Majestic Intent (River, Eagle)

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom had recently made a commitment through action to the future of this orchard in a way she had never thought possible. Ut left her hurt, true, but she nonetheless felt more belonging and ownership of Sweet Apple Acres than she had ever felt before. When you laid it all on the line for something and came through, it became a part of who you were. After that, she wasn't a little Apple filly who lives on the farm, she was a little Apple filly that was part of the farm. The differences was small to some but it was huge to her and any insult to the farm was like an arrow lodged in her little heart. Princess Luna was an emotional archer of renown skill apparently as her words back at the kissing booth struck her well and struck her shockingly deep. This was one filly, however, who wasn't going to let that bring her down.

So she had agreed to show the Princess around Sweet Apple Acres under the illusion that anypony who was shown it in depth would be struck by it's sheer majesty, wonder, and charm that consumed lesser ponies in a matter of minutes. Even the Princess of the Night wouldn't be able to resist for long. Sure, her domain was the night sky which with it's size and beauty was soul-blessing to behold on some nights, but there weren't many apple tree constellations up there which meant that there were significant holes to be filled. She was sure that after tonight, Luna would have trouble not arranging ALL the stars into endless apple tree constellations! For the first time in such a situation, she wasn't at all worried about getting her cutie mark(despite the distinct possibility that a tour guide cutie mark was in her immediate future.)

She took a deep breath.

"Smell that, Princess? That's fresh country air! And naw y'all get some nice, honest air an' some nice, honest apples to go along with't! Where'd ya wanna walk ta first?" She offered, staring up at the Princess with wide, excited eyes. Princesses were quite big, but Luna was a small Princess, a pocket sized Princess compared to her absolutely massive big sis. Still bigger than your average mare or stallion, but she was almost cuddle plushy worthy!

[MyLittlePonyTales]

[colour=#000080]Princess Luna followed a gleeful Apple Bloom, the yellow filly skipping along as if she was a Pegasus walking on air. She resisted the urge to run straight to the orchard and begin gobbling apples, instead dutiful trailing after her tour guide. After all, it would be rude to abandon the little Apple pony. Surely they'd have a tour of the orchards at some leg of the journey. Luna would just have to be patient. Patient, polite, courteous—and all the expected and practiced traits of a princess.

At Apple Bloom's suggestion, she took a long sniff of the country air. This succeeded in not only filling her nostrils with clean and clear air, but also the tantalizing scent of the ever present apples. Her mouth started to water, and she swallowed before replying. “Well, Apple Bloom, you are the guide, and this is your family's farm. I'm sure you know a lot better than I do what sites there are to see. She smiled down at the little filly.[/colour]

[SteelEagle]

She wasn't really sure about the protocol of leading a princess around on a tour of an orchard, which only made her just that much more excited about the prospects. Soon, she'd have the greatest story ever to tell her friends and family and from this day on, cutie mark or not, she'd be unique in the annals of Apple Family lore. Sure, quite a few had managed to meet with the Princesses, but had any of them down the orchard the honor it deserved and allowed the royals to better both themselves and the orchard by giving them such a tour. The slight hope that she might get a cutie mark was for the first time in a long time only a background desire. Today, it was all about trying to make the orchard the star and the Princess proud of her subjects, something that Apple Bloom was sure for a fact she would be in just a matter of moments.

[colour=#ff0000]"Uhh, of course Princess Luna!" [/colour]Apple Bloom said excitedly before bouncing ahead of the regal Alicorn, eyes scanning the section for something interesting. Gee whiz, where to begin!? There were apple trees and baking supplies and cider making equipment and animals and outhouses and storage silos and apple trees and family historical markers and buckets and hoes and plows and beds! It was an endless sea of treasure and Apple Bloom could tell exactly what the Princess of the Night desired more than anything else.

[colour=#ff0000]"Well, Ah have the best idea ever, somethin' I know you'll like Yer Highness!"[/colour] Apple Bloom tossed with decisiveness as she picked up the pace, nearly galloping as she pierced the outer layer of the vast orchard and entered the lovely, lovely innards. They passed apple trees on either side, almost sagging (with delight, of course) under the weight of the juicy, pristine apples. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Braeburns and Cortlands, Fiji and Granny Smith and Macintosh and Honeycrisps and even smaller and less popular types, the vast number of them sitting and waiting for the family to get to them. Apple Bloom ignored all the delicious fruit- surely Princess Luna had an appetite fit for royalty and patience even greater.

They eventually came to the tree Apple Bloom had decided would be the starting point of their tour. Leavi the Tree, the oldest and most productive of all the trees.

[colour=#ff0000]"This here's Leavi! He's tha oldest tree in all the orchard, planted by mah own Granny and other ancient Apples when thay first settled here! Say hi to Leavi, Yer Majesty!"[/colour] Apple Bloom proceeded to pat Leavi on the trunk, which hung depressingly hollow. Very recently, a giant swarm of caterpillars had seen fit to try to reduce the family to ashes and Leavi had felt the ravages. Luckily he had been cleared before anything really bad had happened, unlike Tiny the Tree who even now stood it's ground as little more than a desiccated corpse.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Luna followed the eager little pony, her long legs easily keeping stride with the energetic Earth pony. Of course, were she to fly, it would take mere seconds to make her way around the entire farm. But this way was much more casual, allowing the princess to better enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of Sweet Apple Acres. Plus, Apple Bloom was clearly enjoying herself, and Luna did have a soft spot for foals.

She looked around, observing what she could of the large farm. Considering that Ponyville wasn't that old, the apple farm had certainly become a staple of the town. No doubt many of residents had had a hoof in building it up to its current glory. Still, it was quite impressive what ponies could achieve in their lifetimes, always moving forward to bigger and better things. It was no wonder the world had changed so much in her absence, ponies, and even creatures from other lands, seemed intent on progress.

Apple Bloom turned and headed straight for the orchard. If the scent of apples had been strong before, well, it was quite unbearable when she was walking right next to the trees. Luna stared longingly at each one they passed, her mouth filling with saliva. The smell of apples was the strongest here, obviously, so much so that Luna swore she could taste them in the air. Of course, that just succeeded in making the temptation almost unbearable. Where were they even going that they had to take this exact route? She inwardly groaned, aware of how close she was to her goal, but knowing it would be rude to ask to stop and eat.

The princess swallowed before speaking. She made sure to keep a smile on her face, despite how antsy she was to get her hooves on some fresh apples. [colour=#000080]”Hello there Leavi. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”[/colour] she ducked her head courteously to the tree before her. Of course it was a silly action, greeting a tree. But from the way Apple Bloom spoke of him—it, rather—it was almost like the tree was one of the family. Well, Earth ponies did have an affinity for growing things, and if naming trees was part of that, so be it. Judging from the abundant crop all around them, it wasn't doing any harm. But it did make her curious...

[colour=#000080]“So, Apple Bloom, do ALL the trees have names?”[/colour] There were likely several hundred trees spanning across Sweet Apple Acres, and a unique name for each would be quite a feat. Well, if the little yellow filly began getting too out of hoof with questions, Luna figured that she could just suggest going to view something else on the farm. Surely there were barns and animals and numerous other locations to see. But for the moment, she was surrounded by apples she couldn't have.

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom was pretty happy and surprised that the Princess hadn't just taken to flight like most winged creatures did immediately. She wouldn't have blamed the Princess for doing so, mostly on account of her being royalty and her experiences with those types telling her that they seemed to breathe, rest, and walk upon sanctified ground. Also, Apple Bloom was pretty fast and she didn't doubt for a moment that she could outrun anypony so it was pretty brave of the Princess to test her speed against the filly's. Alas, she had proven up to the task and Apple Bloom found herself wanting longer legs just like the Princess. Then she could probably be as good at bucking apples as Applejack even without all that strength and could outrun anypony in town! But she'd need to be royalty, probably, and she wasn't sure that having a long horn popping out of her skull or two ungainly wings flipping out at her sides was a good look and to be honest the whole ensemble looked really uncomfortable. Plus her mane would be all long and magical and she had enough problems with her normal mane, that's why she needed the pretty bows! She'd probably need magical bows, too. Too much! Good job Princess for dealing with all that hassle and keeping up with an Earth pony!

She was also happy that Luna took time to talk to the trees, because she had a heck of a time getting anypony else to do it. A lot of them thought it was silly but the truth was that it was one of the most important facets of Apple life. You had to let each and every one of them know they were part of the family as much as the pigs and the chickens and the dogs and- yes, even the ponies. They were all working together for the good of the family and as long as the family was happy the orchard would reap the benefits. Ponies didn't get it all that often but Luna went into it with aplomb, and Apple Bloom was happy to see that the Apple family wasn't completely crazy or if they were, they had a Princess just as crazy! Well, that could be a bad thing, what with the Nightmare moon thing and all. Still though!

[colour=#ff0000]"Oh yeah, Princess, we name all tha trees! You gotta let'm know that they're loved and such, so you talk ta them, make sure you prune'm real good, stop bugs from doing a number o'them-" [/colour]She shook her head, [colour=#FF0000]"though justa few weeks ago, a whole swarm o' caterpillars came by and managed to take out a few trees, like...Tineh, and Coltland. I hurt mah right leg real bad, tha shin still hurts something fierce at night when it gets real cold. Leavi here took some damage, but he pulled through! Didn'tcha, Leavi?" [/colour]She patted the trunk of the battered tree before trotting deeper into the orchard.

[colour=#ff0000]"Tha tree gets a name when it first comes pokin' outta tha ground. Ya'd be a little shocked ta see how many trees don't end up producin' good apples, so we try ta plant two trees for every one we think we need. 'Course, Ponyville's good for farmin' so we end up two healthy trees!"[/colour] She giggled, starting to trot faster, [colour=#FF0000]"Heck, this orchard's gettin' so big that we have to set up camp sites and storage silos all around just ta make sure we don't miss nothin'!" [/colour]She kept on trotting for a few minutes, barking out the names of trees as she passed and hoping(even expecting) the Princess to talk to them. Finally, they reached one of the tinest apple producing trees, Marebeline.

[colour=#ff0000]"This here's Marebeline! She's a youngin', not much older than Ah am. How ya doin', Marebeline?" [/colour]She asked before turning around and giving it two firm bucks, sending a small clutch of apples falling on the ground. Apple Bloom dutifully put the apples in a nearby basket and hurled it on top of her back.

[colour=#ff0000]"It's also one of the only trees that I can get a lot of apples down off of, but pretty soon Ah'll have big enough legs ta start bucking bigger trees. When Ah'm Applejack's age, Ah'm gonna be buckin' this whole orchard, Ah bet!"[/colour] She started trotting deeper into the orchard, the small Cortland apples in the basket bouncing around.

[colour=#ff0000]"Now we go ta a silo, 'cause we have little workshops set up thar ta test tha apples so we know they ain't poisoned or full of worms. That doesn't really happen, but we still try ta have qwo- quailaity contro- quo- we try ta make sure the apples taste good," [/colour]She finished in a near whisper, her words failing her. Why in the name of Celestia did her tongue have to feel so heavy when she was nervous?

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Princess Luna looked out at the vast orchard as Apple Bloom confirmed that every tree did indeed have an alias. There seemed to be enough work on the farm to do without there being enough time to give a name to every single fruit-producing flora. Still, she wasn't going to judge their methods. She may have done a bit of farming in her time, but it certainly wasn't her career or talent. She had no business criticizing a custom that looked to be affective.

[colour=#000080]”Well, I'm glad to see that the overall crop and health of the trees does not seem to be affected.”[/colour] Luna noted the still abundant crop all around them. [colour=#000080]”So how did you and your family manage to overcome such a plague? I'm sure it would be disastrous if the pests had come in larger numbers.”[/colour] Luna considered how terrible it would be for the Apple family to lose their farm... and the major loss of apples may have also held a prominent place in her mind as well.

As they walked past each luscious apple tree, the princess did her best to nod or acknowledge or make some gesture or comment to each tree that little Apple Bloom pointed out. But the sight and smell of the apples all around her was nearly maddening. The scent filled her nostrils, enough that she could just taste the delicious fruit on her tongue, teasing her taste buds and driving her crazy. She could see apples all around her, all sorts of types and flavours, all ripe and ready to eat. If only her tour guide would stop yapping about apples, and actually let her taste some.

Finally, she thought, when the Apple filly kicked the much smaller tree, sending a few apples tumbling to the ground. Luna resisted the urge to leap forward and simply start gobbling them up. But that certainly wouldn't be ladylike, nor becoming of a princess. Good things came to those that waited, and apples were most certainly good things.

Instead, Apple Bloom merely placed the apples into a seemingly waiting basket, trotting off with them on her back. The princess stood in shock for a few moments, as the precious apples started walking away, instead of being placed in her mouth. She whimpered, just a little, still desperately craving the crunchy sweetness of apples fresh from a tree. But, she continued to follow the filly dutifully, using her rapidly deteriorating willpower to not walk up to the next tree she saw and begin relieving it of its harvest.

[colour=#000080]”Well, they all look very fine and delicious to me.”[/colour] Luna glanced about at the seemingly health trees. [colour=#000080]”And you seem to know a lot about apples, so I'm sure you're an excellent judge of fine, quality produce. But should I—I mean we—ourselves not check to make sure they taste good. I'm sure that could point out a most excellent tree for taste testing. Right, Apple Bloom?”[/colour] Well, she hadn't outright asked or demanded anything, but she had set the bait for the little filly. Hopefully she would get the hint, and before long Luna would find herself in possession of some of the Apple family's best apples.

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom wasn't prone to bragging or overstating her own case, but she did toot her horn when she it was appropriate. The fight to save the farm had been hard and had not come without sacrifice, but she earned her place in both mind and soul that night and she was rightfully proud. And to have a Princess interested in it only validated for brief moment her own swelling Apple-family pride. She held her head high as she led Luna into the silo, the manufactured cold air circulating with a low hum, keeping the silo cold for the benefit of the dozens of bushels that were neatly lined up inside. On the edges of the the silo were tables and small holes that were covered. Apple Bloom made sure to drop the bushel on top of the table, taking a deep breath as she did.

[colour=#ff0000]"Well, it was just Applejack an' I. We were playin' a board game after a long day an' we found these cute lil' caterpillars all ov'r the kitchen. We took a gander outside and the whole dang orchard was swarmin' with the varmints. We tried ta just kick'em away from the trees and scare 'em away from all tha apples, but for every tree we saved..."[/colour] Apple Bloom sighed and shook her head, the sights and sounds of that night still fresh in her mind[colour=#ff0000], "Ah ain't never seen anythin' like it. We lost over a thousand apples in just a few hours and almost a dozen trees had ta be torn down. Another dozen or so we might end up havin' ta tear down if they don't recover well enough. Heck, there were so many of those critters that they managed to simply overwhelm us an' tie us ta one of'r trees, sneaky lil' varmints. We were able ta break out, but it took our dog and all'r chickens just ta stem tha tide. But we had ta do something ta take of 'em all, so Applejack dug a trench in front of the swarm that were being herded an' Ah had ta work the pump. I took a bad hop and ended up breaking mah foreleg though, so when I jumped up to pull the pump down, Ah passed out from tha pain,"[/colour] She finished for a moment, examining her leg out of habit[colour=#ff0000], "but Ah did it! And they were washed away. Ah's laid up a few weeks after that, but at least we didn't have ta become circus clowns or somesuch,"[/colour] She ended as she removed the apples slowly from her bushel.

[colour=#ff0000]"Alright, so first we inspect 'em. This here's the largest apple of tha bushel, so hopefully it'll be nice enough for a Princess!" [/colour]Apple bloom went to work, rolling the apple on the table to check every side for a dent, rough patch, or even a little hidey hole for a worm or even rotted parts. Nope, it passed.

[colour=#ff0000]"Alright! Then we wash'em-"[/colour] She did so, quickly spraying it down and washing it off, [colour=#ff0000]"-and thar's an apple fit for a Princess!" [/colour]She tossed it at Luna, overjoyed to be the one to serve her the first truly great apple she'd ever have.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

The princess listened intently to little Apple Bloom's story, both to distract herself from her want of apples, and because she was actually interested in the tale. Of course, every once in awhile farmers would have their hardships, and though it would have been easy for either Luna or Celestia to come to their aid, the strain on keeping tabs on each and every farm establishment would be too great. Not to mention, it would be directly interfering with the societal breakdown of that particular city. If a place was going to go out of business, for whatever reason, it wouldn't be right for the princesses to intervene. Some places had to close to make way for new entrepreneurs, and helping everypony save their livelihood just wouldn't be fair.

But luckily, the Apple family were a sturdy and steadfast bunch, and they'd made it through alright this time. [colour=#000080]”I'm certainly very glad to hear that everything turned out alright for you and your family. Of course, I'm sure that losing all those trees was a devastating loss.”[/colour] Even if Luna didn't quite understand Apple Bloom's seeming obsession with the naming of trees, or how the filly seemed to think that trees might have had feelings, she was willing to humor her. After all, she herself wasn't an authority on Sweet Apple Acres or its produce, so maybe all of those seemingly silly and extra little things really did help. In any case, she definitely did not want to offend or hurt the young one, so Luna wasn't going to knock the methods of the Apples. [colour=#000080]”It sounds like you were a very brave filly though.”[/colour] The princess smiled down at the yellow pony, lifting a hoof to ruffle her mane playfully. [colour=#000080]”And it looks like you healed up just fine, too.”[/colour] Luna's eyes roved over the other pony's leg. Though Apple Bloom had said the 'attack' on their land was recent, she looked to have recovered just fine by now.

What really caught her attention, though, was Apple Bloom's next statement. She stared down at the large fruit as the Earth pony moved it about, hoping it would pass whatever 'test' the Apple filly deemed so important in the inspection of produce. She was close enough that a bit of the water splashed up onto her, but here in this privatized setting, without anything to prove to anypony, Luna simply giggled.

And then Apple Bloom was tossing the ripe red succulent crop in her direction. Luna grasped the fruit with her magic, twirling it around to give her own examination, and pick the perfect spot for her first bite. She edged it toward her mouth slowly, her teeth sliding easily into the juicy apple. Some of the excess even dripped down her chin, but in the ecstasy of this moment, Luna didn't even notice. She chewed, swallowed, and licked her lips, sighing contentedly.

[colour=#000080]”It passes!”[/colour] she winked at Apple Bloom, before taking to devouring the piece of fruit that was still before her. She didn't even care to be dainty or proper, or even very polite. This, this was what she had been after all day, and she had finally been successful in acquiring one of the finest apples on the Apple farm. [colour=#000080]”Thank you, Apple Bloom.[/colour] Luna said, with her mouth still full. Ordinarily, she would have been much more concerned with her public appearance, but with just the two of them, the princess had seemed to forget her manners a little.

[SteelEagle]

One of the things that every little filly or colt dreams of is meeting the Princesses. They were rightfully near mythical figures to so many and that myth hardly died with age. Apple Bloom was blessed to have met them in varying capacities and ways and knew Twilight Sparkle before she became a Princess, so that was one Princess related dream done. Fewer ponies still would have ever dreamed it possible to have been a flower filly at wedding hosted by them, or to have been complimented so well by them. Sweet Celestia, who knew that some dumb little farm filly would lead such an exciting life. Who knew, maybe making Royalty happy was her special talent! She didn't hear any special music striking though and even then she wasn't going to act too unusual around royalty. She had manners, after all. Even if it was hard to maintain that with her excitement.

Drats, she couldn't contain it.

[colour=#ff0000]"Aww, that mea's a lot, Princess Luna! It was really scary for a while but it's all thanks to mah big sis Applejack, if ya ask me. She's a real super sister, sorta like yer sister,"[/colour] She waved her hoof excitedly to make Luna's healing point for her, [colour=#ff0000]"and yer right, it did heal up pretty nice. Well, mostly. It gets a bit stingy when tha storm's a'comin', but Applejack said that'll go away with time. Ah wish it wouldn't, though. Sorta makes me feel like a Pegasus, being able to figure out what's goin' on with tha weather and such. Or like a superhero! Do you like any superheroes, Yer Highness?"[/colour] Apple Bloom asked as she watched her Princess of the Night eat the apple and declare it a success.

Another reason for excitement.

[colour=#ff0000]"Yeehaw! Ah'm really happy ya liked it, Yer Highness. And that thar is our least fruity and delicious apple of them all! It's a right wonderland of deliciousness, our little ol' orchard. By tha time ya leave, Ah'm gonna make sure ya have a whole bush'l of our very best apples so when yer havin' yer super fancy night parties ya can hand out our apples and everypony will say, "gee whiz, these are some amazing apples!"" [/colour]The filly finished with a broad smile that spread from ear to ear. Not a moment later, she bounced on out and into the fresh air.

[colour=#ff0000]"Alright Yer Highness, where'd ya wanna go next!?"[/colour]

[MyLittlePonyTales]

The princess barely heard Apple Bloom's words as she continued to practically inhale the delectable fruit. Finally, a fresh, top grade apple. Not like the imported crops of Canterlot, all bruised from the bumpy road the deliverer had traveled upon, and surely a day or two old. And though that sort of fruit was fine for baking, it was certainly unfit for a princess to consume right out—at least if you asked Luna. Which was why, of course, she'd taken the time today to travel down to Sweet Apple Acres, where there were more apples than ponies in Ponyville. And why now, when there was nopony watching except little Apple Bloom, she was acting quite un-princess-like in her eating of her first fresh Sweet Apple Acres apple of the day.

Apple Bloom's question momentarily caught Luna's attention, and for the moment she was quite content to dawdle here and socialize. Although the term that the little filly used was unfamiliar to her. Perhaps it was just some children's term, something to do with a game foals played, or to do with some new popular reading material. Of course, she knew what a hero was—after all, quite a few times she and Celestia had both been praised as heroes of Equestria. However, it was the addition of that other word... ”super”, she'd said, that the princess was unsure of its meaning.

[colour=#000080]”Your extra power sounds quite useful.”[/colour] she smiled. [colour=#000080]”But, I am afraid I cannot answer your question.”[/colour] Luna shuffled her front hooves awkwardly. She was always a little embarrassed whenever she didn't understand something modern, even though everypony was probably very forgiving considering the circumstances. [colour=#000080]”I'm afraid I am unsure as to what you mean by 'superhero.'”[/colour]

As she finished her apple, Luna made sure to lick her lips clean, taking in every last bit of the amazing produce. She wiped a hoof under her chin, where a bit of the juice had dripped down. After all, once they left the barn, she had to be presentable. Now, if only there were some place she could wash up...

And there went Apple Bloom, rambling on excitedly about apples. Apples, apples, apples, always apples with the yellow Earth pony. The princess had to smile at her antics. [colour=#000080]”I am sure the nobility in Canterlot would highly enjoy them, as I did.”[/colour] But Luna purposely made no promise to share the forthcoming bushel. Truthfully, she might just keep the fresh bushel for herself, even if it did seem a little selfish. They were just so good.

[colour=#000080]”Perhaps some place where I might freshen up a bit? The apple you gave me, while most excellent, did leave me a little sticky. Although perhaps I might have another first?”[/colour] The taste of the previous apple still hung in her mouth, and she really wouldn't have minded 'taste-testing' another at the moment.

[SteelEagle]

It only made sense that Princess Luna wouldn't know a thing about superheroes. First, she was a Princess and Apple Bloom doubted they read comic books, even the nerdy ones like Twilight who probably wrote fanfiction in their spare time(of which they'd have plenty, being immortal and all). No doubt they had better and more boring things to read, like official documents up the wazoo and boring speeches for various functions. Probably a lot of etiquette and protocol, which to Apple Bloom were four letter words. Secondly, she was old, and old ponies didn't read comics, they read the paper and instructions on how to cook properly and not burn down half a building with every attempt. Big ponies didn't read little pony stuff, and superhero comics seemed to be little pony stuff. And she was not a little pony- she was a big pony.

[colour=#ff0000]"Uhh, well, when I was a lil' pony- not like now, Ah'm a big pony now- Ah used ta read these things called comic books, and they were about ponies with superpowers and such that went around fightin' evil an' such. But like Ah said, that's little pony stuff, Ah'm a big pony now, so Ah don't know a thing 'bout Captain Equestria,"[/colour] She finished resolutely, following Her Majesty as she tore the apple apart. It didn't seem like very royal thing to do, but the Princess of the Night would eat her apples anyway she pleased and Celestia help anypony who told her otherwise. Besides, getting messy was part of eating that juicy apple- the juice dribbling off of your snout and dropping to the ground just out of reach of your craving lips.

But she did need to freshen up. After all, as appealing as apples were, royal ponies had to impress a lot of foreigners who weren't lucky enough to have large apple orchards. They didn't even have apples, and reminding them of their plight was very rude. Granny Smith once told her of a wide-ranging war against all other nations that started because of apples, and that afterwards some parts of the orchard were haunted. Applejack had gotten a bit upset at Granny Smith for scaring the filly with 'rubbish', but Apple Bloom couldn't shake the belief that apples were a vital part of world society, economics, and politics. So yes, there were plenty of places for her to wash up!

[colour=#ff0000]"Ah can knock out two Griffons with one rock right thar, Yer Majesty. Tha storage silo closer ta the barn has a washing station, for both tha apples and for ponies!"[/colour] She took them in a new direction, moving closer to the family's barn. It wasn't far- in four shakes of a griffon claw, they were there. The silo was just like the one before, but with a small stall and extra sink. Apple Bloom quickly galloped and picked up a nice juicy Braeburn, washed it, and hoofed it over to the Princess. Then she turned on the wash-up stall water and grabbed a hose.

[colour=#ff0000]"Ya ready?"[/colour]

[Elderflower]

Princess Luna listened to Apple Bloom ramble on about her comic books while she took delicate bites from her apple. The flavour was incomparable – extremely fresh and sweet, as though you could taste all of the love and hard work that nurtured the tree which bore the fruit. As she chewed, she closed her eyes for a moment. Perhaps it was a little informal, but she was truly enjoying the treat, and when she closed her eyes and savoured the succulent flesh of the fruit Luna could almost feel the warmth of her sister’s sun not just shining down, but wrapping about her like a gentle embrace. What beauty such simple things possessed! She was hardly surprised at the quality of the Apple Family product, however, not after everything Apple Bloom had told her. The Apples were fervent farmers and their orchards had a lingering presence of love and devotion: it hung about the trees and drifted outward to make Sweet Apple Acres and incredibly inviting place. As Luna strolled along after the filly, careful not to get any more mud on her than there already was, she felt much more relaxed than she had anticipated she would. Being social was still proving to be a bit of a challenge for her, and she feared being one-on-one with such a young pony would be awkward and strained. It had been so many years since Luna was a filly! How could she remember how to think like one, and talk to one?

But Apple Bloom was as much a product of Sweet Apple Acres as the trees and fruit she so loved, and as such she was oozing with oodles and oodles of smiles and friendly vibes. The atmosphere here was intoxicating, and the Princess found herself opening up naturally, without thinking too hard on it.

When she finished her apple she held the core out in front of her with her pale, blue magic which expanded in order to catch the braeburn hurtling towards her.

[colour=#6699cc]“Thank you for your generosity,”[/colour] she said with a serene smile. She was about to ask where she could place her core, but the young filly was already brandishing a hose. The Princess’s smile lingered as she cast her gaze downwards, towards her muddy legs and shoes. Normally she was much more graceful, to the point where even a small fleck of dirt was a rarity, but she was used to walking on cobblestone or simply flying over a puddle or patch of dirt. She had sworn to herself, however, that she’d hoof it the earth pony way as an active means of better understanding Apple Bloom and her family’s perspective on things. She’s just have to adjust to a more grounded style of poise!

[colour=#6699cc]“Thank you, again, Apple Bloom,”[/colour] the princess repeated, lifting her left foreleg. She was, indeed, quite capable of rinsing off her own legs, but the filly seemed so enthusiastic about everything she did that Luna feared she would be heartbroken if she dissuaded her from anything. So she simply allowed herself to be pampered by the exuberant young pony, idly wondering whether or not the water would be cold and she should brace herself for it. In any case, she was excited to wash up and continue her tour. What she had seen so far had been such a great pleasure that eagerness was gripping onto her muscles like a vice, and with the influence of such a high-energy filly around her the Princess was almost tempted to drop decorum says "rats!" to the mud on her, and prance onward! That "almost" was a very large one, however, and the temptation passed quickly.

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom was pretty pleased that the Princess was acclimating as well as she was to the demands of the tour that Apple Bloom was giving her. In fact, she was shocked! Apple Bloom had half-expected the Princess to be prissy and demanding and give up just a few minutes in, but apparently being locked away on the moon for a thousand years forced you to be made of sterner stuff. She still ate as dainty as a leaf though, which was sorta funny considering how ravenous her eyes had been back at the stand. But maybe that had been because Applejack? It was a bit scary thinking that the Princess of the Night had eyes for your big sister but if she wanted to marry Applejack and make the whole family royalty, Apple Bloom wouldn't say no to servants and guards and free airship travel across the land. Maybe she'd get her cutie mark in being a Duchess or something- Duchess Apple Bloom of Ponyville had a very nice ring to it.

But first, she had to give the royal bath to the Princess. What went into a royal bath? She used to think more than was probably healthy on the subject. Maybe they had soft, gentle streams of water passing over their bodies with the most luxurious and softest of soaps and body washes capturing every speck of dirt and erasing them in clinical dispatches of flowery waves, probably applied by a bunch of body servants trained for their whole lives in taking care of royalty. But she discarded those notions as silly, because look at how huge they were! It'd take weeks to bathe them that way, Apple Bloom figured, what with the breaks needed to do all the things a royal had to do. So the obvious solution to this problem was that they took hard, fast baths, with super water pressure! They probably used magic to do the little things and relied on the sheer awesome power of the hose to clean them up. Now the hose the Apple family didn't have any hoity toity fancy soft settings, just the sort of settings that Princess Luna would need- normal, hard, and paint clearing from across the farm.

[colour=#ff0000]"Ah reckon this is the first time Ah've had ta bathe a mare before, but it seems about right...alright, prepare ta be clean!"[/colour] Apple Bloom squeaked as she turned the hose to the highest power and then turned the hose on. For a few seconds there was nothing, then a comically deep rumble and finally a huge ball of water moved up the hose and finally burst out of the hose in a gigantic crash. The force was so great that Apple Bloom, who had braced herself, was consistently pushed back. She summoned all her strength to not be tossed end over end, her neck stiffened against the unrelenting backwash of the hose, her four legs being pushed back and compiling significant baggage along the way. The water came out forcefully and without any stoppage, pushing her back and back.

Finally she was pushed up against the wall of the silo, which helped her stand her ground for another second. But eventually she was forced to stand on two hooves, and finally her very head was pushed against the wall. Water was spraying on her despite the hose still being zeroed in on Luna, and she felt like she too was taking a bath. Her hooves fumbled and played played a silly game of slappyhooves with the settings until the hose died off. She let it go and one final burst of water hit Apple Bloom in the face, drooping her bow before with a smile she shook her head like a dog, her bow returning to form seamlessly.

[colour=#ff0000]"Ah betcha never felt so clean in your life!"[/colour]

[Elderflower]

[colour=#ff0000]

[/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Ah reckon this is the first time Ah've had ta bathe a mare before, but it seems about right...alright, prepare ta be clean!"

​[/colour]

Luna opened her mouth to reply to the filly and immediately found it – flooded? Blasted? What in the heavens was happening? The Princess was the target of a high-pressure aquatic attack! She was nearly blown off her hooves, but in the short moments it took her to understand that she was being blasted with a very powerful hose, Luna managed to summon up a barrier between herself and the hose, causing the water to fly around in all directions. Was this a typical method for washing oneself in the world of agriculture? Was it a common thing? It seemed so…unnecessarily forceful!

In her short seconds under fire, though, she had at least been freed of mud. And her head felt incredibly…light? Her tiara was gone! Still holding her barrier intact, Luna spun around on her hooves and swept the surrounding area with her gaze – nothing. When she turned back around towards Apple Bloom, the filly was just managing to get the hose shut off.

[colour=#ff0000]

[/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Ah betcha never felt so clean in your life!"

​[/colour]

Luna couldn’t help but give the filly an exasperated little smile as the wall of pale blue magic melted away. She had planned on something of a lecture, but Apple Bloom seemed so pleased to have been helpful that the Princess of the Night simply couldn’t bring herself to give her a stern talking to. Instead, she simply left it at [colour=#6699ff]“Clean? I must be the cleanest pony in all of Equestria! It was a little unconventional, but thank you for your help. But perhaps next time, Apple Bloom, you could tone it down just a notch? It seems as though the initial blast has sent my tiara flying and that is something I mustn't lose. It is quite precious to me. Now.”[/colour]

Before giving the filly a chance to respond, Luna’s horn began to glow with blue light once more and a warm, gentle wind began swirling around the two of them in order to dry them off. As it was, Luna’s mane and tail were little more than long, drenched mats of twinkling blue. Though the arcane qualities had not been lost, the look at feel of being soaked from head to hoof was completely unpleasant. Whether or not Apple Bloom felt the same way she was unsure, but she was young and even on such a warm day Luna did not wish for her to get a chill – hence the little swirling gust she had summoned!

It was quite clear the wind was magical, as none of their surroundings were being stirred by the flow of air; it just danced and danced around the alicorn and the filly until they were both dried off. The princess took a few moments to shake out her mane, its ethereal cosmic qualities coming back to its full brilliance once the water had been pushed from her hair.

[colour=#6699ff]“Much better. Now then, shall we search for my tiara before we move along? I would like to find it quickly.”[/colour]

Well, despite the minor hiccup and Luna’s concern over her tiara, two good things came from Apple Bloom’s “bath.” The Princess was, indeed, immaculately clean once more and better yet – she felt much more relaxed!

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom had layered on the bravado thick enough to hide the smallest amount of fear which was well-founded: She had just hyper-sprayed the third or fourth most powerful creature Apple Bloom was aware of. The reason Abby was worried though was she had a feeling she hadn't cleaned her hard enough! Luna's assurance that by golly she was the cleanest mare in the history of history made Apple Bloom feel like she had accomplished something truly grand. She dared a quick glance to her flank and found that hope against hope was dashed no matter the desire, no cutie mark flashing on her. But she was also a bit happy that she didn't end up with a Royal Bathing cutie mark because there certainly was a limited number of positions in that field and it wasn't the most exciting field to specialize in anyway.

Apple Bloom's mind was quickly taken by the fact that the tiara had gone missing for reasons unknown in an inexplicable fashion. What a thing to happen! If she didn't have a tiara, what could happen to her? Further worries were forced out as Luna's gentle but firm magic took hold of her and within the span of a few uncomfortable moments she was as dry as the wash after a summer day. An Earth Pony by definition didn't have good things to say about magic, even if they innately knew that it was for good. It didn't hurt, didn't make her feel bad or nothin', but a subtle wave of light nausea was the result of any magic use on her. Still, the fact she was dry by the end was a decent enough tradeoff. It allowed her to refocus on what was important: A Princess' tiara!

[colour=#ff0000]"Ah'm awfully sorry 'bout power-cleaning yer tiara clean off of ya- heh, no pun intended, 'course,"[/colour] She rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment as she started to scan the ground for the tiara. It wasn't all that hard now that she had a moment- the ground was a tad muddy thanks to the water and the tiara was anything but. All they needed was a few more moments.

[colour=#ff0000]"So, are ya allowed back home without yer Tiara? Are ya still a Princess without one? There is this really mean filly named Diamond Tiara in my class who 'as a Tiara cutie mark, nothin' royal 'bout her. Does Celestia ever lose her Tiara? What 'bout Twilight? Cadence? What are the darn things made out of? Ah bet some sort of super secret magical material, so it helps with yer magic and stuff," [/colour]She rambled on without much if a direction, aimless babble for the sake of it and interest alone until her eyes spotted the topic of discussion hiding in between a table and the wall. She leapt towards the table, reached in as far as her little hooves would allow, and pulled the tiara.

[colour=#ff0000]"Thar it is, and now yer a proper Princess again!"[/colour]

[Elderflower]

Looking down at Apple Bloom, Luna could almost see the gears turning in her eyes. She wondered, idly, just what was running through the filly’s mind. Then she wondered if she even wanted to know. If it was more intense than her rambling, well…it might be best to leave that to her and forget about it. She did, however, notice that the filly was very quick to check her flank once she had put away the hose. It had been so very, very long since Luna had received her cutie mark – it seemed like such a silly thing to worry about. And yet she could still tell, from that brief moment, that it was perhaps the most important thing in the world to young Apple Bloom. Perhaps she should bring this up once her tiara was found…

[colour=#ff0000]

"Ah'm awfully sorry 'bout power-cleaning yer tiara clean off of ya- heh, no pun intended, 'course,"

​[/colour]

The Princess smiled slightly as she cast her gaze sidelong to the filly, [colour=#6699ff]“No worries, young Apple Bloom. I am sure we shall find it. If we don’t, though…perhaps I should turn you into a frog?”[/colour]

Luna let loose a small smirk. Her taut nerves seemed to have been loosened up with that blast from the water. Though she still carried herself regally, her poise impeccable, more of Luna was beginning to shine through as opposed to the Equestrian Princess of the Night and Guardian of Dreams.

[colour=#FF0000]

"So, are ya allowed back home without yer Tiara? Are ya still a Princess without one? There is this really mean filly named Diamond Tiara in my class who 'as a Tiara cutie mark, nothin' royal 'bout her. Does Celestia ever lose her Tiara? What 'bout Twilight? Cadence? What are the darn things made out of? Ah bet some sort of super secret magical material, so it helps with yer magic and stuff,"

​[/colour]

As Apple Bloom continued to ramble, Luna wondered if anypony had ever kept up with her enough to respond to everything she said before. Curious to see how the filly would react (if she would react at all!) the lunar Princess allowed a short pause after the little rant and then drew a quick breath.

[colour=#6699ff]“Yes. Yes. One does not need to be a princess to wear a tiara, though it does dramatize the effect. Not in many thousands of years. Perhaps she has and will – it is difficult to adjust to wearing one constantly. I would say the same for Cadence. Different things – mine is onyx. And no, they do not help with our magic – mastery of the arcane comes from within, for the most part. Anything else? Ah, my tiara. Now I no longer have to turn you into a frog.”[/colour]

Luna, grinning a little more widely now, enveloped her tiara in pale blue light which crackled a little as she let a wash of arcane energy clean the surface. She then placed it gently upon her head, wiggling it lightly with her magic until it had settled in place, and beamed down at Apple Bloom. She was acting much more casual than was normal for her, but the filly's bright, sunny disposition was proving to be terribly infectious. And getting blasted with a high-powered hose always helped one to feel a little less regal, she supposed. In any case, it was nice to let loose a little like this. Even though she probably still seemed very much the Proper Princess, Luna felt much more at ease and much less like royalty here at Sweet Apple Acres with little Apple Bloom as her guide.

[colour=#6699ff]“Much better. Do you have anything else you’d like to ask? Or may I ask you another question now? In any case, let’s talk as we start the next part of my tour.”[/colour]

[SteelEagle]

There were a great many stories told about the Princesses that little fillies and colts were given to storing their powerful beliefs in. Look at them! So absolutely huge, their horns the size of Manehattan buildings and their legs longer than whole ponies. So when Luna off-hoofedly mentioned that she could turn Apple Bloom into a frog, the filly didn't necessarily consider it an entirely silly thing. After all, she was an alicorn princess and alicorn princesses were the most powerful beings anywhere! If anypony could turn a trouble making filly into a not so trouble making frog, it would be a Princess, especially a Princess of the night who had more time to research her incredible powers. Was the moon overrun by frogponies? The concept was terrifying!

Not that Apple Bloom would let it show. No, that would be a silly thing to show, especially since the Princess was seemingly being so nice that it wouldn't make much sense for her to get all bent out of shape and turn the filly into a frog. Unless of course that was just how a Princess acted before she turned you into a frog, like those rough and tumble heroes in dime store novels who didn't let on that they were about to fight the bad guys and this steely resolve. A Princess certainly had to have a steely resolve, right? So what if a steely resolve meant she was cool and passive as she turned you into a frog? Apple Bloom didn't let it show, but that didn't mean her churning fears were hidden away.

[colour=#ff0000]"You can't realy turn ponies into frogs, can ya?" [/colour]She asked quickly and foalishly, the big filly pulling back almost immediately as she led the Princess out of the silo, [colour=#ff0000]"uhh, Ah mean, of course ya can't...but...uhh, so, you had questions for me? Ah dunno what Ah could tell ya, nothin' interestin' 'bout this filly, at least not anything worthy of yer majesty's attention."[/colour]

[Elderflower]

It seemed as though Luna had successfully spooked the little filly…though perhaps too well! As she was led out of the silo, she was much more mindful of where and how she was stepping so as not to get dirty again. The dirt paths on this farm were a far cry from the well-tended roads of Canterlot, that was for sure! Once she became more mindful of where she was, though, Luna found it quite easy to avoid the mud and dust – her stride, after all, was long and graceful. Perfect for mindful navigation on the ground!

[colour=#FF0000]

[/colour][colour=#ff0000]"You can't really turn ponies into frogs, can ya?"

​[/colour]

[colour=#6666ff]“Hmm?”[/colour] the Princess sounded, playfully, [colour=#6666ff]“Of course I can! It’s one of the first things they teach you when you become a Princess. But we’re very mindful of who we turn into frogs. Otherwise it would be a terrible abuse of power! Boring dignitaries, malevolent forces, and young fillies who misplace our regalia all fit the bill quite well, though! But don’t worry, Applebloom, you’re quite safe. I’m sure another apple would keep you safe from any frog spells for many years, as well!”[/colour]

[colour=#ff0000]

"uhh, Ah mean, of course ya can't...but...uhh, so, you had questions for me? Ah dunno what Ah could tell ya, nothin' interestin' 'bout this filly, at least not anything worthy of yer majesty's attention."

​ [/colour]

The Princess smiled down at the filly, who like many before her had fallen into the attitude of being unworthy and uninteresting to such a great and mighty alicorn princess. Luna resisted the urge to let out a little sigh, and instead took a moment to put together what she wanted to say. In truth, the nightly-hued alicorn was one who relied on her status as something of a crutch when it came to interacting with others; the attitude of an official came easily to her, and though it raised a wall to separate herself from others it also gave her the ease of always knowing exactly how to behave, as she had many years of experience as a Princess to rely on. This habit of hers, however, was one she wanted to be rid of – she wanted to understand her subjects better, and to have them understand her. Luna. Not the Princess of the Night. That meant breaking down those walls with her own hooves. Admittedly, the task was much easier with such an energetic goofball as Applebloom – she really was quite the remarkable young thing!

[colour=#6666ff]“Applebloom, if you were not worthy of my attention I would not be walking alongside you right now. A Princess has little meaning without subjects – everypony in Equestria is more precious to us than anything else I can think of. So tell me – what does a filly like you do for fun, when you’re not doing chores?”[/colour]

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom had for a short moment or six believed that maybe the Princess was being a silly goof and playing with the little filly. The whole concept had seemed a bit silly, but until she had been told by Scootaloo, so had the concept of a dreamwalking Princess of the Night. She was a being of near limitless arcane power, and what better way of silencing opposition to said power than by turning ponies who were displeasing and rude into frogs? It made a scary amount of sense, and the idea that a single apple would keep her eternally safe quickly embedded itself deep in the little filly's skull. She saw a pristine apple that had slid off of a somewhat curved tree laying unpicked on the ground, no bruises or signs of intrusion otherwise, and quickly scooped it up and hoofed it over to the Princess like the quickest offering in the history of Equestria. She immediately regretted such silliness, but even forestalling the possibility in case she was serious was a darn good idea. That got the little filly thinking though- what else could she do?

[colour=#ff0000]"'Ere ya go, Princess. So how many ponies have ya turned into frogs? Can you use it to turn ponies into other animals? If Ah had ta become an animal, AH'd wanna become a border collie like mah dog Winona. Then we could play a lot, but then Ah'd get bored after a few days. Can you reverse the spell?"[/colour] She asked, wondering if as a Princess Twilight knew the same spell. And if so, would she be willing to turn ponies into cute puppies for a little while. It just might be the cutest idea to ever be thought up! Why, Apple Bloom could run the business and make so much money they could finally fix Granny Smith's saggy old hip. Maybe she could get a transformation cutie mark! What would it even look like, because it transformed and all...Apple Bloom took a quick glance, spotted emptiness on her rump, and continued on anyway.

[colour=#ff0000]"What do I do for fun? Well, Ah think chores are fun- me an' mah sister make it fun, anyway. Doing it together really makes a whole lot o'difference, ya see. That's why she's the best sister ever...err, no offense, of course. Beyond that Ah love ta read, play, ya know, all tha normal things. Ah wanna be a rodeo pony like mah big sis, but Ah just don't have all the speed or strength like she does. Maybe Ah could be a rodeo clown instead? But what Ah really like to do is go crusading with mah friends ta find mah Cutie Mark! We're called tha Cutie Mark Crusaders, an' we're always tryin' ta find our cutie marks. We haven't found ours just yet-"[/colour] she sighed before brightening up, [colour=#ff0000]"but we will soon! Why, Ah bet within the week we'll find our cutie marks and no longer be the last blank flanks ion our class. That'll show Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara- what're they gonna make fun of us for after we're no longer blank flanks? Nothin'!" [/colour]She reared up and neighed excitedly before continuing, a healthy trot overtaking her.

[colour=#ff0000]"What about you, yer Majesty? What do you do for fun?"[/colour]

[Hippo]

The princess felt at peace about her stroll with this filly around the famous Ponyville apple orchard farm. She was getting a good view of something she missed while being away. Apple Bloom was fascinating to her, however. The yellow filly seemed much more comfortable around the princess than most ponies, even other foals. Foals were always Luna's favorite. They never thought to send so much reverence towards the higher principalities, but instead focus all of their egocentric energy on finding out who they are. Luna admired that, and she soon realized after surveying briefly the younger generation, that the age group was filled with identity and aspirations to do greater things than the generation before them. It was this Luna realized was a positive influence that radiated from her sister Princess Celestia, who put subjects in motion to promote wealthy ideas and nourishment to what was once a starving kingdom.

And when Apple Bloom mentioned her passion on her cutie mark, it occurred to her again that earnestness of identity in the young filly was a great refolding example of what the generation to come was all about. She envied Apple Bloom slightly, both on the chance to have her destiny found out still, but also that Apple Bloom, and many other blank flanks her age probably had more eagerness and pride in finding their identity than Luna could save for herself, because at that time, implications ran her world.

"What do I do for fun?" Luna paused momentarily and answered with thanks. "Sure you must know that it was your sister that helped me find out what fun was in the first place? You see, young one, my generation was not fun, we did not really enjoy such things extracurricularly as you do now. Most things we enjoyed concerned tradition, and was constantly driven by plagues of the past before pony technique and technology would suffice to their surroundings today. The imbecilic personalities in the comatose of ancient ponies would never conscript to the provocations for standardized pony races." Luna blinked, realizing that Apple Bloom may not clearly understand her terminology. "Uh, that is to say, a thousand years ago, ponies were very boring." Luna chuckled.

"But since I am now having fun, I like to spend time with my subjects who I have been disconnected with for so long. In fact, you could say that what I'm doing right now is fun." Luna winked at the filly, as her stature towered over her. She could see how she looked up at her, even if physically also figuratively. And Luna wanted to give her what she wanted, which she was pretty sure involved story-sharing. "Say, child, would thou be interested in the hearing of my cutie mark tale?"

​

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom wasn't as dumb as a lot of ponies thought she was. She had always attributed that to her accent, which was unfairly associated with 'simple' country types that didn't know much. That struck her as being the dumbest of all dumb things, a bunch of bull hockey. If anything, country types had to be the smartest of the smart because they actually had to carry the weight of the world on their compact little shoulders without the aid of legions of helpers or regulations. But while Apple Bloom felt smart, what Luna started saying was beyond her. It was some weird way of speaking, that was for sure, and it seemed as though the very meaning if words must've changed in all those long years she was away. It sounded like she was trying to say that ponies of her age didn't really try to seek anything above their station, and they didn't seek to rock the boat. Or something similar. A more literal version involved her generation worrying way too much about the past and...something something? She knew all those words but what she said made no darn sense!

All Apple Bloom could do was shoot the Princess a truly quizzical look as the alicorn continued to speak, before she thankfully realized that she had talked up and around the filly and through, speaking in terms that wouldn't confuse everypony who hadn't been out of commission for a thousand years. If she hadn't, Apple Bloom was going to have to summarize it and probably die right then and there from a brain hommerage.

"Uhh, well, that doesn't sound...well, fun at all. Didja at least like to play any sports? Or games? Ah mean maybe y'all played because of competition or somethin' and not for a rollickin' good time an' all bit thar musta been SOMETHING you liked to do," Apple Boom said insistently, not willing to even accept the line that she hadn't known fun until so recently. She had chalked all that Nightmare Night tomfoolery she went through as a byproduct of being isolated for so long. Celestia help her, literally, if that wasn't the case!

But her momentary worry was tossed off when the Princess offered to tell her all about her cutie mark story! How did a PRINCESS get her cutie mark?!

"Oh! Oh yes! Ah'd LOVE ta hear how tha Princess of the Night got'r cutie mark!" Apple Bloom bellowed, in her boundless excitement leaping on top of Luna and jumping up and down.

[Hippo]

Luna giggled as the filly seemed excited to hear the stories of Luna's past, something most ponies would be fearful of, if they could get through it without jumping to the conclusions that legends have embedded into generations of equines. And suddenly, she was pounced on by her, the filly jumping on her back. Shocked at first, Luna smiled and jumped herself, flapping her wings to take to sky. "Hold on, little Apple!" Luna ascended up, high enough to see the roof of the barn, and high enough to see at level with the distant apple hills that bordered the farm's horizon. Eventually, Luna reached an altitude that made the apple trees like small bushes all placed in neat rows. Ponyville, off to the Northeast, could be seen, its signature windmill in full view and the outline of the walkways between the buildings all being defined. Luna began soaring lightly, so that she could speak clearly to Apple Bloom without the noise from the flap of the wings or the rush of the air.

"I was younger than I was today. I would spend my days playing in the sun with my sister. She and I were so close. But I was busy practicing my magic on the nighttime sky. It was something I always wanted to try and do, even though no pony had ever done it that before. The unicorns of ancient days were very good at magic, and they did a good job on their own controlling the sun. But when my sister took duties raising the sun, she acquired the techniques and disciplines to be able to do so.

"Afterwards, I became very sad. I was left with no destiny, and my sister was out ahead of me, spending time on her talents, and spending less time to play with me. No matter how hard I studied, I just could not master the elements to manipulate the stars. And then, one night, my sister saw that I was grieved and offered to stay up late with me to help me. It was hard for me to be awake at night, as I was always wanting to be with my sister. But since my sister was with me at night, I felt empowered and I successfully manipulated the stars and circle the moon out of the horizon! And do you know what came after that?"

​

[SteelEagle]

The Princess didn't hesitate to take advantage and soon Apple Bloom was soaring across the sky. She held onto the Princess tight and first as she shot swiftly on top of the clouds. When the Princess had the grace to not have the little filly fly off of her and crash to the farm below and slowed down, Apple Bloom loosened her grip so she could pay attention to the story. And what a sweet one it was. Almost everypony knew Celestia's cutie mark story, it was basically part of every school's lesson plan for the little tykes. But Luna's past was shrouded mostly in various shades of fear and legend, obscured history viewed through an awful lens shaped by the legends of Nightmare Moon.

She could relate. She and Celestia shared many similarities to Abby and Apple Jack. Best sisters forever, one who outgrew the younger though with Applejack at least she was significantly older. One got her mark and the other didn't, but the older pony always tried to help her out and showed the care and devotion. And finally it happened! Apple Bloom felt like jumping for joy as the story progressed, but settled for rubbing Luna's mane energetically in millennial belated congratulations to her Princess for completing the cutie mark acquisition system, mark one. But the story didn't stop there, not at all!

"What happened then?" Apple Bloom asked breathlessly, incredibly excited and subtly shifting her weight on the Princess to take her back 'round the farm. If she thought she was gonna be able to fly away from completing the tour, she was dead wrong!

[Hippo]

Luna smirked. "Hm. Well, what happened next is I didn't get my cutie mark." Luna arched her entire body, angling her wings against the draft, caused her body to pitch and turn back into the direction in which they came. But then she straightened out her wings and her body and assured Apple Bloom's ability to hold on by giving her a moment of weightlessness. "Instead what I got was a large dark spot where my cutie mark would be. And I was so confused. I felt lost."

"But one day, I started having a very powerful dream. The kind of dream that you can change the things around you, and you can manipulate your imagination because you know that you are dreaming. I explored the dreamscape to find a lonely pony sailing a boat in a wild ocean, plagued with stormy winds and waves. Using my magic in dream, I calmed the storm, and reassured the character in my dream. It wasn't until I had awoken that I realized that was not my imagination, but a real pony who was dealing with a nightmare. I learned that I could help ponies in their dreams, save them from their nightmares, and encourage them in their waking issues so that the nightmares would stop happening. In fact, it wasn't too long ago, I help your friend Scootaloo is that exact manner."

Luna swooped her body and dove towards the barn again. As she neared the ground, she slowed down to a flutter, and then landed, lowering her body to let Apple Bloom get off. "And that, little one, is how I got my cutie mark."

​

[SteelEagle]

Luna went completely upside down as she turned to head back where they came, the sun blasting out it's beams ever hotter for the brief moment before Apple Bloom found herself riding an upside down loony tune. Why the hay would the Princess put her in danger?! IT WAS SO COOL! She held on tight during the move, daring gravity to take a shot. Then she felt a light field of magic whisping over her like a fine mist in a bog. That was sorta lame. So she wasn't hanging on because she was a super strong pony who could conquer the universe through her will, but needed somepony's help. Oh well. Flying was still fun! Luna glided about the day effortlessly and brought the pair back from where they had started, landing softly. She was even kind enough to allow Apple Bloom to wobble off, falling onto the ground with an pop as the filly smacked into the ground.

As this happened, Apple Bloom turned over the horror story that had turned out well. Gosh, to have a cutie mark that wasn't a cutie mark at first seemed like the most horrifying possible situation. All that work and effort for naught as your dream seemingly turned into a terrible curse in front of your eyes, seriously one of the outcomes to her Crusading that she dreaded most. But then Luna got to the meat of the exploratory journey, where she learned she had the power to dreamwalk. It was one of the least understood and most mystical of all magics anypony had ever possessed, and consequently was obviously something one of her friends would have experienced first hoof. The realization that sometimes your mark was delayed even after initial success was certainly received lukewarm by a filly prone to energetic attempts at shaving whole centuries off of her wait time, but the story was still good.

"Well, that's a real good cutie mark story. Ah hope mine involves less mystery on mah flank in place of a proper cutie mark Ah could understand, don't wanna imagine ever havin' ta sleep with that on mah mind," She laughed, her face quickly taking on a inquisitive, almost aggressive look as she led the Princess into another portion of the farm, "you haven't been in any of mah dreams, have ya?"