Episode 37 – Hearth's Warming Eve
Something felt strange. I slowly opened my eyes to see a flurry of snow travel past my window. I sat up and looked out, seeing snow everywhere. It's Hearth's Warming Eve… l wonder what the girls are going to do for today?
After hesitating for a moment, I finally escaped from the temptation of slumber and walked downstairs. Before I could open the door, rapid and loud knockings were pummeled on it, causing me to jump a little and open it.
"Hey, Alex!" All six of the girls exclaimed happily, causing me to form a smile.
"Hi, girls. What's got all of you so excited?"
"Princess Celestia selected us to be in the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant!" Twilight answered.
I exited my home and walked alongside with them. "Really? Hm…" I formed a slight saddened/worried face.
Applejack noticed. "What's wrong? Don't ya want to be in an awesome play in front of a bunch of ponies?"
"That's just it…I don't think I'm alright with being in front of many ponies…" I sighed. "I'll probably get stage fright…"
Rainbow Dash flew over to me. "Don't worry about it! We're your friends and we'll help you get through it!"
Fluttershy flew to me as well. "Yes. I don't like going onstage, but at least we'll be together." She released a warm smile that seemed to be able to melt the snow around her.
I smiled warmly as well. "Thanks…"
Pinkie Pie perked up. "Hey, everypony! Let's hurry and get to the train station already!"
"Yeah!" They all agreed, and I joined them in their galloping towards the train station.
Once we boarded, we saw the mayor board in the front of the train, along with some other ponies as well. We stayed almost at the end of the train. We waited for a few minutes as the girls excitedly talked until the train began moving and leaving Ponyville. I opened the window and looked out. I could see Canterlot in the distance as the snow continued to rain down softly. The girls behind me began laughing and talking. I smiled at their behavior and resumed looking out the window. However, something caught my eye. In a small room above the cart the mayor and some other ponies were in, revealed a friend poking her head out happily with crossed eyes. I smiled at her sight and decided I could probably go talk to her. I removed my head and hooves from outside the window and looked at Fluttershy.
"I'll be back in a few minutes, alright?" I said.
"Mmk." She responded, giving me a quick kiss before I started my way to where Derpy was at.
When I walked to the first cabin, I climbed upstairs and spotted Derpy as she continued to gaze out the window.
"Derpy? I didn't know you were heading to Canterlot too."
"Alex?" She turned around and revealed a grin. "Hi! I'm going to Canterlot because I'm going to play an important role in the Hearth's Warming Eve play!"
"Really?" I responded, intrigued. "Who are you going to play as?"
"Oh, I'm not going to be performing in the play, I'm going to be backstage, helping the other ponies get ready for when they go on stage!" She formed a slight frown. "It's a shame though… I really would have loved being a character for the play…"
"Well…why aren't you then?" I asked.
She drifted her hoof on the ground and looked at them. "They told me that I'd mess up the entire play up because I'm so clumsy…"
"What…?" I responded with a slightly puzzled expression. "Come on…"
"It's true. I can't handle things as good as other ponies. Like this one time, I accidentally dropped all this heavy stuff from a moving truck… I was so embarrassed…"
"Derpy…"
She perked up. "It's alright though, Alex, really! I'm just glad I'll be able to help!" She smiled brightly.
I smiled a bit, but felt serious at the same time. "Alright then… just don't let anypony stop you from being who you really are…and what you really want to do."
"Thanks, Alex. I'll remember that! What about you? Are you going to be playing someone in the play?"
"Um…I think so. I'm not sure yet."
"Well then, you'll do great!"
I smiled. "Thanks, Derpy…"
"No problem, Alex!" She returned a bright smile.
"I guess I'll see you backstage?"
"Yep!"
"Alright…See you later then."
"Goodbye!"
I waved and headed back to the cabin the girls were in.
Just as I entered, the room grew dark a couple of times when the train traveled through the mountains. I heard the train whistle several times, and Twilight began looking out the window in amazement. "We're getting closer!" She excitedly announced.
Rainbow Dash opened her window and looked out as well. "I can hardly wait!"
Fluttershy joined them. "I'm so excited, I-I feel like shouting! Woo hoo!" She cheered in the most soft yet adorable voice.
"Whooowee! Canterlot, here we come!" Applejack shouted in the snowy environment.
"Oh, I do hope I look festive enough!" Rarity added, wearing a small miniature tree as her hat, which contained ornaments and decorations already.
Pinkie Pie suddenly popped out from underneath the top of her tree. "There it is! Canterlot!"
"Oooh..." The girls released as we neared closer to the city.
"Isn't it beautiful, Alex?" Fluttershy asked me as she wrapped a hoof around mine.
I smiled lightly. "Yeah…" I looked towards her. "I'm glad I'm coming to Canterlot with all of you. At least we won't be around those snooty ponies."
She giggled lightly and nodded.
Once we arrived at the stop, everypony on the train left, and we trailed behind them. When we stepped out, the train whistled a few more times and began leaving the station.
"Oh, isn't Canterlot wonderful this time of year?" Twilight commented as we all looked around and gazed at the scenery. Pinkie Pie hopped beside us.
"Yeah, I wish it was Hearth's Warming Eve every day." Rainbow Dash added.
As we inched closer to the main part of town, I couldn't help but feel really…warm and special inside. I was with my best friends, and we were out here in the beautiful winter. It felt as if I was the happiest, but calm, pony in the world.
"There's so much to look at! I feel like my durned eyes are gonna pop right out of my head!" Applejack commented in town.
I could see several ponies in the background, but mostly I saw a huge decorated tree, bells, and many decorations! "You're absolutely right there, Applejack…" I added.
"I have an idea; let's play 'I spy with my little eye' as we walk!" Twilight announced. "I'll go first. I spy..." Twilight began looking around. "…an eight-foot candy cane."
I looked towards where Twilight was facing and saw that huge candy cane she was talking about. Scootaloo and another filly were trying to pull their tongues off of it, causing me to chuckle.
"I spy a snowpony!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, causing us to turn our heads towards a pony who was just finishing placing on a hat for it.
"I spy somepony eating a gingerbread house...!" Pinkie Pie waved her hooves excitedly and sped towards a nearby shop, returning with a large gingerbread house and chomping down on the whole treat. "...and it's me!" She spoke as she munched with cheeks full.
The girls laughed and I smiled warmly as she munched loudly.
"C'mon, guys. We better head over to the theater and rehearse a bit before the seats fill up." Twilight advised.
We nodded and followed her towards the performing area.
Backstage, the girls were beginning to dress themselves while I remained clueless.
"Alex, you've heard of the tale we put on for Hearth's Warming Eve, right? On how Equestria was made?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah, of course…" I answered. "But…what exactly am I supposed to do in the play? Who am I playing as?"
"Oh!" Twilight pulled out a scroll. "Here!" She brought it towards me. I caught it with my teeth and placed it on a nearby table. "Princess Celestia has a special role for you. She thought she would add an exclusive part for you, considering it follows on with the story well."
I analyzed the script and raised an eyebrow. "The Long Lost Alicorn of Reasoning…? "
"Yup! She thought it would be perfect for you to try to reason with the tree tribes, since you're the voice of reasoning in our friendship…"
"…Twilight… I don't have wings or a horn…"
"Here!" She placed artificial wings and a horn on me, which she retrieved from the box of costumes nearby. "They look pretty real, don't you think?"
I looked at the sides of my body and my head, sighing slightly. "Yeah… I guess… But how am I supposed to fly or cast magic?"
She giggled. "That's all a part of the special effects!"
"You're the boss…"
"Aw, cheer up! Look at the rest of the script. Princess Celestia was really careful and thoughtful with your feelings, so she basically made it just for you!"
I continued reading, and I grew intrigued, raising an eyebrow and even smiling a bit. "I can work with this…" I replied, looking back at Fluttershy who was staring nervously into the mirror.
However, my ears slightly twitched when I began to hear a slowly growing noise outside the curtains. Walking past ponies setting up the stage for the performance, I poked my head outside the curtains and noticed the gigantic crowd outside, talking and waiting for the show to start. I began to feel nervous, but that died when I saw a pony near me. She poked the front of her body out of the curtains and waved happily towards the crowd. It was Derpy. Her actions made me smile. Sadly, another pony came by and tapped her on her back. She turned around, still containing that joyous face with crossed eyes. Nonetheless, the pony pointed away from the curtains, causing her to gloomily walk away with a sour face and scrunched nose. I patted her back, hopefully cheering her up. She saw me and smiled again. She continued walking so she could do whatever she needed to. I returned back to the dressing room to see many other mares dressing for their parts.
"I can't believe that Princess Celestia chose us to put on the most important play of the season! Do you guys know what an honor this is? For all of us?" Twilight shared, closing her eyes while Rarity puffed her cheeks with powder.
"It's a little weird…" I said, looking around and noticing the dressing room full of mares.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Well…I'm pretty much the only guy in here…"
Twilight giggled. "Don't worry, Alex. It'll be fine."
"Oh, I wish she hadn't honored me quite so much... I can't go onstage! I don't want everypony looking at me!" Fluttershy commented, almost in a panicked tone. After, she sped towards the box full of colorful scarves and hid her head inside.
"Fluttershy, darling, there's nothing to feel nervous about." Rarity began comforting her.
"No?" She pulled her head out.
Rarity grabbed her and began pushing her back towards the mirror. "Of course not." Using her magic, she grabbed the brush and ran it through Fluttershy's hair. "All across Equestria, ponies are preparing their own pageants for Hearth's Warming Eve," She grabbed some mascara and used it on Fluttershy's eyelashes. "…in their own towns. It's tradition."
"So you're saying they'll be too busy to come to our play?" Fluttershy asked, replacing the frown with a ray of hope.
"Well no. We're in the Canterlot pageant, the biggest, most important production in all of Equestria. A lot of ponies will come to watch us." She puffed Fluttershy's face as well.
"A lot?" Her frown returned.
"Hundreds."
"Hundreds?" She began trembling in fear.
Rarity gasped. "Maybe even thousands!"
Fluttershy yelped and hid herself back in the box.
"Alright, that's enough 'comforting', Rarity." I told her. "I'll go have a talk with her." I walked towards her as she continued to cower inside the costumes. "Hey, Fluttershy…"
She poked her head out and noticed me. "Oh…hi, Alex… I don't think I can go out there…"
I smiled lightly and pulled her away from the box. I lightly caressed her while continuing to speak to her. "I know how you feel, Fluttershy… but I'm sure that everything will be alright because I'm with my friends…and look at this." I presented the script to her. "Look at what happens."
She read it and smiled lightly while blushing a little. "That sounds nice…"
"Mm-hm." I placed the script away and gave her a quick kiss. "Don't be nervous. We'll all be together."
She nodded. "Okay."
Suddenly, we were interrupted when a gush of wind, along with snow, blew throughout the whole room.
"Oh, my hair!" Rarity exclaimed. "Applejack? Be a dear and shut those windows, will you?" She pointed towards the windows.
As Applejack had just finished placing on her costume, she began walking towards the open windows, annoyed, to close them until she heard Rainbow Dash nearby. "Aaah, Rain-bow-Dash! Rain-bow-Dash! Aaaah! Thank you, thank you!" She created her own noises that simulated the crowd's cheering.
"It's a reenactment of the founding of Equestria. It's not the 'Rainbow Dash Show'!" Applejack held her hoof on the window, but didn't close them.
Rainbow Dash lowered herself with a bored expression and looked at Applejack. "Well it should be the 'Rainbow Dash Show'! I'm the star!"
"The star?" I included myself. "We're all of equal importance in the play, Rainbow Dash…"
"Curtain in two minutes!" Spike announced from the curtains.
"My hair!" Rarity shouted.
"Alex is right." Applejack explained to Rainbow Dash. "The Hearth's Warming Eve pageant is about harmony and friendship."
"Shut the window!" The others girls exclaimed.
I sighed and threw the windows closed, almost harshly. I looked at them all seriously. "Come on, girls. Now's not the time for fighting. Remember, Princess Celestia chose us, no pony else but us, to represent friendship and harmony in the play. You don't want to disappoint her, do you?"
"No…" They sadly answered with lowered heads.
"Exactly, now get your acts together and prove to Princess Celestia what true friendship is!"
"Yeah!" They exclaimed and clapped hooves.
Twilight smiled and faced me. "You prove my point exactly…"
I returned a slightly confused face, but then remembered what she told me and figured out what she meant by that.
We prepared ourselves by the stage curtains and waited for our cue. The curtains opened to reveal Spike near a fireplace, beginning to tell the tale of how Equestria was founded. "Once upon a time, long before the peaceful rule of Celestia, and before ponies discovered our beautiful land of Equestria, ponies did not know harmony." He began with a faux British accent. "It was a strange and dark time. A time when ponies were torn apart, by hatred." The audience gasped, especially Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo, who were in the very front, near the stage. "I know. Can you believe it?" He commented in his normal voice. Then, he returned to his accent and continued speaking. "During this frightful age, each of the three tribes, the Pegasi," The spotlight shone on the winged ponies. "…the unicorns," It shone on them as well. "…and the Earth ponies," Finally, it shone on them. "…cared not for what befell the other tribes, but only for their own welfare. However, rumor has it that another special pony roamed the land…"
"There's your cue! Go!" Twilight whispered to me and lightly shoved me.
"But what about the—
"I've got it, just go!"
I took a quick deep breath and jumped towards the revealed part of the stage. Magic engulfed my artificial wings, causing them to flap and I began flying in mid-air. I was presented in the spotlight in the middle of the stage.
"His name was Alexander the Great." This name caused me to mentally chuckle. Really, Celestia…? "He was a magnificent and majestic Alicorn, not known by any other ponies. However… he may have actually been the one to save all of the tribes from a terrible fate…" Afterwards, when Spike finished, I flew back towards the side of the stage, where Twilight congratulated me.
"In those troubled times, as now, the Pegasi were the stewards of the weather." The curtain opened to reveal Pegasi shaking a cardboard cloud, which formed snow beneath it. "But, they demanded something in return. Food that could only be grown by the Earth ponies." They had removed the cloud and brought out a cardboard sun and a background of fields. The Pegasi brought out their hooves to retrieve the food from the Earth ponies, who could only return angry expressions as their complexion was not as healthy looking as the others, possibly from working so hard.
I noticed the audience whisper about the scene. The Earth ponies had no choice but to give them their food and return the same expression. Then, came out the unicorns. "The unicorns demanded the same, in return for magically bringing forth day and night. And so, mistrust between the tribes festered, until one fateful day, it came to a boil. And what prompted the ponies to clash? 'Twas a mysterious blizzard that overtook the land, and toppled the tribes' precarious peace."
Thus, houses were shown as the Earth ponies desperately tried to find some food that might have been buried under the snow that surrounded them. "The normally industrious Earth ponies were unable to farm their land." A pony was shown discovering something, but it turned to a burnt crisp and floated away. Not only did it blow that away, its heavy winds blew the pony, even the whole house off. It easily turned out the fire, causing the ponies to heavily shiver and shake in the horrible blizzard. "The Earth ponies were freezing. The home of the Pegasi fared no better. The Pegasi were hungry. And the unicorns were freezing and hungry. Even the unicorns' magic was powerless against the storm. Each tribe blamed the others for their suffering, and the angrier everypony grew, the worse the blizzard became. And so it was decided that a grand summit would be held to figure out a way to cope with the blizzard."
The inside of a huge old-fashioned building was shown as the ponies of different descents gathered up for a meeting. "Each tribe sent their leaders." Fanfare played. "Daughter of the unicorn king, Princess Platinum." Rarity walked in, wearing many shiny and stylish things. Fanfare continued to play as Rainbow Dash walked in as well. "Ruler of the Pegasi, Commander Hurricane. And lastly..." Fanfare played once more, but with kazoos. "...leader of the Earth ponies, Chancellor Puddinghead." Pinkie Pie presented herself as she blew out confetti. "Perhaps the three tribes could finally settle their differences, and agree on a way to get through this disaster."
Just as the three of the looked at each other seriously, as if they were preparing to have a calm discussion about the issues they faced, instead, they began babbling insanely and unorganized.
"All I wanna know is why the Earth ponies are hogging all the food!" Rainbow Dash demanded, stomping her hoof on the table.
The Pegasi joined her as they shouted in agreement.
"Us? We're not hogging all the food, you are!" Pinkie Pie counterattacked. "Oh wait. You're right. It's us. Well, it's only 'cause you mean old pegasusususes are making it snow like crazy!"
"For the hundredth time, it's not us! We're not making it snow! It must be the unicorns! They're doing it with their freaky magic!"
Rarity gasped. "How dare you! Unlike you Pegasi ruffians, we unicorns would never stoop to such a thing! H-m-ph!"
The unicorns joined her.
"Well, if you non-earths aren't gonna stop using your weirdo powers to freeze us all, then I'm just plum out of ideas."
"What a shocker. An Earth pony with no ideas."
"Commander Hurricane, please cease with the insults!"
"You're not the boss of me, your royal snootiness!" Rainbow Dash flew up to Rarity's face.
"I beg your pardon? I am a princess!" Rarity placed her crown upside down. "I won't be spoken to that way!"
Following the script, I immediately opened the doors with my hooves and walked in. "Stop!" I shouted, causing for the whole building to grow immediately quiet. I continued walking in towards the table which the three stood. "You're going at this all wrong! You three need to stop arguing and come up with a solution to fix the mess you're in!"
"Pfft!" Rainbow Dash answered. "And who are YOU supposed to be?"
"That isn't important. What's important is to cease you're ignorant behavior!"
"Oh, really? And why should we listen to you?" After noticing me a bit more, Rainbow Dash squinted her eyes. "Wait a minute… you have wings! You're supposed to be with us!"
"No!" Rarity counterattacked. "Can't you see he has a horn? That means he's with us!"
"No!" Pinkie Pie intervened. "He has both! That means… he's with US!"
"Stop this now!" I exclaimed. "Forget about what I have! Concentrate on what you need to do!"
"Why should we listen to some freak with wings and a horn?" Rainbow Dash responded, harshly. "Hey! Maybe he's the one who's causing this storm!"
"What?" I answered with shock.
"Yeah! Maybe he's just a meanie who wants to be a meanie to others!" Pinkie Pie added.
"No! You must listen to me!" I tried to persuade them, but they resumed their stubbornness.
"Guards! Get him!" Rainbow Dash commanded them, causing them to fly over to me. I quickly jumped and flew in the air, causing the guards to bump into each other instead and fall dazed.
"You have to learn to be friends and live in harmony!" I still tried to persuade them.
"Shut up, freak!" Rainbow Dash replied and they all began chasing after me. I had no choice but to run and flee the scene.
"And so, Alexander was forced to leave the others to continue arguing." Spike continued his narrative. "The three of them tried to find him once he fled, but he had disappeared… At that time… they did not know that the one pony that could have prevented the mess that resumed afterwards, was turned away by their ignorance. And the blizzard raged on…
So the summit of the tribes did not turn out as well as hoped, and the three leaders returned home to lick their wounds, and basically complain, while Alexander the Great's location could only remain a mystery…"
Rainbow Dash returned back home. Fluttershy was resting on a cloud until Rainbow Dash ordered her off. "Atten-tion!" Fluttershy was startled and immediately saluted, but this caused her to fall off the cloud and stand back up in a daze. "Well? Aren't you curious about how it went?"
"Oh! Commander Hurricane, sir! How did it go, sir?" Fluttershy walked towards the bottom of the stairs where Rainbow Dash stood above.
"Horribly!" Rainbow Dash kicked a pile of snow which landed on top of Fluttershy's hat. "Those other tribe leaders are so disrespectful! Don't they realize that we are a mighty tribe of warriors, and should not be crossed?" She flicked her hoof up, causing Fluttershy to spin around and fall down the stairs. "We have got to break ranks with those weak foals!"
On the other hoof, Rarity was back at her kingdom, shivering dramatically. "Clover the Clever! I need you!"
"Yes, your majesty." Twilight answered, wrapping a blanket around Rarity. "Did the other pony tribes see reason as I predicted?"
"Those other tribes are impossible!" Rarity exclaimed as she shut the doors. "I, for one, can no longer bear to be anywhere near those lowly creatures." As Rarity rested on a pillow, Twilight brought a bucket of water with narrowed eyes. "The unicorns are noble, and majestic. We will no longer consort with the likes of them!" She slammed her hooves in the water after, even causing a drop of water to splash on Twilight's nose.
Next, Pinkie Pie fell through the chimney and landed back at her home. Applejack noticed this. "Wouldn't it have been easier to use the door, Chancellor?"
"Maybe for you, Smart Cookie. But I am a chancellor. I was elected because I know how to think outside the box. Which means…" She placed her head back in the chimney, causing her voice to echo. "I can also think inside the chimney. Can you think inside a chimney?"
"Uh—
"I didn't think so." Pinkie Pie interrupted, walking past her with her face full of soot.
"Ugh."
"Ohmygosh. Hold on to your hooves – I am just about to be brilliant!"
Applejack muttered under her breath as Pinkie smiled brightly. "That'd be a first…"
"I have decided that the Earth ponies are gonna go it alone!"
"Aw, so you mean the other tribes didn't come around? Shoot... I really thought we could get through to 'em if we—
"Don't worry about them." Pinkie interrupted again. "We're the ones with all the food, right?"
"Actually, we're all out…"
"Fine, then we'll have to go somewhere new where we can grow some new food. And with me as our fearless leader, what could go wrong?" She opened the door, which caused a pile of snow to tumble on her.
"Where should I start?" Applejack muttered under her breath again.
"The point is..."
"We must find a new land!" The three leaders exclaimed confidently in unison.
In Rainbow Dash's side, she was flying as Fluttershy trailed behind. She noticed and immediately flew towards her. "C'mon, Private Pansy, let's get a move on! Hup-one, hup-two!"
Lightning cracked, causing Fluttershy to yelp and hop onto Rainbow Dash's hooves. "Get a hold of yourself, Private! We cannot let anything distract us from the mission at hand. To find, and if necessary, to conquer a new land!" She began pushing Fluttershy ahead.
"Conquer, sir?" She questioned.
"You never know where enemies might be lurking…"
"I don't see any enemies, Commander. Just... snow."
"A-ha! What's that?" Rainbow Dash pointed and fought with a black cloud that appeared to be a monster. Fluttershy looked behind her and spotted a small piece of that cloud float near her. She instantly yelped and hopped onto Rainbow Dash's hooves again. "Okay. This is getting old…"
I made my entrance and flew over to the two. Rainbow Dash spotted me and narrowed her eyes in anger. "You again? Why, I aughta…" She began trying to fight me, but I swiftly dodged her attacks.
"Listen to me! I'm trying help all of you ponies live together in harmony!" I responded while she continued to try to hit me with her hoof.
"Why would we want to live together with the Unicorns and Earth ponies? They are just a buncha liars and thieves!"
"Uh…Commander…maybe we should listen to him…" Fluttershy released softly.
"No!"
"She's right!" I intervened. "You're only going to make this blizzard worse if you continue to fight and argue with the others! You have to come to an agreement!"
"Shut it! Come on, Private!" Rainbow Dash continued flying.
Fluttershy flew over to me with a different expression on her face. "Do you really know how to stop the blizzard…?"
"Yes…but everypony has to work together…"
"…" Fluttershy slightly blushed. "I think I—
"MOVE IT PRIVATE!"
"Eek!" Fluttershy shrieked and instantly flew over to Rainbow Dash.
I tried to reason with her again. "You have to listen!"
"Lalalalalala! I can't hear you! Lalalalala!" Rainbow Dash had placed her hooves on her ears and pretended to not hear me.
I groaned loudly and flew out of there. I was now supposed to try to reach out to the Unicorns.
Rarity and Twilight were on the snowy ground. "Oh, this is simply taking forever. My hooves are killing me! How long have we been walking for?" Rarity whined.
"About five minutes, your highness." Twilight revealed the castle behind them.
"Oh, I never imagined finding a new land would be so hard. But it'll all be worth it, don't you agree?"
"I actually think that the three tribes could've tried harder. "
"Stoooooop!" Rarity suddenly cried out.
"What's wrong?" Twilight immediately trotted over to her.
"That is what's wrong!" She pointed towards a little stream.
"Your highness, it's just a stream. We can cross it easily." Twilight explained, stepping over the rocks.
"I refuse to get my gown wet. I have no intention of arriving at my new land looking like a bedraggled Earth pony, or worse yet a rough-and-tumble Pegasus. I, for one, have no intention of stooping down to their level." Rarity faced away from the stream. "On the other hand, I have no trouble watching you stoop down."
Twilight groaned and rolled her eyes. Rarity then climbed on Twilight and rode her, even having a rope tied to Twilight's mouth. "And do watch the gown, darling. It's worth more than all of the books in your library."
I entered the scene, landing from my wings and walking towards them. "I have come to speak the terms of agreement with you two."
"Ugggghhhh!" Rarity groaned. "Can't you just leave us alone?"
"Hold on, your highness. Who is he?" Twilight asked.
"Just some ruffian. Let us be off."
"But he has a horn AND wings!"
"So?"
"So, I think he might be on to something!"
"…I am" I answered. "I'm trying to get all the tribes to agree to help other. But of course their stubbornness is preventing them from doing so. If all of you don't stop arguing, the blizzard will only become worse and worse!"
Twilight gasped but Rarity shrugged it away. "Oh please, what do you know?"
"I know enough to save all of you from freezing doom!"
"Your highness, I highly recommend we listen to him." Twilight advised.
"Don't be ridiculous! Now keep moving before some ruffians take our land first!"
"But your highness—
"Move! Or you get no new books when we arrive."
Twilight sighed and continued walking. "Sorry…"
I sighed heavily and only watched as they continued to leave. "Won't anypony listen?" I exclaimed and flew out of the area.
The last place was with the Earth ponies.
Pinkie Pie contained the map on her face as she had ripped holes to see and speak. She led Applejack in circles. "Yes, yes. This is definitely the right direction."
"It feels like we're going in circles." Applejack responded.
"But that's impossible." A circle of hooves were planted on the ground. "Are you suggesting that I'm reading the map wrong?"
"Absolutely not, your chancellorness. It's just that there are holes in the map, and—
"Of course! How else could I see where I was going?" Pinkie Pie began walking.
"Yeah, uh—
"Or talk?" Pinkie Pie almost walked over a cliff as pieces of snow fell off. "I need to be able to talk! I mean, how would we survive if I just suddenly shut up?"
"Heaven forbid that should happen, your chancellorship, heh. It's just that... the map is also upside down…"
"I got a newsflash for you, Cookie. The Earth is round. There is no up or down."
"You're right! It's such a relief to me that you're in charge of this map..." Applejack announced sarcastically as Pinkie Pie walked off.
"Relief?" She quickly walked backwards back to Applejack. "You don't need relief! If anypony needs relief around here it's me! I'm a chancellor! I'm a bigshot! You're just my, um... my, uh..."
"Secretary."
"Whatever." She grabbed the map with her mouth and placed it inside. Then, she spat it out onto Applejack's face. "You take the map, while I enjoy some relief." She walked off.
"Yes, Chancellor Puddinghead…"
Pinkie Pie, not watching where she was going, fell off the cliff, but I entered and caught her, bringing her back to the mountain and surprising Applejack.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the big meanie!" Pinkie Pie announced.
"Chancellor… he just saved your life…"
"What are you talking about? I'm fine! See?" She hopped around.
"That's because he placed you back on the mountain."
"…Whatever! What I want to know is what he's doing here!" She pointed at me.
I sighed. "I'm here to attempt to get you Earth ponies on my side…"
"On your side? What do you mean?" Applejack asked, concerned.
"E-pup-pup. I'll do the talking!" Pinkie Pie interfered.
"The blizzard is being caused by all the tribes arguing and fighting! If we are to be rid of this blizzard, we have to stop all this nonsense and be friendly towards one and another!"
"He's not a meanie…" Pinkie Pie responded, widening her eyes. After a moment, she narrowed them in anger. "He's a CRAZY meanie!"
"Crazy?" I replied in confusion.
"Let's go, Secretary! We're wasting our time with some crazy and weird looking pony."
"But Chancellor!" Applejack tried to reason.
"Ah! Less talking! More map reading!"
Thus, Applejack groaned and had no choice to follow her.
As I left the stage, holding my head down in disappointment, the curtains began to drop, and Spike continued to narrate. "Though, Alexander tried his best to win over the three tribes, each of them only returned stubborn responses. And so, each leader encountered obstacles along the way, but eventually, they all arrived in a new and wondrous land…" Spike presented the scenery behind him, which was supposed to represent the land. "Nopony had ever seen paradise before."
"This is the new land we've been searching for!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed joyfully as she bounced on the clouds.
"What a view... I can see my future house from here." Fluttershy pointed towards the ground.
"I proclaim this new land to be..." Rainbow Dash pulled out a flag and placed it on the cloud. "Pegasopolis!"
"I've never seen such jewels!" Rarity was analyzing a pile of jewels on the land. "This ruby is dazzling. This whole land is dazzling. I'm double dazzled!" She squealed as she planted herself near the pile of gems. "In the name of the unicorns, I hereby dub this land Unicornia!" A flag was planted between Twilight and her.
"The air! The trees! The dirt." Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she rubbed herself on the pile of dirt. "This dirt is the dirtiest dirt in the whole dirt world!"
"And fertile, too." Applejack added, holding a pile of dirt in which a seed grew from inside. "Perfect for growing food."
"In the name of the Earth ponies, I think I'm gonna call this new place... uh... Dirtville."
"How about… 'Earth'?" Applejack corrected.
"Earth! Congratulations to me for thinking of it." She bowed, causing her hat to fall off as Applejack could only returned annoyed eyes. From her hat, sprouted a flag as well.
"We found our new home!" The three leaders shouted in unison, but this caused them to be notified of their presences, revealing that they were only short distances away from each other.
"I planted my flag first!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, defensively.
"Did not!" Rarity argued.
"Did too!"
"I planted mine earlier than first." Pinkie Pie intervened, planting her hooves on the ground which caused her flag to easily fall like a toothpick.
"All of you riff-raff are trespassing in Unicornia!" Rarity cried out.
"The name is Pegasopolis!"
"Earth!"
"Pegasopolis!"
"Unicornia!"
"I say we fight for the land." Rainbow Dash offered. "May the best pony win!"
Winds began to blow through the land.
"That's barbaric." Rarity responded and grabbed Twilight. "Clover the Clever? Throw that brute into the dungeon!"
"What dungeon?" Twilight asked, confused. "Look, perhaps if we all calmed down..."
"I agree. Let's all calm down." Applejack added.
"I vote for calm." Fluttershy raised her hoof.
"I'll have you court-martialled for insubordination, Private!" Rainbow Dash reacted to Fluttershy, creating more wind and chilliness to appear in the land. "We settle this on the battlefield!"
A snowball was thrown at Rainbow Dash, causing Rarity to laugh until she was whacked with a snowball as well. As Rarity steamed, Rainbow Dash began laughing at her.
"Who dares throw a snowball at royalty?" She demanded.
Pinkie Pie was revealed to be the one with the snowballs, but then it puzzled her as well. "Wait a minute, where'd all this snow come from anyway?"
"Oh no. Not again." Rainbow Dash expressed as the entire area began filling with snow.
The curtain fell and Spike began speaking.
"And so the paradise that the ponies had found was soon lost, buried beneath a thick blanket of snow, and hard feelings. Instead of beautiful, it was blizzardy. Instead of wonderful, it was wintry! Instead of spectacular, it was snow-tacular! Instead of—
"We get it! Move on!" A pony from the audience yelled out.
Spike laughed nervously and cleared his throat. "Everypony was forced to seek shelter. They searched high and low, but the only shelter for miles was a cold and desolate cave." The curtain opened to reveal the cave, along with the girls inside. "And, of course, the three tribes had to share it, and nopony was too happy about that. Would Alexander the Great be able to save them from the horrible effect of frost?"
"Please, Commander Hothead." Rarity began as they faced off with each other.
"It's Commander Hurricane." Rainbow Dash corrected.
Rarity cleared her throat. "Please, Commander, could you just stand back and give me my royal space?" She pointed towards the ground.
"You mean like this, your highness?" Rainbow Dash purposely placed a hoof in front of Rarity.
"Indeed not!" Rarity repeated her motion. Then, she placed her face near the ground. "You see this invisible line?"
"Private? Outline our territory for everypony to see." Fluttershy began following her order and planted her hoof on the ground. Then, Rainbow Dash grabbed her as she flew and began moving her, creating a line in the dirt. "See this real, non-invisible line? No unicorns or Earth ponies are allowed to cross it!" The line extended between half the cave. "This is the sovereign territory of Pegasopolis!"
"Clover the Clever?" Rarity called.
"Uh... Smart Cookie!" Pinkie Pie called as well.
"I know, I know." Applejack replied.
They began creating their own line too, but Twilight came across Applejack. They looked at each other and nervously began going the other way. Meanwhile, Fluttershy came across a rock as she continued to create the line. She saw this and moved her hoof to the left, giving the others the rock space.
"What are you doing?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Don't go around the rock, go over it! I'm not giving up an inch of territory to the enemy!"
Rarity ran over to the scene. "That rock is clearly on the Unicornia side of the cave, and it belongs to us!" She inched her head closer to Twilight, who walked over. "Who knows, there could be jewels inside." She muttered under her breath.
Rainbow Dash grunted as she kicked the rock over to her side. "I claim this rock for Pegasopolis!"
"Unhand that rock this instant, you scoundrel!" Rarity demanded.
Pinkie Pie ran over to Rainbow Dash, noticing the rock below her. "Oh look, you found my rock. I've been looking for it everywhere." She picked up the rock with her teeth and ran away.
"Hey! You invaded our territory!"
Pinkie Pie placed the rock on the side where Applejack was. "Finders keepers, losers weepers!"
"That's the last straw!" Rainbow Dash assured, placing her hoof down. After, she began walking over to Pinkie as she picked up the rock and looked at Rarity, who was on the other side.
"Give me my rock!" She commanded, causing Pinkie Pie to run.
As soon as they began fighting over the rock, I noticed my cue and flew in through the cave.
"Stop!" I ordered. They all halted their running and looked at me in surprise. "Look at yourselves!" I directed at Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. "You all are acting like a bunch of children when you are supposed to be leading your tribes! Yet, you're running around, fighting for a rock? You know… I don't find it a surprise that the blizzard came here in the first place… Ponies are just fighting for the little pieces… If you three leaders want this blizzard to disappear, I suggest you stop fighting and work things out, now."
It remained quiet for a moment.
"I agree!" Twilight raised her hoof and walked over to me.
"Me too!" Applejack followed Twilight's motion and joined us.
"As do I…" Fluttershy shyly flew to me.
The three leaders continued to stand still and look at each other. They all frowned but then smiled, almost growing tears in their eyes. They began nodding in agreement until Pinkie Pie spoke up. "So does this mean that the rock is mine?"
Rainbow Dash and Rarity looked at her and before we knew it, they began running around and arguing as they were before I came in. Twilight placed a hoof on her face and shook her head. I sighed and shook my head as well. They each "invaded" each other's side of the line and mocked them.
As expected, the wind began increasing in the cave, bringing the temperature a lot lower inside. A cloud formed above us while the three leaders continued to argue, despite the changing surroundings. Then, ice began forming, starting from above the cave walls and descending rapidly.
"Look, everypony! The entrance!" Twilight pointed to the entrance of the cave. Ice cracked as it covered the only opening. This caused Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie to turn their attentions towards it, but only for a second until they continued arguing again.
"Great. Now there's no way out! We're trapped!" Rainbow Dash announced.
"You two deserve this horrible fate. You've done nothing but argue and fight with each other!" Rarity responded as they all returned to their sides.
"You've been fighting too, your highness."
"Yeah! Worse! I haven't been fighting nearly as much as you!" Pinkie Pie added.
Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, and I began noticing ice moving towards the three arguing leaders and began freezing them from the bottom.
"How ridiculous! A unicorn never stoops to fighting!" Twilight walked away from Rarity as the ice began to devour her completely.
"That's just 'cause you wimpy unicorns know you'd never win!" Fluttershy did the same. "Earth ponies are numbskulls!" Rainbow Dash was now completely frozen.
"Pegasi are brutes!" So was Rarity.
"Unicorns are snobs!" And finally… Pinkie Pie.
All four of us gathered in the middle. Fluttershy even began to wrap her hooves around me for warmth. We heard something roar above us. We looked above to see some kind of spirit horses running around in a circle.
"What is that... thing?" Fluttershy asked as she shivered in both fear and coldness.
"They must be... windigos!" Twilight answered.
"Windigos?" Applejack and Fluttershy questioned.
"My mentor Star Swirl the Bearded taught me about them. They're winter spirits that feed off fighting and hatred. The more hate the spirit feels, the colder things become!"
"Then... this is our fault." Applejack admitted. "We three tribes... we brought this blizzard to our home by fightin' and not trustin' each other. Now it's destroyin' this land, too…" We looked at our surroundings to see everything in ice, and the ice was inching closer to us.
"And now our bodies will become as cold as our hearts... all because we were foolish enough to hate…" Twilight explained as we all began huddling together.
"Well, I don't hate you..." Fluttershy offered to Twilight. "I actually hate Commander Hurricane a lot more than I hate you guys." The girls reacted by giggling. "Actually, I don't really hate her, I just really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really dislike her."
The ice began forming on the legs of Twilight and Applejack as they laughed.
"Well, I don't hate you guys either." Applejack expressed.
"Nor do I." Twilight added.
"No matter what our differences, we're all ponies…" Applejack said lastly as the ice completely froze Twilight and her.
Fluttershy could only become frightened. "What do we do now…?" She asked me.
I sighed and formed a saddened expression. "I guess all we can do is let the ice freeze us…"
Fluttershy wrapped her forelegs around me tighter. "Listen…there's something I need to tell you…"
"What is it?"
She sighed. "I don't know why…but…when I saw you… I felt something different… I don't even know what your name is…but…um…" I continued looking at her for an answer. I began feeling the ice freeze us as well. "Uh…" Fluttershy hesitated. "I…I…I think I'm in love with you…"
I could only stare at her as the ice was now at our necks. "…love…?" I questioned.
"Yes…" She began moving her lips closer to mine as the ice was already completely freezing us. Then, our lips touched. We kissed as the ice was already going to overtake us, but then a bright light appeared and cracked the ice off of us, including Applejack and Twilight. The light attacked the windigos and caused them to halt their coldness. A large heart appeared very brightly above us.
"What was that?" Fluttershy instantly asked.
"How'd you do that?" Applejack asked me, very surprised.
"…I don't know…" I responded. "…but I don't think it was just me… It was all of us. We didn't fight or argue… We all were joined in friendship…" I looked at Fluttershy. "…and love…" We all placed our hooves together. Then, we continued on as Spike spoke.
"All through the night, the four ponies kept the fire of friendship alive by telling stories to one another and by singing songs, which of course became the winter carols that we all still sing today. Eventually, the warmth of the fire and singing and laughing reached the leaders, and their bodies began to thaw. And, it even began to melt their hearts." The three leaders were unfrozen, and the ice blocking the cave entrance melted. We all walked outside to see the new bright sunny day that was held before us. "The three leaders agreed to share the beautiful land, and live in harmony ever afterwards. And together, they named their new land..."
"Equestria!" We all exclaimed, causing the curtains to close and the audience to cheer loudly.
When the curtains opened again, we were all standing in a horizontal line. Spike joined us, and I held Fluttershy's hoof as we bowed. Confetti above us exploded into the air as the bells rang. We began the final song.
"The fire of friendship lives in our hearts
As long as it burns we cannot drift apart
Though quarrels arise, their numbers are few
Laughter and singing will see us through (will see us through)
We are a circle of pony friends
A circle of friends we'll be to the very end."
After, the curtains closed again, and that was the end of the pageant, though, we still heard the audience stomp their hooves and cheer.
Back in the dressing room, ponies were removing their costumes and chattering about the job well done. I could see Derpy holding a hat for somepony as she smiled happily with her crossed eyes.
"We should be so honored that Princess Celestia chose us!" Twilight expressed joyfully. Pinkie Pie placed her hoof around Rarity as she smiled brightly. Rarity could only send an accepting look as Pinkie Pie stuck her tongue out. "She must really think we exemplify what good friends are!"
However, Twilight was interrupted when the window was opened again and a heavy breeze blew through our manes.
"Ugh, Applejack, I thought you closed all the windows." Rarity began.
"Don't blame me." Applejack faced Rarity. "Rainbow Dash should've flown up there and shut it. After all, she's got wings."
"Why do I always have to do all the high up chores?" Rainbow Dash counterattacked. "Why can't Twilight use her magic for a change?"
As the girls began arguing, I shook my head and walked towards the windows. Unexpectedly, we all heard the roar of a windigo, causing them to immediately shut up. I closed the windows shut and looked at them with a slight smile. "Still feel like arguing?"
This caused the girls to begin laughing.
"Once again, Alex… you've proven my point." Twilight added and giggled.
We all boarded the train again, which would be going back to home. I couldn't believe it was already night time. As I began walking towards the window, Twilight's voice stopped me.
"Hey, Alex!"
"Hm?" I turned around.
"Come here!"
I walked towards the girls that were all grouped up together in the middle of the room. "What is it?" I asked.
"Alex, do you know what that is?" Applejack asked me, pointing up.
I looked and saw a mistletoe hanging from the top of the room. "A mistletoe?"
"Right! And do you know what happens when you're under a mistletoe?" Pinkie Pie questioned.
"Um..." I thought. "I don't know..."
They widened their eyes. "Are you joking?" Rarity asked.
"No..."
She sighed and they all exchanged looks with each other. "Then you definitely deserve this..."
"Deserve what?"
They all greatly surprised me when each of them planted a friendly kiss on my cheek, starting with Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity. However, Rainbow Dash looked hesitant.
"Rainbow? You're his friend too, you know." Twilight commented.
"Fine..." She flew up to me. "But this is because you're such an awesome friend..." After a few seconds, she quickly kissed me on the cheek and joined the other girls, smiling a bit.
I remained partially speechless. Finally, Fluttershy came by and treated me to the gift of a passionate kiss on the lips, both of us blushing afterwards. While Fluttershy flew back to the other girls to talk and laugh, I moved back to the side of the train, feeling practically confused about what just happened and a bit dazed. I allowed myself to recuperate for a moment. As I looked out the window of the train, I noticed something familiar above the theater in which we performed. There was a glowing heart there as well… I continued to observe it and smile.
When the train began moving, the girls and I began having a conversation with each other.
"So, what did you think about the pageant, Alex?" Twilight asked me.
"It was actually pretty fun… I think I might have actually got really into character though…"
She smiled. "That's good. What about you, Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy looked at me and smiled while slightly blushing. "It was fun…"
All of us continued talking on the way home.
When we arrived back in Ponyville, I told Derpy, as well as the others, goodnight before I began walking Fluttershy home.
"Princess Celestia did a great job in adding me in the pageant, don't you think?" I asked Fluttershy.
"Mm-hm. It wouldn't have felt the same if you weren't with us." She replied.
I smiled and nodded. "Now… I feel like I want to do this again soon."
Fluttershy looked over to me and smiled. "Maybe next Hearth's Warming Eve…?"
"Yeah…"
We reached her door. Fluttershy faced me and grabbed my hooves. She passionately kissed me for a few seconds until she looked at me again. "I love you, Alex."
I smiled warmly and gazed at her eyes. "I love you too, Fluttershy." I kissed her once more and allowed her to walk to her home to get some sleep.
After making sure she was comfortable in her home, I began retreating back to mine.
Throwing myself on my bed, I immediately began thinking about today, as always.
So, I'm the voice of reason in my friendship, huh? …I guess I can see it now… I really appreciate how Princess Celestia incorporated that into the pageant. I smiled lightly. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed it. Hm… it seems as long as I'm with those girls… I can do anything…
Then a thought struck me. Hm… Rarity did say that a lot of ponies would come watch us so…
I shook my head.
No, no…I don't think it's possible…
Oh well. I guess I better get some sleep then…
I closed my eyes and waited for the dreams to come forth.