Disclaimer: I own only the following: Charles, and anything that doesn't happen in the show proper.

word♪ - words are being sung in Duet

Chapter 11: Winter Wrap Up

On a calm peaceful evening Twilight Sparkle, her assistant Spike, and Charles d'Artagnan slept in the night as the crickets chirp.

"[gasp] Charles, Spike, wake up. Wake up, wake up, it's Winter Wrap Up day!" Twilight woke up excitingly and shook the two awake.

"Huh? Mommy?" Spike muttered groggily as he turned to see Twilight in his face.

"Winter Wrap Up!" Twilight repeated and rushed downstairs.

"You're not mommy." Spike muttered and went back to sleep.

"Just ten more minutes" Charles said yawning.

"Spike, Charles, the first day of spring is tomorrow, so every pony in Ponyville needs to clean up winter. Now help me get ready." Twilight ordered as she hops into her winter boots after fixing a crooked picture.

"Clean up winter? Who cleans up winter? Don't they just use magic to change the seasons like they do in Canterlot?" Spike asked.

"No Spike, Ponyville was started by Earth ponies, so for hundreds of years they've never used magic to clean up winter. It's traditional." Twilight explained as she struggles to put on a saddle coat but lazily falls to the floor as she sighs tiredly.

"It's ridiculous. No magic... Fuh." Spike mumbled in his bed.

"Okay, let's see: scarf, check; saddle, check; boots, check; Spike and Charles refusing to get up and going back to sleep, check. It's a good thing I'm so organized, I'm ready. Bright and early." Twilight said as she opens the door hoping to see the town preparing to clean up but sees it's still night time with nopony to be seen.

"Oh... maybe a little too early." Twilight said sheepishly.

A couple hours later...

The whole town gathered at town square to hear what the mayor has to say. Twilight, Charles, and Spike rush to the town hall to see what she will announce. There were earth, unicorn, and pegasi wearing different colored vests in the distance.

"Those must be the team vests Rarity designed. Blue for the weather team, green for the plant team, and tan for the animal team. I wonder which team vest I'll be wearing." Twilight said.

"I'll take a blue vest, same color as my blanket, which I think I hear calling my name. 'Spike! Spike! Come to bed!' Ugh, it's too early." Spike moaned.

"Stop being a lazy reptile." Charles ordered who is now wide awake as they joined the crowd just as the mayor begins her speech.

"Thank you everypony, for being here bright and early. We need every single pony's help to wrap up winter, and bring in spring." the mayor thanked and the crowd cheers as Twilight and Charles hops to see better from behind the crowd. their attention to the mayor.

"Now, all of you have your vests, and have been assigned to your teams, so let's do even better than last year, and have the quickest Winter Wrap Up ever!" the mayor encouraged and the audience gives another cheer.

"Oh, this is so exciting." Twilight said joyfully.

"Alright everypony, find your team leader, and let's get galloping!" the mayor announced and the crowd began going to their selected groups to get started except for Charles and Twilight who didn't have a role.

"Oh gosh, where should I go? I'm not sure where I fit in. What exactly does everypony do?" Twilight asked herself and everypony began singing a song.

Now Playing: Winter Wrap Up (song)

Three months of winter coolness

And awesome holidays♪

We've kept our hoovsies warm at home

Time off from work to play♪

But the food we've stored is runnin' out

And we can't grow in this cold♪

And even though I love my boots

This fashion's getting old♪

The time has come to welcome spring

And all things warm and green

But it's also time to say goodbye

It's winter we must clean

How can I help? I'm new, you see

What does everypony do?(1)

How do I fit in without magic?

I haven't got a clue!♪

Winter Wrap Up!

Winter Wrap Up!

Let's finish our holiday cheer

Winter Wrap Up!

Winter Wrap Up!♪

'Cause tomorrow spring–♪

–is here!♪

'Cause tomorrow spring is here!♪

Bringing home the southern birds

A pegasus' job begins

And clearing all the gloomy skies

To let the sunshine in. We move the clouds

And we melt the white snow♪

When the sun comes up

Its warmth and beauty will glow!♪

Winter Wrap Up!

Winter Wrap Up!

Let's finish our holiday cheer

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!

'Cause tomorrow spring is here

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!

'Cause tomorrow spring is here

'Cause tomorrow spring is here!♪

Little critters hibernate

Under the snow and ice!♪

We wake up all their sleepy heads

So quietly and nice♪

We help them gather up their food

Fix their homes below♪

We welcome back the southern birds♪

So their families can grow!♪

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!

Let's finish our holiday cheer

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!

'Cause tomorrow spring is here

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!

'Cause tomorrow spring is here

'Cause tomorrow spring is here!♪

No easy task to clear the ground

Plant our tiny seeds

With proper care and sunshine

Everyone it feeds

Apples, carrots, celery stalks

Colorful flowers too

We must work so very hard♪

It's just so much to do!♪

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!

Let's finish our holiday cheer

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!

'Cause tomorrow spring is here

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!♪

'Cause tomorrow spring is here♪

'Cause tomorrow spring is here!♪

Now that I know what they all do

I have to find my place

And help with all of my heart

Tough task ahead I face

How will I do without my magic

Help the Earth pony way

I wanna belong so I must

Do my best today,

Do my best today!♪

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!

Let's finish our holiday cheer

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!

'Cause tomorrow spring is here

Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up!♪

'Cause tomorrow spring is here

'Cause tomorrow spring is here

'Cause tomorrow spring is here!"♪

End Song

"Everypony belongs to a team. What should we do? Where should we go?" Twilight asked herself.

"Well, we should start searching to find out instead of hoping for it." Charles advised.

"You're right. It's not like an idea won't just fly by and-" Twilight said with optimism until a stray of wind caused by something swooshing by them appeared.

"Alright team, you're clear for takeoff." it was Rainbow Dash giving the green light to a group of pegasi who flew off to retrieve the birds who flew south for the winter.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called out.

"Oh, hey Charles and Twilight, what's up?" Dash asked.

"Good. Nothing much." Charles answered.

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked the same question.

"Sending off one of my flight crews to retrieve the birds that have flown south for the winter." Dash explained.

"Oh, can I help? How about if I help clear out the clouds?" Twilight said forgetting her own kind of pony species.

"Um..." Dash muttered and flapped her wings to remind her of what she needed in order to do the job.

"Right. No wings." Twilight remembered sadly.

"Sorry Twilight." Dash said and flew off to meet with the other pegasi.

"[moan] Great, now what do we do?"

"Come on Spike, this is serious business. Winter needs to be wrapped up, and I'm determined to do my part. Somehow." Twilight sighed.

Charles thought about Fluttershy.

"Twilight…" Charles called. She looked over to him. "I think I'll just head over to the tan team…"

"Oh, Alright. I guess I'll just try to help the other teams and see what I can do."

"I can stay and help you, if you want."

"Oh, no. Thanks for the offer, but you should go and do your own thing. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Mm-hm."

"Alright… well good luck then, Twilight."

"You too."

Charles began walking over to where Fluttershy was helping the animals as Twilight grabbed Spike off the bush and headed to Rarity, who was fixing the nests.

Fluttershy had a bell in her mouth. She was ringing it to wake up the animals as she softly spoke to them. After she finished evacuating the home, she turned around to walk to another one. However, she bumped herself in front of Charles.

"Oh, excuse me." Fluttershy apologized. She looked up to recognize it was him. "Oh!" She blushed. "Hi, Charles. I didn't see you there...Where's your vest?" She asked, after noticing he wasn't wearing one.

"Oh… uh… I don't have one… but I thought I could just come over and help you with the animals." he responded.

"That's nice of you…" She looked away. "Well of course you can help me; I'm just waking up the little critters." She gave him a spare bell. "Just gently poke your head in their homes and call them."

"Alright. Got it." He walked over to another hole. Grabbing the bell with his mouth, he rang it several times and gently called them to get up. A couple of baby bunnies walked out, yawning and stretching their arms.

Charles continued doing this for a moment until he met up with Fluttershy again. She had just finished another home. "How did you do Charles?" She asked.

"Pretty good I guess… they woke up fine." He responded.

"That's fantastic!" Fluttershy smiled. She walked over to another home and poked her head inside. "Wake up little sleepy heads. Hope you had some wonderful dreams and restful hibernation, but it's time to get up now, spring is coming."

A couple of hedgehogs walked out, yawning.

"Awww, how cute." Charles heard Twilight say. Wow I didn't know she had stopped by.

"Aren't they? This is my favorite task the whole season, when I get to see all my little animal friends again." Fluttershy replied.

"Uh, what's 'hibernation'?" Spike asked, looking fully awake now.

"It's like a long sleep." Fluttershy walked over to another home.

"Long sleep?"

"Yes." She rung the bell. "Wake up little porcupines." She called inside the home. She turned back to Spike. "Animals often hibernate through the winter to save their energy and eat less food."

"I definitely like the idea of hibernation, uh, except for the 'eat less food' part." Spike responded.

The porcupines yawned and poked each other when they hugged.

"Oh, would you just look at all these warrens and dens; I'm worried that Charles and I won't be able to wake up every animal before spring comes."

"Well, I'll help, Fluttershy!" Twilight announced, gladly.

"You will? Oh, that would be wonderful." Fluttershy gave her bell to Spike and looked towards Charles. "Let's go wake up the critters over here."

Charles nodded and called over to Twilight. "Just be careful of certain dens, Twilight..."

"Gotcha!" She yelled back.

Charles began walking with Fluttershy towards the other dens.

"So...Fluttershy..." He started.

"Yes, Charles?" Fluttershy, keeping her head facing in front of her but moving her eyes to the corner to see me, asked while she smiled.

"I was just wondering..." His eyes moved uneasy; hewanted to know what she truly meant when she brought up the Grand Galloping Gala last time... but he was feeling a bit anxious. "About the Grand Galloping Gala...what did you-

"Waaa! Snakes! Snakes!" Twilight screamed.

They turned around to see Twilight backing away, quickly, from a group of snakes into another den. She ran out with bats speeding outside the cave. Twilight bumped herself into a tree and a bee's nest fell on top of her. She continued to run and scream straight into another den.

A pair of skunks walked outside the den Twilight ran into. "Good morning friends." Fluttershy greeted them warmly without covering her nose as they pass by.

"How can you stand the stench?" Charles asked in disbelief.

"I get used to it." Fluttershy explained. Twilight groan inside. After a while, she came out with bee stings all over her face and smelled badly.

"Whoa, Twilight! You stink!" Spike announced.

Twilight looked at him, angrily. "Thanks… I didn't know that…" She said, sarcastically.

"Looks like you need to bathe in Tomato juice, Twilight…" Fluttershy advised.

Twilight sighed. "I know…" She responded in a very disappointed and even depressed tone. She began to walk off with Spike trailing behind her while he held his nose. Charles was starting to feel really bad for Twilight.

"Poor Twilight…" Fluttershy said.

"Yeah…" He agreed.

A moment of silence passed.

"So... what was it you wanted to ask me about the Grand Galloping Gala, Charles?" Fluttershy asked, looking bright.

He lowered his head, stared at the snowy ground, at felt a little red. "Oh Never mind..."

Later...

"Whoa this cave is big!" Charles said at a big cave he put his head in it and rings the bell.

"Hello? Wake up little friends, wherever you are. Spring is coming." Charles said quitely and happily as he rings again and comes out awaiting his animal wakers.

"I wonder which cute little furry creatures I've awoken." He said.

Nothing.

Charles was unhappy "Wake up you little sleepy head, Spring is coming!" Charles calld as he rings again and comes out awaiting his animal wakers.

Sill nothing.

Charles was getting mad and walk into the cave Fluttershy saw this waited outside the cave as Charles yelled "What dose Wake up Spring is coming do you understand? I mean.. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Charles was interrupted by a Bear's roar and galloped out of the cave and a Bear chase him.

Charles asked Fluttershy "Can you tell the Bear that spring is coming and that I'm sorry I got it cranky because I woke it up?"

"Okay" She answered she went to the bear and said "Excuse Me Mr. Bear but Spring is coming."

The Bear growl to talk to Fluttershy.

"Ohh... unha... yes... well my friend says he's sorry he woke you up."

"Wow thanks Fluttershy."

"Your welcome."(1)

After the fiasco with the bear and continuously waking up more animals from their hibernation, Fluttershy and Charles decided to take a break.

"We should go check up on how the other teams are doing." Fluttershy offered to him.

"Sure." He accepted.

On the way, they stopped by to see Rarity, who was supposed to be working on the nests. She was mumbling many things about nest-making while she was fixing up a nest that...well... wasn't as great as hers in comparison.

"Hi, Rarity." Fluttershy greeted as she walked over to the table where she was working on. "How is it going with making the nests?"

"Oh...I...um..." Rarity continued pulling out things from the nest. "I'm okay..."

"How many have you made?" Charles questioned.

Rarity halted and remained silent for a moment. "...one..."

Fluttershy and Charles were shocked.

"Rarity... you've only made one...?" Fluttershy asked, worried.

"Yes... but... these things take time with such grace! But I promise you... I'll create enough in time for Spring!"

Fluttershy and Charles both looked at each other.

"Do you need any help...?" Charles asked Rarity.

She looked at the nest she was fixing up and quickly looked back at him, laughing nervously. "Oh, no, no, no! I'm fine! Really!"

"Alright..."

The Yellow Pegasi and Orange Unicorn left... but they still felt a little doubtful in their minds...

Later....

The Pegasi and Unicorn walked towards town to see the other teams doing their jobs.

"Rainbow Dash, y'all on the weather team need to melt the rest of the snow here on the ground and the trees, pronto." Applejack ordered Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy heard this and quickly rushed over to Rainbow Dash.

"Got it." Rainbow Dash was just about to fly off until Fluttershy stopped her.

"Wait. My poor little animals' homes will get flooded if the snow melts too fast."

"Got it."

"I'm tellin' you Rainbow, you gotta melt that snow NOW." Applejack counterattacked.

"No, you simply must wait." Fluttershy defended.

"Okay." Rainbow Dash flew up, annoyed.

However, Fluttershy and Applejack continued to argue for the order.

"Go."

"Stop."

"Go."

"Stop.

"GO!"

"STOP!"

"Ugh! Make up your minds!" Rainbow Dash responded, irritably.

"Oh! What in Equestria are all you arguing about? This sort of silliness is why we were late for spring last year, and the year before that, and the year before that." The mayor intervened. "I was hoping my amazingly inspirational speech would urge everyone to do better than last year, but now it looks like we're going to be later than ever. I mean just look at this catastrophe. The ice scorers made the ice chunks too big to melt; the nest designer is horrendously behind, we need several hundred, and she's only made one; And don't get me started on all the clouds in the sky, the icicles on the trees... This isn't good, not at all!"

"And it's gonna be all to pieces disastrous if we can't get our seeds all planted." Applejack included.

"Chillax Applejack, we're bustin' our chops as fast as we can." Rainbow Dash replied.

"No, not fast, we have to wake animals slowly." Fluttershy warned.

"Uh, AJ?" Big Macintosh had come over to Applejack.

"Oh good gravy, Caramel lost the grass seeds again, didn't he?"

"Ai-yup."

One of the Pegasus ponies flew over here to lodge another complaint. "Ditzy Doo accidentally went north to get the southern birds!"

"Oh that featherbrain. Didn't she learn her lesson last year when she went west?" Rainbow Dash reacted.

All the ponies began grumbling and complaining.

"Stop this at once. We don't have time to argue. It's almost sundown. Spring is going to be late again. Another year of scandal and shame. If only we could be more organized."

Twilight heard this and smile and took action coming out of the bush.

"Spike! Get my checklist and clipboard, STAT!" Twilight ordered.

"Eh, yes ma'am." Spike saluted in nervousness and rushed off.

"Stop everypony." The ponies continued to argue. "Stop!" She used her magic to make the bird near her chirp loudly enough to gain the attention of everypony. "Sorry." She apologized to the bird. "I know you all want to complete your jobs on time, but arguing is no way to go about it. What you need is organization, and I'm just the pony for the job."

Twilight's organization skills quickly took effect. She had every pony follow her plan. While Charles was with Fluttershy, she had an idea of having bells at each den, and with a shake of a single rope, the bells rang at each den, waking up every critter. When the snakes came out, they saw Twilight on top of tree, shaking. Fluttershy nodded at the bird on top of her and the bird released a fierce chirp, ordering the sky team to form into a tornado that cleared all the skies and snow a lot faster than independently, which then caused the ice to melt over at the lake.

By the time night fell, the hardworking citizens continue to plant seeds in the ground even to prepare for the next morning. Even Spike and the mayor volunteered to help out. The next morning the pegasi returned from the south with a massive flock of different bird species following them. As each bird find their new homes on the tree branches the citizens water the farming area so their food can grow. Spike checked off the last job on the list and sees the land blooming with life.

"I can't believe it. Spring is here! On time!" The mayor looked over at Twilight. "And we have you to thank for it. If it weren't for your organizing skills we would still be arguing."

"Ai-yup." Big Macintosh stated.

Everypony laughed, joyously.

"It was a team effort." Twilight said.

"And since you helped every team…" The mayor announced." We have an official vest for you. We give you the title, 'All-Team Organizer'!"

The vest had all three colors of the vest teams.

"Gosh, I don't even know what to say. Thank you everypony."

"And hereby I declare that winter is... wrapped up on time."

All of the ponies cheered.

"Spike's sure gonna be in for a hog-sized surprised when that last piece a' ice melts." Applejack chuckled pointing at a sleeping snoring Spike resting on a lone piece of ice with the checklist clipboard under his arms. The crowd laughed at the sight and were happy everything ended well at the end. When everypony went their seperate ways back home Spike prepares to write down what Twilight have learned with a robe around him and sitting on a rocking chair with a sick look on his face. He then sneezed a small flame of green fire out at the process. Charles sits next to him.

"Dear Princess Celestia,

Winter Wrap Up was one of the most special things I've ever been a part of here in Ponyville. It helped me to learn we all have hidden talents, and if we're patient and diligent, we're sure to find them, and as always, with good friendship and teamwork, ponies can accomplish anything.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle." Twilight told her lesson.

"How's that, Spike?" Twilight asked but got no response.

"Spike?" Twilight called again and both of the pony's turn to see Spike snoring asleep on the rocking chair exhausted from the hard work.

"Oh, Spike. [laughter]" Twilight chuckled.

"What did I say? A lazy reptile." Charles said joining in the laughter as they hope to enjoy a nice warm and gorgeous spring.

Notes:

(1) You probably thinking why Charles didn't beat up the bear when he woke it up is three reasons; one is in episode 6 Snips and Snails woke the Ursa Minor up well imagine that smaller doesn't have the constellation on it and during Winter, two is even though Charles strong he mostly use magic and it tradition for not to use magic Charles likes to not brake that, three it's funny.

Next Chapter: Chapter 12: Call of the Cutie Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 39 Minutes