AMONG THE TROTTING DEAD

“Two muffin spectaculars!” Pinkie sung as she handed over a plate of freshly baked muffins to a cross-eyed mare.

“Thank you, Pinkie!” Derpy smiled as she took the plate from her. “How’s your day been?”

“It’s been going great!” Pinkie gave her a smile. “But it has been a slower morning than usual.”

“You think it has anything to do with the sickness that’s been going around?” Derpy questioned, she looked over at her daughter coloring in a coloring-book at a table by the bakery’s storefront windows.

Pinkie thought as she scanned over the sparse spattering of ponies within Sugar Cube Corner. Looking at the clock, the time read eight-thirty-seven in the morning. “I think so…” She sighed as she took Derpy’s bits and put them in the cash register. “Hopefully it’s just something minor that will be solved in no time.” She smiled.

Derpy hummed as she found her friend’s happy tone amusing. “I hope so too.” Hearing the bell over the door ring, they saw three soldiers wearing grey colored uniforms, entering the store. “There has been more of them lately.” Derpy commented.

“Yeah, there has…” Pinkie’s mood soured at bit. It wasn’t that she hated the military, her father was a veteran, its just that if this sickness was something minor, why were they here? Why all over Equestria’s major towns and cities? Was the sickness that bad?

“Hello miss.” One of the soldiers smiled. “Could we get some everything bagels with cream cheese?”

“And three coffees.” The other soldier chimed in.

Pinkie put on her smile. “Sure thing!” She hummed as she opened the display and pulled out the items in question. “How’s your morning been?”

The soldier in front of the other two smiled. “It’s been alright, just patrolling town is all.” He watched her tail wag side to side.

Pinkie noticed he was giving her a flirty look. Though she wasn’t interested… yet. She accepted the flirt, with a little hum. “Well, I’m glad you came to Sugar Cube Corner.” She cut the bagels and plopped them into the toaster.

“I’m glad I did.” The stallion hummed as he admired her graceful movements.

“Sure, you are?” His friend jabbed his side. The stallion frowned at his friend.

Pinkie giggled. “Oh, I’m sure,” She looked at his name tag on his uniform. “Copper is very glad.” She gave him a smirk. “If you haven’t heard I throw the best parties.” She looked at the admiring stallion. “And I think its time I throw one for the soldiers who are looking out for our town in these uncertain times.” She giggled.

The stallions looked at each other. “That does sound fun.” Copper replied. “I think it would be good for morale.”

Pinkie’s smile faltered a bit. “It’s been that bad?”

Copper held up his hooves. “It’s been a lot of ponies to take care of in the hospital and the quarantine tents, but other than that it’s been simple.”

“Simple my ass.” He’s friend replied.

“We need to think positive.” Copper sighed.

Pinkie smiled, but before she could add onto his words. A mare ran into the store. “Help!” She cried. “My friend, she’s having a seizure!” Copper and his fellow soldiers ran out of Sugar Cube Corner.

“Stay there, sweetie!” Derpy told her daughter. “Pinkie, you coming?” Pinkie broke from her haze as she followed her friend out of her store. Dinky, stared at her mother and Pinkie through the window, but her wandering eyes fell onto a mare on the ground.

Joining a crowd, Pinkie gasped as she watched a mare convulse on the ground, surrounded by flowers that had spilled out of their baskets. She knew this mare; her name was Daisy. She worked the flower shop a few buildings down from Sugar Cube Corner.

“Is she sick with that flu that’s been going around?” A mare asked. Others gasped as they backed away a few steps, but their curiosity stopped them from fleeing any further.

“I don’t know? She said she wasn’t feeling well yesterday.” Her friend sobbed.

Daisy growled as her convulsing got worse. Copper’s friend sighed as he activated his radio. “All medical, we got one in front of Sugar Cube Coner!”

“Somepony do something!” Another pony yelled.

“There’s nothing you can do!” Another sighed.

Soon, Daisy stopped convulsing as the sounds of sirens could be heard coming from the direction of Ponyville General. Pinkie kept her eyes on Daisy. She stared at her eyes. Hollow and void of life. She shivered as she saw the vibrate yellow of her irises turn a milky white.

Pinkie stared at the milky eyes of the gallopers as they ran alongside the train. Their manic expressions shook her to her core. One growled and threw its head about as it lunged towards the window. It failed to enter, but succeeded in smashing the window. Pinkie ducked as glass went flying. Hearing the twins sobbing, she crawled up to them. “It’s okay, auntie Pinkie is here.”

Granite growled as another galloper smashed into the window. This time its head made it through. It let out a hideous moan as it gnashed its teeth about, desperate to sink them into its next meal. “Back off!” Granite huffed as he wacked it with a large blacksmith mallet. The heavy head of the mallet made a meaty connection as the sounds of breaking skull filled their ears.

Pinkie watched the galloper’s blood cover the seat and wall. The galloper went limp and impaled itself on the broken window glass. “Guys!” Limestone called out as her and Maud entered from the engine. “We have a situation…” Limestone’s voice lowered as she saw the galloper hanging from the broken window. “What the hell?”

“No shit!” Granite huffed.

A pegasus trotter dove through one of the windows at the far end, shattering glass and tumbling into the seats across from where it entered. “Damn it!” Pinkie hissed as she motioned the twins to stay next to her father. “What to do we do?”

“They’re the least of our worries!” Maud grabbed her hatchet. “We got bigger problems!” She mumbled through the hatchet’s handle in her mouth.

“What?” Pinkie mumbled through her pistol’s mouth grip. “What do you mean?” She took several shots at a galloper that was crawling through a broken window on her left. Two of her shots struck its neck but the last shot struck its skull sending brain matter flying.

“There’s a train stuck on the track!” Limestone shot the pegasus trotter.

“If you’re expecting me to teleport us out of this, you’re crazy!” Granite huffed. “Not that I don’t want to! But I’m not that gifted!” He fought back another pegasus trotter that had gotten on the train.

“No, we’re not that crazy!” Limestone spat.

Igneous watched his daughters and Granite fight off the dead. Knowing that they had little time to spare given their impending road block up ahead at Ponyville’s train station. He crawled over to his saddlebag and pulled out his lever action shotgun. “MAUD!”

“Yes Pa!” She looked over at the stallion.

“How well lit is the track?” Hearing banging behind him, he aimed his firearm at the window and fired. The loud percussion of the shotgun shell caused Pumpkin and Pound Cake to cower and sob. He grumbled as he had to us every ounce of his strength keeping his grip on the rifle.

“Lit enough to see about fifty meters!” Maud took several swings at a galloper that crawled through the window on her left. “WHY?”

“See if there is a track switch!” He commanded. Maud looked at her father with wide eyes. Looking over her shoulders, she saw the dead through the gangway’s window. “You got this sweetie!” Igneous racked another round into the chamber. She swallowed a lump in her throat and opened the gangway door to the engine.

Seeing a pegasus trotter lunged at her, she took a swing at it. Her axe struck the trotter’s skull. However, her weapon got stuck. The other trotter seeing its opportunity went for it. Letting out a gasp, Maud swung her hindlegs around and kicked the trotter back. Glaring at her stuck weapon, she yanked it with all her might. A meaty thump sounded off as the trotter flopped to the floor and fell off the train and onto the tracks. Hearing unholy tearing, Maud fought her stomach as she swung her free axe and cut the other trotter’s neck. It only stumbled, but it was enough for her to kick it off. Hearing the same ungodly sounds, she ran into the engine’s cockpit and glared out the window.

Seeing something metallic at the edge of the engine’s headlight’s reach, she hissed as she ran back into the train car and slammed the gangway door shut. “I see one!” She huffed as she leaned against the door.

“Who’s going to pull it!” Pinkie huffed as she pushed a trotter to the floor and unloaded a round into its skull. Brain matter when flying. Seeing the dark crimson leaking over the floor, she looked up and saw several pegasus trotters and gallopers desperately trying to get through the windows. “How many are there?”

“A hell of a lot!” Limestone replied. “Even if we get the train diverted. It’s barely out running them!”

“It’s better than running on hoof and having the whole smorgasbord on our ass!”

“I’ll pull it!” Igneous stated. His daughters looked at him with horrified expressions. “Don’t give me those looks!” He huffed as he sat up and stood next to Granite. “Son, you’re going to have to teleport me there.”

“But what if we pass you?” Pinkie asked as placed a hoof on her father’s chest.

Igneous could hear the desperation in her voice. “I trust him to get us back on board.” He smiled and he kissed her on her forehead. “Don’t you worry.” He kissed Limestone. “It has to be done or we’re all screwed.” He looked at the twins and could see their wide tear-stained eyes. He gave them a small nod and a silly smirk. The twins nodded back as they clung onto each other. He looked at Maud and pulled her into a hug. “You look out for them you hear.” He whispered in her ear.

Maud felt her body tense as he pulled away. “Pa?”

He only nodded as he held onto Granite. “Let’s do this.” Granite stuck his head out of one of the non-occupied windows and saw the lever gleaming in the light. Activating his horn, they disappeared in a flash of light.

“What did Pa say?” Pinkie studied her sister’s dumbfounded expression.

Before she could reply, a trotter broke through. “Pinkie! Look out!”

Appearing beside the lever, Igneous fought through his disorientation and grabbed it, pushing his shoulder into it. It let off a squeal as the track diverters moved into position. But they wouldn’t move all the way. Granite seeing him struggling added his body weight, which forced it to move all the way into position. They both let out a huff of excitement and let go of the lever. The lever snapped back into its upright position, undoing all their work. “FUCK!” Granite cursed.

Igneous stared at the lever. “Damn…”

“What?” Granite asked as he stared at the flock of pegasus trotters and eight gallopers running behind the train.

“The locking latch is not working. Somepony is going to have to hold it in place.” Igneous threw his body weight onto the lever.

“Let me do it!” Granite protested. “They need you, more than me!” He threw his body weight onto the lever, moving it into the desired position.

“Colt!” Igneous growled. “I’ll be very disappointed in you if you did something stupid like that!”

“Like you are, sir?” The younger stallion snapped back.

“Colt! You just can’t go and steal my daughter’s heart and then leave her like that!” Igneous frowned at the stallion.

“I’m sure, she’ll get over me…” Granite huffed against the lever begging to go back into its resting position. “They love you more than…. Hey!” Igneous kicked him away.

Igneous orientated himself in such a manner that allowed him to keep the lever down while aiming his shotgun at Granite. “And that’s why you best be getting on that train!” He held back his emotions. “She’s gonna need all your love!” He could feel the top of the lever digging into his right shoulder blade. “You best not break her heart, understood!”

Granite stared at his elder. “What do I tell them?”

Igneous watched as the train neared. “Tell them that I’m proud of them!” Seeing it a few seconds away, he glared at Granite. “Get going!” Granite shivered as Igneous racked a round into the chamber.

“You really going to do this?” Granite inched forward but a blast of dust and the percussion of the shotgun caused him to jerk back.

“I am son…” Igneous raised his rifle. “Now go!”

Granite slowly nodded his head as he activated his horn. Looking at the dead behind the train, he looked at Igneous and gave him a soldier’s salute, before vanishing in a ball of light.

The train’s engine roared past Igneous. Dust kicked up all around him. He squinted his eyes and aimed his shotgun. Seeing figures in the dust covered night he fired blindly in hopes of thinning out the group of gallopers. Hearing a growl, he looked to his left and saw a galloper lunging at him. He fired, sending a wall of pellets into the galloper. The dead crashed into the ground. Glaring at the wounded monster, he took aim, but a searing pain radiated from his left hind leg.

Seeing a galloper digging into his leg, he aimed his lever action but nothing happened, he cursed and started bashing the creature over the head. “Get off of me!” He growled. “Not yet!” He looked up and saw he had three more train cars to go. “Ah!” He yelled as the wounded galloper bit into his upper foreleg. He dropped his gun and focused his last remaining strength on the lever. He put all his body weight against it and held on tight. The pain was unbearable, but he kept himself distracted with thoughts of his wife and his children.

Seeing the last train car whizzed past him, he watched with heavy eyes as it got further away. He felt clammy at the realization that he would no longer hold or see his daughters ever again flooded his mind. Feeling his grip loosening, he closed his eyes. “Stay safe…” Opening his eyes, he saw his wife and his youngest daughter Marble sanding a few feet from him. He saw they were smiling at him. He smiled as the gallopers threw him to the ground.

Granite appeared out of a ball of white light in the middle of the train car. His momentum however didn’t match the train's and he tumbled across the narrow ally until a dead trotter’s body stopped him. “Where’s Pa?” Hearing Pinkie’s voice, the realization of where he was came rushing back and smacked him like a brick wall. He felt sick as he tried standing up, but he collapsed as his mind spun out of control.

“Where’s Pa?” Limestone asked as her and Pinkie neared him. “Granite, where’s our Pa?”

Granite kept his eyes on the floor as he replayed the last seconds with the stallion. “I…” He tried speaking. “He… The lever wouldn’t stay down…” He felt like he was going to vomit. “He pushed me away…” He looked up at them. “Told me to take care of you.” He stared into Limestone’s eyes.

Limestone felt a cold sweat wash over her. She felt numb as she collapsed on the floor. “What?” She started to laugh. “You’re joking?” Her laughing turned into panicked giggling. “No… He didn’t?” She looked at her sister Maud who was just staring at the ground. “Y-You? You knew?” She vomited.

The world around Pinkie faded to a blurry mess and sounds became muffled and time seemed to slow as her mind snapped. “Pa…” She looked around franticly, her limbs felt numb as she stumbled about, lost in a daze.

The twins started to hyperventilate as they watched Limestone’s, Granite’s and Pinkie’s minds falling into deteriorating mental states. Maud seeing them crying sat beside them and pulled them into a loving embrace. “It’s okay…” She cooed as she looked through the windows and saw the pegasus trotters falling behind. She shivered as she breathed a sigh of relief, but it wasn’t a pleasant one. The lack of galloper howls, made herself aware that they were too busy tearing her father to shreds.

“NO!” Pinkie’s gut-wrenching scream washed over them. Maud stared with horrified eyes at her sister’s manic expression. “NO! NO! NO!” Pinkie screamed as she punched and kicked the seats around her.

“Pinkie!” Maud yelled. “Stop it!” Her only response was Pinkie huffing out a scream as she threw her head into the wall. “PINKIE ENOUGH!”

“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!” Pinkie spat as she got in her older sister’s face.

The twins sobbed as they buried their faces in Maud’s chest. Maud just stared at her sister. She had never in her whole life seen her this… angry… broken. Granite and Limestone fear stricken, stared at her as she walked up to a dead trotter.

Pinkie picked up the closest item which was a fire extinguisher and sat beside the dead glaring hate filled daggers at it as she raised her item over her head. She let out several gut-wrenching screams as she slammed the extinguisher onto the trotter’s head. Unholy sounds of bone breaking and fleshy tissue tearing filled the air. Pinkie kept screaming as she assaulted the corpse. Blood coated the floor and the seats next her. Blood coated Pinkie’s arms and spatters dotted her chest and face, making her looked like a crazed lunatic.

Seeing nothing left of the trotter’s skull, Granite activated his horn and pulled her weapon from her hooves. Seeing that her hooves were empty, Pinkie turned around and glared at the stallion. She hissed and jumped at him, but her sister Limestone tackled her.

Limestone pinned her sister to the floor and stared at her with fiery eyes. “Stop this!” Limestone sobbed. Pinkie growled as she tried to break free. “Enough!” She pushed against her sister’s chest to emphases her point. “This isn’t what they would want!” She saw the anger, the hurt in her sister’s baby-blue eyes. “This isn’t what he would want!”

Feeling her sister’s tears striking her face. Pinkie’s mind snapped back to reality. Seeing the fear and hurt in Limestone’s eyes, Pinkie broke down. Her sobs were heavy as she went limp. Tears flooded her eyes as she begged for her father. Limestone laid on top of her and held her in a suffocating hug.

Granite rested against one of the seats. His breaths were heavy as he looked at Maud who was staring at her sisters with wide eyes. “Why would your father do this?” He asked with a heavy sigh.

“Because he’s stubborn…” She kept her eyes on her sisters. “Stubborn old stallion…” She tightened her grip on the twins.

Twilight hissed through her discomfort. Her shoulder screamed as she put pressure on her leg. She kept her mind distracted by looking at the stars that blanketed the night sky. It had been four days since they left Ponyville. The drive was peaceful, minus the bullet still lodged in her shoulder and the arguments of what to do with Blaze that came up once and awhile. She winced as she stepped down from the RV. The group was split when it came to leaving him. It was the same two issues that stopped them from reaching a decision.

Firstly, the group was split on leaving him with or without supplies. Some like Rarity and Zecora couldn’t stomach just letting him wander the land with no weapon to defend himself from trotters and no food to eat. Others like her brother and Zipper could’ve cared less.

Second, they were split on leaving him in general. Again, ponies like her brother, Zipper, Marley, and Soarin were all for leaving him on the side of the road. While others, like Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Willy Pette, and Spike thought he should stay, earning his place as a valuable member of their group.

Twilight shook her head. Just thinking that way unnerved her. Even though the group he was with tried killing them, did kill members of their group. It felt wrong treating a pony like dirt… She wasn’t like that; they weren’t like that. ‘You almost bludgeoned a pony to death…’ Twilight stopped as she made herself a plate of snacks. ‘And it felt… right…’ She shivered as she picked up her plate and walked past the others who were huddling around the fire.

Shining watched his sister walk up to Blaze who was tied up to the back of the putter-truck that faced away from the fire. He frowned as he saw her hand him the plate. “You mad at your sister?”

Looking over at Willy Pette, he frowned at the older stallion’s tone. “Sometimes it pays to play it safe.”

“And loose what makes us ponies?” Willy Pette sighed.

“I agree with him.” Rarity sighed. “We are better than that. We are not like those type of ponies that break laws.”

Shining rolled his eyes. “You were all eager to pick up arms and defend the farm. Killing ponies. Were you not?” He frowned at the members that were silently judging him.

“Yes.” Applejack rubbed the back of her neck. “But…”

“But nothing!” Shining sighed as he stood up. “Am I the only one thinking straight here?” He scanned the group. “We are wasting time, if we want to get there faster, we need to make a decision about him!”

“If we leave him, we give him supplies!” Spike protested. “If not, we’re no better than them.” He crossed his arms, keeping his eyes on the fire.

Shining glared at his younger brother. “Stay out of this conversation.” Spike looked away and stared at his feet, wrapping his tail around him for comfort. Applebloom scoot closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Shining shook his head at the affection.

Applejack took noticed and let out a heavy sigh. “We will talk about this tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Shining gave her a confused look.

“Yes, tomorrow!” She frowned. “Were all tired and are barley functioning on three hours of sleep.” She pointed at the group. "And the wounded need rest!"

“It's hard to think clearly on little sleep.” Hooves replied.

Shining just sighed and sat back down. Zipper stared at the group and shook his head as he walked back into the RV.

“Sounds like they’re talking about me again.” Blaze took the piece of cheese covered cracker from Twilight’s magic. Twilight hummed as she prepared him another. Blaze rolled his eyes. “Why am I still here?”

“Because,” Twilight offered him another cracker, which he accepted. “We need to vote on it. It needs to be a unanimous decision.”

“You know this doesn’t need to be voted on like a democracy.”

“Yes, it does.” Twilight retorted. “Its what makes us civil with each other."

Blaze looked at the star filled sky. “The world’s not that way anymore.”

“Its only been two months.”

“And look what has happened.” Blaze raised his brow at her.

“Ratchet and his ponies were always like that.” Twilight sighed as she glared at her shoulder. “Even before the world went crazy.” She rubbed her bandaged shoulder.

“Don’t be naïve Twilight.” Blaze looked into her soft purple eyes.

Twilight stared into his fiery orange eyes. “I was told by my mentor, to always look for the best outcome that would grow relationships, not tear them down.”

“But you didn’t do that with Ratchet?”

“He…” Twilight sighed. “He gave us no choice. I didn’t want it to turn violent.” Blaze only nodded as he kept staring at the sky. Twilight joined him and stared at some familiar constellations. “Like I said he was always like that.”

“And what of me?”

Twilight mulled over his question. “I… I’m not sure…” She smiled. “You’re quite the enigma.”

Blaze huffed a laugh. “You know leaving me would be better for all of us.”

“I don’t think so.” She replied flatly as she looked at him with a small smile. “We need to work together if we’re going to survive this.”

Blaze just stared at her, his mind mulling over her words. “After what I did?”

Twilight sighed. “Rainbow Dash told me; we are going to have to do thing that we are not comfortable with.” She looked down at her hooves. “Whatever reason that drove you to rescue Spike and Applebloom.” She took a deep breath. “I have to assume you had your reasons. Reasons that drove you to join Sanctuary before the world fell and Ratchet’s group after.” Blaze just looked at her for a short while before shrugging his shoulders and looking out at the horizon. “One day you tell me why.”

“One day.” Blaze said softly. "You need to take care of your shoulder."

"I'll be fine..." Twilight help back a groan as she shifted her weight off her lame shoulder. "Dawn needed the medical supplies more than I did." She looked at her bandage leg. "At least this one is out..." She winced as memories of the painful procedure replayed in her mind.

Blaze stared at her leg. "We're going to need to find more supplies on our way to Canterlot." Twilight nodded as she rubbed near her wounded shoulder. Blaze looked over Twilight once more before turning his gaze back to the dark horizon. Seeing a twinkle of light in the distance he squinted his eyes. “What is that?”

Twilight stared at the distant light moving across the land. “Soarin?”

“Yes?” Soarin raised his head form its resting place atop Applejack’s head.

“You still have those binoculars?” She looked at the group around the fire.

“Yeah, there in my saddle bag,” Soarin gave her a perplexed look. “Why?”

“What’s going on?” Rarity asked as she watched Twilight walk up to said saddlebag and take out the binoculars. “Twilight?”

“Twilight?” Shining sat up and stood beside her sister. “What did you see?”

“You don’t see that light?” Blaze looked up at the stallion.

Shining frowned at the stallion, but slowly turned his gaze to the dark horizon. Seeing a flickering light moving across the land, his eyes lit up. “What the hell is that?” The others stood up and stared at the horizon.

“Well shit, it’s a vehicle of some sort with how fast its moving.” Marley squinted his eyes.

“It’s a train!” Twilight gasped as she saw the lights were on in the first train-car.

“Do you see any pony?” Applejack asked.

“No…” Twilight sighed as she pulled the binoculars from her eyes. “It’s too far away…” They all jumped when distant galloper screams and gunshots echoed out from the train’s direction.

“Gallopers?” Derpy’s ears folded back.

“Somepony is on that train!” Copper spat out his water.

“They must’ve run into a herd of trotters.” Macintosh sighed. “The same herd that overran the farm…” He quickly glanced over and Blaze, who was keeping his eyes on the distant train.

“Well, you think that train will bring them to us?” Lotus asked.

“It’s headed in our direction, but the tracks don’t come this way.” Twilight remembered all the times she rode the train to Canterlot. “They run along the valley a few more miles from the hills we’re on.”

Rainbow Dash glared at the distant train. Her lips puckered as she looked at her broken wing. Letting out a sigh, the curious part of her mind won out. “We need to investigate.”

“What?” Shining looked at the mare. “We can’t catch the train with that thing!” He pointed at the RV.

“Well duh!” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “But they can!” She pointed at Soarin and Thunderlane.

“Woah, hold on now there RD!” Applejack placed a hoof on her friend’s chest. “We are not sending them after that train!”

“Why not?” Rainbow Dash tilted her head.

“Because, we’ve lost too many as it is!” Applejack jabbed a hoof into her chest. “And we don’t know if they are friendly!”

“So, we’re just going to let them die to a bunch of trotters?” Rainbow Dash spat. “If so then we’re no better than Ratchet!”

Before their argument got worse, both Soarin and Thunderlane pulled them apart. “We’ll go,” Thunderlane looked at Soarin, “In and out.” He ran up to the putter-truck and grabbed his saddle bag and a pistol. “If they fire back, we’ll leave and if not…” He showed them a flare pistol. “I’ll launch this into the air and you’ll come and get us.”

“Please be safe!” Rumble’s voice cracked. Scootaloo put a hoof on his back.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.” He took to the sky. “You coming?”

Soarin looked at his girlfriend and smiled. “I’ll be fine.” He kissed her and took to the sky.

Applejack bit her cheek as she watched them disappear into the night sky. “Dash, get the truck ready!”

By the time Soarin and Thunderlane got to the train, the shooting they heard had stopped. The train car close to the engine was silent. They looked at each other, worried for what they would find as they closed the distance.

Getting close enough to see the train’s detail through the halfmoon’s low light, they saw a galloper hanging from the window. Grimacing at the dead, they landed on the roof and trotted to follow the train’s momentum. A rifle round went through the roof like butter. Both stallions jumped back as they heard a raspy feminine voice yell. “They’re on the roof!” They could hear the anger in her voice.

“How many more of them?” They heard another feminine voice this one softer in tone.

“Don’t shoot!” Thunderlane yelled loud enough to project his voice over the winds the train kicked up.

All went quiet.

Both stallions looked at one another, unsure if they should bail before the mare’s within did something stupid. “Who’s out there?” A third squeaker voice asked.

Soarin cringed as he heard the agony in her voice. “Just someponies looking to help!” He stated in the best calming sounding voice he could muster.

“We’re coming in don’t shoot!” Thunderlane and Soarin dove down to the gangway door. Grabbing the handle, Thunderlane opened the door and stepped inside. However, he stopped in his tracks as his eyes laid upon the mares of the small group occupying the train car. His eyes were drawn to a pink furred mare, covered in blood. “Pinkie?”

Twilight and her group watched with bated breath as the light kept moving across the land. Twilight’s eye trembled as she thought over whether or not it was a good idea to send the two stallions to an unknown fate.

“What’s taking them so long?” Applejack walked back n’ forth.

“I’m sure they’re fine.” Rainbow Dash stated as she put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “They’re the best fliers I know.”

Applejack shivered. She wanted to chastise her for sending them out there… Or the idea. Her stubborn boyfriend always looking to help others. Like her sister Applebloom. “Yeah, I know…”

Blaze listened in on their conversations. A small smile worked its way onto his lips. It reminded him of his time in sanctuary… Before she showed up… Noticing the light coming to a slow stop, his ears stood erect. “It’s stopping!”

The group went silent as they saw the light staying still. “What do we do?” Carrot Top wondered.

“They have the flare, I’m sure they will use it…”

I bright ball of white light illuminated behind the group, they quickly spun around, some drawing weapons. But their fears turned to confusion as they saw a white and brown colored unicorn stallion, on the ground holding two six-year-old twins. The stallion groaned as he opened his eyes and saw his horn was smoking. “Aw crap!” He moaned as he felt searing pain coming from the base of his horn. He placed his hooves on his forehead and began rubbing it to dull the pain. “That was a terrible idea!”

“Let’s do that again!” The colt yelled. Feeling like someone was looking at him, his shoulders slumped as he turned around. Seeing that he was the center of attention of a large group of ponies, he became really shy.

His sister however, smiled as she waved at the group. “Hello…” Her eyes lit up. “Twilight? Applejack? Rarity? Rainbow Dash?” She tilted her head. “What are you doing here…” Realization at her current situation came flooding her young mind. “YOU’RE ALIVE!” She jumped up dragging her brother and jumped up and down Infront of the mares. “You are!” Tears poured out of her eyes as she clung onto Rarity.

“Oh my?” Rarity placed a hoof over the filly.

“Pumpkin? Pound Cake?” Twilight gasped, “Then that means…”

Hearing flapping, her and the others looked up and saw Soarin carrying Limestone and Thunderlane carrying Pinkie. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity gasped as they saw blood coating Pinkie’s lower chest and her forelegs down to her hooves. Seeing the hurt in her eyes, they rushed up to her. “Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash laughed. “You’re alive!” They hugged her.

Pinkie was in a state of shock at the affection. Finally snapping back to reality, she melted in her friends’ embrace, breaking down once more.

“Any others?” Shining asked, a small smile on his face at seeing his sister’s happiness.

“Yeah, Maud.” Thunderlane sighed. “I’ll be right back.” He took to the sky once more and vanished into the darkness.

Pinkie sucked in phlegm. “Y-You’re alive!” She laughed. “You’re alive…” She pulled away from her friends. “But why are you here?” Her eyes scanned over her friends. “Why are you not at the…” Her eyes locked onto a gold-brown colored earth pony stallion. “Copper?”

The others looked at Pinkie in confusion. Slowly they turned around and stared at Copper, whose eyes went wide as he stared at Pinkie. “I… I guess I have a name to the face.”