Fear The Trotting Dead

Rainbow Dash. The fastest flyer in Equestria, the loyalest of friends, and most awesomest pony around. At least, in her mind it is. She had spent the day flying and doing aerodynamic workout routines that could give The Wonderbolts a run for their money. Today seemed like any other normal day. Pegasus were flying high, unicorns, and earth ponies on the ground, tending to their everyday lives. Rainbow Dash had gone home to her Father's place back in Cloudsdale, after setting up a wickedly strong assortment of clouds back in the weather factory, but it was Father's Day, so she was hoping to treat her dad a little visit.

Her Father's name was Flash, and he was the best Father any pegasus could have in Dash's eyes. He liked all the same things that Dash liked, revolving around rock music, flying, and even sports. He's like her hero since... her mother passed away from a strange sickness that plagued her months earlier, things had gotten complicated between the father and daughter.

Rainbow Dash and Flash, that was her father's name, were spending the evening together, simply enjoying each other's company. Playing a game of cards, and starting some conversation topics, the likes to which Flash had the pondering need to ask.

"So you dating anypony?" Flash asked as he shuffled a few cards, with a eyebrow raise and classic smirk.

Dash looked horrified at the question, pouting just a bit, "C'mon Dad, really? How many times are you gonna ask that?!" Dash quickly blew off the question.

Flash took the initiative, "I'm just sayin' sweetheart, I want you to be happy." he smiled sadly at her, passing a card to each of them.

Dash looked her father in the eyes, seeing that he was just worried about her. "Yeah, I get it, Dad... but I'm happy right now. I mean, if I miraculously find somepony I like than whose gonna take care of your sorry flank when I'm gone?" Dash snorted with a giggle in her hooves.

"Hey now who said I can't get a date neither? I'm still young and hip!" Flash retorted. "You're 55, dad." Dash deadpanned, eliciting a chuckle from both of them as they hit 'go fish'.

That night the weather had called for some major readjustment. "Shoot." Flash said outloud to no one in particular, except to the ears of Dash who sat on the sofa reading a comic book to pass some time.

"I gotta head out, Dashie. Think you can hold up the fort while I'm gone?" he asked, smiling as he grabbed a coat off the hangar in his living room cabinet.

Dash looked up from her comic, "Sure dad, I think I'll just catch a few Z's. How long will you be out?" she asked, stretching her hooves and wings as she lifted off the couch.

Flash looked at the time, "Probably about a few hours. I gotta check the weather station and meet up with an old friend in the hospital. He got the feather flu, but it looks like he's been getting worse... I'm just worried." says Flash.

Dash looked a little worried, "Well be careful dad. I hear the feather flu has been getting worse lately. It's even infecting normal ponies too," Dash said with concern in her voice.

Flash looked amazed at the new piece of information on the disease that took his wife and his daughters mother. He put on a weather factory workers' cap on, "Don't you worry, Dashie. I'll come back as soon as I leave the Cloudsdale hospital." Flash gave Dash a reassuring smile, to which Dash simply hugged him and wished him safe travels. Rainbow Dash flew to her childhood bedroom, getting an uneasy feeling in her gut about the safety of her father, as she prayed to Celestia that night everything would be okay, as she drifted off to sleep as fast as she could pray.

~~~~~

It was the next morning. Rainbow Dash awoke, dreary eyed, trying to take in her surroundings, lifting up half her body from the not so comfy kid sized mattress of her filly years. Looking at the clock that hung above, feeling a bit of rays of sunshine beam through her window, dusrupting a bit of her morning vision. The first thing that came to mind was shock, realizing that she must have been more tired than she imagined, "Man, it's morning already? Buck..." she replied, dragging herself to the bathroom and to the fridge. Opening up the fridge, she grabbed a carton of milk, drinking a few sips before it happened.

There was a loud crash of the living room window and somepony, no more like... some-GRIFFON was laid out on the floor at the foot of the couch. Rainbow Dash spat out milk from her muzzle doing a spit take of sorts, completely caught off guard.

"What the--WHAT THE HELL...?" she exclaimed in an horrified whisper, as she tip hoofed her way to the body in her bedroom. She soon recognized the shading of brown on that griffons body, noticing the snowy white feathers... "Gilda?... GILDA!" Rainbow Dash nearly screamed, racing to the almost lifeless body of the griffon on the carpet. She scanned her body over, noticing some deep gashes in her wings and glass that had gotten there, probably from the window. Dash tried to wake her, "Gilda! Wake up, are you okay?" Dash asked in a panic until Gilda twitched one of her claws.

Rainbow Dash took notice and sighed in relief. Gilda's eyes opened in full force, than she lunged at Dash, growling mixed with eagle noises that sounded straight out of Hell. Dash managed to hold her back, wings flaring in agitation, "H-Hey! Gilda what are you doing?!" she grunted, feeling the full force of the griffons strength as Dash was now on her back, trying to keep from biting her head, which the griffon had planned on doing!

Dash relented, "Don't make me--" as Gilda was going in to strike with her beak, Dash gave her solid hoof to the snout, knocking her back, eliciting a hellish scream from the griffon. As Gilda turned back to Dash, blood was soaking from the hole that used to be her beak. Teeth were hanging jagged, as her feathers had stains of crimson as well.

Rainbow Dash looked in horror as the griffon started to walk slowly towards her in a dragful state. Dash leapt forward, hind kicking her in the chest, as she made her way to the kitchen, searching through the cabinets for... yes! A knife. She took it with a wing, holding it in her feathers, backing away slowly. "Gilda, please... I'm your friend--" the ear shattering noise came from the griffon's gaping hole as she walked at a more brisk pace towards Dash, until -- There was a slashing sound.

She had driven the knife through the head of the griffon, tears forming in her eyes as Gilda soon fell limp onto the kitchen floor. Blood oozing out onto the white decor. Dash slumped down on the kitchen wall, taking in the situation that unfolded. She had a blank stare, "How...?" she could only repeat the question once over in her mind until she heard screams coming from outside her childhood home.

She galloped outside, taking in the horror of the discord that was happening all around her. There were a few cloud homes, burning from the inside, smoke covered the skies above the clouds, watching as pegasi were devouring pegasi?! "This can't be happening..." Dash thought, as she saw pegasi with missing fur and flesh on places where nopony should be missing fur and flesh, with blood on their coats, whether it was their own or not was a question she didn't want to think about too much less she up and barfed right there.

They tried to get Dash but she was too quick on her hooves and wings as she took into account that most of tge pegasi who still had their wings in tact only reached speeds of up to .2 in flying standards, so she was in the clear... for now. She flew all over Cloudsdale, seeing that all Hell broke lose. Screams filled the air and the sounds of 'them' were even more horrifying. "If it's happening here, I can only imagine what it's like all over Equestria..." she feared as she sped through.

She soon realized one thing... "Dad!" she flew faster than her wings could carry her, which was an easy task for the athletic mare. She had to get to the Cloudsdale Hospital, she had to make sure her dad was alright. She had to make sure he was safe. She had to make sure... that he was alive.