ll only take a moment! I’m sure!” Starlight said confidently.
It took another hour, with the sun starting to sink below the horizon at the end of it.
Another hour of searching, of finding a black unicorn doll that matched Sombra. Another hour of him being very tense while around the cheerful market,
Another hour, in which by the time they made it back to the nut stand, all the govenberry chestnuts were gone. “Of course they are! Because nothing can go right today!” Trixie snarled slightly, tail lashing angrily behind her.
“It’s really too bad about the nuts.” Starlight said, sympathetically.
“It’s not just the nuts! Everything about this day is horrible!” Trixie yelled out, causing a few ponies to look over at the trio. Some looked at Trixie especially - others looked at Sombra, as if expecting him to be the cause of the argument. And yet the stallion was silent - looking uncomfortable. Probably by the way of Trixie yelling, if Starlight’s own annoyance was anything to go off of. Her sympathy was quickly leaving her as she felt the frustration bubble up. Trixie had been off all day - and now she was causing a scene in the middle of town.
“If it’s about the nuts - I’m sure I can find a way to order you some of them some other way.” A bit of a silly thing to get all worked up about, but Starlight would certainly make it happen to help her friend out, especially if they were so important to her. Hopefully, she thought, the proposal would cool down Trixie’s anger. And by doing that, stop her own frustration alongside it.
“That’s not the reason I’m angry!” Trixie nearly yelled again, stomping a hoof on ground hard. The offense on Trixie’s face made Starlight stop that train of thought, before she frowned deeper.
“Listen, Trixie, you just need to get over it - Sombra is fine now, and he’s my friend-”
“What? I got over that a while back! It’s not about that at all!”
“It’s… not?” Starlight said, faltering slightly. If neither of those were the reasons behind why Trixie went off like that… “Then what is?”
“This! You breaking another promise like this, and not even considering my feelings about it! Did you really think I’d be okay with this? Again? ” Trixie said, her stare heated. “And not even just that! You changed everything about it to make it ‘work’!”
That’s what Trixie was upset about? Slowly, things were starting to fall into place. That… did make sense actually behind the reasoning. More so than the other reasonings. “It’s not my fault,” Starlight offered weakly as a response.
“What do you mean, it isn’t your fault?!” Trixie let out a frustrated groan, shaking her head slightly. “Starlight, I wasn’t the one who overbooked!”
“I was just really busy! With everything that’s been happening recently, I kind of got all my plans just jumbled in my head!” Starlight said, though the response sounded half-hearted even to her ears.
“You’re not the only one who’s busy Starlight!” Trixie said. “I could have planned a show or something tonight if I knew about this! At least I would have made some bits, because ponies typically try to go and see things on Hearth’s Warming. Like we’re - or we were - supposed to.” Trixie scowled heavily. “You probably changed that also last second.”
“... At least, I didn’t try to be in two places at once?” Starlight offered, nudging the ground with one of her front hooves. To be honest, she had thought about changing the movie they were going to see in theaters… and Trixie having guessed that part even m
Trixie stared at Starlight for a second later, before huffing and turning away as she tail flicked angrily to and fro. “That’s not saying much.”
Starlight felt her gut twist, as she walked forward, putting a hoof out to try and wrap it around Trixie. “Come on, Trix, I just wanted to spend some time with two of the most important ponies in my life.”
Trixie, however, wasn’t having it as she pulled away, ears flattening against her skull and purple eyes narrowing. Though not just with anger this time - there was pain in there also. “But I just wanted to spend the day with you! Just you. My best friend. I understand how important he is to you but…” Trixie lowered her head slightly, her gaze averting again. “We haven’t hung out by ourselves for a while. I just wanted this night to be for me and you.”
Starlight stared at Trixie, her own heart twisting at those words. “... I really screwed this one up, didn’t I?” Starlight said softly,
“Yes. You did. And this hasn’t been the first time you did it.” Trixie said, a bit of venom creeping into her voice again. “... And you don’t need to apologize to just me.”
“What do you mean?” Starlight said, face screwing up slightly at that response.
“Sombra… he didn’t seem to be having any fun either.” Trixie said as she turned to face Starlight again - both surprising Starlight by Trixie worrying about Sombra, and the peculiarity of the idea that Trixie had just presented.
“I mean, he didn’t seem to really get into the spirit of things…” Starlight shrugged. “But I wasn’t really into Hearth’s Warming either until Twilight got me into things again.”
“I mean, yeah, some ponies don’t like to have any fun. Like you sometimes.” Trixie said dryly, before flipping her mane slightly. “But no, not like that. He didn’t seem interested at all. He was just… there. It was sort of like looking at a totally different pony to be honest,” she said, her nose wrinkling.
“I… guess.” Now that she thought back on it, he did look rather disinterested in everything. And just… neutral on it. From the story to the treats, everything felt like he just wasn’t connecting. Even more so than usual. He had been oddly muted for most of the time, the most lively had been was during reading the book of all things. “Now that you mention it, he did kind of act weird.”
“Maybe you should go check up on him. And see if he’s as ticked off at you as I am.” Trixie snorted slightly,
“I… should do that. Since he’s already left the market.” Starlight had glanced towards where Sombra had been last been… and lo and behold, he was no longer there. That was not a good sign at all. Had he run off while her and Trixie were arguing? She had truly screwed things up for both her friends, hadn’t she? Looking back at Trixie, and seeing the lingering hurt there…
“I’m sorry Trixie. I really am.” Starlight said softly - and Trixie’s ears twitched as this, though her expression stayed the same. “I’ll be back to make it up to you - right after I talk to Sombra. And we’re going to make that movie. Just me and you.”
“But…” Trixie said, her face warring for a second - disbelief mixed with something else was on there. “But what about Sombra?”
“I’ll work something out,” Starlight said, confidence flooding back into her voice. “I promise.”
“... You better,” Trixie said, using one of hooves to swat at her face slightly - which Starlight pretended not to see. “I’ll be waiting by Sugarcube Corner.”
Starlight gave a nod, before turning tail and starting to head back towards the other person that she had to give an apology to…
He was staring at the Hearth’s Warming fire when she got back to the castle. His eyes followed the flames, as if entranced.
“Sombra…?” Starlight spoke softly as she walked over to him. “I’m… I’m sorry for back there.”
“It’s alright.” Sombra said simply, not moving his gaze, and not looking over to her as she sat down beside him. Those two words… Starlight shook her head firmly.
“No. No it isn’t. I caused this mess of a day… and I know where I went wrong with Trixie. But I want to know where I went wrong with you too.” He finally looked at her then, several emotions passing over his face. Worry, fear, and guilt were the only three she could name before he settled on a somber expression.
“... Hearth’s Warming is not familiar to me.” He said simply, as if that explained everything. Starlight stared at him blankly, trying to find the meaning behind his words.
“As in… the modern incarnation? Did I push too hard in trying to get you to enjoy it? Is it too different?” Starlight said, rubbing one leg with her hoof.
“No, as in… the Crystal Empire doesn’t celebrate Hearth’s Warming. At all. None of us do.” Sombra stated simply, looking at her seriously.
“What?” Starlight asked, before it hit her with a spark. “Wait… you guys don’t?!”
“No.” He shook his head gently. “An easy mistake to make if one doesn’t know much about it. But we never had the problems that the earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi had. There were… other problems.” His eyes narrowed slightly, before he faced Starlight completely.
“We have our own holiday that encompasses the winter solstice. Limáni. It’s when we used to use the crystal heart to help power the empire’s border. Of course, it constantly powers it but… that’s the anniversary of when it was first used.”
“The winter solstice?” Starlight’s eyes widened, before she jumped up. “Oh my stars - that was a few days ago! I’m so sorry for not doing anything! If I had known-”
“Calm down,” he said, using a hoof to practically push her back to a sitting position. “If I had wanted you to know, you would have known. But… I saw how busy you were with your own holiday, and your students exiting for break, and more.” He shrugged, hunching his shoulders slightly.
“I would have made time for it if I knew,” Starlight said firmly - before wilting slightly. Would she really have? How could she know that after the mess of the day with Trixie had been. “I’m sorry.”
“You have no reason to be,” Sombra sighed, horn alighting as he moved to remove his green hat. “It’s my fault for not telling you. I just… didn’t feel like I should celebrate it anymore. For a multitude of reasons.” His eyes darkened slightly, and Starlight resisted the urge to immediately reach out and throw her legs around him - instead just moving closer slightly, their coats almost touching.
“You should have still told me. I know you probably think you don’t deserve to celebrate it, but it’s still your culture. It’s still your holiday. Meanwhile I was just pushing mine on you,” she said, looking at her saddlebag where the Hearth’s Warming doll she had bought lay hidden.
“It’s not that I don’t want to take a part in your holiday…” Sombra said, forestalling any more negative comments with a raised hoof, before his horn lit up with magic, and surprisingly, the Hearth’s Warming doll was removed from the bag and brought over, right into his raised hoof. Carefully, Sombra seemed to turn it over and inspect it. “I just… some of the things bring up memories I’d rather forget, or they don’t feel right to me. None of which you need to apologize for - you didn’t know.Though some things like this are… okay, I guess.” With another wave of levitation, the black unicorn doll was brought over to the lit fireplace, right next to Starlight’s own.
“I’m glad you enjoyed some parts of it… you did seem a little tense back at the lake.”
“Me and ice have a complicated relationship.” Sombra said, his voice level, though his eyes averted themselves. “There is nothing else I’d want to discuss on that level for now.”
“That’s fine. I don’t want to push you.” Starlight said, before frowning. “I wish… I wish you didn’t feel the need to pretend you knew a lot about Hearth’s Warming though. It would have solved one problem.”
“As I said - it’s not like I don’t want to participate in your holiday. Just like you’d be willing to play a part in mine, I want to play a part in yours.” Sombra paused. “Just no ice skating, or dreadful caroling, ever again.”
“I promise,” Starlight said, her smile returning, before she went in for a little peck on his cheek - causing him to sit still, before a small smile appeared on his face. “And I Pinkie promise for next year to celebrate Limáni with you. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a cupcake in my heart.”
His attempt to look stern at the next part caused Starlight to almost burst into giggles. “And no doubling of plans. Trixie didn’t seem too happy with you,” he grumbled, trying to keep up the appearance.
“Right… right.” That did cause Starlight’s smile to fall away again. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She paused for a moment. “Do you mind if I slip away to try and make it up for her? I’m all yours for tomorrow, but…”
“She’s your friend. Go to her.” Sombra said with a snort, and a flick of his ears. “I’ll be waiting for when you get home.”
“Right. Thank you again.” Diving in for another quick peck - and ignoring the small noise of protest from Sombra, she started back towards the square.
Now that dusk was firmly here, lanterns had been lit around Ponyville to light up the winter festival and marketplace.. Snow drifted through the air, carefully decorating the ground in a thin layer - not excluding Trixie, Starlight noticed. Despite her seemingly to have moved - based off the treats she was munching on, she had gone to get a snack while waiting for Starlight to come back.
“I see you got a snack while I was gone,” Starlight said, coming over and taking a seat next to Trixie, who harrumphed at her for a moment.
"Well, I had to find something after missing out on my nuts,” Trixie said, seemingly angrily taking another mouthful of the chocolate drizzled strawberries.
“I’m sorry about that…” Starlight frowned, before levitating a few bits out of her saddlebag and placing them next to Trixie, who stared at them hesitantly. “This is the least I can do for the mess that today was.”
For a moment, Trixie didn’t move. “You don’t have to do that, you know.” And yet naught another complaint escaped her as Trixie moved the bits to her own bag.
“I know.” Starlight frowned, tapping her front hooves together. “Are you still up for seeing that movie together?”
“Are you?” Trixie countered slightly, before sighing. “Starlight… I can’t just pretend I’m alright with this. We seem to keeping going back and forth with this kind of thing. And you know you’re my best friend, and… I just want it to feel like that still, you know, instead of having to pretend things are alright. You’ve learned you shouldn’t bottle your anger up around me. I shouldn’t have to bottle up my anger towards you either.”
“I know, I know… and I want to get better! I want to be a better friend.” Starlight cringed as she spoke. Even saying those words - they sounded like an admittance to defeat. Like somehow she had failed at friendship. “I’m sorry that I’m not right now.”
Trixie paused, before turning towards Starlight, shoulders hunched. “I… can we both try to be better friends towards each other from now on? I mean, we are going to be working at the same school. I think we should get along.” Starlight was sure that last part was meant to be a joke, but somehow it just came out hollow instead.
“We should… and I’d like to try to be better.” Starlight said, before reaching out to hug Trixie. For a moment, Trixie hesitated before returning it. For a few moments, the two friends hugged each other gently, before Trixie released her, wiping at her eyes again.
“Are we good?” Starlight asked quietly.
“W-We’re good.” Trixie mumbled, before shaking her head slightly. “... Come on! Let’s go and see that movie already! Or else we’re going to be late for that too.” Trixie got up, continuing to shake her fur as if to warm up.
“Right, wouldn’t want that.” Starlight said, getting up and starting to follow Trixie.
Things weren’t great with Trixie. But they’d get better, she was sure. And the same was true with Sombra. It was hard to get him to open up. But day by day, she’d be working on both issues, and hopefully soon, they’d all get to a better place.
Author's Note
One day, I’d like to make a ‘sequel’ to this Fanfiction based around the holiday Sombra was talking about. I mused about it for a long while before this fic - and even considered going into depth about it here - but ultimately decided I’d rather have it be a stand-alone fic explaining the holiday. I wanted this story to be more about the interpersonal drama rather than the holiday itself. So perhaps in a follow-up some other time, I’ll have Starlight and Sombra comment on a story of the holiday itself, as that’d be the kind of format I’d go for. Hopefully sometime in the future!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this fic MayhemMoth, and I hope you’ll have Happy Holidays!
