AMONG THE TROTTING DEAD

Thunder rolled across the sky. Rain collided with the ground with violence. An earth pony mare wearing a dark-blue poncho walked through the quiet streets of Nickelrite. The mud coated her pink-furred hooves as she walked towards a pub near the center of town. Walking up the steps, the mare was about to open its door, when she heard a growl. Looking over her shoulders, she saw a trotter roaming down the streets. The overwhelming sound of the rains hid her movements. The dead pony gave one more growl before stumbling further down the road.

Shivering, the mare entered the pub. The rain drummed the roof of the pub. Dull thuds echoed in her ears. Looking around, she took out a flashlight and turned it on.

Seeing the disarray of the pub, brought a dower mood upon the mare. But she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as she walked over to the wall on her left. An array of photographs lined the wall. Her blue colored eyes rapidly scanned them. The desperation in her eyes became more pronounced as she looked. She let out an audible gasp as she found what she was looking for.

Taking down the photo she sat down where she stood and stared at the ponies in the photo. The photo was of her parents, her and her sisters. She smiled at the happy faces as two of the ponies each held a slice of cake. The young mare closed her eyes to hold back the tears. Looking at the photo once more, she kissed it and put it in her saddlebag.

Unbeknownst to her, a trotter slowly approached from the back of the bar. The once unicorn hissed and growled as it tried to use its horn to grab the mare. Its eyes glowed a bright green, the same as its horn.

Feeling a cold aura on her shoulder, the mare turned around and gasped as the monster approached. She panicked and pulled out her small folding shovel strapped to her saddlebag. The trotter growled as it lunged after her. She frowned as she took a swing at the dead, smacking it across the face and sending to the ground. Not wasting time, she ran out of the pub and out of the small mining town.

-Five Minutes Later-

Seeing an isolated boxcar on the tracks that lead out of the city or into the city, depending on which way one’s perspective was looking at it. The young mare let out a sigh as she approached. Knocking on its door, she waited and listed to shuffling coming from behind the door.

The door slid opened, revealing a mare, the one in the photo she had. Her eldest sister. “Pinkie, where did you go?” She frowned as she watched her younger sister climb in. Shutting the door, she watched her take out the photo from her saddle bag. “You went into town?”

“No wonder she was gone so long.” A stallion named Granite stated with a hum as he sat by Pinkie’s second eldest sister Limestone.

“Sorry, Maud. I had to get something.” Pinkie stared at the photo.

Maud bit her cheek as she stood beside her sister and looked at the photo. Seeing her mother and her sister Marble, she closed her eyes and let out a tired sigh. “You went to Iron’s tavern?”

“Yeah…” Pinkie’s eyes trembled as she stared at the photo.

Maud nodded as she looked over her shoulders and saw the Cake twins, Pound and Pumpkin sleeping just a few feet from her father, Igneous. His sleep was restless as the fever racking his body was becoming too much for him to bear.

Granite stared at the stallion and let out a sigh as he placed a hoof over Limestone’s shoulders. Limestone hummed a soft tune as she rested her head on his chest. “You think he’ll make it through the night?” She asked.

Maud kept her eyes on their father. “I’m not sure?”

“He will!” Pinkie hissed as she placed the photo back in her saddlebag.

Maud looked at her sister. Seeing the pain in her sister’s eyes haunted her so. “Pinkie…”

“He will make it…” Pinkie hid behind her long and straight magenta mane.

“For how long will we keep this up?” Maud rubbed her forehead. Pinkie felt her throat dry up as she kept her eyes on the boxcar’s floorboards. Maud just shook her head as she laid down by the butane lamp. “I don’t think he’ll make it to Applejack’s orchard.” Maud let out a sigh.

Pinkie shivered at her sister’s tone. It sounded defeated. So, unlike her normal monotone self. She closed her eyes as laid down herself. Resting her head on her saddlebag she curled up. “I know…” She finally replied. “Don’t remind me…”

Maud stared at her sister and let out a sigh as she closed her eyes and went to bed. Granite stared at the two before resting his head on Limestone’s. Limestone stared at her younger sister. A sadness overcame her as she looked at her father and saw his sweat soaked fur. Shivering she cuddled up closer to Grantie and closed her eyes.

Pinkie was the last to close her eyes. She stared at the butane lamp and listened to its mind-numbing melody while her mind replayed the events of the last month. The last month when everything good in her life came crashing down… A chill ran up her spine as she saw a figure of a young mare sitting by the lamp. “Marble?” Pinkie mumbled as she stared at her twin sister. Marble scowled at her twin. Pinkie’s heart raced as she saw her sister’s milky white eyes staring into her soul. “Marble… Forgive me…” Her sister only tilted her head and put up a hoof to her lips and shooshed her.

-8th Day of the Outbreak-

Mr. Cake threw a saddlebag in the back of his putter-wagon. “Is that everything?”

Mrs. Cake, who was putting their children, Pumpkin and Pound Cake in the backseats, looked up at her husband. “Yes…” She buckled them in.

“Where’s Pinkie?” Pumpkin asked as she held her doll close.

Mrs. Cake looked at her husband, asking him if he knew. He shook his head and looked at the backside of his bakery. Hearing an explosion and the screams and yells of rioters and the dead he ran back inside.

Stepping into the main lobby of the bakery, he felt a heaviness on his chest. The once vibrant store was now left in ruins. Seeing the silhouette of the mob through the windows he shivered as he ran upstairs. Getting to Pinkie’s room he peaked in and saw the young mare in question.

Her usually curly magenta colored mane and tail were now flat. Her shoulders were slummed as she stared out her window watching the chaos with trembling eyes.

“Pinkie it’s time to go!” He called out, in a loving but stern tone.

Pinkie turned around to face her Godfather. Tears stained her eyes. “Why? Why are ponies doing this to each other?” She looked back and saw some of the dead attacking the living… She also saw the living attacking the living. “It’s all wrong!”

Mr. Cake looked at her desk and saw several pictures of her friends, her family and of them when they went on a trip to Manehattan. Letting out a heavy sigh he placed a hoof on her shoulder and turned her around to face him. He pulled out a mouth held pistol from his saddlebag. “Pinkie, did your father ever teach you how to shoot?”

Pinkie looked at the weapon. “Yes… But…”

He handed her the pistol. “Take this and use it to protect yourself and your love ones.”

“Pinkie’s eyes dilated. “But I don’t need it! Celestia and Luna will fix this!” She stared at the pistol. “I only shot soda bottles… I can’t kill somepony…” Mr. Cake put a hoof on her mouth.

“Look again Pinkie!” He pointed a hoof at the window. She looked out the window and watched the chaos playing out like a horrible nightmare. “I don’t see that happening for a while…” He sighed. “In the mean time we need to watch out for ourselves… And that means using tools like this!” He pointed at the pistol in her hooves.

Pinkie stared at the pistol and studied its polished sheen. “O-Okay…” She looked back at her mentor.

“Good… now let’s go!” They left her room.

Getting downstairs, they headed towards the back door when glass shattering halted their movements. A petrol filled bottle flew into the store and ignited on the floor covering the tables and chairs in flames. Pinkie stared at the flames as it consumed her place of work, her home. Frowning, Mr. Cake grabbed Pinkie and dragged her out of the bakery.

Stepping out into the cool night air, they ran up to the putter-truck. They were about to get in when a pistol was aimed at the back of Mr. Cake’s head. “Don’t you do anything stupid!” A unicorn stallion shouted. “Give me all your bits!”

“Here, take them!” Mr. Cake turned around, “They’re useless anyways!” He threw them on the ground as he glared at the stallion.

The stallion frowned and struck him across the face with the pistol’s mouth piece. Looking into the cab he saw the five-year-old twins. Eyeing Pumpkin the stallion gave her a menacing smile. “Hand over the filly!”

“No!” Mrs. Cake pleaded. “Just let us go!”

“Give me the fucking brat!” The Stallion grabbed Mr. Cake and wrapped a foreleg around his neck. “Or I’ll blow a hole in your husband’s skull you…”

A loud crack echoed over the sounds of the riot. The stallion felt a sharp hot sensation radiating from his right side. Choking on his breaths, his magic died and his pistol fell to the ground. He let go of Mr. Cake and held a hoof to the pain and looked at where the shot had come from.

His eyes landed on Pinkie, who stood stiff as a rock, holding a pistol in her mouth. Smoke was still wafting out of the barrel. Her eyes stared in shock as what she had just done.

“You shot me?” The stallion growled as he glared at her some more. His eyes softened as he recognized her. “I know you…” He gasped as he felt his life starting to slowly fade. “You’re that mare… Works… The bakery…” He recognized the building behind her. “You… You fucking bitch!” He stumbled to the ground.

Seeing a group of dead emerging from the alleyways in-between the shops, Mr. Cake picked up the stallion’s pistol and tossed it in the truck. “Pinkie, get in now!”

Pinkie broke from her haze and jumped into the bed of the putter-truck. Turning on the truck, Mr. Cake quickly shift it into gear and floored it. The vehicle roared down the gravel covered road and over the bridge out of Ponyville.

The stallion’s yelling drew Pinkie’s attention from her stupor. She watched as he kept yelling at her, completely unaware of the dead right on top of him. His anger quickly turned into panicked screams as the dead fell upon him and tore into his flesh.

Pinkie quickly turned away and spat out the pistol. It landed on the truck’s bed and bounced and landed on a saddlebag. She stared at the weapon, her mind swimming madly with regret and understanding for what she had just done. Hearing a hissing in her head she placed her hooves on her head and buried her face into one of the many saddlebags.

-15 Hours Later-

Igneous Rock stood on his porch. The sun was just hovering over the horizon washing out the stars in the night sky. Puffing on his pipe he let out a sigh. ‘At least the princess is still raising the sun...’ He chewed on its bit as he grabbed the watch that hung around his neck. Checking the time, he frowned. “They should’ve been here by now…” Seeing a putter-truck in the distance he smiled as he walked up to his property’s gate and opened it. “I’m glad you made it!” He smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Cake.

Mr. Cake shut off the truck and held onto the steering wheel. “Yeah… Glad we did.”

Igneous’ cheerful mood soured. “It’s that bad?” He looked to the west and stared at the hazy silhouette of Nickelrite. He was glad his family lived far from the small mining town.

Mr. Cake ran a hoof through his mane. “Yeah…” He looked over his shoulders and looked at Pinkie who looked like she had seen a ghost. “She’s not doing well.”

Igneous looked at his daughter. “What happened?” His voice held worry as he looked at Mr. Cake with a sternness only a father could give.

Mr. Cake knew that look, from one father to another. “She had to shoot somepony.”

“He tried to take Pumpkin from us.” Mrs. Cake added as she comforted her children who were still shivering from the night’s events.

Igneous sighed as he walked up to the bed of the truck. Seeing that his daughter didn’t respond to his presence unnerved him. His second youngest was the energetic of his children, the wild child. The one to bring smiles upon ponies faces. “Pinkamena?” He saw her eyes trembling. He couldn’t imagine what she had to do… Innocent Pinkie, even if she was twenty-one years old. “Pinkie, I know it was hard, but you made the right choice.”

Pinkie gave her father a quick glance before looking at the truck’s bed once again. Igneous sighed as he looked back at his house and saw his wife and his other daughters walking up to the truck. “What’s wrong?” His wife, Cloudy Quartz asked.

“Its our daughter…” He placed a hoof on his wife’s shoulder. “She had to kill somepony.” His wife gasped. “She had too, to save Pumpkin.”

“Is she not talking?” Limestone asked as she got on the other side on the truck and studied her sister’s dour demeanor. “Pinkie?” She saw tears pooling around her sister’s eyes. “Crap…”

Maud closed her eyes and let out a long sigh as she looked at Marble. “You know what to do.” She gave a nod. Marble hummed as she crawled into the bed of the truck.

Marble placed a hoof under Pinkie’s chin and looked into her eyes. Pinkie’s mind came rushing back to reality as she realized she was back home. Her emotions took hold and she began to cry. “Marble… I killed somepony! I’m a mur….”

Marble placed a hoof on her sister’s lips and put a hoof to hers and shooshed her. “You were protecting them.” She softly spoke as she pointed at the Cake twins. Pinkie saw the twins looking at her from the backseat. Pinkie shivered as she buried her face into her sister’s chest letting out a heavy sigh. Marble wrapped her arms around her sister and hummed out a soft melody.

Limestone smiled at her twin sisters and looked over at Maud who returned her smile with a small nod.

“She knows how she ticks.” Mr. Cake watched as Pinkie’s mood was slowly improving.

“It’s a twin thing.” Cloudy smiled.

Mr. Cake looked at his own twins and smiled. “I guess so.” He looked at the large storm clouds rolling across the sky. “Looks like the weather teams will be struggling these up coming days.”

Igneous frowned at the forming storm. “Indeed… Let us head inside. My wife has prepared a wonderful meal for us all.”

-Present Day-

The heat of the day zapped Pinkie’s energy. It didn’t help that the moisture from the rains several nights ago caused the usually dry plains of Southern Equestria to be humid. Pinkie shivered as she looked at the clear sky and wondered if she would ever get use to the wild weather that now plagued Equestria. ‘Hell…’ How was she going to get use to a plague that turned ponies into monsters. Hearing a cough, she looked over at the cart she was pulling with her sister Maud as saw her father bracing himself as he coughed up blood.

Granite who was tending to him lifted his bandage with his magic and studied his wound.

“How is it?” Limestone asked.

“Bad… We need to find a hospital or pharmacy if I’m going to get the bullet out.” He sighed as he rested against the cart’s chest high walls. “And antibiotics, we’re on our last pill.” He rummaged through his saddle bag and pulled out an orange bottle and poured out the last pill in his hoof. “Here…” He gave the pill to the elder stallion and a canteen of water.

Igneous struggled to swallow. Letting out a heavy sigh he rested his head against the wall of the cart. “I’ll be fine…” He gasped. “I’ve been through worse.”

Pinkie shivered as she looked forward. “We need to find a working vehicle.”

“You know sudden movements is not good for Pa?” Limestone sighed.

“We’re two days from Ponyville!” Pinkie spat. “We need to get there faster!”

“Pinkie, enough!” Igneous sighed as he took in a heavy breath. “We’ll get there when we get there…” He gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll be just fine.”

Pinkie stared at her father and studied his heavy eyes. “Yes, Pa…” Pinkie lowered her head. Maud looked at her sister with soft eyes. She let out a sigh as she looked ahead. She hated seeing her baby sister not in a good mood. It was so unlike her… so foreign.

“We should’ve left sooner.” Pound Cake stated, his raspy voice cut through the silence.

“We couldn’t.” Granite sighed. “The general’s goons were still in high numbers and the herd of freaks that came from the south…” He looked at the pegasus colt. “It was too dangerous to leave. It was good thing that we waited a week.”

“I hope it was.” Limestone stared at her father as he fell back to sleep.

Granite stared at her with soft eyes. “It will…” He smiled. She returned the smile.

Seeing a sign, Maud read the words on it. Seeing Dodge Junction was just an hour or so, she looked to her right and stared at the tracks as they disappeared behind the horizon. “Let’s go this way.”

The others looked in the direction she was. “Dodge Junction?” Pinkie wondered.

“We might find more supplies.” Maud looked at her sister. “And a putter-truck while we’re at it.”

“But Pa can’t…”

“Pa needs it.” Maud looked at Limestone. “He needs meds and a sowing kit Granite can use. The stupid military camp in Nickelrite was burned along with its supplies. Granite only had what he had on him at the time… And Ash…” She shivered. “We need a faster mode of transport.” She pulled the cart toward the town forcing Pinkie to follow along.

Arriving at the outskirts of the small western style town, Maud and Pinkie pulled the cart slowly through the town. Seeing and hearing nothing they scanned over the seven buildings and the train station. “Is this even a town?” Granite commented.

“It’s the stop gap between Equestria’s north and south.” Maud commented. “You’d think it would be bigger given that, but no…”

Pinkie saw the general store. “I’ll go there and check it out.” She unlatched herself from the cart.

“I’ll go with you.” Limestone jumped from the cart. “Keep an eye out for freaks and bandits!” She called back.

“We will.” Granite commented. “Want me to look for a putter-truck?”

Maud scanned the streets. Eyeing the train station, she saw an engine with six cars still resting at the station. “We could us that.”

“You know how to operate it?” He asked.

“No…” Maud sighed.

“I do…” Igneous spoke softly.

“Pa, you’re in no condition to pilot an engine.” Maud glared at her father.

“I’m not gonna heal any faster by just laying around.” He huffed. “Besides, I think the little ones would love to drive a train…” He smiled at the Cake twins. They smiled and nodded their heads vigorously. “Something to… brighten their moods.”

Maud bit her tongue as she listened to the twins’ blather on about driving the train. A small smile worked its way onto her lips. She hummed as she looked over at the small general store. “Sure… Besides.” She looked at her father. “It will get us to Ponyville faster.” She looked back at the general store. Seeing Pinkie and Limestone coming back, a chill washed over her as she saw Pinkie’s eyes were full of excitement. “Found anything good?”

Pinkie dropped her bag on the ground and began rummaging through it. “Yeah!” She pulled out several medical items. “We found peroxide, gauze, and ointments for infections!”

Those will work to clean up his wound,” Granite took the items with his magic. “But the bullet will still be in him and if I got it out, I’ll need to sew it up.”

“Got you covered.” Limestone smiled as she took out a sowing kit.

Granite smiled. “This will work…” He sighed. “Feels like I’m back in medical survival training.”

“You had fancier tools then what I had back in my time.” Igneous huffed from the cart. He let out a sigh as he laid his head down. “Let’s get packed up in that train. The sooner we get to your friend’s orchard the better.”

“Train?” Pinkie looked at Maud.

“Yes, that train.” Maud grabbed a saddle bag and threw it over her back. “It will be safer and faster way to travel.”

“Is it cleared of freaks?” Pinkie followed after her as they made their way up to the train.

“Not sure, but they would’ve come out with all the noise we were making.” Maud sighed. “I think Dodge Junction is truly abandoned.”

Pinkie studied the town. “The general store still looked full like most in the town just vanished.”

“Maybe they headed to the safe zones?” Limestone pondered.

Pinkie felt a cold sweat wash over her. “Yeah… safe zones…” She grumbled as they neared the train.

“Keep a look out.” Maud grabbed her hatchet and stepped into the first train car. Pinkie and Limestone grabbed their pistols and held them tight in their mouths as they stepped in the last train car.

Looking up and down the aisle, they saw that it was empty except for the rotting corpses of a mare and a filly that looked no more than seven years old. Stepping up closer, Limestone and Pinkie saw that the mare chose the easy way out and took her daughter with her.

Maud stepped into the car they were in. “Its all clear…” Seeing the bodies, her heart stopped. “Oh my…”

Pinkie looked away and held back her emotions. “Why are they here?” Limestone wondered out loud. “There are plenty supplies here.”

Maud held back her gag reflex as she stepped up closer to the corpses. “She didn’t want to face what was… What has happened to the world.” Maud sighed.

Pinkie looked into the eyes of the filly as she stared at the ceiling. Those sunken eyes of hers, it shook her too her core. Seeing something out of the corner of her eye she looked and saw her sister Marble sitting in a seat next to her. Her milky eyes glared at her. Pinkie shivered as she backed away. Marble kept her glare as she looked at the corpses. Marble only shook her head and stared at Pinkie with heavy eyes.

“Pinkie?”

Pinkie’s eyes trembled as she watched her sister pull out a gun and put it to her head.

“Pinkie?”

Pinkie snapped out of her day dreaming and looked at Maud and Limestone. Her body was covered in sweat. Her pupils were small as pin needles. “Y-Yes?”

“Are you alright?” Maud placed a hoof on her forehead. “You don’t look alright.”

Pinkie looked at the seat next to her and saw Marble was no longer there. “I’m… Fine…” She looked out the window and saw her father talking to the Cake twins. “Let’s get them loaded up.” She headed toward the door. “We should get this train rolling before it gets dark.” She laughed. “All aboard!” She jumped out of the train car.

“I think she was having another episode.” Limestone sighed.

Maud was lost in thought. Memories of their hometown succumbing to the horde of dead that came from the south. The madness and fear that infected the town’s ponies… her mother and sister... Holding back her emotions she shook her head. “Let’s move these bodies before the twins get on board.”

Limestone nodded. “Sure…” grabbing the bodies they gently carried them out and placed them in the shade of the platform’s awning. Bowing for the bodies, they went back to the cart and loaded their supplies into the last train car.

“I think we should get that bullet out before we start the train.” Granite stated as he got the medical supplies ready.

“No…” Igneous sighed. “Let me show you how to operate the train first.”

“Pa, we really need to get that bullet out of you.” Limestone sighed.

“Let me show you how to operate the train then you can go digging in my sides.” He huffed.

“Understood.” Granite went under the stallion, placing Igneous’ right foreleg over his shoulders. “Teach us oh wise one.” He laughed as he helped Igneous to the engine. Igneous rolled his eyes as they entered the engine’s cockpit. Pinkie, Maud and Limestone looked at each other and smiled.

-Two Days Later-

The train roared down the tracks, the huffing and puffing of the engine brought a calm to Pinkie. She stuck her head out the window, enjoying the winds smacking her face, flapping her long straight mane about randomly. Feeling the train shake from the change in elevation, she sighed as she stuck her head back into the train car and slipped off her seat. Seeing the twins playing a card game with Maud she smiled.

Pumpkin feeling eyes were on her looked up and smiled. “Want to play, auntie?”

Pinkie nodded as she sat next to her. “What are we playing?” She watched Pound deal her a hand.

“I’m teaching them how to play war.” Maud hummed.

Pinkie picked up her cards. “War?” Pinkie laughed. “Ma loved that game…” Thinking of her mother her smile left.

Maud seeing her souring mood, took in a deep breath and laughed. “It was, so I expect you to make her proud.” She smirked. “I still hold the record for the most wins.”

Pinkie’s souring mood reverted as she smiled. “Not for long.” Hearing a door sliding open and laughter, Pinkie, Maud, and the Cake twins looked over at the back of the train car and saw Limestone and Granite entering through the gangway. She was cuddling up against him and he was nibbling her ear. Pinkie held her cards to her lips. “Having a fun time?” She giggled.

Limestone and Granite stopped in their tracks. Their faces turned bright red as they looked at the card playing ponies. “Uh…” Limestone found herself feeling hot. “Yeah…” She gave a sheepish smile. Pinkie just laughed. The twins not truly understanding what was so funny, couldn’t help but laugh with her.

Maud couldn’t help it either as she let herself smile.

“Glad to see everypony smiling and laughing again.”

Hearing her father, Maud turned around. “Yeah…” She saw he was bracing himself against the wall. “How are you feeling?” She looked at the fresh bandage wrapped around his barrel.

“Feeling better, now that pesky bullet is out and I have something to keep my mind off the pain…” He sighed. “But I need a break.”

“Take over for me, I’ll monitor the controls.” Maud handed her cards to her father.

“What are we playing?” He sat down with help from Maud.

“War.” Pinkie hummed as she placed down a card onto the discard pile.

“Ma’s favorite.” He hummed as he looked at his cards. “Your hand is not the best, sweetie.” He looked at Maud, showing her the cards.

“Pa!” Maud rolled her eyes. “Now they know I was bluffing.” She said with a laugh as she headed to the engine. She smiled as she listened to her family’s laughter. Exiting the train car, the cool plains’ winds washed over her. Her body shivered in delight as she entered the cockpit of the engine. Making sure the gauges were reading correctly, she sighed as she looked out the window at the star filled sky.

She watched the stars twinkle and shimmer. Her mind wandered to the times when her and her sisters would star gaze in their youth. Wondering if there was life on other planets. She smiled as she remembered Pinkie and Marble discussing such matters in a jumbled fantastical manner only six-year-olds could.

Letting out a sigh she looked towards the dark horizon. Her eyes lit up as she saw the silhouette of a town in the distance. She was about to tell the others that Ponyville was in sight, but stopped when the engine’s light illuminated a trotter on the tracks.

Hearing the meaty thud and crunching grinding of the trotter being torn apart by the train, her body shivered as she saw more trotters on the tracks. More and more meaty thuds filled the air as the train tore through the dead like butter. “What the hell is going on?” Limestone asked as she stepped onto the engine. “Holy shit!” She saw the endless number of dead that occupied the outskirts of Ponyville.

“Tell the others to get ready…” Hearing the screams of several gallopers. Their bodies froze in fear.