Poisoned Apple

Apple Bloom and Big Mac sat outside of their sisters room.

"...Big Mac?"

"Yeah Apple Bloom?"

"Why can't I hear what the doctor had to say?"

"You wouldn't want to. He said so himself."

Apple Bloom slumped in her chair.

"It's not fair. I deserve to know, she is my big sister."

"I know. It is unfair."

"We aren't going to lose Applejack too, are we?"

"No." He replies without a pause. "We aren't. Don't you worry, AJ is gonna be fine, no doubt about it." Big Mac tried his hardest to keep her spirits up.

"Do you think we can go back in?" Asks Apple Bloom.

"...I don't know. Lets wait a few more minutes, just to be safe."

Back in the room, Applejack had become awake enough to speak with sense.

"...what is happening to me, doc?"

Applejack had noticed Granny Smith and Pinkie alot more saddened than she could last remember.

"We don't know exactly. But we don't have very good news. Your body is deteriorating at an alarmingly fast pace, which concerns us. There is no other way of putting this...your condition is terminal."

"What does terminal mean?" Says a young voice from behind the doctor.

It was Apple Bloom. She had wandered in without anypony noticing. Applejack couldn't handle the shock of her tragic news, and the possible reaction of her younger sister at once. She erupted in a flood of tears.

"...it's not bad, is it?" Apple Bloom asks.

"Uhh...well..." The doctor stumbled for words.

He turns to face the fillie, hunkers down to her level, and tries to word it the best he can.

"Terminal means...it means your big sister is very sick-"

"-But why is she crying?"

Apple Bloom wasn't making this very easy. Granny Smith slowly walks over to her, still trembling from the devastating news.

"It means...I don't want to lie to you sweetie, it means she won't get better. I'm sorry to sound harsh, but it's the truth." Granny Smith says, ignoring Pinkies loud cries.

Apple Bloom falls back onto the floor, and squirms backward.

"No! No no no! She will get better!"

She bumps into the strong legs of Big Mac, who had followed her in. Looking up at the strong stallion, Apple Blooms fears are further pushed by seeing Big Mac, her own big brother, cry. Such a simple sight for anyone to understand, but to Apple Bloom, her brother and sister were ponys to look up to. They were emotionally strong, and that is what Apple Bloom is used to. So seeing Big Mac like this was surprising, to say the least, even with what had happened.

"Sweetie..." Granny Smith struggled with the predicament.

"Why does it have to be Applejack?! She didn't do anything!" Apple Blooms words were becoming harder to understand.

"...of course she didn't, but these things happen, dear..."

"But why do they always happen to us?!"

"I don't know, but we can't do anything about it. I would love to make everything better, but I can't. None of us can, not even Celestia herself. I know this is hard, it's hard for all of us, dearest."

After a lengthy silence filled with consideration, Apple Bloom got up from off the floor, and trembled her way over to Applejack, who had watched them in a sickened silence. Pinkie moves to let the fillie have some space with AJ.

"...oh Apple Bloom..." Applejacks weary, emotionally broken voice couldn't amass much.

"...you will get better...I promise..."

Applejack couldn't reply to such heartwarming comfort. Especially from her younger sister.

The night slowly rolled in, and everypony had left the room to give AJ some space. As the fact of terminal illness clouded her thoughts, she cried. Applejack swung her hooves to cover her face, but something strange happened. She could only feel her right hoof on her cheek, the left remained on her bed. AJ tried to lift the leg up, but nothing happened. She had lost the ability to move it, or even feel it.

Before she could freak out, Apple Bloom opens the door slightly.

"Are you awake sis?" She says just a bit louder than a whisper.

"...yeah. I'm awake."

The fillie walks into the room once again, noticeably saddened.

"...are you feeling ok?"

"Yeah. Just fine, maybe a little tired."

"Good. I can't wait for us to go back to the farm, with all those trees to buck. Maybe I could lend a helping hoof."

"Maybe. Maybe you could..."

"...please don't go, sis..." The subject changes.

The tears begin to flow from the fillies eyes, presenting a greater burden onto Applejacks already frail shoulders.

"...I couldn't live without you..."

The painful sight had rendered Applejack into tears, just like her sister.

"...remember that time when we first met Zecora?" Applejack asks.

"Uh huh..."

"Well, you were really brave, going out into the Everfree Forest like you did. Even though I thought you were crazy.-"

Apple Bloom looks back up at AJ.

"-Can you be a brave little fillie for me again?"

Apple Bloom slowly walks over to Applejack.

"Can you?"

The young fillie was at her bedside, meeting eyes with AJ.

"...I will try..."

"I know you will."

Apple Bloom turns away, trying to stop Applejack from noticing her tears.

"...aww, Apple Bloom...you can cry..."

Without facing AJ, Apple Bloom turns back around and rests her head on Applejacks motionless arm.

"...you won't go...will you?"

Apple Blooms words gave way for a hard decision. Even with her honesty, this was no easy task.

"...I have to..."

"...but I don't want you to go..."

"I know, sugarcube...I don't want to go, but I have to."

Applejack was beginning to fall drowsy.

"...maybe if I see Ma and Pa, I will tell them how good you've been..."

Apple Bloom doesn't answer immediately, now staring at AJs Stetson on her bed.

"...you mean in heaven?" Apple Bloom asks, looking up to AJ.

"...yeah, in heaven. I will tell them how fast you have grown since they last saw you."

Silence falls once again, and without another word, Applejack fell asleep.

At this point, Granny Smith, Pinkie and Big Mac had quietly wandered into the room. They knew this very well could be the last night they see Applejack alive, even though the doctor didn't specify how long she actually has left. He didn't know. She had continued to deteriorate whilst talking with her sister. But Apple Bloom was determined that she would see her big sister again, even after their talk. No pony, not even death itself could take Applejack in her eyes. Applejack was too strong to let that happen.

Pinkie had to go home. Only three visitors could stay with a patient. It broke the doctors heart, but it had to be done.

Apple Bloom had refused to leave her sleeping sister. She insisted to stay as close as she can to what is left of Applejack. And not one of the family, or the doctor had the courage to separate the now inseparable. The fillie gets permission to stay with AJ.

All the young Apple Bloom wanted to see was Applejack open her eyes, and see them as their natural deep emerald, and witness the colour of her fur snap back to orange, not the dulled tones as they remained. She stayed up as long as she could, desperate for something. Apple Bloom couldn't directly wake her up, that would make things worse, but that is all she wanted to do. It was killing the young fillie, seeing her sister asleep, and not being able to wake her up, no matter how desperately she wanted to.

After an eternity it seemed of waiting for nothing, Apple Bloom quietly cried herself to sleep, curled up in the chair beside Applejacks bed. But as the hazy dreamscape descended over the young fillie, Applejack opened her eyes. She couldn't see much, but her yellow coat of fur was easy to spot in the darkness, along with the ribbon in her mane. Applejack was determined to wake her young sister.

"...Apple...Apple Bloom..." She whispers. Her voice is completely gone. "...please...Apple Bloom...wake up...." No avail. "...oh Celestia...wake up..." The tears fall.

She couldn't reach out to touch Apple Bloom. Both of her legs were now dead. Just like the Apple family thought, Applejack was certain this would be her last night on Equestria. She could feel it, somewhere deep inside of her.

"...wake up..."

Nothing. Apple Bloom was sound asleep. Applejack couldn't bear the agony.

"...wake up...please...just wake up..."

Sleepiness reigned in once more.

"...I love you...Apple...Bloom..."

Applejack wished to say goodbye to all she knew, but the heavy weight of sleep stole her from reality.

After a bad nights sleep, Apple Bloom awoke. Almost immediately stood on her chair and looked over the broken Applejack, like she was protecting her. Apple Bloom quivered at the thought of anything she could relate to her sister. Memories, sayings, the Stetson from atop her head now rested on her lap, the red ribbons accompanying her mane, to name a few.

The doctor walked in, he must have heard the sounds of Apple Blooms hooves on the chair.

"Did you sleep alright?" The doctor didn't want to ask questions about Applejack, though Apple Bloom kept quiet.

"Now, are you sure you want to stay in here? You can go to your family outside if you want?"

Apple Bloom shook her head.

With a nod, the doctor gently pressed his hoof against Applejacks neck and held it there for a few seconds to check for a pulse, only to then pull out his stethoscope and place it onto her chest.

Apple Bloom could just watch, as she leaned over to hold Applejacks lifeless hoof. Watch as how the fate of Applejack was dependant on the doctors reaction. Watch and hope. Or was it fear?

The doctor exhales, takes the stethoscope from AJs chest, and pulls it from his head. In the softest voice he could muster, the doctor says

"...Apple Bloom...I am so sorry..."

Apple Bloom screamed and panicked in refusal, shaking Applejacks hoof rapidly, only to moments later fall back in her seat and cover her eyes. Every beating heart that could hear her cries sank. Especially Big Macs, and Granny Smiths. To them, it could have only meant one thing.

Applejack had gone.