It was a nice sunny Saturday afternoon for the Apple family. Big Mac was bucking apples to sell for a huge profit, Granny Smith was taking her usual afternoon nap, and Apple Bloom was out helping Big Mac with the bucking. Applejack, however, was looking at the front entrance for a certain pony to show up. She stood there, tall and proudful, yet deep inside, she was nervous, because this pony was late. The pony that Applejack was waiting for was never late for an appointment, job, or anything really. Concerned, Applejack went over to Apple Bloom, who was still helping Big Mac out with the apple bucking, and in a worrisome voice, asked "Hey, Apple Bloom? What time is it?"

Apple Bloom went inside the house to check the time, and came back as soon as she got the time. "Why, sis, it's 2:15," Apple Bloom kindly answered, "Are you waiting for somepony?"

"Yes, actually," Applejack said with that worrisome tone still lingering inside her "I asked Pinkie Pie if she wanted to help with..." Before Applejack could complete her sentence, Apple Bloom interrupted with a loud, yet enthusiastic "Pinkie Pie is coming over?! AWESOME!!! I better get my song sheet out!"

With a puzzled expression on her face, Applejack replied "Song sheet? Why in the hay would you need Pinkie to help you with writin' a song?"

"Well..." Apple Bloom began in a childish manner "Pinkie asked if I wanted to sing for a young filly's birthday party next week, and I was more than happy to. I just want Pinkie to help me write lyrics, that's all." Apple Bloom then gave a kind, yet awkward looking smile.

"Uhh... sure..." Applejack replied, with the puzzled nature still present. Shortly after, Apple Bloom noticed a slowly moving figure approaching the Apple Family Farm. She jumped over Applejack, took a good look at the figure, and loudly shouted "IT'S PINKIE PIE!!!" She shook her older sister in excitement, and soon alerted the other Apple family members. Apple Bloom softly shook Granny Smith to wake her up. Granny Smith wasn't too thrilled about it, "What makes you think you can wake up lil' ol' Granny Smith like that, Apple Bloom?" she said in an annoyed voice.

What started out as a simple apology "Sorry, Granny," soon erupted into the excitement showing its head again "But Pinkie Pie's here to visit!"

That caught Granny Smith's attention in no time flat, and with a surprised tone, "What? Our Pinkie Pie? Well, shoot! Why didn't anypony tell me earlier?"

"Applejack just told me, and Pinkie just got here!"

"Well, give me some time to walk, okay?"

'Kay, Granny!"

Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big Mac approached the front gate to the Apple Family Farm and hollered a huge "HOWDY, COUSIN PINKIE PIE!!!" However, what they saw, was truly shocking. All 3 ponies gasped in fear to what they saw right in front of their eyes. It was certainly Pinkie Pie, but she looked... well, different, in a bizarre way. She was shriveled up much like a pony that's been in the pool for too long, and their skin is all soggy. Her knees were shaking, almost as if she was having a hard time balancing herself. Her cotton candy-like mane resembled her normal flat mane, and her face covered with chocolate, with red eyes to add to the disturbing factor. She looked happy, and tried her best to say something. However, her voice was very weak, almost as if she was whispering:

"Oh, thank you for the welcome surprise..."

All 3 of the Apple family members looked at each other, very concerned about their very sick looking cousin. After 10 seconds of silence, Applejack finally broke the silence, and with the concerned tone in her voice returning, she asked "Pinkie... are you feelin'... okay?"

Pinkie responded the best she could with her incredibly fragile voice "Oh, yeah... I'm just feeling peachy."

"You sure?" Apple Bloom asked with the concerned tone affecting her "Because you're lookin'... different."

"Eeyup." Big Mac replied with his trademark quote.

At that point, Pinkie tried to defend herself: "Different...?" she tried to laugh, but she ended going in a violent coughing phase, with Apple Bloom backing up behind Applejack and Big Mac. After coughing for a few seconds, Pinkie stopped, and continued on what she was saying "What are you talking about? I'm the same old happy party pony I've always been. I'm just having allergies right now." She soon gave a weak smile, as if she were trying to fool the Apple family. All 3 members of the Apple family soon huddled together, with Granny Smith finally getting out of the house. "What in tarnation is going on?" she asked. Applejack then pulled Granny Smith into the circle.

"Granny..." Applejack started, with a sad tone "Pinkie... Pinkie isn't feelin' too good."

Granny soon took her head out of the circle, and saw the very sick looking Pinkie Pie. Pinkie tried her best to wave at Granny, but as soon as she lifted her front right hoof up, she lost balance, and fell on her face. Granny then put her head back in the circle, and replied "Oh, yeah, that pony doesn't look good at all."

"Eeyup." Big Mac agreed.

"What are we gonna do, guys," a concerned Apple Bloom asked "We just can't tell her to leave because she's sick."

"I know," Applejack replied, "But this is more than just allergies, and it ain't foolin' us. I'm gonna to talk with Pinkie. You guys go back to what you were doin'."

"But..." Apple Bloom tried to interrupt.

"Don't worry, Apple Bloom. I have everythin' under control here."

The other 3 members looked at Applejack, and each of them nodded, though Apple Bloom thought of resisting. The others went back to work, leaving Applejack with Pinkie.

Applejack took Pinkie into the barn, with Pinkie struggling to keep up.

Pinkie saw what happened, and asked: "What are they doing?"

"Just gettin' back to work." Applejack replied.

"But... you wanted me to help with the apple bucking." Pinkie followed up with a sad tone.

"I did, but you're not lookin' too good. In fact, you're lookin' like you haven't eaten in over 2 weeks." Applejack replied to Pinkie. At this point, Pinkie was starting to get worse. She soon fell over, and tried to get up, but she couldn't. Her legs were too weak.

Scared with fear of seeing an army of Timber Wolves, Applejack tried to get Pinkie up, but Pinkie kept falling over, like a Jenga tower that couldn't support its own weight.

"Pinkie!" Applejack yelled with a scared tone. "Pinkie, get up! What's wrong with you?!"

Pinkie tried to get up once again, but she couldn't. Finally, she answered Applejack: "I... I don't know..." with the same weak voice. After saying that, Pinkie collapsed, and became unconscious. Applejack got even more terrified, as if she wasn't terrified already. "... Pinkie...?" She looked at the unconscious body of her cousin, and checked to see if her heart stopped beating. It didn't, but it was beating at an incredibly fast rate. At this point, Applejack broke into tears, and soon ran out of the barn at blazing speeds, going into a full on panic mode.

"EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY!!!" Applejack shouted with all her might. All the other Apple family members soon came to Applejack, each having concerned faces. "Is Pinkie..." Apple Bloom tried to ask, in a worried voice. Applejack soon gave the other 3 commands on what to do.

"Apple Bloom, alert the others about Pinkie!" Apple Bloom than ran without hesitation to get the other Mane 4.

"Big Mac, call the hospital!"

"Eeyup!" Big Mac replied with a terrified tone.

"Granny... you help me keep in eye on Pinkie. She passed out."

"Oh... we have to stick together on this, Applejack." Granny Smith said with some level of confidence.

"I know, Granny... I know." Applejack replied with the sad tone lingering inside her.

Both Applejack and Granny Smith went into the barn, with Applejack picking up the unconscious Pinkie, with her on AJ's back, with Granny Smith putting a pillow and blanket on the ground, and Applejack slowly putting down Pinkie.

After the ambulance left with Pinkie Pie's body, Applejack laid there on the dirt, and cried a small puddle. The image of her cousin and friend suffering on the ground trying to get up was too much for her to handle. After about an hour of crying, Apple Bloom returned with the other Mane 4, all of who were taken back by Applejack's puddle of frightful tears. Rainbow started to conversation, but unlike her usual prideful fare, she looked concerned for Applejack. "Hey, AJ. We all came as fast as we could. What's the trouble?" Rainbow asked with sincerity.

Applejack tried to gain her composure, but she still talked with the crying: "It's... it's Pinkie Pie."

The Mane 4 were quick to react. "What's wrong with Pinkie?" Twilight asked.

"She was incredibly sick," Applejack answered "She looked like she didn't eat in days."

Fluttershy then entered the conversation: "Now that you mention Pinkie Pie, she went on a picnic with my animal friends a couple of weeks ago. She constantly drank all the water we had. She even drank the water from the lake that was near by."

Then Rainbow put herself in the moment: "Really? That's nothing compared to last week. She and I had a race, but she got tired almost as quickly as the race began. She said that she had been overworked at Sugar Cube Corner, but I don't know how busy a bakery can get on a Saturday, so who knows?"

Finally, Rarity took a part in the conversation table: "I also noticed that she was a lot skinnier than usual. The dresses that used to fit her weren't fitting her anymore. I asked if she was losing weight, to which she replied 'I guess...' Wait... it sounds like Pinkie has a flu."

"It's more than a flu." Twilight claimed. The others glanced at Twilight as if she were the princess of health.

"If these symptoms are correct: losing weight incredibly quickly, being tired in an instant, and drinking massive amounts of liquids..." She paused, then looked over at Applejack. She then continued "Applejack, what else was wrong with Pinkie?"

"She was losing balance, and had a hard time talking." Applejack answered.

"Yeah, it's official: Pinkie has Diabetes." Twilight confirmed.

The others gasped, with Applejack soon asking "What... what is Diabetes?"

Twilight soon teleported a medical book to her side, and flipped to a page titled "Diabetes." Twilight began to read the page:

"According to the medical book, Diabetes is an illness that is either caused by genetics or by eating too much unhealthy food."

"Well..." Rainbow stepped in, "Pinkie is known for eating a lot, and I mean a LOT of sweets."

"Yeah," chimed in Twilight, "However, Pinkie also has a fairly balanced diet as well."

"So, why are we here talkin' about this?" Applejack asked, "My cousin, I mean, our friend, is in the hospital with an illness that's hurtin' her! We have to get there now!" Applejack than took off at lightning speed, however, Twilight wasn't going to stand that, thus she teleported in front of Applejack, and stopped her with magic. Applejack then soon started to shed tears again, causing Twilight to let go of Applejack. Twilight and the rest of the Mane 3 soon gave a group hug to Applejack.

Twilight, in a soft, comforting tone, said "I know you're worried about Pinkie, Applejack. We're all worried about her, but she's going to be fine."

Wiping the tears off of her face, Applejack looked at Twilight, and gave her a hug. She wasn't fully convinced, so to make sure, she asked Twilight if she was truly going to be okay: "I don't know. She looked like she wasn't goin' to last much longer."

"You most likely got to her in time," Twilight replied, "If she lasted longer, she probably wouldn't have made it."

"Say, where's Spike?" Applejack asked.

"Oh, Spike's at the Crystal Empire to attend an important meeting. I'll tell him about it when I get back."

Rarity then stepped into the conversation: "Come on, girls. We have to pay our friend a visit."

The Mane 5 soon took off to the hospital, to see their sick, but still happy friend.

Next Chapter: Chapter 2: Friends and Family Together Estimated time remaining: 13 Minutes