Thread 86: Stories 61-75

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>~55 the firey changeling, would always burn off all his cloths!
>And if you ever saw him, you would say for sure he glows
>All of the other changelings, used to call him all sorts of names!
"Addict" "Crazy" "Idiot"
>They always ran from 55, terrfied of his flames!
"HE'LL KILL US ALL!"
>Then one stormy Hearth Warming Eve, Pinkie came to saaayyyyy
"Fifty Five with your flames so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
>Then how the ponies loved him as he shouted out with glee
"WHEEEEEE~!"
>Fifty Five the red hot changeling, you'll go down in hisssstoooorrrryyyyyyyyyyyy!

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NC
>AJ
"Spike"
~~~

>....

"...Erm... i might've forgot to lock the door before I left."

>...

"Or just... shut it."

>...

"B-but hey! I'm sure we can, you know, find a store open on Hearth's Warming to get the gifts back!"

>...

"...Crap. There goes any chance of Hearth Warming nookie..."

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>Celestia
"SA"
"Chrysalis"
'Cadence'
[18]
{42}
^2^
(???)
~~~~~~

>Finally!

With one great big, heaving shove, the collection of the various denizens of the Crystal Empire came tumbling out of the portal that connected their lands

>What the cake-frosting was that!?

"Seriously! Who was keeping the portal closed on this end!?"

'We could've been here HOURS ago!'

[We could've been partying with Twilight by now!]

{WHO DARED... oh.}

^...Ohhhhhh... I get'cha.^

(Knitting! Knitting! Knitting my little... oh! Uh...H-hi everyone!)

>Arana?

(Y-yes, princess?)

>You're sitting on the lock button.

(...WHOOPS! Uh... I was just looking for a quiet place to... well, I mean... I haven't been active here lately, so my booty's a little bigger than I thought... uh...)

>...

(S-sooorrrryyy...)

>It's alright, just don't do it again.

"Seriously, we got delayed by hours!"

'Who knows what we missed!'

>Oh, be kind, I'm sure we didn't miss anything important.

"..."
'...'
[...]
{...]
^...Even Ah' know what happens now.^

>...L-lets hurry down.

(I'M SORRY!... CURSE YOU, BOOOOTTTYYY!)

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>56
~~~~

>BLASHPHEMMMYYYYYY!

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>Rarity
"Twilight"
'???'
[???]
~~

>...Hrm...

"What's the matter?"

>She hasn't arrived yet!

"...who, exactly?'

>My pack mule!

"Oh... oh! You hired someone to bring your gifts? That's thinking ahead."

>What? Oh no no no, not that.

"...theeennn..."

>...She better not take too long...

~~

'HRRRRK..... HRRRRRRKKKK... HRRRRKKKKKK...'

[Sweetie Belle, are you SURE you don't want me to help?]

'I.... CAN... DO... THIIIISSSSSS!'

[It's just... we haven't even left your house yet, and I think the wheels on the wagon are at the same angle as when we started.]

'...Maybe I need a little help...'

[Your sister is a bitch.]

'She's giving me presents, so it's all okay!'

[...Unsettling.]

'ALL! O! KAY!'

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>Cadence
"Celestia"
~~~~~

>...

"...What?"

>...

"...Why you you looking at me like that? What? What do you need?"

>...

"Are... are you wanting to ask me something? I'm always happy to offer advice, but first you must ask it."

>....

"...What is it for Mother's sake!"

>...

"...Oh... oh is this about what I said earlier to Luna?"

>...

"Listen, I know some of those words seemed harsh, but I only mentioned them because I truly feel you can overcome it."

>...

"I'm serious! That's the only reason! For if we do not look to our dirty remains of ourselves, however can we hope to make them clean?"

>...

"..It's not like I said all that much anyway! It's not a big deal!"

>...

"....FINE! Okay! I'm sorry! That one time was a little harsh and I overdid it! I'm sorry. Better?"

>...

"...FINE! You got me, it was more than once! Whatever!"

>...

"WELL EXCUSE ME FOR WANTING YOU BETTER YOURSELF!"

>...

"FINE! I guess you don't have anything you want to ask me now!"

*STOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMP~*

>... n-not anymore...

*sniffle*

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>29
"MM"
'Zecora'
[Trixie]
~~~

"...So we're just... not going to talk about that giant tornado thing, right?"

>Neigh!

'Nope.'

[AHHAHAHAHAHAHA!]

"Just, uh... just checking."

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NC

>???
"Cadence"

~~~~~~

>...

"..."

>...

"..."

>... Umm...

"..."

>...Marshmally?

"NOPE! NOPE NOPE!"

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Non-Canon
>Pinkie
"Spike"
~~~~~
>Welcome to Late Night /pa/ with your host Pinkie Pie! It's during this time that content doesn't matter and they call me Cuban Pink! Where I'm the Queen of the rumba beat! When I play the maracas I go chick-chicky boom chick-chicky boom! Now for our main guest...SPIKE!!!
Applause

"Hi Pinkie. How's-"
Pinkie gets behind him and restrains him while holding a knife near his throat.

"W-what are you-"

>For the MGS reference.
She raises the knife high.
>Speak!

"Are you serious!?!"

>We're in NC dreamworld. I can kill you right now in this story and know one would even know. Speak.

"Uh...I sometimes still climb into Twilight's bed."

>Speak!

"I'm worried about 42."

>Speak!

"I...ate some of your Hearth's Warming cookies."

>*gasp* I knew it! G'night everypony! I need to punish a cookie thief!
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>Applejack
"Celestia"
~~~~~~~~

Hearth Warming.

Hearth.

Heeeeaaarrrtthhhh.

She had never understood why it's called that. They were in a cave with nothing there, certainly no fireplace for a Hearth at all.

Hearth.

It's never really fit, she thought. Never really seemed like it was meant to be what it was. What it really meant.

Should've been-

"We're heeeeere!... What the heck happened to all of you!?... Oh for pity's sake! Can you all not go ONE DAY!?"

>Hey, Tia?

"Yeah?"

>Got a question.

"...Really, Applejack? Today of all days? Here, let me lowball this for you. Instead of giving me a present, you can just stop right now."

>No no, you gotta answer it. Count it as MAH gift.

"...sigh... what is it?"

>How do ya' like yer' eggnog? Strong? Or REALLY strong?

"...Let's just go with... pleasant."

>Heh... knew ya' were a lightweight.

"Big on the outside..."

>...But soft on the inside.

Their glasses clinked together in a toast, and as one the looked out over the many, many, many, many in the Apple Family home.

>...Should'a called it Heart Warmin'.

"RIGHT!?"

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 >56
"29"
~~~

One would think he would be happy on a day like this, one would think, after voraciously tearing apart the massive gift he had been sent he would be nothing but smiles.

But he was not.

He was not smiling.

>...C-cuz, you monster...

He was looking on in pure horror.

There it was, the thing he had coveted the most, the item of his desire for so long.

The mega-delux Chitania action figure with super-city-stomping action.

And... and...

>T-the memory foam plooooottttt...."

He looked at away, covering his eyes as best he could.

>TEMPTRESS! FOUL TEMPTATION! WHY HATH THOU FORSAKEN ME, COUSSSINNN!?

~~~~~EARLIER!~~~~~

>Cuz! Cuz! Cuz! CUZ CUZ CUZ CUZ!

"WHAT!?"

>I want this one.

"We don't even celebrate this damned holiday!"

>Yeah, but I want it.

"...THAT COSTS HOW MUCH!?"

>Get it for me, cuz.

"NO!"

~~~

>Cuz, I really want this for Hearth's Warming.

"IT COSTS A WEEKS SALARY!"

>Yeah, but look at all of it's features!

"NO!"

~~~~~~~~

>I'M GONNA JUMP!

"...What?"

>YOU HEARD ME! GET IT OR ELSE! BOOM!

"..."

>YOU WANT THAT ON YOUR CONSCIOUS!? I'LL DO IT, LING! DON'T THINK I WON'T!

"Get off of my desk."

>...I'LL GET INTO UNDER THE CUPBOARD AGAIN!

"NO!"

~~~~~~PRESENT!~~~~~

>....WHY CUZ WHYYYY!?.... Screw it.

SNUGGLE!

>Ooooohhh yeahhhhhh.... he's best cuz....

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NC

>56
"???"

~~~

"..."

>...

"..."

>...

"I don't know where you got that, but you are going to give it to me now."

>NO! MY PLOT!

"IT'S MY PLOT! AND I DEMAND YOU GIVE IT BACK!"

>NUUUU!

"GIMME!"

>NOT MOOOOOM!!!

"OH NO YOU DON'T!"

>UNHAND ME! YOUR FURY IS UNNECCISARY! TIS ONLY A REPLICA!

"GIMME! NOW!"

>NEVER!

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>Pennydrop
"???"
~~~~

>Really!? REALLY!? Are you serious with me right now!? This is what's happening. THIS is what's happening!?... Fucking, no. No! This is unacceptable! This cannot be tolerated and I won't! This will have retributions, mark my words, this will have retributions that will reach down to your fucking family line so far your grandchildren will be born with raw asses after I'm done fucking you up for this! You hear me!? This! Is! UNACCEPTABLE!... DAMN IT!

With great reluctance, she got out of her chair, crossed her massive, luxurious office room, and resigned herself to the fact she was going to have to get her own coffee for once.

>StupidasspieceofshithatethisprogrammingsomuchnothingbutbugafterbugafterbugandFUCKINGCOFFEEISALLIWANTED!

She slammed the door to her private kitchen open, hawk-like eyes scanning around it for her prey. When they finally found it, she was more than willing to tear into their supple flesh.

Verbally, of course.

>Hey! Piece of shit that I am going to re-purpose into a toaster shortly! Guess what? It doesn't take this long to get me some fucking COFFEE!...HELLO!?

The machine did not respond, it's back still turned to her and pointed towards what she expected was the coffee maker. Annoyed, she stomped up to it, and gave it a firm shove to get its attention.

Only when it fell to the ground, head falling off with a clatter and displaying the terrifyingly torn apart insides did she pause in her assault.

>...Piece of shit.

She barely even heard the body land softly behind her, but it was all she needed to know it was there.

"Hello, Pennydro-"

>Shut the FUCK up for two seconds!

She stepped over the sparking, crackling inert body, seemingly oblivious to the stunned silence behind her.

Without pause, she pulled out the jug from the coffee machine, and slugged down a scalding hot gulp without so much as flinching. Only when she was finally finished enough she could still taste the burning on her tongue did she slam the glass back onto the counter, shattering it and sending the remaining liquid everywhere.

Wiping the stray liquid from her mouth, she finally turned to the voice behind her. A pegasus pony, quite a stocky stallion if she did say so herself, wrapped up like he was meant for the winter months.

>And what the fuck do you want?

"There have been rumors about you pulling your support from my employer recently."

She spat, a wad of some black remains pasting the ground.

>If your 'employer' is shitty enough I'm considering turning down their money, then you better believe it's his fucking fault.

"I was merely sent to tell you this was... unwise."

She threw her head back, letting out a booming, chortling laugh.

>Unless you're planning on stripping and offering up one HELL of a fuck in exchange, sending you alone was probably a dumb idea. That one was a dumb idea too, by the way, I don't mix business with fucking, but I work on levels of stupidity most days.

"Oh? You think sending me was unwise? Why? Do you suppose these will protect you?"

His hoof came down, a single, solitary tap. Then, from every cupboard, nook, cranny and door of any kind, they poured out. Her machines, her 'security', be it a bot or a turret that was supposed to pop out for situations like this. They came out, and clattered to the ground, torn apart and useless.

>...Well, that's someone else who's getting shipped off to the shitlist. By the way? You're paying for those-

It was like a whistle, a tiny little sound, one that went out just before a singular blade cut through the air. She tilted her head ever so slightly, just enough it failed to break the skin on her cheek, but still carve strips of her mane.

In a second, he was mere inches in front of her, towering over her much, much smaller frame.

She seemed unmoved.

"This is what happens when you play with the big ponies, little mare. If you piss off the wrong ones, you get-"

She laughed.

She laughed louder, and harder, and longer than she had ever done before, and probably would for months if not years to come. She laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

>HAHAHAHA! You think YOUR employer is the 'big ponies? Oh, oh wow, I needed that.

And then she pulled out a long, thin vial, glowing red liquid inside.

"Planning to use an infusion? Really? Well, fair warning..."

His wing curled back, letting her see the rows of them strapped to his side.

"I have quite the collection myself. So if you think using that will abide you-"

>Me? Oh no, no no, I never touch the stuff-

Before he could wonder about that, the lid to her container popped off, and she swung. He jumped back instinctively, sure he would get out of way of any liquid, but that was not what came out at all.

Instead, a seemingly moving, following cloud of gas raced from it's glass prison, and hunted him down at a speed not even teleporting could have saved him from. It covered him, went into him, infected him.

Then, it made his world fire.

Literally.

>-seems dangerous is all I'm saying, they should really put some warning labels on these things. This stuff can mess you up so bad, it's not even funny.

She chuckled as she watched him scream, thrashing this way and that as the flames covered literally every inch of him, yet did not burn him away. He felt the pain, but his body showed no burns.

Which meant he was not even granted the peace of nerve endings dying off. He felt every second, every moment of that half of a minute that felt like an eternity before the power ran out, and he collapsed to his side, smoldering, smoking... but not burned.

Well, not his skin, at least.

>I take it back! Now THAT is funny!

She couldn't help but laugh as he looked at him, bereft of all fur and mane and feathers, her laughter pitching the more she looked over the pony that looked like the unholy spawn of a shaved dog and a chicken.

>HAHA! Hoo... yeah, I needed this pick me up... hmm?

There, on the ground, was something she did not expect.

A letter, one which must've fallen off him

Still, somehow... in tact.

>...What in the...

~Just keeping you on your toes and making sure you're not going soft.~
~Regards~
~An old friend~

>...Pfft.

Callously, she tossed it away.

>That's fucking stupid... and you...

She curled up to the shaking, shivering, pained looking stallion, running a hoof over where his mane used to be.

>...You've provided such wonderful data for my new fireball infusion... it would be a shame to stop while the iron is still...

She leaned down, whispering into his ear.

>Hot.

She smiled at his shudder of terror, drank it in as he curled deeper into his fetal position, and with that same easy gait she called her guards.

>Oh, boys? Come up here... I have a present for our science team. Tell them...

She leaned back, teeth glimmering in the light like fangs.

>...Happy Hearth Warming.

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 >DT
"77"
'42'
~~~~
>Guess who was your secret gifter? ...It was me! Happy Hearth's Warming!
Hands him a small box. He begins to open it.

"Aw, poppet. I don't really need any...what is this?"
He takes out a knife with a scope on it.

>I know how you're all about your knife, but you should consider more options for range.

"...is it safe?"

She smiles proudly.
>I modified it myself. It's Diamond Tiara safe.

"...why don't I feel assured?"

>Don't exaggerate so much. It's a ballistic knife with a sniper scope. It'll launch the blade to whatever you're aiming at. I even put extra blades to load.

"The scope barely fits. Am I really suppose to look down it?"

>Nah, just aim it and shoot. You can try hitting the vase way down the hall.

"It's pretty far."

>Trust me. You'll hit it. It has a slight kick though, so-

*THOOM* He fires the knife and not only does the knife shatter the vase, but breaks through the wall.

"WHOA!"

>I put some extra umph into the ballistic part.

"Poppet, ignoring the fact that attaching a scope shouldn't increase the range of a knife. I prefer handling things quietly when poss-"

>Do you like it? I wasn't going to buy you any gift. This is a DT special.
She beams a smile at him expectantly.

"...heh, I love it poppet."
He pats her head.

>I hope 42 likes her rocket power hooves.

'AHHHHHHHHHHHH'
Wearing and being propelled by the rocket power hooves, 42 flies down the hall and smashes through the wall continuing to crash into the next. DT smiles.

>Yeeeeah. She totally likes it.

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~~~~~

"WOOO! Now this is what I call a Hearth's Warming party!"

The pleasantly prancing playfully popping pink party ponyville pony wasn't kidding, the Apple Family home was positively stuffed with bodies as thick as thick could be, to the point where some of the taller ones were forced to stand just outside the door to fit.

Things had become strangely light post their little adventure, a time of joyous occasions and loud, rambunctious music to wash away the memories of less joyous battling and rambunctious evil hate-horse-monsters. Everyone, from the tallest white princess to the shortest bug was having a time in the apple abode.

And If the party wasn't enough to put a smile on their faces, Pinkie was certainly managing to do it in another way.

"Pinkie, you really shouldn't have spent so much on us..."

She said this, but at the same time Fluttershy was none-too-subtly loving her automatic animal feeder, one that would be able to help all of her woodland friends get their proper meals in seconds, rather than her going bowl to bowl. She could even micromanage how much everyone got!

"Pfft! Shouldn't nothing! This is AWESOME!"

"Oh yeah... momma's going to do so much science with you..."

Both Dash and Twilight admired their own gifts, the latter far, far more unsettlingly intimate than the other.

"Well, shoot, Ah' feel like Ah' right skimped in comparison ta' this tree. How'd ya' even find it?"

Pinkie waved flippantly, unconcerned at all.

"P'shaw, wasn't even a thing."

"Yes, darling, you did such a WONDERFUL job!... Especially going first."

"...Oh?"

At Rarity's words, something had slightly shifted in the room.

And it made everything as off kilter as if the room had actually shifted.

"Yeeeeessss darling, it's warmed everyone up for my gifts!"

"...Ooohhh? You sure you want to go now? I'm a tough act to follow!"

"Pinkie, DARLING... I always rise to the occasion."

Her hoof stamped down, and she waited.

And waited.

...And waited.

"...One second."

She nervously scooched towards the door, 'subtly' leaning out it and speaking strained from the side of her mouth.

"Sweetie Belle? That was your cue, darling... Sweetie?... Sweetie Belle? Swee-OH DEAR FAUST!"

With that, she shot out of the door, and everyone went quiet as the shouting came from outside.

"How!? How did you even do this!?"

"I WENT BACK THROUGH TIME!"

"...What!? How the devil does time travel end up with you being a SQUID!?"

"...Oh, that! No, this is unrelated."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S UNRELATED!?"

"I probably didn't go back in time either."

"SWEETIE BELLE!"

"It just had so many buttons!"

"That was for TWILIGHT!"

"BUT THE BUTTONS! YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING TO ME!"

"Ughhhh! You've ruined my moment!.... okay, I can fix this.... I can fix this!"

There was a flash of light, and the distinct sound of something splattering and changing.

"That ink was normal, right Rarity?"

"NO TIME! I need... MAGIC!"

There was another, second flash of light, brighter this time in every way, and from the doorway Rarity came in with a flourish, a ethereal, lovely white dress hugging her figure as she did.

"Everyone! I-"

"Why are ya' wearin' a dress now?'"

"...APPLEJACK! My moment!"

"Do ya' think we don't remember ya' walked outta here in a dress? Why're ya' wearin' it? Who're ya' actin' for?"

"APPLEJACK!"

"Fine... still gonna wonder."

"Good! Now... mares and gentlecolts, princesses and princes! I give to you... my gifts!"

THUNK!

"...Oh for pities sake!... Applejack? Any chance you've installed hanger doors on some part of this house?"

"...no..."

"Well, you should, you never know when those will come in handy... EVERYONE OUTSIDE!"

As much to prevent her from having a drama meltdown as it was anything else, they all shuffled out of the house.

There, out on the lawn, they saw it.

What they didn't see was the sun.

The literal hill in front of them was blocking it out.

"...Uh...w-wow, Rarity, ya' really went all out this year?"

"All out? This? Oh pllleeeeaase, nothing is too much for my friends!"

"...You didn't sleep with anyone ta' pay fer' this stuff, right?"

Everyone, absolutely everyone's jaw hit the ground at that.

"GRANNY!"

"Ah'm just askin'! Don't want no ruttin' gifts."

Applejack could hear her own brain breaking.

"...Chrysalis? Shoot me. Just shoot me now, please. Yer' the only one who will. Do it, please."

"HAH! Hell no, this is WAY funnier!"

Surprisingly keeping her composure, save for a very distinct twitch of her eye, Rarity was the only one who could find it in them to speak.

"No, DARLING Granny Smith with your... AGED sense of humor, noooo! Of course not! I found the money though various sales of my dresses to the highest order and maybe a few bluffs as to 'obsidian spider silk', and what exactly that was. Not that it was a trial for my FRIENDS after all! You're all so worth it!"

"Awww, thanks Rar!"

"Think nothing of it, really!"

In the far, far back, Pinkie's eye twitched.
It wiggled.
It flickered and twisted.
And then...

"...AWWWWEEESOOOOMMME!"

"Wha?"

She tackled her.

"You totally beat me this year, Rarity! Wow! Wow wow wow! What even is that for Applejack?"

"Oh, um... it's supposed to automatically file everything she-"

"EVERYTHING!? Holy tolidoes that'll cut down on hours every day!"

"That was the intention, yes-"

"Rar, Rarbear, Rarara, you totally outdid yourself this year! Isn't that right?"

"Totally!"

"Oh yes, and we're all very appreciative."

"Ya' got that right!"

"It's wonderful!"

She smiled, soaking it all in, all the praise, all the thanks, all the everything. Everything including Pinkie's wide, wide, wide smile.

"Wow, you really set the bar high for this year, Rarity... how're ya' going to top this next year?"

"...N-next year?"

Pinkie said nothing to that, not a word. She smiled, and she got off her friend, and went off to pick up her own gift.

And, as Rarity was left there, stunned on the ground, it suddenly hit her just how... much... she had spent.

"...Oh dear..."

"Heh..."

An orange, helpful hoof reached down, picking her back up and dusting off the snow.

"...Ya' did good, Rarity. Really earned that Generosity title."

That was it. Suddenly... 'much' didn't even feel like enough.

"Oh... thank you, Applejack. You all deserve it, after all."

"Heh... Ah'll take yer' word for it."

Two limbs curled around her, hugging her in tight, and warm.

"...Thanks, App-"

"HEY! APPLEJACK!"

At the loud, distinct screech of the changeling Queen, Applejack's eye began to twitch. Rarity shared her sentiment.

"Must she ruin every moment?"

"COME HERE ALREADY!"

She released her friend with a sigh, ushering her over to the Queen.

"Best to go see what she wants."

"Yeaahhh... better get it over with."

As if she was going through molasses, she trudged every step of the way, doing her best to ignore the cheers and joy from her friends and family opening their presents, doing her best to pretend she was anywhere else at all. She finally came to a stop inside her house, just in front of the fireplace where the Queen was waiting.

"Alright, Chrysalis, what do ya' wa-OOF!"

"Happy Hearth Warming."

Today, she had been hit by snow, bitter winds and a literal mountain of ice.

Yet, somehow, that had been the thing to freeze her this day.

"...What?"

The Queen shrugged, gesturing towards the package in her hooves.

"I said, Happy Hearth Warming... what, is that not what you're supposed to say?"

"...Well, no, it ain't that, it's just..."

"...What?"

She rolled the strange box in her hooves, the thing no bigger than one that would be needed to hold a good sized apple. She could hear something inside, rattling around, hard like a marble, but also... strange.

"...This ain't just somethin' Shiny got that ya' stuck yer' name on, right?"

"HAH! If Shiny can find a place to buy these, I have some serious questions."

"...What is it?"

"You're supposed to open that to find out, you dumbass."

Insult aside, she supposed that was true.

Tentatively, she pried open one corner, then the other, then the other, obviously infuriating the Queen with her slowness, but that only made her want to open it even slower.

When, at last, the top came off, she wasn't quite sure what it was she was looking at.

But what she did know was that the strange, green sphere was, to put is simply, offsetting.

"...Okay, Ah' opened it, and Ah' still don't know what it is."

"It's... well, it doesn't have a name, so I guess I'll just call it a... aaaaa.... memory orb? Mind ball? Deja Sphere?... Damn, I need to get this trademarked."

"Oooookay?.... What's it do?"

The Queen shuffled a bit, reaching down into the box and picking up the strange orb in the crook of her hoof hole.

"It... it..."

She sighed, the words becoming strangely gummed up in her mouth, leaving her lost.

"...Remember what you said back at the... room? You know, when you found out about the thing?"

'The thing' isn't how Applejack would have put it, but she nodded.

"This is, well... this is so you can keep one."

"...Ah' don't understand."

"Remember the orb? That whole mess?... Think of that, but for one."

"...one what?"

She curled Applejack's hoof upward with her magic, and let the ball roll into her grasp.

"...one memory. It's the same principal, just not, obviously, removing it. It copies your memory, and any time you want to look at it, or let someone else see it... This way you never have to worry that it's going to get... taken."


Her heart had stopped, sometime after the first sentence. Slowed beats gone cold as she looked on in an odd mixture of emotions at the sphere in her hoof. This swirling, hard thing made of changeling magic.

"...Is this gonna leave somethin' in mah' brain? Somethin' ya'll can... control?... Ah' don't know iffin' Ah' want mah' memories with yer' magic."

Chrysalis's lip curled upwards in an offended snarl, and with a scoff she brushed past the Alicorn, and went off to do whatever it was she did.

"Whatever, it was Two's idea anyway. Keep it or chuck it into the fire, I don't fucking care."

She felt a tiny pang of regret as the Queen stomped off, even though she was back to laughing and having fun with the others in mere seconds. Nothing kept her down, she admitted.

But, even so, even with that regret, the temptation to indeed chuck it into the fire was very, very real. Even knowing all she had risked, all they had been through, there was nothing in the world that terrified her more or made her sick with fear than the thought of Chrysalis taking away one of the few real treasures she had.

But, as strong as that temptation was, there was another one...

A different one.

Every bit as tempting, every bit she wanted.

It was a risk. An unbelievably big risk, but if it was true, if trust paid off this one day, she would get an opportunity she never would any other time in her whole life.

She waged. She warred in this corner of the world, cut off from her friends and their laughter, and once the fury of battle in her mind came to a calm and the sound of silence hung in her head at last...

She put the orb to her head.

And she thought...

And thought...

And thought...

And soon, the orb glowed as it accepted that which she gave to it, that which she had asked it to hold for her, to keep safe.

But, unlike the other orb that had brought her such rage, such strife... this one glowed, it glowed bright as the sun and it began to hum.

It asked her, how she knew what it asked she did not know, but it asked her a question, a request. It was waiting for her to give the okay, before it could finish giving it's final gift.

A moment of uneasiness, of reluctance, of perhaps even fear... and then she nodded her head.

And it gave to her it's gift.

"Applejaaaaacckk! Big Maccccintooosshhh! Time to open your presents!"

The room had gone deathly silent as ghostly, ethereal presences had joined them, as if they had become spectators in a time long past. Able to look, to walk around and see every inch, but not to touch.

"IT'S HEARTH'S WARMIN'!"

"EEYYUP!"

Even knowing the strange green, unworldly presence could not touch them, any in the path instinctively moved away, away as two tiny facsimiles of what had been raced down in happy, childish joy.

"A-Applejack... is... is that..."

Only one had spoken, a single, shaking, emotion filled voice in the sea of long gone presents being torn open.

She stumbled back to the fireplace, into strong, caring arms that held her, yet shook every bit as much as she did.

"Yeah... Applebloom... that's you..."

She swallowed down a lump in her throat as she looked to the tiny, wrapped up little bundle that cooed in and giggled as she chewed on the wrapping paper tossed her way.

Two more bodies joined her, standing on either of her sides, locked in, just watching. Those who remembered this day remembered it well.

Those who did not could only stare, and feel it as it panged to their hearts.

"...And that's them..."

Two figures, not blurry with unfocused pictures, not remembered through half-hazed recollections, or twisted by some creatures power.

"Applejack! Don't toss so much over here, you know she eats it! Oh, quit chewing so much... don't give me that look, missy."

Their voices crisp, clear, a welcome recollection to the eldest.

"Told you staying up would be worth it."

"Says you, I'm dead tired."

But, the youngest...

"But was it worth it?"

"...Yeah, it was. You just don't get things like this all that often..."

"Told you so."

She heard them for the very first time.

"They would'a been proud of ya'll, ya' know."

Her voice had lost its crawing, rambunctious energy, just for once.

Lost it amidst a sea of remembering, and being together.

All of them together.

"Applejack... they're wonderful..."

All of them.

Not just family of blood.

"Heh, I see where you get your good looks from."

"Yeah! Her dad's a hotty!"

"Pinkie!"

"Don't blame the mare for calling it like she sees it."

"Oh, you two!"

"My oh my, you were cute, Applebloom!"

"No kidding, Auntie! She was adorable!"

"Heh... bet I could arm wrestle this guy."

"Must everything be about violence with you, Forty Two?"

"It's a sign of respect!"

All of her family could, at last, be there.

Right there, in her home, they were all there.

No matter how far they had gone, no matter where they had been... they had found their way back home, just for today, just for a time...

But they were home.

...All of them.

"Thank you..."

She didn't look at her, aim it at her, or even speak loud enough she could have heard.

But she did. She heard it.

And she understood.

It didn't matter what the calendar said.

Today was the last day of this year that had been.

Today was the last day what had come would hold her down.

Today was the last day.

And every day hereafter, was a new beginning.

And it was going to start right now.

"Happy Hearth Warming."

"...Happy Hearth Warmin' ta' you too, Chrysalis..."

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