Epidemic

Chapter 9.

Twilight stares at the rat for a while. Then at Labor. Then back at the rat. Then back Labor. Labor's scene did quite the number on her, as she is now frightened of him.

Labor smiles. "Is zhere something on me I should probably vipe off?"

Twilight's eyes widen and she looks at the rat again. "Uhm... N-no doctor..."

"You can call me Labor. I believe I've mentioned zhat." Labor says, examining the plants the guards have brought in. "I hope I didn't scare you."

Twilight didn't respond to that, and she continued to study the rat. As presumed, the rat coughed, threw up, sweat, and was now developing... Cysts. Small pockets of skin appeared to open. No blood oozed out. They just opened.

"Anyzhing?" Twilight flinched as Labor unnoticeably walked up behind her. Labor looks at her, and smiles a crooked smile.

"U-uhm, yes. The uhm... The rat has a uhm... A case of uhh..." Twilight's nervousness was getting to her.

"Has Dr. Whooves mentioned my, *ahem* past?" Labor asked. Twilight looked at the doctor. Fear riddled her face, as the question she didn't want to answer, by the pony she didn't want to answer it to, was asked.

"Uhm..." Twilight's voice came to whisper as low as Fluttershy's. "Yes..."

Labor rolled his eyes, keeping the smile on his face. "Zhat doctor never really knew how to keep zhings to himself." Labor walked over to the ingredients.

Twilight watched, as he poured more contents out of the bags, and examined them. "Is it true?" She asked, after a while of watching. Labor didn't look at her, and kept on with his ingredients.

"Hmm... You tell me." He levitated a knife to cut a red plant. The plant was slices easily, and some of its juice stained the knife. Then he held up the knife up at Twilight, and smiled that crooked smile. "Do I look zhe type?"

Twilight was too afraid to answer the question. She feared his reaction, and didn't want to know what would happen if she answered wrong. Labor places the knife back on the table, and continues to examine more plants.

Twilight watched him a bit longer, then walks to the rat, and studies it again. She didn't want to know the answer to that question, but she also wanted to know who he was.

-Canterlot; Celestia's Room-

Celestia looks out into Canterlot from her balcony. Her peaceful little city, full of happy, healthy ponies. If what Labor has said turned out to be true, than this city has a chance of not being happy and healthy for long.

Celestia remembers the last time Celius was about. She remembers it, as her failure, because that's exactly how she sees it. Her failure. She closes her eyes, and tries to think happy thoughts. Thoughts that didn't involve the damned Celius. Thoughts that she was safe in. Thoughts that didn't involve her putrid failure.

Just then, Luna walks out to her. "Sister, are you well?"

Celestia ignores Luna. She doesn't want to involve Luna in her own dismair. Luna sits next to her, and looks out into the city. "It's a great view, isn't it?"

Celestia ignores more. The "great view" will become nothing but filthy air, and dead ponies. Those aren't happy thoughts. Celestia opens her eyes, as she finds it difficult to think happy thoughts in a state of panic.

Luna looks up at her sister, and frowns sympathetically. "You are concerned with Celius."

Again, Celestia remains quiet. Luna was also there. Luna was there to witness Celestia's failure. Luna was there on that faithful day, where Celestia showed she was a coward.

But to Luna, this wasn't a failure. Celestia panicked, and thus could do nothing. Luna does not see a failure. She sees a mistake. A mistake that isn't easily fixed, but not impossible to.

Luna looks out into the city once more. "Tia. Do you believe Labor has spoken truth?"

Celestia looks down at Luna, to which she looks up at her again.

"I hope not." Celestia finally lets out.

"Are we ready, this time?" Luna asked. Celestia looks out at the city again.

"For the sake of our ponies. Labor has to find the cure. We can't let Celius destroy us now." Celestia answers.

-PonyVille; Sweet Apple Acres-

"Ah'm scared, sis..." AppleBloom lays on her bed, sweating, coughing, and spewing blood. Applejack is no different from AppleBloom, as she too has the symptoms.

"Ah know, AppleBloom." Applejack covers her sister with the blanket. "Just get some rest, ah'm sure you'll be fine."

Everyone had heard the pandemic warning. They were advised to stay inside, and that's exactly what they're doing. Applejack was afraid this disease will be more than just meets the eye.

She assured herself, she would comfort the family as best she could if the disease... Did more to them, than just coughs and sweat. Big Mac was eating his favorite apple pie with hay soup downstairs. Granny Smith was doing what she loved best, sewing. And AppleBloom was resting up.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders weren't crusading today.

-Ponyville; SugarCube Corner-

Pinkie Pie had locked herself in her basement. There is a disease going around. Not a good one. There is no way she is coming out without an all clear signal. Either that, or have the coughing stop.

Pinkie had enough supply down there to hold her for about 7 months. If she's lucky, the disease should stop in about 2 weeks. If not, then she'll have no hope, but to join the others in the afterlife.

A knock came from the door. "Pinkie? Are you in there?"

Pinkie was no fool. It was Mrs. and Mr. Cake up there. She knows they've caught the virus, and she is not letting them in so that she can get the virus too.

Pinkie didn't answer. Hopefully, they'll think she isn't home, and leave her alone.

Knocking. "Pinkie? *cough* If you're in there, answer me. Half of all our food is missing, and most of our water is gone too. Pinkie?"

No. She will resist the urge to open. She was all about helping people, and making sure they're safe. Not this time. This time, it's survival for those who can. If this disease kills, it kills them. Not her.

Pinkie isn't coming out, and she sure as hell isn't letting anyone in.

-Canterlot; Laboratory-

Twilight was watching the rat for a while now. Over the time, nothing has changed. She looked over to Labor. Only to realize he was gone. She looked around, nothing.

Twilight still noticed the bag of ingredients, however. Labor left his work unfinished. Where has the doctor gone? Why has he left?

Twilight walked to the ingredients, some of the plants had to juices squeezed out into a beaker. Then she noticed a notebook. It was Labor's journal.

She levitates it to her view. The journal read, "Experiments." On the bottom of the cover, it read, "Since 1945."

Twilight looked around to confirm Labor's sudden dissapearance, and looks at the journal. She knew what she was about to do, and she knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help it, this stallion was mysterious, she had to know who he was. She flipped to a random page.

Page 97. Journal entry 124

Specimen is still trying to ex cape zhe labryinth. It's been 12 days, and he still doesn't find his way out.

I'm surprised he's still alive. Some of the wall has glass, yet when he rubs against it in tight spaces, his wings come out unharmed!

Wings? Labor has tested on a pegasus?

I am going to retest my IronSkin medicine again. The next specimen should-

"Anyzhing interesting?" Labor called out.

Twilight jumped, launching the book in the air. She fumbles with it when it falls, and puts it back down. "Me? Oh, no. I wasn't doing... Anything with anything." Twilight chuckles nervously.

Labor raises an eyebrow, and looks at his journal. Then he looks at Twilight, and walks to her. Twilight shrinks down at his approach, and shrinks down. "P-please don't hurt me..."

Labor stares at her for a while, before smiling. "No harm done." He levitates the the journal. Twilight remains shrunk, and gulps.

Labor then gently smacks her over the head with the journal. Twilight, taking it as a major threat, falls to the ground, shuts her eyes, covers her head, and trembles in intense fear.

"Zhere. Zhat should be punishment enough." Labor levitates the journal in the drawer under te microscope.

Twilight peaked up at him, and sees that he is walking away. She then picks herself up, still trembling. "I'm sorry..."

"It's no big deal. I'm sure you go around reading ponies journals all zhe time." Labor responds. "It's nightfall. You should be heading off to sleep. Celestia has arranged a room for you."

"Wh-what about you?" Twilight asks.

"Vell, zhe cure for Celius isn't going to make itself." Labor responds, walking toward the ingredients.

"You're going to stay up all night?" Twilight asks, to which Labor nods. Then Twilight nods, and gets her saddlebag. She walks outside, and to her reserved room.

-Ponyville; Derpy's residence-

Dr. Whooves sat on a chair in the living room. He carried Dinky in his arms. She was asleep. Dinky always liked to sleep early, as she would have so much energy to spend tomorrow.

Derpy, however. Her energy is out of the question. With Celius within her body, there will be no running around for her.

Dr. Whooves cried, as he knew what was coming. He silently begged a cure to be found quickly. If not, then the next one who dies at Dr. Whooves hospital, will be his own wife.

-Canterlot; Twilight's room-

Twilight walked into her room. Spike was asleep in his little bed. She hadn't heard from him all day. Being to busy with Celius and all.

Just then, a knock came from the door. "Who is it?" Twilight called out.

"It is Celestia."

"Oh... Please, come in, princess." Twilight stood up at, and bowed at Celestia's entrance.

"I am here to see if you are doing well, Twilight." Celestia pointed out.

"I am doing well, princess." Twilight said, getting up from her bowed position.

"Good." Celestia said. "I'd like if my number one student was comfortable."

Twilight let out a smile. "I'm very comfortable, thank you."

Celestia smiles in return. "I am ever grateful with your contribution to help stop Celius. After last time, we cannot let it loose again."

"What happened last time?" Twilight asked. Celestia pulled a frown, and closed her eyes. Twilight saw the sorrow, and regretted the question. "Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's fine, Twilight." Celestia said."You must know, since you are helping with the cure."

Twilight say, and attentively listened. She wanted to know anything, and everything she can get from Celius.

Celestia let out air. "I will tell you what happened."

Right after these messages!