//------------------------------// // A Celestial Adventure // Story: Hearth's Chilling Eve // by WritingPony //------------------------------// Diamond Tiara darted into her closet, and picked out a duffle coat. But, this was no ordinary duffle coat; it was diamond-studded, and came with gloves for the fore-hooves as standard. Even in winter, she still wanted to look her best. She trotted back out, and pensively approached Princess Celestia. “I, um.... hope this is OK. Where are we going, anyway?” The shimmering-white alicorn illuminated her horn, and the room began to dissolve slowly around them, “We’re going to jump ahead into the future a little bit. For this evening, I’m the Pony of Hearth’s Warming Present, and I want you to see how other ponies celebrate Hearth’s Warming. ” It wasn’t long before the room was entirely gone; an endless void of white now surrounded both ponies, nothingness stretching into the distance as far as the eye could see. “Why not, like, use a dream for this? Any why was Princess Cadence in my dream? We were taught in school that it’s Princess Luna who enters the dreams of ponies." Princess Celestia walked over to the filly, and brought one of her wings over her. “Luna is at Canterlot Castle. Luna and I wanted the help of my niece in this matter, and Princess Luna was able to channel her abilities to Princess Cadence. My sister now requires rest after such exertion, so I will be taking over for now." “So... where are we?” “This is a special magical dimension. It is a realm of pure energy, and it can show us anything that we need it to. Ordinarily, I would not have the power to venture here, but I have enlisted the help of a special item.” Diamond Tiara saw a glint catch her eye... and saw something that she did not notice before. Princess Celestia was wearing a gold band across her neck. Set in this band was a gem of some kind... it was green, and glowing faintly. The artifact that Princess Cadence mentioned... could that be it? Princess Celestia unfurled her wing, and using her magic to full effect, she enveloped the two of them in a magical aura. Closing her eyes in concentration, she channelled more of her magic into the surrounding aura. With a blinding flash and a cry of anguish, the world around them was transformed; the sterile white landscape was gone, replaced with a Ponyville in the throes of a winter mid-day, the sun providing little warmth against the backdrop of a fresh snowfall. Many ponies were out in force enjoying the snow, young and adult alike. Ponyville was chaotic with the sounds of laughter and play, but Diamond Tiara and Princess Celestia didn’t seem to be noticed by anyone around them. “Um, Princess... are they ignoring us?” “No. The power of the stone only allows us to watch. We cannot interfere. However, I think I know the perfect first stop for us.” The ground disappeared from view beneath them, and a new vista surrounded them. As the Diamond Tiara immediately recognised it. “Ugh. Sweet Apple Acres? I came here once on a field trip, and all I remember was that it was boring. Why are we here on some dusty old farm!?” Diamond Tiara’s patience was beginning is grow thin with this endeavour. She’d already had enough to deal with this evening, and she could do without additional emotional baggage. Princess Celestia shot Diamond Tiara a glance. Though it was silent, Diamond Tiara could feel a mental set of daggers aimed squarely at her. “We are here, because I think you should see how one of your less-wealthy friends celebrates Hearth’s Warming.” “Can I get one thing clear? If you’re talking about Apple Bloom, we are not friends. She’s an annoying, clumsy blank-flank. If you think for one second-” Princess Celestia had had enough of the softly-softly approach. With a show of magic, she levitated Diamond Tiara off the ground, and threw her squarely at the front door of the Apple family residence. Diamond Tiara’s fall wasn’t stopped by the door, and she landed in a crumpled heap on the floor. Princess Celestia soon followed, calmly making her way through the door. Diamond Tiara stood up to protest, but the princess raised a hoof, and gestured it across her muzzle, signifying that she was not interested in what Diamond Tiara had to say. “You are trying my patience little filly. Though it may not seem like it, this is being done for your own good. Now, let us see what the Apple family is up to this day." The alicorn entered what could be loosely termed a dining room, although it was closer to a workshop re-purposed as a dining room. Diamond Tiara followed closely behind her, and took note of the furnishings. The table in the centre of the room was gnarled, covered with a stained tablecloth full of holes and frayed edges. The food simple, yet nutritious; creamed spinach, mashed squash with steamed potatoes, and bread-and-butter pudding. The filly spied a glass of apple juice for Apple Bloom, and half-full glasses for the adults of what she assumed was wine from the very dusty wine bottle sitting in the middle of the table. Applejack was busy serving up food to Granny Smith, as Big Macintosh served up the food from the piles that Applejack wasn’t serving from to Apple Bloom. After making sure both mares had enough food, the two adults divided up the rest amongst them. There may have been four of them at the table, but the food was barely describable as a meal for three. Between Big Macintosh and Applejack, their helpings could barely be described as a meal for one. “Big sis... ya can have some of my food if ya want. I dun want you to go hungry 'cuz o’ me..." Applejack looked at her sister with a mix of pride and despair, “Now don’t you worry lil’ sis... me an’ Big Mac will be fine with what we have. The important thing is for you to be taken care of... I promised Ma and Pa that, and I’m keepin’ my word. Eat up now, and we can go play in the snow later on." The scene unfolding was alien to Diamond Tiara. Someone not having enough food to comfortably live on was... wrong. She wouldn’t accept it happening to her, and yet it was happening all around her. “Princess... why is this happening?” Diamond Tiara enquired. “The world can be a cruel and harsh place, my little pony. It was a poor harvest this year, and their rent was increased last month. Applejack is doing what she knows is best, and making sure that the young and the infirm are provided for, even if it is at her expense." “But then... why don’t you step in and help? If you’re seeing this... this injustice, why don’t you get off your flank and help?” Princess Celestia shot her a cold glaze, but the truth of the filly’s words were not lost on her, “Diamond Tiara, I am the ruler of this land. As much as it pains me, it’s not practical for me to help. If I were to alleviate their poverty, I would receive calls to do the same from all over Equestria; before long, the coffers of Canterlot would be bankrupt.” The princess closed her eyes, and looked wearily at Applejack, “I know that, deep down, Applejack knows that with Princess Twilight’s connection to me, she could very easily ask for help. She also knows that would be setting a bad example for Apple Bloom; Applejack views reliance on one’s family in a time of need as an important aspect of character, even if that same view inconveniences her when applied.” “I... I think I understand, princess.” After watching the scene earlier unfold, she found it hard to see Apple Bloom in the same light as before; that clumsy filly might not even have a cutie mark, but she couldn’t fault her for wanting to put her sister first. She made a mental note that, when this is all over, to invite her over so she could enjoy some real food for a change. Princess Celestia nudged Diamond Tiara with a hoof, “Our time here draws to a close. Are you ready to move on?” Diamond Tiara nodded, and Celestia closed her eyes in concentration. The now-familiar feeling of magic enveloped them, and suddenly shunted them to a new location. Princess Celestia, her magical experience showing, remained stationary. Diamond Tiara was caught off-balance by the change of scenery, and fell head-over-hoof into the snow. The princess chuckled, taking more delight than was royally appropriate in the inadvertent acrobatics. “My apologies, I forget that most non-Unicorns are not used to teleportation spells; I’ll try to keep the inertia under control next time.” Diamond Tiara shook off the snow and loose leaves, “So, where are we? I don’t recognise this part of town.” The Princess of the Sun extended a wing, and pointed to a row of houses. “Our next destination lies down here. Follow me.” Diamond Tiara did as she was told, trotting past the dilapidated row of houses in tow with Princess Celestia. These were on the outskirts of the town, and home to some of the less-wealthy ponies in town. Before long, they came to a house with a broken window, and an overflowing trash can in the front yard. Out of the blue, an orange-furred pony bolted from the door, and fled down the path at a speed that would have caused the Wonderbolts to take notice. It happened so fast, Diamond Tiara wasn’t able to recognise the pony running away. Instead, she was left with the sight of another pony at the door, seemingly intoxicated, “An’ don’t come back, y’hear!?” Princess Celestia and Diamond Tiara swapped glances, and they took off in a flash, giving chase to the pony that bolted from the house as they followed the freshly-made hoof-prints in the snow. It was several minutes before their search came to an end, the footsteps eventually deviating from the main path. Diamond Tiara poked her head around the corner, and found it to be a dead end, with wooden fencing on all sides. To the right was a cardboard box, looking decidedly damp as the snow began to melt in what passed for heat in the mid-day sun. The princess extended a wing, and pointed to the box. “This is for you to see, my little pony.” Diamond Tiara approached the rotting box, and heard sounds of what she could have sworn were from someone she knew. They were not happy sounds, that much she could be sure of. She spotted an opening, and bent down low to look up into the box. It was dark, but faint glimmers of sunlight reflected off the snow, and revealed enough of the pony’s features for Diamond Tiara to be be sure of who resided within. It was Scootaloo, her back turned to the opening. Diamond Tiara might not have been able to see her face, but the sobs of anguish coming from the box told a story that words would have difficulty telling in its place. Like nearly every pony in the village, she’d heard rumours and snippets about Scootaloo’s home life, but it was never a subject her... friends brought up in earshot. Princess Celestia walked up to Diamond Tiara, and extended a wing around her. The filly reflexively tried to reach out to Scootaloo, but her hoof passed through her as if she were air. She looked up at the alicorn, “Wh-.. why is she crying, Princess?” It wasn’t an easy question to answer, despite Princess Celestia’s centuries of experience. “Remember that well-stocked table, and the presents under the tree back at home? Well... imagine not having that. The one thing I wanted to show you more than anything else this evening was how incredibly lucky you are to have what you have. There are some ponies for whom life hasn’t been as kind." “B-but... my f-father..." she stammered “... I found out this evening that he wanted me to be the meanest pony possible." “Your father, in his own way, still cares for you, enough at least to want you to inherit his fortune. Instead of eagerly awaiting your father’s return every evening, imagine for a moment what it must be like to fear that moment. Not a simple ‘I’m not looking forward to this evening’, but a ‘What will he do to me this evening?’." “Y-you, you mean... “ Celestia nodded her head in grim acknowledgement, “For all your father’s faults, he sees you as his daughter first, and reciprocates the trust you place in him. Not necessarily your trust that he won’t tell other ponies your secrets, but your trust that he will protect you from the outside world, and that he... won’t take advantage of your trust." Diamond Tiara was aghast, and carelessly stumbled backward in a state of mild shock. Eventually, she lost her balance, and her flank landed squarely in a patch of snow. Something came floating to the surface of her mind; it felt like a memory. Or was it a dream? She closed her eyes as she grabbed the intruding thought. She was in her dorm room back at boarding school, in her bunk. Looking around, she remembered that it was night-time. She heard the reception door open downstairs, and curiously made her way to the door; visitors at this hour were unusual at best. She put her ear to the gap in the door, and heard a conversation in the hallway downstairs. She couldn’t recall the words, but she remembered something... she was afraid. The pleasantries ended, and hoofsteps slowly ascended the stairs; she hurriedly made her way back to her bed, and began to feign sleep. The door’s creaking hinges protested as somepony made an unwelcome intrusion into her personal space. Peeking out from half-closed eyes, the moonlight from the window illuminated the features of a stallion standing in her doorway. Frozen in fear, she remembered closing her eyes, but still the stallion crept forward. She felt... Diamond Tiara opened her eyes and took in a sharp breath, her heart racing. Princess Celestia approached her with a look of genuine concern, “Is something the matter, my little pony?” She couldn’t mention it now. She had to be sure. “I’m... I’m fine. Can we go now?” “I have one more thing to show you." said Princess Celestia. With a swift hoof smack to the ground, the landscape around them sped away, shortly to be replaced by another location. “I believe you know of this place.” Diamond Tiara turned around, and immediately recognised the building, “It’s Carousel Boutique. I was here a month ago for work experience in dress-making. It, um... it didn’t go well. There’s something inside you want me to see, right?” The alicorn nodded, and flexed one of wings in the direction of the door. Remembering what happened last time, Diamond Tiara approached the door voluntarily, and apprehensively made her way through it. Stepping inside into the shop, she made her way to the workroom, suddenly aware of various aromas hitting her nose. Stepping into the room, she spied a large, round table with an immaculate white tablecloth. On the table were various foodstuffs, each seemingly crafted with care and an eye for detail. Two ponies were seated, and Diamond Tiara recognised both of them. “Sweetie Belle, you haven’t touched your cauliflower tart. I spent all morning making that.” pouted Rarity, as she tucked in to her tart, eyeing up the Pineapple Fritters in the middle of the table, meant for dessert later. Diamond Tiara didn’t even acknowledge Rarity talking, but instead looked at Sweetie Belle. She... just stared at her food. Diamond Tiara didn’t understand. A nice house, a sister willing to cook for her, and tasty food. What was there to not be happy about? Rarity looked back over at Sweetie Belle, putting her fork back neatly on the table with her horn. “Sweetie Belle... is something the matter, darling? You’re not normally this... morose.” Sweetie Belle sighed, and got up from the table, “I, um... I need some time to think, Rarity. Can I go upstairs? I’m... just not hungry right now.” Rarity simply nodded, and tutted to herself about foals and hormones. Diamond Tiara tilted her head at Princess Celestia, with a curious look, “Is... is something wrong?” The princess looked to the stairs leading up, “Perhaps it is best that you follow her.” Diamond Tiara wasn’t sure what she was going to find, but her stomach tied a knot in itself. The voice inside her spoke up, and told her that this was none of her concern, that what happens in Sweetie Belle’s life was unimportant. She thought back to that letter she found in her father’s study, and remembered how violated she felt. If ponies she trusted were out to sabotage her... well, it was hard to think of enemies, real or imagined, who would act worse than that. For all the annoyance that Sweetie Belle and her friends caused around the town, she had to concede that they at least felt genuine. She had only one real friend in town, and that was Silver Spoon. She thought back to her days playing with her, and gossiping about how lame some ponies were during recess. An idea struck her, like a lightning bolt would a tree; what if Silver Spoon was... just an echo in a cave? She agreed with everything that Diamond Tiara said, even encouraging her sometimes. What if... No. Such a thought was unthinkable. She didn’t want to think that Silver Spoon was... in cahoots with her father. She snapped her mind back to reality, and pushed that idea away for now. Looking up the stairs, she made her way up, and saw a door close from across the hall. Taking a deep breath, she walked through the elaborate door, and found herself in a modestly-decorated room. Sweetie Belle was on her bed looking out of the window, a forlorn look on her face. Diamond Tiara still didn’t get it. Apple Bloom was sad because her sister wasn’t eating properly, indirectly because of her. Scootaloo wasn’t happy because of her dire home life. But Sweetie Belle... by all accounts, she should be happy. Overjoyed, even. I think I’m missing something here. Diamond Tiara approached the filly’s desk, and saw what looked like a journal. The near-perfect handwriting was a testament to her magic lessons with Princess Twilight. She felt slightly awkward reading someone’s private monologue, but she rationalised that there was no other choice. It’s not like I can ask her... and even if I could, I doubt she would tell me anything personal. The face-up journal entry had been written the previous day, presumably left open to the air to let the ink dry properly. Tuesday 30th I told my school counsellor about what happened last week... and she said that I should write it in my journal. She said that it would help me... I came out of class, and on my way to recess Diamond Tiara came up and forced me into the gap next to the classroom. She overheard my sister telling me off for ruining a dress I was helping her make. She asked me what the point of me was, that I couldn’t do anything right, and that everyone was better off without me around. I went back to the shop after school, and tried to help Rarity with a new design she was working on. I wanted to make her happy, she’s been stressed a lot lately. I accidentally managed to mix up two thread colours, and ruined two very expensive silk dresses. When she noticed, she lost her temper at me. She said that I couldn’t even perform one simple task correctly, and that she wanted me out of her sight. Maybe Diamond Tiara was right... would the world really be better off without me? All I seem to do is mess things up. Even my sister can see that. Diamond Tiara heard soft hoofsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw the regal frame of Princess Celestia looking down at her, “How does it feel?” Diamond Tiara struggled to find words, “How... how does what feel, princess?” “How does it feel to know that you’ve caused such suffering? Are you happy that your words struck home?” The filly took several clumsy steps back, “What! I- No! I was angry that day! I’d... failed a spelling bee in Canterlot the day before, and I... I don’t know what I was thinking, okay?!” Diamond Tiara turned to look at Sweetie Belle on the bed; her eyes were devoid of anything positive, and her tail was coiled close to her body. The princess walked slowly to the bed, “She doesn’t crave being the best, and doesn’t feel she has to impress anypony. All she wants is acceptance, for who she is; flaws, merits and everything in-between. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo accept her without question, and in return, she shares the magic of friendship with them.” The alicorn cast a spell, and a large black hole appeared under the now-startled filly, “It’s time now for you to return. Expect us again when the clock chimes three.” The hole spawned several leafy tendrils, and they ensnared the now-terrified foal. Her protests were muted, as they dragged her down into the abyss.