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- ==1000==
- <"Anoooooooooon! Come down here, I need your help!"
- >your eyes crack open
- >you can see that the attic you call home is awash with the white light that's flooding in through your window
- <"Anoooooooooooooooooooon! I need you now!"
- >damnit
- >you stretch
- >you swing your legs out of bed
- >the clothes you were wearing last night are strewn on the floor
- >you throw them on
- >on the window, you can see Trottingham covered in a layer of snow about an inch or two thick
- >ponies wearing top hats and scarves trot about with a spring in their step and cheerily chat
- <"Anoooooooooooooooooooooooooon!"
- "I'm coming, I'm coming!"
- >you find Ruby in the kitchen
- "What's the deal? You said you weren't gonna make me work on New Year's Eve."
- <"Oh, this isn't work, sweetie. This is a favor."
- "What's the difference?"
- <"I don't pay you for favors."
- "Damnit, Ruby."
- <"Oh, you love me."
- "I don't. What do you want?"
- <"Could you reach up on that shelf and grab me that jar of sugar?"
- "Don't you have magic that can reach up there?"
- <"Yes, but I can't see up there. What if I grab the wrong jar?"
- >you sigh and get her the jar
- <"Oh, thank you so much!"
- >Ruby takes the jar over to a pot of what appears to be berries in boiling water and pours in a measured amount
- "What's that?"
- <"Oh, it's just a little something for dinner tonight."
- "Oh? Who all's coming to that?"
- <"I'm just planning on my sister this year."
- "Not your mother?"
- <"No, no. I'm afraid she's gotten a bit too old to be staying up til midnight. Red and I will visit her tomorrow."
- >Ruby smells her concoction and groans in nosmic ecstasy
- <"Anon, sweetie, would you be a dear and tidy up the jewelry shop for me? Red should be here in about an hour."
- "As a favor?"
- >Ruby giggles
- <"Yes, please."
- "All right."
- <"Thank you! I'll make us some breakfast while you're doing that."
- ==1100==
- >Ruby's breakfast turned into a brunch
- >on the table in the kitchen is a bountiful feast consisting of pancakes, eggs, potatoes, and fruits
- >there are some grasses and flowers too
- >unfortunately, you're not at the table
- >you're in the shop area
- >staring at the door with Ruby
- >the smell of brunch torturing your appetite
- "Looks like your sister is running a little bit late."
- <"Oh, well, you know Red. She's always late to things like this."
- "Yeah."
- <"The seas near Trottingham are a little bit rough around this time of year. She's probably just waiting for a safe time to moor."
- "She pulls in at the Trottingham harbor?"
- <"Yes. Why wouldn't she?"
- "Because she's a pirate?"
- <"Oh, sweetie. Half the ponies in this town have pirates in their families. If the coast guard didn't turn a blind eye around Hearthswarming and New Year's, it would simply ruin the holidays."
- "That's awfully polite. And don't call me sweetie."
- <"Sweetie."
- >outside, it starts to snow
- >a fried potato with your name on it sends a telegram to your nose
- >Ruby sighs
- "So...?"
- <"All right, Anon, we'll start eating without Red."
- ==1200==
- >no sooner are the last leftovers in the icebox than there's a knock on the door
- <"Ah! Finally!"
- >Ruby cheerily trots over to the door and opens it
- _"Hi, Ruby."
- <"Oh. Sketchy. How do you do?"
- _"I do well."
- >the wind picks up, blowing frozen confetti into Ruby's face
- >Sketchy smiles
- <"Would you like to come in?"
- _"Yes please."
- >the wierd little bald mare enters the jewelry shop and closes the door behind her
- >she notices you and jumps a little before flashing you an awkward smile
- "'Sup, Sketchers? What brings you here?"
- _"I-I was just in the area for my job. And I wanted to ask if I could come in and warm my hooves up for a little bit before heading out."
- >job?
- "What exactly is it you do for a job again?"
- _"Well, I, um, uh... I, uh... travel."
- >there's a giant battle axe conspicuously strapped to her back
- "Well, right. What do you do for money?"
- >there are some sort of mysterious dark stains on the blade
- _"Odd jobs?"
- <"Sketchy, sweetie, do you have some place to stay tonight?"
- _"Well... no."
- <"Why don't you spend the night here, with us? If I had known you'd be in town I would have invited you to anyway."
- _"Oh, could I?"
- <"Certainly! You can share Anon's bed with him."
- >Sketchy gasps
- _"I-I'd... like that."
- <"Good. Now, we've got a little brunch in the icebox. It's probably still hot. Please, help yourself to some."
- _"Oh, thank you, Ruby!"
- >Sketchy heads off toward the kitchen
- >Ruby winks at you
- >you [wut] internally
- ==1300==
- _"Checkmate!"
- "No, Sketchy. That's my pawn."
- _"Well I checkmated it."
- >you move the pawn diagonally one space and capture Sketchy's bishop
- >she pouts
- _"This game is stupid."
- >there's a knock on the door
- <"Anon, can you get that?"
- >Ruby's working in the kitchen again
- >you get up
- >and open the door
- >and almost fall flat on your ass
- >standing in the doorway is a powder-blue mare with a silvery mane
- >for a second you thought it was somebody you used to know
- >but a second glance reveals that you've never seen this pony before in your life
- >thank fuck
- >"Why, hello there. I'm looking for a Miss Ruby, does she still live here?"
- <"Anon, what was that girlish squeal? Who's there?"
- >"Oh, she is still here!"
- >the stranger squirms past you, and Ruby meets her in the entrance to the kitchen
- <"Locket! What are you doing back here?"
- >"Oh, well, I'm home for the holidays and I figured I'd pay my favorite ex-boss a visit."
- <"Well, I'm certainly glad to see you."
- <"Oh, ah, Anon, Sketchy, this is Silver Locket. She was my assistant before I hired you, Anon."
- <"And Locket, this is Anon, the, erm... creature I hired after you left. And Sketchy, my, uh, friend."
- >creature, huh?
- >this bitch is about to get a civil rights case up her ass
- <"Now, do you want some cocoa or something, Locket?"
- >"No, no, this is only a quick visit. I've got a catch a train back to Canterlot before this snow blocks up all the tracks."
- <"Oh. You-you've got a store in Canterlot now?"
- >"Oh, yes. It's only just opened."
- <"Well, that's lovely. What would that be, your third location?"
- >"My tenth."
- <"Well... that's... wondeful."
- >"I certainly think so. Not that there's anything wrong with the whole 'local business' thing, but I always knew I was destined for bigger and better things."
- <"Apparently... you... are."
- "Didn't you try to open a store in Canter-"
- <"No."
- "But then it f-"
- <"No. That never happened."
- >"You opened a second loc-"
- <"Certainly not. I love my little local business."
- >"Oh, I know you do. But I'm sure you could make it on the nationwide market if you tried. After all, you taught me everything I know!"
- <"And I'm so... very... very proud of you."
- >Locket glances out the window
- >"Well, I really do have to be going. It was lovely chatting with you, Ruby. Give Red my best when you see her. Ta-ta!"
- >Silver Locket blows a kiss at her ex-boss and disappears into the thickening snow
- _"I like her!"
- >Ruby falls to her knees and opens her mouth really wide
- >is she screaming... silently?
- ==1400==
- >at last, Ruby finally comes out of the kitchen
- <"All right. I've got a nice big hay casserole slow-cooking in the oven for us. And a little one without hay, for the assistant who claims he can't digest grasses."
- "What do you want from me? I've only got one stomach."
- <"Right. Now what exactly are you two doing?"
- _"Slaps."
- <"Slaps?"
- _"Mm hm. It's this game Anon just taught me. We hold our hooves out like this, mine above his, and then he tr-"
- >you whip your hands up and smack Sketchy's hooves into the fucking floor
- _"Ow!"
- <"And what, he just hits you? How is that a game?"
- _"Well, I'm supposed to dodge it."
- <"I see. Do you ever change roles?"
- "Holy crackers, no. My soft, fleshy hands getting pulverized by rock hard hooves? I might never be able to set a diamond for you ever again!"
- <"Riiiight. Well, I'll leave you two to it then."
- >Ruby goes over to the window and stares out
- >the snow's really coming down now
- >she sighs
- "Worried about Red?"
- <"A little."
- "Aw, she's a big girl. I'm sure she's all right."
- <"I suppose."
- >while you're distracted, Sketchy zips her hooves under your hands and smacks them into your face
- >the noise you make is a little bit less than dignified
- _"I win!"
- ==1500==
- >there's a knock on the door
- >Ruby springs to her hooves and opens the door
- <"Finally! There you- oh."
- /"Mein freund, you sound unhappy to see me."
- <"Oh, I'm not, I'm not. I've just been expecting my sister all day. Please do come in."
- /"I shall. Thank you."
- >Aryanne stomps her hooves on the welcome mat before crossing the threshold
- >and then she sees you
- >currently, your body is wrapped around Sketchy's
- >no, not like that you fucking perv
- >she's got you in a chokehold, and all contorted with your face near the ground
- /"Vhat are you two doing?"
- "Wrestling! You want in? Sketchy's an animal!"
- /"I do so enjoy martial sports... but first, I must ask our gracious hostess for one small favor."
- <"Favor?"
- /"Yes, if you would be so kind."
- <"This isn't anything like the time you had me leave that suitcase outside the griffin community center, is it?"
- /"No, nonononononononono! No trouble, I am promise."
- <"Ah... all right then. What do you need?"
- /"I vas travelling to my native Germaneia to spend the New Year vith family. Alas, my train vas stalled here in Trottingham, most likely for the night. I have come to beg sojourn in your home."
- <"What?"
- /"Can I spend the night here?"
- "I didn't know you had a family, nazi horse."
- >somehow she heard you, despite the fact that you were muffled by Sketchy's leg in your mouth
- /"There is much you do not know about me, Anonymous. I have two sisters, and one little niece. And I love them very dearly."
- >Sketchy stops biting your arm long enough to make a comment
- _"That sounds adorable."
- >Aryanne looks pleadingly at Ruby
- <"Well of course you can stay. If Red gets here tonight, we'll have the whole merry band together!"
- /"I hope she comes soon. They vill probably close the port before long in this veather."
- "Like the law's ever stopped Red before."
- >Sketchy skillfully twists your arm
- _"I already have dibs on Anon's bed!"
- >Aryanne shrugs at Ruby
- >and then throws herself upon you and Sketchy
- ==1600==
- >you and Sketchy are panting heavily
- >again, not like that you fucking perv
- >Aryanne rears up to her hind legs and poses like a mighty goddess
- /"I am a prime specimen of Equaryan fitness and martial prowess. Do not feel bad, the two of you could not have hoped to defeat me."
- "I mostly just feel bad out of physical pain right now, to be perfectly honest."
- _"W-we can give each other massages tonight."
- "Might take you up on that, Sketchers."
- _"Eep!"
- <"Are you quite done fighting in my shop?"
- "Yeah."
- <"Excellent. Anonymous, could you do me a favor and grab some firewood from the cellar? It's starting to get dark."
- "Aye aye, cap'n."
- >you groan dramatically as you pull yourself to your feet and stumble away
- >and out you go into the freezing cold blizzard
- >who the hell still has cellar doors outside of their homes?
- >Ruby Ring, that's who
- >fuckin rustic bitch
- "Hey what are you looking at?"
- >a pony has stopped outside of Ruby's lawn and is staring at you
- >he screams eerily at you
- >and then trudges off into the night
- "Yeah, you better run!"
- >now
- >where's that cellar door?
- >there it is
- >you open it and hop down out of the wind
- >you grab as much firewood as you can carry
- >and you rush back into the house
- >it's official
- >this weather is completely nasty
- ==1700==
- >the fire is warming your back very nicely
- >Sketchy has curled up into a little spoon position in front of you and seems to be asleep
- >there's absolutely no light coming in through the window
- >and Ruby decided it wasn't worth it to light any candles or lamps
- >Aryanne has chosen to take advantage of the atmosphere by telling a traditional Germaneian ghost story
- /"...And vhen she voke up... she vas a zebra! The end..."
- "But who was phone?"
- /"Vhat?"
- >Sketchy snores loudly
- >you scratch the weird papery skin behind her ear
- >she nudges in closer to you
- <"Never mind him, sweetie. That was a... uh, lovely story."
- /"It vasn't supposed to be lovely though?"
- <"I mean, uh, it was awful."
- /"You didn't like it?"
- <"Erm..."
- "She's trying to say it was pretty spooky."
- /"Yes, the spooks, quite. Mein little niece Luftkrieg always tells me that one gives her the spooks."
- >Ruby buries her head into her hooves and sighs
- <"Red probably isn't coming tonight."
- "Probably not."
- /"Ah, I know your struggle. Mein own sisters are probably fretting over me in that same way."
- "My family is in another reality, and I haven't been able to visit them in over eight years."
- <"All right this isn't a competition."
- "No. It isn't. But Red will be here as soon as the storm clears up. So cheer up."
- ==1800==
- >Sketchy stretches and yawns
- _"Did I miss the New Year?"
- "No, I would've woken you up. We've still got a while til New Year's."
- _"Did Red show up yet?"
- <"No..."
- _"Oh."
- "I don't think she's coming til tomorrow."
- _"Oh... That's too bad."
- >Sketchy thinks for a moment
- _"Hey Aryanne?"
- /"Ja?"
- _"Do you think you can stick around til Red shows up tomorrow?"
- _"Sketchy, I have mein family to see."
- _"Oh, yeah. It's just been so long since we all hung out together."
- /"Mmmnh, it has been long..."
- >Aryanne scratches her chin
- /"I maybe can vait for noontime train."
- _"Yay!"
- >Sketchy gets up, trots over to Aryanne, and gives her a big hug
- >Ruby pulls her face out of her hooves
- >her eyes look a little bit red
- >but she's smiling now
- <"That sounds like a wonderful plan."
- >there's a knock on the door
- "Well that might be Red now."
- <"Maybe."
- >Ruby opens the door
- >a pony wrapped in cold weather gear pitches forward and collapses
- <"Red?"
- >"I can't... I can't... I can't run anymore."
- <"Who are you? Are you okay?"
- >the stranger doesn't respond
- <"Anon, this mare is positively frozen! Help me get these clothes off of her, then carry her to the fireplace!"
- ==1900==
- >the stranger is a lavender mare
- >her mane is a dark midnight blue with one purple stripe and one pink stripe
- >she is an earth pony
- >and she's beginning to wake up
- >Ruby, who's been standing by with a cup of hot cocoa, rushes over
- <"Here, sweetie, try to drink some of this."
- >the stranger stares at the cup for a second
- >then frowns
- >then sits up and awkwardly grasps the cup with her hooves
- >"That's good. Thank you."
- <"What happened to you? Did you get caught in the storm?"
- >"I've been running from the storm all day, ever since it started in the Everfree Forest."
- <"The Everfree Forest?"
- "The one near Ponyville?"
- >"Yeah. Where am I now?"
- <"Trottingham."
- /"A very impressive journey."
- _"Aren't you Twilight Sparkle?"
- "No, Twilight Sparkle is a unicorn."
- <"And she's a princess now, with wings and everything."
- "Ugh."
- >"I was Twilight Sparkle."
- <"Was?"
- >"Yeah. I guess I'm just Earth Pony Twilight now. And I won't even be that for much longer."
- <"Why don't you tell us what happened?"
- >"The world is coming to an end."
- "That's awful dramatic."
- <"I'm sure she doesn't mean that literally. Why don't you tell us what happened to you, from the beginning?"
- >"I was there when it started. I thought I'd pay a visit to the Tree of Harmony-"
- "The what?"
- >"It's a... tree. If you know what the Elements of Harmony are, that's where we've been storing them."
- _"Those gemstone thingies that saved the world a couple times, right?"
- >"Right. I was there when the Elements were stolen."
- <"Stolen? By whom?"
- >"She looked... well, actually, she looked a lot like you, Miss..."
- <"Ruby."
- >"Ruby. I tried to stop her, but she threw a substance at me which I believe as a magical powder from Zebrica, and it turned me into an earth pony."
- >"Almost immediately, some sort of ancient evil from the forest was unleashed. A horrible blizzard consumed the forest and spread into Ponyville. I found my friends and we chased after the thief, but..."
- "Did something happen to them?"
- >"Yes. As the storm caught up with us, my friends began to freeze, and when they froze, they turned... strange?"
- "Sort of ambling, shuffling, trudging strange?"
- >"Yes. Yes, that's exactly it."
- "Sort of like zombies?"
- >"Yeah, like zombies. How did you know?"
- "Well, I'm not all that good at celebrity trivia, but I think those are your friends out there about to break through the window."
- >glass clatters onto the floor
- <"Everybody into the attic!"
- ==2000==
- "You ever get the feeling that your life is a bad fanfiction?"
- <"Only every single day."
- >for once, you're glad Ruby's house-shop is such an old fashioned building
- >the trapdoor entrance with its retractable ladder is all but impervious to zombies
- >but just to be on the safe side, you've piled all of your stuff on top of the door
- <"So, to be clear, Miss Twilight, you're convinced that there's absolutely no way to save Equestria from this?"
- >"Well, if I could get my hooves on the Elements of Harmony, I might be able to cure my friends with them and then use them to defeat the ancient evil."
- _"Well that's not so bad."
- >"I don't know who it was that took the Elements or where she is. And without my magic I can't locate her."
- >Earth Pony Twilight scratches at her chin
- >"Unless... Are you a powerful spellcaster, Miss Ruby?"
- >Ruby's face scrunches
- <"N-n-no..."
- >"Right. So it's more or less hopeless."
- /"Vell, maybe yes maybe no. Let us be rational, like equines. Vhat do ve know about the thief? I think ve may identify her."
- <"Uh, she looks a lot like me."
- "She stole priceless magical artifacts?"
- /"And she has had dealing vith zebras!"
- <"Red!"
- ==2100==
- >"Okay, so to be perfectly clear, your sister is a bloodthirsty pirate?"
- <"I wouldn't say... bloodthirsty, exactly."
- _"Yeah, Red likes orange juice, not blood!"
- >"And you think that she may be the one who stole the Elements of Harmony and unleashed this world-ending ancient evil upon us all?"
- /"And backed up the trains."
- <"I'm sure she didn't... mean anything by it."
- >"And she may be coming here with the Elements?"
- <"Possibly."
- >"Well, I guess there's a chance that this could turn out all right."
- _"Really?"
- >"Maybe."
- >there's an uncomfortable silence in the air
- <"Um, what about... I mean... You're not going to do anything to my sister, are you?"
- >Earth Pony Twilight sighs
- >"That's a pretty serious question. I don't think it'll even be in my hooves."
- <"Oh..."
- >there's a pounding on the trapdoor
- "Oh fuck it's happening!"
- >the pounding stops
- >silence
- >hoofbeats on the roof
- >the sound seems to stop directly above the attic window
- >Sketchy nuzzles into your chest
- >this is the end
- >a head pops down in front of the window, its seeing eyes gleaming in the dim light of the single candle in the attic
- >it's over
- >it's time to die
- >it's...
- <"Red?"
- >it's Red
- >Ruby groans and opens the window with her magic
- >Red lithely swings her body inside
- ~"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late, you won't believe the crazy day I've had today."
- "I might."
- ~"I didn't know Aryanne and Sketchy were gonna be here! And is that... uh..."
- <"Red... did you steal about six gemstones from some sort of tree near Ponyville today?"
- ~"I mean, you can't really steal from a tree, you know?"
- <"Red!"
- ~"Geez! Chill out! I missed Hearthswarming and I figured I'd get something special for you and Mom, what's the big deal?"
- <"The big deal is... uh... I think Miss Twilight Sparkle here explained it pretty well."
- ~"Oh, so that is... wow, I could have sworn we met somewhere before."
- >"We met this morning."
- ~"Right."
- >"When you turned me into an earth pony."
- ~"Memory's a little hazy on that."
- >"And you unleashed an ancient evil that's threatening to doom Equestria."
- ~"What?"
- <"She's talking about the blizzard."
- "And the zombies."
- ~"Uh, no, all I did was take these jewels."
- >Red dumps her bag on the ground, and sure enough, six gaudy gemstones tumble out
- >Earth Pony Twilight sighs
- >"Just help me clear all the stuff off the door so I can fix this."
- ==2200==
- >there were some noises and flashy lights
- >but tl;dr it stopped snowing and all the zombies turned back to normal
- >Twilight even got her horn back
- >wings too, unfortunately
- >she's glaring at Red
- >"Okay, so here's what I'm thinking."
- >"What you did was totally and completely wrong!"
- >"But..."
- >"Going so far out of your way, putting yourself in that much danger, and walking all those miles, just to deliver a gift..."
- >"I think that could have only been done for the right reasons."
- >"Furthermore, I am, as far as I know, the only government employee who knows that this whole mess was your fault, and I really don't feel like doing paperwork over the holidays."
- >"So... if you can promise to NEVER EVER do anything like this ever again..."
- >"I can just go back to Ponyville and forget that I ever saw you, and you won't go to the Moon."
- ~"Sounds good."
- >"Do you promise?"
- ~"Cross my heart and hope to die."
- >"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to see if I can salvage the Ponyville New Year's Eve party."
- >with that, Twilight Sparkle leave's Ruby's jewelry shop, most likely never to return
- ~"Dude, what a bitch."
- <"Red!"
- ~"What?"
- <"You almost ended the world!"
- ~"Psshhh, that's just Tuesday for me."
- _"But it's Monday."
- ~"The important thing is that nobody died and the gang's all here. Also, I've been running all day, what's for dinner?"
- >Ruby gasps
- <"My casserole! It's been sitting in the oven for eight hours!"
- ==2300==
- >thank fuck, the casserole was mostly edible
- <"Well that's the nice thing about slow-cooking. It's a merciful process."
- >for a vegetarian meal, it's all right
- >your enjoyment is probably enhanced by the somewhat stressful night you've just had
- >you're sitting cross-legged by the fireplace
- >and Sketchy is, once again, curled up and asleep in your lap
- >you scratch her head
- "Heh, sleepy pone."
- <"You know if we don't wake her up soon she'll miss the New Year."
- >Aryanne unleashes a mighty yawn
- /"If ve don't do something to stay up, ve shall all miss the new year."
- ~"Yeah, that was a lot of food."
- >Red rubs her eyes
- ~"Hang on, I've got an idea. Everyone grab your coats and meet me in the attic."
- >as it turns out, Red wants to show you all how to climb onto the roof from the window
- >you go up last after helping to lift Ruby and Sketchy up to Red and Aryanne
- >Red holds her hoof out to you
- "Bitch please, my ancestors lived in the trees."
- >you grab the gutter
- >the gutter is covered in ice
- >you land on your ass in the snow some twenty feet below
- >the second time around you take Red's hoof
- >the five of you lie down on the snowy roof and look up at the sky
- ~"There. We won't fall asleep up here."
- "Speak for yourself. Sketchball here is out like a light again."
- _"No... I'm not... asleep yet. Don't let me fall asleep Anon."
- >she says as she snuggles into your side
- >Red sighs
- ~"Damnit. Now I don't have a present for you and Mom, Ruby."
- <"Oh, don't worry about that."
- ~"Are you sure?"
- <"Quite. You weren't here for Hearthswarming, so I didn't get you anything either."
- ~"Wow."
- "Maybe the greatest gift of all is the lesson we learned today."
- ~"Oh yeah? And what's that?"
- "I have no fucking idea."
- ==0000==
- "Hey, Sketchers, you awake?"
- _"Mm hm."
- "Well be more awake, it's about to happen... now!"
- >in the center of Trottingham is a massive clocktower
- >every hour it tolls out the appropriate amount of bells, like a right proper clock tower should
- >once you get used to it, the bells go almost unnoticed
- >but not this time
- >now that the storm has stopped, it's actually a pretty bright night
- >and you've been watching the clock
- >waiting for the timing to be perfect
- >and now it starts
- >Sketchy sits upright at the first toll
- >so do you
- >you can see everyone else sitting up too
- >the second bell rings
- >a lonely whoop emanates from somewhere in the city
- >the third bell rings
- >a single firework goes up nearby
- >it almost seems like it's rushing
- >the fourth bell rings
- >the shouting and fireworks are coming in a small but steady trickle now
- >the fifth bell rings
- >Ruby is gazing out toward Canterlot Mountain
- >for a mare in the fashion industry, you know that Canterlot represents all kinds of ambitions and dreams
- >in the far distance, you can see the high city illumined with colorful magical lights
- >you're sure that someday she'll see that light show up close
- >the sixth bell rings
- >Red is staring dead straight at the clock tower
- >and she's doing something you never thought possible for her
- >sitting perfectly still
- >the seventh bell rings
- >Aryanne is looking out through the wooded north
- >from here, it's possible to make out the Black Forest
- >not nearly as dangerous as the Everfree you've heard, despite the ominous name
- >you know that just beyond the Black Forest
- >there lies Germaneia
- >the eighth bell rings
- >Sketchy is staring down at her hooves
- >and pressing her head into your arm
- >how in the world did this happen?
- >the ninth bell rings
- >you don't really have a direction to look toward
- >the tenth bell rings
- >your home might be on the other side of the universe
- >or another universe altogether, for all you know
- >no real ambitions here, either
- >Equestria is a good place to just live
- >the eleventh bell rings
- >well
- >there might be something you can look at
- >the final bell tolls
- >all the ponies on this roof top
- >they're your friends
- >and you look at them
- >and they look at you
- >and they look at each other
- >Red coughs
- ~"All right this is getting pretty gay. New Year's here, I'm going to bed."
- "The hell you are!"
- ~"Huh?!"
- >you bound toward the pirate pony and scoop her up in a big hug
- >Aryanne pounces on the two of you from behind
- <"D-don't jump so much, you'll damage the r-"
- >Sketchy shoves Ruby into the group hug, and then joins in herself
- >it's so warm and cuddly
- ~"Yeah, okay, now this is super gay."
- "Yeah, kind of. Let's go to bed."
- >the ponies all clamber back inside through the attic window with your help
- >you do one more group hug before they all exit the attic to the various places they've chosen to sleep
- >you pull up the attic door and look out window again
- >you can see Trottingham covered in a layer of snow about a foot or two thick
- >ponies wearing top hats and scarves trot about with a spring in their step and cheerily chat
- >and then you look at your bed
- "Heh."
- >Sketchy is lying down on it
- >already fast asleep
- >carefully
- >oh, so carefully
- >you slide under the blankets
- >and you cuddle up to Sketchy
- >and you fall asleep with the weird little bald mare breathing slowly in your arms
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