The Flesh Pile

Chapters

Chapter 1: A Frozen City
Chapter 2: The Old Stomping Grounds.
Chapter 3: A Scrambling Fortress
Chapter 4: Safety in Silence
Chapter 5: Stalker
Chapter 6: Reflections and Revelations

Chapter 1: A Frozen City

Author's Note

Heads-up: This is my first time writing for a few years. If the story seems a bit messy with grammar then let me know. If there is an error in wording let me know. I'll try to make updates on it as often as I can so any little help is very appreciated comments.Also, be nice in the comment and constructive criticism is welcome as long as it's constructive. So thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1: A Frozen City

Ponies change quite often, right? I guess so. Even as a little colt, I can give endless examples. Bullies turn into best friends, family members into abusers, and our own opinions change in the blink of an eye just to "fit in."

I use to think that the snow is destructive and unpredictable: that it'll block our roads, cause our stores to be closed, ponies getting stuck in their own homes, and even property damage if it's bad enough. It's ironic now that I love the snow on the roads. The few brave ponies use it to keep "them" away.

"Them" being those beasts that walk in our skin. I heard several names for them: demons, creatures, freaks, geeks, mothers and fathers, and merely the infected. However, it isn't just some random disease. It changes whatever poor soul to be sick, to become "them."

I once dream that a little girl cries out to her mother. The mother's remains is a tunic from limbs and head rip her apart on the inside. Almost like a grotesque onesie.

Everypony stays indoors away from them, yet the indoors have different infected hiding in ruins. But it's better than being outside. Nowhere is safe; even my safe house is dangerous to be in. For all I know, an infected could be hiding in one of the corners, and I don’t see it. It's clear now of the new laws of the lands, we are the hunted, the prey, the cattle.

"They will win," I whisper. That old saying, "the white pieces always win in chess," they will beat us. You only need to walk outside to see it.

I watch the scenery from the fire escape. A constant, still image of Fillydelphia can be an artist's paradise. Even though I'm no artist, the scene is beautiful regardless. That doesn't change the sounds through the streets.

I watch the ruins of the city, Fillydelphia, daily with complete focus. Then during more peaceful times, I sleep, eat, drink, and take care of my private ‘requirements.' I also wait occasionally for a friend to bring some much-needed supplies. And yet, I start losing faith in his safe return. But he does have his own place, so it's likely he's there instead. I will never know for sure until I look for myself, guess tomorrow is best.

My haven is a modern-day apartment that I rent, before the virus. It's a bit small one with gray walls, a baby blue couch, a simple dining room set up in a kitchen, and a bedroom with only the bed and two dressers compact in a room roughly the size of a walk-in closet. It's cheap shit, but it’s home. Ironically this is my second time being here.

"H-H-Hey! Guess who's back!" A voice startles me from down below in the lower apartments. It’s most likely one of the goons that taken refuge there shortly after the outbreak. I leave my peaceful view and try to see the source of the noise. I look through a small hole near a corner in my living room, I can see the big room the neighbors use to celebrate.

A giant pegasus with a dark green coat and even darker mane enters the room, with two bags over each shoulder. The large string bags bounce heavy on his shoulders as they kept rock along with his torn up wings. "How's it going Dubious," A black earth pony with a blue mane greets, " I see you got lucky today."

"I know," Dubious cheers, "The best thing was it was from a previous encampment. No stealing required." Dubious then opens one of the bags and empties the contents across the floor: cans of food, boxes of bullets, and a few bottles of water. The containers were dirty, with odd stains of a glowing substance.

Several other ponies gather around in Dubious's honor. A small fire starts on a glass coffee table, and the ponies gather quick around it with bounces in their steps. The ponies dig into the supplies without a second thought. I don’t blame them, food is a rare commodity in this city.

Lips hug around cans of beer and face's spread out with every morsel of food in them, the ponies begin to settle down in and sink into their chairs. They all start to pass around stories. Most were short, and others were close to epics.

"Hold on," A blue pegasus with a red matted mane interrupts, " I got a one. Do you remember the Fetus drop, you know when we were all in panic and the media was trying to cool everything down?”

The Fetus drop, or Fetus Day as I come to call it. It was when all of this began. I never saw it, but its something that drops out from the sky and lands in the middle of Manehattan. At the time, it brought up a lot of controversies, from the philosophers, if you call them that. Some say it's a calling card from a fucked up god, while others agreed it was a dark spell gone wrong. However, it didn’t matter who is right, for two days later, it explodes and starts all of this. It's about two years since then, and from what I have heard, Manehattan is a jungle of entrails.

"Yes," the black pony jumps in. "What of it?" He asks.

"Well," The pegasus begins while twirling his mane. "I saw one of the smaller version of that thing wondering around here." I don’t know the name of this fetus he discusses, but I do know that the original is the same size as a skyscraper.

"So, what?" A pony out of site speaks out, "We've all seen all kinds of those shitty things roaming around here. What makes this different?"

"This one spoke to me," the blue pony responds.

"That's bullshit," yells Dubious," they don't talk. All the demons do is run around to find us, eat us, then crap us out. So,
what exactly did this 'Fetus' say to you?"

"It asks me if I know where any mares were at."

"What the fuck?" a mare yells from the crowd, "What kind of question is that?"

"You sure you weren't just horny and drunk at the time?" Then an outburst of the questions sent the crowd into a frenzy of insults and threats. Soon, they gather around the blue pegasus with their beer cans raised and then empty the contents onto the helpless pony and soak him.

"Stop it, you idiots!"

"Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit!" they cheer over the victim's protests.

"Stop! Do you realize your wast-”

"Bullshit! Bullshit! Bul-" The whole room then shook suddenly before growing dark. They stop altogether and observe outside my vision. I Look up to my window; my heart drops in dismay at the view.

An eye stares at me. The bloodshot eye has a purple iris and a pupil in the shape of a cross. The eye stares down at me, grips me in my stillness. It blinks twice before it pulls away from the window. It silently moves toward the side of the window I can see that this mountain of a bear, is, or was, an Ursa Major.

Its body and head are rocky in texture. Its skin is full of big spikes and boulders which stretch his "old skin" that waves in the wind.

You know it’s strange. For the first time, ever since I got here, my peaceful view is now one of terror. The old world is gone, and the new one has begun.

I am looking forward to kind of story you are going to make. If you need ideas for the story, I am always here to help you out until next time laters.

So, it only seems to create a bad omen. Whether it is for me or my friend, Hazel Serenity.

Chapter 2: The Old Stomping Grounds.

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 3: A Scrambling Fortress

Patience. It's a trait that's different for everypony. Where Hazel wants to wait, I want to look for them directly. I didn't tell Hazel this, but he's a patient hunter, and I'm a stallion of action. I try to be better at it, but it is hard to sit idle. We have our cons though. One can only wait for a fight to end on its own and the other rushes into impossible odds. One can miss their chance while the other has taken the opportunity before it's gone. Patience is, in itself, a gamble. The bet in these times is your life.

"Anything?" Hazel asks.

"Nah," I reply. The plan is to keep watch from the second story window. We spent all day yesterday, and I find it tiresome. I look down and twiddle my thumbs. I look back and see Hazel fooling around on the couch.

I stare at apartment interior. It's a beautiful one with decorative wall paint that has pink flowers and green vines on a tan background. There's a white couch, dirty from age, next to the door that Hazel and I relax on during turns. Pieces of wooden furniture lay around, almost like somepony broke them.

I look back outside. A gust of wind cuts through my fur. I sigh and wait a bit longer. Another wind blows inside. I turn to Hazel "Hey. Your turn." He jumps up and crouches next to the window.

A few minutes pass as Hazel keeps watch. I lie on the white couch and stare at the ceiling. I drop my gaze back to the window. It's a bit low to the ground, and we have to slouch or crouch to see out of the window. We made turns for when we became uncomfortable, but we have a time limit after we insist it's the others shift. We laugh at it for a bit, but it became annoying. "Can I ask you something personal?" Hazel asks.

"Depends on the question?" I ask back and turn to him.

"That stallion you were with when I found you, who was he?" I leave the question in the air. I didn't want to answer it. Hazel doesn't persist what he asks. He stares out the window. I worry that someone will shoot him, but I can't convince him out of his get up.

"What's your story?" I ask him back. He doesn't reply, and the entire room grew silent.

"Not now," he finally answers. "If we ever find a drop of alcohol in this world. It may get me drunk enough for me to tell you. I'm sure I'll get you to admit your story too."

"We'll see," I reply.

"We can ask them?" He says. I sit up and look out the window, "The group is here," I spring off the couch and slump next to the window. They were there, already making their way down the road.

A large group of ponies with durable metal like armor on a murky brown body suit. It's the exact group too. They have identical masks that Hazel drew earlier. The covers were dark with a thick jaw section that wraps around their necks. They all carry a variety of weapons from blades, clubs, bows, and arrows, guns, a few staves, wands, and even books of magical origin.

Some of the ponies start to scream orders, taking aim, and preparing to take cover. I open my mouth to speak. A skin glider rushes down and grabs an earth stallion. He flies him up and impales him several stories up on the corner of an office building. The stallion struggles in the air. Another glider flies over and tears into his stomach, gashing it open with its claws. The pony's entrails fall and cover the group in a steamy bloodbath. I run out of the apartment without a second thought.

"Damn it, Stop Dapper!" Hazel screams at me. I didn't look back. I always tell myself never to run away.

The extreme winds hit me hard. I turn to the noise of hooves and see Hazel behind me. I look at the group. They unleash a barrage of arrows into a vast cloud of gliders. I know one pony drew their gun and fires at the rabble over them. A flyer flies down and grabs the pony up.

I charge up a spell and unleash a lightning bolt after the beast. The glider's wing tears away with burn marks. He drops the pony onto a car across the street. I rush to his aid with Hazel behind.

The attacker fell next to the pony. "Get the bastard," I yell. I grab the pony as Hazel stabs the creature through the mouth with his scythe. The blade passes up to the top of his head and unleashes a geyser of black blood on the snow.

I spot a large backpack on the pony. I grab it close to me and throw it on my shoulders. "We have to get inside!" Hazel orders me. I turn to see more skin gliders our path back to the apartment building. I clutch the pony in my arm. "Back this way," Hazel calls me. I turn towards Hazel who tries to motion me into a building, near the dead glider.

I rush to him with all my might. He throws the door open. A warm air engulfs me as I run inside. I hear the door slam behind me. I turn back towards the door. I catch my foot on the floor and lose my balance. I land on the floor hard on my side. I curse as I drop the pony in front of me. I crawl over to the pony and try to pick him up. A stern hand grabs my shoulder, "Shhhh," I hear. I look up to see a whole new hell.

We were in a polluter's nest down a long corridor. They were all snow white with black blisters, cysts, and sores all over their body. Their heads were bald with their cheeks erode all the way to the spine, which showcases a large mouth that touches their chest. The mouths were foaming with black foam and saliva that ran from their teeth down to their stomach. A hideous black smoke swarms around them. I feel a warm bead of sweat down my face.

Gunshots outside break the cold silence. The polluters scream at our presence. "Fuck, we need to go!" Hazel yells out. I collect myself and pick up the pony. "Screw the damn horse. We don't have time for heroics we go-" A giant ball launches towards us. It almost hits us by mere inches. I turn to see the liquid substance melt the stone wall behind us. "Let's go for the stairs!" Hazel screams towards a concrete set of them. I focus on my hand and create a small fire in it.

We run with screams and grunts on our tail. The stairs were in a veil of darkness. Hazel takes the lead forward. He arrives up the long staircase and waits at the end of them. "This way," he whispers as he enters a room. I follow him into the bare lit room. We scramble around and hide in the shadows. A mess of noises run by the door. We did not make a sound. I hear a creek in the silence. "Hey," Hazel calls out, "Get in this. I Got a plan."

"What?" I question him.

"You're gonna," He grabs me by my shoulders and guides me in with the other pony," hide in here." He helps me into a cupboard with pieces of office supplies in it. I went in with little space to move around in it. "I'm going to lead the polluters away. I don't know if I can come back. So, I need you to get out on your own."

"But, where will I find you?" I ask.

"Back at your place should be the best. I don't know if I'll get back there first or you. So be careful ok."

"Are you gonna be ok?" I whisper out.

"Course. There is a reason I wear this gross shit. Now sit tight. It's my turn to play hero."

"Thought you were trying to tell me there's no time for heroics though?" I joke.

"I guess I'm wasting time then," Hazel replies and cracks a smile. "Now, wait till I get back, and kill that spell. Remember, I'll meet you back at your place." I cease the spell and watch the brown doors turn black. The sound of hooves echoes away with the noise of more hooves and bare-feet after it. A small light breaches a crack in the door. It dims out, and my spot falls back into darkness.

I breathe out a sigh. A moan breaches the silence. I jerk up, and I look down at the pony. I guide my hand around to find the stallion's mask. I felt the cold mask and slide my hand underneath and grab his mouth; a viscous oil is around it. The cupboard is quiet for now, but that can't mean I'm safe. I look at the door, to crack in it. It can't be something you can fix. Maybe wit magic but that will make it glow. If something is watching me, then it loves to toy with me.

Not sure how long I've been in here. Not sure if it's safe, or if there is a beast at my door. I look down and sweep my hand across his body to see what else he has. I feel a set of wings on her back and some pouches with hard objects in them that I can't identify. I glide my hand to the backpack and move it to my front. I open it and feel through the pack. I grab a familiar object and withdraw it. The cold, metal object is a handgun, a revolver in fact.

I fumble around with it. I feel the hammer and move down its side for the release latch. I press it down, and a soft click goes off. The center magazine drops out. My hand slides across the magazine, and I feel bullets in it. I should be good if the shells work.

Questions bounce in my head. Will the gun work? Is there any sick left? Is it possible to carry this pony out? Is there a monster there? Patience is in itself a gamble, and your life will be the bet. The bet that we all take for every day, the bet that eventual lucks out, and the bet I will have to make to survive.

I slow my breath to a crawl. I open the door. My view is the same though with darkness in every corner. I gather the pony up above my arms and crawl forward. I drop to the floor, and I stand up.

The room is bigger to me than I thought. I take a step and count it. One, two, three. I reach out and feel the wall I place my hand try to use it as a guide. Four, five, six. The wall vanishes as I grab doorway to leave. Seven, eight, nine. I lift my hand to the darkness and dare to lite a fire. Ten, eleven, twelve.

I stop in my tracks. Steps go around me. I want to call out but I know I'd regret it. Though light, they made an impact. I count them. One, two, three. They pause for a second then continue. Four, five, six. I start to focus on my hand and warm up a fire. Seven, eight, nine. Fire bursts to life in my right palm and I have the gun in my left underneath the pony. Ten, eleven, twelve.

I stand still with the unknown danger in the dark. A warm sensation goes down my arms. Fuck, is that the ponies blood? My left hand becomes hot and slick as I maintain my grip on the gun. The pony moans again.

The beast yells out a bloody howl as he rushes out from the dark. I jump back, and the creature misses me. He runs into the night. I shoot into the abyss with a loud gasp from it. I brighten my fire to see a mare polluter on the floor. Black blood surrounds her chest. I look at the stairs and down them.

I run to the bottom and rush to my right towards the door. I kick it hard and walk outside. Bodies of the group earlier lay in their bloody mess. I hear one scream. I turn to the sight of a mare face down in the snow. A glider has his way with her. The grin on the glider's face grows broader with each thrust into the mare. He turns to me. His upper face is full of claw marks and deep wrinkles that covers his eyes. He motions me over with his index finger. I pull the trigger, and black blood pours out from the right side of his head.

"Miss?" I call out to the mare. She stands up and faces me. Her eyes bob out of her head. They raise high above her head. She sees me and smiles happily. It's too late for her. I turn the gun on her and shoot. A waterfall of yellow blood splashes from her throat steams up on the snow. Mucus runs out of her mouth and eye sockets as she lets out a gag and throws up a thick, clear liquid. She collapses down in the snow and smashes her face in the colorful pavement of entrails.

"Dapper!" I hear Hazel's voice call out. I turn to see him from the second story window of the apartment building. "I heard the gunshots; I was getting ready to run out. You ok?"

"I'm fine...but he isn't," I raise the pony in my arms up.

"Damn, I'm sorry. I'm coming down to help," Hazel vanishes out of sight. I jog to the front door and see Hazel run out. "You still doing this shit?" he asks.

"Yes. Now get this guy's feet. He's bleeding" He grabs the lower section, and we rush down the hall and up the stairs.

"Crap!" Hazel curses out, almost stubbles off the hole in the floor. I lower the pony, and I grab my key to the apartment. I unlock it and grab the pony's shoulders again. We barge into the living room and lay the pony down on the couch. I throw the backpack next to the couch and turn to Hazel.

"Hand me a knife mate," I command Hazel.

"Here," he hands over a large bowie knife. I take it and place it under the pony's shirt. "What are you doing?" Hazel questions.

"He's bleeding badly in the back. Gonna need to find the wound and try to heal it with a spell." I push the knife upwards and rip through the cloth shirt. I catch some of the armor. I grab the metal chest plate and rip it off. I look at his chest.

His chest is small and frail. Black oil coats his body along with the blood. However, what catches me off is his chest. His chest has two small breasts. The pony is a mare.

I grab her torso. The black fur is sticky and then in my grip. I flip her over and see a large gash going down her back. It also cuts her bra strap. I grab it and throw whats left of it across the room. I go back to the gash and see it travel past her pants.

"We have to remove her pants. I need you to get them off," I tell hazel. He walks behind her and grabs her waist. He pulls them off with a single pull. The gash travels down her left leg with veins, muscles, and small pieces of bone out of it. I raise my hands up and think the spell in my head. I try to focus on happy thoughts, dreams, and safety. Light gently lowers out of my hands and starts to mend the wound. Veins and muscles spaz out to find their old spots and stretch out to fill the space.

"Hey," Hazel calls out. I turn to see him with a small ham radio. About half his forearm length.

"Whoa, where did you get that?" I ask.

"From the backpack. Let us see what we can find, and get this pony out of our lives." Hazel puts the radio down on the coffee table and flips it on. It hums then puts out static. Hazel turns dials around on the small device. I look back at the mare.

"Not to be mean, but do you know how-"

"Please..." The radio pops out.

"Got, something. What are the chances?" Hazel points out. I finish the spell. A nasty scar t on her shoulder to her hip. I get up and join Hazel by the table.

"This is..." The radio speaks.

"Hello, can you hear us?" I reach out.

"Hello? Who is this?" A mare voice calls out.

"Dapper Rune. I'm a survivor on the east coast,"

"Dapper? Are you new to the group?

I look at Hazel who looks back with an eyebrow-raising look. "No," I reply. "What do you mean?"

"I'm using an enchanted radio to see new radios. You're using the same one the group I've been helping. Where's everyone else?" the mare asks.

"I don't know."

"Don't know? What happened to them?"

"They were attacked by skin gliders here at our location," Hazel answers.

"A skin glider? I'm not sure what that is, but I need to know if anypony made it out?" She asks.

"Not everypony. Some got away. We have a mare with us though," Hazel responds.

"Oh, sweet Luna. Look I'll try to get somepony there and get you two and the survivor."

"Whoa, we don't need an escort. Tell us where you're at, and we'll go to you?"

"Yakyakistan, up north from here."

"Yakyakistan, that's by the flesh pile," Hazel groans out.

"The what?" The mare asks.

"Look, how do we know we can even trust you."

"You can't. If it helps, my name is BonBon, I'm a candy maker in Ponyville, and I now work the radio to help others reach us. We're looking for healthy ponies that we need to build a better life. Ponies who are brave and generous. We need ponies like you. Please, help us." I pause on her words.

Can we honestly trust her? Is this place safe? Does Hazel know it well? It's a gamble outside of patience. Then again it's suicide out here. Supplies are here one day and gone the next. Fires can only start with magic. Ponies only steal and, from what Hazel says, eat each other if left without a choice. Sometimes, it's just an urge to eat each other now.

"We're at Fillydelphia. Apartment building 534. Get somepony out here."

"Dapper, are you insane!?" Hazel yells at me.

"Thank you, so much. I'll try to get somepony from the other group to come back."BonBon informs.

"Dapper, Staying in one location, with a big group of ponies, has never worked. They're a platter of food for any infected, especially those in the flesh pile. Only those who hide will survive. Please don't do this," Hazel pleads.

"The flesh pile?" I slip out.

"They weren't the first to go up north or south. My old group calls it that cause that is where everypony goes, were every sickened beast goes, were about everypony has died at."

"Please, sir. Trust us. Trust me. It's safe."

"We're dying here anyway Hazel. You know better than me that Fillydelphia is no longer safe, and we are out of supplies." I argue. He gets up and looks out the window. Silence hangs in the air.

"My names Hazel by the way BonBon. I'll come along." Hazel agrees. "Not gonna like it though."

"Thank you. Before I go, can you accurately describe who the pony is?"BonBon asks," I need to know at least what survivor you have now."

It takes me a minute to understand the request. We never actually see the ponies face yet. I walk over to the mare on the couch and roll the mare over on her back. I grab the mare's helmet and lift it up.

I'm speechless. It's hard to accept, but she's there. I know her face, I feel most do cause you couldn't escape her from the news. She had others by her side at the time, but I know her face under that grease well enough.

Her face is small with a tiny nose to boot. She also has some of the black oil on her face as well. She has a long mane and tail that she has in a bun. I undo it and lay her hair on the couch's armrest.

Her long mane, her petite body, that cute face with gorgeous blue eyes, her name is.... "We have a legend on our couch," I reply, "We have Fluttershy."

Chapter 4: Safety in Silence

Author's Note

Sorry, it took so long. College doesn't allow you a good chance to do much anymore. Still, I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think.

Chapter 4: Safety in Silence

In this world, food is our gold. Though unlike the precious metal, food is a consumable that we need to survive. Guess that's why I don't feel as bad for searching through Fluttershy's bags.

Not the worst thing we did. I'm not sure why Fluttershy has that gunk on her, but we remove it. We wash her up in the tub we have in the apartment. Hazel and I felt uncomfortable through the entire time. Moving her about, we clean her hooves, then legs, then her "privates," her torso, and her face. Her light pink mane and tail along with her soft yellow fur that glows at the moonlight. We agree to keep quiet about it from her if she wakes up.

From what we can tell Fluttershy is still alive but is unconscious. Most likely she has a concussion from the fall. There's nothing that can we do though. A minor healing spell can't fix brain damage. We can only wait.

I keep going around her bag for any morsel of food. So far a few cans of nuts, some apples, a canteen of water, and some seeds that look like pumpkin seeds. The food here isn't enough though. She was in a big group, but this is just a nights worth of food, maybe a day if we ration. However, there's two of us with a third out of commission. I fumble around and stumble across a round disk.

I pull it out to the light. It's a small mirror for makeup. I pop it open and see myself... for the first time in two years. I see a crimson red stallion with a messy white mane that falls loosely on the right side of my head. I pull it down and pull some of the oil off my mane. My green eyes are bloodshot with bags around them. I have a big beard and mustache that runs halfway down my neck. I never see myself with a beard and mustache, so it is an odd thing to see on myself.

A soft knock comes from the door. I stand up and open the door to a crack. Hazel, waits out in the hall. I open the door.
Hazel walks in with a bunch of snow on him.

"Hey," He greets me. "How's Flutter doing?"

"Stable, from what I can tell," I reply "but I'm no doctor either." I walk back to the floor next to Fluttershy on a makeshift bed of blankets and pillows. She's still nude from the bath, and we can't mess with the bandages either. I'll most likely lend her some of my clothes when she gets up. "She doesn't have much in the way of supplies though," I go on as I turn to Hazel

"Damn, that's a bit depressing for us," he states.

"Yeah, though she still has some other stuff. Bit of ammo for the magnum, some fire starters, and water purifiers."

"Good, but we need some better supplies," He chuckles a bit, "Guess it's good that I found something."

"What is It?" I ask in wonder.

"The old school down south of here has a big chain on it. So no one has gone in it. We can break in it but the building used to be under quarantine." He continues.

"Ok. How's a school supposed to help us?" I question.

"Well....like I said, it's under quarantine. But the infected swarmed and never let anyone out. So, Equestria forces never left. So we stroll in, take the goods that they haven't used and head on out."

"You son of a bitch man. That's awesome!" I congratulate, "Yet..." I turn to look at Fluttershy laying down on the floor.

"So...one of us will have to stay here then," he assumes.

"How should we decide?" I ask.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" I nod in agreement. We pound our hands on our palms. One. Two. Three. We release our choice. I play scissors; he did rock.

"Alright, I'll go," I volunteer. "Just watch Fluttershy, alright."

"Fine. You stay safe ok," Hazel finishes. I grab my onesie, my jacket, my mask, my boots, and some of Fluttershy's armor. I open the door and look back inside. "Good luck and take some of these," Hazel hands me a few bullets. "It's not safe to go alone. Take this." He smiles a bit under his mask. I smirk back at him and give him the finger.

I walk through the streets with the cold wind at my back again. It tears through my layers of clothes like butter. I duck in and out of buildings to avoid the fliers. I walk to a large field with a flea market down by a small beach.

The beach is solid ice, has been for quite some time. Corpses of ponies frozen on the top almost like bobbers on rods. Their skin shrinks down and wraps so tight you can see their bones. Tufts of fur were still on their bodies that protrude out of the ice. It makes my stomach flop around at the display.

A howl rages into the night sky and pulls me away from the graveyard. I duck down low to the ground. I look over a patch of snow. I a group of dogs hovers over a dead body stiff in his icy tomb. They lash out with giant tongues with blades against the body's bare skin. Their mouths split art at their jaws, and tentacles lower out. I raise up and see teeth on the end of rotting gums. They devour the corpse in seconds. My heart sinks as the dogs start to head for the shoreline.

I crouch down with my knees at the snow's surface and make my way to the to the flea market. I sneak in without a sound and close the glass door behind me. I turn around and wait for my eyes to adjust to the dark room. I start to wish I didn't come in here. A collection of bodies litter the dark room in the market. The sick were all over the place, they fuck, and eat, whatever so much as twitches. The group closest to me catches my attention first.

They were two stallions in the middle of sex on a plastic table. The top stallion pounds away at the other one who's laying on their back. The dominant pony's penis is a maze of blades, needles, and all sorts of horror. He mutilates his partner's ass with a devious smile on his face. The partner starts to laugh in a high pitch tone. They lock lips before the dominant beast tears out a tooth and crushes it in his mouth.

I dove under the entrance counter next to the store. My head spins to the awful smell of sweat, decay, and piss. I peer back out the glass door and see the dogs at the shore. I can't go back out yet. I look back inside to see if somepony sees me and watch the carnage continue.

A threesome between two stallions and mare starts up in the middle. The animals drink blood from the mare's breasts. They cut into them with hook teeth and suck out what all they can get. I didn't watch it for long and look to the next group. Two mares rip their lips off with each kiss they have together. Teeth and bone with blood down to their torn up clothes. The next couple is a mare and stallion who nibble on each other's fingers and toes. They make it to the bone and crush it in their hands or mouth.

Oh, Celestia. They never get old with their love of violence. When I see them, I fear what will I turn out to be if I were sick. Celestia came to my mind. Please Celestia, Luna, Cadence and other alicorns, please be dead. The idea of minny gods with the intent of death on their mind. Makes me shutter

I look out to see the dogs again, then look at the market. I know an old stallion starts to fuck a small filly with semen all over her. The filly's legs were eaten away by acid that scars her thighs. The elder animal turns around towards me, and I see part of a foot in his jaw. Please, kill the filly, she giggles at the pain, but she needs to die in peace.

I check the other side of the market to see a beauty pageant by the looks of it. A mare walks up to a group of stallions who wolf whistle in her direction. The mare's clothes are brown, raggy, and lose her. Her stomach is open with the entrails around her neck like a scarf. She flicks a flap of skin sewen on the top of her head. The flap is big enough to conceal her mane, might even try to replace it.

I look down to the floor and see myself in the shiny pink. I start to bounce old memories around in my head as I wait for this to end.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Good morning," the pony in the suit greets me. "You must be Dapper?"

"That I am sir," I reply.

"Good to meet you. Please come in," the suit motions me in with his hand. His office is clean and tidy without a drop of dust in it. The wallpaper resembles fireworks at a night sky. His desk has several stacks of paper on it with little desk items on it. He has a cube of small magnets, a bird that sips in a cup, and some regular office supplies like staples, pens, and paperclips. A large computer with a mechanical keyboard and a thin monitor takes up the majority of his desk,

"My name is Mr. Volt by the way," he states as he extends his hand out for a handshake. I shake his hand and feel how soft it is. A pony's handshake can tell you a lot about them. "Thanks for coming," Volt stops his handshake, "have a seat he tells me as he points to a comfy wooden chair in front of his glossy wooden desk.

Volt's appearance catches anypony's eye. He wears a bright, blue suit with a black shirt and an orange tie to strike out. His fur is a silky white that shimmers in the light. He has a yellow mane with black bolts down it. His tail is the same except he has it in a braid. He sports a pair of thick, black glasses that conceals orange eyes. "So your name is Dapper Rune, correct?"

I gulp, "I am, Mr.Volt. I'm here for the spell crafter job," I state.

"I know," he declares. He slides the keyboard in front of him and starts to type. "You graduated from Canterlot University, you grew up right here in Fillydelphia, and you've developed quite the reputation for blowing up part of your dorm that left a foul smell for the year."

"They have that on my records?" I ask.

"Yes, but I won't hold that against you for your interview. In fact, I love to see all kinds of craziness in my employees. It shows whether or not they have creativity in their work. So, Dapper, I ask you this. What exactly can you bring to Delta Scroll Incorporation?" he finishes with a wide grin.

My mouth dries up. I worry if Volt can see me sweat in my polo. "I know... I know I can help bring what this company needs to profit," I declare. "I have the skills and endurance to craft exquisite spells that can shape and change the world for the better. I know that you are looking at the future of the company. Right here in front of you."

"So you say," he judges me. Volt grabs a pencil and twirls it between his fingers. "Follow me Mr. Rune." He stands up and proceeds to his door. He opens it to a large room of desks all in rows. Each desk a pony writes away on scrolls or paper with elegant shapes and runes. I follow Volt out into the corridor. He goes to the first desk on his left and grabs a paper. He turns back and hands me the paper. "Show me," he whispers.

I'm not sure what to write. I'll try a simple fire scroll, ones that pony's use in self-defense. I place the paper on the desk and sketch a fireball on it with a pentagram behind. I roll the paper up and raise it in the air. I focus on it and unleash a stream of fire into the air. The entire room looks at me. "Too simple," Volt states, "Show me something with a bit more oomph."

"Ok," I reply. I grab another paper and sketch away. My professor doesn't like this, but this will impress Volt. I sketch a stinger of a scorpion and draw a tree behind it. I aim it low to the ground and focus. The ground shakes and ripples across the floor. Dust flies around and forms bone.Muscles, skin, and fur grow out from the joints and nooks of the skeleton. A massive mane of hair forms around the skeletons head and stands tall above anypony else. A manticore forms all the way and looks every pony in the eye. "Oh, my Celestia," Volt gasps. "Did you make it bound also?"

"Yes," I reply with a grin.

"Well, you are our future kid," He lowers his hand and grabs mine up. "Welcome, to Delta Scrolls inc. I have work I have to do, but you start Wednesday, you hear?"

"I hear."

"Great." He walks back to his office and closes the door. I look at the manticore who sits by for a command. I rip up the scroll, and he decays away to a pile of ash. Whispers gather around me as pony's aww and praise. I walk down the middle aisle. I pull the door open and feel the sun on my fur. This place isn't the main building for Delta Scroll's, but it's a decent manufacturer for them.

I reach into my pocket and pull my touch screen phone out. I dial away as I watch for a cab. I hear the ringer once. "Hello?" Dahlia picks up.

"Dahlia. It's Dapper. I got the job."

"That's awesome to hear. Now we can have two things to celebrate tonight. I'm still at my parent's place, are you at Fillydelphia?"

"I am. I'll be there soon. I love you."

"Same. See you here." She hangs up.

I wait a bit and see a taxi. I whistle hard, and the cab stops by me. I open the back and hop in. "Where to?" The driver asks.

"Outskirts of Fillydelphia. 745, Bubbly lane."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I open my eyes to the dark. There is no noise, or life, or any violence around. The group isn't her; they run off as I sleep. I look out the door and see the dogs litter all across the beach. They are dead with large gashes and bite marks on them. Damn. I open the door and move down south.

I see the school up ahead and see the chain on the door. A noise breaks my concentration. I look up to see a flyer of some over my head. It doesn't appear to be a skin glider, but it doesn't mean it's not a creature or sicky. I approach the door and wave a fire across the chain. It breaks with a small click that makes me smile.

I open the door to see the empty halls of the once marvelous school. I draw my magnum out and tiptoe in.

The floors were under heavy snow with a thick ice layer on top. The roof is about to fall apart by the looks of it with beams and wire that stick out. A cold chill travels down my back at the walls. The white walls have blood on them with small bodies against them. I go across the hall and kneel down to them. They each have a bullet hole in their head. Have mercy.

I hear a crack in the ice. I jump back up towards the sound. I see Mr. Volt in the middle of the hall. He smiles at me and waves. "Hey, Kiddo." He greets. He walks up to the wall and up towards the second story.

The hell is that thing. I hope it isn't one of those tormentors that Hazel warns me about sometimes. I see a pair of stairs in that leads up. I walk over to them and ascend.

At the top, the snow isn't as bad. The floor has tiles of blue rectangles. However, more colts and fillies line up against the wall. I try a door. Lock. I go to the next one. Lock. The following. Lock. I grab the fourth door and push it open.

It's a massive classroom with desks around the middle of it. The room has a large hole in it that snow pours into without a care. I open the door all the way and ready my gun. Empty by the looks of it. I walk in and see a duffle bag on the floor.I approach it and scan the room again. Empty still.

I unzip it and see a mountain of food in it. Seeds, fruit, vegetables of several varieties in it. Thank Celestia. I reach down for it. However, how is a bag of fresh food still out here anyway? My question doesn't take long to solve as I hear the click of a gun behind me.

Chapter 5: Stalker

A pair of brown eyes meets mine as I turn. The eyes can't see to stay focus on mine. They move around the room and never stay at one place for very long. They look into my eyes and follow the chamber again.

The eyes belong to a young male griffin, only a kid by the looks of it. His face is dirty with snow-white feathers and a dark brown beak. His clothes neat with no rips or tears and looks warm. He wears grey cargo pants, a black, puffy jacket with the zipper up to his neck, and dark brown boots that have a piece of metal at the tips. He holds a black pistol that's bigger than his forearm, and he can't keep it steady in his white hands.

We look at each other for some time almost like neither one of us knows what to do. "Well?" the young griffin speaks, "put your hands up." I slide my pistol, out of his view, and into my jacket and turn around with my hands up. The griffin takes a few steps back. "What are you doing here?" he asks in a deep voice.

"Just doing a supply run," I reply, "Not here to cause any problems."

"That's bullshit," He yells. "You're here to steal my food. I need that food. It's all I have."

"I know. I know," I try to calm him. "Food is always outstanding. It's why I'm out here."

"Yeah, and you saw me outside as some easy target, didn't you?"

"I didn't say-"

"I can kill you right now!" He screams. "You can't have this food. It's mine! I need it!"

"Ok. Ok." I whisper. "I'm not gonna steal, and I can just go back outside. I don't think you want to kill me either, and I won't force you to." I take a few steps back and move to the door.

"I can't let you go," he states. My heart travels into my throat. "There's ghosts around here."

I blink a few times. "Ghosts?" I ask.

"You must have seen them. They look like griffins you know."

Volt downstairs must be one of these 'ghosts.' "Yeah, I saw one. It ran up here. So I was looking for him."

"Don't. It'll rip you apart," he explains. "I don't know you mister, but I need to survive until my cousin finds me. She can give you some stuff."

I repeat his words over and look into his eyes again. They bounce around again and never stay put. I've seen the fear in a pony's eyes before, but I'm not sure what to say to him. "Yeah, I'll stay. Just put the gun away, alright."

"No. I want to keep it out." His eyes settle down, and he relaxes. "Petri by the way." I look at him and squint. "That's my name."

"Ah. My names Dapper." Petri smiles at me.

"Nice," He approves, "It makes you sound neat."

"Thanks," I reply. I lower my hands down. Petri watches me without a disproval. He holds the gun at his side. "You think we can get your cousin's attention by shooting that."

"Shit no. It will attract all kinds of freaks," Petri protests.

"Good point," I agree. I sit down across from Petri, and he does the same. He looks up often at the door and checks his ammo quite a bit. He lowers the mag out. It falls between his fingers and hits the floor.

"Shit," he curses. It slides to me. I pick it up from the ground. A small noise stops me half-way. "Hey, you fucker give it-"

"Shh," I interrupt, "You hear that."

"Yeah, you." Petri stands up and smacks the magazine away from me. He walks back to his seat on the ground. He stops as the noise goes off again. "I hear something too."

"Stand still. Don't move till I tell you," I command.

"What makes you think I'll-"

"Shut up," I demand. The noise stops. We wait for it again. We wait, and wait, and wait. "Hide somewhere, I'll check outside." I walk to the glass door and focus my vision. The wall opens up as I look through it with an x-ray spell. Nothing is there.

I end the spell and look back at Petri. He aims his gun up. "Duck!" he screams. A massive explosion erupts behind me. It shakes the floor. I jump down to my left and hear a loud bang. My ears ring with a sharp pain. I turn to the door and see a giant fist that takes up most of the doorway. It has no skin and has bloody muscles with joints of his bone that protrude out with veins on top of them.

The fist jerks back and vanishes into the hall. A shimmer goes to the lockers. "The fuck was that?" Petri asks.

"Don't know," I reply, "That's something new for me." The creature must be larger than a car from the size of his arm. That's impossible. I would see it with the spell. So does this thing cloak. It's not new from what I hear but nothing this significant has done it, yet this can. "We need to go," I tell Petri.

"Not without my cousin!" He demands.

"That's suicide," I tell Petri, "I don't know what that thing is. We got to go!"

"NO!" Petri protests. I can't let this kid kill himself. I grab his pistol with my magic and pull it towards me. The pistol levitates to me. I catch it in mid-air and tuck it into my jacket. "FUCK YOU!" Petri screams.

"Sorry Petri, but I'm not going to let you die." I rush to him and grab his torso. I toss him on my left shoulder. He kicks and screams to get away.

The hall is a mess of rumble and imprints in the tiles. I rush to the same stairs, same ones I came up from before, to my left. The rail is a mess of destruction down the middle of the stairs. A bang erupts at the bottom of the stairs. I get to the end and see the front doors contort under my skin. The beast turns to me after he finishes.

He has no skin on any part of his body. He crawls on all fours with muscular arms and pointy muscles for fingers. Bones stand tall around the beast with veins around them. He doesn't have a head or neck, but he has eyes with a bright blue glow and a mouth that has a jungle of teeth. His eyes pop out on the surface of his muscles and start to scan the room. He never has his eyes sink, which gives him the appearance of a chameleon.

He looks at me and drags his tongue on the sharp points of his teeth. He rushes me. I draw Petri's pistol. I shoot a round into his mouth. He stops and cries out. I unload another one into his eye. He disappears from my sight right in front of me. I steady the pistol. A massive hole breaches through to the second floor.

"What's happening?" Petri asks still on my shoulder. I lay him down and hand him his pistol.

"We're dealing with a beast that can camouflage," I state, "I don't know how to handle this so we'll have to find another way out."

"I won't go..." Petri protests.

"PETRI! We don't know what to expect from this thing. We have to get out of here."

"I won't leave," Petri fiddles around in his jacket and pulls out a bright red gun with a wide barrel. "I didn't want to risk using this, but if she's alive. She'll see it. If you want to go, fine. Go. I don't care."

"Petri..." I stop. If she is alive, there is no way she'll miss a flare. However, that bright red star in the sky will get every single infected out at our front door. I can't leave him either. Fuck me. FUCK ME! "I'll help let's get to that hole in that room you were in earlier. We can fire it there. May get my buddy out here too."

"Ok," Petri agrees.

We run back up the stairs as the cold nips at us. The halls have a bloody decore with the dead bodies strewn throughout like confetti. Did he eat some of them? This mess is a whole new level of crazy. I turn to look at Petri. Where did he go?

A bang rings out through the halls. A bright light fills the area with red and vanishes soon after. A shimmer goes across the corridor. I withdraw my pistol from my jacket and aim down the sights. Petri comes into my peripherals. I look back down the halls. I shift my feet to get ready to run.

Petri screams I turn and see him fly back. He slams against the wall with a thud. A shimmer rushes at me. A sharp pain rises from my stomach. The ground escapes my feet as I rise into the air. It rushes back to me as my face slams into the icy surface.

I raise the gun up and shoot at the shimmer. A groan erupts from empty air. Pain fills my head as my face smashes down into the ice again. The shimmer raises up. I roll away and watch the ice crater around emptiness. I fire another shot. Red blood gushes out and hits the snow.

The beast unveils itself. His right eye bulges and spits out blood. He raises a nasty fist and smashes my hands. My gun flys across the hall. I channel heat in my hands. I stop as I look at my hands and see my left hand break in pieces, my fingers contort under my skin, and turns purple enough to see under my fur.

Pain smacks me in the face, and I lose the ground again. I land on something hard with and it reacts with a grunt. I look at the person. Its a griffin but not Petri. Who the hell is this female one? She's buxom with a small head of grey feathers. Her bright yellow beak and blue eyes almost glow in the night. "Can you get off me, please?" she asks in a kind voice.

"Sorry." I apologize and roll off her. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Gabby," She announces in a happy tone, "and I'm here for Petri, but guess I came in time for a fight as well." She wears the same armor that Fluttershy was in earlier. Must be in the same group. She wields a semi-auto rifle with a wooden grip and a silvery metal.

She unleashes a barrage of bullets into the chameleon. I charge a firebolt in my right hand and throw it alongside Gabby's gunfire. She shoots like a real marksman as she lands each shot into the creatures. The beast trap at a dead end can only cower as he accepts the abuse of pain.

"Reloading," Gabby calls out. She lowers her gun and reaches her hand into her pocket. The beast sees this and charges down the hall. I concentrate cold and throw an ice shard into his eye. It rips the eye all the way off, but the chameleon ignores it. He stretches his arms to each side of the hall and takes up the majority of the space.

He knocks both of us to the floor. I land on my left hand. The pain travels up my arm and down my back. I roll over and see the stairs. I turn back and see Gabby in the corner with Petri. They were stuck in there by the Chameleon.

I want to run from this. To forget this day but.....Fuck Me! I channel cold in my hand and charge the lizard. I plunge an ice shard underneath his stomach. He groans and a sharp travels up my left foot. I stay firm in my stance. A loud bang goes off, and the mighty titan falls with his entrails across the ice and tiles.

Everyone breathes hard and quick. "HOOOORRRAAAYYY!" Gabby cheers. She reaches for my right hand and shakes it in a rapid motion. My entire body shakes in the motion as my arm travels up and down. "I have no idea how glad I am that you found my little Petri."

"Cuz. I'm not fucking little," Petri complains.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't help it. Now, mister, you need help with your hand?" she offers to me. "I know quite the variety of healing and medication and-"

"Just get me something to bite on," I interrupt her. She scours through her pockets and pulls out a washcloth.

"You sure you don't need any help?" She asks again.

"No need I know a healing spell." I bite down on the cloth and start the spell up. My entire hand feels on fire as bones move and stretch the skin. A sharp edge of one dances across my palms as it wiggles into place. I hand swells but its all good now. My teeth hurt as I remove the cloth away.

"Excuse me, sir?" Gabby starts up. "Can I ask you some questions?"

I grab my jaw and massage it. "Sure, what it is?"

"Well, I'm quite curious what your name is? That and if you've seen my group?"

"Dappers my name. Your group the one with the heavy metal armor and heavy weapons?"

"Exactly like that. I need to find them again."

"I think one is coming back to get us. According to a mare named BonBon on your radio."

"Yes. That's perfect." She cheers. She must be the party girl for her enthusiasm. "One more thing."

"Hmm?" I moan out.

"We need a place to stay till then. You have one near here?"

I know Hazel will be mad, but I can't say no to an energetic and useful person. She screams kindness and teamwork to levels beyond what I try to do. How can I refuse her?

Chapter 6: Reflections and Revelations

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