Author's Note

Story written by SumireBlossomtmnt as a Secret Santahooves gift.

Audio Reading

The Loneliest Night of the Year

The snowflakes danced in the night air as the wind made them sway to and from before landing on a snow covered branch or the cold ground below. At this rate, everypony would spend the next morning shoveling for hours just to get a hoof out the door. The icicles hummed a haunting tune with the breeze, desperately trying to reach the solid ground below. The only light outside was Luna’s moon and stars that twinkled making it a wonderful sight for Hearth’s Warming.

Fluttershy lay on her couch staring at the snowfall. Though her cottage was quite cozy, it did nothing to warm the cold in her heart. She wasn’t a fan of winter. She had said goodbye to most of her animal friends, months ago. Harry and many others were hibernating in their dens, waiting for spring to return. Many of her bird friends had already flown south. Though this happened every year, Fluttershy worried about them. Did they eat enough food or had enough to sleep the entire winter? Did they find a warm place to sleep tonight? What if something bad happened to them during their journey? Fluttershy shook herself from those thoughts. They were fine. They were always fine, just like all the years before.

The few animals that stayed mostly slept in their beds when they weren’t eating. Angel was snoozing away in his bed with a half-eaten carrot between his paws. Though he was here, Fluttershy was basically alone again this holiday season. Applejack and Pinkie Pie had left a few days ago to celebrate with the Pie family on their rock farm. Twilight and Spike were in Canterlot. Rainbow Dash was performing at a winter celebration over in Manehattan with the Wonderbolts. Rarity had taken her family on a winter getaway to Applewood. She and her sister, Sweetie Belle, had snagged roles in a Hearth’s Warming Eve motion picture and was permering tonight at the Ponyese Theatre there. Discord, her closest friend, was off on a diplomatic mission with Celestia and Luna in Yakyakistan.

Her parents were going to arrive a few days ago but Zephyr Breeze had gotten himself into trouble in Saddle Arabia. Apparently he was writing letters to a Saddle Arabian princess that “needed his help”, only for him to arrive there and get robbed and lost in the country. So they were very late and couldn’t make it for Hearth’s Warming Eve. Fluttershy couldn’t bring herself to blame them or her brother but this happened every year. She would celebrate the holiday that brought ponies together, completely and utterly alone.

“Am I interrupting your brooding?” Fluttershy squeaked in alarm when she heard the deep timbre voice of the latest resident in her home. She turned to see the former King Sombra entering the living room. Due to the success of reforming Discord, Celestia gave Fluttershy the task of reforming all their previous foes. Celestia insisted that the next villain to be reform was the former king of the crystal empire and the dark magic sorcerer himself.

Sombra had been living with Fluttershy since early spring and she could see a great amount of improvement on his part. Though it was a rocky first couple of weeks, Fluttershy was able to get him to open up and help the community. His demeanor and attitude had changed. Though he still spoke very gruffly and his tone could be menacing at times, he was kinder and not as condescending as he was when she first met him.

His appearance hadn’t really changed much in that time either. His horn was still curved from all the years he had used dark magic. His mane still flowed like menacing shadows during the night. His teeth were still as sharp as daggers. Gone was the dark purple and green glow in his eyes and was replaced with red pupils. His crown and cloak were also absent. Even so he was no longer the diactor he once was.

“I’m sorry, Sombra. Do you need something?” Fluttershy politely asked, mentally kicking herself for not being a good host to her student.

“I was going to ask you the same thing.” Sombra stated bluntly. This one was the first time Sombra had said anything like this. Though his behavior had improved he was still reluctant to help those around him unless he had no other choice.

“No. I’m okay.” She lied. It was her job to help him, not the other way around. She didn’t want to burden him with her problems.

“I have a hard time believing that.” Sombra walked forward and rested next to her on the couch. He started at the snow with much distaste, of what Fluttershy didn’t know. There was an awkward silence between the two of them before Sombra spoke again. “I think for once we have something in common.”

“What do you mean?”

“I hate this time of year as well.”

“I… I don’t hate it.” Fluttershy stammered. “I just miss my animal friends, that’s all.”

“There’s more to it than that.” He grumbled. “I overheard you talking to your parents over the landline. You are always alone during this time of year. All your friends, pony and animal, are gone. Even your family can’t show up.” He gritted his teeth at the last point.

When Fluttershy took on the role of reforming Sombra, Princess Celestia confessed that Sombra and Discord were her younger brother and father, respectively. It has been a closely guarded secret that only Fluttershy and the royal family know. Fluttershy figured that Sombra was upset that his family still didn’t trust him on their royal mission for the holiday. She wasn’t sure how to bring it up so she kept quiet.

“Though I shouldn’t complain. During my reign of the Crystal Empire, I forced my citizens to suffer in eternal winter but never gave them Hearth’s Warming. I wanted to break their spirits so they would never rise up against me. This…” He gestured to the snow outside. “... this is all just one big reminder of what I am. The King of Shadows and Winter, a monster that everypony must hate and fear.”

“I don’t think that is true. A monster wouldn’t feel bad about what they did. What you said just now, proves that you regret your decisions.”

“It's still not enough. No matter how many ponies I help, it would never be enough for all the lives I have ruined.”

“One day it will be enough. You work hard everyday to be the better pony. I know it will happen and Celestia knows that too. But for now we just have to keep working at it, one step at a time.”

“Sounds a little too optimistic, don’t you think?” He sighed, rubbing a hoof to his temples. “But thank you, I guess.” Fluttershy gave him a warm smile. It was then she noticed he had something near his front hooves. Sombra noticed her glance.

“I’ve heard it's a tradition to give somepony a gift during the holiday.” He hovered the small wrapped package in his magic towards Fluttershy.

The package was poorly wrapped in green paper tied with a red ribbon. Fluttershy gently smiled and opened the present. Inside was a circular wreath about the size of her own hoof. Unlike most wreaths that were constructed of branches and ribbons, the wreath was composed of feathers, bits of fur, teeth, and claws. Fluttershy looked up at Sombra puzzled.

“Before your animal friends left I asked them to give me something of theirs so a part of them would stay with you. Even when they are far away or hibernating. It took me a few weeks to get everything together but it didn’t turn out the way I had hoped.” Fluttershy felt tears well up in her eyes. She hugged the little wreath close to her chest. It felt like she was being hugged by all of her critters.

“Sombra this is the most thoughtful gift anypony has ever given me” She wiped the tears from her eyes and fluttered over to her fireplace and placed the wreath on the mantelpiece alongside all the pictures of her family and friends. “Oh, I have something for you too.”

Fluttershy took off to her hallway closet and grabbed the large red package she had stored away. She grunted as she lugged it from the hallway to the living room. Sombra had a surprise look on his face at the thought of somepony giving him a Hearth’s Warming present.

“Here. Happy Hearth’s Warming, Sombra.” She said in between gasps of air. Sombra chuckled as he walked over to the package and grabbed at the ribbon to open it up. He levitated the gift from the package. It was a large quilt that was mostly red with white and black edges similar to his old cloak he wore as a tyrant. The major difference was the individual squares. Each had a detailed embroidered image of Sombra’s redemption journey of that year; him putting out the fire of Ms Cheerilee’s schoolhouse, saving Bon Bon’s kitten from a tree and so many more.

“I made it to prove all the progress you made this year, to remember all your good deeds. I know sometimes it’s hard to move away from the past but I hope this gives you some comfort.” Sombra levitated the quilt around his shoulders as he wrapped it around himself.

“It’s… very thoughtful.” He simply stated. Fluttershy smiled, though he didn’t emote like normal ponies she knew deep inside he was happy.

Before either of them could say anything else, Fluttershy let out a large sneeze. Sombra chuckled slightly.

“Cold?”

“A little. I’ll put more wood in the fire.” As she moved towards the logs, she let out a little squeak as she was encased with Sombra’s magic. She was moved underneath the quilt and pressed against Sombra’s side, making her blush. “I’ll take care of that. You should enjoy yourself.” Fluttershy nodded and watched him add more logs to the fire.

The crackling of the fire was the only noise in the living room as the two enjoyed their silent company. The smell of the fire left a lovely scent in the air. It wasn’t long till the room became warm again underneath the blanket. This time it warmed Fluttershy’s heart. She wasn’t alone, not anymore. This wasn’t the dreaded loneliest season of years past but a true Hearth’s Warming Eve.

Fluttershy closed her eyes in bliss and contempt as she slowly dozed off. Sombra shifted his weight and the quilt to make her feel more comfortable. He let a genuine smile grace his face as watched her drift into dreamland next to him. He gently bent his neck and not wanting to wake her placed a small kiss to her forehead.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve, Fluttershy.”

THE END