"Mom!" Starlight bellowed, jumping awake in her bed and springing upright. Heaving deep breaths, she shook herself and noticed that she was lying in a pool of sweat and tears.
Groaning, she leaned forward and rested her face in her hooves. She struggled to remember what her dream was about. A few images flashed before her eyes.
She was a filly, playing with a few blocks when her dad came home. She didn't notice at first, but tears were streaming down his face as he hugged her. When he finally found the words to speak, he explained what had happened. Starlight just stared at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. Soon, she began balling and hugged her father's leg.
Slowly, Starlight sunk further forward as the images of the dream faded away. It wasn't just a dream, it was a memory. Looking over, she saw that the photo album she looked at the night before was sitting on the end of her bed. Lamenting her decision to look at it, she grabbed it with her magic and floated it over to her dresser.
With that, she flopped back onto her pillows and looked at the ceiling. It was still dark outside, she could tell. Maybe about an hour before sunrise, which put things at around seven in the morning. She looked to her left and stared at the pictures on her nightstand for several minutes. "Hearth's Warming Eve. All alone. Go me," she thought.
The one that caught her attention was of she and Trixie teaching the first class of students for the school year. In it, Starlight had messed something up and Trixie was holding back tears of laughter. Starlight's ears were flattened, and a blush was growing on her face.
After pondering why she kept the picture, Starlight kicked her duvet off and rolled off her bed and onto the floor. She winced as her hooves touched the cold crystal and she gently began to make her way through the things on her floor to the bathroom.
Turning on the light, she inspected herself in the mirror. "Definitely could look worse," she thought as she poked at a couple of small wrinkles beneath her eyes. Morning face was always so much fun. After a few more seconds of looking at herself, she grabbed a washcloth and quickly cleaned her face from the sweat and tears of the night.
Already looking more refreshed, she adjusted her mane slightly and then left the bathroom. As she got ready to depart, she kicked the wall by the lights, and they blinked on. Nodding, she opened the door and went into the dark hallway.
From the hallway, she could see that a fresh layer of snow had fallen during the night. The night crew of weather ponies must have been given some new orders from Cloudsdale. The window facing outside showed a world covered in a fine dusting of white snow, which sparkled in the early morning starlight. A few houses already had lights on, which cast some orange spots on the river going through Ponyville.
Taking in the sight, Starlight began to make her way down the hall. After a few minutes, she realized that she forgot to grab Sunburst's gift and hastily trotted back to her room. Snatching it in her magic, she closed the door softly and continued on her way.
Hooves clopping on the crystal, Starlight listened to her steps echoing in the halls. Every now and then, she swore that the castle was bigger on the inside, given how long it sometimes took her to get from her room to the entrance. Other times it matched what she envisioned it would take her based on the exterior dimensions.
Soon, she passed the living room which Trixie had decorated the previous night, and she stopped to look into it. Light from outside reflected off the tree's tinsel, making it appear to be covered with icicles. Using her horn, she turned the tree's lights on and then left for the entrance.
When she reached it, she noticed a note on the floor from Trixie. Picking it up, she read, Starlight. Thank you again for your words to Trixie last night. Hopefully this trip will be the start of something new with Jack Pot Dad. I'll contact you tomorrow. Happy Hearth's Warming! Your friend, Trixie Lulamoon, Friendship Counsellor.
Sighing, Starlight crumpled the paper and threw it to the floor. She missed her chance to see Trixie off. Now she was truly alone for Hearth's Warming. After moping for minute, she brought Sunburst's gift forward and looked at it. Its paper warped her reflection a bit, and made her purple eyes appear pink. The reflection was slightly warped, making her frown appear more like a sneer.
Concentrating, she charged her horn and prepared to teleport his gift to the Crystal Empire. In her mind, she visualized the distance between Ponyville and the Crystal Empire, navigating the streets mentally and seeing the gift planted square in the middle of the throne room.
Abruptly, her concentration was broken by the faint aroma of cooking food. She sniffed. It smelled like someone baking with fruit. Despite her mouth watering, she felt her mind start to race. Wiping a bit of sweat from her brow, she looked back to the kitchen and saw that the light was on. Who could be here? Why were they here this early?
Slowly, she tiphoofed toward the kitchen and peeked around the doorframe. When she took in the room, her heart skipped a couple of beats. Inside, his back facing the entrance, was Sunburst! For a few seconds, she could only stare in surprise as he went about working the stove, something sizzling in the pan he was using.
He was humming something to himself, occasionally flipping whatever was in the pan. Instead of his normal cape, he wore an apron, and a few bits of flour were stuck to his coat, obstructing his cutie mark.
Pulling back from the doorway, Starlight held back a girlish squeal. She looked down at the gift, then up into the sky, or in this case, the bottom of the balcony in the entryway. "Thank you, TwilightCadance. Thank you!" she thought.
She realized that the present wouldn't need to be sent anywhere now. Getting up from the floor, she clopped back toward the stairs to the second floor and climbed them. A few seconds later, she reached the top and then approached the living room with the Hearth's Warming tree. Her eyes closed in delight, she placed the present underneath the tree, bumping against a couple of other small packages that appeared overnight. “Trixie loves leaving the actual presents to the last moment.”
Leaving the living room, she slunk down the staircase and went back toward the kitchen. She eyed her target, who was still blissfully unaware of the danger he was in. Slowly, she crept into the kitchen. When she was a couple of feet from Sunburst, she crouched down and swayed her hips back and forth a bit.
Chuckling to herself, she inched a bit closer and then stood up. From her point behind Sunburst, she could see he was making more of his signature giant pancakes. A few were already stacked on the counter. Against her will, her stomach growled. Sunburst straightened.
"What?" he said, turning around.
Before he could react, Starlight pulled him in for a tight hug and planted a kiss square on his lips. A low growl came from her throat as Sunburst at first struggled, but soon returned the kiss. Finally, she pulled back and said, "Welcome home."
"Uh, uh, yeah, uh, thanks," he stammered, readjusting his spectacles. His face began to turn a bright red. When he was released from Starlight's hug, he slowly wobbled on his hooves and smiled weakly. "G-good to see you too, Starlight."
Laughing, Starlight lightly jabbed him in one of his forearms and said, "You thought you could surprise me, didn't you?"
"Well, you see, I, uh, didn't get here early this morning." To emphasize, he yawned, and she noticed that there were dark circles under his eyes. "I think it might have been... four? Those seats aren't very comfortable for sleeping." He jumped when one of the pancakes began to sizzle loudly on the pan. "D'oh! I need to finish this first!"
Starlight watched as he deftly used a spatula to pry the overcooking pancake off the pan and flip it. After it had begun cooking on the other side, she smiled as Sunburst turned back to face her. "You know," she said to herself, "he really is cute when he bakes." She looked him up and down. "And that apron is so sexy."
Blushing a bit at Starlight's look, Sunburst scratched the back of his neck and stated, "Sorry for, you know, not being around much. I, uh, I wanted to be back sooner, but, well, Flurry Heart..." His eyes took on a thousand-yard stare.
"Say no more," Starlight replied, putting a hoof over his muzzle. Leaning in, she smiled, her eyes half-lidded. "I'm hungry. Cook." After that, she stepped back and chuckled a bit, some air catching in her nose and making her snort.
As Sunburst turned back to watch breakfast, Starlight sat down on a chair and gazed longingly at him. She eyed his flank as he trotted back and forth, pouring a bit more batter onto the pan after he pulled the latest cake off. Wistfully, she sighed and rested her chin on her right fetlock.
Noticing her gaze, Sunburst briefly looked up from his work and grinned. He went over to the fridge and pulled out a half-used container of whipped cream and a few strawberries. Grabbing a knife and spoon from one of the drawers, he sliced up the strawberries and put them on a pancake, acting as the eyes of the food. After that, he put some dabs of whipped cream on the confection in the shape of a pointed hat and beard.
Repeating this for three more pancakes, he took a couple of knives and forks from the drawers and floated a plate over to Starlight. Before she could dig in, he checked the fridge and managed to find a small container of syrup, which he placed down between his spot and hers. Finally, he got two glasses and filled them with Sweet Apple Acres apple juice.
At the meal, Starlight smiled and grabbed the syrup container. After sufficiently covering the pancakes with the viscous liquid, she took a sip of juice and then carved up the first pancake with her cutlery. For once, her thoughts were filled with joy as she bit down on a piece and tasted the sugary batter and syrup. After chewing her bite for a few seconds, she swallowed and asked, "How did you get away from the Crystal Empire? I-I mean, I'm excited you're here, but what about Cadance and Flurry Heart?"
Clearing his throat, Sunburst lightly drank some of his juice and answered, "Well, you see, I explained to Cadance that this would be our first Hearth's Warming as, well, a couple." He pulled slightly at his beard and continued. "You should have seen her face, Starlight! She was grinning from ear to ear for hours! If, well, I didn't know better, I would have thought that, that she would be stuck in that expression."
In her mind, Starlight envisioned Cadance dancing around like a little filly in a candy store. Warmly, she smiled and thanked Cadance for being understanding. Then again, Princess of Love, so it made sense.
For a few minutes, the two ate in silence, just enjoying each other's presence. As time went on, Starlight began to slow down her eating. A nagging feeling at the back of her mind kept coming up. When Sunburst was looking at an article in yesterday's newspaper, she observed him. "Do I really deserve him?" she thought as the feeling came back again.
Finally, Sunburst broke the silence, startling Starlight from her reverie. "So, what's happened since I left last week?" He took another bite of his remaining pancake.
"Oh, nothing much. Just, well, students leaving." Starlight poked at her food. Her fork speared the eye of her last pancake, and she listlessly chewed on the strawberry. "Well, I guess Trixie did her best to try and break up a fight yesterday." She winced. "Emphasis on tried. I, uh, was busy and couldn't help."
Sunburst arched an eyebrow, but said nothing. After taking another bite of food, he muttered, "I see. Anything else?" He sipped on his juice and looked at Starlight expectantly.
"Rarity's back in town," Starlight added, scratching her chin to see if she could think of anything more. "Uh... Trixie left for Las Pegasus. Personal business. She can tell you later if she wants."
"Oh?" Sunburst replied, finishing his juice and then floating the glass over to the sink.
For the next few minutes, they quietly finished their food. Occasionally, Starlight would look at Sunburst while he was reading before looking at her food. The last few bites for her felt extra heavy and filling, yet she barely tasted the sugar. Inwardly, she cursed herself for not sharing what was on her mind, but she had no words to describe it to him.
At last, when both had finished and Sunburst stopped reading the paper, he took his plate and Starlight's and put it in the sink. Briefly, he wiped down the counter and used the washcloth to get most of the flour off his fur. Turning around and taking off his apron, he said, "So, I, uh, didn't really have any plans for today, so, what would you like to do?"
"I don't know." Starlight shrugged, apathy beginning to overwhelm her.
"Uh..." Sunburst stammered, put off by her sudden change in demeanor.
Starlight, for her part, didn't feel much better. The pancakes were beginning to sit like a lump in her stomach, and she felt a few tears pooling in her eyes. She turned away before Sunburst could see her face.
Uncomfortably shifting on his hooves, Sunburst suggested, "Well, we could always play a board game or two. There, uh, there really isn't much else that we could probably do today." His eyes lit up as he continued. "We could play Knowledge Quest! We haven't done that in forever!"
Quizzically, he began to trot toward Starlight. "Would, would you be okay with that?"
As she sensed Sunburst approach, Starlight perked up and said, "Oh, yeah! Sounds great!" Under her breath, she muttered, "Just so much fun."
His fears put at ease, Sunburst clopped his front hooves together and cried, "Oh! Awesome! I've been studying some more on the history of hoofball. This'll be a great chance to see if I remembered everything." Teleporting his cape from somewhere, he attached it around his neck and grinned smugly. "Prepare for another crippling defeat, Starlight Glimmer."
"Heh, yeah. Yay me." Starlight groaned and got up from the table. She followed Sunburst from the kitchen and up the staircase. Soon, the two reached the library, and Sunburst trotted over to a small case holding different card and board games.
After digging around a bit, he pulled out Knowledge Quest and walked over to the small wooden table that Starlight had dragged from a corner of the library. Smiling in delight, he set the box down and opened it, setting up the board and then organizing the different colored wedges to be placed in the player pieces.
As he finished shuffling the cards, Starlight cast her gaze around the library. A few decorations hung here and there, but she and Trixie never had enough time to properly deck it out for Hearth's Warming. A bit of the early morning sun was beginning to come in through the high windows of the room and cast beams of orange light onto the floor.
"You go first," Sunburst said, placing the two dice in front of Starlight.
Rolling her eyes, Starlight grabbed them in her magic and gave them a strong toss. To the surprise of no-one, she rolled a two. Sighing, she moved her piece two squares and landed on the sports section. "Oh, this is just going swimmingly," she grumped, huffing as Sunburst grabbed the first card from the deck.
"Which pony in 974 was awarded the Ridged Horns in recognition for his outstanding performance against the Olenian puckball team?" At Starlight's confused face, Sunburst gave her a hint. "He was the only pony to score five goals against the deer team," he whispered, his spectacles catching the early morning light. "Those deer are nasty players."
With a shrug, Starlight lazily answered, "I don't know. Neighn Fetchsky?" She knew from Sunburst's flat expression that she answered wrong, but what did he expect? Had she taken the time to memorize all the ins and outs of sports? Even after the consistent schooling she got from this game, she still couldn’t tell the difference between a touchdown, a shortstop, and a goal, or whatever they called them.
She snorted softly. That was a bit much.
"No," was the only answer she received.
"Yep. Just going amazingly."
"I-I suppose it's my turn," Sunburst muttered, taking the dice from Starlight and rolling an eight. From his starting position, he already landed on one of the squares for receiving a wedge. Looking up, he raised his eyebrows, sending another smug grin toward Starlight.
"He may be cute, but he feels a bit punchable right now," she groused as she pulled a card from her end of the deck. Sighing, she read through the question once. She smacked a hoof to her forehead. "Seriously? He'll get this one in two seconds."
Listlessly, she read, "Who, in 1002, returned from her banishment on the moo–"
"Princess Luna," Sunburst answered, quickly taking the history wedge and placing it in his player piece.
"Yep," Starlight sighed, placing the card back in the middle of the deck and waiting for Sunburst to roll again.
For the next hour or so, they went through the game. Sunburst quickly got two more wedges, while Starlight remained at zero. Soon after, she finally received her first wedge and thrust a hoof into the air. She whooped excitedly. "I'm catching up!" she cried, but Sunburst just chuckled softly.
As they settled into the game more, Starlight asked, "So, what was happening in the Crystal Empire before you left?" She rolled her dice and cursed that she rolled a three. "Buck me!" she thought.
Adjusting his spectacles, Sunburst replied, "W-well, I was mostly helping with Flurry Heart. She's really improved since I was there last." After reading Starlight her next question, which, unsurprisingly, she got wrong, he continued, "A week may not seem like a big difference, but she now has about, well, three hundred words memorized." Frowning, he added, "Though she has trouble saying words like, well, trouble, or trolley. Anything with ‘r’, really."
Color drained from his face as he thought back to a few days ago. "S-she can get pretty upset when she doesn't get a word right. And to top that off, her magical studies are going well. Too well." He pulled a bit at the collar of his cloak and continued. "She, uh, may have blasted a hole the size of this room out of the palace after she kept saying 'daddy' wrong." He gulped.
"Oh." Starlight merely nodded. In the silence that followed, she read Sunburst's next question and groaned when he answered correctly.
"Though," Sunburst added, moving his piece three more tiles and landing on the square for the chemistry wedge, "she's improving a lot. I only had to replace all the lamps in her room after she discharged a bit of magic during a tantrum." He wiped his brow and sighed. "Let me tell you, it's worth getting your mane singed if it means that she won't blow a hole through the roof."
After Starlight read him the question, she perked up when he answered incorrectly. Hoping to land on another wedge square, she groaned when she did indeed land on one. Except it was the sports wedge. "Well, time to embarrass myself further," she figured, motioning for Sunburst to read her the question.
Sunburst coughed a bit and read, "What sport was invented in 703 as a way for rivaling towns to settle disputes without resorting to all-out warfare?" He put the card down and smiled at her. "I know you have this one, Starlight."
Stammering, Starlight began searching her mind to figure out the answer. After spending a solid minute thinking, she took a wild guess. "Would that be, uh, touchball?" When Sunburst stared at her without answering, she winced and muttered, "That's a no, isn't it?" She prepared to give him back the dice.
He shook his head. "Nope. You're right!" He floated the sports wedge over to Starlight, and she placed it in her piece. "Two teams fighting over a tiny ball and slamming into each other to see who's the best? That sounds like safe warfare to me."
Blinking momentarily, Starlight said, "What? I got a sports question right?!" She jumped on top of her chair and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Yeah! Starlight Glimmer got a sports question right!" When she saw Sunburst staring at her concernedly, she got back down and chuckled. "Sorry."
She rolled her dice and landed again on a sports square. "Buck you, Twilight. Buck you."
Her answer wrong, Sunburst then took the dice from her and rolled. For a few more minutes, the two played quietly aside from asking and answering questions. Finally, Sunburst was able to head back to the center and go for the win.
Before he began his turn, Starlight asked, "So, what's the Crystal Empire like up there during Hearth's Warming?"
"Oh!" Sunburst exclaimed, realizing he failed to talk about it earlier. "Well, uh, it's not much different really. The Crystal Ponies already lived in the cold when the three tribes were fighting against each other, so they didn't really notice when the Windigos were banished."
Humming to himself, he pulled at his beard and said, "Aside from the palace, not too many ponies decorate up there. I mean, there are few stores that have wreaths or trees or the like, but, well, it’s still yet to take off." He smiled and added, "Though the Crystal Heart is going into overdrive this time of year. There's so much extra love and compassion for fellow ponies."
After rolling his dice, he continued, "It actually is able to expand the heat barrier of the city, so that most of the plains around the city are green this time of year." As he moved his piece, he finished, "And, and the Crystal Palace is still decorated for the season. That's, uh, part of the reason why I was so concerned for Flurry, because ponies had to keep repairing the palace and replacing decorations."
Smiling, he waited for Starlight to read him his question. While she pulled out the card from the deck, he remembered one more thing. "Oh, and she loves the Hearth's Warming trees. I think it's mostly because of the presents, heh." He pulled out a picture from his cloak and showed it to Starlight.
Setting the question card face down, she looked at the picture. It was of Sunburst holding a struggling Flurry Heart, who was desperately trying to get at the decorations of a Hearth's Warming tree. She chuckled and gave it back to Sunburst. "She's a cute devil, isn't she?"
With a sigh, Sunburst replied, "Yep."
For a few seconds, the two basked in each other's company, then Starlight read him his question. He got it right, and won the game.
"Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight dammit!" she cursed and huffed, crossing her forearms and pouting. After Sunburst began setting the game up for another round, she said sullenly, "Well, maybe I can go to the Crystal Empire next year?"
"That'd be awesome!" Sunburst replied, finishing the setup process. Spinning the board around with a flick of his hoof, he inquired, "Play again?" He smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.
Sighing, Starlight huffed, "Fine. Just for you." She felt a slowly growing pit in her stomach, and a few beads of sweat broke out on the back of her neck as Sunburst began the next game. Once again, she was allowed to go first, and she landed, again, on a sports square. Without even bothering with the question, she handed the dice to Sunburst and huffed.
He read the question anyway, and she got it wrong.
Taking the dice, he rolled his turn, and the game was underway.
As the game continued, Starlight became more uneasy. The pit in her stomach continued to grow, and she felt like she was going to vomit her breakfast all over the table if the game continued for much longer. Her mind wandered to the photo album that was in her room, and a few images of her parents splashed before her eyes.
Shaking her head, she continued on, nervously laughing when Sunburst raised an eyebrow in concern. Settling down, she tried to bury herself in the game, however, wrong answer after wrong answer began to pile on her and only caused the nausea to increase.
At last, Sunburst won again, and Starlight drew a deep breath. She checked the clock that she and Trixie recently put up on the doorway and saw that it was almost one in the afternoon. Since her stomach was still acting up, she pushed back from the table and said, "I'm going to lie down for a while. I'm not feeling so hot."
Getting up from his chair, Sunburst trotted over and placed a comforting hoof on her back. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern showing in his eyes.
Slowly nodding, Starlight replied, "Yeah, yeah. I, I am just feeling tired. Didn't sleep good last night." She hoped her half-truth would satisfy him.
Pulling her in for a quick hug, which really didn't help with the nausea, Sunburst said, "If you're sure about that. Uh, hey, if you're up to it, how about we order some food for tonight? Save either of us having to cook."
"Yeah, that sounds swell," Starlight answered half-heartedly. She looked down to her hooves and then back into the concerned face of Sunburst. Mentally, she was kicking herself for not saying more.
She opened her mouth and was prepared to spill her story, but instead she heard herself say, "I'll just head to my room. Let me know when dinner is here." With that, she trotted off before Sunburst could reply.
The walk back to her room was fast, and she felt her hooves begin to wobble. More memories flashed before her as she entered her room and flopped onto her bed. A couple of tears trailing down her cheeks, she grabbed the photo album and began flipping through the pages.
Briefly, she looked at some of the photos of her parents. Her mother was beautiful. The page she was currently looking at was from a holiday that her parents took before they were married, if the scribbles underneath the photos were anything to go by. One picture she took from the page and looked at more closely.
In it, her parents were standing in front of a waterfall, dressed in adventuring gear. She laughed a bit to herself, a few more tears rolling down her cheeks as she imagined her dad of all ponies being adventurous. She put the picture back on the page and then flipped to the next set.
She heard the clock on her wall strike one-thirty, and she looked up briefly as it gave a single clang. Looking back down at the album, she sighed. This page was more of her parents' holiday. From the brief descriptions and a couple of souvenir stickers, she gathered that they had traveled to Baltimare, then got a tour of the nearby jungles.
She squinted, trying to read the hornwriting. It appeared that her dad had written in the book. Given how some of the descriptions sounded, it looked like the album was made quite a few years after the holiday. She noticed a couple of dry smudges on the page, like a tear or two had spread the ink of the quill around when it was being written.
Wiping her muzzle, she sniffed and looked at another picture. This one was only of her mother. She held it to her chest for a moment and thought back. Shimmer Shine. Such a simple name. With another glance, she briefly rubbed the edge of the frame. From the picture, she concurred that it was a perfect match.
In the picture, her mother had a huge smile plastered on her face. She was leaning back on a railing, her dark purple mane blowing in the wind. Behind her, a deep canyon filled with jungle trees threatened to engulf her if she slipped. Her pink eyes were afire with excitement, that much was evident. The inscription underneath the photo described the leg of the journey the two were on.
According to it, they had just passed some ancient ruins, and the tour was taking a brief pit stop for ponies to rest. Since the two of them were still itching to explore, they went up ahead and Firelight took the picture of his fiancée.
Sighing, Starlight looked for another minute at the photo before turning the page. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the next few pages were of her parents' wedding. Swiftly, she went through the pages, noticing her grandparents and a couple of family friends that had until now disappeared from memory.
She held up a picture of her mother and father at the altar. Firelight was dressed in a snazzy suit jacket, and her mother wore a simple veil and wedding dress. The white of the dress made her mother's pink coat stand out all the more, and she read the description of the ceremony.
Turning soon to the next page, she looked at the photos of their old home in Sire's Hollow. The two were dressed in overalls. Firelight, who was covered in paint splatters, was spreading some paint on the walls. Shine also had speckles of paint, but she smirked and held the bucket in her mouth. Given her horn was lit, but wasn’t visibly carrying anything, she was the camerapony. She glanced to the side at Firelight’s flank, a flash of lust in her eyes.
The inscription from her father discussed how the two had always found the history of Sire's Hollow intriguing and now that Shimmer Shine was gone, he was going to do his best to preserve it for future generations.
Starlight closed the photo album. She sat back on the bed for a moment and looked at the ceiling. Sniffing, she wiped a couple more tears from her cheeks and rolled over, visually searching the mess on her desk for a free piece of paper. After a moment of rummaging with her magic, she pulled free a piece and floated a quill and inkwell over.
Thinking for a moment, she scribbled a few lines down on the paper. A few tears trickled down her muzzle as she wrote. Shortly, she finished writing and re-read the letter. Satisfied that it didn't sound too distressed, she lit her horn and the letter ignited in a bright green flame.
With that done, she lay back on the bed and grabbed the photo album again. She opened it and started looking from the very beginning, which included a few pictures of Firelight and Shimmer Shine from before they were even dating.
She buried herself in her blankets and immersed herself in the photo album. For some time, she remained fixated on the different pictures, every so often clearing her throat a little and sniffing. Sporadically, she'd wipe away a few tears before they landed on the pages of the album.
Startling her, she heard a roar of flame and a letter landed on her head, bouncing off her horn and onto the bed. After putting the book down, Starlight opened the letter from Twilight. In it, Twilight apologized for the short reply, but explained that she was busy with setting up Canterlot Castle's Hearth's Warming dinner. She expressed concern for the content of Starlight's letter and said that if she needed to talk more, she'd be available later. She wished Starlight a happy Hearth's Warming, and to relax with Sunburst.
Starlight groaned. "So much for the help, Twilight," she grumbled to herself. After sitting for a few moments in silence, save the ticking clock, she grabbed the photo album again and went back to immersing herself in her parents' early lives.
Suddenly, she heard Sunburst clear his throat. She jumped and squeaked in surprise. He was standing in the doorway, a concerned frown on his features. "May, may I come in?" he stuttered.
Quickly closing the photo album and sliding it under her bed, Starlight said, "O-oh! Yes, of course!" She glanced to the clock. Somehow it had already become six in the evening. Had she really spent four hours looking through one photo album?
Stepping inside, Sunburst navigated his way to her bed. He sat down on the end of the bed and looked her in the eyes, his concern not fully going away. At last, he said, "I, uh, checked around for any restaurants that were open on Hearth's Warming, and, well, there was only one Neighponese restaurant." He grimaced. "I didn't realize that so many people closed this early."
"Oh, that's fine." Starlight waved a hoof dismissively. "It doesn't have to be anything fancy, you know." She snorted a bit and laughed. "I mean, it can just be fried noodles and it'd still be a great treat," she cooed, staring into Sunburst's eyes dreamily.
While this caused Sunburst to smile, his eyes betrayed his continued concern for Starlight. He got off the bed and took the photo album that she had put away. Floating over to her, he asked, "What's this?"
Sweat breaking out on her forehead, Starlight shifted her gaze away from Sunburst to anywhere else in the room. "Uh, well, those were just a few, uh, family memories from Hearth's Warming," she lied, hoping that he'd accept it. Fortunately for her, he did.
"Oh! Really? Did you have any cool traditions?" he inquired, setting back down on the end of the bed. Before she could answer, he continued, "The first Hearth's Warming I can remember, I was, oh, I don't know, five, I think, and Mom and Dad said that I had to wait until they were up before we could open presents, otherwise the Windigos would steal them all."
Tapping his chin, he added, "I-I saw through that right away, so, I got up super early." He chuckled and got up and walked over to Starlight. "How can you keep a colt from checking out the cool things under the tree? Well, anyway, Mom and Dad heard me get up, and Dad decided to pretend he was a Windigo."
He scratched the back of his mane and looked out the window beside him. "Well, that scared, that scared the Tartarus out of me! I went so fast up the stairs I didn't even see Mom and Dad coming down. When I got up later that morning, they explained things to me, and, well, ever since, we pretended every morning that Windigos were going to take the presents, and we had to fight them off."
Weakly, he smiled as the story ended. He shook his head. "I guess that sounds pretty dumb, huh?"
Laughing, Starlight got up from her bed and went up to Sunburst. She buried her head in his neck and gave him a long nuzzle, breathing in the smell of his mane. "Oh, Cadance, don't ever take this away from me," she thought as she left the embrace.
Smirking, she said, "It's cute. Just like you."
His cheeks turning a bright pink, Sunburst replied, "D'oh, uh, thanks." Panicking, he added, "Uh, you know, just like you, too!"
"Pfft. Dork." Starlight lightly smacked him on the shoulder with her hoof. Briefly, her sadness was washed away as she chuckled again at Sunburst's story. Blinking her eyes sultrily, she asked, "When will the food be here?"
"Oh, in the next fifteen or so minutes," Sunburst answered, turning away from Starlight and looking out her bedroom door.
"Then I'll get ready for our incredibly high-class date," she snickered, giving him a quick hug and then sashaying her way to the bathroom. She heard him slowly leave the bedroom, and she turned her attention to her appearance.
Admittedly, she didn't look too bad. Sure, she hadn't fully cleaned herself that morning, but her mane was mostly still in place and all she needed to do was wash her face again. She opened the cabinet and pulled out a mane brush, the perfume she had purchased, and a small bottle of aquamarine mane highlight.
Quickly wetting a cloth, she scrubbed her face and got any dried tears out. After inspecting her face and combing the ruffled fur down, she grabbed the mane brush and began to smooth out her mane. Hissing, she pulled out a few straggly hairs and went about finishing the brush job.
Soon, her mane was ready for the highlights. Sticking out her tongue, she peered closer into the mirror and held down her bangs. After making it as flat as possible, she ignited her horn and covered the aquamarine section with a thin sheen of magic. It glittered for a second or two, and the streak intensified. Soon, the stripe brightened to a level she hadn’t seen in years. Yes, her mane’s hue was naturally that color, but magic never hurt anything.
Primping her mane a bit more, she gave it a slight bounce before checking the final vibrancy. With a smirk, she nodded as she gave one final brush along her mane. She tested it with a hoof, and it stayed in a near-perfect swoop. She quickly plopped the brush away and departed.
Briefly, she paused and stared at the photo album that she left on her bed. With a bit of hesitation, she trotted over and stared at the images. A picture of her mother, happily spreading her forehooves wide to showcase their new house, gazed back at her. For a second, it was almost like Starlight could hear the conversation they were having.
Sighing, she felt a small lump form in her throat before she glanced away and faced her nightstand. Softly smiling, she trotted over and picked up one. It was of her, Sunburst, and Trixie, celebrating their first successful month of the new school year. Trixie was trying to get Sunburst to participate in a trick for Starlight. He just sat on the chair and glared at her. Of course, given the box that Trixie was wanting him to go in had a sign that said “Definitely not a dangerous casket” written on it, it was understandable why.
Grinning, Starlight suppressed a giggle and mused, "Going to need a photo album at some point, too." She gently placed the frame next to the others, and she cantered out.
Trotting down the hallway, she spied that Sunburst had lit a fire in the fireplace of the main living room. Its orange glow cast shadows along the walls and illuminated a new gift that was sitting next to the one she got for Sunburst. Before she could take in the scene any more, she heard a knock on the door to the castle and began to head toward the foyer.
"I'll get it!" she heard Sunburst call. From her vantage point on the second floor, she saw him open the door and greet the delivery pony. Although the pony was partly obstructed, she swore it was the same mare from last night that was "helping" with the town hall decorations.
As she made her way down the staircase and toward Sunburst, she saw him give the pony a handsome tip and wish her a happy Hearth's Warming. When Sunburst turned around, she gave him a curious expression.
"I-I learned from last time. You don't think it was too much, do you?" he asked, taking his spectacles and rubbing them against his fur to get the condensation off.
"Maybe just a bit," Starlight stated. She eyed the two bags of food. "What'd you get?"
"Oh, uh, I can't remember how they pronounced it, but some vegetable fried rice, and, uh..." He looked into one of the bags and then popped his head back up. "Some tofu, beans, and broccoli, and then uh, a dish of mixed vegetables with soy sauce." He smiled weakly and asked, "I hope that's, well, good?"
"Can't wait to try it," Starlight answered, taking one of the bags in her magic and trotting toward the kitchen.
Setting the paper bag on the counter, she tore it open and then grabbed the container of rice. She popped open its lid and then served some of it on plates for the two of them. Likewise, Sunburst opened his bag and dished up some of the different entrees. After loading both of their plates, they plopped down at the table.
Powering his horn, Sunburst twiddled with the lights a bit. While he couldn’t do much, given his weaker magic, he did lower the overall illumination in the room. As Starlight glanced up at the ceiling, he grinned and hastily opened a drawer behind him. He pulled out a small candle and grimaced as he formed a faint field around the wick.
After finishing inspecting the glowing spell matrices above her, she returned to peek at Sunburst. She blinked. With a bright spark, he ignited the field around the candle, and a quivering flame began to rise. The scent of cinnamon filled the room.
With a soft chuckle, Starlight grinned back at Sunburst. He beamed at her, adjusting his spectacles to keep them on his nose. Although it wasn’t much, he attempted to set a romantic mood for the meal. As romantic as eating Neighponese food on Hearth's Warming Eve could be, anyway.
For a few minutes, the two enjoyed their meals in silence. Starlight speared a bit of the rice and mixed vegetables with a fork and took a bite, letting a slight groan of pleasure as she tasted the different flavors. "Maybe it's not a traditional Hearth's Warming meal," she thought as she chewed the food, "but at least it's still tasty."
The dim light of the kitchen cast the two in shadows. Sunburst's orange coat glowed eerily in the low glow, but Starlight smiled as she watched her coltfriend enjoy his food.
Soon, however, her stomach began to feel full, although she knew she could and should eat more. It gurgled a bit in protest, and she felt a wave of unease settle over her as the date went on.
Eventually, Sunburst said, "So, I told you about one of my family's traditions for Hearth's Warming, what about you? What did your parents do?" He took a bite of food and questioningly looked at Starlight. The low lighting made his spectacles hide his eyes somewhat.
Sighing, Starlight put down her bite of food and replied, "Oh, it's nothing very interesting. I mean, well, we had a few, but none were very special." Slowly, she raised her fork again and took a bite. "I'd rather not talk about it."
"Are you sure?" Sunburst asked, voice raising an octave in concern. "Most of my family's traditions are pretty dull, too, but, well, I told you, didn't I?"
"Fine," Starlight huffed, slamming her fork down on her plate, making Sunburst flinch in surprise. When she saw that she had scared him, she grinned nervously and chuckled a bit. "S-sorry for that." He remained silent.
"Okay, uh, okay." Searching her memories, she tried to find any semblance of a tradition that could answer his question. Finally, she settled on one. "So, Dad and I used to bake cookies. I know! Not very interesting. Well, these cookies were made specially for Mom. They were a special recipe that she used to bake for her parents, and I guess Dad wanted to carry on the tradition." She sighed and took another bite of food. "But, we eventually stopped. It's what happens when you get older." She poked around with her fork. “And when you get to your ‘rebellious phase.’” With a huff, she added, “Of course, you could say I was more insubordinate than most teens.”
After that, she stayed quiet, avoiding Sunburst's gaze.
Sunburst just stared at her for a few moments. Soon, he took a bite of food and after finishing, he said, "Oh? What happened to your mom? You, uh, never really spoke about her.” Peering at her, the corners of his eyes drooped as he frowned lightly. His fork hovered outside his mouth.
Starlight didn't answer. Instead, she just sighed again and began picking at what was left on her plate. As Sunburst continued to eat his food, she rested a forehoof on the table and propped her chin up. Lazily, she played with the food on her plate and rarely took a bite.
Uneasily, Sunburst shifted in his seat as Starlight continued to mope and stare at her meal. A light breeze rattled the window over the sink, making her swivel an ear toward it. It was the only indication she wasn’t catatonic.
Starlight whimpered. She finally rested her chin on a fetlock as she used her fork to softly spear a piece of pepper. Rotating it around, some of the steel glinted the candlelight into her eyes. She blinked rapidly before letting it fall back onto her plate. She sighed as she went back to observing her food.
Glancing to the side, Sunburst put down his fork and gently brushed some of his mane back. As always, some flakes of dandruff fell from his scalp. He grunted as he watched them descend onto the table. With a cough, he tried to get Starlight’s attention, but she simply stared at the countertop.
With a frown, he shook his head and speared the last few bites rapidly with his fork. Soon, he finished his food and watched Starlight pick at hers. Worry growing on his face, he asked, "Is everything all right, Starlight?"
"Hmm?" she answered, looking up from her food at him. "Oh, yeah. Just not hungry."
Arching an eyebrow, Sunburst said nothing. He got up, took his empty plate, and put the rest of the food into the fridge. When he turned around, Starlight offered him her plate of food, and he grimaced as he emptied it into a garbage bag underneath the sink.
Placing her plate on top of his own, he quickly cleaned the dishes and then turned the lights on to their normal brightness. With a quivering whinny, he cantered toward Starlight when he saw the scowl on her face.
She was absentmindedly twirling her hoof on the table, and her cheek was resting on its surface. She looked up at him, a few tears sparkling in her eyes. Slowly, she sat up and gave a soft smile.
The two looked at each other for a minute, Sunburst convinced that something else was wrong, although he knew not what. When Starlight refused to add anything more to the conversation, he sighed and said, "Do you want to go for a walk?"
Raising an eyebrow, Starlight answered, "It's a bit cold to do that now, isn't it?" She looked out the window above the kitchen sink and saw that it was another clear night.
"Well," Sunburst began, walking a bit closer to Starlight and lightly tapping her on the nose. "While you were in your room, a fresh inch of snow fell. In, in the starlight it looks beautiful." He winked and blushed a bit. "Just like you."
Blushing herself, Starlight slowly nodded her head. She hopped off her seat and trotted out to the front hall. As she walked toward the entrance and opened the closet door, she spied the bundle of gifts that were still sitting near the entrance. She quickly took a look and saw that they were from Twilight, and one or two from Trixie.
With her magic, she pulled on her jacket and tightened her scarf. As she saw Sunburst come up behind her, she floated out from the closet a dark blue jacket and scarf was a light peach-cream in color. It accented the orange of his fur. He beamed as she passed the items to him.
"I wondered where I placed those!" he exclaimed as he put the jacket over his cloak. It fit perfectly, the neck of the cloak popping over the jacket's neck and its gem gleaming in the light of the entrance.
After putting on her toque, Starlight waited for Sunburst to tie his scarf. With a bit of trouble, he managed to mostly get it on, before she sighed to herself and helped him do it. He blushed a bit, and she managed a sad smile.
Lightly coughing into his hoof, he pressed forward and opened the doors to the castle. Giving a slight bow, he declared in a horribly nasally aristocratic accent, "After you, Starlight Glimmer. May we enjoy the night air as much as we enjoy each other's company. The starlight really is... is, well, uh, beautiful." He snickered a bit as he ran out of ideas for his posh voice and lightly kissed her on the forehead.
Giggling, Starlight leaned into Sunburst, and the two left the castle.
The cold Hearth's Warming Eve air stung a bit as she breathed in. White puffs of vapor trailed from her mouth, and she watched as the wisps faded into the night sky. She stared into the deep black, watching the stars twinkle faintly. It was almost like they were blinking on and off.
Pressing herself a bit further into Sunset’s torso, she cooed to herself as she barely heard his heart beating. Its steady rhythm fluttered as she shifted, and he got a light whiff of her mane. Nuzzling him, she glanced up and saw his jaw outlined in the night light. The fringes of his beard glowed a silvery-orange from the moonlight. A few clouds of his own breath slowly floated up until it dissipated.
She sighed and rubbed her chin on his neck before pulling back slightly. He smirked at her and turned around to grab the door handle.
The light from the stars did indeed glitter off the fresh snow. For once, the moon was a thin sliver in the sky. To herself, Starlight mused that it looked markedly similar to Luna’s cutie mark. Beams of silvery light bounced off the snow, which sparkled like the entire ground was made of a fine crystal.
On the trees, icicles hung down, refracting the tiny amount of light from the stars and the moon. A few trees were covered in ice from a quick bout of freezing rain that occurred a couple of weeks prior. The weather had stayed conducive afterward for the ice to stay stuck on the branches, which caused the trees to bow slightly closer to the ground.
After shutting the door behind them, the yellow light of the entrance going dark, Sunburst wrapped his left forearm around Starlight's right and they made their way toward Ponyville. Underneath their hooves, gravel and snow scrunched and crunched, sending cold tingles up their legs.
Slowly, they approached Ponyville. A few skeletal house frames passed her vision as they walked closer to one of the main streets of the city. Entering the square, they wandered about and took in the sight of the decorated town hall, fully lit up and on display.
Starlight had to admit that it was impressive in person. While it may have looked dopey when she was buying decorations yesterday, the pegasi in charge of setting it up did an excellent job of repairs and making the hall look presentable again.
Between a couple of the streets heading further into Ponyville, a small cart had set itself up, advertising that it was selling hot chocolate. Sunburst led Starlight toward the cart, and the two waited in line. Soon enough, they were at the vendor and Sunburst ordered two cups of hot chocolate. After paying for their treat, the two began to wander about the square a bit more.
As Starlight sipped on her hot chocolate, which sent waves of warmth through her body and counteracted the snow's influence, she watched as a few pegasus fillies flew through the air playing a game of chase. Every so often, one would dive down to make a snowball and try to hit one of her opponents. None of the balls ever connected.
The lights of the houses of Ponyville reflected off the trodden snow of the square, making it appear that there was a rink filled with ice.
Taking another sip of her hot chocolate, Starlight sighed and flattened her ears against her head. The walk was nice. It was a way to break the drudgery of her last few weeks. With Sunburst only inches away, she felt like no matter what happened, she would turn out okay. As an additional bonus, she got to absorb a bit of his body heat. Something like that could never be understated.
As they did a lap through the square, Starlight sighed and glanced at her cup. Trails of steam lazily rose from its surface. Some of the lights from the town hall reflected off the hot chocolate, looking like brownish stars. A couple of stray snowflakes landed on it, although they instantly melted. She sneezed when one landed on her nose.
Despite everything, there was still a lingering pit in her stomach. Whenever she tried to have a sip, it made her stomach churn as she swallowed. A couple of times it almost felt like some bile would make its way up. In the back of her head, she sensed a ticklish sensation. It was like something was poking her, and she could do nothing to stop it.
As they looped around for a second time, she spotted the movement of the group of fillies. They were still fluttering through the air, chortling and weaving through different obstacles in the square. She sighed and gazed at the white, shiny ground. If only she could be as carefree as them.
Sunburst ducked as a random snowball from the fillies nearly slammed into his head. With a grin, he bent down and rolled some snow into a ball. After making sure it was compressed enough, he took aim with his magic. Although the ball jittered in his grip, he let loose, and it nearly struck one of the fillies. She gasped as it exploded near her head on the wall behind her.
From her reaction, it appeared that she thought one of her playmates had chucked it, and she growled and dove for one of them. Both landed in a heap on the snow, and soon were covered in the white powder.
Starlight’s mind was racing. When Sunburst turned to grin at her, she gave a weak smile back, and they went back to enjoying their drink. Still, her legs started to grow a tad wobbly as a sudden thought came to her. “Do I really deserve this? After everything I’ve done?” She frowned and looked at Sunburst.
As he was a little ahead of her, he didn’t notice her expression, and he gave a wave to one of the locals. Dimples formed on his cheeks as he beamed at them before halting to let Starlight catch up.
She trotted next to him. Behind his glasses, his eyes sparkled with joy. Pulling her into a small hug, he rested his chin on her head, and she sighed. While the thoughts didn’t go away, she did have one other come to her. “Maybe I don’t deserve it, but it’s still mine. I suppose I still haven’t fully grasped all the grace and mercy I received from Twilight and the princesses.”.
She nuzzled into his neck briefly.
After breaking out of the embrace, Sunburst took them closer to the river, where they had gone months ago on their first date. Unlike before, where the water gurgled and lapped at the banks, the river was now frozen solid. A few families were enjoying the evening by skating on the ice, and the two ponies found a place to stop and watch.
"Before you say it," Sunburst began, taking a sip of his chocolate and then looking at Starlight, "we are not. We did not become old." He winked at her. "I know, I know that you were going to say that."
Shaking her head, Starlight remained silent. A soft wind blew through her mane, and she observed a group of foals skating in a small line. Soon, they grabbed every young pony on the river and began to wind their way back and forth. The lead filly soon took a sharp turn, and the line of ponies broke apart, flying off in all directions on the ice. A few of the foals laughed and started to form another whip.
Starlight turned her attention to the sky and watched with wide eyes as the clear sky twinkled with stars. Some days, it was hard to believe how expansive the night sky was, and how Luna and then Twilight controlled it.
For a few more minutes, she observed the sky while Sunburst watched the skating ponies. During that time, she managed to drink most of her hot chocolate. Slowly, vapor rose from her mouth as she exhaled. As it drifted upwards, it gradually turned into mist, before finally mixing with the icy air. Sunburst felt warm, perfect to snuggle into.
Breaking the silence, Sunburst said, "How about we head toward Fluttershy's? I think there's a few, you know, trails there."
Without protesting, she let Sunburst lead her away from the river and toward the countryside of Ponyville. They soon passed most of the older houses of the town and walked through a few of the student housing areas. She tried to stop and look at the place where they first ate together, but Sunburst pulled her along.
Soon, they were on the outskirts of Ponyville and trotting toward Fluttershy's cabin. The plains around Ponyville were windswept and devoid of activity. A few banks of snow were built by the wind, looking like tiny waves on a frozen sea.
The two walked a bit further down the trail before Sunburst took a left, yanking Starlight to follow. The poorly marked trail that they were taking was a long lap around Ponyville. Eventually, it would loop back to near the castle, but for now, it kept them near the edges of the Everfree Forest.
The dark shape of snow-covered trees loomed ahead as Sunburst continued to lead Starlight down the trail. Their hooves left deep prints in the snow, which crunched and cracked as they broke a thin layer of ice on its surface.
Starlight took another sip of her hot chocolate and tried to slow down a bit. "So much for a romantic walk," she thought, huffing a bit, which sent a puff of vapor into the air. Her pulling managed to get Sunburst to halt his trot.
Finally, he stopped and turned to face Ponyville.
Following his gaze, Starlight turned to see that they had a perfect view of the town. The clock tower, town hall, and Twilight's castle and School of Friendship were all in view, lit up and decorated for Hearth's Warming. A veritable halo of yellow and orange surrounded the skyline of the town. As they were still expensive, not many houses could afford the spell matrix-powered lights. Of those that could, their strings of bulbs appeared like shining stars. Their glow mixed with the flickering candles, lamps, and other light pieces. Together, they formed a radiance that rose from the town and blotted out many of the stars nearby.
On the plains, the decorations glittered and sparkled, making the entire area appear like it was afire with different hues of red and orange. There was a faint glow on Sunburst’s face from it all, making his glasses shimmer. All in all, it was beautiful. Briefly, Starlight felt a tear come to her eye as she smiled.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew across the trail, sending snow spraying into their faces. As another gale ripped through the valley, Starlight buried her head into Sunburst’s side. Some of the tendrils poked at the fringes of her toque. Her ears tingled slightly at the tips.
With a whimper, she pulled her tail closer to her body to shield her legs, and she felt Sunburst curl into her slightly. Even through his winter jacket, she could hear his steady breathing steadily rise and fall. It was a calming noise, compared to the roar of the wind. At last, it stopped, but she stayed pressed into Sunburst's side.
Letting go of her forehoof, Sunburst walked in front of her and shook his hoof before using it to raise her chin. He looked into her indigo eyes and said, "Something's wrong. Don't hide it from me, Starlight. I know when you're not yourself."
Closing her eyes, she willed herself to not cry, but to no avail. A few tears streaked down her cheeks before freezing or falling to the ground. She avoided his gaze and looked back at Ponyville. Swishing her tail, she replied, "It-it's nothing. It's stupid."
Sunburst sighed and pulled her in for a quick hug. He whispered, "It's okay. You can tell me what's wrong."
"No." Starlight began to panic a bit. As her breathing started to grow shallow, her hind hooves wobbled and threatened to give out. Faintly at first, a ringing built in her ears, its pitch rising and overwhelming all other noise. Her vision began to blur. Tears streamed down her muzzle, and along her periphery, tendrils of darkness rippled in. Her heart pounded against her chest. She swore it was going to rip itself out.
Suddenly, she felt Sunburst hold her tight, and the feelings of panic eased, if only barely. While her heart still beat rapidly, she took a couple of deep, ragged breaths, and the growing black in the corner of her eyes receded. Her ear twitched when he spoke into it, "I love you, Starlight. What's the matter?"
She looked back at him and felt a few more tears fall to the ground. In an instant, she flopped back, her rump becoming soaked from the snow, and causing her to shiver. Tears began to flow freely, and she sensed Sunburst sit down beside her. Once more, he whispered in her ear while rubbing her back, "You know, good friends, and, well, lovers, shouldn't hide things from each other."
Groaning, Starlight looked over at Sunburst through tear-filled eyes. After taking a few deep breaths, she shakily replied, "Okay, you want to know?" Heaving a few times, she felt fresh tears roll down her cheeks.
Sunburst was crying now as well, and he pulled her a bit closer as he saw her shiver again.
"Well, uh, I, uh..." Starlight trailed off, more tears falling and her mind frantically searching for the words to say. She growled, and glanced to the ground. “She’s dead, all right?” she snapped, whipping her head at Sunburst, who winced in return.
Blinking, Starlight sighed and muttered, “Sorry. It’s… it’s not your fault.” She frowned. She felt nothing. Her body was numb. It was as if there was only a hole in her chest absorbing any emotion.
At last, with a single tremor in her voice, she moaned, “And of course, it was on Hearth’s Warming Eve.” She stared at Sunburst for a second, before she sniffed once. With that, the dam burst, and more tears flowed freely. She buried her head in Sunburst's shoulder, and she felt a few tears of his own wet her mane.
Sobbing, she choked out, "A-and, w-we don't know what happened... happened to her!" She coughed as a bit of spit caught in the back of her throat. Heaving a few more sobs, she recounted, "D-dad came home one day, a-and said th-that she was j-just missing!"
Sunburst began rubbing Starlight's back, muttering his sympathies for her. For a few minutes, the two sat in silence save for Starlight's continued weeping. Her chest burned. Choking coughs racked her body as she sobbed into Sunburst’s shoulder. Sniffling, her mind flashed to an early memory. It was only partial, and she willed for it to leave her head.
She was five, maybe four, at most. During the night, an unplanned storm had woken her up, and the incessant lightning kept her up. As hail clattered against her window, she screamed for help. To her filly mind, it was like the weather was trying to smash her.
Shimmer Shine was the first to burst in. Her features, though tired, were alight with concern. When she saw Starlight, huddling under her covers, she said something, although what was lost to time. The next image Starlight had, Shimmer was cuddled under the covers with her, gently petting her messy mane.
Shimmer’s lips pursed in a shushing expression, and she nuzzled Starlight’s head.
Then, the next memory rushed in. Starlight was a year older, standing in front of a small casket. Dressed in black, she stared emptily at it, barely aware of the ponies around her comforting Firelight.
At this, Starlight whined and she choked on some spit. As she gagged on it, Sunburst paused to see if she needed help recovering. After a couple of seconds, she recovered enough to take a breath. Her chest and throat were still on fire, however.
"S-she was h-helping with some, uh..." Starlight hiccupped, wiping her nose and beginning to regain some composure. "She was helping with, with repairs. T-there was an avalanche that y-year, and she volunteered to help dig out the snow and repair any, any d-damage."
Tears slowing, but still flowing down her cheeks, she continued, "A-after Mom disappeared, D-Dad changed. He started treating me like, like I was something th-that could break by just looking at it." Smiling, she added, "And then you and your family moved there, and, well, we became friends."
Looking to the ground, she said, "And, and then you left for Celestia's school, and, and, and..." She shut her eyes, trying desperately not to begin crying again. She was unsuccessful. "And then I felt abandoned! Alone! Nopony understood me! D-Dad just, well, spoiled me! H-he didn't try and help me. So, well, that's when I decided that friendship failed me, and, I guess the rest is history." She frowned and looked away from Sunburst.
Sunburst remained quiet for a moment.
In surprise, Starlight squeaked as she felt herself pulled tightly into an embrace. She groaned a bit in contentment as Sunburst held her close, her head resting under his chin. Her rear was soaked through from the snow, and she occasionally shivered as the water slowly made its way up her coat.
For once, she felt normal during Hearth's Warming. The tightness in her chest had disappeared, and the pit in her stomach had subsided. A few more tears fell freely from her eyes, but she wasn't sure if they were tears of sadness, or joy.
Sunburst finally broke the silence and said, "I, I don't know what to tell you, Starlight. It, it must have been so hard." He let go of her, and she leaned back, looking into his eyes. "I never knew. It's been so long. I can only ever remember you and your dad. If, if it happened, I don't remember it, and Mom never mentioned it. I..." He sighed and hung his head." I'm sorry, I feel horrible that I never kept in touch with you."
Humming a bit, Starlight raised a hoof and tapped his nose, leaving a bit of snow on the bridge of his muzzle. "You already apologized for that, don't do it again." She looked up at him, a soft smile on her face. "That's an order from the headmare."
Shakily, she took another breath and said, "I-I don't think this solved anything, but it felt good to tell somepony else." She leaned in again and buried herself into Sunburst's chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart.
For the next few minutes, they sat in silence, enjoying the other's warmth as they rested in the snow, ice-cold but content. Behind them, in the distance, Starlight could hear the sounds of a choir singing some traditional carols for Hearth's Warming. She sighed.
Soon, Sunburst stated, "As much as I'd love to stay here all night, we might catch a cold."
Starlight laughed and agreed with his statement. Getting up from her hooves, she helped him to his feet and gave him a quick nuzzle. "You're right," she said, looking to the town before them. "Plus..." She yawned, shaking her head. She drained the rest of her hot chocolate and said, "It's getting late out."
Brushing his cloak off, Sunburst suggested, "How about we go to the square and see if there's a place to warm up? They'll probably be singing carols for another hour or two, so there's got to be something to help."
With a suggestive chuckle, Starlight countered, "Or, there's another place that we could warm up." She lowered her eyelids.
"O-oh!" Sunburst began blushing profusely, avoiding Starlight's half-lidded gaze. He rocked back and forth on his hooves for a moment before he answered, "T-that is a possibility, I suppose." He stammered a bit more, "I-if there's nothing else, that is."
A blush beginning to grow on her face, Starlight cooed, "Oh, there's nothing else." With that, she charged her horn, and the two disappeared in a flash of cyan magic.