As the snow glowed white over Ponyville at night, Princess Twilight Sparkle stood on a balcony of her castle and looked over the town she loved. Whilst she didn’t really consider that this was her kingdom, it still filled her with joy to know the ponies below were happy this hearth warming eve.

Twilight returned inside and checked her list one more time to make sure everything was in order. Rainbow Dash was staying over with Fluttershy for the holiday, with Scootaloo sleeping over with the pair. Peagasi of a feather flock together Twilight laughed to herself. Applejack and Applebloom were having a family hearths warming together with a few other members of the Apple clan at the farm. Pinkie Pie was going to be enjoying another Hearths Warming with the Cakes and their twins.

Rarity and Sweetie Belle had gone to visit the parents for the week allowing Twilight to check off the last of her friends. This year her own parents had gone to the Crystal Empire to spend it with Shining Armour and Cadence, whilst the royal sisters Celestia and Luna had each other for company. It pleased Twilight that everypony was with loved ones, be that family or in her feathered friends cases each other.

This of course left Twilight Sparkle and Spike alone, but it wasn’t going to stay that way for the Princess of Friendship had one last friend to worry about. She picked up her saddle bags, double-checked the checklist one last time, and fired up her magic mirror.

“You ready Spike?”

“Of course Twilight!” he beamed back, dropped to all fours.

Together they walked through the event horizon...

With dusk closing in, Sunset Shimmer drew the curtains in her home. It was Christmas eve and the streets were emptying of people. Instead, families took time to be with each other with children excited to see what presents they would get whilst adults would just be dreading the cooking for the following day.

Of course there was a whole religious element to it for some people, but being a pony from another dimension meant that Sunset didn’t quite understand that side of things.

She snuggled down into the sofa, and started flicking around the TV channels. Whilst everybody else had family, she was alone again this christmas. Her new friends the rainbooms had their own families to be with for the holidays, and despite a few offers from them to join each of them at their parents, she didn’t like the idea of intruding into somebody else’s celebration. Besides, for years she had been alone before she was reformed, so a few days by herself wouldn’t hurt her.

Just as she decided that there was nothing decent to watch on the hundred channels available, a knock on the door startled her. As she was expected nobody to visit, she looked through the peephole before answering and saw a purple headed friend standing outside. Sunset threw open the door with a level of excitement usually seen by her pink haired friend.

“Twilight” she squeaked as she gave her friend a bone crunching hug. The purple princess was a bit offput by the rapidness of her friends movement but returned the hug. After a few moments Sunset could feel the coldness of the outside air “Quick, come in before all the hot air gets out. I’ll get some hot chocolate on, and you can explain why you're here!”

Twilight picked up her bags and entered inside, making sure Spike followed. Before two long the three of them were sat in the living room, snuggled up under separate blankets with warm

“So Twilight - ” Sunset blew on her drink to cool it down a little “- what are you doing here? Something evil going down?”

“No, just a social visit. I couldn't leave you alone on Hearths Warming Eve!”

Sunset Shimmer gasped “It’s Hearth Warming tomorrow? I lost track of time...wait, what are the chances it matched up with the main holiday in this dimension?”

“I don’t know, although I could run through some spacial theories with you that Starswirl the Bearded had if you want?” Twilight replied with a little smirk.

“Please don’t!” Sunset deadpanned back before laughing “But Twilight, what about your friends and family? Don’t you want to spend the holiday with them?”

“I made sure that they all had each other, but I knew that you had nopony...nobody... to be with. And as the Princess of Friendship I couldn't let that happen. Besides, I got Spike with me.”

“Yes, I can see that!” Sunset giggled as she looked at what was apparently a ferocious dragon in the other dimension “Spike, are you wearing a doggy reindeer costume?

Spike may have been a dog in this world, but his facial expressions were as easy to read as any human. And he was clearly annoyed by what he was wearing “Yes, Twilight put me in it and without my claws I can’t get it off!” he grumbled.

“But Spike you’re so cute” Twilight picked him up and gave him a cuddle, the affection from his only family member melting his slightly annoyed exterior. Besides Spike thought to himself Rarity would probably find this really cute and he might get a cuddle from her out of it!

The three friends stayed up all night chatting away, catching up on everything that had happened seen Twilight’s last visit...

The next morning Sunset Shimmer woke up to find that Twilight and Spike were already downstairs waiting for her.

“Good morning Sunset, happy Hearth's Warming” Twilight greeted her friend. Sunset then noticed that Twilight had a pile of presents next to her.

“Wait, you brought presents?” Sunset asked.

“Of course I did silly. Come, sit”

Sunset sat down on the other side of the sofa nervously.

“When I said I was coming to see you, my friends insisted on me bringing you a gift from them. Luckily, the portal kept them intact” Twilight handed over a box “Pinkie Pie made you a cupcake, but I’m not sure you should eat it.”

Sunset frowned “Because it’s from Equestria?”

“No, because Pinkie made it. Its probably made of 200% sugar or something!” Twilight laughed, joined in by her friend. “Applejack gave you an Apple, allegedly the best in any dimension!” Twilight finished with a southern drawl to everybody's amusement.

“Wouldn’t expect anything else...afterall, she is always honest”

“Rainbow Dash didn’t have much that would make sense to bring over, but said she would owe you one. Fluttershy got some of feathers and stuff to make this sort of craft thing for you.”

Sunset picked up the ornament “Awww, it's lovely, tell her thanks”

“Of course. Now Rarity, she made you this” and Twilight passed over a box which when opened by sunset had a gorgeous necklace in it.

Sunset picked it up studied it for a second “Are those real diamonds?” she asked with a hint of incredulousness.

Twilight laughed “Yeah...from my research last time I was here I’d imagine thats it’s worth about two million dollars. But of course I’m sure you won’t sell it.”

“No, of course not. Nobody will believe its worth that much so I’ll have to pretend it’s fake. Tell her thanks for making me one of the richest people in the city!”

Spike coughed in surprise “Wow, those small gems are worth that much?” When twilight nodded, Spike added “So, over here, the heart gem I gave Rarity is worth…?”

“About 50 million dollars...enough to buy all the houses on this street twice over”

Spike thought about it for a moment “Nah, still better that she has it!”

“And this is from me” Twilight finished, handing over a thin box. Sunset opened it up to find a drawing of six ponies and a dragon, and she suspected these were Twilight, Spike and her friends pony counterparts.

“Aww, it’s lovely!” Sunset wiped a tear from her eye “But sorry, I didn’t know you were coming so I haven’t got you anything!”

“Making a friend happy is all I need!” Twilight replied, smiling at her friend.

“Oh that is just too cheesy, even for you!”

“I know” Twilight laughed back “but it’s true.”

Sunset shimmer scooched over and gave her friend another hug “Thanks for coming Twilight. I’ve never had anybody to share this holiday with before...and no presents either.”

Twilight hugged her back with Spike jumping up to join in “No problem...us ponies have to stick together after all. Happy Hearth's Warming Sunset!”

“Happy Hearth's Warming Twilight and Spike”

Author's Note

Admit it, Spike as a dog in a reindeer costume would be adorable! I leave it to your imagination how it would go down when Rarity and fluttershy see Spike!

I was going to have a scene about Christmas dinner and Twilight not wanting to eat the turkey as it has wings , but it got a little wordy to be funny.