The Trotting Deadby DarkswirlChaptersAwakened To HorrorsWelcome To HellParty Of OneNo More ApplesHarrowing SunshineCutie Mark Crusaders, Zombie Killers!Loyalties,Friendship,And Other Useless CrapNightmaresAwakened To Horrors"NO!" Twilight Sparkle gasped as she sat up in bed, sweating profusely and panting hard. She let out a groan as she closed her eyes and tried to calm her body before a splitting headache suddenly tore it's way through the frail mare's head. Suppressing a scream of pain, the unicorn rolled out of bed and fell to the floor while clutching her head and horn in tremendous pain. What in Celestia's name is going on?! she thought desperately, which only elicited more pain. Twilight Sparkle panted softly, attempting to do the unthinkable: not think. Eventually, the pain left her head completely and Twilight groggily got to her hooves. "Spike..." she called out wearily, eyeing the little basket her assistant usually slept in. But something was off about it...Spike didn't usually make his bed, and it wasn't made in this case, but the fact that it was overturned set the librarian on edge a bit. "Spike?" she asked, more clearly this time. Not a soul responded to her call, and so Twilight Sparkle carefully descended the staircase to the main floor. "Spike? Are you here?" she called out again before slowly making her way into the kitchen. The entire treehouse was devoid of life, save for herself, Twilight Sparkle realized as she set hoof into the kitchen. Everything was so dim in here, yet Twilight's internal clock told her it was nearly sunhigh and time for lunch. Twilight quickly realized the odd reason for her dim house and quickly set to work removing the planks of wood that had been hastily nailed over the window. "What the hay was Spike thinking? Why did he board up the windows?" Twilight asked herself as the final plank came off. Twilight Sparkle sighed softly as she looked out into her 'backyard'. It really wasn't a backyard, but it was the outer edge of Ponyville. Twilight enjoyed seeing the few trees that took up residence behind the larger library and admired the dew-laden grass in the morning. She smiled slightly when she saw a pony in the distance bow down to eat at the grass. "Today's going to be a good day." Twilight declared as she went about the tree, removing more planks from the windows and, surprisingly enough, a few larger ones from the door. Spike must have been reading those ghost stories again. Twilight mused as she began reshelving a few books. Spike, Celestia bless the dragon's little heart, enjoyed reading as much as Twilight did but he tended to believe quite a few of the stories to be fact rather than beautiful tales of fiction. After the last book was shelved, Twilight turned around to view the entire room and her work; but not before noticing a single scroll rolled up and set on the table. Unfurling the letter, Twilight cheerfully read. Twilight, Don't go outside. Don't unboard the windows or doors. Already sent letters to Princess Celestia but she wont answer. Don't look in the basement. I'm so sorry, Twilight... -Spike Twilight arched an eyebrow and set the eerie note back down on the table. Something was off here. Something was incredibly wrong. "Spike...?" she called out, hoping- praying to hear the little dragon's reassuring voice as she cautiously approached the door to the basement. Something smelled...Bad beyond the door, and it wouldn't give way to the unicorn until a forceful push from her magic sent the barricaded door bursting open. Twilight Sparkle took a few steps back as an acidic smell washed over her and she felt the need to puke. "Spike!?" Twilight called out more desperately now as she held her nose and descended the staircase. She froze as she reached the landing and stared in horror as a small, purple and green body hung from a rope attached to the ceiling. Welcome To HellTwilight Sparkle stood at the bottom of the stairs, eyes watering and the scent of rotting flesh creeping into her nostrils as she took in the scene before her: Spike, the darling little baby dragon that she had hatched herself and raised was hanging from a noose. In the center of her basement. In her house. Twilight Sparkle ignored her tears as she gripped the rope with her magic and snapped it, laying Spike gently on the floor as she stood before him. She couldn't bear the sight of him like this; eyes three quarters of the way closed and mouth half open with bits of his scales and flesh underneath missing from where the insects had found a meal. Twilight Sparkle unloaded her empty stomach again before rushing back up the stairs and slamming the door behind her. Oh sweet Celestia, no, no, no, no! Twilight thought desperately, closing her eyes and struggling with all her might to wake up from this nightmare. But she couldn't. Because it was a nightmare. It was hell. How long have I been asleep?! He's already decomposing and- Twilight's mind froze and her eyes widened in shock and horror. I can't remember a thing since...Since I left for Canterlot...But how long ago was that...? Swallowing in guilt and sickness, Twilight cautiously made her way back to the basement door where she took a deep breath to relieve the stress temporarily and fill her lungs with clean air before she proceeded in and down. - At least a week... she thought grimly as she eyed the decomposing flesh and scales on the baby dragon. But why would he do this...Why did he board up all the windows and the door...? Twilight made her way back up to the main floor, resisting the urge to wipe away her tears so that she wouldn't have to breathe in foul air just yet. When she reached the top of the stairs, she respectfully closed the door behind her and let out a gasp as she struggled to breathe. This isn't happening...This can't be happening... As Twilight collapsed to the floor and began to sob quietly at the world around her, a low growl- too low for Twilight to hear- sounded from the doorway as the door to Ponyville Central Library was slowly pushed open... Carrot Top struggled to place one rotting hoof in front of the other as she entered the library, her one good eye staring at a helpless purple unicorn that had collapsed on the floor. Her primitive mind told her only two things as she opened her rotting mouth and took another step forward: Food... Feed... Twilight Sparkle let out a screech as some rotting creature collapsed on the floor before Twilight. It let out a groan, but not one of pain, as it returned to its hooves and continued its slow march towards the helpless mare. "C-Carrot Top?!" Twilight whispered in fear as she noticed the trio of carrots on the mare's decomposing flank. No intelligible reply came from the monstrosity that was once Carrot Top before it suddenly leapt at Twilight Sparkle, who gasped and sidestepped the pony. "Carrot Top, s-stop this!" Twilight begged. The only reply was a dull moan as Carrot Top got to her decomposing hooves and started off towards Twilight Sparkle; but the terrified unicorn had already darted out the door. Gotta find Pinkie and Rarity and Applejack and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and- the elements! Gotta find the Elements of Harmony so we can fix....Whatever this is! Twilight thought desperately as she raced through the streets of Ponyville towards Sugarcube Corner. Everything looked so different to her. Any door that wasn't left wide open was either kicked in or boarded up, and the street was littered with a few shapes that Twilight prayed weren't bodies. Carts lay in the ditches on the side of the roads and fruit stands were overturned; their precious wares either long gone, trampled, or rotting and writhing with maggots. Twilight tore her gaze from the sights as she neared the confection building; door wide open and a few windows shattered. Twilight groaned in distress and came to a halt in the middle of the T - intersection. Of course she could just run in there screaming her head off for Pinkie in hopes that she was either still there or still alive. Twilight shivered at the latter. Then again, she could carefully make her way into the building just in case one of those...Things that Carrot Top was happened to be in there. She decided on the second, much more logical option before peering around. The streets were the same on either side of her; carts in the road, bodies here and there, and a few odds and ends looking like they had been tossed into the street in a random, desperate act. Twilight noticed rather luckily, however, that Carrot Top hadn't followed her and nothing like Carrot Top was near her. Gathering her strength, the unicorn cautiously approached Sugarcube Corner and stepped through the kicked in doorway. "Shhh...It's alright...It's just one of those scary things downstairs again...Don't worry, Pinkie Pie will keep you safe..." Pinkie Pie whispered reassuringly as she rocked the two little babies in her hooves. Carefully picking her way over overturned tables and shards of glass, Twilight made her way behind the counter and into the kitchen on her right. Concluding that Pinkie Pie wasn't there, she turned her back on the doorway and proceeded up the stairs instead. "No, no, shhh...Don't make a sound and we'll be alright...I promise, precious little bundles..." Pinkie whispered as hoofsteps made themselves known on the stairs. Twilight Sparkle carefully peered into the opened doors on either side of her; one of which being the Cake's bedroom which thankfully didn't contain a body living or otherwise, while the other was filled with boxes that reached the ceiling in the back. Twilight turned her attention to the door at the end of the hall, Pinkie's room, before slowly making her way towards it. "Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head..." Pinkie Pie sung quietly as she continued to rock the two little children. "Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed..." "P-Pinkie...?" Twilight whispered hopefully after hearing a voice, an intelligible voice coming from the other side of the door. A smile came to the purple mare's face as she turned the knob with her magic and opened the door. Party Of One"Oh, hello, Twilight." Pinkie said quietly, her left eye giving a twitch as she said the name, as if she wasn't believing it herself. "Did you come to see the twins? Don't worry, they're just fine. Everything's fine." "Pinkie...?" Twilight asked worriedly as she took a step closer. Pinkie Pie screamed bloody murder and produced a knife, to which she pointed at Twilight's snout. "Don't you come any closer! You'll try to hurt them just like all the rest! Well my name is Pinkamena Responsibility Pie and CELESTIA DAMN IT I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE TWO!" Twilight took a step back in fear before using her magic to grip the knife and toss it away from Pinkie. "Pinkie, what happened to your mane?! Why are you screaming and WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" Twilight whispered in horror as she noticed the twins. Every sane thought in Twilight's mind quickly stepped out for a smoke break as she noticed the two little foals, Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake, trying to dig their gums into Pinkie Pie's chest. She started to back away slowly as Pinkie Pie reached for the knife again, sobbing softly and ignoring Twilight. "I...I'm so sorry...I'm responsible...I swear...I'll make this all better..." With a flick of her hoof, Pinkie Pie decapitated the undead foal and let Pumpkin Cake's head fall onto the wooden floor with a thump. Twilight hurried to get out of the room but soon found Carrot Top slowly climbing the staircase. With Pinkie behind her lopping off the head of the other foal and crying softly, and Carrot Top slowly shambling towards the pair, Twilight simply froze in place. She had no idea where to go or what to do. And then suddenly, a realization hit her. Use your horn, you filly! You're special talent is MAGIC for Celestia's sake! Twilight ordered herself and her horn began glowing. Just as she was about to let out a stun spell, Pinkie Pie charged out towards Carrot Top from behind Twilight; tackling the creature to the ground and screaming louder and louder as she plunged the knife into the exposed part of her head. Twilight shook in fear as she fought back tears, watching one of her friends murder another pony after doing the same to two innocent fillies. When the deed was done, Pinkie Pie perked her ears up and lost all of her crazy demeanor; instead taking on a more serious, grim attitude. "We have to go, come on, Twilight." "Are you crazy?! I'm not going anywhere with you, you...You MURDERER!" Twilight shot back, still cowering on the floor. Pinkie Pie glared and took a few steps towards Twilight with the knife still in her mouth. Twilight did nothing to move as Pinkie suddenly pressed her snout very close to Twilight's. "If you want to live you'll shut the buck up and follow me, got it?" Twilight shivered and nodded, her mind quickly darting to the memory of the fillies. Without warning, Pinkie Pie dashed through the hall and down the stairs, leaving Twilight to noisily scamper after the terrifying pink pony. As she saw Pinkie Pie's tail disappear out the door and to the right, Twilight realized that several black specks in the distance were quickly growing bigger and closer. It would be a race for her life. The sun had set a while ago, which brought relief to Twilight's face since it signaled that at least one alicorn still lived. Twilight had followed her friend out of town and a bit of a way into the Everfree Forest for what seemed like hours now, and the ominous blade in her friends' mouth after she had just killed three ponies didn't ease Twilight's mind. "Pinkie, where are we going?" "Don't call me that! My name is Pinkamena." Pinkamena growled without stopping or turning back. "We're almost there..." she added with a huff. As Pinkamena parted the low branches in their path, Twilight was gifted with a view of a ruined castle; the same castle she and her friends had beaten Nightmare Moon and saved Princess Luna...What, had it been two years already? "Olly, olly oxen free!" Pinkamena shouted as she and Twilight crossed the rickety bridge once more. Twilight was tempted to ask her many questions: Why were they here? Where were the others? What had happened to Ponyville? What had happened to Pinkie Pie? But Twilight could tell that since Pinkamena's pace did not falter that they still had quite a bit of walking to do. It was few more minutes as they made their way through the ruins and up a flight of stairs or two until they came to two large wooden doors. Pinkamena pushed them open with a grunt and stepped inside, beckoning Twilight to follow. "Okay, Pinkie Pie, I want answers. Where are we? What happened to Ponyville, Wh-" Twilight began, only to be interrupted by a few gasps and a soft voice stuttering a name. "I told you not to call me that." Pinkamena growled as she slowly trotted over to the group. "T-Twilight...?" Rarity asked in bewilderment. "Rarity? Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy?" Twilight Sparkle asked in disbelief before the four of them all rushed together to meet in a hug; a loving embrace that Pinkamena decided not to share. "Oh, Pinkamena, dear! Where ever did you find her?" Rarity inquired, clearly overjoyed at the return of her friend. "Sugarcube Corner while I was...While I was taking care of something..." Pinkamena mumbled, her voice betraying her sadness but her eyes locked into their stern glare. "Twilight, where the hay have you been?!" "Oh, Twilight, I'm so glad you're okay!" "Indeed! Oh, this is simply magnificent; to have you back, darling!" The love Twilight could feel ebbing off of her friends would have been enough to kill a changeling, but she simply bore through it and embraced the three of her friends tightly before perking her ears curiously. "Girls?" she started. "Where's Applejack?" No More ApplesAn air of unease swept over the group as Twilight tilted her head quizzically. Rainbow Dash had teared up, in a tough way she defended, Fluttershy had collapsed and discovered that the cold floor was incredibly interesting and Rarity awkwardly rubbed her hoof. Pinkamena just snorted and went back to sharpening her blades with a rock. "Girls...?" Twilight prodded. "Twilight...First things first, dear. Where have you been?" Rarity asked. "I...I've been at the library, why? You all look like this thing has been going on for a while; what is this thing and when did it even start?" "You've been living in the library for a month?!" Rainbow Dash barked in anger. "Rainbow Dash, control yourself!" Rarity snapped. Clearing her throat and leaving the disgruntled pegasus to her self, Rarity continued. "Dear, you cannot possibly tell me that you have been living in that small library for an entire month since this all started. We all had assumed you were still with the Princess in Canterlot since you never told us you were back." "Canterlot? Why would I have been in Canterlot? I mean, I remember going but I have no idea why. I just...Woke up in my bed in the library this morning." Twilight replied. "Yesterday morning." Pinkamena corrected, pausing from her task to check on the moon. The others ignored the remark and Rainbow Dash jumped in again. "Yea, you just happened to wake up! If I didn't know any better I'd say you stuffed yourself in that tree with Spike and lived off stored food or something!" "Rainbow Dash, I will not tell you again to control yourself; this is Twilight for Celestia's sake! Our best friend, how can you be so cruel?" "Because she went missing when we needed her the most and Applejack is DEAD because of her!" Rainbow Dash screamed, panting hotly after thrusting her snout angrily at the white unicorn. Another wave of unease came over them and the silence was only broken by a yellow pegasi's soft sobs. "A-Applejack is...? N-No, that can't be right...That's impossible, right? This is all just a big Nightmare Night joke, right?" Twilight stuttered with an awkward smile. Rainbow Dash glared angrily before turning away and Rarity comfortingly put her hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "I wish it were, dear...I wish it were..." "And that is really all we know; it just happened out of the blue one day." Rarity finished, explaining their predicament to their newest and yet oldest member. "So what do we do now? I mean, we have to do something! We can't just sit on our hooves and wait for this to blow over, because it's not going to." Twilight asked hopefully. "Honestly, we haven't a clue. We lost one of our own for certain and we feared we had lost you too. In all honesty, we've actually lost every single member of our little group." Rarity replied, motioning a hoof towards Pinkamena who was busy tossing knives into a makeshift training dummy. "Darling Pinkie- er, Pinkamena, has gotten rather...Violent, to say the least. Not towards us, of course, but she's lost her joy and it's...Well, it's eaten away at her insides. Rainbow Dash has lost a bit of herself too; she's not as boastful or proud as she used to be after Applejack...Well, you know, but her bravery is still unmatched. Fluttershy, bless her darling little heart, has receded deeper into her shell if that's even possible. When you announced yourself that was the first reaction we had really gotten out of her in weeks." Twilight felt cold upon hearing all of this; how every single one of her friends had changed because this plague thing had come along. And worst of all, she had been nowhere to be found to help them through all of this. "What about you; what happened to you, Rarity?" Twilight asked sincerely. The white unicorn gave a sad smile and bowed her head. "I took your place, dear. We all needed a leader and I guess it just came naturally to me. Although, I believe I've benefited most from this change; we need to be quick and efficient, Twilight. If there's a mud puddle in the way of our path I am more than happy to trod through it now. I have given so much of my old self up to try and be like you, for them, and honestly I don't see how you can deal with the stress." Twilight closed her eyes and let this all sink in. I've been gone for months and can barely remember a thing since before then, and then there's this plague of undeath...And all my friends had to change to survive... "I'm a terrible friend..." Twilight admitted, eliciting a snort from Rainbow Dash as she lay on her back in a corner. Rarity glared and flared her horn, grasping the pegasi's wing with her magic and flipping her over in a heart beat. The two shared a glare before Rarity turned back to Twilight with a sigh. "Well, it's late and we all should get some rest. Rainbow Dash, would you be a dear and roll up the bridge?" "I'll roll something..." the blue pegasus muttered angrily before flying through a shattered window to bring up the rope bridge. "You should rest, Twilight. I can see that all of this knowledge has done nothing but burden you and I'm sorry for that; but it's something you needed to hear." Rarity said, a leader's tone in her voice that Twilight admired. As Rarity stepped away from the settling unicorn, the whole room echoed with a rumble from Twilight's belly. Sheepish smiles were traded for sympathetic looks and Fluttershy crept over; nudging an apple with her hoof. Scooting closer to the timid mare, Twilight nuzzled her friend in silent thanks and quickly devoured the juicy fruit. Today had not been a good day. Harrowing SunshineTwilight had been staring at the sky for the past hour now, long before the rest of her group had awoken. She had been watching the clouds as they drift away by themselves and the sun rise on its own; but that was impossible, right? Princess Celestia raised the sun each morning to literally push the moon away, but then Princess Luna raised the moon each night to push the sun away. Both princesses had to be alive, Twilight determined as Pinkamena let out a bored groan. "Sweet Celestia, Pinkamena...You need to stop doing that!" Rainbow Dash said playfully as she awoke herself. Rainbow Dash avoided Twilight out of spite, but Pinkie Pie seemed to avoid everyone out of something else... What is she feeling? Twilight wondered. She must be so lonely, but it's impossible to see through that mask... A yawn that sounded from a well rested pony announced Rarity's fight against drowsiness and Fluttershy quickly followed suit with a quieter one. Twilight Sparkle had fretted over how to say this ever since she had been brought back to the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters, and she finally had found the courage to do so. "We need to go to Canterlot." Rainbow Dash paused to choke on her spit while Pinkamena just laughed mockingly; Rarity stood flabbergasted behind the purple unicorn before Twilight turned to face the group. "D-Dear, you can't honestly tell me you're serious...Right?" Rarity started. "You know Twilight; whenever she gets an idea in her head there's no turning back, no matter how stupid it is." Rainbow Dash quipped after she had gained control over herself once more. "I'm serious, girls. The sun and the moon are still being raised, so both Princesses must be alive still. They're our best bet for survival." Twilight said with a stomp of her hoof. Pinkamena smirked as she idly wobbled the tip of a knife into the cold stone floor. "You're not in any position to be giving or suggesting orders, Twilight. After all, you pretty much just asked us to do the most suicidal thing besides heading over to Sweet Apple Acres." "Sweet Apple Acres? Why would that...Nevermind, why is going to Canterlot dangerous? If the Princesses are still raising the sun and the moon then why wouldn't Canterlot be protected?" "Think for a minute, Twilight; use that egghead brain of yours." Rainbow Dash teased. "If Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were still alive and Canterlot managed to be saved, then why not us? Why not Ponyville, the home to the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, huh? Or for that matter, why not Cloudsdale, home of the Wonderbolts and the weather factory? Why not ANYWHERE ELSE, HUH?!" Taken back by Rainbow Dash's sudden outburst, Twilight looked around at her friends for support; but no support was to be given. Pinkamena sat in the corner with a smug look as she watched the scene unfold before her. Fluttershy curled into a ball and silently sobbed to herself. Rarity stared at Twilight with a look of sadness and Rainbow Dash stormed off to the other side of the room. "Dear, we're not saying that the Princesses are dead...It's just..." "You don't trust her." Twilight finished. "We don't have a reason to anymore, Twilight. She raised the sun for us, woo hoo! But where was she when we needed her to save our friends and family?" Pinkamena challenged. "Where was she when we needed her to save Applejack..." Rainbow Dash muttered. "We can't just sit here on our flanks! You said I've been out for a month? Then Ponyville has to be devoid of supplies! Where have you girls been finding food?" Twilight challenged. A cold silence overcame the room as Rarity glared furiously. "We haven't." They had sat in silence in the cold castle room; the sun or their body heat doing nothing to warm the ominous room. Each pony kept to themselves; Pinkamena snored softly in her corner while Rainbow Dash glared out the window and Rarity attempted some feat of magic with her horn over and over again before frustratedly giving up. Fluttershy and Twilight sat opposite from each other, although Fluttershy never once looked up from the floor. "Fluttershy..." Twilight whispered. The pegasi flicked her ears in acknowledgement but made no attempt to scoot closer or raise her head. "Fluttershy, what's gotten into everypony here? Why are they all being so cruel and why is Sweet Apple Acres dangerous?" Fluttershy sighed and idly dragged her hoof against the floor. "Everypony is just on edge, Twilight. The world's a scary place now and we just don't know how to survive it. It's hard, and even harder for Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash; they both lost someone very close to them and Rainbow Dash only blames you because she doesn't know who else to blame." the yellow mare replied quietly. "But what about Sweet Apple Acres? Surely the trees there are still growing apples, right?" "Oh, of course, but...Um...We can't go there..." "Why not?" "Because that's where Big Mac lives..." "I can't believe I let you talk me into this, Twilight. You could be getting us all killed; you don't know him anymore- you don't know how he's changed!" Rarity whispered furiously as the group managed a single file line through the woods towards Sweet Apple Acres. "Honestly, what could have happened to him? He's still just an earth pony." "Twilight, you remember Hearts And Hooves Day when the Cutie Mark Crusaders used that love potion on him and Cheerilee?" Rarity asked. "Of course, how could I forget that they nearly trashed the whole town just to get to each other?" Twilight replied with a chuckle. "Twilight, Big MacIntosh tore an entire building from its foundation to get to Cheerliee; and he was just acting on pure emotion." "So? He's...Well, you know now; right? The decomposition couldn't have been good for his strength." "It's not that simple, dear. I've been studying these things ever since they came out. They have no sense of pain; they'll keep pushing their bodies forward until nothing is left but one hoof, the neck and the head trying to drag itself towards you. The only way to kill one of the things is to destroy the head or sever it from the body. But there's something else...Big MacIntosh is a special case. You see, instead of gradually wearing away into nothing like I predict the others will, Big MacIntosh seems frozen in his prime state. They only have one thought as far as I can tell, and that is to feed." "But feeding doesn't actually do anything to them except make them fatter." Rainbow Dash added. "You discovered all of this within a month?" Twilight mused. "Unicorns are very inquisitive, dear." The answer seemed to satisfy Twilight as the group broke through the forest and stood on a hill overlooking fields upon fields of apple trees. "So what's the plan?" Rainbow Dash asked, towards Rarity rather than Twilight. "I must say, you're handling this much better than I thought you would be." Rarity whispered when they were alone, eyes darting around to see through the trees. "I'm not really...I...I woke up to what I thought was a normal day only to find Spike...Oh, Rarity, he hung himself!" A white hoof snapped itself over Twilight's snout and two sorrow filled eyes met hers. "Twilight, I understand your loss and I grieve with you, but you need to keep your voice down; those things can hear you." When Rarity's hoof released her snout, Twilight sighed sadly and continued walking forward. "I'm sorry...So how far in do we have to go?" "Applejack always kept the best apple trees the closest to the farm, and we managed to clear all of the outer trees before we were forced to move in deeper. That's when we came across Big MacIntosh..." "I see...And, uh, did Applejack...?" "Oh, heavens no, darling. She...She was, however, and it was a mercy killing...A rather painful one on my part, as I was the only unicorn left in the group." "Why did you have to do it? Why not Pinkie Pie?" "Dear, you cannot honestly expect a friend to kill a friend; especially when one of those friends is Pinkie Pie. While she has sunk into the dark ends of life, I knew she would take it far harder than I would and I simply could not let that happen. Ever since Pinkie slipped completely, morale has been dreadfully low...But I guess I'm sort of avoiding your question now, aren't I? Forgive me, but to put it rather morbidly blunt: pony heads are surprisingly susceptible to magical attacks." Twilight felt her heart twinge and her face scrunch up as Rarity explained everything. Before she could bring up another question, the Apple Family Farmhouse came into view through the trees. "This should be far enough; he likes to wander and it's a wonder that we haven't seen him already." Rarity said as she began plucking apples from the nearby trees. Twilight started to do the same but nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a soft thump when Fluttershy landed behind her. "O-Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" the yellow mare apologized quietly. "I-It's just that Rainbow Dash saw a light coming from inside the trees and went to go see what it was. She told me to come tell you where she went." "Fluttershy, I told you to stay in the sky! How are we supposed to know if Big Mac is coming or not?" Twilight quietly snapped, causing the yellow mare to squeak in fear and cower into a ball. Before Rarity could interrupt, a snarl came from behind the group; who turned just in time to noticed a lumbering, heavily decaying earth pony stumble awkwardly from behind the trees. It let out another snarl as it opened its mouth and took a step towards the ponies. Big MacIntosh had arrived. Cutie Mark Crusaders, Zombie Killers!Twilight and Rarity took a few steps back as Big MacIntosh took another step towards them. Like they had rehearsed, both unicorn's horns lit up and their magical aura wrapped around Big Mac's head. He seemed unfazed by it, however, as he suddenly leapt at Twilight. "I thought you said magic would hold him off!" Twilight shouted as she darted off into the trees with Rarity and Fluttershy following after. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!" "I said it should! A unicorn's magic is directly affected by their health, and neither of us have been eating properly!" Rarity shot back as she tried flinging a few bolts towards Big Mac's hide. The few that did manage to strike him left small gashes that did nothing to stop the lumbering giant as he surged after the purple unicorn before him. Food! Feed! Feed! his mind shouted as he neared his prey. As he pushed his head out and opened his jaws, he realized with a start that something heavy had landed on his back. "Cutie Mark Crusaders, Zombie Killers!" the trio of fillies sung in unison as they gripped onto Big Mac's yoke for dear life. "Scootaloo, hoof me the beatin' stick!" Apple Bloom called out. "I didn't grab the stick! I thought Sweetie Belle grabbed it!" "I didn't grab the stick! It's your job to look after the stuff, Scootaloo!" "Will you two quit yer blabberin' an jus' help bring Big Mac down?!" Apple Bloom cried out in frustration, effectively ending the conversation as the group set to their tasks. "Sweetie Belle, what in Celestia's name are you doing?!" Rarity screamed as she forced her hooves faster and harder against the ground in an attempt to catch up to the trio. Big MacIntosh, in the meantime, had switched his attention from the terrified Twilight to the over zealous Cutie Mark Crusaders; bucking his legs back in an attempt to throw them off of his being as he could not turn his head to bite at them. Rainbow Dash had returned from the sky and Pinkie Pie simply appeared next to the group. It took all of Rarity's remaining magical strength to keep the group from diving into the fray and possibly becoming hurt themselves from Big Mac, who seemed to be entering an unstoppable frenzy. As the Cutie Mark Crusaders held on fast to their attacker and slowly but surely enacted their plan, Rarity backed the group off to look for Twilight. Twilight Sparkle, personal protégé of Princess Celestia herself. Twilight Sparkle, bearer of the Element of Magic. Twilight Sparkle, defeater of Nightmare Moon and Discord. Twilight Sparkle, coward shivering in a tree. The cold winds of the day blew silently once more as Twilight clung to the branch for dear life. She had run from the demonic looking earth pony that was Big MacIntosh and had finally lost him; and herself. Now, she sat in the branches of an apple tree that was one out of thousands and had nothing unlike the rest as she heard the wailing moans and growls of creatures around her. How many could there be? I can outrun them, right? I can just teleport to safety, right? Twilight's mind churned with thought as she struggled to calm her beating heart but to no avail. She would simply sit here, waiting for her friends. They would find her eventually, right? "Cutie Mark Crusaders, zombie killers, yay!" the trio shouted out again, inspecting each others flanks as Big MacIntosh's once again lifeless body lay slumped against a tree. "It...Looks like a green pony head with holes in it and a red 'x' over the face." Sweetie Belle stated. "Hey, so does mine!" Scootaloo chimed in. "Oh mah gosh! We all got the same cutie marks!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "Cutie Mark Crusaders--" Scootaloo and Apple Bloom began again, but halted once they realized Sweetie Belle wasn't joining. "Girls? Where are the others?" she asked simply. "Hey, I left Fluttershy up there to keep watch!" Rainbow Dash yelled in her defense. "And she came down to tell us where you had gone! If you would have stayed up there we would have had a warning and Twilight wouldn't have ran off!" Rarity shot back. "Better her than us." Rainbow Dash mumbled. "Rainbow Dash, Twilight is our friend!" "Applejack was my friend, or have you forgotten that too? Why did you even pull us back when the CMC were handling Big Mac? They could be in trouble for all we know and YOU have us searching for a purple unicorn that nopony even cares about!" "ENOUGH!" Pinkamena screamed. Everypony blinked in surprise and Pinkamena took a threatening step towards them all. "Ever since this outbreak started, all we've been doing is fighting each other over things that are nopony's fault! Rainbow Dash, YOU didn't even know Applejack had been bitten, how the hay was Twilight supposed to know?! And Rarity! You've been 'struggling' to hold this group together but you don't address any of the problems we're all facing! You just bicker with Rainbow Dash all day long! And Fluttershy!" Pinkamena shouted, pausing to inspect the cowering pegasi at her hooves. "Hmph. Stuck inside your shell like always when we need every able body." she muttered. "We have a pony to find, so all of you shut up and keep moving." I never would have expected Pinkie Pie of all ponies to take the initiative like she did...I mean, I understand the pressing need to find Twilight and make sure she's okay, but still...The way she acted... Rarity thought before letting out a sigh. This disease has done nothing but change us all for the worse... "Um...A-Are you alright, Rarity..?" Fluttershy asked quietly, falling into step beside the white unicorn. Pinkamena took the lead slowly, taking time to let her eyes scan every tree top, bush, and shadow in the distance as the searched among the apple trees for Twilight. Rainbow Dash brought up the rear, her ears flicked back to detect any signs of approach from behind. "I'm fine, dear. But what about you? I can't imagine how you've managed to stay sane during all of this." Rarity replied calmly. Fluttershy suddenly became interested in the cold dirt beneath her hooves like she did whenever she wanted to avoid something, and so Rarity left the conversation as that. It wasn't long after that that Rarity collided with Pinkamena, who had halted suddenly and was staring up into the tree on her left. Rarity followed the gaze and struggled to contain her excitement as she spotted a certain unicorn's dark purple tail sticking out from the tree. "Twilight, it's us! Come down from there and let's get out of here!" Rarity whispered as she tried to get onto her hind hooves to see into the tree. Fluttershy stretched her wings out before gently fluttering them and flying up close to the tree to retrieve the shell shocked Twilight. As she neared the branch Twilight was resting on, her gaze widened in horror and a purple blur shot out from the tree, tackling Fluttershy to the ground below. Twilight let out a sickly roar before sinking her teeth into the yellow pegasi's throat and forcefully relieving her of that necessity in a bloody mess. Fluttershy gurgled a pained cry as Rarity stood frozen, simply shocked at what she had just witnessed. And then, everything just went black. Loyalties,Rarity screamed like a little filly as she threw herself up from her prone position. She placed a hoof to her chest and struggled to get her breathing under control again as a little orange head poked itself in from the doorway. "Hey, keep it down in here!" Scootaloo whispered. "There are still some things walking around out there!" "S-Scootaloo?! Where am I, where's Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom? Where are the others?" Rarity questioned, her words a simple flurry of noise that Scootaloo barely picked up. "Whoa, calm down Rarity; you're safe. You're in the Cutie Mark Crusader Base of Operations!" the orange pegasi said proudly. "Which is really just our tree house on Sweet Apple Acres, but still. Apple Bloom's up on the roof and Sweetie Belle's just outside. I don't know about your friends though." Scootaloo replied. As she finished, Sweetie Belle came running around the corner and plowed into Scootaloo to reach Rarity, who held out her hooves in an attempt to catch the little filly who had launched herself at the fully grown unicorn mare. "Rarity! I've missed you so much!" Sweetie Belle cried happily as she and Rarity embraced each other. "Oh, I've missed you too, darling..." Rarity whispered through sniffles. "Have you three been living out here all by yourselves since this happened?" "Uh huh! We even got our cutie marks in zombie killing! Look, look!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, climbing off her sister and presenting her flank for Rarity to see. Scootaloo joined in happily alongside her friend. "We all have the exact same cutie mark!" the pair announced happily, much to Rarity's surprise. "Will y'all keep it down in there? Ah'm trahin tuh fahnd Twilight an' the others!" Apple Bloom hissed from the roof. Rarity sighed in relief that her younger sister and her friends were all safe, but something began poking at her mind. "Sweetie Belle, how did I get here? What all happened?" "Oh, well, we were all just minding our own business up in the tree house when all of the sudden Rainbow Dash swooped in!" Sweetie Belle said. "Yea, and then we all raced off towards where she said you guys were with Big Mac and we beat him!" Scootaloo cheered, swinging a hoof up in an uppercut-like-motion. "But before we got him down he was throwing his hooves around like crazy! One of them caught you in the face and he started charging at the others so they ran off." Sweetie Belle concluded, as if retelling an epic battle that hadn't left Rarity with a black eye and a throbbing head ache, not to mention being without her friends' company. "Sweetie Belle, where any of you three...Bitten?" Rarity asked cautiously. "Nope! Not a scratch on any of us!" Sweetie Belle answered. "Eeyup! We're as fit as a fiddle!" Apple Bloom added as she came into the room. Turning to Rarity, the little yellow filly's face lit up as she opened her mouth again to speak. "Ah found yer friends! They're huddled o'er by the edge of the trees, but they're nowhere near where Twilight is. So, who do ya wanna go save first?" Rarity saved herself a moment to simply stare at the trio before her, all beaming with pride and happiness as they stared back. How can they be so happy? Rarity mused. Have they not witnessed the horrors? Or is their friendship simply strong enough to keep them all going...? "Uh, Rarity?" Scootaloo asked curiously, breaking the white unicorn's concentration. "Oh, I'm sorry...Twilight seems to be the most vulnerable right now, and the rest of the group is sticking together, correct?" Rarity wondered aloud. "Eeyup!" Apple Bloom responded. "Well then, let us go rescue our purple-coated friend." "We're lost." Pinkamena snarled. "We are not lost. We're just...Uh...Directionally confused." Rainbow Dash defended as she headed the group with Fluttershy close behind and Pinkamena bringing up the rear. "Lost." "Um...I-If we all could just stop fighting...? I mean, we're missing two ponies now and I don't think we're alone out here..." Fluttershy begged quietly. Her protests went unnoticed as the pink and blue ponies continued their argument. "Look, me and Fluttershy could just fly off and leave you here, and then you'd be the lost one!" Rainbow Dash retorted. "Fluttershy and I." Pinkamena corrected smugly. "And what would Rarity say when she found out? Assuming, after all, that she's still alive after you ditched her." "What are you, a dictionary? And you're here with me, so what does that say about you, huh?!" Rainbow Dash snapped, spinning on her hooves and trotting to the back of the line. As the two mares pressed their foreheads together and growled at each other, a little yellow wing carefully made its way between their chests and gently pushed them apart. "G-Girls, we can't be fighting each other; or at least not out here. We still have two missing ponies that we need to find..." Fluttershy reminded them. The two glared at each other before returning to their original positions and marching on through the apple trees. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep- "Wait a second." Twilight said to herself, pulling her mind from her...Well, from her mind. "Ponies don't swim..." The little sanity and logic that Twilight suddenly possessed was lost in an instant as a twig snapped from somewhere within the orchard. Twilight curled up into a ball and gently petted her ruffled tail, humming quietly to herself while she waited for two things. A) The inevitable discovery of her being by one of those horrendous creatures which would lead to her ultimate demise. B) The discovery of her being by her dear, safe, non-zombie friends and her rescue. Another twig snapped, and Twilight felt the undying need to peer out from the leaves and branches... Friendship,Snarling teeth met centimeters from Twilight's snout as Winona's muzzle snapped shut. Twilight suppressed a shriek of terror and surprise as the rotting dog tried in vain to climb the tree. She began to hyperventilate as the dog seemed to get a foothold on the tree, only to collapse back onto the ground and leap up at her again as if nothing had ever happened. The purple unicorn couldn't help but notice that Winona's eyes were completely devoid of any life; just glazed eyes locked onto her body. And those teeth... Those snapping teeth... Those were teeth designed for tearing and chewing flesh; what did Applejack feed her when they were both alive? Twilight shivered at the thought of Applejack feeding Winona live or dead animals and switched her focus onto the matter at hoof. Stuck in a tree: check. Zombie dog trying to bite my face off: check. Friends: not check. ... Magic...? Twilight closed her eyes and tried to focus out the snapping of teeth and the menacing growls that escaped Winona's muzzle so that she could concentrate on summoning even a drop of magic to deal with this threat. But either because she hadn't eaten properly or taken care of herself, or the noise was too loud, Twilight couldn't manage to tap into her magical reserve long enough to pull out enough power; if there was any power in there to begin with. Twilight sighed and stared down at the poor creature that was struggling to get at her; Winona was never a bad dog, but then again this wasn't Winona... She felt sorry for the creature; forced or perhaps willing to put their own life on the line for a meal, a meal that could fight back and do more damage than it could dish out in return. It was a pitiful existence, being a zombie, Twilight thought. Breathing in and out deeply, Twilight felt the world fade away... "So, where've you been?" Apple Bloom asked as she lead Rarity and the other crusaders through the rows of apple trees. "We have been staying in Princess Luna's old castle, the one she built when she was Nightmare Moon that's in the Everfree Forest. It's rather defensible, and we have only seen a few, Trotters, as you call them, wandering the forest. It would appear even in death things are still afraid of that place." Rarity answered. "Y'all've been hidin' out in some abandoned, run down castle this whole time? What've y'all been doing fer food?" "Well, initially we raided what was left of Sugar Cube Corner, but that became too risky and Pinkie Pie decided she didn't want to go there anymore for some reason. Then, we figured that Sweet Apple Acres probably wouldn't have been affected, and we were right- in part. We started with the edge of the farm, until that ran out and we made our way inwards. And that's when we stumbled across your big brother for the first time..." "Ah see...An why didn't y'all just...Ya know, move out uh here? Go somewhere else?" "Apple Bloom, we were still trying to figure out where everypony was; who was alive and who wasn't. And on top of that, we were certain that Ponyville wasn't the only place that this had happened to since the Princesses didn't step in." "Oh." Apple Bloom replied, seemingly interested but too focused on her task of leading to form a deeper reply. Ah...The comforting familiarity of my own magical conscious... Twilight mused as she opened her eyes to blackness. It seemed to stretch on forever, but before her sat a heap of purple, glowing powder. My magic... Twilight thought in her own mind, smiling fondly. She picked up a hooffull before closing her eyes once more and reopening them. The setting sun beat down through the trees and Twilight was almost fooled that none of this was actually real...Until Winona's snarling dragged her back fully to reality. The look on the old dog's face was almost enough to break Twilight's heart; it was a look of hunger, a needing to feed or its existence would falter and flicker out. Sadly, it had to be done. Twilight closed her eyes once more and gently wrapped her aura around Winona's head, slowly but surely engulfing the faithful canine's head before suddenly squeezing. A sickening crack and pop sounded and Twilight refused to open her eyes. She simply sat there on the branch, fighting back tears for the first being she had killed. A being that she had known in life. Apple Bloom let out a soft gasp as the group came across a small clearing. Inside, laying on the grass were three bodies, one of which being a dog, and the other two being earth ponies. Caramel and Granny Smith. But Rarity seemed unaffected by the gore, trotting among the three headless bodies as she came to the base of a tree and simply stood there looking up. It was then that Apple Bloom caught on. "Twilight!" She exclaimed, causing the purple tail to flick and reveal a unicorn head with eyes, eyes that shot open and glowed with happiness at the sight of her friends. Twilight Sparkle let out a happy squeal and carefully leapt out of the tree, tackling Rarity to the ground and clinging to her before the happiness that had consumed the unicorn melted away into sadness and regret. "Rarity, I'm so sorry! I-I had no other choice, they would've gotten to me!" Twilight sobbed as her gaze avoided the three lifeless bodies. Apple Bloom and the other crusaders, however, noticed them immediately. Sure, they had brought Big MacIntosh down. Sure, it had hurt because he was family. But it had to be done or else somepony else could have gotten hurt. But this...Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo hadn't done this. The three bodies of their friends in life lay motionless on the cold ground; the spot where heads should be ending in lifeless, bloody stumps that still dripped with the dark red liquid. Apple Bloom shivered in disgust and tried to hold her stomach in. Scootaloo wasn't too keen on that idea and let loose her own breakfast. After spilling their guts to each other, Twilight apologizing as if she had just murdered a filly and Rarity struggling to calm her and tell her it was all justified, the pair trotted over to the Cutie Mark Crusaders and edged them away from the clearing; towards the Everfree Forest. "We are lost!" Pinkamena sung softly, her voice pricking Rainbow Dash's ears like needles. She pressed her teeth together painfully in an attempt to fight back a retort for Fluttershy's sake; she could care less what happened to the annoying pink earth pony anymore. They had been wandering this farm for what seemed like a few hours, and the sun was trying to hide behind the mountains of Canterlot. Pinkie Pie was right, as much as Dash hated to admit it. They were lost; they had been lost ever since they left Rarity behind and escaped Big Mac. But how was it even possible to get lost in an apple orchard where the apple trees were planted in rows so you could see straight down between them? Whatever the reason, they were lost. "Lostie, losty, lost, lost!" Pinkamena taunted. Rainbow Dash spun on her hooves to smash them into Pinkamena's snout only to see Fluttershy beat her to the punch. Pinkamena's eyes widened as she lay on her back, Fluttershy standing over her and glaring. "HA! Nice job, Flutt-" Rainbow Dash began, only to receive a hoof to her snout as well. Horseapples, that mare's got quite the punch... Rainbow Dash thought as she got to her hooves. "What the hay was that for?!" "Because you two have done nothing but fight since Twilight came back and I AM SICK OF IT!" Fluttershy screamed, spreading her wings and shooting up through the leaves. Rainbow Dash and Pinkamena shared a shocked look before Dash reluctantly helped Pinkamena to her hooves. "Uh...I'll...I'll go fly up and check which way it is to the Everfree...It's getting late, and maybe Rarity's already there..." Rainbow Dash stammered. "Yea...You do that..." Pinkamena said, he voice soft and low as if she was lost in thought. And Other Useless Crap"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she bounded towards her role model, who caught the little filly in outstretched hooves as she leapt into the blue pegasus mare. The two shared a tight hug as Sweetie Belle and Rarity nuzzled each other affectionately, tears streaming down their snouts. Only Apple Bloom was not included in any reunion, choosing instead to stare out into the Everfree Forest towards Ponyville through one of the broken window spots in the wall. Princess Luna's night was beautiful, if the night was even hers still. Resting her snout on the cold stone as she used her hooves to keep herself stable in this bipedal position, Apple Bloom sighed deeply and sadly at having nopony to turn to. Her immediate family was all dead, and the only pony she could think of that might possibly be alive still was Braeburn, but he was all the way out in Appleloosa. I hope he's safe... Apple Bloom wished before a pegasus wing laid itself across the little filly's back in a comforting manner. Apple Bloom turned her head to see the gentle gaze of Fluttershy, who then proceeded to pull Apple Bloom into the warmest hug the little filly had ever experienced. "F-Fluttershy? Why're you cryin'...?" Apple Bloom asked quietly as she felt the yellow mare's hot tears land on her back. "I-It's just so sad...Your friends all had somepony to hug and hold when they got back, but you don't have anypony anymore..." Apple Bloom sighed softly and leaned into the hug, letting her own tears form as the reunions carried on around her. It was...Oddly peaceful, like this was all just a vacation from regular old Ponyville. The only indication that this all wasn't just a dream was the fact that Pinkie Pie sat slumped in a corner, shooting those daggers she had as eyes at anypony who looked at her; and that just so happened to be Twilight Sparkle. Everypony else was huddled up to another, Rarity with Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo with Rainbow Dash and Apple Bloom with Fluttershy. Twilight felt like a unicorn had grabbed hold of her heart and gave it a violent tug when it dawned on her that the little filly had nopony close to turn to. But amongst all the happiness that seemed to be filling the room, from Rainbow Dash telling Scootaloo adventure stories to Sweetie Belle and Rarity discussing the little filly's singing and magical abilities and to Fluttershy calming a tearful Apple Bloom, only two ponies remained on their own. Twilight furrowed her brow and started to trot towards the dark corner where Pinkamena sat, now idly playing with one of her knives. The knives made Twilight uneasy. Sure, they had some use in a bakery where Pinkie Pie used to work, but that didn't make her an expert on blade-play. Then again, she didn't seem like an expert when she was simply driving the steel into Carrot Top's exposed head over and over. Letting out a shiver of disgust and fear, Twilight pressed on until she was almost on top of the pink mare whose furious eyes were glaring up at her; one hidden carefully behind her straight pink mane. "What do you want?" Pinkamena spat. "I...I just want to talk...You seem lonely over here all by yourself." Twilight responded, sounding hurt by Pinkie's sharp words. Almost as sharp as her knife... she thought for a moment. "I like being lonely. Means I don't have to get sad when somepony close dies again." "Pinkie, was-" "I told you, my name isn't Pinkie! It's Pinkamena!" Pinkamena suddenly snapped, jumping to her hooves and pressing her forehead close to Twilight, who jumped back a few steps at the sudden outburst. Everypony in the room had fallen silent and simply stared at the pair before slowly, unsure, returning to their conversations as Pinkamena shrunk back into her corner grumpily. "I'm sorry, Pinkamena..." Twilight continued. "Was that the reason you've been acting this way towards us all? Because somepony close to you died?" Pinkamena snorted and folded her hooves across her chest. "You wouldn't understand, Twilight; you've been holed up in your library the entire time. I had to take care of two innocent foals! TWO of them, Twilight! And they both...And now they're..." Pinkamena went from demonic anger to pitiful sadness in a heartbeat, and Twilight found herself holding the sobbing mare tightly, letting her spill her emotions (quite literally) into Twilight's chest. It's alright, Pinkie...We'll get through this with the power of friendship. Twilight thought hopefully. "Are you sure?" "Yes, your majesty. She has been active for nearly two days now." "And her friends?" "They are holed up in the Moon Castle still, and they've found the Cutie Mark Crusaders." "She's making excellent progress. Alert me if she ever leaves Ponyville or attempts to head for Canterlot." "Of course, your majesty." ... "You are quite the pony, Twilight Sparkle...Quite the pony indeed..." Nightmares Not a sound melted into the library from the outside world as Twilight Sparkle slept quietly in her bed. Not a peep made its way through the boarded up windows and doors as Twilight Sparkle groaned in her sleep from a nightmare. Not a cry or a shriek of terror and death found itself past the magical barrier that surrounded the Ponyville Central Library as it began to flicker out. And an oblivious Twilight Sparkle shivered from her nightmare once more. "Twilight Sparkle." Princess Celestia said firmly. "I'm so sorry, I-" Twilight started as she turned to face the alicorn ruler. But it wasn't the fact that Celestia began speaking again that made Twilight stop. Instead, it was the fact that Princess Celestia's entire body was riddled with gashes, cuts, bruises, and missing chunks of flesh. Twilight suppressed a terrified scream when she noticed Celestia's coat had patches of fresh blood on it as well as missing a portion of her cheek. "You have a very special gift." Princess Celestia continued as if her current appearance did not impede her in any way. "I don't think I've ever come across a unicorn with your raw abilities. But you need to learn to tame these abilities through focused study." "Twilight Sparkle," the horrifying undead alicorn continued, her voice darkening and a hunger flashing in her eyes. "I'd like to make you my own personal meal here at the school..."
Awakened To Horrors"NO!" Twilight Sparkle gasped as she sat up in bed, sweating profusely and panting hard. She let out a groan as she closed her eyes and tried to calm her body before a splitting headache suddenly tore it's way through the frail mare's head. Suppressing a scream of pain, the unicorn rolled out of bed and fell to the floor while clutching her head and horn in tremendous pain. What in Celestia's name is going on?! she thought desperately, which only elicited more pain. Twilight Sparkle panted softly, attempting to do the unthinkable: not think. Eventually, the pain left her head completely and Twilight groggily got to her hooves. "Spike..." she called out wearily, eyeing the little basket her assistant usually slept in. But something was off about it...Spike didn't usually make his bed, and it wasn't made in this case, but the fact that it was overturned set the librarian on edge a bit. "Spike?" she asked, more clearly this time. Not a soul responded to her call, and so Twilight Sparkle carefully descended the staircase to the main floor. "Spike? Are you here?" she called out again before slowly making her way into the kitchen. The entire treehouse was devoid of life, save for herself, Twilight Sparkle realized as she set hoof into the kitchen. Everything was so dim in here, yet Twilight's internal clock told her it was nearly sunhigh and time for lunch. Twilight quickly realized the odd reason for her dim house and quickly set to work removing the planks of wood that had been hastily nailed over the window. "What the hay was Spike thinking? Why did he board up the windows?" Twilight asked herself as the final plank came off. Twilight Sparkle sighed softly as she looked out into her 'backyard'. It really wasn't a backyard, but it was the outer edge of Ponyville. Twilight enjoyed seeing the few trees that took up residence behind the larger library and admired the dew-laden grass in the morning. She smiled slightly when she saw a pony in the distance bow down to eat at the grass. "Today's going to be a good day." Twilight declared as she went about the tree, removing more planks from the windows and, surprisingly enough, a few larger ones from the door. Spike must have been reading those ghost stories again. Twilight mused as she began reshelving a few books. Spike, Celestia bless the dragon's little heart, enjoyed reading as much as Twilight did but he tended to believe quite a few of the stories to be fact rather than beautiful tales of fiction. After the last book was shelved, Twilight turned around to view the entire room and her work; but not before noticing a single scroll rolled up and set on the table. Unfurling the letter, Twilight cheerfully read. Twilight, Don't go outside. Don't unboard the windows or doors. Already sent letters to Princess Celestia but she wont answer. Don't look in the basement. I'm so sorry, Twilight... -Spike Twilight arched an eyebrow and set the eerie note back down on the table. Something was off here. Something was incredibly wrong. "Spike...?" she called out, hoping- praying to hear the little dragon's reassuring voice as she cautiously approached the door to the basement. Something smelled...Bad beyond the door, and it wouldn't give way to the unicorn until a forceful push from her magic sent the barricaded door bursting open. Twilight Sparkle took a few steps back as an acidic smell washed over her and she felt the need to puke. "Spike!?" Twilight called out more desperately now as she held her nose and descended the staircase. She froze as she reached the landing and stared in horror as a small, purple and green body hung from a rope attached to the ceiling.
Welcome To HellTwilight Sparkle stood at the bottom of the stairs, eyes watering and the scent of rotting flesh creeping into her nostrils as she took in the scene before her: Spike, the darling little baby dragon that she had hatched herself and raised was hanging from a noose. In the center of her basement. In her house. Twilight Sparkle ignored her tears as she gripped the rope with her magic and snapped it, laying Spike gently on the floor as she stood before him. She couldn't bear the sight of him like this; eyes three quarters of the way closed and mouth half open with bits of his scales and flesh underneath missing from where the insects had found a meal. Twilight Sparkle unloaded her empty stomach again before rushing back up the stairs and slamming the door behind her. Oh sweet Celestia, no, no, no, no! Twilight thought desperately, closing her eyes and struggling with all her might to wake up from this nightmare. But she couldn't. Because it was a nightmare. It was hell. How long have I been asleep?! He's already decomposing and- Twilight's mind froze and her eyes widened in shock and horror. I can't remember a thing since...Since I left for Canterlot...But how long ago was that...? Swallowing in guilt and sickness, Twilight cautiously made her way back to the basement door where she took a deep breath to relieve the stress temporarily and fill her lungs with clean air before she proceeded in and down. - At least a week... she thought grimly as she eyed the decomposing flesh and scales on the baby dragon. But why would he do this...Why did he board up all the windows and the door...? Twilight made her way back up to the main floor, resisting the urge to wipe away her tears so that she wouldn't have to breathe in foul air just yet. When she reached the top of the stairs, she respectfully closed the door behind her and let out a gasp as she struggled to breathe. This isn't happening...This can't be happening... As Twilight collapsed to the floor and began to sob quietly at the world around her, a low growl- too low for Twilight to hear- sounded from the doorway as the door to Ponyville Central Library was slowly pushed open... Carrot Top struggled to place one rotting hoof in front of the other as she entered the library, her one good eye staring at a helpless purple unicorn that had collapsed on the floor. Her primitive mind told her only two things as she opened her rotting mouth and took another step forward: Food... Feed... Twilight Sparkle let out a screech as some rotting creature collapsed on the floor before Twilight. It let out a groan, but not one of pain, as it returned to its hooves and continued its slow march towards the helpless mare. "C-Carrot Top?!" Twilight whispered in fear as she noticed the trio of carrots on the mare's decomposing flank. No intelligible reply came from the monstrosity that was once Carrot Top before it suddenly leapt at Twilight Sparkle, who gasped and sidestepped the pony. "Carrot Top, s-stop this!" Twilight begged. The only reply was a dull moan as Carrot Top got to her decomposing hooves and started off towards Twilight Sparkle; but the terrified unicorn had already darted out the door. Gotta find Pinkie and Rarity and Applejack and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and- the elements! Gotta find the Elements of Harmony so we can fix....Whatever this is! Twilight thought desperately as she raced through the streets of Ponyville towards Sugarcube Corner. Everything looked so different to her. Any door that wasn't left wide open was either kicked in or boarded up, and the street was littered with a few shapes that Twilight prayed weren't bodies. Carts lay in the ditches on the side of the roads and fruit stands were overturned; their precious wares either long gone, trampled, or rotting and writhing with maggots. Twilight tore her gaze from the sights as she neared the confection building; door wide open and a few windows shattered. Twilight groaned in distress and came to a halt in the middle of the T - intersection. Of course she could just run in there screaming her head off for Pinkie in hopes that she was either still there or still alive. Twilight shivered at the latter. Then again, she could carefully make her way into the building just in case one of those...Things that Carrot Top was happened to be in there. She decided on the second, much more logical option before peering around. The streets were the same on either side of her; carts in the road, bodies here and there, and a few odds and ends looking like they had been tossed into the street in a random, desperate act. Twilight noticed rather luckily, however, that Carrot Top hadn't followed her and nothing like Carrot Top was near her. Gathering her strength, the unicorn cautiously approached Sugarcube Corner and stepped through the kicked in doorway. "Shhh...It's alright...It's just one of those scary things downstairs again...Don't worry, Pinkie Pie will keep you safe..." Pinkie Pie whispered reassuringly as she rocked the two little babies in her hooves. Carefully picking her way over overturned tables and shards of glass, Twilight made her way behind the counter and into the kitchen on her right. Concluding that Pinkie Pie wasn't there, she turned her back on the doorway and proceeded up the stairs instead. "No, no, shhh...Don't make a sound and we'll be alright...I promise, precious little bundles..." Pinkie whispered as hoofsteps made themselves known on the stairs. Twilight Sparkle carefully peered into the opened doors on either side of her; one of which being the Cake's bedroom which thankfully didn't contain a body living or otherwise, while the other was filled with boxes that reached the ceiling in the back. Twilight turned her attention to the door at the end of the hall, Pinkie's room, before slowly making her way towards it. "Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head..." Pinkie Pie sung quietly as she continued to rock the two little children. "Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed..." "P-Pinkie...?" Twilight whispered hopefully after hearing a voice, an intelligible voice coming from the other side of the door. A smile came to the purple mare's face as she turned the knob with her magic and opened the door.
Party Of One"Oh, hello, Twilight." Pinkie said quietly, her left eye giving a twitch as she said the name, as if she wasn't believing it herself. "Did you come to see the twins? Don't worry, they're just fine. Everything's fine." "Pinkie...?" Twilight asked worriedly as she took a step closer. Pinkie Pie screamed bloody murder and produced a knife, to which she pointed at Twilight's snout. "Don't you come any closer! You'll try to hurt them just like all the rest! Well my name is Pinkamena Responsibility Pie and CELESTIA DAMN IT I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE TWO!" Twilight took a step back in fear before using her magic to grip the knife and toss it away from Pinkie. "Pinkie, what happened to your mane?! Why are you screaming and WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" Twilight whispered in horror as she noticed the twins. Every sane thought in Twilight's mind quickly stepped out for a smoke break as she noticed the two little foals, Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake, trying to dig their gums into Pinkie Pie's chest. She started to back away slowly as Pinkie Pie reached for the knife again, sobbing softly and ignoring Twilight. "I...I'm so sorry...I'm responsible...I swear...I'll make this all better..." With a flick of her hoof, Pinkie Pie decapitated the undead foal and let Pumpkin Cake's head fall onto the wooden floor with a thump. Twilight hurried to get out of the room but soon found Carrot Top slowly climbing the staircase. With Pinkie behind her lopping off the head of the other foal and crying softly, and Carrot Top slowly shambling towards the pair, Twilight simply froze in place. She had no idea where to go or what to do. And then suddenly, a realization hit her. Use your horn, you filly! You're special talent is MAGIC for Celestia's sake! Twilight ordered herself and her horn began glowing. Just as she was about to let out a stun spell, Pinkie Pie charged out towards Carrot Top from behind Twilight; tackling the creature to the ground and screaming louder and louder as she plunged the knife into the exposed part of her head. Twilight shook in fear as she fought back tears, watching one of her friends murder another pony after doing the same to two innocent fillies. When the deed was done, Pinkie Pie perked her ears up and lost all of her crazy demeanor; instead taking on a more serious, grim attitude. "We have to go, come on, Twilight." "Are you crazy?! I'm not going anywhere with you, you...You MURDERER!" Twilight shot back, still cowering on the floor. Pinkie Pie glared and took a few steps towards Twilight with the knife still in her mouth. Twilight did nothing to move as Pinkie suddenly pressed her snout very close to Twilight's. "If you want to live you'll shut the buck up and follow me, got it?" Twilight shivered and nodded, her mind quickly darting to the memory of the fillies. Without warning, Pinkie Pie dashed through the hall and down the stairs, leaving Twilight to noisily scamper after the terrifying pink pony. As she saw Pinkie Pie's tail disappear out the door and to the right, Twilight realized that several black specks in the distance were quickly growing bigger and closer. It would be a race for her life. The sun had set a while ago, which brought relief to Twilight's face since it signaled that at least one alicorn still lived. Twilight had followed her friend out of town and a bit of a way into the Everfree Forest for what seemed like hours now, and the ominous blade in her friends' mouth after she had just killed three ponies didn't ease Twilight's mind. "Pinkie, where are we going?" "Don't call me that! My name is Pinkamena." Pinkamena growled without stopping or turning back. "We're almost there..." she added with a huff. As Pinkamena parted the low branches in their path, Twilight was gifted with a view of a ruined castle; the same castle she and her friends had beaten Nightmare Moon and saved Princess Luna...What, had it been two years already? "Olly, olly oxen free!" Pinkamena shouted as she and Twilight crossed the rickety bridge once more. Twilight was tempted to ask her many questions: Why were they here? Where were the others? What had happened to Ponyville? What had happened to Pinkie Pie? But Twilight could tell that since Pinkamena's pace did not falter that they still had quite a bit of walking to do. It was few more minutes as they made their way through the ruins and up a flight of stairs or two until they came to two large wooden doors. Pinkamena pushed them open with a grunt and stepped inside, beckoning Twilight to follow. "Okay, Pinkie Pie, I want answers. Where are we? What happened to Ponyville, Wh-" Twilight began, only to be interrupted by a few gasps and a soft voice stuttering a name. "I told you not to call me that." Pinkamena growled as she slowly trotted over to the group. "T-Twilight...?" Rarity asked in bewilderment. "Rarity? Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy?" Twilight Sparkle asked in disbelief before the four of them all rushed together to meet in a hug; a loving embrace that Pinkamena decided not to share. "Oh, Pinkamena, dear! Where ever did you find her?" Rarity inquired, clearly overjoyed at the return of her friend. "Sugarcube Corner while I was...While I was taking care of something..." Pinkamena mumbled, her voice betraying her sadness but her eyes locked into their stern glare. "Twilight, where the hay have you been?!" "Oh, Twilight, I'm so glad you're okay!" "Indeed! Oh, this is simply magnificent; to have you back, darling!" The love Twilight could feel ebbing off of her friends would have been enough to kill a changeling, but she simply bore through it and embraced the three of her friends tightly before perking her ears curiously. "Girls?" she started. "Where's Applejack?"
No More ApplesAn air of unease swept over the group as Twilight tilted her head quizzically. Rainbow Dash had teared up, in a tough way she defended, Fluttershy had collapsed and discovered that the cold floor was incredibly interesting and Rarity awkwardly rubbed her hoof. Pinkamena just snorted and went back to sharpening her blades with a rock. "Girls...?" Twilight prodded. "Twilight...First things first, dear. Where have you been?" Rarity asked. "I...I've been at the library, why? You all look like this thing has been going on for a while; what is this thing and when did it even start?" "You've been living in the library for a month?!" Rainbow Dash barked in anger. "Rainbow Dash, control yourself!" Rarity snapped. Clearing her throat and leaving the disgruntled pegasus to her self, Rarity continued. "Dear, you cannot possibly tell me that you have been living in that small library for an entire month since this all started. We all had assumed you were still with the Princess in Canterlot since you never told us you were back." "Canterlot? Why would I have been in Canterlot? I mean, I remember going but I have no idea why. I just...Woke up in my bed in the library this morning." Twilight replied. "Yesterday morning." Pinkamena corrected, pausing from her task to check on the moon. The others ignored the remark and Rainbow Dash jumped in again. "Yea, you just happened to wake up! If I didn't know any better I'd say you stuffed yourself in that tree with Spike and lived off stored food or something!" "Rainbow Dash, I will not tell you again to control yourself; this is Twilight for Celestia's sake! Our best friend, how can you be so cruel?" "Because she went missing when we needed her the most and Applejack is DEAD because of her!" Rainbow Dash screamed, panting hotly after thrusting her snout angrily at the white unicorn. Another wave of unease came over them and the silence was only broken by a yellow pegasi's soft sobs. "A-Applejack is...? N-No, that can't be right...That's impossible, right? This is all just a big Nightmare Night joke, right?" Twilight stuttered with an awkward smile. Rainbow Dash glared angrily before turning away and Rarity comfortingly put her hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "I wish it were, dear...I wish it were..." "And that is really all we know; it just happened out of the blue one day." Rarity finished, explaining their predicament to their newest and yet oldest member. "So what do we do now? I mean, we have to do something! We can't just sit on our hooves and wait for this to blow over, because it's not going to." Twilight asked hopefully. "Honestly, we haven't a clue. We lost one of our own for certain and we feared we had lost you too. In all honesty, we've actually lost every single member of our little group." Rarity replied, motioning a hoof towards Pinkamena who was busy tossing knives into a makeshift training dummy. "Darling Pinkie- er, Pinkamena, has gotten rather...Violent, to say the least. Not towards us, of course, but she's lost her joy and it's...Well, it's eaten away at her insides. Rainbow Dash has lost a bit of herself too; she's not as boastful or proud as she used to be after Applejack...Well, you know, but her bravery is still unmatched. Fluttershy, bless her darling little heart, has receded deeper into her shell if that's even possible. When you announced yourself that was the first reaction we had really gotten out of her in weeks." Twilight felt cold upon hearing all of this; how every single one of her friends had changed because this plague thing had come along. And worst of all, she had been nowhere to be found to help them through all of this. "What about you; what happened to you, Rarity?" Twilight asked sincerely. The white unicorn gave a sad smile and bowed her head. "I took your place, dear. We all needed a leader and I guess it just came naturally to me. Although, I believe I've benefited most from this change; we need to be quick and efficient, Twilight. If there's a mud puddle in the way of our path I am more than happy to trod through it now. I have given so much of my old self up to try and be like you, for them, and honestly I don't see how you can deal with the stress." Twilight closed her eyes and let this all sink in. I've been gone for months and can barely remember a thing since before then, and then there's this plague of undeath...And all my friends had to change to survive... "I'm a terrible friend..." Twilight admitted, eliciting a snort from Rainbow Dash as she lay on her back in a corner. Rarity glared and flared her horn, grasping the pegasi's wing with her magic and flipping her over in a heart beat. The two shared a glare before Rarity turned back to Twilight with a sigh. "Well, it's late and we all should get some rest. Rainbow Dash, would you be a dear and roll up the bridge?" "I'll roll something..." the blue pegasus muttered angrily before flying through a shattered window to bring up the rope bridge. "You should rest, Twilight. I can see that all of this knowledge has done nothing but burden you and I'm sorry for that; but it's something you needed to hear." Rarity said, a leader's tone in her voice that Twilight admired. As Rarity stepped away from the settling unicorn, the whole room echoed with a rumble from Twilight's belly. Sheepish smiles were traded for sympathetic looks and Fluttershy crept over; nudging an apple with her hoof. Scooting closer to the timid mare, Twilight nuzzled her friend in silent thanks and quickly devoured the juicy fruit. Today had not been a good day.
Harrowing SunshineTwilight had been staring at the sky for the past hour now, long before the rest of her group had awoken. She had been watching the clouds as they drift away by themselves and the sun rise on its own; but that was impossible, right? Princess Celestia raised the sun each morning to literally push the moon away, but then Princess Luna raised the moon each night to push the sun away. Both princesses had to be alive, Twilight determined as Pinkamena let out a bored groan. "Sweet Celestia, Pinkamena...You need to stop doing that!" Rainbow Dash said playfully as she awoke herself. Rainbow Dash avoided Twilight out of spite, but Pinkie Pie seemed to avoid everyone out of something else... What is she feeling? Twilight wondered. She must be so lonely, but it's impossible to see through that mask... A yawn that sounded from a well rested pony announced Rarity's fight against drowsiness and Fluttershy quickly followed suit with a quieter one. Twilight Sparkle had fretted over how to say this ever since she had been brought back to the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters, and she finally had found the courage to do so. "We need to go to Canterlot." Rainbow Dash paused to choke on her spit while Pinkamena just laughed mockingly; Rarity stood flabbergasted behind the purple unicorn before Twilight turned to face the group. "D-Dear, you can't honestly tell me you're serious...Right?" Rarity started. "You know Twilight; whenever she gets an idea in her head there's no turning back, no matter how stupid it is." Rainbow Dash quipped after she had gained control over herself once more. "I'm serious, girls. The sun and the moon are still being raised, so both Princesses must be alive still. They're our best bet for survival." Twilight said with a stomp of her hoof. Pinkamena smirked as she idly wobbled the tip of a knife into the cold stone floor. "You're not in any position to be giving or suggesting orders, Twilight. After all, you pretty much just asked us to do the most suicidal thing besides heading over to Sweet Apple Acres." "Sweet Apple Acres? Why would that...Nevermind, why is going to Canterlot dangerous? If the Princesses are still raising the sun and the moon then why wouldn't Canterlot be protected?" "Think for a minute, Twilight; use that egghead brain of yours." Rainbow Dash teased. "If Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were still alive and Canterlot managed to be saved, then why not us? Why not Ponyville, the home to the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, huh? Or for that matter, why not Cloudsdale, home of the Wonderbolts and the weather factory? Why not ANYWHERE ELSE, HUH?!" Taken back by Rainbow Dash's sudden outburst, Twilight looked around at her friends for support; but no support was to be given. Pinkamena sat in the corner with a smug look as she watched the scene unfold before her. Fluttershy curled into a ball and silently sobbed to herself. Rarity stared at Twilight with a look of sadness and Rainbow Dash stormed off to the other side of the room. "Dear, we're not saying that the Princesses are dead...It's just..." "You don't trust her." Twilight finished. "We don't have a reason to anymore, Twilight. She raised the sun for us, woo hoo! But where was she when we needed her to save our friends and family?" Pinkamena challenged. "Where was she when we needed her to save Applejack..." Rainbow Dash muttered. "We can't just sit here on our flanks! You said I've been out for a month? Then Ponyville has to be devoid of supplies! Where have you girls been finding food?" Twilight challenged. A cold silence overcame the room as Rarity glared furiously. "We haven't." They had sat in silence in the cold castle room; the sun or their body heat doing nothing to warm the ominous room. Each pony kept to themselves; Pinkamena snored softly in her corner while Rainbow Dash glared out the window and Rarity attempted some feat of magic with her horn over and over again before frustratedly giving up. Fluttershy and Twilight sat opposite from each other, although Fluttershy never once looked up from the floor. "Fluttershy..." Twilight whispered. The pegasi flicked her ears in acknowledgement but made no attempt to scoot closer or raise her head. "Fluttershy, what's gotten into everypony here? Why are they all being so cruel and why is Sweet Apple Acres dangerous?" Fluttershy sighed and idly dragged her hoof against the floor. "Everypony is just on edge, Twilight. The world's a scary place now and we just don't know how to survive it. It's hard, and even harder for Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash; they both lost someone very close to them and Rainbow Dash only blames you because she doesn't know who else to blame." the yellow mare replied quietly. "But what about Sweet Apple Acres? Surely the trees there are still growing apples, right?" "Oh, of course, but...Um...We can't go there..." "Why not?" "Because that's where Big Mac lives..." "I can't believe I let you talk me into this, Twilight. You could be getting us all killed; you don't know him anymore- you don't know how he's changed!" Rarity whispered furiously as the group managed a single file line through the woods towards Sweet Apple Acres. "Honestly, what could have happened to him? He's still just an earth pony." "Twilight, you remember Hearts And Hooves Day when the Cutie Mark Crusaders used that love potion on him and Cheerilee?" Rarity asked. "Of course, how could I forget that they nearly trashed the whole town just to get to each other?" Twilight replied with a chuckle. "Twilight, Big MacIntosh tore an entire building from its foundation to get to Cheerliee; and he was just acting on pure emotion." "So? He's...Well, you know now; right? The decomposition couldn't have been good for his strength." "It's not that simple, dear. I've been studying these things ever since they came out. They have no sense of pain; they'll keep pushing their bodies forward until nothing is left but one hoof, the neck and the head trying to drag itself towards you. The only way to kill one of the things is to destroy the head or sever it from the body. But there's something else...Big MacIntosh is a special case. You see, instead of gradually wearing away into nothing like I predict the others will, Big MacIntosh seems frozen in his prime state. They only have one thought as far as I can tell, and that is to feed." "But feeding doesn't actually do anything to them except make them fatter." Rainbow Dash added. "You discovered all of this within a month?" Twilight mused. "Unicorns are very inquisitive, dear." The answer seemed to satisfy Twilight as the group broke through the forest and stood on a hill overlooking fields upon fields of apple trees. "So what's the plan?" Rainbow Dash asked, towards Rarity rather than Twilight. "I must say, you're handling this much better than I thought you would be." Rarity whispered when they were alone, eyes darting around to see through the trees. "I'm not really...I...I woke up to what I thought was a normal day only to find Spike...Oh, Rarity, he hung himself!" A white hoof snapped itself over Twilight's snout and two sorrow filled eyes met hers. "Twilight, I understand your loss and I grieve with you, but you need to keep your voice down; those things can hear you." When Rarity's hoof released her snout, Twilight sighed sadly and continued walking forward. "I'm sorry...So how far in do we have to go?" "Applejack always kept the best apple trees the closest to the farm, and we managed to clear all of the outer trees before we were forced to move in deeper. That's when we came across Big MacIntosh..." "I see...And, uh, did Applejack...?" "Oh, heavens no, darling. She...She was, however, and it was a mercy killing...A rather painful one on my part, as I was the only unicorn left in the group." "Why did you have to do it? Why not Pinkie Pie?" "Dear, you cannot honestly expect a friend to kill a friend; especially when one of those friends is Pinkie Pie. While she has sunk into the dark ends of life, I knew she would take it far harder than I would and I simply could not let that happen. Ever since Pinkie slipped completely, morale has been dreadfully low...But I guess I'm sort of avoiding your question now, aren't I? Forgive me, but to put it rather morbidly blunt: pony heads are surprisingly susceptible to magical attacks." Twilight felt her heart twinge and her face scrunch up as Rarity explained everything. Before she could bring up another question, the Apple Family Farmhouse came into view through the trees. "This should be far enough; he likes to wander and it's a wonder that we haven't seen him already." Rarity said as she began plucking apples from the nearby trees. Twilight started to do the same but nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a soft thump when Fluttershy landed behind her. "O-Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" the yellow mare apologized quietly. "I-It's just that Rainbow Dash saw a light coming from inside the trees and went to go see what it was. She told me to come tell you where she went." "Fluttershy, I told you to stay in the sky! How are we supposed to know if Big Mac is coming or not?" Twilight quietly snapped, causing the yellow mare to squeak in fear and cower into a ball. Before Rarity could interrupt, a snarl came from behind the group; who turned just in time to noticed a lumbering, heavily decaying earth pony stumble awkwardly from behind the trees. It let out another snarl as it opened its mouth and took a step towards the ponies. Big MacIntosh had arrived.
Cutie Mark Crusaders, Zombie Killers!Twilight and Rarity took a few steps back as Big MacIntosh took another step towards them. Like they had rehearsed, both unicorn's horns lit up and their magical aura wrapped around Big Mac's head. He seemed unfazed by it, however, as he suddenly leapt at Twilight. "I thought you said magic would hold him off!" Twilight shouted as she darted off into the trees with Rarity and Fluttershy following after. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!" "I said it should! A unicorn's magic is directly affected by their health, and neither of us have been eating properly!" Rarity shot back as she tried flinging a few bolts towards Big Mac's hide. The few that did manage to strike him left small gashes that did nothing to stop the lumbering giant as he surged after the purple unicorn before him. Food! Feed! Feed! his mind shouted as he neared his prey. As he pushed his head out and opened his jaws, he realized with a start that something heavy had landed on his back. "Cutie Mark Crusaders, Zombie Killers!" the trio of fillies sung in unison as they gripped onto Big Mac's yoke for dear life. "Scootaloo, hoof me the beatin' stick!" Apple Bloom called out. "I didn't grab the stick! I thought Sweetie Belle grabbed it!" "I didn't grab the stick! It's your job to look after the stuff, Scootaloo!" "Will you two quit yer blabberin' an jus' help bring Big Mac down?!" Apple Bloom cried out in frustration, effectively ending the conversation as the group set to their tasks. "Sweetie Belle, what in Celestia's name are you doing?!" Rarity screamed as she forced her hooves faster and harder against the ground in an attempt to catch up to the trio. Big MacIntosh, in the meantime, had switched his attention from the terrified Twilight to the over zealous Cutie Mark Crusaders; bucking his legs back in an attempt to throw them off of his being as he could not turn his head to bite at them. Rainbow Dash had returned from the sky and Pinkie Pie simply appeared next to the group. It took all of Rarity's remaining magical strength to keep the group from diving into the fray and possibly becoming hurt themselves from Big Mac, who seemed to be entering an unstoppable frenzy. As the Cutie Mark Crusaders held on fast to their attacker and slowly but surely enacted their plan, Rarity backed the group off to look for Twilight. Twilight Sparkle, personal protégé of Princess Celestia herself. Twilight Sparkle, bearer of the Element of Magic. Twilight Sparkle, defeater of Nightmare Moon and Discord. Twilight Sparkle, coward shivering in a tree. The cold winds of the day blew silently once more as Twilight clung to the branch for dear life. She had run from the demonic looking earth pony that was Big MacIntosh and had finally lost him; and herself. Now, she sat in the branches of an apple tree that was one out of thousands and had nothing unlike the rest as she heard the wailing moans and growls of creatures around her. How many could there be? I can outrun them, right? I can just teleport to safety, right? Twilight's mind churned with thought as she struggled to calm her beating heart but to no avail. She would simply sit here, waiting for her friends. They would find her eventually, right? "Cutie Mark Crusaders, zombie killers, yay!" the trio shouted out again, inspecting each others flanks as Big MacIntosh's once again lifeless body lay slumped against a tree. "It...Looks like a green pony head with holes in it and a red 'x' over the face." Sweetie Belle stated. "Hey, so does mine!" Scootaloo chimed in. "Oh mah gosh! We all got the same cutie marks!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "Cutie Mark Crusaders--" Scootaloo and Apple Bloom began again, but halted once they realized Sweetie Belle wasn't joining. "Girls? Where are the others?" she asked simply. "Hey, I left Fluttershy up there to keep watch!" Rainbow Dash yelled in her defense. "And she came down to tell us where you had gone! If you would have stayed up there we would have had a warning and Twilight wouldn't have ran off!" Rarity shot back. "Better her than us." Rainbow Dash mumbled. "Rainbow Dash, Twilight is our friend!" "Applejack was my friend, or have you forgotten that too? Why did you even pull us back when the CMC were handling Big Mac? They could be in trouble for all we know and YOU have us searching for a purple unicorn that nopony even cares about!" "ENOUGH!" Pinkamena screamed. Everypony blinked in surprise and Pinkamena took a threatening step towards them all. "Ever since this outbreak started, all we've been doing is fighting each other over things that are nopony's fault! Rainbow Dash, YOU didn't even know Applejack had been bitten, how the hay was Twilight supposed to know?! And Rarity! You've been 'struggling' to hold this group together but you don't address any of the problems we're all facing! You just bicker with Rainbow Dash all day long! And Fluttershy!" Pinkamena shouted, pausing to inspect the cowering pegasi at her hooves. "Hmph. Stuck inside your shell like always when we need every able body." she muttered. "We have a pony to find, so all of you shut up and keep moving." I never would have expected Pinkie Pie of all ponies to take the initiative like she did...I mean, I understand the pressing need to find Twilight and make sure she's okay, but still...The way she acted... Rarity thought before letting out a sigh. This disease has done nothing but change us all for the worse... "Um...A-Are you alright, Rarity..?" Fluttershy asked quietly, falling into step beside the white unicorn. Pinkamena took the lead slowly, taking time to let her eyes scan every tree top, bush, and shadow in the distance as the searched among the apple trees for Twilight. Rainbow Dash brought up the rear, her ears flicked back to detect any signs of approach from behind. "I'm fine, dear. But what about you? I can't imagine how you've managed to stay sane during all of this." Rarity replied calmly. Fluttershy suddenly became interested in the cold dirt beneath her hooves like she did whenever she wanted to avoid something, and so Rarity left the conversation as that. It wasn't long after that that Rarity collided with Pinkamena, who had halted suddenly and was staring up into the tree on her left. Rarity followed the gaze and struggled to contain her excitement as she spotted a certain unicorn's dark purple tail sticking out from the tree. "Twilight, it's us! Come down from there and let's get out of here!" Rarity whispered as she tried to get onto her hind hooves to see into the tree. Fluttershy stretched her wings out before gently fluttering them and flying up close to the tree to retrieve the shell shocked Twilight. As she neared the branch Twilight was resting on, her gaze widened in horror and a purple blur shot out from the tree, tackling Fluttershy to the ground below. Twilight let out a sickly roar before sinking her teeth into the yellow pegasi's throat and forcefully relieving her of that necessity in a bloody mess. Fluttershy gurgled a pained cry as Rarity stood frozen, simply shocked at what she had just witnessed. And then, everything just went black.
Loyalties,Rarity screamed like a little filly as she threw herself up from her prone position. She placed a hoof to her chest and struggled to get her breathing under control again as a little orange head poked itself in from the doorway. "Hey, keep it down in here!" Scootaloo whispered. "There are still some things walking around out there!" "S-Scootaloo?! Where am I, where's Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom? Where are the others?" Rarity questioned, her words a simple flurry of noise that Scootaloo barely picked up. "Whoa, calm down Rarity; you're safe. You're in the Cutie Mark Crusader Base of Operations!" the orange pegasi said proudly. "Which is really just our tree house on Sweet Apple Acres, but still. Apple Bloom's up on the roof and Sweetie Belle's just outside. I don't know about your friends though." Scootaloo replied. As she finished, Sweetie Belle came running around the corner and plowed into Scootaloo to reach Rarity, who held out her hooves in an attempt to catch the little filly who had launched herself at the fully grown unicorn mare. "Rarity! I've missed you so much!" Sweetie Belle cried happily as she and Rarity embraced each other. "Oh, I've missed you too, darling..." Rarity whispered through sniffles. "Have you three been living out here all by yourselves since this happened?" "Uh huh! We even got our cutie marks in zombie killing! Look, look!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, climbing off her sister and presenting her flank for Rarity to see. Scootaloo joined in happily alongside her friend. "We all have the exact same cutie mark!" the pair announced happily, much to Rarity's surprise. "Will y'all keep it down in there? Ah'm trahin tuh fahnd Twilight an' the others!" Apple Bloom hissed from the roof. Rarity sighed in relief that her younger sister and her friends were all safe, but something began poking at her mind. "Sweetie Belle, how did I get here? What all happened?" "Oh, well, we were all just minding our own business up in the tree house when all of the sudden Rainbow Dash swooped in!" Sweetie Belle said. "Yea, and then we all raced off towards where she said you guys were with Big Mac and we beat him!" Scootaloo cheered, swinging a hoof up in an uppercut-like-motion. "But before we got him down he was throwing his hooves around like crazy! One of them caught you in the face and he started charging at the others so they ran off." Sweetie Belle concluded, as if retelling an epic battle that hadn't left Rarity with a black eye and a throbbing head ache, not to mention being without her friends' company. "Sweetie Belle, where any of you three...Bitten?" Rarity asked cautiously. "Nope! Not a scratch on any of us!" Sweetie Belle answered. "Eeyup! We're as fit as a fiddle!" Apple Bloom added as she came into the room. Turning to Rarity, the little yellow filly's face lit up as she opened her mouth again to speak. "Ah found yer friends! They're huddled o'er by the edge of the trees, but they're nowhere near where Twilight is. So, who do ya wanna go save first?" Rarity saved herself a moment to simply stare at the trio before her, all beaming with pride and happiness as they stared back. How can they be so happy? Rarity mused. Have they not witnessed the horrors? Or is their friendship simply strong enough to keep them all going...? "Uh, Rarity?" Scootaloo asked curiously, breaking the white unicorn's concentration. "Oh, I'm sorry...Twilight seems to be the most vulnerable right now, and the rest of the group is sticking together, correct?" Rarity wondered aloud. "Eeyup!" Apple Bloom responded. "Well then, let us go rescue our purple-coated friend." "We're lost." Pinkamena snarled. "We are not lost. We're just...Uh...Directionally confused." Rainbow Dash defended as she headed the group with Fluttershy close behind and Pinkamena bringing up the rear. "Lost." "Um...I-If we all could just stop fighting...? I mean, we're missing two ponies now and I don't think we're alone out here..." Fluttershy begged quietly. Her protests went unnoticed as the pink and blue ponies continued their argument. "Look, me and Fluttershy could just fly off and leave you here, and then you'd be the lost one!" Rainbow Dash retorted. "Fluttershy and I." Pinkamena corrected smugly. "And what would Rarity say when she found out? Assuming, after all, that she's still alive after you ditched her." "What are you, a dictionary? And you're here with me, so what does that say about you, huh?!" Rainbow Dash snapped, spinning on her hooves and trotting to the back of the line. As the two mares pressed their foreheads together and growled at each other, a little yellow wing carefully made its way between their chests and gently pushed them apart. "G-Girls, we can't be fighting each other; or at least not out here. We still have two missing ponies that we need to find..." Fluttershy reminded them. The two glared at each other before returning to their original positions and marching on through the apple trees. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep- "Wait a second." Twilight said to herself, pulling her mind from her...Well, from her mind. "Ponies don't swim..." The little sanity and logic that Twilight suddenly possessed was lost in an instant as a twig snapped from somewhere within the orchard. Twilight curled up into a ball and gently petted her ruffled tail, humming quietly to herself while she waited for two things. A) The inevitable discovery of her being by one of those horrendous creatures which would lead to her ultimate demise. B) The discovery of her being by her dear, safe, non-zombie friends and her rescue. Another twig snapped, and Twilight felt the undying need to peer out from the leaves and branches...
Friendship,Snarling teeth met centimeters from Twilight's snout as Winona's muzzle snapped shut. Twilight suppressed a shriek of terror and surprise as the rotting dog tried in vain to climb the tree. She began to hyperventilate as the dog seemed to get a foothold on the tree, only to collapse back onto the ground and leap up at her again as if nothing had ever happened. The purple unicorn couldn't help but notice that Winona's eyes were completely devoid of any life; just glazed eyes locked onto her body. And those teeth... Those snapping teeth... Those were teeth designed for tearing and chewing flesh; what did Applejack feed her when they were both alive? Twilight shivered at the thought of Applejack feeding Winona live or dead animals and switched her focus onto the matter at hoof. Stuck in a tree: check. Zombie dog trying to bite my face off: check. Friends: not check. ... Magic...? Twilight closed her eyes and tried to focus out the snapping of teeth and the menacing growls that escaped Winona's muzzle so that she could concentrate on summoning even a drop of magic to deal with this threat. But either because she hadn't eaten properly or taken care of herself, or the noise was too loud, Twilight couldn't manage to tap into her magical reserve long enough to pull out enough power; if there was any power in there to begin with. Twilight sighed and stared down at the poor creature that was struggling to get at her; Winona was never a bad dog, but then again this wasn't Winona... She felt sorry for the creature; forced or perhaps willing to put their own life on the line for a meal, a meal that could fight back and do more damage than it could dish out in return. It was a pitiful existence, being a zombie, Twilight thought. Breathing in and out deeply, Twilight felt the world fade away... "So, where've you been?" Apple Bloom asked as she lead Rarity and the other crusaders through the rows of apple trees. "We have been staying in Princess Luna's old castle, the one she built when she was Nightmare Moon that's in the Everfree Forest. It's rather defensible, and we have only seen a few, Trotters, as you call them, wandering the forest. It would appear even in death things are still afraid of that place." Rarity answered. "Y'all've been hidin' out in some abandoned, run down castle this whole time? What've y'all been doing fer food?" "Well, initially we raided what was left of Sugar Cube Corner, but that became too risky and Pinkie Pie decided she didn't want to go there anymore for some reason. Then, we figured that Sweet Apple Acres probably wouldn't have been affected, and we were right- in part. We started with the edge of the farm, until that ran out and we made our way inwards. And that's when we stumbled across your big brother for the first time..." "Ah see...An why didn't y'all just...Ya know, move out uh here? Go somewhere else?" "Apple Bloom, we were still trying to figure out where everypony was; who was alive and who wasn't. And on top of that, we were certain that Ponyville wasn't the only place that this had happened to since the Princesses didn't step in." "Oh." Apple Bloom replied, seemingly interested but too focused on her task of leading to form a deeper reply. Ah...The comforting familiarity of my own magical conscious... Twilight mused as she opened her eyes to blackness. It seemed to stretch on forever, but before her sat a heap of purple, glowing powder. My magic... Twilight thought in her own mind, smiling fondly. She picked up a hooffull before closing her eyes once more and reopening them. The setting sun beat down through the trees and Twilight was almost fooled that none of this was actually real...Until Winona's snarling dragged her back fully to reality. The look on the old dog's face was almost enough to break Twilight's heart; it was a look of hunger, a needing to feed or its existence would falter and flicker out. Sadly, it had to be done. Twilight closed her eyes once more and gently wrapped her aura around Winona's head, slowly but surely engulfing the faithful canine's head before suddenly squeezing. A sickening crack and pop sounded and Twilight refused to open her eyes. She simply sat there on the branch, fighting back tears for the first being she had killed. A being that she had known in life. Apple Bloom let out a soft gasp as the group came across a small clearing. Inside, laying on the grass were three bodies, one of which being a dog, and the other two being earth ponies. Caramel and Granny Smith. But Rarity seemed unaffected by the gore, trotting among the three headless bodies as she came to the base of a tree and simply stood there looking up. It was then that Apple Bloom caught on. "Twilight!" She exclaimed, causing the purple tail to flick and reveal a unicorn head with eyes, eyes that shot open and glowed with happiness at the sight of her friends. Twilight Sparkle let out a happy squeal and carefully leapt out of the tree, tackling Rarity to the ground and clinging to her before the happiness that had consumed the unicorn melted away into sadness and regret. "Rarity, I'm so sorry! I-I had no other choice, they would've gotten to me!" Twilight sobbed as her gaze avoided the three lifeless bodies. Apple Bloom and the other crusaders, however, noticed them immediately. Sure, they had brought Big MacIntosh down. Sure, it had hurt because he was family. But it had to be done or else somepony else could have gotten hurt. But this...Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo hadn't done this. The three bodies of their friends in life lay motionless on the cold ground; the spot where heads should be ending in lifeless, bloody stumps that still dripped with the dark red liquid. Apple Bloom shivered in disgust and tried to hold her stomach in. Scootaloo wasn't too keen on that idea and let loose her own breakfast. After spilling their guts to each other, Twilight apologizing as if she had just murdered a filly and Rarity struggling to calm her and tell her it was all justified, the pair trotted over to the Cutie Mark Crusaders and edged them away from the clearing; towards the Everfree Forest. "We are lost!" Pinkamena sung softly, her voice pricking Rainbow Dash's ears like needles. She pressed her teeth together painfully in an attempt to fight back a retort for Fluttershy's sake; she could care less what happened to the annoying pink earth pony anymore. They had been wandering this farm for what seemed like a few hours, and the sun was trying to hide behind the mountains of Canterlot. Pinkie Pie was right, as much as Dash hated to admit it. They were lost; they had been lost ever since they left Rarity behind and escaped Big Mac. But how was it even possible to get lost in an apple orchard where the apple trees were planted in rows so you could see straight down between them? Whatever the reason, they were lost. "Lostie, losty, lost, lost!" Pinkamena taunted. Rainbow Dash spun on her hooves to smash them into Pinkamena's snout only to see Fluttershy beat her to the punch. Pinkamena's eyes widened as she lay on her back, Fluttershy standing over her and glaring. "HA! Nice job, Flutt-" Rainbow Dash began, only to receive a hoof to her snout as well. Horseapples, that mare's got quite the punch... Rainbow Dash thought as she got to her hooves. "What the hay was that for?!" "Because you two have done nothing but fight since Twilight came back and I AM SICK OF IT!" Fluttershy screamed, spreading her wings and shooting up through the leaves. Rainbow Dash and Pinkamena shared a shocked look before Dash reluctantly helped Pinkamena to her hooves. "Uh...I'll...I'll go fly up and check which way it is to the Everfree...It's getting late, and maybe Rarity's already there..." Rainbow Dash stammered. "Yea...You do that..." Pinkamena said, he voice soft and low as if she was lost in thought.
And Other Useless Crap"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she bounded towards her role model, who caught the little filly in outstretched hooves as she leapt into the blue pegasus mare. The two shared a tight hug as Sweetie Belle and Rarity nuzzled each other affectionately, tears streaming down their snouts. Only Apple Bloom was not included in any reunion, choosing instead to stare out into the Everfree Forest towards Ponyville through one of the broken window spots in the wall. Princess Luna's night was beautiful, if the night was even hers still. Resting her snout on the cold stone as she used her hooves to keep herself stable in this bipedal position, Apple Bloom sighed deeply and sadly at having nopony to turn to. Her immediate family was all dead, and the only pony she could think of that might possibly be alive still was Braeburn, but he was all the way out in Appleloosa. I hope he's safe... Apple Bloom wished before a pegasus wing laid itself across the little filly's back in a comforting manner. Apple Bloom turned her head to see the gentle gaze of Fluttershy, who then proceeded to pull Apple Bloom into the warmest hug the little filly had ever experienced. "F-Fluttershy? Why're you cryin'...?" Apple Bloom asked quietly as she felt the yellow mare's hot tears land on her back. "I-It's just so sad...Your friends all had somepony to hug and hold when they got back, but you don't have anypony anymore..." Apple Bloom sighed softly and leaned into the hug, letting her own tears form as the reunions carried on around her. It was...Oddly peaceful, like this was all just a vacation from regular old Ponyville. The only indication that this all wasn't just a dream was the fact that Pinkie Pie sat slumped in a corner, shooting those daggers she had as eyes at anypony who looked at her; and that just so happened to be Twilight Sparkle. Everypony else was huddled up to another, Rarity with Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo with Rainbow Dash and Apple Bloom with Fluttershy. Twilight felt like a unicorn had grabbed hold of her heart and gave it a violent tug when it dawned on her that the little filly had nopony close to turn to. But amongst all the happiness that seemed to be filling the room, from Rainbow Dash telling Scootaloo adventure stories to Sweetie Belle and Rarity discussing the little filly's singing and magical abilities and to Fluttershy calming a tearful Apple Bloom, only two ponies remained on their own. Twilight furrowed her brow and started to trot towards the dark corner where Pinkamena sat, now idly playing with one of her knives. The knives made Twilight uneasy. Sure, they had some use in a bakery where Pinkie Pie used to work, but that didn't make her an expert on blade-play. Then again, she didn't seem like an expert when she was simply driving the steel into Carrot Top's exposed head over and over. Letting out a shiver of disgust and fear, Twilight pressed on until she was almost on top of the pink mare whose furious eyes were glaring up at her; one hidden carefully behind her straight pink mane. "What do you want?" Pinkamena spat. "I...I just want to talk...You seem lonely over here all by yourself." Twilight responded, sounding hurt by Pinkie's sharp words. Almost as sharp as her knife... she thought for a moment. "I like being lonely. Means I don't have to get sad when somepony close dies again." "Pinkie, was-" "I told you, my name isn't Pinkie! It's Pinkamena!" Pinkamena suddenly snapped, jumping to her hooves and pressing her forehead close to Twilight, who jumped back a few steps at the sudden outburst. Everypony in the room had fallen silent and simply stared at the pair before slowly, unsure, returning to their conversations as Pinkamena shrunk back into her corner grumpily. "I'm sorry, Pinkamena..." Twilight continued. "Was that the reason you've been acting this way towards us all? Because somepony close to you died?" Pinkamena snorted and folded her hooves across her chest. "You wouldn't understand, Twilight; you've been holed up in your library the entire time. I had to take care of two innocent foals! TWO of them, Twilight! And they both...And now they're..." Pinkamena went from demonic anger to pitiful sadness in a heartbeat, and Twilight found herself holding the sobbing mare tightly, letting her spill her emotions (quite literally) into Twilight's chest. It's alright, Pinkie...We'll get through this with the power of friendship. Twilight thought hopefully. "Are you sure?" "Yes, your majesty. She has been active for nearly two days now." "And her friends?" "They are holed up in the Moon Castle still, and they've found the Cutie Mark Crusaders." "She's making excellent progress. Alert me if she ever leaves Ponyville or attempts to head for Canterlot." "Of course, your majesty." ... "You are quite the pony, Twilight Sparkle...Quite the pony indeed..."
Nightmares Not a sound melted into the library from the outside world as Twilight Sparkle slept quietly in her bed. Not a peep made its way through the boarded up windows and doors as Twilight Sparkle groaned in her sleep from a nightmare. Not a cry or a shriek of terror and death found itself past the magical barrier that surrounded the Ponyville Central Library as it began to flicker out. And an oblivious Twilight Sparkle shivered from her nightmare once more. "Twilight Sparkle." Princess Celestia said firmly. "I'm so sorry, I-" Twilight started as she turned to face the alicorn ruler. But it wasn't the fact that Celestia began speaking again that made Twilight stop. Instead, it was the fact that Princess Celestia's entire body was riddled with gashes, cuts, bruises, and missing chunks of flesh. Twilight suppressed a terrified scream when she noticed Celestia's coat had patches of fresh blood on it as well as missing a portion of her cheek. "You have a very special gift." Princess Celestia continued as if her current appearance did not impede her in any way. "I don't think I've ever come across a unicorn with your raw abilities. But you need to learn to tame these abilities through focused study." "Twilight Sparkle," the horrifying undead alicorn continued, her voice darkening and a hunger flashing in her eyes. "I'd like to make you my own personal meal here at the school..."
