Dead Pony Rising

Chapter Six

Flank West

Zombies…zombies everywhere.

Flank was galloping through the dark passageways of the mall’s underground parking system. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of zombie ponies were chasing after him. He would turn one corner, and many more zombies would be sitting there in wait. Another turned corner…more zombies in wait. He kept galloping and galloping at his highest speeds, until he eventually found an overturned chariot.

He rushed over and jumped up and away from the zombies that gathered quickly around him. In a matter of minutes, zombies were completely surrounding the chariot; no chance of escape. And in the midst of this crowd, Flank could see the zombified remains of his friends Brad and Jessie. They were able to climb on top of the chariot and slowly shamble to Flank.

“Why, Flank?” Brad asked with a cringing gurgle. “Why couldn’t you save me in time?”

“I’m sorry, Brad.” Flank said. “But I had to get the bombs out…there was nothing I could do.”

“And what about me, Flank?” Jessie asked in the same manner. “You told me you looked for Brad. You lied to me…why would you lie to me?”

“I didn’t want you to get distracted during the mission…we had to get out of here…that was priority number one!” Jessie leaped and pinned Flank down on the chariot. His scream filled the dark tunnels…sending back painful, headache-inducing echoes. The sound of flesh being torn from muscle and bone…

Date: May 23, 7:00 p.m.

Flank jumped out of his sleep; sweating profusely and screaming something fierce. He looked around and saw Applejack and Braeburn working on the laptop. He pulled himself up and slowly trotted over to the two of them. Applejack glanced over and then galloped over to Flank.

“You’re alive!” She says happily. “Oh, thank Celestia for that.” Flank places his hoof on his head; a sharp shooting pain coursing through.

“Yeah, thank Celestia for a hangover.” Braeburn sits down in front of Flank and starts talking.

“Listen, Flank,” he says, “Ah’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is the Royal Guardianship is leaving Fillydelphia within the next couple of hours.”

“And the bad news?” Flank asks.

“You’re infected.” Braeburn says. “You let that zombie bite you and now we’re figuring out a cure.”

Flank just sat there; staring deep into space.

“Flank?” Braeburn asks.

“AAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Flank screamed loudly in the small space. “WHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHY?” He got up and started galloping around in circles.

“Flank!” Applejack shouted. “Calm down!” Flank kept galloping around the room; no possible end in sight. Applejack and Braeburn stood next to each other, positioned themselves, and bucked Flank in the face. He flies back and lands on the floor with a loud thud. Applejack and Braeburn slowly trot up to him and help pull him up.

“Infected?” Flank asks scared. “Why? Why does this have to happen?”

“Don’t worry, Flank.” Applejack says.

“WHY!?” Applejack slaps Flank across the face.

“We may have a temporary cure…but we need your help to get us the supplies we need in order to make it.” Braeburn says.

“Temporary cure? Why not a permanent cure?” Flank asks as he trots back over to the small rug.

“The scientists at the research facility were working on ways of combating the virus should it escape.” He continues. “They got as far as a temporary cure.”

“How long does the cure last?” Flank asks.

“Twenty-four hours.” Applejack says.

“You somehow have a natural response to the virus. Most ponies would’ve turned by now.” Braeburn continues.

“We’ve estimated that you need to get the needed supplies within the next eighteen hours.” Applejack says. “If not…”

“If I don’t?” Flank asks.

“Isn’t it obvious? You’ll turn.” Flank sits there…thinking about what he was just told. After a few minutes in total silence, Flank pulls himself up and starts trotting to the hatch into the mall.

“Wait.” Applejack says as she trots up to him. “Before you go, you’ll need a list.”

“Do you have one?” Flank asks.

“Yeah, hold on.” Applejack then galloped back to the laptop and grabbed a piece of paper with her mouth. She galloped back and handed it to Flank.

“Also, try to get as many queens as you can.” Braeburn adds in.

“Queens?” Flank asks confused.

“The wasps; they’re yellow, giant abdomen, and glowing red eyes.” Flank then remembered the giant wasp he squashed the first night he was in the mall. He nods his head and puts the piece of paper into the front pocket of his leather jacket. He opens the hatch and hops back down into the deserted mall.

And, almost like clockwork, a Queen flew past his ear. He looked around and found a small glass jar sitting in an unfinished mall store. Flank timed it carefully and was able to grab the Queen in one quick swoop. He brought the jar closer to his face so he could get a better look at the creepy little thing. Much like any flying insect; it started ramming against the glass wall trying to get to the light outside.

“Who would think a small little bug like you could destroy to whole cities and ruin my whole life.” He says to it. After looking at it for a few more seconds, Flank starts trotting into the mall again.

*** *** ***

Date: May 24, 12:08 a.m.

Many hours later, Flank was sitting in the hideout, waiting for Braeburn to finish the cure. Applejack was applying fresh gauze to Flank’s bite wound and rubbing it down with some alcohol; Flank winces from the stinging of the alcohol.

“Ah’m sorry, Sugarcube,” Applejack says, “but it’ll prevent an infection.”

“Too late on that one.” Flank says smirking. Applejack cuts the gauze and trots back to the first aid kit she got it from.

“Okay, it should be done within the next minute.” He looked at a clock hanging on a far wall. “You’ve got five hours left.” He trots over and sits down next to Flank.

“How many batches are you making?” Flank asks.

“Enough to last you a few weeks,” Braeburn says, “I’ll keep sending in vials so you’re not without supply.” He lies down on the rug. “Hopefully I’ll be able to mass produce this stuff.”

“What do you mean ‘mass produce’?” Flank asks. “As far as I know, I’m the only surviving infected pony in all of Equestria.” Braeburn coughs lightly.

“Braeburn,” Applejack says, “what’re you hidin’?”

“Flank isn’t the only infected pony.” He says under his breath.

“Say that again.” Applejack says angrily.

“Flank isn’t the only infected pony.” He says loudly. “Ah did a test on a pony before releasing the virus into Fillydelphia.”

“Test for what?” Flank asks.

“How long this temporary cure actually lasts.” Braeburn explains. “Ah tried it on five ponies; one to Fillydelphia…one to Manehatten…one to Canterlot…one to Trottingham…and one to…Ponyville.” All three ponies sat there in dead silence.

“And the end result?” Flank asks.

“The one for Fillydelphia lasted two weeks…the other four…Ah don’t know.”

“So…you’re saying that Equestria could already be overrun with zombies?” Flank asks.

“It’s both possible and doubtful.” Braeburn stands up and looks at Flank and Applejack. “Do you know how much of this medication had to be injected into Test Subject Number One to make him last two weeks?” Silence. “He went comatose and died.” More silence.

“Needless to say, he came back and attacked this small town.” He says. “As I planned.”

“But what makes an apocalyptic Equestria doubtful?” Flank asks.

“The cure severely deformed the test subject; it was amazing that he came back in the first place.” Braeburn continues. “With that much of the temporary cure in his bloodstream, the virus was overwhelmed and killed…same as the host…that’s why it’s doubtful Equestria is under attack.” He trots back over to the laptop and sits down. Suddenly the laptop pings and Braeburn looks back at Flank and Applejack.

“It’s done.” He says. Applejack trots over and grabs a small syringe. Flank watches as Braeburn picks up a small vial of blue liquid and Applejack uses the syringe to suck in the entire vial.

“Do I have to take all of that?” Flank asks. “Because you said a giant dosage could kill me.”

“This is enough…ugh…zombie cure…to combat the virus for twenty-four hours.” He carefully takes the syringe and trots back over to Flank. He sits the syringe down and continues talking. “In the research Ah did on the test ponies, the maximum that would be allowable is enough to last twenty-four hours. Now, here comes the bad part.”

Braeburn grabs the syringe and jams the needle into Flank’s shoulder. Flank jumps and hollers from the pain and sudden shock.

“You could’ve given me some kind of warning!” Flank shouts.

“Sorry, Ah wasn’t thinking too clearly.” He carefully pushes down on the plunger and the blue liquid slowly went into Flank.

“Wow, that stuff is cold.” Flank says.

“I didn’t even put it on ice…that’s just its natural reaction in the bloodstream.” He pulls the needle out and trots over to a garbage can to dispose of the syringe. He turns back to face the two other earth ponies. “We should get sum rest before dawn…it’d probably do us all sum good.”

*** *** ***

Date: May 24, 2011 8:03 a.m.

Flank, Applejack, and Braeburn trot out of the front doors of the mall and trot to an abandoned chariot in the parking lot. The entire area is littered with the dead bodies of zombie ponies and an occasional regular pony. Braeburn and Applejack saddle up as Flank sits in the back. As they start trotting away, Flank notices the camera case that fell out of the original chariot.

“Hey, guys, hold on for a moment.” He says as he gallops out of the chariot and to the camera case. It was dented and had many blood stains on the front. Flank quickly grabs it with his teeth and gallops back over to the waiting chariot.

“Why do you want that?” Applejack asks as he trots back over.

“When I flew in here four days ago; this fell out of the chariot.” He says as he gets back into the chariot. “Let’s just get out of here.” Braeburn and Applejack then started to pick up speed and galloped down the Mane Street. After a few moments of galloping, Applejack and Braeburn stopped and came to a grinding halt. In front of them was a troupe of Royal Guardian Unicorns standing in their way. Flank looks up and notices one of them at the front.

“I saw that stallion.” He says.

“What?” Applejack asks. “When?”

“Yesterday, when I arrived back at the security room.” Flank says. “He was leading the Royal Guardianship on one of the monitors.” Flank steps out of the chariot and stands next to Applejack.

“Well, well, well,” the white unicorn in the front said, “what do we have here? Survivors that escaped our grasp.”

“Wait a minute,” Braeburn says, “I know you…you were the one that…”

“Led the assault on Appleloosa when the zombies got free? Yes, that ‘twas I, Prince Blueblood.”

“So, Celestia is behind this whole thing…why would she cause harm to her loyal subjects?” Flank asks angrily.

“Oh, my aunt had nothing to do with either Appleloosa or Fillydelphia.” He says. “I led the assault and wrote the cover-up to keep my job as head of the Royal Guardianship.” Blueblood looks over at Braeburn.

“You lied just to keep your job?” Braeburn asks angrily. “Thousands of ponies are dead now, because of the injustice that you have brought unto them.”

“Does it look like I care?” Blueblood asks. Flank takes this moment to gallop behind a nearby bush while everypony was distracted. “Anyway, we can’t let the truth get to the pony masses or the Princess.” He aims his gun at Braeburn and Applejack. “Any last words?” Flank then bucks the gun out of Blueblood’s hooves and the two start punching and kicking each other. Flank lands many painful blows to Blueblood’s face; causing him to start getting confused and eventually falling to the ground in pain. Flank stands over Blueblood and grabs his gun. He aims it at the other Royal Guardians and opens fire; killing every single pony. He looks down at Blueblood and kicks him across the face.

“So…what’re you w-w-waiting…for?” Blueblood asks as blood drips from his mouth.

“I’m not going to kill you.” Flank says angrily. “Death is a fate too good for you.”

“What are you going to do then?” Blueblood asks.

“Make sure our beloved Princess imprisons you for a very long time.” Flank then bucked Blueblood across the face; knocking the horrid pony unconscious. Flank slowly turns his head to Braeburn and speaks.

“Justice will be served, Braeburn.” Flank says. “I can guarantee you that.”

Two Months Later

Date: July 14, 2011 1:00 p.m.

“Welcome Fillies and Gentlecolts to another wonderful installment of the Motoclops championship.” An announcer said into a microphone. Flank was covering a Motoclops event taking place in Ponyville. It was a massive event and many, many ponies attended the festivities. Because of the massive amount of ponies, Princess Celestia actually ordered in a company of Royal Guardians to make sure nothing got out of hoof.

Flank was trotting around; photographing everypony that was having fun…he even managed to capture General Prance, leader of the unicorn division of the Royal Guardians, drinking a Sarsaparilla when he was supposed to be keeping a better eye on his troops and the ponies laughing and playing.

Flank had escaped Fillydelphia and went straight to Princess Celestia to tell her the grave news of what happened. Prince Blueblood was stripped of his royalty and placed in prison for life. The story was published and made headlines all around Equestria. Flank West was given many medals and awards for him revealing the truth. He even wrote a book about the events that took place in the horrid mall.

Brad and Jessie were commended for helping Flank with uncovering the truth and honored with services held in their hometowns. Braeburn was sentenced to three years in prison for causing the outbreak in Fillydelphia and Applejack was acquitted of all charges. Applejack started working towards mass producing the temporary cure in case there was to be another zombie outbreak; Phenotrots was born. Unfortunately, she had gone missing many months earlier, and nopony in Equestria knows where she is.

“Excuse me,” an earth pony mare says, “but are you Flank West?” Flank turned around.

“As a matter of fact I am.” He says. “Pleasure to meet you.” He held out his hoof and they shook hooves.

“What’re you doing here?” She asks. “Shouldn’t you be uncovering more truths?”

“Well, I figure to take it easy now.” He says. “I’d rather just cover small events like Motoclops or something along those lines.” He looks down and notices a small baby filly standing next to the mare. “Who’s this little one?” He asks.

“Oh, this is my little filly, Katey.” She says happily. “She is three years old next week.”

“Well, she is very pretty. Who’s the daddy?”

The announcer suddenly came on again, “and, coming up next, Mr. Buck Greene!”