1. Marksaline the Necromorph Queen

The Ishimura, save Sunset Shimmer 9/?

Nightmare and Luna had hugged one another when they meet in the Kellion again, she was still mortified that a accident instead of a enemy attack had killed her.
A humbling experience that reminded her how anything else than old age was causing a Alicorns death in the normal realm.

The dream realm of Sunset Shimmer had her a lot less durable as she noticed by being killed in it as it followed its own rules in a instant like one would have expected to happen to a mortal and was still wondering what just happened in detail.
One moment she was inspecting a riot shield that the Diamond Dogs survivers had made for them to use, the next moment she was floating several meters where she remembered standing on her hind legs and using her forelegs to test for weaknesses in the shield smith work.
Her disembodied state was quite chilling as she was able to communicate, but unable to effect anything once she had died. Odd being unable to effect anything physically as mutch as to lift or push a singel sheet of paper.

Rather embarrassing to die to accidents in times like these than to actually attacks or schemes, unless a Necromorph somewhere hidden had detonated the collection of flamer fuel.
While it was teaching them to take greater care around explosive material, was also clear that they needed to be more careful now in general.

What would be more dangerous, the enemy that moved and acted partially predictable or the Ishimuras environmental dangers that are a unknown in its current half functioning state.

Luna and Nightmare had been killed already once and only Marksaline and Cadance had a spare life to spend. Otherwise would they lose a player.
What would denie them carrying capacity and offensive and defensive options.
They most likely would need every singel player and surviver found on ship to go through this Nightmare of a adventure.

Speaking of survivers even if they are only dream constructs made from Sunset Shimmers mind, it was sad to think that a hole group was wiped out in a blink of a eye.
After all they might have yet become somehow useful to the herd.
But there was no point in speculation, they would work with what they had.

They stocked up on flamer ammunition for Sunset for future Necromorph swarms, when they found weapon fitting canisters under tables and on high shelves, further did Cadance get hooved over the Flamethrower in case the enemy combined fleshlings with other Necromorph combat form more often.

It was time to join Mercer and Discord in the safe room that was the tram control room and plan their way from there on out.
Time was running out eventually and they had bearly started to fight the terror within the Ishimura.

On the path to their flight lobby, did they witnessed a new enemy type coming their way.
They are the size of a young foal perhaps, but size wasn't important with enemies that could be immobilized but not killed.
At least did Fluffelpuff and Marksaline take care of defeated bodys, before the entity commanding the Necromorph might get the idea to build barricades out of them or something equally morbid.

Most certainly would a Grabber Necromorph use environmental items and perhaps dead bodies as ammunition in the near future as Nightmare Moon already experienced once in the not so far past, when she got a ~~boot~~ metal container to the head.
The enemy entity guiding the undead menace had ways doing something unexpected like that.

The size of the new enemy type alone was a problem for any attempt of dismembering them from a distance, but when they suddenly grow or revealed multible appendages and started to fire spikes out of hardened bones at them?

They sure had no fun in playing dodge the steel hard bone spikes and tag with the enemy.
Worst was when the herd tried taking some out from closer range and the Necromorph foal sized enemy retreat and seem to taunted them out of fire range by sticking to the walls of the pathway.
The railing wasn't exactly making it better to hit them either.

So they ditched the enemy and run over to the flight lobby elevator, Cadance and the Fillys had the first elevator ride. After they confirmed to Luna and Nightmare it was currently clear, did the Alicorn sisters called the elevator up to them and proceeded to join the rest by riding the elevator down.

Once they reunited did they see multible ways to get somewhere. They contacted Discord via RIG video call.

He told them that they had still to get results and in a few minutes they had more concrete informations and objectives for them.

Until Discord had more informations for them and their next destination, would they have circled back to the entrance of the safe room.

Keeping the enemy entity guessing what the herd was up to would keep it hopefully distracted enough to make less efficient ambush point ahead of there future objectives.

Be it to keep them busy or something similar, did the enemy commander prepared rather sloopy roadblock ahead of the group.

A Slasher that was suspiciously resting in front of the them in the corridor fooled noone, as if it was trying to ambush someone else... hopefully the entity wasn't purposely hunting the Ishimuras survivers now, the more problems they could resolve tonight the better.

Sunset loosed a stasis blast on a slasher that came from around the corner and cut off both of its arms and its legs. It kinda looked funny how it pouted at them, since it literally couldn't do anything anymore but growning at them.
The herd walked to the tram control room and entered what had been their safe haven for a few times by now.

From there did Luna walked over to the machine that the data board was supposed to go into and slipped it into the slot that was open with a hologram requesting a spare part.

Perhaps indicating that Mercer had been about to repair it before giving up, since he was a medical officer and not a engineer specialist.
With the necessary part replaced was a automatic computerized voice telling them that the console was now active.
Cadance approached a lit up console and pressed the button that reactivated the entire transportation system.

That was followed by the computerized voice announcing that the system was online and that the tram was arriving at the station, where the herd hear the screeching of the transport vehicle and watched as the tram blocked their view of the unoccupied tram station.

The quarantine was announced to have been lifted.

"Whatever was remaining in the flight lounge must have left. That is lucky for us, allowing us to move on unless something still needed fixing?"
Nightmare ask with uncertainty in her voice, though at the same time she turned towards Mercer and ask him to keep a eye out for the activities of the tram if he should stay in this safe room.
With him staying here, he could watch out for activities of survivers and guide them to this safe room.

Maybe a few of Sunset Shimmers surviver copies could find their way to this place?

Discord told them that he find out what they can do from the bridge and they meet him there, shortly once they checked the Kellion again, he had a air container schematic for them, that could be redeemed now.

With the entity changing things up, would one small breathing container be a good idea to have for a eventually up coming emergency, especially with Sunset unlike the others having only her default RIG state. The other having 120 seconds of air should the enemy entity somehow make it count to fight them in air insufficient areas of the Ishimura.

While they all with exception of Sunset had their RIG updated to full capacity, would Sunset really have to be careful not to suffocate should they get hold up in a air insufficient area. Sunset only 70 seconds of air was almost half the time the others could hold out in a vacuum.

With Discord having departed in the tram and Mercer wishing them good luck, did the herd moved towards the Kellion.
Bearly out of the room into the next corridor did they had to slow down with a crawling enemy Lurker coming their way.
Cadance opened fire with her Stasis Modul and Sunset open fire on its spike shooting limbs, while Marksaline stasis dealt with a sprinting Slasher enemy that she had to chew into submission, starting for once with the legs instead of going for head and arms.

It seem to be inconsistent, but at best removing 3 limbs of a Slasher defeated it, although it wasn't to rare that 4 limbs had to be removed.

Of course was the enemy again annoying them with a small group of fleshy necromorph swarm forms coming out of nowhere.

Once the enemy was nothing but cut or chewed to pieces charred corpses, unusable for the enemy, did they continued towards the Kellion to redeem their air container schematic.

The magic cutter in its upgraded form sure disposed enemies with a surprising swiftness and while Sunset Shimmer RIG was still default, did her offense was through the roof.

While Sunset Shimmer probably had her main weapon already until the night was over, did the other wondered what weapons or tools they would get for their use. Unless it would be only additional Magic Cutters?
They hoped for some variation, since it was unlikely that 1 weapon alone was ideal to deal with all enemies coming their way.

A lone Necromorph Slasher found that it had its legs and one arm severed and suffered additional burning damage after bearly having left the already broken open ventilation shaft.
The undead creatures burned surprisingly well on their own. How hot was the Magic Cutter to set them aflame at the areas they got hit?

As it stumpy limb corpse still tried to comprehend how fast Sunset had learned to dismembering something that usually inspired hesitation upon other with its emerging.
While the filly was still fearful, did her shaking body didn't seem to effect her telekinesis guided Magic Cutter precision to mutch.
Fluffelpuff was passively also giving the filly some courage with her immense fluffyness.

The entity noticed that without a distraction even a personal controlled Necromorph was to easy to dispatch. It was time to start testing out different tactics. Until she could started taking them out, one by one.

Swarm Necromorph forms seem to be a nice time sink for the herds attention, especially since they could jump into the room rather swiftly and their main goal was to damage their suit integrity instead of the health points.
Their size alone made it easy to set a ambush, something she would ruthlessly use to her advantage later on.

Though since they appeared to be handling the Swarm efficiently would they really be mostly a inconvenient time sink at best.

Sunset and Marksaline seem to be dealing quite well on their own, even when Sunset was still quite shaking whenever enemies come her way.
She was a foal after all, unlike her group that surrounded her. Adults and less obvious Necromorph creatures fighting for her side.

Cadance decided that she might focus on keeping a general overwatch, with the enemy coming slowly up with more cunning ways to ambush them. Their journey had bearly started, yet their enemy had already learned a respectable degree of proficiency to make their life a hard one in the corridors of the Ishimura.

Marksaline had been carrying their bone blades since quite some time, she would try to use them now, having a impressive collection of them already. Her telekinesis throw got even stronger when she made her suit better. This is where she could have more fun with the walking food opposing them.

Luna wanted to requested Sunset Flamethrower since she could only use one weapon at a time, but Cadance seem proficient enough in its use, that it seem to be a better fit for her niece.
Luna still was annoyed that she basically only could delay the enemy with blunt force attacks, incoming enemies didn't suffer much damage with her empty Nail Rifle beating down on them.
She hoped that the next weapon they got might be something she could use for the herds benefit.

By now she even would take a blunt object to take the heat of battle further away from her herd.

So far Nightmare clearly was better in using the Nail Rifle for dismemberment of their opposition before it could reach them.
Cadance would take on the focus of burning the Fleshlings Necromorph, while Nightmare was sniping the enemy once they found some more ammunition for her weapon.

Marksaline did pretty good so far with Stasis support and apparently she was now also ready to use the bone blades. How efficient this was going to be had yet to be seen when more than one or two enemies come their way.

Marksaline meanwhile wondered if she could stick Fluffelpuff full of bone blades and throw her at the enemies, because she figured that if she needed something to distract the walking food, that might just work. On the other hoove she didn't feel to good after she got thrown around for some time, so it might be a bad idea after all.
So far they only had throw around her fluffy sister a few times.
Would be a shame for her to waste the delicious flesh cookies she had eaten, if she had to puke I up because she got dizzy from getting thrown around to mutch.

But with her having a lot of bone blades and their enemies keep giving them a fresh set, when they could rip it off Slashers after destroying their bodys, would they have fun with the enemy one way or another.
She could easily toss a few at them and see when the enemy stopped being a threat.

Grabbing one blade with her magic double horn and eatch one per wing, did she prepared to impale the next enemy coming for them.
Something that would be quite fun in battle, since it pinned down enemies to a wall or the ground rather well, if she managed to hit them in the first place.
Her opponents would by that manner of attack be delayed quite a bit, until they ripped themself free of the bone blades.

With their enemies defeated, if they are Slashers, would their supplies in impalment weapons last for quite some time. Unless there was a way for the enemy entity to use non Slasher enemies?
But they would probably manage no matter what would come at them next, as long they stay together.

As predicted did the next enemies got pinned down by Marksaline rather well to walls and the ground, though Marksaline had problems hitting Lurkers due to their size and some Necromorph rather rip off a impaled arm or leg as to improve their escaping speed, continuing their attack as time efficient as they managed.

They gathered the spoils of their victory, occational ammunition, mixed between Magic Cutter clips, Nail Rifle magazines, Flamethrowers containers and some credits here or there, before they started to continue towards the Kellion.

The Flamethrower was used only against fleshlings, yet they noticed that they could need a lot more spare ammo containers to keep the fleshlings in check. It was by now obvious that the enemy entity was stalling for time and trying to make the herd expand their ammunition.

The Ishimura was pretty packed with Necromorph opposition, the fleshling swarms alone probably had been about 300 alone on their own. They could only hope that they didn't have a unlimited number of enemies to keep them occupied. Every encounter cost them time and they still bearly started their adventure on bord the Ishimura, the mental representation of Sunset Shimmers mind conjured by Discord.

The herd noticed that Fleshlings on occasion all on their own hide behind debris in the corridors and behind connors, more annoying than anything else.

Further did the Slashers absence of vile bile attacks made them uneasy, every Slasher could use it, yet the entity was not using them up?
There had to be a reason for not using them... perhaps something that was making it to ineffectiv? They seem to have to stay still for it to be used as far they could tell, something Sunset would use to cut off their legs, as to take away their sprint attack.

Something new was done by the entity with the next wave of attackers, when Leapers and Fleshlings cling to the ceiling and attacked simultaneously with on the group walking Slashers. Now they had to use Stasis to delay the enemy and slowly retreat, until Sunset managed to deal with the bigger enemy forces threat on the ceiling.
Nightmare Moon had unfortunately run out of ammo and could only smash and bash the Fleshlings coming to close towards them, if the Flamethrower use wasn't warranted with at least 2-3 crawling besides one another.

After the latest wave of attackers, did they nodded confirmation towards one another that no enemy was in sight.
Thank to Sunset Shimmer relative steady aim and them all using their Stasis modules coordinated, did noone got hurt and ammunition got spend pretty efficiently. Bearly losing more than they gained from the enemies that dropped defeated.
Though they still slowly run out of ammunition in time. Good they are already moving towards the Kellion as to restock what they needed the most.

Though they definitely started to run low on Stasis to, something that might yet become a bigger problem. Though they seem all pretty happy about their progress, even Marksaline seem less grumpy than Cadance was used from her, apparently destroying undead creatures formed up to be a future hobby of the little adorable monster.
She was so proud of Marksaline having found a productive hobby.

However Cadance distraction fawning over Marksaline skill and new hobby almost cost them getting hit by a singel Slasher having sneaked up on them. These Necromorph under the entity direct control seem to stop making any growling or growning sounds at all. Rather terrifying how silent these things could be at times.

Luna and Nightmare had that singel sneaky Slasher under control, once Sunset jumped up Fluffelpuff and 'throw Fluffelpuff like the Item she was counted as' at it. The fluffball forced it with the power of the kinesis add on to stumbling backwards.

While the tight corridors really made it hard to dodge in general, did Nightmare & Luna really showed how nimbel they are, when they keep parry bone blades stabbing attacks and bash their weapons on the attackers head and limbs.

Though they needed at least a minute longer than Marksaline to make significant damage to a singel Necromorph.

A couple of Slashers and a Leaper entered the area in front of the herd, keeping Marksaline and Sunset occupied while Cadance wasn't sure who to help now with both front and rear being attacked simultaneously.
Though Fluffelpuff in contrast was a great distraction when she started to bite one of the feet of the Slasher that got pummeled by Luna and Nightmare in tandem.

The encounter just lasted roughly 90 seconds, but it definitely showed Cadance that they had to keep a rear guard from now on.

When they finally reached the Kellion, did the lobby and the flightlounge seem to suspiciously empty. Though they didn't mind a little breathing break.

They redeemed the little air container schematic that when used added 30 second worth of oxygen to the counter. Not mutch, but with a 120 second limit of a fully upgraded RIG SUIT the time they would spend in a vacuum was probably not that often or to long.

On bord the Kellion they bought eatch one air canister for 1.000 Credits, than pulled all their remaining money together for ammunition.

The drawback on swarming the herd with attackers was that Sunset had now 136 Magic Cutter shots in her inventory, when they had emptied their Credit accounts. With Luna and Nightmare having 50 shots in their Nail Rifle and one 50 shot reload eatch. Cadance had one full canister loaded, 4 full canister and a half full one.
Giving her 275 units in total. Hopefully enough to keep the Fleshling Swarms at bay, because they had become quite bothersome on occation.

While their ammunition situation wasn't critical anymore, did they had unfortunately run all out of Stasis recharge packs. With eatch costing 5.000 Credits, was it to costly to buy some. They had to retreat more often and watch out not getting cut of when retreating. Something that bothered Cadance greatly, since Sunset and Marksaline had their relief within battle only do to the big use of Stasis module usage of them all. She hoped Sunset was good under pressure, because she would now have to aim for Necromorph moving at normal speeds.

After everypony had recharged their Stasis module in the Kellion, did Discord contacted the herd via video RIG message.

He seem to have a troubled expression on his face and that for good reasons, since he estimated him being from now on constantly busy with what needed fixing in Sunset Shimmers mind and body.
Apparently what ever was done to Sunset had damaged her magic pathways and explained why her telekinesis in the waking world was below average, fortunately he could fix it all before their journey tonight was over, unfortunately would he be pressed for time and be less attentive towards the herd in general.

In other words, he be unable to warn them about bigger threats, until they are practically infront of it already.
So he could only wish them the best of luck and send their RIG SUIT a marker to follow for the next objective.

The adults all checked their RIG SUIT maps while Fluffelpuff and Marksaline enjoyed the huge collection of Flesh Cookies they had collected, but had no time to eat with them constantly being under attack.

Sunset got the few door candies they had collected and after roughly 5 minutes did everyone was ready to depart.
Suddenly did the Kellion shuddered and shake hard enough to tip the ponies almost over.
The run out the Kellion to find out what the Tarterus in a hoove basket was going on.

A Swarm of Fleshlings was gripping to the Kellion and was attacking its docking clamps, loosening the ship holding clamps. Suddenly the ship fall to the side rather anticlimactic.
Maybe if it exploded or was important in the first place, like in the waking world for example, would they be worried. But since this was a dream construct?
They shrugged it off as if someone stubbed their hoove frog on a stone and relaxed walked towards the flight lounge lobby.

The entity had that moment somehow more dramatic in mind, unfortunately was the Kellion a safe room and she could not make it explode from the inside or something dramatic like that.

Guess that was a fruitless effort for nothing...
go figure.

While the herd was beating some already damaged Slashers and Lurkers to a pulp, did Fluffelpuff ask if the ship falling on its side was a problem, with Cadance giving a "mehhh" as answer, was it clear that it was rather a inconvenience if the needed to restock later in the area.

Fluffelpuff made a shrugging gesture and continued to turn the defeated Necromorph into Flesh Cookies for later nom noms.

The entity had forgotten that this ship wasn't really important and wasted effort into trying to sabotage it. Mistakes had been made...
back to trying to murder them all.

That failure fueled the entity anger and her determination to make Sunset Shimmer desperate despite her having a solid support group. She would now be throwing at them even more creative ideas. She would go for more gore and hope that it stick more than this failed attempt at shocking them.

When the herd had finished off their enemies and Fluffelpuff had stashed away her newest Flesh Cookies, did their links activated with Mercer on the line, apparently he had been contacted by someone that needed food supplies and ask the herd if they kindly break open the nearest food dispenser and get it to him near the tram, so he could bring it to the survivers with the tram system being operational again.

They agreed and wasted about 5 minutes on the task before continuing on their way.
Discord called them and wanted to ask if anything happened, because he had a strange feeling about something and he wasn't sure what it was.

Nightmare revealed what had happened to the Kellion, only for Discord to shrug it of like the others did. They wished eatch other good luck and cut the transmission.

Cadance used the lull in activity to take some time to observed the piece of technology that was her RIG SUIT.
She looked damn good in light green, further did she noticed upon closer inspection that her SUIT integrity was 3 hits before it reached 0.
Apparently did the Fleshlings had accomplished material fatigue over time.
The others had similar results with only Sunset Shimmer being mostly intact, thanks to Fluffelpuff and Marksalines efforts.

As it was standing there wasn't any ither item of interest, she was slightly fascinated that the entity might have deliberately left out to use vile bile attacks to make them lose sight of the Suit integrity indicator. Clever.

Still even if the lose 50% oxygen they still would have 60 seconds of air, being similar to Sunset Shimmer air limit.
But unfortunately are they out of money to buy a suit replacement anyway and so they just ignored the coming problem until it became more of a pressing issue.

Silently did the adults freaking out about this whole situation, but by playing it cool, did Sunset Shimmer and the others didn't get needlessly stressed out.

However it was clearly going to become a issue eventually, so it came to be no surprise that they keep observing their environment more carefully to avoid being jumped by a Fleshlings acid attack on contact.

Though without no shielding would they have to hope their weapons and reflexes would make the cut to keep them safe.
Sunset and Cadance weapons would make things easier, the Flamethrower if it was empowered later might even make the entity drop the Fleshling delaying tactic for effective enemies instead. Until than they simply had to tolerate the unbalanced little annoying Necromorph.

They started to move towards the next door so they head back to the tram control room and get this venture over in this area.

The tram system was back online and waiting for the herds first use, once they had given the snack and soft drinks to Mercer that they didn't keep to themself.
Nougat Bananas with sprinkles had been unanimously voted to be consumed by the herd, damn be the dream constructs artefical need for dreamed up snacks.

Unfortunately did the easy going levi of the situation was gone with the next wave of attackers.

As the herd started to crossing a walkway that was in front of them, did Necromorph sounded off in the area. Either the controllable Necromorph trid a rather ineffectiv intimidating tactic or the entity didn't care to keep them quite.

Only two more Slasher enemies appeared in their way, but they looked differently from the other Slasher be it male or female. This one was rather bulky and black, kind of shiny as well. To which Sunset paid not to mutch attention and blasted with her Magic Cutter towards the enemies legs.

The one in front of her switched places with the the in the back now taking the beating primarily, when the second had also taken some damage did a new arriving enemy spared it to be cut down. One normal Diamond Dog Slasher jumped out of the vents, now tanking the damage for the black Slashers. Before to long they reached the other side of the short walkway, where they come into striking range.
Though Cadance lighting them up wit the Flamethrower seem to be enough to distract them for Sunset to finally cut of eatch of the enemy right leg, before taking their left arm off heir shoulder.

The discovered a new Slasher variable. The new bulky body was if Nightmare didn't mistake it in her observation able to tank 2 hole hits more on a limb of its body, further did they moved more swiftly. Though that was all she could glimpse from this short encounter.

They are pretty mutch in the starting area of their adventure, yet that had survived a vast amount of enemy variations in enemy types and tactics.
One one hoove did Nightmare loved the challenge, on the other did she wondered what the Tarterus was yet to come... further did she doubt that no matter the outcome:
That poor group of fillies would never forget this horrible journey.

The amount of blood and guts that had been spilled would have a village guards trembling in his armor. The fillies has been remarkable for their age to endure so mutch.
Unfortunately had this gore filled adventure bearly begone and something told Nightmare that she be having bad dreams before the night was over... especially considering that her niece seem to be similar to them.
More elegant and reasonable, but still a creature of death and darkness.
She really hoped her rather innocent personality was not just a mask she was wielding.

Luna walked with her temporary herd through these gods forsaken corridors, filled with horrors like one hoped to be in long forgotten and never to be seen again times. Yet she wondered... what had become of her sister Celestia?
She regret all the mean spirited moon messages over the years.
Her next message would be a simpel one:
'I miss you, beloved sister. Take care until we meet again. In this life or the next.
Your sister of the night, Luna.'

Fluffelpuff had fun, so much yummy cookies, she also had her new playmate to cuddle. Actually she got cuddled mostly, but that was fun to.
Her sissi had a lot of fun ripping and tearing the mean Doggos and Birb-Cats to pieces.
This was a fun night!

Marksaline had fun, this was the most fun she had since... ever ♡

Sunset Shimmer wanted this all to end, she just know it became at least 100 times worse before it would get even a lot more unbearable.
If not for everyone else she probably would have not come anywhere this far.
Marksaline was scary.
Fluffelpuff was fluffy and nice, but scary as well.
The royal Alicorns are awesome, but terrifying.

She just wanted this night to end... alive if at all possible. What was happening?
Why was her head hurting so much?
Why was her heart so heavy?
Why would her tears not stop dropping?
When would the pain stop?!

Author's Note

Happy new year in a few hours everyone ♡

Stay snuggly ♡

I check for typos another time, one last update for 2023
See you 2024