The Trotting Dead

by SharpQuill

Rating: mature
Tags: Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Other, Drama, Princess Cadance, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Tragedy, Horror, Shining Armor, Crossover, Sex, Main 6
Length: 9902

Shining Armor wakes up in the middle of an apocalypse and is forced to come to terms to reality.

Greetings Citizens. This is Princess Celestia. I have come regarding news of the recent outbreak.
Shining Armor woke up, sweat dripping down his forehead, his hooves weak from months of laying down.
The disease is highly contagious. Those who are exposed and infected are now ordered to be executed.
The former guard carefully walked, his hoofsteps echoing in the emptied hospice. He came to the cafeteria door, seeing the message etched in blood.
Canterlot and Ponyville are confirmed to be overrun. All survivors will be evacuated to a safe haven in the Crystal Empire and Yakyakistan, and Las Pegasus. You will be escorted by Guards and Princesses.
DON'T ENTER. DEAD INSIDE.
Please, do not panic. Our researchers are safely examining the disease in order to find a cure for it. If you are a native resident of Las Pegasus, the Crystal Empire, or Yakyakistan, do not leave your homes until instructed. Remain calm and you will be updated as updates arrive.
Shining used his magic to lightly open the door, hearing hoofsteps inside. They neared the door, but something was wrong. They shuffled, like it was hard to walk fully. Soon, groaning joined the chorus of the steps.
A lone hoof made its way to the crack.
Inspired by The Walking Dead.
WARNING: Major Plot points do align, such as deaths and arrivals. Everything in between may reference TWD, but will be different. Some character parallels are obvious (Shining Armor and Rick Grimes) , and others aren't even there, meaning there are OCs. You can submit your OC to appear.

Published 2016-05-13 21:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-05-31 00:48:41 UTC

S1E1: Welcome To Hell

This is Base to all squadrons. We have reports of two stallions in their mid 20's kidnapping several foals, believed to be fillies. Heading to Solar Pathway in Ponyville.

Shining Armor lifted the radio in his pink magic, replying to the call. "This is Captain Shining Armor-Amore and General Flash Sentry. We're heading to Solar Pathway. Are they coming east or west?" He held it in his magic a bit longer, releasing the trigger.

Suspects heading West. Just reached Eclipse Road.

Flash Sentry swiped the radio from his partner. "Affirmative. Take care," Flash clicked the radio off and returned it to its hold, "Ready to bust a bunch of pedophiles?"

"Celestia knows if that was my filly they'd be dead before they left the Empire. Let's go get those fillies back to their parents." Shining Armor cranked the carriage engine, while Flash flipped on the sirens and lights, and they took off.

"Captain Shining Armor." A young recruit bowed respectfully to his Captain, having just finished laying out the metal road spikes.

"At ease, Recruit. Why road spikes?" He raised an eyebrow at the awkward choice for a vehicle believed to be full of foals.

"Guaranteed to stop them."

"They have foals."

The Recruit's face shifted from prideful to a panicked expression. Sure, the road spikes would stop the carriage, but would flip it over and risk hurting the foals.

"I hope you're not in the military for your brains, Recruit," Shining Armor stated, quickly levitating the road spikes away, "Flash, think you can fly on to the hood and make them stop?"

"My name is Flash Sentry for a reason, Shining."

"Are you sure it's not for your astonishing way to finish absurdly quick?" Shining Armor chuckled as Flash went airborne.

"If there wasn't recruits here, I'd kick your ass." Flash shouted, and Shining whinnied.

"Suspects are arriving!" An Earth Pony Recruit yelled, and the group of Guards took position. As the carriage started speeding up to hit the Guards and power through, Flash Sentry dove.

As Flash's front hooves connected to the hood of carriage, the wood splintered in a shower of pieces around his hooves. The shock from the collision sent cracks flying up the windshield, stopping the carriage instantly.

"Come out in peace, with the foals!" Shining Armor shouted.

A gun shot rang out towards him in reply. It hit, but the stallion remained up.

"Come out, or we shoot!" He shouted, pulling his gun out of his armor, and checking it to see if it was loaded. Flash Sentry turned towards his partner, shaking shattered glass off of his coat.

"Did the shot catch you in your vest?"

Shining Armor nodded in reply, before firing a shot at the car. "Come out!"

One of the stallions in the care began unloading towards the Guards.

"Have it your way." Shining Armor finalized, and nodding towards the recruits to fire. As one stallion walked out, to get a better shot with the gun in his magic, a bullet connected to his chest, sending him to the ground, and the gun falling out of his grasp. A Pegasus then soared from the sun roof, only to be shoved down to the ground by Flash.

All noises ceased, save for the whimpering foals in the carriage. Shining Armor began walking towards the back, his gun still drawn, ready for whatever may be in there with the foals. As he neared, something kicked the door towards him, knocking the Captain down. Then it unloaded a shot, which hit Shining's armor, and hit through a leather section. A unicorn recruit shot the perpetrator, an Earth Pony stallion. The foals started screaming, holding each other.

"Ha... hahaha... good 'un Flash..." Shining Armor spoke, his voice groggy from months of misuse. He opened his eyes slowly, only to see nothing like his dream. A run down hospital room, with no Flash, no Cadence, and no Flurry Heart. Panic rose in his mind, with no other emotion. He had to find them... surely they were around, right?

The Captain ripped the IV out of his leg, before slowly climbing down, his hooves making contact with the dangerously cold tile. He walked towards the door, and opened it a crack, seeing the bed that barricaded his room. He moved it out of the way with his magic, and saw the skeletal remains of long dead ponies to his right, and a cafeteria door to his left.

He slowly walked towards the door, taking in the blood stained walls and flickering lights. What had happened here? A shooting, a massacre? He felt fear rising in his throat as he neared the cafeteria, seeing the message scrawled in red on the door. While clueless, he could tell the red was of blood of who perished in the hospice while he laid in a coma. As he read the words, he gulped.

DON'T ENTER. DEAD INSIDE

Slowly, he opened the door as far as the chain would allow.

"Flash? Cady? Flurry?" He asked softly, his horn lighting a small part of the cafeteria. A figure began shifting towards him, groaning and creaking. As it neared, the putrid smell of decay overloaded Shining's senses. Still, he stayed, making out ruffled wings on the figure. "Flash," He spoke a little louder than before, sure his partner was coming towards him.

The figure spread its cruelly torn wings, and slammed into the door, growling. Shining jumped back, a scream escaping him. It fit its muzzle out, showing it had the muzzle of a female pegasus. A dull orange coat, and a wild orange mane. A pony Shining Armor knew. Still, not willing to take the chance, he slammed the door shut, crudely amputating the muzzle off of the female pegasus. He sat on the floor for a bit, dry heaving, and tears filled his eyes.

Shining slowly walked the halls, seeing an exit sign. He bust through the door, breathing in the fresh air, closing his eyes. Only to open them and feel the urge to dry heave again.

Bodies lined a walkway, the sheets they were wrapped in blood stained. The back hooves of the ponies stuck out, and so did pieces of their mane, if they had a horn, that as well. Seeing no other option, Shining Armor began to walk, his hoofsteps loud on the pavement, and his horn lit on the off chance that one of the bodies might move. As he neared the exit of the hospice, he saw the painful emptiness of the world now. Abandoned carriages filled the street, some with skeletons attached to harnesses. Blood stained the streets, and he could almost hear the screams of the dead echoing in his head.

And he could see locks of pink and purple gradient hair with the same aqua streaks he had.

"Flurry!" He screamed, tearing the carriage door off with his magic. Many light pink and white feathers littered the inside, even some purple ones. Shining Armor seemed to almost shrink. "Cadence... Flurry..."

He slammed his hooves into the high-end metal carriage, yelling out as they made contact. He heard groans slowly coming towards him, as he slammed his head into the interior, his horn slashing the driver's seat. He wrinkled his snout, as tears spilt over his cheeks. The chorus of groans got louder, until he felt something right jump on his back.

He threw the decomposing pony off of his back, hearing bones shatter and seeing the scarlet come from the walking corpse. He slammed his hooves into the pony's head over and again, tears and angry shouts mixing. He felt the warmth of blood spray on to his fetlocks and chest, along with other fluids left in the corpse.

Shining galloped through the Canterlot streets, desperate to find the home he and Cadence lived in while they were in Canterlot.

A light blue colt showed up in his way, hitting Shining across the face with a shovel. He called for his Pa.

"I got 'em Daddy! I got the sumabitch!" He yelled out, and his father ran beside him.

Shining Armor woke up on a bed, with new bandages on his side. He forced himself up, seeing a storm gray stallion.

"What's the bandages for?" The stallion asked, holding a rag in his wings, wringing it out with his feathers.

"Where's my wife?" Shining Armor asked, panicked.

"Tell me what the bandages are for." The stallion grew stern.

"Gunshot. Please-"

"A gunshot?" The stallion wrapped his wing around the light blue colt, ready to fly if needed.

"I was a Guard. I just woke up in a hospital in Canterlot-"

"You were a Guard, huh? What's your name?"

"Shining Armor. You?"

"The name's Aerostorm," The stallion stated, and turned towards his son, "And this, is Cobalt Cloud."

The Captain of the Guard looked at the colt, and smiled, "Cobalt Cloud huh? Kinda reminds me of my little filly," Shining Armor then turned to Aerostorm, "He has the same freakishly large wings."

"My wings ain't that big! Are they, Pa?" Cobalt asked, a worried expression on his face. Aerostorm tried to restrain his laughter, and Shining Armor chuckled at the family moment.

"Whatever you say, Cobalt." Aerostorm stated, before breaking into laughter. Cobalt's chest feathers ruffled, and he scrunched his snout up, and huffed. "Now how about you go and get some dinner goin', I'll keep our guest busy."

"Alright Pa," Cobalt said, rolling his eyes at his father, then turning to Shining Armor, "What'll it be Mr. Armor, beans or beans?" The light blue colt bust out into laughter at his joke, and then pushed his dark blue mane out of his eyes, before darting downstairs.

"So, what thoughts has your mind had time to come up with about Hell in Equestria?" Aerostorm asked Shining, curious what the military stallion had to say about the world he awoke in.

"Well," Shining Armor started, as he walked to a window to look at the overrun streets, "You weren't kidding when you said Hell. But, the military Captain side of me is telling me to get to know my enemy. So tell me, Aerostorm, what are those things?"

The Pegasus sighed. "They're the dead. Reanimated corpses, if you will. When a pony dies... somethin' takes over their body. Brings them back to life, in a sense. They're not alive... but they're not dead either. They're ruthless too. If they hear, see, or even smell you, you're either gonna kill them, or become their next meal."

Shining Armor turned towards Aerostorm. "How do you know this?" He asked, wondering if he could trust the stallion, his mind whirring.

"My wife, she-"

"PA! The beans are ready!" Cobalt shouted, and Aerostorm cringed at the loud noise. "Sorry for shoutin', but y'all weren't listenin'." Cobalt said as he was running up the stairs.

Aerostorm looked at Shining Armor. "I'll tell you later, Shinin'," then began to head towards his son, "You gonna join us for a meal?"

"Yes... yes sir. I'll be right there."

Shining Armor set his finished portion of beans on the table, a smile on his face from the recent conversation. He had been telling Cobalt Cloud about his daughter, Flurry Heart. The young Pegasus was interested in the stories, since they didn't hear much about the Crystal Empire. Sure, they knew of her birth and Crystalling, but nothing else about her.

"Is she powerful? How about smart?" Cobalt asked, wonder in his eyes.

"Well," Shining Armor stopped to place his spoon in the container, "She's really strong. In fact, she nearly plunged the Empire into eternal winter when she was less than a week old. And she's smart, just like her Aunt Twily. She's read every book in the Archives several times over, and every comic book."

"She reads comic books?! So do I!" Cobalt shouted, a huge smile on his face. "Has she read Wonder Mare and and Supercolt? Maybe Batstallion?"

"I don't think she has, unless they find comic books on the road." Shining Armor chuckled. "You know, I have a few comic books myself," He grinned like a dork, and suddenly, a magical flash appeared, accompanied by at least several dozen different titles, "Feel free to pick whatever you want, keep that imagination going. Maybe you'll imagine up a cure for them, huh?"

"Thank you Shining!"

Aerostorm swiftly hit his son upside the head with his wing. "We don't call a Prince and Military Captain by his first name, show some respect, boy."

"Sorry Pa," Cobalt Cloud muttered, then turned to Shining Armor, "Sorry Mr. Shining Armor."

A sweatdrop formed on Shining's forehead. "Aerostorm, I don't mind if you call me Shining, or if Cobalt does it for that matter. After all, there doesn't seem to be any formalities in this world."

"Got me there, Mr. Armor." Aerostorm chuckled. He rubbed his son's head tenderly with his wing, almost apologetically. "Sorry, kiddo. Carry on."

"What comics are in here?" Cobalt asked, wonder in his eyes.

"The Marvelous Jitterbug, Mane-Iac Origins. First editions." Shining Armor smiled, and Cobalt greedily grabbed the comics in his wings.

Suddenly, a shifting was heard on the doorknob. Shining Armor quickly lit his horn, taking a defensive stance in front of the family he was staying with. Cobalt's face fell instantly, tears gathering in his eyes. Aerostorm quickly grabbed his son in his hooves, and wrapped his wings across the little colt in his forelegs. Audible crying began to come from the colt, and Shining Armor panicked.

"What's going on?" He asked, nearing the family.

"Make sure that door is closed! I ain't gonna be able to do nothing if she comes in!" Aerostorm shouted back, before turning to the colt. "It's okay Cobalt, it's okay, don't worry baby she's gonna leave." He whispered, rocking the small Pegasus back and forth.

"Aerostorm, you have to tell me what's going on!" Shining Armor shouted back, as he hit the nails on the wood planks that shut the door to make sure they were in all the way, before casting a splinter safe spell. "What do you mean by she?" The groaning outside the door made it apparent what was out there.

The father looked up at Shining Armor with tears flooding his yellow eyes. "I'll tell you later, after Cobalt gets to sleep. He always cries when we talk about it."

"About what happened earlier-" Aerostorm started, only to be interrupted by his guest.

"That was your wife, wasn't it? Cobalt's mom?"

The muscular Pegasus nodded. "She... I, I sent her outside for a minute. She had this horrible cough and... She just needed some fresh air, that was all. Then... one... one of those things, they ran up on her. Despite her bein' a unicorn like yourself, she didn't know any offensive spells like you do. It took a chunk outta her shoulder, before she slammed it against the front porch railin' and killed it. A couple hours later... she died. Up in the guest room, where we treated your wounds. Then she turned. I, I managed to get her outside, before she bit anyone. That's how I know everythin'." Aerostorm finished, obviously choking back tears. He took a slow and shaky breath. "I think that's enough of that now. We should get some rest."

Shining Armor could only nod in response, his mouth gone dry at his host's tale.

"Do you trust me?" Shining Armor asked the father son duo, standing outside the Military Compound.

"I personally think you're crazier than a draconequus chaos deity, but I suppose." Aerostorm spoke, looking at the ex-military captain.

Somewhere, Discord's nose itched.

"Good. Crazy is what I need for this." Shining Armor stated, as he slowly opened the emergency exit to the compound. Quickly, he threw an owl he found into the compound, and slammed the door. He headed groaning and creaking from inside the compound, as the owl fluttered in random patterns, panicked. "There's some in there. Unless Cobalt can harness unicorn magic, leave clearance to me. Remember, if they come for you, fight back." Shining Armor repeated for the thousandth time that day, before teleporting into the compound.

Instantly, he blasted one of the undead ponies to bits with a spell, recognizing the charred piece of cutie mark as a pony named Silver Sword. Three more turned their heads towards him, their faces seeming to contort into an evil smile. Shining Armor tackled one to the ground, before crushing its head under the weight of his hooves, finding the spray of blood oddly comforting. A pegasus flew into Shining's side, knocking the Captain over. They tumbled over each other, with the undead ending up on top of Shining Armor. It hissed in his face, spraying spit all over Shining's muzzle, though he was careful not to ingest any of it. He raised his back hooves under the figure, throwing it off, before firing a blast at the one trotting towards him. The Pegasus caught itself in mid air, flying back to the stallion. Shining Armor ducked, and the Pegasus crashed against a wall, smashing its skull to bits when it hit.

Shining Armor slowly opened the emergency exit. "You guys can come in now." He said, a sheepish smile on his face.

Aerostorm and Cobalt's jaw dropped at the condition of Shining Armor's coat. Cobalt suddenly broke the silence. "Oh come on! I just scrubbed blood out of you yesterday!"

Shining Armor led the two in, giving an impromptu tour of the military compound. "And here, are the showers. Hot water, fresh shampoo, everything you could want."

"There's hot water?" Aerostorm asked, as Cobalt ran into the nearest shower stall, laughing.

Aerostorm tilted his head back in the flow of hot water, closing his eyes and sighing loudly
Cobalt was giddy on his hooves, tap dancing against the tile. A large smile was on his face, as if he had never felt hot water before.

"Here is the weapons locker." Shining Armor said, pointing his horn towards a locked cage. He was putting on a more modern Guard outfit, which saw a bulletproof vest, an undershirt and a jacket. The jacket even had a little name tag with 'Captain Shining Armor-Amore' written in Cadence's pretty cursive lettering. He smiled warmly, touching the name tag, and feeling his heartbeat through the cloth.

"What can we take?" Aerostorm asked as Cobalt looked down the barrel of a pistol, ever lightly squeezing the trigger. Shining saw this and yanked the weapon away with his magic.

"You got a lot to learn, huh? First off, never look down a barrel of a gun. Ever," Shining Armor said, and turned towards Aerostorm, "Five assault rifles, Six normal rifles, and eight pistols. Three cases of ammunition each." The burly Pegasus nodded, grabbing a saddle bag and beginning to stuff it with the supplies. Shining Armor grabbed a case of ammunition for his pistol, and a bag stating who it belonged to, and began to clean out the weapons locker.

"Here, is a walkie. I'll get on it everyday for thirty minutes right at dawn. If I find my family, I'll make sure to tell you." Shining Armor stated, the finality in his voice almost deathly.

"Will we ever see you again, Shining?" Cobalt asked, holding his massive stack of comic books from Shining Armor.

"If all goes well, little buddy," Shining Armor ruffled the colt's mane, and turned towards Aerostorm, "Keep him safe. I'll come back for you two. I promise."

Aerostorm nodded. "See you then."

The Unicorn stallion nodded, before swishing his tail and taking his first real steps into the new Equestria, one goal on his mind and none other. To find Cadence.

SIE2: The Cold Hard Truth

Shining Armor ran through the Las Pegasus streets, firing off at the undead chasing him. "Get the hell away from me!" He yelled, as some of them nipped at his tail. He reared up and kicked a single one in the jaw, which caused the jaw to fly off of the running corpse. Soon, he saw a military tank on the street. He jumped up on the mid-level, climbing up, terror in his eyes while trying to escape the jaws of the hungry undead. Quickly, he opened the hatch with his magic, and climbed in, slamming it shut. He sat on his haunches, breathing heavily, tears in his eyes from another near-death experience.

Suddenly, groaning was heard from behind him.

The stallion turned around, to see an undead pony in full militia gear. It growled and swiped at him, and Shining Armor felt like putting his leg into its mouth. Instead, he pulled his pistol back out, and pressed it to the undead's forehead, and squeezed the trigger.

It felt like a flashbang had gone off right next to him.

Everything was blurred, and Shining Armor had a seemingly incurable ringing in his ears. He fell down on his side, covering his ears with his hooves, tears in his eyes.

Hey. You in the tank.

Shining Armor looked around quickly, a panicked expression on his face.

Yeah, you. Look, the Trotters are distracted. You can run to your right and get out of there. I'll meet you in an alley.

"Who are you?!" Shining Armor shouted. "Show yourself!"

Shining Armor, please. Trust me. Run. Run while you can.

The white stallion opened up the tank's opening, and as the mystery creature said, they were distracted. Some poor deer was screaming loudly, as its bones popped and shattered under the jaws of the undead ponies, or the Trotters as they were called. Shining Armor climbed up, his hoofsteps loud on the metal of the tank. The sudden noise alerted the Trotters, and they turned their head towards him. The blood and entrails of the poor deer. Immediately, Shining Armor forgot about the bag, and instead jumped off the tank, bolting for safety. He skidded as he turned, losing at least two Trotters as they slammed into the wall and crushed their own skulls. As he turned into the alley, he saw a light coated unicorn mare. She had a red mane, with a lavender and purple stripe. He tackled the mare, shouting the first thing that came to his mind.

"How the hell do you know my name?!"

"Maybe if you'd get off of me so we won't become Trotter food, I'd tell you!" She shouted back, throwing him off with her pale purple magic. He hit the wall, and groaned as he stood.

"Psycho bitch..." He muttered, glaring at the mare.

She rolled her eyes. "Because you have so much room to talk about being a psycho bitch." She said, then cleared her throat. "Do you want to live or become their next fast food meal? They love it when you run."

"Living would be nice, I kind of like this body."

"Follow me then, Shining."

They walked into a department store, which had a display of ponies looking curiously at the white coated stallion.

"Hey guys. Shining Armor, this is Rainbow Dash," The rainbow named mare scoffed, "Big Macintosh," The big red stallion gave a bow at the Captain, "Thunderlane," Thunderlane smiled warmly at Shining Armor, "I'm Moondancer, and there's-" Moondancer was cut off by Shining Armor.

"Twily!" He shouted, grabbing the lavender Alicorn into a hug. "I thought I'd never see you again, kiddo!" He squeezed the mare tighter. Then, he cupped her face in his hooves, "Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you? Where's the rest of the Elements?"

Twilight's face seemed to fall at that question. "Well... I'm not hurt, and besides protecting me, they haven't done anything to me. But, Pinkie Pie and Rarity are back at camp. Rainbow Dash is here as you can see, and well... we don't know where Fluttershy and Applejack are."

"We're still try'na find Applejack, but, Ah think Ah saw Fluttershy as one of 'em before we came in this here store." Big Macintosh said, and the ponies around him nodded solemnly. All except for Rainbow, who coughed loudly.

"Hey, you shits need to calm down. I get that Twilight was just reunited with the original sparkle butt, yet you're drawing a crowd." She said, and almost threw a hoof towards the door. True enough, there was a pack of the Trotters were at the door.

"For fuck's sake..." Thunderlane whispered, stuffing some dog tags in between his feathers, seeing the look Shining Armor gave him. "It's for my little brother, Rumble. He always wanted some."

"Let me know if you find a snowflake necklace. I want one for Flurry." Shining Armor replied, and Thunderlane smiled, and opened his other wing, revealing a necklace with a snowflake charm hanging from it.

"Way ahead of you. She told me to get her one before we left for Las Pegasus." He shook the charm, then folded his wing. "I got Cadence a locket too. She wanted something to put a small picture in. Of who, I have no clue."

"You know Cadence and Flurry?"

"Better than the back of my own wing." Thunderlane nodded, just as a crack appeared in the first set of glass doors. He looked to Rainbow, who said one thing.

"Roof." Everyone looked at her like she was stupid, and she groaned loudly. "The roof. We have high ground there. We can make a plan before," The glass of the first set of doors completely shattered, "Before that." She sighed, and lifted herself on her wings, then shot up the staircase. Thunderlane followed suit, and then the rest of the group. Shining Armor stumbled on to the roof, seeing the group looking over the edge, nervous chatter among them.

"Oh my Celestia..." Twilight whispered, seeing the sheer amount of Trotters surrounding the store.

"We're all dead..." Thunderlane gulped.

"Not me!" Rainbow Dash chuckled, and opened her wings, stretching the feathers. "See you guys later! Maybe there's gonna be enough left of you guys to kick your undead asses later!" She got ready to fly, and Shining Armor slammed into her.

"What the hell's wrong with you?! You're the element of Loyalty for Luna's sake!" Shining Armor yelled, twisting the cyan mare's wing ever so slightly.

Rainbow Dash screeched, the pain of her wing being twisted almost to much for her to bare. She threw Shining Armor off, and stood over him. "I was. I was the element of Loyalty, but if you noticed, Fluttershy's dead! We can't use the elements without her. There's no reason for me to stay loyal if it's going to turn me into a meal!"

Big Macintosh tackled the pegasus, ripping her wing out of socket. She screamed loudly, kicking at the red stallion, only to no avail. Shining Armor grabbed hoofcuffs from his shirt in his magic, following Big Macintosh. The Earth Pony put her hooves around a rail, and the white coated stallion cuffed them to the rail, making sure she couldn't escape.

"Come back here you filthy mud! Get your ass back here!" Rainbow screamed, thrashing violently. Shining Armor scoffed at her, while Twilight looked mortified. "Twilight! Tell your asshole brother and that mud to get me out of here!"

"Say that word again. Say it, Crash." Thunderlane ordered. "Call Big Mac that word one more time and I'll personally kick your ass."

"I said, Big Macintosh is a filthy mud who deserves to be ripped apart by Trotters!" Rainbow yelled, a smug grin on her face, directed towards Thunderlane. The dark gray stallion kicked Rainbow in the jaw, and she laughed. "Ha... little... mud-loving... bitch..." She chuckled, and looked at Thunderlane again. "What? Gonna... beat my ass... right?"

A loud glass shatter was heard downstairs.

"Shining..." Twilight hesitantly looked at her brother, wrapping her hoof around Big Macintosh's. "Please don't do what I think you're about to."

"It's the only way Twilight..." Shining Armor said bravely, and then looked down at the intertwined hooves. "Mr. Big Macintosh, I'd appreciate it if you'd let go of my little sister before I have to use you as bait."

"Shining, he's my... coltfriend." Twilight blushed, almost forgetting the threat of Trotters.

Shining Armor would have done a spit take if he had the water. Instead, he glared at Twilight. "Missy, we are having a serious talk about hiding stuff from your BBBFF."

"You were in a coma in a hospital!"

The white coated stallion lit his horn, casting a shield spell to walk with him. He opened the doors, and began running down the stairs. As he started to run, he yelled one thing to his sister.

"I don't care! You need to tell me these things!" He slammed the doors shut behind him, and Twilight sighed loudly.

"Twilight, should Ah expect to get threats."

"And a talk about how foals are made and how to use protection." Twilight Sparkle sighed. "I'll be right back." She then picked to a trot, and followed her brother's trail.

Shining Armor ran out the broken glass doors, a herd of Trotters on his tail. He ran quickly, his hoofsteps unbelievably heavy. "This is getting old, really fast!" He shouted at them, before picking up his pace as much as he could. Shining looked over his shoulder, only to see the Trotters were still keeping up with him. He blasted the one nipping at his tail to pieces, before weaving down a street filled with empty carriages.

Scootaloo trotted into her camp, carrying a bag on her back. She set the bag down in front of a large carriage, something Flash called an RC. A recreational carriage, if she remembered correctly. The bag was teleported into the RC, and Scootaloo walked towards a certain pink Alicorn.

"Discord's fed, he won't be bothering us for a while." Scootaloo spoke, and Cadence nodded.

"Thank you, Scootaloo. I don't know how I'd get him to leave poor Flurry alone if it wasn't for you." Cadence smiled meekly.

"Cadence, what's going on? You look so... weak, I guess. Doesn't have anything to do with you-know-who, does it?" Scootaloo asked, concerned. She shifted the "made for wings" crossbow on her back, raising an eyebrow.

"I've been separated from love energy for far too long... Oh, I'm so glad Flurry isn't like me... She would have died in the first months..." Cadence replied, before slowly walking away. A certain orange stallion walked beside her, and nuzzled her cheek, putting a wing around her. The ex-Princess seemed to glow at this.

"Bullshit." Scootaloo seethed through her teeth. She then began walking towards Rarity's tent in the clearing. As per usual, fighting was heard from the inside. The orange mare poked her head in the tent, as Rarity quickly snapped her head towards Scootaloo, the make-up running down her face evident. "I need to borrow Sweetie Belle."

Fancy Pants glowered at Scootaloo. "Shut the fuck up, Stuffed Shirt, she's not even your daughter, don't get so what's the word..." Scootaloo whispered. "Pompous?" She smirked coldly. She then turned towards the teenage filly. "Come on, Belle. I wanna show you something." Sweetie Belle smiled, and took the hoof Scootaloo offered, and Fancy Pants snorted indifferently. "By the way, Rarity, Rumble wants you down by the lake. Laundry, I think?"

"So, what do you want to show me?" Sweetie Belle inquired, raising an eyebrow at Scootaloo. The orange pegasus laughed. She jumped on the unicorn, and they tumbled down a small hill. The white unicorn began giggling uncontrollably, Scootaloo's face inches from her's.

"Just how much I love you." Scootaloo smiled, and shook her mane out of her face. She then deeply kissed Sweetie Belle, giggling all the while.

Sweetie Belle quickly broke the kiss. "Scoots..." She whispered, and Scootaloo nodded. She stepped off of Sweetie Belle, feeling like pony scum.

"I'm gonna kill him one day, Belle." Scootaloo whispered. "Nopony... Nopony deserves what he does to you and Rarity-"

"Scootaloo..."

"If Flash won't do a damn thing about it I will, Belle!" Scootaloo yelled.

"If I won't do a damn thing about what?" Flash Sentry asked loudly, flying down to the mares. "I'm planning on a way to get rid of Fancy Pants."

"Kill his... pompous... stuffed shirt... ass!" Scootaloo shouted at the stallion, spreading her wings, instinctively stepping over Sweetie Belle to protect her.

"Okay, Moondancer..." Shining Armor whispered. After Twilight caught up to him and literally smacked some sense into him, he decided on an easier way to get out of Las Pegasus. He kicked out the window of a fancy sports carriage, and put the keys in the ignition. The alarm blared loudly. "You know how to drive a carriage?"

"I am a mare of the law, so yes, I've been driving since I was 17." Moondancer said, climbing into the carriage.

"Drive off and get them away from you. Drive to the camp. I'll take this box carriage with Thunderlane giving me directions."

"You don't have to tell me twice, I always wanted to drive one of these!" Moondancer chuckled, slamming the gas pedals. A horde of Trotters was following the car by the time she pulled out, and Shining Armor climbed into the box carriage. He drove to the Las Pegasus store, stepping out in front of the shattered glass doors.

"Thunderlane, passenger seat. Everypony else, all aboard!" He smiled, ignoring the loud shouts of Rainbow Dash, still on the roof.

"You can't just leave me, you stuffed shirt asshole!" She shouted as loud as she could, the hoofcuffs rattling as she twisted around.

"Do you hear something, Big Mac?" Thunderlane asked, attempting to quite the chuckle rising in his throat.

Big Macintosh smiled. "Eenope." He answered, as he helped Twilight into the back of the box car with a strong hoof. "Ah don't hear anythin'." He finalized, climbing in, shutting the back door as he stepped in.

Rainbow Dash screeched loudly. "You filthy... cock sucking... mud lover!" The statement was clearly directed at Thunderlane. At this rate, she'd be Trotter food before they knew it.

"I'll miss your gay pride parade hair, ya'know." Thunderlane shouted back at the cyan athlete, climbing into the passenger side, and then turning towards Shining Armor. "Go straight down the highway, I'll let you know when to turn." And with a nod, they were off towards the camp.

S1E3: Shout It to the Sun

Author's Note

Yes, the chapter title is a reference to the actual episode title, Tell It to the Frogs. Also, family fluff and a heartbroken Flash Sentry.
Also, this is a long chapter. Stuff's picking up and shit will hit the fan. The first two chapters were more introduction, expect more chapters like this from now on.
P.S. I've broken this chapter into two pieces because even with the long chapter warning, it lost my interest halfway through my proofreading to be honest. So there will be one extra episode in my rendition of Season one, making this seven episodes instead of six.

S1E3: Shout It to the Sun

Rainbow Dash sat by the railing she was hoofcuffed to. She was laughing manically, shouting from her rooftop.

"Haaa... yeah... that's right you little piece of shit bitch. Fuckin' pussy. Come on, take it up to the command, and kiss my cyan flank..." Her skin was boiling red, even visible under her fur. Her ankles were bloody from the cuffs cutting into them. "Shoulda seen the look on his face, Scoots. When I punched all five of his ugly ass front teeth out..." She laughed, before her head slumping over on her shoulder.

As the cyan mare came to her senses, she heard the rattling at the door. "Oh Celestia... Oh Celestia no..." She whispered, trying to break free. "No no no no no no. Please!" She screamed, tears welling in her rose eyes. "I know... I know I deserve this... I'm being punished... I know... I've been awful! Help me now, please! Show me the way, Celestia! Tell me please, dear Celestia!" She cried. She turned over on the railing to where the Trotters couldn't see her. The chain with a Canterlot Guard crest was holding, but only barely. Rainbow Dash saw her broken wing, and bloodied hooves. Quickly, she yanked out of the hoofcuffs, biting her lip to keep from screaming from the pain of her skin and fur ripping off. Knowing she couldn't ever fly again, she quickly grabbed the base of her wing in her mouth, and tore as hard as she could. "Yeah..." She muttered. "Nevermind, Tia... never needed you and... I... won't... start... now!" She yelled, as she ripped her wing off and then jumped onto the roof of another building.

Shining Armor sat, still driving the box car. Thunderlane spoke up from the passenger seat.

"It's best not to dwell on it... you know? Dash got left behind. Can't imagine anyone would miss her..." Thunderlane trailed off. Big Macintosh's voice was heard from the back.

"'Cept maybe Scootaloo." He said, and Thunderlane nodded.

"Scootaloo?" Shining Armor asked. The name seemed familiar.

"She was that orange filly at your wedding. One of the flower fillies?" Twilight spoke.

They heard a car alarm coming beside them, only to here Moondancer cheering loudly. She sped past them, driving towards camp.

"At least someone's happy." Thunderlane chuckled.

At the camp, a stallion worked on an alarm system, stringing the empty food cans together to alert them if a Trotter tried to enter. Below him, a brother and sister were arguing. Their mother, a certain yellow-eyed pegasus, approached them and asked them to stop, then dragged them away from the stallion.

Flurry Heart sat in front of her mother, fidgeting.

"You know, the more you fidget, the longer it takes, baby." Cadence spoke softly, a comb and scissors as she cut her daughter's mane.

"I'm trying."

"Well, try harder." Cadence replied, cutting a lock of gradient hair.

Flash Sentry sat across from them, cleaning a standard-issue Canterlot Guard double barrel shotgun. "Awh, don't be like that Flurry. If you had to shave a beard like a stallion does, you'd be begging for Cady's haircuts."

"I'll believe it when I see it, Flash."

The orange coated stallion chuckled. "Here, I'll tell you what. If you can get through this frilly haircut your momma's forcing you to do... I'll teach you... how to do a Sonicboom."

"Isn't that Rainbow Dash's thing?" Flurry asked.

"Nah. She does the Sonic Rainboom. Two totally different things. Sonicbooms are standard issue for most Pegasi. Only those with a lotta magic can pull of a custom Rainboom like Dash can. So I think you can."

Flurry Heart excitedly turned around and looked at her mother.

"I'm a frilly frou-frou Princess, talk to Flash."

"It's a one time offer." Flash smiled.

"Why do we need to do a Sonicboom?"

"Lotsa reasons. For a show. For a fast escape. Scoots can do one too, you know."

A car alarm started blaring, and the stallion on top of the hill yelled. "Hey, Discord, think you can tell who it is?"

Discord teleported to the roof of his RC, with binoculars in claw.

"Talk to me, Discord!" Flash yelled.

"It's a red sports car, that's all I can see!" Discord snapped back. Flash raised an eyebrow. "Oh, for Celestia's sake! A sports carriage!"

"Is is Thunder? Are they back?" Rumble asked, smiling, his wings fluttering like a hummingbird.

"Well, I'll be damned." Discord spoke in disbelief. His kookiness was seemingly sapped from him after the apocalypse hit, Cadence, unbelievably, missed the kooky draconeqqus.

"What is it?" Rumble asked.

"A stolen carriage, that's my guess." Discord spoke as Moondancer pulled up in the bright red carriage, and stepped out. "Holy, manure. Turn that damn thing off!"

"I don't know how!"

"Open the hood, Moondancer. Open the god damn hood." Flash Sentry spoke, his voice being drowned out by Rumble.

"My brother, Thunderlane-"

"Open the fucking hood!" Flash screamed as loud as he could. Moondancer looked confused, before realizing why.

"Oh! Right, right." She reached into the carriage, and hit the release with her hoof. Rumble was still ranting about if Thunderlane was okay. "Yeah... Thunder's fine."

"Is he coming back?"

Moondancer climbed out of the carriage. "Yes! Yeah. Well, except for Rainbow."

"What are you, a psychopath? Tryin' to get us all killed? I got a family to protect and you drive that loud motherfucker up here?" Flash Sentry asked.

"We should be fine. Sounds tend to be chaotic and echo everywhere. If they can't find the source, then they can't find us." Discord spoke, as Flash glared at him. "I know my physics, sir, being the lord of chaos and all." But, the chaotic draconeqqus still turned his head to Moondancer. "Next time, be a little careful? Can't set off Mr. Sentry here. But... next time... bring me a cool carriage too?" He smirked.

"Sure thing." Moondancer smiled, as the box carriage pulled up, and the passenger side door opened, allowing Thunderlane to step out.

"Rumble." Thunderlane said, a goofy smile on his face. Rumble flew into his brother, crying.

"Thunder, Oh my Celestia!"

"What's up, hummingbird?" Thunderlane asked, only to receive a punch from his little brother. "Ow! What's that for?"

"For scaring the shit out of me! I thought you died!" Rumble yelled, then hugged his brother. Foals were shouting about Rainbow Dash not being back, and tears ran down Flurry's face as she didn't see a certain white coated stallion. Cadence enveloped her daughter in her wings, whispering and drying her tears.

"Thought we lost you forever! How'd y'all get out?" Flash Sentry called.

"A new guy." Moondancer shouted back, leaving a puzzled expression on everyone's face. Almost on cue, Shining Armor stepped out of the cab, not yet seeing his little family.

Flash Sentry's face went slack at his old partner stepping out, backing up a step, spreading his wings. Shining Armor saw Flash, and just stared. Flurry Heart turned her head to see why Flash went silent, and saw Shining standing in front of her, and Cadence turned her head after, her mouth dropping.

"Oh... Celestia..." Shining Armor whispered, before Flurry began running to him, and he ran to his daughter.

"Dad! Dad, I missed you, so much!" Flurry yelled, grabbing on to his chest. She cried into her father's white coat, tears flooding her vision, Shining Armor starting to cry into his daughter's mane. Cadence wrapped her forelimbs around the two, tears welling in her eyes. She breathed in the smell of Shining's coat, unchanged despite everything he's been through. Cadence looked up at Flash, a sheepish smile on her face, and the stallion smiled back, trying his best to be happy for the real family. His family. Shining Armor looked up at Flash Sentry, smiling. Flash just smiled back, trying his best to hide the pain in his eyes.

"There's... so many emotions... I knew you were here, thanks to Thunderlane... but..." Shining Armor whispered to his family. "I feel shocked. Surprised. That I ever found these ponies that could bring me to my family again..." Flurry Heart was laying down against her father, with Cadence stroking Flurry's mane.

"Words are things that seem to make sense, and yet, they're so chaotic we can barely string them together." Discord said, Rumble and Thunderlane leaning into his long body, using him for warmth.

"Since when did you become a philosopher?" Rumble asked, looking at the draconeqqus.

"Since you could pronounce the word 'philosopher'." Discord replied, nonchalantly.

"It just... felt like I was ripped away from my life and slammed into this world. This hell." Shining Armor stared at the ground, and the mark on his daughter's flank that must have shown while he was gone.

"Mom said you were dead." Flurry spoke up. Cadence had a look of fear on her face.

"And she had every reason to believe it. I was in that hospital and it got overrun. It didn't look like I'd make it either."

"When things started to get bad, the hospital staff said they'd medevac you and the other patients to Las Pegasus." Cadence looked towards the tired look on the survivors' faces. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad they didn't."

"I'm not surprised. From the look of that hospital, it got overrun, fast."

"Looks don't deceive. I barely got those two out alive. We tried a carriage on the street but we got ambushed. Little Flurry actually got her mark there." Flash said, a slight smile on his face.

"Flash, I can't tell you how grateful I am for you saving my family... our family. You've always been like family to us, and you even took charge when I couldn't. I can't even come close to saying just how grateful I am."

"There go those words, pure chaos we have mastered." Discord smirked.

Across from the group, Fancy Pants threw a log into his own campfire. The fire flared up and grabbed the log in flame, the fire shooting up.

"Hey, Fancy. Wanna rethink that?" Flash yelled to Fancy.

"It's cold." The stallion answered, sticking his hooves out in front of the fire.

"Well, just because it's cold it doesn't mean the rules are changed. We need to keep our fires low so the smoke doesn't give us away."

"Well, unless you want to get the log, it's staying in."

The yellow eyed mare sighed loudly, and stood up, walked to the fire, and pulled the log out of the fire. The wood thunked to the ground as she dropped it, and then she sat down to her purple filly and light brown colt. Flash Sentry walked over, nodding at Muffins, or "Bright Eyes" as her husband called her. He walked to the white coated mares sitting next to Fancy Pants.

"Hey there Rarity, Sweetie Belle. How are you guys this evening?"

"We're fine. Just. Fine." Rarity spoke, her voice on edge, and her pristine white coat doing a horrible job at hiding cuts and bruises.

"Okay." Flash nodded.

"I'm... sorry about the fire, darling." Rarity muttered.

"Oh, no no no. No apology needed. Don't worry about it." Flash then smiled at Sweetie Belle. "You guys have a nice night."

"Thank you." Rarity smiled at the orange coated stallion as he got up. He turned towards Fancy Pants.

"Thanks for the cooperation, sir." Flash spat, and walked off, having to forcibly restrain the feathers around his shoulders to keep them from fluffing as they did when he was mad. He walked back to the campsite and sat down on a log next to Shining Armor. He sighed loudly, closing his blue eyes and breathing in deeply.

"Do we have any idea how little miss Scootaloo is going to react?" Discord asked, raising an eyebrow. "She won't be happy to hear her idol got left on a Las Pegasus roof."

"Ah'll tell 'er. Ah was the one who knocked 'er out and left 'er there." Big Macintosh sighed.

"I cuffed her there, that makes it mine." Shining Armor replied.

"Guys, guys! It's not a competition. No offense, Big Mac, but it would look better coming from a guard." Moondancer said, patting the big red stallion on the shoulder.

"Ah suppose so." Big Macintosh shrugged. "But Ah ain't gonna hide from 'er."

"We could all lie." Rumble suggested, a sly grin on his face. Thunderlane clipped him in the wing for suggesting this.

"Or we could tell the truth. Dash was completely out of control, something needed to be done. Celestia knows I didn't want to rot on a rooftop because of her big mouth." Thunderlane then turned to Cadence. "Cadence, Shiny did what needed to be done. And if Dash got left behind, it's no one's fault but her own."

"Shiny? What are you, his next coltfriend?" Discord chuckled, and Thunderlane laughed.

"You wish, you old kook. He has a wife and filly. Pretty apparent to me he's straight."

"Just because I'm as old as Celestia and Luna are doesn't mean I'm an old kook. I prefer... well-aged. But.. what are we going to tell Scootaloo? Whatever we tell her, we're gonna have our claw and paw tied when she comes back from hunting for me, and finding plants for the rest of you who don't want to eat meat."

"Ah was scared an' Ah ran. Ah t'aint 'shamed of it." Big Macintosh spoke, and Twilight nodded, laying on the stallions back, her wings draping over the both of them.

"We were all scared and we all ran, what's your point, Mac?" Thunderlane retaliated.

"I stopped to chain the door after Moondancer left with the sports carriage. The staircase is really narrow, only about three or four Trotters can get up there at one time. Unless one of the other Wonderbolts is dead and somehow has the thought process to fly into the door, Dash is perfectly safe. She's still alive and hoofcuffed to the railing." Shining Armor said, nodding to no apparent pony. Flurry Heart had fallen asleep in her father's hooves, and he now held her sleeping form tight, smiling down at her every once in a while.

Big Macintosh got up from the fire, retiring to a tent for the night. Twilight followed him, and Flash shouted after the two of them. "Twily, remember what Shining says!" He yelled, before busting into laughter. The alicorn scowled at Flash, seeing through his act. She sent him a telepathic message with her magic.

I'm waiting for Shiny to see what you really are, you sick fuck.

She then followed her coltfriend into the tent, smiling pleasantly as Flash sat, dumbfounded. Twilight normally never swore.

Soon, Shining, Cadence, and Flurry went to their tent. To Shining Armor, this was all new, but this was common practice for Cadence and Flurry.

"I found you, didn't I?" Shining Armor smiled while tucking in Flurry Heart. She hummed pleasantly, barely awake from the nap she took at the campfire.

"Hey... Dad?"

"Yes Princess?"

"I... love you..." She whispered, closing her bright blue eyes, nuzzling into her pillow. Shining Armor kissed her cheek lightly.

"I love you too." He whispered, smiling like the dork he was. He turned and kissed Cadence, smiling just as wide if not wider. He laid down beside her, and was draped with a wing over his back. "I can't believe I found you both."

"Yeah..." Cadence smiled wistfully.

"And I knew I would."

"Someone's a bit cocky today, aren't they?" The pink alicorn smiled, before Shining began pulling at a loose feather on her wing.

"Nope. I knew. I saw the house. The door was bolted. Flash's chains. And a window busted out..."

"I'm so sorry, Shiny..."

"Nah. I knew you were somewhere."

"How?"

"There was a carriage. Full of feathers. Abandoned about a mile or two away from our house... outside the hospital."

"We were trying to get in there to get you... but... there was a horde. Flash grabbed Flurry by the nape of her neck and me and his hooves and flew off as fast as he could."

"Hey, Cady?" Shining asked, looking up at his wife. He had a smug grin on his face. She knew what this meant.

"Yes, my beloved?"

"Don't wake... Flurry..." The unicorn said as he reached down in their sleeping bag, kissing at Cadence's neck as she gasped.

Shining Armor woke up, raising his head from his pillow. He was the only one in his tent, Cadence and Flurry long gone. He yawned, before rising to his hooves. His shirt was sitting at the edge of his sleeping bag, neatly folded and washed with utmost care. He tugged the shirt over his head, then set his mane in place from the shirt tugging over his head. Shining carefully opened the tent door, his gun in its holster. He walked through the camp, smiling at the foals running around his feet, asking him what it was like in Las Pegasus. He then found the certain foal he was looking for.

"Dinky Doo, right?" He asked, smiling. The filly nodded excitedly, sparks shooting off her horn.

"Yes sir! What can I Dinky-Do for you?" She spoke, then smiled brightly at her own pun.

"Do you know where Twilight is?" Shining Armor followed up, and she pointed towards the lake. "Thank you."

"It was the least I could do, Mr. Shining!" She smiled brightly, before bouncing off somewhere else. Pinkie had been quite the influence.

Shining Armor walked to the lake, and seeing Rarity, he sat down next to her. "You were the one who washed my uniform, right?" He asked, and the white coated mare simply nodded in return. "Thank you... best it's looked in years." He smiled warmly, and walked off towards camp.

"Can you guys remind me when we became maid service?" Twilight sighed after Shining left. "I mean, I am a Princess." She chuckled. "Never had to do this in the castle."

"The world ended, didn't you hear? Titles don't mean shit anymore." Rumble sighed, dipping a rainbow bandanna Scootaloo always wore in the water.

Rarity looked up, and saw Fancy Pants smoking from a pipe he kept. She sighed deeply. "It's just the way it is, darling." Suddenly, she sighed. "I miss my washing machine..."

"I miss my sports carriage..." Thunderlane sighed, scrubbing clothes.

"Oh, I miss my coffee. I miss my late night studies..." Twilight said wistfully.

"My computer... and texting!" Rumble smiled.

"I miss my vibrator."

"Thunderlane!" Rumble yelled, clipping his brother in the side.

Rarity looked around, and then once she saw it was clear. She leaned in and whispered. "Darling, you're not the only one." The group bust out into laughter, Rumble falling on his back.

"What in Celestia's name is so funny?" Fancy Pants asked.

"Just swapping war stories. None of your business." Thunderlane replied.

"Yeah." Rumble agreed.

"You have a problem, Fancy?" Thunderlane asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Nothing that concerns commoners like you." Fancy Pants said, then turned to Rarity. "Focus on your work, Rarity. This isn't a comedy club." He finished. Thunderlane huffed heavily.

Cadence walked down to where Flash Sentry and Flurry were flying, him trying to teach her how to do the said Sonicboom. "Flurry? What did I tell you about leaving Discord's sight?" Cadence asked, narrowing her eyes.

"But Flash said he'd teach me how to do a Sonicboom, remember?" Flurry spoke, her innocence shown through her speech.

"It doesn't matter what Flash says. It matters what I say. Now get on up to Discord." She spoke. Flurry Heart sighed and got on to her hooves, walking up the camp, Cadence following her.

"Cady?" Flash asked, watching as the mare walked on, just lowering her ears. "We weren't doing anything you said we couldn't. Just some shouting and flying to the sun." The mare just huffed.

"You don't tell me what to do." Cadence spoke, nearly growling.

"Cadence? Can you just wait a second? We need to talk. We haven't even had a chance to-"

"No. That's... that's something you can shout to the Sun."

"Damn it, Cadence. I don't know how this appears to you, but you need to listen-"

"Listen to what, Flash? Is there a damned gray area here? Let me tell you what it means. You stay away from me, you stay away from my daughter. You don't look at her, you don't talk to her. My family... is off-limits to you now."

"Cadence, that isn't fair and you know it."

"Flash... keep your mouth shut!" Cadence screeched, throwing Flash back with her magic and striking him with a hoof.

"I don't think..."

"My husband is back. He's alive."

"He's my best friend and my partner! Do you think I'm not happy about that?" Flash nearly yelled, once again restraining his chest and shoulder feathers.

"How... how dare you?!" Cadence yelled. "Why in the hell would you be, when you were the one who told me he was dead!" Cadence shoved Flash back into the ground, tears in her eyes. She then ran off towards where Flurry had went.

A filly screamed loudly. Shining Armor and Flash Sentry ran towards the scream, a mutual nod between them. A deer lay on the ground, getting torn into by a Trotter. It was a doe, still alive and screaming. Another Trotter was tearing into a bag of what looked to be fish. Shining Armor drew his gun, and Flash did the same, drawing his Pegasi magic to hold the gun as a unicorn would. Flash Sentry shot the one on the doe, as she drew her final breath and the screaming ceased. Shining Armor mercifully shot the doe, keeping her from turning if she could. Right as he was raising his gun to the other Trotter, an arrow went in between its eyes.

"Damn... fucking geek got my fish!" The orange coated mare shouted, before bashing in the Trotter's skull with her front hooves. "Fucking... son of a bitch!" She yelled. Discord teleported in front of her, grabbing her face with his claw and paw.

"Scootaloo, unless you want more of the Trotters... you will stop screaming." He spoke with a hypnotic tone, he and Scootaloo's eyes turning to swirls. "You've been up for far long, my dear. Take a rest, before you undo yourself."

Scootaloo slammed into Discord's chest. "Nice try, old kook. Why don't you take your horns and shove them up where the sun don't shine?" Scootaloo then grabbed the bag that held her kill. "Maybe the geek didn't get all the fish. I couldn't find any plants, so you guys are eating meat today." She looked in, and grabbed a fish with a small bite mark. "Damn. Think we can cut around this?"

"I wouldn't risk it, Scootaloo." Flash Sentry replied, sighing deeply.

"Looks like I'll just get what wasn't bit and clean it really good." Scootaloo sighed in replied. She walked into the camp. "Dash! Dash! Get your cyan flank out here before I kick your ass! We got some fish, no plants!"

"Scootaloo, just slow down a bit. I need to talk to you." Flash stepped in front of the mare. She bore into Flash's eyes with her own purple ones.

"About what?"

"About Rainbow Dash. She... There was a problem, in Las Pegasus."

"She dead?"

"We're not sure."

Scootaloo glared at him. "She's either dead or she isn't, Flash." She spoke coldly. Shining Armor saw this display, and walked over.

"There's... no easy way to say this to you, Scootaloo, so I'll just tell you." He spoke, never breaking his gaze into the short mare's eyes.

"Who are you? Isn't your name Gleaming Shield or somethin'?"

"It's Shining Armor."

"Shining Armor, you got something you want to tell me?"

"Your sister... Rainbow Dash, she was a danger to us all, so I hoofcuffed her to a roof and broke her wing. She's... still alive."

"You fucking what, you stuffed shirt bastard? !" Scootaloo yelled, nearly growling at at the Captain. "You left my sister on a roof to die?"

"How about we go get her if it's that bad?" Flash asked, and Scootaloo glared daggers at him. "So that's a-"

"Where's a carriage?" Scootaloo sighed, walking into camp. Shining Armor and Flash Sentry exchanged a look, and Shining Armor sighed.

"I'll take Big Mac and I go. You stay here."