//------------------------------//
// Silent 
// Story: Hearth Warming's Crusaders Carol 
// by Lethrael 
//------------------------------//

“Granny Belle, where're you?”
We're following an enthusiastic running and yelling aquamarine unicorn foal in a room full of pictures and books. His pink wild mane was flowing around as he speeded up. He even bounced over the ground with huge jumps, very concerned not to step over the lines between the slaps. He looked around, his green eyes gleamed in joy, but as he spotted his grandmare finally he stopped, frowned and silenced fearfully.

Sweetie Belle drifted through old and sometimes long gone friends. Her old body trembled, as she trotted slowly through her old clubhouse on Sweet Apple Acres. How long ago had she visit this place? Of course the grandfoals from Applejack were using it as an exploration place and had redesigned it a lot. But both the wooden marks of Gabby and the crystals of the four Cutie Mark Crusaders had found a place of honour in it. When have she met the two for the last time? Usually they were meeting every other month, but the last meeting was cancelled by Apple Bloom. She was sick. Sweetie shook her head tiredly as a warm hoof laid down on her wrinkled flank. Her eyes behind the glasses lifted and she saw through a curtains of tears. She saw a warm smile from one of oldest remaining friend. The dark Alicorn of the dreams and nights, slightly aged, but in comparison to her untouched by the passing of time, was standing beside here and greeted her with a light bow.
“Somepony needs you in the waking world, Sweetie.
It is time to wake up and to create a nice memory for somepony.
So...”

“Please wake up.
Please Granny Belle!”
A colts voice woke her up. He sounded distraught and tearfully. She opened her tired eyes and tried to find out, where he was, but she could only see a wooden celling above her. She laid in a bed, in her bed, as she recognised the blankets. Somepony touched her face with a shivering small hoof and the little colts voice trembled as he spoke up again.
“She laid on the floor in the library and patted.
Is my Granny okay?”
A calm and well known voice answered.
“I'm afraid she...”
Another voice joined in and tried to lift up the foal.

“You know kiddo.
Sometimes we old mares are getting real tired and quick out of breath. 
You shouldn't worry. 
Go back to the party, would you?”
Sweetie know this voice too. It was her oldest friend. Yes the old pegasus with the orange coat, moderate wings and purple eyes, but grey mane now leaned over her and a smile glanced shortly on her aged face. She turned the head from Sweetie with her wing, so she could see her youngest grandfoal. He hugged her with his small hooves and she tried to return the favour, but her hooves didn't follow her order. He let loose and trotted slowly out of the room.

“What happened?”
Sweetie voice sounded quietly like a whisper and Scootaloo sighed. She took a deep breath and looked away with a small shiver on her body. She suppressed tears.
“I'm afraid you're dying.”
The well known voice returned and a purple light moved her. She was lean against her pillow in a more sitting way, so she could see, which pony else was in the room.
“Princess Twilight?
You're here?”
The alicorn sighed gently and her eyes were tearing up now. Her body didn't look like one day older, as she was as Sweetie was just a filly. She lifted a hoof and wiped away the tears.
“I have too. You knew me.
If the first Cutie Mark Crusader passed out to a new adventure 
I must be there to present the last farewell.”
Tears were streaming down on Twilights face now and she turned around. Scootaloo took another deep breath and put an old hoof on Sweeties side.
“I always thought, I would be the first as always. 
But why would you want to beat me?”
First she smiled, but the last words come out like sops and Scootaloo pressed her eyes shut. She muzzled her friend and buried her face in her coat.
“Apple Bloom is on the way. But she isn't here till tomorrow.
I'm sorry.”
Her mumbled excuse didn't bother Sweetie, but another thing did.
“I don't wont to!
I want to stay just for one more day.
It's Hearth's Warming Eve for crying out loud!”
Sweetie sounded fearful, worried and angry at the same time.  Sure she had prepared herself for this day, but this wasn't fair. She put her hoof around her crying old friend and faced Twilight. The alicorn took a deep breath and wiped away more tears.
“This isn't in my power. Or in any others.
We can't decide not to die.
Death hadn't have any kind of decency for holidays.”

Sweetie sighed calmly and nodded. She sounded even calmer than before.
“How fast would it be?
And does it hurt?”
Twilight shook her head and moved closer to the bed.
“At least there I can comfort you.
It wouldn't hurt.
And I think it would happen within the next hour or two.”
Her voice faded away, as she started to sop and cry again. Sweetie nodded slowly and took deep breath. She caressed gently over the grey mane of her friend and shook her.
“Scootaloo, I need a favour.
Would you call out for Swift Water.
I want to tell him a last story.
About our adventures.”
Scootaloo nodded and wiped her tears away. She strengthened herself and took a deep breath. Finally she flapped her wings and flew as fast as she could out off the door.

“...and so we were secured by the strongest friend of ours. 
Fluttershy was a real tough pony, besides her calm and nice kind of behaviour.”
The young colt looked at her astonished and joyfully, as she finished the story. He yawned and muzzled himself in Sweetie embrace.
“I love your stories, Granny Belle.
Will you tell me one more tomorrow?”
Sweetie sighed and lifted the young foal with her magic. It sparkled and faded away, but Twilight joined quickly in and took over the filly.
“I'm afraid, I'm not able to.
You see. Granny has to take a long nap and won't awake for...”
Sweetie couldn't finished her sentence, the tearing eyes of her youngest grandfoal were to much.  She heard his low voice.
“But I really want to.”
Twilight sighed and took the colt in a tight hug.
“I will tell you every story I know about your Granny.
I promise.”
Sweetie smiled thankfully to her, as she brought the weeping foal out of the room. Scootaloo sighed and stepped closer.
“I know, I can't make you stay, even if I want to.
Farewell Sweetie Belle.
Please greet Rainbow Dash. 
She has to be patient for just a little while.
Oh Sweetie, I will miss you.”
The old Cutie Mark Crusaders shared a final hug, as a galloping pace sounded from the corridor. A great young red stallion burst into the room and laid an old earthpony gently on the ground.
“Am I too late?”
Apple Bloom questioned as she saw the two friends. Scootaloo shook her head and raised her hoof.  The old mare stepped closer and joined in the hug for the last time. Sweetie Belle whispered.
“This is a good present for you, isn't it?
I will miss you too, Scootaloo and you Apple Bloom.
I will search for Rainbow, I will find her and tell her.”
Sweetie Belle felt the warmth in the hug and leaned her face against the shoulders of her friends. She nodded away into a light slumber.

She trotted through very old memories. The dream meeting from the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but this time Luna spoke different.
“You don't think I would miss this?
I never thought, that you will be the first 
I have to give the final dream!”
Luna smiled, but paused and shivered visible. Her eyes were tearing up a little bit and she sighed.
“It's okay.
I think I'm ready.”
Luna shook her head and yelled.
“But I'm not.
I don't want it.
You shouldn't leave us.
But there is nothing I can do, besides this.
Farewell and sleep tight my friend.”
She gave Sweetie a hug, but after a few moments her body become transparent and the sides of the dream turned into white light.
“What happens?”
Sweetie Belle voice faded, as Lunas horn lightened up and her dream changed. She saw her friends, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom as fillies again and her own body was changing into one of a filly too. Both friends were waving at her and smiling bright.
“Sweetie Belle, your comin'?
We want to go to Sugarcube Corner and...”
Sweetie smiled and ran to them. Luna stayed behind, as the little filly galloped away from her and her dream vanished with her.
“I give you your happiest memories for your final dream Sweetie. 
Dream happily.
This is my last present for you!”
The black alicorn started to weep and turned away.

Well this is it.
Past, Present and future.
Three fillies and three ghosts.
May the fire of friendship be in your hearts.
Happy Holidays.