Gabby flew down to the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse and landed in front of the door, tapping three times, and moved back to await a response.
The Crusaders were, of course, talking about how to help other ponies with their problems.
“We should give presents to all the fillies and colts that don’t have anyone to give them gifts, and we could even sneak in through their chimneys!”
“Scoots, I reckon that’s not a good idea,” Apple Bloom said.
“Yeah, Scootaloo, who would ever think of such a thing,” chimed Sweetie Belle.
Then the three of them heard the taps at the door. Scootaloo zoomed over.
“I’ll get it, I’ll get it!” Scootaloo squeaked.
Opening the door, there stood Gabby waving to the three of them.
“Hey there, it’s good to see the three of you again,” Gabby smiled, scooping up Scootaloo hard enough her eyes bulged. After releasing the gagging pegasi, she walked into the Clubhouse, admiring all the posters of all the ponies they had helped since she had last been here.
“Wow… You three sure have been working hard!” Gabby exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with glee. “Don’t you ever take breaks?”
“Oh, we could!” Sweetie Belle interjected. “But we don’t need ‘em.”
“While it is Hearth’s Warming time though, and most fillies and colts are busy with their families, we still find foals in need! ” Apple Bloom cheered as looked up to Gabby. “Say, what brings you by anyway?”
“Oh!” Gabby exclaimed, “I almost forgot about that. I need your help!”
“Well, then you’ve come to the right place! You know better than anypo– anygriff that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are here to help with whatever problem you might have.”
“Well… The problem’s not about me actually,” Gabby began, scratching the back of her head. “It’s actually about all the other griffons in Griffonstone.”
The three looked at her expectantly, and Gabby’s wings drooped to touch the floor. “They don’t celebrate holidays.”
The apple shrugged, orange sherbert gaped and the cinnamon roll actually fainted.
“T-they don’t even celebrate holidays!?” Scootaloo guffawed, then sighed. “Rainbow told me about Gilda, and well, not every griff is as cool as you.”
Gabby beamed before she threatened a hug that might actually finish Scootaloo off. “Thanks, Scoots. That means a lot coming from you. You know how much the Crusaders mean to me.
“Ahem.” Sweetie Belle coughed into her hoof.
“Sorry, I get so easily distracted at times,” Gabby gabbed, a big wide smile on her beak. “Well, anyways, the other griffons don’t believe in fun, happy things like holidays, but they just don’t know what they’re missing. I want to show them, it’s just I don’t know how! And that’s why I decided I should fly here, and ask you three. Afterall, you helped me with my Cutie Mark and you’ve helped so many others! There’s nopony better in all of Equestria!”
“Hmm…,” Apple Bloom muttered, putting a hoof to her chin. “What would griffons even want to celebrate? What kind of things would they give as gifts?”
“Usually bits,” Gabby said, sighing. “That’s all most griffons care about, and that’s why I’m here. I want to bring some of the spirit of Hearth’s Warming to their cold griffon hearts.”
“Maybe you could give them all Hearth’s warming cards or letters?” Sweetie Belle suggested, admiring the details on Gabby’s postal pouch.
“Oh!” Gabby exclaimed. “That’s such a brilliant idea! I love it!” She paused and looked at the three of them. “Would it be okay for you three to help me write them? I’d like a little bit of Ponyville charm in my letters.”
“Of course we’ll help!” They all shouted in union. “Afterall, we are the Cutie Mark Crusaders! “We can even ask around town, maybe we’ll get a few more ideas.
The four of them got to work. Sweetie Belle brought plenty of gems from Rarity’s boutique. Apple Bloom got out the poster paper, regular paper, and even some nice card stock. Scootaloo handled the scissors, and the glue, and somehow managed to not glue her hooves to the scissors.
Gabby helped to make everything come together, adding a little bit of her own charm to each and every card. A little bit of sparkle, a tiny bit of glitter, and a message on each and every card. The whole time, she sang songs of Hearth’s Warming with the Cutie mark crusaders, and the whole clubhouse shook from their voices.
It was a great time, but soon Gabby had sealed the letters,put them in her bag, and headed back to Griffonstone. She hugged each of her friends, one by one. “I hope all of you have a wonderful Hearth’s warming!”
“You have a wonderful holiday too, Gabby!” Apple Bloom shouted out towards her.
Gabby waved back to them, already up in the sky, and then flew off to Griffonstone.
It was almost like a completely different place when she arrived. There were no beautifully decorated trees, no griffons going about singing carols, and there certainly wasn’t much, if any holiday cheer. Not even chestnuts roasting by the fire!
Gabby landed on the dirt path and looked at all the different houses. Sighing softly to herself, she clenched her talon next to her heart. “I, Crusader Gabby, hereby swear to do my best to ensure each and every griff feels the spirit of Hearth’s Warming!” Gabby gulped, and swallowed a breath. It wouldn’t be easy. Griffons didn’t care about holidays, they only cared for themselves. Am I really even a griffon?
She shook that thought out of her head. “Keep it together, Gabby. The griffons are all counting on you.”
“Are you actually talking to yourself, you dweeb?” A raspy voice called out from behind her.
Gabby jumped and flapped before turning around, and to see Gilda. Gabby smiled bashfully. “Oh, um yes, I was. Why? Is that wrong?” Gabby asked.
Gilda shrugged her shoulders. “Nothing wrong about it, I guess,” She paused, eyeing Gabby’s pouch. “Did you have anything from Rainbow Dash in there?”
“Oh course I do!” Gabby smiled, reaching into her satchel and pulling out two letters. One was from Rainbow, the other from her. “Happy Hearth’s warming Gilda!”
“Hey, Funky Feathers,
You probably don’t know, but it’s Hearth’s Warming, and I know it’s a lame pony thing, but you're still my friend, so here’s your card.
Your Pal, Rainbow Dash.
Gilda smiled, but quickly shook her head at the letter, before opening the next one. The next letter from Gabby included a nice note about the holiday, Hearth’s Warming and about wishing her cheer.
“Gabby, how many times have I told you?” Gilda began. “Griffons don’t care about holidays, or this Hearth’s Warming thing.”
“You’re lying,” Gabby smirked. “I saw that smile. You liked Rainbow Dash’s letter, and you’re happy she thought of you. I’ve been around Pinkie Pie enough to know what a real smile is, and that was a genuine smile!”
Gilda huffed, sitting down on her haunches, crossing both her arms together, pouting. “Yeah, so?”
“That means griffons can care!” Gabby exclaimed.
“Are you seriously going to go around to all the griffons in Griffonstone, handing them these letters?”
“Of course I am!” Gabby stated, eyes blinking. “Why what’s so bad about trying to spread cheer around here?”
“Have you looked at this place lately?” Gilda asked her.
“Of course I have, and that’s all the more reason to do it! There’s no decorations anywhere. No trees, no lights, no kits singing carols!”
“You mean all the things griffons hate?” Gilda rolled her eyes so hard it caused Gabby physical pain. “We don’t do pony things, haven’t you learnt that by now?”
“Come on, Gilda! Where’s your holiday spirit?”
“She’s back in Ponyville with her other friends. She sent me a letter because she doesn’t have time to actually bother coming here.”
“You’ve got it all backwards! Rainbow Dash sent you a letter, because she cares. Sure, she might be tied up in some kind of festivities right now, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t care!”
Gilda laughed at the thought of Rainbow Dash tied up in Christmas lights.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. You know, Gabby, you’re not half bad for a cheerful griff.”
“Thanks?” Gabby replied, tilting her head, a bit puzzled but at least she was smiling now. Gabby still had a lot of deliveries to make, and if she was going to make all of them, she had better get going. “I gotta go, it was a good talk! Happy Hearth’s Warming!”
Gabby went around to the other houses of Griffonstone, one by one, delivering each and every letter. She didn’t really expect any of them to truly like or react fondly to her gestures, but she knew she was doing the right thing.
If she didn’t do this, Griffonstone would never change, and it needed a change. A refreshing breath of air. Happiness all around, to each and every griff. It didn’t matter how long it took, Gabby was determined to light a spark in the hearts of Griffonstone, once and for all.
The first house was Grandpa Gruff’s. She tapped on the door three times, and bounced around with anticipation.
Silence.
She waited a few more moments then deflated before putting the letter in the mail slot.
“I guess he’s not home, or maybe he’s taking a cat nap.” She chuckled, before leaping off to the next house.
Knocking on the next door, she was surprised to get an immediate scolding from the griffon behind the door.
“For the last time, I told you, I’m not buying any filly scout cookies!” The older griff stated as he opened the door, and saw Gabby on his porch. “Oh, it’s you. What do you want, cub? If it’s a bill, I don’t want it.”
“‘Tis not a bill nor cookies of filly scouting,” Gabby cheered, reaching into her pouch and handing him the card. “But a cheering griffon, to bring you a happy Heart’s Warming!”
“What about my heart? The doc said it was cold and dead, like any proper griff.”
“No, I’m not asking about your heart!” Gabby grumbled. “It's Heart’s Warming! It’s a holiday!”
“A who’s a what’s a?” The griff asked, confused.
“Hearth’s Warming is a holiday to spread joy throughout Griffonstone.”
“Joy? That sounds like some new confounded flavor of cookie.” quipped the griff. “I dun’ want no cookies!” He stomped his talon down in a huff.
Gabby frowned, realizing this was going nowhere fast, and decided to drop it. She didn’t have the luxury of time to explain everything to him, she could only hope that the words and the feelings in her letter would trigger something in him. Maybe get that heart of his pumping faster, but not too fast!
Carrying on, like the trooper she was, Gabby continued to deliver each and every letter. Each time she stopped at a door, she sighed and hoped the griff receiving the card would understand its meaning. It wasn’t much, but the thought itself kept her going, kept her smiling even as she felt a little lost in the shuffle.
“Gabby!” A griffon shouted from behind her.
She turned around and saw a few kits standing all around her. At least three of them. Her heart soared in that moment, as she couldn’t help thinking of her friends back in Ponyville. Three griffons all together, playing together, laughing and having fun. They invited her to play, and so she joined them. They threw snowballs. They laughed and she even taught them some of the sillier Hearth’s Warming songs. And all was good. All was right.
Waving goodbye as she finished her holiday rounds, she smiled. Even if most griffons didn’t know what day it was tomorrow, at least they had one another, and perhaps that was what she was really trying to bring to Griffonstone. A sense of belonging, a sense of togetherness. She really wasn’t sure, but something in her heart told her she was on the right track.
