Chapter 1
The Letter
Sweet Apple Acres was how he had imagined it. A soft glow radiated from the sun onto the leaves of the apple trees making them shine. The grass was much greener then usual and the dirt path that snaked its way through the farm even looked tidy. Big Mac breathed in deep and let the new air fill his lungs. Looking towards the barn he could hear muffled barking and hay being thrown around. Bianca must be up.. he thought to himself and trotted to the barn, he peeped into the barn only to find hay at all angles and long strands of white hair onto the hay bales that were in tact.
"Bianca! What are you doing?" Big Mac called out.
Rustling came from the hay in the centre of the barn and a white fur-ball jumped out onto the wooden floor boards.
"Oh hiya Big Mac!" She called out cheerily. "I was just entertaining myself for a few hours as everyone was still asleep, amazing what you can do with a few hay bales!"
Big Mac stared down at her. She was a beautiful and slender silver fox with big magenta eyes. Her coat was a brilliant shade of silvery white with hay stuck to her snout and ears. She blinked with long eyelashes that often reminded Big Mac of his sisters friend Rarity. She spoke with an energetic voice and Big Mac was often amazed at her energy levels.
"Well you are lucky, I have the feeling you are the only fox Granny Smith approves of." He chuckled at her.
"'Those darn foxes!'" Bianca mocked shaking off the hay that hung from her snout. "Anyway, what time did you get up? I took a peep in your room when I was tip-toeing down the hall to get outside and you were snoring away!"
"Only got up a few minutes ago and came outside, beautiful isn't it?"
"I wasn't looking, I was throwing hay bales around the barn."
Bianca trotted to the barnyard door and looked over to the horizon. "I will admit though, it is beautiful up here!"
Big Mac trotted outside and took one more deep breath. He heard lights turning on inside and gestured for Bianca to follow him. They walked inside to find AppleJack and Apple Bloom attempting to wake themselves up and Granny Smith snoring in the same chair she fell asleep in the night before. Bianca gracefully swept into a chair opposite Apple Bloom and Big Mac thumped on the chair next to AppleJack.
"Morning all!" Bianca enthusiastically called. "I'm thinking apple pancakes with strawberry syrup, anyone want some?"
"Please!" Big Mac, Apple Bloom and AppleJack called in unison.
"Except can I have extra syrup?" Apple Bloom called.
Bianca winked and swept off the chair and started to prepare the pancakes.
"How long have you been up?" AppleJack asked Big Mac.
"Not long, just a few minutes before you, Bianca however has probably been up since the crack of dawn!" He chortled.
Bianca laughed and continued cooking.
"Well I have big plans for today!" Apple Bloom squealed. "SweetieBelle, Scootaloo and I are going to try fruit picking for our cutie marks!"
"Well, you know what hun?" Bianca chimed in. "You'll get it soon enough, foxes unfortunately don't get cute marks so I walk around watching you ponies get little images on your flanks and I walk around with a bare fuzzy flank!"
"You poor thing!" Apple Bloom laughed.
"Well I think you'll have a definite easier time with fruit picking." Big Mac laughed. "I don't understand why you three always do the complicated things!"
"Big Mac, is that you I hear?"
Big Mac, Apple Bloom and AppleJack looked into the sitting room.
"Yes Granny it's me." Big Mac sighed.
Granny smith slowly sunk out of her chair and slowly inched towards the table.
"Oh good morning Bianca dearie, how's the hay bale throwing coming along?" She asked Bianca as she passed.
Bianca turned with plates of apple pancakes drizzled with a strawberry syrup and set them on the table.
"Everything's fantastic Granny G! And I personally think I am getting better, I still need to work on my accuracy!"
Apple Bloom, AppleJack and Big Mac immediately dived into their pancakes whilst Bianca was diving into her tail looking for bits of hay that may have got stuck.
"Ooh! Can I go get the mail! Please!" Apple Bloom squealed once she had finished.
"Would you please dearie." Granny Smith answered her.
Apple Bloom raced out of the kitchen and galloped down the path. She took the three letters that were closed inside the mailbox and trotted back to the house.
"Here you go, one for you, you and you!" She giggled.
She passed out a letter to Granny Smith, Big Mac and Bianca.
"Oh finally!" Granny Smith exclaimed. "My new set of teeth have arrived!"
"Oh god, more fan mail from my mothers best friends son.." Bianca groaned.
Big Mac looked at the letter that was addressed to him. Thin, slanting writing spelled out his name.
"This is from Canterlot!" Big Mac gasped.
AppleJack sat up at once. "I thought Twilight only got letters from Canterlot!"
Everyone (except Granny Smith who was testing her new teeth) gathered around Big Mac as he read the letter aloud.
Dear Big Macintosh
I highly doubt you would remember much of me but we were the best of friends all through my years as a filly. I was sorting my old things and found the letters and pictures we shared. I am inviting you to Canterlot (or if it is much easier I can come down to Ponyville) to see if you would like to meet up. I would definitely love to see you again.
Fleur xx
"I don't remember a 'Fleur' that was your best friend." Apple Bloom said confused.
"Oh Fleur De Lis?" Granny Smith suddenly chimed in. "You two were the best of friends when you were oh so little! Is she coming to visit?"
Bianca, AppleJack and Big Mac all looked at one another. "I think she might be. I remember her a lot actually, I lost contact with her a long time ago though, just before I met you Bianca. I wonder if she has changed much."
"Well, I was a baby when she was around so I can't help you there." AppleJack giggled.
Bianca however looked more interested. "I think you should write back! A trip to Canterlot! That would be exciting! You are taking me?"
Big Mac chuckled. "Bianca, of course I am taking you! It will be interesting won't it? Seeing an old friend."
The Apples and Bianca left Big Mac to ponder over the letter. Big Mac started to remember a filly with a soft lilac mane and tail which he used to share jokes with.
