Chapter 1

I was supposed to protect everypony, but I failed.

A horrendous catastrophe took place, one that nopony in Equestria expected.

I don’t know exactly how it started but I do know that it appears to be a sort of virus, and that after a period of time anypony infected with it becomes almost unrecognizable.

I was with Starlight and Spike when we all heard screams of terror from outside the castle.

I told them to stay at the castle while I went to see what was happening, I didn’t want to risk their lives just for more knowledge of the current situation.

The entire town was in a panic, ponies were either already transformed into bloodthirsty cannibals or were desperately trying to avoid the bloodthirsty cannibals.

I...I panicked, I didn’t know what to do, or what was going on, I just went with my first instinct, which was to help.

I saw Scootaloo in the crowd, she was among the ponies evading the infected, so I immediately snatched her up.

She looked petrified, it took her a bit to calm down, but once she did she said that she was with Rainbow, and that they had been separated.

I told her I was going to figure out what was going on, but that I needed her to be safe. I explained that I was going to send her to the castle, and that Starlight and Spike were already inside, before promptly teleporting her there.

I decided the best course of action was going to be to find my friends.

Considering Carousel Boutique was the closest, it wasn’t a very hard decision as to where I should go first.

After breaking down the door, I saw that Rarity was indeed still inside her house, her and Sweetie Belle were hiding in a nook off to the side.

Rarity looked relieved to see me, but I knew it was no time for celebrating yet.

I asked if she knew what was going on, but she was as clueless as I was on the matter.

I told her that she needed to hide, before sending her and Sweetie to the castle just as I had done with Scootaloo.

I deduced that I should go to Sugarcube Corner next, considering Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash could probably hold these things off, and Fluttershy lives far enough away from the rest of us that I hoped these plagued ponies hadn’t reached her yet.

It was rather easy to get inside the building, but what I saw inside Sugarcube Corner that day will forever remain in my memory. Pumpkin and Pound Cake’s carcasses lie haphazardly on the floor, it looked as though they were embracing each other at their time of death, at least they could have taken some comfort in the fact that they didn’t have to die alone. Matilda’s corpse lie slumped over one of the counters, she looked as though she had been shocked and frightened in her final moments. The last body in the sweet shop was situated on one of the chairs. Though half-eaten, I was able to determine that it had been Featherweight.

I ultimately chose to continue searching the building, despite what horrors possibly awaited me next.

One of the bedroom doors on the second floor was locked. After teleporting to the other side and searching the room, I found Mrs. Cake, Octavia and Sugar Belle hiding underneath the bed, but...Pinkie...wasn’t there. I told them that I wasn’t infected and that I was there to help.

Eventually I convinced them to come out. Mrs. Cake explained to me that she, Mr. Cake, and a few others, had all scrambled to find safety when this whole fiasco began, but that Mr. Cake had been attacked and screamed for his wife and the others to go before he was dragged away.

She told me that the entire group had tried to make it to safety, but that her, Sugar Belle, and Octavia were all that was left.

I...I assumed she didn’t know about the fate of her children...maybe it was for the best that way. I didn’t have the heart to tell her, she had already been through so much.

I didn’t know the best way to get the three out of Sugarcube Corner and back to my castle safely. I had used up a substantial amount of magic already when I transported Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Rarity, though I was unsure of how many infected I would have to fight my way through if I chose to go outside.

I deduced that the best way to ensure the others safety would be to teleport us all back to the castle.

It was probably best to continue searching in the morning anyways, the sun was going down and I didn’t want to have to face the infected at night.

I’ll just have to hope that Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy can hold on a little longer, and that wherever Pinkie is she’s safe.

Immediately after me, Mrs. Cake, Sugar Belle, and Octavia got back to the castle, I told the survivors I had gathered to rally in one room, and that I would explain the situation to them all at the same time.

While none of them took it particularly well, they took it a lot better than I expected.

I told them that I was going to give them all some space, before writing a letter explaining the predicament Equestria was currently in to both Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence.

I then pulled Starlight to the side, requesting her help in setting wards around the castle. I explained that she was going to seal me out, and that I wasn’t coming back until I found more of my friends.

Though reluctant at first, she eventually agreed. I told her to watch over everypony, and that I would be back soon, before heading off.

That night I took refuge in Daisy, Lily Valley, and Roseluck’s home since it was relatively untouched compared to the rest of the town.

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