//------------------------------// // A Family Hearth's Warming // Story: One Bolt, Spreading Harmony // by Boltsinger //------------------------------// A single filly’s cries filled the air from the Ponyville train station, with the pony in question sobbing into the chest of the stallion that held her. Rainbow Dash, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom slowly approached the Pegasi, tentatively reaching out for their distraught friend. Boltsinger looked back at them, making a beckoning motion with his wing. The embrace quickly encompassed the entire group, lingering for the remainder of Scootaloo’s break down. When the tears ran out, Scootaloo looked up at the stallion. “Can we please go home?” “Of course.” Boltsinger replied, lowering his forelegs. “Whatever you want to do, we'll do it.” Rainbow Dash reached over, putting her hoof on the stallion's shoulder for a moment. “Actually, Bolt, I think I have a better idea.” She put her other hoof on Scootaloo, giving her back a firm rub. “Why don'tcha come over to my place for a while, Scoot?” Scootaloo rose to her hooves, looking up at her honorary sister with a smidgeon of hope. “Really? You want me over there?” With a solemn nod from Rainbow, she looked back to Boltsinger. “Is it okay?” Boltsinger nodded in turn. “Why wouldn't it be?” He bent down, giving her a kiss on the top of her head. “Just promise you'll have a good time, all right?” The orange Crusader sniffed up a lingering sob, giving Boltsinger one more quick hug. “All right.” She separated from the mass of ponies the group had become, giving each of her best friends a hug of their own before making her way to the edge of the platform and turning back to Rainbow. “You ready?” Rainbow raised a hoof to her. “Gimme a sec. I'm on my way!” She turned to Boltsinger one more time. “You've got some pretty important business to attend to with Twilight, don't you?” “Eeyup.” He answered, working his way to his hooves and looking to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. “But first, I'm gonna make sure these two make it home. You take good care of Scoot, okay?” Rainbow Dash made a quick salute with her wing. “Always.” She returned to Scootaloo's side, the pair of them flaring their wings and taking off. As those particular Pegasi made their exit, Sweetie Belle lingered on a particular spot on the platform, staring down at the bits of shredded paper that lay there. She wiped a budding tear away, lighting her horn to gather every little piece that scattered about and stowing them away. She rejoined her Earth Pony companion, walking up to the stallion whose breathing had a consistent stagger to it. He slapped his muzzle with his wings, standing tall and turning to face the fillies. “Are you two ready?” The two Crusaders gave a confirming nod as Apple Bloom stepped forward, gingerly raising her hoof. “Y'know, Bolt, ya don't have to take us home. We can make it on our own.” “I know you can, Apple Bloom.” He affirmed with a weak smile. “I… have my own reasons.” He turned to the stairs, beckoning with his wing. “Come on, let's go.” Ponyville was quiet at night, as were the ponies walking through it. There was a somber air about them as they walked towards the Carousel Boutique, with Boltsinger showing a strength that the Crusaders didn't often see in him. When they finally made it to their first destination, the Pegasus gave the door a hard knock. Naught but a moment later, the door opened up with Rarity inside. She looked curiously at Boltsinger like something was amiss. “Boltsinger, are you alright? You look like you're about to break!” She looked down at her frowning sister. “Did it not go well at the train station?” Boltsinger took a deep breath, keeping hold of his composure as Sweetie Belle slowly entered. “Is it ready?” “By ‘it’, do you mean…?” “Yeah.” Rarity winced, feeling a sharp pain strike her directly in the heart. “I see… Yes, it's ready. I'll get it now.” “I've got something for you, too, Bolt!” Sweetie Belle added. “I just… need something to put it in.” The white-coated ponies disappeared into the boutique, each coming back after a moment of rummaging. Rarity held a fine jewelry case in her magic, floating it over to Boltsinger's outstretched wing, while Sweetie Belle carried a much more crude bag filled with tiny bits of paper. She held it up to him with a hopeful look in her eye. “If you're doing what I think you're gonna do, you'll need this.” Boltsinger took the bag with a smile. “Thanks, Sweetie Belle. I’ll put this to good use.” He turned with Apple Bloom back towards town, waving his hoof. “See you all soon.” The silence returned for a while as they made their way toward Sweet Apple Acres, and Apple Bloom could feel an unusual tension from it all. She looked up at Boltsinger, swallowing a lump that found its way to her throat. “So, Bolt… Are you ‘takin’ us home’ just so that you can talk to our sisters?” “That’s part of it.” He answered, keeping his pace steady. “I really do want to see you get home safe. We’ve had enough tragedy for one day.” “And that thing Sweetie Belle thinks yer gonna do… Is it…?” “Eeyup.” “I see.” She paused for a moment, trotting ahead of him with a smile. “Is there anything I can do to help?” “I appreciate the sentiment.” He told her, finally showing her a real smile. “If there’s anything you can do, I’ll let you know. Until then…” “Until then, I’ll make sure it’s a surprise for Scootaloo.” She stated. “I just can’t believe that happened…” “Can’t believe what happened?” An elderly mare called from across the road. Boltsinger and Apple Bloom looked to find the source, seeing Granny Smith and Big Mac looking curiously back at them. “An’ why do y’all look s’ down? Weren’tcha goin’ to meet little Scootaloo’s parents?” Apple Bloom and Boltsinger let out a simultaneous, and remorseful, sigh, with Apple Bloom wiping her eyes with her foreleg. They crossed the road, meeting up with the elder members of the Apple Clan with Apple Bloom giving her grandmother a hug. The old mare gave her filly a confused look, stroking her mane. “Now what’s wrong, Apple Bloom?” “It’s… a long story, Granny Smith.” Boltsinger replied, turning to Big Mac. “Can you tell Applejack that it’s happening soon?” “Eeyup.” The farm stallion confirmed. He looked over to his sister, then back at the Pegasus. “You okay, Bolt?” “Nnope.” Big Mac recoiled a ways, not used to receiving such a response. He cleared his throat, bracing himself for the conversation ahead. “Everythin’ go alright?” “Nope…” “Sumthin’ bad happen?” “Eeyup.” “They didn’t show up, did they?” Boltsinger averted his eyes, his expression turning sour. “Nnope.” “She stayin’ with Rainbow Dash?” “Eeyup.” Big Mac examined his friend more closely, noticing the breaking of his breaths. “And yer at yer limit tryin’ to be strong fer them fillies, ain’t ya?” Another sigh came out of the performance pony, letting his head hang low. “Eeyup…” The red stallion put a hoof on the orange one’s back, offering what support he could. “You go ahead home, Bolt. I’ll make sure Applejack gets the message.” Boltsinger returned the gesture, sending a smile his way. “Thanks, Big Mac. You’re a good friend.” He waved a farewell to the Apple Family, moving to a gallop towards his last destination. Twilight sat in the nursery, rocking Nova’s bed gently as he drifted off to sleep. She hadn’t heard from Boltsinger since he’d left that morning, and she was certain he would’ve been back long before now. She stood up, giving her baby a kiss on the forehead before moving out into the halls. I hope everything went well… Scootaloo seemed so excited, even if it made Bolt a little uncomfortable. A creaking noise from below let the Princess know that her wait was over. She lit up her horn with a smile, creating a flash of magenta that changed her view to that of the foyer, where Boltsinger was making a slow entrance. He dragged his hooves as he walked, a distinct shake to him with each movement. “Welcome home.” She greeted, trotting over to him with her usual grin. “How’d it go?” Boltsinger fell to the floor, clutching his head with his hooves. “It.. went…” He made a deep inhale, moving to wipe his eyes. “It went…” He looked up to his wife with a wobble in his lip, all of the strength he had beginning to melt away. Twilight’s features grew soft as she lay in front of him. He brought her wing forward, letting his head rest on her feathers. “It’s okay. You don’t have to be strong with me.” At her instruction, the crack within him spread, causing a shattering in his heart. Everything that he had been holding back since the train station flowed outward. Twilight pulled him into a hug, holding him close as he let it all out. “I’ve never seen a heart so broken…” Twilight’s first response was to hold him tighter, having an idea of what such a broken heart looked like, given the one that lay before her. “What happened?” “They weren’t there…” He started, taking some time to catch his breath. “They promised… They had her so happy… So excited… And then they couldn’t even be bothered to show up…” He raised his head to look in her eyes with a mix of anger and sorrow. “She needs us, Twilight… She needs a real family… Not just the empty promise of one…” “Then what do you say we give her one?” She suggested, helping him to his hooves. With one last sniffle, he brought forward the items he got from Rarity and Sweetie Belle. “My thoughts exactly.” The next several days practically flew by. Scootaloo had stayed with Rainbow Dash the entire time, reading Daring Do, reminiscing about good times, and occasionally going out for a fly. The latter of the activities had been the hardest for the filly, having not felt all that uplifted by recent events. Finally, the day that she had been promised to her arrived. Hearth’s Warming Eve. She slowly opened her eyes that morning, sitting up to find Tank laying next to her on the bed. He slowly looked at her with a blink and a smile of equal pacing. She patted his head, stretching away her sleepiness. “Well… It’s Hearth’s Warming Eve… I wonder what Rainbow Dash is up to.” She made to get up, finding a tortoise foot brushing against her. She looked back to Tank, who now had a note in his mouth with her name on it. She quickly retrieved it, turning it over to read what it had to say. “Hey, Scoot, I’m gonna be pretty busy today helping to set things up for the Hearth’s Warming Eve party tonight. I hate to say it, but it’s probably gonna take up the whole day. You’ve got the run of the place for now! And I’ll see you at the party tonight! Your sister, Rainbow Dash!” “Not home, huh?” She let out a sad sigh, laying back down and draping the blanket over herself. “I guess I should’ve expected to be alone this Hearth’s Warming…” A thunderclap outside immediately countered her statement, followed by the door opening, hooves scrambling into the room, and the same hooves pressing against her. “Scootaloo! Wake up!” Scootaloo moved against the hooves, pulling the blanket away again to find Boltsinger beaming down at her. He grabbed her hoof with a slightly discharging wing, pulling her along into the house. “Hurry! Hurry! We’ve got a lot to do today before the party!” “What…? Bolt? What’s going on?” She asked, pulling her hoof free and matching his pace. “Why are we in such a hurry?” A giddy laugh erupted from the stallion as his walk turned into a trot. “We’re having a family Hearth’s Warming!” The word ‘family’ forced Scootaloo into a full stop. “A family Hearth’s Warming?” She rubbed her foreleg with her hoof, looking away from him. “Don’t you need to be part of a family for that?” “Yes. Yes you do.” He confirmed. He reached back to her, picking her up and holding him under his foreleg as his wings spread wide. “And that’s exactly why your presence is mandatory!” He took off in an instant, heading out the door and soaring towards town. “We’ve got a full schedule, so we need to get to the first spot quick!” “Okay.... What all‘s on the schedule?” “Oh, Twilight has that covered.” He released her from his grip, letting her take wing beside him. “Follow me!” They flew over Ponyville, where most ponies were doing last-minute shopping, meeting up with their loved ones, and other things one would expect for the holiday. Big McIntosh trotted through the town as well, pulling an enormous wagon that was filled to the brim with items covered by a tarp with his sisters on either side of him. Rarity and Sweetie Belle headed much more conspicuously to the castle, carrying gifts and supplies to make ready for a celebration. All of the familiar faces on such a grand holiday brought a small smile to Scootaloo's face. She looked ahead once more, fully expecting the stallion she followed to bank towards the castle, only to find him shooting right past it. “Uh… Bolt? We just passed the castle!” Boltsinger looked back at her with a snicker and a smirk. “Oh, we're not going to the castle!” He pointed to an area in the distance where the snow had all been cleared. Past a large forest overlooking a hill was an extremely long ramp that led to a road. At the start of it sat a set of three scooters, one yellow, one red, and one blue. “My job was to come get you. But Twilight was setting up our first activity!” The pony in question stepped out from under a tree, waving up at the Pegasi. “And we’re… going scootering?” The filly wondered. Boltsinger nodded enthusiastically, banking down to the start of the ramp. “Why?” “Because you like scootering, of course!” He answered. They came to a landing next to the Alicorn, stretching their wings and looking at the ramp. “Excellent job, honey! I gotta say you outdid yourself!” Twilight puffed out her chest, rubbing it with her hoof. “Why, thank you!” She looked over to Scootaloo, softening her smile. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Scootaloo.” “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Twilight.” She looked around at the elaborate setup, admiring just how intricate the course they were set to ride was. “So, I’m confused… If this is a family Hearth’s Warming, where’s Nova? And Spike?” Twilight hid a giggle behind her hoof. “Flurry Heart insisted on playing with Nova today, so we let them have their playdate. As for Spike, he’s keeping an eye on the students after Gallus’ stunt at the school. So it’s just the three of us, today!” “So, it’s…” Scootaloo started, immediately finding a hoof over her mouth. “Don't question it, Scoot. We're here to have fun.” Boltsinger suggested. He retreated his hoof and brought it to his neck. “Besides, I've been curious about how you do all those awesome stunts…” “Me, too.” Twilight affirmed, lighting her horn and rolling the scooters over. “So, would you mind teaching us?” Scootaloo looked between the ponies curiously. They had taken time to do things with her before, but something about today felt different. And it wasn't just because it was Hearth's Warming Eve. They looked more sure of themselves, and right now, she had their undivided attention. “Okay!” Best to not waste it. She pulled her scooter up, the three of them each putting on their helmets. The most experienced of their number mounted her scooter, hunching over into position. “So, it's actually really easy to get started!” She took one of her hind legs and placed her hoof firmly on the ground. “You just stomp…” She dragged the same hoof along the ground, extending it put behind her. “Kick…” The force of her movement carried her slowly forward. “And roll!” She leaned forward, bringing the back wheels up and turning the scooter to face the older ponies again. “The only hard part is keeping your balance. But once you get the hang of it…” Her wings began flapping at full speed, shooting her towards the forest. She weaved between several trees that stood uncomfortably close together, becoming an orange blur in an intricate pattern. She left the weave to find herself speeding towards a lopsided stump, hopping onto it and propelling herself into the air. She hung in the air for longer than either of the observing adults thought possible, twisting in the air above her scooter towards a particularly thick tree. She gave the tree a cocky grin, planting her hooves on her scooter and angling herself to hit it wheels-first, launching herself off of it and coming to a skidding halt in front of them and striking a pose. “You can do anything!” Twilight and Boltsinger gave a simultaneous cheer, quickly turning to their own scooters and mounting them. Boltsinger looked down at his hind legs, repeating the initial instructions to himself a few times as his attention drifted to his wing. “Wait a minute… You say to stomp, kick, and roll, but you hardly ever do that. You use your wings to propel yourself.” He spread his wings wide for emphasis. “How do you do that?” “That?” The filly extended her own wing, looking back at it in wonder. “I never really thought about that. I just sorta… did it.” She gave the feathered appendages a few test flaps, some lifting her up, while others propelled her forward. “I think the best way to say it is that I flap the other way.” Boltsinger began to slowly cock his head to the side, his face showing no end of confusion as his spouse laughed. “I think what she means is that she's just flapping her wings, but applying force in the opposite direction so that the wind resistance propels her forward given the current angle of her body.” “So… Flap backwards?” He asked, receiving a nod from the Alicorn. He turned his scooter to face the ramp, hunching over and putting his helmet into place. “Okay, then! Let's give this a shot!” He spread his wings, twinkling his feathers to prepare himself. With a silent countdown, he gave a powerful flap, sending him… CRASH! Backwards into a tree. He sat up from the impact, seeing little Novas flying around his wobbling head and raising his hoof. “Okay! I'm ready for snowflake class, teacher! Just gotta find my wheels…” Scootaloo gave off a massive guffaw, trotting over and helping the stallion to his hooves. “Did I get it right…?” Twilight joined in the filly’s laughter, patting her husband on the back. “I think you should leave it to Scootaloo.” “Yeah, probably…” He smiled back at Scootaloo. “So, you ready to do this thing?” Scootaloo looked to the ramp, letting her smirk return. “Yeah! Let’s ride!” She rolled up to the start of the ramp with Twilight and Boltsinger coming up on either side of her. With a simultaneous stomp and kick, they rolled off down down the ramp. Later in the day, the trio of winged ponies stood in line next to a large cliff with a dock leading off of it. They all wore various types of protective gear, with a tight binding around their barrels to hold their wings in place. At the edge of the dock, ponies had long cords clipped to their gear, letting them jump off into the ravine below. Scootaloo trotted in place, her excitement nearly bubbling out of her as she watched pony after pony make their dive. “I can't believe bungee jumping was the next thing on the schedule!” Twilight looked at the ravine with a half-hearted smile and an awkward laugh. “Me neither! But, you know how it is! Anything for my family!” She shot a panicked look to Boltsinger, putting a hoof on his shoulder. “Are you sure we have to do this? I mean, I don't have a problem with Scootaloo doing it because she loves to do it, but surely we don't have to jump off of a cliff, do we?” The line moved forward as Boltsinger gave his dearly beloved a smirk. “Now, come on, honey. This is for Scootaloo. It's not as meaningful if we don't do these things with her.” “But what if the cord snaps and we hit the water? Don't you know that water has the same surface density as concrete?! Without our wings to stop the fall in time, it could lead to a DISASTER!” “And how is this any different from barrel riding at Neighagra Falls?” He wondered, bringing his muzzle closer. “Weren't you excited to do that with Velvet?” Twilight shook her head vehemently, stepping forward in line again. “I wasn't excited, I was terrified! As much as Iron Will ruined that vacation, I'm glad I didn't have to go on that ride! I only said I was going to ride it because--” Her eyes widened, turning their gaze to the filly that was getting ready to jump. “... Because it was with somepony I love…” She lingered on the orange filly, watching the sheer glee on her face as she dove headfirst from the dock. Laughing all the while. As the Crusader ascended once again, Boltsinger put his hoof on Twilight’s chin, turning her attention back to him. “Exactly.” He gave her a kiss on the lips and a light boop on the tip of her horn. “By the way, it’s your turn!” “Wait, what?” Twilight was pulled over to the front of the line, where the Unicorn attendant began to look over her gear. She moved to the edge, looking down at the ravine and swallowing a lump in her throat. Come on, Twilight… This is for Scootaloo! Besides, they check the equipment for safety standards all the time! And these ropes are made to hold ponies ten times your size! You’ll be fine! You’ll be perfectly-- Her thoughts were cut off by her own screaming as the Unicorn pushed her over the edge. The wind blew through her mane at a speed she didn’t often reach while flying, blowing her mouth back in the process. The river below got closer with every passing second, with all of the scenery around her rushing by like watercolor. Suddenly, she felt a tug against her. The bungee cord had begun to stretch and slow her descent. For a brief moment, there was no movement. The very tip of her horn touched the water, creating a tiny ripple, and then she was flung back up. A moment later, she was caught in the attendant's magic, hyperventilating as she was placed next to Scootaloo. “So, how was it?” Scootaloo inquired. “How was it?” She repeated. “How was it?!” she brought herself muzzle to muzzle with the Crusader, eyes still wide and breathing still heavy as the corners of her mouth turned up. “It was amazing! I didn't think anypony could ever have so much fun falling before! I mean, I already knew there was fun to be had in moving quickly, but I never dreamed it would he so incredible to surrender your aerial mobility and make a jump like that! That must be the kind of rush my mom goes for whenever she does these kinds of things!” She put her hooves on Scootaloo's shoulders. “Let's go again! Together, this time!” Scootaloo nodded enthusiastically, grabbing her hoof and pulling her along to the end of the line. As he was floated into place from his own jump, a wobbling Boltsinger shook his head, sending drops of water flying everywhere. “Now that was fun! You girls wanna go again?” He opened his eyes, finding them far ahead of him. He reared up, moving to a gallop after them. “Hey! Wait for me!” Three panting ponies came to a landing in front of town hall, laughing all the while. After at least five jumps each off of a perfectly good cliff, they spent more hours than they expected doing various activities in the sky. They had ranged from Scootaloo demonstrating the stunts she had learned from Rainbow Dash to a full-on race between the three of them, all the way to comparing notes on flying techniques and trying new things in the air. The entire time, Scootaloo’s face had lit up like never before, like she had found something that she’d been missing once again. They came to a stop on the deck of the town hall building, taking a rest on the steps as Scootaloo looked to the Alicorn in charge. “So, what’s next?” Twilight pulled out a large piece of parchment that looked like it was carefully taped together, doing her best to hide it from the filly’s direct view. “Let’s see… We were flying for a lot longer than I expected, so we don’t have much time left before we have to get to the castle and prepare.” She rolled the parchment back up, turning back to her. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to use the little filly’s room.” She flapped her way to her hooves, trotting off behind the building. “So, how have you been enjoying our little family Hearth’s Warming?” Boltsinger asked, laying on his fetlocks next to her. “Honestly? It’s been one of the best days of my whole life!” She declared, buzzing her wings for emphasis. “Everything we’ve done has been so much fun! And the fact that I got to share it with you two only makes it even better!” Boltsinger smiled warmly at the small pony, pulling her in for a hug. “I’m really glad to hear that, Scoot.” He let out a deep sigh, working his way to his hooves. “Anyway, I’m gonna… um… Gonna go see what’s taking Twilight so long! Be back soon!” He cantered off in the direction Twilight had gone, leaving a befuddled filly standing by the door. “Hey Scootaloo!” Called a familiar drawling contralto. Scootaloo followed the sound to see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle trotting over. “Happy Hearth’s Warming!” All of the winged Crusader’s confusion washed away at the sight of her best friends. She hopped off of the deck, meeting them halfway. “Hey, gals! Happy Hearth’s Warming! What are you up to?” “Oh, nuthin’ much. We’ve been… um...” Apple Bloom began, looking to Sweetie Belle. “What have we been up to, Sweetie Belle?” Sweetie Belle recoiled at the sudden question, looking behind her, then back at Scootaloo. “We’ve been… Uh… With our families! And… Sledding?” She gave Apple Bloom a weak smile. “Right, Apple Bloom?” “Yeah! Sledding! And... buildin’ snow ponies! All that wintery Hearth’s Warmn’ stuff!” She gave her friend a smile that was almost too wide, tilting to the side to see what might be behind her. “So… What did you do today?” “Well, first they wanted to go scootering. Twilight even went so far as to set up this big, elaborate course for us to ride on!” She explained, her eyes beginning to sparkle at the memory. “And then we went bungee jumping! Twilight was afraid at first, but we all jumped at least five times each!” “It sure sounds like you had fun!” Sweetie Belle commented. “Almost like the schedule they used was made just for you!” “Right?! It's been amazing! Twilight and Bolt have been doing things like that with me all day, saying something about today being a ‘family’ Hearth’s Warming.” She looked in the direction the older ponies had gone, letting out a small laugh. “But Spike and Nova weren’t even there! Not much of a family celebration without the family, huh?” A burst of laughter came from the Earth Pony, who quickly stifled herself. She took a deep breath, finding her composure once more. “Yeah, I... guess you’re right. But… I think it’s still family, even if yer not related by blood.” Scootaloo considered the events of the day, how Twilight and Boltsinger had insisted on spending the day together, always referring to it as a family day. It reminded her of another notion they had insisted upon after a particularly chaotic ordeal, in that she was Nova's ‘big sister’. “Well, sure, they're practically family. But, do you really think we can be the real thing without blood?” “Oh, I don't just think so!” Boltsinger stated, making the filly in front of her jump. “I know so! Without a doubt!” Scootaloo looked down from her new spot by the ceiling, smiling at the sight. “Bolt! Twilight! You're back!” She hovered level with their heads, putting her forelegs around them. “You ready to keep going?” “Actually, it's getting pretty close to time for the Hearth's Warming Eve party.” The Princess proclaimed, pointing to the now-orange sky. “We should get back to the castle. Don't wanna be too tired to celebrate with everypony!” “Right! Let’s go!” Scootaloo landed in front of her best friends, looking them pleadingly in the eye. “You wanna come with us? Everyone’s already gonna be there, so it’d be perfect!” Yeah!” Sweetie Belle confirmed. Apple Bloom nodded in agreement. “Let’s do it!” She raised her hoof, immediately met by the hooves of her fellow Crusaders. “All right, everypony! They’re here!” Rainbow Dash announced as the door beneath her opened. Twilight, Boltsinger, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders made their entrance. She swooped down to the floor, landing beside her favorite filly. “So didja have fun?” Scootaloo smiled up at her idol with a light she hadn’t seen out of the filly in days, going into an in-depth recollection of what had happened over the course of the day. Twilight and Boltsinger had vanished into the castle, presumably to get ready, but that didn't matter to Rainbow at this point. Her sister was happy again, and that was phase one complete. As the other Crusaders met up with their families, a pair of poofing noises were heard on the other end of the foyer. Little hooves galloped through a sudden gap in the crowd, letting the smallest pony in the room tackle his big sister in as tight of a hug as a baby could do. Nova babbled at length, nuzzling Scootaloo's cheek almost endlessly as the second smallest Alicorn, Flurry Heart, made a softer approach. She stood uncharacteristically still, looking earnestly at her. “Miss Scootaloo!” She started, drawing the older filly's attention to her. Flurry made as big of a breath as she knew how, standing firm. “Nova says he's super duper happy that you're here! He said that there was a big wave of… a wave of sad a few days ago that made him cry… Made Uncle Bo-bo cry, too… And then he didn't see his big sissy for days and days and days! And he wanted to know you weren't sick with sumfin!” Rainbow and Scootaloo looked between the foals with wide eyes, finally landing on Nova. “Is all of that true?” Scootaloo wondered, receiving a firm nod from the baby. She looked over to the filly. “How do you know that?” Flurry recoiled, unsure of how to respond. “Um… well… I…” A pair of hooves came to each of her shoulders, sending an empowering warmth through her. She looked at the source of each hoof, finding her mommy and daddy smiling down at her. Cadence brought her hoof over her heart, prompting Flurry to mimic the motion. They each took a deep breath, exhaling and extending the raised forelegs out. The filly took a confident stance, spreading her wings really. “As a Princess, I got a job to bring ponies together and help them commun… Sunburst is always givin’ me the big words… To help them talk! And Cousin Nova doesn't talk so good just yet… I don't get to do it very much, but when we're doin’ stuff, sometimes I gotta talk for him, since he can't do it.” Scootaloo held her little brother tighter, trotting over to the littlest Princess and tussling her mane. “Thanks, Flurry.” Flurry let out a giggle, looking between the ponies around her. “So I did it right?” Shining Armor pulled his daughter into a hug, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “You did it perfect, sweetie! I'm so proud of you!” “Nova couldn't have asked for a better translator.” Cadence added, adding her own hooves to the hug. “Now how about we let Cousin Scootaloo have some time with her family?” Scootaloo cocked an eyebrow. “Cousin? But I'm not actually--” “Don't worry about it, Scoot.” Rainbow suggested, leading her further into the party. “Let's just have a good time!” The young Pegasus happily followed her honorary big sister's advice, finding a great many ponies approaching her with smiles and kind words. Twilight's parents even made a point to give her a hug. Rainbow Dash’s father, Bow Hothoof, caught the filly in a vicegrip of an embrace, lamenting his not being there for recent events. As she met with the rest of the guests, she found herself wondering why so many ponies were looking at her. It didn't feel like staring. More like they knew something she didn't, and it was starting to fire up her curiosity. She reached the center of the room, planting her rump on the floor next to the large, elaborately-decorated tree. I almost forgot that it was Hearth's Warming Eve… Guess that'd be easy to do after… that. Her and Nova's eyes focused on the fiery heart at the top of the tree. You know what? It doesn't matter that they didn't show! I already have a family! Just like Apple Bloom said! The sound of a fork on a glass interrupted the filly's thoughts and the crowd's conversations, drawing their attention to the second floor. There stood Twilight and Boltsinger, looking more festive than some had ever seen. Twilight wore a red dress with a skirt that bore a pattern that looked like holly leaves, with a little bit of the plant itself clipped into her mane, while Boltsinger wore a red vest with green trim, bearing yet more holly as a boutonniere. Spike sat on the railing, sporting a vest similar to the one the stallion wore, and all three of them had their wings spread wide. “Thank you, everypony, for coming to tonight's celebration!” The Princess began. “It warms our hearts to see so many families coming together in friendship!” “This Hearth's Warming has been one we've been especially looking forward to, given some of the gifts we've had planned.” Boltsinger stated. He and Twilight hopped over the railing, gliding down to the base of the tree. As the ponies made their landing, Spike shot up from his seat. “And speaking of gifts, it's time to open presents!” The crowd went into cheers, several ponies reaching for boxes they had stashed around the room. They took positions near the ponies for whom they were intended, making to finally give them out as the clearing of Boltsinger's throat brought them to a halt once more. “And as much as we would love to have everyone open their gifts as soon as possible, there's one gift we have to give before anything else!” The royal ponies each took a position next to Scootaloo, causing her to look curiously up at them. “So who's this special gift for?” Twilight and Boltsinger shared in a laugh, the more magical of the two proceeding to light her horn. “Who do you think?” The filly recoiled, looking around the large room to find every single eye fixed upon her. “Wait, you mean it's me?!” She looked back up at them, receiving a solemn nod. “But… why? I didn't do anything to deserve this kind of attention.” “It's because of this.” Twilight said, bringing an envelope forward. “It's for you, from… your parents.” At the mention of her parents, Scootaloo's face instantly soured. She put Nova down, snatching the letter from the magenta magic and holding it in front of her. “From them, huh?” she pulled on either end of it ripping into the outer envelope. Boltsinger reached forward, grabbing her forelegs before she could go any further. “Scootaloo, wait! What are you doing?!” “I'm gonna tear it up!” She informed him, letting the letter fall to the floor. “I don't care what they have to say… They weren't there when they said they'd be!” She freed herself from Boltsinger's grip, standing up and staring coldly at the envelope. “They were never there for me… Besides…” She turned to face Twilight, Boltsinger, Spike, and Nova, her smile making its soft return. “I've been with my real parents all day!” The Crusader's declaration elicited a collective coo from the crowd, along with some faint blushing from the ponies before her. “Both of you have always been there for me for as long as I've known you! I've learned and done so many things because I've had yours, and everyone else's support. You're more family to me than any blood relative could ever be!” Giving into her affectionate side, Twilight rushed forward, giving the filly an enormous hug. “Oh, Scootaloo… It means everything to hear you say that!” She pulled away, floating the letter up once more. “But you really should read this one. I promise, it's worth it!” With a reluctant sigh, Scootaloo took the letter, opening it up and beginning to read. “Dear Scootaloo, Before we say anything else, we want you to know that we love you. That is paramount above all else. These past days, you’ve been the only one in our thoughts, as the heartbreak you felt reached us harder and faster than a bolt of lightning. We’ve made it our mission to ensure that you never feel unwanted again, and to accomplish that, we’ve done something extra special. We can promise you, without a doubt, that this Hearth’s Warming is going to be the best one ever. Your loving parents…” Scootaloo read the signature with an expression of disbelief, looking over the letter at the ponies that signed it. “Twilight Sparkle and Boltsinger…?” She put the letter down. “You guys wrote this…? Why?” “Well… You know how we took a rest at town hall before we came home?” Boltsinger asked, scratching his cheek with his wing. Scootaloo nodded in confirmation. “Well… We weren’t using the bathroom when we ran off the way we did.” He made a beckoning motion with his wing, prompting Twilight to poof in a set of papers. “We were meeting with Mayor Mare to finalize…” Twilight floated the papers to where Scootaloo could read them. “... This.” Scootaloo looked at the bold calligraphy on the top of the page, her eyes going wide with shock. “Certificate of… adoption?!” She pushed the papers aside, letting those same wide eyes well up with tears. “You guys… adopted me?” Boltsinger took a deep, shaky breath, finally letting out a proud “Eeyup!” He stepped closer to his favorite filly, putting his hoof on her shoulder. “We’d been meaning to do it for moons, but… I think we might have been afraid to move forward.” Twilight nodded at the statement. “I think he’s right. First we were worried that we’d get between you and Rainbow Dash, then I was worried that you didn’t like me enough… And then, right when we finally decided to go ahead and do it…” “You got that letter…” Boltsinger finished. “And, well, you know the rest…” Twilight’s hoof found its own way onto Scootaloo’s shoulder, sending a wave of warmth and confidence through the filly’s frame. “But it’s like we said in our letter. We love you, and we want to make sure you never feel unwanted again!” She looked over at her faithful assistant. “Spike, if you would.” “I’m on it!” He declared, running over to the present stack. He plucked a small box from the very top, bringing it down to the family. “Here it is!” Twilight gave the dragon a silent thanks, floating the box in front of the latest addition to her family. “As for your actual gift, we’ve come up with a new tradition for our family.” She opened the box, revealing a purple pendant to the petit pony in the shape of the wing and lightning bolt from her Cutie Mark. “Every member of our family with their Cutie Mark will receive a pendant reminiscent of it. And this one is yours!” There was a moment of silence as Scootaloo beheld the jewelry presented to her. Her breathing had grown staggered, and her eyes drifted up to the ponies that were practically… No. The ponies that were her parents. Their smiles were as they always were. Warm and inviting. And the feeling she got from their support empowered her to the point where she felt like she could perform a Sonic Rainboom. “I… have a family…” She told herself, her tears beginning to fall freely. She spread her forelegs, diving into her new parents with the full force of a Pegasus in flight. They fell onto the floor in a hug, their filly hugging them tighter than she’d ever hugged anypony before. “I HAVE A FAMILY!!!” Twilight and Boltsinger laughed, putting their forelegs and wings around her and giving her a simultaneous kiss on the head. “This is the best gift ever!” The crowd burst into cheers, starting the party up again in full swing. Once Scootaloo had calmed down, Twilight and Boltsinger sat with her on one of the benches at the wall. “I think we should probably explain a few things.” Boltsinger suggested, earning a nod from Twilight. “We’ve actually been planning this day in earnest ever since the train station. We got almost everypony in on it.” He lifted the filly’s pendant with his wing pointing his hoof at Rarity. “Rarity made your pendant.” His hoof moved, stopping on the Apple Siblings. “Big Mac, Applejack, and Apple Bloom moved all of the stuff you had at your old house over here.” Once again, his hoof moved, showing Rainbow Dash dancing in the air with Soarin. “And you already know what Rainbow was doing.” “As for what we did today, it was actually you who planned it all out!” Twilight added. She teleported in a large piece of parchment that was carefully taped together from tiny pieces. “Sweetie Belle gave us the pieces. It took me all night to piece back together!” “All of that, just for me…” Scootaloo said, looking down at her brand new family pendant. Her reflection looked back at her, giving her a sense of pride like she’d never felt before. “Thank you…” “Um… Aunty Twily?” Called a curious voice from beyond the bench. The family looked over to the source, finding Flurry Heart standing there with her hoof raised. “I’m confused… What was the gift you gave Scootaloo? Was it a necklace? Or a new toy? I know I get excited when I get a new toy!” Twilight lit her horn, picking her niece up and putting her on the bench. “It’s much more than that, Flurry Heart. We’ve adopted her! That means that she’s our daughter now, like Nova is our son, and you’re our niece!” “So… If she’s your daughter… And I’m your niece…” Flurry brought her hooves up, looking between them, then looking at Scootaloo with wide eyes. “I have a new cousin!” She jumped from the bench, lighting her horn and pulling Scootaloo along with her. “Cousin Scootaloo! Cousin Scootaloo! Let’s go play right now!” She galloped off into the party, the newest family member laughing as she let the magic take her along.