Fluttershy smiled at Angel and grabbed the food for her little bunny. She poured some and watched the snow outside fall.
"It looks so pretty... do you want to play outside after you're done, Angel?" she asked, turning to the bunny. Angel shook his head and continued eating. Fluttershy smiled and went to the door, putting on a scarf and boots.
"Angel, I want to go out and see the snow, are you sure you don't want to come?" Fluttershy questioned, making sure that's what he wanted. Angel nodded and went back to eating as Fluttershy went outside. She could go see her friends. But... Twilight was in Canterlot with family, for Hearth's Warming Eve, Rarity too... Pinkie went back to the rock farm... Rainbow Dash went to Cloudsdale to see her family...
Applejack was still there, but Fluttershy doubted that Applejack would want to see her. She was with family, Fluttershy is not family. Fluttershy sighed and began walking to the center of Ponyville. All the shops were closed and Fluttershy shivered a bit.
"Where's my family...?" Fluttershy said to herself. She wasn't sure. She had never really seen them after the race in flight school. Sure, she had been in Cloudsdale, but she had never thought about seeing them. Had they even thought of her? Fluttershy sighed and walked further along the snow covered path. The cold air nipped at her ears and she shook a bit. Fluttershy began to think of her parents more. She could barely remember them. As she thought of them booming color and warm laughter popped into her head. A voice as sweet as honey said, "Come dear, it's time...".
Time for what, Fluttershy wondered. The memories faded quickly and she was back in the cold weather, standing in snow. Fluttershy stretched her wings. How long of a trip would it be to Cloudsdale? Fluttershy scrunched up her nose with a small sigh. No, they would've found her by now if they wanted her... The yellow pegasus kept on walking, looking down at the ground. It didn't take too long before she was sniffling as she walked. And then soon crying a bit as she trudged forth.
Fluttershy wiped her eyes with her wings and continued walking. Would anyone even care if she left? Her parents didn't... Flittershy sighed and lifted her head up to see... and ran into a tree. She fell back as she swore she saw stars circling around her head.
"Fluttershy? Are ya alright?" a voice said. Fluttershy thought of who it could be. The voice sounded like a friend's but she didn't know if she had heard in correctly.
"I-I'm fine... just dizzy..." she mumbled out. Fluttershy looked up at the pony and saw Applejack.
"Ya sure, sugarcube?" Applejack asked, obviously concerned.
"...I'm just sad..." Fluttershy murmured.
"Over what?" Applejack asked, pulling Fluttershy to her hooves.
"The holiday's don't put me in the best mood..." she said quietly.
Applejack looked at her curiously, "And why's that?"
Fluttershy sighed. "...I don't have a family to celebrate with..."
"Well why didn't ya say, sugarcube! Your friends are your family! C'mon!" Applejack said, pulling her along.
"Y-you really don't have t-" Fluttershy got cut off and was soon pulled to Sweet Apple Acres.
Applejack pulled her into the house with a grin. "Granny! Big Mac! Applebloom! We got a guest with us here tonight!"
Fluttershy blushed as Applebloom ran up to her. "Hey Fluttershy! What are ya doin' here? Are ya gonna celebrate with us?"
"U-uh..."
"Darn right she is!" Applejack grinned. Big Mac walked over, a small smile on his face.
"Good tah have company," he said quietly.
"Well said, Mac!" Applejack said, grinning at her brother.
Fluttershy gave a sheepish smile and was about to say something about having to leave before smelling the air. It smelt like apple pies and the whole house was warm while it was cold outside. It felt like... like a big hug of some sort.
"The pie smells good..." she mumbled out instead.
"'Course it does! Granny made it!" Applebloom chimed in, "Granny makes the best pies ever! That's a hyperbole! Cheerilee taught me that," she added with a giggle.
Applejack laughed, "It ain't a hyperbole if it's the truth!"
Fluttershy nervously laughed and smiled. There was just so much... warmth in the air. A big fuzzy feeling came over her. Her heart cried out, "home".
"Fluttershy? Did ya hear me?" Applejack said, waving a hoof in front of her.
"Huh?"
"Do ya want some pie?"
"Oh uh, sure!" Fluttershy said, not being able to help but grin. As the night went on, the fuzzy feeling continued. She had never celebrated like this before. Sure, there had been the play and all, but everything about this was absolutely amazing. The pie tasted really good too. That and the fuzzy feeling together, it felt great. Fluttershy smiled as a record player came on playing some old carols. Big Mac pulled her up to dance and she blushed and danced with him. They then went on to play some games and soon it was 11:00.
"Applebloom, time for bed!" Applejack called out. Applebloom sighed and huffed, going upstairs. Big Mac followed to go to bed as well, rather tired from the night's excursions. Applejack smiled at her before asking a question.
"Now what were ya all sniffly about outside?" she asked.
Fluttershy went silent before explaining to Applejack what had happened to her as a filly. Applejack's eyes widened and she bit her lip.
"Aw, sugarcube, I'm sure they looked fer ya!"
"I doubt it..."
Applejack lifted her head. "Ya know, even if you don't have a real "family" ya got us, and Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight..."
Fluttershy gave a small smile and hugged her. "I know."
This was home. Home was whenever she was with friends.