//------------------------------// // Reunited at Last // Story: The Guardian From Afar 3: Return to Earth // by LukeTheMercenary //------------------------------// "Scootaloo! Slow down!" Applejack panted, trying to catch up to the Pegasus filly. Scootaloo acted like she didn't even hear her. She was using her legs and wings to accelerate to where the explosion came from. However, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw three towering figures walking through the field outside the Everfree. One of them was short, wore a small amount of combat gear, and was carrying a long wooden device in it's hands. The next was taller, muscular, wore the most combat gear, but carried no device. The third was wearing an orange jumpsuit, carried a device made of wood and metal, and was muscular as well. However, the most striking thing about it was the object strapped to it's back. It looked like the thing that belonged to... "Dad!" Scootaloo shouted to the three humans. I gasped and looked over the grassy field. I saw a small figure making its way to me, and everyone stopped. Following behind her, were two more familiar shapes. I squinted, and saw who they were: Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Scootaloo. Luke, James and I were staring at them while they did the dame...until Scoots broke the silence. "DADDY!" Scootaloo yelled as she ran and jumped up at me. "SCOOTS!" I caught her, and hugged her tight. "WILL!" I heard Apple Bloom and AJ yell. Before I could respond, I was jumped on by both...and being stuck in a massive hug in the grass. My god...the feeling of being reunited with my loved ones felt amazing. It was like a slice of heaven. Of course, I hugged them back. "Earlier, I wasn't crying," Luke said, choking on his words, "But this time I really AM crying!" Luke then burst into tears. "It's alright, Luke," James said, attempting to give Luke a bro hug. "James?" "Yes?" "Get your hands off me." Once the group hug was over, I kneeled and looked directly at Applejack. She got up on her hind legs so we could meet face-to-face. I stroked her mane, and she blushed. Just looking into her big green eyes made me realize something. I'm home. I thought. "What're ya waitin' for, Sugarcube? Kiss me already!" Applejack said, eagerly. No arguing there. I leaned in and kissed her passionately. Placing a hand on her cheek, we continued for another blissful moment until we were interrupted. "Before you two go any further, can I get some help moving the guns?" Luke asked. "Weren't you just crying a second ago?" James asked. "Yeah, so? There are some almost pristine WW2 era guns in that spooky-ass forest, and I don't want to leave them there." "Dude, we don't even have a place to store them." "I might be able to help with that," I said, letting Applejack back down on the ground, "You guys are new here and you two helped me come back home, my REAL home. The least I could do is give you guys a place to stay. So how about I take you guys to my place and we store the weapons there temporarily. Just until we find you guys a place to stay. " They smiled. "You know what, Will?" Luke said, "At first glance, I saw you as...well...a little bit of a bitch." "Luke, there are children present." I said. "Whatever. My point is, you're pretty cool. I would say that I could relate to you, but I can't. Because A: I don't. And B: That would be too cliché, and this story's almost over." "Huh?" We all asked. "Never mind." "Aaaaaaanyways...Apple Bloom, can you take Scoots and yourself into town to tell everyone that I'm NOT dead?" I asked. "Absolutely!" Apple Bloom said, pulling Scootaloo with her. "Okay, okay! I'm coming!" Scootaloo said, "See ya later, Daddy!" Once the two fillies left, Applejack felt my arm. "Wow...you know...I remember telling you one day that you should work out more, but I didn't think you'd actually do it." Applejack said. "I know, you like?" "Like? Ah LOVE it! You're so strong, and handsome now." she laughed a little, "Heck, I'd bet that you could buck the trees now!" "Oh, well...I was thinking of 'bucking' something else instead," I said, waggling my eyebrows at her. "Oh god, PLEASE not here! We're still here!" James said. "I don't wanna see whatever the fuck is going to happen here. No pun intended." Luke said while walking away towards Ponyville. "They got a bar there." I mentioned to him. "Yeah? In that case, I think I'm going to like it here." When those two left, it was just Applejack and I. "Barn?" I asked. "Nopony's home there today." AJ responded. "Good. Let's go!" Yeah...I'm not getting descriptive about what happened next. I'll leave that to your imagination.