Baby Stockings was just placing the last ornament on the Christmas tree set up in
Paradise Estate. After she has it on the tree, she and Stockings stood back and admired it.
"Oh, it's just so pretty!" exclaimed Baby Stockings. "I hope some other ponies
come by soon so they can see it!"
"Yes, me too," said Stockings. "But, we had better be going back to our rooms. I
still have a ton of presents to wrap before Christmas!"
"Can I stay a little longer, Momma? I want to look at it some more," said Baby
Stockings.
"Well, I suppose so," Stockings said, smiling. "I'm sure you'll be okay here all
alone."
"Oh, thank you Momma!" Baby Stockings exclaimed jumping up and down
excitedly.
Stockings laughed and walked out of Paradise Estate. Baby Stockings sat down on
the floor, staring up at the huge tree and all the pretty ornaments on it. After awhile, she heard
the gates open and she looked up to see who it was. It turned out to be Tabby and Baby Lofty
with Tabby's fluffy calico cat, Callie.
"Oh, hello, Baby Stockings," said Tabby when she saw her.
"Umm, hi," responded Baby Stockings a bit nervously because she knew very well
how much Tabby hated baby ponies, with the exception of Baby Lofty and Baby Firefly.
"Me and Baby Lofty were just trying to think of something nasty to do to Tex,"
said Tabby. "I suppose you wouldn't have any ideas."
"I don't think he's that bad, though," said Baby Stockings.
"That's the problem!" Tabby exclaimed, shaking her head. "Only Baby Lofty and I
know his true, evil side. Everyone else thinks he's WONDERFUL! I just don't get it!"
Baby Stockings then noticed Baby Lofty wasn't saying anything. "What's wrong,
Baby Lofty?" she asked her.
"Me not feeling very good," responded Baby Lofty, weakly.
"Yeah, so we'd better be going back up to her room," said Tabby. "Come on, Baby
Lofty."
Tabby and Baby Lofty walked away, forgetting about Callie.
"I guess I should be going up to my room, too," said Baby Stockings to herself. So
she started to walk upstairs.
By this time, Callie has started climbing up the Christmas tree. She soon reached
the top, and looked down at the ground.
"Hmm, I'm all alone!" thought Callie. "I can do tons of exciting stuff now!"
So Callie batted a few ornaments to the ground, and then pulled some garland
down, and swung to the floor on it. Too late, she noticed the tree start to fall! She started to run
away, but was squashed by the tree anyway. Luckily, she was able to crawl out through the
prickly branches.
"Well, it looks like I've done enough damage here, for now!" she thought,
surveying the mess. "But what great fun that was! I'll have to do it another time!" After licking
her fur off, she ran off in search of Tabby.
* * *
The next morning, Stockings happily walked downstairs. She had finished
wrapping her presents last night, and she was going to place them under the tree. But she
stopped dead in her tracks when she saw what shape the tree was in.
"Oh no!" she gasped. "Who could have possibly done it?" Just then Tabby walked
in.
"Oh, the tree fell down!" Tabby said. "Do you know who did it?"
"No, but I'm sure going to find out!" Stockings exclaimed angrily.
"I bet it was Princess Tiffany. Or else Tex," Tabby said, digging though Stocking's
bag of presents. "Oh look, here's one for me!" she squeeled, picking up one of the boxes and
shaking it. "I wonder what it was? Oh, and here's Baby Lofty's--"
She was cut off by Stockings. "Tabby! Would you stop digging through my bag?!
We have to figure out who knocked over the tree!"
"Oh ya, we do," said Tabby. "Well, it was fine when I walked by last night..."
"You saw it last night?" Stockings asked excitedly. "Was anyone else by it?"
"Well, let me think..." Tabby said, pausing. "Oh yes, Baby Stockings was sitting
next to it!"
"Baby Stockings? Are you sure it was her?" Stockings asked.
But just then Tex walked into the room, and Tabby exclaimed, "Uh oh, I'm outta
here!" and waved to Stockings while running outside.
Stockings sighed, and ran outside after Tabby. "Tabby, Tabby, come back! I need
to talk to you more about the tree!"
Tabby finally stopped, and looked behind Stockings. "HE didn't come with you,
did he?"
"Umm, no," Stockings answered. "But about the tree. You're SURE it was Baby
Stockings?"
"Yes, I'm SURE it was!" Tabby exclaimed. "Believe me, okay?"
"Okay!" said Stockings. "I'll stop bugging you. Wow, is she in for it..." Stockings
said, storming off.
* * *
"But, Momma, I didn't do it!" Baby Stockings said defensively.
"You must have done it!" Stockings said. "Tabby said ypi were the last one by it
before it fell."
"But..." Baby Stockings trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
"You're GROUNDED! Until Christmas!" Stockings said firmly. "Now, go up to
your room!"
Baby Stockings hung her head meekly, and went up to her room.
* * *
That afternoon, Stockings was decorating the Christmas tree again. When she had
finished, she sat down wearily. "I'd just hate to have to do that a third time..." she said to
herself.
Then Tabby walked in. "Why, I sure am seeing a lot of you today!" exclaimed
Stockings when she saw her.
"Yeah," Tabby said. "Me and Baby Lofty are busy making Lofty a Christmas
present, and we need lots of things for it. Oh look, Callie followed me in!" she pointed to Callie,
who had just walked into the room also.
"She's such a pretty cat," said Stockings, petting Callie.
"Yes, I know," said Tabby. "Oh, look! She's climbing the tree! Isn't it
sweet?"
Stockings stared in horror was Callie climbed the tree. "TABBY!" she exclaimed.
"Get her down from there this instant! She could make it tip over--"
But it was too late. Just like before, Callie tipped the tree over.
"Oh no!" moaned Stockings. "I'll have to decorate it AGAIN!"
"Just get somebody else to do it," Tabby said casually.
"And I bet Callie knocked it down the first time, too!" Stockings exclaimed. "It
wasn't Baby Stocking's fault at all! I've got to go unground her!" Stockings ran off, and barged
into Baby Stockings' room. "I found out it wasn't your fault after all! Come on out, you're
ungrounded!"
"Who did it, then?" Baby Stockings asked, happily bounding from her room.
"Callie, Tabby's cat," answered Stockings.
"Aww, Callie's so nice!" exclaimed Baby Stockings. "You won't punish her, will
you, Momma?"
"Well..." Stockings said, thinking. "I'll just have Tabby buy you a nice Christmas
present to make up for it. How's that sound?"
"That'll be great!" Baby Stockings exclaimed. "And I can't wait to see what she
gets me!"
* * *
A few days later, Tabby was shopping with Baby Lofty at the mall, looking for a
present for Baby Stockings.
"I wish I didn't have to do this," sighed Tabby. "I don't have any idea what to get
her!"
"Why not get her a kitten?" suggested Baby Lofty. "She complements Callie a lot;
she's probably like her own cat."
"I guess that would be good, said Tabby. "So let's go to the pet store!"
When they got there, the two ponies stared at all the kittens.
"Which one'll you get?" asked Baby Lofty.
After thinking awhile, Tabby responded, "The fluffy white one."
So they payed for the kitten, then went back to Paradise Estate. Tabby kept the
kitten in her room until Christmas. On Christmas morning she set the kitten under the tree in a
pretty cat carrier, with a tag attached that said, "To Baby Stockings, From Tabby".
The first thing Baby Stockings saw when she looked at the tree was the kitten. She
ran over to it and after she read the tag she rushed over to Tabby and hugged her.
"Oh, thank you, Tabby!" Baby Stockings told her. "It's the best present
ever!"