Infection

Chapters

Chapter 2: The first Crusader
Prologue: A Friendly Face
Chapter 1: A Sweet Farm
Chapter 3: Dear Queen Luna
Prologue: A Friendly Face (Old)

Chapter 2: The first Crusader

Rainy Day managed to escape the raging carcass by splurging the rest of her magic to teleport out, leaving her an exhausted mess, lying outside the barn doors with the few boxes she accidentally brought with her. “Fuck me...” Rainy Day breathlessly groaned to herself.

However, before she could pool enough energy to stand, the barn doors shook and banged with Fluttershy screaming demonically. Rainy Day hurriedly bucked one of the crates into the door, leaving the weak pony on the verge of throwing up from exhaustion. The crate was heavy enough to stop the large doors from swinging open. However, to Rainy Day’s tired panicked regret. The raging Fluttershy smashed through the wooden doors leaving holes, small enough for her to look through and reach out.

The walls still held strong, preventing Fluttershy from jumping through, leaving her furry to slowly die into pained tears and pleading. "Please… Please tell me… I… I need to know." Fluttershy asked through gasps of breath. However, Rainy Day doesn’t answer the pleading corpse. Instead, she tries to focus on staying awake even with every fiber of her telling her to rest. Eventually, Rainy Day lost her battle and rest subdues her, leaving Fluttershy to tearfully make home in her prison.

Apple Bloom sped after foals as they tried their best to outrun the older mare without using their wings or magic. However, only three earth ponies make it past the line. The rest passing to a disappointed mare.

“Now all of you take a 10 minute break” She told them, as they all pant exhaustedly. The three who managed to pass, smile gently as they try to sneak away. “Not you three.” She says, stumping the three in their place as the rest stumble to their tents.

The tents stood within a large clearing amongst overrun farmland, filled with pumpkins, apple trees and other plant life. The apple house was far enough that it could watch over them. The tents, circling a large fireplace that gently burns with warm embers remaining within it.

The foals stood nervously, two fillies standing ahead as the last colt awkwardly hid behind them. The fillies shared a colourful gold and Snow-white within their manes swirling together as it blended with their white coats. The colt had a smooth dark oak fur with a full grass-green mane, making him blend with the forest around them. Unlike the fillies, the colt held a cutiemark on his flank; a pony shape that had been cut out of a black patch.

The two fillies salute the older mare, one having a nervous smile as the other shakes with the strong face. The colt behind them doing a limper, tired salute.

“Y’all are good at running! But you need to keep up with everything else if you think that’s all you need! Just running ain’t gonna save your Hide!” She scolds the foals, watching them as the two fillies nod with a sort of determination, one to try and prove her wrong, another to try and make her proud. The colt however, looks away, demotivated as he prods at a rock. “You’re both dismissed.” She tells the two fillies as they leave to return to their tents.

“So, how did I do?” The foal asks looking up at Apple Bloom with an exhaustive smile, only to be met with a stifled giggle and a hoof gently rubbing his mane.

“That was your final test. And you’ve passed.” She smiled kindly, her tone was as soft and kind, a voice that had spent years screaming could muster. “You’ve finished your official training, Treebark.” He looked at the mare confused only for it to quickly melt away into tears of joy as they streamed out of his eyes.

“Thank you, Apple Bloom!” He smiles happily, jumping into the mare, hugging her. She would hug him back, smiling softly as he seemed to pause. “Does this mean I have to sleep in the tents again?” He tenderly asks, looking up at her.

“You like pushin’ your luck don’t you?” Apple Bloom faints with a chuckle before she gestures to the old Apple house. “You can rest ya head in the ol’ house.” She smiles letting Treebark down from the hug. Only for him to excitedly rush through the trees towards the house.

“Celestia, he reminds me of you, Rainy.” She smiles leaning back to watch Treebark before turning around to camp.

It took TreeBark only a few minutes to reach the back porch of the house. The white painted wood was clean and pristine almost as if time had no effect on the porch or house. The screen door to the inside was closely followed by a solid red carved wooden door giving off a prelude to the warmth inside. He was more than happy to accept the invitation of the well cared home. The outside was not deceiving of the inside, it was warm and comforting despite the light layer of dust everything was covered in.

The floor creaked and groaned with his hoof steps as he steadied past the kitchen. Towards a red vintage couch, it’s condition a testament of love as it sat within the living room. The feeling of sitting on something that wasn’t mud-covered or swarming with insects was lost to him. He gave the aged cotton a curious rub, never having thought he could have missed a sensation so much. He readied himself to jump upon the vintage cotton. However, before he could take the leap, his ears alerted him of the entrance as the sounds of two ponies talking muffle through it. Panicked and led by instinct, he crawled under the couch, hopeful that whoever was talking wouldn't notice him there. The voices grow louder as two silhouettes shadow through the front door.

“Remind me, How did you forget that you should never teleport more than once per day?” A feminine voice asks, as the door swiftly opens. It was eloquent yet etched command, experience, it reminded Treebark of Apple Bloom’s if she wasn’t so, screamy.

A sickly and groggy voice groaned back in reply, it was also feminine yet it lacked the same command, instead having it replaced with a cocktail of snarkiness mixed with puerility. “Unlike you, I’m all by myself out there, ugh,” the voice remarks as two unicorn mates enter the house, one magically levitating upside down by a lime aura. “You know being upside-down isn’t good when you’re about to-Brugh!” The upside down unicorn wetly retches, as she instinctively covers her mouth with her hooves.

The mare responsible for the other’s levitation launches her counterpart outside the house, where soon after audible puking could be heard from. “Luna Dam it Rainy! You know bile doesn’t wash out easily!” The housed unicorn barates. The name Rainy sounded familiar to Treebark yet he couldn’t seem to be able to place his hoof on it. Curiosity eating at him, he slowly moved closer to the edge of the couch to get a better view of the two ponies.

The internal mare was roughly the same age as Apple Bloom. Her fur was pale white and cleanly maintained with her mane and tail curled and styled, eloquently showing the surging colours of pinks and purples. She wore blackened scale armour that curved and cleanly followed contours of her body. “Is that Blood?!” She exclaims, her lime green eyes wide with shock as she runs outside to the vomiting mare.

Treebark leaned further out, there was no pony inside the house. He stood out from under the couch as quietly as he could, and frowned. He had permission from Apple Bloom to be here, but it’s doubtful that the two ponies would believe him if he told them. So, taking the safe option he decided to try and sneak to the back door. However, before he reached it, he felt a magical aura cover him, lifting him from the ground. Before he could realise what happened he felt an invisible force push him through the front door, in front of the two mares outside. As he floated there he could see the two mares much clearer, as the white mare was patting the back of a vomiting Rainy Day, looking at him with a confused frown.

The mare’s chest plate was engraved with two well maintained symbols that practically shined; Queen Luna’s royal moon and the Cutiemark Crusaders’ shield. There are only three ponies who wield the Crusaders’ shield, the original Crusaders. Treebark could only hold his breath as he realised who he was staring down. Sweetie Belle, the leader of the Head Hunters. A group of well known royal mercenaries that are known for slaughtering anypony on Luna’s hit list.

“Hey Treebark, Nice to see that you’re still here.” Rainy Day weakly smiles having a bile mixed blood puddle under her. She was pale, her body coated with exhaustion, yet her snarky attitude remained.

Sweetie Belle turned to Rainy, rubbing the sick pony’s back concernedly as she asked. “I assume you’re friends with the colt?” Her tone was annoyed yet it was lathered in a protective instinct. Rainy Day answered Sweetie Belle with a nod of her head spitting some remaining bile out of her mouth. Sweetie Belle sighs, nodding her head in annoyance, muttering. “You always know everypony, Rainy.” Rainy could only let out a light chuckle as Treebark was dropped to his hooves.

“So why were you in the house? Skipping training again?” Rainy teases through unenergetic exhaustive yawns and gagged breaths, trying to stand. However, her hindlegs failed her, causing her to only be able to stand up by her forelegs. Rainy’s words getting a disappointed glare from Sweetie Belle that pierced Treebark’s soul.

“I finished my training, Apple Bloom gave me permission to rest in the house.” Treebark forced out, straining against the stare Sweetie Belle was giving him. Luckily Sweetie Belle’s stare stops crushing his soul so she can help Rainy sit down properly on the stairs to the porch.

“Oh really? Or is this just another one of your famous Treebark lies?” Rainy teases to the foal as he frowns with a pit in his stomach. Sweetie Belle sighs disappointedly as she walks into the house calling out to Rainy.

“I’ll get some water for you.” She says as the door closes behind her, leaving Rainy and Treebark. Who is still awkwardly thinking in his head, unable to think of how to make the truth sound believable.

“What’s got your mind in a twist?” Rainy day says lifting her head up with a smiling sigh.

“I… I’m not… I’m not lying.” Treebark says exasperated, gaining a soft concerned frown from Rainy.

“Well that means we need to have a celebration!” Rainy cheers with a weak smile, trying to put on a brave face and unsuccessfully hold down whatever remained in her stomach, as it adds to the puddle of mud, blood and stomach acid.

“Rainy you need to stop.” Sweetie Belle says levitating a glass of water next to her before she offers it to Rainy.

Rainy takes it, panting and exhausted. Filling her maw with the water before swirling it and spitting it into the pool, slightly splashing Treebark and Sweetiebelle, who conjures a small barrier to protect herself. Before Rainy starts to sip the water.

“I’d rather not get myself dirty unless I have to.” Sweetiebelle dryly complains with a sigh as she lets the magical barrier fizzle away.

“Says the mare with one of the dirtiest jobs in Equestria.” Rainy smirks causing Sweetiebelle to roll her eyes with an annoyed sigh.

The two adult mares start to bicker and joke while Treebark awkwardly sits next to Rainy, with his ears flat against his head. Looking around the overgrown forest and the swirling mix of blood and mud in front of him. Trying to distract himself so he doesn’t rudely listen in. However, boredom starts to sink into him as he looks up at the two.

“U-um, Are you okay Rainy?” He asks concerned, trying to include himself into the conversation. Not wanting to be killed by the creeping boredom, and worried from the amount of blood in the pool in front of them.

“Yeah, just some chest pain that should fade.” She smiles back with a brief chuckle, her body a little shivering as if she was cold despite the warm sun bathing the three.

“You’re going to need some proper medical Rainy.” Sweetie Belle frowns as she takes a sip of her own water, getting an annoyed quiet sigh from Rainy.

“You know I hate getting medical from Apple Bloom.” Rainy comments as she takes a soft sip. Getting a Nod of agreement from Treebark and a chuckling scoff from Sweetie Belle.

“She’s very… rough…” Treebark agrees with folded ears.

Sweetie Belle stands up from the top step, and finishes her cup. Grabbing Rainy from under her shoulder, lifting her up to sit next to her. “Then that’s your problem, Rainy. I’m not letting you shorten your own life because of this.” Sweetie Belle coldly tells Rainy, like a mother to her teenage foal. Before she turns her serious and chilling gaze to Treebark who stands up tall instinctively, feeling like he was under Apple Bloom’s gaze. “Get Apple Bloom over here.” She coldly orders him as she drags the disgruntled Unicorn inside the house.

“Um… Yes Mam?” Treebark unsurely says watching before turning and jumping over the puddle of blood at the foot of the stairs, running into the apple forest to get Apple Bloom.

Prologue: A Friendly Face

The soft summer wind breezes through overgrown apple trees as the white-blue sun beams over the mountains of Canterlot, casting a dark shadow upon the old rotten town of Ponyville. Once a vibrant, friendly town, only now held hostage to the jaws of the outbreak. The once glorious sign to start the day, had turned into a signal of a long struggle ahead.

As a unicorn scavenger bashes through an old cottage at the outskirts of town. Trying her best to avoid the hoard chasing after them. Her blood soaked, dark scarlet coat and golden mane doing little to hide them out in the open. She slammed the door behind her, her croptop black jacket swaying out from the hurried speed. As she looked at the back of the door, seeing that she had only broken 1 out of an exuberant number of locks.

“You lucky mare, Rainy.” She smiles to herself as she quickly uses her magic to lock the door. Peering through a window next to the door with her Aqua eyes, and pulls out her pistol, with her magic. It was a customised crystal infused 10mm FF classic. She held it close, as she saw the hoard in the far distance, much bigger than she expected, as they ran with the sun rising.

“Shit.” She cursed to herself, looking around to see some dusty furniture, good enough for a makeshift barricade. She put her pistol back into her jacket, as she hurriedly assembled the furniture against the door. Ending up with a haphazard mess at the door.

Panting from all the magic she had just used, she takes a step back to appreciate her work. She hates it. But she doesn’t have time to reorganise the mess as the sound of creaking footsteps echo from behind her. A stairway into the second story she missed, now housed a yellow pegasi staring back at Rainy. Its stomach leaking old bile down the stairs, with its pink mane obscuring most of its face.

She knows what she needs to do, she knows she needs to go for her gun. But, her body refuses to move, shocked as her mind can’t accept the view in front of her. It can’t be her, but it’s too dark to be sure.

The carcass jumps down from the stairs, its wings singing a cascade of bones and joints snapping into and out of place. Landing low and unsteady, as the gut retching sound of bone slamming against wood sounds off behind her, splattering the floor with its retched bile. It looked up at her, its mane moving to the side. Providing a view of the hideous gash along the mare’s right cheek which exposed the mouth.

There was no more doubt left, this was Fluttershy, the element of kindness. And she was posed to pounce! She hurriedly tries to grab her gun with her magic, but she’s too emotional. Too panicked.

The gun launches up too fast from her holster pocket, slamming the butt of it against her chin. Pain quickly rocks her system, as her magic dissipates and sends the gun into a freefall. She tries her best to grab it out of the air, she refuses to be like the others.

But she doesn’t get a grip, sending it sliding across the ground under the trotter.

Hope leaves her, as she collapses. She is too emotional and adrenaline filled to use her magic. Tears fill her eyes as she smiles at the irony.

She flinches and closes her eyes tight as the trotter pounces on top of her. Pulling her into an embrace that she doesn’t have the strength to pull out of. And she waits, hoping, wishing that it will end quickly. The pause ripping a deep hole in her chest as her body turns cold.

But nothing happens.

Eventually, a soft putrid whisper breaks the silence. “A-Are you feeling better?” It asks, shoving confusion into Rainy’s system as she opens her eyes. Giving way to the spectacle that is Fluttershy hugging her.

“W-Wha? What?” Rainy asks, confused, only for Fluttershy to pull back, letting go of the hug.

“S-Sorry, Pinkie is normally better at it.” Fluttershy apologises to the now thoroughly confused Mare.

“What’s going on?” Rainy exasperatedly asks, to a shrug.

“I don’t know, you bursted into my home and made a loud mess at my front door.” Fluttershy calmly explains as Rainy takes a moment to try and compose herself. “You also dropped this.” Fluttershy says picking up the pistol and offering it to Rainy.

“Thanks…” Rainy says picking it up with her magic and putting it in her pocket, wiping away the stains on her cheeks. Before panic quickly shoots into her system. “Oh fuck! The hoard!” She exclaims, checking the window.

Hooves burst forth from the windows, shoving Rainy back. As the symphony of undead groans and moans echoes inside the house, combing with the fearful shriek from Fluttershy. Rainy grits her teeth as she pulls out her gun again, checking her magazine.

“Luna’s Light, they keep getting faster each day.” Rainy grumbles as she checks if there is a bullet already in the chamber before sliding the magazine in.

“W-What’s happening!? They never come here!” Fluttershy asks cowering behind Rainy as the barricade starts to fail. A skeletal corpse bursts from the small opening, rotten flesh hanging on by pieces. A single bloodshot eye, hungrily staring at its food.

“They were chasing after me!” Rainy shouts over the cacophony as she fires two shots into the intruder's head. The bullets leave uneven craters inside the skull as it falls apart, the bones unceremoniously disconnecting. “Also! How the fuck are you still alive!?” She shouts at the hiding corpse behind her.

“I don’t know! The last thing I remember is getting thrown out of Canterlot!” Fluttershy shouts back as a skeletal Pegasi jumps through a window, its wings in pieces with bones chewed through. Its wings open and posture low, but Rainy doubts that it's going in for a hug.

“Luna’s Light, I’m going to have to take you to the Queen!” Rainy curses as the corpse pounces at her, maw agape with hunger. She fires two shots, the first boring through its chest and the other splintering its lower jaw. It lands short with a wet splatter on the ground as Rainy shoots two more clean shots into its skull before it can get up. Her gun racking and locking up signalling an end to her magazine. “Fucking Tartarus!” She exclaims in frustration as the barcade crumbles leaving them exposed to the hoard.

“The Queen? What happened to Luna and Celes-?!” Fluttershy tries to exclaim only to be cut off as Rainy bites the scruff of her neck, picking her up as her horn lights up charging magic.

“Sleeping under a fucking rock!” She muffles through Fluttershy’s undead fur. Magic surrounds the two of them in a fireball, scorching the approaching hoard. In a flash the ball of fire is gone leaving the area they stood scorched in its wake.

Chapter 1: A Sweet Farm

Author's Note

I've decided against merging chapter 1 and 2 together, as that would just be forcing a longer word limit onto me as i would be comfortable with for later chapters. I hope everyone understands and enjoys reading :pinkiesmile:

Chapter 1: A Sweet Farm

Morning sunlight beams, over Sweet Apple Acres now a makeshift base for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to stand against the hoard of undead. Walls built tall dwarfing any pre hoard fence, protecting the farm and the ponies within. The walls themselves have been reinforced with rusted metal, the metal welded over more metal. The walls, designed to be pushed back for more space. The recent sounds of gunshots and the shrieks of gallopers have placed everypony on their heels. However, Apple Bloom, the last Apple in the Acres won’t let anything stop her in training the new foals of Equestria survival.

Apple Bloom has grown into a young adult, her yellow fur stained with mud and wood chips. Her rose mane, tied into a pigtail while her tail had ruggedly been cut short. She wore a green jacket that proudly held the apple family crest, the crescent moon of Luna and the shield of the Crusaders. Her cutie mark of the said shield held true of its shape even when she was a filly. She stands tall as she screams commands to the foals. Beginning their speed training, yelling with the fires of Tartarus, with soft compassion difficult for her throat.

Soon after the foals started their training a thud is heard a distance behind Apple Bloom. Swivelling around, she sees a scarlet and gold pony on top of a corpse inside the base. “Now how in Equestria did you get here?” She asks confidently with a soft grin on her face as she strolls over to Rainy Day. Rainy Day groans, as she pulls herself up with a hoof to her head, then manically checks herself for bites. “Did you have to bring your friend?” Apple Bloom chuckles gesturing to the body behind Rainy Day.

“Remind me to never teleport again,” Rainy Day moans with a hoof to her head as she falls into Apple Bloom’s hooves. Apple Bloom chuckles before she heartlessly drops Rainy Day onto the dirt floor. Rainy Day lays on the green grass floor with her head neatly cradled by a root from one of the nearby trees. Apple Bloom kicks at the lying mare forcing her to stand up, rubbing the back of her head.

“Now you’ve got alot of explain’ to do,” Apple Bloom starts, not giving the sore mare any time to complain.

Fluttershy wakes up, sprawled on a grass-filled dirt floor with the feeling of a mute pain in the nape of her neck, an odd runny feeling in her cheek and ringing penetrating her thoughts. Looking around, Fluttershy notices an old decayed wooden sign hanging sideways by a rusted chain, it reads. “Sweet Apple Acres” The wooden arc of which the sign swivels on remains. However, it is surrounded by large barricades well over the walls of the castle. though the entrance held large spikes that cradled already decaying bodies.

Satisfied with her examination, Fluttershy then reaches to touch her cheek, not bothering to move as she felt too weak to bother. More soft pain is felt as her hoof takes a little longer to reach her cheek and almost instantly gets wet on contact. She retracts her leg to observe the damp material that graced her hoof. Her eyes open wide as she sees that blood has soaked her hoof and foreleg.

Then the past flows back into her, she’s undead and these wounds were done before she was turned. Then she remembers her encounter with Rainy Day and how she jumped into the crowd with Fluttershy in her mouth. Slowly yet surely her hearing returns to her as she hears Applejack and Rainy Day argue, relief flowing through her at listening to an old friend’s voice. However, Applejack sounds colder, her voice strained and gruffer.

“Are you honestly askin’ me to believe a tale like that?” Applejack aggressively asks Rainy Day as her voice grows closer in proximity with the soft clopping of hooves following suit.

“And how many times have I believed your adventures with the original crusaders?” Rainy Day quickly follows back, her voice also growing closer.

“Don’t ya dare bring the past up! Why shouldn’t ah just kill that undead fiend now!?” Applejack yells at Rainy Day, her voice vibrating through the air like she had years of experience.

“Because you owe me with Granny Smith!” Rainy Day snaps back, causing the clopping to suddenly stop and a silence to stab through the air.

…

“Fine... I’ll keep quiet like ya did for me. But this better not cause any trouble. Got it?!” Applejack commands only to return to silence as the clopping starts again, only to get quieter.

After an uncomfortably long silence, broken only by the swaying of trees and tweeting of birds, Fluttershy tries to stand. She stumbles over her missing leg and her wings instinctively start flapping. They begin to grind on themselves, snapping into and out of their connective sockets as their non-existent muscles strain, giving Fluttershy enough leeway to stand.

Standing, Fluttershy is able to witness the portrait that is of the environment Rainy Day solemnly sits in. The blue-white sun shines just rising above the Canterlot mountains creating a soft light blue glow along Rainy Day’s golden mane and scarlet fur. The apple trees paved the road in roots and the sky in olive leaves, making an impressive shadow along the path. Rainy Day herself was sitting down with her forehooves planted into the ground as she stared off into the sky, thoughts clearly clouding her sight.

Rainy Day tilts her head into the shade, snapping from the grasp of her thoughts. After a swift flutter of eyes, Rainy Day exchanges glances with Fluttershy, with questions burrowing into her brain. “You’ve been out for a while.” Rainy Day awkwardly chuckles as she trots over after quickly standing up. “Would’ve sworn you died on me,” Rainy Day jokes as she awkwardly picks the ripest apple from a nearby tree.

Fluttershy looks over to where she last heard Applejack, unable to see anypony. “Um. Where was it you wanted to take me?” Fluttershy asks, remembering that her past friend only saw her as another dead corpse. Rainy Day sighs, taking a large bite out of the apple, and gestures to the Apple family barn.

The barn’s once fresh, red paint has peeled off leaving the barn to be coloured in oak and stained pink. The wood itself has rotted, still, through some Apple family persistence, it manages to stand tall and proud. “The barn is normally just used for storage,” she told Fluttershy, leading her while she kept a self-protective distance, still unsure of what had been happening.

Finishing her apple, Rainy Day slithers down on her barrel, an adjacent distance from the inside of the apple forest. Her scarlet fur doing little to improve her camouflage within the blades of grass and bark. Fluttershy quietly stood distantly and watched, confused, as Rainy Day examined the opening between them and the barn, like a leopard to prey.

“Um… What are you doing?” Fluttershy finally inquires after a minute of waiting. However, Fluttershy’s answer only came as a flick of an ear and Rainy Day dashing for the barn. Fluttershy pauses for a second to take in the blur that was Rainy Day until she tries to catch up with her. Fluttershy stumbles for a while, trying to run without her back leg. However, Fluttershy manages to do an uncanny shamble-like-run to reach the barn which Rainy Day was already at, enveloping the door in her aqua magic.

“Quick, get in!” Rainy Day instructs, her eyes wide as she frantically scans around them. Fluttershy, complied to Rainy Day’s panicked order by falling over her non-existent back leg into the barn.

Rainy Day tried her best to stifle a giggle only to fail as she looks at the aftermath of Fluttershy’s tangled body through the opened door. Fluttershy had managed to crash through a crate of string with enough force for the string to stop her mid-faceplant. “How in Tartarus did you manage that?!” Rainy Day croaks as Fluttershy detangles herself by dislocating her wings to slither down the string.

Fluttershy’s remaining cheek flushes red as she hides her face in her mane from the laughing unicorn. Rainy Day sighs, freshly relaxed after her fit, giving off a calmer demeanor much like she just had a much-needed massage. Fluttershy and Rainy Day glance around the barn afterwards as their recent actions set in. The inside of the barn is in worse shape than the outside, hardly any light oozes through the boarded windows making the only illumination the large double doors. Spiders hold supreme inside, colonizing the area with webs, while old barrels and crates limit the space.

Rainy Day, retaining her distance from the door, curiously eyes Fluttershy’s limp wings as the deceased pegasus inspects the contents of a nearby crate. “This is our safest bet if we both want to keep our heads,” Rainy Day says as she inspects Fluttershy’s reaction with her gun at the ready. Fluttershy freezes for a second as Rainy Day’s words pierce through her, she then turns to Rainy Day with her mind clouded with thought.

“Why did you take me with you?” Fluttershy asks as she keeps the distance Rainy Day has kept between the two of them. Rainy Day looks at how passive Fluttershy’s stance is and relaxes before closing the door behind her. Soon after the door closes, Rainy Day’s horn glows a soft aqua, mixing her horn in a swirl of blue and red.

“I’m curious,” Rainy Day answers, her tone more cynical and emotionless, her face joins to match her tone. “Out of all of Equestria, you and the other…” Rainy Day stumbles over words, thinking of how to say her next sentence.

“The other what?” Fluttershy asks as her curiosity is piqued with Rainy Day’s stutter. She tries to get comfortable as she prepares an onslaught of questions. Rainy Day tries to prepare herself if Fluttershy attacks, unsure of what she would do.

“The other remaining elements of harmony,” Rainy Day tells Fluttershy, much like a parent to their foal, “are the only ponies that have reacted differently with this undead Plague.”

“R-remaining? Th-then who…” Fluttershy asks as blood mixed tears start to run down into her fur and cheeks. “Who has died?” She continues as she stands and her wings convulse themselves into place, bone by bone. Rainy Day pulls out her gun and hurriedly backs into the barn door, her irises the size of fear-filled pinpricks as she watches Fluttershy’s eyes turn a deep blue before she screams. “Which one of my fucking friends died!?”

Chapter 3: Dear Queen Luna

The tight chested pain didn’t stop and neither did the worried tears for her friends. The only light within the room was that of the midday sun that made its way through the riddled doors. Every noise she made echoed within the quiet room, only dulled by the occasional bird chirp outside.

Fluttershy took a deep shaking breath trying to calm herself down a little. Her hooves covering her eyes, staining them wet with blood and tears as she weeps. “T-they can’t be dead. P-please, oh Celestia.” She whispers through grit teeth before looking up from her hooves. “Please tell me they’re safe.”

But only silence answers her cries, as she looks up panting from her plea.

She looks down to the door and sniffles rubbing her non rotten cheek. Sighing she stands up and ruffles her mane. “You can’t just let your emotions control you Fluttershy.” She scolds herself before looking at the door with more determination. “Remember your training. And take a breath.”

After a deep sigh where she sets her mane back in place, she walks over to the door and peers through the many holes she had made. The bright sun hurts her eyes as she adjusts, looking around curiously on the outside. But all she saw was a couple of boxes and a small dried pool of blood. She was unable to help herself but frown, seeing how lonely she was. Rainy was dragged away, the smear of blood was proof enough, even if Fluttershy hadn’t seen an armoured pony drag her off earlier.

However, that was neither here nor there. Fluttershy needs to check on her friends, and she can’t do that while trapped here. Standing up with her forelegs pressed into the door frames, her hindlegs dig into the dirt as she pushes. The door bent and whined as it started to try and open, yet, the crate to block the door was stopping it. Not giving Fluttershy any easy opening as she continues to struggle against it.

Her wings start to limply flap, the bones within them cracking against each other. As she can’t help but let out a growl of protest against the barrier. But to her dismay, her hooves break through the door splintering the wood and warping the metal. She can’t help but just collapse in defeat, her forelegs digging themselves into the splintered wood as she partially hangs from them.

A few moments pass before she sighs and stands up, her wings flapping to keep herself stable as she rips her forelegs out of the wood causing her to fall on her butt. Looking at the wood embedded within her forelegs she can’t help but let out a sad sigh. “Thank Celestia, it doesn't hurt.” She sadly chuckles as she starts to slowly pull out each piece with her maw.

Rainy laid on the freshly dusted table Sweetie Belle had put her on, waiting for the impending medical check Apple Bloom will give her. Sweetie Belle sat next to her on the matching chair, drinking a cup of water as she magically sorts through some papers she keeps on her.

“New bounties?” Rainy boredly asks as Sweetie pauses, looking at her.

“No, old ones.” Sweetie Belle answers, staring at the scrolls.

“Still haven’t found her?” Rainy frowns, knowing how much this gets under Sweetie Belle’s coat.

“Ever since she got Zecora on her side, it’s been near impossible.” Sweetie sighs annoyed.

“You’ll find her, you're the best headhunter in all of Equestria after all.” Rainy smiles softly, trying her best to comfort Sweetie. Getting a gentle but exhausted smile in return, pulling her away from the scrolls.

“Thanks Rainy.” She smiles before asking. “What were you doing teleporting twice in one day for?” The question had been long on the list of things to ask, but Rainy’s health took priority.

“Well, I got surrounded by a hoard of Gallopers.” Rainy weakly chuckles, to an unsurprised glare from Sweetie Belle. “And then, I panicked… Oh shit!” Rainy lunches upright, to her immediate regret as she retches into her hooves.

“Don’t get up so fast!” Sweetie Belle scolds as she grabs a bin from under the kitchen counter with her magic, throwing it to Rainy. Who pants inside of the new container. “If it’s so important, you can let me handle it while Apple Bloom gives you the check up.”

“Ugh,” Rainy burps. “I… I need a letter sent to the Queen.” Rainy requests getting a shocked faced response from Sweetie.

“What happened for you to want to write a letter to Luna?” Sweetie Belle asks, concerned as Rainy steadies herself.

“I’ve found Fluttershy. And she’s a Trotter.”

Sweetie just sat in awe, thoughts and questions racing through her head. “T-That’s impossible.” Sweetie stutters as she looks at Rainy, with utter confusion. “It’s impossible for-“

However, before she can continue, the back door loudly opens. Scaring Sweetie who jumps and tries to grab at her weapon. Which she had left at New Hope.

“Had trouble with the mess ya’ brought in?” Apple Bloom asks Rainy as she trots into the kitchen and dining room.

“Just don’t be too rough?” Rainy pleads with a weak smile only to be met with a sinister smile back as Apple Bloom leans in close and pulls the bin off of her.

“No.” She simply replies before pushing Rainy down onto the table, pressing hard and purposely along the sore mare’s body.

Rainy can only groan and gasp in pain. As Apple Bloom investigates her body, pressing against her and sometimes even instructing her to do certain actions. Knowing full well that this will take an hour at best, if she was in good health.

“Where’s the foal that went to get you?” Sweetie asks Apple Bloom as she puts the scrolls away in a pocket within her armour.

“Treebark? Fella wanted to check somethin’ he saw by the barn.” Apple Bloom responds nonchalantly over Rainy’s pained protests.

“I’ll go check on him, there’s still some paper and empty letters on AJ’s desk right?” Sweetie asks, getting a brief smile from Rainy.

“Yeah there should be.” Apple Bloom responds, before removing that smile from Rainy with her rough presses and prods, asking a bit somberly to Sweetie without moving to face her. “Still no luck?”

“No. Not for either of them.” Sweetie answers sadly before leaving, getting a sad sigh from Apple Bloom as she continues.

There was an open unobstructed dirt path that led between the house and the barn. It’s ground trotted down, large enough for carts to roll across without any issue with only a few plants poking out.

Treebark, slowly trotted along the path getting closer step after step. He was curious, Apple Bloom wouldn’t normally leave any crates outside of the barn. But what peaked his curiosity the most, was these tiny holes he could have sworn he saw. And the closer he trotted. The clearer and larger they appeared.

He frowned at the sight as he reached the barn. They were the size of hooves, if not bigger, and from how the wood had splintered out towards him. He jumped up onto one of the crates to pear in a little and he could swear he heard something.

“Hello?” He called out, a little worried as the crates had a few scorch marks on them. It looked like what Apple Bloomed had shown to warn about teleporting.

He took a step closer as he asked again. “Is anyone in there?” He looked into one of the holes, but only darkness met him. He refused to get any closer to the holes to peer in. Yet he could swear he heard something through them.

“Hello?” He said loud and clear, as worry started to build if he was maybe just over thinking things, until.

“H-Hello.” A raspy voice echoed back, his fur stood on end. The voice was sweet and soft but at the same time scratched and groaned like a Trotter’s. But that was impossible, trotters can’t talk.

Too afraid to say anything, as his instincts were telling him to run. But his legs didn’t want to move, his mind battling, wondering if the voice behind the wall was a trotter. Should he get Apple Bloom to slay it? What if it wasn’t?

“H-Hello?” The voice asked, as he saw an eye meet his, from the hole. It was pale, and did little to comfort him. However, there was a gut feeling he couldn’t break, they were alive. The pupil of the eye focused on him as he worked up the courage.

“Uhh Hi, are you okay?” Treebark finally asked. Trying his best to calm the shaking in his legs. But the silent reply he got did little to help.

”Y-Yes..” The voice finally answered back, seeming unsure itself, just for it to continue quickly. “I’m sorry if I scared you.” The voice tried to comfort him, which seemed to help his nerves a little.

“Umm, it's okay.” He tried to chuckle it off, trying to ignore his instincts. “What are you doing in there?” He asked, trying to ignore the feelings by changing the topic.

However, before the voice can answer a more familiar distant voice called out to him. “Get off the boxes before you hurt yourself.” It scared him, causing him to jump and lose his balance for a few moments. It was Sweetie Belle, who didn’t seem too pleased from her annoyed look she gave him as she walked over.

“A-Ah! You scared me.” He responded needing to take a moment to steady his breathing. Before jumping down and looking up at her. “I was checking out the barn. And I heard something.” He gestures to the boxes as Sweetie Belle’s eyes train over the boxes and doors. Seeming to search for something he couldn’t get his hooves on.

“What was it?” She calmly asks, her eyes narrowing a little at the barn door, getting a concerned frown from Treebark in response.

“It… Uh…” He trails off, quickly thinking about the pony inside the barn. Worried, they could be hurt, maybe they’re hiding from Sweetie Belle, or maybe they’re getting supplies for the next exercise? So many questions, Treebark shakes his head and looks up at Sweetie. “It was nothing.”

“Sure.” She coldly answers back, before curling her leg around him, ushering him forward towards the home. “Now come on, Bloom wanted you.” Her eyes not leaving the barn almost glaring at it, warning it.

Treebark couldn’t help but frown, a sinking pit in his stomach grew. Wondering if he did a poor job of hiding that pony. If he even did the right choice trying to hide her. However, before he could continue deeper, Sweetie Belle’s voice interrupted him.

Some time had passed as the pit in his stomach sunk deeper. Feeling heavier and more worried.

“What do you know of the elements of Friendship?” It caught Treebark by surprise, causing him to stop in the forest of wild apple trees.

“I. They were Equestria’s protectors before the outbreak, right?” He asks unsure where the sudden question came from. And not too sure if he got the answer right, worried about what a scolding from Sweetie Belle would be like.

She nodded her head a little, stopping a few steps ahead of him and turning to face him. “They were a little more than just that. What else do you know?” She calmly asked, there was a hint of sorrow in her words that seemed greater than Apple Bloom’s.

Treebark frowned, her tone was noticeable but there was a sense that he would better understand what’s eating at her if he was older. So he simply answered, “I know they played a big part in the rescue of Ponies during the first outbreak. But only Rainbow Dash and Rarity made it out alive. Um. Twilight was lost in her castle, locking it off after a dragon got infected in there with her. And…” he trailed off, trying to think of what he remembered. Tapping his hoof to his chin as he looked down in thought. “Rainbow Dash got hurt when Rarity went cra-“

“That’s enough.” She interrupted harshly, it was cold and commanding. Treebark couldn’t help but stand at attention as he looked up and saw her piercing gaze. Panic fills him like a tidal wave as he mentally kicks himself for forgetting that they were sisters. He braced himself for the worst to come, looking away and closing his eyes. Ripping his sight away from her cold and angered emerald eyes.

But he heard a disappointed sigh come out of her still causing a flinch from Treebark from how tensed he was. There was a small pause as he opened his eyes to see her, looking through the trees. Lost in her own mind before she looks over at him. “She never hurt Rainbow Dash.” She corrected, opening her mouth to continue but stopping herself, and shaking her head.

“Sweet Celestia.” She briefly cursed under her breath, before continuing to walk through the forest. “Come on, Rainy should be finished by now.” She encouraged, as Treebark quickly followed behind.

Prologue: A Friendly Face (Old)

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