> A Gift's Meaning
>  by 6-D Pegasus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> We Don't Do That Anymore
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Dear Princess Celestia,

First, I would like to wish you a very wonderful Happy Hearth's Warming. I know I have already sent you a letter saying this just yesterday on Hearth's Warming Eve, but it seems like a nice courtesy to say it on the actual day.

Of course, this is not the main reason why I'm writing you today. As you may recall, several months ago, you sent Princess Luna to Ponyville so she may become reacquainted with life among ponies in modern times. And, as you may recall, it was a wonderful success! With some... brief complications amidst it all. But for the most part, Luna thrived among the ponies of Ponyville, embraced the spirit of Nightmare Night, and was thrilled to have made her first new friendship in over a millennium!

In addition, I believe today is Luna's first Hearth's Warming day in just about the same amount of time?

With that being said...

Please please please please help. Spike and I woke up this morning to find one of who I believe to be one of the royal servants, sitting downstairs with a massive bow on her head and donning a full maid outfit and insisting to follow my every order for the rest of her life! I thought it was Rainbow Dash pranking me at first, but after thirty minutes of her still insisting her life was mine until her final breath or something, and that she would serve my every command, I was convinced she was serious. After some questioning, she finally mentioned she was sent here as a Hearth's Warming gift from Princess Luna as a symbol of gratitude and friendship.

Please tell Luna that I truly appreciate what she's trying to do here, but I just cannot accept this "gift". It wouldn't sit right with me to have her as a maid without paying her, and I don't have the spare bits for that. I would've sent her back, but I'd feel bad making her take the several hours long trip to Canterlot without getting to the bottom of this, so I'm having her help Spike with some things. (Poor guy almost broke down at first thinking he was being replaced!)

Pleaseeeee please please talk to her about this or something. I would send a letter to her myself, but Spike isn't able to send mail to Luna yet, and the post office takes one to two days sending anything to Canterlot.

Your faithful (and desperate) student,
Twilight Sparkle



Luna stared blankly from where she stood, blinking slowly and peeking out from between her bedroom doors. "Pray tell, sister, what happens to be the problem?"

Celestia put down the letter and let out an exasperated sigh. "Luna... you can't just... gift a living pony like that."

Luna tilted her head. "Why not? Twilight has done us-, I mean, me, a great kindness and I wish to repay the favor, and what better day to do so than on the day of gifting?"

Celestia massaged her forehead with a hoof. "Luna, that's not the point. Yes, this is a day of giving and love and harmony, but this is sort of... the wrong kind if gif-"

"How so? Twilight seems to split the responsibilities of the library between her and her dragon assistant. Having a second assistant would greatly reduce her workload and allow her much more time to-"

Celestia raised a hoof. "Luna, no. I mean, yes, you're right, and I appreciate the thought you've put into this, but Spike is a little more than just Twilight's dragon assistant. And you can't just... give someone a living pony."

"Why not?" Luna huffed. "It has always been common tradition for nobles to exchange some of their best servants as gifts during the holiday season or otherwise. Quite frequently did we used to-"

"Yes, Luna, we used to! We... USED... to! We don't do that anymore! Indentured servitude was phased out of Equestrian society centuries ago!"

"Then who are all the servant ponies I see all throughout the castle?" Luna scrunched in frustration. "Are they not ours?"

Celestia rolled her eyes. "Yes, they're ours, but they aren't our property. We have a system now! They're salaried, they have contracts, insurance. Many of them studied for years to specialize in their particular field, then applied for positions here at the castle before being accepted after an extensive interview and background check process. If reasonable, they are absolutely allowed to object to certain orders extending beyond their outlined job duties. Luna, I've literally explained all of this to you already!"

Luna crossed her hooves, looking away with a pout. "When?"

"Just two months ago!"

"... morning?"

Celestia blinked. "I... think so?"

"...yeah, I was probably half asleep. You know very well that I'm not a morning pony."

Celestia groaned in annoyance, burying her head in her hooves. "Lunaaaaaaaaaaaa."

"What?"

"Nothing. Alright, which servant pony did you send to Twilight?"

"...what?"

"Who did you send to Twilight?"

Luna looked away. "..." 

"Their name? Who did you-... you don't remember their name, do you?"

Luna tapped a hoof to her chin a few times. "... I'm pretty sure she was beige..."

Celestia smacked face with a hoof. "Oh for the love of me..."

"... or was it cream..."

"Luna! I only assigned you, like, five personal maids, and they've been with you for the last four months! How do you not-"

"Well forgive me, Tia, but it's not like any of them wear name tags!"

"Why would they need any?! They all introduced themselves to you by name the day I assigned them to you!"

"..."

"...that was the same morning I explained everything about them, wasn't it?"

"...maybe."

Celestia smacked herself again. "The beige one is named Custard Swirl. I would advise you to memorize it this time so you may use it when you bring her back and apologize for trying to force her into a lifetime of slavery!"

Luna scoffed. "Come now, sister, it wasn't that bad. Besides if she really didn't want to do it, she would have objected like you said!"

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Tell me, when you gave Custard her new orders, how did you present yourself?"

Luna cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

"Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice? Like we used to?"

"... you know, my memory from this morning is quite fuzzy."

Celestia deadpanned. "And what about after? Did she not have anything to say about all that afterwards?"

Luna smacked her lips. "As soon as I was done, I just sent her off."

"Oh?" Celestia hummed in thought. "Castle staff rarely, if ever, take their outfits with them when leaving the castle, and Twilight mentioned this one still had hers... how did you send her out?"

"I teleported her there."

Celestia's eyes widened in shock. "You WHAT?! Like, to Ponyville near the Golden Oak Library, or-"

"Straight into the library!"

"I swear, I'm going to have an aneurysm. Luna, you reeaaally should not be teleporting ponies long distances on a whim!"

"But was it not common practice for us to-"

"No!" Celestia interrupted, flailing her forelegs. "That was never common practice, that was like two times, and we were young and reckless!"

Luna pouted. "But it was so much more convenient."

Celestia glared at her in disbelief. "Anyways, no wonder there was no objection. We used to just send servants out and about wordlessly, but we've changed. We talk to them, we reason with them. They're ponies just like us. And we CERTAINLY cannot just send them to other ponies as if they were objects. Those were the old ways. The new ways are better for everypony, as a society and as a nation."

Luna held her gaze for a few seconds before relenting. "I understand, sister."

"Thank you, Luna. I understand there's still a lot of things that have changed in the world since you were last fully around, but I assure you, we'll get through this together. "Celestia slipped out a warm smile and squeezed Luna in her forelegs in a tight hug, who reciprocated in kind. "Now with that out of the way, if you could... fix this situation and give Twilight something not sentient for a present?"

"I will, Tia, don't worry. I think I know exactly what she'd want." Luna broke away and trotted down the castle hallway. 

Celestia watched her go, chuckling softly at the absurdity of the situation, but relieved that, finally, the situation was resolved.





Dear Princess Celestia,

First off, I'd like to thank you for talking to Luna with regards to taking back her... "living gift". I would have preferred if Luna sent a heads up before she suddenly teleported her out of the library. She had been helping me move a couple of dishes around the kitchen when she disappeared so that was... quite the mess to clean up.

With that out of the way, WHAT DID YOU TELL LUNA??

As soon as the maid pony teleported out, a scroll appeared in her spot pretty much declaring me the sole proprietor of roughly four acres of unsettled land just south of Ponyville, formerly belong to the Crown. 

I don't even want to calculate the property taxes I would start owing on that, let alone maintenance fees or insurance costs. And what am supposed to do with it?! It's not like I'm going to be living in some massive castle right next to Ponyville when I've already got this nice and cozy library smack in the middle of town. My mailbox is getting filled with letters from real estate companies offering to buy up the land, which I know would be an absolute nightmare if they ever got their hooves on that area.

I have an hour before my friends come over for our Hearth's Warming party, and the last thing I need to deal with is studying up on the intricacies of land ownership. I really really really appreciate the gift, but please please please ask Luna to take it back, it's just too much and I can't accept this either.

Please helpYour faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle



Luna stared back at Celestia. Celestia stared back, raising an eyebrow. 

"...you said not sentient!"

"Ugh, at least it's not a living pony this time." Celestia muttered to herself under her breath, falling to her rump on the floor and massaging her forehead. "Luna. Luna, Luna, Luna, Luna. 

"What?" Luna threw her hooves up. "Don't tell me the concept of gifting land has faded out too in the last few centuries!"

"No, that's still around." Celestia elaborated. "But... four acres for a Hearth's Warming present is a bit... disproportional."

"Was Ponyville not the result of a gift of similar proportions?"

"That's not the saaaaame, Luna." Celestia groaned and let her head fall fully to the ground. "There were a number of political and economic factors put into facilitating the founding of a new city, and that grant was for the Apple family as a whole, not just to one pony! Besides, Twilight can't afford all those taxes and costs."

"Can't you just waive those?"

Celestia rolled over and stared at the roof. "Luna, I try my best to keep the nepotism subtle when it comes to Twilight and her friends, but something like a tax exemption status will absolutely draw some unpleasant eyes."

Luna's expression wilted and her ears drooped. "Alright, fine. I'll reverse the deed."

"Yes, Luna, please." Celestia climbed back to her hooves. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before placing a comforting hoof on Luna's shoulder. "Maybe find something that Twilight could use or appreciate immediately? And not something needing significant investment and planning to make proper use of?"

Luna's eyes lit up. "Oh, I got it!"





Dear Princess Celestia,

I CAN SEE HER I SEE LUNA OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY WINDOW WITH A SACK OF GEMS I CAN'T ACCEPT THAT CALL HER OFF PLEASE RARITY AND SPIKE WILL PRESSURE ME TO ACCEPT IF THEY SEE THAT PLEASE HELP

HELP
Twilight Sparkle


Luna stamped a hoof, causing some of the gems to fall from the sack on her back. "Come on, gems are immediately usable and can be immediately appreciated!"

Celestia stared at her tiredly. "Luna-"

"And I know they are still used as legal tender, Twilight has mentioned Spike using them to trade for items all the time in place of bits!"

"Luna-"

"You know what, if a sack of gems won't cut it, maybe a sack of bits wil-"

"Luna!" Celestia shouted, putting an end to her sister's rambling. She sat down on the floor and pat the ground beside her. "Shhh, come here."

Tilting her head in confusion, Luna obliged and sat besides Celestia, who wrapped a wing gently around her.

"Listen, Twilight is a much more... modest and humble pony. Wealth, status, things that I'm sure many ponies would love to receive for free, are items that hold very little significance to our dear Twilight. She's grown to value her friendships and relationships above all, and even through all the panic Twilight has probably been put through from your 'presents', I couldn't be more proud to see her stick to her values with grace and humility." Celestia paused. "...okay, maybe not too much grace, but you get what I'm saying."

Luna looked down and absentmindedly drew circles on the ground with her hoof. "I... do. But what could I give her? I have... not had a new friend in so long who wasn't, well, you, or some noble who didn't have some ulterior motive. What am I to do if her most valued possessions are her friendships? I can't just... give her more friendships."

Celestia laughed softly. "Do you still remember the first gift I ever gave you? Long before either of us ascended?"

"Ha, as if it was just yesterday." A small smile graced Luna's lips. "When we were still living among the unicorns and barely getting by?"

"Yes, that one." Celestia smiled back, pulling Luna a little closer with her wing. "Even before you could talk, you loved the color of the dark blue night sky more than any other color. Whether or not it was because it was the same color as you, I couldn't tell. But the never ending icy storms blanketed the skies in an eternal gray during the day, and pitch black at night, hiding away the hues of your precious night sky from your eyes for years." Celestia giggled. "There were no other ponies with a shade of blue even close to yours, and I would catch you countless times as a filly just staring at your own fur.

Luna blushed and looked away sheepishly. "It was... the closest I could get to resembling the true night."

"Indeed, as you've said many times when I'd ask." Celestia nodded. "One day, when I joined the scout ponies searching for more food and firewood for the night, I came across a miracle. Nestled under a rock outcropping that perfectly happened to be besides a nearly frozen spring was a small, delicate flower with petals the same hue of blue as you. To this day, I still don't understand fully how it not only survived, but budded too, amidst the barren, snowy land where barely anything else could grow, but as soon as I saw it, I felt in my heart that it was meant for you. It was quite difficult smuggling it under my wing to protect it from the winds, and even harder sneaking it past the other scout ponies who would've added it to the food stockpile, but eventually I got it back to our shelter." She closed her eyes. "It was... the first time I'd seen you smile in a long, long time."

Luna closed her eyes as well and smiled as she let the memory flow through her mind. "It felt like a victory, some small glory through the endless snow and forever winter."

"'Glory of the snow'," Celestia continued. "That was what you called it as soon as you saw it. Many years later, after our ascension and the founding of Equestria, a team of botanists would rediscover the flower. They gave it the scientific name of Chionodoxa luciliae, but I pulled some strings to have it officially named 'Luna's glory-of-the-snow', or 'snow glories'. They've become more common over the centuries and, to this day, remain a beautiful sight in the winter landscape."

Luna sniffled and wiped away a single tear from her eyes. "I-, I'll never forget that gift, but what does that flower have to do with my situation? I don't think a blue flower would hold the same value to Twilight as it did to me a millennium ago."

"That's exactly what it has to do with it." Celestia pat Luna's head with a hoof, from which Luna tried to evade in mock annoyance. "See, what makes a present special isn't how much it's worth or what you can do with it. It's the meaning that truly counts. I knew how much that flower would mean to you, as little as it would mean to anypony else, and that is why I brought it to you. And I think that is why you still remember such a small item after so many, many years. Sure, you could send someone thousands of bits as a gift, but that's something that anypony could appreciate and use, because it has value for everyone. What made that flower special was the meaning it had to you and you alone, something that was special to us as sisters, and us as friends. "

Luna chuckled. "A feast would have been nice too, but yes, that flower meant everything to me. Even once it died, I would see it again in my dreams." Her ears drooped slightly. "But... even with that new approach, I still don't know what to get for Twilight. I fear I do not know enough of what sort of items would mean a lot specifically to her... and I feel it is too late to ask her."

"Oh, Luna!" Celestia let out a heartfelt laugh. "It's quite simple, you do what anypony does during such a common Hearth's Warming dilemma!"

Luna looked to Celestia in nervous anticipation, who winked in response.

"You cheat."

Celestia leaned over and whispered something into Luna's ears. 

Luna's eyes widened in realization. "I- I got it! Thank you, Tia!" She scrambled to her hooves and galloped down the hallway. Celestia rolled her eyes with a smile and went to roll up Twilight's last letter for safekeeping.





Luna glided through the night sky, feeling the chill of the winter air brush through her feathers. Keeping the saddlebag on her back balanced, she slowly descended towards Ponyville, her sights locked onto a very distinct tree shape in the middle of town. She could vaguely make out Twilight at the door to her library, waving cheerfully as her friends departed for their respective homes. Twilight hung there for a moment before heading back inside, shutting the door.

Luna touched down gently near the entrance, folding her wings neatly to her side. She took a deep breath before rapping on the door with a hoof.

"Gimme one sec!"

After some banging and commotion, Twilight emerged at the library's entrance, her mane and coat covered in streamers and confetti. "Did you forget somethi-?" Her voice cut out as soon as she laid eyes upon her visitor.

"Hello, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight nearly tripped over herself as she stumbled backwards. "Pri- Princess Luna! What are you doing here?! And-" She froze, then narrowed her eyes. "Luna, with all due respect, you better not be hiding a sack of bits somewhere behind you. I already told you, I won't accep-"

"No, Twilight Sparkle," Luna interrupted, bowing her head. "Nothing like that this time. I want to... apologize first for the chaos my attempts at gift-giving have probably caused you today. It had been so very long since I had a normal Hearth's Warming celebration as a normal pony and not as a ruler of Equestria, I had forgotten a key aspect of the gift itself. I was so wrapped up trying to get something for you that fit as a gift from Princess Luna, Keeper of the Night and Moon and Guardian of Dreams, instead of a gift from Luna, your friend. And, well... among other things like my knowledge of the new world."

Twilight let out a sigh of relief and chuckled. "You're perfectly fine, Luna, all that trouble is over, and I still got to spend the holiday with my friends exactly how I wanted to!"

Luna smiled warmly. "I am glad to hear that, Twilight Spa-"

"Twilight." Twilight corrected with a grin. "You can just call me Twilight."

Luna nodded. "I'm glad to hear that, Twilight, and I am relieved my mess did not impact your celebrations all too much. I... spoke with Celestia, who told me much about the true spirit of gifting, and I think I understand, or remember, what it means a lot more now." 

Igniting her horn, Luna reached into her saddlebag and floated a small, velvet pouch over to Twilight, who accepted it in a hoof. She looked to Luna questioningly, who nodded at the pouch. Twilight carefully took the pouch in her own magic and tipped it over.

Into her hooves fell a single, golden bell in pristine condition. 

"A bell?" Twilight peered at it curiously. "What is-... wait..."

As Twilight inspected the bell closer, Luna let a small grin slip through her neutral facade.

"Is this... NO WAY! IS THIS FOR REAL?!" Twilight was practically bouncing into Luna's face. "THIS IS A BELL FROM STARSWIRL THE BEARDED'S OWN HAT!"

"Heh, Celestia was right that you'd actually manage to recognize that old thing somehow." Luna pressed a hoof onto Twilight's chest to slowly pry her out of her personal space, all the while chuckling. "But this isn't just any one of his bells. This is the top bell from his original hat."

"Original hat?" Twilight paused her bouncing and looked up to Luna in confusion. "I thought he just made more than one hat?"

Luna shook her head. "That was what he always told others, but Celestia and I were well aware of the truth. After he crafted his hat, he was so proud of it, he used magic to create a few duplicates of it that he would wear when he was out and about, whether on a mission or just fetching some supplies. He kept the original in his quarters and cast a preservation spell on it so it'd never deteriorate. The few hats you see in museums or fairs about him are what remains of his duplicates, but this bell is from that original hat. Meaning his original preservation spell..."

Luna swatted the bell out of Twilight's hoof with a smirk. Twilight's heart skipped a beat and she watched it tumble to the ground, but just before impact, it glowed white with various runes and floated softly to the floor.

"... remains intact."

Twilight, her mouth wide in awe, picked the bell up in her magic and inspected it even closer. Luna rolled her eyes. 

"Since there is no official certification verifying this bell and the hat it belongs to are any more special than the rest of his hats, beside me and my sister's account, this bell shouldn't have any significant monetary value even to most collectors. But to you-"

"This is so amazing, I love it! It even has his old magic signature on it! I should be able to reverse engineer the spell's base components to determine just how strong he was, or how different spells were crafted in ancient times, or even-"

Luna cleared her throat. 

Twilight froze and grinned sheepishly. "Hehe, sorry. Thanks so much, Luna. This... does mean a lot, especially coming from you. But... are you sure this okay to give? I mean, it's one of his original bells and-"

"Starswirl," Luna interrupted. "Has not been around for over a millennium. Besides, he was always one to believe in gifting. I don't think the old stallion would mind gifting just one of his bells to someone who looks up to him as much as you do."

Twilight rolled her eyes and and laughed. "Well... okay, if you say so.

Luna smiled and, mirroring her sister, pulled Twilight into a quick hug with her wing. "You are a great friend, Twilight. Happy Hearth's Warming."

Twilight, taken aback at first, recovered and leaned against Luna, giggling as she floated the bell back into its pouch. "Happy Hearth's Warming to you too, Luna."