Plague in the Land of Equestria

Chapter 3: Twists and Turns

"W-where am I?" Rainbow Dash had woken up tied down onto a table, staring at the ceiling. "Twilight?" Rainbow Dash heard some muttering from somewhere in Twilight's house. "Who are you? Why am I tied down?" Dash tried to flap her wings, but found that they had also been pinned. She strained her ears to hear what the other ponies were saying.

"The quarantine zone won't last forever. Each day more waves of the dead flock to it, battering the walls, keeping them from receiving supplies, picking off guards who attempt to hold them back..." The voice sounded very familiar.

"What can we do?" That voice was recognizable.

"Soarin?" Rainbow Dash asked in surprise. This time the others heard her.

"She's awake," said the other voice. Rainbow Dash figured out who it was: Spitfire. The Wonderbolts were here? Joy surged through Rainbow Dash as she realized her idols still remained in this new world of corruption and disease.

"Were you bitten?" asked Soarin, anxiously.

"No, but I've had several really close calls," Dash answered.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Like any of these slowpokes could ever get a taste of me."

"Alright, we're going to untie you and search you. If we find a bite, even a scratch, you're going outside."

"She doesn't know what's outside. She's been unconscious," reminded Spitfire. The two Wonderbolts freed Rainbow Dash.

"What is outside? Apart from the things I already know?" inquired Rainbow Dash after stretching her stiff limbs and flapping her wings to wake them up.

"Well, when you shot the lock off the door, I instinctively flew at you fast enough to send you to the ground, which knocked you out. However, your gunshot ended up attracting every one of those... creatures around. Soarin and I barricaded the door and windows as fast as we could. Hear that banging? That's them trying as hard as they can to get in and take us down. This tree won't last very long," answered Spitfire. Then Rainbow Dash remembered why she was here.

"Was anypony here when you arrived? A purple unicorn, perhaps?" asked Rainbow Dash, an edge of worry to her voice. Spitfire shook her head. Dash's spirits dropped.

"Your friend may have went to the quarantine zone," said Soarin. "We were going to leave for there in an hour if you were awake, but since you're up now, we'll be going. You're welcome to join us."

"I don't know... I have two other in my group here in PonyVille. I don't think they'll appreciate if I left them here, but if Twilight's there... how far away is this 'quarantine zone'?"

"Not far. A day's flight for the Wonderbolts. You think you're up to the challenge?" Spitfire had a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Me turn down a challenge? Never!" accepted Rainbow Dash, now hovering in the air.

Suddenly, the sound of glass breaking echoed throughout Twilight's house. The dead had gotten through a barricade on one window, and several were already piling in through the window. Through an opening in the bodies, Dash glimpsed several more zombie ponies, eagerly waiting to get a chance for a meal. Bestial roars bellowed from seemingly every direction. If the dozen undead that had breached the building weren't a big enough threat, the hundred others outside that were about to literally rip the house apart would be.

"Upstairs! Now!" ordered Spitfire. Soarin and Rainbow Dash happily obliged. Once the trio were in Twilight's bedroom, they quickly shut, locked, and barricaded the door.

"That ain't gonna hold!" Rainbow Dash was stating the obvious. Spitfire turned around a threw a thick book at Twilight's large window. The glass shattered to a million pieces, and the Wonderbolts quickly flew outside. Rainbow Dash was about to follow when she noticed her gun on the floor... right by the heavily cracked door. Rainbow Dash flew at the gun with record speed, but her momentum carried her a bit farther than she wanted. Dash slammed into the door hard enough to destroy it. Fortunately for her, the impact on the door sent the attacking ponies down onto the ground, but they were already getting back on their hooves, and more streamed up the stairs. Dash grabbed her pistol, but before she could fly away to safety, one of the dead ponies grabbed her left wing. She bucked him away before he could sink his teeth into her, but it bought the others enough time to get at her. Rainbow Dash screamed as three, then four, then five rotting dead ponies got on top of her. Dash had dropped the pistol, and couldn't grab it because she was occupied trying to fight off the snapping teeth that continuously attempted to sink into her. The weight of all the dead ponies on top of her, added to the overwhelming stench of festering flesh was too much for Dash. More and more zombies piled on top of her. Just when Dash thought it was the end for her, she heard a loud bang, followed by another, and another.

Several zombies fell off the top of the pile, dead. The other undead that were on Dash looked up, distracted by the noise. Rainbow Dash shoved with all her might, allowing instinct to take over her body. To her surprise, the pile of zombies lifted, and Dash instantly flew out from under the pile. She looked over at her savior. It was Soarin. He shot two more bullets into the crowd, then click click click. The crowd was closing in fast, and there wouldn't be enough time to take off into the air.

"Go! I'll hold them back!" Soarin screamed.

"No! We can make it!" protested Dash.

"Rainbow, we really don't have enough time for this! GO!" Soarin thwacked two zombies on the head with the butt of the gun to give him space, then grabbed Dash. He kissed her on the lips, whispered in her ear "I love you," and threw her out the window. Dash was shocked, by several things. One, there was at least a thousand undead crowding the streets all around Twilight's home. Two, she was shocked that she was even alive. The entire situation had really seemed hopeless. But most of all, Dash was shocked at what Soarin had done. Sacrificing his life so she could escape? Dash knew there was absolutely no chance he survived, but she still felt an impossible amount of gratitude.

Rainbow Dash flew up and looked for Spitfire. She saw her just a little ways away, hovering uncertainly. Dash sped over to her.

"Where's Soarin?" Spitfire asked worriedly. Dash didn't answer, but the tear that welled in her eye told the Wonderbolt captain enough. "We can't just leave him in there!" she shouted, suddenly outraged.

"There were at least a hundred in that small room. He had less than two tail-lengths of space, and his only weapon an out-of-ammo pistol. The only exit was the window, and he hasn't come out yet..." Dash choked up at the end. Secretly, she had loved Soarin too.

For a long while, Spitfire said nothing. Then, she said "if you still want to visit the quarantine, come with me."