//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: The Legend Of Nicholas // by DanishDash //------------------------------// The snow fell slowly around Ponyville, it made the town look so beautiful as it was covered by a sparkling white blanket. Twilight was pretty excited, this was her first hearth's warming in Ponyville and with her friends. To be honest, she was a little nervous, but in a good way. Everything around town seemed to spark with joy and excitement. Every pony around her was in a festive mood, everything was just, great. She was about to make her way to Sugarcube Corner, to meet with her friends for a nice cup of hot chocolate and some baked goods, when suddenly three fillies bumped into her. "Eep!" Twilight exclaimed and fell down on her flank. "Oh, sorry Twilight." A filly’s voice said. It was Sweetie Belle, looking rather worried, along with her two friends, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, when three of them were combined, they became the cutie mark crusaders!!   "Are you okay?" Scootaloo added while Apple Bloom helped the confused mare up on all fours once again. Once she was up, Twilight shook her head, then smiled. "I'm fine girls, don't worry, just, next time be more careful okay?" She noticed two envelopes in the snow, looked sealed and ready to be sent. "Oh, you dropped this." She levitated the letters up, and caught a glimpse of the receiver.   The letter looked fine enough, there was the return address of Apple Bloom, Sweet Apple Acres, but then it simply said:  Santa Claus,  Santa's workshop, Everfree Forrest. Twilight couldn't help but wonder who that was for. Then she looked at the three fillies, noticing Sweetie Belle had one too, were they all gonna send letters to this, Santa Claus? "So girls, who are these for?" She asked, feeling her curiosity rising. "They are for Santa!" Scootaloo replied excitedly. "Yeah, we write to him every year." Sweetie Belle chimed in, looking as excited as Scootaloo. Apple Bloom nodded. "We are going to the post office to get them sent now." "Uhm, but girls." Twilight looked over the letters one last time before levitating them back to the two fillies that had dropped their letters. "There's no address on them, and I don't think anypony lives in the Everfree." Well except for Zecora and Fluttershy, but Fluttershy only lived near it, and Zecora only within a safe distance. The three fillies started to giggle. "Well, you're almost right on that one.." Apple Bloom said and giggled. "He's human, and he lives deep within the forest in some hidden valley, there he has a big workshop where he makes toys for all of Ponyville, and some of the other villages around." "Yup!" Scootaloo smirked. "Every Hearth's Warming Eve, he goes out as everypony sleeps and gives toys to the foals that have been good." "He keeps a list of every good and bad foal, so you need to be very good to get a toy, but that's why we are writing to him, to say what we wish for, and how good we've been." Sweetie Belle finished. There was, certainly a lot to unpack there. First of all, a human? If there really was a human in Ponyville, surely princess Celestia would have told her about him. And if this really did happen, why only once a year? Why live in the Everfree? No no, this had to be some sort of local legend parents told their foals. If that was the case, then it was not her place to burst their bubble. So she put on a smile and nodded. "Okay, well, you have fun." Twilight said. "And be more careful running in the snow." "We will!" The three fillies said in unison before running off. ~~N~~ When Twilight had arrived at Sugarcube Corner, and gotten herself seated, she told the girls about the encounter she had with the cutie mark crusaders. She chuckled a bit before sipping a bit on her coco. "It really was an interesting story, I had no idea you had these kinds of local legends in Ponyville, though I shouldn't be surprised." She smiled and looked up at her friends. "So, when did you stop believing in this, 'Santa Claus'?" There was a moment of silence, then all five of her friends burst out laughing, though Fluttershy tried to hide it and be as polite as possible, while Rainbow and Pinkie were probably the loudest of them all. Twilight frowned, then laughed a little bit, thinking they might just find the story funny. Still, something was not right here. "What?" Rainbow wiped a tear away, trying to stop laughing. "Twilight, we still believe in him." "What, but how can y-" Twilight was cut off by Rarity. "Darling, Mr. Claus is not some local fairy tale, he is quite real, and he has lived here for years now." Rarity explained.  Twilight could not believe what she was hearing. "What!?" "It's true Twilight, he lives pretty secluded and does not come to Ponyville that often, that's probably why you haven't seen him around.." Fluttershy explained. "Yeah, he's like Zecora, all mysterious and stuff. And he likes cookies!" Pinkie added. "Wait wait wait, so you all met him??" Twilight asked, and they all nodded. "Yup yup, Applejack here is the one who has known him the longest." Pinkie smiled, and pointed over her orange friend who seemed to try to make herself look as small as possible. As Applejack had expected, Twilight was at her side before she even had a chance to flinch. "Tell me! Is it true!? What is he like, if he is real." Applejack sighed and pushed her off. "Alright alright, Twilight. Nicholas is not one for all that attention, he got plenty of that during his time here. Listen sugarcube, ah guess we can all tell you a little, then if you promise to be calm, I'll take you to him." Now the whole table seemed surprised. Rainbow was the first speak up. "Wait, you know where he lives!?" "Yes, but ah promised him I would not tell any pony. So if ah take you, you guys need to pinkie promise you never, EVER, tell anypony how to get there and where it is, okay?" Applejack said, looking seriously at them all. "It was bad enough when Apple Bloom tried." She mumbled and shuddered a little at the episode. They all nodded and swore the unbreakable vow of the Pinkie promise. Then Applejack took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "Alright, listen up then.. It all started when ah was just a filly, I met Nicholas back when I was starting...." And so, Applejack started to tell how she met Nicholas, but that was just her version, the others also had their own stories to tell.  But Nicholas's role in Equestria is far from over, there is more to tell, more for him to learn and see, but that is for next time. It is time for you foals, to get to sleep, and remember, stay good, and perhaps you too will get a visit from Santa Claus. To Be Continued.