Strength

by Toraka

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Sad, Main 6, Original Character, Apple Bloom
Length: 5472

A plague is spreading and Apple Bloom has it. Will Twilight find the cure in time?

When somepony else's world is at your hooves, what do you do with it? In times of need, we all need somepony to lean on, but who is that somepony's somepony, and so on?

From the Griffon Kingdom, a plague previously unknown to Ponykind is imported. Within five days, they say, the victim is either fine or dead. How will the Mane 6 (plus Midnight!) cope with Apple Bloom's infection? Will Twilight manage to find the cure in time and stop this madness? Only one way to find out.

Note please: The following stories are in the same universe; An unknown sensation, Splitting aMid the Night, To Jack a Rainbow, Two of a kind.
In addition, Strength and Perception take place in a parallel universe to that one, where things are almost the same, but not quite.

Published 2012-07-06 04:54:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-07-12 01:26:39 UTC

Chapter 1

Note: This is in some kind of parallel dimension in my Midnight universe. All the character relationships are the same, but the events of this won't appear in SatN.

"Applejack..." As before, Apple Bloom's attempts to speak were interrupted by her frantically coughing. "AJ... Ah'm scared."

It wasn't a nice sight by any means. Apple Bloom was buried under every spare blanket in the Apple family's house, plus her own. Through the window opposing the door, the Sun's blessed warmth entered the room. Still, she managed to feel freezingly cold. This disease was drawing on her very self, everypony could see that.

Her coat was visibly paler than before, resulting in her looking like a very dirty version of Sweetie Belle. Even what little yellow remained in her tone was slowly fading away. Her mane was completely frazzled out, partially falling over her eyes. Those beautiful orbs, wherein a bottomless darkness was separated from the white of reality, of innocence, solely by a narrow ring of orange, hadn't shown their usual spark in days.

The pretty spark that betrayed the clever mind within. The spark which made everypony look back up with renewed hope. Now it was gone, but Applejack would stop at nothing to see it again. She gently pushed Apple Bloom's trembling hoof back down onto the brown cover.

"Hush, sugarcube. Ya mustn't waste yer energy. Rest."

"But what if Ah..." Her voice was losing strength with each passing minute. Applejack wanted nothing more than to run away and live somewhere far away, in constant denial of the reality she had to endure. But she couldn't. She had to remain strong in an environment where all hope seemed lost.

"No. Don't ya dare even think about that. Yer an Apple. Yer strong. Ah will bring ya the cure and yer gonna be alright. Ah swear, but Celestia's plot, Ah won't let ya... die. Jus'... jus't hang on in there an everythin' is gonna be jus' fine. Unless ya need me, Ah'll go out ta check back on Twilight t'day again. Try ta sleep."

Applejack was surprised at how steady she had managed to keep her own voice. When she turned to exit the room, the filly's weakened mind had already succumbed to sweet slumber. She probably dreamt of a world dead long since, where there need not be a single worry about anything. Everypony was supplied food and entertainment for free as they merrily danced and sung, stopping only to poop rainbows, day and night.

Applejack was determined that, as long as she breathed, she'd work on reviving that world for Apple Bloom. If she failed, neither of them should have to see what a monstrosity they lived in.

She left the farmhouse and set out for Ponyville. The odds of there being any significant progress they hadn't told her about were slim, but in that kind of situation, facing for the first time in her life a problem she was powerless against, she was willing to try anything.

As if to emphasise the darkness that was encroaching over her family's trees, grey clouds had begun to blot out the Sun entirely since her sister had shut her eyelids. She prayed to whoever may listen that she would see them open again. After a few seconds of standing still, Applejack realised that picturing endless scenarios of doom that were more likely to happen than she was comfortable admitting wasn't helping anypony and resumed walking.

After an eternity of slow trotting, Applejack reached Ponyville's library tree. Without knocking, she pushed the door open and went inside. Its insides were just as messy as Applejack's felt. Various alchemical equipment was spread out over four tables, between which a lavender unicorn was constantly running to and fro, examinating results and adding new ingredients to the glass containers. Twilight had pulled out any book that could help her with the matter and left it lying open on the table in the middle of the room.

Seemingly unphased by the urgency of the situation, the purple unicorn Midnight was lazily playing with her night blue mane and slowly walking in a circle around the room to fix any mistakes her marefriend had made while also constantly reminding her to calm down.

"Twilight! Please tell me ya got somethin'!"

At the sound of Applejack's voice, Twilight was torn out of her concentration, looked to see who it was, shook her head with her eyes closed and led the Earth Pony towards a few seats. Meanwhile, Midnight was trying to prevent one of the test glasses from shooting its contents all over the room, expressing high displeasure in Twilight's carelessness through nonverbal communication.

"I've told you before, I'm doing what I can. We've made some progress, but bear with me, working through the past two days and nights is getting to me. Try to relax. I know it's hard on you, but I'll try my best to get something in time. All of Equestria is counting on me, afterall."

"It's jus'... whenever Ah go to sleep, Ah kin see her face, begging for me to end her misery. And Ah just can't help her. An'... you know what they say, after five days..." It seemed that Applejack had used up all of her self-control back at her home. She had to fight back tears with all of her might while simply speaking had turned into a matter of finding the optimal time between sobs caused by horrible visions of the sixth day.

"Don't think about that. We'll find something."

Midnight had successfully completed her task and walked over to them. Her voice remained calm and mystical as she spoke. "We better. Given the reports from other towns, when five days have passed, any foal's either recovered or dead. Erm, bad news. The Flow has marked this one. If she does survive the nights leading up to it, she'll be claimed during the fifth, should we not manage to find the cure in time."

Being told that her sister didn't even have the twenty-five percent chance of shaking it off by herself broke the dam for Applejack. She began soaking Twilight's shoulder and neck while one unicorn glared daggers at the other, who responded with an innocent look. Midnight didn't see the point in hiding what facts she had gathered through her deep connection with the world itself.

"Although I may be mistaken. But that's unlikely. In any case, the best you can do is give us time to work and try not to think about her."

"Ah guess yer right, but how can Ah forget 'bout her? She's mah whole world, Ah can't even imagine..."

"There are tons of ponies in Ponyville. Try those and give us two a break. Her chances are falling with every minute that you stick around."

Twilight was about to lecture Midnight on the art of properly consoling others when she already ran off again in order to save another sample from overflowing, leaving her alone with Applejack still bent over her, although she was starting to regain control of her emotions.

As much as she hated to, Twilight had to admit that she really wanted to get back to saving Equestria herself, so she patted Applejack on the back and softly pushed her away from herself.

"We won't fail. She just started with it, what, two days ago? So that means, if Midnight is correct, which I honestly hope she is not, we still have three, counting today. I promise I'll bring you what's necessary the day after tomorrow. If I can, even sooner, but... well, obviously, not later, erm... you know, Rainbow Dash has been kind of worrying about you. You should pay her a visit, afterall, you're still married."

"Yeah, Ah'll... be on mah way. Heh, kinda really forgot about Dash. Then again, ya can't really blame me."

Twilight pulled her back into a friendly embrace, squeezing her tight as if trying to absorb some of her pain into herself, then let go and rose back up to her hooves.

Without saying any more words, Applejack took her leave.

Now all she had to do was finding the lazy pegasus. As she knew her, Rainbow Dash was probably napping on a cloud somewhere oblivious to the inbound apocalypse. Granted, it was only a personal apocalypse for Applejack's personal world for now, but there was no telling who could be the next victim. Given Applejack's luck, it might be Dash herself. The possibility of never seeing either smile ever again terrified her beyond anything she had ever felt. Fortunately, she saw a foot of rainbow falling over the edge of a nearby cloud, as well as a hoof of Rainbow.

"Rainbow Dash, if ya know what's good fer you, ya'll come down right this instant!"

Startled by Applejack's command, which was just below shouting in volume, Dash came back from her nap flailing wildly, trying to determine the source of the noise, which destroyed her could in the process and sent her rapidly descending towards the ground. Just in time to avoid fatal injury or worse, her wings flared open. The impact still looked painful, but she absorbed the blast and walked it off as if nothing had happened.

"Ugh, what's going on?" Rainbow rubbed her sleepy eyes and spotted Applejack's unsteady frame, her frayed mane, her baggy eyes. "Oh my, did you..."

"Not me. Apple Bloom did an' Ah jus' can't stop thinking 'bout her... She's only got three days left, Rainbow!" As time flew, her voice began to show her desperation.

"That is, give Twilight can't do anything about it in time, and I know she will."

"Ah guess yer right, ah gotta have faith in mah friends."

"In a broken world, faith is all we have left. Don't think I don't know what's on your mind because you didn't bother to tell me. But there's nothing you can do."

"An' Ah can't stand that. How wouldya like it if your family tree was 'bout ta get pruned?"

"It won't be. But what's the point in having the same worries run through your head over and over again? Come on, let's get you some happier thoughts."

"Ah..." It appeared that Rainbow Dash's motivatory speech was in vain. Thus, she decided to interrupt Applejack in the most gentle way possible and planted a soft kiss on her beloved's lips. She hadn't intended for it to last longer than two all too short seconds, but when she wanted to pull away, Dash felt two forelegs fixating her head in place and complied.

After a full ten seconds, during which Applejack forced them both to savor the moment and each other's presence on a dirt road right in the middle of Ponyville, in plain sight, causing ponies around them to, at first, look at them with genuine interest, then avert their gazes upon realising that they were just two more youngsters openly living out their love.

In a way, they were, though neither of them was still the filly they both felt like in that moment.

"Transcend your worries. Who are you?"

"Ah'm Applejack..."

"Excuse me?"

"Ah'm Applejack of the Apple family and I'm an Assassin."

"There ya go. How do you feel?"

"Better. Thanks, sugar. Ah'll jus'..." Applejack turned South and prepared to leave, but Dash held her tight.

"No. You won't go back now. She's asleep, she'll be fine without you. Now, we'll be enjoying the fact that you finally managed to empty your head."

Applejack shook the dust from her mane, throwing the last of her doubts and fears out of her mind in the process, and righted the Stetson on her head. At last, she could accept her powerlessness, and through that, take complete control of her life again.

"Yeah. Let's go. Ya got anythin'? No zombie apocalypse movies though, please."

"Of course not. Although we'd probably be alone, everypony's too scared of inf... yeah."

"Let's jus' go to the spa."

"Really? Aw, okay. Your wish is my command. Always. Not just right now, of course. Because in marriage, one's gotta be the other's slave. My own fault for claiming the suit at our wedding, hm?"

Applejack's facial expression changed into one of heavy disbelief. "Sugarcube, yer..."

Rainbow Dash sighed. "Look, I'm as worked up about this as you are and I'm trying to make it better for you by giving you an easy time. Play along, please, would you?"

"Yer probably right. Now carry me there, 'slave'!" Applejack was smiling. That was all Rainbow had hoped for.

"Alright, brace yourself, 'master'."

Chapter 2

"Aah, that was wonderful. We gotta do this again sometime, sugar. If only ta see ya squirm," Applejack said with a sly grin as the two of them left Ponyville's spa. Rainbow didn't really care for it, but that didn't matter for her. She was willing to make small sacrifices for the greater good. Failing that, Applejack's mood and mental well-being were equally honorable causes.

Applejack let out an annoyed groan as she noticed the first raindrop out of many to come falling onto her muzzle. Rainbow Dash wasn't surprised by the change in weather, of course. She was the one who had commanded for it to happen. Rather, she was glad that the weather team had managed to follow the schedule properly while their leader was absent on more important business, napping, for instance.

"Why, it's been fun and all, but Ah really gotta get back home now. Let's hope Apple Bloom's had jus' as good a time as us."

Dash extended her left wing in order to shield Applejack from the starting rain. She never talked about it, but Dash knew she was somewhat afraid of water after nearly drowning as a filly. Rainbow didn't like her wings getting wet, but she'd hate to see Applejack soaked.

"I'm sure she has. But, just to make sure, don't think I'll leave your side 'til we've seen she's alright. I insist, 'master'."

"Heh, fine by me. If ya can keep up, that is," Applejack exclaimed before galloping off with the grin still remaining on her face. Of course, neither their marriage nor her sister's possibly terminal illness could quell her need for competition with her wife. Said pegasus wouldn't have it any other way, though. Their friendly quarrels were what had led up to their current relationship, after all.

After a few minutes of Dash speeding towards Sweet Appple Acres while trying to keep her friend dry by flying just above her, they reached the farmhouse. Rainbow meant to know, but Apllejack simply went past her and through the door, leaving it open for Dash to follow while she joined their, since two weeks, mutual brother in the kitchen.

"So, anything changed 'bout lil' Bloom?" Applejack asked the red stallion.

"Nnope," He replied.

"Still asleep?"

"Eyup."

"Eugh, probably better that way. Even though Ah'm constantly afraid she might... jus' not wake up... But seriously, that's what we'd want for her if Twilight... right?"

"... Eyup."

"Sheesh. Expanded your vocabulary recently?" Rainbow Dash joined the conversation.

"My dearest sister-in-law, I must express my great displeasure at your quite sarcastic comment." Big Macintosh was, somehow, suddenly wearing a stylish top hat and a monocle. Rainbow suspected a pact with Discord or, worse even, Pinkie Pie being involved. After she blinked and looked again, the accessoires had vanished. "Other than that, nope."

"Okay, so MY new sis is alright. I'd love to stick around and chat, but I gotta meet somepony. Take care of her and yourselves."

"Take care, heartless angel."

Dash had to exercise a great deal of self-control in order not to stop in shock at the combination of words Applejack had hit by accident. It was just a coincidence. She had heard her nickname in the Brotherhoof and decided to respond with the same clause Rainbow had used. Nothing more than that. She did an awkward step out of rhythm and left the house.

As well as lying to get out of an uncomfortable situation would suit Rainbow Dash, she really had somepony to meet, though their appointment wasn't due for two more hours. As the time wasn't too well for that somepony, they had rescheduled it in order to avoid the rain. Flying in bad weather wasn't fun, anyway. Even if it was, Dash needed to talk about something she couldn't tell anypony about, not even her wife. Surely, she thought, Twilight would service her needs.

Following a knock on the door, the paler of the two unicorns groaned and went to answer.

"Who could this be? Midnight, take over for a second, will you? Oh hey Rainbow Dash. Did you calm down Applejack? 'Cause I told her to waste your time instead of mine. I mean..."

"Yep. If you want to know, she dragged me right to the, ugh, to the spa. That's why I'm there to spend the rest of my life together with her, I guess. But that's not why I'm here. This is on my own business... Twilight, can we talk?"

"I dunno, I'm kind of busy averting the apocalypse..." One unicorn looked at the other, causing the other to shrug and motion for the one to do what she must. "Thanks. I love you. Okay, so, what's on your mind, Rainbow?"

"Same thing as everypony else. I mean, what if you don't find the cure in time? What if there is none? I'm sure Applejack will get infected, the way she's acting right now..."

"Tsk, nonsense. Don't worry, I've made great process today. I'll be done by this time tomorrow, I promise. I'd also be faster if ponies could stop interrupting me when I'm at work."

"I second both claims. The Flow has commanded for this sample to die," Midnight called over after inspecting a tube filled with a glowing green liquid.

Rainbow was about to question Midnight when Twilight just rolled her eyes and whispered, "Magic. If something happens that's not supposed to happen, it's magic."

"Darn right it is! And the real world at the same time. Not that there'd be any difference, of course."

Twilight giggled. Her marefriend surely had some interesting quirks, including, but not limited to, constantly claiming that the legendary power source of all magic was real, sentient, and whispering to her, but that was only another reason why she liked her so much.

"Yeah. I got this. Just go home or to SAA or wherever you want and relax. There will be no more victims."

"Thanks Twi', I appreciate your efforts. You're the best kind of friend a pony could have."

While Twilight was politely acting like she was embarassed at the compliment or thought she didn't deserve it, something loudly exploded behind her. Next to one of the experimentation tables, Midnight stood, green fluid on various parts of her body, but no apparent damage.

"I... can explain... hopefully," She stammered as she tried to clean the color off, which turned out to be quite resistant. Rainbow Dash knew she was not interested in any more business at the library and departed. She could still fit in a quick nap before she was needed again.

Thus, another cloud gained the attribute of giving ponies walking by a slight case of paranoia by snoring lightly. There were still a few raindrops coming down, but Dash didn't care. Back within the hollow tree, both unicorns finished cleaning one of them with a mix of magic and towels. Midnight was lying on her side on the floor for convenience.

"Hey, on the bright side, the sample's dead."

"That's bad. Given that what you say is correct, I mean, I'm not doubting you, that was supposed to... erm, kinda lost it. The point is, wouldn't we want it to die because the cure's working instead of you trying... something?"

"I'm an expert in practical medical care, biology, chemistry, and teleportation, and possess basic knowledge of physics, history, general magic, and quantum mechanics. How should I know it wasn't going to work?"

"By asking me, for example, or using common sense. Of course using your special mending spell will only supply the bacteria with more energy to grow."

"You're grumpy," Midnight stated as she rose back up and started to clean the walls using a levitated globule of water out of the experiment's water supply.

"I... yeah, I am. Blame me, in the current situation."

Midnight dropped off the dirty water in a bucket, then turned around and gave Twilight a short, comforting kiss on her cheek.

"That's why you have me. I'm there for you, always, remember that."

Twilight exhaled, and with the air, all of her doubts and worries seemed to leave her. "Marry me..."

"Hm? Later, sugarcube. I assume you didn't mean that literally yet, anyway."

"No, no, of course not. I mean..."

"Let's get back to work."

"Agreed."

"Come on, is that all you got? I did that as a baby!"

"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash... I can do this." Scootaloo got back up from the moist grass, shook her head, and started galloping for a good start.

She wasn't going to do it this time either. Dash could see a failed attempt coming before the filly even started flapping her wings. Things went as they had to and Scootaloo once again crashed face first into the meadow just outside of Ponyville, no matter how much her wings buzzed. She sighed and glided down. Scootaloo still hadn't raised any part of her, but Rainbow knew she was just acting it. She was fine. There was no way that such a tiny drop could harm her.

"Seriously, what's going on? You're usually far better than that." Dash offered Scootaloo a helping hoof, which she gladly used to pull herself up.

"I'm fine, I just..." Scootaloo coughed once. "I just need a moment... catch my breath," She said while panting heavily.

Dash paced around her impatiently, "No, you're not. Don't try to hide anything from me. I know, I know, I'm so awesome you forget everything else around me, but that's no reason why you should work yourself to death so that I won't be disappoint. Honestly now, what's wrong?"

Slowly, Scootaloo got back onto her shaking legs, "I don't know... it's nothing. I guess I'm exhausted, but that's all."

Rainbow Dash put a hoof on the filly's shoulders and lowered her head down to her level, "Stop. It. You know who's my special somepony for life, yes? And if I've learned anything from the Element of Honesty, it's that I can't stand ponies lying to themselves. Look, kiddo. You can barely even stand. Do you really want me to believe you're fine?"

"Alright, I guess I'm kind of tired since I woke up today. So what? I didn't sleep well. That doesn't stop me from..." Scootaloo countered her own argumentation by going into a cough, sneeze, cough, sneeze combination, during which she flapped her wings so hard she actually lifted herself off the ground quite far and would have landed on her head if Rainbow Dash hadn't caught her.

Gasping for air, she reopened her eyes to see blue feathers in formation come in and out of view while the landscape in the distance changed from green hills to brown houses.

Then, Scootaloo blacked out.

Chapter 3

"Dead..." Twilight Sparkle whispered to herself, recalibrating her microscopeto make sure she hadn't made a silly mistake.

Just as she took a second look, there was a quiet knock on the door. Wordlessly, she magicked it open, allowing two unicorn sisters to enter.

After a few seconds of staying at her workstation in order to silently express her displeasure at being interrupted again, Twilight joined them in a corner of the room. She had, some time ago, had craftsponies install a corner while they were splitting the library's top floor into separate rooms to give both Spike and the two lovers more private room, unable to stand the main chamber's lack of any hooks to use for orientation and shelter from the hassle that was going on in the middle.

"Yes? What can I help you with?"

"We just thought we'd check in on you, you know, see if there's anything you need..." Rarity said. Twilight could easily see through her charage. They wanted to know about the cure.

"I'm doing fine, I've made some great progress with Scootaloo's blood sample, it should be a matter of..." Twilight interrupted her own speaking when she saw that Sweetie Belle had started to quietly weep. "What's the matter?"

"I... I can't..." As heavily as she was sobbing, the filly was just incomprehensible. Twilight reminded her to calm down if the conversation was supposed to progress in any way. "You just... Scootaloo and Apple Bloom... they're my only friends, Twilight! I can't even imagine losing them, I can't go back to that time! You have to help them, you just have to, please..."

"How often do I have to keep telling everypony, it's fine, I got this, it's just a matter of working it out to perfection now. Keep calm, nopony's died so far."

"Well..." Rarity began, her eyes shifting across the room.

Twilight forced herself into the awkward pause, "Of course. I just had to say that. Who is it?" She asked, ignoring Sweetie Belle's evergrowing misery in the current situation.

"Twist, a local schoolfilly, about her age," Rarity explained, pointing at her sister with her left foreleg.

"That's the one I foalsit for to get the moneys needed for a date with you. Not that that would have been necessary, of course. Lively filly. That's kinda sad," Midnight joined in, seemingly appearing out of thin air behind Twilight. Given her special talent, she may actually have done that. To make up for startling her, she began to gently massage Twilight's neck, the owner of which softly moaned with delight at the slightest touch already.

Meanwhile, one of the remaining unicorns was crying into the other's shoulder. Twilight would care, but she found it mildly difficult to worry about anything when being caressed from behind like that.

With the purpose of their visit fulfilled, the sisters left not much later. Twilight resumed her studies, trying to cement her apparent find. No matter how often she tested, she always came to the same result. This was it. Within three days, she had casually solved an impossible problem threatening to wipe out Equestria's population if left unchecked.

Now all she had to do was distribute it. On the other hoof... so far, nopony knew of her final discovery. She was alone.

"I wonder... how much could I sell this for? What is the price of a life, let alone thousands of foals?"

Tens of thousands of bits, if not hundreds, at the very least. She would never again have to work a single day in her life. She would be able to do whatever she pleased together with Midnight until the end of their days.

Spike could feed on all the gems he wanted. Later in his life, when Twilight had already passed on, he could use her heritage to supply himself with the rare stones he needed to grow further.

Not a single worry. No bills cutting off a major share of their income, instead chipping off at the infinite. They would be able to have foals of their own without their future ever being uncertain.

Applejack's struggle to get enough out of the next harvest, Rarity's issues with periods of absolutely no income, Rainbow Dash's blockage to get into the Wonderbolts because she didn't have the money or standing, Fluttershy's enforced unnatural selection... all of those could be resolved easily if only Twilight decided to take the money.

Celestia would have to pay her from state funds, then regain it by making ponies pay for their treatment. Surely, there would be no issues with that. Perhaps a few poor or orphaned foals wouldn't be able to afford it, but they were mere sacrifices for the greater...

Slap, bonk. Something had ambushed her from behind and hit her hard on the back of her head, causing it to bolt forward and hit the table. Slowly, she recuperated and looked around for the source of the pain, spotting a quite displeased Midnight.

"What the hay are you doing?!" She asked.

"You tell me! I'd have expected better of you than to give in to simple greed. There are ponies dying out there who desperately need this stuff and you're going around fantasizing about how much of a scumbag you want to be! Can't you see them?"

Usually, she'd listen to her partner's advice, but the blow she'd received hurt quite badly. "Pft, they'll get it soon enough. All that changes is that they have to pay a little and we become very very rich."

"A little, of course. Think about those in need of more than just this. They deserve treatment just as well as anypony else. Are you really gonna kill innocent foals because you can't get along with what we have?"

"Name two orphans, I give you two seconds."

"Scootaloo, half of me. You're the sixth Element, Celestia darn it! You're supposed to be the spark that ignites and unites all of the other five! But right now, you're nothing but greedy, careless about others, abandoning them in favor of personal benefit, denying innocents from ever laughing, or doing anything, for that matter, and a liar! How do you feel about that? We don't need that! All we need..."

Midnight had struck figurative gold, causing Twilight to end up in tears and around her neck. There was no need to be angry with her any more. Midnight soothingly stroked Twilight's beautiful mane with her hooves, allowing her to let out all of the piled up emotions that had converted into pure guilt from being confronted so directly.

"... is each other. Calm down, it's all fine now, I've got you. You haven't done anything wrong. There is darkness within all of us and when confronted with rough times such as those, we can forget to turn to others' help in quelling it. So, what have you found?"

"I... I've got the formula already written down on the table... and some of the stuff mixed ready."

"Get it to Princess Celestia right now. I'll go out with it and cure the emergency patients."

Twilight's tears had dried out, but she had no ambitions to let go. She needed that hug, it was all that kept her together while her life was trying to reassemble itself. "Make sure you dose it right. I'd say, with cases like Apple Bloom, oh, I'm so sorry for risking her life so pointlessly..." False alarm. Twilight started to get wet again.

"Mhm?"

"Uhm, cases like her, put in a quarter intravenously for fast effect because they're gonna need it. The rest will probably be best in a muscle."

"You know I know that, right? Hey, I once too read the books you've memorised years ago."

"Oh yeah. Silly me... I'll just... work on informing the Princess."

"I won't be long. Let's have some quality time afterwards, yes?"

"Okay, Appy. I need to... hang on. I'm sorry, I just gotta... I mean, this isn't tested on ponies, but there's no time to do that either. So I'm just telling you... you might not survive anyway. Anything you want me to do before the injection? I mean, sure, you're probably going to be fine, but in case..."

"Ah know... Ah'll be fine," Apple Bloom coughed. She really needed the cure without any further ado. "But if Ah ain't... tell mah sister Applejack I thought of her until the end."

"So you want me to..."

"Yeah, do it now, ain't gonna get better. In the worst case, Celestia guide me. And tell Applejack not to cry over me. Please."

"Of course. Alright, here goes..." Midnight concentrated and levitated the needle over to where she could penetrate the filly's bloodstream with it. After with the first penetration, she pushed some of the syringe's contents out, then removed it and mended the entry point before moving to a suitable location and dropping off the rest to take effect later. By the time she was done with that, Apple Bloom had twitched a few times and fallen unconscious, making it unpleasantly hard not to cause unnecessary injury.

As if on cue, Applejack stormed into the dimly lit bedroom as Midnight removed the now empty syringe.

"Ah came as soon as Ah heard, is she... oh Celestia, she ain't..."

Midnight turned to face the earth pony. "Her immune system just had a reactive shock, but in a few hours, she'll be back on her hooves. Don't worry, she's a strong filly. She's an Apple, right?"