Applebloom made her way back towards the waiting room where everyone was waiting for their chance to visit Pinkie Pie. The young mare was nervous, as well of kind of scared. Not for herself, but for her sister, Applejack.

The Apple family that resided within Sweet Apple Acres were extremely close knit. The young mare herself, Applejack, Big Mackintosh and Granny Smith were incredibly close. It goes without saying that the whole family were close - the events of the Apple Family reunion proved that - but the ones within the farm borders knew each other's ins and outs. They hated to see each other down.

It was bad enough how Applejack was down in the ditches at the moment. If her very soon impending visit with Pinkie Pie didn't go well, it could very easily decline her condition further.

The door that separated the corridor from the waiting room came all to soon for Applebloom. It was time for her sister's date with destiny. She pushed open the large double wooden doors to be greeted by the faces of her friends, young mares and mares, and of course, a dragon.

The young Apple mare made her way over to her big sister. Who greeted her with a smile, even if her eyes did still shout that she was nervous. "So, how'd it go sugarcube?"

"It went ok sis, she wants to speak t'you now," replied the younger sibling.

"Me?" Applejack asked almost surprised, "Goshsarnit, ah should be happy she's willin' to at least let me speak with her, but ah'm just so nervous about it," she almost remembered when Pinkie Pie explained 'nervouscited' at the Crystal Empire, just before the incident where Twilight Sparkle had to travel to the alternate universe. It was almost how she felt, but the amount of excitement was seriously dwarfed by the amount of nervousness.

A third voice spoke in now "Go on AJ, it will be fine." This was the voice of Rainbow Dash.

Then a fourth voice was added "And remember, we are here if you need us," said Twilight. Twilight had be so supportive towards Applejack the last few days. This meant as soon as she spoke just, Applejack felt a lot more confidence take over her nerves. Twilight was right she could do this.

"Well then, ah suppose I gotta do what I gotta do," Applejack said before making her way towards the door that led towards the corridor, that would ultimately lead her to room 301, or Pinkie Pie's room.

***

As the apple farmer made her way towards her destination, the confidence she felt in the waiting room had seriously wavered. Sure it still felt good that, among many, Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Applebloom were rooting for her, but it did little for her confidence.

Soon, the room entered her sight, a wooden door with a gold color plaque reading 301 in big black text, and a name card of the patient in a card holder reading 'Pinkamena Diane Pie'. This was it, there was no more holding back. It was time to bite the bullet. That being said, she allowed herself a minute or two to clear her thoughts, and figure out how she would even say as much as a simple 'hello' in this case.

She slowly pushed the door open. The reality of the situation really hit hard. The mare she saw lying on the bed - looking to be in critical condition - was only a shadow of her friend, what added on to the blow was that it was her fault. All of what she saw inflicted on the mare before her was her own doing.

She watched Pinkie Pie for several moments, seeing very little movement. The room felt to be getting increasingly warm as the moments passed, until she couldn't take it any more. She had to get away. It didn't look like Pinkie Pie was awake anyway, it was unnatural to see the pink mare so still for a prolonged period of time.

Slowly and quietly, she made her way towards the same door in which she had entered, ensuring not to wake Pinkie Pie up, or if she were honest with herself, being careful not to jump into the manticore's jaw by being noticed by Pinkie Pie.

"Applejack," spoke the weak voice from inside the room.

Applejack's heart jumped within her chest as her ears spun slightly to adjust towards the location of the voice. It looked like there was little else to do apart from face up "y-yes Sugarcube"

Once again the empty, weak and haunting voice spoke out, "come here, I want to speak to you"

Applejack followed Pinkie Pie's order, slowly making her way towards her bed side, before Pinkie Pie spoke once again "Why are you so worried?"

"Ah..Ah..Ah did this to ya. Ah just can't face what ah did at all, call me weak but ah just can't"

"The reason I first fell for you is because I admired your strength, you are not weak at all..." Applejack did a double take on this, Pinkie Pie was complimenting her, even after everything. She however just let it float over, this couldn't be everything "...it wasn't you who did this, it was me, because of you"

"Ah know, and Ah don't know what you're plannin' on doin', whether your plannin' on puttin' me in cupcakes or whatever, but ah sure deserve it."

"why do a lot of people think I put ponies in cupcakes. The humans think I do that, they think I put Rainbow Dash in cupcakes but I didn't. Damn Sargeant Sprinkles"

Applejack was genuinely confused "The what an' damn who?"

"never mind, back to where we were, I'm not going to put you in cupcakes. I wanted to speak to you about what happened"

"look, ah know it probably don't mean nothin' at all, but ah'm so sorry. Ah shouldn't have covered uo the truth to protect you, ah should'a told ya that ah just didn't feel like that"

"an apology doesn't always fix everything. The only remedy for a broken heart is time. You broke my heart. I needed time away."

"Ah know ah did, and Ah really can't apologize enough fer doin' that"

"so, was it worth lying about?"

"No, ah should'a told ya the truth. Look, there is somethin' ah needed to ask ya. Ah don't expect ya to forgive me fer what ah did, but at least consider it. Ah wanna make it up to ya, ah swear ah do."

In Pinkie Pie's eyes, Applejack was right. She didn't deserve it. She so badly wanted to say 'no' right their on the spot. And she was just about to. That was until she felt something flash through her mind 'Decision-You will be faced with a decision on an important matter. Do not allow what first enters your head to be your final decision, give it careful consideration.'

Pinkie Pie swore she read this somewhere, yet she couldn't place a hoof on where she had read it, but she was sure that whatever she read it on, and wherever she read it, she knew this was the exact moment it was referring to.

"I can't promise nothing, but I will think about it. I suppose I should really"

"If ya feel like ya have to cus' mah sister saved ya, or elements of harmony, then ya don't have to, ah want ya to forgive me, but only if you want to, not cus you feel ya have to"

"No, before this we were close, but this was a big thing, that's why I'm thinking about it" as well as these memories I just can't place thought Pinkie Pie

"Well ok, ah suppose ah can leave ya alone fer the moment if ya want"

"well ok then"

"any pony ya want ta see next?"

"well I owe Rainbow Dash an apology, if she wants to see me, send her in please?"

"Will do, sugarcube," Applejack said, making her way towards the door. Applejack was very confused. She found herself asking herself a lot of questions. Why does Pinkie Pie owe Rainbow Dash an apology? What the hay are humans? Who in Equestria is Sargeant Sprinkles? Possibly things she would have to ask Twilight. It seems even at her lowest, Pinkie Pie's logic was best left unquestioned.

Author's Notes:

So, truth be told, I really struggled with where to start on this chapter. I did a blog post this morning, it was seriously insane how I got this done. A whole week with very few ideas and a whole day without being able to write. However, it feel in place at the end. I can't take full credit however as Bringer of the Ends was a massive help, giving me a few ideas. Check his/her (sorry I don't actually know) work out.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and it looks like the next chapter is Rainbow's chance to see Pinkie Pie for the first time (for real, not in a dream) in three years. Should be good.