It was a lovely Christmas Eve. The sky seemed to arrange itself in a way that was decorated as festively as the city of Canterlot below it.
In Spike’s house, nestled warmly in the boy’s bedroom were Spike and Sweetie Belle, abated from the cold outside by the blanket they shared.
The day had been busy for them both. Between the fun of decorating their homes and shopping for their friends, they had been helping to prepare for the party Spike’s parents were hosting tomorrow.
After the exhausting day, the two now slept, ready to begin the next day.
When the sun rose on the next day, Sweetie Belle was stirred from her sleep by the rays of sunlight shining on her face.
As she awoke, she was aware of Spike’s arm around her. From the way he was breathing, she couldn’t tell if he was awake or not. Either way, she was going to have a little fun with him.
“Morning,” Sweetie Belle whispered.
Spike twitched slightly when he felt something touch his nose.
“Wake up,” Sweetie said, gently tapping her finger to Spike’s nose over and over. “Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.”
“Sweetie Belle,” Spike grumbled, “If I didn’t love you so much, I’d destroy you. Starting with that finger.”
Sweetie giggled, before kissing Spike good morning.
“Merry Christmas, Spike.”
“And the same to you.”
Both children stayed in bed, neither wanting to leave the warmth of the blanket. But, Spike knew that it had to be done.
“Come on. We can’t keep mum and dad waiting,” Spike said.
“You’re parents are expecting you?” Sweetie asked.
“Kind of. It’s not like we ever plan anything, but mum always makes something special for breakfast on Christmas,” Spike answered.
The air was as sweet and as thick as honey when the children quietly made their way downstairs.
Spike stopped just before entering the kitchen. This was a moment that he once thought would be lost forever. Now, as he held Sweetie Belle’s hand, he knew these moments would be better than ever.
Hand in hand, they entered the kitchen. Surely enough, there were both of Spike’s parents. Ember stood at the stove, idley cradling herself in Sombra’s arms, as a pan of thick bacon and a pot of raspberry oat pudding slowly cooked on the burners. On the counter, a plate of huevos rancheros and pan dulce laid steaming and ready to eat.
“You’re up early this year,” Sombra said.
“I wanted Sweetie Belle to see what goes on here on Christmas morning,” Spike said.
“Then, I bet you told her about the butter rum. Your dad made a pot of it last night. Over there,” Ember said, indicating a crock on the table.
“Sweetie, you’re in for a real treat today,” Spike said, as he led his girlfriend to the vat of the drink.
There were already four glasses placed before the crock, and a serving ladle. Spike readily took the ladle and served two glasses.
“Um...Spike, aren’t we too young to be having rum?” Sweetie asked.
“It’s alright. There’s not actually any alcohol in it. It’s just butterscotch with cream spiced with cinnamon, honey and cloves,” Spike explained.
Sweetie Belle looked apprehensively at the drink. It sounded sickeningly sweet enough, and the way Spike was sipping it down made her wary of the nature of the drink. Still, she was a guest in the house, and did not want to offend her boyfriend’s parents.
She placed the glass to her lips, and tilted her head back. Her mouth was filled with a thick, creamy, sweet sensation. After swallowing her first mouthful, the spices took their effect.
Sweetie Belle could taste it in her nose and down her throat. The overpowering sensation of cloves and cinnamon tickled her every sense. Her eyes began to water, and her ears began to tingle. In a second, she had to put down her drink and gag on the taste.
“Good stuff, huh?” Spike said, as he took another sip.
“Yeah...good stuff…” Sweetie choked.
“It’s the same for every first timer. You just have to take it in little sips,” Sombra said, as he put together two plates of bacon, huevos, pan dulce, and two bowls of oat pudding. He handed one of each to his son. “Here you go, Spike. Breakfast.”
“And this is yours, Sweetie Belle,” Ember said, as she placed a plate and a bowl at a spot for their guest. Afterward, she took her seat with her own servings of food.
“So, who’s excited for the Christmas party tonight?” Sombra asked.
“Me!” Sweetie Belle said.
“I don’t know. Who else is coming, besides us?” Spike asked.
Both of Spike’s parents shook their heads at their son’s question.
“So far, the RSVP’s are--” Ember said, as she mentally ran down a list of the guests, “There’s all of us. Night Light, Velvet, their daughter and all of her friends, Discord, Sweetie Belle’s friends, Apple Bloom’s brother and grandma, Chrysalis, Tirek and...who else?”
“Come on. Don’t pretend you forgot Pharynx. He’s only with us for everything,” Sombra chuckled.
Spike smiled slightly at the list of guests, but inside he was beaming. It was going to be the best party of his life. And the fact that Pinkie Pie was organizing it was only the icing on the cake.
The time for the party had come. The guests arrived one after the other, and placed their gifts for one another beneath the massive tree in the living room.
Everyone was dressed to their best. Even Rarity felt herself outshined by several of the others around her.
The night had been long, and full of games, conversation and songs. In the backyard, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom sat on the back steps, while Sweetie Belle and Spike lay huddled on the porch swing.
“Can you believe how fast this year’s gone,” Scootaloo sighed, as she gazed skyward.
“I know. Seems almost yesterday we started school,” Apple Bloom answered.
For Spike and Sweetie, the time passed all too quickly to them. What seemed a blissful eternity during every moment now seemed to have passed in a blink. Now more than ever, they knew they had to make every moment of their time together count.
The back door opened, and Sombra stepped out.
“Spike, girls, come on in. We’re opening presents now,” he said.
That was the magic word for them. Each of the kids filed into the house, and gathered around the tree with everyone else.
“So, who’s first?” Ember said.
“I got first dibs,” Discord called. He confidently strode up to the tree, and collected a parcel.
“I wonder who that one’s for,” Twilight said to Fluttershy.
“Twilight,” Discord said, as he presented her the package. “Merry Christmas.”
It was the most unexpected thing Twilight could have experienced in the moment. After what they had been through during the year, she was profoundly touched.
With eager anticipation, she tore the wrapping from her gift. What she found beneath took her breath away. A limited edition of Witchcraft is Magic. Printed in its native language, no less.
“Oh, my-- Discord, how did you get this!?” Twilight said, as she threw her arms around Discord.
“It was nothing. I pulled a few strings. Called in a few favors. Spent a hell of a lot of money.”
“It kind of makes me feel bad that I didn’t get you something as special,” Twilight said.
“Okay. Maybe I don’t want it.”
“Discord!” Fluttershy admonished her boyfriend.
“Alright. I admit, it was tasteless. Thanks Twilight,” Discord said, as he accepted the gift.
What he found it to be was a massive box that Twilight had to carry over from the corner of the room.
“Jeez, did you buy him a whole joke shop?” Dash asked.
“Well--” Twilight began.
Discord opened the box, and a spring-loaded boxing glove uppercutted him to the ceiling. When he landed in the box, he found it was filled with all kinds of props he never would have dreamed to find in any local joke shop.
“Twilight, this is amazing! We’ve got disguise kits! Exploding pocket change! And I don’t even know what this is supposed to be--OUCH!!--Okay, that’s what it does,” Discord’s voice said from inside the box.
Discord jumped out like a living jack-in-the-box and hugged Twilight.
Over the course of the next hours, the gifts were all opened, and the guests all left a little happier than before.
“That was one hell of a party,” Ember said.
“And we still have to prepare for New Year’s,” Sombra added.
Spike watched the guests leave from the living room window. He watched Sweetie Belle climb into her sister’s car, and take one last look at him before she drove away.
To Spike, the ‘Power Princess’ comic she gave him would be the part of her he kept after she left for home.
While his parents cleaned up after the party, Spike walked upstairs for bed. The night had been long and nothing but fun. It was his deepest wish that it could last for all time, but he knew it to only be a dream. And he would carry that wish long after he fell asleep.