Dead-Pony Rising

The bathroom had a very unsure feel to it as they walked in. They heard muttering and shuffling in the bathroom, as well as crying.

Lyra signaled for Rainbow to get closer. Rainbow remained at her distance.

“Rainbow, come on!” Lyra whispered impatiently.

“I don't have a good feeling about this.” Rainbow whispered back as she very slowly started to scoot over to Lyra.

Lyra shrugged in anger. “News flash! I don't either! Are you just gonna let Fluttershy in there?” Lyra said as she stomped.

“... No.” Rainbow said. “I'm ready!” Rainbow ran in the bathroom and saw Fluttershy muttering. Blood covered her whole body.

“... It's so simple... I see it now... soon, we'll all be a part of the change...” The mare muttered to herself in the corner.

Lyra came in behind Rainbow, who proceeded to walk over to the troubled mare. “Yo... Flutts... you... uhh... ok?”

Fluttershy quickly turned around, her face was covered in red and tears. “R... Rainbow... Dash. Wooooow... you actually made it...”

Rainbow backed up as Fluttershy scooted the glass and limped toward her. “Ummm... yeeeah... I made it... heh... are... are you feeling okay?”

“I'm... peeeerfeeect... Rainbow... the resistance... first, I didn't understand what she was doing...” Fluttershy said.

“Wait, what? What was who doing?” Rainbow asked, still backing up. Fluttershy completely dodged the question.

“First, it was... it was so horrible! The zombies... that... that we've been trying to save... killing ponies... EATING... ponies!” Fluttershy was crying harshly.

“Umm... Lyra... what should we do?” Rainbow whispered to her left.

“Get your weapon ready. It's all I can say.”

Rainbow shook her head. “Fluttershy! The zombies you are trying to... save? How were you trying to do that?” Again, Fluttershy dodged the question.

“But, then! I saw how brilliant the plan was once I figured it out! It's so nice, Rainbow! It's beautiful!” Fluttershy said as she put her bloody hooves on Rainbow.

“...Please... help me...” a tied up Bon-Bon said from a corner.

“FLUTTERSHY! Listen to me! What's the plan you're talking about!?”

Fluttershy cracked her neck when she turned her head left out of confusion. “You don't know...? B-- but... you're a part of her plan! You're supposed to know about it!”

“I don't know anything! Who's “she”?” Rainbow said as she pushed off Fluttershy.  She completely ignored the question once more.

“Whether or not you know of the plan, you're a part of it. I've conceded to the plan, too. I'm a soldier... for the cause, Rainbow...” She said as she backed up. She opened a bathroom stall and a zombie looked up and started to walk out of it, toward Bon-Bon. Bon-Bon shrieked loudly as she started to cry for mercy. Rainbow ran and pushed the monster back into the stall and closed the door.

“Fluttershy! This is not the way to help ANYPONY!” Rainbow yelled to her face. Fluttershy twitched twice and backed up, making the glass pieces clang against each other.

“Oh, I see! You're losing the courage to finish the plan for success!” Fluttershy's face had never seemed any meaner... or bloodshot... or bloodthirsty.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “What!? No! I am simply trying to convince you in a different way!” Fluttershy didn't hear her.

“Well! I have the guts...” Fluttershy looked down and grabbed a piece of broken, bloody glass. “... And... and I'm taking this ALL the way! AHAHAhahaha!”

Lyra shook her head. “Rainbow, there's nothing we can do for her! Insanity has completely consumed her!”

Rainbow had tears running down her cheek. “No... w... why me...”

“I'm sorry, Rainbow. We have to do what needs to be done.” Lyra put a hoof on her shoulder as she grabbed out her knife. “I'm sorry, Fluttershy.”

“You will be!” Fluttershy said as she leaped for Lyra and Rainbow with the piece of glass with a yell. The two mares jumped out of the way and Fluttershy missed. Lyra took a lunge at her and hit her leg. It was now gushing red.

“Agh! You are all wrong! The plan is the way to go! I have the bravery to carry it out! Why can't you see my deed!?” Fluttershy yelled with another leap, but this time, when Lyra moved, Fluttershy leaped into one of the stalls with an maniacal laugh.

“Stupid mare! You've sealed your--” Lyra stopped as she opened the stall to see nothing in it. She closed the door and backed up against the wall. Rainbow dash did the same, just on the other side.

“Fluttershy... we don't want to hurt you, if you would just calm down!” Rainbow yelled as she carefully walked in front of the stalls.

Fluttershy came out of the top of one of the stalls, trying to stab Rainbow from above, but Rainbow quickly dodged out of the way. When Fluttershy missed, Rainbow came up with her knife and slashed her face with sadness and despair. The streaming red came out of her cheek. Fluttershy's eyes almost seemed red as she angrily glared Rainbow down with her red stained face and mane.

Unnoticed, Lyra came up behind Fluttershy as she was staring down Rainbow and bucked her hard in the back across the room next to Bon-Bon, who shrieked once.

Fluttershy looked up with shrunken eyes as she saw she was cornered. She started to weep.

“I... I don't understand! W-Why don't you want them all to be saved!?” She said, shaking.

Rainbow held her knife up to her. “Fluttershy. Settle down. There's no need for this. You and I both know deep down this isn't the solution, whatever you are trying to do.”

Fluttershy twitched and made an angry face. “IT IS RIGHT! Your blind eyes just don't see it! I'll make you feel it!”

She uppercut Rainbow's arm, knocking the knife out of her hoof. She then proceeded to spin kick her into Lyra. She picked up her glass shard and started to limp, noticing her leg was injured and she was unable to run anymore. She started to limp away in fear.

“N... No! Get away from me! Let me do what I need to!” Fluttershy was stumbling into the walls, and crashed into a stall.

Lyra flinched. “Fluttershy, no! There's a--”

A shriek of pain and terror came from the stall. Fluttershy was thrown out of the stall. She was bleeding from her head. Groans and moans were coming from the stall. Rainbow's mouth hung open in disbelief. Fluttershy had been bitten by the putrid creature.

Fluttershy looked at her hoof as she saw the blood dripping from her forehead.

“No...” she muttered. She held the glass up to her neck.

Rainbow struggled to get up as she called Fluttershy's name.

“Fluttershy! NO! WAIT!”

Slice. A squishy sound came from Fluttershy as her hoof moved over to the other side of her head. Red squirted from her neck. She fell to the ground. Rainbow stopped in her tracks as tears ran from her eyes almost instantly. She started to whimper and fell to the ground, mouth hanging open. Lyra closed her eyes and sighed as she slowly walked over to untie the rope that held Bon-Bon together.

Once she was untied, Bon-Bon hugged Lyra, crying. “I... I don't know what went wrong with her! She just...”

“I know.” Lyra said depressingly. “Rainbow... I'm sorry for your friend. I really am. She just couldn't handle what was going on around her and reacted the only way she knew how.”

Rainbow remained silent. She breathed heavily. She started to breathe faster and faster.

“Rainbow? Are you there?” Lyra looked to her side. The zombie was slowly limping out of the bathroom stall. “Hey, Rainbow, look out. To your left.” Lyra reminded Rainbow. Rainbow started shaking. All of a sudden, Rainbow let out a ear-piercing scream. She grabbed her knife.

“Stupid bastard! Fucking piece of SHIT! DIE!” She latched onto the zombie and started mercilessly slashing and stabbing at it's skull. Red spilled everywhere and Rainbow kept slashing until the head fell off. “AND STAY DEAD!” She shouted. She went over and punched a stall as hard as she could. One of the stall's supporters broke with a load bang. Rainbow shook her head as she breathed heavily.

“... Feel any better? I know that's a no, but I'm worried.” Lyra asked as she let go of Bon-Bon. She slowly trotted over to Rainbow.

“... At least... at least you care. How? How did this outbreak of these useless shit-heads begin?” Rainbow demanded as she violently turned her head toward Lyra.

“That's what I'm trying to figure out. It's time you know. I'm actually a special agent for Equestria's government. I'm here for investigation, saving the survivors is how I'm getting my info.” Lyra reached into her saddlebag she took with her and showed Rainbow her badge.

“So THAT'S where you've been all these times? I always wondered where you went.” Bon-Bon said behind her.

“Yes. I haven't gotten far though. I only know the source is within this mall.”

“My question is why hasn't the Princess done anything about this herself?” Rainbow asked.

“Well, she's caught up in debt, and she has to pay it off. The government hasn't let her go, so she was forced to send her sister.”

I'm sure if the government knew there was a zombie outbreak, they would let her take action.” Rainbow said, rolling her eyes.

“But they don't. We can't communicate with them either. The mail-mare came to deliver a message, but we never got it. She was shot down like you were.”

“Damn... well, can we get back to base? This bathroom is uncomfortable.” Rainbow said as she edged away from her friend's lifeless dead body.

“Yes, let's. C'mon Bon-Bon. We need to get you out of here too. You're injured, and we need to fix you up.”

_______________________________________________________________________

“You had to WHAT!?” Luna shouted in terror as she heard the news.

Lyra nodded. “A survivor had gone psychopathic. She was hopeless. Said survivor was Fluttershy, commander. I apologize that we were unable to save her.”

Luna sighed. “Well, zombie outbreaks can bring out the madness in ponies with weak willpower. She spoke of anything important?”

“Yes... well, sort of, commander. She spoke of a plan for zombie saving, and a “she” commanding it. We are still unsure of who “she” is though.”

“I see. Rainbow Dash, I pity your loss. I don't want to rush you, but we have no choice. A survivor was spotted by the cameras running through the halls. She stopped by the sports store. On further inspection, she appears to be our lost mail-mare. Though her identity is unknown because the cap she wore guarded her face. However, she seemed to have a similar mane cut as you, Rainbow. Pegasus, light mane color.”

Rainbow nodded and sighed. “I... I'll take it on. I will be on my way shortly.”

Luna squinted. “You? Just you? What of you, Miss Heartstrings?”

Lyra shook her head. “Sorry, commander. I must tend to a wounded survivor. She's an old friend of mine.”

Luna closed her eyes and thought for a moment. “Hmmm... if you insist. Rainbow, are you sure you can handle this alone? The mare... she didn't look too... stable. Lyra! Tend to your friend.” Luna ordered.

“Yes, commander!” Lyra saluted and trotted out the door.

Rainbow opened her mouth, but closed it again.

“Do not be afraid to speak up, Rainbow. We are all in this together, for the good of us. What is your question?” Luna looked down at her.

“If you don't mind... how is your sister in debt? You know how I know about this.”

“Not a bad question, Rainbow. After 1000 years of imprisonment on the moon, I need money. Bad. Sharing half and half with my sister has caused us both to go in debt. She is working on it, while I'm here to help the resistance.” Luna explained.

Rainbow halfway squinted. “... Well, okay. I'll be off, then.” Rainbow turned to walk out the door.

“Good luck on your mission, Rainbow Dash.” Luna said as she smiled.

“...Thanks...” Rainbow said as she closed the door and dashed to the ventilation shaft.

“... Don't get too involved with that, Dash. It may be the end of you.” Luna muttered to herself.