Who are you?

Chapters

Chapter One - Sleep?
Chapter Two - Unconscious
Chapter Three - Freedom

Chapter One - Sleep?

It was a peaceful and sunny evening. Three mares were walking merrily together as they headed for a special place in one of the more remote sections of Ponyville Park, for today was the day they planned to go on a pet play date. One had her face stuck in a book, as was her usual routine, and was oblivious to the events occurring around her; another was hovering on her left, bored with having to go, as she put it, “at a snail’s pace”; the third mare was sporting a Stetson hat, a bit annoyed by her friend’s overt impatience.

"Aw, yeah!" Rainbow cried. Her sudden outburst earned her a quizzical look from Twilight, even though she hardly moved an inch from her book.

"What’s got you so exited Rainbow?" she asked. As curious as she was about why Rainbow was acting like this, her main interest was reading the book.

“She’s probably just goofing off again”, she thought.

"Get your head out of the book, Twilight, and you'd know!" the pegasus replied loudly. Twilight gave a start and jumped in surprise, letting her book drop to the ground. Annoyed that she was so rudely interrupted from her reading, Twilight looked up at her friend. To her dismay, Rainbow Dash was struggling to hold in her laughter, evident by the tears that trickled down her face.

"Rainbow!" Applejack called out in irritation. She shot a quick stare in Rainbow’s direction. Unfortunately for the cowgirl, that only added to Rainbow’s amusement. Unable to hold it in, Rainbow collapsed in a fit of laughter, banging her hoof on the ground.

"Sorry Twilight", Rainbow chuckled as she reached for Twilight’s book, "I didn't scare you did I?" Once more, she tried to suppress her laughter, now that Twilight’s face was a bright red. That was a task more easily said than done, for the more Twilight looked at her, the more her hysteria grew.

"Rainbow, stop teasin’ Twi," Applejack barked, earning her a playful pout from the cyan pegasus. Turning and placing a sympathetic hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, she asked, "You okay?"

"I'm fine", Twilight murmured, "Rainbow just caught me of guard that's all." Before Applejack could reply, Rainbow Dash flew a bit more above and them, now flying a little ahead and above her two friends, yelling out, “What the hay!” Apparently, something – or somepony – caught her attention.

“Whoa, take it easy, there, Rainbow. What’s gotcha so riled up?" Applejack asked. Hearing her voice, Rainbow Dash floated back down, bearing an irate look on her face. Twilight and Applejack knew telling her to take a deep breath whenever she had that look would be pointless, for she would almost always shrug it off; thus, they stood there and waited for her answer.

"Somepony is sleeping in the middle of the grass right were we supposed to meet with the others for our Pony pet play date!" Twilight couldn't believe this for one second. Nopony other than they knew about the spot, for it was near one of the corners of the park.

"Rainbow, I seriously doubt somepony would sleep on the grass in plain sight on a hot day... like.... this...“ Twilight’s words trailed off as she and her two friends rounded the last corner to see what got Rainbow Dash’s attention. Apparently, she wasn’t joking: there was somepony lying in their spot.

"Ha! Ya see that?!" Rainbow shouted, poking Applejack in the chest, "Told ya!"

"Okay, okay, ya proved yer point, Rainbow”, Applejack muttered, annoyed, “No need ta rub it in ma face."

Chuckling, she replied, “Just making sure you sink it all in, cowgirl.”

“Keep talking, featherbrain”, Applejack scoffed, shaking her hoof at her. Turning her head to Twilight, she told her, “Anyway, ah reckon we should do somethin’ about ‘im, Twi. How ‘bout ah gallop on over there and wake ‘im up maself?”

"Don’t bother AJ. I’ll do it. I have a few things to say to a pony who’s dumb enough to sleep out there in the sun like this." Before the orange mare knew it, Twilight galloped away from her and towards the sleeping pony.

“Twi, ah don’t-“ Applejack’s voice became muffled as Rainbow put a hoof in front of her mouth. The cowgirl gave her an annoyed glare, indicating to her she wanted an explanation.

"Oh, put a cork in it, AJ”, Rainbow whispered, her mouth close to her ear, “Let her do this. Trust me… it’s gonna be awesome."

By now, Twilight was right next to the slender earth pony.

"All right, you, time to wake up", she told him calmly. No response. Twilight prodded the earth pony with a hoof and repeated herself.

"Still no response", she thought to herself. She positioned herself in front of the pony to get a better look. The young pony was a white stallion (albeit a cute one) with an unkempt blue mane. His face made it seem as though he was in pain, despite having not a single noticeable injury.

"This doesn’t look good", Twilight thought. "Hey! Come on, get up!" Overhearing her concerned voice, Applejack trotted over to her side, followed closely behind by Rainbow Dash. Something was clearly wrong if Twilight was yelling at the pony. As soon as they got close, they could see why.

"Twi?" she asked, looking at the inert stallion, "Do ya think he’s-" Twilight raised a hoof to her face, effectively silencing her. She would normally hate cutting off a pony, but now was not the time for her ethics. Getting the stallion some medical attention was her top priority.

"RAINBOW!" Twilight shouted, "Fly over to Ponyville Hospital and have them bring a doctor here, pronto."

"What?” Rainbow replied, “What do you-"

"NOW!"

"Okay, okay, I’m going!" Why she was doing this was anypony’s guess, but the look on Twilight's face assured Rainbow it was urgent. Under a bit of protest, she flew away from her friends to do as she was told.

"I don't understand, Twi. Is somethin’ wrong with this pony?" Applejack asked Twilight. The sudden shift in the plan had her quite confused and she doesn’t like being left out of the loop.

"Far from it, AJ", the mare replied calmly, “Something weird is going on.” Recollecting her thoughts, Twilight placed the mystery stallion in a position she learned from one of her books. "He’s not responding to me. From the looks of it, I think the guy’s unconscious."

"How can you tell?"

"The look on his face seems to tell me he suffered some sort of cranial trauma." Applejack gave her a puzzled look, for she didn’t understand big words like those.

“Concussion?” The orange mare stayed the same.

“*sigh* He got smacked upside the head.”

“Ah, now ah get it.”

“Tell me she’s joking”, Twilight thought, rolling her eyes in disgust.

"So, uh… is there anything ah can do?" For some strange reason, Applejack seemed somewhat shaken by the stallion. She wasn’t afraid of anypony, but this guy looked about as big and burly as Big Mac… and she knew from experience Big Mac’s hard to beat in a fight. If he were to get medical assistance and find out she hesitated to help him, she feared she would be as good as dead.

"He’ll be fine, Applejack, trust me. He probably just fainted in the sun", Twilight replied, trying to calm her worried friend. "If you could provide a little shade for him, then that would be great." Applejack was more than happy to oblige. She moved herself in front of him to provide him with some shade. Despite her fear of him, she found him rather… cute. His mane may have been scruffy, but his toned body more than made up for it. Except for her brother, she never really paid much attention to other stallions… until now, that is.

“Hm… ah wonder what his name is.”

* * *

"Wait, oh no, please... huh was that, no it couldn't have been"

Fluttershy was quite flustered and confused right now. Apparently, she had elected herself to bring Rainbow, Twilight, and Applejack's pets to the play date, a task she found more difficult than expected, considering she was having trouble with her own pet’s needs. She could’ve sworn she saw Rainbow Dash fly away from the park, spying a rainbow from the corner of her eye.

“Okay… now I’m confused”, she thought, “Why is Rainbow Dash flying away? She wouldn’t just leave without telling us, would she?” Shaking herself of that outlandish question, she continued to Carousel Boutique, where she hoped her scheduled meeting with Rarity would make her feel more at ease.

"Coming", Rarity sang as she trotted to the door of her Carousel Boutique. She found Fluttershy standing on the doormat, along with some of the pets.

"Good lord, Fluttershy! You look simply dreadful! What happened?!" Fluttershy's usually strait pink mane was now frazzled and out of place due to having so many pets on her hooves. "Come on, then, get in. I simply can’t let a friend of mine go out with a hairstyle like that."

"Um, Rarity, we’re already late to the meeting. I really don't think we have the time." Unfortunately for Fluttershy, her words meant nothing to Rarity, for she was already being ushered into the building and placed down on a chair, in front of an over-sized vanity mirror.

"Nonsense. It shan’t take five minutes to straighten that mane", Rarity spoke, holding a brush to Fluttershy's mane. Whistling a tune as she worked on the hair, she asked the yellow pegasus, "How in Equestria did you get yourself into this mess, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy explained she might have been a little over-confident accepting the other ponies’ pets when they mentioned they were busy, even though she was happy her kindness allowed her friends to make time for the pony pet play date; but since then, she was gradually becoming stressed.

"I see. Well, set your mind at ease, Fluttershy, for your sister Rarity will lend a hoof. I think I have an idea."

"Oh?" Fluttershy replied, “And what is that?”

"Well, you are forgetting we have yet to meet Pinkie Pie, darling, so even if we did make it on time, we would still have to wait for her before we do anything. Either way, the whole event will be delayed. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about."

"*sigh* I guess you’re right, Rarity." As she accepted her wisdom, a pink blur appeared and morphed her mouth into a smile with a hoof. Fluttershy squeaked as she pulled away from the unexpected pony. A real smile swept across her face as she realized who the hoof came from: it was none other than Pinkie Pie.

"There’s the smile I wanted", Pinkie exclaimed, hugging her friend warmly around her neck. She quickly jumped off her and began to explain at hyper-speed.

"I just saw something that made me think ‘WHA-!’ but then I thought Rainbow wouldn't abandon her friends so I rushed over here to tell you we have to rush to the play date so we can *gasp*prove me right, that Dashie would never leave her friends."

"What? Whatever do you mean, Pinkie?" Rarity asked her in confusion. As plain as Pinkie’s dialogue was, she hardly understood a word that shot out of her mouth,

"I think I understand", Fluttershy spoke up, attempting to be assertive.

The two mares looked at the pegasus in confusion.

"You do?" they asked her synchronously.

Fluttershy explained to the two ponies that she, too, had seen Rainbow Dash flying away from the spot where they were scheduled to meet, going on to say she thought the exact same thing Pinkie did. "I wonder why Rainbow would leave like that", she informed them.

"I wonder why she was flying in the wrong direction”, Pinkie mused, “Sugarcube Corner is not that way! Heh heh, silly filly!"

"In which direction did she fly, girls?" Rarity asked them, hoping this information would allow her to deduce why she was leaving. Unfortunately for the unicorn, the information she found was horrid beyond belief.

"What?! She’s going to Ponyville Hospital?!" Rarity shouted, “Something horrible must’ve happened! You’re right, Fluttershy: we must go at once! We have to make sure everypony is alright."

Grabbing their pets, the three ponies rushed towards the park. After what felt like the longest and fastest run of their lives, the meeting place came into view.

"Whew, Twilight and Applejack are okay", Fluttershy spoke as she and the other three mares stood next to Applejack and Twilight. They all looked at the mystery pony with much confusion. They were wondering how in Equestria something like this happen in their favorite meeting place. Rainbow’s sudden flyby was one thing, but an unknown, unconscious stallion was another.

"Why was Dashie flying away? Who's that? Why is he sleeping? That's a silly place to sleep if you-" Pinkie was cut off when Applejack put a hoof to her mouth. This did not stop her from continuing her barrage of questions, though, much to her dismay. The steady hail of words pounded Applejack’s head like foam darts from a toy blaster.

"If y'all shush up for a second me n Twilight can explain" Applejack told her. She gave a stern stare to Pinkie Pie, letting her know now was not the time for meager talk.

"Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and I found him like this when we arrived”, Twilight explained to the curious mares, “We all thought he was just sleeping at first."

"Only when Twi went to wake ‘im up, she went all silent for a spell, then she demanded that Rainbow fly to Ponyville Hospital and fetch a doc here", Applejack cut in.

"Indeed. Anyway, when I realized I couldn't wake him, I knew I had to get help and nopony is as fast as Rainbow." Twilight took a deep breath before continuing her explanation. "After a closer inspection of his body, I deducted that this pony probably fainted due to the heat."

"Oh, I agree with you, Twilight”, Fluttershy supported her, “I would’ve arrived at the same conclusion. I do hope he’s okay."

"He’ll be fine, darling”, Rarity consoled her, “If we all know Rainbow, she’s probably on her way back with a doctor right now."

"Yeah, and when the doctor pony wakes him up, I can throw him a ‘hope your well now and welcome to Ponyville’ party”, Pinkie added.

"A welcomin’ party? How can ya tell this pony's not from ‘round here?" Applejack took it back when she remembered this was Pinkie Pie, the one pony who knows everypony here in Ponyville. Of course she’d know he wasn’t from here. Pinkie just gave her a smug grin and raised her eyebrow. "Oh. Right. Ah’ll take it back."

"Good to know you remember, AJ”, Pinkie replied, still keeping her grin. Applejack pouted playfully at her and shifted her gaze back to the fallen stallion.

"Just who is this pony?" Twilight wondered aloud, “and how did he get here?"

Twilight's words rang in their heads. Try as they might, they knew they won’t get any answers until after Rainbow came back with the Doctor. After what seemed like hours to them, they saw Rainbow Dash followed closely behind by a unicorn doctor.

"HEY! GUYS!" Rainbow yelled, "Come on doc, it’s this way."

Chapter Two - Unconscious

"Come on doc, Its this way!"

The doctor did not speak he only followed Rainbow Dash's lead as the young mare showed him to the unconscious stallion and her worried friends, gathered to one side of said pony providing needed shade.Rainbow noticing that her friends have multiplied since she left, noticing her pet Tank was now hovering over to her, could not help but forget for a moment the situation and cry out.

"All right Tank lets play!" This reaction was quickly stifled by her own two hooves over her mouth and a bright red face. In this time the doctor being a no nonsense pony had already moved over to the side of the unconscious stallion and had begun to check the pony over, prodding the pony lightly in places and asking for a response of any kind.

The other's just watched for what felt like hours, watched the doctor move like a machine over the still body that lay before him. Finally the doctor slowly rose from the pony's side and calmly spoke though a small field of magic he had created in front of himself.

"Fetch the stretcher" the doctor spoke though his field, and two disembodied voices replied too muffled for anypony to understand except for the doctor him self.

"Stretcher?! Why a stretcher I check this pony my self, I thought he was just unconscious, from the heat maybe?" Twilight spoke, clear confusion in her voice.

"Yes miss Sparkle, this pony is defiantly unconscious, and I did noticed some pony's work on him, a clear sine being the recovery position he was in when I arrived." Replied the doctor in his monotone, calm voice.

"Then why the stretcher? the medical book I read clearly stated that a patient who has fallen unconscious from heat stroke, should be place in the recovery position and left to wake on there own. right?" although Twilight knew her words where right, knew that her books were always correct, she had to know if she had been wrong in her quick examination of the pony.

After a brief moment of silence, a moment that the doctor used to think of how to best reply to twilight, he finally spoke.

"Twilight you are correct on all count's" earning a smile from Twilight "However, although this pony is indeed unconscious, I don't think it was the heat that did this. There are no clear sine's as to why this pony is unconscious. In fact the only thing I could deduce was that he is completely unresponsive." this new information took the smile of Twilight's face, replacing it with one that could only be described as a mix, of confusion, concern and saddens.

"The stretcher, is so I can have this pony moved to the hospital for extensive research into why this pony is unconscious. So that the best medical care can be provided." As the doctor spoke this, two stallions wearing green tops with the Ponyville medical hospital's logo on there sides, arrived stretcher in tow and carefully moved the unknown and unconscious stallion onto the stretcher. With a nod from the doctor they began to move over to the medical carriage that they arrived in, closely followed by Twilight and the gang.

No pony spoke a word, nothing was said or even whispered, aside from small word's of communication from the two stallions checking that no pony would drop the unconscious pony by mistake. after a five minute walk the group finally arrived at the medical carriage and watched as the unknown pony was loaded on board.

"Now, I'm happy that you girls took such good care of this pony, but we can handle it now. If you want to check his progress then come by tomorrow, now I must leave." and with that the doctor and the unknown pony where gone, without even a chance for reply form Twilight or her friends.

The rest of the day went by quite uneventful, the pony pet play date was called of and each pony went home to mull over the strange events of the day, on the promise that they would all meet at Twilight's library the following morning. Each pony had her own thoughts on this unknown pony, and what should be done about it and each pony in there own way tried to push any negative thoughts about him away.

Applejack went back to her routine of bucking apples and working the farm, thinking "hard work will help me think about what I should do next"

Rarity donned a black cloak and a particular red fainting chair, and simply sulked the day away, she didn't know why she felt so sad for a pony she does not know, but knew in her hart she would have to do something to help.

Fluttershy took to the day's events quite well, quickly coming to the conclusion on her journey home that tomorrow she would help out any way she could, and pondered on just how she would do that, while tending to her woodland friends.

Rainbow Dash feeling out of the loop, on the events of the day took to vigorous flight over Ponyville stopping for no pony, willing the thoughts away, until finally, the pinkish glow of the setting sun, almost forced her to retire from flight, forced her to return home and stay still long enough to think. Rainbow came to one conclusion "Twilight will know what to do!"

Pinkie Pie returned to the cake's Sugarcube corner and promptly began planing a welcome party for the unknown pony, with the idea that "a party is the best way to help a pony wake up, and if its a welcome party too, it means they get loads of new friends"

Twilight took the day hard, real hard. Although she knew that she did everything by the book for the unconscious pony, she couldn't shake the feeling that had she noticed just how unresponsive the stallion was, maybe she could have helped more.

"Had I been thinking strait I could have help more!" Twilight cried pacing around her bedroom floor "I could have used my magic to provide shade! Stupid Twilight, Stupid Stupid Stupid" she repeated while banging her head with a hoof.

"Twilight, is... is something wrong?" Spike had entered the room, hearing Twilight's cries only moments after she entered the library, and promptly shut herself in her room.

"no...YES...I, I don't know spike" Twilight fell onto her bed burying her head into her pillow, crying softly, believing she had failed.

"I don't understand Twilight, What happened? You ran in, WAY early from you pet play date, and now your shouting and, and crying. What happened!?" Spike was almost in tears himself at this point believing something terrible must have happened to brake Twilight so fiercely.

"Please talk to me Twilight, maybe I can help, I could write a letter to the princess, she would know what to do"

"No!" Twilight Barked "You cant tell the princess, if she finds out, she, she wont want me to be her student anymore"

"What? what did you do? Why would the princess want to drop you as her student? Tell me, PLEASE!"

Spikes plea was finally heard and after a few more minutes of ranting about how the princess would punish her for failing, Twilight eventually let out.

"It's not what I did spike, its what I didn't do" Twilight went on and explained to spike the events of the day, how she Applejack and Rainbow found an unconscious pony, how she sent Rainbow off to get a doctor and how she placed the pony into the recovery position, followed the book to the letter even had Applejack provide shade with her body and even helped her do this with her own body. How she failed to realize just how unresponsive the unconscious pony really was, failed to think that her magic could have provided far better shade and how she just down right failed.

After choosing his words carefully Spike added how silly Twilight was being about all of this.

"So what, you didn't notice one little thing, the doctor said you did everything right, and so you got a little overwhelmed by the event that you forgot how useful your magic was. You can still help out, cant you?"

A brief moment passed and twilight raised her head slightly.

"Theirs a reason you are my number one assistant" Twilight's voice was quiet and hoarse from all the crying, she knew Spike was right, she had done everything she knew how too and would do everything she could to help from now on.

Twilight's day seemed to slip away before she new it. After all the crying, all the contemplating it was dark outside her room. Twilight decided that her next move would be easy to plan with her friends around, and with that thought, she slipped into bed with a half smile, thinking about her friends.

Morning broke over Ponyville and all was peaceful, all except the Ponyville library which was oddly active for this time time in the morning. As promised, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie pie and Rainbow Dash had all met up at the appointed time to discuss the events of the previous day. The conversation began as expected, each pony explained what they had seen that day and went on to what each pony thought the next step should be. Rainbow Dash was silent when she found out that the one pony she expected to have the answer to this, Twilight, was having a hard time of it her self.

"I'm not sure on what to do to help girls, but i do feel somewhat responsible" Twilight said this hoping somepony would have the answer she needed, but everypony stayed quiet. Twilight didn't even have spike to turn to this time since it was early he was still sleeping.

Frustrated Twilight almost shouted at her friends for help, but in a moment of thought decided that simply asking them calmly would grater benefit her, since having five ponies mad at her would not help her in her lessons in friendship, nor would it help her in finding out what to do next.

"huhh, Alright. dose anypony have something to say, we need to make a plan"

There where a few more moments of silence as everypony thought of what the right move was. The silence finally broken when Fluttershy spoke out first.

"Maybe, we should go to the hospital and visit the stallion. that's if its okay with everypony"

This suggestion was met with a resounding yes from the other five pony's and with Twilight leaving a note on the door for spike, explaining where they had gone the group set out for Ponyville hospital.

Ponyville hospital was surprisingly active considering that it was still so early in the morning. The walk though Ponyville showed almost no pony was out and about, save the occasional early riser most likely of to begin a day of work. The Ponyville hospital however showed the opposite, nurse's and doctors could be seen running from room to room tending to several patients at once. The gang moved though the ruckus and made there way to the front desk, Applejack was the one to speak to the frantic nurse behind the desk.

"uhh, Hello"

"...."

"Excuse me, nurse I was just wondering if we could ask you a question"

The nurse motioned a hoof of silence to Applejack, and continued to quickly fill out the forms that where piled up on her desk using her horn to wisp the quill across the paper as quickly as she could. Once she had finished with the first she quickly looked up to a confused Applejack.

"I'm sorry Its been ever so hectic in here, we have the overflow from Fillydelphia the have an out brake of pony pox, what was it you where asking girls?" the nurses voice was notable stressed, and everypony could see that she had bag's under her eyes, tacitly ignoring the Fillydelphia problem, Applejack jumped right onto the matter at hoof.

"We need to know about a pony, a stallion that was brought in yesterday evening."

"The name?"

"Name? we don't know."

"Don't know?"

Twilight stepped in and briefly explained the day events leading to why they where here now.

"A unconscious stallion you say? well that narrows it down. we don't get many unconscious ponies."

After a few seconds of searching though files the nurse turned back and reviled only 2 pieces of paper quickly examining them she places one back where she found it.

"The pony your looking for is in intensive care, that's down the hall behind me up the stairs and to the end of the hall and its the room at the back on the left. You cant miss it."

"intensive care!?" the six pony said in unison, Fluttershy was the first to rush ahead followed closely by Pinkie, Rainbow and Twilight, Applejack and Rarity stayed for a moment to thank the nurse before joining their friends.

Once in the intensive care ward of the hospital the ponies where halted at the entrance by a familiar face, it was the no nonsense doctor from the day before.

"I'm sorry girls you cant enter this part of the ward unless you are family to a pony in it."

"Doctor don't you remember us?" Rainbow shouted as she tried her hardest to make her way past the doctor, stepping left and right even trying to fly over him only to be stopped each time by the doctors magic.

"I do Remember you Rainbow Dash, and your friends, but I still cant let you on the ward. Although..."

"Although?" Rainbow parroted, making one final attempt to slip by the doctor, this time being dragged away by her tail courtesy of Rarity.

"Yes, well as I am sure you have noticed we are quite over populated and understaffed." the doctor motioned behind the six ponies showing the same as before. Frantic doctors and nurses moving from room to room. "I think seen as, the stallion your here to see as of yet, has no recorded family. I could allow two of you into the room at any given time, so long as you promise to behave while your in there." the doctor said this with a stair aimed like laser's locked onto Rainbow and Pinkie.

There where a few moments of silence as everypony mulled over the doctors words, finally Twilight stepped forwards then turned to her friends with a look that said, "I have a plan."

"Everypony listen up. we should split into three groups each group will spend two hours with the unconscious pony"

"Whoa now twi, I understand we should help out. But what good will spending two hours with the pony do, what exactly can we do to help?" The question Applejack pitched flummoxed Twilight greatly, so much so she had no answer for her friend at all.

"ehhem, if i may" The doctor interrupted with a hoof "You girls can be of help, we are understaffed. Having ponies to watch him means that I can go about helping with the ruckus here. Their is a button on the wall to call for a doctor should you need one, and as for his need's, well the i.v is sustenance enough, and he should he wake you can call a doctor, as I said."

"That settles it then, I will go in first with.."

"ME!" Rainbow cut in with a leap as she shot to Twilight's side "I went to get the doctor so I want first dibs on watching him"

"uhm. Okay?" Twilight's voice did not sound nearly as confused as her face showed, if her eyebrow could raise any higher it would. However Twilight chose to ignore Rainbows 'first dibs' remark passing it off as her normal over enthusiastic way about thing's. "Well I guess I'm with Rainbow"

The girls decided on their pairings, Applejack with Rarity and Pinkie pie with Fluttershy. Once this was decided the girls then went on to decide how they would rotate watching over the unconscious pony, deciding that after Twilight and Rainbow's shift Fluttershy and Pinkie would go next leaving Applejack and Rarity four hours to finish their work before their shift begins.

Twilight and Rainbow's shift began after some short goodbyes, they entered the unconscious ponies room. His room was situated at the back of the hospital, it was a small room with a single bed at the left side of the room with a double seated chair and a coffee table next to it and to the right of the room was a large open window, that revealed the morning glow over the Everfree Forest. The hospital bed its self looked more like a bed one would have in there home only the hospital's basic green sheets played over it, and inside the bed lay the white coated, blue maned stallion with a I.V drip placed into his front right hoof. The pony that was going to be the attention and focus of Rainbow and Twilight's next two hours. Or at least, so they thought.

Little did Twilight and Rainbow know or anypony for that matter, the unconscious pony was not so much unconscious anymore. He was mealy now, in a heavy sleep.

An hour passed by and neither Twilight or Rainbow had much to say, side the comment of how the room had the 'worst view ever' in rainbow's opinion. The hour passed slowly this frustrated the normally fast acting Rainbow to no end, until finally she broke.

"AAAAAHH!! I cant take this silence anymore Twilight, Please you gota think of something anything to talk about." Rainbow pleaded with the purple Unicorn literally taking Twilight in her hoof's and shaking her, hard, as if that would shake the much needed entertainment out. "Come on Twilight say something!"

"ughh" Twilight replied

"What?"

"please.... stop.... shaking....me" Twilight was instantly released, almost loosing her place on the double seat next to Rainbow. Quickly composing herself, she shot a glance at Rainbow, and was met with a apologetic yet pleading look from Rainbow. "huhh. Alright so what do you want to talk about?"

Meanwhile

"What was that? I know i heard something.. but where did it come from?" I thought to myself. Now i looked all I could see was black. My eyelids felt heavy and my head was pounding like a drum. "Is that, talking... can I hear talking?" I tried to open my eyes, they felt not only heavy but as if they where glued together by some unknown force. I couldn't move at all, In fact all I could do was listen as the sounds as they became clearer to me.

"And then once I'm as high as I can go, I will tuck my wings in and go into this wicked free fall"

"Oh my, that sounds dreadfully dangerous Rainbow are you sure you want to do that for your next big trick?"

"Duh, Twilight of course I want to. I am Rainbow Dash after all, The best flyer in all of Ponyville"

"I don't know who this Rainbow is, but she should listen to her friend" I thought as I ease dropped on the conversation. I now realized that I felt allot lighter than I did before my head was not pounding as hard and I felt like I could even move a little. "its decided then, I want to see this 'Daring' Rainbow my self" slowly I turned my head towards the sound of the two female voices. I opened my eyes, slowly at first. Everything was bright and blurry but it only took a moment for my eyes to adjust, but I almost instantly wished I had not looked. What I saw filled me with fear I didn't know why but I knew I was in danger. Quickly I shot my head back to its original position and closed my eyes hoping that this was the dream no, nightmare and that I would wake up, hoping that my movement had not been spotted by what I now knew to be ponies.

"Rainbow did he just move?"

"shit!" I thought.

I could hear movement around me but neither pony spoke for what felt like the longest moment. It was silent. Then like a slight breeze washing over my face, I could feel what I knew to be a ponies shallow breathing over me. With this reality I knew I would be found out, I knew I was in danger, and almost as if my fear had its own will my body reacted. What I felt next was the hard furry face of which ever pony was over me being punched away against my hoof, instantly I forced my eyes open and jumped out of the bed feeling a sharp tug on my front right hoof, it was a cord of some kind snapping away. My eyes raced around the room and in what what must have been seconds I took in what I saw. The pony I had hit was a cyan colored mare, a Pegasus who was now heaped up at the foot of the bed. Standing over her was a purple Unicorn who seemed frozen still, in shock most likely. Finally and most importantly I saw my exit. Across the room was a large window, more importantly it was an open window. Shooting for it like a bullet form a gun l leaped, feeling my freedom, feeling the outside air rush over me, feeling the ground as I hit it.

"Ouch!"

Chapter Three - Freedom

"Rainbow did he just move?" Twilight spoke as she motioned a hoof towards the unconscious pony.

Quickly both Rainbow and Twilight dashed to the foot of the ponies bed to get a closer look or, at least Twilight did. Rainbow took it upon her self to get a more up close and personal view now hovering directly above the pony, her face so close that if Rainbow decided she could easily kiss the stallion awake like one of those old mare's tale's. Twilight would have spoken out to Rainbows closeness but she was interrupted by the pony crashing down at her feet, crashing down because the unconscious pony was not so unconscious anymore.

Twilight couldn't move, shocked by what she had just been witness to only moments ago. The unknown pony was now conscious and his first conscious act was to smack Rainbow Dash in the face before proceeding to dive out of the window with a face that looked like blind panic. Twilight did not know how long she stood there but as she stood still as a statue a cyan hoof was raised into her view, snapping her back into reality. Twilight extended a hoof of help to Rainbow hoisting her up into a standing position as Rainbow kept her left hoof tightly pressed against her face.

"What the HELL just happened?" Rainbow said pressing against a small red patch of fur on the right of her face "That ass made me bleed! why would he go and hit me like that anyway, where is he?!" Looking around the room Rainbow saw nothing but a empty bed and a startled twilight who seemed lost in thought. "Twilight are you listening to me?"

"Out the window" Twilight was staring with a confused look at the window. she spoke softly her confusion dumbfounded her and she couldn't process why a stallion would just jump. "He jumped.... out of the window. Just jumped."

At the exact moment Twilight finished her sentence both pony shared a look of realization. This was the second floor and the unknown stallion was not a Pegasi. In a med dash both ponies made for the window, ramming their heads out expecting to see a broken pony on the ground below. That was not what they saw.

Ouch was not a strong enough word to cover what just happened. After rolling for several meters though bushes and sliding to a stop on the hard ground, I finally looked back to realized I had just jumped out of a window on the second floor. "That was not a happy landing" I groaned as I painfully made my way to a standing position. A familiar and fearful thought struck me like lightning 'I'm not safe ponies could pounce on me at any moment.' Turning fast looking for a way to escape the horror of what I thought was coming my way I saw a forest. Dark, big and it looks easy to hide in. "Perfect!" I ran or at least limped quickly towards this forest. Once under the first few trees i found that it is a perfect place to hide from ponies.

The forest had dark trees that seed to go on forever in all directions, it also seemed to be filled with a dark eerie fog that would make anypony feel unwelcome. Their were no roads and it was clear that no pony had stepped foot inside in a long time. The grass was thick with weeds and the deeper anypony tread inside the darker the forest seemed to get. Their was also the unshakable feeling of being surrounded on all sides watched by everything, but no matter where a pony would look it would be empty.

Now I was deep inside this forest I could slow down a little. The adrenalin I felt as I first began to run was wearing off and I could now feel every ache and pain coming back onto me, washing over my body like a blanket of tiny microscopic needles.

But I knew I couldn't stop, I knew I had to continue on walking. "i want to be as far away from ponies as I can. I have to be safe." My train of thought was cut off by my face once again hitting the ground. "Grate..the forest is out to get me" I said as i stumbled back to my hoofs and slowly walked on. Little did I know I was being watched as I walked.

Sketch Pad was not like other donkeys nor was she like any pony either, Sketch was somewhere in between. This however did not make her unattractive, she was a young pegasi donkey mare. Sketch had brown fur, big green eyes two long pointy ears, a dark blond mane with a bobble in it and the same dark blond at the tip of her tail. All the features of a normal donkey of her age. Most noticeably though Sketch sported a pair of brown feathered wings and a cutie mark of a drawing pencil.

Sketch Pad enjoyed a good adventure and traveled all over Equestria to find it. Her last adventure found her in Fillydelphia. While there she heard of a strange forest called the Everfree Forest and was told that if there was ever a crazy enough mare in the world one could pass though the Everfree and arrive at a town called Ponyville. Upon hearing this Sketch Pad made it her mission and was set on making that her next big adventure.

With saddle bags packed and a focused mind Sketch set out on another adventure. Day one went by quickly as Sketch imagined it would. Upon entering the forest and choosing a direction to walk Sketch at firs saw nothing too unusual about the forest. Sure the tree's grew a little wild, same as the grass and plants and sure there where those far off creepy sounds and scary fog that just got thicker as Sketched walked, no big deal right? Wrong Sketch had know idea where she was. She was lost.

"Calm down Sketch you've been lost before" Sketch mused to herself in a attempt to calm her nerves. Yes Sketch had been lost before but never in a place like this, the longer she stayed the more she saw to put her at unease. The tree's grew wild, the animals that she saw where unfriendly and independent and not to mention the noises of the ones she couldn't see. All of this made for a scared Sketch Pad. Sketch did not know how long she had been walking for because the day and night just seemed to blur together in the forest but she knew she was tired so she decided on finding a safe'er place to spend her night. A quick reconnaissance of the area showed that there was a nearby lake or pond it was to difficult to tell its actual size due to the fog draped over it. Nearby to this their was a fallen and hollowed out tree.

"Inviting" Sketch sarcastically thought. This thought was stifled by a loud howling sound nearby now finding Sketch huddled down inside the fallen tree shaking like a foal that's just heard lightning for the first time. "Maybe this is better than I thought." Pulling two dark sheets from her saddle bags Sketch wen about hanging one over the hole that was now her door and laying the other down on the ground to protect from the cold ground if just a little. Sketch tried to sleep but each time she came close a near by sound would make her sit upright ready to bolt out of the tree and escape at a moments notice, this never had to happen much to Sketch's surprise.

"ughhh" That was the noise a cold and shivering Sketch makes when waking up from what was possibly the worst sleep she had gotten in a long time. Cautiously Sketch stuck her head out though her makeshift door to see about any near by danger. "Nothing. Good!" Sketch rushed over to the water of her nearby lake/pond and peaked in revealing a familiar looking face staring back at her. "WOW this water is so clean, its like looking into a mirror" Sketch giddily said as she splashed the water over her body and face. "I wounder if its safe to drink?" Sketch decided that not Drinking the water would be the safest bet even if her mouth was a little dry. Sketch returned to her makeshift home and began packing away the sheets she had used inside her saddle bags and decided that today was the day she would get out of this place. "I like adventures, but this place is just creepy. One day is enough for me" Sketch thought as she cantered away from her hopefully to be forgotten soon place of rest. Sketch did not make it far though before hearing the sounds of something crashing though the bushes near her. Without a seconds though Sketch flew to nearby rock and slipped down behind it. and watched for what ever the noise was coming from to arrive, she did not have to wait for long because only a moment later a white furred Blue maned, and severely battered earth pony came crashing though the foliage only to fall over a root on the ground. Sketch was amazed by the stallion's timing here she was wanting out of this stupid forest and then a stallion crashes though the bushes to help her.

Sketch followed the stallion for a while wanting to know he was safe to approach. At her first glace she thought he was her hero here to save her from the forest. But on a closer glance it looked as if this pony had been though some epic battle, he had cuts and wounds all down the right side of his flank and leg, the leg looked worse actually because Sketch could clearly see it was bleeding steadily as he walked leaving a light trail behind him as he walked. What was odd to her was that the stallion didn't seem to care for his wounds he seemed more preoccupied to notice. Sketch was unsure on what to do should she jump in and try to help him. Would that even be a safe idea. Sketch didn't get to wait and find out because the stallion fell down in front of her clinging the bleeding hoof.

"Gosh darn it hoof.... you had one job! and you choose now to make me fall over!." I knew my hoof was bleeding I could feel the pain for quite some time as I walked I just chose to ignore it in favor of walking as far away from ponies as I could. Even if that wasn't the best plan it was my only plan. I figured now since I cant walk anymore I would use this opportunity to go ever the day. After siting and mulling it over I realized I didn't know why I was scared in the first place. I only ran because I knew I was in danger, but danger from what where was I when I woke up? I couldn't remember how I got there.

"Hello?" Came a small voice from behind me, this scared me to no end and i jumped trying to run, only to fall again 'stupid hoof' I saw i figure in the distance moving closer to me, I could tell it was a Pagasi pony because I could easily make the outline of two wings sticking up behind the slender frame of the pony before me. Making the dark figure all the more scary. I backed away sliding back not being able to stand, trying to get further away until finally my back was up against a tree I couldn't escape I was trapped. Closing my eyes I waited for the pain. Waited and waited, but it never came. Opening my eyes again I saw the figure had not moved.

"Its okay I'm not going to hurt you" Sketch said to the clearly scared pony. She could tell what ever had happened to the stallion it must have been awful. Carefully walking out of the shadow of the tree, stepping a little closer to the stallion Sketch tried to put on her most sympathetic face. "Really I just want to help you."

This was hard to believe. This mare was not a pony but a donkey, sort of. The wings a cutie mark where a sine that she might be in league with them. I noticed she was walking closer to me, with my back against this tree I wasn't going anywhere.

"Get back! Stay away from me.. I'm ...uh... I'm dangerous" I lied in the state I'm in now I doubt I could handle a bunny. This didn't stop Sketch from walking cautiously towards the stallion stopping a hoof's distance away she spoke again softly.

"Look I have some supplies in my saddle bag you don't have to trust me but let me patch you up please, just tell me you will let me" I looked up into the mares eyes I might not want to trust her, my body might be telling me that ponies are bad this wasn't exactly a pony and she did seem to genuinely want to help.

"Fine.... but I'm watching you" This reply did not phase Sketch. In fact she didn't mind the stallion watching her work over him. The Stallions bright blue eyes followed her hooves as they fumbled around her saddle bags pulling out a small green box with a white cross on it. Watched as Sketch pulled out bandage from the box and placed them on the ground by him. "Alright I'm just going to take a quick look at your hoof now so don't move" For a moment the stallion pulled away from Sketch but after a moment he pushed his bleeding back hoof out letting Sketch get a better look. "humm there is a bramble thorn stuck in your hoof and its done quite some damage too. I'm going to have to take it out and clean the wound to." Turning back to her saddle bags Sketch pulled out a empty glass flask and told the stallion to wait for her to come back. Running off back to the waters edge of where she spent her night Sketch scooped up enough water re fixed the top of the flask and made her way back to the stallion.

I didn't move even though now would be the perfect time to run i couldn't even if i wanted to. This mare had been so nice to me and in all honesty i could leave my hoof in the state its in. So reluctantly i stayed put waiting for the mare to return.

"Where did you go?" I asked when the mare returned holding a now full flask in her mouth as she quickly returned to my hoof.

"Water" she spoke placing the flask at my feet. "This will probably hurt, I'm going to take the thorn out and clean it now." Placing her hoof's down near to the bramble i wanted to coil away but i knew i shouldn't so i just sat still "On three i will pull it out okay?"

"Alright" I replied wary of the pain i was about to willingly put my self though.

"One... Two"

"Aghhh! I thought you said on three" I yelled as the crazy mare pulled out the thorn on two. She quickly moved and grabbed the water and poured it onto my wound. This stung a little but it was soothing far less painful than the thorn.

"I wanted to be sure you wouldn't pull away on three so i lied a little. Sorry." I was about to complain but i felt something new over my hoof. It was tight yet comfortable it didn't hurt to much. Looking down i could see that the mare had began to place the bandages on my hoof. She had such soft gentle hoof's not at all what i expected. I watched as she wrapped my hoof tightly tying of the bandage she sat back with a sigh. "At least that's done"

"Th... thank you i guess."

Sketch watched as the battered stallion pulled a red face at those words. With a laugh Sketch asked.

"So whats your name? Or do i just call you Blue Eyes ?" Sketch said to the stallion earning a confused look.

"Blue Eyes? whats that supposed to be?" This confused Sketch Pad greatly, she even pulled a little scrunchy face at the stallions reply.

"Honestly its like you don't even know the colour of your own eyes" Sketch laughed "Now come on, whats your name.? I'm Sketch Pad, just call me Sketch okay" Sketch Pointed to her self then out to the stallion.

"I'm.... uhh" I expected to just know my name, I mean ponies always know there own names right? but same as before when i tried to remember how i got to wherever i was when i woke up. I tried to remember and it was a blank. "I... I dont know..."

"Come on don't joke you know my name giving yours is only fair." Sketch pleaded not believing that the stallion didn't know his own name. But when she looked at his face what she saw changed her mood completely she went from light laughing and bubbly to sad. "Maybe the stallion doesn't know his name" Sketch thought as she saw tears streaming down the stallions face. She watched for a moment as the pony brushed them away with his hoof only to have them replaced by more. It was weird and hard to watch. The stallion didn't look upset by the tears, he wasn't overcome with sadness he just looked empty his eyes fixed on the ground while he repeatedly brushed the tears away and cried silent as a stone. With a moment of hesitation Sketch moved over to the stallion placing her self on his left and sat quietly waiting to see what the stallion would do to this.

"I don't even know why I'm crying. Its not like I can remember who I am just by being sad." I thought to myself. I was being stupid but the more i raked my brain trying to find some clue to my name to anything about my past.. the more i cried. I barely even noticed when Sketch moved over to sit with me. I didn't care though. I just wanted to know something about me. Even if it's just something small.

"Hay Blue Eyes... cheer up. So you don't remember your name no biggie. I bet it will come to you in no time" Sketch's words were accompanied with a hoof placed on my back.

"Wait Blue Eyes.. I have blue eyes right ? what what else?" I asked realizing that this mare could shed some incite onto my looks at least. Might not be memories but its something.

"You don't remember anything do you?" Sketch said softly not looking over to me. "Well do you think you can stand?"

"Why?"

"Where i got the water form its like a giant mirror, least you could take a look at your self. That's if you want to Blue I'm not going to force you."

With out a reply I tried to stand. I was a little shaken putting pressure on my back hoof, it hurt but i could handle it. I didn't even notice the hoof that helped me up until it was taken away. Saying nothing i just started to move slowly.

"Blue its this way." Sketch said motioning to him with a hoof. Blue and Sketch said nothing as they walked together to the waters edge. They both peeped over to show almost perfect reflections of themselves.

"huh so thats what i look like" I thought as my blue eyes stared back at me. "Not bad i guess" I spoke quietly all sketch did to this was laugh. I stood at the water's edge for a long time just looking at my self, it was only when Sketch spoke up I turned away.

"So Blue... do you think you could maybe... i mean. *sigh* Do you know how to get out of this forest?" Sketch fumbled over her words trying to find the least damsel in distress like way to word it.

"Well i only walked in one direction when we found each other so get me back to that tree and i can get you out. i guess." I did not want to go back to the place i had just ran away from but Sketch had helped me i couldn't just say "sorry i don't want to go back, find your own way" I don't even think i would want to say that.

"Well that's doable i guess. Why don't you tell me how you got so banged up while we walk.. I mean you look like you just had a fight Blue gees."

"Blue?"

"Got to call you something don't we. now come on" Sketch said with a soft laugh as we started to walk back the way i came. I told Sketch about how i woke up and when i saw the ponies i felt like i was in danger. Told her about the way i might have just, slightly, jumped out of a second floor window and ran away into the forest. As i spoke i could see the forest become lighter and before i knew it we where at the edge. It wasn't the same place i came in but it was still close by because once again i got the feeling of danger all around me again. Where we came out was a empty field with one sole path running though it leading to a village in the distance it was hard to believe that we came out so far away from where i originally came in.

Sketch didn't stop walking not until she noticed her escort had done so.

"I thought you might stop." Sketch said "But you have to keep walking with me. from what you told me I think where you woke up was a hospital." Taking a quick pause Sketch turned an pointed to the village. " I was told before i came here that this place is called Ponyville. I was also told that its a nice peaceful place. I mean come on look at it Blue Dose this look like the sort of place where a pony that would hurt other's would live?" Sketch Had a good point as i looked over to Ponyville it looked peaceful it looked like the exact opposite of what i felt like. In a moment i could feel a Head pushing e towards the village i almost wanted to run away again but i didn't i trusted my new friend and started to walk.

"When i find that stallion I'm gonna kick his flank!" Rainbow was Fuming with anger as she thought about the trouble this stallion was causing her and her friends.