Chapter 27: Home For the Holidays
“Marcus.”
“…”
“Marcus…”
“…”
“Maarcuuuuuuuuuus…”
“Ugh…”
Who in the hell is calling my name this early in the morning? I didn’t ask for a wake-up call. I slowly and groggily opened my eyes, only for them to shoot open when I saw that Auntie Celeste and Luna were sitting on my bed.
“Finally! You’re up!” Celeste cheered.
“Waking me up this early should be a crime,” I groaned.
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic!” my aunt laughed.
“I told you this was a bad idea, Tia,” said Luna. “We should have just let him be.”
“Well, we can’t change it now,” Celeste shrugged. “So, is my precious nephew excited for his first Hearth’s Warming holiday?”
“It’s too early in the morning for this…”
“Don’t complain, Marcus. Now, the party starts at seven PM tonight, and at eight, we’ll be doing the traditional Hearth’s Warming Eve gift exchange. Before all that happens, though, we have to pick up my niece and her husband from the train station at noon, and I want you to be there so you can meet them.”
“Tia wouldn’t stop talking about how excited she was for you to meet them,” Luna commented.
“Why shouldn’t I be? I always get excited when my family comes together like this,” my aunt smiled, and then she looked at me. “Anyway, Marcus. You’ll be getting your gift from me before the exchange, so since I’m giving you such a great gift so early, I hope that I’ll enjoy my gift from you when I get it.”
I scoffed. “You’d better. I worked my ass off to make that gift for you.”
Celeste glared at me. “I should give you a good zapping for swearing like that, but since it’s a holiday, I’ll let it slide.”
Luna rolled her eyes.
“Oh, before I forget,” I said, “Rarity told me that she has to catch a train to Ponyville at midnight, so she’ll have to leave the party early to pick up her bags and head to the station.”
“She has to go through all that trouble?” Celeste asked. “Tell her that she can bring her bags here when she comes for the party. That way, when she’s ready to leave, her bags we’ll be here, and we can take her to the station.”
“Really? I’m sure she’d like that.”
“Well, anything for one of my nephew’s lady friends,” she chuckled, “which reminds me, you were able to make a decision last night, right?”
I nodded.
My aunt immediately squealed, and then she practically tackled me as she bombarded me with questions. “Well? Who did you choose? What led up to it? How did the other mare react? Tell me everything!”
“Can I get some of my personal space back first?”
Celeste sighed and moved away from me, and I started to explain the events from last night.
“After Rarity, Octavia, and I went ice skating last night, I told them that I was ready to make my decision, and I chose Octavia.”
“WHAT!?” Celeste shouted.
“YES!!!” Luna cheered. “I WIN! NO CAKE FOR YOU FOR A WEEK, TIA! HA!”
I glared at my aunt. “Is that why you wanted to know so badly? So you and Luna could settle your stupid bet?”
“What of it?” she pouted, and then she sighed in defeat. “Great. Now I get no cake for a whole week.”
“I’m not completely cruel, sister,” Luna interjected. “I shall be a gracious victor and allow you to partake in your favorite dessert today and tomorrow, but your no-cake penalty will begin the day after tomorrow.”
The elder sister sighed in relief. “Okay. I can live with that. So, I want you two to get some breakfast, but don’t eat too much, because we’ll be going to lunch after we leave the train station. Meet me outside the castle at quarter to twelve so we can get to the train station on time, okay?”
Luna and I rolled our eyes. “Whatever,” we said simultaneously.
Eleven forty-five came by faster than expected, and Luna and I met Celestia right outside the castle’s main entrance. Not a minute later, a carriage pulled up by the foot of the staircase, and the three of us got in and headed towards the train station. By the time we got there, it was mere minutes to noon, and we sat on a nearby bench as we waited for the train to arrive.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Shining Armor again,” said Luna. “I have a score to settle with him in Oubliettes and Ogres.”
“So it’s Shining Armor and… what’s his wife’s name again?” I asked.
“Cadance,” Celeste answered. “You really should make an effort to remember your cousins’ names, Marcus.”
“Well, I haven’t even met them yet.”
Right when I said that, a chime came from the train station’s PA system.
“Attention passengers, the train arriving from… THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE …is about to arrive. Please stand clear of the platform edges.”
After that, the tracks started to rumble, and we heard the whistle of the train as it approached the station. The wind rushed past us as the first car passed, and the train soon came to a stop.
“Be on the lookout, you two,” said Celeste.
“You two?” I asked. “Need I remind you that I have no idea what these two look like?”
“Found them!” Luna said as she pointed us to where the prince and princess of the Crystal Empire were.
The three of us walked over to them as they got their bags, and Celeste called out to them happily.
“Cadance! Shining Armor!”
The two ponies looked in our direction and smiled when they saw us.
One was a pink alicorn mare wearing a formfitting light pink coat with white accents along with a white scarf and a pair of white snow pants. She had a tri-colored mane and tail of pink, purple, and yellow. Her mane went down to the middle of her back, she had eyes that were a darker shade of magenta than Auntie Celeste’s and her figure was rather petite.
Not that she was short or anything; in fact, she was two inches taller than her husband. It was amazing how impressive in size alicorns were. Speaking of size, her curves were more modest compared to my aunts; she was rather slim, yet not overly so, with delicate arms and elegant legs and a pair of small yet still sizeable C cup breasts that went well with her narrow upper body frame.
The other pony was a white unicorn stallion wearing a thick white jacket with blue accents, a blue scarf and snow pants, and had a mane and tail colored in three different shades of blue. His mane went down to just past his shoulders, his eyes were a medium shade of blue, and he had a muscular build to him. It was quite the athletic physique, highlighted by his broad shoulders and back, and legs even thicker than his wife’s.
Wait, why was I looking at a dude’s legs?
I think Auntie Celeste mentioned something about him being the former captain of the royal guard on the ride over here, but to be completely honest, I was tuning her out for the entire ride.
“Auntie Celestia! Auntie Luna!” the mare said happily as she rushed over to hug her aunts. “It’s been forever since I last saw you two!”
“How have you been, Cadance?” Celeste asked.
“I’ve been just great, Auntie.”
“And the Crystal Empire is faring well?” asked Luna.
“As always. Of course, it’s mostly thanks to Shining Armor ruling by my side.”
“You don’t have to flatter me, sweetheart,” the stallion said as he approached us, luggage in tow.
“How are you, Shining Armor?” Luna asked.
“Doing well, thanks,” he answered, and then he looked at me. “Oh, is this your nephew, Celestia?”
“Well, it’s nice to know that somepony knows that I exist,” I said.
“Oh! Where are my manners!” said Celeste. “Cadance, Shining Armor, this is my nephew, Marcus. Marcus, this is my niece, Princess Cadance, and her husband, Shining Armor.”
“Nice to meet you, Marcus,” said the pink alicorn. “I guess since you’re Auntie Celestia’s nephew, that makes us cousins.”
“I guess so,” I chuckled.
“So, now that introductions are out of the way, why don’t we find a place to eat,” Luna suggested. “Preferably somewhere warm.”
“Not just yet, Luna,” her elder sister answered. “I have to give Marcus his gift.”
“Wait… right here?” I asked, and my aunt nodded with a smile.
“It’s waiting for you right around that corner over there,” she told me as she pointed to the corner of the station. “Go on. Go see what I got you.”
I looked in the direction that Celeste was pointing in curiously as I walked towards the corner, wondering what she had gotten for me, and when I finally rounded the corner, I was definitely surprised.
Celeste didn’t get me one present, but two; two living breathing presents.
“Surprise!” they said when I saw them.
“Mom! Dad!” I exclaimed as I hugged my “gifts” as tightly as I could.
“Good to know that you’re happy to see us, Marcus?” my mom said as she rubbed my back.
“How has school been, son?” Dad asked.
“It’s been awesome!” I told them. “When did you get here, though?”
“Celeste mailed us tickets last month, and we arrived last night,” Mom explained. “We got to stay a night in one of the best hotels in the city.”
“I see you really like your gift, Marcus,” Celeste chuckled as she and the other royals walked up to us.
“Thanks, Auntie!” I said with a smile as I held my parents close to me.
“Not to ruin this reunion, but…” Luna interjected, only for her rumbling stomach to speak for itself.
“Okay, okay. We can go eat,” Celeste laughed.
The seven of us went to a family diner in the city, and we were able to get a large booth that could fit all of us. As we ate, I did some catching up with my parents and got to know Cadance and Shining Armor a bit more.
“So how has living with Auntie Celestia been for you, Marcus?” Cadance asked.
“It took some getting used to, but it’s alright,” I answered. “She does smother me a lot.”
“Pfft! I do not,” my aunt scoffed.
“I’d beg to differ,” Luna opposed.
“I’m sure she was just looking out for my son,” my dad said as he draped his arm over me.
“So, Marcus,” Shining Armor spoke up, “Luna tells me you’re a gamer.”
“I also said that he’s more of a challenge than you are,” the night princess added.
“I highly doubt that.”
“You are pretty bad, sweetheart,” Cadance admitted. “I’ve seen colts play better than you.”
“So I guess we’re just taking jabs at my gaming skills now?”
“Hey, you were the one that brought it up,” I smirked as everyone else laughed at the poor stallion’s expense.
“Anyway, son,” my mom said, “Have you met any cute girls. I know that a lot of cute ladies go to art schools.”
I looked at Auntie Celeste, who was sitting to my immediate right, and she gave me an evil look.
I didn’t like that look.
“Maybe…” I answered.
“More like definitely!” Celeste interrupted. “Her name’s- ow!”
My aunt looked down and saw me holding one of her feathers.
“Keep yapping and I’ll pluck another one,” I whispered.
“That goes double for me,” Luna whispered from Celeste’s opposite side as she grasped one of her elder sister’s feathers.
Celeste sighed in defeat and said “Never mind.”
“You’ll get to meet her tonight at the party,” I told Mom as my aunt folded her arms in frustration and blew a stray strand of hair from in front of her eye.
“I look forward to it,” my mother smirked.
By the time we all got home, it was quarter to two in the afternoon. Auntie Celeste had the castle attendants carry Cadance and Shining Armor’s bags as well as parents’ bags to their respective rooms.
“I’m sure the four of you would like some time to get settled in,” she said to our guests. “You can follow the attendants to your rooms and get unpacked. The party starts at seven in the event hall, okay?”
“Okay,” they all said, and then they followed the attendants up to their rooms.
Celeste, Luna, and I parted ways for the afternoon, and I made my way over to my room, but then…
“Marcus…”
That voice… I’ve heard it before.
I turned around and saw a mare that I hadn’t seen in a long time.
“Honey Pot?” I asked in disbelief.
“Hey… Long time no see, huh?” the mare said as she kept her hands behind her back. “Anyway, I wanted to see you.”
“Why?”
“Well, I have something for you…”
Honey Pot removed her hands from behind her back, revealing a small wrapped box.
“Since I won’t see you at the party, I wanted to give you your Hearth’s Warming Gift today.”
I gingerly took the present from Honey’s hands, still in awe at the fact that she got me one in the first place.
“Well? Aren’t you gonna open it?” she asked.
“Oh, right.”
I tore away at the wrapping paper, wondering what this mare could have gotten me, and by the time I had gotten all the wrapping paper off, I got my answer.
“A picture frame?”
Honey Pot nodded her head. “To replace the one that broke. It was my fault that it got cracked in the first place, so this is my way of making up for it.”
“You didn’t have to do this…”
“It’s the least I could do for all the stress I put you through these past few months.” She paused before speaking again. “I know you’re probably still a little mad at me, but… do you think that we could be friends? Just friends?”
I looked at the mare, and then I looked down at the frame she gave me, and then back up at her.
I sighed, and then I smiled down at her. “Sure. Friends,” I accepted. “It sucks that I didn’t get you a gift, though.”
“That’s okay, Marcus. You don’t need to-”
“Hold on. I think I know what’ll do.”
I placed my hand on her head, causing her to wince a little, and I bent over to give her a peck on the forehead.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve, Honey Pot,” I said as I smiled at her.
The earth mare looked up at me with a dazed expression. “Uh… I…”
“Don’t think too much of it, though. Like I said before, I have a marefriend.”
“T-thank you, Marcus,” she said with a bow.
“No problem,” I chuckled. “You know, you’re actually a pretty nice mare. I’m sure there’s a guy waiting for you out there somewhere.”
“You really think so?”
“M-hm,” I answered with a nod. “Just give it time, you’ll see.”
Honey Pot bowed again. “Thanks for the encouragement. I should go before Princess Celestia gets here. I don’t know if she’s okay with me being around you. Have a good time at the party.”
With that, the small maid walked away with a smile and a blush on her face, and I looked back at her with a smile.
That was probably the first conversation we’ve had where she didn’t try and come on to me.
I chuckled as I turned around and headed to my room. I was gonna need a quick nap before tonight’s party.
Wasn't that a nice, heartwarming chapter? Marcus met his cousins, was reunited with his parents, and he became friends with Honey Pot. Feels all around!
Next chapter will be the finale, and then I'll start writing MOA: Alternate Perspectives!
Let me know what you thought of this chapter in the comments, and I'll see you in the final chapter!
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I. Cannot. WAIT
Well, you've had a great run so far. I eagerly await the finale.
Ooh alternative eh?! Good chapter.
A nice, normal chapter where nothing dramatic or angsty happens? It's just like the good old days!
I shall continue to drown you in apocalypse cookies, just don't breathe in (or else your bloodline will be destroyed) and you'll be fine until you drown of course.
How nice and heartwarming. Looking forward to the final chapter.
Will there be some sort of sequel?
4395956
No, just the Alternate Perspectives story.
4395965 Disclaimer:Please don't take offense to the language I am about to use.
ShedhjfbtihffF!&@sh!t
Okay...rage over...why Celestia?WHHHHHHY??????
Done.
Ive come to terms that good stories don't need sequels...
4395824 Indeed
I need more Honey Pot in my life!!
I saw this and I was like "ohh, so some human grew up in the pony world and is attending Uni there, that sounds-"
*sees anthro tag*
"God damn it. Nevermind."
That was the perfect present Celestia gave to him!
I'm also glad he and Honey Pot are friends now.
Pity that the next chapter is the last one.
The Honeypot arc was wrapped up nicely, but now it has a nice bow to compliment the wrapping.
Metaphors aside, I like what you did there.
Very nice, though I did find a minor thing you may want to edit.
Those feels....HHHHHNNNNNNGGGGGGG...
“Okay,” they all said, and then they followed the attendants up to their rooms.
Minor errors, but that particular spot stuck out.
Can't wait for the finale. It's a shame Honey Pot didn't have a bigger role, but I understand she was mainly a practice run for you.
cdn.gifbay.com/2012/12/wave_of_feels-18739.gif
“I’m sure she was just looking out for my son,” my dad said as she draped her arm over me.
Don't you mean "my mom said" ?
*ahem*
HOW COULD YOU HATE THIS SHIT?!
4396533
I got my pronouns wrong. Damn... I am off my game today.
4396757 Sorry, but Anthro is just..... REALLY disinteresting to me.
i bet you're going to take your time, forcing us to speculate about the chapter, blowing ourselves up
Cannot wait for the next chapter, you did a really good job with the entire story but I have to ask will you do another story that has an equal length to this one?
-Peace Out-
4396518 Hayao Miyazaki FTW
The feels, can't believe this great story is almost over.
Please please please make his parent do awkward things and ask question to octiavia :D like any parent wants to do?
It's coming to an end... this is one of the BEST stories on the site and its ending :(. All good things have to go but it seems like it's just staring. The ending better be good! But seriously this has been great and you're a very talented author. :-)
Awesome! ^^
One chapter left? Damn. Well, I gotta ask then: Does Marcus ever get to see Octavia's cutie mark?
The rest of her would be nice too.
media.tumblr.com/856cd79de6fd8fd938b2d4b28fd04ef3/tumblr_inline_mp09edFXOy1qz4rgp.gif
Pfft HAHAHA!!! This picture is hilarious! And a little sad.
But still, great chapter Sketchy! I can't wait for more!
Also, are you going to do a drawing of what Marcus has done for Celestia?
4398630
Probably not, and when you see what he made for her, you'll see why.
4398667 Great, you made me even more impatient for the next chapter!
No seriously, get it done. Please.
4398773
I'm working on chapter 3 of Shades of Night right now, so the final chapter of MOA will probably come next week.
4398804 N-next week?! Well, you do have a life. Unlike me...
Oh wait, I still go to school so I technically have a life.
I'm just gonna wait.
And wait...
txcowboydancer.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/boring.png
sweet
It was sweet. Kinda wish it was longer though. Also, I chose the same as my princess! Yes!
I still find it quite amazing that Marcus knows their cup size before he even asks or checks.
Well, back to reading the rest.
Nice to see some more Honey, I feel she is a character I can really get behind
. Anyway, we got some foreshadowing of Marcus playing against Shining, a family reunion that is going to end bad for the sake of an action, and of course Honey making more appearances.
4402181 He would make a KILLING doing bra fittings.
Also, I found the bet between Tia and Luna hilarious.
Where's Prince Douche Blood? I'm just wondering since he's been absent. I have a nasty feeling that he'll SOMEHOW mess up Marcus's night next chapter.
MOA: Alternate Perspectives?
4400740
Look at that, cross story commenting. 
4402981
It's a retelling of MOA from the viewpoints of the female characters. I announced it a couple of months ago.
Here's a rundown of how the story's gonna work: LINK
Its gonna be Epic if when they're having the party Blueblood barge in like
Blueblood: AUNTIE TIA! ARE YOU-- Oh! There you-- wait, Why are you having a Hearth's Swarming Eve Party without me!? And who are those peasants anyway?! And--
Luna and Marcus: GET OUTTA HERE!!!
Marcus kicks Blueblood's ass out, while Luna use her magic to seal the door and make the room sound proof. Both of them high-fived and brofisted/hoofed.
Everyone blinked and laugh at what just happened.
Fuck it, I'm excited for the finale so have some awesome music everyone!
4403514
"Swarming", ha-ha, is that a typo ar a StarCraft reference?
Nope.avi
No feels.
Great story and one unique set of characters!
I simply couldn't get enough of this. Well done!
4405782 LOL wrong spelling, yu zee I cen't tipe tings korectly XD
P.S
I'm too lazy to rewrite my last comment :P