Very. Early
It was a quiet night in the cosy little cottage Flurry and Luster rented during their stay in Ponyville, with Flurry taking a break from her royal duties and Luster being assigned to learn about friendship. Except it wasn’t that quiet at all, as despite her efforts to fall asleep, Luster could hear her roommate rustling and moving about. She tried to ignore it but she heard the sound of the door opening followed by the familiar jingling of bells. She groaned as she begrudgingly got up from her bed, which she had warmed up with her magic before settling in, and groggily entered the living room.
“Can’t it wait until morning?” Luster asked irately as she rubbed one of her eyes, “I have another day of studying to do.”
She opened the living room door and saw Flurry and a mysterious figure that wore a navy blue mask covering her entire head and a long cape to match. Both Flurry and the mystery pony wore matching festive hats and were putting decorations on the Hearth’s Warming tree, which Luster was very certain they took down not long ago.
Luster tilted her head, “Flurry?”
“Happy Hearth’s Warming, Luster,” Flurry said cheerfully.
Luster could only stare in confusion at both ponies as the mystery pony right next to the princess pulled out a party popper and, presumably by accident, blew off Flurry’s hat the moment she pulled on it.
“Are you ready to celebrate Equestria’s founding?” Flurry asked.
“You do know Hearth’s Warming isn’t until winter, right?” Luster asked her esteemed friend, “It’s not even autumn yet.”
“Yeah, but it’s too cold at winter time,” Flurry replied, “Especially if you live in the Crystal Empire. Also, wouldn’t it be fun to celebrate Hearth’s Warming while wearing a swimsuit? Especially if you got a swimsuit for Hearth’s Warming.”
“I...guess?” Luster replied, “I never really understood the practical use of clothing.”
“I think they’re only practical when you’re going to really cold places,” Flurry said, “Like Yakyakistan.”
“Then why would anypony need to wear swimsuits during the summer time?” Luster asked.
Flurry shrugged, “Why do people wear dresses to the Grand Galloping Gala?”
“Good point,” Luster replied before pointing to the mysterious pony next to Flurry, “And who might you be?”
“She’s a friend of mine,” Flurry replied, “We go to the same boutique. Oh, and another practical use for clothing. They can be used to hide your identity.”
“That makes sense,” Luster said as she noticed Flurry’s mysterious friend glaring intensely at her, “It’s just she seems a bit...intense.”
“Don’t worry about her,” Flurry said as she casually waved her hoof, “She’s cool.”
The mystery pony whipped her head around to face the window and spoke in a deep but quiet voice, “She is here.”
“Who is?” Flurry asked.
A shrilling cackle was heard outside.
“The Krinchigo,” the mystery pony replied.
Everypony ran outside and, in the centre of the dark sky, was a windigo of a sickly green complexion and cartoonishly exaggerated yellow eyes with red glowing pupils. Looking at the ghoulish sight, Luster honestly hoped this was one of Discord’s pranks and not an ancient evil that only showed up during Hearth’s Warming celebrations.
“I HAVE RISEN FROM THE ABYSS AND FOUND THE ANSWERS THAT I SOUGHT AFTER!” the Krinchigo bellowed.
“Great,” Luster said sarcastically, “Another pantomime supervillain.”
“I like that kind of bad guy,” Flurry said, “They’re fun. And if negotiations go smoothly, they could even become your friend.”
Luster looked at Flurry in a confused manner, “Why would you want to be friends with a bad guy?”
“Need I remind you that some of Auntie Twily’s friends were former bad guys?” Flurry replied.
“EXCUSE ME!” the Krinchigo offendedly exclaimed, “I AM TRYING TO GLOAT EVILLY!”
Flurry was taken aback by the malicious spirit’s outburst, “Oh, sorry about that. My friend and I were having a conversation. Continue.”
“IF THERE IS ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED AFTER SPENDING A MILLENNIUM AND A HALF IMPRISONED,” the Krinchigo bellowed, “IT IS THAT I HAVE BESTED THE GIFT GIVERS OF THE GROVE IN COMBAT!”
“You did what?!” Flurry exclaimed.
“THAT’S RIGHT! I DEFEATED THEM!” the Krinchigo boasted evilly, “AND AFTER ABSORBING THEIR GIFT-GIVING POWERS, I AM NOW SO POWERFUL, I CAN MAKE ANY ALICORN IN MY PRESENCE QUAKE IN THEIR COSMIC HORSESHOES!”
Luster looked at Flurry Heart, “Really? Because I don’t see my best friend shaking.”
“And I’m not wearing horseshoes,” Flurry pointed out.
“COULD YOU STOP TALKING AND ACTUALLY TRY TO TREMBLE BEFORE ME?!” the Krinchigo demanded, “AS I WAS YELLING, I HAVE FAILED ONCE IN MY CONQUEST OF THE HEARTH’S WARMING HOLIDAY! BUT BECAUSE OF THE RIPPLE YOU HAVE CAUSED BY CELEBRATING IT EARLIER THAN USUAL, CAUSING AN ANOMALY IN THE SPACE-TIME CONTINUUM, I SHALL NOW FREEZE THE PATH TO OBLIVION THAT THE COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS HAVE WALKED DOWN ON SINCE THE DAWN OF ITS INCEPTION!”
Flurry sighed, “What a surprise. I messed up and now all of Equestria is at stake.”
Luster looked at her friend in concern, “What do you mean?”
“Do you know why my parents named me Flurry Heart?” Flurry asked.
“I assumed it had something to do with your cutie mark,” Luster replied as she pointed at the shield with a pink crystal heart encrusted in the centre.
Flurry chuckled, “I wish. No, it had nothing to do with my cutie mark because I didn’t have it as a baby. Instead, I got claustrophobic and felt a Flurry of anxiety that made me cry so loudly, it broke the Crystal Heart into a gazillion pieces! Mom and Dad said it was to mark the occasion but if they wanted to give me a hero complex later on in life as well, then mission accomplished.”
“NOPONY CARES ABOUT YOUR FOALHOOD-ROOTED PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES!” the Krinchigo exclaimed.
“Hey!” Luster retorted to the Krinchigo, “I care!”
The Krinchigo cleared his plasmic throat, “AS I WAS YELLING, I AM THE SPARK THAT WILL WIPE OUT ALL OF PONYKIND WITH MY SHINY GHOSTY MEAT BICYCLES!!!”
Flurry and Luster gave each other a confused look, wondering what the Tartarus the loony spectre was rambling about at the top of his spectral lungs. The mystery pony, on the other hoof, just pulled out a multicoloured vacuum cleaner from thin air and whistled for the Krinchigo’s attention.
“AH, SO YOU ARE THE ONE WHO SHALL OBSTRUCT MY VENGEANCE TODAY!” the Krinchigo bellowed at the mystery pony, “WHAT ABOMINABLE TACTICS SHALL YOU RESORT TO IN ORDER TO CONTAIN ME? IMPRISONING ME AS YOUR PREDECESSOR ONCE DID!”
“I am not like my predecessor,” the mystery pony growled under her breath.
“IN WHAT WAY?!” the Krinchigo asked.
The mystery pony aimed her weapon at the Krinchigo, “I lack restraint.”
And in a total subversion of everypony’s expectations, the vacuum cleaner fired a rainbow laser that fried the Krinchigo into oblivion. Flurry and Luster just gave the mystery pony a befuddled look.
“I have...so many questions right now?” Flurry stated in her befuddlement.
“Me too,” Luster said before yawning, “We can write them to your aunt in the morning. Right now, I’m going back to sleep.”
“Yeah, sleeping on it is a good idea,” Flurry said as she followed Luster back into their cottage.