"Oh, hold on, sugarcube. You got a bur in your tail."
"Heh… you call everypony sugarcube. You should have something more awesome for me by now. C'mon."
"Pet names, Dash? You never really struck me as the 'pet name' sorta pony."
"Well, when you say it like that…"
"I could just drop the 'cube.' C'mere, sugar."
"Oh, no. No no no no. That's not going to work."
"What's wrong, sugar? Feelin' okay? I hope the afternoon sun ain't gettin' to ya."
"You stop that right now, or I'm calling you Jack from now until we're dead."
"Oh, wow. Yeah, I regret everythin' that led to this."
"Uh-oh. Too late, Jack. I think I'm growing attached."
"I will fight you. I will fight you, and it won't be pretty."
"Snrk. Never is."
Spike ran his fingers along the corners of his present. It was rectangular, larger than him, and still clad in wrapping paper. The lit fireplace, adorned with stockings and dolls, created dancing shadows on the decorated evergreen tree in the corner.
"What do you think it is, Rainbow?" Spike said, without turning away from his gift. "Man, I feel sorry for all those suckers that have to wait until tomorrow to open their presents."
Rainbow laughed, sitting on the floor behind him. "Well, you know what it's not. It's not a book, unless it's got about a billion pages. So that's a plus, huh?"
"Ain't that the truth." Spike grinned and hopped up on Twilight's back to examine the package's top.
"Rainbow!" Twilight said. "This from the pony who camped out all night for the Daring Do movie novelization?"
Rainbow raised her hooves defensively. "Hey, I'm just trying to speak his language." She smirked.
Twilight rolled her eyes, and Spike accidentally caused a small tear in the wrapping paper near the top. "Oop!" he said. "Well, guess that's it. Gotta keep goin' now. Nothing I can do!"
Spike hopped on top of the present, pulling at the tape and shredding every bit of paper he could reach, revealing a wooden surface. He jumped off, dragging the paper with him and revealing it fully.
He stepped back. "Ah! It's a… bookshelf." He pressed his lips together, surveying the two-shelved piece of furniture and nodding.
"Baaaaaahahahaha!" Rainbow fell backwards. "Oh, man. That's good comedy."
"It's not—His old one is run-down!" Twilight protested. "He's gotta put his books somewhere!"
"You know, we've got a whole library, Twilight," Spike said.
"And get your books lost in the clutter? I don't think so." Twilight walked over to him. "And there's lots more Hearth's Warmings and birthdays for you coming up, so you're gonna get a lot more." She rubbed her hoof into Spike's head.
Spike squirmed out from under Twilight's hoof and ran to the tree. "Alright, alright! Here, your turn." He picked up a small wrapped-up box and carried it over to Twilight, who lifted it with her magic.
Twilight's horn flared as she peeled the paper away, then opened the box, revealing a green scarf. "Oooh! I love it, Spike. Thank you." She threw a hoof around Spike and hugged him.
Rainbow peered in the box. "That's totally your color, Spike. Like… that's your exact shade of green."
Twilight looked at Rainbow, then back at Spike, raising an eyebrow. "Rarity did tell us recently that she thought our shades complemented each other 'marvelously'..."
Rainbow laughed, and punched Spike in the shoulder. "Well, we couldn't ignore advice from her, could we?" Twilight giggled.
"Make fun of me all you want," Spike said, waving his hand dismissively, "but that pony knows everything there is to know about complementary colors. I assume. Is there a lot to know? I dunno. I'm gonna get another present." He walked over to the tree, poking at the remaining gifts marked with his name.
Twilight turned to Rainbow, taking a sip of her eggnog. "I feel bad that you have to just watch us opening gifts. I almost feel like I should go quickly wrap something up so you can join in."
"I mean, I can pretend," Rainbow said, and cleared her throat. "'Oh my gosh! Could it be!? A real live book!? I didn't see this coming in a mil—'"
Twilight swatted the back of Rainbow's head, and Rainbow and Spike both broke into laughter. "How is that not played out by now?" Twilight said. "When is it gonna get old to the two of you?"
"When you stop buying ponies books!" Rainbow said, still laughing. Twilight sighed and pressed her hoof into the bridge of her muzzle, but smiled. Spike walked over and fistbumped Rainbow's hoof, still chuckling, a new gift in hand.
"Coulda brought your own gifts over here," Spike said, shaking his gift. "But then, you probably opened them with Applejack already, I guess. She get you anything special?"
Twilight winced. Spike was focused on the gift, prodding into it with a finger, as Rainbow took a few moments to answer. "It… we're, uh… we're waiting until after she gets back."
"Oh! Right." Spike smacked his forehead. "I can't believe I keep forgetting everypony else has to wait another day. Seriously, you're missing out." He tore the paper off, finding a jigsaw puzzle. "Hah! Still trying to get someone to do puzzles with, huh, Twili—" He looked at Twilight and stopped short, noticing her staring at him with a pained and incredulous expression. "...What?"
"Uh…" Rainbow shook her glass, only a thick sliver of residue stuck at the bottom. "Hey, Twilight, mind if I go get some more? Got a 'too much egg, not enough nog' situation going on right now."
"Yeah, of course. Take as much as you like," Twilight replied. Rainbow walked out of the room, turning towards the kitchen.
As she passed out of sight, Twilight turned back to Spike, adopting her expression of incredulity once again. Spike shrank under her gaze, but frowned. "Applejack is only gone for a couple of days, right? I didn't think Rainbow'd be all, like… you know." He shrugged apologetically.
Twilight sighed, and looked into the fireplace.
The assembled Apples and Pies stood in front of Holder's Boulder, peering up at its immense frame. The lowering sun cast long shadows that extended into the massive quarry a few feet away. Big Mac stretched out his legs in preparation, while Cloudy Quartz removed her glasses and tucked them into her scarf.
"I just want it on record that I think this is a stupid tradition and we're going to break it," Limestone said.
"Well, I just want it on record that you're being a grumpypants and this represents a very special moment for our families! And it's way too tough to break!" Pinkie countered.
Maud held a book with her hoof, writing in it through a pencil in her mouth. She closed the book and tucked it back in her frock. "Both of your statements are now on record."
Applejack stared at Maud for a moment, then turned back to the boulder. "Alright, well, we gonna get to it, or what?"
Igneous Rock nodded. "I must agree. If the boulder is to be dropped into yonder quarry, so that we might retrieve it and strengthen the bond between our families, we should begin with haste, lest nightfall fall upon us before our task is through."
"This is so stupid," Limestone said. "I really didn't think you were serious about this last year. This is completely stupid. We should just—"
"Yer many objections're noted!" Granny Smith yelled. "Now quit gabbin' and git shovin'!" She charged towards the boulder at top speed, which Applejack noted to be slightly faster than an average pony's meander. Granny threw herself against the boulder and strained. "Hrrnnnng… Ah'm hearing crackin' sounds! It's givin' way! ...No, wait. That's m'back."
"Please don't break yourself, Granny." Applejack walked up beside her and began to push as well, and the rest of the two families soon followed. The boulder proved stubborn, having been entrenched in its usual resting spot for the past year.
"Hnnnggg!" Apple Bloom strained. "Y'know, if Rainbow were here—nnnh!—she could hit it from the top and get it movin', and then we'd be—"
"Really, Apple Bloom?" Applejack shot her little sister a glare, and continued to push. The rock finally began to shift, the top of the boulder falling backwards as they slowly got it rolling.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid," Limestone repeated loudly as the boulder cleared the lip of the quarry and started to roll down the side, sliding down until it landed in the divot created from the previous year's impact. "...stupid, stupid, stupid. That was stupid."
Applejack smirked at Apple Bloom. "There, see? Don't need anypony but ourselves. Maybe next year it'll be a bit more sensible to bring her along."
"But you clearly know you'll still be together, so what's the difference!?" Apple Bloom protested.
Cloudy Quartz cleared her throat. "I must lend my approval to your elder sister's adherence to such social customs, child. It is true that a new love can bring boundless joy to all aspects of thy life—but where family is concerned, thou must be certain it truly is love before thou might allow them to partake in events so personal as a family celebration. I did not even consider taking Igneous Rock home to my progenitors for Hearth's Warming until we were well and truly betrothed." Igneous Rock nodded sagely.
"You already told them that took two weeks, Mom!" Pinkie Pie said. "It's all sorts of different when Choosing Rocks are involved!"
Igneous shook his head. "Nevertheless, practicality is a necessity in such situations, and until—"
"Now, hold on!" Granny Smith shouted, marching up to Igneous and pushing her face into his. "Who exactly are you t'tell our family how to treat matters like this? Yer idea of how love and family should mix is all well and good for y'all, but that ain't how the Apples do it, and Ah don't think y'all should be talkin' to my grandkids like your way's the right way!"
Igneous stood firm. "Perhaps I am in error, but from what I had gathered thus far, the goal of these traditions and gatherings is to foster a union between our clans. Given such, it should be expected that thy family will continue to take these matters seriously—including refraining from bringing along what could simply turn out to pass with the change of the season!"
Applejack's cheeks burned, but Granny continued before she could say anything. "Like Ah told ya, that ain't how the Apples do it! Maybe you should meet ol' Uncle Hayseed, and he can tell you—"
"H-hey…" Marble spoke up, quietly. "Let's not fight… I-I think things are going really well. We don't need to… um…" She blushed, and retreated slightly.
Granny's face softened. "Oh, shucks. You're right. And Ah'm glad to see you talkin' a little more these days." She turned to Igneous. "Put 'er there." Igneous hesitantly held his hoof out, which Granny picked up and shook wildly.
Applejack had her head cocked slightly in confusion. "Granny… what does Uncle Hayseed have to do with any of this?"
"Hmm… ya don't know?" Granny thought for a moment. "Heh… he always was one of yer favorites, weren't he?"
"Yeah, he was... when he was around, at least, but—"
Applejack was cut off as she heard the train whistle blare from the direction of the station. She cocked her head up, unable to see anything but the tip of the smoke plume from where she stood.
Pinkie giggled. "I love that sound! And Maud told me it's happening a lot more lately as more farms have been popping up! Lots more trains coming in with ponies and supplies and stuff!" She glanced at Applejack. "Eh? Something wrong, Applejack?"
Applejack looked towards the station for a moment longer, then lowered her head, staring at the ground. She turned to Pinkie after a moment. "Uhh… it's nothin'. We'd better get that boulder before the sun goes away for good today."
The ponies started to walk down the path into the quarry. Applejack took one last look at the fading plume of smoke, then followed.