//------------------------------// // Lonely this Hearth's Warming // Story: Medley Hearth's Warming Everypony // by Talon and Thorn //------------------------------// Medley held open the door to her shop as her latest customer struggled through it, encumbered by the awkward shape of the cello on his back. It looked like Octavia would have a little competition soon, since the princess’s student had moved into town several residents had decided to take up the instrument. The musical mare was a good advert for its capabilities, although most would never reach her level of skill. “Have a happy Hearth's Warming!” called Medley as the stallion staggered away.   Truth be told Hearth's Warming was still over a fortnight away, but the shopping season was in full swing and business was booming as ponies brought instruments and supplies for friends and family. Goods were almost flying off the shelves. Closing the door Medley settled down behind the counter with the glow of a job well done.   She glanced out the window at the simple sun dial sitting in her garden. She noted the speckling of snow on the grass, Dash and the rest of the weather patrol had been warming up for the deeper snowfall due over the next few weeks. Drawing her attention back to the time piece she saw that the shadow on the dial was short and pointing away from her, lunch time.   Glancing around her festively decorated shop Medley saw it was currently empty of customers, so she flew back to the door. Sticking her head outside she looked up and down the street, to make sure there were no potential customers nearby, before flipping the sign over to indicate she was closed for the moment.   The blue mare quickly flew up the stairs to her living quarters and returned a few minutes later burdened by a large book, and a smaller sandwich. She opened the former and started to chew on the latter. It was a little stale, she had bought the bread cheap from the bakery at closing time yesterday, but she liked the texture anyway. Opening her ledger she made a few alterations. Her latest customer, like many others, had purchased on credit, it was a common practise in Ponyville, few of the locals carried large amounts of bits around and as everypony knew everypony else it was easier to use IOUs and settle things up come the end of the month. The process had really annoyed her when she first moved to the town, she had been raised to neither a borrower nor a lender be, but she had gotten used to it over time.   Checking through the accounts she noted her income and her expenditures. The former were much higher than the latter, even after making sure she had six months’ rent in the bank to deal with any emergencies she had extra money to spend. She had already arranged for the creaky floorboards she had patched a few months ago to be replaced, it might seem like a waste but it was better to be safe now than sorry later, plus she could probably find a use for the old timber. She had arranged to have the roof redone as well, she’d noticed a few worn patches when she had flown home last week. She ticked off the cost of the supplies she would need to renew her stock and the orders for the instruments she couldn’t make herself. The device she’d confiscated from the Flim Flam brothers was still in the basement, she’d done some test runs and given the right raw materials it could make a number instruments of acceptable quality. She was a little loath to use the machine, Vinyl still hadn’t worked out exactly how it worked, and she couldn’t help but think it lacked the personal touch, despite the possible savings she could make by using it.   Her business requirements met she went over her personal expenditures, as with the rent she had enough to pay her taxes, food and bills for the next few months at least, no unforeseen disaster was going to ruin her! Even on top of that she had enough left for presents for all of her friends and family, particularly as she was going to hoof make most of them. It really was going to be a joyous holiday season this year. Only one major expense left to go.   She checked the sun dial again, yes she would have time to run her errand and reopen on schedule. Throwing on her much-patched scarf she left the shop, and after locking the door behind her, took off. In a few seconds she was soaring high above the town and looking down at its ground locked inhabitants as they went about their business. She noticed Lyra sitting on a bench in the park and waved, although she doubted the mint mare saw her.   In only a few minutes her objective was in sight, the train station. Medley wasn’t a native of Ponyville having moved to the small town a few years ago. She had been born and bred in the province of Lancantershire in the north west of Equestria. She had lived her early life in a suburb of the city of Manechester. Her home was far enough away that she could not afford the time or money needed to travel there as often as she would have liked to, but she always made sure she could visit her family for Hearth's Warming. Even so she made sure the tickets were the cheapest possible, which meant purchasing them well in advance and taking a somewhat circular route. It often took three days to get home. To be honest that was part of the enjoyment, it was the only holiday she normally allowed herself and she quite liked the chance to see other parts of Equestria, however briefly.   Touching down outside the station office she opened the door and trotted in. It was empty apart from Smokey Sam the station master, who sat, lightly dozing, behind the desk. Good, she wouldn’t have to queue. “Afternoon Sam,” said Medley cheerfully.   The brown coated, black maned earth pony stallion opposite her jerked upright and blinked. “Eh? Oh good afternoon Miss. What can I do for you?” he gestured with his front left leg, his front right had been lost in a train accident years ago now, he had used to drive a train, now he ran the office.   “I’d like an early saver ticket to Manechester please,” she took a deep breath. “Leaving here first thing in two weeks time on Tuesday to Canterlot, then on to the overnight train to Trottingham, then the midday train to Hoofington, overnight again to Oaton, leaving for Los Pegasus two hours later, then the first train to Fillydelphia the next day, followed by the switch at Coltchester and on to Trottingham and finally the Manechester flyer an hour later. That should get me home just before midnight on the day before Hearth's Warming’s eve and back again by the same route five days later.” She ginned to herself, she quite liked working out her route so that it was as cheap as possible, it was sort of a puzzle. She threw down a medium sized bag of bits she’d counted out twice before leaving home. “That should cover it.”   Smokey sighed and took a train time table in his mouth unfolding it with some difficulty before starting to trace the route. “Well for a start you’re too late for the early saver.”   “What do you mean?” Medley frowned. “It’s available on any journey booked at least two weeks before travel.”   “Sorry, they changed it to four weeks last month, you know the company likes to keep changing the fiddly bits around. Plus the Fillydelphia flyer doesn’t stop at Coltchester anymore and the Oaton train leaves later now, you wouldn’t make your connection.”   “No that can’t be right! I checked it all!” she gasped, her heart dropping.   “There was a big reshuffle at the beginning of the month, a lot of the routes have been shifted about, we only got the full timetables last week. But,” he said cheerfully, “There’s a new train straight from Canterlot to Manechester started last month, real swanky coaches they say, makes the whole trip in less than forty eight hours! In my day it took at least three days, they just keep getting faster.”   “How much?” she asked knowing she wouldn’t like the answer.   She didn’t it was over twice the price she’d budgeted for.   Medley’s head dropped, she couldn’t afford that. There had to be another route she could take, she couldn’t miss seeing her family this year! There just had to be a way! “Give me that!” she said sharply grabbing the time table from Smokey. She traced route after route, different times, different switches, every route was at least twice her planned expense.   She had the money, she had more than enough, but it would dig into her emergency fund. Surely her family were more important than that? She sighed, she knew that many ponies considered her a miser, more interested in money than anything else but it wasn’t just that, her family were po... weren't that rich, but they had always made sure they stood on their own four hooves, they wasted nothing and made do with what they had. It was a matter of pride, of self-respect, if she dug into her savings to visit them could she look them in the eye? Maybe she could put off getting the roof looked at? No, if there was a leak it could cost her ten times as much in the future.   “So are you going to buy a ticket?” asked Smokey jolting Medley out of her revelry, his face softened. “I’m sorry about the changes but there’s nothing I can do about it, I’ll make sure you’re informed of any other changes in future, so this doesn’t happen again.”   “Would it be...” she paused, there was one possible option she could just about tolerate, but it was still hard. “Would it be possible to pay on cr-credit?” She asked.   He shook his head. “I’d love to, I know you’re good for it, but the railway doesn’t allow it, not even if you were Princess Cadence herself I’m afraid.”   “Then, I won’t be travelling this Hearth's Warming!” she said icily before turning briskly and leaving the office slamming the door behind her.   Breathing heavily she glanced around the streets, suddenly each happy pony weighed down with presents seemed like a personal insult. Why should they get to spend the holiday with their families when she could not? Why should they be happy? Had they worked half as hard as she had? With a growl she leapt into the air and with laden wings started the journey across town towards her shop, and her cold and lonely seeming flat above it. Looking down she saw Lyra was now surrounded by a small group of foals listening intently as she played, they seemed so much like her cousins, the ones she wouldn’t see this year, would they even remember her next year? She gave another sigh as her home came into sight and quietly began to sing to herself.   Suddenly this is my town but not my home. I’m going to have Hearth's Warming all alone. That's where I'll be With no family My tears fall in the snow. Too far to fly Can’t even try I've not got the bits needed to go   It'll be a lonely Hearth's Warming By myself all alone It'll be a lonely Hearth's Warming My tears windblown My heart feels like stone By myself all alone Hearth's Warming   She landed gently outside her shop and rested a hoof on the door, seemingly unwilling to open the door.   I remember the days spent with my family Now after so long it seems almost a fantasy I just break down, as I look around And the only things I see Are emptiness and loneliness And a wasted Hearth's Warming tree.   It'll be a lonely Hearth's Warming By myself all alone It'll be a lonely Hearth's Warming My tears windblown My heart feels like stone By myself all alone Hearth's Warming   I remember last year, when all of us were together We never thought there'd be an end And I remember looking at them then And I remember thinking that Hearth's Warming must have been made for us All together in our cosy home wrapped in love It all meant so very very much.   It'll be a lonely Hearth's Warming By myself all alone It'll be a lonely Hearth's Warming My tears windblown My heart feels like stone By myself all alone Hearth's Warming   Hearth's Warming   “Have a good Hearth's Warming everypony,” she muttered bitterly as she looked at the passing ponies. “Mine won’t be.”   She slouched into her shop trying to hold back a sob at the thought of her lonely Hearth's Warming this year. She slumped against the door trying to compose herself before slipping the sign around again to show she was open and ready to serve, but her heart wasn’t in it.     My little pony... Ah ah ah... (My Little Pony) Friendship sounded so off-key to me. (My Little Pony) But now you're here, and now I see... A loyal backing Honest melodies! Songs to share With loving harmonies! Joyous dance -- Such a lovely feat -- And magic makes the perfect beat! You are my little ponies... Friends make the best music of all!     “I think this may be one of the best Hearth's Warming dinners I’ve ever had,” announced Octavia to her friends. “If a little early,” she admitted.   It was still almost a week until Hearth's Warming day, Octavia had told her friends that sadly she would not be in Ponyville for the holiday itself. It had been quite a hard decision but she had not seen her family for so long now and they wanted her to spend the day with them. Cheneigh was a long way off in the south of Equestria and the journey would take a few days to get there and back. She had been a little worried that some of her friends might have been upset she chose to spend the holiday with family instead of them, but they all seemed to understand. Bluenote had suggested that as they wouldn’t be together for the holidays they held a pre-Hearth's Warming meal just for themselves before she left and had arranged for them to use a function room above one of Ponyville’s restaurants.   It had turned out to be great fun, the restaurant had put on an excellent meal with Bluenote adding a few dishes of her own. The six friends had all swapped presents. Octavia had thought long and hard before getting her friends season tickets for the East Canterlot Modern Concert Hall. The venue was known for the eclectic mix of music it hosted, ranging from her own preferred style to the noise Vinyl produced, she was sure there would be some performances they could all agree to go to together as well as some they would like to attend alone. Then after the meal Lyra had performed a song she had written about their adventures in the Everfree, although Octavia remembered some of the events a little differently to the bard, a few less epic battles, a bit more heart stopping terror. Finally they had sung some Hearth's Warming songs together, it had been very festive.   “So what will the rest of you be doing for Hearth's Warming?” asked Octavia, she fidgeted with the large orange sun glasses Vinyl had gotten her which currently rested on her head. She felt obliged to at least wear them now, even if she doubted they would be used again. The matching short dress made out of some stretchy material which apparently glowed in the dark, would definitely never see life outside of her closet again. The knitted hoof warmers that Fluttershy had presented her with would, however, definitely find use during the colder mornings and evenings.   “Oh you know same old, same old,” said Vinyl leaning back in her chair wearing her present from Fluttershy, a large knitted sweater with ‘DJ-Pon3 Rocks’ picked out on it. “I’ll be off to the family estate,” she said grandly, referring to the lumber camp her extended family called home, “As always, get to see most of the clan, see which of my brothers makes the biggest fool of himself this time.” Despite sounding rather uninterested a wide smile plastered her face.   “Oh, well my parents are coming to me this year,” said Fluttershy. “We’ll spend the holiday morning delivering presents to the orphanage over in Stableton, then we’ll have a nice meal with all the foals and after I’ll ask my birds to put on a performance for them.” She glanced over at the wooden perch that Medley had made for her birds to sit on. “I’m sure we’re all have a lovely time.”   “I’ll be spending the holiday with my family,” said Lyra chewing on another of the cupcakes Bluenote had made for her. “I’ll have to get up early to make sure the hamper of goodies is on Bon Bon’s doorstep when she gets up, but apart from that my day’s free. She prodded one of the small magical toys Vinyl had made for her and watched it rush across the table swinging a small sword at an imaginary enemy. “I’ll save you my lady,” she said in a deep voice. “Oh you’re my hero sir knight!” she continued in a squeaky voice holding another of the toys to her face.   “Dad can’t make it again this year, he’s touring,” said Bluenote with a sigh, “But mom’ll be in town so I’ll be cooking for her. The school’s putting on a pageant in the evening so we’ll probably go and see that.” She flicked through the large appointment book and pack of stickers Lyra had gotten her to keep track of her student’s schedules.   “How about you Medley?” asked Octavia turning to the last of her friends present. “What will you be doing for the holiday.”   The teal pegasus looked up from the case of magically enhanced tools Vinyl had given her. “Not much,” she grunted. “Probably just stay in by myself, maybe work on my latest project.”   “If you want you could spent the day with me and mum,” offered Bluenote, “It won’t be any trouble to make another portion.”   “Yeah, or you could come to mum and dad’s with me,” said Lyra. “The more the merrier!”   “No, Hearth's Warming’s a time for family, you wouldn’t want me around to get you down,” replied Medley slumping down in her chair.   “Don’t you normally go home for the holidays anyway?” asked Bluenote. “You normally close up for a fortnight.”   “Well this year is different!” growled Medley her face like thunder. “What’s with the third degree? Can’t I just have a quiet holiday by my-myself for a change!” she glared at her friends. “I’ve got to go, I’ve got a meeting with Dash about covering a shift or two over the holiday, I’m sure some of the other weatherponies would enjoy the time off.” She got to her hooves before looking around the table again a little shamefaced. “Anyway, thanks for all the presents, I really do appreciate them. I hope you all have a good time with your f-families.” She shuffled off towards the exit.   Vinyl watched her go. “What bit her plot?”   “Vinyl!” gasped Octavia, shocked.   “Hey, we were all thinking it.”   “I certainly was not! Although, she had been a little more temperamental than normal for the last week.”   “I know she always goes away for Hearth's Warming. It’s about the only holiday she has,” said Bluenote thoughtfully. “Why not this year?”   “You don’t think something is wrong with her family do you? Illness maybe?”   “Maybe, she’s quite a private pony, I’m not sure if she’d tell us if anything was wrong.”   “That’s terrible!” exclaimed Lyra. “If anypony in her family is sick we will need quest to cure then, gather rare herbs from the farthest corners of Equestria! Find the finest doctors...”   “Um, I think it might be something to do with the railway,” mumbled Fluttershy.   “Why do you think that?” asked Octavia,   “Well, you see I was in her shop last week and I was talking to her about the campaign to keep the smaller stations open, lots of them are being shut you see, they’re not very profitable but they employ so many ponies. Anyway, she had an awful lot of not very nice things to say about the train company,” the pink-maned mare blushed.   “Humm,” Bluenote got up and rummaged around inside her saddle bags before bringing out a hoof full of train timetables. “They have changed a lot of train times recently, it’s really thrown my schedule out.” She ran a hoof over the documents. “Wow, they really have messed up the Lancantershire routes, and look at these prices, criminal!”   “So you think that she can’t afford the fare?” said Octavia.   “Seems likely.”   “So could we not just give her the money? Maybe a loan?”   “Lend Medley money! Are we talking about the same mare?” exclaimed Vinyl. “You’re lucky she accepted our Hearth's Warming presents, she’s very proud of being self-sufficient. She’ll see it as charity.”   “So she’d rather not see her family for Hearth's Warming than accept a gift? Isn’t that taking things too far?” she had not seen her family for quite some time now and she did miss them terribly. Viola was supposed to be introducing her new marefriend to her family during Hearth's Warming dinner, which would have been a more important event if her sister wasn’t so fickle with affairs of the heart, this was her sixth paramour this year that Octavia was aware of. “And there is nothing we can do?”   “Doesn’t look like it.”   “No!” cried Lyra leaping into the table and slamming a hoof down. “This shall not be! What type of friends would we be if we did not make sure she had the best Hearth's Warming ever! If she will not go to her family, then we will bring her family to her!”   “You think that we should send her family the money to come here?” said Octavia looking up at her friend. It seemed to make sense.   Lyra seemed to deflate a little. “Actually I was thinking of questing to get them in person and bring them back, but that might work as well.”   “Does anypony know their address?” asked Bluenote.   “I know they live in Lancantershire,” said Octavia.   “I think they live near, Manechester,” added Fluttershy. “She donated to preserve some of the historic buildings there.”   “I think she mentioned a road called Jangle lane to me once, she used to play there, but I don’t know if her family actually live there or not,” said Bluenote. “It’s not enough to post anything.”   “Then the quest is back on!” announced Lyra striking a pose on the table. “We will need to trek across the wilds of Equestria, ford wild rivers, drive off dangerous animals, suffer untold hardships to track down Medley’s family!”   “Or... We could take the train to Manechester and start looking there,” said Bluenote. “I’ve got a lot of train miles saved up from tutoring in the local towns and villages, I can get us cheap tickets as long as I go with you. Most of my kids won’t be taking any more lessons until after the holidays now so I’ve got the time.”   “I am afraid I will not be able to join you,” said Octavia. “I have to see my own family, but I will pay whatever I can for your own tickets and those of Medley’s family.”   “Yeah don’t sweat it Octy, I’m sure the rest of us can do it,” said Vinyl. “My schedule’s clear, for some reason ponies don’t seem to think wubs are festive.” She shrugged.   “Err, I’m afraid I can’t take the time off from my patients,” said Fluttershy, “There’s been a wave of bunny flu recently, poor Angel has been laid up for weeks, and so many others are feeling poorly.”   “Have no fear Fluttershy, I am sure the three of us will complete this quest!” cried Lyra. “Or die trying!”