"This day is going to be perfect" hissed the Changeling Lord as he prepared for his final victory, and ...
********
Hey, wait! I think we are getting ahead of ourselves... We first need to go to a happier Ponyville: a frillier Ponyville. A more G3 Ponyville!
********
"It's today!!!" Shouted a certain mint green Earth Pony as she awoke from her sleep with a start, her eyes staring straight forward at nothing in particular. She had just came to an extremely important realization, and just had to wake everyone up! It was, after all, the second most important day of the year. Ok, the first most important day of the year, for Ponyville, was the first rainbow of the season. But, rainbows were more of Rainbow Dash's thing. 'I need to tell all the others!!!' She eagerly decided as she took off, full gallop, to see Rainbow Dash.
Now, normally Rainbow Dash's house would be a breeze to find: it was a very unique house with its the shooting stars, and... of course... rainbows. Heck! It even had a rainbow extending from the tippy top of her roof to her mailbox. Except, for some reason, today it was hard to find. It certainly was dark, for some reason...
"Rainbow Dash it's today!" The green pony with the striped pink and white mane shouted, standing right next to the prissy earth pony's floating cloud, and rainbow bed.
"Darling... go back to bed, the rainbows aren't even out yet," the cyan pony with the well groomed rainbow mane responded sternly. "And I don't wish to be disturbed, until they are!"
"Oops... I guess Rainbow Dash is feeling grumpy today." Minty whispered to herself, nervously. "Best leave her be! But don't worry Pinky is always raring and willing to seize the day," Minty said, announcing her change of plans as she galloped full speed out of Rainbow Dash's room to get to Pinky's, only stopping once to remark to herself how dark it was that day. It was the middle of the afternoon... right?
But not to worry: Pinky's house was also really easy to find. After all, there weren't too many houses in Ponyville that had a giant hot air balloon shaped tower.
"Pinky it's today!!!" She shouted, standing at the base of the pink pony's extra pink bed.
"Hurray!!!" Shouted three voices in unison, somewhere, causing both Minty, and the strangely groggy looking Pinkie to look around for the sources of the voices.
"Gee Minty, I know Christmas is important to you, and all," Pinky replied to the early wakeup call, with a chuckle. "But you are aware that it's three in the morning, right?" She said as her voice got softer and more serious like she was talking to herself.
"Oh... right..." Minty said sheepishly, blushing slightly. She probably should have guessed that the moon wasn't in the middle of the sky during the day... "I'll bug you later then, " she announced sheepishly, on the way out, "after all so much Christmas to prepare for".
Now Christmas was important to the pony known, in Ponyville, as Ponyville's 'Green Machine', though she never could figure out why. Maybe it had to do with the fact that her symbol stood for her love of sharing holiday joy? Or maybe it was because her birthday just happened to be in December? But all she could tell you, for sure, was that all that Christmas mirth just made her feel better, funnier, and more... more... more... Minty. And, oddly enough, she wasn't really a pony with a passion, or symbol, for making people laugh... It was just that she was at her best when those around her were in a good mood.
Now there was still a few hours till everyone would be up, but there was still plenty of holiday decorations that could be put up! Even though she had almost all the decorations for the season. Having already put up garlands of pine hung with lights, stars, hearts, and socks all over her place. Heck, she'd even gone so far as to have hung a bright cheery candle over her mantle, and a giant festive pile of socks right in the middle of her table.
********
The Next Morning
*********
'Minty. Minty. Minty! You can't expect to decorate for Christmas when it's still dark outside!' Thought Pinkie, giggling to herself, as she started out towards the tallest tree in Ponyville. 'But she does have a good idea, though! We need to get an early start if we are to make this the greatest Christmas in Ponyville.'
And, thankfully, everyone else had the same great idea, and were all busy finishing up the decorations on Ponyville.
She gave a friendly wave, as she passed by Wysteria, Forsythia, and Valenshy, who were busy finishing the decorations on the flower shop. It just warmed the bottom of her heart so much to see her pony pals taking such joy in the season. And though Minty may have liked Christmas, and Rainbow Dash excitement and fashion, this pony just loved seeing her friends enjoying themselves.
And whom should run into her, literally, but her old friend Minty.
"Heya Pinkie!" The green pony said, a goofy smile squarely on her face. "Now that I can definitely say that today is Christmas Eve!" She said, giving only a moment's pause, before... "Is there something that you need me to do? Decorate the castle? The sweet shop? Oooh ooh oooh... The tree again right?"
"That's ok Minty," Pinkie replied, kindly. "I actually don't know what I need from you yet, and I'm sure that your house looks great... and super festive! So why don't you go and have some fun?" She asked giggling to herself. "I hear Sparkleworks, and Sky Wishes are going sledding... Heck, if you hurry, you still might catch Loop-de-la ice skating... Doesn't that sound like fun?" She said with a giggle in her voice like she was addressing a small child. Some ponies would have found this funny, considering that Pinkie was actually the younger of the two, by one month. "And I don't mean to hurt your feelings," she said, sounding slightly more serious. "But, you remember what happened the last time you tried to decorate a tree, right?" she said her voice switching to more of a gentle sarcasm.
"I know... I know... " The vibrant green pony responded, her mood becoming a little depressed, having remembered what happened the last time she tried to decorate a tree. And how she'd somehow ended up breaking all the ornaments, including those that weren't in the bag of ornaments she fell on.
But not one to stay in a sour mood long, Minty shook her head vigorously and, unabated, continued her Christmas quest. "C'mon Pinkie!" She pleaded with the pink earth pony. "it's almost Christmas and so much needs to be done! And the Extra Special 'Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane' isn't even made yet! Please! I want to make this Christmas extra special, especially since this is the first year we will be joined by our pegasus friends!"
The pink pony sat down and thought for a few seconds, before finally responding: "You know what you could try, Minty. Why don't you go and see if Cotton Candy needs any help with the Cafe?" She asked, volunteering something. "And if you hurry maybe you can get a candy cane from her," she continued, with a friendly chuckle.
"Great idea Pinkie!!!" Ponyville's 'Green Machine' responded as she rushed off towards the Cafe... galloping the whole wrong direction.
"Um Minty!" Pinkie shouted, futilely attempting to get the green pony's attention. "The cafe is that way!" She shouted, pointing in the opposite direction. The green pony, of course, was already too far gone. "Yep Minty's definitely feeling especially Minty today!" The pink one said to herself with a smile. "Hopefully this won't cause a problem later, " she said in pity for the green pony, her head hung down.
*********
So off to the Cotton Candy Cafe Minty galloped, as fast as her legs could take her. The good news was that, despite her getting a little lost a moment ago, it wasn't that hard to find the Cotton Candy Cafe, even for her. It was easily recognizable, after all, and had an absolutely perfect view of the lake. And if it wasn't already obvious what it looked like, It had a giant sign that hung from just above the door that brazenly read 'Cotton Candy Cafe' in English. Why English? Because it would be silly to use hieroglyphics to write signs, after all!
And no sooner had the green pony reached the cafe, then it started to snow. "WOW!!!" She exclaimed to herself, her eyes growing wide. "This is great, nothing beats a white Christmas," she continued, practically shouting her thoughts. Now every pony loved snow, just like every child loves snow, with all the fun things you can do in it. And when combined with the previous night's snow, it ensured that this will definitely be a white Christmas.
"Great isn't it?" Volunteered a smiling Cotton Candy, through the cafe's half front door, a Candy Cane tightly clenched in her hoof.
"Heya Cotton Candy, you need any help decorating for Christmas?" Minty asked curiously. "By the look of it, it looks like you're going to hoist up Santa... and I just love that guy!" Said Minty to the pony with the cotton candy symbol, whose countenance suddenly dropped.
"No. No. No. I'm good..." Cotton Candy replied, shiftily. "Because... Um... Moondancer will be here any minute to help!... And... She's... um... going... to help!... Yah! That's right! She's going to help!" The pony continued nervously, with a really phony smile, her eyes darting around wildly. 'And Besides I'd rather you not help decorate after what happened last time' Cotton Candy thought when she remembered the last time Minty had tried to help 'decorate', and had, instead, succeeded in making Rainbow Dash and Sunny Daze mortal enemies, vowing never to speak to each other again! Ok... 'Never' actually meant only six weeks, but, this time, she wasn't taking any chances. "Why don't you have a candy cane while you wait for hot cocoa?" The light pink earth pony said, sticking the candy cane out again.
"Yum! hot cocoa sounds tasty!" Said the mint green wonder. 'But I should help anyways seeing how busy Cotton Candy is, and I can help fix and straighten things for her' she thought to herself.
Luckily, Cotton Candy was in luck because, while Ponyville's Green Machine was thinking of 'helping out', Moondancer arrived, having just finished decorating the surf shop.
"So Minty, you came to see me and Cotton lift up the Santa display?" Moondancer asked, curiously, looking over at the green pony.
"Sure thing Moondancer!" The green pony responded, with an eager nod. "But don't you want me to help?" She asked the grey earth pony, hoping that maybe she'd need some help instead.
"Nah," she replied, with a shrug. "I can handle it, Minty. I mean, that's what these two arms of mine are for, right?" She said, with a chuckle. "Besides it looks like Daisyjo, and Peachy Pie could use some company!" Moondancer said as two ponies, a purple pony with a blond mane and a twin flower symbol, and a pink pony with a pink and white mane and a peach symbol, approached from the road leading to the castle.
"Hey Cotton Candy, you still handing out candy canes?" Asked the peach themed earth pony.
"Sure thing, Peachy Pie!" Cotton candy replied, handing the second candy cane to the pink earth pony. "Minty over there has already finished hers, and while you do so, you can watch Moondancer and I do the annual 'Lifting Of The Santa'," she said, heading back into the Cafe to assist Moondancer with the annual Lifting of the Santa.
And what a sight it was, when, as the twin ponies, one on each side, lifted the display up, it actually started waving at the ponies, who both looked in awe from the window outside.
"These things get more and more elaborate every year!" Daisyjo commented with a laugh.
"Yeah, I know right!" Minty replied, with a eager chuckle. "Isn't it great!" She continued, a smile growing from ear to ear, "I just wish I could be like him bringing presents, and friendship, and socks and togetherness, and love, and socks like him! I mean what would Christmas be like without Santa?"
"Ok people," Cotton Candy said, putting up the closed sign up in the window, and closed the door behind her. "Pinkie's probably done helping Rainbow Dash decorate Apple Spice's house by now; and you don't want to miss the carols do you?" She said, starting down the road. "I know that's where I'm off to!"
And, just like that, the shop was closed, and would stay closed until after Cotton Candy, Sweetberry, and Triple Treat had finished cloistering themselves to make this year's Extra Special Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane. The very same candy cane, that would go on the tippity top of the tallest tree in all of Ponyville! And, it was said, down in Ponyville, that the candy cane's bright glow was how Santa Clause found Ponyville every year, and some ponies even believed that the brighter the friendships in Ponyville, the brighter the candy cane would glow.
"Come on Cotton Candy!" Minty exclaimed, closely sticking to the pink earth pony, like glue. "You've got to let me help you make the Extra Special Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane this year!" She begged and pleaded with the cafe shop owner, who remained stoic. "You wouldn't let me help you with the shop, and I'm just begging for ways to make this an extra, extra, special Christmas in honor of our friends the really real for real pegasus ponies!"
"Sorry Minty no can do! You recall what happened the last time you tried to help with stuff that goes on a tree, right?" Cotton Candy asked, recalling full well the events from last time Minty tried her hand at decorating, even if Minty didn't. How the broken ornaments had led to Sparkleworks and Sweetberry pigging out on all of the cookies and sweets for the Christmas party that year. Resulting in everyone else not having any. And, as a result, it had taken the two mares two long years, and a whole lot of icky tasteless 'healthier cookies', to lose all that weight. "And besides, you know that the cloistering of the candy making ponies is as big a tradition as the Extra Special Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane itself." As she closed the doors and headed off to the tree.
"I should head there myself, don't want to miss any more Christmas fun!" Minty reminded herself, as she headed off the wrong direction towards the tree.
*********
'I could've sworn I was going the right direction!' The green wonder thought to herself, as she passed Scootaloo's house, which sat in the branches of a large tree at the edge of town. 'Oh well gives me time to think of all the great stuff I'm going to do to make this Christmas extra super special.' She continued.
Looking back, it had been a remarkably fun year in Ponyville, what with the first successful surprise party they'd ever given to the wise, and witty, Kimono. And then there was the friendship ball, with their new friends: the pegasus ponies. And finally the extra special Princess Promenade. And she could already tell that something extra super special-licious was going to happen this Christmas, or her name wasn't Minty!
... Which it was...
The green pony took a quick glance at her surroundings, and noting a set of Roman columned buildings, decided that she had obviously gone the wrong direction.
"I guess I went the wrong way?" She said to herself, with a chuckle. "Though I should've guessed that after I passing The Teapot Castle, and Storybelle's Story loft," she said to herself, 'Maybe if I go down this way?' she thought, with a smile.
Sadly that wasn't the way either, as it only led back to the Cotton Candy Cafe where Cotton Candy, Triple Treat, and Sweetberry had happened to have cloistered themselves to make the Extra Special Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane, in secret. And by the sound it it, Cotton Candy seemed to be having a heated argument with the other two:
"Oh why does this happen every year!?" Exclaimed a frustrated Cotton Candy.
"Because, making the Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane is a Ponyville tradition!!!" Replied Sweetberry, very patiently, her normal primadonna attitude conspicuously absent for the holiday.
"Oh no they don't sound happy at all!!!" Minty said to herself quietly, as she rested her front two hooves on her face.
"Well it's not very fun!!!" Cotton Candy retorted, in frustration, sounding like she'd finally given up on it all.
'Oh dear...' Had her brand of loony zaniness finally caused Sweetberry to give up on Christmas, all together? No!! She shook her head... It couldn't be! She was just imagining it!
"How can you say that? I love this part of Christmas!" Replied Triple Treat sounding shocked, and hurt.
"Oh no it's getting worse!" Minty said to herself, feeling physically ill all of a sudden. "I need to do something to make things better. Maybe I can do jokes, it worked when I goofed everything up on activity day?"
Their conversation continued while Minty plotted a strategy to bring the Christmas Joy back to the little group of candy makers without being chewed out for eavesdropping or snooping on the secret Candy Cane creation ritual, before their arguments made her any sicker.
Luckily, while she was still thinking, the bakers seemed to resolve their disagreement themselves, and the next part of the conversation sounding better:
"Hmm... what flavor and color are we going to make this year?" Asked Cotton Candy.
The other two continued their conversation, leaving Minty just relieved that they were done arguing. Though, she still couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen. Why was that, anyway?
"Add some mint, and you have pinkie-mint!" Exclaimed Cotton Candy, mischievously.
"Wow!" The other two bakers exclaimed, in unison, being very enthralled with the idea. "Pinkie-mint it is!"
'Wow! Now I know what this year's Extra Special Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane is going to be!' The green pony thought to herself, with enthusiasm, feeling like she'd somehow managed to sneak a present early. 'Though, I'd Better go before they catch me out here! And besides, this whole scare has me thinking how important it is to make everyone feel better this Christmas!'
Truth be told the goofy green pony not just preferred to see the best in things, but it made her feel physically ill when her friends didn't share her enthusiasm. The absolute worst was when her friends were angry, or frustrated at her, which was an awful lot.
But that all being said, she had other things to think about, and seeing that she was at the Cotton Candy Cafe, she knew just where to go from here!
Ok... Or she normally would... Just not today... And who can blame her? You know, it being Christmas and all? And she'd better hurry, and find her way to Christmas Tree before everyone finished Caroling, and she missed it!
*********
So, naturally, it wasn't too long before the mint green pony finally did find her way onto the correct road...
Ok! In full disclosure, normally, even Minty, didn't have this bad a sense of direction. But, for some reason, her mind was especially preoccupied with all the Christmas wonder this year. And, maybe the eggnog didn't help, either?
And, right in front of her, it looked Sparkleworks, Sunny Daze and Sky Wishes were already hard at work making a snowman! And it looked like they were doing a great job too!
'Wow that looks like a lot fun!' Minty thought to herself, with a smile. 'I bet they are putting extra super special care into making that snowman perfect,' she added, already rolling up her sleeves, mentally, to help.
On the other hand, though, the trio actually looked like they were doing ok. The snowman's head had already been reshaped to a less comical proportions; a beautiful carrot used on the snowman as a nose; and Sparkleworks had placed coal on the snowman's face to act as its eyes and mouth, as quick as a ninja.
Suddenly, Sparkleworks came to an extremely import conclusion: "Hey we need to get over to big tree! Pinkie is about to make her Christmas speech!" She shouted, motioning for the other two ponies, who quickly trailed behind, all three at full gallop.
Speech!? Shoot! That could only mean one thing: she had already missed the carols and was about the miss Pinkie's speech! What was she going to do?
She did the only thing she knew how. "Hey everyone!" She shouted, unable to reach the others as they quickly pulled away. "Wait for me!" The green ditz shouted as she came running up to join her friends. Sadly they didn't seem to hear her, and we're getting away and... was she hearing crinkling?
There definitely was, as the nose of the poor snowman took that opportunity to simply just fell off! She gave a sigh. It seemed the snowman was having the same lousy Christmas Eve she was. But, it was extremely fortunate, for the snowman, that she was here to lighten it's mood, with her antics.
"How can you smell the sweetness of Christmas without a nose?" She said with a chuckle to the snowman, carefully grabbing the carrot with her malleable hoof. And once she had a strong hold on the carrot, carefully squeezed the carrot in her pastern so that she could get an even firmer hold on it. And carefully placing the carrot back on the snowman's face. "Perfect!" She said, stopping for a moment to admire her work. Ok not quite, she decided, having placing her hoof on her chin, for a second to think. "Oh... OK, maybe not. Maybe the head is a smidge to the left?" She said, having to make everything was perfect after all.
It didn't take her long to come to the definitive conclusion that the head was most definitely not perfect! And that it most certainly had to be, so naturally, she tried to correct it by scooting the head a smidge in the other direction. Now, normally, even the goofy pony 'with no fear', as someone said about the tree debacle a couple of years back, would have known not do anything so silly; but she was obsessed with making everything extra special perfect for Christmas this year. After all, all that Christmas mirth was so addictive, and Minty was hooked!
She grunted, in utter dismay, as she helplessly watched the snowman's head fall off. Leaving her with a sudden, and unquenchable, wave of anxiety. Oddly something about this whole situation seemed strangely prophetic... "Uh Oh!" She exclaimed to herself, having noticed the blunder. Luckily her Christmas joy returned when she realized that the head would simply go right back into place, if only a little deformed. "Merry Christmas!" She said to the snowman making like Santa for a second, as she used her sock to make sure the head stayed 'perfectly straight', even though the snowman's head was anything but straight.
Nonetheless, she desperately needed to gallop off at full speed if she was going to enjoy some of the Christmas festivities.
*********
'Holy Smokes Pinkie has already started talking!' Our heroine thought to herself, having finally arrived at the traditional Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane placing ceremony. Fortunately, though, it looked like Pinkie had only just finished awarding Rainbow Dash with some kind of medal. If Minty were to guess, it would be that the medal was probably for Rainbow's role as the Christmas host the previous year. Of course she couldn't be sure, because, sadly, the only place she could find to stand was way in the back. 'Curses, how can I hear Pinkie's speech if I'm stuck back here?' Minty thought to herself.
Ahead of her stood the tree, which was richly decorated with decorations that everyone had donated, each one with their symbols on them. as well as plenty of baubles, tinsel and holly.
"Now," Pinkie said, loudly clearing her throat for her speech, and taking a glance off to the side at the large scroll that Desert Rose held in her hoof. "Ever since we can remember," she announced loudly, for all to hear. "We have been making, and then placing the Very Special Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane at the tippy top of the tallest tree in all of Ponyville. This Candy Cane is sprinkled with magical glowing dyes so Santa can see through all the clouds and make his way to Ponyville on Christmas Eve!" She said, turning around to face the crowd with a quick hop.
'Gosh she's hard to hear from back here, but it sounds like the Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane is important!' Minty thought, stifling a chuckle. 'No wait, of course it is!... I almost forgot in all this Christmas cheer!' She thought to herself, more eager to see it then ever! And although she couldn't hear Pinkie's speech, she could hear Thistle Whistle warning another Pegasus pony about how dangerous clouds could be.. And just like that.
"My Friends:" Pinkie announced, raising her left front hoof to point at something in the distant air. "This year's Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane!" She shouted, probably as a cue for two of their new Pegasus friends: Cloud Climber and Honolu-loo to came through a cloudbank carrying the Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane.
Oh it was a sight to behold, and not just the awe inspiring glow of the Candy Cane, but also the majestic pegasus ponies that carried it in, on a big beautiful basket.
"It's the best and the very brightest!" Exclaimed Sunny Daze as she put on her sun glasses, mainly for effect. After all, she was a pony with a deep love of the sun, and she was used to its bright light.
"It's the here comes Christmas Candy Cane!" Shouted everyone, in utter awe of the masterpiece that the bakers trio had concocted this year.
Blast it all! The mint pony thought to herself. It sucked being behind everyone for what was probably the totally best-est Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane ever! "Where is it? I can't see it!" Minty exclaimed as she started climbed on both Moondancer and Sunny Daze shoulder's, causing both to look back at her in surprise. "Wait can I climb on your shoulder?" She asked, noticing the bemused expression that both ponies shot her. "Is that it? Is it here yet?" She exclaimed, in haste, as she struggled to see that magical Candy Cane. This bummer of a Christmas was already starting to melt her poor mind. "Oh wait! I can smell it!" she said finally getting a whiff of the best Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane ever! "But I can't see it!" She quickly commented, desperately pushing her way through the crowd of her friends, to desperately trying to get a sight of the artifact. "Oops sorry, was that your foot?" She asked, feeling nauseous suddenly. "Oops... Sorry!"
"Oh! Hi Mints, thought that was you!" Replied a smiling Sunny Daze; quickly recovering her cool. "Hey nice sock!" She said trying to make small talk.
"Thanks." Minty said, her good Christmas spirits returning. "They're one of my favorites," she said with a giggle. "Of course I do love my green socks the best... Or maybe my silver sparkle socks are my favorite?" She asked herself, hovering the bottom of her front right hoof under the bottom of her chin, in a sigh of the deep and profound thoughts that were travelling through her head. "But I really like my rainbow socks or my glow in the dark socks," she said, making a confession. "Of course I love all my socks!" She said getting more giddy with each passing sentence. As the pony known for 'Fun in the sun' stood by patiently and pretended to listen.
"But Mints you are only wearing one," replied Sunny Daze looking concerned. To some it may have sounded like an obvious statement, but when it came to minty and her 'episodes' it was never a bad idea to point out the obvious.
"Oh well. I had two of course, but I gave one away for a very special reason!" She replied, still giddy, as she contemplated how she was going to use it to make a perfect Christmas this year.
"And to make it extra special this year, I've asked one of our new friends to put it on the top of the tree!" Pinkie continued with a speech that almost no one was listening to.
And, at this point, Star Catcher came out from behind the clouds looking especially majestic, long forgotten pegasus magics making the very clouds around her glow. And, with her standing at least a foot or two higher than any other pony around, and with wings at least twice as large as those of any other pegasus, they knew about, she was quite a sight.
"There you go Star Catcher, please put this in the place of honor!" Asked Pinkie, of the pegasus.
"Consider it done." Star Catcher replied with a majestic but very eager tone. Picking the extra large candy cane up single hoofed, making it look light; and, in contrast, It took the other two pegasus ponies to put it into place.
"And it is done." Continued the larger pegasus as she lifted the wrapping off the Candy Cane causing it to gleam with a mysterious light. "Merry Christmas everybody!"
"Santa will see Ponyville for sure!" Minty exclaimed with confidence that her Christmas was now right back on track!
And with that, Pinkie decided it was time to finish their Christmas preparations, and with some final words of encouragement: "Ok ponies! We have to string some lights, bake goodies, and decorate our trees. Let's get busy! It's almost Christmas!" She shouted, and with a wave of her left hoof, ponies scurried everywhere to put the last minute touches on everything.
This left a certain unoccupied green pony with a chance to take a good look at the candy cane one more time. "Perfect!!!" She exclaimed, to herself, before thinking about how it could be more perfect than it already was. Maybe a smidge to the left? Or a scootch to the right? She asked herself, tilting her head contemplatively, as it absolutely spun with ideas.
A thought occurred to her. Maybe this would be her gift to Ponyville? The one fine deed for Christmas she'd been wanting to accomplish since three the night before? Yeah! She thought to herself, rearing slightly. She was going to make that candy cane perfect! It would be her gift to Ponyville! A gift, mind you, that was far more helpful than anything she had done up till this point. But the question remained? Where to place it? How was she going to make it actually perfect? Higher? Lower? It would definitely have been easier if one or two of their flying friends were around, but they had all already gone off with Pinkie to help her finish decorating. Leaving Minty all by herself, as everyone else had left too.
No! If she was going to do this right, then Minty would have to do this herself. 'The balloons are right there, after all,' she reminded herself, staring at the brightly colored objects, that sat there, just ripe for the taking, 'How hard could it be, right?' She asked herself, as she galloped towards her favorite balloons. "And it has to be just right for Santa to see," Minty said, reassuring herself that she should, indeed, 'fix' the candy cane herself, instead of waiting for someone else to show up.
Now everyone in Ponyville knew that Minty could do many things well including: seeing the good side in things, being funny, and livening up the world, but, alas, flying was definitely not one of them. And later, that same day, all the reason that was needed to get all the ponies to forget the Christmas catastrophe and search for their friend was: 'she Minty isn't she? And she's flying a balloon!' Minty's balloon flying was so legendarily bad that Kimono had sworn to never get within seven miles of any balloon flown by Minty, even before the last time she had been foolish enough to let Minty take her anywhere by balloon.
Nonetheless, she was still going to try to 'fix' the candy cane herself, solo, from a hot air balloon! And 'try to' were the key words. "I wish I was a better pilot!" Minty silently wished to herself, as she flew around like a drunken fish. "Maybe I could ask Santa for some lessons?" She asked herself with a cheerful chuckle, having overshot the tree the first time. The next time by, she attempted to grab it, and missed it, instead knocking the candy cane more off center. But was she deterred? Never! Undeterred in her efforts, she continued. This time successfully 'placing the candy cane back to center', and, instead, knocking the candy cane off the tree, for a second, in the process. 'Whew that was close! I don't know if that could be any closer!' Minty thought, having fortunately grabbed the candy cane mid flight. She placed it back on the tree 'balanced perfectly'.
Now, one would think that this would be a sign to quit while she was ahead, but not so for the mint one, who decided that the candy cane was still far from perfect. And what could possibly go wrong now? She just needed one final tiny tap to fix it!
... And one more tap did not 'fix it', instead sending it falling off the tree ...
"Uh oh... Uh Oh... Oh No!!!" She exclaimed loudly as the candy cane spun in the air, in slow motion, falling to its impending doom.
"Do over!!! Do Over!!! Please tell me that didn't happen." Minty exclaimed, watching the catastrophe, and the inevitable 'crash', happen in slow motion. Next step in the recovery process? Denial: "Maybe it's less broken than it looks?" The pony asked, hoping that it wasn't as bad as it looked. "Oh No!!! It's more broken than it looks!" She exclaimed, in utter, utter, despair. It was most certainly worse than it looked...
At this point, she, predictably, started panicking "What am I going to do? I broke the special, priceless, one of a kind, bright, shiny, candy cane into a million crackly bits!!" She shouted, almost breaking into tears where she stood. This was not good. Not good at all. No Candy Cane meant no Santa and then everyone was going to be soooo mad at her! And, then, they would all be sad! And she hated it when everyone's spirits dropped. Sadness made her woozy, agitation nauseous, and things got even worse when ponies started getting mad! And what could possibly make ponies more upset then Santa not coming, and Christmas being cancelled?
And, if that was bad enough, she, herself, had just, single handedly, ruined it for everyone! What was she going to do? She stopped herself, mid panic. She'd come up with something! She just had to stop and think. Maybe she could find someone who could help?
... But how would she tell them, without them getting angry at her?