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Donut Joe keeps his store open on Hearth’s Warming Eve. And why not? He doesn’t have anywhere else to be, and neither do the tired, bitter ponies who find their way inside.
But the Eve is young, and strange things lie ahead. Who knows what might happen on a night like tonight?
(Inspired by the song "Old City Bar," by Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
Reviewed by TheifofZ here.
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This story contains the good old Christmas spirit, loved how they acted after they tried out Joe's new treats.
That was actually really joyful at the end. At first I thought it was going to be depressing, but it wasn't. PLUS it had all my favorite characters in it.
More Blueblood and Gilda please.
Nicely done, and a nice riff on a good Christmas song. I know it's cheesecorn as all hell, but I always get misty when "Old City Bar" comes up on my playlist.
Beautifully done. My only complaint is that Celestia's been at Joe's. By all rights, he should've been solvent a month after that disastrous Gala.
(Oh, and I can't help but feel that Scootaloo has earned royalties somehow.)
That aside, great job. Thank you for this.
Truly Ms. Harshwhinny is best pony.
Yet another wonderful piece by you, Dan. But I've come to expect that by now! Merry Hearth's Warming to you, good sir and to all the ponies who frequent a Donut shop beneath the pink neon.
Congratulations. This is one of the best things I've ever read on this site.
Liked, faved, and added to two bookshelves.
Relevant music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da9p24bJCJ0
Good. This story is good.
Help Sweetie Belle-----instant good karma. Another proof the universe loves Sweetie.
Wow, this is best christmas-esque fic I've ever read.
That was absolutely one of the best Hearth's Warming Eve Fics I've read. Thank you sir.
Godspeed Comrade
URA!
Words cannot describe how blessedly beautifulFUCKING AWESOME this story is.
That was adorable and amazing!
It's stories like this that always put me in that happy-sad kind of mood. You know what what I mean?offshewent.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/mixed-emotions.gif
This really made my day. Needed something uplifting.
Happy, but sad, but happy, but sad. Gah, curse these conflicting emotions.
Other than that, excellent story.
eeppinen.fi/langat/12856654/index_files/tiedostot/134713644585190.gif
edit: Then we discover BlueBlood is Queen Chrysalis all along.
Loved, loved, l-loved the story SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!
Only one question: Who was the mare/filly who introduced Sweetie Belle?
5383498
That is a question with no defined answer. :)
Epic.
It seems your writing is getting better and better.
5383869
*Nods in recognition, bows wordlessly*
What a sweet story, and only is it made moreso while listening to "Carol of the Kings". I really loved it, and favorited it for a good reason. I almost wish this was official MLP, just with the alchohol and swears taken out. I imagined watching this as an episode as I was reading it. Well done, good sir!
Not sre what to say other than i enjoyed this
Wow, this is truly a fantastic story. Not just as a Hearth's Warming story, but as a story in general. I am very, very pleased this was recommended, it was a true delight to read. The pink filly is an interesting unanswered question. I'm thinking a juvenile, unicorn version of Sunny Skies, but the magic auras don't match with Celestia's own. Still, could be worse.
Have you ever seen or heard of the movie Blood and Donuts? The Joe's you describe here feels very much like the nameless shop from that film, from the atmosphere to the owner's overall mindset when it comes to his creations and running the business. Wonderfully realized atmosphere.
In the end, it was really a joy to read. I hope it gets more attention because it certainly deserves it and all the likes thus far are clear proof of that.
Now that's what I call a Christmas story.
Well, that's what you get for not reading the fine print. Anyway, great story.
Loved it. If you ever think of expanding on it I would very much love to read it.
Totally schmaltzy, but equally wonderful.
5378409
Plus some of the characters really got a raw deal in the show. The whole Lightning Dust issue really seemed more like a combination of Spitfire being a terrible officer and a bunch of civilian fools who didn't know enough to stay out of an in-use military training area.
5387353
And you're just going to ignore the fact that Lightning Dust showed absolutely no concern over the fact that she nearly got 5 civilians killed? Or that she had no qualms about putting her fellow cadets in danger just to make herself look good? Soldiers have been thrown into military stockades for life for a lot less. Dishonorable discharge was the best possible outcome for her.
5387353
I agree. Lighting is still my fave.
5387401
Perhaps this would have been a better reaction.
fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/363/0/5/better_call_kenny_loggins_by_zicygomar-d5pmdkz.png
This story contains the good ol' Christmas / Hearths Warming Spirit! I absolutely love it!!
Too bad it couldn't last on the Feature Box for long.
Awe, Joe... You've earned my hearth this eve.
Seriously, the feels. You've made my night with this wonderful story :) Thank you for sharing it!
It's regrettable that eloquence and masterful writing in a story have the exact opposite outcome on my comments for the same, read-good-words-brain-go-splat.
So I'll just say Moustache.
An utterly delightful story, with an enjoyable vein of cynical goodwill running through it.
5378409 Agreed! *hugs the griffin and unicorn together*
Man oh man. I haven't read a fic this good in a long while now.
I've always loved these kinds of fics to be honest. To those who don't think a "Happily ever after" kind of ending isn't too good anymore, well then fuck you too because I think they're still the best kind of stories around.
Still though, that Gilda/Blueblood ship almost made me groan...if it didn't make so much damn sense for whatever reason.
Thanks for the story mate and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
This is awesome, and great, and very, very Christmas-y.
So congratz, out of all the one shots for Christmas I've found so far, this is one of the two I'm going to review next week.
Look forward to it!
That was the best Christ-Heart-Warming-Mass-Eve story ever. Perfect. Thank you for sharing this with us all.
Very nice. Bravo.
Also, Blues should come back, if only to brag about his party results.
Or maybe I'm just hoping for an overly happy ending. Ah well, happy holidays of whatever kind you have.
Yay for Blueblood crackshipping! This was really beautiful and sweet. Bravo.
If this story doesn't make you a crack ship addict nothing will. . .Gilda in Blueblood. . .Damn good
Am I the only one seeing that the word count for the only chapter of the story is 781 words under the total story count?
5421871
Story underwent a substantial edit... as to why the change didn't affect the total count, your guess is as good as mine.
I did not see that ship,.....and now I'm marooned on this island.... Curse you curse you I say!!!
Reading this on Christmas eve, sitting in my chair, drinking whiskey, and feeling just fine about it
Excellent story, thanks.
This was a very interesting fic. Five ponies and one griffon with no place else to go on Hearth's Warming Eve, that wind up having a blast once one of them gets the Warming spirit lit in them. I'm still laughing thinking about it. Blueblood x Gilda? That is one ship that I thought would never be built, let alone set on a maiden voyage. And those doughnuts were potent, even though I wonder how many Trixie had? Here. Have a like and a star.
A wonderful story.
Went into a completely different direction than I expected it to be.
I thought it would be a rather depressing story, with some lost souls who have nowhere to go on Hearth's Warming Eve wailing about their misfortune, a fic to show off that not everypony is happy on Hearth's Warming Eve.
But then Sweetie Belle made a surprise appearance (which made the fic for me, did not saw it coming that Sweetie Belle of all ponies makes an appearance <3), everything got dramatic and then a generous sacrifice and suddenly party.
Not to mention that mysterious filly. I guess you don't want to give away who or what it was and let us guess instead, since you left this question unanswered, so it's theory time:
I guess, this filly is the materialized spirit of his shop, who did not want that Sweetie Belle will be alone on Hearth's Warming Eve, and perhaps even freeze to death, only to get saved with the little money Donut Joe had left.
I'm sure he rather wanted the money to be spent on something higher and more important and that's why he brought Sweetie Belle to Donut Joe's attention.
The parka, in the same color as the neon sign in front of the shop, brought me to this realization.
Exactly like the big sister.
Most people who read this would probably think of it as silly what Donut Joe did.
Not, not just silly. Ridiculous. Stupid.
He gave up his whole existence to provide a good Hearth's Warming Eve for a little filly and perhaps also to save her life, something, that could cause him to freeze on the streets and to fight for his life there soon.
But not me. If I would be in a similar position and a little girl would sit there like that, I would do the same.
Especially if it would be Sweetie Belle, I would not hesitate a second. There are more important things than money. A lot more.
Edit: Just read the comments, glad that I was wrong.