"Ugghhhh........"

Twilight groaned.

The purple unicorn wasn't sure what was even going on.

"Uuuuuuugh.." She moaned again, not thinking.

All she knew was her tummy was very upset. She felt sore, and her head felt like an Ursa Minor had stepped on it. Twilight opened her eyes slowly, hoping to see something that could help her identify as to why she felt the way she did. Seconds later, she learned that wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Ow!" Twilight said, snapping her hooves up to her burning eyes. "Oh Celestia, why is your sun so bright...." She rubbed her eyes a few times before opening them again.

Twilight was surprised to see..the ground?

"Waaaaah!?" the unicorn cried, flailing her limbs. "Imfallingimfallingimfa-" Her purple body slammed into the ground, kicking up a puff of dust.

Rubbing her throbbing head, Twilight pulled herself up to her haunches. "Wha? This isn't my library." No, it certainly wasn't her cozy tree home. It was Applejack's tree orchard. Twilight looked up to see a branch directly over her, wobbling. "Did I..FALL from that? How'd I even get in a tree in the first place? WHAT IS GOING ON?"

A thought struck her. The party, last night, at Sugarcube corner. That had to be the reason. One thing she didn't understand was, Twilight did not drink, and did not recall consuming anything alcoholic at the party.

This is weird. If I ended up in a tree, who knows what else I could've possibly done? What if princess celestia finds out!? It was all too much. Twilight put her head in her hooves, ready to cry.

"Erggh....What'n the hay?"

Twilight snapped to attention. That was Applejack! "Applejack? Where are you!"

"Over here, Twi.." came the tired response. The unicorn turned around to see Applejack sitting up against a tree a few feet away, eyes sagging, placing her Stetson on her head. Resting her head back on the bark, she yawned loudly. "The inside o' my mouth tastes like a whole bushel o' rotten apples..." she drawled, with a dissatisfying smack of her lips.

Twilight shakily raised herself up on her hooves. "AJ, I'm worried. Wheres everypony else?" Applejack was next to stand up, even wobblier than Twilight. Grunting with effort, trying hard to keep her balance, she finally spoke. "Well, they're best be 'round here somewheres."  Scratching of her mane, "Let's me 'n' you look around for a lil' bit. We were together at that party, so ah'm guessin' we were together afterwards. Then, we should head back up ta the farmhouse, and see if anypony is there." Twilight nodded in agreement.

Taking a uncertain step forward, AJ grunted again, and finally fell back on her haunches. Twilight watched wordlessly as the farmerpony put on a steely eyed expression and attempted again. "AJ, can I help you? At all?" she inquired, smiling nervously. Applejack was getting frustrated. "Ah don't need nopony's help, no how!

Oh, dear. This again.

"Please?" Twilight asked again.

"Nope."

"Pretty please?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Just a little bit?"

"NO!" AJ shouted again, falling back, yet again, onto her rump.

Twilight sighed. "You leave me no choice." Trotting slowly up to Applejack, she supported the farmerpony's weight, even if said farmerpony wanted her to or not.

AJ was defeated. "Aww, shoot. This'll be the last time, ya hear? Then ah don't need no help." she added, playfully.

The purple unicorn laughed. "Whatever you say, AJ." Walking slowly, the two ponies helped each other out of the small clearing and down one of the wagon paths leading back to the barn.  It wasn't long before they spotted a very out of place rainbow tail hanging out of a tree.

Applejack laughed. "Well, sure as shootin' looks like we found Dash." Twilight was not so happy. "How do we get her out of the tree?"

"Now, Twi, you're forgettin' that you've got the best applebucker in all o' Equestria right here." AJ declared as she took position besides the tree. Leaning on her forelegs and pulling her back legs in, she kicked outwards with all of her might, rattling the entire apple tree. Leaves and the cyan pegasus they all knew and loved were soon on the ground.

Applejack walked over and gave Rainbow Dash a few small kicks. "Hoo wee! I hope she was like that BEFORE I bucked her on out!"

Twilight shuddered. Dash was out cold. This was really scary to her, what if Rainbow never woke up?

"Applejack, I don't understand! Does your special family drink really do that to a pony? Why didn't it happen to you?

The cowpony's amused smile had turned to an uncertain one. "Gosh Twi, Ah ain't sure if this is this is the brews doin'." giving another small kick. "It didn't happen ta me cause it runs in the Apple family to be able to down em' like its yer job. But regardless, the drink really only makes a pony puke a lil', not totally pass out."

The purple unicorn didn't feel any better. The element of of honesty was certainly telling the truth, but that still left an unanswered question. The panic set in again.

AJ saw Twilight's eyes dart, and put a hoof over her shoulder reassuringly. "Hey now, let's get er' on back ta a bed at the house, and then we'll start worryin'. She paused.  "Do'ya think ya can handle carryin' Dash on yer back? As hilarious as it'd be to drag er', it probably wouldn't be a good idea." She chuckled.

Feeling a new found bravery for her friend,  Twilight moved forward and got under Dash, scooting her onto her back, and then slowly lifting up. She was a little suprised to find that her agile pegasus friend wasn't that heavy. Must be the bone structure, or something. "But what about you, AJ?"

The cowpony smiled at her smugly. "Ah'll make it."

The duo, now a trio, continued up the path.

AJ pushed the creaky door to the farmhouse open very slowly. "Alright, Twi, Ah ain't sure if any of mah family is 'round here, so lets keep it down til' we're certain that the coast is clear." The unicorn beside her nodded. The two ponies stepped into the dark living room. Applejack motioned for Twilight to follow, and led the way down to the guest room. "Set er' on down in here while ah go an' see if anypony is upstairs."

Leaving her friend alone, the cowpony walked down the hall to the stairs and tiptoed up them carefully to avoid any squeaking.  Reaching the foot of the stairs, she began tiptoeing again, but tripped over something large obstructing the hallway's walkway. Applejack quickly got back up leaned down to investigate. The strange object was Big Macintosh's yoke. That was strange, her brother would never leave it out for anypony to trip on.

"Hmmmmm.." Applejack was suspicious.

She rose her head in the direction of her brothers room, and wasn't surprised to hear a small snoring coming from it. As quietly as she could, she snuck down the hall and poked her nose through the door. Her brother was sleeping soundly in his bed. Although AJ hated to disturb him, it was important to see what he knew about last night, and why his yoke wasn't with him as usual.

Slowly laying her hoof on his shoulder, she gave him a gentle nudge. "Mac? Comon' now, brother! Time ta wake..up?"

Applejack stepped back as a yellow figure on the other side of the bed rose up, yawned, and ran a hoof through its orange, bed head mane. Carelessly, it turned around to nudge the stallion it was sharing a bed with, but instead locked eyes with a very surprised orange cowpony across the room.

Yup, that was a mare.

"Ah.. but.. duh.. Mac, an'.. a mare?.. in the.. same .....b-b-b-ed?" Applejack uttered in confusion. Her head spun and she felt ready to pass out.

Big Macintosh awoke to his sister droning on in her dumbstruck speech. Oh, his sister. So clumsy, and cute when she's confused. He smiled. The stallion looked over to the other side of the room.  A yellow mare with a fiery orange mare was there also.

Wait..another mare? Realization struck Mac like a bolt of lightning. Frantically, he hopped out of bed, trying to explain just what was happening to his poor sister.

"AJ! I..uhhhm..ya'see." His eyes darted and his words tumbled over each other. "We didn't do...what you're thinkin'..we..uhm..'did'..." Mac forced a smile on his face. "at least ah hope not.." He added in under his breath.

The unidentified yellow mare was soon at his side, tracing a circle on his chest with her hoof seductively. "Oh Mac...don't deny our love..if this mare is jealous, then so be it."

The big red stallion turned to her without a word.

"What?" She wondered.

."SHE'S MAH SISTER!!" Big Macintosh bellowed in disbelief.

In spite of his attempts to console her, Applejack still stood mumbling, trying to decipher what the hay was happening.

The other mare was not affected by his outburst. "Hmmph. Well. Familys are supposed to be accepting. Regardless.." She said, putting her hoof on his chin and turning it towards her, "How about we..give it another go, Hmm? I'm in the moooood.."

Big Macintosh said nothing, his jaw practically on the ground at this point.

"Macky? Talk to me!" she frantically commanded to her newfound lover.

"Macky" swallowed his pride, put on a nervous smile, and asked, "Uh, just who're you, again?"

He watched her face contort from love to rage. "I'm Spitfire, you dumbass!"

Big Mac smiled wider, hoping for another hint.

"The world famous Wonderbolt?"

The confused stallion smiled even wider, beginning to sweat and his face aching. He had no idea who the hay this mare was.

Spitfire brought her hoof back and slapped Big Macintosh, knocking him onto his back. "UGH! STALLIONS ARE SO STUPID!" She shouted in his face. And with that, she raced past the still murmuring Applejack and was gone.

The red pony brought himself back up to his hooves, rubbing his cheek. Sighing, he sluggishly approached his sister to try and shine a little light on the situation. Taking in a deep breath, he prepared to tell the story, but was distracted by a loud "thump!" as his sister passed out onto the floor in his room.

He eyed her for a minute. This wasn't going to end well. A sister in shock was not good.

A galloping caught his attention. Applejack's friend, Twilight Sparkle, was standing in the doorway. "Big Macintosh! That famous wonderbolt just ran past me, cussing! Do you know wh-" Her eyes drifted to her friends unconscious body, lying on the floor " Err..is Applejack okay?"

"Nnnnope."