//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Their Last Christmas Together 
// by Creativa-Artly01 
//------------------------------//

The next morning, everypony wakes up to the smell of apple caramel pancakes and come running down to the kitchen. "Mm! Pancakes!" cheer Applejack and Big Mack. 

"Calm down, you'll get your plates of pancakes when everypony else wakes up," responds Pear Butter with a smile. 

A few minutes later, everypony else comes down and they all enjoy pancakes together around the table. As they sit there, they all just enjoy their pancakes as they listen to the fire crackle in the stove behind them. An hour later, they all finish up breakfast and go and sit around the tree in the barn and then they begin to open presents going youngest to oldest. The first ponies to open their presents are baby Babs and baby Apple Bloom. They then happily play with the boxes the dolls were in while it moves on to AJ. She then opens her present and finds that it's the cowgirl hat she had always wanted. "Mom, dad," says Applejack with a cheery smile, "you remembered!" 

"We're glad you like it," respond her parents as they embrace her in a hug. 

The next pony, Apple Crumble, then opens her present. It then moves on to her big sister, Apple Cobbler. This then continues on for hours until everypony opens their gifts. Once all the gifts are open, the family then goes back inside and gathers around the fire and drink hot chocolate together while Apple Bloom and Babs happily play with their dolls on the floor, giggling and smiling all the while. A few minutes later, there's a knock on the door and Granny goes over and opens it and to her shock, she sees Pear Butter's big sister, Candied Pear, standing in the door. "Hello, sister," says Pear Butter as she comes to the door, "what are you doing here?" 

"I came to see my nieces and nephew," she responds with a smile.

"Then come on in," says Pear Butter. She then leads her sister inside and brings her a cup of cocoa. "How is father?" she then asks. 

"He's doing well," responds Candied Pear, "and he does miss you, even though he doesn't want to admit it. He's a stubborn one."

"Don't I know it," responds Pear Butter with a giggle. She then hands a small box to her sister. "I bought you this." Candied Pear then opens it and a smile appears on her face. 

"It's the pear blossom necklace I wanted, thank you," responds Candied Pear as she embraces Pear Butter in a hug.

"Don't mention it," responds Buttercup with a blush. 

The two sisters then walk over and begin to share Christmas tales with the rest of their family and Candied Pear also enjoys some nice time playing with her nieces and nephew as she giggles and smiles. Buttercup, watching from the sidelines, can't help but smile. She's glad her sister was able to come. She just wishes her papa would move on and enjoy a holiday with her for once.