Carousel Boutique was quiet, dark and cold.  It bothered the girls immensely, since Rarity was off doing a fashion show so close to Hearth’s Warming.  Sweetie Belle enjoyed the time with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, of course, but with the snow on the ground and no sister in sight, it was obvious she was feeling lonely.

        The show preparations had started at the beginning of the month, and Rarity had sworn up, down and sideways that she would have been back in two weeks.  At the very worst, she’d be back in Ponyville by the eighteenth.

        It was now the twentieth, and still no Rarity.  Twilight had gotten a letter from her the day before about unforeseen delays, but it was still worrying.  That morning, Rainbow Dash had awoken with a plan.  A devious, wonderful plan.  But she knew she’d need help.  As everypony knew, a Hearth’s Warming without all of them together was no Hearth’s Warming at all!

        A zip to Applejack to tell her the idea and gather the trio of troublemakers, who were all too happy to help, and then everyone had their missions.  AJ had some old decorations and would call in favors from the rest of the Apple clan.  Big Mac would do the heavy lifting as needed.  Apple Bloom would make for Fluttershy’s.  Sweetie Belle would be going to Pinkie, who would coordinate with Applejack to get the decorations ready and keep things low-key for a change.  Scootaloo, as the fastest of the three, would be notifying Twilight and Spike on her scooter.

        And what would Rainbow Dash be doing? Getting inside the boutique, warming the place up and making room.  This was going to be more than a one-day job, and they needed room to work, and warmth to make things comfortable.  A quick search revealed a key hidden under the door mat.

        “Really, Rarity? You need a less-obvious place to stash your spare…” Dash muttered to herself as she opened the door.  The cold wind almost blasted the door out of her hooves, but she caught it before it slammed into the wall.  A flick of a switch and the lights came on.  She saw to it the door would remain unlocked for the others, and went looking for the heater.

        Half an hour of looking later, and she’d found and lit the pilot light with the attached flint and striker, with only a few singed spots to show for it.

        “Hokay, where do I start…” she asked herself, rubbing her hooves and looking around, trying to get a mental map.  The bell above the door jingled and her attention was drawn to the arrival of Twilight, Spike and Scootaloo, with Applejack and Apple Bloom behind them.

        “Hey girls, glad you could make it!” Dash said, giving Scoots a hug and a grin.

        “Hi Dash! So, Scootaloo mentioned something about wanting to surprise Rarity?” Twilight asked, looking around and hanging up her winter gear while Spike ran for the boiler room to get it working faster, already shivering.

        “Yeah, that’s the plan… look, I’m not good with all this mushy stuff, but it’s not right without all of us here.  You mentioned that Rares sent a letter saying she’d be delayed a couple more days, but she’d be back before Hearth’s Warming Eve, right? I figure with your planning, the speed and aerial stuff from me, Fluttershy and Scoots, the stamina from AJ and Bloom, Big Mac for the heavy stuff, Pinkie to cover us for supplies and Sweetie for the technical stuff, knowing what Rarity likes, I think we can make the Boutique really nice and cozy and perfect for when she gets back.  No worries about gifts, no having to decorate, just being able to relax and enjoy the time together with zero stress.  Or, at least, with as little stress as Rarity ever gets to.”

        “Wow…” came the quiet response from the doorway, the bell barely ringing as Fluttershy opened the door with a smile, “you’ve really thought this through, Rainbow Dash.”

        Dash, for her part, shrugged and looked a little sheepish.  “I know Rarity and I are as different as could be, but… she’s still a friend.  I figured this is the least I could do, but I know I can’t do it alone.”

        “Well, what are we waiting for?! Let’s get started!” Pinkie suddenly declared, popping out from behind a marrequin.  Only long-ingrained habit kept the others from jumping in surprise.

        The girls shared a look and a smile as Big Mac came trotting up, pulling a cart laden with decorations.

*        *        *

        Rarity stepped off the train and onto the platform with a sigh, grateful that the wood had been cleared of all the snow.  Looking out into Ponyville proper, walkways and paths were shoveled and salted.  Her modeled dresses and accoutrements were retrieved and her magic wrapped around everything, ready to haul everything halfway across town to the Boutique.  Even if it was going to be cold and dark and possibly a little musty from being shut up for so long, it was still going to be nice to be home.  She only hoped Sweetie Belle had stayed out of trouble.

        She was barely off the platform and on the path when she heard heavy hooffalls coming her way, and the large form of Big Mac rounding a corner and angling straight for her, ignoring the snow clinging to his fetlocks.

        “Big Macintosh! Wonderful to see you again, have things been quiet here while I’ve been gone?” she called out as he came closer.

        “Eeyup” he answered, plucking a harness off his back and situating himself to pull Rarity’s dresses.

        “Oh! You don’t have to do that!” she said quickly.

        “Eenope.  Want to.  Have somethin’ fer ya” Mac said shortly, settled in and starting to pull.  Rarity took up the rest of her things, quietly relieved for the lesser burden on her magic.  Then his words hit her brain.

        “You have something for me? what is it?” she inquired.  Mac smiled slightly.

        “It’s a surprise.  Gotta wait” he said enigmatically.  Rarity pursed her lips, frowning, but she decided she could be patient.

        Five minutes of trotting saw the Boutique come into view.  And then she realized the lights were on.  More lights than she had.  And some were twinkling.  She glanced over at Big Macintosh, who was unable to hide the smile any longer.

        “Just what’s going on?” she asked.

        “You’ll see” he answered, almost in a sing-song tone.  She saw her Spikey-wikey waving at her from the window, and turning his head to say something.  There was a flurry of movement, and the door opened to a very seasonally-dressed Sweetie Belle waving at her happily.

        “Welcome home Rarity!” she called, grinning massively.  That kind of smile meant something wonderful had happened, or that she was trying to hide from trouble.  Usually the latter.

        “Sweetie Belle… have you behaved yourself?” Rarity asked suspiciously as Big Mac preceded her into the Boutique.

        “Yeah! C’mon, you’ll really like what we did!” her little sister squeaked.

        Rarity stepped inside… and gasped, her magic winking out in shock.  Twilight caught them with her own field and carried them into storage for later, grinning.  Everywhere Rarity looked was the signs of the holidays.  Ribbons from the lights to all corners of the Boutique.  Lights surrounding the windows in a lovely chase sequence.  Wreaths adorning her marrequins and hanging from the free hooks around the workspace.  Every place that could functionally be decorated without interfering with work, or could be easily moved if need be, was covered.

        “This is… gorgeous!” she cried, “you all did this for me?”

        “Well, we all lended a hoof here and there, but the real idea mare fer this was Rainbow Dash.  We just helped out” Applejack answered.  Rarity blinked, then again, then craned her neck up to look at a suddenly-blushing Dash.

        “Why?” Rarity blurted out, then covered her mouth with a hoof in horror.  Dash landed, still blushing furiously.

        “Well… you’re our friend, Rarity.  I just wanted to do something nice, and couldn’t do it solo, even as awesome as I am.  It ain’t Hearth’s Warming without you, y’know?” she admitted.

        “Friends make the holiday brighter” Twilight observed, and Spike grinned.

        “You can say that again!” he said happily.  Twilight shared a look with Pinkie, who was trying not to giggle herself to death, and couldn’t resist.

        “Friends make the holiday brighter!” she repeated, making Spike groan and Pinkie and Fluttershy break out into giggles along with the Crusaders.

        “Well, I for one am very, very wonderfully surprised by all of this, and… I don’t know how to repay you all” Rarity said, stepping closer to Dash.

        “Just as long as you enjoy yourself and you don’t have to worry about anything stressful for a while, that’s all we really want.  You work too hard for your own good sometimes” the cyan mare stated, Rarity giving a rueful smile in return.

        “I can certainly attest to that… as for relaxing, I can certainly do so, now” she said, and hugged her tightly, “thank you, so very much.”

        Dash put her wings around Rarity and hugged her back with a smile.  “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Rarity” she said quietly.

        “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Rainbow Dash.”

        Outside, the snow was gently falling, and within the Carousel Boutique, the festivities began in earnest.

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