Sequel to Purple Skies. An: Purple Skies isn't something I thought I would continue but people liked it, and now I have a writing team to work with, this is Team Joker's first team effort and we hope you enjoy our holiday special.
Twilight and Soarin' have been living together ever since the end of the Welcome Summer Special. Soarin' lost his ability to fly but found hobbies that he never thought he would have enjoyed doing like reading, and helping others around Ponyville, he thought it felt good not going through life so fast. Hearth Warming Day was coming up, and it was going to be their first time to spend the holiday together. Rarity and Sweetie Belle have left Ponyville for the holiday, and are now in Manessota.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rarity's father, Sports Blitz, was attacking a plate of deep fried mayonnaise balls.
"Eww, gross, gross!" Rarity said while putting her hooves over her mouth.
"Don't knock 'em till you try 'em, ey Rarity?" Her father returned to eating the plate of mayonnaise balls.
Sweetie Belle was playing a guessing game with their mother while the T.V blared a holiday special, How Nightmare Moon stole Hearth Warming Day.
"Is it...a drum!?" Sweetie Bell yelled while jumping on the sofa.
"Guess again!" The mother, Fran, yelled while laughing at the energetic filly.
Rarity was still disgusted at her father’s taste in food. "Is there nothing more civil to eat?"
Sports Blitz swallowed a mouth full of deep fried mayonnaise balls. "Nothing beats a Manessota specialty."
Rarity face-hooved.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While Rarity and Sweetie Belle left town, Rainbow Dash was given Soarin's position on the Wonder Bolts and was also out of town in Canterlot, training for the Hearth Warming Eve flying show.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spitfire and Rainbow Dash were talking in front of the other Wonder Bolts.
"Alright, Dash and I are going to head upwards at the edge of the field. Echo, you take Silver Wing up through the middle and arch in towards Dash, and then we'll fly forward for a second, then ignite your trails and follow me."
"Let’s do this!" Dash was finally doing what she had always dreamed of, and was ready to give it 111%, that was her new motto, 1% more than people giving it 110%.
"Glad to see you pumped up for today's practice Dash."
"You kidding? This is what I was born to do. Let’s get started!"
"Sounds good! Try and keep up Dash!" Spit Fire took off.
"I'll fly circles around you, Fire!" Dash laughed.
The Wonder Bolts all took off, eager to practice.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Twilight and Soarin' are now preparing for the holidays.
A snowflake was slowly falling to the ground, glistening from the minor sun rays showing through the gray clouds, it landed on Soarin's nose.
Soarin' wiped the snow flake from his nose and looked up into the sky and saw that it was lightly snowing. He smiled at the sight of the snowfall, remembering his happy childhood with his parents.
Soarin' turned to Spike. "So is there anywhere else we need to go shopping at today?"
Spike opened some of the bags he was carrying while pointing his claw at the items, counting them. "Uh... nope! That's everything Twilight put on the list."
"Alright, good. I heard that Big Macintosh and Fluttershy found each other."
Spike shrugged. "Yeah, Big Mac has always liked her, I was wondering when he was going to do something."
Soarin' gave a light chuckle. "Maybe it’s the Hearth Warming spirit?"
Spike joined him. "Heh… Yeah."
Spike and Soarin' were walking through Ponyville, watching the young foals carol, and looking at all of Ponyville’s decorations that matched the season.
Ponies all over Ponyville were getting into the holiday, Hearth Warming was coming up fast, only two days away. Ponies were wearing the decorative holiday sweaters, pointy red hats, and scurrying all over Ponyville for last minute shopping.
Soarin' turned his head to Spike again as they walked. "So did you get Applejack a present?"
Spike rummaged through a bag and brought out a small box and opened it. Inside was a necklace with a ruby heart-shaped gem in the center that opened up and had a picture of Spike and Applejack.
"Whoa, she's gonna love that, Spike."
Spike placed the small box back inside the bag. "I went digging to find the perfect ruby for it too. So what did you get Twilight?"
Soarin' stopped in his tracks at the question.
Spike had kept walking forward and didn't notice Soarin's absence until he took a few more steps forward, he looked back and saw Soarin' wide-eyed and his mouth was open.
~*~*
"All finished!" Twilight said, feeling triumphant after cleaning the library. "Thanks for all the help AJ."
Applejack walked up next to Twilight. "No problem, Twilight, Ah couldn't let a mother to-be, do all the cleanin' herself." Applejack smiled at Twilight, happy about her coming family.
Twilight gently rubbed her stomach with a smile on her face. "Do you think Spike and Soarin' got all of the shopping done?"
Applejack rubbed the back of her head. "Ah don't know, some ponies can go a little crazy durin' this time of th' year and flood the stores."
"Well I hope they get here soon so-" Twilight was cut off.
'AAAAAHHH!'
"What the hay was that?" Applejack went to the window, hoping to find the source of the yell.
"No idea..." Twilight joined Applejack in the search.
~*~*
Spike had put his hands over his ears from the panicked scream and Soarin' was sitting in the lightly covered ground rubbing his head with his hooves.
Soarin' was getting a headache with all of the thoughts racing through his mind. 'Why! How could I forget to get her a gift? I have been busy lately, hiring construction workers for the add-on to the library, accepting endorsements... but how could I forget?!' Soarin continued to rub his head. 'I need to get her something fast... something she will love... She loves books! No wait... we live in a library...Jewelry? No, she doesn't wear jewelry....'
Spike went over to Soarin' and put a hand on his shoulder. "What’s wrong?"
"I forgot to get a gift for Twilight..." Soarin' said in defeat.
"Oh... well the stores are still open, we can go look for one." Spike said reassuringly.
"But what should I get her? It's our first Hearth Warming together and I don't want to get her some last minute gift."
"I'll help you think of a good one then... a book? She likes books." Spike thought for a moment. "Oh, right, library." Spike started scratching his head in thought.
Soarin's eyes lit up and he leaned into Spike's personal bubble at the excitement of his idea. "Spike, go ahead and head home, I thought the perfect gift."
Spike slowly leaned back away from Soarin’. "Alright, are you sure you don't need my help?"
Soarin' noticed how close he was to Spike and backed away as well. "Yeah I got this, see you later, tell Twilight I'll be home in a few."
Soarin' trotted off into Ponyville's chaotic streets while Spike continued back on his way to the library.
The errors have now all been fixed by our new awesome pre-reader FlutterLove, Team Joker is glad to have him.