Ponies Of The Dead.

"What a scumbag."

"Better get them, before they get you Tavi."

"You know,"

Bang!

"When you said,

Bang!

"Lets go on the Canterlot Airship cruise. This is not what I had in mind Vinyl." Octavia pulled the trigger again. "Well would you rather die in the crash?" Vinyl retorted as she looked through her binoculars.

"Great, I'm stuck on an island and worse, with you." she joked.

Bang!

"Bravo." Vinyl said as the last of the dead ponies dropped to the ground. Octavia stood up and sighed loudly making it obvious, she reached her hooves to her flanks and rubbed them.

"What are you doing?" Vinyl was confused, she had never seen Octavia act like this before. Well not until a few hours ago anyway.

"I've been sitting on my rump all morning. They feel numb." Octavia stretched and yawned. "You know, I could massage 'em for you." Vinyl said with a goofy smile.

"I would let you, were you a better sniper than me." She smiled back. "Aw... Come on, it's not even your gun. Beside my horn can out-accurate your gun any day." she boasted.

"Guess your not feeling my flanks then." Octavia giggled at the word 'out-accurate' which did not exist. Vinyl face went into a blank stare. "grrr! How do ponies even get bit here anyway? The only way to this island is airship!"

"Yes, but do you see any ponies that a not of the undead? Where are they coming from, this island is not populated enough to have this many get infected." Octavia said.

"Who cares just keep killing those bucking zombies. I need a beer. You want anything?" Vinyl said.

"White wine, anything will do." Octavia responded.

"White? How many colors are there?"

"Oh, Vinyl. You and I should go to Ponyville one day."

"Why, you have fillyfooler I don't know about?"

"Something of that nature." Octavia said.

***

"Achoo!" Nurse Redheart sneezed.

"Exactly! That's why we should secure a safe place first and make moves together as a team." Stryker spoke in a manipulative fashion, he place his front hoof to his chest. "isn't that why you chose me as your leader. Truly, we should seclude ourselves and wait for safety to come and thus assure our survival." Awkward silence passed for a few seconds as only a snoring dragon could be heard.

Clop Clop Clop. Rarity clopped her hooves in amazement.

"Spike. Wake up." Twilight nudged Spike with her hoof, "Oh, hey Twilight. Is it morning already?"

"Yes, and Stryker Malt-House has been giving a speech the entire time throughout the night." she smiled.

"What is it?"

"Your drooling." she pointed and Spike quickly wiped his mouth with his claw. Stryker's speech continued.

"Were still in the same place?" Spike gasped.

"We have to wait for help. Soon enough another train will come along, they are sure to have some replacement tracks. Then we will be in Appleoosa faster than Rainbow Dash." Twilight told Spike.

"Hey, I heard that!" Rainbow said yelled from the front of the carraige, Stryker's was ongoing.

"Anyway, look over there!" she pointed out the window in the direction where Canterlot would have been. Spike saw a very thick fog in the far distance. "I bet the Princess' have set a illusion spell to keep the infected out of Canterlot." Twilight said.

"Secluding themselves?" Spiked asked.

"Yes, just like Stryker said. All though I don't think even he knows it yet." Twilight looked over to Stryker who was standing over Rarity and another unnamed pony. Stryker placed his tongue at the base of Rarity's horn and licked from the base to the very tip. Rarity moaned in pleasure and clopped her hooves together as he finished another section of his speech.

"Gross." Twilight shivered and turned away. "You know this all happened over night."

"should I interrupt them?" Spike placed a claw on his crossbow and gave an evil grin.

"Forget the perverted Stallion and slutty spa goers. I could have talked to Caramel about this but he's not here."

"Yeah, what a shame... You still like him don't you?" Spike stared out the window back the huge city covered with thick fog.

"What? No. Don't be ridiculous." Twilight said swiftly as she waved her hooves. Rainbow Dash was stading in front of her.

"What?" Twilight sounded frustrated.

"I'm getting worried about Caramel and Fluttershy. I hope they stay safe until we get to Appleoosa." Dash said.

***

Kaboom!

"This is crazy. The entire town has turned into hell." Caramel said as he saw three living ponies defending themselves from infected. "You have to flap your wings like never before!" Caramel turned his head and looked at Fluttershy who nodded.

With great effort Fluttershy flapped her wings faster than she had ever been able to, the scooter gained speed fast enough to pass the three bandit ponies. One of them was using Unicorn magic to light houses on fire and burn them down, the other attacking zombies with a meat cleaver and the last who was shooting in every direction with a large gun. Caramel did not know anything about guns, and he certainly did not know that the stallion with the Shotgun could easily wound or kill him.

A fireball came hurling towards them from the unicorn just missing Fluttershy. Shots were fired towards them missing every time. "What? We're not those horrible monsters." Fluttershy spoke. "I don't think they care, the whole towns gone mad. We can't trust anypony."

"We can't trust anypony." Fluttershy's voice trailed off as they gained a large distance between themselves and their attackers.

***

"I know we're no longer in Ponyville, but I hope that you all know that we can withstand anything as long as we stay safe, together!" Stryker's speech was never ending. "We have pride! Pride as a group! A family! And realize this my dear ponies. Caramel and Fluttershy were unfit to join our herd."

"Somepony kill him before I feed him to the Zombies myself." Twilight said to Rainbow Dash. "You read my mind. Sounds like he's recruiting for a cult." she replied.

"I think it may be. It doesn't just sound like it, it is. Look at those slobbering mules, I've never seen Rarity this entranced before." Twilight said. "I need to get out of here."

"Well with the tracks broken, we've got nowhere to go. We'll have to give up our ride and walk to Appleloosa. We could walk until we find another rope bridge to cross or follow the broken tracks to the rail bridge. We're still supposed to meet up with Caramel, Plus it'll give me a chance to stretch my wings!" she spread her wings.

"You sure seem worried about Caramel, are you not worried about Fluttershy too?" Twilight said as she looked quizzically at Rainbow Dash.

"Of course, but she can fly to safety. Caramel can't. So all I need to be worried about is myself and Caramel really. Don't really care about any other pony." she wore a fake smile. "Is that so?" Twilight's lip twitched.

"Yep, just look at me. I'm so awesome that if anypony will make it to Canterlot alive, it's going to be me right." Rainbow boasted and flexed her wings again.

"ahaha." Twilight's faked a laugh with no enthusiasm.

"So, what do we do about the broken tracks?" Redheart interjected.

"Depends, are you up for a walk?" Twilight said.

"Well, I don't really have any family. So I'm happy to follow you to Canterlot. Besides that Stryker pony, I think he is kind of a douchebag." Twilight looked at Rainbow as giggled softly at what Nurse Redheart just said.

"So what do we do?" Rainbow asked.

"We really should check the bridges first." Twilight answered.

"Whats the matter everyone, we need to work togeth-" Stryker turned to the front of the carriage.

"Thanks for the offer Stryker. But I think we will pass on this one." Twilight interrupted him. "We've got our own plans."

"I see." Stryker said quietly then placed his hooves together. "If that's what you've decided then go right ahead. I won't stop you Twilight Sparkle. How could I? This is a free country, not a Iron maned dictatorship. However." he licked his lips like a snake.

"You will have to stay behind, Nurse Redheart." she looked at him with a nervous frown. "Loosing the only pony with any medical training would be a major blow to the current situation, there isn't another town for miles. Would you please stay, what'd you say?" he slowly stepped forward decreasing the space between them. "There are other ponies who are relying on your medical expertise." he got closer and closer.

Fwsh

An arrow passed by Stryker's cheek just close enough to cut him. The arrow hit the seat behind him, an unnamed pony gasped.

"You... You shot at me?"

"I missed you on purpose. Douchebag." Spike spoke.

"B-B-But..." he stuttered "You're not a violent dragon."

"Violent? Ha! Do you know how many ponies I've killed since yesterday? And I would not hesitate to kill you too, nothing we know is normal anymore. That's why I'm able to kill now! I can even kill living ponies too." he raised his crossbow pointing it at Stryker.

"If your leaving, now's that time to do it." Spike said to Twilight.

"humph. I'm impressed." Rainbow Dash said as she turned around and leaped out the door onto the desolate landscape, Redheart followed.

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked. "Positive." Spike replied. "Come on Rarity, We're leaving!"

"You may certainly well do so, but I'm staying with Stryker." Rarity said leaving Spike in total shock.

"What? No! You can't stay with him, he manipulates you! You'll end up like those zombies if you take his advice." Spike rose his voice.

"No spike, he cares for these ponies. Even if Twilight did find Celestia, what are the odds of her not being infected? Besides he treats us as equals and does not go off galavanting." Rarity words were like a harsh slap across his face.

"But Rarity..."

"But nothing Spike, I'm staying with Stryker Malt-House." Rairty said as she trotted up to Stryker side.

"Thank you Rarity for proving my point." Stryker said as he leaned in to kiss her. As their lips touched, she quickly closed her eyes and opened her mouth a little, feeling Stryker mimic her. He shuddered as Rarity's tongue lightly caressed the edge of his lips, poking into his mouth.

"Rarity? No..."

"Come on Spike, she has betrayed us, betrayed Equestria." Twilight said to Spike who wiped a tear away from his face then jumped onto Twilight's back.

***

"Caramel, it's the same, every rope bridge to the station i-"

"I know Fluttershy, but if all of them are the same and we haven't seen a train yet, then that means that the only way Twilight and the others can get across the canyon is to come across the rail bridge." Caramel said.

"We need to meet them at the station. That's where they'll be." Caramel said not knowing how wrong he was.

"I wish there was-"

"Well there isn't, ok." Caramel interrupted again. "So there's no use bringing it up again."

I'm so sorry Big Mac

Fwsh

"Ah. gunshot!" Fluttershy panicked and hid behind Caramel. He looked around and saw nothing except for a few most likely empty water barrels and a broken wooden cart.

"No, that was a...Wings to the wins Shy!" without hesitation Fluttershy obeyed and flapped her wings with incredible speed.

"Caramel! Look ahead!" she said

"I know, faster!" he yelled

"We won't make it."

"Yes we will!"

I hope so.

With incredible speed the scooter came to a flat area and in front of them a broken cart making the perfect wooden ramp for them to attempt to cross the canyon.

"Here we go!"

Crap, crap, crap.

***

Fwsh

"Uh maybe we were better staying on the train with Stryker." Redheart whimpered.

"Hold on weren't you the pony who said he was a douchebag?" Twilight said as used her magic to throw a dead pony down the canyon.

"As a matter of fact I did, he wouldn't be the first douchebag I've been stuck on a train with." she put her hood to her chin. Dead ponies groaning from all directions as she ignored them, "Give us a little help?" Spike said as he shot another arrow. "I'm almost out of arrows."

"Do you wanna borrow this?" Rainbow said as she showed her makeshift sword to him.

"I'm not good with claw to hoof combat." he replied.

"I can't say the same, I'm totally awesome at it!" Rainbow said as she flicked the sword around her killing more of the groaning attackers in her way.

"Ahh!" Redheart panicked and knocked into Twilight sending them both to the dirt.

"Twilight!" Spike shouted.

Out of the corner of their eyes Rainbow Dash and Spike saw Caramel and Fluttershy crossing the canyon on the scooter they found, high in the air Fluttershy was putting all effort into her wings.

"Holy Shit." They said in unison as they watched Caramel land with a harsh thud.

We made it?

The scooter skidded on its side only just maintaining balance, Fluttershy lashed her weapon at several walking dead in the process knocking them flying with great force. The scooter regained traction and moved forward again.

"Spike!" Caramel shouted as he threw the revolver from his satchel to him. It flew through the air directly at Spike, successfully he caught it in his claw.

"Hehe." He grinned as his eyes widened. Two bullets passed Caramels face is if in slow motion killing two attackers behind Caramel. "Double tap, baby." he raised it again and shot another dead pony. With Caramel and Fluttershy still speeding forward, Caramel reached out his hoof.

"Give me your hoof Rainbow!" he yelled. Rainbow Dash smiled and raised her hoof just in time. Caramel turned the scooter allowing Fluttershy to apply more speed. Rainbow Dash let go of Caramels hoof and began spinning out of control. A rainbow vortex surrounded her as she knocked out all the undead in her path, the large rainbow vortex came to a slow pace and stopped. "Now that! Was awesome!" Several seconds passed before she collapsed and put a hoof to her head.

"Amazing!" Redheart said.

"I'm. So. Awesome." Dash laid dizzy, on the dirt.

"They sure were tough to beat."

"Tough for everypony but you maybe." Twilight soullessly said.

"Nurse Redheart! I'm so glad your okay!" Fluttershy ran up to her a hugged her.

"Fluttershy! Your safe! What of coinsident."

"I think you mean what a coincidence." her voice muffled by Redhearts mane.

"You too Caramel!" Redheart smiled at him.

"This must mean that all the bridges to the Station are out then? Aww that sucks!" Dash complained as she rose to her hooves.

"Yeah we will have to walk." disappointment was obvious in his voice.

I hate walking.

"I have to confess something to you, I'm so glad that your okay." She smiled at him, Fluttershy's face filled with jealousy as she overheard them.

"What about me?" Twilight prodded him in the side with her horn.

"I-I'm glad your okay too Twilight. All off you." he smiled at her. "Spike, What are you doin'?" he looked over to Spike. "Caramel! What is this? How did you get it? Where are the extra bullets? It's the revolvers, the M37 that the Sherif uses! Right!" Spike said as if a thousand Hearths Warming's had come in a single day.

***

"We left the train cause the tracks were broken, but we still can't cross the canyon." Rainbow spoke.

"Well we were on the right side but, we need a ramp to jump the scooter over again. So we will have to stay on this side of Appleloosa until we walk far enough to find the rail bridge. All the rope bridges have broke and fallen to the bottom of the canyon."

"I know! It's been such a long stressful day lets call in a day." Redheart chimed in and put her hooves together.

"What do you mean call it a day?" Spike inquired.

"Of course, after I was a medic in the war, I used to visit a friend of mine here in Appleloosa all the time." She smiled again.

"A stallion mate of yours?" Asked Twilight.

"No. Nothing like that." she waved her forelegs around. "Just an old friend, she won't be there, she's touring the country right now."

"Is it tall? Does it have a good view of the surroundings?" Spike asked.

"Yes! It has two levels. And a big car too, she drove it in the war. Almost the size of a tank"

"I have a turtl-"

"Tortoise." Fluttershy corrected Rainbow

"Whatever, I haven a tortoise called Tank. I hope I remembered to feed him." she put a hoof to her chin a thought hard.

"Well as long as we can take a bath, I don't think I've ever felt dirtier in my life." Twilight said in a seductive tone.

Mouth watering.

"I couldn't agree more." Caramel looked over to her, Twilight turned with a wink. Caramels shoulder pained as Fluttershy clubbed him lightly with her foreleg. "What?"

"Well, let's go check it out then." Spike said.

***

"Woah! Two levels? Redheart! This pace is a fortress!" Spike shouted.

"What kind of mare is this pony anyway?" Twilight asked.

"We met in the war. I told you."

"Grrrrr" A horde of dead ponies were approaching behind them. "Caramel, will this work?" Twilight handed Caramel a large crowbar.

"I'm sure it will be just fine." he took it from her hooves. "Let's go!"

Looking back, it seemed like that when we all changed. We weren't just all running away anymore, we were attacking first to survive. We didn't question it, it just became instinct. And it became the only thing we knew, it didn't take that long.