Chapters Equestria watched fearfully as the Crystal Empire fell from an unknown magical disease, or more commonly said; curse, turning ponies into undead, crystalline zombies. Later it was called Sombra's Light. Nopony knows how it came to be nor the ingredients to the cure. The Ministry of Defense tried their very best to quarantine the Crystal Empire, but the curse spread all over Equestria, causing mass hysteria.
Some questionable actions had been made, leading to the utter destruction of Van Hoover, and leaving the world shocked. Celestia has refrained from ever using the Sun's power again, wishing her little ponies a heartfelt good luck, before going into hiding. Accounts on the whereabouts on Luna range from turned into one of the Cursed to being trapped on the moon again. The disappearances of the two princesses, angered the population, which led to the ransacking of Canterlot, making the Capitol a deathtrap.
The Equestrian Relief Effort (ERE) set up hospitals and witch huts all over, trying to stem the Light from cursing more ponies. Other creatures have fled the country, despite the Light proving to be completely uninterested in them. The danger of the Cursed is still a threat to them. Over the years, ERE activity has lessened as the Light keeps on getting more and more out of control. Before their demise, however, they discovered that specialized crystals combined with intense light, repel the creatures of the night.
Each city, with their mayors, had a different way to prevent or stall the Light outbreak. Fillydelphia, one of said cities, was outfitted with a low gravity field encompassing the entirety of the city, with the mayor hoping that it wouldn't spread as easily. Survivors of Filly have banded together and created various factions over the years to survive. Every month, Battlekour competitions are held, the winning faction claims ownership of Filly until the next competition.
Author's Note
Aaaand off to another story, of which I will stick with to the very end. I have great idea for this world and I hope it will be as great as I imagine.
Taken inspiration from the Dying Light franchise. Similar to how kkat did with Fallout.
Note: It was first called Dying Light: Broken Filly when I first started writing this.
I galloped full pelt from a huge hoard of gross Cursed. The standard Cursed is a pony, covered in various crystals with clumps of fur and flesh falling off, with a magical disease called Sombra’s Light. It completely spread all over Equestria in a grand total of three long years. That was 15 years ago.
My legs stretched as I leaped over a broken down car then rolled over a fallen steel beam. The fucking bastards cornered me into the Caldecolt tunnels with no easy way out. So what does any good Dasher do? Run like hell. My legs ran faster as I dodged and weaved through various obstacles and pushing away Cursed, not risking a single bite.
A piercing scream tore through the air, causing a whimper to escape my lips as my ears pressed against my skull. I glanced around, trying to find some escape from what was about to come out of the tunnel, then I saw it. I rammed my forehooves into a Cursed's face and rammed my shoulder into the maintenance door. I rolled forwards and closed the door with haste. My legs trembled and my chest started to hurt as the adrenaline started to fade, I sat down and took a deep breath.
Note to self: The Caldecolt tunnels are the worst.
***
I crawled forwards, my wings pressed against my side to prevent any unconscious fluttering, inch by inch, I made my way to a large overturned car. When I reached my destination, I allowed myself a small breath. Then another, and another, until I regained my breath with little to no noise. The maintenance tunnel led to another tunnel, much to my annoyance. However, luck was on my side this time as the Cursed weren't as many. They also seemed to be inactive, lounging around and hanging in places. Literally.
I closed my turquoise eyes, took a deep breath, then strained my ears. Even though my vision faded to black, my other finely tuned senses made a picture in my head. I saw myself, a pegasus mare, dirt, and sweat covering my grey coat, hiding behind a broken car. In front of said car lay an upturned bus, surrounded by ten or more Cursed. Behind me lay a concrete pillar, which hid three more from view.
I steeled my nerves after getting my surroundings checked, then rushed out as silently as possible. With a couple of well-timed jumps, I made it on top of the bus. My well padded running boots, made specifically for Dashers, made no noise over the metal. I kept my breaths slow and deep, as I inched over the bus. I peered over the edge, trying to get some sense of my bearings, and almost gasped in shock.
Sensing and seeing are two different things. With my finely tuned survivor sense, I can sense dangers, and possible loot locations, but descriptions never appear. When one is looking down on a horde of sleeping Cursed, it is quite terrifying. The colorful pastel ponies with their lovable faces turn into gruesome spectacles. Some of the Cursed had their eyes replaced with crystals, glowing with putrid magic. Some had entire body parts completely gone, ranging from missing chunks from their stomach, spilling bloody crystalline guts on the floor, to an entire leg missing.
I shook myself out of my stupor and continued my journey over the bus. When I reached the edge, I looked past the Cursed and rubble, for a way out.
There!
Past a collapsed beam, I could see a glimmer of sunlight. I waited for a few seconds for a couple of Cursed to shuffle a bit farther away, then leaped. I finally spread my wings and caught the air, despite how stuffy it was. A loud screech startled me, and my left wing clipped some rubble. Instead of falling, I twisted and bucked the Cursed that made the horrendous sound. Using it as leverage, I pushed myself forwards and continued running. The other Cursed, now alerted, were hot on my tail.
Using every skill I learned on the road, I dodged and weaved, bucked and pushed, through every Cursed that screamed their grisly mouths at me. After a final buck to a Cursed that seemed quite corrupted, I made it into the light. A common misconception that ponies have, is that Cursed do not like sunlight. Those who believe that, are now Cursed themselves. My gallops didn't even dwindle when the sun blinded me. The monsters crawling after me made my legs keep on pumping.
Looking behind me, I saw that they were some gallops away, and kept on running. In my haste, I failed to notice the road had collapsed, leading to a chasm. My quick reflexes kicked in, letting me get a purchase with my hooves, and push upwards with all my might. With real clean air, after a long journey in the tunnels, made flying so much easier. My grey plumage fanning out beside me, I smiled grimly at the Cursed who fell to their death trying to come after me.
***
The post-apocalyptic Equestrian countryside is absolutely stunning during sunset. I felt free and alive after being in that stuffy tunnel, and I took advantage of it. I did flips and dives, every trick I know of, just to keep the smile on my face. The beautiful orange glow reflected off the trees and mountains that surrounded me, giving off a glorious ambience. When the sun finally set, I glided to a cave I spotted a little earlier. It was hidden behind some vines so it wasn't easily spotted if a pony were to walk underneath it.
I swooped in and tucked in my wings. The cave seemed big enough, but I couldn't tell for sure. I plopped my flank on the cold ground and fished around my saddlebags for a flashlight. Once I found it, I flicked it on with my right wing and shone the light in every nook and cranny. Rule number one in the Cursed world; don't brave the dark without light.
"Boo!" The light shone on a dark figure, then fell to the ground as I shrieked. Then I uncoiled from a weird defensive position I somehow put myself in, when I heard someone chuckling. I picked up the flashlight again and looked closer.
"Oh, you fucking bastard. Spike, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" I, then, promptly started swatting his green scaly hide with my hoof.
"Ok, ok, I'm sorry!" I didn't stop. "I said I was soooorryyyyyy!" The dragon sighed in relief when I finally stopped. Spike smiled a little, then blew some fire over some sticks, lighting up the cave. I glanced around, taking it all in, smiling when I saw a hoard of gems in a corner. A large rug covered most of the floor, making it more comfy. My smile turned into a smirk when I saw the cave walls were lined with shelves filled with books. Even though Spike was quite big, he still had a couch off to one side, complete with pillows and a blanket.
"So, Shattered, whatcha doing here?" Spike asked. The dragon himself, stood over three ponies tall, and five ponies in length, looked quite at home in this cave.
"I'm heading to Filly." I wandered over to the shelves and looked over the books. "Nice place you got Spike, how long have you been here?"
"I moved in last year. Any particular reason Filly is your destination? Are you still a Dasher?" Spike curled up on the rug, his long tail hugging his massive body, but his head still looked at me.
"Yep, still 'Dashing' around Equestria, delivering messages and the sort." I paused when I saw a familiar book. A purple tome. I pulled it out and heard Spike fall silent behind me. "You still have it, eh?"
"How could I leave it behind? Friendship meant so much to her, it would be a dishonor to leave it behind." Spike said solemnly, his great eyes cast to the floor.
I ran a hoof over the gems that adorned the book, before placing it back. "When was the last time we saw each other?"
"Oh, I don't know." Spike lifted a claw and scratched his head. "Four years maybe?"
"The last time I saw my best friend...was 15 years ago. The day of the Fall." I could feel Spike watching me as I trotted over to the couch. With a great sigh, I sat down and continued. "I've gotten a lead from a mare in Las Pegasus, saying he would be in Filly. That was four days ago."
"You've covered that much distance in four days?"
"Hey, I'm a Dasher. Badasses who roam the land, delivering messages and braving the wild." I leaned back, letting the soft cushions wrap around me. The two fell silent, each with their own thoughts, as the stars shone outside.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"HELP!"
"No, no no no, NO! FERNY!"
Author's Note
EL CAPITULO UNO.
If there is any way this story could be improve, any feedback is appreciated. Even if it's the smallest one. I hope to go far and wide with this story, but who knows. Hoped you enjoyed it!
My kudos, as always, goes to my good friend; Blu for being great.
I was in the sky again. The great blue sky. Nothing could bring me more joy than flying in this great expanse, the freedom of going anywhere. It's intoxicating. My grin turned into a frown when I realized that something could bring me more joy. More specifically, someone. I shook my head, dispelling any negative thoughts that might arise, determined to find him.
Instead, I focused on the great view that lay before me. The sunlight, no longer blocked by pollution due to lack of gas-expelling machines, casting beautiful rays over trees, rivers, and rocks. I took a deep breath in, smelling all the scents flowing in the wind. When I opened my eyes from my blissful state, I saw some buildings over the horizon.
I flapped higher, trying to get a better view. With each beat of my wings, more breath left my lungs. I let myself glide forwards, too caught up in the sight. Buildings that rose beyond the horizon, sunlight glinting off the broken windows, and magnificent walls that were erected to keep the Cursed in. I chuckled, the Ministry of Defense weren’t always the brightest.
***
My smile never fell from my face as I glided towards the great crumbling city of Filly. As I flew closer, I could make out that the city seemed to be split up in different sectors, through tall walls. In my angle, however, I couldn't tell how many there were. On the rooftops, I saw patches of green, no doubt gardens. In the far distance, closer to the center of the city, one of the towers had flashing lights. I frowned, was that pony so desperate to die?
My musings were cut short by agonizing pain. My vision went pitch black for a second, maybe more. When I came to, I found out that I was falling. Then I noticed the excruciating pain in my right wing. Gritting my teeth, I ignored the ground coming ever so closer, and peered at my hurt wing. A bullet hole was right where my humerus was. I screamed in anguish when I tried to extend it. I was falling way too fast to slow my fall, let alone glide. With tears in my eyes, I stared at my broken wing, hoping that death by concrete would be quick and painless.
I have no idea how long I've been falling for, but when I landed, it came as quite a surprise. On the bright side, I was still alive. I fell into a large patch of blue garbage bags, whatever were inside those bags broke my fall, making me relatively unhurt. The bad news, I fell on my injured side. I stood up shakily, sobbing as I tried to move to a safer place.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A cruel voice rand out. I groaned slightly as I moved a forehoof to wipe away the tears. There, a few steps away, stood three ponies. A large purple mare, a dusty brown stallion carrying a large gun, and a blue stallion. The mare grinned as she took a step closer. Her red eyes stared at me with malice; the left one had a scar over it.
"P-Please, I mean no trouble." I whimpered, too injured to have a fight.
"Did you hear that? It sounds like the Chicken is trying to talk!" The mare grinned before laughing uproariously. I flinched, seriously hoping there weren't any Cursed nearby. The blue stallion also grinned while the dusty one just stared impassively. Even in my pain-induced haze, I knew immediately that he was the most dangerous of the three.
I watched miserably as Purple trotted up to me with that smirk and peered down. I struggled, trying to get away without putting too much strain on my broken wing.
"Awww, is poor Chicken in pain?" Purple crowed, seemingly not even caring if any Cursed heard. "Gutshot is truly the sharpest shooter in Filly!" I just groaned, and tried to move away again. "Hey now, no need to leave!"
She started to lift a hoof. I backed up with a whimper, hoping that this wouldn't be the end for me. Purple just grinned sadistically and walked next to me, her hoof still raised. Then, without warning, brought it down on my chest. My groans turned into a bubbly gurgle. My head turned completely blank as Purple kept up the pressure. My mouth was open in a wordless scream, begging for anypony to come rescue me.
"Silly filly. Nopony would want to save a Chicken like you." Purple raised her hoof again, but instead of hitting my chest again, she stomped on my broken wing. Right where the bullet hole was. A shriek tore through the air. After a while, I realized it was mine. I lay on the pile of bags, sniffling and whimpering, unable to make a single word as pain flooded my senses.
"Shit." Blue suddenly spoke. "Boss, Cursed are moving in."
"Alright." Purple looked back at me. Gutshot was doing nothing, just staring at the events that unfolded before him. "Alright Chicken, it looks like you are going on a walk! How does that sound?" A groan hadn't even fully left my lips before I got hauled up onto Purple's back.
The trio ran away from a horde of crystalline monsters, with me in tow. With every bounce, I coughed. My ribs weren’t doing good and I couldn't feel a single thing in my wing. How did everything go so wrong? Through the pain, I lifted my head to look at the surrounding area around me. I didn't get very far, as in that moment, Blue's head exploded. Purple reared back in surprise, sending me flying. I didn't even register that gravity had temporarily lost its hold on me, then I hit a wall, sending me back into darkness.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
I sat on a grassy hill, overlooking the peaceful town of Ponyville.
"Beautiful, ain't it?"
I turned to see who spoke.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Shit!" I bolted upright, then yelped when my right wing exploded in pain. I groaned and slowly fell back down onto my pillow. Wait, pillow? "Hello? Is anybody there?"
I tensed, ready for anything. Searching my surroundings for any possible weapon, I noticed that I was in some sort of clinic. Drugs and bandages lined the cupboards, and some spare beds were also set up. I tried to sit up, then winced and remembered my injury. I lifted the covers slowly and took a peek at my wing. It looked as if it'd been cared for by a professional, with bandages and everything. A tang of apples filled the air, making my nose wrinkle in surprise.
"It's for healing." A white mare explained, walking in. She gazed at me with kind green eyes, with a bright red mane adorning her head. "I trust you haven't moved around a lot, undoing the bandages I worked tirelessly to wrap. I've never had a pegasus patient before, I must say, it's an experience and a half." She chuckled.
"Umm, no, I haven't." I tried to sit up for the third time, and failed when the strange mare pushed me back down again, though, not unkindly. "Where am I? What happened?"
"Those questions cannot be answered by me. I'm just a doctor!" She winked before checking the bandages around my wing and nodding, saying that it'll heal in time. I nodded my thanks and smiled. "You're going to need your rest, your questions can be answered tomorrow."
I blinked lethargically as the strange doctor injected me with something. Another blink. Then I closed my eyes for good.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
A brown colt smiled at me. Only that smile, nothing else. I could not see his eyes nor his cutie mark. Just his smile.
"Yeah, it is."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
I woke up with a groan and took in my surroundings with a sleepy gaze. A couple of moments later, I steeled myself and promptly rolled off the bed. I landed on the floor in a heap. I blinked then pulled myself up to my hooves. After a few unsteady steps, I made my way out the door.
"Hey, if it ain't the strange pegasus that fell from the sky!" I looked up blearily to see a red stallion making his way to me. I shook my head, clearing away leftover sleepiness, and brought my head up to look at him properly. The stallion had a rusty red coat, adorned with multiple scars and bandages, hard but not unkind blue eyes, and a grapple hook for a cutie mark.
"Bit of a mouthful. Call me Shattered." I took a deep breath in, letting my senses roam around me in case I needed an escape. I stood in some sort of lobby with chairs, beds, and bags scattered about. There were a total of five ponies, including the stallion who called me out. Behind him, I saw an open window that led outside. That'll be my escape plan if everything goes wrong.
"Shattered, eh? Folks call me Hookshot. Pleased to meet yer acquaintance!" He grabbed my hoof and shook it. My foreleg felt sore after he finally let go. "Now, I'm sure yer wondering about a bunch of things, so lemme show you to our leader. He'll explain everything!"
Hookshot took off, and I followed cautiously, glancing at everypony here, wondering if this was a trap or not. We neared the window that I was eyeing earlier, and my curiosity got the better of me. I trotted over and peered through it. My mouth fell open. We were so high up, I couldn't make out any details from the ground below. From this single window, I could make out many more towers, just like this one, and the occasional radio tower. On the rooftops of the lower buildings, I saw gardens and ponies tending to the plants. Shacks were built on top, giving cover, and giant stands were placed all over that glowed purple.
"What are those?" I gestured to the light. Hookshot looked back and peered through the window. He explained that they were crystals, enchanted to give off a special light that deters Cursed. It also slows down the transformation if you get bitten. I nodded with interest, storing the information away for later use.
***
Hookshot trotted up to a door marked with black paint and knocked on it. While we waited, I mused at what I'd seen today. Ponies still thrive after the Light outbreak, through humane actions like gardening and making a community place like this base, or bullying others to get what they want, like that purple mare.
"Who's there?" A gravelly voice answered. It sounded very weary, like the owner had overexerted itself. I sympathized.
"The pegasus." Hookshot replied.
"The pegasus who?"
"Shattered...ummm." My guide turned to me, "do you have another name?"
"Path. Shattered Path."
"Shattered Path." We waited for another few seconds, then the door opened. Hookshot took the lead and stepped forwards. I followed, wondering who this 'leader' was. The room was relatively normal, a couple of beds, some bags, and a table filled with paperwork.
A door led to a balcony, and outside stood a stallion. He turned when he saw us, and smiled kindly. He looked very old, and as such, his mane was a dirty gray. His coat was neon orange and terribly scarred; his dark pink eyes held much wisdom and humor. His cutie mark, though marked, was clearly a large bird in flight
"Well, a pegasus that fell from the sky. I've truly heard it all!" The stallion chuckled and trotted slowly to the bed, before sitting down.
"Umm, you’re welcome? Mister...?" I sat down opposite him, on a nice rug that reminded me of Spike.
"Ah, forgive me. The trifles of being old, I guess. You can call me Crane." His eyes twinkled, his smile almost mischievous. "Now, I've heard from Pura Vida, that you have some questions for me."
"Pura Vida?"
"The doctor who saved your wing."
"Ah. I must thank her for that. Yes, questions, where am I?"
"Well it depends on what answer you seek. You are a pony on the planet Equus, in the country Equestria, in the city called Fillydelphia or Filly. But, I gather that isn't the answer you are looking for." I nodded, confirming his guess. "This safe haven is called Sanctuary, home to those who need it, located in the Outskirts."
"The Outskirts?"
"Mmm, yes...we need a map, you can get one from Winter, if you want your own." Crane shuffled through his pile of paper, finding no map. "Bah, things are so hard to come by these days. Yes, yes...the Outskirts, one of the sectors of Filly. There are three se..."
"Four." Hookshot interrupted, still standing by the door.
"Mmm, yes, four. Four sectors around Filly. The Outskirts, named for being the outer ring of the city, is where most of us live. The Drowned Sector is the worst one of the four, a dam broke and completely flooded the streets. The Ministry managed to stop the tide with walls right before Celestia torched it. It has Cursed who have adapted to being in water, and Sun radiation spots. No sane Runner would go there." Crane paused, rummaged through his many bags, and pulled out a canteen. He popped it open and took a long swig. "Where was I?"
"The last two sectors." I replied, trying to curb my impatience.
"Yes, the last two. Mmm...can't remember them." Crane blinked, then flopped to his side.
"Uhh, hello? Are you alive? Hookshot, what's wrong with him?" I prodded his side. No reaction.
"He's asleep."
"ASLEEP?" I spluttered. "B-But how?"
"Dunno, he needs to recharge every once in a while. It happens. Now come on, you should meet the others."
***
"Awww, you must be hungry! Eat up, dear!" Winter Flame, a bubbly kirin, placed some noodles right in front of my muzzle. "It's not good to be hungry." She spoke as if she were scolding a filly.
"Umm, miss Winter? Why are you here? If you don't me asking." I sniffed the noodles, letting their scent fill my nostrils. I grinned and dug in, making loud slurping noises.
"If you mean here in Sanctuary, I came because ponies needed help! If you mean Equestria, it's the same reason!" The kirin gushed, her pale coat going a bit pink. "I don't like anycreature suffering, so I'm always there to help!" Her winter blue mane bounced around her head as she twirled on the spot, a bright smile lightening up the room. I swear, that smile glows brighter than Celestia.
"Huh." I finished my noodles in record time, and placed the bowl back on the table with a sheepish smile. "So, umm, Crane said you had maps for sale?"
"But of course, dear! I have everything for sale, from flowers to explosives to maps! Now which map are you looking for?" Winter pulled out maps of everything and nothing at the same time. I stood there, baffled at how much she had. "I've got some on Equestria, some on Manehatten and the other cities, and...oooh, I've got one of my hometown! I'm keeping this. So dear, what are you looking for?"
"Uhm, just an updated map of Filly, if that would be alright." I smiled, trying to not look stupid.
"Here ya go, dear! That'll be 104 bits." I almost choked, if I still had noodles in my mouth, I would've died just then.
"A hundred and four!? B-But that's so much! What are you going to do with so much money!?" I stuttered, completely flabbergasted.
"Now now dear, a kirin's gotta eat!" She winked her sapphire blue eyes, I almost wilted if Hookshot hadn't caught me.
"Yep, she's a real nasty piece of work. Buttering you up, then makes an outrageous deal." Hookshot muttered. I nodded my thanks, then trotted up to the still smiling kirin behind the counter.
"No way. I'm not buying anything for that price, I'll just make my own map!" I huffed and walked away.
***
The next pony Hookshot led me to, was a mechanic called Jerry Can.
"Another mare to join this fare! Howya doing, my name's Jerry, what can I do ya for?" Jerry struck a pose, his vibrant red coat shimmered in the purple light of crystals, and his dark eyes glowed with mirth. His flank bore a jerrycan to my utter surprise.
"Nothing for now, just showin' Shattered around." Hookshot patted my back to my annoyance. I smiled awkwardly and greeted him.
"Say no more! If ya need any fixing, I'm yer stallion! Adieu!" Jerry bowed deep then popped back up with a flourish and went back to working.
***
"Next up, we have our head gardener; Primrose." Hootshot gestured at a small pink filly. The duo stood on the top floor of Sanctuary, which was accurately dubbed: The Garden. There were six to seven ponies, all covered in dirt, and working on the pony-made farm. The pony who stood proudly above them all, was a unicorn filly.
"Hiya!" Primrose skipped down from her perch on top of a barrel and hopped over to me. Her muddy green mane bounced wildly as she made her way over. When she came closer, I noticed that she had primrose petals for a cutie mark.
"B-But, she's just a filly!" I was still overcome that a filly ran The Garden.
"So?" Hookshot looked mildly surprised, then grinned, "you aren't much older, aren't ya?"
"Th-that doesn't mean anything!" I spluttered, trying to think of a way to regain my honor.
"Lady Flatulence helps me!" Primrose lifted up a stuffed animal, in the shape of a pale tiger, with her pale green magic. "Do you like her? Flatulence says she likes you. Please miss, I don't want my friend to be sad!"
"I do like her. In fact, I like her very much." I reached out slowly and petted the stuffed tiger. To my shock, Primrose tackled me. "Hubwa huh!?" I was about to push her off when I heard sobbing. I was aware that everypony stopped what they were doing and stared at what was happening. I looked at Hookshot for help, but he seemed just as surprised as everypony else.
"M-Momma p-petted her just l-like th-that." Primrose bawled, not letting go of her bone-crushing hug. I sat there, in a very awkward position, and tried to comfort the filly as best I could. Running my hoof through her mane, and making soothing sounds. Internally, I was freaking out. Who is this filly!?
After a few more minutes, Primrose finally calmed down and pulled away. "I-I'm sorry miss. It's just, you remind me so much of Momma." Then she fled, taking Lady Flatulence with her.
***
"What was that all about?" I asked when we were four floors under The Garden, trotting to who knows where.
"P-Primrose w-was...ahem, sorry this is hard for me." Hookshot shook his head, clearing whatever haunted him. "Primrose was orphaned four years ago. Crane found her, hugging her mother's corpse, and took her to Sanctuary. Since then, she hasn't let anybody touch her, and few are allowed to touch Lady Flatulence. So now I'm wondering, who are you?"
"Me? I'm Shattered Path, a Dasher from Ponyville, I have travelled far..."
"You're from Ponyville!?" He stopped abruptly, and raised his voice, attracting attention from those camping nearby.
"Umm, yeah? Why is that important?" I said, utterly confused.
"I heard that it was utterly destroyed, completely run over by Cursed. That the Princess of Friendship was slain in her very own castle!" My confused gaze turned hard. So hard, that Hookshot stepped backwards in surprise. Even the unwanted spectators saw my expression, and turned away quickly. Instead of answering him or letting him continue, I turned and walked away.
"Look, I'm sorry if I asked a pers..." He called out, desperation clear in his voice.
"Zip it! Tell me where I'm supposed to go and then you FUCK OFF! GOT IT?" I whipped around and roared straight in his face.
"Down, down another floor. T-Talk to the R-Runners..." Hookshot whimpered, his jovialty all but diminished. I stalked off, my angry glare eased slightly when I heard, "Shit."
***
I was decidedly less angry when I made it to the Runners. It took some asking for me to find them, and the occupants of Sanctuary were more than happy to give directions. There were five of them talking with each other in front of a broken window. When I got closer, I realized that the window wasn't broken, but completely gone, leaving unfiltered sunlight to flow in. Still somewhat pissed, I stopped in front of them without announcing myself.
"...and then he jumped and bucked the, oh hello." A rugged gray pony lifted himself up and looked at me; his kindly eyes made me relax a bit more. "Who are you?"
"Shattered. I'm new here, Hookshot was giving me the tour, this is the last stop." I explained as nonchalantly as possible.
"And where is he now?" He asked, not unkindly. Around him, the other four were starting to get up as well.
"Oh, we got separated." I refused to give him anything else.
"Ah. Well, my name is Rebar, but everybody calls me Uncle Rebar. This is Fragola, Flash Point, Bourbon, and Tic Tac." A bright red mare, a dark blue scowling stallion, a light brown grinning stallion, and a smooth gray stallion, respectively.
"Hola." Fragola waved a hoof, and Bourbon gave me a big grin. Tic Tac just nodded.
"Well, well, well. Another newbie for me to pound! Welcome to your first day, I'm your trainer Flash Point, and I'd like you to introduce you to my friend, my hoof!" Fragola and Rebar shook their heads in disappointment. Bourbon was still grinning, and Tic Tac was just watching with a careful eye. In fact, I knew that he was analyzing, it was something about those eyes.
"Flash, ey? Let's get this over with." I loosened up my muscles, happy that I could finally release some of the tension Hookshot made. Flash just grinned and charged; his friend rose up and came straight for my face. I simply turned ever so slightly to the right, and the hoof came crashing down past my cheek, a single hair length away.
Bourbon started cheering and I saw Tic Tac's eyes widened with interest. I let a small smile break through. Time to give them a show. Flash rose up, fury in his purple eyes. I smiled tauntingly, an enraged enemy, makes more mistakes. He took the bait and charged me head on. Right before impact, I breezed to the side, letting him trip over a pile of bags. Oops, how did that get there?
"Oh, you are going to pay for that!" Flash snarled, drool dangling, and galloped at me with reckless abandon. I anticipated this and instead of leaning off to one side like I'd done before, I leaped upwards. Before the poor stallion realized what had happened, I was on his back and he was pinned to the floor. I stood victoriously, my hooves still on Flash, I could feel all my anger leave me.
"¡Santa mierda! ¡Eres magnifica! Lemme give you a hug!" Fragola stepped on Flash and gave me a hug, just like she promised. What was happening? Why do these ponies like hugging so much!?
"Hell yeah, that was amazing! Ya gotta show me how to do that!" Bourbon started jumping up and down, then started to imitate my moves to little success. "I want you to meet me at the party tower, I'm almost always there! We could..."
"Well played. I must say I'm surprised, nopony has taken down Flash like that." Rebar trotted up, smiling at me.
"Why did you guys let Flash attack me? Seems like a not very nice thing to do." I countered, pressing harder on Flash. He groaned, no doubt his ego bruised.
"Well, we see if they are Runner material. Flash can sometimes get overboard with newbies, but we stop him before that happens." Rebar explained.
"And am I Runner material?" I asked, not sure if I wanted the answer to be yes.
"You could be one of the greats! In fact I'll tak..."
"I'll train her." Tic Tac interrupted. His voice deep and smooth, his dark brown eyes made me almost melt inside.
"Uh huh, and what does that entail?" I asked, skeptically. In my years of traveling, I learned to take caution in friendly and handsome ponies, just in case they turn out to be a maniacal mass murderer. It's happened before!
"Intensive training. You're going to need rest. See you in the morning." And just like that, I was dismissed. I blew at some hair that fell before my eyes, then stalked off. Flash groaned as he got up from the floor. I have no regrets.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
We stared at the great yellow sun disappear past the horizon and the moon rising to take it's stead. Beautiful indeed.
Author's Note
Kudos to Blu, my great editor and friend.
I stood where I met the other Runners, wondering where I was supposed to go. Tic Tac failed to mention when we were supposed to meet or what time. I sighed and sat down, leaning against the wall. I slept relatively alright last night, although waking up early doesn't do any wonders. I was up so early, that everypony else in the room, was still asleep. I snuck past the mess of beds and bags, and made my way out the door without making a sound. Hopefully.
I tilted my head and looked out at the window frame. The early morning sunlight basked everything in a golden glow. No matter how many times I see it, it will always make me smile.
"Enjoying the view?" Tic Tac trotted up next to me and glanced outside as well. I looked up, wondering what kind of training this would be. When I voiced this question, he just said, "follow me."
When he said that, I thought he meant that he would go somewhere like a normal pony. Eenope. Without checking if I nodded or anything, he leaped straight through the open window. I yelped in shock and clambered to see where he went. The stallion was standing on a ledge that jutted out from the building.
"Come on! We're doing some training! See what kind of a Runner you are!" And with that, Tic Tac galloped alongside the ledge. Coming out of the shock, I leapt off without any hesitation and balanced myself on the ledge. Then I took off after him.
I chased the stallion. careful with my hoofsteps, determined to keep up with him. Then the ledge disappeared, but that didn't deter Tic Tac in any way. He leapt straight and true, onto a metal beam. Not even looking back to see if I was still following, he jumped from beam to beam, practically running against the wall. I followed, trying to get my landings perfectly, not messing up with anything.
After the fifth beam, the path stopped once again, and just as before, Tic Tac just kept on going. Instead of following the building, he leapt away from it. Right onto a suspended beam from a crane up above. He ran along the beam, making sure that it didn't tip over, then leapt to another building on the other side, through another open window. I hopped to the last beam, kicked off the wall, and landed on the suspended one. My right hoof slipped off, sending my heart into my throat. I regained my footing as quickly as possible, then leapt off to avoid tumbling to my death.
"Shit, that was intense." I panted, trying to catch my breath.
"If you think that was intense, you are in trouble. This is why you need training, why everypony needs training." Tic Tac seemed more at ease here out in the open, running between buildings, then inside that stuffy Sanctuary. I simply nodded, then stood up, my breath recovered. "See that antenna? The one left of the broken tower? Meet me up there." And with that, Tic Tac jumped out the window; the one they just entered. I rushed over to the edge, to see nopony below.
"Well, shit."
I stood and arched my back, trying to release some tension within my muscles. When I felt my muscles relax, that was when I looked up to see what Tic Tac was pointing at. I traced with my hoof, trying to get a game plan. After a few moments of analyzing the surrounding area, it was time to run.
A fierce grin overtook my face as I started to gallop. I ran further into the building, trying to find some way to get higher up, finding what I was looking for moments later. I clambered my way onto some scaffolding. Using the metal bars and pieces of debris, I climbed as far as the scaffolding would allow me. I went back inside, looked around for an open window, then stepped out on a ledge.
"Well, here goes nothing." I took a deep breath, then ran. I jumped as far as possible when the ledge stopped, landing on another building. My chest slammed into the wall, my breath escaping me. I scrambled with my forehooves, trying to find a purchase. Once found, I hauled myself up and continued running. Without breaking stride, I pushed off some boxes and went up another floor. On that floor, I saw a ramp that led out a window; without further hesitation, I ran up to it and leapt off.
I landed on soft grass, planted by farmer ponies, on top of another building. Ignoring a blue pony who was sleeping in a chair, I ran past and grabbed a sturdy pipe with my teeth. Another ramp that I leapt off. Instead of landing, I wrapped the pipe around the zipline, that was made from here to there, and held on for dear life. I was too terrified to look at the scenery around me. I was so fucking high.
When the ride was over, my teeth hurt sorely. I took a moment to catch my breath, then continued running. Just two more buildings. My hooves flew as I jumped from pillar to pillar, trying to get higher up. After three floors of jumping, I loped onwards. FINALLY, a ladder. I sighed in relief, then climbed up the ladder. It lead to the roof of the building, where I found some more pony-made gardens. Glowing crystals spewed their light all over the place, giving it an interesting atmosphere.
I nodded to the confused pony, tilling the field, and ran away. Another crane, holding up another beam. Knowing what I was going to do, because of the last one, I jumped on and ran across. One more building! My chest was cramping and my breaths came out in short, shallow puffs. I stood up, determined to finish, but when I started running again, I got hit in the ribs.
"Fuck! What the hell?" I lay, floundering on the floor, trying to understand what had happened. I groaned as I rolled to my side, then pushed upwards and glanced at my attacker. It was Tic Tac. "What the fuck!?"
"Training. Now get to the antenna." I looked at him dubiously, then slowly took a step away. Then another, then another, until it was a gallop.
I ran through various objects, ducking under and jumping over, trying to find a way to the last building. There! A zipline, but it was two floors up. My survivor sense kicked in, forcing me to duck and roll as a pony sailed over. I looked back and saw Tic Tac on the floor, grinning. Oh shit. I pushed myself harder, finding a large pipe that hung from the side of the building. Without further ado, I clambered up it, wondering how in the world my hooves could grip something like that.
No time to wonder, I only scaled a single floor. I cried out in frustration as the means to get up lacked very much. I ran around the floor, looking everywhere and not finding anything. Suddenly I turned sideways, a hoof flew past me, and landed on a box. My instincts took over as I pushed back against the assailant, and jumped away. Tic Tac regained his balance and looked at me dead-on. I stared back with a very annoyed look.
Tic Tac charged. I was not sure what he would do, so I turned tail and galloped away. I leapt over a couch and ducked beneath it. As a shape hurtled past, I stuck a hoof out, sending Tic Tac sprawling on the floor. Without looking back, I scrambled up and took off. Seeing a metal door that looked like an elevator, I made my way to it. I jammed my forehooves between the crack and pushed with all my might. After a few tense moments, the doors opened and I nearly fell. The elevator was waay down; no way was I going in there.
Then I felt a hard push, and I fell in. Reacting quickly, I grabbed a metal beam, my chest, once again, slamming into the wall. "Fuck you Tic Tac!"
"Just preparing you." He stood there calmly, looking down at me with a small grin.
"Yeah right." I braced myself and leaped away, onto a maintenance ladder. I clambered up it, without looking back. The door to the next floor was closed, but the one above that was open. I climbed to that floor and looked around, seeing nothing of use, I took a deep breath and steeled myself. If I failed, I would plummet to my death. If I succeeded, it would look awesome.
I heard some noise behind me and knew that Tic Tac was climbing after me. I had no idea why he was trying to stop me, but I started this and you better believe I'm going to finish this damned training. Another deep breath. Then I ran and leapt out an open window. With movements that looked practiced, I whipped out my metal pipe and hooked onto the zipline that was a floor below. The jolt was painful, but I held on.
I felt euphoric, I made it to the antenna! "TAKE THAT YOU BITCH! WOOOHOOOO!" Then promptly got hit in the face.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Wanna get some ice cream?" I stood proudly with some bits in my saddlebag.
"Of course! What kind of question is that?" A young Ferny got up, his features still hidden.
We walked side by side, young and naive, towards our rightly deserved ice cream.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Urk." I gurgled as I tried to get up. "Where am I?
"Stay still, you're in the medical ward in Sanctuary." Tic Tac pushed me back down. "Sorry about your muzzle, didn't mean to hit it."
"Wha...what do you mean?" I rolled myself slightly, trying to get a better position to view Tic Tac. "And what kind of training was that?"
"I threw a rock. It was more out of frustration then anything else." He chuckled, "and as for the training, that was Battlekour training."
I stared at him blankly.
"Right, umm. In Filly, every month, Battlekour competitions are hosted. Whichever team wins, gets to rule over Filly till the next month. The 12th competition is coming up in a week, I thought it might be a good idea for you to be a part of it." Tic Tac smiled awkwardly. I frowned, something had changed. Tic Tac is usually more mysterious.
"...and what is Battlekour exactly?" I said slowly, trying to prepare myself for whatever might happen.
"Battlekour is where two teams compete against each other. The goal is to get to the flag before the other team. You can fight each other, but killing is not allowed. Whoever wins, moves on. There are currently four teams in Filly." He opened his mouth to say more, but then alarms started blaring. "Shit, he's back."
"Who's back?" I shifted slightly, bunching up my muscles for an attack.
"Uhh, no one." Tic Tac looked surprised, as if he didn't realize he had spoked out loud. Now I absolutely knew that this wasn't Tic Tac. Before he could react, I flicked my right hoof right on his head. The changeling, which Tic Tac was just a moment ago, slumped to the floor.
I grimaced as I got up, then started to move. Before I exited the medical ward, I grabbed a spare set of clothes from a hanger and put it on. Sewn on the left forehoof sleeve was a purple eye. Interesting. I opened the door and walked through. Outside, there were many ponies running around frantically, most of them carrying makeshift weapons. Various cries were heard all over.
"Shit, he's coming! HE'S COMING!"
The last one was an earth pony mother, hugging a pegasus filly. Both looked terrified, and the filly clutched a stuffed teddy bear. Whoever these ponies were, that mother and child had nothing to do with them and their goals. I decided then and there, that I would come back and save these two. They deserve better.
"HOLY SHIT! HE'S BROKEN THROUGH!"
I glanced upwards to see Tic Tac, the real one, barge through a set of heavily barricaded doors like it was nothing. He growled aggressively and bucked everypony he could. I threw my clothes off and charged to be beside him. He nodded when he saw me, then aggressively shoved a pony into some boxes. I was busy, too, with two of them wielding heavy pipes in their mouths. I took a fighting stance and slowed my breathing. They charged, trying to catch me off guard with two attackers, but I swerved underneath both blows and ended up behind them. Before they could react, I had both of them on the ground.
"Let's get out of here." Tic Tac whacked another attacker, then took off from where he came from. I followed as best I could, my muzzle still hurting. The yelling soon faded away as we leaped from building to building. Then Tic Tac stopped. Not focused on him, I ran straight into him, sending more pain into my nose. I groaned, this sucks. I looked up to see what caused him to stop. He was looking at the setting sun.
"Shit." Our voices in perfect harmony.
Author's Note
This chapter was very parkour heavy. Don't worry, the chapters from here on out aren't going to be so parkour heavy. Maybe one or two, but definitely not so many. Hoped you enjoyed!
Kudos to Blu, my great friend!
Chapter 4: Good Night. Good Luck
I looked at Tic Tac in desperation. He knew this place better than I. He seemed to know that as well, his shoulders and muzzle scrunched in desperate concentration. I decided that this wasn't the time to disturb him, so I turned around looking for any Cursed.
I had no weapon on hand; most of my stuff was gone...no, wait. Tic Tac had my bag slung over his back. Still didn't help with the weapon situation. As I contemplated our situation, daylight completely faded, leaving the both of us in complete darkness. In the distance, I heard screeches and yowls of the various mutated Cursed that no doubt are now roaming the streets. Luna's moon rose up, a large crack snaking through it. Nopony knew how it came to be; it just rose one night like that.
"Alright, follow me, I know where to go. Don't lag behind." Tic Tac's smooth voice broke through my musings. He shouldered my bag to make sure it would stay on, then started to trot. I followed, hoof for hoof. That trot soon turned into a gallop. We ran on the empty floor of a tall building, before reaching a zipline. One that Tic Tac had no hesitation in grabbing. I quickly grabbed a piece of rebar and zipped it down as well.
The moment I landed, I got pulled into a corner. "Wha...?" Tic Tac shushed me. He motioned that there were some Cursed in front of us. I took a deep breath, letting my other senses take control. I mouthed to Tic Tac that there were at least six. He nodded, seeming impressed.
Before I could ask what we should do, Tic Tac pulled out a tin can with wires sticking out. I stared in utter confusion as the stallion lit one of the wires, hefted the can, leaned backwards, then threw. The tin can landed somewhat far away, between a couch and a potted plant. Then the can exploded, making popping noises. Ah, firecrackers to draw away the Cursed.
Tic Tac counted softly to three, then motioned for me to follow him. We crawled along the floor, getting behind cover when we could. In my haste, I nearly knocked over a painting. Tic Tac and I locked eyes, despite us being veterans, Cursed at night always terrifies. After a tense moment, we continued our shuffling.
Before we started our crawl to the couch, Tic Tac threw another DIY firecracker, then we moved on. While he was working on the firecracker, I quietly rummaged through a bag that just happened to be right next to me. I only found a couple of bits. Our movements became slower as we started to round a corner into another hallway. From what I could tell, this tower seemed to be an office of sorts, and the place we came in from, was the lounge.
Tic Tac shuffled into an office cubby, one of the many that filled the floor. I attempted to follow him, but one of my backhooves got caught on something. When I looked back, attempting to dislodge it, I yelped in horror. A grotesque Cursed, a large crystal embedded in its skull, grabbed my leg and sunk its teeth into it. Pain and panic flooded my senses.
"Shit!" In a mad frenzy, I attempted to stand up, lash out, leap away, and cry at the same time. It resulted in the skull of the Cursed to be bashed in, leaving bits of skull and blood everywhere. However, all of the nearby Cursed immediately zoned in on me. Me and my fucking mouth. I stood up shakily and glanced at Tic Tac. He looked at me, shook his head, sadly, tossed me my bag, then scampered away. That fucking bastard!
One of the Cursed, crazily fast, sprinted towards me, then jumped. Its forehooves almost made contact, but I ducked underneath, letting the Cursed crack its head on a wall. I hastily grabbed my bag and slung it over my back and took off. There were three Cursed the way I chose, and who knows how many else around that corner, but experience taught me to stick with my choices instead of second guessing.
With a little bit of mouth strength, I wrenched a pipe out of the wall, and charged the shambling monsters. With a leap, I cleared over one of the Cursed, and then whacked another over the head. A quick buck, made the one behind me faceplant, and a quick sidestep to the right caused the last Cursed to stumble past me. Not caring if they were dead, which surely they were not, I charged ahead.
The way I chose was a very short hallway, leading up to an elevator. I mashed the open button, and turned my back to it in order to get a look at the Cursed chasing me. The three I knocked down were back up again, plus another five regular shamblers. I gripped my pipe a bit harder because with addition to the seven, I saw two speedy fuckers. I grinned slightly when I noticed one of them had a bloody gash on its head.
A quick glance behind me said that the elevator was still three floors down. Shit. The speedy fuckers, easy to spot because of crystal growth supporting their decaying legs, rushed up towards me with ghastly snarls. I threw my pipe straight at one so hard, that I heard its spine crack, as the pipe ricochet off its head. The other however, nearly got its hooves on me. I did a quick buck to make it stumble away from me, before jumping up and slamming all four hooves on its head.
The stomp caused its head to completely explode, a large blood splatter covering the floor. It was a costly victory, however. The leg that was bitten was throbbing terribly, causing me to limp. I cursed my horrible fortune and that asshole, Tic Tac. He seemed to be the loyal type; now I knew what a shithead he was.
The other speedy fucker got back to its hooves, its head hanging slightly, and yet it still charged. I heard a small ding behind me and I quickly scrambled inside. The Cursed horde was growing bit by bit and getting close by the minute, so I hit any floor, hoping for luck to spare me just this once. The doors didn't close fast enough, as the stupid fast Cursed made its way inside, the doors closing behind it. It growled and I responded in kind. The Cursed leaped forward with reckless abandon, only to be swiftly met with an elevator bar, that lined the sides. I squirmed in disgust as the shattered skull dripped blood, as the body tumbled to the floor.
The elevator started moving, making me sigh in relief. I adjusted my bag's straps so it wouldn't be in any danger of slipping off, then sat down. I made sure the blood of the corpse was nowhere near me, while I rummaged through my bag, making sure everything was there. Once I confirmed everything was still there, I checked on my bite. The fur that surrounded the wound, looked gray and dead, while the bite itself was a nasty shade of red. I groaned, if I didn't get any form of a suppressant, I'm going to turn. That thought made me depressed. I will never figure out what happened to my friend, to Ferny.
Then the elevator stopped. I flinched and looked at the doors, expecting them to open. It didn't. A wire above snapped quite audibly, sending shivers down my spine. Then I experienced a freefall like no other. The elevator plummeted, sending me and the Cursed corpse to the ceiling. I groaned as the bloody bits spattered at me, then my groans turned into shrieks once reality started setting in. Then the elevator went taut, sending the corpse and I to the ground. The good thing about unconsciousness, is that all the worry disappears.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Mommy! Don't leave me!" I sat straight up in my bed, holding out my little hooves towards the green mare that was about to close the door.
"Don't worry, honey. There's nothing to be afraid of." The mare trotted over, her smile, loving, yet nothing in her soulless gray eyes. She gave me a big hug, rival to a bear.
"But what about the changeling in my closet!?" I squealed fearfully as the wind outside made a whooshing sound.
The mare chuckled, "there are no changelings here." She opened the closet, revealing just that. "Your dad personally asked Princess Twilight to enchant the closet so no changelings could get inside. Now go to sleep, silly filly."
"Wait! What about the manticore under my bed!?"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
I got startled awake by the loud bang that shook the entire room. No, not a room, an elevator. I found myself hugging the corpse of a Cursed. I gagged, and shoved it as far away as possible, which wasn't that far. I stood up, shaking myself as best I could, then took a look around my surroundings. The elevator seems to be tilted slightly, explaining why the corpse and I ended up in the same corner.
After gathering my scattered items, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I extended my other senses and 'saw' that the elevator stopped between floors. I groaned, knowing how horrible of a climb this was going to be. I popped open the emergency hatch in the ceiling of the elevator, and took a look around. A single, thick, wire seemed to be holding the elevator, but the elevator itself was caught between two beams. I stood up and stretched, then shrieked when I saw a splattered corpse right next to me.
I reasoned that the Cursed somehow fell and landed heavily, thus waking me up. I calmed myself down, and looked around, trying to figure out how I would escape from this. The Cursed must've fallen from somewhere, so I decided that there must be an opening of sorts. I tightened the straps, once again, and leaped upwards. My hooves scrambled for a purchase, cursing how this wasn't pony-friendly.
I pulled myself up and balanced on a small beam, then leapt to another, and another. I hopped, jumped, and clambered around the various beams and pipes that jutted out of the wall. I slipped on an outstretched rebar, giving me a panic attack. After I climbed to safety, I calmed down a bit. I decided that this would be a perfect moment for a break. Looking up, I saw that the open doorway was still three floors up. Sighing, I rummaged through my bag, looking for any snacks to replenish my strength.
Musing on how my life has went from bad to worse in just a matter of hours, made me really contemplative. As I munched on trail mix, I thought of Ferny, the friend I came here for. If I survived this night, and got some suppressant for the Light, and find out at the end that he's no longer alive; I wouldn't know what to do with myself. He's my light, and if that dies, I would be stumbling around blind.
I shook my head, enough of this cheesy nonsense, time to kick some flank! Specifically Tic Tac's beautifully toned flank! With renewed determination, I sprang and clutched on a beam, hauled myself up, then sprang again. When I finally reached my destination, my coat was drenched with sweat, my forelegs tired from all that hauling.
Before I could get a moments rest, however, a speedy Cursed jumped at me, its mouth glistening with blood. I yelped and took a step backward, then fell backward because my hoof stepped on a loose rock. As I landed on my rump, the Cursed flew over my head, straight into the elevator shaft. I just sat there, surprised that I was still alive. Then I heard shrieking metal, then a clang. I cringed, knowing exactly what was going to happen. The Cursed must've dislodged the elevator, sending it into a freefall, definitely going to crash at the bottom.
After a loud boom, I scrambled up. "Shit." I quickly shifted my bag so it wouldn't hit me while running. When I stood up, I heard shrieks echoing through the building. I took off, carefully weaving between furniture and bags, I wanted to be out of here as fast as possible. I turned a corner, barely bit off a shriek, then dove back the way I came from. It was a Shrieker! Fucking bastards attract more Cursed, swarming ponies and sometimes outposts. The Light added crystals that resonate a lot, in their throats, giving them the ability to scream. They are easy to spot because of their bulky size and crystallized throats.
I huddled underneath a stained table, with what, I didn't want to know, and reviewed my options. I could go back from where I came from, though there will be tons of Cursed there because of the elevator. I could rush the Shrieker by surprise, try to take it out before it can scream, but if I'm not fast enough, Cursed will swarm over me within seconds. Or...
I glanced at my wings, one bandaged and the other tightly securing my bag, and hoped that they would be fine. With a growl of determination, I rushed out of my hiding spot. The Shrieker, as I predicted, called out, nearly shattering my eardrums. I paid no heed and continued my gallop. With no hesitation, I sprang forward, my forelegs spread out in front of me, and crashed through a window.
I prayed and hoped and wished, then spread my wings. "Oh fuck, fuck, fuck! SHIIIIIIIT!" I screamed as my right wing flailed uselessly and painfully. I dropped like a stone, my breaths coming in short gasps, my eyes flicking from one place to the next. Then it was all over. I landed on a pile of trash bags, breaking my fall.
I got up, slowly and creakily, then shook myself from the garbage that was hanging from my coat. Then I froze. This night couldn't get any better! CAN IT? I slowly extracted myself out of the trash and crouched behind a park bench. A fucking Volatile was roaming about, its crystallized head twitching every so often. Everypony knows that Volatiles are the absolute worst Cursed you could chance upon. Crystals have affected everything, strengthening muscles and the sort, even acting like some sort of armor. They are super agile, jumping and climbing, and to make things worse, they can attract others. A single whiff of fresh meat, a Volatile will start chasing. The chase will lure all sorts of Cursed to join the chase. Their only weakness, is enchanted crystals and daylight.
I took a deep breath and 'looked' around me. I could sense that there were in fact two Volatiles, along with 13 other Cursed roaming about. I cursed at my situation, wondering how in Equestria was I going to get out of here. I facehoofed myself, I could call somepony! I rummaged through my bag as silently as possible and pulled out an earpiece that functions like a radio. I turned the volume down to the minimum with multiple swipes with my hoof.
"Mayday, I need help! I'm outside on the streets, surrounded by Cursed. Can anypony help me?" I waited impatiently. I squished myself backwards so I would be a smaller target, looking around constantly using both my eyes and my survivor sense. Buck it, no one is going to answer. I prepared myself for a horrible night just before...
"kssh...Yes, hello? Can you hear me? Is it the right frequency?" A voice broke through my dark thoughts.
"YES! Hello!?" I yelled out as loud as I possibly could. Even then, I frantically looked around, seeing if any Cursed heard me. Nothing, safe, for now.
"Ah, yes, hello. Where are you exactly?" The voice sounded like it had an accent, though I couldn't place my hoof on which one.
"I'm not sure...lemme check." I glanced around, trying to find some landmark of sorts. The only thing I could find was a store sign that said; Blue's Cheese Extravaganza! When I mentioned that to the voice, it hummed for a moment.
"Yes, if you could give me a second, please..." The voice drifted away, leaving me alone. I cursed my fate, knowing that there's no luck for me. Then an explosion rocked the night, leaving me utterly flabbergasted. "Quick! While they're distracted!"
I followed the voice's instructions, running between buildings and broken down cars, avoiding various Cursed. Before long, I made it to a skyscraper that looked exactly like the other ones that dot around the city of Filly. The only distinguishable thing, was the fact that most of the building was cut in half. Looking behind me, I saw a Volatile coming straight for me, screaming horrible noises. I gave no second thought and rushed forwards and slid under a set of broken doors. The Cursed tried following me in, but their rotting brains aren't enough to process the movement of ducking.
"Welcome, my dear, to my humble abode. It's been quite the while since I've had my last guest."
Author's Note
I went to a convention two weeks ago while I was in Canada. Aikon it was called. An experience of a lifetime, I did absolutely nothing there but look around. I highly recommend for anybody who has an opportunity, to do so. I'm not even kidding, despite how little I did.
Kudos to Techland, the creators for Dying Light. Tis a beaut of a game.
