"Great job today, Y'all," Applejack proudly said to Big Mac, Applebloom and her niece, Jazz Apple. "Granny Smith would be proud of th' fact that we are gonna have two cider stands on openin' day. We all earned a good night's sleep tonight."
"Thanks, sis," Applebloom responded with a weak smile. "It's great ta stay on th' farm ag'in. Even if it is just fer th' night."
"Welp, Ah'll see y'all in th' mornin' then," Applejack told everypony as she headed toward the front porch of the farmhouse.
"Why aren't you going to bed, Auntie Applejack?" Jazz asked quietly.
"Ah got a few things goin' on in mah mind at th' moment," Applejack replied. "Ah'll be ta bed shortly, but don't worry, Ah'll be rested up in time fer th' mornin', sugarcube."
"Ok then," said Jazz as she gave Applejack a good night hug. "I love you. See you in the morning, Auntie Applejack."
"I love y'all too, Jazz," smiled Applejack.
A few hours later Applebloom woke up to the sound of the screen door slamming closed. Cletus wasn't barking at the sound, so Applebloom just figured it was the wind. Something in her mind told her that she might want to investigate the noise. She quietly slipped out of her room so that she didn't wake Jazz, who was asleep in her old bed.
Trotting softly down the staircase, Applebloom was filled with concern at the scene that was unfolded in front of her. Applejack was sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, her Stetson barely hanging on her right ear, a half-empty brown bottle in her left hoof, her mane was almost pulled out of the ribbon holding it and had the telltale signs on her face that she had been crying. It was a sight that Applebloom hadn't seen in nearly seven years.
"What in th' hay is goin' on Sis?" Applebloom hissed. "Are ya tryin' ta wake th' entire house up with yer shenanigans? T'day's th' openin' day of cider season an' th' last thing we need is fer Y'all ta be hungover, 'specially since we got two stands this year."
"Ah wash jusht... *hiccup* jusht havin' me a couple drinksh 'fore bed, that'sh all," Applejack responded with the obvious slur in her voice.
"And jus' how many was 'a couple', sis?" Applebloom asked with concern.
"Well, there wash th' two on... *hic* on the porch," Applejack recounted. "Then there wash the one on th' way ta the barn, then... let'sh shee... I had four or five in th' barn, plush... *hic* plush thish here one."
Applebloom looked her older sister in the eyes and asked, "How much of the cider that's for today did you have?"
"I ain't had any fer the customers."
Letting out a sigh of relief, Applebloom asked her sister what made her want to get drunk.
"Well sugarcube, Ah wash sho happy 'bout how... *hic* how much work we got done, Ah shtarted thinkin' 'bout...*hic* 'bout Rainbow Dash an' how happy she would be that wouldn't be runnin' outta... *hic* outta cider thish year."
Applebloom helped her sister to the sofa and then draped her right foreleg over her shoulder before asking, "Why so much, sis? Th' last time ya were this sloshed, Y'all were seein' Dr. Mindmender."
"Ah'm gonna come clean sugarcube," Applejack began as her emerald green eyes started to fill with tears. "Me an' Rainbow had an extremely closhe friendship. When she died sheven... *hic* sheven yearsh ago, a piece of me... died with her. Ah really miss her, Applebloom. Ah... Ah really do."
Applebloom held Applejack tightly as she began wailing loudly. "All of us miss her, sis. It's gotta be harder on ya 'cause Y'all were so close."
The only thing in the house that could be heard was the sound of the tangerine pony crying her eyes out. Not even the whimpers of Cletus could be heard over Applejack. Applebloom looked toward the dining room and spotted a small silhouette standing in the doorframe.
"C'mon over here, Jazz," Applebloom said softly. "What's the matter?"
"What's wrong with Auntie Applejack?" Jazz asked her mother.
"She misses her best friend," Applebloom responded as Jazz approached them.
The six-year-old filly gave her aunt a hug and asked her mom who Applejack's best friend was.
"Her best friend was a pegasus named Rainbow Dash," Applebloom said to her. "They ev'rything tagether. Horseshoes, hammer throwin' an' 'specially th' Runnin' of th' Leaves ev'rything year."
"Where's Rainbow Dash at now?" Jazz asked her mother.
Applebloom looked at her sister, still with tears streaming down her face, who nodded in response to the silent question.
"Well, she had an accident 'fore Y'all were born an', well, ya remember what happened ta Fuzzy?" Applebloom answered.
"You mean she..." started Jazz.
"Yep," said Applebloom. "Ah'll tell ya th' story when Y'all git older. How 'bout Y'all run along back ta bed. Ok?"
"Ok, Mom," Jazz told her.
Applebloom then kissed Jazz on the muzzle before she went back to bed.
"I hope you feel better in the morning, Auntie Applejack," she called as she went back upstairs.
Applejack's loud crying had slowly transitioned to a soft sobbing by the time Applebloom rejoined her sister on the sofa and reassured her, "Ah'll stay up with y'all as long as necessary, sis, jus' like Ah did after Rainbow Dash died."
"Thanksh, sugarcube," Applejack responded, still slurring her words. "Ah really 'ppreciate it."
Applebloom gave her sister another hug before leading her back to the dining room. "Let's get some water in ya so Y'all ain't hungover in the morning."
As Celestia rose the sun the next day, Applejack, Big Macintosh, Applebloom, and Jazz were putting the finishing touches on the cider stands.
Jazz looked up and was amazed by the line of ponies waiting for the cider stands to open and asked her mother, "Does the line look like this every year?"
"Eeyup," responded Big Mac.
"Too bad Papa's on tour and can't see this," said Jazz disappointedly.
Applebloom laughed, "Yer papa's done seen it 'fore, Jazz. That's how me an' him met nine years ago."
Just then Applejack called out, "Places e'vrypony. Five minutes 'til we open up!"
Applebloom was about to take her place when she looked up and noticed her sister acting strangely. As she trotted over to check on her, she noticed Applejack's face covered in sweat.
"Ya ok, sis? Y'all ain't lookin' too good."
"Sure, sugarcube...Ah jus'...need ta sit...down fer a...a...," whispered Applejack weakly, just before she lost consciousness and collapsed on the ground.