As I staggered around the town I noticed the rest of the undead were either feasting on the dead or just swaying in place. It was almost as if they'd been turned off or something. Whatever. I need information. I moved around town, checking each building until I came to a tree...building. From the massive amount of books inside I deduced it was a library and made my way in. From there it was a simple matter of reading some books. 'Land of Equestria...Sisters whom raised the sun and moon...Three pony tribes...Magic...Thousandth year stars will aid in her escape...Nightmare Moon...Princess Luna returned after one thousand years...Canterlot City...Princess Celestia.'

I shook my head. That explained a lot, the white bitch has a name now. Celestia. Okay, knowledge gained, now to slaughter every last one of these ponies.

I shook my head, no. No, damn it! I took a deep breath, I had to clear my head. Why the hell was my first thought always murder?! Was it because I was a zombie freak?! No. I need to stop, step back. Ever since I found myself in this world I'd been rushing through things. I need to slow down and try and figure things out. I needed to think things through.

I sat down in a nearby chair and propped my gun up nearby. I needed to sort some things out, and there was no better way of organising your thoughts then out loud. "Okay. I'm on a different planet, my gun's real now. I'm able to shoot like a trained marksman, despite never using a gun before. I can kill easily, I've died and then come back after an indeterminate amount of years...and I can point other undead in a certain direction but not control them, killed some innocent people who were just defending themselves and felt like I was doing the right thing." I shook my head, "Something's wrong with this entire picture." The existence of magic didn't even phase me, I mean, I'm a walking corpse, that isn't normal.

The main question was how could I do these things? Shoot expertly and point the dead? I shook my head, focusing. No! That's important, but the first question is why did I feel like I was doing the right thing by slaughtering everyone in this place?! That isn't right! What was going on with me?! I had no answers, not a single book had anything on the dead rising, for all intents and purposes, until yesterday, zombies were as fake here as at home! So why?! Why am I alive?! I need to know! Am I just one of nature's sick jokes, or...fuck it. If I find out I find out. Got to keep my head down and just survive to the next day. Those ponies will want their town back.

I decided to scavenge for supplies, maybe I could use something. I wandered the town eventually stopping by some sort of...I didn't even know what to call it. But it was mostly pink and round, and it was some sort of clothing shop. Figuring that I might be able to find something to make some straps for the gun, I think I read somewhere it was called a sling, I entered and started rooting through the drawers. It wasn't quick. By the time I had finally found something of use the sun was setting. Luckily it seemed the place had some oil lanterns laying about. It was about the only piece of luck I had, the makeshift sling weren't long enough and I had to find some more material, then I had to combine them and I had no idea how to use a sewing machine. More by luck then skill I managed to get the result I wanted, what should have been half an hour's work, in just under three hours. It wasn't pretty, but it worked.

As I left the building I no longer had to constantly hold the gun, and it seemed my muscles had recovered enough for me to walk like a normal human again. I decided to wander the town, getting a feel for it, I first decided to explore the farms over by the edge of the forest. When I got there I saw that they had been forced to abandon their meal, a single zombie lay by the front door, head caved in. Inside I found a table with a pie, how long had it been since I last had a home cooked meal? Even before this whole mess it must have been years. I had survived off of the cheapest brand instant noodles I could get, with the occasional reduced piece of meat.

I shook those thoughts out of my head, I had to stop thinking of the past. I had to give up on my friends, my family. There was no way I was ever going to see them again, even if there was a way home. I had to abandon hope, or I might even start think that I might see Joel again. I looked to the ground. I couldn't even cry anymore. I couldn't ever let hope into my heart again. It was a disease, what good would hope do now?! But I couldn't just forget him, he was the closest thing I had to a brother, god fucking damn it! I kicked a chair away and threw the table to the floor, plates shattering as they hit the floor. It wasn't fucking fair! Why did this happen?! What did I do to deserve this?!

I just wanted my family back.

I lay on the ground, crying, tearlessly. I was a mess. This is what hope does to you.

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By the time I made it back to town, calm once more, the sun was starting to rise. Then the undead stirred. I felt it in my bones, feeling like I should go over the centre of town. Before I knew it I was there in a crowd, waiting. Waiting for something.

Then he appeared.

A unicorn covered in a cloak decorated in skulls, real or fake I couldn't tell, a sickly green aura surrounding him, his eyes a solid mass of the same glowing green energy, some sort of old, decrepit crown sat on top of his head, what little fur that showed was a sickly white and his mane as black as a raven.

I waited for the zombies to tear him apart. And they didn't.

A hoarse laugh came from him, "Excellent. My minions, you have done your part expertly." Minions? "And they said a Necromancer was nothing! I showed them. Now for the rest. Go!" He flung out a leg dramatically, "Take Canterlot. Kill them all. Oh," He looked over to us with a twisted grin, "And when you come across Celestia, those of you with functioning parts left...rape her student and sister in front of her before you turn her into my slave."

What?! Killing the bitch who murdered me was one thing, but...that?! No, that's just wrong! I refuse! I won't attack!

But protest all I might, I found myself walking towards the mountain in the distance. Finding myself savouring the moments until I could slaughter some innocent. I shook the thoughts out of my head. Why was I thinking that? Was it to do with that Necromancer? Either way, I couldn't fight him if he could just bend me to his will! I...had to go along with his plan. But if his plan means killing off all life, what the hell me I meant to do? I looked up to the mountain city. Guess I had to take it slow. One day at a time. Maybe something will show up.

In the end it was like Joel had always said: I had to hold onto hope.

Author's Note

I understand that these chapters seem rushed. That's intentional. My protagonist has had barely enough to even think to himself. Don't worry though, things will slow down and the chapter will be getting longer.