Chapter 7: A Night to Forget
Throughout the evening, the Cloudsdale Pegasi dropped more snow all around Equestria, including the wonderous city of Canterlot. As a result, when he got up the next morning, Moon Crest groaned to see the pathway filled in again.
"Well at least it's not as constant as it was last year," he commented to Sunrise. "Oh well, better get out there and clean that pathway, otherwise we'll never be able to get out."
He went to the closest to get his winter gear. Sunrise looked at the mess outside, "I don't know Moon, that looks to be thicker than usual. Maybe this time, you should except some help."
"Normally I would, but everypony else is asleep, and I don't want to distrub them."
"Well I'm awake," said another voice.
Both adult ponies looked to the stairwell and saw Sunset there, "good morning Honey, uh what are you doing up?" Sunrise asked in surprise. "It's not Hearth's Warming day yet."
"I know that," she chuckled. "No I was woken up by Sunny Rays' stuffed animals tickling my nose, which made me sneeze out of bed."
"You fell out of bed? Are you alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine, it's not as bad as being thrown to the concrete on two seperate occassions. Anyways, since I'm up, I can help you clear the snow Dad, if you want any help."
"Well it's like I always say, many hooves make light work. Make sure you bundle up Sunset and I'll see you outside."
He opened the door and went out into the cold world outside. Sunset made her way down the stairs and quickly got on her winter gear. Sunrise though was a little concerned, "are you sure you want to help? You did just take a punch from a bully from Manehatten."
Sunset shook her leg a little bit and groaned, "it still stings, but I'll be alright, and more than ready for the Hearth's Warming play tonight."
"Yeah speaking of that, do you still have that dress from your meet with your friends, or did you take that back with you?"
"No I left it here, I have a similar style dress back in my apartment back home, so why would I need two in the same location?"
"Yeah I guess you got a point."
With her winter gear on, Sunset went outside and found her father already hard at work in clearing the snow. It seemed to be heavier than usual, "Sweet Celestia, if the extra work in my workshop doesn't get to me, this will."
"Well don't you worry Dad, I'm here to help!" smiled Sunset.
In no time at all, she was digging her shovel into the snow and clearing alot of it away. It was difficult work, but by working as a perfect father-daughter team, they were able to clear the path faster than one pony could do alone.
The other ponies got up shortly after they had started. By the time they were finished, Moon Crest and Sunset were the only ones who were cold and tired. Sunset was shivering, "okay it's official, winters in Equestria are colder than they are back on my world."
"Well it's good to make it official," chuckled Sunrise as she walked out of the kitchen. In her magic, she had two cups of hot cocoa. She lifted them over to the father-daughter duo, "this will help warm you up."
"Thanks Mom," sighed Sunset and drank a good portion of the hot cocoa.
At the basement door, Sunflower was calling down to Granite Slab, "Son, are you okay down there? I haven't heard anything from you since last night!"
"I'm fine, just leave me alone and don't you dare come down here!"
"Fine, suit yourself," she sighed. She closed the door, locked it and walked over to the group of ponies, "clearly he's going to be in a bad attitude today, so it's best that he stays downstairs."
"It's probably a good thing he is staying down there," said Sun Drops, "otherwise he'll get us into another hoof-fight with other ponies."
"Sun Drops!" snapped her mother.
"Sorry Mom, but you know it's true. I mean, he's a down right troublemaker who didn't deserve to come on this trip. I think we should've left him in Manehatten on his own."
Sunflower was about to speak, but Sunset spoke first, "but then he would be missing the chance to meet us."
"He wants nothing to do with any of us, or any of you. Heck, it's his fault you got hurt last night at the festival."
What they didn't know was that Granite Slab was listening in on the other side of the door. He was looking down to the floor crossly, and was about to start pounding on the door when he heard Sunset say something.
"I'll admit he has an attitude problem, but after I got hurt, I saw a softer side to your brother. I think, if given enough chances, maybe he can start changing his ways for the better, but it's enterily up to him."
Granite was quiet at first, but then he shook it off and started pounding on the door.
"Give him more chances, I don't think so," and Sun Drops walked away.
Sunset sighed and shook her head, "you're not helping your case kid."
Meanwhile, at a different house, Night Glide Shimmer was cleaning out the pathway on his own. It was hard work, and it was putting a strain on his back. His wife; Sunbeam was inside on her couch and reading a book.
Three quarters of the way done, Night Glide had to stop as he couldn't go on anymore.
"Hello Mr Night Glide," called a voice. It was Honey Tree passing by while having a walk, "you look tired, would you like some help clearing your pathway?"
"Yes...yes I...would," he panted. "I'm...too old...to shovel."
"Well pass me the shovel, I'm on it!"
He passed the shovel to Honey Tree and within seconds, she was shovelling away the snow with ease. Before long, she was done.
"Wow, now that's impressive, thank you so much Ms Tree." Using his magic, he pulled a small bag out of his jacket pocket and lifted some bits out, "these are for a job well done."
Honey Tree shook her head, "no thank you Mr Shimmer, I just did that to help a pony in need."
"Okay if you're sure," and he put the bits back into his bag, and back into his jacket. "I can see why you and Sunset are friends, you're both very kind ponies."
"Thank you Mr Shimmer."
"Night Glide!" snapped a voice. Night Glide looked behind him and saw Sunbeam staring coldly at him, "don't you dare talk to that pony. Any friend of a traitor to the Shimmer family is a traitor to us too!"
"Oh give it a rest will you? She just helped me as I was getting too tired."
"Ask other ponies, we don't ask traitors!"
Honey Tree rolled her eyes, "I've heard that before. Anyways, hope to see you two at the Hearth's Warming play today, I'll be serving treats for the visitors." She turned and walked away from the house.
"You're not going to the play tonight!" snapped Sunbeam.
"Oh come on Sunbeam, it's a tradition for my family to go see the Hearth's Warming play."
"Perhaps, but I am your wife, and I say you're not going, and that's final! Now get your sorry flank back in here and clean up before you attract dirt all over the place!" She turned and went back to the living room.
Night Glide shook his head, "I sometimes wonder why I stay married to her." And he followed his wife back into the house.
A little later, Sunset was going to the market to pick up a few things for her mother's big Hearth's Warming dinner a few days from now. Thankfully, her mother gave her plenty of bits, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to buy everything.
"Okay so once I'm done here, I'll have plenty of time to get my dress cleaned up and I'll be ready for the play tonight," she thought to herself.
As she got closer to the market, she could see her grandfather walking around. He didn't seem to be doing anything, he was just walking around all alone.
"Hey Grandpa!" she called.
Her voice caught his attention, and he looked over towards her, "oh hello Sunset, what brings you out on a cold winter's day like this?"
"Mom's Hearth's Warming shopping list, she asked me to get alot of food for the big dinner." And she showed her grandfather the list.
"Sweet Luna, that's a very big list. Will you be able to carry it all on your own?"
Sunset looked back at the long list, "I don't know yet. I do have magic, and it's certainly helpful when bringing food back to the house, but I don't know yet."
"Well if you want help, I can always give you a lending hoof, and maybe it'll give us a chance to catch up."
A smile came to Sunset's face, "you know what Grandpa? I think that would be a great idea. But what about Grandmare? Won't she be worried about where you are?"
"Not really," he answered simply.
Sunset could tell that all was not well with her grandparents, but still she pushed the thought away and with her grandfather by her side, went to get the food.
"Okay, okay, we give, we give!" cried Concrete.
The Slab family grown-ups and the two fillies were in the midst of yet another snowball fight, and like always, Sunny Rays' side won the fight. Sunflower and Concrete groaned as they got up from their snowbank.
"That's twice now we've been beaten by Sunny Rays, she is good."
"Well she is a snowball fighting champ Sis!" called Moon Crest. He had stepped outside the workshop to let the cool breeze blow into his face.
With the snowball fight over, the four ponies made their way back to the house. Like always, there was a plate of freshly made cookies and cocoa for everypony.
"Enjoy everypony," smiled Sunrise. However she was a little concerned, "I do hope Sunset's going to be okay with bringing home all that food on her own. Maybe I should've gone with her."
"Well somepony had to watch over my crazy brother," said Sun Drops.
"Watch it sweetheart, we don't want to punish you too," Concrete said firmly.
Sun Drops apologized at once. At that moment, the front door opened and Sunset walked in, "hey guys, sorry we're a little late, but it was a little difficult to find everything on the list."
"Oh that's okay Sunset. Wait a minute, did you say we? Who's we?" asked her mother.
"Me, and Grandpa, that's who." She moved to the side, revealing Night Glide walking in behind her with a few grocery bags. "He offered to help me with the food."
Sunrise smiled, "Well thank you for the help Night Glide."
"Please, call me Dad, you earned that a long time ago Sunrise," Night Glide smiled. Using his magic, he made the groceries fly over to the kitchen and onto the table.
"Okay Dad, and sorry Sunset for giving you too many items on that list."
"It's alright Mom."
Night Glide wiped his hooves clean and walked over towards his daughter, "hello Sunflower, it is good to see you again. I know it's only been a year since your previous visit, but it feels like forever."
"Oh geez Dad, you're making me blush," and indeed, she was blushing. Still, she wrapped her hooves around her father, and he in turn wrapped his hooves around her. "Sorry that I didn't stick around last year, but you know my reasons why."
"I do indeed, but it is good to see you connect with other members of the family."
"Well I didn't really think we would, but Moon Crest and his family have been proving me wrong."
"Wouldn't be the first time we've proven a pony wrong," Sunrise whispered to Sunset, who nodded in agreement.
The peaceful moment though wasn't going to last as another pony came into the house. It was in fact, Sunbeam Shimmer and looking livid, "Night Glide, how dare you!"
"How dare I?"
"Yes, you know better than to stay out for long period's of time, and..." She paused as she looked round the room, "you have to be kidding me, they're still here? I don't believe this. MOON CREST!"
Sunrise whispered to her younger daughter, "you might want to get your father."
But Sunny Rays had no need to do that, for Moon Crest heard his mother loud and clear, "what's going on in here this time?" he asked.
"I thought I told you to get rid of these traitors of the family. Do I honestly have to do everything myself, or are you finally going to do what is right? Now throw them out!"
Night Glide sighed as he turned to leave, "sorry Sunflower, but I have to go again. Hopefully we'll meet again before Hearth's Warming."
"I hope so too Dad," she whispered.
Sunbeam nodded at her husband, "good, you're paying attention to me, now if only our son would listen. I said throw them out, NOW!"
"Mom...just leave," he said firmly.
An angry look came to Sunbeam's face, "fine then, I'll deal with this myself, just you see if I don't." She turned on her hooves and stormed away.
"Well, that was more intense than it needed to be," commented Concrete.
"I didn't even get a chance to introduce you guys to him," sighed Sunflower.
By late evening, the meet with Sunbeam was out of the mind of everypony as they were finally getting ready to head out for the Hearth's Warming play at the palace.
"This is going to be great," cheered Sunny Rays as she bounced all over the place. "I get to see my favourite Hearth's Warming story acted out, and my sister's going to be there too!"
"Well we won't be able to go if you don't stay still," chuckled Sunset. "Come on Sunny Rays, you need to wear a jacket tonight."
After a few more bounces, Sunny Rays finally stopped and allowed Sunset to help her put her winter gear on.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to the palace tonight?" Sunflower asked Sunrise. "I wouldn't want you to miss the play, I can keep an eye on my son."
Sunrise shook her head, "Sunflower, I told you I could take care of your son. Besides, I can always catch the play next year. You go, have a good time and don't worry about Granite."
As if on cue, Granite Slab started pounding on the door and screaming like a mad pony again.
Sunflower wasn't really convinced. Moon Crest walked up to her, "she'll be fine Sis, now come on, let's go."
And on that note, the six ponies left the house, leaving only Sunflower and Granite behind.
At Sunbeam and Night Glide's house, Night Glide was reading his newest book on railroads of Equestria when his wife stepped into the living room, "you know Night Glide, maybe I was being too hasty earlier when I said you couldn't go to the play. It is a tradition after all for your end of the family, and I shouldn't force you to end it just on my word."
Night Glide raised an eyebrow at this, "what's this about Sunbeam?"
"Oh I just thought I'd be nice to you tonight. Go, have a good time, don't worry about me."
Night Glide was suspicious, but in the end, he agreed to go. He got on a suit, and once ready, he left the house with a big smile on his face, "maybe I had my wife all wrong, she's not that bad of a pony."
What he didn't know was that Sunbeam wanted him out of the house just so she could put a plan into motion.
"Right on cue," she smirked as she saw a police officer walk into view. "Excuse me officer, I need your help!"
The officer heard her and walked up to the house, "yes Ma'am, what's going on?"
"I heard a gang of nasty ponies are planning on robbing the house of my son and his family. There are two adult ponies, two little ones and a last one who looks like that nice pony from a few months ago. You know, the one from the Clock Tower fight."
"You mean Sunset Shimmer?"
"Yes, that's the one. They're using her mane-style to get her into trouble, and they said they'd harm anypony in the home. Please hurry."
"Don't worry Ma'am, we'll put a stop to this," and the officer hurried off.
Of course what Sunbeam said wasn't true, but she figured that being arrested would be good enough to getting the traitors out of the house. She smiled at her own plan, "Moon Crest will thank me for this later."
At the palace, Sunset and the two families were among the first to arrive, and got front row spaces, "great, we'll be able to hear and see the play better from here," smiled Moon Crest.
"It'll be nice to see the play again," said Sunset. "I've been away so long, I've almost forgotten how the story goes."
"Well this should hopefully help you kiddo," smiled Moon Crest.
Sunflower however wasn't focusing on the play, she was still worried for Sunrise, "I know she said she can handle Granite, but what if she can't? Maybe I should go back to the house and see how she's doing."
"Honey, chill out and relax. They've already said that she can handle our son if he gets too wild."
"I suppose so," she sighed and started to relax.
One of the last ponies to arrive at the palace was none other than Night Glide. He sat down happily at the back, "good evening Mr Night Glide," smiled Honey Tree. "Would you like a Windigo shaped Honey Biscuit?"
"Mmm, don't mind if I do." He picked one off the tray with his magic, and gave Honey Tree a bit for the biscuit.
"Hope you enjoy the show Mr Glide."
"Oh I'm sure I will," he smiled.
The curtains went up and a lone pony walked out onto the stage with a book being held in his magic. He opened it up, placed it on the stand and started to tell the story; "Long before Princess Celestia ruled Equestria, our beautiful world was very different, for you see the ponies didn't know about harmony. All they knew was hatred."
Sunset was beaming as she was listening to the story, "oh the girls would've loved this. Man, I wish I brought my camcorder with me."
At the Shimmer family home, Granite had finally stopped pounding on the door, mostly due to the fact his hooves were sore. They were hurting, so Sunrise had to let him out to help. She was going to wrap his hooves up in bandages, but he didn't want help, "get away from me, I don't need help from anypony, I can take care of myself!"
"Nonsense, everypony needs help from time to time, now hold still young Granite."
He struggled for a couple more minutes before admitting defeat. Finally Sunrise could wrap his hooves in bandages, "there we go, that should help for a while."
"Whatever!" he snorted.
Sunrise lead him back to the basement door, but before he could go back in, there came a knock at the door, "who could that be at this hour?" Sunrise asked out loud.
"Why don't you go answer the door and find out?" Granite asked rudely.
"Yes Sir Mr Sunshine," Sunrise said with a cheeky smile on her face.
"And don't call me that! I hate it when ponies call me names!"
Sunrise walked to the door and called out; "who is it?"
"It's the Police Ma'am, open up!" Sunrise was surprised to hear that, and opened the door to find there were at least ten police officers standing on the other side, "we have been told there are intruders in the house."
"What?!"
"The ice was getting closer and closer to Clover the Clever, Private Pansy and Smart Cookie, and would've trapped them forever, but Clover the Clever still had her magic. Within an instant, her horn lit up, and a magical beam of light shot into the air, creating a pink heart made of fire."
Sunset smiled at this part. Oh sure at first she had forgotten how the story went, but after a while, it came back to her, and she remembered this was her favourite part.
"It's exciting isn't it?" Sunny Rays asked her big sister.
"It sure is," nodded Sunset.
The play soon finished, and all the performers bowed to the audiance, who stomped their hooves and whistled loudly. It was clear, everypony loved the performance.
The two families were soon making their way back to the Shimmer family house, all with smiles on their faces.
"I love that story," cheered Sunny Rays as she bounced up and down. "It's got to be the best Hearth's Warming story ever."
Sunset nodded in agreement.
"It was definetly wonderful to watch," smiled Sunflower. "We should try and make that a tradition every year, come to Canterlot and see the first play of the year."
"Well we'll have to see if we can work it into our busy lifestyles, but I think that can be arranged," said Concrete.
Sun Drops pouted, "that is assuming Granite doesn't ruin our chances again." Both her parents stared at her firmly, "sorry, didn't mean to say that."
At last, they were coming up to their street and were shocked to see at least twenty police officers there, "what in the world is going on now?" cried Moon Crest in shock.
"Oh Granite, don't tell me you caused more trouble," groaned Sunflower.
Sunset and Moon Crest ran up to the house, but were stopped by a police officer, "sorry, but we can't let you into the house. We've been told that there are intruders in there, and so far, we've only found two."
"One of them's my wife; Sunrise Shimmer!"
"And our son; Granite Slab," added Sunflower in complete shock.
"A likely story. Now please, back off!"
Another officer came forward, "hey, that pony looks like Sunset Shimmer. That must be another one of the intruders." All the police officer's eyes turned in her direction.
"Oh no, this isn't good," she muttered to herself.
It took more than three hours for Moon Crest to finally convince the police officers that he and his family were not intruders, and neither were the Slab family.
"Then why was that boy in the basement?" asked one officer.
"He's serving time down there as punishment for a few nasty tricks, and poor choice of words."
"I see. Well then, this has been a big misunderstanding, I speak for the entire police department when I say we're sorry. As for the pony who reported this, she will be hearing from us. Let's go boys!"
And with that, the police officers left.
"Being accused of breaking into my own home, what next?" groaned Sunrise.
"Who would say such things about us?" asked Sun Drops. "It couldn't have been Granite Slab, he was locked up in the basement."
"Not all the time," said Sunrise. "I let him out to deal with his injuries, but I had my eyes on him the entire time."
"I think I know," said Sunset. "One pony said that if my Dad wasn't going to force us out of the house, then she would find a way to get us out of here."
"You don't mean..."
Sunset nodded to her little sister, "ain't no doubt Sunny Rays, it was our Grandmare; Sunbeam Shimmer."
Moon Crest stared down at the ground angerily, "how dare she! It's one thing to order me around, but to pull a stunt like this, this is going too far. Just wait till I see her again, she's going to be getting quite an earful."
Little did Moon Crest know that she was already going to be getting an earful.