"Macintosh, what in the daisy fields are you yelling about?" Asked Granny as she walked into the living room to see what her oldest grandson was yelling about.
Mac looked at Granny. "Granny, we need to clean up the house, Princess Celestia is standing outside right now." Said Mac as he started to clean the house.
Granny looked at Macintosh like he was crazy. She walked over to the door and opened it to prove her point. "Macintosh, look." Said Granny, acting a little smug that she was proven right. "There is no princess standing at the door." But the truth was that Celestia was still standing there, smiling.
Macintosh pointed to Celestia. "Granny, look."
Granny sighed. "Macintosh, this is not like those nights you thought there was a timberwolf in your closet." Said Granny as she looked outside and straight at Celestia. Granny went silent for a moment, then she brought her head in. "See, what I tell ya, there's a princess at the door." It took the old mare a few moments to realize what she just said. She looked outside again. "Princess?"
Celestia smiled at Granny. "Granny Smith, I was saddened to hear about Apple Fritter, he was a great stallion, but I'm happy to see that the land I gave your family has prospered so well." Said Celestia.
Granny took a deep breath. "Sorry, can you give me a moment?" Asked Granny.
Celestia nodded. "Of course, take your time."
Granny smiled as she closed the door. She looked at Macintosh. "Mac, why don't you start the kettle, I need a moment." Said Granny as she started hyperventilating.
Mac nodded as he went to the kitchen to start the kettle. Granny calmed herself, she looked to the door. She walked over to the door and opened it. "Sorry, I was not expecting to see you here, please come in your highness, my grandson just started the kettle, but if you'd like something else just ask."
Celestia smiled. "No, tea will be fine, thank you." Said Celestia as she walked into the home, she looked around. "Your family is much larger than it was many years ago. I remember you and your family were simple seed traders, looking for a place to plant some roots, but that was so many years ago, in fact I do believe the last time I saw you was more than 70 years ago."
Granny nodded. "It's been 78 years since we last met. Please take a seat." Said Granny as she led Celestia to the couch.
Once Celestia was on the couch, Granny went to her rocking chair. "Granny, what kind of tea would you like?" Asked Mac from the kitchen.
"Is Earl Gray fine with you, it's my favorite." Asked Granny. Celestia nodded. "Earl Gray." Responded Granny, she then looked to Celestia. "Princess, as much as I am honored to have you in my home and to see you again, this is quite sudden."
Celestia nodded. "Yes, I know, and for that I'm sorry. You see I have recently learned about a certain incident involving a little purple and green dragon."
Granny nodded. "Oh, you must mean Spike, the poor dear was abandoned in the forest by his mother, she wrote that she wanted Spike to live with ponies. But fate is very weird, it turns out that Spike was found by my granddaughter and some of her new friends, they took up the responsibility of being his mothers. Of course it doesn't help that he imprinted on them, but he's family now, and if there is one thing an Apple takes care of its family. Unfortunately one of those fillies that I mentioned, decided to run off from her home without telling anypony, so my daughter in-law, son, and a few others took her home, they also took Spike so he could meet his next set of grandparents." Said Granny.
Suddenly Macintosh walked into the living room with two cups of Earl Gray on a plate. "Here you go Granny, Princess."
Granny smiled. "Thanks Mac, why don't you take Bloom outside, I have a feeling that this talk is going to be just two old birds catching up."
Mac nodded. "Ok." Said Mac as he walked over to the play pen and picked up Apple Bloom. "We're going to play in the barn, call me if you need me."
Granny smiled. "Ok dear, have fun." Granny took a sip of her tea. "Sorry about that, but what were we talking about?"
"Spike, Ms. Smith, you said he's not here right now."
Granny nodded. "That's right, well it turns out that one of Spikes mothers, a firecracker of a filly named Pinkie Pie, decided to run off from her home and not tell anypony. So all of Spike's mothers and a few of the fillies parents decided to take her back to her home."
Celestia nodded. "I hope Ms. Pie's parents weren't to mad about her running off." Celestia then took a sip of tea. "So, any idea on when they will get back, I would like to discuss some things with everyone involved with Spike."
Granny hummed. "Hmm, I don't rightly know, it should be some time today, seeing as they left yesterday evening and they didn't come home, it must mean that they stayed overnight. But I'm sure they won't be much longer Princess, your welcome to wait for them to get back." Said Granny smiling at the princess.
Celestia smiled. "Thank you, now how has living next to the Everfree effected your lively hood, I only ask because I was thinking of visiting my old castle in a few years."
Granny rubbed her chin. "Well, timberwolfes are taking their time howling this year, Zappapple season was wrapping up this time last year, but this year so far nothing, I'm not worried though, it'll happen sooner or later. Aside from that, we've had some trouble with manticores on one of our delivery routes, my son barely made it home last time."
Celestia gasped. "Don't worry, I'll send some of my finest guards to relocate them, but why didn't you send a message to town hall asking for support?" Asked Celestia.
"I did, I think a nice young stallion named Swift Flight was on messenger duty that day." Granny shrugged. "Must of got lost in the pile, but thankfully you know now, our next delivery was scheduled for next week, and its a big order, so Mac and Buttercup were going to go handle it."
Celestia growled. 'Tampering with royal mail, that's a federal offense, another 5 years in Tartarus.' Thought Celestia. She looked at Granny. "Well, don't worry, as soon as I talk with Spike and his mothers, I will send out a full company of guards to handle those manticores. I don't want any of my little ponies to be put in such a dangerous situation."
Granny smiled. "Of course. Thank you Princess." Granny took a sip of her tea. "Now how have you been?"
Two hours have passed since Pinkie and family left the rock farm, the train was pulling in to the Ponyville train station. Once it was stopped, Pear walked out with Spike sitting on her back followed by all the fillies and adults. She took a deep breath and exhaled. "Ah, its good to be home." She looked to the fillies. "Ok, lets head to town hall, its about time for Spike to join the family." Said Pear.
"Granma?" Asked Spike.
Pear smiled at hearing Spike, this was the first time he called her grandma. She looked at her back and Spike. "Yes, Spike?"
"Where we?" Asked Spike, the last time he was here, it was cold, dark, and a lot less crowded, so he had no idea where he was.
Pear smiled as she picked him up and moved over to her husband. "Mac, can Spike sit on your head?"
Mac nodded. "Sure."
Pear smiled as she pulled off Mac's hat and handed it to AJ. AJ gasped as she placed the hat on her head, Pear looked at AJ and giggled at the sight of her daughters head being devoured by a hat that was clearly too big for her. "It's a good look on you, AJ." Pear then placed Spike on top of Big Mac's head, and once he was stable, Spike looked at his home town of Ponyville. "Spike, this is our home, Ponyville."