Apple Bloom wasn't quite sure why they were camping out again, especially considering they had done it right before the Sisterhooves Social. Still, it meant more time with her big sister, and she could hardly complain about that. Applejack had brought out plenty of snacks for the two of them, and they both had started making s'mores.
"Alrighty, Apple Bloom. You 'member how to make s'mores?"
"Yep!" The filly pondered this for a bit before giving Applejack all manner of responses. "Er... wait, no. Maybe?"
Applejack laughed and ruffled her sister's mane. "S'okay, Apple Bloom. We'll do it together! First, we need us some graham crackers!"
Apple Bloom bounced over to the pile of snacks and goodies, grabbed the bag of graham crackers with her teeth, and began to hop back over to her sister when she froze. Her ears twitched, and she nervously glanced around - she knew she just heard a stick snap.
"Apple Bloom? You find it?"
"I heard something..."
"Aw shucks, it's nothin'. Probably just a lil' critter. Now c'mon, we got us some snacks to make!"
Apple Bloom trotted over towards her sister and dropped the bag of crackers at her hooves, scooting closer towards her. Something was out there, she just knew it!
"Alrighty, now we need some chocol - Apple Bloom? What is it?"
"Could you go get it this time? I um... need to get a drink. Yeah, a drink!"
"Yer just bein' a scared lil' filly!" Applejack smirked and rolled her eyes. "I thought growin' up here woulda taught you not to jump at every lil' sound. Yer just actin' like Fluttershy now."
At the very least, now she could be the courageous big sister who banished all the scary monsters away. Applejack walked over and was about to pick up the box of chocolates when she heard it herself - first another twig snapping, and then the rustling of bushes. A quick gust of wind blew out the fire, plunging the two sisters into darkness.
"Aw shoot. Maybe that wasn't just a bunch of hooey when Apple Bloom said she heard stuff. Well... whatever's out there, I ain't afraid of you! C'mon out!"
To Apple Bloom, Applejack would've looked something like a heroine, making a valiant stand against whatever was in the darkness - to herself, however, she was nervous. If something really was out there...
"GOOD EVENING, APPLEJACK."
Applejack just about jumped out of her skin, and almost made a break for the tent when the area around their camp was bathed in a pale blue glow.
"My apologies, Applejack. 'Tis an old habit to use the Royal Canterlot voice when visiting our subjects."
"...Princess Luna?" She had to squint at first, but even when she could finally make out who it was, she still couldn't quite believe her eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"Please, Applejack. Call us- I mean, me. Call me Luna." The Princess stepped out from the brush, the light illuminating the area coming from her horn. "And I'm here because... well, I was bored."
"You were bored." Applejack simply blinked at the Princess. Royalty? Bored?
"You don't believe me, do you, Applejack?"
"Nah, I do. It's just... hard to believe is all. I mean, yer royalty! You must have all sorts of neat things back in Canterlot, right?"
"Well... I suppose I do, but..."
"But?"
Luna huffed and stared at the ground before answering her. "I was lonely too. I figured I'd take a walk and... maybe make a friend or two. I saw the light of the fire, and got a bit closer. Once I saw it was you, I decided I'd say hello. I... suppose I got a bit anxious, though."
"Anxious?"
"I may have blown out your fire."
Applejack glanced over her shoulder at the smoldering remains of the campfire. "Oh. That."
She was just about to relight it when another gust of wind blew through the camp, stoking the embers and lighting the fire once more. Luna flashed Applejack a smile before pointing at the tent. "I believe your sister is trying to hide."
"What? Oh shoot. Apple Bloom, c'mon out from there! There's somepony out here that wants to meetcha!"
The filly slowly crept out from the tent, still not sure what to make of the new guest. Though she had seen her briefly on Night Mare Night, Apple Bloom still seemed intimidated by her presence. Applejack tried to ease the tension as best she could. "Apple Bloom, this here is Princess Luna."
Apple Bloom relaxed a bit upon hearing the word 'princess', her curiosity piqued. "You're a Princess? Really?"
Luna smiled and nodded. "I am indeed, young Apple Bloom."
"But I thought that was a costume! I mean... it was Night Mare Night and all. You would've gotten so much candy!"
Applejack was quick to chime in as well. "Well Luna, since yer here n' all, would you care to make some s'mores with us?"
The Princess blinked, puzzled by this. "...s'mores? What's a s'more?"
Apple Bloom let out an audible gasp and began to hop in circles around her. "You've never had a s'more before?! Omigosh omigosh omigosh!"
"Is... is it bad that I've never had one?"
"Of course it is! It's only the tastiest, most delicious thing ever! Lucky for you, my big sister makes the best s'mores in the whole wide world!"
"Aw shucks, I ain't that good." Applejack blushed, tapping a hoof against the dirt. "C'mon Princess, we'll show ya how it's done!"
Luna slowly walked over towards the log they had been using as a makeshift table, Applejack and Apple Bloom flanking her on either side.
"Alrighty Apple Bloom, show the Princess how ya make it. Remember: cracker, then chocolate, then the marshmallow, then another cracker."
The Princess watched carefully as the filly set about to making the treat. Within just a few moments, Apple Bloom had already finished and proudly presented her work. Luna seemed truly perplexed by it, eyeing it carefully and walking in a circle around it, inspecting every inch of it. Applejack chuckled as she continued to make her way around it. "What's the matter, Princess?"
"I... expected something more complicated. With such a bizarre name, I assumed it would be more..."
"More what?"
"...extravagant, I suppose?"
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes and quickly gobbled the treat up, depriving Luna of any further "inspection" time. "It's just crackers, chocolate, and a marshmallow. It's your turn now, Princess!"
"Right! Okay... I can do this." She eyed each of the ingredients for a bit before huffing once more, her ears flapping with irritation. Desperate for help, Luna looked up at Apple Bloom. "...what was the order again?"
Apple Bloom hopped up onto the log and took a seat. "First you take a cracker!"
Luna's horn glowed as she picked up one cracker and gently set it down upon the log. "Ah! Perfect!"
"You ain't done yet, Princess! Now ya add some chocolate."
Once more, she used her magic to carefully maneuver the piece of chocolate into position, laying it down squarely on top of the cracker. "And now... the marshmallow, yes?"
"Now yer gettin' it!"
Pleased with herself, Luna plucked one of the marshmallows the two had already cooked off a stick and placed it on top of the tiny stack. With the wheels in her head turning, she already knew what came next - a final graham cracker, placed on top of it all and pressed down to squish it all together. The Princess smiled proudly as she looked at her work. "That was... quite easy, really."
"And now for the best part! Ya eat it!"
Apple Bloom, at this point, was hopping up and down on the log, eager to see the Princess try it for herself. Luna carefully levitated the s'more off the log, eyed it warily for a moment, and took the tiniest of bites. She gradually opened her mouth, bits of s'more still scattered about her tongue. For a brief moment, Apple Bloom looked disappointed. "You... you don't like it, do you?"
In reply, both Apple Bloom and Applejack heard something they weren't quite expecting - Luna squealed. Not only did she squeal, but she promptly gobbled up what was left, a huge smile on her face. "That... that was delicious! Oh, I simply must make more of these tomorrow night! Fair Applejack, do you mind if I... you know...?"
Applejack smirked and peered at her. "You wanna make another, don'tcha?"
Luna nodded repeatedly at her, still excited over her latest discovery. Applejack was going to ask for Apple Bloom's opinion, but it was clear that the filly already approved.
"Oh alright. Go ahead and make another."
The Princess happily clapped her hooves together and made another, eating it just as quickly as the first. She stuck around a bit longer after Applejack decided to tell a ghost story as well, though Apple Bloom hid inside Luna's mane for most of it. The three of them shared their own stories around the campfire, and young Apple Bloom was especially inquisitive about Luna. "Wait, ya mean to tell me Princess Celestia's mane used to be all pink? Really?"
"When she was but a filly, yes - my sister's mane was all pink. She eventually grew out of it."
"And what about yers? I mean, it's all starry and stuff now, but what about when you were really little?"
Luna smiled as Apple Bloom played with her mane - in a strange sort of way, she almost reminded her of Celestia when they were both fillies. Inquisitive, playful, not afraid to make new friends...
"Miss Luna!"
She felt herself shake her head as she snapped out of her daydream. "Oh, right. Blue. Just blue."
As the night wore on, though, it eventually became time to leave. She slowly stood up, the younger Apple sister tumbling out of her mane as she did. "I appreciate your generosity, Applejack and Apple Bloom, but the night is still young and I feel there's still much more to do."
Applejack nodded knowingly, but her younger sister frowned with disappointment. "Yer leaving already?"
"I'm afraid so, young Apple Bloom."
"Well... you'll come back another night, right?"
Luna blinked, taken aback by her offer. She relented however, and gave as warm a smile as she could to her. "I think I would like that."
Apple Bloom grinned from ear to ear and gave her leg a hug. As Luna strode away into the darkness once more, she could still hear her in the distance.
"I can't believe one of the Princesses visited us!"