The Trotting Dead

by SongBirdtheAlicorn

Rating: teen
Tags: Doctor Whooves, Main 6, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Changelings, Queen Chrysalis
Length: 2701

(If you do not like storys with ocs in them, do not read please! Also, she is not an alicorn in this, she is a Unicorn.) SongBird was just an ordinary pony, she had a job, a life, but all of this changed the day IT happened.

The day a baffling virus infected Equestria. Ponies started to get terrible fevers, nausea, and becoming limp, and acting weak. Ponies called it, "Zomian" as during the sickness, infected ponies would repeatedly say this during the fever stage. As the Zomian virus progressed, ponies became violent, aggressive and vicious, craving the taste of flesh, the taste of blood, the taste of anything living they could get their hoofs on! They soon started to die out, leaving the world in war, chaos and calamity. Songbird was one of the few survivors around Equestria. Now, instead of calling the ponies by names, she calls them "Trotters", the dead reanimating themselves. This is the world now, and what is to come.

Published 2015-09-24 00:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-10-09 23:44:30 UTC

Before the Plauge part 1

Songbird groaned groggily as the sound of her alarm clock echoed throughout her bedroom. She rolled over, slamming her hoof onto the top of the electronic device, bruising her hoof in the process. She yelped in pain, causing her to jump up, resulting in a magic charge from her slightly curved horn, which resulted in teliporting above the floor and falling on her abdomen. "Ughhh...." The young mare groaned once more as she pulled herself up from the white carpet floor. Songbird picked up her glasses with her aura, placing them on the bridge of snout so she could see. As almost as fast lightning, a brown coated stallion bursted into her room, as SongBird yelped once more. "Ever hear of a mare's privacy, Doc?!" She yelled, backing up a bit.

"Sorry, SB, I just 'eard crashing from your room, and came to check on ya." The stallion, Doctor Whooves replied with a slight blush of embarrassment.

Doctor Whooves, or as referred to as "The Doctor" by request, was SongBird's best and only friend that lived in an apartment right next to her. Because of SongBird's job as a Song Album Artist, her hours were almost 24/7 from thinking up cover ideas so she could not spend much time with the stallion she cared for the most.

Songbird sighed, "It's alright. I could never stay mad at you." She smiled softly. The Doctor smiled back gently.

"Thanks." He spoke, then turned to the clock. "HOLY-! I was supposed to meet Ditzy at the Cafe five minutes ago!" He yelled, rushing out. "I-I'll see you later today, SongBird!"

"'Kay..." She sighed once more, grabbing her light purple saddle bag with a red heart and microphone clip, and heading out to the building were she worked. Once she arrived, she was confronted by the band she worked for, Unity Stars. The band manager approached, shoving a pink piece of paper into the mare's face.

"What's this?" SongBird asked.

"A pink slip. Your fired." The band leader, Autumn Snow replied bluntly. Autumn Snow was a pegasus mare about SongBird's age, with a peach colored coat, and light blue, short, curly hair.

"W-WHAT?! WHY?!" SongBird exclaimed.

"Your art is beginning to lack in the extreme thrill we need for our new album cover. You just ar'nt as good as you used to be..." The drum player, Floral Thorn informed, an earth pony mare with a vibrant, grey coat and a spike-like mane flattened against her forehead.

"B-but, I can do what ever you ask for-!" Songbird started, until the guitarist, Ivory Lily, a unicorn mare with a light blue coat, and a long, strait vibrant green mane and tail butted in.

"It's too late for you, SB. Sorry..." She spoke.

"But!.......I-I understand..." The young mare sighed, sadly exiting the building. She cursed at herself, anger bubbling up inside of her gut that she just wanted to scream at herself, but remained quiet trotting to her apartment home. Once inside her bedroom, she flopped on her bed, and stared at the ceiling, tears threatening to penetrate her eyes. "What am I going to do now...?" She muttered.

Author's Note

Well, seems SongBird has been having some terrible luck lately, but she's gonna need it in the future. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Hopefully i will get to update tomorrow. I use my aunts computer for this because my tablet does not work with this site. Well, all for now! Bye-ya! ~SongBirdtheAlicorn

Chapter 1; Blood-Shed

Previously, on The Trotting Dead...

The sounds of tearing flesh and screams could be heard, as SongBird and The Doctor ran to the window, pulling back the curtains. They could not believe what they saw.

SongBird's purple and pink eyes went wide under her black glasses. "Oh my sweet Celestia......" Ponies were scattering and running around the town in fear, dark clouds circling the once beautiful blue sky. Infected ponies were chasing the noninfected, pouncing and scrambling to get their hoofs on them. She gasped, seeing a bloody stallion covered in the infected hit the window, screaming in pain as the infected ponies vigorously feasted on him. SongBird yelped in surprise, falling back on her flank. The Doctor watched in utter fear as tears pierced his vibrant colored eyes.

"Oh my......." He breathed out, picking up SongBird to her hooves. "I'll get what we need to get things to defend ourselves, try and block the door and windows!"

"O-Okay!" The young mare nodded, quickly rushing to pick up any furniture she could find and blocking the door, the groans and moans of the infected ponies growing rapidly as if they were right outside. She then tipped a bedroom dresser over to cover the windows, and went to The Doctor. He was grabbing kitchen knifes from their drawers, and even picked up a butcher knife.

"Here." He said, setting it on the dining table. "Your gonna need it." He then rushed to his saddle bag, grabbing SongBird's on the way. "I need you to pack food and water, med supplies and other weapons." He instructed while stuffing his saddle bag full of knifes, food and other supplies.

She nodded, grabbing the rest of the food, Med supplies, water and knifes that The Doctor couldn't carry, and kept the butcher knife in her magical aura, standing in front of the door to keep watch, until the door broke, and the infected started to thrust their way through the broken wood, their coats and manes covered in blood, but this blood was different. It was still red like normal, but it was mixed in with a blackish-green, thick and murky liquid, possibly the infected's own blood. Their lifeless, cold, bloodshot eyes stared at the mare, who was trembling in fear.

"Songbird, we need to leave, now!" The Doctor's voice boomed as he ran to her, breaking a window in the kitchen, and jumping out along with SongBird. They ran through town, their saddle bags thumping against their sides, the straps rubbing their stomachs raw. Ponies throughout the town that were not infected ran, some being pounced on by the infected and torn apart, their screams piercing SongBird's ears.

She hated the sound as the screams made her ears ring and feel as if water was clogged in them. The Doctor kept his same determined facial expression as they passed through out the town, until he was pounced on by a familiar face. It was Ivory Lily, but her eyes were bloodshot, her teeth covered in the thick murky blood that they had seen before. He struggled to keep Ivory from biting him, as she growled, snarled and hissed in response to the restraining stallion. SongBird could only stare in fear, shocked. Her nerves felt shot, keeping her from moving, so she did what her mother had taught her before when she was just a young filly.

Count to five, her mother would say in situation SongBird found terrifying. Then your fears will fade away.

So she counted in her head, her aura becoming pressured as she held the butcher knife.

One... She started, the Doctor starting to break a sweat, keeping Ivory off of him.

Two... Ivory started to get closer, as the Doctor's strength began to fade.

Three...

"SONGBIRD, HELP!" The Doctor yelled, as he tried to reach into his bag to grab a knife, but couldn't.

Four... Ivory was inches from his face, as The Doctor braced for his demise.

"FIVE!" SongBird yelled as she lifted the butcher knife with tears in her eyes, as she swung the blade at Ivory, knocking her off the Doctor, but she was still alive, the cut she had received bleeding the dark green, murky substance. SongBird swung again, cutting down Ivory's eye, making her snarl, and lunge at SongBird, but SongBird stopped her in midair, throwing the knife into Ivory's skull, making her land on her abdomen, her bloodshot eyes rolling into the back of her head.

The young mare panted, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. She couldn't believe she had to kill one of the mares she had worked for months ago, the mare that even gave her a few lessons on guitar. SongBird pushed the thought out of her head, and focused on the tired Doctor. "D-Doc! Are you alright? Did she hurt you?" She frantically asked, helping up her friend.

"I-I'm fine...thank you for helping me..." He smiled in an exhausted way.

"No problem, but we need to hurry." She looked back, seeing a horde of at least a dozen infected after them. "Come on!" SongBird ran along The Doctor, running to the edge of town, where they stopped in front of the EverFree forest. "SongBird, wait! We cant go in there!" The Doctor yelled.

"What would you rather do? Stay in a spooky forest or be devoured by infected ponies?!" She exclaimed, already a few feet inside the dark forest.

The Doctor grimaced and was hesitant, but he ran in next to her, following her into the depths of the forest.

Author's Note

WOOO! I'm done! Jeez, this chapter took an eternity to write! Well, i hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll hopefully get to update soon again! School starts this Friday for me so, yeah. We;;, Bye-ya! ~SongBirdtheAlicorn

Chapter 4; Unkown

SongBird and Doctor Whooves galloped through the dark oak trees of the EverFree Forest, being slapped by branches and twigs hanging low. They panted and became tired, but continued to rush through the tall grass, the skin under their bellys rubbed raw by the straps of their saddlebags. Songbird soon slowed down to a trot, sweat trickling down the side of her face, leaving a dark streak of lavender in her fur. She breathed, "Doc...Slow down, were....miles away by now..." She coughed. The Doctor slowed down to a trot himself, then stopped, panting softly.
"S-Sorry...." The Doctor turned to her. His cheeks were colored a mauve that emerged from his fur, of face flushed as he regained his breathe.
"It's alright, but...we should stop...just for a breather.." She spoke softly, plopping herself onto a fallen log on the side of the hoof trail path they had left by the pressure of their galloping. The Doctor sat himself next to her, taking a bottle of water from his bag with his teeth, held it between his hooves and twisted the cap off, holding the bottle in place as he dipped his head back taking a gulp of the liquid, as he then took it between his hooves once more and twisted the cap back on. SongBird did not have the desire to take a sip of her own water, for she felt sick to her stomach, remembering the terrible things she had seen in Ponyville.

The setting sun turned the sky a murky orange and pink, as the smoke and sound of gunfire and screams could be heard all the way into the deep and misty forest. The smoke was thick, but faded as the sun set far beyond the mountain tops of the fields beyond, and the sounds died out. The smoke cleared, and the fighting had seemed to stop. SongBird was resting on her bag, she had fallen into a deep slumber, her muscles weak and fatigued. The Doctor stayed awake, watching over her with the butcher knife in the grasp of his mouth. He felt weak himself, he could feel his legs buckling underneath himself. He stiffed a yawn, until a loud BOOM was heard, so loud it shook the ground. The Doctor was shocked out of his drowsiness, SongBird awaken from her slumber. Black, murky smoke arose from beyond, coming from the hometown that was once a peaceful town, turned to dust, ashes and became filled with the odor of rotting flesh. Fire and light was seen, and the pod ships of Celestia's army were visible, bombing the quaint little town!

The Doctor stared in utter shock, his childhood memories becoming a white blur. "I-i....It's gone....Ponyville, i-it's gone..!" He cried out, as SongBird regained her senses from the drowsiness, and stared with The Doctor. SongBird trembled, frightened by the fact the place she loved and cared for, where she was raised, where she had spent her entire life until now, was resulted to dust from the past. She fell onto the ground, sitting up strait, her eyes fixed on Ponyville as the fire raged. Her pupils were like dots, the color drained from her face.
"No....E-Everypony, cant...they cant be gone!!" She sobbed, her wings unfolding to shield her face. The Doctor sat next to her, wrapping a hoof around her and pulled her close. "SongBird, please....don't cry....just think, t-their in a better place...their happy....their free of the pain and suffering of the virus..." He tried to sooth her.
SongBird started to calm down, burying her face in her wings, as she leaned against his shoulder. She sniffled, and looked up at him, smiling gently. "Y-yeah...your right...."
Suddenly, the sound of hooves clattering on the ground was audible, and a voice spoke behind them, "For he is wrong, the end we all fear, though it may not seem like it, for you, the end is near..."

Author's Note

WHOOOAAAAAAAA! NEW CHARACTER! By the sound of it, you may already know who she is! Haha! Well, i hope you enjoyed this chapter of the Trotting Dead, and i will see you all next time! Have a great day my lovely readers! ~SongBirdtheAlicorn

Before the Plauge part 2

Two months later...

SongBird watched as a few ponies were wheeled away, growling as they were being restrained by leather straps, only able to make moans, groans and watch as they were taken away, out of the apartment complex. In the meantime, Ponies in the complex were being relocated, the town trying to keep the virus in containment. The plague had gotten worse than it had two months ago, and SongBird was getting concerned about her friend, The Doctor. He had been staying up all night long, doing research on the "Zomian", trying to find something, anything that would slow or cure the virus. Unfortunately, he had no luck. He was becoming stressed night after night, day after day thinking he could help ponykind.

"Doc, you really need to rest...You've been pulling all-nighter's for almost two weeks...." Songbird pleaded to the tired Stallion.

"I-I'm fine...don't worry about me, SongBird." The Doctor replied to her as he continued to test the research he had found already.

"Your not fine, Doctor! You've practically gone half insane trying to help the society! Face it, the virus can't be cured!" SongBird exclaimed, tears threatening the corners of her eyes. She cared for her friend, she wanted him to be safe, to stop this madness that he had started, to be the stallion he once was.

"SongBird, please," The Doctor got up from his seat, walked to SongBird and stared her in the eyes. "Trust me....I can cure this, stop the madness this virus has caused, and keep you safe as well as I..." He gently hugged the young mare, his warmth calming her.

"I just don't want to lose the only friend I have...." SongBird sniffled, hot tears rolling down her cheeks to her chin, and staining The Doctor's light brown shoulder.

"You'll never lose me....I swear on my life...." The stallion hugged her tighter, laying his chin on the top of her head. "Promise I wont lose you...?"

"....Promise..." She smiled softly. Suddenly. screams and yells of pain and fear were heard outside and in the building they were move to, as well as growling, snarling and tearing flesh. SongBird's ears perked up, as her and the Doctor ran to the window, pulling the curtains away. They couldn't believe what they saw.

Author's Note

OH MY GOSH! I bet you guys are wondering what they saw, are ya? Eh, Eh? Hehe! Guess you'll have to wait till next chapter! Sorry for it being short as well, I will probably make the other chapters longer. Hopefully I will get to it soon, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Bye-ya! ~ SongBirdtheAlicorn