Christmas is approaching in Canterlot City, and the girls notice how lonely Sunset Shimmer is during the holidays. Can they give her the best Christmas ever?
Christmas is quickly approaching in Canterlot City, and the girls are all excited for their holiday plans. However, they begin to notice that Sunset isn't so enthused, and quickly figure out it's because of how lonely she's always been during the winter holidays. Thus, the girls decide to throw her a special Hearth's Warming-themed party, with the help of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Will they succeed in getting Sunset into the holiday spirit?
It was a really peaceful afternoon in the city of Canterlot. There was unusually little activity on the streets, being full of a thin yet soft blanket of snow. Now and then, there was a big plow pushing the show into tight piles on the sidewalk, leading to a few people digging through the blockades, but other than that, it was nearly silent all around.
That is, until the strike of 4pm – specifically at the local education facility known as Canterlot High. At that very moment, there was a loud series of bells, followed by the distinct, loud rush of teenagers rushing out. But this time, it was even louder than usual, as this particular dismissal marked the start of the students’ Winter Break. Two weeks full of snowy fun, hot cocoa by the warm fireplace, and – most importantly – Winter Holidays.
Among the colorful wave of students and the occasional faculty member, were a group of seven seniors that particularly stood out. Except for classes, they were almost always seen together by their peers and faculty, and there was a shared energy of friendship surrounding the group that seemed strangely contagious to everyone around them.
They met at their special little meeting spot, the school’s signature statue – or at least, what was left of it. Last Friendship Games, its mascot had sadly suffered an… explosive fate. But it didn’t matter to the girls, as they still enjoyed meeting most every day after school and catching up on current events. And despite the snowy weather, this was no exception.
Pinkie Pie, to no one’s surprise, was the first to speak up. “Whoopee, it’s snowing!” she said, as she happily bounced between the girls, tasting flakes on her tongue with each pause.
Twilight felt especially smart. “I told you girls it was going to snow today. It was obvious to anyone who paid attention to the temperature trends and humidity.”
Rarity smiled, wearing a black fur coat and slim but long purple boots. “I knew I dressed appropriately for the occasion,” she went, feeling proud of her own foresight.
“It’s like mother nature has greeted our vacation by giving us a taste of her heavenly paradise!” Pinkie said again.
Surprised at the philosophical analogy, all the others could respond with were confused noises and polite ‘Uh-huhs’.
Applejack continued the discussion, “Anyway, what are you girls doing for the holidays this year? My extended family is going to visit Sweet Apple Acres, and we’re all working together for a fantastic Christmas feast.” She sighed contently, almost tasting the delicious turkey, ham, and apple cider in her mind.
"I’ve been asked to help babysit Lily Pad and her little sister, Water Lily on Christmas Eve while their mother picks up their grandparents from the airport,” Pinkie added, with marginally less enthusiasm than before, but still clearly full of excitement.
“My family is volunteering to help serve the animal shelter and help serve the homeless,” Fluttershy smiled, only to slightly grimace. “I just hope Zephyr actually does more than take some samples for himself.”
“I’m just going North to see my family,” Twilight said simply. “We’re doing a little white elephant exchange. Little do they know, I can use weight, area, and texture to perfectly determine which present to pick.”
“I’m just going to enjoy all the thrilling sports events,” Rainbow Dash said excitedly. “Did I tell you our football team is playing against the Yakyakistan Yaks?”
“About 50 times…” Rarity sighed before continuing. “Well, I’ll definitely try to get the best winter clothes for my family that my hard-earned money can buy. I’ll design some myself if I must, as Sweetie Belle would look so fabulous with the right clothing.” She suddenly stopped with a determined look, and quickly backed down after an awkward silence followed.
What else caught the girls’ attention, however, was the lack of a seventh voice. Come to think of it, there was a distinct absence of red and yellow among the group. It didn’t take long, however, to find the source of these sensations was quietly stepping back in the direction toward her apartment.
“Hmm, it’s not like Sunset Shimmer to just quietly leave us like this,” Rarity thought out loud.
The others mm-hmm’ed in agreement. “I tend to notice that sudden introversion usually correlates to a fit of depression,” Twilight helpfully said.
“Well, Sunset’s our friend, and we can’t let this go unnoticed!” Rarity replied confidently. “We should do whatever we can to get her out of this funk.”
“Ooh, can I throw a ‘Cheer Up Sunny’ party?” Pinkie blurted out.
Applejack tapped Pinkie’s shoulder. “No, we need to take a subtle and… honest approach. I think I’ll just talk to her.”
Upon Rarity’s nod of approval, Applejack began to quickly walk in Sunset’s direction.
***
Just as Sunset was about to take out the keys to her apartment as usual, she heard the distinct sound of footsteps rushing toward her. Turning around, she wasn’t too surprised to see one of her friends, in this case being Applejack. She couldn’t help but creep a smile just the same.
“Hey, Applejack,” she simply said.
“Hello, Sunset,” Applejack panted, but still made sure to tip her hat. “I noticed you weren’t in the most chipper of moods earlier today, so I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help.”
Sunset’s head went down, obviously not wanting to approach the topic. “I appreciate the gesture, Applejack, but…” She quickly whipped her head back toward the door. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
“C’mon, ya can trust us,” Applejack insisted. “We’ve always been there for ya.”
The door opened, and after a brief pause, Sunset only walked inside. A quick Applejack, however, held the door open for herself before it could be closed.
“Ya know ya shouldn’t be afraid of letting us know of yer emotions,” The farm girl then said. “It’s nuthin to be embarrassed about or anything.”
“Look, I’d rather not put a damper on your holidays.” Sunset Shimmer then bursted.
“And I don’t want you to continue giving yourself a damper on your holidays,” Applejack replied, tensing up in tone.
“Oh sure, put it entirely on me!” Sunset shouts, much to Applejack’s shock. “You think I already don’t realize enough that I have always been alone for the winter holidays?”
Applejack simply gave a somewhat surprised, but more modest look than before. “…That’s right, you really don’t have any family here.”
Sunset Shimmer sighed. She couldn’t really hide it any longer even if she tried, so might as well let it out. She took a deep breath, then calmly released her despair. “Not only have I never had anyone to be around when I started to enter this world, but I haven’t seen or even heard from my family in so many years…” She held back tears, choking as she continued. “Anyone I could’ve been around here, I intentionally turned away, and even now, you girls all have your own plans and are going to other places to spend the holidays. Meanwhile, all I have is this little reminder of how alone I really am. I-I simply mustn’t interfere.”
Applejack said. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that. …Is-is there anything we could do?”
Sunset Shimmer let a slight chuckle, though she otherwise kept her frown. “Not unless you can change the past. Thanks for trying, but I’m afraid this can’t be helped.”
Applejack wanted to say more, but wanting to respect Sunset’s wishes, simply closed her door. The other girls were waiting on the street just outside, eagerly waiting for Applejack’s update. Without waiting a second, she quietly yet quickly dumped all she picked up on to the others, who gained increasingly concerned looks as the farm girl went on. After she finally finished, there was a long silence before Fluttershy finally whispered: “Oh dear…”
Rainbow was a little more active. “Surely there's some way we can make her holiday at least 20% cooler!”
“I’m not sure…” Twilight said doubtfully. “Can we really offset her years of solitude?”
“C’mon, a little party can solve anything!” Pinkie shouted.
“Pinkie, I told you, that…” Applejack began to repeat her earlier statement, but now putting Sunset’s situation into context, she finished in self-surprise, “…might actually work.”
“I do think that we shouldn’t overdo it, but…” Suddenly, an idea came to creative Rarity’s head. “Perhaps giving her a little Christmas cheer could indeed go a long way.”
Scanning the rest of the group; Pinkie gave a quick, eager nod, Fluttershy gave a thumbs-up, Rainbow appeared excited, while Twilight gave a wide smile.
“C’mon girls,” Rainbow said, holding out her hand, “let’s give Sunset Shimmer the best Christmas ever!”
“Yeah!” they all replied, raising their arms in triumphant unison.
The girls all met in the Sweet Shoppe, where they all quietly sipped some hot drinks while they were thinking of ideas. The middle of the round table that they sat in had a few scattered pieces of notebook paper, with some scribbled words and even a couple rough sketches. Clearly, this idea wasn’t going to be an easy as they thought.
“I think we should be considering,” Applejack finally spoke, “exactly what makes Christmas special. Like family, and giving, and…”
“All the fashionable winter clothing,” Rarity added in.
“Maybe, but…”
"Not to mention candy, cheer, and presents!” Pinkie said.
“That’s not really what I was thinking…” Applejack tried to reply.
“The pure peace and goodwill toward everyone?” Fluttershy blissfully added on.
“Don’t forget all the snow sports!” Rainbow Dash added on, her sneakered feet laying on the table.
“Girls!” Applejack finally shouted, which caught some brief attention from the other patrons, much to her embarrassment. Finally, she took a deep breath before continuing. “I’m glad there’s so much to be happy for with the holidays, but what about it do you think will win over Sunset Shimmer?”
Rainbow Dash was quick to defend herself, returning to a more normal posture. “Well, it’s not like we really know how Sunset used to celebrate.”
"Come to think of it…” Fluttershy pondered, “we don’t really know anything about what Equestria does for its Winter holidays.”
“That’s right… this is not familiar customs we’re talking about here,” Applejack said, putting a finger to her chin in deep thought. “I wonder…”
Out of nowhere came Pinkie Pie's idea. “Maybe we could message the pony princess Twilight Sparkle with that little magical, texty journal of hers and ask her to tell us about her winter holidays and even give us an idea on what we could do to help Sunset, thus getting her into the holiday spirit through her old memories?”
After a brief, still pause from the entire party, a surprised Twilight expressed the entire group’s thoughts. “That makes more logical sense than any other idea I have in mind. I know I always get fond over occasional nostalgia."
"I concur," Rarity said, turning her neck between girls. "We're going with your plan, Pinkie."
"Yay, I'm two for two on ideas today!" Pinkie said happily.
“But we’d have to reach Princess Twilight with Sunset’s journal,” Applejack said. “How in tarnation would we get a hold of that?”
“Here ya go!” Pinkie inexplicably pulled the magical journal out of her backside, handing it over to Applejack.
“…But how did…”
“She always leaves it by her loose window, and I somehow knew we’d need it around now.”
Applejack was a little bothered by that, and still had a few questions in mind, but shrugged it all off because it sure did indeed come in handy.
She briskly turned the pages until she found the first blank one available. Using her free hand to carry the pen from the table, she looked around in case anyone had any hesitation with her writing inside. But if anything, they were giving hand gestures that encouraged her to go on, so with confidence, she began. “Dear Princess Twilight…”
***
Five girls were still sitting at the same table as before, having finished their drinks and looking tiredly at each other, sometimes a little gesture such as Rainbow twiddling her thumbs and Pinkie endlessly tapping on her phone.
Finally, however, the door opened, bringing not only the rather annoying gust of wind into the café, but also Rarity alongside Princess Twilight, wearing a light blue fur coat, plain black mittens, and matching suede boots.
“Sorry I’m late, girls,” Rarity said. “But I absolutely had to make sure our friend was properly dressed for the weather.”
The girls, however, only really paid attention to Princess Twilight, who cheerfully waved. “Hello, girls! Long time no see!”
“Yee, Princess Twilight, it’s so great to see you again!” Pinkie hugged. “We haven’t seen you since the Battle of the Bands! Oh, we have so much to catch up on!”
“I… could… say the same…” Twilight said, struggling to get a word out from her pink human friend’s tight grip.
“Ooh, sorry,” Pinkie said, quickly releasing her embrace.
Applejack tipped her hat as she stood up. “Anyway, Princess Twilight, we definitely could use your help.”
“So you told me,” Twilight said, taking a seat of her own. “I must say, it's great that you want me to help you girls bring a little Hearth's Warming cheer to Sunset Shimmer. So, I brought this book with me that shows the story behind our own festivities.”
She took out of her saddlebag-turned-backpack the vibrantly-illustrated cover of a book simply entitled, "The Founding of Equestria". It depicted three ponies; an earth pony in a farm area, a pegasus on a cloud, and a unicorn on more mountainous terrain; all of them wore furious scowls at one another, as a storm could be seen brewing in the background.
"Ooh, we would love to hear,” Fluttershy said sweetly.
“Yeah, plus it actually looks pretty awesomely intense,” Rainbow added on, giving her full attention toward the foreign princess.
“Alright, then,” Twilight said, opening the book to begin.
She told them the origin of the Equestrian winter holiday as the storybook described and visualized, from the conflict between the various pony nations, to how they constantly got in the way of each other's plans, and finally how they all came together under a cold, snowy, windigo-invested cave by vowing to always look out for one another and show unconditional love. It was obviously simplified since the book was intended for fillies, but as an entirely different species who knew next to nothing about such an otherworldly nation, the girls were in complete awe throughout. Some like Fluttershy and Pinkie outright weeped as Twilight told of the more dramatic parts.
“…So, the tribes founded the land of Equestria together, and all the ponies have celebrated this moment’s anniversary every year since,” she finished, shutting the book with a proud look.
“That was such a lovely story,” said Fluttershy.
"No kiddin'," Applejack replied, especially impressed.
“I’m not sure I would go that far, but I’ll admit, it was pretty satisfying to see how far putting aside their differences went.” Sci-Twi added on.
“I especially loved how happiness was what saved the day in the end!” Pinkie Pie grinned.
"Was it really that suspenseful?" Applejack then asked.
Princess Twilight slightly blushed. "Eh, probably not, but it's still really neat and it does greatly show the importance of unity and friendship."
“I guess… that’s what Christmas is really about.” Rarity thought out loud. The others lightly nodded in agreement.
“When I was a filly,” Princess Twilight continued, eyes closed as memories flooded her mind, “Shiny and I always loved to dig into our presents. But we were always so happy to see our gifts to our parents bring happiness into their lives as well. These days, Spike and I like to each open one gift early just because it makes the happiness last a little longer.”
“So, what we need is something that would leave a memorable and meaningful impact on Sunset Shimmer?” Sci-Twi asked.
“Exactly,” The other Twilight said, winking at her born-human counterpart. “I knew we’d both be on the same page.”
"Perhaps," Applejack said, occasionally pausing to think over her words, "we could try to set up this big, extravagant event to bring all these… Hearth’s Warming traditions right to her. Make her feel right at home, just like I always do with mah own family…”
"Ooh, I can design some quick outfits that match the tribes!" Rarity cooed in excitement.
"And I can have some of my adorable little animals dress up like the windigoes," Fluttershy said.
Applejack chuckled. "Sounds great to me." She then cast a side glance to a certain girl setting next to her. “Now if only we had some kinda party planner…”
Pinkie Pie excitedly pulled a big clipboard and pen out of her hair. “Just let me know what you’ll need and I’ll be at it on the double!” she said eagerly.
“Hang on,” Rainbow said, pointing one finger upright. “Where exactly will we pull this off?”
“…Her apartment, I guess,” said Applejack, “but we will need some way to get her out long enough to set all this up…”
Sci-Twi stood from her seat. “Well, I suppose I could ask to have a nice, intimate walk with her around the city. She’s… admittedly known me for less time than the others, so I think she will be a little more open with me.”
“Good,” the princess went. “Now, for the rest of us, here’s the plan…”
Sunset Shimmer was lying on her living room couch, about to start playing her favorite video game to help ease her stress, before she heard yet another door knock. Exasperated, she answered without fully trying to put on a good mood, but was a little surprised to instead find Twilight Sparkle, her glasses-wearing friend, acting more humbly than even Applejack managed to.
“Oh, hey Twilight,” she said, attempting to sound polite.
“Hello, Sunset Shimmer. I don’t have any plans, and you don’t seem to either, so you want to just go on a little friendly walk?”
Sunset was reluctant to answer at first, but after a first seconds, finally decided on the best choice for her. “I… guess I could.”
She dropped the controller that laid in her hand, put on a small smile, and politely exited the house, wearing her thick black leather jacket. She made sure the door was locked behind her as she left the apartment, but that didn’t stop the girls. As soon as Sunset Shimmer was out of sight, which was admittedly below-average thanks to the wind and snow, the girls moved from the back-right corner to the front door.
Once again, Pinkie Pie was of helpful assistance. She pulled the pot to the right of the door a few inches past the surface, and sure enough, there was Sunset’s spare key taped to the wall.
"Photographic memory from when she locked herself out that one girls’ night!” she said, proud that she happened to be around at the same time.
“Well, it’s at least a better explanation than the journal…” Rainbow murmured.
“Less talking, more decorating!” Rarity said, not wanting to judge Pinkie even further. She took out the rough sketches she had made, which translated the pony tribes’ outfits as illustrated on the book cover into a more human shape. “I have some dresses to make!”
At that moment, she rushed out the door, but tried not to be too noisy about it.
Hardly any time passed before Sunset Shimmer’s living area was bustling with activity. Rainbow Dash was filling the back walls with traditional fluorescent lights, similar to those surrounding her banister. Applejack lent some leftover materials from her family film – mostly rustic-colored paper and hard plastic - to ensure a classic, homey feel to some picture frames she was tasked to build.
Pinkie Pie was passionately painting on a very large sheet of paper, with a variety of blues, purples, and a little of several other colors to create a truly celestial image: a recreation of the first flag of Equestria. While Pinkie brought the kind of energy that made the work truly shine on its own, Princess Twilight constantly checked to make sure she properly followed the example she was given.
Fluttershy had some aqua yarn and a sewing needle at her disposal. Sitting on the far end of the slightly hard but comfortably angled couch, she calmly began knitting her smaller, far less ambitious clothing for a few of her animals.
When Princess Twilight gave herself a moment to breathe, she held a few small slips of plastic in her right hand. Panting, she told the excited group, “When Princess Celestia heard about this idea, she decided to help out by lending me some old pictures of her.”
The girls all gathered around to see them. Sure enough, they depicted Sunset – not just younger, but as a pony. Some of them showed her studying under the tutelage of the Equestrian monarch, while others showed her at home, happily celebrating the holidays. None of them showcased her family, but none of the natives really took notice of that. Instead, they were focusing squarely on Sunset’s natural form, having never seen it before and occasionally being curious as to what their best friend used to truly look like.
“So that’s what looked like back in Equestria,” Applejack said with fascination.
“Aww, even I didn’t think she’d be this adorable!” Fluttershy cooed.
“I know, right?” Pinkie Pie agreed, her finger petting one particular portrait. “I’m never going to see her the same way ever again…”
Rainbow Dash had a more modest look, but still looked fairly impressed. “I didn’t think their ponies would look like that. But I guess she does make for a pretty awesome-looking pony.”
"How is everything coming along, anyway?” Princess Twilight asked, having mostly kept Pinkie Pie in check for the longest time.
“Super-duper!” Pinkie Pie replied, bouncing around. “This is going to be one fantastic Christmas!”
***
Sunset and Twilight walked through the quiet, night-lit streets of downtown Canterlot City. There was barely a car to be heard, but there were a number of kids and parents gleefully playing various snow games or just having a happy time together. While Sunset couldn't help but find all this charming in just how wholesome and cheerful it all was, she would always turn her head down to the partially-covered pavement.
They had been out for about 20 minutes, although they didn’t do much discussion apart from occasional small talk. Twilight had mostly been following Sunset, wanting to make her comfortable by letting her walk the way she wants to.
This came to a sudden stop, however, when the main centerpiece of the city’s festivities came into view: a big Christmas tree, stuffed with ornaments, bells, and orbs, creating a colorful, downright gorgeous sight, shining radiantly to all its surroundings. Several people stood closer to the tree, sometimes swapping, and the lights from the tree rotated in a manner that made it dance off the buildings, snow, and roads alike.
Sunset slowly looked over it with an almost blank expression, remaining almost motionless until Sci-Twi gently put a hand onto her left shoulder. She just briefly glanced back at the purple girl, then turned her head toward the tree once more with a content sigh.
Twilight Sparkle took a good glimpse at the decorated, near-symmetrical fir in the distance. She most definitely appreciated the sight, and it was aesthetically pleasing for sure, but she was much more curious at Sunset's near-mesmerized state. Thus, she finally let out her first words in quite some time: "Isn't this such a pretty tree, Sunset Shimmer?"
"...Yeah," Sunset quietly replied. She was evidently letting her mind wander off as she was content.
Twilight was personally hoping for more of a response than that, but seeing her friend be legitimately happy at something involving the winter holidays was definitely enough for her. So she continued to observe the tree, the small but growing crowds surrounding it, and all the little lights shining to and from it.
***
The framed portraits and hanging lights would’ve each looked fantastic and festive by itself… but combined with everything else inside the little corner in her tacky apartment, it was simply starting to look garish. It didn’t help that the six costumes Rarity had made from some leftover materials in her personal workshop – while nice-looking for a rush job – were a little too colorful for their own good.
Applejack, having just finished her last picture frame, old photos of Sunset inserted and everything, was the first to catch onto this. “Girls, I like these pretty bells and whistles as much as the next gal, but… don’t you think this is getting a little… unfocused?”
Rarity, closest to her, scooted towards her and spoke quietly. “For once, I’d have to agree with you, darling. There’s flashy and fabulous, and then there’s…” She looked back at the near-complete project. “…Disorganized and ugly.”
“Yeah, but…” Fluttershy joined in, sounding nervous, “Princess Twilight does have first-hand experience in the holiday. If anyone knows what Hearth’s Warming decorations would look like… it’s her.”
The three looked at the visitor, who was talking to Pinkie Pie about the party plan, gesturing her arms all over the place as she did.
Applejack sighed. “Yes, I suppose we should just take her word for it. After all, Twilight here is organized to a... frankly obsessed degree.”
Rarity had suddenly pulled out her phone and after a few seconds of scanning, she let out an alerted gasp. “Sunset is coming back!”
“Oh, better hurry all the finishing touches!” Princess Twilight suddenly announced. “Make sure everything is perfectly organized, and that not one thing is out of place…”
***
As Sunset Shimmer's townhouse was within eyesight, she and Twilight Sparkle took their time as they wrapped up their surprisingly nice walk. They spent a good hour or so analyzing the picturesque sight that beheld their eyes, and it seemed to make Sunset a little more outgoing throughout the long trudge back.
"I told you there was something to appreciate about the holidays," Twilight said smugly.
"Yeah, I'll admit it was always my favorite thing about the season, even back when I first appeared into this world. I still wish I had a family to go to, but even I know I shouldn't make it a complete bummer."
"You got us though," Twilight said, in a matter-of-fact but still sincere manner.
"Thanks, Twilight," Sunset smiled as the two stopped in front of the door, "but... it's not the same. You wouldn't understand."
Twilight wanted to answer, but she saw Sunset taking out her door key, and thus didn't want to interrupt what was waiting on the other side.
When Sunset finally opened the door, she was greeted with...
"SURPRISE!"
And there she was, shocked and frozen as she looked at the crowded sight in front of her: six familiar girls of varying colors, each of which was wearing a marginally less familiar getup. She then acknowledged a reluctant Angel Bunny, as well as a few other small creatures, dressed in a full-body, light blue sweater with googly eyes glued onto them.
It's just like the Hearth's Warming pageant she used to watch when she was a filly...
And then there were the picture frames, depicting herself as a filly. One was her happily showing off her magic alongside Princess Celestia herself, while another was the last family portrait she ever took with them.
Sunset felt her heart warming, and her mouth was quivering. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She even finally recognized Princess Twilight Sparkle herself, dressed in a Clover the Clever-esque brown robe.
She gave the entire display one last look around and, finally giving into her conflicting emotions, exited back through the same doorway she came in, immediately letting out a few noises that the group could barely make out as sobbing.
"Clearly this did not go as planned..." Princess Twilight said out loud, growing more concerned by the second.
The seven girls all slowly peeked out the door to find Sunset Shimmer sitting down on the nearest sidewalk, quietly sobbing to herself.
“Oh dear,” Fluttershy said with concern. “I think our efforts have only made her feel worse.”
“I am definitely not having fun right now…” Pinkie frowned.
“I knew we shouldn’t have gotten involved…” said Rarity.
But Princess Twilight didn’t want to back down. “Now, now,” she said, still secretly a little unsure, “we can still fix this with the right planning and art and…”
Sci-Twi, however, put a hand on her counterpart’s arm to stop her. “Girls, I think we all are going about this the wrong way.”
After a moment’s pause, she finally creaked the door open enough to let herself out. She slowly walked through the flurrying snow to directly encounter Sunset Shimmer once more.
Sunset, having heard the footsteps from behind her, fought the tears as best she could, but when she turned toward the glasses-wearing girl, her eyes still looked bloodshot. As she figured out what her friends were all thinking, her eyebrows arched further, her frown somewhat decreased but still remained prominent, and her eyelids rose to halfway shut. Sci-Twi couldn’t figure out why, but she knew Sunset was acting concerned… for them?
Sci-Twi struggled to come up with the right words to say, knowing the delicate nature of the situation. She looked back at the others, still looking from the doorway, who were starting to look a little worried themselves. “Sunset… what’s the matter? You know we aren’t afraid to help you.”
Admittedly, the wording could’ve been better, but Sunset knew the newest member of the group could be a little awkward, and thus sympathized with her. After a brief pause and hesitance of her own, Sunset Shimmer began her response with a long sigh. “I know you girls were trying to help me, and… really, I appreciate it, but…” She struggled to not tear up once more as she forced her repressed memories into her mind. “I… can’t think of Hearth’s Warming after how much of a… jerk I was during all my time in Equestria.
“I was already a little greedy with my presents, bragging about my magical prowess to my parents. And after I started studying with Princess Celestia, I not only became even worse over time, but I… never thought to visit my family again. I… didn’t care about them. I really was the worst unicorn ever on Hearth’s Warming…”
Rarity was the next to step forward and get a word in. “But Sunset, darling, you know you shouldn’t let your past affect the future, and you’ve come such a long way!”
Sunset sniffled. “I know Rarity, but… Hearth’s Warming is such a special and feel-good time of the year that I completely squandered. I had no real family and friends to come to since I came to this world, and even when I was around my family, I didn’t let them share their love with me. It-It’s the one thing where I basically hurt myself just as much as those around me, even if I didn’t know it at the time.”
Pinkie Pie bounced in, standing between the three other girls outside and spreading her arms across them. “But it’s not like that anymore!” she said in her usual bubbly tone. “You’ve got us! And we’ve arranged a great big holiday party for you!”
“You… you really shouldn’t have,” she said. “I don’t deserve it from you.”
The rest of the girls finally joined in around her. Applejack spoke next, “Sunset, didya really think that ya were the only one to act a little naughty and greedy during the holidays?”
Sunset quietly shook her head, but before she could speak, the farm girl continued.
“When I was a little gal, I was always begging my ma and pa for every neat-looking toy I would see on TV. And I would cry and whine when I didn’t get exactly what I wanted… and I was like that for way more years than I would’ve liked…” She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.
“I was kind of like that too,” Rarity added. “Except I would always demand the most prestigious decorating or dress-making supplies I could find. I kept thinking Santa would always deliver it to me, no matter what the cost. However, my parents knew better than to just let Sweetie Belle and I have whatever we wanted, and I learned to better appreciate what I did have.” She looked at her fingernails, which were glistening in the light of a nearby street lamp. “Though spending a little extra on looking good never hurt…”
“…I would hog all the rock candy from my sisters,” said Pinkie Pie, a little somber. “They were just always so tasty, and once I had one, I could never stop!”
Rainbow Dash made her description more concise. “I would fixate so much on the holiday sports games, that I would always forget about my family.”
“It’s when I would always have my biggest fights with Zephyr,” said Fluttershy. “He would always try to coattail off my presents, and it would eventually get to the point where I couldn't control my temper."
Sunset Shimmer found it legitimately hard to believe that kind Fluttershy could really get that upset, but she still trusted her and the others' words. It all made sense to her now; everyone sometimes acted selfish or even bratty during the holidays, some more than others, but the Christmas spirit was still strong enough to last through the rough patches. All their loved ones forgave and forget, and their past deeds never stopped them from looking forward to the holidays and all the joy that came with them.
She may have had to struggle and perform an extraordinary feat to win over CHS, but with her family... maybe she really does have a chance to patch things back up with them...
Keeping her face down, she slowly trudged back inside the townhouse, where the girls carefully followed. She took another look at the decorations before her eyes finally settled on the portraits, all lined up in a row on the table.
Apart from how odd it was to see her pony form after so long (she never exactly looked at a mirror during her last few drop-ins), she found her mind wandering onto territory she was never able to reach before: the truly happy memories associated with each event. Oh, how excited she was to dig into her presents as a filly, and how magical she believed the sight of snow was. And her parents were sure thoughtful about her gifts, as much as she didn't want to admit it at the time...
She knew she wasn't confident enough yet to face her parents; it's not like she could drop in on them out of nowhere. But when the time was right, she really felt like she could try. But for now, perhaps she could create new holiday members with her friends right now.
"So, you want me to be happy, girls?" Sunset playfully asked. "How's about we have a good time at that big tree downtown?"
Sci-Twi backed up her idea by scooting nearby. "She really seemed to like it while we were out."
"It was always my favorite thing about the holidays in this world, even before I really got to know all of you. I don't even know how to describe it, but there's just something so nice about it. No matter how much happiness it gives, it never asked for anything back."
Half of the group considered it a fairly bizarre analogy, but they quickly got over it and took up Sunset's offer, happy to join along on what they know would lift her spirits.
Sure enough, with nightfall having completely covered the region, the area was both prettier and more populated than ever. Unlike before, Sunset actually went up to see the tree up close, and it proved even more gorgeous and vibrant than the distant landscape she knew and loved. However, what made her feel best of all was the fact that she got to share it with all her best friends. They all laughed at one another as they shared some small but satisfying holiday treats, as well as fun little stories expanding on what they had told Sunset before about their holiday memories and traditions.
It was Princess Twilight Sparkle, however, that directly approached Sunset Shimmer, with nothing more than a simple question in mind.
"I've been meaning to ask, but why did you bring your backpack?"
"I was hoping you'd bring that up," Sunset said happily. "I've been meaning to give these to you, and I simply can't think of a better time." She clipped off the bag and carried it in front, allowing her to zip off the biggest flap. She carried out six picture frames, each of which contained a portrait of Sunset alongside one of her friends, one for each.
She handed them over to their respective recipients, one by one. "Merry Christmas, girls," she said sweetly.
Upon receipt, the girls met each of the pictures with varying levels of surprise and fondness. Rainbow Dash's had herself and Sunset on the school's soccer field, after the latter had gotten a bruise on her knee. Fluttershy's depicted the two with their favorite pets, Angel Bunny and Ray. Sunset also shared herself and Sci-Twi helping each other on their homework, baking her first (rather disastrous) cupcakes with Pinkie Pie, riding her first native horse on Applejack's farm (and surprisingly quite enjoying it), and trying on new dresses with Rarity's gracious assistance.
She then turned to Princess Twilight. "I'm afraid I wasn't prepared to prepare a portrait for you, but..."
"Don't worry about it, Sunset Shimmer," the Equestrian Princess said, putting a hand on Sunset's shoulder and spoke in a surprisingly serious manner. "You getting into the holiday spirit thanks to the others and myself is enough of a gift for me." She suddenly sweetened up once more. "Merry Hearth's... I mean, err, Christmas."
And the two interdimensional friends shared a warm cup of hot chocolate.
"Aww, now I feel really bad that I didn't get a present for you!" Pinkie Pie said, breaking the brief silence among the group.
"Come to think of it, I don't recall any of us buying anything for Sunset," Rarity added on.
"Oh, girls..." Sunset said reassuringly, with the happiest smile she's had all day. "You've given me the reassurance I needed to enjoy the holidays after so many years, you convinced me to fondly remember the good times I once had, and you went through all that effort just for me." She nearly choked on her words as she shed a tear. "That's honestly better than any present I could have ever asked for."
She wrapped her arms all around them as best she could, and embraced them in a tight, heartfelt hug. The emotion warmed their hearts from the cold, crisp air, and almost as if by magic, the star on top of the tree twinkled at that very instant.
"C'mon girls, it's time for caroling!" Sci-Twi said, lining up in a circle alongside the other participating residents. Her right hand started a chain of her friends, supporting each other one by one as they connected around the shining tree.
They all turned their heads back, encouraging Sunset to join in with them. With no hesitation, Sunset joined in between Fluttershy and Princess Twilight in the middle, and there she was, sharing a traditional festive tune and starting her holiday traditions anew.
