New Years in Equestria

As the five ponies neared Sugarcube Corner, the ground began to vibrate.

Fluttershy was puzzled. "Oh, do you think something is wrong?"

Dash swooped down from her usual flying altitude. "Nah, I heard DJ Pon3's supplying the beats. It's her specialty to cause earthquakes with her tunes."

Nearing the door, Twilight raised a hoof to knock on the door, but instead knocked on Pinkie's face.

"OW!" Twilight began to say her apologies but was cut off. "Hi guys! You're kind of late but thats totally okay dokey lokie! Comon' in and join us!" The five ponies entered into the dark, bass filled house.

"Pinkie.." AJ began, "Is that a lampshade on your head?"

"Yup! Do you like it?"

Rarity chuckled at Pinkie's response. "Certainly not my choice of accessory.

Once inside, they bid farewells and went separate ways.

Rarity sat at a table with Twilight, sipping a drink.

"Oh please, Twi, just have a little." Rarity magicked her drink up to Twilight's face.

Twilight wasn't going for it. "No, Rarity, I'm not into that."

The white unicorn frowned. Time to step it up. "Pleeeaaase?" Her puppy-dog eyes glistened.

Twilight sighed, defeated. "Fine, but only a LITTLE bit."

Over by the food table, Applejack stood munching on an apple from her farm.

"AJ! Your brother is here!"

Applejack dropped her snack. No, Big Mac wasn't supposed to be here. He's supposed to be watching the Crusaders. Angrily she stomped over to where he stood.

"Mac, what in the HAY are you doin' here? Yer supposed to be watchin' the lil' ones!"

Big Mac raised a hoof slowly to quiet her rambling.

"Shoot sis, here ah was, thinkin' you'd be happy tah' see me, but 'stead, yer' chewin' me out." Mac snorted, clearily annoyed. 'If'n ya want tah' know where the Crusaders went, Granny assured me she'd keep an eye on 'em. Ya know how she gets when she's determined."

Applejack looked up at him, still frustrated. "Well, ah, um.." She watched a smile creep across Mac's face as she tried to answer him. Defeated, she loosened up. "Fine..Ah guess ah was a lil' bit to rough on ya there. AND ya are right 'bout Granny."

Macintosh nuzzled his sister. She really needed to stop getting worked up so easily, it certainly wasn't good for her. "Oh, AJ, I forgot ta' mention,  Ah brought some of the Apple family's...specialty." He turned to his saddlebag and retrieved a bottle of orange liquid.

Applejack gasped. That was Applejack Daniels!

The drink fizzed a little in its glass container. The brew went back before even Granny Smith could remember. The creator, Applejack Daniels, had created it while the Apple family had just started out, and the recipe had been passed down. He was so greatly remembered and honored for his special brew, that Applejack was named after him.

Normally, AJ would be steaming mad, but it was New Year's, so why not?

"Say, Mac, why don't you 'n' me crack that bottle open?

"Eeyup."

Rainbow Dash was showboating as usual.

"Yup, that's right. Handled an entire storm all by myself." Her statement was followed by a chorus of Oooh's and Aaaah's.

The newbie weather patrol members were hooked.

Dash took a sip of her soda nonchalantly. "Not to mention a little thing called THE SONIC RAINBOOM!" She leaned into her audience's face to add effect.

"Wow.." A stunned young pegasis said, staring into space with wide eyes.

"Heh heh." Rainbow smirked. "Alright squirts, I'm out. Catch you guys later." She turned on her hoof to leave, but felt a tug on her tail.

"But, Rainbow Dash, we want more stories!" Another young pegasis from the admirers pleaded.

"Sorry, a busy pegasis like me has stuff to do." She shrugged and flew over to where AJ and Mac where enjoying their signature whiskey.

"Whoa, guys!" She hovered above their heads as they drank. "You brought the good stuff.." She trailed off, admiring the bottle in her hooves.

"D'want some, RD?" Mac lifted a glass up to her.

"You know it!" The cyan ponies eyes lit up as she downed the shot. Her eyes spun as the refreshing liquid ran down her throat. Dash opened her mouth to talk again, but burped instead. Blushing embarrassed, she uttered a small "sorry."

AJ raised her glass at Rainbow. "What, can't handle it, Dash?" the cowpony watched contently as Rainbow became agitated. "That's funny, considerin' how amazin' ya are." Applejack smirked as the pegasis's face grew red with anger. "Hmph, well, Mac, Ah guess y'all was right when ya said that this poison was fer' the toughest."

Big Macintosh just gulped nervously. He saw where this was going.

In a split second, Rainbow Dash was in Applejack's face, eye level and nose to nose. "I AM amazing, and I can handle ANYTHING!" Applejack simply hmmphed again. Dash continued to shout. "How about this, AppleSMACK, me and you; drinking contest. Right. Now." She emphasized her intensity and seriousness by thumping her hooves on the table. The glasses rattled loudly, drawing even more attention.

Applejack raised an eyebrow and looked over to her brother.

"Whatcha thinkin', Mac? Should ah do it?"

"Ee-" He was cut off by Rainbow Dash pushing him out of his seat and claiming it as her own.

Both ponies were silent as both stared each other down. The partygoers were silent.

It wasn't long before the DJ in the corner realized what was happening. Grabbing her mic quickly, she began. "Woah ho ho! What've we got here? A little feud, eh? Well, let's take it to the next level then!" All in one motion she flicked another record down and bobbed her head.

Macintosh was up off the floor, rubbing his head. "Hit me." Both the pegasus and the earth pony said simultaneously.

"Mares." He muttered, pouring two shots of Applejack Daniels.

"Sure ya wanna do this? This isn't a lil' filly's game, ya hear? Y'all ain't got a chance against an Apple."

Scoffing, Dash replied. "Equestria's greatest flier can handle anything.

Applejack was still unfazed. "If ya say so."

The other elements had found their way to the circle. Pinkie was bouncing with excitement, Rarity was disgusted, Twilight was intrigued, and poor Fluttershy was sweating bullets. Raising her voice, she called out, panicing, "Ohh, umm, GO APPLEJACK! Wait, no, GO RAINBOW! Oooh, no that won't do.." Twilight trotted beside her a laid a hoof on her back. "Hey now, Fluttershy. They'll be fine. Just being competitive." She reassured.

Mac pushed each drink to each pony. "Drink up."

The two rivals grabbed glasses and clinked them together. "May the best pony win!"

7 shots later, and still going strong, Rainbow Dash and Applejack wobbled in their seats.

Macintosh poured shots diligently, saying nothing.

The crowd stood in awe of the amount of alcohol each pony was somehow stomaching. Regardless, Big Macintosh continued to pull bottles of the Apple family brew from his saddlebags.

"Give up now, Apple-apple-umm..." Dash raised a wobbly hoof to her chin. "Oh! schmack!"

Applejack laughed heartily. "Y'all can't even remember mah name!" Pausing for a minute, she repeated herself. "Y'ALL CAN'T REMEMBER MY NAME?" Bellowing madly, she laid her front hooves on the table and thumped them repeatedly. "RAAARGH!" The cowpony turned and bucked the table, sending pieces of wood in all directions. dash was caught off guard and fell backwards onto her rump.

Big Mac stumbled backwards as well. "Sis! Stop it! I knew this was a bad idea!" He galloped forward and attempted to stop her but was seconds to late. Applejack sidestepped and grabbed the bottle of whiskey out of his unattended bag on the ground. "Lemme show y'all how a real badflank drinks!" AJ raised the bottle and broke it on her seat. She then drank from the bottom as the orange-brown liquid poured out onto the ground and all over her face. Throwing the empty bottle and whipping her muzzle, she turned to Rainbow and laughed. "Ha! Who's the iron pony now, bitch!"

Dash was speechless. Big Macintosh was speechless. Everypony in the entire room said nothing.

Pinkie Pie broke the silence. "Time for muffins!"

Rainbow didn't care. She was angry, she wanted to tear Applejack apart. Running forward she leapt into the air, using her wings for power and prepared to bring a world of pain to the drunken cowpony...

..But was abruptly stopped as she felt her tail freeze in midair. A angry and worrisome Twilight rang out from behind her.

"Rainbow Dash! Stop!" The purple unicorn trotted around to talk to her face-to-face.

"Stop causing trouble! You two need to settle down."

Applejack galloped over with the entire muffin tray on her back. "Muffin eating contest, right now."

"YOU ARE NOT HELPING!" Twilight shouted at AJ. Seconds later Pinkie was eyeing the muffins as well. "I wanna join!" She happily said. Twilight was being ignored. She watched as Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie all ate the entire tray of muffins in a fraction of a second. It was no use getting to them. She trotted back over to Rarity and Fluttershy. "they won't listen. Let's just get some of those muffins."

The three ponies helped themselves to the other tray. Big Macintosh munched on one silently as well.

Before every pony knew it, the muffins were gone. Derpys were always a hit, so it was expected.

Pinkie Pie's voice rang out over the speakers scattered everywhere. "Alright everypony! The party is just getting started!