“Misty!”
“Huh! What?” The unicorn gasped.
“What are you doing?” Opaline hissed, glaring at Misty from across the dinner table.
Misty swallowed hard. “N-nothing.”
“Really?” Opaline said, pushing her plate of hay aside. She then stood up and rose to her full height, being sure to maintain eye contact with Misty the entire time. Only once she saw the unicorn begin to squirm in seat did she finally say: “Nothing? Nothing at all?”
“I-I… I…”
“Give it to me. Now.” Misty swallowed again and then placed her phone on the table, where it was instantly snatched up by Opaline. She looked at it and scowled. “Now what did I say about dinner?”
“But I was ju-”
“What did I Say?”
Misty sighed. “That I’m supposed to give you my utmost attention just in case you have any plans you want to discuss.”
“Yes. And instead of doing that, you were watching this!” Opaline then unpaused the video.
“Hello, Pippsqueaks! I’m your princess, the one-and-only Pipp Petals! And today I’m joined by my good friend Sunny Starscout…”
“Heyo…”
“...to bake some delicious Wishmass cookies!”
Opaline then gave Misty a dry look. "Well?"
"I-I-I... uh... i-it's not what it looks like!"
Opaline then slammed her hooves down on the table. "Not what it looks like!?" she spat. "Because it looks like you are paying more attention to that than to me!"
"N-no! I-I wasn't! I swear, I-"
"How can you be so ungrateful!? I do everything for you, and what do I ask in return? Just for you to focus on the mission, and you can't even do that!"
"It was just one video!"
Before Misty could react Opaline closed the distance between them.
"What. Did. You say?" Opaline hissed between clenched teeth, her face now hovering just inches away from Misty's.
The unicorn swallowed. "I...I said I was... I was thinking about the mission! Yeah! That's why I was watching it! For, uh, research?" Misty concluded with a nervous smile.
Opaline narrowed her eyes. "Really?" She then slid the phone towards a trembling Misty. "Baking cookies for Santa is important to the mission?"
“Santa? I mean, y-yeah! I wanted to learn about Santa!” Misty beamed. "I uh... figured he'd be important to know about and... stuff."
"And who exact is this 'Santa?'" Opaline said, thankfully now sounding more confused than angry.
“Well, h-he’s this pony, who, um, travels around Equestia once a year to bring presents to foals!”
“Wait. ‘Every foal?” As in, each and every foal individually?”
“Yep!”
“And how, exactly, does he do this?”
“With the help of his magic sleigh!”
Opaline’s eyes had widened upon hearing the word ‘magic.’ “Magic… sleigh?"
"Yeah!" Misty nodded with a smirk on her lips. "It let's him fly around the around the world in one night and carry all his gifts... um, actually that might be his magic sac, and, um..." Misty trailed off. "Uh... Opaline?"
The alicorn did not answer her underling. Instead she continued to stare at something far, far away.
"Uh... Opaline?"
"Travels the world to deliver toys..."
"Uh... are... are you okay?"
Opaline then did something very strange. She tilted her head back and... laughed? And not a sinister cackle reserved for imagining her enemies demise, nor the mocking one she used whenever Misty's fun grew too loud, but loud and proud chuckle hailing from the deepest part of the belly.
"Misty!" Opaline then squealed. She grabbed Misty and swung the mare around in an unregal dance of happiness. "Tell me more! Tell me everything!"
For some reason, Misty felt a smile on her lips.
"Oh my hoofness! Yes!" Opaline bellowed triumphantly, clapping her hooves together with a foal-like giddiness. Misty couldn't really judge her, giving her own goofy grin as she turned off her phone.
"That... that was incredible," said Opaline. "You actually found a movie on the origins of this Santa?"
Suddenly, Misty face felt warm. "Oh, i-it's was no big deal..."
"No big deal!? Misty do you realize what this means?"
"Wha..."
"It means we don't have to waste time chasing after that dragon more!"
"We... we don't?" Something began to flutter inside Misty's chest. Was... was that hope?"
"No," Opaline continued, "we have to get that Santa instead!"
The feeling withered and died. "Oh..."
"Just imagine," Opaline began as she stood up, "a sac that could hold a near infinite amount of matter... an entire army of diminutive yet skilled craft ponies... I'd... I'd be unstoppable!"
"Yay... " Misty said, watching ruefully as Opaline paced back and forth as she sprouted off her plans.
"...yes, yes! I have the perfect plot! I'll be in the thinking room!" Opaline turned around and ran a few steps before suddenly stopping. "Misty?"
"...yeah?"
"That was some really impressive work tonight."
"You... you mean that?" Misty said.
Then, much to her surprise, Opaline chuckled.
Then, much to her surprise, Opaline chuckled. “You know Misty, sometimes I really forget just how useful you could be. At least occasionally.”
Misty’s ears perked up. “R-really?” she whispered, her eyes shimmering with tears.
“Really.”
Misty shut her eyes. The emotion that was surging in her chest was nearly overwhelming. She leaned back and held her forelimbs out wide, expecting that any second she would find herself in a warm embrace and…
“I'll be in the thinking room. Make sure you do the dishes.”
Misty opened her eyes. Opaline was already gone, having left her with plates of cold hey and an empty chair. Misty sighed.
Misty stopped her cart in front of the shelf of cookies, eyeing them wearily. It wasn’t fair. Opaline had finally decided to let her go to the supermarket and buy food for the castle- something that wasn’t old hay mixed with whatever they managed to grow in a garden they kept- and it was supposed to be laced with tranquilizers.
She sighed, grabbing a festive-looking bag and dropping it in her cart.
“Misty?”
She blinked. Oh no. She instinctively ran into a nearby aisle that was thankfully empty. “Phew,” she said, wiping a bead of sweat off her brow.
“Misty!”
Startled, Misty let out a yelp and kicked her hindlegs, accidentally knocking a few boxes off a shelf. She then bent over and hurriedly placed them back on the shelf, before turning around and coming face-to-face with Pipp Petals.
“Gah!”
“Misty!” Pipp repeated before grabbing her. It was something that Misty had learned the hard way: all of her new… well, Opaline used the term “mortal enemies” but that didn’t quite sit right with her. All of her new… ponies of interest were all notorious huggers. Even Zipp, though she didn't seem to like to admit it. It wasn’t exactly unpleasant, quite the opposite in fact, but it did make sneaking around just a tiny bit more difficult.
“I-it’s uh… good to see you!”
“Same! Oh my gosh, it feels like I haven’t seen in forever!” Pipp said before finally releasing her.
“S-sorry!I mean… i-it’s not like I’ve been avoiding y-you, i-it’s, uh…”
“Aww, Misty. You don’t have to apologize.”
Misty blinked. “I… I don’t?”
“No!” Pipp said, waving a hoof dismissively. “It’s cool if you're busy. I get it, really! It’s not like I have had that much free time these days, with my new album and plus the fact that Mane Melody is kinda taking off, which, don’t get me wrong is like totes amAAAzing, but also kinda stressful, you know?”
“Um… yeah?”
Pipp suddenly chortled. “Oh gosh! Look at me go on and on about myself. I haven’t even asked you what you’ve been up to!”
“Oh! Um, n-nothing much. Just… just out shopping for the Holidays, you know? It’s not like I’m buying stuff for some sort of dastardly evil plan or anything!” Misty then quickly covered her mouth with her hooves, her eyes going wide with terror.
Then Pipp threw back her head and laughed. “Oh my hoofness,” she said in between guffaws. She then let out a long sigh and added: “I forgot how funny you are!”
“...yeah,” Misty said with a grin that somehow wasn’t entirely forced. “I mean, yeah! You know me, always cracking jokes! Eh he he.”
The two mares then heard the tell-tale buzz of a cell phone. Pipp took out her phone and rolled her eyes.
“Ugh! Sorry to cut this short, but my sisters’ starting to wonder where I am. She’s been having me go out and run errands all week. Something about how I gotta learn ‘personal responsibility’ or whatever.”
“Yeah,” Misty said sympathetically. “I know what you mean. I hope she isn’t too rough on you.”
“She will be if I don’t get going. But anyways, it's nice seeing you again Misty. We sooo gotta plan to catch up again some time.”
Misty nodded. “I…I’d like that a lot.”
Pipp smiled. “Later!” she said before taking off and flying down the aisle. Misty watched her until she had disappeared.
“Yeah,” she said. “Later.”
...we wisk you some figgy pudding,
...we wisk you some figgy pudding,
...and a happy new year!
"Misty!"
“Huh?”
“Have you finished setting up that bear trap yet?”
“I, uh…”
Just then, the trap in question suddenly snapped shut. Startled, Misty leapt into the air with a yelp. She then gave Opaline an awkward smile once she managed to regain her hoofing, causing the alicorn to facehoof.
“S-sorry!” Misty said before racing over to reopen the trap. Opaline paid her no mind, instead opting to survey her ward.
“Perfect…” Opaline said, mostly to herself, as she eyed the various booby traps and the newly build chimney. “My stars, I’m finally gonna pull this off!” Opaline then began to hop up and down with excitement. “I’m finally going to have my magic back! I’m finally going to have those dreadful little ponies bowing down to me again!”
“And I’m finally gonna get my Cuite Mark!”
“Huh? Oh! Yeah, sure…” Opaline grumbled. “Oh, that reminds me. I have something for you.”
Misty froze, tilting her head in confusion. “You do?”
“Of course,” Opaline said. She then lit up her horn and a levitated a large harpoon gun in front of Misty.
“Oh. Um… thank you,” Misty said awkwardly. She then grabbed the gun, wincing and nearly dropping the unexpectedly heavy item. “Uh… what am I supposed to…” She trailed off. Opaline rolled her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing.
“When Santa comes down the chimney,” she explained, “you are to shoot him.”
"WHAT!?" Misty gasped. "B-b-but I thought you said we were just taking his magic! Not kill him!"
"We won't," Opaline said dismissively. "We'll just maim him, or severely injure. At least if you have good aim, that is."
"B-but... but... why can't do it!?"
Opaline narrowed her eyes. "Are you... talking back to me?"
"Um..." Misty gulped nervously. Then suddenly, Opaline yawned.
"Cruses. I shouldn't be up this late. An alicorn needs her rest after all." She turned and started to walk away from Misty.
“Oh, and by the way,” Opaline called over her shoulder, “make sure to do the double tap before you bring Santa to me. We don't want a repeat of last time, alright?"
Misty squinted, fighting to keep her eyes open as she leaned against the harpoon gun. There was no light in the ward sans a few dim silvers of moonlight that had managed to sneak through the windows. The hard stone floor should have been bitterly cold, but thankfully Misty was allowed her old blanket, which she had tightly bundled herself up in. It was a small luxury, but one she was nonetheless ever grateful for.
Misty then realized that she was about to doze off again and furiously shook her head. She had to stay awake! It didn’t matter how attempting it was lie down and fall asleep, she had to do it! If not for her shake, then for Opaline’s!
She sighed. She didn’t want to hurt Santa. Sure didn’t exactly know him, but he seemed nice based on what she had heard. It was just like those other ponies. Opaline had warned her against falling for any “mindgames,” but she couldn’t help it! They were always so nice, always inviting her to play games or eat the most delicious food.
Misty stifled a yawn. If she couldn’t catch Santa, she would have to resort to stealing that dragon. And she couldn’t betray them like that! They would never forgive her! That was why she had to do this. For them.
Misty then scooted back so she could rest against the wall, taking the opportunity to wrap her blanket around herself even tighter. She knew she shouldn’t let herself worry. After all, this was potentially the closest she had ever been to getting a Cuitemark. Misty smiled at the thought.
She couldn’t wait to see everyponies’ reaction once she had finally got it. She could see it clearly: Izzy loudly announcing it to everypony, Zipp’s reserved but sincere approval, Sunny deciding to bake something tasty to celebrate, and Pipp…
Misty’s heart fluttered at the very thought. Pipp bringing Misty into one of her many live streams to, all her adoring fans cheering. Then afterwards she would privately tell Misty how happy she was for her and pull her into a tight, tight hug.
And then she would be there. Opaline, wearing the warmest smile she would have ever seen. She would run up and hug Misty, telling her that she was proud of her, that she had always been. That she had always lo-
“Misty! Wake up!”
Misty was then woken by a jab to her side. Wait… had she fallen asleep!? Oh no, oh no…
Misty scrambled onto her hooves. “W-wait… Opaline, I’m sorry! I-I didn’t mean to fall asleep! I-I j-just…”
“It doesn’t matter,” Opaline said, holding out a hoof to silence her. “Santa Clause didn’t come here last night.”
“W-wah?” Misty stammered. “N-no that’s impossible! He…he…” Misty then looked around the ward as if noticing it for the first time. To her dismay, everything was exactly as she had left it when she had apparently fallen asleep last night, as if no pony had been there.
“He…wasn’t here? B-but I thought…”
“You thought wrong then,” Opaline said matter-of-factly. "Santa isn't real."
"Wa-what?"
Opaline then levitated something in front of Misty's face. "I took phone last night, when you were sleeping on the job."
Misty's ears flattened. "You..."
"I wanted to do some more research on Santa. And guess what? He's not real. He's a lie parents tell their foals!"
Misty shrunk back unto her haunches. "I-I-I'm sorry! I-I really thought…I… please don’t be mad at me!”
“I’m not mad at you,” Opaline said.
Misty blinked. “You’re…not?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“No."
Misty fell to the ground with a startled yelp. She instinctively brought a hoof up to the slide of her face, which was already stinging and turning red.
"If anything I’m mad at myself," Opaline said as she lowered her hoof, "for being stupid enough to think you could actually do something right for once." Misty felt her lower lip begin to quiver. "Oh, for the love of…” Opaline said, messaging her temple with a hoof. “You know you’re never going to earn a Cutiemark if one little slap makes you start crying like a foal!"
Misty’s response was to start crying even harder. Opaline rolled her eyes. “Fine, be useless! I’ll be in my study, thinking of your punishment! Oh, and you better have cleaned this up by the time I come back!” she spat, stomping a hoof for emphasis. She then turned around and left, leaving Misty alone.
“Hello, I’d like to return this bear trap,” Misty said to the salespony.
“Sure. Do you have a receipt?”
Misty gave the pony the paper. “Splendid!" he beamed before fiddling with the register. "You’re all set ma’am.”
Misty mumbled a quick ‘thank you’ and then left the register. Surprisingly, the store was still busy, although instead of being full of last minute shoppers, it was now full of ponies hoping to return the gift that they pretended to be excited about a few days ago. Either way, nopony seemed to pay her any mind as she left the store. Once outside she took a moment to check her saddle bags. So far she had been able to get back at least some of the bits she’d spent through returns. Maybe if she was lucky Opaline would see the money and be a little less angry with her.
“Misty!”
Her ear’s perked up. “Pipp?” She looked around, not sure where the voice had come from.
Then she heard a giggle. “Up here!” Misty looked up to see that, sure enough, Pipp was flying directly above here.
“There you are!” Pipp sang as she landed.
“Yeah… here I am,” Misty said with a faint smile. Pipp giggled.
“So… how was your Holiday?"
Misty winced. “Uh, y-yeah! Total! Just uh, you know, spent some time with the family and… stuff.
For a second, Misty thought she could see a flicker of doubt on Pipp’s face, before her usual smile returned. “That’s great! Oh, and before I forget…” Pipp then fished around inside her saddle bag for a moment, before pulling out a small item.
“Taa daa! Sorry, I didn’t have a chance to wrap it or anything.”
Misty took the object from Pipp and looked at it. It was a small snow globe with a simple lighthouse inside.
“You… you bought this for me.”
“Well, we all did. Me and the girls, that is,” Pipp explained. “Do you… do you like it?”
“Like it?” Misty said. “I…I LOVE IT!” Misty then tackled the poor unsuspecting princess into a hug. “Oh my gosh, this is the most amazing gift ever! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!”
“Woah,” Pipp said, placing a hoof on Misty’s withers. “Easy there filly.”
Misty then released Pipp. “S-sorry,” she said with an awkward grin.
“Oh, it’s no big deal! I’ve gotten worse from fans, if you know what I mean,” Pipp added with a wink. Misty didn't know what she meant, but she nodded anyways. “You know,” Pipp continued, “maybe we could move this conversation back to the Brighthouse. I’m sure the girls would love to see you again.”
“N-now?”
“Well, duh!” Pipp started to smile, but then stopped and frowned uncertainly. “I mean, if you’re free right now, that is.”
“I…”
Was she available? Probably not. Opaline didn’t say she wanted her back by a specific time, but she was already on thin ice with her right now. It would not be a good idea to come back late and risk making her even more angry.
Misty opened her mouth, about to turn Pipp down. Except she couldn’t find the words to do so. She looked at the snow globe in her hooves, a cheap, tacky thing that was also her first real gift from another pony.
“You know what,” Misty said. “I’d love to.”