Violet fought the urge to squeal as she stared out of the window of the small cottage. Winter had finally arrived and the first snowfall of the season was painting the lawn white. She loved this time of year and this year would be her very first winter with a new family since the streets. Sometimes she would wake up and remember what winters were like back in the human world, as they were no picnic.
Back then she would spend the winter in old abandoned warehouses and storage buildings among some tattered blankets and graffitied walls and stuff crumpled newspaper into her clothes for installation. She glanced out at her flower bed. The once beautiful garden of colourful flowers that she had harvested into her perfumes and beauty treatments, were reduced to nothing more than frozen stalks sticking out of the ground. Though it was sad to see her garden wilt, she had been working hard during the fall season making and storing away her perfumes. With the products safe and sound, money would be rolling into her bank account before to long and she could relax a bit. Now she had the time to experiment with things like mint and ginger, instead of mixing different flowers together.
Violet finally couldn't stay in that one spot anymore and stepped out onto the frosty grass. Sticking out her tongue, she felt several snowflakes land on her tongue and in her mane. Thank you Comet. She thought about her boyfriend. Comet knew how much she loved winter, so she had a strange feeling that he had gotten his co-workers to start the snowfall early, just for her. "Violet, come inside, it's cold." Fluttershy called out from the kitchen.
Violet turned her head and trotted into the kitchen, closing the door behind her. Fluttershy was at the kitchen stove, boiling water to make tea for everyone. Winter was a time of relaxation for the yellow pegasus too, all her animals safe and warm in the deep dreamless sleep of hibernation she could finally sit back and relax.
"I was only outside for a few minutes Fluttershy," Violet explained, slightly annoyed at her cousin. The teenage pegasus sat down at the kitchen table with a pout.
Fluttershy spoke as she made a pot of tea. "But you could have still caught a cold Violet, I don't want your first Hearths Warming to be a sick day." Fluttershy said, handing Violet a cup of Earl Grey tea. Violet reached for it and took a sip.
"Hearths Warming? What's that?"
"Oh dear, I keep forgetting how little you know," The yellow pegasus lay the teapot on the table and sat down in a chair next to Violet. "Hearths Warming is that day the three pony tribes came together and founded Equestria."
Violet stared at her with a look of mild shock. "What? You mean everypony lived apart from each other?" she asked.
"Sort of, I'm sure you're aware that there are three types of ponies; unicorns, earth ponies and pegasi like you and me?" Fluttershy asked.
Violet nodded, taking another sip of tea.
"Well, a thousand years ago, the three pony tribes hated each other and each tribe was ruled by a different leader. In those days, the three tribes cared not for the welfare of the other tribes, only their own, bound by hatred."
"Racist much? Where were the Princesses during all this?" Violet asked, referring to the royal sisters, Celestia and Luna.
"Celestia and Luna were only fillies back then, no older then eight and five," Fluttershy explained, before continuing with the tale. "Anyway, the ponies did the jobs that they still do today, the Pegasi would tend to the weather, but demanded food that only the Earth Ponies could grow. The Unicorns demanded the same and in return, used their magic to bring forth the day and night. But all that changed when a mysterious blizzard descended upon the land. With all the snow, the Earth Ponies couldn't grow any food and all the tribes were freezing and hungry. Each tribe blamed the other tribes for their sufferings and the angrier they got, the worse the blizzard became."
"Oh my..." Violet uttered, suddenly worried about the snow piling outside. "Where was the blizzard coming from?"
Fluttershy gave her cousin a reassuring smile. "I'll get to that in a minute, but you should know that that a summit was held to discuss what to do about the blizzard. The leaders of the tribes, Princess Platinum of the Unicorns, Commander Hurricane of the Pegasi and Counseller Puddinghead of the Earth Ponies-"
Fluttershy was cut off as Violet began to giggle. "Puddinghead, who names their kid Puddinghead?"
Violet stopped when she sure Fluttershy giving her a minor version of The Stare.
"...sorry, please continue," she uttered.
"As I was saying, the summit didn't work out as hoped, so the leaders and their close companions set out to find a new land to conquer and they did. Unfortunately, the leaders all found the land at the exact same time."
"Was that by any chance the land that would become Equestria?" Violet asked.
"Yes actually, but the tribes started to argue about who's land it was and what's worse, blizzard followed them there and the three tribes found themselves trapped in an ice cave."
"Oh no! What happened then?" Violet asked.
Fluttershy was about to answer when a male voice called out in a sing song voice. "Oh Fluttershy," Discord called from the living room, waving a piece of mistletoe above his head. Fluttershy and Violet rolled their eyes. "Must we do this every minute of the day?" Fluttershy asked fluttering over to her boyfriend and giving him a peck of the lips.
"Come on Fluttershy, you know it's my favourite part of the season." Discord grinned, hoping for one more kiss.
"Oh you two seriously need to get a room, ever since the two of you started dating you've been all over each other like a nasty rash!" Violet said, grabbing her scarf off the coat hanger. "I'm going out so don't expect me to be back until late, anypony else wanna come for a walk?" she asked, grabbing her purse.
The draconequus paled and gulped. "Uhh, no thanks Violet, maybe another time." he stammered.
Violet shrugged. "Okay, it's your call."
Fluttershy stepped forward. "Just be careful out there Violet, the Pegasi have scheduled a blizzard for this afternoon,"
Violet smiled. "Don't worry Fluttershy, I've handled blizzards before. I'll see you later!" she cried, running out into the white winter wonderland.
Discord quickly slammed the door shut to avoid any snow getting in. "Discord are you okay, you seem scared." Fluttershy asked, concerned.
The draconequus looked appalled. "Me? Scared? I'm the Master of Chaos, nothing scares me," he proudly admitted.
"Okay, but you know I'm always here for you if you need anything." Fluttershy said.
Discord pulled her into his arms. "I know, what would I do without you," he said, embracing the pegasus.
If only you knew the truth Fluttershy...
Violet skipped out into the cold winter countryside. Snow crunched under her hooves as she passed by Sweet Apple Acres. She smiled at the sight of the bare apple trees, sprinkled with snow that resembled icing sugar. She smiled knowing that Applejack and her family had the crops safe and snug in the big red barn in the centre of the farm. Applejack was like her in sense, both young mares worked hard to maintain their produce for the harsh winter months ahead and they both cared deeply for their families. Violet sighed and a cloud of mist fell from her mouth as she carried on her walk.
She was so lost in thought that the ponies would have to send out a search party pretty soon. Violet then began to wonder what her future held for her, while she was born in this land she knew so little, but was always eager to learn. She still had a hard time excepting that this was her life now and she was finally back in the place where she was born. After street life and the loss of her parents, she had decided that life was too short, in other words she was prepared for whatever her future held.
Violet blushed at her silliness as the image of her boyfriends face appeared in her mind. "Violet, you are a silly filly, you shouldn't be thinking about those things too soon into your relationship," she muttered. But she couldn't deny it, Comet was her dream. He was the first ever boy who was truly nice to her in a romantic way. She loved him for every kind gesture he did for her and he treated her like she was a pony and not some inanimate object that had no feelings at all. Comet Blitz was the only one she could see herself having kids with because he had been so good to her, not caring if she was a child of two worlds, both Human and Equestrian. She beamed warmly, filling her heart with these thoughts as the Rainbow of Light inside her grew stronger.
Pinkie Pie hurried about her business, working the counter of Sugar Cube Corner, while Mr and Mrs Cake were in the back working on new seasonal sweets. Though it was sad to see Fall end along with Nightmare Night, Pinkie Pie knew that it was time for the biggest holiday celebration in Equestrian History to commence. With Nightmare Night along with the fall season been and gone, Pinkie bustled about taking down the Nightmare Night decorations. She would have done it earlier, except Cheese had asked her for extra help planning a graduation party in Manehatten and the trip had taken them all week.
Pinkie breathed heavily as she ran around ripping the purple and orange streamers from the ceiling and collecting dirty plates from dine in customers who came in for morning break during work. Most the those ponies had already left, so Pinkie was left with taking down the decorations and putting up Hearths Warming decorations of tinsel, fairy lights and even a cheeky piece of mistletoe over the front door. Pinkie was just finishing restocking the display case with gingerbread cookies and peppermint swirls when she heard the front door bell jingle. Pinkie thought that was odd as hardly any customers came at this time of the morning. They would all be heading back to work by now, nether the less, Pinkie bounced around the side of the counter ready to give who ever it was her biggest and most cheeriest Hearths Warming smile ever.
"Violet!" Pinkie cried as the blonde pegasus stepped into the bakery.
"What's up Pinkie- whoa," Violet awed at the decorations Pinkie had put up. The whole dining area looked like the 'Santa's Grotto' her parents took her to when she was little. "Did you do all this?"
"Yes I did, doesn't look super duper?!" Pinkie chimed.
"It does, did you do this by yourself?" Violet wondered.
Pinkie exhaled an exhausted breath. "I had to take down the Nightmare Night decorations first, now I regret covering the entire rafters in pretend cobwebs. Getting up in those teeny weeny corners is exhausting." Pinkie breathed, wiping a bead of sweet from her brow. "Now, can I get you anything Violet?" Pinkie asked, bouncing around the other side of the counter.
"Just a Hearths Warming cupcake and hot cocoa in a takeaway mug," Violet ordered.
"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie chimed and called out to Mrs Cake to start making the cocoa.
Violet looked around at the room, thinking back to what her pink friend had said. "Pinkie?"
"Yeah?" the party pony replied, while she balanced a tray of cupcakes on her head.
"Why didn't you do it sooner? I mean i know you're a living whirlwind of energy but, why did you wait until the last minute to take down the Nightmare Night decorations and put the Hearths Warming ones up?" the pegasus asked.
Pinkie chuckled as she stuffed the cupcake into a brown paper bag. "Cheese asked me to help out with planning a graduation party for this colt who just got out of medical school. The client lives in Manehattan, so we had to go there to prepare." she explained.
"How did the party go?" Violet asked.
Pinkie was about the answer, when Mrs Cake hollered. "Order up!" meaning that the hot cocoa was ready.
"Hold that thought," Pinkie said, before zipping into the kitchen. She returned seconds later holding a take-away cup filled with warm brown liquid that gave off a sweet smell. Violet picked up the bag and cup and placed three bits on the countertop. "The party went great, though there was a bit of ruckus when one of the party guests had too much to drink and went nuts." Pinkie explained as her eyes went all quirky, as she took the bits.
Violet rolled her eyes. "City folk are like that, I should know."
"Oh yeah I remember, you're from Manhatten. That's the human big city that sounds like the city Manehattan, isn't it?" Pinkie asked.
Violet laughed. "Yes it is, but believe me Pinks, there are cities far bigger than Manhattan."
"Really? You gotta tell us more about the human world at some point Violet. I'm sure Twilight would like that."
Violet chuckled. "Maybe later, I've gotta go now Pinkie."
"Okie dokie lokie, Violet, see you later and Happy Hearths Warming."
Violet looked back and smiled. "Happy Hearths Warming, Pinkie,"
Violet walked out into the pale white streets, though thanks to the brightly colourful decorations adorning from every window sill, rooftop and door in the town. Some decorations even stretched across the street from one house to it's neighbour in the opposite side of the road. She found a comfortable spot on the frozen fountain in the town centre to eat her snack and drink her hot cocoa. As Violet took a generous bite out of her dessert, it started to snow rapidly once again and a few tiny snowflakes landed on her muzzle. She sniffed as they tickled her nose and the flakes flew off back into the soft powdery breeze. Once her cupcake was finished, Violet took a sip from her hot drink, savouring the taste of warm chocolate contrasted with the vanilla aftertaste, while trying not burn her tongue.
"Violet!" a female voice cried out, making the pegasus choke on her drink. She cried as the hot chocolate that was in her mouth started to leak out of her nose, causing her to splutter and cough like she had a case of the Feather Flu.
She wiped her painful nose free from the brown liquid and looked up to see an all to familiar green unicorn.
"Violet!" Lyra cried out, galloping towards the blonde pegasus.
Violet sighed and cleared her throat, rolling her eyes. Ever since that meeting on Nightmare Night, Lyra had become Violet's biggest fan/stalker. Violet quickly learned that Lyra's obsession with humans was more than just a hobby as Lyra continued to bother Violet asking her for new information about humans that the world they lived in. "Hello Lyra, you scared me there for a second, made me snort hot chocolate from my nose by the way," Violet spluttered, still recovering from the fright and mess. "What is it you want to know this time?"
Lyra shook her head. "No Violet, I was actually wondering if you'd like to come over to my house for this afternoon?" Lyra offered.
Violet raised a suspicious eyebrow at the minty unicorn. "What game are playing?"
Lyra chuckled. "No game at all Violet, i just wanted to ask you if you'd like to come over for a chat, just to talk as friends." she smiled sweetly, which Violet could tell was an act. She sighed and wiped her fur from the spilt drink with a napkin, tossing the stained paper into a nearby trash can as she stood up. "Alright, but it'd have to be quick, I'm heading up to Cloudstale to see if I can catch my boyfriend after he gets off work."
"Fair enough, so you up for it Violet?" Lyra asked and Violet could tell that the minty unicorn was practically bursting to keep her excitement in. "Sure, just lead the way." Violet agreed, gasping as the unicorn practically dragged her by the scarf, pulling her through the snow covered streets and towards her house.
Lyra lead Violet up to the door of a small blue cottage set on one of the Ponyville suburbs away from the main part of the town where all he shops and market stalls were held. "Wow, your house looks a lot different from when we first meet at Nightmare Night."
"I count that as the second best day of my life!" Lyra said gleefully as she opened the door for Violet.
"Second?"
"The first being the day I met Bon Bon," Lyra said, sighing dreamily.
"Oh yeah, she's your girlfriend isn't she?" Violet looked around Lyra's living home, seeing that the yellow earth pony wasn't there. "Where is she right now?"
"Visiting a relative in Vanhoover. I'm all for letting her visit family away from home, but I miss her." Lyra explained with a hint of sadness. "I just hope she makes it back in time for Hearths Warming." Lyra suddenly winced and faced Violet, who had now taken a seat on the living room couch.
"You don't think it's weird that I'm a lesbian, do you? I know a lot of ponies would say that dating a pony of the same sex is sinful and disgusting, but I just..." She was cut off as Violet interrupted her.
"Let me stop you right there because I've got no problem with what your sexuality is, or any other for that matter." she said holding out a hoof.
Lyra looked at Violet in surprise. "You...don't think it's...weird? Some ponies would think that it isn't actually normal."
Violet gave the unicorn a serious expression. "Lyra; I'm the half-pony half-human child of two worlds, I possess the Rainbow of Light, my cousin is dating the Spirit of Chaos and I defeated an army of Changelings. You really think I care about normal?"
Lyra took a seat next to Violet. "You got me there," A wide grin appeared on Lyra's face. "Since you mentioned that you're a half-human child of two worlds, would you care to tell me how that happened?"
Violet gave Lyra and accusing look. "I knew you were going to ask me about humans again, ever since Nightmare Night you always ask me questions about humans." Violet cried, calling Lyra out on her plan.
Lyra just shrugged. "I can't help if I find human's fascinating, the way they live is just amazing to me, how they managed to survive for thousands of years and without magic of all things! So, how is it that your half-pony and half-human? How in Celestia's name did that happen?"
Violet raised an eyebrow. "My parents, you mean?"
"Yeah, last Nightmare Night you said that Human's visited Equestria before, but those stories were covered up, why is that?"
Violet looked away from Lyra and her eyes grew misty with memory. "Well I guess I should start for the beginning, my father was a human and my mother was a pegasus. When my father was a child, he came to Equestria with his two sisters, Megan and Molly. I never knew them as they were killed in a brutal car accident. My heartbroken father returned to Equestria, when my mother found him and comforted him. In their childhood, they were friends, it wasn't until they were older when Dad realised he had feelings for Mom, that's why he decided to stay in Equestria, a few years later they tied the knot, then they had me."
Lyra was stunned, but also confused. "Wow, that's quite a story. So you never knew your two aunts."
"Yeah," Violet nodded sadly.
"But if your Father decided to stay in Equestria, why were you raised in the human world?"
"My parents did that to protect me, as a child of two worlds I inherited the Rainbow of Light, which is the key to the human world. Don't ask me why or how it happened, but it's become a part of me, growing stronger with the love I have for my friends and family. But there are those who tried to steal it, use it for themselves. One of those people who tried to steal my power was the Queen of the Changelings herself, Queen Chrysalis. She was so determined to take the Rainbow of Light to gain access to the Human World, that she tried to kill me and my family," Violet bit back a sob. Lyra just stared at her, mouth gaped open in shock.
"That's horrible!"
"It was, I was only a few years old when she first attacked. My parents realised that it was too dangerous to keep me in Equestria, so they decided to take me to the Human World, where they continued to raise me, never telling me about my heritage or the power I held. But after a few years, things started to fall apart. My father was killed suddenly and my mother disappeared a few years later, leaving me on my own. Princess Celestia showed me a flashback of where my mother had gone that day. It turns out she had found another portal to Equestria, some sort of 'glitch in the matrix' phenomenon and she sealed it shut at the cost of her own life as Chrysalis had found the portal as well and was about enter the Human World. She killed my mother out of anger!"
"Oh my Celestia, Luna and Cadence! Violet, I'm sorry I asked you. I feel terrible for asking now!" Lyra cried, feeling guilty.
"It's not your fault Lyra, but you have to promise that you'll never tell anypony. The less ponies who know the truth, the better. Pinkie Promise you won't tell?"
Lyra smiled and did the gesture. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
"Thank you, Lyra." Violet said, with a smile on her face. "Lyra, why are you so interested in Humans? It doesn't make sense."
"I've always been fascinated with them, just the way they live is similar to how us ponies live and they don't have to use magic at all to do tasks! And all those machines!"
Suddenly Violet understood. The way the ponies lived as a civilised culture was almost a replica of how Human's live, minus all the cart pulling and lack of automobiles. It occurred to her, that from the ponies point of view, the idea of living without magic, especially for a unicorn, would be alien to them and almost fascinating at the same time. Now she knew why Lyra found Humans so interesting and why she kept bugging her with questions about humans.
Out of nowhere, Lyra pulled Violet by the scarf shouting. "Come with me, I wanna show you something!" Violet yelped as the woollen scarf around her neck tightened as she was pulled down the hall of the small cottage into another room. Lyra let her go once they were inside and Violet gasped, adjusting her scarf allowing oxygen to enter her lungs. She gawked in awe at the room she was in, with Lyra smiling proudly at the room.
The room looked like it belonged to the Golden Oaks Library as there were stacks of books in almost every corner of the room, all documenting one thing or the other. It was either encyclopaedias of Monkeys and Apes, or books about the structure of the brain. The walls were covered with diagrams of human's, both male and female and drawings of cars, TVs, telephones and other electronics were also covering the walls alongside the diagrams. "Oh my gosh," Violet cried, completely in awe at what she was seeing.
"This is where I keep all my human research. Your species is quite fascinating."
"I can see that, jeez where did you get all this stuff?"
"All those questions you've answered, I drew some diagrams to hang up on the walls."
"Cool,"
Lyra pointed to a picture of a human standing up. "How do you humans stand on two legs without falling?"
Violet laughed. "Lots of practice. Human's only start walking when they are around a year old."
Lyra's eyes widened. "Wow, ponies can walk at just one month." The minty unicorn faced Violet. "Can you still walk on two legs?"
Violet looked at her back legs, a tiny bit unsure. "I don't know, I can try." She rose up on her back legs, wobbled for a bit and stood straight, with her wings give her some assistance. "Okay, I can stand up alright, now I'll see if I can walk." Violet moved her left back hoof out, while Lyra watched, eager to see her walking on two legs. Violet wobbled like a toddler learning how to walk for the first time as the first step was taken. Then the other, and another.
It all felt a little alien for Violet, having gotten used to walking on four legs, but walking on two felt both natural and unnatural. A sensation that made Violet feel dizzy. "Woah," she cried, stumbling for a bit.
Lyra looked up at her, concerned. "Are you alright Violet?"
"Fine, I just haven't walked like this for so long." Violet reassured her, taking another step. Simultaneous with that step, Violet had a one on one fight with gravity. She teetered like a falling domino and collapsed, head first, on top of Lyra.
"Ouch!" Lyra gasped, under the pegasus's form, her face squished up against the floor.
"Oh my gosh, Lyra I'm sorry!" Violet cried, quickly getting up off the startled and squashed unicorn.
"It's fine, I shouldn't have pushed you forward." Lyra breathed, getting up off the ground.
"Are you hurt?" Violet asked, concerned for the older unicorn.
"Nah, just got squished." Lyra said as she dusted herself off.
"Are you sure Lyra, maybe you should sit down." Violet said, trying to usher Lyra into an armchair.
Lyra shook her head. "That's really kind of you Violet, but I'm fine, I really am. Nothing short of a healing spell won't cure. Besides, didn't you say you're going to head up to Cloudstale."
Violet instantly looked up at the clock on the wall and gasped at the time. "Oh my Celestia, you're right! I'll see you around Lyra, but I've gotta fly, literally!"
Lyra smiled and waved goodbye. "See you around Violet, and Happy Hearths Warming."
Violet smiled back. "Happy Hearths Warming."
Outside of Lyra's house, the snow fall had started to intensify into a snow storm. She knew that the weather conditions would be harder in Cloudstale than down here in Ponyville. Violet felt a stab of fear. She had never flown through a storm like this before. But she hadn't seen Comet for weeks, he had been working over time the past few days, helping the weather team with making snow clouds. With a gulp, Violet spread her wings and beat them hard against the growing winds, rising higher at a slow pace. She was getting better at flying, with some coaching from her friend Rainbow Dash and encouraging words from the rest of her friends. Her eyes stung with the snowflakes and the chilly winds that were picking up as she rose higher into the skies above Ponyville and snowflakes were clinging to her fur and mane.
Violet yelped as her scarf was blown from her neck and into the wind. It felt like loosing a part of her body. The pegasus dove to catch the long piece of wool that was the last memory she had of her mother. Beating her wings harder than ever before she swam through the icy storm, pursuing her beloved scarf. She finally caught up with it and gripped it in her teeth, pausing just briefly to return the scarf to it's spot around her neck as the wind tossed her body around in the air like she was a toy. She felt whole again. Holding one hoof to her neck to keep the scarf from breaking loose once again, she flapped her wings and found her original course. She could see the City of Cloudstale through the blistering weather conditions. With a smile, small flakes of snow sticking to her bluing lips she beat her wings hard, heading towards the floating City, that seemed to be unmoving in the intense winds.
Violet's hooves landed on the fluffy sidewalk in Cloudstale, breathing a sigh of relief. She shivered slightly, shaking off the snow that had hitched a ride on her feathers and gazing at the city made of clouds, that reminded her of the Mount Olympus scene from Disney 'Hercules'. The city was decorated with fairy lights and wreaths hung from every door. Violet pondered for a bit. She had noticed earlier, the Hearths Warming decorations looked an awful lot like Christmas decorations. She then remembered Nightmare Night and how it resembled Halloween. Did Hearths Warming follow that same pattern?
She started walking and wobbled slightly at each step. Violet wasn't used to walking on clouds as she had been raised on the ground as a human. She didn't want to role an ankle, but she was exhausted from flying through that rough weather and the thought of loosing her scarf again made her queasy. On top of that, she was starting to shiver from the early effects of hyperthermia. She walked over the soft cloud path through town which would've been a peaceful feeling, but thanks to the heavy snow and winds, it certainly wasn't peaceful. Violet heaved her body against the winds, her eyes only focused on getting to her destination. "Violet!" a voice called out over the winds. Violet looked up and saw the most amazing thing she had ever seen in her life. Comet was flying towards her, still wearing his factory uniform, a thick coat over the top and a worried look on his face.
"Comet!" she croaked, her throat raw from the cold. Comet landed next to his marefriend and embraced her.
"Are you okay, you look terrible!"
"I just flew through a snow storm."
He placed a hoof to her forehead. Comet gasped at her temperature. "Holy Celestia, you're freezing!" He pulled off his coat and wrapped it around her shivering body. "We need to get you inside right now, my place is closer. Just take my hoof." Violet gave him a weak smile with blue lips and took his hoof. Comet flapped his wings and pulled her through the snowstorm. Violet gripped his hoof tighter as the winds picked up, blowing ice and snowflakes into her mane. She squinted her eyes to protect them from the chilly winds, but caught sight of a house made from clouds. It wasn't anything extreme, just a small, cozy, one storey little thing that was made from compressed clouds that had a few strings of fairy lights around the ledges.
"Is this it? Is this your house?" Violet asked.
"It is, don't worry Violet. I'll have you out of the storm in no time." Comet said, landing on the front door step, Violet landing behind him. Comet reached into his uniform pocket and pulled out a key, which he used to unlock the door to the house. He opened the door and Violet stepped inside, while Comet entered the room behind her, closing the door behind them. The room was dark so Comet flicked a light switch next to the door and suddenly the room was bathed in light. Violet gasped at the living room.
In the centre of the room, there was a blue love seat sitting in front of an empty fireplace, a pile of small logs sat next to the mantelpiece to the left. A Hearths Warming tree sat decorated in the opposite corner, peaking out of a closed window, small flakes of snow were floating past outside, a red rug sat underneath it, but there weren't any presents sitting out. The room was also decorated with other Hearths Warming decorations. Tinsel hung in the rafters and more than one wreath was cheekily hung on the doors. On the far side of the room was an arch door way that lead into what Violet guessed was the kitchen and another two doors with wreaths hanging on them were positioned on the opposite wall.
"This is beautiful," Violet complemented as Comet led her to the sofa. Violet removed her scarf and lay it on the arm rest, watching as her boyfriend walked over to the fire place to get a fire going. He walked over to the wood pile to collect a few fresh logs and place them in the fireplace. Comet then went and picked up a plain looking flint and steel off the ground. He struck them together, aiming at the fireplace. Sparks flew from the flint and steel, and hit the logs, which combusted into a roaring fire within seconds. The warmth from the fireplace washed over Violet as if she had just sunk into a hot bath.
"What were you doing up in Cloudstale anyway Violet?" Comet asked, pulling the flint and steel on the mantel top.
"I was coming to see you, I was so focused on getting through the storm, I didn't even realise I was starting to get hyperthermia. I'm lucky you were in the area."
"I had just left work and was on my way home, when I saw you down in the streets. Now, I'll go get you a mug of hot cocoa, sound good?"
"No, I can get it myself." Violet protested, snuggling deeper into the coat.
A hoof touched her lips. "I won't allow that, let me make you a hot cocoa. You must be exhausted, flying through a storm like that isn't easy." He walked over to where the kitchen was and disappeared from view.
"And don't you dare follow me!" he called out.
Violet blinked, looking down at the hoof that was placed on the ground. How the heck did he know?
With a sigh, Violet retracted her hoof and watched the flames dance and flicker, while listening to the growing storm outside. The sound of the wind billowing against the walls of Comet's home was interrupted by the sound of pots and pans being moved around, followed by a whistling kettle. After that, Comet returned with a tray of gingerbread ponies and two mugs of hot cocoa balanced on his back. He smiled as he walked over to his girlfriend sitting on the love seat couch, smiling back at him.
Violet picked up a mug of hot cocoa topped with whipped cream and took a sip, allowing the warmth to fill her up. She smiled sweetly as Comet sat next to her with his own mug. Violet took another sip and tasted something different. "Is that..." she took another sip. "Mint?"
"Of course, I like to add a little bit of mint flavour to hot cocoa, especially when Hearths Warming is approaching. Are you excited for your first Hearths Warming?"
"Very," Violet uttered, taking a gingerbread pony, dunking it in her drink and taking a bite. Her lips were now returning to their normal colour.
"How are you feeling?" Comet asked, wrapping his wing around her body.
"A little better, but I'm mostly just exhausted. I'm so stupid, thinking I could fly through that storm when i'm not the most experienced flyer. I didn't even notice I was getting hyperthermia."
Comet shook his head. "No Violet, you're not stupid. I can't remember the last time we actually spent time together. I'm really sorry about that. I can't blame you for wanting to see me." he leaned over and kissed her cheek, earning a smile from her.
"Thank you," she rubbed the coat that he had leant her. "And thank you for lending me your coat."
Comet gulped down the last remains of his hot cocoa. "Don't mention it." he placed the mug back on the tray, along with the empty plate that used to have gingerbread ponies on it. He turned to Violet who was still holding her mug. "Are you finished?"
Violet looked down her her own empty mug and nodded. Comet took the empty mug and walked back into the kitchen. "Are you sure you don't need any help?"
"Yes, I'm sure." Comet called out, followed by the sink turning on. Violet shook her head and got up, leaving the coat on the couch and walked over to the kitchen. She peered into the doorway and saw Comet at the kitchen sink, washing the dishes. He turned around when he heard her come in. "I thought I told you to sit down. You've been through a lot."
"Really Comet, I'm fine now. You helped me enough and now I think I should help you." she walked up to the sink and squirted soap into a mug and started scrubbing it clean, Comet washing the dirty plate next to her. Violet grinned cheekily and she got a twinkle in her eye like she did whenever she felt like pranking somepony.
With a quick movement, she flicked her hoof upwards, splashing water at Comet. "Hey," he said, moving his eyes away to not get soap in them. Comet grinned back and splashed water in return.
"Oi!" she cried, attempting to splash him again, but was caught by a strong hoof.
"Backback," he grinned, gripping her tightly, before placing a kiss on her lips. Violet smiled into the kiss, but pulled away soon after.
"Can you let me go?" she asked, smiling and blushing at the same time.
Comet still grinned at her, letting her hoof go and setting the now clean dishes on the side to dry, before turning to Violet. "Why did you splash me?"
Violet shrugged, giving him a cocky smirk. "Dunno, because I felt like it."
Comet chuckled. "You're a cheeky thing, Flower," he said, caressing her face.
"Flower, you've never called me that before." she said as they walked back into the living room and reclaimed their spots by the fire.
"I just came up with that name, why," he put on a look of false hurt. "Do you not like it?"
"N-no, I love it. It fits after all, I am named after two types of flowers." Violet responded.
She stared out at the window next to the fireplace and watched as the snow fell outside. "Once your not caught in the storm, the blizzard really is a beauty. I loved winter when I was a little girl, both as a pony and has a human." she sighed, sadly. She watched as the tiny snowflakes stuck to the window glass and a burst of curiosity peaked in her mind. "Does the factory make snowflakes too?" she asked.
Comet nodded. "Of course we do, every tiny little detail is hoof made."
"Gosh, that must take a lot of work?"
"It does, when I'm working in the snowflake department. I have to sit at a desk in a freezing cold room to keep the ice from melting."
Violet raised an eyebrow. "I though you worked with the Rainbows."
"Oh right, let me explain," he cleared his throat. and began to talk. Violet listened intently. "Working at the Weather Factory means you have to be prepared for working in every weather department. We are given timetables at the start of every week, telling us where we'd be working that week. As it's currently winter, I've been moved to the snowflake department as there is no need make anymore rainbows until spring as we've stored a heavy supply already. Those who are assigned to the Rainbows in Winter just spend their time making Liquid Rainbow, or Spectra as it's really called, for dyes and paints, or keep the stored Rainbows in check. Despite working in the Weather Factory, the job is really more about art and minor engineering."
"But if your given timetables, why do you always say that you work with the Rainbows?" Violet asked, extremely confused.
"Because I always tend to end up working in that department every week for some reason. My co-workers and I joke that I have a solid placement in the Rainbow Department, when we all know that I don't."
Violet nodded in approval, satisfied at his answer. "What's it like working with the snowflakes?"
"Cold, no freezing, you have to wear a mask to stop yourself from breathing on the ice and you have to be extra careful with building the ice into a pattern." Comet explained with a hint of disgust.
"Sounds very intimidating," Violet smiled.
"It is, which is why I love the Rainbows more than the other departments, and it's also because the Rainbows remind me of you."
Violet's eyes brightened, remembering something from earlier that year. "You mean our first date?"
Comet shook his head. "No, I'm talking about the time when you defeated Chrysalis and her Army with the Rainbow of Light. The Rainbows I make, remind me of my powerful and beautiful girlfriend."
Violet looked away. "A power that I was nearly killed for. Who wouldn't want the power to travel between worlds?"
Sensing her fear, Comet wrapped his wing around her body like he had done earlier. Violet smiled warmly at him and leaned her head on his shoulder. "You don't have to be afraid Violet, I won't allow any pony to take advantage of your power. I can promise you that."
Violet looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Pinkie Promise?"
Comet smiled and did the gesture. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,"
She smiled back. "I believe you,"
Violet then let out a cute little yawn, causing Comet to chuckle. "You okay, Flower?"
"I'm fine, just a bit tired."
"You would be, I'm pretty tired too." Comet said.
Violet closed her eyes and sighed, nuzzling him. "I love you," she said, before nodding off into Dreamland.
Comet smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I love you too, Violet-Rose," he said, before he too, fell asleep.