Shellshock

Name: Crimson Dream

Rank: -

Date: 2/27/2014

time: 1430 Hours (2:30 pm)

Location: Manehatten, Eden University

"And that class, is why-", the professor was cut off as the bell rang, signaling the end of the day.

The class let out a collective sigh of relief as they wouldn't have to listen to the professor droning on and on about reproduction.

“You all have one week to turn in your reports on mammal reproduction. Any reports that are late will not be accepted, dismissed.” The professor announced just as class ended. “Mr. Dream, A word, now, if you would.”

Crimson Dream was a dark blue bat pony with yellow eyes, a black mane with a thin light blue stripe in the center. He was wearing a dark green EU (Eden University) sweatshirt.

He nervously walked toward what was actually more of a stool than a chair before setting his binder on the floor. He nervously stomped his hooves as the professor pulled several stapled pieces of paper out of his desk. He handed the papers to Crimson then slumped back in his chair, rubbing his eyes as if he was disappointed. The papers he handed him was his last report I turned in about plant genetics, and how they reproduced. I was about to speak before his hoof signaled him to stop. “Mr. Dream, the last report was supposed to be about the reproduction of fish. You gave me this shit instead.” He pointed disgustingly at the small stack of stapled papers that Crimson held.

“I uhh…”

“Uhhhhh.” He mocked. “Uhhhh is no excuse, you failed the assignment. Though I have to say it was well written, but it’s not what I asked. Hopefully you’ll be able to recognize your mistake and not do it on the present assignment.”

“But I couldn’t fi-”

“But? No, the grade is final and I will not hesitate to fail your next assignment if needed, dismissed.”

Pissed off at his teacher, he grabbed his book off the floor and trotted out of the room angrily.

I bet Passion never had to deal with this bullshit, muttered to himself.

Passion Dream was his 15 year old sister. The two were the best of friends and both was devastated when Crimson left for college but wrote to each other constantly.

Dear Celestia I miss them.

XxX

Date: 2/27/2014

Time: 1525 Hours (3:25 pm)

Location: Bronco Bridge, Manehatten

"Our first target..." The Alpha said while standing in the outskirts of Manehatten. His legion has changed drastically: No longer were they merely phantoms. They were now muscular, canine-like being that only wanted blood.

"My brothers... Today is the day we make our presence known.... We will take this city, then the next one and the one after until Celestia's head is mounted on the top of Canterlot Castle!" He screeched.

The army behind him howled in delight in the though of a blood bath.

"Now by legion. Rise, go forth and take the city!", He roared as the army stamped towards the city.

XxX

Date: 2/27/2014

Time: 1549 Hours (3:49 pm)

Location: Royal Marine Outpost: Whiskey 4-4, Manehatten

A sniper team of the Royal Force Reconnaissance Marines were facing the worst enemy of all... boredom.

An elite, recon team and a sniper element at that was stuck in the most boring places in Equestria. While other Hunter teams such as 2-1, 2-3 were active duty, Hunter 2-2 was the only reserve team in the entire Royal Marines.

"Alright, so what's going on in the city?", asks Master Sergeant "Snoop". He was a gunmetal grey unicorn with a green tinted coat and a silver and gold mane.

"The usual sir, crime is up four percent, police have their hooves full, and we're just doing the same shit. Over and over again," sighs Corporal 'Blood Raven', she was the only female in the entire military that was in a direct combat role. Her pink mane and blood red coat with a pink tint. She eased up a bit as her coltfriend embraced her from behind.

"Da this is true. But at least we are together," sighs 'Black Cloud', a Rushian thestral with a black coat and tail.

"Hey hold up... That's weird... oh shit," gasps 'Snoop'.

"What?" asks 'Black Cloud'.

""We have a large mass coming straight for us! Sound the alarm and keep the civvies safe!" orders 'Snoop'.

"OORAH!" his team yelled before arming up and heading out,

XxX

Date: 2/27/2014

Time: 1625 Hours (4:25 pm)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

As the young, bat pony traveled the halls to get to his room. He tried to avoid crowds, seeing that he was the only bat pony at Eden. Many would consider him a social outcast if it wasn't for his marefriend, Diamond.

As he made it to his door and unlocked his room, he felt a soft pair of hooves cover his eyes and butterfly kisses on the back of his neck.

"Guess who~", the voice whispered seductively.

He chuckled. That sweet voice always brightening his day.

"Hey, baby," he said before turning around and kissing her passionately. As he pulled away, her white coat bore a deep blush as he ran a hoof through her long blue mane which was separated by her horn. She looked back at him with those soft, deep blue eyes that he fell in love with two years ago in high school.

"You know what today is right?" she asked as she started planting kisses around his mouth.

"Our anniversary?" he asked. His breathing became ragged as desire coursed through his veins.

"Mhm," she hummed before pushing his door open and backing into the bed.

She leaned up, wrapping her fore legs around his neck, pulling herself up nose to nose with him.  She planted a series of quick gentle kisses along his jawline, before meeting his lips with her own.  Their kiss was slow and deliberate.  Neither of them wanting to rush.  An almost electric tingle ran through Crimson as it always did from her touch.  He didn't know if it was because of her magic, or because of her being...her.  It didn't matter...

"I need this; it’s been too long..." Diamond said huskily.

Standing over him flushed, his wings beating in uncontrolled skips and jumps from the anticipation. He smiled up as she stood over him, and rolled quickly up onto his knees. His forelegs wrapped around her tight rear, pulling her forward briskly.

"Mmm, five whole weeks, far too long..."

After this she fell silent, he kissed and licked her trim, flat stomach, slowly working his way lower inch by achingly slow inch.

The two made love for hours without a break. The two laid basking in the afterglow until somepony threw the door open, effectively killing the mood.

"Hey! Didn't you two hear? Manehattens being attacked!"

XxX

Date: 2/27/2014

Time: 2055 Hours (7:00 pm)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

Crimson was trotting in a rushed pace with Diamond to the gymnasium.

"Are you sure this is happening?" asked Crimson.

"Yeah bro! We have to get to the gym to get our families and get back to our rooms," his friend replied.

"Alright," he said before turning to Diamond, "You're gonna stay with me and my family right?"

"Yeah, my family's out of town so they should be safe for now," she said.

"Alright cool, so now we just gotta-" Crimson was cut of by a door opening and smashing him in the face.

"Shit! Sorry, I-", a deep, strong voice said.

As Crimson's vision cleared he saw his family: His father, Lumber Dream, was a muscular, dark blue bat pony black mane with a short, slick mane pointing to the right and a green stripe on the right side. He was wearing a red plaid shirt and had a ax strapped to his back. His sister, Passion Dream, a dark blue filly with a long smooth, curvy mane that was black with a red stripe on right side, was on her father's left. And finally his mother: Seamstress Dream, like everypony else in her family, she to had  blue coat with a long silver mane.

"Mom, Dad? what are y'all doing here?" Crimson asked as his mother picked him up and started dusting him off.

"We were ordered by the Marines to meet up here. Do you have any idea what's going on?" his father asked.

"No, but Beaker here said that we were under attack." Dream motioned to his friend.

"So is this everypony? We're going to your room right?" Seamstress asked.

"Yeah, we are. Diamond and Beaker are staying with us." Dream said.

As the group pushed through the crowd, they made out bits and pieces of information as to what was going on.

"- Marines issued an evacuation order-"

"- Taking ponies to the apartment complex-"

"- Heard it was-"

As they made it to Crimson's room, they all breathed a sigh of relief as they set their saddlebags down.

"So Diamond," asked Seamstress, "how've you been? We haven't seen you since graduation."

"Ooh, I'm fine Ms. Dream", Diamond answered.

Who was mad enough to attack Equestria?,Crimson was wondering. Exactly at that thought he heard an blood chilling horde howling that the horizon

XxX

Date: 2/27/2014

Time: 2105 Hours (9:05 pm)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

Passion scooted over to her brother taking something out her saddle bags she held a bag of cookies and chocolate muffins she pushed them over as she told her brother.

"Here, this will take your mind off the stress from the exams. I was going to make your favorite blueberry muffins, but the soldiers were ordering everypony to come here. So I took what I made. i hope you are not disappointed," she said with sad puppy eyes.

Crimson smiled at his sister's innocence as well as everypony in the room.

"It's okay Passion, I wouldn't trade your sweets for the world," he answered.

This brought a sweet smile from her as he saw his gift to her: a necklace with golden wings and an ruby pile in the middle. Inscribed on the back was their father's favorite saying: " Even in the darkest hour, hope always shines though. "

XxX

Date: 2/27/2014

Time: 2105 Hours (9:05 pm)

Location: Fairheights Apartments Building C-15, Manehatten

The soft ticking of the clock caused little Blossom to stir in her sleep. Her white coat and shiny pink mane and tail glowed in the dim light. She squirmed slightly before resting her neck on the soft pillow that the couch had provided. The filly had been waiting for her dad to get home so she could surprise him. But minutes turned into hours and soon enough it was almost midnight when she had fallen asleep. She didn’t like it when her dad worked too hard, sometimes she feared for his health.

Sighing with content, Blossom continued to rest before something even louder than the clock rolled in.

A few clings from the keys and the locks of the door activating finally caused the filly to wake up. Her large, blue eyes fluttered open when she saw her dad walk in through the door. It was still night from the chirps of the crickets and the cool breeze flowing inside. Little Blossom’s ear twitched when she heard her dad muttering to himself.

“I can’t lose this job,” Shocker muttered to himself as he slowly paced in front of the now closed door. “How can they do this to me? I’ll talk to Static in the morning about this, that’s for sure.”

It had been a tough day at work for Shocker. He worked for Manehatten General Hospital, he and his little brother, so it was sad to say that they were close to getting laid off if their next report wasn’t ready by the end of the week. How could they do this to him? The massive, 30 page report would take about a week and a half to complete. Shocker was always a hard worker, he tried to provide for his daughter the best he could. But he couldn’t do enough to give her everything that she needed.

If only his wife was still here…

Shocker slowly made his way to the table. On it was a small box of matches and a candle. Placing his hoof on the small table next to the couch where his daughter began to awaken, He pulled out a match and stroked it on the side of the box, igniting the flame. He reached over and lit the candle, filling the dark house with life.

Little Blossom yawned and smiled at her dad, gently rubbing her eye to get the sleepiness out.

“Hey,” Blossom said sweetly.

“Scoot,” Shocker simply muttered, settling himself where his daughter was just resting.

Blossom took this time to observe her dad. His white coat and were sopping wet and specked in blood, he was obviously working on a patient. His ratty dark red mane was in a mess as if a family of squirrels had squirmed in there when he wasn’t looking. He had a small, red beard growing that stopped at the end of his jawbone. His cutie mark, which represented a pony holding a planet on it's back, was barely visible from all the stained hairs. He definitely had been working hard today, the bags under his eyes told the tale.

After a few seconds had gone by, he sighed peacefully. He was really not in the mood to talk right now. He laid his head back on the couch and rubbed his eyes. Today had to be by far the worst in several. It was probably the worst day of his life, no…definitely not the worst...but still a bad one.

“Fun day at work, huh?”

Shocker simply moaned, continuing to rub his eyes.

“What are you still doing up?” He groaned, “It’s late.”

The filly nearly sprang off the couch.

“Oh crud!” she yelped, receiving a stern glare from her father.

He had told her countless times to not use bad language in this household. It must’ve been something really important or really dumb.

“What time is it?” Blossom asked as she looked back at the clock attached to the wall behind her.

He shook his head slightly, his eyes still closed. “It’s way past your bedtime.”

Blossom smiled deviously. The clock only read 9:50 PM. She wasn’t the smartest filly in school but she also wasn’t stupid. She knew time, she knew her math, and she could even recite all the main cities in Equestria by heart! That was pretty good for a twelve year old. Still, it was past her bedtime and getting dad angry, especially in the mood he’s in right now wouldn’t be smart. But there was still time left!

She looked back at her dad, a victorious smile adorning her face. Shocker caught her in the far sight of his left eye. He had seen that face several times before. Oh no…

“But it’s still today,” she said matter-of-factly.

Before he could answer her, Blossom had already got off the couch and went under the coffee table to fetch something. hocker groaned, “Honey, please not right now. I do not have the energy for this.”

Knowing Blossom she probably wanted to play a board game or have a late night game of cards. Shocker always tried his best to spend quality time with her, but with his job interfering and his own problems to worry about he was still amazed he had kept a roof over their heads for this long.

A slight weight of guilt washed over his aching heart. Blossom didn’t have that many friends at school and he knew that she always wanted to have some fun just to fill that little hole in her chest. She needed a father who would always be there for her…she needed a mother who would always lo-

“Here.”

Shocker finally looked straight at his daughter. She sat right next to him on the couch, an excited look clearly visible on her face. In her hooves was a gray-colored box. He looked from the box to his daughter. Her pink mane wasn’t very long, only reaching slightly past her neck. Her white coat remained clean despite his filthy one. Her gray eyes darted from his gaze to the box and back again.

“What’s this?” he asked as he slowly snatched the box away and out of her grasp. He looked it over with his right hoof, just a regular little box. It didn’t look anything like a game she so eagerly wanted to play.

“Your birthday,” she answered.

Shocker stared stupidly at the box for a few seconds before giving a slight grin. He had completely forgotten about his birthday…but somehow…his little Blossom remembered.

He lifted up the lid and stared at his present.

The ticking of the clock was the only noise heard throughout the house.

Shocker lifted up the lid fully and stared at it.

“You kept complaining about your broken watch… So I figured, you know,” Blossom said as she sat there next to her father, her eyes watching carefully as he removed the brand new watch and placed it around his left hoof. “You like it?”

He was at a loss for words at the moment. All he could really do was stare at his brand new watch his daughter had gave him for his birthday present. Finally, he found the power to speak.

“Honey, this is…” He brought his ear close to it for a split-second. He reared his head back and began tapping the glass on it.

“What?” Blossom asked, clear worry escaping her voice.

He continued to stare at it, his face broken. “It’s nice but I-I think it’s stuck. It’s not-“

Blossom was quick to react. “What? No, no, no, no,” she yelped and darted over to the watch. She grabbed her dad’s hoof and stared into it. Nothing was wrong. Just a little prank. She glared at her father but couldn’t help a tiny grin. “Oh, ha, ha.”

As she laid back on the other side of the couch, Shocker was still busy grinning like a mad-pony, both from his little joke and his new watch. This brought a good question to mind…

“Where did you get the money for this?” He asked, still observing his present.

“Drugs,” Blossom stated simply, receiving a few chuckles from her dad. “I sell hardcore drugs.”

Now most parents would flip out from an outburst like this from their kids, but Shocker knew his daughter. He knew she was a good filly and would never do anything like that. So he decided to play along.

“Oh, good,” he muttered as he reached for the newspaper lain across the table in front of him. “You can start helping out with the mortgage then.”

Blossom simply scoffed before laying her head back on the pillow. “Yeah, you wish.”

XxX

Date: 2/27/2014

Time: 0000Hours ( 12:00 am)

Location: Fairheights Apartments Building C-15, Manehatten

Blossom didn’t stay awake that long. It was only about another hour before she was fast asleep. Noticing her continued silence, Shocker lowered the newspaper from his nose and gazed longingly at his daughter.

Sighing quietly, Shocker got up off the couch and slowly picked up the filly in his hooves. With a quick and yet gentle maneuver, Blossom was lying on her father’s back, still sound asleep. Shocker smiled softly when he felt his daughter’s chin lay peacefully on his shoulder, her soft breaths tickling his chin.

He slowly walked forward and out of the living room. There he made a right and slowly went up the stairs, little Blossom still asleep on his back. Soon enough, the duo had arrived to her room. It wasn’t much: A small bed, little table on the side with a candle and a box of matches. The window on the far end of the room let the full moon giving a soft glow throughout the darkness.

Lowering his neck, Shocker lifted up his one hoof and gently lifted his daughter off his back and slowly onto her bed. She never woke up. A small lock of her hair remained on her eyelid. Shocker lifted up his hoof and placed the lock behind her ear to join the rest of her mane.

Shocker stared at her for some time. She was no doubt his greatest accomplishment. Just watching his own daughter, his own flesh and blood sleep in front of him, her tiny chest rising and falling in unison to his own breaths, made his heart swell up. Maybe he did do one good thing on this planet after all.

“Goodnight, baby girl.”

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0000 Hours (12:00 pm)

Location: Manehatten General Hospital, Manehatten

Tons of injured ponies flooded into the hospital. For some reason, they all had bite wounds and paling fur. Not to mention the bloody tears leaking from their eyes.

XxX

Date: 3/02/2013

Time: 0025 Hours ( 12:25 am)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

Crimson was getting the MRE's for every pony in his room as he stumbled near the makeshift comms station in a nearby classroom. he heard two military ponies talk.

"How are other stations doing comms officer?"

"They've maxed out their spaces sir. The hospital is reported to be heavily fortified. They even put their best guards on the roof, giving sniper support and barbed wire fences outside the hospital. the apartments took more extreme measures they put sharpened sticks though the barbed fence."

"Good we can't let the ponies here down."

Crimson didn't say a word he just kept moving.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0030Hours ( 12:30 am)

Location: Fairheights Apartments Building C-15, Manehatten

Tink…

Tink…

Blossom slowly opened her tired eyes. She got up and finally noticed she was in her own bed and not on the couch.

Dad… Blossom thought.

She looked around the room noticing nothing was amiss. But what had made that noise?

Tink…

This time she swiveled her head completely around. That’s where the noise was coming from…her window. Stretching her limbs, Blossom got out of bed and slowly made her way to the window. Once she got right in front of it, a pebble flew right up and hit the glass, causing the noise she had heard earlier.

She undid the latches and lifted the window up. The filly was instantly hit with a cool night breeze, causing her mane to fly past her ears. Squinting, Blossom looked downwards to where she was met with a very familiar face…

“Uncle Static?” Blossom questioned with a raised eyebrow. “What are you doing here?”

Her dad’s brother, or better known as her uncle, Static stood at the very bottom of her house. He looked terrible, even worse than her dad did when he came home. His long, mane was even worse than her dad’s too. His light red coat was scratched and dirty. Sweat dripped from his forehead all the way down to his small beard.

He was obviously running…but for what reason?

His eyes grew larger when he spotted the filly looking down at him. “Blossom, honey, I need you to get your daddy right now,” he stated in an urgent tone.

She seemed worried for a brief moment before asking, “Uncle Static, what’s wrong?”

He shook his head. “I need to talk to your dad now. There’s some-!”

His right ear twitched. Static spun his head around in shock. Blossom followed his gaze but saw nothing in the tree lines, only darkness. Something had obviously startled him.

“Oh, shit!” Static screamed, darting away from the house and into the never-ending darkness.

Blossom followed him until he became one with the forest. “Uncle Static?! Where are you going?!” she screamed. A look of worry crossed her face. She had to get her dad. Looking away and closing the window, Blossom never even noticed the dark figure crossing right through her backyard.

“What was that all about?” Blossom questioned as she made her way over to her door. She rubbed the sleepiness from her eye with a free hoof as she gently turned the knob and entered the dark hallway.

“Dad?” Blossom quietly yelled.

No answer.

She continued down the hallway, looks of fear slowly passing her face. She had once been afraid of these hallways when she was young, but her dad taught her that fear is only in the mind. Ever since then she always tried to block out all thoughts of fear…and it worked!

He may never be around that often, he may hate the kind of music she was into, and he may even hate all the comics and stories she read because he thought they were either too violent or too sappy. Overall, he would still turn out to be the best dad every year…and she loved him.

Blossom made a right to where she entered a new portion of the hallway. The stairs that led downstairs remained on the left side of the wall, a light emanated from below, and her dad’s room stayed on the right side of the hallway at the very end, a candlelight pouring through the tiny crack in his door.

“Daddy?” Blossom said a little louder this time.

Still no answer.

With no choice whatsoever, little Blossom slowly trotted over to her dad’s room and pushed open the door with her snout.

“You in here?” she asked.

The room was empty. His bed was a tangled mess and a newspaper along with a lit candle remained on the small table by his bedside. Blossom slowly made her way to the bed and picked up the newspaper. Her dad seemed to be interested in what he was reading when he got home…time to do some sleuthing.

It read:

ADMITTANCE SPIKES AT MANEHATTEN HOSPITAL!

300% INCREASE DUE TO MYSTERIOUS INFECTION

She put down the newspaper, a creepy chill running up her spine. Manehatten Hospital wasn’t that far away from where they lived. She spun her head around and towards the window at the far end of her dad’s room.

“Where the heck are you?” Blossom muttered as she slowly approached the window.

Manehatten remained peaceful and quiet during these late hours. Small lanterns hung from the tiny houses leading up to the Town Hall in the center of Ponyville. Blossom smiled a little. She had quite a big house, bigger than her friends’ house that was for sure. Her dad’s job probably paid more than the others did.

Suddenly a small light caught her eye in the center of town. Blossom squinted and got even closer to the window. She saw a fire and several ponies running in panic. The fire quickly spread and soon enough…Blossom realized it was the other houses were on fire! Screaming erupted from the town.

“Uh…what was that?” Blossom questioned.

A massive explosion caught her attention quickly.

The filly screamed and backpedalled away from the window as fast as her hooves could carry her. Her rump hit the bed, instantly stopping Blossom from moving back anymore. All she could do was stare as the column of fire and smoke erupted from what remained of the other houses.

“Oh Celestia,” she muttered, her entire body shaking like a leaf when more screams came from outside.

“Dad?” she yelled this time, in hopes of him hearing.

He still didn’t respond.

This time she had to act. Now terrified, Blossom scrambled out of her father’s room and back into the dark hallway. Her gray eyes landed on the stairs leading down.

“Dad?!” Blossom yelled even louder down the stairs.

Nothing.

Dogs barking and ponies screaming could still be heard outside. Blossom quickly scampered down the stairs and finally arrived to the main floor.

“What is goin’ on?” she asked herself.

Candles were lit across the room. The couch, coffee table, dinner table and chairs all remained where they were. However, before she could continue on, a new sound came from outside, one that was neither barking nor screaming.

Blossom turned her head back and gazed out the window that stayed in the front of her house. There, in the night sky, she could see carriages being pulled by several tough-looking pegasi in golden armor. Inside each carriage were even more ponies encased in golden armor, all of them holding spears, swords, and crossbows. Together, all four carriages sped past her house and towards Times Square…out of sight.

Gulping in fear, Blossom stared out the window. “Celestia’s Royal Guard?” she questioned. “What are they doing’ here?”

Her questions remained unanswered. Blossom slowly backed away from the window and continued throughout her house in search for her missing dad. She looked over to the clock which read 2:15 AM. After she had passed the dinner table, the dogs barking suddenly stopped. Only sounds of yelping and whimpering came from outside.

Blossom gasped and faced the screen door that led to her backyard. They didn’t have a dog, but the neighbors did, and whatever commotion was going on certainly wouldn’t cause the dogs to stop barking right now. Something weird was going on. Not only that but…

…the tire swing connected to the tree was swinging back and forth.

The filly, her heart pounding harder than ever, quickly trotted over to her dad’s study room. She pushed open the glass doors and entered…the same time her dad did.

Shocker had entered his own study through the other screen door that led outside. Blossom sighed with relief, smiling happily at her dad. “There you are,” she breathed.

Her dad quickly looked over to her and back to the door. “Blossom,” he said in a panicked tone. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Blossom said as she approached her worried dad. He was looking through the shelves of his desk until he pulled out a rectangular box, opening it up and pulling something out. It was only until now did Blossom realize what he was covered in…

Blood.

“Has anypony come in here?” he quickly asked, placing something inside whatever he was holding, making a short clicking sound.

Blossom shook her head, her eyes landing on the door her dad had just come through.

“No. Who would come in here?” she asked.

Noticing her curious eyes, he pointed towards the door and shouted, “Don’t go near the doors. Just…just stand back there…” He brought his gaze back to whatever he was holding, sweat now dripping furiously down his neck.

“Dad, you’re kinda freaking me out,” she muttered fearfully. “What’s going on?”

Shocker continued to work on the device in his hooves. He never removed his gaze from it and answered her. “It’s the Planters,” he recalled the events of what had happened while he was outside. “Somethin’ ain’t right with ‘em. I think they’re sick.”

Blossom gulped yet again. “What kinda sick?” she asked.

Her answer came from a loud bang that echoed throughout the room.

She spun around quickly. Her eyes grew wide and her gasped joined in unison to her dad’s. Carrot Planter had literally smacked his own face against the glass door! But that’s not what scared little Blossom. The events that transpired next almost caused her to have a heart attack.

Shocker backed away from the window, finally revealing to Blossom what he was holding. It was a hoof-held crossbow, one arrow sticking out from the end. He held up his right hoof which held the small crossbow, his left hoof being planted firmly on the ground. He pointed the crossbow at the glass door that Carrot Planter continued to smack against.

“Carrot,” Shocker screamed.

“Dad?” Blossom fearfully said in almost a whisper.

He took a protective stance in front of his daughter. “Honey, c’mere, c’mere,” he muttered while Blossom held onto his hind leg for protection.

“It’s okay,” he took one last look at the door.

“Carrot!”

The door shattered in seconds, Carrot Planter erupting inside.

“Carrot, just stay back,” Shocker screamed, pointing the crossbow right at his neighbor. “Carrot, I am warning you!”

Blossom took this moment to take a quick look. Hiding behind her father, Blossom gasped when she got a good look at Carrot Planter. Blood was dripping dangerously from his mouth, his teeth painted dark red. His eyes were teary and red, a mixture of blood and tears raining down. Blood covered his once tan coat and hooves, his orange and puffy mane now deflated and wet. But that wasn’t what frightened Blossom the most…what scared her is what he did and how he acted.

Carrot lunged for them, an animalistic roar erupting from his blood-dripping mouth. This didn’t remind Blossom of the loving neighbor they have lived next to for seven years, this didn’t remind her of the kind pony who always dropped by every Sunday and delivered a bundle of carrots to them. Oh no…this reminded her of a beast…a beast that needed food. And he was fast. Really fast.

Her dad was faster.

“Don’t!”

Aiming quickly, Shocker let loose the arrow. It impacted Carrot’s skull so fast that it went straight through and stuck against the back of his head. The earth pony tumbled to the ground, even more blood coming out of his head.

“Oh my goddess…” Blossom cried, still holding onto her dad’s hind leg for dear life.

“Go…go,” Shocker ordered and backed away from his private study. He could feel Blossom’s tears hitting his back leg. He could also feel her trembling and whimpering. He pulled her off of him and set her down right in front so he could look into her eyes.

Tears were already falling down her cheeks. She sniffled and managed to say, “You…you killed him.”

“Blossom…” Shocker was saying.

“I saw him this mornin’,” she interrupted, still pretty shaken up.

He hated to see her like this. He always hated it to see her cry. He was suddenly back to where his wife was still with him, Blossom crying with a scraped foreleg. Shocker remembered laying a bandage on it and kissing her foreleg. Blossom smiled.

Now wasn’t the time. His daughter needed him and he had to act fast.

“Listen to me,” he said sternly and looked her in the eyes, “there is something bad going on. We have got to get outta here. Do you understand me?”

Blossom took a few seconds to answer. She sniffled and nodded her head.

“Yeah.”

Three loud knocks at the door caused Shocker to turn around quickly. A reflection of his little brother appeared on the other side of the window. He looked back at Blossom and pulled her along by the hoof. “Static. C’mon,” he stated.

“Okay.”

Shocker pushed open the door and pulled himself and his daughter outside. It was still very dark out, but for some reason, there were several lights in town. They were met with Uncle Static backing off and shaking his head in disapproval.

“Where the hell have you been?” he asked, following them into the dirt road, “You have any idea what’s goin’ on out there?”

Shocker tugged his daughter closer to him, letting his younger brother take the other side so they both would be able to protect Blossom…just in case.

“I got some notion,” he growled, walking even faster down the dirt road that led into Ponyville.

Static looked down at his older brother and gasped, “Holy shit. You got blood all over you!”

“Stay close, baby,” Shocker muttered, pulling his daughter in closer. “It ain’t mine. Let’s just get outta here.”

Blossom remained silent between the two earth ponies. They easily towered over her, her head only being able to reach her dad and uncle’s necks. She kept her head low and tried her best to move forward with her dad constantly tugging and gripping her hoof. They talked amongst themselves while Blossom listened in.

“They’re saying that half the ponies in this town have lost their minds,” Static told his older brother as they walked a little faster.

“Can we just please move faster?” Shocker asked, his eyes darting and observing his surroundings.

Static shook his head, continuing on, “Some sort of parasite or somethin’.”

When his brother didn’t answer him, Static stared him down and asked,

“You gonna tell me what happened?”

Static snorted. “Later.”

Noticing the obvious sign, Static looked down to his right and forced a helpful smile. “Hey, Blossom,” he began. “How you holdin’ up, honey?”

Blossom barely looked up at him.

“I’m fine,” she muttered with barely any emotion.

Static looked back to his older brother then back to the long dirt road ahead of them. The concrete and metal buildings that Manehatten was known for quickly came into view. Hopefully they would be able to make it out before…

Once they had entered the town, Blossom looked around and noticed several families scurrying about their homes and businesses. Bags were filled in the street with more and more ponies packing up and loading the bags into many carriages. It was as if the entire town was being evacuated.

“Entire town’s being evacuated,” Static said, breaking the silence. “The newly appointed Mayor, you heard of her?” When Shocker didn’t answer, he continued, “Well, Mayor Taxes wouldn’t shut up about the whole ordeal going on near Manehatten Hospital, now he’s being all hush-hush about it.”

“Did he say where to go?” Shocker finally asked.

Static thought for a second before answering, “He said, uh…the Royal Guard, police, and that Royal Marine team just blocked off the entire town and all medical personal have to go to the hospital to help with the injured.”

“That means we need to get the hell out,” Shocker stated, pointing over to his right. “We need to go right, down the path it’ll lead straight to the hospital. Hopefully that’ll be where the authorities are.”

“Then that’s where we’re headed,” Static muttered.

It was silent for a few seconds minus the constant screams emanating from the center of town. Luckily, the houses blocked off that area and the Royal Guard flying overhead meant safe travel from the area of Manehatten the three were in.

“Did he say how many are dead?” Blossom asked, finally getting the courage to speak up.

Static looked down at her and back to the road in front of him. “Probably a lot. Found this one family all mangled inside their house.”

“Static,” Shocker sternly said, giving his younger brother a wicked glare.

Static looked from his brother and back down to the little filly before finally getting it. He sighed and continued onward.

“Right,” he muttered trying hard to catch up to Shocker’s fast hoofsteps, “Sorry.”

The trio continued down the dirt road. They all came across a crashed carriage that led into a small house, it along with the house being on fire. Taking a quick left, Shocker shook his head and muttered.

“Sweet Celestia, how did this happen?”

Static shook his head. “They got no clue,” he stated nonchalantly, “But we ain’t the only town.”

This caught the filly’s attention.

“At first Mayor Taxes said it was just Manehatten. Then he was going on about, Las Pegasus, and Seattle” Static told them. He froze his thoughts down to solid ice. His body became still as did Blossom’s and Shocker’s. They all turned right and faced the burning barn.

“Holy hell,” Static gasped. “That’s the Orange’s farm.”

Blossom now stood in the grave of what once remained as the best fruit giving plantation in all of Manehatten and possibly one of the best all of Equestria. The Orange farm was burning down. Trees that once produced the best apples were shredded to ash and dust. The main house and the barn together burned in a fiery blaze, emanating Manehatten to a blood red.

“I hope the Oranges and the youngins’ made it out,” Satic said.

Shocker nodded grimly. “I’m sure they did.”

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0112 Hours (1:12 am)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

With the comms room fresh in mind, Crimson walked to his room everypony looked content.

"Crimson can you hear it?" Lumber asked his son.

"No. Everything's quiet,"  Crimson responded.

"Exactly," grunted Lumber he then trotted over to Crimson and Beaker and said "I don't like this one bit. If the shit hits the fan we have to defend ourselves. We'll have to fight to the end if necessary to protect the others."

They both nodded as Crimson saw Passion sit near their mother while eating her rations she looked over

"Crimson is something wrong? You look upset," she asked.

"No Passion, nothing's wrong. I just had a hard day in school today," he answered with a smile he could make in a short notice.

Then it happened.......there was another howling but it was massive.

"That ain't no timberwolf pack I've ever heard," Lumber said.

All three stallions looked with wide eyes as they yelled in unison.

"THE ATTACK!"

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0112 Hours (1:12 am)

Location: 4th Avenue, Manehatten

As the trio continued on, Blossom finally looked up at her dad and asked, “Are we sick?”

Shocker was quick to answer. He stared at his daughter’s pleading face and spoke quickly, “No. No, of course not.”

“How do you know?” Blossom retorted.

Static intervened, “Mayor Taxes said it was just ah, ponies in the north. We’re good.”

That got Blossom to remain quiet throughout the duration of the journey. If she could trust anypony in the world, her dad and her uncle would be the only choices. Together, all three of them had past several more families just trying to make it out of the burning town. Blossom looked up and noticed several pegasi Royal Guards flying overhead. They had already reached the outskirts of the town, and now they stopped.

There was a massive line to freeway that led to the hospital.

Static stood on the tips of his hooves and noticed a unicorn stallion covered in golden armor was in the very front of the line; his spear was touching the necks of the next group of civilians that tried to evacuate.

“Oh, this is bad,” Shocker muttered.

Static shook his head, stomping his hoof on the ground. “Everypony and their mother had the same damn idea.”

“Well…” Shocker was saying, “we could just backtrack and-“

A stallion a few rows in front of them got out of line and shouted, “Hey, what the fuck, man? Let’s go!”

Nopony in line agreed with him, they were too busy screaming and making a run for it.

Out from the bundle of burning houses, an unnaturally fast stallion in a hospital gown charged and tackled the stallion that got out of line. In an instant the stallion was down and screaming. Everypony in line backed away, a lot of them even running off.

“Holy shit,” Shocker cursed.

Blossom could only stare at the massacre in front of her. The stallion was forced to the ground to the other and was violently bitten in the throat. Blood erupted like a broken faucet from the stallion’s neck. The creature ripped off a plentiful of skin and several arteries.

“Let’s get out of here…NOW!” Shocker screamed, reaching for his daughter and placing her on top of his back. Static took off with Shocker quickly behind. Blossom looked back and noticed the entire crowd of ponies just booked it out of there. The stallion in the hospital gown was chasing them!

Blossom screamed as the stallion was mere inches from her hind leg, his mouth dripping blood and saliva. Shocker looked back for a split second and quickly bucked his back legs. His hoof smacked neatly on the snout of the infected stallion, causing him to trip and tumble in the dirt.

Blossom placed her chin on her father’s shoulder, her forelegs latched tightly around his neck.

She closed her eyes tight and listened to them speak.

“What the fuck just happened?,” Static screamed. “Did you see that?!”

“Yeah, I saw it,” Shocker responded.

“Damn,” Static cursed.

The three of them had already failed to escape where the Royal Guard had wanted them to, now they had to find their own way out. Static led Shocker left into another portion of Manehatten, this one was filled with screaming ponies.

Instantly, the three were surrounded in a sea of screaming and frightened ponyfolk. Static pushed some away but they just kept coming.

“Come on, ponies. Move,” Static agitatedly shouted, pushing more and more away so they could get through.

Blossom opened her eyes for a brief moment.

“What are they runnin’ from?” she asked, still quivering in fright.

Her question remained unanswered as Static forced himself through the terrified crowd. Shocker helped  as well but it was barely enough to make it. Once the three made it on the other side, they immediately noticed how deserted it was. They had arrived at a four way cut in the middle of the bundle of wooden houses. It was too quiet.

A bright light caught Blossom’s attention.

She turned her head left and instantly regretted doing that.

“Look out!” she screamed.

The flaming carriage had barely missed Static, but it had hit her dad with full force.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0123 Hours (1:23 am)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

Shortly, the horizon started to smoke as a police officer on a loudspeaker shouted, All combat able civilians are to report to the makeshift armory in the cafeteria we must protect this place with our lives we need more to defend the school.

Crimson looked to his fellow stallions as they nodded in agreement.

"Ladies, y'all stay here," Crimson said as Passion rushed to her brother and with sad eyes said

"Will you come back?" Passion asked.

"Of course I'll be back," he answered  before looking over to his marefriend, "I promise."

"You better," Diamond answered in a worried voice.

The way to the cafeteria was teeming ponies. each got a standard kit of armor and weapons: swords for CQB engagements spears and for barricade defense. Some carbine and high powered crossbows were handed out to, but to only experienced users.

Crimson was suiting in olive drab fatigues with old-school ALICE harness as were the other volunteers and was armed with a double edged sword.

1 Minute Later

Crimson and Beaker was placed in the atrium guarding the dorms his father was on the front lines of Eden's northern barricade.

Crimson could hear battle from the suburban area to downtown Manehatten, He heard from the radio that it was hell out there.(BG music here)

"This is apartments evacuation center: they've breached the outer defenses! WE NEED REINFORCEMENTS!"

"Apartment evac center this is Eden HQ, we can't sent more troops as we are stretched too thin nearest backup. ETA 1 hour"

10 minutes later

"HQ this is the hospital evac center we are taking heavy losses both civilian and police.....FUCK THEY JUST KEEP COMING! HOW MANY ARE THERE? WE WON'T HOLD FOR LONG! WE NEED EVAC.....oh no what the fuck happened to the patient!? GAHHHH"

"Hospital evac center are you there? Hospital evac? Answer me!....."

"It seems we lost the hospital evac centers report," the comms officer said, "This is Eden University, minimal fighting out here sir"

..... No other answers

"Is there anymore out there? What the hell is happening out there?!"

"EU, this is Hunter Team. We're expecting more hostiles is coming your way. The remaining twenty police officers and we are going to hold off these things before they hit the apartments. We recommend you dig in. You are on your own. We sent a SOS to Canterlot. Reserve Guards are being prepped to deploy from multiple towns. ETA from the nearest town is ten hours. We're moving the HQ to the college. Eden is now Manehatten HQ, I repeat: Eden is now the HQ. That's where we'll make our last stand. All units go to the new HQ and defend it until the evacuation is complete."

With this Crimson looked wide-eyed to Beaker.

"Did they basically tell us to go f ourselves?"

"Ten hours until we can get outta here..." Beaker said as a tear rolled down his eyes.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0240 Hours (2:40 am)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

It was as quiet as the cemetery at night. Reinforcements arrived 5 minutes ago and Crimson were moved to the front lines and he saw it... The unholy horde of canine demons attacking at full force.

"THIS IS BULLSHIT!" Crimson yelled.

"It must be 1500 to one of us each!" another pony replied but none faltered because they knew what was a stake. The innocents had to be protected Crimson thought of his marefriend, his sister Crimson was at the last line next to Beaker, and Lumber they were getting ready then the enemy gets to their line...

The first line was breached after an impressive one hour, stalemate. The demons were drenched in sickly, red blood.

Crimson, Lumber, and Beaker, along with twenty of the original fifty fell back to the second line. It was heavily damaged and lost over 60% of it's original fighting force as the last wave of demons retreated. The combined forces of remnant royal guards, local police force and volunteers cheered until they saw the fallen ponies but...something was wrong...VERY wrong.

They all had a giant over-grown mushrooms start growing out of their head....and the sound they made: clicked repeatedly and fast as they stumbled towards the school. They were infected with something that were not natural it wasn't long that the survivors realized that they were not friendly not after a stallion got eaten alive by his marefriend. But it was too late. It was then they found out they never EVER turned the tables around because the easy was over. The second line got ripped to shreds not two minutes after the first infected reached the barricade.

Many of the infected were missing an hoof or two but they still moved on like the didn't feel the pain they should be feeling.

Lumber managed to lodge his axe in the head of an infected then shouted: "HIT THE HEAD WHERE THE BRAIN IS, THAT'S THEIR WEAKNESS!"

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0240 Hours (2:40 am)

Location: Canterlot Castle, Canterlot

Not long was the information was passed to Canterlot that infected individuals could be killed if caused blunt trauma to the head or severe brain damage among other news. The generals, Captain Shining Armor and the Royal Sisters were receiving up to the minute updates from a communications officer stationed in Manehatten. General Apex, a black alicorn that stood about as tall as Celestia. He had a black coat with red tribal markings covering his entire body. The ones on his head looked like a skull while the rest of them just covered his body in a circuit pattern. At the center of his forehead was a spade. His mane and tail were spikey and black with silver streaks. His eyes were two different colors, his left eye was a metallic light blue while his right eye was metallic red. He was wearing a long black officers greatcoat with six throwing knives strapped to his sides, a officer's sword was strapped to his coat, and a black beret with a patch on the front of it.

"What could've done this?" wondered Luna in a disgusted tone.

"Whatever it is... They aren't getting away with this," grunted Apex.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2013

Time: 0240 Hours (2:40 am)

Location: Manehatten 5th Avenue, Manehatten

A large Stryker Class APC careened down 5th Street, not slowing down for anything. The armored, green siding was stained in soot from the rising over the buildings of Manehatten. Bold letters printed in black were on either side, showing off it's name: VENUM.

Another sharp turn to the left made everyone sway inside the carrier, but it hardly bothered them. They were all set for a firefight; wearing combat vests with the white MPD logo on their breast and the white S.W.A.T. logo to say otherwise. Combat helmets were worn along with ballistic shades to protect their eyes. To add to the protection, they all had MOPP gear in kits strapped to thighs.

Hunter 2-2 was also with them to act as the team leaders. 'Snoop' was armed with a shortened crossbow with an ACOG scope (the Designated Markspony variant of a true sniper's crossbow) and a katana with a dull red blade. 'Blood Raven' was armed with a katana with a pink and black handle and a keychain of a kitten on the end. 'Black Cloud' was armed with a high powered crossbow with a long range scope, a Naginata with red blade and black handle and KA-Bar knife strapped to his vest. All wore Marine urban fatigues with gas masks

What they were wearing was only a part of what was on the mind at the moment. They destination and the eventual battle was all I could think of. It was normal; the other five men with me would tell you the same thing. The variety of weapons were held loosely in the team's hooves, patiently waiting to defend the apartment with their lives.

These moments were best left for silence, so everypony can focus on the objective.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0245 Hours (2:45 am)

Location: Manehatten 5th Avenue, Manehatten

The first thing Shocker felt was the pain.

Then came the burning feeling from above and around him.

His hearing was quick to return. Moans and grunts from outside were nothing compared to the continued screams of the ponyfolk. For a moment he was thinking if he should just lie there. He was already in an intense amount of pain. There was really no need to get up.

“Daddy?”

Shocker found the strength to get up again.

He looked over and saw his own daughter standing over him, her eyes worried and tear-stained. A bruise was clearly seen on her cheek. Her mane was tattered and soot covered along with her once white and clean coat. She poked his shoulder again and whispered louder, “Hey…hey!”

“What?” Shocker groaned, looking over the surroundings around him.

The carriage was completely on top of them. However, it luckily hadn’t crushed them under its weight and remained only a few inches from touching his snout. Shocker looked out from under the carriage and spotted a crazed pony ripping apart another one of its victims with its bear hooves.

Screaming was all he heard.

He looked back at his daughter. “Get back, baby,” he ordered. “Get back.”

As she did what she was told, scrunching back under the carriage, Shocker slowly crawled out from underneath and arrived to the outside. All around him, ponies were screaming and running wildly past him in a crazy frenzy yelling words such as “Run” and “Look out.”

He should’ve listened to them.

As he finally got back up to his four hooves, another one of the deranged ponies charged and tackled him. Shocker’s back hit the side of the carriage, his foreleg pressed hard against the neck of the attacker. It screamed and chomped at him. Shocker roared in anger and tried his best to push it off of him. It was getting closer to his neck!

Another roar came from the side and sooner than he could’ve guessed Static had smacked a brick against the face of the pony attacking his older brother. The dead attacker lay back on the dirt ground, his forehead bleeding and painting the dirt red.

Shocker looked at his younger brother in disbelief.

“Dad?”

Instantly, Shocker bent down and held out his hoof under the carriage. “I’m here, baby. I’m here,” he assured her. “Come on, gimme your hoof.”

Once he felt the touch of his daughter, he pulled her out from underneath the carriage that had almost killed the two. But once she was out in the open, Shocker finally realized that the carriage had done more damage than he had thought.

Blossom was limping.

“What is it?” he asked in fear.

His daughter cringed in pain and noticed her hind leg was slightly bent in an awkward angle. She looked up at her father and whimpered, “My leg hurts.”

“How bad?”

“Pretty bad.”

He didn’t want this. Blossom can’t be hurt. This wasn’t a simple scrape on the foreleg, this was a broken leg. Nevertheless, no matter what…he was going to get her out of here. No matter what…he was going to protect her.

“We’re gonna need to run…”

Shocker took his worried eyes off his daughter and onto his brother. He was on the other side of the crashed carriage slowly backing off, his eyes fixated on the scene in front of him. Shocker knew it wouldn’t be good. They had to leave.

“Oh my goddess,” he muttered, hearing the several screams of hunger from the crazed ponies running down the street towards them. He pulled something out from his small bag attached to his back and handed it to his brother.

“You keep us safe.”

Static looked over the single shot crossbow and nodded.

Knowing his brother understood, Shocker lifted his hurting daughter onto his back.

“Come on, baby,” he said, reassuring her.

He could feel her forelegs squeeze his neck for safety. Confident that she wouldn’t fall off, Shocker began to start moving forward.

“Now hold on tight,” he screamed as he and Static began to make a run for it.

“Okay!”

Together, the two brothers galloped their way down the street, following the terrified crowd of ponies through the infected town. Static led the way with Shocker struggling to catch up.

“Daddy, I’m scared,” Blossom whimpered from atop his back.

The store next to them burst open and many more infected charged them. Dodging several crazed ponies tackle a family of unicorns instead, Shocker and Static continued onwards, trying their best to ignore the screams of pain from behind them.

“Just keep your eyes closed, honey,” Shocker assured her and pushed forward.

As the two ran together with the crowd of terrified ponies, a carriage with nopony driving it crashed into a burning building right in front of the two brothers. The building exploded, sending waves of fire and ash across the street.

“Oh my goddess,” All three muttered together.

“Keep running,” Static screamed, making a quick right down a new road.

Another burning building came into view. Shocker could feel his daughter quivering in fright on top of him.

“Those ponies are on fire,” he had heard her whimper. It was true. Two, three, maybe four ponies came out of the building screaming in pain, their bodies engulfed in flames. They reached outwards to try and grab something, anything to try and save themselves, but it was no use.

Shocker’s breathing increased. “Don’t look, Blossom.”

But she couldn’t seem to look away. Blossom peeked over and saw another crazed pony ripping apart a mere child, a filly. That could’ve been one of her friends, his or her body being ripped apart like a rag doll. She cried this time, her words turned into pure sobbing.

“W-why are they d-doing that?”

Shocker saw it too. “Just keep looking at me, baby!”

She did…and she could’ve sworn she saw tears swell up in his eyes.

Static was way ahead of them, though he managed to locate the two and wave them towards him.

“Over there,” he shouted, “the hospital’s over here!”

“We’re gonna get outta this. I promise.”

Right before he, his daughter, and the massive crowd of innocent ponyfolk could enter the hospital, another flamed carriage came from absolutely nowhere and rammed the front with full force. The front doors exploded just like the in as flames and glass scattering across the crowd of ponies, some of them catching on fire.

It wasn’t just the carriage.

Several more of the crazed creatures burst out from the darkness and attacked the crowd. Shocker and Static backed off quickly. Static looked over and shouted, “This way! Through the alley!”

With his daughter holding on tighter, Shocker pushed through the crowd and entered the alleyway Static had pointed out. He and his brother got between the two buildings easily. The hard part was making it on the other side…

When Static turned the corner, another one of the infected exited out of the darkness and bit him.

With Blossom screaming in fright, Shocker held out his foreleg and managed to hold off the creature for enough time so his brother could take it out.

Static bucked the creature off of his older brother. Once it had hit the ground, it looked up one last time to see an arrow fly straight into its brain.

“He’s dead,” Static exclaimed.

“Dammit,” he muttered, ripping out the arrow from the creature’s skull and placing it back inside the crossbow. He pushed through the alleyway with his older brother following right behind.

“We’re almost there. We’re almost there, baby.”

Static led the father and daughter through the dark alleyway, the only light appearing from the only opening to the outside. Shocker looked right quickly and noticed the steel fence with three more creatures on the other side clawing at it. A bright fire was behind them, which of course was the cause of the light.

“They’re getting’ through the fence,” Static screamed, doubling his speed.

They had arrived in the back alley of the tailor shop. Above the cemented fence, directly in front of them several infected were already up and over. Static took a quick right and shouted, “Keep going! Find a way outta here!”

That’s when he spotted the open door leading into the hospital’s back door.

“C’mon! Let’s go,” he screamed, waiting right inside as Shocker burst in as well.

With his brother and niece safely inside, Static slammed the door as hard as he could, but the infected had already made it. Their hooves were clawing on the slight opening in the doorway. Static struggled to keep it closed as the infected struggled to push it open.

He looked back and yelled, “Get to the top floor!”

Shocker couldn’t believe what he just said.

“What?” he asked in disbelief.

“Go! You got Blossom,” Static assured him. “I can out run ‘em!”

Blossom was tired of being quiet.

“Uncle Static!”

Shocker looked at his younger brother and at the door. He was obviously struggling against the strength of several ponies, be they infected or not. He had no choice. He had to keep moving.

“I will meet you there,” Shocker shouted as if he knew it was going to happen.

“Hurry!”

They had no choice, but to keep moving.

Shocker busted through the doors. In front of him lied a straight path to the lobby and the stair cases to the right.

“Daddy,” Blossom began, shaking uncontrollably from both fear and the momentum her dad was running at, “we can’t leave him!”

Shocker ignored the stallion being ripped apart by an infected not two feet away from him. “He’s gonna be fine.”

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0300 Hours (3:00 am)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

Crimson swung his sword to an infected mare's head, instantly killing her as screams were heard and blood and intestines were spilled. The ground was soaked in blood flowing like a river. Crimson watched as a police mare got ripped apart while she screamed in pure, untainted agony. Her heart was still pumping in the ripped upper part of the poor mare until it stopped while she got eaten her cries turning into the boogeyman's whisper.

Geez, the stallion of death must be working overtime if she had to die slowly, he thought, then mentally face-hoofed himself...hard for thinking like that in a time like that. He could feel his sanity slipping away as 70% of the line turned to fall back or got devoured by several infected by then he heard the order he desperately wanted "RETREAT TO THE ATRIUM AND BARRICADE THE DOORS!"

5 Minutes Later

Crimson was devastated. Beaker, his only non-bat pony friend was dying. His right forehoof got bit off while 3 other infected chowed down the poor stallion all while his best friend watched before Lumber and four other survivors killed the infected ponies and took Beaker back to Crimson's room.

Lumber scooted over to his son and comforted him the metal doors were banging and thumping, later Crimson heard a muffled voice.

"This is Manehatten HQ, when is that evac coming? Beak."

"Manehatten HQ, this is Ghost Eye of Task Force Rouge. I'm sorry, but Celestia denied us the use of our units, over."

"We are the only ones left! If those things breach the doors, we're fucking dead! We have women and children here Ghost Eye! Repeat, WOMEN. AND. FUCKING. CHILDREN! How copy?!"

"Copy Manehatten, we are doing everything we can, but Celestia ain't budging. We will send a espionage team to get eyes on, but that's it. I'm sorry," And with that, the transmission ended.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0300 Hours (3:00 am)

Location: Harmony Apartment Complex, Manehatten

Hunter 2-2 and the S.W.A.T team members sprinted out of the APC as soon as the ramp dropped. The roof-top snipers made short work of the infected and was working over time to cover the two teams as they ran behind the lines, but then the demon-dog-things returned like the losses they got were nothing.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!"  the security guard yelled.

"They keep coming!" shouted a Royal Guard.

The little remaining morale of the combined forces dropped from slim to zero as soon as the words left the soldier's lips.

"We need to fall back!" somepony yelled as claws started to smash against the roadblocks. The last portion got into a battle stance as the demons breached the line . Yet the ponies fought one by one as were decimated.

"Everypony fall back to the top floors! Keep them safe!"  'Snoop' yelled as the S.W.A.T officers and Guards nodded and took off with volunteers.

"Hunter Team! We're gonna hold'em off! " 'Snoop' yelled he and three of the ten S.W.A.T team members went to hold off the demons.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0300 Hours (3:00 am)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

The roof-top snipers made short work of the infected, but then the demon-dog-things returned like the losses they got were nothing.

"They keep coming! When is that evac coming!?"  the highest ranking S.W.A.T officer yelled.

"They ain't coming sir! Celestia grounded all forces!" shouted the radio operator.

The little remaining morale of the combined forces dropped from slim to zero as soon as the words left the operator's lips.

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" somepony screeched as claws started to smash against the doors. The last portion got into a battle stance as the doors gave in and the demons rushed in in mass. Yet the ponies fought one by one as they got slayed. Ten demons slipped by the hastily assembled fighting force.

"Crimson, We're going to fall back and protect non-combatants "  Lumber yelled as Crimson nodded and took off with volunteers.

Several rooms were forced open and organs from eye-balls to stomachs littered the dorm rooms as blood covered the paint job and dripped from the ceiling. Thankfully his room was not hit Crimson and his little team of defenders quickly dispose of the demons butchering several rooms before taken down one by one then they got back to the atrium to see only Crimson's teacher were cornered until the infected pony slashed and teared him apart.

"SHIT!" Crimson yelled the last group attacked the demons from behind and killed them but it was too late to save the professor.

The group could see out a ten strong death squad right outside the room.

Looking at the ten volunteers, he notice the four of them had carbines. Looking over to them, he told them the plan.

"Get ready to fire on my command," Crimson said as they readied their weapons. The archers took aim as the demons heard the click of carbines being shouldered.

The pause was broken as the sounded a deafening howl before rushing the survivors.

"FIRE!", Crimson shouted as the four fired bolt after bolt into the hoard. Before they reached the little band of survivors.  Four of the ten demons fell before reaching the group. As the survivors stabbed and slashed at the hoard mercilessly, but the demons slowly began to exploit their fatigue and soon overpowered the group. The last demon took a wild swing at Crimson hitting him in the left eye, giving him a horizontal, three clawed wound on his eye leaving it intact but bloodied. Looking back, Crimson saw that only him and his father were the only ones left alive. Crimson felt a hoof wrap around his shoulder as his father guided him to his room.

"Come on son, the ladies are waiting for us," Crimson nodded as he and his father stumbled back to the room, exhausted.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0310 Hours (3:10 am)

Location: Manehatten General Hospital, Manehatten

Both father and daughter pushed on, Blossom hanging on for dear life as her dad sprinted up the stairs.

He could hear them behind him, snarling, growling, and screaming. They had already made it out of the intensive care ward and through the cafeteria.

“They’re getting closer,” Blossom warned.

“…”

“…"

“Dad?”

He wasn’t listening. Shocker was too busy running for his daughter’s life…as well as his own.

A couple of stairs until they reached the top floor; behind those doors laid the unknown. Shocker pushed up the stairwell with two of the creatures’ right on his tail. When he had reached the top exhausted, the infected following him still gave on a dead sprint. They seemed to never get tired.

Right before Shocker thought he was gonna have to fight them off, a barrage of arrows flew right past him and impacted the heads of the creatures. They were down in less than a second.

Shocker let out the biggest sigh of his life.

A bright light came from his left. He looked that way and nuzzled his daughter’s chin with his snout.

“It’s okay, baby. We’re safe,” he assured her. “We’re safe.”

Shocker faced a earth pony stallion with a grey coat and a blue mane wearing a blue uniform with 'SECURITY' stitched across the back his name was Vigilante.

“Hey,” he shouted. “We need help.”

“Stop,” the guard shouted, pointing his carbine crossbow at him. Shocker looked at the weapon. A large clip hung underneath the crossbow, obviously, where the arrows were held. He was wondering how that many arrows were shot at those creatures that fast.

“Please,” Shocker begged, yes, begged. “It’s my daughter,” he motioned his hoof to his back to show the guard the petrified filly. “I think her leg’s broken.”

The guard pointed his crossbow at the two, his flashlight bathing the area in a yellow glow.

“Stop right there,” he screamed, fully on the urge to pull the trigger.

Shocker stopped in his tracks. His breathing became heavier. He looked away from the light the guard was producing from his weapon.

“Okay…” he began with his hoof held outwards. “W-We’re n-not sick,” he told the guard.

The guard looked skeptical for a brief moment. He never took the cross hairs away from the two. Right now in his mind, he was debating whether to let them in or not. Should he believe them? The sick ones looked a lot worse than they did and they couldn’t talk either. Maybe they got bitten…but if they were smart, they would’ve told him that.

He started to pull the trigger until a hoof wrapped around his in a comforting fashion.

“Vigilance, let them in. It’s Shocker and Blossom,” said a unicorn mare with a pink coated with a messy red mane and tail. She was wearing a nurses outfit, with Tender Love sewed into her dress.

“Daddy, what about Uncle Static?” The filly had asked her father.

The guard watched as the father answered her in a soothing tone.

“We’re gonna get you to safety and go back for him. Okay?” He saw as the filly slowly nodded.

His hoof slowly lowered the weapon.

Shocker watched as the guard’s face softened, his hoof bringing the weapon down

He took a step forward.

“Listen, buddy,” Shocker told him, “we’ve just been through hell. Okay, we just need-“

The guard shushed him and motioned him inside.

“Come in,” the guard said.

Just as they were about to cross the threshold, the hairs on the back of Shocker’s neck stood up straight.

“Oh, shit.”

The guard was half way through the door as an infected pony tore into Shocker’s neck. Screaming in pain as he tossed his daughter to the guard, he screamed his final request.

“KEEP HER SAFE!” He screamed as another infected pony joined in and  pulled him away from the door.

“Oh, no…” Vigilance stuttered, his eyes beginning to water.

The nurse spun around, her own eyes watering up instantly.

“No,” she cried, crawling over to Shocker’s injured daughter.

Her whimpering and crying had reached an all new level. Sobbing was a better word for it. She constantly struggled for air through each sob, as tears poured down her face.

“Okay,” she began, his own voice barely over a whisper. “Let me see your leg, honey.”

Blossom let loose another painful whimper, her tiny hoof reaching up and touching nurse’s cheek.

The nurse couldn’t hold it in anymore and began to cry herself.

“I know. I know…” she told her, feeling the same exact pain she was feeling in her heart. She cried even harder when she set the leg. She hugged the filly as she mourned the loss of her daddy.

The nurse and the guard stared to tear up.

“Listen to me. I know this hurts. You’re going to be okay, baby. Stay with me.”

All she could do was cry harder, the pain reaching to its limit.

“Alright, I’m gonna pick you up,” Vigilance told her and reached his hoof under her back. As he tried to lift her, Blossom screamed in pain and gripped his chest harder. “I know, sweetie. I know it hurts,” he cried.

“Come on, girl, please,” the nurse continued on.

“I know, baby. I know,” he continued to cry with his friend's daughter still in his hooves. The nurse looked back at her coltfriend/ guard for a quick second…but that’s when they heard it.

The crying stopped.

They looked down, heir lower lip already quivering.

Blossom had stopped crying. However, she was breathing. Her eyes were shut and puffy. Her bloody hoof was still held tightly in her guardian’s. She cried herself to sleep

The night was quiet.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0310 Hours (3:10 am)

Location: Harmony Apartment Complex Single Homes, Manehatten

The sound of crossbows and metal on flesh echoed throughout the entire house, the sound of six soldiers making stands after stands, being pushed back far into the building. Bodies upon bodies littered the floor with bolt and slash wounds in their heads and fresh blood oozing out each body. Instead in being fear and retreating by the sight of the bodies, it gave the monstrosities a reason to fight.

The infected and the demons were running across the bloody floors to kill the last remaining threat that matched their takeover.

Across the hallways and ruined rooms, the horde wiped out any life in the building that wasn't their own.

The soldiers continued to fight, even though all hope was lost.

Arrow after arrow, slash after slash made their fatal mark into each freak, killing them instantly. However, as each demon went down, two replaced it.

"Riot Control! Shield! Roadblock!" 'Snoop' said in his microphone.

The three S.W.A.T troops were supposed to be in the next room.

"Do you copy?" 'Snoop' asked again, hoping his fellow volunteers were alive, but only static answered.

"Shit..." he said, gritting his teeth as reloaded his crossbow.

"Celestia trakhat' Chert!" 'Cloud' screamed as he gave covering fire for 'Raven', "There is too many of them!"

'Cloud's' crossbow clicked as his ammunition ran dry. 'Raven' heard this and got out from her cover and shot any thing that got close to her comrade and coltfriend.

"Thanks, rebenok!" 'Cloud' replied, reloading in superpony speed.

Now concentrated on firing, he focused on killing and succeeded, reloading quickly clip after clip. Every single bolt was used well in the hooves of 'Cloud', an expert marksmen with the high powered crossbow. Each fatal shot was shot between the eyes of demos and infected.

The life from the red eyes faded away from the monsters, ending their short lives instantly on the battlefield.

The freak's numbers intensified as they closed in on the rooms, trapping the soldiers.

Just then, 'Black Cloud' came the net, "'Raven's' is down! I repeat 'Raven' is down!" 'Cloud' shouted in pain and anger, taking up her sword, he slashed through the ranks while tears poured down his cheeks.

"Fuck!" 'Snoop' said, acknowledging that 'Raven' was killed.

He then brought his sword up and slashed into the closest demons.

However, 'Snoop' wasn't aware of the demons that flanked him through the other room.

"'Snoop' get out! Fall back!" 'Cloud' yelled to him across the hallway.

It as too late. 'Snoop' never knew what him as three demons were on him like vultures. By the time they were done, only half a body and his entrails were left.

"No...no..no..NONONONONONO!" screamed 'Black Cloud'.

Pain and anger flowed from his heart as his sanity slipped away from him.

"YOU FUCKING SONS OF BITCHES!", he howled, "I'M GONNA KILL YOU ALL!"

And he carried out his promise. Screeching and howling, he slashed his way throughout the house as bodies littered the floor.

When he was done, he slowly trotted back to his marefriend's body, the hole in her throat stopped bleeding as her coat went pale.

Crawling over to her, 'Cloud' nuzzled her body until he cried himself to sleep.

XxX

Date: 2/28/2014

Time: 0310 Hours (3:10 am)

Location: Eden University, Manehatten

As they approached the door, the can hear a pained cry coming from the other side.

"No...no, no, no, no, no, NO!" Lumber cried as he kick down the door.

Then, fast as lighting, a infected Seamstress lunged unto her husband's back as Diamond and Beaker ran after Crimson.

Noticing his fathers ax, Crimson quickly took it and prepared to split open the heads of his marefriend and best friend... no... his EX- marefriend and EX- best friend. With teary eyes and blood running from the left one, he said his final apologies and farewells before bringing the ax down on them. Instantly ending their desecrated lives. Looking to his father, he also said his final farewell to his mother before she to met the same fate. Crimson dropped the ax as the body fell on top of his father. Moving the the body, he gently rolled the body over, only to see that his father is dead.

Crimson just stood their as the last of his sanity slipped away from him. A tiny voice sounded from under the bed. Trotting over to it, he saw his sister cough and in a weakened voice asked, "Big brother where are you?"

He gently pulled her out and held her in his hooves.

"I'm here baby sis. I'm here," he answered quickly.

Passion whimpered in pain as her little hooves covered a large blood splotch on her coat.

"Big brother it hurts....it hurts so much," she whispered.

"I know it does baby girl, I know."

Passion said "I-If I live or die... P-Please promise me... Promise me you'll live on*coughs violently* and move on from what happened here" in a pool of her own blood mixed with her mothers and her brothers marefriend she lied in his hooves.

"I promise baby girl," he answered with teary eyes.

"R-remember I-I always l-love you big brother al...ways" she weakly smile before going limp.

"Passion? PASSION?! NO DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T YOU DIE ON ME BABY SIS!" His screams of agony echoed throughout the desolate hallways, classrooms and the bloodied defensive line and over the bodies.

Crimson took the necklace he gave her the day before he got to college something to remember her by.

Only one survivor out of four thousand refugees. The school was completely soaked in blood as Crimson cried himself to sleep. The last of his sanity escaped him.