Ancient Infection

Pinkie sat with Pumpkin and Pound Cakes, feeding them by the bottles of milk, as their parents slept. It was nighttime, a little after midnight, as the usual pink happy pony took a peek outside the window, where they were high in the sky. She watched as the creatures became more in their numbers. She watched as a creature that was what once the earth pony named Bonbon devour Lyra's stomach. Slurping up the stomach and chewing on the ribs. She stopped for a moment as her attention. Having to see where another shrill scream came from. Then started to make her way there, leaving Lyra's bloody eaten body in the dirt. Pinkie quietly counted to herself as she stared at the mint green body growing paler, and paler, into a sickly grayish green. The body twitched. 7...8...9. Lyra's neck cracked and stretched with her legs. 10...11...12. An unworldly shriek came from her mouth, as black blood oozed out of her maw, eyes growing black as night, as tears of ruby red blood slowly made down her cheeks. 13. Lyra stood up, shrieking as she joined the monsters ever growing army. She bolted off, chasing a small brown and white foal. He was shorter than a normal colt, with fluffy brown hair, and a chubby body. Pinkie looked away as he was swallowed whole by the newest monster.

She gently took the sleepy foals to a small bed and tucked them in, before going to her makeshift bed. She tried to get some sleep, trying to ignore the distance screams of anguish, pain, and horror. One thing she did wonder about was why haven't any of them made their way here? Pinkie had a pit in her stomach, so she decided to do something that she is best at. She got up silently, heading to the hallway, making her way quietly to the kitchen. She barely made it there, when she heard coughing coming from the apple family's room. The door was but a crack open. Light peeked into the hallway, as she peeked inside. The family was around Apple Bloom's bed, she was sweating, and breathing shallowly.

"Granny...I don't know if this is just a fever." Big Mac began.

Applejack interrupted him "It is a fever, Big Mac! She wasn't anywhere near those things!"

"Now, now, Applejack. We don't know where this sickness came from." Granny cooed in her wisdom elderly voice.

"She was bitten by a squirrel the other day." Big Mac pointed out.

"A squirrel? What squirrel?" Applejack asked, stunned.

"She was out bucking apples with us, and she was bit by the squirrel when you went to go to the spa with Rarity." Big Mac explained.

"Damnit Big Mac! Why the fuck didn't you tell me earlier? It could've been one of Fluttershy's varmints! It could've been infected with whatever this is!" Applejack's voice risen, when Granny shushed her grandfoal.

"Applejack, it could just be a fever! We don't know if it is this virus, it's best if we waited and see." Granny stated, making her decision final.

Applejack huffed and turned from her family. Pinkie had her hooves over her muzzle at the news. She, then, quietly made her way into the kitchen. Making a hearty vegetable soup. The pink party pony heard hoofsteps walking over to the kitchen. The door creaked open as Applejack made her way in. Spotting the other pony. She didn't say anything as she made her way to a cabinet, opening it up, and taking out a bottle of Apple rum. She opened it and chugged some. The orange mare made a face, before taking a deep breath. Applejack rubbed her face with her free hoof, then peeked at the other mare in the room who was just watching her.

"Vegetable soup?" The country pony asked, her drawl was a little thicker than normal.

"Y-yeah, I've heard that Apple Bloom had a fever, and I hope that this could help her." Pinkie spoke softly as she made her way over to Applejack.

"You heard all of what happened not too long ago, didn't ya?" Applejack growled, her gaze was cold and hard.

"Yes, but I believe that it's just a fever, since, ya know, it's been going around the foals in school. Sweetie Belle had it last week after we left for Canterlot." Pinkie whimpered under that gaze.

That gaze was like a cold steel blade pressed against one's throat. One she had nightmares about when she first watched Applejack used that glare.

"You may be right, Pinkie, you may be right." Applejack grumbled.

"C...do you need to talk, Applejack?" Pinkie asked softly.

Applejack looked at her friend for a moment, then sighed.

"When we were on our way back from Canterlot, I asked Rarity for a favor. Once she was done, I hadn't had the chance to give it to Apple Bloom." Applejack gave in, her voice was soft and monotone.

Pinkie could tell that she was ready to cry, even though she cries on the inside.

"I...I want to give it to her, but she's too sick to even stay wake." the orange country pony whimpered.

Pinkie's blue eyes widen as Applejack revealed two small dolls from under her hat. One was of a yellow stallion with a pink mane and tail like Apple Bloom, the mare was a pale cream color mare with an orange mane and tail. They didn't have cutie marks, however their button eyes were green like Applejacks. Were these...?

"Are these..." Pinkie began, her eyes swam with tears.

"My parents..." Applejack confirmed before continuing "Rarity help me make doll versions of my parents since Apple Bloom never got to meet them. And I thought giving them to her would help her remember them better. Ever since their deaths..."

"I...I'm sorry Applejack." Pinkie hugged her friend.

They were hugging in silence, until the heat of the bowl reminded the baker that she had a delivery to be made to a young filly. Pinkie pulled away and walked with Applejack to her family's room and entered. Pinkie helped nurse Apple Bloom as best as she can. She then, excused herself to wash whatever bacteria off of her. She laid down in her bed, falling asleep. Finally feeling the grace of sleep pulling her into the darkness, embracing her.
In the morning, every pony went downstairs into the castle’s dining room, where Twilight was waiting for them. As they ate breakfast, Pinkie sat a little unnerved. Twilight had noticed this, as well as the rest of her friends.

“Girls? Can we talk alone in the table room?” Twilight asked gently, pointing to the door with her hoof.

The remaining five elements quietly made their way into the map room. Each sitting in their chairs, but remained silent for their empty chair. No pony wanted to break the silent, but it was driving Pinkie to another breakdown.

“13…” the pink mare stated as her mane slowly fell flat.

“What?” Rarity asked in confusion as the others looked between each other.

“Lyra came back as one of those things, just after 13 seconds…” Pinkie stated and continued “I watched her body, counting to when she gets back up. It was Bonbon who was eating her.”

“This information is valuable. We now know that bites or being eaten by them will cause us to turn. But what else can cause us to get infected. Not to mention what is this virus?” Twilight finally went off, immediately hoping out of her throne and started to pace, her voice was nervous and sounded scared.

“Those two things from yesterday…were they…?” Rarity began to ask.

“Princess Luna and Fluttershy, yes. They were.” Twilight looked away from them.

“So what do we do? We need to be doing something! We…we’re the saviors of Equestria! Aren’t we?” Rainbow asked, trying to keep every pony’s spirits up.

“We still are, Rainbow Dash, but this is one problem that is different from every other we have faced.” Twilight explained, then received an idea “I’ll need to do some research, and maybe I can find a cure.”

“What do you mean, Twi?” Applejack asked, cautiously watching her alicorn friend.

“I…I discovered a dungeon under this castle, if we get one of them down there, I’d be able to watch, study, and experiment to find a cure. It would be better if I had the original infected pony or ponies. Therefore…” Twilight trailed off

“You’re going to need Princess Luna and Fluttershy to use as test subjects…” Rarity finished.

“Yes. I’d rather not, but if we have one of them, or a pony who was infected by them first, then we can find a cure faster.” Twilight stated.

“What does Princess Celestia have to say about this.” Applejack asked.

“Who cares? If anything we need to do this now before it spreads any further!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“She’s right. Princess Celestia has been alerted to this and ordered Ponyville to be quarantined. However, if anything, it’s only the matter of time before it gets out. As for the infection…if we had its origin…” Twilight announced.

“Uh pardon the interruption, but I think we should be apart of this conversation.” Princess Cadence had knocked and entered the room, followed closely by Shining Armor.

“Cadence! Shining! Right, you two should’ve been invited, but I didn’t want to panic or put you at risk.” Twilight answered, sitting in her throne once again.

“I know Twilight, but I also know that this is a dangerous matter as well. I’ve placed a magical bubble to keep any infected out.” Cadence stated, as she sat in Fluttershy’s empty chair, then she asked “Is Fluttershy hiding somewhere or is she safe with her animals?”

The five ponies looked down in a somber way, Applejack pulled the brim of her hat down over her eyes.

“She was the first infected after the incident in the Canterlot’s Museum.” She stated in a low voice.

Cadence gasped, pulling her hoof over her mouth. She and Shining Armor looked at each other, as if exchanging words that were silent.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Cadence stated.

“In any case we should take action. All of us. Not just to capture one of those, but to make this place a sustainable fortress.” Shining announced, pawing at the floor a little.

“Right. We’ll get planning today, and we’ll set them into action tomorrow.” Twilight said, looking at each pony in the room.

Meanwhile with Apple Bloom, she started to cough, and a small amount of inky black blood came out of her mouth.