//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Hearts Warming with The Apples and Pears // by Creativa-Artly01 //------------------------------// The next morning, everypony is up with the sun for Hearthswarming Day. The foals giddily slide down the bannisters to the floor below while the adults leave their rooms below. Everypony is waking up with yawns as smiles stretch across their faces. Soon, it will be time for presents, but first, breakfast. They eat breakfast at the longest table they can find, chowing down on apple pancakes topped with pear jam among other sweet breakfast delights. The foals as per usual refuse to sit still and as soon as they finish, they get in their winter gear to go and play in the snow outside. The adults smile as they watch from their places at the table. “Presents can wait, I guess,” giggles AJ as she leans on Bartlett’s shoulder. “Yeah,” he agrees. “For now, let them enjoy the snow.” After several hours of playing in the snow, the foals return inside and everypony begins on presents. The foals open up all theirs first before the adults follow suit with their own. As Bartlett looks over at his wife, he sees that she looks sad. “What’s wrong?” He asks. “Why are you sad? It’s Hearthswarming!” “I want another foal,” says AJ. “Once the holiday is over, we should go visit Cadence’s orphanage. We should adopt.” “Of course,” responds Bartlett. “Anything to make you happy again.” He kisses her on the cheek. “I promise. I’ll call and make the appointment in the morning. Okay?” “Okay,” responds AJ with a smile. She then happily opens the gift he hands her. Inside is a photo album of all their memories together. It brings AJ to tears. “Why’d you have to make me cry? This is beautiful!” She hugs him and gives him a kiss on the lips. “Thanks so much, my love!” He then hands her a second box which she opens. Inside she finds a card before finding the true gem. She pulls out a lasso decked with silver plating in its strands. She reads the silver. “Apple Annie Oak Tree,” reads AJ. She begins to tear up once again. “It’s auntie’s lasso, thank you! I thought we’d lost it forever!” She embraces him in a hug still in tears. “How did you find it? I thought it was lost forever!” “E-Neigh,” giggles Bartlett. “I’m joking. An avid collector and an old friend of Flank’s had it and he sold it to me for thirty silver bits.” “Did you catch the stallion’s name?” Inquires AJ. “Fordy,” responds Bartlett. “He helps run the Annie Oak Tree Museum as well.” “Well, we should go some time,” responds AJ with a smile. “It would be fun!” “Indeedee doo!” Agrees Bartlett. “It sure would be.” The two are soon interrupted by Braeburn and Cherry Jubilee. “Hello, again, Applejack,” says Cherry with a smile. “Welcome to the family,” responds AJ with a smile. “Who is running the Junction now that you’re in Appleloosa anyways? Jus’ curious.” “My sister and nephews,” responds Cherry with a smile. “The colts enjoy it.” “Yeah, I bet,” giggles AJ. A few hours later, everypony sits down to dinner and hot cider for the adults, hot cocoa for the foals. Everypony laughs and jokes as stories are exchanged once more. Everything is perfect. After dinner, AJ and Bartlett sneak off to the porch and call The Crystal Kingdom Orphanage together and lo and behold, Cadence picks up herself. “Hello, AJ,” says the voice of the familiar pink alicorn over the phone. “What’s up? Why are you calling on Hearthswarming? Could it not wait until tomorrow?” “Mmhmm,” says AJ, the tears coming through in her voice. “We want to adopt a foal, a sister or brother for our little Tartlett and as soon as possible.” AJ is in full blown tears at this point. Seeing his wife in no state to talk, Bartlett takes the phone from her. “When is the first appointment you have free after the holiday?” Inquires Bartlett. “That Thursday, does that work?” Inquires Cadence. “That’s fine, now enjoy your holiday.” With that, Cadence hangs up the phone and gets back to spending time with Shining Armor, Twilight, and Flurry Heart. “Who called to where you had to step away?” Inquires Shining Armor. “I think I know,” responds Twilight, “it was AJ, wasn’t it?” “Yes,” responds Cadence. “Right on the nose as always, Twi.” “What was she calling for though?” Inquires Shining once more. “She is the busiest this time of year with that massive extended family of hers.” “Same reason everypony else calls me nowadays, hon,” responds Cadence, “to adopt a foal. She’ll be here Thursday along with her husband and daughter.” With that, Cadence ends the conversation and they go to watch the shooting stars fall over the aurora borialice that appears above the Empire every Hearthswarming. “Whoa!” Says Flurry Heart in amazement. “It sure is cool, mom!” “Yeah,” responds Cadence with a smile, “it sure is, baby girl.” They watch the stars and aurora borialice for the rest of the night until it finally ends. With its end, the family returns inside and does presents and hot chocolate. As per every Sparkle family Christmas, it’s absolutely perfect. Back on the farm, all the adults carry the worn out foals on their backs up to bed. They then continue their stories over cider down below. AJ goes and checks on the foals one last time before returning downstairs herself. “Mom,” says Tartlett stopping AJ in her tracks before she can make it back to the stairs, “will I ever be a big sister?” “Maybe,” responds AJ. With that, she closes the door and finally returns downstairs. “What took ya so long, love?” Inquires Bartlett as AJ sits down beside him. “Our daughter always asking questions, like always,” responds AJ, “nothing to worry about.” “Okay,” responds Bartlett, “she is a curious little bugger.” “Yeah, indeed,” chuckles AJ. She puts her head on Bartlett’s shoulder. “She is indeed.”