Rainbow Dash was excited. The kind of excited she typically only felt while flying. It was finally her favorite day of the year, Hearth's Warming Eve. It was a glorious morning, the snow blanketed the ground in a white sheet, as she looked out of the window of her skyward home she saw pillars of smoke arising from ponies chimney's. Rainbow threw on her coat, scarf and her favorite beanie, and set out for town.
She found herself in the middle of the market, and she was a bit taken aback by the display, in front of her were dozens and dozens of ponies all shopping at the last minute, all seemed to be in a hurry, muzzles to the ground, nopony seemed to be appreciating what a beautiful day it was in Ponyville. Rainbow shrugged it off, besides she was feeling rather pleased with herself for getting all of her shopping done early.
And then it caught her eye, her favorite seasonal treat, a nice warm cup of peppermint mocha
"Hi there, I'm Rainbow Dash, how are you this morning?" she asked approaching the stall
"I'm Star Buck, would you like to buy something?" The pony replied rather monotonously
"Sure I'd love a peppermint mocha" Rainbow said in a bubbly voice.
"7 bits"
Rainbow was then suddenly pondering 2 things, one she wasn't aware it possible for somepony to lack all expression when having a conversation, and secondly....
"7 BITS FOR MOCHA!?!?!"
"Would you like to buy some or not?"
"I'D NEVER PAY THAT MUCH!" exclaimed the rainbow maned pegasus
"Then clear out, you're driving away business."
I guess I'll just have to get my mocha somewhere else, Star Buck's is just too overpriced Rainbow thought while she angrily stomped away from the stall.
So Rainbow continued to walk around the market, she signs proclaiming the latest and greatest things, that you "NEED TO BUY" and "MUST HAVE" for your loved ones this Hearth's Warming, along with how much you should pay for them and why. Ponies loudly proclaiming what great "Hearth's Warming deals" they had. Was that what Hearth's Warming was about? The best deals? The whole scene made Rainbow sick to her stomach.
Did they not know?
Had they not heard?
It's Hearth's Warming Eve...
Rainbow continued her walk, feeling a bit more depressed.
_____________________________________________________________________________
A short time later, Rainbow spied a familiar face amongst the crowd, an orange pony, with a blonde mane, with her signature cowboy hat on, beaming next to her cart of apple flavored goodies. Rainbow got excited at the sight of her friend, she knew of all ponies AJ wouldn't be selling out.
"Well howdy Rainbow!" Applejack said at the sight of her friend
"Hey AJ, happy Hearth's Warming Eve!" Rainbow said happily
Rainbow stole a quick glance at her prices and was relieved to see that they were still the same, her spirits brightened a bit at the fact that somepony hadn't been swept up in all this commercialism.
"Same to you sugarcube!" Applejack replied.
"Don't you typically spend these two days with your family? Why are you out here?" Rainbow asked.
"Well Braeburn and Caramel came down, them and Big Macintosh are bucking the south orchard today, Ah'm running the apple stand, and Apple Bloom is with her friends today." Applejack explained.
"But you all are spending tomorrow together right?"
"Of course, we'll get our presents in the morning, course I suppose the south orchard will need bucking later..." Said Applejack sounding slightly worried.
"You're all going to be working for Hearth's Warming?" Rainbow asked, a bit taken aback.
"Well we got a bit of a late start this year, so it needs to get done y'know." Applejack reassured.
"Can't it wait?" Rainbow asked, a bit more stern, but still in a friendly voice.
"I s'pose it could, but there's no time like the present right?" Applejack said
"But, but... wouldn't you guys rather spend time as a family?" Rainbow asked "I mean it's Hearth's Warming, I know you're always hard working AJ but..."
"Hey now, don't y'all go questioning my loyalty to my family." Said AJ in a slightly angered tone
"Sorry AJ, I just-"
Rainbow was abruptly cut off by a loud rumbling coming from her stomach, she glanced at the clock tower, and saw it was already 1:00, and she hadn't eaten a thing all day.
"Sorry AJ, I'm starved, I'm gonna go get some lunch." Said Rainbow, no longer wishing to continue the conversation.
The two exchanged goodbyes and Rainbow set off down the busy road to her favorite pastry shop, slightly sadder than she was before. As it was drawing near she saw a stallion in the middle of the road collecting donations for "Feeding Fillies" they were an organization that helped feed kids who were less fortunate this time of year, Rainbow dropped a bit into the bucket, wished the stallion a happy Hearth's Warming and went into the pastry shop.
The warm smell of fresh baked bread, along with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled her snout, giving her momentary bliss. She approached the counter got her (long overdue) peppermint mocha, a big muffin, and took a seat in the corner booth.
She began to watch the stallion collecting the donations. He was a white pegasus with brown hair, his cutie mark appeared to be an olive branch. He stood there, smiling at ponies who passed by, ringing a silver bell occasionally.
Rainbow Dash watched dozens and dozens of ponies pass by him without a second glance. She couldn't believe it. I mean these were starving fillies. Were ponies really so busy that they couldn't be bothered to help feed an unfortunate filly?
Rainbow's heart broke watching the display, as did her appetite. She downed the rest of her drink and sulked out of the small shop, feeling bad she dropped two more bits into the bucket, and proceeded down the road once more.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Rainbow plodded around town for many hours, hoping to find something, anything that rekindled how she felt on Hearth's Warming Eve as a filly, but only came up with more of the same. Ponies just didn't seem to care that it was Hearth's Warming. Eve, it was just another day for them, and they were slightly upset that this day entailed them buying gifts, which they then had to go to all the trouble of wrapping. They were then forced to spend time with those considered "family" and pretend to love them for a whole day.
Rainbow Dash was sad. Had she grown out of the spirit of Hearth's Warming, or had everyone else?
As these questions went through her head she saw a familiar sight in the distance. A white unicorn with a well kept purple mane, levitating a couple of bags in a blue aura. Rainbow hoped that the element of generosity wouldn't be as swept up in all of this holiday dementia as everypony else.
"Happy Hearth's Warming Rarity!" Rainbow said with a dash of hope.
"Rainbow Dash! I'm glad your here, try this on." said Rarity as her face lit up.
A beautiful, diamond studded necklace, with a white gold chain, was levitated out of the bag onto Dash's neck, she could tell it was very valuable.
"Don't you think this would look just darling on Fluttershy?" Rarity asked
"Umm, I don't know, does this really seem like her style?" Inquired Rainbow.
"But of course! This is a one of a kind design from Neighman Marcus! It's extremely expensive Rainbow, I'm sure she'll love it! Why wouldn't she?" Asked Rarity, rather ostentatiously.
"It's just, don't you think Fluttershy is kind of more, you know, down to earth?" Rainbow asked
"She's a pegasus." Rarity said bluntly.
"No, I mean don't you think that Fluttershy would prefer something, more, I don't know modest?" Rainbow asked politely.
"But just look at it, diamonds, gold, all handcrafted, and it costs more than--"
"It's not about the money!!" Interjected Rainbow
Rarity stared at Dash, mouth agape, for a good five seconds before, turning up her nose, and trotting away, but not before adding,
"I'll keep that in mind buying your present then."
Rainbow Dash was sad. She didn't have any desire to hurt her friends feelings, she was just trying to be helpful, even if it meant telling the truth. This was shaping up to be the worst Hearth's Warming of her life.
She remembered Hearth's Warming as a kid, so full of wonder and joy. Everybody coming together to celebrate it.She remembered the bright, colorfully wrapped presents she couldn't wait to open. She remembered sitting by the fire and watching it until it's last embers burned away. She remembered getting her first pair of flight goggles, getting tickets to see the wonderbolts...
But of course she remembered the bad times, she remembered breaking her leg playing with her new sled, she remembered her parents telling her that her bunny had 'ran away', and she remembered the year they told her that her Grandmother wouldn't be joining them for Hearth's Warming. But one thing was always the same...
Her and her family were always together, and she always knew she was loved
Dash knew she was way to awesome to ever admit to anyone that she actually did enjoy mushy family stuff around Hearth's Warming, it brought about a feeling of love.
Standing in the street in Ponyville, as the sun began to sink, Rainbow Dash didn't feel loved
In fact she felt angry, not the kind of angry you get at your favorite hoofball team losing, it was the kind of helpless, sad, anger, you get when you're injured, or when someone close to you dies, and to Dash it was as if someone had died.
It was a snowy night in ponyville. The streets were scarcely populated. Fillies everywhere were going to bed, anxiously awaiting the coming morning. On one particular street corner there was a rather distraught pegasus.
Sitting there on a bench Rainbow Dash recalled the horrible day she had just experienced. She experienced commercialism first hand, she argued with her friends, saw the lack of regard for family, and the apathy everyone seemed to have. Staring up at the falling snow she asked
"Isn't there anypony who knows what Hearth's Warming is all about?"
Rainbow wasn't sure who she was asking, the snow, the sky, Luna's moon, herself, but she definitely didn't expect an answer.
"Sure I can tell you what Hearth's Warming is all about."
Rainbow Dash let out a small gasp, and spun her head to the side to see who it was and was slightly surprised to see a familiar face.
"You're that guy who was collecting for charity outside the cafe, weren't you?" Rainbow queried.
"That would be me, I'm Pax, thanks again for your donation." He replied.
"So, tell me then, what is Hearth's Warming all about?" Rainbow asked again.
"Well as you know we're celebrating our ancestors coming together, making peace with one another, and deciding to share Equestria with each other." He began.
"Yeah I know the whole history part of it, but what does it mean to ponies today? What should it mean in my life?" Rainbow asked.
"Don't you see? What our ancestors were doing is what we should be doing."
Dash looked puzzled.
"Coming together, making peace, sharing and giving to each other, it was what founded Hearth's Warming, and it's what we should cherish now." He explained.
Rainbow Dash liked the answer, but still needed to be satisfied.
"But nopony is behaving that way, it's all commercialism, and fashion, and ponies doing only what pleases them, and nopony else, how am I supposed to get past all of that?" Rainbow asked
"Sharing the holiday with one another, giving of yourself, letting people know that they're loved, it gets you past all of this commercialism." Said Pax.
"I guess you're right, but it's just so hard sometimes... Where's all the spirit gone?" Rainbow asked
"It never left. It's still here, it's faint, it's grass has withered, it's flowers fallen, but it still lives on in the heart of everypony, you just need to tap into it." He said
"But how do I do that?" Rainbow questioned.
"Do you enjoy giving? Do you enjoy feeling loved?" He asked Rainbow.
"Well, yeah, of course." Rainbow replied.
"If you showed other ponies how good it felt to give, how nice it was to be loved, and what a great time of year this is, they'll want to pass that onto everypony else, that's the greatest gift you can give someone for Hearth's Warming, and it's something nopony can put a price tag on." He answered.
Rainbow liked that answer.
She sat and pondered it briefly, and thanked Pax profusely. He gave her a candy cane in return for her earlier donation, and the pleasant conversation, and they departed from eachother.
Rainbow trotted down the road for a little, toward her home, deep in thought, and she spotted a slightly familiar figure walking home, head down, he looked angry, it was Star Buck.
How many times did he feel loved today? Rainbow asked herself.
She approached him, held out the candy cane Pax had given her and said,
"I hope you have a very happy Hearth's Warming."
He looked confused, a bit taken aback, after a few seconds, he slowly reached for the candy cane, unsure if it was a trick or not, he grabbed it, and spoke,
"You too." He said sounding more content.
And there Rainbow saw it, in his eyes, spirit, in the most unlikely of places.
She spread her wings, and took to the snowy sky. She flew toward her home, feeling the snow on her face.
Rainbow Dash was happy.
The End.
And every dream that here in sleeps, has a child whose heart it keeps. And now for someone elses sake, one by one those dreams awake.