Invasion

by ZombieBrony22


Outcasts

A few weeks had passed since Canterlot had fallen under Symbiote control. Whoever had survived is now residing in secure safe-zones outside the city, which was now a Symbiote breeding ground... whatever used to resemble Canterlot was now either covered in symbiotic structure or was torn down. Celestia has been missing ever since Nightmare saved her from Wrath, who was now ruling over the Canterlot Symbiote Faction—beginning to expand their reach to other Equestrian cities... Manehattan, Las Pegasus, Appleoosa and Fillydelphia were a few of the other cities that have been invaded as of now, leaving Ponyville as one of several renowned safe-zone, being protected by a magic barrier very similar to the one used during the Canterlot Wedding, only now being aided by speakers dealing out high frequency sound waves that despite ponies not being able to hear, the symbiotes can... and it’s agonizing to them.

Blank and Tempest were residing in the safe-zone, pitching in with Twilight’s efforts to rally what’s left of the Equestrian government. She currently was having Spike write a letter out to another safe-zone near the Badlands, asking for more supplies, since Ponyville was facing a horrible drought.

“We have only a few days of water left due to pegasi no longer affecting the weather patterns, and our food count is even worse... anything can be assistance to us right now...” Twilight was having Spike write the letter, mostly because of his opposable thumbs.

Blank and Tempest were looking out of the window, glancing down at the scared survivors who were getting their daily rations... it wasn’t much.

“We need to find a way to stop this drought... soon, if we are to survive." Luna told the group, her acting as the safe-zone's leader, aside from Twilight.

“There’s a reservoir an hour or two away... maybe we can head out and come back with what we can carry.” Blank offered.

Luna first felt intrigued, then she shut the idea down.

“That is an idea, but a dangerous one. Not to mention that the Outcast population that’s residing nearby... we cannot take any risks as of right now, but... keep the idea in your mind, I’ll look into it.” Luna offered, trotting away to stock up the amounts of water that were left.

Outcasts—former hosts of the symbiotes who broke away from pony society and formed their own after they were introduced to the symbiotes’ mentality. Tempest glanced over to Blank and decided to ask him a question.

“Back in that war room, when you volunteered to be bonded with the symbiote... what was that?” She asked him.

Blank sighed and took a deep breath.

“That? That was me facing facts. Out of everyone in that room—Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Twilight, Captain Shining Armor, and you? I was the least important—I had the least to offer and if I died during those experiments? So what? No-pony was going to mourn my death... save for my parents, perhaps--”

Tempest quickly stepped in front of Blank, her standing a few inches above Blank.

“And me. And Twilight, and Celestia...” Tempest said, bumping her hoof at Blank for every name she listed.

“Okay--, but five ponies mourning me when I died saving Equestria? So be it... but that didn’t happen, so what does it matter?” Blank asked her.

Tempest sighed, putting a hoof on his shoulder, causing Blank to turn a shade redder.

“Look, Blank—there was a time when I would’ve died to aid the Storm King’s cause. I thought it was because of loyalty, but now I know that it was because I had nothing to live for—no-pony live for... Now I have—everypony here is counting on us, and I can’t be out there with you on a risky mission like this if you’re gonna try and throw yourself at every threat we come across to save me.” Tempest said, speaking low enough to not be heard by anypony else.

Blank, completely flustered by Tempest’s change in tone, nodded.

Tempest took note of Blank’s reaction and smirked.

“So... you think I’m important?” She asked, raising her brow.

Blank, now completely red and only speaking in stammering “ums”, was saved when Luna came back...

“Okay-- we don’t have enough water to last the week—we need to get more soon, by any means necessary... if you two are willing to go, then perhaps this reservoir is our only option.” Luna grimly declared, ashamed of sending two of her ponies to possibly die or worse.

Blank bowed while Tempest nodded and the two went to get ready...


Once outside the town, the two stuck together, closer than usual—thanks to Tempest’s persistence—as they travelled west, towards the reservoir. Tempest then sighed and nudged Blank.

“Yeah?” He asked her, still somewhat flustered from their encounter earlier.

“I... was hoping we could talk—really talk about you.” Tempest said.

Blank sighed, knowing what she wanted to hear...

“Okay... what about me? My childhood was what you’d expect, with a party-freak for a mom and my father, well... just being a dad, you know? Puberty was awkward, as it always is--”

“No, Blank—I mean about you and Twilight... that’s where things got bad, right? With you running away to go map out places like the Badlands?” She asked.

Blank looked up and Tempest nodded.

“Your mom told me everything... well, as much as she knows.”

Blank sighed and looked around awkwardly.

“When Twilight became more focused on her studies, near the middle of her first year at Princess Celestia’s school... she dumped me.” He confessed.
 
Tempest was taken aback by how bluntly he put it. She knew that things got rough, but she didn’t guess that she just left him...

“I thought I was doing good, you know? I always... I always looked to see if I was doing something wrong with her, and I never was... So why did she just ditch me in the middle of the night? Was it because we couldn’t make it work, with me left at some ordinary high school while she was with the pros? Was it something I did? I don’t know... I never knew.” Blank sighed.

Tempest didn’t say a word as she stopped and gestured Blank to do the same. Together, they sat in a clearing, overlooking an infested camp down below...

“...I was an orphan when I was growing up. I never really had anypony—anyone for that matter... losing my horn only made things worse for me, so I decided to leave... I grew up in the Badlands and when I came across the Storm King, I just wanted an escape... and with him, I found one.” She said, turning to Blank as he did the same.

“I always told myself that after he fixed... this...”

Tempest gestured to her horn, which sparked with electricity as a response.

“...then it’d be back to normal. I blatantly ignored every bloodbath he used me to create because I was just so focused on... being normal again...”

Blank had no idea what else to do other than pull Tempest in for a hug, one that she returned, a tear slowly running down her cheek.

“We shouldn’t stay here for too long... it’s too dangerous.” Blank told her, keeping an eye on the symbiotes a few hundred feet away from them.

Tempest sighed, tightening her embrace before regrettably pulling away.

“We’re getting close to the watering hole, it should be just up ahead.” Tempest said, leading the way.

As the two got closer, Blank noticed a form of pattern in the ground and stopped Tempest. He went over to it and realized what it was just too late.

A trap.

The net sprung upwards, holding Tempest, who let out a loud gasp as she was suspended in the air.

“Keep an eye out, there could be more of them...” Blank said as he used his horn to grab a moderately sharp rock and started cutting.

Blank turned to see that he was being held at spearpoint—by an earth pony Outcast.

“Are you infected?” He asked.

Blank glanced the Outcast and shook his head. This action prompted him to move over to Tempest, before lighting his spear on fire and holding it over Tempest, checking for symbiotes.

“The Klyntar hate fire... we use it to survive, check ourselves... she’s clear—now you.”

Blank approached him and once he was checked, the Outcast drove his spear into the ground, putting the fire out.

“We should move—the longer we stay here, the more likely the symbiotes will arrive... and did you spring that trap?”

Blank hesitantly nodded as the Outcast sliced the rope trap, releasing Tempest from her imprisonment.

“Okay... follow me.”

Blank and Tempest followed the stranger, sharing nervous glances at each other as they continued.

“We stay relatively clear of that Symbiote nest, but... I couldn’t just leave you two out there like that.” The Outcast said.

Tempest then moved forward, now intrigued about the Outcasts...

“I never got your name...”

The stranger sighed and turned to the two, showing his blind eye.

“Silver Stream. Now, stay close—we're almost there.”


The three arrive at the Outcast’s camp—a dense forest surrounded by traps and defensive fires that Silver guided the two through. As they reached the center, the other Outcasts—at least thirty other ponies covered in dirt and some with streaks of black, red, and blue smeared on their faces—glared at the two newcomers. Silver approached a large tent—one of several—and entered it, signaling Blank and Tempest to wait outside.

Tempest instantly turned to Blank, who was taking in the sights around him...

“Wow... it’s like an entire civilization in the stone age... almost beautiful...” Blank said to himself.

After a short moment, some-pony emerged from the tent, a larger earth pony with a scar running down his chest, which was covered by red fur...

“Who are you, what do you want?” He asked the two, his voice menacing and deep.

Blank was almost scared by the stallion, but he swallowed his fear and went to speak as Tempest cut him off.

“We’re from Ponyville—the safe-zone a few miles from here... our water situation is dire, and I understand you ponies are close to the last source of water in the area. All we ask is that you lend us enough water to last us until the weather finally settles.” She said, boldly and full of confidence.

The Outcast leader seemed stunned by Tempest’s confidence, but the directed his attention to the scar running down her eye—and then her broken horn.

“Did the symbiotes use you, too?” He asked her.

Tempest shook her head.

“Ursa Minor... I was a filly when it happened.” She said.

Blank then turned to her—never knowing the full story about how she lost her eye.

The leader nodded and turned to Blank.

“How about you? What’s your story?” He asked the smaller unicorn.

Blank almost stuttered, but took a breath.

“I was in the Badlands when I met her. The symbiotes found us and we barely survived.” He said, his nervousness still obvious.

The leader chuckled and turned his attention back to Tempest.

“Your friend seems nervous... understandable, given your situation. I can assure you that we do have the water to spare for your ponies, at least until the rain returns.” The leader looked up to see some grey clouds in the horizon...

“But for now, I’d suggest staying the night... that infestation is blocking your path out of here, and I don’t want to risk you two to the Changing...”

Blank and Tempest glanced at each other in confusion, but agreed that it wasn’t safe out there.

“We’ll stay for the night...” Tempest said, Blank agreeing.

The leader smiled, nodding at their decision.

“Very well—feel free to look around and make yourselves at home while we prepare your tent.” The leader said.

“Tent? Like... singular?” Blank asked, his flustered nature returning from earlier.

The leader nodded.

“The nights here are cold, and we cannot spare any more firewood. Out here, we huddle for warmth.” He said, this revelation not helping with Blank’s panic.

“Would that be a problem?” He asked Tempest, who was almost laughing at Blank’s reaction.

Tempest simply smirked and set her hoof on Blank’s upper-back.

“We’ll be just fine.” She smirked, Blank becoming redder and redder.


The Outcasts prepared their traps for the night, checking the fires to see if they were still lit. Once they were prepared, the small group settled into tents, many pairs and some trios huddled together.

Blank and Tempest were one of them.

Tempest was the first to enter, while Blank was understandably nervous. He then began to shiver and sighed, trotting into the tent and settling in, turning his back to Tempest.

“It’s a cold night...” Tempest commented.

Blank was now feeling rather hot, but decided to engage in small talk.

“Indeed it is...”

Tempest then grunted, turning around and resting her head on his chest, much to his surprise.

“There we go... much warmer, now.” She smiled, slightly nuzzling him.

Blank was completely flabbergasted at Tempest affection, but she didn’t stop there—she wrapped her foreleg around his upper body, pulling him closer...

“Tempest, I... Why--”

“Because you’re warm. That, and I think you’re the only pony I met who understands me. Save for Twilight, but she’s dating that Sunset girl already... and I just like you more... Just roll with it, and we can talk tomorrow, okay?” She mumbled, partially due to Blank’s chest muffling half of Tempest’s words.

Blank slightly gasped, but finally gave in, wrapping his foreleg around her and closing his eyes, hoping to catch some sleep...