A Very Witchy Holiday

by Witching Hour

Pt. 6 - Expansion of House Grey

Witch couldn’t help but smile as Trick Step bounces from pony to pony, thanking and praising them for their presents, mostly toys but Fancy and Fleur had collaborated with her parents to arrange for piano lessons and for Fancy’s instrument to be moved to the guest house for him. Witch herself is presently not among those being thanked profusely as she currently holds his gift in her hooves. Though relatively simple, she knows her present would overshadow the others, and had thus promised the colt that she’d give hers once he had opened the others.

“Witch Doctor!” the young unicorn says as he bounds up to her place on one of the many sofas. “I’ve opened all my other presents!” he declares proudly, though obviously eager for another gift.

“Alright Tricks… As promised,” Witch responds, holding the simply wrapped box up for him. He makes to grasp it with his hooves, but she quickly holds it away from him, giving him a stern glance. “Tricks… You need the practice…” she states firmly. Smiling sheepishly, he squints his eyes and a pale honey glow wraps around his horn and then surrounds the present, lifting it from her hooves and towards his own.

As with the other presents, Tricks pulls the gold ribbon off, and soon the bright wrapping paper flies away in Tricks’ eager haste, revealing a simple black gift box. Ever curious, he opens it, tossing the lid aside to lay atop the shredded remains of the gift wrapping. Witch smiles slightly to herself at the slightly befuddled expression on her ward’s face as he pulls the suede-bound photo album out of the box.

Though it hadn’t been easy to explain without giving away her intentions to her grandmother, she’d managed to get a copy of the House Grey crest - black with a blue chevron and two gold epees crossed with the wings of the crossbar almost touching - for the craftspony to duplicate on the cover. It had taken little work to add the appropriate heraldic marks for Witch’s position in the family, a blue label with a gold heart in the center tab.

Fine Brew, sitting near enough to see Tricks’ gift, looks sharply with a raised eyebrow at her daughter, but Witch only responds by putting a hoof to her lips with knowing smile. Despite the silent exchange not giving her an answer, Fine Brew leans back in her seat.

At Tricks’ questioning glance, Witch makes a short shooing gesture to him. “Go on… Your present is inside. Make sure you look through it all,” she says encouragingly. Dutifully, the colt opens the book, turning the thick pages slowly as his eyes take in a veritable chronicle of the four years she had consulted on his case at the hospital and the five months he had been under Witch’s care; all the drawings he had made for her and pictures taken during outings or family gatherings carefully mounted on the pages with gold photo corners or stickers. Finally, about halfway through the album, he stops to read over a letter covering the entirety of the left page.

Incredulously with mouth agape and gold eyes wide, Tricks looks up at Witch, seeking a confirmation of the words written on the parchment. Unable to do more lest her emotions overwhelm her, Witch smiles broadly and nods. Unceremoniously dropping the album back into the box, Tricks abandons the present worth more than all the bits in Equestria and throws himself bodily into Witch’s waiting arms. “MOM!” he cries, burying his face against her shoulder, even as his shout draws the attention of everyone in the large room.

Only one pony doesn’t look confused or baffled at the display, and Fine Brew smirks over at her daughter. “Made it official, eh?” she queries, though already knowing the answer. Witch looks up from Tricks, blue eyes shining with unshed tears of happiness, and she can only nod to her mother, unable to speak around the lump in her throat. “Well… I can think of better ways to become a grandmother, but I won’t complain…” Fine Brew comments drily with a smile, triggering a wave of cheering and clapping.

As the other guests go back to their conversations, Leaf grouses, loud enough to be heard, “Horse feathers… Now that colt’ll never stop calling me ‘uncle’…”

"Look at it this way, dear... Now it's official and you can't complain!" Daring responds, looking up from the engagement band around her hoof.

"Ugh... You're just saying that because now he'll never stop calling you ‘auntie’!" Leaf retorts with a sigh.

Daring shrugs, smiling affectionately at her fiancé. "Misery loves company, and I love you. It all works out in the end."

Only mildly irritated with her brother’s complaining, Witch pulls Tricks away to smirk at him with a devious glint in her eyes. “Hey Tricks… You wanna go ask your uncle for a ride?” she asks, making sure that Leaf could hear her clearly.

“Oh no,” Leaf groans even as Tricks nods and goes running towards him.

He might’ve gotten away from Tricks too, if not for Daring ‘accidentally’ tripping him, followed by Monkey trapping him before he could recover.

Author's Note:

Update - 12/29/16 1230CST:
Just so everyone can see, this is the image I have for the coat of arms on the photo/memory book--

Enjoy!

Comments

[DustyTrails]

So excited to see more of Witchy and Monkey and Tricks and all of the family!

[harts fire]

love it this is a perfect story.
sorry it duped my post so I removed one.

[Witching Hour]

7231373
Glad you enjoyed! Is not quite finished... But I'm glad you like!

7231556
Duly noted! All good. I'm pleased with how this turned out, even if it's the shortest thing I've written.