Friendship is Failure #20: Hearth's Warming I'll Never Forget

by DakariKingMykan

Act 3: Invited with no say

ACT THREE

For the rest of the morning Twilight spied on Luna Light’s house, waiting and hoping she would leave for something, anything!

Finally, Luna stepped out, levitating a bag of garbage intending to toss it into the trashcan at the fence.

Twilight poofed herself right before her, “Good morning, Luna Light.” she said politely.

As she expected, Luna hardly showed any courtesy. She just scowled at her and turned in a huff to head back inside, forcing Twilight to poof right before her, “Can we please talk?”

Luna just walked right past her, insisting, “There is nothing you can say I wish to hear. Please leave me alone.” and she went inside, shutting the wooden door.

Of course, Twilight refused to take this and tried to teleport her way through the door, only to bounce straight off of it by a magical force-field Luna had put up.

“It’s no use, Princess!” she called to her “I’ve studied magic just like you. Please go away!”

Twilight was impressed by the whole force-field thing, but that still didn’t deter her, just like with Moondancer.

Luna sat herself down at a craft’s desk to begin her work on shaping candles by hoof, and she got out her trusty craft book of designs and ways to choose a picture, yet when she opened the book, there was Twilight, melding herself into the pages, which made her jump in fright.

“Please, just hear me out?” Twilight partially begged.

“You’ve gone too far this time!” growled Luna “This harassment, and invasion of privacy!”

She slammed the book shut and tossed it to the floor, before rushing back outside again.

Twilight still followed her. Luna was growing angrier, but she couldn’t call for the guards, knowing they were under Twilight’s command and fearing they wouldn’t help her, and instead used her magic to levitate her up high in the air, but Twilight followed her.

“Luna, please…” Twilight called to her “I know I missed Moondancer’s party, but I made for it, and it’s hardly my fault I was chosen to be Celestia’s student.”

She stopped when she realized she was only making things worse as Luna seemed crosser, and continued to try and lose her.

“…Luna Light, I made amends with your daughter. If she and I could make up and be friends, why can’t we?”

“Because… I don’t like you, Period!” called Luna.

Hearing that made Twilight halt and she just fluttered where she was in midair. Was there more to Luna’s loathing of her?

She then sped on ahead and caught up with Luna, finally teleporting herself and Luna down to the ground in the open fields.

She had already lost sight of Luna Light, but already could tell that talking to her and trying to reason wouldn’t help.

“I guess it’s time for Plan B.” and she teleported away to make her plans.

She sent a fake letter, placing an order for a shipment of candles to a random address that she knew of in Canterlot, when really it was a setup so that once she was there, she would be magically teleported to the palace just in time for the gala.

Twilight made sure to invite Moondancer to the gala as well, promising she and her mother would sit wither and her other friends at the royal table.

The only ones who seemed to protest to this were Spike and Moondancer, but their efforts to advise Twilight against such a move were all in vain.

Over the next two days, things were nearly going as Twilight planned, but Minuette, Twinkle Shine and Lemon heart realized in all the time Twilight gave them off, they had forgotten to setup for the fireworks show, which was to go off that night-- Hearths Warming Eve.

“We got to move!” shouted Lemon.

“Get the fireworks ready!” added Twinkle.

“Come on! Let’s go!” hollered Minuette.

The trio spent the entire day in the fields, away from the palace, setting up the barges, hooking up the fuses and everything.

The fireworks were all huge, about the size and height of wagons, but each fuse would be activated by a series of remote controls, programed to go off in sequence.

Twilight confronted the trio as they made their last checks of all the setups and the systems. “Ladies, you’ve done enough. Please, just stop working and come to the gala.”

The ladies refused, insisting they continue to ensure the fireworks were all setup just right, even if it meant they would have to miss some of the party.

“Come on, Twilight.” said Spike “The gang will be waiting for us.”

Twilight realized this and teleported herself and Spike back to the palace at once, and just in time as her friends from Ponyville were all there in the main entrance hall, having just arrived by train.

“HAPPY HEARTHS WARMING!!” they all shouted.

Twilight and Spike’s eyes filled with tears seeing them all again, and before long, it was nighttime, and Twilight used her powers given to her by Celestia to set the sun, and then she addressed all her guests, “I welcome you all to this wonderful gala, and I wish you all a Happy Hearths Warming. Though I have only been ruler of Equestria for almost a year now, I wish to always remain every-creature’s friend and help express my wishes for a glorious and peaceful empire.

For now… PARTY LIKE THERE’S NO TOMORROW!!”

Everyone cheered for joy and the party was on.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” chirped Pinkie.

There was ball-room dancing, gifts donated to charities, and there were all kinds of foods on the buffet line.

Easily, what Twilight loved the most was all the many different creatures gathered at the palace--Pony, Yak, Griffon, Minotaur, Dragon, and many more…

All were getting along so well and wishing each other a Happy Hearths Warming.

“You should be really proud of yourself, Twilight.” said Rarity.

“No joke,” agreed Applejack “You’ve really united Equestrians and other creatures alike in harmony.”

Twilight felt flattered, “I would never have done it without all of you.”

The ladies all felt flattered, and Starlight took notes of this, “This will be an excellent lesson plan for the School of Friendship after the holidays.”

Twilight felt pleased to hear from Starlight that the school was doing so well since her departure, and she looked forward to hearing all her friends’ stories, but for now she was waiting for something special.

Soon, Moondancer had arrived, all dressed up, and looking very spiffy, but she was very skeptical as she sat with the others at the royal dinner table.

Twilight’s friends were well-informed of the friendship problem with Moondancer and her mother, and they all wanted to help now, as was their prime job as Council of Friendship.

Moondancer was still very worried about this. “I really wish you would reconsider.”

“Nonsense,” replied Twilight “This is Hearths Warming. It’s the time of giving, and we’re trying to give your mom a good feast to show her how wonderful friendship can be.”

Fluttershy patted Moondancer’s hoof with her own. “Trust us, Moondancer. Think of it as our gift to you.”

The others all nodded in respect and hope.

“So, um… when is Luna Light going to show up?” asked Rainbow “I’m getting starved.”

Looking at all the food that waited for her and the others made her stomach rumble, and her mouth drool, but Twilight forbad anyone from starting until Luna Light arrived and took the lone seat between her and Moondancer.

Twilight checked the big clock on the wall behind her, “She should be arriving any minute now.”

Luna Light was delivering her shipment of candles as promised to the order she had, but found it odd that whoever wrote it wanted it delivered exactly on Hearths Warming Eve.

“Something funny is going on here.” she felt.

Her suspicions only grew as she arrived at the address of the home inscribed on the directions, only to find the house was all dark and empty as the occupants had gone out of town for the holidays.

“What is this?” she grumbled to herself.

Suddenly, the ground began to glow beneath her hooves, and before she knew it, she was teleported straight to the gala, right at the royal table.

“HAPPY HEARTHS WARMING!!” the gang all hollered at her.

Luna Light was positively shocked and trembling.

Her features quickly changed to anger and outrage, “I should have known!”

Many of the partygoers turned their attention towards the royal table, sensing trouble.

“…Nothing to see here, folks.” Pinkie called to them “Keep on partying.”

“Luna Light, please calm down.” said Twilight.

“Calm down?!” growled Luna “I have repeatedly told you to let me be, and now you set me up and bring me here against my will and expect me to be calm?!”

The council was all thrown back into their seats by the tone of her voice.

“Whoa! This lady’s even crankier than I thought.” muttered Rainbow.

Luna’s stomach gave a huge growl, hinting she hadn’t eaten yet.

“Please, won’t you at least join us?” Twilight asked kindly.

The plate of food that was served before Luna seemed so succulent and tantalizing.

“Aw, come on…” cooed Pinkie “Join us for a bite.”

The others all nodded at her, wishing she would stay, even Moondancer.

Luna slumped into her chair, seeing as she was outnumbered and starving, she decided to at least stay for the food.

Twilight felt there was hope yet.