Sweat slowly ran down Applejack's face. It was harvest season and that meant the Apple family had lots of work ahead of them. It wasn't anything they hadn't handled before, though. Applejack stood atop a hill next to a lone apple tree. She had taken to calling the tree "Wilfred" because she felt bad for it being so lonely atop the hill. If it had a name, she could pretend to be its companion.
"Yain't talking to trees again are ya' sis?" a voice from behind her asked in a sort of giggle. Applejack smiled and turned around to find her little sister, Applebloom, grinning at her. Applebloom began to laugh. She laughed so hard that she toppled over on her side. "Ya' were! Weren't ya'?!"
"Wilfred is a special tree, he gives us double what the others do!" Applejack stated. Applebloom dismissed her sister's statement. Applejack put her hoof on her face. Being friends with an apple tree was kind of silly. "Ain'tcha suppose to be in bed?" Applejack grinned knowing Applebloom couldn't brush this one off. The "older sister" card. Works every time!
"I suppose so... hmmm... say, sis! I'll go to bed if you play a quick game with me," Applebloom said with a cheery grin. Well, the older sister card works *almost* every time.
"No, you should be goin-"
"You have to find me first!" Applebloom said, and ran as fast as she could in the other direction. Applejack let out a sigh. If it meant that her little sister would go to bed, she would play this little game. Applejack set off in Applebloom's direction.
Sweet Apple Acres was huge. Applebloom had a slight head-start on Applejack. Still, AJ was confident that she would find her. She ran past many apple trees and suddenly heard the sound of giggling. Applejack smiled and slowly approached the tree. Suddenly, Applebloom ran out from behind the tree and right by her sister. As she passed Applejack, Applebloom stuck her tongue out.
"Catch me if you can!" Applebloom said/shouted. Applejack quickly ran after her. Applebloom was surprisingly fast for such a little filly but AJ wasn't about to lose her. Running as fast as she could, Applejack leaped and tackled her sister to the ground. Applejack quickly got up to make sure her sister was OK, but Applebloom was used to playing rough. The little filly gave a playful giggle and smiled at her sister.
"I guess ya got me," she laughed.
"And ya know what that means?" Applejack said with a grin.
"What?"
"That'cha have to go to bed." AJ laughed.
It was late, and night had fallen. A cold breeze blew past the two ponies, chilling Applejack to the bone as if something awful just happened. She stood still, the wind blowing through her mane.
"Something wrong, sis?" Applebloom asked with a concerned tone. Applejack snapped out of her state and gave her sister a smile.
Suddenly a blinding flash of light appeared inside the barn. Beams of light escaped through the cracks in the barn walls, but just as quickly as the light arrived, it was gone. Applejack looked at her sister with disbelief and then ran into the barn. Inside lay two unicorns, both of which Applejack knew. One was Twilight Sparkle, one of Applejack's most beloved friends, but why was she here? Wasn't she supposed to be studying an advanced type of magic in Canterlot with the princess?
The other unicorn was Twilight's brother, Shining Armor. Almost right after looking at him, he began to move. Applejack rushed over and helped him to all fours. He looked around the room in confusion. Finally he summoned the strength to speak.
"Where am I?" he asked. He was having trouble keeping his balance. It was almost like he hadn't slept in days.
"You're at Sweet Apple Acres, do y'all remember me? I'm Applejack, Twi's friend from the wedding," Applejack explained.
"Applejack... yes, I remember. Twilight... where's Twilight?" he asked weakly. Applejack pointed a hoof over to Twilight, who was laying flat on her belly with blood flowing from her head.
"Applebloom! Go get the first aid kit from inside! Twi's hurt." Applejack ordered. Applebloom quickly nodded and ran out out of the barn. Shining slowly pushed Applejack away.
"I'm fine," he said. Applejack could tell he wasn't hurt too much. Whatever these two went through, Twilight had recieved the worst of it. Shining and AJ walked over to Twilight. Her chest rose and fell slowly in sync with her breathing. At least that was a good sign.
Applebloom burst through the door with her older brother, Big Macintosh. She stopped next to Applejack and gave her sister the first aid kit. First aid wasn't AJ's strong suit but being on the farm for as long as she had meant she had seen her share of injuries. When Big Mac hurt himself years ago right before apple bucking season, it was Applejack that had bandaged him up.
AJ started to wrap the top of Twilight's head in the bandage, and it wasn't long before Twilight's head from the horn up was covered in thick bandages. Now that that was taken care of, Applejack turned her attention towards the only pony who knew what was going on here... Shining Armor.