The Trotting Dead

Everypony dove to the ground as the shockwave hit the courthouse and leveled it in the blink of an eye. They were blanketed in rubble and dust, but stayed close to the ground. The noise was louder than anypony could imagine which nearly shattered their eardrums.

Rainbow Dash was the first to come out of the rubble, and helped the others get out. Manehattan was completely leveled, and Rainbow Dash couldn’t see any survivors. She felt awestruck, and shocked that her suggestion had been approved. She then thought of the living ponies that might have died during the strike, and she suddenly felt like this was her fault.

Once they were all out, Derpy looked around, and said, “I didn’t know rainbows hurt so much.”

“Derpy,” Twilight said, “That was a strike from the Orbital Friendship Cannon, they just, leveled the entire city.”

“Friendship hurts too?” Derpy said, very confused. She dug around for her AK-47, and found it under a pile of rubble.

“At least they’re dead,” Spitfire said, brushing dust off her pants, “Let’s get moving, there’s nothing left here.”

“Where to, Spitfire?” Soarin’ said, “I can’t think of anywhere to go.”

“Nowhere to go but north.” Twilight said, “Ponyville and Fillydelphia are to the south, and we can’t possibly make it to Las Pegasus in the west. And since to the east is Canterlot and then the ocean, we need to head north, to the ice fields, and hope we find some kind of settlement.”

“No,” Applejack said, “We can make it to Appleloosa in about a day walking. It’s just over the hills to the west, we can make it. There’s ammo there too, we all know we need that.”

The others agreed to Applejack’s plan, and Twilight agreed, sullenly. She thought her plan was foolproof. Of course, the freezing winter in the ice fields of the north would be a problem, but she can make it, the same goes with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Spitfire and Soarin’. She sighed, and walked with the group.

The city was completely destroyed, every structure was destroyed. There was no sounds other than the ponies’ walking. The temperature had increased drastically, and it now felt like a spring day. The sky was overcast, and it seemed like it was going to rain, again.

It was getting late, and everypony was exhausted. No one wanted to camp out in the ruined city, so they walked a bit farther into some plains, and camped out for the night. Spitfire and Rainbow Dash volunteered to keep watch for the first three hours.

While the others were asleep, Spitfire and Rainbow Dash stayed awake, watching and listening for anything they can interpret as Zombie Pony-like.

“I hope Applejack is right,” Rainbow Dash said, “There being ammo. I would hurt someone if they were looted.”

“They’ll find ammo for us,” Spitfire said, “There’re Wonderbolts with us. They have to find ammo for us.” Rainbow Dash felt relieved at that statement, and she then was quiet, listening for any and all noise. She was exhausted, but she could push herself for a little longer. She was running on fumes, starving, exhausted, frustrated. She needed her normal life back.

She then began to day –or night, as the sun went down hours ago- dream, about life back in Ponyville, drinking Sweet Apple Cider, sitting around the fireplace on Heart’s Warming Day, talking about their day. Rainbow Dash missed it all; she thought it better than shooting Zombie Ponies all day.

“Do you think things will ever get back to normal?” Rainbow Dash asked with her arms crossed in front of her legs.

“I don’t know,” Spitfire said, “Leveling Manehattan did some good, we killed more of them than we ever could have with bullets. It’ll take a while, Rainbow Dash. I just hope we go back to normal soon, I can’t live like this.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said, “And to think this all started with one pony drinking a potion.”

Suddenly, as Rainbow Dash finished her sentence, a beam of light and black fire came shooting out of the sky. Spitfire and Rainbow Dash grabbed their weapons, and had their weapons trained on the center, where they saw a figure in the center of the blast. It seemed to be a mixture of different animals, and Rainbow Dash scowled with recognition of the figure.

Discord appeared from the epicenter, and said, “Ah, would you look who it is? It’s Rainbow Dash, and the others! How, lucky, I am!”

“What the buck are you doing here, Discord?” Rainbow Dash said, pointing her Desert Eagle at Discord’s head.

“Oh,” he said, “Only ruling over my country, and my people.”

“What are you talking about?” Spitfire said, “This is Equestria, Princess Celestia’s the ruler here!”

“Wrong!” Discord said, and laughed, “I am now the ruler of Equestria, with my rather, uncontrollable subjects purging all who oppose me.”

“You mean you started this?” Spitfire said, “It was Derpy, she dropped Red Reviving Juice in Twilight’s potion!”

“Nope,” he said, “I put that juice there, with my last powers, hoping that screw-up would knock it in. It worked, and now, I am declaring war on Equestria, and I seem to be winning! I also started it in Las Pegasus, so there’s nowhere to run!” He then began to laugh uncontrollably.

Rainbow Dash pulled the trigger on her Desert Eagle, but the bullets ricocheted off of Discord’s body. She looked thoroughly confused, as that pistol had solved a lot of her problems the last two days.

“My new power makes me immune to bullets!” Discord said, “You can only stop me with the Elements of Harmony, which I hid for good this time! Until you find it, I rule this land now!” He then began to laugh wickedly, and severe winds smacked the plains and awoke the others.

“Discord,” Twilight said, “We’re going to defeat you!”

“Oh,” he said with an evil smile on his face, “I don’t think so! Now, I have to go, I have some busy work to do, in Discordia, known by you as Canterlot! So, au revoir, I’m off!” He then disappeared as quickly as he appeared, and the fire and light ceased.

“We have to stop him,” Twilight said, angrily.

“But how can we?” Rarity said, “He hid the Elements of Harmony, again! It can be anywhere in Equestria, from Las Pegasus, Fillydelphia, Trot-Along (pun for Hong Kong), anywhere!”

“Or,” Twilight said with a smile on her face, “It could be in Discordia; he said he’s declared war, and what better place than to hide the Elements of Harmony in a city filled with Zombie Ponies!”

“Alright,” Spitfire said, “But we still need to head to Appleloosa, we need ammo, food and rest, everypony. We can’t just go running and gunning in there with no ammo!”

“Right,” Derpy said, “I’m right, right?”

“Yes,” Soarin’ said, “I say we get moving now. We’ll reach Appleloosa by noon. I’ll fly ahead; tell you guys if it’s been overrun.” The others nodded, and Soarin’, well, soared into the sky, and was gone. The others then began the long walk to Appleloosa.

It was about three o’ clock when they set out for Appleloosa, and the temperature had dropped again, the short-term effects of the Orbital Friendship Cannon having ceased. Nopony knew the long-term effects, nopony had researched it. Everypony agreed never to go back to Ground Zero, Manehattan.

“Oh,” Rarity said, “My feet hurt! How am I supposed to walk if my feet are killing me?”

“Shut up, Rarity,” Rainbow Dash said, “How do you think I feel? I haven’t slept since Manehattan, and now I’m walking thirteen miles with an empty stomach and my feet are about to fall off!”

While Rarity and Rainbow Dash were bickering, Derpy was walking the trail, completely oblivious to the hostility. She was still figuring out why friendship and rainbows hurt so much. She looked at her AK-47, and wondered if it still worked. She looked around suspiciously, and pulled the trigger. The gun fired, and shocked Derpy.

“It’s magic!” She said, “How is it working? Twilight, how is it working?”

“That gun is supposed to survive anything, Derpy.” Twilight said, “Even being buried by rubble, it’s going to work, unlike mine.” She held up her Barrett, which was snapped in two. She sighed, and threw the pieces into the woods. Twilight kept walking on, and Derpy ran up to her to keep talking.

“But Twilight,” she said, “Why did your gun break and not mine?”

“Because,” Twilight said, “My gun wasn’t supposed to take that abuse. Yours is. Can I think alone, please?”

“Yeah,” Derpy said, smiling, “Sure.” She walked next to Fluttershy and started talking to her.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” she said, “You’re pretty good with your guns. Way better than me.”

“No,” she said, “I’ve had to use tranquilizing guns on animals before; firing a gun that fires bullets isn’t much different. You haven’t used one before, so that’s ok.” She smiled at Derpy, and they talked about things back in Ponyville while they walked on to Appleloosa.

By about noon, the temperature dropped below freezing, and snow began to fall. The wind began to whip the ponies as they traveled on to Appleloosa. They were deathly cold, hungry, tired and desperately needed ammo.
About an hour after the snow began to fall, Soarin’ came down, and told them that Appleloosa was safe, in fact, the Zombie Ponies had walked away from Appleloosa.

“Discord,” Twilight said, “He’s drawing back his forces to Discordia, we better hurry the ones from Las Pegasus could come any day now.” They began to trudge harder in the snow, but the weather began to get worse. The snowstorm soon became a blizzard, and it became nearly impossible to travel.

Still, they traveled on. Rarity was getting very irritated, she needed rest, not a blizzard blocking her to her next meal and full night’s sleep. She walked harder, and saw Appleloosa just over a hill, and shouted.

“Hey, everypony, we’re here!” She said, and everyone hurried to Rarity. Once they saw Appleloosa, they ran down the hill, and looked to find Braeburn. Applejack looked first in the saloon, and, not finding him there, looked in his house.

She found him in his room, totally wiped out and exhausted. His bed was surrounded by bullets and shotgun shells, and he was sleeping next to a Remington Model 887 pump-action shotgun and two Glocks.

“Hey,” Applejack said, kicking him out of his bed, “Wake up and say hello to your cousin.”

“Oh,” he said, getting up, “Howdy Applejack! How do you do, cousin?”

“I’ve been wandering around Equestria for two days with little sleep and food, apart from that,” she said, “I’m dandy. Now, my friends and I need…”

“A hot meal,” Braeburn interrupted, putting on his hat, “Ammo and a soft bed. Done, head over to the saloon, the workers there will fix you up with everything you need for free.”

Applejack thanked Braeburn, and they walked out onto the streets. The blizzard ripped through the small town, and the streets were already covered in two inches of snow. Applejack explained to Braeburn what caused it, and what they were going to do.

“Well,” he said, “In that case, I’m coming with you! I wouldn’t pass that up for the world!” They both walked over to the saloon, where the others were eating a hot meal. Applejack and Braeburn sat at the bar, and ordered their meals.

Applejack ordered a twelve stack of pancakes, a four-egg omelet, and basically one of everything on the menu.

She dug in, while Braeburn drank a cup of water. “Look at you go,” he said, “You ever thought of being a professional eater?”

“No,” Applejack said in between bites, “I’m just so hungry. I mean, I just darn ate yesterday, and I think I can eat all the apples in Sweet Apple Acres!” Then, a feeling of remembrance surged through Applejack, and she pushed back the plate.

“Braeburn,” she asked, “Do you know where Granny Smith and the others are?”

“Oh,” Braeburn said, “I got them a room. Everypony seems to be coming here. Not too good if one of them zombies comes, am I right?”

“Yeah,” Applejack said, chuckling, and immediately stopped when Princess Celestia and Luna walked through the door, escorted by ten Royal Guards. Despite the past few days, they looked immaculate, and Applejack couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Ah,” Celestia said, “Applejack, just the pony I wanted to see. Excuse me, um…”

“Braeburn, Your Highness!” He said with a smile on his face.

“Yes,” she said, side glancing to Luna, who shrugged. “I need to speak to Applejack, could you…?”

“Oh, of course, I’ll just leave you to yourselves.” Braeburn said, walking past the guards. “Gentlemen, nasty storm ain’t it?”

With Braeburn gone, Celestia and Luna sat down on both sides of Applejack.

“Alright,” Celestia said, “Any news on these infections? It has come to my attention that General Shining Armor approved of an OFC blast to Manehattan.”

“Uh,” Applejack said, “Yeah, about that. Discord has, um, come back, and he’s been starting it. We think he’s hiding the Elements of Harmony in Canterlot, we were about to head there after we got rested up here in Appleloosa.”
“

Wait, Discord?!” Luna said exasperatingly, “Sister, what are we to do about this?”

“Applejack,” Celestia said, “You mustn’t go this alone. You need, help. Now, I think sending the rest of the Pony Army with you to Fillydelphia and then Canterlot to stop Discord.”

“Sister,” Luna said, “But what about here, in Appleloosa, or elsewhere to the west?”

“Luna, we must do this,” Celestia said, “If what Applejack told me is true, we must send every able-bodied pony to fight his forces. Applejack, I want you to tell the others, particularly Spitfire and Soarin’, they would want to hear this.”

Both of the Princesses then got up, and walked out of the saloon, bickering with each other about Celestia’s rash decision.

Applejack just sat there, her mouth gaping open. She then regained her senses, and asked where Braeburn had put her friends. He told her, and she walked out into the snow and across the dirt road to the hotel.

She went to the room where her friends were, and opened the door.

“Everypony,” she said, “Get up!”

“What is it?” Rainbow Dash said irritatingly as she got up, her mane all over the place. “It better be good.”

“Well,” Applejack said, “Princess Celestia just told me we aren’t going to Canterlot alone. The rest of the Pony Army and every other able-bodied pony are coming with us.”

Please leave a review and tell me what you think! So, the culprit has been revealed! Since Discord’s last plot to take over Equestria was foiled, he used this as his grand plan of conquest. Since I made this a six-chapter story, the next chapters will only get more and more intense, until it climaxes in the last two. Next chapter: Applejack and the rest of the gang need to get into Canterlot to get the Elements of Harmony to defeat Discord. But will they be there? Find out in the next chapter!