//------------------------------//
// Chapter 184: A Hearth's Warming Prank? 
// Story: My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic: Stallion Edition 
// by SuperPinkBrony12 
//------------------------------//

After news of Tempest's departure, time flew by quickly for Shining Armor. His sister's school seemed to survive without incident, and Flurry Heart was growing up in the blink of an eye. Her first words were expected at any time, and now she could actually walk a bit on her own power (rather clumsily though).

It was no surprise when Shining was invited to bring Cadence and Flurry Heart to Ponyville to spend Hearth's Warming. It had been years since he could remember the last Sparkle family get together for the holidays.

The royal family made sure to leave for Ponyville bright and early the day before Hearth's Warming Eve (which was coincidentally the day that Twilight's school let out for holiday break). They made sure to bundle up their only daughter to protect her from the cold. She looked so cute in her protective star jacket.

However, when they arrived at Twilight's castle they were surprised to find the door unlocked and Starlight there to greet them. "Sorry, can't stay and chat," She apologized. "Dad invited me to Sire's Hollow for Hearth's Warming, and my dad is not the kind of pony who takes no for an answer."

"Sire's Hollow isn't that far by train, Starlight," Shining questioned. "You should have plenty of time still, probably another day."

Starlight shook her head. "I'm not going alone, though. As it turns out, Trixie has no one to spend the holiday with and she invited me to come along. Sunburst is also gonna be coming along, but he'll be waiting at Sire's Hollow. Trixie insists on bringing her wagon, says she never goes anywhere without it."

Shining simply smiled. "I hear it's her home away from home so to speak. And if that's the case, you probably shouldn't keep her waiting. Still, I suppose that's one way to beat the holiday travelers."

"Before you go," Cadence inquired of the unicorn. "Do you know where we can find Twilight? She was supposed to meet us here."

"Probably finishing up some last minute errands around the school. Classes just got dismissed for the holidays a short while ago and some students are still packing," Starlight answered to Cadence. "Hope that helps." And then, lighting up her horn, the unicorn brought over some winter attire and disappeared.

Shining just sighed as a knowing, teasing smirk spread across his face. "If I know my sister, she's probably on the verge of one of her pre-holiday freak outs. She did mention she was getting behind because of the school. I'll just head up to the school and see if I'm not too late to bring her back down to Equestria."

Cadence nodded. "You do that, dear. It'll give me time to finish wrapping the presents for you and Twilight. And don't get any ideas about peaking."

The prince chuckled. "Wouldn't dream it of, honey. See you soon." Then lighting up his horn, he teleported away.

The princess of love simply turned to her daughter, still bundled up in the jacket. "Let's see if we can get a fire going in this place. You probably can't wait to take off that stuffy jacket in favor of something more comfortable."

Flurry Heart just cooed. She was looking forward to sledding with her Auntie Twily.





Shining arrived at the school and made his way in just as an excited crowd of students swept past him, nearly knocking him over! "I remember how excited I was for Hearth's Warming as a kid. Even Twilight couldn't stay one hundred percent focused," He thought to himself. "How far away those old memories seem. Of course, I'm not turning myself back into a school colt just for that. Flurry needs to start making friends in her own age group."

The prince made his way toward the main hall, hoping to perhaps run into his sister. But what he saw when he arrived, was a sight that he almost couldn't believe.

Huge blobs of some kind of purple goo lay all over the floor and the walls. Some of it had even gotten onto the tree that made up the traditional Hearth's Warming display. And it seemed that even Twilight and Spike were coated in the stuff, or at least Spike still was as Twilight was currently trying to get it off his scales.

"What's all this?!" Shining exclaimed in shock. "What in the world happened here?!"

Twilight groaned as she was finally able to remove the goo from Spike. "Some prankster decided to sabotage the Hearth's Warming display, that's what. Everything is ruined!"

"Did you see who did it?" Shining asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No I didn't, it all happened so fast. And it was just a few moments ago."

Shining stomped a hoof down. "Well don't just stand there, you've got to track down the prankster! Whoever it was, they're sure to have left some clue behind."

"Hey, look out there!" Spike pointed a claw. "I see something, in the snow!"

Amidst the blinding and blowing snow, it was possible to make out a hooded figure running across the school grounds. It took but a moment to realize the figure's destination! "The students' quarters!" Spike realized.

"But there's no one there." Shining commented.

Twilight shook her head. "There might still be a few students packing, especially our transfer students."

"That hooded figure might be the prankster! We can't let them get away!" The alicorn vowed. "Quickly, after 'em!"

Shining, Twilight, and Spike all rose to their hooves (and legs in Spike's case) and chased after the hooded figure as it rushed right into the students' quarters. But inside, the figure seemed to suddenly vanish without a trace.

"I'll check the back door! That prankster's not getting away!" Shining declared and rushed to the back.

Meanwhile, Twilight called out. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

A series of doors swung open as several students still packing stumbled out. Among them was Silverstream, who was both confused and excited. "What's going on? Ooh! Is this part of the pony festivities?! Is it a surprise party or something?!"

"Sorry to intrude, but did anycreature happen to come in here?" Twilight asked the students. "Anycreature suspicious?"

Smolder shook her head. "We all came in here to pack, like you told us to. And why would there be anycreature suspicious in here?"

"We were chasing a prankster who ruined the Hearth's Warming display. We think whoever it was came here, perhaps hoping to blend in," Spike explained. "By any chance, did any of you happen to spot a figure wearing a dark, hooded robe that covered their whole body?"

"Nope." The students all answered one by one.

Just then, Shining came around to the front, holding the robe with his magic. "Well, I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is, the figure wearing this robe got away. The good news is, there's no way they could've gotten out of here after coming in here. The back door is locked, as are all the windows. And the front door would've been out of the question, they would've been spotted."

"So, maybe it was teleportation? I mean, unicorns can do that, can't they?" Sandbar speculated.

"I'm afraid that's impossible. If teleportation were involved, there'd be a magical residue left on the robe. But there isn't one," Shining declared with a serious glare. "And the figure's prints in the snow lead from the quarters to the main hall and back. So that means our little Hearth's Warming prankster is still here, still among us."

Just then, Ocellus emerged from her room. "What's going on? I was packing up my things, and I had trouble fitting a pillow into my suitcase. Did I miss something?"

Gallus just yawned and put a claw to his beak. "Just the prince thinking one of us sabotaged the Hearth's Warming display. Not sure why he'd think that, can't speak for the rest of you but I haven't done a thing all day."

"So you all wish to deny it?" Shining questioned the students. "You all wish to insist that it couldn't have been you who ruined the Hearth's Warming display?" All the students nodded one by one, some even looked noticeably intimidated. "Very well then, please come with me." The prince instructed.





The students were brought back to the main hall, and their eyes collectively fell upon the ruined remaints of what had been a Hearth's Warming flaming heart not unlike the one that was said to have driven away the windigos so long ago.

Yona was the first one to speak up. "How display get like this? How prankster not be noticed?"

"We suspect whoever it was climbed up on the ceiling," Twilight explained. "Though that doesn't mean the culprit could fly. If you were skilled enough or had a ladder, one of you could've easily climbed up while no one was looking away."

Gallus then added. "And that stuff you're seeing is goo powder, Yona. Though it's not unlike changeling slime."

Ocellus firmly insisted. "I'm innocent! I would never sabotage something so beautiful!"

"I never said it was you, Ocellus. Honestly, out of everycreature here, you're the one with the least likely motive." Gallus replied to the changeling.

"But it could still very well be her. It could be any one of you six," Shining declared as he trotted over to them. "Yet you still want to insist you're innocent? I wouldn't blame you if you did, but know that if you are the culprit and don't fess up, you'll only make it worse for yourself and for others."

Twilight was quick to break up the tension. "I wanna be fair and give whoever did this a chance to come clean and confess. If the culprit does, they'll only have to write a report on why messing with the Hearth's Warming display was wrong. Now, this is your chance to tell the truth. All of you shut your eyes!" The students did as they were instructed. "Now, if you did this, please raise your hoof. Or claw. Or whatever extremity you've got."

A moment of silence passed, but none of the students said or did anything. Twilight reluctantly sighed. "Okay, you can all open your eyes now," Then she explained. "None of you confessed. So I'm going to have assume you're all somehow responsible for the time being."

"What?! That's not fair! You can't do this to us!" Sandbar pouted and protested.

"I'm your headmare, I most certainly can punish you for something like this," Twilight firmly declared. "Your little prank caused quite a mess. And someone could've gotten hurt if you had done it earlier when the whole school was here. My punishment for now is simple. You're all going to have to clean up the mess together."

Shining then spoke up. "In the meantime, the school is officially quarantined. No one comes, no one goes until we find out who did this! We'll be calling each of you in one at a time. You'll each have a chance to tell my sister, my nephew, and I where you were after classes were dismissed until the time when we all found you in the students' quarters. The true culprit or culprits need only confess to free the others."

"And if we do?" Ocellus asked with concern.

"He or she who does so will stay over the break for extra friendship lessons, particularly on laughter since it's clear that you'll need a refresher course on what is and isn't acceptable pranking," Twilight informed the students. "If necessary, we'll clear it up with your leaders first. Something tells me they wouldn't be pleased to learn their student misbehaved and caused a mess. Especially Thorax or Queen Novo."

Not only did Ocellus gulp, but Silverstream did too. "W-what happens if none of us confesses?" The hippogriff plucked up the courage to say what everyone else had been afraid to ask.

"Then I'm afraid none of you will be going home for the holidays. You'll all remain here," Twilight informed the students. "Hopefully it won't come to that."

Shining looked over the students as they set to work on mopping up the mess. "Do we have any volunteers willing to go first? If not, we'll do it at random."

Gallus immediately put down his mop. "What the heck, guess I'll give it a shot. Maybe the mess'll be cleaned up by the time I get back."

"Very well then, this way please. And remember, we want the truth. But whatever you say doesn't have to leave the room," Shining instructed to Gallus. "Cooperate, and this will all be over soon."

Gallus left the room, following Shining as he led the young griffon away to talk to Twilight.





As the rest of the students began moping, Silverstream had an interesting idea. "Hey, I know! Why don't we make a game out of it?! Make it fun! First one to finish cleaning up wins!"

Yona nodded her head in agreement. "Yona accept Silverstream's terms! Yak win! Yaks always best at cleaning up!"

Smolder rolled her eyes. "This isn't a game, you know! This is serious. It's time to cut the nonsense and get straight to business. One of you obviously did it because you thought it'd be funny, and now you just wanna make the rest of us suffer. Well congratulations, it worked! Now talk so I can turn you over to Headmare Twilight!"

"And you're saying you didn't do it? I mean, for all we know it could be you. You're a flyer, so it'd be easier." Sandbar suggested.

"I know I didn't do it! Why would I have any reason to lie about it?!" Smolder insisted. "And no way am I taking the fall for someone's else prank. If you ask me, it was probably Ocellus. She's been acting weird ever since it was announced classes were letting out for Hearth's Warming. I think she wants to be in school more."

Ocellus let out a horrified gasp! "That is so not true, Smolder! I'm ashamed you'd think that!"

"I know you too well, Ocellus. I know how much of a book worm you are, figuratively and literally." The young dragon answered as she blew smoke from her nostrils.

The changeling buzzed her wings in protest. "Then you also know I would never do something this horrible! Yes, I like being in school, but I also like going home to my family for Hearth's Warming. There is no way I'm going to miss going home for it."

Sandbar turned and eyed Ocellus. "I didn't realize the changelings celebrated Hearth's Warming, Ocellus."

Ocellus blushed. "Well, even after Thorax took over the throne we didn't. Headmare Twilight sent instructions last year to our hive. Although, we kind of had to improvise and I don't think we did it exactly right."

Sandbar giggled. "Come on, there's no wrong way to celebrate."

"Well, we kind of swam in the punch, and since there's so much wood and moss around we couldn't exactly build a proper fire. Too risky, Pharynx wouldn't allow it." Ocellus admitted.

"Who?" Sandbar asked.

Ocellus answered. "Thorax's brother. He's head of security in the new hive, and very overprotective."

"Hey, at least you made the traditions you're own. It's the thought that counts, right?" Sandbar questioned. "The most exciting my Hearth's Warming ever been is the one time my doll almost fell into the fire."

"Ooh! What happened?!" Silverstream curiously inquired.

Sandbar just shrugged his hooves. "It just fell on the floor, that was it."

"So, it's just a doll. You could buy another one." Smolder retorted.

The earth pony colt shook his head. "Not this one, it was special. My grandmother made it for me when I was really little. It's a one of a kind gift, and I'll always cherish it."

"Your stories are no fun at all! They don't even have a depressing ending!" Smolder grumbled. "We dragons don't do Hearth's Warming, we have our own special occasion. Every dragon gathers in a cave and tells stories while we all snack on gems. Whoever tells the best story gets to spend the day with Dragon Lord Ember. And guess who's been story telling champion for three years running?"

Just then, the door swung open. "Ocellus, you're next." Spike declared.

Ocellus gulped as she set down her mop and followed Spike out of the main hallway and down to Twilight's office.





Gallus just sighed as he grabbed a mop. "I talked for as long as they would allow me. Should've figured you guys wouldn't get it cleaned up by that point. Oh well, can't blame a griffon for trying."

"So, what did you tell them?" Smolder inquired. "Did you confess?"

The griffon laughed. "Of course not, I told them I didn't do it! Why in the world would I lie?"

"Didn't you once mention something about a festival involving a moon?" Smolder questioned.

Gallus shook his head. "That's not important. Griffons have their traditions, just like ponies do."

Yona stomped her hoof down in furious protest. "Ugh! Yak tired of waiting. Yona just want culprit to confess. Yak always home in time for holidays, Yona not want to miss them."

"Yaks celebrate Hearth's Warming too?" Sandbar asked the yak.

Yona shook her head. "No, yaks no need to adopt pony holiday. Yaks have holiday all their own. Snilldar Fest. Night before, yaks gather things to smash and put them in big pile. Then in morning, we smash them! In afternoon, we smash them again! In evening—"

Gallus rolled his eyes. "It's always about smashing with you yaks, isn't it?"

"Because yaks love to destroy and rebuild, nothing lasts forever," Yona explained to Gallus. "Besides, Snilldar Fest about so much more. It about family. Last year, for example. Most perfect Snilldar ever. Whole family – grandpa, grandma yak, Yona's brother, sister, mother, father yak – all go to woods singing yak song. Did Yona mention Yona's hair used to be much longer?"

"You mean, even longer than before Professor Fancy Pants had Rarity style your hair so you wouldn't trip over it?" Sandbar questioned. "I have to say, I kind of like you with shorter hair."

Yona giggled. "Yona get that all the time from pony. But that okay, yak not judge. Anyway, yaks hang perfect things on perfect moss pile and—"

"Let me guess, you smash it?" Smolder remarked.

At that Yona replied with a huff. "No. What you think yaks are, barbarians? Moss pile is not for smashing but for special family rituals. Last year, ritual was for Yona. All yak family gather around Yona and braid Yona hair for first time. Prince Rutherford show up later, Yona work for prince on scouting party once before. Prince say thanks."

"So it's all about family... and smashing?" Gallus pondered.

Yona nodded. "Absolutely! Two most perfect things in history of forever, put together!"

Silverstream smiled, imitating Yona's efforts to smash a bucket. "Oh Yona, you're so full of energy. And you're really strong. But it's so much fun to learn new traditions from friends. Maybe I should come to Yakyakistan for Snilldar Fest?"

"If we ever get out of here," Smolder grumbled. "Which would be a lot easier if one of our friends would just confess already."

Just then, Ocellus came back and nervously spoke up. "Uh, Sandbar, they want you to go in next."

"You didn't confess, did you?" Sandbar questioned.

"No. I didn't do it, and that's exactly what I told them." Ocellus answered.

Sandbar just shrugged his hooves. "Guess I'll have to do the same. See you all soon."





Once Sandbar had left, the students went back to cleaning as Silverstream took notice of something that no one else seemed to be aware of. "You're in an awfully big hurry to leave, Smolder. But it doesn't sound like you really have a holiday."

"The Festival of Fire counts as one as far as I'm concerned," Smolder replied. "We all gather around, tell stories, and share gems to snack on. That's all there is to it. There's plenty of things dragons can do to pass the time otherwise."

"Aren't you at least gonna tell us one of your famous stories?" Silverstream asked. "It's been fun to learn new things."

Smolder just sighed. "Well if you want a story with a happy ending, why don't I tell you all about how Spike went through his molting phase? You should've seen it, the guy was so determined to stay hidden."

"We know how it ends, he got a cool pair of wings, and now he's much taller," Gallus retorted to Smolder. "Maybe you're just trying not to talk because you did do it and you're trying not to get caught."

"Wait, I thought we were supposed to suspect Sandbar because he's so close to his idols here?" Silverstream suspected.

Just then, Sandbar peaked his head into the room. "Why would I do that? I've got plenty of better ways to meet our professors. And I'm kind of done with the whole 'Idol Worship' thing after the Tree of Harmony's test," Then he looked at Silverstream. "Silverstream, they want you to be next."

The hippogriff gulped, wishing more than anything she could turn into a seapony and hide underwater. But she couldn't. "Well, wish me luck, everycreature. I hope I can make it back in time for the Three Days of Freedom Celebration." She then departed without another word.

Gallus immediately approached Sandbar. "Come on, dude. One guy to another, you can totally tell me."

"Tell you what? If it's about Yona, there's nothing to say." Sandbar defensively retorted.

Yona shot a puzzled look at the colt. "Wait, why Sandbar mention Yona? Yona not said anything, Yona not suspect Sandbar of anything. Yona believe Sandbar innocent."

At that, Sandbar just replied. "O-oh, nothing. And there's nothing to say about the prank, because I didn't do it." He breathed a sigh of relief as he thought to himself. "That was too close. Almost blabbed how I really feel about Yona. I'm still trying to work it out, it's my first crush after all."





The students went back to cleaning after that and didn't bother to say much else. Sandbar, Gallus, and Smolder had all already shared their stories of Hearth's Warming and the holidays as they experienced them (what parts they were willing to share anyway).

It wasn't until Silverstream came back that there was any sort of development. "Yona, you're to report to Shining Armor and Twilight. And Smolder, you can have a separate talk with Spike, dragon to dragon."

The two obeyed without hesitation, but as they left there was a growing feeling of concern that started to linger in the rest of the students' minds. "If neither of them confesses..." Ocellus began but trailed off, unable to bring herself to say it.

Fortunately, Silverstream finished it for the changeling. "We're never going home!" Her lips started to quiver. "It's not fair! This can't happen to me! I can't miss the Three Days of Freedom Celebration, it's the only time of the year my whole family gets to be together. Terramar's already probably worrying himself sick at the train station about where I am."

"What's all this about 'Three Days of Freedom'?" Gallus questioned Silverstream. "You haven't mentioned anything like that before. Is this another one of your ceremonies your species is so fond of holding?"

The young hippogriff nodded. "It used to be only one day back when we had to live underwater all the time, but now to commemorate our escape from the Storm King, we're adding two more days of awesome! See?" She pulled out a brightly colored book.

"There's a book on all that stuff?" The griffon questioned.

Silverstream happily nodded, showing off the pictures inside. "Aunt Novo made them for the Mount Aris Board of Tourism, to explain it all to guests. I got one of the first copies on my way to Ponyville with Terramar," She flipped through the pages and explained. "For the first night we'll be down in Seaquestria as seaponies, thanking the ocean for protecting us from the wrath of the Storm King. All sorts of great underwater activities, whale singing, shell stringing, you name it. Day two has everyone go up to Mount Aris to celebrate our triumphant return to our homeland after the Storm King's defeat. There'll be sky dancing and a wind song. But the third day is the best day of all!"

"Why?" Gallus wondered.

Silverstream grinned. "Because on that day, land and sea alike celebrate together. It doesn't matter where you go or what you wanna be. Everyone can join in as whoever or whatever they want to be! Grandparents and parents and sisters, uncles, brothers, acquaintances, neighbors, and cousins. And then at the end of the night, Queen Novo is gonna give out presents to all the hippogriffs and seaponies! She's gonna be a 'Santa Hoof' or 'Santa Claws' as the case may be, whatever that is."

Gallus shot a puzzled look at Silverstream as the young hippogriff closed the book. "H-hold on a second. 'Cousins'? Just what are those things?"

"Your aunts and uncles' children. You know, part of your family." Ocellus explained.

"Oh!" Gallus realized, and then sighed. "Well, that's all fine and dandy for the rest of you. But I don't have a family."

"Not even Grandpa Gruff?" Sandbar questioned.

Gallus shook his head. "Especially not him. Grandpa's just a name everygriff gives him, he's not actually related to anyone as far as I know. And he barely tells me anything about my parents. Just says they dumped me on him as an egg and took off. No note, no goodbyes, nothing."

"Oh you poor thing! No one should be sad and alone on the holidays!" Silverstream comforted the griffon. "You could totally come with me to Mount Aris! You could be part of my family, I think Terramar would love to have a little brother."

But before Gallus could reply to the offer, the door suddenly swung open and in trotted a very unhappy looking Yona and Smolder.

"Let me guess, you two didn't confess?" Sandbar questioned, and got a reply in two head shakes.

"Headmare Twilight said wait here, then shoo yak away," Yona grumbled. "Say they need to discuss something."

"Probably trying to think of how they'll punish us," Smolder added. "Looks like we're all stuck here for the holidays. So whoever really did this, congratulations! I hope you're proud of yourself!"





But then suddenly, the door swung open again as Shining Armor, Spike, and Twilight entered the room! Shining appeared to have a smile upon his face. "I know who the culprit is!" He declared. "They're in this very room as we speak, and it most definitely was just one of you."

"Who is it?!" The students all asked, except for Gallus who remained suspiciously silent.

The prince trotted toward the students, sizing them up not unlike he would do for recruits into the royal guard. "Well, I'm about to tell you. But I wanna give the guilty party one last chance to confess. It's not too late to save yourself, but if you remain silent there's nothing I can do to help you. We're even talking about a possible detention after school resumes," No one spoke a word. "Very well then, that's your choice," And he turned to Ocellus. "Ocellus... I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you'll have to come with me. You'll be staying over the break, and the rest of your friends are free to go."

Ocellus gasped! "What?! But I didn't do it! I'm serious! You've got the wrong creature!"

"Yeah!" Gallus suddenly spoke. "Ocellus couldn't have done it!"

"Why is that, Gallus?" Twilight appeared to innocently inquire. "Is there something you'd like to say?"

The griffon swallowed a lump in his throat. "Y...yes. I did it! I'm the sabotager!" He confessed. "It was me, and only me!"

All the other students let out a gasp! "No way, dude!" Sandbar exclaimed with shock. "What in the name of Celestia were you thinking?"

"Well I was thinking: Since I don't have any sort of holidays back home to look forward to, it'd be nice to spend some time with all of you before we went back to our homes," Gallus reluctantly explained. "I didn't mean to cause so much of a mess. I just figured if I dumped some goo powder on the flaming heart, we'd have to stay to clean it up."

"Then why didn't you confess earlier?" Smolder questioned. "You almost got us all stuck here!"

"Actually, that was a bluff on my part," Shining explained to the students. "If none of you had confessed, without solid evidence it would've been impossible to prove that any of you did it. And it wouldn't have justified holding you here against your will. However, had I told you that, none of you would've felt compelled to confess. It was necessary to keep such a thing secret to ensure the culprit couldn't get away."

Spike added. "Truth be told, Gallus, we already suspected it was you anyway. And when you were the only one who mentioned goo powder, even though we never said that's what it was, we had a good feeling you were behind it."

Twilight finished. "But we wanted to see if you would make your friends take the fall for something you did. I'm proud to see that you've been paying attention in Applejack's honesty classes. And I think it's safe to say that you don't need extra friendship lessons."

"However," Shining cautioned. "You're still going to have to clean up the mess, Gallus. Your friends are welcome to help you if they want to. And you're welcome to spend the holidays with whoever you want."

Gallus smiled. "Fine by me," Then he apologized. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused. I didn't mean for things to get so out of control."

"Well next time, don't be afraid to just ask straight up. I would've said yes," Twilight explained. "Don't forget that Gilda's the one you need to convince now, not Grandpa Gruff. And Rainbow Dash is on very good terms with Gilda now, not to mention the fact that Gabby befriended two of Shining Armor's friends and still works as the mail carrier for Griffonstone. I'm sure both of them won't be bothered if you don't come home to Griffonstone since you instead wanna spend the holidays with a friend."

The young griffon felt his heart flutter ever so slightly. "Thank you, Headmare Twilight," Then he turned to his friends. "Well, you heard her, we've still got a mess to clean up! Last one to finish is a rotten egg!"





Shining watched the students as they went back to work on cleaning up the mess, then he turned to his sister. "You haven't even started putting up decorations yet, have you?" He teased.

Twilight tensed up ever so slightly, as if she'd been pinched unexpectedly. "N-no!! W-why would you think that?!"

Shining just laughed, ribbing his sister a little. "Come on, sis, there's no need to lie. I know you too well. It's okay. I'll help you put up the decorations, it's probably easier with two sets of hooves. And you probably haven't gotten a gift yet."

"I've been busy!" Twilight protested. "And you're one to talk! Cadence has been sending me letters telling me how crazy you've been driving yourself to find the perfect present for Flurry Heart!"

Spike only shook his head and sighed. "It's amazing I ever had time to be a part of your family when you two were always fighting like this. No wonder your parents set up the whole 'Sibling Supreme' thing."

"When you have a family of your own, Spike, you'll understand." Shining replied.