Author's note
Hey folks, and Merry Christmas!

Ponies: Huh?

Twilight: But it's July, remember?

Me: Yes, I know but since it's July, I decided to get to work on my Christmas in July fics, meaning 'Sorabi' and the second season of Rainbow Dash's E-Mails is on hold until they are dome.

Rainbow: (Frowns) Awww, horse feathers!

Me: Relax. This fic will help you out until then. The midquel to 'Beauty Unicorn and the Demon Pony', which takes place after the Demon Pony saved Twilight, Nyx and Spike from the Houndoom and before the 'Normal Again' number.

Ponies: All right!

Me: Time to begin!

Prologue: Hearth's Warming Eve

The snow is falling in Equestria as ponies from the village are heading to the castle, home of Ben Mare and his wife Twilight Sparkle. It has been a year since the spell on the prince and the castle has been broken, thanks to the couple falling in love. The villagers had since embraced their long lost prince, being forgiven for their role in Boris's attempt to murder him.

It is Hearth's Warming Eve and as ponies arrive, they begin to sing a song.

Ponies: Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la
Don we now our gay apparel
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol
Fa-la-la-la-la
Fa-la-la-la

In the hallway, the servants are getting the place set up for Hearth's Warming Eve, with folks gathering to celebrate that most wonderful time of the year. Twilight's adopted daughter Nyx was running on the second floor, playing with her friends the CMC and Winona.

The five stops at the steps, seeing what's happening in amazement. Apple Bloom exclaims, "Look like it's becoming Hearth's Warming Eve, Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

"And you know what that means, right?" Nyx ask her friends with a grin.

"HEARTH'S WARMING EVE PRESENTS, YAY!" The fillies cheer on, sliding down with Winona the railing to join the others.

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly!" Soarin' sang on happily while putting Hearth's Warming Eve leaves onto the table. "Yeah, there must be a lot of holly!"

"Tis the season to be…" Caramel sang a bit but frowns as he removes the leaf, "Geez; that is a lot of holly." Just then the fillies rush past him, causing the stallion to almost lose his balance. "Hey, slow down!"

"Can't, gotta check on the presents!" Scootaloo exclaims eagerly.

On top of the tree is Rarity who is putting a Hearth's Warming Eve on top. The white unicorn was singing as well, "Don we now our gay apparel-"

As Rarity climbs down the tree, passing by decorations that looks like the servants' cursed filly selves, she spots a mistletoe over head and sees Spike, grinning as he said, "Hey, Rarity."

"Please, no, no...no more mistle...oh why not?" Rarity giggles as she kisses Spike making him sigh lovingly.

Applejack was humming while working on some apple cider in a chair. She spots the fillies near the tree trying to get into the presents. The Earth pony frowns while saying, "Apple Bloom, Sweetie, Scootaloo, Nyx! Come on, stay away fro' those presents! It isn't even done time yet!"

The CMC and Nyx run around the tree, holding a present for each of them before going to Applejack, Soarin', Caramel, Twilight's father Dusk Shine, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. The Earth pony's sister exclaims, "Shucks, mah friend an' Ah found one fer each o' us."

"Come on, let us open one, please?" Sweetie asks Applejack hopefully.

"We won't open any more until Hearth's Warming Eve!" Scootaloo exclaims eagerly to the adult ponies.

"Mommy always let me open one before Hearth's Warming Eve, honest!" Nyx exclaims, giving the puppy dog eyes look to the adults.

"Awww, man; who are we to say no?" Rainbow asks her friends with a smirk.

"All right, just one." Applejack said with a smile. The Earth pony can't resist the whole thing anymore.

"Yay," The fillies cheers as they begin to open their presents while every pony else watch. Winona plays with the disposed wrapping paper.

"Oh boy, more wrapping paper," Pinkie giggles as she bounces in, playing with the wrapping paper as well.

"Pinkie Pie, you are so random." Rainbow chuckles a bit, "Great for Nyx and her friends to have a proper Hearth's Warming Eve, eh?"

"Oh yes, not like last year." Soarin' said with a chuckle.

"Man, don't remind me, Soarin'! That holiday was almost destroyed if it weren't for Twilight and Ben."

"Yes, right. This is more agreeable." Caramel agrees with a chuckle.

"Not sure, Ah done thought last year was nice." Applejack said thoughtfully.

"Oh yes, I meant to say the same thing, Applejack! After all, I did manage to save Hearth's Warming Eve after all!"

"Wait, you?" Soarin' ask Caramel, giving a look of disbelief to his friend.

"Come on; let's not forget that if it weren't for my skill and decisive leadership, everything would be lost!" Caramel scoffs to Soarin', making the others roll their eyes a bit. Here they go again!

"Leadership, you; Ha; you couldn't lead a dragon to water! No offense, Spike."

"None taken," Spike remarks. The CMC and Nyx finish opening their presents which are socks. Although Scootaloo groans at them, her friends laugh a bit while having fun with the socks.

"What are you on about?" Caramel snaps at Soarin' in annoyance. "It's my idea and you know it!"

"Your idea; Everypony knows as well as I do that the idea was all mine!" Soarin' scowls at Caramel right back. The other ponies sigh a bit. Why are they arguing, especially on this time of the year?

"I thought it was Twilight and Ben like Dashie just said." Pinkie said puzzled.

"Great horny toads, how many times must we go through 'dis story?" Applejack asks Caramel and Soarin' with a frustrated sigh.

"Story?" Sweetie asks Applejack hopefully.

"Until some pony get his facts straight." Soarin' snaps as he scowls at Caramel; The Pegasi wants to be proven right.

"How about you tell it, Applejack?" Nyx ask Applejack hopefully. "I remember last year but I feel like it's better to hear it from you."

"Right, good idea," Caramel said in agreement. Anything to settle this dispute between him and Soarin' once and for all!

"Geez, I don't know." Applejack said thoughtfully. Should she tell the story?

"Come on, AJ! Tell the story, anything to put this matter to rest." Rainbow insists to Applejack eagerly.

"Right, tell them how I saved Hearth's Warming Eve. Don't you remember that?" Soarin' ask Applejack with a smirk.

"Right, tell them!"

"No fair in leading the witness!" Caramel snaps at the Pegasus ponies in annoyance.

"Come on, big sis, tell 'de story!" Apple Bloom exclaims eagerly, giving the puppy dog eyes look to Applejack.

Applejack shucks while saying, "Aww, all right."

"Yay! Story time," The CMC cheers wildly as Soarin', Caramel, Rainbow, Pinkie, Dusk and a few ponies gather around Applejack to hear the story of how Hearth's Warming Eve was saved last year.

"Now we will see what really happen." Soarin' said anxiously.

"All righty, then...if ah I done remember right, Twilight, Nyx an' Spike got scared off by our master Ben Mare's anger back when he was a Demon Pony." Applejack said as she begins the story. "'De trio went an' ran off from 'de castle, running right into a bunch o; Houndoom! But as luck would have it, 'de master saved them. An' thus, Twilight an' Ben began 'ta be friends."

"That's where I came in of course..."

Author's note
And thus, the story begins. In the next chapter, which takes place in the past, Twilight helps the Demon Pony (Ben Mare) in having fun while the servants hope their friendship grows. However, the monster known as Discord sends his helpers Fluttershy and Dexter into putting a stop to it. Read, review and suggest.

I know that the Featherduster and the Wardrobe doesn't appear in the first midquel, but I feel like Rainbow and Pinkie are too important to leave out.