//------------------------------// // Think before speaking. // Story: A Hearth's Warming Scheme // by Hasty Revision //------------------------------// When somepony knocked on my door, I almost didn't hear it. I can get a little bit lost in my work once I get going. I sit down to start planning a trick and the next thing I know, three hours have passed and my wagon is plastered with notes and diagrams. This session was no exception. I'd started with figuring out how to set my linking rings on fire. I knew a number of alchemical recipes that would ignite on command and burn cool enough to levitate that close to me. The trick was finding one that would stick to the rings and not just drip everywhere. Burning hoops in circus performances were usually wrapped in flammable material, but I needed the rings to look normal and, more importantly, be able to link smoothly. That had sent me into my alchemy reference guide to look for recipes. Along the way I'd stumbled upon one that would produce different colors of fire with only the change of a single ingredient. That got me thinking of a whole routine where each ring was set up with a different color of fire that I triggered one after the other. From there I started drafting variations for various holidays and events. Lurid greens for Nightmare Night, sunny yellow for the Summer Sun Celebration, pinks and reds for Hearts and Hooves Day… Then it occurred to me that these sorts of reactions would work just as well on my rope tricks as well. I couldn't teleport things but, if I infused a length of rope with the right potion then I could make it 'vanish' by incinerating it like a fuse lit all at once. I could even color match it to my magic. I'd really go through rope but it would make a great special effect. Instead of simply cutting a rope to make something fall, I could make it go off with a bang! The distraction that provided would let me get away with almost anything while the audience was watching that happen. The sound of knocking made me pull my nose out of my recipe book. I flicked my ears, uncertain if I'd imagined it or if it had been at my door. A glance at my clock confirmed that I'd gotten well and truly lost in my work (as if the scattered paper wasn't a clue). Doubtless the sun was already down and everypony in town was toasting their friends with mugs of cider and cocoa. That image soured my mood again and I turned by eyes back down to my notes. Perhaps if I etched a groove into the outer rim of the rings-- The knocking came again, louder and unmistakably on my door. I scowled at the door. I did not like being interrupted while working. With my luck it would be the police ponies deciding that they wanted to search my wagon after all. While it was covered in plans for making explosive rope, because that wouldn't look at all incriminating. I looked around at my scattered notes with just a tiny twinge of the mildest anxiety. Before I could start frantically shoving it all into my trunk, the pony at the door knocked again, and this time they said something. “Trixie? Are you in there?” “Starlight?” The word popped out of my mouth before I knew it. “Uh, can I… talk to you for a minute?” I had no idea how to handle this. Why had Starlight come to see me? Was she just looking for an escape from the holiday? Was I in trouble for something? I hadn't even done anything yet! Was there something I was supposed to have done? I hadn't announced when I was arriving, let alone made any plans. She'd made it very clear she didn't want to have anything to do with Hearth's Warming so she hadn't come to- “Trixie?” “Yes? Yes! Yes, we can, uh, talk.” “...So, can I come in or…?” I grimaced and grabbed the door with my magic. “Oh come on you stupid-!” “Uh-” “Not you!” The door finally unstuck itself, swinging outward violently. A sharp yelp from Starlight made me blanch. “Horseapples! Are you okay?” “Eheh… yep! I'm, ugh.” Starlight rubbed her muzzle ruefully. “See? No blood. Somehow.” The situation was going downhill faster by the moment. I wanted to apologize. I wanted to make sure she wasn't hurt. I wanted to invite her in and offer her something warm to drink. “Well, don't just stand there. You're letting the cold air in,” is what I actually said. “Oh, sorry!” she stepped inside then turned around, and lit her horn. Her green aura wrapped around the door and frame. I started to ask what she was doing but my words were drowned out by a loud creaking and scraping of wood and nails. Her magic refocused on the door handle and swung it perfectly closed. “There we go.” I stared open mouthed for a few seconds after she turned around, then shook my head violently. Of course she knew a spell to fix a sticky door. Why was I even surprised? Luckily, Starlight didn't seem to notice my distraction since she was so busy looking at all of my scattered notes. “What is all this?” “Just a few ideas I'm working on.” “Is that…” she lifted a paper up so she could read it more closely, “exploding rope?” “That is Trixie's latest invention,” I answered with no small amount of smugness. Starlight grinned. “Cool! Is it magically triggered or do you have to add a catalyst? Is the infusion shelf stable or will you have to prepare a new batch for every performance?” Sweet Celestia did I ever like that mare. It took a lot of restraint not to start extolling the genius of my creations right then and there. It helped that I hadn't actually made any of it yet, so I couldn't be 100% sure it would work as planned. It was going to take a lot of hooves-on experimentation before it was ready for showtime. There was also the part where I still needed to know why she had shown up on my front steps. “We can discuss my brilliance later.” And we would, at length if I had any say in the matter. “Oh,” she looked up from my notes. “Right. You're probably wondering why I'm here.” I tossed my mane and put on my best smirk. “While I could hardly blame you for seeking out my magnificent company for its own sake.” Starlight stifled a laugh that threatened the dishonesty of my smile. “I suppose you probably had some other, more boring reason for stopping by.” She rubbed her right hoof against her other foreleg and took up a keen interest in the wall. “Well, uh, you see… You remember earlier when I said I planned to kinda ignore Hearth's Warming?” I nodded slowly. “Well… I maaaay have said something about that to Twilight and Spike.” “They sang at you, didn't they.” “It was mostly Twilight.” I rolled my eyes. “They were good songs,” Starlight said defensively. “Songs?” I asked, emphasizing the plural hard. Little Miss Friendship hadn't held back. “There were a few written into the story. It's not like she came up with them on the spur of the moment. Although, I think she might have ad-libbed a little. Have you heard her 'Pinkie Pie' voice? Never mind. The point is… she, well, convinced me.” My throat dried up faster than western Equestria in summer. Was she saying what I thought she was saying? “And I sorta joined in the party.” No. This was something else. If she'd joined the party then why would she have left it? It wasn't late enough for it to be over. They should still be in full swing, probably dancing or playing games or whatever it is ponies do at those things. “So,” I said as casually as my bone dry mouth would let me, “why are you here?” “Well... like I said, I was at the party...” "Ah, Starlight, there you are, darling!" Hearth's Warming wasn't so bad, really. I still felt kinda awkward about the whole thing. I hadn't paid any attention to Hearth's Warming in years, so I was more than a little out of practice. I didn't remember any of the songs anymore, and I'd done basically nothing to contribute to the celebration. Needless to say I hadn't gotten anypony any gifts. Nopony seemed to mind though, so I was having an okay time when I could make myself stop worrying that I was about to mess everything up. Until I got cornered by Rarity. “So glad Twilight was able to talk you into joining us. Are you enjoying the festivities?” “It's, uh,” I looked around. “It's a lot of ponies.” “Yes, I imagine it's a little overwhelming. You do tend to be a bit of a shut in and, given your… 'history', I can understand that you might be feeling a bit anxious?” “Maaaybe a little.” I smiled. Or, I tried to, anyway. It didn't feel very convincing. “Don't get me wrong, everypony is being great but...” Rarity smiled back. Hers looked much more genuine than mine felt. “It's your first year here with us, darling. Of course you're going to feel out of place. Why, you should have seen Fluttershy her first year in Ponyville. Poor dear had to be dragged in by Rainbow Dash.” “Well, Twilight had to do the same to me, so...” “I wasn't speaking metaphorically.” “Ouch. That bad, huh?” “Dreadful. Until she calmed down, anyway. Now, speaking of newcomers, I happened to notice Trixie's wagon on my way to the castle.” “Yeah, she arrived yesterday.” “I see.” Rarity gave me a look that gave me the feeling she hadn't actually come over just to check on me. “Why, pray tell, is she not here?” “Wait, you want her here? I thought nopony liked her but me? I mean, the way Twilight talks about her--” “Nonsense! This is Hearth's Warming. Whatever issues I or anypony else might have with her, she is still your friend. So.” She drew herself up, and looked me straight in the eye, her expression hard. “Why is she not here?” “She, uh, doesn't like Hearth's Warming?” I tried. “I mean, that's what she told me.” “So you did invite her then?” “Er-” “I thought not.” She sighed and shook her head. “Darling, Trixie dragged her wagon all the way here through the snow and freezing cold just to be here. I know it wasn't a planned visit because, and don't take this the wrong way, you haven't been talking about it for a week.” I felt myself go very hot in the face when she pointed that out. I get… enthusiastic sometimes. “But-” “I'm not finished. Now, when she told you her Hearth's Warming plans, did anything seem amiss?” “Like what?” “A raised voice, an air of surprise, perhaps a note of panic?” “Um, well...” “Do you think, perhaps, she might have been hoping for an invitation?” Rarity was looking at me like she was trying to bore holes through my head with her eyes. I was starting to feel a little queasy when I thought back on the conversation. High pitched voice, talking fast, shifty eyes… Oh no. Rarity finally broke eye contact and turned her attention to a table full of various drinks and cupcakes. “Don't forget your scarf, darling. It's rather cold this evening.” I didn't know what to say to Starlight's story. I'd hardly said two words to Rarity outside of the time I mangled her hair when she and her friends decided to heckle me at my very first performance in town. Not that I was still bitter about that. At all. I needed to say something. She'd left the party to come get me. To come invite me to her Hearth's Warming celebration. This was what I'd come to town for. This is what I'd been hoping for since I'd seen the first store putting up Hearth's Warming decorations far, far too early. I needed to say something, quickly. Something thoughtful and meaningful. “You forgot your scarf.” ...There are times when I really hate myself.