2:46 a.m.
The full moon glowed brightly down on, illuminating Ponyville with it's soft light. A hard rain fell and pounded against the ground. The raindrops landed into the rainbow mane of a young pegasus. They dripped from her snout as she searched the streets below her carefully. It was silent, nothing moved.
"Twilight. Twi." She hissed into a small speaker clipped to her ear, "Come in Twilight Sparkle."
"Rainbow Dash, are you okay?" A static voice responded frantically. Rainbow Dash whispered back softly, relieved to hear the voice of her friend, "Yeah, I'm fine. It's clear out here. Come out... CAREFULLY."
"Good. Thanks, Dash. Get back to HQ, we'll be out momentarily. Over and out."
"Roger that."
Rainbow Dash flapped her wings powerfully, throwing back the raindrops that tried to sneak into her feathers. She looked around, her eyes wide as she searched the scene closely. After months after the disease had begun, even striking fear into the strongest ponies wasn't a difficulty. She feared that the beating of her heart would be detected... detected by something, anything.
Her hooves hit the cobblestone delicately as she pulled her wings back to her sides. They deserved a break. Rainbow Dash landed nearby a dark alley. Quickly she retreated into the shadows, running from the soft moonlight where she could easily be spotted. A deep sigh escaped her lips although she knew it was still not safe; she was quiet as she made her way to the back of the alley.
After a few moments, the pegasus walked up to a large dumpster, using boxes to step up to the top. The dumpster opened with a tired groan, choking Rainbow Dash on her own breath. Still nothing stirred. Fear filled her lungs as she jumped into the garbage, breaking through the large black bags of garbage and into a long tube. She slid down at a great speed, winding from side to side as she descended towards an unknown target. It took only a few seconds before Rainbow Dash was thrown onto a soft mattress. The springs flinging her into the air. She landed expertly and looked around.
A long, dark alley stood before her, but the fear had disappeared back in the garbage. It was protected here. There was no way anything could get in here, unless they were to become smart enough and find the dumpster. No way was that possible. Rainbow Dash grinned to herself, amused by the thought. She made her way down the alley and came to a metal door. A solf light flickered as the light bulb threatened to give out. Before that could happen, she pushed open the door and stepped inside a large, shack-like room. Monitors littered the walls and brightened the room with it's electronic glow. It was empty.
The others had already departed on their mission.
She sighed. Sometimes she never saw the others for over a day at a time. Loneliness was part of the job... the job of survival. Rainbow Dash nodded and pulled on her headset, looking into a monitor. No way would she give up. There was a world out there worth fighting for.
Still, in the pit of her stomach she wished that she wasn't boarded up in the room by herself.
---
3:24 a.m.
"Oh dear. I shouldn't be out here. I really, REALLY shouldn't be. I-I-I stay inside! I-"
"Shhh! Do you want to get us caught, Fluttershy?!" A soft, southern accent groaned.
"N-N-N-No, that's the last thing I want to do."
Five ponies huddled together in a dark alley. Twilight sighed to herself and peeked around the corner, "Please just stay back unless you're needed." The petite little pegasus named Fluttershy nodded quickly, stepping back a bit.
Rarity was setting up camp farther back, using magic to pull weapons out of her bag and placing them into a few chests. She smiled and looked back, her elegant blue mane flowing around her. Rarity spoke to the group sweetly, "Come now, darlings, you really don't expect to go out there and fight the living dead without good protection... do you?"
Twilight chuckled and walked back, "Of course not. Thank you, Rarity. You and Fluttershy stay back here while Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and I will go out and get some ingredients. Got it?"
All of the ponies nodded and gave the purple unicorn a salute with bright grins. She smiled weakly at them and grabbed a sword, working with Rarity to tie it carefully to her front hoof. "Now you know how this works. When you fight, stay on your back hooves." The generous unicorn advised Twilight.
After each pony was suited with armor and swords they set out into the night, waving back to Rarity and Fluttershy. They watched them disappear, worry painted across their faces.
---
Six Months Earlier...
A young school professor named Prof. Maple was known for his interest in immortality. He had always desired to create a potion to protect everypony from death and disease. Although his potions had been known to...fail. After announcing his work on the potion, many were questioning him.
It took many months for Prof. Maple to successfully create a potion. The following morning he told the world about his success. Many were shocked and amazed, but as he asked for a test subject, not many were ready to step up to the task. Still, it only took one and a mute pegasus was ready. She drank just a sip of the potion and was sent home with a horrible stomachache.
That night she awoke, gray. Her color had been completely drained and the cutie mark on her flank had faded away to nothing. SHE was nothing. No, she was death. Brain-dead, the pegasus wandered around, spreading the disease with a simple bite. The following morning half of the pony population had already been taken over by the disease. Prof. Maple, back in his study, was quickly told of his mistake. He worked immediately on an antidote, knowing that it would be unlikely for him to survive this apocalypse that he had created.
His study was overcome with the undead ponies later that day. He had worked hard on the antidote, but as the creatures closed in, he knew that the small vial would never be enough. Not then. Prof. Maple quickly locked the vial away in his safe, hoping that somepony would one day find it and save the world. He allowed the zombies to bite him, praying that the antidote would one day be found.
The mane six learned about the apocalypse almost immediately and set to work on making a sheltered headquarters. They today are the only six ponies still alive, sill working to find someway to fix the problem. Twilight Sparkle has begun her work on her own antidote, unknowing of the already created potion locked away in Prof. Maple's study.
- - - - - - - - - -
5:20 a.m.
Pinkie Pie held her breath, holding it until her cheeks darkened to a deep shade of crimson. Her eyes watered as she stared down at her hooves. Her hooves... her hooves. They were lost somewhere in the pitch black. She shivered, wondering if perhaps they had been cut off back on the cobblestone. Although it was impossible for them to be simply cut off, Pinkie Pie was not known for her intelligence. Her fear grew until it took over her whole body. To truly find out if they were there, she hit her hooves against the ground, sending up choking clouds of dust and dirt. Horror filled her lungs as she sucked in the substance. They tickled her throat and she quickly threw her front hooves to her mouth. Tears started to stream down her cheeks as she listened to the sound of hooves slowly hitting the ground above and the soft groans. One sneeze. One sneeze and it was all over. Her lungs felt as though they would explode, the pain almost unbearable.
A small hole was her only protection. It wasn't much, but it was well hidden from the dead. She shut her eyes tightly and tried to think about something else, anything else but the tickle in her throat and the pain in her chest.
- - - - - - - - - -
5:20 a.m.
Twilight Sparkle stood on her back hooves, swinging her long sword wildly around her. It sliced through the rotten bodies of the ponies. As each was injured, they fell back in shock. She was careful not to strike the necks of each creature, knowing that it would instantly kill them. She knew not to kill them unless truly necessary for they didn't know what they were doing. Underneath the gray skin was a helpless pony who couldn't control their movements or thoughts. A sharp sting scraped against her back and she fell forward in pain, biting down on her bottom lip. Something had hit her and if she didn't act fast it would all be over.
Twilight flipped onto her back, ignoring the pain as small rocks dug into her wound. She saw an undead pony standing over her, drool falling from it's mouth. Suddenly the pony blew up into a thousand bits of dust, coating her front. As the dust fell, Applejack became visible. Her eyes showed pain and worry, "Twilight, you okay?" Her soft voice asked.
It took a moment for the unicorn to respond but she nodded slowly. Applejack pulled at the string wrapped around her hoof furiously, throwing the sword down onto the cobblestone. It made a soft clang as it hit the ground. She quickly helped her friend up, who cried in pain.
Applejack gasped at the sight of the large scratches, "Uh... Well... Hmm... Alright, then, let's get ya back to Rarity and Fluttershy."
Twilight croaked, "What about the antidote?"
"Not a problem, Sugar-cube. Pinkie Pie and Ah will keep searchin' for it."
There were silence as they looked at each other, only now noticing that Pinkie Pie had not been with them. "Do you know where she is?" Twilight questioned in a soft squeak, dreading Applejack's response.
"No... do you?"
Twilight shook her head slowly and they started to search the scene carefully, their eyes darting from run down shop to run down shop. Applejack blinked before saying strongly, "No time. Ah'll come back for her, but you and that scratch really need some lookin' at."
It took a moment for the pony to agree, but Twilight finally sighed and trudged alongside her friend. They headed back to the alley, ears perked up as they listened for that sweet laugh. That sweet laugh that had been annoying once or twice... but now they would kill to hear it again.
- - - - - - - - - -
5:20 a.m.
"Fluttershy, please stop worrying and let me put the cucumbers on your eyes..."
Rarity said with a sigh, digging through the bowl filled with cucumbers. Fluttershy looked outside the tent, waiting anxiously for the others to return. She peeked back at Rarity, "Not worry? B-But shouldn't they be back by now? They should... shouldn't they? What if they're in trouble? What if they're in pain? Rarity, we have to go look for them!"
"Darling, they're fine. I have no doubt in my mind that they're coming back right now. Perhaps they even have the antidote with them. Now you sit back and let me put these cucumbers on your eyes. It will help you relax."
"Well... OK... you're probably right. Right?"
"Right."
Fluttershy peeked one last time out of the tent. She sighed and ate a cucumber, looking into the light of the lantern. It flickered and fought against the shadows. She sighed once again before closing her eyes and saying softly, "OK." Rarity smiled and grabbed a few cucumbers, placing them on Fluttershy's eyelids. She then did the same to herself before lying back. Tears stung her eyes and flowed down from behind her cucumbers. With Fluttershy's eyes closed, she didn't have to be strong anymore.
- - - - - - - - - -
5:22 a.m.
Pinkie Pie shivered. The zombies still didn't pass. It seemed as though they could sense she was nearby. The torture was unbearable. The suffering would have to eventually end. After all, nobody was coming for her. Nobody cared for Pinkie Pie. She sniffed as these thoughts flooded her mind.
Nobody cared for Pinkie Pie.
Nobody cared for Pinkie Pie.
Nobody cared for Pinkie Pie.
And then she sneezed.
