As Flame walked around the market place, he was just taking little looks around really. Not browsing for anything in particular really, just having a nice stroll and checking all the stands so he'd know where everything is next time he comes looking around. He looked around and saw a hat shop, a carrot stand, rock stand and...the apple stand. This particular apple stand he helped out at whenever Big Mac selled apples. The had their own little routine, when enough potential coustomers approached the stand, he'd give a long pitch with Mac, though Mac was the silent type they still sold with help from Lil' Applejack as well. When he talk about how the apples of Sweet Apple Acres where the best darn tootin' apples around, Lil' Applejack would balance up to four on her nose as she showed how well she could do it.

She'd stand on 3 hooves, then two, then one, all without dropping the apples once! She would even juggle them with her tail as she reeled in the customers. Flame loved to reminice about her, heck, Granny Smith Apple even made Flame her "honorary youngin'". He had Lovely Sweets as a sister, and then had the Apples as his surrogate family, Big Mac and him were truely brothers, they always tried to beat out the other one while having fun in the process of course. Lil' Applejack always needed another big brother around, that and helping Granny Smith when Big Mac couldn't.

Plus, if Flame ever had any problems, too emotional ones even for Lovely, he'd always have Granny Smith to help him through it. He loved the apple family, he really did. When he approached the apple stand he noticed a certain orange earth pony in a cool Stetson working the stand.

He knew it, it was none other than Lil' Applejack! He smiled as he saw her and approached even faster. He noticed she was counting the bits in the box and decided to play a little trick on her. He approached the stand, her back to her as he cleared his throat. "Hello sir, what would ya lak? We got singles, then doubles, an' sacks, prices are 5 bits, 10 bits, then 25 bits." she said smiling even though she couldn't see the "customer".

Flame smirked and put on his best Appleosan accent. "Well ah'll take a sack of yer finest apples if'n ya don't mind." he continued smirking at his handiwork, thinking she bought it. Applejack recognized that horrible impression of a true Appleosan, she didn't believe it but looked behind her and saw him. Her other brother, Flame! She squeed in happiness, a first for her really as she recognized her griffon brother. She tackle hugged the son of a gun right to the ground.

Snuggled up right to him really. Stetson falls off, her head under his beak as she tightly embraces him. Flame could only laugh as he looked to his other sister "Lil' Applejack! Still as strong as ever aren't you?" he said while he smiled and laughed at her. He got up with her and once they were on all fours they hugged each other again. Applejack was overexcited to see her brother again she just couldn't help but jump a little. This was completely out of character for her but she had every right to be like this. Flame chuckled at his cute little sister and finally spoke up.

"Look at you! All grown up, finally a big pony now ain't ya!" he said with a smile and a good laugh towards her. She smacked his arm hard but he could take it as she smiled at him. "Ah ahm a big pony! Always have an' will be sugarcube." she said with a confident smirk and head up high.

Flame couldn’t help but laugh at her response, she’s always been a little stubborn and it was very adorable. He simply put the Stetson back on her head and patted it into place with a smile. He was there when she got that hat, it was his idea to give it to her on Hearts Warming. She wore that thing all day long when she got it! She was so excited it was almost heart stopping adorable, too much for Flame! Flame still wishes he could have that feeling like she had that day, the joy of receiving a heartwarming gift that can easily make you happy any of the days despite how crappy life may be during that day. Still, he wanted that feeling very very much. He quickly shook off the bad feelings and was going to place an order until he saw a red stallion approaching.

The stallion was none other than Big Macintosh, another one of Flame’s past friends from his visits to Ponyville, though honestly these two were the first of the group and quickly became like brothers. Flame the friendly talkative one, Big Mac the quiet one but very strong and valiant. Complete opposites but they attract the best in most cases.

Big Mac quickly noticed Flame and smiled, Mac hadn’t been known to speak many words, only the occasional “Eeeeeyup” or “Eeeeenope” whenever he was in a conversation with somepony. “Well ah’ll be, if it ain’t Flame, when did ya roll back inta town?” Mac asked his long lost brother.

They shared a quick little headbutt with a chuckle as Flame stood on both his hind legs and leaned back on the stand, “Just today actually, truth be told I live here now.” He said as he smiled at the both of them.

Applejack spoke up first, “Ya mean tha’ new house they been buildin’ by Rares boutique?” Flame heard Rares and assumed she was talking about his new neighbor Rarity and simply nodded.

“How did ya’ll pay fer it anyway? Not to be rude but…ya don’t have that many bits.” Mac was right, Flame was the usually the poorest of the group. Never had enough bits for an apartment or even to for his own meals, he unintentionally mooched off his friends before he left. Flame simply sighed at the memory of always having to borrow then pay back his friends, he hated doing that to them, it hurt him to take his friends hard earned bits just so he can get a meal.

Flame shook off the second bad memory and simply smiled again, “Well I have a secret on that, and too bad you won’t get to hear it.” He said with a chuckle and a smirk as he got back on all fours. He then noticed a pink bow on Big Mac’s back, moved his head a bit and noticed a filly there writing in a notebook labeled “Cutie Mark Ideas”.

She noticed Flame and then looked back in her notebook then back at him then put her stuff away in a saddlebag real quickly. She hopped off Mac’s back and walked up to the griffon. “Hey! I remember ya! You were at the school! You brought in Rarity.”

Flame recognized the filly from the school, she was the one who asked Cherry how she knew this mysterious griffon. He took notice of the accent now and finally made the connection that she was an apple, that and her being on Big Mac’s back was a dead giveaway on this. He simply smiled at the little filly and patted her head, “That I am little filly, now I can conclude from your mane, coat, and Applejack’s old bow here that you’re an Apple correct?”

“Darn tootin’! Mah name’s Applebloom mister!” she said proudly with a smile and head up high just like Applejack would normally answer.

He chuckled at the little resemblance she had to Applejack and smiled at her. Mac walked over and nudged the filly, “Com’on Bloom, we gotta get you home.” All Applebloom could give as a response was an adorable little “Awwwwwwwwwwww” as she walked away with Mac. Flame laughed a little once they were out of ear shot, he found her little aw adorable but she didn’t put up a fight. No one can out match Big Mac, Flame usually tied, they never had a winner those two. Flame then remembered why he came here and bought his sack of apples paying AJ the 25 bits that the sack is worth. Once Flame left with his sack of apples, a piece of paper slapped AJ in the face.

“What’n tarnation?!” she said as she got the paper off of her face. She looked at it and saw it was another invitation, AJ knew what this would be for and smiled…then frowned at the realization. She quickly closed up shot and ran off to Sugarcube Corner to go find the party mare before the party went off.

Flame was walking through town back home as AJ went to the bakery. He preferred walking, more exercise this way, can’t always be too dependent on your wings else if one breaks, things can get very very bad for you if you aren’t used to walking long distances. As he continued his walk he stopped at a building named “Nightmare’s Gentlecolt’s Club”, Ponyville’s best…well only erotic dance parlor, since ponies normally don’t wear clothes they can’t call it strip club like the Griffons or Dragons can, still it’s still pretty exciting to see these ponies dance on a pole. He remembered coming here every now and then with Big Mac, they’re favorite dancer here was Fleur de Lis.

Yes, the model of Canterlot and wife to Fancy Pants Fleur de Lis, was an erotic dancer in Ponyville before she got her glamorous job in Canterlot. She was Flame’s favorite and Flame was her favorite. Of course lap dances and private dances were the way she earned her bits from him but Private Dances lasted 2 hours. For the first hour she’d dance for him, anyway he wanted her to, but once the hour was up and the second one started, they talked.

Fleur would talk to him about her model dream, how she never wanted to dance, but she had no other alternative. No family in Ponyville, not enough bits to keep her above homelessness in Canterlot. So she made the choice of coming to Ponyville and dancing. Originally like any dancer she needed it just to keep her apartment and such but soon after it became a full time career for her. She hated it, all of it, the hours, the disgusting perverts who come in, her abusive boss, it’s a miracle she wasn’t already…violated I guess is the nicer way to say it. Flame was always there for her though, she ever needed a shoulder to cry on, advice,…some extra help with ‘personal’ problems. He’d always be there for her.

Flame decided it may be good to see her again after all this time he’s been away. He hadn’t heard about her moving or marriage at all since he’d been away from Equestria. He walked up to the door and saw his favorite bouncer. The white pegasus with wings smaller than even chicken wings yet has more muscle than any pony one has ever seen before, Snowflake. Ironic name for this stallion really.

“Hey there Snow, long time no see eh chicken wings?” he chuckled at his little nickname for him, Snowflake hated it but he couldn’t deny it, his wings were waaaaaaaay to small. Snowflake simply snorted and said, “Flame, you been gone a long time haven’t ya? Why ya here? If ya want Fleur she isn’t here anymore.”

Flame was a little shocked but was extremely worried when he heard those words come out of the pegasus’s mouth. “What? What happened? Is she ok?” he asked with genuine concern.

“Easy easy Flame, she’s fine, met herself a nice stallion and got her dream job modeling in Canterlot.” He said with a good smile.

Flame was happy, overjoyed really to hear Fleur got what she wanted finally. She finally got what she wanted, a loving husband, a home in Canterlot, and finally her dream job of modeling. He smiled at the news of Fleur’s success, “Great for her! See I knew she’d get her dreams sooner or later.”

Snowflake handed him a magazine that had Fleur on the front cover in a beautiful dress as she looked to the camera, eyes partially closed, a smile on across her lips as she casted a pose for the camera. He smiled proudly at her success and…well her beauty was unmistakably…he kept the magazine and flew off. He needed a cold shower and fast to say the least.

Author's Note

This took 2 days

Fleur may be a love interest or a FWB, not quite sure on this one yet

And yes, Flame has a pegasus sister and is an honorary family of the best bunch of Earth Ponies out there in all of Equestria