Chapter 34 - The New Foal and Family Traditions
*Nyx’s P.O.V.*
“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!”
We were up bright and early next morning and had breakfast before departing for the train station. When the first train rolled in, Aunt Cadance and Uncle Shining stepped out. Aunt Cadance was looking like her normal self again. She and Twilight did their normal song and dance routine.
“How are you feeling Cadance?” Twilight asked her afterwards.
“Much better,” Cadance replied, “And our little bundle of joy is doing wonderfully as well.”
“Where is the little baby?” Grandma Velvet asked.
“Right here,” Uncle Shining said stepping to the side. There in a side saddle was a young alicorn colt. His coat was white like Uncle Shining’s, his mane and tail were a very light blue, the same shade in the light blue streak in Uncle Shining’s mane and tail, and his eyes were the same shade of blue. He was wearing a cute red winter coat that covered his whole body, with his face, tail, a piece of his mane above his eyes, and the tips of his hooves visible.
“Say hello to Guard Armor,” Shining said.
“Aww. He looks so cute,” Joshua said walking up to him. Guard looked at Joshua curiously with wide eyes, and then started reaching out to him, while babbling.
“Aww, he wants you to hold him Joshua,” Aunt Cadance said. She then walked up and took him out of the side saddle on Uncle Shining and placed him in Joshua’s open arms. Guard then reached his hooves out and started touching Joshua’s face. Joshua giggled a little bit at the touching, which caused Guard to giggle too.
“I think he likes me,” Joshua said, “Hi Guard. I’m your cousin Joshua.”
“Joua,” Guard said trying to say his name,
“Aww,” I said looking at them. Joshua turned around and showed me to Guard while still holding him.
“Guard,” he said, “This is Nyx, your other cousin and my big sister.”
“Hell-o there,” I cooed to him. Guard looked at me for a little bit, then pushed my nose with a little hoof. I did the same thing to him gentler than he did to me. “Beep!” I said. Guard giggled at my touch.
“Can I see him Joshua?” Twilight asked. Joshua nodded and held Guard up to Twilight. Twilight took him in her hooves started tickling his tummy. Guard giggled at the tickling. Afterwards Twilight introduced herself. “Hello there,” she said, “I’m your Auntie Twilight.”
Spike looked over Twilight’s shoulder at Guard. “Hey there little guy,” he said, “I’m Twilight’s assistant Spike.” Guard looked at Spike curiously and grabbed one of his claws in his hooves.
“Looks like he likes your claws Spike,” Twilight said.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Spike said smiling.
“You wanna see your Gwandma and Gwandpa?” Twilight asked Guard in a baby voice. Guard giggled again at Twilight’s voice. Grandma Velvet walked up next to Twilight and took Guard in her forelegs.
“Hello there sweetie. I’m your Grandma Velvet, and over here is your Grandpa Night Light,” she said pointing a free foreleg to Grandpa Night Light. He smiled at the little alicorn colt. Guard smiled back at his grandparents while babbling.
“He sure is cute Aunt Cadance,” Joshua said looking up at her.
“Thank you Joshua,” Aunt Cadance said hugging him.
“Well, let’s drop our suitcases off at the house before we get started,” Uncle Shining said.
“Of course son,” Grandpa Night Light said. Joshua finished hugging Aunt Cadance and walked up to Twilight about to get on her back when Guard reached his hooves out to Joshua again.
“I think he wants you to hold him again Joshua,” Grandma Velvet said giving Guard back to Joshua. Joshua took Guard back in his hands as Twilight levitated the two of them onto her back.
“He seems to be taking a real liking to Joshua,” Uncle Shining said.
“Just what I was thinking,” I said.
After dropping off the luggage Uncle Shining and Aunt Cadance brought, we went to our first stop, Lumber Jack’s Log and Tree Emporium. The pony that owned it, Lumber Jack, was really friendly, especially around me. Last year, Twilight didn’t want reporters that didn’t want to forget what happened to ruin my first Hearth’s Warming, so she had me wear a disguise that changed my coat color to white, hid my wings, and made my eyes like normal eyes like when I used to wear those glasses. When Lumber Jack saw me in that disguise, he gave me the name Little Snowflake. I was glad I didn’t have wear that disguise this year.
The taxi we all took arrived at the Emporium, and there ready and waiting to greet us was Lumber Jack.
“Ah my favorite customers!” he shouted happily running over to hug Grandpa Night Light.
“Hello Jack,” Grandpa Night Light said. After they finished, everypony else got off and Jack said his helloes to them. The only ones left to say hello to were Joshua, Guard, and me who was still in Joshua’s arms. After saying hello to Twilight he turned and saw me walking out.
“Little Snowflake!” he said happily taking me in another of his hugs, “Vonderful to see you again!”
“I thought I told you my name was Nyx,” I said rolling my eyes. After he finished hugging me, he turned and saw Joshua and Guard still in the carriage.
“And vho do ve have here?” he asked me.
“That’s my little brother Joshua, and the one he’s holding is my cousin Guard Armor. He’s Uncle Shining and Aunt Cadance’s foal,” I said.
“Little brother?” Lumber Jack asked looking at me surprised.
“Yeah, he was adopted like me,” I explained, “It’s also his and Guard’s first Hearth’s Warming.”
“Vell then,” Lumber Jack said lifting them onto his back, “Vhy don’t ve tell them both vhat you remember Lumber Jack telling you about the Hearth’s Varming logs last year?”
“Sure,” I said.
So while Grandpa Night Light went to pick out logs for the fireplace, Lumber Jack and I showed Joshua and Guard around the Emporium, telling them about how the different colored logs produced different colored fires. Joshua seemed especially interested in it. He said that fires were mostly orange back where he came from. Guard however just looked at the fires rather than listened to Lumber Jack’s explaining. At one point during the explanation, Joshua wanted to get a closer look at one of the logs and tried lifting one up with his magic. Jack was surprised at this display.
“Goodness!” he said, “He can do magic like Twilight?”
“Long story short, he got turned into a unicorn for a short while, and what was used to change him back let him keep his unicorn magic,” I explained.
“Vell then,” he said, “I think I shall call you Magic Hands.”
“Huh?” Joshua said confused.
“It’s just how he gets to know everypony,” I explained to him, “Especially the kids. You heard him call me Little Snowflake, and he called Twilight Brainy Grape.”
“Oh,” Joshua replied after a while, “I think I kinda like that.”
After Grandpa Night Light made his purchase, we said our goodbyes the Lumber Jack. Guard had fallen asleep in Joshua’s arms, so he gave him back to Aunt Cadance.
“Vell Twilight,” Jack said, “You’ve got a vonderful little boy under your care.”
“Thank you Jack,” Twilight replied, “And he seemed to really enjoy your explanation on the logs.”
“I sure did,” Joshua said, “I really like how there are different colored fires too.”
“Thank you Magic Hands,” Jack added giving Joshua a noogie, “I look forvard to see you again.”
“Bye Jack,” Joshua said waving as we boarded the taxi.
Next day at night…
Grandpa Night Light had set up logs in the fire place ready for the Hearth’s Warming fire. It was a tradition his grandfather had started: the night before Hearth’s Warming Eve, the family would come together and light a traditional Hearth’s Warming fire. First though, he was going to make a speech before lighting it.
“This year has been a rather eventful one for the family. Starting in the early winter in the Crystal Empire, Shining and Cadance got the Equestria Games to be hosted there, which turned to be a success. Then in the spring, our Twilight Sparkle achieved her title as Equestria’s newest princess. Then near the end of summer, we welcomed Joshua into our family through Twilight adopting him. And finally Cadance gave birth to their new foal, Guard Armor. Welcome to the family you two.”
Guard was in Joshua’s arms again smiling happily as Joshua was feeding him some milk. Grandpa Night Light then lit up his horn and the fire started. This was the best winter holiday season so far for us all. Tomorrow was going to be the Hearth’s Warming Pageant.