An Old Apple Friend

The stallion gracefully continued to walk down the dirt path, noticing some heart-warming landmarks on his way; the Unforgettable Well, sat next to the path, slates missing off of its roof, paint peeled back. The chicken coop sat on the opposite side, its doors and roof, weather stained, and the Straw around the legs, soggy and Slushy. Walking further down the path, the stallion was slightly overwhelmed with a sense of belonging, remembering the first time he’d walked down this path, He was different back then, he hadn't seen the things he’d seen now. He didnt have his cuts, bruises, or artificial ribs, he was whole.

The stallion stopped walking and turned his head, gazing off, over toward the almost endless rows of apple trees that infested the golden brown soil.  He swayed off of the path and stood on the grass on the side. He rested his hoof on the splintery, white coated picket fence that surrounded the path, still lost in the almost hypnotic hills. He began to think about that one special tree, sat upon the tallest hill, away from the barn. He snapped out of that thought and tuned his head towards the barn. The Barn, the Big, red and white, wooden barn was still there, after all these years it still stood, slightly slanted, but still standing. Another smirk escaped his mouth, as he once again reminisced in old memories.

Over at the farm, Big Macintosh came from around the side of the barn and passed through the heavy barn doors, pulling a cart of delicious heart apples with ease. At the same time, Applejack came out from inside the barn, and squeezed around the cart, narrowly avoiding the heavy, wooden wheels of the cart

“Careful there mac” The Orange pony yelped out “Y’almost ran over mah hoof” she proceeded to complain.

“Sorry sis” mac said flatly, not even turning his head; he was concentrating on the job ahead unloading the cart in the barn, going back around the bar, picking up another load of apples, and repeating the process. He casually entered the apple pit in the corner of the barn.Applejack stood at the corner of the barn door. Observing Big Macintosh as he unhitched the cart and nudged it with his nose, pouring out its content into the pit, each apple making a ‘bump’ as it hit the aluminium floor of the pit.

Applejack caught something in the corner of her eye, not an annoying thing, but certainly noticeable. She cautiously scaled her head over to the pathway, just below where the hill raised. Standing, or rather leaning on the picket fence, there was a shape, a pony shape, not clear enough to establish who it was, but defiantly recognizable as a pony. Its build was very much like a stallion. From Applejacks point of view, she could only see a silhouette, sitting alone on the hill of path, its shadow bearing down over the land in front of her, creeping up to her like a snake. The silhouettes head raised and faced the direction of Applejack, the snake like shadow mimicking its every move.

The stallion on the fence realized somepony was watching him, he couldn't quite establish who it was either, but could only guess. Whoever it was, he knew he had to act. He pushed himself off of the fence, catching his balance as he shuffled back onto the path. He, then again, started walking down the path. Keeping he eye on the pony staring back at him. His duffel bag rustling against his side as he walked.

Applejack didn’t remove her gaze off of the mysterious Pony; she just slightly turned her head towards the barn.

“Mac?” she slightly shouted into the barn. Hoping to hear a response, but instead of the usual ‘eeyup’, her ears were met with a loud thud. Applejack turned her head fully into the barn, finally looking away from the silhouette approaching closer on the hill. “What ‘chu doin in there?” she questioned the sound. Big macs head reached around from the inside of the barn, looking back into it.

“Nuthin’, nuthin” his head turns to Applejack “What is it Applejack?” he came back at her, trying to avoid answering her Question.Applejack let the loud thud slide out of her mind, she was much more curious about the pony walking closer on the hill.

“we ain’t expectin’ company are we?” she said in a serious tone to Big Macintosh

“Nope” he replied in his usual tone, he too stared at the pony on the hill.

“Then who’s that?” AJ ask calmly, hoping Mac would lay her off the burden of curiosity.

As stallion walking on the hill got closer to the barn, he began to see another pony at the barn door; he knew that was big Macintosh, he could tell from his build, and his familiar red coat. His pace increased, and his head nudged forward as he walked. He began to make out the basics of Applejack. Her glorious orange coat that almost reflected light, Her beautiful golden mane that flowed in the air, hung by her side, and the adorable , yet he wouldn’t say it to her face, little cowpony hat, placed perfectly on her head.

From AJ and Macs end, the stallion also became visible, barely. While Big Mac was still pondering who the pony could be, Applejacks eyes opened wide, and her heart began to race. She saw who it was, she saw that mane, tale and coat, she saw that stallion on the hill. She saw ‘him’.

Before she could move, before she could speak, before she could even blink, Applebloom burst out of the barn doors, sending Big Mac flying across the floor. Applebloom ran up ahead and stood in front of Applejack, eyeballing the stallion traveling down the path. Her legs were spread and a giant grin invaded her face. She managed to squeal out a single word before the grin took her face over.

“COOKIE!”