The morning light beamed in through the window, gently striking the covers of the bed and waking the sleeping mare beneath the sheets. A pink head shot up from the pillow, a bright grin on her face as she eagerly welcomed the morning. Pinkie Pie pushed open the window, grinning wildly.
“Good morning, Canterlot Academy!” she yelled at the top of her lungs, as she had done every morning since arriving at the Academy. She bolted around her dorm room, preparing herself for another busy day, getting in a quick shower, briefly running a brush through her uncontrollable mane, brushing her teeth, and then stopping to go through her schedule for the day. The wild earth pony beamed as she went through it.
She happily grabbed her saddlebags, full of all the required items for education, plus a few surprises in case she bumped into any sad, depressed, angry, or otherwise upset ponies between classes. As she was about to leave her room, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she froze when she saw what it was.
Her calendar read December 20th.
“Oh…”
-o-
It was the final day of the first semester! Students and faculty eagerly awaited this day so that they could have those long-awaited two weeks off from the chains of doing homework and the monotonous task of grading said homework. The halls were abuzz with the excited chatter of the students as they stuffed saddlebags with things from their lockers. Twilight walked through the halls of the Academy on her way to her first class, and she watched the commotion with only a vague interest. Unlike most of the other students, she didn’t plan to be lax in her studies over the next two weeks. Studying was a constant endeavor that shouldn’t be allowed to fall by the wayside. Ponies tended to forget the material they learned if they didn’t constantly keep it fresh in their minds, and Twilight was proud of the fact that she could memorize and repeat difficult equations and theories on the spot when prompted.
Still, she supposed she would take a break for one day at least. Hearth’s Warming Day was less than a week away, and she did plan to spend the day with her brother and maybe Cadence. The three of them would share a nice meal (she and Cadence had both told Shining Armor firmly that corn dogs were not an acceptable meal for the holiday) and enjoy each other’s company. Hearth’s Warming Day used to be a favorite holiday of hers when she was little, but after the loss of her parents, she never felt that same joy again. It was supposed to be a holiday of family bonding and warm tidings, but…
She shook her head. Now was not the time to think on that. It was time for class.
As she made her way down the hall, somepony bumped into her, startling her. She turned to scold whoever had been so careless, only to step away at an odd sight. “Oh, good morning, Pinkie.”
The pink mare only grunted in response as she brushed some hair from her eyes. Her normally wild and poofy mane was now flat and almost lifeless, as was her tail. There was an awkward silence between the two mares for a few moments.
“Uh… Did… you do something different with your mane?” Twilight asked in an attempt to strike up a small conversation.
“Don’t you have a class to get to?” Pinkie said in an uncharacteristically unfriendly manner. She stormed off in a fit, leaving the lavender unicorn to stare in befuddlement.
‘What just happened?’
She shrugged it off for now. Maybe Pinkie was just having a bad day? Twilight was certainly no stranger to ill-met mornings herself. Doubtless, by the time lunch came around, Pinkie would be back to her normal (“normal” being used very loosely) self like nothing had happened.
-o-
Unfortunately, it was not to be. As Twilight sat at the table with her other friends, Pinkie sat away from them, sitting at a the end of the table and making no attempts to speak to any of them. Everyone at the table gave small chat, but even Twilight felt the awkwardness of the situation. Throughout the whole of the semester, Pinkie would be the one leading any conversation, sharing tall tales and telling jokes, all in an effort to cheer them up and make them smile. This unusual quietness was unsettling to everyone who knew her.
“Sooo… What’s everypony gonna do over the winter break?” Rainbow asked, stealing quick glances at the pink mare at the end of the table.
“Ah’m headin’ home for the winter,” Applejack said, after a final glance at Pinkie. “Haven’t seen mah family in months, and Ah’m gonna make the most of it.”
“Same here,” Wanderer added, taking a bite of his hay burger. “Though, I’m heading to Greensborough. Mom’s gonna cook me the biggest dinner ever when I get home, and I’m going to enjoy every bite.”
That did bring a few snickers at the earth pony’s expense. “You do seem to enjoy your meals, Wanderer,” Rarity quipped, taking an offered napkin from Charles. “Still, it certainly will be good to see my family again. Sweetie Belle will be so excited to see her big sister again after so long.” She looked at Rainbow with a curious tilt of her head. “What of you, Rainbow Dash?”
The cyan mare smiled. “I’ll be heading home to my dad’s place. Scootaloo’s been writing to me constantly, wanting to show me some new tricks she’s learned on her scooter. Gotta be there watch her strut her stuff, you know?”
Fluttershy smiled warmly. “How’s she doing, by the way?”
“She’s doing fine. Still trying to find her cutie mark like any other kid her age.” Rainbow smiled faintly. “She actually reminds me of me at that age. Trying everything to find it and falling on my face a lot.” She then shrugged. “She’ll find it soon enough. I know she will.”
“What about you, Fluttershy?” Rarity asked.
The pegasus hid behind her bangs some as she was addressed. “Oh, I’ll be staying on campus. My family’s not really expecting me. Which is fine. They know I’m doing okay here.”
The others nodded to her answer, but Rainbow gave her long-time friend a knowing look before the conversation moved on.
Rarity moved the next pony in line. “Flash?”
He shrugged idly. “The same as Fluttershy. I’ve… got an uncle back home in Manehattan. No other family, but we’re not really that close.” Some of the mares gave him looks of concern. “We don’t hate each other, if that’s what you’re wondering. Just a lot of baggage, that’s all. Very personal baggage.” The others nodded in understanding. The young pegasus stallion clearly didn’t want to talk about it.
Rarity turned towards Trixie. “Will you be returning home for the holiday, Trixie?”
The blue unicorn nodded. “Yes, I will. My family is rather large, and we get together on my family’s estate.” She gave Twilight a sly grin. “ I’ve tried inviting Twilight and her family often but she keeps refusing for some reason.”
Twilight muttered. “You know your family prefers to spend the holiday with family only. The one time you did manage to talk them into it, you and I got in so much trouble that they didn’t want us back.”
Trixie winced. “The flour incident.”
Twilight nodded firmly. “The very same.”
“Even so, that was years ago. I’m sure they’re over it by now.”
The purple unicorn shook her head firmly, and her friend sighed in defeat.
Twilight saw the question coming and answered before Rarity could ask. “Anyway, I’ll be staying on campus, too. Having the room to myself for a change will actually give me the quiet for studying—”
“Egghead,” Rainbow muttered, which caused most of the others to laugh.
“—but I’ll spend Hearth’s Warming Day with my brother Shining Armor.”
Trixie snorted. “Is he going to cook corn dogs for dinner again?”
Twilight’s expression went flat, her eyes practically blazing in hate. “No.”
At the mention of the holiday, Pinkie spat in disgust and turned away from her friends.
They all shared concerned looks before Rarity tried to draw the normally-chipper mare into the conversation. “Pinkie, what about you, darling? Are you going to see your family?”
A scowl crossed Pinkie’s face. “No.”
Everyone at the table was taken aback at the venom in her tone. “Pinkie?” Twilight asked in concern.
“Just leave me alone.”
Rainbow furrowed her brow and stood roughly from the table. “What’s the matter with you, Pinkie? This isn’t like you at all.”
Pinkie glared back at the pegasus, and Rainbow stepped back reflexively at the harshness in Pinkie’s sky-blue eyes. “And just what do you know about me, Rainbow Dash?”
“It’s just that—”
“I said leave me alone.”
Applejack gave the other earth mare a concerned look. “Pinkie, ya can’t still be—”
With a growl, she stood up, kicking her stool away, and stormed out of the cafeteria. Any other students who saw her coming quickly scrambled out of the way.
Her sudden departure took them all by surprise, Twilight herself unable believe what she had just witnessed. Pinkie had always been so happy, so carefree and bouncy. She was always looking out for other ponies and trying to make their day a bit better by making them smile. She was airheaded at times, but never once had she ever been like this.
Rainbow growled in frustration as she sat back down. “What is wrong with that mare?”
Twilight looked to Applejack as the farm pony watched after their departing friend with a sad look. “Applejack, what did you mean? What happened to Pinkie Pie to make her like this?”
The mare adjusted her hat, looking at Twilight. “Please, ya’ll, don’t get too mad at her. She’s… had a rough time.”
Rarity nodded. “She gets like this every year around this time. It’s… rather unnerving, in honesty.”
“I’ll say,” Wanderer said with raised eyebrow. “What happened to her to make her like that this time of year?”
Applejack and Rarity looked to each other for a moment, silently deliberating whether or not they should talk about something that Pinkie herself clearly wasn’t willing to talk about. “Well…” Applejack trailed off, then sighed. “Her family gets… rough this time o’ year.”
“Wh-what do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, a bit afraid of the answer.
Rainbow scowled fiercely. “Her parents aren’t those type of jerks who hurt their own kids, are they?”
Rarity shook her head. “Oh, no, nothing of the sort! You see, her parents own a quarry.” She sighed. “Which Pinkie keeps insisting on calling a ‘rock farm.’ Anyway, as you can guess, working a quarry requires a lot of outdoor labor, but that’s almost impossible this time of year. Far too cold for working outside.”
“Her parents pretty much live for workin’,” Applejack continued. “With no work durin’ the winter, they get awful depressed, and… well… misery loves company an’ all that. They argue all the time ‘round the holidays, and Pinkie an’ her sisters always ended up gettin’ involved in one way or another. There’s a lotta hate for Hearth’s Warmin’ in her family, and seein’ ponies happy on the holidays only makes ‘em angrier.”
“B-but why would they be angry?” Fluttershy asked, her eyes saddened by what she heard. “Hearth’s Warming is a time to be happy with family and friends.”
“Nopony wants to work a mine on the holidays, darling,” Rarity explained. “Nopony except for Pinkie Pie’s parents. A regular pair of workaholics, they are.”
Twilight frowned, still unable to believe what she was hearing. “So her family has turned one of the nicest holidays we have into something so horrible that she doesn’t even smile during?”
The two nodded slowly. “In all the time Ah’ve known Pinkie, not once have Ah ever seen her happy during the Hearth’s Warmin’ season.”
Rarity nodded to Applejack. “Indeed. It is saddening to see her like this.”
The conversation at the table had died down and each thought of how difficult it must be for their usually happy friend. Finally, Wanderer looked between them all before he broke the silence.
“So, Twilight, did you ever get a chance to look at that spell I found?”
While Trixie shot a look his way, Twilight smiled faintly. “I did. Trixie and I both worked with it a week or so ago. Apparently, the scroll contained a spell that could allow a pony to traverse into a plane of existence known as the Dreamscape.”
“The what now?” Rainbow asked.
“The Dreamscape. A place that allows a pony to look into the realm of dreams,” Trixie supplied before she looked at Twilight. “It really wasn’t a place one should take lightly.”
Twilight nodded slowly in agreement. “I can only remember bits and pieces of what I saw, but I do remember that it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.”
Trixie looked away for a moment. “Yeah…”
Fluttershy looked at her with concern. “Are you okay, Trixie?”
She nodded, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. “I am, just… thinking about Pinkie Pie.”
The pegasus nodded before Wanderer spoke again. “So what’d you with the scroll?”
Twilight took another bite of her lunch before answering. “I had to return it to the library. I could only keep it for so long.”
Wanderer sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I would’ve loved to have seen the place. I bet there are a ton of things to see there.”
“And some you don’t,” Trixie mumbled.
Rarity turned to regard her curiously. “What did you say, dear?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Getting back to Pinkie Pie. Though she’s had it bad before, it doesn’t mean she can’t have a good Hearth’s Warming Day now.” Twilight looked towards Fluttershy and Flash. “Can you guys think of anything that we could do to help her?”
The two took on thoughtful looks.
“Well… we could always have a get together on campus, just for her. If we show her that she can have fun even during a time she’s always thought to be awful, she could be happy again.” Fluttershy offered after a moment.
Flash nodded in agreement. “I agree with Fluttershy. Pinkie’s always loved putting smiles on ponies’ faces. I think it’s time we help put one on hers.”
Twilight pondered on that a moment and finally nodded. “It sounds like a good idea to me. We’ll need to start brainstorming on what we could do for her.”
Applejack looked between the three for a moment before she sighed somewhat sadly. “Wish Ah could stay and help, Twi, but…” She shrugged helplessly.
Twilight nodded in full understanding. “It’s all right, Applejack. You have family, I understand,” she said to the mare and the others who also had similar looks.
“Thank you for your understanding, darling.” Rarity nodded thankfully to her.
Twilight looked back at the two with a determined smile. “All right, so, how are we going to get the old Pinkie back?”
-o-
Sunset mulled over the news as the stallion relayed the information to her. It seemed as if that no-good Sparkle was going to remain on campus, and she would also be bereft of most of her friends—including that annoying Lulamoon.
She turned her glare back on the stallion as he finished talking. “So, she’ll be without her friends over the winter break. Is that all you have to tell me?”
He couldn’t hold his gaze against hers. “I think that’s all that’s important. If you’re going to do anything, now would be the time.”
Her muzzle turned down in a scowl. “I still have nothing to work on to get back at her with. Has she done nothing these past weeks that I could use?”
He shook his head. “No, nothing that I—” He turned his head to the side suddenly as if struck with a thought.
“What?” she demanded.
He frowned softly, hesitant to speak. “I’m not sure if it counts or anything…”
“Out with it,” she snapped.
He huffed, taking on a look of irritation. “Well, not long ago, one of her friends, Wanderer, I think, found some sort of magic scroll that let her go to someplace called the Dreamscape. I’m not sure what that’s about, but she said what she saw was something that shouldn’t be taken lightly.”
She furrowed her brow in confusion. “Taken lightly?”
He shrugged. “I guess. I didn’t really understand what she was talking about. All I know is that she returned the scroll a few days ago. Maybe you can look into what she was looking into.”
She turned away from the stallion thoughtfully and waved him away. The stallion muttered something under his breath and quickly left the the pondering Sunset Shimmer to her thoughts. She didn’t really pay him any mind as she mulled over the news. Finally, she made her way towards the library. She might not have anything to use against Twilight Sparkle, but that did not mean she was going to let the upstart get some sort of advantage on her again. Time to find out what this Dreamscape was all about.
-o-
“What do you mean ‘it’s restricted!?’” Sunset exclaimed in outrage.
“I’m very sorry,” the library clerk, Index, said as calmly as possible. “Students are forbidden access to magic related to the Dreamscape, as decreed by Princess Celestia at the Academy’s founding.”
The yellow-orange unicorn growled under her breath, rubbing a hoof on her head. “But I know about another student who studied the Dreamscape! How did she get access?”
Index only shrugged. “Can’t help you there. Sorry. I’m sure there are plenty of other subjects you could research.”
“But I want to research the Dreamscape!” groaned the unicorn. With an angry grunt and a sigh of frustration, she stormed out of the library, grumbling to herself in what even she had to admit was an extremely undignified manner. Several ponies immediately stepped out of her way, knowing her reputation as a time bomb of anger and superiority.
That upstart Sparkle had recently studied something that Sunset herself had never even heard of before earlier today. From how her little double agent in Sparkle’s precious posse had regaled her, the Dreamscape sounded as though it was a place unlike any other, an entire realm of existence where dreams and nightmares alike became reality. At least, that’s what she believed she could assume. But with the subject being forbidden, Sunset would have no way of confirming that… theory…
“It’s forbidden…” she muttered to herself, thinking back to what the mud pony clerk had told her. It suddenly clicked in her head. Why hadn’t she thought of this immediately!? This was perfect! Quietly, she chuckled as her plan was laid out in her mind.
‘Sparkle will rue the day she thought she could outwit me.’
-o-
Twilight hummed as she thought to herself, several papers and books on Hearth’s Warming laid out in front of her on her desk in her and Rainbow Dash’s dorm room. The prismatic pegasus was relaxing with a book by R.A. Stalliontor, leaving the lavender unicorn to her own thoughts as she planned for a way to try and cheer Pinkie up back to her “normal” self. She had already deemed several of the books she had read to be unhelpful in this situation, while her notes, though useful, were sparse.
Pinkie Pie was a storm of hyperactivity and endless giggles, but that first layer hid a genius-level intellect that surpassed Twilight’s own, and Twilight Sparkle was no slacker in academics. Pinkie would likely immediately see through any ghost disguise, and probably wouldn’t even play along in her current state, so that ruled out her initial idea of using the plot of ‘A Hearth’s Warming Carol’ to their advantage. No one knew what Pinkie might want as a Hearth’s Warming gift, as the bright pink mare was unpredictable and oftentimes confusing whenever she tried to drop a hint on something.
She had already asked Rainbow if she had any ideas, but the pegasus only shared ideas that Twilight had already conceived and dismissed. She needed something different; something so unexpected, even Pinkie Pie would be surprised, preferably in the joyful manner. Hearth’s Warming was less than a week away. She needed to come up with something by then to try and cheer up her pink friend. Maybe—
Her train of thought was interrupted by a rough knock on the door. Briefly, she turned to Rainbow, who shrugged. They weren’t expecting anypony. Perhaps it was the dorm advisor coming for an early inspection? Or maybe one of their friends was here for surprise visit? Pinkie usually did that for each of them, bringing mouth-watering pastries with her. Maybe Pinkie was already back to her old self?
With that hopeful thought in mind, the lavender unicorn made for the door and pulled it open with her magic, only to freeze up slightly at the sight of an armored earth pony guard with a stern look in his eyes.
“Twilight Sparkle?” he asked in a gruff, business-like voice. The unicorn nodded. She reminded herself that her brother was in the Royal Guard. She was used to seeing armored and armed ponies. “Headmaster Stargazer would like to speak with you.”
That sentence instantly made her mind race. “Uh… may I ask why?”
The guard shrugged. “He didn’t say why, exactly. Just that something’s been brought to his attention that involves you.”
With a nervous nod, Twilight turned to Rainbow, who bore a worried look in her magenta eyes. “I’ll be back soon, Rainbow.” The pegasus nodded, and Twilight followed the guard out of her room, closing the door behind her.
As the guard led her down the halls of the Academy to the headmaster’s office, Twilight constantly thought up numerous possibilities as to why Stargazer would want to see her. Had she done something that went against Academy rules unknowingly? Did he find out about her and Trixie’s escapade in the Dreamscape? If so, from whom? Or, more frighteningly, if it was the former, what had she done at all? Was that growth spell in her magic class a bit too much? Sure, it took a few days for everypony to get the tomato juice out their fur, but it couldn’t have been so bad that the headmaster had to discipline her. R-right?
Maybe that prank she pulled on Professor Inkwell with Trixie - strictly for old times’ sake - was a tad excessive? Inkwell had walked it off with a hearty laugh, saying that she’d been through worse than her mane suddenly turning into a polka-dotted rat’s nest. She even considered it an upgrade from her normal look!
Perhaps that time she blew up the physics lab in an attempt to try and expedite Doctor Whooves’ lesson? But that stallion was barely fazed by the sudden blast. He’d called it the ride of his life, and even praised her for “doing such a fantastic job of livening up a lesson” that even he found endlessly boring.
As her mind wandered to the possibilities, she bumped into the guard, who had stopped in front of a door that had Headmaster Stargazer’s cutie mark emblazoned on a plaque hanging to the right. The guard nodded toward the door, opening it for the young mare. Once she was in, he closed the door behind her. Ahead of her sat the slate gray unicorn himself, looking fairly miffed. Twilight swallowed down a little bit of her anxiety.
“You wanted to see me, Headmaster?”
“Yes,” the elder stallion replied in an almost eerily calm tone. “Something has been brought to my attention by a classmate of yours.” He gestured a hoof toward the far wall, near the door, and Twilight turned to see an all-too-familiar yellow-orange, fiery-maned unicorn.
“Shimmer,” the violet mare said, trying to hide her disdain.
“Sparkle,” Sunset greeted with a victorious smirk. Why did she have that look on her face? Why did she sound so smug?
“According to Miss Shimmer,” Stargazer began, “you took out a scroll from the library that was forbidden to students.”
Twilight felt her blood run cold. Which scroll was is? She had taken many scrolls from the library in her studies. “I don’t understand, Headmaster.”
He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hooves as his gaze seemed to pierce right through her. “Are you familiar with Dreamscape, Miss Sparkle?”
Her eyes widened. “I-I—”
“Study of the Dreamscape was forbidden to students by the decree of Princess Celestia since this Academy’s founding.” He shifted in his seat, the worn oak chair creaking. “Can you tell me a good reason why you chose to break this rule, and why I shouldn’t expel you right now?”
The knot of dread clenched her stomach so painfully that she wanted to throw up. This couldn’t be happening! She couldn’t be thrown out for the Dreamscape scroll; she didn’t know! If she had, she would never had taken it to study.
Taking in a calming breath, she spoke with all the confidence she could muster. “Headmaster Stargazer, I didn’t know that the Dreamscape was a forbidden topic. If I had known, I wouldn’t have taken it out of the library.” She stood straighter as she realized something. “The librarian didn’t say anything about it being forbidden when I checked it out.”
Stargazer tilted his head at her. “Is this true?”
“I wouldn’t lie about something like this, Headmaster. The Academy is too important to me to throw my chance here away.”
He looked to his desk thoughtfully. “I was not aware of this. I will have to consult with Miss Index to get the truth of the matter.” The corner of his mouth turned downward in a frown. “Index is new this year. I suppose it is possible she did not realize it.”
A scowl escaped Sunset and she pushed herself away from the wall. “She still took the scroll from the library when she wasn’t supposed to! She can’t be let off the hook because some mud—” Her scowl deepened. “—because the librarian didn’t know what she was doing.”
As much as Twilight wanted to snap back at the other unicorn, her patience held, and she kept quiet.
Fortunately, Stargazer held no such restraint. “Miss Shimmer, kindly keep quiet while I speak with Miss Sparkle. I thank you for bring this to my attention—it is an oversight that must be corrected—but don’t presume that you have any sort of authority in my office. Your family has been a gracious supporter of the Academy for years, but do not think that gives you any special consideration. We’ve plenty of other sources of donation and revenue to risk losing your family’s bought love.” He motioned for the door. “Please step outside. I need to speak with Miss Sparkle alone.”
The yellow unicorn sputtered a bit, but when she saw the Headmaster narrow his eyes, she knew it was time to keep her pride to herself. “Yes, Headmaster.” With a final, scathing glare at Twilight, she let herself out of the office.
Twilight let herself breathe a sigh of relief. Sunset Shimmer had no doubt tried to find something to get back at her for their duel months ago. She knew she had vowed to try and get her back, but this was just low, even for her.
She turned to Stargazer again, who had a steely look in his eyes. His expression was unreadable, a hint of decades of experience showing on his features. Experience with what, she couldn’t say for sure. Just looking at him now made her a thousand times more nervous than she already was.
“Miss Sparkle, did you use the scroll at all?” he asked after a few moments of silence. Finding herself too anxious to speak, she only nodded in reply. “I see. Then I take it you may already know why the subject of the Dreamscape is forbidden?” Again, the young mare nodded, as did Stargazer. “There are more dangers in that realm than you can imagine; some obvious, others less so.”
Twilight nodded yet again. She vaguely remembered something about a swarm of metal teeth, but she couldn’t quite put a hoof on why, exactly. She just knew that those teeth would have killed her if it wasn’t for—
“Was anypony else involved in this?” the headmaster inquired suddenly.
The younger unicorn hesitated, her eyes widening slightly. She had nearly forgotten in her anxiety that Trixie was now in just as much trouble as she was. If Sunset Shimmer found out about Twilight studying a forbidden topic, then it was surely only a matter of time before Trixie was sent to the headmaster’s office as well. Facing the possibility of expulsion was stressful enough for Twilight, but if her friend faced the same pressure, the blue unicorn would certainly snap in more ways than one.
Though it went against her personal morals to lie, she couldn’t let her best friend take a fall like this. “N-no, sir. It was just me.”
A pregnant silence fell in the office, headmaster eyeing student, searching for any sign of falsehood. Twilight shifted uncomfortably. Stargazer’s eyes were like drills trying to dig through to her very soul, eager to find the truth. The quiet lasted for an eternity to the lavender mare until the aged stallion finally spoke again.
“Very well,” he said somewhat dismissively. “You may go now. Please send Miss Shimmer back in on your way out.”
With a nod and a relieved sigh, Twilight stood and left the office. She and Sunset shared a bitter glare as she told the yellow unicorn that Stargazer wanted to speak to her further.
Sunset scowled at her. “Don’t think this is over, Sparkle.”
Twilight felt her hackles stand on end. “Just try me, Shimmer.”
The fiery-maned mare scoffed and entered Stargazer’s office. Twilight, for her part, resisted the surprisingly large urge to blast the other mare. Shimmer’s arrogance, better-than-thou, elitist attitude, and blatant racism toward earth ponies and pegasi irked her more than anyone else ever had.
She took a deep breath to calm herself, using a technique that Cadance had once shown her, putting a hoof to her barrel before pointing it outwards as she exhaled (it was amazing how well that worked). Sunset Shimmer was a problem, definitely, but she wasn’t worth the frustration. She just had to keep telling herself that, knowing full well that she was bound to forget it the next time she and Shimmer butted heads.
Heaving out an irritated breath, Twilight trotted back to her dorm room. Hopefully, she’ll be able to take her mind off of this whole debacle.
When she returned, Rainbow was still reading her book, oblivious to her return until she announced herself. When asked how it went with the headmaster, she replied with four words:
“Sunset Shimmer was there.”
“Ouch,” said the pegasus. “Sounds rough. What happened?”
“Remember when I told you and everypony else that I studied the Dreamscape recently?” The cyan mare gave a nod. “Well, turns out, it’s a forbidden subject. Shimmer found out somehow and told the headmaster about it.”
“Wow, TS,” Rainbow smirked. “I didn’t take you for a rule breaker.”
Twilight scowled and huffed, crossing her forelegs indignantly. “I’m not a rule breaker! I just didn’t know it was forbidden. The clerk in the library didn’t object to me checking out the scroll. Headmaster Stargazer said he’d look into how it happened.” She heaved out a breath. “I guess, right now, I can just count my blessings that I won’t be expelled.”
Rainbow Dash shrugged. She returned her attention to her book once again, while Twilight, in an attempt to try and distract herself from recent revelations, got back to trying to find a way to help Pinkie Pie hop back to her old self. Just as she began, however, there was a knock at the door. With a groan, Twilight got up and opened the door to find Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. Rarity had that look that said that she had an idea.
“Good evening, Twilight,” the would-be fashionista greeted eagerly with a wide smile. “Applejack, Fluttershy, and I have been brainstorming, and I do believe we’ve an idea as to how we can get the old Pinkie Pie back! We just need your help to organize it, and Rainbow Dash to help set things up.”
“Er, okay,” the lavender unicorn answered. “What did you have in mind?”
Applejack smirked. “We’re gonna throw a surprise party.”
-o-
The clock on Pinkie’s dorm room wall ticked away the seconds of the Saturday morning after breakfast, with the mare silently watching it, occasionally tapping her hoof impatiently, spite building up inside her. She just wanted this whole season to end right now. She didn’t want to see so much as a single snowflake. She was almost ready to smack the next pony who said “Happy Hearth’s Warming!” to her.
She hadn’t seen her friends at breakfast this morning, she recalled. Whatever. She’d rather be alone now, anyway. The last thing she needed was seeing ponies gush over how wonderful Hearth’s Warming is.
She blew a raspberry at the thought. “‘Season of cheer’ my flank,” she muttered under her breath. “It’s the worst holiday ever!”
She closed her eyes and scowled inwardly to herself. “Everyone is happy, so cheerful.” She glared back at her ceiling. “Big whoop. I never had a good Hearth’s Warming, so why should anypony else?”
Her mouth turned in a sad frown as she closed her eyes again, thinking back to all those horrible winters her family still worked even while everyone else shared good cheer, food and presents with each other. Not once did anypony ever give her a gift for Hearth’s Warming. Not once did her family want to get together for anything other than work and meals during the winter. There wasn’t anything warm about Hearth’s Warming. It was as cold as the rocks her family farmed throughout her childhood.
She thought to all the families who would laugh and cheer during the holiday, remembering when she would peer through the window of a neighbor’s house to see the family smiling and enjoying each other’s company, watching enviously as other foals opened wrapped gifts with the madness of a rabid dog, only to squeal in excitement at whatever gift they got. The warm smiles the parents gave when their foal hugged their forelegs tightly in thanks for the new toy. All of that, and not once did she ever get to enjoy it.
A single tear ran down the side of her face and she angrily dashed it away. No, she was not going to cry. She ran out of tears long ago, and she would not cry again.
She shut her eyes tighter as they tried to prove her a liar, the tears slipping past her no matter how many times she yelled at them to stop.
Why? Why did she have to suffer when everypony else got to enjoy? Where was the fairness in that? Why couldn’t—
She sat bolt upright as she heard a knock at her door. She wiped tears from her eyes and snapped at the door. “Go away!”
“Pinkie, it’s Twilight,” she heard the voice say beyond the door. “Can I please come in?”
“No! Leave me alone!” She looked away from the door pointedly. “I just wanna be left alone.”
“Pinkie, darling, please let us inside,” she heard Rarity’s voice say. “We only want to talk.”
With a harsh huff, she stormed towards the door. “Fine! If only so you’ll leave me alone.” She threw open the door and practically yelled in their faces. “What?”
The two mares winced at her tone and looked back at her with hurt expressions. Rarity stepped forward, one hoof held slightly off the floor. “Pinkie, we wanted you come with us to get something to eat for everypony. We’d like it if you joined us.”
Pinkie scowled. “Let them get their own food, and leave me alone.” She tried to close the door but Twilight placed a hoof in the jam.
“Pinkie, we want you to come with us.”
She glared at the purple unicorn. “No.”
“What would it hurt to go with us?” Twilight asked again, obviously trying the soft, kind ploy.
Pinkie was having none of it. “I said ‘no’!”
“You can’t just hide in your—” Rarity started before Pinkie nudged Twilight’s hoof away and slammed the door in their faces.
Twilight’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Oh, she did not just do that!”
Rarity glanced at the other unicorn in concern. “It seems she isn’t going to come willingly.”
With an irritated scowl, Twilight stomped her hoof. “Oh, she’s coming with us, whether she likes it or not!” She knocked on the door repeatedly. “Pinkie, get out here, now!”
There was no reply.
“Pinkie, you’re getting on my nerves! You don’t want to get on my nerves!”
Still nothing.
Rarity, noticing the smoke of rage coming out of her friend’s ears, stepped between her and the door. “Um… Twilight? Perhaps we could try to be a bit more civil?”
“This IS me being civil!” She pounded on the door one more time. “Last chance, Pinkie!”
“No!”
Gritting her teeth, the lavender mare lit up her horn. In a flash of pink light, she disappeared from Rarity’s sight. The alabaster unicorn could hear sounds of a struggle in Pinkie’s room, followed by a series of grunts and colorful complaints before the door finally unlocked. Twilight stepped outside, with Pinkie floating helplessly in the mare’s magic.
“Come on,” Twilight said in irritation, heading down the hall with Pinkie Pie in tow.
Rarity blinked. “Well… I suppose that works, as well.” She followed behind Twilight, making a mental note to never get on her fellow unicorn’s bad side. Ever.
-o-
“SURPRISE!”
Their friends all leaped out of hiding in the dorm lobby the instant Rarity turned the lights on. All their friends were there; Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Flash Sentry, Wanderer, Trixie, and even Rarity’s trio of followers, Charles, Victor, and Sport. Each one of them wore wide, brimming smiles as they looked to the pink pony, whom Twilight finally released, setting her on her hooves again.
There was an awkward silence as Pinkie looked around, eyeing the decorations around the room, ranging from streamers, to balloons, to confetti that still fluttered slightly as it fell to the floor. There was a table lined with assorted baked goods, ranging from full cakes to cupcakes, with a large bowl of punch at the end. She looked to each of the smiling faces - some of which were shrinking in the awkward quiet - and turned to Twilight.
“What is this?” She felt something get slapped onto her head. A quick examination with her hoof revealed the object to be a party hat. A look up revealed Rainbow Dash as the culprit.
“What does it look like, Pinks?” the prismatic pegasus said with a smirk. “It’s a party! For you! We worked on it all last night. We almost got in trouble for staying up past curfew.”
“We were thinkin’ it might help ya get outta your funk,” said Applejack, who approached with an offering of a plate of cake with a glass of punch for Pinkie. The pink mare only scowled at the orange-coated farmer, who stepped away slightly, clearing her throat and smiling awkwardly.
“Hey, don’t frown,” Wanderer said as he walked up, carrying a wrapped box on his back. “We even got you some presents.” He flipped the box up and offered it to her. “Happy Hearth’s Warming.”
Almost instantly, Pinkie slapped the gift out of his hooves, the box striking his muzzle.
His wide eyes blinked once. “Uh… wrong color for the wrapping?”
“What’s so great about Hearth’s Warming?” the mare growled. She made a painfully false smile, her hooves under her chin as she batted her eyes falsely. “‘Oh, the snow is so pretty! I love all the pretty little bows and all the shiny new things I don’t need! All the singing and the decorations and the parties are simply to die for! I love Hearth’s Warming!’” She then stuck tongue out in disgust. “What’s the point of such a stupid holiday!?”
‘Now, that’s not very friendly, is it?’
Pinkie started when she heard an unfamiliar, oddly accented voice. Her eyes darted around, trying to find the source. The only ponies present were her friends, and, as far as she knew, none of them could make a fake Germane accent to save their lives.
‘Come on, it’s a party, enjoy it!’
She wanted to demand to know who was talking so that she could chew them out, but her thought was interrupted.
“What is your problem?” asked Flash Sentry. “We’re just trying to help you.”
She whirled on him, her eyes blazing. “I’ll tell you what my problem is!” The look in her eyes made him step back in reflex. “It’s that you and everypony else goes around spouting and singing about a holiday that never once brought me any joy and happiness! You all parade around like it’s the best thing ever while not seeing how terrible it is for me!”
Applejack rested a hoof on her withers. “It ain’t like that, Pinkie. We just want ya ta be happy with us on the holidays.”
The pink mare then turned her ire on her. “And just where were you and Rarity all those years ago in Ponyville? We were neighbors, all of us, and not once did you ever think to include me then. Why should I think you’re any different now, huh!?”
Applejack sputter to speak. “B-But that’s not—”
“Don’t you lie to me, Applejack. Just… don’t!” The pink mare sat on her haunches, her head lowered while her hair obscured her face.
The others all saw that she was shaking, and trying her best to keep from sobbing. Every face in the room had uncomfortable looks, and more than a few of them tried looking away before they found themselves brought to tears. Finally, Fluttershy walked towards her and wrapped a wing over her distraught friend.
Pinkie look up enough to stare at the pegasus through her bangs, and Fluttershy could see that the mare was trying so hard not to bawl like a newborn foal.
“Pinkie, please, we didn’t mean to hurt you. We only wanted to include you in our festivities this time. It might’ve been bad for you when you were younger, but that doesn’t mean we, and you, can’t start making up for all those nasty times in the past.” She nuzzled the side of her friends face. “We’re friends, and we don’t like seeing a friend cry. Right, girls?”
The other mares all readily gave their agreement, and many of the stallions nodded to her with warm smiles.
Pinkie looked between them all and closed her eyes tightly. She was torn between the emotions she had carried inside her for so many years and the warmth of her friends around her now. It seemed the answer was so obvious, but why couldn’t she let go?
Rarity walked over and wrapped her forelegs around the pink mare. “We can’t change what happened in the past, dear, but we hope that you can start enjoying Hearth’s Warming with all of us now.”
Wanderer smiled his trademark lopsided grin. “Hey, we can still enjoy the party here and now, right?” He walked over and retrieved the present that he had before and set it before her, pushing it closer to her with his muzzle. “We got together and bought this just for you. We hope you enjoy it.”
They heard a scoff and looked towards the door to see Sunset Shimmer standing there, looking at the gathered ponies with a sneer. “Well, well, what do we have here?”
Almost instinctively, Twilight stepped protectively in front of her friends, giving the yellow unicorn a harsh glare. “What do you want, Shimmer?”
“There’s no need for hostility, Sparkle,” Sunset said, giving Twilight an equally venomous look. “I was just passing through on my way back from a study session. Imagine my surprise when I find the dorm lobby filled with confetti and balloons and an assortment of lower-class unicorns, a bunch of birdbrain pegasi, and mud ponies. Such a motley crew you all are.”
“Hey!” Rainbow Dash zoomed up right in Sunset’s face, scowling furiously. “You wanna say that while I’m in range? Come on, I dare you!”
Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “You clearly don’t remember what happened the last time you tried picking a fight with me. If I remember correctly, you crashed and burned. Your little threats are falling on deaf ears, feather-freak.”
Rainbow gawked at the unicorn before scowling again, moving as if preparing to pounce on her. “Why, you little—” Before she finished, a pinkish aura pulled her back, and she glared at Trixie. “Hey, what gives?”
“Rainbow Dash, that’s enough,” the silver-maned mare said, her tone one of great disapproval. She faced Sunset with her own glare. “She’s just trying to get under our skin. It’s what she does best.”
With a taunting look, Sunset shook her head, as if amused, then once again faced Twilight, the two mares glaring daggers at each other. “I hope you know that you won’t be in this school for much longer. Once the headmaster finds evidence of you breaking Academy rules, you can kiss whatever future you might’ve had goodbye.”
“What?” Flash stepped next to Twilight. “Twilight, what is she talking about?”
Before anyone else could speak, Shimmer laughed, turning to head to the mares’ dorm rooms. “Go ahead, Sparkle. Tell them about how your only future is to be expelled from the Academy. I’m sure they’ll understand.” With that, she walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her.
The silence that followed the unicorn’s departure could be cut with a knife. Each of the ponies seethed or muttered to themselves at the infuriating unicorn. It seemed as if the partying mood had been sapped from the room itself.
Wanderer looked between them all for a moment and smirked suddenly. “So, who wants to dance?”
All he received were irritated looks.
He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Well, I tried…”
Pinkie looked around at her friends. Just a few moments ago, they were jubilant. Then, she gave a speech that sucked out that joy. Then, Sunset Shimmer came along and turned the depression into downright spite. It was… it wasn’t nice.
‘You contributed to it,’ spoke the voice from earlier. ‘But, at the very least, you can make up for it, ja?’
She looked around at her friends, then at the decorations they had set up. They had all this for… her. And she’d repaid them by essentially denouncing what was likely their favorite holiday. With one last look around, her attention soon fell on the gift that Wanderer had offered her. Reluctantly, she reached for it and slowly undid the wrapping.
The pink mare gaped at what the wrapping contained; inside was box with a picture of the famous clown (and her personal idol) Ponyacci. Above that picture, the box was labeled “Ponyacci’s Preferred Party Pranks!” in bold, brightly-colored lettering. She pulled the box out of the gift box and opened it, eyeballing all the different tools meant for pulling grade-A pranks. Whoopie cushions, an air horn, numerous party poppers that had warning labels, some very convincing fake vomit, sneeze powder, and a number of other joke items.
She lifted the air horn from the box and felt a smile tugging across her lips. “H-How did they know?” she asked herself quietly.
“Because we all know how much you like stuff like that, Pinkie,” Twilight said as she sat down next to her. “Plus, we all know you like Ponyacci brand items, because you use them the most. And you did once say that he’s your idol.”
“I thought we bought it because it was on sale—” Wanderer grunted as Applejack elbowed him hard in the ribs.
Pinkie’s smile widened anyway. “You guys thought about me when you bought this?”
Each one of her friends smiled and nodded to her, even a few of the other ponies in attendance gave her warm smiles.
“And this—” She motioned to the decorated lounge around her. “This was all for me?”
Twilight smiled wider. “That’s right.” She looked to the other and they all said in unison. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Pinkie Pie.”
It was like a two-ton weight had been lifted off her withers. With a loud excited squeal, she enveloped her friends and any who were within reach into the tightest group hug they had ever known. Even a few who thought they were well out of range found themselves in the hug.
“You guys… are the greatest… ever!” She released them and they all saw that her mane and tail had sprung back to its curly self once again. Her eyes sparkled with joy as numerous streamers popped out up out of nowhere. “Let’s par-tay!”
As if on cue, the music box sprang to life, jamming out only the best Hearth’s Warming songs. Everypony cheered, and soon laughter and joy filled the room. Ponies danced, ate, laughed, and enjoyed the first Hearth’s Warming that Pinkie Pie ever enjoyed. The first of many to come, she promised herself.
As the party raged, Pinkie bounded over to Twilight, who was getting a refill of punch. Without warning, the pink earth mare wrapped her forelegs around the lavender unicorn, grinning joyfully.
“Thank you so much for this,” Pinkie said in a surprising calm, heartfelt tone. She released Twilight from the hug. “I’ve never had this much fun during the holidays before! Why, I’m already planning on throwing a party for my family back on the rock farm! I just might be able to get them all to have fun on Hearth’s Warming for once.”
Returning the smile, Twilight said, “I’m glad to hear it, Pinkie. It’s nice to have you back.”
“I’ll say! I don’t like being all mopey, but sometimes, I just can’t help it! I’m really sorry about that.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” Twilight put a comforting hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. “We all have things in our past that we’d rather forget. We just have to learn to accept the past, live in the present, and hope for the future.”
Pinkie nodded enthusiastically, giving the other mare another hug before an idea popped into her head. “Oh, oh, I already know what I want to do with the prank stuff you all got me!”
Curious, Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s that?”
-o-
Sunset Shimmer was flipping through the pages of a book on magical theory when she heard a knock on her door. Odd. She wasn’t expecting anypony to visit. She marked her page and headed for the door, opening it to find no one. She looked left and right down the hall, seeing nopony. She then looked down, seeing a brightly wrapped gift sitting at her doorstep.
She tilted her head at it, quickly looking around again. She examined the gift with an analytical stare for a few minutes before shrugging and picking it up in her magic and heading back into her room, closing the door behind her.
Just down the hall, Pinkie, Twilight, Trixie, and Rainbow Dash snickered, knowing what was coming and eager to see the results.
“She’s got this coming,” Trixie said with a smirk.
“You got that right!” Rainbow excitedly agreed, grinning broadly.
A few moments later, there was a loud pop, followed by a scream that was a mix of surprise, slight fear, and pure outrage. Immediately after, Sunset galloped out of her room, her face fuming with unadulterated anger. Her mane was now a bright, garish, neon green that clashed hideously with her coat, which had stains of the same color dotted all across it.
“WHO DID THIS!?” she demanded. Unbeknownst to her, the culprits had already fled, laughing their flanks off all the way to their rooms.