The Final Stand

They left the clubhouse without getting what Apple Bloom wanted. However, it wouldn't matter either way. Whatever memory she wanted to bring back with her, it would be forever tainted by the horrors they saw.

"C'mon, lets get back to the cellar before it gets too dark." Applejack broke the silence.

"What's the point?" Apple Bloom sobbed, "we're eventually gonna end up like her and we'll..."

"Apple Bloom! Stop it!" Sweetie Belle interrupted, "you can't think like that, you gotta be strong!"

"Sweetie Belle's right. We're all in a lot of pain right now and we all have to-"

"Have to what?! Scootaloo's dead and it's only a matter of time until we're next! I just want this to be over!" Tears began streaming down Apple Bloom's face. Applejack realized that Apple Bloom will not live much longer if her morale is this low. She's already losing hope in life and that can be fatal.

"Apple Bloom," Applejack took off her hat, "in the clubhouse, there was something I didn't want you to see, remember?"

"Y-y-yea..." Apple Bloom stuttered.

"It was Rainbow Dash." Applejack felt a sharp pain in her chest as she recalled the sight, "She must've tried to protect Scootaloo from the monsters. Knowing Rainbow Dash, she probably put up quite a fight. She fought so that Scootaloo could live for as long as possible. I want you to live! We have not come this far just to die now! You may have given up on the world, but I have not given up on you!" Applejack wrapped her arms around her sister and let her cry into her embrace.

"Applejack, they're coming!" Sweetie Belle yelped. Applejack looked to see a wall of the undead approaching them. Applejack felt a sudden chill and muttered,

"Run."

The three took off as fast as they could. The cellar was no more than one hundred feet away, safety was in their sight. Applejack made sure to run behind Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, she figured that if they were caught, she'd use herself as bait. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle managed to get to the door and swung it open.

"Hurry up sis! Hurry!" Apple Bloom shouted. Applejack made it to the cellar and slammed the door shut behind her. Applejack began putting boards up against the door and nailing them in place. Once the door was boarded up, Applejack fell to the ground, exhausted from the sprint. However, this was not the time for rest. Soon enough, Applejack could hear the sounds of several hooves pounding on the wooden door.

"T-t-they're trying to get in!" Sweetie Belle shrieked.

"What do we do now Applejack? We've got nowhere to go!" Apple Bloom began to panic.

Applejack couldn't argue with that, they were trapped. Their only real defense was that they were hidden, but since they have been found, the cellar would soon become their tomb.

Applejack frantically began scanning the room for a solution. The only thing she could find was a small compartment in the wall at the back of the cellar. It's too small for a full grown pony but it's perfect for at least three fillies.

"Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, I want you to listen to me very carefully. You see that crawlspace over there?" Applejack pointed off to the corner of the room. The two fillies turned their attention to the direction Applejack was pointing and then back to Applejack.

"W-what about it?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"The monsters are going to get in here at any moment. I want you two to hide in there while I take care of them." Applejack said.

"What?! You'll be killed by those monsters!" Apple Bloom burst into tears, "Why would you throw your life away?!"

"To save yours, sis." Applejack lowered herself down to Apple Bloom and wrapped her arms around the sobbing filly.

"A-a-are you sure you can't fit in there? I mean, how do you know, you haven't tried yet, have you?" Apple Bloom said, hoping to find a better way, a way that would keep everyone alive.

"Apple Bloom, there's not much time left. It has to be done. I wish there was another way, I really do, but there just isn't one."

"But, Applejack, if you die, what will become of me and Apple Bloom?" Sweetie Belle croaked.

"You have to continue the fight and live on without me." Applejack said.

"No! No! I don't wanna live without you and I don't want to become one of those monsters either!" Apple Bloom began breathing heavily, "Kill me!" Apple Bloom picked up the shotgun that was lying on the ground next to Applejack and put the barrels in her mouth. Tears began flowing down her face.

"Apple Bloom! NO!" Applejack snatched the gun away, "Don't you get it?! You have a choice! We all do. Choices that define us. Choices that tell us who we are. You can't give up!" Applejack pushed the fillies into the crawlspace, "You can't make that choice. It goes nowhere. Choose to be strong for Rarity. For Rainbow Dash. For Scootaloo! Choose to fight, Apple Bloom. No matter what. Choose to live!"

"B-but wh-what am I supposed to do w-w-without you?!" Apple Bloom stammered.

"Get your mark." With those words, Applejack boarded up the opening to the crawlspace. She turned around just as the sound of the door breaking reached her ears. She looked to find something, anything that would help her take down as many of those monsters as possible. In the dim light of the cellar, a faded red cylinder caught her eye. She immediately picked it up to discover it was a stick of dynamite. She reached into her saddle bag to find a candle lighter. One of the fillies must have taken it from Sugarcube Corner.

"Well I'll be damned." Applejack chuckled at the uncanny convenience of the lighter. She lit the fuse and watched the sparks dance wildly as it slowly moved it's way closer to the stick. She was too close to the fillies' hiding spot. If she were to let the dynamite go off now, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle would be caught in the explosion. Applejack took a deep breath and ran as fast as she could, straight into the horde. As she ran, everything seemed to slow down. In this time, Applejack's mind began wandering to the time before the world ended. She with Rainbow Dash. They were watching over the cutie mark crusaders as they tried to earn their pole-vaulting cutie marks.

"Oh, shoot, we almost had it! Scootaloo said as she walked over the the other crusaders.

"I'm sure we can do it," Sweetie Belle said with determination, "we just need to try again."

"Ummm, hey, if you don't mind me asking, why do this?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Well, we've got to get our cutie marks somehow so we're trying everything until we figure out what our special talents are!" Apple Bloom said proudly.

"I think what she's trying to ask is," Applejack walked over to Rainbow Dash's side, "Why pole-vaulting? Are you sure that this is your special talent?"

"We'll never know if we don't try." Scootaloo said.

"Hahaha, I guess you're right," Applejack laughed, "well, go on then, there's still plenty of time left in the day for more crusadin'."

Applejack's mind was soon pulled back into reality by the deafening moans of the undead as she pushed her way through the crowd, ignoring the pain of teeth sinking into her flesh.

"SOUP'S ON EVERYPONY!"

Author's Note

Mon dieu! It's been a long trip, but I'm glad I made it to the end! Thank you so much everyone who's been following me since I started this fic, which I thought in the beginning would be an absolute piece of crap that was inspired from a flash game of the same name! Thank you, all of you!