Containment Protocol: Equestria

by Defense_Rhythem

Rating: mature
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Death, Alternate Universe, Narcotics, Original Character, Trixie, Suicide / Self Harm, Tragedy, Profanity, Adventure, Violence, Sex, Main 6
Length: 18209

Ten years after Equestria fell to an unknown virus 2 close friends must endure a trek across Equestria for a chance at survival.

Ten years after Equestria was ravaged by an unknown virus, the nation lies in a state of ruin and despair. Two very close friends must endure the cold, unforgiving world around them, surviving the elements, starvation, and infection by any means necessary. On their trek across the once-great nation, they find things that were never supposed to be seen and meet survivors with cruel intentions. With only what they carry on their backs and a rifle on their side these ponies will have to survive a hostile wasteland full of destruction, devastation, and infection.

Edited by: PinkR

Published 2023-08-16 20:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2024-06-21 07:24:44 UTC

Chapter 1: Spread

Chapter 1. Spread

...Prayers Of The Refugee are Rarely Answered - Starlight Glimmer

When it happened, no pony had a clue it had even started. The fall happened so fast that there was barely any time to react. Celestia and Luna did the best they could, but even if they hadn't it, was no fault to them or anypony else for that matter. It still seemed like such a long time ago. Such a long long time ago.

It all started with just a couple of Earth ponies with slight headaches and mood swings. The doctors told them to take medication and that they'd be fine in a couple of days. Days turned into weeks, a couple of ponies turned into dozens, dozens into hundreds. Headaches turned to migraines, mood swings turned to rage. One by one, the ponies began going crazy over the pain, or so we thought. It was thought at first that it must be some sort of head cold or severe allergies. As time passed, nothing seemed out of the ordinary other than the headaches. That was until the first attack. A unicorn walked out of the Medical Center in the Crystal Empire and began attacking a passerby. The news didn't reach Canterlot until the next day but by then, it started happening everywhere. Dodge Junction, Baltimare, Filly Delphia, Manephis, Detrot, Ponyville, and Canterlot even had their own series of attacks.

Celestia and Luna began giving curfew orders in mid-spring to try to slow the spread of this now-called Mystery Magical Virus. By the time curfews were in full effect it seemed like the entire nation of Equestria was feeling the effects of this new virus. All three races of ponies were getting infected. Earth, Pegasi, and Unicorns, no pony seemed to be safe. The Wonderbolts were employed to carry large metal containers of sorts and began releasing an unknown gas around Equestria as fast as possible in hopes of whatever was in it could slow the rapidly spreading virus. Unfortunately, it did the exact opposite and sped up the process. Ponies were losing their minds even quicker than usual.

It was discovered that the infection was primarily spread and transmitted by the magical energy of unicorns. Pegasi were getting infected by flying behind other pegasi or coming in contact with the residual magical energy from their flight, Earth ponies were getting infected by the traditional spreading of germs and other contaminates left behind. The Medical Centers had been taken over by the Equestrian Military and shut down for research purposes leaving the sick nowhere to go.

The infection began showing itself in those who had been sick for a few days with dark black circles appearing around their eyes, and they acted as if they were in a violent trance. Some attacked anything that moved and spoke in slurred intelligible broken words. While Pegasi and Earth ponies mostly bit to attack, Unicorns used Magic. The friends we knew and loved were no longer the ponies we knew. They were as they said, a monster.

The first death was reported just outside Baltimare from a pony getting beaten to death by an infected one. Panic spread like wildfire and no pony trusted each other after that. In the summer of that same year, almost all at once, every single infected began attacking ponies in masses for no apparent reason. The Solution, to exile all infected ponies to the outskirts of each significant city and raise a huge magical dome shield around the city powered by the strongest unicorns taking shifts so the previous wouldn't get overworked, and then from within the city, build a wall as a secondary security measure. Ponies from all around disagreed and demanded a less cruel way to deal with the infected.

The canterlot guard began developing weapons that were connected to a harness and fired by kicking a lever with their hind legs. They called them Rifles and assault weapons. Their purpose, to kill anypony who tried breaking into the city, especially if they were infected. If the infection was spotted, it was kill on sight. This level of violence was never seen before in Equestrian history. It was, to say the least, a nightmare. Never had blood been shed on Equestrian soil and now some places were covered in it and the most terrifying thing, the Princesses ordered it.

For a while, the shields held since there weren't many if any break-ins, but a great number of infected ponies had to be put down. It seemed like things were ok until supplies began to run low. We had to find a way to travel to other cities safely without the risk of infection. The majority of ponies were still healthy but there were still a couple hundred outside the walls who were infected. Celestia and Luna devised a way to go from city to city without having to walk by sing the rail network around Equestria. Modified trains were used to and from place to place, using small holes in the shield to let the trains roll through. The engines were now more advanced, had more power and could go faster. Only days went by before we heard of the first derailments. No survivors, no bodies and no ponies were found at the wreckage sites. Only piled up heaps of twisted metal and cargo.

The first city to completely crumble was Manehatten, a horde of infected pegasi and unicorns had beaten against the shield so hard it became weak, allowing the unicorns to magically shatter the dome, flooding the city and infecting every last pony they came in contact with relentless force. It's said the shield came down so quickly that it caused a shockwave that broke most of the windows in the downtown district. One after another, the Shields came down with the same outcome. Many ponies in the areas affected escaped and spread out across Equestria with the last being Cloudsdale which lost contact with Canterlot for days before being deemed a lost cause. Gunfire and magical energy could be heard all around for as far as it could echo.

Canterlot was the hardest hit. All throughout Equestria, smoke from burning buildings could be seen but once Canterlot's shield came down, it was over. Like fireworks show on the ground, smoke and fires lit up in the city... Equestria had fallen... It took thousands of years to build Equestria up to what it was and only 22 days for it to fall with the worst still to be seen in the coming days. I don't think any of us could have seen it coming.

The first thing to go was the electricity. Power all across the nation failed a couple of days after Canterlot fell, leaving the nation in a permanent state of darkness during the night and the streets empty during the day. Towns and cities were left abandoned with broken glass from windows littered the streets. Dinner still sat on plates inside some homes from ponies ready to eat when the shields came down. Stores still had displays up and toys still sat in playgrounds and sandboxes never to be played with again.

Trains mostly stopped running with some of them abandoned on the tracks still full of coal and water. Other train cars had been ripped open deprived of food, water and supplies. A select few ponies used these empty cars to take shelter. With not mny ponies left knowing how to operate the engines, there were very few trains left where the stopped never to be moved again.

Farms were left in complete ruin and the livestock were left to die. This was especially evident at Sweet Apple Acres where not another apple will ever be harvested anymore from its now bare trees along with the missing apple family.

Canterlot soon began falling apart with buildings beginning to shift and crumble. The once great waterfall had now overflown weakening the mountain side slowly leading to a section of it to collapse. This caused the dam underneath to fail, sending a rush of water right through ponyville and flooding the blood-soaked streets.

Strange, garbled radio transmissions played on some radios left behind by the equestrian military. one even just rattle off randomly seeming numbers followed by music.

Cloudsdale, the last of the Cities, began crumbling when a large explosion went off at the weather factory. With nopony to monitor and maintain safe pressures inside some of the automated cloud production tanks, it became too much, and they exploded, sending large pieces of enchanted steel and other materials to fall onto the cities below.

The psychological effects on some took its toll when they couldn't handle the stress anymore and took their own life. Other ponies took to some settlements which were somewhat protected from the infection of the ponies wandering the Equestrian lands. Rumors of slave traders began popping up from ponies traveling for goods. The weapons once used to protect Canterlot were found, copied and sold across settlements, and now nearly everypony is armed.

Vanhoover is the only still fully functioning city in Equestria and the one with the most supplies, but you've got to be somepony special to live in the walls of that city but of course, all of this is hearsay, and you can believe what you'd like.

10 YEARS LATER....

Chapter 2: The Cards Have Been Dealt

Chapter 2: The Cards Have Been Dealt

“...Why try to run away from the shadow of the damned if it’s your own shadow.” - AppleJack

“Fucking propaganda bullshit, I say why can’t they take things for what they are.” Whispering under my breath and shaking my head slightly looking up at a poster plastered to the front of a store, covered in years of built-up dirt and torn in many spots with the corner barely flapping in the wind. Looking with skepticism, it boasted a blue mare with blue and white hair smiling wide reading ‘Brushing twice daily can stop the spread of MMV.’ Thinking about it, I cocked my head to the side. “Dental health had nothing to do with the outbreak.” Looking into a nearby window I could see myself somewhat clearly. I was a complete mess. My dark blue mane looked black with how much dirt and grime was in it. My greyish blue body had dirt, grease and grime all over it, my wings all tattered, and my feathers really needed attention. My saddlebags were all patched up with duct tape, and my green eyes had dark bags underneath them. I needed a bath and a few hours of sleep minimum, something I won’t be getting for a couple more hours but at least it’ll be soon, but I had food on me so there's that.

As I walked through the quiet abandoned streets, the only sounds that could be heard was the wind whistling through the building’s broken windows and the quiet yet noticeable creaks of metal here and there. I absolutely hated being this far outside the walls for this long, it’s not anything new to me but it's just that I was alone. It's so quiet that your mind begins to make you hear and see things in the distance that aren't actually there. Seeing ponies in the corner of your eye, hearing a cough or a mumble or even sometimes you hear somepony say your name, when nopony else is around. The whole experience was very unnerving, and I dare not to try to enter one of the buildings or houses that had been boarded up in fear of making too much noise. It could attract unwanted attention. If I could get inside without causing a bunch of racket, I know there are enough supplies inside that could keep a pony alive out here for a long time. It’s just getting in and getting back out without getting infected.

I wasn't too far outside the city, maybe a couple of miles. I looked back in the direction of what the residents where? called Little Buckingham, it’s pretty much just a section of Baltimare that’s still standing and had a low infection threat since the walls were built. The sun hasn't set but was getting close so I couldn't see the lights shining off the evening clouds yet.

A light shined on my face breaking my concentration. my blood ran cold thinking I had been caught by somepony after I left my rifle behind leaning on a wall a couple of blocks away. In a panic I spread my wings and prepared to kick off the ground to fly away until I heard them say something

“Whoa there, easy there filly. It’s me, FlickerLight.” The orange earth pony with a yellow mane
stepped a bit closer so I could see him properly. He had a spotlight strapped to one side of his harness and his rifle strapped to the other side. As soon as I noticed who it was, my blood went from cold to immediately boilingl for him scaring the life out of me the way he did.

“DAMN, IT FLICK! Why the hell did you have to sneak up on me like that? You know perfectly well where we are. And thankfully for you, I’m unarmed or could have shot you!” I barked taking a few steps closer to him.

“And you know where we are so how bout keeping your fuckin’ voice down a little Glitter?” He says in a stern whisper “It’s not my fault you go off with reckless abandon. And don't you blame me for you putting yourself at edge out here it’s…”

“Don't…call…me…Glitter…” I interrupted. “I've told you time and time again that not my name so stop using it.” I hated the name, Glitter. The ponies in Little Buckingham had teased me with it since I was just a little filly and FlickerLight knew this, but he just would never let me live it down. My parents didn’t survive the second wave of the infection. They flew me down to Ponyville from Cloudsdale and put me on the next available train during a mass evacuation when the shields came down. In short, the name they gave me was GlitterBall but I renamed myself after I was a bit older, and I now call myself WynterBreeze but most just know me as Wynter.

“Whatever. It’s better than Wynter in my opinion.” he scoffed and looked out towards an opening in the buildings. “We have a train to catch in a few minutes so let's go get your rifle, not that your shot is any count, and head back towards the tracks. C’mon I’ll even walk with you.”

I only nodded and began walking in the opposite direction of which I came with Flicker staying right by my side..

“Hey Flick, I got a question for you that I’ve been needing to know”

“Hell, fire away”

“W-Why do you keep coming with me on these runs outside the walls?” I asked nervously feeling my stomach twist a bit. “You know the punishment for sneaking out is death so why stick by my side if what I’m doing could get us both killed?”

“Ehh,” he started “Yknow, it's a way to get out of the city and you know your way around every little nook and cranny that you can slip out, and honestly, I've never thought of using the train to get out before. Kinda smart on your behalf.”

I just smiled and nodded as we passed that old poster with the smiling mare. “So stupid,” I said under my breath as I looked up at it as we walked.

“Hey, there's a lot of things they lied about when shit hit the fan. They don't even tell the entire story and just said ‘Yup, ponies got a head and started killing ponies. The end.’ Even the radio man back in the city says at the end of the broadcast, ‘It’s all hearsay’“ FlickerLight says with a scoff. “It’s all bullshit so why try to question it? They even gave us a book with a bunch of quotes from supposed ponies who lived at that time and expect us to believe that ONLY Celestia and Luna stood by doing everything they could while they threw Twilight Sparkle and Cadence to the wind leaving them for dead. I'm tellin ya, the nerve of some ponies,” he concluded with a soft snort.

It’s true things didn't add up right but who was I to judge? I didn’t know any better. I was just a filly clinging to life before Little Buckingham was founded.

I looked over to a wall in the distance to see my rifle perched against the building right where I left it. “I hate wearing this thing, it’s so heavy and I can't fly with it on. Makes my wings feel weird.” I sit on the ground as I try to throw the straps around my body while holding the rifle with my right wing but every time I tried to strap the buckles around me, it kept slipping.

“Hey, give me a hand with this please?” I motioned at FlickerLight.

FlickerLight nods and walks up to me as I get the rifle harness into place with the barrel jetting out a little less than halfway in front of me. One strap up right behind my wing joints and the other almost at my flank right in front of my hind legs.

“Nothing Funny Flicker, I mean it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Flicker states bluntly as I stand back onto my hooves. Flicker begins shifting my harness around my wings and then kneels down, beginning to strap the buckle around my chest. I could feel him grab the strap with his teeth and pull it tight while he buckled it. I felt a little awkward feeling him, what felt like Prodding around my chest and my face began to turn red.

“All done now for the back strap,” FlickerLight says as he began to shift the straps around. I saw through the corner of my eye his head reaching under me to grab the back strap and I felt my face heat up tremendously. My face had to have been getting redder and redder, and what only took about 30 seconds felt like an eternity.

“Hey, Wynter you still in there?” Flicker said while waving his hoof in front of my face. I blinked a couple of times before coming to. I had let my mind drift off without realizing it, but to what? I had no clue.

“Yea, im here.” I nodded and looked at him for a second.

FlickerLight smiled and laughed softly “You enjoyed that whole thing, didn’t you?”

“Fuck off Flicker...” I was immediately cut off by the sound of an incoming train whistle and we were still a little way from the tracks. I look up to the sky to see the sun start to set and panic overtook my body. “We gotta go now!” I yelled at FlickerLight as we took off running toward the tracks.

Running through the ruins of the town, our hooves crunched the glass shards on the ground and kicked up dust as we bolted toward the small hill at the end of the street we were on. My heart was pounding out of my chest and as the sun got lower, I panicked even more. There's not much time left, and we are fucked. Keeping my eyes on the windows of each building, we passed making sure there weren't any infected ponies watching us ready to attack at any moment. As we finally get closer to the fence separating the rails from the wasteland streets.

“

TRY TO FLY OVER THE FENCE!” FlickerLight called from behind me.

“I CANT! TOO MUCH WEIGHT!”

“TRY IT!”

I took a deep breath and once I got close to the gate, I spread my wings and kicked off the ground and I was in the air. It took everything I had but I was flying and glided right over the gate. I felt really heavy and then with a couple of flaps and a jerk, I fell straight onto the ground and slid a few feet across the grass accidentally kicking the firing lever of my rifle. The crack the thing made had my ears ringing so much. I never even heard the ricochet from the round bouncing off the ground... I shook my head a bit. My face hurt a little and I bit my tongue, but I was glad I was ok, just embarrassed. I looked up just in time to see the Steam engine pass me with a thundering chuff.

I felt a tug on the back of my harness and before I knew what was going on, I was back on my feet with FlickerLight running pass me yelling something I couldn't understand.

Again, I took off in a dead gallop up to the rocks at the sides of the tracks trying to pace the train cars. The thundering rumble and screeching of the cars made it hard to be able to hear anything at all. I watched Flicker just barely make it in between two cars and onto the walking platforms between them. I charged forward trying to get to where he was wind-pulling my hair back. The weight of this stupid rifle plus my saddlebags made my legs sore enough. I almost collapsed but looking up, I saw Flicker holding his hoof out, stretching to get to me.

“STOP FUCKING AROUND LET’S GO!” Flicker yells as I reach my wing out to grab him, shit this is gonna hurt.

With a Stretch and a groan, I finally was able to get close enough to FlickerLight where he grabbed my wing and yanked it with a pop. it felt like he was gonna pull it off my body Searing pain ripping through my wing as I clenched my teeth. I stumbled a bit and tripped a little sliding on the rocks. Flicker never let go of my wing although it felt like it was getting ready to come off. I pulled again with him and together, he was able to pull me up onto the rail car up onto the car but in the process, my hoof hit the side and I ended up tumbling into him, landing right on top of him with him looking up at me and my wings covering both of us. My face was only inches from his, both of us panting and gasping for air. I don't think I can do many more close calls like this.

“Hello, Beautiful,” Flicker said jokingly and winked.

“Kiss me and I shoot you myself,” I replied, not amused in the slightest. I folded my wings back with a hiss and lifted myself off of him, though my right wing was on fire. The wind blowing through our manes and the rocking motion of the train made the entire scenario a bit relaxing to be quite honest.

After being able to catch my breath, I stripped off my saddlebags and sifted around in them for my canteen. When I finally found it, I took a few good gulps from it and handed it over to Flicker.

“Thirsty?”

Flicker put a hoof to his check and gave a flattered smile. “Aww, you do care.” He joked as he took it and began to drink it.

“I never said I didn't care, Flick. You know this.”

Flickerlight lowers the canteen and sighs “That's not what I meant Wynter. We’ve always been together as soon as we met in Little Buckingham. So, I guess, Eh, never mind.”

Flicker set the canteen down on the metal walkway as the train car sway back and forth. We both sat in silence for the longest time while my mind raced through everything he could’ve said. Was he trying to confess something? Oh Luna, I hope he doesn't have feelings for me, poor guy.

The train cars shuddered with a bang and screech as the engine began to slow. I peered my head out of the side to see the walls of Little Buckingham draw closer. It was dark now and the lights from the city were spilling over the walls lighting the surrounding areas. The buildings were taller than the walls, and the spotlight focused on the ground kept a careful watch for infected ponies.

“Home sweet home,” Flicker said as he moved closer to me on the rail car to keep from being spotted by the spotlights. I moved closer to him being mindful of my injured wing and laid my head on his shoulder.

“You know what Flick.” I reached up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for coming.”

Flicker’s face went red, and he slightly smiled. “You’re still acting with reckless abandon you little accident magnet.”

As the spotlights passed over the train shining through the smoke from the engine, we were back inside the city.

Chapter 3: New Buckingham

Chapter 3 Little Buckingham

“Home sweet home? Ehh Close enough” - Trixie Lulamoon

It is always strange coming back here. Going from the apocalyptic death of the wastelands to going through a big gate and all of a sudden, it’s almost like nothing had happened in the small settlement ponies built. We had electricity, food, running water, and even HOT water. Yes, finally a bath and a bed. I softly giggled under my breath at the thought.

“What’s so funny? I don't see any entertainment in what just happened,” FlickerLight whispered into my ear as we slowly rolled into Little Buckingham. Train cars creaked as we moved through the gates and onto a separate track taking us to a bay where ponies would unload the cars in the morning.

I raised my head up off Flicker’s shoulder and looked at him, smiling. “Oh, just thinking of getting cleaned up and getting some proper sleep tonight.”

“I just want sleep,” Flicker chuckled as he wipes some of the dirt off my face from where i fell earlier.

The entire train screeched to a slow halt as it pulled up to the unloading docks, letting off steam which covered everything in a thick white layer, and with a shudder, we stopped. Looking down from our rail car, it was easy to tell we weren't completely pulled up to the platform. We were still a couple of cars back, but I didn't care and wasted no time jumping down off the giant metal box. I turned and looked up to Flicker who was turning to jump off the opposite side.

“Well, until next time. Be careful and don't get caught with anything in your bags,” I called up to him. He just waved a hoof over his head and jumped down making me sigh and chuckle a bit. I shook my head a little trying to push certain thoughts to the back of my mind and headed to a set of stairs leading out and up to the platform. The concrete here was in good condition with no cracks or plants growing up through them and the glass bulbs emitting light was extremely inviting. I walked up to the door leading to the main streets and pushed it open.

Little Buckingham was dimly lit and most of the ponies here were friendly. The taller buildings always looked so good at night, kinda always looked like a giant Hearth’s Warming tree with them constantly coming on and off in random spots. Pegasi flew from building to building, Unicorns were always assisting with magical energy generators and doodads, or walking around just to get out of their building for a while after a long day of working in their offices and stations after a long shift while Earth ponies ran most of the roadside markets and trading stands. The streetlamps shone proudly, and the roads were as clean as the city could keep them. The door I came out of led to four tall buildings right in a row numbered 1 through 4 respectfully right at the top corner. I lived in building number 4 so I lived fairly close to the outside walls. The lucky ponies lived in the center of the city not having to worry about things like rations and the evening train coming through, but I’ve come to find my room very comfortable.

Walking through the street trying to blend in with everypony wasn’t a very hard challenge. Most ponies had rifles strapped to them by the time they were old enough to carry one, and quite a few had saddlebags though mine were beaten up the most out of most ponies that lived here. As soon as I got in front of my building, I just sat on the ground and looked up at the high rise building with a grimace. I really did not want to walk up ten flights of stairs with my saddlebags AND rifle cause this shit is just too heavy to walk upstairs with. I got back up on my hooves again and made my way to the front door, pushing it open slowly.

“Where the hell have you been Wynter? Do you not know what time it is? You just barely made it before they announced the curfews.” A light blue mare with a dark black mane wearing a security guard outfit questioned me while getting really close to my face.

I looked directly into her light pink eyes and immediately began blushing, not being able to find the words I wanted to say. “I’ve. Uh…I’ve been around Sugarkake. Not really been anywhere special.” I felt like such an idiot. ‘Been around’ sounds so stupid.

“It looks like you’ve been rolling in dirt like a dog,” Sugarkake sighed, brushing some dirt out my mane and watching it fall to the ground. “Look, go get a bath. I’ll bring you something to eat and we’ll talk about your... Adventures as of late, ok?”

I knew what this meant. A lecture, maybe even a stern talking to but damn, I hated being in trouble.

I nodded and began walking up the stairs that began right inside the door of this tall building. It felt like it took forever with all the extra weight threatening to drag me back down the stairs. “Floor five, halfway there.” With each metallic thud of my hooves hitting the steel stair step. I came closer and closer to just passing out on the steps but one by one, I kept going up one floor at a time until... “Finally, floor ten. Top floor,” I chuckled quietly as I practically dragged myself to my room at the end of the hall. Taking the key from under the mat, I unlocked the door and pushed it open. The first thing I did was buck my hips and sling the saddlebags to the floor right inside my doorway, landing with a thud. Next thing was taking this Luna-forsaken harness off. It took all of ten seconds to unbuckle it and let it slide to the floor off of me.

My room was simple. There was a kitchen, bathroom and my bed sat on the far end of the wall just under a window in the corner. I didn't have a radio, books or anything of the sort. It was pretty bare except for the grey walls and awful red carpet. My bathtub was outside the bathroom wall opposite the bed. I reached and clicked the light on, going right for the tub and turning the knob to my preferred temp, HOT.

Once the tub was full, I slowly slipped in it. Being careful of my right wing that I was pretty sure was sprained, I laid on my back and let my body soak in the hot water. If there was a heaven, I'm pretty sure this was it. As I relaxed, I let my mind wander off, immediately thinking about what Sugarkake might wanna talk about.

Sitting on the bed Suagrkake started. “I'm worried about you sneaking off in the dead of night and not coming back for days. I don't want you doing that anymore,” she says as she puts her hoof on mine.

“I gotta get out of this place every now and then though. Not only that, but I bring back stuff I can trade and get a good price for.” I say looking into her pink eyes.

Sugarkake nuzzled up to me and began rubbing my wings. “How about this as a good price for keeping you home,” she says, pushing me down and holding herself right over me as she spreads her wings. She was gorgeous, smiling at me. Getting right up to my face, she kissed my cheek as she then ran her hoof across my mane. I was blushing so brightly that I could’ve created enough heat to warm the entire room. Whispering in my ear, she made my body tense up. “I'm gonna make sure you stay home from now on.” She leaned down to kiss my lips and…

Choking, I sat straight up with water coming out of my nose and coughing water out of my lungs as I tried to catch my breath. I must have fallen asleep, and my head went under the water, just great, I was enjoying that one. The muddy water ran off my mane and down my face. I had no idea I was THIS dirty but then again, I had spent the last three days taking shelter under an old bridge.

I finished washing the dirt from my mane and body with my wing seriously throbbing at this point. I think I did more than just pull it out of the socket this time. Looking into the dirty water I began thinking, ‘do I like it more inside or outside the walls? Is it the danger and violence out there I like or the comfort and convenience here?’ I just shook my head, pulling the plug and letting the water drain. I had just climbed out of the tub and shook the water from my body right as Sugarkake walked through my front door.

“You really should lock this when you are here alone,” she mumbled as she shut the door behind her, carrying a plate with a sandwich on it. “It’s not much, but it’s all I can scrape up until they are finished offloading the train. That's gonna take a few hours in the morning and I have to supervise so I just want to talk for a while.” She finished setting the plate on my bed, patting it gently with her hoof.

My mane was still wet and hanging in front of my face covering my left eye, and my right wing was burning in pain. I was tired and Sugarkake was upset with me. This was not my night. I walked slowly to the bed and sat on it next to Sugarkake, picked up the sandwich, and began eating it. In fact, I think after the first bite, I pretty much inhaled it. Looking back to Sugarkake, she still had an interrogating look on her face. I just sighed, feeling my stomach twist into knots.

“You know what I'm gonna say already but…”

“YOU WENT BACK OUTSIDE THE WALLS AGAIN WYNTER!” She shouted with a very concerned look on her face. “You’re eventually going to get caught and not even I can save you from the death penalty. You damn fucking well know this. If they find out I know this, I’ll get prosecuted.”

My ears leaned back, and I looked to the ground not wanting to see her being angry with me. My body trembled as I looked at my carpet, waiting for her to drill into me a little bit more.

“Why do you keep going out there Wynter? What do you hope to find? Bringing this junk back to trade so you can get more supplies just to go back out there? This cycle is only going to get yourself killed.” Her voice started to tremble a little bit. “I’m not going to another funeral just to watch them throw your body in an incinerator.”

I felt like shit. She was on the brink of tears and so was I. Knowing I had hurt her in a way, I started to fiddle around a bit with my hooves. I don’t know how she knew what I had been doing for the last year or so.

“One last time,” I looked up to her as I said. “I’ll lay low for a bit so nopony finds out. I’ll grab what I need from the old, derailed box car and come back. It’ll be the last time.”

“But you don't get it. They will kill you on sight if they find out. And just how far away is this box car? Have you ever thought of that? No. No more. You stay inside the city walls from now on.”

I just nodded. “Okay, agreed. No more trips out of the city.”

I felt Sugarkakes head on my shoulder this time. “You better not be lying to me WynterBreeze.” She moved her head and hit my wing which made me hiss in pain. As soon as I did that, her head jerked up and she scanned me with her eyes “What happened? Did I hurt you, or did you hurt yourself?”

“I think I hurt my wing a bit earlier. It’s nothing.” I tried to assure her I was ok, but she wasn't believing a word I was saying, lifting my wing with her hoof. The pain ripped through my body like a buzzsaw, I don't think I had ever felt anything like it, and I was sure as hell not going to be flying anytime soon.

“This isn’t nothing Wynter. The underside of your wing joint, shoulder, even your ribs are bruised almost black. What did you do to yourself…?” She said as she started inspecting all over the side of my body. I swear I would've been blushing like crazy if it didn’t hurt so bad. “It looks like you've dislocated it, stretched the muscle and maybe even damaged the tendons a bit. You know this takes months to heal properly, right? If it doesn’t you may end up a Scootaloo.” I swear to Celestia she giggled at that joke.

“I’ll end up what? A flightless chicken?” I joked back.

“Don’t change the subject, what didja do?” She asked sternly.

“I fell off a train car,” I hesitantly replied. Sugarkake just gave me a glare and pressed on the bruise harder. making sure I felt it and buddy, I felt it.

“Lay on your belly I gotta put your wing back in place,” Sugarkake instructed me as she pushed me back and moved to the end of my bed.

I knew this was gonna hurt. Rolling over to my belly and putting my head on a pillow, I felt Sugarkake sitting on my back and slowly pulled my wing open making it burn as she did so. She then put a hoof under my wing joint and one on top of it lightly. “Here we go, One…Two…” And with a swift forceful motion. CRACK… My wing popped back into place, shifting my shoulder back where it should be in the same motion.

“SON OF A BITCH,” I yelled muffled into my pillow. It hurt like hell for a split second, but I could feel the pain subside quickly until it was about gone. My body went limp off the bed andy mind started to go blank. That was the last of my energy right there. I could only direct my eyes to Sugarkake, feeling her move off my back and lying next to me. My eyes began rolling back and my eyelids fluttered.

“Go ahead and sleep. I’m going to put you to work tomorrow with me as I get the train unloaded.” Her voice faded away as I closed my eyes.

Once my eyes closed, they shot back open. I wasn't at home at all, I woke up in the middle of a street in a town I didn't recognize in the dead of night. Quickly getting on my legs, I looked around. My heart began to race, and I could feel myself begin to panic. How long have I been asleep? Where am I? Where’s all of my gear? I don’t even have my saddlebags or rifle. All questions that ripped through my head all at the same time, but I could only stand and look at all of the buildings in their decaying state. I’ve never fucked up this bad before and seeing it made me felt sick to my stomach. Did I sleepwalk out here? I tried to move my legs, but they felt like they were a hundred pounds each. Tears started to well up in my eyes. I don't want to die out here. I heard the sound of hooves on the pavement behind me and I slowly turned my head to see who it was. FlickerLight!

“Oh, thank goodness Flicker, it's you! Do you know where we are and where my stuff is?” I asked, feeling a lot calmer knowing I had a friend by my side.

“Oh, I know where we are, and I think you are gonna stay here for a while,” he said pointing his rifle right at my head. I wanted to run but my legs still wouldn’t move.

“Don’t kill her just yet. She’s of no use dead,” I heard Sugarkake’s voice say from my side as she walked out of the shadows smiling. “Didn’t I tell you silly filly? Coming out here is only going to get you killed?”

My heart pounded in my chest and tears ran down my face. I looked around \and tried to scream for help only to notice that I was no longer making any sounds. That's when I heard her. My mother’s voice. “Glitterball honey, it’s time to go home.” I could only hear her voice and see her silhouette in the dark shadows.

“M-Mom?” I whimpered as I took a step back. That’s when she lurched and pounced on top of my body. It was just black where her eyes were, and she had razor-like teeth sitting on top of me smiling wide. I pushed against her cold body with my hooves. “Get off of me! Get the fuck off of me! Go away!” It was all I could quietly rasp as I closed my eyes tight, feeling somepony grab and hold me down tightly.

“Wynter! WynterBreeze, wake up! It’s me, open your eyes and look! It’s me!” I heard Sugarkakes voice say, I slowly opened my eyes and looked around, noticing she had me in a tight embrace. I was in my room. My Celestia damned ugly wonderful room. I was shaking and breathing hard until I completely fell apart. I started crying into her wings. “Those old memories keep fighting to the surface, don’t they? And going out there isn't helping.”

I don't know how long she held me for. I just know it was long enough for me to fall back asleep.

Chapter 4: Drawing The Short Straw

Chapter 4 Drawing The Short Straw

“Everything in due time my dear, that is what makes progression” - Rarity

The sun wasn’t even up yet but Sugarkake had me sitting on the cold bay platform, reading numbers on the sides of the rusted train cars with my eyes barely open enough to see through them. All I wanted last night was a bath and some sleep, but I had to go get myself in trouble once again. And what’s worse was that the workers hadn’t even gotten there yet while I was here in a set of cuffs and my wings bandaged to my body. I only hurt my right wing, but she insisted she wrapped them to my body. I knew what she was doing, and I didn’t want to be up this early reading numbers on big metal cars.

“Okay next,” she said flatly as she read a clipboard in front of her.

“EX25570Y893 ‘dash’ PNYVLLE,” I read quietly through my dime-slotted eyes.” Why do you need to know these numbers again? I thought you were just unloading, not giving me a lesson on what any of this shit means.” I seriously thought I was gonna fall asleep out of boredom alone.

Sugarkake grabbed a pen from her security uniform pocket with her teeth, still staring at the clipboard “Becaush we have to be shure we have da right shipmen, this holdsh da supplysh for da folksh here,” she mumbled and slured with the pen in her mouth. “Plush dees carsh come from all ova Equeshtria. Gotta make shure none are misshing.” Sugarkake finisheed up writing and put her pen back in her pocket and smiled. “All Done. Come with me,” she says, turning and walking toward a small room at the end of the platform.

I tried my best to hobble behind her with the cuffs restricting my movements. I knew she didn’t want me trying to run off, but I thought this was a little excessive. She unlocks the door and pushes it open, pointing us into a small room with only a lamp, a desk, and a pile of papers. I knew where this was going.

“Each of these papers are already sorted according to cargo on the train. All you need to do is stamp them. There’s an inkpad in the drawer of that desk and please, for the love of Celestia, don’t try to leave, okay?” she instructed as she grabbed a key from her saddlebag and unlocked my cuffs with a click. “You’re really helping me out today. Just think, the sooner we get done here, the sooner we can just go around the city. Just you and me.” She ended with a quick nuzzle before walking back out on the platform.

My heart pounded and I couldn’t stop smiling even after I sat in the chair. A day out with Sugarkake sounded fantastic. I slid the drawer open and grabbed the small ink pad out of it. It was just big enough for a pony’s hoof and so I went to work stamping. It didn’t seem like long before the workers showed up and before I knew it, we were emptying the cargo in rapid succession. The cars would get unloaded, the train would pull up a little and the next cars were opened, ready to be unloaded. Sugarkake would bring me more forms, I would stamp and repeat this process which took a few hours but to me, thinking about my day with Sugarkake, only felt like a few minutes.

Finishing up the last stack of papers Sugarkake had put in front of me, I pressed my hoof into the ink and smacked it down onto the last paper. After laying it on top of the stack, my head leaned down onto the desk for just a moment. My eyes were fighting to stay open, yet my mind was too busy and awake thinking about Sugarkake. Maybe it really was for the best that I just stay here and not worry about what was outside these walls. I just smiled and closed my eyes for just a moment.

“You seem pretty happy about something. What’s got your spirits up?” I heard Sugarkake ask, making me sit straight up quickly and shake my head a bit in an attempt to wake up. She just laughed at me and fostered her head to the door. I didn’t even hear her come into the room, let alone open the door. How long was I out for? “Come on Sleepy, let's get some food. I’m starving and I just clocked out, so we are done here.”

I hopped up off the chair and followed her out of the door, watching her every movement. Her mane was a bit of a mess by this point, and I could tell she had a hard morning, but that didn’t make her any less good-looking in my book. The town was really bustling today with ponies of all races and sizes everywhere. The sun gleamed off the glass windows of the high-rise buildings, the smells of different foods filled the streets, and the foals and fillies ran through the streets playing various games. It really was like nothing had ever happened. Here in this place was a safe haven from the virus outside, but some of the stuff I find out there couldn’t be found within these walls.

Walking side by side with Sugarkake made me the happiest I’ve been in a very long time. She makes me so happy! I can’t take it but this is I do not know how to tell her. I’ve never been good with words but I’m pretty sure she feels the same about me. We’ve just never exchanged words about it before, but we’ve been pretty much inseparable ever since we met.

“So Wynter…” Sugarkake started as she looked at each of the food courts around.” ...What are you in the mood for? I could eat just about anything here.”

I didn’t really know exactly how to reply to her. I was hungry for sure but letting me choose what to grab was new to me. Anytime we ate together, she would just bring food to my room, and we’d eat there, only for me to battle the wasteland outside the next day. I pointed a hoof to a patio restaurant. “How about SlverHoof’s? That pony can make a simple dish taste great.”

“Okay, if that’s what you’re wanting,” she laughed as we walked up to a single-story building with a red awning over the patio. We’ve eaten at SilverHoof’s before. The tables on the patio and the kitchen inside the building were simple yet effective.

Sugarkake walked to a table against the wall of the neighboring building in the back corner of the patio. She never chose a seat there before, but she likes to be in the sunlight. What was she planning? Maybe today will be the day we can tell each other about how we feel. Watching where she sat, I made sure to sit across the small table from her and before I could even get a word out, a stallion with a red mane was immediately at our table ready to take our order. Sugarkake took no time for him to even ask what she wanted.

“Cucumber and lettuce sandwich with hay fries and whatever salad you’ve got today,” she said with a chipper tone. The stallion just looked at me.

“I guess I’ll uhh…Have the same.” I said kind of nervously.

The stallion just nodded and walked by the kitchen. It was at this point that I realized this place was nearly empty, and at the hour. That wasn't very normal but whatever. What is normal these days? I looked back to Sugarkake and her mood had completely changed from chipper to serious. Fuck me running. What now?

“Do you remember me telling you that you’ll get yourself killed one day going outside the gates?” She mentioned while staring at me intensely.

“Now wait a minute. You stayed with me last night. You slept next to me, and I’ve been with you all day today. There is no way in Equestria you can accuse me of leaving again. I haven’t gone anywhere.” I was incredibly confused and honestly, a little hurt. She was accusing me of breaking the rules again. I did nothing wrong since I got back, and I even worked with her for a few hours.

“I don't want to argue Wynter, I really don’t” she says leaning closer over the table, her pink eyes burning straight into mine. “You are very lucky I was the one on the unloading shift this morning or else they would’ve had you in front of a firing squad.” She began hissing through her teeth, clenching them tightly and clearly looking a bit pissed off. “They found your canteen still sitting on the catwalk between railcars. You are going to get yourself fucking killed.”

Trying to think back on it, I remembered that I gave FlickerLight the canteen before we parted ways, but I didn’t remember if he had ever given the thing back. He must’ve sat it down and left it there. Now I'm in even more trouble with Sugarkake.

“I put it in lost and found,” she finished as she sat back. “Listen, I can’t get too mad at you since you did this yesterday but I’m telling you. If you keep it up, you will die.” She sighs, looking back out by the nearby street watching over other ponies going about their business. “If you want me to stick around, then you will stop this foolishness as well. Don't get me wrong, I’ve felt compelled to leave and see what's out there, but the laws are too strict for something like that. I'm not going to stick around to watch a pony that I L…Care very much about getting killed over something stupid. I’m sorry but it has to be said. Picking through the waste isn’t going to bring your parents back. Or mine.”

I felt bad about what happened all over again. I could feel my stomach turning into knots, especially after she brought up my parents. It’s true that it brought back fond memories of what was before, but I guess I was being selfish. I also didn’t want her to take off somewhere within the city where I couldn’t see her and…wait what did she just say?! It sounded like she almost said it but then decided not to. Does she really feel as deeply about me as I did for her?

“Listen, I’m gonna put all of that behind me. I just want to be here with you now. You know that.” I said with complete sincerity and a sense of remorse in my voice. I knew what I had to do and if it meant being locked into a box, then so be it. It has been five years since I started doing this so maybe it is time to stop. You really can only get so lucky and so far, but I’ve been very lucky.

“Good. Now after we eat, there's something I want to show you. We’ve spent most of our day on the train so now I want to show you something fantastic something I bet you’ve never seen before. After that, we’ll get that wind massaged, fixed, and rebandaged,” Sugarkake told me as plates of food were set in front of us. “This little city has things to be proud of and has its perks as well, so eat up and we’ll go looking.”

I nodded in agreement. “My wing doesn't hurt half as bad today though so maybe I could…”

“Not hurting and not injured are two different things Wynter. No flying for at least another day, and you can’t do it long or you’ll just fuck it up again.”

Looking down at my food, a thought came across my mind. We are alone getting food. Just us. And she wants to go do something right after. Everything lined up, I think I know what this is and if it is, then that means Sugarkake…

“Sugarkake, did you just fool me into a date?” I asked with a slight smile.

She smiled back, nodding with a smirk on her face that could even make the most disciplined pony not be able to resist her. “Mhm. And how did I do getting you alone?” She said as she brought her forelegs up and resting her chin on her hooves. “You are so easy sometimes. I could get you to do anything I want you to, probably. I’m sorry about the rant earlier, but you need to make sure you aren't leaving a trail behind you,” she said in a low voice.

All I could do was sit back, laugh at myself quietly, and take a bite of my sandwich. “This whole thing was a ploy to get me out here. Who would’ve known?” My heart beat a bit harder, and my body felt like it was shaking inside. I wonder if this is what they call ‘the butterflies'. The light wind shifted directly and ended up making some of Sugarkake’s black mane flow in the wind.

“I just thought I’d take everything to the next level with action since it’s hard for either of us to say anything. I can tell you can't say it so I just…did it,” she responded quietly as she looked up at the sky. It’s getting a bit darker now and I wish we didn't spend all day on the train platform. “Say, we should have another train coming in tomorrow. Want to come and help me? And this time you’ll do it willingly?”

I felt my ears perk up and my heart raced. Did she want to make things official? We’re now a couple? How could I say no to helping her? “Of course I’ll come to help you tomorrow. Do I need to do some kind of Important job? Ooh, can I help unload the train?” I asked, getting way too overexcited about actually working.

“Uh no, I need you to stamp the paperwork,” she chuckled.

“Why do I always draw the short straw?” I sat back, disappointed in the job she had already chosen for me. Sugarkake really was the master of manipulation when it came to me.

A few minutes later, we finished eating and were walking side by side through the city. Ponies like us weren't allowed in the city center. Too many uppity bastards were there but I didn’t care, never did. This was home and I liked where we were. It was getting really close to sundown now and Sugarkake was taking us to an abandoned building all the way on the other side of the city. Upon approaching it, my heart sank a little. It looked like one of the buildings in the wastes. Tall, empty, and run-down with plenty of broken windows. Sugarkake walked right inside like nothing while I'm standing here, not being able to push the thought of there being infected ponies on the inside.

“You comin?” She called back with her head moving through the front door entrance. Looking up at it, I could read the rusted plaque right above the door. ‘Baltimare Regency Hotel.’ More like the Baltimare Death Area. I just pushed my fears to the back of my mind and followed her inside. I’ve never been inside a building of this size out in the wastes. It smelled of mold and mildew with the sounds of trickling water and creaking metal coming from everywhere. It was dark and uninviting. The entire feel of this place was unnerving to say the least. Following Sugarkakes, she led us through the lobby and to a small hallway, ending with a staircase with only one way to go. Up.

“You are sure this entire building isn't gonna just come straight down on top of us?” I asked her before stepping onto the busted concrete steps of the stairs. Sugarkake shrugged and started moving up the stairs in front of me. ‘Yeah, you love me but you’re gonna get me killed in a building collapse,’ I thought to myself as I followed her close behind. A few floors up, I wiped my hoof over a metal sign on the wall, ‘Floor eight.’ I admit, this was much easier without any gear on.

“This is it,” Sugarkake said. I could hardly see her in the dark building, but just knowing she was there gave me the confidence I needed to finish climbing those stairs. “Now, how could you leave this behind?” She asked while pushing the door open. I walked past her through the door and couldn't believe my eyes. Nine floors up, and we weren’t even in the tallest building in New Buckingham. She had led me to the roof of this decaying old building to show me the lights and sounds of the city below. I quickly walked to the edge to look over it. It was amazing up here. Everything could be seen from the top of the ‘Regency ’ Including the wastes which compared to the dimly lit and functioning city below, was cold, dark, and depressing.

I felt Sugarkake nuzzle up to me and lay her head against mine. “How could you pass this up? This view is something to die for,” she said comfortingly as the winds picked up again. I had this feeling deep in my gut that I couldn’t explain. Something didn’t feel right. The atmosphere was a bit tense, and I couldn’t figure out why. A cold chill ran down my back and I could feel my hair stand on end.

“Uh, Sugar. You think we could head back now? It’s getting late and we really should get rested for tomorrow’s train,” I said softly knowing how much she enjoyed this view. “I know you gotta be getting tired.”

Sugarkake nodded and leaned her head to my side, biting the bandage and holding my wings to my body. “You think you can glide a couple of blocks?” She asked, giving me a cute wink before spreading her wings and kicking off the rooftop and into the air.

I just smiled, spreading my own wings, they didn’t hurt at all. Maybe all I needed was rest but the gut-wrenching feeling I was having was only getting stronger. Sugarkake turned and began flying toward our building and I took a running start, jumping off the side and letting myself glide right behind her. Looking down, I could see everypony going about their business and none of them were hurt, so why do I feel such remorse for all of them? It took just a minute to get back to our building and land on my balcony. Sugarkake, without checking, just slid the balcony door open and shrugged. “You never lock your doors,” chuckling as she walked in.

That night, we were laying together. Normally I would be ecstatic about it but the growing tension in me was keeping me awake. Sugarkake was fast asleep, curled up tight against me. I envied how comfortable she looked but now, I was feeling remorse for her. Maybe it’s just a feeling of PTSD going back inside a building that had been destroyed during the fall, but I couldn’t prove it. I just closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

Chapter 5: Hell Hath No Fury

Chapter 5. Hell Hath No Fury

“Have you ever come face to face with a demon? Well, I have.” - Twilight Sparkle
It's been hours since last night, but I still had that uneasy feeling over me as I stood on the platform of the unloading bay with Sugarkake. The weather and atmosphere matched my constant unease with the dark, cloudy sky and the cooler, denser air. The wind blew in no particular direction, and it was still dark outside but not night-time dark. It was just before sunrise.
. I didn’t know how to explain the overwhelming pressure. The track in front of us was still empty and just like us, waiting for the next train. My anxiety was through the roof. So much so that I literally had a headache really making me wish I wasn’t here at this moment.

“You okay Wynter?” Sugarkake started nudging me slightly. “You can go back home if you want. We are just taking inventory today, so I don’t really need help stamping paperwork.”

“I'm fine Sugar, it’s just…I'm still having those weird feelings but it’s almost unbearable today.” I looked around at everything on the platform then peeked my head out to the rails to look down each end. Of course, I could only see up to the gats on each side, but it still made me feel a little better knowing there wasn’t anything out of order. “Maybe it’s nothing.”

“I already told you, there’s nothing to freak out about. Listen, I’m right here and I feel fine. There's nothing out of the ordinary. FireBox is just running a little late with the train is all, so you need to calm down before you give yourself a heart attack or something Wynter,” Sugarkake replied with a look of deep concern. “I’m starting to think there may be something going on with you… Maybe all of the stress has gotten to you a bit.”

“I’m fine,” I responded as I took a deep breath to try to calm my nerves. “I’m Okay Sugar, honestly,” I said knowing full well that neither she nor I believed it but as they say, if you say something enough times, you might start believing it. My ears perked up when I heard the train whistle and the gate slowly screeched open. I look out to the gate and see the steam seeping between the gaps and the light beaming from the Locomotive’s headlight waiting to get into New Buckingham. As soon as the gate opened, it shot steam and smoke straight into the air and with a shudder. From What sounded like thunder, it pulled the slack from the rail cars as it slowly started moving forward with a low groan and a loud chuff. Looking at the thing made me remember things. Bad things had happened. I wish I could forget them.

“Sorry Boss. Are we late?” I heard a voice behind me asking. I didn’t bother to even look behind me since I hardly could understand what was being said. The only thing on my mind was that train as images of fire and destruction flashed rapidly through my head. I tried to push them back but couldn’t. I couldn’t hear anything or think of anything. I just froze up as the massive metal machine slowly pulled up in front of me and continued to the end of the loading platform. I don’t know how long I was staring at those platforms for until I saw a hoof wave in front of my face.

“Hey, Wynter? Hello. Filly I’m talking to you.” I could hear FlickerLight’s voice, but my body was still locked into place. It was like I was entranced, and everything moved in slow motion and yet, that sinking feeling was gone. I didn't feel like anything was wrong anymore. I was just…blank but I could hear my friends talking in the background. “She’s still doing this Sugarkake. I thought you said you had your eye on her.

“Don't blame me, you keep insisting she go on ‘adventures’ behind my back and now she’s getting worse. Y’know Flicker, this is your fault. I ought to…”

“Fuck you Sugarkake. you know damn well this isn’t just on me.” I just wish they’d stop arguing every time they were around each other. I close my eyes for a moment to try to get out of this slow-motion state of mind. All I heard over their argument were muffled screams.

“You okay there filly?” I hear a voice ask and they shook me slightly. I opened my eyes to see an older pony wearing overalls standing in front of me looking concerned. I could feel the tension in my body ease off and I just nodded, looking around trying to get reacquainted with my surroundings. “Maybe you shouldn’t be on the platform. You nearly walked straight into the side of my tender here” He looked out to my friends. “And you two. If you are gonna bitch and bicker, maybe make sure your friend isn’t gonna get herself killed!”

I heard the rapid movement of hooves rushing beside me and felt one under my chin directing my head to meet Sugarkake’s eyes. “Your eyes are dilated… That's it. After I take inventory, you are going straight to a doctor. I’m over this shit,” Sugarkake mumbled as she pulled up onto my hooves and carefully walked me back a few feet.

“You want to read the inventory notes and see if the cars match the order?” Firebox asked patiently. “I’ll let you know though, I picked up three old box cars from Fillydelphia. I was instructed to get them from our supplier in Vanhoover so I have no idea where they came from. I assume they’re just empties though ‘cause the train never struggled.”

Sugarkake sat me down next to FlickerLight who was sulking because of their argument a few minutes ago and walked back to Firebox to start reading the order.

I looked back at the Train cars and read the ID print on the side of one of the extras Firebox was talking about and felt a bit of confusion.

“VD35009-FILLY,” I mumbled as I felt my body quickly go back to normal. I tried to get back up on my hooves when I felt FlickerLight trying to help me and pointed my hoof at the train car trying to get him to look at it. “That car hasn’t moved in 10 years, has it? And it has chains on the door. In fact, all three do.”

“Hey Sugarkake, does he have a key to those locks, or do we have to cut them off?” FlickerLight called out to her.
Firebox just looked at the cars. “I don’t have a key or anything for those. I didn’t even know the track to Filldelphia existed still.”

I jumped at the moment to ask. “What other tracks have you been on? We were told the tracks around Equestria were inaccessible but yet here we are.” None of this was adding up at all. We had asked ourselves for years about how the trains were still on the rails but thought very little about it, just brushing it off as an afterthought. “Firebox, did you ever think about why you were going to such a dangerous place to pick up cargo that’d been sitting for a decade?” I asked before looking at Sugarkake. “Cut them open. At least we will know what Vanhoover is planning.”

“Uhh, not smart Little Miss Reckless.” FlickerLight chipped in. “You have no idea if these cars are set to explode or if it has somepony in them ready to attack us. It could be anything bad” Flicker moves in front of me and stares directly into my eyes. “You really need to start thinking before you…”

A low metallic thud interrupts Flicker making him spin around to look at the rail cars. Firebox hadn’t moved much but was slowly walking back toward the engine. I think everypony’s heart stopped at that moment. Every eye on that platform was now fixed on that train. The last train cars began to creak and lightly move back and forth as if it were being rocked by something.

“Get that train out of here! NOW!” Sugarkake yelled to Firebox as he tripped over his own hooves trying to get back to the engine. Sugarkake made a beeline for the intercom when the thudding became more intense and louder. Even the chains on the doors were swaying and rattling. The rail cars creaked and groaned but then, It all stopped. “Once that train’s gotten outside the gate, slam it shut as fast as you can!”

I kept watching the train car as others scattered around me. The door on the train car began smoking for no real reason I could think of before the car started swinging violently again. I heard Sugarkake and Flickerlight arguing about what to do before she started almost screaming at him. Just as I turned my head, Flicker dragged Sugar to the door at the loading bay and started heading my way.

“Wynter! Let's fucking go! We gotta go! Move it!”

I didn’t think twice. I just ran for the door. I only turned around when I heard a loud screeching metallic bang and saw that the door of the first rail car had fallen off. It was glowing red hot. What I saw next made me sick to my stomach. Aox car packed full of infected ponies jumping, almost pouring out of the rail car and onto the platform, running directly for the door. I froze up but I got snatched backward through the door as Flicker slammed it shut. The infected ponies banged on the wall and door, making noise loud enough to echo through the streets. I looked to my left to see Sugarkake laying on the ground breathing heavily, clearly terrified. Flickerlight was yelling about something before the city’s alarms began blaring making it hard to hear anything. I tried to make out what he was trying to say but clearly read his lips saying, “GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE,” before running off elsewhere. I knew where he was going, he was going to go get his rifle.

“Let's go Sugarkake!” I yelled into her ear as I forced her up on her hooves and pointed upward. “We have to fly! It’s the quickest way to get out of here!” I spread my wings and as soon as I knew she had hers spread, I kicked off the ground and flew quickly toward the building we both lived in. I kept looking back to make sure she was right on my hooves. We weren't the only ones with the idea to take to the air. Every pegasi in the city seemed to have the same idea as the air became chaotic with everypony passing each other. Looking down, it was much worse on the ground. Earth ponies were being tackled and attacked en masse. You could even see some being bitten, spilling, and covering the streets with blood that was unlike anything I remember from the original outbreak. Unicorns tried fending off their attackers using magic but hit by magical energy. Those poor ponies knew the moment you’re hit with that, you are immediately infected. I just winced, looking back up to watch another pegasus in front of me get grabbed mid-air by an infected one and fall from our height, crashing through a window in building number 3.

It didn’t take long for shots to start ringing out across New Buckingham, The gunfire, alarms, sirens, the screaming, the chaos. All of it was overwhelming. This was so much worse than what I remembered from when everything fell apart before. I finally landed on my balcony and looked back to see Sugarkake almost get hit by a magical beam. My heart stopped at that moment and felt like it didn't beat again until she landed on my balcony. I threw the sliding door open as we both rushed inside. I slammed it shut and locked it for the first time I’ve ever remembered. Sugarkake rushed and locked the main door to my apartment room, hiding us inside my apartment while the rest of the city fell to shit.

“What the fuck is going on?” Sugarkake asked as she paced around the room. “This shouldn’t be possible. How would somepony get all those ponies into a train car and send them here? It doesn’t make any…” She froze and turned slowly, looking at me with wide eyes clearly in shock. “Wynter, only one car had ponies coming out of it right?”

“Yeah,” I answered, trying to grasp the situation myself. I looked out the window when I heard the alarm system fail. She’s right, you can’t even get close to those ponies. How in Equestria would there be any way to get them all together like that without getting infected yourself?

“Wynter, there were three cars. Only one had been broken out of,” she said with a shudder to her breath before tears began running down her face and collapsing in a corner sobbing to herself. All I could think to myself is ‘Not again. Please don’t let this be real.

I quickly walked to my bed and grabbed her rifle which was propped against the wall and slid it in front of her. “We have to get out of the city.”

Sugarkake looked up at me in disbelief and shook her head while sniffling. “N–no Wynter. Are you that fucking set on dying while New Buckingh….”

“DO YOU WANT TO FUCKING DIE HERE SUGARKAKE?! IS THAT WHAT YOU’RE SAYING>! YOU HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT SURVIVAL OUT THERE RIGHT NOW!” Yelling at her was the last thing I wanted to do but if it got her attention then so be it. “Strap yourself up we have got to leave.”

“Wynter, you can’t fly with all of this weight. You’re gonna hurt yourself badly if you try.”

I wasn’t listening to it. I already had my saddlebags on and I was fighting with the straps on my rifle. Looking up at Sugarkake, she already had her rifle quickly strapped on. I finally got them to buckle up around me and grabbed her extra security uniform off the bed, putting it in my saddle bags. I gave her a quick nuzzle when I walked up to her before looking into her eyes. They were full of heartbreak and fear. She didn’t have to say a single word. I felt it too. I tried to not think about everything going on outside or if FlickerLight made it or not. None of it. I had to get us out of the city. I knew every way possible so naturally, between the two of us, it should be me getting us out of here.

I reached for my door handle when the lock clicked.I quickly moved and pulled Sugarkake to the opposite side of the door so that when it swung open, whoever came in wouldn't see us and we’d be behind the door. The handle jiggled and the door slowly swung open. We could hear hoofsteps slowly entering the room and we saw a dark brown unicorn stallion come into view. It was clear that he was heavily infected Hisbody was covered in cuts, blood, and dirt. It didn’t appear like he was looking for anything in particular, just roaming around the apartment. I kept a hood over Sugarkake’s mouth, so she didn't make a noise, and just nodded toward the door. My heart was pounding, I felt sick to my stomach, and I was shaking, but I managed to get onto my hooves, silently slinking around the door into the hall. I kept my back on the hallway wall with Sugarkake silently repeating my motions until her rifle kick lever barely touched the wall making a quiet clinging sound.

Out of reflex I bolted up and slammed the door shut. “RUN!” My hooves slid across the wooden floor as we rushed through the halls as quickly as we could. Reaching the stairs, we heard my apartment door explode into splinters, but we didn’t stop to look back. We just made a mad dash up the stairwell and with two floors to the roof, it didn't take long before we crashed through the access door as tried to block it with random junk we found.

“Oh Luna, no!” I heard Sugarkake say before I turned around and saw the rest of the city. Smoke, broken windows and everything. It was the fall all over again, only this time, it was so much worse. There were no more pegasi in the air and looking over the edge, all you could see were ponies running toward the center of the city while being chased down by Infected ponies. “Make it stop. Just make it stop,” Sugarkake murmured as she clamped her eyes shut and covered her ears. .

‘It’s just a short glide to the outside,’ I thought to myself. ‘Only a minute or two and we are out of here.’ I kneeled down next to Sugarkake as I tried to lift her up. “C’mon now, I need you to fly. We gotta go while the rest are occupied.” She stood up with tears in her eyes and slowly opened her wings. I opened mine and stood on the ledge of the building before taking a deep breath. “Here we go.” Diving off the ledge, I immediately regretted it. My entire body dropped like a rock. I must’ve fallen about forty feet when Sugarkake caught me and helped me into the air again, carrying me while keeping herself in the air.

“The fuck did I tell you! I knew you were gonna fall!” She yelled as a magical beam passed up close enough to almost hit us. “Damn it,” Sugarkake yelled. I tried my best to help her carry my body through the air as we finally got over the city walls. Thank Celestia we lived so close to them. That's when Sugarkake took a dive and aimed for the first rooftop she saw with the building coming at us fast. I just closed my eyes and waited for the impact.

We hit with enough force that we both rolled and slid across the rooftop, rubbing through years of built-up dust and debris. I couldn’t help myself. I just started laughing uncontrollably as the tears streamed down my face. I could hear Sugarkake hysterically crying next to me, but by the graces of Luna and Celestia, we were alive.

Chapter 6: A Vast Emptiness

Chapter 6: A Vast Emptiness

“MMV came fast and silent. Nopony knew they even had it until the headaches set in.” - Nurse Redheart.

Lifting my body up off the rooftop, I tried turning my sight to the New Buckingham walls but the overwhelming feeling of weight caused me to stumble and fall back to the dust and debris. The adrenaline must’ve been wearing off making me feel heavy and weak. My forehead and side of my face burned as if I had just held it to a hot stove. My wing felt numb, maybe even broken. The sound coming from behind me was unbearable; explosions, rifle fire, alarms, and screaming… Oh Luna, the screaming. I just turned my head and looked at Sugarkake whose face was buried in her hooves, her sobbing turning into a quiet whimper. Hearing her like this broke my heart and I didn’t know how to make any of this any better for her.

I slowly slid my body around to view the gut-wrenching sight of the city. The lights were flickering randomly and smoke bellowed up from somewhere, beginning to spill over the wall like some twisted waterfall. The buildings, especially the taller ones, all had broken windows while some other floors had smoke beginning to seep out. Reflections of fires flickered and danced in the only windows left. It looked like hell. We weren’t prepared for this at all. We didn’t even think this would ever happen.

I managed to slide my body to Sugarkake and nuzzle up to her just as a large explosion erupted, casting a bright light over everything. The sound alone made everything around us shake and vibrate causing the buildings all around us to groan and creak. Small pieces of debris fell on us like raining sand particles. Sugar reached her hoof out and wrapped it around my neck pulling me closer., Her body was still trembling and she had a slight occasional hic to her breathing. I just laid there, holding her until the sun finally broke over the horizon. At least most infected ponies are inactive during daytime.

“What are we going to do Wynter? What do we do? Where do we go from here?”

I wish I had that answer, I really did. I had no plan or course of direction. I didn’t have any idea what to do. How could any pony know when this was gonna happen or even if it was gonna happen? The truth was… I was scared to death and the only thing I knew was we needed to move and get far away from New Buckingham, or what was left of it.

“Okay, the first thing we need to do is find out where we can go vs. where we go.” I let Sugar lay as is, right on me with her head pressed against mine. I tried moving my wing but got no response from it. Just a stronger tingling sensation. “What's more, I think my wing might be broken.” I felt Sugar tense up and without looking at me, reached her hoof over me. She moved it up and down my wing until she hit a spot right under the joint. Her head raised slowly with fear in her eyes. She never looked directly into my eyes but she did find something judging from her reaction.

I tried turning my head to see what she found but she pushed my head back in the other direction with enough force to pop my neck several times. That feeling came back to my neck all at once causing me to groan but, all in all, it felt wonderful.

“Don’t look at this... Just don't look.”

I was confused., Don't look at what? It didn’t hurt so how bad could it be? My wing was still there and I could feel that. It’s just numb is all. Sugar moved over my body, and I just stared at the now pale blue sky and slightly red horizon. I just let out a soft chuckle.

“What did they say about red Sky Sugar?” I blinked a couple of times and sighed. I knew this wasn’t a time for any jokes but I really needed to get my mind off of the breach and smoke-filled sky out of my sight. I felt a bit of pain start to radiate from my wing then suddenly, a wet SHLICK sound, and all the feeling returned at once.

“FFFUCK ME RUNNING! SON OF A BITCH!”

I didn’t even have any time to react. I just laid there screaming for a few seconds before I was rolled to my side and felt my back snap and pop. The feeling took my breath from me. I just laid there wide-eyed and mouth wide open gasping for air. My eyes began to roll back. It was so hard to breathe. I heard Suger say something but I couldn’t make out what it was. My mind just went blank. I just kept repeating in my mind ‘I’m gonna die here.’ I felt another crack in my chest and a bolt of lightning go through my back until my vision blurred.

In a flash, I was back in the New Buckingham Medical Ward in a hospital bed with an IV in my front foreleg. I looked down and saw that I had a bluish gown on and some type of wires leading to a machine. I tried moving my body but I couldn’t. In fact, I couldn't feel anything at all. I recognized the room but didn’t know from when.

“If you want to keep your position and your pay here, you’ll meet me at my apartment tonight. Not tomorrow, tonight.” I heard a Stallion’s voice behind a curtain before it was pulled back swiftly until a very familiar voice began talking to me.

“Hey there hon, My name is Nurse Sugarkake and I will be taking care of you while you are here today. Let's raise you up a little so we can get a look at you.” The head of my bed was raised up to meet a younger-looking Sugarkake. Her colors were exactly the same and nothing had changed except for her looking more tired back then. That's where I knew this from...

“Your chart says your name is Glitterball, Heh, you look more like a Wintery type of pony to me. You live in Building number 4, room 1012? What do ya know? You are just right down the hall from me and this says you have the same blood type as me. It’s clear that you are a pegasus so I’ll put in the records that you hold pegasus magic. They should’ve had that in your records already.”

I could only stare at her as she looked me in the eyes and examined me from head to tail.As she was scribbled on her clipboard, a unicorn stallion walked up to her and laid a few papers on the foot of my bed.

“I'm serious. You want this position,and you will...”

“Let me make this clear. I’m not fucking you or any other stallion in this city.” Sugarkake said quietly through gritted teeth. "I've already put in for a transfer for security anyways so enjoy your time in lockup.”

The stallion left, but not before slinging the curtain open and knocking over a small table of utensils over in the process. Sugar just shook her head and rolled her eyes as she turned back to me. “I'm sorry about that sugar cube. You look hungry. Is there anything I can get you?”

I just slowly blinked as I lay on a bed inside of a room I didn’t recognize. Turning my head around the room, I noticed the paint on the walls were peeling off and that the light fixtures were broken. The only dresser in the room was missing its drawers, the windows were smashed , swaying the curtains in the breeze. I smelt of mildew and a touch of rotting wood but that didn’t matter right now. In front of the window was Sugar staring blankly out of it. Did she drag me in here?

“I almost forgot you were a nurse when we first met,” I said weakly just to get her attention. She looked at me with tears in her eyes, rushing to the bedside and sitting on the floor with her head hung lowhe was shaking again, and this time her rifle clinked as tears fell from her eyes.

“Dont you ever fucking do that to me again. I thought you were gonna die on me and this time you were hurt badly. I had to pull a piece of glass that was lodged through your side and into your wing, reset your wing again and I did my best to put your back into place again. If I didn’t, you could’ve died. I– I did my best. You were hurt and I did my best.” Her words turned more into a hiccuping cry again. My heart dropped and I felt terrible, but I just knew we needed out of the city. It wasn't even morning yet.

I didn’t know what to do for her. I moved on impulse, although it hurt like a bitch to move. I just closed my eyes, held my breath, and moved. When I opened my eyes, my lips were wrapped around hers and she didn’t look like she was completely shocked. I slowly moved back a bit, breaking the kiss. My heart was racing and I was so nervous that I felt sick.

“S-sorry,” was all I could muster up.

What the hell did I just do? How's she gonna react? Oh Celestia, tell me I didn't just mess up. My mind was running rampant. My heart felt like it was gonna explode out of my chest. I know this isn't the time or place for it but I just acted on it and now I'm freaking out!

"WynterBreeze!"

My heart sank looking up into her bright pink eyes.

"Y-yeah Sugar?”

Here we go… She’s gonna lay into me like she never has before. I just know it.

"You put yourself in danger and almost fell to the ground from over 600 feet. I had us fly over the wall, almost got hit by magical energy and we crash landed onto a rooftop because you said it would save both of our lives."

My stomach was in a tightly woven knot. I knew she was mad as hell at me. I had almost gotten both of us killed multiple times in just the course of an hour, all because I was panicking and trying to get out of the city.

"And it did." She says nuzzling me softly. "You could've left me behind any moment and you didn't."

"I couldn't just leave you behind in all that, are you..."

"I love you, Wynter."

My heart skipped several beats when I heard her say that. My face must’ve turned bright red because it felt like it was burning up. She finally said it. My mind was going through multiple emotions and I knew my face matched each one of them. Even in these tragic times, she still found it in herself to feel love and express it. I sighed with a smile on my face.

“Love you too, Sugar.”

“Oh I almost forgot, you need another dose.”

Sugar walked over to the hoof of the bed and began digging around in what I assumed to be saddlebags before rushing back. She held a syringe with a long needle attached to it in her mouth and before explaining anything, she aimed right at the spot she sewed up where I’d been impaled by the glass.

“This is going to hurt… a lot.”

“Wait! How bad? Because I dunno how much more pain I can take y’know.”

“A lot”

And with that, she stabbed the needle into the wing joint, piercing it deep into my side. I winced at the needle but it wasn't as bad as Sugar made it out to be. I glanced at her in confusion, wondering what was so bad about it but all she did was mouth the words, “I'm sorry,” and began pushing the plunger down slowly. I felt the burning sensation begin in my side and not before long, it was ripping through my entire body like she had injected me with acid. I felt my entire body flare up but she wasn't close to being done. I gritted my teeth and clamped my eyes shut trying not to move. Every heartbeat was as painful as it could be. My heart sped up so fast I could see my eyes pulsing. When she was done, she pulled the needle out and held my hooves down.

“Just stay with me now Wynter. You have to push the pain to the back of your mind. C’mon, you can do this.”

–

I tried my best to not let it get the best of me but I was close to hyperventilating. When the injection hit, my back arched against her holding me down. My body began to pop and my bones felt like they were shifting around. Tears flowed uncontrollably from my eyes and saliva ran from my mouth as I grinded my teeth. I just couldn’t take it anymore. I gave in, letting my body tense up and let out a scream. Sugar threw herself on top of me and wrapped me in a tight hug. I could only muffle a scream into her shoulder. My hind legs involuntarily kicked and it felt like I was slowly dying. Sugar moved quickly and jammed something into my mouth, yelling at me to swallow it. I didn’t care what it was. I just choked it down.

It took a while, but whatever she gave me eased off the pain so much it felt like I hadn’t been injured at all. My heart rate returned back to normal and I could catch my breath again, though I was still panting. My eyes still ran with tears and my throat was a little sore but that all comes with screaming I guess. I felt wonderful. Absolutely no pain and I even had some energy. Sugar moved and climbed off my body. I noticed she had tears in her eyes but she had a soft smile.

“I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I gave you the first dose while you were conscious but there’s no more though. I took them when I left the medical center.”

“What did you give me? And what did that stuff do?”

“Its nickname is Hyperheal but I can't pronounce its actual name. It hurts the way it does because it’s shifting your body back to the way it should be. It’s essentially just a magic spell in a syringe and the capsule I forced down your throat was medication to block out any and all pain you could possibly feel. You only get two of those a day. It also keeps you from feeling any pain for a short time but It has its risks though.

I just chuckled and leaned up. “Well you used to be a doctor so I believe you. I do feel like a new pony though.”

It wasn't long before she had me lying in different positions to check where I was wounded and having me stretch my wings out one at a time. She even made me lift things with them to make sure everything was okay with me. I gave myself a look-over and noticed the wounds had already closed for the most part with my back and wing still being bruised pretty badly but that was fading fast. Whatever Hyperheal was, it did an amazing job at healing but I wouldn’t put my worst enemy through that kind of pain. At one point, she brushed my mane back to check my head and I just pecked a kiss on the tip of her nose. She just gave me a playfully annoyed look. Everything seemed good. Maybe the end of the world wasn’t all bad after all.

“Do you think you’ll be able to glide to the ground before the medication starts wearing off? You only have about six hours from taking it and it’s already been two.” I simply nodded and crawled from the bed to strap my rifle to my body. Sugarkake had already gotten my saddlebags and was now carrying her and my saddlebags along with her rifle.

I walked to the window, spread my wings and jumped out, letting myself glide to the road below. Once my hooves hit the pavement, I stumbled a bit and fell flat on my face. I guess the meds don’t do anything for strength but at least I wasn't hurting at the moment. I heard Sugarkake’s hooves hit the pavement and then walk up beside me.

“Okay, now where to?”

“I think… I think we have to find out why that train was sent to New Buckingham. Who sent it, and how did they get so many infected ponies in those rail cars? In addition to that, there are a lot of unanswered things I've been wondering about like; what actually happened all those years ago, why that recording on the radio spits out all those lies, and what is this MMV anyway? We were never told any of that.”

Sugarkake placed her hoof on her head, rubbing it slightly. “OK ok enough. We’ll just tackle one thing at a time here. If you want to know where the train came from, it was Fillydelphia.”

I didn’t give her much of a chance to say anything else. I cut her off and turned to look at the smoldering city behind me in the distance. “Then we’ll start there, we are going to Fillydelphia.”

“Wait a minute there filly. You want to go to Fillydelphia? Ponies stay away from that city, not seek it out. Not only is it a day and a half away from us but you can’t fly. So it's like 3 days to get there on hooves.”

I hadn't thought about that. It's true. I can’t get there by air but maybe we could make it there by walking. I had to think about how we could do this but at the same time, not make it clear to Sugarkake that I had no idea what I was doing.

“We could always use the rails. Just follow them to where we are going.”

“Okay, do you know which rails to follow Wynter? Just face it. We never got the chance to leave those walls and out here, we are completely and utterly lost. Not even I know where we are going.”

“I'm pretty sure we can find our way… That train came from the north so we just follow the roads heading north. And I'm pretty sure we will find signs pointing us in the right direction.”

I gestured my head to Sugar and began walking down the road.

“What did you mean by the radio man lying? I mean we always had at least one radio on in the Med Bay so I’ve heard the recording before. And we’ve got a long walk ahead of us so we have a while to talk.” Sugarkake asks as she catches up to me.

“You have got to be kidding Sugar. The virus started with headaches, the trains stopped running, and it only took 22 days for Equestria to crumble? The virus being transmitted by magic only? I’ve been out here enough to know that it’s every bit more Biological than magical. Ponies don't just get insane over a headache Sugar Cake. And that whole bit about the war going down in Canterlot? I used to live in Cloudsdale, remember? I could see what went down on the ground below and it took a full three months to evacuate Cloudsdale. My mother got infected right before my father loaded me onto a train for New Buckingham, which was six months into the outbreak. You do the math.”

“Okay, so most of it was exaggerated...”

I spun around quickly to meet her eyes. “Exaggerated my ass. They fucking lied to us Sugarkake. They lied.”

I turned back around and continued walking up the empty streets. The decaying old concrete buildings of Baltimare weren’t very inviting. Vegetation and vines grew up the sides of the cracked walls, and broken windows allowed curtains to wave in and out of the gaping holes. The street lights had either fallen over or been bent, and the power lines lay on the streets like sleeping snakes. I looked up at a building that used to be under construction when the city got hit with the virus. It looked like a bomb had hit it.

I looked at Sugarkake who was now walking a few paces behind me. Her pink eyes were just looking everywhere taking everything in. I felt horrible for her, she had never been out in this kind of destruction before but I was numb to it all. I was used to seeing so many decaying buildings.

“Why all of the broken windows?” Sugar asks, breaking the silence.

“What windows the infected didn’t break, the weather did. Glass doesn’t stand up to much. Especially with no Pegasi to control the weather and the automated systems having no power to run, the weather just does whatever with no way to control or predict it.”

I turned to walk down one of the main streets of Baltimare while still preoccupied with the crumbling buildings around me. I was looking for any indication of where to go if I was even going in the right direction. I saw a small window that looked like it had a map behind it but due to the years of built-up dust, I couldn’t really see. Sugar gasped, making me jump. I turned to see what was wrong and her eyes were fixed looking up in fear. Her legs were shaking and I could see her trembling at whatever she was looking at. I turned to see three ponies hanging from one of the power lines between buildings. One was a pegasus his wings laid limp at the sides. I recognized him as CloudFlare. We went to flight school together. My stomach sank and I just walked over to Sugar. I turned her around and just got us walking in the other direction

“Just… Don't say anything.”

“B–ut b– but.”

“Not a word.”

As I moved with Sugarkake, all I could do was silently pray for these ponies and hope Celestia and Luna were with them. It remained clear for the most part with the occasional barricade here and there as we progressed through the city. It was pretty uneventful until we reached a big sign reading ‘NOW LEAVING BALTIMARE… FILLYDELPHIA,’ and the distance was scraped and rusted over.

“Looks like we are going in the right direction.” I turned back at Sugarkake who looked like a broken pony at this point. Her eyes were bloodshot and began forming dark lines under them. This might be a bit much for her being out here in the shit but still, where else did she have to go. I walked back to her and grabbed my saddlebags off of her back and put them back on. Seeing those ponies might have changed her for good, It’s not every day ou see ponies hanging from power lines or anywhere for that matter.

As we got to the outskirts of Baltimare, it was becoming more and more clear what had happened here. Bullet holes in the concrete of the buildings, huge chunks from the buildings missing, rubble everywhere we looked. The tallest buildings were creaking and groaning, threatening to collapse on top of us at any moment.

“Wynter, who is the Syndicate?”

I turned to ask Sugar what she was talking about and I saw her pointing up at a banner blowing in the breeze attached to a couple of pieces of exposed rebar. ‘Beware of Syndicate,’ It read. Not much more to go off of than just a name
“Most likely one of those radical groups who thinks their shit doesn't stink and that they’re better than everypony else, Flicker and I ran into a group a few miles west of New Buckingham. They called themselves the River. A bunch of mumbo jumbo bullshit about how they are gonna revive the wastelands and bring everything back to normal and blah blah blah. Don’t listen to it. It's just nonsense.”

Sugar just sighed and began walking up the road. It seemed like endless hours of walking through more and more destroyed buildings, almost as if Baltimare had no end in sight. We stopped a few times to fill Sugar’s canteen since I foolishly left mine behind. The crunching of broken glass and busted concrete was beginning to really get old but it helped keep things going completely silent. I told Sugar a few times if she wanted to stretch her wings. she could fly around a few times. I was perfectly Okay with walking. My side was starting to ache but had not quite at the painful stage yet, though I wasn’t about to tell Sugar that.

I started to regret my decision to come all the way out here until we rounded a corner and the buildings just abruptly ended. On one side of us was never-ending water no matter which way we looked. It was just a vast nothing except just water and more water. Even where it looked like boat docks had collapsed into the sea. I had never seen it myself but I’ve seen pictures of it in books. And the other side of the road were just trees as far as the eye could see down the road.

“Greaaat… Water, trees, and vast fucking nothing.” I just leaned against the rusted railing on the edge of the walkway where the water met the concrete, looking up at the sky and realizing the sun was beginning to go down. We only had a few hours of sunlight left.

“We need to find shelter to hunker down for the night,” I told Sugarkake as she admired the sunset over the water. “Sugar! C’mon!”

She turned to follow me up the road a bit to find one of the abandoned buildings we could take shelter in. We finally found an old hotel about 5 floors high. As we entered the building, I tried pushing back images of ponies dying inside a building the best I could and just pressed onto the escalators. We found ourselves middle of the main lobby but the creaking building wasn’t the best place to take shelter. It will have to do for the night.

We approached an open door and entered the room quietly checking every dark corner there was. The fridge was on its side and open, cupboards were in pieces, and dressers were broken up with the drawers thrown everywhere. But to our liking, it still had a window intact and the bed was still there.

I slid my saddle bags off and laid them on the floor at the end of the bed. Unbuckling my rifle harness, and leaning it against the wall at the head of the bed, It felt wonderful to take the thing off for a while. Sugarkake had already stripped herself of the rifle, saddlebags, and security clothing. We tried not to think about what the bed had on it as we lay down and closed our eyes. Pretty soon, the room was pitch black and the sounds of the infected ponies roaming the streets became deafening, especially those who couldn’t stop….screaming.

Chapter 7: Bloodshot Eyes

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