Spirit of Winter 9: Cold Hearts

>Twilight’s Library/house/tree thing is in a state of chaos.
>Pinkie has thrown a homecoming party of sorts and apparently these ponies are not used to seeing a floating severed head.
>You try to talk over that the screaming but your voice versus the voices of fifty some ponies doesn’t stand a chance.
>Twilight try's to interject as well but you are both out numbered.
>Even Pinkie is screaming which isn't helping things.
>A few ponies charge out the door and you think you saw one jump out the window.

>Time for drastic measures.
>With Twilight still suspending you in the air you fill your cheeks with air.
>You being to blow an artic wind that fills the entire room.
>Everypony suddenly becomes silent and is now looking at you.
Now that you have all calmed down-
>Everyponys jaw is now on the floor after they see the severed head talk
Twilight didn’t do this to me, I got into a little scuffle with another spirit and the rest of me just has to regenerate; so please stop screaming.
>Just as you stop talking the bucket containing your body tips over on its own.
>Out of the bucket, the slush that is your body almost slithers under you and begins to bubble.
>Slowly it starts to rise and form into your legs, waist, chest, arms and neck.
> As soon as the slush touches your neck it immediately turns back into flesh, blood and bone and you are now standing in front of everypony… naked.
>In the back of the room you see Lyra who has just fainted along with Twilight.
>You immediately cover that thickness and look around for some sort of article of clothing.
>At your side you feel something tugging your arm.
>It’s Rarity.
>”Um... Anonymous... I think you should come with me.”
>You don't hesitate for even a fraction of a second.
>As the words leave her mouth you have already bolted out the door and Rarity’s house.

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>You’re naked in Raritys bathroom... again...
>You are starting to see a trend here.
>Outside the bathroom door you hear a knock.
>”I’ve put together a pair of pants for you Anonymous, they will have to do for now.”
>You crack open the door and take a pair of loose fitting cloth pants.
>There’s a sash of sorts in the mix, presumably to help keep your pants from falling off your ass.
>As you open the door to the bathroom you hear a sewing machine churning away in the next room.
>Sure enough Rarity is working away at making you another outfit.
>All the lights are out except for a lamp on Rarity’s desk.
>You look over at the clock to see that it’s getting to be eleven.
>Not too late but Jesus you’re tired.
Maybe you should wait til tomorrow to work on that.
>Rarity stops.

>”Oh don’t worry about me dear, this isn’t the first time I have worked through the night.”
>Yeah, no; you’re not going to let her work through the night just so you can have some clothes.
No, you’ve had a long day; you should turn in… do you still have that wine?
>Her ears perk up at hearing this.
>”Well, yes, but I only have, the one bottle...”
>That’s right… summer slut burnt all your shit up...
How about you set the table and we’ll have that wine together.
>She shifts slightly in her chair.
>”Well… I am tired, and some wine before bed would be nice.”
There you go, I’ll go get the Selene, where did you put it?
>”It’s in my saddle bag by the stairs, and could you do me a favor dear?”
Yeees?
>”Well there’s a special wine that I bought some years ago, and I didn’t want to drink it but… Well being that you- seem to appreciate wine so much, I think now is the right time to try it… It’s called ‘ Domaine de la amour’ ”
That sounds wonderful, where is it?
>”In my cellar of course, the door to it is just under that stairs, the Amour is on the right shelf third up, right in the middle”
>You look over your shoulder, smile, nod and make your way to the stairs

>The cellar door makes a slight creek as you open it
>You descend the stairs and are greeted with the sight of three wine racks lining the walls
>Sure enough on the right shelf and in the very middle is a bottle labeled Domaine de la Amour… what does that mean, it sounds French but you don’t fucking speak French.
>Oddly though, the top of the bottle is sealed with wax… in the shape of a heart?
>The label is faded and peeling.
>You reason that the wax has probably deteriorated slightly.
>Before your go out of the corner of your eye you see a crate the peaks your interest, so you kneel down to see what is in it.
>Good lord...
>Could it be?
>It’s... Vodka...sweet... sweet... Vodka
>The crate contains several bottles of водка; each label reads “The Jewel of Staliongrad”… Staliongrad... oh Stalingrad- Staliongrad.
>That’s good enough for you, so you decide to bring up a bottle just in case.
>All the lights are out in the shop as you reach the top of the stairs.
>Except for a faint light illuminating the stairs leading to the second level.
>With two bottle of wine and a single bottle of vodka in toe you ascend a second flight of stairs to where Rarity is waiting.
>When you reach the top of the stairs you see a door slightly ajar with a soft light illuminating from the room behind it... Raritys bedroom... oh boy.
>Slowly pushing it open you see that the light that has guided you here is actually several dozen candles all laid out along the floor and the dresser.
>You look up to see Rarity sitting at a table on a balcony overlooking Ponyville.
>More candles are on the table and the rails.
My, my, what do we have here?
>Rarity giggles.
>”Oh I saw it was a full moon, so I thought why not have some wine in the cool night air.”

>This seems a wee bit cheesy, but whatever.
>You smile at her as you walk over to the table and sit.
Looks like Pinkie manage to get the party energy back up.
>You can see light from Twilights house and you also can faintly hear some sort of techno music playing.
>Thankfully it’s soft enough not to ruin the atmosphere.
>You take the Selene into your hands and begin to create a vacuum that begin to pull the cork upwards and out of the bottle neck.
>As the cork pops out and into your hands you steadily hold the young wine over a decanter that Rarity has laid out.
>This mare knows her wine.
Shall we begin?

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>After having a taste of the Selene and discussing it, in the first glass you both practically chugged the rest of the bottle.
>You’d be sweating in this heat if Rarity had whipped you up a shirt or something.
>Oh well the wine is starting to raise your skin temperature, so it’s not so bad.
>Next is the Amour... Amour... You’ve heard that word before, but you can’t remember what it means.
>Rarity takes the liberty of pouring this one into the decanter for you.
>You both chat for several minutes while waiting for the wine to open up a little bit more.
>Pouring it into you glass the smell immediately hits you.
>That’s odd; you’ve never had a wine with such a strong smell.
>You bring the glass to your nose and as soon as you smell it you feel your pupils turn to pin pricks.
>Good god you’ve never smelt anything like it, you can’t explain it but you are just so taken away by it.
>Looking over at Rarity who like you, is getting a whiff of her wine… except she doesn't look as astonished as you.
>”Oh this is quite disappointing; I’d expect it to be more complex...”
Really?  You- can’t smell it?
>”Smell what dear?”
Never mind.
>You take a small taste of the Amour and swish it around in your mouth.
>It has some has a floral taste to it but other than that nothing else but a few berry notes.
>Kinda dry too.
>You take a few more sips of the wine.
>Rarity seems to be completely fixated on her glass.
What is it?
>”It may not have much of a scent, but the taste…Oh! It’s simply divine!”
>This wine is weird, but it’s good enough for you to keep drinking.

>As you empty your first glass Rarity is already half way through her second.
>Well if she likes it so much you might as well let her have the rest.
>You sigh and look around the room.
Rarity if you don’t mind I think I’ll start on this Vodka.
>”Wha?”
>She’s drunk, fucking light weight.
>”Don’t you want another glass?”.
Well you seem to be enjoying it more than me.
>She’s doesn’t argue and pours herself another glass.
>Something seems a little off so you decide to take a closer look at the bottle.
>The bottle is green and looks like a regular wine bottle and the label just say’s Domaine de la Amour. with stars dotting the paper.
>You smell the opening and the smell practically knocks you out of your chair.
>Jesus Christ a wine that smells this good should taste as good as it smells.

>You decide to freeze the wax as you do with everything in order to make it brittle.
>It comes off with ease as does the cork keeping the delicious vodka inside.
>Now for the glass.
>You pull a good amount of moisture out of the air and form it into a rocks glass
>Vodka on the rocks where the glass is the rocks
>Do you have a problem?  Hell no you’ve gone over a year without alcohol and god damn it you’re going to enjoy it
>Your distilled beverage goes down as smooth as silk, there’s no taste and just enough warming to make it pleasant
>You throw back the glass and pour yourself a second glass which you throw back just as fast
>Your face fingers and mouth are going numb
>Maybe you should slow down...
>Fuck that.
>You don't want to throw up all over the place.
>Oh god you need another glass; just one more and that’s it, and then you'll stop.
>With the bottle in hand you notice out of the comer of your eye two blue gems.
>You look up.
>It’s Rarity.
>And she staring at you.
>Christ she looks amazing...
>You feel as if you could lose yourself forever in those eyes... Those beautiful blue eyes...

>You set down the bottle.
>And pause for a moment.
Rarity?
>”Hmmm?”
>Goosebumps begin to arise on your skin at the sound of her voice.
Have I... Ever told you how beautiful you are...
>Your brain is now screaming at the top of its lungs: DUDE WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!
>Shut up brain The Jewel is in control now.
>You’re not sure if it’s the alcohol that is making your face feel so warm but you don’t exactly care.
>”Other Ponies have... but... Oh Celestia, when you say it...”
>There’s a slight blush coming over her face.
>Your skin is flushed with blood and you fell you temperature rise.
>You reach over the table and take her hooves into your hands.
>She’s so warm...
Rarity...
>”Anonymous...”
>Time slows down as you lean in for a kiss, your chest feels like it's on fire.
>As you ean closer to Rairty you hear the voice you heard when you we’re fighting Summer and in your dream.
>’What’s this?  A heat wave?  We can’t be having any of that, now can we?'
>Who are you?!
>The voice chuckles.
>’I’ll never tell… But you could call me a guide of sorts... What’s important now, is what we cool things down…'
>Just leave me alone.
>The voice begin to chuckle again.
>'I can't do that Anon, I have many things planned for us.'
>You’re inches away from Raritys lips when you feel as if a railroad spike has been driven through your skull.
>Your joints feel like they are being pulled apart.
>As soon as your hands let go of Rarity a chilling feeling crawls down you spine.
>You stand up with your eye closed and your teeth gritted.
>”Anonymous?”
>You knock your chair over as you stumble around the room holding your head.
>In your ears is a loud ringing, holy fuck this hurts.
M-make- Make it... MAKE IT STOP!!
>The second those words leave your mouth you fall over on the floor with a loud thud.
>Your arms go limp.
>And your body becomes cold.
>So cold...