Chapters Flash snapped out of his thoughts when he arrived at his destination. He had one more delivery to make before reporting back to the Captain of the Crystal Guard, Shining Armour. While Princess Cadence was trying to help keep order throughout Equestria, Shining Armour was in charge of making sure all deliveries were completed, by order of Princess Celestia herself.
Stretching his aching wings, he walked up to the door and knocked on the door.
''I got a package for you'', said flash, taking the package from his saddlebag.
''Your late!'' said the colt angerliy.
''Just put it in the box!''. Flash sighed and put the package in the Sanitation box, which was a device that sanitized any object put into it to stop the spread of any virus, with a little help from some magic. After an awkward silence, Flash spoke up.
''All good?'' Flash asked?
''No tip!'' said the colt angrily,
'' And tell Captain Armour I want a new delivery pony!''.
''You're just mad that I'm immune and you aren't'' Flash said under his breath as he walked away from the house, looking at his immunity bracelet as he adjusted his saddlebag.
''What was that!'' the colt spoke up.
'' Uh... Don't forget to toast the apocalypse!'' Flash said in a panic.
Flash landed at the Crystal Palace and march towards Captain Armours' office. He groaned, knowing what was coming. He wasn't in the mood for another scolding from his commanding officer. He finally reached the door of the office and waited to be called in. He could hear Captain Armour talking to another guard about deliveries to Manehatten as they were running out of medical supplies in the Quarantine zone there. Flash signed and leaned against the wall, trying to think about how things used to be. He missed his mother, he missed this Father and his younger brother who was trapped in his hometown of Maretropolis, but most of all, he missed the mare he loved. Suddenly, he was snapped out of his thoughts when he saw the door to the office had opened and a crystal guard pony walked out.
''Corporal Sentry, you may come in'' spoke Captain Armour. Flash took a deep breath and walked in.
Flashed walked into the office, took off his helmet and saluted.
''At ease soldier'' said Shining Armour and Flash obeyed.
''This has been the fifth time this week you have been late on a drop off! Ponies are suffering Corporal, and they are counting on us to help them!'' Shining said sternly.
''I know sir, I'm sorry, I've just been having a difficult time lately being separated from my family'' said Flash.
''Well, that isn't gonna help ponies badly affected by this virus, ponies are dying and need supplies to get by! We can't be late for deliveries!'' Shining sighed, rubbing his Temples with his hooves.
'' You'll be joining 501st Squadron tomorrow to deliver medical supplies to Manehatten'' Shining said after a brief minute.
''Sir, that's halfway across Equestria!'' Flash blurted out.
''That is an order Corporal!'' Shining said, raising his voice slightly, flash knew he was serious.
''This virus has affected all of us immune workers on the guard, including me since I can't see my wife and daughter but we have to stay strong for them, Equestria needs us'' Shining said sternly.
''Yes, Sir'' Flash said, nodding his head slightly.
''Dismissed, and say hi to Twilight for me'' Shining said teasingly.
''Yes, Sir'' Flash sighed, feeling a tinge of embarrassment but hid it. He saluted, put his helmet back on and walked out of the office.
Flash walked down the streets of the Crystal Empire, looking at the immune guards roaming the streets patrolling the area. He couldn't believe how many guards were out! He knew it was for Equestria's safety, but it was still all bizarre to him, even if it had been four years! Oh, how he missed how things were before the epidemic happened when ponies could go out when they pleased and meet up with anyone they wanted. But most importantly was that he missed his mother, her smile, her laugh, her kindness, her voice, everything about her! He couldn't help but feel like he was responsible for her death even though his dad told him repeatedly that it wasn't his fault. He squeezed his eyes shut to stop the tears from falling, memories of her playing in her mind.
Suddenly, he was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a carriage pass him by with somepony yelling at him to
''GET OUT OF THE WAY CORPORAL''. Flash jumped out of the way, looking up to see the carriage. He felt a shiver go down his spine when he saw the name on the side of the carriage.
SANITATION CONTROL
The Sanitation Control was a group of ponies that had been set up when the Princesses were in conference in Canterlot about the virus that's task was to transport any infected ponies to the quarantine zones. He remembered when they had come to take his mother away to the morgue before the zones had been established.
''Stay in your homes. We are here to help'' said a pony through a megaphone that he recognized. It was Platinum Haze, a white pegasus pony with a yellow mane. He knew him since they were both cadets.
''Please remain in your homes'' he continued to say as the carriage stopped in front of a house. Flash knew what was coming next as Platinum Haze continued to give orders to citizens through the megaphone.
''Your safety is our priority''.
''If you attempt to leave your
''Lockdown is still in effect''.
It was at that moment that he saw a dark red earth pony with a dark green mane set down from the carriage, followed by four ponies in hazmat suits.
''Ocean Glow'' said the dark red earth pony in a dominating voice.
''This is Crimson Moon of The Sanitation Control of the Crystal Empire and by order of Princess Cadence I hereby detain you
No noise came from inside the house. Flash closed his eyes, not wanting to look anymore.
''Why do they always do this'' Crimson muttered, rubbing his face with his hoof.
''YOU TWO BREAK IT DOWN!'' he then yelled to two earth ponies who ran up to the door and bucked down with their hind legs. Two unicorns then ran into the house and after a struggle, came back out with the terrified Ocean Glow in their magical aura, who was screaming over and over again that she wasn't sick, begging to be let go. They threw her into the back of the carriage and once they were all back on the carriage, then sped off towards the zone, with the same orders being yelled out by Platnium Haze.
Flash Sentry soared through the streets of the Crystal Empire, passing other immune workers making deliveries as he flew by. Flash was tasked with making deliveries to badly affected areas due to the fact he was immune to the virus. The only good thing about being immune was that he could go about wherever he pleased without the fear of getting sick, except the fact that he had to distance himself from ponies he cared about due to the fact he could get them sick.
When Princess Celestia issued her royal statement when things started to go from bad to worse, she said to avoid spreading the virus, immune ponies could not interact with ponies who weren't immune in case they got them sick.
Flash shook the memory from his head, he didn't want to remember, he couldn't, he had to stay strong, for Equestria, for the Crystal Empire, for his family, and of course for his love, Twilight. He had first met the alicorn princess when he first joined the crystal guard. After a few awkward encounters of bumping into each other, they started to get to know each other and became inseparable ever since. Well, that was until this epidemic began. Flash shook his head again, flapped his wings faster, and sped towards his destination to his final delivery of the day.
It had been four years since the outbreak of the Ghost Mouth virus and Equestria had begun to suffer. Princess Celestia had ordered all citizens of Equestria to stay in their homes unless they were immune since some ponies showed immunity to the virus.
After a summit in Canterlot, It was decided that those with immunity would help keep economies thriving by making deliveries around towns and cities as well as areas that had been badly affected by the virus and to wear special red bracelets around their forelegs called immunity passes to show that they were immune. As for the infected, all four princesses decided that anyone that was infected to be taken to quarantine sections or zones. However, with towns and cities beginning to become ghost towns and the Princesses struggling to try and contain the outbreaks and keep order throughout Equestria, it seemed that there was no end in sight.
