Ironback dragged the struggling mare down the stairs as he growled. “What's going on down here?” he snapped. The walls were bare, covered in cheap brown wallpaper. The floor was soft wood, the carpeting long torn out. As Note got a view of the room she saw what she imagined had once been an ice cream stand facing the front of the building, though the treats and freezer units had long since been removed and replaced with metal to make a nice cover. There were no windows on the side of the building, just a bunch of boarded up hole. Well, aside from the part that had been taken out by a large van that had slammed into the front of the building.

Over a dozen ponies were down here, each armed with a tommy gun on their backs, or held in their magic or mouths. Most were hidden behind the cover while two more had gone forward to investigate the vehicle. Note whimpered as she watched.

“Your friends are dumber than they look. Coming in the front like this? They'll be dead in seconds,” Ironback said with a chuckle. Unfortunately, with the numbers and equipment on their side, she couldn't help but agree.

“They're dead,” one of the ponies yelled as he pulled open the side door and yanked out the body. It was a gray-coated pony she didn't recognize, lacking a mane. The armed pony stepped back and shook his head. “Holy tartarus. The smell is horrible!”

“Anypony else in there?” Ironback yelled out, while keeping a firm grip on Note's back.

“Don't think so. Passenger is dead too. For a long time by the looks of it... huh?” the two ponies climbed inside as they flashed their lights into the back. “The hell? It's full of-” Suddenly the two were pulled into the back seats as their screams flowed out.

“SHOOT IT! Blow it to tartarus!” Ironback yelled. Instantly the ponies complied as bullets flew through the air, slamming into every side of the vehicle and turning it into a metallic version of swish cheese. After a few moments the shooting stopped. “There, go check it out. Careful this time.”

Two more of the ponies walked forward, guns ready. Rather than looking in the back they yanked the back door off its frame, the bullets having damaged it beyond repair. “By Celestia... this smell. Ironback, you're gonna wanna see this.”

“Come on,” the stallion growled as he dragged Note forward, keeping her in front of him. Soon they could see the back of the van. It was filled with bodies. “You recognize any of them?”

“N-no,” Note whimpered.

“Hey, I know some of these. They were part of Coppertooths gang. Before they... disappeared,” the nearby stallion mumbled.

“Start yanking them out. Whoever is hiding in there is probably- Celestia's mane!” Ironback yelled as he took a step back. The nearest corpse suddenly jumped from the van onto the nearest armed pony. The stallion tried shooting, though he only managed to graze it in the side before the body was on him, tearing out his throat with its teeth. More of the bodies were starting to move as Ironback held Note and started dragging her back behind cover. As they passed the front of the vehicle bullets began to shoot out. She caught a glimpse of two corpses, one missing half its head, shooting with the tommy guns they stole.

“Shoot them, shoot all of them!” the stallion yelled as he kept dragging her along towards the back. Suddenly screams could be heard as an explosion rocked the building. Smoke flooded from the back door as the business pony let out another growl. “Damn it, come on!” he moved past the stairs and headed through the door, keeping his head low.

The entire back of the building, once a kitchen, was in flame. The ponies that had been inside weren't moving and Note could see where many of them had been caught in the explosion. Ironback tried making his way to the back door, but soon found his way blocked by an inferno. The intense heat made her stumble, and she was actually happy when he started dragging her back the way they came.

The undead ponies were slowly making headway towards the entrenched gun ponies. Even when their limbs were blown off, they would just keep crawling towards them. The stallion let out another curse before running upstairs. “Damn it, Note! I swear when this is over I'll make you pay for this. Do you have any idea what Goldenshot is going to demand in compensation for all this?!”

Within moments they were back on the second floor, the ground coated in glass from shattered windows. There weren't any ponies as far as she could see, even the two who cleaned her were gone. He kept dragging her towards the back, ignoring her cries of pain as the glass slashed at her hooves.

“Shut up!” the stallion growled as he shoved open a door near the back and grinned. Inside was a window that looked out over the street. “I hope you're ready to jump, you-”

“Let her go,” an angry voice said from behind them. The heat suddenly intensified as the two turned around. Knight stood a few feet away, fire circling around his horn.

“Knight!” she yelled as she tried to make a run towards him, but was quickly yanked back and felt something pressed to the back of her head.

“Don't come any closer or I'll shoot!” Ironback yelled.

“Put that gun away,” the fire controlling unicorn said with a growl as he took a step back. “You've already hurt the lady enough. If you lay so much as one more hoof on her, I'll make you beg for death.”

“I said stay back!” her ex-boss growled as she heard the gun cock. Knight froze in his steps. “Good. Why are you doing this? Is it money? Is that what you want? I can give it to you! Do you want power? I have plenty of that!” For the first time, Note could hear fear in the unicorn's voice. “Note doesn't have any of that, why do you go to such lengths for her?”

“A true knight always protects the queen,” her friend said as the fire dissipated from his horn. “I'll give you one chance, and one chance only. Let Note go and never both-”

Note was deafened as twice the gun was shot by her ear. She trembled as she awaited the feeling of death, but no pain hit her. She then saw the two holes in Knight's chest, blood dripping from them. She was quickly shoved to the side, into the wall, as Ironback walked forward, gun hovering up.

She watched, helpless, as the stallion moved up to her friend, gun poised. They talked, but she couldn't hear a word. All she could hear was a soft ringing. She let out a sob as she stared at the two. Ironback had won. He'd kill Knight and take her away. After everything he'd done to her, he was right. He had the power. He had control. She was just... weak. She had almost nothing. And she was about to lose even that.

She watched as the gun was raised to Knight's head, the stallion clutching his chest and struggling to breath. Her tormentor standing over him like an angel of death. The last thing she heard was a snap as the calming sounds of her mother's songs filled her mind.

Note slowly got to her hooves as her horn flashed for a moment. A confident grin flashed on her lips as she moved towards the victorious stallion. He turned for a moment, a confused look on his face as he said something, though she couldn't hear it. A moment later he began screaming as the gun fell from his grasp. At least, she assumed he was screaming as she jammed the shard of glass into his right eye. Her horn continued to glow as seven more shards floated around her head. She stabbed and pulled them out over and over as the pony screamed and lashed out wildly. She easily moved out of range, after each of his strikes her horn glowed for a moment. She watched every move he made, long before he could make it.

One of the longer shards drove past his head and into the throat of one of Goldenshot's men, as the pony charged up the stairs. Ironback stumbled back, his good eye wide and fearful as his mouth moved. Her hearing was beginning to get better, though she still couldn't make out what he was saying. “Hush now, quiet now,” Note sang gently as she moved closer, a shard embedding itself in the stallions back hoof. “It's time to lay your sleepy head...” A shard embedded itself in the stallion's side.

A confident grin flashed on the stallion's face as suddenly the gun was raised in front of her face and he pulled the trigger. It didn't make a sound to her as the stallion stared at it, pulling the trigger again and again, but the gun's bullets were spread across the floor. “Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed...” she whispered as two of the shards jammed into the stallion's throat. Ironback clutched at his throat as he fell to the ground, thrashing about. She continued singing her song as the edged glass stabbed into him, again and again and again, even when he no longer moved.

“Let the joy of dream land...” she trailed off as she finally realized he was dead. She shook her head before running to her friend. “Knight? Oh, I'm so sorry! I just, I was, are you okay?” she asked as she nudged him with a hoof. He mumbled something, but it took a few seconds before her hearing cleared enough for her to make it out.

“Y-yeah, ow... t-think he missed anything too vital. Think yah could help me up?” he asked as she quickly moved besides him and let him put a hoof over her. Behind her, she could feel heat as the flames quickly spread through the building.

Note glanced to the window and then to him. “Are you going to be okay to jump?”

“N-not really...” he groaned as he put a hoof to his bleeding chest. “N-not like I have much choice. C-come on.” She held him as best she could as they dashed towards the window. Her telekinesis opened it as they came closer and together they leaped out into the night. She looked down before letting out a scream.

She expected to see cement under them. Instead she saw dozens of the undead ponies, gathered and shuffling about. The two landed in the midst of them, softening the landing. Note screamed as loud as she could as she awaited the inevitable devouring of their soft pony flesh, but it never came.

“E-easy,” Knight groaned as he smiled to her. “T-they're on our side. P-pretty nice once you get used to the smell. Come on, l-let's get to the carriage...”

“Where is it?” she asked quickly as she struggled not to think about the horde of undead surrounding her.

“A-a block or so down. Don't worry, t-they'll likely meet us part way, just get me to an alley,” he groaned as he leaned on her. Together they shuffled off down the street, the building burning behind them as the dead ponies tore into it, and anything unfortunate enough to still be alive. She got him a block away before dragging him into an alleyway, taking a deep breath. “Okay, just wait here, I'll get the others.”

Before she could leave, the mare heard something above and quickly looked up. Bishop dove down, landing in front of them. “Are you two okay?” the pegasus asked as she quickly looked them over.

“Y-yes. Knight was shot, he needs a doctor. Where is everypony?”

“They'll be here in a moment,” Bishop mumbled as she moved forward. “Queen, put Knight down and keep watch. You won't want to see this.”

“Keep watch? Why?”

“Just do it!” the pegasus snapped.

Note nodded as she quickly walked a bit away. Her horn glowed as she cast her future seeing spell. After a few moments she glanced back and gasped. The pegasus was now completely black, without any fur. Her wings were long, green and jagged, shaped to points and dug into Knight's chest wounds. Small black holes were spread throughout the pegasus' body.

“You're... you're a changeling,” Note squeaked.

“And you're pointing out the obvious. There, got them. Knight, how yah feeling?” Bishop asked as she yanked her shifted wings out, two bullets clattering on the ground.

“Like tartarus...” he groaned.

“Good. We'll get you some healing soon. First, I need to stop the bleeding. Hrgk. Ptoo!” The changeling spat some thick black goo onto the chest before rubbing it in.

“Ewwww,” Note groaned.

“Oh, shut up,” Bishop grumbled as she returned to her pegasus form. “It's a cure my mother used to use whenever we got hurt. Besides, it'll stop the bleeding.”

“What about infection?”

“Trust me, that's not an issue,” the mare said with a grin. “Now, when we peel it off, the scream he's going to let out will be. About time!” she hissed as a large black chariot pulled up. It was pulled by Rook, though he was hidden under a black cloak. The door popped open and the two mares helped drag Knight inside, before it took off.

Note looked around and smiled at the lone pony sitting in one of the corners. “King, you came too!”

“Of course. Who do you think was controlling the corpses?” the stallion grumbled. His horn glowed green.

Her mouth fell open. “You're... you're a necromancer? But... but that magic is illegal. How can, but that's... how...”

“Lots of things are illegal. Especially the things we do. What's your poin- hey!” the stallion tried pulling back, but it was too late. Note embraced the pony in a big, tight hug. “Let me go!”

“No! You big softy! You got everypony together to come save me! I knew Knight would, but I wasn't sure the rest of you cared so much,” Note said as she leaned in and pushed the hood back. She froze as she stared into those big, green, very angry eyes.

“I told you. Not to. Touch. The hood,” the mare growled.

“Y-you're a... you're a... you're a mare!” Note squeaked, before getting shoved back into her chair.

King quickly flipped the hood back over her head. “You're point?! You have an interesting way of saying thank you!”

“I-I'm sorry... I was just... I was going to give you a kiss on the cheek, as ummm... sorry...”

“H-hey, don't I get a kiss?” Knight asked with a grin.

“Kisses aside,” King said as the fire-manipulating stallion gave a low moan. “After tonight, I've decided to give you a choice. None of those ponies will be after you now, with your old boss dead.”

Note nodded slowly as she watched the hooded pony. “How did you kn-”

“You'll probably be fine if you want to return home,” King interrupted. “I doubt they'll come after you. We've managed to make out rather well with some... re-appropriated items, so I guess it wont hurt to let you go. So, here,” King grumbled as a small bundle dropped into Note's lap.

“What's this?”

“The cure for poison joke. Just take a long bath with that stuff and you'll be back to normal. We'll get you out of town and you can head home, where you'll be safe.”

Note nodded as she clutched the bundle before looking up. “What if... I don't want to leave?”

“Hmmm?”

“What if I want to stay here? With all of you? Can I?”

“Yes!” Knight said quickly as he raised a hoof, moments before cringing and clutching his chest. “Owie...”

“If you desire to stay with us... I see no reason why not,” King said as she leaned back. “You aren't completely helpless in a fight it seems. Very precise with shards.”

Note cringed as she looked out the carriage window. “I... I don't want to think about it. I don't want to fight... I just want to sing, and look out. Keep Knight from getting shot.”

“Don't worry, Queen,” Bishop said with a smile. “You're one of us now. You'll get used to Knight getting shot.”

“Oy!” the stallion grumbled.

The unicorn smiled as her horn glowed for a moment. “Yes... I am. You know what? I think I see a bright future ahead for us. All of us.”

Author's Note

Here it is, finished. :D Since I hope to eventually convert this into a normal, non-fanfiction story, I'd love to hear peoples thoughts on the story and how they felt about the characters.