The Vanishing of Twilight Sparkle

Applejack had just finished her jobs around the farm in preparation for the Winter. The last stray apples were bucked and in a cart pulled by her, and all of the trees she was responsible for were inspected for canker. She was on her way back to the barn to oil the carts to stop rusting when she heard Rainbow screaming, her voice muffled by the wind.

"FLUTTERSHY...HEAR...?!"

Applejack raced towards the barn, her cart flying with her and jarring a few apples loose. Rainbow's shouting became clearer as she got closer, and she pushed the barn doors in with her front hooves.

Fluttershy was sitting there, stock still, staring at nothing in particular and looking terrified, muttering something to herself while Rainbow was shaking her, trying to get her out of her trance. She run over to her friends.

"Rainbow, what the hay is goin' on?!"

"I...I...I don't know. She started talking about what hap..happened through the day. And the-then she kind o-of trailed off before s-she said what happened in the house. What do we do?!", Rainbow replied, stuttering.

Applejack tipped her cart over and brought it over to the pair. Rainbow was still shaking Fluttershy.

"Rainbow, ah need ya with me. Help me put Flutters in here and we'll take her up to the hospital."

Rainbow just looked at Applejack for a long moment. The barn door creaked with the wind. Then she nodded. Between them, they managed to lower the stricken Pegasus into the cart.

"Right. Right. Rainbow, you need to go get all ah other friends now, y'hear? Tell them what happened, and I promise ah'll get Flutters safe to the hospital." Applejack said. She was having trouble keeping her voice steady, but she knew panicking would only make things worse for Fluttershy.

Both of them rushed to the door; Applejack taking her time as to not knock Fluttershy out of the cart and Rainbow a blue streak, kicking up bits of hay as she took off to alert their other friends.

Applejack headed out of the gates when she heard Big Mac calling.

"AJ, where're you off to? Supper will be ready in a mo...is that Fluttersy in ya cart?"

"No time. Ah'll explain later!" she called back, going through the gate and heading towards the infirmary. Thankfully, it wasn't too far away.

Rainbow flew at top speed into Ponyville proper, and was there within 3 minutes. Since the Boutique was closest, she dropped off there first. She dashed through the door, tinkling the bell.

"Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where ever...ohh, hi there Rainbow darling. You ok?" she asked, noting that she was dripping with sweat and panting.

"No. Flutters has been taken to hospital. You go on up, I'll get the rest!"

Before Rarity could question what was going on, Rainbow had shot through the door, with Rarity soon following her.

Applejack came to the doors of the infirmary and bolted through them.

"NURSE! DOC! AH NEED SOMEPONY!"

Two nurses come through two doors two her side, took one look at Fluttershy and rushed over. While one nurse, a pale pink Unicorn, used magic to shine a torch into Fluttershy's eyes, the other took Applejack to one side and began questioning her.

Rainbow burst out of Sugarcube Corner with Pinkie Pie, and both took off towards the hospital. Pinkie Pie easily kept up with Rainbow, and they were at the hospital within minutes. Like Applejack about 10 minutes before, they burst through the door and saw her waiting in the lobby. Applejack and Rarity looked up and they nodded in acknowledgement

"Any news?" Rainbow asked.

"None. none whatsoever. They said they're going ta keep her in overnight to keep ahn eye on her, but that's it. They said we can go visit her, might help her with whatever she's suffering with" Applejack replied.

The four ponies trotted side by side down the corridor to Fluttershy's room and went in.

Fluttershy was there on the bed, apparently asleep. Looks like the doctors gave her something to rest, Rainbow thought.

The four friends gathered around her as quietly as possible, so as not to disturb her. They just sat there for a time, in their own thoughts. Rainbow held Fluttershy's hoof.

After about half an hour, the doctor asked them to leave for five minutes while they done some checks. Rainbow was more reluctant than the rest, but a little coaxing from Pinkie and the doctor's reassurance that they'd be able to go back in when they'd finished, she traipsed out of the room, her eyes on Fluttershy all the time.

Outside, Rainbow was the first to speak up. Not taking her eyes off of the door the entire time, she said, quietly:

"Maybe we need to go to the Princess. She'll know what to do, surely?"