//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Two Nights Ago 
// by Wolf8298 
//------------------------------//

"Herpes?!" Rainbow Dash said loudly, her voice thick with disbelief. She was standing in Twilight's library. Twilight was standing in front of Rainbow, levitating a book in front of her with a little smirk on her face. Rainbow had been expecting Twilight to take her into her laboratory and run a full checkup, but no! Twilight had simply opened a book, looked at it, and then gave Rainbow her answer.

Twilight used her magic and flipped a page in the book. "Genital herpes, to be specific." She said matter-of-factly. Twilight then levitated the book back onto the table and and edged closer to Dash. "I knew something was going to happen with you and Soarin at that party." She remarked. "I can't believe you told me nothing happened between you two. Liar."

"I didn't know what I was saying!" Rainbow Dash cried in defense.

Twilight sighed and shook her head., whilst Rainbow Dash began angrily pacing around the library, her ears flat against her head. "I know I was roaring drunk," Dash growled, "but I specifically asked that idiot if he had any diseases. He said no! I can't believe him!" Rainbow Dash howled.  

"I can't believe you took the word of a stallion who had over twelve beers." Twilight sighed. Rainbow Dash whipped around to glare at her friend. "This isn't funny! You have no spell to fix this! I'm going to have to be out for a week and then take giant pills for the rest of my life to prevent outbreaks! And it's all that stallion-whore's fault!"

She was really upset. She couldn't believe she hadn't found out earlier. Her father had always warned her about the dangers of herpes. In Equestria, herpes has no cure. You simply take medicine everyday to ease pain and stop symptoms. She was going to be stuck with this forever. Rainbow Dash felt like crying. This was so embarrassing and horrible she just could not believe it.

A hoof rested on Rainbow's shoulder. She looked up at Twilight, who was smiling at her. "I know you're upset and it's okay to be. Herpes is one agonizing disease, but you don't have to keep facing outbreaks without help. You have friends who are willing to take care of you. For whatever you need. "

Dash blinked, gazing at Twilight's purple eyes. The speed demon pegasus then sighed and hung her head. Twilight was right, she had friends who were awesome and always 20% cooler. Hope began to fill Rainbow Dash and she took he friend's advice and looked at the brighter side.

"You're right..." Dash muttered, standing up shakily. She coughed and looked back up at Twilight.

"When am I not?" Twilight said with a teasing smile. "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital and we'll get you the medicine that you need. Celestia forbid you do it yourself, you're never be specific enough about your symptoms...No offence."

"None taken." Rainbow laughed lightly. She knew Twilight was right again. She was bad with doctors.

Rainbow heard the sound of hoofsteps coming their way. Both Dash and Twilight turned their heads to see Applejack, a worker pony that worked on an apple farm, trot down the stairs. A smug look was on the earth pony's face."Did you tell the dirty pony what she's got?" Applejack scoffed.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes in anger and spread her wings, as if about to charge at Applejack. Suddenly, a yellow pegasus pony with a large light pink mane fluttered after Applejack and carefully slid in between the the two ponies. It was Fluttershy, who was a shy pegasus who took care of a cottage full of woodland creatures. Both were Dash's best friends.

"Now, now, girls." Fluttershy said in her soft voice. "Let's not get out of hand. Rainbow knows that she shouldn't of been doing that when she was so...umm...dizzy, I guess. And Applejack, you should know not to kick a friend when's she's already down." She said. Rainbow gazed at the two. "What're you two doing here?" She asked.

"They are helping me organize my upper library, it got a bit unorganized after study night." Twilight informed.

"Wait, wait!" Applejack said suddenly. A grin spread across her face. "There's a new disease going around with the birds. It's called..." Before Applejack could finish with her clever joke she began snorting out contagious laughter. Dash was surprised she hadn't fallen over in an ocean of giggling. Applejack finally managed to get her joke out. "Its called Chirpies" She snorted. After that she broke out with another swarm of laughter.

Twilight just sighed and shook her head, wondering if Applejack had been poking around the leftover alcohol from the party. Fluttershy shot a glare at Applejack. Rainbow Dash couldn't decide if she didn't like the fact that she had joked about herpes, or that Applejack had made a joke about birds.