//------------------------------// // A Hearth's Warming Eve Special // Story: Son of Eternity // by Secrets and Lies //------------------------------// Secrets and Lies is proud to present A not so special Hearth's Warming Eve Special                         Once, not so long ago, but quite a while ago,                 There was a town called Ponyville, which was covered in snow.                  In this town, of course, lived many little ponies,                 Who knew one another very close like cronies.                  Tis was a merry time on the eve of this holiday,                 And happiness did ensue, some might dare say.                  A day all ponies in Equestria joined in on,                 Though this was the eve, for the right day was at dawn.         This holiday, well you know the backstory too,                 So you might imagine its significance and hullabaloo.                  Ponies bought gifts for their friends and family,                 And hung decorations around for all to see.                  Yes, the town was much abuzz with holiday cheers,                 So much so that all had forgotten about their worries and fears. Though not much was to fear during this festive day. But when trouble is out there, it will find a way. All but one were equine who lived in this place, That one not of the rest felt very misplaced.                  He had never celebrated a holiday quite like this,                 Back home around this time, he celebrated Christmas.                  Who was this thing? Well you probably know his name,                 Zachary, the human, sat close to his hearth’s flame.                  He did not decorate his home to celebrate that night,                 Because he cared not for the day, he felt it quite trite.                  Well one could tell he was acting like a grouch,                 As he crossed his arms and leaned back on his couch.                  But who could blame him? He had no reason to be merry,                 The ponies still thought of him as a monster so scary.                  Even after all he done for them in the past,                 Whenever he was around, they would run away fast.                  He figured he would spend this holiday alone,                 As he stared into the fire and gave a sad moan.         But one pink pony not too far away,                 Knew about Zack and where he did stay.                  And soon she left her home to go visit her Zack,                 For Hearth’s Warming Eve spirit she never did lack.         Pinkie Pie was her name, and happiness she seemingly spread,                 But of course you know of this from what you have read.                  With a skip and a hop she bounded through the snow,                 And with a spring in her hoof, she pranced high and low.         She was bundled in pink wrappings from head to hoof,                 As she leaped quickly and hastily from roof to roof.                  She carried a bag with her cutie mark on the outside,                 And in this luggage many sweet treasures were inside.                  Candy cakes, candy buttons, hard candies and candy canes,                 Some candy was even stuck in the tip of her mane.         From blocks of fudge and chocolate covered treats,                 Carrying this heavy load was no small feat.                  She made all of this for the one she did love,                 And did not eat a single sweet, well, sort of.                  She finally made it to her dear friend’s address,                 With snow and sweets on her coat, she was quite a mess.                  Just then, Zachary heard a quite familiar chord,                 A blatant loud hammering called from his front door.                  As he made his way to the fond old rapping,                 Never did it stop, Pinkie’s constant tapping.                  He opened the door and not to a surprise,                 He met with a pony with the most beautiful eyes.                  Pinkie squealed with delight as she skipped right on in,                 Zack gave a quaint smile as she made her way to the den.                  She slipped off her bags and spilled the sweets on the floor.                                  Zack knew that cleaning that up was going to be a chore.                  “I made you all these candies I knew you would miss!                 I hope you enjoy it!” she said with great bliss.                  Zack smiled and replied, “Why thank you Pinkie Pie.                 I really am grateful that you came by.                  You see, I was mighty lonely and was needing some cheer,                 And it brings me much joy to see that you are here.”                  She beamed with joy and hopped over to Zack,                 Pinkie hugged him tightly in a cuddling attack.                  She buried her head in Zack’s face, hugging him to death ,                 That Zack was finding it difficult to take a single breath.         A sudden transition came over the filly,                 As she hopped off of Zack all ‘willy’ and ‘nilly’.                  “I have another surprise for you, but you have to go!                 You can’t come back in here until I say so!”         She pushed Zack away into his kitchen room,                 Then she went back to the den in a lightning of a zoom.                  Zack was confused about Pinkie, her plans he did not know,                 So instead decided to fix a bit of hot cocoa.                  Here is a something new I bet you weren’t aware of,                 Zack’s favorite drink was hot chocolate, which he did very love.                  As he prepared two cups of his chocolate brew,                 He heard Pinkie doing things–what exactly? No clue.                  Loud banging and clashing and all sorts of commotion,                 Gave Zack an unpleasant and too familiar notion.         But he digressed and went right back to his stirring,                 Trying to ignore Pinkie’s brash noises and thunderous whirring.                  Though something seemed off out of the corner of his eye,                 Something from the window, something near by.         He thought it was his Nox or a snow pony’s face,                 But he made his way over, just in case.                  He peered out the window and to his surprise,                 He was meet by two very unfamiliar eyes.                  Bug like in appearance with two great blue spheres,                 It made Zack jump in fright expressing immediate fears.                  The creature then darted away from his sight,                 As woodland creatures do in utter fright.                  Zack did not know what he had just seen,                 It looked like no pony, no, it looked too mean.                  Dark in complexion with white sharp teeth,                 “A creepers outside.” Zack did seethe.                  He grabbed a near by pan and made his way to the door,                 Fright filled his body as he raced across the floor.                  “Zachary!” Pinkie yelled at her disobedient friend,                 “You ruined the surprise and I can’t start again!”                  Zachary shouted, “Pinkie, something’s outside peeping,                 I’m going to figure out why this thing is around creeping.”                  Pinkie hushed up and followed behind trusty Zack,                 She became quite afraid and hopped on to his back.                  Zack was ready to force open the door in a flash,                 To find whom was out being a little too brash.                  He swung open the door and ran outside in the snow,                 Off went a shadow, into the town they go.         Through a nearby ally did the creature run,                 Zack chased the being while Pinkie had fun.                  He wanted to stay careful, he feared for the worst,                 And into the dark corners, the three did traverse.                          Zack was gaining on the thing in the bitter, cold town,                 Closing in on the creature, he was running it down.         The being was now cut off between a shop and a house,                 Zack had cornered it, like a cat to a mouse.                  It shivered and shuttered as its knees did shook,                 Zachary stepped closer to take a good look.                  The being was nothing he had seen before,                 With holes in its legs and a horn it did bore.         It had wings too, but looked nothing like a pony,                 For Zack knew it was not, for it was a phony.         He raised the frying pan he held in his fists,                 The creature yelled in horror as it stood in Zack’s midsts.         Zachary was on the verge, about to strike it,                 When Pinkie hopped in front of him in a raging fit.         “You wouldn’t dare!” she fumed in Zachary’s face,                 He had never seen her so angry in any time nor place.         “Can’t you see that this poor creature did nothing to you,                 Its cold and its frightened, I thought you knew?                  It didn’t mean no harm, just look in its eyes,”                 She stomped her hoof and demanded, “Apologize!”         Zack felt ashamed of himself as he dropped the pan,                 The creature hesitated from the actions of the man.         The pony-like creature gave him a very quizzical look,                 Zachary motioned his hand and then the two shook.         Before Zack could speak, the creature said, “Forgive me,                 I shouldn’t have been creeping around, I’m sorry.                  You see, I’m a changeling, without a name or a home,                 I was banished from my kingdom and now I forever roam.         I was so cold and wanted a place to stay,                 But I was afraid my appearance wouldn’t frighten others away.”         “Oh it’s quite fine, don’t be so silly,                 We’ll gladly let you stay,” said the pink filly.         “Very much so! All is forgiven,” Zack said,                 “Come back to my house and have a warm bed.”                  “Oh, bless you and bless you again kind gent!                 For this Hearth’s Warming Eve will be very well spent!         I will tell of your kindness years from now,                 Both to you friends–to you two, I bow.                  You have spared my life and I cannot offer the same,                 But may I ask, what is your name?”                  “My name is Zack, and this here is Pinkie Pie,                 It’s quite cold out here, so let’s get back inside!”                  “Dear Zack, dear Pinkie Pie. Here is my gift from me to you,                 I will name my two coming children after you two.          My wife is far away, back at our hive,                 Is expecting twins, so I had hoped to come back alive. I searched for food and a new place to stay, So I came to Ponyville, which I thought was okay.         But now I know I will live, for you have shown me mercy.”                 Off the friends departed, no longer two, but three.                  Thus Pinkie, Zack, and a Changeling now known as Hearth,                 Now celebrated together, for what it was worth.         They told stories, drank and ate many sweet things,                 For this is what the holidays really brings.                  The night was spent well with new friends and old,                 At the warmth of a fireplace and not in the cold.                  Zachary showed pity and Pinkie showed love,                 And a new friendship was born to forever be beloved.                  And to you, the reader, whether home or away,                 Always remember that you have a place to stay.         Whether with friends, or with family or perhaps even strangers,                 Just know that you always have a place away from the world’s dangers.         Remember this lesson and you will always be warm,                 Tis this season which graces us in every way, shape, and form.                  For there is the Magic of Friendship always about,                 always believe and never, ever doubt.