Chapter 9: The Hearth's Warming Confrontation
Day soon turned to night, and after another big dinner, followed by a small snowball war in the backyard and chatting with Night Glide about his days working on the Equestrian railways, Sunny Rays was finally ready to go to sleep. As she walked up the stairs, she could see her Aunt and Uncle setting up sleeping bags in her little bedroom, right next to her little bed. Night Glide walked past her a moment later, he waved an almost cheerful wave to her, then walked over to Sunrise and Moon Crest's bedroom.
She sighed and walked into Sunset's room, where she found her sister writing into the journal.
"It doesn't seem fair if you ask me," Sunny Rays said as she lifted herself up and onto Sunset's bed, "Grandma and Grandpa shouldn't be apart, they should be together, like they always have been."
"Well you heard Grandpa, he couldn't take anymore of Grandmare's antics," said Sunset. Surprising, she was talking to her little sister and writing at the same time.
"Perhaps. Say, could you maybe talk with Grandmare and maybe try to help them get back together?"
"I can't do that."
"Why can't you?"
"Well one, she would never let me in long enough to talk to her, and two; this is a matter those two have to handle alone. Heck, I don't even have a boyfriend, so I'm not really the best pony to talk with about relationships."
"Oh I see, it's sad though."
"Yeah it is, but like Dad told me, don't worry about them. You just focus on the Hearth's Warming coming up and remember to have fun during that time." She paused from her writing and looked back to Sunny Rays, "maybe we can at least bring a smile to Grandpa's face, what do you think about that?"
"I guess we could do that, but what can we do?"
"Oh I'm sure we'll think of something. After all, we're both a pair of smart cookies, remember that." And she rubbed the top of Sunny Rays' head, messing up her mane once more and making her smile. Sunset's stomach started rumbling, "great, now I got myself hungry with that statement."
This got another giggle from Sunny Rays.
Despite the break up, Night Glide did at least show a smile on his face as Hearth's Warming eve came about. He also kept himself very busy during that time, helping Sunflower and Sunrise in the kitchen with making meals and setting up the table. He also gave Moon Crest a hoof in wood craving, once he got a few pointers from his son, and he even got into a few snowball wars with the little ones, but it seemed that everytime, he was always paired up with Sunny Rays, so he never lost.
"Next time," Sun Drops whispered to Sunset, "I'll partner up with Sunny Rays."
"Oh no, she's my sister, I got to team up with..." she was cut off as a snowball hit her. It of course had been thrown by Sunny Rays, "her," Sunset finished.
Night Glide also tried to talk with Granite Slab, but he got no response from his grandson. Not a sound came out.
"He's often like that," said Concrete, "not many ponies can say he's a friend to them. Come to think of it, I don't think he even has a friend."
The day soon turned to night and everypony was very excited as Moon Crest and Sunflower brought home plenty of logs for the Hearth's Warming fire, which was to match that of the original fire Clover the Clever made with her spell.
"This is going to be one of the best Hearth's Warming Eves ever," cheered Sun Drops.
"But Granite's not able to see all this, he's still in the basement," said Sunset.
"I know, that's why this will be the best, cause Granite would just get mad and destory everything around here."
Sunset gave her cousin a firm glare, "Everypony deserves a chance." She walked over towards the basement door, unlocked it and went downstairs. Her cousin was once again sitting on the bed and looking to the wall. "Your little rump must be getting sore from sitting on that old thing all the time."
"I move around," came a blunt reply.
"Good, glad to know. We've got a Hearth's Warming fire going on this evening, with plenty of hot cocoa to drink. I thought maybe you'd want to come up and enjoy the fun."
"They don't want me up there, and I don't want to be anywhere near them."
"Okay fine, suit yourself. Shame though, you'd get to sit somewhere else other than a concrete floor or a dusty old matress."
She turned and headed for the door once more. She was only three steps up when she heard Granite get up from his bed and head for the stairwell. Sunset could only smile as she lead her cousin upstairs.
The Slabs were surprised to see him. Sun Drops glared angerily at him.
Night Glide finally broke the awkward silence as he walked up to his Grandson, "so I finally get a chance to meet you young one. I'm Night Glide, what's your name?"
"Granite Slab," he said in a quiet tone.
"Granite Slab, an interesting name for a boy like you. Now, why don't you come sit down and have some cocoa with us?"
Granite took in a deep breath and instead of his usual grumpy attitude, he said; "sure why not, I was feeling thirsty anyways."
"Better watch it Granite or..." but Sun Drops was interupted by Sunset placing her hoof in front of her cousin's mouth. She shook her head as if to say 'don't go there', and with that, the room went silent again.
Night Glide brought over a mug of hot cocoa and gave it to Granite. He was about to take a sip when his grandfather stopped him, "don't forget to blow on it, or you'll burn your little tounge."
He was going to ignore his grandfather, but in the end decided to listen and blow on his cocoa to cool it down.
"I don't believe it, he's actually being nice," gasped Sun Drops. "Did he bash his head on something downstairs? Cause this has never happened before, even with guests."
"Nope, I just think he's got a good side that's slowly coming out."
Granite drank down his cocoa, but once the mug was empty, he went downstairs and closed the door behind him.
"You should put quotes around the word slowly," muttered Sun Drops.
"Oh well, that was another good step," Sunset thought to herself.
After a bit more talking, the ponies all went off to their beds and went off to sleep. In fact, all the ponies in Canterlot, apart from a few who work during the night, went to bed. Sunbeam Shimmer on the other hoof did not go to bed. She was in her living room and sitting in her chair, glaring crossly at the empty couch.
"I ask him to stay put, but he walks out. I tear up the photos for his own good, yet he blames me. He's a stupid pony," she muttered to herself. As the night wore on, she grew crosser and crosser.
As the sun rose the next morning, she got up from her chair and stormed off to the kitchen.
"I'm not going to let him be an idiot on my watch, I'll drag his sorry flank back over here and I'll really give him a piece of my mind."
She soon had her winter gear on, but as she opened the door, she was stunned to see snow piled up almost to the height of her eyes.
"Oh you have to be kidding me!" she groaned loudly. "Darn stupid weather pegasi, they're all aganist me!"
Determined to bring Night Glide back by any means, she used her magic to pick up a shovel and started clearing her own path way. She grumbled about it the whole time, "when I get his sorry flank back over here, I'll make sure he stays outside till he learns who's the boss around here."
At the Shimmer family house, all was quiet as everypony was asleep. But not for long.
"HEARTH'S WARMING! IT'S HEARTH'S WARMING!" came the cries of Sun Drops and Sunny Rays.
It woke everypony up and made Sunset fall out of the bed again, "ow, now that's going to leave a mark."
She looked up to her bed and saw Sunny Rays bouncing up and down while shouting "IT'S HEARTH'S WARMING!"
"Okay Sunny Rays you can stop, I think everypony is up at this time," Sunset called to her. Sunny Rays stopped, and using her magic, lifted herself off the bed and over towards the doorway. "Sweet Celestia, that girl's got a set of lungs on her."
"So does Sun Drops," said Sunflower as she walked past. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine, takes more than a little pony shouting to get me hurt."
Sunset followed her Aunt, Uncle and Grandfather down the stairs and over towards the tree. The two little fillies were jumping around as they looked at the presents.
"Reminds me of when you were a young filly," Sunrise whispered to Sunset.
Sunset blushed hearing that.
Sunflower walked over towards the basement door, and headed downstairs to see if her son was up. Granite was up, and was looking to the wall, "alright Granite, you can join us for Hearth's Warming day, but one wrong move and you're down here till we're finally ready to go back to Manehatten."
"Yes Mom," he said with a quiet tone in his voice.
Sunflower turned and headed up the stairwell. Granite soon followed and joined the families upstairs. Once more, Sun Drops gave a firm look to her brother.
"Alright, let's start opening presents," smiled Night Glide. He knew he wasn't going to get anything, but still wanted to join in on the fun. Using his magic, he lifted one present away from the tree and read the name on it, "this one is for Granite Slab. Here you go Son." He lifted it over to Granite and placed it down gently in front of him.
"Oh here we go," groaned Sun Drops, "get ready to duck for cover."
"Give him a chance, I'm sure he won't throw his present," Sunset whispered to her.
Granite slowly opened the present, then opened the box inside, revealing a wooden model of the Friendship Express. He looked at it for the longest time, leaving his family to wonder. He put the train down and rolled it along the floor, "it's nice," he said, "thank you."
"Okay, so we got lucky that time," muttered Sun Drops.
"Alright, next up is a present for Sunny Rays Shimmer from Sunset Shimmer."
A big grin came to Sunset's face. Sunny Rays accepted the present with her magic and tore the wrapping paper away. She opened the box inside and pulled out; "a teddy bear!" cheered Sunny Rays.
"Yeah well I thought, even though you have a large collection of stuffed animals, maybe you would like another one," Sunset said to her. "But this isn't any ordinary teddy bear. Press down on it's right ear, and you'll see what I mean."
Sunny Rays pressed down on the right ear, and something amazing happened; "I Love you Little sister."
"It has your voice!" exclaimed Sunny Rays.
The other ponies in the room were surprised by that too. Sunset smiled and walked up to her little sister, "it does indeed, it's a special teddy bear that allows you to record your own voice into it, then when you press down on the ears, it'll play a message for the pony. In this case, it plays my messages to you so you'll always hear my voice."
Sunny Rays started to tear up, but they were happy tears. She placed the bear down and ran up to her big sister to give her a hug.
"Thank you Sunset."
"You're very welcome Sunny Rays."
Now it was Moon Crest's turn to speak, "That is an amazing little toy Sunset, are they common where you live?"
"Oh yeah, I see talking toys all the time in the toy stores back home, but not many are being powered by solar power."
"Solar Power?"
"Yeah, well since Equestria doesn't really have batteries, I figured on getting the bear converted over so you can charge it up during the day, and hear the messages none stop after that. You can thank our human Twilight for doing that."
"Well I have to admit, I am impressed with your world's technology, and with you Sunset." He looked down to Sunny Rays, who was still hugging her big sister, "and I don't think I'm alone."
Granite Slab decided to move over towards the couch so he wasn't in anypony's way. As he climbed onto the couch, he could see a pony coming down the pathway, and carrying a shovel. She also looked very angry.
There came a knock at the door, "now who could that be?" wondered Sunrise out loud.
She walked over towards the door, but Granite jumped off the couch and blocked the door, "Stop!" he cried. "It's Sunbeam Shimmer, and she's carrying a shovel with her."
"How do you know that?" asked Sun Drops angerily. "I bet you it's just carollers wanting to sing for other ponies."
"Come on, you have to believe me."
"No, you just don't want us to have fun. You're always ruining the fun for us." Sun Drops walked up to her brother angerily, "Manehatten, Vanhoover, Baltimare, you're always ruining everything." She raised a hoof towards him as if to strike him, "now step aside and give up your lies."
"I'm not lying, it is your...our grandmother, and she's really mad!"
There was another knock on the door, this time being a little louder than before.
"You have to believe me this time, I'm telling you the truth."
"Believe you? Now why would we do that? After all the stupid things you've said and done, we should just put you back in the basement as we listen to the carollers."
"Sun Drops, that's enough of that!" snapped Sunset. She walked over and forced her cousin to put her hoof back down.
Sunny Rays ran to the couch and looked out the living room window, "he's telling the truth, Grandmare is out there, and she looks really scary."
Moon Crest sighed, "She must be here to drag Dad back with her." He looked to Granite Slab, "for a pony who acts like he doesn't care, you sure do have a good heart. Now move aside. Sunrise, get me the garbage can lid. Everypony else, get back."
Everypony did as he asked. Sunrise soon returned with the lid and stood back with the other ponies. Using his magic, Moon Crest opened the door, and in charged his mother, swinging her shovel. It hit the garbage can lid with a bang, and within seconds, Moon Crest was able to get the shovel away from her.
"Sunbeam, what in the name of Celestia is wrong with you?" demanded Night Glide.
"Enough talk and enough stupidity Night Glide, you're coming back to the house right now, and I don't care that I have to drag you out by your ears. And Moon Crest, for the last time, kick out these traitors and don't ever make me catch them here again!"
"Grandma's scaring me," whimped Sunny Rays.
"I will do no such thing!" snapped Moon Crest. "They are family, and they can come here any time they want."
"And I'm not returning to you after the things you said and did," added Night Glide. "You're really taking things too far. Just stop now before you really hurt somepony."
The room seemed to go quiet, before Sunbeam spoke again, "no, I will not stop. The family traditions are too important to be ignored, now get over here Night Glide! NOW!" Using her magic, she forced the shovel away from Moon Crest, "and I'll kick these traitors out myself!" She swung the shovel wildly, ready to hit anypony.
"Dad, toss me the garbage can lid!" called Sunset.
Moon Crest nodded and after ducking to avoid the shovel, he tossed the lid over to Sunset. She grabbed it with her magic and blocked her grandmother's little attack, "Captain Equestria, eat your heart out," Sunset thought to herself.
"You're leaving this house, if it's the last thing I do."
She raised the shovel once more to deliver another blow, but found something hitting the shovel and making it fly away from her. The object was a log, and it had been thrown by Granite Slab.
"Leave my family alone!" snapped Granite.
"You dare throw my shovel away!"
"Enough of this!" snapped Sunset. "So Dad doesn't want to throw us out, and Grandpa is tired of your attitude, that gives you no excuse to come here, ruin our Hearth's Warming and attack us all."
Granite nodded as he walked over towards his cousin, "the only real traitor I see in this house is the foolish stupid one that's acting like a three year old that hasn't gotten their cupcake. And that is you. Hearth's Warming is a time for families to get together, but it's also a time to forgive and forget, that's something else the Hearth's Warming story speaks of. The ponies forgot about their differences and forgave each other for their words and actions, and thus creating the land we call Equestria. However, you're the only one here who's acting differently, and all because you can't let go of your dumb family ways."
"Watch your tounge boy or..."
"Or you'll do what, hit me with your shovel? Hitting a child is a serious criminal offence you know."
Sunbeam snarled just listening to Granite speak to her that way.
"Granted, I didn't want to be here anymore than you want us here, but I've been learning, just a little bit mind you, that being with family is important..." he paused as he looked to Sunset, "even those who offer milk and cookies for a hungry pony." Sunset smiled back to her cousin, then both looked back to their grandmother, "and all we wanted was to ask for your forgiveness and maybe we could be one happy family, yet you come in here and do this. Only a crazy pony does that."
Sunbeam's anger started to grow, "you're really starting to get on my nerves here boy. Now get out of here!"
"We're not going anywhere, we're staying and we're going to keep coming back for Hearth's Warming. Cause after seeing your actions, I rather be with my family in happiness, then living alone in pure anger."
Sunflower stepped forward and stood beside her son, "I was going to ask you to forgive me, but if words can't get through your thick head, maybe it's a good thing I decided aganist the idea."
One by one, all the ponies walked forward and stood side by side in a firm stance.
"Apologize Sunbeam, or you can turn around and leave!" Night Glide said firmly.
"No, I will NEVER apologize!" Using her magic, she picked up her shovel and prepared to strike down Sunset, "I will throw you traitors out, and you Night Glide, will be spending a year outdoors!" She swung it down, but Sunset blocked it once more with the garbage can lid and tossed the shovel away with it.
"Sunbeam Shimmer!" snapped Moon Crest. "I swore I would never throw any pony out of my family again, but for you I'll make that acception! Get out of here!"
"You dare talk to me like that?! You're just as much of a traitor as they are! You're all stupid! I'll make you all see just how right I am!"
"Will you now?" said a voice from behind her. Sunbeam looked behind her and gasped, for there were three police officers, and the police chief. "Attacking a family on Hearth's Warming, you're just as heartless as that stupid Pen Pal."
"They're the stupid ones, not me! The traitors brainwashed my only son, his wife and young daughter. I ask that you arrest them all!"
"Oh we'll be making an arrest today, but it's not them we're going to arrest, it's going to be you. Boys, cuff her."
Two officers walked up to her and placed hoof-cuffs on her. The third officer picked up the shovel, then with Sunbeam struggling to get away from them, the police walked out of the house.
"Sorry about this Chief," said Moon Crest. "My mother's finally lost it."
"Well don't worry, she'll be getting plenty of help where she's going. Have a nice Hearth's Warming." He tipped his hat and walked out of the house, closing the door gently behind him.
Silence filled the room once more, until Sunset finally broke it, "here and on Earth, the excitement never stops." She looked down to Granite, "thanks for that, and now I know you like hanging out with us, I'll have to make sure to come back every Hearth's Warming."
"Whatever, I'm still the tough guy around here, you got that? If you forgot, I can remind you how tough I can be."
"Uh no thanks, but tough guys can care for their families too, you know?"
"Maybe," he said meekily. "But whatever, can we just get back to the presents or do I have to do everything myself?"
"Okay, okay, let's get back to that," smiled Sunset, and that's just what they did.