Hearth's Warming Party~

Icarus Placed the Last Decoration, a Wreath, onto the Door, and then went inside to Double Check everything.

"The List":

Icarus gave that Last box a Check, folding up the note and placing it in his Pocket, and, pouring himself a cup of punch, and waited for ponies to Arrive.

Shala was among the first to show. She looked like she actually put some effort into looking better than usual. Her hooves were polished, her mane nicely done, and a well groomed tail.

With her were a few lunch bags that appeared to be intended as gift bags. Most of them appeared to have bottles in them as well, making them looks questionable together. She was quick to deposit the gifts under the tree, not wanting to be known as a charitable type. They all already had names on them as to save her from giving them in person.

"Hey Iccy." She said with a slight smile. She was a bit more cheery than usual, especially with the going ons of late.

Icarus gave a grin. "H-Hey Shala! W-Welcome!" He said, Motioning around the Converted Garage. "W-We got S-Snacks and Drinks o-over h-here! T-The weather w-wasn't t-that bad, w-was it?"

Shala shrugged and immediatly was drawn to the area with snacks and drinks. "Snow sucks." Was all she had to say, but maintained her smirk.

"But it is nice to have a reason to start a fire in the fireplace." She smiled a bit more at the alcoholic punch and poured herself a glass. "Kudos to you for the punch Iccy."

Icarus shuffled his hooves. "W-Wanted t-to K-Keep e-everyone h-happy... a-and M-Make sure n-no one has t-to Spike t-the Punch." He said, Heading over to a Small Woodstove and adding a bit more Wood to it. "A-Anything Else I c-can get?"

Shala drank some and let out a relaxed sigh. "No Iccy, its going good." She took a comfortable seat before looking off into the distance with dreamy thoughts.

Icarus smiled, and got Comfortable. "S-So... H-How are you a-and Intel?" He asked, Smiling widely.

Shala blushed visibly and squirmed a bit in place. No one had confronted her on Intel yet and she thought it had been rather private.

"Oh, hehe. Well...." She drank to give herself a few moments. "Well we are doing pretty good. We apologized and then he took me out to dinner. Was it that noticeable when we went out?"

Icarus shook his head. "N-No, I just s-saw you t-two being c-close w-when I l-looked out m-my window t-the other n-night. Y-You t-two l-looked s-so Adorable~!" he gushed, Pushing his face with his hooves, as if to drive home the thought.

[Also known as /)^3^(\ ]

Shala regretted letting on so much. Seeing Icarus gushing so much made her feel like she would die of a heart attack of cuteness. Just the compliments alone were enough to make her as red as a rose in the face.

She cringed shyly in place and tried to collect herself. "Oh it was n-nothing. We were just...umm..you know...socializing."

It was obvious Shala was being a terrible liar. She was far too squeamish and hesitant to sound honest.

Icarus smiled knowingly, shaking his head. "W-Well, I-I'm h-happy you t-two worked t-things out, a-at least." He said, Stretching a bit.

Indigo came in, followed by a gust of wind and snowflakes and a trail of colorful boxes surrounded in his indigo aura. He quickly shut the door behind him and looked around while shuffling his hooves awkwardly before finally spying the tree and nudged his gifts under it, careful not to knock over any of the other bundles. He looked toward the two other occupants, grinning with snow clinging to his mane and his coat.

"Happy Hearth's Warming."

Shala welcomed the distraction and change of attention from her to Indigo. "Oh yeah. Happy Hearth's Warming i guess." She said dismissively. She was still new to this holiday. Apparently it had completely gone over her head that it even existed.

Icarus smiled. "H-Happy H-Hearth's Warming!"

"Oh come on Shala, don't tell me you're a scrooge... Is that alcoholic punch?"

Indigo quickly walks up and takes a glass full of the stuff.

Shala raised an eyebrow at the crazy maned pony. "A scrooge? Sounds like a twisted shovel. What is it?" She asked, not really sure she wanted to know.

Icarus chuckled, Grabbing a box of Poppers. "D-Do you l-like? I f-found the R-Recipe in t-the L-Library."

He set down the Box and opened them. "S-Scrooge is f-from a H-Hearth's Warming C-Carol: H-He's an old U-Unicorn w-who doesn't g-get into t-the Spirit of H-Hearth's w-warming, a-and..." He explained, Stopping.

Indigo took a swig of his punch and continued where Iccy left off.

"He was a greedy old pony who wasn't in the spirit of the season, like really not into it. He made his workers work over the holiday or else they'd be fired. He was visited by three spirits who came in the night that showed him the error of his ways. Now it's just a way of chiding a pony for not being in the festive mood"

"Sounds like most ponies i know. At least i did know them." Shala shrugged. "Those spirits sound like they don't keep to their own business. Doesn't sound like a happy holiday."

Icarus blinked. "I-It w-would have l-led to t-the Death of a y-young C-Colt, t-though..." He mentioned, shuffling his hooves.

"Oh yeah, and there's that. And I think one of the spirits was his former business partner who he killed or died in some kind of way. I don't exactly have the playbook."

Shala questioned exactly how gentle this holiday really was. It sure sounded like there was a lot of bias toward being 'nice' and everything. Though to her it was very overrated. Never mind that she brought gifts for everyone anyway.

Icarus blinked, getting himself a Glass of Non-Alcoholic Punch. If Indigo and Shala were anything to go by, He'd have to make more of the Alcoholic punch. "W-Well, E-Enough of g-grim t-tales, L-Let's t-talk of s-something e-else!" He said, smiling.

Indigo took another drink, moving toward the fire.

"Hey Icarus, are both punches the same flavor?"

Shala had to admit she had not given her punch enough attention. She took a few large gulps of it before being satisfied. "At this rate, there will be no punch for anyone else."