A blinding white light was all Twilight could see, given that this had happened when the elements were used on Nightmare Moon, Twilight was beginning to dread that her and her friend would have to suffer temporary blindness every time they used the elements.

Thankfully though, her vision began to return to her just as she felt her hooves touch the ground. Directly ahead of her and her friends was Discord, now having been returned to his stone prison, hopefully indefinitely this time. "Good job girls." Said Twilight as she turned to address her friends.

Rarity began to wave her hoof dismissively. "Oh please darling, you did most of the work. If it weren't for you we would all still be acting like the opposite of ourselves."

At this Twilight began to look a bit guilty. "Actually... All I did was cast the spell. If you should be thanking anypony it's Rainbow, she told me how to undo Discord's brainwashing, and organised the team that brought you all to the library." She said rubbing the back of her head with her hoof.

Applejack tilted her head. "Really?" She said, her voice dripping with disbelief and confusion. The others seemed equally as confused, as they all turned to look at Dash.

However before any of them could question her, the group noticed that there was something wrong with Rainbow, her flight was wobbly, her breathing was shallow and shaky, and she was just staring straight forward, not at Discord or the surroundings, just staring off into space. "Are you alright Dash?" Fluttershy was the first to ask, but Dash didn't respond, she just continued to stare forward. Fluttershy then flew up to her friend and gently shook her shoulder. "Rainbow Dash are you alright?" She asked again.

Rainbow Dash seemed to finally take notice of her friends questions. "Y-Yeah guys, I'm fine. J-Just a bit light headed." She said weakly, before she slowly began to rise higher into the air, directly towards a cloud that was over head. "I think I'm just gonna lie down for a bit."

"Oh uh, Rainbow I don't think flying would be such a good idea if you're not feeling well." Fluttershy said, if Rainbow Dash heard this warning then she paid it no mind.

Unfortunately, Fluttershy was right. As Dash was about to reach the half way point to the cloud she began to slow down, and eventually she began to plumet towards the ground.

"RAINBOW!" The five ponies screamed in unison as they all rushed forward in an attempt to catch their falling friend.

Rarity and Twilight both began to focus their magic to slow down Rainbow's decent, they did manage to reduce her speed somewhat, but she was still falling at speeds that could cause her serious harm. But the magic gave Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy enough time to reach the spot where dash was going to crash, and successfully catch her.

The group then set Rainbow down, followed by Fluttershy looking over her incapacitated friend. She couldn't find anything wrong through this visual observation, but when she checked Rainbow pulse she found that it would occasionally be weaker then it should or it would skip a beat before resuming. "We need to get her to the hospital!" Fluttershy cried before she and her friend lifted Rainbow up and began galloping off towards Ponyville hospital.

Thankfully most of Ponyville's medical staff had sheltered themselves within the hospital while Discord was in power, so finding a doctor was no issue, but now came the most dreaded part: waiting.

The five friends sat there, each talking amongst themselves as to what could be wrong with their friend, except for Twilight who's ponderings remained in her own mind. Twilights mind immediately went back to what she saw in the alley, 'Maybe this is normal for her?' She thought , 'Maybe her... species has to sleep more then ponies, that would explain why she naps so much.' However she soon shook her head and dismissed that thought. 'That wouldn't explain her symptoms though, you don't start breathing weird, or have an irregular heart beat when your tired.'

Twilight began to play the memory of seeing Rainbows true form over and over again, trying to remember any details that might help her understand what was wrong with her. But in the end it was a futile endeavour, she simply didn't have enough information to go on, the only thing that she could think of was that Rainbow might might have something wrong with her forelegs, they had holes and cracks in them and were leaking a dark purple liquid, but for all Twilight knew that could have been completely normal for her.

Twilight's train of thought, and her fiends conversations, was then interrupted by the clearing of someponies throat. The group turned to see Nurse Redheart, "You can all come and see her if you like." She said, in response the five friends got off their seats and began to follow her to Rainbow Dash's room.

As they walked through the halls of the Ponyville general hospital it was Fluttershy who broke the silence. "Um... nurse, I hope you don't mind me asking, but could you tell us what's wrong with Rainbow? If that's alright with you."

Nurse Redheart lowered her head in thought for a moment before answering. "To be honest, we have no idea how this could have happened. Your friend seems to have fainted as a result of a combination of exhaustion and blood loss." The group of five gasped simultaneously.

"How in tarnation could that've happened?" Applejack asked. "I ain't seen no cut on her, before or after we dealt with Discord."

Nurse Readheart nodded. "You're right, she doesn't, but despite that she was missing around forty five percent of her blood."

Twilight's memories flashed back to the alley, her mind focusing in on that purple liquid that was rushing down Rainbow's legs, 'Was that her blood?' She thought. Twilight held a baited breath as she waited for what she knew Redheart was about to say.

"Thankfully she should be alright, we've set up a blood transfusion. All we need to do now it let it finish and then let her rest." Redheart stated. And with those words, Twilight began to go into a silent panic.

'How would Rainbow's Body react to pony blood? Was her species similar enough to ponies that it wouldn't matter? Was that purple stuff really Rainbow's blood? If so, how had the doctors missed it wile examining her? Was... what ever was disguising her advanced enough to also disguise her blood?' All these questions and more flooded Twilights mind, and every time she asked herself she always got the same answer, she didn't know, Twilight just didn't know enough information to come to any conclusive answer.

She felt useless, Rainbow fought through Discord's brainwashing to stay beside her and the others, but despite that Twilight accused her of being a fake when she couldn’t accept that Rainbow knew the answers and she didn’t. And even then Rainbow didn’t give up on her, she gathered ponies to help them and did… something off in the middle of town, Twilight wasn’t sure what but her gut told her that whatever Rainbow did was to help them. But now, in Rainbows time of need, where Twilight could truly make up for how she acted towards her friend, she couldn’t think of anything that could possibly help her. ‘Unless…’

Twilight then began to feel a pit form within her stomach as her mind once again replayed what she witnessed in the alley. She knew that Rainbow possibly had serious injuries that had gone unnoticed by the doctors, she could tell them and possibly save Rainbow's life. But Rainbow seemed desperate that her secret remain as such, if Twilight told them about it and they found nothing, Rainbow Dash would hate her.

"Twi? Ya coming Sugarcube?" Applejack asked, once again derailing Twilight's train of thought. It seems that they had arrived at Dash's room, and the others had already entered.

Twilight shook her head. "Yeah I'm coming." She said, before quietly walking into Rainbow Dash's room, not noticing the concerned look Applejack was giving her.

Inside the room was Rainbow Dash, still unconscious, lying on the hospital bed and hooked up to a blood bag via an IV. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy were all surrounding the bed and were soon joined by Twilight and Applejack.

The group stood in silence for what felt like hours, none of them seemingly had anything to say. They weren't surprised that Rainbow Dash was in the hospital, they had known their friend well enough to know this would happen at some point, but given the odd nature of her hospitalization, and the suddenness of it, none of them had anything to say.

"Umm... I know this is going to sound strange, but I think this is the first time I've ever visited Dash in the hospital before." Fluttershy finally broke the silence only to be met with several confused looks from her friends. "N-Not that I never tried to visit!" She stammered, while retreating behind her hair. "I could just never find where she was staying."

This statement, however, just left her friends even more confused. "Wait, doesn't Cloudsdale only have one hospital?" Twilight asked.

Fluttershy, still hiding behind her mane, nodded. "Yes, whenever I went to see her at the hospital the receptionist always said that she wasn't there."

"Why didn't ya just go ask her parents?" Applejack asked, in response Fluttershy hid further behind her mane. "Never mind, I think I got it." Applejack said with a deadpan expression.

Rarity then spoke up. "Still, that is quite odd. Judging by how Rainbow acts, I'm surprised that she never asked her parents if you could visit her, I truly could not imagen her being fine sitting around a drab hospital room all day."

This statement seemed to draw Fluttershy out from her mane. "Well, the only times I know she went to the hospital was when she was sick. She probably didn't want me to catch whatever she had."

Once again, the confused looks returned. "I'm sorry darling, but do you mean to say that RAINBOW DASH has never been to the hospital for an injury?" Rarity asked, to which Fluttershy shook her head.

The room then went silent once again, nopony seemingly had anything else to say.

That was until Pinkie let out a long gasp. "Oh my gosh, she's probably going to be so hungry when she wakes up! I'll go bake her some cupcakes!" Pinkie said, all in one breath, before diving out of the window and galloping towards Sugarcube Corner.

The four mares stood in stunned silence at the sudden outburst. Thankfully Applejack managed to quickly regain her composure. "I should probably be heading on out too, last I saw of the farm it was in a bad state." She said as she began to walk to the door.

"I should make my leave as well." Rarity said, following Applejack. "The scuffle at the boutique left quite the mess, and I still need to dispose of that boulder."

Twilight was stunned, stunned that they would be leaving when they should all be here for Rainbow. "W-Wait! What about Dash!?" Twilight shouted as the two were about to cross the threshold of the door.

Applejack and Rarity both turned to look at each other for a moment before turning around to address Twilight. "Look Sugarcube, you heard what the nurse said, Dash is going to be fine. All we're doing is heading out to check on our families and homes, we'll be back as soon as we know everything is alright." Applejack said as she walked towards Twilight, she then placed a hoof on Twilights shoulder and met her eyes with a comforting look. "You got your branches growing in knots Twi." Twilight gave her a confused look. "I mean your stressing about something." Applejack clarified. "What's wrong?"

Twilight's head dropped as her mind once again was flooded with thought, specifically to when she blew up at Dash, and all of a sudden the dam, that she didn't even realise her mind was building, broke. Tears began to flow from Twilight's eyes and fall onto the floor. "I...I'm sorry, I just... With Discord and him messing with our heads, and now Dash being in the hospital..."

Twilight was about to continue speaking but was interrupted when Applejack pulled her into a tight hug, followed swiftly by Rarity and Fluttershy joining in. "It's alright darling, we understand." Rarity cooed, as she stroked Twilight's back with her hoof. This, combined with the hug, convinced Twilight to not say anything more and just focus on getting her emotions under control.

Eventually Twilight managed to calm down, and after several minutes of apologies and assuring Applejack and Rarity she was now alright, Twilight was now alone with Rainbow Dash in her hospital room. Fluttershy had left a few minutes after Applejack and Rarity, Twilight could tell she wanted to stay by Rainbow's side, but the worry she had for her animals won out, and she eventually returned home to check up on them.

Fluttershy had also mentioned that she was planning on heading to Cloudsdale, in order to inform Rainbow's parents of their daughters condition. This in particular had eased Twilights mind, as if there was anypony who could know about the best way to help Dash, it would be her parents as they most likely also knew about her secret, at least she hoped.

Right now, Twilight was silently scribbling away with a notepad and pencil that she had summoned with her magic. She was making rough sketches of Rainbow's... other form from what she had seen of it, this was mainly done to refresh her memory on what she had seen so she could create a list of questions to ask Rainbow or her parents.

Twilight glanced at the clock, thirty minutes had passed since Fluttershy had left and in that time Twilight had managed to make a fairly detailed, and annotated, sketch. "What else..." Twilight thought aloud, as she once again replayed the memory of the alley in her mind. However she was suddenly ripped from her thoughts as the door to Rainbow's room was slammed open.

Twilight let out an alarmed yelp and dropped her notepad in shock, before turning to the door. Standing there was a pink pegasus mare wearing a pair of saddle bags, she looked to be in her mid fifties had deep red mane and tail, with the mane being cut short, not extending past her chin, strangely enough the mare looked oddly familiar to Twilight but she couldn't place why. The mares orange eyes immediately fell on Rainbow Dash and seemed completely ignored Twilight.

"SWEETIE!" The mare cried before rushing over to Rainbow's side, wrapping her in a tight hug and began to weep openly. This continued for quite a while, causing Twilight to become very uncomfortable. Eventually when the mare seemed to finally calm down Twilight made her presence known by clearing her throat.

The mare's head suddenly snapped upward, a shocked look in her eyes. She remained silent however causing a sense of unease to wash over Twilight. "Um... Hi I'm Twilight Sparkle." Twilight said trying to reduce the tension. "What's your name?" She finished with a nervous smile.

The mare's eyes flashed with recognition, and her face turned into one that radiated warmth and friendliness. "Oh my goodness!" The mare exclaimed. "You're Twilight Sparkle? My daughter has told me so much about you! I'm Fairy Flight, it's so nice to meet you!"

Suddenly the pieces began to fall into place. "Are you Rainbow Dash's mother?" Twilight asked.

Fairy Flight's lips seemed to twitch downward slightly for a split second. "Um... Yes I am." She said.

Twilight jumped off of her seat and moved around the bed to be on the same side as Fairy Flight. "That's great!" She said.

"It is?" Fairy Flight asked in confusion.

"Well you see... it's just that... I..." Twilight stammered as her nerves began to catch up with her.

"Woah woah woah." Fairy Flight said. "Think of what you want to say before you start talking." She said in a kind and motherly tone.

A blush spread across Twilight's cheeks. "Sorry." Twilight said with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh don't be embarrassed dear." Fairy Flight said, again in her motherly tone. "My little dragonfly was just like that when she was younger." she said, pointing a hoof towards Rainbow.

Twilight chuckled at the adorable nickname for her friend, but now her mind had formulated what she thought would be the best way to break the news to Rainbow's mother. She took a step back and took a deep breath. "Alright, I know about Rainbow's secret." Twilight stated simply.

Fairy Flights lips twitched downwards yet again. "And... what secret would that be?" she said, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"It's about Rainbow not being a... normal pony." Twilight clarified. "I want to kno-" Twilight was then cut off when, in a burst of red flame, a crooked horn appeared on Fairy Flight's head and began to glow with magic. The door slammed shut and all the blinds in the room were suddenly drawn closed, the only light in the room was now Dash's heart rate monitor, and the red glow of Fairy Flight's horn.

Fairy Flight then assumed a stance that made it look as if she was a predator ready to pounce. "Wait, I just want to know how to help Dash!" Twilight shouted, but it was too late, as soon as she was done Fairy Flight was already in the air moving towards her, so she shut her eyes and waited for the impact.

But it never came, Twilight cracked open one of her eyes to see Fairy Flight mere inches away flying stationary in mid air, a look of confusion plastered on her face. "You aren't scared of her?" Fairy Flight asked. "You don't think she's not who she says she is? That she's not some kind of monster?"

"N-No!" Twilight exclaimed. "Of course not! She's my friend, I don't care what she looks like!"

Fairy Flight dropped to the ground, a remorseful look on her face. "I'm sorry, that's not the usual reaction we get when ponies find out."

Twilight was now also very confused, but she decided to focus on Rainbow's situation for the moment. "It's okay, I just want to know how to help Rainbow."

Fairy Flight's horn disappeared in another flare of red flame as she walked over to the blinds and began to open them. "You don't need to do anything dear, we have our own doctors who can help her." Fairy Flight said as she gazed out the window, seemingly looking for anypony outside. "But if you do want to help a bit, could you do me a favour and take out the IV please."

"Oh um... Sure." Twilight said, she then took out a peice of gauze that was stored in the bedside table and began to pull out the IV in a slow and steady motion, using the gauze to stop any bleeding.

"Thank you dear." Fairy Flight said, the kind and motherly tone returning to her voice. "Now usually anypony who finds out about us would have their memories locked."

"Wait what?!" Twilight said in a surprised tone. "Isn't erasing a ponies memories illegal?!"

Fairy Flight chuckled. "No no, were not erasing the memory, just locking it. The memory remains within your mind but you just can't access it." She then turned to look at Rainbow Dash. "But I don't think my daughter would be to happy with me doing that to one of her friends." Fairy Flight now turned to look Twilight straight in the eyes. "So I'm going to give you a choice, either you can choose to have your memories locked, or you can come with me and Dash and I'll see if I can't make an exception for you. But just so we're clear, there is no guarantee that I can do that, you may just be getting your hopes up for nothing."

Twilight barley had to give this decision any thought. "I'm coming with you, I'd rather have the chance then just not try anything." She said firmly.

Fairy Flight smiled warmly. "I knew my little dragonfly would make some good pony friends. Now there's just one thing I need to do before we leave."

Twilight was about to ask what she needed, but was interrupted when Fairy Flight's horn reappeared and once again glowed with magic, causing Twilight to suddenly become very tired, So tired that she passed out right where she stood.

Author's Note

Yo hope you guys enjoy.

Also while I have you here, could anyone come up with a name for an equestrian version of Tibet, I sewer it's going to be somewhat relevant to the story.