//------------------------------// // 306. Hearthbreakers - Part 1 // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// The snow was beautiful but to Party Favor, the decorations were a depressing reminder of his colthood. Hearth's Warming was only a couple days away, and although his friends had invited him to their Hearth's Warming party, he had declined, saying he "had plans", which was to say he had no real plans at all to celebrate. He'd come to love Ponyville and regard it as a real home, especially compared to the Town he once lived in, back when he bought into Starlight Glimmer's equality crock. She was stopped, disappeared, and just when it seemed Party Favor and his friends would be able to live their lives in that Town the way they should, two strangers attacked, without warning, without provocation, without mercy. Party Favor had been some of the ponies who'd tried to stop them, and now he had a burn scar on his shoulder as a reward for his actions. Some of the others hadn't been so lucky. Double Diamond and Night Glider had led the survivors all the way to Manehatten, where the Manehatten Police Department reported what had happened to the Alicorn Royals, and Prince Midnight and Princess Twilight had invited the survivors to Ponyville. A part of Party Favor had been reluctant to accept but since all his friends had leaped at the chance of a new home to start over he'd come along as well. The reason he had been hesitant was because of a certain pink party pony. After settling into Ponyville, Mayor Mare and her staff in Town Hall had helped some of the newcomers find new jobs in Ponyville. Party Favor had been offered a job at the local party store, which suited him perfectly. But every time she came for party supplies (which was often) Party Favor would vanish. Then he later received a notice that somepony had volunteered to offer counseling to the new Ponyvillians, and Party's friends had convinced him to take the opportunity. It was to Faerie Tail that Party Favor revealed the truth of his past. His birth name was Basalt Pie, born in the earth pony town of Nickerlite, and that he was all but certain that Pinkie Pie was his younger sister. He'd confided in Faerie Tail that he ran away from home when he was a colt but never divulged the reasons why, which was part of the reason he was avoiding Pinkie and refusing to admit the possible familial connection he had with her. Another year, another Hearth's Warming... he thought as he trudged aimlessly through town, ignoring the wintry cold but unable to ignore his rumbling stomach as it complained to him to fill it up. Alright, mister slave-driver, lemme just find- "Whoa, nelly!" Party Favor yelped as he suddenly halted but he'd been walking a little too fast and stumbled forward, only to feel somepony catch him mid-fall. His rescuer helped him get back on his hooves and he saw it was, "Applejack? Oh, I'm sorry, i was lost in thought. "Aw, no harm done, pardner," Applejack assured, "happens t' all of us. Wha'cha doin' out an' about?" "I was actually just about to go look for somewhere to get a bite," Party Favor answered, "but right now, I'm not sure what I'm hungering for." "Well, why don'cha walk wit' me t' Sugarcube Corner," suggested Applejack, "Ah'm lookin' t' wet mah whistle wit' a cuppa hot cocoa!" "Sugarcube Corner?!" Party Favor echoed in discomfort, recalling who works there, "Um, I'm not sure if-" "C'mon, haystack! Mah treat," Applejack insisted as she threw a foreleg around Party's shoulders, and he mumbled a nervous okay. Lots of ponies went to Sugarcube Corner during the winter for holiday-themed eats and drinks, so it was usually a busy time for the Cakes and Pinkie Pie. Cup Cake managed the counter while giving customer orders to her husband and Pinkie, the former kept busy in the kitchen while Pinkie helped wherever she could as well as brought the customers' orders to their tables. There was lots of excited chatter in the bakery's atmosphere, plenty of ponies in good holiday cheer, a few tired from all the holiday hustle n' bustle. But otherwise it was just a good day, and as Pinkie was serving some red velvet cupcakes to a customer, she felt it. "Uh-oh!" As the sensations came, she listed them off, "Ear flop, eyes flutter, knee twitch?! Look out for the doors!" Noteworthy, who had been on his way out, quickly shrank back, and just in time as the door flew open and in walked Applejack, followed by a nervous PArty Favor, "Hoo-WEE! it's jus' bracin' outside t'day!" Hopping over, Pinkie Pie happily said, "Hi Applejack, and welcome to Sugarcube Corner, where life is always sweet! Ooh, and Party Favor too!" "Uh, hi?" Party Favor waved nervously. "Well, go right ahead and sit wherever's empty," Pinkie invited, "then I'll be right with ya!" "C'mon, Party, Ah see a good table," Applejack led the way to a comfortable booth, and she noticed the booths and all the seats had been given wool coverings, mostly likely to help warm up the customers in this weather. "Take a seat, pardner, an' order whatever ya like off th' menu." "It's okay, Applejack," Party Favor said politely, "You don't have to buy me anything to eat." "Well, Ah'm feelin' mighty good right now, Party Favor an' Ah jus' wanna share it," Applejack shrugged, "so why don'cha jus' think of it as muh Hearth's Warmin' gift t' you?" "What can I getcha?" They both looked to see Pinkie had popped out, seemingly from udner the table, but before they could give their orders (as they hadn't really perused the menus long enough to decide), Pinkie asked, "And Applejack! Are we still on for tomorrow?" "We sure as sugar are," Applejack nodded excitedly, making pinkie squeal with delight. "What's up?" asked Party Favor curiously. "Well..." Pinkie Pie immediately ran her mouth off on how she and Applejack found a possible relation between the Apple Family and the Pie Family, but never got total confirmation on whether the theory was certain. But the adventure she'd had with the Apples had just proven to them all in their hearts that whether or not there was a real familial connection, Pinkie was family to the Apples and that was that. "...so this year, we thought we'd have our families come together to celebrate Hearth's Warming! We're going to my hometown, Nickerlite, tomorrow for Hearth's Warming Eve!" The announcement couldn't have been more troubling for Party but he forced a smile, "That sounds... like a lot of fun!" "Oh it will be!" Pinkie was too excited and caught up in her holiday plans to notice Party's smile wasn't legit. "Well, Ah hate t' tell ya, Pinkie Pie," Applejack reported while rubbing the back of her head, "Ah'm afraid not all o' the Apples're gonna make it." "Why not?" asked Pinkie, sounding a tad disappointed. "Well, Big Mac is goin' t' celebrate Hearth's Warmin' wit' Fluttershy an' her folks in Fillydelphia," Applejack explained, "an' Midnight, Faerie Tail, an' Twinken are plannin' t' go with Twilight an' Spike t' Canterlot t' be with Twilight's parents fer th' holiday. So, it's jus' gon' be me, Apple Bloom, an' Granny Smith." Sighing, Pinkie added, "And Cheesie's already gone to visit his parents in Baltimare. But at least we'll still have you, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith!" "Uh, I just remembered something!" Party Favor interrupted, looking shifty-eyed, "I gotta go home and... takecareofsomethingbye!!" And just like that Party Favor slipped out of the booth and out the door quicker than Pinkie Pie on a sugar rush, that she went, "Wow! I've never seen anypony move like that!" Chuckling at Pinkie, Applejack rolled her eyes and said, "Ah have." Once again, Party Favor was walking dejectedly through town, now with more on his mind. "To go or not to go...?" he muttered, for that was the question. True, growing up in Nickerlite had been a miserable foalhood for Party Favor, but that was only because of his father and sister, Limestone. His mother had been kinder but still hard to connect with, especially his other sister, Maud. The only family he'd ever really felt close to had been Granny Pie. The regret and guilt felt even worse as he thought about, remembering when he'd ran away he hadn't even said goodbye to his grandmother. He'd just hopped onto the first train out of Nickerlite and never looked back. "Party Favor?" Snapping out of his train of thought, Party looked to his right and saw Faerie Tail, enjoying a nice hot cup of tea and a muffin at the local cafe. Sighing, he moseyed on over, and Faerie Tail asked, "Not feeling the holiday cheer, I take it?" "Hey Faerie Tail," Party Favor sighed, "Listen, um... I have this conundrum, because I just heard from Applejack and Pinkie Pie that they're having their families spend the holiday together in Nickerlite." "I see," Faerie Tail already had an idea of the direction this was going. "And see, I've been thinking more and more about my past and..." Party Favor admitted, "Well, you know, I never had the best relationships with any of my family, but I won't deny I feel some regret in how I ran away." "Hmm..." Faerie Tail gave Party Favor one of those looks only mothers can give, and when Party Favor saw it, he gulped. "I can't believe she talked me into this..." Party Favor bemoaned as he slouched in his seat. He was on the Friendship Express, en route to Nickerlite. Faerie Tail had declared to Party that it was time he faced his family and made amends. He'd tried to get out of it, but somehow she'd gotten him on board, in more ways than one. Early the next morning, Party bought his ticket at the station but made sure not to be seen by Pinkie or the Apples upon boarding the train, and he'd made sure to sit in a different passenger car. He gazed out the window, watching the scenery go by, nervous and wondering how this was going to turn out. He couldn't be sure how his parents would react to seeing him again after all these years, but he was certain Limestone would be as sour as she was as a filly and would either tell him to get lost or give him the cold shoulder. He knew Maud wouldn't give a reaction to his return. She'd be as stony and monotone-y and boring as she'd always been. Sure, Maud had been nicer than Limestone but the way she acted just made it so hard for Party to connect with her on any level. C'mon, Party, enough with the neigh, think of the yay! He thought while shaking his head. He began to think up ways of patching up with his family, mostly with his father and sisters. Maybe the right gifts, maybe he could do something with his balloons, he wasn't sure. Except for one thing. This isn't gonna be easy, he mentally sighed. Before getting off the train, Party Favor made sure his winter clothes covered him sufficiently, as the only ones getting off in Nickerlite as well were Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith. He quickly left the train platform and gazed around the old neighborhood, Hardly looks like anything's changed. Nickerlite was another earth pony town, and not a popular one. The earth ponies here made their houses with rock and stone, with hay or thatch roofs, and almost everypony here, not just the Pie Family, made a living that involved rocks. Rock Art, Rock Architecture, Mining, Sculpting, Masonry, crafting Jewelry, there was even a school here dedicated to Geology. I wonder if Maud ever got in... Party wondered as he walked down the street, seeing the same shops and places of business. Strangely enough, Nickerlite's rock-related businesses kept the town afloat well enough, but the ponies here were like uncut diamonds. At first glance, they looked okay but if they made an effort they could truly shine. Instead, the ponies of Nickerlite were content with "good enough", stubbornly pragmatic, but in Party's opinion they were just afraid of change. He saw some familiar faces, but he'd never really befriended anypony during his colthood. The ponies he knew in Nickerlite had been only acquaintances sometimes business associates or frequent customer of the Pie Family's rock farming business. To his relief, nopony paid him much mind though he would have been surprised if anypony here could recognize him. He stopped to lean against a lamppost as he pondered on what sort of gifts he could bring. Maybe a gift for the whole family, he thought and nodded, That would be better. Save me time and money, and thought as to what they each would like. But what could I get for them all to enjoy? Besides being a party pony and balloon artist, Party Favor had some notable knowledge and skills for enchanting, which he had mostly used on his balloons. Like the Unpopping Charm to prevent his balloons from being popped by sharp points or pressure, the Elasto Charm to make his balloons more stretchy and elastic to make them easier to twist and model, and the Bouncy Spell to make some of his balloons more bouncy and better able to withstand pressure, to name a few. Still, he knew his parents and sisters (except probably Pinkie Pie) weren't very partial to balloons, when his mind turned to the Featherweight Charm and Floaty Charm, and he noticed the old Rock Art shop's wares out on display... and his brain hatched an idea! His heart was beating no matter how hard he tried to stay calm. Every step was hesitant as he walked up the hill, and he felt himself weighed down by doubt and worry. He wasn't sure how his family would react to him coming back after all these years, but Faerie Tail was right. The time was long overdue to face them and make amends. He felt some of that worry go away when he reached the top and gasped to see the old Pie Family Rock Farm, decorated simple Hearth's Warming Lights the shined down on geode crystals that cast sparkles and glimmers of translucent light beams all over the yard. Wow... I don't remember them ever decorating like this for Hearth's Warming, Party Favor thought but the closer he got to the house, the more unsure he felt. No! I've already decided, I've got my gift...! He took a deep breath and walked right up to the front door, raised his hoof and... ... ... ... Party Favor didn't know how long he stood there, feeling like an idiot, unable to make even one little knock. But then, he heard a click, and he almost lost his nerve as the door opened, and there she stood. An earth pony mare whose gray coat had once been he palest shade of blue not unlike his own, stony gray mane pulled up into a matronly bun, an old pair of reading glasses perched on the bridge of her nose with a beaded cord connecting from each frame to behind her head, and a cutie-mark of three simple gray stones. They both looked into each other's eyes, the mare at first curious as to whom this unexpected visitor was... when recognition began to dawn across her face and she stifled a gasp, putting her hoof to her mouth. "Hey Mom! Who's at the door?" And then Pinkie Pie popped up beside her mother and she smiled to see, "Oh hi, Party Favor! What brings you here?" Cloudy Quartz was too stunned to answer her daughter as she stepped up closer to Party Favor, who shuddered a little when she raised her hoof to his face before she whispered, "B-Basalt...?!" Gulping and forcing a smile, Party Favor responded, "Hello, Mother."