> Pink Hearth's Warming
>  by Stratocaster
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Pink Hearth's Warming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pink Hearth’s Warming
By Stratocaster

An alarm clock reading 10:00 AM rang. Pinkie Pie’s eyes shot open as she awoke in her bed. She sat up and a broad smile stretched across her face.
“Oh my goodness, don’t tell me!” she said cheerily and glanced over at the calendar by her bed. A series of Xs were drawn before the day she had circled. Pinkie gasped with excitement.
“Yes! It’s Hearth’s Warming Eve!”
With her usual ecstatic energy, Pinkie sprang from bed and jumped into the top drawer of her dresser closing it. After rumbling inside, she exited out through the bottom drawer clad in a green and red knit sweater with snowflakes embroidered on it. Then, she turned to the whicker basket bed that her pet baby alligator slept in.
“Wake up, sleepy gator!” she cooed while shaking Gummy awake. The little alligator snapped his expressionless eyes open and stared up at her. “It’s Hearth’s Warming, Gummy. Aren’t you excited?”
Gummy responded by chomping down on Pinkie’s nose with his toothless mandibles.
“Teehee! Come on, you silly gator. Up and at ‘em.”
Pinkie grabbed her precious reptile and hoisted him onto her back. With a spring in her step, she cantered downstairs to the kitchen of Sugarcube Corner. In the front room, Mr. and Mrs. Cake were carrying suitcases to be loaded outside. Pinkie beamed as she saw the couple.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming, Mr. and Mrs. Cake!” she greeted.
Mr. Cake turned to see her and smiled. “Oh, Pinkie, you’re up. I was afraid you’d still be asleep before we left.”
“Please, I never sleep in on a holiday…or ever! I’m glad I caught you two while you’re still packing for Manehattan.”
“Yes, it’s going to be a wonderful week.” Mrs. Cake said walking over. “I haven’t visited my family in a while. And Manehattan is always so beautiful this time of year.”
“Oh you two and the twins are going to have a blast!” Pinkie grinned. “Are they in the cart now?”
“Yup, we’re just about done packing.” Mr. Cake replied. “It’s a shame you can’t come with us, Pinkie; you’re practically family, too.”
“Don’t worry about it, Mr. C. Somepony’s got to run the bakery while you’re away. Besides, I’ll have plenty of time to spend the holiday with my friends. I’ve baked entire batches of sugar cookies, gingerbread ponies, candy canes, coconut snowballs, and I’ve even whipped up my special Hearth’s Warming eggnog! When the bakery closes, we open presents and party all night till Celestia comes up!”
“Well, we hope you’ll have fun while we’re gone, dear,” said Mrs. Cake sweetly. “Have a very happy Hearth’s Warming.”
“And don’t tear up the place too much.” Mr. Cake joked.
“Oh, Mr. Cake, you’re such a kidder.” Pinkie scoffed with a chuckle.
The baker responded with a nervous laugh. “Heh heh, I’m really not kidding.”
Mrs. Cake elbowed her husband discerningly.
Pinkie hugged the Cakes goodbye before they finally left on a stallion pulled taxi. The pink party mare stepped in the doorway and surveyed the breathtaking scene outside. The streets and rooftops of Ponyville were covered in a fine blanket of snow, crisp and white as Celestia’s coat. A small flurry of flakes floated down from the clouds giving just the right amount of snowfall. The town ponies were already out and about. Stallions were shoveling the sidewalks, mares were showing off their new winter attire, and all of the foals were having snowball fights and pulling one another on sleds. Across the houses, colorful lights were strung and decorated pine trees sat inside the living room windows. Pinkie inhaled the brisk winter air and breathed a happy sigh of fogged breath.
“I love Hearth’s Warming.” She said. “Well come on, Gummy; let’s go hit the town.”
She closed the door of the bakery behind her and trotted cheerily down the snow covered street. The smell of peppermint and hot cocoa tickled her nose as she strolled along. After saying Happy Hearth’s Warming to everypony in sight, Pinkie came across Rainbow Dash, who landed in front of her.
“Hiya, Rainbow,” she greeted. “Happy Hearth’s Warming! Isn’t it beautiful out today?”
The cyan pegasus removed a pair of goggles from her eyes and shook off excess snow from her unkempt mane. “Yeah, it’s beautiful that I have to work extra hard in the morning.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “On today of all days, I have to keep the clouds from dropping too much snow. You know how cold it is up there? I’m freezing my flank off! I hate winter.”
“Cheer up, Dashie; I’ve gotten you a great Hearth’s Warming present to give later.”
“Really? What’d ya get me?” Rainbow perked up a bit.
“You silly filly, I can’t tell you what it is!” Pinkie gave her a friendly nudge. “That’s the whole point of a present.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess. So what do you got going on for tonight.”
“Well, the Cakes are on vacation. So, I’ve got a whole Hearth’s Warming party planned.”
“Sounds great. But, you know, Hearth’s Warming parties aren’t really my thing.”
“I understand. You do whatever you want tonight. We’re going to be tearing it up at Sugarcube Corner!”
“Yeah well, hope you have fun. I’ve got to get back to working the clouds for now. Brrr.” She shivered. “Hopefully I won’t be completely encased in ice. See you ‘round, Pinkie.”
“See you, Rainbow. Happy Hearth’s Warming!”
The pegasus reluctantly readjusted her flight goggles and took off back into the air.
Pinkie continued down the sidewalk. She sang a novelty Hearth’s Warming carol to herself as she trotted.
“Jingle bells, Celestia smells, Luna laid an egg,”
Gummy lied on her back with his eyes sagging from lack of morning sleep. Then, he perked his head up and darted from side to side wondering where the mistress was taking him.
“Hang on, Gummy,” she told him. “We’re heading over to Carousel Boutique. You remember Rarity, right?”
The clueless alligator responded by nibbling on Pinkie’s curly mane.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Pinkie reached Carousel Boutique and gave a knock on the front door. Without any wait, Rarity opened it and immediately pulled her pink friend inside.
“Oh Pinkie, I’m so glad you’re here!” she said excitedly.
“Hi Rarity, happy Hearth’s-”
Before Pinkie could finish, the alabaster unicorn magically levitated a false fur coat onto her face.
“…Warming.”
“I have just been dying to get somepony to model my new line of clothes.” Rarity explained happily. “Pinkie dear, I hope you like my winter fashion items for this year.”
Pinkie examined the soft thick white coat with black buttons with without a clue about high fashion. “It looks great, Rarity. I’m not sure I’m a fan of fur though.”
“Oh it’s fake, darling, and you haven’t begun to see just what I have in store.” Rarity pulled over an entire rack of stylish winter outfits. One by one, she levitated the various articles of clothing in front of Pinkie to judge their size and overall style.
“No…too plain…too gaudy…too flashy…not flashy enough…this one is a bit stuffy…this one is so last decade…this has too much sapphire oddly enough…and this one is too…cute!”
Pinkie shook herself from falling half asleep when Rarity finally found a piece that worked for her.
“Oh yes, Pinkie, it fits you so well.” Rarity beamed. “And the color just screams your style. I simply must make more of these and put them on display. They’ll sell like hotcakes!”
“Um, Rarity?” said Pinkie.
“Yes, dear?”
“I don’t think a bikini would be good for winter.”
Rarity paused and looked to see just what she was modeling on Pinkie. Somehow, in her moment of epiphany, she had pulled out a purple two piece bathing suit. She chuckled awkwardly.
“Oh, uh, pardon me, Pinkie. I guess I got a bit carried away. I suppose I can make this into some kind of overcoat…somehow.”
“That’s alright, Rarity,” smiled Pinkie. “You always know what to do with clothes.”
“Well, I’m just happy to have you model for me, darling. So what brings you to the boutique anyway?”
“Oh yeah! I wanted to tell you, Rarity. I’m inviting you to my Hearth’s Warming party!”
“Oh…is that tonight?”
“Of course! We’ll be partying all night, eating fresh baked sweets, shakin’ our flanks to some rockin’ Hearth’s Warming music, and the best part, opening each other’s presents! It’s going to be fun, fun, FUN! You and the girls are going to love it!”
Rarity suddenly became coy. “Um, Pinkie, I hate to let you down, but-”
“Oh, don’t worry about being late, Rarity. It’s gonna last all night.”
“Well, the thing is, uh, I won’t be able to show up at all.”
“…Huh?”
“Oh Pinkie, dear, I’m ever so sorry. But the reason I’m making all these new clothes is because they’re for an expo in Canterlot. I’m supposed to display a new line of winter fashion to some big buyers and I’m afraid I’ve procrastinated in my sewing. It’s going to take me the rest of the day to finish my itinerary for the expo tonight. I hope you understand, Pinkie.”
Pinkie looked down a bit disappointed, but then returned her smile. “It’s okay, Rarity. I can see you’re busy and I don’t want to keep you held up.”
“I just feel awful that you’ll have one less guest at your party.”
“Are you kidding? I’ll still have plenty of ponies over at Sugarcube Corner tonight. You go ahead and finish your work; nothing to worry about.”
“Thank you so much, Pinkie.” Rarity smiled gratefully. “You’re such a caring friend. And do have a happy Hearth’s Warming.”
“You too, Rarity!”
Pinkie skipped outside the boutique only to slow to a walk as the door closed.
“Gummy? Where’d you go?” she asked scanning for her little reptilian friend.
She then looked down beside the door and found Gummy’s rear end sticking up out of a lump of snow. The spaced out alligator had been forsaken when Rarity pulled his mistress inside.
“Come out of there, you.” Pinkie said and pulled him out by his tail, putting him back on his usual spot on her back. “Well, Gummy, apparently Rarity isn’t coming to our party tonight. But that doesn’t mean the rest of our pals aren’t. And nopony lights up a party like Twilight Sparkle!”
Gummy perked up, the name sounding familiar to him. He then hid his face beneath his tail in cowardice.
“Aw don’t worry,” scoffed Pinkie. “I’m sure Owlowiscious won’t try to claw you again.”
Regaining her cheery attitude, Pinkie trotted off back through town, this time heading in the direction of the Ponyville library. On her way, she hummed another catchy holiday tune.
“A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight, trotting through a winter wonderland!”
Soon enough, she reached the converted tree that was the home of Ponyville’s biggest scholar. Outside, Twilight herself was working with her magic, wearing a red and green scarf and earmuffs. The lavender unicorn levitated a length of green wire with an array of multicolored light bulbs dotting along. She was interrupted by the sound of Pinkie’s squeaky voice.
“Hiya Twilight!”
Twilight flinched and turned around dropping the lights in the snow. Then she smiled seeing her hyperactive friend.
“Oh, hi Pinkie. Happy Hearth’s Warming.” She greeted and looked down. “Uh, I see you brought Gummy with you.”
Pinkie also looked down to her hooves to see her baby alligator clinging to her leg and shaking in fear.
“Oh sorry,” she said to Twilight. “I guess he’s still a little shaken from the last time we visited you.”
“Aw it’s okay, Gummy,” Twilight spoke sweetly to the gator. “I won’t try to turn you into a dragon again.” She then levitated Gummy upside down in a purple aura making his claws swipe the air with panic. Gently, she laid him back down on Pinkie’s back leaving his eyes spinning in a daze.
“So, whatcha doing, Twi?” asked Pinkie. “Something Hearth’s Warmingy I hope?”
“As a matter of fact,” replied Twilight proudly. “I’m hanging up my new set of high magic powered Hearth’s Warming lights. 25,892 MED bulbs, that’s Magic Emitting Diode, in twelve different vibrant colors; these things will make the library the brightest house in Ponyville! That’ll show that smug little Bonbon who has the best looking house this year.” She said vengefully with a shake of her hoof.
“That’s super! Can I see the lights now?”
“Uh, well, I’ve kind of hit a snag. I tried testing them earlier this morning, but they didn’t turn on. I’m still trying to figure out what’s wrong.”
“Did you check to see if all the bulbs weren’t broken? You know what they say, when one goes out, they all go out.”
“I checked every one; at least I think I did.” Twilight turned up toward the top of the tree home and called. “Spike, are you sure you checked all the bulbs?”
The young dragon poked his head out from the foliage in the tree with a string of lights tangled around him. “I told you, Twilight, I checked all of them twice. And I really don’t want to do it a third time! Maybe there are just too many bulbs.”
“That’s preposterous! Then again, maybe I blew a fuse trying to plug them in. I’ll go around back to take a look at the magic circuit board.”
“Wait, Twilight! I need to tell you something.” Pinkie stuck her nose in Twilight’s face.
“Oh sure, Pinkie, what is it?”
“I just happen to be having a super funerific Hearth’s Warming party at Sugarcube Corner tonight! And you, my favorite magic student of Princess Celestia, are invited!”
Twilight paused then rubbed the back of her head nervously. “Ooh, um, I hate to tell you this, Pinkie,” she said avoiding eye contact. “But I’m actually busy tonight. Mayor Mare wants me to rig up more of these lights over town hall. And I’m going to be busy all day trying to even get them to turn on. It’s kind of important.”
“Oh…so, you can’t make it?” asked Pinkie a bit dejected.
“I’m really sorry, Pinkie, I would make it if I could. But I’m sure you’ll have plenty other ponies at your party, right?”
“Uh…yeah…lots.” Pinkie tried to forge a smile.
“I just feel really bad about this. Why don’t you go inside and have some hot chocolate? I just made a fresh kettle for Spike and I.”
“Oh thanks, Twilight. And don’t worry about the party; I’m sure I’ll still have fun tonight. Anyway, have a happy Hearth’s Warming.”
“You too, Pinkie.”
Gratefully, Pinkie entered the library bringing Gummy with her this time. Inside, she spotted a tray holding mugs and a kettle on the coffee table by the reading couches. She inhaled deep to retain her spry attitude and went over to pour herself a hot mug of cocoa. As she poured and let the steam wash over her face, Pinkie felt her little friend poke over her shoulder.
“Oh, you want some too, Gummy?” she asked.
Gummy only blinked one eye at a time.
“Here you go, little guy.”
Pinkie courteously poured another mug. Then, she held the gator in her hoof like an infant foal and carefully held the cocoa to his trap-like mouth. Gummy only stared blankly some more as the scolding hot drink washed over his large tongue. Suddenly, his slit pupils shrank and he flailed his little claws in agony of his burning mouth. In his panic, Gummy knocked the mug from Pinkie’s hoof causing it to fall to the floor, shatter to pieces and spill cocoa every which way.
“Oh Gummy, don’t be such a messy eater.” Pinkie scolded and let him down to scamper off crazily. She then looked at the spill on the floor. “Ugh, what a mess. I don’t want to leave Twilight to clean this up. I better find a mop.”
With that, Pinkie walked over and found the broom closet by the bookshelves. She opened the door to darkness.
“Huh, is there a magic light in here?” she uttered to herself.
Pinkie looked down and to her left to find a light switch powered by an alternate current of magic. Below the switch, a cluster of plugs crowded a magical outlet on the wall, and a single wire led up to the switch. Curiously, Pinkie cocked an eyebrow looking at the over crowded outlet; but she only shrugged and flipped the light switch. A sudden buzz was heard.
Outside, Twilight grumbled furiously as she shook a plug in one hoof and a wired outlet in the other. She stomped the ground violently.
“Ugh! Darn it all! Why won’t it work?!” she growled.
Once again, she blew air on the plug and prepared to try one more time. Twilight dramatically mashed the plug and the outlet together and suddenly a spark flew out from them. Immediately, the moment of truth came. To her amazement, her home became alight with an enormous blazing glow of many beautiful colors. Spike shouted from beneath the canopy of the tree.
“MY EYES!”
Twilight marveled at her success with a joyous smile on her face.
“Spike, I did it!” she cheered. “I got them to turn on!”
“IT BURNS!” cried Spike again.
Twilight then began to sing merrily. “Joy to Equestria, Celestia has come, Let ponies receive their princess!”
“Twilight, I can’t see a thing!”
As the vibrant lights attracted a crowd of awestruck ponies, Pinkie stepped out of the library after just finishing cleaning the spill. She and Gummy gazed upward.
“Wow! Twilight wasn’t kidding.” She said. “That mare really knows how to put on an awesome lightshow. I sure wish I had lights like those at…Sugarcube Corner.” Pinkie sunk her head remembering how small her party would be.
Gummy simply tugged at her mane with his teeth.
“Don’t worry, Gummy,” she smiled at him. “We’re still gonna have that party. Fluttershy will definitely come; she never says no to friends… That is, I hope she doesn’t this time.”
Pinkie once again put on her smile, trying to hide her growing disappointment, and left the glowing tree house. It was getting late in the afternoon, and the shorter days meant Celestia’s sun was setting early. Time was waning for Pinkie and she knew she had to set her party off quick. She filled herself with newfound hope as she arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage on the edge of town. The gentle yellow pegasus was outside wearing a light blue snow cap, matching booties, and a neck warmer all of which lined with cozy wool. She held in her mouth a simple red ornament ball as she stood looking at a tiny pine sapling in the middle of her front yard. Fluttershy kindly hung the ornament on a top branch of the young tree. But after waiting a few seconds, the weight of the ornament pulled the top of the sapling to the ground, bending the flimsy trunk. Fluttershy frowned.
“Good grief.” She sighed to herself.
“Hiya, Fluttershy!” called Pinkie as she walked into the snow covered yard.
Fluttershy perked up when she saw her friend. “Oh hi Pinkie. Happy Hearth’s Warming.”
“It sure is!” Pinkie mustered whatever enthusiasm she had left. Then she looked at the sapling. “Uh, is this your Hearth’s Warming tree? It can barely hold itself up.”
“Oh, well, my real tree is inside.” Fluttershy shrugged. “But this little sapling just recently sprang up in my yard. It looks awfully lonely out here by itself.”
Pinkie sniggered a little. “Come on, Fluttershy, that thing is downright puny.”
“Aw, it just needs a little love.” Fluttershy then wrapped a blanket around the base of the sapling and looked to her side. “Isn’t that right, Angel?”
Silence fell as she stared at nothing.
“Angel? Angel, where are you?” she called looking around. “Oh my, he’s lost in the snow again! I always tell him to be careful in the winter when you have white fur. Oh where could he be?”
“Don’t worry,” smiled Pinkie. “He’s right here with me.”
She then turned to show on her back sat Fluttershy’s little bunny sitting next to Gummy. Angel stared at the nobody-at-home alligator and even waved a paw over his face trying to snap him out of his blank gaze. Fluttershy gasped with relief and swept Angel up in her hooves, squeezing him in a motherly hug.
“Oh thank goodness! Angel, don’t you ever disappear like that again!” She then smothered the irritated rabbit with kisses.
“Jeez, Fluttershy,” said Pinkie. “You seem pretty stressed out this Heath’s Warming.”
“Oh, sorry. I’ve just been so worrisome all day while I was decorating and cleaning my house. I’m so nervous about tonight.”
“Nervous for what?”
“Well, you see, I’m supposed to star in the nativity play over at the Ponyville Theater.”
“What?!”
Fluttershy became uncomfortable. “Yeah, Cheerilee is directing it, and she asked me to play the part of the Herald Alicorn.”
“But why did you agree? You have the worst stage fright.”
“I know,” she rubbed her foreleg feeling awkward. “But Cheerilee said she was desperate to find somepony for the role, and that I was perfect for it. I couldn’t let her down. But I’ve been practicing all month, and I’m so nervous about messing up. That’s why I’ve been so stressed.”
“Oh pony feathers!” Pinkie stomped the snow.
“Pinkie, what’s wrong?”
She sighed dejected. “I’m trying to set up a Hearth’s Warming party tonight, and I was going to invite you. But I keep losing friends because their too busy to come and I was really hoping you would.”
“What? Oh Pinkie, I’m ever so sorry; I had no idea. You know I love your holiday parties, and I would be more than happy to show up. But there’s just too many ponies relying on me to be at the play. Oh you must hate me.”
Pinkie stared at Fluttershy’s guilt ridden face with sympathy. She gave another sigh and rested her hoof on the pegasus’s shoulder.
“It’s okay, Fluttershy,” she gave a soft smile. “I don’t want to be a burden.”
“But aren’t you worried about having nopony at your party?”
“Trust me, I won’t be alone. I’ll get somepony to come to my party soon enough.”
“Well, I really hope you do. You’re such a good friend, Pinkie. And Happy Hearth’s Warming again.” Fluttershy then looked at the sun setting on the horizon. “Oh! I better hurry. There’s a big dance number in the play, for some reason, and I need to get my choreography right. Oh I’m so nervous!”
With that, Fluttershy cantered into her cottage closing the door behind her. After a moment, Pinkie began to hear jazzy piano music coming from inside. She looked through a window and saw Fluttershy next to a spinning record player, dancing in an awkward repetitive fashion. Having seen enough, Pinkie moaned sadly. She looked behind to Gummy after exiting the yard.
“I’m not giving up, Gummy.” She said firmly. “There is no way I’m spending Hearth’s Warming Eve alone. Hold on tight; we’re going to Sweet Apple Acres!”
Gritting her teeth, Pinkie galloped away back through Ponyville. The sun was just a few minutes away from completely vanishing and already, Luna’s night was settling in. Pinkie sped through the colorfully lit streets all the way toward the other side of town. Before long, she at last reached the wide open fields of Sweet Apple Acres. Immediately, she spotted the Apple family outside the farmhouse standing around a wagon. Big Macintosh and Applejack were loading small pine trees onto the wagon while Applebloom and Granny Smith sat upfront. Pinkie ran up to Applejack screeching to a halt.
“Howdy, Pinkie Pie,” smiled Applejack. “Happy Hearth’s Warmin’!”
“There’s no time for that!” Pinkie urged frantically. “I’m having a Hearth’s Warming party at Sugarcube Corner!”
“Oh really? Well that’s sounds mighty fun. Hope ya have a good time.”
“No! I need you to come because nopony else will!”
“What?” Applejack looked shocked. “You’re not serious, are ya? Everypony loves your holiday parties.”
“But they’re all busy! Please, Applejack, tell me you’ll be able to come tonight.”
The farm pony looked away and rubbed the back of her head. Her expression showed nothing but bad news.
“Oh come on.” Pinkie groaned.
“Ah’m real sorry, Pinkie,” said Applejack. “But the family and Ah are loadin’ Hearth’s Warmin’ trees to bring over to Appleloosa. We’re already late, and we need to hightail it. Ah’m afraid Ah won’t make it to yer party. But you’ll find somepony who will, right?”
Pinkie looked across the ground. “I…I don’t know.”
Kindly, Applejack gave her friend a hug. “Ah’m so sorry, Pinkie. Have a very happy Hearth’s Warmin’ anyway.”
Without a response, Applejack joined Big Mac, who had just finished loading, at the handles of the cart. The family rode away into the sunset leaving a hopeless Pinkie Pie standing in the road. She sulked and walked back toward her home.
By the time she returned to Sugarcube Corner, night had set in completely. The empty bakery was dark and lonely. Pinkie dragged her hooves into the living room in the side and turned on the gas fireplace, without bothering to turn on any other light. She sat next to the fire absorbing its warmth.
“Well, it looks like this whole party was a bust.” She sighed. “But at least I still have you, right Gummy?” She looked to her side to find nothing there. “Gummy?”
Pinkie peered ahead to see that the light from the downstairs bathroom had been turned on. She got up and walked over to the bathroom down the hall. It was then, with a gasp, that she saw Gummy sitting in the toilet with three other alligators of his size. Swiftly, Gummy pulled the lever on the toilet, flushing him and his friends away. Now, Pinkie was completely alone.
She drudged back into the living room and plopped onto the couch, curling up into a ball; tears welled up in her bright blue eyes. For the first time in a long, long while, Pinkie actually felt lonely and depressed, and on this of all nights. Not even the heat from the fire could comfort her in the gloom.
“Yup, it’s Hearth’s Warming Eve, and the gang’s all here: me, myself, and I. Oh yeah, happy…Hearth’s…oh.” She covered her eyes keeping back the unfamiliar tears.
Snow fell outside the bakery window as the fire crackled. Several minutes had passed and Pinkie began to feel oncoming sleep in her wet eyes. Having given up any chance of cheering up, she prepared to drift off. But before she could close her eyes, she heard the front door creak open. Pinkie’s eyes shot open and she poked her head over the couch looking toward the front room. Somepony was letting themselves in, but the dark made it hard to identify them. Then, a familiar voice spoke quietly.
“Pinkie Pie?”
Pinkie recognized the voice before the pony could enter the light from the fire. In walked a sky blue pegasus with magenta eyes and a multicolored mane.
“Rainbow Dash? What are you doing here?” asked Pinkie.
Rainbow Dash stood beside the couch. “I was gliding over the bakery, when I saw the lights were off. What’s going on? I thought this place would be jumping, with your party and all.”
“Oh, there is no party.”
“What do you mean no party?”
“Nopony showed up; they’re all busy. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, even Fluttershy were all preoccupied. I have all those presents sitting under the tree over there and I had a whole bunch of sweets prepared just for this night. But I guess it was just a waste baking them. I never felt so…so…”
“Alone?”
“…Yeah…I’m alone.”
“Oh my gosh, Pinkie, I’m sorry to hear that.” Rainbow said sincerely. “Nopony should be alone on Heath’s Warming Eve. Hey, why don’t I spend the night with you?”
“But, I thought you were busy with the weather.”
“It’s just snow; it pretty much falls fine on its own.”
“You don’t have to do that, Rainbow. I don’t think you would have much fun.”
“Are you kidding? I’m not going back out in the cold; especially not when one of my pals is all alone.”
“You mean it?”
“Hey, you’re talkin’ to the Element of Loyalty here. I mean every word.” Rainbow smiled as she joined her friend on the couch.
Slowly, Pinkie’s smile grew back. She wrapped her hooves around Rainbow in a hug. But this wasn’t one of her usual bone crushing hugs; it was gentle and warm.
That night, Pinkie and Rainbow shared a platter of cookies and candy and a couple glasses of eggnog. The lights on the tree were turned back on as a record player by the couch played White Hearth’s Warming by Wing Crosby. The two chatted and shared laughs for a good while as the holiday merriment returned. Then, Pinkie got up from the couch.
“Well Rainbow, I should give you your present before I forget.” She said.
“Aw thanks, Pinkie. It’s really no big deal, though.” Rainbow shrugged.
“No big deal? It’s the whole point of the holiday, silly filly.”
Pinkie carried a cyan gift wrapped box with a magenta bow, color coded for Rainbow. She returned to the couch and handed it to the pegasus who slowly unwrapped it. She revealed a white box indicating an article of clothing. Curious as to what it could be, Rainbow opened the box and took out her present. She gasped as she took a good look.
“Is this…could it be…it’s not…” she stammered.
“Yes it is!” smiled Pinkie. “It’s a winter flying jacket. And it’s not just any winter flying jacket; it’s-”
“It’s a Wonderbolts flying jacket!” Rainbow gawked at the thick nylon jacket with a wool-lined hood and the color scheme of the famed Wonderbolts.
“Well, go ahead, try it on!” replied Pinkie with glee.
Still in shock, Rainbow slipped on the jacket and zipped it up. It was a perfect fit.
“Pinkie, how in Equestria did you get this?” she asked. “These things are one of a kind!”
“Rarity helped me. She has an in with the wardrobe manager for the Wonderbolts. I asked Rarity to take me to Canterlot and the manager said I could have one of Soarin’s older jackets.”
Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “This jacket belonged to Soarin’?!”
“Yup! And look on the sleeve; there’s even a stain where he wiped his nose.”
Rainbow then looked at the left sleeve and blushed. “You mean…I possess the DNA of my all time favorite Wonderbolt?!”
“You bet your sweet flank you do. I knew how much trouble you’ve been having with the cold weather. So, I just knew this would be the perfect gift.”
Rainbow gawked at the jacket some more as a smile grew from ear to ear. She looked at Pinkie with glimmering eyes and quickly hugged her.
“Oh Pinkie, this is the best Hearth’s Warming present ever! Thank you so much!”
“Aw it was no big deal.” Pinkie giggled.
Rainbow parted and suddenly felt awkward. “Gosh, I feel bad now. I have a present for you, but I left it back at my house. Sorry about that. I promise I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”
“That’s okay, Rainbow. You’ve already given me my best gift.”
With tears of joy, Rainbow laid a kiss on Pinkie’s forehead and the two hugged tightly again. Rainbow whispered in her ear.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming, Pinkie.”
Pinkie whispered back. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Rainbow.”

Happy Hearth’s Warming to all, and to all a good night!

The End