A few weeks had passed since I spent Nightmare Night with Rivershine. We'd gotten some drinks and parted ways for the evening, though part of me felt a little disappointed that I wasn't accompanying her. I suppose I couldn't get enough of that perky, mischievous attitude of hers. Like if you toned down Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash and fused them together. And she somehow got a horn instead of wings.

Though, maybe I was also curious about her. I still wasn't at the "Bee-tee-dubs, I used to walk upright and have fingers" stage, but she was also rather coy about her own origins. Not that I was going to hold her at gunpoint and demand she told me about herself--does this place even have guns?--but I still wanted to know more about her. And as I say around the house, I found myself wondering if she thought the same about me.

I shook my head and scolded myself. I've seen how these things go - guy falls into strange new world, goes native, has a legion of mares falling in love with him all at the same time so he starts laying with them all in a huge satin-sheeted bed like some kind of fertility god. I was falling into the trap.

Or was I? Local ladies either just laughed at me or kept a wide berth, and Rivershine didn't seem to show any kind of romantic interest in me. We were definitely friends, but...

I looked at the clock. Ten-thirty in the morning. I had a few slices of buttered toast in my stomach, so I was more or less ready to face the day's madness. I needed some fresh air anyway.

I put on my saddlebag and stepped outside, and a particularly chilly breeze caused my bones to shiver and my fur to bristle. I looked up at the overcast sky, the clouds dark. I grimaced. I didn't want my fresh air to be wet as well as cold.

And that's when a snowflake landed on my nose. I noticed passers-by catching their own flakes in their hooves before beaming with excitement.

That meant it was time to bundle up and put the fireplace to good use. I checked my bit bag, frowning as I shook it in my hoof. The light weight and frankly pathetic jingle from inside meant putting more emphasis on paying my rent was pushing me into the red. I needed some scratch right away.

Though, I was sure I at least had enough for some winter gear. Maybe the walk to Rarity's would warm me up a bit?

My teeth chattered as the cold wind kept assaulting my general direction. If it was already this cold, I'd be a Sharpsicle when this world's equivalent of Christmas came knocking.

Along the way, I overheard the phrase "Hearth's Warming" more than a few times. I figured it was some kind of local tradition. Or maybe I was just mishearing commands to "Go get the hearth warming."

I stepped up to Carousel Boutique, praying to Twilight that Rarity had the heat on. The little bell above the door tinkled as I poked my head in.

"I'll be one second!" called Rarity. She was stood at a mannequin, her back to me. I could hear her muttering to herself, and the odd growl spliced into her voice told me things weren't going too well.
"Need a hoof over there?" I asked, stepping in.
"Oh no, don't trouble yourse--" she began, then gasped when she got a look at me. Her eyes lit up behind her glasses. "Sharp Sight, darling! Just the stallion I needed!"
I wasn't sure if it was the warmth or being called a 'stallion', but I felt my cheeks flush. "I am?"
"Oh yes," she said, trotting over and ushering me toward a semi-circle of mirror frames. "As it happens, I do 'need a hoof' with something."
"Got some more fabrics to go to the train?" I guessed, silently hoping otherwise.
"Oh no," she said, to my great relief, "nothing so laborious, especially not in that chill. No, my dear, I need you to be my canvas!"
I watched her hoof as she waved it dramatically. "You're trying your hoof at painting?"
"Oh, not that kind of canvas," she giggled. "I'll be blunt--I want you to model for me."
"M-model?" I repeated, my legs squeezing together.
"That's right." Rarity trotted off somewhere, but I could still hear her clearly. "I'm working on a new winter line, you see. I've got plenty of mares to help model for me, but what I really need is a stallion's touch for the male side."
"Oh!" I blinked and relaxed my body. "Model for clothes! Yeah, I can help with that."
"Wonderful!" Rarity returned, pulling a wheeled rack of clothes behind her with her magic. "Now, you try on some of my... vintage designs, and we''ll see if inspiration strikes."
"I hope it's gentle," I muttered.

Rarity spent the next while assaulting me with fabrics in assorted styles. Jackets, scarves, hats, overcoats and such. Occasionally she'd ask me to strike a pose and rub her chin when I indeed struck. Though I'd never modelled before, for clothes or otherwise, so I was probably leaving something to be desired.

"Mm," she hummed at one point, frowning, "that pout is less 'Confident snow traveller' and more 'I've been holding it in for a three-hour train journey and I need the bathroom now', dear."

But just as I was wondering how much more I could raise my leg and puff out my chest, a shrill gasp came from the designer.
"Wait!" she yelled gutturally.
I nearly stumbled over my own hooves, and for once it wasn't entirely my fault. "W-what's up?!"
She floated a sketchpad and quill toward her and began furiously scribbling. "I have it!"
"Have what?" I asked. From the manic ear-to-ear smirk and the dilated pupils darting between me and the paper, I guessed she had a particularly happy demon possessing her.
"Inspiration!" she chirped. "It has struck! Oh, don't move for a moment, darling--you've captured the mood perfectly and I can't lose it now."
I looked down at myself and arched an eyebrow. Wearing a frilly scarf and an ushanka while hitting the 'Deer Caught in the Headlights, Retro Style' pose was an inspiring position?

In a few minutes she had finished, and tilted the pad in different directions, humming and squinting for some moments longer.
"Yes," she murmured. "Yes, this shall be perfect for the male line."
Despite my lack of taste for, or interest in the sciences of fashion, I found myself curious. "Can I see?"
"Ap-ap-ap!" she tutted, harmlessly batting my hoof away from the sketchpad. "No spoilers!"
I couldn't argue with that eager grin plastered on her ivory-coloured face. "Fair enough. So, uh, if we're done...?"
"Oh, goodness," she gasped, and quickly removed the accessories from my person. "I'm so sorry, Sharp. I got so caught up that I forgot you'd walked in as a customer! Now, what can I do for you?"
"Oh, I'm just looking for something warm, now that it's cooling down outside," I said. "Something cheap and--"
"Cheap?!" she squawked. "No no no, dear! Helping me out of my creative block deserves far more than something out of the bargain bin." She spoke those last two words with notable bile in her voice.

I opened my mouth to retort, but she was already whisking herself around the shop, using her magic to pull hangers along racks. "No... no... ah yes, this should do nicely."
She returned with... something I didn't expect to see. In her magical aura floated a blue hoodie, the front unzipped. With a silent prompt from her, I slipped my front legs through the sleeves and let her run the zip up. My surprise quickly gave way to contentedness--that thing was comfy.
"A little something from one of my experimental phases," she said. "The Yak hair lining will keep you nice and toasty when the cold really settles in."
"Yak hair?" I repeated. That sounded expensive.
"Generously donated by our good friends in Yakyakistan, of course," she explained. "Unless... goodness! You're not allergic to yak hair, are you?" she gasped.
"No, no," I assured her. "At least, I don't think I am. It's just that this thing sounds pricy, and I'm on a budget."
"Oh no, Sharp," she said, raising a hoof to shush me. "After you were such a big help, I shan't take a single bit. Think of it as an early Hearth's Warming gift."

There was that phrase again--Hearth's Warming. If gifts were involved, it had to be Pony Christmas. I had to wonder how all these traditions came to be. I'd have to look into it sometime.

"Well, thanks," I said, a genuine smile on my face. "Though, one quick question--what inspired you to make this?" I asked, gesturing to the hoodie.
"Ah, well," said Rarity, "Twilight told us about how you're not from Equestria."
I swallowed. "She did...?"
"Oh, we've seen far stranger than a traveller from another world," she said with a dismissive wave. "I don't know the details of your world, but what Twilight told us reminded me of this other world she's been to, and I asked her for a bit of research on fashion there. It's been a wonder for my various lines."
How she spoke so casually about other dimensions existing, like it was common knowledge, was almost unnerving.
"Anyway," she went on, "I thought this little something would help you feel a little more at home. Plus, this shade of blue goes wonderfully with your coat."
I took another look at it. Even if I had no idea how to fashion, the way the blue fabric went against my burgundy/maroon fur was pleasing to my eyes.
"Well, I really appreciate it," I said, smiling at her again. "I'll try to pay for it when I've got the--"
"Not another word about money," she interrupted, pressing a hoof to my lips. "You did a favour for me, so I did one back. That's all there is to it."
"Well, if you need somepony to model for you again, I'll no doubt be around."
"I shall certainly take you up on that should I need it," she smiled.

I said my goodbyes and a couple more thank-yous to Rarity before making my way back outside. Another breeze brushed past me, but I barely felt it. I took a moment to let that sink in: somehow, despite only part of my body being covered, the cold didn't do much to bother me now.

"You're bundling up too, huh?" asked a familiar voice, which made my heart soar. I turned and saw Rivershine walking up to me. She had on a purple scarf, which went nicely with her own seafoam coat. Really brought out her turquoise eyes too.
Keep it together, Sharp.
"Oh, yeah," I said. "That scarf looks great on you."
One job, Sharp! Just one!
"Thanks," she grinned, running a hoof along it. "It's pretty old, but it's my favourite. That's a nice... I wanna say 'jacket'?"
"They call it a hoodie, where I'm from," I said, "but thanks. So, what're you up to?"
"Just getting a bit of Hearth's Warming prep out of the way early," she said. "Gonna head to Barnyard Bargains and grab myself a tree."
"Oh, cool," I said. "I was just looking for something warm to wear, and maybe a way to make some more bits."
"Running low, huh?" she asked, sympathy in her voice.
"Sorta," I admitted, sheepishly rubbing one front hoof behind the other. It felt strangely natural.
"Wanna tag along?" she offered. "Some company would be great. Y'know, the kind of company who isn't constantly urging me to buy things."
"Sure!" I chirped, then quickly added to cover for my enthusiasm, "Uh, they might have some job positions open over the holidays."
"Then off to the land of consumerism we go!" she grinned and turned around, and I walked alongside her down the street.

I'd passed by Rich's Barnyard Bargains a few times since coming to Ponyville, but I hadn't found a reason to go in and take a look. It was a big retail store, selling all sorts of bits and bobs for every day use. Right now, though, it was decked out in what I assumed was Hearth's Warming spirit. Tinsel, paper snowflakes, and those talking plastic snowponies that no doubt lurked in the corner of every attic in town.

On the way in, I spotted a notice taped to the window, taking a quick glance at it.

Want to make some extra spending money over the holidays?
Holiday positions are now available until Hearth's Warming Eve!
All species may apply. No previous experience required.

I snorted to myself. Retail was already bad enough without the holiday rush. I was fairly certain I wasn't that desperate for cash.

Inside was about as festive as expected. Jaunty tunes about gifts, snowy evenings and 'the magic of sharing' at some point--the latter's lyrics were so on-the-nose I felt ready to throw up pure good will--played over speakers throughout the store. The upside was Rivershine's strategy proved fruitful--there were no oceans of frantic creatures fighting each other over the last thing on the shelf. Just a Pony here or a Griffin there idly perusing what was on offer in each aisle.

"All this stuff was put up the day after Nightmare Night," grumbled Rivershine. "The disrespect of it all."
"Just so they could get some early holiday cash," I agreed, finding myself riled up as well. "I bet this stuff was put up the moment it struck midnight."
"I wouldn't put it past them." Rivershine gave an inflatable reindeer a mock punch in the jaw as she passed it. "Princess Luna would smite this place if she knew."
"She didn't strike me as the smiting type when we met her, though," I pointed out.
"But she's totally capable of smiting, and if I was her, I'd totally smite any place that put up Hearth's Warming decorations the moment Nightmare Night was over."
"Oh yeah, same here."

Despite our complaints for corrupt corporate practices, we were there for Hearth's Warming things. We trekked through the jungle of snowglobes, plastic candy canes and string lights that I had flashbacks of wrestling many a year back in my old world. To neither of our surprise, the stuff was too tacky to entice us to give up more of our cash than we were intending to spend. Which, in my case, was as little as possible until I got some more in.

"Oh, here we go," Rivershine piped up eventually, drawing my attention to shelves of narrow cardboard boxes with pictures of pine trees on them. "Just what I need."
I tilted my head. "Fake trees? I thought the real thing would be popular around here."
"They are," she sighed. "You don't book a real one in advance, and suddenly you're paying a fine for uncertified cutting of the huge pine you were too tired and annoyed to realise was too big for your house and so you spend a year to the day finding needles hiding around the place."
"Point taken," I said solemnly. "Plus you can keep a fake one for a long time instead of paying a load of bits each year for a real one."
"Exactly my thoughts," she agreed. "Look at us, having so much in common."
"It's like that timberwolf was there just to make us meet," I snorted. "Speaking of which, did you ever hear more about that?"
She shrugged, and her hoof started gliding across shelves as she walked down the aisle of trees. "I heard Fluttershy was looking into it, but other than that, your guess is as good as mine."
"I wonder why a timberwolf in particular made so much buzz?" I asked. "This town gets attacked by a creature at least once a week."
"Because timberwolves aren't the 'terrorise the village' type," she explained. "They usually stay in the Everfree Forest and keep to themselves."
"Mm," I hummed, and then something she'd said sent a pang of fear through my body. "Wait, Fluttershy is looking into it? As in, on her own?"
"You'd be surprised how good she is with animals," said Rivershine. "I heard she once tamed Cerberus."
"That somepony's dog?"
"Whoever owns Tartarus, yeah." She was yet to direct herself away from her search.
I turned to her, my brow furrowed. "Wait, the Cerberus? As in 'giant, three-headed dog' Cerberus?"
"The very same."
"You're making that up."
"I'd make up a few things, but that one isn't a Rivershine original. Ask her yourself if you see her around."

"Wait," she said, halting in front of a box. She squinted at the label and murmured its contents to herself, before lifting the box in her magic. "Yup, this is the one."
"Just like that?" I asked, following her to the checkout. "That was easy."
"I'm a mare who knows what she wants," she grinned. "Plus, it's better to get the shopping out of the way before the dreaded Day Before Hearth's Warming."

I elected to wait nearby while Rivershine got in line at the checkout. I tapped a hoof on the floor as I idly looked around, clicking my tongue to a rhythm in my head. Eventually she was done, and I accompanied her back out.
"Thanks for coming with me," she said. "The company really helped."
"So you had someone to rant to?" I asked with a smirk.
"Maybe," she smirked back. "Really, though, having somepony to talk to really cuts out the monotony of it all."
That I couldn't argue, though I did wonder something. "Don't you have other friends in town? I mean, besides me?"
"Sure, but some things I just prefer to do on my own," she said. "Though, there's something refreshing about a Pony who can throw sass back at me."
"It's a helpful weapon to have when you're still learning to walk in a straight line," I said, smiling. "You need a hoof putting that up?"
"Nah, I think I can do that part," she assured me. "Besides, you've probably got your own tree to take care of."
"Oh, I'm gonna get one myself when I get the cash up," I half-lied. I hadn't even considered my own decorations. Those were certainly going to make space in my wallet. "I'll at least help you with the lights and stuff."
"Okay, that I'll need help with," she admitted. "Well, when I get the thing up, I'll come knocking."
"Sounds like a plan," I said, with a hint of glee in my voice that I hope she didn't pick up on.

Rivershine and I said our see yas, and as I watched her trot off, a thought occurred.

If Hearth's Warming really is what I think it is, I need to think about gifts. And gifts cost money.

For now, I made my way to the town hall's bulletin board. Hopefully, with holiday preparations to make, somepony would need help that they could throw a few bits my way for. But then, this was the season of spending.

When I got to the town hall, I spotted a familiar face beneath a familiar hat. She looked a little perplexed about something. Perhaps it was to do with that paper in her hoof.

"Hey, Applejack," I called, getting her attention.
"Well howdy there, Sharp," she said, putting on a smile. "Finally got yer Pony legs, huh?"
"My what-now?" I blurted, then blushed. "Oh, right. Twilight told you about me."
"Just the basic gist," Applejack confirmed. "Don't fret none--a feller from another world's far from the weirdest thing Ah've ever seen."
"Yeah, Rarity said similar." I smiled sheepishly, then nodded to the paper. "What've you got there?"
"Oh, just need a bit'a help 'round the farm," she said, trying to mask her nervousness. "It's the last harvest a'the season, and Big Mac n' his sweetheart're off makin' a delivery to Griffonstone. We gotta get these apples pronto, before the snow settles in."
"You don't have time to wait until he gets back?" I asked.
"Nope," she sighed. "Rainbow Dash herself says the snow's to start pilin' up this week, so Ah can't take chances."

I considered that for a moment. Picking apples certainly didn't sound too taxing.

"I could help you out," I offered. Applejack responded with a cocked eyebrow. "What?"
"No offence, sugarcube," Applejack said, "but y'all strike me as... well..."
"As what?"
"Well... a city boy."
As true as it was, I couldn't help but take just a little offence to it. "I'm not afraid of a bit of manual labour."
"Well, y'all are an Earth Pony," Applejack muttered, tapping her hoof on her chin, "and it'd be mighty rude a' me to turn ya down... no harm in lettin' ya take a crack at it. Ah'll pay ya fer yer time, of course."
Just what I was hoping for. "Sweet. When do we start?"
"Tomorrow mornin'," she said. "Ah'll send Apple Bloom to come getcha."
"Apple Bloom," I repeated quietly, furrowing my brow. "Oh, your sister, right?"
"That's her," said Applejack with a nod. "Better'n a rooster most mornin's."

I was liking the sound of this already. Getting paid for some easy fruit picking, and probably a little bit of farmwork? If this went well, I'd have Hearth's Warming money in no time.

"Oh, and uh," she said, "y'all might not wanna bring that jacket a'yers."
I blinked. "Say what?"
"Trust me, yer not gonna need it."

My Life as a Post-Adolescent Pony

by Unicorncob

12 - Winter's Coming