Disclaimer: I don't own My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic or any characters or materials taken from the cartoon series. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Note: This was requested by retro mania and is based off the So Weird episode Fountain which of course I do not own. All rights go to their proper owners.
Where The Heart Is.
"Well Spike, I think we've got everything on the list. Now we can head home and begin the preparations," Twilight said as she trotted along the snowy streets of Ponyville, heading for the Castle of Friendship.
"Yeah! I can't wait to start decorating. This year, I'm gonna weave twinkle-lights in with the garlands. That'll give that extra sparkle," Spike said, despite the huge mound of boxes and bags he was carrying, which made it impossible for him to see where he was going.
Twilight smiled as she magically guided him around a pole. Taking the top half of the stack in her magic, Twilight chuckled when Spiked looked around blinking.
"I'm just looking forward to spending the holidays with all our friends. This year is going to be another perfect Hearths Warming," Twilight said, leading the way through the frosty afternoon.
Soon Twilight and Spike were back at the castle and the preparations began. First Twilight wrapped all the gifts she'd bought for her friends; the latest Daring Do book for Rainbow Dash, an antique pie tin for Applejack, some very fancy fabric for Rarity, party cannon supplies for Pinkie Pie, and an assortment of animal brushes for Fluttershy. Spike would be getting the latest issue of his favorite comic book this year as well as a special jewel cake Twilight was planning on making when the little drake was asleep. After that, Twilight moved out of her private study, where she cleverly stashed all the gifts and magically sealed the door so only she could enter, and headed to the great hall. When she got there, a shocking sight met her eyes.
The great hall was in shambles! Decorations were everywhere, but not where they were supposed to be. Garlands were strewn all over the floor, twinkle-lights hopelessly tangled in them, bows and ribbons were drooped over ledges and rails or all over the floor like they had simply been tossed every which-way. In short, it looked like a tornado hit the place and in the middle of it all sat Spike, wrapped in a tangle of garlands, ribbons, and twinkle-lights.
"What happened in here, Spike?" Twilight stammered.
"I'm not sure. One minute I was weaving twinkle-lights into the garlands and the next thing I knew, a strong gust of wind blew in and this happened," Spike answered, trying vainly to disentangle himself.
Twilight came over and helped him out. "Never mind. It's no big deal. We've still got plenty of time to fix this."
She had no sooner spoken, than Applejack came in.
"Oh, good! See, Spike? Applejack's here. She'll help us get this place in Hearths Warming shape in no time."
"Actually, Twilight, I came ta tell ya I can't make it ta yer git together this year," Applejack said, looking slightly embarrassed and scuffing a forehoof on the floor.
Twilight's jaw dropped. "You can't make it? But we always spend the holidays together."
"I know an' I feel right bad about it, but ya see, mah family's headed out ta Appleloosa this year since Braeburn and several others out there got sick an' can't come down here ta visit an' they'll need our help running their farms until they git better. You understand, right?"
Twilight smiled, albeit a little disappointedly. "I understand. You need to help your family. It'll be fine. The others will still be here."
Applejack looked relieved. "Thanks, Twilight. I knew you'd understand. Happy Hearths Warmin'."
"Happy Hearths Warming," Twilight responded as Applejack turned and left. Twilight sighed. "Oh, well. At least the others will be here. Anyway, we've got a lot of work to do, so let's get to it, Spike."
They worked in silence for a while until another knock sounded at the door. It was Fluttershy.
"Hi, Fluttershy. Are you here to help with the preparations?" Twilight asked hopefully.
"Oh, no. I mean, I'd be happy to help, but I'm afraid I have bad news," the shy pegasus said.
"Oh?"
"I'm afraid I won't be able to make it to your party, Twilight. You see, this family of reindeer showed up on my doorstep with colds. I couldn't very well just turn my back on them. Oh! I really should be getting back to them," Fluttershy said. "You understand, right?"
Twilight nodded. "Of course. You go take care of those reindeer. It's no big deal."
"Really?! Oh, thank you! I was so worried you'd be disappointed. Happy Hearths Warming!" Fluttershy said, heading out the door.
"Happy Hearths Warming," Twilight said, her head drooping slightly. "It's no big deal. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash will still be here."
Just then, Rarity trotted in.
"Oh, good! We could really use your help with the decorations, Rarity. We're a little behind…"
"I'm so sorry, darling, but I can't stay to chat. I only came to say I won't be able to make it to your little get together because of a massive order for Hearths Warming cloaks that just came in from Canterlot and I simply must get them done in time to ship tomorrow. You understand, right?"
"I understand," Twilight replied, though with decidedly less enthusiasm.
"I knew you would. I'll see you as soon as I finish, I promise. Happy Hearths Warming," Rarity said, trotting out the door.
"Happy Hearths Warming. Humph! Does anypony know what that means anymore?" Twilight muttered.
No sooner had Rarity left than Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie showed up. Twilight glared at them.
"I suppose you two can't make it tomorrow either?"
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie blinked in surprise. "How did you…"
"It seems nopony can make it to my Hearths Warming party. Applejack has to go to Appleloosa to take care of family, Fluttershy has a herd of sick reindeer, Rarity has a huge order to fill, and now you two… Um, just what do you two have getting in the way of us spending the holidays together?" Twilight asked after cutting Rainbow Dash off.
"Yeah, I kinda have to perform in the Wonderbolts Hearths Warming arial show and Spitfire wants everypony there by tonight."
"And I agreed to spend the holidays with my family on the rock farm."
Twilight sighed. "I guess it's just me and Spike this year."
"What about Shining Armor and Cadance? Can't you spend the holidays with them in the Crystal Empire?" Rainbow asked.
"No. They're busy with their own celebration. They have to host the annual Crystal Empire Hearths Warming Ball."
"Oh. Well, Happy Hearths Warming anyway. I'm sure you and Spike will have a great time and we'll all get together after the holidays," Rainbow Dash said, offering a weak smile.
"Thanks, but I really wanted us to spend the holidays together like we always do. I understand you have to meet your obligations. I'm not upset, just a little disappointed. Go on and have fun you two. Happy Hearths Warming," Twilight said, giving a weak smile of her own.
Once Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were gone, Twilight stood and started heading for the door.
"Hey, Twilight! Where are you going?" Spike asked.
"I just… need some time alone, Spike. I'll be back later, so don't wait up for me," Twilight responded, heading out into the frosty evening.
As she walked down the street, Twilight thought about all the plans she'd laid and how now it had all been for nothing. Her friends were spending the holidays scattered across Equestria practically and she would be spending the holidays alone again. Well, not completely alone. Spike at least would be there. Sighing, Twilight looked up to see something odd. There, across the street from her, was a soda bar.
"Hmm. I never noticed that there before," Twilight murmured, trotting over to the door and heading inside.
Inside there was a white and red tile pattern that seemed oddly out of place in Ponyville, but not in this place. Twilight took a seat on the only barstool in the place. As a matter of fact, it was only seat in the place.
"What can I get you?"
Twilight jumped. A young Earth pony stallion with a pale orange coat and light green mane and tail, with a barstool as his cutie mark looked at her with kind pale blue eyes that seemed to smile. Twilight shook her head and rubbed her eyes. The stallion hadn't been there a second ago.
"What can I get you?" he asked again. "If I had to guess, I'd say you need a Windigo Whipper."
"What's a Windigo Whipper?" Twilight asked, confused.
"You start with hot cocoa, add a huge swirl of whipped cream, sprinkles, and a big red cherry on top."
The soda-pony had no sooner finished speaking than a Windigo Whipper appeared in front of Twilight out of nowhere.
"He's not a Unicorn, so how is he doing this?" Twilight wondered.
"Name's Barstool. What seems to be the trouble?" Barstool asked.
"Well, I wanted to spend the holidays with my friends like we do every year, but they all have other things they need to do," Twilight said sighing sadly.
"I see. So, you're all alone for Hearths Warming then, eh?"
Twilight shook her head. "No. I still have Spike. I just wish the others could be there too. This holiday is supposed to be about spending time with the ponies you love."
"True, but there are many ways to spend Hearths Warming. You never know. Maybe this year will be the best yet. I'm sure it will be special in its own way," Barstool said, smiling kindly.
Twilight sighed and took a sip of her cocoa. Suddenly she was back at the castle with her friends and most of Ponyville, decorating and celebrating. Twilight blinked in confusion. Just as she was about to ask somepony what was going on, Starlight came up to her smiling.
"Thanks for reading me that story, Twilight. I think I finally get what Hearths Warming is all about."
Twilight blinked. "I read Starlight that story last year. What is going on?!"
"Hey, Twilight! Come on! You're missing out on the mulled cider!" Rainbow Dash called out.
Twilight shook her head. "I have no idea what's going on here, but I intend to find out," she said to herself as she trotted over to where her friends were gathered around the mulled cider. "So, girls, does any of this seem, oh I don't know, familiar somehow?" she asked, looking from one face to the next.
Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy all looked at her confused. Pinkie Pie just giggled. "Of course it seems familiar, silly! Hearths Warming comes every year!"
"No, that's not what I meant. I meant, do any of you feel like this exact Hearths Warming has happened before?" Twilight asked.
Now the others looked at her like she was crazy.
"Um, Twilight, have you been reading the time spells again?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Are ya sure you're feelin' alright, sugarcube?" Applejack asked, feeling Twilight's forehead.
"I'm fine. At least I was until I went to that new soda bar in town and met this guy named Barstool…"
"There's a new soda bar in town? I didn't know there was an old soda bar and I know every place in Ponyville," Pinkie Pie said.
Twilight wasn't listening though. She was thinking about Barstool and his odd soda bar. "Barstool! That's it! I don't know how he did it, but he must be in possession of some sort of time-travel magic that sent me back to the past. But why?"
"Twilight, dear, I think perhaps you should lie down for a bit. You don't seem quite yourself tonight," Rarity said, leading Twilight towards the stairs.
"I'm fine! I need to get back to Barstool so I can get back to the present!"
"We don't do presents until morning, silly!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing around the library.
"Oh, no! It happened again! Only this time I'm back at the Golden Oaks Library," Twilight said, looking around with wide eyes.
"Of course ya are. Where else would ya hold yer Hearths Warming party, but at yer house?" Applejack asked with a smile.
"Um, Twilight? Are you ok? You seem a little, freaked out," Fluttershy asked, looking concerned.
"I'm fine! I just… need to go somewhere," Twilight said, dashing out the door.
Once she was outside, she turned around and looked at the library. It brought back so many bittersweet memories to see it standing again.
"Why is this happening? What lesson am I supposed to learn?" Twilight murmured.
Just as she said that, she found herself back in Canterlot in the observatory she and Spike had lived in.
"What is going on here? Why is this happening? How could an Earth pony have magic?" Twilight ranted.
Spike just watched her with his big innocent eyes. "Twilight? You ok?"
Twilight stopped herself. She must look like a crazy pony at this point. She sighed, then chuckled at herself. "Yes, Spike. I'm ok. I just wish I knew what was going on. I wish we were in Ponyville with our friends, even if we weren't all in the same place."
"Twilight… Twilight! Hey! Twilight! Wake up!"
Twilight slowly came back to consciousness, feeling somepony shaking her and hearing Spike's voice calling her name. "Huh? What? Spike?" she slurred slightly, rubbing her eyes.
"When you didn't come back I got worried. You must have fallen asleep on this bench," Spike said, his voice still a little worried.
Twilight, now fully awake, knew exactly what she had to do. "Come on, Spike. We've got some friends to spend the holidays with."
"Huh? But, they all have plans," Spike said, trotting along beside Twilight.
"I know. Since they can't make it to spend the holidays with us, we'll go spend the holidays with them, where they are," Twilight said ginning.
"Um, how is that gonna work?"
"Easy. First, we'll help Rarity with her order, then we'll help Fluttershy take care of those reindeer, then we'll meet up with Pinkie Pie and her family, then catch Rainbow Dash at the Wonderbolts show, and finally, we'll meet up with Applejack in Appleloosa."
"I don't understand. I thought you wanted to spend the holidays at home as usual."
Twilight smiled. "That's just it, Spike. Home is where the heart is and my heart is where my friends are."
Spike's eyes widened slightly. "Oh. I guess that makes sense. What do you need me to do?"
"Just pack a bag, Spike. This is going to be the best Hearths Warming ever," Twilight said.
Rarity was quite surprised to find Twilight on her doorstep ready to help her. With the extra set of hooves and claws, the cloaks were finished much sooner and when she heard Twilight's holiday plans, Rarity insisted on joining them. Fluttershy was also surprised, but happy to see Twilight, Rarity, and Spike. The reindeer family wasn't as sick as she had at first thought and in the morning, they were ready to head out on their own. As the reindeer left, so too did Fluttershy, joining her friends on their holiday trip.
The Pie family, while not expecting Pinkie's Ponyville friends, were sociable enough and that was saying something. Pinkie also decided to join Twilight and the others in heading to Canterlot to see Rainbow Dash fly. After making a side stop to drop off the cloaks from Rarity's order, the gang headed to the stadium. The Wonderbolts' show was awesome as always and afterwards Rainbow Dash joined them on the trip to Appleloosa.
"Well, I'll be! Y'all shoulda told us ya were comin'!" Applejack exclaimed as the others trotted into the ranch house.
"Well it wouldn't be much of a surprise then, would it?" Rainbow Dash said with a wide grin.
"Now that y'all are here, we can really git the holidays started," Applejack said. "I admit, all I really wanted was fer the six of us to be together. Looks like I got mah wish."
"You have Twilight to thank for that. If it hadn't been for her help, I never would have gotten those cloaks done so quickly," Rarity said.
"And I wouldn't have been able to get those reindeer back on their hooves so quickly," Fluttershy said.
"And I wouldn't have known where to go after the show," Rainbow Dash said.
"And I wouldn't have known about the super fun Travel To Appleloosa To Spend The Holidays With Applejack Party!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
"Uh, Pinkie, it wasn't exactly…"
"Oh, just let her have this, Rainbow Dash. You know how Pinkie Pie is," Twilight said smiling.
"Anyhoo, why'd ya decide to come all this way just fer me? I thought ya always spent Hearths Warmin' at home, Twi," Applejack inquired.
Twilight's smile got a little brighter. "I am home. As long as I'm with my friends, it doesn't matter where I am. With friends, my heart is at home."
The others all smiled at that, tearing up slightly as they all gathered around and gave a big group hug. Yep, this Hearths Warming was the best one yet and Twilight couldn't wait to see what next year's held.
The End.
Author's Note: Well, this certainly took some turns even I never saw coming. This story practically wrote itself in, I'm guessing, between one to three hours. Hopefully it's not a disappointment.