Large cages were around the room, suspended from the ceiling by chains. Starspot cautiously looked inside one. A zombie pony lunged at the bars of the cage, gnashing it’s teeth as it tried to bite Starspot.
“Stop! Bad pony! Oh, my!” A very distraught voice sounded from nearby. A bright yellow pegasus pony with a light blue mane that covered half her face stepped into the open. “Umm.... sorry if he tried to hurt you...” She looked at the ground, kicking her hoof at the ground shyly.
“Angel? Wow, you’ve grown up.” Starspot blinked. It was true, the mare was now fully grown, and rather beautiful, at least by Starspot’s standards.
“Starspot... is that you?” Angel squinted.
“Yeah! It’s been years!” Starspot smiled a bit, then looked around the room worriedly. “Umm.... what’s with the zombie ponies?”
“I’ve been trying to help them, but nothing I’ve done has worked!” Angel said frustratedly.
“There’s only one thing that helps these bastards.” Conrad grunted. He pulled out his rifle, shooting the caged pony in the head. “And that was the last of my ammo, you better be grateful.”
“How dare you?!” Angel ran to him, her eyes full of anger and passion. “What gives you the right to do that?!”
“Stop, Angel!” Starspot put her hoof on the pony’s shoulder, well aware of the power of her stare. She had seen that stare cause a grown stallion to burst into tears, and control animal’s minds. “He’s right. It’s the only way to.... make them comfortable.”
Angel shot her a dirty look. “Have you tried anything else?”
“Well, yeah, we...no, but those things are killing ponies and hurting innocent animals!” Starspot tried to win her over.
Angel looked at her with concern. “But still.....”
“Angel, it’s me talking, you know I wouldn’t lie to you.” Starspot nodded at her, flashing a quick smile. “Just trust me.”
Angel looked to Starspot, mulling it over in her mind. “Okay, I believe you.” She looked to the floor. “I’m sorry, mister, I didn’t mean to yell at you... if that’s okay.”
“Not a problem, Missy, I know your grandmother would’ve done the same.” Conrad nodded.
“Grandma Fluttershy? What do you know about her?” Angel gasped a bit, her head shooting up. “You have to tell me everything... if that’s alright.”
“Sure thing.” Conrad smiled at her. “Just come back to the library with us and we’ll tell you all about it.”
“Of course!” Angel smiled. “I would love to!”
The trio led the pony back to the library. All of the buildings they passed were pristine and white, and Starspot recognized them all. Quills and Sofas, the Carousel Boutique, and even the joke shop reminded her of the old days. The trip back took about twenty minutes, during which Starspot and Angel worked on catching up on what had happened to them since they had last met, although most of their stories involved either hiding out, or simply trying to survive. Apparently, Angel was visiting a family member in Maresburg when the zombie infection hit. She immediately ran back to the house that had belonged to her grandmother in order to conduct some medical research on the afflicted ponies to try to alleviate their suffering. Starspot mostly listened, preferring it to prattling on about her own life. Starspot opened the door to the library, finding Spike crying in the corner. He quickly straightened up when he saw the four walk in, though, obviously embarrassed.
“You doing okay?” Starspot furrowed her brow.
“Yeah.” Spike sniffed. “Fine.”
Angel shrieked when she saw Spike. “D-d-d-dragon!” She squeaked frightfully.
“It’s okay, you remember Spike, don’t you?” Starspot said gently.
“Oh.... Spike.... right.” Angel panted a bit from fear.
“I’m a bit bigger than last time, aren’t I?” Spike grinned a toothy and very obviously faked grin.
“Uhm.... yes...” Angel said, still a bit cautious.
“Why don’t we go up to the bedroom and we can tell you everything you want to know?” Starspot suggested, wanting to give Spike some alone time to think.
“Yeah... I mean, if that would be okay with you.” Angel said with her quiet voice.
“Of course it would.” Starspot giggled a bit giddily, feeling very nostalgic. After all, Angel was the only pony she had ever called friend.
The four went up the stairs and began sharing stories of the six friends that once were and their adventures.
“So then, get this, the princess thought that the parasprites were a parade for her!” Pinkie Pie finished the story she was telling. The four laughed together, bonding immensely over the past few hours while they told their stories. Even Conrad and Pinkie Pie shared a few laughs between them.
“Oh, how about I tell you guys about the sleepover me and Starspot had once while she was visiting!” Angel said, laughing. “Now, we had to sleep on the floor and share a blanket, and neither of us was very comfortable with it, so then I said- Oof!”
“Oof?” Conrad blinked. “What a thing to say!”
“Not that story.” Starspot hissed in Angel’s ear after smacking her lightly on her side. She was blushing badly. How could she even remember something like that? She wondered, still blushing profusely.
“Oops.” Angel blushed along with her friend, the blush showing more on her yellow coat.
Conrad stared at the two in disbelief. He wasn’t the brightest pony, but it didn’t take a genius to understand what had happened. “The boys always said that’s what happened at girls’ slumber parties, but I didn’t believe ‘em. Damn.” He began to laugh. Pinkie Pie joined him in the laugh, leaving Angel and Starspot with their heads hung low, trying to dissolve into the floor.
Starspot blushed even deeper. “Shut up, asshole.” She grumbled.
“Not a chance!” Conrad laughed. Starspot growled at him.
“Sorry...” Angel frowned.
“So, just how far did things go?” Conrad asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Too damn far.” Starspot seethed. She wished she knew a dissappearing spell, because at the moment, that was what she wanted more than anything in the world. Pinkie Pie laughed hysterically.
The excitement from the revelation died down after a while and Pinkie Pie and Conrad finally stopped the teasing.
“Oh! I know, I know!” Pinkie Pie grinned, her curly mane bouncing hypnotically. “Let’s tell our stories of how we got our cutie marks!”
“I just did...” Angel spoke softly, looking at the ground. She shifted her saddlebags, revealing a cutie mark of a large smiling rainbow. “My special talent is making ponies happy.” Pinkie Pie stared in disbelief for a few seconds before bursting into raucous laughter.
Starspot placed a hoof on her face, sighing. “I swear to Celestia, I want to kill you right now, Angel.”
“So then... are y’all... y’know, a couple?” Conrad asked awkwardly.
“NO!” Starspot glared at him. “We were kids and it was just some stupid experimenting. I don’t swing that way.”
Angel looked away a bit at the last sentence, her heart sinking. She feigned a laugh. “Yeah, me neither.
Starspot sat back a bit, wanting desperately to change the subject. “Tomorrow we’ll rebury Twilight, then we’re going to stop at Sweet Apple Acres to check for food. There’s bound to be some.” She was happy to have a change of subject.
“Alright, let’s get some shuteye, then.” Conrad stretched out, glad no one asked about his cutie mark. He focused hard, trying to remember what had happened to it.
Pinkie Pie lay on the ground, grinning from ear to ear. She was happy that the voices were starting to disappear. She shuddered a bit as she thought back to what she had done while she was, for lack of a better word, insane. She held the photo album Spike had given her close to her chest, feeling truly happy for the first time in a while.
“Goodnight.” Angel frowned a bit, staring at the ground, her low self-esteem screaming at her. YOU AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH FOR HER! SHE’D JUST LEAVE YOU ANYWAYS! She bit her lip hard, the pain distracting her a bit from her emotional pain. She tasted blood from her lip. NOGOODNOGOODNOGOODNOGOODNOGOOD! The voice screamed in her ear. She had always been attracted to mares, she’d accepted that, but Starspot? She figured she would never see her again after she left for Canterlot, so Angel would always fantasize about the life they could have had, never expecting her to show up on her doorstep. No good. “SHUT UP!” Angel shouted. The three other ponies looked at her curiously.
“Are you okay, Angel?” Starspot asked, placing a hoof on her shoulder.
Angel’s heart lept. “Y-yeah, I just need some night air to clear my head. I”ll be on the balcony.” She pulled away from Starspot, walking out onto the balcony, hanging her head over the railing. “Way to screw it up, Angel.” She sniffed. “Now not only doesn’t she love you, but she hates you for bringing up that bad memory...” A tear fell from her eye, glistening on the tip of her nose.
“Need a tissue?” A calming voice came from behind her.
She turned around to see Starspot standing in the doorway. She held back even more tears. “No.” She sniffed, the tear falling to the wooden balcony, darkening the wood a shade. She rubbed the tear into the woodwork, wanting that dark spot to go back to normal... for everything to go back to normal.
“I know when there’s something wrong with you.” Starspot said gently. “You’re probably the only friend I’ve ever had.”
“That’s really nice, Star, but I would just like to be alone for now... if you don’t mind.” Angel forced a weak smile.
“That’s horse-apples and you know it.” Starspot nuzzled her friend’s cheek. “You can tell me, I’m your best friend.”
Angel’s heart lept to her throat once again. She barely managed to squeak out a small ‘no.’
Starspot closed the door behind her, morphing the wood together so it could not be opened. “Now you can’t leave until you talk.”
“But Star... you don’t understand!” Angel said, tears filling her eyes.
“Then make me understand.” Starspot nuzzled her friend again, not realizing the effect it had on her.
Angel knocked her friend’s muzzle from her coat, turning and staring into her eyes. “I.... I.... I...” She hesitated. “I love you, Starspot.”
Starspot frowned a bit, taking a step back. “That’s what I was afraid of.” She cursed under her breath.
“I... I’m sorry.” Angel frowned.
“No, I’m sorry.” Starspot sighed. “Maybe in another world, things could have worked out, but in this one, I can’t... I don’t...” She hung her head, biting her lip a bit. “I am just not attracted to mares. Not to mention that with all the craziness in the world, this would be the worst time for any kind of relationship.”
“Of course Starspot, it would be selfish of me to expect-”
“I’m not finished.” Starspot told her. “I don’t think that we could ever be together, and I don’t want to give you false hope, but... I don’t regret that night long ago.” She blushed a bit. “And maybe, given some time... I could warm up to the idea... But for now, I think it would be better if we were just friends. Please, Angel, if you won’t do this for me, do it for yourself.”
Angel looked to the ground. “Yes. Starspot, I will wait for you, even if it takes the rest of my life.”
“Hold on.” Starspot said. “It’s not like that. I would like to ask something of you.” Starspot hesitated for a moment. “I would like you to stay here. I don’t think you can handle those things out there, and I won’t see you hurt. At least while we go to Sweet Apple Acres.” She looked to the ground. “I know I am asking a lot of you.”
“I’ll do it.” Angel said. “I’ll stay here, but you have to promise to come back as soon as possible.”
Starspot sighed with relief. “Thank you.” She unsealed the door, walking silently into the large bedroom, then going down the stairs to where Spike was curled up. She hugged the dragon’s tail, a lone tear falling from her eye. “I love you, as well, Angel.” She whispered to herself, the tear descending her cheek and dripping onto the floor. She looked at the spot the tear had fell. The carpet had darkened a shade. She rubbed the tear in, letting the spot disappear into the various fibers. She closed her eyes, thinking. She didn't like mares, she really didn't. She had tried it once in school, and they were all just too emotional. The stallions weren't much better, but they were a damn sight nicer about it. But Angel... Angel was different... She was sweet and a bit naive, but Starspot couldn't help but to be attracted to her. She frowned, her conflicting emotions making her head spin. She held the dragon close, falling asleep.
---===---
Morning came all too soon for Starspot. She yawned, stretching out. She rubbed her eyes to try to speed up the waking process. Her three friends were already down there making preparations for the day. Angel sulked around, somewhat depressed that she would have to spend the day there alone.
“I promise it won’t take long.” Starspot told her wholeheartedly.
“I sure hope not.” Angel frowned a bit.
Starspot put a hoof on her shoulder. “I promise.” She looked into her eyes. “Trust me.”
Conrad couldn’t help but to snicker at this. “Starspot and Angel sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I- Ow!” Starspot had delivered a rather hard kick to his right rear leg.
“What are you, four?” Starspot snapped at him.
“Obviously not. Look at these wrinkles.” Conrad simply smiled at her.
Starspot rolled her eyes. “We should be back in an hour or so. If we take longer, do not come after us.”
Angel smiled innocently at her. “Would I do that?”
Starspot looked away from her. Damn that’s cute. No! No! Keep your head in the game, Starspot! “Yes, you would. Don’t.” She quickly walked out of the door before she could embarrass herself further. She, Pinkie Pie, and Conrad began the short walk to Sweet Apple Acres. After about fifteen minutes of nothing but dead apple trees, they arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. “Let’s check the barn.” Starspot suggested, not that there was much more to check there. The trio opened the door and walked inside. The door shut behind them and a strange purple gas began filling the room. “Oh, shit, it was a trap!” Starspot held her breath, looking for an escape route but it was a losing battle between her and her need for Oxygen. She gasped, breathing in the fumes. She and her friends all passed out.
End of Chapter Three
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Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! The writer of this story let me out of his brain for a while so I could say hi! Hi! Also, he wants me to let you know that because of crazy schedules and a need for partying, new chapters after this will only be posted weekly, on Fridays! I love Fridays, don’t you? You get to do anything! Anyways, be sure to check back on Friday for the next chapter, because I sure as hay am going to be busy with all the cookies I have to make! Why do I have to make them? Because I’m Pinkie Pie, silly! I’ll see ya in chapter four! I hope it stars Pinkie Pie! Wouldn’t that be great? I can’t wait! Byeeeeeeee!