Thread 51: Stories 31-45

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 >29
"MM"
'Zecora'
~~~~

>AHHHHHH!

"YOU KNOW, I THINK THE SCREAMING IS ACTUALLY DRAWING THEM NEARER!"

>SO YOU STOP!

"I'M NOT!"

'BOTH OF YOU HUSH YOUR LIP! WE ARE FINALLY AT THE END OF THIS HELLISH TRIP!'

Indeed. Hut, glorious hut, was just through the trees, right where Zecora had left it.

>OKAY. SO. PLAN!?

She slammed hard into her wall, not even bothering to slow down to come to a stop, before opening a seemingly random box propped against her hut and ripping the lid clean off, nails and all.

In the next, a giant bag almost as big as she was long was clenched in her teeth, and she scooted, weirdly enough, away from the hut.

>WHAT ARE YOU DOING HUT IS NICE GET IN HUT!

So devolved into basic speak, he could barely focus as she scooted all around her hut in a circle, dragging that bag as fast as she could. It was only now they noticed an odd powder leaking out of it.

"Come on come on come onnnn! They're coming!"

They could not see the creatures that hissed and snarled, but oh, they could hear them. They could hear them.

>COME ONNNN!

Shapes in the distance at last made themselves apparent, but the pair of changeling and earth pony would not close the door, not yet.

They waited as she neared the line she had started, sweat beading on her brow as she tugged a now nearly empty bag, closer, and closer...
The instant she had completed the ring, she dove away from it, screaming at the top of her lungs.

'LIGHT IT!'

The changeling wasted no time, doing just as she asked.

In the next second, the world was fire.

Weird... purplish, reddish, greenish and blueish wavy non-smoking fire.

It continued to burn after being lit, a low flame barely higher than their kneecaps. Even still, it had no smoke, but the waves of heat that rose off it seemed... off.

The creatures that had followed them at last came into visible view, a chorus of "SCREEEE!" filling the air as they charged.

The zebra dove into the hut, shoving the other two with her, and closed the door as quietly as she could.

They waited as the creatures neared...

And then, like a sea parted by an otherworldy force, they split, and ran alongside the hut, strangely avoiding them as they races past.

All the same, the threesome huddled together tightly as the thundering continued, waiting and praying for it to finally come to a stop.

At last, it did.

>...Explain.

'Optical illusion that covers the smell. I call it the shield cast out of hell.'

>...Board up everything.

In the next second, the hut was a flurry of activity, hammering, shoving and slamming everything not nailed down into every crevice and possible entryway or exit.

In the end, nothing in her hut was left in her living room save a single couch. One the tired three were all too happy to indulge in as they plopped down upon it, exhausted and hearts beating rapidly in their chests.

"...So, I give this one, I don't know, three hours? I say this blows over in three hours."

Two wide, incredulous faces looked at her.

"...what?"

Had they the strength, they would have said more.

Instead, they settled for letting the exhaustion win, and collapsed.

"...Fine, four hours, whatever. Picky picky."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Chrysalis
"Twilight"
~~~

>Bout damn time.

"Did you say something?"

The Queen looked away from her magical screen, turning an irritated glance back to the lavender Alicorn.

>Shiny broke out the love bombs. They're not holding them back, but it's keeping him safe for now.

The scientist nodded, before turning back to he3r microscope.

"You don't sound worried."

>He out fought a giant monster bare hoofed, I think he can take on some mindless ponies.

"He can't last forever."

>Well then, that's where you come in, isn't it?

"And if I can't?"

>I have full confidence in you.

"Do you? So then, you don't have a plan right now?"

She went silent, idly flipping through the magical screens once more.

"I need the Sulfuric Acid."

>Little extreme, no? That will melt their skin right off.

"It's an idea."

>If you say so.

Dutifully, the bottle floated over to her.

"...How do you know these chemicals so well?"

>Hm? Oh, I infiltrated a couple scientists in my day, had to keep my skill sharp while training.

"Oh... did they get the full Shiny treatment?"

>Which do you mean, replacing the loved one thing and taking over their life, or the fun part?

"..."

>Because HAH! No, no fucking way would I risk getting pregnant by some nobody scientist. Hell, I didn't even know what birth control was till I found it in Cadence's desk.

Twilight froze, her neck creaking as her head slowly rose up.

"...Wait, does that mean that before the wedding, you were a-"

Something collided with the back of her head, forcing her eye back over the microscope.

>TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE!

"I'm just-"

>YOU'RE JUST GETTING BACK TO WORK! NOW! ZOMBIES, TWILIGHT! NOT THE TIME!

"R-right... right..."

The air became so thick, it practically suffocated them.

"...But by your reaction I can guess-"

>NOW!

"Right..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Chrysalis
"Twilight"
~~~

>Bout damn time.

"Did you say something?"

The Queen looked away from her magical screen, turning an irritated glance back to the lavender Alicorn.

>Shiny broke out the love bombs. They're not holding them back, but it's keeping him safe for now.

The scientist nodded, before turning back to her microscope.

"You don't sound worried."

>He out fought a giant monster bare hoofed, I think he can take on some mindless ponies.

"He can't last forever."

>Well then, that's where you come in, isn't it?

"And if I can't?"

>I have full confidence in you.

"Do you? So then, you don't have a plan right now?"

She went silent, idly flipping through the magical screens once more.

"I need the Sulfuric Acid."

>Little extreme, no? That will melt their skin right off.

"It's an idea."

>If you say so.

Dutifully, the bottle floated over to her.

"...How do you know these chemicals so well?"

>Hm? Oh, I infiltrated a couple scientists in my day, had to keep my skill sharp while training.

"Oh... did they get the full Shiny treatment?"

>Which do you mean, replacing the loved one thing and taking over their life, or the fun part?

"..."

>Because HAH! No, no fucking way would I risk getting pregnant by some nobody scientist. Hell, I didn't even know what birth control was till I found it in Cadence's desk.

Twilight froze, her neck creaking as her head slowly rose up.

"...Wait, does that mean that before the wedding, you were a-"

Something collided with the back of her head, forcing her eye back over the microscope.

>TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE!

"I'm just-"

>YOU'RE JUST GETTING BACK TO WORK! NOW! ZOMBIES, TWILIGHT! NOT THE TIME!

"R-right... right..."

The air became so thick, it practically suffocated them.

"...But by your reaction I can guess-"

>NOW!

"Right..."
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 >Arana
*reggie*
~~~~

>...So, uh... yer' a roach, yeah?

*chitter*

>That's kinda weird.

*chitter!*

>Racist!? How can ya' say that!? I have lots of bug friends!

*chitter...*

>I do!

*chitter*

>Now who's bein' racist, huh!?

*chitter!*

>I AM NOT! You're the one saying I can't make buggy friends! What, is it because I'm too scary!? Is that it!? My freaky legs creep out bugs, eh!?

*...chitter*

>OH MY BUGABOO! You did not!

*chitterchitter!*

>No, it is a big deal! It's a very big deal! How could you say that about me!? I've got feelings! I don't deserve to be treated like this by you!

*chitter!*

>THAT WAS NOT A RACIST COMMENT IT WAS A YOU COMMENT!

*chittttter...*

>IT WAS!

*chi-citter*

>You know what!? Fine! You sit in your corner, I'll sit in mine! HRPMH!

*....*

>....

*....*

>...Sorry I yelled.

*chitter*

>WHAT DID YOU SAY BOUT MY MAMA!? IT IS OOOOOONNNNN!

CRASH!

....

>UNCLE! UNCLE UNCLE UNCLE!

*CHIIIIIIIITTER!*

>I'M SORRY!
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 >Blueblood
"Haymaker"
[Flim]
{Flam}
~~~~

It was very rare the open streets outside of Canterlot Castle were as packed to the brim as this, normally such was only reserved for spectacular events, fancy parades, times of joy...

Or creatures controlled by an unholy creature from hell, apparently.

Normally, you would think a rifle in such close proximity to a crowd would be a problem. In fact, it was quite the boon, as it turned out, seeing as everyone else who tried physical contact with the creatures quickly discovered that was a bad idea.

Not so good, however, was the lack of bullets.

"So, we're actually going somewhere reasonable, right? This isn't just us wandering aimlessly?"

Bitterly firing off another round into what had once been a guard, the former prince grunted.

>If my calculations are correct, we should be nearing what was once upon a time my mid-summer abode.

"Mid-summer?"

>Well, it wasn't warm enough in the early summer, and it was too windy in the later summer, so I had to go to my homes for those during that time of the year. Those are on the other sides of the castle. I picked this one because I could see Celestia's balcony from here..."

"..."

>I know.

"I didn't say anything."

>I know... but you thought it.

"Guilty."

[So my friend, what do you need us for?]

{Brother oh brother, he clearly needs our experience!}

[Why, the near wizardry, in fact!]

{The stunning skills of-}

[{The Flim Flam brothers!}]

"..."

>They were ALWAYS like this, yes... Though, no, they did not look like they had been rolling through a dusty cave for months on end.

"Again, didn't say it."

>Again, you were thinking it.

"Again... guilty."

[And we did not roll!]

{No!... But we did tumble on the ground a couple times.}

[Nothing else to do, really.]

{Not even reading material.}

[Barbaric, really.]

{So we had to amuse ourselves somehow, and this looked like something to do.}

[And thus we-]

>There!

He pointed at a building attached to the Castle, a quite lavish looking mini-manison with full yard and garden out front, albiet one that had seen better days. He took off towards the structure, bending low before he rammed shoulder first into the door that had been labeled "Seized by the Equestrian Government".

And promptly bounced right off.

>...Ow.

"I got this."

The solider, in quite a bit better physical shape than the prince, broke down the door with one bullrush, splintering it easily.

[...Why didn't you just use the key under the mat?]

There was a pause as everyone stared at the mat that had been upturned by the ex-prince's rush, a soft bit of metal glimmering under it.

"...Well, that's stupid, anyone could just come in here and steal everything."

Blueblood sighed, brushing past him.

>Nothing left to steal, I'm afraid.

And into a positively barren house.

>Mumsies and Daddums said they sold everything... said they didn't want anything I had anymore...

Haymaker flinched, trotting up next to him.

"Sorry, man."

>It is not a concern right now.

[So, what IS our concern?]

{Were it just a place to hide, we perhaps should have at least tried to pick the lock or something.]

>No... not hiding.

He smirked, tapping three times on a seemingly random spot in the middle of the floor, revealing a hidden compartment when a lid shot up from where it had been concealed as if by magic. The surprising thickness of the door made it very, very apparent detecting this corridor would be a pain if one did not know where to look.

>We are saving as many as we can.

[BRILLIANT!]
{BRILLIANT!}

"Heh, so, still got a few tricks up your sleeve?"

>I only hope I can put them to good use.

They descended down the corridor, towards an area where the faint stench of metal and oil still permeated.

>I hid five of my robots down here, just in case. They were meant to sneak in and take out the princess while chaos reigned, but never got to be activated. They are some of the most well built, and they are quite powerful. They should offer us quite the aid.

[Ha ha! A good choice! We prefer the robots taking these things out instead of us.]

>...Those things are ponies, friend.

{Yes but, well, clones or something, right?}

>...

[...Oh, dear.]

{That...}

>They are not in control of themselves, it is not their fault.

{Right... of course.}

>It makes no difference, let us hope at last we can...

He froze, mouth dropping open wide in a stunned gape. With the corridor as narrow as it was, it was quite a chore to peer around his shoulders, but what they found...

[...Not as impressive as you made it sound.]

Scattered all around the room were parts, ones that looked like they had been hastily ripped out, torn free from their bindings. Things were missing from ever one, legs, guns, even heads, but all were missing something. It had not been a precise job, but it had been effective.

>N-no... no...

He slumped, defeated.

>I just wanted to do one good thing for my home...

Haymaker, through a foreleg over his shoulder.

"Sorry, buddy. Guess we'll have to do it the old fashioned way, eh?"

Bitterly, he nodded, knowing there was nothing else to do.

[HA!]

{HA HA!}

Why their voice took on a musical edge, none in that room would ever know.

[Look at them, Flam, they don't know what to do!]

{They're lost, Flim, and don't you know it's true!}

[But one thing these ponies have forgotten, it must have slipped away!]

{That in their very presence right now is the brothers with the mind to save the day!}

They hopped past, already diving into the pile of wreckage.

[I see a leg here, can we match the set?]

{With a tweak of this head right here? You bet!}

[We'll slap it all together!]

{Make it something to behold!}

{[If you think the end has come then prepare for a truth to be told!]}

[This gun here looks like it will be quite the fit!]

{I'm sure a bit of tweaking will give this fist quite the hit!}

[It may not have a laser-]

{Or bombs to blow them all-}

[{But when you need greatness on a budget, the Flim Flam brothers is who you call!}]

[We'll have this done in no time!]

{So sit back and have a seat!]

{[If there's one thing you know it's true... you know it's truuuuue! THE FLIM FLAM BROTHERS CAN'T BE BEAT!]}

They continued singing as they soldered, jammed and bent, making use of every scrap, every bolt, every nut. Every shred of metal was worth something, and they made it fit.

"..."

>...Yes, they were ALWAYS like this.

"...Huh. Cool."

>Cool indeed...

[{THE FLIM FLAM BROTHERS CAN'T BE BEAT!]}
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 >Spike
"77"
'007'
~~~

>There!

He spotted them in the middle of Canterlot Square, two white ponies dancing in circles as they watched each others back, firing off magic in every direction before occasionally touching horns and unleashing a massive shield which sent every one of the creatures soaring. Coincidentally, 007 flinched in tune with that last one.

'Fucking shields.'

"Was it really that bad?"

'I landed in a thorn bush.'

"Huh... sad I missed that."

'Really?'

"No."

'...Dick.'

A bullet shot between them, taking out an infected that had been creeping up ever so slightly behind the pair.

>Will you two get your head in the game!?

7 scoffed, idly blasting a pegasus who had attempted to divebomb them from above.

'Just trying not to go batty here.'

>Whatever! We just need to get over there, and start helping those two before they get overwhelmed!

'...Do they really need our help? They're doing pretty great alone.'

>YES!

'Fine, fine, just stick close so we don't get separated.'

"It doesn't matter if we do. We shall simply continue fighting alone."

For a brief moment, 007's eyes narrowed.

'...No, safety in numbers, remember? We have a way better chance if we all stick together, and can watch each others back.'

>It's not a big deal.

'It is to me. A-team has to stick together, right?'

>Are you just afraid?

'...Will it make you feel better if I said yes?'

Surprisingly, the dragon didn't answer that.

'Back me up here, 77.'

There was a very, very subtle inflection to his tone, one that easily slipped past Spike's sensitive ears. But not the other changeling's.

"...He is correct, we are more powerful together. Shining Armor and the Princess are proving that even as we speak."

>I guess.

'Good, so lets get over there and hope that shield won't-'

There was a loud mixture of CLANG and THUMP next to them, a body hitting hard against the pavement not two feet from where they stood. The body of a guard...

With something sticking out of his back.

>WHAT THE FUCK!?

Before their eyes, the thing buried in there started to bubble over, a foam like mist spreading out over the stallion's back and consuming him.

In the next, he shrieked.

In the next after that, he was blasted away.

>What the...

'Okay, since when did these things start throwing knives!? They're stealing your gig, 77!... 77?'

The wizened Changeling did not respond, instead staring wide eyed at where the guard had been.

>You okay? You look-

"That looked like..."

He trailed off, eyes growing wide and empty.

'...Looked like what? You okay? Hey, talking to you here, you-'

In the blink of an eye, the one eyed changeling broke off into a dead sprint.

'HEY! Get back here!'

>Don't run off in the middle of zombies, for fucks sake!

'...'

They tore off after him, a full sprint with a conga line of infected right on their heels.

'Okay! So! You know the guy, what's up with this!?'

>No idea! He might be having another freakout!

'ANOTHER freakout!?'

>He has a lot!... Had a lot!

'Terrible timing!'

>Stop already! At least let us catch up! Come back!

But the soldier-ling paid him no mind, barreling forwards through the masses, not even slowing a single step.

"It looked like..."

He whispered to himself the whole way, hollow, empty.

And yet, he still clutched his bone knife tightly in his hoof.

"It can't be..."
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 >32
"Q"

>Alright so! Hoverbike?

"*tink*"

>Looted weapons from the armory?

"*tink*"

>Thank love they didn't change the codes. Plate of 'Please don't murder me' brownies?

"*tink*!"

>Door to the main room locked tight to ensure our dear spider friend doesn't get attacked?

"*tink*"

>And assurance that Reggie won't manage to somehow put himself in a mech and kill us all in the interim?

"..."

>...

"...*tink*"

>Fantastic! Now let's see if I can't get this thing to work again...you pull the thing and press the thing and push the thing aaaaand...

VROOM!

>AHA! Now...ONWARD!

The hoverbike rose from the floor and rocketed forward, the changeling, sitting upon a pile of weapons, a small crystal golem riding on his back, and balancing a plate of brownies on his head riding off towards what he presumed was the fray.
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 >77
"??"
~~~

It couldn't be.

It couldn't be...

A part of him knew it was likely just the stressful situation, the similarities to what he faced down below that brought this to the surface. He was seeing things, that part said, looking for things in the markings that weren't there like someone who sees deity on a slice of toast.

But even then, a part of him would swear, to his very core, that he saw it.

That mark.

She marked every one of her blades. Her reasons were basic, of course. She simply wanted everyone to know "These are mine". In a hive where nothing is there own, proof of ownership can be a boon that could never be understated. They needed no reason to fight others for property, but a marking at least allowed her to know who to pin to the ground via blade.

And he would forever swear he saw that marking on the thing sticking out of the soldier's back.

It was on this, and nothing else, that he ran away from his allies intended target and towards... something. He didn't even know what he expected to find. What he could possibly...

In the blink of an eye, the whole world stopped.

He could not see a face, not from where he currently stood, but he could see a back.

A black.

Chitinous.

Back.

There was an outcropping of red spines all along it, flowing down from her head and back like a fiery mane, but he could see the dark coloring underneath, that glimmering skin, smooth as glass.

A changeling.

It was a changeling.

So focused on that fact, he only barely noticed that said changeling currently held a guard in its hoof, hefting them up over their head as if to choke them while the red material spread along their neck.

Another, a pegasus guard, tried to help his comrade, diving at the pair with spear drawn.

In a single fluid movement, the changeling dodged, twirling both itself and its held prisoner around the pointed tip and sending the other tumbling away in an almost darkly comical manner. The downed pony was given no time to react before another bladed outcropping of that substance was flung into his back, and the consumption returned again.

>NO!

At last, the changeling noticed him. The guard it had held was dropped to the ground, in tune with the changeling dropping onto all fours. Slowly, menacingly, it turned around.

>No...

A single word that kept ringing in his head over and over like a bell caught in a storm. No.

Over and over, no.

His back end fell down, unable to stand anymore on shaking hind legs, and he scrambled back. He just kept repeating to himself, the same word again and again.

>No... no...no! NO! NO! NO NO NO NO NO! NO!

Both hooves crushed his head as he gazed upon her, digging deeply into the chitin below it and nearly cracking it like egg shell.

>NO! NO! NO! NO!

His mind stumbled to find an answer, to make sense of what he saw before himself. A desperate way to reconcile two realities, the one he knew, and the one that stood before him plain as day.

All kinds of explanations cropped up. It was merely a changeling who resembled her. It was merely a hallucination brought on by stress. It was an illusion crafted to make him question himself. It wasn't real. It was all a dream. So many, many explanations.

But none of them could reconcile.

She was standing before him. And yet...

>You're dead! YOU DIED!

Her head tilted, ever so slightly, and she stared. Had he the sense, he would have seen as every other of the infected gave them space, made no move to confront the now very vulnerable changeling shaking before her. But he had none, all was taken by her face.

And her voice.

"...Yes, I did."

That was the final straw.

Her voice confirmed it was not a fake, not an illusion, and no matter how he tried, he could not wake up.

He could think clearly no more.

>N-no....

He fell forward, hooves digging into the dirt as the shakes he had thought long past returned. It was as if he were once again fresh from beneath Canterlot, once again mewling in fear of the sun that he had long since forgotten.

She started to trot towards him, a curious look in her eye.

"Seventy seven... you're alive..."

Instinctively, his hoof shot up to his patch, clutching it tightly as he felt the hollow portion beneath.

"You made it out."

The shakes intensified, leaving him unable to tilt his head up even as she drew ever closer.

>You died...

"Yes."

She came to a stop just over him, looking down with an easy, unconcerned air.

"It wasn't that bad."

Her hoof lifted, spores already forming another blade upon its tip.

"Let me show you."

He did not move, as she cocked her hoof back, could not in the face of what was happening, could not so much as twitch in response as she prepared to strike him, and turn him. In a moment, he felt at peace.

In the next, he saw the light.

In the one after that... he felt the fire.

And then he heard her cry out.

'BACK OFF!'

He tilted his head up just in time to see her soaring back, his ears still ringing and a singe of flames still licking at his face. A rocket had landed square in her chest, yet not a scratch remained on her.

An ebony shape landed next to him, wings still buzzing from the flight he had used to cut ahead of the crowd.

'Sweet love-maker, you okay Seventy Seven!? She didn't get you, did she?'

He looked the stunned thing over yet could find no trace of the red spores.

'Phew... who the fuck is that anyway?'

He looked over the infected creature that rose up once again, idly brushing any charred plant remains from her chest.

'Huh... not from the hive. That's a relief, was worried this stuff got into the ballroom... but then, who is-"

>No...

His head snapped back down at the horrified, terror laden rasp from the other changeling.

'Uh... you okay-'

>No.

'You don't sound okay-'

In the blink of an eye, the one eyed changeling pounced on the other.

>NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOO!

His words had devolved into incomprehensible shrieks as he flailed his hooves, blindly striking out at the off-guard changeling who just barely kept himself from being gouged by the others signature bone knife.

>DON'T TOUCH HER DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HER GET AWAY GET AWAYGETAWAAYYYY!

Two hind legs lashed out, landing right in the older soldier's midsection and sending him flying back, allowing Seven at last the chance to stand.

'What the fuck is wrong with you-'

He was given no time to demand answers before 77 charged again, blindly swinging his knife like a frightened child.

>GETAWAYGETAWAY-

With one fluid motion, the other changeling caught the hoof clutching the blade, and in sync with tossing him up the agent's free hoof rammed right into his midsection, winding him.

A blow to the back of the head stopped yet another attempt to rise.

'...What the fuck...'

Punned to the ground, 77 could only futiley scrape against the dirt, growling as loud as he could.

>Get away from her... don't hurt her... don't hurt...

'Knew you had some freakouts, but I didn't think...'

With reflexes quick as lightning, his hoof swung to the side, releasing a green spike-like knife from one of his many leg holes. The blade clashed with a red one in the air, knocking it away before it could reach his chest.

'Not smart... whoever the fuck you are.

The changeling that had been watching the pair did not respond to his anger. Instead, she looked at her hoof, as if it were an alien thing that did not belong.

'Who the fuck are you!?'

He accidentally pressed forwards with his demands, causing 77 to cry out as his neck was twisted painfully in the wrong direction.

Apologies had no time to properly be processed. Instead, every scrap of 007's brainpower was focused on the fact her head just snapped up and a look of worry appeared, however briefly, upon her face.

>Eighty Eight... eight... l-let me help her... l-l-let me save her...

Without so much as another look, she turned, and she took to the skies.

'HEY! I'm not done with-OOF!'

A horn just barely missed gouging him when the pinned changeling's head rolled up, but the distraction proved more than enough to roll the other off him and the freedom to take to the skies as well.

>COME BACK! WAIT!

007 could only watch as they both took off, 88's lead clear ahead of 77's own and her speed far greater, but still he chased. Only when the two vanished from his sight did the air return to his lungs enough he could stand.

'Well... that went south pretty quickly...'

[SEVEN!]

A crowd of the creatures who had somehow completely slipped his attention were rocketed away, sent in every direction by an explosive round as a distinct lavender shape barreled through,

[Well!? Did you catch up with him!?]

The changeling's eyes remained locked with the dragons, never flickering in any direction even slightly.

'...Nope, he gave me the slip. Thought he was going to be right here, but nothing! I have no idea where he went.'

The dragon growled, angrily drawing claws over his head.

[I thought you guys were supposed to be good trackers!?]

'First off, racist. Second, I can track just fine thank you, but not when any trail is either A, airborne, or B, trampled by these things!'

As if to punctuate his point, he blasted a crowd of them away.

[Well, then we'd better-]

'Better go with the plan of meeting up.'

[...What!? What about that whole 'we gotta stick together' malarky!?]

'Still firmly believe that, but you know, I don't think Seventy Seven agrees!'

[He's got PTSD!]

'And I feel for him, really, but running around through zombies, possibly in the entirely wrong direction that he went, isn't going to help now, is it?'

The dragon glared, but couldn't argue.

'Come on, we'll go get Shining Armor and Celestia, and they can help us wade through the crowd. He's got to be in survival mode or something, right? He'll last until we get there.'

[And if he doesn't?]

'Then the Queen is going to take off my head, she likes him.'

There was not a scrap of humor in that sentence, Spike noticed.

[...Fine.]

'Good, did NOT want to argue with you, boss.'

[Boss?]

'Hey, you're the A-team leader, right?'

He did not answer, simply turning his back on the changeling and stomping back the way he came.

[Come on, we don't have much time.]

'Right behind you, boss!'

[Yeah...]

Idly, Spike's eyes trailed to the ground.

Specifically, the intermingling of red and green not a few steps away from the changeling.

[Right behind me...]
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Screwloose
“AJ12”
_____

“Okay… now I’m definitely smelling blood. That’s blood, isn’t it?”

>Hm? What? Oh, uh… yuuuup! N-now you’re smelling it, p-pervert… no doubt about it… I- shit…

“Screwloose? You’re worrying me over here. I mean, I was already worried what with being chased by infected and then strapped down to this table but now I’m extra worried, more than I’ve ever been. ...Are you okay?”

>GUH!

“Screwloose?!”

>Q-quit your yelling, damn… noisy l-little pervert, I’m fine… I- no, we’re fine, yeah… we’re fine, juuust fine….

“You’re lying to me. Aren’t you?”

>Now why would I- knngh!… d-do that? Lie to you?

“Because you’re fucking daffy!”

>Insane, th-thank you very much….

“…Why do I hear dripping?”

>…

“Screwloose, what’s drippi- okay, now splashing, what the hell is that?”

THWUMP.

>Fuuuuh… h-holy shit, that hurt! OwowowowOWDAMNIT!

“JUST TELL ME WHAT’S WRONG!”

>I cut off my hoof.

“…w-what?”

The grisly splashing sound only intensified and, try as he might, 12 couldn’t gain a single inch to move his head, stuck staring helplessly up at the ceiling.

“Screwloose… what have you done? You… you’re kidding, right? You didn’t actually-”

The table suddenly pitched forward and 12 found himself behind held upright, just as tightly constrained but able to finally get a good look at-

“SCREWLOOSE!”

>F-figured if you saw… you’d shut up… but n-no… you just get louder…

While the manic mare chuckled, 12 continued to stare in horror at the thick strands of blood pulsing from the wound where her left hoof used to be.

Except the entire arm was gone with nothing but a diseased looking hole left behind.

Where was the missing limb? Haphazardly thrown onto a silver table next to him. It looked to be shriveling, the fur falling off at a rapid pace as a sea of ravenous spores ate away at the exposed flesh, corroding it, gnawing to the bone.

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!”

There was a scalpel in Screwloose’s remaining hoof, one suffused in her own fluids, the one used to no doubt separate her from the infected limb.

She brought it up to her face with a twisted giggle.

>I said it already, d-didn’t I…? You h-having all the fun.. is no fun… f-for me…

In the safety of her mind, Screwloose could still hear the ever-growing command ‘Spread’ being echoed throughout her subconscious ad nauseam.

Still infected. Figured.

Glancing at the self-made jagged wound, she noted that, as with 12, she was still alive despite massive blood-loss… The pain was blinding but the regenerative properties were obviously doing their job.

And third… those same properties were already at work growing her a new arm. Fuzzy though her vision may be, she could see fibers of muscles, of skin and sinew stretching and crawling from the largest batch of spores on her shoulder.

>Uh-huh… g-guess I can’t spread your shit if I d-die, eh…? How very n-… noble of you….

“OhmyQueenohmyQueenyoucutoffyourhoofohmyQueenit’sokayit’sokayit’sokaywecanfixthiswecanfixthis-”

There was this insatiable urge to take her dismembered leg and shove it in 12’s mouth- an urge from the spore, no doubt- but Screwloose ignored it, choosing instead to further tilt 12’s table until they were almost face to face.

>There’s no 'we' h-here, perv… j-just me… What I’m about t-to do is- GNH…

A spasm of pain lanced up from her wound straight to her brain. She nearly blacked out.

“Sc-Screws…?”

Ah… the nickname again….

Just hearing it cleared her mind, if only a little bit.

>You… just hang there… k-keep talkin’ about… whatever. Me? I’m going to be st-studying my hoof over there, s-see if I can’t fashion a vaccine before I p-pass out or something….

And she pressed the non-lethal end of her scalpel to his forehead, easing him back into a vertical position before staggering over to the desk that held her infected, severed limb.

She took a few moments to stare at it, wondering when in the hell she became the kind of psycho that actually put another’s wellbeing ahead of her own…?

>Well? Y-you gonna start talking? Don’t shut up now!

Still looking both horrified and confused, 12 glanced all around the room for a topic.

“Ummm, uh- it’s… it’s, uh… the world, you know, and… hooves are great… r-really great- especially yours! Because, erm…”

His rambling, however sporadic and jittery it may be, did act as a good grounder for Screwloose, allowed her to ignore that constant gnawing at her psyche, the incessant need to spread… to expand and spread….

Spread….

>F-fuck. C’mon, me… f-for science....
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Silver Spoon
"???"
~~~~

Tracking her was... surprisingly easy.

All along the hall, she saw their bodies. Writing, still quite alive, but unable to move like butterflies pinned to the ground.

Guessing who did this was not hard.

Even if the tell-tale destruction had not been present, the fact they were pinned with make-shift spears made from twisted bed rails, needles that had been launched at high velocity, wiring that had gone to a heart monitor and other distinct things told her that either the one she sought had left this trail, or an orderly working here had clearly gotten their cutie marks mixed up.

So, slowly, she made her way past, careful of the infected that snapped at her from their positions, nothing able to stop them from carrying on their goal that sang to them.

It was only at the end of the long, long hallway, she saw them.

Or rather... him.

"H-heyyyy, Silver Spoon! How are you? Still doing well in school?"

He was propped up against the wall, sitting with his back to it and a rather large cylindrical device in his hooves. Strangely, he had no apparent injuries or signs of infections, but all the same he looked... drained.

"Have you seen my little pumpkin? I was looking for her, but it looks like she got lost in the crowd. Oh, these big events, such a bother. I swear, it adds fifty minutes to my commute every Winter Wrap Up... and I work from home!"

He chuckled at his own joke, and it was only now that Silver Spoon noticed that the window beside him had been blown out, with some kind of make-shift rope dangling off the side.

"Diamond Tiara always complained because of the singing when she was trying to sleep, but you know her. She loves it, really..."

Realizing her own quarry was long, long gone, she took a seat next to her best friend's father, deciding this was as safe a place as any.

To her surprise, he threw a foreleg over her shoulders.

"Oh, don't be intimidated by the crowd! I know it can be scary... why, you should have seen Diamond Tiara's first parade. She shook on top of my head for what felt like forever, terrified out of her mind. But she managed okay, just needed a little encouragement..."

His eyes grew wide, distant.

"Maybe a little too much encouragement..."

He snapped back to reality, looking back down at the silver filly who looked up at him through bespectacled eyes.

"Well, we're certainly not going to stick around here! This crowd looks like quite the rowdy bunch, don't they? How embarrassing, it's like they don't even care there are kids around."

Before she could respond, his neck rolled forward, teeth sinking into the scruff of her neck and tossing her up in tune with him rolling to his hooves. Almost perfectly, she landed on his back, and he took off just as a loud banging started at the other end of the hall.

"Well, we should probably pick a better vantage point if we want to find my sweetiekins. Oh! I know just the place!"

He kept rambling to himself, not a one word directed at her. Just kept going and going...

>Are you okay?

He stumbled at her sudden words, silence at last broken. It took much longer than expected before he hit his stride again.

"Oh, of course! Just feeling a little... old. That's all. But you kids don't want to hear about that, it's boring, I am well aware."

She sighed, the denial in his voice palpable.

>She's strong, you know.

Again, his stumbled.

But this time, he picked up the pace much quicker.

"Oh, I know... trust me..."

The thumping behind them intensified, and his trot broke out into a full on sprint.

"I know..."

His neck strained, and he already seemed a bit winded.

"I just wish I was too..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 S̷̴̷p͢r̷e̸͘͟a̵͡d̛͟

It was almost... comforting to hear that again.

The thing within her had been almost silent for far too long, as if she was merely being every so slightly moved rather than under its control. A part of her had worried, wondering what it was that could be so important she would be...

It had not reacted during her confrontation with... him. It had not made her try to use him to further the S̶̸p̶r͏͝e͠a̸̧͟d̷̛͜, no. She had wanted that, she realized.

A part of her was happy to see him again. She would not deny that, she couldn't really. It had been so long since she had gazed upon the face of another changeling, and his was certainly one she missed.

But another part of her, every bit as loud, realized she had been angry with him.

He had survived.

Made it out.

Found the light.

...While she had died.

His chitin was clean, his eye patch well kept, his belly still full with love even after what had to be hours of fighting. There was no denying the fact he had been well taken care of since his emergence. Likely, he had lived a good life since he had come back.

But she had died.

He still fought alongside her army. Even with their fight, it was obvious the two were as one, a single unit. Him and that other changeling.

He had rejoined her.

After all the hell she had put all of them through, he had rejoined the Queen.

That... bitch.

Ş͟ṕ̷̕r̷̸èa͝d̡͡

She needed no more push, already flinging her blades at whomever she could detect uninfected, a rain of hell upon this city.

It seemed content... and then it went away.

Again, she felt... cold. Like something was missing within her mind.

What was it doing?

Where was it going?

What could focus so much of its attention?

She did not know.

...And she liked to think it didn't matter.

77 didn't matter.

That bitch didn't matter.

Nothing mattered...

But the S̴҉̧ṕrȩ̧a̴͟d̡
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Spike
"007"
~~~

>I'm getting too old for this shit.

Above the screeches of the infected, somehow 7's booming laughter managed to ring out.

"R-really? You're going with that!?"

>I'm serious.

"Okay, first off, HAH! You are short and young as shit. Second, even if you were too old for this, what's the plan here?"

>...Retire? I think I might actually be considering retirement.

"Re-what now?"

>Retirement. You know, when you work at a job for a while and then quit when you get to old for it. Re-tye-er-ment.

"Oh... Why not just call it death? Seems needlessly saccharine."

Taken so off guard, his shot went wild. The first miss of the entire day.

>I uh... was thinking just regular retirement?

"Right..."

>...

"..."

>...Death is not involved in the regular kind until old age or something.

"Oh... For you guys, you mean."

A roar of a blast almost drowned out that last part.

>Is it not the same for you?

"Nope."

>...Oh.

They kept slogging forwards, careful to keep the other from having a nasty surprise come up from behind.

>So, what do you-

"Work till you die, then you're dead."

>What happens if you just get too old?

"Wouldn't know, it's never come up."

>Oh... if it does?

"I guess her Majesty will make a choice then."

>Probably will get the 32 treatment.

"HEY!"

Even surrounded by zombies, he still took the time to stop and poke the dragon in the chest.

"Don't you put me on the same level as the fucking Flakes, okay?!"

There was a shocked pause. Surprisingly, most of that shock came from the speaker himself.

"Ah... ahhhh, fuck. Don't tell 77 I said that."

>Said what?

"Yes, exactly."

>No, really, I don't know what part of that he's supposed to be offended by.

"That's what I said! But you know, he used to hang out with them, so I figured err on the side of caution."

>...I am so confused.

"Good! Perfect cover!"

>...Oh! You mean when you called them flak-

"SHHHHH! I said don't tell them!"

>Well, what the hell is a flake?

"Flakes are bits of a bigger whole that fall off of dead things."

>...Oh. So, like-

"Non-original hive, yes. I'm not like those guys, thank you. I'm Pure-Hive."

>Pure... hive?

"That's right. See, the Flakes all came to us for a reason. We're OG, we're something special, you know? Me, 42, 77, we are THE hive, thank you. PURE hive!"

>Is it really that big a deal?

"Pfft, obviously! Look at the track record! Flakes turn-coat at a crazy high rate. Only ones with some actual loyalty are Pure-hive! If you're a Flake, like 32 or that potato eating one, you need to be watched because trust me, that loyalty is way up in the air and they WILL turn on you if given the chance.

>...That sounds kind of racist.

"Now don't you start!"

>I'm just saying.

"Well, don't. To 77, I mean. Guy hung out with Flakes like 32 all the time. Hell, he still does it, I see him and that asshole 29 talking plenty. Why? No fucking idea!"

>I think he-

"Regardless, just don't say that round him, okay? He'd probably get mad at you."

>...Right...

"Come on, I'm seeing flashes over there, they've made it to the front of the castle. Lead the way, boss!"

>Right... right...

"Something wrong? Don't worry, I've got your back."

>'Pure-Hive' loyalty?

"Now you've got it!"

>Sure...

The dragon went on ahead, clearing a path for them and completely missing the look the changeling gave him.

"Loyal to the end."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Chrysalis
"Twilight"
~~~~

>Where the fuck...

Screen after screen flickered in front of her, a dozen different angles playing out in front of her in the span of a single second.

At last, she froze, eyes darting over the magical plane that hovered before her and drinking in the image shown.

>...A what?

"ARRRRGH!"

Green magic lashed out just in time to catch a vial that had been tossed aside, hovering it back to the table without missing a beat.

>That is not very sterile, and we have no way to obtain more vials.

"NOTHING WORKS!"

Twilight's hoof slammed into the desk, her eyes a narrowed glare on the petri dish that hopped ever so slightly with the blow.

"No matter what I do, it's like it just grows over or around it! Any poison I administer just gets absorbs and changed into more of this... stuff! I can't even think about removing it because it's IN the blood stream! Tiny little spores flowing through every vein!"

The Queen strode up beside her, surprisingly calm.

>Well, then you will simply have to find a way to immunize others from being taken over.

"Haven't you been listening!? NOTHING WORKS! It just circumvents around anything I can throw up!"

>Then you will have to find a way to stop the control of the spores.

"That won't work either! The spores are like... a giant hivemind! Each one has its own base of knowledge! Even if I cut it off from the others, it would still take over! Still command them to spread further!"

>Then you will have to find a way to incapacitate everyone.

"HOW!?"

A chitinous hoof slammed into her chest, shoving her back against the table.

>...You do not want my answer to that.

Roughly, Twilight shoved the appendage away, moving forwards until she was face to face with the Queen.

"Don't you dare, don't you DARE even suggest that!"

>I don't need to. We both know I'm thinking it.

"We can't, do you hear me!? WE CAN'T KILL THEM!"

The long hoof harshly pressed against her shoulder, spinning the Alicorn around again to face the table.

>Then FIX IT!

"I don't know if-"

>Well, guess what!? I DO know what will work! But my answer is permanent, so if you don't want that then you had better come up with an equally correct answer!

Twilight slumped slightly, staring blankly at the various cultures and dishes in front of her.

>...Do it, or Applejack dies.

Her spine went positively ridged, eyes wide with terror at the words.

"W-...what did you say?"

>You heard me.

Her horn started to spark, teeth clenching in barely contained rage.

"Are you threatening my friends?"

>No, I'm not. Applejack has been infected, and if you don't come up with a viable cure, she will join the others in their more permanent fate.

Twilight started to shake, mouth drying like a desert as Chrysalis's head curved over her shoulder.

>Your friend is on the line, Twilight. You can't help her out there, but you can in here. Cure her. Help her... or I will personally make sure she does not harm a single one more. We both know it's what she would have wanted, if you cannot fix her then she would not want to be a monster.

"H-how..."

>How was she infected?... No doubt saving some poor soul when an unlucky strike made it through-

"Applejack is still in her office, has not left her office this whole time, how do you know she's infected?"

Every word oozed out through clenched teeth, the shakes returning once more.

>...A guard came up to the door while you were working.

"And why did you not let him in?"

>Quarantine, Twilight.

"...Why didn't I hear him banging on the door?"

The Queen frowned, moving her head away from Twilight's and striding back to her post.

"How do I know you're not lying? How do I know she's infected!?"

>Where is she, right now?

Her horn flickered, briefly, but brightly.

"...In her office! Which means-"

>Which means hell is going on outside, ponies being taken down left and right, terrors beyond at her door... and yet, she remains in her office. She does not go to help, instead remaining safe while others fall all around, not so much as inviting a single one to her safe abode that, why, it seems no infected seem to be going after. Does that sound like Applejack to you?

Twilight could not answer, her chest hurting too much to think straight.

>Why, it's almost as if she is now in a heavily fortified area with a three inch thick steel door, and somehow cannot manage to figure out how door knobs work. As if she... was not in her right mind.

Slowly, very slowly, tense shoulders slumped in defeat.

>Continue your work, Twilight Sparkle. The whole world depends on you. Either you save it... or I will. And I will not be so kind.

"Y-you'll... you'll take out your own as well..."

The screens floated back up, just in time for her to catch a glimpse of a certain airborne individual just before he flickered out of view.

>Back to work, Twilight, your break is over.

For a long moment, she sat still, eyes straight ahead.

In the next, she reached out her hoof.

"P-... pass the Benzoic Acid..."

>Of course.

The container floated over to her, pressing into her hoof reassuringly.

>You will figure this out. You just need to be calm, and think. Think Twilight. You can do this.

A shaking hoof poured the substance in the dish before her, eyes clouding with uncertainty.

>You can do this...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >High Roller
"Blues"
'Cordy Zombie'

>At last...

The two stood before the hospital, the scene a scattered mess of toppled wheelchairs, stretchers, and various other forms of medical equipment.

"The heck happened?"

>My guess is what occurred caused the staff to try and pull an evacuation...it looks to have been quite unsuccessful.

"Ouch...black eye for you huh? Went through whatever you went through for nothing."

>One can never have enough preparation, if there are witnesses to my passing, then they'll never know the two of us were the same.

"Oh...uh, yeah, true. So uhm...this is gonna be awkward but..."

>Yes?

"My job was get you here, nobody said anything about really sticking around..."

>Trying to traipse your way out of the bargain, Mr. Noteworthy?

"Look, man, I'm not cut out for this! I'm not some super spy infiltrator smooth suave guy, I'm just a...well, schmuck. I'm a wallflower, y'know? I never really go to the foreground and...well...

>I understand, Mr. Noteworthy, a supposed apocalypse was not in the job description.

"R-Really?"

>...yes, how could we have accounted for this? No, no, I think you've done your duty to the company. The bargain has been honored, you can go.

"F...I...YES! Awesome! Thanks so much, I'm outta here-"

>Hang on a moment.

"Huh?"

>Your payment.

"What pay-ohhh..."

Blues blinked as he was handed five bits and a coupon for two-for-one pizza at Palamino Bros.

"You were serious?"

>I'm never not.

"Well...uh...thanks! See ya 'round!"

>Doubtful.

Blues shoved the bits and coupon into his saddlebags.

>A word of caution, Mr. Noteworthy.

"Yeah?"

>Go slowly.

"Heh, fat chance, I'm getting as far away from here as I can!"

High Roller shrugged as the other stallion ran away...

The coins in his saddlebags jangling together loudly as he went.

High Roller slid into the bushes next to the entrance and waited.

'SCREEEEEEEEEEEE!'

The creature that ran out of the hospital was unlike anything the stallion had ever seen, a horrifying mimicry of life covered in red, a white nurse's hat bouncing limply around its neck.

>...told him.

High Roller kept to the bushes, opting to find a service entrance.

And hoped his objective hadn't fallen victim to whatever this was.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Spitfire
"Soarin"
'Fleetfoot'
[LD]
{Gilda}
~~~~~

>WELL THIS IS JUST FUCKING PERFECT!

She had been hoping to find a land with a gigantic bubble shield around it, a commander who is already in charge, maybe even a giant magical necklace that would instantly fix this problem so they could do a flyby to celebrate their victory!... Not so much.

"Any sign of the captain?"

She glared at him, just as much hate pointed that way as the chaos below.

"...I meant current captain."

>Hopefully being devoured by crazy mushroom monsters so I can HAVE MY FUCKING JOB BACK!

{WHOA! Over the line!}

>Shut it birdbreath!

[Can we focus? I feel like we're losing sight of the TERRORS FROM BEYOND!]

>We fight terrors from beyond all the fucking time!

'...Well, not us personally... unless you're Gilda, in which case you get punted into a castle.'

{HEY!}

'Totally happened, don't deny it.'

{Excuse me for actually trying!}

'You are not excused, that was dumb as hell.'

"Hey! Look, I know tensions are high right now-"

>INCOMING!

She shoved him aside just in time for a dive-bombing infected pegasus to soar past and crash horribly into the ground.

"...Thanks."

She didn't acknowledge him, instead breaking off and turning towards the flashes of magic off in the distance.

>...Come on, let's meet up with the princess. If Dash is there, great. If not, we take orders from her.

'And regardless, we huddle close to captain super shield! BRILLIANT!'

[...How are you a wonderbolt again?]

'A-class flier, good with publicity stunts, aced my test, you know, actually useful stuff. Unlike you, who was literally let in on a whim.'

[...I don't like you.]

'SENIORITY!'

>CAN IT! Lock in and file on, Wonderbolts! The princess is waiting and you know she hates that!

'Wow, missed saying that muc-OW!'

>FALL IN!

'...Yes ma'am.'

Soarin' shot her a look, but didn't say anything.

>Something on your mind?

"No Ma'am, falling in!"

>That's what I like to hear!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________