Hey everycreature! What's up!?

Sorry for the slight delay, as some of you knew, I did post my The Best Gift Ever special review, which is why this was delayed a little, but here now and I hope everycreature enjoys the next part of this holiday short story!

Honorary Family Member Part 2

Soon enough Canterlot became visible from the train as the engine pulled its cars up the mountain tracks and through tunnels, clogging along. Meanwhile both Pen and Rose were very excited as their home city got closer and closer, anxious to see the station and the rest of the family which was surely waiting for the train to arrive by now. However Gallus was a bit nervous, after all he only met Rose's whole family once before on Friends and Family Day and certainly didn't interact with them as a family member, to do so now on one of the biggest holidays of Equestria was taking it to a whole new level. Rose noticed Gallus' expression as she took a second to glance at her griffon friend.

"Hey Gallus you alright?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, just a little nervous to spend the holiday in Canterlot, are you sure the rest of your family isn't going to mind me?" Gallus making sure he wouldn't ruin the enjoyment with his attitude.

"Don't worry, my family's great, although my dad can embarrass me sometimes…" Rose blushing.

"It's just… You know back in Griffonstone I could only look at griffons "enjoying" themselves, but never got to be a part of it." Gallus explained.

"Well, at least you're going to have one friend with you." Rose smiling, referring to herself.

As Rose finished, she felt the train start to slow down and turning back around to the window, she could see the station platform as the train came to a stop. As the steam given off by the engine dissipated, she could see her parents and older sister on the platform, waiting for the rest of the family. Rose smiled as she jumped off her seat and straight for the car door to open and let her out.

"Oh that's my little sister alright, impatient at times like this." Pen commented as he chuckled and then got off his own seat, followed by Gallus.

The car doors of the train opened up and Rose galloped out, straight to her family.

"Mom, dad, sis, so glad to see you!" Rose shouted as she hugged her mother before breaking it.

"And we're glad you came home sweetie." Sword replied as he grabbed Rose in a tight hug, which of course embarrassed the little filly as she blushed.

"Dad… Not in front of everypony." Rose said as Sword chuckled before letting his daughter go.

"Oh this must be your friend Pen said was also coming over." Dancing Tune noticing Gallus behind her brother.

"Hi…" Gallus awkwardly greeted the other family members.

"Well hello… Gallus is it?" Bluebell greeting, but than asking to make sure she got the name right.

"Yes ma'am." Gallus replied.

"Well welcome, it's surely an honor to have one of my daughter's friends to spend the holiday with us." Sword smiled.

"Thank you… Sir…" Gallus stuttered as he didn't expect that response.

"You're welcome, now you three must be a bit tired from your train trip and we still have some time until the Heart's Warming play tonight." Sword said to the three arrivals.

Rose smiled as her dad said this as Gallus was of course a bit confused, not remembering this from the last Hearth's Warming at the school. So he decided to ask Rose as the group exited the train station, back to the house where the family lived.

"Rose, what's this about a play?" Gallus whispered to Rose.

"Every year there's a play in the royal palace telling the story of the first Hearth's Warming, I always enjoy it and my family gets the first row seats since my father's a royal guard." Rose explaining to Gallus back in a whisper.

As Rose was explaining part of the holiday to him she admired the sights of Canterlot covered in white snow and holiday decorations, she always adorned the bright lights and festive ribbons and such that covered all the buildings. It was one of the things Rose certainly loved before she came to the School of Friendship. After much trotting the group finally arrived back at a house Pen and Rose was all too familiar with…

"Home sweet home." Both Pen and Rose said at the same time as Sword opened the door and let his family go in first, Gallus last before Sword as the griffon came inside.

Unlike the cold outside, of course since it was winter, the inside of Rose's home in Canterlot was warm, the warmth greeting Gallus as he couldn't help but feel his feathers ruffle up. As Gallus looked around, he saw what looked to be the living room in the house and there in the fireplace a fire was going, clearly where the warmth was coming from. However there was also a decorated tree, with lights, ribbons and other ornaments on it as presents were underneath, just begging to be opened…

"Sweetie…" Bluebell said as she noticed Rose going towards the tree, straight for a present. "Not until the morning, remember?"

"Yes mom…" Rose sighed as her dad chuckled.

"If you want an early present sweetie, your mom has baked a bunch of cookies and there's still a lot more left in the kitchen." Sword added, which made Rose smile as she galloped straight for the kitchen, but stopped.

"Gallus, want to try some cookies?" Rose asked. "They're pretty good."

"Sure, why not?" Gallus replied as he followed Rose into the kitchen, which had the smell of the baked goods which Rose, of course having hurried to the kitchen was already enjoying a cookie that was in the shape of a windigo.

Gallus took a cookie from the platter that was in the shape of a tree, looking at it first for a second before taking a bite, savoring the taste as eh enjoyed it, smiling as he had his eyes closed.

"Now don't eat too much you two, remember we have to go to the play tonight." Bluebell called from the living room as she was still there catching up with her son, who was telling his mom all about his new job and how the mayor liked him and how hard he worked as her assistant.

"Okay mom!" Rose called back from the kitchen as she grabbed a second cookie. "So pretty good right?" Rose then asked Gallus.

"Better than anything in Griffonstone, that's for sure." Gallus answered.

After a few minutes Sword, who gone up to his bedroom he shared with his wife upstairs, came back down wearing his armor and helmet, to go out.

"Okay everyone, I'm off." Sword announced as Bluebell came up, the couple in full view of everycreature else in the house.

"See you later my handsome guard." Bluebell said as she kissed her husband right on the muzzle.

"Mom… Not in front of us…" Rose said as Sword then laughed a little as he separated the kiss and then came to his little daughter.

"Sorry sweetie." Sword apologized as he gave a quick kiss on Rose's cheek. "I'll see you when the rest of you come to the play." Sword said before turning around for the front door.

"See you soon dad." Pen called as Sword gave a quick nod to his son before opening the door and leaving.

"Where's your dad going?" Gallus asked Rose. "Why isn't he staying?"

"Oh, well since he is a royal guard he has to report in earlier to get his assigned post at the auditorium where the play is." Rose answered.

"So he never gets to sit with the rest of his family?" Gallus a bit surprised that Rose could accept that fact so easily.

"Well, part of me wishes it was different, but it's not like he's not in the same room with us and we all understand that it's his job, plus in the morning that's when we're all together to enjoy the real celebration."

As the daylight was fainting away over the sky, getting darker, it was time for the family, plus Gallus, to make their way to the royal palace for the Hearth's Warming play. As they were about to leave, Bluebell was making sure that Rose was warm as the nurse wrapped a scarf around Rose's neck.

"Are you sure you're going to be warm enough sweetie?" Bluebell asked.

"Yes mom, I'll be okay, stop embarrassing me in front of Gallus." Rose rolling her eyes as Gallus chuckled, but tried not to show it.

As the family was all ready, Pen opened the door, allowing the mares and Gallus to go first before leaving himself and making sure to lock the house's front door before the family made their own through the snowy and dark streets to the royal palace.

Okay next part's going to be the play! And it's going to be very nostalgic because it's going to remind you of the very first Hearth's Warming episode…

See everycreature later!