“Hey~ Applejack,” Rainbow said as she stumbled into their house, hours late for dinner, “did I tell you how pretty you are lately? Cause, whooo~,” she jumped into the air flapping her wings awkwardly trying to hover, only to fly quickly left and slam into the wall separating the living room from the doorway.

“Rainbow Dash?! What in tarnation… Have ya been drinkin’?”

Rainbow righted herself to her hooves again, stumbling to the doorway and bracing herself at the frame.

“What?! Nahh, I swear to ale that I haven’t had any Celestia in wheeks. C’mare, babe,” she gestured with a hoof, but it was more of a flailing than a wave.

Applejack stood in disbelief at Rainbow, who was regularly besheveled looking, but never had she seen Rainbow this drunk.

“Rainbow Dash, yer drunk, and that ain’t good. C’mon, let’s get ya ta bed and I’ll-”

“No! I’m not goin’ ta bed, or to shleep. OR… You’re really pretty, AJ. Did you know that?” She asked half smiling as she stood tall for a second. Stumbling back she turned around and weaved into the living room, around the end table, just barely, opened her wings, and caught the edge of the couch, causing her to stumble to a stop and fall with her front forelegs splayed out and her chin on the floor.

“Hey, AJ. Ah’m ready, give it tah me,” she broke into a giggle fit as Applejack trotted over to her.

“Rainbow, yer worryin’ me. C’mon, let’s get ya some shut-eye. You’ll be better after some sleep and we can talk about this in the mornin’ over breakfast.”

“Grmpmsmpt,” Rainbow grumbled into the carpet. Applejack laid down facing her lover.

“Come again, sugarplum?”

Rainbow lifted her head and took in a deep breath. “Gri, duhn, wan, ah, sleep.”

Applejack leaned her head back as the alcohol passed her nose. It was so intense Applejack had a fleeting thought of getting second hand drunk.

“Rainbow, Ah ain’t takin no for an answer, c’mon. We gotta big day tomorrow and ya missed supper, get ta bed and I’ll get some help fer ya.”

Rainbow moved her forelegs under her and pushed herself up with a lot of effort before falling flat again. Moving her wings into position she pushed herself up and got to her hooves again, then let her rear fall.

“No, ya ain’t…” Rainbow trailed off and stared at the couch, “dildo?” she snorted, “rembmember the one time we… And when Lime laughed at the story, and Quill,” was all Rainbow said before she stood again, wobbling, and turned to the doorway again.

“Rainbow,” Applejack said galloping ahead cutting off Rainbow’s progress, “I know yer upset, so am I, but ya don’t gotta drink the pain away. Ah’ve seen it done, it ain’t pretty.”

Rainbow forced a smile, her eyes were half lidded and a dribble of drool was on her chin. “You’re pretty. Ah, I, eahm just gonna go fer a fly; ya know. Clear my Head.”

“No, yer stayin put. Talk ta me, ya ain’t said much since Quill left this mornin’ and I know it’s eatin’ ya up. Are ya sad she’s gone? We can still visit.”

Rainbow’s expression turned to frustration. “Visit? Visit?! She’s DEAD Applejack. Lime’s dead and it’s MY FAULT!”

“Sugar,” Applejack said sternly as Rainbow tensed, her wings flared unevenly and she moved her legs open more to stabilize her stance, “ya didn’t do anything, it just happens sometimes. Lime’s gone and I talked to the trade guild, Honey Well ain’t sellin’ anything but pure honey now-”

“No, AJ. I killed her,” she said quietly beginning to hiccup, “it’s my fault she’s gone. It’s my fault,” she began repeating as her eyes widened and she laid on the floor, “it’sh my fault. My fault. My fault…”

“Dash, yer not makin’ sense, you didn’t give her the drugs…”

“I bought them, bought the honey, *urp*, had it delivered. Wanted to impress Soarin,” she said as her eyes watered slightly and she sat up, “more points for Wonderbol-bol-b,” she promptly began throwing up.

Applejack hopped back and jumped over the growing spray from Rainbow and landed behind her, quickly pulling Rainbow’s mane back with one hoof and stroking Rainbow’s back with the other. “It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Sugar, don’t you worry, everything will be fine.

She looked to Rainbow after it seemed she was done to find she was asleep.

Dangnabbit, all this mess and she passes out in it. Applejack grumbled quietly as she carefully picked Rainbow up onto her back and walked her to the kitchen. Laying her on the wooden floor she had the idea to put linoleum down over the floors, make this a might easier ta clean up if’n this happens again.

Taking a small bowl of water and a dish cloth she quickly wiped Rainbow’s muzzle and front free of most of the vomit before picking her up again and walking to the stairs, ascending carefully, and entering the bathroom.

A simple standard bathroom with a squat toilet, standup shower with light cloth curtains, and a set of knobs to turn the water on. Twilight had given them several enchanted fire rubies to use to heat the shower water as needed and this was the third time the first gem was going to be used.

Laying Rainbow in the shower, Applejack undid her hair, walked to the hall and tossed her hat into the hall with her hair ties, then returned to turn on the water. The floor was angled so the water would pool in the center of the room’s floor and be funneled outside into the garden.

Turning the water on she overcalculated the cold and squealed as the icy water hit her. Rainbow raised her head and gasped, shaking her body quickly as she hopped to her hooves and looked around in surprise. The water quickly turned warm, Rainbow relaxed, laid down and fell back asleep.

That mare is gonna be the biggest chore Ah’ve ever had.

“C’mon, time ta get washed up,” she said as the warm water soaked their manes and matted their coats. Wasting little time to massage the water into Rainbow’s coat, Applejack grabbed a bottle of shampoo, poured a generous amount across Rainbow’s back and began to lather her sleeping form.

Taking a moment to style Rainbow’s mane in several comical styles including a mohawk, zig-zag, and twisting it all into a conical spire, she finally washed it away, taking the musk of a day’s work from the cyan coat. Doing the same for herself she quickly washed what little perfume she had put on before turning the water off.

Now, this’ll be new. She’s always shaken or flapped the water off. Usually takin’ a quick fly around the house ta dry off. Whelp, this time she’s gettin’ toweled.

Waiting for the water to drain away more she went to the small towel closet, grabbed a towel and draped it over her back. Pulling it with her teeth from side to side, and her hoof to move it around her back and neck, she quickly dried herself, wrapping the towel around her head.

Waving her tail quickly she gave a good snap and sent the water away, drying it almost completely.

Looking to Rainbow, sleeping almost peacefully in the shower the thought of letting her stay there was tempting. “Ya know, Ah think fer now it’s safest. C’mon,” she stated gripping the sleeping mare around her barrel and dragging her to the squat toilet. “Ya wake up, ya toss in there and Ah’ll be back in a few.”

With a subconscious grunt from Rainbow, Applejack went downstairs and began the arduous task of cleaning up Rainbow’s vomit. Looking into the living room, Applejack felt a level of pity she had never had for Rainbow as she noticed a brown streak sprayed across the carpet.

“Oh, Rainbow…”

Spending the next hour scrubbing the carpet and entryway wasn’t too bad for the chore heavy life of Applejack, who finished and habitually wiped her brow and cursed under her breath.

“Well, another quick shower then it’s off ta bed. Luna, help Rainbow if ya can,” she said standing up, slipping the handle of the bucket onto her snout, and walking to the back door to deposit the contents under the stairs with a good kick of dirt over it.

It was a beautiful day to go flying, the air was warm, the sun shone a beautiful yellow and the sky was clear. Rainbow flew half of her top speed, glancing back to see the contrail behind her.

“I wonder how my endurance is doing?” she asked herself. Looking ahead she pointed her forelegs forward and began to fly faster. Faster. The sonic rainboom loomed ahead of her as she grinned and lowered herself, aiming for Sweet Apple Acres. “Gonna surprise AJ with a fresh batch of Zap Apples.”

She crossed the threshold, the shock wave rippled the trees as she arced upwards, curling into a heart again. “I can’t believe how sappy I am with her.”

She finished the top loops and rolled to finish the other half then gasped, stopping as quickly as she could. “I-I was too low?” The trees were destroyed; their apples turned to mush laid across the ground, the leaves blown off trees, and several had fallen over. A fresh crop of zap apples adorned the magical trees, lush with the spent magic she’d sent them.

“Oh no, this is bad. Very bad,” she said softly. Flying over the acres she remembered the last time she drank and how Applejack had taken care of her, now I go and do this? Celestia, help me when she finds out.

She held her breath as she glided over the devastated orchard she stopped at an odd sight. “Is, is that a hat? Oh no,” she gasped, covering her mouth with her hooves, eyes wide, and skin tingled with apprehension. “AJ,” she whispered, looking at the hat next to a fallen tree.

Flying over the spot she flapped hard and blew the leaves away the hat to see nopony. A sigh escaped her as she looked around for Applejack. “AJ, where are ya? I found your hat and I’m really sorry I kinda messed up a few apples. The wind was really rough and I, I dunno but it wasn’t all my fault.”

She floated over the leaves and apple mush looking for Applejack then screamed as a hoof grabbed her rear leg tightly.

A cough came from behind her as she turned quickly, taking a fighting position and tossing the hat onto her head. “Who’s that?” she asked threateningly.

A shuffle of leaves showed a red bow. “Apple Bloom?!” Rainbow shouted as she landed and pulled the filly from a pile of leaves. The filly had cuts, a bruise, and a messy mane, but was otherwise okay. The other crusaders climbed from the leaf pile.

“Cutie mark crusaders, rainboom survivors?” they said in unison.

“Ah don’t think this’ a cutie mark Ah want.” The others nodded in agreement.

“Girls, I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I didn’t know you’d be here,” Rainbow apologized as she lowered Apple Bloom to the ground.

“We’re fine,” Sweetie Belle said as she sat next to Apple Bloom and brushed leaves from her sides, “but Rarity is gonna freak when she sees my mane.”

“Rainbow Dash, that was so cool! How you boomed all the trees like that. You’re the best mom ever.”

“Wait, what?”

“What? Mommy, you’re not making sense,” Scootaloo said questioningly and raising an eyebrow. Taking to the air she flew next to Rainbow and crossed her forelegs. “Yup, she’s an earth pony alright.”

“What?! Scoots, yer…” she looked to her sides and gawked at her wingless nature, “What in the feathering nature of all things holy!?”

Sweetie Belle teleported behind her in a puff of green magic and nodded as Rainbow turned around in surprise. “Yeah, she is kinda slow too. She’s pretty old, can’t blame her.”

“What was that?” Rainbow asked raising a hoof to her ear and gasping at the light sky blue and wrinkled foreleg she saw. Inhaling slowly she stumbled back, expecting Apple Bloom to catch her, only to fall next to Applejack. Lying under the leaf pile bleeding and taking raspy breaths.

“R-Rainbow, ya killed me. Why’d ya kill me?”

“B-but you’re talking, you can’t be…”

Placing her forehooves in front of her, Applejack pulled herself forward from the tree she was under.

“Wha-? Where’d that tree come from? AJ, let me help.”

With a heavy pull Applejack’s body ripped and her body split, spilling her innards from her chest. Screaming in terror Rainbow tried to crawl away but her elderly body could barely move her fast enough to escape Applejack’s approach. Mere hooves away, Applejack crawled toward Rainbow, her flesh ripping from her body as she approached.

Bees began flowing from her mouth, swarming around Rainbow, covering her, surrounding her, blocking her vision and sending her into darkness.

The air became still but loud as she felt her heart pounding in her chest harder than ever before. Her head swam as she tried to move, she began pushing the bees away, trying to get a grip on something. She stumbled to her hooves and began galloping in the darkness, the only sound she could hear were the buzzing of bees.

A pinprick of light to her left called to her. “Rainbow, come to me. I’ll keep you safe,” a mares voice called to the panicking pony.

The voice was familiar but Rainbow couldn’t place it. Turning, she galloped to the light. As it grew brighter she was blinded by a green flame. “Crystalis!” Rainbow shouted as the flames swirled around the pony ahead of her, burning the bees quickly, turning them all wistful ashes in a wind that was beginning to blow softly.

Lime stood in the center of the fire as it died down. “No, Rainbow. It’s me.”

“...Lime?” Rainbow squeaked quietly.

“Yes, and I don’t have long. I’m here for one last night, and I chose you instead of Quill.”

Rainbow looked around, she was back in the orchard. Lush trees bore ripe fruit and the crusaders were playing in the distance with a ball. Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Applejack were talking as they watched the fillies play.

“I-I don’t understand.”

“You’re going to hurt yourself, or die, if you don’t accept what happened was an accident.”

“I-it wasn’t an accident,” she replied, lowering her head. She took note of her strong body again, but brushed it off. “I bought it, and let her give it to you. When you were weakest I let a pony give you drugs. Even if I didn’t know, that doesn’t make it okay.”

“Rainbow,” Lime said softly, placing a wing around her and pulling her in close from an impossibly distance away, “let me tell you what happened.”

I was lying in bed, the sun was beaming on my sweating body, making me sweat worse. Fluttershy had left me for a moment, taking that mean little rabbit with her. I knew the honey was laced with concentrated deil weed oil.

“One teaspoon in your tea per day, no more than that, and you’ll sleep like a foal,” Honey Well said when she gave me the jar. I nodded and hid it under my pillow under the guise that Fluttershy wouldn’t let me have honey, but I’d sneak some later. I thanked her and we hugged, however she was worried and reminded me, ‘only one teaspoon a day’.

When she left I quickly got the jar, opened it, and dipped my hoof tip into it, closed it, and hid it under the mattress. Taking a taste I felt my head swim and licked my hoof clean. I fell asleep shortly after.

When I woke up I felt great. I looked around and was so refreshed. Fluttershy knew something was wrong, given how quickly I had recovered, but couldn’t figure out why. I had slept the whole day and night, from one hoof tip of honey, and I felt amazing. I figured if I slept more she’d think I was finally getting over it, let me go, and I could see Quill again.

We’d make love, have drinks, and get back to life.

The next morning she left with the bunny again to get me some breakfast. That was when I took a full drink from the jar, hiding it under the bed this time. I started to fall asleep when that infernal bunny returned. I dropped the jar on the floor, falling out of bed to catch it. I missed and landed on the floor.

Everything went dark after that. I woke up with Fluttershy pressing my chest, telling me to hold on. My heart was gonna stop if she stopped. I felt no pain, but watching her over me made me think of Quill. I fell asleep again.

I woke up to see my love, Quill, over me. I reached up and pulled her close to me and whispered my last words to her. “Live for me. Love for me.”

“Then that was it. I watched you beating yourself up over what happened from between this world and the next and had one chance to visit one dream before I moved on. I didn’t hesitate choosing you. And now, you’re lying poisoned with alcohol, on the verge of death on your bathroom floor.”

“What?! No way, I hardly had anything to drink.”

Lime looked to Rainbow with disbelief.

“Okay, maybe I had a few ales and a cider or two,” with a sigh Lime let Rainbow go and motioned with her hoof behind Rainbow. Mugs stood in stacks with what they held written above them on a pink banner.

“Ale, cider, beer, wine, hard liquor, even salt to chew on between drinks. You drank more than two stallions could handle, all while thinking of what happened. You’re at death’s door, if not tonight, when will you do this again? What will happen to everypony if you died like this?”

With a motion the orchard morphed into Rainbow lying next to the toilet, Applejack crying over her, the sunrise shining through the window. Vomit with some blood mixed into it pooled under Rainbow, her dead body stiff, her eyes cracked open slightly to show dilated dead eyes within.

“R-Rainbow Dash, what’m I gonna do? How could you do this ta me? To yer friends? To Scootaloo? Oh, Celestia, why?!”

“N-no, I can’t do that to everypony, to Applejack. Lime, I’m so sorry. I’m SO sorry!”

“Rainbow,” Lime said hugging her, “I’ll never blame you, Honey Well, or anypony. It was me, all me, that chose to do what I did. You had no part in it, if you didn’t buy that honey I was ready to end my own life. I had hidden a fork from a previous meal and was going to use it to cut myself, stab myself in the foreleg and bleed out. I was in so much pain and wasn’t strong enough to handle it, the pain that is.

“You were not at fault. Please, talk to somepony. Let them help you understand this wasn’t your fault.”

“B-but-”

“No. You’re going to wake up soon, promise me. Promise me you’ll get help,” Lime stated firmly as the scene faded to a white void.

“B-but, I’m so sorry, Lime”

“Pinkie Promise me, before it’s too late, please,” Lime pleaded as her form began to fade

“O-okay. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

“And remember, you’re one of my best friends, in any life I live. Live and love, and don’t die too early sweetie, I don’t wanna see you any sooner than a few decades from now,” Lime said with a smile in her voice as she vanished into the void.

Rainbow woke up and looked around. The sun was rising and she was on the cold linoleum bathroom floor, Applejack was sleeping with her head on Rainbow’s side, a foreleg draped over her cutie mark. Her mane was untied and her blonde hair was strewn across Rainbow’s body.

She felt her body cursing her for what she’d done the evening before and didn’t remember anything after her third beer, but she remembered her dream vividly.

She laid back down, sleep pulling her back. “I’ll never leave you, AJ. And I’ll keep my promise, Lime,” she said under her breath as her stomach rumbled, her lower jaw trembled, and she began to feel her stomach cramp.

Crap, this’ gonna be a long day, she thought as she moved over the toilet.

Yeah, this' one great chapter. I read it once in a while.

And the bees. NOT THE BEES!