Medley Hearth's Warming Everypony

by Talon and Thorn

Dance called Equestria

Medley grumbled to herself as she stomped home on Hearth's Warming eve. How dare Dash be so infuriatingly cheerful! Why don’t you get on home Medley? I can practically do the whole melt by myself tonight. Pure arrogance! She snarled in frustration at a nearby snow pony, which didn’t seem very impressed. She had been hoping she could help with the whole Hearth's Warming eve night shift, every weather pony knew it was the most important of the year even if it meant you had to be away from your family. It was vital that all the snow be cleared before the sun rose on Hearth's Warming day to show the foals that once again love and friendship had chased away the windigo for another year.

She sighed, she knew it wasn’t really the weather manager’s fault and she actually meant well, but Medley had hoped to use the work to keep her out of her cold and lonely house for the evening. Maybe it would have tired her out enough so she’d sleep through much of the holiday and it would just be over quicker. Still Dash didn’t need to rub it in so much, dropping hints that she had a warm and comfortable very special somepony to defrost with after her nights work and a foal to spend the day with. She guessed that Dash’s ‘secret’ on / off relationship with Ditzy was in its on mode at the moment.

Sighing again she shook herself as her gloomy house came into view. She shouldn’t be acting like this, it was entirely her own fault she wasn’t spending the day with her family. She had to stop acting like such a dragon. It had been several days since she’d see most of her friends, she guessed they were hiding from her wrath and she couldn’t blame them. She was a bad, bad pony. She guessed she should make some plans for the evening and tomorrow, something to eat up the time. Maybe watching tomorrows school pageant would make her feel better, she wondered if Double and Trouble were taking part in their own play. Another wave of depression washed over her, she wouldn’t get to see them even if they were. It was such a cold, black holiday this year.

She finally slouched up to her door and pushed it open. To her surprise she was struck by two rapidly moving blue projectiles which knocked her back into the snowy street.

“Surprise!” came a loud cry from within the shop.

“Happy Hearth's Warming cuz!” yelled the projectiles straight into her ears. Medley looked around in confusion for a moment then she blinked and recognised the happy smiling faces of Trouble and Double.

“Boys what... what are you doing here?” she gasped as they wrapped their little clawed legs around her in a hug which she quickly returned.

“They came with us,” explained her father as he, her mother and uncle Rockall trotted out of the shop, which she noticed was packed with local ponies, she recognised members of her fellow element bearer’s families among them, what were they all doing here?

“Oh, how are you dear?” asked Trotsy joining her nephews in hugging her daughter. “Have you been eating properly, you look a little thin.”

“Mom, what.. how?” Was she dreaming? If so she didn’t want to wake up. She had so many questions, but didn’t want to waste her time giving them breath.

“Me too,” said Rockall striding forwards and lifting his niece from the ground. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Thanks.”

“A nice place you’ve got here lass,” said Dogger from the doorway of the shop. “I’m right proud of you,” he said a little bashfully.

Medley slowly approached her father, she knew he wasn’t big on emotional scenes. “It’s good to see you dad, I thought... I thought I wouldn’t be able to see you this year.”

“Me too lass, and it hurt, I...” he fidgeted for a moment, “I missed you lass,” he leaned forwards and gave her a rather awkward hug. She found her eyes starting to mist at the physical contact.

“I missed you all so much,” she said looking around at her family. “But how did you get here?”

“It was your friends, they told us about your ‘problems’ they made sure we got here in time. Our train just got in a few hours ago,” said Trotsy.

“My friends?” She looked into the stop, Bluenote, Vinyl and Lyra stepped forwards. “How did you know? I didn’t tell you.”

“Fluttershy figured it out,” explained Vinyl pointing to the yellow vet standing quietly off to one side with her parents.

“Oh, it... it was nothing,” said Fluttershy demurely.

“And we couldn’t let you have a bad Hearth's Warming,” continued Vinyl, “It’s the time of year to spend with your family,” she gestured to a few of her brothers standing around with the crowd. “You should have told us.”

“It was my own business...” began Medley angrily. Then she relaxed and said, “You’re right, I should have, I’m... I’m sorry I’ve been acting like a dragon with a sore head these last few days, do you forgive me?”

“Of course we do,” said Bluenote.

“We would face a thousand perils, fight the greatest of monsters,” said Lyra, “Because you are our friend, and you would do the same for us. A few day’s working on a train was nothing.”

“Working on a train?”

“Yeah, it was full so we had to give a helping hoof for a few days, it was... an experience,” said Vinyl. “Something to add to our resumes I guess. Oh yeah, Alder,” she turned to an older white stallion. “I got to drive a train! Can you believe it?” The stallion frowned then grinned.

“You did all that for me!” asked Medley in astonishment, feeling overwhelmed.

“Of course, you wouldn’t do less for us, would you?” said Bluenote.

“I... I suppose not.”

“You might be a little... prickly sometimes but you always come through for your friends, it’s why you’ve got so many,” she gestured at the mob of ponies filling her shop.

Medley had only just noticed but somepony had transformed her shop while she had been away for the afternoon, Hearth's Warming decorations had been placed everywhere and tables of snacks had been laid out between the isles of instruments. “Where did this all come from?” she asked in surprise.

“Pinkie I think.”

“Yep,” said the pink party pony hopping into view. “My nose got all itchy and my tummy went rummbly, rummbly which means somepony needed a Hearth's Warming party stat! That’s why I had to go visit your folks with your friends.”

“Pinkie,” said Bluenote in confusion. “You didn’t come with us to Manechester.”

“Didn’t I?” said Pinkie leaning forwards looking mysterious.

“No, I really don’t think you did.”

“Oh you’re right, I didn’t. Sorry I got mixed up,” said Pinkie before bouncing off.

Medley and Bluenote watched as she left. “That pony is so strange,” said Bluenote.

“She throws a good party though doesn’t she?” said Medley.

Something suddenly struck Medley. “The presents I sent my family! Did they arrive before you left?”

“I don’t know,” said Bluenote looking around, Medley’s family hadn’t mentioned anything about presents, although she had seen they brought a bag of their own gifts to Bluenote.

“Oh, well there might have been a bit of a mix up at the post office,” said Ditzy floating over between the various parting ponies, “They missed the mail train and ended up over there,” she pointed to the Hearth's Warming tree. “I just don’t know what went wrong!” said the grey mare with a grin.

“Thanks Ditzy,” said Medley with relief in her voice.

“Don't mention it.”

“Hey, everypony,” cried Lyra hopping into a table and holding her lyre aloft. “How about a sing song?”

A generally positive cry made its way around the room and ponies of all tribes started to gather around her impromptu stage.

“Good! Now many of your might know this one, it’s traditional, about how so many years ago a few tired and scared ponies found themselves trapped together in a cave, but to their surprise them found themselves becoming something greater, becoming friends, and those few ponies created something amazing, they created Equestria!” She began to pluck the strings of her instrument, the element of Kindness itself.

The deep snows came
The old world froze
By windigo of hate
Through the past and that quite darkly
The tribes split once again
In the name of Unicorns
The Earth Ponies
Pegasus, it's a shame
The hidden truths
The deep friendship
That links us all
Give it name

They did a dance
Called Equestria
They danced it 'round
And bonded in, that cave
For Equestria
They danced their friends 'round

Medley glanced around groups of ponies were singing along with the old carol, her mother and father were standing arm in arm swaying along. She glanced around and saw Rockall holding Double and Trouble who were trying to follow the music on a kazoo and a tambourine. They looked too cute for her to get annoyed by them pilfering her stock, she guessed she’d wrap them up tonight and add them to the twins other presents.

To the fires
Of our true friendship
Once lit will forever burn
To turn the darkest cave of suffering
To a greater state of joy
Our strife is behind us now
We are one
Don't meet your dying blind
It's our very last stand together
Stay together
No regrets

They did a dance
Called Equestria
They danced it 'round
And bonded in, that cave
For Equestria
They danced their friends 'round

Those were days
That once held confidence
Strength of will and mind
The true friendship that once washed your mothers
Your sons and daughters shine
So much later
My love, my own land
Started by those true true friends
Ancient founding mares
Who stood
And watched it all go on

They did a dance
Called Equestria
They danced it 'round
And bonded in, that cave
For Equestria
They danced their friends 'round

Lyra lowered her lyre, it was glowing seemingly under its own power and she glanced over at her audience. They were blanketed by the love of their friends and family and all smiling, although the weather outside was cold, in here their joy kept them warm. This must have been what it was like for Equestria’s founders all those years ago, she thought.

“Merry Hearth's Warming Everypony,” she called.

---

Holding her own faintly glowing cello Octavia suddenly felt a vast inpouring of love, it was as if even although they were separated by hundreds of miles she could feel all her friends like they were right there next to her. She knew it was silly but she couldn’t help but try to send them her own feelings. She smiled, maybe friendship really was magic and they would know how she felt. She gently lowered her instrument and packing it away before turning towards the door to the dining room where her family sat waiting for her arrival.

It was going to be a very happy Hearth's Warming, of that she was sure.

Author's Note:

If everything works right then this should be appearing on Christmas Day, so happy Christmas everybody.

As always comments are appreciated.

Comments

[Walabio]

¡They made it!

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

D'aww! Talon, that was great. :D

[Talon and Thorn]

5413287

Despite the title of the next chapter they won't be travelling that way, this is an everyone rated story

5419560

Not necessarily as nice, just not a nasty pony, he is after all getting good service at this point.

5431081

There was a third brother at one point he was also named after a shipping forecast location but I forget which one I used, I guess Medley's lucky she didn't get named Lundy, unless she did, she left home for some reason.