A Hearth’s Warming Tail - Extended Edit.

by UltraSonicRainboom

The Spirit of Hearth's Warming Past

Snowfall Frost laid in her bed, hardly falling asleep after seeing the ghost of her long dead friend just a few hours ago. She was in her bed, when the bell of her grandfather clock struck one. Snowfall looked up to see if the spirit was there, but it wasn’t. But then, she saw a light enter the room from outside the window. The light shined bright after it went in the middle of the room and it blinded Snowfall for a moment. It was so bright it filled up the entire room, and then the light faded as it turned into an earth pony spirit. “Are you the spirit who’s coming was foretold to me?” Added Snowfall Frost. “Indeed I am.” Said the spirit (played by Applejack). “I am the ghost of Hearth’s Warmin’ past, and you and me have got to have us a little chat.” “A chat about what?” Asked Snowfall Frost. “About your spell” said the spirit. “You don't think a spell like that would get by without some powerful forces noticin'? You've got our attention, Snowfall Frost, and we've got some pretty strong opinions on this spell of yours.” “We? You mean the other spirits that Marley mentioned, right?” Asked Snowfall. “Yup”, replied the Spirit. “They'll be along in a bit. For now, it's just you and me. Let's get a move on. We got a ton to see and barely any time to see it.”

Snowfall Frost then said “we’ll if you’re going to show me the first Hearth’s Warming Eve, I don't need a history lesson about it. I already know everything about it.” The spirit then said “we aren't goin' to the past to learn about the holiday. We're goin' to learn about you.” The spirit then held out her hoof and the window opened on its own. Snowfall looked concerned and then said “but spirit, I am not like you, I can’t fly.” “Touch my hoof and you’ll be able to fly. Snowfall Frost did what the spirit said, and they were off flying into the sky. Snowfall Frost was scared of the height and the fast speed that they were traveling in, but the spirit reassured her that she was safe and began to sing.

(Listen to the song and watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-zGoWUpadE)

“As a young thing, life sure is somethin'

You go makin' choices large and small

Always growin' like a seedlin'

And playin' is like dreamin'

And before you know it, big and tall”

Snowfall and the spirit then flew to the ground and they stepped into the past into Frost’s childhood home. The spirit of Hearth’s Warming Past continued to sing:

“And every little bitty choice you make

Sends you down a path to who you are today

So let's take a little trip down memory lane

And see just what the past has to say”

They saw Snowfall as a filly, around 8 years old, and the Spirit said “Aw, look how cute you were. Looks like you're not too upset it's Hearth's Warming Eve either.” Then she continued to sing:

“The seeds of the past

They grow pretty fast

Just look at who you were back then

The seeds, as they grow

Look what they can show

Reveal the truth time and again”

They walked into Snowfall’s old school, where her young self was setting up decorations for Hearth’s Warming eve when professor Flintheart walked in. “Just what do you think you're doing, Snowfall?” Said the professor. “Decorating the classroom for Hearth's Warming Eve, Professor Flintheart!” Said young Snowfall. “You said you wanted to learn to be a powerful unicorn, did you not?” Asked the professor. “I do!” Said the young filly. “And what is the way that one becomes a powerful unicorn?” Asked Flintheart. Young Snowfall cleared her throat and said “work hard, learn, and use your skills to better Equestria.” She said it as if she was reciting the pledge of allegiance, proud and firm. The Spirit looked at Snowfall Frost, the older one, and the unicorn blushed with embarrassment as her younger self said those words. Flintlock looked at a Hearth’s Warming ornament, picked it up with his magic, as he was a unicorn, and he said to the young filly “And how do these help you to learn magic?” “I want to be strong enough to stop windigos and help ponies!” Said young Snowfall Frost. Flintheart scoffed. “That's just a story we tell little ponies. Real magic takes time to learn.” Flintheart dropped the fragile ornament and it smashed as it hit the ground. Flintheart turned his back towards Snowfall in disgrace and said to her “It's your choice. Spend your time learning to become a powerful unicorn or play with your toys and make nothing of yourself.”

“Do you remember this Hearth’s Warming?” Asked the spirit. “Yes, I do.” said Frost. The spirit then said “this Hearth’s Warming was the one that started it, the one that led you to who you are today. Although you didn’t believe what your professor said at first, he planted a seed in your life that grew over time and eventually made you into the pony who would seek to destroy all of Hearth’s Warming Eve.” Snowfall now began to remember this Hearth’s Warming and said “this was my last good Hearth’s Warming before everything changed. After being taught by Flintheart he showed me that real purpose isn’t from decorations but from working for Equestria.” She said those words with regret for the past, but still trying to hold on to her beliefs that she is still in the right and that Hearth’s Warming still is all humbug and that all that matters truly is working hard to improve society.

“Let’s see another Hearth’s Warming” said the spirit. Then a light shined and took over the room and then the light dimmed and they found themselves in another place. They were standing outside of an old house. “I know this place. This is Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig’s house!” Said Snowfall Frost with amazement. “I haven’t been in this place in years!”. Then she saw a pony that she remembered standing in the house by the open door. “There is Mr. Fezziwig! My old boss alive again! And there’s Mrs. Fezziwig!” She said this in awe because Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig (played by Mr. and Mrs. Cake) have been dead for years and their house was sold. A few ponies were walking into the house as Mrs. Fezziwig said “welcome everypony to the annual Fezziwig Hearth’s Warming party!” Snowfall and the spirit found themselves inside the residence of the Fezziwig’s. There were ponies everywhere. There was a small band playing classic Hearth’s Warming music. There was a pony playing the piano (how you play with hooves I do not know), there was a pony with a trumpet, one with an accordion, one with a standing upright bass, and one with a small set of drums. They were playing all the favorites, Deck The Halls, White Hearth’s Warming, Jingle Bells, and We Wish You a Merry Hearth’s Warming. There was a huge Hearth’s Warming feast with a huge table with ponies crowded getting food as in a giant buffet. Snowfall then saw her younger self, now older than before around 18 years old, and her younger self walked to Mr. Fezziwig and said “excuse me Mr. Fezziwig, but have you seen how much we’re spending on this party? It’s over a month’s pay!” “Snowfall Frost it’s Hearth’s Warming! It’s the time of year to be generous! Go and enjoy the party. Go on” said Mr. Fezziwig with glee trying to reassure Frost to enjoy the holiday. Young Snowfall Frost walked away to get some food. There was a pony standing in front of her who asked Snowfall “are you enjoying the party?” “Trying too, but it’s hard to think about all the bits this party costs. Maybe there’s a spell for this or something.” “There isn’t always a spell to fix everything you know. I’m Sunbell.” (Played by Sunburst). “Snowfall Frost.” Said her young self. They continued to walk around the table putting food on their plate. Sunbell said to her “So you like spells? So do I. I’ve currently working on one to turn stone into solid gold! But I haven’t worked it out yet.” “Really? That sounds amazing! You know, Star Swirl tried a spell like that.” “That’s where I got the spell from” said Sunbell. Snowfall began to light up “you know Star Swirl the bearded?” She asked. “Oh yes! He knows everything from transfiguration, metamorphosis, and teleportation! I want to be just like him!” Sunbell said. “Me too!” Said Snowfall lighting up like a Hearth’s Warming tree. They then finished getting their food and walked together to find somewhere to eat. “Hey! We should meet up sometime and work on spells together!” Said Sunbell. “I would like that very much” Said young Snowfall Frost, amazed that she found a new friend.

“Do you remember this meeting?” Said the Spirit to the older Snowfall Frost after they’ve been watching the whole conversation happening. “Remember it?” Said Snowfall, as the question caught her off guard because she was so focused on the conversation she witnessed and was flooded back with memories and heartaches. Then Frost looked at her younger self talking with her old friend and said in a somewhat depressed tone of voice “yes spirit. I remember it.” “There was another Hearth’s Warming with this colt” said the spirit. Snowfall looked at the spirit of Heart’s Warming past with grief. “No please spirit. Don’t show me that one.” But as she finished saying those words another bright light came and then it dimmed and they found themselves in Snowfall Frost’s office back at the house she is still living in to this day. Both her younger self and Sunbell were there, both a little bit older than the last time.

“Snowfall, do you still want to marry me?” Asked Sunbell. “Yes I do.” Replied the younger Frost, “but we still have so much work to get done! So many spells to finish, so much to do to help Equestria! Our marriage can wait, we will get married next year.” “Yeah, but that’s what you said last year, and the year before that. It seems like the only thing you care about now is your spells.” Said Sunbell. “I’m sorry Sunbell, but it is a worthy goal to follow. You do understand that, right?” Sunbell said “I’ve always tried to tell you that there are more meaningful things in life than spells and helping society, but I’m sorry you can’t see that.” Then Snowfall replied “and I’m sorry that you can’t see that helping Equestria is a worthy goal for anypony, but I do still love you”. Sunbell then said with a sad tone of voice “yeah. I guess you used to. I’m sorry Snowfall, but I see that you are too married to your work to care about me.” Young Frost tried to interrupt “but Sunbell! I-“ “goodbye Snowfall. It’s over. I hope you’re happy with this life you’ve chosen.” Then Sunbell walked away towards the door. Her younger self began to tear up with emotion and sadness, but then she buried the sadness and yelled at Sunbell as he was leaving “fine! If that’s how you want it…fine.” That last word was not yelled, but said with sadness. Then she began to tear up again and said as she began to cry “goodbye Sunbell…” then he left the building and they both started to cry. Then the spirit began to sing again.

“Then some distress, words so careless

Standin' there, you don't know what to do

Feelin' helpless, you can't make it hurt less

So you go and change your point of view”

Then younger Snowfall bottled up her tears and replaced it with anger and went back into her studies, her books and spells, and studied harder than she ever has before. The spirit continued to sing:

“And in that moment, though you didn't know it

Your defenses set up walls you built to last

Leading to the pony you've become today

And the spell you're about to cast

It all comes from your past”

Then Snowfall Frost began to sing.

“The seeds of the past

We grow up so fast

Some hurts never go away”

Then the spirit sang.

“The seeds, as they grow

This we can't let go

All tied to this one holiday.”

As this was happening, the older Snowfall Frost was tearing up. “Spirit, why did you bring me here? I told you not to! Are you trying to torture me?“ Then the spirit said “I’m sorry, but these are the shadows of things that have already happened, don’t blame me.” “Leave me!” Said Snowfall Frost, crying and looking at the ground, and when she looked back up, she was back in her bed in the present and the spirit was gone and she found herself once again alone.

Author's Note:

I added a few things from 'The Muppets Christmas Carol' that were not in the original book, because some of the things that the movie did did it better than the book in my opinion and I love that version of The Christmas Carol so much, as it's my favorite. The whole Fezziwig party was more like a recreation of the one from the Muppet movie, and the way Starlight and Sunburst broke up was probably more similar to the movie than the book in some ways.