Author's Note

Please read this before the rest of the chapter please!
Hey....
So, a month had passed and I'm finally getting back on track. I just want to apologize for the quality of my last few chapters, I really do feel ashamed. I just feel like they were so rushed and bad and I feel guilty even though nobody's said anything terrible about them yet.
I would still like to thank each and every one of you who's supporting me and this story, thank you so much.

Also, I'm thinking of starting a new story. It's gonna be a sort of sci-fi horror focused story with the CMCs, Button Mash, Rumble, and a few others. Would you guys be interested in reading something like that?

Chapter 16: Ten Days Later part 3

"We should leave as soon as we can, if we leave after dark, we'll probably be more vulnerable than in the daylight." Applejack said, answering Swift Justice's question. Swift nodded and began to gather more supplies.

"Okay, then everypony, start packing a bag. Pack what you can carry and don't forget ammo and weapons, we leave in one hour, okay?" Swift explained. Everyone else nodded and began to move about the apartment, gathering up their supplies.

As Applejack packed, she began to have doubts about the plan. Sure, the it was probably a better idea to get themselves out of the city in the first place, but there were only a few options to get out. Either using one of the two bridges back to the mainland, or taking a boat up or down the coast from the harbor.

But, Applejack wasn't ready to give up now, far from it. They survived ten days already, and after all that they'd gone through while staying at the apartment, they could handle a trip...

...hopefully...

Elsewhere in the city...

Starlight Glimmer trotted down the hallway of the hotel, balancing a tray on her back, consisting of 3 cans and a bowl of gems. Starlight began to slow her pace as she approached the specific room she was looking for.

Room 304. The room that would've just been another hotel room to stay in and leave after a few days if their vacation hadn't turned into a nightmare.

Starlight stopped in front of the door and rose her hoof and knocked a few times.

"Who is it?" Spike's voice responded from inside.

"It's Starlight, I've got dinner!" Starlight said back. She heard the sound of something moving towards the door before it opened and Starlight stepped inside. She and Spike walked from the door into the main area of the room and Starlight saw a familiar sight.

Twilight Sparkle was sitting upright on the bed closest to the window. She was wrapped in a blanket and she stared out the window with a blank expression and bags under her eyes. Twilight glanced over at Starlight briefly before turning back to look out the window.

"Come on Twilight, Starlight's got food, you need to eat something." Spike said as he walked over to Twilight and tugged on the blanket she was wrapped in. Twilight sighed and turned around to face Starlight. Now starlight could see the red in her eyes and the dried tears on her face. Starlight placed the tray on the small table next to the TV and sat on the bed to to Twilight and wrapped an arm around her to comfort her.

The past ten days haven't been pleasant to say the least. After they escaped the antique store, tragically leaving Pinkie behind, they managed to make their way up the street and to the hotel, where a group of fellow survivors let them in. They then got to work helping this group fortify the hotel to keep the horde of infected out. After the first day the leader of the group, the owner of the hotel named All Expense, began to separate ponies into different jobs so that they could remain safe. Silent Watch was obviously put on security duty. Starlight was put on scavenging and food prep, while Twilight and Spike helped All Expense out with whatever they could. However, Twilight had a rough time.

She could easily put on a smile and could act confident when helping the rest of the group, but whenever she was not being observed, she couldn't hold back the floodgates anymore and she cried. Ever since they lost Pinkie, it was like Twilight was broken. While Starlight, Spike, and Silent Watch tried to help her out whenever they could, the most they could offer was comfort.

Starlight said nothing as she comforted Twilight, knowing that trying to get Twilight over the death of a close friend was impossible. After spending a few minutes like that, Starlight grabbed one of the cans and tilted her head to face Twilight.

"Are you hungry?" Starlight asked. Twilight turned to face her and nodded slightly, even forming a small smile.

"mmhmm" Twilight said as she nodded. Starlight grabbed one of the other cans off the tray and noticed that Spike had already began eating the gems.

"Really Spike?" Starlight asked, giving him a slight look of disapproval.

"Hey, I'm hungry." Spike responded before continuing to eat.

Starlight opened both cans and gave one to Twilight, who quickly began to eat. It wasn't much, considering the rationing rules that the group had, but they took what they could get, which in this case, was canned beans.

Just as they began digging in, another pony appeared in the doorway and strolled into the room. Silent Watch smiled and quickly grabbed the last can off the tray and opened it before starting to scarf it down quickly.

"Woah, don't eat it too quick, you'll get sick." Starlight said sarcastically as Silent ate. He swallowed what was in his mouth before responding.

"Hey, I've been starving for something other than granola bars, to me this is a five star meal." Silent Watch said before eating more.

"How's guard duty coming along for you?" Twilight suddenly asked. Silent sat down in the chair next to the table and groaned.

"It's more interesting than guarding a museum, I'll tell you that. But more dangerous at the same time." Silent said before taking another spoonful of beans.

"Any more horde attacks lately?" Starlight asked. Silent shook his head.

"No more hordes, just stragglers aimlessly wandering the streets. Though me and the other guards have seen a few non-infected ponies down the street, probably scavengers, and hopefully not hostile." Silent explained.

"Has All Expense said anything about the military coming through?" Starlight asked. Silent's neutral look then turned to one of sadness upon hearing the military.

"He says they've given up." Silent responded sadly. Twilight, Starlight, and Spike all audibly gasped.

"He says that the emergency broadcast said the military have taken too many casualties and are urging any survivors to try to leave the city themselves. Apparently the infected have also been spotted in other Equestrian cities, including Fillydelhpia." Silent explained, his voice getting shaky as he mentioned his hometown.

"Has he mentioned anything about the Princesses?" Twilight quickly asked worryingly.

"I'm pretty sure that if the Princesses could do anything, they would've done it by now. Whatever is happening, it's something not even they can handle." Silent said sadly. The four of them all glanced at eachother, each of them worried about what would happen next, now that the "sit still and wait for rescue" plan had fallen through.

"So, what now?" Starlight asked.

"Expense says that everypony should be ready for the worst. In the event that the hotel is overrun, we need to run, and try to find a way out of the city." Silent said.

"But we're almost in the middle of the city, the harbor is to far east and the bridges back to the mainland are to far west." Starlight said.

"That may be true Starlight..." Starlight turned to see Twilight placing a hoof on her shoulder, "...but if something else happens and we need to run, then we need to be strong....and I'm sorry if I haven't been the best example of a strong pony the past few days." Twilight said sadly to the others.

"Twilight, it's okay. You haven't been weak, you've been mourning and grieving. We all have in some way, but you had a special bond with Pinkie, and therefore, we completely understand why you've been like this." Starlight said, placing her hoof over Twilight's before pulling her into a hug. The two embraced for a while, eventually, Spike joined them and even Silent got up and placed a hoof on Twilight's back.

"Whatever happens next, I promise we will get through this together, for Pinkie..." Twilight said as they all embraced.