//------------------------------//
// Hearth's Warming 
// Story: What A Long Strange Trip 
// by milesprower06 
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The winter in Everfree County had been somewhat mild this year, and Sunset figured it would either stay this way for most of the season, or the area would be hammered with snow early in the new year. But as it was right now, it was nearly 50 degrees this Hearth's Warming Eve, so she, Fluttershy, and Rarity had piled into the bed of Applejack's farm pickup, with Rainbow sitting in the cab with her as they drove towards Pinkie's house for a Hearth's Warming slumber party.

It would be Sunset's first, and the other four couldn't stop raving about how fun Pinkie's sleepovers were. Each of them had bought an armful of wrapped gifts which had been piled in the bed along with the increasing amount of occupants sitting around them.

Sunset had to admit, aside from the change in form, the most jarring change between dimensions was most definitely the weather. Back home, the forecast was as dependable as a memorized spell. But here, sometimes, predicting the weather might as well have been professional guesswork. Hearth's Warming Eve in Canterlot? Everything but the pathways would have had a nice coating of snow with near constant snowfall.

But the snowless Hearth's Warming get-together also had its perks as well. Because of the mild weather, they were all able to ride back here out in the open, with light jackets or hoodies being the only thing needed to stave off the breeze.

Pinkie lived in downtown Canterlot, in the apartment above Sweet Shoppe. Luckily, residing above a downtown business meant that parking anywhere on the block was free of charge with the proper parking permit, which she promptly gave to Applejack upon parking to hang on the farm truck's rear view mirror. Then, each of them handling one or two wrapped gift boxes, made their way into the narrow stairway next to the main entrance of the Sweet Shoppe. Pinkie opened the door at the top of the stairs, and kicked her shoes off on the mat right on the inside to the left.

"Alright, who wants hot cocoa?" Pinkie sing-songed as the other five filed in behind her taking the gifts and making a semi-organized pile in front of the tree.





Sunset was so busy watching everyone else showing each other their gifts and thanking each other that she hadn't noticed Rarity quietly get up, and instead slowly sipped at the last of her hot cocoa. When she set it on the night stand she was sitting next to, she felt a box being set down into her crossed legs, and looked from the night stand to the gift-wrapped rectangular box that Rarity had given her.

"You didn't think we were going to invite you here and have you watch all of us do a gift swap without you, did you?" The fashionista teased, smiling down at her. Sunset smiled back, and took the box in her hands, getting her fingers underneath where the wrapping had been folded and taped. She began to tear into the wrapping, and revealed the light white cardboard box that nearly all clothing gifts came in. Getting the wrapping paper out of the way, she slid a nail underneath the strip of tape holding the lid to the box, sliced through it, and slowly lifted the lid off.

The first article of clothing was a pair of dark purple fleece pajama bottoms. Lifting them out of the box, she saw that a top had come with it, and her cutie mark had been expertly embroidered on the chest.

"Thanks, Rarity. They look super comfy." Sunset told her friend, smiling up at her.

"Oh, but there's more, darling. Keep digging." Rarity replied, nodding back down to the box.

Yes, the box still did have a little bit of weight to it, and there was three sheets of tissue paper effectively obscuring whatever was underneath. Piece by piece, she pulled the layers away, and she was unable to keep her mouth closed when she saw the last item at the bottom of the box. She slowly reached in, pulled out and unfurled a perfectly folded leather jacket.

When Rarity had discovered that Sunset had continued to wear her torn and damaged jacket from the night of the Fall Formal, she had immediately insisted on repairing it. Not even a week later, she had it sewn up. One could still tell that it had been worn in, but chilly winds through the tears would no longer be a problem.

But this, this was something else. This was brand new. Sunset knew quality synthetic leather when she saw it, and clearly so did Rarity. But there were no tags or anything on it; this had been completely custom-tailored for her. She bit her lip and a lump grew in her throat as she continued to inspect the gift. It was a bit shorter than her older one, and the collar was far less pronounced. Shining zipper teeth went up the middle, as well as both front pockets. The last thing that caught her eye was the harvest gold chevrons that had been embroidered into each upper sleeve.

"I know I fixed up your old one, but variation is one of the many spices of fashion." Rarity told her.

"It's beautiful, Rarity. Thank you so much."

Sunset set the box on the floor next to her and got to her feet, and walked over to the full length mirror on the back of Pinkie's bedroom door, jacket in her hands. She took the collar in her left hand, and slipped her right arm through the sleeve, swinging it around, and putting her left arm in, and did a quick adjustment before looking at herself in the mirror. She gave the reflection a genuine smile before turning and embracing Rarity, who was standing right behind her, watching her friend admire the gift.

"I love it." Sunset told her, getting a hug in return.





Sunset sat in her sleeping bag, her back leaning against her pillow, pressed between her and the nightstand. She held her journal in her hands, a few pages full in the month that she had had it. With all the lights off and everybody else sleeping, her sole light source was the moonlight coming in from the window directly above the nightstand. Her new pajamas were snug and absolutely comfortable. She was anticipating quite a comfortable night of sleep, but she did want to get a journal entry written first before the yawning became too frequent.

'I'm still not used to this. I really wonder if I ever will be. I've been recalling as many of Princess Celestia's lessons that I can, but there were a few weeks there right at the end where I was overly obsessed with the magic mirror that brought me here, and I'm afraid that that was probably when she was trying to impress upon me the importance of patience and humility.

'Words fade, activities blur, but ponies will always remember how you made them feel.' I remember her saying that to me, and I think that's why I'm still not looking forward to going back to school at the end of winter break. I'm so lucky to have these five, and even Flash has been super helpful with my music, but I just know there's so much of an uphill battle to go.

So I guess there's more to climb tomorrow.'