Foal Alone

Chapters

Chapter 1: Jingle All The Way
Chapter 2: Rockin' Around The Hearth Tree
Chapter 3: Carol Of The Apples

Chapter 1: Jingle All The Way

Foal Alone
Chapter 1: Jingle All The Way
by WeirdBeard
(You'll never take me sane! NEVER!)

Snowflakes lazily danced downwards from the night sky across Ponyville. It was quite picturesque for the little town as hardly anypony was about the streets. Nary a sound was made, scarce for the hubbub that distantly echoed from Sweet Apple Acres. Even though the Apple family should have been in bed hours ago, all sorts of frackus was being raised to prepare for their trip.

The youngest of their close-knit group, though, managed to escape for air if only for a moment. Applebloom trotted out the back door, looking back warily in case anypony noticed. She could hardly believe their humble home could fit so many ponies. Almost everypony and their cat and dog of the Apple family filled in the farmhouse. The filly sighed, mainly due to the fact that she would be forced to sleep on the floor again because of her countless cousins who would take her bed. However, her mind skipped the tracks when she felt a snowflake land on her muzzle.

The tiny earth pony gasped loudly and exclaimed, "It's finally snowing! We're gonna have a white Hearth's Warming Eve after all!" Her excitement was instantaneous and she began to bounce merrily. The pegasi teams had been delaying this year's snowfall and it was a wonder if they would have ever gotten around to it. However, the cloud cover proved to be quite promising of sweeping the earth with a fresh patch of white snow.

"Applebloom! Ah'm not gonna tell ya again, git yer rear in gear an' start packin'!" an elderly voice from inside the house called out. The yellow filly turned around quickly to find her grandmother standing by the doorway. Granny Smith stared expectantly at her granddaughter, pointing a hoof behind her. "Yer bags ain't gonna fill themselves!"

"But, Granny-!"

"But's are fer chairs, lil' filly, we have ta be ready ta go in the mornin'. 'Sides, there's already snow on the ground at yer Aunt and Uncle Orange's," the elderly mare explained. "All of yer cousins are set an' packed. Ah think Lil' Mushy Core is even in bed now, too!"

Applebloom groaned. Of all her relatives, Mushy Core was the least compatible. Not because he was mean or anything like that, but simply because the young buck was... odd. "Did ya put him in my room?"

"Where else would we put him?" Granny asked, shrugging her shoulders.

"Did ya see how much water he drank tonight?! He's gonna wet my bed fer sure!" the yellow filly complained.

Sadly, she was absolutely correct. Even though Mushy Core was older than Applebloom, the young buck's bladder was virtually non-existent. It would be a small miracle if there wasn't a flash-flood by morning.

"That's enough, Applebloom. At least entertain yer cousins fer now," Granny Smith scolded.

At her command, the little filly bowed her head and trotted past her grandmother. She would have to accept her fate now as there really wasn't any other option. The entire Apple family would be leaving in the morning for Manehattan to celebrate Hearth's Warming Eve together. All of Applebloom's friends had already left town the day before to visit their distant relatives as well. Fortunately, her brother and sister were still around, of course.

It just so happened that Applejack and Big Mac were near the back anyway, trying to cater to their needy relatives. Applebloom grinned at her siblings and nodded towards the window. "Did ya see it's finally snowing?"

"Eeyup," her big brother sagely replied.

Applejack sighed in relief. "There you are, sis', Ah was wonderin' where ya ran off ta. Got yer stuff packed, righ'?" the orange mare questioned.

The yellow filly rubbed behind her neck nervously. "Not exactly."

"C'mon, Applebloom, we can't cut it this close. The train leaves before sunrise tomorrow," Applejack explained. She glanced at the window, smiling for a moment at the drifting snow. A thin coat was already blanketing the ground outside.

Her green eyes flickered and caught sight of something else outside, causing her to involuntarily shudder. "There's that Shoveler again."

Applebloom raised a brow at her sister. "Shove-what-now?"

The elder sister pointed at a particular point beyond their view. As Applebloom squinted, she could barely make out the form of a broad, gray, gruff-looking stallion. Even at this distance the filly could tell that the stranger wasn't too pleasant. "The Shoveler," Applejack explained. "Every first snow fall, he wanders around the town aimlessly. He doesn't ever speak ta anypony, just carries a shovel with him and creates paths in the snow."

"That doesn't seem too strange," Applebloom began, but was soon cut off by Big Mac.

"Ain't the point, Applebloom," her elder brother stated. They continued watching the topic pony trod on. He simply pushed the shovel along the ground, scooping up snow as he went. "He's not paid fer it or anythin'. Most say he did somethin' terrible and this is part of his punishment. Anyway, don't go an' bother him."

At first notice of her look to protest, Applejack raised a hoof to her little sister. "This ain't like the case with Zecora. Celestia herself told us to not disturb him. Ah'm not lying ta ya, he's dangerous."

Just as the orange mare finished, the menacing stranger quickly looked towards their window. The three siblings darted out of view, not wanting to chance if the Shoveler really saw them. After a moment, they peeked over the window sill to find the strange stallion trotting away. Applebloom merely shrugged, but was forced out of the way when more cousins filled into the room. Hopefully she would be able to spend more time with her siblings later.

When Applebloom entered the living room, where it was filled wall-to-wall with ponies, a loud knocking echoed from the front door. Granny groaned angrily, Applebloom only being able to catch her mutter something about timberwolves and grapes. The elderly mare begrudgingly trotted to the door while avoiding the many relatives that packed the small room. Finally, she reached the front door and heaved it open.

A tall, thin stallion clothed with a dark blue trench-coat stood upon their porch, grimly staring ahead. Even though he was hooded and completely covered by the thick cloth, Granny Smith caught glance of his light-green eyes. His thick clothing reminded her that it was, indeed, now winter and incited a shiver through her bones as the wind blew by. "Good evenin', Ma'am, I'm just checking on-,"

"For the last time, we believe in Celestia, ya Nightmare-worshipping hippy! Git off my porch!" the elderly mare interrupted with a shout. Before the visitor could get a word in, the door was promptly slammed in his face.

From the far end of the room, Applejack at last escaped the clinging, more peculiar relatives to witness the episode at the front door. She groaned and rubbed at her temple with a hoof. "Granny, Ah think that was somepony else."

Her grandmother failed to hear her, however, and instead trotted away with a huff. Applejack quickly approached the door and opened it just before the stallion left. "Yes?"

The cloaked figure turned back to face her. For a split second, the orange cowpony could have sworn she saw a strand of red and white hair. "Evenin'," the stallion flatly replied. "As I was about to say, I'm just checking on the neighborhood. The mayor heard that several families are traveling out of town and wanted to see if you were as well."

Applejack was about to respond, but paused when a loud guffaw erupted from inside. Sighing, she trotted out the doorway to stand with the stallion in the falling snow. "Sorry, it's been real hectic here. All the relatives are staying the night before we head off ta Manehattan."

"Ah', so you are heading out. Good thing I caught you then. The mayor hired myself and several others to patrol the town in case of any burglary," the stallion explained.

"Burglary? In Ponyville?" Applejack asked skeptically.

The cloaked figure nodded. "Indeed, miss. There have already been several cases throughout the town. However! I will make sure nothing happens to your beloved property. You can count on me."

"Well, uh, great! Thanks very much, Mister..." Applejack replied slowly, waiting for the stallion to give his name.

"Uh... Porch. Wood Porch!" the stallion finally responded, trying his best to maintain his composure.

Despite how suspicious he was, Applejack continued on anyway. "Mister Wood Porch. Thank ya kindly fer lettin' us know 'bout-,"

"Who ya talkin' ta, sis?" Applebloom interrupted. The yellow filly had snuck out yet again to see who was visiting at the late hour.

At her intrusion, Applejack narrowed her eyes at her little sister. "Consarnit, Applebloom, didn't Ah just tell ya ta go get packed? Scoot yer boot, Ah was jus' meetin' with this here patrol-pony."

Applebloom tilted her head in examination of the cloaked stranger before her. "Hey, mister, isn't a patrol-pony supposed ta have a badge?"

"Applebloom!"

The stallion chuckled, but answered her question anyway. "It's quite alright. Here ya go, little one." With a brisk shove into his coat, he pulled a small badge out of his pocket. Sure enough, it had the seal of Equestria as well as a silver star in the center. "Nothing to worry about."

As the little filly leaned in to admire it closer, she noticed the clothing around the stallion's jaw had slightly lowered. A small, red mustache poked around the corners of his mouth, causing Applebloom to gasp a bit. "Yer that-!"

Before she could make an accusation, Applejack suddenly pulled her aside and put a hoof over her mouth. "That's enough, Applebloom!" she chided. The orange mare glanced back to the cloaked figure. "Ah'm really sorry, she's normally better mannered."

"That's quite alright, Ma'am. You have a good night," the stallion replied. He looked back at Applebloom and nodded. "Happy Hearth's Warming Eve."

Applejack smiled. "Take care, Wood Porch," the cowpony said, dragging Applebloom back inside while the stallion departed. Once she had the door closed, Applejack released her sister to admonish her. "What the hay was that about?"

Applebloom sputtered at her sister's blatancy. "Didn't ya see his mustache?! That was-,"

"Applejack! Braeburn's hitting on Apple Turnover again!" a shrill, foalish voice called out.

"W-w-what?! Ah am not, cuz, Ah was just talkin' ta her," Braeburn managed to excuse.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Good gravy, this night's never gonna end. Applebloom, go get packed," the orange mare commanded before trotting back into the thicket of the family gathering.

"Ugh! Why won't anypony listen ta me around here?!" the yellow filly complained. Not wanting to get sucked into the plethora of bodies in the family room, Applebloom walked alongside the wall to the kitchen.

'Maybe Ah was just thinking seeing things, it couldn't have been that pony,' she thought to herself. Even though the night wasn't going her way, she could try to salvage some enjoyment. After all, there was a jar of Zap Apple jam just for her that she had been saving for Hearth's Warming Eve.

Relatives still filled the kitchen completely, however, as she finally managed her way through. One day she would ask Applejack why the storks had left so many babies for the Apple family. For now, it was simply a mystery to her. Maybe they just got lazy and stopped at their homes. That was enough silly thinking for the filly though, the time called for desperate measures. It just so happened that those desperate measure tasted like pure bliss.

However, as Applebloom reached into the cupboard for her coveted treasure, the jar was nowhere to be found. She frantically pulled other jars out, desperately hoping that it was still hiding within. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the Zap Apple jam. It was then that she heard the tell-tale sound of smacking lips.

Even though she had thought the night couldn't get any worse- with cramped space, scoldings, hardly any sanity, and nopony to play with- she slowly glanced behind herself to see Mushy Core devouring her jam. His lime-colored coat was smeared completely with the delicious treat, quite oblivious of the filly in front of him. At completion of the jar, Mushy belched loudly and sighed in satisfaction.

His ruby eyes widened at Appleblom's shocked expression, but he smiled sheepishly. "Heh, sorry bout that, cousin. I had a bad dream about a river and I really needed a snack." The dim-witted buck didn't even notice Applebloom's growing anger. Instead, he held the empty jar towards her and asked, "Is there any more?"

That was it. That was the last straw that caused Applebloom to unleash an angry scream. Mushy simply sat there in mild thought, wondering what in Equestria could have prompted that sudden burst.

The yellow filly rushed forward. All rationality was bucked out of the window because of the oaf's inconsiderateness. "I was saving that!" Applebloom shouted. Her forehooves shoved into Mushy's stout body, causing him to backpedal into the kitchen's fine glassware case. The collision resulted into every single plate and goblet within to tumble to the floor. Glass shattered across the hardwood floor, inciting even more ponies to back away in fear of injury. This only continued a domino effect of the destruction of more and more objects.

At last, the glass rain phenomenon concluded and left the kitchen and all adjoining rooms in shambles. Applebloom stood motionless, perplexed by the events that just transpired.

"APPLEBLOOM!" Applejack yelled in frustration.

"It wasn't my fault, it was-!"

Before she could excuse herself, though, Big Mac interjected, "Look at what you've done."

At his command, the little filly slowly gazed about the room. Everypony was staring at her, each with different looks of disgust or judgement. She kicked at the floor dejectedly. "But... that was my-,"

"You're comin' with me, little filly!" Applejack exclaimed. At her outburst, the orange cowpony scooped her sister up onto her back and retreated the kitchen. Granny and Big Mac began procuring brooms and dustpans while everypony else did their best to help clean.

The two sisters exited out the back door, heading towards the barn. "Applejack, it wasn't my fault!" Applebloom cried out.

"Ah know it wasn't, but ya weren't exactly being the best little filly tonight. Ya should have just listened ta us and done what we told ya," the elder sister explained. The snowfall had decreased at the moment, but continued to fall. "Ah know it's frustrating right now, but it ain't exactly a picnic for me either."

Applebloom groaned. "Why couldn't we just stay here fer Hearth's Warming Eve, by ourselves? Having everypony in the family celebrate together isn't worth it!"

"C'mon, Applebloom, ya don' mean that-,"

"Yes Ah do!" the younger sister exclaimed. Applejack trotted inside the barn, lighting a few candles and obtaining blankets while her sister continued her tirade on the floor. "Ah've been scolded this whole time they've been here, all my friends are gone, there's no room around at all, and Mushy Core ate all my Zap Apple jam! Ah wish Ah didn't have ta spend Hearth's Warming Eve with them!"

"Sis'-"

Unfortunately, Applebloom's anger bristled her protests onward. "Ah wish Ah didn't have anypony ta bug me on Hearth's Warming Eve! No family ta ruin the holiday! Ah wish Ah had Hearth's Warming Eve fer myself!"

Applejack frowned, staring sadly at her little sister for a while. "Then ya would have a very lonely Hearth's Warming Eve."

A short silence passed over the two sisters as they stared at one another. Finally, Applejack sighed and said, "Good night, sis'. Get some rest before the train arrives early tomorrow."

Slowly, the orange mare exited the barn, leaving Applebloom alone to her thoughts and with plenty of blankets to keep warm. The filly stared at her departing sister for a moment, before finally nestling within several quilts and then blowing out the candles. For everypony's sake, she hoped that things would be better in the morning.

Meanwhile, the patrol-pony that had visited was trotting slowly away from the farm. There seemed to be a strange spring in his step as he hummed quietly to himself. The snow continued its slow descent around him and the orchard. It was when it was quietest that the stallion suddenly stopped. "Looks like they're leaving town after all," he stated cheerfully.

"See! I told you this would be the perfect time!" a voice called out from his side. The cloaked patrol pony glanced towards the source to find a slender, beige-colored unicorn stallion approaching him. He wore a peculiar hat and a blue pinstripe vest that somehow complimented his red and white mane.

"I believe I told you, brother of mine," the patrol-pony replied. He brought a hoof to his head and pulled the thick hood down to reveal his similarly colored mane. "Anyway, they didn't even suspect a thing. They think that we're the good guys!" Flam replied, his chuckle rustling his mustache.

Flim echoed his brother's laugh. "Then we'll finally have our revenge! We'll steal all their apple trees!"

"Apple trees? Oh Flim, Flim, Flim," Flam responded condescendingly. "We gotta go bigger. Their apples would grow back after all. No, it's their prized possessions, their recipes, and everything precious to them that we're going after!"

Flim smiled, nodding in response. "Even better, brother! Sounds like a happy Hearth's Warming Eve to me!"

"Indeed, brother of mine, indeed!" Flam replied. He laughed softly, but gradually raised in volume and strength. Flim soon matched alongside the nefarious laughter, the noise being only heard between the two stallions.

Whether for better or worse, the Flim Flam brothers were back and thirsty for vengeance.

Chapter 2: Rockin' Around The Hearth Tree

Foal Alone
Chapter 2: Rockin' Around The Hearth Tree
by WeirdBeard
(It's not a straight-jacket, it's just a fancy sweater.)

The gentle snowfall continued throughout the evening and up into the morning, completely coating all of Ponyville in a blanket of white. Normally, this would not have posed a problem for the early morning traditions of the Apple family at all. Especially since it really mattered this particular day to depart to Manehattan.

Unfortunately, the cloud cover was grossly thick and inhibited all rays of sunrise that could have awaken the family. Most of the corral's critters had been hauled away previously to spend winter at the Appaloosa ranch. Thus, there wasn't a chance of the cows nor Winona awakening the Apples either. The hen house still held occupants, but their reliable rooster had decided to spend the night on the town. At least that's what the rooster would say if it could speak. Truth be told, the hapless recluse was kicked out of the chicken coop by its' own hens and left alone to sleep in the snow.

It was now ten minutes before the train would depart that the rooster finally arose. As it realized the grave folly that was committed, the rooster unleashed an unholy crowing that caused even the heaviest of sleepers to launch skywards.

"The timberwolves are a-howlin'!" Granny screeched in shock, bolting upright in her bed. "The timberwolves are a-howlin'!"

The combination of the rooster and Granny Smith's shouts echoed loudly through the farmhouse. Everypony was soon awakened by the strange chorus and immediately responded with a cacophony of complaints and expletives.

"Five more minutes!"

"Darn tootin' rooster! Ah'm gonna wring that scrawny varmint's-,"

"Eenope!"

"Somepony that's not me wet the bed again!"

"Everypony!" Applejack shouted over the boisterous din. Her relatives all halted their tirade, save for Granny's hollering about timberwolves. The orange mare glanced at the grandfather clock opposite her bed, promptly double-taking when she saw the time. "We slept in! Everypony up and at 'em, the train's 'bout ta leave!"

Her call to arms heralded more shouts of surprise as the whole home tumbled into turmoil and utter anarchy. Foals and elderly ponies stampeded through rooms to fully prepare each other. The madness reigned for a good two minutes, any created messes were simply left in order to catch the train.

A midst the hustle and bustle, Applejack collided with her big brother in the hallway. The impact left them both dazed for a moment, but the red stallion hurriedly shook his head to clear the faze. "Got the tickets?"

"Granny's got 'em, Ah'll get the luggage. You make sure everypony is ready," Applejack quickly responded.

They parted sides instantly, almost leaving small puffs of dust behind themselves. Most of the Apple family had already fled the home in hopes of delaying the train for the rest of them. Big Mac began tallying every relative, making sure that everypony was accounted for. The large buck pondered for a moment, suddenly remembering his youngest sister. "Mushy Core! Go git yer cousin Applebloom!"

"What?!" replied the cumbersome colt from atop the stairs.

Big Mac smacked a hoof against his face. Despite the young foal's earlier claim of not wetting the bed, it was obvious that he was dilly-dallying with a horrendous attempt of removing his evidence. "Yer cousin Applebloom! Go git yer cousin!" he shouted, straightaway turning around without a confirmation.

Mushy Core remained where he stood while processing what his big cousin had asked of him. "Go get cow's inn? This place gets weirder and weirder."

Needless to say, the request was lost on him.

The home was soon emptied of everypony, including Granny Smith who was still on full alert for timberwolves. Without another word, the entire Apple family sprinted off in maddening speeds to the train station. Miraculously, the train was still loading. In the back of his mind, however, the conductor could only wish that he left earlier as he witnessed the giant cloud of kicked up snow fast approaching.

"We're here! We're here!" Applejack yelled in desperation. "Don't leave!"

The conductor clicked his tongue. "Cutting it a bit close, are we?" he asked as the family completely filled the station's loading area. "This train has to leave right now!"

"Here are yer gall dern tickets, sonny, now outta the way! Ah gotta take my mornin' nap!" Granny crankily hollered. She unloaded the bundle of paper which unceremoniously burst apart upon the surprised conductor. Seeing her job was done, the elderly mare stepped onto the train and promptly passed out on the first open seat.

Applejack smiled sheepishly at the fuming conductor. "Heh heh, sorry 'bout that. Ah promise ya though, we have all the tickets we need here for everypony," the orange mare stated, leading the rest of the family onto the train.

"Fine, just get onto the train!" the conductor exclaimed in frustration. While he knelt down to retrieve the fallen tickets, all of the Apples proceeded onto the train and seated into empty spots. "Sheesh. Some ponies."

Regardless of their morning mishap, the family had managed to arrive just in time as the train gently carried them away. Everything was going to work out.

Or so they thought.

Applebloom blearily blinked away the blurs in her vision. She had at last awaken on her own accord after a surprisingly fantastic night of sleep for the young filly. Even though she was in the barn, the formidable blanket fortress she had somehow constructed during her slumber was quite comfortable over the hard-packed floor. Not only that, but it had muffled any noises that may have disturbed her through the night. That, of course, applied to the loud ruckus that occurred just moments ago.

She yawned and stretched out her hooves as she emerged from the cozy chamber. 'Yep! Today's gonna be a great day, wait-' the yellow filly paused in mid thought, before merrily exclaiming, "Today's the day 'fore Hearth's Warming Eve! YAY!"

At her jovial shout, Applebloom's stomach seemed to protest as it loudly rumbled. She blushed lightly and rubbed at her small tummy. It was breakfast time, after all.

The young filly proceeded out of the barn with a spry spring in her step. 'Ah wonder what Granny Smith made for breakfast. Ah bet it's somethin' real tasty since everypony's here to-.' Once more, Applebloom's line of thought halted as she remembered the evening's events. Perhaps she had made a few erroneous judgments, but she felt that she had been wronged herself. Mushy Core had eaten all of her Zap Apple jam and he wasn't even punished for it! However, Applebloom felt confident that everything had smoothed out. She was going to walk right into the kitchen and have a magnificent meal.

Only to find the kitchen was completely devoid of any and all ponies.

Applebloom cocked her head to the side, confused that no pony was around. "Granny Smith? Applejack? Where ya'll at?" she called out. When no immediate response reached the filly's ears, she trotted forward into the living room.

To her surprise, no pony filled in the previously non-vacant room as an eerie quiet met the tiny, investigatory earth pony. She bit her lip in befuddlement. "Big Mac? Braeburn?" Applebloom asked aloud. Yet still, there was no reply.

"Helloooooooooooooo! Any pony?" Her unanswered interrogations continued. She even uttered one more question, quietly, "Mushy Core?" In honesty though, she wasn't disappointed that he didn't yield to the call. However, the mysterious absence of everypony but herself within the home was absolutely baffling.

She carefully sat onto her haunches and tried to piece together what she already knew. Without a doubt, her family would not have just left her behind while they vacationed. One does not simply abandon their loved ones on Hearth's Warming Eve. Yet here she was alone in the home with no pony to bug her. It led her to believe from all the evidence before her that there was only one possible deduction.

"My wish came true!" Applebloom yelped. The impossibility of it all resonated through the small filly's mind. How in Equestria such a desire as wanting to have Hearth's Warming Eve to herself could actually be granted was beyond her. Then again, some wishes do come true now that she thought about it.

Thus she sat and mused about what this entitled. It would have been nice to have her friends around with her, but both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were away in Canterlot. On the bright side though, she had the house completely to herself. Plenty of space, no scolding, no Mushy Core. After a few moments, a small grin soon creased across Applebloom's muzzle.

"Ah'm alone and there's no pony around that could ruin Hearth's Warming Eve," she finally stated. "Time to deck the halls!"

Humming the only tune that could properly fit the forthcoming montage, the little filly set off to create the greatest Hearth's Warming Eve ever. Raiding the storage room for cider, un-boxing a plethora of decorations, donning several garments of festivity, and all sorts of acts of merriment. Not to mention swinging from the ceiling by use of long garland.

Soon, the house was decorated inside and out with all things Hearth's Warming Eve-related. Even the fake cheesy Windigo lawn ornaments were posted on the front yard. Their whimsical design and foolish caricatures amused Applebloom, but would drive any normal pony to groan inwardly. Wreaths, candy canes, strands of popcorn, wrapping paper, lights, holidays oh my!

Indeed, the filly was quite content with her holiday cheer. She had finished decorating every square inch of her home and could now sit back and relax with a nice, frothy mug of cider. The afternoon had passed splendidly and the sun was setting on a great day. Things were going her way.

That is until she heard of pair of voices conversing just outside on the porch.

"What's all this mishmash? Their house wasn't decorated last night," the first voice stated. For some reason, Applebloom recognized the accent behind the stallion outside, but she couldn't place who it could be. Cautiously, she crept closer to the door and listened closely.

"Maybe they put it up for fun this morning," a second voice suggested. Like the former, his voice also sounded familiar to the little filly. Alas, she was left pondering as to who was standing outside and what in Equestria they could want.

A quick scoff emerged from the first stallion. "They may be impractical, brother of mine, but they're not stupid. Why would they do that when they were leaving town today?"

"I bet it was the kiddo! Foals are idiots after all," the second stallion reasoned.

"You're an idiot, Flim. Now help me get this door open."

Before Applebloom had a chance to move away or react at all, the front door soon burst open. She squinted immediately, the contrast of light between the house and outside quite disorienting. After a moment though, her vision returned.

Oh how she wished it hadn't.

There before the small filly, stood the unmistakable forms of Flim and Flam. They still wore their trade-mark hats and vests, but had bundled up a bit more for the cold and snow. The one-time rivals of the Apple family were back again and Applebloom could scarcely think of what they wanted now. "You!" she quickly yelled, pointing a hoof towards them.

"You?!" they instantly replied as they recognized the filly. Flam pounded a hoof against the porch, irritation burning fiercely in his eyes. "You're supposed to be out of town, you little brat!" the tall stallion accused. His red mustache bristled as his lips formed a grim sneer.

"How did ya..." Applebloom started, but paused as she pieced together why else she recognized his voice. Her jaw dropped as she uttered a gasp of realization and exclaimed, "Ya'll was the patrol-pony who was here last night!"

Flam bit his tongue, seething more at the yellow filly. Flim raised a brow and glanced at his brother. "Guess she's a smarter cookie than we thought, Flam," he said, pushing his hat back.

"Oh shut it, brother of mine," Flam retorted, smacking his twin's side with a hoof. His glare returned to Applebloom and his eyes narrowed. "Now, you're going to be a good little filly and do what we say. Celestia and Luna are watching, after all," the mustached stallion stated as he neared closer to the youngest Apple. His horn was already beginning to radiate faintly green.

"Nuh uh, Ah ain't trustin' neither of ya! What are ya'll doing here?" Applebloom questioned. She backpedaled a bit in defense while Flam approached her.

Flim chuckled. "Don't you already know? Revenge, kiddo! After your family humiliated us, it's high time we take back what's rightfully ours. Or rather, to put it simpler for your puny little brain, we're robbing you!"

Applebloom's eyes shrank as she realized she was in much more danger than she could probably handle. Thankfully, her fight-or-flight response was already kicking into high gear. "Never!" she cried out, springing forward between the two stallions.

Her sudden outburst surprised both of the brothers and left them fumbling for the fleeing filly. Flam's horn flashed brilliantly as he shot a green spark towards Applebloom, but ended up striking Flim instead. The resulting attack shocked through Flim's body and caused him to twitch sporadically. "OWWWWWWW!!!!" Flim shouted. "That really chapped my hide, Flam!"

In bizarre retaliation, the clean-shaven stallion shot a bolt of green magic toward his brother. Flam flopped onto the ground, the shock affecting him just as bad as it had to Flim. "OWWW! You stupid fence post, she's getting away!"

Despite how funny it was to the little filly, Applebloom continued galloping away from the farm and the brothers. Now wasn't the time for fooling around and she wanted to find some help. Unfortunately for her, Flim and Flam were already back up and pursuing her.

"Help! Help! Somepony help!" she yelled out. The brothers kept their chase, but couldn't quite catch up to her as their long legs almost hindered progress in the snow. It further frustrated them as Applebloom somehow rocketed ahead, the packed snow doing nothing thanks to her small weight. "Anypony!" the filly shouted again.

By now, they had left Sweet Apple Acres entirely and entered into Ponyville. The streets were covered just like the road from the farm, much of it left untouched. Sadly, it seemed everypony really had left for the holiday and no pony was around to save the day.

"Give it up, kiddo!" Flam shouted. They, too, knew that there was little hope for the filly. She would eventually tire out and they would catch her. It was only a matter of time. "If you stop now, we won't hurt you!"

Flim hiccuped. "Hurt her? Flam, are you- OW!" he shrieked as he ran head-first into a low-hanging sign. The impact didn't knock him out, but it absolutely clothes-lined the tall stallion and sent hooves over hooves into Flam. The two tumbled for a good distance all while grunting in pain.

"OW! Get up, Flim, she's getting away!" Flam shouted angrily. They scrambled to their hooves, but the collision had given the filly more time to escape. Unfortunately for Applebloom, that didn't mean a whole lot since no pony was around to help her.

'Think, Applebloom, think! Where do Ah go now?!' the filly thought to herself as she kept running. She was almost out of Ponyville and quickly losing options. Luckily, her sight of the Everfree Forest ahead sparked an idea. "Zecora! She has to be home!" she answered in triumph.

In her rush, however, Applebloom failed to notice the frozen pond just between her and the forest. As her hooves met the surface of the ice, she instantly lost traction and slipped onto the pond. Lady Luck must have been smiling on the filly though as her momentum carried her forward without injury.

The same would not be said of for Flim and Flam when they stepped onto the pond. In near comic fashion, they immediately smashed through the ice and into the freezing water.

Crashing into a powdery snow pile and creating a cute puff of snowflakes, Applebloom bolted away from the pond and into the forest.

"Ohhhhh OH!" Flam howled, pulling himself out of the frigid pond. When Flim didn't resurface from below, the mustached stallion groaned angrily, but closed his eyes in concentration. His horn emanated faint green again and soon, a giant ice-cube emerged from the pond. Of course, Flim was frozen inside.

Flam growled, angered by both his brother's incompetence and that Applebloom had escaped. He glared at the offending forest that now sheltered the filly he had pursued. "That's right! Run! You can't stop us! We will get what we want and there's not a thing you can do about it!" he shouted. When there was no reply, the stallion grunted and began levitating his frozen brother with his magic. "C'mon, blockhead, our time has come."

Meanwhile, Applebloom maintained her speed through the forest. She desperately wanted help now and Zecora was the only one she was thinking about. One must know, however, it is unwise to do so in the Everfree Forest, especially during winter. The filly was soon assaulted with all manner of impeding natural elements. Low hanging branches scratched at her hide, roots tripped her hooves, and the declining temperature chilled Applebloom's very core.

Of the worst phenomenons that the forest had to offer during the winter was something very curious. In a peculiar opposite of quicksand, there exists an icy counterpart that acts similiar within the Everfree. This dangerous plant, known as Wintry Embrace, ensnares any being unfortunate enough to run afoul and eventually freezes them solid. This normally would be of little importance, but it so happened that poor Applebloom landed smack dab into its trap.

She was so preoccupied with getting to Zecora's that she shrieked when her hooves were suddenly frozen to the small patch. "Help! HELP!" the filly screamed. Her struggling against the trap was in vain though as the ice crept faster up her legs. "HELLLLLP!"

The situation was very bleak and growing more so for Applebloom. No pony was around in town and certainly not within the Everfree Forest.

Except for the feared Shoveler who now approached her slowly. The stallion was still covered in thick clothing, dragging along a shovel in his mouth. He didn't say anything as he neared closer and closer.

Applebloom's eyes widened in fear. "NOO! Please, somepony help! The Shoveler's gonna git me!" she cried out.

Her cries would go unheard, sadly, as the ice eventually encased the small filly. Slowly, her vision began to fade as she felt herself losing consciousness.

"Ah told ya'll, Ah'm going back and ya can't stop me!" Applejack proclaimed, cinching the straps on her saddlebags upon her back. The orange mare was absolutely livid and her brother wasn't exactly helping. The two siblings were still situated within the Manehattan train station since they found out Applebloom was left behind. The rest of the Apple family had journeyed over to the Orange's to stay the night.

Big Mac raised a hoof in protest. "AJ, she's fine! We should wait for another train and then we can all go!" the red stallion started.

"Ah am NOT gonna wait a second longer. This never woulda happened if Ah personally checked on Applebloom," Applejack replied. "Shame on ya for trustin' Mushy Core!"

"Ah said Ah was sorry!" her brother quickly responded. He shook his head and stomped a hoof against the floor. "It doesn't matter now, let's just go git her!"

Applejack nodded, pushing her hat tighter onto her head. "'Bout time, had enough chit chat," she replied. Without another word, she abruptly reared onto her hindhooves and launched forward into a full sprint. It took a moment, but her brother soon followed close behind her as they departed the station and galloped towards Ponyville.

'Please let her be safe,' the orange cowpony thought to herself while speeding ahead. Regardless, Big Mac and Applejack were on their way.

Chapter 3: Carol Of The Apples

Foal Alone
Chapter 3: Carol Of The Apples
by WeirdBeard
(Okay, I'll admit it... I'm sane.)

Applebloom slowly opened her eyes. She felt cold and disoriented, but no worse for wear all things considering. Warmth was slowly spreading through her limbs, however, as she registered that she was near a fireplace. A blanket was draped over her small body, but no pony was around for her to question what had happened. What she could tell of her situation was that she now in a living room of a tiny cottage somewhere. The abode was rather humble, a few pictures hanging on the wall and a chair facing the fire. Two doors were along the opposite end of the room with little much else.

The filly racked her mind for clues on where she was. She remembered running away from Flim and Flam, escaping into the Everfree Forest, but beyond that... 'Wait! Ah was frozen in that ice patch with the Shoveler 'bout ta get me! What happened?! Was Ah dreaming?!' Applebloom interrogated herself.

While her musing continued, one of the doors creaked open loudly. The noise alerted the yellow filly and startled her even more to see the Shoveler limping towards her with something in his mouth.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Applebloom screamed. She immediately kicked the blanket off her body and hurriedly scooted away from the intruder. Her forehooves rose to her face in a sordid attempt at protecting herself as she continued to scream, eyes clenched tightly. "Please don't eat me!"

Just when she abandoned all hope and truly thought that this was the end, the filly felt something small pushed towards her. She cautiously opened one eye to peek at what the object was, instead to be surprised that it was a mug of hot chocolate. Perplexed, Applebloom lowered her hooves and looked up at the stallion before her.

His kind expression and welcoming smile eased the filly's fears as well as confused her. The Shoveler wasn't some sort of monster as she had previously thought nor how Big Mac and Applejack had described. Without his thick clothing, he looked just like any other stallion. A thick, silvery mane complimented his gray coat, but both were contrasted completely by his warm golden eyes. Applebloom couldn't help but glance at his backside for a cutie-mark which, sure enough, was a pair of crossed shovels.

"Uhh... thanks," she finally said. The Shoveler watched her expectantly until she finally took a sip of the hot chocolate. Applebloom savored the rich taste and the warming sensation it gave as it traveled down her throat. It wasn't the best hot chocolate ever, but she appreciated it nonetheless. Her eyes returned to the stallion before her. "Did ya save me from that ice?"

The Shoveler simply nodded, still keeping that warm smile. When he didn't say anything, the filly continued. "Thanks fer savin' my life. Ah'm sorry fer screaming at ya like that earlier. My name's Applebloom, what's yer name?" she softly asked.

Instead of answering normally though, the gray stallion waved a hoof at his throat. Applebloom cocked her in confusion, unsure of what he meant. "What's wrong? Something caught in yer throat?” the filly asked.

At her question, the stallion shook his head and instead pointed at his jaw. A rough, jagged scar traced around the higher part of his neck. Though it was healed, it still depicted a painful experience. Applebloom shuddered, but nodded her head understandingly. "What happened?"

In response, the Shoveler nodded to the fireplace mantle. The yellow filly stood up, trotting over to better look at the pictures atop it. Each photo showcased the stallion beside her, along with two ponies that would most likely be his parents. Years separated the pictures, going from foalhood to what must have been a few years ago. One was inside of a family room, another from an outdoor picnic, and another from the groundbreaking for what appeared to be the family business. It seemed that the stallion's talent was generational as well, each pony in the picture possessing a cutie mark that connected with his. Smiles and happy memories radiated from the collection. It was the last frame, though, that caught Applebloom's attention: a newspaper article.

'Tragic accident strikes Slate Factory. Officials are still unable to determine the cause, but a malfunction in the local family business' production line triggered a massive domino effect. Unfinished products were shot out in all directions and issued severe structural damage, but, most unfortunately, claimed the lives of Gray Slate and Ruby Trowel. We mourn such a heavy loss to our community and pray for the sake of their son, Little Slate, who is still in intensive care at Canterlot Medical.'

Applebloom's breath caught in her throat as she pieced together the Shoveler's story. She tried to say something, anything, to reassure the stallion, but nothing seemed appropriate. It wouldn't change what had happened to his family. What bothered her was that he was now viewed as some sort of monster and not as a pony who had been traumatized.

Lightly pressing a hoof to his throat, the Shoveler quietly rasped, "It was my fault."

"What?! No way, it was an accident!" Applebloom protested.

The stallion shook his head slowly. He began to speak, but the action itself cost him a sharp pain. "We had a fight that day. I said a lot of terrible things... and then I shoved my father against the factory machine. I didn't know all that chaos would happen and I couldn't stop it in time. They're gone because of me."

"But it's not yer fault," Applebloom explained. She trotted closer to him and stared up at the stallion until he met her gaze. "Ya can blame yerself all ya want fer what happened, but yer still a good pony. Otherwise Ah'd still be frozen out there. Ya saved my life, Little Slate."

The Shoveler stiffened a bit from the sound of his name, his eyes flickered to the photos atop the fireplace. When he didn't say anything, Applebloom continued. "Arguments and accidents happen, but we can't let them ruin the bonds we have." She measured his expression, waiting to see if she overstepped her bounds. Pointing a hoof at the pictures, she reasoned, "It's the little things that matter in the end. The ponies ya care about and the memories ya make with them, yer fam-,"

Applebloom paused. Family. The word seemed to echo in her mind as she realized she had wished to be alone for Hearth's Warming Eve. Alone for Hearth's Warming Eve, the holiday that was completely dedicated to spending time with loved ones. They should have been back at the farm and-. "THE FARM!" she exclaimed.

Little Slate cocked his head in confusion, but the filly didn't halt her loud epiphany. "Flim and Flam are about ta rob my home! Ah have ta stop them!"

Before the stallion could so much as breath in to voice his concern, Applebloom shot away and out his front door. She galloped through the edge of the Everfree Forest, towards the direction of her home. 'Ah may have ruined my own Hearth's Warming Eve, but Ah'll be darned if Ah let those two nincompoops ruin it fer my family,' she thought defiantly. One way or another, she was going to find a way to save the barn.

Thankfully, the filly had more than a few ideas on how to do so.

"Will you stop that shivering, Flim?! Your teeth are going to fall apart if they keep chattering like that!" the mustached stallion scolded his brother.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Not like I was frozen in a giant ice-cube! Nope, I'm just over-reacting!" Flim argued.

Flam rolled his eyes. "Ugh, stop being such a filly, we've got work to do."

Several hours had passed since they had chased Applebloom out into the forest, Flim had to de-thaw after all, and they were finally ready to ransack the Apple's home. The evening's darkness provided a good cover for the duo, but that hardly mattered since no pony was around anyway. Either way, they approached the farmhouse now with an air of confidence as well as a slight grudge held between themselves. It was almost four in the morning now and neither of the two were as enthused as they once were about revenge.

Just when Flam stepped up the porch and was about to open the door, Flim hurriedly stopped him. "Wait! What if that little brat left something behind since she knew she was a goner."

"Are you off your rocker? She was just a little filly, brother of mine. A filly that we don't have to worry about thanks to the Everfree," the sharper stallion replied.

Flim shook his head. "I'm not risking it! I'll go through the back instead," he said, hopping off the porch and advancing to the rear of the house.

"Ugh, whatever," Flam retorted. He rolled his eyes and raised his hoof to the doorknob. No pony locked their doors in Ponyville, especially during this time of peace in Equestria. It was to the unicorn's shock that he now found it completely jammed shut. Not only that, but now hoof was stuck to the knob. "What sorcery is this?!" he muttered.

He leaned closer to the door and sniffed, a strong familiar scent filling his nostrils. 'Tree sap? Well that's just swell,' Flam thought. He placed his other forehoof against the knob to push himself free. Only to realize his ridiculous mistake now that both his hooves were caught in the sticky substance. "Nancy's trousers, open!" he exclaimed as he smashed his body against the door.

Meanwhile, Flim was having similar misfortune entering the house. He had forced a window open, but was having difficulty fitting his lanky body through the frame. It was a small miracle when he finally squeezed through the opening. Not so miraculous though when his hooves landed upon a floorboard that instantly see-sawed upwards and smacked his face.

"YEOW! Hiney h-!" he shouted, but was cut off as his hindquarters pushed up another floorboard to flatten his nose. Grumbling, the stallion rubbed his head and scooted along the floor instead of walking. He didn't care about the strange, glittery substance that covered his pathway. That is until the effect of the itching powder took its toll upon the unaware unicorn.

Flim began scratching his body, desperately trying to rid the annoying sensation. When that didn't work, he banged against the furniture around the back kitchen with little success. Fortunately, his rudimentary flopping had bumped a jar of something from the table to land in front of him. With anxiety, he read the label out loud, "Anti-itch cream? Oh thank Celestia, yes please."

He immediately removed the lid and began spreading the gel all over his body and mane. It seemed to be working quite well and relief flowed through his senses. Grinning, he looked back at the jar, but found the label had peeled off to reveal something else. "Greasy Gear's Unwanted Hair Remover?" he read skeptically.

Flim dropped the jar and took in a deep breath. "Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!"

On the other side of the house, Flam had managed to escape from the front door trap with a little bit of ingenuity. Or rather, removing the handle from the door yet leaving it stuck on his hooves as he trotteded around. The unicorn recognized his brother's scream and called out, "Flim? What's going on, where are you?"

He ventured on further into the home and entered the living room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as he gazed about the quarters in search of valuables. Now was the time for vengeance, his brother was probably fine anyway. Flam's musings, however, didn't allow him to view the narrow band of ribbon in his path. Continuing on, his expression contorted to one of perplexity as he felt the strange plastic warp to his upper lip and jaw.

"What the-," he said, raising an eyebrow. The unicorn brought his hooves, still adorned with the doorknob, to his face and pulled at the unknown assailant. Whether part of the original trap or just crazy happenstance, the metal scratched against a stitched fuse and set it ablaze. Little did Flam know that he had just ignited a chain of firecrackers right on his face.

Pop! "Ow!" Pop pop pop! "Ow ow!" Popopopopopopopopopop! "OOOWWWWW!!!"

The comedy of errors happening within the living room had reached Flim's ears as he cautiously approached the source. Each step brought more pain to the unicorn, but he trotted on to find his brother in a sorry state akin to his own.

"Flam? I don't think that filly kicked the bucket in the Everf- MOTHER'S BEARD, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR MUSTACHE?!" the now itch-free stallion exclaimed in surprise.

Sure enough, Flam's majestic facial hair was a thing of the past. Now it was simply smoldering stubble on his face. "What happened to me, what happened to you?! You look like that hideous naked mole rat the neighbor kept all those years ago!"

Truth be told, Flim looked worse than that. All of his body hair and mane was completely shed and left him quite pitiful looking. Hairless for Hearth's Warming Eve, what a horrible fate. Before a response could be made though, a younger filly's voice interrupted them.

"Ya stallions give up or are ya thirsty fer more?"

Both Flim and Flam's attention shot up to the height of the staircase behind them. Much like an adorable harbinger of doom, Applebloom proudly stood and smiled at the two. "Ya can just go home ya know."

Flam's stunned reaction rapidly changed to anger, eyes glowing wildly. "You're done for, brat!" he shouted, rushing for the stairs. As he reached the first step, the unicorn heard a loud series of thunks. The noise disrupted his progress and caused him to look back up. To his shock, Applebloom had unleashed a barrage of bowling balls down towards him.

"WHOOAAAAA-OOMPH!" Flam shouted, tripped up by the multiple projectiles and being launched right back into Flim.

Applebloom pounded a hoof in the air and joyfully cheered. "Yesyesyes, steeeerike!"

Her excitement would be short-lived unfortunately, as the brothers soon pushed themselves up and rushed the stairs yet again. She hurriedly fled to the last bedroom with Flim and Flam in hot pursuit. "I'm gonna scalp her and use her bow as a new mustache!" Flam jeered at Flim.

Bursting through her bedroom door, Applebloom galloped to her open window and latched onto the zip-line she had previously set up. Thankfully, all of her evening's preparations were going according to plan Who knew all of her 'failed' attempts at getting a cutie mark while crusading would come in handy so well.

"C'mon slowpokes, ya better catch me before Celestia's real guards get here," she goaded the enraged brothers. Before either had even come close to her, the filly pushed away from the window and sped down the zip-line.

Her safe landing in the yard angered Flam even more. The unicorn was almost to the point of foaming at the mouth, barking to his brother, "Get over here, we have to get her!"

"I don't know, Flam, I'm kinda scared of heights and-" Flim began, but was quickly interrupted by Flam.

"Just do it, you wimp!" the once-mustached stallion yelled.

Soon, the pair had retrieved ropes to use the zip-line and pushed away from the window. Unbeknownst to both brothers, Applebloom was now cutting the anchor point to cause another blunder for them. It wasn't until it was too late that they realized the zip-line had now been severed. Screaming, Flim and Flam plummeted to a painful crash on the ground below them. Seeing her job was finished, the filly turned to retreat to Ponyville. She was sure their fall would leave them dazed for a while.

"Flim, you bonehead," Flam angrily said, smacking a hoof against his brother's bald head. The punch jostled Flim's head and caused his horn to spontaneously fire off shocking spells. To everypony's surprise, one such bolt ricocheted from tree to tree until it collided into Applebloom. Unfortunately for the filly, it was still strong enough to incapacitate her and force her to the ground.

Her eyes turned in their sockets as she looked up from his prone position. Even worse, Flim and Flam eventually entered her line of sight. "Oh how the tables have turned, little brat," Flim chided.

Applebloom was powerless to resist, her body was still seizing up from the spell. To her chagrin, the brothers pulled her up to her hooves and grinned wickedly. "Hold onto her, Flim," Flam commanded his brother. His eyes narrowed at the filly. "You have no idea how much I'm going to enjoy this."

"Don't forget to save some for me, brother of mine," the hairless unicorn reminded.

Applebloom closed her eyes, terrified of the fate that now befell her. 'Ah'm so sorry, everypony. Please forgive me fer that stupid wish. Ah want ta be with ya'll fer Hearth's Warming Eve,' she thought.

Flam's horn radiated brightly, his anger energizing the spell into something far worse. The filly bowed her head in anticipation. She felt it was what she deserved after all.

WHACK!

In a split second, Flam was knocked out cold onto the ground. His horn lost its charge completely and dulled out with his unconsciousness. Flim looked about wildly in the dark and exclaimed, "Oh come on!"

WHACK!

Just like his brother, Flim fell over unconscious from the sudden attack. Applebloom opened her eyes, surprised at the twist of events. It brought her overwhelming joy to find her most recent friend by her side. "Little Slate! Ya saved me! Again!"

The stallion smiled and nodded to the little filly. With barely any effort, he scooped up Applebloom into an embrace. It surprised her, but she quickly returned the gesture.

"Applebloom?!" a mare's voice called out.

Applebloom's ears perked, looking over Little Slate's shoulder to see her big sister. "Applejack!" she exclaimed. She gently eased out of his grasp and galloped towards the orange mare. With little forewarning, the filly pounced into a tackling hug upon her sister. "Ah'm so-so-so-so-so-so-so-so sorry, sis! That was really selfish of me making that stupid wish, can ya ever forgive me?"

Applejack's eyes widened. "Me forgive you? Applebloom, Ah'm the one who should be apologizin'. Are ya okay?" she asked, prodding her little sister.

The filly smiled. "Ah am now, big sis. Ah am now."

"That's good, 'cuz ya have a lot of explainin' ta do, missy!" an elderly voice exclaimed. Applebloom peeked around her sister's hooves to not only find Granny Smith and Big Mac, but the rest of the Apple family as well.

Her grin widened even further, spreading from ear to ear. "Ya'll came back? Fer me?" Applebloom asked.

"Eeyup!" Big Mac replied.

Applejack turned her little sister back around to face her. "That's right, little sis. No Apple gets left behind. 'Specially not on Hearth's Warming Eve," she explained, nuzzling Applebloom's cheek.

The filly's eyes welled up with tears of joy. "Awwwwww. Happy Hearth's Warming Eve, everypony!"

At her jovial shout, every member of the Apple family gathered around and shared in Applebloom's happiness. It took several questions, but eventually Applebloom was able to explain everything that had happened. Even Little Slade was decreed an honorary Apple as they took their party inside the farmhouse. Flim and Flam were promptly detained by royal guards and taken far away from the merriment being held at Sweet Apple Acres. Indeed, everything turned out for the better for little Applebloom. For her, it was the best Hearth's Warming Eve ever.

Yes, even with Mushy Core.

Author's Note

MERRY CHRISTMAS, YA FILTHY ANIMALS!!!!