//------------------------------//
// Homecoming 
// Story: The Poncho Chronicles III: Amsterdam 
// by BRyeMC 
//------------------------------//

	As a beam of sunlight hit Patel the next morning, he jumped out of bed. He looked around and saw that his door was literally missing. The floor was scattered with shards of broken glass and broken mugs that even covered most of the hallway floor. He slowly stepped over them and made his way to the den. He found Sticky and Rivs sleeping on the couches. 
Like the hallway scene, there were broken glass mugs all over the floor in the den, kitchen, and foyer with the main doors. As Patel walked around and looked at the carnage, Cannon slowly walked up from the basement and into the kitchen.
“Man, looks everyone really did get ‘turnt up’,” said Cannon. He began laughing and gave a victory hoof pump.
“I’ll say.” They both wandered around the cottage searching for the others. Other than those two, the others were all still sleeping. Sticky and Rivs were in the den, Tyrone, Junior, and Clyde were in their respective rooms, Yarlin and Clark were sleeping together on a pool table, Fluffy was on the lowest step on small concrete staircase to the cottage, Wahlburn and Spike were beside some bongs on the back patio of the cottage that overlooked the stage, Bastiaan was laying in the middle of the mosh pit site, and Jeb was gone before the party even began.
“Wait just a second,” said Patel. He rubbed his eyes as he wasn’t used to even waking up this early at all. “Where’s our Poncho friend at?”
“I have no idea, we checked all around here.” Cannon sat down on an empty chair beside the sleeping Rivs. “Actually, hold that thought, I got to take a shit.” Cannon quickly, and quietly, ran towards the bathroom. As he opened the door, he busted out laughing. “Oh no fucking way!”
Patel ran over to him. “What?” As he peeked inside the bathroom, he saw Poncho laying on the floor near the toilet. Beside him was that one mare from the restaurant they ate in together only a few days ago, Bloem. Cannon kept laughing and Patel began to clap. 
Poncho jolted awake at the sound of the noise. “What?” he asked as he rubbed his head.
Cannon momentarily stopped laughing to talk to him. “Poncho, my fucking dude! You did it! You actually got a blumpkin!” 
“Huh?” said Poncho as he looked around. Once he saw the toilet he began to panic. Soon, he saw Bloem beside him. After realizing what happened, he placed his hooves on his head and began to shout. “Ahh!”
“Calm the hell down,” said Patel. “You should be thankful for being this lucky.” 
“You know what? I don’t even have to go take a shit anymore! I’ll leave you two alone.” Cannon closed the door and began laughing again. Patel followed him.
The two waited in the kitchen for everyone else to wake up. After waiting close to an hour, Fluffy opened the main doors and walked inside. 
“I don’t even know how I got there,” said Fluffy, pointing to the outside stairs.
“I don’t know a lot of shit that happened last night,” said Patel.
“Yeah, apparently Poncho got a blumpkin last night too.” Cannon sighed.
Fluffy quickly ran over to the kitchen counter and pulled out a stool. He jumped on it and placed his two hooves over his mouth and slammed his elbows on the counter. “Tell me about it!”
Before anyone could speak, Rivs and Sticky sat up and began to talk to the others. Once Poncho’s blumpkin was talked about, they too ran over to learn about it. As Patel was about to speak, Tyrone and Junior walked into the den. This cycle continued until everyone was in the room, except Poncho. Once Poncho walked into the den, the others all faced him and began clapping and applauding. Tyrone even gave a whistle or two.
“How are you doing sunshine?” asked Cannon.
“Fuck off Schultz,” said Poncho with a bitter attitude.
“So lad,” said Yarlin, “I heard you had your first blumpkin last night. Wasn’t it just as good as findin’ some buried treasure?”
Poncho refused to answer and just walked past them all. He began searching for some food, but gave up after a minute of finding nothing. 
“Well Clark, I think it’s that time,” said Yarlin sadly. 
“No! Don’t leave me!” Clark ran up to him and hugged him tightly. “I don’t ever want you to leave me.”
“I told you lad, it’s time for this annual family meeting.”
“Family meeting?” asked Patel. “You mean the Xarlin, Pharlin, and yourself family meeting?”
“Aye.”
“Where is this at?” 
“Oh, just somewhere deep in the western desert of Equestria. It’s some sort of secret base, but Arlin took it over a while back.”
Patel stroked his chin. “Interesting, when is this meeting?”
Yarlin took out a small pocket notepad. “It says the second month of the new year.”
“That’s only a few weeks away, seeing how next week is Hearth’s Warming Eve,” said Patel. “Do you mind if you somehow sneak me into that meeting?”
Yarlin shook his head. “I don’t care matey! Seeing how we are all friends here, I don’t see the harm of you being part of the annual meeting! I don’t know why you would though.”
Patel glanced away. “Oh, it’s nothing. I just want to see how different you all are, that’s all. I guess we should be starting to pack, our plane leaves at six tonight.”
“Alright laddy! Care if Clark and I join your voyage in the air?”
Clark’s face lit up. “You mean it? You want me to go with you?”
Yarlin gave a creepy smile. “Aye.”
“Not at all,” said Cannon. “We have open spots up now because Jeb is gone anyways.”
“Do you think we should wait for him? I mean, he could have just left the cottage due to the party?” Poncho looked around to see if anyone cared about his opinion.
“No, fuck that guy,” said Cannon. “He can stay in this city.”
“Well-” 
The sound of a doorbell rang throughout the cottage. Before anyone could go and open the door, Bastiaan came out of the hallway in a new set of clothes and opened the door. Bastiaan talked to the pony at the door then looked back towards the group. He have a nod and allowed the pony to enter the cottage. Bastiaan departed the den while Tyrone gave a gasp as he saw BC walk inside.
“BC? What is your ass doing here?”
“T! I had to tell you dawg, I lost your son!” BC began to wipe tears from his eyes. “I can’t find that lil’ dude anywhere!”
“Yo dawg-”
“No, I know you want to beat my ass so do it already! I tried dawg, I just couldn’t find him.”
Tyrone walked up to his homie and punched him in the face. “Calm your ass down! Junior is here with me!” Tyrone helped BC up and faced the hallway. “Junior! Get your ass out here!”
In a few seconds, Junior came running out of Tyrone’s room with a game remote. He stood by the hallway entrance and started to stomp. “Dad! I was just about to beat a level!”
“Son! Don’t you dare yell at me!”
Junior frowned. “Sorry dad.”
“It’s aight. Tell BC here, you ain’t dead or missing.”
“BC! I ain’t dead or missing!” Junior looked back at the hallway. “Can I go back now?”
“Yeah, get outta here before I bust your ass for no reason.” Tyrone gave a chuckle. Junior laughed too then quickly dashed back to the bedroom. “See BC, you don’t gots to worry.”
BC wiped his face of nervousness. “That lil’ dude had me scared.”
“How’d you get here anyway?” asked Tyrone. 
“I swam dawg.” Tyrone and the others gasping in shock.
“Swam?” said a surprised Patel. “Do you even know how far that is?”
“I don’t know that shit. Fuck distances and shit. I didn’t have any money so I just had to swim.”
“You swam the whole ocean in about three days?” asked Patel, again in shock and disbelief. 
“Shit nigga damn!” Tyrone walked back up to BC and hit him again. “Why didn’t you just call me dawg?”
“I don’t know man! I was scared of you beating me up or sumthing if I called you or waited till you got home.” BC lifted his hooves to protect his face.
“Nigga, I’m beat you up anyways for being an idiot!” Tyrone lunged at him and began swinging. Since Tyrone was used to beating up others from his childhood and jail service, he managed to make BC surrender and call ‘Mercy’ in under ten seconds. After the beatdown, Tyrone walked away from the scene. BC laid on the ground unconscious.
“Well that was interesting,” said Cannon looking at the fallen BC. “What are we going to do now?”
“I guess it’s time to pack up and wish this city a farewell,” said Wahlburn sadly. “I’m taking some weed with me though so it’s okay.”
For the next two hours, the group all packed their luggage and made a pile at the doors. While waiting for the others to finish packing, the ones who were done watched BC roll on the ground in pain. After Tyrone came back and saw BC rolling in pain, he called him a bitch and hit him again in the stomach.
“T, why do you have to be so mean to him?” asked Poncho. “All he was trying to do was help you out.”
Tyrone laughed and gave Poncho a pat on the shoulder. “It’s a prison thug thing.”
After Fluffy walked out of the hallway with his luggage, which he was the last one to finish packing, the group picked up their bags and walked outside to the nice country air. As they walked down the steps, Bastiaan hollered at them from atop the stairs.
“Fluffy and friends! Thanks for making my party the best one yet!”
“No problem amigo!” yelled Fluffy. “If you are ever in Canterlot again, come find me for a place to stay in exchange of the service you paid us this week.”
“Canterlot?” asked Bastiaan. “You’re no longer in South Beach?”
“Nah man. I had to move on from there. Take my talents elsewhere.” Fluffy looked up at the sun as a cool breeze hit him and smoothly put sunglasses on.
Bastiaan nodded and extended his hoof. “Until next time?” 
Fluffy accepted the hoof shake. “To next time.”
Bastiaan waved last goodbyes as the bus that dropped them off at the cottage for the first time those days ago returned for the trip back to the airport. After all was seated, they waved again as the bus drove farther away from the cottage. When the bus hit the main road, they returned to their normal sitting positions.
“You know, this bus ride reminds me of that bus ride from Seaddle,” said Cannon looking out of the window. “Except Charles’ goons aren’t after us.”
“Yeah except this time we don’t have the dead weight, if you know what I mean....” Patel slowly looked around to see if anyone understood his statement, and stopped and smiled when he saw Clyde look at him. “Don’t be salty.”
“They aren’t ‘dead weight’,” said Clyde. His tone was serious and made Patel laugh.
“Look out, we have a ‘white knight’ guys. Come on dude, why do you defend them so much? I can understand one of them, but all of them?”
“It’s because they aren’t even bad ponies to talk too. Maybe if you got a chance to talk to them, you would realize they aren’t the worst thing in the world.”
“He has a point Patel,” said Poncho, defending Clyde.
“Shut the hell up Poncho,” retorted Patel. “Why the fuck are you even in this conversation?”
“Yeah dude,” said Spike. “Twilight is a major buzzkill. I don’t know why you even want to compliment her.”
“See?” said Patel.
Poncho flailed his arms. “Why can he be in the conversation, but I can’t?”
“Because you’re Poncho and since Jeb isn’t here anymore, you are now the new Jeb.” Poncho frowned and shook his hoof at Patel. Patel laughed and looked away from him.
The bus ride to the airport remained silent. After reaching the airport, checking in, and boarding the plane, did they speak again. Their plane was the same one they had on the way to Amsterdam so Korico was still the pilot. They each kept their default seat from before except Clark and Yarlin took Jeb’s old seat while BC sat in the empty spare seat between Tyrone and Patel. 
Before the plane took off, Poncho wandered to the snack cart near the doorway to the main passenger section. After taking some snacks, as they were included in first class, Poncho walked by Cannon on his way to the bathroom.
“Oh hey Poncho,” said Cannon. “That’s reminds me, what happened to Bloem?”
Poncho dropped his bag of snacks and began zipping up his jacket. “Oh man! She is still in Bastiaan’s bathroom!”
Cannon stared at him silently for a moment then busted out laughing. Everytime he stopped to say something, he looked back up at Poncho’s worried face, and began laughing uncontrollably again. Since he couldn’t handle it no longer, he walked away from him back to his seat.
The plane took off at one in the afternoon back to London. When they safely arrived back at London, they saw that the time they took off and landed was the same. The next flight, which would be a straight shot to Canterlot was to take off at two. Instead of eating at the airport, they decided to quickly get on the next plane and chill out at their seat. A few minutes before the plane took off, the plane intercom crackled alive.
“Attention flyers! This is your favorite pilot, Captain Quantico Baxter, speaking. I am once again joined by my favorite co-pilot ever, Mr. Hill!”
“Now Quantico....”
“No, I insist my friend! Anyways folks, welcome to your journey home. Now, as a forewarn, even though this ride is going to take about eight hours, it’ll only be five when we land down. I know that’s pretty hardcore, but bear with us. It happens.”
“Now passengers, you might experience some jet lag, but again, that’s normal.”
“Enough talk and uh, enjoy your flight!” The loudspeaker shut off and the plane began to move. After a few moments of coasting along the runway, the plane ascended into the sky and began it’s long journey home.
The plane ride back was not as exciting to the group as the plane ride to London. Most of them did the same hobby to past time for the flight. Tyrone was happy that the same flight attendant from the first flight was on this one too. He made the occasion sexual advances to her, but she just laughed and ignored him. His homie BC slept the whole time and Junior played Greg the handheld game. 
Wahlburn and Spike quickly smoked a small amount of bud before she could see them. They remained quiet for most of the remainder of the flight, until they had to smoke another one.
Cannon resumed his beer drinking on the plane by ordering ten this time. After feeling woozy after the fifth one, he decided to take a small ten minute break until the next one. He continued this trend until there were no more and he couldn’t feel his face.
Rivs, Sticky, and Clyde watched some basketball games from the last season to get caught up with the league since they were gone all week. Normally, the league would be playing at this time, but lucky for them, there was a lockout recently so they couldn’t play any games until it ended. The lockout was issued due to unfair salary negotiations.The problem with the lockout, however, was that no one knew when it was going to end. While those three were quietly studying games, Fluffy and Patel were watching some Fútbol games for enjoyment purposes only. 
Clark and Yarlin both occupied themselves with a random task during the flight. Clark was fixing up and cleaning his puppets while Yarlin was looking through a ‘Pirate’s Life’ magazine. After a few hours, Yarlin met up with Clark near the snack cart, where after the meeting, the others didn’t see the rest of the flight home. 
Lastly, Poncho ate his bags of chips he brought for the trip, along with the snacks he just picked up from the cart. He still had a dozen of bags since he forgot about them in Amsterdam. After eating half of his bags, he got up to find even more free food at the snack cart. Once he returned to his seat, he popped open another bag and quietly watched the channel about different types of food.
At precisely five in the afternoon, like Quantico and Hill stated, the plane landed in the Canterlot airport. They disembarked the plane and rushed over to reclaim their luggage. After dealing with the security scans and other pointless standing in lines, they finally made it to the parking lot where the three vehicles they took to get here still stood. 
Clark and Yarlin decided to stay behind to just have a cab take them to Verona, as there weren’t any room for them. BC was able to take Jeb’s missing spot and Junior held onto Tyrone’s back. 
After farewells for only a few hours, the group left the parking lot and traveled the short distance on the highway back to the town of Verona, where they all first met. After reaching Patel’s and Wahlburn’s apartment, they all got out and stood in a circle.
“I guess this is where we go separate ways...again,” said Cannon. “It’s been fun. I needed a trip like that.”
“Same,” said Fluffy. “I think that was a lot more fun than South Beach.”
“I can agree on that one, brother.” Wahlburn took out a small bag of weed and handed Fluffy it. “Here, I have a small bag for everyone.”
“Gracias,” said Fluffy taking the bag.
Wahlburn shot him a death stare.“Keep up that talk and I’ll take yours back.” Wahlburn continued handing out the small bags, but skipped Clyde. “Since I know you don’t want this, I’ll keep yours.”
“That’s fine,” said Clyde. 
“Good!” Wahlburn walked back to his luggage bag and saw another small weed bag. “Oh yeah, I had one for Jeb, but he’s not here. I actually was going to ask him if he wanted it then say ‘fuck you’ and take it for myself, but I guess this saves me energy.” He began to laugh.
“Well guys, I think it’s time for us to jet,” said Rivs. “Sticky and I are going to wake up early tomorrow from some shootaround.”
“You coming tomorrow Clyde?” asked Sticky. He didn't know why he asked because he already knew the answer.
“Probably not. I’m going to have to recover from this jet lag first, because I’m tired ‘AF’.” Clyde looked at Cannon who smiled and pointed at him for using his term.
“Alrighty.” Rivs and Sticky waved farewell and departed down the trail towards their apartment.
“Yo BC,” said Tyrone, “do you mind if I stay witchu tonight? Junior and I ain’t got nowhere to go tonight. Plus, I need to lift hardcore since I didn’t all trip.”
“Shit dude, I got you.” BC walked over and picked up Tyrone’s bags, just to help him out. “Shit nigga, how much shit you got in here?”
“It’s my fifty pound weighs dawg.” Tyrone walked over and pushed BC so he would drop the bag. The bag slammed to the ground and made a small crater. Tyrone effortlessly picked up the bag with his teeth and threw it on his back. “BC, you are a weak ass pussy.”
“Shit nigga, don’t hate.” 
Tyrone walked up to the others and gave each one a hoof grasp and pat on the back. “It was fun to hang out with you all again. Make sure you tell me when our next meeting is gonna be.”
“Shit man, of course,” said Cannon. 
“Aight mayne, cool. Junior! Let’s bounce.” Junior happily trotted beside him, as BC and Tyrone walked down the trail towards the small ghetto of Verona. Verona really didn’t have a ‘bad section’, as it was more of just a ghetto street. As the group watched them fade in the distance, Patel looked down at his doorstep.
“Look at this,” said Patel looking through the newspaper. The main story was of a certain Prince returning to his homeland across the sea. The center of the page had a small picture of said Prince in the middle of a cheering crowd. “‘Prince Apollo returns to Germaney!’ He looks familiar, but I can’t put my hoof on it.”
“That looks a lot like Jeb,” said Wahlburn after studying it closer.
“That’s because that is Jeb,” replied Cannon, who gave a chuckle. 
“You knew he was disguised the whole time?” asked Patel. 
“It’s a long story, but yeah, I knew.”
“Why didn’t you tell us you fuck!” yelled Wahlburn, “we could have blackmailed him or something!”
“I dunno.” Cannon looked at the sky to see that the sun was about to touch the horizon. “I think it’s that time.”
“Yeah,” said Fluffy. “I had a blast. I’ll be in Canterlot if you want to meet up again.”
“I think it’s time for Poncho to hit the dusty trial...,” said Poncho with his sketchy voice tone.
“Alright brothers,” said Wahlburn. “Take care.”
Cannon, Fluffy, and Poncho waved goodbye and split up at different paths towards different locations, one being Canterlot, one being Poncho’s home, and the other towards the main apartment building where Clyde, Rivs, and Sticky lived. 
“You leaving too?” asked Patel to Clyde.
“Yeah, let me get my bags.” Clyde walked over and took out his headphones. He zipped up his bag and put the bag around his back. 
“Hey Clyde,” said Spike. “Tell Twilight I’m not dead and I’m staying with Wahlburn and Patel for a bit longer.”
“Me? Why do I have to tell her?” 
“Because I know you’re heading to Ponyville right now.”
Clyde smiled and put on his headphones. “Alright fine. See you guys later.” He began to walk away. As he walked he stopped and lifted up his left hoof in the air. After two seconds, he placed it back down and began his walk again.
“So, looks like it’s us again,” said Wahlburn. 
“More weed?” asked Spike.
“You fucking know it!” Spike and Wahlburn exchanged a high five and quickly gathered their bags. Spike ran inside while Wahlburn followed him. However, at the door, Wahlburn looked back at Patel who was staring at the newspaper. “You coming?”
Patel looked at him, “Yeah, give me a few to get my bags.” Wahlburn shrugged and closed the door to dash up the stairs to his apartment. Patel dropped the newspaper to the ground and walked over to his bags. He made sure everything was in place and wrapped it around his back. As he was walking towards the main door to the apartment building, he glanced back at the newspaper in the grass. He walked back over to it and looked down at the picture of Jeb, or now Prince Apollo.
“So Jeb, you are in charge of Germaney now?” Patel smiled and stepped on the newspaper. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”


TBC