Applejack's fair weather holiday
...
"What have I done?"
The distraught mare could only stare at the little fillies, helpless as the nurse ponies directed the stallion guards to carry them inside the castle. Oh, how could this have happened on Christmas eve, of all times? Staring at her frozen daughter's horrified face, tears streamed down the guilt wracked earth mare's face.
"I only wanted to make you happy..."
...
"Blast you, Applejack!" A teary-eyed Firefly howled, as three other mares tried to hold her back. "I lost my baby because of you!"
Having returned from their weather operation in the skies, the five Pegasus had gathered in Queen Majesty's throne room. The four mothers amongst them quickly learned what had happened to their daughters in their absence. Shock quickly turned to sorrow, however, and sorrow quickly turned to rage. Their hearts filled with anger towards the orange earth mare standing before them, the mad mothers fumed at the instigator of this actions.
"Blimey, it's obvious 'tis the Spirits of the Season's doing!" North Star snorted, glaring at Applejack. "A punishment for tampering with the forces of nature like we did."
"None of this would have happened if we hadn't listened to AJ!" Medley growled. "But you had to get your precious hubby and son home right away!"
"Applejack, ya no good scallywag! This is all your fault!" Heart Throb shrieked, tears streaming down her face. "I say we offer y'all up ta the fair folk ta freeze instead!"
"No, please, I didn't mean to..." Applejack looked around at them. "I'm so sorry..."
The four weeping Pegasus closed in on her, only to have queen Majesty stamp her hoof in anger.
"Ladies, that is enough!" The ruler of Dream Castle commanded. "Punishing Applejack, who has suffered just as much as you have, will not bring your children back, or hers!"
"Then what are we ta do, your highness?" North Star asked bitterly. "How can we restore our children from this horrid affliction?"
"A delegation must be sent to Green Mountain, to plead with the elves to restore their children." Majesty commanded, leaning forward on her throne. "Applejack, for your selfish actions, it is you who shall make the journey up the mountain. But you shall not go alone."
"As you command, Majesty." Applejack bowed humbly, trying to hold her own tears back. "But this is my mess I made, and I need to clean it up."
"We'll go with her, my queen!" Firefly exclaimed, the other four nodding. "Our children are in as much danger as Applejack's are!"
"No, you three will stay with your daughters." Majesty decreed, pointing her hoof up the stairs towards the infirmary. "But I suggest all of you wear insulated clothing, as Dr. Medicin has informed me that she is keeping the room ice cold to prevent the fillies from melting."
"Then who will be coming with me?" Applejack asked, looking around the throne room.
"I shall come!" A white Pegasus mare exclaimed, limping into the room. "I have much to atone for to the Dream Valley herd, and I can fly AJ to the top of the mountain!"
The moment Applejack saw her red mane and Scarred Palm tree cutie mark, she knew exactly who this wounded mare was.
"No, Paradise! It's too dangerous!" Applejack exclaimed. "You still haven't recovered from your injuries after escaping Paradise estate!"
"Besides, Paradise." Medley added. "The last time you went to green Mountain, you nearly passed out from the high altitude!"
"I can handle it!" The Pegasus snorted, flexing her recently-healed wings. "And I've toughened up since then!"
"Blimey! Don't trust that lazy mare with our children, my Queen!" North Star protested. "She's the pony who tried to get out of work, by getting some magic paint off a goblin merchant!"
"Yeah! And when she painted Paradise Estate with it, the house came to life and tried to kill us!" Heart Throb finished. "Don't send her with Applejack!"
"I've learned my lesson since then, ladies!" Paradise shot back. "And I want to help out, to make up for my past betrayal of the herd!"
"Very well, Paradise. You shall accom-pony Applejack on her quest." Majesty exclaimed, nodding. "Good luck to you both!"
...
The two ponies quickly set off for the north, taking the well-traveled roads, so as to avoid the many menaces and threats that now plagued Ponyland.
As the passed several of the human villages near Manehatten, Applejack and Paradise strayed close to the towns. They could see lit candles in windows, and hear singing coming from the churches. But as they passed near several homes on the outskirts, the orange pony noticed several houses with their doors open. Motioning to Paradise, the two mares quietly trotted up to a window and peeked inside.
"What in the world? Why do they- " Applejack asked, noticing an empty place set at the table near the hearth. "Paradise, is this some odd human Christmas custom I'm unaware of?"
"This is the night the humans celebrate the Horsemaster's birthday, Applejack." Paradise replied. "In some towns, it is customary to set a place for the horsemaster at the table."
"Well, I wish there was such a place to welcome us this night." The orange mare replied with a sigh. "I'd rather do anything but face the beings we are about to encounter."
Arriving at the base of Green Mountain, Paradise wrapped her hooves around her earth pony friend, and began to fly her up the cliff side.
"Careful Paradise, don't drop me!" AJ called out in a worried tone. "You sure the altitude isn't bothering you?"
"I-I'll be all right, AJ!" The white Pegasus called back, her voice becoming nasally from her sinuses becoming stuffed up. "Don't you worry about a thing!"
After a rough and wobbly ascent, the two arrived at the great doors to the fairy kingdom. Paradise quickly wrapped her hoof on the door, and a beautiful fey with a green gown and long blonde hair answered the door.
"Warm Welcome to you and your friend, good Paradise!" She greeted them, remembering the Pegasus from her last visit. "I am Kara, gatekeeper of the mountain kingdom! What brings you to us this holiday season?"
"We would have words with the Season Spirits, Kara." Paradise replied. "We have come to discuss the curse they have placed on our children."
"Of course." The fay maiden with antenna bowed to them. "Right this way, please."
Kara guided them through the well-lit golden halls, past fine treasures of silver and gold. Arriving at a large set of doors, the fey maiden opened the door for them, and motioned. "Enter, our lords and ladies await you within."
The two ponies trotted into a large, vaulted chamber. Inside, AJ and Paradise felt the chill of winter, the burn of summer, and the cool breezes of spring and autumn all at once. Before their eyes, the four great rulers of the seasons appeared, and before such magical might the two ponies shielded their eyes with their hooves.
"So, here stands the ring leader of the pony desecration!" The winter wizard roared, glaring down at the orange mare. "Have you come here to share the fate of your little foals?"
"Great lords and ladies of nature, we understand your righteous anger at this flagrant violation of your sacred duties." Paradise exclaimed, bowing her head to the four. "But why make the innocent ponies suffer for the actions of their elders?"
"I quite agree with you, my good Paradise!" The Autumn princess replied, glaring at two of her fellow sovereigns of the weather. "I believe my esteemed comrades acted quite out of turn in these matters!"
"Bah! You would not be so lenient in this desecration, if it had been your season that had been violated!" The summer witch barked. "We should freeze all of Dream Valley, as a warning to the other pony herds not to trifle with the fair folk!"
"You... you five are cruel beyond belief!" Applejack exclaimed. "You would punish the innocent along with the guilty, just because you feel slighted!"
"Can't you have some compassion for us mortals?" Paradise pleaded. "Especially on this most holy and sacred of nights?"
"Brothers and sisters, I implore all of you two pardon this one little transgression!" The Storm King spoke to the others. "We are not without compassion!"
The weather sorceress stepped forward, and spoke to Applejack and Paradise.
"For seven centuries, my good mares, we fey have guided the weather and seasons of this world." She explained. "When the being you call discord perished, it awakened our kind from a long slumber, and we resumed control of the Seasons of this world, which you ponies had so judiciously controlled in our absence. But you ponies must remember... while you may have the magical ability to manipulate and control nature, but we fey are of nature!"
"All right, my lords and ladies, I give up." Thinking of her poor frozen little girl, Applejack trotted forward and bowed to the five nature spirits. "I only wished for my little girl to be happy for the holidays, for my whole family to be together for the holiday." She closed her eyes, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "But if what I did was such a horrible thing... then I ask that you freeze me instead, and spare the babies from your terrible wrath!"
"Applejack, no!" Paradise wailed, galloping forward to her friend.
The five spirits murmured amongst themselves, too low for the two ponies to hear. Applejack noticed the looks on the Winter Wizard and Summer witch's faces turn to frowns and scowls. Finally, the Weather Witch looked down at the ponies, and spoke.
"My little pony, your willingness to sacrifice yourself for your child and your friends, has earned you the compassion and mercy of the immortals." She smiled at the two mares. "Merry Christmas Applejack. Now, go home to your family."
The two mares wee suddenly surrounded by smoky clouds, as the halls of green mountain, and the five Season Spirits, vanished before their eyes.
"Where are we?" Paradise asked, looking around in confusion. "What's going-"
The mists parted, and the two mares quickly found themselves outside the walls of Dream Castle.
"We're home!" AJ exclaimed. "But how?"
"Mama! Mama! There you are!" An excited voice suddenly cried out. "Guess what? Daddy’s home!"
Before either could utter a word, Baby Applejack came galloping out of the Castle, followed quickly by Firefly and Medley.
"What's happened?" The dumbfounded Paradise asked. "We were just-"
"They just thawed out, all of a sudden, as if they had never been frozen." Firefly stated simply. "They were ice one minute, and normal the next."
"And guess what, AJ?" Medley exclaimed excitedly. "Your hubby and son are home!"
As the four ponies trotted back into the castle, Firefly looked back at the other two mares. "Whatever you two did, it musta worked, good job!"
Paradise then leaned over to AJ, and whispered. "So, you have another Christmas wish, Applejack?"
"Only that you and everyone else have a Merry Christmas, Paradise." The orange mare simply smiled over at her friend. "And a happy new year."
...
Very well, Applejack. As you requested, I have written down the Christmas story you wanted me to write for your Daughter, where you get to save Christmas. But as a historian, I am normally against such tall tales, but it is just a fairy story for foals. Pegasus still able to control the weather? The fairies controlling nature? And the fairy rulers being so fickle and cruel? Really AJ, you're imagination's almost as vivid as Paradise's. Oh well, Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Tornado Firehooves
P.S.- Do you think Ember and I could have some of your leftover apple Pie after the holiday. Don't tell Twilight I said this, but her annual fruitcake always makes me sick. Honestly, her cooking makes better paperweights than edible food! Yech!