Dawn's new day.

Celestia slowly raised her sun while lowering her sister’s moon from her spot on the balcony. Just a few more years sister. She wiped a lone tear away from her cheek. Today was not a good day for anypony to be alone, Hearths warming was a day to celebrate with family and yet she would be alone. Cadence was stuck in the Griffin lands due to a storm while her students and most of the castle staff were with their families.

“Good morning princess.” Celestia was pleasantly surprised to hear the voice of her favorite maid, Feather Duster, when she stepped back into her room.

“Feather, didn’t you go on leave?” Celestia couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice.

“I did. But I couldn’t let my Princess be alone today of all days or go without a proper breakfast.” Celestia noticed Feather had not arrived with empty hooves. Upon her table was a breakfast spread fit for, well, fit for a princess.

Celestia slowly sat down and with an thankful tone said. “Feather you didn’t have to do all this.”

“True, but no one should be alone today, especially not my Princess.” Feather gave Celestia a quick nuzzle.

Celestia was shocked at Feather’s forward action but didn’t find it unwelcome. “Then won’t you join me for breakfast? I highly doubt I could eat all this alone.”

Feather happily sat down right next to her Princess. She had decided today was the perfect day to drop formalities and get closer to her Celestia.

“Wake up, wake up, wake up!”

I groaned as I was shaken awake by a filly jumping on my bed. “Bloom. It’s to early.”

“Nuh, uh. The sun’s up.” She plopped down on my back. “So it’s not early.”

I cracked an eye open, hardly seeing any sunlight. “Yep. Early.” I then proceeded to quickly grab her with my wings and hug her tightly to my chest after rolling over.

“No~.” She giggled and half heartedly struggled to break free as I nuzzled her head.

“Looks like I grabbed a fluffy pillow.” I gave her a squeeze. “Perfect for getting back to sleep.” I yawned.

“No, it’s time to get up.” She licked my feathers sending a shiver down my spine.

“Ew. Filly germs.” I said playfully and let her go. She immediately made a break for it and ran out of my room.

Hopping out of bed I stretched like a cat then gave my wings a quick preening. Mom had convinced me it was safe to stop hiding them while in the farmhouse arguing that she didn’t like the idea of me denying my peagsus side. It is nice to let them breathe. I ruffed my feathers then proceeded downstairs.

“Morning sweetie.” Dam said from her cushion in the living room. She was reading a book with Forest at her side sitting in front of the holiday tree. Pear and Granny were in the kitchen cooking up breakfast.

The whole house was decorated for Hearths warming with presents sitting under the tree and enchanted lights dam and I made were hung around the first floor. Glad I finished my gifts for the family in time.

I had made custom mane charms for each of my moms and Applejack that matched their cutie marks out of the gems I bought from Rarity, fixed up the old treehouse and added a few magical touches for bloom, and gotten Mac a nice set of gem dice for O&O. Granny and Unfettered had been a bit more difficult but I luckily found some nice quilting supplies as they both enjoyed using the hobby to talk.

“Morning dam, Morning mom.” I came over and gave them both a nuzzle before joining them. “Where did bloom run off to?”

Mom laughed and adjusted her wings. “She got tired of waiting on you so ran outside to find Mac and help him with the chickens.”

“You may want to hide those today by the way.” Dam nosed my wing. “We’re having company today.”

I lit my horn and began casting the spell to hide them. “So who’s coming over?”

Mom and Dam shared a look. “It’s a surprise.”

About an hour after breakfast and the family exchanging presents the guests began arriving so it was back to hiding my wings. First was my grandparents, the good ones from Forest’s side.

“Granddam, Grandsire!” I rushed over and gave them both a hug.

“Oh Dawn, look at you.” My Grandma nuzzled me and hugged me in her wings. “Getting bigger already. And where’s my new grandfoals?” She looked around at my siblings. Bloom playfully hid behind her sister as granny lowered herself to Bloom’s eye level.

“You must be young Apple Bloom and her sister Applejack. Hmm?” She hummed and held her wings open for a hug. “And you must be Big Mac. That name is certainly accurate.” She nodded at the Stallion.

Bloom happily obliged her new grandmother by running into the open wings. “Hugs!”

Applejack and Mac followed behind at a reasonable speed. “Eeyup.”

They all exchanged hugs and greetings before moving into the house proper to greet the rest of the family.

Over the next hour a few more guests from Apple family, my mom’s family, and even the Pear family showed up filling up the farmhouse with ponies. The house has never felt so crowded and yet there’s still room, considering it was designed for a farming herd it makes sense. I was introduced to grand pear before he and Granny shared a reluctant hoof shake.

“Granny and my sire still aren’t on the best terms.” Pear whispered sadly explanation, I knew better than to ask why as I watched Unfettered nervously remain at Grannies side, receiving a more polite greeting from the old station.

“Come on Shy we were invited.”

“But it’s rude not to knock.”

I was a bit confused when Rainbow and Fluttershy walked in but before I could ask my mom walked over to them.

“Glad you two decided to come.” Forest gave them each a friendly nuzzle then turned to address the room. “Everypony. This is Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.” She pointed towards each of them with a wing. “They couldn’t travel to go visit their own families so I invited them to join us.”

Polite greetings were exchanged and the two were welcomed in with open hooves.

“So this is your family huh?” Rainbow had come over to join me in the corner I was observing the party from after getting a bit tuckered out. She looked at them all a bit longingly before shaking her head.

“Yep.” I nodded. “Not everypony is here of course, since the Apple family is huge and one of my aunts couldn’t make it.”

Rainbow didn’t reply right away as she looked to be keeping an eye on Fluttershy, who was getting swarmed by my younger peagsus cousins, so I bumped her playfully.

“Bit for your thoughts?”

“It’s stupid.” She looked away from me with pinned ears.

I wrapped myself around her back from the side. “Tell me.”

“Hey!” She collapsed under my sudden weight with a huff. “Fine I was just thinking it was nice, having a full house I mean.”

She reverted to staying silent and didn’t try getting me off her so we stayed cuddled in the corner for now.

The Sparkle household was in chaos. Shining Armor had arrived home for the holidays unexpectedly so Velvet wasn’t sure about having enough food (she had plenty).

Shining however, wasn’t in the greatest mood since his love was not in the country at the moment and he was worried for her safety which was effecting Twilight and Spike’s mood. (He had finally figured out she was a princess after his latest premonition after the incident with Dawn’s family).

Spike also had the hiccups which included bouts of dragon fire that Night Light was putting out with a fire extinguisher spell he had learned just for such occasions.

Twilight was crying over her brother not wanting to play and Spike’s ‘incurable disease’.

So yes the Sparkle household was in chaos.

Imago had had a wonderful day with Celestia. She had finally broken into the next step and become her friend instead of just an employee. If it wasn’t for the Princess needing to attend that play this evening or her needing to feed her children the two probably would have hung out all night.

“Oh my babies today was just wonderful.” She cooed towards the young grubs as they gathered around her on the bed. The little unnamed princess tilted her head at her mother as if to ask a question.

“You see little one I spent all morning with princess Celestia.” She picked up the princess and fed her some love. “So I have plenty of food for you all. Once you finally finish your first molt into nymphs it will be time to name you.” It was a tradition to wait as not all changelings made it through the first molt, when times were rough.

She fed each of the grubs in turn then relaxed onto her bed reminiscing about the day.

“Um, checkmate.” Fluttershy politely said when we finished our game of chess. I studied the board a few moments.

“Ha, she got you good sport.” Mom ruffled my mane and I stuck my tongue out at her.

“At least I beat you mom.” I huffed and she held her hoof to her chest in mock horror as Fluttershy giggled at our banter. Rainbow was asleep next to her and suddenly snorted which caused all of us to laugh.

It had gotten late and most of our family had either gone home or taken up spots around the living room to sleep for the night. The more I think about it the stranger I find beds. Considering it’s just as comfortable to sleep on a big cushions or just about anywhere else thanks to our anatomy, they don’t feel necessary.

“It was a good game Flutters.” She blushed at my use of her nickname as I put the board away. “Are you staying the night?”

“Oh, yes? I guess.” She sounded unsure of herself as she looked at the sleeping Rainbow.

“You’re more than welcome to.” Mom smiled at her.

“Thank you then.” Fluttershy smiled back.

I brought over a blanket and decided to snuggle up on her other side for the night. She let out an “eep” but didn’t seem to actually mind the snuggles once we got comfortable. Ponies are just way too snuggly.

I woke with a start in the middle of the night when my personal alarm spell went off telling me it was time. Stepping outside quietly I undid the spell to hide my wings and stretched them out.

“First stop Lyra’s.” I took off into the air and flew towards her house. It was a short trip and I found Pinkie waiting for me on the roof.

“Pinkie what are you doing here?” I whispered.

“Same as you silly.” She pulled a present out of her mane. “I’m a day late though delivering these candies.” I laughed then pulled out my own gift for Lyra and Bon Bon, a pair of necklaces with charms of both their cutie marks. I grabbed Pinkies gift in my magic along with mine and teleported them both inside under the tree.

“Thanks.” Pinkie said before giving me a nuzzle, passed me a gift for myself, and disappeared off the roof to deliver more gifts of sweets. I shook my head and did the same with my shadow magic. I wonder if this is how she gets around. Close~. But nope.

The trip towards Canterlot went exceptionally fast via shadow walking. One moment I was in Ponyville the next I was outside of Twilight’s house though feeling magically drained. Maybe I should have just mailed her gift like I did for Starlight, Sunburst, and Trixie. That took a lot of magic.

After catching my breath I teleport her gift inside, a copy of the same Clover the Clever book I found months ago, along with some gem scraps for spike. “One last stop.”

Getting into the castle had been easy, I used the same shadow walking spell from Luna and gently placed the gift on Celestia’s coffee table, a framed picture of her with Twilight, Spike and I with an included card.

“Is someone there?” I heard Celestia ask before I quickly left the room to travel back home.

Celestia lit her horn and was surprised to find a card and a wrapped gift on her coffee table. After finding nothing harmful after scanning it she gasped when she opened the gift and found a lovely picture of her students and herself along with a card from Dawn. Now how did he get this here?I don’t know but I’m impressed.

Celestia hugged the photo then placed it upon her Nightstand before returning to bed.