The brown liquid spun as it was stirred, its sweet aroma increasing as crushed peppermint was added to the mix. After some more stirring, the spoon was lifted out, blown on a few times, then brought into the stirrer's mouth. She hummed as she tasted it. "Not bad," Sapphire said, returning the spoon to the pot. "But I'm not adding in the banana." From the top of her head, Arina chirped unhappily. "I have no idea where she even got the idea for it, but this is for everypony, so no banana," she told the spider, guessing at what her complaint was about. "She" being Midnight, and the pegasus once again looked towards the side door and out into the white world beyond. It wasn't a blizzard, thank Celestia, but the snow was still coming down steadily to make sure the land was thoroughly blanketed in snow for Hearth's Warming, which was only a little over a week away. She wasn't scared for Midnight or Windrunner or even for Honeysuckle, who'd decided to try her hoof at wood cutting; Midnight could breathe fire and if they did somehow get lost or in trouble, her wyvern form would be large enough to get them back safely. If anything she was worried about having to turn off the stove and risk the cocoa cooling while she collected Squeaky from school herself.
Speaking of school, poor Cheerilee would be spending most of that time interviewing applicants for the new night classes that were going to be held for the thestral foals. It had come as quite a shock to the teacher that the thestrals, as a whole, hadn't even given school a thought. Back in their old colony, book learning was kept to the bare minimum of basic reading and math so the youngsters could focus on more important things, such as combat training and farming with their families. The magenta earth pony had put her hoof down and told the thestral families that there was more to learn than basic reading and math and went so far as to ask Princess Luna, through Midnight, for her support for her argument. Luna had agreed, citing that she herself was studying as much as she could to catch up with the thousand years of history, innovation, and such she'd missed. Besides, it was also some kind of law that made it mandatory for them to attend. The new teacher wouldn't have as big a class as Cheerilee but size wasn't everything.
Her ears perked up as she heard something on the other side of the door, then it opened and the three on her mind stepped in out of the white world, the door quickly snapping shut behind them. Windrunner and Honey moved into the living room to hang up their winter clothes by the fire. When they moved far enough away, Midnight began to work herself over with her fire, melting the snow off herself while careful not to burn the scarf around her neck. The scarf, blue with black ends and Midnight's cutie mark emblazoned against the black background, had been Sapphire's Hearth's Warming gift to her the previous year, given the same day the kirin had adopted Squeaks. It warmed the pegasus that the kirin still wore it and took such care of it. When she was done, Midnight made her way over to Sapphire, throwing a wing over her marefriend and resting her head on top of her's, letting Arina crawl up to the top of her head to settle into her favorite spot behind Midnight's horn.
"Hmm..." Midnight hummed happily as she sniffed the cocoa. "You add the peppermint and bananas?"
"Peppermint yes, bananas no. Don't give me that look; this isn't only for you," Sapphire said, seeing the kirin beginning to pout. Midnight whined a little, but stopped when she saw Sapphire wasn't going to budge. She squeezed the pegasus with her wing and the two stood there quiet for a few minutes.
"So... have your folks gotten back to you yet?" Midnight finally asked, trying not to sound disappointed with the idea in general. It wasn't that she disliked Ruby and White, she just wasn't looking forward to telling them about her and Sapphire dating. They'd been on two "dates" so far, which hadn't been any different than their usual outings together besides a bit more wing hugging and the occasional kiss. Everypony else had been confused when Midnight had suddenly switched to dating Sapphire instead of Night Skimmer. A quick explanation from the two of them smoothed things out and even gave them all a laugh when Squeaks had asked if she was getting a second mom instead of a dad.
"Yes, they say they're coming," Sapphire told her, her smile becoming a bit strained. She knew she would, but Sapphire hoped that her mother wouldn't get too wound up over her dating somepony. "She'll just get a little... excited for about an hour and then she'll calm down; you'll see."
"Uh huh," Midnight said, unconvinced.
Her only warning was the feeling of Midnight's jaw moving before the kirin's mouth gently clamped down on one of her ears. "M-Midnight!" Sapphire yelped, trying to pull away but held fast by the leathery wing draped over her.
"Hey, are either of you going to pick up Squeaky?" Honey asked, sticking her head into the kitchen, only to find Sapphire trying to, gently but firmly, beat Midnight off her with the stirring spoon while the kirin stayed latched to one of her ears and baring a goofy grin, hardly noticing the spoon at all. Arina had simply moved to the side of her master's head that wasn't getting pummeled. "...or I could get her instead," she offered turning back to the living room to get her winter clothes.
-----------------------------
"All right class, have a happy and safe Hearth's Warming!" Miss Cheerilee said, smiling as the fillies and colts all cheered.
"Finally!" Pinchy whooped, literally hopping out of her desk. "No school for two whole weeks!"
"Maybe it'll give you time to catch up!" Dinky snickered.
Pinchy blew a raspberry at her. "Only a pony like you would think about homework during Hearth's Warming! I'm looking forward to all those presents, and the food, and all the cool things we can do out in the snow!"
Squeaks, who had been putting the last of her books away, squeaked and folded her ears down. Snow again?
"Snowball fights, snow forts, snow ponies, snow angels...! I say we have a snowball fight when we get outside!" Pinchy said, pulling her snow cap on like a soldier would a battle helmet.
"I can't," Twist told them, already decked out in a scarf, snow cap, and snow boots. "I have to help my parentth make candy caneth and thuff for the thop. Thith ith one of the buthyuth timeth of the year for uth." Twist's lisp sounded even worse with her excitement. "I'll try and make that pillow knightth meeting before Hearthth Warming, though! I promith to bring some of the thweets we made!"
"Oh, alright, but you'd better bring more than just peppermint sticks! My mom's bought a ton of those things already!" Pinchy said, pulling the last of her boots on. "The rest of us can think of what to do until then, right?" She got a nod from Dinky, but Squeaks wasn't with them. "Hey, where's Squeaks?"
They all looked around and found her still by her desk, slowly putting on her winter gear. She'd gotten the whole set of thick coat, ear and wing mittens, and thick boots back when Midnight had adopted her. When she was wearing the entire thing, only her muzzle and eyes would be poking out of the bright orange suit. More than once Pinchy had called her a giant orange marshmallow. Right now she barely had the thing up to her neck, and she still had to put on the boots and mittens.
"Come on Squeaks! What's taking so long!?" Pinchy called back. "Two weeks of no school and you're acting like you don't want to leave!"
"I'm coming," Squeaks called back, pulling the hood up over her head. "I got stuck," she said, the excuse sounding lame even to her ears. It wasn't that she wanted to stay in school or avoid the others; she didn't want to go out into the snow. The cold, wet, scary snow. Even with the suit on, she shivered as she remembered being abandoned in the Everfree Forest, snow falling constantly and slowly becoming colder and hungrier and hiding from the monsters who lived there. All she wanted to do right then was curl up next to her mom as they sat near the fireplace, a roaring fire going in the grate with a bowl of warm applesauce to eat.
"Squeaks?" The bat filly jumped and Dinky pulled her hoof back. All three of her friends looked worried. "Is everything alright?" Dinky asked. "You looked liked something really bad happened."
Squeaks looked at all of them, then shook her head. "No, I was just..." she trailed off, unable to give them an excuse. She finished putting on her mitts and boots as fast as she could, ignoring the looks her friends gave her. "Come on, our moms and dads are waiting," she said, trying to look and sound cheerful.
"Yeah," Pinchy agreed, hoping the unhappy mood was finally past, "it would stink if we got grounded right before Hearth's Warming."
When they got outside, Squeaks was in for a surprise. Instead of her mom or Sapphire, both Honeysuckle and Orange Glow were outside waiting for her. "Hello Squeaky," they both said as the filly trotted up to them. "How was school?" Orange asked. With only a single shoot with one of his wife's clients that morning and no commissions, he had plenty of time on his hooves to head to the school and collect the filly. He had a suspicion that with the weather the way it was, Midnight wouldn't get back from cutting wood in time and Sapphire might have gotten held up shopping for the holiday.
"It was alright grandpa," Squeaks said, huddling up between them. Despite Midnight's wishes, she'd been calling him "grandpa" for at least a month now. She just couldn't understand that if she called Summer "grandma", why couldn't she call Orange "grandpa"? They were married, weren't they? Orange had only warned her that her mother didn't like her calling him that but after a few more slip-ups and a small talk, he over looked it. If Squeaky felt more comfortable calling him that, then what would really be the harm in it?
"Hey, Squeaks!" They all turned their heads towards Pinchy and Berry. "How about we build a snow fort in your yard tomorrow! Yours is big enough for a big one!"
"O-Okay!" Squeaks called back, waving after her friends as they all left.
"Is everything okay, Squeaks?" Honey asked, bending down.
The thestral nodded. "I'm just... tired and kinda cold; can we go home now?"
Honey and Orange looked at each other again but didn't say anything. If something was up, Squeaks was sure to tell Midnight when she got home. Speaking of which...
"You know, Sapphire's been making a large pot of hot cocoa for when we all got home," Honey told Squeaks. "We better get back quick before it gets cold."
That did seem to brighten the filly up a bit. "Okay," she said, picking up the pace but still staying in between the two adults and away from the snow piles along the sides of the road.
-----------------------------
"Sapphy!" Ruby Skies cried, engulfing her daughter in a bone crushing hug.
"URK! Nice to see you too, mom," Sapphire grunted, her legs and wings struggling feebly to get free.
Behind Ruby, White Out just sighed and shook his head as he put down their luggage.
In the living room, Midnight, Squeaks, Honey, and Orange watched the reunion while Summer and Autumn viewed it from the kitchen. Windrunner would have been there too but she'd left that morning to be with her buffalo herd for the holiday.
She wasn't the only one to leave Ponyville either. Twilight had gone back to Canterlot, Fluttershy and Rainbow to Cloudsdale, Pinkie to her parents' farm, and Scarlet and Tight had headed back to their home town. Also out of town were Vinyl and Lyra, both of whom had gone back to Canterlot with Twilight. Berry and Pinchy might have also left town to go spend Hearth's Warming with Berry's father, thus ruining the fillies' plans of playing all break together, but he'd surprised them by coming to town and spending it with them instead. Midnight had yet to meet the stallion but she'd only heard good things about him and was looking forward to being introduced.
Derpy... wasn't having a very merry Hearth's Warming. She'd been fired from both her jobs the previous day, both the delivery/moving company and the post office having finally lost their patience with her. The company was tired of compensating customers for broken/misplaced items and the post office was fed up with her mixing up the mail one too many times. To make it even worse they'd both sacked her on the same day. While all her friends had been angry about the timing of the duel sacking, they could at least take comfort that she was finally moving out into her own place.
Kind of. Ever since Sparkler had come to live with her sister, she'd been putting most of her earnings towards getting their own place to stay and had convinced Derpy to do the same. The recent loss of both her jobs was putting a serious dent in those plans, but Midnight had an idea about how to help her friend out in both getting a new job and a new home. Now if only her neighbors would agree to it...
Squeaks cringed and huddled closer into her mother at the sight of Ruby while Autumn was up and ready to meet the two new ponies, trotting up to them with a big grin on her face.
"And who's this cute little thing?" Ruby asked, finally releasing Sapphire.
"Hi! I'm Autumn!" the filly told her, her small wings fluttering excitedly.
"Hello Autumn!" Ruby said back, sounding equally excited. Turning to the rest of them, she asked "and who does this cute little thing belong to?" Her eyes flashed to Midnight. "Is Squeaky a big sister now?"
"No, she's ours," Summer said, stepping forward. "Although, that does make Midnight the big sister. I'm Summer Ice and over there is my husband Orange Glow."
Ruby shook hooves with her. "So you're Midnight's parents; it's a pleasure to meet you."
There was a snort from the black, blue, and cream mass by the fireplace.
"Actually, Orange is Midnight's stepfather," Summer said, shooting a look at her oldest. "But, family is family."
"I couldn't agree more," Ruby said, stepping down into the living room and approaching Midnight and Squeaks. "Hello Squeaky," Ruby said once she was close. "How have things been for you lately?" She was being much more subdued this time around, so Midnight had little issue with unfurling a bit and nudging her daughter.
"Squeaks? Ruby asked you a question."
Reluctantly, the bat filly poked her head out. The sight of first one ear, then the other poking back into sight, followed by the eyes and the rest of her face almost made Ruby squeal out just how cute she was. "H-Hello, Miss Skies; I'm alright," she squeaked.
Again, Ruby contained herself to just a wider smile. "That's good to hear. I hope we can build a snowpony later together."
"Okay," Squeaks said quietly, folding her ears back and shrinking back into Midnight's side.
Midnight shared a worried glance past Ruby with Sapphire and found the other adults sharing the same look. They all knew the thestral was wary of new ponies and Midnight and Sapphire knew how much Ruby had shaken her last time but this was more than that. This behavior had been going on since school had let out, with Squeaks almost perfectly reenacting her first days with them as she followed Midnight all over the house, avoided the front and side doors, and even got under hoof at times. In some weird way Midnight had hoped Ruby and White's arrival would shake her out of it. With an apologetic look to Ruby, Midnight covered Squeaks with a wing. "So, how was the flight from Cloudsdale?" she asked.
Ruby took the change of subject. "It was alright. The snow clouds were a pain at times, but nothing really serious." She took a step back and looked around. "I must say Midnight, you've decorated quite nicely for the season."
While decorating for Nightmare Night could have tentively been called Pinkie going hog-wild with her party cannon, decorating for Hearth's Warming was a much more subdued affair. Most of the decorations were simple strands of mini poinsettias and holly strung around window frames with electric candles in the windows. Both the side and front doors had wreaths on them and both the store front window and living room window had been touched up with the same kind of window paint from Nightmare Night to make it look like the bottom and sides were frosted over. Strands of C7 lights were hung from the eves of the house and around the outside edges of the two large windows. There was a smaller wreath laid out on the dining room table, some mistletoe hung at the bottom of the stairs, and Sapphire had even wrapped a bit of festive ribbon around the bundles of wood they had in the front. Fake snow adorned the fireplace mantle, upon which Midnight's, Sapphire's, Windrunner's, Honey's, and Squeaks' Hearth's Warming dolls sat. The Hearth's Warming tree stood in the corner next to the couch and against the wall separating Midnight's bedroom. It was covered with some of the traditional red and gold balls and strings of bead, as well as a few candy canes and a Fire of Friendship at the top. There were also four ornaments on it which they each had picked out as a new tradition for them all to share.
The tree had become a substitute symbol for the holiday when poorer ponies had been unable to afford logs that magically burned a bright pink color, similar to the original Fire of Friendship. The type of tree had been associated with surviving winter even before the windigos had come to freeze the land, so was considered an adequate substitute. Red, gold, and pink reflective ornaments were eventually added to simulate fire, which led to the addition of Fire of Friendship ornament placed at the top of the tree. The division today was more along the lines of urban versus rural, so when Summer had moved to the Manehattan, she'd set up both a tree and magic firewood. Midnight, having grown up with both, continued this, though she'd also indulged in the fashion of getting wood with flame colors other than pink, such as blue, white, red, and green. She also found that if one burned two logs of different colors, say, white and red for example, they made a very festive fire.
"Thank you," Midnight nodded.
"How about I show you where you'll be sleeping?" Sapphire said, picking up some of their luggage. "Once you're settled in, then we can start doing things together."
Ruby was about to protest when she saw the look her husband and daughter were giving her. "Oh, alright," she pouted, picking up a bag and following Sapphire and White to the stairs.
Summer scooped up Autumn and also made to leave but stopped when she saw that Orange wasn't following. "Orange?" she asked quietly.
"Go on; I'll be right behind," he told her, smiling to reassure.
Summer looked over at Midnight then back, gave him a raised eyebrow, then shrugged and trotted back into the kitchen.
Nothing was said until the door to the front closed behind Summer. Arina, who'd been hiding around the far side of the chimney because of what Squeaks had told her about Ruby, cautiously came back into sight.
Midnight looked at Honey and Orange, that latter getting a raised eyebrow. After a few seconds he was apparently accepted as she turned her attention back to Squeaks instead of chasing him out. Lifting her wing, she nuzzled the cream-colored ball curled up next to her, making some weird imitation of a purr in her throat as she did so. When that didn't work, she turned to trying to nibble Squeaks' ears. The bat filly squirmed away from her questing mouth while doing her best not to laugh. "What's wrong Squeaks?" Midnight asked her, leaning back to show she was done trying to get her ears. "I know you don't like Ruby all that much, but is that really the reason you've been moping the past few days?" Squeaks only looked away. "Squeaks?" Midnight asked again, this time a hint of sternness in her voice. Squeaks' ears flattened again and a small whine escaped her, but still she said nothing. "Squeaky Wings," Midnight said, and this time there was no mistaking the firm undertone to how gently she'd said her daughter's name. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong and we're not leaving this room until you do."
This time Squeaks did meet her gaze at the uncommon use of her full name but only mumbled "I can't."
"Squeaky, you know you can always tell us if something's bothering you," Orange said, moving close. Midnight looked up at him, her eyes slightly narrowed at the word "us", but didn't say anything.
"That's right," Honey said, joining them. "Don't think we'll never listen if something's wrong."
Squeaks looked around at all three of them, then wrapped her wings around herself. "You'll laugh," she said, then her eyes flicked toward Midnight, "or get mad at me."
Midnight reached out and pulled her into her chest, nuzzling her and giving her several soft kisses. Her hold on Squeaks only grew stronger when she felt the filly's cheek getting a bit wet. "Why in Equestria would we laugh or get angry at you?" she asked softly.
"B-Because... I'm afraid of s-snow," Squeaks told them, rubbing forcefully at her eyes.
Midnight suppressed the sigh of relief she almost let out. For whatever reason this was a serious matter to Squeaks, so she wouldn't do anything to make herself sound dismissive but it was still such a relief that it wasn't something Midnight feared might happen, like the other thestrals saying something about her not being nocturnal or sharing their taste for blood or the like. She'd take Squeaks being scared of frozen water over that any day.
"Sn-ow?" Honey and Orange said together, both catching themselves as they said the word.
"It reminds me of being in the Everfree Forest again," Squeaks said. "Being cold and hungry... and alone... and I'm already scared of the forest, and thunder and lightning, and being alone... I thought if you knew I was scared of something else, you might get mad."
"Squeaks," Midnight said gently, "nopony is afraid of only one thing."
"But the only thing you're scared of is spiders!" Squeaks said. As if to emphasize her point, Arina appeared on top of Midnight's head.
"I'm scared of spiders, yes," Midnight agreed. "But Squeaks, I'm also scared of something happening to you or Sapphire or Windrunner or Honey or Autumn or your grandmother... or Orange," she added, more as an afterthought to the stallion's visible discomfort. "I'm scared of what might happen if I screw up my job, I'm scared I'm not raising you right, scared that I'll somehow ruin the new relationship me and Sapphire have, scared that something will ruin what we've made here... there's an awful lot I'm scared of, Squeaks."
Squeaks looked up at her. "Really? All that?"
"And more if I sit and think long enough," Midnight told her. "And Honey and Orange will tell you the same thing, so if something scares you Squeaks, tell us, alright?"
The bat filly looked up at the other two. When they nodded, so did she.
"And you know, you aren't as scared of it as you might think," Midnight told her with a nuzzle.
"Huh?" Squeaks cocked her head at her mother.
"For two days you walked in it to and from school; you can't be that scared of it if you did that."
"But that's because I had to!" Squeaks argued.
"Squeaks, if that blanket of snow was a blanket of spiders, I wouldn't be able to even look outside, let alone go. We'd all starve because I'd never let anypony open a door or window. Either you're not as afraid of snow as you think or you're far braver than I'll ever be."
Squeaks hugged her. "You're the bravest pony I know mom."
"Thanks baby girl," Midnight said as she hugged her back. "Now, I need you to be brave for me, because I need you to do something."
Squeaks nodded carefully.
"I need you to go upstairs and tell Ruby and White a proper hello, alright?" The speed at which Squeaks' eye became pinpricks was almost too much.
"Do I have to?" Squeaks asked plaintively.
Midnight sighed. "Yes, for two reasons. The first is because they're Sapphire's parents and you'll make all three of them very unhappy if you don't at least make the effort to be nice and welcoming." She sighed again. "And because it would be even ruder since they got you a Hearth's Warming present and you can't even say hello properly to them."
That certainly got her attention. "Okay," she said, now a good bit more willing.
"Here," Midnight said, plucking Arina from her head and placing her on Squeaks'. "Go show her to Ruby and you might get away quicker."
The spider let out a loud chirp of protest, but Squeaks was already heading for the stairs.
"You know she's going to be mad at you for that," Honey said as Midnight got up.
"Oh, let the little fuzz ball be mad; if it helps Squeaks then it'll be worth it."
With a chuckle and a nod, Honey left the room. Orange was about to follow her out when Midnight cleared her throat.
"I... we need to talk," the kirin said, looking uncomfortable.
"Okay," Orange said, turning back and sitting down.
Midnight sat back down as well, but her wings and tail continued to twitch. Her face was resolute but still he could see subtle changes in it, as if she didn't know how to feel about what was going on. "Look," she finally started, "I want to thank you for going to pick up Squeaks during the last week of school. You didn't have to do it and it let me get a lot of work done. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Orange said, confused but glad she wasn't snapping at him in some way.
"I also know you two have been spending a lot of time with each other and that she's been calling you... grandpa," Midnight said and this time there was no missing the agitation in her voice.
Orange stiffened. He'd hoped Squeaks wouldn't say anything if only so she wouldn't get into trouble. He felt something stir in him as he said "she has." Maybe after all these years and putting up with Windstorm's and Midnight's feelings towards him, but he was suddenly tired of the snark and aggression.
Midnight frowned at the sound of his words and her wings flared, but she took a deep breath and folded her wings back in. "I don't know if it's some influence I picked up from my father or if I genuinely have a problem with you and that's something I need to figure out for myself. All you've been is kind to my mother, my sister, my friends, my daughter, and myself. If she wants to spend time with you and call you... call you grandpa, then there's no reason she can't. That's all I have to say about it."
Orange sat there, surprised at the turn around. He'd expected her to tell him to knock it off and possibly even to stop seeing Squeaky so much but here she was, saying she was alright with it all. "Why?"
She eyed him. "Why what?"
"Why are you okay with this? I mean, the way you've always felt and acted towards me..."
"I just said I don't know why I did but as far as I can tell you haven't done anything to warrant it." She raised an eyebrow. "What, you like it when I roar in your face?"
"No," Orange said, shaking his head. "Just... caught off balance."
"Well, don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Midnight said, getting up and brushing past him. "Just keep it to a minimum around me...please."
"Alright," Orange said, getting up to go as well. As sappy as it sounded, maybe Hearth Warming miracles, small ones at least, did happen.
-----------------------------
"Midnight, sometimes you amaze me," Sapphire said later that evening.
"Sometimes I amaze even myself," the kirin quipped.
Derpy looked liked she was about to burst out crying. "You... you mean they'll give me a job?" she asked quietly, as if asking any louder would make them retract the offer.
"Yes," Night Sky confirmed, looking up from playing with Pastel Dawn and Night Wind. They were all in Night Sky and Night Saber's living room, drinking milk-suckle tea and hashing out the details of Derpy's new employment. Sky's house was less decorated for Hearth's Warming, with only a small tree sitting on a coffee table and a few decorations on the front door and window. "And Star Axe is willing to let you all move in with him. He's old but not crotchety and living in a whole house by himself. He's got the room for you, your sister, daughter, and the new shop. On top of that he says he's a heavy sleeper, so noise shouldn't be an issue, according to him."
Midnight had just enough time to put down her drink before Derpy jumped on her. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!" the pegasus cried. "You don't know how much this means!"
"I have a feeling," Midnight grunted.
"What in Equestria made you think of this idea in the first place?" Sapphire asked, amazed and proud of what her mare-friend had just done.
"Well," she started, trying to peel Derpy off as she did so, "when I asked how things were going, Sky told me they weren't selling as much as they'd wanted to because not very many ponies were coming around. I figured they needed to start selling during the day, then Derpy told us about getting fired, so..." she shrugged as she finally got the elated pegasus off her. '"Two apples, one kick."'
"We should head over to his house tonight so you can meet him," Sky said, motioning for her husband to come take the foals. "He's the kind of pony that likes to get formalities out of the way as fast as possible."
As they made their way out into the snow, Sapphire leaned against Midnight, enjoying the feel or the kirin's wing draping over her. "Putting Squeaks at ease and finding Derpy work and a home; sometimes you just seem too perfect."
Midnight let out a loud belch, startling the two ahead of them. "Blame the holiday."
-----------------------------
"Alright, now just pat the snow down here..." Ruby pointed at the spot that was the snow pony's flank and Squeaks patted the snow more firmly in place with a snow boot while Twist shored up one of its legs. Further out in the yard Pinchy and Dinky were building snow forts, getting ready for a promised snowball fight. Orange, Autumn, and White were making the ammunition. Midnight, Sapphire, and Honey were helping Derpy and Sparkler move into their new home and hopefully would be back in time to pick sides.
It had taken a few days to get all the legal stuff through town hall and while Derpy and her family didn't have as much as other families, they still needed to pack it, move it, then unpack it. Axe was a kind old stallion who actually seemed eager to have other ponies living with him. "Can't say I actually trust any pony from the colony, even after everything that's happened," he said when inquired why he wasn't living with any of the other thestrals. "My boy and his wife were just as idiot-minded as the governor-general and if they were still alive they'd be in the Canterlot dungeons with the rest of them. Keep this lesson in mind young lady; just because they're the same thing you are doesn't mean they think the same as you. Might run into a kirin one day that eats ponies for all you know." Like Midnight, Axe hadn't taken the main bedroom for himself, instead setting himself up in the far back guest bedroom similar to where Windrunner's room was. "What do I need all that space for? It's just me and a few personal belongings. Besides, now the girls have a bedroom large enough for both of them!"
Dinky had been apprehensive of the old stallion at first, still a bit spooked that he was a thestral and at the way he kept his house dark. That had changed when Axe had shown an interest in helping the filly with some of her homework, which made Dinky more at ease around him. It also helped that he'd begun sneaking her sweets whenever Derpy or Sparkler wasn't looking.
"Doeth your mom have any coal?" Twist asked Squeaks when she was finished with the snowpony's leg.
Squeaks shook her head. "Why?"
"It's how we make his eyes and mouth," Ruby told her. "Instead of coal, why don't we use some fruit instead? It'll make him more colorful and when we get hungry later we'll have snacks right here."
"Okay," Squeaks nodded and motioned for Twist to follow her inside.
Ruby smiled as she watched the two head inside. Sapphire had told her, discreetly, how the filly felt about snow and while she was still bundled up from ear tuft to hoof in her snow suit, she was still out and enjoying herself in it. She was happy the filly was facing her fears.
A crunch in the snow behind her made her turn and she found Midnight and Sapphire landing close by. "We're back," Sapphire announced.
"How'd everything go?" Ruby asked.
"Fine; they're all moved in, so Dinky will have a brand-new bed ready and waiting for her when she heads home tonight," Sapphire told her, leaning over and... resting herself against Midnight.
"Speaking of beds, why in Tartarus were those frames so damn heavy?" Midnight grumbled, resting... her head on top of Sapphire's as she draped a wing over her. "It was like they were made of stone instead of wood."
Sapphire was about to reply when she saw her mother starring at them. More importantly, how she was staring at them. "Uh, Midnight?"
"Hmm?"
"We haven't told my parents yet."
Midnight's eyes flew open and she looked over at Ruby. "Buuuuuuuuuuuuck."
Pulling herself free of the kirin, Sapphire carefully approached her mother. "So, mom, there's something I wanted to tell you... Midnight and I are dating." 'Might as well just tell her and get this over with.'
Ruby just stared at the two of them for a few seconds longer, then Sapphire found her face pressed into her mom's chest. "MY SAPPHY'S FOUND A SPECIAL SOMEPONY!"
'Let her get it out of her system...'
"White! Sapphire's got a mare-friend! And it's Midnight!"
"So I've heard," White called back. He and everypony else was starring at the scene unfolding before them.
Ruby turned her gaze on Midnight and the kirin backed up a step. The giant smile the pegasus was sporting was starting to look creepy. "And you two look so cute together!"
"I'm glad you appr-no no no no!" Midnight's wings snapped open, but Ruby was faster. Before the kirin could even take one flap, she was also pulled into the vice-like hug, her head squeezed next to Sapphire.
"I can't stand it! I can't stand it! You two make such a cute couple! I can just imagine how you'll both look on your wedding day and then the foals you'll have together- Squeaky will be my grandfoal!"
"Don't you think... we should date a little more... before thinking about... marriage?" Midnight grunted, trying unsuccessfully to pry herself loose.
"But that's what dating leads to, doesn't it?" Ruby asked, unfazed. "I mean, you two wouldn't be dating if you didn't like each other, right?"
"But... we don't know... if we want to... live together for... the rest of... our lives," Sapphire choked out.
"Oh, fiddle sticks! You've lived with each other for nearly two years now! You'd know by now if you couldn't stand living with each other."
"Completely... different... when just... friends," Midnight got out.
"Ruby, dear, they've obviously just started," White said, landing next to his wife. "It's inappropriate to talk to them about getting married so early into their relationship and not every pony marries the first pony they date."
Ruby blink owlishly at him. "They don't?"
"No dear, they don't," White said exasperatedly. "You weren't the first mare I dated, for example."
"I wasn't!?"
"You were the third, Ruby."
"Why didn't you tell me!?"
"Because it wasn't important and you never asked." White sighed. "Look, you're happy for them and that's good but you need to, one, let them breath, and two, let them figure things out for themselves. Maybe it will work out between them and they do end up getting married or maybe their fire will go out for each other and they'll find somepony else. That's just how life is."
Ruby looked up at her husband, her eyes becoming watery. "So... do you still have feelings for those other mares?"
White rolled his eyes, then kissed her on the nose. "I didn't marry or have a wonderful foal with either one of them, did I?"
Ruby shook her head, let Midnight and Sapphire go (both collapsing into the snow together gasping for air), and buried herself in White's chest. "You're a jerk for not telling me sooner," she mumbled.
"I know," he said, patting her mane.
"That went... pretty much how I expected..." Midnight panted, filling her lungs and flexing her jaw.
"Agreed..." Sapphire panted back.
"I'm still using this as an excuse to spoil Squeaky!" Ruby said, turning and pointing at Midnight, her pep back.
White shook his head. He loved Ruby with all his heart but her mood swings could give worse whip-lash than a carriage crash sometimes.
"Somehow, I get the feeling I have very little say in the matter," Midnight grumbled, getting to her hooves and helping Sapphire up.
"Are you okay mom?" Squeaks asked. She and Twist both had bowls filled with fruit balanced on their backs.
"YOU young lady," Ruby announced, pointing her hoof at Squeaks this time, who flared her wings and nearly dropped her bowl in surprise, "are getting three presents from us!"
"One, dear."
"Five!"
"That's not how it works Ruby."
"Seven!"
They all face-hoofed.
-----------------------------
Midnight sighed contently as she laid next to the roaring pink fire, a mug of hot mint cocoa between her front hooves and Sapphire snuggled up beside her. This Hearth's Warming had been one of the absolute best Midnight could ever remember. One Hearth's Warming Eve they'd all gone to the local reenactment of the founding (Celestia and Luna invited them to the one in Canterlot but none of them wanted their night eaten up with two train rides), then they'd eaten dinner made up mostly of fish dishes, followed by caroling. The fish dinner was an old tradition that came around because during the winters of old there sometimes wasn't enough fruits, vegetables, and flowers to go around, so, especially in the sea side communities, fish sometimes supplemented their winter diets. Midnight and Squeaks ended the night by reading two stories out of their big story book.
The next morning had found a pile of presents under the tree. Most were for those present but some were for those away. Windrunner had several presents waiting for her and there were a few more for their other friends out of town seeing their own families. While they were still going through them Summer, Orange, and Autumn had come over to exchange gifts with them and so Summer and Ruby could make them all breakfast. All their friends came over around lunch time, Pinchy, Dinky, and Twist bringing some of their presents over so they could all play with them. Midnight finally got to meet Berry's dad, who was a stern yet approachable stallion, who'd given Berry the liquor store after she'd gotten pregnant with Ruby Pinch. "If you're going to have a foal, you need a way to support yourself and learn how to be responsible for that income," he'd told her. Midnight didn't know whether to be impressed that he'd taken her getting pregnancy in stride and even given her a way to support herself while still teaching her a lesson or shocked he'd just dump a business on her and tell her to fend for herself but she was leaning towards the former.
Right now the kitchen was packed with ponies putting dinner together. They were all going to have Hearth's Warming dinner together and everypony had brought something for it. Oddly, there was room enough in the kitchen for everypony except the foals and Midnight and Sapphire. "I think they did it on purpose," Sapphire said, snuggling deeper into Midnight's side.
"I'd put my bits on your mom having something to do with it," Midnight retorted, taking a swing of her cocoa before curling more around the pegasus. "Not that I'm complaining." They both chuckled and kissed.
Their reverie in front of the fire was interrupted when Derpy flew into the room. "Midnight, somepony just brought a letter for you!"
Midnight's ears perked up. "A letter? I didn't know the post office delivered on Hearth's Warming."
Derpy shook her head. "They don't! She wasn't a post mare; she was at the front door and asked that one of us give you this letter, then she just took off!"
Midnight looked past Derpy and saw almost everypony else was starring at them. Carefully, she took the letter from Derpy in one of her wing claws and opened it with the other. Inside was a short letter.
Dear Midnight Storm,
Greetings and a Happy Hearth's Warming to you and yours. I know you do not know me and as such this may seem pretentious of me but suffice to say I would very much like to speak with you. You see I have recently come across a newspaper article that had your picture in it and I feel we have a pressing issue concerning both of us that we should discuss together. I apologize as the article is dated at the beginning of the summer and I have the feeling this particular subject has been brought up with you before but I've been spending time outside the country for most of this year and as such am behind on what is going on at home. I am on my way back to Canterlot after the holiday and I would like to speak with you at your earliest convenience after I return. Please pen your reply to my estate in Canterlot provided below. I sincerely hope you will consider my offer.
Looking forward to your reply,
Lady Eden Rose of House Rose Thorn
Midnight blinked as she finished the letter. Sapphire, who'd also been reading the letter, frowned. "Lady Eden Rose... House Rose Thorn..."
"That mean anything to you?" Midnight asked.
"It's the House of a noble family, but what noble family has been out of contact with Canterlot for over half a year, let alone Equestria itself? And, no offense, but what could she possibly want to talk with you about?"
"None taken. You know this is the third time somepony has found me because of that article? It's starting to get a bit ridiculous."
"So, what are you going to do?"
Midnight looked at the letter again, then around at all the faces waiting for her answer. "Right now I'm going to continue enjoying Hearth's Warming with my friends and family and save this for tomorrow." She folded the letter back up and set it on one of the end tables next to the couch. "How's the food coming? It smells good."
As the rest moved back into the kitchen, Sapphire looked back up at the kirin. "Midnight..."
"Later," the kirin said, gently but firmly. "Right now we're together, everypony's happy, and I don't want anything disturbing that. I want a good memory to look back on."
Sapphire hesitated for a second, then leaned back in to her. "Me too."