End of Days Again

Dealing With an Infection

Problems of a Dead World

Fluttershy's guest room stayed deathly silent, a jet-black sheet of darkness enveloping everything. A soft, chilling breeze worked it's way through the cracks in the timid mare's cottage, and worked their way over to the bed. A light-grey unicorn shifted uncomfortably as the light gust of wind from the outdoors flicked at his black mane. His face twitched slightly as a low groan exited his throat, still shifting his position slightly. Deep-brown eyes danced under the stallion's eyelids as his mind quickly went over the past's events.

M-Mom? Are you there? Mom?!

Dad?! What the hell are you... GET OFF OF-

NO! Get away from me, I'm calling the cops!

The grey unicorn thrashed to his left, loosely wrapped in the cold cloth that lie on the bed. His eyes were dancing wildly now, his twitches becoming more severe.

Dad... You stay the fuck away from me... I SWEAR I'll do it!

You brought this on yourself you stupid-

I'm... I'm sorry!

Dad?!

Dad, wake up! Please!

DAD!

Mom! He's going to wake up... Right?

Mom...?

A growl of anger escaped the unicorn's throat next as the previous events flashed across his mind. He shifted abruptly and ended up slamming his hoof into the nightstand beside the bed.

"Did you hear that?" A mare's voice sounded from outside of the bedroom, slightly muffled by the wood.

"Yeah, you think he's waking up?" A stallion's voice replied in a thick accent.

"M-Maybe... We should... J-Just let him wake up...?" A second mare's voice said.

Is there anyone here?

If there's anyone here, please speak up now...

I won't hurt you... I'm not one of them.

No... Stay back GOD DAMMIT!

The gray unicorn roared in anger, still faded from consciousness. His hooves slammed at the soft mattress under him, dampening the blows, but sending a stern thumping noise throughout the room.

"What's the bloke doing?!" The stallion's voice asked in a concerned tone.

"Shhh... I don't know..." The first mare replied.

Ha... It may be hell on Earth... But at least I've got a life-sized pony plushie...

Suddenly, the thumping stopped. The grey unicorn's eyes stopped frantically searching under their eyelids and he remained still, a slight grin coming to his lips.

It didn't move... You're just seeing things...

Where did it go?!

H-Hello?!

"Hello?"

Who's there...?!

You've got to be kidding me...

The grin grew wider on the stallion's face as a more pleasant memory flashed into his mind.

How are you here?! Are you infected?!

"Infected? Wha-?! Who are you?! And Where am I?!"

S-Sorry... Just.... A precaution... I'm Earl, and you're on Earth...

"Earth?..."

Yes. It's a planet similar to yours...

"I see... Well I'm Twi-"

Twilight Sparkle...

"Yes... How did you...?"

The grin grew wider on the grey stallion's face, and a short chuckle escaped his lips.

"T.V-? How in the name of Discord...?"

Don't believe me? You, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Apple Jack, and Fluttershy are the elements of harmony. You used said elements to defeat Nightmare Moon and ever since you've been living in Ponyville studying the magic of friendship.

"So you're not lying..."

"Damn right I'm not..." The unicorn mouthed with a slight chuckle, his eyes still shut.

A virus... A disease... You ever read a book about zombies?

It came about two months ago. Killed basically everybody and left me alive for some reason.

Ever since then I've just been surviving...

Hey...

Come on...

"I'm... I just want to go home... This is way too much..."

It's alright... I'll help you...

"But what of one of... Them gets me?!

I will not let that happen, alright? You're safe with me...

The smile only grew wider on the grey stallion's face. A small glow formed at the tip of his horn as tiny magical sparks began to flicker around it gracefully.

God DAMMIT!

I... Uhh...

I'm really sorry you had to see that...

I wouldn't ever take anything out on you, that is a promise.

Living this way can get to me sometimes...

A scowl quickly wormed it's way onto the unicorn's face.

It's me or them...

"Earl!"

Wow... Thank you...

Let's just... Go...

"Let's just go..." The unicorn mouthed silently.

It's alright, OK? If any of them get in here, they have to deal with me.

It can't get in, It's not alive. It can't get in, it's not alive.

It can't get in, It's not alive. It can't get in, it's not alive.

The twitching continued again under the eyelids of the unicorn, along with the nervous shifting.

Hey, look at me.

What I have in mind can get you away from all of this...

As much as I enjoy you being here, we need to try and get you home.

"You said you could protect me..."

And if I can't? I don't want to watch you die. That would be too much for me.

"So you're getting rid of me?"

Two months ago if I would have found you, I would have kept you and we would have been amazing friends. But, right now, you can't be here. It's way to dangerous for you.

A frown slowly crawled across the unicorn's face, and his bottom lip began to quiver slightly.

"Don't go..." He mouthed.

Think about home... think about Spike, your friends, the elements, the princess. They need you.

"Alright, stand back."

I'll stand guard, you'll be completely safe.

The stallion shook his head violently, and began slamming his hooves against the bed again.

"No... N-No..." He said, his voice choked.

We need to move, NOW!

"What do we do?!"

Get behind me!

"N-No!" The unicorn shouted, throwing the sheet from the bed, still lost in his dream.

"D-Did you hear that?" The second mare's voice said.

"Yeah... I think we should go in there." The stallion's voice said.

"Just wait... I think I know what's going on..."

Upstairs, now!

You need to get that portal open...

Ha... For emergencies only, huh dad?

Click-Click!

Get that portal open Twi... go home.

I'll take care of the downstairs. You just use this. The fear, the anger, the sadness. Use it.

You putrid, soulless, meat sacks want to eat ME?!

COME GET A FUCKING TASTE.

The grey unicorn began slamming his hooves against the nightstand again, cracking the wood slightly and sending more thumps blaring out of the room.

"COME GET A FUCKING TASTE." He shouted, his voice still dry and strained.

"Did he just say-?"

"He's having a revelation..." The first mare said, her voice slightly concerned.

"What happened?!"

I.... twisted my.....ankle...

What are you still doing here?!

"I'm not leaving you here."

Are you CRAZY?!

"Just trust me..."

"I-is that a bad thing, Twilight?" The second mare's voice asked.

"No... It's good... It will stop any more outbursts." The first mare replied.

"It better... I swear if he snaps like that again, I'll bleed him dry." The thickly-accented stallion replied.

"We should get in there..." The first mare said, slightly concerned.

"I'm still really surprised it worked..."

What worked?

"The spell..."

What spell...?

You turned me into a freaking unicorn?!

"I'm sorry! I just didn't want to bring an unknown creature through town, so I found this spell-"

Thanks! This is... just amazing... I'm a pony...

A purple unicorn slowly opened up the door to the bedroom, and looked to the bed where the grey unicorn was laying.

"Why is he smiling...?" A dark-blue, light-black maned pegasus said as he entered the room after her.

"He's reliving events... Some of them are... Good." The purple unicorn said with a slight smile coming to her lips.

"Princess Celestia wants me to go to Canterlot so she can talk to me about... the portal."

"I think you'd better come with me."

Me? Wouldn't she be mad if she found out?

"I don't know, but you were there too. I think it would be best."

"H-he's twitching..." A yellow, pink-maned pegasus said, standing nervously next to the dark-blue stallion.

"It's just a part of the revelation, Fluttershy..." Twilight said, staring intently at the unicorn on the bed. "Come on Earl... We need you..."

"Wow, how long was I asleep?"

Almost the whole trip, you were sleeping like a foal.

"Hey, I was tired."

Eh, it's fine you're kinda cute when you're asleep.

"Thank you."

"Now he's smiling again? It's like a bloody emotional roller coaster with this guy..." The dark-blue pegasus said.

"I know Static... I know..." Twilight said absentmindedly, a small tear falling from her eye.

"S-Shouldn't we wake him up?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

"I think we should just let him be. Like Twilight said, love." Static replied, gently placing one of his wings over the trembling and timid pegasus.

"I called you here today to tell you of a possible threat to Equestria... A bright light manifested itself in the Everfree Forest last night. Some creatures were spotted flooding out of the portal and into the forest."

"The creatures were said to be eating the animals in the forest."

"C-Creatures..." Earl mouthed silently, still lost in his revelation.

Static paused and looked to Twilight, his wing coming off of Fluttershy and coming to rest at his side.

"Creatures? You think he already knows?" Static asked, an eyebrow raised.

Twilight shook her head and continued staring intently at the grey unicorn.

"No..." She replied silently.

"T-The Zeds?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

Twilight nodded her head.

"The Zeds..."

I know what these creatures are.

I've..... studied them before, there's no need to explain anymore.

"OK, my subject, I will trust you."

I need your best soldier, The best soldier on your guard, I'll take him with me to the forest and we will deal with the infection.

"We just need to make sure he doesn't scream again... Half the bloody world will be here if he opens his gob again..." Static said, slightly annoyed.

"I'll make sure he doesn't," Twilight said. "Check on the barricades just in case."

Static nodded and briskly made his way out of the room.

"It's a pleasure to meet you sir, I'm Shining Armor. Celestia briefed me on the situation last night."

"Sh-Shining..." Earl said quietly , kicking his back leg slightly as his eyes twitched.

Twilight paused momentarily, her mouth agape. Another tear falling from her eye, followed by a second. In no time, tears were falling like a steady rain from the mare's cheeks.

"T-Twilight?" Fluttershy asked nervously, noticing Twilight's tears.

"If we're taking on an entire zed army, shouldn't we have at least one more member of our group?"

That makes a lot of sense actually...

So who are we looking for?

"Somepony who looks like they can fight, that's for sure."

Static quickly rushed back into the room, a bead of sweat lining his forehead and creating a soft glow against his coat.

"There's already three of them wandering around out front, I think we should... Twilight?" He asked.

"I'm fine... Just... Wait." Twilight replied, drying her tears with a hoof.

A stern thump sounded from just outside of the room, causing all three ponies to jump slightly in fear. Static growled and pointed to Earl.

"If he's not awake in 3 minutes, I'm waking him up." he said sternly, before exiting the room once more.

"Ah don't think mah sis' would like that too much..."

C'mon Mac. She'll be fine.

"Ah guess she'll be alright... ah mean, it's not hurting her at all, right?"

So you're in?

"Eyyup."

"Just get this done.... And start a new life..." Earl said in a quiet whisper.

Twilight cautiously inched a hoof towards her heavily-breathing coltfriend in an attempt to calm him, but just before her hoof could make contact, a voice shouted frantically from the living room.

"Twilight! Fluttershy! Get in here!" Static shouted.

The purple mare stopped, her hoof inches from Earl, and sighed. Retreating her hoof, she hurriedly trotted out of the room, followed by Fluttershy.

There's too many...

We can't do this...

But I can't die like this... No....

I'm not dying like this...

Suddenly, as if a blaring, mental-clock had gone off in Earl's mind, his eyes shot open. He layed, staring blankly at the ceiling, for several moments, processing the recent events. He remembered the forest, how he had quelled the invasion of infected humans from his planet...

...And how he had taken a small group back to Earth after the dust had settled. How a twisted man held him and his friends captive, tortured them, and tried to execute them.

Shining Armor...

Macintosh...

Dead at the hands of a man hell bent on trying to be the king of a new Earth.

All nothing more than problems of a dead world...

But now, here he was. Back in Equestria, Lying in a bed, in an unknown home, a chill running down his spine. He blinked once, before shakily uttering five simple words.

"I'm not dying like this..."