Majestic Intent (River, Eagle)

[SteelEagle]

It was good and also a relief that she liked history. Apple Bloom couldn't have told her much about anything that she didn't already know. After all, Luna was a princess who was older than the the oldest ancestor the Apples could find and even though she spent much of those thousand years away from the world she had access to more libraries and universities than there were farmers in Ponyville. No doubt she knew everything about everything that would concern a great and slightly arrogant Princesslike herself. But Apple Bloom knew that some things slipped the attention of the Princesses and that the ponies who lived underneath their caring hooves knew a bit more about the smaller things than they could ever hope to learn at the top. And hopefully after this lesson the Princess wouldn't go into one of her angry dark moments and cause the little filly to almost wet herself. Gosh, she could be a scary Princess.

"Well, t-that's good. Ah wanted ta show you some of our family history. Ah mean, if you want. Ah don't wanna upset you or anything," Apple Bloom retreated mildly, her pace slowing as she rounded a corner. Her plan was to take the Princess to the oldest location on the farm and probably the most important. Some of it predated the Apples and signs of habitation had been found, but it quickly turned into a mix between a shrine and a copse of family trees that were on partially harvested, only really to keep the trees healthy. It was a short and sweet, sometimes literally, trip through history for outsiders and memory lane for family. And if everything worked out, Luna would be able to make her own imprint on the farm's history. Not as big as Twilight had but that would be a little silly if Applejack got that close with two Princesses. And what would Twilight even say about that?

"Ah mean, we can always go somewhere else if ya want. You don't have ta listen ta me, Yer Majesty."

[Hippo]

"Please show me your family history, little Apple. I think I would be intrigued by it. We'll see if my sister's explanation of things is as accurate with the family's recollection of how this farm gained it's ground." Luna walked with Apple Bloom, coming to what was apparently the oldest part of the farm. Luna wasn't sure she would be able to pluck it out from everything else in the orchard as being the most important part of the history here. "So tell me. What is it we are seeing?"

​

[SteelEagle]

It was good that Luna had enough interest in a topic that Apple Bloom could only assume would have been born otherwise. What big ol' Princess cares at all about some little farm stuck far below their station? Or the history of it? Probably not. But then again, the Apples had a certain degree of connection with the Princesses. It was because of Celestia that they were given this land and it was because of Twilight Sparkle that they now understood Applejack's importance to the very fabric of Equestria. It was all a coincidence of the highest order which meant none of it was, which meant that yet another Princess was about to make her mark on the farm somehow. And what better place to make that mark than in the Copse of the Fields? She couldn't think of any better, that was for sure and if anypony could have it would have been her!

"Here is tha Copse of tha Fields!" She shouted excitedly before leaping deeper into the tight-knit cluster of trees that bore a bright red haul of apples. Or green. Or orange. Each trees had a specific color and type of apple that it bore yet each one had one thing in common- the branches of the trees went down low to the ground, so much so that apples touched the ground. Some of the trees were small and growing only recently, while others were tall and wizened and produced fruit of a startling beauty. Yet, there were many more trees which bore no fruit any longer but instead had beautiful flowers and vibes where once apples were birthed, blessing the small copse with a stunning array of sight and aroma that was unequalled in the serene majesty of nature's alliance with pony.

"It's a real special place. No place in all of Equestria works like this small area does. Each one of these trees is tied ta an Apple or a pony we allow to plant a seed thar. The type of apple the tree produces, its beauty, the colors- each tree is different and it reflects tha pony that lived here an' played a part. Tha ones that aren't full'f apples are trees that their ponies have...uhhm, passed on...any questions, Luna?"

[Hippo]

"You say the trees are tied to a... pony?" Luna gave a perplexed look. And because the princess sometimes feared what she did not know, it was also a look of disatisfaction. Luna would jump to conclusions. "Is there some kind of ritual that takes place? How does one tie themselves to an apple tree? What kind of string does one use?" Though it may seem primitive and a little bit silly, even Luna wasn't entirely sure of some of Equestria's most interesting magical connections, especially ones that may have been developed while she was looking down from the moon. "Do you use a special kind of fertilizer? Does it use magic?"

​

[SteelEagle]

Luna wasn't reacting the way Apple Bloom had hoped Luna would act. Of course it would stand to reason that she didn't understand Apple family ways, being a Princess and all. Her mind was full of Princess related facts and moon-important codes that only she could ever know. Ponies only had a little bit of free space and maybe she didn't have anything left. But despite all that, Twilight had understood what the little grove was and everypony else who had seen it had learned its importance easily as well. Luna was old-fashioned, sure, but Apple Bloom didn't think Luna was a dumbie or anything. It was a bit weird thinking that she wasn't able to understand something like tradition and the intrinsic value of Earth Pony magic. Truth be told though, Apple Bloom didn't really understand how it all worked either.

"Well, ya could say that tha soil is special. It was the very first place where we started buildin' our farm. Tha soil is real special here, but how or why- well, only Granny Smith knows. All Ah know is what happens. Here, follow me an' Ah'll explain so we can getcher own tree here in a jiffy," the filly continued as she trotted along, pointing out a small shed with a simple padlock, "that thar is where we keep tha seeds. Y'all pick one and then you have to kiss it. Depending on tha type of seed, ya have to say something different," she then trotted to an open patch in the grove, "and then ya put tha seed in the ground at the exact right place. Now, after that happens, Ah'm not sure what happens to make yer tree so special. But all Ah know is as long as as we work on it and we remember ya, it grows and it grows special. Every tree is different, from tha patterns on tha leaf ta the type of apple it produces. Tha only way a tree here dies is if we forget the pony who the tree was planted by. But as you can see, we haven't forgotten a single pony who has ever been here! Once you're here, you're remembered as a part of our family forever. So, Princess Luna, wanna plant yer very own tree here?" The filly asked, brimming with hope and excitement- hopefully something grand would come of this!

[Hippo]

Most other ponies at a moment like this would do one of two things. They would relish in the glory of outsmarting the Princess of the Night, or they would not say anything for fear that they would embarrass the Princess for her lack of knowledge. This pony was not either of these, she was a filly. And the foal-like communication and innocent desire to share things was working in Luna's favor. Luna at first regretted questioning at all. Perhaps she should have just nodded her head as if she knew all about it. But then, that wouldn't be very honest. And Princess Luna would be caught dead on the moon again before she acted dishonest on Applejack's farm.

"Let's." Luna agreed to do what Apple Bloom kept implying a divine connection to the family. "But why do I have to kiss the seeds? What is it with you ponies and kissing? First I must kiss your sister to obtain apples, and now I must kiss apple seeds to be remembered? Wait a minute." Luna smelled something. Something too vaguely familiar, and Luna would not fail to consider it. She smiled and nodded. "I know what this is. My sister, dear Celestia, she put you up to this did she not?" Luna was used to some of the pranks Celestia would try to pull from time to time. And often, the pranks involved convincing Luna of something that was not true. Luna had lost count of how many times Celestia would use Luna's absence as vice for harmless sisterly humor. But this time, Luna got her in time. She bent down close to Apple Bloom and whispered. "Is she hiding somewhere near?"

​

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom was tied up in one heck of an anticipatory knot as she waited for her Princess of the night to respond to the offer. Nopony had ever declined but nopony was quite like Luna anyway, aloof and extremely extroverted in the same style as could be expected. She was an enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a pony and Apple Bloom had long ago abandoned hopes of understanding the Princess in any deep sense. So it was with greater than expected shock and joy that the Princess accepted, eliciting a sharp "Yay!" from the little filly as she opened the door to the seed shed once more, excited to get on with the implementation of a little moon magic on her beloved farm. Applejack hadn't given Apple Bloom permission to do this, but the filly doubted that Applejack would quite care about the trivialities of the occasion in light of the amazing opportunity to help Luna become part of an Equestrian tradition that would last until the stars burned out of the sky.

But then it got a bit weird, since she seemed convinced that her sister was around and putting Apple Bloom up to it. Up to what, exactly? well, Celestia was a good enough pony that she would know all about great earthen values represented by the farm ad it's traditions, but the way Luna asked it reminded her of a more foalish tit for tat, pranking sort of sense. Did the two sisters play pranks on one another? It was funny to think that they too were given to bouts of silliness that drove such pranks forward, especially when contrasted to the regality of their position. Well, it was good to see that even if her sister ever became a pretty Alicorn princess through some oddness that she could still play with her little sister!

"Celestia putting me up to what? Ya gotta kiss tha seeds so it knows it is good an' loved. Then we can tend ta it and make sure it gtows up big an' strong in remembrance of ya!" Apple Bloom replied excitedly, volume not adjusting for the close-in Princess. Apple Bloom gave her Princess a big hug 'round the neck and motioned to the seeds.

"So, Ah'm assuming ya don't know 'bout all the different type of seeds, but this here Blue Medallion seed tends ta produce trees that grow up tall with HUGE BRANCHES! Like how tall you are with your big wings! Whatcha think, Yer Highness?"

[Hippo]

The filly seemed completely oblivious to what she was talking, which told Luna one of two things, either she was being fooled very well by her sister with a very well trained filly, or she was wrong. Since the filly seemed so eager to carry on with the current project, and Luna could see on her face the genuine joy of proceeding with it, Luna gave in to the circumstance. Apple Bloom probably was confused when Luna suggested the leader of the free pony world played practical jokes on her sister, she realized. "Oh, I see. So a tree is planted by the pony and the pony is remembered by the tree that grows!" Luna rose in excitement. She had not realized that this was a moment of ritual, a ceremony to remembered by. And if there was anything Luna loved, it was being remembered. To this day, her era of banishment had left her unaware of what recognition really felt like. And even though Apple Bloom was such a small filly from a rugged apple farm, it was more recognition than Luna was used to be a common pony. "Yes! Let us plant. Where do I begin?"

​

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom reared up in the air in excitement when Luna finally came around to understanding what was happening here. Apple Bloom had figured that the Princess of the Night didn't have near the amount of statues and other signs of rememberance as Celestia did. Even Cadance and Twilight seemed to equal her, though Abby just chalked it up to a lot of those things probably getting destroyed to slowly bleed out the memory of Nightmare Moon's dark reality. You had to sadly remove Luna to remove that cancer from Equestria's past and the result was that a deserving Princess found herself at the bottom of the totem pole in Equestrian remembrance. Sad but true. But after today, at least one small place in Equestria would find her above the ever-reaching wings of Celestia and the beating heart of the north in Cadance and only equaled by the Princess of Friendship. Not bad for Luna. Not bad for her at all!

"Yay! Glad yer all excited. Naw, as Ah said, we gotta pick tha right seeds for ya. Ah think the Blue Medallion seeds would best fot Yer Highness. They produce trees with huge branches, just like yer pretty wings! They can also turn blue, which fits 'cause yer blue too," Apple Bloom said as she dug out a Blue Medallion. It was a larger seed than usual with distinctive ridge marks that cascaded into one another, leaving the top concaved. If it was used right the trees of the family grew up to marvelous to behold, if not as wildly individualized She probably wouldn't get the same amount of customization as Twilight's tree was appearing to have or most of the Apples over the years had developed, but the uniformity of majesty was overwhelmed buy the splendor of it's reality. Worthy sacrifice.

"So if you like this seed, give it a lil' kiss. Then tell it that yer gonna visit it an' love it for decades and centuries, because it will be as grand as you," Apple Bloom said, her uncanny memory accurately picking out the required words for this earth-driven magical madness to end.

[Hippo]

She was going to do it. She couldn't believe it, but this little filly had convinced her to do something she probably wouldn't do for a lot of other ponies. Maybe not even Celestia herself. The way Apple Bloom explained the process was becoming more attractive for the nighttime princess, and to her credit, Luna could use a little exciting tribute in her likeness to go along with her already mysterious character. It wouldn't be the only thing Luna would point to, but as she trusted the Apple family, it became her fortune to be blessed with the fertility and honor that the Apple family could give, all in the form of a seed. And this seed, mayhaps not necessarily coinciding with Luna herself, seemed to be the perfect kind, in both color and size. Apple Bloom's knowledge of how the seed would grow was interesting to her, too. "Blue Medallion it is!" Luna took the seed from Apple Bloom and gave it a passionate smooch on the seed wall. The seed itself was very sturdy. Luna wasn't sure if she would be able to break it open with her teeth if she tried. After connecting with the seed physically, Luna whispered to it. "Seed of power, I grant thee the protection and love from the princess of the night, and oath to you a long lifespan." She dropped the seed back to Apple Bloom using her magic. "The kissing is done now filly. What next?" Luna asked eager to proceed with the ritual.

​

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom was beyond pleased that the Princess of the Night started to really get into it. In fact, it had been the least awkward of all the Seed Devotionals she had witnessed. It was just as weird but at least she didn't stumble over her oath and she kissed with authority. Sometimes, that was all you needed to have a good start. Apple Bloom had to stop herself from jumping up with excitement as it all happened- she felt just like Twilight Sparkle! Except while the Princess of Friendship had taught Luna the importance of...whatever that had been during Nightmare Night, Apple Bloom had taught Luna the importance of familial connections and legacy! Maybe she would get a familial connections and legacy cutie mark! Apple Bloom looked at her flank in wide-eyed exitement and received the same bare flank once more. Oh well. She hadn't honestly expected to see it anyway. And what would that cutie mark even look like? On second thought, it was a good thing that she didn't get that cutie mark. It would have been really, really dumb.

"Yer doin' great, Princess!" Apple Bloom squeed with delight as she gathered the next set of tools needed for the job to be done properly. Two shovels and a tightly sealed baggie, which she propped up in her mane as she hooved one shovel over to Luna. This next part would require the both of them as both accurate timing and teamwork were needed to make the precision steps work. She then trotted over to an empty space in the line of trees and then drew an outline of a large circle with the outside of her shovel, breaking ground to indicate the middle.

"Next part is important too. We need ta dig a big hole for our seed since it'll expand fast. So we gotta work with that circled outline and if we do that, the size should be juuust right. Then Ah go 'head and sprinkle in some of the ashes of trees that passed away on it as fertilizer an'. Then we're three-quarters of the way done! before ya know it, you'll have yerself yer very own Sweet Apple Acres memory tree forever!" Apple Bloom bellowed with excitement before feverishly starting to dig without reservation. A Princess was worth the extra effort!

[Hippo]

Next was digging the hole for the seed. Of course! Luna watched as the filly described in adorable detail the importance of the shape and size of the hole. Apple Bloom impressed Luna. The pony was truly an apple pony at heart. "Allow me, little Apple." Luna used her magic to grab hold of the shovel, and she started digging with it. Her body was relaxed and non-moving. Only the glow of her horn animated greatly. Her digging was efficient, the dirt flying very rapidly in a random direction. While she dug, Luna expressed her joy, all without breaking a sweat. "This is fun! You say only family members and family friends get seeds? Does the fruit from the tree come to me, or is it harvest with the rest of the trees. And what kind of apple is it? Is it something else entirely?" Luna asked curiously these questions. She would make a point to write her own account of Apple family technology and tradition. Celestia always told her that she could easily increase her legacy by producing literature. Maybe she would even invite the family of apples to write it with her. "Is this big enough?"

​

[SteelEagle]

It was incredible watching Luna go to work, go to town even, on the dirt. She never thought she would see a Princess work so hard, so fast, so well with a shovel. They didn't teach shovel skills at a Canterot university? The image of the high-nosin' Canterlot elite digging around their precious parks and ponds gave her a bit of a chuckle. What didn't was seeing Luna tear through the dort like a buffalo through pies, a storm of steel and dirt flying in every direction as Luna worked herself into a frenzy of activity. Her sweat poured majestically off of her royal brow as the effort of her form sent off rivulets of pwoer and energy that Apple Bloom could scarcely compherend. It was a sight to see, a mravel to witness a-

Oh wait, she was just using magic to do all the work. Oh well. You can lead the pony to water but you can't make her drink it, and you could give a pony a shovel but you can't make her use it. Twilight had done the same thing. Maybe prolonged contact to Applejack would make Luna change her ways the way Twilight changed voice tone around the best Apple ever. And maybe in the end they would all be like good, honest Earth folk like the Apples! It was a tiring process being this good. Apple Bloom nodded along to her Princess before speaking up.

"Yep! Only family and the very closest of friends gets any of 'em. That way they know that we'll take good care of 'em. The apples from this tree will be harvested with the rest, but we'll keep 'em in a special silo or send them ta ya dependin' on whatcher cravin'. Yer seed should produce some Nightinggale vine apples. Smaller, but really plump an' juicy. They're gonna be the best apples ever. And yeah, that's goood right thar!" She said, batting the shovel away with all of her energy. She then dropped the seed into the hole and covered it up with dirt before watering it, whispering intensely to herself all the while.

"And they're gonna be the best...." the filly whispered, thinking nopony could hear her, "cause...yer mah friend an' Ah'm gonna take good care of 'em forever..."

[Hippo]

The princess tossed the shovel to the side with her magic and excitedly watched as Apple Bloom set the seed in the ground, and began covering it with dirt. "Oh, little Apple, this is most exciting. I can't wait to see how tasty the fruit is going to be. How many years do you think it'll take for it to bear fruit? You must invite me here for the first harvest! You must!" Luna was saying her squees, her eyes closed to the joy that overcame her. But when she opened and looked down, she could see Apple Bloom carefully covering the seed with layers of dirt, like a mother tucks her newborn foal into bed at night. Luna heard her whisper thoughts of love and care, and Luna was moved. Though the nurturing went into the tree, the real love was directed at Luna. Luna broke into joyful tears, and rested a hoof on Apple Bloom's back. "Miss Apple Bloom. With this tree, our friendship shall never cease to exist." A couple tears fell into the turned soil, and a magical embrace around the filly and the princess could be felt, but not seen. "I will remember this day. And though I may not be able to visit every evening, my presence will be here to watch this tree grow on the orchard, and to watch you grow in your dreams." Luna smiled warmly at the filly.

​

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom took her time on the tightly controlled piece of land they had set aside,. It was an important task. While everything else symbolized the new owner's commitment to the love and tradition of the Apple family's sillier ways, this indicated the devotion the Apples had to friends and family. Apple Bloom was young and didn't know much, or didn't know as much as she would like to have believed some days, but she was an Apple and she knew what that meant. It was hard work but above all it was loyalty and devotion that came from a deep place of love for all ponies and especially those who graced the Apples with their special friendships. Nopony, not even the business enemies of the Apples, could claim that the Apples treated others wiith anything less than the greatest regard.

For friends and family it was beyond silly to suggest anything less than complete devotion to one another was the goal. Such was now the case with Princess Luna. She was now a good friend of the Apples and until the Apples had shed their last drop of sweat they would never forget their kindness to them. Her gift was now the devotional musings of the Apples and one pony in particular, the filly who brought Luna into the loving fold of an eternal grace. For that, Apple Bloom was happy to have played a part. The Princess got rather emotional and hugged the little Apple, who was herself a bit too proud to cry herself but felt herself well up nonetheless as she turned around and hugged her Princess of the Night.

"As long as this here tree stands, you betcha that our friendship will never end. Ah'll see ta it personally!" she said with determination, holding the Princess tight before getting up, having finished the job. She let out a small chuckle, "Ah'll make sure ta getcher attention when it starts producin' fruit! Sometimes it only takes a few weeks. Other times it can take years. Granny Smith thinks it may hafta do with what the specific pony is doin' and that'd make some sense on account of what they aymbolize, but Applejack doesn't really buy into that as much. We'll see Ah guess! If this takes years we know it is all yer fault for being an ancient alicorn an' all," Apple Bloom joked, tongue out as she got up and started stretching her legs, "and, uhh, if yer gonna watch my dreams, just make sure to keep Diamond Tiara OUT of 'em. Don't need every night ta turn into a nightmare now, don't I?"

[Hippo]

Luna started walking out of the plantation with Apple Bloom as they talked. It was obvious Luna would have to visit often early, to see how the tree progresses. When Apple Bloom joked about Luna's age, however, Luna stopped and looked sternly at the little filly. Her pensive frown sunk for a few seconds, and then after an awkward pause, bounced to a giggle. "Hehe, we'll see. I do appreciate you taking me on this tour, Apple Bloom. It is everything I could have imagined and more. I will return a visit when my nightly schedule allows. But as for now, I am afraid my time spent on the farm is running out, and I must return to Canterlot to begin my long night. With all of the daytime action I've had today, I hope I have enough energy to function." Luna winked, hinting at the improbable likelihood that a Princess would let herself take a nap at the mercy of ponies in Equestria. That moon would be taken care of, for sure. "And as for your dreams, well. Diamond Tiara might have her own nightmares to deal with." Luna winked again.

"I will return to the kissing booth to retrieve my apples and I will make my way to Canterlot. Would you walk to the booth with me?"

​

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom was afraid for a second that she had said something to ruin the grand mood she had laid out for her Princess, but just as quickly as that fear laid a heavy hoof on her mind it was removed with the gentle smile of a friend. And then a giggle. A giggle never hurt except when you giggled too much and hurt yourself, but all you could do was smile despite the pain anyway. That was when you knew you had a friend and while Apple Bloom didn't know if her Princess was capable of making jokes that good just yet. But what she was sure of was that today she had made a friend for life and a friend who would go to town for her and would protect her. And Apple Bloom felt the tug of friendhip bring them close and bind them. Maybe it would be in her dreams or maybe the fates would arrange some other fateful meeting for them where the littlest Apple and the night princess would use their friendship to some greater end.

"Ah'm really happy Ah could show you a great time 'ere, Princess Luna. Ah thought you might be tha type ta like this sorta place and it looks like Ah was right, hehehehe. Too badja hafta to go ahead and be a night princess against instead of an apple princess but Ah guess we all have duties, don't we? Ah sometimes don't get ta feedin' tha chickens 'fore the moon shows up an' Ah get in trouble for it. Sometimes Ah don't even get dessert after dinner! Tha smell of cake when you can't have any- heh. You know anything about that? Ah betcha that Celestia gets mighty tiffed at somethin' ya mess up at night. But Ah guess that's what big sisters are for? Good thing us little sisters are stickin' together! Hehehe. It'd be an honor ta walk ya back ta the apple stand, Yer...Friendliness?" She asked awkwardly before laughing, trotting alongside her friend into a bright, bright nightfall...