A Hearth's Warming Miracle

by XFangHeartX

Ch. 3- Tempers Flare

Inside the main hall, Starlight had gathered up the fillies and colts to make Hearth's Warming cards, just to take their minds off things. Even Spike joined in on the fun.

"Hey, Spike, look," Moonlight said as she held her card up, showing a picture of herself, Twilight, Starlight, and Spike, all of them surrounding a glittering tree, and beneath them were the words "Happy Hearth's Warming". "I made it for all of us."

"Aww," Spike and Starlight cooed, fondly.

"That's so sweet, Moonlight," Starlight said.

"Yeah, thanks!" Spike exclaimed as he took it. "I'm gonna show it to Twilight!"

"I also made one each for Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash," Moonlight said as she pointed to a nearby pile of cards. "Oh! And I made some for the Cutie Mark Crusaders, too!"

"Thanks..." muttered Applejack, unenthusiastically.

"What's the matter?" Moonlight asked. "Don't you like the card?"

"It's not the card," Scootaloo answered. "We're mad because Merry Mare's gonna drop off our presents at our homes, and we're not even there to get them!"

"Well, look on the bright side," said Moonlight. "We're all here, and we're all safe, right?"

"Yeah," Spike agreed. "Better us be in here, where it's nice and warm than out in the cold night air." He then shivered, hugging himself for emphasis, which caused Moonlight and Starlight to giggle. However, the Cutie Mark Crusaders still didn't seem very enthusiastic.

As for Crystal, she was sitting down with some other ponies, Tempest included. At that moment, Cobalt appeared, carrying a scarf using his magic, which he then used to put around Crystal's neck.

"There you go," he said. "Don't want you getting too cold, sweetheart."

"Coby, that's very nice," Crystal began as she pulled off the scarf, "but I don't need a scarf. I'm plenty warm as it is."

"Oh, really?" Cobalt asked. "Well, if you're sure, okay." He then turned and walked away...only to come back not 5 seconds later. "You're not having any contractions, are you?"

"Cobalt, I'm trying to have a conversation," Crystal replied. "I'll let you know if something happens, understand?"

"Yes, dear," Cobalt replied before he turned to leave again. "Sorry, dear."

"A bit of a worrywart, isn't he?" asked Tempest.

"He means well," said Crystal. "He's just worried about me since I'm due to have the baby any time, now." She then made a slightly pained grunt as she put a hoof to her belly.

"You okay?" Tempest asked.

"Oh, I'm fine," Crystal replied. "Just fine. The baby's just been kicking really hard, lately, that's all."

"Are you sure?" Tempest inquired in concern.

"Yes, Fizzlepop," said Crystal. "Seriously, you worry about as much as Cobalt does."

"...Maybe you're right," said Tempest. "Maybe I am worrying too much."

That's when Cobalt appeared next to Crystal, again, holding a pillow in his mouth.

"Maybe you should sit down somewhere soft," he suggested, causing Crystal to groan. "...Or not."

Concurrently, Rainbow Dash whimpered as she paced back and forth, anxiously as she looked outside and only saw the snow piling up outside. This only caused her to groan as she continued her pacing, only to bump into Pinkie Pie.

"Oof!!" they both grunted as their craniums collided.

"What's up with you, Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie asked, rubbing her hoof against her skull.

"I REALLY don't like being cooped up in here too long, Pinkie," Rainbow Dash replied. "I gotta stretch my wings, y'know?! I think I'm goin' crazy, bein' in here! You gotta help me!"

"Oh, well that's easy," said Pinkie. "Just don't think about it!"

"Right," Rainbow Dash nodded. "Don't think about it." She then closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "...Hey! I think it worked! I'm not thinking about it!"

"See? I got your back!" Pinkie said as she hopped away.

"Just don't think about it, too much, Rainbow Dash," Rainbow Dash told herself. "Just don't think about it, and everything will be fine."

A pause...but then the Pegasus began to furrow her brow as sweat began to form on her face.

"...This is getting to be harder than I thought," she muttered before she walked off. "I better go find something to do. That'll take my mind off things." She then looked over to Spike, Starlight, and the foals, who were still making cards.

"That's it!" she exclaimed before she went over to them. "Hey, mind if I join you guys?"

"Sure, you can join us," Starlight answered.

"I didn't know you liked making cards, Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo said.

"Uh...call it a secret hobby of mine," Rainbow Dash answered, sheepishly.

XXX

In the kitchen, Rarity looked around, almost nervously, even turning around with a slight yelp, as if she thought that somepony might've been following her. Once she was certain that she was alone, she heaved a sigh as she walked up to the kitchen trash can and then used her magic to hold up the so-called sweater that Fluttershy had made her. She glared at it with great disdain before she opened the lid and prepared to drop the fabric into the can, when all of a sudden...

"Rarity...?!"

"EEK!!" Rarity shrieked as she turned to see Applejack and Fluttershy, the latter gaping as she saw what Rarity was about to do.

"W-what are you doing?" asked Fluttershy. "Is that the sweater I made you?!"

"N-no!" Rarity answered. "I-I mean, yes...I mean-"

"What in tarnation are ya doin', girl?!" Applejack asked.

"Rarity," Fluttershy said, sadly, "do...do you not like my present?"

Rarity bit her lip as she looked at the sweater, then at Fluttershy, who blinked sadly at her, but the unicorn only sighed.

"All right, fine!" she exclaimed. "I admit it! I hate this hideous thing! I mean...look at it! How can you even call this a sweater?! How am I even supposed to put it on?!"

"It's called making an effort!" Fluttershy argued. "I can't believe how ungrateful you're being!"

"I know you can be uppity sometimes, Rarity," Applejack began, "but this really tears it!!"

"But Applejack, look at it!" Rarity exclaimed. "How can anypony call this raggedy thing a sweater?!"

"Hmph!" Fluttershy scoffed before she turned and walked out.

"Yeah, what she said!" Applejack agreed before she turned and followed after the yellow Pegasus, while Rarity went after them.

"Now wait a minute!" Rarity called. "Can't we be reasonable about this?!"

"I can't talk to you right now, Rarity," Fluttershy replied. "In fact, I can't even look at you!"

"And I don't blame her!" Applejack added.

"What's going on?" Twilight asked as she walked up to them. "Is everything okay?"

Before she realized it, Rarity and Fluttershy both began to talk at once, so much so that Twilight couldn't comprehend what they were saying.

"Hold it!!" Applejack shouted as she pushed the two of them apart. "Phew! Okay, Twi...what Rarity and Fluttershy are trying to say is that Fluttershy made Rarity this...sweater as a Hearth's Warming gift."

"Aww, that's nice!" Twilight smiled.

"I'd agree with you, Twilight," said Rarity, "except..." She then showed Twilight the article of clothing, and needless to say, the purple alicorn did grimace slightly upon seeing it. "You see?!"

"Well...it's true that it doesn't really look like a sweater," Twilight began before she noticed Fluttershy's hurt and angry expression, "but...Fluttershy put a lot of effort into it, Rarity."

"Well...I-I know, it's just-" Rarity started.

"HEY!!"

Twilight turned to see Apple Bloom glaring at Rainbow Dash, who held up an empty jar.

"You got glitter all over my card!!" the yellow earth pony filly shouted as she held up a card that was completely buried in purple glitter.

"I did not!" Rainbow Dash argued.

"Rainbow Dash, you did open that jar pretty fast," Spike pointed out. "Maybe if you just stopped acting so antsy-"

"Antsy?!" Rainbow Dash questioned. "I'm not antsy! You're the one who's antsy!!"

"No, I'm not!" Spike argued.

"Hey!" Scootaloo shouted at Sweetie Belle. "I was using the glue! Give it back!"

"No you weren't!" Sweetie Belle countered.

"Umm...guys?" Moonlight asked, worriedly.

"Wait a minute!" Starlight called as all the children and even Rainbow Dash and Spike began to argue. "H-hold on! Everypony calm down! Rainbow, Spike, cut it out!! Scootaloo, settle down! Sweetie Belle, no biting! Diamond Tiara, put that glitter down! No, don't dump it on Ruby Pinch!!"

"P-Please don't fight!" Moonlight cried.

"Oh, no..." Twilight muttered with dread.

"Cobalt, stop hovering over me!!" Crystal yelled from her little corner in the room. "I'm fine, seriously!!"

"You don't know that!" Cobalt exclaimed. "Oh, I knew we shouldn't have come here!! I told you we should've gone to the hospital first!"

"You're being paranoid!" Crystal argued. "For goodness sake, can't you calm down and enjoy yourself?!"

"Both of you calm down, please!" Tempest urged.

"Umm...everypony?" Twilight asked. "Can we please settle down!"

Before too long, she heard somepony else yelling.

"This is getting ridiculous!" shouted a blue-coated earth pony stallion. "I wanna go home!"

"Me, too!" exclaimed Lyra Heartstrings. "I'm tired of being cooped up in here!"

"Oh, come on, Lyra!" BonBon argued. "We've only been here for maybe 2 hours!"

"IT'S BEEN 2 HOURS?!!" Rainbow Dash questioned. "AAAAAAAAHH!!! I GOTTA GET OUTTA HEEEEEEEEEERE!!!"

"Wait! Wait, please!" Twilight cried, but her voice was drowned out by everypony begin to yell and argue with each other.

"I had never gotten something so abominable!" Rarity shouted.

"You want abominable?!" Fluttershy questioned. "Maybe you should try looking at all those dresses you make!!"

Rarity gasped in dramatic horror.

"You fiend!!" she shouted. "How dare you?!"

"For once, I have to agree!" Applejack shouted. "Who puts that many gemstones on a silly dress?!"

"It's called BEDAZZLING!!!" Rarity barked.

"You are so clingy!!" yelled Crystal.

"Clingy?!" Cobalt asked. "I'm just trying to make sure nothing happens to our unborn child!!"

"Stop it!" Tempest yelled. "Don't cause yourself any unnecessary stress!!"

"Please, everypony, calm down!!" Twilight called out, but her voice remained unheard among the storm of arguments. As Twilight was trying to calm the guests down, Moonlight was busy trying to quell her friends, but they just kept arguing with each other, too.

"Come on, you guys!" Moonlight cried. "Can't we just get along?!" She then held up the cards she made. "Look! Look at all the pretty cards that I made for all of you and Twilight and-"

"Nopony cares about your stupid cards!!" Apple Bloom shouted, causing Moonlight to back up like she had been kicked in the gut...and soon after, she teared up and whimpered.

"Apple Bloom!!" Applejack scolded, having just heard what her sister said. "How could you say that?!"

"Moonlight, are you okay?" Spike asked.

"Moonlight?" Starlight asked...only for Moonlight to turn and run away. "W-wait! Moonlight, come back!!"

Twilight gasped upon seeing her younger adopted sister running up to their shared bedroom, and soon after, the Princess of Friendship followed after her, worriedly.

"Moonlight!" Twilight called, causing Tempest to catch sight of them before she began to follow as well.

Author's Note:

Yeah, I know I'm late updating this, but better late than never.

Comments

[Matthew Malysza]

Awesome!

[XFangHeartX]

8650658
Not exactly, since everypony's fighting.

[Matthew Malysza]

8650674
I know

[BluePony1]

Poor Moonlight :(

[XFangHeartX]

8655063
Yeah. :(