This is the 13th chapter. I don't own the series of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
Hearth's Warming Eve
Few months passed since Rarity gave birth and Spike confessed his feelings to her, which she rejected him, but she only likes him as a friend. Her parents arrived at the Carousel Boutique and seeing their granddaughter, Flora Heart, they're surprised that the filly arrived so soon and yet, happy that they have a new family member. Sweetie Belle was even happy that she had a niece.
Though, taking care of her daughter while working at the boutique is a bit stressful, but she got some help from Kronk, Sweetie Belle, and Golden Charm. Rarity wanted to do something special for her daughter, so she, Kronk, Golden Charm, and Sweetie Belle took Flora Heart to Bon Bon's candy which was a strawberry lollipop. However, it got to the point when Flora Heart threw up, much to Rarity's dismay, but Golden Charm told his mother that her sister hates strawberries, no matter if it's real or artificial because his birth parents tried to get the filly to eat it, which she threw up. Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Kronk finally understands of Golden Charm's explanation and forgot about it, which they'll be asking a different flavor of lollipop and avoid having Flora eating strawberries in the future.
Now, it's that time of the year in all of Equestria, the holidays are near and everypony is about to celebrate Hearth's Warming Eve, a holiday similar to Christmas. It's a snowy day as the Mane 7, the 8 foals, Kronk, and Zane were on a train to Canterlot and they're extremely excited as each one of them stuck their heads out of the window of the train.
"We're getting closer!" Twilight said, stuck her head out of the window.
"I think you're right." Mario agrees, peeked out from Twilight's window.
"I can hardly wait!" Rainbow Dash added excitedly, poked her head out of the window.
"I'm so excited, I-I feel like shouting!" Fluttershy said before letting out a soft 'Woo-hoo!'
"Hoo-wee! Canterlot, here we come!" Applejack added, poked her head out of the window of the next train car in front of the 4 ponies.
"Oh, I do hope I look festive enough!" Rarity wondered, poked her head out of the window while wearing a festive hat.
"Oh, don't worry, Rarity, you look festive with that." Kronk complimented, peeked out from Rarity's window as she blushed.
"Why...thank you, Kronk." Rarity said.
"There it is! Canterlot!" Pinkie Pie shouts as she popped out of Rarity's hat.
Everypony looks in the distance to see the festive Canterlot not too far away.
"Oooh..." The Mane 7, Kronk, and Zane said, admired of how it looks.
However, the 7 foals are beginning to wonder why are they heading to Canterlot, besides the event which it's something they don't know about Hearth's Warming Eve.
They all soon arrive at Canterlot as they were all at the Canterlot depot just looking around at how festive all of Canterlot is today. They then all started to walk across Canterlot.
"Oh, isn't Canterlot wonderful this time of year?" Twilight asks, making their way into the streets which were all decorated with holiday decorations.
"Yeah, I wish it was Hearth's Warming Eve every day." Rainbow Dash said excitedly.
"What's Hearth's Warming Eve?" Daylight asks.
The Mane 7, Kronk, the CMCs, and Zane stopped as they turned towards the foals, which knew that they're still new to this world and not knowing about Hearth's Warming Eve.
"Well, Hearth's Warming Eve is a celebration of the founding of Equestria." Twilight explains. "It's the day the leaders of the three pony tribes agreed to live together in harmony and friendship after almost freezing to death at the hooves of Windigos."
"Really?!" The 7 foals exclaims, shocked.
"Yep, and Hearth's Warming is a holiday where everypony in their family exchange gifts and raising the flag to honor the first flag of Equestria, and the youngest one gets to put it up." Mario replied, turns to Winter Breeze. "Well, that's you."
"Guess that make sense." Storm Hawk said with a ponder.
"It's almost like Christmas." Daylight states.
"Christmas?" Applejack repeats. "What's that?"
"It's the name of a holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem." Comet told her, but started to chuckle. "I remember this one Christmas when we visited some relatives at Sorrento, Italy. That was the Christmas before I died. Grandpa fell asleep with a Christmas tree cookie on his face, and he fell asleep in the sun without a sunscreen."
"He did it again. But last time, with the gingerbread man." Daylight told her brother, then started laughing.
The Mane 7, Kronk, the 6 foals, the CMCs, and Zane then joins in with a laugh.
"Oh yeah, did any of you guys also spent your day in Christmas on Earth?" Rainbow Dash asks when she stops laughing.
"Yeah, except that me and my foster parents went to Salvation Army Donation Center at New York." Storm Hawk explains. "We came to that place, making food and drinks for the homeless veterans and given them hope on Christmas. Even my cousin and his gang helped us out."
"Aw, that's sweet, Storm Hawk." Pinkie Pie said with a smile.
"Thanks, but I just wish we can do more to help them." Storm Hawk said sadly. "The government messed everything up and not even helping the veterans."
"Hey, I'm sure you and your foster family did everything you can to help them." Rainbow Dash told him with a smile, rubbing his head.
"She's right, those veterans you mentioned really appreciated for what you did for them." Zane adds.
The ponies nodded with an agreement as Storm Hawk smiled.
"What about you, Winter?" Fluttershy asks, earned her daughter's attention. "Did you spend your time with your family on Christmas?"
"Yes, but in Iceland, it's called Jolabokaflod, basically known as 'Christmas book flood'. It's where my people give and receive books, and spend the rest of the evening reading books." Winter Breeze explains. "But my parents and I spend the day, celebrating Christmas and visiting our neighbor's home during the nighttime."
"I know that feelin', I spend the day in Christmas, spending time with mah family back in Houston." Apple Shine told her. "And boy it's a big one, cuz' mah relatives from Georgia arrived in Texas, celebrating Christmas."
"Same for me, during the time when my family and my people traveled to France. We hid in the slums called 'Court of Miracles' to get away from the others while spend some day in Christmas at the cathedral to pray and singing carols." Rose Lotus said.
"Before Flora was born, my parents took me to Dublin, Ireland to meet up with my other relatives at the festival." Golden Charm told them. "Lively and so many people there, but we stayed at their home to celebrate Christmas."
The Mane 7, Kronk, the CMCs, and Zane smiled of them remembering their days as humans spending their families on Christmas. However, the 7 foals began to turn their expressions to sadness since they won't be spending the day with their old families back on Earth.
"And now, neither of us will be spending Christmas with our families in our world." Comet said as he and the others turned to them. "But this is our first Hearth's Warming Eve in Equestria."
"And we're more than happy to spend it with all of you." Rose Lotus adds.
The Mane 7, the CMCs, Kronk, and Zane smiled at that as the girls hugged their kids. After a few minutes of hugging, they walk deeper into Canterlot just having a very happy expression.
"There's so much to look at!" Applejack states. "I feel like my durned eyes are gonna pop out of my head!"
"I have an idea, let's play 'I spy with my little eye' as we walk." Mario suggested.
"Great idea, Mario!" Twilight said with a smile. "I'll go first. I spy...an 8 foot candy cane."
Apparently, Scootaloo and another filly had stuck their tongues on the cold candy cane pole and had trouble getting them off. Daylight uses her magic to heat up their tongues so that they would be warm enough to pull off and it worked. Both of them wave over to Daylight as a thanks and she waves back to them as well.
"I spy a snowpony!" Rainbow Dash replied as they looked at a pony putting a hat on top of a snowpony.
"I spy some stockings." Storm Hawk said.
They all look to see a Pegasi decorating some of the places in Canterlot with some red and green stockings. Pinkie Pie then hops forward.
"I spy somepony eating a gingerbread house." Pinkie Pie said.
Pinkie Pie then rushes into a nearby store and back out with an entire gingerbread house and she chomps the entire thing in her mouth with one swift bite.
"And it's me!" Pinkie Pie finished her sentence.
"I'm pretty sure you always do that, Mom." Rose Lotus said with a smirk.
Pinkie Pie couldn't help but glare at her daughter before she and the others laughed in response.
Then, Shining Armor and Big Mac approaches toward them along with Night Light, Twilight Velvet, Hondo Flanks, Cookie Crumble, Bright Mac, and Pear Butter which it got their attention.
"Grandma! Grandpa!" Comet, Daylight, Apple Shine, and Golden Charm shouts happily as they rush towards their grandparents, hugging them.
"Happy Hearth's Warming Eve, Shining Armor." Twilight said to her brother with a smile.
"Happy Hearth's Warming Eve, little sis." Shining Armor replied.
Applejack and Mario joins Apple Shine when they told their parents and their brother 'Happy Hearth's Warming. Rarity and Sweetie Belle did the same while both Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumble cooed at Flora Heart, who's on a baby stroller. Fluttershy turned and saw her parents who are known as Mr. and Mrs. Shy.
Mr. Shy is a Pegasus that had pale light grayish malachite green fur coat with light amaranthish gray mane and tail, and grayish turquoise eyes. His cutie mark is three white clouds and he wore a pale powder blue sweater.
Mrs. Shy is also a Pegasus that had pale light grayish amber with moderate raspberry mane and tail, and moderate cerise eyes. Her cutie mark is three flowers: Orange, pink, and green. She wore grayish turquoise glasses, sunflower earrings, and golden pearl necklace.
"Mom, Dad, Happy Hearth's Warming." Fluttershy said to her parents with a smile.
"Happy Hearth's Warming, Fluttershy." Mrs. Shy said with a smile when Fluttershy realized something.
"Oh, by the way, I have somepony I'd like you both to meet." Fluttershy told them as she turned her head over to Winter Breeze. "Winter, can you come over and say hello to your grandparents?"
It got Winter Breeze's attention when her mother called her, noticed Mr. and Mrs. Shy as the Icelandic filly approaches, stood by Fluttershy. Mrs. Shy gasped in happiness, and then trotted over to the Icelandic filly.
"Oh my gosh! Fluttershy, she's so cute!" Mrs. Shy cooed as she carefully wrapped a fore-hoof around Winter Breeze and pulled her into a warm hug. "You're more adorable than I thought you'd be!"
Winter Breeze enjoyed the feeling of her grandmother's warm and soft fur; she started hearing her heartbeat.
"She is also a pretty young sprout if I do say so myself." Mr. Shy added before gently rubbing his new granddaughter's back when Fluttershy softly giggled.
"Mom, Dad, this is my daughter, and your new granddaughter, Winter Breeze." Fluttershy introduces her daughter.
Winter Breeze looked up to her grandmother.
"It's nice to you, grandma." Winter Breeze said softly which Mrs. Shy felt touched by her politeness.
"You're very sweet, Winter. It's nice to meet you too." Mrs. Shy said, leans down and kissed her in a forehead.
"So...how did you meet this young filly?" Mr. Shy asks.
"Well, it's a long story." Fluttershy said.
Then, she told them about Winter Breeze's life of her parents death, her life at the orphanage, and then how she found her, how she met the ponies in Equestria, and how well she's doing in school and all of Equestria. Mr. and Mrs. Shy felt bad for Winter Breeze's time in Iceland as she gave the Icelandic filly a hug.
"We're so sorry you had to go through that, dear." Mrs. Shy said with sincere.
"It's okay, I've pretty much gotten over it." Winter Breeze assures her, earned a nod from her grandmother.
They then continued to head towards the castle while looking at the sight of Canterlot.
My Little Pony, My Little Pony
Ahhhh
My Little Pony
I use to wonder what friendship could be
My Little Pony
Until you all share this magic with me
Big adventure,
Tons of fun,
A beautiful heart,
Faithful and strong,
Sharing kindness
It's an easy feat
And magic makes it all complete
You all have my little ponies
Do you know all you're my best friends?
Inside of the castle, there was an auditorium that hundreds of ponies were sitting in with a stage up front. Apparently, the real reason the Mane 6 came to Canterlot was that Princess Celestia has chosen them to put on a play that tells about the founding of Equestria. The 8 foals were sitting up front with their grandparents, Kronk, Shining Armor, Big Mac, and the Elemental Masters. They were all backstage along with many other ponies getting ready for the show.
However, Mario Star wanted to make the first introduction of the play.
"I can't believe that Princess Celestia chose us to put on the most important play in the season!" Twilight said excitedly as Rarity, who's already dressed in her costume, was busy putting on makeup on her. "Do you guys know what an honor this is? For all of us?"
"Oh, I wish she hadn't honored me quite so much...I can't go onstage!" Fluttershy said nervously, looking at herself in the mirror. "I don't want everypony looking at me!"
Fluttershy dashes away in fear and tries to burrow herself in a box full of props to hide herself.
"Fluttershy, darling, there's nothing to feel nervous about." Rarity said, walking up to her.
"No?" Fluttershy asked, peeks out from the box.
Rarity pulls her out of the box to go up in front of the mirror.
"Of course not." Rarity answered as she started brushing Fluttershy's mane, plucking her eyebrows. "All across Equestria, ponies are preparing their own pageants for Hearth's Warming Eve in their own towns. It's tradition."
"So, you're saying they'll be too busy to come to our play?" Fluttershy asks hopefully.
"Well, no." Rarity answered, putting some makeup on Fluttershy. "We're in the Canterlot pageant, the biggest, the most important production in all of Equestria. A lot of ponies will come to watch us."
Meanwhile, Applejack was trying on her hat and another Pegasus helped Pinkie Pie finish getting into her own costume. Twilight was also examining herself in the mirror.
"A lot?" Fluttershy groaned as she felt fear coming back.
"Hundreds." Rarity replied which Fluttershy starts trembling.
"Hundreds?" Fluttershy repeats when Rarity gasped.
"Maybe even-"
"Rarity!" Mario shouts sternly.
Rarity jumps a bit when she heard Mario's stern voice as she turned around to see him coming right beside Fluttershy.
"Can't you tell that you're encouraging her stage fright?" Mario asks.
"Oh...oops." Rarity said nervously.
Mario then puts his hoof around Fluttershy to make her look at him as she's still shivering just a little bit.
"Don't worry, Fluttershy, just know that even with a lot of ponies out there, your parents and your daughter are there for you." Mario assures her. "If you get scared, try and just imagine all of them like your animal friends along with Winter, alright?"
Fluttershy puts on a reassuring smile as she nods.
Suddenly, a window opens sending a gust of frigid wind and snow out towards the three.
"Oh, my hair!" Rarity exclaimed as she saw Applejack putting on the rest of her costume. "Applejack? Be a dear and shut those windows, will you?"
Applejack shoots Rarity an annoyed look before going over to the window until she spots Rainbow Dash chanting to herself in the mirror.
"Aaaah! Rain-bow-Dash! Rain-bow-Dash!" Rainbow Dash chanting herself while wearing a helmet. "Aaaa! Thank you, thank you!"
Applejack simply glares at her ego.
"It's a reenactment of the founding in Equestria." Applejack points out sternly. "It's not the 'Rainbow Dash Show'."
"Well, it should be the 'Rainbow Dash Show'!" Rainbow Dash argued. "I'm the star!"
Mario quickly get in between them and uses his magic to push them both back from each other.
"Knock it off, you two! I don't want any drama happening between us right now!" Mario told them sternly, but turns to Rainbow Dash. "However, she's still right, Rainbow Dash. Watch it with your ego and your son will be watching you play."
"Ugh! Fine." Rainbow Dash groans with reluctance when Twilight walks up to them.
"Is everypony ready?" Twilight asks.
"Hold on." Applejack said as she then closes the window. "Okay, now we're ready."
Spike then peeks in from the curtains.
"Curtain in two minutes!" Spike called, dressed in his costume.
"They're just putting on the finishing touches, Spike." Mario replied, walking off when Spike nods as they go into the curtains.
Back to where the audience was, the show was about to start as the light dims and a spotlight flicks on the stage as the harpsichord plays. Mario Star appeared first from the closed curtains and faced the audience.
"Hello, everpony and welcome to the Hearth's Warming Eve play!" Mario greet everypony with a smile as they cheered wildly before calming down. "I'd just like to thank all of you for arriving on time. For this play, we will show you all of when Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi have learned to become friends to fight off the Windigos! So, without further ado, let the play begin!"
Everypony cheered as Mario disappeared into the curtain. The front curtain opens to show Spike standing by a backdrop of a wreathed, lit fireplace. He turns to face the audience and begins to narrate the play.
"Once upon a time, long before the peaceful rule of Celestia, and before the ponies discovered our beautiful land of Equestria, ponies did not know harmony." Spike said in a faux British accent. "It was a strange and dark time. A time when ponies were torn apart...by hatred!"
Everypony in the audience gasp from this, especially the CMCs and the 7 foals in the front row of the audience. Flora Heart whimpered a bit when Cookie Crumble gently shushed her granddaughter, cradling the Irish filly.
"I know. Can you believe it?" Spike remarked with a hand to the side before returning to narrating. "During this frightful age, each of the three tribes, the Pegasi, the Unicorns, and the Earth Ponies..."
A light then comes three toga-clad Pegasi hovering among suspended clouds, three Unicorns on a cliff, and three exhausted Earth Ponies on a hillock.
"...cared not for what befell the other tribes, but only for their own welfare." Spike continued.
Each of the three tribes turned their backs to each other in ignorance as the curtains close.
"In those troubled times, as now, the Pegasi were the stewards of the weather." Spike said. "But they demanded something in return: food that could only be grown by the Earth ponies."
The curtain opens once more to show the Pegasi shake a gray cloud to produce rain. The Pegasi descends to the stage and the two Earth ponies grudgingly hand over stacks of vegetables to the Pegasi, who lift off to make room for a pair of approaching unicorns.
"The unicorns demanded the same..."
The Earth ponies give over the same reluctance towards the Unicorns in giving them food and after that, a backstage Pegaus pulls a rope to hoist the sun away and lower a crescent moon in its place.
"...in return for magically bringing forth day and night." Spike continued as he moved in front of the audience. "And so, mistrust between the tribes festered until, one fateful day, it came to a boil. And what prompted the ponies to clash? 'Twas a mysterious blizzard that overlook the land, and toppled the tribes precarious peace."
The moon that was then a prop that turned to an actual moon in reality to give the vibe of going back in time of Pre-Equestria. There was a huge blizzard at a thickly blanked settlement where the Earth ponies were living and they were all shivering to the coldness they were feeling from the blizzard.
"The normally industrious Earth ponies were unable to farm their land."
An Earth pony mare digs and picks up a dead plant only to see it wither to dust and she started to tear up as the wind blew even harder, blew her away. An entire shack is then blown away as some Earth ponies were trying to warm up inside, but the cold wind blew out their small fire.
"The Earth ponies were freezing. The home of the Pegasi fared no better."
It is then shown above the clouds that the Pegasi were living no better as they were flying weakly around their icicle-encrusted structure.
"The Pegasi were hungry. And the Unicorns were freezing and hungry."
Inside of a mountain castle where the Unicorns were living, they were around a bare banquet hall and a Unicorn at the table could only be served nothing but a bean which nearly made her tear up until she sees the door hold them inside were about to burst open due to the strong wind.
"Even the Unicorns magic was powerless against the storm."
A few unicorns tried to use their magic to keep the door shut, but it's no use as the doors gave away which forced the Unicorn group to run away and let the wind inside.
In another section outside, a pony from each race was fighting over a sack and they all ripped it open for it to spill out a cargo of vegetables. Each of them grimace and they started to fight one another in a brawl for the food.
"Each tribe blamed the others for their suffering, and the angrier everypony grew, the worse the blizzard became."
Soon in a large meeting hall near the Earth pony settlement, all three tribes go inside of it for a huge meeting.
"And so, it was decided that a grand summit would be held to figure out a way to cope with the blizzard."
Inside of the meeting hall, there was a three-wall balcony that has been split into three sections with the tribes respective banners: winged pony head with three stars, sun and fields, unicorn head with jewels. At the ground level, a conference table has been set up and two Pegasi and a Unicorn keep watch at the doors.
"Each tribe sent their leaders."
Trumpet fanfare was then heard and every pony eased their chatter as each tribes leader were about to be present. Princess Platinum (Rarity) was the first to enter.
"Daughter of the Unicorn King, Princess Platinum."
Then, trumpet fanfare was heard once again to reveal Commander Hurricane (Rainbow Dash) arriving at the meeting hall.
"Ruler of the Pegasi, Commander Hurricane."
Then a fanfare with kazoos is played as Chancellor Puddinghead (Pinkie Pie) comes out as she spits out confetti.
"Leader of the Earth ponies, Chancellor Puddinghead. Perhaps the tribes could finally settle their differences, and agree on a way to get through this disaster."
Each pony set their headwear down on the table. The three leaders shot distrustful looks before they break out into a full volume argument with each other, knocking their headwear off in the process.
"All I wanna know is why the Earth ponies are hogging all the food!?" Commander Hurricane demands, banging her hoof on the table.
The other Pegasi shouted in protest.
"Us?! We're not hogging all the food, you are!" Chancellor Puddinghead snapped, but blinks, then smiled, and glared. "Oh, wait! You're right, it's us. Well, it's only 'cause you mean od Pegasususususus are making it snow like crazy!"
"For the hundredth time, it's not us!" Commander Hurricane argued. "We're not making the snow! It must be the Unicorns! They're doing it with their freaky magic!"
"How dare you?!" Princess Platinum snaps with a gasp, feeling offended as she stamps her hoof. "Unlike you Pegasi ruffians, we Unicorns would never stoop to such a thing! H-m-ph!"
The Unicorns huffed in agreement.
"Well, it you non-Earths aren't gonna stop using your weirdo powers to freeze us all, then I'm plum out of ideas!" Chancellor Puddinghead retorted.
The other Earth ponies gasped as Princess Platnium rolled her eyes.
"What a shocker." Commander Hurricane retorted sarcastically. "An Earth pony with no ideas!"
"Commander Hurricane, please cease with the insults!" Princess Platinum said sternly.
"You're not the boss of me, your royal snootiness!" Commander Hurricane remarked, hovered into her face.
"I beg your pardon?!" Princess Platinum retorted offensively. "I am a princess! I won't be spoken to that way!"
Princess Platinum then puts her crown on her head upside down and start to head out towards the door and Commander Hurricane tries to pass her.
"Well, I'm leaving first!" Commander Hurricane argued.
"No, I'm first!" Chancellor Puddinghead retorted as she stood in front of the door, trying to exit as well.
The two mares charge up behind her and they all open the door, fighting to push through to get out.
"And the blizzard raged on."
Three ghost-like horses could be seen above the clouds as the ponies walked off and they were blowing down into the lands. These creatures were Windigos and they were blowing up a cold blizzard.
"So, the summit of the tribes did not turn out as well as hoped, and the three leaders returned home to lick their wounds...and basically complain." Spike said as he stood in the center of the stage.
Behind him the three leaders each stood in different places on the stage. Then then separated as the scenery changed to another snowy backdrop.
Up in the clouds, Private Pansy (Fluttershy) could be seen resting on a weak storm cloud who's also wearing armor and less intricate helmet to resemble a sun hat. Commander Hurricane swiftly brushes past her and stops to face her on a flight steps.
"Atten-tion!" Commander Hurricane shouted.
Private Pansy snaps upright and salutes before falling through the cloud and lands at the base of the steps, knocking her silly for a second.
"Well? Aren't you curious about how it went?" Commander Hurricane asked sternly, noticed her dazed comrade.
"Oh! Commander Hurricane, sir!" Private Pansy stuttered, approaching the stairwell. "How did it go, sir?"
"Horribly!" Commander Hurricane snapped as she kicked some snow off her porch. "Those other tribe leaders are so disrespectful! Don't they realize that we are a mighty tribe of warriors, and should not be crossed?!"
A gesture for emphasis knocks the snow loose again and leaves Private Pansy scrabbling for balance.
"We have got to break ranks with those weak foals!" Commander Hurricane continued.
Private Pansy then tumbles to the bottom of the steps, throwing a screenful of snow when she lands.
In a Unicorn castle, Princess Platinum comes inside, shivering before falling down to the ground.
"Clover the Clever! I need you!" Princess Platinum called out.
Clover the Clever (Twilight Sparkle) then comes in, dressed in an old brown cape and hood as she levitates a blanket over to Princess Platinum.
"Yes, your Majesty. Did the other pony tribes see reason as I predicted?" Clover the Clever questions.
"These other tribes are impossible!" Princess Platinum complains as she flops onto a cushioned bench while Clover the Clever closes the door behind her. "I, for one, can no longer bear to be anywhere near those lowly creatures. The Unicorns are noble and majestic! We will no longer consent with the likes of them!"
Clover the Clever floats a tub of water to her which Princess Platinum plunks her front hooves, splashing Clover the Clever.
Inside of a bare room, Chancellor Puddinghead comes inside and drops down from the chimney to land to the hearth. Smart Cookie (Applejack), who had her brown jacket and Tyrolean hat on from earlier turned to look at her.
"Wouldn't it have been easier to use the door, Chancellor?" Smart Cookie asks curiously.
"Maybe for you, Smart Cookie." Chancellor Puddinghead replied. "But I am a Chancellor. I was elected because I know how to think outside of the box. Which means..."
Chancellor Puddinghead ducks back into the fireplace and shoves her head up the chimney, causing her voice to echo.
"...I can also think inside the chimney." Chancellor Puddinghead said. "Can you think inside of a chimney?"
Chancellor Puddinghead then walk past Smart Cookie while her face covered in soot.
"Uh..." Smart Cookie stuttered.
"I didn't think so." Chancellor Puddinghead said smugly, causing Smart Cooki to groan while rolling her eyes.
"Ohmygosh! Hold on to your hooves!" Chancellor Puddinghead said with a huge grin on her face while the soot falls off her face. "I am just about to be brilliant!"
"That'd be a first." Smart Cookie mumbles under her breath.
"I have decided that the Earth ponies are gonna go it alone!" Chancellor Puddinghead announces.
"Aw, so you mean the other tribes didn't come around?" Smart Cookie asks sadly. "Shoot...I really thought we could get through to 'em if we-"
"Don't worry about them." Chancellor Puddinghead interrupts, get into her face. "We're the ones with all the food, right?"
"Actually, we're all out." Smart Cookie said plainly.
"Fine, then we'll have to go somewhere new where we can grow some new food." Chancellor Puddinghead replied after a single blink. "And with me as our fearless leader, what can go wrong?"
Chancellor Puddinghead opens the doors that go outside and a huge wall of snow piles on her and Smart Cookie just deadpans.
"Where should I start?" Smart Cookie asks sarcastically when Chancellor Puddinghead puts her head up from under the snow.
"The point is..."
And as if fate, all three leaders said the exact same thing in unison.
"WE MUST FIND A NEW LAND!"
In the skies of the brutal blizzard, Commander Hurricane flies through the brutal blizzard. After a few hundred yards, she notices that Private Pansy wasn't moving fast enough and stops in midair with a disgusted little groan and doubles back.
"C'mon, Private Pansy, let's get a move on!" Commander Hurricane yelled. "Hup-one! Hup-two!"
A lightning strike sends Private Pansy panicked and jump into her fore-hooves.
"Get a hold of yourself, Private!" Commander Hurricane snapped as she dropped Private Pansy. "We cannot let anything distract us from the mission at hand. It find, and if necessary, to conquer a new land!"
Just as Commander Hurricane began to push Private Pansy, it sends her in a loop of thought.
"Conquer, sir?" Private Pansy asks timidly.
"You never know where enemies might be lurking." Commander Hurricane replied, flew around Private Pansy.
"I don't see any enemies, Commander." Private Pansy said. "Just...snow."
"A-ha! Who's that?!" Commander Hurricane shouted when she spotted a vague looking cloud monster and throws herself at it.
While she assiduously delivers a pummeling to the cloud, Private Pansy catches sight of a tiny black cloud floating right next to her. She lets off a yelp and dives back into Commander Hurricane's hooves which made her somewhat annoyed.
"Okay, this is getting old." Commander Hurricane muttered, dropped Private Pansy once again.
In a deep snowy forest, Princess Platinum and Clover the Clever were both walking through it trying to find the new land. However, Princess Platinum simply moans her discontent at this.
"Oh, this is simply forever." Princess Platinum complains, raised a swollen fore-hoof. "My hooves are killing me! How long have we been walking for?"
"About five minutes, your Majesty." Clover the Clever responded as she lowered a tree branch to show their castle home not too far away.
"Oh, I never imagined finding a new land would be so hard." Rarity groaned. "But it'll all be worth it, don't you agree?"
"I actually think the three tribes could've tried harder." Clover the Clever remarked.
"Stooooooooop!" Princess Platinum shouted.
"What's wrong?" Clover the Clever asks with worry.
"That is what's wrong!" Princess Platinum remarked.
Princess Platinum points to a stream that dramatically looks long, but it is just a tiny stream that anypony could cross.
"Your Highness, it's just a stream." Clover the Clever points out. "We can cross it easily."
Clover the Clever shows this by crossing the stream easily, using some steppingstones to get across, but Princess Platinum says otherwise.
"I refuse to get my gown wet." Princess Platinum said indignantly. "I have no intention of arriving at my new land looking like a bedraggled Earth pony, or worse yet a rough-and-tumble Pegasus. I, for one, have no intention of stooping down to their level. On the other hand, I have no trouble watching you stoop down."
Clover the Clever groans in annoyance from that and after a minute, she ties a rope bridle on herself with Princess Platinum holding the reins on her back. Clover the Clever then walks across the stream with the mounted Princess Platinum on her.
"And do watch the gown, darling." Princess Platinum remarked. "It's worth more than all the books in your library."
In another location, Chancellor Puddinghead and Smart Cookie were travelling along at the clifftop path with gems on it. Chancellor Puddinghead has attached a map to her hat brim so that it covers her face, with holes torn out for her eyes and mouth. They pace back and forth for a few seconds which started to annoy Smart Cookie a little.
"Yes, yes." Chancellor Puddinghead said. "This is definitely the right direction."
"It feels like we're going in circles." Smart Cookie remarked, showing a trail of hoofprints.
"But that's impossible!" Chancellor Puddinghead retorted indignantly. "Are you suggesting that I'm reading the map wrong?"
"Absolutely not, your chancellorness." Smart Cookie replied. "It's just that there are holes in the map, and-"
"Of course!" Chancellor Puddinghead remarked, stepped towards the edge of the cliff. "How else could I see where I was going?"
"Yeah, uh-"
"Or talk?! I need to be able to talk!" Chancellor Puddinghead cuts her off. "I mean how would we survive if I just suddenly shut up?"
"Heaven forbid that should happen, your chancellorship." Smart Cookie replied wearily. "Heh. It's just that...the is upside down."
Chancellor Puddinghead blinked as Smart Cookie tapped the map with a fore-hoof.
"I got newsflash for you, Cookie." Chancellor Puddinghead said, narrowing her eyes. "The world is round. There is no up or down."
"You're right!" Smart Cookie said, decides to feign agreement with her. "It's such a relief to me that you're in charge of this map..."
"Relief?!" Chancellor Puddinghead said as she backed up, making a rewinding sounds with her hooves. "You don't need relief! If anypony needs relief around her, it's me! I'm a chancellor! I'm a bigshot! You're just my, um...my, uh..."
"Secretary." Smart Cookie answered bluntly.
"Whatever." Chancellor Puddinghead snapped, sucks the whole map into her mouth and chews on it before spitting it back out onto Smart Cookie's face, much to annoyance. "You take the map while I enjoy some relief."
Chancellor Puddinghead then took one step too many and fell off the side of the mountain.
"Yes, Chancellor Puddinghead." Smart Cookie answered, looked at the map indignantly.
Chancellor Puddinghead then pokes her head back up from the cliff with a huge grin as the curtains closed for the next act.
It wasn't much long before the front curtain reopened as Spike walked out to continue the story.
"And so, each leader encountered obstacles along the way, but eventually, they all arrived in a new and wonderous land." Spike said, narrating. "Nopony had ever seen paradise before."
Another curtain open behind him to show a backdrop of a green valley surrounded by mountains and clouds.
In a sky with a few fluffy clouds, Commander Hurricane flies around the peak while Private Pansy hangs back at lower altitude. She then cheerfully somersaults off some of the clouds.
"This is the new land we've been searching for!" Commander Hurricane announced.
"What a view...I can see my future house from here." Private Pansy remarked.
"I proclaim this new land to be...Pegasopolis!" Commander Hurricane said as she sets down a banner on a cloud that was standing on.
Princess Platinum is then seen hunched down and happily eyeing on a pile of gems on the ground on a mountain of jewels on it, and Clover the Clever was right behind her.
"I've never seen such jewels! This ruby is dazzling! This whole land is dazzling! I'm double dazzled!" Princess Platinum said excitedly with a squeal, then lays down over the pile of gems that she's admiring. "In the name of the Unicorns, I hereby dub this land Unicornia!"
Princess Platinum levitates and sticks down the banner herself beside her with Clover the Clever giving her a weak smile.
Chancellor Puddinghead is then seen jumping high up into the air before peeking out of a tree's high boughs and finally landing on a bump of dirt, spreading it around.
"The air! The trees! The dirt! This dirt is the dirtiest dirt in the whole dirt world!" Chancellor Puddinghead exclaimed.
"And fertile, too." Smart Cookie adds, picks up a clump of dirt and a small plant grows out of it. "Perfect for growing food."
"In the name of the Earth ponies, I think I'm gonna call this new place...uh...Dirtville!" Chancellor Puddinghead declared.
"How about 'Earth'?" Smart Cookie proposed.
"Earth! Congratulations to me for thinking of it." Chancellor Puddinghead said as she flips her hat off her head which lands a brim up and a banner with the Earth ponies' crest instantly springs up on a pole.
"We found our new home!" The three leaders declared in unison.
But then, they recognized all of those voices as they then see that they're all next to each other only a few yards away.
"I planted my flag first!" Commander Hurricane shouted.
"Did not!" Princess Platinum argued.
"Did too!" Commander Hurricane retorted.
"I planted mine earlier than first!" Chancellor Puddinghead shot back when the Earth pony banner falls down.
"All of you riffraff are trespassing in Unicornia!" Princess Platinum told them.
"The name is Pegasopolis!" Commander Hurricane said sternly, got into Princess Platinum's face.
"Earth!" Chancellor Puddinghead shouted.
"Pegasopolis!" Commander Hurricane said.
"Unicornia!" Princess Platinum shouted.
"I say we fight for the land!" Commander Hurricane challenged, made an eye contact with Princess Platinum. "May the best pony win!"
"That's barbaric." Princess Platinum said indignantly, levitates Clover the Clever in front of her. "Clover the Clever, throw that brute into the dungeon."
"What dungeon?" Clover the Clever asks, puzzled. "Look, perhaps if we all calm down."
"I agree." Smart Cooki agrees nervously. "Let's all calm down."
"I vote for calm." Private Pansy adds when Commander Hurricane turns with a glare.
"I'll have you court-martialed for insubordination, Private!" Commander Hurricane threatened. "We settle this on the battlefield!"
Snow is then thrown at Commander Hurricane in the face which made Princess Platinum laugh at her until snow is thrown back at her, much to her irritation. Commander Hurricane laughed as Princess Platinum growled angrily at her.
"Who dares throw a snowball at royalty?!" Princess Platinum shouted.
The culprit was revealed to be Chancellor Puddinghead as she was to throw another snowball before she notices something strange.
"Wait a minute." Chancellor Puddinghead pointed out. "Where'd all this snow coming from anyway?"
It's then seen above the clouds that the Windigos have appeared and they were circling the clouds around the group, strengthen the huge snowstorm.
"Oh no, not again." Commander Hurricane groaned as the winds blew and the Windigos roared.
Back at the theatre hall, the curtains were closed as Spike took the spotlight solo as the rest of the ponies listened quietly.
"And so, the paradise that the ponies had found was soon lost, buried beneath a thick blanket of snow and hard feelings." Spike continued the narration. "Instead of beautiful, it's blizzardy. Instead of wonderful, it was wintery! Instead of spectacular, it was snow-tacular! Instead of-!"
"Knock it off, Spike! Move on!" Comet and Daylight shouts, causing Spike to nervously chuckle while clearing his throat.
"Everypony was forced to seek shelter." Spike said as the curtain opened to reveal a cave inside of a rocky hill. "They searched high and low, but the only shelter for miles was a cold and desolate cave. And, of course, the three tribes had to share it, and nopony was too happy about that."
Everypony was now inside of a huge cave, and all of the leaders glared at each other of having to share the cave that they are in right now. However, their assistants are gettng worried.
"Please, Commander Hothead." Princess Platinum said.
"It's Commander Hurricane!" Commander Hurricane retorted, getting into her face.
"Please, Commander, could you just stand back and give me my royal space?" Princess Platinum suggested, clearing her throat while brushing the Commander back a bit.
"You mean like this, your highness?!" Commander Hurricane retorted angrily, stomped her hoof to the ground, making Princess Platinum look down at the ground.
"Indeed not!" Princess Platinum retorted, pushes her hoof back and points down to the ground. "You see the invisible line?"
"Private, outline our territory for everypony to see!" Commander Hurricane shouted.
Private Pansy flies to a spot of clear ground and hesitantly began to scratch a marking into the dirt. To speed the process along, Commander Hurricane lifts her by the hindquarters and drags her sideways to draw out the boundary all the way to the caves back wall.
"See this real, non-invisible line?" Commander Hurrican retorted. "No Unicorns or Earth ponies are allowed to cross it! This is the sovereign territory of Pegasopolis!"
"Clover the Clever!" Princess Platinum shouted.
"Uh...Smart Cookie!" Chancellor Puddinghead shouted at the same time.
Both Clover the Clever and Smart Cookie walked in front of them in annoyance.
"I know, I know." Smart Cookie said.
All three then began to draw lines themselves all around the cave, they either bump into each other or have obstacles in their path along the way. Private Pansy has a rock in her way so she decides to go around it, but Commander Hurricane stops her.
"What are you doing?!" Commander Hurricane snapped. "Don't go around the rock, go over it! I'm not giving up an inch of territory to the enemy!"
"That rock is clearly on the Unicornia side of the cave and belongs to us!" Princess Platinum declared before whispering to Clover the Clever. "Who knows? There could be jewels inside."
Commander Hurricane knocks the rock over to her territory which it got two Unicorns attention.
"I claim this rock for Pegasopolis!" Commander Hurricane declared.
"Unhand that rock this instant, you scoundrel!" Princess Platinum demanded.
Chancellor Puddinghead then zips over to Commander Hurricane and glances down at the rock.
"Oh, look, you found my rock." Chancellor Puddinghead replied. "I've been looking for it everywhere!"
Chancellor Puddinghead then picks up a rock and brings it over to her side of the cave.
"Hey! You invaded our territory!" Commander Hurricane shouted.
"Finders keepers, losers weepers~!" Chancellor Puddinghead taunts, set the rock into her territory.
"That's the last straw!" Commander Hurricane shouted furiously.
Both Commander Hurricane and Princess Platinum then started to go over Chancellor Puddingheads territory as she picked up a rock, started running off with it, and the other two mares went in pursuit of her constantly shouting and arguing. Clover the Clever just lightly slapped a fore-hoof to her forehead as Chancellor Puddinghead stood in front of her and taunted the other two again, making them stomp their hooves continue to argue against each other. They were arguing so much that they hadn't noticed until it's too late that the cold winds hand entered the cave and an ominous cloud had formed above them, starting to freeze the inside of the cave from the rood downward.
"Look, everypony! The entrance!" Clover the Clever called out as she looked up at the roof.
With the sound of cracking ice, the entrance out of the cave was sealed shut and then continued to creep down the walls of the cave. The three leaders could only glare and stomp away from each other.
"Great. Now there's no way out! We're trapped!" Commander Hurricane remarked.
"You two deserve this horrible fate!" Princess Platinum retorted. "You've done nothing but argue and flight with each other!"
"You've been fighting too, your Highness!" Commander Hurricane shot back as she stood next to Private Pansy.
"Yeah! Worse!" Chancellor Puddinghead added. "I haven't been fighting nearly as much as you!"
Chancellor Puddinghead hadn't noticed that the ice was beginning to encase her body as Smart Cookie backed away.
"How ridiculous! A Unicorn never stoops to fighting!" Princess Platinum added as she started being encased in ice when Clover the Clever backed away.
"That's just 'cause you wimpy Unicorns know you'd never win!" Commander Hurricane added as she's now been encased in ice and Private Pansy backed away. "Earth ponies are numbskulls!"
Commander Hurricane was then encased completely.
"Pegasi are brutes!" Princess Platinum added before sharing her icy fate.
"Unicorns are snobs!" Chancellor Puddinghead yelled before she, too, was encased completely in ice.
With the three leaders now frozen solid, that left only the three assistants at the mercy of the ice. They tried to back away from it until they bumped into each other and gasped. They looked at each other and breathed with a sigh of relief. Until, the roaring of the three Windigos above them made them scream and hold each other fearfully.
"W-W-What is that...thing?" Private Pansy asked fearfully.
"They must be...Windigos!" Clover the Clever answered.
"Windigos?" Smart Cookie and Private Pansy repeated together with fright.
"My mentor, Star Swirl the Bearded, taught me about them." Clover the Clever explains. "They're winter spirits that feed off hatred and fighting. The more hate the spirit feels, the colder things become!"
The three Windigos continued to circle the three ponies.
"Then...this is our fault." Smart Cookie said with realization. "We three tribes...we brought the blizzard to our home by fightin' and not trustin' each other. Now, it's destroyin' this land, too."
"And now our bodies will become as cold as our hearts...all because we were foolish enough to hate." Clover the Clever added.
The three ponies huddled up close as the ice slowly began to make its way towards them.
"Well, I don't hate you...I actually hate Commander Hurricane a lot more than I hate you guys." Private Pansy admits when the ponies giggled while the Windigos snorted. "Actually, I don't really hate her. I just really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, dislike her."
This made the other two ponies as the ice began to slowly encase the three of them.
"Well, I don't hate you guys either." Smart Cookie said with a smile.
"Nor do I." Clover the Clever added as they huddled up close, making the Windigos making a whinnying sound.
"No matter what our difference, we're still ponies." Smart Cookie said as three closed their eyes and with smiles on their faces, the ice encased them as well.
Suddenly, Clover the Clever's horn began to glow in white for a brief second before it then thawed out all of them in one swift flash. Private Pansy and Smart Cookie backed up in shock when a brilliant pink fire pours upward from her horn and blasting a scorching pink flame at them which started to gush out the Windigos. With the Windigos gone, fire that remained came back down towards the group and formed into a flaming pink heart shape.
"What was that?" Private Pansy asked.
"I didn't know Unicorns could do that." Smart Cookie added with amazement.
"I didn't either." Clover the Clever answered. "Nothing like this has ever happened before. But I know it couldn't have been just me. It came from all of us, joined together, in friendship."
They each extended a fore-hoof as a declaration, a declaration that they were now friends.
"All through the night, the three ponies kept the fire of friendship alive by telling stories to one another, and by singing songs, which of course became the winter carols that we still sing today."
The three ponies are shown sitting together talking and laughing to one another. Then, they are sitting together as they sing. All the while, the ice around the cave slowly began to melt.
"Eventually, the warmth of the fire and singing and laughing reached the leaders, and their bodies began to thaw, and it even began to melt their hearts."
Once the Fire of Friendship was big enough, Commander Hurricane was the first to awaken from her icy prison, followed by Princess Platinum. Smart Cookie helped Chancellor Puddinghead out of her ice prison. Chancellor Puddinghead quickly shook off the excess melted ice before giving Smart Cookie a big hug. Princess Platinum pulled Clover the Clever in a loving hug of her own. Both Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy shared a friendly hoof-bump. It was then, the ice around the cave entrance melted and the six ponies made their exit out of the cave to see that snow had almost completely melted away from the new land. Chancellor Puddinghead and Smart Cookie smiled excitedly, as did Commander Hurricane, Private Pansy, and Princess Platinum as she held Clover the Clever close as they smiled as well.
"The three leaders agreed to share the beautiful land, and live in harmony ever afterwards. And together, they named the new land..."
"Equestria!" The six ponies shouted at once as they stood before the flag and showed it to the audience.
The audience cheered for them loudly as the curtains closed to end the show. Then it reopened as the Mane 7 stood before with the warm smiles on their faces. Spike with them before they all made a head bow and confetti shot from behind the stage and some bells began to ring. It's now time for the annual Hearth's Warming Carol.
The song is led by the Mane 7. The rest of the audience joins in on the singing. The CMCs and the 7 foals are shown as they sing. Scootaloo puts a fore-hoof around Apple Bloom as she did the same for Sweetie Belle. Comet, Daylight, Shining Armor, Night Light, Twilight Velvet are holding to each other while the Apple Family, Hondo Flanks, Cookie Crumble, Golden Charm, Storm Hawk, the Shys, Winter Breeze, Kronk, and Rose Lotus did the same. Rarity, Twilight, and Mario hold each other. Pinkie Pie literally glomped Rainbow Dash.
Chorus (Sings):
The Fire of Friendship lives in our hearts
As long as it burns, we cannot drift apart
Through quarrels arise, their numbers a few
Laughter and singing will see us through
(will see us through)
We are a circle of pony friends
A circle of friends we'll be to the very end
The curtains then close after the carol as the audience cheered once more.
At the backstage, the 8 foals arrived at the back while the Mane 7 were all gathered together congratulating themselves.
"We should be so honored that Princess Celestia chose us!" Twilight said happily. "She must really think we exemplify what good friends are!"
Pinkie Pie couldn't help but wrapped her fore-hoof around Rarity for a hug, even sticking her tongue out to look silly as she smiled happily. But, Pinkie Pie zip past through Twilight and Rarity as she approached to Rose Lotus with a gift.
"Rosey, this is a gift I really like you to have. Happy Hearth's Warming." Pinkie Pie said, extends a gift to her daughter.
"I've wanted to give you something too, Mom." Rose Lotus told her, then extends a gift to her mother. "Happy Hearth's Warming."
They then grab their gifts as they unwrapped them which Pinkie Pie has a pendent while Rose Lotus had a hairpin kundan. Pinkie Pie turns to her daughter with a teary smile while Rose Lotus did the same, hugging each other.
"I've got something for you, son." Rainbow Dash said when she approaches to her son, extends a gift. "Happy Hearth's Warming."
"Happy Hearth's Warming, Mom." Storm Hawk replied, extends a gift to his mother.
Both Rainbow Dash and Storm Hawk grab their gifts as they unwrapped them when Storm Hawk had a trumpet and Rainbow Dash had a necklace. She opens the pendant which made her gasp of the photo between her and her son.
"Mom...how did you know..." Storm Hawk muttered.
"Princess Luna told me your cousin and his gang made it to New Orleans alive, and they've got new jobs. She thought she wanted me to give the trumpet to you. You've always been a fan of jazz music." Rainbow Dash told him when tears started to fill her eyes, turns to him. "And now...you gave me this...amazing gift...come here, Storm Hawk."
Storm Hawk flew up to Rainbow Dash, and the two of them hugged.
"I've got something for you, Winter." Fluttershy said, extends her gift to Winter Breeze. "Happy Hearth's Warming."
"Happy Heart's Warming." Winter Breeze replied with a smile, extends her gift to her mother.
Both Fluttershy and Winter Breeze gave their gifts to each other. Fluttershy had a pendant which had the photo of her and her daughter which made her gasp, Winter Breeze had a snow fairy hairpin. Fluttershy and Winter Breeze then hugged each other with teary eyes.
Apple Shine extends her gift to both Applejack and Mario, which the two extends their gift to the Texan filly. Apple Shine opens her gift, which was a guitar and hat for her size while both Applejack and Mario Star opened theirs, which was two pendants. They then hugged with their warm smiles.
Both Rarity and Golden Charm have extends to their gifts. Golden Charm had a Celtic cross while Rarity has a pendant that has a photo of her son and her daughter which got her in tears. Rarity turns to her son with a smile on her face as she and Golden Charm hugged each other.
"I believe I have something for the both of you." Twilight told her kids, uses her magic to extend her gifts to her son and her daughter. "Happy Hearth's Warming."
"Happy Hearth's Warming, Mom." Comet and Daylight replied, using their magic to extend their gifts to their mother.
Comet and Daylight unwrapped their gifts which they've got a homemade bracelet while Twilight unwrapped hers, which she got a homemade necklace and a hairpin. Twilight is starting to tear up while both Comet and Daylight were also in tears as they gave each other a heartwarming hug.
Outside of the castle, one could see a large heart of fire illuminating the wintery night sky.
That's it for the 13th chapter.