This was it. Three years have passed since Radiant Skyline has had a breath of fresh air. Three years since she has been able to see the vast sky that she loved. Today was the day she finally journeyed outside after a zombie epidemic had hit Ponyville. The epidemic was spread through Ponyville, Manehattan, and Canterlot. Twisted Shadow, a very evil, sinister, and mad stallion created this disease in his small kingdom. Once he tested it, he knew it was perfect. He gave it to all the ponies in his kingdom, creating a ungodly army of the undead.
When Celestia had found out, she sent out an army to defeat them. Nearly one hundred stallions went, sadly, only eleven returned. They warned Celestia, telling her it was too dangerous and that it wasn’t worth it. She knew they were right. Still, she had to do everything she could to protect the ponies of Equestria. Doing so without the help of her sister, Luna. Fighting alongside Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, who would not let the Goddess fight alone, Celestia ended up killing off a good hundred infected and helping Ponyville, until she realized, they were coming from the direction of Manehattan also.
Sky never thought she would lose her friends, but she realized the impossible can happen. Soon enough, she was separated from her friends and forced to stay at a Bio-hazard Home or 'HH' (Hazard Home was what everypony called them.) near her residence, which wasn’t even in good condition like the others down near Sweet Apple Acres. Her home was an improvised shelter, it was not nearly as luxurious or safe.
She had been locked up at this Home since the year 2022 taking care of the injured ponies and watching over orphaned fillies. Many were very young, some still unable to talk. She loved them all dearly, they were like her children. Many ponies stayed in this HH. Until recently.
“Everypony is gone.”
Many of the fillies died in her arms throughout the years, and others who grew up to be almost or even full grown stallions and mares went crazy and either ran off into the 'World of the Dead' to get eaten alive or committed suicide.
She couldn’t think of it anymore.
Sky slowly pushed open the HH's door, remembering in extreme detail the day when a filly and her parents left the stable. The day that she watched her favorite filly get eaten alive by zombies that were once ponies who were so kind and loving. She can still hear the sweet filly’s screams of pain and horror as she pleaded for Sky to come save her.
Sky couldn’t move. She stood in the doorway, watching as the filly that meant the most to her cried out, begging for mercy with no one there to help her. Slowly, the zombies bit and tore at the filly. Some bite marks showing all the way down to the bone. The beautiful lavender mane was being torn at to get to the skull of the sweet intelligent filly. She screamed and kicked, but it was of no use. Sky didn’t blink. She watched the filly’s parents get away with a few cuts. They didn’t even try to save their beautiful daughter who could have remained alive if they'd let her stay with Sky. She had begged the parents to let her stay but they wouldn’t allow it.
With her blood everywhere and the poor filly ripped apart, the zombies made their way for the Home's door. Sky looked at the ground, tears streaming down her face. Another pony pushed Sky away and slammed the metal doors shut.
As she now reopened the door, Sky braced herself for the worst. She closed her eyes and stepped out, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes to the horrid destruction that was placed before her. The once beautiful Ponyville, wrecked. Decaying bodies of ponies scattered everywhere. Buildings destroyed and most places still on fire after all the years.
Sky walked slowly out of the Home in shock at what she saw. With tears forming in her eyes, she walked towards the homes of her friends. The houses, still standing but broken up in places, were all deserted. Tears streaming down her face, Sky ran towards her own home, tripping and fumbling over her own hooves and those of dead ponies on the ground. She could still hear ponies yelling for help and screaming in agony, but she couldn’t see them. Some of these “diseased” ponies were still around, but they were terribly slow. Once she reached her home, she stood in dismay at what stood in front of her. Her house was half gone.
“Goddesses above...”
She could barely walk up to her door without her knees buckling and falling to the ground. But, she toughened up and she walked through what would have been her doorway and explored her home.
Crying, she looked through the bottom half of her house. She looked at the bits and pieces of furniture almost unable to recognize it. She ventured up the stairs, cautiously stepping on each step. She searched everywhere, saving her bedroom for last. She found a few things in her house that she figured she should take with her.
Once she finished the other rooms, she stared at her bedroom door. Trying her hardest to hold back the tears, she pushed open the half of her door that was left and trudged into her room. Some things were still burning a bit, others were broken or unrecognizable. Except the picture in the frame dangling from the wall. The glass on the frame was cracked and the edges were a bit burnt but not too bad. Sky walked over to the picture and took it from the wall, placing it in her bag as a few tears fell from her golden eyes.
Her mane fell in front of her face as she walked slowly to her bed. As she reached her bed she blew her mane out of her face. She grabbed a small blanket and threw it over herself and quickly, but carefully left her home and started on her journey to find her friends through the craziness of what was set ahead of her, in the year of 2026.
The night was cold and the atmosphere was haunting. The moonless sky hung over Sky’s head. She trudged along wearily, staying close to buildings for some light from the fires still burning. The world seemed motionless and dead as if nothing was left. But there was a lot left, mainly the creatures from hell.
“Just keep your eyes on the ground and walk.”
The night grew colder and the sky was darker with every step she took. Sky half-heartedly trotted into the nearest building. She cleared a spot on the floor and laid down with her bag next to her. Placing the blanket over her she huddled into the darkness, hoping to stay away from the gaping hole in the wall which could expose her. She turned her head to look through the floor boards, exposing the broken roof showing the sky, which has finally decided to clear a bit to show the moon. She smiled up at it, she felt a bit safer now that she could see it.
Almost asleep, the mare yawned and rolled onto her side. As she did so she was startled by a soft whisper. The whisper was in an ancient voice. It was a Latin lullaby. Luna. She smiled when she realized the Goddess of the Night was watching over her. As she drifted off into a gentle slumber she whispered a 'thank you' to the caring Alicorn.
Sky awoke in tears. Why? She wasn’t sure. She stretched and went to turn when she heard a whimper from behind her. She turned to see a small filly. Grey with a blue and light purple mane with a tattered sun faded red cape. She giggled at the sight of the filly that was cuddled up against her. She carefully placed the blanket over the filly and got up to stretch out her legs. When she returned, the filly had awoken and was crying.
“Miss please forgive me. I was wandering alone last night and needed a place to sleep, I saw you and you seemed very lonely. Plus, I was cold and, and, and, I'm just so sorry!”
“Don’t be sorry sugar cube. Its okay. You can stay as long as you would like.”
“No ma’am I’ll go. I’m very sorry.”
With that the filly got up and started to limp away. Sky ran to her and stopped her, placing a wing around her and kissing the top of her head.
“Come here darlin’.”
She took the filly back to where they had slept and opened her bag, retrieving the bandages she brought with her from her home. She wrapped the filly's hooves and smiled at her.
“Thank you so much Miss.”
“Don’t worry about it, sugar cube.” Sky smiled sweetly at the filly. “So whats your name hun?”
“Um, Lavender Bubble.” Bubble responded quietly.
“That's a lovely name!”
“Um, th-thank you.”
“Now, do me a favor and don’t go anywhere without me please?”
The filly hugged Sky tightly and sniffled. Sky folded the blanket and placed it into her bag. She handed the filly an apple she had from the HH and smiled brightly.
“Eat this. I have a few more to last us a day or two.”
The filly nodded and practically devoured the apple in seconds. Sky laughed at the filly and got up, gesturing for the filly to follow. The filly tossed the apple core on the ground and followed Sky.
The sky was bright but had its occasional cloud. If it wasn’t for the destruction all around them and all of the corpses, you would think it was just another day in Equestria, but it hasn't been like that in years. The filly stayed close to Sky. Every once in a while a small spark from the filly’s horn would appear and confuse Sky. As they searched for another house that wasn’t in horrible condition, they took a break to rest.
As they sat on the floor of the living room Sky went through what she had in her bag.
“Brush. 7 apples. Blanket. Bandages….”
She paused as she pulled out the picture of her and her friends. The filly got up and trotted over to her. She looked at the picture and then at Sky.
“Who are they?”
“These are my friends. This is Midnight Dash. I’m sure you know Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. Right?”
“Yeah I do. Can you tell me about the stallion?”
“I don’t see why not. Midnight was a very….special somepony.”
She smiled as she remembered Midnight. They had been together for almost a year when the epidemic hit.
“Tell me more about him!”
“He was very strong. Funny too. Last time I saw him was a long time ago. About 4 years…”
She trailed off and put the picture away.
“Uh. Miss Skyline…”
“Yeah swe-“
Sky was cut off by a half growl type sound and I turned around to see three of the infected ponies slowly making their way towards them.
“Don’t. Move.”
She started putting their stuff back in the bag and got up slowly. Putting Bubble on her back, Sky spread her wings and started to fly as fast as she could away from where they where. Sky stumbled to the ground after a few minutes of flying. She turned and looked back, spotting nothing behind them, she sighed in relief. Bubble and Sky got up and realized they weren’t too far from Sweet Apple Acres. They gathered their stuff and ran down towards Sweet Apple Acres and found a HH that’s metal doors weren't closed.
“It’s deserted Bubble.”
“Can we rest here for a second Sky?”
“Sure. I’ll look around to see if they have supplies.”
As Sky searched the HH she found a few things she found useful. She found a bow and arrow, a small dagger, and a gun. There was more food and a small blanket. Sky walked around a bit more in silence. Bubble never really talked. After Sky finished looking around she took Bubble up onto a higher part of the HH and prepared a slightly nicer bed for them. She brushed out Bubble’s mane as she sang the lullaby her mother sang to her in her sleep.
Later that night Sky got up to stretch her wings. She made sure Bubble was safe before she left and she stayed close to the HH they were in. She took the picture of her and her friends with her and flew up onto the roof of the HH and laid down, looking at the picture. She closed her eyes as she remembered her special somepony. She remembered the last Hearts and Hooves Day they spent together. She shed a small tear at the memory of Midnight Dash.
“Sweet Celestia. Please keep him safe.”
As she finished her sentence she heard Bubble whimper and flew back into the HH. She placed the picture into her bag and walked over to the small filly. When she was almost to her she saw something crawling into the shadows. She ran over to the filly and shook her, not taking her eyes off the corner.
“Bubble wake up. Wake up! We have to go!”
“Just five more minutes”
“Bubble we can't wait longer than that.”
With that Bubble quickly opened her eyes. They got their things put together and Sky put Bubble back on her back. As she went to fly down to the bottom half of the HH she was startled by a loud half growl, half screech and flew into a wall. Once recovering their balance the mares looked up and screamed in terror at the small circle of the infected surrounding them. They exchanged looks of terror as the infected closed in on them. Bubble as old as she was started crying and stood as close to Sky as she could, shaking in fear. Sky tried her hardest to comfort her but almost broke into a flow of emotions when Bubble looked up at her with tearful blue eyes and whispered to her.
“Mommy. We aren’t gonna die are we?”