Trixie landed with a heavy thump onto something soft. Her breathing was heavy and pearls of sweat covered her brow. But she looked up their was no fire, no brimstone. She was home.
The bed was her own, the room was her own, she was so happy she jumped up and down on the bed making the springs squeak.
Her voice was filled with joy "Oh Princesses, thank you! I will remember all that you have taught me and I promise to be a better pony than I was. I swear on my knees!
She suddenly heard the sound of bells ringing outside and in a flash her horn opened the window to let in the bright sunlight light. Down below three fillies were having a snowball fight in the street.
Trixie called out at the top of her lungs. "I say you down their."
They all looked up at the source of the voice.
"what day is it?"
All three looked confused. "It's hearth's warming day, silly"
"It's Hearth's warming day, I didn't miss it. Those clever Alicorns did it all in one night." suddenly a thought sped through her mind. "Hey you three?.
They spoke in chorus. "Yes miss.?"
Is that Prize Marzipan Mascarpone ?Meringue madness still in the cake store down the next street."
"What. The one as big as all three of us put together?"
Trixie. Laughed out loud. "Yes that's the one. Go buy it for me and bring Mrs and Ms cake here with it."
"Be serious" The orange filly retorted.
"I am serious. Here!" she levitated a bag full of golds bits to the fillies. " Be back here in ten minutes and I'll a surprise for you."
The fillies grinned and cheered out. " Yay cutie mark crusaders. Cake deliveries!" with that they took off.
Trixie was a giddy as a school filly and as merry as a pony who had drunk too much cider on a Friday night. She pulled on her hat and cloak. Emptied her safe and ran to the front door .
Outside Mr and Mrs cake had the Mmmm on the cart with the three fillies at their side.
"If this is a practical joke you three we will box your ears!" Just then the door swung open to reveal Trixie. "Are you the one who ordered this.!" Mrs cake pointed behind her."
Trixie beamed. " Yes indeed. And I want you to deliver it to this adress." A piece of paper floated into Mrs cake's apron pocket. "Please tell them it's from anonymous"
With that the two Ponies were off on their errand and Trixie looked at he small Fillies. "As I promised, a Surprise." With a glow of her horn the snow was lifted into the air and was deposited back in the street to make a giant snow castle with little towers and a drawbridge. The cutiemark crusaders couldn't believe their eyes. It was the best gift they had ever seen. They thanked and hugged Trixie and ran inside the castle to play.
Trixie beamed with delight. "Now to business" she ran off down the street heading for the shops of the High street. She rounded a corner and slipped on the ice. Her flank dropped to the floor and she couldn't stop.
She hit something and it gave out a noise. "Umph. I say steady on!"
Trixie pulled her hat from over her eyes, and saw Fancypants being picked up by Fleur. "I say, this is the second time this happened to me." He adjusted his monocle and looked at Trixie. "Oh it's you, Miss...Trixie, if I'm right?"
"It is my dear fellow, and I fear it may not be pleasant to you. But I want to ask for forgiveness from you and your lovely wife and to offer you." she pulled them close to her and whispered in their ears.
Suddenly both their eyes widened with amazement. "How much! Oh Miss Trixie you can't be serious!"
"I promise you I am and a many back payments to follow as well." Trixie was continuing to smile from ear to ear.
Fancypants and Fleur were both beside themselves in amazement. "This is so kind of you! I just wish there was something we could give you in return." At those words Fleur stepped toward Trixie and with a glow of her horn she took her pink scarf off and placed it around Trixie's neck.
Tears were starting to well up in Trixie "For me?" Fleur just smiled and nodded. Trixie began to cry. "T..Thank you! Thank you! Fifty times." she hugged the two of them and disappeared down the street.
Everypony she walked passed she wished them a Happy Hearth's warming and they did the same. When she got to the high street Trixie started darting from shop to shop. Buying all sorts of things. Soon she had a sack full to the brim with gifts.
She notice on the other side of the street was her Nephew walking with a Grey mare with dark hair and a musical note for a cutie mark. "That must be his wife. Oh she is simply beautiful. In a flash she ran over the street and skidded to halt in front of them.
Third string was amazed to see her out enjoying herself. " Auntie? Is everything all right?"
"Yes Nephew everything is more than all right. It's great." Trixie's face suddenly went red. "I just wanted to ask, weather I was still welcome to come to Dinner today. If you'll have me?"
Third string could had leapt for joy. "My dearest auntie, of course you are welcome. We will be delighted to have you." Octavia smiled also and watched as Trixie rumbled around in her sack of gifts.
With a tug she pulled out two items which she passed to each of them. Third String's was a new violin which was made of rose wood and had his name engraved in gold lettering at the back. And for Octavia was a necklace with a Blue gem set in the centre. Both of them were overcome with joy and so hugged Trixie. "Come with us back to the house. We can talk before the guest arrive."
Trixie shook her head. "Not just yet Nephew. I have some very important wrongs to make right first." she hugged him again. "But I promise to come" With those last words she headed off on her last port of call. She trotted from street to street till she found it. A row of small terrace houses. She went to the on the end and dropped the bag.
She put her most angriest scowl on her face and knocked on the door loudly. "SRATCHER!"
Their was the sound of something being knocked over from inside the house and a trembling hoof opening the door. Scratcher looked with fear at his boss standing in the door way. "Miss Trixie, why a..are y..you hear?"
Trixie continued to scowl "You didn't turn up for work this morning!"
The colour was dropping from his face at an alarming rate. "B..but you gave me the day off."
Trixie looked as if she was furious. " Me? The Great and Powerful Trixie? Give you a day off?"
Scratcher was about to feint, till his wife swung the door fully open to reveal her self and the four children. "That's more than enough from you. You miser!"
"Oh I still have a lot more to give! I have....”
"Toy's" Little Tuppence had got behind Trixie and was looking into the sack.
"Yes toy's.... No no that's not the main point. Scatcher, I'm giving you a raise!"
For a second no pony moved. Scratched tried to grasp what he had just herd. "a......Raise?"
The smile was wide on Trixie's face “Yes a raise. And I want to help you and your struggling family in any way I can." she levitated her sack in to the room. "But first of all lets start with this." The sack opened to unleash a torrent of toys, games, food, drink and clothes. For the next hour the entire family played and were merry till it was time for Trixie to leave.
Scatcher stood with his family to say good by to Trixie. But little Tuppence summed it up best.
"God bless us every pony"
The end?
Well not just yet.
Up in Canterlot castle, in the large study. The three Princesses were together.
"Here's to a successful night of making a pony change their ways." with that the three clinked their glasses together and drank the wine.
Luna looked at her sister. “Next time some pony else can be thy future spirit.! One is sick of wearing those fanged teeth.
Cadence giggled. “But Luna. You make such a cute baddie.” she took another sip.
Luna didn't look impressed. “Speaking of cute. Why wasn't shinning armour with thy last night?
Cadence blushed. “He was sleeping off the last pages of the pona-sutra. I love him to bits but he's only mortal.”
Luna looked over to her sister. “sis. Where did you come up with this idea. For changing a pony ways?
Celestia smiled “ I read it in this book.” a small scrappy book was lifted from the shelf and put it in the middle of them.
Cadance looked down with Interest.
“A Christmas Carol. By Charles Dickens”