It was winter time in Ponyville. The shrieks of young foals filled the air as they pelted each other with snowballs, the hymns of Hearth Warming carolers mingling with their yelps of joy. Fluttershy looked out of her cottage window as she watched all the citizens playing together.
Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were in the middle of finishing their snowmare, Rainbow holding Scootaloo up as filly placed the two buttons in its head. They celebrated at their completed work, but were cut off when it collapsed on top of them. They pulled their heads out of the snow they were buried under, laughing as they did so.
Pinkie Pie was teaching Spike and Twilight how to ice skate. Spike proved to be a natural at ice skate, him and Pinkie skating around the ice rink. Twilight was slowly learning the ropes, her face colliding with the ice every so often. Pinkie and Spike skated over to her every time she fell, encouraging her to keep trying. After a while, she was alongside Spike and Pinkie, the three of them skating in sync.
Rarity and Sweetie Belle were with Applejack and Applebloom, trying to help those in need. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were collecting money for the less fortunate by caroling, while Rarity and Applejack were giving out warm clothing and food to the homeless.
Fluttershy noticed that everypony in town was either enjoying themselves or help others. Well, everypony except for a certain blue-eyed Changeling. ‘Where is Spirit? He’s been trying to get to know everypony in town ever since he got back. This is the perfect opportunity for him. I wonder if he’s okay. I better check on him.’ she thought, wrapping a scarf around her neck as she walk out of her cottage.
***
“Spirit? Are you okay? It’s me, Fluttershy.” she said as she knocked on the door, it slowly opening as knocked. ‘The door’s not locked...’ she thought. “Spirit? I’m coming in.” Fluttershy said nervously as she closed the door behind her. She jumped when she heard a small bang coming from his bedroom. “Spirit?” she called, walking towards the bedroom. When she entered the room, she saw the young hybrid facing the wall in a fetal position. “Spirit? What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked, noticing that he was shaking violently. ‘Something’s wrong. Could it be...no! That can’t be possible! Princess Celestia told us that he couldn’t escape!’ Fluttershy thought, fearing the worst.
“Spirit! Is it Yin!? Is he taking over somehow!? Spirit!?” she panicked, rushing over to the Changeling, holding him close.
“C-cold…” Spirit muttered.
“What?”
“Make it go away! Make the cold go away!” Spirit yelled, struggling to escape Fluttershy’s grasp.
“S-spirit! Calm down!” Fluttershy said.
“COLD BAD! COLD BAD MAGIC!” Spirit screeched, freeing himself from Fluttershy’s hold. He jumped onto his bed, hissing at Fluttershy. The look of cornered prey was all over his face.
“Spirit!? What’s gotten into you?” Fluttershy demanded as she walked toward the defensive Changeling. Spirit hissed louder at Fluttershy, spreading his tattered wings as bared his fangs. “Spirit. Calm down. Now.” she said, using her Stare. Spirit’s hissing quieted down as looked into the butterscotch mare’s eyes. Spirit began to sway back and forth, unable to look away. His eyes grew heavy as he collapsed onto his bed, asleep on impact.
***
Spirit slowly woke up, his mind as total fog. “Ohh, my head. Who hit me with Rarity’s sewing machine?” he asked to nopony in particular as he looked around his bedroom, finding Fluttershy staring back at him. “Fluttershy? What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I noticed that you weren’t outside trying to get on the citizens good side. So I thought I’d visit to see if you were okay. When I got to your house, the door was unlocked and I found you huddled up in a corner. When I touched you, you when all batty and started hissing at me. Will you please explain to me what that was all about?” Fluttershy said, slightly peeved.
“Sorry about that Fluttershy,” Spirit apologized, rubbing the back of this head with a hoof. “You don’t know much about Changelings. Let me explain: Changelings are cold-blooded creatures, us being bug-like and all.” he said, gesturing to his gossamer wings. “When it gets pretty cold, Changelings tend to go a little crazy.”
“So when I found you huddled in that corner…”
“I was reacting to the temperature, yes.” Spirit answered.
“But what about Kalinka?” Fluttershy asked.
“Kalinka? Well, she’s-”
***
“Let it snow!~ Let it snow!~” Kalinka sang with Pinkie as they skated alongside Spike and Twilight. “I love winter!” she said gleefully, doing a twirl.
***
“Kalinka is different…” Spirit answered.
“...Wait a minute, aren’t you part pony?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yeah.”
“And don’t you have a heart?”
“What about it?”
“And even though you are a Changeling in appearance, you’re more pony than you are Changeling, correct?”
“I don’t get what you’re trying to say?”
“So with all that evidence, shouldn’t you be warm-blooded like everypony else?” Fluttershy said. Spirit opened his mouth to say something, but closed it when he couldn’t find anything to counter her claim.
“Hmm. You have a point…” Spirit muttered, resting his head on his hoof. “So that means my fear of cold is all in my head?” he asked.
“More like it’s imprinted in your Changeling DNA to fear the cold.” Fluttershy corrected.
“That sounds like something Twilight would say…” Spirit said.
“Did you forget that I’m an animal caretaker, Spirit? I kinda have to know what I’m talking about when it comes to animals.” she said, handing (hooving?) Spirit her scarf. “C’mon, we’re going outside. We need to convince your body that there is nothing to be afraid of.” she said, a warm smile on her face.
“A-are you sure?” Spirit asked, taking the scarf. “This doesn’t sound like a good idea…”
“C’mon, Spirit. This can only end well.” she assured.
“If you say so…” Spirit said, wrapping her scarf around his neck. Fluttershy grabbed him by the hoof as she led him towards his front door. When she opened the door, Spirit halted immediately. All he could see was snow, as far as his eyes could see. The Angel of Death had come for him. Every muscle in his body screamed at him to run, to hide until this white nightmare had ended. He stood frozen in fear. his body beginning to twitch.
“It’s not going to hurt you Spirit.” Fluttershy said, slowly pushing him out the door.
‘She’s different from the meek pegasus I first met.’ Spirit thought in the back of his still functioning mind. ‘She’s still shy a lot of the time, but she seems a little more...forceful? I wonder if the whole Yin fiasco had something to do with this? I should as her about-’ His thoughts were cut off when a small snowflake drifted into his view. His eyes grew wide as the snowflake floated lazily in front of his face, before resting on top of his nose. Time stopped for Free Spirit.
“GYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! AN AGENT OF TIREK IS UPON ME!!!!” Spirit shouted as he ran back into his house, slamming the door behind him.
“Spirit!?” Fluttershy called.
“I’M SORRY! I CAN’T DO IT!” Spirit yelled from inside his house.
“...Try to have a happy Hearth’s Warming Eve, Spirit. We can always try again tomorrow.” Fluttershy said, walking away from the hybrid’s house.
***
“Ohhh! Why did I have to be part Changeling!?” Spirit complained from underneath his blanket.
“For once, I’m glad I am not in control of your body.” Yin said smugly.
“S-shut up, Yin!”