Hearth's Warming Eve
Princess Twilight Sparkle and her royal advisor Spike stepped out of the Canterlot Castle. Spike wore a red hat with a white trim, his Hearth’s Warming Hat.
“You sure we got everything Spike?” Twilight asked.
Spike nodded. “The school of magic is closed down, Fancy Pants and the other nobles are overseeing the Canterlot Hearth’s Warming Celebration, so it’s all up to them now.”
Twilight gave a soft smile, but it soon vanished as she realized something. “All our old family is gone.”
Spike looked down as well. It had been a few months since the war with Grogar ended. It had claimed the lives of many ponies, including nearly all of their family. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance had been the first casualties in the war years ago, and Twilight’s parents had been the victims of a monster attack in Canterlot during the final battle. Now their only living relative was their niece Flurry Heart. Many other ponies had fallen as well such as Cheese Sandwich and the former captain of the Crystal Empire Guard, Starcutter. Twilight felt ashamed to know that her reign in Equestria had been its bloodiest period. Of course, she knew Grogar was the one to blame, he’d struck from the shadows for years until finally coming out and revealing himself after amassing a great army of monsters and Twilight’s old archenemies that she’d fought during her younger years before becoming Ruler of Equestria. But they were all defeated now, imprisoned or killed. Twilight hoped they would never return to attack Equestria again.
Before they left, Twilight and Spike took a couple bouquets of flowers to the Canterlot Cemetery where her family was buried. The names of each one had been engraved on them. Twilight Velvet, a daring and adventurous mother. Night Light, Lover of Bingo and Wonderful Father to his little Princess. Next were Shining Armor, whose grave read a brave knight, captain, husband and brother. Last was Cadance, a princess full of love and loved by all.
Twilight’s eyes watered as she let her emotions of loss flow freely. She sobbed quietly, and Spike did as well. She levitated the first bouquet onto the grave of her family.
"Oh, I miss you all," she said once she was done.
“Aunt Twilight,” a voice spoke up.
Twilight looked in the direction of the voice and saw her niece Princess Flurry Heart. Now a grown pony and ruler of the Crystal Empire, she was here to join her aunt on her trip to Ponyville.
“Oh, hey Flurry, how long have you been here?” Twilight asked.
“A while,” Flurry said as she walked over. “I was visiting Starcutters grave just now.”
Twilight nodded. Starcutter had given his life to protect Flurry from Sombra who had taken Discord’s chaos magic. Niece and aunt nuzzled each other, Twilight spread her wings over the smaller alicorn. They didn’t say anything, merely looking at the graves.
Finally, the silence broke.
“Oh Mom, Dad, Shining, Cadence,” Twilight said. “This is the first Hearth’s Warming I’ll ever have without any of you here.”
She knew she’d had Hearth’s Warmings without her parents plenty of times once they moved to Ponyville. But once she became the Ruler of Equestria she had to oversee many tasks during the holidays, still she had been able to spend time with her niece and parents, as well as Shining and Cadance, and occasionally her friends.
“I miss you Grandma, Grandpa,” Flurry said. “And you Mom and Dad.”
“At least Grogar is defeated,” Spike said. “So, no pony or creature else will come under harm.”
“Yes, and I hope we never have to face such a foe again,” Twilight said. “I know there will always be darkness in our world. But we will always have light to meet it.”
The three of them embraced, knowing that though the rest of their family was gone they had to carry on. One day all of them too would leave this world. Twilight had to rule Equestria until her chosen successor in Luster Dawn was ready to take her place. She would then pass on her immortality and leave this world peacefully and join all her loved ones in the afterlife. She’d lost her family, both her natural born one and some of the figures. Celestia was gone now too.
Looking at the graves that belonged to her old teacher and predecessor, Twilight walked over and looked at Celestia’s statue next to Luna’s. She levitated the second bouquet onto it.
“I miss you Celestia,” Twilight said. “I know now how much loss you suffered in your thousand years. I can’t imagine the strength it took. But you got your sister back.”
She smiled as she turned to Luna’s statue.
“I hope you’re both at peace. I will see you again someday,” Twilight said. “In the next life.”
Looking up at Celestia’s smiling face, Twilight suddenly heard a voice.
I’m proud of you Twilight.
It was Celestia’s voice. Twilight wasn’t sure if it was her imagination or the connection between her and the pony she had looked up to most. But she decided it had to be that, she smiled.
“Thank you, Princess,” Twilight said in a low voice only she could here.
Spike and Flurry watched their adoptive sister and aunt as she took a breath and wiped her eyes.
“Well, lets go,” Twilight said.
The three of them spread their wings and began to fly toward their destination of Ponyville.
…
At the Castle of Friendship in Ponyville, Starlight Glimmer, who had become stewardess of the castle after Twilight moved back to Canterlot to assume the position of Ruler of Equestria, decorated it with her family. Her husband Sunburst and their best friend Trixie who had been accepted as an extension of the family. There was also their daughter Luster and her friends that she’d made upon coming back to Ponyville a few months ago. In that time Luster had done much, rescuing her parents from Starcutter who had been brainwashed by Grogar, she’d gone on adventures with her friends, lived in the Treehouse of Harmony with them, and defeated Grogar himself, then become an alicorn.
Luster’s friends, the Earth Pony Gallop J. Fry (who was also her Coltfriend), the Kirin River Song, Yelena the yak, and Georgia the griffon were all there helping decorate the castle. The magic users such as the unicorns and Kirin used their magic to levitate the items out of the boxes while Yelena and Gallop lifted them with their hooves and Georgia flew up high to set the decorations up on the ceiling where they were needed.
Luster opened one of the final boxes and found it held…
“Mistletoe,” she said with a slight giggle and blush.
Gallop J. Fry looked up upon hearing this and smiled as his Marefriend levitated the plant that was ceremoniously used for kissing couples at Christmas. Luster flew up on her wings and hung the mistletoe above the hallway. She’d taken some time getting used to them after the battle with Grogar in which she’d absorbed a lot of dark magic that had practically taken her life, only for her to be reborn as an alicorn.
Like Twilight in her earlier years, she didn’t wear a crown normally except on ceremonial days. But she was still a beautiful mare nonetheless, and Gallop was proud to call his princess. He walked beneath the mistletoe as she landed.
“Mistletoe huh?” he asked. “Well you know what they say we have to do when we’re under mistletoe.”
Luster giggled. “Oh you!”
They blushed and leaned forward. Their lips touching as their friends and family watched with a smile.
The young pony couple kissed for a moment then broke apart and got back to work. After another hour of work, they were finally done. Just in time too for their guests were arriving. There was a knock at the front door and Starlight and the others came to answer. Twilight, Flurry, and Spike entered.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming!” they said together.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming!” Starlight said as she walked up and hugged her old mentor.
“Good to see you again, Starlight,” Twilight said. “I know it must be really tough being a Headmare and Stewardess of a castle.”
“Well, I have a lot of help,” Starlight said.
One by one, more guests began to arrive. Twilight’s friends and their families; Applejack, her brother Big Macintosh, his wife Sugar Belle, and their son Big Sugar, Pinkie Pie and her son Lil Cheese who was also Big Sugar’s best friend, along with a young griffon named Iggy (Georgia’s younger brother). Pinkie had taken a while to recover from the loss of Cheese Sandwich during the battle with Grogar, but her mane had returned to their usual fluffy state after a long time. Rainbow Dash and Rarity both came as well, and finally Fluttershy with her husband Discord.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming!”
“Let us hope it will be one to remember,” Rarity said. “Ah, it feels divine to have us all together again for the holiday.”
“It certainly does,” Fluttershy said.
“I brought us some cupcakes!” Pinkie Pie said as she seemed to pull several packages from out of thin air.
“And I brought Apple Pie and Tarts!” Sugar Belle said as she levitated a box full of treats as well.
“Good, but we mustn’t forget to eat healthy as well even if this is a holiday!” Rarity said.
“Don’t worry we have plenty of things we are going to have tonight,” Starlight said. “I’ll get to work on it with Trixie. You ponies just make yourselves comfortable.”
“Ahem!” Spike cleared his throat at the word ponies.
“And Dragon!”
Twilight returned to her old room which she hadn’t been to in years. It was rather bare now since she’d cleared everything, she needed out upon moving back to Canterlot. But a fresh bed was kept there, Starlight had thrown out her old one once it became ragged from age.
Flurry likewise settled into one of the many spare rooms. The one her parents stayed in years ago that Twilight had decorated with things her father had liked when he was a colt. Though those things were gone now. Starlight had cleared them out after a few years as well.
They returned to the kitchen and helped Starlight start the cooking while Sugar Belle and Pinkie Pie set their desserts on another table. Lil Cheese, Big Sugar and Iggy began playing tag around the castle as Discord watched with a smile.
“Well, you can’t have a good Heath’s Warming without a little fun right?” The Spirit of Chaos said to himself.
He snapped his fingers and the cookies, cupcakes and other treats came to life and began snapping little jaws in various directions to the shock of the other ponies. The two colts and young griffon screamed and hid behind their mothers and older sister respectively.
“Discord!” Many voices rang out.
“Oh, come now you can’t have Hearth’s Warming without a little chaos can you?”
“Yeah you can!” they said.
“Well I disagree! Let’s have some music!” Discord snapped again.
Now the ribbons, lights and other decorations began to sing.
Ponies' voices fill the night
Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again
Happy hearts so full and bright
Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again
Oh, what a sight
Look at the light
All for tonight
Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again
As the musical voices of the décor filled the room, the cookies and other treats hovered around and bit the nearby ponies.
“Ow!” Pinkie Pie yelped. “Oh, you naughty cookie! I’ll teach you to take a bite out of me!”
And she gobbled the cookie that bit her up!
“Chow down! Enjoy your sweets!” Discord said.
“You don’t have to ask me twice!” Pinkie said as she went after more hovering and biting treats.
Deciding to just go with it, the other ponies began to chase the hoovering cookies, apple tarts, pie, and cupcakes who all screamed and began to fly away in fear. It took a long time but soon all the treats were eaten.
Every pony and creature rubbed their full tummies with pained expressions.
“I don’t think I have room for dinner!” Luster Dawn said.
“Me neither!” Twilight said.
Discord shrugged. “Ah well, Happy Heath’s Warming!”