//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: The Rainbow Plague 
// by Prixy05 
//------------------------------//

The Carousel Boutique was on the other side of town from Sweet Apple Acres, but Applejack was able to make her way to it with no problem. The boutique was her next destination for checking for survivors, and Applejack hoped that Rarity had somehow held out.

She knocked on the door and waited.

No response, so she opened the door. It only opened a crack before getting stuck on a chair that had been placed to jam the door. That was a good sign. Nevertheless, a single powerful buck from Applejacks hind legs was enough to splinter the door in two, allowing easy access inside.

"Hello?" Applejack called out, "Anypony home?"

There was no answer.

Applejack looked around. The boutique's inside was a mess. Sewing supplies lay strewn about and just about everything was in shambles compared to the organized refinery typical of Rarity's craft. Somepony had clearly been in there, but whether or not they still were, was the question.

Trotting upstairs, Applejack saw that the bedroom door was open. Concerningly, emanating from inside were muffled sobs. Poking her head inside, Applejack repeated her question, "Anypony in here? Rarity? I'm here to help." 

The crying was coming from the corner and softened when Applejack finished her sentence. "Applejack? Is that you?" 

Applejack walked over to the bed to see a small unicorn filly curled up in the corner of the room. It was Sweetie Belle, Rarity's little sister. Tearmarks ran down her cheeks, and her fur was messy and uncombed. In her hooves was a yardstick, taken from her sister's supplies.

"Yep! It's me," Applejack held out a hoof to the filly, "Come on up, I ain't gonna hurt ya!"

"Oh Applejack!" sniffled Sweetie, "I thought you were one of them! I thought I was gonna get eaten!"

"Now why would you think a thing like that?"

"Well, I hid up here when I heard somepony break down the front door."

"Oh," Applejack said, embarrassed, "Sorry 'bout that! I guess that there might have been a smidge scary for a filly."

The faintest shadow of a smile tickled the edges of Sweetie Belle's mouth. Hoping to alleviate the situation, Applejack posed the unicorn a question. "Say, you happen to know where Rarity is?"

This only made Sweetie Belle's eyes well up with tears and begin quietly crying again. She shakily lifted a hoof and pointed through the doorway to the door to the boutique's workroom. Furniture had been hastily placed against the door. This was all Applejack needed to see for the realization to hit her. 

Applejack sat down next to Sweetie. "Sorry sugarcube," she stammered, "I- I didn't know."

"When my parents attacked me-" Sweetie stifled through her tears, "I came here. I thought that Rarity could help me, but she got all tired and then- then she," she broke down in tears yet again.

Applejack held Sweetie close, "I'm sorry for your loss, we've all lost somepony close during this. I'll do whatever I can to help ya."

Sweetie sniffed, "You got any food? I haven't anything to eat in days. I tried to cook some stuff, but-" her stomach made a little gurgle as her gaze shifted to some plates and bowls haphazardly placed on the floor, topped with the blackened remains of what could barely be called food.

"Of course." Applejack opened her saddlebag, and pulled out some pears and a rainbow cookie, which Sweetie then heartily devoured.

Standing up, Applejack adjusted her hat, "How 'bout I take ya back with me to the Castle of Friendship? It'll be safer there for you."

"I think I'd like that," Sweetie whispered, slowly standing up. 

And with a little help, Applejack led the little survivor out of the boutique and into Ponyville.

Meanwhile...

In the darkened workroom of the Carousel Boutique, a lone unicorn sniffed the air. The room was dim, the curtains having been drawn and it was even more of a mess than usual, with much of the work supplies having purposely been tossed about and destroyed. 

Rarity walked about, scanning the room with her nearly blind eyes. Her makeup was smeared, her mane a mess, and her carefully pedicured hooves had been worn down from clawing at the door. The technicolor drool dripping from her jaw stained her previously pristine fur.

She raised her snout again and sniffed the air. Yes, it was something enticing. And it had just left the boutique. 

Rarity grunted and pawed at the ground. She wanted out and had to find a way out. It was only a second until her head snapped to attention, catching the glimpse of a sliver of light poking through the drapes. With no hesitation, Rarity used her horn to rip the drapery off the wall, unveiling the window.

With no noise except for heavy breathing, the tip of her horn sparked with light until the latch of the window began to faintly glow and slowly open itself.





Like basically everywhere else they had been, the Ponyville Town Hall was dark and empty of life. Twilight and Rainbow had just arrived there and walked through the empty main hall. Trash and papers were scattered on the floor, and one of the elaborate banners that typically hung in the rafters had been torn off and clumped on the ground. Twilight winced at the sight.

"Remember, we have to go up and scout out the rest of Ponyville."

"Yeah yeah, Let's just get this over with," Rainbow muttered, fluttering on ahead to the staircase to the roof. Rainbow was still grumpy; from a combination of factors, Twilight presumed. Their meeting with Discord earlier had soured the pegasi's mood, but her inability to generate enough for any large-scale flying was definitely also a contribution. There was also the fact that Rainbow likely still blamed herself for the outbreak, despite Twilight thinking the contrary.

Trotting up the town hall's staircase to the roof, the place, of course, lacked any lighting, leaving Twilight to pull out an enchanted rod the made a small light to illuminate the way up.

Rainbow paused her ascent, "What? You can't even use an illumination spell?"

"Nope," Twilight responded matter-of-factly, "Remember, my magic has been entirely limited to levitation spells."

Rainbow didn't answer back, instead turning to continue up.

Rainbow turned ahead. "Crap!"

Twilight ran up to see that the trapdoor that led out onto the roof was locked with a large, metal padlock.

"Of course, it's locked!" Rainbow whined, "If only I could fly!"

Twilight held up a hoof, "Wait a second, I think I can pick the lock." She wasn't super skilled in lock-picking, but she had read a book or two on the subject, and luckily, she had prepared for just such a situation. Digging through her saddlebags, Twilight pulled out her lockpicking tools and began to fiddle with the lock.

Three minutes later, Twilight was still at it, murmuring to herself, "This should- no. No. That's not it-"

Rainbow had spread her body out on the stairs, bored out her mind, "I thought you could pick the lock," she groaned.

"I said I thought I could pick it," Twilight said, breaking her concentration, "There's a difference you know." She tapped a hoof on her chin, "If only we knew the combination, maybe Mayor Mare had it written down somewhere."

"The combination's six-three-five-two-four-eight," said a third voice.

"Thanks!" Twilight turned to the lock before stopping, "Wait-"

Rainbow and Twilight yelped in alarm and jumped back when they took notice of the dead-eyed pony head that appeared between them.

The pony flailed their hooves, "Why it's only me, Fluttershy!"

"What the?" Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at 'Fluttershy' before noticing something lurking behind the pony. "Oh of course," Rainbow muttered when she realized, "Discord."

"Hello!" Discord said, leaning his head into Twilight's light, "I finally made it here!" The two ponies stared at him in silence. "Didn't I tell you I'd meet you at the town hall?"

"No you didn't," Twilight answered flatly.

"Well, I am here now!" Discord stated astutely, "You see, I had to gather up all my little friends." He motioned a thumb to the large bulging sack on his back. "They're just so- entertaining."

"Great," Rainbow answered sarcastically, "you brought your puppets." 

"They really are," Discord jovially responded, making the Fluttershy puppet on his tail wave to the ponies.

"Look at me! I'm so quiet and cute!" Puppet Fluttershy said.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, "So are puppets going to be your whole thing until you get your magic back?"  

Discord nodded absent-mindedly. Both of the creatures turned when light flooded into the staircase. Twilight had opened the trapdoor while they were both conversing. "So how exactly did you know the combination for the lock?" Twilight asked as Discord climbed out onto the roof, his large sack of puppets in tow.

"Oh, I know every Ponyvillians' passwords," he said casually, as if it were the most normal thing ever, "so why are we up here?"

"We're supposed to be scouting out the rest of Ponyville," Rainbow snarkily replied.

"Can't you just fly?" Rainbow didn't get the chance to answer before Discord snapped his paw in fake-surprise, "Oh that's right! No magic! Who knew pegasus flight was magical?"

Rainbow grumbled before turning and joining Twilight at the railing. "Hmm," Twilight pondered as Rainbow joined her, "You notice that?"

Rainbow tilted her head as she looked down over the town, "What? I don't see anything."

"That's exactly it! I don't see any infected activity."

The streets below were empty, not a single zompony could be seen except for one pink-maned pegasus crawling on a rooftop. "Come to think of it," Rainbow added, "Including Pink and Flutters, I've seen only like, three zombies since this whole thing started!"

Twilight turned around and began to pace, "Could they all be indoors? Are they scared of the sun? Did they migrate? What could it mean?"

"I can see a couple 'zombies' over there," Discord said flatly as he leaned on the railing next to Rainbow.

Rainbow looked at him confused, "What? Where?"

In response, Discord calmly popped off his antler and twisted an end. "Over there," he repeated, holding it up to Rainbow's eye. Looking through Discord's strange antler telescope, Rainbow saw that he was right. Roughly a dozen zomponies were gathered around the front entrance of the Day Spa, with at least two more approaching from nearby.

Rainbow turned and yelled out to Twilight, "Twilight! We got a large group of them at the spa!"

Twilight broke out of her thinking and spread her wings, "Then we should go and investigate it," Twilight straightened herself up and turned to the trapdoor before pausing, "Without antagonizing the sick," she added.

"Oh, what joy!" Discord whooped while wrapping Rainbow in a hug, "Three best friends on an adventure!"





Spike tread each step down carefully. He looked around, his torch provided meager illumination that hardly reached five feet, and the only thing beyond was darkness and the silhouettes of pillars. 

Spike cupped his claw and yelled out, "Anypony down here?"

Immediately he lowered voice, realizing that yelling out would attract the attention of the Castle of Friendship's intruder, if they were a zompony. 

Something scampered behind him, causing Spike to twist around. He squinted to see a vaguely equine shape turn a corner ahead. So Spike gave chase. Faster he ran, with the clopping of hooves and the shadow of the pony growing ever closer. Around another corner, then another, and then a dead end. 

Spike skid to a halt, his torch illuminating a rotund unicorn with his back against the wall. He wore a dirty purple suit and had clearly been through some things.

"Okay okay! I give up," he yammered. He pulled out two small wooden ponies and tossed them to Spike's feet, "Take them! They're all I have!"

Spike raised his claw, "Woah woah woah! What?"

"Stinky and Winky! They're all I have left! Those brutes took everything else."

A look of remembrance flashed across his face as Spike recognized this pony, "Wait, I know you! You're that puppet guy!"

The puppeteer backed down and gave a small bow, "Claudey Coals! Puppeteer and entertainer extraordinaire! Do I know you?"

Spike had previously encountered the unicorn a while back during a whole Rarity-dark magic thing. He recalled this pony being especially rude. "Never mind that," Spike waved it off, "Just what in Equestria are you doing down here?"

"Well, I was performing one of my spectacular shows, but the crowd went crazy and attacked me!" Claude began, "They destroyed my cart and I fled to nearest town, only to find that it full of those rainbow brutes as well! But then, I saw this here castle and thought 'why not hide here?', so I entered. But then that trap of yours went off and you chased me down here!"

Spike raised a scaly brow, "I don't trust you, but I guess any other pony is welcome here." Claude gave a little hop of joy and gathered up his puppets. "But you should've just knocked and saved me the trouble." Spike sighed, all that chasing and fear for a random guy. He was almost disappointed.

Spike turned and looked around, "Hmm," he muttered, not knowing which way to go, "I think we go- this way!"

So, Spike and Claude walked down the dark tunnels, unaware that they were being watched by a pair of eyes in the darkness.





At the end of the day, sneaking past Granny Smith wasn't an especially difficult task. That mare was asleep for nearly half the day. It was a bit trickier to get past Big Mac, but it was just a matter of patience with him. So all in all, Apple Bloom had little difficulty sneaking out of the farmhouse.

Now she trotted along the apple orchards, in the direction of the Cutie Mark Crusader treehouse. She looked up, the sun was still overhead, and that meant Celestia must have still been around. In fact, for Apple Bloom, things didn't seem so bad out there. There wasn't any zomponies, or really anypony out and about.

In a short while, the treehouse came into sight. It looked untouched, exactly like how Apple Bloom had last left it.

She climbed the ladder and entered inside. For an apparent apocalypse, things were normal. The framed pictures were still up. The furniture was still in its proper places. Even the paper lists were still where they had been left.

However, Apple Bloom was dissatisfied, there was no sign of any of the crusaders. She would have to make a plan for moving forward, possibly a search plan in main Ponyville. "Right Apple Bloom," she said to herself, "What would be the best way to save everypony?"

She was unable to answer herself as she heard rustling in the bushes outside. Apple Bloom walked over to the window to see a pony creep out of the bushes. It was the yellow-maned gray pegasus from the farm. The cross-eyed zompony tilted her head in curiosity, a strand of rainbow dripping from her mouth. 

With a flap of her wings, the pegasus dashed for the ladder and began to disjointedly ascend. Apple Bloom screamed in alarm and dashed out, kicking the top of the ladder off the deck. The ladder fell with the pegasus still on top, flattening her on the ground. 

Apple Bloom watched with happiness as the ditzy zompony crawled out from under the ladder and began to scamper away. But to Apple Bloom's confusion and dread, the pegasus, rather than fleeing like during all of her other attacks, instead began to paw at the ground.

A thump emanated from overhead, catching Apple Bloom's attention. She looked up to see that another pegasus had approached the treehouse, this time landing on the roof. 

Her worst fears realized; Apple Bloom realized recognized the pony. The filly had an orange coat, and a dark cerise mane. And her stunted wings and shield-shaped cutie mark were unmistakable.

"Scootaloo?"

The pegasi yearling's ears twitched and she craned her head backwards, revealing her white eyes and the bright spit dripping from her mouth. 

Tears forming in her eyes, Apple Bloom slowly backed away from her sick friend until Scootaloo jumped down. The diseased Scootaloo examined Apple Bloom for a few seconds, a look of recognition nearly flickering in her eyes. This was gone as soon as it appeared as the ill filly hissed and pounced. Apple Bloom jumped back from the attack, and with a shriek she stumbled and fell off the deck of the treehouse into the bushes below.

Breathing heavily, Apple Bloom stumbled out of the bushes. She looked up to see Scootaloo glaring down at here from above, her teeth bared. Apple Bloom rolled on the ground, then got up and ran away as fast as her hooves could carry her. Tears stinging her eyes, Apple Bloom swerved around the derpy zompony, who was still pawing the ground. Apple Bloom ignored the rumbling beneath her hooves, or at least until the ground began to shake.

Suddenly, a beige hoof erupted from the ground, taking hold of Apple Bloom's hind leg. A head followed, emerging from the dirt and attempting to bite Apple Bloom's hoof. Apple Bloom screamed and bucked the zompony in the snout, making her relinquish her hold on her hind leg. 

Apple Bloom panted as she ran away from the dirty zompony, but the rumbling underneath her hooves followed. Her head twisted to the right to see more hooves stick out from the ground. Apple Bloom jumped away as the ground beneath her shuddered and a whole pegasus emerged, flexing his wings with a twitch. More and more dirty ponies erupted underground, and now they were getting on their hooves. 

In a panic, Apple Bloom galloped as fast her body could take her. Within a minute, the Sweet Apple Acres farm was in sight. Apple Bloom looked to see Big Mac, still standing as a sentinel in front of the farmhouse.

"Big Mac! Big Mac!" she cried out.

Big Mac's head turned, "Apple Bloom?" Whatever anger he might have had at her leaving immediately vanished when confronted with the hysterical filly.

"Big Mac! Out in the orchard! There's-"

Apple Bloom was cut short as one of the wooden barricades shuddered. Big Mac turned to it, just to see the derpy pegasus pony stumble out from behind the barricade. He chuckled softly to himself, her? Again?

But something was different this time. The pegasi shook her head and stood in place, staring at Big Mac. It almost seemed like she was grinning. It wasn't long till he learned why.

He looked around in alarm as zomponies appeared from behind the apple trees all around them. There were at least a hundred ponies, all surrounding the farmhouse. The ground cracked as hooves emerged, snatching all four of Big Mac's legs. He stomped with all the power he could, but more and more emerged, soon with entire ponies crawling out from beneath him.

With a firm look, Big Mac turned to Apple Bloom, "Apple Bloom! Get outta here! Now!"

Apple Bloom did as he said as all the zomponies surged forward as one. The pegasi, having lost most of their flight capabilities, leapt from the trees. The unicorns' flickering magic tossed aside the barricades and fences while the earth ponies simply broke them down. Apple Bloom ran down the path to central Ponyville, jumping aside to avoid a snarling unicorn that jumped at her.

She looked back only once to see Big Mac get entirely covered by zombies and collapse, while the rest of the farm was swarmed.