Silent Night
A thick blanket of snow covered the vast hills and valleys of Ponyville’s entire county, as it would the rest of the upper half of Equestria. Trees were coated white in place of the thick green they once sported, with the shallow river having frozen solid in response to the chill. The hearths of many-a-home were alight with warm fires, casting each house in a soft and inviting glow through the windows, even during the day. Scarves, boots, and hats were adorned, along with the odd jacket or two for those easily frigid. Winter had come once again, and the pegasi were all too thrilled to bring it forth in its plushest design. This year was going to be special, as after nearly half a year of habitation, Ponyville had been harboring six very special guests. However, despite everyone assuming that Hearth’s Warming was going to be far more interesting than it was previously, the days seemed to carry on rather normally.
In fact, if one were to pay attention, any pony could easily see Pinkie Pie and Elvis, two of the unlikeliest and closest of friends, trotting on down to the little cottage that sat next to the Everfree forest, carrying a variety of packages.
“Rosa, wouldn’t it be easier to invite everyone down to la panadería instead of going door to door?” Elvis asked, as he shuffled slightly in his lavish, purple, faux-fur coat, tailor made to his specifications. “I’m a demonio de fuego. I don’t do cold.”
“Oh, relax, silly,” Pinkie replied cheerfully, “That’s why I got you that coat to wear!”
“I do like the coat,” he grumbled, “and the boots are nice too, but that’s not the point!” He gave a short stomp with his well made boots that matched the coat perfectly in a tastefully masculine way.
“You can tough it out. I know you can. You’re a big, strong demon that needs no-”
“Don’t finish that joke,” he interrupted.
As he sighed, he realized they were already right in front of the door to Fluttershy’s home. Pinkie knocked on the door, only for a small voice to call for them from the back of the cottage. The two shrugged, and cantered around to the back finding Fluttershy handing out small gifts to the animals that had remained active during the winter, and placing gifts near the hovels and homes of those hibernating. Behind her, eyes closed and with a small, smug smirk on its face rested Bael. Elvis clicked his tongue as he and Pinkie approached Fluttershy.
“Oh, good afternoon, Pinkie, Elvis,” greeted the pegasus.
“Heya Fluttershy!” Pinkie replied in kind. ”We’re here to drop off gifts! Are you gonna come to the party later?”
“Hmm, maybe not this year. With all of the excitement that’s been happening, I’ve entirely forgot to finish the gifts for my parents and my brother.”
“Oh! I almost forgot about him. How is he doing anyway?”
“Zephyr is... Zephyr. I just hope he isn’t bothering mom and dad too much.”
“As much as I’d love to stay and chat, chica, I really would like to finish up here so I can go home and celebrate Angra day with a bottle of tequilla!” he declared with an anxious gait.
“Angra?” boomed the low, guttural, powerful voice of Bael as his eyes cracked open, “I haven’t heard that name in years.”
“Eh, what’s it to you?”
“I don’t concern myself with faerie tales,” Bael remarked with a huff, “I’m simply surprised anyone still believes in that thing.”
“What did you just say, pendejo?” Elvis sneered as his hands clutched the gifts he was still holding a little tighter.
“Who’s Angra?” Fluttershy asked innocently.
“A fool that had his face beaten in by some human, or so the legend goes.”
“The GOD HAND, not just some human! You better show some bloody respect, puta!”
“I respect what’s real and not some little fiend’s bedtime nightmare.”
Elvis was prepared to throw down the packages he had and tussle with the massive creature when Pinkie stepped in, blocking Elvis’ path and keeping him from destroying the gifts.
“Ooookay, okay, I think we should be off,” Pinkie interjected, already pushing Elvis away from the frog and Fluttershy. “We have a lot of houses to see before we go home. I’ll see you later, Fluttershy!” She then pat Elvis on the back, giving him words of condolences and encouragement while Elvis muttered to himself about how Angra was real and that he and his cohorts were about to resurrect him before the God Hand came back to thwart their plans.
As the two disappeared from Fluttershy’s view, she whirled around and gave the big toad a chastising glare.
“That wasn’t very nice, Bael,” Fluttershy stated.
“I have a policy of being honest when not hunting,” he retorted.
“And just because you don’t believe in something, doesn’t mean you should make fun of those who do.”
Bael raised an eyebrow. He then grunted and started closing his eyes.
“Bael, are you listening to me?”
“I am.”
“And?”
“I am not apologizing.”
Fluttershy gave a sigh, and shook her head. She then thought for a moment, and spoke again. “It’s Hearth’s Warming Eve.”
“As you have mentioned.”
“I know you aren’t keen on celebrating the holidays but... do you mind sincerely apologizing to Elvis, please? As a gift for me?”
“Is that the gift you want? My apology? To him and his childish thoughts?”
She nodded.
Bael sat in silence for a moment, before shuffling back into a comfortable position and closing his eyes. “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Is that a problem?”
Fluttershy flew up to the great beast’s side, and gave him a very gentle kiss on his ice-cold, slick and bumpy cheek as thanks. “You’re good underneath all that grump, you know that?”
The demon muttered and grumbled as it wiped its face quickly of the spot she kissed and once again reshuffled itself into a resting position.
“I’m gonna head back inside. I’ve some last minute things to take care of before tomorrow. Let me know if you need anything, ok?” Despite the lack of response, she felt he heard her. With nothing left to do or say outside, she headed back into her home to get ready for the rest of the evening and the entirety of tomorrow.
Bael simply sat in the snow, alone in the cold and melancholy, enjoying the strange sensations of the winter wonderland that made him think of his home.
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As Pinkie and Elvis visited various houses, handing out a variety of gifts and wishing happy holidays, they soon came across the Carousel Boutique, where Dumah, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle were standing outside of. The two sisters were looking up in awe as Dumah, somehow in the possession of a rather large hunk of ice, had constructed a monument with a chisel and hammer, only to scratch out finer details with his own claws. It seemed like he was about to finish up, so the party pony and her sidekick in gift-delivery approached the trio. Rarity was the first to notice their presence.
“Oh, Pinkie, Darling! Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve!”
“Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve to you too! Whatchya guys doin’?”
“Well, it was quite the long story, actually,” Rarity began, “I was trying to get Dumah here a gift for his first Hearth’s Warming Celebration, asking him all sorts of questions and what he would want or need, but he adamantly refused to cooperate practically all winter long. You KNOW how uncooperative he can be when it comes to his sense of chivalry and fairness. The whole ordeal cost me a couple months, pushing his gift down the list further and further until today, as I finally convinced him to tell, but he demanded that he make it even. So, at his request, I had Bael deliver a massive ice chunk to my door so he could carve something out of it. Honestly, he’s been at this all morning.”
“And I’ve never seen anything like it,” Sweetie Bell added.
Pinkie and Elvis looked up and got a good look at what exactly he was making. It was a massive statue of a bi-ped with cloven hands like his, silken long straight hair tied in a pony-tail, strange yet elegant armor minus a helm, smooth skin, square jaw, and what seemed to be a cape draped over his right arm. The figure in question was standing with the posture of a royal, with one hand resting on the pommel of a battle axe with the blade’s head sunk into the ground. Directly behind and above the figure was a strange symbol, with nine other symbols carved into it at various spots. Right at the figures shins were two more lumps of unchiselled ice, which he was working on at the moment.
“Pendejo, I ain’t no artist, but that’s some buen trabajo,” Elvis declared.
“I never considered you to be a man of culture,” replied Dumah in his deep, commanding voice.
“I ain’t.”
“There may be hope for you yet.”
“Who is it?” Pinkie asked.
“Me,” Dumah replied, “Centuries ago, before my brother’s execution, and the retreating of our clans to the further corners of our land.”
“I think it’s absolutely lovely, Darling,” Rarity complimented, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you were quite the looker back then.”
“As vampires, we all flaunted impossible beauty before our lessers. It was a tactic of intimidation and domination.”
Rarity became a little nervous. “O-oh... I see.”
“But, those days are long gone. Even before now, when we first began to evolve and mutate, physical beauty was abandoned in favor of power. I have never seen what has become of my brothers, but I can only surmise that they have changed into something equally as monstrous as I... or worse.”
“That’s depressing,” Sweetie Bell interjected.
“Never the less, this temporary monument is here to show not who I was or to lament my past, but to to show how I feel within, to celebrate my history, and look forward to the future in this new, strange eon.”
“And the two unfinished ice chunks?” Sweetie asked.
“You’ll soon see.”
“Anyway!” Pinkie interjected, “We’ve brought Hearth’s Warming gifts!” Pinkie then swiftly snatched away a couple of gifts that Elvis was holding from the middle of the stacks, surprisingly managing to avoid making them topple over, and gave them to her friend and little sister. Sweetie was about to open hers, when Rarity chastised her little sister.
“For shame, Sweetie. Have you no patience?”
“Aww, but Rarity. Can’t I just open one? Please?”
“You can wait until this evening, can’t you?”
“Awwwwwwwww,” both Sweetie and Pinkie whined.
“Wh- Pinkie? Why are you complaining?” Rarity asked.
“Because, I wanted to see the look on your faces when you open them!”
“You do realize we’ll be seeing you later tonight, right?”
“Oh yeeeeaaaah. I’ve been so busy today that I forgot about that. I’m such a knuckle-head,” she bemused, tapping her forehead with her hoof. “Speaking of, Fluttershy might not make it this time. She’s still a little busy with her gifts, and I’m too busy to help.”
“Say no more, darling,” Rarity interjected, before turning to her little sister. “Sweetie, darling. Would you be a dear, and go help Fluttershy with what she needs done?”
“Sure, but only if you let me open TWO gifts tonight.”
“Oh you-!” Rarity huffed, “Very well, you cheeky child, but only TWO. The rest will wait until tomorrow.”
“YAY! I’ll see you later then!” And with that, Sweetie was off like a racer competing for first.
“And that’s my cue to take my own leave. I owe Applejack a visit before tonight.” She then turned to Dumah. “Darling, would you be so kind as to watch the shop for me? I shouldn’t be out for too long, but just in case.”
“It is under my protection as always. I await your return.”
“You’re such a gentlestallion. I’ll be back soon.” Turning to Pinkie and Elvis, “I’ll be seeing you two later tonight as well.”
With a wave of her hoof, and the placing of a saddle pack on her back, Rarity was off, which had Elvis and Pinkie follow suit after sharing their goodbyes to Dumah. Alone with his project, he continued to chip and scratch away bits of ice until the form of a prominent curled mane started to come into view.
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“A little more to the left. No, the other left,” Applejack directed.
As winters would go, it wasn’t a particularly eventful one for the Apples at Sweet Apple Acres. It was mostly business as usual. Granny Smith, the grand matriarch of the orchard and business, was preoccupied with prep work for the next day and a half, making enough grub to bring to the party later today, and a nice Apple style feast tomorrow. Applebloom herself was doing her best helping her grandmother with the preparations, taking notes and learning how to cook with the best of them. Big Macintosh, with a snow plow attached to his yoke, cleared away the walkway and nearby road to help ponies have easier access to the farm. Not that many would even need to travel these roads this late into the winter and this close to Hearth’s Warming. Most ponies tended to travel to and from the town around a week before then. Still, it was a chore more out of common courtesy rather than necessity. As for Applejack...
“Ya need to hang the lights a little higher there, sugarcube,” the farmpony stated, before rubbing her injured elbow that was in a sling. Normally, she’d be the one dealing with Hearth’s Warming decorations, but her attempts this year earned her a fresh injury due to a freak accident. The injury itself was light, but it would keep her out of working condition for a few days. Never the less, the decorations needed to go up, so she enlisted the help of her charge: a cybernetic creature from another reality entirely, named after the heavy weather phenomenon, Monsoon.
“High enough that you’d fall and break your leg if you were doing this yourself... oh wait,” he retorted with a cheeky grin.
“Watch it, buster.”
“I don’t even know why you’d go through with the trouble to decorate quite literally everything on the property,” he muttered as he hung up the the lights in the correct spot finally. To be fair, due to his natural height compared to ponies, he could easily reach what most others would need a ladder to help them with. This wasn’t even going into his powers allowing him to manipulate metals, no matter how small, with great dexterity. “Or, why you don’t want me to use Lorentz force to deal with this quicker.”
“It’s tradition,” shouted Granny Smith from within the Apple Family home.
“Of course,” he snarked, hanging up the next set.
Applejack sighed. “Monsoon, normally Ah’d do it myself, but-”
“-you’re stubborn, refuse progress, would rather do things that would cause you the most trouble, and said actions have made it so that you need outside help due to an accident caused by ‘tradition’.”
“Do I hear sass?” Granny Smith interjected from within the home once again. “Sass is only gonna earn you pebbles in yer gift, sonny!”
“You already have the advantage of bein’ so tall, so what’s the harm in doin’ it without yer fancy magnet thingy powers?” Applejack asked.
Monsoon sighed, and continued to hang up the remaining lights. “Fine,” he said simply.
“Yoo-hoo! Applejack, darling!” Rarity called, as she walked down the freshly made path.
“Rare? What the hay are you doin’ here?”
“Just wanted to visit a friend. You still coming to the soiree?”
“’Bout the only thing I can do with the bum foreleg o’ mine.”
“Oh, Applejack, you didn’t...”
“’Fraid I have.”
“Which is why I’m out here, dithering with these childish ornaments in her place,” Monsoon interjected.
“Monsoon, I know you are quite cynical, but didn’t you celebrate something similar in your own world?”
He clicked his artificial tongue before he returned to his task.
Applejack gave a short laugh. “Don’t mind him. Granny just got done threatening to give him rocks for Hearth’s Warming if he keeps up the sass. I think he’s just trying to curb it.”
Rarity giggled a little. “Well, I certainly hope that when you’re done with your chores that you’ll be joining the festivities as well, Monsoon.”
Monsoon froze for a moment, before he continued working.
“If he wants his gifts un-pebbled, he will,” Granny Smith once again interjected from inside the house, “An’ I better not hear that you’ve been broodin’ all party. Bad enough I had to deal with moody teenagers several times before in mah life. Don’t need a grown... whatever the tartarus you are, sulkin’ up the spirit ‘fore Applebloom’s turn in a few years time.”
“Hey!” Applebloom exclaimed, a little offended at that last remark.
“I’ll be as pleasant as possible,” Monsoon assured loud enough for the old mare to hear through strained, gritted teeth.
“Oh, before I go,” Rarity said, reaching into her saddle pack, “I have something for you.”
“Couldn’t wait for the party?” Applejack asked.
“Had to beat you to the kick, so to speak. Go ahead. Open it.”
Curiosity piqued, Applejack did as she was told and found inside was a hair clip made of an elegant gold with an apple shaped orange gemstone set in its center.
“I was struck by inspiration while gem hunting, and with Dumah’s assistance, I was able to create this. I don’t have them all made, however. You’d be surprised how difficult it is to make one for Pinkie, or Twilight for that matter.”
“Why... thanks Rare. It’s beautiful,” Applejack confessed. “You’ve really outdone yourself. Both of you.”
“Aw, stop. I’m just being me. You know that,” she laughed, waving her hoof dismissively.
“I certainly hope you like mah gift. I promise to bring it to the party later tonight.”
“Indeed. I’ll be seeing you there, then. You too, Monsoon.”
Monsoon barely gave out a grunt in acknowledgement as Rarity trotted along, ready to return to the Boutique for a little while before getting ready for the party. Applejack took off her hat, fastened the clip to her hair, before replacing the hat back on here head. It felt comfortable and nice having such a pretty little thing of her own that could function to keep loose hair out of her eyes on days that make a hat unnecessary. At least it wasn’t some overtly gaudy piece of jewelry that Rarity liked to troll Applejack with from time to time.
“Alright Monsoon. Best ya hurry up so we can get ready for the party.”
“I suppose if I must. I can’t keep your mare-friend waiting, after all.”
“Like I haven’t heard THAT a thousand times.”
“Damn, and I thought I was being original there. Oh well,” he lamented falsely, chuckling to himself anyway.
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At another part of the town’s limits in the late afternoon, hovering high in the sky above a mailbox, sat the rather impressive structure upon a mound of fluffy clouds. A cascading multi-colored waterfall decorated the side, giving the whole place a vivid and rich look. The owner of this extravagant home, however, wasn’t entirely a rich or extravagant individual, save for her boasting of various accomplishments, and more built the home herself from stray clouds as a display of her upfront and uncompromising nature. And, on this day before Hearth’s Warming, normal pony decorations were scarce, if not absent, but not for the lack of trying. It’s difficult to keep garland and lights fastened to clouds, even if they are top quality products from Cloudsdale itself.
However, this year, she was lucky enough to be granted a guest of honor that was all too happy to add its own decor. Adna, an angel from another realm of existence, rose its staff into the air, which glowed brilliantly like the dawning sun, and created golden objects as light as the clouds themselves. Orbs, strings of garland, crosses, stars, little miniature of Dears and Decorations, along with little ponies in the style of cherubs. All the while it was humming unfamiliar songs while it drifted about the home, adding more bold, gold trinkets and festive features.
It was then it soon heard the sound of the mailbox flap squeaking open before obviously being shut not a moment after. The angel looked down from the not-so-humble abode and spied a little grey pegasus with cross-eyes, decked out in mail-mare gear and a scarf. It glided down from on high and landed before the wall-eyed post-mare and gave a short bow.
“Good eve to thee, and may I wish a Merry Christmas unto thine presence.” Adna spoke.
“Christmas?” she asked, looking puzzled.
“Indeed!... oh,” the angel realized, “My apologies. I have yet to fully remember that this realm, though similar, bares different names and terms, even for holy days. I lose that notion when lost in the moment, I’m afraid. Regardless, Happy Hearth’s Warming, and may the forces of evil become confused and disoriented on the path to your home.”
Just before Adna was about to claim the piece of mail that was in the box and fly away, the little pegasus stopped it out of a burning curiosity.
“Wait! What’s Christmas?”
“Oh, thoust wish to know?”
She nodded vigorously.
“The history is long and complicated, but from the world myself and my brethren watched over, it was a day of celebration over the birth of their purest example of humanity’s good, and the wishing of peace across their lands.”
“Ooooooooh,” she cooed, “And it has a fun name to say to boot! Christmas!”
“Yes, indeed. Sadly, I do not have the time to indulge in speaking about it more. I am decorating the young Lady Dash’s home as a sign of gratitude and a gift in exchange for her ever patient hospitality, and I feel I’m running short on time before she returns.”
“How do you make all of those gold things stay on clouds like that! Do you know magic?”
“Miracles,” the angel corrected, only to remember a previous discussion it had with Twilight about the very topic, “But, yes, in a way, thou can consider it ‘magic’.”
“I wish I could do magic. Maybe fix my eyes a li’l so I don’t run into so many things by accident.”
Adna remained silent as this innocent mare looked up at it with those little golden orbs of hers. It gave a short breath, before it tussled her mane a small bit, pouring a little bit of its own divine power into her. She closed her eyes and giggled at the sensation of the good natured pat on the head and the tingling feeling she felt in her mane.
“May thou never befall an accident this eve, and have a most blessed day tomorrow, little one.”
“Ok. You have a good day too, mister! I hope to see you again!”
And like that, she flew off, a bit more confidently this time, seemingly feeling the effects of Adna’s blessing without realizing it. Adna watched for a moment, before it turned to the mailbox and retrieved the mail that was slipped inside. In its hand, it held a letter. The letter was from Pinkie, addressed to Dash and itself.
“HEY ADNA!” Called out a certain rainbow maned pegasus that sped towards his location like a missile in hot pursuit. She landed at its birdlike feet with a skidded stop, kicking up a little snow in the process.
“Thou entrance needs a little more work, Lady Dash.”
“Dude, I’ve told you like a billion times, you don’t need to call me ‘Lady’ all the time.”
“Habits.”
“So, what’s in the mail?”
Adna simply handed the letter over, which she tore open and read the contents. It was an invitation, signed about a week ago, for the party this evening.
“Aw CRUD! Our Invitation got lost in the mail! And I think I know why...” Dash was ready to rant, but she gave a sigh instead. “No, no. It’s not her fault. She tries her best, and at least the mail shows up in perfect condition... normally. I just wish it wasn’t so late, or lost for so long, so often”
“If I may be so bold, I believe I have met the mare you are assuming the repeat offense belongs to.”
“She’s a nice gal, ain’t she?”
“Surprisingly more innocent than I would have guessed, yes.”
“What did you two talk about?”
“Hearth’s warming, mostly. She seemed to be a very busy mare, so I had to keep it short, and make it appear as if my own activities were far from over, at least in part.”
“You did a good job on the decorating. I’d most certainly win most unique Hearth’s Warming Home decoration contest, if that were a thing.”
“It would be a miracle if it would get that far, considering how festive the rest of thou little town invests itself in this holy day. However, as an angel, I am known to give miracles.”
“Heeeey, are you trying to win some ‘good samaritan’ award or something?”
The angel laughed a little at the notion, choosing only to return to the cloud house to assist Rainbow Dash in getting ready for the festivities.
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At the edge of the late Evening, the Hearth’s Warming Party at Sugar Cube Corner was in full swing, with the entire show being filled to the brim with a variety of ponies from town to join in the celebration. It was absolutely packed with merry souls; feasting on the many foods and holiday confectioneries, singing the variety of carols, and just chatting it up to pass the time. Among the beings in the bakery was Elvis, whom was assisting Pinkie and the Cakes handle the catering, and Monsoon, who sat slumped in the corner after answering a bunch of questions from the assortment of curious children.
“I’m surprised Monsoon managed to last so long, the poor dear,” Rarity stated.
“Even though the varment’s broodin’ n’ all,” Applejack mused. “Eh, I’ll let it go this time. He’s been a good sport up until now.”
“That’s the Hearth’s Warming Spirit, Applejack.”
“By the way, where’s that big ol’ green giant of yers?”
“Dumah? Oh, he went back to his shack after he finished the sculptures, which I do believe Sweetie squealed over for a good five minutes straight. He got our likenesses down to the finest details. He then showed me the hammer and chisel he was using. Oh, Applejack, you should have seen them. Less than six months here, and they were already so battered and beaten. I’m surprised they were still capable of making something so wonderful for us.”
“So, I suppose you got him a new set to use?”
“Well, unfortunately, no. I’m afraid I didn’t have time to pick a set up for him. With all of the shopping I’ve done and the variety of other chores, not to mention the party-”
“Does’t thou need assistance?” Adna asked as he walked by the two mares.
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash added, “Couldn’t help but overhear that you need a gift for Mr. Scaryface... as in Dumah.”
“Quite,” deadpanned Rarity in response to Dash’s poor joke, “It’s not like I don’t know what he needs, but I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t think I’ll get him a decent set in time.”
“Permit me to make a suggestion,” Adna requested.
“Whatchya have in mind?” Applejack asked.
With a golden glow, Adna created a ball of golden light in his hands, before molding and shaping the light into a hammer and chisel and handing the product to Rarity. She awed at the radiance of such objects, picking them up with her magic.
“These are simply divine, darling,” she exclaimed, until she thought about it for a moment, “But, wouldn’t the light harm Dumah’s hands? I simply wouldn’t be able to allow him to use these if that were the case.”
“I think I have an idea!” Pinkie shouted as she suddenly appeared.
“Pinkie? How long were you there for?” Rainbow Dash wondered.
“Long enough. Here, give ‘em here!”
Curious to see what Pinkie had in mind, Rarity passed them over to her friend, which she took with gusto. She then reached into her mane and pulled out a roll of duct-tape, wound the handles with it, until the only hard light visible were the tool heads.
“What a clever idea,” Rarity noted. “Thank you, Pinkie Pie.”
“No problem. Now, if yule excuse me, I’ve got to get back to Fluttershy. She’s requested a special order for both Bael and Sweetie.”
And with that, Pinkie hopped away from the group, back into the kitchen.
“Again, Adna, thank you very much for helping me with this.”
“Thou art most welcome, my lady.”
“Say, know when Twi’s supposed to get here?” Applejack then asked.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen Egghead all day. Where is she?”
“Probably having a tough time getting Mantis to come out of the library. You know how anti-social he is,” Rarity answered. “It’s a shame really.”
It was then that a new set of guests arrived.
“Speak of the Devil,” Adna muttered.
“Sorry we’re late, guys,” Twilight apologized, with Mantis and Spike in tow. “Happy Hearth’s Warming!”
“Happy Hearth’s Warming!” everyone in the party seemed to answer at once.
Twilight and Spike quickly joined the group and began chatting away and enjoying the atmosphere as Mantis gazed about the room, witnessing all of the happy, cheerful faces. It unnerved him a bit, to say the least. Mantis practically glided through the mass of ponies that lived it up in the festivities like a ghost. No one seemed to pay him any real mind, more concerned with having a good time than to worry about the mad psychic’s power and high likelihood of a violent mental breakdown. To be fair, they felt rather safe knowing that a demon, cyborg, and angel were nearby to help, along with the other Elements of Harmony if things were ever to break down further.
Instead of such drama, however, Mantis simply glided past the current riff-raff, and ascended the stairs. Twilight noticed the lithe mentalist’s disappearance, and decided to follow after, climbing the stairs and looking into the possible rooms that he entered. The Twin’s room was empty save for themselves sleeping away, Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s room was entirely bare, which left only one option. Sure enough, Twilight reached Pinkie’s room, but found that Mantis had confined himself to the balcony, overlooking the town. He was gazing off into the distance, almost as if he were looking into the Winter Wonderland that stretched on into the night.
“Mantis?” Twilight asked.
The mentalist neither answered nor turned to face her, and simply remained still and continued to watch the snowy scenery. Carols could be heard in the distance, even with the party below holding loud and strong.
“May I ask why you’re up here, and not joining everyone else?”
“You should know why,” Mantis replied.
Twilight remained silent, still cursed with his memories. There were many, many reasons why he chose to remain mostly anti-social. This time of the year, however, only ever made it magnify tenfold, or so it seemed to her. She had only known him for less than a year, but rare was the occasion where he’d willingly mingle with others during a holiday season, and Twilight knew it. She sighed, and watched the world with him. Snow soon began to fall to Equestria as the night carried on, painting the world in this oddly comfy setting. It felt like reading a holiday storybook to children while close to a burning fire within a hearth.
"How..." Mantis began.
“... nostalgic,” Twilight finished.
Mantis glanced over to the little pony that watched after him. He too was cursed with memories, many of which were not his own, but he’d be remiss to confess that he had his favorites, lest he ruin the image that he built to keep others out of his head and heart. The time ticked away slowly as the two intellects just watched the world in silence, before Twilight made the first move, backing away from the balcony. As she finally granted his wish of solitude for the rest of the night, she turned to him once more.
“Merry Christmas,” she uttered, right before she left to join the party downstairs.
Without turning around, and without missing a beat, he replied.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming...”
-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-
As the night came to a close, all creatures, native or extra-equestrian, settled into their peace. The demon of the frozen soil slept soundly as the snow and wind cradled him in a familiar embrace. The vampire of the mountains quietly hammered away at pieces of gold with his new tools, preparing them to be fitted with new jewelry. The fiend of fire lay upon his sofa with a bottle of his requested brand in hand while Pinkie laid passed out on a beaten couch with a punch bowl on her head. The angel atop the cloud castle watched over the town from high above and prayed for good will and fortune to all. The mechanical maniac sat upon the roof of the barn and watched the stars gently twinkle in the night. And finally, the world’s most powerful psychic looked out the window of his guest bedroom, with a cup of freshly brewed black coffee in hand, gazing upon the moon, and gave a small smile behind his mask.
All was calm, all was bright.
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another good chapter
happy Hearth's Warming to you, good sir/madam
10002541
And to you too. May the forces of evil become confused and doubtful on the path to your house.
10002594
so, will there be an update soon?
10153328
Yes, there will. Very sorry about the wait. I have two chapters about half done (One is a Dumah chapter, and the other is a Monsoon chapter)
10153497
that's good to hear
10153503
Sorry it’s taking so long.
10153558
better late than never
10153561
yeah.
10205664
what do you mean by "what happened with stygian"?
also, and this is just my opinion, you should write the Mantis idea first, as you've the plans for it already
10205728
What he turned into didn’t just manifest out of him. The show made it clear that he sought something out, and it overtook him.
And, no. I’m doing this in order. Adna’s story first, then Mantis. The christmas chapter was the only exception to the rule.
10205815
even in-show, there's no evidence as to what happened, besides location, and that's the Well of Shade in Hollow Shades
10206344
still, there’s probably clues in that scene...
10206626
perhaps, but i ain't sure you'll find much
you might need to use a headcanon to fill the blanks
10206729
Probably, but that’s fine. I’ve done that plenty of times. Still, I’d like to keep things close to the show.
this chapter's still as good as the day it was written
still inspires a certain warmth in my chest
10509029
It goes pretty well, all things considered.
Also, glad you still enjoy my stories and side stories!
This site has an upsettingly low amount of memes and Monsoon.
Hope you'll fix this someday!
11211494
I have a fair few side chapter ideas in regards to Monsoon. He's honestly one of the more fun ones to write about, and I can't wait to get around to one of them so he can start kicking ass again.
Also, thank you for checking out this anthology story. I hope you enjoyed it so far! I can't wait to hear more comments and critiques from you about these stories.
another reread down
wonder if you'll create a counterpart to Best Gift Ever for this story
11401418
Possible. It may be a while yet, though.