Dead Pony Rising

Chapter Five

Royal Guardianship

Date: May 22, 2011 10:57 p.m.

Flank slowly approached the entrance to the doorway. He looked at his watch one more time and saw that it was nearing ten in the morning. He opened the doors and trotted inside. He looked around and smelled the scent of fresh apple pies. He looked around and saw apple pies everywhere. As he trotted around the room; he saw the fat cow from earlier hooking Braeburn up a crane suspended above a strange, blender-like device. Braeburn was bleeding from the gunshot wound Brad gave him; as well as bleeding from the hook pierced through his back hooves that kept him suspended above the machine.

“Yes,” the cow said in a creepy voice, “these apples will be perfect for my next pie.” Flank slowly trotted up to him. “Ah,” the cow said as he turned around, “another customer.” Flank started shaking from the sheer size of the cow; he was at least three times Flank’s size. “How may I help you?” He asks. Flank stood there with sheer terror frozen on his face; it took a few seconds for the cogs to click back into place.

“That stallion over there,” Flank said pointing at Braeburn, “I-I mean, uh, those apples…”

“Oh? These apples are good, huh?” The cow asks. “I just got them in here; their fresh.” He laughed lightly as he walked over to the machine.

“You just wait right there, sir. In a moment,” the cow says, “you can try the best apple pie you’ve ever tasted.”

“Whoa, pie?” Flank asks. “Wait a minute; listen.” Flank says as he trots over to the cow. “I had something else in mind.” The cow starts getting angry.

“Those zombified apples are no good.” He says. “I can’t serve rotten apples to my customers…I have a reputation to uphold!” He continues trotting over to the machine; laughing a bit more sadistically. “Trust me,” he says, “I’m a baker.” He goes over to the machine.

Flank takes a careful look at it and notices that it’s called the Apple Thresher 900. “I’ve got the best apple baked goods in town.” He flips the switch and the machine slowly kicks on. Flank just stands there helpless as Braeburn is slowly lowered head first into the machine. Flank trots over to the psychotic cow and starts talking to him.

“So,” he says, “best apple baked goods in town?”

“Yes indeed.” The cow says. “Nopony in all of Equestria can beat me.”

“I’m not sure.” Flank says as he pulls out his gun. “I think one Ms. Pinkie Pie of Ponyville might have you beat. In the early days of my reporting, I did a piece on Ponyville’s most renown bakery, Sugarcube Corner…”

“That’s a nice theory you have,” the cow starts, “but I’m going to have to disagree…” Flank pulls the trigger and kills the psychotic cow. The cow’s body slumps over and lands on the floor with a loud thud; Flank trots over to the apple thresher and turns it off. He helps pull Braeburn down to the ground and props him up against a wall.

“You’re finished.” Flank says. “It’s over.” Braeburn looks up at him with pain-filled eyes.

“And what about Applejack?” Braeburn asks.

Flank kneels down until he’s eye level with Braeburn. “She’s on our side now.” He says. “She’s checking out your computer as we speak.” Braeburn spits some blood out of his mouth and looks up at Flank.

“Mah one purpose in life,” he says, “has been to get revenge…for what our government did t’ Appleloosa…t’ my home town.” He grunts as he pulls himself up higher.

“Why?” He continues, “Why were apples so much more important to them than pony life?” Flank stares at him angrily.

“Why?” Braeburn asks. “Why did innocent ponies have to die just to feed other fat pony bellies?” Flank gets angry and slams Braeburn against the wall.

“That doesn’t excuse what you’ve done!” Flank shouts. He breathes in lightly. “But I promise you,” he says, “the Appleloosa story will be told…but I need the password to your computer.” Braeburn starts passing out from blood loss. “Hey!” Flank says shaking him. “Stay with me!” He shouts. “Give me the computer password!” Braeburn looks up at Flank…and starts laughing.

“Aren’t zombies great?” He asks. “Ah mean…all they do is eat…and eat…and eat. Growing in number…Just like good Princess Celestia obeying Equestrians…” He spits more blood onto the ground. Flank stands up and looks the other way.

“It’s not over.” Braeburn continues. Flank turns back around to listen. “Not yet…” Flank kneels back down.

“Speak!” He shouts. “Speak, you parasprite!” He starts shaking him back and forth. “What do you mean it’s not over?!”
Braeburn reaches into his vest and pulls out a small gold locket that hung around his neck. “I’m sorry, Applejack.” He says quietly to the locket. He rips it off and carefully hands it to Flank. “Give this,” he says, “t’ mah cousin.” Braeburn then passes out and slumps to the side. Flank places his hoof on Braeburn’s throat; checking for a pulse.

“Thank Celestia.” He says as he finds it. He places the locket into his jacket pocket and hauls Braeburn onto his back. He starts trotting out of the bakery; heading back to Braeburn’s hideout.

*** *** ***

Date: May 22, 2011 11:16 p.m.

Flank placed Braeburn on one of the air mattresses in the hideout. Applejack gallops up to him and brushes some of his mane out of his face.

“Is he..?” She asks.

“He’s alive.” Flank says. Applejack sighs happily. “All he worried about was you. But what’s bad…” He trots closer to Applejack. “He passed out before he could tell me anything. And with his wounds, he’ll be out for awhile.” Applejack slowly trots over to the computer; Flank behind her.

“You know,” he says, “I actually thought he was terrorist scum, but…all he really cares about is you.” Flank pulls out the gold locket and hands it to Applejack. “Here,” he says, “he thought he was going to die, so he wanted you to have this.” She looks at it with tears in her eyes.

“Ah gave this to him when I dropped off an apple tree for him.” She says. Her eyes start to widen.

“Bloomberg.” She says. She starts typing it into the computer…and she gets access. Flank looks down and sees the message that popped up.

“You figured it out!” He says excitedly.

“Bloomberg.” Applejack says again. “It was a gift I gave to Braeburn; when there was a battle between us ponies and a herd of buffalo.” She looks up at Flank with tears in her eyes. “Please believe me when Ah say this…” Flank nods, “Braeburn didn’t want all of this. He only wanted to live in peace in Appleloosa.” Flank looks at the picture inside the locket; Applejack with Braeburn next to a giant apple tree. Applejack continued typing more into the computer.

“What are you doing?” Flank asks.

“Ah’m a tryin’ to deactivate that there jammin’ device.” She says. “Once I can, that Jessie mare can call her agency.” After a few more seconds, the computer makes another ping sound.

“Got it?” Flank asks.

“Yeah, tell Jessie through your transceiver.” Flank pulled out the yellow device from his pocket and started calling for Jessie.

“What is it, Flank?” She asks. “Is something wrong?”

“No, Applejack got the jamming device deactivated. Call D.E.S., let them know about everything that’s going on.” Back in the security room, Jessie started typing stuff into her laptop and soon got a hold of the D.E.S.

“It worked!” Jessie said excitedly. “I’ll call them and let them know. Get back to the security room so we can leave as soon as your friend gets back.”

Back at Braeburn’s hideout, Flank turns off the transceiver and sits down next to Applejack.

“I’m gonna’ need your help moving Braeburn back to the security room.” Flank says. “We don’t have to leave now, but we have to be there before noon.”

“Ah’m not goin’ with you.” Applejack says.

“What?” Flank asks.

“Ah’m not goin’ with you.” She says again. “Braeburn and Ah already had a plan of escape.”

“And that would be..?” Flank asks.

“We’re gonna’ go down to the parkin’ lot and grab a chariot.” Applejack says. “Ah’ve got some friends in Ponyville that’ll hide me and Braeburn from the Royal Guardianship.”

“Well, best of luck to you.” Flank says as he gets up off the floor. He trots over to the metal hatch and opens the lock.

“Flank.” Applejack says.

“Yeah?”

“Ah wanna’ say thank you…for everything that happened the past few days.” She says. “Ah’m sure Braeburn will be happy to know that the truth will be revealed.”

“You’re welcome.” Flank says. “I’m gonna’ come looking for you afterwards.”

“Why?”Applejack asks nervously.

“I’ll need to talk to the princess and let her know about everything that happened.”

“But, if you reveal mah name, she’ll come after me.” Applejack said as she pulls herself up off the floor.

“I’m not going to reveal names, just the story, not the characters.” He says as he starts climbing down the ladder. “Good luck with your escape, you may need it with the road blocks.” And with that, Flank closed the hatch behind him and started trotting back to the security room.

*** *** ***

Date: May 23, 12:33 a.m.

After a few minutes of pushing through crowds of zombies, Jessie came up on the transceiver; a sad tone in her voice.

“Flank…it’s over…” She says. “D.E.S. isn’t going to help us.”

“What?!” Flank asks. “What do you mean they won’t help us?”

“They’re keeping it a secret.” She says. “They’re going to cover it up…just like Appleloosa.”

“No!” Flank says as he punches a zombie angrily. “Why is Celestia doing this?”

“It’s not Celestia’s orders.” She says. “Anyway, they’ll be here at midnight; for the clean-up and our arrest. I suggest you head back to Applejack’s hideout so they don’t get you.” She then drops the transceiver and sits down on the green mattress.

“Jessie?” Flank asks. “JESSIE?!” Flank throws down the transceiver and starts galloping at his fastest speed back to the security room.

Back at the security room, Jessie was curled up on the bed waiting for the Royal Guardians to arrive. Otis and some of the other survivors trotted up to her.

“So…” Otis says, “is the D.E.S. helping us or not?” Jessie slowly turned her head to look Otis in the eye.

“They’re not helping us. They’re going to clean-up the zombies and arrest the survivors.” The other survivors started murmuring to each other.

“So, what’re we supposed to do?” Otis asks.

“I honestly don’t care anymore.” Jessie says as she turns over and stares at the wall. Suddenly, the sound of hoofsteps landing on the roof occurred; everypony started getting scared.

“Everypony,” Otis says, “we need to hide from the guardians. When we get the chance, gallop to the roof and we’ll steal the chariot they came here on.”

“Not if we have anything to say about it.” Somepony said. The other ponies turned around and saw two Royal Guardians with heavy artillery weapons drawn. “Now, we don’t want to have any difficulties. Everypony get to one of the holding rooms and don’t leave until I say so.”

“And what if we don’t?” A female unicorn asks. The Royal Guard then shot the unicorn dead and turned back to the other survivors.

“That will happen.” He says. “Now, into the rooms!” All the survivors started trotting into one of the backrooms as the first Royal Guardian trotted over to Jessie. He pulled out a small picture from his pocket and carefully looked at it.

“Jessica McColtney?” He asks. Jessie just lies there; not saying anything.

“As you can tell, we’re from the D.E.S.” He says putting the photo away. “It’s a good thing you called us when you did.”

“Why?” Jessie asks.

“Because, we would’ve probably killed you by now.” He put his gun to his side and held out his hoof. “Come with me and we’ll explain everything that happened here.” Jessie turned over and pulled herself off the bed. She stood in front of the Royal Guardian and then attacked him. The other Royal Guardian galloped into the room and saw Jessie attacking and eating the other guard.

Flank was now outside the air duct leading into the security room. He could hear gunfire going off around the mall; the occasional scream of a scared survivor. He was hesitant about going inside; worried that they might be in the security room. He wanted to make sure Jessie was okay and went into the air duct anyway.

*** *** ***

Date: May 23, 2011 1:00 a.m.

As he entered the security room; he realized it was too late. Jessie, along with the Royal Guardians, was dead. Her body was lying in a small pool of blood; bullets embedded into her body. He kneeled down and closed her eyelids. As he pulled himself up; he glanced at the monitors.

The Royal Unicorn Guardians were all over the mall; shooting and killing zombies. He noticed that some of the plazas were almost empty. He decided that he was going to head back and meet up with Applejack, let her know the situation. He was about to leave; when he noticed one unicorn separate from the rest.

He was white, instead of dark grey, and had long, flowing blonde hair. Flank realized it was their commander. Flank just shrugged it off and trotted out of the room.

*** *** ***

Date: May 23, 2011 4:33 a.m.

“Another cover-up?” Braeburn asks. Flank was back at the hideout in the North Plaza; Braeburn came out of his temporary coma.

“Yeah,” Flank says, “it’ll be just like Appleloosa if I don’t get out of here.” He sat down next to Braeburn.

“Hey,” Braeburn says, “thanks for saving me back there.”

“It’s not a problem.” Flank says. “I wasn’t going to leave you behind if there was a chance at surviving this whole thing.” He sits down next to Braeburn and buries his head in his hooves.

“So,” Applejack says sitting down next to Flank, “is your friend still gonna’ pick you up?”

“I hope so.” Flank says. “But at this point…he may not.”

“Why wouldn’t he?” Braeburn asks.

“Well, there are Royal Guardians out there killing zombies and any unfortunate ponies that get in their way.” He looks at the two earth ponies. “Would you come into this warzone just to save one stallion?”

“If he was loyal, he would.” Applejack says. “If he doesn’t show up, you’re more than welcome to come with us.”

“Thank you.” Flank says. “Just as long as I get out of here in one piece, everything should be fine.” He looked at his watch and saw that it was nearing noon; the chariot would be here any moment. He pulls himself up off the floor and begins the dangerous trek back to the rooftop he was on when he first arrived.

*** *** ***

Date: May 23, 2011 12:00 p.m.

Flank galloped onto the rooftop and up to the chariot landing pad. He looked all around to make sure there weren’t any Royal Pegasus Guardians keeping watch on the rooftops; there weren’t.

About half a mile away, the Pegasus that took Flank to the mall was looking at the mall through a pair of binoculars. He could see the small outline of Flank.

“Well, I’ll be banished for a millennium.” He said to himself. “That son of a gryphon made it.” He got up and galloped back to his chariot. He suited himself up and started taking off in the direction of the mall.

Flank kept looking around for the escape chariot. His hopes were slowly starting to vanish as the clock ticked 12:09. After a few more silent seconds, he started trotting back to the door leading into the mall. Suddenly, he could hear the cheering of the Pegasus and the sound of his flapping wings. He spun around and galloped back to the landing pad.

“Yeah!” The Pegasus cheered. Suddenly, a zombie pony appeared in the chariot behind the Pegasus and bit down hard on the Pegasus’s neck. He screamed and jerked to the left. Flank could only watch in horror as the chariot came out of the sky fast and started flying towards the park. After a few more seconds of screaming, there was a spine cringing slam and silence. Flank stood there with his jaw wide open. He fell onto his knees and just sat there in dead utter silence.

The door leading into the mall burst open and zombies started pouring onto the rooftop. Flank just kept sitting there as more and more came in. A tear started streaming down his face as they came closer and closer to him. One kept shambling up to him until it got right in his face and bit down on his neck.

“Flank!” Applejack shouted as she and Braeburn galloped onto the rooftop. She had a gun and fired a round into the zombie’s skull. Both Flank and the zombie slumped over. Applejack and Braeburn kept shooting more and more zombies as they galloped over to Flank.

“He just let it bite him.” Applejack says. “Why would he do that?” Braeburn walked over to the edge of the building and saw the destroyed chariot in the center.

“His escape failed.” He says. “He gave up hope of escaping.”