//------------------------------// // 24.5 - A Little Hearth's Warming // Story: Soaring on Little Wings // by tom117z //------------------------------// Hearth’s Warming Day, Thirteen Years Ago A tiny little yawn echoed out from the crib sitting in the corner of the foal’s bedroom. The occupant of that crib shuffled slightly, the echoes of reality slowly beginning to assault her senses. Her eyes steadily cracked open, one hoof being used to wipe away the vestiges of the sandmare that had begun to form within them. With her tiny wings fluttering, Little Wing slowly sat up while still half concealed by her covers, eyes scanning the room tiredly, and without full focus. The curtains across the window were closed up tight, only a few mores of dull light sneaking through the cracks. The light outside seemed dull, as was fitting with the season. Little Wing was disappointed that Cloudsdale was not to have any snow, but it did make sense considering that they were living atop a cloud. The only place that you would find snow in the pegasi city would be the weather factory, the very place where Little Wing would one day earn her cutie mark. But she didn’t know that at the time. All she knew was that winter had come, and that it was very cold outside. Her room, thankfully, was far toastier than the outside environment. She had gotten a good night’s sleep, though could not recall her dreams. Little Wing simply laid back down in her bed, simply letting her eyes begin to close again. She thought that she might as well try to garner a bit more sleep for however long it took for her parents to collect her. And how knew how long that would take?” “GOOD MORNING!” a chorus of two announced as they burst into the room. Little Wing gave a squeak of surprise, jumping high into the air before bumping back down onto her mattress. Her covers floated down after her, landing on top of Little Wing head and obscuring her from view, as well as obscuring the world from her. Little Wing gave an indignant huff that was given a responding giggle from her mother, who lifted up the covers to reveal the little pony beneath the sheet ghost. Little Wing crossly looked up at her parents, before tilting her head in confusion. They were both adorned in multicoloured scarfs and had elongated red hats with fluffy white balls on the end. Since when did ponies dress up as Santa Claus? Little Wing glanced out into the hallways, and saw little decorative lights lining the hall. That hadn’t been there the night before. “Happy Hearth’s Warming!” both Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof exclaimed in unison, with the former then saying: “Which will be the absolute BEST first Hearth’s Warming ever!” Little Wing blinked. “Wha…?” Windy giggled again. “Oh look at her, she’s so surprised!” Windy Whistles plucked Little Wing up from her cot, placing the foal between her wings. Little Wing was just trying to process things, with Hearth’s Warming… Christmas? “Mama?” Little Wing said questioningly, a little perplexed. “Yup!” Windy just responded happily. “Oh, oh!” Bow Hothoof blurted out. “Now me! What am I?” Little Wing glanced at her father with a blank expression, before a small mischievous smirk came onto her face. Little Wing pointed at him. “Bwah!” Bow Hothoof blinked, and then he pouted. “Aw. Favouritism, pure and simple.” Little Wing giggled, then reaching over to boop him on the nose. “Daddy!” Bow’s pout turned to a smile as he nuzzled his youngest daughter on the head, chuckling to himself. With Little Wing sat securely between her wings, Windy Whistles exited the room with her husband following on behind her. They gently made their way downstairs, moving through the hall before then emerging into the main living room. And the sparkle of the lights of the newly erected tree danced within Little Wing’s wide, bewildered eyes. She had never seen a Christmas tree like that. Or… was it Hearth’s Warming tree? And then there were the presents. Her parents saw the amazed expression, and couldn’t be happier at result of their endeavour. A lot of effort in so little time had produced all that the young foal saw before her, and there was also one more surprise about to make her entrance. “I think you’ve fried her brain enough for one day,” Rainbow Dash joked as she emerged into the living room from behind them. “Seriously, why did you wait until last night to do all this gain? Aren’t you, like, tired?” Little Wing gasped, homing in on Rainbow Dash as she launched herself from Windy’s back and glomped the rainbow haired pegasus with untold glee. “Rainbow Dash!” Little Wing squealed in delight, hugging the older pony furiously Rainbow chuckled lightly. “Heh, hey there squirt. Excited for Hearth’s Warming.” “Of course, she’s more excited for you than the presents,” Bow said mirthfully. “When here?” Little Wing asked. “When Rainbow here?” “Just arrived this morning,” Rainbow Dash explained, prying the little winged pony off of her body. “I have a little hangover from Pinkie’s Hearth’s Warming Eve party, but that wasn’t gonna stop me. I’m too awesome.” Little Wing bounced on the spot from sheer delight, their parents laughing to themselves in amusement. “As for your question, Dashie,” Windy Whistles then continued. “We wanted her first introduction to the holiday to be a special one. I don’t think she’s even heard the holiday mentioned until now. Certainly not from us.” “Because that would have ruined your ridiculous master plan,” Rainbow replied in a deadpan, before regaining her smile. “Eh, I dig it. Wing certainly agrees.” Rainbow Dash looked towards her little sister, who seemed to have wandered off towards the presents sitting under the tree. She could already see several, if not most, with her name on the labels. “Hearth’s Warming gifts, given between family, friends and even complete strangers on a day of absolute friendship,” Rainbow remarked, definitely not paraphrasing something Twilight Sparkle had once ranted towards her. “Pretty cool, huh?” Little Wing looked up at her family, a slight worried expression on her face. “…Gifts?” Windy shook her head. “You didn’t need to get us any, dear. You’re too young. This is YOUR Hearth’s Warming. Almost all of them are for you.” “You got gifts from me, Scootaloo, even the girls wanted to pitch in for your first one,” Rainbow explained, before glancing at her parents. “You, er… remembered to get me something though, right?” Windy rolled her eyes. “We wouldn’t forget.” “Awesome,” Rainbow remarked, before trotting forwards and sitting next to Little Wing. “Alright then, squirt, which one first?” Little Wing pointed towards a bright green present, and Rainbow Dash brought it forwards. Together, they opened up one gift after another as the family enjoyed their Hearth’s Warming alongside its newest member for the first time. Present Day, Hearth’s Warming Eve “Little Wing!” somepony shouted as they tried to shake Little Wing awake. Little Wing stirred, the world beyond a blur of voices and loud music. The pony tried to shake them awake again, but Little Wing just began to drift off. And then felt somepony lick her cheek. “WHA!?” Little Wing blurted out as she jolted out, holding her damp fur as she looked over to the mischievous looking Misty Gust. “Misty… what was that!?” “I had to get you awake somehow,” Misty responded with a smirk on her face. “Misty, you’re weird.” “I love you too,” Misty replied as Little Wing got to her hooves, then bumping her flank against her marefriend’s. “But really, how did you dose off with all this noise?” Sure enough, loud electric music echoed across the wide-open space around them. Dozens of ponies surrounded them, dancing to the beats of the DJ at their head. The DJ in question was a blue maned unicorn, undoubtedly using a cloudwalking spell, wearing huge funky purple glasses over her eyes. It was a rather chaotic Hearth’s Warming party, and one that pretty much all teenage students at the flight school were invited to. Being only thirteen, this made Little Wing and Misty Gust among the youngest of the attendees. “Still can’t believe we got dragged out to this thing,” Misty remarked, holding her hooves to her ears. “It’s so loud!” “It’s energetic!” Little Wing defended. “And yet you fell asleep,” Misty shot back. “Dream about anything interesting?” Little Wing shrugged. “Mostly about another Hearth’s Warming, a very long time ago.” “Was it as loud as this one?” “Not even close.” Misty Gust chuckled, resting her head on Little Wing’s shoulder affectionately. When the part was over, Misty was going to be sleeping round her marefriend’s house. An air bed, which was actually just a cloud with a sheet spread over it, had been set up in Little Wing’s room for her. There she would then spend the morning of Hearth’s Warming day with her marefriend’s family before heading back to her own house around lunchtime. But they first had to survive their current mad surroundings. And mad it was. Ponies all around were cheering and hollering. Most of them, including all the younger participants, mostly stayed on the dance floor and waved their limbs around, suitably, like madponies. Some of the older students had brought along several crates of alcohol, either drinking it themselves or trying to drunkenly entice some of the younger students to partake. There was even one couple, both stallions it seemed, lustfully shoving their tongues down each other’s throats. Whether it was serious, or they were too drunk to know what they were doing… who knew? “At least they’re having fun,” Little Wing laughed. “Too much to drink, so many of these ponies,” Misty noted. “What? Don’t want us to join in?” Little Wing remarked as she gently nudged Misty. “Don’t want to follow those stallions’ example.” Misty blushed. “One. We’re too young for that much alcohol, our parents would probably murder us. Two… not in front of everypony!” Little Wing giggled. “I know. I’m just teasing you, Misty!” Misty puffed up her cheeks. “You’re the worst.” Her marefriend just laughed alongside a bright smirk. “No I’m not.” “The biggest evil. Discord in pony form.” “I know. I’ve been found out!” “Shut up.” “Never!” Misty tried to keep her pout, but she couldn’t completely stop the smile on her face from being shown. Little Wing didn’t miss it either, giving Misty a smug look of victory. “Whatever,” Misty finally conceded. “I’ll take that as a victory!” Little Wing announced, trotting forwards with a spring in her step before stretching a hoof out for Misty to take. “Come on then!” “What? Where?” Little Wing rolled her eyes. “Dancing! What else?” “You know I can’t dance!” “Neither can I, or any of the other ponies here, so who cares?” Little Wing pointed out, gently taking Misty’s hoof and pulling her towards the mass. “You’re gonna pay for this!” “I’ll hold you to that,” Little Wing replied, letting go of Misty as they made it to the young partying pegasi. Little Wing shot Misty a smirk, and then began to join in with the rampant supposed ‘dancing’ the others were doing. Misty just stared with a blank, but not-so-secretly amused look, before rolling her eyes and moving to join in herself. And so the pair danced, remaining in close proximity to each other, for the entirety of the night under the watch of Luna’s moon and stars. Despite the ‘assault on the senses’ nature of the party, in the end neither could claim to not have enjoyed themselves. What the other party goers did was none of their business, they just enjoyed spending the night together and having as much chaotic fun as they could fit in. But the night could not last forever. Eventually, the party began to die down as the sober began to leave and the drunk were dragged on their faces towards home. Little Wing and Misty Gust ended up being among the few to remain when DJ Pon-3 finally called it a night, silently bidding the remaining teenagers a happy Hearth’s Warming before departing. And so it was time for Little Wing and Misty Gust to head on home. Both were tired, each walking close together with a wing wrapped around the other. As they neared their destination, the moon was directly above them to mark the coming and going of midnight. They were both eager for sleep, and the day that sleep would bring. The day that, since midnight had passed, had technically already begun. “I had fun,” Misty admitted, nuzzling into Little Wing’s neck. “Even if you are a complete jerk.” “I am not,” Little Wing defended. “Somepony has to encourage the bookhorse to relax every now and then.” “A book is relaxing. That was anything but relaxing,” Misty retorted. “I feel more tired than I have done in years.” Little Wing chuckled. “Yeah. I guess you’re right. I’m… really looking forward to a quiet family Hearth’s Warming when we wake up. And having you there just makes it all the better.” “I’m glad you think so,” Misty replied with a small smile, humming contently. The house came into view. Their parents were likely already asleep, though the key had been left under the doormat for them. And as they approached the front door, Misty stopped in her tracks. When Little Wing was also forced to stop as a result, Misty promptly gave her a quick kiss on the nose. “Little Wing.” Little Wing blinked, a light blush on her face. “Yeah?” “Happy Hearth’s Warming.”