//------------------------------// // Through the Hospital // Story: Benevolence in Black // by LucidTech //------------------------------// The sound of a crack echoed through the hospital, a plague-ridden falling backwards as the broom broke upon it’s head. “C'mon, before he gets back up!” The unicorn jumped over the downed zombie, followed by another who hobbled as fast as she could mange. They continued to run and rounded the corner quickly before pausing to look back toward the infected creature that lay on the ground. The half dead pony rose slowly from the ground, sniffed the air, and then walked aimlessly down the hallway away from the duo. The pair, relieved, put their backs to the wall and took a moment to catch their breath. Looking upward the lavender mare noticed the hallway's name and levitated a small, crudely drawn map from her saddlebags. As she did so the showmare by her side leaned over as well and shared a glance with her before looking at the paper. “So, according to Lucid’s map, we should just have a few more halls and then we’re at the supply room we need to get to.” Twilight said, tracing the path they needed to take on the paper in front of her. “I don’t know when he found the time to explore this hospital so thoroughly. He must have spent most of his time with either you or I over the past few weeks,” Trixie said, glancing at the map that had successfully led them this deep into the hospital without so much as a typo on the hall names. “Hardly matters, it’s not very important anyway.” Twilight answered, lifting herself off of the ground. “We should get going before the nearby plague-ridden wonder why I haven’t killed you yet.” I wonder how she tastes? “I don’t understand why they think I’m one of them.” Will she bleed more if I bite out her jugular or her heart? Twilight attempted a smile to try and hide the thoughts that came unbidden to her mind. Trixie returned with a half-hearted grin and Twilight helped her to her feet. “According to Lucid the disease is still in your mind and heart, it’s just not actively trying to kill you now for some reason. He says you're more dead than alive currently, due to the damage it's already dealt.” Twilight’s stomach dropped and she looked to the showmare once again who looked back with a straight face. “Not that it matters Twilight, you’re in control, remember that.” “I’ll try.” Perhaps her brain will taste like pudding? “I’ll try as hard as I can.” The duo began moving again, Trixie trailing slightly behind as her missing leg hobbled her speed. The door to the store room was locked when Twilight arrived and, after waiting for Trixie, the pair of unicorns went about breaking it. Trixie focused on the individual pins of the lock, placing them in their appropriate places. Then, Twilight focused a mass of her magic through the opening. The result was the utter destruction of the lock and the unlocking of the door. Giving silent congratulations to each other Twilight and Trixie entered the room and began to look for the various ingredients that were supposedly within. The duo searched in silence for a moment, picking up containers of the magical substances that would create the cure that Lucid had made for Spike the day prior. Eventually though, Trixie opted to shatter the oppressive empty air. “So, who do you plan on curing first Twilight? I’m sure you’ve thought about it, you can never keep that mind of yours off of a potential subject that may come up.” Feet first so I can hear her scream or head first so that I can watch the body spasm like a bug? “Rainbow Dash.” Twilight answered, trying to keep her mind in reins as she bite the inside of her cheek. “Oh, you have something for her hmm?” Trixie said with a small grin as she placed a jar of clear liquid into the librarian’s saddlebags. “No, it’s a strategic decision. With her on our side we will be able to find the others easier.” Twilight’s voice filled with a sudden anger that hadn’t touched her lips before. “If it were based on my selfish desires Rainbow wouldn’t be the one I would bring back.” “Oh? Who holds that honor then?” Trixie said in a voice full of sarcasm before suddenly stopping. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean -, It’s just.. I’m not quite cut out to cope with an apocalypse.” “I don’t think anyone is Trixie,” I wonder if I can get my hooves on some spices. “I don’t think anyone is.” Silence once again filled the air and the pair quickly finished gathering their duties. After double checking to ensure they had claimed everything the pair left the room. As they did so the door that they had opened fell outwards, the hinges having given out from continuous damage from an unknown source. It fell and smashed into the ground before either unicorn could do anything, the shattering noise splitting the air and informing all the infected in the area of their location. A shared glance and both unicorns broke into a run, or a fast hobble, whichever they could manage. As they ran down the hall, however, they were greeted by a large group of plague-ridden that meandered around the corner and turned to look at them. Quickly detouring, Twilight ran towards a nearby supply closet and opened it, motioning for Trixie to follow. The showmare had run to the window and looked at their height off the ground first though, leaving her only moments to run toward the librarian as the not-quite ponies closed the distance towards them. It was not her lucky day though, her feet slipped out from under her as she ran across the linoleum and she landed on her stomach. Trixie looked frightenedly toward the infected, who had picked up speed, and towards Twilight. The librarian reached toward her downed companion and grabbed her with her magic, with a yank of her head she pulled the azure unicorn into the closet and closed the door behind her. Darkness consumed their vision as the two waited in the silence, before too long the sounds of scratching and beating filled their ears and Twilight had to resist the urge to scream. Realizing they needed something to distract the fairly fragile mare Trixie decided to bring up the topic they had dropped moments ago. “So if not Rainbow Dash then who?” “Pinkie Pie.” She’d probably taste like candy, yum. “I always loved how she can just go on without worry regardless of what statistics say. I was always envious of that.” “I see, I suppose that makes sense in retrospect.” Trixie said, glad that the mare was distracted. “And you?” “Ah, there was this one stallion that I met in Manehattan. We never really discussed our feelings but he was the only one who came after me when I was kicked out of the town, of course, with how things are currently going...” “Uhuh.” Twilight was beginning to salivate, surely if she just bit off a little chunk of flesh Trixie wouldn’t mind right? “After we get out of this I don’t think I’ll ever take anything for granted ever again.” Twilight’s jaw was open, her mouth slowly approaching Trixie’s throat. “Of course, without my leg, I’ll probably need to come up with a new job, but that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.” The librarian licked her lips, she could feel the heat coming off of the showmare’s body, just a little closer... “Wait, do you hear that?” Trixie suddenly moved, shaking Twilight from her trance as she did so. “N-no. I don’t hear anything.” How could I do that? I was about to eat her!  “Exactly, where’s the noise?” Slowly the showmare grasped the door with her magic and opened it toward them, letting the blue light from the hospital hallway dance into the room. As she opened it all the way the familiar black cowl of Lucid came into view and she let loose a relieved sigh. “Thank heavens you’re here, we were attacked in this dead end.” As she spoke a hissing noise met her ears and Trixie turned to look to the side while Twilight shakily rose to her feet. Hanging from the wall, a hatchet through it’s chest, was one of the infected ponies, and still alive. As it thrashed about the stained mane of the pony moved, showing off the showcase of cleaner, multi-colored hairs within. Looking at her with new eyes Trixie could spot the blue coat of the pony underneath the grim. With disbelief she looked toward Lucid, he had somehow pinned Rainbow Dash. (This is the only story I've ever written that gives me nightmares, I hope you're happy. And by happy, I obviously mean completely and hopelessly consumed with the sick twists of my inner labyrinth. - N64Fan)