Twilight Sparkle shivers against her scarf, pulling herself just a little closer to the human sitting next to her. The chill winter air howls against them, the first portent of the blizzard taking place later that day. Much like the titular ghosts - a story they found Trixie had never heard of and which Doug had a weird human parallel - most everything shut down on the days past, present, and future of Hearth’s Warming. Trains, stores, even the weatherponies took a well deserved holiday from the stresses that pile up like the snow piling up around them.
Hmm; looks like the snow isn’t starting on time, and she can feel the suppressed grimace and groan of the weather scheduler next to her. Well, there’s never a guarantee, especially this close to the Everfree. The temperature sure seems to be dropping quickly as the wind picks up, the blowing snow turning blinding as it pelts her ears and eyes. It would be nice to have the other ponies milling around as a windbreak instead of just the few pieces of luggage.
“C’mon,” mutters Doug, getting Twilight to glance around. She shivers again. He can’t be that disappointed in the pegasi, right? But, back to the bitter problem of the cold. Maybe she could just heat a little bit of the ground around them? Preferably without it bursting into flames. No, probably not, and the energy wasted on that spell is energy her body won’t be using to heat itself.
“No, here.”
Twilight looks over; Doug has unzipped his heavy outer jacket, and the inner one, leaving just the thin shirt underneath, and is motioning towards his crotch area. Twilight raises an eyebrow, eyes flicking back and forth between his face and heavy pants. “U-um…”
“Jeez, the cold slow your brain already? Come here.” Doug reaches over, brushing off a bit of the snow already collecting on Twilight’s coat. He tugs her closer, spinning her around and practically dragging her into a reclined position, her back resting against his chest. Heat radiates off of him, the slivers of ice starting to melt and drip down. His jacket stretches as far as it can across her barrel, almost but not quite making a complete seal.
Twilight tries to pull her chest in, making herself as small as possible, as his knees raise up and around her. His arms take the front, helping lock in more of that precious heat. “T-thanks,” Twilight whispers, craning her head back. She’d kiss him, except he has a scarf covering most of his face, leaving little exposed to the elements.
“Eskimo kisses,” Doug softly intones, his cloth covered nose meeting her exposed one.
Twilight grins, a quick swipe side to side before she tucks her head inside the jacket as far as she can go. “How do you know so much about this kind of stuff? Based on everything about you, humans are suited for temperate climates, not this kind of freezing weather.”
“Sure, but we’re adaptable,” Doug replies, looking up to watch dozens of pegasi attempt to beat back the black clouds invading from the Everfree. Wow, looks like they called in the reserves, and it still might not be enough. “Some groups live in conditions like this nearly year round.”
“But you’d freeze to death,” Twilight responds coldly, regretting every piece of exposed fur on her. “There’s no way you can grow, gather, and eat enough in a day to make enough heat.”
“Well, meat is considerably denser, calorie wise, than greens. Easier to process. Especially fat.”
“Oh.” Twilight sinks into him a little more. “That.”
Doug nod is more subdued. “Also, we’d burn wood for heat, and bundle ourselves up like this all the time. Grow thicker beards and body hair. We make do.” He glances up as the shrill whistles pierces through the howling gale, the second train of the day heading towards Canterlot. “Finally.”
“Can’t argue with you there,” Twilight readily agrees. Her mouth purses, tucking just a little closer as she dreads the coming blast of cold. Her smile grows wide enough that she can feel him tense up around her muzzle. “Hey, maybe you can just carry me in like this? I’m sure nopony will mind.”
“As long as you get the luggage,” Doug says with a grin, gloved hand briefly rubbing her belly. Her horn flares as his arms wrap around her rump, hands clasping together. His grunt makes her a little self-conscious about her weight; she’s been running more, so it’s really muscle she’s been packing on, and not delicious purple breakfast cupcakes! Honest!
The blast of cold comes despite their best efforts, nearly enough to make Twilight drop their bags as the train slowly rolls to a stop, finally visible through the blowing snow. The doors remain closed, nopony coming out, as Doug steps towards the last car in line. The crowd of ponies mill towards the cars close to the engine, though they clearly won’t all fit in the first two.
Doug shifts Twilight, one hand pulling the door open and swiftly closing it behind them. The front half of the car is lightly occupied, everypony watching them through narrowed eyes. Doug heads all the way to the vacant back half, suitcases going up against the rear walls and serving as a soft barrier against the frigid metal.
“Is it always like that?” Twilight quietly asks as she steps out of the jacket, Doug shedding the thick outer layer. She practically pounces, wrapping herself in the still warm fabric and zipping it back up, her front hooves not quite long enough to fit without the arms scrunching up a lot.
Doug nods as Twilight settles down on one of the low benches. “Normally I take the night trains, if I have anywhere to go. But it’s like that with everypony not from Ponyville.” The doors open, letting in another blast of cold air.
“I’m sorry,” Twilight whispers, nuzzling Doug as ponies stream in through the briefly open doors. “I wish there was some way I could make it better.”
“I can think of a way,” Doug says, pulling out a pillow. He fluffs it a few times, laying down on the hard floor.
“Mmm,” Twilight growls, tugging the warm jacket against her chilly flanks. “Sorry, this isn’t coming off.”
Doug merely pats his stomach as the train lurches forward, grunting as Twilight hops off the bench. She lays her head on his stomach, comparing the thump of his heart, the rasp of air through his lungs, and occasional gurgle of his stomach to the accelerating click and clack of the train. She levitates a piece of paper and pencil, Doug apparently not a believer in the superiority of quills, tallying the harmonics. A particularly adventurous pony takes the bench next to them as the other ponies spread out, Twilight finding herself falling asleep before she gets to twenty triply synchronous beats as the train leaves the station.
Twilight’s yawn grows wider and wider as the hand against her ear pushes harder and harder. She smacks her lips a few times as she slowly comes to, the racket of hooves getting fainter and less frequent as ponies vacate the train car. She tries to snuggle closer, grunting in dismay as her comfiest of pillows shifts upright.
“Come on, Twi.” Doug lifts her head up, his scarf replacing his stomach as her pillow. “I know we have plenty of time, but I’d like to get up to the castle quickly anyway.”
“Aww,” pouts Twilight, pleading eyes glistening as they stare up at him. “Five more minutes.”
“No excuse!” Doug says, tying suitcases to another until he has one long, bulky train going. “Time to vamoose off the caboose!”
“Ugh, what’s the use,” moans Twilight, wrapping the scarf around her neck as she gets up. It proves unnecessary; despite the higher altitude, and the snow on the ground, Canterlot is much more comfortable than Ponyville in a snowstorm. Both of them watch in wonder as they look up at the main castle. Two alicorns, blue and white, stand atop the grand balcony, horns ablaze. The sun lingers in the canopy of a sky, painting beautiful hues of red that gradually fade to light blues and purples. Seconds later the moon rises above the Canterhorn, washing the clouds to a deep blue.
“Excuse me, sir, random security screening. Would you mind stepping aside for a moment?”
Doug groans as the burly armored thestral sticks a hoof out in front of him. “Come on, you always pick me.”
She peers up at him, no nonsense on her face. “Just a guardsmare doing my job, sir. Name?”
“Black Snooty,” growls out Doug.
“Name,” she practically spits out, eyes narrowing, muzzle curling to a venomous scowl.
“Doug Apple.”
“And where are you coming from?”
“Uh, Ponyville?” Doug responds with a motion of his arm towards the small town, one of the few visible this side of the mountain.
“Did you bring any fruit with you?”
Doug’s closed eyes raise to the moonlit sky. “Two dozen apples and a case of Sweet Apple Acres Reserve.”
“Okay, then. Where are you heading?”
He motions with an arm. “The castle?”
“Anything to declare?” She peers up at Doug, as if trying to gaze into his very soul.
“I hate you.”
The thestral’s mean glower fades, replaced by astonishment and a mournful quiver of her lip. “Y-you do?”
“What?!” Twilight exclaims at almost the same time.
“It’s a quote! From a movie!” Doug hastily explains, to no avail. “I didn’t mean it like that! Honest!” The thestral merely looks ready to cry, turning her head away and sniffling. Doug wraps her in a hug. “Princess Luna didn’t tell you?”
The thestral snorts, instantly recovering as she pushes Doug away. “No, she just gave me a list of questions to ask. Please. We aren’t that soft.” A wing flicks out, displaying a small piece of parchment with indigo script. “Want me to escort you to the castle?”
“Sure,” replies Doug with a smile, hoisting their bags.
“Doug!” reprimands Twilight, smacking at her stallions flank with a rolled up newspaper she pulled out of the trash. “Bad Doug! I can’t believe you would say that about anypony! Especially one just doing their job!”
“I told you,” Doug says, rolling his eyes, “it’s a quote. Sorry for offending your delicate sensibilities.”
“It’s not my sensibilities I’m worried about!” Twilight stamps a hoof as they continue upwards. “You could have really hurt somepony’s feelings!”
“Ma’am, I assure you, it takes quite a bit more than a few choice words to hurt us.” Twilight grumbles to herself as she pulls out the paper, reading as they walk along. The thestral nods to the guards at the checkpoint to the entrance to the castle, flashing a gleaming gem. “It will be a few hours before the Princess is ready to see you.” She pulls out a simplified map of the castle, hoofing it to Twilight. “Marked is the room you are staying in, plus directions to Celestia’s office. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.” She waves, turning back the way she came and flying off.
Twilight and Doug wave back before turning their attention to the map. “Hmm, not the best of the guest chambers, but Princess Celestia probably has lots of very important someponies invited already. It is very close to Hearth’s Warming, after all. And celebrating the start of the new year, the first Year of the Diarchs in a thousand years!”
“Wouldn’t it be the triarchs?” Doug asks as they walk towards their chambers. “I mean, Cadance counts, right?”
“Well, Princess Cadance hasn’t really taken on leadership responsibilities, not like Princess Luna has.” Twilight pulls out the newspaper she whacked Doug with. “And, according to the papers, Princess Luna is ready to resume her position as Diarch.”
The two pass a white unicorn pushing a cart full of stacks of papers, folders, and a large thermos of coffee. Raven Inkwell flicks her brown mane done up in a tight bun in greeting, getting an automatic nod in response.
“Hey, maybe we can kill some time talking to Princess Luna. We haven’t really seen her since Nightmare Night.” Doug points to the map. “I’m sure we can figure out where she’s staying. And it would be good to talk to her, see how she’s managing the various problems facing Equestria.” He leans down to elbow Twilight in the ribs. “Or maybe focus on the love shortage that seems to be a problem around here.”
Unnoticed by the two, Raven startles back as her eyes focus on Doug, her eyes briefly flashing green. She pulls out a black scarab, pushing her cart behind a wall and whispering closely.
“Love shortage!?” Twilight exclaims as they go around a bend in the castle. “I’m not foaling around on a crowded public train! I should show you a love shortage, thinking I’m some sort of exhibitionist.”
“Alright, Twilight, it’s okay,” Doug says, scratching the purple unicorn on the ear. “I was just joking. Maybe we can go to the library after we drop these bags off.”
Twilight’s eyes light up. “Really?!” She prances about, a new spring in her step, “I’d love to do that! I can show you the Star Swirl the Bearded section in the archives! It’ll be amazing!”