Once Upon a Hearth's Warming Eve

by Lux

The One and Only

The snow was falling lightly in the skies over Canterlot, collecting on the rooftops and trees. The town was decorated to the fullest for the Hearth’s Warming holidays, not a single object left unadorned. Trees and bushes were decorated in colorful glass balls and glowing magical crystals. Houses and businesses were covered in pine tree garlands, wreaths, and bows. Even the royal castle took on a holiday motif thanks to some magic by the Princesses changing it from its usual rainbow colors to red and green of the season.

The streets in town were bustling with ponies enjoying the season! A group of mares conversed with friends while fillies and colts played in the snow. Vendors sold steaming cups of hot chocolate and last minute gifts. All the while there was an air of glad tidings and good cheer, including a certain Princess of Friendship.

Twilight Sparkle had already wished her friends fond farewell days ago in Ponyville as they all separated to spend time with their families. She too looked forward to meeting her parents and brother again as she stepped off the train and into the familiar streets that she could navigate blindfolded. She loved how the sights, sounds and even scents of the season washed over her, bring her back to a moment in time when she was younger awestruck by the wonder of the season. She remembered how even Princess Celestia would look younger and happier during Hearth’s Warming, perhaps recalling the many seasons she saw in her lifetime.

It was then as the crowd shifted and parted around her that she caught a glimpse of a certain pony in the distance. The form of a unicorn stallion in the distance was familiar, but despite her search through her mental library of memories, she could not recall who this pony was or how she knew him. Maybe he was a pony that visited her at her castle with a question or request, or maybe he owned a store that she frequented. For some reason the Princess felt like she needed to know why this stallion seemed so familiar, and so she made her way closer towards the figure, hoping that he did not vanish in the crowd. It was then that he turned his head and looked directly at her.

“Twilight?” the stallion said as she approached the mare, “Is that you?”

“Um…yeah,” the purple Alicorn responded with a nervous chuckle while trying to suppress the fact that she did not remember him, “that’s me.”

“Do you remember me from here?” the blue unicorn said looking at her, hoping she would say yes.

“I…” she began but then she thought better than to lie and instead said, “I’m sorry. Your face looks familiar but I don’t remember.”

“I see,” he said as his face lost its smile, “Much time has passed since we last met. Does the name Starry Skies sound familiar?”

Twilight paused as she again searched the boundless reaches of her mind for the name until she suddenly realized the connection as the face and name became one.

“Oh my gosh! How could I forget you!” she said giving him a hug, “How are you doing?”

“Great,” he said with a smile and perhaps a little relief that him meeting her wasn’t in vain, “You look great! Congratulations on becoming a Princess!”

“Thanks,” Twilight said.

“I have to ask: how’s it been becoming a Princess and…”

“Having wings now?” she said with a chuckle, “We’re still finishing each other’s questions, aren’t we? Becoming an Alicorn and a Princess has been interesting. There are times that I feel like I’ll wake up the next day and find that this was all a dream and I’ll be back to being my old self. Flying was kind of hard for me at first, but I’m learning. As for being a Princess, I don’t know if I’ll completely get over that change in my life!”

“Well, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer pony,” Starry said, “I had a feeling that you would do something great, but never like this! You’re the talk of the city it seems!”

“Awww thanks Starry!” Twilight said, “Yeah, I never expected this either. I thought being Princess Celestia’s student was interesting enough, but that’s nothing like what happened to me since leaving Canterlot!”

“Yeah you’re right about that,” the stallion replied wistfully as if some distant memory was surfacing in his mind, “Well, I’d like to talk to you more tonight. Are you busy, like some royal thing going on?”

“No, I mean I’d love to chat with you. I’ve come back to spend Hearth’s Warming with my parents and brother.”

“Well, I know just the place where we can get away from the crowds,” Starry said, “Follow me!”

Twilight followed the stallion through the crowd and down the streets as the Princess remembered the first time she met him. She was a filly, barely starting her tutorship with Princess Celestia. She remembered she and the Princess in a park in Canterlot, Twilight curious as to why she was brought here.

“Why are we at the park?” Twilight said to the Princess of the Sun, “Is this part of my lesson?”

“Well Twilight, I felt a bit of fresh air would be good for you and I,” Princess Celestia said, “and I make it a routine in my day to venture out from the castle to somewhere in the city if I can. But you can say this is part of your lesson. I want you Twilight to find a pony your age and say hello to them, maybe even play with them.”

“Meet somepony?” Twilight said with a strange look, “How will this help my magic?”

“Twilight,” Celestia putting a reassuring hoof on the filly’s shoulder, “Life isn’t just about studying books. It’s about experiencing the world, and for now your world is here in this park. But if it must be about magic, then let it be about the magic of friendship in action. Now run along, and I’ll fetch you soon.”

Twilight knew there was no use in protesting, so off she went across the park towards where she spotted a blue unicorn around her age sitting on the grass. He watched the colt as she looked longingly at a group of ponies playing on the field.

“Um…hi,” Twilight said to the colt which to her surprise caused him to jump.

“Oh,” the unicorn said looking around to see a filly there, “hello. I’m Starry Skies. What’s your name?”

“Twilight Sparkle. Err…nice to meet you. Hey, why aren’t you playing with the others?”

“They said they had enough ponies for their game,” Starry said sadly, “but I know the truth. They think I’m some weird nerd that loves books more than sports.”

“Well, you’re in good company as some ponies call me an egghead,” Twilight said before remembering what Celestia told her, “Um…would you like to play with me?”

“That would be great. I have a ball here, and we can play catch with it using our magic! Sound good?”

“Definitely,” Twilight said as the two began what was to be the start of a great friendship. Throughout the years the two played, studied, and had fun together, and developed a friendship deeper than any other friends she had.

“And we’re here!” Starry Skies said to Twilight as the Princess was thrust back into the present. The Princess looked at the building before her, a small unassuming coffee shop only a few blocks away from the familiar grounds of Princess Celestia’s School.

“Hey, I remember this place!” she said, “We used to go here to hang out and talk. Wow, it looks like it hasn’t changed a bit.”

“Nope, and I think the same waitress is there when we first started going there,” he said opening the door with his magic to let Twilight in. The café was surprisingly empty save for a couple sitting in the booth in the corner. Twilight guess everypony had better places to be than in a coffee shop on Hearth’s Warming Eve. She and Starry found a seat at a table, the same one that sat at practically every time they met there.

“Hello there Starry,” the waitress said to the stallion, “I didn’t know you’d be bringing a friend. Oh, you’re Princess Twilight Sparkle! I heard so much about you but never had a chance to meet you personally.”

“Nice to meet you too, although you don’t have to call me Princess. Twilight is fine.”

“Sure Prin… I mean Twilight. Anyway what can I get you?”

“I’ll have a chocolate milkshake,” Twilight said.

“Huh,” the waitress said, “You have the same drink that Starry likes to get. What a coincidence!”

“Actually, I had Twilight try a milkshake several years ago and kind of got her hooked on it.”

“Oh yeah I remember now. You two were so cute sitting there sharing one milkshake! Want me to do that now?”

“Err… I guess,” Twilight said.

“Alright, one large chocolate milkshake with two straws coming right up!” the waitress said as she disappeared into the kitchen with the order.

“So, tell me all about your adventures in Ponyville?” Starry said as he relaxed in his chair.

“Well it might take some time to explain,” Twilight said.

“I have all the time today if you do,” he said with a smile.”

“Alright,” Twilight said as she settled in and began telling her story about how she first met her friends and the adventures they had afterwards. During the yarn she was worried that Starry Skies would lose interest, but the stallion kept his attention, casually sipping on the milkshake when it did arrive. Deep down the mare knew that it wasn’t necessarily about her life that was important; it was him meeting her again. She remembered how these little meetings started off as just friends gathering, but then it grew over time much to Princess Celestia’s delight no doubt. The Princess was always one to encourage friends forming, although it did surprise the stallion when he found out who Twilight’s teacher was.

Looking over at the couple who occupied the café and now shared a kiss with each other, Twilight remembered how she and Starry were once that happy couple, where little mattered but the two of them being together. Soon, these meetings became more like dates and expanded to restaurants, shopping, and more. There was so much promise, but the question that eluded was: Where did it go wrong? Obviously they two were not together now yet being here made it all come back.

“And… here I am now,” Twilight said, “So, tell me about your life!”

“Well it isn’t nearly as interesting as fighting evil and becoming a Princess, but let me see. After you left for Ponyville, I soon graduated from the school, and wouldn’t you know the old astronomy teacher retired and I just was at the right place at the right time. Funny, Princess Celestia sent the school a glowing recommendation about me, although I never remember requesting one.”

“I think that she knew about you through me,” Twilight said sipping on her drink, “You know, I always saw you as a teacher. You love learning and sharing what you know. And your talent was observing the night sky. I remember we spent quite a few nights looking through a telescope. So what else happened?”

“Well, something else happened actually, I met somepony,” the stallion said with a happy yet wary tone.

“Somepony… like a friend?” Twilight said as she looked up from her milkshake.

“Well, she and I started out as friends like us. But then we became something more. We… fell in love.”

Love. The word was always regarded as akin to friendship and harmony. After all, her foalsitter was the Princess of love. She believed that love was something she would have in her life one day, and she did have once with Starry Skies those many years ago. But love was cast aside in favor of harmony and friendship upon her arrival to Ponyville, only to be reawakened slightly when she saw her brother, Shining Armor, and Princess Cadence get married. It was only now that thoughts of love returned suddenly, pulling at her heart strings while crushing her as well.

“So… you have a special somepony now?”

“Well, actually Twilight, she’s my wife. We married about a year ago. It was a private ceremony, nothing too big, but that's what we wanted.”

She couldn’t believe the news! She received no word about the event, not even a way to wish the happy couple well or give a gift. Had she been so estranged from Starry for so long that she was forgotten?

“Who is your wife Starry,” Twilight said as her curious mind ran wild, fueled by her storm of emotions building inside.

“Her name is Sage Smudge. She went to Princess Celestia’s school a few years after we were there. I met her at her magic shop which opened up nearby where I was staying. She is very smart and kind and very good at magic. Not like you though. We just kind of connected and I’d meet her when she closed up her shop in the evening and before I had my astronomy classes.”

Twilight remained silent as she listened to Starry describe her wife. She wasn’t often a pony who gave into jealousy as being with her friends taught her that each pony had their own strengths, weaknesses, personality traits, and even quirks. But hearing the wonderful life Starry crafted with Sage, she kept thinking about what her life would be like if she returned to Canterlot and rekindled her love with Starry Skies. There was no use though in dwelling on what would have happened if she altered her path, but the presence of loss was there as strong as it would be to lose a friend or family member.

“Twilight, are you ok?” Starry said, “You’ve been quiet for a while now.”

“Oh… I’m ok,” Twilight said halfheartedly.

“Come on Twilight, you’re not a good liar. Something is bothering you. Is it the news of me and Sage? If it is, I’m sorry that I told you that. I didn’t want to upset you, only to tell you what happened in my life…”

“Since I left,” Twilight said as her face soured knowing the truth about why things happened as they did, “I don’t blame you Starry. It was my fault. I went to Ponyville and left everypony behind here, including you. How could I just throw you away like that, especially since we loved each other so much!”

“Twilight,” Starry said, putting his hoof on hers which made her flinch a little, “You don’t have to apologize for anything in the past. We don’t know what life will bring us or how life would change if we didn’t make that choice. I didn’t meet you here to open up old wounds. I’m here because I still care about you. You were… are one of my best friends, and no matter of time or distance could change that. I admit that I could have done more as well to keep that friendship alive by writing to you or visiting you, but life happens. But here we are again where our friendship grew, and I want to ask you something. Do you still want to be my friend?”

Twilight still felt the pain inside of losing the love in her life, but she was not about to abandon those years of bliss like they were meaningless.
“I would love that we can still be friends, and I hope that I can be friends with Sage as well.”

“Thank you Twilight, for being there for me,” Starry said with a smile.

“Sorry you two,” a familiar voice of the waitress suddenly broke through their conversation, “We’re going to be closing soon due to the holidays.”

“That’s ok,” Twilight said turning to Starry, “I think we’re caught up.”

The two left the café and stood out in the magical landscape that was Hearth’s Warming in Canterlot. For a moment they said nothing, just trying to take in each other’s presence while thinking about the past.

“Well, I guess you need to get to your family now,” Starry said to Twilight.

“And you have to meet your wife,” the Princess said, “Thank you for meeting me. It means so much to see you again, and I promise that I will meet you again soon.”

“As will I,” the stallion said giving Twilight a hug that warmed the Alicorn’s heart. The two then exchanged their addresses, a promise sealed in ink to never be apart again. Where their love ended, the love of their friendship remained.

“Goodbye Starry,” Twilight said.

“Not goodbye,” the unicorn replied, “That means forever. So let’s just say so long.”

“Alright,” Twilight said with a smile, “So long then, and have a happy Hearth’s Warming holiday.”

“You too,” Starry said before the two parted. Twilight began walking down the street before she turned around to see the stallion in the distance looking back at her, just as she met him before that day. With a wave goodbye, the Princess watched as the stallion waved back before disappearing in the crowd and the snow. Then the Princess trotted towards her family home with a tear in her eye at what was lost but a smile on her face for a new beginning in their friendship.