An Old Apple Friend

The stallion continued walking down the path, pretending he hadn’t heard the little filly shout his name, not that he couldn’t have heard her.

Applebloom leaned forwards, and stuck her head out further, trying to make sure it was who she thought it was before she accomplished her next action, although she was pretty sure it was.

The stallion, however, kept a straight face, trying to look official in front of the 3 ponies, well, two and a half ponies; Big Mac was still dazed on the floor from the sudden door to the head.

The serious looking stallion stopped in his tracks, a round four feet from Applebloom who was still standing in something close to pounce mode. His eyes were fixed on the filly, squinted and still. The suddenly unsure Applebloom slowly unset herself from her stance, returning to standing normally, but still slightly leaned forward. She too, stared back, but her eyes were shaky. The two ponies faced off, standing in silence, staring at each other like statues. The stallion straightened and clenched his shoulders, preparing for what was about to happen.

“Where’s my salute?” he softly commanded, still staring into her shaky eyes.

Applebloom was slightly shocked. She didn’t expect a first response like that. But she complied. She watched her front leg slowly rise to her head, like he’d taught her many years ago. Once it was placed; she looked back at the stallion standing in front of her.

A long pause swept in between the two of them, before the stallions head lowered, and a large movie star smile conjured up on his face.

“That’s my girl” he managed to mix in with a chuckle.

The smile on Applebloom’s face returned and even grew bigger. She again leaned forwards, stuck her head out, and pounced at the stallion like a loaded spring. She landed on his head, and gripped it almost as tight as she could.

            “Ah knew you’d be back” escaped her mouth in another squeaky tone. She tried to stay clung to his leg, but started to slip. She descended down his leg like a monkey on a grease pole and hit the ground with a slight thump.

The stallions smile grew, and he picked her up with his mouth and sat her upon his shoulder.

“I did Promise didn’t I?”. He nuzzled her. His attention turned to Applejack to his right; she was looking like she’d just seen a ghoul. He figured it was because he hadn’t been back here in such a long time, but he tried to think if it was because of anything else.

      “Cookie” she uttered in a questionable tone. “I didn’t know you’d remember us”.

“It’s nice to see you too” he returned with a smirk, upon which Applejack too, unexpectedly ran up and hugged him. Her hoof wrapped around his neck, slightly squeezing him and crushing Appleblooms tail, but she didn’t notice, she was suddenly hit with realization. She hadn’t seen him in so long.

“wah didn’y ya tell us you were comin’?” Applejack questioned.

    “I didn’t know I was, but my hooves brought me here” He replied

“well ya know you always gotta place at Sweet Apple Acres”

Big Mac got up off the floor and rubbed his head. His eyes were circling, watching the birds fly around. He barely had time to shake his head and identify the stallion, before the barn door swooped around and hit him a second time, once again sending him flying and on to the floor. Granny Smith appeared out of the barn.

“What’s with all the commotion out here?” She asked, before seeing the stallion stuck to Applejack and Applebloom. She walked up to the stallion slowly and gazed at him with her droopy orange eyes. “Mavis, is that you?”

Cookie smiled and responded slow and loud so she could hear. “No Ma’am, it’s Cookie.”

The mare and filly let go of Cookie, and stood back to let Granny Smith see him. Granny Smith looked at him confused and tried to get the gears moving in her head, guessing who he was.

“Cookie, from the dance years ago…y-you let me stay here for a few weeks” he tried to reason with her.

     “Err. Sorry sonny, can’t… ooooh, wait, Cookie? Squadronnn… organiser, right?” she fumbled together.

Cookie laughed at the mistake jokingly “Squadron ‘Leader’ Ma’am, well not anymore”.

“oh sorry dearie,  mah memory ain’t what it used to be”.

      “That’s alright Ma’am, mines not either” he related.

“Not a Squadron Leader anymore?”  Applejack asked and reproached him “you didn’t get fired did you?”.

“Fired? No, Prompted, he stepped back to adjust himself “You are looking at Group Captain Cookie of the Royal Pegasus

Guard” he said squarely, trying to impress the three and a half ponies around.

Big Mac once again got up and rubbed his head with both his hooves. He quickly Snapped back to look around him, making sure nothing was about to hit him again. He turned back and walked over to where everypony was gathered.

“Big Mac? You get bigger every time I see you” cookie indicated.

        Big Macs eyes widened and focused on the Pegasus “Cookie?”.

Both Applejack and Applebloom nodded, and Granny Smiles just smiled back at him.

“The one and only” Cookie said jokingly

Big Mac picked Cookie up and swung him in his arms like a ragdoll, laughing all the way.

The Apple Mares looked at Big Mac with a 'What is this' look on their faces. Big Mac never acted like that. Why would a quiet and gentle big stallion do that?

“Whoa whoa whoa” Cookie exhaled as the Life was hugged/squeezed out of him “calm down there Mac”.

Big Mac snapped back to reality and noticed the four ponies watching him. He dropped the pony he was crushing and cleared his throat

“Et hmmm, err, good to see ya” Big Mac said before Running into the barn to flee his awkwardness.

Cookie got back up off the floor, and dusted off his duffel bag and himself. “Well, I didn’t expect that”. The other ponies were still on shock from the burst of character from Big mac.

“Well err… how bout you get yourself inside and catch up with us?” applejack stated

“Of course” Cookie said, as his hooves started moving again, towards the barn. Applejack and Applebloom followed, with Granny smith trailing behind with her bum hip

     “So wah'd you really come back?” Applebloom awkwardly asked.

Cookie stopped in his tracks once again, notched his head, and answered; “because I wanted to see my family”