Poisoned Apple

Autumn has arrived. The most financially promising the Apple family had ever seen. Things were looking good for the most of the mane six, as they had all arranged days to take off from there usual jobs, or events to go on a few days out. Twilight Sparkle, along with Spike had a handful of days off from royalty, Rarity, albeit somewhat reluctantly closed the Carousel Boutique for a short time, RainbowDash had no plans anyway, and Fluttershys animal friends were able enough to look after themselves and the cottage. And she indefinitely told them 'don't worry, I won't be long'. Pinkie wanted to stay behind, because along with other reasons, she wanted to give the busy Applejack some company. Maybe not the best decision on AJs behalf, but it's the thought that counts, and it was very sweet of her. Plus the whole 'days out' thing didn't seem to phase her one bit.

It seemed Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were busy, too. A school trip had promised them a once-in-a-lifetime trip across Equestria. Apple Bloom didn't go with them, as she and the Apple family had been looking forward to this autumn for a while, because according to them it would yield the biggest, and best crop of apples Ponyville has ever seen.

It seemed everypony was going to have the best autumn ever. Not that everypony outside of the Apple family looked forward to autumn.

As the train with the girls, Spike and the school ponys left the station, there was a huge wave of 'goodbyes' from both the platform and the train. Loads of parents had come to wave off their colts and fillies on what may be the best times of their young lives. Pinkie Pie, Applejack and the rest of the Apple family were their doing the same for the girls. As the train got obscured out of view, the noise died.

"I know I keep saying this, but you really didn't have to stay behind for me, Pinkie." Applejack says.

"Well, I don't mind at all! I didn't want you to feel left out, so I stayed here. I don't have anything important to miss, and after all, if I didn't, I'm sure any of the girls would have stayed behind instead!"

They smiled warmly at each other. After leaving the station, the Apple family knew they had to get to work on the farm. And they were exited to do so.

It was only a few days into autumn, and AJ wasn't feeling completely up to scratch. For such a healthy pony like Applejack, sickness shouldn't be a concern. She kept herself in shape by working, kept healthy by eating right (she does live on an apple farm, so that was a guarantee), and if illness was to be apparent, she knew what had to be done to ensure it was nothing, and got it done. Applejack has got a farm to tend to with her family, so she had to be in the best shape possible, especially now since the mother-of-all-autumns is here.

Bus sickness had descended over Applejack. First, it was just taken as the common cold, nothing more. Which in fairness is all it seemed, sniffling and sneezing a lot. Applejack took this as a nuisance, continuing to buck tree after tree. Over time, the sickness had begun to impact her performance when working. She took it a bit more seriously, and tried to fix the problem with some medicine, and a short rest, before it lasted any longer. Applejack wasn't concerned about herself, but her job. The Apple family needs to get as much done as possible.

Soon after her attempts to kill the 'cold', she began to faint frequently. And at seemingly random time periods. Something was wrong, and after some persuasion from her family, she saw a doctor. He couldn't understand what was the cause. 'Just take these tablets, get some rest and if this continues, return' is all the doctor could really suggest.

The noticeable sickness has started to take its toll. Applejack had began to develop migraines. All the nights she stayed up, due to her consistent headaches and nausea had completely drained her of energy. The Apple family stayed by her bedside as Applejack struggled to even comprehend what was going on. Something so small had turned bad so quickly. All she could do is watch as the family took concern, and tried to comfort Apple Bloom, as well as herself. The poor fillie was completely terrified at the ordeal.

The doctor was called in. The sickened mare couldn't get up to go the hospital without assistance. An assessment was made of her condition, and the outcome hadn't changed. Whatever was going on was beyond the doctors knowledge. Apple Bloom was in tears at her distressed sister, and as young minds do, feared the worst. While the doctor tried to do all he could to reassure her that all will be well, a violent coughing spree erupted from Applejack, and she began violently throwing up into the bucket Big Macintosh had got for just event. The noises were scarring, only further reducing Apple Blooms composure. AJ had already threw up all the remains of what she had dared to eat of recent, although she continued her everlasting coughs. Her head felt as if somepony was burning it from the inside. Only getting more painful as the blood pumped through her skull. The bones and muscles of her once-strong composure lay dormant and useless on her bed. Her fur was clumped, she couldn't wash because if she tried to get up, the flow of blood would be too much for her head to take, and she would probably fall onto the floor. Even breathing, or answering simple yes or no questions was agonisingly painful to achieve.

Once the coughing had come to an end, she lay back down onto her cushiony bed sheets. The outburst had made Applejack lost for breath, the throbs accompanying the burning in her head got more painful, as she gave out quiet whimpers with every release of breath. She knew if she cried, more pain would amass, so Applejack tried to hold the tears back.

She was hating every last aspect of this. Not just the pain she was in, but everypony else's, too. And the farm needed tending to, even missing just one day was bad in her eyes.

Apple Bloom could take no more. The fillie ran out of the bedroom, slowly followed by Granny Smith trying to keep up to offer comfort. To no avail. Apple Bloom runs through the house, shouting her cries. She runs to the outside, and with no specific purpose runs down the dirt path to Ponyville. Only one thought ran through her young mind.

'I'm going to lose my big sister.'

Granny Smith had lost her. The young fillie was too fast for her not-so-sprite legs to keep up. As the young Apple Bloom made it to Ponyville, she was only stared at by onlookers, confused as to what is actually going on. Swiftly, Apple Bloom jumps into a pile of soft hay, nests into it hiding herself, and let more tears flow. She did want to go to her tree house, but ponys would find her, as that is one of her favourite spots in Ponyville.

Unbeknownst to the young fillie, she was behind of Sugarcube Corner. Her crying had stopped her from noticing the edible-looking building. The bouncy Pinkie Pie makes her way from the entrance of the bakery, and overhears crying coming from somewhere. After some poor effort at searching, Pinkie makes her way to the back of the bakery. The crying has gotten closer. The intrigued party pony was eventually taken to the small patch of hay Apple Bloom had been crying in.

Pinkie swipes the hay aside, to reveal the saddened fillie. She was lying down, head was rested in her hooves.

"Apple Bloom? Why are you behind the bakery in this pile of hay?" The somewhat exited pony says. "Are you playing hide and seek with your friends?"

Apple Bloom says nothing, nor looks up at Pinkie. She continues to sob into her hooves, as Pinkie Pie looks down upon her.

"...what is the matter? Are you losing?"

Pinkie picks up the sad fillie by under her front legs and sits down as Apple Bloom continues to cry.

"Aww, you can tell Pinkie Pie what's wrong!" She says, while brushing hay off of the upset Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom looks up at Pinkies face, noticing the splodges of flour and icing around her cheeks from working in the bakery.

"I-It's Applejack..."

"You can't find Applejack? She must be really good at hiding!"

"...no...she...she is sick..."

"...sick?"

"...uh huh..."

Pinkie was confused. It wasn't a major problem in her bubbly mind, but she didn't come to the conclusion that it must be bad because somepony is this upset about it. After all, even though Apple Bloom is young, she is mature enough to not overreact when the smallest things happen.

"I'm sure she will be fine! Everypony gets sick now and then! Like a few weeks ago, I had way too many cakes than I should, which made me feel a bit bad, but after some rest, I was back to normal!" Pinkie says.

Even with the memories of those horrific sounds, Apple Bloom was somewhat reassured.

"...you...you really think so?"

"I know so! You wouldn't mind me going to see her with you, would you? Because I bet she is back to herself right now!"

"...ok."

"Great! Let me just get cleaned up!"

In a cloud of dust, Pinkie drops Apple Bloom, rushes back into the bakery, and just as quickly returns to her, whom had just hit the ground.

"Lets go!"

Before they made their way up to the farm, a distressed Big Macintosh was seen desperately searching for Apple Bloom. Obviously, this is not what Pinkie assumed.

"Hey, Big Mac! Are YOU playing hide and seek?"

Big Macintosh looks over to Pinkie. "Uh...Nope."

"Oh. I really need to get better at guessing!"

Big Mac spots Apple Bloom.

"There you are! You can't go running off like that, Apple Bloom! Not with your big sister how she is!"

"Woah, woah, woah! You ran away?!"

Apple Bloom remained silent.

"Pinkie, I think Applejack is going to need that company you offered. She is really sick." Big Mac insists.

The severity of Applejacks situation was beginning to unveil in Pinkies mind. But if she were to break, so would Apple Bloom, the fillie she needs to comfort, so she refuses to retain the thought of the worst.

The three ponys respectively bounce and trot their way up the bumpy path to Sweet Apple Acres. All Pinkie knew is she had a friend to see, and a fillie to cheer up. They didn't speak, but with every few seconds, their pace became faster. Once they did get to the house, nopony was to be seen downstairs. They must still be in Applejacks bedroom.

As the three gallop up the stairs, and into Applejacks room, only Granny Smith was there. No Applejack, no doctor. Just her.

"Where is Applejack?" Asked Apple Bloom.

"At the hospital." Granny Smith replies."While Big Mac was out lookin' for you, she was taken there."

"So it's worse than we thought?" Asked Big Mac, to which Granny Smith nods.

Pinkie now had a complete concern over Applejacks wellbeing.

"We need to go to the hospital then! We can't leave her on her own!" Pinkie says.

Apple Bloom and Pinkie Pie run as fast as they could to the hospital from the house, while Big Mac walks with Granny Smith.

At the hospital, Applejack is put into a room for further examination by numerous doctors. Her fur was dulled orange, and her emerald eyes were now a faded green. The pain hadn't dulled down, though. It still felt like something was eating its way out of her head, but never making any progress. Neither was the doctors analysis of her condition, even after Applejack had painfully told them of what she was feeling.

Pinkie and Apple Bloom had at this point burst into the hospital. They were not allowed to see AJ, the stress may prove too much for her head to cope. All they could do is wait. Big Mac had arrived with a weeping Granny Smith.

Applejack seemed to be the centre of the hospital. Her condition was so strange, not a single doctor knew. They had to take blood samples to hopefully get desperate answers.

Apple Blooms sorrows had returned.

"...Applejack...will get better...wont she Pinkie?" She asks.

"Yeah. Yeah she is going to be fine, don't you worry!" Pinkie tries her hardest to not sound worries. "This is Applejack we are talking about!"

"She is gonna be fine." Big Mac quietly adds.

The hours roll by, and they are finally allowed to see Applejack. Once they all had wandered into the room, Pinkie and Apple Bloom react in similar, child-like manners. Running to her bedside and praying for her safety.

"We don't know what is wrong with her at this minute, but all we can see is she is deteriorating extremely fast." A nurse says. "But earlier we taken blood samples, amongst others from her. They should give us a clearer perspective on what's going on, but we are not exactly sure when they will get here."

"Thank you, nurse." Reply's Granny Smith.

"Whatever it is isn't contagious either, luckily." The nurse finishes.

As the painstaking hours go by, Applejack drifts in, and out of sleep. Her already dulled colours are not far off a complete gray. The Stetson that traditionally sat atop her head was on her lap. Such a heart-wrenching sight was killing each and every one of her closest friends and family that could be there. The possibly life changing results of Applejacks condition were given to a doctor on a sheet of paper.

"May I ask that you take the young fillie out of the room? I don't want to upset her any more than she already is." The doctor requests from anypony.

"Why? I want to hear too!" Apple Bloom pleads.

"C'mon sis. Lets go outside." Big Mac says.

"No! I want to hear what it says!" The tears began to drip from her eyes.

"Please Apple Bloom...not now..."

Apple Bloom frantically looks at each face in the room, as her emotions get the best of her. After a reassured look to the ground, Apple Bloom says

"...ok..."

Big Mac escorted Apple Bloom out of the room. At the sound of the door closing, the doctor began to read the dreaded words. After a lengthy observation, he spoke.

"Your friend 'Applejack' has a very concerning problem. She has a disease nopony is familiar with, even outside of this hospital. The tests show whatever is happening is destroying cells slowly inside of her brain, and quickly affecting her nervous-"

The doctor halted at the sound of Pinkies cries.

"...look, I don't know how to put this lightly, but Applejacks condition is...well, it's terminal. There is no known cure, and we don't know how long she is going to last in her current state. If deterioration continues this quickly though, she hasn't got long. We will try our hardest to help her, however we can."

"...Celestia..." Granny Smith says under her quivering breath, as the doctor passes her the sheet of results.

The question had changed from if she was going to pass away, to when.