Light Up the Darkness

Chapters

Chapter One: Vacant Streets and Vacant Homes
Chapter Two: A Rude Awakening
Chapter Four: What Happened Happened
Chapter Five Part One: Hope
Chapter Five Part Two: Revelations
Chapter Three: Friends Lost and Friends Found

Chapter One: Vacant Streets and Vacant Homes

Fluttershy exited a dark SUV and walked over to a tall pony. His coat was a shade of dark blue. He was standing at the rear of a van with the label “EDC”; it stood for Equestrian disease control. Fluttershy stopped in front of the pony and asked “Now what did I get called half way across the country for?” The pony’s pleasant daydream was interrupted when he heard this. “Are you the animal disease specialist?” he asked. “Yes,” replied Fluttershy.

The pony turned to the van and opened the door. As he leaned into it Fluttershy noticed something; his cutie mark was a biohazard symbol. As she stared at it the pony turned back to her, wielding two biosafety level four suits. “You’re going to need one of these where were going.” “BSL4?” Fluttershy asked with a concerned tone. “Yeah, it’s bad. You’ll learn more once you’re inside.” As he closed the rear door of the van, Fluttershy saw that the veterinary office they were about to enter was completely covered in plastic sheeting, there were also several armed guards encircling the animal hospital. Each of them was wearing a NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) suit with a gasmask. “Wow, this must be really serious,” Fluttershy remarked, with fear easily noticeable in her voice. “We don’t know too much right now, and I can’t tell you anymore while people are around,” the pony said as his eyes tracked two passing mares.

Fluttershy then extended a hoof and took one of the suits. She would have normally said thank you, but she didn’t want to thank anyone for what she was about to see.

The pony extended a gloved hoof and opened a zipper in the plastic sheeting. “This is decon one,” he remarked. Fluttershy looked around the white room, through the lens of her suit, and saw a large shower head in the center of the ceiling, the plastic floor was speckled with a light dusting of bleach, and there were several PVC pipes lining the walls.

The pony in front of Fluttershy outstretched a hoof and unzipped a second set of plastic sheeting. “Well this is it,” he said as he gestured for Fluttershy to enter. It was difficult to see inside, so she flicked a switch on the side of her helmet. When she did this two lights on either side of her head illuminated the room. “That’s better,” she said to herself.

Fluttershy then heard the zipper closing behind her and, seconds later, a shower kicked on. She took in a deep breath and walked into the animal hospital’s lobby. As she looked she noticed something that seemed odd to her; there wasn’t a single guard to be seen. She assumed that a gasmask and NBC suit wasn’t safe enough, but if that was the case what in god’s name was in this place.

As she gazed around the room a pony, wearing the same suit she was, walked out of a hall way. He noticed the light emanating from her helmet and looked over to her. “Ah, you must be Miss. Fluttershy, he said in a very proper voice. Fluttershy assumed he was from Canterlot, obviously due to his accent and because Canterlot was where the EDC headquarters was located. “What’s a big wig like him doing here?” she thought to herself. “Well?” he asked. “Wh- What? Oh, I’m sorry, I’m just a little blown away by your set up here. Yes, I am Miss. Fluttershy,” she answered. “Splendid,” he replied, “Now if you’ll please follow me.” The pony turned away only to turn back once more. “I’m Dr. Shannon by the way.” Fluttershy smiled and nodded slightly, then she replied “I would shake your hoof, but” she looked down at her suit as she continued “I don’t think that’s the best idea here.” Dr. Shannon smiled slightly and turned to walk back down the dimly lit hallway. Fluttershy quickly trotted up next to him and asked “So what’s all of this about?” “You’re familiar with the rabies virus, correct?” “Yes,” “Well we believe this virus has mutated.” “How bad?” just as Fluttershy asked that Dr. Shannon stopped at a wooden door. “This bad,” he answered as he opened it. The second Dr. Shannon opened the door, just a crack; she could hear the screams and screeches of several dogs and cats. Once it was completely opened, she could see it; there was a dead dog in the center of the room, and all around it were rabid animals in cages. They were trying to get out and attack the first thing that moved. “Oh my god,” said Fluttershy. “We believe they were exposed yesterday. The vet that owns the place-“ Fluttershy cut in there, “What! Yesterday?!” she exclaimed. “Yes, yesterday. Now as I was saying, the pony who owns the clinic told one of the other vets he wasn’t feeling well, after seeing that dog there.” Dr. Shannon pointed his hoof to the dog in the middle of the room. It still had foam dripping from its mouth. “Now this dog was brought in to be put down, because he was starting to show the early symptoms of rabies. Within six hours the later stages were beginning.” “That’s impossible,” Fluttershy interrupted, “Rabies takes weeks for the first symptoms to show, even in dogs.” Dr. Shannon nodded and replied “Yes, but we believe this is a mutant strain. The incubation period is anywhere between six and twenty four hours.” Fluttershy’s mouth dropped. Despite this Dr. Shannon continued “Now, the vet went home and so did the owner. We sent a few disease response teams to their house and,” Dr. Shannon paused for a moment but soon continued, “They were attacked by these individuals. All were bitten. As of now all of them are in ICU and exhibiting symptoms. Because this is in fact pony to pony transmission, we’ve declared a phase four pandemic alert.” “My god,” replied Fluttershy. Dr. Shannon looked over to a squealing dog that was securely locked up in its cage. Its eyes were blood shot and extremely dilated. Foam poured from its mouth and pooled onto the floor of the cage. The dog’s cote was bloody, most likely from trying to escape. Dr. Shannon took his gaze off of it and looked to Fluttershy. “The scariest part isn’t the incubation period. This virus is airborne.” Fluttershy could feel the blood leave her face after hearing those words. “Wh-What?” she managed to say with a fearful stutter. “None of these animals had any contact with one another, this means it’s airborne,” Dr. Shannon concluded.

Four Years Later

Fluttershy’s eyes slowly opened as the alarm clock, next to her bed, began to sound. “God I hate dreams like that, I don’t need to live it twice,” she said to herself as she hit a button on the small clock. When she did this the noise ceased. Fluttershy looked around the room to see Angel at the foot of her bed. So she softly ruffled the sheets to awaken him. The little bunny was shaken slightly, but her actions were not enough to wake him up. Fluttershy then lifted the sheets, almost knocking Angel off of the bed and said “Get up sleepy,”

Angel shot her an angry look and hopped off the bed. “Don’t give me that,” she said, “You know what today is.” Angel stopped, just before exiting the room, when he heard those words. It was almost as if what Fluttershy had said paralyzed him. The little bunny’s face was frozen with fear. Angel slowly turned to face Fluttershy so she’d know just how afraid he was. She didn’t even have to see it to know he was scared. “Ok,” Fluttershy responded, “You can stay, I’ll do it myself. Are you happy now?” The little bunny nodded his head very quickly, and repeatedly, to answer. Fluttershy rolled her eyes at him and said “Fine.”

Fluttershy walked over to a large cabinet, by the front door, and opened its wooden doors. Inside were several guns; most were automatic rifles, others were combat style shotguns, and even a few hunting rifles. She reached out a hoof and took an M-4 machine gun. As she held it she reached her hoof underneath it, slid out the clip, and looked at the top of it. It was completely full of bullets. She then placed the clip back into the gun. There was a metallic click when she did this.

Fluttershy slid one hoof through the sling of the gun and positioned the firearm onto her back. After she’d made a few adjustments to the strap, she looked back into the main room of her house. Angel was sitting there just watching her. “Are you sure you don’t want to come? It’s not like I won’t need your help or anything,” she suggested, in a feeble effort. Her only answer was a quick, almost violent, side to side shaking of the white bunny’s head. Fluttershy just sighed and turned to the steel door. It looked like the type of door you’d find on a bomb shelter. There was a large assortment of locks, bolts, and even a few iron beams laid across it. She started with the beams. One by one she’d slid them out of their supports. Next she unlocked the many deadbolt locks that lined the door’s side. Lastly she slid the large iron bolts, which jetted into the steel doorframe, out of place. It took her a good minute and a half, but she finally opened the door.

The light was so bright it was all she could see for a moment, but after a few seconds her eyes adjusted. Outside her house was an over grown yard, cracked streets with grass protruding through it, and a few cars and trucks overturned in it.

Fluttershy looked back into the house one more time and closed the door. She sighed and walked out to the street, to the only car that wasn’t destroyed. It was a large dark blue SUV. Fluttershy opened the driver’s side door and climbed in. The first thing she did was take off her gun and lay it in the passenger seat. She then reached out a hoof to the keys, which were already in the transmission, but before she turned them she looked back at her home. Her house was a fortress. The windows were covered with steel grates that had a small slit in them for looking outside and shooting, the door was a three inch thick block of solid steel that could withstand a rocket launcher, and along the roof was a series of retina burning flood lights. Nothing could possibly ever break into that place.

Fluttershy broke her gaze away from the house and looked to the steering weal of the vehicle she was in. She then turned the keys and the SUV started right up. Fluttershy put it in drive and pressed her hoof against the gas pedal.

As she drove down the empty street she looked around at the several vacant houses she passed. Some had boarded up windows; some had broken windows. It was something like what you’d expect to see after a hurricane, but one thing was missing; the ponies. As Fluttershy drove along she passed an over turned car, but something inside of it caught her eye. There was a dead pony still trapped in their seat belt. It looked like it had been there for a few years. Oddly though, considering Fluttershy’s old attitude, she didn’t care. She’d been through too much to still care about the dead the way she used to. So she just continued to drive past it without giving it a second thought.

As she turned onto Pastry road she saw a “condemned” home, as they called them. It was covered in plastic sheeting with a bright orange label on it that read “Quarantined by The EDC.” The plastic had fallen off in several places and most of it had been ripped to shreds. Fluttershy slowed the SUV and stared at it. She thought for a moment and stopped the vehicle completely. “I bet no one’s checked that place,” she thought to herself. So Fluttershy shifted the SUV into reverse and pulled up next to the house. The yard she drove through was a jungle of dead grass. It was at least three feet tall. “God I hope they have something,” she thought.

Fluttershy cautiously opened the door and looked at the sea of weeds. She then leaned over to the passenger seat and grasped her gun. Fluttershy laid it in her lap and switched the safety off. Then she reached behind her seat and grasped a small leather bag. She put the bag over her shoulder and pulled the gun in. Fluttershy took in a deep breath and said “Ok, here we go.”

Fluttershy held the M-4 pointed directly in front of her, with her hoof on the trigger. As she approached the house the sheets of plastic blew in the wind like flags. The grass around her was rubbing against her legs and thighs as she walked through it. Despite this feeling very uncomfortable and unpleasant, it was the least of her worries.

Fluttershy now stood at the front door of the house. It was covered by a sheet of clear-white plastic, and underneath the sheet was a bright orange slip of paper. The paper read “Quarantine Notice NO. 9237.” She assumed it would be dark inside, so she turned on the flashlight, which was mounted to her gun. Fluttershy stood there for a moment, trying to build up enough courage to enter. She was just so afraid of what laid behind this door. Then suddenly she ripped down the sheet of plastic and burst through it. She quickly looked back and forth with her gun pointing where ever she looked. Fluttershy could feel her heart racing, but there was, seemingly, nothing for her to fear. Despite this, she had no intentions of lowering her weapon.

The air inside of the house smelled stale. Everything around the house was covered in at least some dust, but not as much as you’d expect. As Fluttershy looked around she saw two large body bags and one small bag next to the door. Each was marked with an orange biohazard symbol. “I guess this was one of the last condemned houses,” she thought to herself.

Fluttershy slowly, and extremely cautiously, made her way to the kitchen, with the flashlight on her gun illuminating the way. “So far so good,” she thought to herself. As she stepped onto the cool tile she heard her hoofstep. The noise caused her to clinch the gun, but she didn’t have a choice; she needed to get what she could. So she quickly walked over to the cabinet. Each step she heard seemed to echo in her mind. Fluttershy outstretched a hoof to the small wooden door and opened it. “Oh thank god,” she thought to herself as she peered into it. There before her were several cans of food. There was at least thirty. Quickly, Fluttershy placed one into her bag and then another. After repeating this several more times, the cabinet was empty. Then just as she closed her bag she heard something; something that sent a chill shooting straight down her spine. It was the low growl of an infected pony.

Fluttershy quickly turned around to see a small pony behind her. It was in the corner of the room sleeping, well at least it was. When the beam of light struck its face the pony instantly jumped up and shrieked at her. Then it lunged forward, with foam spewing from its mouth. Fluttershy didn’t hesitate to kill it, so she held the trigger down and shot three rounds into the filly. It instantly hit the ground, but something else happened as well. Unknown to Fluttershy, there was a hive of at least eight of these things just around the corner and when those shots rang out they were all awaken. Suddenly they let out an ear piercing howl and started sprinting in her direction.

Fluttershy was in a panic. She turned and ran as fast as she could to where she entered. She could hear the hoofsteps and cries getting closer and closer to her. She didn’t want to shoot because she didn’t want to turn around. She had to escape, not fight. Fluttershy turned a corner to see one of the infected ponies scream at her. Since this one was in front of her she lifted the gun and shot it once through the head. Blood splattered onto the walls around it. Unfortunately when she did this it only seemed to infuriate the infected that were already gaining on her. She swore she could feel their breath on the back of her neck as she galloped away. After what seemed like forever, she finally saw it; the door was only a few steps away. Then suddenly she felt a hoof reach out to pull her back. The yellow Pegasus tripped, along with the infected pony, but when she did they slid into the light of the door. The infected pony that had pulled her back immediately jumped out of the light and screeched in pain. Her gun, however, was lying in the center of the dark room, with infected all around it. Fluttershy didn’t care about the gun; all she cared about was getting out of the house. So the yellow Pegasus leapt up and ran into the yard.

Fluttershy could still hear their shrieks and cries as she ran for her vehicle. She wasted no time and jumped into the driver’s seat. Within three seconds she started the SUV and gassed it. She flew out of the yard and onto the road. Fluttershy kept going faster and faster down the streets, still full of adrenalin. She then opened the glove box and was looking her pistol when suddenly, out of nowhere, a deer leapt in front of her. She immediately swerved, trying not to hit it, but went into a ditch, causing the SUV to flip. The vehicle rolled over three times before finally coming to a stop, on its side.

Chapter Two: A Rude Awakening

Dr. Shannon was sitting at a computer, in the lab, when Fluttershy entered the room. He was wearing a clean, white lab coat. The lab had a few microscopes, several computers, and many other things that Fluttershy didn’t know how to use. It was obviously an EDC standard lab.

The moment Fluttershy entered the room Dr. Shannon heard the door and looked over to her. “Ah, Dr. Fluttershy, it’s good to see you again,” he said with a slightly happy tone in his voice. “So what’s this about?” asked Fluttershy. “Well I have just gotten the results back for the gene sequence of the virus, and just thought you’d like to see them as well,” he said with a smile. It was clear he was eager to know the results himself. So Fluttershy returned the smile and walked over to him. “Please pull up a chair,” he said as he gestured to a silver, cushion-less seat, similar to the one in which he sat. Fluttershy did as she was asked and pulled the chair up next to his, and sat down.

Dr. Shannon looked over to Fluttershy and said “Now, let’s see what we have here.” The tan furred pony then looked back to the computer monitor and started clicking away. He looked as if he were a child opening his Christmas gifts, when he pulled up a chart. “Ah, here we go,” he eagerly remarked. Fluttershy looked over at the chart and saw that it looked like several tiny, spaced out, rectangles. There were several more just like the first one, but each had a different assortment of the tiny grey boxes. Each of these rectangles had a letter next to it, which read any letter between A and H. As Dr. Shannon studied the markings and letters his happy expression quickly faded. “Oh my god!” he exclaimed as his eyes continued to scan over the chart. It was clear that he was afraid. “What is it?” asked a fearful Fluttershy. He pointed a hoof to the chart and replied “Look here, at the gene labeled C.” Fluttershy did so, but didn’t know what it was she was supposed to be seeing. Dr. Shannon looked over to her and said “This gene here is what makes influenza airborne; it’s adapted to the alpha six receptors in our lung cells. Somehow a flu gene bonded with rabies.” He then pointed his hoof to the genes labeled F through D and added “These genes here are all from the retrovirus that causes AIDS. They cause the virus to stay in the body indefinitely and mutate rapidly.” Fluttershy was now beginning to grasp the true scope of what Dr. Shannon was saying. “So this isn’t just rabies?” Dr. Shannon just shook his head side to side to answer and replied “This virus is composed primarily of rabies genes and a few other common viruses. It’s like all of the worst genes from several viruses were just thrown into this bug. But I just don’t understand how this could possibly happen, these viruses shouldn’t be able to bond like this, unless…” Dr. Shannon stopped there, unable to believe what he was thinking. Fluttershy didn’t need to hear his words to know his thoughts. The look on his face and the information before her made it clear what this was. “It’s a biological weapon,” she concluded with fear easily noticeable in her voice. Dr. Shannon just looked over to her and nodded.

Then suddenly a phone next to the computer began to ring. Dr. Shannon quickly reached out a hoof and answered it, “Dr. Shannon’s lab… Yes… Yes… What? Oh my god… Yes of course, thank you.” It was clear to Fluttershy that whatever he’d just heard sent a chill shooting down his spine.

Dr. Shannon just laid the phone down and stared at it. Without looking at Fluttershy he said “That was the EDC in Canterlot... There have been several suspected outbreaks of this virus… All in major cities… It’s Global.” Fluttershy covered her mouth and just stared at him, unable to believe what she’d just heard. “Looks like the dog was the first trial and this is the real deal.”

Four Years Later

Fluttershy awoke gasping for air. As she gathered her bearings she realized that she was laying against the driver’s side door of her now over turned SUV. The windows were all shattered and bits of glass lay around her. Some of it had cut her face; thankfully it was nothing too bad. She then looked down at her hooves and saw a few cuts there as well. It was nothing too serious. It’d probably take her about two weeks to heal up though, which is actually pretty good considering the condition of her vehicle. As she looked around the wreck she noticed that the light appeared dimmer then before. She immediately cast her gaze out of the, shattered, windshield and saw that the sun was much closer to the horizon; it was at least 5:00 P.M. by now.

Fluttershy wasted no time and quickly began to move about the wreckage. Suddenly she let out a loud yelp in pain, there was a large shard of glass just above her rear hoof and when she’d tried to move it the glass would cut into her leg. As she looked back at her hoof she could see the shard had a little of her blood on it. She knew that if she attempted to remove her leg the glass would surly filet it, so she attempted a second idea to free herself.

Her other hoof was just fine and she could move it easily, so the yellow Pegasus lifted it up and began to kick the section of windshield. It began to shatter on the first kick, but still wasn’t enough to break free. She then lifted her hoof once more and kicked the glass with every last ounce of her strength. When she did this just enough of the windshield shattered to free her hoof. A few of the pieces that fell grazed her leg, but only scraped it at the most.

Fluttershy pulled her leg into the SUV and looked up to the passenger door, above her. She knew she had to escape; she knew it was her only way out. So, quickly, she looked around for the pistol she was searching for earlier. As she did this, something caught her eye. It was the bag she had stored the can goods in. it must have fallen off during the crash. So, the yellow Pegasus lifted the heavy, leather bag and placed it around her neck. As she did this she felt something inside of the bag jabbing at her side. She then decided to reach her hoof inside it and found that the source of her discomfort was the pistol she had been searching for prior. It had been in the bag the whole time.

Needless to say Fluttershy was angered by this discovery. She’d just wrecked her vehicle over something she had the whole time. However, despite being mad over the crash, she was quite relieved she had found the pistol; fore she assumed that she’d soon need it.

Fluttershy stood on two hooves, despite the pain in one leg, and opened the door. The sky above was a light shade of blue with a few clouds blowing in the wind, high overhead. For a moment Fluttershy took the time to look at this world in a different light; something she hadn’t done in a long time. But her moment of bliss soon came to an end, fore she snapped back into reality, back to the world she was forced into.

Fluttershy then looked around the wreck and found a place she could use as a foothold. She placed her good hoof onto the side of a seat cushion and began to climb. Next she placed her front hooves onto the outside of the door and began to pull herself out. Within a few seconds her head was out, soon followed by her torso, and lastly she lifted her rear hooves from the vehicle.

Once she was atop the wreckage she began to realize that she was a whole six feet, or more, off of the ground. She didn’t want to risk injuring her leg any further, so she positioned her hooves as close as possible to the surface, and jumped. She fell from only three or four feet, but her hooves gave out when they touched the ground, not from pain, but from exhaustion. Thankfully when the vehicle crashed it stirred up a fair amount of dirt, which softened the blow to her legs. Still she would have preferred a bit more cushioning for that.

Fluttershy simply laid there on her stomach, not wanting to move, but she knew she needed to. As she laid in the cool dirt she noticed the sun had gotten even lower than before, it appeared that her escape took longer than expected. She knew that soon after sundown, the infected would come out of their darkened hideaways, in search of food. And a little yellow Pegasus would make for a rare and delicious delicacy.

Fluttershy’s break in the dirt was over quickly. She had to move, and had no choice. So the pony quickly stood and began to walk towards her home. Then it occurred to her; she could just fly home, she was a Pegasus after all. Besides it would be much faster than walking. So, Fluttershy began to open her wings, but quickly clinched them shut, and gritted her teeth in pain. She must have banged them up pretty good in the crash. However they didn’t appear to be broken, she just needed to stay off of them. It now became apparent that there was no longer a quick escape; she was walking the distance.

Her hooves ached with each step, but it still wasn’t too painful. As Fluttershy walked she had a slight limp, but considering the wreck she’d just been in her light injuries were a miracle.

After a few minutes of walking down the empty streets of Ponyville, she saw Sugar Cube Corner, and instantly she thought of Pinkie and that horrible night. Tears began to well up in Fluttershy’s eyes as she remembered the screams, the fear, and, most of all, the blood. There was just so much blood.

Fluttershy quickly snapped herself out of her daydream; fore she couldn’t bear the thought of it anymore. She then continued her long trek home. The yellow Pegasus walked faster and faster, but no matter what she did she knew it wouldn’t be enough. So, she took the gun out of her leather bag and slid out the clip. She wanted to count the bullets to be sure that she’d have just one left, if it came down to it. There were just fifteen shots in the pistol, including the one that she wished to save.

When she looked to the sky this time, she could see it growing dimmer and dimmer with each passing second. She guessed that she had about forty five minutes of daylight left, or, in other words, forty five minutes left to live. She also guessed that it would take her an hour or two to get home.

Fluttershy knew that the second she shot one of the infected, the shot would attract more; many many more. There would be a lot more than fifteen to deal with. Fluttershy knew that if she didn’t get home, she’d surly die. She knew that this wasn’t an option though. For several moments Fluttershy found herself coming to terms with suicide, but she promised herself that she’d kill as many of those things as she could before she would go down. Or in Apple Jack’s words “I’ll take out as many of those basterds as I can before they’ll take me out.”

Suddenly, Fluttershy noticed something; something she couldn’t believe. There, off in the distance, was a light, and it appeared to be moving. Moving down the road Fluttershy was walking on.

A million things shot through her head at that moment. She thought maybe it was a reflection, or an infected carrying something. Though the last one was the least likely, it was the most horrifying. As she stared at it she suddenly realized what it was. It was a pair of headlights. She just couldn’t believe it. There were actually other survivors like her.

Instantly she bolted into the middle of the street and started waving her hooves frantically. “Stop!” she screamed, even though it was likely impossible for the driver to hear her. She knew that this was her last possible chance for survival, and she’d do everything she could to ensure that fate.

By now she could see two distinguishable headlights approaching her. Then she had a sudden realization; in the last days of Equestria ponies did some incredibly evil things, in order to survive the chaos. So what makes her think that the pony in the vehicle, approaching her, would be any different?

As the car neared her Fluttershy slid her hoof into the leather sack and reached for the gun. As she grasped it she flicked the safety off, and was ready to kill anypony in one seconds notice. She prayed it wouldn’t come to that though. If they were anything like her they’d probably be happy to see anypony at this point.

The car was beginning to slow about two hundred feet away from her. She waved her hooves to show them that she wasn’t infected and seconds after that they came to a complete stop, just fifty feet away from her. The headlights were blindingly bright in the, now dim sunlight, so she couldn’t possibly see the driver. Then after what seemed like forever, the driver’s side door slowly opened. Almost instantly after that a hoof stepped out and onto the black pavement.

Chapter Four: What Happened Happened

Four Years Earlier

Two Days Before the Fall of Ponyville

Fluttershy looked over to Rainbow Dash, still with tears streaming down her face, and said, in between a sobbing fit, “Come on. Let’s go to my place. Ok?” “Ok,” replied a bawling Rainbow Dash. “They’re fine,” thought Fluttershy, “Everypony is fine.”

As the two Pegasi began towards Fluttershy’s home they heard a noise, a noise Fluttershy wouldn’t soon forget. There was a loud scream emanating from the ground. Just after that another voice cried out, and then another. As the pair listened to the shrieks, cries, and screams, gunshots began to ring out. It had only taken ten minutes for Ponyville to descend into anarchy.

“Let’s hurry,” said, a still mourning, Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy just nodded to her and began home. The face masks they wore were completely soaked with tears. The cool, damp fabric irritated their snouts, but neither cared one bit. All they cared about was the loss of their friends and getting home.

It was a silent, and thankfully short, flight to Fluttershy’s home. As the two Pegasi approached the house, Fluttershy looked around to see if anypony was nearby; thankfully nopony was, probably due to her living so far out in the country.

Fluttershy’s hooves hit the ground first, soon followed by Rainbow Dash’s. The yellow Pegasus trotted over to the door and turned the handle. She never bothered to lock it, because there was no crime in Ponyville. There wasn’t even a police department; it wasn’t needed.

The wooden door opened with ease and Fluttershy stepped inside. As she did so, she raised her hoof to the wall and flicked a switch. The room filled with light, to reveal everything just as she had left it. Once Rainbow Dash had entered, she closed the door behind them and locked it. The gloomy pair then trotted over to the middle of the room and sat down next to each other. Tears no longer fell for the loss of their friends; it was as if they’d just run out.

“This is it, isn’t it?” asked Rainbow Dash, who never took her gaze off of the floor. “I don’t know,” replied Fluttershy. “Then I don’t want to live in this world,” Rainbow Dash said quietly. Fluttershy instantly jerked her head in her friend’s direction and exclaimed “What!” “You heard me,” replied Rainbow Dash, who now turned her head to face Fluttershy, “What’s the point? It’s over. This is it.” “No!” yelled Fluttershy, “Yeah, this is different, but as long as we’re still kicking, we’re still fighting.” “I don’t want to fight. I want this to stop.” “Listen to me, we are going to be ok,” replied Fluttershy, in a softer tone. “Jesus Fluttershy! Don’t you get it?! We left Apple Jack and Rarity to die! Not to mention Twilight and Spike, where ever they are! I’m supposed to be the element of loyalty! It’s like I turned into the element of betrayal!” Rainbow Dash snapped. “I-I-I” stuttered Fluttershy. “I nothing!” shouted Rainbow Dash, “You know what they did! There were three shots! There were three ponies! Because of me our friends are dead! So don’t you sit here and tell me I deserve to live!” Tears were beginning to well in Rainbow Dash’s eyes; they weren’t tears of sorrow, but tears of anger; anger at herself. Fluttershy stood up, with tears of her own welling up in her eyes, as well, and yelled “Don’t you dare tell me that! You don’t get to check out! Not now; not ever! Because of this you’re all I have left! So if I lose you I die too! I need someone else to help me! Or do you just want somepony else’s blood on your hooves! So quit being so needy and selfish and grow a pair! Now you listen to me and you listen to me good! You don’t get to check out now! You’re alive I’m alive, so suck it up and deal with life!” Fluttershy had the most angry look on her face that anypony had ever seen. She was truly infuriated.

Rainbow Dash was almost cowering at Fluttershy’s words. “I-I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “Good!” yelled Fluttershy who was still gripped with anger. “I-I won’t do it… For you.” “Thank you,” Fluttershy said, with her voice beginning to calm. “I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you,” said Rainbow Dash with tears beginning to fall, “You’re all I have left now… I’m sorry.” Fluttershy was a bit surprised by the abrupt change in attitude. As she looked at her crying friend she moved over to her and placed a hoof around the mare’s neck. “It’s ok,” she softly said. Rainbow Dash quickly pulled Fluttershy into a full embrace and continued to cry over her shoulder. The tears that fell began to soak the yellow Pegasus’s fur, but she didn’t mind it. She then gently began to stroke the blue mare’s mane. “It’s ok,” she repeated.

As she held her friend, her crying stopped. Fluttershy assumed it was because her embrace had calmed the Pegasus. Then, as she continued to stroke her mane, a bit of light blue fur fell into her hand. She looked at it for a moment and then down at Rainbow Dash. Suddenly, just as she did this, Rainbow Dash fell backwards onto the wooden floor. The mare was motionless for a few seconds, then she began to violently convulse.

Fluttershy instantly jumped back, and watched in horror as white foam began to seep from her friend’s mouth. “No no no!” she screamed, “Not you!” Tears were beginning to pour down Fluttershy’s face once more. Then, it hit her. She knew what she had to do, just like Apple Jack. She turned away from her friend and sprinted to the kitchen. She quickly entered the room and looked to where the kitchen knives were. Instantly, she grasped one and turned back to the room she had just left. What she saw next was more horrifying than seeing one of her best friends dead; Rainbow Dash was gone. The only evidence that she had ever been there was a fresh pool of thick, white, foam.

“Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy called quietly, as she entered the room. She knew there would be no answer, but it was just instinctive to her. She cautiously walked forward into the living room and looked around every corner; there was nothing. As she continued into the room she saw that her bedroom door was open, so she decided to check there first. Just as she stepped into the doorway she heard a light growl coming from behind her. Fluttershy slowly turned around; not wanting to see what she knew was behind her. There before her, stood Rainbow Dash, with foam and saliva spewing from her mouth, her eyes were blood shot and dilated, and her mouth seemed to quiver, almost as if she were throbbing with anger. Then suddenly Rainbow Dash leaped forward and darted for her former friend. Fluttershy wasted no time and quickly turned to run, but before she could do so, Rainbow Dash’s hooves pulled Fluttershy’s leg to her mouth. Just before she was able to take a bite out of it, Fluttershy kicked her in the face, as hard as she could. Some of Rainbow Dash’s saliva splattered onto Fluttershy’s hoof when she did this. As her friend flew back Fluttershy bolted into her bedroom and closed the door.

The blow to Rainbow Dash’s head only seemed to anger the crazed pony further. So the pony quickly lunged forward and smashed through the door on the first try. The virus had given, the already strong, Rainbow Dash a good bit of extra strength. Fluttershy, who hadn’t even had time to move away from the door, was quickly knocked to the ground. When she hit the hard, wooden, floor the knife slid just out of her reach. She quickly moved forward to grab the knife, but was pulled back by an infected Rainbow Dash, once more. Quickly she kicked her free hoof at the Pegasus and struck her in the arm. Rainbow Dash quickly let go and stumbled back slightly. This gave Fluttershy the perfect opportunity to get to the knife, and she quickly did so. However this did not give her enough time to escape. Just as Fluttershy turned back, to kill her friend, Rainbow Dash sunk her teeth into her leg. Fluttershy screamed in pain and swung the knife forward. The blade pierced straight through her throat. A blood foam mix poured onto Fluttershy’s wound as the dying Rainbow Dash loosened her jaws grip. After what seemed like forever the infected pony fell to the floor, dead, with blood still pouring from her throat.

Fluttershy scooted herself away from her friend’s corpse, and began to cry stronger than she ever had in her life. Then Fluttershy quickly turned her head away from the site and emptied her stomach contents, onto the floor. The yellow Pegasus continued to scoot away from the horrid scene before her. She then turned onto her side and attempted to stand, with her good leg. The leg that had just been mauled was still throbbing with pain and dripping blood; some of it was hers, some wasn’t.

The yellow Pegasus limped over to the bathroom and turned on the lights. She then opened the medicine cabinet. Quickly, she reached for a bottle of alcohol and grasped it. With much pain, Fluttershy continued to limp over to the bathtub. She lifted her injured leg over the rim of the white tub, and turned on the hot water. The warm, clear, liquid wash away as much of Rainbow Dash’s blood as it could. The, normally clear, water turned a bright red the moment it touched her skin. Fluttershy then lifted the bottle of alcohol and unscrewed the top. She let the liquid pour over her open wound and gritted her teeth in pain. The burning hurt very much, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of your friend’s teeth tearing through your flesh. After a few seconds, Fluttershy put the bottle down and looked over to the medicine cabinet. That’s when she saw it; a bottle of her sleeping pills. She thought for a moment and lifted her injured leg out of the bathtub. As she walked to the cabinet she thought “After what I just did, I deserve this.” Fluttershy reached a hoof into the white colored, cabinet and pulled out the bottle. Tears still streamed down her face as she unscrewed the cap. She poured a few into her hoof and stared at them. Then she looked over to Rainbow Dash’s dead body and threw them into her mouth. Fluttershy quickly swallowed them and poured some more into her hoof. Suddenly her arm began to tremble. In a burst of anger, and sorrow, Fluttershy took the pill bottle and threw it across the room. It ended up hitting a mirror, which easily shattered due to the force at which it was thrown. Pills and pieces of glass scattered across the room. Fluttershy had just snapped; she screamed out and quickly fell to her hooves. Bawling at what she’d just done, and her fate to come.

Four Years Later

Fluttershy awoke gasping for air. This had been the worst dream by far. She had long tried to repress that memory, but every time she would try something would bring it back into her mind. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she thought of Rainbow Dash. “I’m so sorry Rainbow Dash,” she said as tears began to fall onto her sheets. It was the worst feeling ever. The guilt of knowing you’ve killed your best friend.

It took her a good thirty minutes of crying, but Fluttershy finally managed to slow her steady bawling. She began to wipe them away and sniffle a little. She didn’t want Twilight to see her in such bad shape, now that she and Spike were staying here. “Come on Fluttershy. Pull yourself together,” she said to herself. As Fluttershy wiped away the last of her tears from her red eyes, she sat up in her bed and slid out of the sheets. She sniffled a little more as she walked towards the door.

Fluttershy opened her brown, bedroom door to see everything just as she had left it. “Maybe I just dreamt of Twilight and Spike,” she thought to herself. As she walked into the living room she saw Angel sleeping in the other side of the room. Not wanting to wake him, she quietly walked past the white bunny and to the staircase. As she began up it she watched as the sleeping bunny’s ear flopped. Normally she would have smiled at the site, but she didn’t really care too much, after her dream.

Fluttershy reached the top of her staircase and looked down both ends of the hall; nopony was there. Despite this Fluttershy walked over to the guest room just to be sure, and when she opened the door she saw them. Twilight and Spike were sitting together looking out of the window, at the sunrise. Twilight was resting her head in Spike’s lap as he gently stroked her mane.

Fluttershy smiled when she saw this and leaned against the doorframe. She just watched the couple for several minutes and thought of somepony she should have told her feelings to before it was too late, but time has passed and things have changed, like they always do. As Fluttershy turned away from the couple, her hoofstep was a bit louder than she wished it to be, and the two looked right at her. “How long have you been there?” asked Spike. “Just a second,” Fluttershy lied. “Come over here,” said Twilight, “We need to catch up now that we have a chance to.” “Ok,” replied Fluttershy, as she made her way over to the pair. Twilight and Spike then positioned themselves so they were facing her. Fluttershy sat down on the ruffled sheets and asked “So what do you want to talk about?” Twilight looked at Spike and then back to Fluttershy. “I’m sorry if this sounds blunt, but what happened to Rainbow Dash? After we left, we saw you two fly away together so we thought if we found you we’d find her.” Fluttershy looked down at the blue sheets of the bed, and back to Twilight. “I killed her,” replied Fluttershy, who didn’t take her gaze off of the sheets. She looked back to Twilight, who didn’t look that surprised, and added, “I brought her back here, she turned, and I killed her.” Spike, on the other hand, was completely shocked by her words. “You?” he asked, “No, you couldn’t have.” “It was me, Spike,” she replied, “I took a knife and did what I had to.” Fluttershy looked back to Twilight and asked “What about you? Have you had to make some tough choices?” Twilight nodded and said “After everything went to hell, we met up with some ponies in Canterlot. They seemed like really nice folks. After a while they were almost like family to us... Then one day they decided that they needed our supplies more than they needed us. It was all an act. They just wanted what we had from the beginning. So Spike and I fought our way out of there. We must have killed at least thirteen ponies. But it wasn’t over yet. All of our gunfire must have been like a dinner bell to those things, because just as we were leaving, a swarm of them killed what we didn’t.” Twilight then picked up the gun off of her nightstand and laid it in front of her. “Don’t make me use this on you too.” “Don’t worry,” replied Fluttershy, “You know me.” “Knew you. I thought I knew a lot of ponies,” Twilight quickly said.

After a long, and awkward, moment of silence Fluttershy asked “So how did you get out of the library? I never saw you leave.” “Well,” began Twilight, “After Pinkie turned I grabbed Spike and ran out the back. No one saw me because I wasn’t sticking around to watch what happened next. I knew what was wrong with her. I thought everypony else had the same idea; of course they didn’t. They wanted to help her and ended up getting killed too.” “So, you know what they did next? Don’t you?” Twilight looked down at the floor and quietly replied “Yes.”

Chapter Five Part One: Hope

Four Years Earlier

Three days had passed since that horrible night. Time was a blur to Fluttershy. She was too lost in her thoughts, her feelings, and herself. All she was sure of was that she had buried Rainbow Dash the day after she had to kill her. She wanted the body out of her sight; every time she saw it, she’d think of killing herself, she felt as if she didn’t deserve to live.

Fluttershy also knew that she wouldn’t have to do it herself. She knew there was an 87% chance that she’d die from the infection, but, oddly, the death she so longed for never came. This made no sense; the incubation period was six to twenty four hours, so why wasn’t she showing symptoms? She’d even take her temperature from time to time, but it always read 98.6 degrees. This was truly baffling to the yellow Pegasus. It was as if the virus wasn’t even inside of her. Could it be that she had cleaned out her wound well enough that she wasn’t infected? Could it be something in the sleeping pills? Or maybe, just maybe, she was in fact immune.

It would be truly incredible if she was, but the odds were staggering. It was simply impossible. She’d never heard of one single immune case. However the yellow Pegasus wanted to be sure of this, before she started running around like she was invincible. So she decided to go to Dr. Shannon’s office.

The Pegasus opened the wooden door, of her home, and instantly the foul smell of smoke and blood met her nose. She coughed a little and looked around to see that the source of the horrid smell was an overturned car. The bottom of the vehicle was on fire and several dead ponies laid around it. Their blood covered the pavement; they looked as if they’d been ripped apart by something, other than the accident. Fluttershy covered her mouth and hid her eyes from the site. She’d already seen enough spilt blood.

Fluttershy walked over to her car and jumped into the driver’s seat. It was a red 08 mustang. She quickly started the engine and put it in reverse. She tried her best not to hit one of the deceased ponies on the road, as she backed out. Then she put it in drive and flew down the street.

As she sped down her road, she looked over at the houses around hers. One was burning down, another had several broken windows and a ripped off door or two, and three were completely burned down. However this wasn’t what frightened her the most; around each of the houses was at least some dead ponies. Some had bullet holes in them; some had foam in their mouths, most had both.

Fluttershy simply looked away and tried to concentrate on driving. She couldn’t handle seeing anymore dead; she was already in tears. It’s impossible to think that somepony who’s the element of kindness could be in the middle of this.

As Fluttershy turned a corner, on her way to the center of town, she saw something she’ll never forget. There were hundreds of dead ponies lying in the streets and front yards. Some were wearing camouflage and gas masks. Fluttershy assumed these ones were the military. Others were ponies she knew; ponies she loved.

She slowed the car and came to a complete stop. Fluttershy stepped out of the vehicle and looked around, with tearful eyes and her hooves at her mouth. Everypony was dead. She scanned the lifeless faces, looking for Twilight’s or Spike’s, but it wasn’t there. Then a bright red bow caught her eye. “Oh my god no!” she screamed, as tears began to run down her face. It was Applebloom. Her eyes were open and her mouth was agape, with a stream of dried, white foam around it.

Fluttershy quickly turned away from the site and ran back to her car, sobbing. She slid into the driver’s seat and laid her head on the steering wheel. Tears quickly soaked the leather wheel. She just couldn’t believe this was happening. Rainbow Dash was right; this is it.

After several minutes Fluttershy realized what she had to do. With tears still streaming down her face, she looked up, at the road ahead, and put the vehicle into drive. This was the only way through Ponyville, and she wasn’t about to move a thousand dead bodies. She put her hoof down on the accelerator.

She hit one pony, then another, and another. Fluttershy then put her hoof down a little more and started to hit pony after pony, every second. She hated what she had to do, but she didn’t have a choice. She needed to get to Canterlot. The blood of her friends and strangers splattered onto her car as she drove over the bodies. Tears still poured down her face as she did this. She hated herself and prayed she wasn’t going to hell for her actions. The bumps seemed to last forever. One after another, she crushed the bones and guts of her friends.

After what felt like hours the bumps finally stopped, and the splashing of the thick red liquid finally stopped. Fluttershy looked forward and pressed down on the accelerator a bit more. Tears were still falling from her eyes as she drove.

Fluttershy looked over at the houses around her and saw that a few of them were covered in plastic. It had a bright orange biohazard symbol pasted onto it several times. As she looked over the houses she caught sight of the library. It looked just as it did the day they had to leave. Fluttershy thought for a moment and stopped the car. She had to be sure.

The yellow Pegasus stepped out of the vehicle and walked over to the door of Twilight’s home. She didn’t want to see what lay inside, but she needed to know. Fluttershy pressed against the wooden door; it easily opened. The stench of death was immediately apparent as she looked into the room. Through the dim light Fluttershy could see something; something she wished she hadn’t. In the corner of the library was Rarity, who was slouched over to one side. Dried blood was splattered across the wall. Fluttershy continued to look around the room, to see Pinkie with a single shot through her chest. Then she saw her. Applejack was off to the side of the room with a pistol by her side. She looked as if she died standing, due to the uncomfortable position she laid in.

Fluttershy gagged at the site and emptied her stomach onto the floor. This was partially due to the smell emanating from the house as well. Tears were streaming as heavily as they did when she had killed Rainbow Dash. She continued to cry, but still looked back over to Applejack. She looked at the pistol and then trotted over to it. She knew she may need it, after all this world had changed. Fluttershy knelt down beside her friend and took the gun. “I’ll be back for you,” she said with tears soaking her fur.

Fluttershy walked out of the library and quickly trotted back to her car. She jumped back into the driver’s seat, threw the gun next to her, and gassed it. Tears were still pouring down her cheeks as she sped down the streets of Ponyville. Her vision was blurred, but she could still see where she was going.

Fluttershy drove for what must have been an hour. As the city came into view, something else did as well. There was a large fence stretched across the highway, with several concrete barricades. She stopped the car and looked at them. Then two ponies, who were wearing gas masks and NBC suits walked out onto the road. They both pointed a gun at Fluttershy as they approached the car. Quickly, but casually, she hid the pistol. One of the ponies walked up to the window and said “This city is under military quarantine. Leave now.” “No, you don’t understand. I work for the EDC,” replied Fluttershy. “You’re still not allowed in ma’am. Now turn around.” “Listen I may know how-“ Just as Fluttershy said that, two military jets flew overhead. The roar of the engines startled Fluttershy, but not as much as what happened next. As Fluttershy watched them, the two jets dropped two missiles, which shot straight for the city. There were two bright flashes. Fluttershy covered her eyes then, after a moment, she put down her hoof and saw two massive mushroom clouds forming over, what was once, Canterlot.

Four Years Later

“Uh, are you ok?” asked Spike, who was leaning over Fluttershy. “Fluttershy was just staring off into nowhere as she let her thoughts run wild. “Huh?” said a confused Fluttershy, “Oh, sorry Spike, I was just thinking.” “Oh, ok, well Twilight made dinner if you want any.” Fluttershy smiled and replied “I’d like that. Thank you.”

Fluttershy then arose and trotted into the kitchen, with Spike alongside her. As the pair entered the room, they saw Twilight setting down some plates of daisy sandwiches. “Sorry Spike,” began Twilight, “I don’t exactly have any jewels at the moment.” Spike smiled and walked over to Twilight. “It’s ok honey. Anything you make is wonderful.” Spike then leaned in and kissed her. Twilight blushed slightly and sat down; Spike did the same.

Fluttershy was just in a daze as she watched the couple. It was going to take her some time to get used to that. “Well, come on Fluttershy. Sit,” offered Twilight. “Oh, of course,” replied Fluttershy, as she made her way over to a chair. The moment that she sat down, they all began to eat; even Spike, who was much more in the mood for sapphire instead.

“So,” began Twilight, “When was the last time you’ve seen anypony?” Fluttershy swallowed a bite of her food and answered “About four years ago. I was trying to get to the EDC in Canterlot, when two ponies stopped me. Then a few seconds later it was bombed… After that I did some home improvements.” “Were they military?” asked Spike. “Yeah,” replied Fluttershy. “Well what about you?” she asked. “Oh, about three months ago. There were two of them. They helped us get out of Fillydelphia, and then we went our separate ways.” “They said there was a safe zone,” Spike said rather bluntly. “A safe zone?” asked Fluttershy, “there is no safe zone. Nothing worked the way it was supposed to... The whole thing just fell apart. Besides what makes you believe them anyways?”

“Faith,” replied Spike.

“Faith? Faith in what? There’s nothing left to have faith in.”

“Faith in god.”

Fluttershy laughed a little when she heard this. Her actions surprised both Spike and Twilight.

“There is no god. Not after this.”

“No, I think this was just part of god’s plan.”

“This wasn’t part of god’s plan Spike. This was some crazy doctor’s plan.”

“It could be a cleansing.”

“Cleansing? Look around Spike! There is nothing left, but evil! So if this is a cleansing he sure is doing a wonderful job at it!”

“Fluttershy,” said Twilight, “I agree with Spike. I think that this is just a new beginning. And the safe zone is Noah’s ark.”

“There is no safe zone Twilight! You want to know how I know? When RV16 hit there were seven billion ponies in the world! The virus killed 87% of them! Bled out on the floor dead! Then the ones who lived turned into those things! And the immunes, that’s us, were exterminated by those things! We are all that’s left!”

“You don’t know that,” replied Twilight.

“Yes I do! And what kind of god would let this happen!? There isn’t-”

Suddenly there were several loud howls; it sounded like it was nearby. They were the howls of the infected. Instantly everypony shot out of their seats. “That sounded really close,” said Spike. Fluttershy slowly walked over to a nearby window and peered through the tiny slit. “Oh my god!”

Chapter Five Part Two: Revelations

Four years ago, there were seven billion ponies in the world. In less than five days, that number drastically dropped. A deadly virus killed 86% of those it infected, but I always thought of them as the lucky ones. For the ones it didn’t kill, turned into those monsters. However this fate didn’t befall me. I was one of the very few immunes. I often find myself wondering if this was a blessing, or a curse. I’ve done so much over these past years. I’ve become something else, something different. I first noticed it after I killed Dashie. The poor mare didn’t want to die, but I had no choice. It wasn’t her anymore. Just like how Pinkie Pie didn’t want to die, Rarity didn’t want to die, and Applejack didn’t want to die. I don’t want to die, and there is no way in hell I’m ending up like them; not tonight.

“Twilight!” yelled Fluttershy, “Go get you guns and go upstairs! Now!” Twilight quickly turned, and did so, with Spike following close behind her. Fluttershy turned away from the window and darted into the living room. She had to get to the electrical panel. It was her only hope. The yellow Pegasus looked next to the gun cabinet and reached a hoof out to a metal box. Quickly, she opened it and began flicking switch after switch, illuminating the whole neighborhood. However, just as quickly as they were turned on, they were beginning to turn off. The infected ponies were shattering every one of them. “Damn it!” she yelled. The yellow furred mare then reached her hoof out to one last switch. She prayed that she’d never have to use it, but she didn’t have a choice. Without hesitation, she flicked the large, red, lever and ducked. There was a loud bang, then another, and another; each getting closer and closer. Flashes of light filled the room with each bang. On the last explosion, the whole house shook. It was surly the loudest. Fluttershy had an intense ringing in her ears, as she stood to her hooves.

The pony walked over to the nearest window and peered through the small slit. There were dead ponies everywhere, fire covering many of the plants, and a bit of rock and dirt scattered by the blasts. The flames from the explosions illuminated the yard, but it wasn’t enough to keep the creatures at bay. For on the other side of the street, were hundreds more of the infected ponies gathering to resume their assault.

Fluttershy turned to the gun cabinet and swung the doors open. She took two M-4s and strapped them over her shoulder. Then she took a G-36 and grasped it in her hooves. Just as she turned back to face the door, there was a loud scream, followed by several gun shots. It was Twilight. The mare had a fearful look on her face; she hoped for the best, but was assuming the worst. “No!” Spike yelled. Fluttershy then turned and darted up the stairs, but just as she did this several infected ponies broke the front door down with a single blow. They had ripped the door frame clean out of the wall. “Jesus!” screamed Fluttershy, before she turned and began firing into the group. One after another, the ponies would fall to the floor, but they were each soon replaced by another. All Fluttershy could do was slow them, not stop them. So the yellow furred Pegasus turned back to the top of the staircase and made a run for Twilight and Spike’s room. Each thud of her hoof seemed to echo in her mind. It seemed to let her know that she was still alive, but the thunder of the infected’s hooves seemed to be growing closer. She didn’t want to look back; she didn’t want to risk it.

The yellow mare reached the top of the staircase and sharply turned in the direction of the room. She ran as fast as she could and shot into their room. Fluttershy instantly closed the door behind her and looked around. She saw a large book case next to the door and quickly pushed it in front of it. She prayed to god it would hold, and it seemed to. She could hear the infected beating against the door, but the shelf was too heavy. “Thank god I didn’t buy the cheap one,” she thought to herself.

The pony then turned away from the door and began to examine her surroundings. There was glass all over the floor and a few pieces of splintered wood too. Her eyes slowly followed it to the source to see the metal that once covered the window bent; bent enough for something to fit through. Blood dripped from the glass in the windowsill, and a small patch of purple fur was caught on the metal. Then she saw it. On the floor was a long, fresh, streak of blood that led to the closet. With much bravery, Fluttershy trotted over to the door and slowly opened it. She had her finger on the trigger if she needed to use it. However this wasn’t the case. Inside the closet was Spike, who was holding Twilight in his arms. Her leg looked pretty bad. Blood was still dripping from the open flesh. She’d need a doctor. Spike just looked up at her with tears in his eyes, and his gun drawn, but quickly lowered it. He was scared for Twilight, he didn’t know what he’d do if he lost her. “Are you ok?” Fluttershy asked quietly. The tall dragon just nodded to her.

Then suddenly, there was a loud screech and a purple furred pony jumped onto Fluttershy’s back. It instantly sank its teeth into her shoulder as it pulled her to the ground. Fluttershy screamed in pain, as she tried to get the infected pony off of her, but it was no use; she couldn’t reach it. After a moment, Spike finally got his bearings and fired one shot at the pony. It took out a chunk of flesh at the top of its spine instantly killing it.

As the yellow Pegasus stood, she heard a noise. It was the sound of wood cracking, and the sound was coming from the wall. Fluttershy looked to Twilight and quickly moved next to her. “Twilight? We need you to do something.” The crunching of boards was beginning to grow louder and louder. Twilight, who was barely awake, looked up at her and asked “What is it?” “Teleport us out of here. That wall isn’t going to hold much longer.” The purple unicorn looked dazed, almost drunk. “Come on Twi. You have to,” encouraged Spike. “I-I’ll try,” she said in a weak voice. The unicorn’s horn glowed, but it almost instantly faded. Fluttershy quickly looked back to the wall to see a small hole beginning to form. “Come on Twi,” said a scared Fluttershy. Twilight looked up at Spike, as if it gave her strength to know she was saving him, and then she looked to Fluttershy and knew she had to do it. She wasn’t just saving herself; she was saving the ones she loved.

The purple unicorn’s horn began to glow once more, but this time its light encompassed the entire room, and in a brilliant flash of light, they were gone. The infected ponies burst through the wall, seconds after they had left, to see an empty room.

The three reappeared in a bright flash of light, just outside of Twilight’s truck. There were infected ponies everywhere. “Oh god!” screamed Fluttershy, as she raised her gun. When the Pegasus began shooting, Twilight began to feel light headed and quickly hit the ground. Spike instantly ran to her side and lifted the purple unicorn off of the ground. “Get her in the back seat! I’ll cover you!” shouted Fluttershy. The yellow furred mare was taking down infected after infected. Blood was covering the street. “Come on!” she yelled as she took down another two ponies “Come get me you basterds!”

Spike laid Twilight in the back seat of the truck, and softly stroked her mane. “It’ll be ok,” he said with tears in his eyes. However his moment of reassurance with Twilight was short lived, for he knew they had to escape. So the tall dragon quickly closed the door and made his way to the driver’s side door. He opened it and jumped inside. “Let’s go!” called Spike, to an enraged Fluttershy. “Come on!” he called again. Fluttershy just continued firing into the horde, when suddenly a pony ran up behind her. Spike quickly grasped his gun and shot a round through its skull. Blood went flying across Fluttershy’s back, along with the M-4s she was still carrying. The warm liquid alerted her to what Spike was saying, for when it hit her she instantly snapped out of her daze. “Let’s go!” he yelled. Fluttershy quickly started running for the truck. The yellow furred Pegasus opened the passenger’s side door and slid into the vehicle. The infected pony’s blood smeared across the seats when she did so. Just as she was closing the door, a small white blur darted into the truck. It was Angel. Fluttershy couldn’t believe they’d almost left him behind. Spike on the other hand, didn’t waist anytime thinking. Once he saw that Fluttershy was inside, he slammed his foot down onto the gas pedal and sped off.

The night was silent, the only noise was emanating from the truck’s engine as they drove. It was, yet another, pitch black night.

After several minutes of driving, Spike felt compelled to tell Fluttershy something. “I’m sorry… That plan with the flares has always worked. I don’t-“ Fluttershy cut him off there and began “It’s ok Spike. You couldn’t have possibly known.” The tall dragon sighed and replied “I know, but I still feel responsible. I mean, now where are we supposed to go?” Fluttershy looked over to him and answered “We could try for the safety zone.”

Chapter Three: Friends Lost and Friends Found

As the driver stepped out of the car she could see the outline of a pony, but couldn’t make out its face. The unknown pony then walked around the door and to the front of the car. Fluttershy’s mouth was agape, at what stood before her. It was just impossible. As Fluttershy stared at the pony, she began to have a flashback to the last time she had seen her.

Four Years Earlier

Two Days Before the Fall of Ponyville

Fluttershy quickly walked into Twilight’s house while carrying a small box. Twilight heard the Pegasus enter, and quickly looked up to her. She was wearing a white face mask and seemed to be trembling, as she held the box in her hooves. “Fluttershy, what is it that you wanted us all hear for?” asked Twilight. Fluttershy looked around to see Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie, and Twilight sitting in a circle. All were curiously looking over at her. “Well” began Fluttershy, “I’ve been really worried about this virus and thought you should all have these.” She then opened the box, she was holding, and walked over to Twilight. Fluttershy reached her hoof into the box and pulled out a mask like the one she was wearing. “They’re P100 grade respirators. Otherwise known as HEPA filters,” Fluttershy informed them. Twilight just stared at the mask in her hoof and looked up to Fluttershy, who was handing another mask to Rarity, and asked, “How did you get these? All of the stores are even sold out of the N95 respirators.” As Twilight finished speaking Fluttershy handed the last mask to Pinkie, who didn’t look too well.

Fluttershy just sighed and looked over to her. “There’s something you all should know. I’ve been working with the EDC since day one. I was called out because it was a zoonotic disease outbreak. I actually know a lot about animal diseases, like rabies.” Her friends were just flabbergasted; they didn’t have a clue of what to say. “Well, go ahead and put your masks on,” instructed Fluttershy, as she pointed a hoof to Rarity’s mask. All of her friends had almost forgotten that they had them after hearing that. “Oh, of course,” said, a still dazed, Rarity. Everyone else seemed to snap out of it and raised their masks to their face as they fastened the straps; everyone except for Pinkie.

Suddenly Pinkie fell onto her side, and seconds later the pony began to convulse. “Oh my god!” exclaimed Rarity as she quickly moved to her friend’s side. Everypony in the room gasped and moved over to where pinkie laid. “Pinkie!” Rarity yelled as she placed her hooves onto the convulsing Earth pony. As Pinkie rocked her head and torso back and forth, a white foam began to seep from her mouth. With each thrust of her head, the foam smeared across the wooden floor. “Jesus Christ!” screamed Rarity.

Fluttershy stood near the back of the group, watching in horror. She knew what was happening to Pinkie, but she couldn’t believe it. It just couldn’t be her. How would she have gotten infected to begin with?

“Get away from her, now!” screamed Fluttershy. Rarity instantly jerked her head in her direction and replied, in a fearful voice, “Why!?” Suddenly Pinkie’s eyes flew open; they were blood shot and heavily dilated. Foam still poured from her mouth, but that didn’t hinder her from doing what she did next. Within less than a second Pinkie lunged over to one of Rarity’s legs and sank her teeth into it. Blood began to pour from her wound as Pinkie continued to tear deeper and deeper into her flesh. Rarity let out a scream in pain and was quickly pulled back by Rainbow Dash. Pinkie’s jaw broke free from her leg as a blood foam mix poured from her mouth. Everypony was screaming, especially Rarity. The entire group ran away from their friend as quickly as possible, trying not to become her next meal.

Suddenly Pinkie jumped up to her hooves and looked straight at Apple Jack with a crazed, infected look in her eyes. Apple Jack noticed this and quickly backed away from the insane pony, but it was no use; Pinkie lunged forward and landed atop the tan furred Earth pony, which instantly sent her tumbling to the ground. When she hit the wooden floor the saddle pack she was wearing slid just out of her reach. The infected Pinkie snapped her jaws at Apple Jack’s face, but she managed to hold the crazed pony back. However this was no easy task at all, it seemed almost as if the virus gave the, typically weak, Pinkie a great amount of strength, probably from the adrenalin. Apple jack turned her snout away from her friend to see something she thought she’d never see; there before her were Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, whose element was loyalty, fleeing the horrific scene; they had left her to die.

Foam from Pinkies snout poured onto Apple Jack’s chest and face, as she held her back with all of her might. Apple Jack prayed to god that she couldn’t get infected by contact with saliva; she couldn’t bear the thought of ending up like her friend.

As Apple Jack fought to hold the pony back she realized that her last chance for survival lay in her saddle bag. Fore in that bag was a small revolver pistol. Apple Jack frantically reached for the bag as she held the pony’s snout back with all of her strength. As she reached for it her hoof grazed the handle, but she couldn’t grasp the bag. So, she attempted the proses once more, but this time, when she reached for it, she almost popped her arm out of socket she stretched so far. Thankfully she was able to reach the cotton bag, and quickly pulled it in. Her hoof slid into the bag as Pinkies snout inched closer and closer to hers. As she grasped the pistol, she looked back to Pinkies face one more time, which was a mistake; fore when she did this a small drop of the foam that gushed from, the rabid, Pinkie’s mouth dripped into her eye. Despite this Apple Jack took the pistol, pressed it against the chest of her friend, and fired one shot.

Pinkie’s blood shot eyes rolled back as a red liquid poured from her wound, onto Apple Jack’s fur. The pony had stopped snapping at her and slowly fell onto her friend. Apple Jack then lifted Pinkie’s lifeless body and tossed it off of her. When she did this it revealed an injured Rarity sitting in the corner of the room. Blood was still pouring from her wound and pooled by her hoof. Rarity looked over at Apple Jack with an exhausted look on her face and said “Give me the gun. I’m not ending up like that.” Apple Jack would have normally greatly protested such a request, but she didn’t wish that to be her fate either. She just looked down at the gun and walked over to Rarity. As she handed her the pistol Rarity looked up into her eyes and said “God forgives us.”

As Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flew through the dim light, of the sunset they heard a shot. The second its sound reached the two Pegasi, they immediately stopped, in midair and just flapped their wings to remain stationary. “Maybe it wasn’t them,” suggested Rainbow Dash, but as soon as she said that, a second shot rang out. It was clear where the noise had come from this time; Twilight’s home. They stared at the ground with tears beginning to well in their eyes when suddenly there was a third, and final shot. The silence that followed seemed to sound louder than any of the shots ever could.

“They’re dead, aren’t they?” asked Fluttershy with tears streaming down her face. “You don’t know that!” exclaimed an emotional Rainbow Dash. The two Pegasi just stared at each other, in silence, with tears falling off their faces. They knew what had happened, but neither wanted to admit it.

Four Years Later

Fluttershy quickly snapped out of her flashback; fore what happened after that was far too unbearable to relive. It was the most horrific day of her life.

The pony that still stood in front of her then spoke up; “Hi, Fluttershy.” The purple unicorn approached the Pegasus, who had completely released her grip on the pistol, and said “Long time no see.” Fluttershy couldn’t believe what she was seeing. There was just no way it was her. Fluttershy then quickly reached her hoof around the gun and pointed it straight at Twilight’s head. “Are you real!” she screamed, “Answer me!” Twilight quickly jumped back and put her hooves up. “It’s ok Fluttershy. I’m really here. Please don’t do anything stupid.”

As the two spoke, unknown to Fluttershy, Spike, who was much older, was positioning the crosshairs of a hunting rifle onto her forehead. He was fully prepared to shoot his former friend dead; fore this world had changed him, and he was going to let nothing happen to Twilight. Spike moved his finger onto the trigger and was only seconds away from shooting the yellow Pegasus, before she finally dropped the gun. Though she had lowered her weapon, Spike would not lower his until he was sure that she could be trusted, because like I’ve said, Time changes people.

“Twilight?” asked Fluttershy. “Yes, it’s me. It’s ok Fluttershy,” she replied. “H-How are you?” stuttered Fluttershy. “Trust me I’m wondering the same thing Shy.”

No one had seen it, but during their little talk the skies had grown much dimmer, and though they didn’t notice it someone, or something, else did. Suddenly, as the two just stared at each other, there was a loud howl from a nearby building, and seconds later an infected pony came darting out. Fluttershy raised her gun to shoot it and placed her hoof on the trigger. Shortly after, a loud shot emanated throughout the streets, but it wasn’t from her gun. She looked over to see the barrel of Spike’s gun sticking just out of the window, of the car. Twilight started running back to the vehicle when she looked to Fluttershy and screamed “Come on! Let’s go!” Fluttershy didn’t think twice and quickly made her way to the car. As she approached it she realized that this vehicle wasn’t a car, but it was instead a truck. The moment she jumped into the back seat Twilight jumped into the driver’s seat and quickly put the truck into drive. Fluttershy barely had time to close the door before the unicorn gassed it. “Fluttershy!” snapped Twilight, “Look on the floor and find a brown bag, there’s a G-36 in it! Shoot anything that comes near us!” As Fluttershy leaned over to the bag Twilight flicked a switch, on the dashboard, and several lights, mounted to the truck turned on. They were blindingly bright.

Fluttershy looked up momentarily after seeing this, but quickly reached for the bag once more. She unzipped it to see an arsenal of guns. There were more sniper rifles in the bag than anything else. “Looks like Twilight paid a visit to the abandoned army camps too,” Fluttershy thought to herself as she pulled out the G-36. She quickly flicked the safety to automatic and aimed it out of the open window.

As she did this, two infected ponies came out of another, seemingly vacant, building and started in their direction. She quickly aligned the sites of her gun onto one of their heads. Even though they couldn’t possibly keep up with their vehicle, she didn’t want them following her, so she fired two shots at the pony. One hit just above its eye and the second hit it in the chest. Fluttershy then positioned her sites onto the second pony and fired two shots, as well. Both of the shots struck it in the chest.

It was quite a bloody mess, but Fluttershy honestly liked it. These things had taken everything away from her; her town, her family, her animals, and her friends. This was her way of leveling the playing field, one bullet at a time.

Twilight looked over at Fluttershy’s work and said “Good shot Shy!” She then returned her gaze to the road ahead and saw two infected ponies in front of her. “Spike,” Twilight called, “Get the one on the left. I’ll run the other one down.” Spike nodded to her and lifted his rifle. The purple dragon stretched his torso out of the window and aligned the sights. After a second there was a loud, almost deafening shot. The, unfortunate, pony that the bullet struck instantly had a gaping hole through its head. Blood was spraying everywhere. “Holy crap!” yelled Fluttershy, “What was that?!” Twilight smiled a little and replied “50 Cal. The Canterlot guards had some pretty good stuff lying around.” As she finished talking Twilight gave the engine a little more gas and ran down the infected pony before her. As it, or what remained of it, went under the truck a thick red liquid splattered across the grill and hood. “Yeah!” That’s how we do it!” shouted a very satisfied Twilight.

“Hey Shy!” yelled Twilight, “Where do you live?” “Same place.” She replied. Spike then opened the glove box and pulled out a small brown bag. It was just a few inches long and cylindrical in shape. He pulled at the top of the bag and opened it, to reveal two rod shaped objects. Twilight looked over at Spike and placed her hoof onto the switch, which turned the lights on. “Ready?” she asked. Spike grasped the rods in both hands and nodded. Twilight looked back to the road and quickly turned off all of the lights on the car, including the headlights. When she did this Fluttershy heard a crack and saw two bright lights get tossed out the window. “Spike and I came up with a way to escape situations like this. These things are stupid so all you need is a brighter light and a fast car,” Twilight explained to Fluttershy.

As they drove through the darkness Twilight gradually lifted her hoof off of the gas pedal. It was a perpetual darkness with only the stars’ light to guide them; not even the moon was up on this night, which may have been a blessing. As Fluttershy peered out the open window, with the cool October air brushing her face, she just couldn’t help but think of how lucky she was. She was lucky because she not only survived a car crash; she was saved by someone she had long believed was dead.

“Hey Twi?” asked Fluttershy, “How can you see?” Twilight smirked slightly and replied “When we were in Canterlot, we didn’t just steal guns. There were quite a few spells left lying around after the fall.” Spike finally decided to speak up and said “Twilight went a little crazy for a year, looking for a time travel spell or maybe a cure… There was nothing. But we did find a few interesting things in the Equestrian Defense section; like night vision” Spike’s voice sounded different; it was much deeper than the last time she had seen him. “Hey Spike, how old are you, now?” asked Fluttershy. “Seventeen or eighteen; I forget,” he answered. Fluttershy was astounded; she remembered the dragon as being only ten years old. “Shy, how did you live this long?” asked a blunt Twilight. “Knowledge of the virus, time to prepare, and immunity. What about you?” Twilight looked over to Spike and then back to the road, before replying “I guess immunity saved my rump, and since Spike’s a reptile he’s immune too, but I’m sure you already knew that.”

Fluttershy just laid her head against the truck door and looked out into the blackness of night. It had been a long day for her and all she wanted right now was a hot shower and a warm bed. Spike looked over at Twilight and placed his hand onto her hoof, which she wasn’t driving with. He had become very good at seeing the signs that she was scared, despite how good she’d gotten at hiding it. Right now, she was sweating, had a slight nervous shake, and kept blinking quicker than normal. These were all telltale signs to him. “It’s ok,” he kindly said. Spike then leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you,” he added. Twilight smiled, while trying not to blush, and replied “I love you too.”

Fluttershy was at a loss of words. She couldn’t believe what she’d just seen. “When did?… How the?… What the?...” said Fluttershy as she tried to proses what had just occurred. The couple laughed slightly and Spike began to explain. “Uh, well I’d had a little crush on Twi ever since this weird dream I had. Then three weeks after everything went to hell I told her.” Spike let out a laugh and added “You should have seen the look on her face.” After Spike said that there was a moment of silence. Fluttershy waited a second more and asked “And then?”

“Ok, we’re here,” Twilight announced as she pulled into the driveway. Fluttershy just rolled her eyes and laid her head back. She was so involved with what had just occurred that she didn’t even notice where the truck was.

Twilight leaned forward and killed the engine. Seconds after that the group exited the car, almost simultaneously. Twilight closed the door behind her and looked up at the house. “I can see you’ve done some redecorating,” she remarked. Fluttershy didn’t know what to say, she hadn’t been around other ponies in so long that she’d forgotten a few things. So she just closed the truck’s door and trotted over to the front door of her home. The steel was cold in the air, of the October night. As she extended her hoof to the metal handle, she could feel droplets of dew moisten her hoof. She pressed in and the large, vault like, door opened.

Despite being alone for four long years, Fluttershy did remember a few things about being well mannered. So the yellow Pegasus moved out of the way, and let her two friends enter first. It was pitch black and cool inside the house. Even with Twilight’s night vision spell she could hardly see anything.

Fluttershy stepped inside and closed the metal door behind her, as she reached over to the wall. There was a flick and the room was flooded with light. It hurt their eyes at first, but they soon adjusted. “I thought I’d left a light on for Angel. He’s probably scared to death.” A still squinting Twilight looked over at Fluttershy and asked “How do you have power!?” “Oh,” she replied, “I have a solar panel out back. It’s high enough so no infected will mess with it. Like I said, I had time to prepare.” Fluttershy turned away from the two and began walking towards her bathroom. “Now I’m going to take a shower. There’s a second bathroom, but go easy on the hot water; the water heater doesn’t have a very big tank.” Twilight and Spike’s eyes widened in astonishment, “D-Did you say hot water?” asked Twilight with a stutter in her voice. Fluttershy looked over to the two and nodded. “Dibs!” shouted Twilight as she shot past Spike, pushing him out of the way. “Screw you!” shouted Spike as he two started towards the bathroom. Fluttershy smiled and rolled her eyes at the site, and trotted off to a restroom of her own.