AMONG THE TROTTING DEAD

Pinkie stared at the night sky through the passenger side window. She counted the stars that dotted the midnight black. The cold air sent shivers down her spine as it washed over her. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh as she enjoyed the cold refreshing air.

Copper who was driving, periodically glanced over at her. His face felt flush. The way her long straight magenta mane moved with the wind, contrasted beautifully with her face’s soft complexion. To be honest, she looked better with a straight mane and tail over a curly one. “You alright?” Copper asked after the four hours of silence they had embraced while on the drive back to the campsite.

Pinkie opened her eyes and stared at the dark horizon. “I… I think so…” She pulled her head back into the truck and looked down at her lap. “I feel some sense of peace…” She tapped her hooves together. “But I still feel empty…”

Copper sighed as he pressed his hooves against the steering wheel, not just because he was tired, but because of his memories of his family. “It’s not easy losing the ones you love.” He commented softly. “You can never truly let them go. They’ll be a part of you forever.”

Pinkie looked at Copper and studied his posture. “Did you lose any family during the initial outbreak?”

Copper shrugged his shoulders. “Not sure… Lost contact with them almost a month and a half now.” He let out a heavy sigh, “I hope they’re okay.” He tapped a hoof against the steering wheel. “I did lose my grandfather five years ago. I was really close to him. Hurt like hell when he passed.”

Pinkie stared at the dash. “I lost my grandma four years ago…” She looked out the window. “Lost too many love ones to count now…” She rested her head against the door.

Copper stared at her for some time before turning his attention back to the road. Blaze who sat in the back stared at the truck’s ceiling. He mulled over their words, thinking about the ones he was close to… Especially her… He frowned as an image of her danced across his mind like a seductive lady of the night. “So…” He said with a heavy sigh. “Are we back yet?”

Copper glared out the windshield at the twilight sky of the dark landscape. Seeing an orange glow in the distance, he smiled. “Yep…” His smile left. “But I have a feeling they’ll be mad.”

“How about I just jump out, save you some headache?”

“No…” Pinkie looked back at him. “We’ll be fine.” She looked at the glowing light as they crested the hill. “They’ll understand…” Seeing the source of the glow coming into view, her heart sank as she saw the RV was missing and the only ponies were her siblings, the cake twins and Granite. “Where the hell is everypony else?”

Copper frowned as he pulled the truck close to the fire. “This isn’t good.” He shut off the truck and jumped out with Pinkie. Blaze stared at Maud, who kept a dull composure. If he thought understanding Pinkie was hard, she was on a whole other level.

“Maud?” Pinkie walked up to her sister. “What happened?” She scanned the barren camp while Maud stood up from the fire. “Where is everypony…” Maud smacked her across the face. Pinkie stared at her sister with wide eyes. “Muad?” Again, Maud smacked her across the face. Pinkie’s eyes swelled with tears. “I’m…” Maud smacked her for a third time.

Silence fell over the small group surrounding the tiny campfire.

Maud’s eyes were stern as she looked into her sister’s soft eyes. Slowly her anger resided and she rested her forehead against Pinkie’s. Maud let out a heavy sigh, before pulling away and placing a hoof under Pinkie’s chin. “How was he?”

Pinkie could see the hurt trying to break through those stoic eyes of hers. “Uh…” She struggled to speak. “He’s…” She closed her eyes causing tears to roll down her face. She burred her face into her sister’s chest and let out her emotions.

Maud stared off into space as she wrapped her forelegs over her sister. Limestone who sat beside her boyfriend let out a heavy sigh as she poked the fire. The twins seeing their favorite auntie in such a state, cuddled her, trying their best to improve her mood.

Copper and Blaze stared at the sisters. Copper feeling some strange urge to comfort Pinkie, walked up to mare and stroked her back with a hoof. Overwhelmed with emotions, Pinkie broke from her embrace with her sister and threw her body against Copper’s and buried her face into his chest. He blushed at the sudden affection, but soon excepted his situation and wrapped his forearms around her.

Maud stared at the stallion and gave him a small smile before it left. “So?” Maud looked up at Blaze. “Where did they go?”

Maud turned her attention back to the fire. “They took the train we were on to Canterlot.”

“Why didn’t you go with?” Blaze crossed his forelegs.

“They accused us of being the bad guys or something like that!” Limestone growled.

“They said they couldn’t trust us, not after Pinkie ‘stole’ their truck.” Maud added.

“What?” Pinkie lifted her head from its embrace with Copper’s chest.

“Pinkie…” Maud placed a hoof on her sister’s chest. “Calm… There is nothing we can do about it now. All we can do is focus on what we can do this very second.” She looked at the fire. “If we leave within the hour, we can catch up to them.”

“You want to follow them?” Limestone tilted her head staring at her sister in bewilderment.

“Where else should we go?” Maud eyed the others with a stern glare. “If Canterlot is the last safe zone that hasn’t been overrun with freaks, then it’s the best shot we got.” She saw Blaze staring off into the distance. “You don’t agree?”

Blaze looked at Maud. “No… It makes sense, but what if we catch up to them?” He sighed. “Shining is royal guard. He could keep us from entering the city!” Maud looked down at her hooves. “You know I’m right.”

She frowned and shook her head. “Then we’ll just have to get there first.” She walked up to him. “You’re welcome to come. Unless you want to go on your own?” Blaze looked over his shoulders and stared at the dark horizon. “Look, I couldn’t give a damn what you did in the past. All I care about is the here and now.” She gave him a stern glare. “So, are you coming or not?”

Blaze chewed his cheek as he mulled over her words. “Sure…” He looked down at his hooves. “Where else can I go?”

“Good.” She walked over to her stuff. “Let’s pack up. I want to get going as soon as the sun rises.”

“Her sister Limestone, Granite, and the cake twins followed after her. Blaze watched them as they worked, feeling a set of eyes on him, he looked over at Pinkie and Copper who were staring at him. “I’ve got no shit to pack!” He grumbled as he sat by the fire and lied down.

Pinkie blushed as his words sunk in and quickly looked at Copper. “Um…” She swallowed a lump in her throat. “Want to… Um, clean out the truck?”

Copper found her flustered appearance amusing. Something to brighten the mood in these uncertain times. “Sure.” He booped her snout before walking to the truck. Pinkie’s face felt hot, but her shocked expression shifted into a smile as she followed after him.

The truck roared through the hilly plains towards the mountains in the north. Maud kept her eyes on the road as the sun slowly rose above the land. Granite sat in the passenger seat resting his head in his hoof as he stared out the window, watching the grass dance with the winds. The cake twins slept in the back seat. Their bodies against Limestone who was also sleeping the early morning away. Pinkie, Copper and Blaze sat in the bed of the truck.

Pinkie stared at the bed’s floor. Her eyes narrowed as memories of her ride from Ponyville to Nickelrite replayed in her mind. Feeling a presence, she looked to her left and saw her sister Marble sitting beside her. Pinkie stared at her white milky eyes. Marble stared right back with an air of contempt. Pinkie shivered at her sister’s expression.

“You alright?”

Pinkie blinked and her sister was gone. Turning around, she saw Copper looking at her with soft eyes. “Y-Yes…” Pinkie leaned against him. “Just cold.”

Copper shook his head. “You need to borrow my jacket?”

Pinkie pulled the hood of her jacket over her head. “No…” She blushed as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Blaze stared at the two for a few seconds. Letting out a sigh he turned his attention to the landscape, watching trees and bushes pass them by.

“How’s our fuel situation?” Granite asked.

Maud glanced at the fuel indicator. “It’s getting low…

“We have been driving for two days now.” He sighed. “Will it be enough to get to the next major town?”

“No…” She huffed.

“We have six-day drive…” He mumbled as he stared at a wild cherry bush as they passed it. “The train will get there in three.”

Maud frowned as she glared at the road. “Unless they get stuck.”

“True…” He opened the glovebox and rummaged through it. Seeing a map, he opened it up and skimmed it. “Where are we?”

She scanned the roadside and saw a road sign. “Highway 12.”

Seeing the highway cutting through Ponyville, he skimmed north and saw the town they had just passed. “We’re close to Iron’s Ridge.”

She sighed. “At this rate we’ll be in Canterlot within the week!”

Granite sighed. “Hey, we’ll get into the city.” He smiled.

Maud just nodded as she saw the road sign for Iron’s Ridge. “Let’s hope there is a gas station?” She pulled the vehicle onto the offramp towards the town.

“Where are we going?” Pinkie opened the back rear window hatch, which startled Limestone from her slumber.

“Getting some fuel.” Maud said bluntly.

Blaze sighed as he picked up his baseball bat. “Let’s be prepared for anything.” Pinkie and Copper nodded as they opened their saddlebags and took out their pistols.

Getting to Iron’s Ridge, a medium sized town on the edge of a plateau overlooking Horseshoe Valley where Ponyville and its neighboring towns called home, Maud slowly drove through the hard dirt compacted streets at a steady pace. The puttering of its engine filled the air as it made its way through the town. Seeing a gas station, Maud pulled the truck up to one of the pumps. Shutting off the vehicle, Maud and Granite jumped out of the truck.

“You think there is any gas left?” Blaze asked as he watched Maud walk up to the lever connected to a 1920’s style fuel pump, with a mechanical dial for fuel amount and price and an emblem of a smiling pony holding a fuel hose nozzle.

“I hope so…” Maud grabbed the lever with her hooves and pulled it towards her. A low groan sounded off, but nothing came out. She pulled again, and some fuel came out, but not at lot.

“Damn…” Granite looked at the other three pumps. “I take it they won’t matter either.”

“Correct.” Blaze sighed. “They’re all connected to the same tank.”

“Looks like we’re going to have to siphon gas from other vehicles.” Limestone eyed several abandoned putter-wagons, cars and trucks resting on the streets.

“Keep an eye out for trotters.” Copper sighed as he stood up. “Whose coming with?” He unlocked a bungie cord tied to the side of the truck bed, allowing three jerrycans their freedom.

“I will.” Pinkie raised her hoof.

“Sure…” Blaze sighed.

“Same.” Limestone nodded.

Granite and I will stay here and pump what’s left.” Maud put the fuel pump nozzle into the truck’s tanks’ filler pipe. “Please don’t take unnecessary risks.”

“We won’t.” Pinkie smiled. “I promise.” They headed down the road and walked to the first vehicle they saw a few yards from the gas station.

Muad kept her eyes on their distant silhouettes. as she pumped what remaining fuel the station had into their truck. “They’ll be fine.” Pumpkin stated with a soft hum.

Maud smiled at the filly. “I know.” She looked at Granite scanning their surroundings. “See anything?”

Granite frowned. “No, but this doesn’t feel right.” He looked down the street the gas station was on. “It’s too quiet.”

“Expect the dead.” Maud looked at the buildings surrounding them. “It’s a matter of time until they show up.”

Granite nodded as he looked at the twins and saw them looking at him with wide eyes. “Don’t you worry, I got you.” The twins smiled as they returned to their picture book. Hearing a ping of a falling glass bottle, he and Maud looked around for the source of the noise. Hearing more shuffling, their bodies shivered.

Pinkie grumbled as she saw the last drops of golden liquid pour into the jerrycan. Shaking the can she estimated that it only held two of the five gallons it could hold. She grumbled and looked up at Copper who pulled out the plastic tube. “Any luck with yours?” She looked over at her sister and Blaze who were by a yellowed colored truck.

“A little…” Limestone sighed. “Looks like somepony picked the gas tanks clean!”

“Or they evaporated?” Blazed mumbled.

“Within two months?” Limestone frowned.

“We, I don’t want to think somepony or a group is close by.” Blaze huffed. “So far my luck and yours with groups hasn’t been swell.”

Limestone’s lips puckered up, but she couldn’t deny that fact. With a huff of her own she picked up her jerrycan and Blaze did the same and walked up to Pinkie. “Ready to head back?” She said through clenched teeth.

“Yeah, we should get a couple more miles in before nightfall.” Copper commented as he picked up the jerrycan.

Pinkie looked around at the abandoned buildings that surrounded them. “Yeah…” She smiled. Hopefully Maud was able to get enough to fill the truck’s gas tank. “Besides, I think the ten gallons we got will help us get to the next town no problem.” She started humming a little tune.

Limestone and Copper bobbed their heads to the music while Blaze stared at the sisters, confused by and intrigued by their cheerful mood given their current situation. He too, slowly succumbed to the music and bopped his head along as well.

The respite of happiness sent shivers down Pinkie’s spine. Seeing them join her in her little tune caused her to start trotting in place and let off a little squeal of joy. Copper stared at her and saw some color come back to her complexion. He smiled, enjoying her joyful movements.

“Don’t stare too long.” Limestone laughed as she flicked her tail in Copper’s face. She turned around and gave him a stern glare. “And don’t forget, I got my eye on you.”

Copper blushed, he didn’t know if her words were said in a joking or a serious manner. But his predicament was broken when Blaze jabbed his sides. “She seems like she’d bite your head off if your got on her bad side.” He laughed as he followed after Limestone. Copper’s blush intensified. Rolling his eyes, he followed along.

Pinkie slowed her pace and skipped alongside Copper. Seeing his slightly sulky mood, she rubbed her cheek against his. “Don’t worry, my sister won’t kill you.” She laughed. “I can handle myself when it comes to dating.”

Copper blushed at her touch. ‘Dating…’ He chaotized himself. She’s been overly affectionate with him for the past three days of course she had feelings… “Really?”

“Well…” Pinkie blushed. “Well for others, not really for myself. Loved playing matchmaker…” She kicked a pebble across the gravel road. “Quick flings were all I really had…” She rested her head against him as they walked. “I kind of like this though… It feels right.”

Copper enjoyed the feeling of her body against his. “Same…”

Getting to the street that led to the gas station, the group let out a pleased sigh as they rounded the corner. Hearing a metallic click, their attention was drawn to the end of a barrel aimed at them. They looked on in horror as they saw a large group of ponies wearing navy-blue military shirts surrounding them and the gas station.

Seeing Maud, Granite, and the twins sitting on the ground with their hooves in the air. Pinkie’s blood started to boil, but feeling a pistol being pressed against the back of her head and the sound of its hammer being cocked back, froze her in place. The pony holding said pistol hummed as he looked at her and her family and friends. “Don’t move… The captain would like to see you!” He spat through clenched teeth from holding the pistol in his mouth.

“Captain?” Pinkie questioned.

“Questions for later!” The pony growled as a bag was placed over Pinkie’s head.

Pinkie felt a cold breeze wash over her. The constant dripping of a leaking pipe danced in her ears. They twitched from the annoying sound, or at least they tried. The bag over her head prevented them from moving freely. She gritted her teeth as she felt her hooves were tied behind her back.

“How many?” She heard a raspy female voice ask somewhere to her right. “Eight.” A masculine voice replied somewhere to her left. “Well let me see who wondered all the way to this desolate town.” The bag was lifted off Pinkie’s head.” The female’s voice gasped as her voice was caught in her throat. “Oh, fuck me sideways!”

Pinkie blinked several times to rid the pain her eye’s felt from the harsh white light above her. Glancing to her sides she saw that she was alone in bedroom devoid of most of its furniture except the for a dresser by the door. Blinking her eyes once more, she looked at the ponies who were talking. Her eyes stared at a pegasus mare with golden fur and a fiery-colored mane and tail. The flight jacket she wore had seen better days and her large aviator sunglasses covered here eyes, but Pinkie wouldn’t have to wait long as the mare removed them with her left wing. Seeing those orange-colored eyes of hers, Pinkie’s heart skipped a beat. “Spitfire?”

“Is… Is Soarin and Rainbow Dash alive?” Spitfire asked.

Pinkie groaned as she pulled against her restraints. Blaze came to mind and how he was treated by her friends… She frowned, shaking that thought from her mind she looked at Spitfire with dull eyes. “Untie me and my friends, then we’ll talk!"

Spitfire’s face morphed into a determined pose. “Untie her,” She commanded to a mare beside her.

“What?” The mare questioned. “We don’t know if they’re bandits?”

“I know they’re not!” She spat back. “Now untie her! And you!” She whipped her head around and stared at the stallion Pinkie heard earlier. “Untie her friends.” The stallion nodded and left the room. Seeing that Pinkie was untied, Spitfire smiled and offered her a hoof. “Sorry about that. Can’t be too careful these days. A shame really, the world goes to shit and ponies first actions are to harm one another.”

“Not everypony.” Pinkie added as she took her hoof and stood up.

Spitfire slowly nodded as she studied Pinkie. “True, but what I saw back in Cloudsdale… I’m not so sure. Panic is one hell of a drug.”

Pinkie thought back to her time in Nickelrite. “Yeah…”

“Hey at least we’re alive.” Spitfire smiled. “I hope the others in your group are just as understanding as you.”

“Why did you capture us?” Pinkie asked in a dull tone.

Spitfire sighed as she motioned Pinkie to follow. “Not a lot of new faces coming into Iron’s Ridge these days. It’s been quiet for nearly a month, unless you count the dead.”

“Dead?” Pinkie felt a shiver dance down her spine. “We didn’t see any dead.”

“True…” Spitfire smiled. “You can thank my Wonderbolts for taking care of them.”

“Wonderbolts?” Pinkie looked back at the mare behind them as saw that she was an earth pony like herself. “I take it not all of them survived?” Spitfire remained silents as they walked. From her posture, she could tell Spitfire was holding back her emotions. “Sorry.” Pinkie let out a soft sigh.

“No time for being sorry.” Spitfire groaned. “We got to focus on the here and now.”

Pinkie smiled. “You sound just like my sister.”

Spitfire smiled. “A mare after my own heart.” Getting to the end of the hall, she placed a hoof on a door’s handle. “Looking forward to meeting her.” She opened the door to a large room. Within the room several ponies wearing Wonderbolts patches on their blue polo-shirts stood in the corners of the room, with weapons in hoof. In the middle were several others looking over Pinkie’s sisters and friends.

“Pinkie!” Limestone shouted as she hugged her sister. “Did they hurt you?”

Pinkie giggled. “No…” She looked back at Spitfire. “Just happened to strike gold, an old friend of Rainbow Dash’s.” She pointed at her group. “Spitfire, meet my sisters, Maud and Limestone. The twins Pumpkin and Pound Cake as well as Granite, Copper, and Blaze.”

“Nice to meet you.” Spitfire waved at them. “Sorry for roughing you up earlier. Can’t be too careful in times like these.”

“We understand.” Maud sighed as she stood up. “We’ve been through worse in Nickelrite.” She noticed Blaze wanted to dispute her statement with one of his own, but he kept his lips sealed.

“Nickelrite?” Spitfire frowned as she mulled over her thoughts. “Damn… The safe zone there fell as well?” Maud and her sisters nodded. Some in Spitfire’s group looked at one another and talked among themselves. Making out some of their conversations, Spitfire shook her head. “Why aren’t you with Rainbow Dash and Soarin? Are they okay?”

Pinkie looked at her group. “They’re safe, but we're not with them because I did something stupid.” Her body felt numb as the painful memoires filled her mind.

Spitfire tilted her head as she studied her timid posture. “What did you do?”

“She stole one of their vehicles to go back into town.” Copper spoke for Pinkie. “She needed to put her father to rest.”

“We took a train into Ponyville, but the station was blocked. Pa, diverted the train, but the freaks got to him.” Limestone hung her head as she held onto Granite.

Spitfire stared at the Pie sisters, studying them like if they were one of her new recruits in the Wonderbolt Academy. Closing her eyes she sighed, as she looked up at the ceiling skylight. “Where are they headed?”

“They’re heading to Canterlot by train.” Pinkie replied.

“Canterlot?” Spitfire stared at her with wide eyes.

“Yes, why? You sound worried?” Pinkie felt clammy as the worst of the worst possible situations played out in her mind.

Spitfire cursed as she ran a hoof through her mane. “Because the dead control the capital!” Pinkie felt her throat tighten as thoughts of her friends driving into a trap filled her mind.

“Shit!” Blaze cursed.

“What do we do?” Pinkie asked.

“How many days are they ahead?” Spitfire asked.

“Maybe a day or two.” Copper answered.

Spitfire looked down at her hooves. “Wonderbolts, gather your gear!”

“Captain, why?” One of her crew asked.

“Doing what we Wonderbolts are know for.” She made her way to the door. “Saving ponies!”

“What about us?” Pinkie asked as she followed after her.

Spitfire turned around and gave her a smirk. “Get some food and resupply yourselves, you’re coming along. And as for the twins, they can stay with the rest of the children.” Her smirk left. “Canterlot’s outskirts are no place for them.”

“The world is no place for any pony.” Blaze said dully.

Spitfire nodded. “True…” She looked up at the skylight and saw the clouds floating across the sky. “It doesn’t belong to the dead yet.”