The Great Equestrian Virus

Everypony was now present, on the eastern side of town as previously agreed, the mane six and their families, along with Celestia and Discord were standing at the front, the other ponies of the town were just behind, unable to stand still, most of them stood on the spot, hooves stamping the ground repetitively in an uneasy stance. They were preparing to leave, making sure everypony was present. They were.

"Everypony. We will be marching by day and sleeping by night, we have food wagons with enough supplies for nearly three years so we have ample provisions. Please stay as one group and if you see any sign of another pony report it to a nearby guard. Ponies may be hostile so be wary. I have told you already what we are facing so be on the look out at all times. Ponies, head to Ponyton." Princess Celestia announced to the town, they all began to walk along the road, some looking back and around at their now empty homes. Twilight turned to join in looking, and noticed a single, small pony walking around on it's own. Twilight paused, Celestia saw the lavender princess stop and she also saw the pony. It was walking toward the townsponies. A few other ponies began to appear, they were too far away to recognize but were getting closer. One began to run, tripping and falling. Then getting up and continuing. None of the ponies on the march mad a sound, until they got nearer, the front one made a low, loud moan. Celestia froze completely. Twilight saw this and panicked.

"Move!" She shouted, the ponies nearby saw the two princesses panicked looks and screamed out, then began to run, more and more joined the stampede. Discord appeared next to Twilight and as she stood she noticed her friends appear too.

"What in the hay is wrong with that poor pony?" Applejack asked. If they stopped to count then the group would've known there were now over a hundred ponies walking toward them.

"The creatures that murdered my sister. Run!" Celestia shouted, the group began to run with the Ponyvillian herd and as they did, the ponies in the town also took a gallop. Growling and groaning as they did. Twilight's heart was racing, she took flight, among many of the other Pegasi. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Celestia were already in the air. Rainbow paused in flight to look at the ponies running, they over took the cyan Pegasus, a few jumped at her but were out of range, the main horde however raced at the townsponies. Twilight flow over the group and cast cloud standing spells on ponies, mainly her friends, then began to cast a teleport on the ponies to the clouds above. However even her magic was limited, she watched as ponies began to get grabbed and bitten, screams of pain and panic filled the air. Twilight realised, you couldn't outrun them, close combat was out of the question, all you could do was fly. Then something came to her. Clouds, surely the cloud Pegasi cities were safe? If they could get there, then maybe ponykind could regroup, rebuild and figure out how to deal with this. Twilight came back to reality and saw her friends were on clouds, along with half a dozen other ponies, Lyra, Derpy Hooves, Rose Luck, and others. But a good deal of those hundreds of ponies below weren't so lucky. Everypony was in pure chaos and panic. Dead and dying everywhere. A few spells were being fired but to no effect. The corrupt ponies just kept on coming. Twilight decided to cast a few pot shots. Most actually missing but one hit. One lucky shot and the spell hit. Right on one ponies head, the spell exploded on impact sending blood and brains flying. The now headless body dropped, not moving. That was it, the only way to take these creatures out. Was to destroy the head. Cut the body off from the only thing active, the brain.

"Shoot the head! Aim for the brain!" Twilight shouted, still standing on the cloud with her friends. A few of the trees were now moving and alive, thanks to Discord, and were helping take on the dead. But due to not attacking the head, the trees weren't affecting them at all. Limbs were ripped off and bones broken, yet still. They. Came. The screams echoed through the day, all they could do was take pot shots from a cloud, and watch hundreds die. They should have left sooner. Should have done something. The battle, if it could be called that, went well into the day and into the night. Many ponies fleeing in all directions, the dead following. By morning, only twenty-three bodies littered the ground, among various limbs and bits of flesh and gore. Meaning hundreds of corrupt ponies were somwhere out there. In the forests, the towns, and spreading. Fast.

"We need to leave." Celestia said, it was early morning now, the princess had found the magic and time to raise and lower both sun and moon and was tired, they all were.

"We can't, not until we rest." Rarity said, sobbing. Her sister was curled up next to her, crying deeply. Applejack hadn't said a word, her brother and Granny Smith had been down there. In fact, Granny Smith was one of the actual dead. Her left foreleg ripped off and head cut apart, the jaw still biting the air. Applebloom was safe, and was likewise crying into her sisters coat. Scootaloo was with Rainbow, also crying. The cyan Pegasus had taken her eyes off Twilight since the beginning of the fight. Spike was also on the cloud. Pacing up and down the marshmallow texture of the cloud.

"Fine. We rest here, then head to Cloudsdale. It should be safe there. Twilight, renew their cloud walking spells and get some sleep." Celestia ordered.

"What about you princess?" Twilight asked, she attempted that sentence twice before she could actually say it without sobbing.

"I'm not tired." Celestia replied quietly, no emotion in her voice. Twilight cast the spells.