Gift-giving [Private]

Morning of December 25

Like any other day, Tayari was up by the rising of the sun, inside his shop. The faint smell of fumes drifted from one of the back rooms, a sign of alchemy that would quickly fade.

Unlike any other day, he had every intention of keeping the door locked, and was openly holding a stick in case anypony came in. This was, of course, because today was yet another day of rioting ponies, and Tayari didn't want any more than the slightest risk of anypony mistaking his shop for a target.

Fortunately, he wasn't quite swing-happy. He was looking to avoid needless destruction in his store, so anypony who didn't run screaming at him with murder in their eyes would probably be safe. Still, though, his store was locked and he was hoping to keep it that way. Not expecting any visitors, nothing had come to mind about what he'd unlock the store for.

Hijinks stood outside the familiar rickety building that has served as a sort of base of operations for her these past few weeks. It still looked the same as when she first came here. She was actually thankful for that, since the alternative would probably turn it into a burnt down husk. Truthfully, Hijinks took a while to get to her destination because of the riots. Normally she wouldn't be afraid of waltzing right through the rioting mob, but today she had precious cargo.

Hijinks looked over at her back where a small purple box sat safely, secured by a few makeshift straps. The box had gold detail, covering it with intricate designs that give off a feeling of expensiveness. Which was about right, because it's a jewellery box that she 'found' some time ago. Now it held something more important than jewellery.

Hijinks gave a sigh of relief that the box was unharmed. Taking a second to steel herself, she walked up to the door and gave a few solid knocks followed by five lighter taps. Hijinks waited a second before yelling out, "TayTay!"

Tayari was quite surprised at the sounds outside. After a few seconds, in which time he tried to figure out who was outside and why they were there, he would finally be heard to ask, "Uh, Hijinks? Is that you?"

Hijinks groaned and shouted at the door, "No! It's the postmare, and I'm here to deliver a large package of sarcasm!"

After a few more seconds, Tayari asked, "Well, I guess you've delivered it, then. Congratulations on that. Now give me a second, I'll get the door open for you."

Exactly as he said, the zebra unlocked the door and opened it for the filly to get in; as he did so, he quite openly scanned the street for whatever activity there might be. He relaxed somewhat, having done so and been able to see for himself the lack of riots immediately outside.

Hijinks passed the zebra and walked inside. It looked like the same boring interior that she always saw when she entered the building. And truth be told, it was actually growing on her. Hijinks walked to the center of the room and sat down, carefully placing the small jewellery box in front of her.

She looked up at Tayari with an uncharacteristically small smile. "Hey TayTay. Crazy days huh?" She awkwardly scratched the floor with her hoof. She was not good at these touchy feeling things.

Tayari resisted the desire to sigh as he responded, "Very. Very crazy days... Unfortunate how it's happening, isn't it?"

He also took a quick look at the jewelry box, though he didn't ask about it yet.

Hijinks nodded sagely to Tayari's response. "It is! It's almost like they don't know it's hearths warming eve today!" She gave Tay a forced awkward laugh. Maybe a long time ago it would have been something to laugh at, but it probably wasn't too far from the sad truth today.

Mustering her courage, she looked up at Tay and asked. "TayTay... do you... do you like me?" She didn't bother wearing a smile when she asked this. Instead, she allowed her face to fall into a look of anxiety and worry.

'Hearth's Warming Eve?' Tayari thought. 'Was that today? December 25....'

Before he could comment on being reminded of the day, he heard the question. He saw the filly's face, unbearably sad, and remembered the events of a fortnight ago. The answer came easily after that. "Yes. Yes, I do, Hijinks."

Relief washed over Hijinks as she heard Tay's reply. This was quickly replaced with a smug grin when she remembered she had a reputation to uphold. "Of course you do." She stated, "Was there ever any doubt?" 

Suddenly remembering the purpose of her visit, she looked down at the small box. Her grin faded once more and her face took on a rare solemn look. Casting a glance back at Tayari, she began to speak in a tone that was barely above a whisper. "TayTay... Can I ask you a favor?"

Brushing aside the feeling that the phrase, 'Was there ever any doubt,' seemed familiar somehow, he noted how unusually serious Hijinks was being compared to how she'd been in the past. Treating the question with as much seriousness, he said, "Of course. Whatever it is, I'll do what I can to help."

Hijinks opened her mouth to talk. But nothing came out. She couldn't think of the words that she wanted to say. She opted to show him, rather than tell him.

Hijinks took the elegant box in her hooves. She knew exactly what was inside, its shape fitted perfectly into the rectangular box. She took a deep breath and slowly opened the box for the first time in years. Inside the box, was a soft, light blue cushion. A dark blue layer of soft padding covered the inside of the lid and the edges of the container. And sitting there on the cushion, was a single purple feather, in pristine condition.

Hijinks fought back tears as she looked down at the feather. It was exactly how she remembered it. She turned the box around so Tayari could see what was inside. She wanted to speak, but the threat of breaking into sobs was too strong. Eventually, Hijinks managed to squeak out a "For you."

Tayari silently waited as Hijinks opened the box and presented what was inside. When he saw the feather, his eyes slowly widened. He'd have thought it a very personal gift even from any other Pegasus; knowing what he did about Hijinks' state, though, it meant infinitely more than even that. "That's..."

He fell silent then, as he accepted the box and the feather within. He examined it, still awed by the gesture, before looking back to the filly before him.

Setting the box and feather carefully on the counter for a moment, the zebra turned, leaned down, and gave Hijinks a hug. As he did so, he thought of how to finally break his silence again: "Thank you. I'll treasure it, and never let any harm come to it," he said, with absolute sincerity.

Hijinks gave TayTay a quick shake of her head. "I want more than that." She began. "Everytime I look at that feather, I see what I have lost. I see despair and hopelessness. I don't want that. Something so beautiful should not be this dark. I want you to take this feather, and every time you look at it, I want you to see hope and joy. I want you to see me. Can you do this? For me?" She looked up at Tayari with a hint of a genuine smile.

Secretly, Hijinks has been planning that speech for a while, but best not to ruin the moment.

Tayari returned the smile, and nodded. "I can, and I will. For you, I'll keep that feather as a reminder of hope, and joy, and you."

Hijinks returned the zebra's hug. At first she was happy, like the good old days. But as she felt the warm tears stroll down her cheeks, she realized how depressing she was at the moment. She quickly pulled away from the hug and looked at TayTay with a forced smile. "I should go... and do some rioty stuff." That would probably get her mind off all this.

Tayari frowned. "What? You're going to go out there... intentionally to join the riots? How is that even slightly safe?"

Hijinks looked at Tayari with a smug grin. "It's not safe. For them." She looked towards the ground for a bit. She knew what Tayari was really saying, it was a thing she heard often. She looked back up at Tayari with a more serious look. "I can handle it, I wouldn't be here if I couldn't."

"What, that... that doesn't..." Tayari tried to process this, before realizing something. "You're not going to be convinced it's a bad idea, are you? Regardless of anything I say?"

Hijinks chuckled. "That's why I like you. You actually have a brain. But, anyway, you're free to try and stop me." Not that he could stop her.

Tayari sighed. "I'm not going to. You're welcome to stay here if you change your mind, but if you really want to head out and join in the riots, I won't stop you. Can I at least ask before you do, how well-prepared are you to deal with it? What weapons have you got to arm yourself?"

Hijinks gives Tayari a curious look. Most curious he is. "Well, you mean besides my razor sharp wit and intelligence?" She pulled out a sack that she was keeping on her person. It was not very large, but it was filled to the brim with something. She reached inside and pulled out a small red packet in the shape of a ball. She offered this at Tayari. "I got some of these. 'Bout 60" She's been stockpiling.

Tayari almost leaned forward to examine whatever Hijinks was holding, before realizing it was a terrible idea. "60? Okay... 60 of what is that, exactly?"

Hijinks replied simply. "Boom." Suddenly remembering something, she held up her right foreleg, showing him zappy, her joy-buzzer. "Oh! And I also have Zappy! Say hello Zappy!" Zappy, the device on her hoof, opted to remain silent though.

Tayari was suddenly very happy with his decision to avoid close inspection of the explosive, and made similarly sure to avoid close inspection of Zappy. "A... joy buzzer? How is that an effective weapon?"

Hijinks gave him a smug grin, before turning Zappy on. To high power (Not very-high power). Zappy jumped to life, blue sparks crackled and danced off the steel surface of the joy-buzzer. A loud 'kzzzzzzt' sound pierced the once silent room. After a few seconds of the electric display, Hijinks turned off the device, and Zappy once again returned to its dormant state. "Zap" She finished smugly.

Tayari blinked. "O... kay. Okay, you are certainly well-armed, to the point where I doubt I could contribute anything to help in the riots." He tried desperately to think of something, not wanting to let Jinks go without a gift after she'd given the zebra the feather. Eventually, he recalled a couple of things, and said, "Wait here, though. I may not have anything to help any further in combat, but there are a couple of things you may want anyway."

Hurrying into the back rooms, he grabbed a couple of things: One, a small bag filled with candy; and two, a pegasus-shaped toy that would be familiar to Hijinks. Returning, he presented them to the filly, saying, "You left the toy here a few weeks ago, I'm sorry I didn't think to return it earlier. As for the bag... if I remember right, I bought it in case you ever made another visit here. This visit seems like a particularly good moment for you to have it."

Hijinks looked at the pegasus toy. It was the same toy that she had when she visited Tayari last time, except this time... Hijinks gasped and picked up the toy carefully. "You put the wings back on..." She cradled the toy, examining the wings on the toy carefully. She tore the wings off... which ruined the toy. But now it was fixed... "Thank you." She said quietly. She continued to hold the toy, ignoring the bag.

Tayari smiled, thankful that one of his gifts was apparently a good choice. "It wasn't a problem. I'm happy to have the chance to return it, especially if it means so much to you."

Hijinks briefly considered giving the toy back to TayTay for safe keeping. But that would ruin what it was. How could it be appreciated when it was indoors all the time? Hijinks carefully stored the toy in one of her bags. If it broke, she knew TayTay would fix it back up anyway.

Turning her attention to her second present, she picked up the bag and opened it up. She then gasped and a wide smile appeared on her face. "Candy!" She reached into the bag and pulled out a hoof full of candy, stuffing it all into her mouth. "Thank you!" She said with a mouthful of candy.

Tayari shrugged. "Again, it wasn't a problem. Happy Hearth's Warming, Hijinks... and thank you, by the way, for reminding me what today was."

Hijinks stored what was rest of the candy for later. She regarded Tayari with a genuine smile. "Heh, I know it's hard to tell with all the rioting going on." Hijinks then looked over at the door. "Well, I should go now. I'm not one to be locked up."

Tayari nods. "Alright then. Stay safe... or as safe as you can be while heading straight into a riot."

Hijinks headed towards the front door and opened it. She turned around one last time and said, "Safe is not an option. Safe means to hide, to become small and unnoticed. Then you get stepped on by everything else." She headed out the door, and called out, "Cya TayTay!" without looking back.

"Oh the great ravaging riots are the best placed for me..."

Tayari stood thinking for a while after Hijinks had left, before thinking what to do with the rest of the day. Significantly calmed now compared to before about the situation with the riots, he decided against spending the day bracing himself for a confrontation that may never happen; instead, he hung up a sign on the front door, saying, 'Happy Hearth's Warming, feel free to enter.'

While he didn't truly expect anypony else to show up that day, the act still brought him a bit more cheer. Leaving the door to the outside intentionally unlocked and the doors from the store to the other rooms wide open, though still with a large stick within reach, he retreated to his alchemy lab and began looking over things.

The stack of years-old papers once again gained his attention, at one point, especially a few items on his old plans for 'living a civilian life': Make some friends; Don't get consumed by work; Have some fun; etc.

Reflecting on this, the zebra thought, 'I may have had a four-year delayed start on that... but I think I owe Hijinks for helping me with that start. If nothing else, she's a friend I've made...'

With that, he began to occupy his time with notes, plans and potions for the remainder of the day, further reflecting on those notes all the while.

== Thread Summary ==

Characters: Hijinks, Tayari

Hijinks visits Tayari's shop during the riots, which also happens to be Hearths warming eve. She then gives him a present, a purple feather in pristine condition that survived the incident where Hijinks got her wings cut off. Because of the encounter, they become better friends. Hijinks leaves to participate in the riots, and Tayari loosens up and reminds himself of his earlier goal of making friends and having fun.