Equestria: The Wasted Land

The horrid smell of ash and corpses filled the air as they made their way through the town. They climbed among the rubble of destroyed houses, rummaged through every orifice they could see, and stood among the shattered glass. Seeing their old home in such a state left them heartbroken, but they had to continue for their sanity's sake. The ruined environment was somehow singing a tune to them, and Twilight felt her spirit drop even more. Not one building was left intact, and pasts were ruined and burned. Her head filled with rage, and she picked up an overturned chair, throwing it at a wall. Tears welled in her eyes, and the dusty smell of rubble made her close her eyes, trying to hold back tears.

"They'll get it for this. Those fucking Griffon bastards! We did nothing to them, and they completely destroyed our home."

Applejack tried to calm her down, but Twilight shoved her off and kept moving. She grabbed a rusted, worn pipe and jammed it in the ground. She leaned down, gently picking up an old teddy bear, and placed it on the pie, as if sitting down. She then took one of Dusk's cigarettes, and lit it up, exhaling a cloud of gray smoke. Rainbow dash stared at the girl almost as if deciding what to do with her, but then just threw up her hands, giving up. Twilight gazed towards her old home's location before the abomination known as Tirek had destroyed it. He was now locked away in Tartarus, but she still felt bitterly enraged. Such destruction, such loss, and he had caused it. Now, it was a different party who had committed such a crime, and Twilight was on the verge of utter hate. They walked over to the outskirts, towards Sweet Apple Acres, and walked down the dusty, barren road. Applejack was ahead of them all, keeping her head down, and the others understood. Whatever awaited them up that dusty road wouldn't be pleasant, and sorrow would surface. Through the trees and grass they walked, until finally they stood before the old farmhouse.

The paint was dull and peeling, and the windows were cracked, adding a feeling of unease for Applejack. Dusk and Screw looked around the house for traps, but found nothing, so they positioned near the door.

"I have a really odd feeling, like the air is... sorrowful, or even colorless."

"Screw, one doesn't simply feel such things. Though you're right, it does feel... it doesn't feel natural, or even alive."

They opened the door, and one by one they all entered the house. Their were broken pictures, splintered tables and beaten walls. The house smelled of rot and blood, and other unpleasant odors one mustn't speak of. Applejack walked ahead of them, ignoring their warnings of traps. They reached the parlor, and saw ripped and overturned furniture. The floor had been ripped up, and the walls had been torn at, most likely looking for a hidden box or baubles. They stepped carefully in the dead house, and entered the kitchen, and the sight sent great feelings of anger and sadness through them all. On the floor lay Big Mac and Granny Smith, bloody and still. Granny had been stripped of her clothing, and her legs spread. Out of respect, Dusk and Twilight covered her with a cloth, and Screw looked away.

Applejack knelt down by the bodies, taking the cold, lifeless hands. Tears made themselves known in her eyes, and she shook with sobs. "Why? Why didn't they run? Who could have raped my granny? She was a helpless, crippled woman, who didn't have any means to fight back! What kind of sick fuck would do this?" She looked away, and bile rose in her throat, threatening to spew outward. She rose from her knees, wiping tears from her eyes, and went over to a picture on the wall. It depicted her entire family, all in one place, smiling as if nothing would ever happen. She smashed the glass, taking out the picture, and stuffed it in her bra.

"Applejack," said Twilight. "are you sure you're alright? We can stay in town for a few days if you need to. Or we can just go away for a bit."

The farmer looked at her with tired eyes. "I wouldn't mind taking a while here, though... memories are a difficult thing for me right now. We... we should check the other houses and stuff now, and I need to sit down for a bit. I'll meet up with y'all in a bit."

With that, the others left Applejack alone, and went to search their own homes. Twilight walked the broken road to her castle, and remembered when they had saved Equestria from Tirek, Discord and countless other threats. She finally came to the large doors of the castle, and pushed. The familiar surroundings and faint sell of paper made her forget, for a second, that anything had changed. But that thought was quickly suppressed, as it was a dangerous thing. To forget where one was was to put yourself in danger, and she had things she needed to do. She walked the cold halls until she found her library, and started looking for her books. A survival guide for all situations, a cookbook, and a book on anatomy. She knew them all by heart, but in intense situations she was prone to forget, at a rather inopportune time.

She retreated to her room, and looked around for her personal belongings. Her journal, clothes, and a picture of her parents all found their way into her bag, and she looked around again. Her bed was just as she'd left it, and so were the rest of the rooms. The kitchen held nothing of use save for a few apples, and she took one last look around, and closed the door.

She walked around the town, and found Pinkie Pie in her old room in Sugarcube Corner. She was clutching a broken frame, and inside was her parents and siblings, with Pinkie in the middle. A single tear escaped Pinkie's eyes, and Twilight leaned on to her friend, comforting her with all her ability to do so.

Miles away, Fluttershy was dealing with her own sorrows. She had walked up the steps to her house, and found the interior in complete disrepair. Furniture was ripped and overturned, the walls were torn apart, and the floor was a mess. Feathers were scattered along the entire surface, and spots of what looked like blood stained it in places. She looked around the house, searching desperately for any signs of hr creature friends. Her kitchen had been completely raided, as no food was found, and she headed up the stairs to her room. The bed had been ripped with a knife, and the window had been smashed, most likely with a blunt object. But her pictures had remained untouched, and she got a key from behind one, putting it into a hole in the floor. Raising her hand, the floor came up with it, and she opened her box. A locket, inside which were pictures of her friends, mainly Rainbow Dash, and Angel. She grabbed the other pictures off the wall, and left her house, not even bothering to check the chicken coops.

Meanwhile, Rarity was in her boutique, trying to find something that wasn't broken or stolen, but had no such luck. Everything she could see was damaged, and her most prized jewels and cloths were gone. But it didn't stop her from grabbing one, lonely picture frame, and stuffing it in her bra. Nobody would dare take it if it was there. But then she heard a quiet mewing sound coming from one side of the room, and went to investigate. The sound was coming from under a piece of heavy cloth, with several broken bits of wood on it, and she raised it. Her cat Opal was under it, lying down. Elated to have at least one thing intact, she picked up Opal and kissed the feline, unaware of the glare she received.

After she was done, she went to the cars, and saw her friends there. So many tragedies felt, yet still they continued, as if they had no end. A wind blew through the town, bringing the scent of smoke. They all looked at each other, thinking of their plans, and finally Dusk and Twilight spoke together, startling the others.

"So what now?"

They looked at each other, surprised, then looked at their feet in tandem. Applejack didn't seem to notice, let alone care about any of the current situation, but that was expected. The weight of what had happened to her was a great burden, and she would maybe never truly be happy again. Rarity was holding Opal in her arms, and letting Fluttershy stroke her, reminding Twilight of all the crazy things they had done together. Looking around at the wreckage, though, made her also remember that fateful day, years ago, when the bombs came. She could never forget that, and it stayed in her mind to the point of appearing in her nightmares.

"Okay, what now? Stay at AJ's, or stay at Rarity's? Both are big enough, but one has to be more protected than the other?"

"We should possibly stay at my boutique. I think... I think Applejack's troubles have indeed troubled her enough for one day."

They all nodded, and entered their vehicles once again, driving towards Rarity's shop. Once parked, they unloaded their most needed supplies and bedding, and went inside. Upon seeing the damage they closed their eyes, but they had jobs to do, and set up their defenses and kitchen. It was getting dark, and they knew the horrors that awaited in the night. Radiation was a nasty thing, and they had been fortunate not to run across any of the foul creatures that came from the gas. Ponyville especially had been said to be infested with such creatures, and they fancied not the day when they met one. Dusk and Fluttershy were talking in a corner, and Spike was speaking to Twilight about their home.

"Twilight? When do you think we can just finally give up and stop driving all the time? Surely if we haven't found a safe place yet we never will? If the base for a military force run by the princess herself can be infiltrated, then anywhere can. Hell, Tartarus has had its fair share of slips, and I just want to keep my feet on solid ground for more than five minutes."

Twilight sighed. "I know, but we have to keep looking. Somewhere there's bound to be a safe place, or even some help. Come on, food smells about done."

The soup was indeed done, and they all ate in silence. Crickets permeated the air with their song, and wind shook the leaves on the trees, seemingly as if in a dance. The soup reminded them of the past, and indeed it made Applejack tear up a bit. After they were done, they decided rest was needed, and settled down into their sleeping bags. Dusk and Screw nodded, and took positions at the window, taking turns on watch. It was going to be a long night. The sounds of crickets, wind and the rhythmic breathing of their companions settled their minds, and they both thought of a fantasy of theirs. A fantasy of leaving the troubles of gangs and infected people behind, of going into a distant place and simply lying down, with no worries of impending death. But they were simply that; fantasies.