An Illness in the Family (ATTN: Corsair)

[SteelEagle]

 

 

Applejack stretched and yawned, her bones cracking delightfully at the apex of her stretching. Ahhh, what a great day! The sun hadn't yet fully risen, leaving only a few stretching rays of light to cascade across the orchard. It danced in between shadows while those darker shades played hooky against the inevitability of the sun discovering every last one of its hiding spots in short order. It was a relaxing time for Applejack to observe her orchard in all of its simple splendor. When you got down to it, her life was a bunch of trees in some fields. For all of the business and farming that could consume her, her life was simple and wonderful. She could count her blessings in great bounties out there but it was the bounty inside that stoked her fires so vividly.

The Apple family was large and in charge, something they needed to be to handle the orchards! Every member of the family brought something to the table. One of the hidden truths of the family, however, was that it was more than the ponies who helped round it out. There was a mangy mutt named Winona who was as important to Applejack as anypony in the family. Heck, there were definitely times when Apple Bloom was a little filly and Applejack had to change her that Winona ranged above the little filly in her reckoning! Winona had been a part of the family for what seemed like forever. She wasn't a young pup anymore, that was for sure, but she wasn't some older dog just trailing her tail in the dirt looking for a place to lay down. She was the best herding companion this side of Equestria and probably as good if not better than the rest! And she always accompanied Applejack on her morning roundup.

Applejack got ready fast, her hat and rope whipping on swiftly and her mane tussled up. “Winona, ya ready girl?” Applejack asked absentmindedly. She was at the foot of Applejack's bed in her worn out and comfortable little doggie bed, so she knew that Winona was there. No response though. “Winona, get'r up! We gotta make sure that tha fence held,” Applejack said as she trotted on over. It was only now that she noticed something wrong. Winona's head lolled out, her tongue panting without moisture and some- yuk. She had thrown up, but she wasn't doing what she normally did when she was sick and get all up in Applejack's snout for healing through lovin'. She was taking deep, pained looking breaths before she threw up- except nothing came out besides some extremely, terribly hot air.”Winona?” Applejack was worried. She bent down- “yer eyes!” Winona's eyes were...

**********

The anxiety ridden atmosphere baking Sweet Apple Acres in the sweet summer was uncompromising, even as it was being supplied by a single pony who wasn't really known for her anxiousness. Applejack was an all together solid mare who, even if she didn't have the stoicism of her brother, was normally as solid as a block. It took a lot to rattle her. She lived on the edge of the wildest and most dangerous border in the land, a place ponies fear to tread and she had difficulty herself imagining could ever be tamed. She had helped save the land more times than she could count, served in the REA, fought some changelings, and traveled the globe to bring the light of friendship to every species that was willing to take it. She always turned right back 'round so she could settle where her heart always remained, but hidden in the chest of this farmer was a heart ready and open to love yet hardened to the trauma of the world.

Yet this had pierced deep. Winona was sick something fierce. Applejack had seen her sick so many times that she had lost count but nothing had ever compared. She didn't know what to do. Big Mac didn't. Granny didn't. Apple Bloom was confused. Winona kept on dry heaving so heavily that Applejack could hardly look and her eyes...it was beyond her. She panicked briefly before remembering she knew the world's foremost expert on animal caretakering, Fluttershy. So she set out at a full gallop, her hat left behind so it didn't come flying off. It was still pre-dawn when Applejack approached Fluttershy's cabin, the farmer coming to a skidding stop in just such a way that her head konked against the door with a loud and resounding crack, followed quickly by a series of terribly loud and fast knocks. “FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! AH NEED YER HELP!”

[Corsair]

Fluttershy was determined.  She was going to do it this time, and nothing and nopony was going to stop her!  She walked right up to the other pony in the room.  He turned around, the stallion of her dreams!  Their heads moved closer together.  Closer..  closer... then!  The stallion booped her on the nose.  Fluttershy was confused.  What had just happened?  Then the stallion booped her again, harder!

 

Fluttershy's eyes fluttered open.  Focusing, she saw not a stallion, but a rather upset looking bunny.  "A-Angel?" she stuttered, sleepily.  "W-what...?"

​

Angel bunny, sitting upright, tapped his rear paw impatiently, then pointed to the clock on Fluttershy's bedside.

 

Fluttershy brushed some errant strands of her pink mane out of her face before focusing on the clock.  It took a moment to register what she was seeing, then her eyes went wide.  "Oh my goodness!  I overslept!" she exclaimed.  She threw back the covers, rolling to her hooves before facing the bunny again.  "I'm so sorry, Angel Bunny!  I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night!"

​

Angel eyed the pony with a smirk.  His pose seemed to say Just what were you doing last night?

 

Fluttershy blushed a little before nudging the romance novel she'd been reading under her pillow.  "It..  it was nothing..."  she said, unconvincingly.  She couldn't help but smile a little though.  The book was so good, she hadn't been able to put it down!  She could have done without the odd dreams though...

 

The pegasus descended from her upstairs bedroom, Angel on her back, heading to the kitchen.  "I'll get breakfast ready in just a few minutes, Angel," she soothed the rabbit, who jumped down and ran to his favorite bowl.  Fluttershy had just opened the pantry when she heard a loud *BANG!* from her front door.  Startled, she dropped the flour she had been about to use, spilling it on the floor.  This morning just wasn't starting out well.  She didn't have time to react to the noise or the flour when the front door began trembling violently!  Fluttershy instinctively shied away, until she heard a voice amidst all the banging.

​

“FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY! AH NEED YER HELP!”

 

Fluttershy ran to the door and opened it to find a panicked-looking Applejack.  Applejack never panicked!  "A-Applejack?" she questioned nervously, "W-what's wrong?"

​

 

 

[SteelEagle]

 

 

Applejack wasn't out of breath because she had galloped all the way there. She could do laps around the entirety of Ponyville before she was even close to being out of breath. No, Applejack was out of breath because for every single breath she should take, she was taking ten or fifteen in panicked rotations of fear cascading along her shattered veneer of calm. She was a stubborn mare who refused help out of hoof for any number of legitimate reasons as well as quickly enabled ones, but this time she was beyond begging for help. She'd sell her very soul for help and that shone through in her eyes, wide and strewn with the dull red of emotion that had not been held back. Maybe she had cried a little (or a lot) in the way over or maybe she had just smacked against a tree branch in her flight and had been given a rash. Either way, Applejack nearly fell in with as little control as she had arrived, almost tripping over herself as she made her way in.

She knew she had come to the right place. Applejack knew a lot of illnesses and was more than capable of taking care of her family, pets, and farm animals, but Fluttershy was beyond her to such a degree that it was like comparing Snips and Snails to Twilight. Fluttershy could pull out miracles and Applejack wasn't totally convinced it wasn't because she had a little bit of magic inside of her that other ponies simply lacked. It was a little dull to think that but heck, the way she had with animals and fixing them was beyond supernatural. She couldn't think of a pony she'd rather have on her side in a time like this even as she tried to rack her brain to think of what Winona could have. It seemed like a real weird case of the Everfree Rot but if that was all it was Applejack wouldn't be this worried. No, not knowing was worse than whatever the answer was.

“Ah'm sorry for bargin' in like this an' ruinin' yer morning, but Ah'm worried sick 'bout Winona!” Applejack turned back to her friend, her panic making her get closer and closer as she spoke, “Ah've never seen anythin' like it before, an' Ah thought Ah knew everything there was ta know about dogs getting' sick by now. She's pantin' without thar being any moisture and she's dry heavin' a ton- it breaks mah heart every time, it looks so painful for the poor mutt. She feels really clammy an' her eyes...” Applejack visibly shook her head in disgust before taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, opening them to the realization she had gotten right up in Fluttershy's face. That was awkward. Back on topic. “Ah thought it was some type of Everfree Rot but what we normally do for that just went right through her and she got worse! Ah don't know what tha hay it is but yer probably tha only Pony this side of Canterlot who can help me!” Applejack said before rearing up and galloping out as fast as she had ever galloped before.

[Corsair]

Fluttershy shied back as Applejack moved closer and closer into in face, a rapid stream of words pouring from the farm mare.  Fluttershy only just comprehended the import of the message before Applejack turned to gallop back to the farm. 

 

Both of Fluttershy's hooves flew to her mouth in comprehension.  "Winona!  Oh no!"  she gasped.  But her shock was short lived.  If there was one thing that could stir the pegasus to action like no other, it was knowing that an animal was in peril.  Fluttershy whirled around, spotting Angel Bunny.  The rabbit brandished a fork, still focused on his absent breakfast.  "Angel, breakfast will have to wait!"   Fluttershy said sharply.  "Emergency bags, now!"

 

Angel's eyes widened at the pony's response, but he recognized the look and tone in her voice.  He dropped the fork, giving an almost military salute before dashing to another part of the cottage. 

 

Fluttershy, meanwhile, had flown to her bookshelf, and was quickly scanning titles.  Spotting the title 'Potential Pet Poisons,' she grabbed the book from the shelf. From the symptoms Applejack had described, Winona's illness could be any number of things, but she wanted to be prepared.  Angel returned in that moment, dragging a pair of white saddlebags with red crosses on the flaps.  The bags were designed the interfere with a pegasus' wings as little as possible.  Fluttershy pulled the bags onto her back, buckling them into place.  "I'm going to Sweet Apple Acres, Angel" she told the bunny.  "You're in charge until I get back!"

 

The pegasus galloped out the front door before taking to the air.  Applejack had moved so quickly, there was no sign of the earth pony except a rising trail of dust.  Fluttershy might not be able to keep up with an athletic pony like AJ, even in the air, but she was able to arrive only a few moments behind her friend.  "Where's Winona?"  she called out.

​

[SteelEagle]

 

Applejack had booked it to Sweet Apple Acres with every conceivable ounce of speed pulled from her body with all the fury that was her right as the concerned friend of the best dog in the world. She arrived not too far ahead of Fluttershy- let nopony tell you that she couldn't fly her heart out when she heard an animal was in danger- with Applejack entering her home with a slight stutter step as she nearly tripped over the lip of the staircase heading in. “Inside, Fluttershy!” She seemingly glided over her apparent tripping with all the grace of a panicked caribou, slamming through the front door head first unintentionally and staggering about inside for a second or two before shaking her head free and clear of anything except the overwhelming sense of worry that pervaded her as she lead her feathered friend to where Winona was resting.

It was in a bare storage room, the ground covered by straw and with almost every pillow in the house piled in and around her so not even a strand of her fur fell on the ground. She was dry heavin' and panting without moisture, the skin under her fur a mess of clamminess as tiny droplets of sweat fell off of her. Her eyes were swollen shut entirely, and her tail wagged- not in the happy go lucky manner but as any dog owner should know, the wag of a tail could accompany almost any emotionally draining experience for good or ill. The rest of the Apple family had scuttled out of the small store room when Applejack entered, waving her hoof to allow Fluttershy entry as the larger Apple sister bent down next to her pup, motioning to try and cup the dog's head and thinking better of it- now that Fluttershy was here, no need to risk infecting herself unless Fluttershy thought she needed Applejack to help.
 

“Hey girl, feeling any better?” Applejack asked with maximum pointlessness, the response being a downtrodden whinny.

[Corsair]

Fluttershy rushed to Winona's side, firmly but gently moving Applejack to the side.  She understood, only too well, how much Applejack would want to comfort her ailing pet, but she needed room to examine her patient.  "Shh, it's OK, Winona," she comforted the collie while place the frog of her hoof on the dog's nose.  Dry, too dry, and definitely a temperature that was not natural.  Her hooves began roving over the dog's body, parting the fur looking for injuries or anything else out of the ordinary.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, nothing was immediately visible. 

 

Fluttershy reached into her saddlebags, rooting for a moment before producing a thin glass rod.  "I'm so sorry, Winona," she apologized in advance, "But this will probably be uncomfortable, but it won't be for too long."  She then lifted the dog's tail and inserted the thermometer.  

 

The pegasus petted the dog for a few moments, keeping her calm.  Finally, she removed the instrument, then read the temperature.  The number shown did not please her.  "Applejack!"  She said to her friend in an unusually authoritative voice, "I need you to run a tub full of cool water!  We need to get Winona's temperature down!"

​

 

[SteelEagle]

 

Applejack bit her lower lip as Fluttershy went to inspect Winona, her mind racing as she tried to conjure up how or why this could happen to her pup. Winona wasn't some dumb mutt that put everything and anything in her mouth, right? She was a smart girl. She had grown up on a farm on the edge of the most dangerous place for critters like her in Equestria. If she were dumb then she wouldn't have made it this far! No, no. Winona was a smart girl. She didn't eat nothing that would cause this. So was she bitten by something that caused this? What sorta venom could do this? She had checked all over Winona for any sign of a bite and she couldn't find any shred of evidence that it was a bite. And wouldn't Winona have come running to her barking about something or the other? No. She hadn't. She hadn't told her momma pony a lick and that was just frustrating as all get out, and Applejack felt hopeless and helpless as she watched the thermometer go where the sun don't shine.

A few moments later, Fluttershy turned to Applejack with authority and gave her some marching orders. It was serious. Fluttershy wasn't normally like this. Applejack wasn't going to complain about the greatest veterinarian in Ponyville giving out orders, not one bit. She snapped off a salute to her friend and galloped out of the area, heading towards the closest pump. Ever since Winona's illness started, the family had ditched her normal soaking tub. They didn't know what was going on and didn't want to spread any infection, but if Winona needed a bath, she'd get a bath. Applejack eyed several different baskets along the way, trying to find one the right size. She picked one up- it was a transport sized sealed basket, where the Apples would stuff several bushels worth into one larger basket. It was square, made to easily fit in the cart as they traveled.

Next was the pump. Applejack had invested heavily in the farm's water deliver systems after recent caterpillar events. Before their home and a few locations would have large pumps that would serve as reservoirs of water. You had to haul large buckets to and fro and it was a pain. Now they had a whole water line running under the whole farm with dozens of pumps all feeding into minor and major reservoirs. Each pump had a small circular selector which allowed you to select water temperature. She turned it all the way to the left- ice cold. She dropped the large sealed basket under the spigot and started pumping. It fought back at first but as she completed each set it got easier and easier until it was like pushing down a feather.

 

The first few pumping motions started a small magnesium fire with dragon rocks providing the starter. This line traveled through the sealed protective part of the pump into the ground, where it opened up against the Jade Silence rocks below. When introduced to fires, the rocks cooled to degrees that even ice could hardly compare to. These rocks were patched up against the protected pipe, and a line of these rocks provided absurd temperature control if one wanted cold water. And cold water Applejack did get, coming through the pump in droves. Within moments the basket was full and Applejack bellowed back, “the bath is ready, Fluttershy!”

[Corsair]

When Applejack called out, Fluttershy scooped the listless collie into her front hooves and glided out the door towards the farm's water pump.  Fluttershy frowned as the poor dog dangled limply in her forehooves  The diagnostic portion of the pegasus' mind was spinning rapidly, trying to figure out what could be causing this, but the immediate concern was getting her temperature down. 

Upon reaching Applejack, Fluttershy lowered Winona to the ground, then tested the water.  Good, cool, but not too cold.  Too warm would not help the fever, too cold would cause problems of its own.  She then slowly immersed the collie, but made sure to keep her head out of the water.  Fluttershy found a metal cup near the well, and used it to pour the cooling water between the dog's ears.  "There, Winona, sweetie, does that feel better?" she asked, soothingly.  A weak whimper answered her.

Fluttershy turned to Applejack, who looked more frightened than she had ever seen the orange mare.  She handed the cup to Applejack, and instructed her, "Here, hold her head up, and keep her head cool.  Let her drink if she can.  I need to go check something in my bag." 

The pegasus zipped back into the house, and pulled large book out of one of her emergency bags.  There had to be something in here to explain Winona's symptoms...

[SteelEagle]

Applejack could be a bit of a helicopter...sibling, pet owner, parent, whatever you wanted to call her. She knew it. It was something she was trying to stop being, but she cared so much for those around her that the thought of not being there to help them was terrifying. Still, she knew she shouldn't. And she'd been getting better, honest. Applejack had allowed her sis to get more and more responsibility all the time, and she had been rewarded by Apple Bloom's continuing development. But just because she was getting better didn't mean she didn't worry and all it took was a few incidents here and there to get her all shook up, even on the best of days.

But this was not the best of days. It was the worst of days. And if she had been there more been more observent, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Being a helicopter whatever wasn't always bad. Yep. It could be good, like when your pup was heavin' and heatin' up something fierce. Applejack nodded as Fluttershy gave her orders, giving a hurried whisper that was her way of saying yes. She did as told, slowly and carefully holding her head up and pouring the water on. Winona whimpered and breathed deep, her ears starting to pin themselves back as she tried desparetly to get closer to Applejack. 

Earlier...

Winona was jumping and snapping playfully, this one butterfly really making herall sorts of happy! Butterflies were fun! Yay! She had been chasin' it for no more than a minute or so before it went into the Everfree. Along the way some vine wrapped around her ankle and she felt a big pressure before she pulled her leg free, eyes looking for the butterfly which vanished in the few moments that the vint took her attention. Aww no! Where did it go!

Wait, dinner bell!
bark bark bark, Winona said as she ran back home, unaware of the small parasite in her paw now, the wound around it sealing...