It was Hearth's Warming Eve in Ponyville. Throughout the day, the whole town had been abuzz with holiday activity. Though one place in particular had seen more than its fair share that evening; the Castle of Friendship had just endured mayhem from without and within, in the form of an out-of-control magical pudding and a rampaging Winterzilla. But both threats had been tamed, and Twilight, her friends, and family were cleaning up the leftover mess.
"One good thing about having to deal with a rampaging magical pudding: there's plenty of yummy treats to go around afterwards!" Pinkie declared happily, as she scooped as much of the pudding into a barrel (which she'd produced from out of nowhere) as possible. "Seriously, I think we're gonna end up with leftovers after we've had leftovers!"
"I'm not complaining." Spike grinned, taking care to keep the glitter he'd accidentally glued to himself earlier away from the pudding. "Now that this stuff isn't trying to attack us, it actually looks pretty tasty. I can't wait to try it."
"Of course, first, we'll have to fix this." Twilight acknowledged the gaping hole where the castle's front doors once were, created by the Winterzilla as it tore into the castle. "I'm not really comfortable settling in for Hearth's Warming when I know there's a giant hole in my castle..."
"The Winterzilla's very sorry about that." Fluttershy announced. "Aren't you?" She asked the Winterzilla.
"Rrrrrh." The giant rodent nodded remorsefully, as he took advantage of his great size to scoop up a lot of pudding.
"I know he is." Twilight said fairly. "But fixing this is going to take longer than breaking it did..."
As she said this, Twilight saw the rubble suddenly rise up and slowly piece itself back together. Moments later, the double doors were standing tall and intact again. Discord suddenly appeared in front of them, wearing a builder's outfit.
"You were saying?" Discord grinned.
"Oh." Twilight gaped in surprise. "...Thanks, Discord."
"Think nothing of it." Discord said in a faux-humble tone. "It's the least I can do after Rainbow Dash was so kind as to invite me to this little gathering of yours."
"She did?" Twilight raised an eyebrow, surprised that Rainbow, of all ponies, would have made such an offer. "Really?"
"Yeah, well... you know me." Rainbow shrugged. "Never been one to leave a friend out in the cold. And I'm not about to start now."
"Lucky for me, right?" Discord wrapped an arm around Rainbow.
"I'm so glad you'll be spending Hearth's Warming with us!" Fluttershy beamed. "I thought about asking you myself, but you didn't seem very interested when I told you all about the holiday."
"Didn't I?" Discord said nonchalantly. "Must've been a delayed reaction. Still, at least I'm here now, and ready to see what all the fuss is about."
"Well, ya came tah the right place." Applejack declared.
"And I daresay there's enough pudding to accomodate an extra guest." Rarity noted.
"And then some." Twilight acknowledged, scooping up some more of the pudding into bowls.
"All thanks to our aspiring little chef here." Shining Armor smiled at Flurry Heart.
"Looks like we're going to have to keep a closer eye on you the next time you're in the kitchen, little miss." Cadance playfully booped her daughter on the nose.
"Gee-ha!" Flurry giggled.
"She didn't mean any harm, did you, Flurry?" Twilight smiled at her niece. "But maybe next time you want to be aunty Twily's little helper, you should ask first, okay?"
"'Kay." Flurry nodded.
"I just hope everypony is really hungry for pudding..." Spike admitted.
"That reminds me." Rainbow turned to face Pinkie. "How did you know your gift for Twilight would fix that mess of a pudding?"
"I didn't know. Not until just that moment." Pinkie admitted. "Just like the Gift Givers told me."
"'Gift Givers', you say?" Rarity repeated.
"Yep." Pinkie nodded. "Long story short: I asked Prince Rutherford how I could get Twilight the best gift ever, and he gave me a map that led me to three magical reindeer."
"Reindeer, huh?" Applejack mused.
"Mm-hmm." Pinkie confirmed. "There was Aurora, who could see all the gifts that already happened, Bori, who kinda stayed in the moment, and Alice, who could see all the gifts that were going to happen."
"Wow." Fluttershy shared a look with Applejack. "Makes our trip to Rainbow Falls seem boring..."
"I asked them for a great gift, and they gave me that box." Pinkie continued. "I didn't get it, but Alice told me I would... And she was right!"
"So they gave you the ingredients needed to neutralise the pudding, but didn't tell you at the time what they were for?" Spike frowned.
"How deliciously manipulative." Discord smirked, using a vacuum cleaner to suck up further pudding. "I like those reindeer's style."
"Of course you do..." Rainbow rolled her eyes.
"I have to admit, the idea of the Gift Givers being able to see gifts of past, present and future is a fascinating one." Twilight admitted. "I wonder if it's natural, or something they gained though magical study?"
"And how did the Yaks find out about them?" Spike added.
"I didn't think to ask." Pinkie shrugged. "Oh, well. I guess there's always next time. Maybe I'll also ask them what they do for the rest of the year. Seems like it gets pretty boring up there while they're waiting for the next Hearth's Warming..."
Soon after, the group had succeeded in cleaning up all the pudding, leaving Twilight's castle gleaming once again.
"Good work, everypony." Twilight smiled. "I know none of us expected to be cleaning up pudding on Hearth's Warming Eve, but I think we did a great job."
"Not really something you hear every Hearth's Warming." Rarity joked.
"Does this mean we can finally get down to actually celebrating Hearth's Warming?" Rainbow asked. "I don't know about everypony else, but I've had a pretty long day."
"Ah think we all have, sugar cube." Applejack declared.
"I think the celebrations are well overdue." Twilight agreed. "Everypony gather in the study. And feel free to help yourselves to some pudding. There's plenty to go around."
"I think I'm gonna go clean up first." Spike declared, noting the glitter still stuck to his body. "Looking like a Hearth's Warming decoration just isn't my style..."
"I must admit, you do stand out like that, darling." Rarity complimented him.
"Oh, uh... Thanks, Rarity." Spike blushed. "I still think I'm going to clean up, though. This glitter is starting to get itchy. That, and I have another little something to take care of..." He said under his breath.
Soon after, the friends had their exchange of gifts, which included Spike's song to Rarity, followed by Twilight's own song, culminating in the entire group receiving a hug from the Winterzilla.
"Gotta admit, this is not how Ah expected tah spend mah Hearth's Warming Eve." Applejack announced, as the Winterzilla held them all in his four furry arms.
"Well, of course not!" Pinkie chuckled. "It's not like you can see the future, like Alice can."
"That would be a handy ability." Rarity admitted. "I could see what fashions are going to be in vogue..."
"Or what Hearth's Warming gifts you guys would like." Rainbow added.
"I'd be okay without it." Fluttershy declared. "It would be a shame to have all of life's little surprises spoiled before they even happened."
"Yeah, like every surprise party wouldn't be a surprise at all." Pinkie frowned. "How terrible would that be?"
"No more terrible than having all of my little surprises ruined." Discord smirked. "How dull life would be then."
"Oh, Discord..." Fluttershy chuckled.
After the Winterzilla freed them from his friendly embraced, the group finished their servings of pudding, and sharing holiday-related stories and jokes. It was a true example of Hearth's Warming cheer.
Alas, all good things must come to an end, and the gathering came to its conclusion not long after. Twilight's friends prepared to depart for their own homes (having family to visit and spend time with in the morning).
"So maybe mah Hearth's Warming Helper idea didn't work out quite like Ah'd hoped." Applejack admitted. "But at least it made for a memorable Hearth's Warming."
"You got that right." Rainbow joked. "First Hearth's Warming I've been a part of where the food tries to eat you..."
"Thank you so much for the song, Spikey-wikey." Rarity smiled, ruffling Spike's spines. "I couldn't have asked for a better gift."
"Really?" Spike asked.
"Of course." Rarity nodded. "The best gifts always come from the heart. I'd have been happy with whatever gift you got me, because I would know it was your own special way of showing how much you care."
"Yeah..." Spike blushed.
The Winterzilla exited the castle far more gently than he had entered, squeezing his gigantic fuzzy body through the double doors without making so much as a crack in the structure.
"You're going to love it at my sanctuary." Fluttershy told him. "There's plenty of food, wide open spaces, and everypony there is really friendly. You'll fit right in."
"Hhh-huh." The Winterzilla trilled excitedly.
"So that was Hearth's Warming Eve, huh?" Discord mused as he followed after them. "Hmm, not bad. I'm definitely starting to see why this little event is so popular, at least..."
"Just wait until next year." Pinkie grinned. "Now that you've gotten a taste, you'll really enjoy the next Hearth's Warming!"
"I'm sure I will." Discord agreed. "...That is, if nopony objects to my attending next year's celebrations?"
"Eh, I can think of worse Hearth's Warming guests." Rainbow said nonchalantly.
"Besides, this holiday isn't just for ponies." Spike pointed out. "Look at me. I've been a part of Twilight's Hearth's Warming Eve celebrations since I was little."
"And the holiday is about being with those you care about." Twilight added. "That includes our friends. All of them."
"And that includes you, Discord." Fluttershy beamed.
"Darn tootin'." Applejack agreed.
"Hey, maybe we'll even count you in on next year's Hearth's Warming Helper." Pinkie offered.
"Sounds great." Discord grinned. "And I totally promise to not rig the draw so I get Fluttershy. Not even going to think about it, I swear."
"Whatever you say, big guy." Spike smirked.
"Well, I suppose I should be heading back to Chaosville." Discord declared. "That house of mine needs to be cluttered up for the holidays... not to mention I have a brand new homemade tea cozy to try out." He gave Fluttershy an appreciative smile. "Happy Hearth's Warming, everypony!"
Discord vanished in his usual flash of light.
"Now aren't you glad you invited Discord?" Fluttershy asked Rainbow.
"Yeah, I guess." Rainbow grudgingly admitted. "It was his idea for me to snag this guy for your sanctuary." She pointed out the Winterzilla. "You know, back when it was a small, harmless-looking, totally adorable Winterchilla."
"I think he's adorable even at this size." Fluttershy cooed, stroking the Winterzilla's fur. The Winterzilla purred in response. "You and Discord both gave me an incredible gift."
"Glad you like it." Rainbow smiled. "I hate to say it, but Discord had the right idea. If it weren't for him, I probably would've got ya something lame that you'd hate, like a candle."
"Well, I wouldn't exactly hate a candle." Fluttershy admitted. "But my animal friends wouldn't like having an open flame nearby."
"Probably not." Rainbow nodded, silently acknowledging Discord's earlier statement against that very gift idea.
"I'm just sorry I couldn't get you a gift." Fluttershy sighed. "Other than that awful doll."
"Tell ya what: give me a couple extra heads of lettuce for Tank when he's done hibernating, and we'll call it even." Rainbow said fairly. "Deal?"
"Deal." Fluttershy beamed.
After her friends had all departed, Twilight said her goodbyes to Shining Armor, Cadance and Flurry.
"Thanks for a fun Hearth's Warming, Twily." Shining Armor grinned.
"More often than not, our visits to Ponyville seem to end up being pretty exciting." Cadance admitted. "And we wouldn't have it any other way."
"I'm glad you all had such a great time." Twilight smiled.
"Say goodbye to your auntie Twily, Flurry!" Cadance urged.
"Ba!" Flurry gurgled.
"Bye, Flurry." Twilight kissed her favorite niece on the forehead. "Auntie Twily will see you again very soon, I promise."
"Gee!" Flurry hugged her aunt's face.
"I look forward to it too." Twilight nuzzled Flurry.
With that, Twilight's brother, sister-in-law and niece departed for Ponyville train station, set to return to their home in the Crystal Empire. Twilight and Spike happily waved them off.
"Looks like all my worrying was for nothing." Twilight smiled. "This turned out to be a really great Hearth's Warming after all."
"It sure did..." Spike sighed happily, once again rubbing the cheek Rarity had kissed.
And so it was that another Hearth's Warming Eve had come and gone for Twilight and her loved ones. It was nothing like any of them had expected, but in the end, they wouldn't have changed a thing about it, because, despite all the craziness and complications, it still had all the things that made each Hearth's Warming special: friends, family, and good times. And in the end, none of them could ask for anything more than that.