• Published 27th Jan 2017
  • 2,273 Views, 160 Comments

Friendship is Forever - pabrony



The Mane 6 say their final goodbyes one by one until only Twilight remains

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A Bruised Apple

"How's she doin', doc?" Applebloom asked as tears filled her eyes.

"Your sister resting in her room at the moment, however, she is in a coma," Dr. Joyheart told her.

"What happened ta her? Is she gonna make it?" Applebloom worried.

"Applejack suffered a severe myocardial infarction and we're not sure if she'll make it," replied Dr. Joyheart sadly as she looked at her clipboard.

"Pardon me fer askin' but what's a, uh, myocard... whatever it was that Y'all said?" asked Applebloom with a confused look on her face.

"Sorry," acknowledged Dr. Joyheart. "It's more commonly known as a heart attack. Would you be able to tell me what happened before she collapsed?"

"Ah'll start with last night then," Applebloom began as a lone tear escaped her left eye. "We got done gittin' everythin' setup fer this mornin' an' she said she had some things on her mind. She went outside ta sit on th' porch swing while everypony else went to bed. Ah woke up early this mornin' when she came into th' house sloshed ta the gills."

"Ok. Did she say how much she had to drink?"

"She told me that only had eight or nine but Ah believe she had more than that," Applebloom said.

"Alright, what happened then?" inquired the doctor.

"Me an' her talked fer a little bit 'fore Ah got her ta drink some water so she wouldn't be hungover, then we went ta bed," Applebloom continued. "She seemed fine while we put together th' last minute details on th' cider stands. 'Bout five minutes 'fore we opened the stands she started sweatin' bad right 'fore she collapsed. Ah had Big Mac haul tail to get her here after Ah got her on his back."

Applebloom continued to discuss Applejack's condition with Dr. Joyheart until Twilight Sparkle and her friends arrived at the hospital. Applebloom excused herself to relay Applejack's condition to her friends until her husband, Rockin' Out, entered with Jazz.

"AB, I'm really sorry," Rockin' said softly as he hugged his wife. "Are they letting her have visitors yet? Jazz has been bugging me to see AJ since I picked her up from the farm."

"Naw, not yet," replied Applebloom. "What did Mac do with th' cider stuff?"

"He locked the cider barrels in the barn and took down one of the stands," Rockin' told his wife. "Braeburn is supposed to come down tomorrow to run the stand for you and AJ."

"That's some good news," Applebloom sighed. "Hey Jazz, how but Y'all go sit ov'r there with yer cousin Pinkie Pie? Ah need ta talk ta yer papa alone fer a couple minutes."

"Sure, mom," said Jazz before she galloped over to Pinkie Pie and tackled her in the chair.

Applebloom and Rockin' Out moved to the opposite side of the room, out of Jazz's earshot. Applebloom began to sob quietly as she threw forelegs around her husband's neck.

"Ah didn't wanna tell the girls, but... they're.. they're not sure she's gonna make it," she cried. "It ain't fair, sugarlump. Today's her favorite of th' year. She loves meetin' th' ponies that come from all ov'r Equestria. It just... ain't... fair. "

"I don't know what to say, AB," Rockin' whispered in her ear. "It's out of our hooves right now. I'll be with you and Jazz to help you get through this. We just need to be strong and pray she pulls through."

"Wh-what 'bout the tour?" asked Applebloom as she continued to cry.

"Don't worry about that. Everything is under control," he reassured her. "The manager's rescheduling the next couple weeks and issuing refunds. Rara is gonna fill in for me for the charity concert in Phillydelphia."


A yellow blob filled Applejack's vision as she slowly regained consciousness.

"App-Applebloom? That Y'all?" she said sluggishly as she tried to figure out where she was.

"Applejack! Yer awake!" Applebloom shouted joyfully.

"Wha-what in the... what in the hay happened?" Applejack said quietly. "The last thing Ah remember... we-we were gittin' ready ta welcome ev'rypony to Sweet Apple Acres fer... openin' day of cider season.

"Y'all had a severe heart attack, sis," Applebloom told her as she squeezed her older sister tightly. "We were so worried Y'all weren't gonna make it."

"How come?" Applejack inquired silently.

"Ya been in a coma fer four days," Applebloom told her. "Jazz has been here everyday tellin' Y'all 'bout her day an' stuff she has seen that Y'all might've liked. It was touching."

A weak smile appeared on Applejack's face as she began looking around.

"Whatcha lookin' fer?" asked Applebloom.

"Uh, did y'all bring my Stetson along?"

"We put it on yer bed ta keep it nice. Ah can send a message ta Rockin' fer him ta bring it with him when Jazz gets outta school today."

The sisters' conversation was interrupted by a light knock on the door.

"I thought I heard voices in here," smiled Nurse Redheart as she entered the room. "How are you feeling, Applejack?"

"Honestly, Ah'm still kinda groggy but Ah'm also starvin'." Applejack told her. "Ah could really go fer a triple hayburger and heapin' stack of hay fries."

"We'll have to see what the doctor says," chuckled Nurse Redheart.

"C'mon now," protested Applejack. "Ah ain't had nothin' ta eat fer four whole days an' yer tellin' me Ah gotta wait?"

"Sorry but that's the rules," replied Redheart as she checked she checked Applejack's vital signs. "Dr. Joyheart will be in this afternoon to check on you but I'll see if I arrange a bowl of soup at least. Hopefully, you'll be able to go home in a few days if you keep improving."


Three days later, Applejack sat in a wheelchair as one of the nurses pushed her out of Ponyville General. She would have preferred to walk out but it was hospital policy for its patients to leave in a wheelchair. As she approached the entrance, the dreaded words from Dr. Joyheart: No physical labor for seven days.

While she was trying to figure out what to do on the non-market days, the answer grabbed her by the neck as soon as she hopped out of the wheelchair.

"AUNTIE APPLEJACK!" Jazz yelled emphatically at the top of lungs. "I can't wait to help you with the trees when we get back to the farm. I know I'm too little to pull the full baskets but I can push the empty ones for you."

"Hold on there, sugarcube," Applejack stopped her. "Thar ain't gonna be no bucking from me fer at least a week. That's orders from th' doc."

"So what are you going to do?" asked Jazz.

"When Ah ain't runnin' th' market stand, Ah'm gonna spend as much time with mah favorite niece as Ah can," smiled Applejack. "How do y'all feel 'bout learnin' Granny Smith's Cinnamon Apple Pie recipe?"

"You mean you're going to teach me the recipe for the pie that you make me for my birthday every year?" Jazz asked excitedly.

"How 'bout we go home 'fore Y'all start cookin'," interrupted Applebloom with a loving smile.

"Now that sounds like a good idea. Ah spent enough time in there," replied Applejack as the three ponies started toward Sweet Apple Acres.

Author's Note:

Originally published on 2/3/17. Revised on 3/17/17.

I realize that it's been mostly dialogue in this chapter but I'll try to have more substance in the next chapter as well as a flashback or two to fill in some gaps.