With a sigh, Starlight began to trudge back down the hallway. Every couple of doors, she stopped and looked at the name that was plastered on it. Softly, she smirked and gave a final nod toward Smolder and her friends’ doors. A small swell in her chest made her sigh. “Soon my best students will be gone,” she muttered internally. A tiny frown formed on her muzzle.
Before she went down the stairs, she turned around and looked back at the hallway, observing the different decorations strung about. A few doors had wreaths or fake reindeer antlers—where ponies got that tradition, she couldn't say. One even had lights strung up and blinking in a gaudy pattern. And finally, as sunlight began to pour through the window behind her, a small wreath over the staircase glittered and sparkled. Light bounced from it in all directions.
Halting in her descent, she looked at a picture or two that were hanging on the walls. During the school year, the students had set up special events for themselves and the faculty. She sighed, her mind flashing back to the first image.
The students had held a carriage washing fundraiser. Silverstream proposed it, as she wanted to support the “Adorable Kittens and Fork Repair” charity.
In the picture, Gallus was mid-air, tumbling head over heels since he had tripped on a bucket. The owner of the carriage held her hooves up to save herself from getting soaked with sudsy water. Smolder was just pointing and laughing, and, barely visible in the background, Starlight facehoofed.
Another picture was of the latest Nightmare Night party, which Trixie had put on as another return to magic performances. Celestia and Luna were posing in front of the stage, both disguised as their corrupted counterparts. Both were unaware of a growing fire near Celestia’s mane.
She chuckled to herself. In the back of her mind, she determined that events like these would need to become school tradition. They were the ideal friendship-building opportunities.
She trotted down the main hall of the dorm and walked out into the courtyard, which was now sparkling in the late afternoon sun. Unfortunately, the wind had not died down yet, and blew into Starlight's face as she entered the yard, knocking her mane around and ripping through her jacket and skirt.
Hoovefsteps crunching in the fresh show, she cantered to the hallway entrance and opened the doors. Soft waves of heat hit her face as she did so. She lightly tapped her hooves to knock the snow off and used her magic to readjust her mane.
She sniffed a few times and started up her trot again. The hallway was mostly empty now, save for a few students still lingering around lockers or hanging final decorations for Hearth's Warming. As she passed some of the classrooms, she saw a few of her faculty cleaning their desks and wiping down chalkboards before they left for the holiday, too.
Waving to them as she trotted by, she thanked her luck that she was able to find so many willing teachers before the school year. A certain princess failed to mention exactly all the responsibilities of the office of headmare. "Twilight still hasn't replied to my letter about that," Starlight grumped to herself as she walked the halls.
Soon, she approached her office. The door was decorated with a few small Hearth's Warming items: an ornament or two and a hoofful of snowflakes. Nothing special. She sighed, turned around, and looked up and down the now empty halls. This was it. This was the first time the School of Friendship was empty when it was completely under her watch.
She felt her stomach gurgle and grow heavy. It was like a whirlpool had formed inside, and was chaotically bashing the rest of her organs. To call it butterflies would have been an understatement. A couple of tears welled in her eyes, but she wiped them away and turned to the door.
Headmare Starlight Glimmer, read the small plaque displayed for all to see. With a sad smirk, she opened the door and walked into her office. The sight of her room helped to shoo away some of the flightiness in her gut. However, her mind was still racing at the thought of an empty school. She frowned.
The room was fairly sparse. Aside from her desk, which had a few books, a calendar, and of course Phyllis II, there were a couple of plush sofas set up in front of the entrance, about halfway into the room. A small crystal coffee table sat between them, and a tiny fake Hearth's Warming tree rested on it. It was a hot pink, and its lights were different shades of neon yellow, green, and blue. Shaking her head, she lit her horn and gave the tree a bit of magical juice, which kicked the lights on.
That tree was Trixie's idea, of course. Only she'd have the taste for it, but admittedly, it was beginning to grow on Starlight a bit.
She trotted to the far-right side of the room and took off her purple jacket, which was still soaked, and set it on a small coat rack that was hanging off the wall. After she checked her blouse to make sure it wasn't wet, she took a glance out the window and saw more weather ponies flying about. One zoomed by, carrying one of the clouds that had been set up earlier. It was far lighter now, its load of snow emptied.
From there, she walked behind her desk and sat down, groaning a bit as the plush leather conformed around her, and she sunk into it. She sat there for a bit before she grunted as she felt a dampness begin to make its way up her tail. She got up and looked back to see that her skirt still had a large dark splotch where snow had accumulated and then melted.
Muttering to herself, she used her magic to quickly take it off before it made her tail or fur any wetter. After hanging it next to her jacket, she sat down again and observed the room. The clock above the door struck five in the afternoon, and she groaned when she realized that she still had at least an hour and a half of paperwork to do before the school closed for the holidays.
On her desk, next to Phyllis, were a couple of picture frames. Grabbing one in her magic, she levitated it up and sighed, placing her chin on a fetlock. It was a series of pictures that were taken in the summer. She chuckled, pressing a hoof to her muzzle. “Good thing Trixie and Sunburst were able to talk me out of burning these.”
The last in the series was of her and Sunburst in a photo booth. Starlight was gazing at him lustfully, a slight blush on her face. Biting her lip, she was barely containing her urge to tackle him to the ground then and there. Sunburst, on the other hoof, was blissfully unaware, a toothy grin on his undeniably adorable mug.
Putting the picture back, she grabbed a small watering can from underneath her desk and cantered to the far right side of the room. As she hummed to herself, she filled the can from the cooler. She tapped a hoof impatiently as the water slowly trickled out. Looking up at the wall, she briefly cast her gaze at the pictures that were scattered along it, eventually settling on a picture taken at the start of the school year with her, Sunburst, Trixie, and Twilight after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Beside it, there was another picture of the ensuing celebration at Donut Joe’s latest Ponyville subsidiary. Crowds of students were crammed into booths, although she and her friends were given space. Smolder and her friends were chatting away around a table, Gallus in the midst of devouring a stack of donuts and turnovers.
In another booth, Starlight was snuggled into Sunburst, who in turn was gently resting a hoof on her mane. Trixie had her forearms crossed eyed them with what looked to be a hint of jealousy. Twilight, oblivious as ever, was in the middle of some statement about something, and her face was scrunched as she talked.
Squeaking in surprise, she pulled her front hooves back and turned off the flow of water from the cooler. Water was flowing over the sides of the can and onto the crystal floor. Nickering to herself, she gently levitated the watering can to her desk and then used a teleportation spell to grab a towel from her bathroom back in Twilight's old castle.
With a grunt, she bent down and began wiping up the water. After a minute or two, she managed to soak all of it up with the towel, opened the top of the cooler, and wrung as much of it as she could back into the container. Phyllis didn't mind recycled water.
After slinging the towel over the last hook on the coat rack, she trotted back to her desk and grabbed the watering can. She tipped it slightly and water began to flow through its spout and onto the overly leafy plant.
Clicking her tongue, Starlight watched as the water knocked the withering tendril-like leaves of the plant around. "Looks like Phyllis III will be replacing you," she mused as the water continued to pour into the pot.
When she felt enough time had passed, she stopped her pouring and looked at how much water was left in the can. With a shrug, she poured the rest back into the water cooler and set the can underneath her desk again. Sighing, she sat down in her chair and folded her arms before grabbing a quill and dipping it in ink. She quickly moved over a pile of papers, namely progress reports, and began to sign them.
For a few minutes, she buried herself in her work, but eventually her mind began to wander again, and she looked up at the wall above the water cooler. Groaning despondently, she left her gaze on an old, slightly faded picture of her and her parents, years before she ever decided to run away to plot her revenge on friendship.
Wordlessly, she mouthed, "I miss you, Mom," when she looked at the bright pink mare in the photo. She and Starlight shared the same eye color, along with similar streaking in their manes. All three ponies were beaming for the camerapony. Briefly her mind flashed back to that day, and she remembered her mother ruffling her pigtails after they finally had a successful photo. How many years ago had that been? Twenty at least. She had to have been no more than four in that picture.
Sadly smirking, she looked at her younger self's goofy smile. Multiple gaps were in her teeth, as they were still growing in, and her eyes were closed in contentment. If only she could have been able to tell the future or figure out time travel then.
She looked back to her desk and gently took a picture that was lying on the corner. It was faded further than her family picture and was of her father and mother on their wedding night. Softly whimpering with a few tears falling from her face, she touched her hoof to the picture and then put it down, taking another look at the letter she received from her father, Firelight.
To my dear Starlight,
I hope you have a Happy Hearth's Warming in Ponyville! Sire's Hollow just doesn't feel the same without you, but, oh, I'm rambling a bit already, aren't I? Sorry, Pumpkin, it's still a hard habit to break.
Did you know that this year would be the 500th anniversary of Sire's Hollow's founding? We were planning to hold a play portraying the first Hearth's Warming held here! Oh, Stellar Flare and I are just having a blast planning everything together. It will hopefully bring in business for everypony when tourists come to see the history here!
And, well, speaking of history, I finally managed to clean your room. It was very messy, Pumpkin-Cheeks! I can't believe how bad you let it get before you left. Do you know how many kites with skulls I had to sort through? I don't think it was "just a phase" like you kept telling me.
It's so much cleaner in there now, honey. Will you be able to visit soon? I know that you're busy with being the big headmare at Princess Twilight's school, but don't forget about dear ol' Dad and Stellar Flare!
When I was going through your drawers, I found this picture. I couldn't believe that I lost the picture of Shimmer Shine's and my wedding! How did you end up with it? Well, I guess since it was in your room, you'd like to keep it, so I thought I'd include it in my letter. I know that it was so difficult for you, and I wish I was there for you more back then. But I'm here now, my little Starshine! If you ever need help, just let Daddy know!
Stellar and I are so proud of you and Sunburst for the ponies you've become. Heads of Princess Twilight's School of Friendship? Oh! It's so exciting for both of us! We know you'll do a great job.
Have a Happy Hearth's Warming, Pumpkin! Daddy loves you!
P.S. Maybe come to see Sire's Hollow's 501st anniversary next year, okay? Daddy misses seeing his big, grown-up daughter.
P.P.S. Tell Sunburst that if he ever does anything to hurt my little Chipmunk that he'll have hell to pay. Stellar says that she'll make him wish he'd never been born.
Starlight sniffed and put the letter back down. A tightness in her throat made it difficult to swallow. A couple of tears rolled down her cheeks and scattered a bit more mascara around. After taking another look at her parents' wedding photo, she composed herself, wiping her face and streaking the makeup across her hoof.
It seemed like her dad was getting along fine, especially with the way he wrote about Sunburst's mom. Pondering for a minute, Starlight wondered if she'd be heading to a new wedding within the next year. From rivals to lovers. She shook her head. That only happened in the books she occasionally read, right?
She heard hoofsteps approach her door, and it opened to reveal a somewhat disheveled Trixie. Her mane was frizzy, and there were a few scuffs on her face. Heaving a few deep breaths, Trixie walked into the office, glaring at Starlight. "Well, it's about time Trixie found you," she said, her voice icy cold.
"What's wrong, Trixie?" Starlight asked, sliding open a drawer in her desk and putting the picture and letter inside.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?!" Trixie cried, her eyes shrinking to the size of pinpricks. She huffed and stomped up to the desk. "Do you know how long Trixie was trying to reach you?! She had an emergency with fighting students that required assistance!"
Shifting her gaze around the room, Starlight stuttered, "Well, I, uh, was, well, um, busy! You know, headmare stuff!" Some sweat began to trickle down the back of her neck as Trixie snarled gutturally. "Yep, definitely headmare stuff. Really boring, but super important! I, uh, hope that you were able to handle things."
Trixie blew a bit of her mane out of her face. "You could say that. Trixie says that she barely got out with her life after a stupid yak and dragon got into another spat after she sent them away." She slammed a hoof on the desk. "Five minutes, Starlight! It took five minutes for Trixie to get them off each other. And now look! Her beautiful features are going to be marred for days because of this!"
"S-sorry, Trixie. I-I really was, well, busy." Starlight sunk into her seat a bit as her friend continued to glower at her.
Raising an eyebrow, Trixie demanded, "Busy with what?!"
"I already told you! Headmare stuff!" Starlight grunted and got up from her chair to try and make Trixie back off a bit.
"Please, Starlight. Trixie knows that you're lying. You have an obvious tell," the blue unicorn stated, her face softening a bit, but still shooting daggers at Starlight.
"I-I do not!" Starlight gasped, a faint blush forming on her cheeks. Nervously laughing, she said, "W-what, I, I'd never lie about things like that!"
"You did it just there," Trixie deadpanned.
Groaning and beginning to pace around the room, Trixie groused, "Honestly, Starlight, you've been acting strange all week! What is wrong with you? Do you need to spend some time with Sunburst or something?" At the last statement, Trixie raised her eyebrows knowingly.
"Trixie!" Starlight exclaimed, her face growing a brighter shade of red.
"Ha! Trixie knew it. You, Starlight Glimmer, need some coltfriend time." Trixie trotted up and jabbed Starlight in the ribs with an elbow. "Trixie will keep your secret. Wink." She winked.
"Trixie," Starlight muttered, smacking a hoof to her face. "No. It's not that."
"Fine. Be a prude, Trixie doesn't care." Trixie shrugged and stepped back from Starlight.
"O-okay, I know that I wasn't around as much as I said I would be, Trixie." Starlight sighed and looked to the ground. "Just, stuff has been going on this week, and it's been eating up my time. I promise I'll be better with helping you out when you need it in the new year. Will you forgive me?"
At her friend's sad look, Trixie nodded. However, she sensed that something was still bothering Starlight. Smiling, she wrapped a forearm around her and pulled her in for a hug. "It's okay, Starlight," she said as she held her. "Trixie forgives you."
Releasing Starlight, she took a step back and held her smile. "But Trixie recommends, in her humble opinion, to spend some time away from here. Maybe a nice romantic weekend in the Crystal Empire?" She smirked.
Starlight chuckled a bit and rolled her eyes. Slowly, she sat down on one of the couches and teleported in two mugs and a steaming kettle. Two packages of cocoa appeared, and she ripped them open before pouring in the boiling water. She offered a mug to Trixie, who took it in her magic and sat down on the other couch.
Taking a sip and sighing as the hot chocolate warmed her, Starlight began to relax a little. She asked, "So, what are you planning for Hearth's Warming?"
"Oh, right!" Trixie exclaimed, taking a sip of her own hot chocolate. "Trixie wanted to tell you that she'll be on vacation in Las Pegasus!" She squealed a bit. "Trixie hasn't been there since she was a filly! It'll be great seeing Da–Uh, Jackpot's show!" She chuckled and took a sip of her hot chocolate to hide a growing blush on her face.
Sadly smiling, Starlight replied, "That's... great, Trixie. Hope you have a fun time." She slurped at her drink and grimaced.
The pair sat in silence for a few minutes. The only break was the sound of the clock ticking and the faint gusts of wind blowing through the barren trees outside.
Finally, Trixie finished her mug and looked at Starlight. A small frown grew on her face as she observed her friend's limp posture. Starlight was stirring the last bits of her hot chocolate with a spoon and aimlessly clinking it against the porcelain. Her face was pulled into a tight expression, and her eyes glimmered slightly with tears.
"Starlight," Trixie said, getting up from her couch and sitting down next to her friend, who scooched closer to the end of her seat. "Tri– I may not be the most observant some days, but something isn't right."
With a quivering breath, Starlight answered, "N-no, things are fine, Trixie. I just have a lot on my mind, with, you know, all the students being gone, faculty taking a vacation, plans for the new year for the school, all kinds of stuff." She took the last sip of her mug and said, "Though thanks for your concern."
"Well," Trixie began, nudging Starlight a bit and grinning warmly, "you know where to find me. What would you do without Trixie, right?" Her eyes sparkled as she waited for Starlight's response.
Humming to herself, Starlight replied, "Yep. The two of us. Inseparable." Before Trixie could react, Starlight pulled her in for a hug and said, "Thanks, Trixie. You're a good friend. Have a Happy Hearth's Warming in Las Pegasus."
"Well, Trixie isn't leaving yet." Trixie got up from the couch and trotted toward the door and opened it. As she stood in the doorway, she continued, "It's a bit of a trip, so she'll be leaving tomorrow. See you later tonight, Starlight." With that, she gave a quick wave and closed the door behind her.
Once again, Starlight was alone. For a few more minutes, she lay on her couch and just stared at the crystal ceiling of her office. The late afternoon rays of the sun highlighted some of the pictures on the opposite wall, painting them in an orange glow.
Outside, a few stray flakes were beginning to fall from the sky again, and the sun was slowly obscured by fresh clouds from one of the nearby weather factories. A gust of wind rattled the window, and Starlight got up from the couch to return to her paperwork.
"Where's Sunburst when you need him?" she grumbled to herself as she began signing more progress reports. She looked at the pictures from their first date again and sighed. "Hopefully he's having fun in the Crystal Empire. Flurry was being a royal pain, last I knew."
Slowly, the pile of paperwork began to shrink, and Starlight got lost in the rhythm of taking a paper, signing her name, and stacking it in another pile. Occasionally, she might have had the exciting activity of dipping her quill in the inkwell for more ink. Eventually, she finished the stack and set her quill down.
Four hundred students. Four hundred progress reports. Finally completed and ready to send out with everycreature before they left for Hearth's Warming. But that could be left for one of the secretarial staff. It wasn’t like they had that much on their plate, anyway. If any parents complained about their precious child’s report, they could be directed to her. Sometimes it was a tad satisfying to tell the gripers that their little filly was not actually a savant, and was just allowed to coast through before they reached her school. The reactions were priceless.
There were a few more pieces of paper that she would have to fill out, mainly for administrative work, but she decided against it for the time being. The EEA could wait, as it wasn't like they'd reply to her before the new year anyway. Additionally, according to the clock, it was almost six thirty, and she needed to get some final shopping in before things closed for the holidays.
Grabbing her skirt and jacket, she quickly dressed herself for outside and then left her office, switching off the magical lamps. Before she closed the door, she briefly thought about a spell to keep Phyllis II hydrated while she was gone, but decided against it. The philodendron was on its last legs, so it'd be better to let it pass quietly than extend its suffering. Phyllis III would be a suitable replacement in the new year.
Locking her office door, she trotted down the halls, which were now devoid of all activity, save for a couple of janitorial staff, whom she greeted and wished a happy Hearth's Warming. She passed a couple of pegasi who were beginning to take down the decorations. Since nocreature would be back before the first week of the new year, there was no point in keeping the decorations up.
As she reached the expansive entrance to the school, she lit her horn and pushed open the two doors, which sent a rush of cold air into her face and whipped her mane around. Shivering a bit, she stepped out onto the freshly cleared pathway and began making her way toward Twilight's old castle.
The two pools on either side of the path were completely frozen, and a few students were enjoying themselves, skating on the ice and twirling around the fountains. When they saw their headmare pass by, they waved and wished her a happy Hearth's Warming.
Returning the greeting, Starlight smiled and watched them for a minute before continuing her trek. After reaching the end of the pathway, she winced as her hooves touched the fresh snow which sent shooting tendrils of cold up her legs.
Gingerly, she began trudging through the snow, which crunched underneath her tread. A few students were building some snow figures, and a couple others were flopped on their backs, making their best snow angels. Unsurprisingly, the pegasus of the group won, since she had wings.
"Look out!" Starlight heard a voice cry. She barely had enough time to duck as a snowball whizzed right where her head was seconds before. The snowball clipped the tip of her horn and caused a fresh set of shivers. Glancing over to where the snowball came from, she glared at the three fillies who were before her. The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Their cloaks were covered in snow, and they wore sheepish grins.
"Sorry, Miss Stahlight," Apple Bloom mumbled, scuffing a hoof in the snow.
Sighing, Starlight replied, "It's okay, just be more careful next time."
As Starlight left the trio, Scootaloo piped up, "Oh, Happy Hearth's Warming! Hopefully Sunburst gets you a nice gift!"
"Uh-huh, Happy Hearth's Warming." Starlight nodded, flicking her tail and sending a bit of snow flying in both directions.
Soon, she reached the entrance to Twilight's castle and looked at the barren front. "Yeah, this could use a bit of decorating," she mused as she began visualizing different possibilities for the doorway.
Opening the doors, she sighed as she walked in, and the heat penetrated her fur. She shivered a couple of times and sent clumps of snow to the floor. Tiny pinpricks poked at her ears as blood slowly began to flow through them again.
To the side of the entrance was a small closet with a full-length mirror. Pulling the closet door open, she took off her still slightly wet jacket and hung it on a coat hanger. She pushed aside the rest of the winter clothing and observed her headmare outfit.
"I don't know," she thought to herself as she straightened the shirt underneath her blouse. "Is this too much? Sure, Trixie needed something that was more professional than her magician's hat and cape, but maybe I went overboard?"
She turned around and looked at the dark purple skirt that she wore. In her opinion, she felt that she carried more authority if she were dressed in a uniform of some kind, but she couldn't shake the feeling it just made her look old. There was still a light outline where the snow had melted and soaked the skirt. Starlight huffed. "This will need a good while to dry."
She closed the door, wiped her hooves on the entrance mat, and started walking down the halls. The clopping of her hooves on the crystal floor echoed through the castle. On the walls between the doors, wreaths occasionally broke the pattern of monotony. Every so often, a small tree or fake gift was arranged on the floor.
Shaking her head, Starlight smiled at the amount of decoration that Trixie had already done. She swore that her friend was like a foal when it came to the holiday.
Some days, Starlight wondered why Twilight left her to live in the castle. With just she and Trixie, and Sunburst when he was actually in Ponyville, it was eerily empty. Then again, it was eerily empty when Twilight and Spike lived there, too, so it was probably just her nerves acting up that made her question things.
Eventually, she reached her room. A sign hung on the door that read, Trixie, stay out! Yes, even if there is a teacup emergency. I will handle it when I'm actually awake. She grabbed the handle in her magic and opened the door.
Her room was just slightly disorganized. Clutters of paper were on her desk, and a couple of pictures poked out between the piles. Another pair of images of her with Sunburst rested on her nightstand. In the far-left corner, boxes of textbooks that she was researching for the next school year were stacked in boxes. There was only a single holiday decoration in her room: a lone tree. The few ornaments that adorned it glittered softly. It was devoid of any presents.
About the one thing that wasn't disorganized was her bed, which was neatly made and deftly decorated with a few throw pillows. She could make out a few faint crinkles to the sheets, and she furrowed her brow. “Trixie,” she grumbled.
She kicked the doorframe and a few magical lights sputtered to life. The castle was one of the first to be hooked up to the new magical grid, which provided magical power to her room, however the generators in Ponyville were still a bit spotty.
The lights flickered again, and she kicked the wall harder. Grunting, she closed the door and bent down to the nearby magical outlet. Briefly igniting her horn, she sent a small amount of magic into the outlet, which let out a soft buzz and started smoking. "Crap, overloaded it." Her face drooped as the lights went out permanently.
She created a small matrix around the lights to provide power for the next few hours at least, and looked back down at the outlet, which had stopped smoking, but sported a very visible scorch mark. "Well, that won't be getting fixed until the new year," she thought as she straightened up again.
She opened the blinds on her windows to let in a bit more natural light and observed that the sky was once again covered with clouds, though the snow was kept to a very light flurry. The dull gray of the obscured light mixed with the reds and yellows of Starlight's lights and created a warm tone and made Starlight feel almost normal for once; a feeling she hadn't had in over a week.
Making her way to her bed, she sat down and pulled off her blouse, throwing it into a small clothes hamper by her desk. After unfastening her necklace, she took off her undershirt and left it in the hamper as well. Lastly, she unclipped her skirt and took a look at the water stain that was on it. Looking at it for a few seconds and holding it up to the light coming in from the window, she determined that it was salvageable and put it in with the rest of her clothes.
She sat on her bed for a few more minutes, feeling the plush mattress absorb her weight. She briefly considered lying back on the bed and getting underneath the warm duvet, but ultimately decided that she'd probably be out like a light if she did that.
Getting up, she waded through a few notebooks scattered on the floor to the mirror above her small drawer. She winced as she saw the streaks of mascara and her ragged mane. Why Trixie didn't mention it, she wasn't sure.
After looking at her reflection for another few seconds, Starlight grabbed a washcloth from the dresser and trotted into the attached bathroom. Igniting her horn, she powered the magical light there and began to wet the washcloth.
She let the water from the tap run over it for a bit longer and then wrung it with her magic. The drain gurgled a bit as the excess water flowed down, and she unceremoniously smacked the cloth to her face and began to scrub. Waves of warmth spread through her face as she continued to get at the encrusted makeup and dried tears.
Finally, she stopped scrubbing and pulled the cloth back. It had splotches of black all over, but now her face was much more presentable for going back outside. After washing out the washcloth, she watched the inky black water go down the drain, and then left the cloth on the side of the sink to dry.
Opening the cabinet behind the bathroom mirror, she grabbed a hairbrush and began to go through her mane. Hissing, she pulled a few knotted hairs out and started to give her mane its typical swoop. After another couple of minutes, she was back, at least physically, to normal.
She observed her reflection. Softly, she wished aloud that Sunburst were in Ponyville for Hearth's Warming, but he was too far away in the Crystal Empire. Hopefully Flurry Heart appreciated her Crystaller's assistance. Starlight glowered a bit. Flurry had been soaking up all of Sunburst's time. The menace had gone through another “magic growth spurt” as it were. Outbursts of an order of magnitude more powerful than her first Crystalling were commonplace. Apparently the other week a massive hole was blown into the side of the Crystal Palace.
She left the bathroom with a sigh and glanced around her bedroom. Somewhere, in the stacks of school-related things, some of her winter gear had been strewn around. After a series of exhausting days, she had dragged herself into bed without even removing them. Lighting her horn, she began to levitate boxes and stacks of papers off the floor and started searching for the wayward attire.
After sweeping the entire floor, she grunted and got on her stomach and checked under her bed. Sure enough, a fuchsia toque and scarf were lying carelessly underneath. They were a gift from Rarity before she finished at the school. Now they were gathering dust and who knows what else.
Horn glowing a bright cyan, she grabbed the toque and scarf and pulled them out. She gave them a quick shake, sending a few dust bunnies to the floor, and then set them on her nightstand, next to a picture of she, Sunburst, and Trixie having a meal at the school.
Clothing acquired, she went to her dresser and started digging through the drawers. After a bit of rummaging, she managed to pull out a small sack of bits. She grabbed her saddlebags that were next to her bed and stuffed the bag of bits into it, the golden coins clinking together as they fit in.
Gently resting the bags on her haunches, she shimmied them a couple of times to get them just right on her back. With her magic, she stuffed the scarf and hat underneath one of the packs as she tightened the straps. A couple of twinges worked across her muzzle as the wool scratched her skin. She groaned and resisted the urge to itch.
She opened her door with a faint creak. As it swung wide, she poked her head out and glanced around. “Looks like Trixie hasn’t left any surprises yet,” she mused to herself. Looking to the left and to the right, she didn’t see hidden snow launchers like last Hearth’s Warming. According to Trixie, those two cannons had been waiting for her all day that year. How the snow stayed frozen was beyond her. Trixie claimed it was a trade secret.
Satisfied, she stepped into the hall and immediately slipped forward onto her face because of a throw rug that had been placed in front of the door. It slowly fell on her nose, and she saw the words Happy Hearth's Warming! written on it. "Ugh, Trixie! How does she always sneak by?" she muttered silently.
Rubbing her muzzle, she got up and started trotting down the decorated hallways. As she walked, she made note of a few blank areas on the walls or floor for decorations she could buy while she was out.
As she got closer to the entrance to the castle, she saw an orange glow come from one of the secondary living rooms. Faintly, she heard the crackling of firewood and some off-key humming of a holiday tune.
Stepping into the entryway to the room, Starlight watched as Trixie continued singing to herself. Beside her, Trixie had a box of ornaments and decorations open. Some of its contents spilled over the floor and couch. At the back of the room, above a fireplace was a small sculpture of a Windigo with six ponies huddled together underneath it.
Trixie had already placed some ribbons on the lamps on either side of the hearth, and a few wrapped gifts were glittering below the holiday tree. Said tree was mostly bare, save for another Windigo topper and a few bits of tinsel strewn about on its branches.
Heat radiated from the room. The small fire in the fireplace crackled and popped, sending a few sparks into the hearth. Some embers crumbled, scattering into ashes under the log. Faint puffs of smoke wafted up the chimney, releasing a soothing, woody smell. Starlight breathed in and continued to watch as her friend tapped her chin and glanced around.
Scrunching her face, Trixie began to dig through the box, eventually burying her head in it and rummaging. After a few seconds and a bang as Trixie hit her head on the edge of the box, she came up with a small crystal ball ornament. As she rubbed her head, she levitated the ball to the tree and fastened it securely.
Starlight softly sighed and took in the scene. One of the windows above the sofas allowed in muted light from the cloudy sky. It mixed with the orange and red glow from the fire, creating shimmering pinpricks which pierced her vision.
Trixie stuck out her tongue and stretched into the box, then pulled out a small container of more tinsel. She sprinkled it on the tree with her magic. The silver tinsel caused the glow from the fireplace to sparkle across the room.
For a few more minutes, Starlight watched her friend decorate the Hearth's Warming tree. Trixie was oblivious to her observer, and busily made way on making the tree less a tree and more a giant pile of ornaments, tinsel, and lights. While she was silent at first, she began humming another song, which caused Starlight to wince, as she somehow managed to hit all the wrong notes.
The tune felt familiar, but Starlight hadn't heard it for at least two... decades. Gasping, her hind legs gave out, and she began to breathe rapidly. The saddlebags on her haunches slid off and caused her bag of bits to spill across the hallway floor.
Trixie paused, and her ear twitched. Tilting her head, she turned around and spotted Starlight. A smirk forming on her muzzle, she declared, “Oh! Starlight. Trixie didn’t hear you come in.” When Starlight remained silent, she continued, “Trixie was just getting to the best part of decorating: the mistletoe!”
She snatched a small branch with spindly green leaves with her magic and jangled it lightly. Giggling, she stated, “She knows that you and Sunburst will have lots of fun with it.” Pressing a hoof to her mouth, she coughed, “And maybe include Trixie.”
Starlight still sat on the floor, slowly heaving. Her eyes were miniscule, and she stared off into space. With a frown, Trixie asked, “Starlight?” She waved a hoof. “Trixie to Starlight!” At her friend’s faroff gaze, she shouted, “Starlight!” A soft whimper escaped her throat.
None of Trixie’s attempts reached Starlight. Only the rush of emotion filled Starlight's head as she placed where she had heard the song before. Her mother used to sing the song to her during the Hearth's Warming season. Worry not, little one, friendship is near. Do not let the frosty Windigos freeze your ears. Hark! Hear them cry as the magic of friendship spreads far and wide.
Barely, she felt a few tears slide down her muzzle as the memories came back to her. A growing pit in her stomach threatened to swallow her whole, and her head began to spin as she heard her rapid breathing echo in her ears. Through blurry vision, she saw a blue blob slide toward her.
Muffled words reached her ears through her breathing, and she saw it move toward her. Her chest felt like it was going to explode from the pressure of her rapidly beating heart. A few more memories flashed before her. She felt her mother's arms wrap around her chest and her soft, caring voice whisper something in her ear.
Fresh tears streamed down her face and dripped off her muzzle and to the floor below. Suddenly, she felt herself being rocked back and forth a bit, and her vision cleared. She saw Trixie, holding her tightly. Her heartbeat slowed and her vision cleared even more.
Finally, she began to make out what Trixie was asking. Her friend had pulled back when she felt Starlight relax and was now nervously eyeing at her.
"Are you all right?" Trixie asked, looking into Starlight's eyes with obvious worry. "Tri–er, I haven't seen you like this in forever!"
Nodding and taking a few deep breaths, Starlight said, "I'm fine, Trixie. Well, I'll be fine." She placed a hoof on Trixie's shoulder and smiled. "Thanks." She tried getting to her hooves, but they felt a bit too wobbly to trust.
Sitting back down with a soft thud, she exhaled loudly. "I, uh, think I'll just sit here for a minute or two more." She grimaced as another image of her mother flashed before her eyes.
Raising an eyebrow, Trixie asked, "Really? Starlight, you've been acting weird all week, as Trixie said, and now you have, well, what looked to be a panic attack." Hugging her friend again, she prodded, "Are you sure you're okay?"
Starlight nodded.
"You know you can trust Trixie." Leaning in, she whispered, "She can keep your darkest secrets, you know." After hanging next to Starlight's ear for a couple more seconds, she pulled back and smiled reassuringly.
Exasperated, Starlight deadpanned, "Trixie, you literally told the entire school that Sunburst and I were dating, when we expressly told you to keep it quiet for the time being."
Chuckling a bit, Trixie glanced away and said, "T-that was just one time! Trixie was just so excited for her friends." Under her breath, she added, "And a bit jealous. She hoped that maybe the embarrassment would break you two up."
"What was that?" Starlight inquired, lighting her horn.
"Nothing! Trixie swears. Please don’t zap Trixie’s beautiful features! She needs them for her trip to Las Pegasus!" Beads of sweat breaking out on her face, Trixie backpedalled a bit from her friend.
"Right." Starlight turned off her horn, and her expression fell a bit.
"Okay, Trixie knows that something isn't right, Starlight. You can't keep bottling this up! Remember what happened last time?" Trixie poked Starlight's chest with a hoof. "So please, let Counsellor Trixie help her best friend."
Sighing, Starlight looked at the hearth, which was still flaming away. Briefly, she glanced at Trixie, who smiled wider, and her eyes grew bigger in anticipation. "Well," she began, her gaze darting around the room. She trusted Trixie, yes, but she didn't feel ready to truly tell her everything.
"Yes?" Trixie drawled, batting her eyes at Starlight.
"Well, uh, this sounds stupid, but, uh..." Starlight trailed off, trying to think a reasonable excuse that would fool Trixie. "Well, I guess, since, you know, Sunburst is in the Crystal Empire, and you're now going to Las Pegasus, and there's not going to be any students at the school, I well, felt kinda lonely. And, well, it kinda just came to me now, and I had no idea what I could do and..."
Sinking to the floor, she sighed. "As I said, it's stupid, right?" She looked up at Trixie, who was staring at her.
Arching a brow, Trixie tilted her head and frowned. Starlight flashed her a weak smile, and she chuckled nervously. “I know I could have handled, well, that, better, but, you know me…” She briefly spun a hoof around her temple. Lips quivering, she shakily groaned and gave Trixie a thin smile. The edges of her muzzle trembled. “Crazy Starlight, freaking out about the dumbest things!” She chortled once, the noise dying in her throat.
Finally, Trixie broke the silence with a laugh. "No! That's not stupid, Starlight!" She gently rubbed a hoof on her friend's back. "Trixie understands that it's hard when somepony is all alone over Hearth's Warming. There were many times when she didn’t have any company for the holiday. Of course, it wasn’t quite like your empty nest." She winked at her friend.
"I-I don't feel like I have an empty nest, Trixie! I'm not even a mother, for Celestia's sake!" Starlight scowled a bit. Somehow, her friend had struck a nerve and called her out on an actual feeling she had. Friendship counsellor indeed.
"Oh, suuuurrreee you aren't. Wink." Trixie snickered as Starlight blushed. "And it's not like you don't want to be one, Starlight. Right now, the students fill that role, but Trixie knows one day you'll have a foal of your own." She got up and helped Starlight to her hooves.
Nuzzling her friend, Trixie continued, "Tell you what. Trixie will make sure to use this new spell you made for us so that we can catch up on Hearth's Warming." She pulled back as another idea struck her. "Also, Trixie thinks a couple of Princess Twilight's friends are here for family this Hearth's Warming, so you could always spend the day with them." She rubbed her chin and added, "If they'll have you."
"Thanks, Trixie, that makes me feel so welcomed," Starlight snarked as she put her saddlebags on her back and fastened them again.
"Starlight, you're their friend too. Trixie's sure that they'll be happy to have you!" Trixie beamed and patted Starlight on the shoulder. "You'll be all right. Trixie's sure of it."
"You don't know the half of it, Trixie," Starlight mused as she gave her a weak grin.
Giving Starlight one last hug, Trixie asked, "Are you sure there's nothing else bothering you? Trixie's rates are too expensive." She laughed a bit, but stopped when she saw Starlight wasn't joining her.
Starlight groaned and said, "No, Trixie. There's nothing else. If there's anything else that isn't headmare-only school stuff, I'll let you know." With that, she pulled out her toque and scarf from her saddlebag and put the former on her head, tightly packing her mane into it as best as she could.
"Oh, that really matches your eyes, Starlight," Trixie declared, a wide grin on her muzzle. Looking back into the living room, she said, "Well, if you're heading out, Trixie will wrap up here. Have to have everything ready for the big day."
"You do that, Trixie." Starlight finished getting her toque to fit and nodded. "I'll see you shortly with the rest of the decorations."
Squealing in delight, Trixie dashed back into the room. Almost instantly, there was a crash and Starlight peeked in to see that Trixie had tripped over the box of ornaments. Luckily none of them had broken, but a few were rolling toward the fire in the fireplace.
With a groan, Trixie woozily called back, "Trixie meant to do that!"
After helping Trixie get all the ornaments back in the box, Starlight cantered toward the main hall of the castle. Through the tall windows on either side of the door, she could see the sun was beginning to set. Clouds blocked parts of it, dimming some of the light.
Loosely wrapping her scarf around her neck, Starlight flung open the closet and snatched her jacket. After a few tugs, she managed to get it to fit snugly on her torso, and she finished tying the knot for the scarf. She briefly appraised herself in the mirror, then steeled for the cold weather.