Vacation

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"Flight 556 US to Honolulu will be landing shortly. Please make sure your seatbelts are fastened, and remain seated until the plane comes to a complete stop. We hope you enjoy your stay," a voice announced through the plane's PA system. The people crowding the aisle hastily returned to their seats, some quickly exchanging phone numbers or sharing a laugh before seating themselves.

Ahh, Hawaii... This is gonna be the tits, one passenger by the name of Dee thought to himself as he buckled back into his seat. Holding his backpack close to his chest, he looked out the window and into the cloudy skies as the plane slowly began its descent. He could just barely make out the islands in the distance. Huh... don't remember them lookin' like that, he mused, adjusting his jacket briefly as his mind recalled the area of Honolulu. The most distinct feature he recalled from his google search was the Diamond Head volcanic cone off to the south end of the island, a notable tourist spot on the island. Eh, probably just crap sleep or something fuckin' with my brain. He settled into a more comfortable position.

Here he was: sitting on a flight to Honolulu, eager to get some epic things done. Have some fun in the sun, see the sights, try some of the food, meet some girls and hopefully have a grand old time. He had only taken a few things with him—some spare clothes and such, nothing more. He never thought he would actually win such a lottery. It was through sheer luck that he did, though it did make him wonder what he had done to earn such luck. Regardless, he was going to use the week long vacation to have as much fun as humanly possible.

No need to go too crazy though... just fun enough. He nodded his head, chuckling slightly as he looked out the window once more. A thump next to him drew his attention, and he saw the man in the next seat over had finally returned. The older fellow was rather sickly looking, with pale skin and bloodshot eyes.

"Hey man, you alright?" Dee questioned him, looking slightly worried. Jeez, I hope he's not sick. Knowing my luck, I'll catch it and end up spending the entire week in a hospital bed.

The man nodded, waving his hand in an I'm fine manner, "Y-yes, I'm just... This plane is making me sick to my stomach."

"Ahh, motion sickness?" Dee summarized, receiving a nod as an answer. "Well, we're gonna land soon, so just hang in there, yeah?"

The man nodded again, buckling himself in and sighing heavily as he dabbed his face with a handkerchief. Dee just sat back in his own seat, idly scooching over to the left further away from the man. While he was polite, he didn't feel like catching some flu bug and ruining his vacation. It better just be motion sickness, or I’m gonna be fuckin’ pissed.

Eyes flicking back to the window, Dee saw the island closing in. He could make out a rather large building in the distance a few miles inland. It was probably the hotel, with a large area of bungalows and snaking roadways leading down from it to a huge beach with even more bungalows built out onto the water.

Dee suddenly grew nervous. This definitely didn't look like Honolulu.

He thought they were flying to the city proper, but they were instead angled toward a rather large, isolated airport.

It was strange... very strange. Might be another part of Honolulu? I honestly have no idea... he hummed as the man next to him coughed again.

Little did he know, several of the passengers were coughing.

And one of them... one of them had stopped breathing.

ooo000---000ooo

"We're beginning our descent mares and gentlecolts! Please make sure to have all of your luggage with you as we make port," a mare announced from the helm while everyone aboard the airship prepared to disembark.

"Man, this is gonna be one awesome vacation!" Rainbow chuckled to herself as she stood up from her bed. She grabbed her backpack before looking out through the window to see the island closing in. She could just barely make out its shape in the distance, and she grew more excited the closer the ship got. She swiftly threw her pack over her back before doing a quick search to make sure she didn't leave anything like the last time she took a trip.

She did find the dragonfire candle Twilight had given her, and picked it up. She smirked and shoved it into her backpack, quite the handy little magical artifact it was, allowing her to send letters even from so far away.

I should send Soarin a letter when I get the chance. Maybe he can come visit whenever he gets some leave. She grinned at the thought. Have some fun in the sun with him… she allowed herself a brief dreamy grin.

When she had finished gathering up her belongings, she moved out of the room and walked down the hall leading to the deck as other ponies got around to gathering up their things, all sounding just as excited and happy to be there as she felt.

A sigh escaped her as she recalled how she ended up there.

Another day of saving Equestria had left Rainbow exhausted and ready to sleep away the rest of the month. She and her friends had taken care of a friendship problem in Manehattan... again. And right after they were done, they were called by the police to help deal with a second problem. Another Bugbear had somehow crossed over into Equestria and was terrorizing small towns in search of food. They were able to handle it rather efficiently, of course—being an Element of Harmony didn't mean she was a slacker. She knew how to handle big situations, especially with Twilight leading them. Pinkie's party cannon helped out a lot, too.

After dealing with the Bugbear, another friendship problem appeared. Honestly, it was the most work they’d ever done in only a few days, and they were all tuckered out. They all decided they needed a break after that business, each one splitting off to engage in their own form of relaxation.

Fluttershy holed up in her cottage, deciding to do some reading and take care of her animals. Really, not much changed on that front.

Twilight took up refuge in her castle with... well, her books. And Spike.

Applejack decided to visit Braeburn over in Appaloosa for a week, leaving the farm in Pinkie and Big Mac's hooves for the time being.

Rarity left her boutique and took Sweetie Belle to go visit her family and spend the weekend with them away from it all, probably going to the spa like she always did.

As for Rainbow Dash...

Well, she had been given a round trip ticket to Haywaii to spend the next week out in the hot sun, playing on the beach, or just napping away in the five-star hotel room she had scored thanks to Twilight paying for the whole trip. All Rainbow had to do was shove a few extra clothes into her backpack and set out for the airport in Canterlot. It was a straight shot to Haywaii from there.

It was a long trip, and along the way she noticed several familiar faces on board. She immediately saw Derpy and her daughter Dinky when she first boarded the airship. Apparently, Derpy was taking Dinky on a trip to Haywaii for her eighteenth birthday. It was sweet, and Rainbow wished them a good time.

Next on the list was a favorite duo of hers: her best friend Lyra Heartstrings and club sensation DJ-PON3, otherwise known as Vinyl Scratch. Rainbow often saw them at Pinkie's parties and they got along quite well, so seeing that they were heading to Haywaii was an awesome treat. During her conversation with Vinyl however, Rainbow learned her sign language was just a tad bit rusty. She made a mental note to brush up on her skills once they landed, promising herself she’d have it mastered in ten minutes flat.

And... possibly the oddest pairing she had seen on the ship were the Pie Sisters; Marble and Limestone. The only mare that was more shy than Fluttershy, and the heavy hitting protector of the Pie Farm. Needless to say, she hadn't expected either to be on the airship, let alone heading to Haywaii of all places. After having a brief greeting with both over lunch and inquiring as to why they were on the ship in the first place, Rainbow learned they had gone to the “Choosing Stone” and it pointed them in the direction of Haywaii. Oddly enough, both of them were directed to the same potential... mate.

She left them in peace after that, as both of the mares were having a bit of trouble trying to take everything in.

So here she was. On an airship with some friends headed to Haywaii for a week of sun-filled excitement. I should go surfing when I get the chance, she noted, wondering how many sick waves she could rip apart with her 120% guaranteed awesome.

Upon arriving on the deck of the airship, the rainbow-maned mare quickly made haste towards the bow to watch the island close in. She was excited, incredibly so. She had never been to Haywaii before, so being able to go like this was like winning the lottery. Her heart pounded in her chest, her body shook with anticipation, and her eyes couldn't tear themselves away from the clouds disappearing in front of the ship.

"Woah, jeez, calm down some, Dashie~" Lyra's lyrical voice teased from beside her. Rainbow managed to rip her eyes away to see Lyra standing next to her clad in her usual outfit, a black hoodie and jeans. "If you keep vibrating like that, you might end up setting the wood on fire."

"I can't help it! I'm so excited!" Rainbow exclaimed as the clouds parted way for them, being sliced apart by the airship. "I've just never been before, so I'm super excited to see what's what!"

"Hehehe, yeah I bet!" Lyra threw an arm around her friend, smiling widely. "Sun, sandy beaches, endless waves for surfing," she waggled her eyebrows, "maybe some cute stallions~"

"Pfft!" Rainbow pushed on Lyra, making her giggle. "That's all you fillyfriend if you don’t scare them off first; I'm not looking to hook up with anypony."

The mint green mare just laughed before stepping away, the grin still plastered on her face. "You might change your mind when those hunks of stallion meat that work out on the beaches~ Haywaii ponies are so unf~" The unicorn gave her hips a little wiggle. "Gorgeous~"

A look down and Rainbow noticed the mare's jeans hugging her butt in that way that would draw plenty of attention. They weren’t slutty, but they were definitely made to catch the eye. She had to admit, Lyra had a great ass. And it made her self-conscious about her own. She idly groped her own butt with a hand, humming to herself. She certainly had a nice flank of her own, but it was more on the tight and athletic side, not as plush-looking as Lyra's. Damn... Shaking her head and looking away before Lyra caught her staring—again—she turned her attention back to front of the bow. "Well... eh, who knows."

Lyra just smiled, and the two mares watched the clouds part completely, finally bringing the island into view...

It probably would have been an incredible sight, had a distant hum in the skies not drawn Rainbow's attention. Her ears perked up, and when she looked up to her left, she saw something closing in through the clouds. It was roaring loudly, grabbing the attention of everyone on deck.

Rainbow's eyes went wide at the sight of it. It was huge! Bigger than any airship she had ever seen. Part of the wing near the engines--at least she thought were engines--was on fire, black smoke trailing behind it as it quickly plummeted towards the island in the distance. She saw that a hole had opened up on the side of the craft, and for a brief moment she saw individuals inside. She didn't need to focus her ears to hear the screams of terror coming from them.

"Holy shit..." Dash muttered as Lyra ran over to the side, watching the aircraft fall.

"Damn it! What was that?!" she asked, turning to face Rainbow, who had flared out her wings.

"Trouble!" Rainbow turned to the other fliers who had gathered nearby. "There's ponies in trouble on that thing, and we need to help them! Let's go!"

With that declaration, she took off towards the aircraft as it blasted through the clouds on a direct path towards a large looking city. Rainbow's wings beat against the wind in an effort to pick up more speed. Whatever that thing was, it was moving much faster than she thought something of that size was capable of.

The smoke was thick and nearly enveloped her and the others behind her, so she flew above the smoke stream and closed in on the hole on the right side of the aircraft. Her mind whirled with thoughts of what this thing could possibly be. Her heart was pounding, flooding her body with adrenaline. She prepared herself to play the hero like she had done several times in the past, ready to save the lives of any on board should they need it.

Suddenly, a bag shot out of the hole, rocketing towards her. She twisted sharply out of its path, watching in confusion as more debris flew out from the craft. What the hell?! She kept moving closer before finally gripping the edge and swinging her body inside.

"Alright! What's-" Rainbow froze in shock and fear.

And so did the creature staring back at her.

ooo000---000ooo

"Shit!" someone screamed. "Get off th- Ahhhh!"

For fuck's sake! Dee growled to himself as he gripped a bag in his hand, eyes flicking rapidly between the monsters that had sprung up from coach.

Everything had been going smoothly. The flight was headed towards Hawaii, slowly but surely, until someone sprinted out of coach, screeching before jumping one of the attendants. She screamed as the man dragged her down and tore into her neck. It wasn't long before he was tackled by some of the other passengers, but then more of them came sprinting out, running at people and screaming, screeching, growling like blood-crazed monsters.

Dee was certain that was exactly what they were. The grayed skin and varicose veins, the rips and tears across their arms and necks from injuries that didn’t seem to faze them, the blood red sclera that had eyed him like he was some sort of tasty morsel, the bite marks that took out chunks of skin.

He bounced from foot to foot, keeping his body moving as the crazy, blood-covered people jumped at and over anyone in sight. All of them were practically flooding from coach as people screamed and cried out for help. He saw multiple people get taken down and ripped apart. These monsters were tearing into flesh like ravenous dogs, sending blood splashing onto the floors and seats as the survivors tried desperately to escape.

"Get back now!" someone yelled to Dee's left. He looked over and he saw a man holding a gun. "Back! I’m an Air Marshal!"

A few bloodied people glared towards him, these with blood-red eyes wide open and teeth set in a snarl before they charged with a screech. "Reeee!"

Stumbling back, he fired a few shots towards them, nailing a few in the shoulders and chest before he was grabbed by one of them and held down against the seat. "Gah!" The man fired another shot, startling everyone on the plane as the bullet went wild and blasted out a window. The air began rushing out, causing even more panic. A few dozen people stampeded towards the cockpit and tried forcing their way through.

A stream of bullets suddenly tore through the cabin, ripping apart infected and passengers alike. The shots appeared to be coming from… outside the plane? Dee began backing up as several bullets pierced the emergency door nearby. The holes were small, but the force of the wind quickly widened them before ripping the entire door off.

The pressure immediately left the cabin as the force of a hurricane tried to squeeze itself through an eight foot hole, nearly tearing Dee away from the seat he had grabbed onto. Several others were not so lucky, however. Those closest to the hole were sucked out with screams and snarls. Some flew into the engines to be ground into mulch, while the rest were just thrown out into the skies where they fell to their death in the water below. Some of the people still on the plane were knocked over, which allowed the infected to jump onto them and tear them apart. Others just ran blindly towards the cockpit, joining the ones trying to force their way inside to escape the infected.

Damn it! What's happening?! Dee struggled to get to his feet, his hat being ripped from his head and thrown around. His hair whipped around his face as he gripped the bag in his hand tighter. I need to find a way out of this mess!

He hadn't expected his flight to end up like this. Dee just wanted a nice flight as a prelude to a nice, relaxing vacation, but now... he was so sure he was dreaming; none of this could be real, right? The pain in his left leg, however, reminded him that this was, in fact, reality. Some twisted form of it, of course.

Before he could get up completely, one of the infected surged forward and grabbed onto his shirt, forcing him back down. Dee immediately twisted around, slamming a fist into the the infected's head, making it snarl and growl as they stumbled around through the rushing winds. The infected was snapping its jaws inches from Dee’s face, jagged fingernails clawing wildly at his neck to try and get a better hold on him. Dee yelled and let go of his bag before drawing his leg up and kicking the monster in the chest hard, sending it flying back. The wind instantly took hold, ripping it through the hole before it could even hit the floor. A wet, grating sound filled his ears as the body was sucked into the engine, causing it to start smoking.

"Fuck you!" He bellowed, looking around and using the seats to help him crawl towards the front. The wind rushed by him as the plane plummeted, the screeching engines failing to drown out the screams of the people still on board as they tried to fight off the infected.

I need to find a safe spot! It was a feeble thought, though. He knew once this plane crashed, he was probably going to die, especially if it ended up flying into some buildings, or the mountains. Damn it, the most I can do is buckle myself into one of the seats and hope for the best!

He dragged himself over to the nearest seat, turning around and seeing a few stumbling monsters walk out of the coach, growling as they joined their faster-moving brethren in ripping apart the passengers.

Just as he grabbed onto the seat, he thought he heard someone yell out, "Alright! What's-" The voice suddenly cut off, and when he got a good look at who it was, he froze.

It was a bipedal creature of sorts, resembling some kind of alien-horse-thing. It was clearly female, and had cyan fur and a rainbow colored mane. On its back were a pair of outstretched wings with multicolored primary feathers. The dawning realization finally hit Dee like a freight train: this was an anthropomorphic Rainbow Dash standing in the plane, staring at him with eyes wide in what he could only guess was shock. He could only stare back, equally shocked while the undead flooded into first class. His head whipped toward one of the runners as it leaped over the seats at him, arms out and teeth bared.

"Fuckin’ fuck!" He fell back onto the floor of the airplane as people continued to scream. The plane suddenly jostled as more gunfire from outside impacted it, piercing the monster in front of him.

Dee heard the mare curse, "Holy crap!" The mare ducked inside as the objects whizzed overhead, one of them almost grazing her ear. He saw her turn around and witness that one of the fliers following her had gotten hit by one, making them scream and clutch the bleeding wound. They lost their speed and ended up flying too close to the engine.

"Huh? What th- AHHH!" The pony screamed, fighting against the pull of the engine. They tried scrambling and flapping their wings as hard as possible to escape, but the engine was too strong, and the pony was sucked up and crushed inside. The engine burst into flames and sparks as blood, bone, and sinew exploded out from the back of it, causing the plane to dip down further to the right side towards the resort area itself.

The crazed, pale-skinned people with their wide, blood-red eyes quickly caught sight of the cyan mare and lurched towards her. She backpedaled, primal fear in her eyes as the infected ran at her. Dee watched it suddenly jump at her, forcing her to act. She swiftly spun on her heel, putting all her strength into the kick. Her boot collided with the infected's head and sent him flying back with a snarl.

Fuck! Dee growled before running over to the mare. Another infected ran at the mare from the side, but Dee tackled it to the ground before it could reach her.

Man, mare, and monster alike were suddenly jostled as the plane dove lower and lower. The pegasi who had followed after Rainbow to help managed to climb into the plane itself, numbering three. They swiftly moved inside, expecting to help out ponies, but instead they saw the infected and freaked out.

"What the- What's going on?!" One of them shrieked before he was grabbed from behind. The infected that grabbed the pony sunk its teeth into his neck, causing him to scream out, "Gaaaah! Get it off!"

A mare swiftly ran over to him as Dee rolled around, the undead climbing on top of him and trying to bite him. The infected lurched back as the full force of Dee's hard head smacked into the other's. It screeched and recoiled slightly and Dee grabbed onto its arms, holding them down and angling himself before kicking the undead cretin behind him, sending it screeching again as it flew out through the hole into the skies.

He shot up to his feet, quickly running at another of the infected making its way towards Rainbow. His heart was racing at a million miles an hour, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He threw a hard right punch, knocking out a few teeth from the infected before following it up with a swift left uppercut, a right hook, then kicking the infected away. His fists ached and his eyes were wide and scared. The plane shook more violently and the undead only grew in number. He saw Rainbow yank an infected away, giving it a swift roundhouse kick and sending it flying.

The plane suddenly took a sharp turn to the right, causing everyone to fall out screaming.

"Shit!" Dee stumbled and held onto the seat closest to him. The plane had gotten even lower—he could make out the island mountains as well as several hills and small buildings nearby on the beaches.

He prayed it would be a soft landing, or even if the infected didn’t kill them, the crash certainly would…