Author's Note

I'm gonna try something different. You guys might remember how in old RPGs, the story remained the same regardless of how strong your party was in-game. You could be max level with the best stats and gear, and your party would still get beat to hell in the cutscenes. What I'll be doing from here is branching the story in two separate directions. The canon chapters will follow conventional storytelling where the characters are strong, but not completely OP. The what if chapters are basically side-quests and alternate scenes where they actively pursue power-ups to be as stupidly broken as possible. Essentially, the canon story will be a normal RPG storyline, and the what if chapters will completely flip the script and make Twilight's crew as powerful as possible within the confines of the story. The what ifs are pretty much pure madness and fun, so I'll be uploading each variant between other projects I'm working on. This is gonna be cool.

Phase (Canon)

Twilight found Shining waiting for her by the entrance. He was carrying a folder under his arm.

"Looks like you made it. Good job, soldier."

"Thanks."

Shining gazed past her, locking eyes with the Apples.

"Glad you could join us. Please. This way."

Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Granny examined the structure as they descended down the elevator. It was darker than the surface, but they felt safer surrounded by professionals. At least they had a strong line of defense in the event of an attack.

"Some of the neighbors are waiting down below. They offered to show you around. My wife is there too, along with our daughter."

"You're married?" Applejack inquired, surprised Twilight hadn't brought it up.

"Yes. My wife is princess Mi Amore Candenza. Our daughter's name is Flurry."

"You mean your wife is...?"

"Princess Cadance."

"Well, I'll be..."

"You sure say that a lot." Spike cracked.

"She's been a big help keeping everyone sane," Shining continued, "I don't know what I'd do without her..."

"Where are Celestia and Luna," Applejack asked, "Shouldn't they be here, too?"

"They're patrolling the area for signs of lain activity. They'll be back soon."

"By themselves?"

"Not at all. While our numbers are depleted, they're far from exhausted. My men may not be on the same level as Twilight, but they can hold their own."

"Speakin' of which, how'd she get like this? Is she really that strong? I know she trained and everything, but that kinda power's outta this world."

"I don't know. We've been trying to unlock the secret of her power since she was little. It was pretty much always like that."

"Did she even get a choice whether she wanted to fight?"

"Of course. She volunteered for the same enlistment program my men did. The only difference is, she took it seriously. By the time she graduated, she'd far surpassed everyone, including me."

"She's got a rare gift, all right. Not a lotta people would've lasted this long."

"Lil sis is the best. What else can I say?"

The elevator stopped on the first layer.

"We're constantly improving and expanding the base. If you ever get lost, just ask my men. They'll show you the way."

As Shining said, several of the neighbors stood waiting for the Apples' arrival. They introduced themselves one at a time so as not to overwhelm their new companions.

"Howdy," greeted a man with fiery red hair and glasses, "My name's Sunburst. I live on floor two next to Trixie and Starlight. We're all pretty close, so if you ever need anything, feel free to ask. We're always happy to help."

"Thank you kindly, youngin'," Granny reciprocated, "It's been a long road since my heyday. I'm ready for some peace and quiet around here."

"Then I suppose we'll have to learn to keep it down during the night from now on." Trixie joked. Sunburst blushed.

"A-anyway. It's nice to meet you."

Applejack noted the others off to the side: in particular, a young woman with grape-tinted locks. She seemed so familiar somehow, yet distant, as if from another time or place...

"Hey," she questioned, "who's that young lady over there?"

"That's Sugar Belle," Shining revealed, "We don't know much about her except she was in a long-distance relationship. We found her wandering along the west coast. No word on her lover yet."

"Sugar Belle...I feel like I know her from somewhere..."

"Our family's over here."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Cadance encouraged, "I hope you find the transition down here relatively comfortable. It's not much, but we're grateful to be here."

Apple Bloom kneeled down, dropping to Flurry's level.

"You must be Ms. Flurry. Ain't you just the cutest little thang?"

Flurry beamed, smile at the farm girl's good nature. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. Twilight and Spike wrapped their parents in a loving embrace. They were always so scared their children wouldn't return, but each time, their fears proved unfounded. Shining's assessment of his sister's abilities appeared to be spot-on.

"You should shower," Velvet advised, "We'll wash your clothes."

"Sorry." Twilight apologized. She hated it - forcing her parents to witness such obscene grotesquery. The blood...The tears...Some days it all felt like too much...Velvet caressed her daughter's cheek, reassuring her in an act of maternal comfort.

"It's okay. You're doing what you have to for us. We know how hard it must be for you."

"Someday, this all will end, then we can finally go home."

"Yeah. Just gotta try to stay positive. Nothing lasts forever - not even a zombie apocalypse."

Twilight smiled, but behind her eyes, she was broken. They deserved better than this. Everyone did.

Twilight cleansed her mission's filth, drying the streaks before changing into a set of pajamas. She wanted to sleep but her mind was too anxious - too paranoid.

"I feel awful, Spike. I mean, I really feel bad."

"I know what you're thinking. Don't go down that road, Twi. You're not a psychopath. Those things aren't human anymore. We're killing them to protect the ones who are."

"We have a cure, but it's not enough. The quantity required to decontaminate Earth will take years to produce, and that's if we're lucky. The ones we kill can't be saved, but if we don't kill them, even more people will die. How can I live with the guilt? The same way we lost everything, so did they..."

"The ability to empathize and reflect is what separates good from evil. Compassion is why we do what we do. It's the least bad of all bad options."

"What'll happen if I lose my will to fight? If I grow numb, what then? Our technology's advanced, but in the face of a pandemic, it's cold comfort at best. If something happens and we end up dead or crippled, humanity's chances of survival go down in flames. We can't allow any mistakes. One miscalculation and it's over for all of us."

"So we have to train. The stronger we are, the better our odds. It's simple math."

"But will it be enough?"

"Won't know unless we try."

"Yeah...I know..."

"We didn't start this, but we have to finish it. Giving up's a luxury we can't afford. Until this is over, we have to keep pushing forward, no matter how hard or brutal it may feel. It's the only way the world can be free. There's no alternative. It's us against everything, and it's gotta stay that way until the job is done - if not for us, then for the people who count on us. We can't let them down."

"Okay, Spike...Okay..."