The first rays of sunlight streamed through the curtains.
Applejack awoke to Melody’s hoof steps on the wooden floor of her bedroom.
“Morning, Sugarcube,” Applejack mumbled, slowly opening her eyes.
“Mama, Mama, you know what today is?” Melody excitedly asked bouncing up and down.
“Yeah, Ah know what today is.” Applejack groggy got out of bed.
“The family reunion, I am so excited.” Melody scratched.
Applejack smiled at her daughter’s enthusiasm.
“Ah know y’all are excited about seeing the family!” Applejack said as she walked out of her room with her daughter following her.
Once downstairs, the cowgirl saw Apple Bloom and Granny Smith sitting on the couch laughing as they looked at old photos from past reunions.
“Hey, y’all!” Applejack greeted her sister and grandmother.
The small coffee table in the living room was full of RSVPs from all of the Apples from Appleloosa to Dodge Junction.
“The Apples from Dodge Junction are a-comin’.” Apple Bloom spoke holding up one of the RSVP letters for her sister to see.
“Wow, I can’t wait to see them again!” Applejack approved, walking further into the living room with her daughter following her.
“Morning Melody, it’s Apple Bloom and Granny.” Apple Bloom announced.
Melody ran to her aunt and hugged her.
“Ah’m so excited for today Aunt Apple Bloom!” The filly spoke excitedly, jumping up and down.
“Simmer down, sugar cube, there is going to be enough time for bein’ excited later!” Granny Smith calmed the filly.
“Ah know Granny but Ah can’t wait!” Melody smiled from ear to ear.
Then she turned to her mother and asked: “Mommy where is daddy?”
“Well, he’s still sleepin’ but Ah’m gonna go wake him,” Applejack said as she made her way back upstairs to go and wake her lazy husband.
From upstairs there could be heard a loud crash followed by muffled voices.
“Ah’m gettin’ up.” Stevie’s annoyed voice could be heard from upstairs.
“Come on, the family is waitin for ya downstairs.” Applejack huffed as she walked out of Stevie’s room.
“Ah’m comin.” Stevie grumbled as he came out of his room and walked downstairs.
When he got downstairs, Apple Bloom was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, she took his hoof and walked with him into the living room.
Rainbow and Soren were flying together below Ponyville toward Sweet Apple Acres.
“You know, Rainbow this will be the first time that I met your niece.” Soren remarked to his new wife.
Rainbow looked at him and smiled. “That’s right, you’ve never met her before!”
Arriving at Sweet Apple Acres, the two Pegasi landed on the ground, Rainbow took her husband’s hoof.
Since Rainbow was Applejack’s best friend, she and Soren were invited to the reunion.
Rainbow raised her hoof to knock on the door before she could knock, a young filly ran up to the door with Applejack following her.
“Auntie Rainbow is that you?” The filly asked with a huge smile on her face.
“Wow Melody, you’ve grown so much!” Rainbow remarked.
“Would y’all like to come inside?” Applejack asked.
Rainbow nodded and walked inside with her husband at her side.
Inside, Rainbow saw most of the Apple family sitting around the living room and chatting.
“Hey!” Rainbow waved at the ponies sitting around the living room.
“Well, hey there Rainbow and Soren, how are y’all doin’ after the honeymoon?” Granny Smith hobbling up to the couple.
“We’re doing very well for ourselves, Granny Smith.” Soren said, pulling his wife into a hug.
“Auntie Rainbow, can Ah have a cookie?” Melody asked.
“That is something you’re gonna ask your mother.” Rainbow advised her niece.
“Aww!” Melody replied with a frown.
Every chance she got Melody would ask Rainbow Dash for a cookie when she came to the farm to watch her, when Applejack was busy in the Orchard and Stevie was out of town at concerts and hosting concerts across Equestria.
But since it was the traditional Apple family reunion, the cowgirl didn’t ask Rainbow to watch Melody.
Earlier that day Melody was told that Ray and Moonwalker would swing by sometime during the day. Ray and Moonwalker were Melody’s favorite uncles aside from Spike.
Melody had loved Spike like he was her real uncle, when she was over at her aunt Twilight’s castle to learn braille, Spike would always play with her when she was done with her lesson.
At breakfast that morning she had asked why her auntie Twilight could not come to the reunion, Applejack had told her that her aunt was pretty busy with her royal duties as princess, Melody understood that she was pretty busy, so she didn’t pester Applejack about it any further.
The old wooden floorboards creaked as Granny Smith and Apple Brown Betty come out of the kitchen with trays of food on their backs, Apple Brown Betty was an elderly earth pony with a two-toned green mane.
“Thanks for helpin me with the food.” Granny said when she had sat her plate of apple fritters on the small coffee table.
“Well, Ah’m willin to help family.” Apple Brown Betty laughed as she sat her own plate of apple cinnamon rolls on the coffee table next to the plate of apple fritters, she and Granny then sat down to enjoy some warm, apple cider and some apple fiddles.
Stevie who had been sitting on a plush velvet couch cushion on the floor, reached for one of the plates, and grabbed an apple cinnamon roll as he took a bite, a wide grin spread across his face.
“Looks like Stevie is enjoyin’ yerr apple cinnamon rolls, Granny Smith.” Apple Brown Betty remarked as she looked down at Stevie, who had finished the last bite of his apple cinnamon roll.
Stevie had met Apple Brown Betty and the rest of the Apple family at the last reunion.
The stallion nodded eagerly. “That was delicious.”
“Glad you liked it.” Granny Smith smiled.
Flying over Rainbow took a seat on the couch next to Apple Bloom, the yellow country mare leaned over to admire the amethyst ring on Rainbow’s hoof.
“Wow, Rainbow that’s pretty!” She smiled.
“Thanks Apple Bloom.” The Pegasus thanked before getting up and going to see if Granny Smith needed any help in the kitchen.
Standing on the other side of the room, Applejack couldn’t help but smile at the affection her daughter was receiving from her cousins, two boys, and one girl, the boys looked almost identical, they both had a two toned yellow and white manes, their coats were a lighter shade of yellow, the girl was a light blue earth pony with a white mane.
“Oh my sweet Melody, if you only knew how much joy you bring to the ponies around you!” The orange earth pony thought to herself as her eyes misted over, as she tried not to cry.
If Ma and pa could see you now, they would be so proud.