1: Unlikely Acquaintances
Eight Days to Hearth’s Warming
“You know what? I think I’m actually starting to hate Hearth’s Warming.”
I said that mainly to myself, seeing that there was nopony else out and about this late at night. Candlelight flickered in the windows of the small homes and shops of Ponyville, illuminating both the warm and cozy fireplaces inside, as well as the snowflakes that were carried by the chilling wind outside. A cold shiver rand down my spine, causing my teeth to chatter. I pulled my knitted scarf tighter around my neck and double checked that my earmuffs were not blown away by the wind. The town square was relatively quiet, the only sounds being the whispering winds, the muffled laughter of ponies within their homes, and the crunching my boots made in the snow.
I used to love Hearth’s Warming. I guess the holiday just lost its magic when I grew up. The holiday was still about a week away, but ponies have a way of dragging out the holiday spirit over a week or two
I smiled at happy memories of sipping hot chocolate by the fireplace, while mom would pull out that tome of a book that was filled with Hearth’s Warming stories, dad reclining in the sofa with a mug of eggnog.
My favorite story in that book is “A Hearth’s Warming Tale.” You know, the one with that unicorn that tried erasing Hearth’s Warming all together. I sighed heavily upon remembering the tale.
“I really am turning into Snowfall Frost.”
With a forehoof I wiped the snow from my muzzle before continuing through the square. Passing by the local bakery, Sugarcube Corner, the sound of laughter reached my ears. All I could see was a group of seven mares and a baby dragon, mugs in hooves and hand accordingly, toasting with big smiles on their faces. Pinkie Pie, one of the mares I recognized, was bouncing up and down, somehow managing to keep her hot chocolate from spilling while holding it with a strand of hair from her pink mane.
Chuckling to myself, I just kept trudging through the snow.
My mind wandered, and I suddenly felt a longing to be back home in the outskirts of Manehattan. However, there was nothing for me to go back to. Lost in unwelcome thoughts, I just kept walking.
I really didn’t have a reason to be out in this kind of weather. I lived alone in a small duplex, and my neighbor Noteworthy didn’t like me very much, meaning I hadn’t invited anyone over for the evening. And due to the fact that I had only been living here for about two months now, I wasn’t invited to any Hearth’s Warming parties, (except for Pinkie’s. I had declined not wanting to impose). I had left in a hurry, donning my earmuffs, boots and scarf, I just opened the door and left. And now, leaving the town square, I turned down one of the few side streets that lead to the outskirts of town.
Occasionally, I would peer into one of the houses. Mothers and Fathers entertaining their foals with various board games or stories, couples sitting in each other’s forehooves, snuggled up on a couch. I had to quickly turn away when I caught a glimpse of two ponies getting… intimate.
Nope! nope-nope-nope-nope. Nope.
My face heating up, I quickly did a one eighty, ducking out of the window, opting instead to walk in silence. I listened to the calming night breeze whistle between the homes of Ponyville, the snow covering their thatch roofs occasionally being swept up in the wind.
~CLAAASHHHH~
The sound of shattering glass snapped me out of my stupor. Glancing over my shoulder, my eyes landed upon the town tavern, its door opened, and joyous laughter erupting from inside. I was never a big drinker, never had a reason to except for very special occasions. It didn’t help that the taste of alcohol disgusted me.
An especially cold wind sent my body into a fit of shivers, the warm glow of the tavern seeming much more inviting now. After about five milliseconds of thought later, I trudged towards the door.
Stepping into the doorframe, my face was assaulted by a wall of warmth, beckoning for me to enter the tavern. The fireplace roared with the flames, bathing everything in an orange glow. A decent amount of ponies sat at the bar or at tables, leaving only one or two seats empty. Staff walked around, holding or levitating trays of mugs, placing them on tables for smiling ponies. Tinsel hung from the rafters, and bright red bows hung from wreathes that adorned the walls. It all looked a little too festive.
Wiping my boots off on the doormat, I entered, feeling the warm embrace of the inside of the building wash over me.
I untied my scarf while trotting over to an empty booth in the corner of the tavern. Throwing it onto a hook next to the table, I sat down, facing the back wall. I sat in relative silence for a few minutes, listening to the numerous conversations that flooded the tavern all at once, while taking particular interest in a knot in the wooden table. A yellow hoof entering my peripherals caught my attention. Looking up, a light blue maned unicorn smiled back at me.
“Happy holidays sir, my name is-“ the waitress paused as I gave her a scowl at the words happy holidays. Remaining professional, the mare had a small smile on her face. “My name is Lemonheart and I will be your server tonight.” Lemonheart levitated a menu from behind her, placing it in front of me.
“We have our spicy hay-fries on special tonight, and Sweet Apple Acre Ci-“
“Just a glass of water for now, thank you,” I said, forcing a small smile.
“Certainly.” Almost immediately, her horn lit up, and a small glass of water floated from behind the bar not a few seconds later. “If you need anything, just give me a holler, okay?”
I simply nodded, and with that she turned to go assist some other customers. I just sat there, feeling a little less than content to keep sipping away at my glass of water. When it was empty, it would only be a few seconds later that another full glass would be levitated over to my table, while the same familiar magic removed the empty glass.
I was vaguely aware of the fact that nearly a half hour had passed, and that I was about three-quarters in to my fifth glass of water. Picking up the glass with a hoof, I downed what remained, the cool liquid soothing my throat.
I placed the cup gingerly on the table, when it was instantly wrapped in the blue aura of magic again as it was levitated away. With a sigh, I looked up at the ceiling, my ears swiveling around. It appeared to have quieted down a bit. Perhaps some of the patrons went home. Looking back down at the table, a wooden tankard sat in place of my usual water.
My eyes searched for Lemonheart, and when I eventually found her and got her attention, she just smiled and gave me a wink, turning back to clear off a recently used table.
Looking back to the mug, I leaned down, taking a whiff of its fruity aroma. The smell off apples and cinnamon schnapps filled my nostrils. I was hesitant to take a drink. Looking back over to Lemonheart, I thought I would find her watching expectantly, like a foal waiting for his trap to be sprung. That was not the case, as Lemonheart was busying herself by cleaning glasses and levitating them to the bartender, who put them away underneath the counter top.
Turning my attention back to the cup of cider, I grabbed the handle with a hoof, bringing it closer in order to inspect it further.
“What the hell, why not,” I said to nopony in particular, as I lifted the cup to my muzzle.
I felt the pleasantly warm liquid flow down my throat as I took a sip, the taste of alcohol faintly burning as it slipped down my throat. The warmth spread throughout my insides, as the taste of the cider lingered on my tongue. I might not be a fan of alcohol, but this stuff is amazing. However, an unfamiliar, raspy, female voice interrupted my euphoria.
“That look on your face says it’s pretty good.”
The mystery mare smiled as I met her eyes, her orange mane falling around her face in relatively short strands. A royal blue scarf draped over her back and wings, matching well with her mustard yellow coat. With her mouth, she was already removing the saddlebags from her back.
“Mind if I join you?”
I just shook my head, offering her a seat with a hoof. As she sat down, I can’t help feeling like I’ve seen this mare before, but my memory was failing me.
“Mmmmm. Sweet Apple Acre cider, huh? Good choice. Lemonheart! Mug of cider, if you wouldn’t mind!” Lemonheart, perking up when she saw who had called her, happily trotted over, another mug following behind her shortly after.
“Oh don’t worry about it,” Lemonheart interrupts me as I reach for my bag of bits. “Barkeep says it’s on the house.” I couldn’t help but shoot the back of her head a bemused look as she walked away. What did I do to deserve a free drink? The mare sitting across from me interrupted my train of thought
“Alone for Hearth’s Warming huh?”
“Am I that easy to read?” I couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped my lips. The corner of the mare’s mouth raised up in a smirk.
“Nah. I just work with punks like you for a living. It’s not that difficult to read somepony if you know where to look.”
The conversation lapsed into an awkward silence for a few moments. We just sat there avoiding each other’s gaze. She was the one to break the silence.
“So what is it then? On holiday? Parent’s kicked you out? Oh my Celestia they totally did, didn’t they?” She had picked up on the slight flinch at the mention of my parents.
“Not really… They’re out of town. They left for Las Pegasus a few days ago.” The mare cocked an eyebrow at that. “Vacation.”
“Didn’t feel like taking you?”
I just shook my head.
“Well that seems pretty shitty.”
“Not really. They just wanted to celebrate Dad’s... Retirement.”
“Ah…” She seemed to pause at that, mulling over what to say next. This time, I was the one to jumpstart the conversation.
“So, how about you?”
“Hm?”
“Got anypony with you for the holiday?”
“Oh. No, not really. The folks back home are busy at work, and the rest of the team, er… my friends all went home for the holidays. Not to mention that it’s a long way home to Cloudsdale.”
“What brings you to Ponyville then?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” What?
“What do you mean by that?”
“Your accent. You’re from Manehattan ain’cha?”
“Wow you’re good. What are you gonna tell me next? You’re going to die in seven daaaaays.” I whispered, making my voice sound as creepy as possible, making wave like motions with my hooves for dramatic effect. She attempted to stifle her laughter at the lame joke with her hoof, but she eventually gave in. Her laughter erupted from her muzzle. I found it very hard to keep myself from laughing. After all, experts say that laughter is contagious. (The expert in question being Pinkie Pie.) We both were reeling in our seats, drawing the attention of some of the bar patrons, who looked on with smiles on their muzzles.
Embarrassed, I quickly put a stop to my laughter. The stranger next to me could care less, and it took her a couple of minutes to settle down.
“Oh Celestia I forgot about that film,” she said between lingering chuckles.
“Not the best horror movie in the world.”
“Oh come on, Try watching that shit today and it could possibly be one of the funniest movies in the world. The special effects are so fucking cheesy.”
Note to self, this mare has a potty mouth.
“Anyways, you still haven’t answered my question. What brings you to the podunk town of Ponyville? Sticking around for the holiday?”
“Oh, thinking about hitting on me are ya?” I could feel my face heating up, which only caused the mare to chuckle. “Relax dude, I’m just fuckin’ messing with you.” My flushed cheeks took their sweet ass time cooling down. “I was just visiting a friend, but nopony was home. Just figured I’d take a load off for once. Work has been kicking my flank lately.”
I nodded again. I know all too well the stress that ponies take on during the holidays. My mother was a prime example of that. Owning a restaurant in Manehattan during the holidays is an absolute nightmare according to her. Our conversation lapsed back into silence, however much less awkward this time, both of us just content to sit and enjoy our ciders.
“Thanks for keeping me company, but it’s getting pretty late,” she said glancing at the clock that read 10:58. She was already getting out of her seat, before pausing, seemingly thinking to herself as a small smirk grew on her face. “Hey here’s a thought,” My new friend said interrupting the silence. She turned to dig around in her bags, and pulled out a small envelope and a pen. Opening it she pulled out two small pieces of paper, making sure to obscure it from my view. “Oh Celestia dammit. I forgot to ask you your name, didn’t I?” I could only chuckle at that as she rummaged around for something else in her bag.
“Friends call me Psychic, but my actual name is Wild. Wild Spirit.” I said, grimacing slightly, realizing I didn’t know her name either. Seriously, where are my manners? “I think I forgot to ask your name as well,” I chuckled nervously. Ignoring me, she just began writing for a bit. At least until her eyes lit up again. The yellow mare just shot a sly smirk at me as she took her pen into her mouth. I couldn’t quite see what she was writing, she clearly wanted it to be secret, since she covered up the piece of paper with a hoof. She seemingly just resumed the conversation right from where we left off.
“Why do they call you that?”
“Well- It’s kinda like- You see…” I couldn’t tell her. She’d either call me a freak, or just call up the loony bin. But she was giving me the stern, raised eyebrow look again. There was no way I was getting out of this one. With her steely cold eyes, she’d really make a good drill sergeant.
“I can kinda… do… magic.” I prepared myself, readying for the backlash. She didn’t respond for a few moments, I did my best to hide my eyes behind my short purple bangs. I liked keeping the front short, and the back quite a bit longer.
“That’s it? You can do magic.” Her tone was incredulous. The kind of voice that mom would use when I was being ridiculous. I looked back up, and the mare only seemed curious. “You’re upset because you can do card tricks?” Oh… so that’s why she thinks I’m overreacting. I just let out a slightly annoyed snort.
“No, you misunderstand. It… It would be best if I just showed you.” I looked around the bar to be sure that no one was looking. When I was satisfied that nopony was, I turned back to the table, and focused heavily on the pen that had fallen from her mouth.
The pen was wrapped in a pinkish aura as it began to rise from the table.
The pegasus sitting across from me just watched it with an unimpressed look in her eyes. Her jaw dropped when she looked up to meet my eyes though.
I could feel energy pooling around my eyes as I levitated the pen, and I felt her eyes slowly move to my forehead.
“But- bu- You don’t have a horn!” Looking back to her I met her gaze and nodded. I just made the pen float lazily between us since I didn’t really need to focus on it anymore. “H- how are you doing that?” My subconscious noticed it was slightly amusing to watch the overconfident mare be taken out of her comfort zone.
“Been able to since I was born. I don’t really know exactly how it works.” I put the pen down in front of her. She didn’t seem to notice though as her eyes never left mine. However, clearing my throat snapped her back to reality.
“S- sorry. I was just a bit freaked out.”
Yeah no shit.
“So why didn’t you use your magic earlier? Don’t most unicorns just levitate everything around?”
“To avoid attention I guess.” The mare’s lips straightened in an attentive stare as she listened. Her glare was so cold, I felt like I was outside again. A shiver ran throughout my body. She was giving me no choice but to bite down on the bit.
“Back in Manehattan, ponies aren’t that accepting of anything… ‘new and unusual’. They know life to be one way, and are afraid if anything changes their view of normality.” I snorted at that, and was sure to put air quotes around ‘normality’. “You can imagine what they used to call me in school. Freak. Hornless.” I could feel my face tighten in anger as memories of the other kids at school. Sure the names were bad, but the torment was worse.
“One of the fucking bastards superglued a fake horn to my forehead when I fell asleep in math class.” I muttered under my breath. The mare’s mouth formed a small ‘o’.
“Yeah I get the feeling.”
I looked up to her as she piqued my interest.
“You should have seen the faces on those punks at flight camp when a little filly with stumps for wings showed up,” She flexed her wings slightly, seemingly for emphasis. “Turns out I was just a late bloomer. Graduated as valedictorian too.” Her normal confident smirk came back and was practically glowing with pride.
“Ponies just tend to freak out when they can see that a non-unicorn can throw stuff around a room without touching it.”
“Not to mention the weird eye thing.” I nodded at that. “Anyways, I really do need to get going,” the mare returned the piece of paper, slipping it back in the envelope before passing it to me. “Wait till Hearth’s Warming, or don’t, but either way, that’s for you.” She turned to walk out, wrapping her scarf around her neck and adjusting her saddlebags. She gave me a knowing smile “I’ll be seeing you soon, Psychic.” With that, the yellow pegasus strutted out the door, but not before leaving the blank envelope on our table, and a few bits at the bar.
----~+~----
The return home was uneventful, but despite there being no change in temperature, I felt… warmer. Happier probably. Nopony had really talked to me like that since I arrived in Ponyville (besides Pinkie Pie of course). Plus, the mare didn’t even freak out when I levitated the pen, which was a first. I usually never use my magic, even in private. I’d been just so used to doing everything with my hooves that levitation barely crosses my mind most of the time. Lost in thought, I grabbed my key and undid the lock on my front door.
My eyes are greeted with the familiarity of the cramped space that I called my living room. Shaking the snow from my mane, I flicked on the light switch, and the magical lights glowed a slight orange hue that illuminated the rather bare walls. I moseyed over to the small pallet stove in the corner, lighting the small chips of wood ablaze.
Unwrapping my scarf from my neck, I tossed it to a coat rack that stood in the corner by the door, before placing my earmuffs, and the mystery envelope, on the small two person kitchen table.
Turning to one of the cupboards in the small, galley kitchen, I pulled out a small canister of cocoa powder. I grabbed a small kettle of water from the counter top, placing it on the burner of the small stove. What can I say? Hot chocolate is my favorite guilty pleasure. I turned back to my small living area and sighed.
The living room itself was almost as bare as the walls. The small room only held what few pieces of furniture I owned. My kitchen table sat with its two lonely chairs along the wall, and the pallet stove simply sat in a corner radiating heat. The only luxury in the room was a green felt sofa that was not too soft yet not too hard. I had gotten it at a discount from Quills and Sofas, due to the fact that I worked there.
Yet, down the hall was a room that still laid barren of furniture of any kind, because I still couldn’t afford a proper bed.
If there was one thing that a retail job didn’t do, it was provide a decent paycheck.
“Welcome home,” I said to no one in particular.
It would be the closest thing to home that I’d probably have for a long while. There was no place for me back in Manehattan anyways.
I glanced to where I left the envelope. Sure I was curious. A stranger just giving me an envelope. If our meeting had gone any other way, I would have just thrown the thing in the garbage. But that mare was different.
She was just so… accepting.
I glanced at the envelope for a minute longer, and focused, feeling magical energy once again pool around my eyes as the envelope raises from the table, encased in my familiar pink aura.
Holding the envelope in my telekinesis, I moved towards the bathroom. The lights within turned on as soon as I opened the door. Stepping into the tiny space, I turned to face the mirror, my eyes met with something I didn’t think I’d see in a long time.
Staring back at me was the same familiar stallion. Purple coat and pink mane, and still no horn. Nothing had changed anywhere. Anywhere except my eyes. The sclera glowing in a pinkish hue.
“Freak.”
“Monster.”
“Unicorn wannabe.”
Voices plagued my mind. Poking. Prodding. Whoever came up with the old saying: “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” I disproved that theory. Words can hurt.
“How could you think that I considered you my son?”
Words hurt a lot.
I barely noticed the tears that had escaped my tear well, my glowing eyes causing the tears to shimmer in a pink light as they traced the lines on my cheeks. I shut my eyes tighter than a bank vault.
“No. N-no. I didn’t do anything wrong. D- dad, p- please. Don’t…”
“Your mother goes and fools around like a whore, and look what I get. Some freak of a son.”
~CRACK~
I winced as a phantom whip snapped against my back, the resounding snap echoing through my skull. I fell to the floor hooves held over my head. When I opened my eyes, I was back in that same room in Manehattan, my father looming above me. He held a leather whip in his mouth, his earthpony muscles seemingly rippling in strength, his eyes red with rage.
“It- I didn’t- It wasn’t my fault.”
The brown earthpony reared back, and swung his whip down in what seemed like a flash of lightning. I barely had enough time to cry out and shield my face again.
A whistle forced my head to snap up.
I was in the floor of my bathroom, the envelope from the mystery mare lying at my face. Picking the envelope up off the floor with my teeth, I got up and placed it on the edge of the sink. That is something for a different day. Besides.
I have hot chocolate to attend to.