1- The Angel of Hearth's Warming
It was a quiet evening throughout the town of Ponyville as the winter winds blew and the snow began to settle on the ground. Many creatures were counting the days until Hearth’s Warming, a holiday that was to be celebrated amongst friends and family. A time to be joyful, for harmony, love, and the fire of friendship can warm any heart that was frozen solid by hate and greed. Just as Clover the Clever did many years ago during the first Hearth’s Warming.
However, one such creature that resided at the school of friendship was not in the Hearth’s Warming spirit. Their heart was cold, but not because of greed, hate or jealousy. It was cold because of fear. Throughout most of the year, any problem that he came across, he was able to overcome it with his friends at his side. Now though, with tomorrow being the day that the headmare would dismiss them for the holidays, he was afraid of being alone. For the school of friendship was the only place that he really called home.
In his mind, all Gallus wanted was to be surrounded by the only creatures he ever considered to be friends. He had no family to go back to in Griffonstone. No one to celebrate the Blue Moon Festival with. Nowhere to truly call ‘home’. However, he did have a plan. Something that, if all went well, could give him the chance to stay with his friends a bit longer. He already thought everything out and his mind was already made up. Tomorrow, he was going to put his plan into action.
However, there was one thing that was still bothering him. It echoed in his mind and grew louder like the winter winds blowing against the windows in his dorm. But it wasn’t doubt or guilt that was making his mind restless this evening.
Instead, it was a story.
Earlier…
“You’re serious?” Gallus could hear Smolder ask as he was walking over to the table where his friends were having their lunch. The orange dragon was sitting across from Sandbar and Ocellus, with the three of them looking to be conversing about something. Though, the griffon couldn’t quite tell what it was that they were talking about, “You expect me to believe that such a thing is real?”
“Hey, Ocellus did ask about what kind of stories ponies talk about during the holidays,” the earth pony replied as he took another bite out of his daffodil sandwich, “Many ponies originally thought that it was just a myth. Though, as time passed, things changed. More ponies have claimed to have a run in with them and their lives were changed for the better.”
“Still, all of this seems kind of… fishy,” Smolder replied, just before noticing Gallus walking over, “Hey Gallus, perfect timing.”
“Uh… hey,” the griffon replied, not entirely sure what was going on as he looked at his friends, “What’s going on?”
“Well,” Ocellus now decided to speak as the changeling looked towards her friends, “I was asking about if Sandbar knew any Hearth’s Warming stories. That way I could share them with Thorax and the rest of the Changelings when I go back to the hive. Though, when Sandbar was telling us about it, Smolder was skeptical.”
“It just doesn’t make any sense to me,” the dragon added, “I mean, The Angel of Hearth’s Warming? What kind of name is that?”
When the griffon originally heard that, Gallus frowned. Anytime he would hear any creature talk of angels, they would talk about Elysium. The place where ponykind believed that the souls of the departed would end up. Not exactly the best of things to talk about, especially if this was supposed to be related to Hearth’s Warming, a time of harmony and joy. “What exactly were you telling them, Sandbar?”
“It’s a story that Ms. Glimmer told me,” the earth pony explained, “During Hearth’s Warming, if there was ever some creature that felt like they were alone or that there was something that prevented them from being able to enjoy the holidays, somepony would emerge from the falling snow and help them overcome those problems. They arrived with the winter winds and disappeared the same way, without even telling them their name. Yet, the advice that they shared kept them going and helped them overcome whatever fears or problems they had. If no other creature was there to help them with their problems, they were there for them.”
Smolder just rolled her eyes at that, clearly unimpressed with this fantastical story of pony lore.
Gallus, just about as skeptic, was about to dismiss the outlandish tale as well, but a tiny sliver of curiosity nagged at him to ask. “How exactly can we take your word for it, Sandbar? That just sounds like a story that you would tell hatchlings.”
“Because Ms. Glimmer told me that she knows a few ponies that had this happen to them,” Sandbar replied, “Do you remember that substitute teacher that we had when Headmare Twilight was called to Canterlot?”
Gallus felt the fur on the back of his neck rise up. He had a feeling of who Sandbar was talking about, but did not want to be the creature to say it. Especially since everyone that day felt that the school was being invaded once she trotted through the classroom doors.
“You mean Ms. Shadow?” Ocellus asked.
“Yeah,” the earth pony nodded his head, “It’s not just her though. Remember that student of Starswirl the Bearded? The one that was freed from the Pony of Shadows and later became an author?”
“You mean the one that was mentioned in class?” Smolder now asked, “What was his name again? Styggy… something?”
“Stygian?” the changeling corrected her proudly.
“Yeah, that’s it,” the dragon replied, before looking back to Sandbar, “Though, why are you bringing him up?”
“He’s met the Angel as well!” the earth pony explained, “In fact, Ms. Glimmer told me that it was that encounter with them that actually got Stygian to start writing about his experiences.”
“You gotta be kidding me!” Smolder groaned, “You do realize that the more that you keep talking about this, the more that it sounds ridiculous, right?”
“I don’t think it is,” Ocellus now answered, “All creatures should at least have some creature to help cheer them up. Like if they got some bad news or if something’s bothering them. I mean, that's what Professor Pinkie’s been teaching us, remember? Chapter twenty-two, subchapter three? To be a good friend is to help others smile and stay positive. Isn’t that right Gallus?”
At first, the griffon didn’t even realize that his friend was talking to him. It was only when Smolder tapped Gallus on the shoulder did he realize that they were trying to talk to him and he finally said something. “Y-yeah, something like that.”
“Okay okay,” Smolder interjected, “Let’s say for a moment that what Sandbar was telling us is true… If this ‘Angel’ did exist, then who do you think they would help?”
At first, Ocellus was silent. Though, her friends noticed that her eyes began to shift over to another student. One that was sitting by himself as he was eating a bowl of Macaroni & Cheese. It was a tan colored pegasus colt that was around the same age of Sandbar that had a black mane and tail. They had a cutie mark of what looked to be a crystal, along with a pair of outstretched wings.
“Hey, isn’t that Snow Dust?” Sandbar then asked, “What’s he doing sitting by himself?”
Gallus recognized the name. Snow Dust was a pegasus that was in some of the same classes that he and his friends were in. He was kind, cheerful and always remained positive no matter the situation. Especially during the fiasco earlier in the year with Chancellor Neighsay. Though, this time around, something did not seem right. That cheery expression of his in that moment was absent, and it was clearly noticeable. Almost as if he was lost in their own thoughts
“You think he’s doing okay?”
“I don’t know,” Smolder then said, “Maybe one of us should-”
Yet, before the dragoness could finish, she turned her head and realized that the pegasus was gone. Almost like he disappeared in the blink of an eye. “D-did you two see that?”
“See what-?” Sandbar now asked, only to notice what Smolder was looking at, “Hey, where did he-”
The earth pony’s question was cut off by the unexpected arrival of their other friends, Yona and Silverstream, “Sorry for the wait,” Silverstream said apologetically, “There was some kind of mess in the kitchen that held up the line for food. What did we miss?”
“Mess was caused by friend, Silverstream,” Yona interjected, setting her tray down, “Wanted extra, extra sour cream for smashed potatoes. Spilled all over floor! Lunch pony make us clean up before leaving.”
Silverstream deflected all the questioning looks from the rest of her friends with a shrug before digging into her sour cream with mashed potatoes.
“Right,” Ocellus replied, before asking a different question to get back on topic, “Say, have you two seen Snow Dust at all recently?”
Both the hippogriff and the yak looked to each other, before simultaneously shaking their heads. “No,” Yona added, before the yak noticed the look on her friends faces, “Something wrong with pony friend?”
“I… don’t know, honestly,” Smolder said, “We saw him briefly just a moment ago, but he didn’t really seem to be, well… himself.”
“Maybe he just got some bad news?” Sandbar suggested, “Maybe his Hearth’s Warming plans hit a bit of a snag?”
“How about if we see him, we ask? It wouldn’t be right to just not be there for some creature that needs to talk to someone. Maybe we can be his Angel of Hearth’s Warming?”
“Angel of Hearth’s Warming? What’s that?” the now excited hippogriff asked, much to Gallus and the others’ own dismay as he saw Sandbar turn to face their friend.
“Well, it’s a story that Ms. Glimmer told me that kind of goes like this…”
“Some story,” Gallus rolled his eyes as he turned away from the mirror in his bathroom and walked back towards his room. Ever since Sandbar had talked about it earlier that day, the whole story was stuck in his head and refused to leave. It was almost as if it was trying to prevent the griffon from focusing on anything, even his plans for tomorrow night as he hopped off the bed and tried his best to clear his thoughts, “I mean, even if it were true, what proof would there be-”
When the griffon looked around the room though, one thing caught his attention. There was a cold chill in the air just outside his door, similar to that of the air outside. At first, it didn’t mean much to him. But then, something that Sandbar said earlier when he shared his story began to echo in his mind.
They arrived with the winter winds and disappeared the same way.
“C-come on, snap out of it,” the griffon told himself, shaking his head as numerous thoughts were going through his head and looked outside towards his window., “Y-you’re just tired. S-some creature probably just left open a window or something-”
Yet, as soon as he said that, a shadow flew by the griffon’s window. It startled him. Gallus was not sure what he saw, but he opened his window and stuck his head outside, hoping he could at least see what just passed by his room so quickly. It was too big to just be a simple bird, but it was hard for him to make out in all of this snow.
In the end though, he just let out a deep sigh as he stepped away from the window and locked it back up. “Must’ve just been the wind. I mean, come on. ‘Angel of Hearth’s Warming’? Who would actually believe-”
However, as quickly as Gallus said that, a new voice spoke up, “You know, for a griffon whose name has been making the rounds around Ponyville, you’re a really hard bird to find.”
Immediately, the griffon turned around. At the far end of the room, where the door to his dorm was, he could see what looked to be a pegasus in the shadows as snow fell to the floor. “W-what the-!? W-who are you?! How did you get in my room?!”
“Weren’t you the one that opened up your window?” the stranger asked, which had the griffon stare blankly for a minute once Gallus realized that, “Also, to answer your other question… many know me, or refer to me, as ‘The Angel’.”
At that point, Gallus’ heart was racing. The one thing that he thought was just a mere story was now in his room of all places! Yet, that was not the biggest surprise in store for him this evening.
That happened when the pegasus walked forward and out of the shadows, and Gallus found himself staring at someone that he had seen before. “Though, I’m pretty sure you happen to know who I am, Gallus. I mean, we are in the same class.”
The griffon was at a major loss for words. For the pony that was in front of him was Snow Dust. The pegasus that was in the same class as him was the Angel of Hearth’s Warming? How the name of King Grover did any of this make sense?! Yet, something about him was different. This was not the same pony that he would see in class or who he saw earlier today. It was like they were a completely different creature.
This was further demonstrated when the pegasus stretched out it’s right wing towards the snow that was on the ground. In a matter of seconds, it began to lift itself off the ground and float towards the pegasus, before seemingly being absorbed by the wings. Something that was just not possible by any means. Even pegasi weather magic shouldn’t be able to do something like that.
Though, for Snow Dust, he acted like all of this was normal. Yet, when he looked back at the griffon, the pegasus could tell that Gallus was having trouble processing everything. “I believe you may have some questions.”
“Oh, definitely-!” Before Gallus could continue, one of Snow Dust’s feather’s began to glow an icy white. Shortly afterwards, the griffon found that his beak was frozen shut.
“Now, listen here,” the pegasus explained, “I might be here for another reason, but we could put a pin on that so I can answer your questions. However, my only condition is that you don’t tell any creature about who or what I am. Do I make myself clear?”
The griffon could only nod his head in response since his beak was frozen shut. Yet, with another glow of his feathers, the pegasus had the ice thaw off of the griffon’s beak and allowed for him to speak again. “O-okay… how… are you doing that?”
“Doing what?”
“You know, with the snow and ice,” Gallus clarified, “I thought pegasi could only do that stuff from weather clouds, yet you’re doing it like…. like that!”
At first, the pegasus didn’t say anything. Though, after a couple of moments, he did have an answer. “You know how ponies have cutie marks and there’s a talent that ties into it?” the question was answered by a nod of the head from Gallus, a signal for him to continue, “Well, mine’s sort of the same thing and before you ask, it’s not weather magic. I would go more into detail, but I believe you might have other questions for me to answer.”
“Yeah, I do,” Gallus retorted, “Why exactly are you doing the whole ‘Angel’ crap? I mean… can’t you just do all of this and help others normally?”
That question had Snow sigh, before looking back at the griffon, “Let me answer your question with one of my own… If you were in the hooves of somepony else that was going through a rough time and I came to you as who I am, someone you recognized and happened to meet on a daily basis, would you be open to listening to me and to me helping you?”
The only thing that met that question was silence. Gallus wanted to say something, but deep down, he knew for a fact that there was only one answer. “No.”
“Exactly,” the pegasus told him, “Many creatures that I have helped try to hide what’s bothering them or bury it. Something that makes them think that they don’t deserve to be with their friends because of something that had happened before. A prime example of this was Tempest Shadow. For in the time after she stopped serving the Storm King, she was still trying to find her place in Equestria. When Hearth’s Warming came around, she was still out of a job, and trying to redeem herself was difficult. But, she didn’t want to admit this. She thought that the only way to really show Twilight that she was not the same mare as before was to completely cut herself off from her past under the Storm King. To be somepony that nopony recognized as the right hoof of the Storm King like she had been. Even it meant working herself half to death repairing the damages from the invasion in every town and city across Equestria, by herself.”
Things were slowly beginning to make sense. Yet, Gallus had to ask one thing. “So, what happened?”
“Well, I told her that there was no shame in asking for help, especially from friends,” he explained, “That her actions back then do not reflect who she is now. Next thing I know, I hear both her and Headmare Twilight talking about substitute teaching positions.”
“No bucking way… He’s the reason for that?!” the griffon thought. When Tempest was the substitute teacher, Gallus felt like his soul would leave his body if he made her angry.
Yet, by that point, Snow had moved on to a rather different topic. “But enough talk about that. Let’s now focus on what I put a pin in earlier. Specifically, you. I’m pretty sure you had some questions regarding that, don’t you?”
“Obviously,” the griffon replied, sounding rather arrogant with his tone.
“Well, since you sound like you know everything,” Snow Dust said as he folded his wings back into the sides of his chest, “Then answer this. Why do you think I am here?”
Gallus then shrugged, “I don’t know. You’re here to give some speech to me about how I should enjoy the holidays? Spend time with my friends? That sort of thing?”
The pegasus’ answer to that was just straight, thorough, and to the point, “No. Not even close.”
“Oh really now?” the griffon asked, “Because I’m pretty sure that your whole deal as the ‘Angel’ is to help creatures overcome their problems.”
“It is,” Snow Dust mentioned, “But the problems that I solve aren’t exactly related to the holiday itself. Instead, it deals with an issue that prevents them from enjoying it to the fullest. The time that you spend with your friends isn’t the issue here.”
At first, Gallus just rolled his eyes. He didn’t really think that his classmate, who he only just recently found out was more than meets the eye, would know what was bothering him. What was really preventing him from enjoying Hearth’s Warming. There was no way he could possibly tell what it was in the short time that they had this conversation… right?
“It’s the fact that you want to continue doing so and keep them here that is the problem I see. You don’t want to feel alone and are planning to put your comfort over that of your friends.”
Immediately, the griffon felt his heart skip a beat. He didn’t even tell any creature about what he was planning to do and how he was going to sabotage the school's Hearth’s Warming tree in the school lobby. Yet, somehow, Snow was able to read him like an open book and figure out what his intentions were. “H-how did you-?”
Snow just let out a sigh as he looked back at the griffon, “Sometimes, when I see other creatures, I see more than just them as a person. I see a reflection of something, whether it be something from the past, present or something they haven’t even done yet. It’s… strange, but in seeing that, it lets me be able to help others.”
For some reason, Gallus wasn’t liking this. Not one bit. There was no way that Snow was able to understand what he felt or why he was even considering this in the first place. Not only that, but what gave Snow the right to assume that he could help him when he knew nothing about him.
“Gallus, come on, this isn’t like you. What’s wrong with spending the holidays with family-?”
“Shut up,” the griffon interjected, his eyes narrowed as he glared back at the pegasus, “You know nothing about me, Snow. You think I had a good life?! I never had a family! I was seen as a freak among my own kind! An outcast!! How many griffons have you seen with bright blue and yellow feathers, huh? It’s not natural, and neither am I! Being with my friends who don’t care how I look has been the best thing that’s happened to me and I would rather spend more time with them then go back to that place! You probably have parents who love you! So what would you know about me? How would you know how I feel, huh?!”
For a moment, Snow sighed as he closed his eyes. However, Gallus noticed something else. The pegasus’ let out a sigh, but the whole room was beginning to feel a lot colder than it originally was.
“Because I was an outcast too,” Snow told him, “I never asked for these gifts, Gallus. They just happened… and where I came from, there were heartless creatures that would tear you away from your family and friends because they saw you as a monster instead of a living being. They would label you as a threat to the safety of others and exploit the gifts that you had for their own gain. For years, I had to live in a state of fear in which if I made one mistake, everything I knew would be gone. Even when things did get better… even when I was able to use my gifts without being afraid, there was still the possibility that it could all backfire.”
Gallus was caught off guard immediately. He had expected the kind pegasus to pity him, or better yet, just leave. Never could he have imagined anyone to even be able to relate to him like Snow Dust had. The kind and calm demeanor that Snow had before was gone and instead, his words were fierce. Yet, he wasn’t planning on backing down that easily. “Look, I’m sorry Snow. But my point still remains. You have parents, I don’t-”
“I had parents.”
The griffon blinked, startled by the sudden rebuttal. “What… had? Oh dear Celestia, he doesn’t mean-”
“They’re gone now. They were ripped away from me and killed in front of my eyes,” Snow paused, the temperature was not as cold anymore as the pegasus tried to keep himself composed, “The one responsible saw them helping their son as a crime. And he killed them for that. They never had a chance to explain themselves or have the chance to speak up and say anything.”
“S-snow… I-i’m so sorry,” Gallus told him, “I… had no idea-”
“This isn’t really a story that I go around telling others,” Snow was quick to retort, “I just… I thought that sharing it would help give you a better understanding as to why I want to help. Instead of dwelling on the past, I keep moving forward and meet friends that support me along the way.”
“H-how though?” Gallus now asked, “You make it sound so easy, yet most of the time it never is.”
Snow smiled softly, before looking back at his friend, “Well, have you really talked with your friends about anything you just said? Aside from me?”
The only answer that the griffon had to that question was silence. Gallus knew the answer to Snow’s question, but he was afraid to say it. He never talked about any personal subjects with his friends, especially about life back in Griffonstone or his situation. So trying to say the truth to anyone that was wanting to help him was hard for him to do.
Yet before he could say anything, Snow beat him to it, “I’m going to take a guess and say that’s a no, right?” The griffon could only nod, which had the pegasus look back at him and let out a small breath, “Gallus, I don’t mean to sound like Headmare Twilight, but the only way that you can have creatures like your friends help you is if you talk to someone about it. Keeping it bottled up won't help you.”
“What? Are you suggesting that I go see Counselor Starlight?”
“Who you talk to is up to you,” the pegasus explained, “I’m not forcing you to decide any particular creature. I’m just saying that keeping things hidden and to yourself is not going to help you out. Trust me, I’ve been in that situation before.”
“You have?” Gallus asked, “How so?”
“Remember everything I told you earlier? About my powers and what happened to my parents?” The griffon nodded in response, which was enough for Snow to continue, “Well, outside of a few ponies who already know about my situation, you’re the first creature that I’ve shared my story to in the last four years. For four years, I’ve kept my past under lock and key. Same could be said with my powers. I guess, I’m still a little scared of what others might think of me if they knew. Though, when I’m ‘the Angel’, I really feel like myself.”
The pegasus then paused for a moment, taking the chance to catch his breath before he continued, “I’m telling you this because I don’t want for you to do the same thing. I don’t want you to keep your past hidden from those that care about you. Though, it’s your choice to make.”
Gallus was unsure of what to say. Even though what Snow said to him was a good idea, the griffon was afraid. Afraid that he would end up making the wrong decision that would drive his friends away from him. “How… would I know that I made the right choice?”
As he asked that, the griffon now noticed that the window was open again as Snow stood on the edge, flurries of drifting snow whipped around his form. The wind was blowing as the pegasus looked back at Gallus, “You don’t. All you need to do is ask yourself… are you willing to take a leap of faith?”
Before the griffon could ask about what he was talking about, the pegasus jumped from the window, without even unfolding his wings. Gallus immediately rushed to the window, fearing that his classmate would hurt himself from falling so high up off the ground. Instead though, something different happened. As Snow fell, his body began to turn into the snow that was on the winds. It did not scatter, but stayed together as it rose upward into the sky.
When Snow’s body reformed, his wings extended forth as a coat of ice was seen over the feathers of his wings. The ice reflected off the light of the moon, giving it a warm glow as the pegasus looked back at the griffon. He waved goodbye with a hoof, before disappearing with the winds as Gallus saw him leave. Yet, as the griffon turned around, he soon realized that the snow angel left behind a parting gift.
A crystal of frozen ice on the ground. One that did not melt at his touch as he picked it up off the ground. Though, as he turned it over, Gallus was thrown off guard by something that was etched on the back. A message… for him. He didn’t even care nor notice the misty tears at the edges of his eyes as he read the inscription.
“Have your wings and heart always be open to friends. For some things are far easier to overcome together than on your own.”