To Cure a Broken Heart

Chapters

When Friendship Turns
We'll Get Through This: Together
A Letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle (Part 2)
A Road to Disaster
Bite Marks and Bad Decisions
The Literary Labyrinth
A Letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle
A Loss of Words
A Princess' Response
Long Road Ahead
The Equestrian Outlaws
Ghouls and Monsters
Be There in a Flash
Rainboom Raiders
Canterlot
The Mall
A Path to a Cure
Canterlot Medical Center

When Friendship Turns

Sunset Shimmer leaned against her locker, listening to her friends laughing and chatting about the upcoming Friendship Games. After Principal Cinch was fired due to her… less than legal actions on the students of not only Canterlot High, but Crystal Prep Academy, (including her most prestigious student: Twilight Sparkle) Dean Cadence took her place. And while Cadence took the role of Principal, Shining Armor took the role of the Dean.

It was great for Twilight, considering after her transfer to Canterlot High, she had greatly missed not only her brother but she had also missed Cadence as well. The reunion would be amazing, considering Pinkie Pie was already prepping ideas for decorating the gymnasium.

“I can’t believe the Friendship Games are already here! We’re going to show Crystal Prep what we’re made of!” Rainbow Dash was already stretching, preparing for the games that were supposed to start today.

Applejack chuckled, “Yup! We’re gonna need all the teamwork we can get. Just like the time we faced off against those—uh, what were they called again? The Dazzlings?”

“Right! And we were so brave! Unlike, um, certain other creatures that needed a bit of… you know, extra help to defeat.” Rarity cleared her throat, taking a quick glance at Sunset before turning a cold shoulder.

Sunset blinked at the sudden implication, unable to ask her what she meant before Fluttershy ended up speaking for her.

“We’re not talking about that again, are we? She’s changed so much since then!”

“Oh. It’s about me.” Sunset mumbled.

“Yeah! But you went from being a scary demon to our amazing friend! It’s like a total glow-up!” Pinkie Pie was quick to hug Sunset, ignoring how she squirmed in her grasp.

“Thanks… I uh… appreciate it. But sometimes I wish we could just forget that part of my life…” Sunset mentioned, hoping it would imply she disliked the constant reminders.

“Come on, it’s just part of your story! You’re way cooler now! Like twenty percent cooler!” Rainbow Dash stood up straight after doing a hand-stand.

“I know, but sometimes it feels like that’s all people see when they look at me in the hallways…”

“But we see you for who you are now, that’s the important part.” Rarity replied.

“Mhm! We wouldn’t trade you for anything! Demon or not!” Applejack interjected.

Sunset cleared her throat, “Let’s just focus on winning the games, okay?”

As the Friendship Games progressed, excitement filled the air at Canterlot High, but after a while an unsettling tension began to creep its way inside. During the birdhouse making competition, Sunset noticed that some of their classmates were falling ill one by one, showing symptoms that ranged from mild fatigue to more alarming chills and dizziness.

While the competition raged on, a sense of unease settled over the school, including the faculty. After the birdhouse competition was finished, the staff called a “break” where students could chill out in the gymnasium and chat while they discussed the situation in private.

But as Sunset walked down the deserted hallway to head to the bathroom, she ended up catching a snippet of conversation from an open classroom room. Peering inside, she saw Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna of Canterlot High, and Principal Cadence and Shining Armor of Crystal Prep gathered in a tense huddle.

They looked… terrified almost. Sunset assumed the sickness was just a cold passing around, although the quick-spreading virus did seem to catch her off guard.

“We might have to consider canceling the games,” Principal Celestia began, her voice laced with concern. “I don’t know how much further we can let this go on… more and more students are getting sick.”

Vice Principal Luna nodded, her brows furrowed as she fiddled with the pens on one of the student’s desks. “Nurse Redheart informed me that students are exhibiting signs of hysteria, and it’s only getting worse. We need to ensure their safety.”

“How bad are we talking here?” Shining Armor asked, his eyes darting back and forth between Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna.

“The students may or may not need medical attention if it gets any worse.” Vice Principal Luna replied.

Sunset's heart began to race. The situation was much more serious than she had thought; it seemed that the competition could no longer be the focus, and the well-being of her friends and classmates took precedence. Determined to help, she knew she had to act quickly before things spiraled further out of control.

As Sunset hurried back toward the gymnasium, the weight of worry settled on her chest. The loud yelps and screams caused her to glance into the nurse's office… half out of curiosity and the other half out of fear. What she saw made her stomach drop.

Some of the students were laying down… sick and restless, but the school nurse struggled to hold down one of their classmates, who was thrashing violently. A few of the “not-so-sick” students tried to help, but the terror on their eyes was unmistakable. The student they were holding down looked completely unrecognizable. Their nose bleeding predominantly, eyes bloodshot, foaming at the mouth…

It was clear something was very wrong; this wasn’t just a case of a simple cold or the flu, but a deeper turmoil that was affecting her friends.

“No more distractions.” Sunset told herself, immediately running to the gymnasium.

As she shoved the gymnasium doors open, the cheerful chatter and laughter of her friends felt like a jarring contrast to the horror she had just witnessed. They were gathered in clusters, discussing strategies for the next event and sharing light-hearted jokes, seemingly oblivious to the possible chaos coming next.

Sunset's heart raced; she needed to warn them. “Guys, you have to listen! Some students are acting really strange—like they’re completely out of control!” she urged, but her friends exchanged puzzled glances, brushing her off with reassuring smiles.

“It’s probably just the flu going around, Sunset,” Pinkie replied, dismissively. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing we can’t handle!” Feeling increasingly isolated, Sunset’s insides twisted with dread. She knew something far more sinister was at play, and if they didn’t take it seriously, they could be next.

As the chattering continued, Sunset grew restless and frustrated.

“Shut the fuck up!” she bluntly yelled, startling both the students of Canterlot High and Crystal Prep all in one go. “I just saw Wallflower being held down by Nurse Redheart because she was thrashing around and acting like a feral raccoon. This shit isn’t normal, I’m telling you—”

“Not everything is a conspiracy. Chill out; it’s probably just a bad case of the sniffles!” Scootaloo shrugged.

“You really expect us to fall for this? Sounds like you’re just trying to relive your ‘bad girl’ days!” Applebloom joked, but it was obvious it wasn’t intended to be one.

“Bad girl days??”

“Yeah! Like when she used to be a big scary demon!” Sweetie Belle added.

“What?! No! I’m not lying I swear—!” a loud bang at the door behind Sunset snapped all of their attention… and for a split second the Cutie Mark Crusaders regretted their playful retorts. Sunset flinched as she turned to face the door. Reluctant, she stepped forward before yanking the doors open… but no one was there?

“Rah!” Flash Sentry suddenly popped out from behind the wall, scaring Sunset to the point she had landed on her back. Flash giggled before offering to help her up, but Sunset kicked his leg, causing him to fall onto the ground.

“Hey! Alright now calm down, Sunset. Him scaring you ain’t a big deal.” Applejack interjected. “And I ain't gonna sit here and watch you bash on him because everyone thinks you’re overreacting.”

“I-I don’t think she’s overreacting…” Fluttershy mumbled, but as Applejack glared at her, she squeaked and hid in her sweater.

“I’m not overreacting! I’m trying to warn you!” A few screams alerted the group again, but this time Sunset wasn’t falling for it. “Oh and what now, Flash? Got your little buddies to try to scare me again?” She crossed her arms.

“That’s not me.” Flash bluntly stated, causing Sunset’s eyes to widen as she tried to close the doors. Flash helped her, but the doors suddenly swung open as Bulk Biceps barged in.

At first it seemed like he was just doing it for show… like always, till Sunset noted the same symptoms that Wallflower had. Bloody nose, bloodshot eyes, foaming at the mouth… but Bulk was on all fours like a wild animal. Out of nowhere he charged at Sunset, but before he could reach her, a baseball bat suddenly smacked him in the head—hard enough to where Bulk had been completely thrown out of the gym.

When she looked up, Sunset realized Pinkie was the one who did it, her eyes wide with concern and terror as she shook. In a second, Sunset jumped up before slamming the door shut, watching as the others scrambled to grab anything to barricade the door.

Once it was safe, Sunset backed up and nearly began hyperventilating. “Do I look crazy now?!” She suddenly yelled, glaring back at the others, but as she saw their terrified faces, her expression softened. Now wasn’t time to prove a point… now was a time to survive.

Author's Note

New fanfic! I have big plans for this one and I really hope this one doesn't go on hiatus or end up getting cancelled. Please let me know if you like it or even have any ideas for future chapters!

We'll Get Through This: Together

“Is she…?” Sunset Shimmer barely got her sentence out when she stopped herself. No, there was no way. She couldn’t be dead—right? Maybe she was just sleeping.

But as Principal Celestia bent down in front of Vice Principal Luna’s body, brushing the hair from her face… Sunset could see light that left her eyes. She was gone.

“She was bit by… by Principal Cadence.”

“And you had to…”

Celestia finally turned to her, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I wish it weren’t true, Sunset. She fought so bravely… we tried to hold the line, but there were too many…” Her voice faltered, and as she began to sob once again, Sunset approached.

“I never got to tell her how much she meant to me.” Sunset’s throat tightened as she spoke, “She always had my back, even when I was at my worst... even when everyone else was against me. And now she’s—now she’s…” Sunset paused.

“I’m sorry, sister.” Celestia mumbled before pressing a minute kiss to her forehead. “You may rest now.”

Sunset sat at one of the desks, fiddling with a ruler on top of the desk. After leaving Celestia a moment to mourn, Sunset stood and began to pace around the front of the classroom, “I can’t believe this is even happening—what is going on? Is it a disease? Some magical virus... maybe? Although, I guess that wouldn't make sense. Do you think—” Sunset stopped for a second, finally getting an idea. “We need to get to my locker.”

Celestia glanced back at Sunset, who was already trying to leave the classroom. She pulled Sunset back inside before closing the door firmly. “Sunset… it’s not safe out there, we can’t just—”

“Look, my journal is in my locker. If I can just write a letter—something—to Twilight Sparkle, maybe… just maybe she can help us.” Sunset tried to wiggle past her again, but Celestia held her back.

“This is nothing like when you or your friends pony-up, Sunset. This is serious, people are dying.”

Sunset’s hand slid off the door handle, but as Celestia sighed and apologized, Sunset looked down. “Please… just let me try.” When she finally met Celestia’s gaze again, Celestia reluctantly nodded.

As they navigated the now dimly lit corridors of Canterlot High, the floors and walls now stained of blood and other bodily fluids. The memories of old laughter and friendship felt like ghosts haunting the school, but they couldn’t dwell on loss now. The journal was their lifeline, a bridge to hope, and they were willing to risk everything to retrieve it.

“My locker is just down this hall,” Sunset whispered, glancing nervously past the corner of the hall and into classrooms–closing the doors to keep themselves from getting caught off guard. “If I can get my journal, I might be able to reach Princess Twilight and get some help. Maybe she can then reach Princess Cele—” Sunset paused as she looked back at Celestia. She shrugged afterwards, “Well, you get what I mean.”

As the two finally reached Sunset’s locker, she began fiddling with the lock before grumbling as she struggled to open it. Why were these things so hard to open? Always broken…

“Sunset…”

“I know, I know. Of course the one time I actually need this shit, I can’t get into my stupid locker. Why do they make these locks so complicated? Why can’t we just have a key? I mean, I know, pick-lockers… but this is a school not a military base.” Sunset took a break in her words, “Military base… that’s not a bad idea.”

“Sunset.” Celestia said more firmly, causing her to glance back at her. When Celestia motioned to the end of the hall, Sunset gulped and began twisting the lock more vigorously. Down the hall, a group of the infected stumbled around the corner, fortunately unaware of the two healthy treats ahead of them. Which didn’t seem to last that long. “Sunset!” Celestia yelped as one of them began charging.

“I got it!” The locker swung open, slamming against the unsuspecting student—or well.. zombie. Sunset jumped before peering past the door, realizing what happened. She winced, “Sorry.” but as a few more began running at them, Sunset grabbed her journal and ran with Celestia down the other side of the hall.

Celestia yanked her into a classroom, slamming the door shut before pulling a few desks against the door, all while Sunset moved through the cabinets and drawers of the classroom to find a pen.

“That should hold them…” Celestia mumbled before turning to face Sunset, “Do you think this will work?”

“It has to.” Sunset replied, immediately moving to write the letter once she found a working pen.

But after hours… upon hours… upon hours… no response seemed to appear. Sunset tossed the pen aside in frustration, ignoring how the setting sun beamed down on her face through the blinds. She plopped her head into her knees and began to sob.

Celestia gently pulled the curtains over the window, allowing Sunset’s eyes to slightly readjust to the lighting. She sat beside her before brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Sunset…? It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay. I don’t understand what’s going on, and Twilight is probably too busy being a Princess to even bother looking at this stupid journal!” Sunset threw the journal across the room, flinching as it thumped against the ground.

“We’ll get through this, Sunset. Together.” Celestia wrapped her arm around her.

“You’ll never leave me right? Promise you’ll never go.” Sunset sobbed, curling up against Celestia’s chest.

“I promise.”

A Letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle (Part 2)

Hey Twilight,

I know this journal doesn’t work anymore, but I guess it keeps me from losing my mind out here; knowing you’re out there, hopefully reading this… it helps. I guess you did end up getting my first letter. Sending Discord, it was a smart idea. But… Discord’s gone. The infection got to him, but I don’t think I’ll ever find out how. You’d think he’d be able to avoid such a thing, but I guess none of us really knew what was happening in the first place. So I doubt he knew too.

This isn’t the end; not even close. Entire cities were lost to the plague of the infected, leaving millions left to rot. Canterlot, Manhattan, Las Vegas, all of it was gone. I still don’t know how it started, where it came from, or who Patient Zero actually was. Although the infected still exist, and the disease is still spreading, things seemed to go quiet after a while. Our friends banded together again, and began a trading route between both the Rainbooms and the Outlaws. Yeah, humanity was devastated, but in the end… survived.

If you can fight, fight. Stay alive, survive. But don’t ever forget to live.

I know your world is still left untouched, and maybe one day I can finally come back to see you if magic finds a way, but I won't mind if I never get the chance to. I may not have what I want, but I have what I need. In the end I really did find what I was looking for: friendship. It’s its own magic after all, right?

Stay cool Princess of Friendship,

Sunset Shimmer.

A Road to Disaster

“I got it working!” Twilight exclaimed, startling Spike from his slumber.

“Jeesh, Twilight… don’t you think it’s a little too late for this?” Spike rubbed his head, considering he had fallen off of the bed.

“Not quite, Spike. It’s been moons since Discord left, and I’m not about to let Fluttershy worry any longer. I’ll get in here myself to see what’s really going on!”

“Maybe he’s enjoying it there…” Spike snuggled into the bed again.

“Fine, stay here. I’ll be right back!”

As Twilight entered the portal, she was thrown out as a human. She stuck her tongue out in disgust as she stood up on her two legs. She still wasn’t exactly used to the whole human situation… considering it had also been quite some time since her last visit.

Twilight glanced around, noticing the school ahead was empty and bleak. “Discord? Sunset? Anypony there?” Twilight bit the inside of her cheek as she took a few steps ahead, looking around before spotting a familiar friend of hers. “Discord! There you are! I’m assuming you got the situation handled? Although I guess that also brings up the question—” Twilight stopped, her eyes narrowing as she looked at him.

He didn’t… look like himself. He looked sickly, and there were open and half-closed wounds on his head and back.

“Discord?”

If the snarls weren’t enough to signal the flight or fight response, Discord charging at her did.

She entered the portal yet again, and the moment she got her pony-self back, she tried as hard as she could to close it. But just seconds before she could, her old friend followed.

Twilight hid behind a few overturned tables with Spike, hyperventilating slightly as Spike tried to calm her down.

Nothing worked.

But as a deep growl caught her attention, Twilight glanced up at Discord. Drool and blood dripped from his mouth, and as she gasped…

he pounced.

Bite Marks and Bad Decisions

The gymnasium felt like a fortress, although less like a sanctuary and more like a crowded zoo… but they were the animals this time around. The students used anything they could find as a form of barricade: benches, floor mats, even the old crates where the sports equipment would be shoved in.

“Please… please pick up, please.” one of the Crystal Prep students mumbled beneath her breath, begging for an answer. When the answering machine picked up, she left a message: “Mom? Please call me back… I-I don’t know what’s going on. Something happened at Canterlot High during the Games… the students… they’re…” the dial tone cut her off, leaving her to weep as a few of her friends began comforting her.

“Sunset?” as she turned to face the voice, she realized it was Applejack. “Look… I’m uh… I’m sorry I said those things to you. I shouldn’t have thought you were lying… I guess it just seemed too—”

The edge of her lip curled slightly as Sunset placed her hand on her shoulder, “It’s okay. I… I know if I were in your shoes, I probably wouldn’t have believed me either.” Sunset moved her hand before fiddling with her fingertips. “How’s Pinkie Pie?”

“She’s uh…” Applejack let out a sigh as she looked over at the fidgeting pink-haired girl, “She’s still a little shaken up. No doubt as to why… she practically bashed Bulk Biceps' head in.”

“Well… he’s still alive, if that helps.”

“I think that’s the problem. How strong are those fuc–” Applejack glanced at Applebloom in the corner before clearing her throat, “How strong are those things? Is it just because it’s Bulk Biceps or are they all practically invincible?”

“I don’t know.” Sunset let out a nervous laugh, “The image is definitely not helping. I’d rather assume they’re weak than realize they’re stronger than all of us combined.”

“What about Principal Celestia? Vice Principal Luna? Do you think they—” Applejack stopped when Sunset immediately looked up at her, fear painted on her face. “I… I’m sure they’re okay.” Applejack finished that thought before it could scare her as well.

Trying to navigate through this without an adult’s help was scary, sure, but to even think that Principal Celestia or even Vice Principal Luna turned? That was horrifying. But before Sunset could even try to continue the conversation, a sudden bang caught their attention.

“They’re trying to break in!” Flash gulped, immediately running to hold the doors shut. A few other students helped, but as the doors swung open for a split second, Sunset ran over to slam the doors shut once and for all. “Fuck… that was close.” he murmured, but as he looked at the other student who helped… “Sunset…” Sunset glanced over. It was Bon Bon. She held the door shut but something was different.

Her leg.

“Bon Bon…?” Sunset whispered eerily, glancing at the scratch on her leg. Flash moved to grab a weapon, but Sunset stopped him. “Maybe scratches are different… We don’t know how this virus spreads yet.”

“It has to be airborne… we can’t risk anything, Sunset. You saw it: those kids were getting infected left and right. She has… she has to leave.”

“L-Leave? What? No! I’m fine, i-it’s just a scratch!” Bon Bon begged, glancing back at Lyra who immediately came to her defense.

“Are you seriously suggesting we throw her out to those monsters? What is wrong with you?! She’s fine! It’s just a scratch!” Lyra’s yelling caught the attention of everyone else in the gymnasium.

Flash scoffed, “So you’d rather let us all get infected because of her? How do we know she’s not?!”

“Flash. Shut up.” Sunset scolded. “Think about it for a second, that’s her girlfriend! I’m not separating them because you’re scared. We’re all scared. Can we please not turn on each other because of it?”

“And what do you call that?!” Flash motioned to Bon Bon. Her nose was bleeding, and she began to panic.

“What? N-No.. I’m okay, I swear! Why are you looking at me like that… please—please stop! Make it stop!”

Sunset didn’t want to think she was infected, and instead of making a harsh decision, she ran over before wiping the blood off her nose. “It’s okay. You’re okay.” Sunset tried to comfort her, but Bon Bon shoved her back. Flash caught her before she could hit the ground before shoving her behind him.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry.” Bon Bon began to cry, “Why are you laughing at me? I’m sorry… I don’t want to hurt you!” She began hitting her head, her eyes slowly going bloodshot. When she suddenly lashed out at Sunset, Flash dragged her into the middle of the gym before rushing to grab a weapon on the other side.

As Bon Bon’s originally kind self turned into a feral exterior, the students and Sunset were horrified. Not only did the others panic and scream, but they cried as well. When Bon Bon pounced onto Sunset, she held her arms length away, trying to kick or shove her off.

The frantic movements stopped as Bon Bon was suddenly hit off of Sunset. She assumed it was Flash, but as she watched Bon Bon get repeatedly hit… she looked up and realized it was Lyra. Tears poured down her face, but adrenaline kept her going.

“Are you okay?” Flash asked, dropping his own weapon before reaching to help Sunset up. When Lyra finally stopped, Sunset took a small step forward before trying to comfort her.

“L-Lyra—?” but as she flinched and squirmed away, Sunset pulled back.

“Don’t touch me!” Lyra fell to her knees before cradling Bon Bon’s body. “I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry…” she sobbed. “This is your fault!” she suddenly yelled, glancing up at Sunset before looking back down at the corpse in her hands. “Oh, Bon Bon…”

Sunset gulped at the blame. If anything, she had tried to defend Bon Bon… So how was this her fault? She took a step back before moving to sit on the bleachers at the other side of the gym. The other students were shuffled into one corner, so she sat on the empty side. Her leg began to bounce, and she began picking at her nails and scratching the back of her hand.

“S-Sunset…” Fluttershy snapped her out of it as she sat beside her, “are you okay?” she added, but she knew Sunset was far from it.

“No.” Sunset bluntly replied.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean it.” she mumbled, referring to how Lyra said it was her fault. “She’s just…”

“Mourning. I know, but thanks for trying to make me feel better.” Fluttershy remained silent for a bit before pulling Angel out of her backpack, using him as a comfort tool. Before she could speak up, Sunset added: “We need to find a way out of here. We can’t stay in this place, not while they’re breathing down our necks.”

“But how? The exits are boarded up…”

Sunset glanced up at the windows on the other side of the gym, eight or so feet above the tallest bleacher. “Not all of our exits.”

Author's Note

Things are getting a bit more complicated... and personal in this freight train. People are already losing their loved ones, and now are losing their own minds.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Was definitely not my favorite to write, as I did not want to separate Bon Bon from Lyra... but drama is going to be a continuous topic in this story, so expect to see more.

The Literary Labyrinth

“So while Rainbow Dash, Spitfire, and I go out to find help… I want you in charge.” Sunset ordered as she grabbed the fire axe from Flash.

“Me?”

“Yes. You. I’d put someone else in charge but you’re not afraid to make decisions that… may seem too harsh to others.” Sunset looked down as she remembered how she defended Bon Bon, who turned out to be infected.

“Listen… there’s no other way that situation could have gone. Regardless she’d…”

Sunset nodded, “I know. I know I couldn’t have done anything, but I feel like I could’ve tried.”

Flash sighed, deciding to change the topic, “So what’s the plan for you guys then?”

“The library is the closest place we can enter from the outside. It’s a staff-only door, but Spitfire says she has the key—for some reason. If not, I guess we always have this.” Sunset glanced at the axe in her hands. “Point is, Miss Cheerilee should be in there. I don’t know if this has spread any further than here, but maybe she’s okay.”

“I hope she is.” Flash mumbled before sighing and hugging her. Sunset stiffened slightly, shocked by the sudden action. “Stay safe.”

“Right—of course.” Sunset finally squirmed out from his grasp, “Thanks.” She fiddled with her hair till Rainbow Dash spoke up.

“Are we going or what?” Rainbow Dash pried the window open while Applejack and Spitfire held the ladder still.

“Yeah, I’m coming.” Sunset jumped past the multitude of bleachers to reach the ladder, and as Rainbow Dash hopped down, she bowed and motioned to the ladder.

“Ladies first.”

Sunset scoffed before climbing up, moving her legs over the edge before glancing back at the group. “Stay safe. All of you. We’ll be back soon.” Sunset then slid down the rope they had thrown down earlier, and as her shoes dropped onto the grass, she sighed. The breeze moved through the trees, the birds sang, and for a split second it seemed like what happened earlier was just a fever dream.

When Rainbow Dash and Spitfire dropped down, Rainbow Dash gulped. “Wow… it looks like nothing’s even changed.” Sunset glanced over, her eyes darting between the two before she inhaled sharply.

“We have to find Miss Cheerilee…” Sunset urged, moving forward on the outskirts of school grounds and towards the library.

“Do you think she’ll actually be there? Maybe she fled with the other teachers.” Rainbow Dash suggested.

“I don’t know, but we have to try to find someone… anyone.”

“Couldn’t we just call 911 and wait for help?” Spitfire interjected.

“Anytime we’ve tried it goes straight to dial… Phone lines must be down, or something.” Sunset shrugged as she made her way to the staff-only door, motioning to Spitfire to hand her the keys.

Rainbow Dash glanced at the telephone poles near the street, which seemed to look fine. “Are you sure? They look fine to me.”

“Let’s just focus on this first, then we’ll worry about the phones.” Sunset finally unlocked the door, “Alright, we’re in. We should stick together. Who knows if those things are in here too.” Sunset nudged the door open, revealing the seemingly untouched library, but that only gave it a more eerie feeling.

“Miss Cheerilee?” Sunset called out, albeit quietly. As they moved past the aisles of bookshelves, their shoes muffled by the carpet, they huddled together and held their weapons tight to their chests.

“Miss Cheerilee!” Rainbow Dash yelled, causing Sunset to drop her axe and immediately muffle her. A groan caught their attention, and as Sunset kept her hands pressed on Rainbow Dash’s mouth, she glanced at the figure walking into view.

“Miss Cheerilee..!” Sunset let her go, grabbing the axe and moving towards her, “We—we need your help! Something’s happened and we— we…” Sunset stopped for a second as Miss Cheerilee seemed to struggle to walk.

Spitfire stepped forward, holding the plastic ruler she had sharpened into a make-shift dagger. “That’s not Miss Cheerilee.”

“What? It obviously is.” Rainbow Dash motioned to her, “She’s just…” as she turned around, Rainbow Dash immediately took back her statement, “Nope. That’s not her.” Rainbow Dash quickly held up her baseball bat, ready to smack the shit out of her if need be.

But as Miss Cheerilee charged, Sunset used her axe to stop her—only for the steel to nearly split her head in two. Sunset gasped, holding herself still as she suddenly went limp—taking the axe with her as she fell to the ground.

Sunset gasped, hyperventilating as she glanced down at the teacher she used to respect. “I just killed someone…” she mumbled.

“Something.” Spitfire corrected, “It wasn’t her anymore.”

“Oh my god, I killed someone.” she continued to mumble, but as Spitfire tried to interject, Rainbow Dash stopped her.

“Sunset… Sunset, it's okay.” she tried to comfort her, rubbing her back before moving to wipe the blood that sprayed on her face. “Sunset…”

She squirmed away from her, stepping over her body before walking off. Sunset had no clue where she was going, but she wasn’t about to stand there and look down at a defiled corpse.

Rainbow Dash and Spitfire tried to yell at her to stop, but as she swung the doors open and entered the hallway, they quieted down.

Sunset’s eyes watered as she walked down the hall, her eyes glued to the floor that used to be a pristine white, but was now coated in half dried and half fresh blood. She ignored the screaming calls of the infected, but as someone suddenly yanked her into a classroom, she snapped out of it.

Her mouth was covered. She squirmed and yelped, and as the door shut behind her, she wiggled herself out of the stranger’s grasp. She turned around, albeit a bit too quickly as she had immediately fallen to the ground, only to see Principal Celestia scrambling to help her up.

“Sunset Shimmer—! Oh my god, I’m so happy to see you. Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?” she examined her body for any bite marks or scratches, but as she looked back up at her, she saw her terrified expression. “Sunset—”

Principal Celestia flinched as Sunset abruptly hugged her, gasping as tears streamed down her cheeks. After a second, she began to sob, leaving Celestia to try to comfort her.

“I killed someone, Celestia.” she sobbed. “I killed Miss Cheerilee.”

“Shh… shh, it’s okay. It’s okay. I got you.” Celestia hushed her, rubbing her back and mumbling soothing phrases to try to calm her.

“Are you mad at me?” Sunset desperately asked. It seemed like a stupid question, but Sunset could barely think straight to begin with.

“No, no. I could never be mad at you. You did what you had to… It’s okay.” Celestia began to cry as well, “I.. I know—I know you would never do that—if you could have…” Sunset’s tears began to falter as she glanced up at Celestia, watching her former Principal sob right before her eyes.

And then she saw it. In the back of the room lay a body. And as soon as she saw it, she recognized the figure. Vice Principal Luna… her sister.

She had to kill her sister.

Author's Note

I made a very harsh decision in this chapter and it's a decision I'm not exactly proud of, but like I said: drama.

A Letter to Princess Twilight Sparkle

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

How are things going in Equestria? Is Discord still annoying like you’ve told me a few days ago, or has he gotten better? Is it as it’s always been: busy and overwhelming? I guess that last part was mainly a joke for myself… especi~~ally back in Canterlot when~~—

Point is, something bad is happening here. It’s not like the Dazzlings or even when your… second self decided to steal our magic for “research purposes”... and it’s not like when, yours truly, was a bit of a hassle either: “demon girl” bullshit that everyone reminds me about.

We all played it off like a cold, or at least some of us tried to. I kind of knew something was off from the start; they all thought I was losing my mind or pulling some prank. I feel like Rainbow Dash would pull that type of “zombie horror film” stunt. Let me stop rambling…

They’re killing each other, Twilight. And I’m not putting that in as an overstatement to get you to run to our aid. They’re… dying. Twilight we’ve lost so many people already: Miss Cheerilee, Vice Principal Luna, Wallflower, Bulk Biceps. I don’t know how far this virus goes but I do know one thing for certain: I need your help.

Or anyone for that matter—or I guess I should say anypony.

Hey…? Nothing bad is happening there too, right? You’re just busy being a Princess, right? I know our worlds are kind of synced up but I… I don’t know if it's magic or a real virus and it’s scaring me.

Please get back to me soon.

Your friend, Sunset Shimmer.

Author's Note

Here's the letter Sunset Shimmer ended up sending to Twilight (I'd have added it to the other chapter but I feel like it needed its own little area)

A bit shorter than the others but that's because I didn't want the letter to be too long and I want the next chapter to be (hopefully) a bit longer than 1.5k or around that mark again.

Things are getting complicated in Sunset's world, and things will get worse.

A Loss of Words

“If we get back to the gymnasium, we might be able to try to steer everyone in a, hopefully, safe direction. And maybe you being there will let them regain some source of comfort.” Sunset said, pulling a backpack off from the ground and filling it with some things that could possibly come in handy later. Like tape, Band-Aids: even if they were kid variants with colorful ponies on it… which was somewhat ironic, and an emergency kit from the back of the room.

The two had slept through the night, but if the others were lucky, the gym would be in the same state as Sunset left it. And once they saw how willing Sunset was to put herself in danger for the rest of the group, maybe they’d start forgetting about her stupid old self once and for all.

Not that this was about her, nor was she helping to prove a silly little point, Sunset just wanted the school to see she wasn’t just a bully anymore… She cared about all of them, even those who hurt her—and those she hurt too. Nobody deserved what she went through, but nobody deserved what she put them through either.

“I suppose they’ll need some sense of wisdom in this state of horror.” Celestia threw Sunset out of her thoughts as she helped her gather some things, even moving to grab her journal from the ground. Slowly, Celestia handed it to Sunset, causing her to smile.

“Thanks…” she began, putting the journal into her backpack before finally zipping it up. “I really hope Twilight is just busy with other things, rather than dealing with a different type of virus in her universe.” Celestia looked at Sunset with a sense of confusion, but she narrowed her eyes as if she was trying to understand. “Right, you’re still new to the whole… other world thing. Let’s just worry about sticking together and getting to the gym.”

But as the two finally headed out, moving through the strangely enough clear hallways and dodging obstacles, they reached the gymnasium doors. Sunset was reluctant before she knocked on the doors, realizing they may still have them boarded up.

“They’re probably too afraid to let anyone in…” Celestia mumbled, but that didn’t stop Sunset.

“Guys?” Sunset began, “It’s me! I’m back, and I brought some help!”

No response.

Sunset looked puzzled for a second before moving to pry the doors open, but she didn’t even need a second's worth of strength. The doors moved open with no problem… but there was one tiny little detail that seemed to be missing: Everyone was gone.

“What?” Sunset ran forward, looking around. Maybe they hid somewhere? But as she ran to the storage area and crawled onto the stage to peek in the far corners backstage, Sunset was completely bewildered. She walked past the curtains and onto the stage. “I don’t understand… they–they were just here, I swear!”

Celestia moved to help her down, “Perhaps they’re hiding..”

“I looked everywhere!” Sunset snapped, “They’re gone and—oh my god what if they’re all dead? The doors aren’t barricaded and the windows are wide open!” Sunset began to sob, “Oh my god, they’re all gone.”

“Sunset, look at me. There’s no blood.”

Sunset calmed herself down for a second before looking around. No… that wasn’t right. There was blood—but where Bon Bon’s body would have been… if it was there. Oh god… what if she wasn’t dead? What if she came back to life, throwing them all in a panic?

Sunset placed her hands on her knees, gasping for air despite not overexerting herself. She stood there wide eyed for a second till her eyes began to water once again. She began to sob, falling to her knees as she looked for any sign that they were okay.

“Sunset… we can’t stay here. We have to leave.”

“But where will we go? We don’t know where they are, and we sure as hell didn’t get a fucking clue.” Sunset wiped her tears with the back of her hand, sniffing before wiping the snot sliding down her lip.

“We’ll find someplace… someplace south. Out of the city. You and me. When this thing blows over, we can try to find your—our friends.”

“Really?” Celestia nodded before helping Sunset up.

“I made you a promise, didn’t I? We’ll get through this. Me and you. Together.” Celestia hugged Sunset, kissing her forehead before pulling her along. “Let’s get out of here.”

The two ran out into the yard, moving quickly towards the parking lot. It looked like a wasteland. Some vehicles looked completely busted, while others were covered in blood both inside and out. Tires slashed, and not to mention the smell and the obvious bodies of those who didn’t make it, or those who were the reason why.

“Maybe it did spread further than here…” Sunset mumbled, glancing over at Celestia who shared the same look of worry.

“It’s fine—it’s fine.. we’ll uh… we’ll take that.” Celestia pointed ahead at the school bus, immediately running to enter it. As soon as the doors swung open, a blood-vomiting zombie snarled at her. Celestia gasped before using the fire extinguisher to bash the zombie’s head in. Repeatedly.

Sunset gulped, watching her former Principal hold nothing back as she continued to beat it senseless. “I… think it’s dead.” Sunset cleared her throat.

Celestia looked back at her before nodding, “Right.” She dropped the fire extinguisher before walking down the aisle, checking the seats for any more of those things or hopefully survivors.

“Remind me to keep you on my team…” Sunset closed the doors after dragging the body out, not wanting to risk it coming back to life.

After realizing the coast was clear, Celestia moved to sit in the driver's seat. She looked at the controls a bit dumbfounded before sighing and shaking her head.

“You know how to drive a bus?” Sunset asked.

“Uh… no, but none of these other cars will do and I suppose I can learn now.” Celestia turned it on before grabbing the wheel. “I’m sure it’s easy.”

Sunset gripped onto the seat. This will probably end well. Which was a bit of an overstatement considering half of the time it was Celestia not knowing she had to turn the wheel 360 degrees to make a hard left. So when they inevitably slammed into a light pole, Sunset cleared her throat.

“Right. Easy.”

Celestia narrowed her eyes before glaring back at her. “Thanks, Sunset, for your input.”

“You’re welcome.” Sunset retorted till her eyes widened, “You should probably back up now—” but as soon as she said it, Bulk Biceps slammed into the front of the bus, causing Celestia and Sunset to yelp. Quickly, Celestia put the bus in reverse and backed up, all while turning the wheel to center herself correctly on the road.

When a thunk caused them to stop, Celestia gasped, “What did I just hit?”

“Uh… nothing…” Sunset called out before mumbling to herself, “Just a child.”

“What?!” Celestia flipped her head to look back at Sunset, who was now at the back of the bus.

“Oh wait… it’s an adult. And they’re back up, hallelujah.” Sunset deadpanned.

“Sunset!” Celestia growled, definitely not appreciating her joking—albeit dark—nature right about now.

“Well you could either yell at me or drive forward!” Sunset spat back, immediately moving towards the front of the bus—only to get thrown into one of the seats as Celestia turned. “Hey—!” Sunset tried to tell her to slow down, but Celestia just kept driving… and turning. “You can go straight! That’s a direction too!”

“Don’t blame me, half of the roads are blocked off!”

“Drive through it! We’re in a fucking bus!”

“Oh…” Once she gained that little bit of knowledge, she rammed into a vehicle that had been blocking the road, only for Sunset to nearly have the wind knocked out of her as she slammed against the seat ahead of her.

“Warn me before you—”

Celestia interrupted her, “You just told me to drive through it!”

“A little heads up would be nice too!”

“Don’t yell at me—I’m not good under pressure!”

Sunset finally regained her footing in the aisle before narrowing her eyes at Celestia’s admission, “That’s a little ironic… don’t you think?” After Celestia harshly turned once again, Sunset was suddenly tossed into one of the seats. After a few seconds, the bus stopped.

“Did you wear your seatbelt?” Celestia asked through her ragged breaths.

“Of course, but it’s invisible.” Sunset squirmed in the tight space, trying to pull herself off the ground and into the seat.

“What?”

“No.” Sunset groaned, her now messy hair flinging over her face as she sat up. “School buses don't have seatbelts."

“Right… right.” Celestia cleared her throat, rubbing the wheel as she then looked back at Sunset, “Are you okay?”

“We might need to fix our driving arrangements. Like for instance: I call dibs on driving next.”

“Yeah… yeah that might be a good idea.” Celestia turned back to the wheel, watching as people ran past the bus and debris to avoid the infected. “It really is the end of the world, isn’t it?” Celestia gulped, watching as they tried to steer clear, but some were unfortunate.

As someone tried to enter the bus, Celestia tried to move to open the door, but Sunset leaned over the seat before gently grabbing her shoulder, holding her back.

After, Sunset elaborated, “I watched that one… she was bit.”

“Sunset… She's a child.” Celestia’s eyes watered, watching as she tried to get in.

“I know.”

Celestia looked away as the girl was taken by a stranger, who wanted to help, only to get bit by the now turned girl. “I can’t do this, Sunset.”

Sunset’s heart dropped, “What do you mean?”

“I can’t just… watch these people die… I have to help.” Celestia grabbed her bag before mumbling, “I’m sorry.”

“What? Principal Celestia, what are you—!” Sunset hopped from her seat as Celestia left the bus, immediately placing a plank over the handles. “Celestia!” Sunset screamed, banging her hands on the door before glancing at the infected that were running her way. “Get back on the bus, now!”

“Stay safe, Sunset.”

“Celestia! Stop—no please! What about your promise?!” Sunset tried to open the doors, but it was no use.

“I’ll go to the city, I’ll find out what’s happening, and I swear—I swear I’ll be back for you. Go South. When things calm down I’ll find you. I promise.” Celestia placed her hand on the glass, letting out a small smile before quickly running down the street.

“Celestia!” Sunset tried to kick the door open, but as one of the zombies began pounding on the door, Sunset gasped and jumped back. She ran to the front window, watching as Celestia continued to run through the crowd and towards the city. “Celestia!” Sunset desperately banged on the window, begging for her to come back… but she never did.

As the glass behind her began to break, Sunset snapped out of her hyperventilation and moved to the wheel. As a few of the infected crawled inside, Sunset honked the horn before driving through the dispersed crowd. The abrupt speed allowed the zombies to fly out of the bus, and as Sunset was tempted to follow Celestia, who was still running, Sunset yelled before turning the wheel.

“Fuck!” Sunset screamed, sobbing and trying to wipe her tears as she turned the bus the other direction.

After the bus slowed down and came to a halt, miles from the city and town they lived in… Sunset slammed her hands repeatedly on the wheel before burying her head on top of it. The horn blazed, but she didn’t care.

Miss Cheerilee, Vice Principal Luna, her best friends, fuck—even Flash, and now Celestia? All of them were gone… either dead, missing, or maybe one of those things.

“Now what?” Sunset asked herself.

“Survive.” The voice in the back of her head said.

“Survive.” Sunset repeated out loud, “Yeah… cause that’ll be fucking easy. Sunset put the bus into drive before grabbing the wheel, heading South while her mother-figure headed North. Distancing themselves further from one another.

Author's Note

Wowzah definitely longer than 1.5k... which is surprising cause I expected my ass to not follow up with what I said at all in the past chapter.

A Princess' Response

“Sunset Shimmer?”

“Are you okay?”

“What’s going on?”

Princess Twilight Sparkle was at a loss of words as no response seemed to come through. She paced and paced, flung books upon books into view with her magic, but nothing seemed to explain the sudden ferality of the humanoid universe.

Granted, all of these books merely explained possible reasons for a pony to act this way. Like Pony Wasting Disease, Mad Horse Syndrome, Mare Memory Degradation, or even Celestial Prion Affliction… which was a new one. Sure none of them were as aggressive as this, and was usually treatable with magic, but it was a good starting base.

“I don’t understand, Spike… Sunset Shimmer says some disease is spreading… and they’re…” Twilight paused for a second, glancing down at Spike. “I have to go there, Spike. I have to fix this.”

As Spike read the letter Sunset wrote, Spike reluctantly looked up at Twilight, “Are you sure this is something you can fix?”

“I have to try. She’s my friend… they’re all my friends, I can’t just leave them behind.” Twilight took the book from Spike’s claws with her magic, placing it on the table nearby.

“Twilight… this sounds serious. This doesn’t sound like magic at all. It sounds like—like something out of our control. I don’t think magic or friendship will help with this problem. Besides, the Friendship Summit is in two days, can you really afford to miss that?”

“Ugh… I wish I could just be in two places at once.” Twilight continued to pace back and forth. She shook her head, “But some things are more important than others… their lives are at risk, Spike!”

“What’s going on?” The sudden voice behind the two of them made them jump, and as Twilight turned to face the voice, she realized who it was.

“Discord… I-I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I just… got here. Is everything okay? You look like you saw The Headless Horse.” Discord snorted at his joke, but as Twilight continued to pace, Discord realized things may just be a bit more complicated than he originally thought. “Is it about the Friendship Summit? You’ve done fine any other time.”

“No.” Twilight bluntly said, “Sunset sent me a letter.”

“Ah. She needs your help with something but you’re stressed because you have the Friendship Summit in two days—and can't afford to miss anything the Princess’ tell you to do.” Discord stretched and yawned before turning over on his back on the floor.

“They’re dead.”

Discord’s eyes widened for a split second, causing him to flip his body around to look at Twilight, “What?!”

“No— I don’t know—! I-I don’t understand what she’s trying to say in this and I… ugh. Spike, cover for me. There’s only one way for me to see what’s going on, I’m going in.” Twilight’s eyes narrowed as she headed to the Crystal Mirror.

Discord glanced down at Spike, raising a brow before following her. “Twilight? Isn’t this a bit extreme? I’m sure your little ‘human friends’ can handle this on their own.”

“That’s the thing, Discord… I don’t think they can. I’ve looked through every book, every journal entry Sunset and I have shared, and nothing points to some feral apocalypse!”

“Feral apocalypse? Please, Twilight, isn’t that a bit overdramatic? If it’s an animal issue, send Fluttershy.”

Twilight shook her head, “It’s not an animal issue, Discord. Tell the others I’ll be back in three days.”

“Well hold on—” Discord began, but Twilight didn’t listen, immediately stepping towards the mirror before hovering her hoof over it. She sighed before trying to walk through, only to thunk her head against the glass and fall over. Discord flinched, but it didn’t keep him from failing to hold back a snort. “You okay, Princess?”

“What!?” Twilight shot up, making both Discord and Spike—who had just entered the room—jump. Twilight pressed her hooves to the glass, panicking as she realized it was closed. “Wh–Where’s the portal? Where’s the portal?!”

As Twilight continuously tried to fix the portal, Discord and Spike watched from afar, playing a chess game as if nothing wrong was happening.

“Ah, wrong move.” Discord chuckled, “Checkmate.”

“Seriously? You cheated again!”

“Cheated? Me? I am insulted! I don’t cheat, I win.” Discord smiled, curling his tail as it hid some of the pieces underneath.

“Will you two shut up!?” Twilight stopped flying, immediately falling onto her hooves as she scolded the two of them, “The portal is broken and there’s no way I can—” she stopped for a second, using her hooves to make a square around Discord’s face, who was definitely more than confused. “That’s it!” Twilight ran up to Discord, “You can make a portal to the human world without the need of a portal, it’s perfect!”

“Right…” he looked at an imaginary watch on his wrist, “Oh, and lookie here, I think it’s time for Fluttershy and I to head out on our little dinner date.” Discord jumped out of his seat, getting ready to leave as he snapped a tuxedo on himself.

“Date?” Spike asked.

“Ah, not exactly. However, it’s a dinner between two ponies, so it qualifies as one.”

“Discord! You’re going to help me!” Twilight ordered, causing Discord’s suit to vanish.

“Oh come on! I have busy things too!” Discord crossed his arms, pouting slightly.

“Sunset needs your help, and you’re the only pony who can do it!”

Discord’s eyes softened at the mention of Sunset, his crossed arms faltering slowly as he sighed. “Fine. I’ll go rescue Sunset… and her friends.”

“Maybe since you’re using a different portal, your magic and body will remain. Just—don’t scare anypony while you’re there.”

“Right. Because seeing me is definitely something out of somepony’s worst nightmare.” Discord mumbled sarcastically.

“To them? Absolutely. Now open the portal!” Twilight ordered, but as Discord stood there with his arms still crossed, Twilight scoffed, “Hey!”

“Oh? Did you expect me to know how?”

“Discord!”

Discord groaned, “Fine, but I’m making this quick. I’m not missing out on a date with Fluttershy.”

“It’s not a date.” Spike called out as Discord vanished, and as he caught Twilight staring at him, Spike shrugged. “What?”

“I have to tell Princess Celestia about this. Stay here in case he comes back.” Twilight quickly galloped out of the castle, leaving Spike to mess with the pieces on the chess board before realizing Discord hid some under his seat.

“He did cheat!”

Author's Note

There was definitely not a typo in this that I discovered a week after finishing this-

Long Road Ahead

Sunnydale Springs — 679 miles from Canterlot

Surviving was definitely the most important, yet most difficult task Sunset could have given herself… and perhaps the most annoying. Days… weeks… even months passed since the disease first broke out. Things seemed at an all time loss.

Sunset took a swig of her drink before setting it down in the cupholder, stretching slightly in her seat as she continued to drive on the dirt road. Celestia was right about one thing, the South was definitely safer in the sense of less infected people.

The silence made Sunset inhale sharply, and after a few minutes, Sunset finally succumbed and turned the radio on before flipping through the channels.

“The World Health Organization has officially called it ‘Cerebral Neurodegenerative Agent’ or ‘CNA’ for short. Known symptoms are: hysteria, bloodshot eyes, foam coming from the mouth, and prolonged aggression in others…”

“Manhattan has issued a full city-wide lockdown. The number of new infections in the city have soared to record breaking levels…”

“As of late August, the number of confirmed deaths has passed ten thousand, and the number is rapidly increasing…”

“As far as we know, the infection began in Canterlot, and has quickly spread to the neighboring cities. We are unsure if the virus is airborne, and suggest wearing a mask in crowded areas till confirmation. Government officials suggest keeping inside your designated Quarantine Zones, and wait for instruction…”

“Las Vegas’ healthcare system has been so overwhelmed that many patients are being turned away…”

“The World Health Organization has sent out a warning of a new wave of new CNA infections and possible deaths...”

“In just the past day, more than 1.3 million have tested positive for CNA, revealing incubation times may now be longer than originally believed…”

At this point, Sunset immediately turned the radio off. “Songs, people, songs. Why can’t we just put a playlist out there for us all to listen to while we all fucking die…” Sunset ranted to herself before leaning down to itch her leg. “I’d like one radio station where I can just jam out and not throw myself into a panic attack because the world is ending around me and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Sunset gripped onto the wheel tighter before leaning over and changing the channel one last time.

“The Canterlot Mall has been issued a reliable Safe Zone for survivors, and Government Officials suggest anyone near or in the area to immediately report to the Mall for testing, relocation, and rehabilitation. The military outpost is being guarded 24/7 and is considered safe against the horde.”

Sunset glanced at the radio before leaning back in her seat. She knocked on the wheel before thinking for a second. The Mall wasn’t a bad idea… heading there could ensure safety, food, water, but the possibility of meeting someone there. Only problem… The Canterlot Mall was in the middle of the city. Sure they say it’s safe, but anyone who’s anyone knows that’s a bunch of bullshit piled on top of one another.

Sunset clicked her tongue before finally mumbling to herself, “Fuck it.” she whipped the vehicle around, doing a U-turn before heading in the other direction… towards the city. “Eight hours of non-stop driving, here we go.”

Which ended up being one or two as the vehicle finally came to a stop… the gauge dead on E.

“And… we’re out.” Sunset rubbed her eyes. “Great… and I’m sure my fucking gas can is empty too.” Sunset hopped out of the vehicle before opening the trunk, grabbing the can before shaking it a few times. “Shit is sucked dry.” She closed the trunk with her free hand before moving to the backseat, grabbing an MP9 she had found from a police station arsenal a few weeks back. Stopping there was probably the best investment she had made—as if she needed much to stop at a place like that.

After a few minutes of non-stop walking, Sunset reached the gas station she had passed a while back. It wasn’t that far from the vehicle, but it was still a hassle to begin with. “Should’ve fucking stopped here earlier, would’ve saved my ass the trouble.” Sunset dropped the gas can by the pump before filling it up. While she waited, she glanced over at the grocery store a couple of meters away.

Sunset blinked before looking around, “Okay… a grocery store… in the middle of—fucking nowhere. That’s new.” Sunset sighed, “Is it worth it?” Her eyes darted from the car to the store. “I’m bringing the car over.” she finally decided, grabbing the gas can before moving to retrieve her car.

When she did enter the store, it was packed with goods and appeared practically untouched. “Damn.” she mumbled, moving through the aisles and taking out any infected that came her way. She pulled her bag from her back and opened it, pouring as many cans of food she could carry as well as opening a pack of water and throwing a few bottles inside.

She zipped her bag up after finding food, water, and medical supplies, and just before she could leave—a loud noise kept her from leaving the grocery store. The doors dinged as they slid open, but after Sunset kept herself still and alert, the doors slowly slid back shut. “Hello?!” Usually calling out in a random place was definitely a bad idea, but the idea of finding a possible survivor…

Sunset had been alone since her separation with Celestia, which only served to throw Sunset in a downward spiral of talking to herself and having full-blown conversations without a reciprocant.

After a zombie finally came into her sights, Sunset groaned annoyingly. She raised her gun before shooting a few bullets into the zombie, causing it to fall to the ground. She reloaded her weapon, but a growl caught her attention. The fucker wasn’t dead?

It stood up, snarling and thrashing before charging—much quicker than a regular infected. Acting quickly, Sunset grabbed a random ‘ON SALE’ sign from the ground before hitting the zombie down. Using the rods poking out of the bottom, she slammed one into its head.

It was still alive?!

“What the fuck…?” Sunset used her pistol to shoot a few bullets into its head, but still.. it moved. It wasn’t till Sunset stomped onto its skull, crushing it completely, that the damn thing finally stopped moving.

Sunset stepped back before trying to leave the grocery store once again. “New strain…” she mumbled to herself, “are they getting stronger?”

The noise from earlier suddenly caught her off guard. Was it another zombie? Sunset turned around, this time more aggressively. She whistled, hitting her gun against the aisle to try to attract the rest of them—but there was silence.

Till something stepped into view ahead of her, but it wasn’t human. It sniffed and snorted, grunts and growls escaping its throat all the while. It made all the hair on the back of her neck stand up, a shiver climbing up her spine. The zombies didn’t usually give her a genuine fright—not since the whole thing went down anyways… but the way that thing sounded? A lion's paw stepped forward, and Sunset cursed to herself as she quickly scrambled to the car.

“A fucking lion in a grocery store?! Where’s the nearest fucking zoo??” Sunset started the vehicle before quickly driving off, not even bothering to wait around to see the damn thing. “Fuck.. fuck.” Seeing that opened up a whole new acknowledgement. Animals can get infected too.

The Equestrian Outlaws

Maple Ridge — 600 miles from Canterlot

For a while, the drive seemed to go well. Despite the oddly terrifying realization an hour ago, the road was clean of debris and vehicles… for the most part.

Flipping through channels was the most entertaining part of the drive, aside from the occasional radio station having a full-blown panic attack at the “zombie apocalypse”. After a while, Sunset finally reached a music station once and for all.

“Finally, a good fucking channel.” Sunset sang almost every song that popped up, but as soon as an advertisement interrupted, Sunset groaned. “Oh come on! It’s the end of the world and I still have to deal with fucking ads!?”

A loud bang snapped her attention from the music, and as smoke emerged from the hood, Sunset’s eyes widened.

“No… no no no, oh fuck! Fuck! Oh come on!” Sunset slammed her hands on the wheel as the vehicle slowly came to a halt. Jumping out of the car, Sunset immediately moved to the hood, lifting it up and coughing as a wad of smoke flashed her face. Looking around for any sort of help, it took about two seconds before she realized: “I’m in the middle of fucking nowhere, of course I can’t find anything.”

Gathering her stuff from the backseat, Sunset glanced at the keys before scoffing. She grabbed them before throwing them into the field nearby, “If I can’t have it, no one can.” she mumbled to herself. It was definitely a petty move on her part, but considering the circumstances… it wasn’t that big of a surprise.

Wandering along a road wasn’t exactly on her list of things to do in the apocalypse, nor was it smart. But, Sunset had to work with what she had… even if it was just a load of bullshit in her eyes.

She probably passed about 5 miles when Sunset finally noticed a farm in the distance. She bolted that way, forgetting the pain in her legs as she prayed she’d find a group of survivors. Her run was completely thrown off when a cow suddenly bellowed beside her, causing her to jump and fall to the ground.

When she sat up, the cow was staring straight at her. Fortunately, it was in a secluded field, but it didn’t keep Sunset from keeping her guard up. Animals can turn too… but this thing looked healthy as could be! Where there’s a running farm—there’s people!

“Hey!” Sunset ran towards the entrance of the farm, only to be kicked onto the ground by a stranger. But before she could even defend herself, a barreled shotgun was aimed at her face. The man stepped onto her chest, keeping her still.

“Start talking.”

Sunset scoffed, “You first! What’s your fucking probl—” the man cocked the shotgun, causing Sunset to nervously spit out: “Hi my name’s Sunset.”

“Braeburn.”

“Brae—” Sunset stopped, “Braeburn? Holy fuck you look so different…” Sunset shook her head, “It’s me— Sunset Shimmer! Oh my god you have no idea how happy I am to— you’re still uh… aiming that at me.”

“Yeah? I think I have a right to, don’t I? You’re a stranger.”

“Stranger? Dude we literally used to go to school together! We were friends! Sort of…”

Braeburn pushed the shotgun against her chest, causing Sunset to pause, “State your business.” he ordered. What the fuck was his deal?

“I just— I just need a place to stay the night, and a car for tomorrow. I’ll be gone by morning.”

Braeburn inhaled sharply before reluctantly moving off of her, allowing her to stand up. “If you try anything, I won't hesitate to shoot you.” he muttered, mostly to himself. Sunset brushed the dust off her, looking around before spotting a familiar country girl in the distance.

“Applejack?” Holy shit… it was actually her! “Applejack!” Sunset ran up to her, only to slide on her feet when she pulled a pistol out and aimed it at her head. “What the fuck is happening right now…” Sunset was completely puzzled. Not only did she find survivors, but they were her friends too. However, they also seemed to love the idea of shooting her in the face.

“Who do you work for?” Applejack bluntly asked, making Sunset’s eyes narrow in utter confusion.

“Who do I work for? What am I supposed to say: Celestia?”

Applejack slowly lowered her gun. She stared at her for quite some time before calling out to the others, “She’s harmless.”

Sunset laughed, “I wouldn’t say harmless… I’m a pretty good fighter, you know.” At Applejack’s glare, Sunset cleared her throat. “I figured you’d still be in Canterlot, at the Apple Acres.”

“The city’s in shambles and the acreage burnt down a few months back.”

“Oh.”

“What about you?” Applejack sheathed her pistol, resting her hands on her belt.

“I’m on my way back…”

“To the city?” When Sunset nodded, Applejack cleared her throat, “Why’s that? Like I said the city is… well it’s overrun by those freaks. Ain’t safe whatsoever… no matter what those fuckers say about The Canterlot Mall.”

“They said it was the safest place in the city? At least that’s what I’ve heard on the radio.”

Applejack motioned Sunset to follow her while she continued to speak, “Nowhere is safe in the city. And if I ain't mistaken, the mutated strand’s probably made its way there already.”

“Mutated strand?”

“We call them Volatiles.”

“Volatiles? Like the ga—” Sunset repeated, only to be interrupted by Applejack thereafter.

“They’re unpredictable. Unlike the others, we can usually determine the best and simplest way to kill them. Aim for the head. Self explanatory at its finest, but the Volatiles don’t go down without a fight.” Applejack led Sunset into the farmhouse. “A simple shot to the head ain’t gonna take them down.”

“Applejack. We’re ready to move out.” Braeburn walked in from the back door, inciting a nod from Applejack.

“Take Apple Fritter, Hayseed, and Meadow Song. I gotta feeling our little ransack plans will be thwarted by some of our… ex-friends.”

“Ex-friends?” Sunset mumbled, but the two of them seemed to ignore her.

“Heard. We’ll be back before dusk.” As Braeburn left from the back door, Sunset glanced back at Applejack with a slightly confused expression.

“What was that about?” Sunset asked, moving to sit down at the table.

“Ah, just preparing for a heist, I suppose. Up North there’s an abandoned gas station. Our focus is food and water, but we haven’t found anything too exciting yet.”

“Well, I meant the ex-friends part— wait… food and water?” Sunset clicked her tongue, “Well, hey, there’s a supermarket just down South a bit. Take a left down the first dirt road and a right on the next; go straight for a while and you’ll find it. Can’t miss it, it’s practically in the middle of nowhere. I just came from there. It’s a bit far but… might be worth the hour or two.”

“Really? And how full is it?” Applejack asked, turning her attention back to Sunset.

“Untouched.” Sunset watched Granny Smith walk from the kitchen and place a nice bowl of stew in front of her, “Oh… thank you.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope. I was shocked too when I saw it.”

Applejack crossed her arms before scoffing, a smirk landing on her cheeks, “Big Mac.” She called out, “Tell Braeburn and his little crew that their location has been moved. I think we’ve found ourselves a golden star.” Sunset’s cheeks flustered at Applejack’s compliment… at least to her it seemed like one.

“Yep.” Big McIntosh replied before immediately leaving to retrieve Braeburn.

“Maybe I can tag along, escort them there, I suppose.” Sunset offered, even standing up, but Applejack was quick to refuse.

“Nah… I’d like to keep my eye on you. If your little supermarket is full of goodies, maybe I’ll let you go with some food, water, and a vehicle. However, if you’re lying and my little family meets their end on this little trip, I might just have to shoot you myself.”

Applejack’s sudden change in demeanor made Sunset’s heart drop, “What?”

“Hm? Oh, but if you’re telling the truth then there’s nothing to worry about, right?” Applejack left the dining room, but before she could completely leave, she looked back at Sunset, “And one other thing, if I find out you’re working for someone other than ‘Celestia’... we’ll have a problem; a big problem. Enjoy your meal.”

Sunset glanced down at the bowl, gulping before sliding it away. “Thanks…” There was no way she was about to eat that after hearing her best friend literally threaten to kill her. She cleared her throat before sighing, “This is gonna be a long night…”

Ghouls and Monsters

The sudden screams coming from outside the farmhouse nearly made Sunset fall off the bed she was offered for the night—which was a bit of an understatement as she actually did end up falling straight onto the floor.

She sat up, looking around before jumping up and looking out the window. Braeburn, and his group were seemingly back, but there was one issue… it was just Meadow Song. Sunset wasn’t even sure what time it was. Midnight, one in the morning, it all looked the same to her.

It didn’t keep Sunset from running down the stairs and out of the farmhouse, watching as Applejack, Big Mac, and a few others came to his aid. “What’s going on? Sunset asked, but they ignored her.

Applejack stepped forward, shaking his shoulders slightly, “Meadow Song, talk to me. What happened? Was it the Rainboom Raiders? Where’s Braeburn? Where’s the rest of them?”

"Rainboom Raiders?" Sunset mumbled, but Meadow Song's shudders silenced her.

“I watched it rip them apart.”

“Watched what?” Applejack asked, "Watched what, Meadow Song?"

“The monster.”

“The—the lion?” Sunset mumbled, but that served as a mistake as Applejack slowly turned her head towards her.

She slammed her into the house, ignoring how the paneling dug into Sunset’s spine. “What the fuck do you mean: lion? Answer me! You fucking knew?! You put them in a fucking trap, that was your plan all along wasn’t it? Wasn’t it!?”

“No–no I—I would never!”

“Alright, that’s enough.” a voice spoke up behind her, but that didn’t keep Applejack from punching Sunset to the ground.

“You better be gone by tomorrow, because I swear the next time I fucking see you, you’re dead. You hear me? You crossed the fucking line.” Applejack stepped back, but immediately glared at the man who spoke up, “Don’t even try to defend her. I’m the leader of this gang, I say what goes and what doesn’t. Ever since your fucking slip-up with Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, you’re lucky I even keep you around.”

When Applejack did finally storm off, the man bent down to help Sunset up. “Easy, you’re fine.” he mumbled as Sunset tried to squirm him off of her. Noting her now bloody nose, he led Sunset into the farmhouse before sitting her down at the table.

Sunset’s vision was blurry, that much was obvious. As it finally cleared out, Sunset finally realized who was helping her. Her eyes widened slightly, and her hand instinctively pressed against his body.

“Flash?”

“There you go.” he laughed, realizing she finally realized who he was, “How are you feeling?”

Sunset rubbed her nose and the side of her face where Applejack hit her, “Like shit.”

“I don’t doubt it, she hit you pretty hard.”

“The fuck is her deal…? Ever since I got here everyone’s been—”

“Wanting to kill you?” Flash nodded, “Yeah that’s normal with them. Don’t take it personally… things have just been pretty rough since we left the gym.”

“The gym? That was long time ago…” Sunset winced as Flash pressed a cold compress on her eye. “Why are they acting like that, then? What happened in that gym that was so fucking bad?”

Flash sighed, “It’s complicated.”

“So what? You’re not gonna tell me till five fucking weeks later?”

“We have more to worry about than the stupid shit we’ve—I’ve done. Just… get some rest and I’ll see if we can get something for us in the morning.”

Sunset’s eyes narrowed, “Woah woah—who said I was gonna let you tag along?”

“Just to The Canterlot Mall and we’ll go our separate ways. Please.”

Sunset sighed before standing up, “Fine… but I’d like to do something before we go.”

“It’s a bad idea.” Flash responded as Sunset headed towards the door, already knowing what her plan was.

Sunset ignored him, continuing outside in the dark cool air and making her way towards the lake where Applejack was sitting. The silence was killing her… creating an eerie and tense atmosphere worse than the infected swarm.

“I’m sorry about what happened.” Sunset began, keeping her voice quiet and calm. “I should have told you what was there… but I guess I was too excited to see you again that it completely slipped my mind.” She let out a small chuckle, but cleared her throat thereafter. She shook her head, “That’s not an excuse… obviously… if I had told you or them, maybe they’d have come back together.”

“What did it look like?” Applejack’s voice mimicked Sunset’s: calm, collected, but opposite to Sunset, her voice carried a hint of aggression which masked her sorrow.

“The lion?” When silence pursued, Sunset assumed that’s what she meant. “I don’t know. All I saw was its paw… and I didn’t want to stick around and find out.”

Applejack adjusted how she was sitting, taking a short glance back at Sunset before fiddling with a rock on the shoreline of the lake. “He said it wasn’t a lion. Said it was some… creature of sorts. It killed Hayseed and injured Apple Fritter, so they huddled down in a freezer to tend to her wounds. Meadow Song said she started speaking in tongues and killed Braeburn in a panic… so he killed her.” Applejack threw the rock against the water, leading Sunset's eyes to follow the projectile as it skimmed across the surface.

Sunset’s brows furrowed at the new information, “What do you mean creature? Is it like the Dazzlings?” Since the first few days of the infection starting, Sunset ended up scratching off the whole “magic” reasoning, but things seemed a bit more complicated now to completely rule it out. Although magic probably wouldn't create blood-thirsty, flesh-ripping zombies than it would people caught in a controlled haze... similar to what the Dazzlings were doing, or even the whole Changeling situation back in Equestria.

“Meadow Song wouldn’t give me any more details, but otherwise I’d say no.” At Applejack’s reply, Sunset nodded, allowing the silence to take over again. Sunset slowly approached before sitting beside her. “Sorry I punched you.”

Sunset glanced over at her before shrugging, watching as the dark sky slowly turned red from the sunrise. “Don’t be. Sometimes I deserve it.” When she looked back at her, her eyes met Applejacks.

“Yeah, well that time you didn’t.” Applejack sighed, breaking eye contact before adding, “So you’re heading back to the city then… what for?”

“When I got separated from you guys, I ran into Principal Celestia. She helped me out of the school… but when we promised to stick together, she left me.”

“Bitch.”

“Huh? N-no she—” Sunset sighed, trying to elaborate, “She left because she wanted to find a cure… at least I think that’s what she was trying to do. Said she couldn’t handle seeing all these people die. She wanted to help. Promised she’d come find me when she had the chance but obviously she never did.”

“Maybe she’s dead.” Sunset kept quiet after Applejack’s blunt response, not wanting to deny nor accept that possibility. “I suppose you’ll need some supplies then.” Applejack stood up, putting her hand out to help Sunset up. “Come on. Friends stick together, right?”

Be There in a Flash

The Everfree Freeway —- 584 miles from Canterlot

“So what’s your plan when you get to the city?” Flash asked, walking beside Sunset as they carried their belongings. Getting a vehicle from the Equestrian Outlaws was definitely a task left ignored, mainly since half the drivable ones were broken down, or old tractors that wouldn’t be able to speed past a bunch of infected.

“I guess to stop by The Canterlot Mall. You're heading there anyways so I might as well too. If the person I’m looking for isn’t there… I suppose I’ll go deeper into the city.”

“You think that’s a good idea? With the new strand coming out, that means more waves. Not to mention half of them are now faster than the rest. It just seems like you have a death wish.”

“I’ve lost just about everyone I care about. Half my friends consider themselves enemies towards one another, and the other half is either missing… or among the dead. If I can’t find her… I wont have nothing left to live for.” Sunset finally glanced over at Flash, “So yeah, I have a death wish.”

“Who are you looking for again?”

“Principal Celestia. I found her when we split up.”

“And Vice Principal Luna?”

Sunset paused for a moment before finally admitting, “She didn’t make it.” The walk was quiet for a while. No signs of the infected, yet no signs of a quicker route to the city. Yet while the walk was quiet, a question seemed to repeat in her mind. “So… Do you want to tell me what happened then? That made everyone act ornery and a bit dick-ish?”

Flash bit the inside of his cheek before nodding, “When you, Rainbow Dash, and Spitfire left to head to the library… I… well tried to be the leader of the group. I won't lie, half of that was me making stupid decisions driven from fear.”

“Which isn’t your fault… I think all of us were scared shitless when our classmates started trying to eat us.” Sunset mumbled, half as a joke and the other half as brutal honesty.

“Point is… when Rainbow Dash and Spitfire came back—but you didn’t, everyone began relying on me to make the decisions. The Crusaders were hungry, so I told Rainbow Dash and Spitfire to head to the cafeteria hoping something would be there, and because they had already been outside so they kind of knew what to expect.”

“Did you find anything?”

He shook his head, “When they came back, I saw a mark on Rainbow Dash and I assumed it was a bite. Told her she couldn’t stay. Applejack defended me and offered to seclude Rainbow Dash in case she turned. Well… in a fit of rage, Rainbow Dash and Spitfire ended up leaving, but Scootaloo snuck through and went with her. Out of nowhere the infected piled through the hallway… and I... I wouldn’t let her back in.”

“And Scootaloo…?” Sunset didn’t even want to suggest it. Sure, Flash was scared, but to refuse…

“Turns out, Rainbow Dash wasn’t bitten at all." The way Flash ignored her question only made Sunset assume her suggestion was true. His decision ended Scootaloo's life. "Ever since we got separated she’s made it known that she’ll do everything to avenge Scootaloo. So when Applejack created the ‘Equestrian Outlaws’... Rainbow Dash made the ‘Rainboom Raiders’. We’ve been enemies ever since.”

“Flash…”

“I know. It’s my fault. I was stupid, but that isn’t an excuse for what I did. I thought about turning myself in just to stop the stupid war, but then you showed up. I thought maybe I could go with you to the city. Once Rainbow Dash sees I’m gone, she’ll probably stop terrorizing them.”

“And why didn’t you decide to do that earlier?”

“Ever since the mutated strand showed up, I knew I wouldn’t last long out there.. at least not alone. But you, you did.” Sunset wasn’t even sure what to say, so Flash added, “Listen don’t worry about it right now, let’s just find somewhere to rest for a bit.”

It had been at least fifteen minutes when a few honks behind them caught the two off guard. Upon turning around, Flash and Sunset noticed someone on a motorcycle. They slowed down and came to a halt before taking off their helmet.

“Applejack?” Flash muttered before continuing, “What are you doing here?”

“Overheard some chatter on the radio. Twilight and Fluttershy are alive; they’re at The Canterlot Mall. Figured I’d tag along and find a way to bring them back to the farmstead.”

“What’s the rush? I mean, if they’re already safe—”

“That’s the thing,” Applejack interrupted Flash as she fixed her gloves, “they’re not. Military personnel are already evacuating, which of course doesn’t include the citizens. There’s a bigger wave coming.” Applejack put the motorcycle in park before hopping off, “They pile up like ants… destroying everything in their path.”

“The new strand, you mean?” Sunset corrected.

“No. This one's different. It's like they’re evolving. In 8 hours… the whole mall will be overrun.”

Sunset’s eyes widened slightly, “8 hours? We still have 500 miles to go—It takes 10 hours to get there.”

Flash interjected, “And that’s only if we’re going 70 or 80… if we run into any blockages…”

“I know. So we better find a car, and drive fast.” Applejack motioned to a gas station, “There. Looks like we’re in luck.” She pulled her motorcycle aside and hid it in a few bushes.

As the three of them ran towards the car, something landed on the roof of the gas station—but none of them could see what it was.

“The fuck was that?” Sunset cursed, looking over at the now half-busted rooftop.

“I don’t know, but I’d rather not stick around and find out.” Applejack replied, running into the vehicle and moving to start it. “Gas is full, no warnings, perfect.” As Flash entered the passenger, Sunset jumped in the back seat.

A thump made all three of them freeze. “I think it’s on the car…” Sunset mumbled, and as she looked around, she noticed a red tail in the back window. “What the—”

“Drive, AJ— Drive!” Flash yelled as its claws dug repeatedly into the roof of the wall, scratching Sunset’s arm in the process.

Sunset gasped, looking between Flash and Applejack before pulling her sleeve down.

Applejack sped off, “Is it gone?”

“It’s gone.” Flash looked out the window before relaxing in the seat.

“What the hell was that thing?”

“Fuck if I know… Sunset, you alright back there?”

Sunset nodded her hands shaking as she kept her eyes on the hidden wound, “Yeah. Yeah I’m alright. Let’s just… let’s just get to the city.”

Rainboom Raiders

The photo on her desk was a cold reminder of life before the apocalypse, and as smoke filled the air around her, her eyes were glued to the seemingly happy and joyous events that transpired the day the photo was taken. The last day before this all began. The Canterlot Fair.

“Hold still Scootaloo, you’re moving too much. I can’t get a picture if you can’t keep yourself steady, goofball!” her own voice echoed in her mind, remembering the event as clear as day.

“I gotta find Applebloom and Sweetie Belle! We gotta ride the rides before the lines—”

“Just one picture, Scoots, and then you can go.”

“Fine…”

“Oh come on! You can smile bigger than that. There you go!”

The salty water poured down her cheeks, and after two seconds, she had been sobbing silently in her office. The tears dripped onto the photo, dousing the glass in a haze.

“I’ll find that fucker, I’ll find that fucker and I’ll kill him. I promise.” Rainbow Dash’s vengeful demeanor slipped completely as someone knocked on the door. She adjusted how she was sitting, placing the photo down on the corner of the desk before calling out to whoever needed her. “Come in.”

“Admiral.” It was Spitfire, a golden token to Rainbow Dash since Scootaloo’s unnecessary demise. Rainbow Dash nodded, acknowledging her.

“Colonel.” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat, adjusting her position yet again. “What do you need?” She put out her cigarette on the ashtray before standing up. “Good news or bad?”

“Military chatter suggests The Canterlot Mall is hours from being overrun by zombies. Micro Chips tapped into their citizen count and according to the numbers… I think a few of your friends are there.”

“Friends as in who?”

“Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, and I think one of them went by Pinkamena Diane Pie.”

“Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow Dash corrected. “And do you suppose our little buddies will be after them too?”

“Recent spy reports from Commander Soarin and Lieutenant Thunderlane suggest Applejack left two hours ago heading North. I’d say it’s safe to assume she’s on her way there now.”

“So that means Flash Sentry is vulnerable.” Rainbow Dash chuckled, “Maybe the world’s turning up for me once in for all.”

“I won’t be so sure. They also spotted Flash Sentry leaving the farmstead early this morning… with a familiar fiery red-haired girl.”

“Fiery red-haired— you mean Sunset Shimmer?” Rainbow Dash scoffed, “She’s dead.”

“Not quite. Must’ve survived when the two of us separated from her.”

Rainbow Dash seemed to take it as good news, till she acknowledged one key detail. “So she’s teamed up with Flash Sentry…” Her expression faltered, her smile completely faded once more. “That makes her an enemy too.”

“I can send Commander Soarin and the recruits there now, just give me the word.”

“No. I’ll head out with Lieutenant Thunderlane. Less people, less idiots to worry about.”

“And me?”

“I’ll leave you and Commander Soarin in charge. When I return, either we’ll have a few more recruits… or a finale to this war of ours with Applejack and her butt-buddy.” Rainbow Dash moved to the armory, gathering some weapons while keeping her back to the Colonel.

“The radio also suggested a new strand of the virus.”

“New strands don’t scare me. Regardless, CNA is always out there.”

“Admiral… with all due respect—” Rainbow Dash inhaled sharply, causing Spitfire to stop for a moment. “This week alone, you’ve tried to kill yourself five times. This mission is a death wish, and you and I both know that.”

“I know. So if I die, I’ll get to see her again. If I don’t… I’ll get to avenge her. I won't have it any other way.”

“Rainbow Dash…” Spitfire called her by name, stepping forward. “I know you want this to stop as much as we all do. You and I both know you’ve been blinded by this need to kill Flash. Killing him won't bring her back, and I know she won’t want you to do this to yourself… and to her.”

“I have nothing left to lose, Spitfire. I’m not afraid to die.”

“No; you’re afraid to live without her. And that’s okay, but you can’t end your own life because you’re afraid of enjoying it while she’s gone. Do I think we should still go to The Canterlot Mall: of course. But do I also think the fight between you and Flash should be over and done with: absolutely. I love you, Rainbow Dash… but this is killing you, and everyone else can see it but you.”

“Maybe that’s what I want.” Rainbow Dash shook her head, “I don’t expect you to understand… but I can’t just move on.”

Spitfire sighed before moving to the door, “I’ll get some supplies ready for your trip.”

Rainbow Dash glanced back at Spitfire as the door closed before moving to the desk, gently picking up the photo of her and Scootaloo. “Sure would be nice to hear your voice again, Scoots.” Rainbow Dash then placed the photo in her backpack as she placed a few extra weapons inside. “If there’s an afterlife… I’ll see you again.”

—

As Applejack spoke with Flash, Sunset laid her head on the window, her leg bouncing as she slowly pulled her sleeve down to look at the scratch. Scratches don’t mean infection… right? Her anxiety grew worse as her memory reminded her.

“It has to be airborne… we can’t risk anything, Sunset. You saw it: those kids were getting infected left and right. She has… she has to leave.”

“L-Leave? What? No! I’m fine, i-it’s just a scratch!” Bon Bon begged.

The voice repeated in her ears, so much to the point Sunset had repeated it out loud. “It’s just a scratch…” Sunset’s eyes darted back down, but as Flash spoke up, she immediately pulled her sleeve back up.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. I’m just… tired I guess.”

“Well… get some sleep. Gonna need all the energy we can get once we get to the city. Speaking of… maybe you want me to take over in a bit?” Flash asked Applejack, but Sunset’s mind completely ignored the conversation at hand.

It’s just a scratch.

You’re not infected.

Her arms began to shake aggressively, and in a blunt second: “Pull over!”

“What—why? What’s going on?” Applejack asked, but Sunset yelled again.

“Now!” When Applejack finally stopped, Sunset bolted out of the vehicle and towards the ditch on the other side of the road.

“Sunset, what's going on?” Applejack asked, stepping out of the car.

“Don’t! Just… just get back in the car. Please.”

Flash got out right after, “Sunset what happened?”

Sunset’s eyes were watering, and her arms were shaking as she finally showed them the scratch on her arm. “I’m infected. Either leave me or just… just shoot me.”

“What?”

“I said shoot me!”

Flash walked around the car before raising his hands up defensively, “No one is going to shoot you. Sunset you’re okay. It’s just a scratch.”

“That’s what I said for Bon Bon, but she was infected too.”

“No… no listen. Hey.” his hands landed on her arms, trying to steady her as she sobbed. “Lyra examined her body. There was a bite on her forearm. The scratch was nothing. They have to bite you. Sunset, it’s okay. I promise. It’s just a scratch.”

“Then explain why I’m shaking… w-why I—”

“You’re having a panic attack, Sunset. That’s why. Just come back to the car.”

“And what if I bite you? What then?”

“It wouldn’t be anything new.”

“Huh?”

Flash shook his head, “Nothing— just… come back to the car. I promise you’ll be fine, and if you’re really that scared then we can tie your arms up.”

After a moment, Sunset tried to calm herself. Nodding, she reluctantly agreed. “Okay… okay.”

Canterlot

Canterlot Express — 0 miles from Canterlot

Flash nudged Sunset, who groaned and mumbled incoherently in her sleep. “Come on… I think you’ll want to see this.”

“What?” Sunset whined, wiping her eyes as she sat up in the seat. “What is it?” As her eyes opened, her eyes landed on the smokey and old, worn-down skyscrapers. Some of them were half-destroyed, others were missing or surprisingly upright. “The city…” Sunset mumbled.

“You made it.”

Applejack smiled at the two of them, “The Mall is five minutes from here. Only issue is we’ll have to walk, but I think our biggest concern is seeing if they’re still there.” Applejack left the vehicle, causing Flash to follow thereafter.

Sunset hopped out, grabbing her bag before looking back up at the city skyline again. “I can’t believe it… do you think…?” Sunset trailed off. If Celestia wasn’t here…

“You’ll find her. I know it.” Flash reassured her.

“You really think so?”

“I know so.”

“Alright, lovebirds. Let’s get going. We’re still running short on time here.” Applejack reminded the two of them, watching as they scrambled to follow her.

As the group continued through the debris and piled up vehicles on the expressway, the absence of the infected was both astounding and eerily terrifying. The streets seemed to pave the same tense environment, as the only signs of the infection were dead bodies lining the streets.

“Where do you think they all went?” Flash mumbled as they then walked through the old run-down alleyways of the city. “Sunset?” Flash turned around, but Sunset was gone. “Sunset?!” Flash ran around the corner, only to see Sunset in a chokehold by Rainbow Dash herself. “Rainbow…” Flash raised his hands defensively, not wanting to get Sunset shot.

Applejack ran around the corner as well, immediately aiming her weapon at her, “Let her go, Rainbow Dash.”

“Not until you give me what is owed.”

“Rainbow Dash, this is crazy and you know it!”

“Wanting to avenge my fucking sister is crazy!?” Rainbow Dash’s voice echoed through the alleyway. “I know damn well if it was Applebloom, you’d do the same thing. Why can’t you be on my side for once?”

“If I was in your shoes, hell, maybe I would. But Rainbow Dash, honestly, I also know she wouldn’t want me to spend the rest of my life trying to kill someone for a simple mistake.”

“A simple mistake killed my sister!”

“I never wanted to be your enemy, Rainbow Dash, you know that.”

Flash’s eyes watered as he kept his hands raised, “This is my fault, Rainbow Dash. Not hers… and definitely not Sunset’s. You want me? That’s fine… shoot me if you wish but please… leave them out of this.”

Rainbow Dash aimed her gun at Flash, “Give me one good reason not to kill you right now… one fucking reason.”

“You have every right to want to kill me, Rainbow Dash. So I-I don’t have one.”

“I do.” Sunset said, “You don’t want to actually shoot him. Otherwise you’d have put a bullet in him already.”

Rainbow Dash’s grip on Sunset tightened, her aim still locked on Flash before she finally let her go, sobbing and falling to her knees. “Fuck…”

Applejack was quick to come to her aid as Flash moved to grab Sunset and pull her from the chaos. Applejack knelt down, rubbing the tears off of her cheeks and hushing her. “Come on, Dashie… we can do this together… work together. Like old times.”

Flash was trying to comfort Sunset when he noticed something behind Rainbow Dash and Applejack. “Hey—hey we have to get out of here.” As the infected began charging towards them, he moved to help Rainbow Dash up, “Now!”

Sunset ran down the alleyway with Applejack and Flash following close behind, but someone else decided to slow down a bit. As Rainbow Dash came to a halt, looking back at the feral people running towards her, Flash moved to try to pull Rainbow Dash to safety. Applejack ran past Sunset as well, screaming for Rainbow Dash to come along.

When Rainbow Dash snapped out of it, Applejack dragged her by the arm towards the gate in the far side of the alleyway. Sunset ran with Flash, but as she looked back, something caught her eye.

While the infected swarmed the entryway of the alley, becoming one conjoined mass of death, a larger creature jumped into view. Its clouded eyes darted around before meeting Sunset’s, snarling as it entered a more aggressive stance.

Sunset paused in her trace, her eyes scanning the creature repeatedly.

No.

No.

It isn’t true.

I refuse to believe it.

It was Discord. The lion… the monster… the creature. It was all him.

Her eyes were wide and full of unshed tears, her once friend now turned into a monstrous replacement. Feral. Infected. Her best friend. Dead. As the tears finally did fall, Flash had grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

As he finally threw her past the gate, Flash paused.

“Flash, come on!” Applejack yelled, but he hesitated.

Although it was all going by so quickly, it felt like slow motion to Sunset. Flash closed the gate, but left himself on the other side.

“Flash? Flash what are you— Flash!” Sunset grabbed at the handle, but Flash had locked it already. “Flash!”

“Doing one good deed in my life.” Flash replied. “Maybe if there’s an afterlife in this hellhole, I can tell Scootaloo how sorry and selfish I was.”

“Flash! No, please!” Sunset screamed.

“I’ll buy you all some time. I just wish I could’ve taken you on that date before everything went to shit.” Flash laughed, trying to make a joke out of it. “You probably wouldn’t have gone anyways. Tell Celestia I said hey.”

Sunset banged her hands on the gate as Flash stepped back, screaming and sobbing for him to come back. But as Discord caught up, tackling and attacking him, Sunset was yanked by Applejack, who desperately tried to pull her along as they ran towards The Canterlot Mall.

When the three reached the checkpoint, the military aimed their weapons till they realized they were survivors. After ushering them in, gunshots clouded their hearing.

“The Military is still here…?” Rainbow Dash mumbled, causing Applejack to shrug before holding tighter onto Sunset, allowing her to sob against her chest.

“Maybe they weren’t evacuating after all…”

The Mall

Sunset gripped tightly onto Applejack as a few military soldiers escorted the three of them along, her panic rising as they were checked for injuries and bites. Rainbow Dash went first. The man patted her down for weapons, taking them out and causing Rainbow Dash to protest.

“Hey— I need those!”

“Not anymore.” The man said before pulling her sleeves and pant legs up, before revealing her neck to see if there were any bites. “All clear.” he motioned her to move forward as she adjusted her clothes and stepped ahead—looking back at Applejack as she went next.

Applejack rubbed Sunset’s back before stepping forward, and after she was given the ‘all clear’, it was Sunset’s turn.

They pulled her sleeve up, revealing the scratch mark that was bruised and bloody, her veins around it darkened and red. The soldier looked up at Sunset, which only made her heart pound faster.

“We’ve got a Code Red.” he said as he spoke into his walkie.

“Code Red—?” Applejack mumbled before calling out, “She’s not infected!”

The man ignored Applejack, “It’s a scratch, sir.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “Understood.” Before the man could raise his weapon, Rainbow Dash ran towards Sunset.

“She got it in Everfree!” Rainbow Dash grabbed her arm, attempting to pull her away from the line of sight. “A cougar attacked us on our way here. It wasn’t one of those things.”

The man stared at Rainbow Dash before lowering his weapon, allowing them to pass. “Very well,” he said. “but if I find out any of you are lying…” he trailed off, leaving the rest up to obvious speculation. When they nodded, he motioned towards the entryway, “Move along.”

After getting Sunset’s wound bandaged, the three of them were transported to one of the random stores—which was transformed into a bedroom for survivors. It was full of beds and people who were either sleeping or talking quietly amongst one another.

“What’s going on here? I thought they were supposed to be leaving?” Rainbow Dash asked, settling onto her bed as she looked between Applejack and Sunset.

“Maybe they held back the horde.” Applejack suggested.

Sunset sighed, “Or maybe it isn’t here yet.”

Rainbow Dash extended her palms out, confused, “The horde that we literally ran from? It feels more like we just brought it to them.”

“That ain’t a horde, Rainbow… A horde is larger. That was nothing compared to what they were talking about.” Applejack retorted.

“Or maybe they overstated.” Rainbow Dash crossed her arms before looking at Sunset. “Is she okay?”

Sunset looked away, leaving Applejack to reply for her, “No.”

Silence pursued till Rainbow Dash inevitably spoke again, “Isn’t Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie here?” She stood, immediately trying to move to find them.

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack scolded, “We need to rest.”

“How can you rest in an apocalypse, Applejack?”

Sunset inhaled sharply before standing up, escorting herself out.

While Sunset walked mindlessly around the mall… she spotted a familiar someone.

Twilight.

Her breath caught in her throat as she ran up to her. When Twilight noticed her, she adjusted her glasses before gasping and running towards her as well.

“Sunset!”

As the two hugged, Sunset was the first to sob, holding her close and tightly as if she was about to vanish in her arms. Sunset pulled away, grabbing her cheeks and smiling as she looked at her.

“I… I didn’t think you were—” Sunset paused when she saw Fluttershy, who immediately ran up to her as well. “Fluttershy!”

The two of them hugged Sunset, crying and smiling at the reunion. But when a third person hugged Sunset from behind, she jumped before realizing it was Pinkie Pie. The group hug soon turned into five as Applejack and Rainbow Dash caught up to Sunset.

But the hug turned into a worrying question as Sunset realizing someone was missing. “Where’s Rarity?”

Fluttershy glanced at Pinkie Pie before speaking up, “We don’t know… we got separated from her back at the boutique.”

“We huddled there for a few weeks… but one day Rarity just left. Talking about a cure or something…” Twilight added.

“A cure?” Sunset thought for a moment. Was there a possibility of her being with Celestia? “Well… what matters now is that we’re together. And we’ll stick together and find Rarity.”

After gathering in the middle of the mall—transformed into a cafeteria for the survivors, they laughed, ate, and chatted amongst each other… just like old times at Canterlot High. The noise throughout the cafeteria seemed to echo across the walls, and the skylight at the top served as a way for light to peek through, as power seemed to have been cut.

When the other survivors began to sing together, Sunset glanced at Twilight while their friends joined in as well.

Sunset began, “If I can get into the hospital… Where do I start?”

“The hospital? Why would you want to go there?”

“Principal Celestia left months ago to find a cure… if I can just get to the hospital, maybe I can find not only her but Rarity too; what did she say about it?”

Twilight shrugged, taking a few bites of her food as she watched the others clap and sing, “I honestly don’t remember… It was so long ago. But the hospital is nothing but a black hole. It’s full of the infected, and with this new mutation strand, thinking about a cure is just a one-way ticket to… you know. You have to forget about it.”

“I can’t do that… I need to find Celestia and if we can just get into the hospital, maybe we can find specifics: why the apocalypse started, how to cure it. I need answers.”

“Maybe there isn’t any. We should just prioritize finding a place to bunker down and hide. It’s dangerous out there, but it’s safe here.” Twilight’s voice was muffled slightly, mainly since the singing drowned the both of them out.

Sunset glanced around, noting how a few of the military personnel moved from the lobby area. “Applejack said the Military was being evacuated. Said a horde was coming. I don’t understand why they’re still here.”

“A horde?” Twilight pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, “What do you mean a horde?”

“They’re getting stronger, right? That means smarter too. Maybe if there’s a Patient Zero at the hospital, I can finally figure out what the hell is going on… but I’ll need someone’s help. Someone I can trust.” When Sunset glanced back at Twilight, she could tell where this was going.

“I–I don’t know anything about infections…! I barely read about viruses and bacteria back at Crystal Prep. All my focus was—was magic.”

“But you were also a scholar. I’m telling you… you’re smart. If anyone can help me, it’s you.”

“I–I don’t know, Sunset. This is crazy…! If we leave the safety of the mall, we’re done for.”

“I—” Sunset paused as she looked around, watching as the military personnel continued to move through the mall. Her eyes narrowed, and in a moment she realized. Looking over at Twilight, she gasped, “It’s too loud—it’s too loud…!” She glanced up at the skylight only to see the infected beginning to break through the glass. “They’re coming in from the top!”

The glass broke, sending shards of pieces downwards as well as the infected. The people began screaming and scrambling back, but aside from the broken legs, the infected still crawled towards the survivors.

Sunset grabbed Twilight, pulling her up before helping the others as well. “We have to get out of here!” she yelled.

“Dammit! I knew this was a fucking terrible idea the moment they took my fucking guns!” Rainbow Dash yelled, running alongside Applejack and Pinkie Pie.

Sunset bent down before grabbing an AK-47, tossing it at Rainbow Dash, who caught it instantly. “There you go.”

“You gave me a jammed weapon! No wonder it was fucking thrown away!” Rainbow Dash growled, tossing it aside.

“How was I supposed to know that?” Sunset glanced back before stopping, “Where’s Fluttershy and Twilight?” Sunset looked at the others before waving them off, “Go find somewhere safe, I’ll catch up.”

“Sunset wait—!” Pinkie called out, but Applejack pulled her back.

When Twilight nearly bumped into Sunset, Sunset was quick to ask, “Where’s Fluttershy?”

“She was just behind me—”

Sunset glanced around before spotting Fluttershy huddled up in the corner, a familiar creature slowly creeping towards her. Discord. In an instant, Sunset grabbed a shard of glass before tossing it at him.

“Hey!” The glass scratched his cheek before falling to the ground, causing a snarl to escape his throat as he turned to face Sunset. “Oh shit…” she mumbled before glancing at Rainbow Dash as they were near the exit. “Rainbow Dash— get Fluttershy out of here!” She called out before pulling Twilight along with her, running down the hall as Discord ran after the two of them.

Twilight yelped as Discord jumped ahead, blocking their pathway. Grabbing onto her, Sunset pulled her into a store before pulling the metal gate downward. His claws scratched her chest, causing her to fall to the ground, leaving Twilight to pull it completely down and lock it. Moving to help Sunset up, the two of them jumped as claw marks appeared on the sheet as well as dents, but after a few minutes… there was silence.

They were safe.

For now.

A Path to a Cure

“What was that thing?” Twilight asked while she cleaned Sunset’s wound. She winced, causing Twilight to wince as well. “Sorry.”

Sunset leaned her head back on the wall, looking back at the claw marks on the metal gate before sighing. “An old friend from Equestria…”

“Equestria? That… monster came from Equestria?”

“Hey!” she scolded, “He’s not a monster, alright? His name was Discord. He was my friend and—” Sunset paused, looking back at the claw marks before at her own wounds. “He’s just confused… If I can just find a cure, maybe I can save him.”

“That thing—” Twilight paused before correcting herself, “He seems beyond saving.”

“If I can get him back to the portal, Twilight— well… the other… version of yourself can maybe save him. If magic still works there, that is.”

“Right… uhm… so h-how do you think we’ll get out of here?”

“I don’t know…” Sunset mumbled as Twilight bandaged the wound completely. “But I know where to head next.”

“The hospital?” When Sunset met her gaze, Twilight understood. “Sunset… that’s a death mission.”

Sunset raised her voice, “If I can just find Principal Celestia—” A loud bang hit the metal gate, causing Sunset to quiet down. “If I can just find Celesta… I swear I’ll be able to do this.”

“You don’t even know what you’re looking for.”

Sunset paused. Twilight was right. She didn’t. But that wasn’t going to keep her from trying.

“Sunset… this is crazy–! I know you want to be this hero but maybe… maybe our world really is just ending.”

“I refuse to believe that.” Sunset crossed her arms, albeit pouting as she looked away.

“I don’t think you have a choice. If a whole mall was overrun by the infection in less than an hour, even with military help—”

“I’m sorry, did we see the same shit out there? I don’t think I saw a single soldier shooting at the infected.” With Twilight’s nervous eyes meeting her own, Sunset sighed. “Listen… it’s not too late to try to find a cure. If I can’t find anything, then I’ll give it up. Okay? I promise.”

Twilight adjusted her glasses before speaking, “You’re not looking for a cure, Sunset. You’re looking for Celestia.” Sunset looked away, her irritation spiking.

“Just let me do this. If you don’t want to help, fine, but I’m leaving.” Sunset stood up, ignoring how Twilight followed. She peeked through the sliced metal, examining whether or not the hallway was clear. It was completely dark. Not only was it nighttime, but power was non-existent in the whole building. So it wasn’t exactly an easy task.

“This is insane…” Twilight mumbled as she looked as well.

“Just follow my lead.” Sunset paused for a moment before moving to unlock the gate, pulling it just up above her knees. “It’s clear. Hold this, I’ll go first.” Sunset then crawled under the gate before motioning for Twilight to come through as well, holding it up for her before slowly putting it down to keep the noise from attracting the infected.

Sunset grabbed Twilight’s hand, gently pulling her along as they quietly walked through the halls. The closer they got to the skylight, the more bodies they encountered.

“Maybe we should go the other way…” Twilight whispered. “How do you know they won't see us?”

“Their eyes are clouded. Which makes me think their vision is blurred. If we play our cards right, then maybe we can sneak past without drawing attention to ourselves.”

“Do you know if that’ll work?”

“No.”

The blunt reply made Twilight cringe, especially when Sunset continued to lead Twilight ahead. Sunset crouched down, motioning for Twilight to do the same, before moving forward. The infected didn’t seem to move at all. They were dormant, almost.

Sunset moved to open the door, trying to avoid creaking it too much. “Go ahead.” Sunset mumbled. After Twilight entered the strip before the exit, Sunset moved inside as well, slowly closing the door behind her. Twilight was about to exit the next door when Sunset pulled her down to the ground, covering her mouth as Discord walked past.

He had been moving on all fours since the first encounter, appearing genuinely animal-like aside from his obvious animal traits. In Equestria, Discord’s mannerisms always seemed to match those in the human realm, but here: Discord was feral. Drool and blood dripping from his mouth, his eyes clouded over like the others, and the noises he made sounded exactly like someone clicking their tongue repeatedly.

The other zombies did that as well, but it wasn’t exactly noticeable till now—or Sunset didn’t exactly care to notice. Maybe they used echolocation in some form of way. Or maybe it was just a result of their vocal cords being used excessively, resulting in breaks in their voice box. Sunset had no clue—she wasn’t a scientist, she was a student… and even then she hadn’t paid attention to biology or anatomy. The likelihood of it being wrong was… a hundred to one… but it was an easy excuse.

After finally walking past, Sunset slowly stepped ahead to push the door open, allowing herself out first before helping Twilight through. Upon spotting a glass bottle, Sunset picked it up before throwing it ahead of Discord—distracting him and allowing the two of them to move swiftly through the parking lot.

Sunset hopped into a nearby vehicle, checking the backseat before the car alarm startled both her and Twilight.

“Fuck!” Sunset cursed, immediately exiting the vehicle and running to grab Twilight.

“What are you—”

“Just run!”

The screams and howls of the horde only made their adrenaline meet at its peak, their hearts thumping as they ran as fast as they could down the parking lot, past buildings and bodies, and through alleyways full of debris and garbage. The pain in their legs was nothing compared to the fear driving them ahead. The noises of the infected crawling and moving past the obstacles quicker than the two of them was enough to make Twilight whimper and whine.

Sunset pulled Twilight through the alley and out into Mainstreet, and upon seeing the red flickering lights of the Emergency Room ahead, Sunset bolted that way, practically dragging Twilight along. The doors dinged, sliding open and allowing them to jump inside. They were quick to pull the chairs and benches towards the door—but that didn’t stop the infected from slamming their entire bodies against the glass.

“They’re gonna break in!” Twilight yelled, leading Sunset to pull her into the elevator, praying to Celestia it would actually work. She pressed the top floor button repeatedly, ignoring how the glass began to shatter. Before they could charge into the opening, the elevator doors shut on one of their arms—cutting it clean off.

Canterlot Medical Center

Sunset gasped, watching the arm fall to the ground before letting out a relieved sigh. “Fucking hell…” She slid onto the floor and sat down, breathing heavily and wincing as she rubbed her calves.

“They’re so aggressive…” Twilight mumbled, following her to the ground.

Sunset nodded. She looked up at the elevator numbers, watching it go from 1… to 2… to 3… “I can’t believe this shit is even happening.”

“It feels like just yesterday that all this stuff started.”

“Did it really start at the school?”

“It could have started anywhere…”

Sunset rested her head on the wall, closing her eyes to rest. “Maybe it was bioengineered.”

“Bioengineered?”

“Man-made. Which means they probably put it out on purpose. I don’t know…” Sunset shrugged, “Just making theories, I guess.” Sunset winced as she adjusted her position on the floor. The wound on her chest wasn’t exactly helping her in this type of situation.

“Do you really think they’re… zombies?”

Sunset stood up, stretching her arms and twisting her back side to side as she popped it, trying not to hurt herself in the process. “Any novel, TV show, or even video game would tell you these things are zombies. They eat people, bite them to infect them, I mean it’s pretty obvious. But—maybe it is like rabies. Or Mad Cow disease but in humans. There are human cases, right?”

Twilight shrugged, holding her knees to her chest, “Maybe… but I don’t think they call it that.”

Sunset glanced back at the number. Floor 8. “When we get to the top floor, we should stick together and keep quiet. The ding might attract some infected—if they’re still here.”

“What about weapons?”

“Find them on the way…” The elevator suddenly shifted, leaving Sunset to balance herself. “What was that?”

The elevator suddenly dropped, causing Twilight to hold onto the handle above her as Sunset scrambled to grab onto something. The doors creaked open, and as the elevator stopped abruptly, Sunset was tossed onto a random floor. Sunset gasped, looking back at Twilight, who was still holding on for dear life.

“Here— give me your hand.” Sunset held her hand out, but as she heard the wires snap, she jumped back, not wanting to risk amputating her own arm. The whole thing suddenly collapsed, but only fell a few floors down. “Twilight!” Sunset yelled, ignoring the fact she may attract some unwanted attention. Her eyes watered, not wanting to assume the worst.

“I’m okay…” The timid voice calling out to her caused her to let out an exasperated breath.

“Are you safe?”

“I’m… between two different floors. It’s tipped upward.”

“Can any of the infected come in?”

“Yeah… ”

“I’ll go down a few floors and get to you. I’d… hop on the top but I don’t want to risk the elevator falling completely. Just stay quiet and don’t move till I get there.” Sunset pushed herself up from the ground, glancing around before moving towards the stairs. “You’ve been here before, Sunset… you know this place like the back of your hand…” Noticing a fire axe, Sunset bent down to pick it up, only to also notice a scratch… on the back of her hand. She rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the irony.

Exploring the hospital… which was now run-down and destroyed… it was strange. Sunset had her own… more personal visits here at the Medical Center, but seeing it in this state compared to the white and pristine appearance months ago—it was creepy… almost even depressing.

Sunset made her way through the halls, stepping over glass—debris—and bodies. She held the axe firmly against her chest, prepared for anything to jump out and scare her. Obviously this wasn’t like those old haunted houses she’d go to back when Nightmare Night was around, this was real. Anything here could attack and kill her.

“Find a cure.” Sunset mumbled before stopping in her tracks. “Right… because I know exactly what that would look like.” She let out a long sigh before lowering the axe. “This is stupid… What am I even looking for?”

Sunset paused for a second.

“You’re not looking for a cure, Sunset. You’re looking for Celestia.”

Twilight’s words repeated in her head. She wasn’t wrong in any way. Sunset’s search for a cure was indeed an excuse to look for Celestia… but at the same time—finding a cure would also mean saving not only herself… but ALSO Celestia.

“Please tell me she’s alive.” Sunset mumbled. Sure, it had been however many months since Celestia first left Sunset behind, and the probability of Celestia fleeing the Hospital was more than likely. But that didn't stop Sunset from coming here. Maybe she hunkered down for… three months in the same place.

No, that didn’t sound right. No idiot would just sit in one area unless it was packed to the brim with supplies and food. Which… the mall would have been that one area, but it was overrun by the infected in 30 minutes.

Sunset shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts clouding her mind. It wasn’t time to doubt her mission. It also wasn’t smart, considering how distracting it was.

Forget the cure.

Find Celestia.

She walked through various rooms and supply areas. The perks of a hospital meant more first-aid kits. Even if half of the hospital was already ransacked to shit. She gathered the most she could, even finding a spare gun beside a dead military soldier. One problem, the gun was right next to his face.

She bent down slowly, grabbing it quickly before moving away. Literally any horror game would turn that into a jumpscare, so when nothing happened, Sunset was a bit underwhelmed.

“Well that was anticlimac—”

“Sunset!” The scream caught her off guard, but she soon assumed it to be Twilight.

“Twilight? Twilight! Dammit! Are you alright?” Sunset ran through the hall, only to stop when a familiar shadow appeared on the corner. “Oh fuck…” Sunset stepped back, only to trip over the military soldier’s corpse. She gasped, but remained still—frozen in fear.

“Sunset!” As Discord walked into the hallway, that’s when she realized it. The voice was coming from him. Out of all the encounters, not once did she hear his actual voice—screaming out to… her.

It was terrifying. In no way was it comforting at all… if anything it made it completely worse. He sniffed and snarled, shaking his head before yawning, revealing sharp canines and incisors and large molars strong enough to break every bone in her body. Sunset let out sharp intakes of breath as she shuddered, crawling backwards and completely forgetting the existence of her gun.

After all, who even knew if gunshots would work on him. His originally lean body was larger and a bit more muscular… like his body literally built up thicker skin since the infection first took hold. Her eyes watered as he crept closer. The darkness surrounding the two served as camouflage for Sunset, which worked amazingly as he was just about legally blind in the darkness.

However, when it came to hovering completely over her, the perfecality of her camouflage wasn’t too exciting; considering how she had to practically hold her breath while Discord crawled above her, it was blood-curdling.

She closed her eyes tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she leaned her head back. His drool dripped down onto her chest, and as he leaned in closer—just barely touching her cheek with his muzzle, gunshots repeatedly went off behind him.

Sunset immediately placed her head to the ground, gasping and letting out yelps as blood splattered on her face. Discord’s body collapsed onto her, his head landing onto her chest. The pressure nearly made her choke and gag—but that could very well have been from the blood in her mouth.

She slowly sat up, looking up at the figure who shot Discord. “Twilight—” she said, barely seeing her silhouette in the darkness. “Oh dear, Celestia… t-thank you. I thought—I-I swear I was dead…” She squirmed and grunted as she tried to shove Discord’s limp body off of her. “I didn’t think gunshots would work… but I guess headshots are the next best thing.” Sunset laughed, but as she looked back at Discord, she found herself moving to pet his head. “I’m sorry you got mixed up in this, buddy…” her eyes watered, but as she looked back at Twilight, she paused.

Twilight dropped her gun, remaining still as could be, and honestly scaring Sunset. What if she was bit? What if she was turning right this second? What if—

“Sunset?”

Sunset’s eyes narrowed. That voice…

“Sunset!” before she knew it, she was suddenly pulled into a hug. “Oh my god… I… I never thought I’d see you again.”

Her eyes widened in realization. “Celestia?!” When she pulled back, Celestia’s eyes were full of tears, smiling as she nodded. She pressed a firm kiss to her forehead, and as Sunset’s mind finally acknowledged what was happening, she wrapped her arms firmly around her before sobbing against her chest.

“Shh… shh, honey. I have you, you’re okay. We—” Celestia pulled back again, “We have to get out of here… Come on.” She helped Sunset up before moving to lead her away.

“W-wait I…” Sunset paused as Celestia stopped. Her eyes filled with tears again as she spoke up, “I… I was so hurt when you left me. And I was so scared you’d never come back. You promised you wouldn’t leave—but you did—and I’m mad at you but I’m so happy you’re alive—”

“Sunset, breathe. I’m here now.”

“D-did you find a cure?” Sunset asked through her tears.

She shook her head, “There is no cure…” Celestia brushed the hair away from Sunset’s face, “Our best bet is to get out of here, and go somewhere safe and as far away from everyone as we can possibly get.”

When Celestia tried to pull her along again, Sunset protested, “I—I have to save Twilight. She’s in the elevator… I don’t want to lose her too.”

Celestia nodded, allowing Sunset to lead the way.

When it came to freeing Twilight, a horde was on their way towards them. Sunset reached out, and the moment she grabbed Twilight’s hand, she pulled her up before the elevator could take her down the rest of the decline. Sunset hugged Twilight before getting nudged by Celestia to move along.

“Quickly… we have to get out of here.” Celestia said, moving to lead the way as she brought them out of the hospital. Upon reaching the parking garage, Celestia closed the door behind them. “Go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

“What? No–I’m not leaving you again!” Sunset stepped forward.

Celestia kicked the door as they tried to bust through, leading to one of the infected biting her ankle.

“No—!” Sunset tried to run towards her, but was held back by Twilight. “Let me go—!” When gunshots stopped all three of them in their tracks, Sunset was quick to grab Celestia. “They’re distracted, come on!”

She stopped when Celestia wouldn’t budge. “Sunset… I can’t.”

“I don’t care, alright? I don’t care if you turn, but I’m not letting you go. Not again.”

Celestia sighed, already knowing Sunset would continue this back and forward argument for as long as possible. “Alright… but promise me the moment you see the signs…” When Sunset nodded, Celestia allowed her to pull her along.

Running out of the parking garage turned into a fight of survival after Celestia collapsed on the ground. “No— no!” Sunset tried to urge her up, but loud footsteps alerted her. “Please… please get up. I can’t… I can’t lose you.”

“S-Sunset we have to go!” Twilight tried to pull Sunset up, but she shoved her away. “Sunset please!”

“Anybody ask for some help?” Applejack’s voice alerted the two of them. She was holding a shotgun over her shoulder. Rainbow Dash was beside her, as well as Pinkie and Fluttershy with their own set of weapons.

—

Sunset probably slept for twelve hours that night, waiting impatiently by the bedside. Her head was resting on the bed, but she was sitting in a chair beside it.

When stirring beneath the covers woke her up, Sunset was quick to jump up in excitement.

Celestia had been knocked out cold for nearly twenty-seven hours. The girls reached Sunset just on time, and Celestia was fortunate to avoid the infection from taking host.

“Celestia—!” Sunset hugged her, ignoring how Celestia squirmed slightly.

“Sunset? What happened?” She tried to sit up on the bed, but as she pulled the covers off… her leg was amputated.

Sunset looked down, “We didn’t know if it would work… but I wasn’t about to let you go. Not now… not ever.”

“Where are we?”

“Applejack’s farmstead. It’s probably the safest place we can stay.” As Celestia sighed, Sunset moved onto the bed before hugging her. “I was so scared… that you were going to leave me again.”

Celestia hugged her back, “I’ll never leave you again, Sunset. I promise. And this time, I swear on my life I’ll keep it.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”