//------------------------------//
// chapter 1 
// Story: Darth's Warming Eve 
// by Follow Focus 
//------------------------------//


DARTH’S WARMING EVE


‘Twas the midmost of winter and into the town 
was a place where laughter, and cheer could be found.  
Ponies roamed through the streets with smiles on their faces,
seeing bakeries, toy stores and other neat places.
They dashed store to store as quick as could be
in search for some gifts to put under the tree.
They bought toys for their kids, such as Frisbees, and jump ropes,
slinkies, and robots, as well as bath soaps.
Mayor Mare looked around at the ponies and smirked
thanking Celestia that this was how the economy worked.
Buyers went off on their spending, the markets were storming,
but there was still much to prepare for this year’s Hearth’s Warming.

Princess Twilight was out for a midmorning stroll,
smiling to herself as the bells began to toll.
She and her friends cantered all down the street
bringing tidings of joy to everypony they’d greet.
The ponies waved back to Princess Twilight’s relief
as the holiday spirit had banished their grief.
But not everyone was happy to Twilight’s surprise,
for before her was a filly with tears in her eyes. 
She sat on the curb, something clearly eating at her
so Twilight trotted towards her to see what was the matter.
“Why hello little girl” she said looking down,
“What cause do you have to wear such a frown?”
She looked to the princess and said with a sniff
“I don’t have any friends to give any gifts.”
Twilight smiled and said “Now there’s no need to cry,
You can join our patrol and walk by my side.
Together we can go and spread cheer to this place.
Perhaps helping others will put a smile on that face.”
The filly agreed with a vigorous nod
and eagerly leapt to the side of the broad.
And so they continued spreading joy where they could,
as all of the filly’s sad feelings turned good.
They traveled the town and the joy stayed the same… 
but that was the moment that the Empire came.

The ponies stopped in their tracks and looked to the heavens,
and watched in horror as Imperial ships descended.
Tie fighters rained down from the sky at an angle
Launching out of the Star Destroyer, the mighty triangle!
An Imperial shuttle descended out of the air
and landed in the middle of Ponyville square.
Twilight was awe struck, Pinkie Pie had a fit,
Rarity fainted, and Rainbow Dash lost her shit.
“Ah don’t believe mah eyes!” Said Applejack the farmer,
as out of the ship emerged troops in ghostly white armor.
Then out of the shuttle came a man so unpleasant,
who stared at the ponies with their toys and their presents.
His suit was as black as his soul was inside,
his heart gave no love, only hatred it supplied.
Then the man began to speak with his voice booming loud
to the frightful little ponies that were in the crowd.
He said, “Hear my words, ponies, and quiver with fear,
for I know that the day of Hearth’s Warming draws near!
It brings you great joy to share these toys and these presents,
but this is simply unfitting for such lowly peasants!”
He shook his fist in the air with a motion so perturbing,
“I find your lack of sorrow and gloom quite disturbing!
You intend to spread cheer with the gifts you have now,
and that is something that I simply cannot allow!
So I’m taking these gifts, and I’m taking your trees,
for I am bringing an end to this festive disease!”
Then he signaled to his troops with lethal intention
and they pointed their guns in the ponies' direction.
They fired into the crowd as Darth lowered his fist,
but not a pony was harmed for their shots had all missed.

The Sith watched his troops as they stormed through the village,
stealing decorations, toys, and anything else they could pillage.
The Stormtroopers returned, and with a motion not subtle
they stuffed all the decorations and gifts in the shuttle.
There would be no celebration like the ones in the past
for this year he had stolen Hearth’s Warming at last.
But something was wrong… he felt so dejected.
Stealing the holidays brought him less joy then expected.
He’d accomplished his mission, but he couldn’t tell why
he felt so alone and empty inside.
He’d had everything that he wanted at the ponies’ expense,
but he still wasn’t happy, it didn’t make sense.
Then he felt something stranger, a tug at his leg,
he looked down and saw a filly, who was starting to beg.
“Excuse me mister,” she said with a frown,
“why have you stolen the gifts from everypony in town?”
He stared at the girl, then said to himself
“I am claiming these toys and these gifts for myself!”
The little girl heard him, and became quite confused,
“But that’s not how toys are supposed to be used!
They are meant to be given to loved ones with care,
for the best gift of all is the one you can share!”
Vader looked at her sadly and then said with a sigh
“I don’t have anyone that will stand at my side.
Not one companion, not a single ally,
the only friends that I have are me, myself and I.”
The filly gasped at his words and she pitied his sorrow
for he didn’t have friends to share Hearth’s Warming with tomorrow.
They both had no friends, she was all alone too,
it was then that she realized what Princess Twilight would do!
It was the only solution that she could comprehend,
she looked up at the man and said, “I’ll be your friend.”
He looked at the girl and saw a smile was forming,
“Tomorrow you and I can share this Hearth’s Warming!”
He looked at her sadly and said “I’m afraid it can’t be,
for I’ve stolen every ornament, present and tree.
There won’t be a Hearth’s Warming this year I’m afraid.”
But the girl shook her head and began to explain.
“Hearth’s Warming is not about what’s under the tree
it’s about the connection between you and me!
It’s about building a friendship that the whole world can share
and feeding its fire with all the love we can spare.
So please Mister Vader,” she spoke from her heart
“please don’t try to tear our friendship apart.”
She gave him a hug with kindness unsuppressed 
as a strange tingling feeling made its way to Darth’s chest.
Something happened to him that he could not ignore
for he felt something inside that he had never felt before.
It was love that he felt, it was love through and through!
She had sparked something in him, he knew this to be true!

So in an instant they dashed to the shuttle so quick,
then turned on all the systems and gave the engines a kick.
They flew into the town and landed back in the square
and then brought out the gifts with the greatest of care.
He returned every gift to the ponies with glee,
Then he pulled out the ornaments, then lastly the tree.
Some faces were puzzled and others were stony
as he spoke to the crowd “Gather round everypony.
I’m sorry to say that I have made a great error, 
by stealing these gifts and spreading nothing but terror.
But today I am hoping to bring that to an end,
Can you find room in your hearts to forgive me my friends?”
The ponies all cheered much to Lord Vader’s surprise,
and each pony embraced him with joy in their eyes.
A celebration began with the joy he ignited,
and for once in his life, Darth Vader felt delighted.
It surprised him at first, how his mood it had changed,
and he felt even better with every gift he exchanged.
The last pony he greeted that day was the filly,
and he knelt down beside her with an expression so silly.
He said, “I can never repay you enough for this favor,
but here is my gift to you, it’s your very own lightsaber.”
She accepted the gift and returned an embrace,
a hug that brought tears of joy to Darth’s face.
For Vader had learned quite the lesson indeed,
that his anger and power was nothing more than a weed.
The key to happiness he had learned this day
was to love all your neighbors in the old pony way.