Applejack wasn't necessarily a big fan of herbal substances when it came down to it. The bubbly, earthy taste always felt like muddy sludge down her throat, and quite honestly she could barely digest something that felt like it had come out of the rear end of a bird. On the other hoof, Applejack wasn't necessarily a big fan of medicine either, but it was one of the two options she had at her disposal at the moment, and she would've rather taken the small, disk-shaped pill than a bottle of bird scat.

Thinking on this for a brief second, she closed her eyes and shook her head, attempting to dispel the slight ringing that accompanied the action. Looking ahead with a large sigh, she clenched her jaw and turned on the faucet in front of her, dispensing a steady amount of water into the small cup sitting inside. Watching in a tired silence as it filled, she threw a hoof forward and turned the appliance off, reaching for the cup and placing it on the counter to her right.

Looking to her left, her green eyes narrowed as she took notice of the large white pill bottle. Grabbing it, she scanned its exterior label for what seemed to be the umpteenth time that hour. She had woken up an hour-and-a-half ago in her bed, hot, tired, and cramped with a slight migraine. She had gotten out of bed and had fallen, and that was when she had realized what had happened the night before, and so here she was, glaring over the small pills that were supposed to help with hangovers.

It's not like it was her first time, but it was a time for sure.

Turning the vial around, she read the words aloud.

"Alka Saltzer. Fer all yer hangover needs." Straining her eyes, she attempted to discern the smaller print underneath, "Any an' all side effects are not of our concern, and include but are not limit'd to swellin', hernias, hives, Hen Disease, Echstacy, an' penis sclerosis...?" Staring at nothing in particular, a frown on her face, she turned her head toward her behind and said, "Ah'm about a hundred percent sure that ain't somethin' Ah've gotta worry about."

Giving out another sigh, she looked back down at the bottle in her hooves with a vilifying look on her face. Breathing out, she threw her head forward and bit down on the cap, turning it in one swift motion. Unscrewing the rest with her other hoof, she all but flung the cap across the room at the encounter of yet another blinding headache. Groaning, she peered through her blurry vision and overturned the bottle atop the counter.

Nothing came out.

Gritting her teeth, she shook it.

Nothing.

"Faust dammit, now ain't the time you consarned son of a-"

A small tablet fell toward the counter, bouncing twice before settling down. Giving a frown, she stepped toward the sink and grabbed the cup of water. Sitting on her haunches, she retrieved the pill in the other limb. Looking between the two, she gave one final sigh before simply saying, "Well... down th' hatch Ah suppose."

She threw the pill into her mouth and immediately suppressed the urge to gag. True to its name, the Alka Saltzer tasted like salt. Swiftly, she chugged the cup of water as fast as she was able, wanting desperately to rid herself of the disgusting waft of salt. Finally, she gulped, and settled against the wall with an outburst of breath. Glowering at nothing, she slowly looked up toward the top of the medicine cabinet, finding the small clock ticking away loudly. How she hadn't noticed it before struck her as logically impossible.

8:22 A.M.

Growling down in her throat somewhere, she scrambled to her hooves, throwing a hoof into the doorway and walking into the hallway.

Even after a whole night of drinking, she still couldn't help but wake up early.

With nothing upstairs required, she turned left and began to descend the staircase, her train of thought completely off the rails. Each creak of the old wood beneath her hooves threatened to rip her skull apart, but she was able to persevere and finally set hoof on the ground floor. Walking into the living room, looking every which way, she suddenly became aware of the sound of talking. Reaching the corner, she leaned her head against the wall and listened.

"Hey," the sound of lips smacking became apparent, "Delirious."

Paper crinkled. "Wh-what," burp, "Scootaloo?"

"When do you think Applejack's gonna," paper, "wake up?"

"I don't fuckin' know. Could be hours. Hell, after what happened last night I'd be surprised she ever woke up-"

THWACK

"Ow! Shit... I fuckin' deserved that, heh heh..."

Suddenly, another voice chimed in. "Don't be so dumb, Delirious. Mah sister's gone through worse. Ah just told ya about th' whole Nightmare Night thing-"

"Which was pretty fuckin' cool."

"Thanks for the food by the way, Delirious. Geez, I was so hungry..."

"Me too! We should go there more of'en. Ah didn't even know there was such thing as a Burger Shot here."

"And it sounds so awesome! Burger. Shot! Like some dumb kids film, or- or like a cool mascot!"

More paper crinkled. "Quiet the fuck down and eat your peas, Scootaloo."

"Shut up Delirious, I'm not eating any peas."

"I don't care, eat yer food. It cost like twenty dollars, I coulda spent that shit on somethin' important!"

"Like what?"

The three turned, finding Applejack walking into the living room with a grin on her face. Raising a brow, she asked, "Like what, Delirious? Go on, Ah can wait."

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom both turned back to Delirious, awaiting his answer as he sat on the couch. Eyes narrowed, as if he had been on the receiving end of a joke he didn't understand, he glanced down at the ground to his right, mouthing something even his own mind couldn't compute correctly. Looking back up quietly, he shrugged and said simply, "Shit."

"Watch yer language, Delirious. There are foals in the room, if ya didn't know-"

"It's not like we haven't heard it before..." Scootaloo said with an unimpressed look her way.

"Well," Applejack started, gazing down at the orange filly, "girls yer age shouldn't be around stuff like that. Ain't appropriate."

"Applejack, Delirious curses all the time. It's okay."

The mare glared his way in the same vein as a hawk spotting its prey. And quite frankly, Delirious was that prey. Sinking in his seat, he gave the left and right side of the living room quick glances of recognition. Applejack walked over to him slowly, a suspicious look on her face. Standing over him, she leered at him, watching as his blue eyes looked up at her out of the corner of his eyes.

Expression unchanged, she softly bonked him on the side of his head, speaking, "Y'all need ta work on that."

"Hey, you're the one who said 'bitch' the other day-"

"You what now?! Y'all can't be- Applejack! You swore?!" Apple Bloom asked, surprised.

"Ah can say with the utmost certainty that Ah didn't say a single swear," Applejack replied, waving a confirming hoof in front of her.

"What are you, a dictionary? Who the hay says that?" Scootaloo asked, a genuine look of skepticism on her face.

Applejack turned back to Scootaloo, eyes narrowed. She now noticed that she was wearing her Crusader's cape. Deciding to speak up, she asked, "Y'all doin' some Crusadin' today?"

Apple Bloom smiled at her from behind the couch, her hooves propped atop the backrest. "Yup! We're gonna see if we can get our Cutie Marks in scavenging!"

"Scavengin'- scavengin' what?"

"Banana Split's banana stand! It's still there, and Delirious thought we might as well take what's left, since she doesn't need it anymore!"

The three watched as the mare suddenly cringed, holding a hoof to her head as she stepped a few inches back. Lowering the limb, she shook her head and said through clenched teeth, "...y'all mind bein' a li'l quiet? Mah head hurts a little..."

"Sorry, sis."

"Yeah," Scootaloo added, mimicking Apple Bloom's apologetic expression, "sorry Applejack."

She gave them a smile in return, "It's alright. Ah've just got a-"

"She's fuckin' hungover. She must've been a lightweight."

The smile faded.

Delirious, noticing this, leaned forward in his seat, reaching into the white paper bag on the table. Bringing the appendage back out, he held a small hayburger in his hoof. Shaking it, he asked innocently, "You want a burger?" Applejack gave him a frown. "We're about ta head out an' shit. Wanna make sure you eat something, at least."

"Ah'd rather eat somethin' healthy, if ya don't mind."

Delirious laughed, putting the burger back into the bag, "Your loss." Getting up, he trotted around the couch, beckoning the fillies to follow suit, "C'mon guys."

They did so, and the trio walked to the front door. As Delirious opened it, allowing the giggling fillies to walk underneath his outstretched arm and outside, he turned toward Applejack and called, "We're gonna go to the market! See you in a bit!" Hearing Applejack give him a confirming callback, he added under his breath, "ch."

The door slammed shut, and Applejack was alone.

The mare smiled at the closed door, and turned tail to walk into the kitchen, "healthy" food in her mind. It was more of an excuse than an actual fact, and was one she would usually pull if Rainbow Dash or Apple Bloom were to ask her about burgers, or fries, or soda or whatever. Truth be told, her stomach just never really agreed with the stuff. Shaking her head, she dispelled the thoughts of good food and opted on making some eggs.

She needed all of her strength for the Harvest tomorrow.

Her head snapped up, fridge door still open with her hoof coiled around its handle.

Her eyes shrank.

Slamming the refrigerator door shut, she flew out of the house with a simple shout.

"Market!"

She came sprinting into the marketplace, her green eyes glancing every which way as if she were a hawk on the search for prey. Though the crowd of ponies was smaller than the previous day - or what little she could remember from the previous day - she still found it difficult to look for what she desperately needed. Gritting her teeth, having no luck in the search, she turned right and walked over to a florist's stand, finding her friend Roseluck.

With heavy panting, she asked, "Roseluck? Hey, you see a cart 'round here filled with farmin' equipment?"

Roseluck gave her a thoughtful look, humming as she looked to the ground. Rubbing her chin, she spoke, "I don't think so... I'd certainly notice something like that..." Turning her head toward the small cart next to her, she called to the blue stallion currently washing their spare flowers, "Hey, Noteworthy?"

Noteworthy turned his head, flipping the switch on the garden hose off. Giving a soft smile, he said, "Oh, hey Applejack! Yeah, Roseluck, what's up?"

Roseluck rolled her eyes, "Stop daydreaming. You see a cart filled with farming equipment today?"

Noteworthy sucked in his cheeks, stood silent for a brief few seconds, and gave a shrug, "Nope. Sorry. Why, Applejack lose one?"

"Yeah, Ah did. Mighty shame, Ah really need ta find it."

"You need some help?" Noteworthy asked, "Roseluck wouldn't mind if I took a few hours off, wouldn't be the first time-"

"No thank ya, Sugarcube. Ah can handle this myself. Besides, Ah can't keep you from home for some dumb matters o' mine." Seeing his sorry expression, she waved a hoof and added, "Don't worry 'bout it. Ah'll see y'all later, thanks for the help!"

The two bid farewell, and Applejack trotted to the center of the marketplace, eyes peeled for any sign of her missing cart. Stupid stupid stupid. Y'all should be ashamed of yourself, losin' a whole cart overnight. Gee, did the thought that maybe you should, Ah dunno, get it at some point occur to you? Course not. Now the Harvest'll have ta be delayed, and it's all your fault. She bowed her head, sighing into the ground as she realized how badly she had messed up.

A small pattering of dirt met her ears, completely distinct from the sounds of the other, busy ponies in the area.

"Hey sis, you alright?"

Applejack gave another sigh, not looking at her sister out of fear. Finally, she spoke, "...no Apple Bloom, Ah ain't."

"What's the matter?"

Applejack slowly turned her head, expecting to find her little sister looking up at her in shame.

What she found was her sister looking up at her in confusion, along with five other ponies next to her. Applejack gave them a shrug and a frown. "Hey y'all."

"You alright Applejack?" Delirious asked, brow raised. "Whose ass do I have to kick-"

"Hey D, if we're gonna kick some flank, you're bringing me with you," Rainbow said, looking at him with a glare.

"No, it ain't-"

"We can help too!"

"Yeah, maybe we could get our Cutie Marks in plot kicking!"

"Guys, stop-"

The red Earth Pony pulled out a sticky bomb, looking at Delirious as he asked, "You ready Delirious?"

"Fuck yeah."

"Show me your back-"

"Listen!"

The six stopped, looking at Applejack as she gave them blank looks of annoyance. She let out a long breath, looking at the ground, "Ah lost a cart th' other night..."

Delirious' ears flattened against his head.

"It was filled with farmin' equipment we needed for tomorrow. Ah s'pose Ah left it here overnight last night, and it ain't nowhere to be seen. Ah..." she looked up, a sad expression on her face, "...Ah hate ta say it, but... Ah need yer help." She froze, not expecting what she saw next.

Vanoss gave her a determined look, a special carbine cradled in his forelegs as he stood on his hindlegs. The Crusaders looked up at her defiantly, saluting her silently in the bright sunlight, their capes flowing behind them in the wind. Delirious smiled at her underneath the mask, holding his baseball bat out in front of him, a glare on his brow. Finally, Rainbow stood in the front, straight and tall as a Royal Guard, a strong-willed tone in her behavior as she too saluted.

Overall, the whole thing was a goddamn show.

Finally, she spoke, joined by Vanoss, Delirious, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and her sister Apple Bloom.

"Where to, AJ?"

Applejack smiled, letting out a sputter of laughter as she shook her head. Keeping face, she mimicked their expression and saluted them in kind. Eyes wide, she noticed a distinct lacking of something important atop her head. Feeling her scalp, she touched her mane absent-mindedly. Blinking rapidly, she realized that she had left her Stetson back at the house.

"Hold up, I got this."

Applejack watched as Delirious broke formation, walking up to her, his expression unchanged. He stood in front of her like a statue for what seemed like hours, the mare growing slightly uncomfortable. Suddenly, she watched as a brown cowboy hat appeared on Delirious' head, noticeably different from her Stetson. Taking it off his head, he placed it on Applejack's, commenting, "It ain't yours, but it's something."

It was enough.

Making sure it was secure, she drew her head back and gave them a salute as Delirious returned to his previous position. Giving them a sly grin, she said simply.

"Let's go find us a cart."

Author's Notes:

Solace, my game

it stars you.