A Lonely, Wandering Heart

by Ironfire Skies


Chapter 3 - "This Doesn't Sound Right''/A Special Hearth's Warming Surprise

Chapter 3
This Doesn't Sound Right
By: Sango-Blazer Skies


I was about to go ahead and decorate the fir tree, then I noticed this note dropped from the box of decorations I found in the closet. I wondered, 'Where did this note come from?' I put the box of ornaments on the floor and levitate the note towards me. I didn't realize the note was from an old science classmate of mine back in college. I look at the name printed on the piece of paper, it said Dr. Hooves. I remember him crystal clear, we were old classmates, friends, and study partners. We even attended Canterlot University together. It has been so long since I last saw him. Now, he lives in Ponyville. After my journey to Manehattan is over, I might visit him.

I open the note with my magic to see what the note said. Maybe what he wrote on the piece of paper is something interesting. I hope. But, there's no worries.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

By now, my friend, you received the fir tree decorations I sent you. These decorations to me, are very special. I had this box from when I was a little colt, it was given to me by your grandfather Twilight. Okay, you may not realize why I wrote this note to you. However, I wrote it to you for a reason Twi. It's to tell you how much your grandfather means to you, he left these decorations to me for safekeeping when he gave it to my family. Since our families were so close, it's been passed down from one pony to another for generations. Your grandfather thought it was time for you have his decorations, consider it as a gift from him to you.
Your grandfather passed away 2 months ago, 2 months before you began this journey to his cabin. Every furniture in the cabin was left for you use Twilight, even for guests as well. He was too sick Twilight, I'm very sorry for your loss. I should have told you sooner about his passing, forgive me for not telling you sooner.

Your friend,
Dr. Hooves

I cried a little after reading the letter, this letter from him was so touching. It felt like the very touching words were about to slip right off this paper. I put the letter aside and went back to decorating the fir tree. I took out some ornaments from one of my grandfather's old boxes of Hearth's Warming Eve decorations. As I used the last of the ornaments from one of the boxes, I began to wonder what my friends were doing for Hearth's Warming Eve.


In Ponyville

Twilight's friends were in the library decorating the fir tree. For the tree, they used red and green ornaments big and small. Rarity levitated round green-striped ornaments and put it onto the spots next to the red ornaments.

Rarity looks at her friends with a sulking face. Tears began to spread across the mare's face, with every tear that dropped, more tears streamed from her eyes.

Fluttershy faced her fashion-loving friend with concern. She rubbed her friend's shoulder. "Rar, what's wrong? You know you can tell me, I'm here for you". Rarity didn't say a word and just cried her tears onto Fluttershy's shoulder. Fluttershy let her friend cry into her fur, even though her fur was starting to be filled with the mare's dripping tears.

"Rarity, you're going to have to tell me what's wrong. Otherwise I won't know what's going on". After a second, Rarity finally puts her face up from the butterscotch mare's shoulder.

Tears were still streaming down from Rarity's eyes. "It's.....just.....that......Hearth's Warming Eve......is not the same without Twilight around".

Fluttershy pats her friend's shoulder. "I understand Rar. I understand".

Applejack, Rainbow, and Pinkie hear Rarity's crying. They put down the ornaments they were holding in their hooves and back into their boxes. The three mares who were helping to finish decorating the fir tree rushed over to help their crying friend. They each had concern looks on their faces.

Rainbow's eyes begin to tear. "I feel the same way Rares".

"There there sugar cube, it will be alright", Applejack said, as she went to sit next to Fluttershy.

Rarity's tears began to dry up. She uses her magic to take a tissue from the tissue box next to her. She slowly wipes the remaining tears just dripping in the middle of her cheeks.

"Feel better?" Fluttershy asked her friend.

"Yes Fluttershy, I'm fine now. Thank you", Rarity said, as she got up.

"Girls, do you think this doesn't sound right?" Pinkie asked, as she and other girls let go from their cuddled embrace.

"What doesn't sound right Pinkie? I don't know what you're talking about", Rainbow said, as she faced her.

Pinkie took out an ornament that she was keeping in her mane and continued. "Well, how I am I gonna explain this to you Dashie? Um....you know how it's strange that Twilight never told any of us who this friend she was going to go see in Manehattan?"

Rainbow nodded in agreement. "Okay, continue".

"I'm with Pinkie on this one", Applejack chimed in.

"Count me in", Fluttershy said, as she joined in with Applejack.

"I get the feeling that this friend she is visiting happens to know us. What do you think girls?"

"Coco Pommel?" the other girls said at the same time.

Pinkie nodded. "Yes".

After their conversation, the girls continued decorating the fir tree with the remaining ornaments they had. After a couple of minutes, the other girls were done decorating the fir tree with red and green ornaments. They sit down at the comfy pillows that were laying on the floor of the castle, and began to take sips of from their cups of hot coco. Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, took out the last ornament from the box, a pony angel wearing a white dress, flew to the top of the tree and placed it at the highest point of the tree itself. Finally, the tree was all decorated with a pony angel as the center piece.

It was going to be a lonely for the main 5, without their alicorn friend by their side.


Narrator: While Twilight's friends had to spend Hearth's Warming without her, the alicorn herself seems to enjoy her stay in her grandfather's cabin. Still, the mare herself knew she had to continue her journey to Manehattan.


I look out the window of the gray sky, the blizzard stopped. 'Should I stay in my grandpa's cabin a little longer?', I thought to myself. My grandpa's cabin didn't feel like home at all, he never decorated it. He left it feeling lonely before his death. A little voice inside my head was telling me to decorate it, give it life. So, I went with my gut and searched around the house for anything that was left in storage for years. My grandpa told me when I was filly that his cabin had an attic. An attic filled with really valuable treasures and many other items.

I left the living room and went down a small hallway with six empty bedrooms. I turned the knobs on the doors of each bedroom, they were unlocked.

'That's strange. Why are these bedroom doors unlocked?'

'When my grandfather was here, he always left them locked. He never invited any guests to his cabin only because this place meant so much him. He vowed to never share this home he build with his own four hoofs to any wandering travelers, unless it was strictly necessary'.

I went into every bedroom one by one, all the rooms were completely empty and plain. There were no picture frames, beautiful decor, wallpaper, nothing. It felt like these rooms were not meant to be used to stay in. Only if my grandfather gave this cabin a bit more love, then these bedrooms won't feel so plain. "Why do these rooms have to be so plain?!" I muttered out loud without thinking. I walk around the sleeping area again, thinking of how I would be able to decorate the rooms. 'Should I paint the rooms? The walls brown colors are just to boring to look at. But, what color should I paint the walls?’

I walked from the cabin’s sleeping quarters and went to find a linen closet. I was certain that my grandfather constructed a linen closet right by the bathroom. I walked a couple more steps until I arrived at the bathroom. BINGO! There was a linen closet right by the bathroom. I walked towards the door of the closet, used my magic to open the door, the closet itself revealed to have not only neatly folded towels. But also, unlabeled boxes of some items I've never seen before. I levitate the items with my magenta aura onto the floor, I carefully peel the tape on one of the boxes to open the top, inside was a note for me written by my grandfather. The note was folded neatly and written on fancy looking paper.

On the front, it labeled:

To my dearest Twilight Sparkle.

I unpeeled the fir tree sticker that was sealing the note. Once I threw away the sticker in the bathroom's wastebasket, I unfolded the paper with my magic to reveal cursive writing. Now I realized something, whenever my grandfather use to write me notes or letters, he always wrote in cursive. I admired the fancy paper, it was printed with fancy swirls on the four corners of the paper itself.

I began to read the note.

Dear Twilight,

By the time you are reading this note, I have already passed on. Note that I am proud of you for becoming a truly amazing pony, a Princess. The expectations of being a leader is an overwhelming responsibility, I understand. If you were wondering who told me about your coronation. Well, both of your parents did before they came to make final visits to see me.

About this box I stored away in the linen closet, let me give you a hint; inside this box you opened, you can easily spot small packaging foam. Under all this packaging foam, there are multiple items. I'm not going to spoil the surprise in this note or tell you what's in the box either. Open up the box to find out more.

I love you, my faithful Twilight Sparkle.
Have a happy Hearth's Warming Eve!

Your grandfather,
Night Dusk.

After I read the letter, I was curious to see what was inside this brown box I opened. I took out all the packaging foam and under all of it was six wrapped presents for not only myself. But also for my five best friends. Not only that, there was also a book on Ancient Equestrian Spells & Sorcery, a jumbo jewelry kit, six fun board games, and a new set of writing quills. I was surprised at the Hearth's Warming Gifts.

'Grandfather, why did you have to do all of this while your heart was still unstable?'

I wondered why he did all this? Maybe I'll find the answer to my own question until lunch time. My journey will continue till then.