The snow covering the ground crunched beneath Rainbow Dash's hooves. It fell from the sky in little dots, and she tried her best to avoid the trees. Never trust trees during winter. She had learned that the hard way when Apple Jack had kicked a tree while she was standing underneath it, sending all the branches shuddering and dumping the snow on top of her. Luckily she didn't have that bad of a cold, but Applejack still cracked up as usual.
She was on her way to Twilight's house, where they were decorating for Hearth's Warming, the annual holiday where ponies would give presents to each other. On the right side of her saddlebag she wore was filled with lights, some wreaths, a precious glass star that they would put on the center of Twilight's dinner table, and a few other decorations. On the left was a sack of flour, a bag of sugar, wooden spoons, and measuring cups. Twilight had the other ingredients, bowls, and other baking supplies at her house, but she needed these.
Rainbow Dash approached the large tree and knocked on the door, dodging just in time to escape being pelted with the snow that fell off a stray branch. She should get that trimmed, Rainbow Dash thought. After a few seconds and a crash, the door opened to a messy-haired Pinkie Pie. "Hi!" she greeted her excitedly, opening the door wider so she could step in. The floor of the tree was covered in decorations and wrappers, and Rainbow Dash could tell that Pinkie Pie had been eating some-correction-a lot of sweets.
Twilight, who was standing on the stairs, a wreath around her neck, said, "Sorry about the mess. It's been kinda, um...chaotic since she got here." she pointed to Pinkie Pie, who bounced over to the table in the middle of the room and popped a doughnut in her mouth, smothering the chocolate all over her face.
"I can see that." Rainbow Dash responded, setting down the bags. "Are the others here?"
As if in answer, Rarity ran out of the kitchen, Winona, Applejack's dog, racing after her. "No, bad dog! Bad dog!" she screamed, running straight to Rainbow Dash. "Darling, get this monster away from me!"
Winona came to an abrupt stop and barked, wagging her tail. Rainbow Dash realized that Rarity had a piece of cake stuck on her shoulder, and she swatted it off. Winona ate it whole and barked again. "There, you good now?" Winona waged her tail and sped off towards the kitchen to cause more havoc. "What's Winona doing here?"
Twilight shrugged. "I told Applejack to leave her at home, but does she ever listen to me? No." She continued down the rest of the stairs and picked her way towards Rainbow Dash. She looked through the bags and smiled with glee. "Ooh, goodie! You brought everything I've asked for!" She grabbed them and hurried to the kitchen where Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were baking cookies. "Here you go. Rainbow Dash brought the rest." Twilight set the bags down but pulled them back up in an instant, just in time to avoid Pinkie Pie launching herself at them. "Pinkie! Stop!" she looked at Fluttershy. "How much sugar has she eaten?"
"Um...well, let's just say about the entire kitchen." Fluttershy responded.
Twilight's eyes widened. "Pinkie! I told you to only eat one piece of candy an hour, so this wouldn't happen!" she pointed to the empty jars that used to hold delicious candy, now holding a few wrappers. "And this!" she turned and pointed towards the messy house behind her. "That used to be clean! Now what do we do? I don't have any time to go and get more!"
"I'll go!" Rainbow Dash volunteered.
"So will Ah'!" Applejack, who had come from upstairs, said.
Twilight sighed in relief. "Thanks, guys. Just get these." she tossed them a list, and Rainbow Dash silently thanked the Princesses. It was rare to get a small list from Twilight, but then again, she did have small hoofwriting on this one.
"We'll be back before you can say 'howdy, this is quite a mess here!'" Applejack said, saluting to the purple unicorn. Rainbow Dash followed her out the door, speeding out the tree, just in case Applejack had the urge to prank her again.
"I still haven't forgiven you." Rainbow Dash said when Applejack stood next to her. Applejack laughed and looked at the list.
"Let's go to Sugarcube Corner to get these." Applejack started towards the brightly colored shop, while Rainbow Dash flew ahead to look at the Hearth's Warming Day lights. They were always beautiful this time of year, and Rainbow Dash had to admit, she admired the ponies who did them. But this year, there was something she hadn't noticed before. Inside the houses were trees, decorated with lights and ornaments, tinsel and garland, and at the top a beautiful star. Beneath the tree were dozens of presents, and in some houses the little fillies and colts pranced around it happily.
Hmm, maybe we should have one of those. That would be cool! she thought, gliding down softly next to Applejack. "Hey, Applejack. Have you ever have a tree for Hearth's Warming Day?"
Applejack looked as if someone had just stabbed her. "'Course not! Ah' would never cut down one of mah' trees! What made you think of that?"
"Well, ponies have trees inside their houses, and they put presents underneath them. It just seems, holidayish." Rainbow Dash shrugged and tried to trip Applejack with her hoof. It worked, and the orange mare fell flat on her face.
"Hey, that ain't fair!" Applejack said angrily as she stood back up, wiping the snow from her face.
"Vengeance is sweet!" Rainbow Dash laughed evilly, punching the air with her hoof. "Come on, let's go get that candy." She helped Applejack get the rest of the snow off, then lead her down the street, still laughing.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash burst through the door, each holding many bags full of candy. Twilight, who had been working on putting lights up around the house, stopped what she was doing and used her magic to pick up the bags. "I wish we had that." Rainbow Dash muttered to Applejack.
"Thanks guys. Now, all I need is-" Twilight started to say, only to be cut off by Rainbow Dash.
"Wait!" she yelled.
"Yes, Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Well, I just thought we could go get a tree for the holidays."
"Rainbow, you know we don't need a tree! We have a tree right here!" Twilight waved her arms around her house.
"Yes, I know. But an actual tree, like, one that we can put presents under."
Applejack nodded. "It does seem like a good idea."
"Thanks." Rainbow Dash whispered.
"Okay, but where would we get one?" Twilight asked.
"We could find one! In fact, just cut one down from outside!" Rainbow Dash's excitement was rising, and she nearly broke the door when she flew out of it at her top speed.
"Rainbow, wait!" Twilight cried, but it was too late. The blue pegasus was already speeding down the street. "Ugh, I guess we have no choice."
Applejack shrugged.
"What are you doing?!" a stallion cried. Rainbow Dash was busy hacking away at a tree with an ax somepony had left on the side of their house.
"Getting a-ugh!-a Hearth's Warming tree!" Rainbow Dash said through the ax.
"You're not supposed to chop down trees in Ponyville!" he yelled, grabbing the other end of the ax.
Rainbow Dash pulled back. "Well, where did you get yours?"
"The shop, but they're out! Give me my ax!" the stallion pulled harder, ripping it out of her mouth.
"Where can I get another one?!" Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and tried to grab the ax again, but he pulled it away.
"I don't know! Try the Everfree Forest for all I care! Just leave my ax alone!" the stallion turned and huffed into his house, wiping the ax clean.
Twilght and Applejack came racing to Rainbow Dash's side. "Well, did you get one?" Twilight asked, looking over her shoulder and around her. "Where is it?"
"We have to get one in the Everfree Forest." Rainbow Dash responded regretfully.
There was silence for a few seconds. Then Applejack started to speak quietly. "Rainbow, I always knew your ideas were dumb, but, seriously? The Everfree Forest? Come on!"
"No, we can just get one from the edge of the forest!"
"It's too dangerous! I'm not going!" Applejack protested, stamping her hoof on the ground.
"Yeah, Rainbow. It's too dangerous. I'm not going either." Twilight said a little more calmly.
"I'll go!"
Rainbow Dash nearly fell when the eager voice came from behind her. She turned to see Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle standing behind her.
"So will Ah'!" Apple Bloom said, moving to the front with Scootaloo.
"Me too!" Sweetie Belle's little voice squeaked.
"Apple Bloom! What are you doin' here, sugarcube?" Applejack asked her little sister. "You are not agreeing to this madness!"
"Ah' am, and you can't stop me!" Apple Bloom argued, racing to Rainbow Dash.
"You can't stop me either!" Scootaloo followed Apple Bloom, standing underneath the blue pegasus.
"Yeah, me too!" Sweetie Belle stood by Apple Bloom's side.
Rainbow Dash looked at them in triumph. "Hah, you see? You're outnumbered!"
"Rainbow, I still think-" Rainbow Dash cut Twilight off again.
"Come on, Cutie Mark Crusaders! Let's find the perfect tree!" Rainbow Dash started leading the little fillies towards the forest.
"Yeah, tree-finding cutie marks!" Scootaloo cheered, looking at her flank.
"We'll find a better tree!" Applejack called after them.
"You're on!" Rainbow Dash yelled, flying back to hoofbump her.
After they had gone, Twilight leaned closer to Applejack. "Where in Equestria are we going to find a decent tree?"
Applejack smirked. "Trust me, Ah' know exactly where."
"What about this one?" Scootaloo asked, literally ramming herself into a tree.
"No, too old-looking." Rainbow Dash, who was looking over them, said.
"What about this one?" Sweetie Belle pointed to a small tree-correction-a twig of a tree.
Rainbow Dash didn't say anything, just shook her head.
"What about this one?" Apple Bloom stood by a giant tree, it's roots spreading across most of the land they had already covered.
This had gone on for about an hour, and Rainbow Dash was about to explode.
"This one!" Scootaloo raced to the next tree.
"No."
"This one!"
"No."
"This-" Scootaloo tripped over a root. "This one!"
"No."
"This one!"
"You're just guessing now!"
"This one!"
"Ugh! Let me find it!" Rainbow Dash flew deeper into the forest, leaving the fillies to argue about which tree was better. Why did I have to bring them along? Rainbow Dash thought, mentally smacking herself. She inspected ever tree she passed, but none of them were good enough. Just when she was about to give up, she spotted it. Gleaming beautifully of green, perfect height, perfect size, perfect everything. "Guys, come here! I think I found it!" The fillies were there in less than a second, it felt like.
"Awesome! Good work ponies!" Scootaloo hoofbumped her group. "Come on, let's cut it down!"
They started away with their axes and a saw, which Rainbow Dash held. The tree was down after a few minutes, and they started lugging it away.
Meanwhile, Applejack and Twilight were already almost done decorating their tree. They had to agree, it was the perfect tree, and Rainbow Dash would most certainly be surprised when she saw it.
Rainbow Dash and the CMC kicked open the door, dragging the tree in with them. "Alright, Twilight! Let's see who has the best tree!"
There was laughing upstairs, then Twilight came down, the wreath around her neck again. "Alright, you win the-"
"Yes!" Rainbow Dash flew around the house in joy, nearly knocking down the lights that were hung.
"Wait! You didn't let me finish!" Twilight called, and Rainbow Dash landed, her eyes still glittering with happiness. "I was going to say, alright, you win the contest for being the latest."
"We never agreed to that!" Rainbow Dash shrieked.
"Well, come see our tree." Twilight waved them upstairs. Rainbow Dash's mouth flew open, as did the filly's. It was the perfect tree, covered with beautiful lights, ornaments, tinsel and garland, everything Rainbow Dash had imagined but better. "What do you think?"
"It's...it's...it's amazing!" Scootaloo said first, racing underneath it, turning each present over and over to see which ones were for her. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle followed her, doing the same.
"They're right, it is amazing. The best tree in fact!" Rainbow Dash said, though she hated to admit it.
Twilight grinned. "Come on, let's go get some hot chocolate."
When they were all settled down, and the others had put their presents under the tree, Rainbow Dash had gotten another "brilliant idea".
"Hey, Applejack." She said, looking to where the orange mare was placing her last present under the tree.
"Yep?"
"I think I can decorate the tree better than you."
Applejack looked up, a sparkle in her eye. "You're on!"
And while Rainbow Dash raced downstairs with the fillies to get her tree, and Applejack started taking the decorations off their tree, Twilight put her hoof on her face, shaking her head slowly. And this is why we never have a tree for the holidays.