In Ponyville, everything was quiet. Ponies who were up were going about their day, as if nothing would happen. Stores were closing for the night. Ponies were heading home. And to them, everything was normal. Well, almost normal.
Recently, a stallion who proclaimed to be a scientist moved into town. He said he liked it's detachment from the rest of Equestria. He liked it's 'old timey feel'.
Inside a rather tall building the aforementioned stallion was running experiments. The room in which these experiments were held had only a few things: A large metallic platform raised off of the floor, it's purpose was to hold magic only for a short time. This magic would be condensed into some sort of sphere. The next thing in the room were a set of consoles. To most ponies, these things were alien, as they were creations of an unknown scientist. The consoles had rows of buttons, and glass screens. The screens broadcasted the measurements from the platform. And finally, the stallion's assistant, who was awaiting his orders.
The stallion was known as Geo Phase, and his assistant was known as Cobalt Rust.
Geo rattled off a few instructions to his assistant before lighting his horn and pushing energy into the center of the platform where it formed into a sphere, only a few seconds later did the ball pop.
Geo sighed as he removed his goggles. Yet another try failed. He looked to the center platform where a ball of self sustaining energy was supposed to be.
"Come on Geo. We can do this. Just a little more power and it shouldn't collapse on itself." Geo muttered to himself.
He flicked a switch and pressed a few buttons as Cobalt Rust entered the room.
"Geo, this isn't Manehattan, the residents are complaining about all the noise." Cobalt explained.
"Don't worry, this is my last attempt." Geo assured her before stating the name of his experiment, "Experiment 43: Self-Sustaining Energy. Try 162. Ten times the energy."
Cobalt's eyes widened at the statement. "You could blow this place to bits!"
Geo chuckled as he slid his goggles on. "Don't worry. I won't let that happen."
His horn flared with his magic, a dark blue covering his green horn. He began pushing magic into the center of the platform, where it formed an orb. A monitor beeped as it measured the magic.
"Magic level at 50%." The mare read out, "60, 80, 120, 190,"
Just a little more. . Geo thought to himself.
"Magic levels reaching critical," The Mare informed, "I think you should stop, Geo!"
"Stop? The world's greatest contributors never stopped when told." Geo scolded the mare. "You only succeed by pushing boundaries."
At this moment, the monitor read 500% before it blew. The lights blew out one by one, and soon the newly created orb of power hummed.
"See, what did I tell you?" Geo laughed, "Push the limits!"
That's when the orb exploded.
Geo slowly opened his eyes, groaning as he did. He tried stretching, only to groan in pain as a scar alongside his body ached. He then noticed several machines hooked up to him.
"A. . hospital?" Geo whispered hoarsely. He looked around the room, and noticed that it had no power. He knew then that something was off. He scrambled for a bit, trying his best to regain control of his body. He quickly detached himself from the machines.
Thinking it important, Geo made his way to the door. Pushing on it, he groaned in pain made his way into the hallway. There, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Blood was everywhere. Along the walls, the floor, and the beds scattered along the hall. Geo noticed that there was a message in blood along the wall next to his door.
"Turn Back. Dead Ahead." Geo read softly to himself. He noticed an arrow was drawn underneath, pointing to a large pair of doors. Geo decided to turn the other way, and looked for an exit.
As he slowly moved, trying to keep his balance as he recovered from the coma, Geo noticed a body lying ahead. As he drew closer, he could see that the pony's light yellow coat was stained with blood, probably her own. Her mane was a deep red, and her cutie mark was some sort of tri-colored shield with an apple in the middle. She had a faded pink bow, and her neck had been bitten.
Geo poked her gently, only to jump back as she turned her head to him. Half of her face was missing it's flesh, Geo could see her skull sticking through places in the muscle.
Without warning, the filly lunged at him, and he did the only thing he could do.
He pushed her against the wall, and letting his reflexes kick in, he stamped on her head.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
On the fourth time, the filly fell still. He stared in shock at what he had just done. He didn't even dare to look at the bloodstains on his hooves.
For the next few minutes, Geo just sat there, staring at the dead filly.
What is going on?! Geo wondered while slowly standing up.
He stood still for a moment, but not to keep balance. He looked around the hall again, wondering if any others suffered the same fate. That's when a hoof hit the back of his head.
"Bastard!" An orange earth pony yelled.
Author's Note
Yep. I started it off with dead Applebloom. Trust me, it's for a purpose.
Geo Phase is a character of my own creation.
All other characters are property of their respective owners.
Also, why is AJ the first pony to cross my character?
Cobalt was named by Wish I Was There.
Geo groaned, "What the hell was that for?"
"That's fer what happened to her." The orange mare answered, pointing at the dead filly.
"Sorry! I was only defending myself!" Geo defended.
The mare scoffed before turning and running down a hall.
Without wasting a spare moment, Geo chased after the orange mare.
"Wait!" He shouted, "What's going on here?!'
"Not now!" The mare answered, "Just follow me!"
The duo took a few turns before Geo noticed sunlight coming from a door at the end of a hall.
"There!" Geo told the Mare, who turned and ran for it.
The mare paused only for a moment as she turned to buck open the doors.
Geo breathed in the fresh air, just now realizing just how putrid the hospital was. But he didn't stop, as the mare continued towards Ponyville.
As they ran, Geo noticed more bodies and blood. Sadly, he didn't recognize any of them as he had only been in Ponyville for the last five months or so, if too much time hadn't passed that is.
The mare began to slow down as they reached the center of town. Geo figured that now would be a better time for answers.
"What is going on here ma'am?" Geo asked, "Why are there bodies lining this place? Why are all these buildings decrepit?"
"All ya need to know is that the dead don't stay dead." The mare answered while scanning the town for something.
"So. . zombies?" Geo clarified.
"Tha's one way ta put it." the mare answered, suddenly bolting towards a mint green mare who was missing an eye. . . and a leg. Swiftly, the orange mare kicked the green one in the head, causing blood to spurt out and cover her orange fur. The mint green mare toppled over and didn't move.
"My name is Geo Phase." Geo told her, grimacing as the orange mares tamped on the green one's head once.
"Applejack." The mare replied, "An we need to get outta town."
"What about supplies?" Geo wondered.
"Mah group already picked Ponyville clean." Applejack explained.
"But you were in the hospital. . " Geo reminded her, only to get Applejack's face in his.
"That trip was personal." She growled.
"Alright, I won't pry." Geo promised, he then looked toward the green mare's corpse. "If it isn't any bother, could I go back to your group with you?"
Applejack stared at Geo for a moment before sighing, "If ah don't, I can think of a few ponies who'd have my flank for turning ya away."
"Great!" Geo exclaimed, "Lead the way!"
Applejack glared at Geo again, "If you try anything, anything, I will personally feed you to the trotters."
"Trotters?" Geo gulped.
Applejack pointed to another pony, this one had a chunk torn out of it's neck.
"G-got it." Geo stammered.
"Alright, now, before we go, Twilight wants her reference guide from her castle." Applejack told Geo.
"Twilight?" Geo wondered, "As in Princess Twilight?"
"The one an only." Applejack replied as she turned towards the crystal castle.
Geo followed her through the ruins of Ponyville. He felt despair grab him as he passed some of his favorite stores. Then he stopped still when he saw it. His lab, now only a pile of wood.
"Cobalt. . ." Geo sighed.
"Who?" Applejack asked.
"An assistant of mine," Geo explained, "I was inside this building before this all happened, and she was my assistant."
"Ah'm sorry fer yer loss, but we have ta get moving." Applejack told Geo before taking off for the castle. After a moment, Geo went after her.
The castle was dark. Geo could feel a slight draft run through the halls, and he could hear a groaning sound nearby.
"They're in here too?" Geo whispered in surprise.
"This here castle was a safe zone fer the first day or two." Applejack explained, "Then a couple of ponies got bit on a run and lied about it."
"And that's why this place is empty now. . " Geo surmised.
"We were in such a rush that a few ponies got separated from us." Applejack continued, opening each door she passed just enough to peek in.
"I see. . . " Geo sighed.
Eventually, Applejack stopped at a larger pair of doors. She peeked inside, then motioned to Geo to follow her in.
"So, which book are we looking for?" Geo asked.
"A reference guide to Equestria's cities and forests." Applejack answered.
Geo nodded and began searching through the shelves. "Sounds like you guys are working on a plan." He commented.
"Yeah, we are. ." Applejack answered.
The two continued to search through the library. Book after book hit the floor. Eventually, there were only two left on the shelves.
"I sure hope one of these are our book." Geo sighed. He turned to look at the mess they made, and he noticed a corpse with a sword's sheath attached to it. Using his magic, he undid the straps and pulled the sheath away.
"Wonder where the sword is. . " Geo muttered to himself.
"Ah, here it is!" Applejack exclaimed, holding up the book.
"Great!" Geo exclaimed, "Now we can get the hell out of here and away from these things!"
"Right." Applejack replied, she paused, "Wait. . . is that?"
"It this what?" Geo asked.
"She's alive?" Applejack whispered.
"Who?" Geo demanded.
"It doesn't matter." Applejack sighed, "Lets get outta here."
The two made their way out of the library, and found a horde approaching.
"The other way, now!" Applejack yelled.
The two turned on their heels and ran back through the library. Applejack turned down a hall and pointed ahead.
"That window! That's our way out!" She told Geo.
Geo simply nodded as they ran full bore at the window. They passed door after door, and right before they reached the window a trotter stepped out in front of them.
Applejack stopped, and bucked it back a few feet. "Go ahead, tell Twilight I'm on my way!" She yelled at Geo.
"Where do I go?" I asked her as I ran past.
"There's an apple orchard to the south. Head for it!" Applejack replied.
Geo turned his head back to the window and jumped.
Next time, on World of the Dead. . .
"My name is Geo, I'm a scientist working to create a pure energy source."
"We have nowhere to go, no plans and no hope."
"We could head to Manehatten."
"What are you doing?! That'll attract them!"
"We now have only one choice, we must face the Everfree."
Author's Note
Chapter one is done. Which means that it'll be Halloween by the time you read this.
And now we have a setting, and a plan will be introduced.
But what exactly happened to cause the group to retreat to the Everfree?
That's for Chapter 2: The Survivors, to decide.
