//------------------------------// // Part 1 // Story: Happy Hearth's Warming Princess // by LuRose98 //------------------------------// The streets of Ponyville glisten in a sea of colorful lights and a fluffy blanket of snow. Hearth's Warming Eve was coming.All ponies had a friendly aura to them and smiles as big as Canterlot. But one of the biggest smiles on the streets was that of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Hearth's Warming Eve was one of her favorite times of year (along with the Summer Sun Celebration). The princess trotted happily through the town with grocery bags in toll while humming her favorite carol "Frosty the SnowColt". "Happy Hearth's Warming Eve Twilight" called Lyra "Happy Hearth's Warming Lyra." Twilight replied "Happy Warming Hearts Twilight." a voice from the sky called Twilight looked up to see Derpy on a cloud waving to her. "Happy Warming Hearts to you too Derpy." Twilight shouted back giggling The princess came up on a Saddlevation Army stand and put 10 bits into the bucket. "Thank very much Princess." the unicorn mare at the stand said "No problem. And please call me Twilight. No need for formalities." Twilight replied "Ok. Happy Hearth's Warming Eve Twilight." "Happy Hearth's Warming Eve, wait I didn't get your name." "Sorry, my name is Winter Dreams." the mare replied "Winter Dreams. I like it. Well Happy Hearth's Warming Eve Winter." Twilight said as she started to trot again. A few minutes later, Twilight was in front of her new home : The Friendship Rainbow Castle. She wouldn't really call the castle her home since it only appeared out of the ground six months ago after Lord Tirek's return. Luckily all her belongings including more books have been restored. The castle also included a much larger library that was available to the public. Many ponies from all of Equestria have come to check out the amazing castle's library. The amount of visitors got so huge, that Twilight hired a teenage mare to be the librarian part time. But now the library was closed for the holidays only to be opened again in the new year. Once inside, Twilight smelled a sweet smell that made her drool a little. Spike then came out from the kitchen wiping his claws on an apron. "Hey Twilight, just making a little snicky snack to enjoy. Diamond chip cookies my favorite. Want some?" Spike asked "Uh no thanks Spike, I think I'll pass." Twilight replied as she set the groceries down with her magic. "After all we have the pre holiday party tonight and I don't want my appetite spoiled." "Fine with me, but I on the other claw, have some gem cookies to enjoy." Spike replied returning to the kitchen "Princess! There you are! I was so worried." a voice said coming down from upstairs "Flash, you always say that after I come from town. Don't worry, I'm not hurt." Twilight replied slightly blushing Two months after Lord Tirek's return, Princess Cadence sent Flash Sentry to be Twilight's guard. But Twilight knew that she sent Flash because she had a crush on the stallion. Well she is the Princess of Love. If she could defeat the Queen of Changelings using the Power of Love, figuring out her sister in law had a crush was easy. As much as she loved having her dream stallion living with her having him following her around all the time would mean she would have to talk to him, so Twilight would insist that she took some independent trips which she said was to make sure that ponies know to treat her as any other pony. "Are you going to come to our pre holiday party tonight Flash?" Twilight asked "Of course. I am your personal guard." Flash replied Every year since Twilight moved to Ponyville, the Mane 6, and the Princesses would have a party at one of the Mane 6's homes before heading out to their respective home for the holidays. The CMC also joined them along with Scootaloo's parents/Rainbow's cousin and her husband: Aerial Dash and Striker. This year, Twilight was hosting the party since she had the castle. Twilight loved holiday parties every since she was little. She would make cookies with her mother, decorate with her father, and if there was time make snowcolt and fillies with Shining before guests would arrive. This year her parents were coming and she was hoping to rekindle those traditions. She sighed happily at those happy memories. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Twilight opened it to see a blue mailcolt with a navy mane and a mailbox for a cutiemark outside. "Important mail for Princess Twilight Sparkle." the mailcolt said holding a thick envelope. "Thank you and Happy Hearth's Warming." Twilight said as she grabbed the envelope with her magic. As she closed the door, Twilight ripped the envelope open and read the first piece of paper "Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, You must cosign all these documents to make them official then have Spike send them back to Canterlot before tonight. But first read them first. And Happy Hearth's Warming Eve." Signed, Savior F., Celestia's Royal Advisor "Just sign a few documents." Twilight said But when she emptied the envelope on the table, about 150 documents came out. "Well" Twilight sighed "I better get work. Hopefully if I start now, I should be done by tonight." But after 5 hours of reading documents, Twilight came down to see the party was underway. All the guests were there already enjoying the festivities. And all without her. "Wait you guys started without me?" Twilight asked as she came down. "Sorry Twilight, we thought you wouldn't be down for awhile, so we kind of thought to just go on ahead." Shining explained The lavender alicorn looked around the room to see the decorations. "You've decorated the room already?!" Twilight felt a smell coming from the kitchen only to see a plate of snowcolt cookies. "Mom, you baked the cookies?!" Twilight looked at her mother with shock and disappointment. But what really tipped off the alicorn was what she found outside. Outside were a family of snowponies consisting of a father, mother, a colt, and filly. "Shinning how could you?! Suddenly, Spike burped and four scrolls came out. The Princesses used their magic to read it: "Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle/Celestia/Luna/Cadence, Your presence is requested as the Duke and Duchess have called for a last minute meeting due to some matters that have come up. Please come to Maretonia for a few days as quickly as you can. Signed, Wild Clover, Royal Advisor to the Duke of Maretonia. "Well I guess we have to go then." Celestia said after reading her scroll "But Princess what about the party? What about Hearth's Warming Eve" Twilight asked "I'm sorry Twilight but we all must go." Celestia sighed "Even you." "Doesn't Maretonia celebrate Hearth's Warming." AppleJack asked "No silly they celebrate the Winter Solstice. Once that passes, everything goes back to normal. Everypony knows that." Pinkie replied Everypony look at the pink pony strangely. "What?" Pinkie asked "Pinkie darling I've told you, not everypony know as much as you do." Rarity told her marefriend "Can't you just ask them to reschedule?" Rainbow asked "I mean you're one of the supreme rulers of Equestria." "I have tried many times to reschedule meetings for years, but the Duke is a stubborn Stallion." Celestia said "Now we must go." But Twilight wouldn't budge. This was the last straw. "NO! I won't go!" Twilight yelled "Twilight!" "This is the time to celebrate with family and friends. " "That's ok Sugarcube." Applejack "We understand you have important business to attend to." "But this is my first holiday with my parents since I've moved to Ponyville. I can't just abandon them on Hearth's Warming." Twilight replied "You don't understand Twilight. When our presence is requested, we have to go." Luna said " No you don't understand! I know you and Celestia and even Cadence have done this for a long while but I have been a princess for only a year and a half. Being interrupted on a regular day for royal responsibilities is one thing but on Hearth's Warming Eve?! Then she turned around to her family and friends who she was most upset at. "And don't get me started on you guys. I'm sorry but you couldn't have at least waited for me to be finished with my work?! You know what? I can't take this I'm leaving." Twilight said as she grabbed her scarf, her eyes getting soggy. She than ran out the door. "Wait Princess!" Flash called but Twilight was already out. To be continued...