Twilight took a momentary pause from her readings, looked up to her ceiling, and briefly closed her eyes, so that they might rest. The night was still quite young and Luna’s moon was still high up in the sky, which meant that Pinkie Pie’s visit earlier hadn’t taken that long a time.
Still, after spending tons of minutes reading, sketching graphs, and reading some more, the unicorn was beginning to feel the effects of fatigue. And what did she have to show for her long night? Still not a thing, unfortunately. While she had that short spark of knowledge at first, she found that finding a correlation between exchanged gifts and ponies’ happiness was still something that needed more research. The gifts were hard proof that guaranteed instant smiles on ponies’ faces, but was that the only thing that mattered on Hearth’s Warming?
More than the gifts exchanged, Twilight supposed that there might be other elements that could contribute to these ponies’ happiness every holiday season. After all, receiving material gifts were surely not enough to dispel any problems a pony might have been facing then! Not only that, but it was mighty cold too every Hearth’s Warming – was exchanging gifts honestly enough to ward off the cold winds and the snow?
She brought her head down to re-focus on the parchments lay before her, shook it, and willed herself to regain concentration. It was no matter, she thought – the important thing was that she at least had a working hypothesis. This was admittedly good progress compared to earlier this evening, as she could now begin working on it.
Speaking of beginnings, however…
Her stomach rumbled.
“Who?” Owlicious, still awake, inquired about the commotion.
Twilight blushed. Did it really have to rumble that loud? “It’s nothing, Owlicious.” She grinned uneasily. “Just a little hungry, that’s all.”
But before she could explain the importance of foregoing important activities for science’s sake to her pet, a fragrant smell slowly made its presence felt. It smelled vaguely of…
“Apples?”
And just then, the door to her Library was kicked open, revealing none other than…
“Applejack?!”
Standing in the doorway.
“Well, howdy thar, Twilight!” the orange pony greeted, tipping her hat a little. “Ah’m sure you mighta heard from the previous spirit, but allow me ta introduce mahself anyway: Ah’m the Pony Spirit of Hearth’s Warmin’ Present!”
Twilight’s initial surprise melted away into a deadpan expression. “That again?” She frowned. “Seriously, Applejack, what’s come onto you and Pinkie Pie? Why are you masquerading as Pony Spirits?”
“Ain’t nopony masqueradin’ as Pony Spirits,” Applejack said, pushing a wheelbarrow into the Library. “Tha’s ‘cause we are Pony Spirits. And Ah’m the – ”
“The Pony Spirit of Hearth’s Warming Present,” Twilight grumbled. “Yes, I heard.”
Her stomach rumbled again, causing Applejack to chuckle warmly. “Now, Ah know you’ve been mighty hungry since the previous Pony Spirit came knockin’ in.” She shut the door gently and nudged her wheelbarrow inside. “’S why Ah brought ya some treats – apple-flavored, o’course – so y’all can eat a bit ‘fore we move on to tha next phase.”
Catching an apple pie the Pony Spirit had flung, Twilight gave her companion a questioning look before eating. “Next phase?” She munched on the apple pie. “What next phase?”
“Why, tha next phase o’ yer re-education in the holiday season, o’course! Didn’t the other Pony Spirit talk t’ya ‘bout this?”
“Oh, she did.” Twilight nodded. “And thanks to her, I’ve figured out that the gifts ponies exchange every Hearth’s Warming contribute to their level of happiness.”
Applejack frowned. “Tha gifts contributin’ to their happiness ratio?” She shook her head. “Now that bit o’ news doesn’t sit so well wi’ mah ears. Ah know that don’t make much sense and Ah thought the other Pony Spirit already talked t’ya ‘bout that.”
Twilight gave her a blank stare.
Applejack brought a hoof to her face. “That darned Pony Spirit. Thar she goes again, dumpin’ the lessons’n me. Why am I the only Pony Spirit who does all the hard work around here?”
Twilight smiled, hoping to reduce the Pony Spirit’s irritation.
“Well if tha’s th’case, then we got no time t’lose!” Applejack adjusted her hat. “Y’ready, Twi?”
“Ready?” the unicorn asked, finishing off her pie. “Ready for what?”
“Like Ah said, yer re-education in the holiday season.” The orange pony grinned. “Ain’t no time like tha Present, like Ah always say!”
“Wait, what are you – ”
“Hold on t’yerself now, Twi. We’re gonna depart fer some Present business right 'bout… now.” Applejack reared. “Yee-ha!”
Twilight shut her eyes tightly and braced for impact, feeling a certain warmth surround her from all sides. A few seconds later, she felt the air around her change and she even picked up a few scents far, far different from the murky smell of her Library. No doubt about it, she was most definitely –
… /// …
Outside.
She opened her eyes.
Yup, nothing else but the Great Outdoors.
“Twilight Sparkle,” Applejack announced grandly from beside her. “Welcome ta Ponyville!”
The unicorn looked around and noticed that the Pony Spirit was right – this was Ponyville. But it wasn’t dark out here. In fact, the sun was high up in the sky and ponies were up and about, despite the slightly chilled winds. Twilight knew she had to ask how all this was happening, but first things first…
“Applejack, how did you do that?”
The other pony shrugged and grinned. “Hearth’s Warmin’ Magic.”
Twilight’s eyes widened and a grudging hint of acceptance began to make itself at home in them. “Okay, now I know you’re a Pony Spirit. The real Applejack wouldn’t even believe in Hearth’s Warming Magic.” She sighed. “Poor girl wouldn’t even believe in it, even if she’s so immersed in magic everyday, she wouldn’t know it even if it bit her in the – ”
“S’CUSE ME.” Cranky Doodle, who had been passing by at the time, brayed loudly at another passing pony, shocking Twilight into silence.
“Now, while tha’ may be right,” Applejack said, some annoyance crossing her features. “Ah do seem t’recall that y’ain’t exactly a believer in this Hearth’s Warmin’ Magic either.”
“That’s not totally true – well at least, maybe some of it – but you have to understand why I insist on conducting a study like this.” Twilight threw a worried glance at the cranky donkey, who was still slowly making his way to wherever he was going.
“Ah do an’ so do th’other Pony Spirits – which is why we’re here an’ rearin’ up to teach ya not t’look so deeply into these matters.” The earth pony gave Twilight a bemused look. “An’ don’t ya worry ‘bout him none, sugarcube. Nopony can see or hear us here.”
“Yeah, that’s what Pinkie said,” Twilight replied, then started following Applejack, who had began moving away. “But where are we going? What did you want to show me?”
“This here’s Ponyville a couple’a hours earlier’n… well, earlier.” The orange pony shrugged and grinned apologetically at her mistake. “What we’re seein’ an’ hearin’ now, Twi, ‘s Ponyville on Hearth’s Warmin’ Eve, just right after the Winter Wrap-Up.”
They continued to trot down Ponyville, where Twilight noticed several ponies exchanging gifts on the street and most others still doing some last-minute shopping. Whatever the case, everypony was still wearing a happy smile on their faces, regardless of whether they had gifts or not.
“Kinda throws yer gift-givin’ theory outta th’loop, huh?” Applejack said, cutting into the curious unicorn’s thoughts. “Y’see, sugarcube, not every pony needs a gift on Hearth’s Warmin’ jus’ t’feel happy. Y’notice not a lotta ‘em haven’t received their gifts yet, right?”
“Yes… and they’re still as happy as ever!” Twilight said, confusion clear on her features. “So what influences them, then? Surely you can’t have anypony feeling suddenly happy and light without some kind of external variable…”
“Ain’t nothin’ to explain.” The earth pony came to a halt in front of a treehouse. “An' don’t look now, but Ah think we’re ‘bout t’see some real special things right ‘bout now.”
“Cutie Mark Crusaders, Gift Wrapping Experts YAY!”
“Got all th’ gifts?”
“Check!”
“Got all th’ wrapper?”
“Check!”
“Got all th’ glue, scissors, an’ other assorted extra materials?”
“Check, check, aaand check!”
“All right! Now let’s buckle down an’ start wrappin’ these presents!”
“Geez, I hope everypony’ll be okay with what we got ‘em this year. We didn’t really have that much funds anyway…”
“Chin up, Scootaloo! Ah’m sure they’ll love whatever we’re givin’ ‘em! After all, it’s th’ thought that counts!”
“Applebloom’s right. Like what my big sister Rarity says, it doesn’t really matter how a pony’s all dressed up – it’s the pony herself that counts! … Although she said it does help mightily if that pony’s all dressed up nice-like.”
“But we ain’t givin’ anypony any dresses this year!”
“Yeah, I don’t get it!”
“… Yeah, me neither. Let’s start wrapping them up anyway!”
“Ah sure do hope we get our cutie marks fer fancy gift wrappin’. Ah mean, we got Sweetie Belle here ta help us out an' everythin'!”
“What’s Sweetie Belle got to do with any of this?”
“Well that’s ‘cause I’m the sister of Ponyville’s best designer ever, duh!”
“Oh. Well, in any case, we gotta start wrapping them up, so we’ll be able to get these to their owners faster!”
“Ah agree! Come on, girls, one more boost o’ morale before we get to wrappin’ ‘em up!”
“Cutie Mark Crusaders, Gift Wrapping Experts YAY!”
Back outside the Crusaders’ treehouse, the two older ponies continued to observe the fillies wrapping up their gifts. All appeared to be in order for the three young ponies, but true to Cutie Mark Crusader fashion, something just had to go wrong at some point.
After they had finished wrapping them up, the Crusaders realized that they’d forgotten to label the gifts, thus not knowing which gift was supposed to go to which pony. It was with collective sighs, complaints, and overreacting (Sweetie Belle) that the three set about unwrapping all their hard work in order to set things right.
“So ya see, Twilight?” Applejack said, once the pair was on their way to their next stop. “Ev’n if those three didn’t have any presents o’their own - an' even if they did end up botchin' the whole operation - they still were mighty darned happy an’ content just wrappin’ up the ones they were gonna give.”
“But I thought you said that ponies didn’t need presents to be happy?”
“Ah know Ah said that, but Ah’m surprised ya didn’t notice how the Crusaders were more’n glad to do all that with their friends. None o’ those li’l ponies did any o’ the wrappin’ themselves. Doesn’t that tell ya anything about the season?”
“Well, I think I’m at least starting to get it…”
The orange earth pony chuckled. “Glad t’hear it. But here’s somethin’ else Ah think y’oughta see.”
Again, the two ponies came to a halt in front of a very familiar boutique and it was here that Twilight had to repress the urge to greet the ponies they’d “bumped” into.
“Fluttershy, dear, I really am sorry I had to drag you in at a time like this,” Rarity apologized, as she stepped out of her boutique. “And on Hearth’s Warming Eve too! I’m sure you must have some important engagement I’ve pulled you away from and for that, I really must apologize!”
Her pink-maned, yellow-coated pegasus friend stepped out of the boutique to join her. “Oh, it was really nothing at all, Rarity. After all, I am the only other pony in our group who knows how to sew. And besides, I’m always happy to help.”
“You really are too kind, darling.” Rarity beamed. “And I have to tell you, this afternoon has been a most marvelous one – not only did I benefit from your help, I enjoyed your company immensely as well.”
“Thank you for inviting me over, Rarity.”
“Really, Fluttershy, I should be thanking you. You’ve been nothing but an absolute dear today,” the white unicorn said. “And those last-minute hoof-sewn banners are fantastic!”
“You praise me too much,” Fluttershy said, slightly shrinking behind her mane from all the praise. “Oh, but I do hope everything goes smoothly for tomorrow.”
Rarity gave her friend an easy smile. “If Pinkie Pie is handling the preparations for tomorrow, my dear, then I’m absolutely positive everything will go on without a hitch. Why, if anypony can handle our friend Twilight’s surprise Hearth’s Warming celebratory party, then – ”
“YOU PROMISED TO KEEP THAT A PINKIE SECRET ‘TILL TOMORROW!” Pinkie Pie suddenly leaped out of the nearby bushes, causing Fluttershy to let out a squeal before diving behind Rarity. The unicorn maintained her composure, however, firmly standing her ground and staring at Ponyville's party specialist right in the eye. From the looks of it, nopony would have guessed that she, too, had suffered a mild heart attack from Pinkie's vicious ambush.
“Really, Pinkie Pie, did you have to jump out so suddenly like that?” Rarity admonished her hyperactive friend. “Why, just take a look at what you did to poor Fluttershy!”
Behind her, Fluttershy was still quivering, but peeked out from her spot to look at Pinkie Pie. “O-oh, it’s no t-trouble at all, Rarity. I was just a little s-startled, that’s all.”
“TWILIGHT’S PARTY WAS TO BE KEPT A PINKIE SECRET UNTIL TOMORROW, BUT NOPONY’S KEEPING THEIR MUZZLES SHUT ABOUT IT AND – ”
But before Pinkie Pie could finish her accusations, a bright light hastily enveloped both Twilight and Applejack, bringing them back to –
… /// …
The present.
“Applejack, what was that all about?” Twilight asked, not surprised to find herself back in the Library again. “Why did you show me Rarity and Fluttershy? Was that the real Pinkie Pie or was that the other Pony Spirit? And what’s all this about a party?”
“Oh, that!” Applejack gave the unicorn an unsteady grin. “’T’was nothin’, don’t ya worry yer head none. Jus’ a li’l slip-up in mah magic, tha’s all.”
“But Applejack, I have so many questions about what you just showed me, I – ”
“The point was, it ain’t the gifts that get ponies t’be happy ev'ry time the holidays swing by. Don’t ya get it, Twi? ‘T’was the company o' other ponies an’ the feelin’ o' love instead o’ the gifts they got!”
“Well… okay…” Twilight brought a hoof to her chin. “But love exists all year round! What makes the love on Hearth’s Warming so special? Why, if we had that kind of love before, during, and after the holidays, Equestria would be a much better place!”
“Why can’t ya jus’ let the holidays be and not think so much about it?” the earth pony answered her. “Ain’t nothin’ complicated ‘bout it, but yer still tryin’ t’come up with an explanation for it. Sugarcube, Ah can’t help but think you’ve got it all wrong.
“Ah know yer smart, but this here’s just somethin’ that can’t be explained by anythin’. Y’just have to relax an’ go along with it.”
“Well, if you say so,” the unicorn said, still a bit unconvinced about the whole thing. After all, there just had to be some sort of science behind the whole thing!
“But Applejack, tell me something,” Twilight continued. “What exactly was that about a party?”
The orange pony laughed uneasily. “That? Heh. Don’t worry ‘bout it! ‘T’ain’t nothin’, believe me!” She scrunched up her face and tried to stare at some imaginary spot on the ceiling.
“I know when you’re lying, Applejack, and trust me, that face you’re making is – ”
“Well, woulja look at the time!” Applejack yelled, a bit too loudly for both ponies’ tastes. “Guess it’s right ‘bout time fer the next Pony Spirit t’come in an’ visit ya! Which means Ah have t’be goin’ now!”
“But Applejack – ”
“Right now!” she yelled again and made for the Library door. “Happy Hearth’s Warmin’, Twilight! Have an apple fritter, on th’house!”
And out she ran, leaving behind two apple fritters for the purple unicorn. A few moments later, even the huge wheelbarrow she’d dragged in earlier had vanished into thin air, leaving Twilight alone with Owlicious and the two fritters. It wasn’t long before the wind blew and kindly shut the door for her.
So, with nothing left to do but wait for the next Pony Spirit to arrive (for what other choice did Twilight have now than believe?), the unicorn simply sat down and did just that, munching away at one of the apple fritters the Pony Spirit of Hearth’s Warming Present had left behind as a… well, present.