Victor sighed softly, staring down into his coffee. "Another day survived. That's all that matters. Survive today. Get ready for tomorrow." He sipped from it, not caring about the heat or the bitter taste. It had been a long day, and he needed to get back up tomorrow and do it all again. "Any luck with your side of things?"

Luna flicked out her wings. "Yes, since you ask. I have managed basic contact, enough to inform them that we are safe. So far, at least. They have not yet discovered a way to return us to Equestria."

Victor sipped from his cup again, looking Luna over as he did so. "It must feel strange for you, used to magic, to be in a place where that doesn't come up." He leveled a finger at her. "It's useful, don't get me wrong, but it isn't making the zombies just turn around and leave or anything."

Luna nodded. "Yes. I am capable, and powerful indeed, yet the task before me is far too great. This is not a challenge I can overcome on my own, nor could Celestia." She noticed his confusion. "My sister. Equally skilled in the arts. Hm, together we might try something, but she isn't here. Do they come from some particular place?"

Victor slid to his feet. "I should get to bed. Started with the Knox Incident, but they're not coming from any one place. Everyone has a theory what it was, but nobody knows for sure. Maybe if we could find some survivors from the event." Victor walked away, still talking to himself. "But nobody from the event has shown up."

Luna cocked her head at Victor's words. "Hm." She slunk from the room in a different direction, seeking out a large tsuki looking out a dirty window. "Toby, a moment of your time?"

"Princess!" He turned and hugged her without delay. "How Toby help?"

"Toby, I want to talk a little more about this place." She nodded out the window. "You are strong, and you are fast. Perhaps you could scout the location where it began." She waved a hoof gently at him. "I'll go with you, in an instant if you wish, or remain here and wait."

Toby inclined his head, ears swaying with the movement. "Where look? Where start?"

Luna pointed off to a tower in the distance. "There, I think. That is the place called Knox." She shook her head. "No matter the distance, I can get us there, and back."

Toby held up his hands. "Toby fast. Toby quiet. Run. Not magic." He started making little running motions with his fingers.

Luna chuckled and bapped him on the shoulder with a hoof. "You are certainly that. Well, if you're certain you don't need my help..." She started to turn, only to pause. "You do mean jumping, rather than running, I imagine?"

Toby nodded. "Yes." He grinned wide, hopping from one foot to another, his tail flicking with eagerness. "I jump. Jump far. Run fast."

Luna nodded slowly, mulling the thought over. "Very well. I shall see if Victor will permit a mission to the site. You could learn something important about the source of all this, something that may help us all."

The sound of metal being banged on reached their ears. Toby looked back at the window, gasped, and reached for a road sign. The massive weapon fit easily in his hands as he turned his attention to the window. A clawed hand bashed against it from outside, and the glass cracked.

Toby leaped for the door, bashing his way out through a few of them with the force of the door and the weight of the tsuki pushing through it. He kicked it closed behind him and the sounds of battle were all Luna could hear to know Toby was doing his part.

Luna sighed softly. "May you live in interesting times," she grumbled to herself, shaking her head. She looked towards the door Toby had vanished through with clear hesitation. "Ah." She went to the window instead, where she could see Toby just as he was swinging the sign, catching a crawler right at the neck and beheading them in one savage attack.

A group of them rushed Toby from behind. Luna's magic flashed, striking them with a blast that lifted them from their feet. They came down, smoking, and ceased moving.

Luna watched through the dirty glass as Toby cut a swath through them with his chosen weapon, holding back the tide with some help from Luna whenever she saw one trying to get in from an undefended side. The attacks slowed, their numbers spent for the time being.

The door opened and Toby entered, panting, covered in sweat and blood. "All gone."

Luna nodded. "Well done. I shall speak with Victor on the morrow about the mission." She floated over a rag towards Toby. "To clean up, at least a little. You were quite the warrior. Even among such grim foes, you stood out."

Toby grinned at her, tail flicking back and forth. "Happy help." He began wiping himself off with the rag. "Like help princess. Like help new friends." He set the heavy road sign down and took the rag instead to try, in vain, to just rub himself clean. "Need bath." But there was no time for that during his patrol hours.

Luna nodded to Toby with a slight smile. "I like helping them as well. It seems the right thing to do. If this is truly an alien universe to us, it will be good for us to be kind." She angled an ear back. "I suppose that's true of any universe, really. Will you be safe, should I retire for the evening?"

Toby nodded. "Yes. Toby fine." He waved a hand towards the rest of the building. "Rest. Toby keep watch." He strode over and picked his weapon back up, watching the street outside.

Luna threw an arm over him in a parting hug before she slipped towards bed. On the way, she heard a soft whimper. In the kennel, she found Fluttershy treating one of the human's canine companions, who was looking quite unwell. "Fluttershy. Do you need anything?"

Fluttershy looked up at her, then shook her head gently. "No, I... I think he'll be alright now." She set the dog's leg down, allowing them to curl up as they wanted to. "It's a good thing we got those supplies when we did." She sat up, eyes on Luna. "This is a very sick world. Its creatures are suffering. Its critters are suffering. This place needs our help."

Luna nodded. "That's true. It may take more than the two of us to save it, but we can do what we can. We are not defenseless, and our kindness can stretch further than we know." She dared a little smile. "I will be seeing if we can do a mission tomorrow. By we, I mean Toby, to go fast and quietly and see if he can find the source of this. Surely any curse has a source. Right now, we only attack the symptom."

Fluttershy bowed her head gently. "I can't fight like you two, or Toby, but I'll do what I can."

Luna nodded gently. "Yes. You will. I have full faith in that." She placed her cheek against Fluttershy's, nuzzling it with hers gently. "I shall rest well, knowing you're looking out for us."

Fluttershy's wings spread with surprise. "O-oh! Luna, you're supposed to protect my dreams. Are you sure I can do the same for you?"

Luna snorted at that. "Knowing you and Toby stand vigil will give me pleasant enough slumber, I feel certain. Dreamwalking is a tool of my trade, but not the only means through which one can ensure peaceful sleep." She turned to look back at Toby, who was watching out from a window with quiet determination. "I must make a note to myself to find a way to repay your kindness one day. All of you."

Fluttershy hurried up to her. "It's no big deal, um." She fidgeted with her hooves. "It's not the first time I was called to, you know, save the day." She laughed weakly and forced. "It's a bit scary. It's a lot scary." She stepped from one hoof to the next. "But I'll do what I can."

Luna looked back to Fluttershy, nodding slowly. "We both will. Now, I must rest. Goodnight, Fluttershy." She turned and walked away, to where some beds were available.

She was out about as quickly as she could settle into one.

***

The next morning, Victor brought down a balled fist on a table, making it rattle from the impact. "You want to go out to Knox? Why? We've got enough problems on our hands just keeping this place safe." His eyes narrowed. "What are you after?"

Luna frowned at him from where she stood on the opposite side of the table, which had a map of the state on it, Knox highlighted in red. "We are playing defense. This issue will not be resolved if we do nothing but that. This curse needs to be lifted. The best way to do that is to find the source."

Victor sighed heavily, rubbing his temples with two fingers. "That isn't a great idea." He looked her right in the eyes. "You are sending your friend out to where they are thickest. Do you not care about him?"

"Of course I care about Toby. He is a dear and beloved friend, but every night or day he has to stand guard here is a risk. Every day we do nothing is a risk. There is nowhere in this cursed place that isn't one of those." She spread her wings. "I am offering an idea, not ordering a plan."

Victor nodded, his posture relaxing a little. "Fine. Fine." He gestured at Toby. "Can he get there in a day?"

Toby ran a hand down one of his ears. "Um." He looked at the map. "Where we? Where going? Here?" He pointed at the red spot.

Luna nodded gently. "Yes. That's where it started, they say."

Victor drove his finger down. "This is where we are." He traced out two lines. "It's only about sixty miles, if you head directly there. Do you think you can handle that?"

Toby did some quick calculations and nodded. "Yes. Fast, quiet. No fighting, only look. Only see." He turned towards Luna, looking down into her eyes. "I help?" The question was quiet and sincere.

Luna looked up at Toby, nodding slowly. "Toby, I believe in your skills." She went up for a full hug, returned eagerly. "Travel fast and quietly, as you said. Do not fight them unless you must to get away. I want you back here as soon as you can." Her head turned towards Victor. "Do I have your permission?"

Victor stared at her, his eyes narrowed and his arms crossed over his chest. "Fine." He waved a hand. "But let me tell you one thing. The closer you get to there." He pointed at the red. "The more will be crawling around. You're throwing yourself into the heart of things, and we won't be able to help you if it goes wrong."

"No." With the soft landing of padded feet and the tack of her claws, Angel joined the discussion. "No."

Victor laughed roughly at the arrival of the second tsuki. "Finally, someone with some reason."

Angel pointed at herself. "Not go alone."

Victor buried his face in a hand. "Oh come on!" His head raised and he threw his arms wide. "You're just going to keep this up, aren't you? Both of you?" He shook his head. "No, no way."

Luna smiled at the two. "They are safer together. If one is waylaid, the other can help them get free and continue. They are both just as fast and strong. I feel much better if the two get to stay close together. Friends watching one another's backs. What else could you ask for?"

Victor grumbled. "I'm pretty sure I could ask to not send my best warriors and defenders into certain death." He sighed roughly, gesturing at Toby and Angel. He deflated, sinking back onto a near-broken chair. "Look. You all aren't ours. I can't bark orders at you, at least and expect you to always listen. You have your heart set on this, fine. I've given all the warnings I can give. I can only hope you come back safe."

Angel hopped over to Victor, leaning down to nuzzle him gently. "Come back. Promise."

Victor laughed and patted Angel on the head. "Damn it. You bunnies are too cute to become zombie food, and if I have to shoot you because you are a zombie, that'll hurt me in ways I don't even know about yet." His head raised as he looked up into the eyes of the tsuki. "But you promise?"

Angel nodded firmly. "We promise. All of us."

Toby bobbed his head. "Yes. Go fast. Stay safe. Come back. Promise."

Luna nodded, smiling at Victor. "Princesses don't make promises we don't intend to keep, my good man. They're coming back." Her head turned to the two bunnies. "So, let us see you off on your way." She spread her wings and began leading the group from the building.

Toby was out first, followed by Angel. The two sniffed the air, faced the same direction, and were gone as they launched into the air with powerful thrusts of their feet off the ground.

Luna nodded at where they once stood. "And so that begins. With luck, they will return with something that gets us closer to solving this in a more permanent fashion." She turned to Victor. "While we wait, I will gladly take on extra guard duty to make up for their absence."

Victor chuckled and patted Luna's shoulder with one hand. "It's alright. We've got enough to handle it, and we'll just double-check the locks and bolt-holes." He grinned at Luna. "Got me hoping, a dangerous thing, but you give me hope."

Luna smiled back, her wings folding in behind her. "I'm glad you have a little hope again, Victor. We will help this place, or we will die trying." Her face fell slightly, a hoof gently stroking the door. "No matter which happens first, we can't let the zombies win. I won't see this place fall if I can do anything about it."

Victor nodded gently, reaching out and touching her shoulder with one hand, their eyes meeting. "I appreciate the thought, but let's survive the day. Let that be our focus, instead of throwing ourselves for any heroic final moments."

Author's Note

Knox, where it all started. Where it could all end? Luna seems to hope so.

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