Author's Note

I am rewriting this story from scratch. See this blog for more details.

Otherwise, I hope you enjoy reading!

Chapter One: Outbreak

Dear Twilight,

As promised, here is the letter. I made it to Shire City safe and sound. Now please stop worrying about me. As a true lady, I can surely handle myself.

Be sure to thank Fluttershy for undertaking the kind act of looking after Sweetie and Opalescence for me while I’m gone. I have already thanked her many times, but I want her to know how grateful I am.

I would also like to once again thank you for lending me your copy of The Colt in Crimson. I still cannot believe how I lost my own copy! Perhaps Sweetie misplaced it? Either way, I will make sure to repay your generosity once I come back home. Maybe we can have some tea, and discuss the adventures of Shadow Spade together?

That would be so very delightful, darling.

Sincerely, your best friend, Rarity.

On the train, Rarity excitedly hummed to herself as she scanned her freshly-written letter. After being certain of no spelling or grammatical errors, she opened an envelope, slid the letter inside, and sealed it shut. The final touch was writing Twilight’s address on the envelope. She then dropped the letter into her saddlebags.

Today was the day when she would once again expand her business. This time, she would be opening up another boutique (Rarity For You!) in the lowly town of Shire City. The building she was interested in was personally offered to her by a Daisy Floreo, who stated, by letter, that the building would be in good condition and offered to take only 2,000 bits for the property. A cheap offer that both baffled and intrigued Rarity.

Though she was excited, she also was not sure how well her store would be received. Shire City was a place of sin; it infamously has the highest crime rate of any city in Equestria. It was also the only city to allow the legal selling and use of firearms, which were mentioned in many of the reported crimes in Shire City.

Though a lady such as Rarity should not have to buy a can of pepper spray in order to feel safe and protected, she decided that it would be a wise choice. After her encounter with the wretched Blueblood nearly six years ago, she understood that not all stallions are fit to be gentlecolts - not that she assumed all stallions were bad; she just wasn’t willing to gamble on a mysterious knight in shining armor to save her from a criminal.

She would just have to make sure not to confuse it with her hair spray if that moment were to arise.

Finally, the lights of Shire City could be seen glowing through the train window. The train was speeding along a long bridge, which was one of the only two bridges that connected to the city. Similarly to Manehattan, it was located on a small island only connected by bridges. The other bridge was for walking and coaches.

Gray clouds hovered over the city, which was a clear sign of a long rainstorm that would haunt the night. Rarity had expected this, however, as she remembered headlines on the Equestrian Daily addressing the draught of Shire City. Today was the day when the pegasi would address that issue.

The thought of a rainstorm did excite Rarity, as she had fillyhood memories of reading books such as the Shadow Spade series as raindrops would practically bang against her bedroom window. A memory she surely would get to relive again.

In preparation, she had brought a dazzling purple umbrella, with single stripes of white on each side. Rarity adored how well it fit her! The umbrella even had a sharp, silver-colored metallic tip. Admittedly, someone could poke their eye out with such a beautiful decoration. But Rarity believed she was delicate enough to not do something so foolish.

After twenty minutes went by, the train stopped and its doors opened. Rarity pulled her umbrella from her saddlebags, stood up from her seat, and walked out of the train. She walked onto a dry platform, thanks to its roofing. Only a few other ponies came out of the bridge and even fewer went in. After a few more minutes, the train started moving, and just like the ponies that had just come off of it, it quickly disappeared behind some buildings.

Rarity took a glance at the transit map placed under the platform. This station was placed near the middle of the city. She looked around beyond the platform and saw a soul-drained city. Despite being embraced by darkness, the little bits of buildings she saw emitted by the street lamps reeked of age and neglect. The colors were either faded gray or red, the stone and bricks were chipped and cracked. The only sight of color came from the bright neon lights that almost sparkled from the rain.

The streets and sidewalks were populated by ponies (and other equines) but they were not packed - like how Manehattan was from the times Rarity visited that city. Most of the ponies did not even look alive. They looked like they were just living, but as corpses with fur just as faded as the buildings. She knew this city would smell terrible if it wasn’t for the fresh rain.

Under a few of the street lamps, she saw trash that littered the sidewalks and streets. Such as cans, paper bags (assumingly some with cider bottles in them), and other things Rarity was too far away to see.

The sight had saddened her. But that only made her more determined to set up a store in this city. Maybe such a small thing would brighten everyone up, to see more beautiful dresses and suits.

Her new shop would be around the corner. She would take a determined walk with her fabulous umbrella, opened and hanging over her head.

Two Days Ago

“I still don’t understand why you’re not taking us along with you, Rarity,” Twilight said, almost sounding betrayed. “Shire City has the highest crime rate in all of Equestria! I heard that ponies even go missingthere!”

Rarity looked at her friend reassuringly, even though it was that very sentence that had enforced her decision on buying a can of pepper spray, and said, “Darling, I’m sure those are just rumors! Besides, I have been looking for a location to set up another shop, and from reading Miss Floreo’s offer, it sounds just like the perfect place!”

Twilight studied her friend. “But why aren’t you taking us with you?”

Rarity opened her mouth, but nothing came out for a second. Why wasn’t she taking any of her best friends with her? Were they all busy? Clearly not. At least, not busy enough for any of them to tell her, ‘Sorry, no, I can’t. My schedule is completely filled out for the next month. Good luck on getting that shop, Rares!’

No. Her friends were not like that. Because they were her friends.

Was it that she did not want to be a burden? No. While Rarity did hate the thought of taking up somepony else’s valuable time, it did not overtake her feeling of need from her friends. She did want them to come with her, she really did!

However, this trip to Shire City… It felt off. As if something was going to occur, something possibly bad. Whatever that something was, it did not bring any comfort to Rarity. As silly as it may sound, it was just a gut feeling. An instinct.

Whatever that something was, it did not feel good. And as selfish as Rarity may seem, she did not want any of her friends to be involved with it. Despite that, she figured it was kind of silly. Really, what is the worst that could happen? Ultimately, she brushed it off as a case of the Sunday scaries.

She still did not want her friends to come. Just in case.

Something then came out of her mouth, “Twilight, darling- I really just don’t want to come off as a burden! Summer has almost reached its end and I know you have the next semester of the Friendship School to prepare! And I would much rather have my friends stay here as I visit Shire City. How dangerous could it possibly be to just open a shop?”

Twilight stared at her friend for a moment “I suppose you’re right. You are just going to Shire City to expand your business.” She paused for a second, then gave a defeated smile. “Just send me a letter as soon as you get there, okay? So I know that you are safe?”

“I will, darling. I absolutely promise.”

“Pinkie Promise me.”

“Oh dear, how does that go again?...

“Cross my heart (cross my heart),

“Hope to fly (hope to fly),

“Stick a cupcake in my eye (stick a cupcake in my eye).”

Even around the corner, the sidewalks and streets were not populated. In fact, the street where Rarity’s new shop would be only had two coaches on the streets, and maybe five-or-six ponies on the sidewalks. Normally, Rarity would consider this bad for business, but everypony is probably staying inside due to the rain. Plus, the price for this building was a great deal.

The sidewalks and streets were just as full of garbage as well. One of the cans had the logo of the Sunshine Corporation on it. Quite the irony.

Her building was just in sight. It separated itself from the other buildings with alleyways. Rarity was just walking past one of the alleyways. That was when she heard a deep cough emitting from the darkness.

Surprised, Rarity turned towards the darkness and shined her horn. “W-who’s there?!” But all she saw was a pony, laying against the wall. Specifically, it was a stallion who looked to be in his mid-thirties. Maybe older. His fur was light-brown and his eyes were fogged. He barely had a mane or tail. His right hoof appeared to have a few small scars, which appeared to be tiny bite marks.

Rarity had felt ashamed of herself for feeling fear against such an ill-fated pony. She instantly stepped into the alleyway. “Excuse me, sir? Are you okay?” She had already known the answer, but she wasn’t sure what else to say.

The stallion looked at her (or in the direction of her voice, since Rarity assumed that he was blind due to his eyes) and weakly said, “Yes. Please, l-leave me alone.”

Rarity shook her head. “Darling, please. Let me help you. I’m about to own this building here. Let me take you inside until I can get you help.”

“No, I… I’m sick. Don’t want to get you sick. Go away.”

“... Please?” Rarity had used her guilt-trip voice, one she had developed surely from her own sister.

The stallion sighed. “O-okay. I’ll rest in your building for a bit.” He stood up, slightly shaking. “Lead the way.”

“Trust me, darling! This will do a number for your health!”

Rarity walked out of the alleyway, with the stallion following. She made sure he found his way before proceeding. In front of the shop, there was a single pony waiting. A young mare pegasus, with a coat of bright yellow, and silver curly hair. She wore saddlebags that covered the upper half of her white flower cutie mark.

“Excuse me, darling! Would you happen to be Daisy Floreo?” Rarity would ask, almost shouting from the entrance of the alleyway.

The pegasus hadn’t replied immediately, as she stared at the brown pony behind Rarity. She locked her eyes for a bit, then nodded and replied, “Yeah.”

“Oh, thank goodness! Please, let us go inside! This poor dear must be absolutely freezing!” Rarity had exclaimed, pointing her hoof at the homeless stallion.

Daisy looked at the brown pony again, and opened her mouth, but then instantly closed it and sighed. “Okay, let’s make this quick then.” She headed to the building’s glass door and unlocked it with a key. The front of the shop had a huge window, which would be perfect for displaying Rarity’s work. The building itself was the same old depressing gray color, but she saw it as an issue that can be fixed quite easily through her lady’s touch.

She observed the buildings around her shop. The structure to the right (which happened to be the side Rarity came from) did not appear to be of any significance. Perhaps it was some sort of a complex. The left one appeared to mirror her potential shop, in-which it had a front with giant windows and a glass door. It was taller and slightly wider. She couldn’t tell if it was occupied, however, since there were no lights emitting from the windows.

After Daisy opened the door, she walked in, and turned on the light. Closing her umbrella, Rarity followed. The stallion was the last to enter, who stumbled his way in.

The building was surprisingly clean and well-kept. At least when compared to the state of the store in Manehattan when Rarity bought it. There was even a ceiling fan that held the light. Otherwise, the building was empty, ready to be filled with furniture. There were two doors: one to the left side of the room, and one in the back. They were made out of wood and metal respectively. The back one had a glowing green exit sign over it.

The stallion quietly walked towards the left side of the shop and laid against the wall. Daisy eyed him, with a growing frown on her face.

Rarity moved around the open room, judging the spotless white walls. She would absolutely have to recolor the walls, as pure white was just too one-note for her tastes. Maybe it just needed some baby blue or even cyan? However, she absolutely adored the mahogany plank floor that shined beautifully under the ceiling light. It looked freshly installed. Afterward, she went to the wooden door and opened it.

Darkness.

But there was a light switch next to the door, which ignited a dim light mounted to the ceiling. No fan this time. This room was smaller, but it shared the same aesthetics as the main room: white walls, lemon smell, and gorgeous mahogany floor. She closed the door.

“Oh, this looks absolutely delightful!” Rarity commented as she walked back to Daisy. “I must say, whoever you hired did a splendid job at cleaning this place!”

Daisy gave a few small nods. “Yeah, you can thank Lavender for that. Even though she hates being one, she is a really good janitor.” After Rarity cocked her head and raised an eyebrow, Daisy added, “My sister.”

“Miss Floreo, if you don’t mind me wondering, what was this building used for exactly?”

Daisy again nodded. “This building used to be our mom’s flower shop. Unfortunately, she… Passed away.” Daisy closed her eyes, and let out a grim sigh. She looked back at Rarity. “I have been running it since then. At least, until a few weeks ago. We both found the work to be unappealing, so my sister and I are looking into moving out of the city.”

Rarity's eyes widened. She was shocked that they would even consider selling the store, especially at such a low price!

“And you’re selling this only for two-thousand bits?!”

“Yes,” Daisy responded instantly. This time, her eyes were widened by Rarity’s outburst.

Rarity pondered for a moment. Two-thousand bits. That was generous, even by her own standards! Daisy and her sister were also moving out of the city, which will likely cost them quite a fair bit. Rarity just couldn’t accept this. “Okay, darling, it’s a deal. I will purchase this property. BUT!” Daisy’s ears perked up. “But only if you let me give you at least three-thousand bits.”

Daisy’s eyes widened. “Th-three-thousand? No, Miss Rarity, I can-”

Neither mare noticed that the brown stallion stood up.

“Hush now!” Rarity put her forehoof to Daisy’s mouth. “I insist. You are moving out of this city, so you will need as many bits as you can possibly get, and my, I can only imagine how attached you must be to this place!”

The stallion looked at the mares. His fogged eyes locked onto them, followed by saliva drooling out of his mouth. Daily’s eyes shifted from Rarity to the ground. “Y-yeah, but-”

“No buts! Take it, or leave it!”

A haunting groan filled the room. A sound that sent chills through each mare’s spine.

Rarity saw a glimpse of him with her left eye. She saw a husk of a pony, one whose coat color had completely died. She saw his eyes. They were still foggy, but now completely lifeless. She probably would’ve had a heart attack if they were looking at her, but they weren’t. Those eyes were locked onto Daisy Floreo.

The monster lunged onto Daisy, pinning her to the ground and biting into her shoulder. It easily ripped out a chunk of her flesh. Blood spilled onto the floor.

Daisy screamed, but all Rarity could hear was silence. She stared, unsure if what she was seeing was even real. The monster chewed Daisy’s flesh, and as Rarity froze, it was the only thing she could hear. The mechanical sounds of its jaws chewing, the rich squish that came from each bite. Then the gulp that swallowed pegasus flesh, and she even heard the blood dripping from its mouth. The monster looked back down at Daisy, and suddenly Rarity could hear the scream.

The monster had opened its mouth again, but the side of its head would be bashed by Rarity’s umbrella. It was powerful enough to knock the monster off of Daisy, but it did no visible damage.

It didn’t take long for the monster to get back to its hooves. But instead of Daisy, its eyes were locked onto Rarity. And she saw no soul within those eyes. There was only a monster inhabiting the stallion’s body, and it was a monster that was hungry.

It stumbled closer and closer to Rarity, and all she could do was slowly back away. It groaned, moving its jaw up and down. Ready for another bite. She kept walking and walking until-

Thud.

She felt her flank touch the wall. The monster got closer and closer. When it was close enough, Rarity whacked the right side of its face, hitting it with the umbrella’s metallic tip. Its head whirled to the left, with its right eye now hanging out of its socket, with blood dripping out. It turned its head back towards Rarity and locked its left eye onto her.

She felt tears forming in her own eyes.

As a last attempt, she aimed her umbrella and stabbed the monster in the chest. But it barely recoiled. She held the umbrella against her own chest as the monster pinned her against the wall. Blood jetted out of its mouth and nose each time it tried to bite, with droplets of crimson landing on her face and chest. She closed her eyes and turned her head away. She couldn’t look anymore.

She heard it continue groaning and biting, its teeth were clacking. She heard some kind of a… Jingle? No- jingles. Perhaps her mind was trying to imagine a perfect day at her boutique- the one in Ponyville, where she would wake up and say good morning to Sweetie Belle. Her perfect day would be a slow day, as she would hum to herself happily as she made exquisite dresses. Then her eyes would light up when the bell above her door jingles. She would excitedly head towards the door and hear the trots of a new customer. She would hear their trotsteps echo throughout the boutique, and then she would greet them-

BANG!

Thud.

A sudden light burned away her memory. Rarity opened her eyes and saw that the monster had fallen to the ground. Blood spread across the floor, from the new hole in the side of its head. Its loose eye stared at Rarity. The umbrella was still stuck to its chest. Daisy was standing to the left of Rarity, with a contraption in her mouth. One that appeared to be black. It had some sort of a barrel, which smoke emitted from.

Daisy looked at Rarity but then aimed at the stallion. More light ignited from the contraption.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

click click click…

click.

Daisy dropped her device and fell to the ground, with tears in her eyes.

Rarity joined her.

The jaws of her scissors snapped, tearing apart the beautiful fabrics of her in-progress dress. It was hard for her to see from tear-stained eyes, but that barely hindered her, as the art of the dress had been embedded into her for quite some time.

The dress itself was a planned combination of red and black. Something with class and authority. She only cut the red fabric, as it would be good for blending it with the…

Rarity took a glance at Daisy, who had laid on the ground with her wounded shoulder, trying to keep it aimed upward. Her wound was deep, and much of her blood was all over the floor. Rarity could even see a gap in her shoulder from certain angles. It was a sight that could flip anypony’s stomach. She had to look back at the dress.

She finished her work. After placing the sliced incomplete dress onto the floor, (and sliding her scissors back into her bags,) she took the long sliced-off red fabric and walked over to Daisy. “Here, darling - allow me to cover that up.” She hovered the fabric towards the pegasus’ wounded shoulder. Daisy nodded, trying her best to aim her side towards Rarity.

Rarity wrapped the fabric around Daisy’s shoulder and torso, trying to be delicate, yet effective in her technique. She couldn’t help but notice Daisy flinching as the fabric caressed the bite wound. Rarity was no expert in medical treatment, but she was able to do a better job than most other ponies, so she liked to think.

“Thank you.”

Rarity had felt her heart drop. It was her who offered that stallion help. She brought him in, just for him to assault Daisy. Every time she closed her eyes, she could still see his own. She could still hear his groans echo within her mind, the clacking of his teeth chomping.

“I…” Her throat shook. “I-I’m so-”

THUD!

Both mares immediately turned towards the front window and saw a group of ponies pressing their faces against the glass, with those same eyes. Those Celesia-forbidden eyes, and the cursed muffled groans.

They were just as colorless as the stallion and they looked just as hungry.

Neither had the energy to scream. They frantically looked at each other, and then at the backdoor. Daisy, with Rarity’s aid, got up to her hooves and they both went for the exit.

The ponies continued to beat on the glass, with each strike getting louder and louder.

The window was going to break.

Rarity opened the door with her magic. It led into the alleyway, the very same one where she found that stallion. When she poked her head out, she felt the monsoon rain over her head. There was a single light above the door, but all around her was darkness.

Luckily, Rarity had a light spell memorized thanks to her gem-searching experience. She shined her light and saw three pathways. Left, right, and forward, forming a sort of T section.

However, her hope for escape quickly died as she heard and saw more stumbling faded ponies coming from each pathway.

Rarity pushed Daisy back and slammed the door. She frantically looked back at the pegasus. “We cannot go that way - darling, they’re everywhere!” She shrieked.

Daisy’s eyes shrunk and looked towards the side door. She glanced at the front windows, and then back at the dead stallion who still had the umbrella impaled into his chest. She looked back at Rarity and shouted, “Quickly! Get that umbrella and follow me!”

Rarity’s eyes had widened. “Ex-excuse me? Why!?” But there would be no answer, at least for now. Daisy ran to the door and looked back at Rarity..

“Trust me!” She persisted.

Rarity glanced at the windows. But it wasn’t only the sight of the bloodthirsty ponies that motivated her; it would also be the loud bangs now coming from the exit door.

She quickly galloped to the stallion’s corpse and stared down. She tried to only look at the umbrella, a once fabulous relic now covered with red stains of death. She gripped the handle with her magic and started pulling.

Glass shattered.

Rarity looked up and saw that one of the large windows had finally given in. One pony was halfway through, with cuts all over her body. There was blood and shattered glass all over the front half of the building now.

The other ponies had started piling through the shattered window. They were all shoving each other inside, mares and stallions, all that were visible happened to be earth ponies.

Rarity gave a powerful tug to the umbrella and it slid out. She turned away from the groaning ponies and ran towards Daisy, who held the wooden door open. As she galloped, the backdoor slammed open and ponies from the back alleyway started to pour in.

After entering the sideroom, Daisy closed the door and locked it with a bolt lock Rarity had failed to notice until now.

It didn’t comfort her in the slightest.

Daisy walked towards the other side of the room and started tapping the plank floor with her left foreleg.

“Darling, this door is not going to hold! If they are capable of demolishing that metal door, then surely, they’ll just as easily shred through this one!”

As if on queue, the wooden door started banging and shaking!

Rarity felt her heart race as she took steps backward away from the door. The sounds were perfectly clear this time. She could hear each piece of abuse given to the wooden door. She could see it shake violently with each strike. At any second, she expected it to fling open.

“Ms. Floreo-”

“Here! Rarity, come here!” Daisy shouted. She was tapping repeatedly on the floor, near one of the far corners of the room.

With haste, Rarity ran to her.

“Use that umbrella to wedge these planks off!” Daisy pointed at the floor while taking a glimpse at the door. “Hurry!”

Without question, Rarity took the umbrella and jabbed it into the floor. She got the silver tip under a plank and pushed on the umbrella. The plank lifted, revealing something metal underneath.

“Good! Now another one.” Daisy said. “That should be enough for both of us to fit!”

The other plank was easier to remove, as Rarity just needed to jab it with her umbrella’s bloodied tip until it broke in half. After lifting the broken pieces of the second plank, she understood. Under the floor laid a hatch.

“Quick! Open it!”

Rarity did as commanded. There was only darkness below. She hopped down, followed by Daisy. As the hatch shut, they both heard a loud snap and thud emit from above. They were safe. For now.