Praeda Vinea infection

by DrabFelmore

Chapter 2: Bubbles

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Chapter 2

I awaken with heavy breathing, sweat pours from me as I look around my room. Taking a deep breath I slide out of bed and walk to the window seeing the moon still high in the sky. It's been a week since I moved into my new home and it still doesn't feel like home. Walking away from the window I head out of my bedroom, the clicking of my hooves on the crystal beneath me filling the empty halls. An eerie night glow shimmering through the crystals that make up the castle.

Making my way outside I am greeted by the cool night air running through my fur with the moist dew of night clinging to me. Stepping out I gently close the door behind myself. The streets of Ponyville are quiet, the only sound being of animals that come out at night. Taking in the atmosphere I walk the streets, allowing my fur and tense muscles to settle while my sweat dissipates.

I don't know how long I've been wandering but when I come back to reality it is due to the sound of quickly clipping hooves coming towards me.

“Princess.” The pony says in a masculine tone, turning my head I see a night guard with two Royal guards close behind.

“Guards?” I ask more to myself than to them but as they reach me they give a quick bow but quickly rise and speak.

“We require your help Princess.” the night guard says with urgency to his tone. His dark bat-like wings twitching and trembling.

“Help? What could possibly be causing issues you all can't solve?” I ask, hiding the slight unease I still have at being referred to as princess.

“It would be easiest for you to see. We have a pony at Ponyville general but the entire west wing has been locked down.” Hold on, did he just say the entire west wing? What the hay is going on? Feeling the urgency to this I give a firm nod pushing my discomfort at being seen as an authority figure aside.

Together we gallop as fast as possible to the hospital where I am met with guards boarding up all the windows on the west side of the building. The sight causes me to stumble as I gawk at what is happening. My mind swirls as I try to grasp what could possibly be the reason to do this. My fur stands on end as I near the building but as I do my nose is assaulted by the pungent odor of chemicals. Looking from the windows I look around and see a crew setting up tents and a crew spraying down the surrounding yard with what I can only guess is the chemicals I smell.

“What is going on?” I mutter as we reach the building where many guards stand on alert. One of said guards strides up to me, his face covered with armor but under it is white fabric covering every inch of his body and clear goggles cover his eyes.

“You'll need these Princess.” He says as he holds out a bundle of clothes and a pair of goggles like his atop them.

“What is going on in there?” I sternly ask getting a hesitant look from the guard who's stoic look falters.

“We… we don't know. You are the most knowledgeable pony besides Celestia and Luna and they are typically very busy in Canterlot.” Taking the clothes and goggles I start to get dressed in the outfit. I recognize it from experiments I've done in the past as a sterile suit. It keeps microscopic things out and away while also not letting anything the wearer has on them get out. A hint of nostalgia creeps up me but shaking myself I dispel it. The sound of a loud scream rips from the west wing causing me to jump, my body screaming at me to run. Gulping hard I listen as the scream dies down only to hear crashing and then everything to return to how it was.

I continue to get the sterile suit on but focus hard on the guard who shrikes back at my peircing eyes. “Some ponies came in due to cold like symptoms. The staff assumed it was the common cold but hitting everyone early. So they treated them but some staff got the same symptoms soon after.”

“That's not uncommon. That doesn't explain the scream that I just heard.” I sternly say with urgency to my voice. I need answers now!

“Right, well it happened when one of the patients reacted poorly. They have a phobia to needles and the doctors needed a blood sample. The patient went in to a frenzy they threw the doctor away and…” the guard has their voice hitch and catch in their throat as their eyes get a sheen to them. My heart since and I feel my mouth go dry.

“T-the patient escaped their room and that's when the garrison was informed. There were four killed… five wounded and the patient was stopped by someone who was sick. The thing is that the one who stopped the rampaging pony used some kind of supernatural strength.”

Supernatural strength? What in Equestria is going on? Finishing up putting the suit on I pull the goggles over my eyes. Taking a deep breath I look towards the hospital doors, what was once a warm and welcoming entry now fills me with an ominous and foreboding, looming dread.

“Since then the patient who stopped the rampaging pony has started to exhibit agitation and hostility. She isn't the only one though, others who were panic stricken by the events have started showing the same signs but… the one who stopped the rampage has now gotten black twig like growths sprout from them.”

“Twigs?” I whisper, my head spins from the amount of information being told to me. Everything being described is surreal. This all has to be a bad dream.

“Princess. We are ready to enter.” The guards who found me call out. Looking in their direction I see them all in the sterile suit but with their armor over top. They look ready to fight anything in there but if the details the guard here described then how much good is weapons and armor.

Turning we face the doors which the guards open and we all file in to the building. At first glance the building looks no different to how it usually does, the lights make seeing easy. However where there would be staff behind the front desk there is no one and to the left is a sheet of plastic hung to cover the hall to the west wing and on the sheet is a splatter of red liquid being scrubbed away by a guard in a sterile suit that I see through the plastic. Just seeing the red liquid and knowing fully what it is my stomach threatens to send me heaving.

Bile stinging in my throat but with all my willpower I swallow it back down. To my side a guard comes to me and places a hoof on my back. “Equestria needs you Princess.” Gulping I nod and take a deep breath. I need to be strong. I walk towards the plasticky and slip through a gapin the middle that acts as a door. Inside it is like an entirely different place, the walls and floor are ruined and a room has its door in shards. While a wall has a massive creator made in it as if something got thrown at the wall with great force. The sheen of liquid chemicals cover every surface. Guards work to clean and seem to be adding material to make the doors more sturdy.

They are taking no chances it seems. Following my guards they lead me to a room that has already finished being reinforced. “This is a room beside the patient who stopped the rampage. We have a viewing slot and a item transfer mechanism.”

“So you are keeping them caged like a rabid animal?” I ask anger and disgust in my voice as I look at the night guard who spoke.

“With all due respect Princess but that pony isn't healthy. I doubt these suits are actually keeping us safe. We must be as causious as possible when dealing with infected.” I open my mouth to rebuttal but faulters when I know full well the logic is sound… though I hate to admit it. Closing my mouth I turn my gaze back to the door. Using my magic I push the door open, going inside I am met by two guards already being inside pointing spears at me. Upon seeing me they raise their spears.

“Princess. Our apologies.” They say in tandem but I simply give them a nod and turn my head towards where light funnels in. A small slit that allows one to peer in to the room through fabric mesh. Walking up to it my curiosity prickles my neck, something new to study enticing me but also the grim reality of what said thing is making me sick.

Peering in I see a mare with a grey coat with a blond main and tail. I know immediately who this is and instantly know why the change was so noticable even to the guards. Ditzy Doo, or as others call her, Derpy. She is so kind and gentle only rivaled by Fluttershy. She delivers mail to all of Ponyville, everyone cares about her. But the guard said she has gotten aggressive and agitated. Looking closer at her as she lays on her hospital bed I notice small black twigs coming out of her hind legs.

“Hello, Ditzy?” I call out getting her attention as she turns to attention to me.

“Oh, hello princess Twilight. Have you come to free me?” Ditzy asks in her usual bubbly and cheerful voice.

“Not yet, I am-”

“Why not!” Ditzy snaps anger in her tone causing me to flinch. “Aren't you supposed to be the Princess of friendship? Not very friendly keeping me here!” Derpy jabs causing me to open my mouth to respond but my mouth doesn't make a sound for a few moments.

“Listen Ditzy. Something is going on with you and I fear you might be in danger because of it. Once it is solved you will be free.”

“Can I at least see my Daughter?”

“You will after-”

“Princess,” a guard says in a hushed whisper. “Miss Doo’s daughter… she is infected too.”

“Could her daughter be brought in. Her mood may stabilize if her Daughter is around.” I ask getting a hesitant nod from the guards as I'm left with the two who had been in the room. Turning back to Ditzy I smile slightly. “We are having her brought to you right now actually. Now while that is happening can you answer some questions for me.”

“I guess.” Ditzy says grumbling as she sits watching the door.

“So we have accounts you saved ponies from the rampaging individual. However after that it seemed as if you became more agitated. Can you explain why?”

“You have me in a isolation box!” Ditzy growls out as she bounces one of her hind legs on the bed.

“Alright. Can you tell me about the twigs, do you know what they are and if they hurt?” The sound of the door to Ditzys room opening can be heard but in milliseconds I see Ditzy get up in a flash, getting to the door just to launch through it. The sound of a scream comes from a child I can only assume is Ditzy’s daughter who then stumbles and shifts back in to Ditzy's room. Snapping out of my stunned state I throw open the door to the room I'm in only to see Ditzy with her moth clamped down on the neck of one of the guards who had gone to get her child. Behind Ditzy the other guards have their spears thrust in to her back but she doesn't seem to even care.

With a visceral and sickening crack the guard she has in her maw falls limp as their neck breaks. Letting him go she turns her gaze to me and I see her pupils are dilated to the point their iris isn't visible. Their muscled bulge and swell with every breath as heir veins pulse and wriggle under her skin. She steps towards me as I feel my breathing quicken faster and faster. I need to run, this is insane, Celestia… help me.

Ditzy takes another step but the guards pull her back with all their might. Growling she dreams out and tossed one aside like a bag of bits causing them to crash against the wall their armor folding in like a tinfoil can. Blood splattering out and pooling as they land on the ground dead. Without thinking I ignite my magic and unleash it on Ditzy hitting her square in the head but when I do her head is sent upwards causing her to be facing the ceiling. The next thing I know she is screaming as if in absolute pain and agony, facing down again she rubs her eyes as she wails. The guards take the opportunity and get their spears pointed at her head and with a firm thrust peirce through her skull.

Limp, dead. I… I caused… oh goddesses what have I done. I feel my senses go numb as I look at the carnage but as I do the night guard pulls his spear from Ditzy's skull with sickening sounds of bone and flesh. They turn their gaze to Ditzy's daughter in the room and I watch as their distant look turn in to one of cruel resolve. As they turn to the room I feel myself without fully thinking about it get in the way.

“Please move Princess.”

“What are you going to do?”

“We both know what will happen to that little girl now. It's best to have mercy now than to wait and risk other's lives.” He responds as I hear Ditzy's daught say her mother's name through sobs. Tears sting my eyes with every aching throb of my heart.

“She is a child. Not a monster.”

“When does that line get crossed Princess. When a good man dies!?” The guard barks out his question in retaliation. Looking me dead in the eyes he blinks hard a few times.

“We don't know if these are two different viruses or something like that.”

“Are you willing to risk that theory, what if we believe that only for her to attack you or anyone else suddenly?”

“I…” I start but faulters as I watch the girl crawl over to the body of Ditzy.

“Please mommy… get up. Don't leave too.” I feel my heart break multiple times over as I watch what is happening.

“... I can't.”

“I can.” The guard says as he looks at the girl too. “It's mercy.”

I can't… I can't decide something like this. There is no way I can. I think as I close my eyes and turn to the way we came in. Leaving I block any and everything out as I leave them to decide what happens. I leave the hospital and remove the sterile suit but as I do the one who gave me the suit tags along. We undress and I give him the suit back but as I do I hear a small sniffle come from him followed soon after by a cough but I pay it no mind. I don't want to think about anything right now… I just need Princess Celestia.


Author's Note

If you got here I am super happy you kept reading and please do keep reading and sharing round (keep reading if there are more chapter :D) It all helps.

tell me in the comments how you like this infection take. It's going to be a lottttt more complex than the cookie cutter stuff. Though yes it is cookie cutter ish rn there is more to it than what meets the eye.

again thank you and keep an ear out for any updates and stay amazing yall.

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