Title:           An Unexpected Guest *A Friend*
Author:          unwantedmlp
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/F0bdd4b5
First Edit:      Thursday 25th of April 2013 11:01:26 AM CDT
Last Edit:       Thursday 25th of April 2013 11:01:26 AM CDT

>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