Chapters Being Alone
"Alright, that'll do for now." Applejack examined the musty room, the cellar was filled with food and cider, enough to keep them alive for a while, and the only way in was through the door she just nailed shut. That was three weeks ago. The food and cider that had been stored was running out.
"Sis, ahm scared..." Applebloom shuddered.
"Ah know, so am ah. I've made sure to lock up that door nice and tight."
"Will it keep them out?"
"Yes." Applejack lied. Even though she's the element of honesty in living form, this is the one time where she felt lying would be better than the truth. She didn't want to say it, but it'd be only a matter of time before their combined weight would crack the door.
"What if it doesn't? What if they get in? What will we do?" Applebloom began to panic.
"Well, your big sis is gonna put up a fight. I wont let any of them touch one hair on yer head." Applejack rubbed Applebloom's head and gave a reassuring smile, "Now, get some sleep, you need your rest." Applejack tucked her sister in the corner and laid a blanket over her.
"Applejack?"
"What is it, sugarcube?"
"Do you think that Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are alright?"
"Ah bet they're doin' just fine. They're smart lil' fillies, ah don't think anything happened to them." Applejack lied once again. She didn't have high expectations for the survival of the other crusaders. If any, Sweetie Belle would last the longest, she had Rarity to keep her safe. Scootaloo on the other hoof. Applejack's heart sank into her stomach at the thought.
Applebloom quickly fell asleep from exhaustion and ignored the sounds of moaning coming from above. They had agreed that they'd take shifts so that someone would always be on guard, but Applejack didn't sleep, she didn't have it in her to wake Applebloom. If they were to survive this, Applebloom would never be the same.
"Please... Celestia, help us." Applejack began to sob, "ah don't wanna die like this. This is the one time I don't wanna do something alone!" Applejack perked up when the sound of something bashing on the door alerted her. She immediately checked her pocket and found five shotgun shells.
"Shit. This wont last very long." Applejack said as she loaded two shells into her shotgun, she snapped the barrel back into place and aimed it at the door, ready to defend Applebloom from whatever wanted to get in. Applejack could hear the sound of the wooden door beginning to crack when something distracted them. It was a scream and a very high pitched one at that. Anypony who's lived in Ponyville would know that there was only one pony with a voice like that.
"Sweetie Belle!" Applejack exclaimed. Without thinking she rushed to the door, removed the barricade and pushed the door open. The light was blinding, they had been in the darkness for so long, it took at least ten seconds for her eyes to adjust to natural sunlight. When her vision returned, the sight she saw put her in a state of fear and joy. She was amazed to see Sweetie Belle alive, but three of them surrounded her and they'd soon be upon her.
"Rarity! Help me!" Sweetie Belle cried.
"Don' worry, sugarcube! I'm commin' for ya!" Applejack began to charge. She swung the shotgun out and blew away the legs of one of the monsters surrounding Sweetie Belle, causing it to stumble to the ground. Even with a leg missing, it continued to reach for the filly. Applejack fired her second shot into another one, this time she aimed for the head. She buckshot hit the creature and replaced it's head with a fine red paste, silencing it for good. The third was almost on top of Sweetie Belle, there wasn't enough time to reload, she had to act. Applejack swung her shotgun like a bat, making a loud cracking sound as it sent Sweetie Belle's attacker clean off it's hooves. It wiggled around on the ground a bit before managing to stand back up again.
"Raaaarity!" Sweetie Belle's voice cracked as she screamed.
"Come on! Let's get out of here!" Applejack picked Sweetie Belle up and tossed her on her back. She ignored everything around her. All she could see was the cellar door, safety. Using the strength she had acquired over the years of working on the farm, she dashed into the cellar, slammed the door shut and put wooden board through the makeshift latch she made. She then proceeded to nail several more on the weakened points.
"Sweetie Belle!" Applebloom yelled, "Applejack said you'd be okay and you are! Thank Celestia!"
"Back up, Applebloom, give her some space to breathe. Now, what were you doin' all the way out here on yer own?"
"Rarity... she's hurt..." Sweetie Belle gasped for air, "she was bit... by... one of them... she's at... Carousel Boutique..."
Applejack was speechless. Sweetie Belle ran all the way from Carousel Boutique to Sweet Apple Acres, on her own hoping to save her sister.
"Well, what are we waitin' for?" Applebloom said bravely, "Let's go get Rarity. It'd be better if we're together."
"No." Applejack winced upon hearing herself say that word.
"W-what are you talkin' about? Why not?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Because..." Applejack knew that this conversation would not end well, "there's nothin' we can do. If what Sweetie Belle says is true, and that she has been bit, it's only a matter of time before she turns."
"N-n-no... I don't believe you! No! It's not true!" Sweetie Belle ran to Applejack and began punching her in a fit of rage. Applejack didn't protect herself from the filly's fury. She felt that she deserved it. Sweetie Belle's punches got weaker and weaker as fatigue began to overpower the young pony. Soon enough, she collapsed on the ground and was sound asleep. Nopony said anything, the room became silent and the only noise that could be heard was the constant moaning from outside.
"I-is there nothin' we can do for Rarity?" Applebloom said, breaking the silence.
"No, she belongs to the dead now."
"How could you say that?!" Applebloom choked, "Ah thought she was your friend! Friends help each other!"
"Applebloom, there's nothing we can do! What if something were to happen to me if we went to save her? Or you? If anything happened to you, ah'd never forgive myself, there'd be nothing left in the world for me to live for. You have to underst--"
"Ah hate you!" Applebloom interrupted, "we both have friends here! You're friends with Rarity, and ahm friends with Sweetie Belle, you don't wanna help either of 'em! Ah hate you!"
Beauty Sleep
There was a loud bang followed by a soft thud, Applejack opened her eyes to see her friend lying on the floor. She dropped the gun and began to cry.
"What have ah done! R-Rarity! Ahm sorry! Ahm so, so sorry!" She sobbed. Her sorrow began to slowly turn into anger. The stress had overpowered her and she began destroying everything she could get her hooves on. She picked up her gun and began smashed several mannequins with it. She smashed the window and saw Canterlot off in the distance. It mocked her, from Ponyville, it looked untouched by the hell that had been released upon Equestria.
"DAMN YOU, CELESTIA! WHY WOULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?! BECAUSE OF YOU, AH JUST KILLED MAH BEST FRIEN'!" Applejack cursed. She began swinging her gun wildly in the air. Everything moved slower in her eyes, her surroundings seemed to have some sort of delay and left a slight double-image as it moved. Pretty soon, her sight began to go white. Time felt as if it had slowed down to little more than a crawl, she could recall most of the times she spent bickering with Rarity over fashion and getting dirty.
"Applejack... APPLEJACK!" Applejack stopped herself to notice a yellow filly with a tattered red ribbon standing in front of her, shaking in fear and tears streaming down her face. She then noticed that she was holding her shotgun just inches away from her face. It took less than a second for her to realize that she had almost struck her sister, the one pony in this dead world she cared for.
"A-A-Applebloom?" She dropped the gun, "Ah... ah... ah just..." she dropped to the floor and began to wail. She couldn't handle it, she just cried and wished that things could go back to the way life used to be. She hated this new world. Living in this world meant living in fear every second of your life and killing your friends and loved ones too. It's more like a game, a sick game to see who lives the longest, everyone wants to win, but the game is rigged so that you always lose. It comes down to whoever loses last.
"Applejack? Please, stop crying, you were right, that wasn't my sister." Applejack looked up to see Sweetie Belle looking down at her.
"Bu-bu-but ah... ah... killed her! Ah killed my best friend... ah killed your sister! You have every right to hate me, what ah've done is unforgivable." Applejack choked, tears still flowing down her face.
"Applebloom told me how much you've been working to keep her safe, you've been having such a hard time lately and Rarity wouldn't want you getting your beautiful mane all in a mess over her. Keep it clean, for her sake. Those words hit Applejack hard. She was right, Rarity, as a great friend, would want her to keep her sanity as well as her mane straight.
"Thank you, Sweetie Belle, you're right." Applejack stood up and wiped her tears. She turned to see a cracked mirror. She stared at herself and noticed that her mane was a mess, she hadn't cleaned it since this whole mess started. She picked up a brush off the floor and began to brush her mane.
"Applejack, what're ya doin'? We don't have time for that!" Applebloom complained.
"Applebloom, please, ah haven't brushed mah mane in years, it'll only take a minute." She put the brush down and admired her work, for the first time in years, her mane was straight and tidy, Rarity would be proud of the farm pony.
"Wow, Applejack, ah've never seen you brush your mane before." Applebloom commented, "It looks beautiful."
"Alright, let's go gather up supplies. We're gunna need food, water, and weapons. Let's start with the--" Applejack was interrupted by a loud explosion.
"W-w-what was that noise?!" Sweetie Belle squeaked. The Apple sisters couldn't help but laugh at Sweetie Belle's expense.
"Ah dunno, it sounded like Pinkie's party cannon. Wait, could that mean that Pinkie Pie might still be alive?" Applebloom smiled at the thought.
"Perhaps, let's go find out. It sounded like it came from Sugarcube Corner." Applejack's sorrow soon went away. Even though she just lost a dear friend, she was happy to learn that another one might still be alive. Of course, that sent Applejack's eyes to the white pony that was still lying in the center of the room. She couldn't bear to see her like that. She went downstairs to the one untouched mannequin that wore Rarity's gala dress and took it off.
"We all made this for you. Ah want you to keep us close until we all meet again." She took the dress back upstairs and laid it over the body, "Goodbye, Rarity. Ahm sure we'll see each other again someday."
"Are ya'll ready to go?" Applebloom asked.
"Yea, I'm ready. How about you, Applejack? Are you going to be okay?" Sweetie Belle tugged at Applejack's tail.
"Yup, ahm fine, don't worry about me. Now let's go see if Pinkie Pie's doin' fine too." The three left the boutique along with the horrible events that took place there, behind. As they approached Sugarcube Corner, the explosions became more frequent. Something didn't settle right with the ponies. Applejack, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle were as sure as pink punch, as Pinkie would put it, that she was indeed alive, but something was off. They soon made it to the doorstep of the bakery and they could here laughter coming from inside.
"Pinkie Pie! It's Applebloom, ya in there?" Applebloom opened the door to see a pink pony dancing in the center of the room around several ponies wearing party hats. There was a banner that was strung up on the ceiling that read, 'Happy Birthday, Pinkie Pie!'
"Hehehehehehe... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! PAAARRTAAAYYYY!!! HAHAHA!" Pinkie Pie laughed as she fired her party cannon again, not noticing the three ponies at the door.
"Pinkie Pie? It's me, Applejack."
"Huh? Oh, Applejack, so glad you could make it! There's still some cake left... hehehehe."
Danse Macabre, The Dance of Death
Special thanks to VashTheStampede for proof readin' this.
Danse Macabre, The Dance of Death
"Pinkie, are you o-okay?" Applejack asked cautiously.
"Oh I'm more than okay, Applejack, it is a party after all! HAHA! Help yourself to some cake and punch."
"No thanks, I'm looking for something that'll last a lot longer." Applejack chose her words carefully, trying not to provoke the party pony.
"Longer? What're you talking about, Ay-jay? You make it sound like this party is going to end, you silly filly!" Pinkie giggled, "knock knock?"
"Pinkie, this 'aint the time for jokes! This is not the right time be partyin' either. You gotta be alert and on you're hooves for those things'll try and try to kill you. Ah don't hear any laughin' and ah sure as hell don' see nopony smilin' either." Applejack said, trying to be direct.
"Everypony liked my jokes... I used to be a walking punchline. I made everypony laugh and smile... but not anymore," Pinkie frowned, "when they came... EVERYONE DIED! Heahahahahaha! So that's why I decided to give all the nice ponies here a fun time! HAHAHAHA!" Pinkie began dancing in the center of the room. Applejack took a few steps to examine the ponies scattered throughout the room. She rolled one of the ponies over and to her horror, he was dead, they were all dead. However, despite the many slashes, cuts, and stabs none of them appeared to have been infected. Their facial expressions showed that their death was agonizing.
"Pinkie... did... did you? Oh Celestia..." Applejack wanted to throw up.
"Of course I did, silly. With the zombies here, everypony was too busy screaming and yelling to have fun. I fixed that up real quickly. I calmed them down and now everypony is having a fun time, isn't that right everypony?" Pinkie's eyes began to drift off in separate directions.
"I don't know you! Y-y-you're not Pinkie ah know!" Applejack couldn't believe what was happening, first Rarity, now Pinkie Pie. Applejack was tough as nails, but this was simply too much.
"What are you talking about? Everypony knows Pinkie Pie!
"Everypony used to know you! Ah can imagin' that you've been through a lot, but think about what you're doin'! This party needs to end now!"
"You want me to end the party? Bu-bu-but it's only just begun, hehe," Pinkie's hair deflated and her coat darkened.
"Pinkie Pie! Friends help each other out, remember? Right now, ahm tryin' to help you out!"
"No..." Tears began to well in Pinkie's eyes, "NO NO NO NO NO NO!" She screamed. She began frantically searching the room until her eyes met a bloodied kitchen knife and a wicked grin began to appear on her face.
"P-Pinkie, woaah there nelly. Let's just take it easy, nopony likes getting hurt, just put the knife down, sugarcube."
"I know what you mean, hehe, I don't like getting hurt either," Pinkie began to slowly walk towards Applejack, "that's why I'm going to stop you from ruining all of my fun!" Pinkie Pie rushed at Applejack.
"Oh shi-" Applejack was knocked to the floor before she could finish her sentence, let alone react to the flash of pink that just struck her. Now the pink party pony was on top of Applejack with a knife, the blood was glistening in the light, pointed at her throat. As Applejack pushed the knife away, Pinkie began pushing it closer.
"Hehehehe... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Party poopers aren't allowed! Now that I think about it, I don't recall sending you an invitation, oh well."
"Ah've got it right here!" Applebloom shouted as she smashed Applejack's assaulter over the head with a punch bowl. She slumped to the side, unconscious.
"Applebloom! Thank Celestia! Ah thought ah was a goner." Applejack tried to catch her breath, "C'mon, lets get what we came for and go."
"What about, Pinkie Pie? We can't just leave her here." Sweetie Belle reminded Applejack the state her friend was now in.
"Alright here's what we're gunna do, ah want you to take mah saddle bag an' gather up everything you can and bring it back here. Ah'll wait 'til Pinkie wakes up, hey, maybe that bowl knocked some sense inta her." Applebloom and Sweetie Belle nodded and walked off into the kitchen to find whatever food they could. Applejack pulled up a chair that didn't have a body in it, and sat down, keeping an eye on Pinkie Pie. The fillies returned about fifteen minutes later with Applejack's saddle bag. It was stuffed with three cans of food and two bottles of water.
"Sorry, Applejack, this is all we could find." Sweetie Belle apologized
"It's alright, ya did good. Hey, it's better than nuthin', right?" Applejack patted her head.
"W-what happened?"
"Hey, Pinkie's awake, sis!"
"Ah see that. Pinkie, you there?"
"A-Applejack? W-what are you doing here?" Pinkie sat up quickly and immediately wrapped her hooves around her head, "OW OW OW OW! My head hurts a lot!"
"Oh yea, uh, sorry 'bout that, y'see--" Applebloom was silenced by a hoof that was shoved in her mouth.
"Applebloom! Sweetie Belle! You're here, too!" Pinkie's hair inflated and the smell of rotting flesh was overpowered by the smell of cotton candy.
"Maybe you should let me explain this." Applejack took a deep breath and explained everything that they had experienced up until that moment.
"Oh... I see..." Pinkie stared at the ground in disbelief.
"Ahm sorry, Pinkie, it must've been so hard for you."
"No, Applejack, I'm the one who should be sorry. I tried to... to hurt you."
"Pinkie Pie..."
"No, Applejack, I'm the one in the wrong." Pinkie began to sob, "It's just that... when those things came, they started to eat everypony... I guess my little pinkie mind couldn't take it..." Applejack walked up to Pinkie Pie and hugged her tight. The pink pony let her tears out while in her best friend's embrace for ten minutes before calming down.
"Pinkie, why don't you come with us? We've got ourselves holed up in the cider cellar back at Sweet Apple Acres." Applejack asked.
Pinkie Pie shook her head, "No."
"No? Well why the hell not?" Applejack asked.
"Because we're all going to die eventually, and right now, I'd like to party alone."
"C'mon, Pinkie Pie, did Applebloom hit you on the head too hard?"
"No, please," Pinkie Pie shot a sad smile at Applejack, "I don't want any of us to go through any pain if something should happen. Like Granny Pie always said, 'out of sight, but not out of mind.' You're my friend, I'll never forget you, but it'd be better for the both of us if we give each other the benefit of the doubt that we're both okay."
"Alright," Applejack sighed, "ah'll respect your wish, on one condition. Promise me you'll stay safe."
"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Pinkie Pie pinkie promised. They gave each other one last hug before parting.
"Goodbye, Pinkie Pie, see ya around?"
"Yea, I'm sure we'll see each other again soon. Now, if you'll excuse me... COME ON EVERYPONY! LET'S DANCE!" Pinkie Pie put the needle down on the record player and began dancing to upbeat party music. Applejack, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom left Sugarcube corner and headed back to Sweet Apple Acres. The music got softer and softer, until there was nothing but silence, the kind only death can make.
The Last Crusader
The three ponies were on the road once again, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle told Applejack more stories about their crusading adventures and about their cutie marks. It was almost as if the world wasn't ending. Everypony was having a fun time talking. Apple Bloom constantly reminded Applejack that she wanted to go to the clubhouse. They all new the risks, but they knew that without closure, your mind can break. Pinkie Pie had made that point clear to them.
"Applejack?" Apple Bloom asked
"What is it sugarcube?"
"How do ya think Babs is holdin' up?"
Applejack had heard that it was pretty bad in Manehatten, because it was a big city, there are more ponies to get infected. Based on what she's heard, it could have gone either way. Once again, doubt crept into Applejack's mind.
"Manehattenites are tough, they don't take no trouble from nopony. Ahm sure that Babs Seed is doin' jus fine. Last ah've heard, there have been more crusaders in Manehatten. Babs isn't alone in this that's fer sure. She's awfully lucky to have met you girls." Applejack wanted to believe this, but no matter how tough you are, one scratch is all it takes.
"Yea," Apple Bloom moved closer to Applejack, "and ahm glad ah've got you as a big sister."
"C'mon now, lets get a move on. The clubhouse isn't too far away. Ah say we've got about five hours before it gets dark. You know as well as ah do that ya don't wanna be out in the open without light."
"I wonder where Scootaloo is. I hope she's alright."
"Me too, Apple Bloom, me too..." Applejack hoped that they wouldn't find Scootaloo at the clubhouse. She felt terrible for thinking such thoughts, but she had always had a gut feeling that Scootaloo wouldn't make it.
The sun had begun to set and the sky became burning orange, almost as if the world was burning. Nopony felt like talking anymore. They were all cold, hungry, scared, and heartbroken. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had seen so much death in the past few days that if they were to survive this, they'd never be the same.
"Sweetie Belle, how ya holdin' up?" Applejack asked.
"I'm doing okay." Sweetie Belle's expression was blank. She was too tired to show emotions. She was still shaken up from what happened at the boutique.
"C'mon, lets keep goin'."
The apple trees were all bare. Because of the apocalypse, nopony bothered to look after them. It was the least of their concerns at the moment, but looking back on it now, it would have provided them with a never ending food source.
"Applejack? What do think all these things are? Like, where do they come from?"
"Ah've heard a few different possibilities shortly after this all began. Ah've heard that when there's no more room in Tartarus, the damned have no place to go but back to their bodies. Ah've also heard that Celestia is displeased with us and we're being punished for it. Now, ah don't believe that the second one is true, but either way, we brought this upon ourselves one way or another."
The three walked through the rows of apple trees in the direction of the cutie mark crusaders clubhouse. Applejack could hear her heart beat louder and louder, like drums were playing in her ears. She was afraid of what they'd find in there, but didn't have the courage to deny the children of closure.
"It's the clubhouse!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
"Hey, Sweetie Belle?"
"Yea, Apple Bloom?"
"Last one to the clubhouse is a rotten apple!" Apple Bloom darted off towards the clubhouse. Sweetie Belle was caught by surprise was it took a second for her to realize that they were racing. Applejack didn't think it would be right to stop them from having just a little bit of fun. When the three were close to the clubhouse, they were surprised to see that it looked relatively untouched. The paint was a little faded, but not chipped off, and no shingles had fallen off the roof. The only thing that was out of place was that the door was missing. This caused Applejack's heart to sink into her stomach.
"Wow, would ya look at that." Applejack said, tipping her hat back, "Alright, now why don't you let me go first? To see if it's safe, okay?" The two fillies nodded.
"Okay, we'll just wait right here." Sweetie Belle said.
Applejack walked up the ramp to find out the door was smashed in. She looked up from the broken door to see the body of a pony in the center of the room. The body was completely torn up and entrails were scattered around in a pool of blood. The face was ripped away and he only recognizable feature that she could see were scattered cyan feathers.
"No... no... please don't be..." Applejack approached the pony, tears streaming down her face. She begged that her suspicions were wrong. Upon closer inspection, she saw the many brightly colored hairs. The confirmation made her throw up what little she had in her stomach.
"Applejack? Who... who is that?" Applejack turned around to see the two fillies standing right behind her.
"Ah... ah dunno... j-just turn around now. Lemme cover this up. Ah don' want you to see this." Applejack tore a curtain off of one of the windows and placed it over the body of her friend. "Girls, ah think this is a bad idea, we should leave now."
"No! Not until ah get what ah need!" Apple Bloom said defiantly.
"Alright, just don't take too long. Now do you have any idea where this thing is? The sooner we find it, the sooner we can leave." Applejack couldn't stop thinking about the pony that was under the cloth. She fought her emotions. She had to be strong, if she cracked, even the slightest, she would scare the girls.
"It's in the attic ah think. Lemme check it out." Apple Bloom began climbing up the steps to the attic, where they kept the telescope. It wasn't long before Apple Bloom screamed and fell off the ladder, causing Applejack to lose her train of thought.
"Apple Bloom! Are you alright? What happened?" Apple Bloom was unable to respond as she immediately burst into tears.
"What in tarnation..." Applejack looked at the opening in the ceiling, "Sweetie Belle!"
"Y-yes?" The white filly responded.
"Watch Apple Bloom. Ahm gunna take a look at what's up there."
"O-o-okay." Sweetie Belle grabbed Apple Bloom and wrapped her arms around her as she continued to wail uncontrollably into Sweetie Belle.
Curious as to what frightened her, Applejack slowly made her way up the ladder. What she saw sent her fears back into full swing as she could only stare at the sight.
"God help us all..."
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!
The sun was high in the sky, the streets were clear of ponies, it was the perfect condition for practicing scooter tricks. Scootaloo strapped her helmet on and hopped onto her scooter.
"Alright, if I get enough speed, I'll be able to clear the asparagus stand easily." Scootaloo took a deep breath and began flapping her wings. Immediately she began cruising across the ground towards a makeshift ramp she put together.
"C'mon, Scootaloo. Faster! Faster!" Scootaloo braced for impact.
She hit the ramp perfectly, but the wood she used had a knot in it. It caught the tip of her scooter and sent her flying over the handles. She crashed on the ground, painfully.
"Owww!" She groaned, "Jeez did that hurt..." Scootaloo brushed herself off. She looked up to see a pony a few feet ahead of her. Its back turned and seemed to be staring off into the distance.
"Hey! Hey you! Sir? M'am? Could you help me?" She called out, "I need some help setting up my ramp again."
The pony slowly turned it's head towards the filly and began to slowly shamble it's way to her.
Scootaloo cocked her head in puzzlement, "S-sir? A-a-are you alright?"
The moment Scootaloo finished her thought, the pony sprang towards her with a burst of speed that caught her completely by surprise. It knocked Scootaloo onto her back and stood above her, snapping it's mouth at her. She rolled around, avoiding each attack. Scootaloo's size allowed her to easily dodge the jaws that tried to bite her.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHH! HELP ME! SOMEPONY! ANYPONY!" Scootaloo cried out for anyone to save her. She looked at the pony once again and saw that it's face was disfigured and looked rotten. Chunks of flesh were missing and its mouth was filled with blood. It smelled like a dead animal.
"SCOOTS!"
"Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo heard the familiar voice of her idol, giving her a new sense of hope.
In about the time it takes to blink, the monster was knocked off of Scootaloo with a hard kick from Rainbow Dash. Before Scootaloo could even thank her for saving her, she picked up the filly and took off.
"Waaaaah! Rainbow Dash?! W-w-what was that thing?!" Scootaloo screamed.
"I don't know Scoots. They just started showing up like, fifteen minutes ago. By the time I knew something was up, the whole town was in a panic. The only thing I could think about was finding you. Did it touch you? Did it scratch you?" Rainbow Dash asked with a no-bullshit expression.
"N-no?" Scootaloo responded truthfully but hesitantly. Why would Rainbow Dash need to know if she had been in contact with that thing was beyond her.
"Good, based on what I've seen, if one of those plagued ponies gets a hold of you, it's over. Even if you do get away, a bite, a simple scratch would be enough to infect the poor bastard."
They were flying roughly ten feet above the rooftops and faster than Scootaloo had ever gone before. The sounds of screaming ponies could even be heard over the wind rushing in her ears. Scootaloo looked down and the sight made her blood drain out of her face. She could see the residents of Ponyville running and screaming through the streets. Some of them ran after others and tackled them. Scootaloo couldn't see what was going on underneath the wrestling, but in the next moment, there was a fountain of blood pouring out from the pony underneath.
"Scootaloo, don't look!" Rainbow Dash screamed.
"What's going on?!"
"I have no idea. I don't plan on staying in this town long enough to find out either! We got to get somewhere safe!"
"Where are we going?"
"Anywhere but-" Rainbow Dash was interrupted mid sentence. She crashed into another pegasus, knocking them both unconscious. Rainbow Dash and the other pony plummeted thirty feet to the ground. Scootaloo landed on the roof of a nearby building, a ten foot drop.
Scootaloo sat up, stunned from the impact. She walked over to the edge of the building and peered over it to see Rainbow Dash lying motionless at the bottom. Instantly, tears began welling in her eyes as she feared the worst.
"Come on Rainbow Dash, get up! Rainbow Dash!"
To her relief, the cyan pegasus shifted as she slowly came to.
"Ow... my wing..." Rainbow Dash put a hoof up against her wings, "Gah! Yep... definitely broken..." She winced.
Scootaloo was happy to see Rainbow Dash was okay, for the most part. She jumped down off the building, using her wings to slow her descent, she gently fluttered down to earth. She ran to Rainbow Dash and wrapped her hooves around her neck.
"Thank Celestia you're okay!" She sobbed into her dirty coat.
Rainbow Dash looked to see two plagued ponies aproaching them, quickly, "I don't think the princess is here right now..."
Scootaloo looked to where Rainbow Dash's attention was and saw the pony they had crashed into struggling to get away from the monsters that loomed over her.
"N-no! Stay back! Get away! No!" She screamed as the two plague ponies fell on top of her. Scootaloo could see their mouths open wide and come down hard on her flesh. She screamed even louder as blood began seeping out.
Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were both frozen in fear. They both knew they should run, but they couldn't take their eyes off of the scene taking place before them.
The pony screamed for another ten seconds before ultimately becoming silent. Her eyes rolled back and her mouth hung open. Her face still had the same agonizing expression while she was alive. The creatures were pulling chunks of flesh off of the body.
"It's time to go. Now!" Rainbow Dash was the first to snap back into reality.
"Where are we going?"
"I don't know. Just run!" Rainbow Dash threw Scootaloo onto her back and took off as fast as she could, on hoof at least.
Scootaloo clung onto Rainbow Dash as tight as she could. Her grip was a little uncomfortable but it didn't matter. All Rainbow Dash could think about was finding a place that was safe.
Scootaloo looked at the buildings as they passed by, "Rainbow Dash, why don't we go hide inside the houses?"
"We've got to find a place that doesn't have a lot of ponies running around. There's too many ponies here and there are already some of those monsters inside. It's not safe here." Rainbow Dash huffed between breaths.
The two continued through the streets of Ponyville. They passed by dozens of ponies, some living, some dead, some undead. Some of the live ones reached out to them, begging for help. Scootaloo reached out a hoof to one but couldn't reach. She watched as the helpless pony was bitten over and over by several plagued ponies.
Scootaloo couldn't believe what she was seeing. Ponies attacking other ponies. Everything that has happened in the last hour alone was too much for the young pegasus to handle. Her head became very light and her world began to spin. Shortly after, she passed out on Rainbow's back.
Author's Note
This is an extra chapter...
Resurrection
An abrupt stop shook Scootaloo awake,
"I wasn't sleeping Miss Cheerilee! Honest!" Scootaloo yelped. She rubbed her eyes and realized that she wasn't in school. It was Saturday after all. She remembered that she was with Rainbow Dash but the dangers of the situation hadn't dawned on her due to her being half asleep.
"C'mon Scoots, wake up! I need you to focus." Rainbow Dash
Scootaloo yawned, "R-Rainbow Dash? Where are we?"
"We're at Twilight's place. If anypony in Equestria would know what's going on, it'd be her."
"Twilight's?" Scootaloo rubbed her eyes, "Why are we here? What do we need to know?"
"Scootaloo!" Rainbow Dash flung the filly off of her back and onto the ground. The shock sent a wave of alertness through her body, "Ponies are dying and we need to know why. If anypony could help us solve this mystery, it'd be Twilight."
Scootaloo recalled the horrors that took place just hours ago. Once she finished processing the situation, her eyes lit up with hope and agreement, "Yea! She's smart! She'll know what to do!" Scootaloo said, stepping off Rainbow Dash's back.
Rainbow Dash glared at Scootaloo, "Are you saying I'm not smart?"
Her eyes widened, "No! It's just... I... uh..."
Rainbow Dash smiled and placed a hoof on the filly's head, rustling her purple mane, "It's okay, Scootaloo, I'm just messing with ya."
Scootaloo giggled. That's the Rainbow Dash she loves and looks up to. A pony that's loyal, fun, and caring.
Rainbow Dash knocked on the door to the library, "Twilight! It's me, Rainbow Dash..."
"... and Scootaloo!" Scootaloo chimed in.
"Let us in! We need to talk to you!" Rainbow Dash waited a few moments, hoping for a reply. The two waited for about a minute and still no answer from inside the tree.
"Maybe she's sleeping?" Scootaloo suggested.
Rainbow Dash shuddered, "I hope not." She put her ear up against the wooden door and closed her eyes. She then heard a small crash from inside.
"Twilight?!" Rainbow Dash screamed. Realizing this, she instantly put her hooves over her mouth.
The two pegasi turned around to see four plagued ponies heading their way. Scootaloo recognized one of them.
"H-hey, isn't that the pony we crashed into? Scootaloo stuttered nervously.
"No way..." Rainbow Dash grit her teeth. In one fluid motion, she bucked open the door to the library, "Get in!"
The filly didn't hesitate to run into safety of the library.
Rainbow Dash slammed the door shut and knocked a bookcase over in front of it. They both breathed a sigh of relief. Moments later, the sounds of hooves striking wood could be heard from the other side of the door.
"Twilight? Where are-" Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped when her eyes caught the attention of the lavender mare suspended by a rope from the banister, "TWILIGHT!"
Tears instantly began pouring from Scootaloo's eyes. She fell to the floor and curled up into a ball.
The rainbow pegasus fell to her knees and began to sob, "Why? Why would you do this? I thought you always knew what to do."
*Gurkhahk*
Rainbow Dash looked up to see Twilight's hooves flailing. She was still alive. It was not too late to save her.
Rainbow Dash flew up to Twilight and wrapped her arms around her. With a few strong beats of her wings, the rope around Twilight's neck gained slack. She flew up to the upper floor of the library and set Twilight down.
"R-Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked, swallowing air. Her voice was hoarse from the rope, "You should have just left me. Why did you save me? *hack!*"
"Why?!" Rainbow Dash yelled, "Tell me why you wanted to hang yourself? I saved you because you're my friend but why did you want to die?!"
Twilight massaged her neck with her hoof, "There's no hope for us."
"W-what are you talking about?"
"I've run countless tests and come up with hundreds of theories. Nothing can explain why the dead are rising up and eating... p-ponies."
Rainbow Dash's heart skipped a beat, "Wait, Twilight, did you say they are rising up?"
"Haven't you seen it?" Twilight shakily stood herself up, "You know what happens when broken skin comes into contact with those creatures, right? Well, turning into one of them isn't the only scary thing."
Rainbow Dash held her breath, bracing herself for the horrible truth.
"You can't be stopped once you do."
"T-that's impossible." Rainbow Dash stammered, "there must be a way to stop them."
"Follow me, I'll show you." Twilight began walking down the steps, "I've got one of them tied up in the lab."
"You what?!"
"Trust me, I've made sure it can't move."
Rainbow Dash reluctantly followed Twilight down into her lab. She could hear the tiny hoofsteps of Scootaloo closely behind her.
To Rainbow Dash's amazement, the lab was littered with papers and almost every machine was running at full speed. She looked at the ground to see blood sprayed all over the floor and her eyes followed it to the source.
"What the hell!" Rainbow Dash's eyes met with a pony whose appearance was a bit worse for wear.
"Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. I've got her shackled to the wall by that collar around her neck." Twilight cautiously approached the pony as it glared at her and snarled, snapping its jaws, "this is what I meant by it being unstoppable. Look at it! I cut off all of her legs and she's still trying to get me!"
"Why would you do that Twilight?! How could you cut off another pony's legs? Y-you monster!"
"I'm the monster?!" Twilight barked, "I'm not running around eating ponies, I'm not the one spreading a disease, I'm trying to save everyone! Once a pony turns, they lose the ability to reason. You can't ask them to allow you to experiment on them. I did what I could and what I had to!" Twilight tearfully slammed her hoof on the floor.
Rainbow Dash just glared at Twilight, unsure of what to say next.
Twilight took a deep breath and sighed heavily, "Look, these things are not ponies anymore. Whatever caused this probably did some major re-configuring of the brain and created a machine that constantly needs to feed. They have enhanced hearing and motor skills, allowing them to hear their prey and efficiently chase it. They are fast, strong, and will stop at nothing to spread the infection. They will literally destroy themselves trying to get to you. They don't think about survival. As far as I can tell, they don't think at all. Now do you see why we're all going to die?"
Rainbow Dash lowered her head, "Yea, things are looking pretty grim. If what you've said is true, then ponies all over Equestria will be killed." She lifted her head and stared into Twilight's eyes, "But that doesn't mean I'm going to just give up. I'm going to make sure that me and everypony I care about lives as long as possible!"
Twilight looked away, ashamed that she had given up so easily. During the initial outbreak, Spike was killed. She tried to put his death aside to focus on finding the cause of the infection but she had lost so much in only a matter of seconds. Twilight instantly lost hope and tried to hang herself.
"Twilight, come with us." Scootaloo put her hoof on the lavender unicorn's leg.
"Yea, it isn't safe here. We could always use another pony to keep us company." Rainbow dash said, hoping to give her friend some hope.
Twilight Sparkle lifted her head and wiped her eyes, "Okay, let's go."
The two pegasi smiled and exited the lab to the main floor of the library. Twilight felt a sense of confidence and hope that she thought she had given up on hours ago. Even with her highly capable mind, it sometimes takes two ponies to help another see that life is worth living as long as you have each other.
Friends til The Bitter End
Friends til The Bitter End
That night, Applejack hardly got any sleep. It wasn't the sound of death constantly knocking at the door but the words of her little sister.
"I don't care about my friends? Damn it Applebloom, you just don't get it! It's just us now!" She quietly ranted, "If ah lose you... ah'll be... alone..." Tears began streaming down her face, "Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight... I sure hope y'all are okay." Applejack wiped her eyes. She didn't want to be alone and with that new fear, something dawned on her. If Sweetie Belle could survive this long alone, then the chances of her friends surviving would be even higher. There's a chance that they'd still be alive. This gave Applejack a ray of hope in these dark times.
"Applejack? Are you alright?"
"Sweetie Belle? Go back to sleep, sugarcube."
"I can't sleep, I can't stop thinking about Rarity."
"First thing t'morrow mornin'. We're goin' to Carousel Boutique." Sweetie Belle instantly burst into tears and hugged Applejack tightly.
"T-t-thank y-you A-A-Applej-j-jack." Sweetie Belle stuttered, her voice cracking every now and then.
"We're going to find Rarity and the rest of our friends. Ah don't want to die without knowin' there was a chance. Now get some shut eye, ah need you ready to run tomorrow if we have to." Applejack tucked Sweetie Belle in a blanket next to Applebloom. She sat down in the center of the room and watched the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Applejack, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom awoke to the familiar darkness of the cellar. She had fallen asleep at some point. She cursed for putting the girls in danger by falling asleep. Applejack feared the worst out of today's excursion, but it was the only way she could keep the fillies calm and help her search for supplies.
"The moans have stopped, they must have lost interest in us," Applejack figured, "things are lookin' better now."
"Yea, with those monsters gone, we can finally get out of this place." Applebloom commented.
"Alright, now ah don't know how many of those things are gunna be waitin' outside that door. The moment ah open it, ah want ya to stay close to me and move fast and silently. You understand?" Sweetie Belle and Applebloom both nodded. "No, ah wanna hear you say, 'Yes, Applejack, ah will stick close to you and move fast and quiet.'"
"Yes, Applejack, I will stick close to you and move fast and quiet." The fillies said simultaneously.
"Good, now one... two... three." Applejack gently pushed open the cellar door and was once again temporarily blinded. When her sight returned, the only ones she saw were the two from yesterday. The one that lost it's leg was still crawling around and the one she smacked with her gun was still walking around too.
"Hey, there's only two of them!" Sweetie Belle said cheerily.
"Yea, an' they're so far away too!"
"Alright, now y'all do what ah told ya and we'll make it to Rarity in no time at all." They all walked out of the cellar and headed towards Ponyville. It was a beautiful sunny day, not a single cloud in the sky and there was a gentle breeze. Anypony would say that this day would be perfect, if it weren't for the smell of rotting flesh and death lingering in the air.
"Sis?" Applebloom whispered.
"Yea? What is it?" Applejack answered.
"Do you think we could stop by the clubhouse sometime? There are some things there that ah'd like to get, y'know meh-men-toes."
Applejack didn't think that this was a good idea. It's not smart to spend anymore time than is needed out in the open, but it's on the way back, it couldn't be that bad.
"Sure, after we check out Ponyville, we'll stop by the clubhouse." Applebloom and Sweetie Belle smiled at each other. This caused Applejack to smile. If they could be happy in these dark times, it made no sense for her not to put a smile on too. The three continued to walk down the dirt road, since they were alone, they felt it safe to be a little louder. They shared jokes and stories of their adventures and before they knew it, the laughter stopped as they gazed upon their home of Ponyville, at least what was left of it.
Ponyville, the town they once called home, was now deserted, the ground was decorated with corpses and blood.
"Stay close," Applejack pulled Sweetie Belle and Applebloom close, "don't look at them. Just hold onto me." The two fillies grabbed hold of Applejack's saddle bag and shut their eyes tightly. As she guided them through the streets of Ponyville. Applejack recognized a few. Lyra and Bon Bon were leaning against a wall, half eaten and bloodied. Lyra's chest cavity was completely empty and Bon Bon's intestines spewed from what was left of the lower half of her body. Fortunately, their heads were still untouched, their eyes were shut and they looked almost peaceful. They died hoof in hoof. The stench and the emotion was almost too much to bear. Everypony knew of their relationship and that made it even harder on the farmer pony. The atmosphere became suffocating and caused Applejack to lose her balance.
"Applejack, are you okay?" Applebloom still had her eyes closed.
"Yea, ahm fine." Applejack lowered her hat and said a quick prayer in silence and continued towards Carousel Boutique. The exterior of the building would make Rarity faint. It was looking a bit worse for wear, to put it lightly.
"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle called, "I'm here and I brought Applejack and Applebloom!" There was no response.
"Rarity! It's Applejack! If yer there, let us know!" They were answered with silence once again, Applejack feared the worst and pulled out her shotgun and loaded a shell into it. Sweetie Belle just stared at the gun and began to cry.
"Hmmm, it's unlocked." Applejack thought as the door creaked open, "Rarity? Ya in here? If y'are say sumthin'!" She entered the building. There wasn't much light, but there was enough for her to see the interior was a complete mess, the Grand Galloping gala from a few years ago looks much better by comparison.
"Rarity?! Where are you! Come out, sis!"
"Girls, ahm not going to lie to you, ahm scared..." Applejack gulped and walked further into the darkness. She walked around the toppled mannequins and tattered dresses. There were several mannequins that displayed Rarity's favorite dresses. The only one that was not completely ruined was her first gala dress. Just looking at it sent Applejack back to when they all used to laugh and go on adventures..
"Applejack, everyin' gonna alright?" Applebloom asked.
"Not anymore." Applejack sighed. She continued through the workshop and up the staircase, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom following close behind.
"Here's her room!" Sweetie Belle squeaked as she swung the door open. At the far side of the room sat a very unkempt white pony, it's mane was purple and a mess. This is not the Rarity that Applejack knew and loved. This was not her friend.
"Sweetie Belle... stand b-b-back." Applejack pointed her shotgun at the white pony.
"What are ya doin'?!" Applebloom asked. Applejack didn't respond.
"Rarity? It's me, Sweetie Belle, your little sister," Rarity turned her head and to everyone's horror, her eyes became faded and grey. Her stare was as dead as she was.
"Sweetie Belle, that isn't Rarity, it's one of those... those... things! It may look like your big sister, but it's not. Ah want you to go into the hall and cover your ears." Sweetie Belle ran out of the room in tears, "Applebloom, please get her, make sure she doesn't go too far away, keep her safe," Applebloom nodded and darted out of the room after Sweetie Belle. Now it was just Applejack and Rarity.
"Rarity, you must've been so scared an' lonely. You had Sweetie Belle, but you didn't have your friends to lean on. If you got bit, ahm assumin' that you must've gotten in a bit of a tussle with one of them trying to save yer sister." Rarity began shambling towards Applejack. She raised her gun,
"Ahm sorry." She closed her eyes and pulled the trigger.
