//------------------------------//
// Side Story: A Hearth's Warming Dream 
// Story: Equestria Girls /0 
// by Bitt_Player 
//------------------------------//

	Sunset Shimmer found herself outside, wandering through the snowy fields near Empyrean Team's compound. She didn't clearly remember why she was on foot, especially so far from the base, but at least she was dressed warmly. She wore a long, fur-trimmed dress and a heavy, hooded coat. Neither of which she could remember previously owning. The falling snow and darkening sky convinced Sunset Shimmer to disregard her clothing situation and go back to the base. As she turned, however, Sunset saw a sight that she truly could not believe: A Shield Liger towered over her, its hull covered in a heavy, red velvet coat with snow-white trim. On its paws were massive, coal-black kitty boots, and a red stocking cap was perched on its cockpit.
"Santa Liger?" Sunset asked wonderingly, already knowing the answer.
Santa Liger roared with delight, clearly happy to be there. Admittedly, Santa Liger was happy pretty much all of the time.
"I knew you were real!" Sunset gleefully cried, running up to hug Santa Liger's nearest paw.
Santa Liger replied with a friendly growl.
"What are you doing here, Santa Liger?" Sunset asked, vaguely aware of a strange, thumping sound.
Before Santa Liger could reply, Sunset Shimmer suddenly became aware that she was looking at her bedroom ceiling, not a festively-dressed Shield Liger. She then realized that the thumping sound was someone knocking on her door. Confused and mildly disturbed by the strangeness of her dream, Sunset resolved, for at least the sixth time, to stop eating leftover pizza right before going to bed.



"SUNSET SHIMMER!!" Pinkie shouted gleefully. "IT'S HEARTH'S WARMING DAY!!"
"Pinkie Pie, you're going to hurt yourself if you keep banging on her door like that," Rarity said, putting a hand on Pinkie's shoulder. "Besides, we should really refer to it as 'Non-Specific Winter Gift Exchange Holiday,' shouldn't we?"
"If'n anyone here celebrated any other holidays, maybe we would," Applejack said. "But everyone here celebrates Hearth's Warmin', so let's just call it Hearth's Warmin'."
"Yeah, it's not like this conversation's gonna be presented in text form on a web site where basically everyone in the developed world can read it!" Pinkie added.
"That was... specific," Applejack said flatly. The conversation halted abruptly as the door slid open, revealing Sunset Shimmer, still in her pajamas and her hair a tangled mess.
"YOU'RE AWAKE!" The also-pajamad Pinkie shouted in absolute delight, seizing Sunset in a tight hug. "NOW WE CAN PARTY!!" With that, Pinkie released Sunset, grabbed Rarity by the wrist, and dragged her down the hall, leaving Applejack and Sunset behind in mere moments.
"Well. That happened." Sunset pointed out, flabbergasted. Pinkie's capacity to flabbergast her seemed to have no limits.
"Sorry 'bout that, I forgot this was yer first Hearth's Warmin' as one of Pinkie's friends," Applejack replied. "Guess I shoulda warned ya."
"Don't worry about it," Sunset said. "To be honest, I'm just happy to be celebrating Hearth's Warming at all. It's been maybe five years? I lost count, but I feel like that's right."
"Well, with this bunch, we go all out. 'Course, you know that already, you helped decorate."
"All those Zoid-shaped ornaments on the tree are a nice touch. Are those Pinkie's?"
"Fluttershy's, actually," Applejack corrected. "No idea where she gets 'em, but she adds a new one every year. I think this year's addition is the Cannon Tortoise."
"Sweet," Sunset replied. "Look, Applejack? Thanks for, you know, including me. I know I was pretty rough around the edges not all that long ago, and I still think I don't exactly make it easy to be my friend-"
"Don' even worry about it," Applejack interrupted, raising a hand. "Look, you've cleaned up yer act, an' yer one of us now. Come on, Sunset, yer talkin' 'bout stuff that happened in high school. Everyone's dumb in high school, okay?"
"I... Thanks, Applejack."
"Just tellin' it like it is. Now let's go hide all the candy before Pinkie gets any more sugar in her."
"Good idea."