Dawn's new day.

Bloom huffed as I set my chin on her head while she was tucked between my forelegs. Her wagging tail however, gave away that she wasn’t actually upset with me. “I can’t believe you didn’t save me.” Her ear flicked against my cheek.

I chuckled, my own tail wagging as we sat in front of a small pile of gifts with the rest of the family. “You didn’t seem to mind considering how much you ate.” I gave her one last nuzzle then sat up straight, ruffling my wings a bit.

She looked up and gave me a smile before wiggling away to join Applejack instead. “I’ll just sit with sis instead. She’ll keep me safe.” She stuck her tongue out playfully but looked perturbed when I wasn’t upset and just smiled back.

“That’s fine, I have a Lyra.” I grabbed Lyra, who had just joined our circle, and draped myself over her side. She wasn’t quite strong enough to hold us both up so fell onto her stomach.

“Ug. What’s going on now?” Lyra groaned just before Bloom came rushing back and tackled me off her with a laugh. The two of us began to wrestle with Applejack and Scootaloo joining in soon after. Lyra, Unfettered, and Mac just watched or cheered us on until the adults came over.

“Enough of that now youngsters. Unless you don’t want presents?” Granny Smith ominously warned us and we all rejoined the family circle. All around the room the rest of the Apple clan had formed up with their own herds to start distributing gifts though most had a hard time containing the foals.

“You could have let them go a bit longer.” Mom Forest joked under her breath. “Scoots and Bloom almost had Dawn pinned.”

Dam elbowed her in the side while Pear rolled her eyes at her wives antics then spoke up. “Well everypony let’s open gifts!”

I sat back up straight, joined the rest of the family, and began straightening my feathers.

“Wow, the Apples really take the holidays seriously.” Cadence sat down next to Celestia and gave her a nuzzle as they both watched the various Apple herds exchanging gifts. She had spent the night with the Sparkle family and had just returned to the castle. Twilight had remained with her parents.

“Apparently this isn’t common. The whole clan only gets together like this during reunion years.” Celestia smiled as she watched her daughter Alicia and her sister’s running around the ballroom with a few other foals who couldn’t be corralled. That had not stopped Imago from trying, she was currently chasing after the laughing nymphs and foals.

“It’s nice to see you smiling more often auntie.” Cadence laid her head on Celestia’s side and found herself wrapped underneath a wing.

“Ever since Dawn and Twilight became my students things have been changing around the castle.” She looked off as if remembering something. “I just hope things remain like this in a few years.”

Cadence could feel something was off but didn’t pry. “I’m sure it will.”

“Mom come on.” Neither had noticed Alicia’s arrival but didn’t resist as the young nymph pulled them towards Granny Smith’s circle.

“Well there you are.” I had just finished straightening my last few feathers when Granny spoke up. She was Making room for Celestia and her portion of the family around our pile of gifts. “Now we can get started. Youngsters go first but they have to pass out the gifts else we can’t start.” She winked at Bloom who then quickly took the lead.

The fillies had some trouble reading the labels but with everypony’s help she, Scootaloo, Alicia and the other young nymphs passed around the gifts. Huh, wonder who this is from? Alicia had given me a smal gift without a label.

“Dawn what do you think you’re doing?!” My curiosity had gotten the better of me so I had started opening the gift early. This earned the shout from Granny.

“Oh it’s fine if he opens one.” Morning Dew sighed.

“No its~.” Grannies words were drowned out by the sound of all the foals around the room happily opening gifts. The sound of me unwrapping my gift had signaled everypony it was time to start.

“Whoops.” I laughed and finished opening my gift. It was a glowing reddish-pink gem that reminded me of family and felt warm in my hooves. Closing my eyes and focusing on the pool of magic locked inside brought my mind to another place. I now felt as if I was now sitting at the mouth of a mountain cave overlooking a forest of apple and pear trees in the morning light. Inhaling deeply I could even smell the fruits and hear soft notes plucked on a lyre in the breeze. Reminds me of home.

“Ah, that one is from us.” Imago spoke up as Alicia wiggled between her forelegs, breaking me from the vision. “it’s some of the excessive love your family has given us this holiday.”

“This is love?” I apparently wasn’t the only one who found the gem mesmerizing, the rest of my family was all looking at it with smiles.

Imago gave me a knowing look. “We don’t often share such crystals and that one is especially potent. Only an alicorn or changeling could hold it in their hooves without becoming too entranced.” She stomped her hoof with hints of magic behind it and the others all shook their heads. “Make sure to keep it safe. I put an enchanted container in the box as well but thought you might like the raw experience first.”

As the others recovered and went back to opening their own gifts and conversations I pulled out the gem display and slotted the crystal into it with my magic. Its effects were blocked instantly but looking at it still felt nice.

“Is it always like that?” Lyra, who was closest to me, was still rubbing the side of her head with one hoof.

“No, that gem is filled with your family’s love so it will be even more enjoyable for all of you. Love freely given is the only love that is ever truly satisfying.” Imago nuzzled Celestia. “Other ponies wouldn’t even notice the gems effect without touching it.”

Carefully setting the gem aside I began opening the rest of my own gifts and gave thanks to those that had given them. I received plenty of thanks in return and plenty of hugs were shared. This is how the holidays should be. I rested against the nearest pony that just happened to be Applejack at the time.

As the afternoon wore on more and more of the Apple’s said their goodbyes and began making their way home. It may have been the holiday season but farmers never stopped and most had livestock that couldn’t be left to their neighbors for long.

“You’re not leaving too are you?” I asked my dam, Morning Dew, who was flanked by Forest Breeze and Pear butter. Lyra was the only one at my side as we all sat in the castle’s front lawn, she and I were staying for the rest of our holidays to work on school work.

The rest of the family had already left for the train with the luggage so it was just us five.

“Sorry sweetheart but we do have our own animals to tend too and Fluttershy can only do so much on her own.” Dam gave Lyra and I a hug. “You take care as well Lyra, I’ll tell Bon Bon where you are when we get back.”

“Don’t worry sport I’ll fly up for a visit and to checkout your flight progress after New year’s.” Forest ruffled my mane and gave Lyra a hug. “Watch over each other.”

“And we have a few apple deliveries scheduled for the castle so you’ll both see either myself or Mac soon enough when we drop them off.” Pear pulled us both into a hug at once.

We all shared one last group hug and a round of, “I love yous,” before our parents left through the castle gates. Lyra look as upset as I felt inside as we watched them go.

Taking a deep breath I eventually put on a smile. “Let’s get out of the cold. We can have the kitchen make us some afternoon snacks.”

Lyra perked her ears up and followed me inside. “What kind of snacks?”