Down with a Cold
Applejack reeled her rear legs back at the tree, bucked the bark of the tree as apples toppled down from the branches into a basket. “That is what Ah’m talkin’ about, yee-haw!” She came to a complete halt as the dark clouds rolled in and the booming sound of thunder startled her, the downpour of rain completely soaked her mane and coat.
“Ah can’t believe this. Achoo!” Applejack’s nostrils started to tickle with her head tilted back, she sneezed a small, thin rope of mucus out of her nose. “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me, Ah can’t be sick today!” She rushed into the farmhouse and slammed the door behind her.
She raced up the stairs to her room, leaving behind a trail of mud on her way into the room. Closing the door behind her, the door creaked against the wooden floorboards as the young farmer grabbed some tissues from her nightstand, blew her nose into the tissues, and a fresh coat of mucus spread across the tissues.
“It’s a good thing that Big Mac, Granny Smith, and Apple Bloom are selling apples in Trottingham,” she wiped the sweat off her brow, relieved that she wouldn’t get her family sick.
Rarity trotted through the Sweet Apple Acres orchard, holding up an umbrella to shield her lavish mane from getting drenched. “I hope that Applejack is alright, usually she would be getting up at the crack of dawn to work. Though we have our differences, I should at least check on her.”
Her hoof knocked against the hard wood of the door, “Applejack?” She knocked again, but still no answer. The door glowed in her blue aura as she opened the door, walking into the farmhouse with the door closing behind her while Rarity made sure that she didn’t cause a ruckus to wake her friend up.
The seamstress walked up the stairs and down the hallway to locate Applejack’s room in the set of doors that were left closed, only one door remained open. She pressed her ear against the wall outside of Applejack’s room, hearing the sound of sneezing and wheezing caused her to walk into the room.
“Applejack, darling. I hope that you’re feeling okay,” Rarity looked down at the used tissues that riddled the floor in the room, and she scrunched her nose at the sight of mucus-covered tissues covering Applejack’s bed sheets.
“Ah’m fine, Rarity.” The end of Applejack’s ponytail was still tied while the rest of her mane was still unkempt from moving around in bed, trying to at least get a lick of shuteye. “Just comin’ down with a lil’ cold, that’s all.
Mucus spilled out under Applejack’s muzzle, she sniffed it back up into her nostrils. “But ya know what, Ah need help.”
“ I was going to work on another dress for a client in Manehattan, but I noticed that you weren’t on the orchard so I decided to come and check on you,” Rarity grimaced at the sight of used tissues strewn across the floor, snot dripped from them.
Rarity brought a brush out of her saddlebag, brushing the tangled, blond locks of Applejack’s mane. “Just brushing your mane for you.”
Applejack giggled as her friend brushed her mane. “Ya’ll never change. Will ya, Rarity?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, darling. I would walk the ends of Equestria to nurse you back to health, you stay comfy while I make you some tea.” Rarity fluffed the pillow behind Applejack’s pillow, ensuring that she was comfy before she walked down the stairs into the kitchen.
“Thanks Rarity, you’re a true friend.” Applejack sniffled, grabbing another tissue from the tissue box.
Rarity made her trip into the kitchen, poured water into the kettle and turned the tea kettle on, letting the tea boil in the kettle as she searched through the cabinets. She found a honey jar in the top of the cabinets, the tea finished boiling in the metal kettle on the stove. Rarity grabbed the handle of the metal kettle poured every drop of the tea into a teacup, stirred the tea around with a spoon.
Tapping the bottom of the honey jar, the rich, golden honey came out of the jar and into the teacup. She rotated the spoon clockwise and counterclockwise in the cup, the honey mixed with the hot liquid and brought the cup up the stairs to Applejack’s room.
“Here you go, Applejack. One freshly brewed cup of tea coming right up, prepared with friendship and love.” Rarity propped the teacup and saucer on Applejack’s nightstand, looking into her emerald eyes.
“Come again?” The confused cowpony whipped her head around. She tipped her stetson down in front of her eyes, hiding the blush on her freckles.
“Nothing, darling. You can partake in the delicious tea, do you need anything else?” Rarity levitated the teacup off the saucer, enveloped in her blue aura. She held the teacup near Applejack’s lips and tipped the cup down.
“Nothin’ else, Rarity. Thank you for fluffin’ my pillow, makin’ me tea, and takin’ time out of your busy schedule to visit me.” Applejack opened her mouth wide as Rarity tipped the cup further, the warm tea trickled down her throat and into her stomach. She licked her lips and tasted the rich flavor of the honey in the tea.
“I couldn’t just leave you here, bedridden and all alone.” Rarity walked over to the door, before Applejack rests her head down on the pillow and called out to her.
“Rarity!”
“Yes, Applejack?”
“Thank ya kindly for your hospitality. Ah really appreciate it,” Applejack tipped her stetson at Rarity, she winked her eye at her.
“It was no trouble at all, Applejack. Get better soon,” Rarity walked out of the room and downstairs to the door of the farmhouse, she closed the door behind her. She pulled her umbrella out as it hovered above her head, wandering through the orchard.
“Will do partner, will do.” Applejack blew her nose into another tissue, covering the tissue in her mucus and closed her eyes.
She drifted off to sleep and whispered to herself, “Generosity.”
