//------------------------------// // Citizen Soldiers // Story: Twisted Minds // by Sillyponyme //------------------------------// Azaliah woke up on the side of the river. She hadn’t a clue where she was but that was partly due to it being foggy and part due to her being groggy. Her eyes were blurred and hazy. There was a building right in front of her so at least she was near civilization, sort of. There wasn’t much of that with Necromorphs everywhere. She stood and then collapsed onto the ground to weak to move. A figure was seen walking up to her and she tried to pull out her weapon but then heard a feminine voice. “Help me with her will ya?” Azaliah gave up on grabbing her weapon as two more figures came over and helped to pick her up off the ground. “We’ll get ya ta safety miss, don’t worry.” She closed her eyes and fell asleep. Azaliah woke for the second time that day or possibly night, she wasn’t sure. A single pony with a yellow coat and red mane and tail stood by her bed with a sword by her side. “Good, yer awake. Tell me what ya were doin out there? Dontcha know it dangerous out there?” “Who are you and why did you help me?” Azaliah got a better look at the pony and found scratches all over her body. “Names Apple Bloom, Ah couldn’t very well let you die out there. Now ah’m gonna ask again, what were you doin out there?” Apple Bloom asked as she pulled out her sword and began to sharpen it. “I was with a few others in Canterlot,” Azaliah thought unsure if she remembered correctly. “I was swept out of the prison by a river that ran through the mountain. I went over the falls and now I’m here and no I wasn’t a prisoner.” Azaliah tried to sit up but couldn’t. She decided at that point to look around the room. The building was small from the looks of it but she couldn’t say for sure with the boarded up windows. “Who all were ya with?” Apple Bloom asked looking out a small hole in the door to keep an eye out for Necromorphs not that she could see much through the fog. “I was with Twilight Sparkle and her friends, why do you care anyway?” Azaliah tried to sit up but found she couldn’t and then a knock came to the door. Apple Bloom opened the door and let in Nurse Redheart who went over to Azaliah. “Who are you?” “She is the pony that is goin ta fix ya up.” Apple bloom looked back out the hole. “Now as for why it’s important for me ta know who you were with is because mah sister was most likely with ya. Her name is Applejack, sound familiar?” Apple Bloom looked at the pony on the nearby bed and glared. “I heard her name but I have no idea who she is. She was with us though, I know that.” Azaliah and the others heard a noise outside. “Let me up.” “No can do missy, you’re lucky you weren’t killed or damaged more than just a sprain and a few fractures.” Nurse Redheart continued to patch up the injured pony who grumbled angrily. “Gripe all you like, you aren’t getting up.” A scratching noise could be heard coming from the door and Apple Bloom got ready. She pulled out her sword and got ready to strike down the thing that came through the door. The scratching continued for about a minute before it suddenly stopped. The silence was frightening, to Redheart anyway. She was no fighter and for a situation like this definitely involved fighting of some kind. Soon pounding could be heard at the door as if somepony or something was trying to break it down. The door began to crack and splinter from the center of the door. Fog began to slip right through the cracking door and the pounding stopped. Apple Bloom kept her breathing steady and her mind focused. The silence stayed for a few minutes as the group watched the door ready for something to break in. She stood there in front of the door about four feet from it waiting in silence while poor Nurse Redheart got ready to freak out. Azaliah covered up the nurses’ mouth to keep her from screaming. A pound was heard on the door again and then went silent. Then it happened two more times before going silent. Despite having a cool head, Apple Blooms heart raced waiting for whatever it was to finally break through. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo headed into town to find supplies. Thanks to Scootaloo’s skateboard, they moved in and out of places quickly and without trouble. Scootaloo traded in her old scooter for something bigger that she could carry her friends on easier. The two mares went to the hospital first which had been evacuated. They needed some kind of medicine for injuries, not to mention that Celestia needed the medicine for her army. The two mares had volunteered to bring her supplies while Apple Bloom helped out anypony that needed it. They were already in Ponyville and had planned on going up to Canterlot anyway, somehow. They walked through Ponyville hospital avoiding as many Necromorphs as possible but it was nearly impossible to do. They had also been asked to get some food as well and so after getting the medicine, they went into the cafeteria. “Let’s get in and get out Scoots, I don’t like it here.” “You think I do?” Scootaloo picked up some muffins out of the bread box and stuffed them in her saddlebag. “Let’s get out of here, I’m in no mood to deal with more of these things if I don’t have to.” The two ran toward the exit and a leaper jumped on Scoots as the door opened. She stuck her sword out impaling it but it didn’t do much other then make it angry. “Get this thing off me!” Scootaloo yelled. Sweetie had stumbled backward a bit from the attack on her friend. She regained her balance and ran over to the leaper and kicked the leaper throwing it off Scootaloo as well as losing her friends sword which was still in the leaper. Scootaloo got up quick, ran over to the leaper and pushed down on her sword while Sweetie stomped on it a few times over to kill it but they didn’t make it out unscathed. Sweetie got hit by its tail and now had a gash in her leg and Scootaloo had a nice long scratch on her face. “Let’s get out of here.” Scootaloo grabbed her skateboard, Sweetie got on behind her and they took off in a flash. “Should we check on Apple Bloom and her new guest?” Sweetie thought about it and shook her head. “I would like to but Princess Celestia needs the medicine and food. All I found was mush, how about you?” “Muffins but they aren’t exactly fresh.” Scootaloo flapped her wings and sped up. “I hope that Apple Bloom will be ok.” Scoots said as they exit the hospital. “I wouldn’t worry too much, she is awesome at killing these things.” With that said, they disappeared into the fog and out of Ponyville.