Chapters The Trotting Dead: Equestrian Apocalypse
1 I am Wake?
Pain . Pain radiated through her head creating white spots that streaked across her closed eyelids. Consciousness was slowly seeping back into her being, and when she finally managed to force her heavy eyelids open a crack, she was met with a blurry, unfamiliar face. She allowed her eyes to shut once more, closing out the blurred face, and willing unconsciousness to take her once more. She finally felt herself begin to slip again until a voice perforated her ears.
“Wake? Wake! Please Wake, you have to get up, we’re running out of time!” the voice was panicked and loud, too loud for her sensitive ears.
“Wake c’mon, I saw you try and open your eyes, you have to get up,” the voice rose another octave as its noise was met with a muffled growling from somewhere else.
‘Wake? Who is Wake? Am I Wake? ’ She thought desperately as her head pounded unmercifully. She slowly forced her eyes to open again, wider this time. There was that face again. The face began to clear each time she blinked, and she watched as its muzzle opened, matching it to the voice that rang out once more.
“Wake I’m so glad you’re awake, you hit your head so hard I thought you were dead,” the face beamed with happiness. Her vision finally fully cleared and she was able to make out the rest of the face. He was a light green earth pony stallion. He had strange colored eyes, one grey, the other a light pink. His face was partially obscured by his long, messy white mane that had a grey stripe on the side.
“W-who are you?” she asked and immediately regretted it. Her throat felt like sandpaper as it protested against use. ‘How long was I out?’ she thought desperately.
“What are you talking about Wake? It’s me, Sigma,” the stallion stated as if it should be obvious as to who he was.
“Wake… am I Wake?” she mumbled as her head pounded with the confusion. Sigma visibly paled at the quiet question.
“Y-you really don’t know who I am do you? Or who you are?” he asked in a shaken whisper. She shook her head numbly as she attempted to clear the thick fog from her mind.
“Shit, this is bad! You don’t remember anything! I-I have to get you help! I… I have to take you back to Sugarcube,” he groaned. Wake didn’t understand, was this Sugarcube pony bad? Sigma quickly jumped away from her allowing Wake to see her surroundings. She was in a dimly lit bathroom of some house. The grimy sink and toilet were shoved against the only exit as some sort of… barricade? Wake, herself was lying in a claw foot tub on a pallet of dirty towels.
“Come on, we have to get you out of here,” Sigma declared, pulling Wake from her thoughts. He held his hoof out to her, and she stared at it suspiciously. She didn’t know anything about this pony other than his name. How did she know if she would be safe with him? He seemed to know her, so they had to be close in some way. She made up her mind as she hesitantly took his hoof, allowing him to help her out of the tub. Once out of the tube, and on unsteady hooves, Wake could see that Sigma was no bigger than her, a bit of a small stallion if you asked her. She made to move towards the door, when her legs buckled from disuse and Sigma caught her and steadied her once again.
“Not that way, there’s trotters that way,” Sigma hissed and moved towards a dusty window she had seemed to miss. Wake furrowed her brow in confusion until the door rattled as something pushed against it, sounds of growling and groaning seeping under the door. She shuddered at the thought of what a ‘trotter’ was and quickly moved after Sigma, who was halfway out the window. As she moved to follow after him, a movement caught her eye, she turned and jumped startled. There was another pony in the room.
Wake paused, had the pony also jumped in fear of her? It took her a couple moments to realize she was staring at a floor length mirror that was propped against the wall. In the mirror was a petite tan unicorn mare. She had a rather bouncy, curly, light brown mane with blonde highlights that was pulled into a high ponytail with bangs that framed her face. Thick black lashes surrounded eyes that were differently colored like Sigma’s, but hers were blue and green. She raised a hoof to her reflection and realized she was wearing sparkling ruby horseshoes.
‘Guess I have an eye for fashion ,’ Wake thought pleasantly as she smiled, admiring herself.
“Wake? What are you waiting for? Get out here before they break through the door!” Sigma growled at the open window, pushing Wake from her thoughts and urging her out the window. She leaped from the edge and landed ungracefully on her face as her legs buckled once again. Sigma nickered at the sight and moved to help her. “Careful would ya? You’ve been out for nearly a week,” Sigma scolded her as he pushed her to her hooves and towards an alleyway.
“A week?!” She gasped. ‘What happened to me that I was unconscious for a week? ’ Wake thought.
“I’ll explain later, just keep up, and stay quiet. We can’t afford to run into trotters with you like this,” Sigma hissed, and began to move down the alley. Wake snuck along after him, hoping that whoever this Sugarcube was, that they would be able to help her remember who she was.
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Author's Note
Teaser beginning chapter of my fanfiction. PLease tell me what you think, I always love feedback!
The Trotting Dead: Equestrian Apocalypse
2
Ponyville. Sigma was kind enough to inform Wake of their location, as though she was supposed to have any idea as to where Ponyville was. Upon observing the town, Wake was able to see that few of the buildings in the small city were even partially intact. Even the small apartment building they had been in was half rubble. They had skirted the building staying in the shadows, until Sigma deemed the coast was clear. Wake was less than uninspired to follow Sigma into this rubble pile of a town, but she supposed she had no choice if she wanted to regain her lost memories.
Being outside was a near new experience to Wake and she nearly smiled at the new feelings. The openness of it all, the faint sounds of chirping birds, and the fresh air that pushed her sweaty mane off her neck. Ponyville looked as though it used to be a homey little town that now was a rotting pile of ash, rock, and dirt. Any remnants of buildings still standing were covered in graffiti, crude messages, and what looked like blood splatters. The sight made Wake’s stomach lurch, and she stopped. ‘What could’ve possible happened to this town that reduced it to nothing? ’ Wake thought sadly. Sigma noticed Wake had stopped moving and caught the look of despair in her eye. He felt pity for the mare wash over him. She had no idea what was going on with the world, what they had been living in for years.
“Come on Wake, I don’t have time to explain all this right now,” Sigma said, urging the mare ahead. She allowed him to push her forward, her hesitant steps finally starting again as she walked with her head down. Sigma sighed and walked ahead; leading them down a side street he knew to be unoccupied. They trotted in silence until they turned onto a dark, narrow alleyway. Sigma kept ahead, Wake a few lengths behind, until she tripped and hit the ground with a muffled cry. Sigma turned, ready to scold her for not watching her already unsteady hooves, until he saw she had tripped over a trash heap in the narrow alley.
“You alright?” Sigma asked worriedly. Wake pushed herself to her hooves before yelping when she put pressure on her right hind leg. “You twisted your pastern,” Sigma sighed, looking at the rapidly swelling part of her lower leg.
“I’m fine let’s-“moved . Sigma backed them away slowly as the trash fell away to reveal a filly. Wake took a sharp intake of breath at the small pony. She was lean, almost skeletal, her once purple coat now pale and ashen, her blue mane partially ripped out, and her eyes were shallow and sunken, barely allowing Wake to tell she had blue irises. What had truly scared Wake were the facts that the filly had a jagged gap in her skull, almost as though a horn was once there, and her face was half gone, the flesh ripped away to show the raw bloody gums and the glimmer of broken braces on her yellow rotting teeth.
“W-what is that thing?!” Wake choked out just as Sigma pushed her back as the filly moved towards them.
“A trotter, now move!” Sigma yelled spurring both of them to finally sprint down the alley. Wake heard the filly give an animalistic screech before the sound of her jolting hoofsteps echoed in pursuit of them. Sigma ran full speed, Wake at his heels when the alley let out onto a main road.
“Left!” Sigma yelled, quickly taking off down the main road, leaving Wake to sprint after him, her injured hoof sending jolts of protest up her leg. Up ahead Sigma looked frantically for the right turn, before quickly turning down a smaller side road. Wake barely made the turn before smashing into Sigma’s flanks.
“Why’d you stop!” Wake yelled frantically, earning a hoof to her snout. The glare she was going to send Sigma withered quickly as horrification took over her face. Just ahead, blocking their way was a hoard of those things . Putrid, rotting carcasses of ponies stumbling around began to turn towards the live meat they smelled. Wake felt bile in her throat, but before she could even think of vomiting she was being heaved around back the way they had come. More growls and cries filled the air as the pack of trotters began the pursuit of their new prey.
“Where to now?!” Wake yelled frantically, trying to keep up with Sigma’s breakneck speed.
“There’s a river not far, we can cross it, they can’t, it’s our only way out,” Sigma yelled back. The two sprinted for their lives, skirting rubble piles, half standing buildings, and lone trotters before they reached the outskirts of Ponyville. There was a cottage up ahead that seemed intact besides the large, gnarled roots that grew over every surface of the small building.
“Can we hole up there?” Wake pleaded as her hoof began to send daggers of pain up her leg with any minute movement.
“No, too risky! It’s small enclosed, they break through, and we’re sitting ducks,” Sigma threw over his shoulder. “Besides, rivers up ahead, not too far now.” Wake’s body was pushing itself to the furthest extent to keep up with Sigma, her legs were aching, and her lungs were on fire as she couldn’t keep her breath. She began to fall behind as she saw Sigma make it to the river and dive in. Wake prepared to follow suit when a hoof attached itself to her fetlock, swiftly pulling her to the ground inches from the river. She quickly rolled over as a trotter dove for her, but she was unable to go far from the first trotters vice grip on her. She felt herself being tugged back and looked at the ponies dead, sunken eyes as it reached for her.
“SIGMA !” Wake screamed in terror as her hooves clawed at the dirt. BOOM , a sound like an explosion rang through the air as cold, putrid smelling liquid coated Wake. The head of the trotter that gripped Wake now had half a head as pieces of it landed everywhere. Wake screamed again as its blood ran down her face, she quickly managed to push herself into the river just as more trotters appeared.
In the river Wake pushed herself to the surface to take in air, before being pulled under by the current. She fought to swim, her body screaming for rest, and finally her lungs gave out as she hit the bottom of the river. Blackness seeped into her vision and she was vaguely aware of a tan blur swimming past her, before she was being tugged to the surface once more. She immediately tried to gasp for air and ended up choking on water as it entered her mouth. Wake was yanked up onto the river bank still choking for air as the tan blur pulled itself up on the bank. It was a mare, with a distinct cutiemark of three white sugar cubes. Wake caught this and smiled before passing out in exhaustion.
“Sigma get ‘er back to camp an’ then ya can tell me just where the hell ya been!” the mare growled at Sigma as she shook water from her coat, picked up her dropped rifle, and walked back into the brush from where she’d come.
“Anything you say Sugarcube,” Sigma stared at the retreating mare in awe before throwing Wake onto his back and dragging her back to camp.
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The Trotting Dead: Equestrian Apocalypse
Chapter 3 The Unveiling
Chapter 3
The Unveiling
When Wake woke she again had no clue as to where she was. Instead of a run down, dingy room, this room was well, magnificent. The ceiling was enormously high, the walls made of a dark, smooth stone, dusty, yet grand tapestries hung from the walls depicting scenes of battles, coronations, regal ponies. She was aware that she lay in a large bed with a dusty, moth eaten canopy hanging from the posts of the bed. Scanning the room Wake found a single large, wooden door as the only exit, so, on sore hooves, she made her way to the door. Focusing her magic for the first time since her initial awakening Wake attempted to open the large door quietly. The door was enveloped in a blue and green swirling mist of Wake’s magical energy, and as she focused on the picture of the door’s silent opening, the door did exactly as she pictured and was soon standing ajar. Giddiness consumed Wake and she smiled widely at her accomplishment, allowing herself a small victory dance before quickly composing herself. She cautiously left the sanctity of her room and trotted out into an even larger and grander corridor. Her hoofsteps echoed as she trotted on, exploring the unknown vicinity.
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A castle. Wake soon realized she was in a once grand castle that belonged to two unusual ponies. After venturing far enough into the castle, she had found herself in a throne room. It held two thrones, one bright and shining gold with a large sun adorning it, the other a dark and translucent onyx stone that shone like night itself with a crescent moon adorning it. What really had caught her eye was a tapestry that hung on the wall behind the thrones depicting two regal looking winged unicorns. One was a beautiful ivory mare with flowing pastel spectrum ranging hair and a golden crown atop her head, the other a smaller gorgeous midnight blue mare with a flowing mane that looked a clear night sky with a black onyx crown atop her head. Both were magnificent and ethereal beings that enraptured Wake. Her eyes grew hazy and for a moment Wake’s mind was black before a fuzzy picture played through her head like a TV screen with poor signal. The two mares from the tapestry were walking through a parted crowd, they walked with an air of grace as everypony stared with awe. As the mares walked passed, a small filly fell from the crowd into their pathway. Instead of reprimanding the small filly as many ponies expected, the smaller darker mare helped the filly to her hooves and kissed her forehead lightly.
The picture began to fade from Wake’s mind, and she could faintly make out the words the beautiful mare told the filly, “Fear not child, for one day you shall do more extraordinary things than even us.” Wake felt herself smile at the words, a warm glow in her heart, and Wake knew. The filly from the vision- no not a vision, a memory, her memory, that filly had been Wake. But that was it, no flood of memories, no sudden remembrance of who she was, just a single snippet of a memory, but for Wake, it was enough. She looked up at the darker mare in the tapestry and uttered a near silent thank you.
“Do yah know who they are?” a southern accented voice broke the silence of the hall, spooking Wake into whirling around.
“Sugarcube,” Wake breathed lightly, noticing the distinct cutiemark of three sugar cubes. She was a taller earth mare with a thicker build, she was a dusty tan color with a long straight sunny mane. In her own way, she was a pretty mare, her deep emerald eyes with purple glasses enlarging them ever so slightly, a lightly freckled nose, and a dirty cowpony hat sat atop her head. Sugarcube nodded her head at Wake’s assumption of who she was.
“Ya know mah name, but do ya know who ah am?” Sugarcube asked almost desperately, as if willing Wake to say of course and laugh with her. Her ears fell back when Wake shook her head, showing the earth mare’s sadness at the answer. She sighed and turned without a word, heading back the way she had come, knowing Wake would follow.
Sugarcube led her back to what looked like a camp of sorts. Three sleeping bags surrounded a stone fireplace that had been lit and was fueled by the books taken from the shelves on the walls around them. Saddlebags lay empty on a long wooden table, their contents strewn over the expanse of the rest of the table. Sugarcube went to the table and chose three shiny green apples from the stash, grabbing the stems between her teeth she trotted to the sleeping bags and lay one on a ruby red one, another on a light grey one, and finally settled onto a dark emerald one with the last apple. Wake watched from the doorway unsure of where to go until another voice startled her from behind.
“Yours is the red one,” Sigma appeared behind Wake and watched as she jumped at his sudden reappearance. “Sorry,” he added as an afterthought.
“It’s alright,” she said quietly, “and thank you.” She trotted over to the red sleeping bag and sank down onto its plushy surface, taking a small bite of the apple that lay there already. Sigma followed doing the same, except sinking his teeth into his apple with more fervor, showing his blatant hunger. The trio sat in complete silence, except the small sounds of the ponies eating. Finally it was Sugarcube that cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the others.
“So, Sigma has explained ta me your current… ailment. So ah can get a grip on this for mahself, Wake, just how much do ya not remember?” Sugarcube asked trying to be gentle with her friend.
“Nothing,” Wake whispered, “except… back in the throne room, I saw a fragment of a memory, from when I was little I think.” Sigma looked at her incredulously.
“You remembered something?” he asked excitedly. “Nothing big, just something about when I was younger, about the darker mare on the tapestry above the thrones,” Wake sighed, wishing she could she it once again.
“Princess Luna,” Sugarcube informed her, “one of tha rulers of Equestria next ta her sister Princess Celestia. When we were fillies they visited our home city and ya couldn’ see, so ah tried ta give ya a boost, but ya fell and Luna nearly stepped on ya.” Wake knew then that even though she didn’t know Sugarcube, Sugarcube definitely knew her.
“Please,” Wake pleaded, “Tell me everything you know about me.”
And, she did.
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A few hours passed, and Wake was able to get a general summary of her life. She lived in a world called Equestria, ruled by two princesses, Celestia of the Sun, and Luna of the Moon. This world was shattered though, when a virus plagued their world, reanimating pony corpses and giving them a single driving thought; to devour living flesh. Wake- born Scribble Wake to a bartender earth pony named Woodford from Manehattan, and a unicorn named Silver Lining from the Crystal Empire- grew up in the Crystal Empire where her father and Sugarcube’s father owned a high end bar together, thus having the two fillies grow up best friends. Wake grew up and became a writer (though Sugarcube wouldn’t elaborate on the types of novels Wake wrote) and lived in a two bedroom apartment with Sugarcube who made sweet treats as a living. Sigma was Wake’s cousin from Ponyville who went to Canterlot in hopes of joining the Royal Guard. He (very embarrassingly admitted) was turned away because of his petite stature, and moved to the Crystal Empire to stay with Wake until he could find an alternative career. Weeks later was the initial outbreak of the virus, which spread Equestria-wide within weeks, causing Wake, Sigma, and Sugarcube to evacuate the empire to head to the Crystal Mountains with other civilians in hopes of protection in the wilderness. Their group had quickly been separated when the hordes of living dead ponies hunted them into the forests. Wake and Sugarcube’s families were separated from them, and are still in unknown status.
This was where Wake was left now, knowing the basic story, but still unable to match memories to these facts. Sugarcube had gotten up once more and came back with a picture of Wake when she was a small filly with her mother and father. The photograph had brought large tears to Wake’s eyes and when they spilled down her cheeks her friends were quick to comfort her. They mistakenly thought Wake was upset about having lost her parents, but that wasn’t it at all. As Wake cried over the family picture all she could feel was the anguish at not being able to remember ever posing for this photo, not being able to remember anything about these two ponies, not even the feelings she should hold for them as their daughter.
“Don’t worry Wake, we’re going to help you remember,” Sigma reassured his cousin. She smiled at him and nodded.
“Thank you Siggy,” Wake said quietly, not catching the astonished look Sigma was quick to give her at the nickname. The nickname only she used. The nickname she had dubbed on him years ago.
Author's Note
Sorry for the none zombie chapter guys, had to get some of this out, and I promise the trotters will make their reappearance next chapter which should be out within a week. On the plus side memory leaks from Wake! When is that dam going to break?
Also thanks for following guys, I really appreciate it! Please review, I love your guys' reviews!