It was a cold winter evening in Ponyville. The gentle snow fell silently as everypony was finishing their holiday decorating. Everypony was out enjoying the weather and being merry. Even Princess Twilight Sparkle was out with her friends.
Applejack was enjoying the season, as the ground was too frozen to plow. Pinkie Hopped happily along, a candy cane hanging from her mouth. Fluttershy trotted carefully, so she didn't disturb any creatures hiding under the snow. Rarity was showing off her new scarf. Hoof made, she was proud to advertise a new Hearth's Warming themed line of clothing. Rainbow Dashed hovered above the crew, gawking at all of the lights and music. Finally, Twilight herself was out and about, all dressed in winter gear and excited for the festivities.
"My my, Ponyville has really outdone itself this year." Rarity pointed out.
"Darn tootin'," Applejack replied. "Mayor Mare said she wanted this to be the biggest Hearth's Warming Eve yet!"
Ponies were dancing, singing, eating goodies, and just generally having a good time all over Ponyville.
As the ponies reached the end of the street and emerged into the town square, they were amazed at the sight. The bell tower in the center of Ponyville had been turned into a gigantic tree, adorned with ornaments and lights. Wreaths hung from almost every door frame. Banners spanned the rooftops and draped even more decor down into the streets.
"Oooh, I just love Hearth's Warming!" Pinkie Pie squealed.
"You can say that again, Pinkie," Twilight added. "I'm so excited for the festival this year."
It was that perfect winter angle, where the sun was low, and the moon was poking gently over the horizon, so that it made the snow sparkle. The first stars were beginning to show through the purple skies.
"This is gonna be the best Hearth's Warming ever!" Rainbow Dash cried as she performed a backwards loop over a tendril spanning the road.
"Hmm," Rarity said, eyeing the tree carefully. "This could be problem."
"Problem?" asked Applejack. "How could there be a problem?"
"It's just horrible!" Rarity exclaimed. "It needs more... pizzazz!"
All of the other ponies started laughing. The tree was already covered in ornaments. It definitely did not need more.
"What's so funny?" Rarity asked.
"Only you would say that the tree needs more pizzazz. Just relax, Rarity. It's Hearth's Warming! Just have some fun!" Twilight explained.
"Oh, I suppose you're right. After all, it was my own work," Rarity finished. Her comment drew more laughs from the other five mares.
Leaving the square behind, the six ponies trotted up another street, headed towards the outer edge of town.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you," Twilight began. "Mayor Mare invited Princess Celestia to this year's festival, and Princess Cadence and Shining Armor will be coming down from the Crystal Empire!"
"Oh my. Is that so?" asked Rarity. Twilight nodded.
"It'll so awesome for them to see Ponyville like this," Rainbow Dash added. "They need to visit more often."
"Oooh, and I'll get to see little baby Flurry Heart again!" Pinkie squeaked.
"That puts a lot of pressure on Mayor Mare. Are you sure this is a good idea?" Applejack questioned. "After all, the Crystal Empire and Canterlot have their own Hearth's Warming celebrations."
"I'm sure its fine, Canterlot always has a great Hearth's Warming festival, and the crystal ponies don't really celebrate it like we do," said Fluttershy.
About half-way down the street, a certain mailmare dropped out of the sky and landed in a heap of powder in front of Twilight, causing her and her friends to flinch.
"Are ya'll alright?" Applejack asked, quickly.
The dazed pegasus shook her head to find her bearings, then nodded. She shook off all of the snow, and stood to face the six friends.
"Oh, I'm sorry Princess," the grey pegasus said with a bow. "Oh! Princess! I have a letter for you." The mare began to shuffled through her saddlebags, all the while other letters were falling out and onto the wet snow. Fluttershy and Applejack tried to pick them up so they would not get ruined and put them in her other bag.
"Here you are!" The mare produced two elegantly wrapped envelopes, each addressed to Twilight. "Oh! And one for Ms. Rarity and one for Rainbow Dash."
"A letter for me?" Rainbow asked as the mare handed her an envelope. Rarity's eyes glistened like snow when she saw her's.
"Oh, sweet Celestia! It's from Sabis Polis! One of the biggest names in fashion!" Rarity exclaimed.
"Thank you very much," Twilight said to the mare. She gave a salute, then clumsily took off to deliver her letters, which were falling out of her bags as she flew.
"Well... what do they say?" Pinkie Pie asked.
Rarity, Twilight, and Rainbow all opened their letters.
"What!?" exclaimed Rainbow. Twilight groaned in disappointment. Rarity's eyes flashed again as she read, gasping in glee.
"Oooh! Oooh! Lemme guess!" Pinkie Pie suggested. "Twilight, you're going to Canterlot; Rainbow, you need to go to Appleoosa; and... Rarity-"
"My Hearth's Warming line just got selected for a spotlight at Sabis Polis's Hearth's Warming pageant in Manehatten!" said Rarity, cutting pinkie off.
"Awe, I was gonna say that you made a million bits," Pinkie added.
"The Princesses won't be able to make this year's festival," Twilight explained. She read through the letter again. "There is a prince in Canterlot who doesn't understand Hearth's Warming. He wants the Princesses to help him with the festivities."
"I have to work... On Hearth's Warming!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Apparently there was some accident in Cloudesdale, and they need ponies to come in and pick up the slack! That's why you don't put a cumulus in a cirrus dispenser!" Rainbow Dash punctuated her point by delivering a face-hoof.
Rarity's eyes faded as she said, "Oh, that pageant in on Hearth's Warming. I'll need to be in Manehatten by then."
"Well now what're we gonna do?" asked Applejack. "We've been planning all year to spend this Hearth's Warming together. Now we can't."
The six ponies sat around in the snow. Disappointed in this development, the joy and merriment around them faded. The sun went down and the moon began to rise, bathing Ponyville's holiday splendor in a pale light.
"Oh, come on now! We can't let this drag us down! We're together now. We might as well enjoy it." Pinkie Pie said with a smile. Everypony else nodded, but were still unhappy. Pinkie Pie's eyes suddenly hung dreamily as a sweet odor permeated through the air. She levitated, her hooves barely scraping the ground as she floated towards the direction of the smell of fresh chocolate. The others followed.
Pinkie's nose led them to the end of the street, where there was a coffee shop, all done up with holiday fare. The six ponies entered the shop. It was empty, even though the sign said that it was open. There was not even a cashier at the register.
The six friends took a seat at a booth by a window.
"I can't believe I have to go to Cloudesdale," groaned Rainbow Dash.
"I'm sorry, girls. Maybe we'll just have to reschedule for next year," suggested Twilight.
"I do feel ashamed at having to postpone our celebration. Especially if it can only come once a year," said Rarity.
Everypony at the table had their heads down.
"Well hello there," said a voice. A brown mare with a chocolate-colored mane was trotting up to the table. Her name tag said 'Puddingtop.' "What's with the long faces? Aren't you happy? Where's your holiday spirit? It's Hearth's Warming."
"We're happy that its Hearth's Warming an' all," explained Applejack. "Its just that we had plans that aren't gonna work out."
"This is going to be the worst Hearth's Warming ever," said Fluttershy.
"The worst? How can this be the worst Hearth's Warming?" Puddingtop asked.
"We were going to spend it together," Twilight said. "Now we can't."
"I've gotta work," said Rainbow Dash.
"I've have to get to a pageant in Manehatten," said Rarity.
"The Princesses were going to come and celebrate with us, but they have business," said Twilight.
"Hmm, I see. Well you know what life as a princess is like, Your Majesty. You're working with the weather patrol, right? I heard about their accident. I'm glad everypony was okay.
"Sometimes everypony gets a case of the blues. But you know what? I know just the thing to cheer all of you up," Puddingtop said. She disappeared behind the counter and emerged with six large mugs of fresh hot chocolate, a blender, cherries, melted fudge, and many more ingredients.
"Oh you really don't have to do anything special," Rarity insisted.
"Oh please. It's my pleasure. I can't allow somepony to be so unhappy at a time like this," Puddingtop countered.
She placed the six mugs on the table and got to work. Peppermint sticks, a dash of cinnamon, some whipped cream, sprinkles. When she had finished, the six cups of hot chocolate had been turned into heaping helpings of holiday goodness. Pinkie Pie's mouth was watering as she licked her lips just looking at the delicious treat.
"Oh, ponyfeathers," said Applejack. "I left my bits at home. I can't pay you fer this."
"Please don't. It's on the house. I insist." Puddingtop pushed the drinks towards each of the other mares.
"Well thank ya kindly, Ms. Puddingtop," replied Applejack
With a shrug, the six friends lifted their cups and toasted. Then, they all took great big gulps of their drinks.
Hello. Thank you for reading. This was a special Christmas request. It is the first request that I have ever written, so if you enjoy this read, feel free to leave a review. If you did not enjoy, still leave a review telling why not. Every little bit helps.
Thanks /)