The late evening sun of Hallows Eve was near, yet not close enough to the horizon for the day to be done as both Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna completed their Halloween shopping. Apparently this was the only time of the year when Luna actually expressed enthusiasm for something; and that was only for her favorite holiday.

Unlike Celestia while they were both kids, Luna cared more for doing tricks than receiving treats. While Celestia trick-or-treated with mother, Luna and their father stayed home pranking other trick-or-treaters that would come up to their door for candy. These of course would be the harmless yet still send a shiver down your spine type of tricks, like putting a handful of plastic black spiders in the candy bowl that looked ready to pounce on anyone who dared to try and take more than one piece of candy… which was the rule they laid down for their property like most.

Luna’s favorite however was dressing up in a masked costume while sitting down on the patio steps, presenting a bowl of candy in her lap. Given her small stature, she didn’t appear all that intimidating to fellow children. However once in a great while when a single or group of children came up to her to get candy, she would shriek while reaching up a hand toward them, of course taking care to actually not grab them.

Luna always had to refrain from laughing almost sadistically as the frightened children ran away screaming their heads off. Luckily her father could defuse a situation with the other childrens’ parents if Luna happened to go a bit too far with the prank. If so, she reluctantly agreed to dim down the act.

Now in her late-forties, Luna still likes a good trick every now and then; but now she mostly likes to attend adult Halloween parties while Celestia now gives out candy. Dressed up of course.

“Are you quite sure you don’t want to attend this year’s Halloween Bash with me for a change?” Luna asked Celestia as they drove back home from the supplies store. Celestia was at the wheel while Luna rode shotgun.

“As much fun as they seem from your descriptions, I’m afraid I have to decline. Also I need to be your designated driver for tonight as always,” Celestia replied politely despite Luna sighing and rolling her eyes in annoyance.

“Sorry Lulu, but I just can’t leave the children hanging. Besides I think it’s more entertaining to see the cute costumes they wear, and see their faces light up when I’m at the door.”

“Yeah cute is way more better than scary,” Luna said sarcastically. “At least by the time they become teenagers, they get a better grasp at what Halloween is all about.”

Celestia raised a brow.

“You mean by dressing up as serial killers from those cheesy slasher films to practically extort candy from innocent children?”

“No! Maybe… I’m not exactly sure.”

Celestia just shook her head. Quite honestly this was the only time of year when she preferred her younger sister to be her usually strict self.

“Look, I’m just saying that kind of thing is on the parents who allowed them to go out without their supervision. At least they are with a group of other kids,” Luna explained.

“That might be so. But if I could be the principal of this holiday, I would forbid such conduct.”

Luna just groaned in response and turned her gaze toward the window.

For a moment, neither sister said a word to each other while silently agreeing it would be best to end the conversation before it turned into a debate that would sour the mood and day for the both of them.

It was then that they spotted a makeshift advertisement sign posted on the side of the road that read:

SWEET APPLE ACRE PRODUCE AND YARD SALE

MONDAY-FRIDAY

3PM-6PM

Luna didn’t think much of it since they already have all they need at home, but unfortunately she didn’t notice her sister’s expression of interest.

“Say. How about we check out what the Apple Family is selling real quick?”

“As tempting as that sounds, Tia, we’ve already spent nearly our entire budget on decorations and candy,” Luna said while pointing a thumb at the trunk of the vehicle. “There’s no need for more and unnecessary items.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to at least browse. Besides you know the rule of the car; whoever’s at the wheel calls the shots. We won’t be there long since it’s already twenty to six.”

“Fine. Just as long as we only browse,” Luna said while folding her arms across her chest. “Nothing more than that.”

Without another word, Celestia rerouted toward the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Somehow Luna just knew Celestia wouldn’t keep her word: not like she said ‘I promise not to buy anything’, or anything like that.

At least her and Celestia’s jobs paid well.

Once the sisters arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, they could see that the Apple family still had a decent number of customers present, but the numbers were dwindling as it got closer to the time for closing. That seemed good enough to Luna since there wouldn’t be time to purchase anything after waiting in line.

The setup of the sale yard was simple and straightforward just like any other farmers’ stand. Although there happened to be two.

One stand being run by Granny Smith which happened to be the family's main line of apple products, among other produce like corn and soybeans. The other one being manned by Apple Bloom which was selling old looking trinkets like candle holders and unwanted extra china. Most of the wares present though was what looked like toys for younger children.

Both Big Mac and Applejack were doing the legwork. Since the sale was now seven minutes from closing, the siblings were starting to put items away. However if a customer stopped them if they happened to take an interest in the item, there seemed to be a quick willing amount of cash pay.

When Applejack was done making an exchange, Celestia walked over to her while Luna stayed behind to look around, still with the intent on not purchasing anything of course. Although deep down she hoped that there might be something she might be interested in… like an old gaming console that she never got to own in her younger years.

“Hello, Applejack,” Celestia greeted pleasantly. “This is quite a sale your family is having.”

Applejack turned her attention toward her with a look of surprise, yet delight. After all it wasn’t everyday that your school principal shows up to your home during after school hours.

“Oh howdy, Principal Celestia. Yeah ya can say it is, but Ah’m afraid that we’re nearly out of time; and that this is the final day of the sale. If ya wanna purchase somethin’, it’s best to do it now.”

“We mostly came to browse under my sister’s wishes about budget concerns,” Celestia said while indicating to Luna who still looked uninterested in anything. “But~”

As Celestia took a quick, yet thorough look through the nearby wares, what stood out to her was a single rustic brown storage chest. For whatever strange reason though, it didn’t have a price listed next to it. Celestia just assumed that the tag was put away a short while ago.

Since she didn’t have much storage space back at home, Celestia knew she could make use of a storage container. There was plenty of space for one in her room back at home.

“How much do you want for that chest?” she asked while pointing to the aforementioned item.

When Applejack looked in the indicated direction, Celestia noticed that the farmgirl’s expression suddenly turned somewhat solemn.

“Oh. You mean our parent’s old storage chest? Ah’m not sure. Honestly ah was hopin’ that no one would notice that.”

With this revelation, Celestia felt a pang of guilt in her chest. Both Bright Mac and Pear Butter were killed in a car crash by a drunk driver while coming home from getting supplies in town nearly over a decade ago. Both Celestia and Luna had bonds with both of them from their high school days. When the word got to them about Bright and Pear’s accident, they couldn’t help but be devastated; but felt even worse for the Apple family who were no doubt experiencing the worst of the grief.

“I’m sorry. I had no idea it belonged to them,” Celestia apologized while putting a hand over her chest to express her sincerity. She then raised a brow at the thought of a question she had.

“Why is your family wanting to sell it if it has that much sentimental value?”

“Well, Mom and Dad did mention to me once that it could be given away if they either had no more use for it-” Applejack then took off her father’s stetson hat and held it in front of her with both hands. Her expression became more crestfallen. “-or if something were to happen to either of them. Ah never thought that a few weeks later that they would… you know.”

Celestia admired Applejack’s strong will to not breakdown, even though it’s unhealthy to hold back emotions. She only assumed that Applejack cries only when she was sure she was completely alone.

Regardless, Celestia placed a hand on Applejack’s shoulder getting her attention.

“I know what you mean. It’s something no one saw coming. If it’s any consolation, I don’t wish to purchase it anymore. I can help you put it away and out of sight if you wish.”

Applejack gave a small smile and shook her head while putting her stetson back on.

“Thanks, but that won’t be needed. Ah’ve always respected my parent’s wishes, even if ah didn’t always agree to ‘em deep down sometimes. However Ah know someone like you has the right kind of responsible attitude to look after it for us.”

“If you’re absolutely sure about this” - Celestia reached into her pocket to pull out her wallet to retrieve a remaining pair of two twenty-dollar bills - “will fourty be okay with you? Surely that chest is worth more than that, but this is all I have currently left.”

“Ah’m sure,” Applejack assured as she accepted the payment, “and yes this will do just fine. We’ve already drummed up enough income from our crops alone.”

Celestia nodded before getting into position to lift up the chest on her own. That probably was a bad idea because even if she had the sense to lift with her knees, a sudden jolt of pain hit the latter and shot up to her back causing her to gasp and wince before releasing her grip.

Despite her still stunning and youthful appearance, along with her energy and bright attitude; Celestia was already at the start of her fifties. If her exterior didn’t expose how old she truly was… then her interior structure did.

“Oh!” Celestia cried out as she grasped the side of her mid torso, getting the attention of a few onlookers; along with Lunas’.

Concerned for her sister’s well-being, Luna hastily made her way over to Celestia’s side.

“Tia, what happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Lulu. I just had a minor cramp is all.”

Applejack was quite surprised at witnessing the principal lying to her own kin since she always seemed to be the most trustworthy and reliable person to see at school. She guessed how things were after hours. They were still siblings after all. Plus this was the first time she heard the principal and vice principal call each other by their supposed nicknames.

However Luna deserved the truth, and Applejack knew she was the designated one to give it.

“She tried liftin’ the chest all by herself before Ah could tell her it was a two person task,” Applejack explained. “Ah ain’t sure what’s in there since the key to it is nowhere to be found around the house.”

“Is that so?” Luna asked, crossing her arms while giving Celestia a look of disapproval, to which the latter only replied to it with a sheepish smile.

“And let me guess” - Luna continued while indicating to the chest - “you spent whatever you had left on you to purchase this.”

Celestia just nodded.

Luna pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

“I’ll make some room in the trunk,” she only said before walking away.

“Ah’m mighty impressed with Luna’s perception,” Applejack stated when the latter was out of earshot.

“When you live together for most of your entire life, you pick up quite a lot of things,” Celestia said while still rubbing her sore back.

“Are you going to be okay though?” Applejack asked, redirecting her attention to the older woman’s condition.

“I’ll be fine after a while,” Celestia assured with a smile. “But we could still use some help moving the chest into the car.”

“Allow me.”

To Celestia’s surprise, Applejack was able to pick up the chest all by herself with little to no effort before walking off in the direction that Luna went. Either the chest was lighter than it seemed, and her age made it heavier; or Applejack was born with inhuman strength. Of course the reasonable guess was that years working on the farm built up her muscles naturally.

With that, Celestia followed Applejack back to the car, where Luna was rather impatient waiting.

***

By the time the sisters arrived home, it was already sundown. The street lamps of their neighbourhood were already on to provide light for any night drivers either arriving home in that area, or just passing through. Creepy night stalkers as well, but that would be just plain stupid since their license plate code would be completely visible for anyone to report.

“I still can’t believe you blew your remaining forty dollars on an old chest,” Luna chided as the car pulled into the driveway of their home. “That could’ve been used for something more important… like for a cheese pizza.”

Celestia furrowed a brow.

“We have plenty of oven pizzas already in the fridge.”

“I meant for delivery, obviously.”

Celestia took a brief moment to ponder this before a coy smile crossed her lips.

“Ah. So you can ogle the pizza boy. Dusk Terra was it?”

A fierce blush suddenly crossed Luna’s face.

“What? No! I just happen to enjoy the quality of the food, that’s all.”

Her younger sister’s sudden defensive demeanor didn’t swayde Celestia at all. In fact it just made her more amused.

“If that’s the case, perhaps you should invite him to stay for a bit the next time you make an order. Perhaps to discuss a positive review for his workplace privately?”

“Oh-okay! How about we just drop the subject and help each other move supplies into the house before setting up decorations?” Luna suggested, clearly getting more flustered. She didn’t want to fall into that cliche of being that kind of woman who sleeps with men half her age; but it seemed all signs were starting to point to it.

Celestia just chuckled as she popped the latch to the trunk before getting out of the car with Luna following suit.

More time passed as the sisters unloaded and hung decor up. Thankfully it didn’t take long at all since all they got were mostly window stickers with a few hangables that they placed on the tree in their front yard. Lastly were a couple of carved jack-o-lanterns that depicted Celestia and Luna’s favoured sun and moon symbols that were placed on the front porch.

The only thing officially left was bringing in the storage chest. However, it was around suppertime now and both sisters were already feeling tired from their previous activity.

“How about we deal with this tomorrow. It’s not like we can open it anyway,” Luna said as both she and Celestia gazed upon the still locked chest. “Besides there’s probably nothing in there but junk that we don’t have any use for.”

“You do realize that this chest used to belong to both Bright Mac and Pear Butter right?” Celestia asked with a hint of disgust in her tone for disrespecting a possession of the Apple Family… especially one that belonged to deceased members.

A look of shock and embarrassment came across Luna’s face at this revelation.

“Uh… no. I had no idea.”

She then looked to Celestia with an actual expression of sincerity and understanding.

“Is this why you got this? To finally have something to remember them by, even after all these years?”

Celestia smiled softly before giving a nod.

“Indeed I did. Believe me I was just as surprised as you when Applejack told me. I was apprehensive about buying it then; but she gave me the consent since it was something Bright Mac and Pear wanted.”

“I see,” Luna said before re-focusing her attention on the chest. “How about for now it should stay in here until we can get a key forged for it? I’m thinking after Halloween when selected businesses are opened again.”

“Fair enough,” Celestia agreed before taking the liberty of closing the door to the car’s trunk.

As the sisters walked away and back into their house with muffled chatter, the inner lock of the chest clicked loose as if it had a mind of its own. It was followed then by the lid of it slowly opening by itself.

Author's Note

This story will be five chapters long. I already have the second chapter queued up for tomorrow; but the remaining three will be uploaded in the upcoming weekends since I ran out of time to write them. My fault due to my absent-mindedness.