It was amazing how fast the year had gone by. Before anypony realized it, another one was near its end, and that wonderful time of year had arrived once again: Hearth's Warming, one of Equestria's most beloved holidays. The time of giving, sharing, and togetherness. The time of year to give thanks and let everypony know you care about them.
Like many other cities in Equestria, Ponyville was certainly not short on the holiday spirit. All around the snow-covered town, ponies and other creatures pranced up and down the streets, hurrying to the store to get the last item on their loved one's Hearth's Warming list, waiting in excruciating long lines at the post office to ship their gifts off to another town, and running away from even the tiniest whiff of a fruit cake. Truly, the Hearth's Warming spirit had fallen upon Ponyville and its citizens.
However, there was one creature who did not run about the streets like all the others. No, he stood still, on top of a small hill where nopony else could see him. He was a pony. A green pony. A green Earth pony and he stared down at the decorated exterior of the Castle of Friendship with a smile. A big, wide smile. It was not a smile like all of the other ponies. No, it was not a smile of happiness. It was a smile completely devoid of any warmth. If this pony's smile could be described at all, it was a smile full of... termites.
In a quiet, slimy voice, he began to hum to himself. "You're a mean one, Mr. Grump..."
Scootaloo looked at the game board in front of her and took a deep breath. "Come on, come on, come on." She rolled the dice. "Oh, come on!"
"Ha!" Spike gloated as he placed his claw out to Scootaloo. "That'll be 750 bits, please!"
"Ugh!" Scootaloo slapped a hoof to her face. "Why do I even play this game?!" Scootaloo begrudgingly scraped her toy money off the table and gave it to Spike. "Take your stinking money you no-good dragon, con artist!"
Spike smirked as he took his due earnings. "Salty, aren't we?"
Scootaloo glared daggers. "I'll get you one of these days, dragon, and then you will be the one comparable to seasoning." She looked to her left. "Your roll, Sweetie Belle."
"Okay!" Sweetie Belle happily took her turn. "Aw, shucks." She moved her token and then levitated a single paper bill to Apple Bloom. "Here's your ten bits, Apple Bloom." Sweetie Belle snickered.
"Ah don't know what you're chucklin' about." Apple Bloom took the bits. "This is just one small step on the road to my financial empire. Ah don't care what's happened so far. You're goin' down, Sweetie Belle." Apple Bloom then looked at her other threat. "That goes double for you, Spike."
"Heh." Spike grinned. "With me holding your last property? I'd like to see you try, farm girl."
Apple Bloom glared. "Just watch. This farm gal has a few surprises in her saddle." She took the dice from Sweetie Belle and began to shake. However, just as she was about to make her move, another pony walked in.
"Hey, everypony," Twilight Sparkle greeted. "Sorry to interrupt your game, again."
"Oh, that's no problem, Twilight." Apple Bloom's face became less serious. "We're just havin' some fun is all."
"Yeah, no biggy." Spike stood up. "What's up?"
Twilight levitated a big thermos in front of her. "I was just wondering if any you would like some more hot cocoa. You've all been here for quite some time, now," she said, chuckling.
"Oh!" Sweetie Belle levitated her cup. "I'd like some!"
"Me, too!" Scootaloo held up hers.
"Okay," Twilight happily poured some of the hot beverage into each of their cups. "There you go." She then looked over to the other to the remaining kids. "Apple Bloom, Spike, would you two like some?"
Apple Bloom shook her head. "No, thank you, Twilight. My cup is still pretty full."
"Same here." Spike showed his.
"All right, then." Twilight happily turned around and began to trot away. "Have fun, everypony."
"Oh, hey, Twilight!" Spike chased after her. "Wait!"
"Hmm?" Twilight stopped and turned around. "What is it, Spike?"
"Oh, uh..." Spike stopped. "Nothing. I was just wondering if uh..." He shyly tapped his claws together. "If Shining Armor and Cadance are here yet?"
Twilight playfully rolled her eyes. "No, not yet. I'm sorry."
"Oh." Spike's face dropped a little. "Okay. No big deal. I was just wondering is all."
Twilight raised her eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"
"O-of course!" He crossed his arms, putting on his best manly face. "I was just curious. I don't really care. I was just gonna see if Shining Armor saw the big game the other day. No big deal."
"Mhmm. Sure." Twilight chuckled as she placed a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Spike. They told me they were coming, so they'll be here. There's no way they'd miss having Hearth's Warming with us. They're just running a little late is all. I promise they're coming." She used her hoof to raise Spike's chin to face her. "Just wait a little longer, okay?" She smiled. "Flurry Heart will be here for your gift. I promise."
"Hehe..." Spike nervously rubbed the back of his head. "W-what are you talking about, Twilight? I have no idea what you mean."
"Oh, I'm sure you know exactly what I mean." Twilight gave him a wink before addressing the Crusaders. "Goodbye, everypony!" She trotted away.
With Twilight gone, Spike turned around and rejoined his friends at their game table.
"Sorry, about that." Spike took his seat. "All right, my turn, right?" Spike grabbed the dice and was about to roll when Apple Bloom interrupted.
"Actually, it's mine."
"Oh. Sorry, my bad. Here you go."
"No biggy. Thanks," Apple Bloom spoke as she began to shake. "You know, Twilight is right. You're pretty darn eager to give Princess Flurry Heart your gift. You're not very good at hidin' it."
Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom in disbelief. "Can you blame him? Princess Flurry Heart is so cute! If I knew I was gonna meet her today, I would've gotten her something, too!" She snuggled her tail. "I can't wait to meet her."
Spike just rolled his eyes as he took the dice. "I seriously just don't know what you guys are talking about." He moved his piece to Free Parking. "I just got Flurry a little something. No big deal."
"Tsh." Scootaloo smirked. "Yeah, right. You've been asking Twilight all day if Princess Cadance and her family have shown up, yet. That sounds more like the opposite of not being eager if you ask me." She took the dice from him. "What did you even get Princess Flurry Heart, anyway?"
"Well, I didn't ask you, now, did I? And I already told you." Spike picked up a cookie from the center of the table. "I'm not saying."
"Not even a hint?" Apple Bloom asked as Scootaloo begrudgingly gave her more bits. "Come on, Spike. Scootaloo said it: that's all you really seem to care about today. What makes this gift any different from anythin' you've given Princess Flurry Heart before?"
Spike could not help but smile. "Because this one is really special. I know Flurry is going to love it."
"See." Sweetie Belle picked up a card. "You keep saying stuff like that. How do you expect us not to bother you? I mean, you're really leaving us in the dark, here." She read the card. "Ooh!" she squeed. "I just won second place in a beauty pageant! Yay!"
Scootaloo chuckled. "So, you lost to your sister again, huh?"
Sweetie Belle's face went from a smile to a scowl. "I'm going to get you for that." She growled as she passed the dice back to Apple Bloom. "But back on topic, why don't you just tell us? It's not like we're going to tell Princess Flurry Heart or anything."
"I know that." Spike watched Apple Bloom buy another railroad before taking his turn. "But... I don't know. I just want it to be a surprise, okay?" He pointed at Scootaloo to take her turn after building another house. "I was really lucky to find it, and I just want Flurry to be the first pony to see it. You know, like a real Hearth's Warming present. You'll find out later, but, right now, please just let me have this."
"Hmm."
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked back at one another. They gave each other a few facial gestures before nodding and returning their attention to the young dragon. "Okay, Spike."
Scootaloo moved her piece in accordance with her roll and stopped on the "Go To Jail" space. She face-planted onto the table. "Whatever," she muffled. "Just do whatever you want. I don't caaaare."
Everyone else laughed.
Following Scootaloo's expression of her despair, the quartet of youngsters continued playing their board game for some time. Spike, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom battled each other for financial supremacy while Scootaloo showed great resilience and honor by just staying in the game. Surely, she would be an inspiration for the common, less fortunate ponies of Equestria.
Sweetie Belle was about to take a trip on Apple Bloom's railroad of the reading variety when there was a loud knock coming from the castle's front door.
"I'll get it," Twilight called out through the halls. One moment later, Spike heard the front door open. "Oh, hi, Derpy! Thank you so much. Happy Hearth's Warming!" The door made a loud closing sound. "Hey, everypony, Princess Luna sent us a fruitcake!"
"AAAAHHHH!!!!" A thud echoed through the halls.
"... Twilight, darling, Pinkie Pie fainted."
"... Oh. Well, I'll be right there—" There was another knock on the door. "One sec." Spike heard the door open once again. "Cadance!"
Spike's eyes opened wide.