It’s a sunny morning with a chill in the air of the Apple Farm as the first snowflakes fall. “The rest of the family will be here soon,” says AJ as she turns to Bartlett. They soon here a loud scream as Tartlett tumbles down the stairs followed by Apple Seed, Dancy, and Strawberry Swirl. The three cousins had been dropped off days early by their parents so that they could get in on the fun early and have more time with their favorite cousin.
“Apple pancakes are hot and ready!” Says AJ as she hollers down the hall. A few minutes later, the door swings open and she is greeted by Apple Bloom and Tender Taps. Seeing her sister, AJ pulls her aside. The two talk in the back room for about an hour before joining the rest for breakfast. The following morning, Big Mack, Cheerilee and their kids arrive alongside Lil Mack and his family. Within that second afternoon, the rest of the family pours in through every door that Sweet Apple Acres has. Braeburn and Cherry Jubilee and their daughter, Cherry Rose. Cousin Orchard Blossom. Apple Bloom’s ex, Strawbert. All of Bartlett’s sisters, cousins, brothers, you name it. They all come pouring in. Heck, even Coloratura and Spotlight and their daughters show up on AJ’s invite as to AJ, they’re practically a second family.
“Oh it’s so good to see you, friend!” Says AJ as she embraces Rara in a hug.
“It’s good to see you, too, AJ!” Responds Rara with a smile. “It’s been too long!”
“Yeah, ever since y’all moved to Neigh’s Creek, I haven’t seen y’all much,” agrees AJ. “Do y’all like it out there?”
“Yeah,” giggles Rara with a smile, “it’s so much calmer than living in Manehattan ever was.” The two finally let go of their embrace and just continue a regular chit chat. Big Mack is also chattering up a storm trying to explain himself to Orchard Blossom.
“Well, you see,” says Big Mack, “I was trying to please my little sister at the time. Instead, I just ended up looking like an idiot and getting us both barred from the Sisterhooves Social the following year. I truly am sorry. And I admit that I was a massive idiot. Please do forgive me.”
“Of course,” says Orchard holding back a giggle, “you know I just give you a hard time every year because I still find it absolutely hilarious.”
“You, you do?” Says Big Mack stuttering from shock.
“Oh absolutely!” Responds Orchard. “How could I not?!”
“Well, I’m just glad you don’t hate me,” responds Big Mack letting out a sigh of relief. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a wife and foals to tend to. After all, we’re expecting yet again.” Big Mack runs off to check on Cheerilee. He soon finds her in the kitchen chatting up a storm with AJ and Apple Bloom and Babs Seed. Seeing her happy and smiling, he goes outside where he finds his son playing frisbee with his own foals in the orchard. Seeing his father, Lil Mack comes galloping his way.
“Oh, hi dad,” says Lil Mack with a smile. “How are you and maw?”
“I just thought I could join in on y’all’s game, spend some time with my grandfoals,” Big Mack finally pipes up.
“Well, of course ya can,” responds Lil Mack. “We’d like that a lot.” Big Mack follows his son and joins in on the game.
Meanwhile in the kitchen, all the mares continue to talk. “So, filly or colt or don’t ya know yet?” AJ inquires of Cheerilee.
“Won’t know for a few more months still,” responds Cheerilee with a smile. “I can’t wait to be a mom again just the same!”
“Yeah, I wish I was able to have more than just the one,” responds AJ, “but she was our miracle foal.”
“Well, you could always adopt a second, doesn’t Cadence have that orphanage?” Responds Cheerilee.
“Yeah,” responds AJ, “but I really don’t want to bugger her. She’s so busy between running that and running the Crystal Empire.”
“Well, that’s bull turds, AJ,” responds Cheerilee. “Just go and see about adopting a foal. So many need a good home.”
“Okay, but after Hearthswarming,” AJ finally agrees. “I promise.”
Cheerilee raises an eyebrow. “Okay, I Pinkie promise,” says AJ. And with that AJ hears a mass of giggles coming from outside as five ponies soon topple through her doorway. It’s none other than Pinkie, Cheese, Lil Cheese, and the twins.
“I thought y’all wouldn’t be able to make it in time!” Says AJ. “How was it visiting Cheese’s folks?” Inquires the orange earth pony mare.
“They’re splendipidous! Spoiled the foals rotten!” Says Pinkie with that bounce in her voice that she always seems to have. “Thanks for asking!”
“Of course,” giggles AJ. “Now come help me with the food!”
“I thought you’d never ask!” Squeals the pink mare as she bounces over to join her friend behind the kitchen counter. She then immediately starts on helping AJ whip up cakes and pies all from old Apple and Pear family recipes.
“It’s the first Hearthswarming since Grandpear died and the second since Granny Smith died, how are you holding up, AJ?” Inquires Pinkie.
“Better than I thought, not gonna lie,” sniffles AJ holding back tears, “thanks for asking.”
“But AJ, you’re clearly crying,” responds Pinkie bluntly. “Go sit down, leave the baking to me.” AJ nods and listens to her friend. She goes and sits down and cries being comforted by her sister, cousin Babs, and her sister in law Cheerilee. A few moments later, Bartlett walks back through the door. Seeing his wife in tears, he takes the fresh pears to Pinkie himself. The pink pony takes them and begins prepping them for cakes, pies, and other desserts. Bartlett then walks over to his wife and takes her face in his hooves.
“I miss them too, my love,” says Bartlett as he wipes her tears away, “but they’ll forever be remembered in our memories. I know you know that. Even so, it does hurt, I can’t argue that. Great Uncle Pear passed away two years ago and now Grandpear. It’s rough, but we will make it through. I promise.” Hesits down next to her and embraces her in a hug.
After an hour of just alone time, AJ and Bartlett return to helping Pinkie in the kitchen while Cheerilee heads off for a nap as does Big Mack, exhausted from playing frisbee with his son and the grandfoals. Babs takes her shift playing games with the foals in the orchard. They do so for several hours before all the foals tucker out and fall asleep under the giant apple and pear trees lining the orchard. Babs then returns to the main house where she sits down with a glass of apple tea across from Apple Bloom as the two play catch-up.
“So, what happened between you and Strawbert? I thought you loved him!” Inquires Babs. “Heck, you two actively fought your sisters so you could date. Was that all for naught?”
“Not at the time,” responds Apple Bloom, “but ponies change and we drifted apart. I wasn’t good at hiding my feels towards Tender Taps and Strawbert picked up on that. He made me choose and I chose Tender Taps. That’s when we finally got the divorce. He’s only here now for our daughter’s sake.” Apple Bloom looks out the window with a smile as she sees Strawbert and Strawberry Swirl reading together in the shade of the orchard’s tree. “I do miss him sometimes, but the divorce was for the best, for the best of everypony involved.” She lets out a sigh. “It’s not safe for a mare to love two stallions equally, two colts equally because it just ends up with one getting hurt in the end.”
The following morning, the doorbell of Sweet Apple Acres rings once more as Pinkie is surprised by Maud, Mud Briar, and their son Muddy Stick or Muddy/Mud for short. Cheese and Mud Briar look on with smiles on their faces as the sisters embrace in a hug before going inside. The stallions follow suit with Muddy trailing slowly behind.
Two days later, it’s finally Hearthswarming Eve as everyone gathers around the Hearth to sing Christmas songs and tell Christmas stories. They share memories of ponies long gone but not forgotten. Stories of Apple Annie’s daring Wild West stunts in her shows, stories of Bright Mack and Pear Butter, stories of Granny and Grandpear’s goofy antics. Needless to say, it’s absolutely perfect.
The next morning, everypony is up with the sun for Hearthswarming Day. The foals giddily slide down the bannisters to the floor below while the adults leave their rooms below. Everypony is waking up with yawns as smiles stretch across their faces. Soon, it will be time for presents, but first, breakfast. They eat breakfast at the longest table they can find, chowing down on apple pancakes topped with pear jam among other sweet breakfast delights. The foals as per usual refuse to sit still and as soon as they finish, they get in their winter gear to go and play in the snow outside. The adults smile as they watch from their places at the table. “Presents can wait, I guess,” giggles AJ as she leans on Bartlett’s shoulder.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “For now, let them enjoy the snow.”
After several hours of playing in the snow, the foals return inside and everypony begins on presents. The foals open up all theirs first before the adults follow suit with their own. As Bartlett looks over at his wife, he sees that she looks sad. “What’s wrong?” He asks. “Why are you sad? It’s Hearthswarming!”
“I want another foal,” says AJ. “Once the holiday is over, we should go visit Cadence’s orphanage. We should adopt.”
“Of course,” responds Bartlett. “Anything to make you happy again.” He kisses her on the cheek. “I promise. I’ll call and make the appointment in the morning. Okay?”
“Okay,” responds AJ with a smile. She then happily opens the gift he hands her. Inside is a photo album of all their memories together. It brings AJ to tears. “Why’d you have to make me cry? This is beautiful!” She hugs him and gives him a kiss on the lips. “Thanks so much, my love!” He then hands her a second box which she opens. Inside she finds a card before finding the true gem. She pulls out a lasso decked with silver plating in its strands. She reads the silver. “Apple Annie Oak Tree,” reads AJ. She begins to tear up once again. “It’s auntie’s lasso, thank you! I thought we’d lost it forever!” She embraces him in a hug still in tears. “How did you find it? I thought it was lost forever!”
“E-Neigh,” giggles Bartlett. “I’m joking. An avid collector and an old friend of Flank’s had it and he sold it to me for thirty silver bits.”
“Did you catch the stallion’s name?” Inquires AJ.
“Fordy,” responds Bartlett. “He helps run the Annie Oak Tree Museum as well.”
“Well, we should go some time,” responds AJ with a smile. “It would be fun!”
“Indeedee doo!” Agrees Bartlett. “It sure would be.” The two are soon interrupted by Braeburn and Cherry Jubilee.
“Hello, again, Applejack,” says Cherry with a smile.
“Welcome to the family,” responds AJ with a smile. “Who is running the Junction now that you’re in Appleloosa anyways? Jus’ curious.”
“My sister and nephews,” responds Cherry with a smile. “The colts enjoy it.”
“Yeah, I bet,” giggles AJ.
A few hours later, everypony sits down to dinner and hot cider for the adults, hot cocoa for the foals. Everypony laughs and jokes as stories are exchanged once more. Everything is perfect. After dinner, AJ and Bartlett sneak off to the porch and call The Crystal Kingdom Orphanage together and lo and behold, Cadence picks up herself.
“Hello, AJ,” says the voice of the familiar pink alicorn over the phone. “What’s up? Why are you calling on Hearthswarming? Could it not wait until tomorrow?”
“Mmhmm,” says AJ, the tears coming through in her voice. “We want to adopt a foal, a sister or brother for our little Tartlett and as soon as possible.” AJ is in full blown tears at this point. Seeing his wife in no state to talk, Bartlett takes the phone from her.
“When is the first appointment you have free after the holiday?” Inquires Bartlett.
“That Thursday, does that work?” Inquires Cadence.
“That’s fine, now enjoy your holiday.” With that, Cadence hangs up the phone and gets back to spending time with Shining Armor, Twilight, and Flurry Heart.
“Who called to where you had to step away?” Inquires Shining Armor.
“I think I know,” responds Twilight, “it was AJ, wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” responds Cadence. “Right on the nose as always, Twi.”
“What was she calling for though?” Inquires Shining once more. “She is the busiest this time of year with that massive extended family of hers.”
“Same reason everypony else calls me nowadays, hon,” responds Cadence, “to adopt a foal. She’ll be here Thursday along with her husband and daughter.” With that, Cadence ends the conversation and they go to watch the shooting stars fall over the aurora borialice that appears above the Empire every Hearthswarming.
“Whoa!” Says Flurry Heart in amazement. “It sure is cool, mom!”
“Yeah,” responds Cadence with a smile, “it sure is, baby girl.”
They watch the stars and aurora borialice for the rest of the night until it finally ends. With its end, the family returns inside and does presents and hot chocolate. As per every Sparkle family Christmas, it’s absolutely perfect.
Back on the farm, all the adults carry the worn out foals on their backs up to bed. They then continue their stories over cider down below. AJ goes and checks on the foals one last time before returning downstairs herself. “Mom,” says Tartlett stopping AJ in her tracks before she can make it back to the stairs, “will I ever be a big sister?”
“Maybe,” responds AJ. With that, she closes the door and finally returns downstairs.
“What took ya so long, love?” Inquires Bartlett as AJ sits down beside him.
“Our daughter always asking questions, like always,” responds AJ, “nothing to worry about.”
“Okay,” responds Bartlett, “she is a curious little bugger.”
“Yeah, indeed,” chuckles AJ. She puts her head on Bartlett’s shoulder. “She is indeed.”
