The clatter of metal brought along the distant sound of shattering porcelain. Pretty stained-glass windows and silk fabrics stood still. The high ceiling that held murals of gods and goodness touching the sky held the echoed cries from down below. Musicians stopped their melodies to hold their instruments close to their bodies. Mares and stallions faces unmoving from the bewildered leers reacting to the show in front of them. Even the guards covered their mouths like the bystanders around them.

A mare's mouth erupted with sound. Her lungs reached for any bit of air they could grab on to. Her eyes red with heavy tears that flow like waves down her cheeks. Reaching out, her hooves trembled. Taking in a dry raspy gulp of air.

"Help him," she yowled, "why are you just standing there!"

The mare made direct eye contact with the guards. Her chest heaving up and down. Placing that hoof down, she pushed her body up. Her bones swayed side to side. The statin and shear dress that fell from her sides was now stained with teardrops. Her pink eyebrows furrowed as she kept her eyes locked on the gray stallion wearing a golden get up. Sneering, her teeth grinded together. She could taste the salt and snot from her smeared mascara.

"He's hurting him," she begged, "please do something, anything!"

All the gray stallion could do was to struggle to keep his sharp breaths in. Turning her head, she felt more tears swell up inside her. Biting on her lip, she pulled oxygen into her nostrils. Her eyelids stayed glued together as she rammed the side of a blue coated pony who was looming over a white unicorn. She pushed her legs onto the floor as her hooves slid on the tile. She stayed silent. She could hear her heart banging against her cheat, and she tried with all her might to push the other over.

Slowly, the seafoam colored pony moved its head up. Blood dripped from the corners of its mouth. Chunks of fur and fat were stuck snug between its teeth. Opening its maw, it latched onto the back of her neck. Without a second of hesitation, it pulled a lump of flesh from her body. Her fluffy white coat began to drip deep shades of burgundy. When the jaw unhinged again, he bent back down to sink his teeth into her. It felt like a fire on the back of her neck; to the point it made her choke.

Moving only made the shell of a pony shake its head. It was like something was wrapped around her. Every time her bones shifted they were weighted down like heavy blocks of iron. Bringing up her hoof, she hit the other as heavy as her hooves would allow her to do. It only shifted, beginning to pull away again from the muscle and bone of the young mare. That's when a spear pierced through the back of the creature's skull. The metal head of the spear pierced out of the thing's eye. That's when it was twisted and pushed deeper.

An earth pony mare, who wore gold-plated armor, was standing on the other side of that spear. Pulling that same spear out, she watched The seafoam blue coat stallion hit the floor with a thud, right next to his white unicorn counterpart. Sweat fell off of her like steam.

As for the mare, she felt her eyes grow heavy. A different unicorn from the crowd pushed herself close to the other. With a magic mist, she took her scarf and wrapped it around the neck of the mare. Holding it there in a desperate attempt to play a doctor. The mare leaned into the stranger, her eyes still wet with tears. She was hugged in a welcomed tender kindness.

"That's enough," stated the guard as they dropped their spear, "Carry on."

Quickly the crowd was assured out. At the very back of that crowd there was a yellow coated mare, with a cerulean colored mane, named Lemonhearts. Every time she tried to peek over to see what the commotion was all about, another head shifted between her sight.

The halls were deathly silent. Only a clatter of tile from the moving herd that bounced off of lonely rooms could reach Lemon's ears. They were all pushed out of the castle into the gaze of the moon lit sky. Deep blues and deeper purples, masked under the light of the sleeping city. Many stared blankly, staring at the tall metal gates that held together in a seal tightly. The points too blurry to see from where the yellow unicorn stood.

That's when everypony disbanded. The streets didn't hold a soul, then. Signs outside of restaurants read closed on the sides of doors and windows. Now that the prim and proper weren't flooding the highways, it gave Lemonhearts time to appreciate the road. The pavement under her feet caught the light from up above. Smooth, and shiny, it let her walk on what felt like the milky way. Taking a deep breath in the lonesome mare sighed. The castle's shadow loomed over the city, as the moon raised, leaving the streets a deep black haze.

Her train wasn't due until morning. So it was better to go back to her inn, and take the loss at face value. Her wallet was near empty from this giant let down. All she could look forward to was hours of labor for her unpaid vacation. Her train would come by morning, so there wasn't a point in napping.

The peaceful setting was blanketed over a crawling sensation. That same sensation dug its claws into the back of the young pony. Moving away, she looked back for the last time. Wondering how long it'll be until she could walk these streets again. The prices for train ticket always rise up for insane banquets like this one, so chances of it being soon was dim.

Back in Ponyville, Lemonhearts was sitting down on her forest green sofa. The bags under her eyes stained her completion; it only reminded her how she needed to fix her sleep schedule. Her fluffy wavy mane covered most of her sight as she leaned back so her back would be laid flat on the cushion. Her head throbbed in pain, as she squinted at her stomach. She was barely able to make out the hairs on her underside.

Swooping her tail over her belly, she began to braid the lighter and darker shades of blue in a mindless daze. The only light in the room was the peering sun that looked between her front facing windows. As for the noise, there was only the heavy banging on her door… Wait, banging on her door?

Her tail hit the arm of the sofa; completely murdering her dainty braid she just created. Quickly she rolled over to stand on the floor. Her legs quivered under her weight, but she pushed on as she trotted over to the wooden door. Swinging it open, she watched a stallion draped in a black robe and wore a long bird-like mask. The entire figure of the pony was covered in cloth. They held their head high as they walked to the next house with a file of papers, nails, and a hammer, placed neatly in a one swing over the saddle bag. Looking at her neighbor's house in front of her, she saw the berry colored mare look at her with confusion; That's because she just watched her very own masked shape stroll away to hammer a sheet of paper on the next home over.

All Lemon could do was shrug at her.

Lemon opened her mouth wide to yawn. Then she turned her her head towards the paper that was nailed to the door. Leaning over, she grabbed it with her muzzle to pull it from the nail. The heavy duty sheet let go of its metal rather easily. Holding it in her mouth she could taste a smooth metallic like trim with her tongue.

She moved back inside her property. The door closed with a gentle thud. Dust was thrown into the air, before it danced slowly down to the panel floor. Walking up to her window, she placed the paper down on her desk.

Looking up, she saw the picture of a purple maned and lavender body unicorn. The cheeky grin on her face was blinding to the point it lit up the room. Lemon brought her face closer to the picture. Tracing how her two toned mane flown down to frame her face. When the glass fogged up from her breath, that's when she finally pulled away. Furrowing her brow she took her hoof to place the top of the picture frame. Moving it, she slowly placed it down flat against the table.

Lemonhearts shook her head. Sliding the paper forward into the light that creeped around her curtains; she began to read.

"Dear subjects,

"As you know, there have been frightening statements in our recent news. Last night's Gala was interrupted up by a shocking display of violence.

"Ending in the department of two loyal subjects and the injury of one.

"A disease called Magnoliophyta Disease has taken over the lives of many already. Numbers are increasing by the minute, and they would further to do so without widespread quarantine. Please, understand this is for yours and your other pony folks safety.

"Don't be alarmed. This is all under control. Our most resounding scholars are researching a cure.

"We do not know much about this disease right now but rest assured you are safe. You are all to stay home until further action and a cure is inevitably created.

"You will not leave your house.

"Rations will be given to you.

"You'll be informed when you can leave.

"Take care my little ponies,

"Queen Celestia"

Flashes of when she was watching the crowd stand there stiff like a wall entered her mind. That couldn't have been that right? Why would a disease cause a murder, and who would be dumb enough to cause such a commotion that close to the two sisters? It all seemed so distant from her. The fact that it was just a few feet away from her made her jitter in place.

With a gulp, she turned the paper over to see a blank page. Letting out a huff, she flicked her and mane out of her view. Quickly she tossed the paper back to its front to study its contents. She stared right through the sheet of paper. Every moment she spent on each word, her face inched closer right up until her nose touched the page.

The mess of a mare snapped her face away. She found her face looking up the window. The dirt road only held the fresh hoof prints from the duo of masked strangers. Then there was the wasteland of a sky. Nothing fluffy or white was up there. It was unlikely the milkmare would come today.

Folding the paper, she placed it in her messy drawer. To then take that hoof and pull the curtains open fully, letting the entire warm hug of the sun in. Only then did she see how messy her studio was. A plate and a wine glass laid neatly in the sink. The bed was rumbled and disheveled, her pillows looked at one another from across the mattress. Her suitcase laid flat on the floor. Its contents displayed, spiraling onto the ground.

That's when she began to unpack her things. Pulling out her periwinkle dress, she felt her heart sink… The long flowing lace dripped down from the saddle that was held together with a rich pink trim. Little hearts were embroidered on the side that flew all the way to the chest. Too bad she never really got to show this dress off for too long. Maybe she could wear it again for a dinner date? Brushing the fabric with her hoof, she took a deep breath in. Following the waterfall of fabric, it led her eyes to the two golden tickets. One had a hole punch in it shaped like a horse shoe, the other looked brand new. Slamming the case shut, she stomped over to her closest. Cruely she shoved the dress onto her hanger so it could live in her closest. On a repetitive pattern she took the little she had and organized her room.

After that she opened her fridge to eat something… There wasn't much. An apple and a few dandelions wrapped together with a brown paper, and a half of an empty glass of water. It was still something. Taking it out she set it on a plate. She had another, but the use of it seemed dim. After eating, she went to bed. Leaving a small mess for future Lemonhearts to worry about… it's not like there will be very many exciting new things for her to do now anyways.

Day two… or one depending on how you'd like to look at it.

Lemon was awoken by the thunderous thudding of the door once again. Forcing her body up, she moved her blanket over her face to wipe away her sleepy tears. Hooking the blanket on her muzzle, she pivoted her hips towards the hickory.

"Huh?" yawned the equid.

"Your portions are at the door, I will go, you will count back from ninety, Got it?" The voice snapped like a piranha. It was like talking to the teacher, nopony wanted for class.

"I-"

"Got it?"

"Yeah!" Lemonhearts screamed out.

Taking her left hoof, she rubbed her eye. Tracing the bags that began to form from her new horrible habits. She dragged that arm to fall on the bed, having her body drown down with it.

Her squinted eyes hit her ceiling. She traced the architecture of her measly cottage. How the wooden beams crossed over one another. The corners were too small to reach the dust. To the mortar covered the bricks that made up her walls. The thatched roof stayed strong under the swirling sky.

It had to be about ninety seconds by now, right?

Pulling herself from her warm burrow of happiness. She stepped into the cold dead draft of the world. Meandering over, she went to open her door. Immediately her head dropped to look down. That's where her eyes were pitifully rewarded with a brown paper bag on the floor. Wow thanks, I love it. With a few grumbled words of quiet rebellion, she bowed her head. Opening her mouth, she picked up the bag with her teeth.

"Howdy!" spoke a voice from the unicorn's right.

"Mmm," she muttered out.

The other pony was a younger blue pegasus mare. Her eyes round like a puppy dogt; they were also colored and bright like orange slices. For her mane it was a dyed soft brown. Looking closer you could see her roots beginning to grow a platinum blonde. She only smiled at her from afar. It was wide and could reach from her house to the one three streets over. Her head pointed down towards the deep yellow unicorn. Her long body swayed in its place. She opened her mouth and closed it, like a fish, as she tried to put together a few new words. Pausing in her place, she held a bit of air in her mouth. She seemed to be staring right through Lemonhearts.

"Our windows are pointed to one another," her mouth stumbled from her speed, "open it, so we can talk!"

With that said she didn't even give Lemonhearts a moment to say no. The pegasus was already long gone into her house. It was as if she was made of wind. The door didn't even make a sound, she was just gone!

Lemonhearts was confused at first on why she was in such a rush. The unicorn's neck curved up. Her face was blank. When she turned her face she saw a spooky bird-pony glaring back at her. That's when her ears slammed flat against her skull. She pulled away as she turned to zoom into her own home.

Once inside, she was greeted by a piercing silence. Moving over, she placed her bag onto the counter. The sound bounced off the crevices of her walls. Taking four steps, she met the other mare by her own window. Pushing the glass on its hinges, she watched the baby blue Pegasus wave.

"There you are!" she cheered nearly leaning out and falling over.

"Yeah," the unicorn coughed into her hoof to silence her awkwardness.

"I'm Sassaflash by the way," she began, "you probably know that, ha! Small town..."

"Yeah, odd we never really met, I'm Lemonhearts," she nodded, shifting her body to stand more comfortably.

"Are you married?" Sassaflash's wings brushed the frame of the windowsill, as she leaned further out the window. Her happy citrus pupils were stapled onto Lemon.

"No, I'm not," a soft uneasy laugh came from the unicorn.

"I am," she began, "my husband is actually one of those patrolling guys!"

That felt like she just trotted into a trap. Of course, she's married! She's seen the two walking in and out before. Shaking her head, she began to think. It was strange to actually believe those bird-ponies are anything but oddball creatures. Then at the end of the day, they have families. Considering how young Sassaflash was, she wondered how old one had to be to do this strange job. Least now she could get some answers from the pegasus. The two stared at one another for a moment. Sassaflash impatiently waited for her to start the next conversation.

"Why is he wearing that?" Lemon asked, retracing her words.

"He's a doctor," the young mare giggled, "isn't that wonderful?"

"Why would they have a doctor out there?"

"Most of the ponies out there are medical workers!" exclaimed the rambunctious pegasus.

Lemonhearts nodded. Not only did that answer nothing, it just made her question everything more. Maybe she was looking too into everything, but she had to figure out something. Her entire life was taken over by a giant game of sit in place with barely any clues to why.

She focused on the other mare's hooves. They were fully immersed in her window plant boxers. The rhododendron and marigolds crushed against her hooves. Then there was the wolfbane. He was barely able to make it unscathed by hugging the side of the flower pot. Poor flowers would cry for mercy if they could.

Shaking her head out of her trance. Lemon let out a mighty yawn.

"I wonder how long we're going to be stuck here," the unicorn sighed, letting her body slide down the wall.

"Everytime something bad happens, the princess always comes through for us, right?" Sassaflash finally gave her flower box a break.

"I guess," Lemonhearts rolled her eyes.

"Even when the princess was kidnapped" she rested her shoulders, letting her wings close to her sides, "somepony came through for us."

Lemonhearts stretched her head up, so she'd be peeking right over the wood.
Right then her eyes met a pegasus who made of smile material.

How small she must look to be getting a pep talk from a filly. Her huff from her nose was enough to blow her bangs out of the way. With a shift of her shoulders she flipped herself over with a wham. Now her back stayed parallel to the wall as she was face to face with the end of her bed. Her two tones tail curled around her right back leg. Twitching with its unique constrictive way.

"Yeah, I can see your viewpoint," replied Lemon.

"Thank you!" that's when Sassaflash placed her hoof on her chest, covering herself with dirt, "oops."

This became common practice in the day to day life of Lemonhearts. Every Wednesday she'd be woken up by a stallion or mare. They'd always demand her to repeat a few words she by now have memorized. To then receive her rations of food. Then she'd set the bag on their table and unpack a few metal containers of sour alcohol-tasting applesauce, a different container containing a pint of an unrecognizable substance, crackers, a few pieces of stale bread, and some peanut butter. What was really important and what Lemonhearts always looked forward to; was the few cups of pudding they always placed in. It almost tasted like the stuff she'd could have gotten in Sugar Cube Corner. Truly it was salivating.

With every thin brown paper bag came a piece of paper explaining the news for the disease. On the back of that paper you'd get a comic that was reused from previous papers. It was always childish in nature, but the few squares of drawings became the only form of entertainment one would have. The paper these were printed on was always incredibly flimsy. One wrong fold the paper could tear into two. There was nothing about the weather or what the mayor may have or haven't done. Nor was there anything about how much longer they'd be living like this.

Only a week in, pony's got stir crazy. Lemons was beginning to decide if it was worth going out or not. Having only one pony to talk to, it became a life of always sleeping. She felt like a less fluffy version of a fat cat. This cat wasn't lucky enough to be born in a rich family. Instead, the cat was one step over from living in a box.

This Saturday she heard the jarring far off bickering. Following the harsh words of the two, she found herself peeking outside her window closest to her front door. Her eyelids went wide as she studied the two figures. One looked like a normal everyday pony. His mutton chops could poke somepony's eye out. The other was those creepy bird horses. Even though she couldn't see the face of the bird pony, she could smell the fumes coming off of them from here. Who wouldn't be annoyed from being yelled at by an old horse?

Following down the body of the bird pony, she noticed a shiny metal object. The silver barring she only seen on book covers had to be what she'd thought it would be. Her guess was right, because it was illuminated by a yellow glow. Floating the gun from its leather holster, the bird pony pointed the barrel at the other.

Immediately the maw of his locked up shut. They looked like a statue planted in place. Not even his shoulders moved to breathe.

Lemonhearts pulled the fabric of her curtains together. Staring straight at the color, she could only listen.

Bang!

Stumbling back, she tripped over her own tail. She ended up falling backwards flat on her ass. All she could do was to hold her mouth shut. Otherwise, it would never stay closed. The bubbling feeling of a puke could be tasted from the back of her tongue.
Pulling her hooves over her head, she curled her back into a ball. Her eyebrows tightened with her shut eyes.

If anypony is listening. Please, please let this be a bad dream.

The time moved forward without her. Day after day until the sunrise and sunset blurred into one another. She didn't know who to turn. Talking about something she knew she didn't want to touch was swept under the rug. Even if its nails were three inches deep into the carpet. She could feel Sassaflash always skipping around that subject. So she did her best to let it go.

The month will always move on, again and again, one, two and three, a, b and c.

Week twelve.

"C-three?" Sassaflash asked.

"Miss," replied Lemonhearts, "G-one."

"Fiddlesticks! Sink," the other whined, "you win again!"

"You know you don't need to put all your ships on the sides," she offered some advice as she held in her cackle.

"Well they need to hold onto the wall," replied Sassaflash, "otherwise they'll get scared!"

Lemonhearts could only chuckle back. Who knows how far off the end she'd be without this friendly pegasus. Absolutely no one to talk to sounds like a death sentence. She already wanted to bang her forehead against the wall from the lack of physical attention. She didn't think she'd ever miss the awkward flank bumping she's got from crowded places. Well, there she was missing that exact same thing.

"Are you a virgin?"

"Okay, that's incredibly out of the blue, even for you," Lemonhearts nearly choked on her tongue, "why on earth would you ask that?"

"Well, I'd check the library if I could but…" she moved up so her chin would rest on the windowsill. Her tropical colored eyes focused on top of the other's head. She studied her messy growing mane and fluffy blue ears. She even focused on the indented swirls of her horn. It's all she could have done because Lemon's face was out of sight.

"So you're asking me?" replied the other as she laid close to the floor, completely cutting the view from her pegasus friend.

"I don't really got a lot of options," she forced out a ha, "I've been having trouble with my husband."

Lemonhearts could only listen. Once Sassaflash knew she wouldn't get a peep from Lemonhearts, she began to speak again.

"He hasn't touched me. It's gotten to the point where he won't even kiss me goodbye when he heads off to work.

"It's… so frustrating! I saw myself having foals with him in the future. Of course after everything blows over. When we met back when we were foals we both agreed to have some one day. Even if we had no idea this would happen.

"I know I haven't been able to do as crazy of workouts as I used to do. Mostly because I'm always stuck at this prison. I also know that- I- I'm a little annoying, having only two ponies to talk to, I tend to go all out.

"But does he really not find me attractive anymore?"

Lemonhearts blinked. Shifting up, she copied the position Sassaflash was in.

Sassaflash's eyes were glazed over, as she stifled out a sniffle.

"Sounds like something you should talk to him about," Lemonhearts guessed, "he's like a crazed bird doctor now. Who knows what kind of hours that gives you?"

Silence washed over the two. Then Sassaflash nodded. Gulping down a dry wad of spit, she finally answered.

"Y-yeah, I will."

The next night, Lemonhearts awoken to another gunshot. Her chest quickly raised up and down, following the dangerously fast beat of her heart. Gasping she grasped onto her chest with the sole of her hoof. Burying that hoof into her pelt. Gulping, she leaned over herself. Her pupils took a moment to dilate to the sunless room. Shifting over her bed, spring croaked under her mass. Touching a dial, she flicked it and her oil lamp lit up in contained flames. The blaring light that illuminated that corner burned the shaky eyeballs of the mare.

She turned to face forward. Staring straight at her window. The same place where she remembered the sound coming from.

Click!

She felt her heart plummet to the bottom of the earth. Forcing herself out of the bed, she started to race to the door. Tripping over herself and her blanket that was caught onto her foreleg. Hitting the door open, she nearly raced out

Lighting strikes of images of the pony screaming, who met his fate from a barrel of a gun, hit her thoughts. They forced her back into the house. Galloping over to her window, she opened it to see Sassaflash's closed window. The flower patterned curtains made it difficult to see through them.

"Hey!" she hollered out to a wall.

Dammit! Walking up to the doorway. She lingered in time. Taking a step forward, her face was brushed back with a cold frigid breeze. She felt the sand pull her in until it was quickly stable. She looked up and down the road. Luckily no pony was there. Quickly she ran to her neighbor's house, banging on the door with all her might.

"Sassaflash!" she cried as she turned the doorknob.

The copper door knob refused to be anything but stay stiff. So she began to ram the door, but no matter how hard she banged her shoulder against the body of wood, it stood strong.

"Sassaflash I'm coming in!" she promised, "Hold still, okay?"

Moving away from the door, she ran up to the window. Pulling it, she was rewarded with the warm, stuffy air of the cottage. Pulling back the curtains, she forced herself through the opening. Having the dirt catch itself in her hide, as she crawled over the flower box planter and the wooden frame. That's when she soon found herself standing on a smooth surface. The cracking of a dying fire hit her ears as the still room left her alone.

"Sassaflash?"

Author's Note

Sassaflash IS NOT a child. She's like 18-20. I know I used the word "filly" but that was an exaggeration.
(Lemon is like mid 20's if you're curious.)
Fun fact!
This chapter was based off quarantine in covid 19 if that wasn't obvious enough.

(But I doute anyone will see this besides the poor guy who had to accept this story weese)
Criticism is always welcomed. I'm trying to get better.