The Hearth's Warming Storm

by Neutron Alchemist

2. An invitation is an invitation

Dear Trixie

I know that there have been misunderstandings between us in the past, but I want you to know that I do not hold any resentment towards you. I hope that’s true for you also, but, even if that’s not the case, in the spirit of this celebration, I hope that you will accept my invitation to spend the Hearth's Warming holiday in Ponyville with all of us.

For the night before Hearth's Warming, the traditional pageant is planned at the City Hall starting from 9:00 pm, then, a party organized by my friend Pinkie Pie will last, predictably, all night long. It would be wonderful if you could join us in time.

I'm sure we'll find out that the things that unite us are much more than those that divide us.

In the event you can not come, I wish you a wonderful Hearth's Warming, wherever you are.

Your friend
Twilight Sparkle

A tired and chilled Trixie, in the light of her horn, and using her telekinesis to shield the paper from the blowing snow, read for the umpteenth time the letter, then rolled it up and put it under her cape again. Continuing to laboriously pull her wagon under the icy gusts. The content was precisely the kind of idealistic mawkishness that she would have expected from the pampered witch that she had loved to hate. But an invitation was an invitation. They were rare goods for traveling performers like her. Given the objective difficulty to invite someone you do not know where to find in first place (and, indeed, Trixie had not well understood how that wall eyed pegasus mailmare had managed to find her, while she was pulling her wagon in the middle of nothing, a week before). She had not been invited to a Hearth's Warming celebration since she left her hometown, years before, and her showpony self hated to let down those who wanted to see her.

Besides, she had to admit that the purple mare had her reasons. Trixie had avoided the area around Ponyville since the incident with the Alicorn Amulet. That area had been like a black hole in her mental map of Equestria cause, well, she was scared of that place and the reactions it's inhabitants could have had towards her. And Trixie hated both of being afraid of something and of having precluded places. The Great and Powerful Trixie was not somepony that could be afraid of some ponyvillain, or that could not be free to direct her wagon where she wanted to. But, if the spirit of the holiday was to make peace with former enemies, it could be that she would be able to make peace with that town, so regaining her spotless record of traveling magician and heroine.

That was why she was reading and rereading the letter. To remind to her shivering self that, since she agreed, even if only mentally, to spend the Hearth's Warming holiday in Ponyville, that was a contract she had to comply with, and so she had to pull the wagon to her destination, where her public was waiting for her, and she had to ignore the urge to seek refuge in it and wait there, in company of a hot stove and a mountain of warm blankets, until the end of the storm.

However, given that had been already a while that the road was flanked by apple trees, it would not have taken much more to reach her destination. Trixie had specifically chosen the road that ran alongside Ponyville, to arrive at the Apple family orchard without entering in the town. Despite Twilight's assurances in fact, the young mare was not at all sure of the reception she would have received in Ponyville. After the Ursa Ma... ahem... Minor incident, Trixie had unwillingly had to learn how to manage the hatred against her, but the vandalizing of her wagon was something that had really hurt her the most in the past. Fortunately, it seemed that such acts had ceased for a while, and Trixie was regaining the love of her public and a satisfying career (actually Trixie suspected that both having the fame of having took control of an entire city with her powers, and that of having performed a pyrotechnical display for the Princesses, in some way, helped her previously dwindling career), but Ponyville was not like the other places, and Trixie preferred to avoid unnecessary risks. She was not expecting to be welcomed by the earth pony that ran the farm too, as Trixie remembered well of having played a couple of nasty tricks to her, but that 'Applejack' seemed to be a mare of her words. If she would have allowed her to park the wagon into the farm, this would have been safe, and Trixie could have gone to the town without worries.

Her original plan was to arrive at destination a couple of hours before sunset, so having two or three hours to take a nap in the wagon before having to get ready for the night. They would have been helpful, if she really had to keep going until morning, after having had to pull the wagon all day long. But then, that storm had suddenly begun. The road was filled with snow to the point that it would have been better if the wagon have had skis instead of that cursed wheels. Its load had seemed to become more and more heavy. Despite her efforts Trixie have had to slow down her pace, and the sun had set with her still on the road. Having the luxury of bringing her home with her, she was not really worried for herself, but the thought of missing an appointment because of a trivial thing like the weather was really upsetting her. Like every time the universe seemed to conspire to deny the perfection of her plans, or her rightful place in the spotlight.

Trixie was lost in these thoughts when, topping a shallow hill, she could see, in the glow of the falling snow, the entry of that 'Sweet Apple Acres' farm, enlightened by the warm light filtering through the windows of the barn-house immediately behind.

Refreshed by the sight, the prospect of being able to rest soon, and with the help of the road finally running downhill, Trixie quickened her pace, and was soon inside the fence and right in front of the house. Normally she would not have entered directly with the wagon, without permission, in some other property, but she judged that the conditions justified this breach of etiquette. Then she freed herself from the harness, carefully shook the snow off her cape and hat, stroked her mane and, judging to have regained a presentable aspect, put on her best polite smile and walked, head up, to the door, where she knocked firmly, but without being too rude, before taking her hat in her hoof and waiting for an answer.

Trixie had seen many cold glances in her life, most of them directed to her, but that of the orange coated mare that opened the door could certainly compete for the position of the most chilling one. "Of all the ponies that I expected could knock on my door on a night like this," she said, "certainly you were not on one of the first places."

Trixie maintained her warm smile, and quickly pulled Twilight's letter out of her cape, making it levitate in front of her, without unrolling it. "The Great and Powerful Trixie had been kindly invited by your friend, Miss Twilight Sparkle, to the Hearth’s Warming celebration in Ponyville, and she gladly accepted." Then, a bit lowering her head and showing a more humble expression. "But, for reasons you can surely comprehend, Trixie would prefer her participation to be somewhat low profile, so she would like to ask you if it's possible for her to park her wagon in your property, to be able to enter in the town without being noticed too much."

Applejack's expression did not change a bit.

Trixie took a more worried expression. "The wagon is completely self-sufficient," she explained, putting a hoof at her chest. "Trixie wants to ensure you that she will eat and sleep there, without any disturbance for you."

No changes at all.

"It's only to not leave it in the middle of the road... You see..."

Trixie was about to put her hat back on, and take her way, when: "There is something dangerous in there?" Applejack asked.

Trixie frowned, surprised for a moment by the question, first to think that Applejack was surely referring to something like the Alicorn Amulet, So she was to reassure her...

"I mean your explosives," Applejack said.

Trixie was shocked. "Explosives?"

"It happens that, for some reason," Applejack looked behind her, inviting Trixie to do the same."I find myself having to look after three pests this evening."

Trixie peeked into the house, seeing three fillies sitting on the floor of the living room, apparently intent on doing something with scissors, string and paper. She recognized two of them as those that helped Twilight Sparkle to make a fool out of her.

The one wearing a big bow, had raised her front hoof, looking at Applejack "We were freezing in the club-house," she said. The other two nodded in unison.

Applejack looked back at Trixie "Given the ability they have to get into trouble, I'm terrified to find out what they could do, finding in their hooves something that could explode."

"But there is nothing explosive in Trixie's wagon!" Trixie replied, not understanding why Applejack could think otherwise.

Applejack sighed. "I'm referring to the fireworks you use in your show."

Trixie wasn't able to suppress a snicker. She first showed to Applejack the empty inside of her hat, then she slipped a foreleg deep into it, pretending to look for something, and finally she jabbed her hoof to the sky. A green colored spark rocketed upward, fizzling, and exploded few meters higher, with a soft bang. Next, Trixie put her hat back on, then lifted first one, then the other edge of her cape, showing the inside to Applejack, let them go, and shook the fabric, as to shake off the snow. Many colored sparks seemed to fall from the inside of the cape, crackling around Trixie's hooves.

"No more fireworks." Trixie announced.

Applejack looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"There has never been any fireworks," Trixie explained benevolently smiling.

"But you had just..."

Trixie sighed. To fully explain the tricks, even the simplest, was terribly unprofessional. The public must always be left in uncertainty about the powers of the performer. But, on one hand, Trixie could understand Applejack concerns, as she was worried for the safety of her family and friends and, on the other, Trixie was really bothered when somepony didn't understand the care that she put in making her performances absolutely safe for the viewers.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is very talented at pyrokinesis" She stated, raising her head. "It would be dangerous to use real fireworks so close to the crowd".

Applejack seemed remarkably unimpressed by the revelation."Well. In this case, park your wagon near to the barn and come in," she said "It's freezing out here!"

Trixie was not completely sure of Applejack's intentions, however, biting the harness instead of wearing it properly, to not waste time, she quickly pulled her wagon to what seemed to be the more sheltered side of the barn, then she reached Applejack on the doorstep again. There, Applejack entered first, ahead of a rather perplexed Trixie.

"You can leave your cape and hat there." Applejack said casually, pointing an hanger next to the door.

Trixie had not planned being invited into the Apples' house. Applejack was being kind after all, But Trixie hoped that, for whatever reason she had invited her in her house, she could be quick too, as the time she had planned to use for her nap was rapidly running out. Years spent as a traveling performer had taught her the importance to stick with the schedule, and her showpony self was feeling a little uncomfortable with that further unexpected occurrence.

Moreover, Trixie was little comfortable with houses in general. She had a broad experience of streets, squares, stages, inns, fairs, even some theater, but private houses were something she had very little experience of, and one of the few places she admitted to herself of having little clue about how to behave into. So, while following the blonde mare, Trixie could not help that looking around nervously, and at the same time feeling odd for being nervous about a place that seemed so warm, comfortable, and, come to think of, wonderfully fragrant.

Without realizing it, Trixie must have visibly sniffed the air, infact Applejack, looking at Trixie over her shoulder, smiled at her from the first time, "It smells good, don't it?"

Trixie nodded slowly, a little annoyed for having lost her composure in front of others.

Applejack pointed her hoof to an open door to the right. "We are in charge to provide fifty apple pies for tonight's party, you see, but the weather had forced us to look after the farm and we are a little late, so Granny Smith and I were a little busy right now".

Trixie peeked into the door, where there was a kitchen and, in it, an old mare incredibly busy with flour, apples, pots, baking pans, and other kitchen tools. A discreet pile of already cooked pies was cooling on one side of the room, spreading that wonderful smell.

Trixie recognised the old mare too, as the one that had played the part of an older Applejack during the Alicorn Amulet incident. "Welcome young mare!" Granny Smith, distracted for a moment from her work, said to Trixie, smiling and waving at her. "Do you like some? We have plenty of."

Surprised by the offering, Trixie realized that she was, in fact, very hungry, but she thought that, If what Applejack said to her was true, they had not "plenty" of those pies, and each one could be important for them to reach the order they had to deliver. Trixie knew very well the importance to comply to the contracts. She did not want to offend, but she thought she had to find a way to politely decline. "Thank you for the kind offer Miss Smith," She said at last, with what she thought was a warm smile (was a warm smile like a stage smile done slightly narrowing the eyes? Trixie had not much experience of warm smiles), "Trixie would be very glad to eat a slice with you later, when you will be less busy".

Once get through that formality and left the old mare to her work, Trixie followed Applejack in the living room. The room was half adorned with paper decorations, a still unadorned fir was standing on a side of the room, and the three fillies were apparently intended in trying, without much success, to complete the decorations, aided by a big red stallion with apparently not much clue about what he was doing. Trixie recognised the stallion too as the one that played the part of a male Applejack to trick her, months before.

To Trixie, it seemed that her past humiliation was to be laid endlessly in front of her in that place, and once again she hoped to get out of there as soon as possible.

"These are my brother Big MacIntosh, my little sister Applebloom, Rarity's little sister Sweetie Belle, and their friend Scootaloo" Applejack said pointing to the ponies she mentioned. The three fillies waved enthusiastically at her, while the stallion nodded calmly, warmly smiling (so that was a warm smile, Trixie took a mental note on how to reproduce it better).

"Ahem... Trixie is enchanted to know you" Trixie said, looking nervously around, once again a little surprised by the warm welcome.

"Forgive us for a moment" Applejack said placing a foreleg around Trixie's neck and pulling her aside.

Applejack pulled Trixie up to the base of the stairs to the upper floor, then stood in front of her. Trixie thought it was the right time to thank her for the not-so-expected-welcome, and take leave. "You have a wonderful family, and all," she said. "But Trixie thinks is time for her to return to her..." She interrupted, cause she saw Applejack staring coldly directly in her eyes.

"Listen Trixie," She said putting both her front hooves upon Trixie's shoulders. "I know the Ursa Minor was not entirely your fault, and I can believe you were not completely yourself when you were wearing the Alicorn Amulet. I can forgive you for what you have done to me then. But now there are no stages, there are no amulets, there are just you and me. You are not here to play some dirty trick, are you?"

"Wah...?!" Trixie was outraged. "Trixie is here only cause she was formally invited!" She protested. "Trixie is not evil!" She would have liked to turn her nose up and leave, without deigning that neighsayer of another sight, but for some reason she was unable to look away from the blonde mare's gaze. Somehow It was not as she was accusing Trixie. It was as she was almost... pleading.

"Good," Applejack finally closed her eyes, then smiled and released Trixie's neck. "Then, can I ask you a favor?"

Trixie was disconcerted. She had never been a scrounger, and certainly she ought Applejack a favor for having allowed her to park her wagon, but she was not expecting to have to repay her immediately. She thought she could say goodbye to her much deserved nap.

"Trixie thinks It's fair." She finally responded unenthusiastically.

"Thank you sugarcube, it's very important to me." Applejack said smiling. Then she flanked Trixie, pointed an hoof to the door and lowered her voice. "You see, we already have had problems here with this storm, and it seems is getting worse. I'm worried for the situation in the city, and I want to go take a look, to make sure that my friends are fine, but I'm also worried about here. Granny Smith can take care of the remaining cakes, and Big Mac can take care of the farm, but Granny is too busy to take care of the fillies, and foalsitting is not Big Mac's cup of tea. I'm afraid they can trick him and do something very stupid. Especially if Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo begin to worry about how things are going at their homes. Do you understand?"

Trixie was afraid she understood.

"I'm keeping them busy making the decorations. You have only to make sure that they remain here and finish them. I'll be back soon, and we'll go to the party together. You are a showpony right? Your job is to make sure the public does not want to leave. Can you do it for me?"

Trixie snorted without being noticed. She could not have said that she wanted. All that stuff was of no interest for her, when she could have simply slept a couple of hours in her wagon without having to care for anypony instead. But she also understood that Applejack was entrusting her with an important task. In a certain sense, she could not believe how important it was. She was entrusting her of the safety of her family! Obviously Trixie was worthy of it. She was the Great and Powerful Trixie after all, but she would have never believed that, to entrust her of such an important task, would have been one of her previous vict... ahem 'collateral damages of her past misfortunes'. An heroine could not decide when she was needed after all.

"Trixie’s long-run show lasts for three hours," Trixie said snickering and looking down upon Applejack "and nopony has ever wanted to leave. This will be piece of cake for her."

"I'm counting on you then." Applejack concluded.

"Fillies!" Applejack announced "I will go for a moment to take a look at how the preparations are going in town. Trixie has agreed to be our guest until we go to the pageant, and to help us with the decorations here. I'm expecting you to show her the Apple's hospitality until I'm back. Can I count on you?"

"Yay!" The three fillies responded as one. While Applejack was already wearing boots and scarf. Then she left, nodding to Trixie one last time.

Trixie gave a closer, and critical, look to the uncertain realization of the decorations already made, and to the mess of coloured paper, strings, glue and popcorn strewn, both on the floor and on the three fillies’ manes.

"Ahem..." she began. "Fillies and gentlecolts, the Great and Powerful Trixie will now show you how to properly make Hearth's Warming decorations".

Comments

[Constantoine]

J'aime la caca car je suis un gros porc :D

[Gobeman]

5856420
dat artwork.....IT FITS WHIT HER PERSONALITY

[gamexpert1990]

5856420

When I started to write this story it was near Christmas, I swear.

I'll believe you if you'll believe me. I haven't read this yet, but according to the statistics, I found something interesting:

i.imgur.com/ZWTFKM5.png?1

You see that screenshot, right? Now, take a closer look:

i.imgur.com/dmVuWqC.png?1

I'll try to have an actual comment about the story soon.

[Neutron Alchemist]

5857344
FIRST?

Trixie must have learned some new trick...

[Neutron Alchemist]

5857284
I hope so.

[Mooncalf]

This is a fascinating and surprisingly captivating story. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for stories that actually tries to move on with Trixie's character. Her determination and strict adherence to he own rules are really interesting traits. This, with the cast lineup being tagged, shows tremendous promise.

There's some minor errors (mostly the occasional skipped word or incorrect homonym - for instance, 'discrete' is a mathemetical term, the word you intended is 'discreet'), but not enough to detract from the reading.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of this.

[Neutron Alchemist]

5862354 I'm glad that you liked it.

I really like to write of Trixie. Her social awkwardness, her attempt to adhere to a strict moral code that she only seems to understand, her being too unlucky to succeed and too stubborn to give up. She is defintely my favorite character. But this time I have a bigger scenario to manage than in my previous attempts. I hope this story will be worthy of your expectations.

[The Wandering Bard]

Oh, this cannot end well. XD I am very much enjoying your interpretation of Trixie. She has so much potential and it's nice to see her getting the chance to shine. I also loved your descriptions in this story since it painted a very vivid picture of what was going on. I shall certainly be checking back for more.

[Neutron Alchemist]

5876332 Thank you very much! I'm proud of my descriptions.

I can anticipate to you that they will be severely tested when we'll reach Gilda's chapter.

[The Wandering Bard]

5877484
You've just made me crack up laughing and extremely excited for this chapter. Can't wait!