Dead Equestria

Thunderlane went back to consciousness.

The first thing he saw is a ceiling Somepony must have found me he look at his wing injury, only to find it concealed by white bandages. He slowly got up from his bed and went out of the bedroom while trying his best to keep from falling to the floor. Whoever found him and took him to their house deserves a thanks from him.

“Hello, hey, thanks for taking me to your house” Thunderlane yelled as he walk in the second floor corridor of the house “Please come out, I want to see you, I want to thank you personally”

He walk down the stairs. He heard some bubbling noises from the kitchen, he went to check what it was.

When he went inside the said kitchen, it was empty but the open is active and a soup pot is placed on top of the stove. Whoever found Thunderlane probably had been cooking soup but where are they?

“Oh, you're awake”

Thunderlane look behind. Standing infront of him is Derpy Hooves, also known Ditzy Doo. The pegasus mare smiled at him and staring at him with her derp eyes, one staring at him while the stares somewhere else. She doesn't expect to suddenly be hugged by the stallion.

“Derpy, thanks for saving me!” Thunderlane said.

Derpy blinked “Save you? When did i save you?”

Thunderlane released her, raising an eyebrow “Huh?” if she wasn't his savior, then who?

“Amesthsyt both saved us” she told him “She and her sister, Dinky found you first before she rescued me from getting attacked by the... things outside” she shivered, glancing at the window barricaded behind her “I'm she agreed to clear my house of those things. She's out to find some food and water and any sane ponies still out there. Dinky is still asleep upstairs and Amesthsyt told me to cook some nice soup for her”

“That explains the soup and the stove left unattended” he deadpanned, pointing out at the said stove. Derpy quickly went for the soup pot and removed the lid to check the soup. Her ears flattened, she placed the lid on top of the soup pot and turn off the stove. Letting out a sigh, she slowly turn at Thunderlane “Looks like I have to make another one. Could you please look out and window just in case Amesthsyt comes back?”

“Sure” Thunderlane agreed, earning a thankful smile from Derp. He went upstairs and went open the door to his right.

He found himself inside a playroom. There inside are a bunch of toys including a few plushie and some books, some of them on top of shelves while a few others are scattered on the floor there was only a single small table along with a single book laying on top of it. He decided to examine shelves containing a few books.

“I've never had any Derpy had a playroom but for whom?” he picked up a black book on the floor“The Mare On The Moon” he read before putting the book on the shelf “Maybe Derpy likes to read stories” he then went for the toys “Funny, Derpy acted more ditzy than playful but this? Maybe this is just her toys when she was just a filly but i don't think she and her parents live here in the past” he voiced his thoughts before going for the single window and looked.

Outside, he saw a overturned carriage as well as some dried blood, every house he saw had been fortified from the inside “Maybe Amesthsyt's neighbors are prepared for this” he said to himself “But i don't here anything other than the air. The houses are probably abandoned” he then look at streets “Empty but there is no doubt one of those... monsters are just hiding in the shadows” he then remembered his brother, Rumble. His brother is still at his house when those things got in and attacked Blue Wings. Thunderlane closed his eyes, letting a tear ran out from one of his eyes “Rumble, please be safe” he whispered, silent sobbing into his outstretched wing.

His quiet sobbing was interrupted by a shrill scream. He glance to the left on a corner to see a white mare with baby blue mane and tail running away from her unseen pursuer on the street. Thunderlane averted his gaze when he saw the midnight blue hoof of the pursuer, not wanting to see a familiar face. If Amesthsyt did come back, then he had to convince her to let him go and rescue Rumble.

28 minutes later, Thunderlane had decided to clean the playroom instead of just plainly staring at the outside world. He had been putting books and toys to their respective place. However, while he was doing so, he suddenly felt the need to visit the toilet. When he opened the door, he was greeted by a pair of yellow eyes.

Thunderlane almost jumped in surprise “Derpy, you almost made me wet myself” he told her.

“Oops, sorry, Thunderlane” Derpy said as she backs away, knowing that she's blocking the way.

“It's okay, Derpy” he went to bathroom. He closed the door and sat at the toilet.

As he idly sat on the toilet, he began to hear a voice. A voice he didn't expect to hear again.

“Soarin...”

“H-Huh?” Thunderlane blinked.

“W-Why? Why did you leave me?”

“B-Blue Wings, is that you?” Thunderlane glance around him. He don't see Blue Wings. He knew she's not inside the bathroom since he had just recently saw her die.

No, I'm just hearing things he thought before his friend's disembodied voice talk to him once again.

“Look infront of you” the voice told him. Thunderlane looked infront of him by instinct.

And was met by pair of lifeless green eyes.

“WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME!!!?”

Thunderlane let out a high-pitched scream. He shut his eyes out of pure terror. He reluctantly open his eyes to see nothing. He sighed in relief and flushed and toilet. He came out of the bathroom and found Derpy looking at him.

“It's breakfast time” she said.

Thunderlane, Dinky, and Derpy are all in the kitchen, eating the stew Derpy made. The stew wasn't that bad but wasn't also good. No one said anything as they lazily ate their food, all of them have bored looks. It was a dull breakfast.

“Amesthsyt hasn't come back yet” Thunderlane told them.

“Yeah, I'm very worried for her, especially those... ponies are now wandering throughout Ponyville” Derpy said, looking at him with a frown “Those ponies, they're very crazy, they tried to attack us but more horrifying is how they treat other ponies like us. They... they...”

“You don't have to tell me. I have seen they have done to other ponies” he said, referring to Blue Wings's gruesome demise. Images of the latter's last moments and those ponies taking her parts made Thunderlane sick, especially because he was eating.

“Are you okay, Thunderlane? You look like you're about to throw up” Derpy said.

“No, I'm fine. Those things bring back memories. A friend of mine attacked by a group of them” he told her.

“I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe I shouldn't had never mentioned about that” she said.

“You don't have to say sorry, Derpy” Thunderlane put hoof on her back “It's my fault for letting her go” he then gave her a hug. Dinky, who was facing them stop eating to look at them. Derpy smiled as she hugged him back.

“Mr. Thunderlane, Ms. Doo, is everything going to be fine?”

“Yes, little muffin, everything is going to be fine” Derpy said.

Thunderlane watched as Derpy wash the plates. Dinky was already at her room and he was going to look outside. He went upstairs and into the playroom and looks out of the window. There were a few ponies wandering aimlessly in the streets below, all of blood coated in blood and moaning. He could recognize most of the ponies and began uttering their names.

“Falling Star, Xyloheart, Paw Care, Timberwood, C-Cheerilee...” he trailed off as he look at Cherilee, the mare had a twisted hindlegs and blood seeping out of the bandage concealing whatever is hidden under it. He began to wonder what happened to the teacher and how she become like the others.

Everything went bad so quickly. The previous day everything was fine and now everypony is all crazy and acting like wounded timberwolves he thought. He look at the sun that hang in the morning sky The princesses. Maybe they'll sort this out, maybe Princess Twilight took some ponies into her castle His ears perked when he heard a voice.

“Take this!” he looked to the left. Appearing out of the corner of a house is a unicorn mare with blossom pink coat, purple flower eyes, and dark violet mane and tail with lavender streaks, and on her flank is a cutie mark of three brilliant-cut diamonds. The mare's horn glowed with grayish mulberry magic. Encased in her magic aura is a bloody kitchen knife and on her back is a saddlebag.

It was Amesthsyt Star.

Thunderlane quickly ran out of the playroom however, he trip on the stairs and fell down. He grunted as he slowly stood up amidst the pains around his body.

Derpy came out from the kitchen “Are you okay?”

“We need to open the door, Amesthsyt has arrived!” Thunderlane told her “Go and open the door. Don't wait for me to stand up!” Derpy looks at him “Just go!” finally, she reluctantly agree and went to open the door. As Thunderlane stood up, Derpy opens the door and she begins to yell for Amesthsyt to hurry. Amesthsyt soon appears seconds later, who urge Derpy to immediately close the door. Derpy obeys and closed the door before following the unicorn mare to the kitchen.

“What's happening?” he heard a voice behind him. He look to see Dinky standing on the staircase.

“Your sister has arrived” he told her. Dinky's eyes widened and suddenly, she ran pass him, leaving him alone, smiling for their Amesthsyt's return.

He was so distracted that he jump in surprise when he heard the ponies outside start banging on the door followed by their moans and snarls. Thunderlane nervously step back away from the door “Maybe i should tell them to block the door with furnitures” he said to himself before going inside the kitchen. Inside, he saw Amesthsyt hugging Dinky tightly, their eyes closed, and their mouths curled into smiles.

“I told you, Dinky, I'll be okay” Amesthsyt said softly to Dinky before looking back at Derpy “Thank you for taking care of her while I'm gone” she said before looking at Thunderlane and breaking her hug with the little unicorn filly “I'm very glad you woke up, Thunderlane. I was doubting why i took you in despite you got some bites on one of your wings”

Thunderlane lifted an eyebrow. Why would Amesthsyt would doubt to save him just because of the bites he received from the ponies outside? He hasn't even got insane or violent unlike those ponies outside who tore Blue into... pieces. He tried to forget that memories of her friend dying in a horrible way and tried to appear curious infront of Amesthsyt, Derpy, and Dinky. He decided to remain silent as Amesthsyt continued talking to him.

“That doesn't matter now since you woke and haven't tried attacking Derpy and Dinky” she said before taking her saddlebag off her bag and placing it on the table using her magic “I was able to get some food in a restaurant but I got chased by of them. I hope they loose track of me”

“Amesthsyt, do you think the princesses are coming?” Derpy asked.

“I don't but I could see smoke rising up in Canterlot. I think the city is in the same situation” the atmosphere of the kitchen suddenly drop when everyone's hopes of rescue decreased albeit slightly “The princesses are very busy defending the Canterlot now and they'll most likely ignore us”

Thunderlane shook his head in disbelief while Derpy's ears fell flat.

“However, that doesn't mean we don't have to loose hope so quickly. There might be some ponies who are still sane hiding somewhere. So starting today every time I go out to get more food i will also search for them” she told them. They are however, interrupted by the sound of wood cracking from the front door.

“I-I think we should block the front door” "Thunderlane said as he watch the door move from the force of the group of ponies gathering outside.

“Yeah, I don't want to them flooding inside the house and trapping us with them. There's no doubt they'll attack us just like they did to the other ponies” Amesthsyt told them, much to Dinky's discomfort. Amesthsyt turns to the little filly and told her to go back to her room which the filly quickly does so. Amesthsyt quickly went to the living to start blocking off the front door.

“So you think the princesses are going to be alright?” Derpy said to Thunderlane.

“I don't but I hope they will, especially they're alicorns and they can defend themselves and there so many EUP guards who protect them” Thunderlane said “But we should worry about ourselves first because our protection is our big priority. I had my own priority and that would be my mission to save Rumble”

“You were alone when Amesthsyt found you” Derpy told her “Where's Rumble?”

“He's at home, trapped with some of those... ponies” Thunderlane was starting to reluctantly call the equines ponies mainly because of how they murdered Blue without any signs of hesitation “I was with somepony when a group of... them attacked us. My friend was unfortunately put down by them in the most horrible way and they had already blocked my way to my little brother's bedroom. I could just hope they haven't found him yet”

“I'm very sorry to hear that” Derpy said softly. She felt very sad her friend had to forcefully leave his little brother for his safety “Maybe you should tell Amesthsyt about it” Thunderlane glanced at the doorway leading to the living room. He could still hear the front door being assaulted by ponies outside the house. He hope that the door would hold still even for just for a few days. The chaos won't probably last long.

“Yeah, maybe I should tell her” he said before going to the living room. The front door was boarded up with a few furnitures and Amesthsyt is still busy adding another one “Amesthsyt, can you talk to you a bit?”

“Sure, what is it?” Amesthsyt said without even looking at him as she put the furniture, a cabinet to the group of furnitures acting as a barricade.

“When you go out next time, can i go with you? M-My little brother is trapped at our house” he asked.

Amesthsyt thought about it. If she would bring someone with her as her companion, it would become a problem to navigate since most streets have one to 10 insane ponies, walking around but having a companion also can increase her defense if she was ever found by them. Finally, she finally found her answer “Okay, but don't make to much noise you'll draw them to us” she told him.

“Okay” he said.

“We'll just have to wait for those ponies to give up pounding on the door and go away” Amesthsyt gave a glance to the barricaded door “There are no exit in the house and even though we can go through one of the windows, there might a few other wandering somewhere”

Thunderlane nodded.

It had been several hours as Thunderlane look out the window in the playroom. Behind him Amesthsyt, who was reading a story book for Dinky. The ponies outside had stopped banging on the front door but they're still too many outside the house, wandering aimlessly. Cherilee was still among them. He was so lucky none of them never thought to look up otherwise they'll see him and will go back to beat against the front door again. He could hear Amesthsyt, talking to her little sister.

“Despite being blind, the filly was able to make a snowflake for Princess Luna. It looks so hilarious for the other foals for the blind filly to give a snowflake as a gift but to Princess Luna, it was a precious treasure, an evidence there are still ponies who acknowledge her”

Dinky smiled “She's a nice filly. Sister, I want to meet her someday”

Amesthsyt smiled, closing the book and levitating it back to one of the shelves. She moving her gaze to Thunderlane. She approach him “How is it outside?” she asked.

“They're still there, still many” was Thunderlane's reply.

Amesthsyt sighed “Looks like we can't go out for a while”

Thunderlane can't help but agree “Yeah” he said sadly. His very worried for brother. Being alone, trapped inside a bedroom without food and water, and his only way out is the window that could break his bones made Thunderlane more worried. Rumble won't last long inside his bedroom, he would starve. and die. Thunderlane shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. It wasn't his time to panic.

“Why don't you just take a rest or help Derpy on whatever she's doing” Amesthsyt suggested. She was calm and didn't seem to be affected by the calamity outside.

That's because she has her little sister with her.

Having a family member beside you is the easiest way to make you forget all the problems you had. Thunderlane was very jealous of her. He didn't say anything as he leave the sisters to be and went back downstairs. He cast a glance at the front door, which was heavily barricade with the furnitures of the living room, sitting on top of each other. He thenwent inside the kitchen and saw Derpy, her head rests on the table. She was taking a nap. She look very peaceful, and beautiful.

He sat beside the sleeping pegasus mare. He gently brush her mane with one hoof.

“M... Muffin” Derpy moaned. It seems she's dreaming about muffins. She's like just Windy Breeze, the Wonderbolt dreaming and moaning about blueberry cheesecakes. Thunderlane frowned as he thought about his missing friend. Was she safe? Was she with anyone? He didn't know but all he could hope she's not like those ponies outside.

Somewhere in Ponyville, one mare can be seen galloping on the streets of Ponyville as her pursuers follow her in a weird gait in the form of shambling. She was looking back at them when she heard a moan infront of her. She found herself staring back at two dull, lifeless eyes.

Before the monster could rip the skin of her neck, a blue blur tackled it. The earth pony mare stood in shock as a pegasus mare wearing a very popular uniform worn by a popular pegasus squadron stood from the body of the dead-like stallion. The pegasus turn her head to look at the earth pony with worried eyes.

“Are you okay, ma'am?”

The earth pony manage to find words for the pegasus infront of her “Y-You're a Wonderbolt”

The Wonderbolt let out a sigh “Just follow me. I'll take you somewhere safe. Oh, and what's your name?”

“Emerald Heart” the earth pony replied.