The snow slowly starts to come down gently on the town below. Sunny walks from the town and into the forest with Hitch at her side.
"Tell me again why are we going to see Dox?" Hitch asks as they walk threw the forest.
"I want to ask him if he wants to join us for Winter Wishday at the Brighthouse with us," Sunny explains. "You didn't have to come with me,"
"I have nothing better to do right now," Hitch responds back as they walk up to the clearing in the forest. On the other side from the pair is a cliff with the entrance into a cave. Sunny walks up to it with Hitch slightly behind her.
"Hey, Dox!" Sunny yells out into the cave. "It's me and Hitch!" Sunny says as she hears a grown from inside the cave. The two walk in and squint to try and see in the dark room. Their eyes adjust as Dox stretches out on the ground like a cat. he pushes his back up while he lowers his front and stretches his arms across the ground. Dox is a tall, dark black changeling with green swiss cheese like hair and tail. On his chest is a dark gray marking that looks like a campfire. He sits down and opens his tired eyes. His bright blue eyes almost shone in the dark cave.
"Sorry," Dox says as Sunny and Hitch walk up to him. He is almost an entire pony taller than them. "I'm still getting used to waking up in the morning," Dox says as he rubs his eyes.
"That's all right," Sunny replies as Dox lets out a big yawn.
"So," Dox says, turning to look down at the two. "What are you here for?"
"What?" Sunny asks, pretending to be offended. "We can't come and say hi?" Dox gives her a deadpanned expression while raising an eyebrow at her.
"Sunny," Hitch sternly states.
"Ok, ok," Sunny replies while looking over at Hitch. She turns back to Dox before asking, "Would you like to join us for Winter Wish day at the Bright House?" Dox lets out a little chuckle while shaking his head slowly. Hitch and Sunny look at each other in confusion before turning back to him. "What's so funny?"
"You call it Winter Wish day now?" Dox asks, looking at them with a bit of questioning in his voice.
"Ya?" Hitch replies. "What do you call it?"
"Hearth's Warming," Dox replies with a warm smile. "That's what it was called back when I was a little changeling,"
"That sounds interesting," Sunny replies as Dox stands up. "Could you tell me more about it?" Sunny asks as Dox walks over to them.
"While we walk," Dox smiles down at her.
"Does that mean you'll join us?" Sunny asks, looking up at him.
"What els would it mean?" Dox replies before his body is engulfed in green flame. The flames clear and Dox is replaced by a blue pegasus with spiked back, light blue, and dark blue hair. His eyes are an unnaturally bright green. Hitch flinches at the transformation before relaxing.
"Could you warn me when you do that?" Hitch asks as the three walk out of the cave. "It still freaks me out a bit,"
"I'll try and remember next time," Dox replies, scratching the back of his head.
"So," Sunn says, getting Dox's attention. "About Hearth's Warming?"
"That's so cool!" Sunny yells in joy. "I mean, all those different creatures coming together on just one day is amazing," Sunny says as she, Dox, and Hitch walk the trail up to the Crystal Bright house.
"Wow that's shiny," Dox says, squinting up at the very reflective building.
"That's right," Hitch starts, turning to Dox. "You weren't here after we rebuilt the lighthouse,"
"How do you like it?" Sunny asks.
"It's very..." Dox starts, scratching his chin while pursuing his lips. "Colorful," Dox finally spits out.
"That would be Izzy's contribution," Sunny says as they walk up to the front door. "You can change back, they know who you are,"
"I know," Dox says as the green flames change him back to his changeling form. "I like being a pony sometimes," Dox says. "It makes me feel normal,"
"To us, you aren't abnormal," Sunny says before pushing the door open. The three walk in as Zipp and Pipp place the star onto the top of the tree sitting in the center of the two curved stairs.
"Dox!" Izzy yells from the kitchen. She places her mixing bowl down before running over to the group walking into the house. Hitch closes the door as Izzy slides to a stop in front of Dox.
"Izzy!" Dox says with a big smile. Izzy jumps up and wraps her hoofs around Dox as he sits down. "How has my favorite pony been?" Dox asks as he hugs back.
"I've been great," Izzy says as Pipp and Zipp fly over. "Oh! you should see the cookies I've baked!" Izzy says, pulling out of the hug and attempting to drag Dox to the kitchen.
"Hold on," Dox chuckles at Izzy as she stops pulling on him. "I've got to greet the others first," Dox says before turning to Zipp and Pipp.
"Hello Dox," Zipp says, looking up at him.
"You're looking better than the first time we meet," Pipp comments with a smile. "Did you do something to your scales?"
"Not that I know of," Dox responds, blushing a bit as he looks over his body.
"You look..." Pipp scratches her chin in thought for the right word.
"Shiny," Zipp says, squinting her eyes a bit. "You're definitely shinier than last time,"
"Ya!" Pipp excitedly says, pointing at Zipp. "You look shiny," Pipp says, turning to Dox.
"I didn't do anything different I haven't been doing the last few hundred years," Dox says, shrugging.
"Come on," Izzy says, pulling at Dox. "I have a few cookies you're going to love!" Izzy says, walking towards the kitchen. Dox follows her with the rest following behind him. "I call them," Izzy says, pulling out a tray of little cookie ponies. "Pokies," Izzy says as Dox grabs a little changeling cookie.
"Nice," Dox says with a little smile. "It looks like me when I was small," Dox says as he looks over the little him. The others grabbing their cookie pony. Dox looks down at the tray to see two left sitting in the center together. One is a small green baby dragon, the other is a light blue unicorn. "Who's pokies are these for?" Dox asks, pointing at the cookies on the tray.
"That one is for my child," Hitch says, grabbing the dragon-shaped cookie. "Sparky!" Hitch says, looking around. "There you are," Hitch says, smiling down at Sparky by his hooves. Hitch lifts him up and places him on the table before handing Sparky his cookie.
"Your kid is a dragon?" Dox asks, a little surprised.
"And your dad was a unicorn if I was not mistaken?" Hitch replies with a raised eyebrow as Sparky munches on his cookie.
"I was more surprised at you finding a dragon egg," Dox replies. "But point taken," Dox pops the whole cookie into his mouth before chewing it. Dox smiles before swelling the cookie. "You make great cookies Izzy,"
"Thanks," Izzy replies with a big smile.
"So who is the other cookie for?" Dox asks, again pointing at the last cookie.
"That's for a friend of ours named Mist," Izzy replies. "She hasn't arrived yet,"
"Oh, that makes sense," Dox replies as Izzy walks around the table to him.
"Come on, we have so much to show you," Izzy says, tugging at Dox.
"Have you ever heard of the wishing stair?" Sunny asks as Dox stands up.
"Nope," Dox replies, shaking his head.
"I'll get the book!" Izzy replies with excitement in her voice before she runs off.
Dox sits out on the balcony with the crystal beam shining behind him. He looks out into the starry sky with a sad smile. The cold wind brushes past him as Sunny walks onto the balcony. "What are you doing up here alone for?" Sunny asks as she walks up to Dox.
"Just remember my family," Dox replies before looking down at Sunny.
"Oh," Sunny replies, sitting down next to him.
"Me and my family use to go up to the highest hill in Canterlot park and watch the sunrise off the horizon on the new year," Dox says, looking up at the night sky again. Sunny looks up at him with a small smile. Dox's eyes shine in the moonlight like a crystal ball.
"Did you exchange presents?" Sunny asks, pulling a box out from behind her.
"Not on the hill," Dox replies. "Why?" Dox looks down to see Sunny holding onto a wrapped box with a little bow tie on top. "Sunny," Dox replies, sighing.
"I know, I know," Sunny quickly replies. "You said you didn't want us to give you any gifts because you were new to us, but," Sunny says, turning and placing the box between them. "I couldn't wait to give you this," Sunny replies with a big, giddy smile.
"What is it?" Dox asks, grabbing the box and placing it in between his legs.
"Open it and you'll find out," Sunny replies with a smile as she scoots closer to him. Dox smiles down at her before turning and opening the box. His smile fades and is replaced with surprise as his eyes widen a bit.
"Sunny," Dox whispers in disbelief as he pulls out a very old red film reel. "Where did you find this?" Dox asks as his jaw falls slightly open. He lifts it up to his face to examine it.
"I found it while rummaging threw some old relics Zipp had brought over from Zephyr Heights," Sunny explains as Dox flips the reel over in his hoofs. "We couldn't figure out how to run the old Film Projector," Sunny says, fidgeting a bit as she looks down at the ground. "We thought you could help us get it running and see what's on the film,"
"I think I already know what it is," Dox says with a small smile.
"You do?" Sunny asks, looking up at Dox.
"My dad painted all of the reels he used red so he could find them faster amongst the big movie collection he and my mom had," Dox explains before standing up with the reel tucked under his arm. "And yes, I can get the projector working," Dox says before turning around and heading back inside with Sunny following behind him. "Fun fact," Dox says as he steps onto the elevator platform. "My dad named the projector after his brother, Film Wheel,"
"Wow, really!" Sunny asks as the platform lowers down.
"Yep," Dox says with a small nod.
"Are you sure you can work that relic?" Pipp asks as Dox places the reel into the projector. The projector sits in the center of a half circle of pillows around it with the others sitting on their respective pillows.
"It's been a few hundred thousand years since I have, but," Dox says before switching the power on. The reel turns as the light projects onto the wall. "Yes!" Dox says, pumping his hoof before sitting down next to the projector. "I'll stay here just in case something goes wrong with it," Dox says, looking around at the ponies around him. They nod before sound comes out of the projector.
"Is thing on?" a voice says as the group turns to look at the projected image. Sitting on a brown couch is a red unicorn stallion with blue zebra-like strips on his arms and body. His eyes are bright orange and his red hair is spiked up and back with blue streaking threw his hair. His horn is bent and a golden collar wraps around the base of the horn with a blue gem embedded into the collar. "Hello," The stallion says, waving at the camera. Tears form in Dox's eyes as a smile fills his face.
"I'm Acid Flask," Acid says with a smile. "But you already knew that," Acid says, rolling his eyes and dismissing it with a wave of his hoof. "If you're watching this, then I'm dead," Acid says, placing a hoof on his chest. "Sad to say this happens to everyone at some point. Even you Dox," Acid says with a cheeky smile. "Ya I see you smirking there with your long life span because I'm the king slash queen of my race," Acid says in a little mocking voice, causing Dox to let out a chuckle as the other ponies snicker.
"I still don't know what you're supposed to be," Acid says, scratching his chin in thought before realising something. "Oh! right, the last will and testimony," Acid says, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "When I die, and I'll probably be the first to die," Acid admits. "I want everything I own to go to Moon. And if somehow she dies first, I want the property to go to Dox, and my money to be split up as evenly as possible between Dox and Midnight," Acid explains. Dox looks down at the ground with tears rolling down his cheek. Sunny notices and walks over to him before sitting down next to him. Sunny places a gentle hoof on Dox, causing him to flinch a bit before looking down at her. Sunny smiles up at him, causing Dox to smile back before the group all flinch, including Acid, as a loud crash rings out from the projector.
"Dad!" a high-pitched, feminine voice yells out in distress. Acid sighs as he face hooves. His ears flopping against his head before perking back up with his attitude.
"Dox!" Acid yells out.
"Why do you assume it's me?!" a ruff, squeaky voice yells from off-screen as a little filly walks onto screen. She is light gray with blue zebra marking on her legs. She has bat wings, fluffy ears, and little fangs. Her eyes are blood red. Her black hair is long and flowy with streaks of red flowing threw.
"Because Midnight yelled," Acid says as a little changeling, barely a head taller than Midnight, walks up behind the filly. the changeling looks exactly like Dox, but much younger and very shiny.
"AAwwwwww..." The others say the moment the changeling walked into frame.
"Ya, ya, I was cute," Dox says, waving his hoof dismissively as the others chuckle at his response.
"Hmm..." Zipp says, scratching her chin. "That's you right?" Zipp asks, looking over at Dox. Dox looks back and nods. "You look much shinier back then," Zipp notes.
Pipp gasps before saying, "Zipp's right!"
"Hu..." Dox responds, looking at his past self. "My scales do look brighter," Dox says, looking down at himself.
"We can look into why later," Sunny replies, looking up at Dox.
"Right, video," Dox responds, turning to the screen.
"Sorry sis," Dox says to Midnight.
"That's all right," Midnight responds with a happy cheer. "Come on! let's go play house!" Dox lets out a sigh before asking Acid.
"Do I have to?"
"You would be a bad big brother if you didn't," Acid responds.
"I was afraid you were going to say that," Dox responds before turning around and following his sister off-screen. Acid sighs as he slowly shakes his head and turns back to the camera.
"My kids are going to be the death of me," Acid mumbles with a small smile. "Granted, they are the reason I'm still living," Dox's body tenses up as new tears form in his ears. He quickly rubs them out as Sunny looks up at him with worry. The other's around them oblivious to what happened. Dox takes a shaky breath as he watches the video. "I hope this video won't have to be shown to Moon," Acid sighs as his horn lights up orange. The image turns a light orange around the corners of the frame. "Dox," Acid says, staring straight at the camera.
Dox tenses up a bit as Acid's orange eyes barry deep into his head. Acid's eyes start to sparkle as tears slowly form in his eyes. "I know you are watching this, and if that's so," Acid says, blinking away the tears as he takes a deep breath. He sighs before staring at the camera again. "Don't forget how much I love you. Can you do that for me?" Dox smiles and nods. "I love you my little bug," Acid smiles before the screen goes bright white. Dox switches off the projector as Hitch switches the light back on.
"That was sooo cute," Pipp says, holding her hoofs together and pressing them against her cheek.
"And sad," Izzy responds before blowing her nose in a tissue before throwing on the pile next to her. "Or I might be getting sick, I can't tell the difference," Izzy says, shrugging.
"You knew that was his last will," Sunny says, standing up as Dox pulls out the reel.
"Yep," Dox says, clutching the reel to his chest. "I have no idea how it got to you guys, but I use to watch this thing almost obsessively after my dad died," Dox replies, looking down at the reel with empty, sad eyes. Dox blinks before a smile forms back onto his face. "Where can we store this?" Dox asks, looking down at Sunny.
"I'll show you," Sunny replies, walking towards the nearby closet door as Hitch starts to take the projector away into a leather case. Dox follows Sunny as she opens the door to a small hallway. She walks in with Dox behind her. The two walk down a ramp into a storage room with shelves of random stuff.
"You guys really need to learn how to organize," Dox says with a little chuckle.
"Most of this is Izzy's stuff," Sunny replies as they make it to a bookshelf with old film reels lined up. "Here we keep the film reels we have never used," Sunny says as Dox places the red reel with the rest of the reels.
"I think this collection might be bigger than the one mom and dad had," Dox whispers, looking at the surprisingly large collection of reels. "No way," Dox says, grabbing a reel off the shelf before flipping it around his hoofs.
"What is it?" Sunny asks as Dox sits down. Dox doesn't respond as he keeps staring at the reel in his hoofs with the biggest smile Sunny has seen on his face since she meet him.
"I-it's Top Bolt!" Dox finally responds. "My uncle Film Wheel was the writer for the story!"
"That's probably one of our oldest ones," Sunny replies, getting close to Dox and looking at the reel in his hoofs. Her body slides against his smooth scaly skin, causing Dox to shiver a bit.
"It is one of Film's early works. It's so old it got a remake years later called Top Gun," Dox says, sliding the reel back. "It was still written by Film," Dox says in a slightly snarky manner.
"He sounds great," Sunny replies.
"He was," Dox replies with a small smile. His smile starts to fade as the sparkle around him slowly fades a bit. His eyes becoming a bit duller as he looks down at the ground.
"Dox?" Sunny says, placing a gentle hoof against his arm. "You all right,"
"I was just reminded of my mother," Dox replies. "That then lead me to remember how she died," Dox replies as tears form in his eyes.
"If you don't mind," Sunny gently nudges him. "Would you like to talk about it?"
"I think it was about time I told you how my mother died," Dox replies before straitening up and taking a deep breath before relaxing and sighing at the same time. Sunny sits down next to Dox before he starts telling his story.
"My mother, Blood Moon, was the bat pony leader for the bat guard back when Celestia and Luna use to rule. She stayed when Princess Twilight took the crown. She protected her alongside the Celestial Royal Guard Fire Brand," Dox explains to Sunny as his eyes wander around the room.
"One day while she was on duty a mysterious unicorn killed the guards outside of the throne room before entering into the throne room. My mom and Fire Brand fought the intruder. According to Twilight, the unicorn was trying to kill her for her alicorn magic. They were barely holding their own right before my mom was stabbed threw the stomach. My dad had been walking by at the time and saw Mom collapse to the ground. My dad tried his best to save her, but it was too late. She had already bled out too much.
According to Twilight, it was like the color had drained from his face. He became enraged and picked up mom's sword and fought the intruder in a fit of rage. He was able to hurt her and even cut the robe she was wearing a bit, revealing she wasn't a unicorn, but an alicorn. After that, the intruder fled. Dad tried running after her, but Twilight stopped him from doing so." Tears roll down Dox's cheeks as Sunny comforts him.
"Me and Midnight were informed by Twilight herself. I asked why dad didn't tell us, and that's when we got the worse news. My dad had cracked. He was sent off to an Insane Asylum were he did eventually get better." Dox sighs before wiping the tears from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, this should be a happy day, not me crying," Dox says, looking down at the ground in embarrassment.
"Today is more than just being happy," Sunny replies back, gently rubbing his back. "It's about being with friends and family. It's about remembering the past and being with the ones who make you happy," Sunny explains before hugging Dox's lower body.
"That sounds a lot like being happy," Dox responds, wrapping an arm around her.
"I can't come up with speeches on the spot," Sunny replies. The two chuckle as they hear the front door open. "That must be Misty," Sunny says, standing up and pulling on Dox's arm. "Come on, you need to meet her,"
"Ok, I'm coming," Dox replies as he follows her out of the walk-in closet.
"Misty!" Izzy happily trots over to the unicorn closing the front door. Izzy wraps her arms around Misty's neck before squeezing her.
"Good to see you too Izzy," Misty chocks out before Izzy lets go and backs away.
"I've got a cookie with your name on it," Izzy says before correcting herself. "Well, it's a cookie of you,"
"Sounds intrusting," Misty responds as Sunny and the rest walk up to greet her. Dox lags behind a bit of Sunny. Misty says hi to the other ponies before sporting Dox. Her eyes widen as her ears flop against her ears. "C-c-changeling!?" Misty yells out in fear as she backpedals into the door.
"It's all right he's..." Sunny is unable to finish before Misty had bolted out the door. "Friendly," Sunny finishes.
"I've got this," Dox says, walking past Sunny as he is engulfed in green flames. "This use to happen a lot," The flames clear to reveal him, but a much younger and short version of him. The group watches Dox walk after Misty, who had gone and hid in the garden.
"Does anyone else find it wired Misty knew what a Changeling was?" Hitch asks, looking at the others.
"That is strange," Zipp responds, scratching her chin.
Misty hides behind a tomato plant. She looks threw the leaves to see Dox walking into the garden and looking around. Dox walks around before a small smile forms on his face. He teleports away, causing Misty to sigh before the flash of light hits next to her with Dox now standing where the light was.
"AAAAHHHH!" Misty screams as she crawls backward before falling flat on her back. "Please don't eat me!" She yells, covering up her face with her hooves as she shakes in fear.
"Why would I eat you?" Dox asks, looking down at Misty.
"To take my love?" Misty asks, lowing her hooves a bit to look up at him.
"First off, that's not how that works," Dox deadpans. "Second, I already get enough free love from our friends,"
"So you aren't going to take my love and leave me as a husk of my former self?" Misty asks, sitting up.
"Nope," Dox replies, shaking his head.
"That's a relief," Misty sighs before standing up. "Weren't you taller?" Misty asks, tilting her head to the side while scratching her chin.
"Yes I am," Dox says before returning back to his normal form. "I shrank down so I was less intimidating,"
"Smart," Misty replies. The two walk out of the garden as Opaline watches them from her magic water.
"Hello, Dox," Opaline says with an evil smile as she watches the two make their way back up to the bright house. "Good to see you're still alive. You get to watch as I take what should have rightfully be mine from the start," Opaline says, stomping her foot. "You and your family can't stop me this time," She smiles before cackling.