Spirits of The Season
As Applejack decided to get to the heart of the matter with Flim and Flam, Rarity arrived at the farm that was a short walk from the next train spot from Magiville. More accurately it was a grove of various nut-producing trees, walnuts, oaks, almond, etc. The sign at the path that led to the farmhouse from the road read, ‘Sweet Acorn Orchard’. “Must be quite the sight in the spring.” Rarity said to herself as she walked to the front door. There she knocked. After a second it was opened to show an Earthborn man, that despite the wrinkles under his eyes, most likely due to working in the field, he was certainly younger than her parents, old enough to parents to the students of the School of Friendship. The had green eyes, brown hair with a clear gray streak. He wore plan brown overalls with a red short sleeve buttoned shirt over it with a simple straw farmer’s hat. “Good day, miss, I’m sorry but we’re not selling anything until the season, but you are welcome to some tea,” he said with a degree of almost purely stoic professionalism.
Rarity cleared her throat, “Why thank you,” Rarity said as she entered. “I am at Sweet Acorn Orchard, am I not?” she asked just to make sure.
As Rarity asked another Earthborn, a woman about the same age with a similar grey streak with lighter brown hair and brown eyes and dressed in a long green dress. “You are.” she answered, her tone hinting that she was suspicious of Rarity, “But what brings you by…” she trailed off.
Rarity took off her gloves and held out her hand, “Rarity Crumble-Flanks, I am here because there was a—” Rarity was the man cut her short.
“That was you?” he asked before he turned to the woman, as both remained suspicious of Rarity.
Rarity nodded in concern, “Yes—” she answered cautiously.
The woman then pulled Rarity into a hug, “Oh bless you, we don't know how to thank you!” she said. “Come on!” she declared as she pulled Rarity to the table of the house’s kitchen and dining room and before Rarity could respond she was seated with tea poured into a cup right in front of her.
“You sent us a Hearth’s Warming miracle, ma’am,” the man said as he and the woman sat down, “The names’ Oak Nut and this is my wife, Butternut,” he said as he introduced himself and Butternut, both of them were smiling and clearly happy, as if relieved of a doubt.
Rarity took the cup of tea offered, “You’re welcome…” she trailed as she was utterly taken aback at the apparent 180.
Butternut took a sip of her tea, “We couldn’t believe it, but as soon as we opened it, it must have been like manna from heaven. It was exactly the hat for our Pistachio. Whoever sent it, just got our son.”
Oak Nut then laughed, “That boy said he could feel his destiny when he put it on.” the two shared another laugh as they moved their chairs together to be closer and smiled.
Rarity squinted her eyes in confusion, “As an... acorn farmer?” she asked not seeing where this was going.
There was the sound of young man, old enough to be finishing his schooling, but just not quite there to set out on his own, scoffing. Everyone turned to see a lad with green hair, green eyes, dressed in white shirt and pants, with a brownish-orange neckerchief around his neck and a teal blue stetson hat that was very much like the ones Applejack wears but was more form over function. “A farmer?!” he said before he climbed the stairs from the second floor where the bedrooms were, “Girl, please! This is a Fedora Felt original!” he said as he walked to the table and took it off, “Look at this stitching and textures.” he said as he showed it off, “It's a whole new take on western and country chic.” he then placed the hat back on, “There is no way I would wear it in the grove!”
Butternut and Oak nut shook their heads, “We don't know where he got his fashion sense.
“It might be a recessive trait.” Rarity mused aloud, “My parents can’t seem to know where my sense comes from.” she pointed out.
Butternut and Oak Nut just shrugged their shoulders, “Well, thank you all the same Rarity.”
Pistachio’s eyes shot open as he looked straight at Rarity recognizing her, “Rarity? The Rarity?!” he asked in utter awe. Rarity nodded with an ‘Mm-hmm.’ Pistachio placed his left hand on the table, “You have to stay for lunch! I won't take no for an answer!” he declared before he and his parents brought their faces together, cheek to cheek and smiled pleadingly.
Rarity raised her hand as she was about to decline, but as she looked at the smiles. She exhaled softly, “I would be delighted.” she replied with a smile.
Around the same time as Rarity was walking to the house in Sweet Acorn Orchards, Twilight exited the library with a book, her hair frazzled, her pupils constricted as she looked at the book, “The recipe for Chancellor Puddinghead's magical pudding was filed under "Magical Spells", not "Recipes".” she exclaimed as she opened the book and started to get to the page for the recipe in question. “Only took four hours to figure that out.” she laughed almost dementedly. Once at the page, “Let's see. Nutmeg, sugarplums, gingerbread, candy canes…” she listed off as she walked, not noticing that she was almost to the front door of the castle as an exhausted Flash and Spike laid on the floor with just a few of the decorations not up. “ ‘Warning – To avoid untold culinary devastation, each ingredient must be measured with exact care.’” she read out loud before she laughed, “Book, have you met me?!” she asked the book, her state of being hinged up to debate.
There was a knock at the castle door which startled Twilight. She then opened the doors to reveal Shining Armor in his casual garb with a red scoff, as was Cadance with a teal scoff and Flurry in her arms inside a teal star-shaped one-piece winter jacket. “Happy Hearth's Warming!” Shining and Cadance said together in excitement as Flurry squealing in delight to see her B.est A.unt E.ver.
Twilight blinked thrice before she registered who was in front of her, “You're early. Your scroll said you were coming tomorrow.” Before she was pulled into a hug by Shining.
Cadance raised an eyebrow, “You mean the scroll that said we’d be here on the day of Hearths’ Warming Eve?” she asked before she, in turn, hugged Twilight with Flurry.
Twilight blinked twice before she registered what day it was, “Welcome!” she shouted with a jump. Once she landed Shining placed the back of his hand on Twilight’s forehead like he was seeing if Twilight had a fever. “Uh, what are you doing?” she asked as Shining lowered his hand and gave a smug smirk.
Shining then pointed around, “Let’s see, some of the decorations not up.” he then rubbed Twilight’s hair, “Frazzled hair.” and then he called attention back to Twilight’ face, “Determined look. What are you obsessing about this time, Twily?” he asked getting to the point.
“Nothing!” Twilight denied to quickly.
Shining stepped further into the castle’s main entrance, “So, decorations aren't up because...?” he trailed his question off as he gestured to the incomplete decorations and the slumbering Flash and Spike.
Twilight struggled to formulate an answer, “Uh, I thought it would be more fun if we all decorated it together!” she lied as she tried to step outside.
“Oh, that sounds wonderful.” Cadance said with joy as she started to walk into the castle with her focus gem starting to glow to levitate the some of the remaining decorations, “We could start decorating right aw—” but she was cut off.
“After I finish one quick errand. Just a few ingredients. Nothing to obsess about here!” Twilight declared as she started again to walk out of the castle. She then laughed more so out of exhaustion then thought. “Make yourselves at home. Be right back! Promise!” she shouted before she teleported away.
Cadance and Shining smirked after a small giggle, “She’s totally hasn’t gone Twili-nanas” Cadance joked. The two had another laugh.
“Let’s just finish this while your aunt’s gone, Flurry,” Shining said before he kissed Flurry on the head and the two turned to the last of the decorations.
“And if you can help us with your magic and not make a mess we can go sledding,” Cadance said.
Flurry giggled before she shut her eyes and tried to focus on the decorations, lifting them and placing them (with a little guidance from Shining and Cadance’s magic) to finish the decorations. Once the last thing was up, after about a minute. “Way to go, squirt,” Shining said as kissed his daughter’s forehead, which brought a squeal of joy from her.
The two parents then laughed before they heard Spike and Flash snore, “We better wake them up and get them some coffee.” Cadance said before she shut the castle’s doors.
As all that was going on, Pinkie was tracking her way to the Grove of the Gift Givers, currently, she was riding on a polar bear. “Sorry for waking you up, but you are the bestest polar bear ever!” she said as she hugged the bear’s neck. The bear gave a happy roar in response. All of a sudden he stopped. Pinkie looked and saw a small cabin next to hot spring that matched the map she copied. She hopped off of the bear and reached into her hair and pulled out a bottle of a dark brown liquid with white letters etched into it reading ‘Coca-Cola’ in a very stylized way, “Happy Hearth’s Warming!” she said as she popped open the bottle and gave it to the bear.
The bear accepted the bottle, drank it, gave the empty bottle back to Pinkie (who put it back into her hair) and started back to his cave and his hibernation. Pinkie smiled and turned back towards the cabin in the grove and walked up to it. As she was about to knock the door was opened by a woman that looked like she could have been the younger sister of her grandmother with what looked like deer antlers coming from her head and deer-like ears. She also had light brown eyes and whitish gray pink hair. She wore a long light blue dress with glasses Pinkie’s mother would wear and a magenta shawl over her shoulders. “By Blitzen's beard, it took you long enough, Pinkie!” the woman shouted before she pulled Pinkie into the house and shut the door as Pinkie cried ‘Aah!’
Once Pinkie got her bearings and saw that the house was full of wrapped gifts that seem like they were about to be sent to others with an evergreen tree decorated for Hearth’s Warming and other Winter Solstice celebrations, “Were you expecting me?” she asked. It was then that she noted that the woman’s feet looked like the hooves of deer.
Before the jester could ask, “Of course, dearie, I know everything.” she said with a closed-eye confident smile.
“Oh, don't be silly.” came the voice of a young woman that seemed to be around Pinkie’s age. The younger woman had similar ears and feet to the older woman, but a much smaller set of antlers. She also had light green eyes and green hair and freckles. She was dressed in a light yellowish-brown dress not too dissimilar to the older woman’s dress with a large red bow worn around her neck, “You only know what's already happened. But you don't know what she's about to ask.”
Pinkie blinked at that, “What am I about to ask? How did you know I was gonna say that?!” Pinkie and the younger woman said simultaneously.
“Mom, please stop the showoff contest with your granddaughter?” came the voice of a third woman that sound around the same age as Mrs. Cake as she came from the kitchen. The woman had similar ears and feet to the other two. She also had magenta hair and light purple eyes and wore a pink dress like the other two and light yellow apron over it. “She doesn't have all Hearth's Warming.”
“Fine! You’re just like your father,” the younger looking woman complained and pouted and crossed her arms in front of her chest. The eldest looking woman had a small giggle and stuck her tongue out mockingly like a little child.
As the three stood in front of Pinkie with them going from her left to right the eldest looking woman to the youngest, “Who are you?” she asked.
“Aurora.” the eldest looking woman said as she pointed to herself.
“Bori.” the woman that in between the others in age said as she nodded.
“Alice.” the youngest looking woman said as she jumped into the air.
The three leaned into each other, “The Gift Givers of the Grove!” the three said together with cheers and smiles.
Pinkie paused for a second as her mind replied what the tri said, “An aurora borealis?! At this time of the year, at this time of day, in this part of Mystica, localized entirely in this random cabin?!” she exclaimed in disbelief. The three nodded. After a second Pinkie regained focus on her quest, “So you can help me give Twilight the best gift ever?!” she asked.
“What about those matching hats?” Aurora asked as she pointed out Pinkie’s original gift idea. “They were so cute.”
Before Pinkie could counter, “Mom, that was before they agreed to Hearths’ Warming Helpers.” Bori said as elbowed Aurora.
Pinkie did a double-take, “Wait, I thought…”
“We’re spirits, we don’t follow the rules of mortals,” Alice answered, “I’m gonna get the box Pinkie will like.” she then started off to look for a box.
As Pinkie was about to question, “Aurora remembers all gifts given. Alice knows the gifts that are going to be given.” Bori explained the other two. “As for myself, I remain in the moment and provide the two of them some perspective.” She then started back to the kitchen as she floated in the air. “Speaking of, I believe we have a request for a gift,” she said before she entered the kitchen.
“The best gift is more precious than gold, but it cannot be sold,” Aurora said as she levitated some wrapping paper and ribbon.
“When it breaks, it's not ended, for quickly it's mended,” Bori said as she returned with something wrapped in a cloth.
Alice was looking for the box she knocked over a pile of boxes, “It can never be bought yet is easily sought.” she said as she recovered. She then spotted something. “Ah! Here we go!” she exclaimed as she got the small box she was looking for. She then brought it so that Pinkie could see it.
“Ooh!” Pinkie exclaimed at the site, “I like that box!”
As Bori placed the item into it, “Told ya.” Alice said with a smug. Aurora and Bori just rolled their eyes in response.
The item shimmered in the box as Aurora prepared to wrap it, “AH!” Pinkie scream, “The perfect gift! Wow!” Pinkie cheered. She then paused in confusion as she looked to the three, “I don't get it.” she said as Aurora wrapped the box.
“You will,” Alice responded. She then grabbed some dust, “You’re gonna need this to get to Magiville in time for the Hearth’s Warming Eve gift exchange.” and sprinkled dust on Pinkie.
As Pinkie was started her trek back to Magiville from the grove, Applejack rang the bell, “We said no refunds!” Flim in his disguise said with his eyes closed. Applejack cleared her throat, which caused Flim to open his eyes and see the paladin and Fluttershy. “Oh. You.” he groaned.
Just then Flam stepped forward from the back, “What are y'all doin' with these dolls and that ridiculous get up?” the paladin asked as there were no patrons there at the point. “Don't you have a resort to run?” she continued.
Flim nodded that the two should join the two in the back, which the paladin and druid did. After the two entered the tent, Flim took off his disguise, “It's off-season.” he answered with a smirk. “Besides, we're planning an expansion,” he said as he pulled Flam to his side.
“And expansions cost bits.” the other brother said as he took off his disguise and the two pointed to the table in the tent.
There was a clang as they removed a cloth to show a model of Las Magus with another massive ride that seemed to expand most of the main strip of the city, “Flim and Flam's Fro-Yo Flume Ride!” the two shouted as they presented their idea.
Fluttershy smiled impressed at the sight, “Well, that sounds fu—” she started before she was cut off.
“It ain't no excuse for sellin' cheap dolls!” the paladin countered as she cut her friend off and challenged the two con-men.
Flim stepped in and placed his arm around Fluttershy’s shoulder from her left, “We're just giving people what they want.” the younger brother countered Applejack’s argument with his own as he turned the druid’s attention to the dolls.
Flam then joined the two on Fluttershy’s on her right, “Shopping for the perfect gift is stressful.”
“Oh, that's true.” Fluttershy acknowledged as she point.
The two then stepped aside and one pulled out another of the dolls they intended to say, “You want to get something that really stands out.” Flim added.
“I do.” Fluttershy declared. Applejack facepalmed at the site and groaned at how easily her friend was being conned into the sale.
Flam then grabbed a doll and presented it to her, “And when you tell your friend you got them the hottest gift in Rainbow Falls, what'll they say?” the elder brother added as
“‘Woo-hoo’?” Fluttershy asked as she reached out to accept the doll. At the table where Flim and Flam showed their plan, there were a few other dolls. Applejack frowned as she was just down with this charade, she knocked over one of the dolls. Once it hit the ground, Flim’s recorded voice was heard, ‘The more you spend, the more your friend knows you love them!” Once Fluttershy heard the doll the spell was broken, she scowled “Oh, right.” she said as she stepped away and walked back to Applejack, “They really are good at selling things.” she acknowledged to the paladin angry with herself.
Flim then put his disguise back on, “You may not like it.” he said.
Flam then placed the doll he offered to Fluttershy back with the others, “But technically, we're not doing anything wrong.”
Flim then went over to pick up the doll that Applejack knocked over, “People are desperate for the right gift.” he added.
“And who are you to tell them this isn't it?” Flam asked. While the two were telling the truth, the ill intent of it was unmistakable to Applejack and the paladin’s face turning red with anger.
Neither brother seemed to care as Flim placed the doll he picked up with the rest, “If kids get tired of Holly after a few days…” he started.
“...or she falls apart, who really got hurt?” Flam finished the question.
“Nobody!” the two said together as they pushed Applejack and Fluttershy through the back of the tent.
“Not true!” Applejack protested. “If the child gets bored with it, then the parents wasted their money, thus hurting them namely in their wallets,” the paladin pointed out which didn’t seem to phase the two. “And if the child loves it and it breaks that means the child’s heart is broken and parents wasted their money, thus hurting them mostly in their wallets.”
“Everything hurts everyone in their wallets.” Flim countered. This left Applejack tongue-tied but still angry. “Don't let the curtain hit ya on the way out,” Flim said as he shut the back of the tent on them.
Once outside, Fluttershy turned to her friend. The sight of the paladin’s flaring nostrils and the sound of her breath told Fluttershy that she had to choose her words carefully. She looked around and saw the other stalls, all of them with many wonderful gifts. She then looked to her own empty money bag, “I was a sucker.” she said. These words caused Applejack to stop and turn back to the druid. “Of course Rainbow wouldn't want that stupid doll,” she added.
Applejack placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “Listen, you made a mistake Sugarcube, but we can make it right but making sure nobody else makes the same one. What those two are doing ain't in the holiday spirit!”
“But how are we going to do that, Flim and Flam were right about one thing, we can't tell people what to buy.” the druid informed.
Applejack turned her attention to the other stands and booths and a smile formed, “But we can show 'em!” the paladin said as she tipped her hat forward.
As Applejack began her plot, Rainbow was following small tracks in the snow, smiling as she could tell that she was getting closer. Then came the crunching of snow behind her. She turned to see Discord was wearing snowshoes only to trip. Rainbow groaned as she helped him back up, “Could you try to make less noise?” she asked in frustration.
Discord scowled as he removed the snow from his face. “Of course!” he whispered once the snow was off of him. He then snapped his talon and both he and Rainbow were dressed similar to ninjas but the color of the cloth allowed them to blend into the snow. “We'll move silently.” he then teleported to standing with his back against a tree, his costume changing color to match the bark, “Blend into the shadows. The winterchilla will never hear us coming.
“Winterchilla?” Rainbow asked as she took off the scoff that covered her mouth.
Discord appeared right next to her out of his ninja grab and in his more draconic natural form, “Small, adorable, fuzzy, and fast.” he started to describe the creature they were looking for. He then rubs his chin in thought, “But they're so rare, there's no telling where they—” Discord cut himself as he gasped in surprise, “Oh, there's one right there!” Discord said as he pointed to a small creature on a stone. It looked like a chinchilla, but the fur was white as snow and puffy not unlike a cloud and it’s tail had puffy fur on its tail. Discord then lowered himself and Rainbow to the group, “Now, if you're going to get it, I think the first move is to—” he was cut off as Rainbow just zipped to their target and back with the winterchillia in hand, it’s paws folded under its body, mostly relaxed in the elementalist’s palm.
“Be super fast?” she asked with a smug grin on her face. Discord shrugged his shoulders and snapped his paw teleporting the two away.
With Rainbow’s gift for Fluttershy in hand, back in Rainbow Falls, there was another purchase of Flim and Flam’s Holly the Hearth’s Warming Doll. “Have a wonderful holiday. And remember, no refunds.” Flim said as the patron left. “Next!” he shouted to the crowd.
“What are you doing here?” Flam asked as he walked up to Applejack as he remained in the crowd.
Applejack smiled, “Same as everybody else.” she said before she walked up to the stand and reached into her coin bag, “I want three Holly the Hearth's Warmer!” she shouted. This left Flim speechless. In his state of obstupidity, he failed to see the small smile on Applejack’s face. The paladin turned to the crowd, “After I saw my friend here with hers, I knew I had to buy some for my granny, my brother, and my little sister!” she said loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone turned their focus to the scene and started to be drawn to it, like moths to a flame.
Before Applejack placed any of her bits down, “But, Applejack, your granny, your brother, and your sister, they are all so different. How can the same doll be the right gift for all of them?” People started to murmur among themselves as they watched the scene.
Applejack had placed the bits onto the stand, “But, Fluttershy, this is the must-have gift of the season.” the paladin countered.
Fluttershy shook her head, “Just because it's must-have for one person doesn't mean it's must-have for everybody, does it?” she asked countering the point as called out the differences between Apple Bloom, Big Mac, Granny Smith, and even Rainbow Dash.
Applejack rubbed her chin as Flim placed the three dolls that Applejack ordered on the stand. After a second of thought, “That's true!” she exclaimed. She turned to the dolls. “I guess I need to put more thought into getting the right gift for each person.” she then looked up to Flim. “Can I return these?” she asked.
“No refunds!” Both Flim and Flam shouted in protest. There was a solid beat as both of their fake mustaches fell from their faces and revealed who they were to everyone there.
“IT’S THE CONMEN, FLIM AND FLAM!” someone in the crowd shouted.
Applejack and Fluttershy silently slipped out of the way as the crowd started to drive Flam to the stand and corner him with his brother. “Now, hang on a moment…” Flim said as he pulled the collar of his shirt.
“We'll give you a great deal!”Flam added as the two were sweating bullets.
“Buy one, get one free?!” the two offered to death ears as they utterly surrounded by everyone that had purchased a doll, each demanding their money back.
Off to the side, Applejack gave a happy sigh, “The sweet sounds of the season.”
As Fluttershy and Applejack left the stand of the brothers, Rarity was stepping out of the house of Sweet Acorns Orchard, “It's a shame you got to leave,” Butternut said as the family bid Rarity goodbye.
Rarity smiled, “Oh, you've been so generous.” she said as she stepped outside of the house. “But I must get home for a previous engagement,” she said to Butternut and Oak Nut. She then turned to Pistachio, “I'll be keeping an eye on you, Pistachio. I have the feeling you've got quite the future in fashion.” she said with a smile and started her trek to the train station and home.
As his parents went inside, Pistacho took off the hat and couldn’t help but frown. He took a deep breath place the hat back on and ran after Rarity. “Rarity! Rarity!” he called out as he caught up to the enchantress. As she turned back to face him, Pistachio took off the hat and looked down. “I love my parents, but…” he trailed off for a second before he looked straight at Rarity, “They don't understand that we just had lunch with one of the most famous people in Mystica,” he said with a silent sigh at his parents seemed ignorant of who they were hosting.
Rarity giggled in an attempt to be modest, “Oh, I don't know about most famous.”
Pistachio smiled but then frowned as he held the hat out towards Rarity, “I know you didn't send a Fedora Felt original to some nobody you've never met from Nowhere, Mystica.” as he spoke it shocked Rarity, but also reminded her why she was there, “I'm sure this is actually for somebody special, so…” he trailed off as he shut his eyes, not wanting to see Rarity actually take the hat. “ if you want it back, I get it.” he finished as forced the hat into Rarity’s hands and was about to turn away.
Rarity looked at the hat and frowned in thoughtful silence, “The hat is indeed for somepony very special.” she said, however, she knew deep down that Applejack would have thanked her, she never would have actually worn it. Rarity then smiled and then placed the hat on Pistachio’s head, “And I couldn't bear to see him part with it.”
Pistachio gasped as he took the hat off and hugged it, “Oh, thank Celestia!” he shouted before he put the hat back on his head. “Because I did not want to give this up!” he then chucked in joy.
Rarity smiled as the young man’s joy before she placed her hand on his shoulder. “But if I hear you call yourself a nobody again, you shan't be my guest for Fashion Week in Manahattan,” she stated with her eyes closed.
“W-What—? S-Seriou—? Wha—?!” Pistachio asked in utter disbelief. Rarity nodded and gave him a kiss on his cheek leaving the lad as she started home.
Once Rarity was out of earshot and well on her way to the train, “Sorry, Applejack.” she whispered softly.
The aurora borealis comment and the counter to Flim and Flam's argument that they are harming no one cames from this video
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The Coca-Cola bear? Really?
9791182
9791182
And I don't regret it
Love the coca cola bear reference.
All thats missing is the steamed hams.