Power Ponies: The Nightmare During Hearths Warming

by Deathscar

Chapter 3: Warming Hearts

“See anything?” Saddle Rager asked, gazing around.

“No…” Radiance answered.

“How hard can it be to spot a 50 foot pony!?” Matterhorn turned around, gazing up at each building.

Zapp turned to the left, staring up and noticing a figure just above her. “G-girls…I have acquired our target…”

The remaining 3 ponies faced where Zapp was facing, seeing Slay Bells just a short distance away.

“Ahh, more ponies. Delightful!” Slay Bells bellowed, aiming the gun at them.

“What in Luna’s— whoa!”

As Slay Bells fired his gun, the ray only struck the streets where his targets once stood, leaving nothing but a fresh minty smell.

Fili-second sat all five of her friends down on the ground. “Don’t get hit by that.”

“What in all things Maretropolis does that weapon do?”

“Takes away your Hearths Warming spirit.”

Slay Bells shifted his aim once again.

“Look, Marevelous. I’m sor—“

“Later.” Marevelous gave a nod to Matterhorn, who only smiled in return.

“Hearths Warming shall be mine! And mine alone!” Slay Bells roared, squeezing the trigger once again.

“Time to Power Pony up!” Marevelous shouted as the Power Ponies rapidly dispersed.
Marvelous threw her lasso on a fire escape, pulling herself upwards to the rooftop behind Slay Bells.

Radiance and Matterhorn ascended the rooftop to Slay Bells’ left, while Fili-second and Saddle Rager remained on the streets below.

“Woo hoo! Meanie!” Saddle Rager mocked, waving her hooves frantically in the air. “Over here!”

“Hey! Word of advice! When you leave a pony for dead, make sure she’s dead!” Fili-second screamed.

Slay Bells shifted to see the two ponies mocking him on the ground. “I shall end you once and for all! Tis the season to be deadly!” He yelled, pulling the trigger once again.
Fili-second reacted immediately, pulling her and Saddle Rager behind Slay Bells.

“Woo hoo! Over here Mr Bells!” Saddle Rager jumped on the spot, grinning.

As the commotion was happening, Zapp and Hum Drum stood a distance away with the pegasus soaring up in the air and gathering clouds.

“Zapp, what’re you doing?”

“I am collecting the thickest cumulus clouds I can!”

“Need any help?”

“It is not required!” Zapp waved her pendent around, a large black mass gathering up above her. “Though I did wonder where you went, Hum Drum!”

“Oh I went to get pres—Oh Luna! My presents!” Hum Drum sprinted off, causing Zapp to roll her eyes.

Marevelous prepared her lasso, spinning it before tossing it around the head of Slay Bells. “Come here.” She tugged hard on the lasso, pulling Slay Bells and causing him to collapse at her building. “Gotcha.”

Matterhorn charged her horn, causing it to glow a bright blue before discharging a large ice shackle to Slay Bells’ forehooves, pinning them to the building. Radiance prepped herself to do the same, however, a large shattering sound drew her attention to where Slay Bells sat.

“I can’t do anything! He’s way too strong, not even my hardest ice can hold him!”

“Then we need to weaken him!” Radiance shouted, creating several objects.

“Saddle Rager!” Hum Drum called out from the streets below, scampering as fast as his could, piles of presents piled up in front of him.

“H-Hum Drum!? Hum Drum wait!” Saddle Rager called out when suddenly, a small rock caused the dragon sidekick to fall forwards, the presents spilling everywhere.

“No!” Hum Drum reached out, trying to grasp all the presents that was in his reach.

Saddle Rager darted towards Hum Drum, preparing to pick him up when her eyes saw Slay Bells standing up and, unknown to him, crushing a familiar rose-colored present under his hoof.

“N-no…” Saddle Rager whispered, utterly devastated. Turning her head downwards, she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth hard, “…You.”

“Uh oh.” Radiance immediately caught notice of Saddle Rager’s sudden change in tone.

“Everypony out. Now!” She commanded as her friends swiftly dispersed.

Slay Bells turned to the crying mare on the street. “Puny pony! I shall—“

“Shut. Up. Who do you think you are, hm?” Her right hoof started to grow significantly.

“Just…stomping out the symbol of generosity like that?” Her left hoof had begun to enlarge as well.

Slay Bells eyes grew wide as he took a step back.

“You want to have Hearths Warming to yourself?” Saddle Rager’s voice lowered into a roar. “Well…fat! Chance!” Letting out an earth-shaking growl, Saddle Rager grew thrice her size, ripping apart her suit and charging towards Slay Bells.

Once she had reached him, she proceeded to slam straight into the giant pony, sending him careening towards a wall and shattering it into dust. Saddle Rager continued her relentless assault, shouting with each punch she delivered. “You! Need! To! Learn! The! Meaning! Of! Hearths! Warming!”

Jumping off, Saddle Rager released a menacing snarl as the rest of the Power Ponies galloped forward, using their powers once again to pin Slay Bells down fully.

Hum Drum moved towards the crushed present, picking it up. “Umm…Saddle Rager?”
The muscular pony turned towards Hum Drum and, upon seeing his look of anguish, felt herself grow back to her normal pony self. “Hum Drum…I’m so sorry.”

Saddle Ranger grasped the package in her hoof, unboxing the top. Reaching in, she picked up a small silver chain and pulled it up slowly. As she lifted it, she saw a shattered green gem hanging from the bottom, many pieces of it left in the box.

“H-Hum Drum… this is… this is beautiful!” Saddle Rager’s frown turned into a wide grin, slipping the necklace around her neck. She brought her hooves around the dragon, grasping him close. “Thank you so much.”

“I just wish it wasn’t broken.” Hum Drum exhaled.

“Hey, you know what? I like it better this way.”

“R-really?” Hum Drum looked up, a glimmer in his eyes.

“Really. It shows kinda the hardships we’ve went through. Plus, I prefer things a little worn in any way!” She gave Hum Drum a wink.

---

“Gather around the table everypony! It’s gift opening time!” Radiance yelled, moving towards the table in the middle. At each of their seats sat a present, all except for Saddle Rager’s.

Once they had all sat down, Saddle Rager was the first to speak, “you know what I don’t get? Why did Slay Bells wanted Hearths Warming all to himself?”

“After a bit of research, I found out that Slay Bells never had a chance to spend Hearths Warming proper. He lost his family to a snowstorm on the way home on Hearths Warming Eve, by the time he woke, Hearths Warming was over.” Matterhorn twiddled her hooves.

“The bitterness he held for the holiday never truly went away. I guess he thought he needed to make everypony feel as bitter as he did so he could, comparatively, have the best Hearths Warming ever.”

The table went silent, all of them staring at their presents. “All he wanted…was a good Hearths Warming?” Fili-second questioned.

“Yeah, but don’t worry. I made sure that even in jail, just maybe he could find a little joy today.”

---

Slay Bells lifted the Hearths Warming tree with his little finger, smiling as the ornaments sparkled under the starlight seeping in through his jail window. His cell occupied two stories high and 3 normal cells wide.

On the tree hung a small little note that he could barely make out but he finally did, he couldn’t help but smile, even just a little.

‘Happy Hearths Warming.

No matter your size, beliefs or past, I believe that they should always enjoy Hearths Warming.

-PP’

---

“Alright! Presents!” Matterhorn shouted. “Whose first?”

“I shall gladly go first!” Zapp called, unboxing her present already. “Oh this is most exciting! My first Hearths Warming present! I am most joyous!” She lifted up a small marble statue of a pony wielding a lightning bolt, aiming it towards the sky. “A statue of Strikee! The ancient God of Weather! Ha! Much thanks Hum Drum!”

“Eh heh, no problem!” Hum Drum swung his claw in front of his face.

Saddle Rager leaned into Spike’s ear. “Is that really one of Strikee?”

“No! I had no idea who Strikee even was! It’s a statue I found that reminded me of her so…”
Saddle Rager lifted her left hoof to her mouth, chuckling softly.

“I guess it’s my turn.” Marevelous lifted the lid to her gift and brought out a brown hat. “A Stetson hat eh? Trying to get me back to my heritage eh Humdrum?” The left side of her mouth grew into a smirk as she slipped the hat on her head. “Not a fan of my past but you know what? I like it. Thanks.”

“Oh, I can’t take the suspense any longer! I’m so going next!” Radiance shouted, lifting the lid and in it, she found several gems in various colours, laid out in an ornate box. “Oh…oh my. Hum Drum…”

“I know how concerned you are about color. So…I thought it’d be nice if you had several to choose from the next time you pick up after my mess!” Hum Drum gave a confident grin and was met swiftly by a peck on the cheek.

“Thank you most sincerely. I shall make sure my fights will dazzle the opponents and leave them blind with beauty!”

“Well, there’s only the two of us left, Fili-second. Do you want to go first?”

Fili-second shook her head, gesturing to Matterhorn as she sat back in her chair.

“Alright then.” Matterhorn lifted the lid, revealing a blue captain’s hat and a golden medal.

“What…” Picking up the medal tenderly, she flipped it around to see the words ‘Power Ponies Greatest Leader’ inscribed on the side. Tears in her eyes, Matterhorn levitated Hum Drum over, grasping him tightly.

“Ack! C-can’t breathe! Need oxygen!” Hum Drum jokingly acted as he hugged Matterhorn back.

“You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“If its equal to your hugging power, I think I can gauge!”

The table erupted into laughter, all of them either giggling or chuckling. Once the laughter had died down, Matterhorn sat the hat on top of her head. “How do I look?”

“Like a leader.” Marevelous answered, a soft smile on her lips. Matterhorn could only return the gesture with one of her own as their eyes met.

“I have to be careful giving you gifts, Matterhorn! I don’t wanna suffocate!” Hum Drum stretched as he sat back down.

“Ahem.” Fili-second coughed. “Someone talking about suffocation?”

Hum Drum immediately jumped slightly, his cheeks turning red. “I…I mean…”

“Heh, I’m just fooling. I’m thankful you got me a gift, sidekick. I’m surprised you got me something at all!”

“Well, it was nothing.”

“Oh we’ll see.” Fili-second unboxed her present, undoing the bow like the rest had done. Reaching inside the box, she felt something soft and warm. Once she had a good grasp on the object, she lifted it up, finally seeing that it was a green coat with red highlights for the collar and sleeves. She gave a hearty laugh.

“Do you like it?” Hum Drum asked nervously.

“Y-yeah. A lot actually. I like the colors.”

“It’s to represent Hearths Warming whenever you wear it!” Hum Drum beamed. “Because we all know about…” he stopped himself as Fili-second turned to him, the smile vanishing for just a second before returning.

“You know what? You’re right.” Slipping it on, her grin grew wider. “It does remind me of Hearths Warming. Cozy, nice and warm.”

“Whoa whoa whoa, are you actually being…sappy, Fili-second!?” Saddle Rager remarked in disbelief.

“Yeah well, I guess Hearths Warming has a tendency to do that to everypony.”
The others looked at each other before nodding in agreement. “Hum Drum, we actually have a present for you.” Matterhorn reached under the table, pulling out a small rectangular box.

“Huh? Y-you guys got me something?”

“Yup. Open it!”

Hum Drum grasped his claws at the side, pulling off the top and inside, amongst various papers, sat a small picture encased in a glass frame with bright gold edges. Lifting it up with shaky hands, he saw that the picture displayed all seven of them grouped together, smiling towards the camera.

“It isn’t much, but we hope you like it nonetheless.” Saddle Rager leaned forward.

“You’re wrong.”

All the looks of the ponies at the table turned to one of sorrow and worry, all of them glancing at each other before looking back at Hum Drum.

“This is more than any other item you could’ve given me.” Hum Drum dived into Saddle Rager’s hooves, wrapping his claws around her.

“Oh, a group hug!” Zapp stood up, rushing towards the two and hugging as well.

“Oh if I must.” Radiance jokingly rolled her eyes, trotting forward and hugging as well.

“Well, I think I filled my sappy quota for the year.” Fili-second hugged them as well.

“Last time we had this back in my house, it was a lot less…genuine.” Marevelous grasped her friends tightly.

Matterhorn took a moment to gaze at the sight of all her friends hugging together before joining in herself. All of them remained silent, letting the moment sink in.

“Now what?”

“Well, I saw a Hearths Warming Tree waiting outside…” Fili-second started.

“Hey! My tree is here!” Saddle Rager gleefully yelled.

“Yeah. And...I guess we could decorate it or something right?” Fili-second blushed a little, rubbing the back of her head with her hoof.

“Yay! Let’s do it!”

“Oh, I could prepare some ornaments with my bracelets!”

“Oh most delightful! My first Hearths Warming tree decoration event!”

“I’m helping.”

“I’ll come in a bit girls!” Hum Drum sat, grasping the picture in his claws. With a smile, he muttered under his breath.

“I finally found a place to call home and ponies to call family. Happy Hearths Warming Eve.”

“Hum Drum! You coming?” Saddle called out from the kitchen.

“Be right there!” Hum Drum leapt off his chair, racing towards the kitchen with a grin on his face.

---

The End

Comments

[Swashbucklist]

Plus, I prefer things a little worn in any way!” She gave Hum Drum a wink.

There is subtext to be found here, and I like it.

[Deathscar]

3680630 Heh, thank you!

[Deathscar]

3710842 Sadly I do not have fanart of how I think they look. But I do have a mental image :P Heh, maybe I'll commission one in the future.

[Regreme]

Very nicely done. Will you do more of these stories for them? They're quite good. (My only complaint being that you could have described their appearances more. Like mane and fur colors. You only described mane colors. Though, I did like that you kept in mind that their mane styles wouldn't necessarily be the same as the styles the mane six had due to different lengths and such.^_^)

[Deathscar]

3711050 Well, it was hard to really describe them fully. Mostly because if I tried to, it would be extremely jarring and would break the pace pretty hard. Plus, its my own inexperience in describing ponies without using the words 'mane' and 'coat' 1000 times since I usually don't have to do that with the Mane 6.

I might do more stories like these, it was really fun to do and I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting :D

[Regreme]

3711244 No prob.^^ And in truth, I did like how you inserted the descriptions of their appearance as you went. You just didn't do so enough to give a good idea as to their appearances. Good idea to do so, you just didn't do so enough through the story to finish the overall appearance idea you have for how they really looked like before the mane six took on their identities. Though, I do like what parts I was able to discern from your fic. Ever since the ep, I've been curious as to how they might look, and you came up with some good descriptions for such.^^

[Deathscar]

3712186 Thank you!

[Regreme]

3712728 Do you have any plans for any more Power Ponies works? If not, I have an idea you may like.^^

[Deathscar]

3713254 Well, I do have ideas but whether I'll have time to do them soon is another issue entirely :P

[Regreme]

3713307 What are some of your ideas?

I'll quickly put my Power Pony one for you to read here, and I'll read yours in your reply.^^

For my idea, Spike notices that the comic disappeared after they returned. Curious and also bummed, he later goes back to the same store to see if he can get it again, this time knowing what to expect.

Then, secretly, he enters it again, this time more confident, intending to get it done better than last time, and hoping to meet the heroes personally, since he couldn't last time with his friends following.

This time though, when he's about to leave.... Fili-second notices he's about to be pulled away. She grabs him, and starts running full tilt away from the sucking vortex.... but the vortex is too strong, and even at her best speed, she's being pulled back, centimeter by centimeter. The others notice her struggling and try to help. But as they all pull, Fili-second's hooves get pulled off the ground in the process, and they all get sucked in with Spike, back into the real world, where the illusion of him being Humdrum wore off. After explaining things, things get complicated from there.... I have more thoughts on it, but the ideas are currently a tad scattered compared to the beginning summary I just put.

[ColdGoldLazarus]

Well, this was fun. Nice job balancing the requisite cheesiness with an actually really compelling story, and I liked your interpretations of the Power Ponies.

[Silent Wings31]

Well, if these were meant to be the original Power Ponies, you got the personalities right but the colors wrong. Still, it was enjoyable.