An Unexpected Guest *A Friend*

>As the sun began to lower itself over the horizon, the light blazed through the apple trees of the back acreage.

>You sit quietly on the porch, slowly swaying back and forth as you think of your next move.

>The old wooden chess board that your grandpappy gave you for your 10th birthday still gave you and your guest the strategic entertainment you both needed.

>’How have you been, Granny Smith?’

>You look up from the pieces to see him smiling at you, that same terrible smile that made you wish you were still young and spry.

>Or that he wasn’t a shaved ape.

‘Oh, you know Anon. I’m getting on in years. Mah backs startin’ to hurt a bit.’

>’I hope you’re keeping those young ones in order.’

‘Don’t let the wrinkles fool ya. I can still go hoof ta hoof with Big Macintosh if he ever stepped outta line.’

>It was an amazing friendship the two of you had, going on a whole decade now.

>All those years ago, he wandered down the dirt road like he didn’t have a care in the world.

>You’d never seen a creature like him before, not in all your years.

>He wore a spiffy looking black suit that never seemed to get dirty and a top hat that reminded you of those stallions from Canterlot.

>He smiled at you as you sat on the front porch of the homestead, a dangerous smile.

‘Can I help ya there, sonny?’

>’Why hello there, ma’am. I seem to have become lost in my travels, and it IS good to see such a warm greeting. My name is Anonymous.’

>He put out one of his paws, and you notice it was covered in a white material.

‘Everyone around here just calls me “Granny Smith”.’

>You extend your hoof and he kisses it like a true gentlecolt.

‘Where are ya lookin’ ta head, Anonymous?’

>’Somewhere called Ponyville.’

‘You’re in luck. Just up that there road is Ponyville.’

>’Thank you kindly.’

>He bowed and was about to walk away when he froze.

>’Is that fresh apple pie I smell?’

‘Heheheh, yep. My daughter in law just baked a fresh pie.’

>You could see the hunger in his eyes.

‘Guess ya must be a fan of apple pies, seeing as y’all can smell one from 50 paces.’

>His cool calm and collected look changed to a sheepish one in under a second.

>’One of my guilty pleasures.’

‘Would ya care to stay a while and have a slice?’

>He smiled again before pulling out a brilliantly-shined, gold pocket watch, his face becoming more serious in thought.

>’I would love to, but I have business in Ponyville.’

‘If you’re passin’ by this way home, you bring your flank back down our drive and sit a spell. I might even break out my ol’ chess board and challenge you to a game.’

>’I would very much like that, Granny Smith.’

>Anon tipped his hat with a smile and strolled back towards town.

>True to his word, he returned not half an hour later to a plate of freshly made apple pie, a mug of your famous Apple Family apple cider and a warm smile on your face.

>Every few months, Anon would return to Ponyville for his business and every few months, he’d greet you with the same dangerous smile.

>You laugh and you reminisced about old times. Despite his looks, he had deep wisdom that could only come with age.

>Your mood was always brightened when you spent time with Anon, just as it would gloom with the extended spans of his disappearance.

>Then came the darkest day in a long time, a day that would forever be branded into your memories.

>Applejack and Macintosh were old enough to understand, but Applebloom was still a foal at the time.

>She couldn’t understand why she’d never grow up with parents.

>After the funeral, you walk the youngin’s back to the farm, telling them to wash up before supper.

>As you put them to bed, you heard a rap on the door.

>You walk down stairs to see Anon, his suit still crisp, his hat in his hands, standing at your door.

>’Granny, I am terribly sorry for your loss.’

‘Come…come inside. You’ll catch your death of cold out there.’

>As you fix him a hot cider, you catch him looking around the kitchen.

‘Sorry ya had to see this home on a dreary day.’

>’No, it’s… it’s fine. How are you coping?’

>You pass him his cider and sit down at the table.

‘I don’ know how I’m gunna cope, raisin’ these ponies by myself.’

>’You won’t be by yourself, Granny.’

>You perk up a small smile.

>’The entirety of Ponyville will always chip in to help.’

‘And, what of you?’

>His face fell.

>’I would if I could, but you know my business won’t allow me to stay here.’

>You did know, but you didn’t want to believe it.

>’Granny, I know that things will be alright, for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve been the toughest pony I’ve met.’

‘And you’ve been the kindest, wisest… shaved monkey I’ve met.’

>He chuckled.

>’When I wander back into town, I will be here to check on things.’

‘Promise?’

>’Promise.’

>But promises were like dinner plates. They were always going to get broken, it was just a matter of time.

>Around six years into your friendship, you were cleaning out your old jam pot when you spied a tall figure in a back suit and hat.

>You smile was wider than Pinkie Pie’s at that point, until you saw him stop halfway down the track.

>Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved his watch and opened it.

>You couldn’t tell for sure, but you swear the colour drained from his face.

>And then he did the unexpected.

>He slammed his watch into the ground, smashing it to pieces.

>You watched in confusion as he paced around, yelling at thin air.

>Just as you were about to call out to him, Anon punched on of the apple trees, giving it an almighty shake before storming up the path.

>Anon disappeared for three years after that; no letter, no nothing.

>Three years later, you stood outside the farmhouse, waving young Applebloom off to school.

>As she ran up the path, your eyes fell on a not so familiar sight.

‘Anonymous?’ you whisper.

>As his eyes caught yours, you couldn’t help but to shed a few tears of joy.

>He ran up to the porch, the same old suit, the same old hat, the same old smile.

>’Granny, I thought you’d forget about me.’

>Whack!

>You smack his hard across the head with your trusty ladel.

‘That’s for hiding your flank away for 3 whole years.’

>’I’m sorry, I really am. I had problems with work that I needed to sort out, and they kept me out of this area.’

‘Why couldn’t ya write me a letter? I was worried sick about you.’

>’I… I don’t know, Granny. I just… don’t know.’

‘Well…’ you sigh, ‘sit your flank down and I’ll go rustle up some pie for you.’

>He smiled and did as you said.

>As you sat down across from him, he began to set up your usual chess board.

‘You owe me a new tree, young fella.’

>’How did that come about? You get angry and buck one of them with your obvious skill?’

>You chuckle and wipe away a few tears.

>In the past three years, you hadn’t laughed like that.

‘I don’t know what you did to Geraldine all those years ago, but with one strike, you made her sicker than a dog eating soap.’

>You point to the almost dead tree that had been a constant reminder of your lost friend.

>’Oh… I guess I don’t know my own strength. I promise to plant you a new Geraldine.’

‘Oh, you silly goat. Ya can’t call it Geraldine, she’d need a new name.’

>Anon smiled and nodded his head.

>’Checkmate.’

>You shake your head, bringing yourself back to the present.

‘Hah-whuh?’

>’Checkmate, Granny.’

>You look down at the board and notice it was in fact the end of the game.

‘Well I’ll be…’

>’I should be off, Granny. I need to finish off today’s business in town before heading back home.’

‘Alright, deary.’

>Anon stood, placing his hat on his head and started down the stairs.

‘By the way, Anon.’

>You start removing all the pieces from the board, one at a time.

‘It must be almost time for me to follow you out of town.’

>Anon stopped on the bottom step and turned his head to you.

>’Not if I can help it, Granny.’

>As he strode up the path to the gate, he tipped his hat to Agatha, who was almost a year old.

>You hear the front door open and Applejack walk out.

>’Who were ya talkin’ to, Granny?’

‘Just the wind, sugarcube.’

 

END