A cloud made out of brown dust filled the hall and it is impossible to see your own hove or claw, even if you hold right in front of your eyes! Coughing and flapping her wings Twilight tries her best to make her way through the unclear area, followed by her best Dragon friend, who holds her tail tightly in his purple claw so he can't lose her. “Twilight? Can you see something?”, he asks but the Princess has to decline the question.
“Sorry, the dust is to thick... Wait!”
Her horn creates a purple magical aura around of it and in no time the dining is dustless and finally they can see what happened. Rainbow Dash crashed through a window right into a... gingerbread house?
“Uhg... My head...”, the Pegasus mumbles while her eyes are spinning around in two different reactions and she shakes her head to get a clear mind again.
Twilight's runs towards the laying pony and tries to help her onto her hooves while she looks at Spike to get an important answer.
“Spike? When did you bake this house? It is very nice of you to bake one but I-”
“I didn't baked a gingerbread house! I don't even know how to bake something like that?”
Spike didn't made the sweet treat? But there is no one else around who could have done it!
“What? What do you mean?”, the Alicorn asks but Rainbow Dash interrupts her as she flaps her wings and raise into the sky.
“Spike, you are the one who is responsible for the food and the treats. Who else would make a gingerbread house without being in charge of it except...”
The rainbow-haired Pegasus stops and thinks if her possible solution makes sense. She switches her glimpse and focuses Twilight, who just watches her.
“Is Pinkie Pie already here?” Without saying a word the Alicorn Princess nods and Rainbow only shakes her head.
“Pinkie! Is this gingerbread house here yours?”
Silence... until suddenly the voice of the party pony travels through the room.
“Yippie-ya-yessie!”
Rainbow Dash giggles and answers in a shouting voice.
“Okay pal! Next time could you place it somewhere not near a window? Thanks!”
Now that Rainbow arrived only three friends are missing: Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack.
“Well, I will go back into the kitchen. After all, I still have some delicious dessert and meals to cook and make for everypony”, Spike suggests and runs towards the entrance of the kitchen, where he continues his work.
“He is a really good assistant Twilight”, the light blue Pegasus explains.
Twilight giggles as she observes the door, as if she hopes he would come back one more time, and answers without looking away.
“One of a kind...”
Suddenly the doorbell begins to ring and both Mares wince but Sparkle already knows what she has to do.
“RD? Could you stash the... ruins of the gingerbread house in the storage upstairs? I'll answer the door. I'm pretty sure it's Rarity with Sweetie Belle or maybe Fluttershy.”
With her hove against her forehead Rainbow Dash salutes and shows her agreement.
“Roger Twilight. These delicious treats will be stored away in ten-seconds-flat!”
With these words she begins to collect some of the brown pieces and in only two or three seconds she flies up the stairs until she reaches the storage next to the “Equestrian History”-room, places them in it and returns to collect the next parts.
“Maaaybe I will need a minute or two...”, the Pegasus adds before she repeats her actions.
Twilight leaves the dining hall and makes her way to the entrance hall until she finally reaches the entrance door.
“This castle is … really big...”, she mumbles as she gasps for air.
She always forgets how long it can take to walk through the entire castle! Or even only through a few rooms and hallways. The sound of the doorbell stills rings in her ears and through the halls until the pale purple pony opens the door and greats her next guest. A yellow Pegasus with a long, pale pink mane and tail.
“Good evening Twilight”, she greets her friend and smiles before she turns her attention towards her little bunny next to her, “Okay Angel. I'll be gone for tonight so you will have to make your salad yourself this time, okay my little darling?”
But the little guy isn't pleased with the explanation and tries his best to get her home but the shy pony can't agree with that.
“I'm very sorry Angel but I promised my friends I would celebrate with them this year. After all I missed Nightmare Night so Hearths Warming Eve is my last chance to celebrate with them this year. I hope you can understand this and still wish me a great evening. Come one, give mommy a hug.”
Slowly she lowers her head until she and Angel Bunny can see eye to eye but instead of getting a hug the white rabbit shows his anger and runs away, comes back and forces a carrot in the Pegasus's mouth, who instantly lifts her head again and takes the carrot out of her mouth. Angel, in the meantime, is already on his way back home. He is really, really angry!
“Ehm...”, the Mare mumbles until she turns her attention towards Twilight and smiles at her explaining what just happened, “He is such a sweetie. He even gave me a carrot this year. Last year he opened the door after I went out and he closed it behind me. Most likely it was an accident. He really is a kind bunny, isn't he?”
“Actually”, Twilight thinks, “he is a real bully. These aren't the only times he treated Fluttershy like that but she really likes him and I guess when you like someone you accept his behavior. But it wouldn't hurt to be a little bit nicer...”
But instead of saying that she just nods and welcomes Fluttershy.
“It is so great you have you with us tonight. We really missed you on Nightmare Night but we already talked about it. That makes it even more special that you are here today! Rainbow and Pinkie are also already here.”
Together they walk back into the living room, which is completely decorated. Everywhere they can see colorful streamers, fake snow, crystals, stars and candy canes! Pinkie really created a masterpiece this time. Fluttershy also thinks that way and a quiet “Wow” leaves her mouth as she stares at the beautiful decoration.
“Pinkie Pie decorated the room but the tree was my work. Do you like it?”, the Alicorn asks and gains a nod in return.
“It is really beautiful Twilight. Everything looks perfect... Say... Do you need my help? I would love to help!”
Her voice becomes a bit louder as she says these words and she seems to be very excited... at least as excited as she could be!
“Well”, the other Mare answers while she thinks about something to do for her very good friend, “You could... go and prepare the songs we will sing later. You could choose a few, prepare the lyrics, the music and everything. What do you say?”
Of course the Pegasus loves that idea! Singing is something she loves to do the most. Not in front of a thousands of ponies but with her friends it is one of her most adored things to do!
“Yay! I will try my best Twilight. I know where the music room is so don't worry about me.”
She leaves the room and makes her way towards the music room on the third floor singing her favorite song in the world ''Music in the Treetops'' and her singing voice echos through the halls and reaches everyone in the castle.
'Ding Dong! Ding Dong!'
“The doorbell? Again?”, Twilight asks herself as she realizes that she has to go back all the way...
“Sometimes I really hate my castle...”, she mumbles before she also leaves the living room and starts her journey.
The doorbell rings a few times before the book-loving Mare opens the door again and gets greeted by a white Unicorn with a dark violet, curly mane and tail, blue eye-shadow and a red Hearths Warming Eve-dress with a few white snowflakes on it. Next to her she can see a little, also white Filly with a pale pink and pale purple mane and tail and a few little locks in it.
“Rarity! Sweetie Belle! I'm so glad you came.”, Twilight greets her good friends who greet her back.
“Hello Darling, of course I came. I wouldn’t miss this celebration at any costs! After all I really want to show you my beautiful new dress and remember spending this day with my very best friends.”, Rarity replies and grins at her Alicorn friend before she steps into the castle followed by the little Filly.
“I’m really sorry that I have to bring Sweetie Belle with me but our parents are in Manehattan and I have no pony who could have looked over her while I’m gone until Big MacIntosh takes her to Sweet Apple Acres. And you are sure you don’t mind?”
Twilight looks at the little Unicorn who smiles at her and jumps out of joy.
“Twilight! Twilight! Your castle is amazing! It is so big and it sparkles like Rarity’s gems and all these details… I bet the Cutie Mark Crusaders could really need a clubhouse like that.”
Such a small Filly but so much energy, it really shows the innocent of kids.
“I know Sweetie Belle”, the Alicorn replies after giggling and leading them into the first hallway which leads to the living room, “It really is a beautiful castle even though it can be very boring all alone on your own. And it isn’t just my castle. It belongs to all of my friends and especially to Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Spike and your sister Rarity. But everypony is always welcome!”
Hearing that makes the white, little Unicorn sigh and she loses her glimpse on the red carpet on the floor.
“I wish I had a great destiny like you… But I am just a normal Filly.”
Twilight stops and turns her front towards the little pony, who bumps into her and just stares in shock.
“What are you talking about? You, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are great Fillies. All of you decided your destiny and it is to help everypony who can’t see the meaning behind their Cutie Marks. Your actions are very, very important for Equestria and especially for everypony. Never forget that, okay?”
“She is right”, Rarity adds her own opinion after placing her hoof underneath Sweetie Belles chin and lifts it up a little bit to look into her eyes, “You are a very special Filly and you know that. I only know nine ponies who got their Cutie Marks at the same time and these ponies are my friends and I and you and your friends. All of you are meant to be friends forever!”
The Unicorn with the pale mane smiles and realizes that her sister and Twilight are right. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are important and are meant to do great things!
“Thanks Twilight… Thanks Rarity”, she whispers before she hugs both of them and, after asking the Princess for her permission, runs towards the door leading to the decorated wonderland of the living room.
“Sweetie! Wait for me!”, her sister shouts before she chases after her, leaving Twilight behind who rolls her eyes and giggles again.
And, as if the door knew that the two Unicorns had left her alone, the bell spreads it’s sound again.
“And the last pony shows up”, Twilight thinks and makes her first step. But Rarity, who teleported herself right in front of Twilight, blocks her way.
“Twilight? Where can I find your room again? My mane looks like a nest… a dirty nest! I must change that or I will be ugly… for the entire night! And that would be the worst possible thing!”, she almost screams as she places her hooves on her friend’s shoulders, shakes her and almost totally freaks out.
“Calm down, Rarity…”, the pale purple pony tries to soothes her friend with success, “On the second floor the third door on the left. The one with the T and the S on it.”
And after she said that her glamorous friend disappear again as if it all was just a dream… except it wasn’t.
“Typical Rarity”, the Alicorn thinks but her action got her an idea, “But now I remember that I don’t have to walk all the way to the door! I can just teleport… Why didn’t I thought of that before?”
And with a pinkish purple glowing horn she creates a bright flash and disappears. A second later she reappears right in front of the entrance door to welcome her last friend. She opens the door and there she is. The cowgirl with hooves as hard as if they are made of steel and a heart as big as a full-grown apple tree.
“Howdy Twilight! Sorry I’m late but this little Filly here wasn’t ready to go because she thought she might forget something important. And, surprise, she didn’t. I hope I didn’t interrupt you or somepony else…”, Applejack greets her friend, who smiles at her in joy.
A pale orange Earth Pony with a reddish cowboy hat and a blonde ponytail as her mane and tail stands there in the dawn of the evening accompanied by a little, yellow Filly with a big red and white bow on her head and a red mane and tail and a big, red Stallion with a short, orange mane and tail, who carries a big back of pies.
“Of course not Applejack. I’m glad you came! It wouldn’t be the same without you. And good evening to you too Big MacIntosh and Apple Bloom, isn’t it a wonderful night?”
The Filly and the Stallion nod in agreement and Big Mac answers with a loud and slow
“Eeyup…”
“Did you bring the pies?”, the Alicorn asks her friend but the little Filly interrupts her.
“Of course we did Twilight! We baked almost twenty pies for you! If you don’t need all these pies we will bring the spare ones to the big celebration. Sooo… where is-“
“Apple Bloom!”, a well-known voice appears out of nowhere and in only a few seconds Sweetie Belle rushed through the open door and starts to cuddle and hug her best friend and fellow CMC-Member.
“Sweetie Belle!”, she answers and welcomes the hug with a big smile on her face, “I can’t wait! This will be the best Hearths Warming Eve ever!”
The two Fillies starts to play with and talk to each other about everything and nothing at the same time while Twilight uses her magic to levitate ten of the twenty pies and teleport them into the kitchen, were Spike already waits for them so he can cut them into pieces.
“Now hold your hooves little ones, first I want to set a few rules. Rule Number One: Don’t annoy anypony and no horror movies after ten o’clock. Rule Number Two: Listen to Big Mac and Granny Smith and, when they leave for the party, follow the rules they give you when they leave. And rule Number Three: No moonlight-adventures and especially no adventures in the Everfree-forest! This place is unpredictable and very, very dangerous. You could hurt yourself or get lost or even worse! So promise me you won’t do anything stupid and tell Scootaloo the same”, the usually farming Mare explains her own settings for tonight and each rule gets greeted by nodding heads and a big smile on the Fillies’ faces.
“Don’t worry Applejack. We won’t get into any trouble tonight, we promise… Not like last time we had a sleepover at our place. Those Timberwolfes were very scary and rude. I tried to talk to them and the only thing they did was howl and growl at me. This time it will be a quiet, relaxed get-together”, her little sister promises and Sweetie Belle supports her answer by nodding her head again and her even bigger smile now.
AJ sighs but she has no time. If they don’t leave now Big Mac can’t prepare himself for tonight and that would be a shame and very unfair.
“Okay”, the orange Earth Pony replies and hugs her little sister and the little, white Unicorn, who squeaks in joy, “I wish you a lot of fun. And you too Big Mac! Show these ponies how farm ponies celebrate!”
With these words Applejack steps into the big castle and Twilight closes the door. The other Apples and Sweetie are getting on their way back to Sweet Apple Acres and the tonight’s get-together at Twilight’s castle can finally begin.