It was a Warm and Cozy Night...
“Ten bits. ‘Twas was all, dearest, just 10 bits.” Rarity said to the two little fillies as she climbed up on the bed and sat down, sinking into the thick down quilt. It billowed up around them like a cloud and settled as gently as a sigh. From the mugs of warm cider with a cinnamon stirring stick, held between the hooves of each of the two fillies, rose a sweet, spicy fragrance that completed the coziness of the snowy winter’s night.
Picking up the Mother of Pearl handled brush that lay beside her, Rarity gently pulled it twice or three times more through the mane of the little lavender earth pony who sat in front of her.
“Misty Dawn,” Rarity said by way of presentation, “It is my opinion that you are the definition of the word elegant. I believe enough so that presenting yourself to both of our princesses would not be out of the question.”
“You talkin about Aunt Celie and Lulu? Cause don’t forget, Mommy’s a princess too.” Misty reminded her.
“And so is Aunt Cadence.” Honey Crisp chimed in. Misty Dawn stood and trotted to the opposite side of the bed, making sure to carry herself with poise as her Aunt Rarity had taught her. She watched herself in the mirror and smiled.
“Of course they all are. But we could present either of you to your Mommy, and were you covered in mud, she would see you as though dressed in the finest of gowns. She loves you both so.”
“My turn, my turn!” Honey Crisp exclaimed, bouncing on her haunches. Anticipating her excitement, Rarity enveloped the little earth pony’s cider mug in a field of shimmering energy and, in a single deft motion, lifted it clear of her hooves.
“Careful darling, we mustn't spill our cider and stain the quilt.”
“Oops sorry. Thank you, Aunt Rarity,” said Honey Crisp, scooting into the getting-her-hair-done position recently vacated by her sister.
“My pleasure, sweetie.” Rarity said as she set the mug down on the nightside table.
The little blonde unicorn sat expectantly, her shoulders shifting in the suppressed excitement found in those still young enough and wise enough to truly enjoy something so simple as being fussed over by a favorite aunt. When more than a moment or two passed without the anticipated feel of the brush on her mane, Honey turned around to see her Aunt lost in a sad thought, her eyes suddenly wet.
“Oh no! What’s the matter Aunt Rarity?” There was a touch of pain and worry there.
“Oh, it’s nothing, it’s just that, well, I was thinking back on when she was little, no younger than you two, I would comb Sweetie Belle’s hair like this all the time. Now she’s grown older and has her cutie mark and is always off with the Crusaders...” Her smile was uneven as her chin trembled. “I guess I miss those days more than I’d realized.” her voice barely a whisper.
In a heartbeat, the two little ponies had her in a warm hug.
“Don’t be sad, Aunt Rarity. We love you, and you can come over and comb and brush our hair anytime - not just when you’re foalsitting us. We can even come to your shop. Please don’t cry.”
Rarity pulled them close. “And I love you both more each day. Your hearts are so true and pure.” The three remained in the embrace to ensure that Rarity felt better. It wasn’t long before they were back as they had been, Honey Crisp sitting with her back to Rarity as the latter pulled a brush through the blonde locks of the young unicorn.
“Are you sure you want to hear this? There are some very very sad parts.”
“eYUP!” The two said in unison.
“Okay, but remember I warned you. Now, where was I again?”
“You were saying she had only ten bits.”
“That’s right, thank you. Your Mama had only ten bits. You see, the harvest that year had been poor, what with all the… well, I won’t go into it, you’ll have to get your parents to tell you about that one year. Let us just say that Sweet Apple Acres needed every cent it could squeeze out of each and every apple. So, after spending all night and all the next day and far into the midnight hour of the next night balancing the books of the farm, your Mama discovered that all the debts they owed were paid, and all the money owed them had been collected. They would survive the winter without a great deal of difficulty, but there wouldn't be any cash flow, at least until the following spring.”
“Any what now?” Honey Crisp asked, her green eyes full of puzzlement.
“Oh, forgive me. It’s a business term. It means that you have money coming in and money going out. It’s a sign of a healthy business. As the bits flow in, some of them go to supplies, others go to salaries others go to rent. It’s a firm rule that what money the farm makes, only the farm spends, so when your Mama married your Mommy and moved to the castle to live with her, she refused to take money from the farm.”
Rarity gave her cider a stir and, after blowing across the top of the mug, took a small sip. She closed her eyes and smiled. “I must say, this year’s crop is quite something. Your Moms certainly make quite the team.”
“I know,” smiled Misty, “They’re the best. So what happened next?”
“Well, your poor Mama had put just enough of her money aside for Granny, Uncle Mac, and Aunt Apple Bloom. She'd brought them all presents earlier in the year. All that was left lay on the little table next to her. It was but a small cloth bag and it contained only those ten bits. Over many birthdays and Hearth’s Warming Eve's, it was what was left of the money that she’d gotten and saved and spent over the years. The poor dear just sat there, her head in her hooves, and cried. Every time she thought about it, it broke her heart.”
“But why?” Misty’s voice was tiny and sad.
“Because that’s all she had to give to the pony that she loved more than anypony.”
“Mommy?” they asked.
“Yes, sweetie, your mommy.”
“But Auntie Rarity, Mommy wouldn’t a’ cared. She loves Mama! Besides, Mommy is a Alicorn, she could get anything she wants!” The little unicorn’s voice was pained at the thought of her Mama crying like that.
“Yes, I know Honey Crisp, -oh,and it’s an Alicorn.” Rarity corrected her as she continued to brush out the little filly's golden blonde locks. “But your Mama wanted their first Hearth’s Warming Eve together as a little family to be very special. She wanted to give your Mommy something that would show her just how much she loved her. Yet here she was with only ten bits very early in the morning of Hearth’s Warming Eve..”
“Oh poor Mama…If I were there I would give her my toys to give Mommy. “
“Or books! Mommy loves books!” exclaimed Misty Dawn.
“OH YEAH! She could have all my books!” offered the little unicorn happily.
“That's so sweet and generous of you both. Well, in any event she knew she had to get back to their castle, it was just after midnight and she wanted to be next to your Mommy when she woke up. So she got up and on that cold frosty dark morning, made her way through the silent streets of Ponyville and into the castle. She found your Mommy asleep in bed and climbed in next to her. Your Mommy smiled and sleepily rolled over and put her arms around your Mama and pulled her close and hugged her tight.”
“Were you there?” asked Misty Dawn.
“Well no sweetie, but at their wedding after some champagne, your mommies told me what happened and I know them both so well. One doesn’t share what we have and not develop a true understanding of them. In any case, the two of them fell into a deep sleep. The kind of sleep you sleep when you know those you love most are near you and are safe.”
“Awwwww…” the two sisters sighed.
“The next morning when they woke up, it was very cold, and the wind blew around the castle, making all sorts of chilly sounds. They snuggled together to stay warm, for although the castle is quite magnificent, it does lack a certain homey warmth. Personally, however, should I be fortunate enough to live in such grandiose luxury, I'm sure I could somehow adapt...”
“Uh-huh,” Misty Dawn offered, “what about Mama?”
“Oh yes, of course. Well, your Mama was still quite upset and tired from the night before. She commented on how cold the castle was and asked why they couldn't move to Sweet Apple Acres to live permanently. Your Mommy said that they had agreed to live part of the year at the farm and part in the castle. This just upset your Mama even more, and before you could say diamond-encrusted tiara, they had a huge fight. They both left the castle in tears, heading off in opposite directions.”
“Mommy and Mama had a fight?!” Honey Crisp interrupted, very upset that they’d ever had a fight that serious. She felt the comforting touch of her sister's hoof as it took hold of hers and looked over at her only to see the same fright in her sibling's eyes.
Rarity sensed this immediately. “Calm down, my darlings, They got back together, right?”
The two fillies looked thoroughly relieved.
“Your Mama ended up out near the edge of the Everfree Forest. She hadn’t really been paying attention to where she was, and before she realized it she found herself in the forest!” Rarity added a good deal of dramatic expression as she spoke the second sentence in order to emphasize the danger. Neither of the girls seemed to care.
“Don’t you understand? Your Mama was alone in the Everfree Forest darlings, that’s a very dangerous place.”
The two fillies looked at each other and then at Rarity. “Not for our Mama,” they informed her.
Rarity, after a thoughtful pause, mused, “No, I suppose you’re right. In any event, she soon found herself at the cottage of Zecora.”
“Auntie Zecora!!!” the fillies squealed at the mention of the zebra’s name. They gleefully recited in accents similar to the zebra’s”
”I love to find I’m in their midst,
Miss Misty Dawn and Miss Honey Crisp!”
It was a favorite phrase of Zecora’s, uttered upon seeing the twins.
“Except Auntie Zecora wasn’t there.” Rarity said.
“Awwwww,” the girls said dejectedly.
“You see, until recently, it was her custom to return to her homeland during the winter months, so your Mama was both puzzled and concerned at the sight of smoke curling from the chimney. Somepony had broken in!!”
“ohmygosh” Misty Dawn whispered desperately, as though the intruder might hear her. “What did she do?”.
“Well,” Rarity took the cue and, speaking in the hushed tones of a fellow conspirator, continued, “She snuck up to the window and peered in. A shadowy figure loomed there before the fire. There was a large cauldron bubbling. The potion was multi-colored and almost seemed to glow orange, purple, and blue... Your Mama watched as strange little clouds in the shapes of all manner of smoke creatures leaped forth from within the never-ending succession of large bursting bubbles at the surface of the pot.”
“Oooooo” the sisters said.
“In the dim light, she could see he was a unicorn. She looked around in the snow for a weapon. Her intent was to rush in and, with the advantage of surprise on her side and subdue the trespasser if necessary, then find out just what he thought he was doing there. Lying nearby in the snow, she spotted a good stout branch and, picking it up, returned to the window to see if he had moved. He had not. As she started to step toward the door, he spoke!”
The two sisters gasped.
So much pain from a heart that is so loved. I do not understand. Why so much pain?
“Your Mama looked around for somepony else who might be in the room but could see none.”
Do not look for another, there is nopony else here, just you and I. Please enter, my friend.
“Your Mama recalled how she’d made an unfair judgment about another friend in this very home. She watched as this fellow went to the door and opened it.”
Please come in. I trust we have a mutual friend in Zecora. She invited me to stay here while she was away. It is safe enough for a pony as strong as thyself
“Did Mama go in?!” Honey Crisp whispered frantically.
“Shhhh, Honey! Let her tell the story!”
“Oh shhh yourself! She could be in danger!”
“Yes, she went in. The unicorn threw back his hood. He was very old but had the sweetest smile your Mama had ever seen.”
“Except for Mommy’s,” corrected Honey Crisp.
“That’s right,” confirmed Rarity, quite touched by all the love the two fillies felt for their parents, “except for your Mommy’s”
What troubles you, my dear? And what brings you out here?
“Without knowing exactly why, your Mama sat down and began to tell him. Before she knew it she had told him everything.”
I wish I could offer you something, but I have nothing. From what you tell me, your beautiful eyes, and smile are all that she desires. Why do you feel she needs more?
“It ain’t that she needs more, and I reckon it’s gonna sound silly, but, well, I want to give her more.” your Mama explained to him.
Such is the nature of true love. Tell me, do you carry something of hers? Or a memento of something close to her?
“‘What do ya mean? Is this some kind of a riddle or something?’ your Mama asked him”.
No, I ask plainly. Do you carry a small memento of hers?
“Your Mama thought for a moment or two then told him, “Well just a piece of wood,’ she said and took off her hat. Reaching inside she pulled something that was tucked in the hatband - a small chip of wood, not much bigger than a bit and not much thicker. “It’s from a special place. It’s from the old library, or what was left of it. I told you about it. It’s where Twilight and I discovered that we were more than best friends, that we were, well, you know, in love.”’
May I see it?
“Your Mama took a good long look at him. No other pony even knew this little piece existed and that she carried it around with her. It had a very odd grain to it, which surrounded a knot in the wood. The shape of the knot resembled a heart. After several moments she gave it to him. He held it in his hoof and closed his eyes. He touched it to his horn, he put it to his muzzle, and inhaled. He held it to his cheek, he held it to his ear. Finally, he pressed it to his chest, over his heart.”
It has a great significance to you, it carries within it something very, very special. It carries that which your heart wants, above all else, to give to your love.
“Your Mama couldn't believe it. She peered closely at it and then proceeded to repeat all that the unicorn had done. After she’d finished, she looked up at him.
“I don’t understand, but please, I’ll do whatever you tell me, I just gotta get her something real special for our first Heart’s Warming Eve together. It’s more important to me than anything." she hung her head sadly, "And I got nothing. '"
“The old unicorn went to her and lifted her chin with his hoof.”
It is not this piece of which I speak. This piece holds a mystery. It is a heart token. It knows that which you want to give to her more than anything else.
“Your Mama held it in her hoof, looking at it and turning it When she looked back at him, he could see she had begun to cry "What can I do? I don’t know anything about magic.’ She fought back the tears. “Maybe it knows, but I don’t,’ she said, ’Is there any way for me to find out? And how much does it cost?’ Then she hung her head and said with a great deal of shame, “ I only got ten bits...’”
There is but one way. You see, after I mastered magic, I began to study the nature of alchemy.
“‘The nature of what now?’ your Mama asked hopefully.”
Alchemy. It is the science of gold. Gold has many amazing powers that cross between the magical world and the scientific world. To unlock the secrets of that piece, you carry, you must lay it upon the surface of a small cauldron of pure molten gold. It will lead you to that which your heart truly wants to give to your love.
“‘But I ain’t got any gold! All I got is the ten bits. I reckon they got some gold in ‘em but they ain't pure. I don’t reckon they've got enough.’”
“The old unicorn said nothing, he only looked at her and smiled sadly. She turned around to leave. It was getting to be late afternoon, and the sky was gray. Light snow had begun to fall, and flakes whirled in as she opened the door. As she walked through the woods back toward the castle, the flakes became larger.”
The two little fillies sat there in silence as they looked up at Rarity, with tear-soaked cheeks.
Rarity swallowed, trying to ease the pain in her throat that rose at the sight of those two little faces. “Upon her return to the castle, she called out but got no answer except for the sound of her own voice echoing through the halls. In spite of this, she began going from room to room. She was unsure of what she’d say, but she just wanted to see your Mommy again. It was to be their first Hearth’s Warming Eve, and they had had a fight, something they never did..”
“When she finally found the library, she could see that your Mommy wasn’t there, but something did catch her eye. Something gold, and it was shiny. Hanging from simple nails driven into the wall, there were her ribbons and medals, all that she had won in her rodeo competitions. Some were bronze, some silver, and some were gold. The gold ones were the awards for first place. Beneath them, on a small shelf, was a gold trophy. It was the only trophy she ever won. It was her pride and joy, as I'm sure you can imagine.”
“I sure can. I gotta ask her to show ‘em to me when I get up tomorrow morning.” Misty Dawn said.
Rarity looked at the excitement on the faces of the two fillies. Her heart ached to see it.
“Well, you have to understand…”
“No! Aunt Rarity, please don’t tell me that,” Misty Dawn was getting upset," when somepony says "you have to understand, it's usually sad. I want to see them, I want to see all of Mama’s medals and her trophy." Tears sprung fresh in her eyes. Her sister put her arms around her and hugged her, though she was on the verge of crying as well.
“Do you want me to go on, sweetie? I don’t have to. We can go play a game or something."
Misty Dawn looked up with red puffy eyes, “D-does she gets her medals back?” She asked hopefully.
“You’ll have to wait and see. Should I go on?”
The two sisters looked at each other, then at Rarity, and slowly nodded.
Rarity continued, “So she gathered all the medals and trophy she thought might have any gold in them, placed them in her saddlebag, and galloped as fast as she could out into the snow. She headed into the Everfree Forest and down the path to Zecora’s cottage. The old unicorn was still there.”
“‘Here,’ she said, ‘here’s all the gold I got. You can have it all to melt down like you talked about.”’
I see that there are a good many other metals in here as well, but this is often the case. I can separate the gold from them.
“He then took them to a small black cauldron. It held no more than a pint of liquid. He arranged the coals in the fireplace and hung the cauldron directly over the them. In very little time, the cauldron began to glow. He cut the ribbons off of the medals and, using tongs, laid the medals into the pot. Gradually they melted. Finally, he lowered the little trophy in. Your Mama just sat there, tears rolling down her cheeks, watching all the medals she'd spent her life earning melt away and wondering just what she had done and if she had made the right decision.”
The two little ones sat there, sniffing and wiping the tears from their eyes and trying to be brave.
“The old unicorn slowly stirred the molten metal, then let it settle. Gradually all the lighter metals came to the surface. The gold being heaviest, sank to the bottom. Next, he used a ladle to lift off the top layer very carefully. He lowered it into the liquid until the lip was just even with the surface and then pushed it ever so slowly a tiny bit more so that the liquid spilled over the lip of the cup and into it. He lifted it out and poured it into a little vat on the side. Finally there was only the gold in the cauldron. Your Mama, holding that small piece of wood to her chest, looked at him. He looked at her and nodded, not saying a word.”
“Slowly, she took her hooves away from her chest where she had been cupping the little piece of wood and held it out for him to take. He shook his head wordlessly and nodded to the cauldron, indicating that she should put it there herself. He gave her the tongs. She very gingerly lifted the tiny bit of wood and, trying hard to keep the tongs from shaking, placed it on the surface of the molten gold. To her surprise, it didn’t burst into flames, but rather sank into the hot glowing liquid.”
“She exhaled with a big sigh. “‘Now what do we do?’”
Now we let what will be,be.
“‘That don’t make a lick a’ sense! You take all my medals and my trophy and, and...now I- I gotta just …” she started to say but yawned. The air was suddenly full of a thick scent, something that was hard to breathe and she found herself overcome by a rich sleepiness. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. It was all so hazy and…”
“What happened?!!” The fillies demanded, “Did she go to sleep?”
“Yes, “ Rarity said sadly.
“Did he help her? Did he wake her up?”
“And what happened? Did she wake up? What was there? Did she find a beautiful present for Mommy?”
“No, dears. When she woke up, she was all alone. There was nothing. Everything was gone. All evidence of the unicorn, her gold, even the little cauldron, vanished, except for a tiny charred piece of wood - what was left of the wood chip..”
“No!” the little ponies burst into tears and hugged their aunt, crying, barely able to speak, and when they could get the words out all they could say was "That’s not right! Why did he do that to our Mama? She never hurt anypony, why did that happen?”
As Rarity remembered the story and recalled, even remotely, what her dear friend must have felt, her voice became tight with emotion, and her eyes stung with tears. The two little ones made tiny awful sounds of grief as they cried. Rarity drew in a shaky breath and continued.
“Shh, shhh little ones, there is more to tell. Your poor Mama picked up the little blackened piece and stared at it. She felt her heart break inside. She thought of how much she loved your Mommy and how fine a pony she was, and how she deserved far, far better than some dusty earth pony. She just stood there crying so much that it hurt and holding the charred little piece of wood. But you know your Mama, she tucked the little piece of wood into the inside hat band and began to walk back to the castle.”
“By now, it was nighttime, and there was a full moon. When she got near the castle, she saw that I was standing just outside the front door talking to your Mommy, who stood just inside the doorway. Your Mommy sounded so happy. She was thanking me for helping her with the gift she had gotten for your Mama and how it had been worth parting with the wood from the library.”
“What?” Misty Dawn asked, her voice strained and thick with emotion. Rarity wiped the red face and nose of the little filly. Her sister just cried into Rarity’s coat as her Aunt gently stroked her mane..
“You see, in the meeting room of the castle, your aunts had hung the roots from the library your mommy lived in when she first came to Ponyville. They were VERY special to your mommy. Now your Mommy had found a wonderful gift for your Mama, but it came at a dear price. She had gone to a master carver and commissioned, which means she had paid him to use all his skills to make something very special. The carver knew of the pieces from the library your Mama had lived in and was now in the castle. He believed them to possess magical properties due to their having once housed an alicorn. They would be his payment, he would accept nothing else. Though it hurt her terribly to part with them, your Mommy took it all down, the last physical remembrance of her beloved first home in Ponyville, and gave them to him. In turn, he employed his finest skills and, out of an enormous single trunk, carved the gift she would give to your Mama.”
Honey Crisp looked up at Rarity, her eyes red and puffy, her face soaked with tears, “What was it?”
“Now hang on sweetie - you see, just then Aunt Derpy, on her way to a party, spotted your Mama in the shadows where she had been hiding and listening to the conversation your Mommy and I had been having, so she called out,”
“‘Hi, Applejack! Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve!’”
“I knew the two of them wanted a private night together, and so I departed with a quick wave to your Mama and accompanied Aunt Derpy to the party.”
“Your Mama stepped out from the shadows, and your Mommy ran to her. She threw her arms around her, apologizing over and over for their argument earlier in the day. Your Mommy could see at once that your Mama was terribly upset, and so led her into the castle. As they passed through the main hallway, your Mama stopped and looked up at the emptiness left where there had once been the branches and roots from the library. Your mommy said, ‘Oh, I suppose you’re wondering what happened to the roots. Don’t. They were a small price to pay,” She said it , as though it didn’t matter. She went on and acted as though everything was fine.”
“As they continued on their way to the living room, your Mommy said, ‘I know your family custom was to open their Hearth’s Warming Gifts on Hearth’s Warming Day, and Spike and I always opened ours on Hearth’s Warming Eve, but I really want you to open my gift to you tonight. I know it will cheer you right up! Please?”’
“Your Mommy was so excited. Despite all the pain in her heart, your Mama couldn’t disappoint her, so she played along. It was very large and very elegantly wrapped. That’s why I had been there, your Mommy’s attempts at wrapping it had taken her through a dozen or so rolls of wrapping paper, and the result had resembled, well, imagine something the size of your aunt Dashie made of paper, and that paper had exploded and then a blind pony had tried to put all the colorful paper back together using several miles of tape. So let’s just say I helped her with it.”
“Your Mama smiled and said nothing. She knew if she tried to speak, her broken heart would have her say things that would ruin your Mommy’s happiness, and so she let herself silently be led by a joyful, hopeful pony who loved her more than she felt she ever deserved, to this large gift.”
“‘Read the card, read the card!!’” Your Mommy insisted, but your Mama knew if she did, the loving words would certainly be too much to bear, so she just smiled a shaky smile and put the card aside for the moment. Your Mommy was confused and began to get worried at her silence and how much she seemed to be hurting. Slowly your Mama unwrapped the gift. - It was a beautifully carved case with shelves designed to hold her medals and ribbons. There was a special center shelf for her trophy. It was magnificent.”
Honey Crisp sobbed, “Please Aunt Rarity, don’t tell me anymore,” “It hurts so much to hear about this story I don’t want anything else bad to happen. Please tell me nothing bad happens anymore.”
“I’m sorry, sweetie, but this is what happened. Maybe you’re too young for this. We can wait for another day.”
“It has to get better,” said Misty, sniffing and wiping her eyes with the backs of her hooves., “Mama and Mommy are so happy now! Please let her tell more, Honey.”
Honey Crisp had buried her face into Rarity’s chest but she nodded. Rarity put her arm around her and comforted her, then went on.
“It was all your poor Mama could stand. She looked at your Mommy with such pain that your Mommy got very afraid for her. She had never seen her like this. Your Mama started crying so very, very hard she could barely speak. She shook her head and couldn't stop apologizing for ruining everything. For taking away the last thing that made the drafty old castle a home. It was the very last thing she wanted to do. Your Mommy was terribly upset now and started to cry as well. She didn’t understand and didn’t care, she only wanted your Mama to know that she loved her and that nothing mattered as long as they were together, Your poor Mama backed away from her shamefully and ran from the room, your Mommy could hear her cries echoing off the cold walls of the castle, as your Mama ran out into the night. Your Mommy ran after her, but your Mama wouldn't stop.
Clouds had rolled in, covering the moon, and everything got very dark, then the wind started blowing hard. The snow got heavier and made it difficult to see. Your Mommy took off and flew up into the air, but the wind was so strong that she couldn’t fly. She managed to land but hurt her forehoof as she did. She spotted your Mama’s hoofprints in the snow and tracked them. They led out of the village and toward Sweet Apple Acres. This really frightened your Mommy. The poor dear thought that maybe your Mama was having second thoughts and didn’t want to be married to her anymore. Her heart ached at the thought, and so she pushed it away and ran all that much harder and faster. Suddenly the tracks went off to the left, up toward a high hill, and she followed them”
“They led to a hill above Sweet Apple Acres. It was thick with beastly brambles and hard-packed earth beneath the snow. Hidden, there were roots of long-dead trees running crisscrossed just beneath the surface it, like so many hardened veins. Your Mommy could hear hoofbeats ahead, despite their sound being muffled by the falling snow. This should show you how strong her love of your Mama is, for getting through that required no small amount of fortitude, which means strength - she had to brave thickets of prickers, which, together with the roots which seemed so precisely laid out one would think it was designed to trip up even the most agile of ponies. One might even wonder if the thickets and roots were working together to send a pony foolish enough to try running the gauntlet, crashing into the waiting arms of a thousand needles. Finally, your Mommy broke through it and into a clearing.”
"It was magnificent. Beneath her hooves, and you know how sensitive your Mommy’s underhooves are, she could feel sweetgrass beneath the snow. She looked around. The view was utterly breathtaking. Even in the snow, it gave a commanding view of the little village below. She could see the lights coming on in those little homes of Ponyville, and off in the distance, an incredible view of Canterlot lit up and shining like a jewel on this special night. And there stood Applejack, your Mama, panting hard in the middle of the clearing. Despite being careful, your Mommy had quite a number of scrapes and cuts on her, but your Mama was terribly cut, her coat almost shredded in parts. Her face was cut and bleeding It was as though she had deliberately tried to punish herself. Your Mommy ran to her and, seeing her state, took her in her arms and cried out, trying to be heard above the wind,
‘What's wrong? Applejack, please don’t leave me! Whatever I did, I’m sorry, and whatever you did, I don’t care! Please come back!’.
“The wind was whipping their manes madly. Your Mommy pulled her closer and kissed her. As she did, the wind pulled your Mama’s hat off and sent it rolling over the snow across the clearing. Your Mama pulled away and stepped back. She was crying hard and yelling above the wind.
“I am so sorry, Twilight. I ruined everything. I was so stupid. I-I wanted to give you something so special for our first Hearth’s Warming Eve! Something that would show you just how much I love you, but I couldn't find anything. See I ain’t got any money, and I didn't know what to do. I found this old unicorn who told me that if I brought him gold, he would melt it down, and if I put something special that was close to my heart in it, I would find out just what my heart wants to give you most of all. So I took down all my medals and gave them to him. I gave him my trophy, too and he melted it all down. I found a little piece of wood from the library after it was destroyed, and I kept it in my hat band to... I don’t know, to be near the place where we discovered that we were in love.'. Your mommy just looked at her and fell even more in love with her. "
“Your Mama looked up at her with red, puffy eyes ‘You don’t understand Twilight, I must a fallen asleep because I woke up later and, well,’ her chin trembled, “everything was gone.’ She started to cry again, and your Mommy held her close and told her it was okay and said how sorry she was and that it didn’t matter.”
“‘Why did you come here?’ Your Mommy asked her over the sound of the howling wind. The two walked over to where the hat was, and your Mama picked it up.
“‘This is where I come when everything is real bad. When I miss my folks, and I hurt more than I can stand, I come here to just…’”
“‘...cry alone. Oh, Applejack, please don’t ever come here again. I am here, and I’ll always be here. There will always be a place for you to come and cry, and that will be in my arms. I will do anything to make you happy,’ Your Mommy made a soft silk handkerchief appear and gently wiped your Mama’s nose. ”
“‘But I can’t do anything for you. I can’t even get you a nice present!’ She cried, ‘You know what I got to show for all my medals and my trophy? The special gift that is supposed to be what my heart truly wants to give you? A little bit of nothing. What’s left of that little piece of the library, and even that, is almost just ash. That’s all I got for you!’ She reached into her hat, fumbling for the piece. She looked and felt and began to grow frantic. ’It-it must a fallen out when my hat blew off my head.’ She said slowly. Now she couldn't even look at your Mommy. She just fell to her knees in the snow and hung her head, and cried. Your Mommy went down on her knees and pulled her close, but your Mama had given up. She let your Mommy hug her, but she didn’t hug back.”
“‘I’m so sorry, Twilight.’ She sobbed, ‘I made a mess of everything. I tried, but now I ain’t even got anything to put in that beautiful, beautiful cabinet. And you end up without anything to remind you of home. You used those pieces to the library that were so special to you...I don’t think we... You deserve somepony who can take care of you and give you all the sweet things they can find, all the fun and, and...’ her voice was strained, and she shook her head ‘I can’t,’ she said, her voice shaking so much, ‘I can’t, I tried to g-give you my heart…’ but she couldn’t speak any more only lay limp in your Mommy’s arms and her body wracking with sobs.”
“Then she felt something, she looked up at your Mommy, but your Mommy was looking over your Mama's shoulder, her face frozen without expression. ‘I-I don’t blame you.’ your Mama said, She sniffed and wiped her nose, then hung her head. "I don’t reckon I’ll come back to the castle tonight. I’ll just go back to the farm.’”
“But your Mommy’s face had changed. Her eyes were getting wider, and tears had begun to fall and her mouth opened into the biggest grin she'd ever had - until you two were born. "
" The wind died away a little, and the moon came out, but there was a strange light that had appeared from somewhere behind your Mama.”
Rarity’s eyes glistened with tears as she spoke, and one fell to her cheek.
“Finally, your Mommy was able to speak…”
“‘A home,’ she whispered, looking at the thing behind your Mama, ‘you wanted to give me a h-’ but she couldn’t go on She couldn’t stop sobbing. Your Mama turned around, and there before her, thundering tremendous and towering above them full of leaves and warm lights with mighty branches reaching out, leaded glass windows with diamond patterns in the places where they’d always been, and built into the trunk with a painted burning candle on the red front door was…”
“OUR HOME!!” Squealed the fillies and hugged their aunt with joy. “That little piece of wood grew into our big oak tree home!! They jumped around the bed and hugged their aunt, and the three of them laughed. The two little fillies jumped off the bed and ran to one of the walls, throwing their arms open wide and hugging it, they cried out, “We love you tree, we love you home!! We love you SO much!!”
.
A voice called up from downstairs, “Well, hey there, “Don’t you tell me you little dumplings are still up!!” The sound of hoofsteps coming up the stairway to what had once been Twilight's bedroom and was now the family room could be heard.. “If y’all tied up your Aunt Rarity again, I’ll, well, I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” Asked Twilight playfully, coming up behind her.
“I’ll give’em the extra dessert we brought home for ‘em!”
The two ponies stepped out of the doorway at the top of the stairs.
“MAMA, MOMMY! MAMA MOMMY!!” They yelled as they came bounding down the stairs from the bed loft. Rarity came trotting down behind them.
“Well, it looks like everypony has had themselves a good cry,” said Twilight, scooping up Honey Crisp. “Now let me guess, your Aunt told you all about the second-best gift I have ever received.”
“She sure did! Why didn’t you guys tell us?” Asked Misty Dawn.
“Because, sugarcube,” said Applejack picking up the little lavender filly and giving her a kiss on the bridge of her nose, “every time the two of us even talked about tellin you, we’d start crying. I’m getting a little emotional just thinking about it.”
”Is the shelf that you gave to Mama the one over the mantle?” Asked Honey Crisp.
“It sure is sweetie,” said Twilight, nuzzling her blonde mane. “With all the pictures of our friends and the one of all of us in front of our home, Golden Oaks, right where Mama’s trophy was going to go.”
“Is our home exactly like the old library, Mommy?”
“Almost. When Mama and I entered that first night, we were laughing and crying and dancing and kissing.”
Applejack smiled at the memory.
“And you know what I did then?” Asked Twilight
“Oh Twi! Do you have to?” Applejack asked, rolling her eyes which were wet and shining.
“Of course I do! So, I got down on my knees, and I took your Mama’s hoof in mine, and I said to her, ‘Applejack, if this is how you go about ruining everything, then would you do me a favor?’ And your Mama said, ‘What?” And I said, “Promise me you’ll utterly destroy my life’ Twilight could barely speak the last words.
After a few eye dabs with tissues and nose blowings, Twilight explained,.
“Everything your Mama wanted for me was here. All the things she wanted for us, things that would make it a home for me, the home and family she wanted to give me. It was all furnished and smelled like hot cider. So we ran up the stairs to see what my old living room, what we call the family room now, looked like. It looks pretty much as it does now, except for all the toys all over the floor,” she said in a mock scolding manner. "Buuut there was this other door there that hadn’t been there before - apparently, there was something else that was in your Mama's heart that she wanted to give to me."
Applejack was now blushing a deep shade of crimson and had to look away.
Rarity’s eyes were bugging out as she stared at Twilight.
“What was in there?!” The fillies asked.
“Well your Mama and I went over and opened the door. And you know what we saw?”
“WHAT?!” The two fillies asked excitedly
“An empty room.”
“Awwww” they moaned.
“Except…”
“Yesss?” The fillies asked
“On the wall…”
“Yeeeessss???” The two little fillies asked a little louder.
“RIght over there…”
“YEESSSSSSS??!!!!” The two little filles and their Aunt Rarity demanded
“Above where each of your beds are now…”
“OH, FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, TWILIGHT, WILL YOU JUST TELL US?!!” Yelled Rarity
“YEAH, TWILIGHT - TELL US ALREADY!!” Shouted Honey Crisp, who immediately clapped her front hooves over her mouth as everypony laughed, especially her sister, who squealed and laughed uncontrollably.
“Were those two little pink bows…”.
“Cool!!” The sisters yelled.
“You never told me that!” Rarity said scoldingly to the still-blushing earth pony.
Applejack raised an eyebrow, looked at her, and asked dryly. “And what would you have said?”
Rarity opened her mouth to answer, then paused and closed it. “Point taken,” she replied. “Speaking of which, and I don't mean to pry, darlings, but I know that after your wedding, the two of you met with Heartsong and Luna and spent a moon and a half with him, studying something called D and A and chromo-whatsis or other. Then you left directly for your honeymoon. After the first two weeks, you came back and spent another day with those two and went away for went on that five-moon-long honeymoon. Then, three moons later, Dashie noticed that Applejack was looking a little pudgier and a week later, Pinkie noticed Twilight was looking a little pudgier.
Twelve moons later, on the same day at the same time, Twilight gave birth to Honey Crisp and Applejack, and you gave birth to Misty Dawn, but you never did tell me about how the two of you, you know…” she said, pointing to one filly and then the other.
“And I don’t know that we ever will” laughed Twilight.
“Hmmm,” Rarity thought out loud, “I think we need to have another Zap Apple Champagne tasting night, Applejack, what do you say?”
“Ohhhh no!” Said Twilight.
"Tell her about what?" the little fillies wanted to know.
Rarity leaned down between the two fillies, "About just how two of the sweetest mares in Equestria ended up with the two most adorable fillies to ever grace Equestria!"
"Oh, is that all!" said Misty Dawn.
"We know all about that!" said Honey Crisp.
The room went silent.
"Oh really?" asked Twilight tentatively
"Uhhh, now what exactly do you know, and how did you find out?" asked Applejack slowly.
"Uncle Spike told us!! He said if anyone asks about us having two moms we should say 'It's all about gooooood lovin!!"
The color returned to Applejack and Twilight's faces as they let out a huge sigh. Rarity, was laughing hysterically.
"Your Uncle Spike is exactly right!" Applejack said, winking at Twilight. "A whole LOTTA good lovin!"
Rarity laughed harder.
Twilight blushed pink and scowled at her wife, "APPLEJACK!! Our fillies are here"
"AHHHH!!" Rarity screamed, rolling on her back and laughing harder. "Stop, no more!"
After a cup of hot cider around the roaring fireplace, the five were getting sleepy.
“Mama?” Asked Honey Crisp, nuzzled in Applejack's lap, "Did you ever see that old pony again?"
"That's a story for another night."
"Nooooo!!! Pleeeeeease?" the fillies begged, joined by Rarity.
"Okay, fine. Yes, we did - he's the pony Heartsong that helped your Mama that night. When Aunt Zecora came back from her country, she told us all about him.:
"It turns out," Twilight continued, "That he had to dig a little extra deep into your Mama's heart when performed his spell over her golden trophies and made that chip of burned wood to see what she REALLY wanted to give me." Twilight looked up at the ceiling and blinked her eyes several times, whispering to herself, "Not going to cry, not going to cry, not going to cry" The two fillies squealed and giggled.
"We love when this happens!! Mommy gets sooo emotional when she thinks about how much Mama loves her. It's soooo cute!"
Twilight cleared her throat and wiped her eyes quickly with the back of her hoof. "Very funny, girls. When my wife here," she said, nodding toward Applejack, "opened the nursery door, she was kind of puzzled about it. I mean, we're two mare's after all. . Heartsong could feel how much she loved me, and We went to see him with Aunt Lulu before we went on our first and second honeymoons. “Whatever happened to the little burned piece of the first library?”
“Funny you should ask," said Applejack, picking up Honey Crisp and nuzzling her before kissing her little horn and making her giggle. “This is the last part of the first part of the story of our first Hearth's Warming Eve . Come on down to the main room.”
And so they all paraded down the stairs to the living room. “Now y’all look up. Rarity? Twi” You ready?”
“eYup”
Using their magic, Twilight, and Rarity levitated the five of them up to the ceiling. In the very center of the ceiling, slightly larger than a bit, set so deeply that it was part of the wood was a gold heart surrounded by charcoal black wood.