An Old Apple Friend

Cookie sat on the settee in the living room. He found it hard to get comfortable after spending so long boxed in that carriage. He nudged around on the settee, making it squeak and holler. The apple shaped clock on the wall said it was 13 minutes past 5, meaning that journey in the carriage must have taken around 4 hours. The sound of spoons banging against glasses and water boiling in an old kettle rang throughout the house.

Applebloom was sitting on the other side of the settee, staring at Cookie like a dog does at a piece of meat. Cookie looked over to here now and again, until he confronted Applebloom's stare with his own.

“What is it Bloom?” he asked politely.

She continued to stare at him with a grin. “ah’m just glad you’re back”.

Cookie smiled and nudged up closer to her, taking her under his wing and pulling her closer, wrapping her up in his gleaming, soft, whitish grey, wing feathers. Pulling her even closer when she was close enough to grab her, with his leg and wing around her, he nuzzled her head, her bow clipping through his mane. “I’m more than glad to be back”

Appleblooms head bobbed as Cookie nuzzled her, the grin on her face was still there. When he stopped, Applebloom looked up at Cookie, examining his head, and tried to figure out what ad changed about him.

"You look different, did you..." Another death pause swept the room "did you get a mane cut?" Applebloom asked.

"Since a few years ago?" Cookie responded quite sarcastically "yes, yes I did." ruffling the bow sat upon her head.

“Well it looks good” she said, still trying to put her hoof on what had changed about the stallion.

Cookie stared deep into her eyes, seemingly caught in them.

"Wha'd is it?" Applebloom asked inattentively.

"oh, I'm sorry Bloom, I...I just can't believe how much you've grown up, how tall you've gotten..." Cookies left ear deflated slightly, and a remorseful frown covered his mouth "How much I've missed"

Applebloom too frowned, but warmed up to him, this time, she nuzzled his side, causing Cookie to flinch slightly, and jump. Applebloom stopped and propped her head back, once again looking up at him “w-what’s wrong?” she asked.

Cookie moved slightly down the settee and gently rubbed his side “oh, nothing, just a little cut I got”

Applebloom moved Cookies hoof, revealing a faint scar up his side “oh, ah’m sorry Cookie, does it hurt?”

Cookie chuckled “only a little now, that was all just a little bit too fast”

Applebloom once again leaned into Cookie, but this time, a bit softer, her bow touching his side and reverting around his back near his wing joints. “Ah’m still sorry”.

“It’s alright” He tugged her closer and snuggled next to her “you didn’t know”.

At that moment, Granny Smith and Applejack walked into the living room, Granny Smith carrying a tray of tea and apple biscuits on her back. Her bum hip caused the tray to rattle and shake, making an ever more annoying noise as the spoons shacked inside the mugs.

“Didn’t know about what Sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Oh, nothing, just a little rough stuff with my little champ here” he again ruffled Appleblooms mane, she shut her eyes and giggled.

“Well alright, as long as you two are careful now” Applejack said as Granny Smith set down the tray on the coffee table next to the settee.

Cookie picks up one of the white and blue mugs, filled with the dark, steamy liquid; He bought the mug up to his lips and gently blew on it. ”so” he lowered the mug “Tell me, how’s everything on the farm been?”.

Applejack butted in “just fine. But business’ been boomin’ lately, and we’ve been findin’ it hard to keep up with deadlines” she sat on the recliner next to the door.

Cookie raised the mug to his lips once again “Well looks like I came just in time, didn’t I” He took a short sip of the tea, it was still a little hot, and made him scrunch his face, and the rather strong taste didn’t make him seem any more appealing as his calm face started to peel and the corners of his eyes started to water.

“You ok dearie?” Asked Granny Smith, picking up a plate of apple biscuits.

Cookie lowered the mug and blinked rapidly, trying to get rid the tear dams about to burst in his eyes. “Hmm?” He set down the mug “oh yes I’m fine”.

Granny Smith raised the plate higher, so Cookie could get a view of what was in them. Cookie looked at the biscuits and smiled “No thank you, I’m alright”.

He did like Granny Smiths apple biscuits, but he lost his appetite somewhere over Griffon Territory a few years back, and only ate to sustain himself, his level of hunger was not enough to force himself to eat yet.

“oh oh oh!” Applebloom got off the settee and headed out of the living room. Cookie, Applejack and Granny Smith all watched her zip out of the room.

“Where’s she off to in such a hurry” Cookie said in a whisper.

Applejack shrugged her shoulders “probably up to her room”. Applejack realized and turned to Granny Smith “where’s he gonna sleep tonight?”

Granny smith quivered her chin and thought “ he could take Big Macs room, ah’m sure he won’t mind”.

“Oh no it’s alright, I’ll just take the settee, I don’t need a bed”  Cookie tried to pleaded.

“Are you sure” Granny smith said

“Hey, I’ve slept in worse” Cookie responded with a sense or mischief in his voice, as he rocked side to side on the settee.

“Na that won’t do, I’ll ask Big Macintosh if you can have his bed,  that’s the end of It” Applejack once again butted in.

Cookie smiled and accepted “thank you, but only of Mac agrees. Thanks”

Applejack came zooming into the room and slid on the carpet, skidding her into the centre of the room. “TA DAAAH” She cried out. She was wearing a velvet Red cape, bearing a strange blue symbol. “Whada ya think?” she asked intensively.

He didn’t know what to make of it. He just sat there, trying to understand what she meant by it.

“Oh, I joined a club”.

“A club” Cookie seemed surprised.

“Yep, I'm ah proud member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, we’re on a mission to find our special talents”.

“You are” He yawned “A mission? Well, I’ll be sure to accompany you on one of them” he smiled.

“You tired” Asked Applejack, turning to look at the apple shaped clock.

“Well, It was a long ride” Cookie said, stretching on the seti.

“well come on, I’ll find Mac, you set up in his room” Applejack said.

Cookie stood, grabbed his bag and walked up the stairs, to Big Macintosh’s room. And Applejack went off to find Big Mac.