Among The Trotting Dead

“Twilight are you almost done with your potion? Spike calls out from the bottom of the spiral staircase.

Twilight stares intensely at her work. She bites down on her tongue as she grinds up minerals in her pestle and mortar. “Almost Spike!” She calls out not looking up from her work. “I need to add a few more ingredients to the mix!” Using her magic, she gently adds the grounded-up minerals into a vile containing a corrosive substance. Filling it, she closes it with a cork and gives the mixture a shake.

“You know Ponyville’s science fair isn’t until next week!” Spike looks out the round shaped window by the front door. Watching the sun set behind the horizon he huffs out a sigh. “You can come back and work on it after the dance!” He fidgets with his bowtie. “I mean you’re not even ready!”

Twilight rolls her eyes. “Can’t wait to see a special some-pony?”

Spike blushes, kicking the bottom step. “Uh… sort of.”

Twilight giggles “I’m sure your ‘special some-pony’ will understand.” She watches the mixture sizzle. “Just a few more minutes…”

POP!!!

BANG!!!

Smoke fills her room. Her hears ring. Her head pounds from a head splitting headache. Her ears fold back as she lifts her head from her carpeted floor. She lazily looks around. Her mind lost in a dense fog. “Err!” A sharp sensation shoots through her neck. With a groan she rests her forehead on the floor and puts a hoof to the spot, trying to dull the searing pain.

“Twilight! Are you alright?” Spike calls out as he runs up the stairs.

Twilight lets out a sharp hiss. Gritting her teeth, she removes her hoof to find blood coating it. She stares at the crimson in disbelief. “I… ERK!” The glass fragments in her neck dig deeper into her. The acid on her skin reacts to her muscles’ movements. In a jolt she presses down hard onto the wound and gasps for air. It only makes it worse. “SPIKE!... GERK!” She forces herself to yell out before collapsing onto the floor, coughing up blood.

“Twilight! Twilight are you alright?” Spike runs into her room. “TWILIGHT!” He jumps back in horror at the sight of her lying in her own blood.

Twilight glares up at Spike, tears flow from her eyes. She extends a hoof begging for his help.

Spike scans over the burn and cuts on her neck. Seeing it bleeding at a consistent rate he quickly grabs a small blanket from her bed and gently wraps it around her neck. Finished with his impromptu first-aid, he gets up from the floor and runs to the stairs. “Hold on Twilight! I’m going to get some help!” He looks over his shoulders and sees Twilight turning over on her back, extending her hooves once more, her fearful eyes begging him to stay. He breaks his gaze and looks away. He cannot bear to see her in such a state. Tears fall from his eyes. “Just hold on…”

Twilight hears Spike run down the stairs, the front door slamming open as he dashes out into the cobblestone streets of their hometown. His frantic cries for help echoing back into her room from her open bedroom window.

As time passes, her surroundings begin to feel cold and foreign to her. Darkness creeps into her vision. Tears swell in her eyes. A million horrid thoughts race through her mind. Her breathing becomes heavier. Her blood soaks her fur. She exhales sharply before her mind and world go dark.

Piercing silence fills Twilight’s mind. Her ears ring sharply, aggravating her migraine. She gazes numbly at the plain white ceiling above her with bloodshot eyes. The sheets that lay over her are itchy and uncomfortable as they cling to her sweat soaked fur. With a moan she tries to sit up but her body is heavy. With a sigh, she turns her head and sees and empty IV to her right.

Confused she forces herself to sit up. Hissing, she painfully looks around from her perch. Seeing that she has awoken in one of the recovery rooms of Ponyville’s General Hospital, she stares at her lap, looking at the rough fibers of the sheet. “What?” She mumbles to herself. Rubbing her head, she grumbles as she runs a hoof along her neck. “Err!” She pulls away her hoof and gives a long sigh. “Oh…” She moans as she remembers her accident. “I’ve should’ve been more careful with that stupid potion.” She places a hoof back on her neck where her wound is. Feeling a bandage covering it, she hisses, slouching forward.

Her ears flicker at the silence. It was deafening. Twilight sighs, moving her gaze to her left towards the window. Clouds are overhead, blocking out the mid-afternoon sun. She huffs, moving her gaze the right. She stares at the I.V. system once again and follows the line connected to her right arm. Rubbing her eyes, she looks at the I.V. bottle and notices that its empty. The date on the bottle reads, September 12th, 1923.She rubs her head. “I been in the hospital for two weeks?” She touches her neck. ‘I… could’ve died…’ She looks back at the I.V. bottle. ‘Why is it empty?’ She stares at the door to her room with bewildered eyes. The door is shut for some reason.

She sees a hoof call button by her bed and presses it. No one comes. She presses it again. Still, no comes. “Nurse…!” Twilight chokes on her words. Her throat feels like a barren desert. She grits her teeth. “Nurse!” A coughing fit overcomes her. Taking back control, she stares at the door with tearful eyes. Still, no one comes. Twilight becomes worried. “Why is no one coming?” Nervous, she uses what strength she has and stands up. With a heavy sigh, she holds onto the I.V. stand and slips off the bed. Placing a hind hoof onto the cool tile floor, she lets gravity take over, allowing the limb to take all her weight. Her actions give her a short burst of Nirvana before gravity overtakes her, sending her crashing to the floor. Laying on the ground, completely frustrated with her situation, she yells out with a tired sigh. “Nurse…”

Still receiving no reply, Twilight lifts herself up off the floor and slowly makes her way to her recovery room’s restroom. Stepping into the small space, she gazes into the mirror hanging over the sink. She stares numbly at herself, her dark lavender mane frizzled and undone. Her bright purple eyes dull and tired. Her light purple fur coat unkept. As her friend Rarity would put it, ‘she’s a hot mess.' Grunting, she turns on the faucet. The pipes moan for several seconds, until water trickles out. A small burst of energy overcomes her while she laps up the water. Drinking for a good minute or so, she gasps for air, lifting her head from the sink, resting her head on its cold porcelain surface.

Stretching her back, she shuts off the faucet and walks to the entrance to her recovery room. Using her magic, she turns the knob and opens the door, but it’s stuck. Scared, she uses her body-weight on the door, it creaks, opening slowly as whatever is blocking it squeaks along the floor. With a gap big enough for her she slips through and steps into the hall. Looking at the medical gurney with confusion, she looks around at the corridor she stands in.

Wires hang from the exposed ceiling tiles. The tiled floor is coated with splintered wood, plaster, glass, and blood. Office and medical supplies lay scattered around her. Bullet holes, arrows and magic residues scar the walls. To her left the hall is bathed in darkness and to her right, the lights are on at the end of the hall, but just barely, they flicker haphazardly setting an eerie mood.

“What happened?” Tears come to Twilight’s eyes as she slowly walks up to a receptionist desk across from her. Dust covers its surface. Bullet holes scar its wood paneling exterior. Lifting herself up, Twilight peeks over the countertop. Her vision is greeted with papers and knick-knacks lying randomly about, covered in dust and soaking in blood. Seeing the blood, her body becomes tense as she follows the trail to the corpse of a mare. Her eyes staring back at her with milky-eyes, her skull caved in above the brow. Fear overwhelms Twilight’s soul. Jumping back, she falls to the floor with a violent thud. Her arms drag her away until she bumps up against a wall. “What the…” She glares at the dark hall to her left; a chill runs down her spine. Fearing the unknowns, she moves towards the lit part of the corridor.

Finding that the end of the hall is a ‘T’ section, she stands under the flickering light. Her legs tremble as she restudies her surroundings. On her right is a metal door and to her left is another hall leading to the cafeteria and the emergency exit.

The soft buzzing of the dying light bulbs overhead unnerves her. She looks back at the receptionist desk and stares at the mare. Shivers dance down her spine, imagining what awful pain the mare must’ve experienced. Pulling herself out of her fog, she tries the door’s handle. The latch turns with a solid click, but it doesn’t budge. “Locked?! No…” Twilight mumbles. She thinks about manipulating the locks with her magic, but a pulsating migraine dances in her head.

Eyeing the double doors to the cafeteria, she sighs and makes her way to them. Having made her way past the dangerous scatterings of debris, she examines the doors. Jammed through the handles is a two by four plank. “Why would they lock the doors so crudely?” Summing her magic, she pushes the plank through the handles. Grasping them with her hooves, she pulls them towards her. “Oh, dear sweet Celestia!” Twilight suffocates from the horrid smells assaulting her senses. Her body becomes stiff from the unholy amount of fear that washes over her soul.

Within the walls of the cafeteria, stands several ponies of all ages and races, showing different states of bodily harm and decay. Other bodies lay on the ground, their flesh torn from their bones. One of the dead, a young mare wearing a nurse cap turns her head to face Twilight. Her milky eyes staring into her fearful eyes.

Twilight’s eyes stay fixated on the mare. She knows this mare. She was one of her go to nurses. She was her friend. “Redheart?… It’s me Twilight… Redheart can you hear me?” Twilight speaks softly to the mare, a part of her mind ignoring the fact she’s a walking corpse.

Redheart tilts her head, trotting slowly towards Twilight. Moans of pain escaping her lips with each step she takes.

Twilight notices Redheart and several other ponies making their way to her. Their movements sending chills down her spine. They look sick. Lost. Dead. Feeling her stomach twist itself into knots, she backs away from the approaching group. “Please get away from me, all of you don’t look well… Oof!” She trips over her trembling limbs.

Redheart seizing the opportunity and lunges for her prey. Before she can sink her teeth into Twilight, Twilight rolls out of the way, causing her to crash onto the floor. Standing up quickly, Twilight makes a mad dash to the emergency exit. Seeing her meal getting away, Redheart lunges once again, this time she manages to tackle her to the ground. Twilight fights back as they roll across the floor until they come to the top of the stairs.

“Get off of me! What do you think you’re doing Redheart!” Twilight hisses, holding the mare back. Redheart’s only response is the snapping of her teeth just inches away from her snout. “Don’t you understand?” Twilight yells. “Ah!”

Both mares tumble down the first section of steps. Redheart falls head first, landing awkwardly on her neck. The force and her body weight snap her spinal cord, twisting her head around in an ungodly manner. Twilight falls on Redheart’s body, bouncing off and landing next to her. Twilight groans as she sits up, looking to her right, she gasps at the site of Redheart’s mangled body. Redheart’s eyes lay still for a short second before they dart over to the unicorn, her jaw snapping at her.

Twilight jumps in fear. Adrenaline coursing through her veins she bolts down the remaining steps, slamming herself against the metal double doors. They open violently, sending her tumbling onto the pavement of the parking lot structure.

Pain dances across her body. Stunned by the sudden jolt from her fall, Twilight gets up with a moan. Hearing the muffled moans of the dead coming down the stairs, forces her to jump to the doors in a panic. Tearing off her medical gown, she shuts the doors and quickly uses it to tie them shut. She manages to get a second knot tied before the doors jerk from the dead slamming themselves into them. She falls back onto the ground scrapping her hindquarters on the pavement.

Scared of the inevitable, she backs away and drags herself across the ground until she butts up against a tire of a putter-car.

Her body shakes violently, she dares not to open her eyes. But as the minute’s pass, all remained quiet. Getting a hold of her nerves, her eyes open and she stares at the doors. Her knot held firm, only allowing a small gap that the dead could fit their arms through.

Taking a shallow breath, Twilight studies her surroundings, making sure that the parking structure is void of the dead. Seeing none, she slowly gets up, her gaze falling back on the doors. The dead stare at her with crazied eyes. She looks at those eyes. They hold no soul. “What happened to them?” She moves further away from the doors. “They look sick… Was there a pandemic? But how?… No! MY FAMILY!” Twilight’s heart slams itself against her chest, thoughts of her family as one of them swims through her mind.

Thinking fast, she scans the few putter-wagons and putter-cars resting in the parking-lot, seeing if keys still remain within, but she finds none. The idea of hot-wiring one of them crosses her mind, but her brain is too racked with fatigue to do such a thing. Summoning what strength is left within her, she makes her way out of the parking structure and to the main road that leads to Ponyville’s town center.

Sunlight slams her vision as the brick and mortar dams lower into the ground as she ascends the incline. She holds up a hoof, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the natural light. Blinking several times, she lowers her hoof and opens her eyes once again. Her vision is greeted with a vast array of tall trees surrounding the hospital, swaying in the cool summer breeze. The breeze calms her as it sweeps over the valley. Letting out a tired sigh, she looks at the overgrown grass lots and grass banks down the main road running towards Ponyville. With a forced smile, she makes her way down the road.

Walking down the street, the parking structure fading behind her, the hospital itself comes into view. Twilight’s pace slows down as she scans over the destruction scaring the building. The longer she stares, the weaker her limbs become. Her stride falls as she collapses onto the grass field that spreads all around the hospital. “Oh, sweet Luna…” Her pupils shrink.

Military and medical equipment lay across the grassy lots, battered and broken. Several putter-wagons and cars of military and civilian makes, lay parked, some with broken windows, burnt interiors or covered in layers of dirt. Among the disarray of equipment and vehicles, tents of varying colors and sizes stand in several states of decay. The bodies of military, hospital and civilian ponies dot the landscape, laying in the positions of their final moments. Her own fears shake her. Her teeth rattle and her eyes water once again. A single tear rolls down her face for a third time this day. “I need to get out of here.” All this death is too much for her to bear. Looking over her shoulder at the road, it seems to her at least, like it’s inviting her to stand up and make a mad dash to her destination. She follows its advice, there is no sense in arguing with it.

Thirty minutes passed since she had left the hospital.

Twilight walks softly down the cobblestone road, the trees lining the road dancing in the breeze. The feeling around here is calm. She welcomes this. After seeing what she had seen, she didn’t know if she could witness more of it.

Nearing the small bridge that lead into town, Twilight breathes a sigh of relief, but soon she comes to a halt as the sight of a wreck comes into view. A large putter-wagon had crashed into several putter cars in the middle of the bridge, clogging the path. Pinned under its back tire is one of the dead, a teen colt. His front limbs slowly reaching out for something to grab.

Twilight stares at the colt. He looks like he’s in pain. She moves closer to him, but she stops and stands three feet away. The colt feeling her presence, turns his gaze to her, flailing his arms, his front hooves scratching the cobblestone road. Sadness overcomes her as she steps away. “Sweet Celestia…” She looks past the wreckage and sees her home in the distance.

Not seeing a safe and definite path over the heap, she looks down at the stream. The water flowing gently along its path towards the lake it’s connected to. With one quick glance at the colt, she jumps down the soft soil bank, walks over the algae covered rocks and climbs up the other side behind a glassware shop.

Taking a breath, she makes a mad dash towards her home.

Getting to the back door of her library home, she rummages through the rocks lining the overgrown garden and finds her hidden key. Key held firmly in her magic, she puts it through the lock, when all of a sudden, the door swings inwards from her touch. “It’s unlocked?” Nervous, she pushes the door gentility and slowly steps inside.

The door creaks as it comes to its resting place. The sunlight shines through the open door, lighting up the interior, casting Twilight’s shadow onto the hard wood flooring. Her home had received the act of looting to its fullest. A good amount of her books were missing or torn up, same with her pictures. Her oak wood table in the middle of the library was scarred by axe and fire. Her kitchen from what she can see was cleaned of its food and utensils. A chill runs down her spine as she processes what she sees.

Swallowing a lump, she treks further into her home. “Spike! Shining!” She yells out. “Mom! Dad!” She rushes up the stairs. Entering her room, she shivers at the state that its in. Her bed is turned over, robbed of its sheets. Her desk is broken. Her closet’s doors were torn off their hinges. Random knickknacks lay scattered across the floor. Then there is a read stain by her desk… her blood.

Shaking away a chill she stumbles into Spike’s room. “SPIKE!” His room is in the same state as hers. Sobbing she darts out of his room and checks the rest of her home. Then again, and again, and again… Her legs give out forcing her to the floor with a thud.

Twilight stares at the hardwood floor with bloodshot eyes. She sobs a pain filled cry as she runs her hooves across it. “This can’t be real… It can’t be…” She keeps rubbing the floor, but as the seconds pass the pain in her chest becomes too much to bear. “No… No… NO! NO! NO!” She punches herself repeatedly over her head, trying desperately to rid her mind of the horror she’s seen.

But alas, she’s still in her ransacked home… Alone. Feeling a puling migraine course through her skull, she rests her head on the floor, giving in to her situation with a defeated sigh.

An hour or so passes.

The sun is at seven in the sky. The warm oranges and dark reds flooding into the main room of the library. Twilight lays still, sweat rolls off her body from the humid air. Blinking, she moves her gaze to two picture frames, one a photo of her family and the other a picture of her and her friends. She feels like they were speaking to her. Telling to move on. Rubbing her eyes, she stands up and makes her way out of her home and onto her front porch.

Sitting by the steps, she stares out over the desolate town. Several homes and shops were ransacked. Others were burned down or boarded up. A random number of putter-cars and putter-wagons laid abandoned in the cobblestone streets. Several forming a line out of the city towards the blocked bridge she had passed earlier.

The ones fleeing, never had a chance.

The clouds overhead slowly part, exposing the late evening sky to whoever wanted to see. The birds upon seeing the sky, chirp away, singing a night time melody. “Err…” Twilight ears twitch. “What right do they have to be so happy?” She spits as the birds fly overhead.

WHAM!!!

“Bro I got one!” A young pegasus colt calls out, holding a shovel his hooves.

Twilight looks at the colt, her vision blurring with each passing second. “Shining?”

The colt jumps back as she reaches out to him. “Rumble are you alright?” A young stallion comes up to his side.

Rumble glances up at the stallion. “Thunderlane, she spoke!”

“Bro, you know they don’t talk… Twilight, dear Luna you’re alive!” Thunderlane looks down at the mare and sees her eyes getting heavier. “Quick Rumble, hold onto my bag and call for Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. We’re getting out of here now.” Handing over his bag, he lifts her onto his back.

Her vision fades slowly until the world around her goes black.

Silence overwhelms Twilight once again. She feels the rough fabric of a couch poking her skin, her neck lays awkwardly on its arm rest. An old sheet that smells of age hugs her. Sitting up, she rubs her eyes and lets out a pained sigh. Looking around she finds herself in a home she’s unfamiliar with. The room is dark, except for the soft glow of candle light seeping through the gap under the door.

Pain pulses through her neck once more and with a groan she places her hoof on the spot, only to become confused when she feels a clean bandage has replaced her old one. Feeling its soft cotton fibers, she begins to wonder who’d patched her up, when the glow from outside her room begins to make its way to her. The door swings open with a moan. A figure of a pegasus mare with a prism colored mane and soft sky-blue fur stands in the doorway, holding a candle tray in her mouth. The mare smiles as she steps into the room, setting the candle on the coffee table. “You’re awake.” She sits down on the floor next to her.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight’s voice cracks as she holds her hooves over her mouth. “You’re alive…”

Rainbow Dash holds a hoof to her lips and pulls her into a hug. “Shhh,” Giving a squeeze, she ends the hug and goes to the window. Looking through the small slit through the wooden boards, she eyes the dark streets. Seeing nothing she sighs and closes the curtains. Twilight becomes confused by her actions. “Closing the curtains. The trotters are sensitive to light and sound. If we’re going to talk, we have to speak softly.” Rainbow Dash states, noticing her friend’s confusion.

Twilight raises a brow. “Trotters?” She combs over her bangs with a hoof. “Is that what you call the dead?”

“Yes…” Rainbow Dash sits on the floor, leaning against the couch. “It makes it easier to confront them… especially when they attack you.” She rubs the back of her neck.

Twilight messes with the sheet. “Have you… You know, killed any?” Thoughts of Redheart seep back into her mind.

Rainbow Dash rubs her brow. “Yes…” She stares back at her friend with tired eyes. “About five or eight... I lost count.” Twilight looks at her magenta eyes and not wanting her to worry more, smiles back. Rainbow Dash returns the gesture as she looks at her neck. “How’s it holding up?”

Twilight touches her neck. “Alright, thanks for changing it.”

Rainbow Dash smirks. “No problem, good thing we found those medical supplies today during our scavenging run… Not bad for my first time…” Feeling a kink in her back, she stretches her wings and flaps them several time before relaxing them. “How are you holding up?”

Twilight gives a sigh. “I feel like I woke up in a damn nightmare.” She lays her head in her hooves. Rainbow Dash only hums, the tone of it sounding to her at least, that she felt the same. Twilight feels relief that one of her friends is alive and well, if she’s alive, so were the others, she hopes. Feeling safe for the first time this day, she messes with her bangs some more and gives a soft sigh. “Rainbow Dash?”

“Mmm?” She hums, looking up at her friend.

“What happened to Ponyville?”

Rainbow Dash shifts uncomfortably. “It’s not just Ponyville, it's all of Equestria, the whole world if what I’ve seen is any indication.” She sits up and stares at her friend. “Even after a month, it still doesn’t seem real, you know.”

Twilight raises a brow at her friend’s statement. “A month?” She looks down at her hooves. “It’s been a month?”

Rainbow Dash feels pity for her friend. “Yes…”

“Food is ready… Oh hey Twilight, you’re awake.” Thunderlane smiles at the young mares. “Hope your head feels ok, my brother is sorry for hitting you over the head with a shovel.” He gives a sheepish grin. “Anyways, you should come before it gets cold.” He slips out of the doorway back to where he came from.

Rainbow Dash looks at the kitchen through the open door. Sitting at the table is Rumble and Scootaloo, waiting impatiently to eat as they stare at the blue flame of the portable kettle heating the pot above. “You hungry?” Twilight lifts her head and nods her head. Smiling, Rainbow Dash offers her a hoof and Twilight accepts.

As they step into the kitchen, Scootaloo and Rumble look at Twilight and wave at her with smiles. Twilight returns the gesture. Taking their seats, they take their bowls and see a good amount of honey baked beans. “So, I see you’ve brought out the beans.” Rainbow Dash smirks at the Thunderlane.

“Yep.” Thunderlane scoops out three spoonsful for him, his brother and Scootaloo. “I think we needed something other than junk food.” He gives her a sly wink, which earns him a roll of the eyes.

Twilight looks at her spoon and activates her horn. It glows, but only for a second. A migraine still lingers. Frowning she picks up her spoon with her hoof and takes a bite of her own. She hums in delight as her tongue enjoys the tastes and texture of the meal. Even though it was just plain old canned beans, it tastes like it came from a five-star restaurant in Canterlot. She begins shoving spoonful after spoonful at a steady pace. The group looks at the unicorn with amused smirks. Feeling their gaze, Twilight looks up, seeing their shit eating grins. “What?”

“Hungry?” Rainbow Dash snickers.

Twilight blushes as she glances down at her bowl and sees that half of her meal remains. With a sheepish grin, she sets down her spoon. “Uh… I guess.” She takes a large gulp from her water bottle. The warm liquid washing her mouth. “Thanks for the food… It’s been a while since I had a proper meal.” She sets down her bottle.

A chill runs up Rainbow Dash’s spine. “It has…” She plays with her meal.

Twilight begins to play with her own meal as well. “Yes… It has… I still can’t believe I was in the hospital for a whole month? If what I’ve seen today is any indication of the state of our country, nay the world, I should be dead!” Her words cut deep into Rainbow Dash’s emotions, causing her to flinch. “Rainbow Dash are you alright?” Concern washes over her heart.

Rainbow Dash feels her friend’s hoof on her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she replies. “No Twilight, you’re right, you should be dead… But you’re alive, Thank Celesta! Thank Redheart!”

Twilight ears twitch. Confusion and dread flood her heart. “Thank… Redheart?”

“Yes, Redheart…” Rainbow Dash turns to face Twilight, placing her hooves on her shoulders. “Twilight during the panic, I and your older brother tried to get you out of the hospital, but the military… They were killing the dead, killing any pony who looked sick… Anyone who so happen to be near the infected… It was a mad house!”

Twilight couldn’t believe her words, the military killing civilians? They were supposed to protect. Had things really gotten that bad? “How was I not killed?”

“We locked you in your recovery room. Redheart and I had tried to wheel you out, but seeing the military down the hall near the exit… Killing ponies… It was her idea, Redheart told me she would stay and hide until the madness died down. She said she’d take care of you until she could get you out safely.” Tears begin to swell around her eyes. “So, we used a gurney to block your door, and we went our separate ways.” She starts to choke on her words. Twilight seeing her friend spiraling into a panic pulls her into a hug, which she accepts.

“For the longest time, we waited for Redheart to show up to Applejack’s farm, but she never came. Rainbow Dash tried going back to get you two, but after seeing the state of the hospital from the outside, she couldn’t bear to enter. She feared the worse.” Thunderlane takes a sip of his water “It means a lot to her, to us, that you’re alive.”

Twilight smiles as she holds her friend closer.

“Is Redheart alive?” Rainbow Dash mumbles. A lump forms in Twilight’s throat. Her hug loosens as the image of a mangled Redheart fills her mind. Rainbow Dash pulls away from the hug and looks at her friend straight in the eyes. “Please… Is she alive?” Twilight looks away and shakes her head. Rainbow Dash feels sick. “No… Damn it!” She yells in a fit of anger. She knocks her empty bowl on the floor and storms up the stairs.

“Rainbow Dash keep your voice down… Ah hell.” Thunderlane huffs as he lays his head in his hoof. Rumble and Scootaloo look at the stairs, then to him and Twilight with worrisome eyes. He can feel their emotions coming to a boil. “Why don’t the both of you go read your comic books in the living room.” The children nod their heads and leave the table without a word. The table becomes quite as Thunderlane and Twilight sit, staring at their meals. “She’s been through a lot.”

Twilight looks at the stallion. “How much death has she seen?”

Thunderlane hums as he stirs his beans. “Most of the weather crew, some of the Wonder Bolts… And her parents.”

Twilight looks at the top of the stairs, her heart aching. “Oh, Rainbow Dash…”

“And possibly Fluttershy.”

“What!” Twilight looks wide eyed at the stallion, her mind mulling over his words.

Thunderlane is quick to calm her. “She’s not one of them or dead… Or so we think. It’s just that during the panic we got separated. For several days we searched, almost lost some pony from our group… After that Applejack and your brother called off the search.”

Twilight wasn’t comfortable with his words. “My brother or Applejack wouldn’t’ve just given up like that!”

“No…” Thunderlane sighs. “We left care packages and notes in the Everfree forest and around town… We just did that today… We are hoping she finds them and makes her way to the orchard.” He takes a bite.

Twilight looks down in shame. “Sorry to jump to conclusions like that.”

“No worries… We have some hope she’s alive. Some of the care packages were taken. Well, it could be her or other survivors, but we like to think it’s her, you know.” Thunderlane leans back in his seat.

Twilight nods her head. She wasn’t comfortable with giving up the search for Fluttershy, but the care package system her friends implemented calms her. She knows that it would lead to some good. “You said you’re held up at Applejack’s orchard, and one of my brothers is still alive… Is Spike alive?” The stallion nods. “Who else of our friends and family made it there?”

“Well, besides Applejack and her family, there is us…” Thunderlane waves a hoof in a sweeping motion. He smiles, smugly in nature earning him a roll of the eyes from Twilight. “There is Soarin, Rarity, and her little sister Sweetie Belle. Lotus, Aloe, Copper, Jet Cloud. Sunny, Bolt and their three children. Summer Wind, Jiminy Jam, Willy Pete and Applejack’s neighbor Carrot Top. Dr. Hooves, Derpy, and her daughter Dinky. And finally, there is Marley and Zipper.”

Twilight smiles as he lists off the names of the ponies residing on the orchard. Her brothers were alive, most of her friends, some ponies she knew and some she didn’t. She feels proud of Applejack and her friends for bringing in so many who needed help. However, one pony was missing from that list, another friend of hers. “Where’s Pinkie? Is she lost like Fluttershy?”

Thunderlane shakes his head. “Naw, she fled with the Cakes to her parent’s farm. They plan on regrouping with us when this all blows over or whenever the government arrives. One thing I know, Celestia will solve this.”

Twilight frowns. If what she’d seen and what Rainbow Dash said was correct about the state of the world, the thought of the government stepping up and fixing the pandemic seems like a longshot… hopeless. “Do you really think that our government… Err… It feels wrong saying this about our diarchies… My teacher, but if our world is still in ruins after a month, I don’t think they’ll be coming anytime soon.” She sighs, leaning back in her chair.

It was Thunderlane’s turn to frown. “Twilight, you of all ponies should have faith, trust in our diarchies!”

“I do have trust, believe me! It’s just that… Celestia and Luna are the most powerful ponies on this earth.” Twilight shutters at her own thoughts. “They should’ve been able to solve this weeks ago, with some sort of spell… We wouldn’t be having this conversation if they did so, but look, we are here in some pony’s home, using it as shelter from the dead!”

Thunderlane looks down at his empty bowl. “You think they’re dead… Do you? What about the sun and the moon? They’re still moving.”

Twilight glares at the boarded-up window by the front door. “Their spirits are with the sun and the moon Thunderlane. They will still move even if our diarchies pass on.” She looks at her beans. “It just that they’re Alicorns, Thunderlane, they’re God like with how powerful their magic is. Something like this would’ve been solved within a week or two… I do not wish it to be so... But…”

“Maybe this sickness is taking longer to cure than our government thought.” Thunderlane sighs, getting up he picks up the bowls and begins walking to the sink. “Why don’t you go check on Rainbow Dash, we’ll be needing to hit the sack, busy day tomorrow.” He glances back staring into her eyes with his bright yellow eyes. Twilight nods a reply and stands up from her seat, making her way up the stairs.

Getting to the top of the steps, she peaks in the rooms, looking for the prism maned pony. Arriving at the last room, Twilight sees Rainbow Dash laying on a twin bed, belly down, her limbs sprawled out over the sides. Twilight walks up to the pegasus and sits in front of her. In the dim light, she sees her magenta color eyes staring sadly into space. “Rainbow Dash… How are you feeling?”

“As good as can be…” Rainbow Dash huffs. “I heard what you said about the Princesses.” She looks up at her friend. “Do you actually believe they’re dead?”

Again, Twilight rethinks her words, mulling over the thought. Deep down she didn’t want to think such a thing, but the way the world looks, she could only fear the worse. “I don’t want to, but what I’ve seen… the evidence is dragging down my hopes.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t reply for a while, only a hum is given letting Twilight know that she understands. The two of them sit in silence for a while before Rainbow Dash rolls on her back. “It’s getting late Twi. Let’s hit the hay and catch some Z’s.” Rainbow Dash sits up and stretches her wings. “Besides.” The pegasus chirps. “Tomorrow’s gonna be a busy day for the ponies back on the orchard.” She looks at her friend with a sly smirk.

Standing atop a hill overlooking Ponyville from afar is an orange furred earth pony mare. Her blonde mane flaps in the breeze. Her green eyes scanning the dark husks of the stores and homes of the once vibrant town.

“Whatcha looking for AJ?”

Applejack turns to face the pony speaking to her. It’s a pegasus stallion a head taller than her with a thinner frame. His sky gray-blue fur standing out in the moon lit night. “Looking for the safe house Soarin.” She turns her gaze back to the town.

Soarin gives a chuckle. “You know they boarded that thing up tight so no light can get out, right? It’s a well-built fortress.”

Applejack rolls her eyes. “I know, I’m just worried about them.” She kicks the ground with her front hoof. “I can’t lose another one of my friends…” She feels a cheek rub up against hers. She fights the affection for a couple of seconds, but eventually gives in and returns the love.

“They did this many times silly pony. They’ll return safe and sound I promise.” He looks out over the town and sees a light flicker in the distance.

Applejack sees it as well and lets out a sigh. “How is everyone?”

“Good, most are sleeping. Marley and Zipper are awake, they’re patrolling the fence with Shining.” Soarin lays his right wing over Applejack.

Applejack leans into his chest. “I feel awful for Shining… I know his loss is taking its toll on him.”

Soarin looks down at the mare and gives a sigh. “Do you think it will help if we go to the hospital to give her a proper goodbye?”

Applejack shutters at the thought. “I think seeing her rotting away will break him.” She pulls away from his embrace. “I believe that it will break Rainbow Dash, it will break me…” Soarin rubs her cheek.

“Well I feel that not knowing her fate, is weighing heavier on his heart, wouldn’t you agree. I bet it weighs on yours? “Applejack looks away and stares at the grass surrounding them. Her eyes close, causing a tear to roll down her cheek. “Let’s leave that thought for another time. For now, let’s get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow.” Soarin kisses her on the lips. She returns the gesture, their tongues tied.