Rosie smiled warmly to herself as she gazed out upon the small settlement that she lived in, which was now, (after a few days of struggles and disagreements and well-fought debates!) bathed in twinkling lights. Gone were the gaudy mismatched baubles of the past, and here to stay was a wonderfully color-coordinated display of delight! From greens through blues and purples with just a -touch- of magenta to tease the senses, this year’s holidays would prove to be an absolute joy! Silver tinsel hung on every local spruce tree and reflected the twinkle and sparkle of all the colored lights, creating a most wondrous assault for the senses. And among the lights, in the streets covered with snow, were foals hopping and playing, building snowhorses and having snowball fights, while lovers walked side by side, drawn deeply into one another’s eyes. It was so romantic, it was perfect! Giggling, Rosie took a sip of her well-earned cocoa (spiced with a dash of rum for warmth, of course) and turned away from her window to ponder the mess in the room before her. She had been so deeply engrossed in the -struggle- to beautify the town that she hardly had any time to find an outfit for the traditional winter party, which was, of course, a travesty! Clothes might be strewn left and right, tossed across any available surface as if a hurricane had gone through her closets (it was Rosie, she was the hurricane), and yet the perfect look still eluded her. “Perhaps this? What do you think Chedva? “ she asked for a third time, draping a long, flowing gown over her back and tucking the neckline by her shoulders while she studied herself in a mirror. It was a lovely peach color that complemented her pale coat well. Sequins were stitched in sparkling diamond patterns along the flowing train, but… Oh no, that would be a problem in the snow. Most of the festivities were outside anyway, so she’d need something with a little more... Warmth to it. With a click of her tongue, she tossed the dress aside while Chedva, her ball python, sighed as only snakes could and turned away, determined to sleep through the nonsense. “Oh, it is not -fair-! “ Rosie lamented, throwing herself into a pile of pillows while choking on a half-sob what never really existed. “I’ve worked so hard for everything to be perfect, yet I will be the one standing out! Perhaps I’ve simply done too much this time, “ she continued, mock sobbing for her own benefit, gently wiping a delicate tear away. With a sharp and determined sigh, she sat straight up, locked eyes with herself in the mirror (fully intending on givingherself a pep talk), but the way her mane fell around her face in a somewhat tousled fashion caught her off guard; some would even say it stole her breath away. “Yes… Yes! This is the look! I’ve gone through the storm and come out alive and.. Oh, I am on top! “ Rosie gasped, stomping one cloven hoof hard to punctuate her brilliance! “Shimmers and sparkles, blues and greens. I need to look like an ice queen reborn, ready to step out and indulge in the praise of my people. This will be so much fun! “ With a squeal of delight, Rosie settled in with her makeup to create the perfect winter look. Once that was on point, the outfit would follow easily, as it had for years on end, and especially now that she was inspired! A white fox fur collar on a green-blue chiffon shimmer dress (with a thicker under gown to stop the cold wind from cutting through), paired with those gorgeous silver pearl drop earrings. Oh, she would look divine! And all would agree, again, what a wonderful, perfect altruist she was! Once all the shimmers and sparkles sat perfectly on her face, especially on her eyelids, and once pearl earrings and a necklace framed them, Rosie went through her clothing like a lioness on the hunt, singling out only the most perfect cuts to bring her vision alive! Blues, greens, teals, and a touch of …. Magenta to ‘tease the senses’. She would be the embodiment of the decorations and theming she had fought so hard to make real, and… she would blow everyone away with her stunning beauty! Rosie hummed with delight as she dressed herself, completely focused on her figure in the full-length mirror. She posed this way and that, tossed her hair to test that nothing would fall, and never once picked up on the shocked shrieks filling the streets. While Rosie played dress-up and retouched her makeup for the seventh time, dragons, lured by the twinkling lights, descended with simple goals in their greedy little minds: Gather as much loot as possible! Lights and ornaments were ripped from the trees, every single one of them, and by the time Rosie slammed her door open and stood in the perfect pose expecting praise, foals were sobbing next to trampled snow figures, and every perfectly executed decoration was gone. Rosie’s perfectly curated holiday spectacular was ruined!