S3 E8 everypony! Spike At Your Service is up next!
It was a big weekend for Sweet Apple Acres and for Malibu in general because Granny Smith had recently invited him to be part of the major Apple Family Reunion that he somewhat had been in when first arriving in Ponyville.
They were in the barn basement getting the supplies they needed for the reunion, Malibu watching with excitement when Applejack pulled out the old quilt Granny Smith and the other elderly relatives used to do every reunion.
"Ha! Found 'em!" Applejack called out, tossing down the box that let out a cloud of dust. It made both Malibu and Granny Smith sneeze.
Applejack chuckled at them both. "Gesundhoof," she said.
Granny grinned. "Why thank you, Applejack. I still can't believe it's been almost one hundred moons since our last family reunion. Aw, I remember it like it was yesterday!"
"Well, you have been talkin' about it pretty much every day since then." Applejack pointed out.
Malibu flapped his wings in excitement. "Thanks for letting me be a part of your festivities, Granny Smith. This just feels like a huge honor," He said eagerly, already feeling more like a part of their family besides being Celestia's son.
Smith smiled at him. "Thanks, dearie. Since ye've been stayin' with us for this long, it makes sense that you be celebratin too." She gave Malibu a hug which he returned. Granny Smith then turned to Applebloom.
"How are them RSVPs comin' along?" She called out. Applebloom looked up from her table. "WHo's showin' their muzzle at the reunion?"
The young filly's face was beaming. "Everypony!" She squealed, making Malibu blink, wondering if he heard it right. For he at first thought it was just a few relatives, not the entire family!
Granny Smith was as startled as him. "Everypony?" She whispered a little under her breath to Applejack for a moment. "Are you sure?"
Applebloom looked through the replies. "Well, I got RSVPs from Apples in Yonder Hill, Hollow Shades, Galloping Gorge, Foal Mountain, Apples from Fillydelphia, Tall Tale Town, and all the Apples from Appleloosa!"
Malibu felt nerves now in his stomach at the idea of having to be introduced to all of those family members, having only met a small handful of them at the first reunion he and Twilight had accidentally attended and Babs Seed. This was going to be big.
"Oh! And how can I forget? Manehattan! Babs is comin'! I get to see my favorite cousin!" Applebloom added in, bouncing around like a 5 year old colt.
"It would be nice to see her again," Malibu complimented, struggling to keep himself from sounding nervous though Applejack could see it. "Hey, don't feel so scared, sugarcube. They'll all love you," She encouraged. "And besides, since you bein the only alicorn here at the farm you may get quite a bit of attention."
Malibu laughed nervously. "Lucky me…" He said, cursing himself now for his alicorn form and wishing to be an Earth Pony.
Granny though was rather stressed looking. "I think we're gonna need a bigger cider trough."
….
Later that evening before the big day, Granny had pulled out their family album, inviting Malibu to sit with them. They looked at the first photo from the last year. "Whooeee! Looks like the family's grown tenfold since the last reunion! I'm gonna be busier than a worm in a rotten apple tomater tryin' to get everything ready!"
Applejack raised her hoof. "I could always help out."
Malibu nodded. "And me," He offered.
"Me too!" Applebloom said eagerly.
"Eeyup," Big Mac nodded in his usual less talkative tone.
Granny seemed flattered by all the help. "Aw, Malibu, you really don't need to do that since you're the guest of honor but wouldn't mind help from the rest of ya. Granny's a little rustier in the giddy-up since the last time the Apples all got together."
Malibu saw her somehow smooth out her wrinkles making Smith look like her younger self before the wrinkles returned, making him chuckle silently.
"You may be a tad old, Granny, but you're as feisty and full of spark as ever—." Applejack started.
"Who you callin' old?!" Granny Smith demanded hotly, but in a joking way.
Applejack's ears fell. "Uh… I just meant… why don't you let me take over puttin' the reunion together this time around? Then all you need to worry about is enjoyin' yourself."
Granny tapped her chin. "Hmmm. Alright, young'un. You got yourself a deal. You are in charge!" She said, poking her hoof gently at Applejack's chest.
"Awesome that you get to plan everything," Malibu grinned, hoof bumping her shoulder, making her flush. "Yeah. But I won't let ya down, Granny. You just tell me what the reunion needs, and I'll take care of the rest," Applejack stated.
Granny Smith flipped the memory book. "I'll do better than tell you what the reunion'll need. I'll show ya!" Malibu spotted some young mares, one of them looking like Smith in it.
"We've been hostin' these things at Sweet Apple Acres every hundred moons since we first planted roots here in Ponyville," Granny explained, Malibu wishing he could've been at some of these older ones.
"Hey, who's that?" Applebloom asked, pointing at one mare near a pot where they were making apple jam. "That'd be your Great-Great-Auntie Applesauce when she was just about your age." Granny Smith said while flipping through more pictures.
Malibu noted how one of them had Applesauce lose her fake teeth into the pot which made him wince. "Now, she used to go by a different name, but everypony started calling her Applesauce after half of her teeth fell out when she was makin' apple jam. Yeah. Never did find them teeth in all those jars."
"What was her name before?" Malibu pondered curiously. Granny Smith tried to remember, rubbing her head.
"Ya know, not really sure. We both kind of forgot," She then stated, making Applejack roll her eyes a little before soon they came across a new photo.
Applebloom smiled at it. "Hey, that's you, Granny!"
Malibu glanced down at the photo of young granny Smith with other elderly mares including Applesauce making a quilt. "Sure is. Apple family's been workin' on that same old quilt since our first reunion."
"For real?" The gargoyle clone exclaimed in disbelief, now pondering how that scene in the photo went, even thinking he could hear the voice of young Granny Smith.
"I can do it!" She tried to sew the part of the quilt together but had forgotten to knot the thread, having it come out, making her fall to the ground. "Oh, fingle-fangle!" It made the others laugh.
Malibu snapped himself out of it when hearing present day Granny Smith again. "Well, nopony told me you actually had to knot the end of the thread!" She argued to a laughing Applebloom while Malibu spotted Applejack muttering under her breath.
"Ok. So I'll need to get new quiltin' materials, fabric, needles, thread…" She paused. "You've really been workin' on the same quilt since the first reunion?"
Granny Smith nodded. "Surely have. I don't think we're ever gonna finish that doggone thing!"
Malibu himself was stunned at the fact that those mares have never even finished it yet. He himself was not much of a sewer of anything in general, rather happy for it to be that way. He watched Applejack mutter under her breath before seeing another picture of said pony, but as a really cute filly while the picture next to it was some kind of baking going on.
"Uh, what's that they're doing?" He asked, pointing. Granny smiled. "Well sonny, you know us Apples enjoy a good fritter…"
She began to ramble on about making the fritters while Malibu himself got a small flashback moment of baby Applejack stealing a fritter and a stallion named Apple Split meeting her for the first time. He chuckled, thinking that Applejack had been rather cute as a filly.
Granny Smith nudged AJ. "That's how we figured out your sister had the appetite of a full grown stallion!"
Applebloom giggled while Malibu saw AJ mumbling under her breath yet again, hoping she was going to stay true to what the reunion needed.
One last picture was some kind of game, and Granny Smith was there in the picture again. "Y'know how Babs is your favorite cousin, Applebloom? Well, Apple Rose is mine. The two of us entered the seven-legged race every reunion."
Malibu himself had heard of two legged races from Maggie, and nearly burst laughing at the thought of a seven legged one. He wondered how Maggie would've reacted to that. Applejack then thought of what else could be put into the race.
"And of course, we can't forget to take the big family photo. We always snapped a photo in front of the barn at the end of every reunion, lets us see how our family's grown. Malibu, you will be in the photo with us, bein' the guest of honor." Granny next said, causing his eyes to moisten again.
"This… this is too much Granny Smith. I've never been in a family photo not counting just me and mom. But in a big family like this is…" Applebloom hugged his arm.
"Yer mah adopted brother now, Malibu. Of course you're gonna be in this picture!" She said, making bambi eyes which Malibu couldn't ignore.
"Photo in front of the barn, got it," Applejack said in a distracted way.
Applebloom smiled at her granny. "You sure have some great memories of these reunions, don'tcha?"
Granny Smith nodded. "Indeedy, and I'm lookin' forward to makin' more at this one. Oh, I'm sure everypony is and I do mean everypony! We got the whole family together this time 'round! Who knows if they'll all be able to make the next one?"
Malibu then knew that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet a whole big family, his heart fluttering, shifting his hooves, anxious for the next day to come more than ever now.
Applejack gazed out the window. "That's true! Busy as everypony's lives are gettin' these days, chances are pretty slim we'll be this lucky next time 'round." She turned to the others. "Don't worry, Granny. I'm gonna make sure this is the most memorable reunion we've ever had! I'd better get started… I've got some plannin' to do!"
Malibu then yawned. Looking at those photos could get tiresome. Granny noticed. "Oh, you sure look worn down youngin'. Better get to bed so you can be up an at 'em tomorrow!"
Nodding sleepily, Malibu got up from the couch. "For sure," He mumbled, trudging up the bed. He sat down in his covers after feeding his pet bat who chittered. "I really do hope they all like me." The young clone gargoyle said with nerves, gazing up at his Aunt Luna's moon while falling asleep.
….
He managed to sleep well through the night until hearing the rooster, jerking him awake. Malibu saw Applejack burst through his door, a beaming smile on her, though bags were present under her eyes.
"C'mon, Mal! Early bird gets the worm!" She shouted. Malibu yawned like he would do when coming out of stone sleep, stretching his wings and arms, slipping down from bed.
It was rather hectic through the morning getting ready for the big event. They had to stop by Rarity's to get some ribbon, along with getting honey from Pinkie Pie.
Pinkie tossed some glitter out the window as well. "Don't forget the glitter!" She squealed, winding up covering both Applejack and Malibu in the golden stuff.
Malibu sneezed some out of his nose while Applejack coughed. "Thanks…" He muttered under his breath, shaking it off. The two went to have Rainbow fill up some water barrels with a rain cloud.
Applejack nodded, checking off her list until she jumped in the air from Dash pranking her with a thundercloud, Malibu chuckling at his marefriend's mischief.
The final thing was lighting the cauldrons for the apple fritters which Spike was happy to do so, using himself as a firelighter. Malibu smiled, excited more than ever.
The family was exhausted from setting up everything. "Think that'll do it!" Applejack exclaimed. Malibu nodded.
"And just in time, too!" Granny Smith announced. Malibu felt rumbling beneath his hooves, turning around and seeing bunches of carriages and ponies coming up the hill, all shouting and hollering in joy.
Malibu's eyes were round. That was more than what he saw at the last reunion, making him sweat a little. Applejack nudged him gently, smiling, calming him slightly.
Everypony got out to greet each other, Malibu still hanging back, ears flat from being shy, watching Granny Smith meet up with Apple Rose. The sight made the young gargoyle grin just a bit.
Applejack stood up on their carrot barn, tapping a mic. "Howdy, y'all, and welcome to the Apple Family Reunion!" She greeted. The rest of the family cheered aloud, some bucking.
"My name's Applejack, and I just want to let y'all know that I got a real big day planned for ya! We're gonna start with an obstacle course for the young'uns, and some fritter makin' and quiltin' for the not-so-young'uns."
She glanced down at Malibu. "And also, we got an honorary family member here today, our guest Malibu's gonna be joinin' us."
Everypony's eyes turned to Malibu who felt stock still, swallowing, and waving his hoof. "Uh… hi…" he greeted softly. Apple Rose suddenly approached, smiling gently at him. "An honor to meet you, young'un." Rose said with a hoof on his cheek.
"Y-You too, Apple Rose," Malibu said back, his nerves lifting when seeing how nice she was. Everypony else cheered while Applejack finished her speech. "And there's lots more to come after that. Hope y'all enjoy it!"
The whole Apple family cheered, and Malibu next decided to find Applebloom who was also searching for her favorite cousin in particular.
"Where is she?" Applebloom called out, until Malibu saw that Manhattan filly behind her, tapping Applebloom and gesturing to Babs.
Babs blew her hair out of her face, grinning at them. "Babs!" Cheered Applebloom, giving her cousin a hug. "Cuz!" Babs Seed replied, the two nuzzling in greeting. Babs also glanced up at Malibu who waved.
"Hey Babs." He greeted after the two broke apart. Babs bumped his shoulder.
"Long time no see, Mal!" Said the light brown filly. "I know it hasn't been that long since we've seen each other, but—."Applebloom mentioned.
"It felt like forever!" The two finished, which made Malibu smile at the sight of them ending their sentences.
The three walked beside each other. "I can't wait to tell you about my new school!" Babs said in excitement. "I can't wait to hear all about it!" Applebloom replied.
Malibu remained silent while he let them catch up until Applejack came along. "Why don't you two head on over to the obstacle course?"
"Huh?" Malibu asked in confusion, tilting his head. "But, isn't this a three legged race?"
Applejack mostly just winked at him, moving Babs Seed and Applebloom to said activity. Malibu frowned a little, hoping she still had Granny's vision of what the best Reunion could be.
Shrugging he decides to head over to where they were making the apple fritters since Malibu really began to feel rather hungry. He spotted Big Mac sneaking a fritter making him chuckle. Big Mac saw him looking and quickly backed away, grinning nervously.
He looked about what was going on with the reunion which apparently wasn't not looking too much fun. Everypony was mostly talking or sitting around, not making much fritters. He glanced over to where the 'obstacle course' where the fillies were running around some trees and seeming to be dizzy. It made Malibu cringe a little when Applebloom had tumbled to the ground.
Also too Applejack had brought out some very loud sewing machines for the elders making their quilt which felt rather overkill for Malibu since they were quite noisy. Walking away from the noisy sewing machines he happened across two mares in the process of making fritters.
"Uh, hi," Malibu greeted nervously. One mare named Apple Leaves glanced over at him. "Hey, what brings you by?"
"Been wondering if I could make some fritters with you?" He asked. Apple Dumpling next to Apple Leaves smiled, nodding.
"Oh, that would be great to have someone to hang with us!" Apple Leaves proclaimed, gesturing him forward. Malibu felt happy, standing next to them, and began to chat more with the relatives, feeling like he was finally having a good time.
That was until Applejack came along. "Havin' fun?" She asked. Apple Leaves rolled her eyes while Malibu hoped Applejack would leave soon so he could keep chatting with them. "Sure are!"
"Better pick up the pac on those fritters though, huh? And I see you're teachin' Malibu. I could pitch in for him." She quickly stepped over, making Malibu feeling flustered by this. "Er…" he tried to say but was interrupted.
"Roll, fold, crimp, slide to the left. Roll, fold, crimp, slide to the left. Now you try!" Applejack encouraged with a grin. Malibu's ears lowered as he attempted to do it, getting his hooves messy along with Apple Leaves and Dumpling both making the dough balls too.
Applejack beamed. "That's it! Gotta keep this assembly line movin'! We want every Apple here to get a chance to taste the best darn fritters in Equestria!" She trotted off before Malibu could protest before sighing, knowing now he couldn't back out if it meant disappointing Applejack's vision.
Apple Leaves looked to him. "Should Applejack know this is a family gathering, not a factory?" She muttered under her breath. Malibu had no replies to this, gazing at where the elders were sewing while struggling to talk over the noisy sewing machines as well as the fillies and colts now balancing plates. So far this reunion wasn't off to a good start.
After most of the afternoon, Applejack finally spoke through her megaphone. "Alright Apples! Break!"
At last! Malibu thought inside while collapsing after making his 20th fritter, his friends collapsing too. They were all quite exhausted. AJ tried to take photos but not many moments weren't too memorable.
She went to check on the ponies with the fritters where Malibu glared at her, his face and mane covered in flower from the dough making, stomping over to her.
"Boy, y'all have made quite the fritters!" Applejack praised but Malibu wouldn't have it.
"AJ, look at all of us. Does it seem like any of us are having fun?!" He stormed, swishing his tail. Applejack's face fell then, now realizing.
"Ah well, you can relax on the upcoming hayride. The reunion isn't over yet!" She patted Malibu on the head, making him pull back away from her, grumbling under his breath. But who knows, maybe a hayride could be fun. He went to clean himself to be ready for it.
Once the hayride wagon was setted up, Malibu joined the others and sat with Applebloom and Babs Seed, both looking worn from their obstacle course. Malibu prayed Applejack would be right about the hayride.
Applejack grinned at them all. "Alright, everypony! Step right up, take a seat, and leave the drivin' to these stallions! Now, I know y'all've been workin' real hard makin' some awesome memories. And in all of our past reunions, we always had a nice and relaxin' hayride around the farm."
Malibu saw one stallion lean back, looking rather relaxed, feeling his alicorn wings flutter a little. "Which is hwy I decided to change things up a bit, and try somethin' just a wee bit more excitin'. So let's get this show on the road! GIddy-up!"
Applejack wound up bucking the wagon, causing the two big stallions up front to gallop off at a fast pace which startled the gargoyle clone, the bumps on the field making him jump along with everypony else who yelped out.
They rode for a while until Granny Smith asked a question. "Where in the world does that girl have us headin'? The west orchard?"
Malibu watched Big Mac gaze out in said direction, his eyes rounding. "Eyup."
His face fell. "You got to be kidding!" Malibu cried out.
"I was jokin'! Why, we haven't tended those fields since all the trees went and got filled up with…" Granny Smith started before her face cringed, gulping.
Malibu wondered what she was talking about, feeling concerned for the younger ones in the wagon if there was danger in the orchiard.
In the field Applejack had hidden in a tree, bucking one which caused a whole flock of rainbow colored fruit bats different from Malibu's bat Shadow to fly out, looking like a living rainbow.
Everypony oohed and aahed insted of Malibu, knowing this wasn't good to have bats this close that were wild ones. Babs looked pretty excited. "Wowza! Never seen real fruit bats before!"
Malibu then saw a red fruit bat spot an apple on Auntie Applesauce's hat. It dived down to her, making Applesauce cry out in fear, ducking.
The rest of the bats covered them all over the wagon, Malibu swatting them away, making him fly out of the wagon in his panic. From the distance his bat Shadow saw, squeaking, flying out to try controlling them.
"Get them Shadow!" Malibu cheered, hovering in the air, Shadow trying to herd the fruit bats, squeaking in anger at them for disrupting everypony.
The fruit bats didn't pay Shadow any mind even if he flew around the whole flock. Now the wagon headed towards the barn. Malibu's eyes widened in fear. Not the barn!
"Everypony! Jump OUT!" He heard Applebloom scream, the whole family including the wagon ponies leaping out of their seats on time right as the wagon crashed right into the barn, making it all collapse into rubble.
Malibu's belly filled up with despair at the sight, lowering himself to the ground, Shadow landing on his shoulder and squeaking in sadness for failing. He stroked the brown bat. "Not your fault buddy." He said softly.
Applejack began to look ready to cry, using her hat to cover her face from the fallen barn which was their house. Malibu hoped his journal hadn't been destroyed. The orange earth pony slumped to the ground.
"Oh, Granny. I'm so sorry," She sniffled, sounding the most depressed the gargoyle clone had heard her in. His heart broke a little, not so angry anymore from earlier.
Granny Smith tried to hug her. "Oh, it's alright child."
Applejack shook her head. "But it's not alright. Just look at this! The barn and all of my plans for the perfect family reunion are completely destroyed!" She wailed.
Malibu stepped up to her cautiously. "Perhaps, that… can be a good thing," He attempted, making Applejack glare back at him.
"How can that possibly be a good thing when you aren't an Apple by blood?" She said, making him gasp a little but the rest of the family surrounded him in defense.
"He's an Apple to us," Braeburn spoke up in defense, Malibu turning in some surprise but gratefulness at Braeburn's support.
Granny Smith gave a little sigh. "Applejack, you had us so caught up in all the don', we haven't had a second to enjoy the company of the folks we've been don' it with!"
Applejack sniffled more. "Really?"
The whole family nodded, Applejack then continuing. "Oh, Granny Smith, here you let me be in charge of creatin' great memories, and the only thing in anypony's gonna remember about this reunion… is that it was the worst one we ever had." Tears fell down her face.
Malibu nearly felt some himself too, but Granny wasn't done talking. "Oh, hey now... everypony's still here, ain't they? Still plenty of time to make good memories! You've just got to give everypony a chance to actually make 'em." She winked at Applejack who now realized.
"The family photo!" She gasped, before realizing. "Guess we can't take it in front of the barn this year… unless…" AJ perked, turning to the crowd. "Everypony! I have one more activity!"
Granny raised her brow, Malibu feeling suspicious. "Applejack…"
The orange earthpony winked. "Trust me, Granny Smith and Malibu. This'll be one we'll remember for all the right reasons."
She next called some musicians, stomping her hoof to begin the melody.
Malibu's ears perked from the cheerful western tune playing though he still wondered how a pony could play a string instrument with her hooves while Applejack sang.
"Raise this barn, raise this barn,
One two three four
Together we can raise this barn
One two three four."
The whole family gathered tools, prepared to fix the farm, Malibu joining in since this was his home too.
"Up, up, up, go the beams
Hammer those joints, work in teams
Turn 'em round quick by the right elbow
Grab a partner, here we go."
"Yeah!" Everypony cheered once the formation of the barn was now up, Malibu feeling more cheerful than before as they kept it up. "Come on, Apple Family! Let's get to it! Wee-hoo!"
"Raise this barn, raise this barn
One, two, three four
Together we can raise this barn
One, two, three, four
Finish the frame, recycling wood
Workin' hard your doin' good
Turn 'em round quick by the right elbow
Grab a new partner, here we go!"
Malibu at one moment wound up dancing with Apple Leaves who giggled a little from how he twirled her. But Rainbow Dash would always be his marefriend, even when he danced with other mares.
"Raise this barn, oh raise this barn
One, two, three, four
Together, we can raise this barn
One, two, three four
Siats of wood come off the ground
Hold 'em up and nail 'em down
Turn 'em round quick by the left elbow
Grab a new partner, here we go!"
Malibu cheered from the roof where he helped fly the shingles up to be hammered into it, seeing how great the barn was coming along. This now was the best part of the reunion for him, being able to help the Apple Family restore their home.
"Come on Apples! Get 'er done!"
From his spot on the roof Malibu spotted Babs and AB working together on a smaller beam.
Applebloom:
"Look at us, we're family"
Applejack:
"Workin' together, thankfully"
Together
"Stick together, the pony way!"
"Bow to your partner, circle right
Get down if you're scared of heights
Forward back and twirl around
That barn's gonna be the best in town"
Malibu landed on the ground again while hearing Applejack cheering, spotting Applebloom riding on a bull. "Alright! Let's get to it!"
Now everypony including Malibu gathered up paint buckets and brushes, ready to do the finishing touches on the barn.
"Raise this barn
Raise this barn
One, two, three, four
Together we can raise this barn
One, two, three, four"
Pulling out his brush and dipping it into the paint with his magic Malibu painted the barn red along with everypony else, heart feeling light from singing along with them. Talon would probably be stunned if he saw Malibu helping a bunch of ponies rebuild a barnhouse.
Applejack:
"Take your brushes, young and old
Together paint it bright and bold
Turn 'em round quick by the left elbow
Grab a new partner, here we go!"
The mare with the fiddle played the final strings once the barn was finished with the painting. Everypony stood back, Malibu feeling hot and tired but happy, some paint in his mane though he didn't care. He smiled at the others while singing with them.
"We raised this barn
We raised this barn
Yes, we did
Together we sure raised this barn
Yes, we did
Being together counts the most
We all came here from coast to coast
All we need to strive to be…"
Next Applejack guided everypony into the photo shot together in front of the finished barn, Malibu in the center with her after she pressed the self timer. AJ put her hoof around him. "Thanks, sugarcube for helpin with the buildin'. It pretty much seals you into the family," she confirmed.
Malibu sniffled a little from his over happiness, smiling back at her before turning to the camera, singing their final notes of their song.
"Is part of the Apple Family!
Yeah!"
The camera took the photo, everypony cheering in joy. This one will be one to remember.
….
Soon near sunset it was time to say goodbye, everypony spending some last minute fun together. Malibu hugged a lot of the elder ponies including Great Auntie Applesauce. He next hugged Babs Seed after Applebloom.
"Was great to see you again," He said to Babs who nodded. "I can't wait for the next reunion!" Applebloom said.
"Me neither!" Babs replied.
"I mean, obviously we have to get together before then!" Applebloom pointed out. Babs chuckled, hugging her once more. "Obviously."
Malibu winked. "Don't be a stranger," He advised. Babs blew her mane, nodding. "I won't." She then stepped into her carriage, which drove back to Manehattan.
He next went to check on Applejack who looked rather pleased with herself at how things turned out. "Hey, what a reunion, huh?" He asked.
AJ laughed. "For sure, sugarcube."
Granny Smith smiled at her. "Oh, you did it, Applejack! You put on a reunion that everypony will remember!"
Applejack shrugged. "Just had a couple minor hiccups along the way."
"Yeah, just a couple," Granny Smith agreed though she winked to Malibu who got what she was saying, snickering a little.
Later that evening they sat on the couch, looking through the new photos.
Malibu was laughing at a photo of himself having had a paint bucket fall on his head, Braeburn laughing at what had happened. "Ohoho, look at this one," Granny snickered.
Before this moment Malibu had written to his mom the same time Applejack did. Both of their letters went like this:
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned a great lesson about family, which, if you think about it, is really the first group of friends you ever make. Turns out that when you're with folks you care about, you don't have to do much to make that time memorable. Even the simplest of activities can take on a whole lotta meanin'! And you'll find that you'll remember the "who" long after you've forgotten the "what".
Your humble subject,
Applejack"
"Dear mom;
Today, I got to be a part of the Apple Family Reunion. It was such a special moment for me to help them rebuild the barn after a small little incident. But it helped me learn further what family means: everypony getting together to do something memorable, no matter how small it may be. Which is what makes me love you all the more momma. You are my family as much as the Apples are.
Your dear son,
Malibu."
Sorry for the pause but I had to coax myself to get back into writing since now the bigger holidays are coming. But hope you enjoy. The Discord episode will come soon too!