Big Macintosh's March

The next morning, Twilight, Sunset, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow, Big Mama, Dinky, and Boomer were still fast asleep, when the ground started to shake rhythmically. It was a bunch of pony-humans from Sweet Apple Acres led by a red-haired boy named Big Macintosh, Applejack's brother.

Pony-Humans: Hup, two, three, four

Keep it up, two, three, four

Hup, two, three, four

Keep it up, two, three, four

Hup, two, three, four

Twilight and her friends awoke and gasped, as she said in awe, "A parade!"

"I love parades!" Pinkie said, jumping up and down in excitement.

Big Mama, Dinky, and Boomer woke, but Big Mama groaned and said, "Oh no! The dawn patrol again."

Sunset and the others exited the treehouse and ran outside to get a closer look.

"Company...sound off!" Big Macintosh said.

Pony-Humans: Oh, the aim of our patrol

Is a question rather droll

For to march and drill

Over field and hill

Big Macintosh: Is a military goal!

Pony-Humans: Is a military goal!

With a hup, two, three, four

Dress it up, two, three, four

By the ranks or single file

Over every jungle mile

The Humane Seven got close and watched, as the pony-humans marched past, before a 10-year-old girl with wavy auburn hair and light blue eyes, wearing a light purple dress, purple shoes, an amulet around her neck, who came up to their knees. Her name was Sofia the First, or Sofia for short.

Oh, we stamp and crush

Through the underbrush

Sofia: In a military style!

Pony-Humans: In a military style!

Applejack and her friends ran up to Sofia beside her and said, "Hello. What are you doing?"

"Psst. Drilling." Sofia said.

"Can we do it too?" Fluttershy asked, in a whisper.

"Sure," Sofia said. "Just do what I do. But don't talk in ranks. It's against regulations."

The seven girls got behind her and walked like princesses, before Big Macintosh said, "To the rear...march!"

The girls and Sofia collided with each other, and Sofia said, "The other way. Turn around."

The Humane Seven just did that.

Big Macintosh: Hup, two, three, four

Keep it up, two, three, four

"To the rear...ho!" Big Macintosh called. Sofia turned around, but Rarity and the others continued in the opposite direction, until they gasped and quickly hurried back the other way, as Big Macintosh, "Company...halt!"

The girls bumped into Sofia and fell over.

"That means 'stop.'" Sofia said.

"Company...left face!" Big Macintosh said, and all the pony-humans turned to the left to him.

"Dress up in line!" the red-skinned boy ordered, as he walked to the back of the line. The pony-humans stood up straight, except for Cheerilee, Big Macintosh's girlfriend. "Pull it in, Cheerilee." Big Macintosh said, as Cheerilee quickly stood up straight. He walked back to the front, before he called out, "Inspection...arms!"

All the pony-humans closed their eyes, except for the seven pony girls.

"Stick your noses out," Sofia said to them.

They lifted their heads and Rarity whispered to Sofia, "Like this?"

"That's right." Sofia said.

Big Macintosh began his inspection. He looked at Half Baked Apple's outfit and noticed the vest was dusty and dirty.

"Tsk-tsk-tsk," Big Macintosh said. "Dusty vest. Half Baked Apple, remember in battle that apple cider can save your life. Take good care of it, my good man."

"Yes, Big Mac, sir," Half Baked Apple said.

Big Mac went on to Apple Cinnamon, who was eating a caramel apple, and Big Mac cleared his throat, before he said, "Hmm. Let's have a little more spit and polish on those apples in the orchard."

"Yes, Big Mac, sir," Apple Cinnamon said.

"Espirit de Corps!" Big Mac said. "That's the way I've earned my commission in the Maharaja's apple orchard back in '88, or was it?"

Cheerilee groaned and said to Half Baked Apple, "Here it comes, the Victoria Cross bit again."

Sure enough, Big Mac said, "It was then I received the Victoria Cross for bravery above and beyond the duty. Those were the days! Discipline. Discipline was the thing." He leaned on his bamboo pole, as he added, "Builds character and all that sort of thing." The bamboo pole broke, interrupting Big Mac. "Oh...where was I? Oh yes. Inspection." He checked Aunt Orange and Uncle Orange and said, "Well, very good." The next pony-human he came too was Apple Dumpling, who had a big smile on her face, until Big Mac said, "Wipe off that silly grin, Apple Dumpling. This is the army." Apple Dumpling's face fell.

The next pony-human Big Macintosh came to was Apple Pie, who had a fly buzzing around her head. It landed on her nose and Big Mac crushed it with his baton, saying, "Eyes forward!" Apple Pie's eyes immediately went forward. Granny Smith had her teeth in the glass of water. "Tsk-tsk-tsk," Big Mac said. "Granny, your teeth in water is not regulation. Rather on the gaudy side, don't you think?" He put her dentures inside Granny Smith's mouth and said, "There, that's more like it." Then he went on, "And as for you-" only to find one was there, before he looked and saw Sofia, and then said, "Oh, there you are. Heh-heh-heh. Let's keep those heels together, shall we, Sofia?"

"Okay, Big Mac," Sofia said, putting her heels together, "sir."

"That's more like it," Big Mac said, before he noticed Twilight and the others. "Well, new recruits, hmm?" He laughed and said, "I say, y'all look more welcome in Sweet Apple Acres."

Big Mac smiled and said, "Well done, y'all. You passed inspection and now, y'all become new members of the Sweet Apple Acres for the rest of your lives." Pinkie and the others' smiles faded. "For-For the rest of our lives?" Pinkie asked.

"Hold it, Colonel Big Macintosh!" Big Mama cried, as she, Dinky, and Boomer hurried to their rescue.

"They're with us!" Boomer said.

"We're taking them back to Canterlot High!" Dinky added.

"To stay?" Big Macintosh asked.

"You have the word of Big Mama!" Big Mama said with pride. "So long, Colonel." Big Mama said, as she and the others went back to the treehouse to grab their things. Sofia smiled and waved goodbye.

Later on, the pony-girls and birds ran off to the jungle. "Now, no more running off, darlings," Big Mama said. "From now on, follow us to Canterlot High, or we'll leave you out here, all alone."

"Then, leave!" Rainbow snapped, angrily.

"We're not going!" Sunset agreed, as she and her friends stormed off into the jungle. Big Mama, Dinky, and Boomer gasped in concern as the girls wandered from aimlessly through.

"Oh my, we don't want to hurt Big Mama's feelings," Fluttershy said in concern. "We feel sorry for them."

"That's okay, Flutters. We're just having fun." Rainbow said.

"I agree with you, guys," Sunset said, as she and the others sat down against a rock and rest, "but from now, we must wait for someone who can take care of us."

"I know, guys, I know." Twilight said, grabbing a banana from her backpack, peeling it off of its skin and ate it.