//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Night Apples // by RangerBeef //------------------------------// Big Mac huffed as he shrugged the plow off. He reveled in this portion of the back fields. It felt like his own private playground from time to time. The main farm had always kept him more than busy, so he'd never had much of a hobby. But now, in this small patch of land, far behind the farm house, and just a little out of the way, he'd found an area to call his own. He looked over what he considered his private field and smiled. Several plots in the ground glowed dimly as Zecora said they would. He inspected each and covered a few with some extra dirt. These were apple trees he wanted to keep special from the family. He wanted to surprise them. Wanted to show Granny Smith that zap apples, though delicious, were not the only special kind of apple the world had to offer. The particular kind of apple he was growing he was mildly unsure about. Zecora had said that these kinds of apple trees were fragile. She had called them, usiku trees. She said they were a special kind of apple tree from her homeland that produced a very special "night apple." She claimed their beauty was rivaled only by their exquisite taste. Big Mac crossed the small field one more time. Satisfied that each potential tree had been given the utmost care and attention it deserved, he picked up the plow and began to make his way back to the barn. He stopped short, however, when he noticed something moving in the night sky. It looked as if the stars themselves had shifted. He squinted hard and realized the stars were shifting and not just shifting but getting closer. He found himself thinking back to all the foalstales he'd heard as a colt of the sky falling. He knew it was impossible but the thought of the sky coming to crash down on him have him a bit of a panic. He hefted the plow off of himself and readied to run when he caught the shape of a pony among the stars. Again he squinted, what pony would look so much like the stars? What pony would be coming to visit him at this part of the farm, and this late? As the figure drew ever closer his eyes slowly began to widen. "Well, I'll be." Big Mac bowed his head as Princess Luna landed in front of him. Luna stood for a moment. She was unsure of this particular stallion's name and she did not want address him as "subject" and set the tone as if she were there on royal business. So she opted for a smile and an ever so simple, "Hello." Big Mac kept his head bowed low. His mind had been racing with why the Princess would come to see him of all ponies. He was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't even hear the hello. Luna frowned for a moment, hoping she wasn't intimidating such a large stallion. She knew being a princess carried certain downsides but being feared was never really something she wanted. At least, not anymore. She reapplied her smile and leaned down to catch his eye and spoke a little louder this time, "Hello?" That time her voice caught his ear and he looked quickly around to see her own head down parallel to his own. Her smile did little to calm his nerves but it was better than a frown. He found her deep blue eyes staring into his and remembered he was supposed to say something. "Uhh... Pleasure to meet you, Princess Luna." Luna's smile faded briefly. She hoped she could convince him to relax because she had many questions about his glowing garden. Though it was becoming apparent that even a stallion like this couldn't look past her position as a princess. Mac searched his mind for anything else to say to her. The silence was becoming awkward but her sudden appearance had left him uncharacteristically flustered. When he could think of nothing to say and Luna could not think of a way to let him relax, she admitted defeat to herself and took off without a word. Disappearing into the night sky once again. With a hefty sigh, Big Mac looked up and watched her as long as he could, until she was indiscernible from the rest of the stars. Glancing back at the still glowing plots, he shouldered the plow and began his trek back toward the barn. After unloading the harness and walking slowly back to the house Mac found himself staring up at the stars once again. He replayed the awkward moment with the princess in his mind and he was disappointed with himself. He was never stallion of many words but he usually did have the right thing to say when it needed to be said. Tonight he had missed that moment and he knew it. Staring up at the gleaming stars he smiled and said, "Good night, Princess." ----- Luna swore at herself as she drifted through the air aimlessly. "'Nice garden.' That's all I had to say. Why can't I talk to these ponies yet? I've worked so hard to adjust but ponies still only see me as the princess." She sighed heavily. She hated that she had been gone for so long. When she had lived in the palace before her banishment she had talked to few ponies but they were enough to keep her happy. After having been away for so long, all her friends that she'd had were now gone. So she attempted to make new friends, but the ones that didn't run in fear of Nightmare Moon, were usually too caught up on her being royalty to have a normal conversation with her. She sighed again and swayed from side to side as she flew. She would make another attempt at it again soon. Perhaps even with the same stallion. His garden had looked so familiar to her but she couldn't place why.