Previous Chapters
Close
Changelings Aren't Scary4,880 words
Bonus: Fitting In2,170 words
A Family Hearths Warming1,449 words

A Family Hearths Warming

Author's Note:

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you enjoy this gift from me to you.

“Come on guys! We need to decorate!”

Walnut excitedly hopped around the room as Zen and Silph tried to calm him down enough to discover why he was so wound up. Silph sighed before managing to scoop up the excited foal.

“Okay, what in Queen’s sake has you so riled up?”

Walnut cheered,

“Hearths Warming Eve of course! We need to get a tree and a fire and lights and—“

“Hold on, what?”

Walnut gave them a confused look.

“Hearths Warming Eve. You know, carols, presents, cookies, drinking cocoa by the fire. You guys have to know about that!”

Zen shrugged.

“Sorry kiddo, doesn’t ring any bells.”

Walnut sat, mouth open in surprise.

“Y-you... don’t know about Hearths Warming?”

The two changelings shook their heads.

“But... me and Miss Heart would... MISS HEART!”

Walnut sprang up and started nervously pacing around the room.

“Oh no oh no oh no! I never thought about Miss Heart! She must be so worried about me! She doesn’t know I have a family now! I-I need to let her I’m okay!”

As Walnut ran out of the room Zen and Silph chased after him.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

“I need to see the Queen!”

Zen and Silph both gasped before redoubling their attempts to capture the colt.

“NO!! NOT THE QUEEN!”

————————————

Queen Chrysalis gave a board sigh as she lounged on her throne. So far there had been several trivial problems brought before her today. One of the walls in a food storage chamber had started to crumble, there was a surplus of rain water, there was a mild shortage of nectar. The usual.

“Ugh, what I wouldn’t give for something to do other than this. Why does ruling have to be so boring.”

There was a disturbance outside her chamber before the small pony came barreling inside. He stopped panting before her throne and gasped,

“*Puff* Sorry to *pant* disturb you *huff* your Queenlyness, but I—“

Before he could continue, his parents came charging in. As Zen grabbed him Silph nervously stood at attention.

“S-so sorry, Your Majesty. We’ll get him out of your glorious mane right awa—“

“No.”

The two changelings flinched and Zen licked his lips before stuttering,

“P-pardon me, y-your Majesty. But... what do you mean by—“

“Let him speak. He has just as much a right to petition me as any of my other children.”

Zen and Silph exchanged confused looks before stepping away from Walnut. The colt stepped forward and said,

“Um... I just wanted to know, well... you see....”

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow.

“You should probably speak more clearly when addressing your queen.”

“Sorry. Um... I was wondering if I could go back to the orphanage for Hearths Warming. You see, Miss Heart is probably real worried about me because she doesn’t know I have a family now. So... could I go? Please? Just for Hearths Warming?”

Chrysalis thought about it for a second before smiling.

“Of course. All five of us will go.”

Walnut and his family gave her confused stares as Zen said,

“Uh... five?”

“Why of course. You were planning on going with him, right?”

They nodded.

“Exactly, but Epsila and I shall also be tagging along.”

Walnut smiled,

“Really?!”

Chrysalis smiled even more.

“Of course. Anything to get out of here for a bit.”

Zen and Silph gulped as Walnut excitedly cheered.

“This is going to be interesting.”

———————————

(Outside the Hive)

Walnut stood waiting beside Zen and Silph (now in disguise.) Zen had become a yellow earth pony with a green mane and tail accompanied by a lemon Cutie Mark, and Silph was a silver pegasus with a white mane and tail and cloud Cutie Mark. Silph growled as she looked at the sky.

“Where are they? It’s already late afternoon.”

Zen shrugged.

“I don’t know, but there’s no sense in trying to rush them.”

Silph sighed and sat down as Walnut checked his belongings again. Soon a familiar voice rang out.

“Not getting impatient, are we?”

The three jumped and spun around to see a unicorn mare with a charcoal grey coat and green mane with a bee hive Mark standing beside a large pegasus stallion with a green coat and blue mane. Silph and Zen snapped to attention.

“Your Majesty.”

Chrysalis scoffed.

“Oh please, if you call me that in the pony town we’ll get weird looks. You two call me Mom or something while Epsila and Walnut will call me Grandmother. We’ll attract much less attention. Although... Epsila, you should be shorter than your parents.”

Epsila nodded and made the necessary adjustments. Chrysalis smirked.

“Now then, family. Let’s get going. We want to arrive before nightfall.”

With that, they headed out through the snowy woods. In the span of half an hour they had arrived in Mareapolis. They all expressed varying degrees of wonder upon entering the festively decorated town. Zen and Walnut gasped in fascination upon beholding spectacular displays of lights and greenery, Silph whistled in amazement, Epsila grunted, Chrysalis didn’t. Walnut pranced forward and said,

“Come on guys, it’s this way!”

Some ponies waved and gave holiday greetings as Walnut led a small procession of ponies through town. Others that recognized the colt started to whisper to eachother, knowing he had gone missing a while ago. Soon the five of them were at the front of the orphanage where a large wreath was hanging. Walnut knocked and waited patiently as the four changelings assembled behind him. Soon hoofsteps could be heard approaching the door.

*creak*

“Hello there. What can I do for you?”

“Hi, Miss Heart!”

The mare looked down and froze upon seeing Walnut. Tears sprung to her eyes as she choked out,

“W-Walnut Grove?”

“Happy Hearths War—“

“Walnut!”

Quick as a flash she had scooped up the colt and was peppering his face with kisses as tears flowed down her cheeks. Walnut squealed,

“Miss Heart! Stop! T-that tickles!”

Walnut laughed as the older mare clutched him to her chest and nuzzled his cheek.

“Oh Walnut. I was so worried!”

Walnut wrapped his forelegs around her neck and pressed his cheek against hers.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. Besides, I brought my family along to visit.”

“Your... family?”

Just then the four changelings entered the orphanage.

“Hello! I’m Walnut’s father, Ze—“

Silph elbowed Zen and whispered,

“Pony names!”

“Zesty Lemon! And this is his motherrrrrr.”

He shot Silph a meaningful look to which she growled and said,

“I’m... uh... Silver Breeze. We also brought our other son and his grandmother.”

Chrysalis chose then to step forward.

“Hello. I’m Queen Bee, but you can call me Queen. And this is my lovely grandson, Squall.”

Epsila sulked and grumbled,

“I wanted to make my own name.”

Chrysalis scowled at him before giving Tender Heart a warm smile.

“It’s so nice to meet the kind mare that raised our sweet....”

Chrysalis blinked as she realized she didn’t actually remember his name.

“Uh... colt.”

Tender Heart blinked as she looked them over.

“I’m sorry, but what do you mean... you’re his family?”

Zen stepped forward.

“Well after we... found him. He kinda grew on us and, well, we decided we’d be his family.”

Miss Tender Heart gaped at them before saying,

“You... you want to adopt Walnut?”

They all nodded and Epsila said,

“Well... if you’re fine with that.”

The elderly mare sniffed and redoubled her hold on the colt as she cried,

“Of... of course I’m fine with that. I’m... I’m so happy for you. You’ll never find a sweeter colt. It’s just... I missed him so much. So just... please come visit once and a while. I know I’m just a silly old mare, but....”

She sniffed before pressing her muzzle into Walnut’s mane.

“I love you like you’re my own son. I knew this day would come, but... I’ll miss you.”

Walnut sniffed as he nuzzled under her chin.

“I love you too, but... we’re not too far away. We can always come and visit you. And besides, we’re not leaving right away. It is Hearths Warming Eve. So come on, let’s celebrate!”

And so, Hearths Warming Eve was spent decorating and eating cookies. Even Chrysalis got in on the fun when she helped make a doll. And the evening ended with everyone cuddled up together (minus Chrysalis, she wasn’t much of a hugger) in front of the fire.

So as this Hearths Warming Eve came to a close, one thing was apparent to all. A family is a family, no matter who they are. And the holidays are the perfect time to let eachother know how much you love them. Happy Hearths Warming to all, and too all a good night.

2,355 views

414

Previous Chapters