Poison Kiss

I wake up in Rarity's room. I bury my face into her pillow. They took my hat. I hear worried voices from down the hall.

" Do ya think that the medicine Twilight bought from Zecora will work?" Apple Bloom asks.

" E-yup!" Big Mac stammers.

" Do you think she'll be okay, Rarity?" Sweetie Belle whispers.

" She probably just needs some rest. She'll be betta in no time" Rarity says. I stumble out of the room to greet everyone. Big Macintosh has my hat in his teeth. He's trying to comfort Apple Bloom even though I can tell he's just as scared as she is.

" Howdy." I say hiding the pain in my voice.

" Applejack?" Rarity says. " Dahling, you shouldn't be out of bed. You're so lucky to be alive. You really frightened us." She says.

" Ah'll be fine. Ah should be gettin' back to work." I say taking my hat from Big Mac.

"Applejack! I thought I would never see you again." Apple Bloom says with tears running down her cheeks. She trots to my side and tackles me. I feel like I'm being hit by a boulder.

" Ow!" I yell. I nearly fall over. " Come on Big Mac let's go home." I say.

" Nope!" He says blocking my path. Rarity grabs my tail and yanks it with her teeth.

" Cider season is in two weeks. I gotta' get mah work done." I say.

" I already sent Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie to do your work. So take as much time as you need to recover. You need to take a break." Fluttershy says. I cringe.

"A break? Ya want me to take a break? That's like tellin' Zecora not to rhyme. Ah ain't taken no break!" I say stomping my sore hoof on the floor.

" Come on, Dahling. Just two days. Then you can go back to Sweet Apple Acres and work your flank off." She says.

" Alright, alright! Ah'll stay." I say. Big Mac and Apple Bloom grab their things and get ready to head back to Sweet Apple Acres.

" I made you some carrot cake and a strawberry smoothie. I know it's not your favorite but your tongue is still swollen from the bee stings. You probably won't be able to eat apples for a while." Fluttershy says.

" Thank you." I say. I take a bite of the cake and sip the smoothie. I'm starting to think that taking a break wouldn't be so bad.

Rarity opens the drawer and gets a pair of tweezers. She used her horn to pluck out each of the stingers out of my flesh. I wince each time she plucks a stinger out. "This might hurt a little. Hold still, Dahling. Stop fidgeting." She says. When she was done removing the stingers she makes me a bath. She gives me  shampoo and conditioner for my mane. I've used soap and shampoo before but never conditioner. I'm like royalty. After I dry up Rarity levitates a brush through my tangled mane. My mane feels like silk instead of straw.

" I've gotta' to admit, Rarity, it feels kinda' good to be all clean." I say. She smiles.

" Come on, I've got a surprise for you." She says. She ties a scarf over my eyes so I can't see. She takes it off and places a box in my hoofs with colorful ribbons. Inside is a brown hat with red and green rhinestones shaped like an apple.

" A fancy new hat? Ah love it! Thank you so much!" I say putting it on my head. It makes me feel like I'm back at home. I wonder how they're doing without me around.

"You're very welcome, Applejack." She says. I spend the rest of the night resting in the hopes of getting better so I can go back home early.