The reports were disheartening.
Princess Twilight Sparkle groaned as she dropped her head onto the oak table. Books and scrolls littered the refined wood, each open and discarded all the same as the youngest alicorn administered her own punishment. Nothing she had read could help her. For days, she had confined herself in the royal archives and she had searched relentlessly for any sort of record of such a epidemic. She lifted her head with a whimper as she rubbed at her aching forehead. Her heart thrummed in desperation as she returned her violet eyes to the text before her. She was soaked with sweat, the room was hot due to being so high up in the southern tower, and she licked her dried lips as her parched throat ached. She could not remember the last time her mother had come in to check on her, but she felt as though it had been long enough for her to suffer from slight dehydration. A sigh escaped her as she slouched and as her ears flattened back against her head, Twilight Sparkle made the startling realization that she was absolutely useless. She was turned into an alicorn, and already the Princess of Friendship was proving to be powerless.
Friendship couldn't conquer disease, no matter how hard they tried.
It had been weeks since the discovery of Baltimare's infection. Twilight's eyes glanced over the parchment that Princess Celestia had received three weeks ago and heaved a defeated sigh. The city was quarantined by the royal guards to help stop it from spreading, but their efforts were in vain. Dodge Junction had become infected next, the small town easily decimated by the plague. Ponies panicked as the royal guard arrived and Princess Celestia had been forced to assist her guards in calming the crowd. As the sun monarch was helping in Dodge Junction, Princess Luna was alerted to two more cities being infected. Luna dispatched battalions of her Lunar Guard to Appleloosa and Fillydelphia. The Princess of Night was forced to stay in Canterlot and handle Celestia's day court while Twilight had locked herself up in the archives searching. A groan escaped the purple alicorn as she pushed the scroll away. Now was not the time to reflect. She had to find something to cure the ponies and save lives. She could not bear the thought of losing another city.
"Twilight, honey?"
A yelp escaped the princess as she jumped. Landing on her back, she groaned as she opened her eyes to find her mother upside down and watching her, "Y-Yes mom?"
Twilight Velvet gave her daughter a small smile. Twilight used to jump like that all the time when Velvet walked into her room to announce dinner. It always showed how deep into her studies Twilight had been and she always felt proud. A small chuckle left her as she walked towards her fallen child.
"I'm sorry it took so long to grab you lunch. Princess Luna needed my help in convincing the ignorant nobles that Celestia had actually gone to Dodge Junction. Princess Luna took it hard, especially since it has been years since she came back."
Twilight scoffed, "Its Blueblood again, isn't it?"
Velvet rolled her eyes, "You know the Bluebloods covet the tale of Nightmare Moon like a bible. They think Luna's acting nice while conspiring against Celestia."
The older mare brought a tray to the table that Twilight was working at. She set it aside on the floor and watched as Twilight sat up and rubbed at her back, "I know, but this is ridiculous, mom. Princess Luna only wants to be treated like an equal to Celestia and every pony but the Bluebloods are giving her that equality."
"Ah, but she knows that the rest of her subjects aren't as foolish, my dear. Now, I brought you some food. You should really eat. You've been up here for hours." Twilight Velvet chided as she lifted the dome from the tray.
Twilight Sparkle licked her dry lips with wide eyes, "A-A hayburger?! I didn't think I could get one in Canterlot!"
Velvet giggled, "Oh, Twilight. The chefs in the castle are all well equipped to make anything. You really shouldn't think like that. Just because they serve the princesses, doesn't mean they cannot make simple foods as well."
Twilight playfully rolled her eyes as she lifted the hayburger in her magenta magic and took a swift, delicious bite. A sound of bliss escaped her as she chewed. She hastily finished the meal and chugged her glass of water, greedily.
"That. Was. Amazing." she gasped.
Velvet shook her head, "You should really slow down and enjoy your food, Twilight."
"I did, mom," Twilight replied, "but I have to keep searching. I had to of missed something."
"If you believe so," Twilight Velvet replied as she leaned over to kiss her daughter's forehead. "Don't over work yourself, okay? If you find a cure for this and then get sick, it would really be upsetting."
"I'll be careful mom." Twilight said with a smile as she turned back to her research. "Besides, I have to be close to finding it. I can almost feel it."
Twilight Velvet smiled as she collected the tray and left her daughter to her research.
A few more days passed before Princess Celestia had returned. With her sister back, Luna began to devote her time to helping Twilight in the archives. Celestia retook her position in the day court and the next evening the three princesses sat up in the tower with books and scrolls open.
"How was your travel, Sister?" Luna finally asked.
Celestia glanced up. Her usual, pristine alabaster coat was dull and the dark circles under her eyes made the younger alicorn worry. Celestia forced a small smile as she wrapped the tea cup in her lemon yellow aura and brought it to her lips.
"Awful," Celestia replied after a sip.
Twilight's ears fell back. Princess Celestia was one of the most positive ponies she had ever met, and for her beloved mentor to say that her trip to Dodge Junction was awful only made her cringe.
"A-Awful?" the youngest alicorn asked.
Celestia placed her cup down, her horn dimming as she released her magic. "Unfortunately, yes. This plague is nothing to laugh about. A pony can die within a day and the panic it is causing..." The solar monarch closed her eyes as a painful grimace broke her tempered visage. "A few ponies have committed suicide. Some have turned to killing one another. It took a while before we could sort things out, count the casualties and finally calmed down the rest of the crowd."
Twilight's ears perked up. "H-Have they really lost their minds?"
"I don't believe so," Celestia sighed, "At least not all of them. They're scared, Twilight. Every day more of them are becoming sicker and weaker, and unless we find a cure soon...I'm afraid that there will not be a Dodge Junction left."
Luna and Twilight both went silent, both staring at their eldest sister with wide, fearful eyes. "It'll wipe Dodge Junction off the map?"
Celestia looked into her former student's eyes, "I'm afraid so."
"Who are you?" Luna breathed as she stood up and stomped a hoof. "Celestia would never talk as if her ponies were a lost cause!"
Celestia blinked. "Luna, do you truly believe that? I have watched some of the brightest ponies in Dodge Junction wither in a day's time. I'm surprised the town is still standing. I have no idea what sort of plague this is, but its killing my ponies!"
Twilight cringed as Celestia raised her voice.
"I'm sorry that Blueblood was being an absolute horse, sister, but there are ponies dying out there and I cannot stop it!" Celestia snapped.
Luna scoffed, "If I was truly upset over the vexing Bluebloods, I would have dealt with him. Your tone is what angers me, sister. Never have I heard you sound so defeated! There is still time!"
"Luna's right," Twilight added, "I haven't found anything yet, but I'm sure that I'm close!"
Celestia nodded, "This is nothing to scoff at, though. I'm afraid that if this continues—"
"It won't." Luna said as she stepped up to her sister. The dark alicorn's teal eyes shimmered with fierce determination. "By my life, it won't. We will find a cure, Celestia, and we will save our ponies."
Celestia rested her head upon her sister's shoulder. "I hope so, Lulu," the sun princess whispered, "I really hope we do."
Luna galloped through the corridors of the castle. The afternoon sun illuminated the long halls as she ran, her thoughts muddled. Her heart hammered in her chest as she ran, and her eyes blurred with tears. She knew that Celestia's actions and tones were off the day before, but if the letter she had just received was true, then there was a much more dire circumstance at hand. She rounded the corner and flew past the guards as she threw open the huge oak doors. In her bed, Celestia laid still. Her breathing was even and her coat was still a dulled ivory. Princess Twilight Sparkle stared at the sun princess with her lips pressed in a firm line and Luna regained her breath before taking a step towards her elder sister's bed.
"Stop—" Twilight turned to look at Luna, her eyes glassy with tears. "Luna, you can't."
Luna growled, "Tartarus I can't! How am I to be sure that your findings are even accurate, Twilight Sparkle?"
There was a jolt of pain in the purple alicorn's chest caused from the blatant jab Luna had snapped at her, but as she stepped away from her sleeping mentor, all Twilight could do was let the darker alicorn see for herself. Luna was Celestia's sister. Of course she would be angry at the speculation. Twilight had watched Celestia since she and Luna had brought her to bed yesterday and as she watched the older alicorn, she was forced to notice her sallow coat and before she knew it, Princess Celestia had coughed. With little knowledge of the disease, Twilight wrote to Luna immediately.
"Look at her Luna. I've been here all night, I could have gotten it too." Twilight blinked back her tears. "Sh-She's sick, Luna. She's sick and I don't know what to do!"
Luna scoffed and moved forward, against Twilight's warning. She approached her sister's bed, only to find her elder sister sleeping. She wanted to believe that Princess Twilight Sparkle was incorrect, but she could see what was happening to her sister. The Princess of the Sun turned and a nasty cough roused her, forcing her to sit up. It was as she covered her mouth with her hoof that Luna saw it and she back pedaled.
Celestia's hoof was stained crimson.
Twilight panicked as she saw the blood, but Celestia stared at the hoof with wide and tired eyes. A plague that could cause even an alicorn to become sick was devastating, but for it to be Princess Celestia of all ponies made Twilight Sparkle realize that there was no cure. If an alicorn was still able to become infected, if the virus was in the castle, she had to act fast. She backed away and glanced towards Luna.
"I-I'm going to write to Spike." Her voice cracked as she back pedaled for the door. "And we need Golden Heart to come check out Celestia."
Luna was silent as she stared at her sister. Celestia was entranced by her bloodied hood, but Twilight bounded out the door. In minutes she returned with the castle's doctor Golden Heart, but she stayed outside. According to what Celestia said yesterday, she would know within a day if she was infected, too. It wasn't until a guard down the hall coughed, that Twilight's heart began to throw itself into overdrive. Did the virus already enter Canterlot?
Princess Luna staggered out of the room with tears in her eyes. "I didn't want to believe you, Twilight. I'm s-sorry."
Twilight turned to her fellow princess. "I'm sending a message to the Crystal Empire."
Luna blinked. "Wh-What could Cadence possibly—"
"Nothing." Twilight hiccuped. "Cadence can't do anything to help us."
"Then why?"
Twilight turned to Luna as a tear fell down her cheek. "I'm telling her to close all borders and cease all trading with Equestria. If we can't stop it here, at least the crystal ponies won't have to suffer again."
Twilight had the letter made and sent it off to her sister-in-law. Until she could check ponies for the virus, Princess Twilight Sparkle refused to have any Equestrian citizen leave the borders. She ruled that the country was in a state of emergency and went to the day court in Celestia's place. When she could focus on the task at hand, all she would receive were questions about Celestia.
"And just where is my aunt! I doubt that a new princess from Ponyville stepping in her place would benefit her. Why, I'm sure she would be absolutely appalled!" Prince Blueblood huffed as she deflected another round of irritating, and quite unless, bills from being brought forward. The snot nosed brat of a prince made Twilight turn and with the darkest glare she could give him, Twilight stood upon Celestia's throne. She was done with his inconsolable, and disgustingly enormous ego.
"You want to know where Celestia is?" Twilight asked, her voice coated in malice. "Are you asking for your bigoted beliefs or because you actually care?"
Murmurs rushed through the nobles present and Prince Blueblood looked as if she had cursed at him. "Why I never—How dare you!"
A quick leap and Twilight was in front of the stallion. "No. How dare you, Blueblood. Luna and I have tried our best to run things as Celestia would have wanted, but it seems that all you care about is your status and your own, and really old, ways. You want to know where Celestia is?!"
Her glare was fixated on the stallion. Blueblood stepped back, but Twilight met him, hoof for hoof. "Princess Celestia is sick, Blueblood. Princess Celestia, my mentor and surrogate mother, is lying in bed sickened from the plague that you all—" she threw her hoof out, pointing at every noble in the room, "don't give a flying buck about! You're more worried about the bits in your pocket, than the lives of your brothers and sisters in the cities currently infected!"
The room went quiet, but Twilight bore into Blueblood further, "Instead of trying to help, you just had to push Luna's buttons. She isn't Nightmare Moon, and it wouldn't matter now if she was! Princess Celestia is dying and I'm officially declaring Canterlot an infected city. Captain Swift Charge!"
A Royal Guard stepped forward and bowed his head. "Yes, your majesty?"
"Twilight," she corrected, "No one gets in or out of Canterlot, and I mean no one." Her glare shot to the nobles around the room. "If any of you so much as try to use bits as a means of getting out, I'll throw you in the dungeons permanently. Get out of my sight and go spend time with your families. I have a mentor, a sister, and a mother to take care of."
Twilight nodded to Captain Swift Charge as she pivoted to stomp out of the room. Normally, Twilight would have been proud of the horrified look on Blueblood's face, but as she exited from the throne room, only tears and a sob escaped her. Princess Celestia, the only pony who Twilight had looked up to for so many years, the same pony who brought Twilight into ascension, was dying.
And Twilight was powerless to stop it.
Twilight Velvet stepped out of the room with wide eyes as she watched her daughter crumple. She rushed over and hugged Twilight, her own heart hammering at the declaration her daughter made. Canterlot, the very capital of Equestria, was infected.
Celestia was asleep by the time that Twilight returned. Velvet walked in with her daughter, her own chest aching as she looked at her old friend. Luna sat where Twilight had been and the night princess glanced over at Twilight with tears in her eyes. Head doctor Golden Heart sat with his head bowed. She could only imagine what the doctor had told Luna, especially since he has been working as hard as every pony in the castle to find out what could cure this disease. Velvet hugged her daughter as the youngest alicorn watched Celestia.
"Have you sent the letter to Cadence?"
Twilight blinked. She first thought that she had imagined it, but as Princess Luna turned to look at her, Twilight Sparkle realized that the small whisper had come from her sister alicorn. "Yes," she nodded. "I sent it. I—"
Her eyes filled with tears as she looked on, unable to control the worried and panicked sob caught in her throat. Her heart pounded with each breath Celestia took and she stepped back. Luna forced a small smile as she nodded to Twilight. "You need a while. Your friends are in the castle, are they not? You should go and see them."
"No. I—I should stay here."
Luna shook her head, "You are the Princess of Friendship, Twilight. You need your friends now, more than ever. I can take care of Celestia while you visit your friends."
Twilight stared at Celestia for a minute. She felt an itch in her hooves, a desire to move, but her mind told her to stay. What if Celestia got worse while she was away? What if she died while Twilight was with her friends? She didn't want to go, but her heart ached too much to stay. She couldn't watch Celestia just deteriorate, either. It would break her to see some pony she had looked up to all of her life, the pony she had idolized since she was a filly, wither. She closed her glassy eyes and nodded once before she turned and darted out of the room. Her hooves took her away at a speed she did not know that she possessed. She knew that her friends were in the western tower, their huge suite set up for a week of bonding. When she could no longer run, Twilight Sparkle hopped into the air and took flight. Her path predetermined, she flew in through the window and just collapsed.
"Twilight!"
The chorus of worried voices echoed around her as she laid there. She felt worn out, tired, but most of all, she felt ashamed. She was selfishly running off to her friends while Celestia laid in bed, sick from the plague. When she opened her eyes, she felt her bottom lip quiver as she looked up at her friends and her eyes fell onto Discord. Despite Celestia's small circle, Twilight knew that Discord was a huge friend to Celestia and he would want to see her. She gulped as she got to her hooves and she finally let the tears splash down her cheeks. She looked up at Discord and ran to him. She wrapped her hooves around him tight and the draconequus paused as he hugged the princess and leaned down.
"Are you—"
"No." she whispered to him, his ears the only ones able to her her. "She's sick...Celestia is sick."
He went rigid beneath her hooves and Twilight suppressed a hiccuping wail, "I-I know that she would have wanted you there."
No sooner had she said it, did Discord snap his fingers and vanished. Twilight let herself fall forward, her heart weighed heavy as she landed on her stomach and tears fell down her cheeks. With Discord gone, she felt the reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks and she took a deep breath.
"Twi'?" Applejack asked.
The mention of her name only triggered her heartache further. With a sharp tilt of her head, a scream erupted from her throat. The mares and fillies in the room recoiled, but Twilight hardly noticed. She had spent three weeks pouring over books and scrolls for a cure. She had read every single book in the archive; read every single scroll there was, and she found nothing. Absolutely nothing. Twilight's scream tore through the once quiet room, filling it with her anguish, her pain, and her failure.
Twilight Sparkle had failed and Celestia would die because of it.
She sat there and screamed as her friends looked on a bit panicked. She screamed despite the ache in her chest growing every second. She screamed and screamed until her voice finally gave and she could scream no more. Defeated, Twilight laid herself back down and just sobbed.
"T-Twilight?"
To her, the voices were all the same, but she chanced a glance up. Rarity was the first to approach her, blue eyes misty, and a filly by her side. Twilight cursed herself for forgetting about the three crusaders coming with their big sisters. She had almost forgotten about her friends.
"Um, Twilight?" Sweetie Belle asked, "A-Are you okay?"
Twilight could only shake her head. Her throat closed up as she thought of Celestia and her eyes became blurred with her tears again.
"What's wrong, darling?" Rarity asked as she came to her friend's side.
Twilight shook her head again, but turned to look at Fluttershy. Of all the ponies in the room, Fluttershy knew Discord the best. There was only one thing that would have made him disappear like that and Fluttershy's tears only proved that the timid pegasus had only guessed what ailed her.
"Its Princess Celestia...isn't it?" Fluttershy asked.
Twilight nodded. She hated the feeling of being so mute, but her throat refused to cooperate. She blinked away her tears as Fluttershy rushed over and hugged her.
"When?" she whispered.
Twilight tried to find her voice, but she hiccuped and leaned into the comforting cotton candy pink mane that smelled of freshly picked daisies. Her chest felt tight, but with enough force, Twilight was able to force out her answer. Fluttershy gasped and hugged her tighter.
"Uhh, hello?" Rainbow Dash spoke up, "Anyone want to tell me what's going on."
Fluttershy glanced back at her friends as Applejack stepped forward, "Yeah, what's wrong, Twi'? What's got you so upset?"
"Princess Celestia is—" she sobbed again, but she forced herself to look up at her friends. Her voice was hoarse and her throat tightened with her grief. "Sh-She's...dying."
Apple Bloom glanced up at her sister with wide, fearful yet confused eyes. "B-But Ah thought that alicorns... Ah thought they lived forever."
Twilight shook her head. "N-No. Celestia went to D-Dodge Junction to help with the crisis...She came back s-sick."
The room felt as though the temperature had dropped a good fifty degrees. Suddenly the mares felt chilled and Pinkie Pie, whose mane had fallen straight, ran over to Twilight and hugged her tight. Rarity was next and she hugged her friend. Rainbow Dash hit the ground, flank first in shock and Applejack just stared at them wide eyed. Scootaloo ran over to Sweetie Belle with Apple Bloom, and the three fillies stared at their friend, and princess, with quivering bottom lips.
"I...I spent all this time...looking for a cure." Twilight hiccuped. "I barely slept...My mom had to f-force me to e-eat. I found nothing. I f-failed! If I had only found a cure—"
Twilight broke down into tears once more. Surrounded by her friends, Princess Twilight Sparkle cried.
Discord vanished.
As Twilight and her friends entered the sun princess' bed chambers, Luna had immediately told them of what had transpired. The deity of Chaos had vanished mere moments after confronting Luna about Celestia's condition. Fluttershy let Twilight lean on her as they were told of the situation at hand.
"What do we do?"
Her voice sounded strained, but Luna could see the tear stains on her cheeks. With tears in her eyes, Luna only hung her head. "I do not know, young Twilight. I just don't know."
A nasty cough from Celestia brought Twilight and her friends to alert. The alabaster princess turned onto her side, blood spraying from her lips as she coughed violently. Luna ran to her side as Celestia's episode continued. It was as she reached up to Luna that Twilight heard her mentor's voice for the first time since she had laid down. It was a soft whimper, but Twilight listened as Luna held her sister's hoof.
"Take care of them, Lulu." Celestia whispered.
Luna shook her head, "You have to get better to take care of the ponies, Tia. I'm still learning! You cannot tell me goodbye...not now." Luna whimpered.
Twilight's ears flattened against her head as she stepped forward. "Celestia?"
Celestia's violet eyes were dull and unfocused, but the motherly mare's glance flickered to her former student. "Twilight...I'm so proud of you. I'm sorry."
"For what?" Twilight hiccuped. "You have nothing to apologize for...Just...just stay with us...Please?"
Celestia wanted to reach out to her, but she feared infecting the smaller alicorn. "Do not forget...Your friendships...will always see you through."
Twilight shook her head. "Th-that's not—"
Celestia coughed again and she laid back with her eyes closed. "I'm sorry...my most faithful student."
Twilight watched her idol lay back and close her tired eyes. She knew it was coming, especially with the information that Celestia had given her. It was a quick virus, a fast working parasite that killed its host faster than a cure could be made. Twilight's eyes were filled with tears as she stepped back and away, giving Luna, poor heart broken Luna, space with her sister. Small whispers between the two sisters and Luna was openly sobbing. Twilight watched as her mentor closed her eyes and Luna shook her elder sister. Frantically she called for Celestia, tears falling down her cheeks.
"Tia! Tia, please! You can't leave us! We...We..."
Twilight covered her mouth with her hooves and her friends gathered around her. She felt the warmth of their hugs and the sadness they all carried as they watched Luna cry.
"We're sorry! Please!"
Twilight closed her eyes. Her chest ached as Luna pleaded with Celestia, motionless Celestia, to stay with them. To fight back the disease. To live. Twilight knew the moment that Celestia had closed her eyes, she was gone. Her hooves shook and tears cascaded down her cheeks. It was over. Without Celestia, Twilight could only hope that the plague would stay contained in Equestria. She hoped that no other land would suffer. Canterlot would fall and she knew that the rest of Equestria would follow.
If Celestia couldn't beat it, who could?
Discord vanished and Twilight could only speculate where he went, but Celestia was gone. Luna's wail only confirmed her own painful realization. Celestia, Princess Celestia Co-ruler of Equestria, was dead. Twilight sobbed into her friends' embraces. It was not until Luna's cries quieted that the Princess of Friendship looked up. Luna was sitting upright, looking down at Celestia with hope as her elder sister's chest rose with a shaky breath. A groan came from her lips and Twilight felt hope. She jumped up, her friends falling to the side as she flexed her wings in anticipation. Was Celestia alright after all? Luna smiled and she started to chuckle. Her sister was not dead, she just fell asleep! Luna chuckled to herself as she pushed some of Celestia's limp mane from her face and she froze. Celestia's eyes were bloodshot, yet there was something wrong with the color of her eyes. They weren't vibrant. They were blinking like a newborn seeing light for the first time and Luna leaned forward.
"Sister?"
Silence answered the younger sister. Celestia's head turned, seemingly looking at the Princess of the Moon and Twilight's heart skipped a beat. She turned to look at her friends with their sisters, each one watching her and the Princesses with hope. Twilight's tears were beginning to turn from sorrow to happiness as she turned back towards Luna.
And then Celestia lurched forward.
Twilight watched, horror struck, as Celestia snarled and pushed herself towards Luna, her teeth catching the princess off guard. Pearly whites sunk into Luna's throat and the dark alicorn gave a shout as Celestia yanked her head to the side. Blood gushed from the wound and the mares in the room screamed as they covered the eyes of their charges. Guards ran in, each stopping as they watched Luna fall back, Celestia bearing down on her throat. Twilight stepped back, lower lip trembling as she tried to regain control of herself. She blinked and her mind refocused.
"LUNA!"
The scream that tore from her throat was panicked. With very little hesitation, Twilight's horn lit with magic and she shot it at the growling alicorn, sending her flying back from Luna. Blood began to pool beneath the Night Princess.
"L-Luna! Hang on!"
Normally, Twilight would have teleported herself and Luna away, but the primal growl that came from in front of her broke her concentration. Dull eyed and muzzle soaked with blood, Celestia was on her hooves again. A feral snarl left the fallen ruler's lips and Twilight backed up a step. What was wrong with Celestia? Why would she—
"Run." Luna rolled to her side, her teal eyes wide and her neck bleeding. Her warning was gurgled and she lifted a hoof toward Twilight. "It's too late. Run."
Another gurgling gasp came from the dark alicorn and Twilight readied herself to teleport, but Celestia leapt at her. Twilight fell back as her friends cried out to her and she blasted Celestia away. The white alicorn landed besides her sister and turned her attention back to Luna.
"C-Cannibalism?!" Rarity gasped as Celestia tried to bite her weakened sister.
"Princess Twilight!" a guard said, "Go! We will help Princess Luna! Get to safety!"
Twilight could only nod as Princess Luna shouted once more for them to flee. With her friends at her side, Princess Twilight Sparkle, third co-ruler of Equestria, turned and ran from the chambers as quick as possible, the shouts of the guards echoing behind them.
Author's Note
Its a rough start, but as the description says; this is more of a stress reliever than a planned out story. Yes, I know that zombie stories are cliche and frequent. I'm not making for that purpose. This is a stress reliever! 
Let me know what you think!
