"Guys! Cut it out!" Annabelle frowned.

"I said, stop fighting! That's not what the holidays are about!" Gallus soon cried out to them as he felt fed up. "No matter what you call them or how you celebrate! D-Do you know how lucky you all are? With your stories about sharing a-and kindness and getting together with everycreature that you care about?"

"But don't you celebrate a holiday back in Griffonstone, too?" Clark asked. "Some holiday called Blue Moon Festival?"

"Yeah... The one time of year when griffons are nice to each other. Well, as nice as we can be," Gallus replied. "Families get together to eat and then complain about the food and give each other presents they don't like and mostly just try not to yell at each other."

"Well, at least you get to spend time with your family." Silverstream smiled.

"No... Because I don't have a family." Gallus clarified.

"But on the first day of school, Grandpa Gruff said that you were his-" Patch started.

"That's just his name. He's not anygriff's actual grandpa," Gallus replied with a sharp sigh as he stared out the window. "I felt like I never had a place in Griffonstone. Then I came here and, well, met all of you. So I don't want to go home for the break. And that's why... I did it!" he then confessed to all of them.

"So, it wasn't Ocellus?" Sandbar asked.

"Really?" Cherry asked the earth pony, unimpressed.

Sandbar shrugged to her.

"So, you messed up the decorations?" Darla frowned to the griffin.

"Yeah. It was me," Gallus sighed. "I put goo powder in the Fire of Friendship."

"But I'm sure you didn't mean to ruin their holiday." Atticus said.

"I didn't plan to!" Gallus replied. "I just figured if I made a mess, our teachers would make us stay to clean up. We'd be together a little longer."

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Smolder muttered.

"Better than I thought, and when Headmare Twilight threatened to cancel winter break, that meant I would get to be with all of you through the entire holiday," Gallus replied. "That's why I didn't confess."

"So, why are you admitting this now?" Sandbar asked.

"I hated seeing all you fighting and-and blaming each other," Gallus replied. "That's the opposite of what all your holidays mean. Except maybe yours, Smolder. I can't keep all of you from the happiness of your homes and families just because I feel bad. I'm sorry. Don't worry. You won't have to tell our teachers. I will."

"You don't have to." Twilight's voice said.

The others soon turned around and looked over to see Twilight was right behind them.

"We already know." Twilight continued.

"We kinda guessed it was you, but we wanted to give you the chance to tell the truth." Rainbow Dash added.

"And I'm proud that you did, and I'm glad that you've been paying attention in Professor Applejack's honesty classes." Twilight smiled at Gallus.

Gallus smiled as he made his headmare proud.

"But you're still going to have to make amends and stay over break for extra friendship lessons by yourself." Twilight then told him softly since he did the crime.

Gallus frowned as that was fair. Darla couldn't help but frown for Gallus being here all alone, but then, something happened...

"I'll stay with him!" Silverstream piped up.

"Me too!" Ocellus added.

"Yona stay also!" Yona added.

"I'm staying!" Sandbar added.

"I'll stay too if I have to!" Clark even added in.

"Count us in too!" Darla, Amber, and Annabelle added in.

The others looked over to Smolder.

"What?" Smolder asked them before groaning in defeat. "All right. I guess pony holidays can't be that bad."

"Now you can finally know what it's like to spend Hearth's Warming with friends who care about you." Sandbar smiled to this.

The group began to get into a group hug.

"Looks like they don't really need any extra lessons." Rainbow Dash whispered to the alicorn.

Twilight smiled to tat before looking to their students. "Since you obviously know that Hearth's Warming is about coming together, I'd be honored if all of you would join my friends as guests at our holiday table." she then told them with pride.

This caused the students to cheer.

"After we finish cleaning up." Twilight then added.

The students continued to cheer anyway as they went to get right on that.

"Looks like they're excited." Mo smiled.

"I guess they've really learned a lesson." Cherry commented.

"What a Happy Hearth's Warming this'll become." Atticus smiled.

"It sure will." Patch added.

"I gotta say, even I'm excited," Cherry said. "Even if this Equestria visit felt short."

"Who said it was over?" A voice asked, startling them slightly.

"Dad, your voice has changed?" Cherry smiled nervously.

"Uh, Cherry, I think you should see who it is." Mo said.

"Don't tell me." Cherry face-hoofed.

Drell and Hilda were both there however, and they seemed to bring Baby Ambrose along with them.

"Whatya want?" Cherry rolled her eyes.

"Your help of course, dear." Hilda smiled.

"I am not babysitting your... Child," Cherry glared towards Ambrose. "No way! No how!"

"Did I say that?" Drell asked.

"...No?" Cherry replied.

"May I talk now?" Drell asked her.

Cherry then backed up, feeling a little stupid right now.

"Please, Drell, not now, it's the holidays." Atticus said.

"I know, I just wanted to tell you this for the future so when it comes up, you won't be surprised," Drell said. "Do you guys remember Jake Long?" he then quizzed them.

"Yeah, why?" Atticus, Mo, Patch, and Cherry said, looking a little suspicious.

"He might be due for his own Equestrian adventure." Drell said.

"As long as Cathleen isn't dragged into this," Cherry replied. "She made me swear to you in blood to never let her come here. She's not interested in the Mane Six or anyone else in this enchanted land."

"Don't worry, she's not." Drell told her.

"Sorry, guys, Cath said she'll adventure anything with us but Equestria." Cherry told the others.

"That's okay, Cherry." The others reassured her.

"So, when will Jake be here?" Atticus asked Drell.

"What're you doing right after this?" Drell smirked.

The others looked to him a bit horrified.

"I'm kidding of course!" Drell chuckled to them which made Ambrose giggle since his daddy was laughing.

"Whew." The others sighed.

"Um, are you guys going somewhere?" Cherry then asked.

"Well, Drell wanted to check on you little ones, and I thought it would be nice if Ambrose finally got to see Equestria up close." Hilda smiled.

"Aw." Mo smiled.

"But what happened here?" Drell asked.

"Um, trouble with the Fire of Friendship." Patch replied.

"What kind of trouble?" Hilda asked.

"Well, there was a mess, and we had to find out who did it." Patch said.

"I didn't do it though!" Cherry spoke up quickly.

"Then who did?" Drell asked.

"Gallus did it, but the others are going to help him out since they've learned a valuable lesson in friendship." Mo smiled.

"Aw!" Hilda smiled back.

"Yeah," Mo smiled. "I'm proud of them."

"I'm especially proud of Darla," Atticus added. "She's really become a great friend."

"I think that's all because of Amber and Madeline." Drell replied.

"That must be it." Atticus smiled.

"That's my guess anyway." Drell said.

"Amber is just a wonderful girl," Patch smiled. "Especially when she visits the farm during the summer. We all love seeing her, especially Lucky."

A while later, the group was still cleaning.

"Hey, this reminds me of another story!" Sandbar said to the others as he found a sponge. "'The Time I Almost Spilled Grape Juice on the White Couch'!"

"Does it have a depressing ending?" Smolder asked Sandbar with a smile.

"That's something I'd expect Cherry to say." Atticus smirked.

"I'm not sure pony stories work that way." Ocellus said to Smolder.

"Same here." Amber added.

"Gallus want Yona braid feathers?" Yona offered to the young griffin.

"Uh... Pass..." Gallus said to her.

"Hearth's Warming Eve is here once again~" Silverstream sang.

The others smiled as this turned out being a happy ending for their holiday vacation and being in the School of Friendship, and where they soon got to celebrate the holidays with Twilight and the girls.

"Should we stay and celebrate Hearth's Warming?" Hilda asked as she hugged Drell's foreleg which was his free arm since his other one held onto Ambrose. "We could give Ambrose the best gift ever?"

"Ooh... Tempting..." Drell replied. "Should we vacation with the others?"

Ambrose seemed to giggle at that idea.

"You want that, little guy?" Drell smirked as he tickled his son. "You wanna spend Hearth's Warming in Equestria?"

Ambrose giggled and nodded happily.

"Please, Drell, can we?" Hilda smiled.

"Well... Okay!" Drell smiled back. "Let's celebrate Ambrose's first family holiday as Hearth's Warming!"

Ambrose and Hilda both looked excited about that.

"Drell, can I ask you something?" Atticus asked.

Drell narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Depends... What did you do and what's it gonna cost me?" he then replied.

"I didn't do anything; it's about Gallus, do you know his parents?" Atticus asked.

"Gallus..." Drell replied. "Oh! That's the griffin, right?"

Atticus nodded to that.

"Hmm... I'm not sure actually." Drell said as he put his hoof to his chin.

"Oh..." Atticus frowned. "I thought you might know what happened to his family..."

"I'm not fully sure, I'll have to do some research and get back to you on that." Drell told him.

"Okay, thanks." Atticus said.

"Sure thing," Drell replied. "Come on, Hilda, let's go to our old place."

"Uh... Old place?" Cherry blinked.

The family soon went to an old cottage that they owned from when they would visit Equestria in the past which was a very long time ago, even before the Mane Six had been born.

"It's so nice." Hilda smiled.

"Hasn't changed a bit," Drell smiled back. "I'm just glad Equestria's changed since before Twilight Sparkle and the others came to town... It was so sappy here."

"Yeah, even the Care Bears weren't that mushy." Hilda agreed.

Ambrose seemed to stick out his tongue.

"Seems that Ambrose agrees." Drell smiled.

Hilda giggled as they came inside. "So, what's this about Jake Long?" she then asked.

"It seems his grandfather is wanting him to visit Equestria, but so far, Jake thinks it's mushy and girly since it's a land of colorful ponies." Drell replied as they set Ambrose down on the table before using magic to change his diaper as it was a long journey away from home and they had to get settled in.

"Oh, he's going to be proven wrong." Hilda smiled.

"Do you think he'll like it?" Drell asked before powdering Ambrose. "I mean... Cherry's friend Cathleen already passed on visiting Equestria any time soon."

"I'm sure once he sees that Equestira isn't mushy and girly, he'll like it." Hilda smiled.

Ambrose sniffled from the powder before sneezing.

"Bless you." Hilda smiled.

Eventually, Ambrose was all ready and changed.

"All right, now we just have to wait for Jake," Drell said as he picked Ambrose back up. "I think the others should stay here and maybe wait for him. They've never had a real Hearth's Warming before..." he then paused. "...I think."

"When will Jake be here?" Hilda asked.

"His grandfather is going to give me a call." Drell replied.

"That's good." Hilda smiled.

"I guess I should introduce you to Pound and Pumpkin Cake so you can make yourself some friends." Drell said to his son.

Ambrose cooed and giggled.

"I doubt he can meet Princess Flurry Heart this time of year." Drell then said to Hilda.

"Maybe not this year." Hilda said.

Ambrose smiled up to his parents as they relaxed and got settled in for another Happy Hearth's Warming together.

Before they knew it, it was time for bed. Drell and Hilda set Ambrose down for sleeping with his pacifier in as they climbed into their own bed. While they went to bed, the others were getting to their own beds.

"So, are we staying here?" Cherry asked.

"Why not? We can experience a true Hearth's Warming." Atticus smiled to her.

"That's true." Cherry said.

"You comfortable, Cherry?" Atticus asked.

"It's a little too warm in here." Cherry said.

Atticus then used his magic to lower the temperature.

"Ah... Much better..." Cherry smiled.

"This is going to be great." Mo smiled back.

"The best holiday ever..." Atticus smiled.

"The best holiday ever." The others repeated before they decided to get some sleep that night.

And where it truly was going to be the best holiday ever. Everyone soon went to sleep as they were spending the holidays in Equestria that year.