It was Hearth's Warming Eve over in the far East. Neighpon had recently taken up celebrating the holiday along a few other nations as a form of cultural exchange. However, there were differences compared to how Equestrians and the Neighponese celebrated the holiday. In Neighpon, the holiday was mainly based on just celebrating it for the sake of spending time with friends and family while giving each other gifts. The cultural significance was lost on the populace of Neighpon. In Equestria, it was on this day that the nation was founded by the once divided human tribes: The Valkyries, the Elves, and the Earthbounds. In times of tribulation, these tribes survived through a friendship that would last for generations to come.

The city of Trotkyo was covered in a great blanket of snow. Citizens went about their day, but this holiday season was the least cheery one in the last several years. With the Transmutants on the loose, MONARCH patrolled the streets more often. People were not allowed to be out too late on evenings, but the restrictions had been lifted a bit in the last month due to little signs of Transmutants in the city.

Battra walked among a crowd of people with his hands in his pockets. Fog came from his mouth with every breath that he drew. He was bundled up in his black coat with a red scarf wrapped around his neck. His eyes looked down on the ground as he continued his journey through the city. The Transmutant found himself away from the city center, moving to a more suburban area. Battra sighed heavily.

"Freezing my ass off out here," said Battra.

The boy wasn't one to enjoy the winter. Not since he was a child. Even with a new holiday being celebrated in his country, he did not shirk his duty to the Revolutionaries' cause. There was no time for such distractions. While the others rested, Battra took it upon himself to observe the city, and MONARCH. Any intel would be valuable for them.

Battra found himself walking by a house. Its lights shined through on this evening. He looked towards the window, finding that a family had gathered around the table, with a steaming hot turkey in the center. Through the cracks of the window and with Battra's enhanced senses, he could smell the rosemary of the roasted bird. The boy's stomach began to growl at the smell. The boy grimaced.

"Maybe I'll stop to grab something to eat," said Battra to himself. Before he could move on, he found that the family was seated, as the turkey was carved. The boy frowned as he watched as the mother wiped the child's face. This caused him to recall the days before his mutation. He recalled being in the warmth of his home, enjoying a nice hot meal, while in the company of his family. Those memories seemed like ancient history at this point.

A snowflake dropped on the boy's neck, causing him to shiver. He looked up and found that it was beginning to snow again. He brought his hood over his head and continued on his walk. Along the way, the Transmutant beheld more households that were having their own celebration. A couple of homes even threw parties, with numerous guests filling a single house.

"AH!!" A feminine voice screamed. Battra jumped at the sound, his eyes darting around. It was close. The boy was tense and alert, as he heard the frantic cries of a woman. He followed the cries, coming around a corner in the neighborhood. He found a young woman to be crying out, running in nothing but heels and short tight black dress that reached above her knees. Her hair was brunette, shoulder length, and silky smooth. The girl was in tears as she staggered through the snow A trio of sketchy men were chasing after her. Battra furrowed his brows, before moving into the shadows.

"Help! Somebody, please help me!" the woman cried. She was suddenly grabbed by one of the men, who cupped a hand over her mouth. The girl was forced to the ground, her eyes wide with terror. One of the men chuckled as he drew out a crowbar, while another held chains. The ring leader that had pinned the girl pointed a knife to her, causing the girl to gulp, her heart racing in her chest.

'Must've ran into the wrong neighborhood,' thought Battra.

"Damn, aren't you a nice piece of ass?" said the ring leader, lustfully looking at the girl. She gave muffled whimpers as he suddenly made a tear at the top of her dress, exposing her shoulder. The girl was breathing through her nostrils heavily, while shivering from the cold air and the snow that her rear rested on.

"You shouldn't be wandering alone in that outfit. There's low lives like us looking for some warmth," chuckled one of the men, as he knelt down and began to feel up the girl. She gave muffled sobs, clenching her eyes shut. Battra leaned against the wall, his eyes closed.

'Don't get involved. Don't get involved. She's a human. Your enemy.' Battra thought to himself. The muffled cries of the girl haunted his hearing, while the sadistic laughs from the thugs taunted him. This triggered old hated memories. All he could think of was his sister, Mosura.

"Damn it all," Battra groaned. His expression hardened. He quickly moved from the corner and stormed over to the three men. While they were distracted, Battra grabbed the ring leader, yanking him away from the girl. He then threw him to the side, sending him rolling in the snow.

"What the-?!" The crowbar thug swung his weapon at Battra, who merely stepped back, narrowly avoiding it. He then countered by grabbing his wrist, while using his elbow to snap his arm. The thug screamed in agony, dropping the crowbar to the snow, while his forearm hung loosely, having been snapped from his elbow.

Battra turned to find the chain thug to be swinging his weapon. The Transmutant raised his arm and allowed the chain to wrap around it. He then used his own strength to pull the thug towards himself. Once he was close, Battra backhanded the thug, sending him spiraling to the ground in a daze.

"RAAGH!!"

Battra turned to find the ring leader to be charging towards him, with his knife raised. The boy planted his feet firmly into the snow. He caught his wrist before he could bring the knife to his chest. Battra then spun with the thug, throwing him over his shoulder. The thug was slammed to the hard snow on his back. Battra twisted the man's wrist, causing him to drop the knife he was wielding. Battra then stepped on the thug's neck, his eyes burning with rage. The thug gagged, while smacking the ground frantically.

The Transmutant's breathing was heavy. All he could think of was what his sister was going through. She never told him, but he knew that something was wrong. And, he knew just what it was. All this man did was reminded him of that, and his failure to protect his younger sister. Scum like him were just a waste of air.

The mutant was about to deliver the final blow, but stopped himself. This wouldn't be good. If he killed these men out in the open like this, then it may come to bite him in the ass. He'd be foolish to do so. Battra took a deep breath through his nostrils and exhaled sharply. His eyes furrowed as he stepped off of the thug. He hauled him to his feet and shoved him back to the other two. Battra sent them a menacing glare. The thugs began to scamper off, like dogs with their tails tucked between their legs. The boy sighed.

Battra turned to find the tearful woman to be on the ground, shivering in the cold snow. Her hand cupped over her torn shoulder piece of her dress. The Transmutant turned to walk away. But, he suddenly felt a weight against him. He stiffened, after stumbling. He found the girl to have latched herself onto him, burying her face into his shoulder.

"Thank you! Thank you!" the girl sobbed. Battra grimaced, looking around awkwardly. He wasn't quite sure how to respond to this.

"No problem..." said Battra. He found the girl to be hugging him tighter, causing him to wince. The girl released him, wiping her tear stained face with a hiccup.

"Are you gonna be OK?" asked Battra, though he'd be wiser to go about his separate ways at this point.

"I-I think so." The girl replied with a sniffle. Battra nodded.

"Good. Bye now," said Battra, before turning to walk away. Before he could take a step, the girl grabbed onto his sleeve. The mutant raised a brow at her. She had an anxious look on her mascara smeared face.

"A-Actually... Would you mind walking me home?" The girl asked, rather timidly. Her expression was that of hope. Hope that the boy wouldn't leave her in the cold to fend for herself. Battra sighed, as her pleading look wore down his fortitude.

"I suppose. Where do you live?"

"J-Just a couple miles from here," answered the girl.

"Lead the way."

The pair spent the next few minutes wandering the streets on this cold night. Battra glanced over his side, finding her clinging to his arm, her eyes anxiously searching their surroundings. She was certainly on edge. He couldn't blame her. He found her huddled to herself for warmth. As expected from an outfit such as the one she wore.

"Achoo!" The woman sneezed, causing Battra to flinch with a start.

"Hehe. Sorry. I had a jacket, but lost it when those creeps chased me," tittered the girl. Battra mentally scolded himself from being startled by something as a mere sneeze. For whatever reason, he felt more on edge compared to this girl. Battra stopped with the girl before removing his jacket. He placed it over her shoulders. She softly smiled at the chivalrous act.

"You didn't think to wear anything warmer? At least wear stockings or something," said Battra.

"Too expensive," said the girl. She smiled as she slipped her arms through the jacket. She then took his arm again and stood close.

"Let’s at least try to keep each other warm," said the girl jokingly.

Soon, the pair found themselves coming across an apartment building. It was in a different neighborhood, and was close to the common office jobs in this part of the city. The girl smiled at him as she handed back Battra's jacket. She gave a deep bow of gratitude.

"Thank you again for saving me," said the woman. Battra nodded.

"Try not to wander the streets alone at night. The city can be dangerous," said Battra. He turned to leave.

"Um... Wait!" The woman called. Battra turned with an odd look. He found the girl to be standing, clearing her throat with a shy smile.

"Are you doing anything for the holidays?"

"No." Battra answered.

"Well if you're not busy, then would you like to come in? We can have coffee or something," said the girl, looking away. The mutant met her with a flat look.

"You're awfully trusting. How do you know that I'm not worse than those guys?" asked Battra. The girl scowled.

"Hey, come on! I'm just trying to show you my appreciation for saving me! Besides, I doubt a guy that stepped in to save a girl in danger could be so bad," said the girl, smiling coyly. Battra felt his teeth slightly chatter from the air. The cold was starting to get to him. He could really go for something warm in his belly right about now.

"Well, if you insist," said Battra, reluctant. The woman smiled brightly, leading Battra to the building. The two made their way inside, entering an elevator that took them to the third floor. Battra sighed, feeling some insulated warmth in the metallic box the two were in. The girl glanced at him, blushing as she saw his face clearly under the white light of the elevator. She thought that he looked rather handsome in a sort of dark and gloomy way. The mutant looked her way, having noticed her staring. The girl quickly averted her eyes, her face beet red.

"S-So, what's your name?"

"Yasu Battra," answered Battra.

"M-My name is Yoshida Mai. Nice to meet you," stuttered the girl.

"Likewise." Battra nodded.

The elevator stopped, its doors opened up and revealed a long hallway. Mai led Battra down the hallway and stopped at a door, reaching into her purse and pulling out a key to unlock the door. She led Battra inside and took off her heels. Battra took off his shoes and placed them next to Mai's heels. The two made their way out to the living room. Inside was a small table in the middle, a sofa, and a kitchen that was in the corner of the room. Mai clapped her hands together.

"Welcome to my place," said Mai, smiling.

"Hm. Roomy," said Battra, looking around. The living room did have a good amount of space. The white walls were clean and undamaged and the sofa was neat with its pillows set around.

"Have a seat! I'll make the coffee," said Mai, as she rushed to the kitchen. Battra hung his jacket on a rack, looking around the area.

"So... What were you doing all alone at this hour? Just because the curfew's been lifted a bit doesn't make it safe," said Battra. He heard the bubbling of water from the coffee pot, as well the smell of the caffeine powder in the air.

"Ah. I was at a party with a couple of friends. But, I decided to leave sooner because everyone was getting a little too drunk." Mai replied.

"Ah. Not a fan of those kinds of parties?" asked Battra. Mai shrugged.

"Why would anyone? I'd like to remember everything that happens at a party. Besides, I didn't know some of those people there, so I wasn't comfortable with all of the drinking," said Mai, sighing to herself. Battra raised a brow.

"And yet you're comfortable with a complete stranger being in your apartment alone with you."

"Because said stranger saved my skin. Only a scumbag would take advantage. But I consider myself a good judge of character," said Mai, winking.

'If only you knew,' thought Battra, rolling his eyes. The smell of hot coffee began to linger in his nose, once Mai introduced the powder to the hot pot.

"So Yasu-san, care to tell me a bit about yourself?" asked Mai. Battra awkwardly scratched at his head. The most 'interesting' things about him are related to the fact that he's a Transmutant that is willing to kill and destroy to make his place in a world that he was once a part of.

"Well, I don't often find myself rescuing damsels in distress," said Battra, making a vain attempt to deflect while playing at humor. This prompted a small laugh from Mai, which signaled to the Transmutant that his attempt was successful.

"Hmm. You seem pretty young. Around my age, at least. Are you a student at the university in Trotkyo?" asked Mai curiously.

"No. I'm uh... employed," lied Battra.

"Really? That's surprising. The higher paying jobs in the city are offered to graduates. And the standard of living in the center is a bit high. If not for my parents and financial aid, I wouldn't be able to pay the rent. At most, my part time job allows me to pay for food at least," said Mai in dismay. Battra sighed.

"Well, I make it work. I don't have that luxury in regards to family and higher education," said Battra.

"Ah. Your folks are those 'traditionalist' types?" asked Mai.

"No. In fact, we lived in the suburban area of Trotkyo. But, they passed when I was young. As if that wasn't bad enough, my younger sister and I started to drift apart," said Battra. Mai's expression softened.

"Oh. I'm so sorry," said Mai, glancing away.

"Don't be. Some people just get the shaft from life," Battra. While he was bending truths with his story, there was no other statement that couldn't be truer. Mai sighed.

"Yeah, I hear that. Some years back, I lost my aunt, uncle and little cousin. It may not be the same as what you went through, but we were close. Even living close together in the rural part of the region," said Kai, sadly. The mutant glanced at her, a small bitter smile on his face.

"Well, I guess that's something we have in common," said Battra. Mai softly smiled as well. While she began to pour the fresh batch of coffee into mugs, Battra and Mai couldn't help but find some commonality with each other. Both found themselves losing too many dear to them at once from a young age. And with that, the two have been thrust from a pond to a grand ocean in life. While their circumstances differed, Battra couldn't help but find himself relating to the girl on some level.

The pair began to drink their coffee. Battra closed his eyes, as goosebumps grew on his skin. The hot liquid trailed down his throat, into his belly. He couldn't help but feel bliss from this moment. The mutant suddenly felt a familiar presence. His telekinesis had alerted him to the presence of the other Revolutionaries. It seemed that they were on the move for something.

Battra sighed as he set down the half-finished mug. He bore a look of regret.

"I appreciate this. But, it's getting late. I should be going," said Battra.

"Oh. OK, I understand," said Mai, mildly disappointed. She then forced a smile.

"Hey, why don't we get together some time? I'll buy ya a drink," said Mai.

"Well, I..." Battra began to ponder this. It wouldn't have been right to shirk his responsibility as Lieutenant of the Revolutionaries. But, it couldn't hurt to have an excuse to come to the city more to investigate the rumblings of the ever shifting politics and MONARCH.

"Maybe I'll drop by some time and take you up on that offer," said Battra, smiling. Mai suppressed the need to grin.

"Excellent!" said Mai, as she escorted Battra out of her apartment. The two bowed to each other, before the boy departed from the apartment. As the Transmutant left, he began to sense strong growing emotions, radiating from Mai. Battra shrugged it off. She must have still been recovering from the horror she felt during the attempted assault.

---

It was morning. The sky was white with the cold clouds that shrouded the sky. The denizens of Ponyville were all bundled up on this cold day. Children laughed and giggled as they played in the snow. Hurling snowballs and building snow men, as any child would. The adults were continuing the daily grind, looking forward to the holiday evening. Some made last minute preparations for Hearth's Warming Eve.

Pinkie giggled as she sneaked over to a couple, who sat at a bench. The hyperactive Earthbound held a long stick, with a mistletoe dangling from string.

"Hey, look up!" Pinkie called. The couple suddenly raised their heads, finding the mistletoe above. The two smiled before meeting each other with a tender kiss. Pinkie squealed, before leaving the two in their intimacy.

Meanwhile, at a lone house on the outskirts of Ponyville's center, Junior emerged. He sighed in dismay as he found that piles of snow blocked his way.

"Well, time to get to work," said Junior. The boy took a snow shovel from a closet and started to shovel away. He began to make progress on moving the snow away from his porch. This had to be the boy's least favorite thing about winter. Once he carved a path, he found that there were mounds of snow piled up as far as the eye could see. He found that the residents further away were also working to clear their paths.

Before Junior could return to the inside of his house, he found that Fluttershy was outside of her cottage. The girl was struggling to shovel away the snow from the grounds that surrounded her home. The Transmutant shuffled through the snow, the sound of it crumbling beneath the soles of his shoes.

"Morning Shy," called Junior. The valkyrie turned her attention from the snow and smiled sweetly.

"Good morning, Goji," greeted Fluttershy.

"Let me lend you a hand. This looks to be a lot of work," said Junior as he dug his shovel into the snow. Fluttershy smiled graciously.

"Thank you very much."

The pair worked together to shovel away snow from the path and porch. Fluttershy panted, her face growing red from the heat she generated from exertion and the cold. Junior didn't struggle. He continued to work with ease, quickly tossing away snow into piles. During this, the girl glanced at the boy with an odd look.

"Aren't you cold? That hoodie can't be enough to keep you cozy," said Fluttershy.

"Nah. The cold never bothered me anyway," said Junior, continuing his labor. The girl giggled in amusement.

"What's so funny?" asked Junior.

"Oh, nothing," said Fluttershy, innocently. The mutant shrugged and continued shoveling. During this, Fluttershy began to hum a musical tune to herself. She eventually began to sing to herself.

"Let it go~. Let it go~," Fluttershy sang. Junior raised a brow at her. But, he sighed in dismay, once he realized the cause of the girl's amusement.

"Oh. Now I get it," said Junior. Fluttershy giggled.

"I'm sorry. I just thought of that and..." The valkyrie began to laugh. Junior groaned.

"Ugh, that movie sucks!" said Junior.

"Aw come on, it wasn't so bad. You didn't like it?" asked Fluttershy.

"Hell no. Plus I hate musicals. It didn't help that people would start singing that lousy song," said Junior, recalling the last month when the film in question first came out. Everywhere he went, he heard people break into that particular song on the Valkyrie's mind.

"Don't get me started on the plot twist. That studio better not make a habit at creating cheap plot twist villains like that," said Junior. Fluttershy rolled her eyes with an amused look.

"You should be a movie critic," said Fluttershy.

"I'd be a damn good one too," said Junior, as he kept shoveling. Soon, the pair had finished shoveling. A clear path was now available to the cottage. Fluttershy sighed in exhaustion.

"Rainbow always said that I should exercise more. I might have to consider that," said the girl.

"Well, let's count today as your quota," said Junior, playfully. The valkyrie let out small giggle. She smiled to herself, having just realized how her friendship with this boy had grown. Never did she imagine finding herself being so casual with another person. She had just noticed that her voice wasn't as small and timid as it normally was. While she still had a soft and sweet voice, she spoke in a volume that could be clearly heard by just about anyone. It just goes to show how her time with her friends was starting to help her be less introverted. She'd even say that she might have been rubbing a bit off of the boy with her. And he may have been rubbing off of her and the others as well.

"Thanks again for helping me, Gojira," said Fluttershy. Junior met her with a nod.

"No problem, Shy. I'll see ya around," said Junior as he began to walk off.

"Um... Gojira!" Fluttershy called, following the mutant. Junior turned to meet her with a curious glance.

"You know, we're still holding the Hearth's Warming party tonight at the library. Are you sure that you can't come?" asked Fluttershy, a bit timid. It seemed that she hadn't changed very much after all, if she wasn't asking with more confidence. She remembered that his mood had shifted when Twilight first invited him over during his birthday.

"Ah. Nah, I can't. I'm gonna be busy tonight. Sorry," said Junior, forcing a smile.

The valkyrie was able to see through this. She thought him to be good at concealing his emotions. But, he had less success in concealing the sadness in his eyes.

"Is it really that important? Can't you put it off just for one night?" asked Fluttershy, hopeful.

"No. No, I can't do that," said Junior, shaking his head. His tone seemed a bit harsh, after noticing that the girl had winced. He sighed.

"I-I have to get going," said Junior as he walked away. Fluttershy could only watch as he shuffled through the snow. She grimaced. It seemed that even now, the boy still kept things hidden from his friends.

---

Angirasu and Rodan found themselves standing outside of their home. They looked upon the structure within the cave, where lights hung on it. They were crudely placed all around. Mosura stood inside of the house, her hand on a switch.

"OK, Mosu hit it!" called Rodan.

"OK!" Mosura called back. She flipped the switch, causing the sound of electricity to crackle. The lights suddenly ignited, casting their color auras along the house and part of the cave.

"That looks perfect! Happy Hearth's Warming, guys!" said Angirasu, patting Rodan with a smile. Mosura emerged from the house and joined the two, while Rodan scowled.

"Perfect?! That looks like shit! Half of the lights are burned out!" said Rodan, pointing at the lights. Mosura frowned in disappointment, while Angirasu shrugged.

"I meant 'perfect' by our standards," said Angirasu.

"That's what we get for snagging lights from the junkyard," said Mosura. Rodan groaned.

"Gods, this sucks!" Rodan complained. Mosura shook her head, placing on a smile.

"Hey, let's not mope. That's not the holiday spirit!" said Mosura.

"I guess," said Rodan. He then drew out a small box, a bright smile on his face.

"At least we have a cake! A Neighponese tradition!" said Rodan. There was the sudden sound of chattering. The boy's eyes widened as he recognized it. He turned and found a large raccoon to be scampering towards him. It screeched as it leapt towards him, knocking the box out of his hands, dropping it to the ground. It popped open, exposing the cake. The raccoon lunged for the cake and began to scarf it down.

"Hey! That's not yours, you dirty trash panda!" Rodan took a step towards the animal, but was met with a hiss. The mutants quickly backed away from the rodent in response. The raccoon took what it could of the cake and began to stuff its mouth, before scurrying towards a tree.

"Damn you Mr. Nibbles!!" Rodan shouted.

"So much for the cake," said Mosura in dismay. But, her mood lightened up once she found Junior to be approaching from the forest. She waved to him with a bright smile.

"Hi Goji!"

"Hey, Gojira," greeted Angirasu.

"Hey dude," said Rodan, half-heartedly.

"Hello." Junior smiled. He then noticed the remains of a cake and box in the snow.

"Ah you guys dropped the cake?" asked Junior, incredulous.

"No, Mr. Nibbles robbed us," said Rodan, annoyed.

"Mr.Nibbles?" asked Junior, raising a brow.

"Just a raccoon that hangs around here. He started showing up when we first moved in and dumped our trash outside," said Mosura.

"What brings you here? Weren't you sitting out the holiday?" asked Angirasu.

"I am. I just came to see if you guys were still going," said Junior.

"For sure. I hope they have cake," said Rodan, still sour about the incident with the raccoon.

"I-I don't know. I'm not comfortable going if you aren't going to be there," said Mosura, frowning.

"You hung out with the girls just fine back on Nightmare Night. If you want to learn to hide in plain sight, then you gotta put up with some social interaction," said Junior.

"I guess. But, I think it'd be less fun without you," said Mosura, crossing her arms, glancing away with a light frown.

"Hence why you should be going. You guys have to fill in for me. Though I never considered myself 'fun'," said Junior, a sheepish smile on his face.

"So why aren't you coming? As far as I know, you don't have a full time job that demands you sit Hearth's Warming Eve out," said Rodan, raising his brow.

"Don't worry about it. I'll be going now. Have fun," said Junior as he began to walk off. Rodan looked to Angirasu with an odd look.

"What do you think that was about?" asked Rodan. Angirasu shrugged. Mosura frowned as she watched the boy leave. She could sense sadness from him.

A few hours had passed. Evening was approaching. Junior found himself sitting alone in his living room, holding a picture frame, where his family was depicted. The photo had been laminated, as to preserve their faces. The boy could only stare into the eyes of the still image. He sighed heavily as he set the picture down onto the coffee table.

The boy looked over to his book shelf, where a picture frame made up of twigs and plastic butterflies held a photograph. This was the gift that Fluttershy had made for him on his birthday. The photo depicted himself and the girl standing together. The Transmutant frowned as he looked at the photo. Any other time, he would have taken up Fluttershy's offer. But, he couldn't celebrate this holiday. Not when it came to this date.

"Guess I'll make something to eat," said Junior. He got up from his seat and began to make his way to the refrigerator. When he opened it, he found only a carton of milk inside.

"Damn it," said Junior in dismay, before closing the door. He had neglected to go grocery shopping this week. Now, he was paying for it. Junior scratched at his head with a heavy sigh. No sense in going hungry.

The Transmutant placed on his hoodie and grabbed his bag of bits. He left his home and made his way into town on this cold evening. He shuffled through the snow, as the air grew colder from the setting sun. Once he reached town, he found people that were doing last minute shopping for the holiday. A number of them were rather frantic as they scrambled to establishments for whatever they needed.

"Happy Hearth's Warming!" said a woman, meeting Junior with a kind smile.

"Sure," said Junior, his expression stoic and his voice monotoned. The woman bore a small look of offense at the boy's dull response.

Junior continued on his way, while a few people greeted him the same way as the woman did. But, the mutant only responded with simple and dull replies. This was the norm for the boy back in Canterlot. He was never enthusiastic about Hearth's Warming, even as a child.

Soon, Junior found his way into a small store. He began to browse for whatever products that would be in stock. He wasn't surprised that some things were missing that were meant for festive dinners. Fortunately, Junior wasn't looking to eat anything extravagant.

The boy found himself gathering vegetables that were available. Fortunately, magic has allowed food like this to last during the winter until spring came. There were also the imported goods. Junior came across a section that bore some carb based food from the far East. Junior picked up a ramen pack. This would be suitable to eat. It would be quick and required him just to boil water.

Junior soon found himself leaving the store with his paid groceries. Among them were several packs of ramen and a few vegetables that would be used with it. He had decided to buy more packs considering that it might be awhile before he could set himself up with nutritious meals. He'd have to find time to fish, though the frozen sources may cause some problems.

By now, the sky had darkened. Junior made his way through the snow covered town. His warm breaths were visible in the chilling air. He sighed in annoyance as he heard carolers singing in the street.

As Junior continued on his way, he stopped once something that caught his eye. In the corner of the street, he found a young elf girl to be sitting alone. She looked to be barely a teenager. The girl's hair was a earthy green. One eye was cyan, and the other a wine colored shade. The girl shivered as she sat in the snow, wearing nothing but a thin sweater, a pair of tights, and a skirt. She had no gloves on her hands, nor a scarf wrapped around her neck.

"Hey, kid!" Junior called. The girl jumped with a start. She looked to the boy, who had an incredulous look.

"The heck are you doing out here by yourself? You'll catch a cold," said Junior. The girl scoffed with an annoyed look.

"Mind your own beeswax!" retorted the girl. Junior was taken aback by the girl's rather rude response.

"Well, excuse me," said Junior sarcastically. The girl stuck her tongue out at him, before looking away. The mutant's brow twitched in annoyance.

'Brat,' thought Junior. Before he continued on his way, he saw the sad expression on the girl's face. Junior sighed as he approached, kneeling next to her in the cold snow.

"What's with the long face?" asked Junior. The girl said nothing in response. She instead brought her knees up close and hid her face behind them.

"If you don't want to tell me, then fine. But at least don't sit around here like that. The last thing this town needs is a kid turning up missing and only being found when the snow melts," said Junior.

"That's morbid," said the girl.

"Yeah. So let's not make that a reality," said Junior. After looking at the girl, he began to get a sense of familiarity with her. He noticed the three leaf clover sewed into her skirt.

"Hey, you're Shamrock's kid, aren't you?" asked Junior. The girl gave him a confused look.

"How did you know?"

"It was just a hunch. He should be at the post office right now. I can walk you home. Or unless you'd rather I walk you to his workplace," said Junior.

"I ran away from home," said the girl, bluntly. Junior's eyes widened.

"Why would you do that? You better get home before they get worried sick!" said Junior, standing to his feet quickly. The girl scoffed.

"No way! I'm not going back there!" said the girl, defiantly.

"Why did you run away, anyway?" asked Junior.

"Because of my parents! They're always so busy with work that we hardly spend time together! I thought that we were going to finally spend Hearth's Warming Eve together this year, but then I find out that they'll be working late!" said the girl, angrily. Junior recalled that Shamrock had mentioned working overtime for the holiday. It seemed that this girl wasn't as understanding as he claimed.

"Come on, that's no reason to run away. They must have good reasons as to why-"

"They just don't care about me," mopped the girl.

"Come on, that's not true," said Junior. The girl glared at him.

"What do you know?! Don't give me that crud! If they cared, they wouldn't have broken their promise!" said the girl.

"It's not that simple. Yeah, it sucks that your folks aren't spending the holiday with you, but they're not doing it to hurt you," argued Junior.

"I don't care! I've had enough! I'm running away and there's no changing my mind!" said the girl. Junior's face turned to anger. He suddenly grabbed the girl's shoulders and forced her to look his way.

"OW! Let me go, that hurts!" cried the girl, attempting to pull out his grip.

"Your parents will be the ones who will be hurt more if you don't pull your head out of your ass!" said Junior, glaring at the girl. She met him with her own glare, still on her streak of defiance. But, the mutant wasn't having it.

"Now you listen here, and you listen good! You have parents that are working hard to provide for you! Sure, it sucks that this comes at a price of them spending less time with you. But the solution isn't to run away! You think you're better off out there in the real world on your own?! Do you?!" Junior demanded. He felt heated from the yelling. The girl had begun to tremble in his grasp, struggling to keep a brave face. Her lip quivered. With his head cooled from the air and the girl's expression, Junior released her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper with you," said Junior, apologetically. He turned his gaze to the snow covered ground, solemn.

"You could have it a lot worse, kid. I mean, look at me. I wish that my parents were still around to celebrate Hearth's Warming with them. Hell, my mother passed on this day," said Junior. The girl's expression softened.

"I can't stand this holiday. Everyone's so damn happy. All I can think about is my mother, as her health failed. At least you have parents. I'll never see mine again," said Junior. He suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. He found the girl had wrapped her arms around her, leaning her head against him. Her eyes were puffy with the beginning of tears.

"I'm sorry. I just..." The girl muttered.

"Come on, don't cry," said Junior. He then heard another sniffle. He looked over to the side, his eyes widening once he realized that Rarity and Applejack were standing close by. The elf had tears streaming down her face, causing her mascara to run. The Earthbound looked to be struggling to maintain her composure, only resorting to obscuring her face with her Stetson.

"How long have you two been there?" asked Junior confused.

"When we heard you two shouting," said Rarity. Junior stood up as he searched his pockets for something that the elf could use to wipe her eyes.

"Uh... I don't have any tissues. Here," said Junior as he held up his sleeve. Rarity raised a brow at him.

"I mean, if you rather keep looking like a canvas running with wet paint."

"Oh, if you insist," said Rarity as she took the boy's sleeve and began to wipe her eyes, sniffling. Applejack lowered her hat as she cleared her throat. Her composure had been secured.

"Is that why you didn't want to come to the party? Because of your mother?" asked Applejack.

"Yeah. I always spend this time mourning. I haven't detracted from that once. Doing so would be dishonoring her memory," said Junior. He raised his grocery bags half-heartedly.

"I only came out to get some food for dinner tonight."

"Gojira, surely you can still come. We haven't started yet," said Rarity.

"I can't. This is the one time I have to give up and dedicate to her," said Junior. Applejack approached the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Listen hun, I know what it's like to lose both of your parents. But you don't have to seclude yourself to honor them," said Applejack.

"Then how would I honor them?"

"You know how I honor my folks? I work hard to look after my family and our farm. Every day, I'm honoring their memory. Maybe for you it's different. But I think a good way for you is to keep being who you are. And you're the kind of fella that looks out for others." Applejack smiled warmly at the boy. Junior had begun to consider this. He never put much thought on what it meant to honor someone. All he did was lock himself in his room all day mourning in despair. Never had he considered that how he lived was a part of honoring them. Maybe Applejack was onto something.

"I think I understand. I guess, it wouldn't hurt to try it your way," said Junior, having an epiphany.

"So, will you be coming over?" asked Rarity.

"I uh... I don't know," said Junior, uncertain. While he had a new way at looking at things, he wasn't sure if he was ready to break from a habit that he practiced for years. But suddenly, Rarity clung to his arm on his right, while Applejack locked her arm with Junior's left. The two met him with smiles.

"Come on, partner! You gotta take the first step sometime!" said Applejack.

"Well, alright. But I should probably drop this off at home," said Junior, holding up his groceries.

"What's in there?" asked Rarity, curiously.

"Just some packs of imported ramen and vegetables," said Junior. The girls looked at the bag with interest.

"Is it any good?" asked Applejack.

"I think so. I mean it’s better when made from scratch, but this stuff's alright. It's basically just soup," said Junior. Applejack's expression brightened.

"I do like me some soup," said Applejack. An idea came to Junior once he heard this.

"On second thought, I can bring this along for everyone to try," said Junior. Rarity squealed in delight.

"Ooh! How exciting! I'm curious to try something from your land!" said Rarity.

"If I had rice and fish, I could have made something else for you girls to try," said Junior. He then looked back at the young girl, who was standing alone in silence. The mutant met her with a smile.

"Say, since you're not busy, you wanna join us?"

"R-Really?" The girl asked in surprise.

"Yeah. Twi won't mind, right AJ?" asked Junior. The blonde smiled.

"Nah! I'm sure she'll be happy to have her!" said Applejack. Junior turned to the younger girl and nodded to her.

"If you'll have me, then alright," said the girl, a small smile on her face.

"My name is Clover Heart, by the way,"

Soon, the group found themselves leaving the area, headed for Golden Oaks Library. Along the way, Applejack had begun to converse with Clover Heart. Junior and Rarity found themselves walking side by side behind. The elf looked his way.

"It was sweet of you to talk to that girl," said Rarity.

"Eh. It was nothing, really. Seeing a kid out in the cold like that at this time of year is a red flag. My hunch was right," said Junior. Rarity held her arms behind her back.

"May I ask, what was your mother's name?"

"Miwa," answered Junior. The elf smiled.

"Miwa. That's a lovely name," said Rarity.

"It means, 'Beautiful Harmony'. I guess that's why," said Junior, a weak smile on his face. He suddenly felt Rarity playfully bump her shoulder against his own.

"Come now! Where is that usual rugged attitude?" asked Rarity.

"I get a bit sluggish during winter," said Junior.

"Well, no wonder. Just look at your clothes, darling! What happened to that jacket that I made you?" asked Rarity.

"Ah. Sorry, I've worn this for a long time that I didn't think to put the jacket on," answered Junior, sheepishly.

"Want to borrow my scarf?" asked Rarity. Junior snorted.

"Isn't it usually the guy who offers the girl something warm to wear?" asked Junior.

"No need to be prideful. I'm just helping out a friend," said Rarity, amused.

"I'm fine. If anything, you should hand it over to Clover. She'll need it," said Junior. Rarity smiled.

"That's just like you. More worried about others than you are about yourself. Alright, if you insist," said Rarity, as she picked up her pace, offering up the scarf to the young elf. Junior sighed, smiling to himself.

The group found themselves at the front door of Golden Oaks Library. The door opened, revealing Twilight to be standing in a Hearth's Warming themed sweater. A pink flaming heart embroidered over a snowy landscape. She smiled brightly at her friends.

"AJ, Rarity! Glad you could make it!" said Twilight, hugging the girls. Her expression broke into a grin, once she noticed Junior to be standing behind them.

"Gojira, you came!" cried Twilight, joyfully. The boy nodded.

"Applejack was persuasive. I thought, 'what the hell'." Junior smiled. Twilight met him with a hug.

"I'm glad," said Twilight. She broke the hug, smiling at Clover Heart.

"Oh, hello. Who's this?" asked Twilight.

"Clover Heart. She's Shamrock's daughter. She's alone this year, so we thought it'd be nice if we brought her along. Is that alright?" asked Junior.

"Absolutely! Please, come in and make yourself comfortable, Clover Heart," said Twilight, allowing the guests to enter. The young elf smiled. She sighed, once she felt the warmth of the interior of the library reach her.

Inside of the library, the rest of the Main 6 were inside, along with Spike and the Mutant 3. Their expressions brightened once they took notice of Junior.

"Hey, you came!" called Rodan. Junior waved.

"Hey, guys."

"Now this is a party! Let's get started!" cried Pinkie, pressing a button on the music player. Upbeat music began to play prompting the friends to stand and begin dancing. Junior had taken a seat at the staircase, watching as his friends indulged in dancing. He watched as Rodan and Rainbow danced together, moving with the rhythm to the music.

"You see these moves?" asked Rodan, as he began to slide from side to side on the ground. The valkyrie laughed in amusement.

"Yeah, I see 'em!" Rainbow began to copy Rodan's movements.

Mosura watched as Angirasu and Fluttershy danced together. While the Tramsmutant boy moved rigidly, due to his inexperience with dancing, Fluttershy moved with more grace. She lightly giggled as she noticed the boy, who held an embarrassed look. Spike found himself dancing with Rarity. She was knelt down with him, holding his shoulders, while he held her forearms. The two moved in a tender fashion. She smiled sweetly, while the drake was red in the face. Clover and Pinkie performed a synchronized dance, pumping their shoulders and swinging their hips to the beat of the music.

Junior watched with a content smile, while everyone enjoyed themselves. He noticed Applejack to be making her way over. She took a seat next to him.

"What are ya doin' over here by your lonesome? It's a party for Pete's sake!" said Applejack.

"I'm good. Besides, I should probably start cooking," said Junior, holding up his grocery bag.

"Ah there'll be plenty of time for that! Have some fun!" said Applejack, nudging Junior's shoulder.

"Agh. I can't dance. I rather not embarrass myself," said Junior, scratching at his head.

Twilight began to approach Junior, rather timidly. She twiddled her fingers once she stood before him.

"You... You wanna dance? With me, I mean," said Twilight, awkwardly.

"I uh..." Junior looked away. The Earthbound next to him suddenly hauled him up to his feet with a smile.

"He'd love to!" Applejack suddenly pushed Junior over to the girl. The boy stumbled and glared at her. Applejack merely winked at him, much to his confusion. He then felt Twilight take his hand and bring him to the center to the room.

"W-Wait!" Junior cried.

"OK, ready? Let's rock!" said Twilight.

"Rock?" asked Junior raising a brow. He didn't think that was in the girl's repertoire.

Twilight suddenly began to dance awkwardly. Her movements involved the swinging of her hips and arms, moving from side to side. Her moves lacked rhythm and grace. Junior could only stare, as the girl seemed to make a fool out of herself with her lack of dance skills. But, her face showed enjoyment, rather than embarrassment.

'Now I don't feel so bad about not being able to dance,' thought Junior. He took a deep breath and began to make slow and rigid movements. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment as he moved his shoulders, lightly bopping his head. Twilight giggled as she made her way closer to him.

"Come on, don't be shy! Show me what you got!" said Twilight, clapping her hands together. Junior chuckled in embarrassment, moving with more confidence, and even less rhythm. Twilight took his hands and led him with her own movements, attempting to keep up with the music. Combined, the two had even less coherency in their movements, only mixing in what they thought would count in dancing. Junior found himself twirling Twilight, which prompted a laugh from her. This display had gained a laugh from their peers. Junior hid his red hot face with a grimace.

"That's the last time I ever try something new with you guys around," said Junior.

"Man, that was painful to watch," said Clover with a cringe.

"I thought it was cute. Like that!" said Pinkie, pointing to Fluttershy and Angirasu. The valkyrie was walking Angirasu through a few dance steps.

Later that evening, the party had settled down. The music was off, the humans and Transmutants were tired out from all of the dancing and games. Junior found himself in the kitchen, stirring a large pot filled with boiling water Inside of the hot pot were the diced vegetables he bought boiling inside, forming the broth for the ramen. He took a whiff of the broth and sighed, feeling goosebumps from the heat and smell entering his nostrils. Twilight entered the kitchen with a curious look.

"Hey, how come you didn't visit Princess Celestia for the holiday? Not that I mind you spending time with us," said Twilight.

"Well, I never really spent the holiday with her before. I usually kept to myself on Hearth's Warming. It was more of a tradition for mourning," said Junior.

"Mourning? Oh. Oh..." Twilight looked away with a grimace.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that... I hope that..." Twilight groaned in dismay. She scolded herself for not seeing Junior's apprehension for spending time with them on Hearth's Warming to begin with.

"Don't worry about it, Twi. You guys... You've changed my life for the better. I think this was something that I needed," said Junior, smiling at the girl. Twilight blushed as she timidly nodded.

Meanwhile, out in the main room, Angirasu sat down on the stair case with a cup of punch. As he took a sip, he felt eyes on him. He turned to find a baby alligator at his feet, staring with large, violet, unfocused and expressionless eyes. The eyes were something that the Transmutant couldn't help but stare into. They were bizarre and so mesmerizing. He was lost in the reptile's eyes. Rodan approached from the side.

"Hey Aang, what are ya-"

"Shh. I'm staring at this weird alligator," said Angirasu, not tearing his sight from the animal. Rodan cocked a brow. He turned to look at Gummy himself. He too found himself lost in the creature's eyes.

"Wow." said Rodan.

"What do you suppose he's thinking about?" asked Angirasu.

"I don't know. But those eyes. They've must've seen things that cannot be comprehended by mankind," said Rodan in awe. Angirasu nodded in agreement.

"He's a zen alligator. Truly, the most enlightened creature on earth," said Angirasu.

Pinkie hummed as she looked around the library. She had misplaced Gummy. He wasn't in the punch bowl as she thought he was, so she had to keep searching. The Earthbound noticed that the two male mutants were staring at Gummy. She motioned for the others to come over. Everyone else arrived, watching Angirasu and Rodan to be staring at the baby alligator. Gummy squeaked as he revealed his toothless mouth.

"Tell us more, oh wise scaled one," said Rodan, in a monotone voice. The others looked at each other oddly, while Gummy squeaked again.

"I think he's trying to speak to us, I know it!" said Angirasu, wide eyed.

"Uh... Guys?" called Rainbow.

"I'm scared," whispered Clover, tugging at Fluttershy's sleeve.

"Oh, don't be scared. Gummy is just a baby alligator. Plus, he has no teeth," said Fluttershy in reassurance.

"That's not what I meant."

Rodan suddenly knelt down and picked up Gummy, holding him forward. The alligator blinked, as his tail dangled beneath. Everyone watched in confusion as the Transmutants took the alligator to the kitchen, where Junior was cooking. Rodan stood behind Junior, with Gummy in his grasp. Junior turned and exclaimed with a start, having found the alligator inches from his face.

"Rodan, what the hell is the matter with you! Get that dirty alligator out of here before he contaminates the food with salmonella or something!"

"Hey! Don't be mean to Gummy! He just wants to say hi!" Pinkie pouted.

"I'm not being mean! I'm just trying to keep everyone from getting sick because of him!" said Junior, pointing at the animal.

"Dude, just look in his eyes for a sec!" said Rodan, holding the alligator closer to Junior.

"Rodan, if you don't get this alligator out of my face, I'm gonna grab you by the ankles, drag you to the nearest zoo and toss you into the..."

Junior trailed off with his threat, once he too got lost in Gummy's eyes. He watched as the lids slowly blinked. Junior tilted his head, and Gummy did the same. Both raised heads, mirroring each other's movements.

"Uh... Gojira?" called Twilight.

"Whoa, this is trippy," said Junior. The alligator blinked.

"Who are you? Who am I?" Junior whispered loudly, leaning closer to Gummy's snout.

"Now this is starting to creep me out," said Mosura, with a grimace.

"What do you mean, 'starting to'?" asked Rainbow.

Pinkie smiled brightly once she noticed Gummy to be opening his mouth into a toothless smile. His tail began to wag and he gave high pitched growls and chirps.

"He likes you!"

"Aww..." Junior smiled. He grunted, having broken out of the trance. He noticed the amused looks he was getting after that brief moment of doting on the pet alligator. He cleared his throat as he stood upright.

"You heard nothing! G-Get that thing out of here!" said Junior, as he turned back to the pot.

"Too late! We all heard it! You have a soft spot for cute animals!" said Pinkie, teasingly.

"Lies!" Junior barked, prompting a laugh from his friends. He sighed in dismay.

"Everyone just get a bowl ready. I'm about to serve up dinner," said Junior.

Later, everyone had eaten. Their bellies were filled with the warm broth and noodles that had been served. Rainbow and Rodan leaned against each other tiredly, more full compared to the rest from dinner. Rainbow yawned.

"That was pretty good," said Rainbow.

"Yep. tasted like home," said Rodan. Although home didn't taste cheap, it was nice to have something like ramen after all of these years.

"Hey, we still training this weekend?" asked Rainbow.

"You wanna train in this weather?" asked Rodan incredulously.

"Hey, a little snow never hurt anybody," said Rainbow. Rodan shrugged.

"Well, alright then. But you better have some coco ready," said Rodan, playfully.

"Alright, but I'm not sharing," said Rainbow, smirking. The two shared a laugh.

Rodan noticed something in his line of sight. His eyes fell upon a mistletoe, which had lowered to his nose, tickling it. He swiped it away in annoyance, finding Clover and Pinkie to be standing at the staircase. They held the mistletoe from a stick and string, over himself and Rainbow.

Rodan quickly swiped the plant off of the string and hid it in his pocket. The action prompted Rainbow to look his way.

"What's up?" asked Rainbow.

"Nothing. Just swiped at a big spider dangling from its web," said Rodan, forcing a smile. Rainbow shrugged as she returned to leaning her back against him. Rodan sighed in relief. He met Pinkie and Clover with a glare, who looked at him with innocence. The Transmutant tossed the mistletoe back to them and pointed them to leave. Pinkie and Clover moaned in dismay as they left the two alone.

Mosura found herself sitting on a sofa with Rarity and Applejack. The two humans conversed amongst themselves, while Mosura fixated her gaze on Angirasu and Fluttershy. The pair was seated together near a heater, warming themselves up, Mosura watched as the valkyrie giggled with a blush, still speaking to the boy. The conversation was not audible to Mosura, but she was able to sense a growing affection.

"Mosura, darling?" Rarity called. The mutant girl snapped out of her daze.

"Y-Yes?"

"I was asking how you were enjoying yourself," said Rarity.

"Oh. Yeah, I'm having a great time!" said Mosura, forcing a smile. Applejack was able to see through this like glass.

"You good, sugarcube?"asked Applejack.

"Mmhmm. Totally fine!" said Mosura, still maintaining the smile. But, it began to falter as she and the blonde were locked in a staring contest. Something about her gaze caused her to break.

"Ok, maybe not," said Mosura, her tone small.

"We can lend ya an ear, Mosu. What's eatin' ya?" asked Applejack.

"Well.... Have you ever worried about someone but you don't know how to approach them about it?" asked Mosura.

"Oh, plenty of times! I always worry about my sister and the antics that she and her friends get into just find their Cutie Marks! Sometimes it causes problems for others. But I don't even know how to get it through to her that she should just let it come naturally to her," said Rarity in dismay. Applejack sent her a flat look.

"Rarity, this isn't about you."

"Right. Sorry, what was the problem?" Rarity tittered.

"It's the boys," said Mosura. Applejack had a confused look.

"They in trouble or somethin'?” asked Applejack. Mosura shook her head.

"No, nothing like that. It's just that... Well I..." The girl grimaced as her sights fell on the boys, as they sat with the respective Valkyries that they have seemed to have gotten closer to. Applejack was able to catch onto this.

"Oh, I see. You're worried about them hanging around Rainbow and Fluttershy," said Applejack.

"You could say that," said Mosura, frowning.

"I wouldn't worry about that, dear. They seemed to have hit it off! Why would you worry about them?" asked Rarity, amused.

"I just do," said Mosura. Rarity raised a brow.

"Might you be possessive?" asked Rarity. Mosura's eyes widened.

"Wh-What do you mean by that?" The mutant asked in offense.

"Sorry, maybe that was a poor choice of words. Maybe overprotective?" asked Rarity, smiling nervously. Mosura sighed heavily.

"I suppose. I don't know. I guess I'm worried about them going through rejection. They're like my brothers, you know. So the thought of them being hurt..." Mosura deeply frowned.

"Anyone can get rejected, Mosura. But what's important is that they find others who will accept them for who they are. Romantically or not," said Rarity. Applejack nodded in agreement.

Mosura sighed. These words did little to alleviate her worries. They say that now, but would those words hold merit if they were to know the truth about them? That's what Mosura pondered. The more she thought of it, the more she grew fearful. It was one thing to have social interaction. To form friendships. But what Mosura was seeing now was something that was over the line.

Mosura took notice of Pinkie and Clover snickering as they lowered the mistletoe above Fluttershy and Angirasu. The two noticed this, only to turn away with embarrassed looks. Angirasu glared at Pinkie.

"Hey, cut it out! You shouldn't tease people like that!" said Angirasu in disapproval. First Rodan, now this girl was starting to stir the pot.

"I-I don't mind," said Fluttershy, prompting a surprised look from the mutant. The valkyrie was avoiding eye contact with a shy smile, twiddling her fingers. The boy gulped, his face growing red.

"R-Really?" asked Angirasu. Fluttershy suddenly scooted close to the boy and took his face into her hands. She leaned in and planted a small kiss on his cheek. Angirasu smiled bashfully, his face growing hotter. Rarity gasped.

"How bold!" said Rarity.

"Yeah, for her," said Applejack with a chuckle.

"Ugh. That was it?" asked Clover in disappointment.

"Look at you, lovebirds!" Rainbow called, teasingly. Angirasu and Fluttershy quickly turned away from each other. Rodan sighed in dismay, starting to regret pushing Pinkie and Clover away.

"So much for rejection, eh Mosu?" asked Applejack, nudging the Transmutant.

"R-Right," said Mosura. She turned her sights to Angirasu and Fluttershy, who were too shy to look each other in the eye. The two seemed like a rather cute pairing with their shared awkwardness. Mosura couldn't help but smile at the scene.

Junior found himself standing outside of the kitchen, smiling as he watched everyone. This had been the most enjoyment that he has gotten out of Hearth's Warming. Or rather, it was the first time he allowed himself to enjoy it. And it was all thanks to his friends. The boy looked to his side, finding Twilight to be watching with her own smile.

"Twilight," called Junior.

"Hmm?" The elf looked his way.

"Happy Hearth's Warming," said Junior, a warm smile on his face. Twilight smiled back.

"And to you as well."

Next Chapter: Chapter 13: The Gala Estimated time remaining: 10 Hours, 54 Minutes