The only chapter it needs.
It was a beautiful holiday season in Ponyville. Holly Jingle, a young unicorn, lived happily in a house with her father, Chris Jingle, and her mother Carol Jingle. The home was small, since Chris’s job didn’t pay very well, but the total family income was enough to get by. Carol’s job was assisting Rainbow Dash with the weather team, being a Pegasus pony. Chris worked for the Flim Flam brothers, who had set up a video game company, which had something to do with Chris’s low wages.
Holly was getting ready to go to school, preparing her lunch of a daisy sandwich, carrot sticks, a box of apple juice, and a cookie. Typical lunch, since most of it was cheap, and the carrots and daisies were grown when the season was right. Holly couldn’t wait to go to school and see some of her friends. She was a newer Cutie Mark Crusader, but that was okay. She and Sweetie Belle were good friends because they had been neighbors as long as either could remember, and she had met Apple Bloom on occasion when Sweet Apple Acres had a few too many apples. Scootaloo was more foreign to her, but they were all becoming fast friends.
As Holly finished packing her lunch and stuffed her math homework into her saddlebag, Carol walked in and planted a kiss on her daughter’s forehead.
“I love you, Holly. I’ve got to go to work now, so be safe at school!” said Carol.
“I will, mom.” replied Holly.
Holly was soon out the door and walking to the schoolhouse. Sweetie Belle walked beside her, levitating her lunch box with her magic. Holly looked at Sweetie Belle in amazement.
“You’re really good at magic, Sweetie Belle!” exclaimed Holly, adjusting her saddlebags.
“Thanks. Rarity helped me learn that spell last night when I was at the Boutique. I think she only taught me because she didn’t want me causing trouble while Mom and Dad went Hearth Warming’s shopping.” replied Sweetie Belle.
“You’re lucky that you have someone to teach you magic. My dad’s too busy to teach me magic, and Mom’s a pegasus.”
“Hey there, Halfling!” A voice in the distance called.
Diamond Tiara was on her way to school, Silver Spoon beside her.
“So poor that you have to eat your wings, Halfling?” Diamond Tiara shouted.
Sweetie Belle’s mouth opened to speak, but Holly covered Sweetie’s mouth with her hoof.
“Knock it off, Diamond. I’m not in the mood.” said Holly, tossing back her red and white mane.
“Hmph. Let’s go, Silver Spoon.” said Diamond Tiara.
“Yeah. Let’s leave these blank flanks behind.” said Silver Spoon, as she and Diamond walked on towards school.
“Someday, it’s gonna change for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.” said Sweetie Belle.
“Maybe it will, maybe it won’t.” said Holly, spitting on the ground in front of her.
“Come on, Holly, we’ll be late for class.” Sweetie Belle said, and off they went.
*****
Meanwhile, Chris was working hard, doing the math for Flim Flam Video Company, which manufactured toys and video games. Despite their seemingly jolly business and nice demeanor when selling, Flim and Flam were men who only valued money. And being misers, it was not wise to do anything that defied them or their interests. As Chris was finishing adding together the costs of the manufacturing of Megamare, Mareio, and Sonic the Haydgehog games, and then subtracting that from the profits while Flam was writing a seemingly important paper, Flim looked at his watch and stood up.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Jingle, but we have to attend a meeting in Cantorlot. Please finish your work, and don’t start the furnace. We need to save coal costs.” said Flim, walking out of the door, and Flam followed.
The office was poorly insulated, so naturally, Chris was freezing cold. He shivered so much that he could barely write his calculations. He looked longingly at the furnace.
“Just long enough to finish this paper won’t hurt.” thought Chris, as he started the furnace. However, this was a mistake, as the cleaners had neglected to clean the chimney thoroughly, and so the fire shot out at Chris, and singed some dropped dry papers. Being on the second floor, escaping the fire would be hard for Chris. But the fire was spreading, and it was rapidly approaching the window. Chris leapt out of the window, and screamed as his right hind hoof shattered upon impact with the ground. Chris crawled a bit farther in the icy, cold snow. He boosted himself on his three good legs, and leaned against a tree. He heard numerous workers leaving the factory, and he watched the smoke billow through the window. A few other ponies went to grab the fire ponies, and others walked over to Chris, examining his injured leg.
*****
As these events were happening, Holly was in school, listening to Cheerilee’s lecture on the history of the former Unicorn Kingdom, and taking down notes. As Holly was finishing writing down the last few notes about Princess Platinum’s predecessors, Thunderlane and Big Mac opened the door to the school house.
“Colts and fillies, there’s been an accident down at the Flim Flam Fun Factory! Come quickly!” Thunderlane said.
Holly grew worried. Was her father hurt? She slung her saddlebag on, and put away her notebook.
“Come on, everypony, let’s go. I think everypony’s okay.” said Cheerilee, giving a reassuring pat on Holly’s head as they walked out of the door.
As they walked just a little bit to the factory, Holly choked as she saw the flames enveloping the factory’s main office. But a familiar voice called, “Holly, come here.” Wrapped in a blanket, Chris was being loaded into a cart to go see a doctor.
“Dad!” yelled Holly. Before she could follow, Carol landed from clearing the clouds next to Holly.
“He’ll be okay. He just needs to be checked by a doctor at the hospital, and then we’ll know how he is.” Carol said, trying to comfort her daughter by tucking Holly underneath her wing. Holly hugged her mother tightly, taking the words for comfort and reveling in them. They stood still for a moment, before Carol had Holly climb on her back, and they flew home to eat lunch.
*****
“Your leg is terribly broken, Mr. Jingle. Broken to the point where it is nearly impossible for you to walk for a few months.” said the doctor in front of Chris, Carol, and Holly, showing them an X-ray image.
“That’s not good. How am I supposed to do any work at all? I’m not even sure that Flim and Flam want me back or will give me worker’s comp. I mean, they don’t like me, and plus, I defied an order to not light the furnace, but it was only because I was too cold. I couldn’t even write the calculations, I was so cold.” Chris said, concerned.
“Hello, Mr. Jingle. Mind if we come in?” asked the Flim Flam brothers, knocking on the door.
“No, not at all.” Chris replied.
“Well, while we are sorry about your injury, I’m afraid your job is being terminated. Since we have no factory, there’s no point in you keeping the job, and we can’t afford worker’s comp with all of the repairs necessary, and you defied a direct order from us.” said Flim.
“I’m afraid we have to leave, Mr. Jingle. We’ll see you another time.” said Flam as the brotherly unicorns walked out.
Chris looked over at the doctor.
“How much will it cost for all the medical bills?” asked Chris, adjusting himself on his hospital bed that he lied on.
“Well, total, with only the necessary care, three thousand bits.” said the doctor, quietly kicking the floor.
“What?! I can barely afford daily expenses, but three thousand bits?”
“Now, honey, I can work a few hours extra to cover some of it, and there’s some money in the bank that can be used. I don’t think that we’ll even be able to celebrate Hearth’s Warming, and we’ll have to stretch our bits for a while, but I think we can get through this.” Carol said, reassuring Chris.
Holly looked over at her mother and father, busy discussing the matter of paying the medical bills. Holly was alright without presents, but no Hearth’s Warming celebration at all? But her whole family was very big on Hearth’s Warming celebrations. Seeing her father in pain, and not being able to celebrate Hearth’s Warming was a bit much for Holly.
She turned to her mother.
“I’m going to go to the bathroom.” Holly said to her mother.
“Okay, dear.” said Carol , wrapping her wing around Chris.
As Holly walked into the bathroom, she looked at the mirror, and cried.
*****
A few days later, Holly was sitting at the kitchen table. As an assignment, she was supposed to write a letter to Santa Hooves asking for what she wanted for Hearth’s Warming. But not celebrating the holiday made it hard for Holly to decide what to write. Chris, wheeling around in the hospital provided wheelchair, had had another unsuccessful day of job hunting while Holly had been in school, and Carol was working extremely late helping the weather team orchestrate the weather for the rest of the month. Holly grabbed her quill, used for special writing occasions, and used her magic to begin writing her letter.
*****
The next day, the school day was beginning to end, and Cheerilee was receiving the children’s letters. As Holly left, she placed her letter on Cheerilee’s desk before heading off with the Crusaders to see if snowboarding was their special talent, and even if it wasn’t , Holly was curious to try it.
As the last students walked out, Cheerilee began to start reading the letters. The first one she opened was Holly’s simply worded, but well written letter.
Dear Santa Hooves,
This year, I don’t want any toys or games for Hearth’s Warming. My family is low on money after Dad got hurt and lost his job at the factory, and we won’t even be able to celebrate Hearth’s Warming. So all I want is for my dad to feel better, for Dad to find a job and maybe, if possible, to be able to celebrate Hearth’s Warming.
Sincerely,
Holly Jingle.
The simple and short letter brought tears to Cheerilee’s eyes. She had been aware that Holly’s father had worked at the factory, but not that he had been injured, or that he had lost his job. She only wished that she knew what to do for Holly. Suddenly, as though Rudolph the Red- Nosed Zombie’s nose was glowing above her as a Hearth’s Warming themed lightbulb, she thought of an idea that was so brilliant, it could have been seen from Appleloosa. Immediately, she wrapped her scarf around her neck, and headed over to the Friendship Castle.
*****
The next evening was the night before Hearth’s Warming, and all through the house, not a pony was stirring, except for Holly, who was working on a paper. She had had fun snowboarding yesterday, and she was really good. Good enough that she had discovered it was her special talent. The Crusaders were very happy for her. Holly still couldn’t get used to the twin snowboard and snowflake cutie mark that now covered her flank. She yawned before curling in bed. She had nothing to look forward to now, but a nice long sleep, and finishing her paper on Commander Hurricane’s Fifth Fief of Flying Fighter Flurry in forty-five fourths of an hour.
*****
The next morning, Holly stretched and yawned as she woke up. Scratching her back, she got off of her bed and walked downstairs. As she attempted to call to her parents, she saw that they were looking out the window. Holly poked her head out of the shades, and looked out. There she saw pretty much every pony in town! The Jingles walked out of the house, Chris using his wheelchair. Twilight walked forward.
“When we heard about everything about what happened with the factory from Holly’s letter, and how you’re struggling, we decided to get together and help out for Hearth’s Warming.” Twilight said.
Chris and Carol teared up, touched by this act of charity.
“In fact, Mr. Jingle, I’m offering you the position of head financial advisor at my company, for almost ten times what Flim and Flam were paying you!” said Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara’s rather unsnooty father.
Chris began to sob with joy, as everyone handed out food, gifts, and drink, enough for the Jingle family and everybody else to have a feast of plenty. The Jingles certainly had no lack of leftovers of any favorite dishes, either.
Everybody held somepony else’s hoof as they began singing songs, and having a grand time. That Hearth’s Warming that everyone in Ponyville, especially the Jingles, thought was the best Hearth’s Warming ever.
Afterwords, the Jingles always made sure that if someone was struggling, to help them out, and lend a needed hoof. Holly, nor anyone else would ever forget this Hearth's Warming Eve.
The end.