A stingy, grouchy banker is invited by Twilight to the Hearths Warming gathering, but things go horribly wrong resulting in a ruined Hearths Warming for many.
That night, it is TWILIGHT, not the banker who is visited by three spirits to teach her something about other ponies, and how Hearths Warming isn't all that it's cracked up to be!
LESSONS: Don't judge someone without first understanding their true background and reasons.
T’was the day before Hearth’s Warming And everywhere you saw, Pretty snow and decorations, A sight of awe…
The ponies of Ponyville were looking with glee For all the happy faces any pony could see Gifts were exchanged, children were playing And many great donations to charity were paying
Princess Sparkle and Spike by her side, Had stopped by a bank and stepped inside They too were on a donations spree, to gather more money to give to charity.
***
Twilight had been really busy since the start of the holidays. Even though her School of Friendship was closed and all the students gone home, there was much to be done.
As Princess of Friendship, she was often in charge of organizing the annual Hearths Warming party to be held in town square, and for a full week she had worked, worked, and worked.
-She first organized all the festivities, made sure invitations were given to practically every pony in town.
-Then she, with the help of Applejack and Pinkie Pie baked all the treats and goods for the feasts.
-She, along with Rarity and Fluttershy helped make the decorations and set up everything in town square.
-Now, she was helping to gather donations to feed the poor.
Twilight and Spike approached the head of the Ponyville bank; a rather stingy looking old Earth Pony named Miser Stash. He was very elderly, with a bald head and a very little grey hair on the sides of his head. His coat was a faded and pale looking yellow due to his age. He wore small oval glasses, and his cutiemark was that of bank vault with coins and documents spilling out.
The pony looked up from his work papers and saw Twilight’s smiling face, and Spike was fluttering up beside her and smiling just as wide while holding a large bag of coins and donation money.
“Can I help you?” he asked in a rather stingy voice.
“Miser Stash,” said Twilight “As you know, we’re collecting donations for charity to feed all the poor and homeless ponies and other creatures.”
“I am QUITE aware of that!” snapped Miser, and he reached into a drawer in his desk and pulled out a cheque which he wrote a very large and rather generous donation on. “Here!”
Spike grabbed the cheque and gawked at the large sum of money. “Wow! Twilight check it out!”
Twilight was nearly speechless. “This is a lot of money. It’s so generous of you.”
Miser didn’t even so much as give a slight grin, “You have what you came for. Please leave-- I have much work to do.”
Twilight felt concerned now, “But, it’s Hearth’s Warming. You shouldn’t be working so hard now.”
“Yeah, if anything, shouldn’t you be getting ready for the big party tonight?” asked Spike.
Miser looked up, glaring them dead in the eyes, the kind of glare that sent shivers up your spine.
“Hearth’s Warming…
…Bah! Humbug!”
Twilight and Spike, and any employee in the bank and the customers and clients who heard him stopped dead in their tracks and gazed his way in shock.
“If I could work my will…” Miser hissed “Any fool that goes about wishing me a Happy Hearths Warming, would be BAKED with their cakes, and wrapped up and shipped far, far away!”
Twilight felt shocked at such words, as did everyone else in the bank.
“As you were!” sneered Miser to the employees “It’s not closing time yet!”
With that, the employees got back to work in a heartbeat, fearing they would be fired.
As for Twilight and Spike, Miser asked them again to leave. “I have given you my donation; your business with me is complete.”
Twilight felt there was something exceedingly wrong with Miser. Never had she met a pony who seemed so grouchy, so annoyed.
Still, as she had other duties to tend to, she and Spike left the bank.
“Wow! What a grouch.” grumbled Spike “At least we got the donation. This will increase donations more than tenfold.”
Twilight didn’t seem to be paying attention. It still bothered her how miserable Miser Stash looked, and insulting Hearth’s Warming as he did; it felt so wrong. “How can some pony not like Hearth’s Warming?” she wondered aloud.
Spike could tell where this was leading. “Uh, oh… here it comes.” He muttered, and he imitated Twilight’s voice softly, “…Spike, I think we have a friendship problem to solve.”
And just as he called it, “Spike, I think we have a friendship problem to solve.” And she took off for Friendship Castle.
Spike flew after her, “Twilight, wait up! This bag is heavy!”
While all over Ponyville, ponies were celebrating the arrival of Hearth’s Warming, through a song Hearths “Warming Eve is here Once again!”
All we’re exchanging gifts, setting up more decorations, some ponies were caught under mistletoes and exchanging smooches. Especially Big Mac and Sugar Belle,
Even at the Bank, all the customers and employees were singing along, much to irate of Miser Stash, but rather than scream for everyone to stop, he merely stuff two large balls of cotton in his ears and concentrated on his work while grumbling miserably of Hearths Warming and silliness he was seeing. “Can’t they see I’m trying to get my work done?!”
Soon, after the song had ended, his secretary came into the office to inform him, “Sir, I believe it’s time to close up for the holidays.”
“So it is,” replied Miser “Enjoy yourselves. See you after the holidays.”
The secretary bowed to him, “Yes, sir… Happy Her--” she stopped when he looked up at her sternly, meaning he did not want her to finish that sentence.
“Sorry Sir. I’ll be on my way.”
Soon, all the employees had left; the bank was closed early for Hearths Warming. Every client and customer had been dealt with. All assets were set fine, but only Miser Stash stayed behind in his office working away. At least he now had some peace, quiet, and solitude just as he preferred, yet he could still see his calendar and the big picture of Hearths Warming happiness.
When Twilight got back to Friendship Castle, she quickly summoned all her friends to the map chamber. Not just to go over the preparations for the Hearths Warming festivities that night, but to discuss about Miser Stash.
“I’ve heard about that old coot.” said Applejack “They say he hasn’t celebrated Hearths Warmin’ in about forty years. All he ever does is work his tail off and hardly smiles at all.”
Rarity gasped in shock, and looked as though she felt dizzy and wanted to faint-- she was just being overdramatic.
“What?!” snapped Pinkie Pie “Not celebrated in forty years? That is just… just…” she didn’t know whether to feel enraged, shocked, or burst out crying.
It was Twilight who felt more shocked than ever and now she was more than convinced that Miser needed some cheering up this season.
“Maybe we should invite him to the Hearths Warming party tonight?” suggested Fluttershy, “That is… if it’s not a bad idea?”
“No, no, that’s a great idea.” said Twilight “I was going to suggest the same thing. I think he could use a bit of cheer and joy.”
The others all agreed, especially Starlight Glimmer, remembering how she used to be a grump and how Twilight didn’t give up on her and helped her see the light. “I’ll send the invitation to him in person.” she said.
“Right.” agreed Twilight “The rest of us better get ready for the big party. I have to go meet my relatives at the Train Station.”
Rainbow Dash leapt up from her seat fluttering like crazy “This party is going to be AWE-SOME… I CAN’T WAIT FOR IT!”
Spike couldn’t wait for it either, especially as he looked under the big Hearth’s Warming tree and saw a tiny gift he had wrapped himself. It was small, and tagged “To Rarity… with love from Spike.”
It was a beautiful diamond necklace with a heart shaped ruby in the middle on a golden star pendant.
The day he saw it in the shop window, he knew it would look beautiful on her. So he saved up his jewels from his personal stash for months, and worked twice as hard round the castle, and at the School of Friendship to earn more jewels for his allowance. He even did odd jobs for other ponies around Ponyville for even more until he was able to buy the necklace.
He decided he couldn’t wait any longer, and wished to give her the gift tonight, at the party.
“Spike…?” Rarity said to him, making him jump. “What’s that you have?”
“Oh, this… oh, um…” he quickly hid the gift behind his back and out of her sight so she wouldn’t see. “Well, it’s… it’s, um…”
Rarity gave him a silly look, “Now, Spike, I know it’s tempting, but really you should wait until tomorrow morning to open your present.”
Spike felt relieved his surprise wasn’t spoiled, and he casually put the gift back under the tree, “Yeah… how silly of me.”
Rarity giggled at how she he looked and then walked off, and Spike waited until it was time to leave for the party, and he grabbed the gift back and took it with him.
Once at the party, located in town square, he placed the gift under the giant central tree, where many other gifts lay, from other ponies to other ponies. It was a mighty big stack.
Twilight had not yet arrived, as she was still at the train station to meet with her family, and as for Starlight, she didn’t know where Miser Stash lived, but she correctly assumed he’d still be at the bank, despite it being closed.
The doors were not yet locked, and so she just went inside herself, and found Miser STILL working.
She knocked quietly at the open door of his office.
“We are closed.” he said not even looking up at her.
Starlight was warned about his attitude, and refused to be deterred so easily and walked into the office. “I have merely come to invite you to the Hearths Warming gathering, on behalf of Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
Miser sighed, “I thought I had made it perfectly clear to others I wish NOT to participate in such pointlessness.”
Starlight was starting to feel maybe it be best to just leave him alone, but knowing Twilight taught her to never give up encouraged her to keep trying, “Why do you hate Hearths Warming so much?” she asked him.
Miser stopped writing, and very slowly looked up at her, sending shivers down her spine, “…Please just leave me in peace.”
Starlight knew she had struck a nerve, and that there was some reason he hated Hearths Warming, something very bad.
“If you come to the party, perhaps my friends and I can help you with what bothers you.”
Miser only shook his head “No one can help me. What’s done is done. I am too old for change, and would like to spend my life in peace.
This is the final time I will ask you, please leave!”
Starlight refused to budge, and while Miser could have called security, he remembered he and Starlight were the only ones in the bank.
“You shouldn’t be here like this.” said Starlight “Look at you; you’re working all alone, and on the holidays too. You won’t have anyone to do business with anyway. So why keep at it?”
Miser looked more annoyed than ever. “Every year at December 24th, I am given that same, poor excuse… but seeing as I am the only one who understands that, and seeing as there is no other way to be rid of you…” he paused “…Very well, I shall come with you.”
Starlight smiled, “You won’t regret this.”
Miser did not agree one bit.
Back at the party, Twilight had arrived along with her parents, Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and Baby Flurry Heart.
“Wow!” exclaimed Shining Armor as he looked up at the huge tree. It wasn’t lit up yet as it wasn’t quite sundown, but just looking at it was a beautiful sight. “You outdid yourself, Twily.”
Twilight blushed, “Well, I can’t take all the credit. Almost every pony in town helped.”
“Yes, but you helped organize everything.” said Cadance.
Velvet Sparkle and Night Light smiled proudly at their daughter, and Twilight did feel produ with herself.
The party had begun, and there were all kinds of winter sports-- hockey, snow-pony building contests, ice skating, tobogganing-- Rainbow Dash sure enjoyed all that. “MAKE WAY FOR THE QUEEN OF THE HILL!” she shouted as she sledded down a hill “YAHOO!!!”
The food was delightful as well, Pinkie Pie practically stuffed her face, and still wanted more and more. “It’s Hearths Warming-tastic!” she cheered with glee.
Fluttershy merely had a glass of eggnog, and was about to raise it to her lips when…
“Hey! Watch it!” the glass practically said, and Fluttershy gasped in shock as she dropped the glass to the ground, and it changed into Discord. “Hey! You nearly shattered me there.”
Fluttershy breathed in relief, “I wish you wouldn’t scare me like that, but I told you I was ready to leave and you weren’t.”
“Yeah, well… I’m here now; so, Happy Hearths Warming.” and he handed her a candy cane “I promise, no surprises.”
“Aww… thank you.”
Discord blushed.
Starlight had arrived at the party with Miser Stash. He looked as grouchy as ever and was smoking a cigar.
“Here we are.” said Starlight.
“Yes,” grumbled Miser “Now, goodbye.” And he turned to walk away.
“Wait a minute!” snapped Starlight “What do you mean “Goodbye?” What about the Party?”
“What about it?” sneered Miser “I told you I would come with you, I never agreed to actually attending the party.”
Starlight tried to protest when Twilight came over with her family, “What’s going on here?” and then she saw, “Oh, Miser Stash… glad you decided to come.”
Miser didn’t look a bit please, “Bah!” he snorted which shocked everyone.
“Hey, there’s no need to be such a grump.” said Night Light.
“I agree,” said Velvet “It’s Hearths Warming; a time to be happy.”
Miser was starting to lose his cool, “Maybe for you, but to me… Hearths Warming is a waste of time.”
The entire grounds went silent, and practically every eye in the area was focused on Miser.
Angrily, he threw his lit cigar in the direction of the large tree with the presents under it…
“You heard me!” growled Miser “I have no desire to be part of the cheer and joy! Goodnight and Good riddance to you all!”
Flurry Heart began to cry at Miser’s yelling. Cadance comforted her, but she was very annoyed with Miser, but it was her husband and Twilight who confronted him; stepping in front of his way.
“You’re not going anywhere, pal!” sneered Shining Armor “Not until you apologize!”
Twilight agreed, “All we wanted to do was give you a good Hearths Warming, but you’ve done nothing but grouch at us, insult us, and you’ve showed hardly any courtesy at all!”
Many of the ponies and others in the crowds cheered Twilight on; agreeing with what she said.
Even Starlight was growing cross, “We invited you out here so you could try to have a nice night, and believe me, you need it!” she growled at Miser “I was once like you; I didn’t care who liked me or hated me, but in the end, because I had heart enough to try, I made friends and I changed for the better. Now why won’t you!”
Miser scoffed, “Ha! You claim you were like me, and perhaps you were, but in the end, you wouldn’t understand even if you tried. None of you would!”
He walked off in a huff, and no one tried to stop him feeling it was better he go, though maybe ponies taunted out to him, “Good luck being a horrible pony!”
“You sick old coot!”
“Do the world a favor and drop dead!”
Twilight felt that last one was a bit harsh and over the top, but she, too, was enraged and felt perhaps Miser wasn’t worthy of her help at all. She wanted to have a good Hearths Warming and spend time with her friends and family.
So, the festivities continued, and everyone tried their best to forget about Miser and his attitude.
Pretty soon, the sun was setting, and it was nearly time for the annual lighting of the tree to commence, and Spike was growing anxious to give his gift to Rarity, and he could see it sitting on the massive pile of gifts under the large tree.
Before he could go over and get it through,
“Spike…?” Rairty said surprising him once again.
“Oh, um… Hi, Rarity. Enjoying the party?”
“Yes, very much, thank you… and you…?”
“I’m having great time.” Spike replied, but he was feeling rather awkward inside, like he was about to fall flat on his face. He really wanted to give Rarity her gift now, if he only had it on hand instant of putting it under the tree.
Rarity suddenly looked up above her head, up on the lamppost. “Oh, look…”
Spike looked up too and spotted the mistletoe. Both of them blushed, but even Rarity couldn’t resist the honoring of tradition and she leaned her cheek down softly to Spike.
Spike gasped very faintly, but he summed up his courage and leaned in close, puckering his lips, getting closer to contact, when…
“Hey you two…!” Applejack called, making Rarity lean upright again and causing Spike to miss and fall flat in the snow, much to his annoyance.
“…They’re gonna light up the tree. Shake a leg!”
“Oh my!” cried Rarity “It’s the most splendiferous thing in the entire gathering.” And she galloped merrily off, while Spike pulled himself up from the snow, annoyed but still excited.
Mayor Mare took the stand as the crowds huddled around. “Welcome, one and all, to the annual lighting of the Hearths Warming tree.”
The crowd cheered, and then hushed again as Mare continued, “This year, we are more than honored to be in the presence of not only Princess Twilight Sparkle, but joining us from the Crystal Empire are Princess Cadance and Shining Armor.”
More cheers followed.
“Therefore, it has been decided, that they three of them shall have the honor of lightning the tree.”
Even more cheers followed, and Mare let the trio of ponies have the stand near the big read switch that would light the tree, while Twilight’s folks and starlight looked after Flurry Heart on the sidelines.
Twilight gazed back and forth at her brother and at her sister-in-law. All three of them placed their hooves on the switch, and then the countdown began.
Everyone in the crowd counted from ten to zero… and the switch was flicked, and the tree lit up…
…IN FLAMES!!
Everyone began to scream and panic as the entire tree became one blazing inferno.
“RUN!!!” shouted Shining Armor.
Everyone began to dash far from the tree as the fires spread, catching the large groups of gifts under the tree. “NO…!!” Spike cried as he could see his gift to Rarity still on the pile. He wanted to go save it, but Rarity held him back, “No, Spike! It’s too dangerous!”
“But my gift…!”
The fire brigade was on the job almost at once, and Twilight, Cadance, Shining Armor helped with their magic, to cast a cooling spell to douse the flames.
Discord helped too by changing into a huge rain cloud, “Time to rain on this parade!” he thundered as he unleashed a strong downpour.
The fire was put out before it could spread any further, but the tree was history, too badly damaged. It and all the decorations were burned to ash, and all the presents beneath the tree, completely destroyed-- melted all together, and shattered like ice pieces.
Every single creature was shocked, horrified, and many of the children were very sad and began to cry at the loss of the tree and the presents.
Pinkie Pie cried too “They’re gone!” she sobbed “THEY’RE ALL GOOOOOOOOONNNNNE!!!”
Fluttershy had tears in her eyes, but she was too shocked to cry.
“I don’t believe it!” said Applejack.
“It’s totally totaled.” added Rainbow
Rarity gawked at the horrible mess, but Spike was even more hurt felt than she was. He stared grimly at the pile of blackened, melted, and shattered gifts, feeling that his gift to Rarity was certainly melted somewhere into the massive mess. Seeing it was a diamond necklace, it could have survived due to diamonds being strong, but even still there was no way to find it or get to it now.
Poor Spike, he broke down sobbing softly, “No… and after everything I went through!”
Anyone else who placed a gift under the tree felt equally as devastated, sore, and outraged.
Twilight’s parents and Flurry Heart were safe, and they rendezvoused with Twilight and the others. “Are you all okay?” asked Night Light.
Physically, they were all fine, but they were all just beyond words of sad and horrified, especially Twilight “What happened?” she growled “How did the tree just burst into flames like this?!”
That was something everyone wanted to know, and just then Miser Stash arrived on the scene, “What happened here?” he asked.
Suddenly, as everyone took just one look at him, they all remembered what had happened-- how he threw his lit cigar right at the tree!
“He did it!”
“He wrecked Hearths Warming!”
“GET HIM!!” and an angry mob formed all around him before he could even question anyone. “Wait! Stop!” shouted Miser, but no one seemed interested in what he had to say. Even Twilight and her royal relatives were extremely cross with him!
“Miser Stash!” growled Cadance “For the mindless destruction of public property, I proclaim you under arrest! GAURDS!!” she thundered, and her royal escort guards came and apprehended him, trying Miser up tightly and hauling him away.
Twilight took one last look at the miserable pony as he was hauled away, “I hope you get what’s coming to you, you sick, twisted monster!!”
Miser could only growl back at her, “This is the thanks I get after everything I’ve done… I HOPE YOU ALL SUFFER FOR THIS!!! YOU AND YOUR STUPID HEARTHS WARMING…!!”
While many of the crowd wanted to go after him and punish him themselves, given that things were already bad enough as they were, and Miser was hauled away, they didn’t have the strength to do it either.
The festivities were partially over, and everyone thought it best to return home, with their hearts broken and their minds spinning in circles with anger and depression!
Twilight finally broke down and cried.
“Oh, Twily…” her brother said as he held her tightly.
Cadance joined in, and the rest the family, as well as Twilight’s friends just sat where they were, gawking at the ruined tree and gifts.
Miser was thrown into the police detention, where he was to await to stand trial and await his punishment, though given what happened, everyone was practically demanding to have him thrown in the slammer for life and beaten up for the rest of his miserable days.
“He hated Hearths Warming, so he decided to wreck it for everyone!” growled Twilight “I’d like to… I’D LIKE TO…!!”
“Twilight, it won’t help!” cried Starlight “Miser’s gone now, he can’t hurt anyone anymore!”
Twilight was still shaking with rage and hate for Hearths Warming being ruined and after all she had done, all the work she put into the festivities.
“Twily, I think you need a rest.” said Shining Armor.
“No, I don’t!” grumbled Twilight, but really she felt exhausted from all the work she had done, and the big shock she had. “I can’t…!” she cried “I’ve got to help… clean up the… mess and… I need to…”
She nearly passed out, and Cadance caught her, “Come on, Twilight. We got to get you home.”
Starlight agreed, “We’ll stay and help with the cleanup. You need to rest.”
The others all agreed, even Spike wanted to Twilight to go and rest.
“We’ll come with you.” said Velvet.
Night Light agreed, “We don’t want the baby staying out here too long either.”
Cadance and Shining Armor nodded, and soon, Twilight was brought home, to Friendship Castle, and she was tucked into her bed in a deep, deep sleep.
“Poor thing…” said Shining Armor. It really broke his heart to see her sleeping in sadness. This made him madder at Miser stash than ever, but his wife calmed him down. “No more… please. I don’t think I can take it, and neither can Flurry Heart.”
Shining Armor realized this, and the family decided to leave Twilight to sleep in peace while they all tried to put Flurry Heart down to bed herself.
Later that night, Twilight had a terrible dream of the tree burning up again, and who was the culprit? Miser Stash; He burned the tree down and all the decorations, laughing and cackling, “Hearths Warming is useless, and now no one will celebrate it again!”
Twilight watched in horrors as the flames grew brighter and brighter, and finally…
…She bolted upright in bed, awakening from her nightmare. “Oh, my goodness!” she cried “I can’t stop thinking about it.”
Even though she felt relieved that Miser was in jail and hopefully going to get his just desserts soon, she couldn’t help wonder, “Why would he do it? Why would he hate Hearths Warming so much that he’d want to wreck it all for everyone?”
Suddenly, as if by magic, there was a bright flash of light glowing in the room, and there appeared someone who looked very familiar to Twilight. “Scootaloo…?” It looked like her, but was dressed in a white robe, and wearing a golden tiara as she levitated bodily off of Twilight’s bed. “What are you doing here? I don’t remember if I saw you at the party, but shouldn’t you be at home?”
“Do not be fooled, Twilight Sparkle.” said the spirit “I am not Scootaloo. I have merely taken on a shape that would be familiar to you. I am the Ghost of Hearths Warming Then.”
The Ghost of Hearths Warming Then…? Twilight felt that sounded familiar somewhere, but she was astounded, and not even sure if she was dreaming or not. Of all the many questions she could’ve asked, “Why are you here?”
The Spirit flew in closer, “I am here to give you answers, and to teach you things that you are not aware of.”
The Spirit then pointed at the window, which opened wide. “Come with me... the night is short, and there is much I must show you.”
Twilight was starting to feel a bit nervous, “Can’t we do this some other time? I’m really tired, and I’ve had a really bad day.”
“I’m sorry, but the choice is not yours.” said the Spirit, and she held out her hooves, casting a bright light over Twilight, levitating her up and out of bed, and taking her out the window and into the night.
Twilight screamed, and tried to cast her own magic to break loose, but her horn would not even glow. She tried to flap her wings hard to break away, but that didn’t work either.
The Spirit cautioned her, “As long as I am with you, your powers and skills do not work. You cannot resist the power of a spirit.”
“Where are you taking me?” asked Twilight.
“It is not WHERE I am taking you, but WHEN…” replied the Spirit, and right before Twilight’s eyes was a bright flash of light on the horizon, getting closer and brighter, and Twilight was forced to shut her eyes.
“Open your eyes Twilight, and look…” said The Spirit.
Twilight opened her eyes, and what she saw nearly made her speechless. It was Ponyville, but not as she remembered it. “I’ve seen this…” said Twilight “Pictures in old photo albums. This is what Ponyville looked like sixty years ago.” That’s when it dawned on her, “This is the past?!”
The Spirit nodded, and Twilight was astounded. All the houses were smaller, all the buildings and shops she knew of and visited were no longer in sight as they hadn’t been built yet, and there was no sign of any of the ponies she knew or even herself, naturally.
All around her, there were many young ponies just walking past her. They didn’t stop or say hello. One pony walked right at her and didn’t say excuse, but just passed right through her like thin air.
“They can’t see or hear us, right?” Twilight asked.
“Correct.” replied The Spirit “These are only but shadows of the past. It is Hearth’s Warming Eve, many decades ago. I have brought you here to show you something important.”
She then brought Twilight to a quaint little home, brought her through the walls into a child’s bedroom. There, she saw a little yellow colt, with a dark navy blue mane, sitting at a desk and wearily studying and completing assignments. He looked as if he had been at it for endless hours, and was about to pass out from exhaustion.
“Who is that, and why is he working on Hearths Warming Eve?”
She suddenly got her answer when a loud voice called from downstairs, “Miser Stash, get down here now!”
Twilight’s blood ran cold, not just at the sound of the voice, but to realize this colt was a young Miser Dash.
Little Miser got up and out of his chair and left his bedroom to go downstairs. Twilight and the Spirit followed him into the living room, where the boy’s father was. He was a big brown stallion, with a red mane, and red mustache, and he was sitting in front of a roaring fire looking at some papers.
“Yes, dad?” peeped Miser.
His father looked grimly at him and turned the papers around showing Miser’s school papers, with a B-Plus and an A-Minus, only one C. “Can you explain this?”
Miser was confused, “My grades are just fine. They’ve improved like you wanted.”
His father bolted upright and angrily glared at him! “Well just fine isn’t fine enough! I told you to study hard and get perfect scores. How can I expect you to grow up and take over the family business someday if you don’t get perfection?”
Twilight was appalled by the way the father was behaving, and The Spirit motioned to a picture on the wall above the fireplace mantle; a picture of a beautiful pink mare with a long yellow mane. “Miser was born a week before Hearths Warming, years prior to these events, but his mother died giving birth to him.”
Twilight gasped softly, and the Spirit nodded “A very sad thing for a colt never to know his mother, but a sadder thing more the way his father behaves-- blaming him for his wife’s death, and being a constant slave driver, pushing him to be the best.”
“Please don’t yell at me!” cried the little colt “I try my best, but it’s so hard to keep up. I get so tired! You hardly even let me have breaks.”
The father seemed unmoved, “Oh, I’ll give you a break alright.”
“You will?”
“Yes… a break from your studies here. I didn’t want to have to do this, but, I think you need a little more motivation. So, I’m sending you to Worthwhile Academy, a boarding school!”
“What?!” cried Miser.
“It’s for your own good. They’ll help you improve these grades and really show you how to put effort into your studies! By the time they’re done with you, you’ll be the proper son and a credit to me!”
Little Miser tried to argue, but his father wouldn’t hear of it. If anything, his father had called the academy and called them to come the very next day to take his son, not even letting him stay home to celebrate Hearths Warming.
“No!” Miser cried as the big ponies in suits forcefully dragged him away, “Daddy, don’t do this to me!!”
“This is for your own good!” his father argued “Don’t you come back home until you earn that right!”
“Noooo… DAD!!”
Then he was gone, dragged off to school, much to Twilight’s horror.
“Come,” said the Spirit “There is much to see.”
She led Twilight through another flash of lights, to some years later.
“Where are we now?” asked Twilight.
“Observe,” said The Spirit and she pointed at the big building before them, “This is very School where Miser Stash spent his childhood.
Year-After-Year he did nothing but study, and work, and try as he would to improve his grades, but through it all he felt alone and betrayed by his father.”
Twilight then saw the images of a little sobbing Miser Shaft, as he spent the days and nights alone. With no friends, no letter from his father, and worse, as the years went by every Hearths Warming was the same; his father never wrote to him, and never let him come home, not even for the holidays.
Even as Miser’s grades improved and were perfected, just as his father wanted him to become, he would still never hear from him.
Twilight felt like crying herself. “Poor little guy…” she wanted to reach out and hug him, forgetting that she couldn’t touch him and her hooves went right through him.
It also didn’t help that many of the other students were mean and horrible to him. Often bullying him relentlessly-- calling him names, slipping bugs from outside into his bed while he sleep, or gluing him to his seat.
“I’ve had enough of you and your ways!” growled Miser.
“And what are you going to do about it?” a bully taunted “A little wimp like you isn’t even worthy of being alive! Why don’t you do the world a favor and drop dead?”
Twilight remembered hearing another pony say yell that Miser when he was arrested.
Before she could say anything at all, she witnessed as an infuriated Miser, behaving as anyone would have tackled the bullied to the ground and began to ram numerous hits too his face, giving him a bloody nose and making the bully actually cry.
He was caught by the school staff, and even the bully was known for his bad behaviour and tolerance for his attitude notwithstanding, it was Miser who received bigger punishment. He was suspended from school, and sent home to his angry father.
You can bet, his father was infuriated with what he had heard, “I told you never to come back unless I said you were worth it! Now I find out you beat up another pony!”
WHAPP!!
POW!!
BAM!!
He abused his son, kicking him around the house, “You’re dead to me! You little waste of sperm! You mistake of a living being!”
“HELP ME!!!” Miser called out “SOMEPONY, PLEASE HELP ME!!”
Twilight never saw such horridness and monstrosity, but then… there was a ray of hope. All the noise, all the shouting could be heard from outside and another pony, a gold colored unicorn with a soft orange mane and a cutie mark with a bank vault on it, passing by burst right in and restrained the abusive father sparing Miser from anymore abuse.
The guards came, and arrested Miser’s father, deeming him unfit to raise his son anymore, and took him away.
“Are you alright?” the new pony said to Miser, reaching out to him. “Don’t be afraid, my name is Golden Heart, I won’t hurt you. Come and live with me.”
The guards saw this, and they knew Golden Heart very well, urged the young Miser to accept the offer, since his other option was an orphanage now that he had no other relatives.
“He’s really nice.” said a guard.
“Give him a chance, kid.” said another.
And so, Miser Stash accepted the offer, and finally felt hope for the first time in many years.
Twilight felt so happy for Miser Stash, “A Hearth’s Warming miracle.”
“Yes,” agreed The Spirit “Miracles work in mysterious ways, but it can never be chosen when and how they occur.”
The Spirit then transported Twilight to another era, many years later.
“Where, or when, are we now?” Twilight asked.
“This is the bank that Golden Heart owned and ran.” replied the Spirit “I am certain it looks familiar to you.”
Indeed it did; Twilight recognized it as the Ponyville Bank that Miser owned and managed. “This how he started his career?”
The Spirit nodded, “When Golden Heart had taken Miser Stash in, he could see the boy had potential, and his grades we’re phenomenal, so he offer him a job as a clerk in his bank.”
Twilight could see him, Miser as a young adult, in his early twenties, and he looked pretty handsome, all dressed in his suit and tie, and his glasses. Twilight thought he looked catchy, and he even earned his cutie mark in banking.
“How did his life turn out?” Twilight asked the spirit.
“Very well indeed…
Golden Heart had no wife or children, but he took Miser in and raised him well, like the father Miser never had. While Miser’s actual father perished in a prison riot. Miser never thought much of his father again, and began to see Golden Heart as a real second father rather than a master.
Miser wished only to pay back the kindness and generosity this wonderful Stallion had given him, so he worked, and worked, and hardly ever stopped unless told to by Golden himself.”
The spirit then showed Twilight another Hearth’s Warming Eve, whereas Golden Heart was throwing a big party for himself and his employees. “Everyone, stop working. The Eve young and I want us all to have a wonderful time before closing. Sing, Dance, consume your fill.”
The workers all cheered, and dropped their books and sheets and began to party. Twilight felt Pinkie would have loved all this.
“Where’s Miser Shaft?” she asked.
“In his study, working constantly.” replied The Spirit, and she took Twilight into the study where Miser was indeed hard at work, when Golden Heart came in.
“Miser, what are you doing in here?”
“Just trying to finish this account sir, and then I still have loan applications to look over, and the books need to be organized…”
Golden wouldn’t hear of it, “You’ve done enough, lad. Come on, stop working and join the party. It’s Hearth’s Warming.”
Miser could see there was no arguing, and really wanting to make his employer and master happy, he put down his books and joined the festivities; greeting his co-workers and saying hello to the clients.
In all the scuffling about, and watching the partygoers dance and having fun, he bumped into another pony, a very beautiful young Pegasi mare. She had a lovely sea-green coat, a long brown mane, a cutie mark of a shining bell, and Miser was just lost in her lovely mulberry eyes.
“I beg your pardon.” he said.
The mare gazed at him the same way he gazed at her, “I’m… I’m ever so sorry.”
Golden Heart came along. “Oh, good, you’ve met each other.
Twinkle Belle, this is me clerk, Miser Stash. Once of the finest workers I’ve ever had.
Miser, this is Twinkle Belle, she is my newest bookkeeper and just started tonight.”
“Pleased to meet you.” said Miser as he touched his hoof to hers.
“Likewise.” replied Twinkle.
Twilight could see it easily, it was love at first sight, and the Spirit showed her many images as a song played. “When Love is all there is”
Miser and Twinkle became good friends. Not just at work, but they began to grow really close, so close in fact, he proposed to her.
“Twinkle Belle, I wish to spend my life with you. Please say you will?”
With tears of love in her eyes, Twinkle threw herself at him, “Oh, Miser… Yes… Yes I will!”
They embraced, kissed passionately, enough to make Twilight cry. “It’s so beautiful!” she had seen Miser Stash in a whole new light. “I’m so happy for him… for them.”
The Spirit then told her, “There was of course another Hearths Warming with this couple, one year later.”
Twilight’s stomach turned at that, and the images warped again to reveal the Hearths Warming eve of the next year to show poor Miser, sobbing over a grave stone that read “Twinkle Belle”
“No!” cried Twilight.
“I’m afraid so…” replied The Spirit “This Hearths Warming was to be the day of their wedding, but it was not to be, for Twinkle was mysteriously struck by a devastating illness, and force to part from this world and Miser.”
Twilight could only gaze as Miser sobbed miserably, begging for Twinkle to come back to him, but no amount of tears or pleas would ever restore his lost love to him.
Twilight felt as heartbroken as he was, and the heartbreak was not yet done…!
Miser could never bring himself to love another, not the way he loved Twinkle Belle, plus he didn’t feel he could take one more tragedy or hardship especially considering all the worst ones always seemed to happen to him on Hearths Warming.
A few years later, at another Hearths Warming Eve, there was a party as usual, but Miser didn’t feel like celebrating, which he hadn’t for the past few years.
Golden Heart brought him some food, being the most sympathetic and understanding to his reasons not wanting to party. “Are you sure you won’t celebrate with us?”
“How can I?” said Miser “To celebrate this holiday, means to celebrate the passing of my beloved Twinkle Belle, and the scars and burns in my heart that will never heal.”
Golden hated to see his best employee so distraught and hurt.
Suddenly, there was trouble as they both heard the workers and clients screaming from outside.
Armed Robbers had broken into the bank, wielding guns and knives, and the unicorns had already levitated hostages, demanding all the money in the bank be turned over to them.
“DO IT…!” shouted the lead robber “Or these hostages get pumped with lead.”
Golden Heart pressed the silent alarm in Miser’s desk to alert the guards, and told Miser to stay down low as he tried to go out there and reason with the robbers.
“Give us the money!” the robbers demanded.
“Okay, Okay, I will…” said Golden, but really he was trying to stall them until the guards came, so he moved slowly to the vaults to get the money.
“MOVE IT!!” shouted the head robber, but the guards soon came, and used their magic to strip the robbers of their weapons and release the hostages.
The robbers were all apprehended, and the bank was spared of losing any money.
Twilight couldn’t see anything wrong with this scene… until she saw one robber hiding behind an office door which the guards hadn’t seen or subdued. “LOOK OUT!!” she cried out, but of course the images didn’t hear her.
The robber then burst out from behind the door, and shot Golden Heart with his gun.
Miser heard the gunshot and dashed out of his officer, just in time as the guards had returned and apprehended the last robber, but Golden Heart was wounded badly, much to Miser’s already crushed heart.
“No… No!!” cried Miser as he ran to his master’s side “Golden Heart…?”
Golden Heart knew he was finished, but with his dying strength he gave Miser a small key, “Use this…” he told him “Open… file 000, in my office desk.
It’s all… you now… Miser… My son…!”
Then he was gone, much to everyone’s heartbreak, but none as harshly as Miser. “Why!” he sobbed “Why do I keep losing things… ON HEARTHS WARMING?!!
TELL ME WHY---------------!!!”
“Oh…!” sobbed Twilight.
The Spirit magically handed her a tissue to dry her eyes, but Twilight felt so bad for Miser.
The final images of the fantasy showed what happened after Golden Heart’s funeral…
That key he had given Miser turned out to give him access for a file that continued a will and testament, whereas Golden Heart left the bank to Miser Stash for all his loyal years in service, his solid work ethic, and for making him proud to be like a real son to him!
The Bank was now Miser’s, but from that time on, he had changed. Too many years of pain and loss had finally caught up with him, outweighing whatever few good ones there were.
He despised Hearths Warming, for all the bad things that ever happened to him, and vowed never to celebrate it again, and have little or nothing to do with it at all each year. As such, he forbad his employees from ever inviting him to parties, wishing him a Happy Hearths Warming or anything, though he allowed them to celebrate it whichever way they chose, he demanded to be left out of it entirely.
“Bah… HUMBUG!!”
Twilight couldn’t bear to watch anymore of this. “Enough! I can’t take it anymore!”
With a magical glow, she and The Spirit reappeared in Twilight’s bedroom.
“How could you show me all that…?” Twilight asked angrily, “How could show me such horrible things, just to make me feel miserable.”
“I told you…” protested the spirit “Those were the shadows of what has been. They are what they are… Do not blame me.
I showed you that to teach you, sometimes Hearths Warming is not so happy, not for everyone. Sometimes you are so wrapped up in your own frivolities; you forget to observe what goes on in other places.”
Twilight fell silent, as if her eyes were opening for the first time to the ugliness of possibilities.
The spirit suddenly began to fade away. “My time with you is up, but your journey for answers has just begun, but remember what I have shown you and learn from the others as well.”
“Others?” asked Twilight “What do you mean others? Come back!” but the spirit had already vanished completely, leaving Twilight alone and exhausted on her bed.
Twilight lay down with her mind spinning after what she had seen. She still wasn’t so sure if what she had was a real vision or if her mind was playing tricks on her.
However, she then remembered the tree incident and Miser’s arrest for starting the fire, which she felt he had no right to do whether he detested Hearths Warming or not.
With this in mind, despite what she had seen, Twilight drifted off to sleep again.
Twilight was soon awoken by the sound of a voice saying, “Wake up, and let’s get to know each other better.”
Twilight sat up, rubbed her eyes, and saw another spirit, which bared a very strong resemblance to Applebloom and even spoke with her southern accent, only she wore a green fuzzy robe and a holly wreath on her head.
“Wake up, and let’s get to know each other better.” the spirit said again.
“Um… I think you already said that.” said Twilight.
“Huh! So I did, it’s just a little I got goin’…
…I am the Ghost of Hearths Warming Current; A spirit whose mind is filled with the Here and the Now; things that just happened recently, and that’s that happen as they do.”
Twilight remembered she was told this would happen, and that her journey for answers wasn’t through.
“Well, come on…” the spirit anxiously said “Get up, and let’s get to know each other better. Oh, I already said that.
Did I tell you I was the Ghost of-- Yes, I said that too.”
Twilight giggled, and decided to get up, “Maybe we should just get going.”
“Great idea.” agreed the spirit “Hold your horses, here we go!”
The room began to magically spin, and bright lights shone. Twilight then found herself standing outside the bank, and Miser was just coming to work.
“Miser Stash…? I thought he was in jail.”
“Well, yeah, currently,” replied the spirit, “I’ve taken you back to Hearths Warming Eve day, Fresh in the mornin’.”
Twilight felt confused, that sounded more like the past than the present, but remembering the spirit said it was showing her most recent things and most imminent things.
“I remember…” said Twilight “Miser Stash hated Hearths Warming, and he stopped celebrating it for decades or wanting much to do with it.”
“How’d you know that?” asked the spirit.
“Applejack told me, and I learned a lot from The Ghost of Hearths Warming Then.”
The spirit was pleased to see she was no longer acting in denial.
Twilight watched as Miser grumpily walked up to the bank, and was greeted by his employees—new employees from over the decades and the current year.
“Good morning, sir.” they all said cheerfully.
“Good Morning.” Miser replied, in a low tone. Then he disappeared into his office, and the employees all talked behind his back.
“What a grump.”
“Just because he hates Hearths Warming doesn’t mean he’s got to ruin it for us.”
Twilight was a mix of emotions, “Hey, don’t talk to him like that!” she growled, but the workers didn’t take notice of her.
“Hello,” warned the spirit “They can’t hear you. I think you were already told this too.”
Twilight felt silly, “But they are right too; Miser doesn’t have to bring other ponies down with them and make them feel miserable.”
The spirit shook her head pitifully at Twilight, “Well, when you’ve been alone as long as Miser has-- no family, hardly any friends-- what do you expect, that he should just put on a big happy face and smile, and pretend everythin’ is alright?
Life doesn’t really work that way, ya know. Some scars take time to heal, they can’t just get better right off the bat, and other scars, they just plain never heal at all, and they hurt you for the rest of your life.”
Twilight had thought of that before, but it was never in her best interest; she preferred to use her powers and friendship to heal such scars, or even prevent them from happening at all.
“Good friendship always leaves things possible. There can always be hope.”
The spirit shook her head at Twilight’s denial, and decided to show her something more.
In a bright flash, they were transported to a soup kitchen, where poor and homeless ponies were being treated to a lovely feast of hot chicken stew and fresh baked bread. Though it wasn’t very much, all the ponies felt they were on top of the world.
“Thank you very much.”
“This is so kind of you.”
“Eat up, everyone.”
Twilight watched as the many homeless ponies consumed what fill they could. Some of the ponies even had families and children who were all dirty and starving and wearing ratty clothes.
“Those poor ponies,” said Twilight.
“Poor or not,” said the spirit “It is Hearths Warming for them as well, and as you can see they haven’t very much at all, yet they can still find some cheer and joy, especially in the kindness that give to them.”
“I know that.” said Twilight “That’s why every year I help gather donations for these ponies, to give them hope, a bright future.”
She suddenly heard the sounds of coughing and wheezing, coming from a very sick little colt.
He was a little Earth Pony colt with a beige coat, covered in bits of soot, and he carried an old crutch. His mother and father comforted him.
“Little Slim, try not to eat so fast.” said his mother “You know it’s not good for you.”
“Yes… mother… I’ll try!” replied Little Slim. He softly pounded his little chest with his hoof to stop hi wheezing, and he took in a few soft breaths.
“He looks so sick!” cried Twilight.
“Worse than that,” said the spirit, “Because his parents are poor and impoverished, they cannot afford to get Little Slim the medication he needs.”
Twilight’s blood turned cold, “You… you mean he’s…!”
“Eeyup, if he doesn’t get the help he needs soon, he’ll be gone like a weathervane in a hurricane gale.”
Twilight felt faint, but suddenly another homeless pony, Little Slim’s father burst into the kitchen with a look of glee in his eyes.
“I’ve just been given a very generous donation!” he held out a cheque for a large sum of money. His wife and son and few other homeless ponies gawked at it.
“Where did you get it, dad?” asked Little, and his father replied “Some pony I have never met donated it. With this, we can pay for your medication, and have much left over for everyone here to feed us all.”
All the ponies in the shelter were overjoyed and cheered to their anonymous donator.
“To the founder of our feast!” cried Little Slim “My saviour, whoever he may be, may he have a joyous Hearths Warming!”
Twilight felt curious and asked the spirit, “Who gave them that money?”
The spirit gave Twilight a strict glare, “I think you already know the answer to that.”
Twilight gawked, and then suddenly the spirit brought her back to the bank where Miser Stash was grumpily working in his office.
“Why would he do that?” asked Twilight “I thought he hated Hearths Warming and wanted nothing to do with it?”
“That may be so,” replied the spirit “But he can still help others, which can be done any time at all, and that’s what Miser Stash has done all his life.”
Twilight gawked at the spirit…
“You see, Miser had a rough childhood, and while his situation doesn’t amount to being poor and homeless, despite his grudge towards Hearths Warming, he still shows a little compassion by making donations to those who need it.
But he hardly gets credited for it, and barely gets noticed for it.
As a matter of fact… didn’t YOU collect a donation from him?”
“Ah…!” Twilight gasped, and surely enough that was exactly what she saw next-- she and Spike met with Miser Shaft and collected that cheque of a very generous sum of money.
Then of course came Miser giving Twilight attitude.
“You have what you came for. Please leave-- I have much work to do.”
Followed by his insulting Hearths Warming and wanting nothing to do with the celebrations and Twilight was forced to leave and tend to her other duties.
“I remember that,” said Twilight “You don’t have to show it to me again. Why I ever planned to invite him to the Hearths Warming gathering, hoping it would help him open up, and not ruin Hearths Warming for everyone.”
“But he hasn’t ruined anything has he?” said the Spirit. “Look around the bank, Twilight. What do you see?”
Twilight did as she was told, and she saw what she hadn’t really noticed before when she visited the bank; Hearths Warming decorations and small decorated trees were up all over the place. The employees even wore red stocking caps in honor of the holidays.
All this, and Miser Stash would surely be blowing his top at everyone, but all he did was work quietly in his office. “He’s not the least bit annoyed?” Twilight wondered.
“Nope,” replied the spirit “Miser may hate Hearths Warmin’, but he wouldn’t want to spoil it for others, just as long as he doesn’t have to celebrate it himself and be far from it as he can, he’s got no reason to lash out at any pony, especially not his loyal employees. They work hard; he pays them well. He even closes the bank earlier this time of year so all his workers can go be with their families on the holidays.
...and all he asks is they keep Hearths Warming to themselves.”
The more Twilight watched, the harder and harder it was for her to remain convinced about Miser Stash being the grouch she saw him as. “I never noticed it like that before.”
“Frankly I’m not surprised.” remarked the spirit, “After all you were so busy preparing all the festivities and working too hard to notice much.”
The spirit further enforced her point by showing Twilight all the many jobs, duties and arrangements she had made, and all she really did was complain, or demand about wanting everything to be perfect for Hearths Warming. She couldn’t possibly realize all the other possibilities of how other ponies were feeling or how they were affected by the holidays.
“Hey, I had a lot to do.” protested Twilight.
“Yes, you did have a lot to do.” agreed the spirit “Including the two electricians you hired?”
Twilight saw the two ponies she had hired to help her wire the electrical lights on the big tree, she remembered them asking her…
“Where do you want this plug, Princess?”
“How many of these wires did you want?”
More and more questions followed, much to Twilight’s building annoyance in getting everything set up in time.
“Never mind, I’ll do it myself.” said Twilight.
The real Twilight watched her actual-self using her magic to levitate the plugs and wires, stringing the lights along the tree.
The electricians tried to protest and warn her, but Twilight wouldn’t listen and continued working, “You two have done enough, you may go.” she practically demanded, due to her stressful state.
“I was running out of time, and I still had so much to do.” said Twilight to the spirit “What’s this got to do with anything anyway?”
“Well,” the spirit said, sounding a little short with her “Look what your impatience lead to, because you wouldn’t let ponies that were actually skilled at their job do what they had to.”
Twilight finally noticed, even though the lights and wires were all strung along the giant tree, because she was in such a hurry then she hadn’t noticed before that all the wires were connected into one power transformer on a lamppost.
“That many plugs in one socket!” cried Twilight.
The spirit said nothing, and merely transported Twilight to when Starlight Glimmer had brought Miser Stash to the party-- practically harassing him into leaving his work when he repeatedly stated he didn’t wish to come.
Then there was the big argument; Miser lashing out at everyone about Hearths Warming, and he tossed the cigar he had been smoking towards the tree before he walked off in a huff.
However, this time, from the angle she was floating on, Twilight had seen where the cigar had actually landed-- not at the tree itself, but in a small snow bank several feet away from the tree, and its fiery light had been extinguished upon hitting the wet snow.
Twilight gasped in horror.
…No one at the party had noticed this at all, as they all had been too angry and glaring and hooting at Miser for his bad attitude.
“Good luck being a horrible pony!” “You sick old coot!” “Do the world a favor and drop dead!”
Twilight was quivering with shame, and fear, and then the spirit asked her. “What do you suppose happen afterward?
Twilight gasped and whimpered, as the next thing she saw was she and her relatives on the stand, and ready to press the big switch to light up the big tree, which Twilight now realized was unsafely wired because of HER reckless haste!
“NO!! DON’T!!” she called to the trio of ponies, forgetting they couldn’t hear her.
The flicked the switch and the tree burst into flames due to the wires shorting out from being improperly connected.
Another image shown was Miser, walking his way home, but he stopped along the way when he noticed a few poor and disheveled ponies sitting in the streets and holding out pans for money to get food with.
Miser, still having some moral left in him, graciously gave them a bag of coins, to help them. The trio of ponies couldn’t have been happier and blessed him.
That’s when Miser saw the huge flames from afar where the big tree was, “What’s going on?!” he wondered, and he quickly dashed onto the scene, arriving to find the tree burned to pieces, the gifts destroyed, and he himself was blamed for the crime due to everyone accusing him of throwing his cigar at the tree.
“No…! NO!!!” cried Twilight as she watched him being hauled away by the guards, and the next images she saw was Miser in his lone jail cell at the police station.
The poor pony looked so miserable as he sat on his bed, and to make matters worse, while many ponies had indeed returned home after the horrible incident that evening, others stayed awake and formed an angry mob outside, booing and taunting at Miser’s window.
“GROUCH…!!”
“BLASPHEMER!!”
“YOU SHOULD BE IN TARTARUS!!”
So many taunts and rude slanders, some of the protesters even threw snowballs through the bars hoping to hit Miser from within, and one of the snowballs did in fact strike him hard, knocking off his glasses, and they fell to the floor and shattered.
Twilight felt like crying her little heart out. “But he’s innocent!”
“Sure, you know that now,” said the spirit “Perhaps next time, you’ll investigate the situation more thoroughly instead of wishing a pony to get what is coming to him!”
Twilight felt a big chill strike her in the heart, remembering what she had said earlier that night when Miser was hauled away “I hope you get what’s coming to you, you sick, twisted monster!!”
“No more!” cried Twilight “I can’t take it! I don’t want to see this anymore!”
Heeding Twilight’s pleas, and seeing as they were finished anyway, the spirit warped them back to Twilight’s room.
Twilight felt sick with grief and shame; not only was it really her fault that the party was ruined and the tree and the gifts destroyed, but the hoof of blame was brought on an innocent pony, who already had a horrible life before.
“What will happen to him?” she asked the spirit.
“I can’t answer that.” replied the spirit “My business is the here and now, but I hoped you learned from this.
-Things aren’t always as they seem, and you shouldn’t be quick to judge at first glances.
-You also cannot enforce your beliefs on someone and try to make them follow your ways of thinking.
-Everyone has their own way of thinkin’ and livin’, and while they may not always be of the sunniest routes… sometimes it is their choice, and as long as they are living and well, is there really need to interfere in other ponies privacy?”
Twilight felt every lesson hammer into her, as if they were lessons she herself knew or had learned of before, but had quite forgotten in all the chaos and planning and stress.
“I’ve got to set things right!” she decided “I must get Miser out of jail before things get any worse.”
“Not just yet.” The spirit said to her “There are still few more things you must learn and know, before your journey is complete, and for this task I leave you with the Ghost of Hearths Warming Later.”
“The future…?” Twilight asked.
The spirit nodded and began to fade away “Go forth, and know it better…”
Then the spirit was gone, and Twilight was once again left alone in her room, but still, she felt there was no time to waste; she wanted to get to the station and get Miser out of jail, but as she flew to the doors to her room and tried to open it with her magic… nothing happened!
“My magic is still blocked out!”
She then tried to open the doors herself, but her hooves went right through the door handles. The spirit wasn’t kidding when it said she wasn’t home free; she wasn’t going to get out of this until the spirits would let her out.
Then, things go creepy as a dark and spooky mist seemed to seep through the door, and the windows, and Twilight found herself swirling and moaning in the darkness!
Twilight’s bedroom had completely disappeared. All around her there was an eerie dark fog with seemingly no end in sight, which sent shivers in her back.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say I’ve gone fully crazy!” she whimpered to herself.
Then, she had that strange feeling that she was not alone…!
Ever so slowly, she turned round, and gasped at the creature she saw. It looked just like Sweetie Belle, but she looked very pale and cross with bloodshot eyes, and she was dressed in a spooky, greyish robe with a large hood that nearly his head face within the shadows.
Nervously, Twilight asked “Are you… the Ghost of Hearths Warming Later?”
The spirit merely nodded once; it did not speak.
“Can’t you talk?” asked Twilight, but the spirit merely placed its spooky sleeve on her back and motioned for her to come along with in. Heeding the spirits non-verbal advice, Twilight complied and followed it deep into the shadowy fog…
The fog began to swirl and warp, and Twilight was brought to a Hearths Warming time, sometime in the future for certain.
The sky was dark with rain, rather than snow as the weather was unseasonably warmer, but Twilight couldn’t actually feel any of it. “Why is it so quiet here?” she asked, but the spirit still said not a word.
Then Twilight heard the sound of baby cry.
That’s when Twilight looked and saw familiar pony pushing a baby carriage, “Rarity?!”
It was her, but she looked much taller, her mane was longer, she was wearing and elegant rain gown she had made herself, and was wearing a diamond necklace exactly like the one Spike had gotten for her.
“Oh, dear…” she cooed as reached into the carriage and picked up what was obviously her child; which was a very unusual creature, it looked like a pony, yet it had pointed ears, a rather long snout, and a few scales shimmering in its coat… almost like a dragon!
“Rarity’s a mother?” Twilight asked in disbelief.
The spirit remained silent as ever.
Then Twilight saw the baby’s father come along-- Spike! He looked much taller, having grown up to Rarity’s height. His wings were bigger and his voice was deeper too.
“Hello, my dears.” he said, and he stroked his baby’s head and kissed his wife tenderly, much to Twilight’s astonishment.
Spike then held out two little gifts; one for his wife, and one for his child. “Happy Hearths Warming, my dears.”
The baby had a brand new rattle, while Rarity got a new golden bracelet, “Oh, Spike… you charmer!” cooed Rarity, and she dipped him back behind the baby carriage, much to Spike’s delight.
He got up from behind the carriage with small lipstick smears on his face, “It wasn’t that hard to afford. Thanks to the big bonuses everyone got from that rather… unpleasant time!”
“Oh… that.” scoffed Rarity “What did you ever see in that pony?”
“I don’t know, but I guess it serves her right for the way things happened. At least it brought us together.”
“And I couldn’t be happier.” agreed Rarity, and the happy family walked off, leaving Twilight confused and baffled. “What are they talking about?” she asked, and the spirit pointed off behind her.
Twilight turned round, and what she saw made her nearly faint, “My Friendship Castle? My School of Friendship!!”
Both buildings were they, but they both looked in bad shape. The colors of the crystal were all faded off; some of the towers had collapsed.
The school had been shut down due to Twilight’s crime. All the parents of the students had grown concerned with their students having Twilight Sparkle-- a monster in their eyes-- teaching their children anymore things about friendship. So the students were pulled out, and the school was foreclosed.
Then, along came Pinkie Pie, and she too had grown a little over the years, and she seemed to be leading a tour group. “And here, is the largest monuments in all of Ponyville; the castle and school of the former Princess of Friendship, who shall remain nameless!”
“Nameless?” gasped Twilight, and she heard the tourists booing and hissing at the sight of the castle.
Fluttershy and Discord were in the tour group as extra chaperones. “I remember all that…” Discord teased, and he used his magic to re-enact what had happened.
Perfect images of Celestia and Twilight were shown, and their actual voices were heard. Twilight could not believe her eyes at what she saw…
Celestia was furious beyond words; for it turned out that Miser Stash was proven innocent of his crimes-- The day after the big blaze-- which was Hearths Warming Day, the remains of his cigar was discovered at the sight of the burned Hearths Warming tree, proving conclusively that Miser didn’t set the tree ablaze, and worse yet… it was proven that the tree was destroyed by unsafe wiring of the electrical lights, due to Twilight’s carelessness.
You can bet, when everyone found out about this, they were infuriated. Because of her, Hearths Warming was ruined that night, and all the presents they had wished to give out were lost, but as if that weren’t bad enough…!
Even though Miser had been clearly proven innocent and would have been released from jail, he had died that Hearths Warming morning; all that stress, anger, sorrow… it wasn’t good for a pony his age, and he suffered a massive heart-attack and died in his cell.
Talk about having loads on her shoulder-- as Twilight was responsible for the decorating of the party, the destruction and chaos was her fault, and Miser’s death as well for blaming him for something that was HER doing.
“It pains me to do this to you, Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia said “But you leave me no choice! You are forthwith stripped of your title as Princess of Friendship!”
Both Twilight’s gasped hard in horror, and Celestia demonstrated her seriousness by using her magic to remove Twilight’s wings, making her a Unicorn once more.
“You are hereby banished from the kingdom of Equestria forever!”
The Twilight image fell to her knees in tears, and Celestia herself had tears of her own, but her decision was final and had to be done for the seriousness and bad examples Twilight had done.
Discord stopped the images, “I guess maybe I miss her a little.”
“So do I…” agreed Fluttershy “But then I think of poor Miser Stash; Even though he wasn’t the friendliest, he was innocent, and then he… he died!”
She trembled with sadness and outrage, Pinkie Pie felt the same.
Both the Friendship Castle and the School was sold off and condemned, but ultimately left up as a permanent landmark to remind everyone of the horridness caused, in hopes that others would learn from this and never repeat the same mistake.
All the items and furniture-- everything inside the castle was sold off after Twilight was banished, and all the money went to those that had their Hearths Warming ruined, and to pay for the damages, which was why everyone seemed much richer now than ever!
“Come on; on with the tour!” Pinkie called, and all the tourists headed off.
Twilight felt very broken hearted and very hurt. It seemed as if the world of Equestria had become much richer without her; like she was some sort of wall holding things back that everyone was glad to be rid of! What was more, she hadn’t seen all of her old friends yet.
“What happened to Starlight Glimmer?” she asked to the spirit, “And Rainbow Dash and Applejack. I must know.”
The spirit then guided her to Miser’s old bank, which now I had a picture of Starlight hanging above it, meaning SHE was now the owner and proprietor of the bank.
Much as she was angry with Twilight; as her former apprentice she had a knack for book-balancing, adding figures, and all that. Plus, the bank needed a new owner since Miser passed, and while Starlight felt it was also partially her fault for dragging Miser to the party, which started the whole incident in the beginning, she felt she owed it this much to herself and to Miser to take care of the bank.
She was now at the top of her game, collecting and handing out loans and donations.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack came along to collect a small withdrawal. “Time to do the annual charity work.” said Rainbow.
Starlight gave the mares a cheque to spend in the market for supplies to get to give out to the poor.
“And don’t forget,” said Starlight “You still have to give supplies, to You-Know-Who.”
The mares looked sour, “Oh, right.” scoffed Applejack “I don’t get what the whole point is. She was banished from here.”
“Maybe…” agreed Starlight “But Miser Stash never turned his back on any pony, and I’m not about to either.”
Twilight felt strangely about this, but she knew fully well whom they were talking about.
She looked up at the spirit, “Is that where we’re going next; to see me?”
The spirit nodded and transported them again… to a far off place beyond the Equestrian borders, to a rocky canyon where it was hot and dry, laden with bones and nothing but rocks and mountain formations for miles
“This is where I live?” Twilight asked.
The spirit only pointed forward, and much to Twilight’s shameful and pending fear, she saw herself, or rather what she would look like in future, and she was a mess! She was all disheveled, from years of living in such a dry place. Her mane was longer, but frizzled and tangled. She wore a tattered, ragged brown robe and was walking along levitating three buckets of rather dirty water she had fetched from a small watering hole for the canyon creatures; her only source of hydration due to lack of rain.
She made it to her home, an unsightly looking cave deep within a ravine. “I’m home…” she called out inside, “I brought the water.”
The Real Twilight wondered who her shadow self was talking to and it turned out that there several boulders around the cave, with cute little faces carved into them.
“I’m talking to a bunch of rocks?!” Twilight cried, then again it made sense, since she had obvious been living alone all this time, with no friends, no pony to talk to, drinking dirty water, and feeding on the fruits and vegetables she grew in a clearing outside; which explained why she seemed so malnourished.
“So, how was everyone’s day?” Shadow Twilight asked to her rock friends. Naturally, there was no verbal answer. She didn’t try to use her magic to turn the rocks into anything better, or even give them some form of life so they could answer.
Obviously, years of living alone in a hot and dry place had changed Twilight for the absolute worst. She had forgotten many of her old spells, and was slowly descending into madness from lack of socialization.
The Real Twilight was starting to tremble in fear, “No, this can’t be real!” she cried, and finally, Rainbow Dash and Applejack had arrived by hot air balloon.
“It’s my friends!” Real Twilight cried, feeling hope was returning, but all Applejack and Rainbow did was drop a couple of small boxes by parachute from the air-balloon.
“Let’s get out of here before I see her.” said Applejack.
“I’m on it.” said Rainbow, and she leapt out of the basket and began to push the balloon along the air to get them both as far from Twilight’s area as fast as she could.
“No! Wait!” Real Twilight called… once again forgetting they couldn’t hear her, and she watched sadly as her old friends vanished into the distance, leaving behind only the falling crates which landed by Shadow Twilight’s cave.
Real Twilight watched her shadow self hastily open the crates, like a curious desert rat, revealing canned foods with pull off tabs, and canteens of fresh drinking water, and a small letter…
“Happy Hearths Warming… and you’re lucky we still do this-- you monster!!”
Shadow Twilight’s eyes filled with tears and she fell on the hot ground, sobbing miserably in her loneliness.
Real Twilight had seen enough, and she was sobbing miserably. “No more!” she begged to the spirit “I can’t stand anymore!”
She finally was beginning to realize the harsh lessons the spirit was trying to show her…
-Actions have consequences-- sometimes all it takes is just one little mistake, and that can change your life forever!
-Friendship may be divine, but even it does not last forever. All friendships can be just easily broken, perhaps beyond repair.
-Sometimes in life, we all must own up to our mistakes!
“I can’t let this happen!” cried Twilight, “I won’t let it happen!”
She turned to face the spirit, “Do you hear me?! I want to go back! I want to make things right again! I won’t let this dark future happen!”
By this time, she was down low, begging the spirit, “This is only a potential future! There’s still time! Please let me go back!”
The spirit remained motionless and didn’t even so much as blink at her.
“Let me go back!
“LET ME GO BACK!!!”
In her fit, Twilight lunged at the spirit…
…and landed with a thud, on the floor of her bedroom.
Twilight got up off the floor, and realized it was morning.
“I’m back!”
She looked around her room and realized the castle was still intact and not a broken down monument. “It’s all still here!” Twilight cried for joy, and then she heard a knock at the door,
“Twily…” Shining Armor called, and he came in along with the rest of her family, “Are you okay?” asked Cadance.
Rather than being overjoyed to see the others, Twilight hastily asked, “What day is it?”
“What?” asked Starlight in confusion?
“What… Day… is it?”
Her brother blinked once, “It’s Hearths Warming day.”
Twilight’s head jerked up, and she checked her calendar on the wall. “It IS…!” she cried “The spirits did it all in just one night!”
Her relatives were all really confused.
“Spirits?” asked Velvet “What spirits? I think you were just dreaming.”
“I’ll say she was; shouting the place down.” muttered Night Light.
Although Twilight herself wasn’t really sure if the whole thing really was a dream or not, she was more than willing to take when she had learned seriously.
She hastily got on her winter garbs, “I hope I’m not too late!”
“Wait, where are you going?” called Cadance, but Twilight was too much in a hurry to answer, and leapt out the window to fly into town, only to stop immediately when she saw her friends were all waiting at the door to the castle.
“Hey!” Twilight called as she soared down, and she suddenly stopped when she noticed how weary and baggy-eyed everyone looked, even Spike was exhausted. “What happened to all of you?”
“Don’t you remember?” yawned Starlight “We stayed up all night helping to clean up the destruction, and we also worked hard to help compensate for the gifts that were lost.”
Twilight noticed that Rarity was wearing a simple necklace, hand-made as was given by the simple string, and recovered ornament from the tree that hadn’t been destroyed.
“I know it’s not as nice as the necklace I wanted to give you.” Spike said to Rarity, but she adored it anyway, and gave him a large smooch on the cheek, “Spike, how could I not be grateful? You did so much to get me that fist gift.”
Spike blushed, but then he yawned as he was still exhausted.
“That’s not all,” said Rainbow, “We found this…” she held up a burnt out cigar that was found by the site where the tree had burned, and the cigar had the logo of the Ponyville bank on it.
Twilight suddenly remembered, “Miser Stash! We’ve got to get him out of jail!”
She was about to run off when Applejack stopped her, “Twilight… he ain’t there.”
Twilight turned to face her friends, and Starlight explained that they discovered the cigar many hours ago while it was still night, when Twilight was at home and deeply asleep. They didn’t wish to awaken her.
“As soon as we found out this, we knew Miser Stash was innocent,” said Starlight “And so we went and got him out of jail immediately.”
“That’s wonderful!” cried Twilight, but she noticed that everyone still seemed a bit down.
“Twilight,” Fluttershy said “…He was very angry and upset.”
In a flashback, Miser was indeed very upset.
He clutched his broken glasses-- the result of a snowball being hurled at him, exactly like in Twilight’s dream.
“So, um…” Pinkie Pie said trying to be friendly with him, “No hard feelings?”
Naturally, Miser was furious, and slammed the remains of his glasses on the floor. He could still see enough to walk on his own without them, but that didn’t change what he did next…
…he angrily passed the Deed of his bank to Starlight, “It’s yours now!”
The gang was all shocked, and Miser had declared, “This is not the first time Hearths Warming has wrecked my life!
But it is the last time! THE, VERY, LAST TIME!!”
The ponies didn’t understand what he meant by “wrecking his life” but Fluttershy tried to console Miser. “We know you didn’t start that fire. We’re all very sorry, and we want to make it up to you!”
Miser was ultimately unmoved. “You think you can just blame a pony for a crime he didn’t commit, horribly humiliate him across the kingdom, and expect one little apology will instantly heal such scars and make everything alright?”
The gang knew he had a point there, and Miser’s decision was final; he was going to leave Equestria-- go beyond the borders of the country, and settle down some place new where there was no Hearths Warming.
“Goodbye… Good luck… and HUMBUG TO YOU ALL!!”
Then he was gone. He left town immediately on the first train he could catch, vowing to send back for his belongings.
Twilight almost couldn’t believe it. “He left just like that?!”
Starlight nodded, and showed Twilight the deed to the bank, “It’s ours now.”
Twilight felt very upset. Her tears were showing, “…Because of me; it’s all my fault! I was the one who wired that tree improperly.”
“Yeah… we… kinda discovered that too.” said Rainbow, implying that the gang and those who still helped cleaned up discovered the fire was electrical due to an overload.
Now Twilight felt worried; worried that every pony in town would be out to hate her, and banish her just like in her dream.
However, Starlight assured her “It’ll be okay, Twilight. At least we have a chance to make things right for every pony else.” and she motioned at the deed she had to the bank, meaning they could start a big donation charity, and really give back for all the trouble that happened…
Plus, Miser’s employers would need a boss since he was gone.
Twilight felt there was no alternative and snapped herself upright. “It’s Hearths Warming day, and I learned a lot.” she declared proudly “I’ve made my mistakes, and while I can’t fix all of them, I can do what I can to make things right!”
The others were a little confused from her sudden determination, but despite their weariness from working hard all night, they all agreed to help as best they could.
So, even though it was Hearth’s Warming, a time to be with family, Twilight felt that the current issues were more important. So she and Starlight reopened the bank, announcing to everyone in Ponyville that they planned to compensate for the losses and damage.
Small loans were carried out, and charity donations were given to help feed the poor and the sickly.
All day long Twilight and her friends spent helping others to make up for what had happened, and by sundown, pretty much everything was all fixes. Ponies could afford to buy gifts again, the poor and sickly were being tended too…
Of course, the loans would have to be paid back by the following year; as Twilight and Starlight had to run the bank professionally, and it would take time to juggle it all into their already extremely busy schedules, but for now, Twilight was just happy things didn’t go as badly as she dreamed.
-Miser was alive-- angry, gone, but alive.
-She herself was not hated and banished from Equestria.
-All the damages were fixed up as best as could be.
…It was all fine.
Eventually, her family joined her from the castle, having spent the day making a delightful Hearths Warming dinner for everyone. “You didn’t think you’d get out of spending Hearths Warming with your family that easily.” said Night Light.
“Dad!” Twilight chuckled.
The family all sate down to eat, but Starlight and the others, they were way out cold-- all fast asleep on the chairs and sofas in the waiting lobby, from being wide awake for twenty-four straight hours working!
“Poor things.” said Cadance “We better leave them some food.”
Shining Armor agreed. “Meantime, more food for us…”
As the family sat down to eat, Twilight remained silent for a moment, silently praying in her mind, “I know I wronged you, Miser Stash, and believe me… I really hoped I could make it up to you. Wherever you are, I’m sorry… and, I know you wouldn’t like me saying this to you, but… …Happy Hearths Warming, wherever you are.” “Twily, you okay?” asked Shining Armor.
Twilight just nodded, and settled down to her dinner on that Hearths Warming night.