//------------------------------// // Reunion After A Thousand Years // Story: Snowflakes Of Past Friendships // by Lonely Fanboy48 //------------------------------// The sun slowly sets beneath the horizon, with the sky slowly turning darker by the minute. Everypony has gathered around the town square waiting for the Hearth’s Warming ceremony to begin. Twilight and Pinkie are sitting on a bench together, waiting for their friends to arrive. Starlight and the others walk down the street after dealing with Snowdrop with her problem. “Twilight?” Starlight spoke to the ailcorn’s attention. “You feeling down?” “Not completely, but this ceremony isn’t going to make Pinkie Pie better.” Twilight turned to her party pony friend, who was down in the dumps. “Even the buffet wouldn’t make me any happier!” Pinkie replied with tears coming down her face. “Wow, she really wants everypony to be happy at Hearth’s Warming.” Rainbow commented until her friends made a glare at her. “Hey, I don’t spread the cheer like she does!” “You’re not helping Rainbow.” Applejack said curtly, rolling her eyes while turning back to Twilight. “Anyway sugarcube, we heard from a visitor who came here to meet Celestia and Luna right?” “You mean Snowdrop?” Twilight lifted her ears up. “You met her before she left?” “Just an hour ago.” Fluttershy responded. “She told us everything when you invited her to your castle.” “She’s really sensitive from the way she stopped reading your journal.” Rarity added. “She’s not sensitive, did she tell you she’s into friendship?” Twilight asked. “Not really.” Spike answered. “But she did tell us of how long she’s been waiting for her chance to do it.” Twilight and Pinkie had nothing to express from Spike’s statement. With the amount of time they have before the ceremony begins steadily running out, they have little time to show what they have to offer in order to help Snowdrop. “Spike, Girls, I’ve just wanted to make sure this ceremony would turn out well. I didn’t expect a traveler to be sitting by herself on a bench.” Twilight replied. “Like what you and Pinkie are doing right now?” Starlight guessed. “I’m just waiting for the ceremony to start after being exhausted from baking and trying to help Snowdrop and Pinkie is too upset that Snowdrop declined.” As the gang turned their attention to Pinkie Pie, Pinkie took notice while trying to keep her voice. “I know I’ve been doing this year after year, but you all know why! Hearth’s Warming is supposed to make every creature happy if you're kind enough. Snowdrop has always felt like a lonely traveler throughout her journeys.” “Pinkie darling, I doubt she was that lonely.” Rarity said. “Now I haven’t heard everything about her experiences, but if she came here for a reason to meet Celestia and Luna, I don’t think she wants to travel anymore.” “Well it’s too late to say that now, because she’s already left Ponyville!” Starlight friends looked at each other after hearing Pinkie’s complaint. “Actually.” Rainbow spoke in a normal tone. “She decided to stay for the ceremony.” “Wait, what!?” Twilight responded with her eyes suddenly opening. “Where is she?” “Is she...somewhere in Ponyville?” Pinkie added. “Yes but she wants to handle this by herself.” Starlight stated. “You'll find out when the time comes.” Twilight and Pinkie looked at each other in confusion on what Snowdrop’s goal is in all of this. In little to no time, the bell at the town square rang, indicating that the Hearth’s Warming Ceremony had begun. Twilight and her friends head to the back of the crowd, watching the ceremony with still a good view to see the rulers when they arrive. At the other side of town square, Snowdrop is hiding by one of the houses while wearing her hood again. She wanted to make sure no pony is looking at her while keeping her reveal secret until the time comes. Mayor Mare ordered the ponies to stop ringing the bell so she can do her part. With all the citizens from within and out of Ponyville remaining silent once the bell rang, the mayor took a deep breath and spoke through the microphone. “I wanted to thank every pony to be part of the Hearth’s Warming ceremony, here in Ponyville.” She began. “For the past few years, we barely did ceremonies for this holiday, but we still show our support of this wonderful occasion of this time of the year.” The crowd, including Twilight and others stamp their hooves as Mayor Mare continues her speech. “After we sing our traditional song in front of the tree,” She pointed at the dedicated Hearth’s Warming tree. “We’re gonna have a feast inside the town hall. But right now, I’m glad to welcome you, the rulers of Equestria, Princesses Celestia and Luna!” Upon finishing, she moved out of the way while giving the rulers their entrance cue. Snowdrop put her focus on Canterlot in the distance once the mayor finished her speech. In less than three seconds, Celestia and Luna flew over the buildings, catching the attention from the citizens. Snowdrop backed away once she saw them for the first time in a long time. She noticed that Celestia’s mane isn’t just pink anymore but with more colors and Luna’s mane is longer and has a darker blue hue. “I’ve been gone for longer than I thought.” She thought. As Celestia and Luna landed on the platform, the citizens gave them an ovation which they accepted. As the ovation slowly but surely tuned down, it gave the rulers the chance to make their speech with Snowdrop watching from behind. “It’s always nice to celebrate Hearth’s Warming in Ponyville.” Celestia smiled. “Sometimes a small village should get some recognition.” Luna added. The rulers looked at their surroundings with the houses and trees dedicated to the holiday. When Celestia turned around, Snowdrop hid, but for a split second, Celestia spotted her. She was confused if it was just her imagination, but she was sure it wasn’t. “Luna?” She spoke to her sister. “Did you see somepony hiding?” “Why do you say that?” Luna responded. “We never had an intruder ruining a Hearth’s Warming Ceremony before.” Celestia looked back again, however Snowdrop is still hiding, still worried if she got caught. Twilight can see what’s going on with the rulers up at the platform. She knows that Snowdrop wants to handle her opportunity by herself, but the fact that she rejected her help before makes her wonder what she can do to try and find a solution. The rulers turned their attention back to the citizens, continuing their speech. “We’re gonna be joining the feast later but in the meantime, let’s have our chorus sing our Hearth’s Warming song while we look at the Hearth’s Warming tree.” Luna pointed at the tree. “While we remember our important memories of this holiday.” Celestia finished. It was the cue for the chorus ponies to sing their song. Usually for other choruses in Canterlot and The Crystal Empire, they sing three to five songs but in Ponyville, they normally sing three songs but occasionally, they only sing one. And for this year, they all agree to sing one song that fits the holiday. They sing Silent NIght. “Silent night, starry night All is calm, all is bright 'Round the forest, parents and young Gentle creatures everyone Home in burrows deep Home in their burrows deep” The pony continued her solo while the citizens and rulers kept silent, allowing the song to continue. Meanwhile Snowdrop continued to eavesdrop the chorus and the lyrics from the song itself. She did remember the old Hearth’s Warming songs from her childhood at school, but they were nothing like this. Each word she heard from the solo pony can only be described as beautiful. Slow songs is what she admires, not just during the Hearth’s Warming season but in all the different seasons. And the more she listens to it, the more confident she is on her goal. She slowly moved out of her hiding place while the ponies continued their chorus. The weather was also changing with the clouds from the night sky, dropping snowflakes from the years before. “Oh-whoa Sleep in beautiful peace Oh-whoa-oh-oh Sleep in beautiful peace Oh-whoa-oh-oh Sleep in beautiful peace Oh-whoa Sleep in beautiful peace Sleep in beautiful peace Sleep in beautiful peace...” Once the final lyrics came out from the choir of ponies, all the citizens of Ponyville stamped their hooves in delight from hearing Silent Night. Snowdrop decided to take off her hood, no longer hiding herself from anypony out in the open. After Celestia and Luna thanked the choir for doing a splendid job, Celestia looked from her left, seeing Snowdrop for the first time in a long time. Then Luna looked to where her sister was staring at, remembering who that individual pony was, ever since the first day she met her. Twilight and the others noticed who the rulers are looking at. The Princess Of Friendship flew off the ground and realized that Snowdrop is well out of her comfort zone. All she had was a smile on her face. “What’s going on?” Pinkie looking at Twilight from above. “I think you'll find out when it comes Pinkie darling.” Rarity smiled. Soon the citizens stopped their applause when they noticed that the rulers weren't looking at them. The mayor and choir saw who Celestia and Luna were looking at, without interrupting the moment. Snowdrop didn’t move from the spot she stood at, but she blushed when the two rulers' eyes made contact with her. This is nothing like before when she made a stand for herself. In the present, it’s always a new chapter to be revealed. She made her first steps to the stage, not bothering to walk away. Luna began to shed tears when her oldest memories from her prime years are coming back from the depths of her heart. Celestia wanted her memories to be revived in a way she can relive, even if everything never stays the same forever. When Snowdrop walked up the steps of the platform, she looked to Celestia and Luna face to face, with the citizens looking at her in full. “Oh my goodness.” Mayor Mane commented. “Snowdrop…” Luna looked at the traveler in her level. “You’re back?” All that Snowdrop did was nod with a straight smile. “You’ve been gone for so long...I thought you would never come back.” Celestia responded. “I needed to realize how time will tell its story for me.” Snowdrop smiled. “Time took too much for me.” The rulers looked at each other. They know time requires less or more and once they let go of the snowflake Snowdrop had made, they thought it was the last time they would remember Snowdrop due to her constant traveling. But a moment will always come out of the ordinary, even during Hearth’s Warming. “I’m sorry it took me this long to come back. I’m just not the type of pony who’s like everypony else...who spend their lives around others.” The traveler confessed. Celestia and Luna can only admire those choices of words from the ones they’re close with. And Snowdrop is one of them. “We don’t mind how long it takes you to come back to us.” Celestia lidded her eyes. “As long as is needed, until the point when the timing feels right for you.” Luna finished. She and Celestia gave the traveler a hug by wrapping their wings around her. But when they realized that the Hearth’s Warming Ceremony was still going on, they stopped the hug immediately as they turned back to the crowd. “Umm...was this supposed to happen?” Mayor Mare asked. “It’s fine, let us do the talking.” Celestia whispered. “Citizens of Ponyville.” “We would like to introduce you all to Snowdrop.” Luna smiled as she gave the traveler some space. “She’s been traveling for nearly a thousand years outside of Equestria. And now, she has finally returned.” With the audience putting their full attention on Snowdrop, she blushed a little more. There were many more ponies compared to the Spring Sunrise festival during her childhood. She also saw that Twilight and her friends are at the back of the crowd, impressed that she managed to take her chance. She also saw Pinkie crying in happiness that she appeared in the ceremony, which made her even more happy. “I know you all didn’t expect this to happen, but it’s not like anythings ruined.” Snowdrop spoke to the crowd. “I can see that you're not only celebrating the Hearth’s Warming holiday, but also the Winter season since it began.” With more snowflakes falling from the sky, the citizens took notice with the flakes becoming bigger than the last. Snowdrop decides to catch a flake in her hoof as she shows it to the citizens. “Everytime we see a flake that’s bigger than the others, it shows that the seasons are quickly changing, which is something I admire about this season. When Winter comes, it comes to be special and is very special to me. Not because it has a purpose for any land in Equestria, but to make Hearth’s Warming feel way more meaningful.” Celestia and Luna have never forgotten the speech she made a thousand years ago. And the speech she’s giving right now was just as good. “During my travels, I’ve gone to several Hearth’s Warming celebrations where it sometimes snows and sometimes it doesn’t. I always get to feel how much the holiday means for my family and me, which is the only thing I really care about.” This caused the citizens to gasp, learning the fact that she’s very anxious unlike them. It caused one of the fillies to raise their hoof, allowing Snowdrop to take notice. “Yes?” She pointed. “Have you ever been to a celebration with friends instead of your family?” Pipsqueak asked which his question hit Snowdrop. “Actually, I’ve never made friends when I was a filly. I always got bullied for who I was.” “That’s something I didn't see when I was her age.” Twilight commented to herself. “My point is, back then, friendship wasn’t as big a deal, compared to the present. But when I read a journal that involves friendship, it was helpful but...let’s just say reunions is a subject I barely do.” The rulers figure out what journal she’s referring to, not to mention they realized that The Princess Of Friendship and her friends were around, which caught Twilight off guard once she saw Celestia giving her a wink. “But later on, things will never stay the same in society, which is something I’ve learned just when I was about to leave Ponyville. So...since I’m no longer going to travel anymore...I should probably get some support on making friends so I can understand more. That way, I can no longer be in the same position after all these centuries.” Upon finishing her speech, the crowd remained silent. For the times they’ve met newer ponies, they always give them the time they need to fit in. And they will have no issue giving a traveler some advice on friendship. They begin to give Snowdrop an applause which makes her blush return in force. “Don’t feel that way, I’ve remembered my first audition when I almost embarrassed myself.” Celestia said, walking up to Snowdrop. “There’s a school where we learn about friendship, and I bet the principal will be grateful to see you make friends in her school.” “Not to mention, they're other creatures who need friends to keep them occupied.” Luna added. “I’ll think about it.” Snowdrop smiled. “Right now, I’m hungry.” “Then join us, we’re gonna have a feast inside the town hall.” “You’re always welcome after giving us a lesson of this season.” Celestia said, giving the traveler a sweet look of approval. Back from the end of the crowd, Twilight and her friends loved the speech Snowdrop gave. “I got to say, she might be perfect to be a student in the School Of Friendship.” Twilight smiled. “Pinkie, are you feeling alright?” Rainbow looking at Pinkie, who has tears still coming down on her face. “Sorry...I’m just happy that everypony is happy on this holiday as I hoped!” She hugged Fluttershy in pure happiness. “At least we can meet her once we head inside the town hall.” Applejack added. “I think we should give her some space.” Starlight suggested. “She needs to fit in and we shouldn’t pressure her.” “But I will say, she should thank us for helping her.” Fluttershy spoke in her kind tone. “Definitely.” Spike added. “As a friend should do.” Twilight finished.