Luna landed lightly with folding wings as she looked around the sleepy town of Ponyville. The heavy sun in the sky diminished her odds of finding anypony at that time of day. Many of the inhabitants of that town were preparing for sleep.

It would not put her off. She had explored their dreams and not one of them had hinted Orchard Blossom so far. But the mention of Ponyville couldn't have been an accident! Luna approached one of the head ponies. "Mayor Mare, a moment of your time?"

Mayor Mare smiled brightly at Luna's sight. "Good to see you, princess. How can I help you? I'm happy to report no emergencies are needing royal help in the area."

"And if there were, Twilight is right there." Luna inclined her head at the great tower that housed the local princess. "What I seek is closer, but less immediately troubling."

"If I can help." Mayor Mare had a hoof on her chest. "What's the problem?"

"Orchard Blossom. Does the name bring anything to your recollection?" Luna leaned in on the local leader. "I am pursuing that mare."

"Orchard... Oh." Mayor Mare took off at a lively trot. "That name is familiar. This way." She ducked into the city hall, nodding at the workers on her way by. "This is Even Ledger." The stallion referred to nodded firmly. "He keeps track of everything! Even, we're looking for an Orchard Blossom anywhere on the books."

Even turned away from them both to begin hoofing through piles of papers. "Orchard, Ochard... Ah ha!" He pulls out a folder and twirled around. He slapped it down in front of them. "There was an Orchard Blossom registered for the Sisterhooves Social. Does that help, ma'am?"

Mayor Mare passed that question on with a raised a brow at Luna. Luna rubbed at her chin softly. "That is helpful. Is there more information?" Her horn glowed as she reached for the folder, only for it to be yanked back by Even. "Pardon?"

Even drew the paper back. "Sorry, princess, but there are governing rules about who may review that information."

Mayor Mare laughed nervously. "She is... This is Luna."

Even nodded. "Certainly is. If she wishes to pass a law changing that rule, she can." He tucked the folder away. "Until that time, I am acting under the rules as given to me."

Luna clopped a hoof down. "I am trying to locate an errant princess. I need to speak to her as quickly as possible."

"The Apples would be very irate with me if I--"

"--Thank you." Luna turned to leave on a determined march.

Mayor Mare looked between Even and Luna. "Thank you, Even. You may resume your duties."

"Ma'am." Even was already getting right back to sorting the papers in order.

Mayor Mare quickly caught up to Luna's side. "Princess, may I ask where you're going in such a hurry?"

"They said Apple." Luna hiked a brow at the mayor. "I will ask them. Surely they will have more information on Orchard Blossom."

"Perhaps, but it is becoming late." Mayor Mare gestured above as they walked. "Wouldn't it be wiser to stay the night and ask when they are awake and ready to receive you? I don't want you to go all that way just to find a sleeping farm."

"Perhaps not..." Luna slowed to a stop and turned to face Mayor Mare. "I will need to patrol dreams this night."

"Of course." Mayor Mare dipped low before Luna. "I won't impede that. We all fought for your right to do just that."

Luna colored with the memory of the town battling her dream demon. "Nothing so dramatic, I assure! We have complete control over that."

"Not that I doubted you for a second." Mayor Mare deviated from the path. "You can stay here for tonight." She led the way back to her house. It was large enough to tuck a princess into it, but... "I don't have any maids or butlers. Are you alright with that?"

Luna swerved around Mayor Mare into the house. "This will do for a night. It will be good of me to experience what life is like on my own for a day or night." She willed the door shut, clapping Mayor Mare on the bottom on the way. "In fact, I will prepare dinner!"

Mayor Mare reached a hoof back to rub her mildly sore back end. "That's very kind of you." There were no assurances that a princess over for a night would be easy.

Big Mac was hauling a heavy bit of machinery down the road towards town. A pity there was a pony in the way. "Ayup?"

Luna stood tall and straight before Big Mac. "I am seeking the Apples." She looked him over and took notice of his cutie mark. "You may be one of them? Big Mac! I have met you and your sister before, have I not?" Whatever confusion there had been, it had passed as she remembered who he was.

"Ayup." Big Mac nodded to the princess of the night that was about as big as he was.

"I was looking for an Orchard Blossom. Perhaps a cousin?" Luna didn't see as Big Mac tensed with worry. "Hard to miss, being an alicorn. They have not formally accepted being a princess, but are... I'm getting off track. Do you know where they are?"

Big Mac recoiled faintly. "Um... Nope." If there was a time that being a stallion of few words came in handy, that had to be one of them.

"But you've heard of them." Luna did not appear ready to back down. "I hear they were..." Luna hesitated and stopped. "Have you heard of them?"

"Ayup?" He licked over his dry lips. "Gotta go." He pulled at his, oh. It was suddenly not heavy. Luna was lifting it with her magic and walking back to where she came from, him along for the ride. "Ayup?"

"Yes. I will help you make this delivery." Luna glanced over her shoulder. "Tell me where this goes, then we can continue our conversation." Big Mac pointed the way, and she went straight for the shop. "Ah, is it to be repaired, then?" She set the cart, and the pony attached, down just in front of it. "Go ahead. I will wait here."

"Ayup." Big Mac scurried forward the instant he hit the ground and vanished inside with the cart wheeling wildly behind him.

Luna waited impatiently with a tapping hoof, only to spot Big Mac crawling out a window on the side. "There you are." She hurried up to him with a smile. "Let us continue." She casually plucked the stallion free and set him on the ground.

His attempt to flee thwarted, Big Mac nodded to the alicorn. "Ayup."

"So tell me all about this Orchard Blossom." Luna began walking towards the farm at a slow pace. "You know her well?"

Big Mac walked alongside her, fearing her reacting otherwise. "Yup." He knew her about as well as anypony could, no lie there!

"Lovely!" Luna clapped her hooves with joy. "Is she a good pony?"

"Ayup." He hoped so? He tried to be a good pony!

"Does she visit the farm often?"

Big Mac swallowed the answer to that. Did she?! Sorta... But she was Big Mac when she did, um... "Nope."

"Do you know how to--"

"Big Mac, Luna!" There was Applejack, waving at the two of them excitedly. "Didn't expect to see ya so soon, especially after that last kerfuffle." She came up with a big smile. "Still, good on ya! Not letting little things rattle ya like that. How can I help ya?"

Luna colored faintly. "You need not bring that up. I came to inquire about Orchard Blossom."

Applejack snorted out an aborted laugh. "Did nopony tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Luna raised a brow at Applejack. "Are you concealing a secret from me?"

"No, no, wouldn't dream of it." Even if Applejack looked like she was struggling not to laugh at the suggestion. "Just... Orchard Blossom's the name mah—"

Big Mac suddenly tackled her, hoof over her mouth and making a loud hissing noise of silence.

Despite that, she fought him off. "Tarnation. If she's willin' to share her dark secrets, then so should we. That's called bein' honest." She winked with a knowing smile. "As I was sayin', Orchard Blossom's the name Big Mac used." She waved at the big, blushing stallion.

Luna squinted at Big Mac, who was an earth pony. He had no wings. He had no horn. The odds of him doing any of the things the onlookers had said Orchard Blossom did were close to zero. "Is this true?" She loomed over Big Mac, daring him to lie. "Is what she says the truth?"

"Ayup." Every word she had said was true. Sure, it had grown more complicated with time, but she hadn't lied. "Ayup."

Luna raised a hoof to her cheek. "But..." She stomped a hoof down. "Is there no other Orchard Blossom? There must be!"

Big Mac looked to Applejack, who was all too happy to respond, "That's the only Orchard Blossom ah know! Ah know each an' every Apple relation." She nodded with complete confidence. "What fer? Did an Apple get into trouble we should be on the lookout fer?"

Luna pricked up. "Yes, exactly that. She has been working without permission. I need to speak to her as soon as possible." She wagged a hoof at Applejack. "So as soon as you see her, inform her to come to the castle immediately and surrender herself to Princess Luna for a conversation."

Big Mac swallowed. That didn't sound like the good kind of conversation!

Applejack was ignorant of any tension. "Ah'll be sure to do that." Her brows lowered. "Not that ah think we're likely to see any Orchard Blossom around." Her eyes glanced at Big Mac. "Unless my brother has somethin' he wants to share, and maybe a girlfriend he needs to have a serious conversation wit'."

Big Mac's blush redoubled in a vivid shade of shame. "Ah don't think she would want a pony like that!" More words than he typically said, but fer her, he was willing to go that extra mile. "Nope."

Applejack nodded, though her eyes were on Luna. "Sounds like we got our answer right there, then. No Orchard Blossoms here. But if I do see 'em, ah'll let you know."

Luna snorted as she turned away. "See that you do... She must exist." She stormed off with angry grumbling. The lack of Orchard Blossom may have aborted her search for the moment, but her will clearly hadn't been.

Applejack turned to her nervous brother. "Sorry fer throwin' ya under the movin' cart an' all, but that was the honest truth. Better to just tell her instead of havin' her chasing some past you around that doesn't even exist no more."

Big Mac considered his position and Applejack's place in it. "Thanks." He set a hoof on her shoulder without objection. "Ya did the right thing."

"I know I did." She pulled him in the rest of the way for a firm hug. "'Sides, not like Orchard Blossom did anything wrong she weren't already yelled at fer. All water under the bridge! Won't stand for 'her' bein' yelled at no more! You learned what you needed learnin' and ah'm right proud of ya."

Big Mac backed a step. "Um, thank ya..." How else could he reply to that? He was that mystery princess. But he was also the awkward brother trying to help his sister that time ago. That was a learning experience, as awkward as it all was. "Yer... ayup."

Applejack seemed to understand what he was saying, or at least assumed to the end. "Yer mighty welcome, Big Mac. Oh! What happened to that tractor? Ya get it fixed?" Big Mac pointed to where he dropped it off. "She'll let us know when it's ready, then. C'mon!"

Author's Note

Luna comes so close to the truth. So close!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own here at atreon!

Don't want to do an ongoing thing? You could

Join my discord to chat!