Applejack sprinted her way down the path weaving through the dozens of barrels. The crowd cheering as she passed the finish line. She grinned to see she had beaten the current best time by 2 seconds. As she moved towards her next event the dull aching in her head returned for a few seconds before subsiding.
She grabbed at the rope tied to a bale of hay. She yanked the rope upward and transferred the momentum into a spiraling motion causing the bail to circle in the air. She timed herself, waiting for the opportune moment. The wind began to blow in the proper direction providing her with the extra force she wanted. Unclenching her jaw, the bale flew landing just a few inches short of the current furthest throw.
"Shoot!" Applejack muttered to herself moving towards the next contest she had signed up for. Once again the pain shot through the veins in her forehead before vanishing again. She ignored the temporary feeling and moved onto the next event, the bronco buck.
The tiny padded volunteer pony climbed onto the orange pony's back. The cannon fired indicating for her to start. Its initial noise had startled Applejack causing her to jump up almost instantly catching the pony off guard and she sent him hurdling away. She looked at the large timer to find it frozen at .8 seconds, a significant lead from the other ponies.
Ice Ember grinned, "Look at that! I don't think any pony can beat that time Applejack!"
Applejack turned towards the pony, "Oh hey, yah finished already? How'd yah do?"
The unicorn laughed, "Training isn't much like the real thing. I hadn't managed to not get last in a single competition."
"Ah see… Well ah'm on mah way to mah last event, wanna come?"
Ice shook her head, "I'm pretty worn out. I think I'mma go hit the hay."
Applejack nodded understandingly, "Alright, ah'll see yah later."
The two ponies waved and trotted off in different directions. Applejack arrived at the starting line of her final event. The cannon let out its deafening boom and she started to sprint. The first jump was small and she leaped over it with ease. The second was higher, yet still posed no challenge to her.
As Applejack approached the third jump, a pressure in her head began to build. She ignored it and kept on, leaping over the third jump. The fourth and highest jump just a dozen yards or so away. The pressure growing as well as the aching pain returning to her head.
Applejack leaped towards the final jump, as she did her muscles gave out. She smashed into the wooden railing her weight snapping it in half. She pulled herself from off the dirt. Everything seemed to have slowed down and was spinning around her. Finally, her eyes rolled towards the back of her head and she collapsed back onto the ground.
Applejack awoke in an unfamiliar place. She looked around the room of the hospital. She searched the room desperately for something she recognized. She spotted a mirror and stared at the face she felt she should know but couldn't quite remember.
Ice Ember placed a hoof on Applejack's shoulder, "Hey, how are you feeling?"
Applejack instantly shook off the hoof, "Do ah know yah?"
A doctor pony walked in before Ice Ember had a chance to say anything, "Do you know where you are?"
Applejack shook her head.
The doctor jotted some things down on his clipboard, "Do you know what day it is?"
Again Applejack shook her head.
"Mmhmm…" The doctor took down some more notes. "Can you tell me your name?"
Applejack closed her eyes trying to recall anything about herself. "I can't remember."