Code 5: A New Nation

RECEIVING MESSAGE: Hello, I doubt anyone is hearing this, but if you are…it’s over, there’s no hope for this all to end. Maximum, the main base of the ZPTF…it’s been overrun… The number of deaths is unknown, but there are many… The building is coming down in flames. The train that left with all the children made it to its destination, but then we lost contact from there, whether or not any of them survived from then on we still don’t know. I myself, am about to die. I’m trapped in the building, I’m surrounded by flames, debris, and trotters, that’s what we’re calling the zombies now, and there’s no way to escape… Good luck Equestria, I hope the rest of your people will survive this… CONNECTION LOST.

It’s been fourteen years since Maximum came down in flames, the ZPTF has died in Equestria, leaving no form of government left in the country, everyone is now in groups scattered all across the nation. They’re no longer residents, they’re survivors.

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“Come on Scootaloo, Ah don’t like it here…” Applebloom spoke up from the doorway, being a look-out while her friend was rummaging around inside.

“Stop being so paranoid Applebloom, we need to be searching. You said it yourself; you were running out of ammunition.” Applebloom looked down at the pump-action shotgun she held in her hooves.

“Yes, Ah realize that, but this place…it’s too calm, we haven’t come across any trotters in the last two hours.”

“Uh huh, and that makes it easier for us.” Scootaloo cut open a lock with a pair of bolt cutters she found lying on the floor. She tossed them away and opened the metal box. “Fucking finally…” She pulled out two boxes of .45 rounds. “I’ve been needing these.” She put the two boxes in her saddlebags, taking a quick glance at the SIG SAUER P220 on her belt.

“Well lucky you, you have bullets.” Applebloom muttered from the doorway.

“I told you before, you should’ve gotten a crossbow like I did.” Scootaloo holds up said weapon. “You can reuse the ammunition.”

“Yeah, sure, like that’s going to be an easy weapon to find.”

“No weapon is easy to find anymore, unless you rip a pipe out of a wall or pick up a piece of a broken picnic table.”

“Can we just hurry up and get out of here? This place is creepy…”

“Alright, fine, I finished searching through that building anyway.” Scootaloo gestures to Applebloom with her hoof. “You lead the way, it’s your turn to pick our next place to sleep.” Applebloom nods and begins walking in a direction that she had planned out.

“We should keep heading west, Ah think Las Pegasus is a good place to go.”

“Las Pegasus? Applebloom, are you crazy? That’s a city, it’s bound to be full of trotters.”

“The city isn’t the only part of it; there are suburbs and farms as well. It’s a large area, and wide open spaces are a good place to be to avoid trotters.”

“Then why couldn’t we have stayed at Sweet Apple Acres?”

“Because it was a popular business, a whole lot of ponies were going there to get cider and bunch of the treats and stuff that were made there. A whole lot of them got attacked there, and now it’s just as crowded with trotters as Manehattan.”

“Are you sure you’re not leading us to Las Pegasus because you’re hoping your cousin Lucky is there?”

“Maybe Ah am, maybe Ah’m not. Does it really matter?”

“So, where do you think Lucky is anyway? I haven’t seen him since we all scattered from the train.”

“Ah don’t know, but Ah hope he’s alright. He’s a nice colt, well, a nice stallion now with how long it’s been. Ah’d hate to hear that he was dead or a trotter or something.”

“What about Jetstream?”

“Ah thought you hated him…”

“I admit it, I was a bitch to him, it was really childish.”

“You can say that again.”

“Oh shut up and keep walking, geez…” Scootaloo’s ear perked. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Scootaloo suddenly grabs Applebloom and holds her still.

“Don’t move, and stay quiet.” Scootaloo listens intently, and she could hear something, but it wasn’t familiar. “What the…? She suddenly jumps as her back is scorched by flames. She screams in pain. The zombified dragon flies overhead and high into the sky, turning around midair and beginning to dive-bomb the two. “Oh shit! RUN!” She begins galloping away, Applebloom following close behind. The dragon leveled out about ten yards from the ground and began catching up to them. They galloped as fast as they could, but it was hopeless. The dragon would be on them in seconds. Suddenly an old Ford pick-up truck burst through some bushes and skidded to a halt by them.

“Get in!” The driver called out to them. They clambered into the back of the truck and the driver hit the gas, the truck speeding off with the engine roaring. Scootaloo looked back at the dragon that was still in hot pursuit. “Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck.” The dragon spit fire at them once more, the flames licking at the back of the vehicle.

“Hang on tight!” The driver hit the brakes and made a hard right turn, the rear of the Ford fish-tailing. He slammed down on the gas and sped down a short alley, and beyond a short wall were an incline and a wide river. There was some junk conveniently leaning against the wall, creating a ramp. The truck went up the ramp and was in midair.

“WOOOO-HOOOO!” The driver cheered in the moment. The truck landed on the other side with a bounce and a few jerks, the two in the back nearly falling out. The vehicle sped into the woods and the driver hit the brakes and brought the truck to a stop, immediately shutting off the engine. They waited a few moments and looked up through the trees. They could see the silhouette of the dragon linger for a moment in the area before flying off. Scootaloo and Applebloom finally let out a breath they didn’t realize they were holding and fell back in the bed of the truck, relieved.

“Thank you, you saved our lives.” Scootaloo said. The driver got out and looked down at them, a huge grin on his navy blue furred face.

“No problem Scoots.” Bucky replied.