Nopony ever thought Hearthswarming's tale was epic. Until this happened.
Hark! Everypony gather 'round To hear the bitter tale Of times before the Princess hurled The sun about the weary world Upon a winded sail.
This be the volume of the lore All spun in metered rhyme; Of heroes in the nights before The current track of time.
When Winidigoes would walk the world And set to freeze it stale, The warmth of friendship, yet unknown, Its light upon this era shone To halt the frozen tide alone: This is those heroes' tale.
Before the princess raised the sun Or Luna raised the moon, The candy colored ponies ran Across the dreamscape dune.
Before Equestria was made Or Everfree was filled, The ponies played upon the world And shaped it how they willed.
The pony folk were of three hearts Though all had equal worth: The unicorns with magic ply The heavens; and the pegasi Reined in the weather, and could fly; And ponies of the earth
Stood down upon the barren ground And made it bud with fruit. They coaxed the trees from saplings and They nurtured bud and shoot.
The three were all of seperate flag And all of different mind. They looked upon each other just To take what they could find.
For Earth ponies could not have had Their crops had it not rained, Nor could they make the carrots grow If sunlight never waned.
The Pegasi could never feed If food had never grown Nor build their houses out of clouds If sunshine always shone.
The Unicorns in castles had A need for food and hire. They all agreed to raise the sun And then the moon about them spun. They used their magic all as one Telekinetic choir.
It happened once upon a day As things quite often do, That Princess Platinum gazed down Upon her subjects with a frown And sighed and said, “I’m through!
“These silly ponies grow their fruit Ungrateful as they are, And never give a handsome share To those who raise the star.”
Now Platinum was royalty, The daughter long of kings: But she was but a unicorn And lacked the royal wings.
“The time has come,” the princess cried, “That we should have our due! We do not raise the sun to starve While others chomp and chew!”
To her assistant Clover, she Made known her new demand. But Clover simply shook her head And said, “They would not stand
“To have this done to them. I beg You reconsider this! Your actions will affect not one, But all the folk beneath the sun.” Replied the princess, “See it done, Or you shall be dismissed.”
As it was done, the Pegasi Looked down atop a cloud, And muttered all amongst themselves On whether that’s allowed.
Their grim commander Hurricane Kept silent not a scosche “Why, this is just like Platinum To take without reproach!
“She thinks that in her snobbish ways The Unicorns are best! That they can take all what they want And just upon request!”
Now, Hurricane saw many wars And many had he won, And as a soldier to the core, He would not be outdone.
“They take not into their regard,” The staunch commander fumed, “That it is we who bring the rain! ‘Tis we who act as evil’s bane! Why, if we did not fight or train, The others would be doomed.
“So as to keep the order here And hierarchy high, We shall demand an equal share To be transported back with care To cities in the sky.”
As all agreement passed around, A single private stood. She dusted out her wings and said “We cannot take their food.
“The ponies work to make it grow, They work to make it fall. We cannot take their everything And leave them none at all!”
Commander Hurricane replied With fire in his breath, “Your insubordination may Have you court martialed any day And that would spell your death.
“Remember well your place with us, And I would let you stay. But, Private Pansy, one more word, And you will leave this noble herd And find your lonesome way.”
Both Unicorns and Pegasi Went through with their demands For fruits - the product of the sun And rains and earth - which only an Earth Pony understands.
It happened Chanc’lor Pudding Head Was in his office when Smart Cookie burst in with the news Of just what happened then.
He called out “This is terrible!” And spat at him the sheets. “Good Chancellor, what will we do About these roguish cheats?”
Quoth Pudding head, “So, they would take A hearty extra third? Do they not know that we are pressed To make enough when times are best? Now this is just absurd!
“If they would like to be so fat Then let them grow their own! In fact, let’s cancel all our deals And give ‘em only orange peels So they can see how fun it feels To wane as thin as bone.”
Smart Cookie shook his head and said, “But Sir, I must object: If we do that then you will see That we’re not bein’ neighborly And we will make an enemy As well as lose respect.”
But Pudding Head just chuckled ‘till His sides were shaken sore. “It’s tactics, Cookie! When they’re thin Then they will all be settlin’ For less instead of more.
“Besides,” the chancellor guffawed, “I’m in authority. While you are just a lowly scribe You cannot veto me.”
But Cookie sighed and rolled his eyes. “We shall do as you say. I just don’t think it’s wise that we Should go about this way.”
An apprehensive week ensued As troubles all arose Until beneath a silver moon A court was called and none too soon As how the story goes.
A court was called and all the three Advanced from far and wide: The princess and the chancellor And the commander as it were All smirking smug and snide.
And as the three assembled all Within the house of law, The princess was the first to speak For this was fit, she saw.
“We Unicorns are regal, and We unicorns are weak. We find it as a crushing blow To cut us from the trading flow. Of orange peels we reek!
“You cease your monthly tribute, even Though we always cared! Your bitterness reeks four times more Than I have yet declared.”
Commander Hurricane spoke next, An ember in his eye: “Your Majesty, I may intrude, but it was you who was so rude To have your own take all the food And throw us all awry.
“Why, if you had a mote of sense Asleep beneath your crown, You would have left things as they were And never let us down.
“You would have left things all alone And things would all be well. But now I say the least of you Deserves that orange smell.”
The chancellor with merriment Popped up his merry head. For of the three, ‘twas only he Who suitably was fed.
Quoth he, “I see you all complain ‘Cause that is all you do. But if you all apologize I’ll make our deals come through.
“So why don’t you two lend a hoof And sign these charters here. We’ll always have enough until We hit a famine year!”
But Platinum turned up her nose. “Those charters may contain A lengthy set of binding rules. Would you care to explain?
“I’ll never sign a document For an apology. It very easily could be A legal travesty.”
The meeting never came to blows But never came to good. For all departed in the night Upon the corner of a fight And all about the food.
Upon that night it happened, Although it started slow, The temperature began to drop, So frost appeared upon the crop, The wind blew hard and would not stop, And then there came the snow.
A flutter and a chill upon The Autumn’s icy wind Was all the warning given as The winter blundered in.
The treetops cracked beneath the strain As gust repeated gust, And many crops upon the earth Were frozen past the point of worth Beneath the snowy dust.
The cotton clouds were chased away Upon the stormfront black. Their darkness swallowed up the sun And such eternal night begun Beneath the choking pack.
It speared the land with arrows of Impenetrable frost. Though many fought against the tide No matter how they pushed or tried, Each one of them had lost.
The cities of the unicorns Upon their haughty crag Were buried underneath the snow And neither hoof nor magic’s glow Could loose the icy snag.
The fortress of the Pegasi Was on all sides assailed. They martialed every class and rank To fend the storm from every flank ‘Till their dear city froze and sank Unto the ground and failed.
But worse the earthen ponies fared, With neither wing nor horn; Their farmlands froze beneath the drifts, And though they worked on triple shifts So little fruit was borne.
The harvest was but little, with The happiness forgot. As each race turned themselves about, Their spite was mixed with fear and doubt; The accusations fired out Without much given thought.
A second council eagerly Was called as was before. The leaders of the races came Each lacking good rapport.
The final line was drawing taut As councilponies knew. They stood upon the verge of war, The winter making hatred soar Too bitter to be true.
First Chanc’lor Puddinghead spoke out, His mind upon the storm. “You pegasi have made it snow When weather should be warm!”
Commander Hurricane replied, “This is not our design! If we have had enough to eat, To beat this storm would be a feat That we’d pull off just fine.
“Just ask those snobbish unicorns: What happened with the sun? Why do we keep a winter moon? Why does the sun go down so soon? The night is long, the day’s a boon We’re freezing, everyone!”
The princess shook her head, forlorn. “The storm will not subside. The sun will never warm the clouds, Though long and hard we tried.
“Our magic never caused this mess, This unbecoming snow! The only thing that changed around Was that those ponies on the ground Hogged all the food we know!”
The chancellor grinned wide and smirked. “We didn’t hog the chow! The harvest gathered dry this year. The little food we gathered here Could never feed a cow.”
The princess leveled him a gaze That well could pierce a soul. “We shall once more make our demand. What we stood for before we stand Again. I am no foal.”
“If anyone can fight the storm, Our magic it will be. We must be at our peak of strength So we can set us free.”
“For magic is more elegant Than Pegasi can deal And I refuse to see us crushed Beneath their steel-shod heel.”
Then Hurricane grit all his teeth And stared the princess down. “You think you are that special, just Because you wear the crown?
“I’ve never bucked a mare before, And hope I’ll never try. But as for you, I’d buck you in So you could see your toothless grin And look you in the eye.”
He snatched his helmet viciously And thrust it on his head. “I’m leaving this unwholesome place, Where you would offer such disgrace To our heroic airborne race. We’ll stand alone instead.”
“Well, I am leaving far before The likes of you set out!” “And I’m a-going so I don’t See both you losers pout!”
The trio stumbled past the door, While never looking back. The winter dropped its crystal tears Upon those ponies’ necks and ears; For once in all those bitter years Both skies and hearts turned black.
Flew Hurricane within the storm, His loyal guards with him. The winds held fury of the sea And nightmares past the rim.
Till breaking through the cloudy bank The city came in sight. It crossed the verge of faltering, And slowly lost its fight.
Upon his entry, Pansy came With gravely rendered news. “Sir,” she saluted him in fear, “We cannot hold position here. The clouds close in, our city dear We dread that we will lose.”
“The Unicorns won’t help us,” said Commander hurricane. “And those who make the plant life grow Have not a stalk of grain to show For all their sweat and pain.
“If what you say is accurate, A single option stands. We leave the city of our sires And find untainted lands.”
The princess and her entourage Returned amid the cold. Their castle stood its lonely guard And watched as years unfold.
Where once proud edifices gleamed, Now barren crystals hung. Despite the lack of cold inside No songs of hope were sung.
Advisor in things magical, The clever Clover came And bid the princess welcome home, And welcomed in the shame.
“Good princess,” spake the unicorn, Her face alight with hope, “Did they agree to work as one, Apart from how we’ve always done? Or did they choose instead to run From cliffs without a rope?”
“I tire of your adages,” The weary princess drawled. “They never offered hoof nor wing To help our cause. They only sting Our dignity,” she bawled.
“The only action I see fit Is flee away from here. I cannot handle all this snow, And, after all, how much can go Awry when you are near?”
The night had set its piercing breath Upon the pony town Where good ol’ chanc’lor Puddinghead Returned well past sundown.
Smart Cookie waited at the hearth For Puddinghead to come, When down the chimney with a crash The fire snuffed beneath a mash Of slush and frozen scum.
The chancellor emerged from thence A swagger in his stride. “The door would be a better choice,” Said Cookie in a meager voice, Though Puddinghead just sighed.
“The chimney was sufficient for The door was blocked by snow. But all those ponies were absurd, Not caring aught about our herd With spite of wrath and bitter word Infesting them like so!
“We’ll have no friendships with their kind, The valley won’t survive. But wait, what’s this? I have a plan! We’ll go and find another land Where we can grow and thrive!”
The same conclusion all the three Agreed without consent. And thus began the journey’s start With sleet on icy air and heart They foraged to a land apart And this is how it went.
The thunder ‘round the city-clouds Grew ever in its might. Where all the pegasi around Had gathered high above the ground, All clinging to a hope they found- The dread before the fight.
The rows and ranks were glistening Within the failing sun. Their armor, swords and shining shields Were small defense a pony wields; Where victory’s the battlefield’s The storm already won.
Then Hurricane addressed his folk, Though thin and worn they were. “The day has come when Pegasi Should fight to save their fur.
“Beyond these clouds a new land lies, The winter bars our path. ‘Tis time to show this tempest here Our unforgiving wrath!
“I never hoped to see this day, I hoped it would not come. But hope is dashed to smithereen’ As doom is standing in between! Your shields be strong, your swords be keen, Now beat the battle drum!”
The Pegasi set grim their eyes And took formations fast With Hurricane up in the lead And Pansy trailing last
One thousand Pegasi took flight Into the stormy sky. One thousand charged the bitter cloud With swords at ready, shouting loud; One thousand hit the blackened shroud As fast as they could fly
As weakened they already were, They thrashed within the gale. The lightning roared, the tempest blew, The sleet, like arrows, ran them through- And everything that they could do Was little of avail.
But hard they pressed it onwards, And hard they pressed it true. One thousand ponies made the charge. Five hundred made it through.
Five hundred saw the new land, So dearly was it bought. And victory was bitter For all of those who fought.
And Pansy, wheeling in the storm Was struck upon her shield. And down she plummeted to earth And landed in a field.
The minutes passed like hours. She called aloud for aid. And one earth pony heard her cry And came back with a spade.
“Cookie’s the name,” he said to her And dug away the snow. He pulled the private to her hooves As quick as she could go.
He took her slowly back to camp Where ponies stayed the night. And though some gave her scornful glares She did not want to fight.
The pony gave her shelter And bandaged up her wing, And said that kindness has no fee, A freely given thing.
Upon the high-peaked mountainside The Unicorns set forth, With Platinum well at the lead Still thinking of her hearth.
They pushed their way through snowy drifts Near freezing as they went. For lack of food and needing rest Their strength was all but spent.
The roar of water echoed ‘round, The princess cringed in fear. A river’s current came to view, So wide and deep and fast it flew That bridges broke, collapsing too; No ford could happen here.
“This is a painful happening,” The stricken princess said. “But though the river’s harsh and cold We mustn’t stand here getting old. Would Clover step ahead?”
The princess beckoned forth her aide And pointed to the side. “Assistant, would you be a dear And teleport us all from here Across the river wide?”
Said Clover, “Tis a miracle Which I could never make. A levitation is more sure To take us all across from where We stand, for pony’s sake!
“Then ferry us,” said Platinum, A-gathering her gown. The horn of Clover glowed with light, And with the force of magic’s might She set the princess down
Upon the river’s other edge. She panted with the strain. For she had not a scrap to eat And could not ease her pain.
Remaining were the commoners Their hearts a weight of doubt. But one by one, they took ahold Of one another, and they pulled Across the river’s route.
But all were not as lucky as The royalty had been. For many, weakened wan and starved, Lost hold and tumbled in.
But Clover rallied to their aid, And pulled the drowning free. Upon the freezing riverbank The cold set in, the dim sun sank, But They, despite the cold and dank Pushed on relentlessly.
The last to cross was Clover, but She could not cross alone. Those on the other bank prepared Their magic; even as it flared, She plummeted like stone.
The icy torrent swept her far, And tore her from her breath. She struggled hard to stay afloat And cheat a freezing death.
But pony hooves clutched ‘round her neck And pulled her from the stream. She held on tight as up she flew Suppressing quite a scream.
Her rescuer, a pegasus With one undamaged wing Strained hard against the frozen wind Her wingbeat faltering.
They landed far away from thence Within a patch of sun. “I’m Pansy,” spake the pegasus, As they began to run.
Said Clover, “I am grateful for Your well - timed charity. But I must race away this cold Before the frost bites me.”
And thus departed Pansy, now A-questing for her kind. And Clover ran to find a way Before the night snuffed out the day Where, in the distance long there lay A campsite all too kind.
She hurried to the travelers Where all were near despair; And all of them were earthen folk, Who welcomed not the mare.
The Chancellor within his tent Stood gazing at the map. For half had holes inside the sheet Where somepony had tried to eat The paper in his cap.
“Confound this storm,” said Puddinghead, His face a comic blue. “There are no stars to navigate, We’re lost, we’re starved, last time I ate I couldn’t fill a quarter plate. What ever shall we do?!”
Said Cookie, “We’ve been going on In circles for a day.” The two sat dismally forlorn, When in there stepped the unicorn. Who pointed out the way.
She took the map from Puddinghead Who nearly burst with rage, And set a course beyond the edge Depicted on the page.
They traveled straight as Clover Had commanded them to do. And she departed in the night And took a trail so that she might Find ponies whom she knew.
But three days hence for all the tribes A new land found the three. ‘Twas fresh and warm and full of grass, They entered merrily.
The Pegasi set down their flag Up high atop a cloud. “This land be Pegasopolis,” Cried Hurricane aloud.
The Unicorns their banner lay On hills alive with jewels “This land is Unicornia, A land bereft of fools!”
The ponies raised their standard high Within the fertile vale. “Why this,” Cried Puddinghead “Is clear To be the best dirt of all year! This place is Dirt-ville and right here We ponies will prevail!”
But as the banners all unfurled The colors caught the eye, And every eye looked ‘cross the plain And saw two other banners reign. They looked abroad with bitter pain On valley hill and sky.
The weary find no respite, and The restless no reprieve. The tragic truth stared back at them, Too shocking to believe.
The pennants waved within the breeze, The ponies all stood still. Their gaping shock lined every face And poisoned every will.
A tremble from the refugees Broke forth among their legs, And though the luscious grass was free, As distant as the eye could see, To have to share the land would be More bitter than the dregs.
The legions of the Pegasi Could hardly find their feet; And yet they stood - a stubborn strain, Refusing to retreat.
The Unicorns were deadened by The burden of the sun; And yet they stood, a battle force: The battle would be won.
The Earthen Ponies struggled forth, A much bedraggled band, And yet they stood defiantly- As farmers for their land.
A curdled hush, a murmur, then A growling, angry roar- The tribes erupted, burnt within, More bitter than before
How sad this tale may seem to be, As fated it would fail. But if there are no trials first, Then where would be the tale?
The ponies may seem doomed to choke Upon their own conceit- But this is a tale of heroes Who cannot take defeat.
For what can make a hero? A will of hardened steel? A hero does what’s good, what’s right, No matter how hard, how harsh is the fight, In a world of black, you’re a scrap of white, No matter what’s the appeal.
When the world needs a hero, A hero stands alone A hero is a shock to all- Shocking to the bone.
But here a hero stood her ground, And Pansy was her name. She stood to her commanding chief Her face aghast with shame.
“Good sir,” said she, “I may not be An officer at wing, But even I have duties in Accord to you, my king.
“We may be mighty warriors, though I find myself apart. I have a warrior’s body, But not a warrior’s heart.
“All wars we fight seem endless, Though every war must cease. And warriors who are fighting wars Are fighting wars for peace.
“But if we fight this here and now, We fight to keep the score; We fight not for the sake of peace, But for the sake of war.”
She laid her heavy helmet down, Her armor and her shield. And as the clouds prepared to rain, She stood across from Hurricane Before the battlefield.
Her shield was badly damaged and Her armor was a shell. Her wing was bandaged by her side, Her flank was badly lightning-fried And scared she was as well.
But Hurricane saw all of this, And found a deep respect. This mare was scared to death and back, But stood there open to attack And knew what to expect.
“I never knew you had the guts To say that to my face,” Then Hurricane bowed down his head And grunted, “What I may have said, You aren’t a disgrace.
In all my years as officer, Not one stood up to me. Alright then, private, what you say- We may not fly to war today. I’ll give them one last chance - and they Must take it as it be.”
He snatched the army banner then, And waved it proud and high, And marched betwixt the mountainsides With Pansy stumbling by.
Between the vale and hills and plain He stuck it in the ground And bellowed out a challenge to The ponies all around.
“One more negotiation may Be granted here,” said he. May all your leaders show their face And meet with me upon this place And come honorably.
The princess of the Unicorns Descended from the herd With gallant Clover by her side, Afraid but undeterred.
And from the ponies came the chief, Chancellor Puddinghead, And faithful Cookie at his place With caution in his tread.
The six were brought together in The vale between the three, Where Hurricane set down his hoof And stated blatantly:
“You blacken our horizons and You threaten us with war. But now I offer better ways, That we return to elder days, The way we were before.
“I offer you a treaty, to Unite beneath my reign; The flag of Pegasopolis Will harbor no disdain.”
But Platinum scoffed haughtily And sought to keep her grace. “But what,” said she, “supremacy Is given to your race?
“You claim to give a second chance, Yet place yourself premiere. What offer can you claim to make Which others fail to fear?
“The role of a commander is To hold the battle-line. The office of a ruler, though, Is furthermore refined.
“If well you are a leader, You lead accordingly. But we are hardly soldiers, And few of us will be.”
Then Puddinghead spoke out, appalled, “And what a whacky name! I couldn’t live in such a place With Hurricane to blame!
Myself, I found that Dirt-ville was A title down to earth. Now who’d think Pegasopolis Could have intrinsic worth?
“Now Dirt-ville?!” hollered Platinum, How dismal! How uncouth! But Unicornia’s a name Without that muddy language-maim; “‘Tis better far in sooth.”
But Puddinghead had none of it And billowed up in rage. “You want to hog the name as well? Just ain’t that peachy? Ain’t that swell? Let’s see if this can ring a bell! Get off the snooty stage!”
He scooped a slushy hoof of snow And hurled it at her pate. The snow ran frigid down her ears And in her eyes and froze her tears; Her crown fell down for once in years Relinquishing its weight.
Said Hurricane, “I offered peace, You choose to fight instead. Well, all of you can go back home With snowdrifts for your bed!”
Another snowball smacked his scalp, He faltered in his stride. The snow was falling thick and fast, The wind was whistling, whipping past. With shock it dawned: they would not last. They struggled in the tide.
But Cookie rallied presently And shouted in the storm: “Come everypony, follow me! There’s shelter yonder, I can see A cavern mouth, and hopefully The inside will be warm.”
He stumbled forward, step by step Within the howling gale. The other ponies fell in line, A chain by mouth and tail.
The snow descended heavily And blotted out the sky, But on pressed Cookie, sure of step, Though doubtful of the eye.
At last they found the tunnel-cave; Though dark, it was not deep. Then Clover raised a magic flame And crumpled in a heap.
But Cookie, standing sure of hoof Made count of every mane And found that of the six who came, At present, five remain.
“The princess is not here with us!” Cried Cookie in a huff. “Leave her to be,” croaked Hurricane, “We’ve heard from her enough.”
But Cookie caught, his visage dark, A dagger in his eye, “And when did life and death become As plum as making pie?
“You may not care for Platinum, Nor does she care for you; But feathers! That don’t give the right To leave her out on blizzard night Without a coat or firelight To help her make it through!
“If you were lost and freezing there In her own royal stead, Then I would do the same for you Or shame upon my head!”
With that he turned and plunged again Into the bitter frost. He called her name both long and loud While fighting through the wild shroud, A beacon for the lost.
For Cookie was a hero too, A hero to the core. With selfless service, out set he To seek to help an enemy For but the sake of charity This duty well he bore.
The chilly wind rebuffed his face, He carried on his cry, ‘Till finally the earth pony Distinguished a reply.
He made his way to Platinum, And found her thick in snow. He carried her upon his back, His eye on Clover’s glow.
A scanty, snapping fire was A welcome to the pair. They sat beside the fireside In silence with their hooves spread wide Or dusting out their hair.
“What tragedy has brought us here,” Sighed Clover with a groan. “How could the winter seek our wake When every scheme and step we take Amounts not even to a break With all our efforts shown?
“What would my master Starswirl say If he were with us now? His wisdom would amount to much And he would rescue us from such A quandary somehow.”
Commander Hurricane was grim, His eye upon the light. But then he said to Puddinghead, “Your breath is rancid, rotten fed. Move over to the right!”
“Not moving,” said the chancellor, “You’ve pushed us ‘round enough. You want some breathing air so bad? Then shift yourself, don’t drive us mad With bullyings and stuff!”
So Hurricane stood, calling to him Pansy right away. He said to her, “Mark openly One half the cave’s territory. It shall be ours for all to see No matter what they say.”
The private did her duty, though Somewhat reluctantly. But Puddinghead stayed where he sat Glaring defiantly.
“Get off our land,” Quoth Hurricane, As stubborn as a rock. The chanc’lor stood with dignity Displaying deep despondency Came calmly and collectedly And cleaned the captain’s clock.
He stumbled backwards, fuming from The boldness of the blow. Then sharp he bucked and squarely hit His rival in the stomach pit. He drew his saber by the bit Advancing on his foe.
A flash erupted ‘cross the cave- A brilliant beam of blue. The captain’s sword flew far away And shuddering, transfixed the clay; The magic’s aim held true.
The princess marched upon the two, Her head held halfway high; A fire danced upon her horn And danced within her eye.
“You brute,” said she, “You drawing swords On one whom no sword hath! But now you face a Unicorn, And you shall taste my wrath.”
“That fight is mine!” yelled Puddinghead And clocked the princess too. The three began a hefty brawl The others standing shocked withal, Unsure of what to do.
A stirring in the blizzard, and A howl upon the gale Sent echoes churning ‘round the cave As dismal as a ghostly grave And even filled with fear the brave- A ghastly, groaning wail.
A spectral set of footsteps trailed A patchy path of ice. The unseen phantom pranced around And left its vestige on the ground And circled ‘round them thrice.
But Clover saw the icy tracks And reasoned out their fate. “Stop, Platinum!” she cried in vain, “Stop, Puddinghead! Stop, Hurricane! Your fight will break us all in twain! It almost is too late!”
But neither did they heed her words And neither did they care. They battled fiercer than before, Completely unaware.
Then Hurricane’s hoof hit the ice And froze and stuck him fast. Then Puddinghead a hoof set down Upon a patch of icy ground And Platinum did last.
So fastened were the three by fate As slowly did they freeze. The dreaded frost encumbered them And traveled up their knees.
Still, heedlessly they threw their words Into the others’ face, A-slandering the things they did Until the ice completely hid Those models of disgrace.
But Pansy, Clover, Cookie too All huddled ‘round the fire, Watching grim in fear and dread While Windigoes danced ‘round their head And the ice gathered higher.
“These winter spirits,” Clover spake, “They glut on hate and spite. My master called them Windigo, As Starswirl knew and now I know- ‘Twas they who made this dismal snow. But how to set it right?”
But Cookie sighed and hung his head, His muzzle turning blue. “I never thought to face the end In such a way without a friend To help to see it through.”
“But wait,” said Pansy, “I know you! You helped to save my wing! That’s cause enough to be a friend, More so than anything.”
“And you’re the one,” said Clover, “who Had pulled me from the flood! Without you I would long have sunk And frozen stiff my blood.”
“And you!” cried Cookie, “You’re that mare Who helped us find the way Without a star set in the sky And half a map to guide us by- I’d know you any day!”
The Windigoes ran dark and high But faltered in their gait. The gloomy ice crept up their hooves But stopped and seemed to wait.
“Well, what strange fortune found us here,” Quoth Clover quietly. “A Unicorn, a Pony and A Pegasus, all seem to stand, But not at enmity.
“The world may never see us now, May never know our fate. But should the world be steeped in snow, Shall everypony see and know That we bear no such hate.”
The darkness swirled, the hard ice bit, And Pansy with her wing Saluted sharply to the two And Cookie bowed his head hereto And Clover’s magic shone into The shadows, glimmering… Then flushed in full a flaming hue, The wreaths of fire wrapping through The silver spirits, thrust and drew And twirled, all shimmering- Thus friendship’s primal flame was lit!
Upon the cusp of victory, The Windigos were slain. For those who dine on bitter hate, To swallow love is pain.
Hark! Merrily had thawed the three Before the flaming heart. Said Clover, “This was not from me, But rather came it from us three, Not one or two apart!”
One fire dwindled by the hoof, One burgeoned overhead; For though one fueled itself on wood, The next on friendship fed.
Then thereupon good Pansy drove Her sword into the ash And said, “My blade is made for war, But I will draw it forth no more. My lot is better than before; Reverting would be rash.”
Then Cookie shook his cold legs free And sat beside the fire. “I don’t seem to have all that much to say, But I’ve got a tune that I’d like to play Since long it’s been from the end of the day.” Forthwith he unslung his lyre.
He struck upon a jovial chord And danced the notes along. Ecstatically sang Clover too- The tune became a song.
“The friendship’s fire lives in us- It lives within our hearts. As long as one another shares Our burdens, we divide our cares; We’ll never drift apart!”
Across the nightly hill and vale The music drifted free. And where it brushed, the snow dispersed. The earthen ponies gathered first About the cave to see.
And lo! The other races came A-following beside, As drawn by curiosity They wondered what the song could be That struck the winter’s tide.
And deep within the cozy cave The leaders melted too. They looked upon the quiet scene With friendship’s fire glistening, Unsure of what to do.
At last outspoken Puddinghead Removed his hat in shame. He spake, “I haven’t done so well As you have with your triple-spell; The winter made a rotten smell And I am all to blame.”
Then Platinum drooped down her head. “The fault is mine,” said she. “This may have gone much smoother Had I done less haughtily.”
“And I too,” grumbled Hurricane, “Have added to the fire. Where conflict was, so was I too And each offensive swelling grew; Its scope was as my ire.”
But Clever Clover understood And looked upon their shame, For Clover had a hero’s heart From whence had sprung the flame.
“I well forgive the three of you,” She said without a pause, “For anypony’s self can err, And everypony has been there. A dose of mercy we can share To help a pony’s cause.
“However, if we must prevent An encore of our plight, I deem it wise to settle hence This squabbling, petty dalliance, To set aside our difference And doing so, unite.”
The pact was drawn, the treaty sealed Three kingdoms merged to one Equestria stood proud and free Embracing friendship graciously Without a shroud of jealousy, To mar what had begun.
Before the Princess raised the sun And spun it thence and fro, The friendship’s fire kindled once Eternities ago.
And though the moon set many times Across the sunken sky, The fire burns unto this day, And burns the eons by.
-A history, dictated by Clover the Clever, recorded and set into verse by Philip the page.
“And that should about do it!” Twilight beamed from ear to ear, lowering the script and glancing at her good friends. They all displayed varying levels of discomfort, except for Rainbow Dash, who had her shades pulled over her eyes and seemed to be part way between stone-bored and drooling-asleep. For a moment, the purple mare just grinned, waiting, pleading for someone to say something. Her grin soon became a bit strained, and the uncomfortable silence dragged on.
“Well? What do you think?” she managed at last.
“Ah… Twilight,” Rarity hesitantly spake, “I think the play is very fabulous, and so very full of… ah… culture, and is really a magnificent piece… But…” She fidgeted with her hooves uncomfortably. “Oh, how do I say this politely?” She glanced expectantly to the other mares and the small dragon seated about, but no advice was forthcoming. “I… uh… don’t think we really have the time necessary to learn all those lines, don’t you think?”
Twilight blinked in confusion. “You don’t have the time? But why not? This should be easy! It isn’t that hard when you get down to it. It’s all in rhymes and meter and learning it should be a piece of cake. It couldn’t possibly take more than a couple hours for each character! I’d only be worried about the narrator, and Spike had his lines weeks before.”
Spike nodded confidently, dropping a couple marshmallows into his mug of hot chocolate. “No need to worry about me,” He jabbed a claw at his scaly chest, “I’ve got this one covered.”
“Now hold on a moment there sugarcube,” Applejack interjected, “Nopony said that we couldn’t memorize all those lines. We just don’t all have that mighty fast brain o’ yours. We need plenty o’ time to finish this, and the play’s tonight. And we’re almost at Canterlot.”
The train jostled as if on cue, nearly spilling Spike’s drink. Twilight looked about as the realization dawned on her that they were indeed out of time. She held her grin, but the worry was clearly visible in her eyes; a lone hair curled up like a loaded spring, breaking away from her flawlessly groomed mane. Her lower eyelid twitched involuntarily. “You all were aware that we were doing this particular performance, right? I announced this to you when I got word that we had the star roles… right? Right???”
Rainbow dash let out a snore. Applejack gave her a swift kick to the shins, snapping her awake with a start. Rarity and Fluttershy gave blank stares. Pinkie Pie bounced over, a little less enthusiastic than her normal self. “Actually, Twilight, We all just assumed you meant we’d be doing the short version. We’ve always done that one in Ponyville, ever since I came here, and that was buckets of fun! Then we’d have a Hearthswarming celebration with cookies and eggnog and all sorts of surprises… but it was different back at home. I didn’t even know that there was a Canterlot version until you read it to us right now.”
Twilight whimpered. “So none of you have even looked at your lines?”
“Um… I have,” Fluttershy raised a hoof, “but it was for the short version. I have them all memorized, but, um, if you really want to do the official Canterlot version…”
Twilight threw her hooves up in despair. “Et tu, Fluttershy?!”
“Yeah… what are we talking about?” Rainbow dash lifted her sunglasses and rubbed her eyes. “‘Cause I was totally paying attention, but all that poetry, like, turned off my brain and I missed, like, the last half hour…”
“Did you memorize your lines, Rainbow Dash?”
Dash waved a hoof dismissively. “No sweat. I can get the lines down in five minutes flat. I can finish them in the dressing room before the audience even arrives! Unless… do you mean that poetry?”
Twilight nodded solemnly.
Rainbow nearly choked. “Ack! Really? That stuff is so boring and flowery and dry! You can’t expect me to ramble on in verse onstage! It would crimp my style!”
Twilight sighed in defeat. “Spike?”
Spike cleared his throat. Feast your ears. ‘Before the Princess raised the sun, or Luna raised the moon, the… uh… the candy colored ponies played around the… the…”
“Dreamscape…” Twilight prompted.
“Ah! Yes! The dreamscape room.”
Twilight buried her head in her forehooves and sobbed.
“All in favor of ditching the poetry play, say ‘neigh,’” Rainbow called out blatantly. A chorus of ‘neigh’s followed. “Democracy has ruled. We do the short version.” She replaced her shades and settled back down into the seat. Applejack passed Twilight her copy of the Ponyville Traditional script. “Here, you can use mine. Ah’ve learned ‘em already.”
Twilight accepted the papers and groaned. “Princess Luna will not be pleased. She’ll probably throw me in jail! Or yell at me! Or banish me to the moon for a thousand years! Or-”
“Hey! Don’t get all grumpy,” Pinkie burst in. “If you go to jail, we’ll all be going to jail with you! So you’ll still have your friends! So cheer up!” She shoved a dozen cupcakes into Twilight’s mouth before she could say a word. “Let’s enjoy the ride! And the show! And the celebrations afterwards! Oh boy, do you think they’ll have eggnog? Or cake? Lots of cake! Princess Celestia will be there, so there must be mountains of it! Or maybe…”
The train whistled and rattled on its merry way with its merry band of actors. As well or ill prepared as they were, they would nonetheless enter the stage in the spirit of Heartswarming as the bearers of harmony and unshakeable friends.
