"Banished!? What dost thou mean banished!? We had been certain that thou had just been joking around as thou normally does, dear sister! Dost thou mean to tell us thou art being serious?!" A panicked Luna's cries echoed throughout Canterlot Castle, no doubt rousing everypony within a ten mile radius outside the castle walls. A smug looking Celestia gave Luna a sidelong glance as she continued on eating her breakfast pancakes.
"Well, of course I was being serious, sister. You enacted a serious offence against myself and my kingdom, I simply cannot let such a thing go unpunished," She paused for a second to take a large bite out of a pancake stuck to a fork she levitated in front of her. With her mouth half full, she continued speaking. "And you shimply musht shtop shpeaking in that ridiculoush voish."
"We only spoke the truth, and it twas not a major offence! How can thou banish us over pancakes?!" Luna spoke again, indignant, if a little oblivious. Unfortunately, Luna still couldn't quite grasp when someone was being sarcastic, though in this case there was at least a layer of truth to what Celestia was saying. She really was going to send her away. In a quick note, Luna added "And our voice is far from 'ridiculous'! This is the traditional royal Canterlot voice-"
"Well, whatever. Where you're headed you won't be needing the 'traditional royal canterlot voice'," Celestia mimed along with her words dramatically before slumping back into her chair. "Seriously, Luna, spending all day cooped up in a castle with you is exhausting. I'm sending you out to learn a little more about the real world. You could use a lesson or two."
Though Celestia had dropped the dramatics and now looked towards Luna with a gentle smile, Luna still felt like Celestia wasn't telling whole truths. The moment passed and the two finished their breakfast in silence as Luna fell deep into thought.
"Hmph.. banished over pancakes. We suppose we have been "banished" for less," Luna spoke to herself, recalling another time that Celestia had dramatically 'banished' Luna, though then it had basically been a time-out, like one you might give an unruly child. "Ugh, we are not a child."
Luna sat next to the luggage that she had spent all of the previous night frantically packing, after Celestia had so kindly informed her she would be on the morning train out to Ponyville. So now she sat at the train station patiently awaiting hers, and wondering why exactly Tia was having her take a train when there were much faster options available to them.
She didn't dwell on it for terribly long as the train arrived not long after she thought it. Boarding a train by herself wasn't exactly something she was well versed in doing, but Celestia had insisted it was her first step to becoming a 'normal pony'. Luna thought she must've been near bordering on delusional as Luna was far, far from being a 'normal pony' for more reasons than her conversational skills. Come to think of it.. why hadn't Celestia come to see Luna off?
The train ride was notable in how uneventful it was, though it was something of a nice change of pace from the usual. Luna so rarely got to enjoy the beautiful Equestrian landscape. Pegasi weather teams had been everywhere as they prepared for a seamless transition from summer to autumn, which no doubt meant that the most devoted ponies had already started their preparations for nightmare night. Luna had heard from one of Celestia's correspondences with Twilight Sparkle that Ponyville would be having its largest nightmare night celebration this year. She had been hoping to attend but didn't believe she would have a chance to. It suddenly felt somewhat fortunate that she was headed out to Ponyville now.
Luna stalled her thoughts as the train arrived at the Ponyville train station, taking a second to collect her bags before heading off the train. She took in a deep breath as she stepped outside. For whatever reason, Ponyville air felt completely different to Canterlot air despite the two locations close proximity. It was a difficult difference to explain, but one deep breath in let Luna know that she was no longer in Canterlot, if her surroundings hadn't already.
"Well wallop my withers.. Princess Luna," A somewhat familiar voice called out to Luna's left, prompting her to turn her head towards the source. "Why, when I read that letter from Princess Celestia I never woulda' expected in a million moons that whatever important Canterlot pony was comin' here would be you!"
An orange coated earth pony mare with straw blond hair stood in front of Luna now. Luna easily recognized her as a bearer of an element of harmony, as well as one of Twilight's friends that had helped her out the last time she had visited Ponyville for nightmare night.
"It appears that our older sister has mislead the both of us," Luna spoke to Applejack, pausing to sigh. "When she informed us that an element of harmony would be here to meet us, we had assumed it would be Princess Twilight Sparkle making our welcome. We suppose, then, that thou are the proper recipient of this letter. Our older sister informed us that it contains important information pertaining to our banishment, only to be seen by the eyes of thee."
Luna levitated a letter out of one of her bags towards Applejack, who snatched it out the the air and opened it with her mouth. Luna would've been more than happy to open it for her, but to each their own, she supposed. Applejack skimmed over the letter before looking back up to Luna with a grin.
"Well, how about that," She placed a hoof over Luna's shoulder after tucking the letter away into her saddlebag. "Looks like yer gonna be spendin' some time with the apple family at Sweet Apple Acres! Actually, uh, it sounds like.. a lotta time."
Applejack quickly grabbed the letter back out of her saddlebag and glanced over it again, muttering a word that Luna just barely heard under her breath. "..Indefinitely, hm, uh.."
"Well, anyway, I don't suppose I could go against Celestia's command even if I wanted to, huh?" Applejack smiled just a bit too wide as she stepped away from Luna and slipped the letter away again. "So, uh, I guess we're gonna have to set you up back at the house fer yer stay. We don't have nothin' nearly as fancy as you've got up in Canterlot, I'm bettin', but we've got a guest room that we could set up fer ya real fancy if ya want. I hope ya like apples!"
Luna sighed softly, having lost her energy to quip back or respond at all. She simply gave Applejack a gentle, albeit dishonest, smile and trotted along behind her as they left the train station.
"So, uh, this is the guest room," Applejack pushed open the simple wooden door, rubbing the back of her head. Luna glanced over the small room; the wooden floors were worn-down and over-trodden, the wallpaper seemed to barely cling to the walls. An uncomfortable looking mattress sat on a simple wooden bed-frame, next to it an old crate in place of a nightstand, and off in the corner a wardrobe sat somewhat dejectedly. It was certainly no Canterlot Castle bedroom, but Luna supposed it would do for now.
"It's not in the best shape right now, I'm real sorry princess. We don't get a lotta high-society guests here, usually just family, so uh, we haven't done much renovatin' in here for awhile. I can get Apple Bloom to fix the place up for ya, she's real good at that kinda stuff-"
"The offer is much appreciated, Applejack, but at this moment we would prefer to be alone to unpack our things. We shall talk with thou again later, but for now we.. we just need a moment." Luna had long since stepped into the room to take in her new surroundings. Her shoulders slumped slightly in defeat as she set the luggage she had been levitating on the over-trodden floor. Applejack stared at her with wide eyes and a concerned expression for a moment, before allowing a gentle but bittersweet smile to settle on her face.
"Sure thing, princess. My room's just down the hall if ya need anything, it's the one on the right," Applejack backed out of the doorway slightly, grabbing onto the handle and turning towards the hallway. Before she closed the door fully, she glanced back for a second and spoke again. "And, uh, I'm sure you've got yer reasons and all princess, but ya don't have to speak all fancy-like round here if ya don't want ta. It's yer choice, a'course, but I just thought you should know in case ya thought ya had to impress us er somthin' with all the fancy "thou"s and stuff."
And with that final note, Applejack shut the door and left. Luna, resigned to her fate, glanced out the dusty window pane for a second before slumping down onto the mattress. She would unpack tomorrow, she assured herself, but for now she needed to think about everything that had happened. She supposed it wasn't the worst thing to happen to her, far from it, but Celestia's decisions were so bewildering to her she just had to wonder why. There would be no real answer, of course. Luna could never pretend to understand any of her older sister's choices. But still, she couldn't help but wonder.
"I can't rightly say I understand why Princess Celestia sent her to stay with me of all ponies, but I ain't gonna be the one ta ask," Applejack and Twilight sat at a table outside of a popular Ponyville restaurant, starting a discussion now after having just placed their orders. Twilight, just as puzzled by Celestia's decision as her friend, looked at Applejack with wide eyes, intrigued to hear if she had even the shred of an idea as to why. "Ah mean, she didn't give even a couple'a details in that letter she sent with her-- I just think it's mighty ridiculous of her ta spring this on me with no warnin'."
"I suppose Celestia isn't always one for details, but I'm positive she has her reasons. Can I take a look at the letter again?" Twilight had looked down towards the table in thought for a second as she spoke, but looked back up at Applejack now with inquiring eyes.
Twilight had gone over to Sweet Apple Acres the previous day to greet whatever important visitor Celestia had asked Applejack to meet at the train station, and was just as surprised as Applejack was to find out that the "important visitor" was actually Princess Luna. She thought it best for them to meet up again early the next day-- or, now, rather-- to try and make sense of the whole situation.
"Sure thing, Twi," Applejack leaned down to search her saddlebag for a second, quickly producing the letter that Luna gave to her yesterday and handing it over to Twilight. "Doesn't really explain a whole heck of a lot though, does it. All it says is that she's been sent to me to learn how to be a "normal pony". Heh, "normal pony".. what does she mean by that? I sure ain't the most normal pony round these parts, lessin' you consider savin' the world and bein' an element a' harmony "normal".
Twilight rolled her eyes and grinned at Applejack's boast before continuing to feverishly read through the letter. She couldn't dispute her logic; Applejack was certainly no Canterlot elite, but she wasn't exactly a regular pony either. She'd been through more life-or-death experiences in the past few years than most ponies had been in their whole lives.
"True," Twilight spoke up, sighing as she levitated the letter back over to Applejack. It, of course, contained no more details than she already had. "But I suppose you're still the most logical choice for this.. uh.. task?"
"Care to explain why, sugarcube?" Applejack had an inquisitive look on her face, but it only really served to (poorly) mask her annoyance. Twilight didn't take it personally, though. Of all her friends, Applejack definitely had the best reason to look annoyed right now.
"I think Celestia must have been looking for someone to teach Luna to be a bit less formal," Twilight paused for a second as a waiter set down a plate in front of her, quickly thanking him before turning back to Applejack. "And I'm sure that spending just a few days at Sweet Apple Acres could help her to loosen up a lot! Farm work isn't exactly the cleanest pastime, and Canterlot nobles don't typically go around with dirt on their hooves."
There was a short lull in conversation as Applejack thought about what Twilight had said. While she got the feeling that Twilight was mostly grasping at straws, she supposed it was true that farm work was messy .That being said, it certainly wasn't for someone who wanted to loosen up.
It takes discipline and respect for the earth to nurture and grow things, and even harvesting requires that discipline. But even then, something as simple as apple-bucking would be no work at all for an alicorn if she used her magic. She wouldn't have to get her hooves dirty at all if she didn't so please. Any way she looked at it, it just wasn't adding up for Applejack.
"I can't say I agree with that sentiment Twilight, though I suppose if you can come up with a reason like that then so can Princess Celestia. I guess I'll just have to try my best to do what she's asked, even if I don't quite understand why she's asked." AJ couldn't help but feel a little defeated as she spoke, her shoulders slumping down slightly. "I'm just.. not sure 'bout this whole thing. I wouldn't mind puttin' her up for a few days, heck I wouldn't even mind a couple'a weeks, but who knows how long she'll be around. I have so much to do round the farm, it's the middle of the harvest season for Celestia's sake. I can't be babysittin' the princess all the time."
Twilight could see how tired her friend's eyes were, and she certainly sympathized with her. A lot of ponies often forget how stressful hosting somepony can be, especially when you have so much work to do. She was ready to do just about anything she could to help AJ out right now, but she herself was already busy with preparations for Nightmare Night on top of her normal royal duties. She wasn't exactly sure how much she could actually offer to do.
"Well, just remember that you have me and all of the girls to depend on if you ever need help. I'd be more than happy to take her off your hooves for a day if it gets to be too much. I'm sure she'd love to review Nightmare Night plans with me sometimes." Twilight gave her friend a gentle smile, trying her best to be encouraging even though she could barely hide her own excitement at the idea of planning Nightmare Night celebrations with the princess of the night herself.
"That's mighty kind a' you, Twilight," The purple pony had managed to get AJ to crack a smile, happy to see her friend excited, and she sat up just a bit taller in her seat. "I really appreciate the offer. I'll be sure to keep you an' the girls in mind, can't believe I'd ever forget that y'all have always got my back."
"Of course, Applejack. We're all gonna figure this out together," Twilight stood up and walked over the where AJ still sat, having finished her meal. "After all, what are friends for?"
Twilight leaned in an gave Applejack a quick hug, before calling the waiter back over for the bill. Applejack stood up as well, stretching out a bit after sitting for what felt like forever, even though it was a relatively short amount of time. She told herself that talking to Twilight had made her feel better, but she wasn't sure that it actually had. It just felt like there was something off about the whole situation, but she tried her best to shrug off the feeling.
As much she tried to, though, there was one question she just couldn't shrug off; just why had Celestia sent her here?
