//------------------------------// // 13 Hours // Story: MLP:IPC // by NavyBr0wnie //------------------------------// SugarCube corner: Main Floor May 16th 8:00 Am Approximately 2 weeks after the AppleFarm incident. "Your orders finished Pinkie", An aged but cheerful voice called over the loud hustle and bustle of the sugar cube corner. aa blue hoof gently placed a small white boxed cake on the serving counter and left it as a pink pony came into sight. "Rarity is so going to love this!!!", Pinkie pie gleefully sang as she skipped vibrantly around in circles near the center of the sweets shop. "Ok...Now don't you go and mess it up", Mrs. Cake asked sheepishly as she walked back to the serving counter and setting down another white box. "Oh... Don't you worry silly I wouldn't mess this up on the bestest of bestest best days of my bestiest best friend rarities life...", Pinkie jovialy cried to Mrs. Cake as she trotted gleefully to the front entrance of the building. She looked back with a look of interest. "Maybe if it was a prank or something but, not on a birthday because that would be mean and I am not me-..." "Pinkie we get it...", Mrs. Cake said blankly. Giving a sheepish smile pinkie turned and skipped quietly out of the building. --------------- PonyVille : General vicinity of Sugarcube corner May 16th 8:20 am Pinkie pie hopped along the narrow dirt road taking the utmost care in protecting the new cake that she carried in her mouth. She began Humming to a new song she thought about singing for rarity's birthday. As she trotted down the dirt path she would occasionally be greeted by some of the many denizens of ponyville, some including Lyra, Bon Bon, and Derpy hooves. some ponies would ask if she's going to a party others just smiled. Soon Rarity's boutique came in sight as pinkie passed by the town park. She paused for a few minutes setting the cake box down so she could check on it. a strong blast of wind flew past her sending dust and leaves around her body in a flurry of angry wind. Her ecstatic mane waved like a flag as the air current blew past it send a few dried leaves to be entangled in it. she continued to examine the cale not moving or giving any acknowledgment that something happened. "Hey Pinkie... What'cha doin?" a cyan pegasus said as she began to make a noticeable descent in front of the pink earth pony. "Oh me?... Just giving some birthday sweetness to rarity" Pinkie replied happily with a large smile. Dash raised a curious eyebrow while looking at the little white box that pinkie was inspecting. "Cupcakes?" dash asked curiously still gazing at the small box. Pinkie looked up at dash and shook her head no. "No... I don't believe her number has come up yet" pinkie said rubbing her chin as she started to walk away. Dash moved to catch up to her friend. Pinkie didn't pay it any attention. "Huh?... Number?" dash asked In confusion as she hovered close behind pinkie. "Oh... Nothing" pinkie replied as she continued trotting to Rarities boutique. "Well, whatever.... Anyways Have you by any chance talked to applejack?" dash asked as she floated in front of her friend with a worried look. "Umm... No I haven't, come to think of it I haven't seen Scootaloo or any of Applejack's family for awhile... " pinkie said pausing to think about the question. Dash frowned silently then easier her head back to face pinkie. "Well I know rarity is still looking for her sister sweetiebelle" dash commented as she and pinkie came up the path to rarity's boutique. "Do you think those things that supposedly happened up in Stalliongrad have anything to do with this?" dash asked quietly. Pinkie looked back at her silently almost about to reply but stopped as they came to rarities boutique. "Aaand we are here!!!!" pinkie said joyfully as she hopped up to the door. Dash sighed as she landed next to earth pony. she knocked three times on the purple door with the tip of her hoof. The door started to glow with a purplish white aura as it creaked opened revealing mannequins after mannequins covered in variously artistic dress's, coats, suits, and other pieces of extravagant clothing. The interior looked as if it was the closet of a high ranking official or some rich aristocrat. In the back sounds of work could be heard as the two ponies waited outside the open door. "Hello?" dash asked cautiously looking at pinkie who just smiled happily as they waited for an answer. "Come in!!" a muffled voice called from the back of the shop near the work room. Pinkie and dash looked at each other silently as they walked in side by side. Once they were completely in, the door closed itself. Dash looked back at the door and sighed to herself. "Hey, I'm sorry Pinkie but, I'm going to go and check up on Applejack, you go ahead and tell rarity happy birthday for me ok?" dash asked sincerely as she opened the now closed door. She stopped halfway in the doorway for a response to her comment. "Umm... Ok, hey when you talk to Applejack tell her to stop by before all the cake is gone" Pinkie said with a smile. Dash nodded as she turned away with a slight chuckle. "Wouldn't want her to come late and be hungry" "Yea I'll be sure to tell her" dash said as she took for her flight. Pinkie watched as her skyblue friend leaped into the air and flew away. The Pegasus gained in speed as she flew through the sky like a bullet. After a few minuets passed and dash was out of sight Pinkie continued to the workroom to greet her friend rarity. ------ Sweet apple orchard: front gate May 16th 10:00 am Dash landed near the old front gate to the Apple-family farm half expectant of some sort of uber happy Apple-family greeting which consisted of hugs, howdies, and food... Lots of food but, instead found a locked gate and an eerie cold silence. "Well... That's... Not weird" dash said inspecting the crusty rust covered lock with a hoof. She poked it a few times as dusty rusted metal crumbled and fell off onto the ground beneath it. "I'm pretty sure the gates should be open by now" dash mumbled as she hovered around the fence. She tried to recall all the memories of when applejack had her come very early in the morning to help with something on the farm. 'Hmm...I probably should just leave but, what if something happened to AJ' Dash thought to herself as she floated slowly in a small confused circle. She frowned as her thoughts continued to bounce between leaving and staying to figure out if anything went wrong. "She didn't mention anything about any trips or break days" Dash continued still floating near the chained gateway. "Well she does have Mac... If anything he cou-...arrgh!!" Dash complained as she looked at either length of fences that connected to the gate several times. A frown grew on her face as she touched to the ground. The Pegasus frowned as she finally made a decision. "Arrgh.... Fine I'll just make a quick circle around the farm...if I don't see anything I'm gone" Dash proclaimed to herself trying to give herself a reason to search for Aj. Dash began flapping her wings floating next to the fence line she looked at it, and the surrounding tree line over for anything out of the ordinary or estranged. Apple farm, Western fields May 16th 10:30 am A quarter way around near a small forest of various apple trees dash spotted a large breach in the wooden fence's perimeter a few meters ahead of her. Increasing her speed she flew to inspect the oddity. As she got closer her eyes widened as they traced along the broken pieces of wood haphazardly placed in two piles at either side of the hole. Upon closer inspection she found large blood splotches covering the various pieces of broken and splintered wood and along the outline of the the hole on the fence. "What the hay?... This is getting weird" dash complained as she kneeled and picked up a small piece of wood to inspect the caked on dried blood. Dash sat down thinking over what should be done in this situation. 'Perhaps I should get somepony to help out' she thought as she continued to thimble through the crimson coated fence shards. Amongst her flurry of thoughts she heard the familiar sound of strained wings flapping but, upon looking for its origin she saw no sign of life. Confused she inspected her immediate area with keen eyes. She inspected each shadow, corner, and dark space with deep intensity unsure of what may come of it. "No animals..." dash whispered still flashing her eyes over the tree line, she saw a shadow move slightly in the corner of her eye. Quickly she turned her full attention to face it's general direction but upon doing so it disappeared. "Hey, Wait up" dash called as she hopped into a hover and gave chase after whoever or whatever it was that moved. 'Hmm... That shadow something about it looks a lot like Scootaloo but, the weird thing is it's going way to fast.... what in celestias name is going on around here?' Dash thought as she swooped through thick walls of trees expertly bouncing between them. She zigzagged like a ball bouncing off a wall as she acrobatically slipped between the cracks in the small forest. All through her flight she didn't see any signs of life, just eerie and cold silence. It was as if they were never existent or were to scared. Dash thought about a time when Fluttershy mentioned that when something bad is near animals usually are the first to leave. The pegasus pushed the thought aside and continued to fly. Along the way she'd occasionally let her eyes skim the receding ground. Her mind swam as she flew past completely empty trees and piles of thousands upon thousands of rotting, dried and/or dead apples that littered the ground. with each passing tree she gained more and more questions with fewer answers. She sighed as she raised her head forward coming to a large open field with a familiar big red barn dominating it's center. It's parameter was surround by various dead crops like corn, celery, and carrots. The overall feeling of it all felt like dread and disdain littered the air as death and decay sat peacfully among the plants. she couldn't help but let memories of her many adventures on the farm flood her mind. things like Pinkie pie's recent birthday, or when applejack needed help to clear out all the trees for applebuck season. Though as dash closed the distance to the barn her thoughts moved farther away into the back of her mind. She slowed herself to a stop near the side of the massive, red, wooden barn. She was facing the left side of the massive structure. The inhaled as she took in the scope and size of the structure. Sighing she started walking the parameter of the building haphazardly inspecting it. Finding nothing ostentatious or out of the ordinary she made her way to the front of the barn. She looked over the double doors soon noticing what appeared to be half a bloody paw print on it. "Manticore?.... Or gryphon?" dash questioned as she pushed on the big red door. It was locked from the inside. She frowned thinking of how to open it. An idea came as she took a stance similar to applejack's apple bucking technique. She reared as her hooves hit the hardwood door. Using her cloud removing skill coupled with applejack signature apple bucking technique the door began to buckle. Smirking she reared back again and bucked using her wings to provide more force for the strike. The door swung wide open with a satisfying slam on the inside but, to dash's dismay the scent of decay came as a reward. Dash reeled back at the horrid smell that filled her snout. She tried her best to hold back but, eventually lost her lunch in a rainbow of colors on the ground before her. Her stomach convulsed again sending more stomach fluids onto the ground. Dash continued to gag as she crawled away from the invisible aura of stench. After a few minuets of fresh air she slowly regained her stature ,wiping a hoof across her mouth she pressed forward covering her snout ineffectively blocking the worsening stench. Stopping by the door she looked into the abyss of the pitch black barn. Dash felt a shiver crawl up her back as she entered into the structure. With each hoof, the sound of crunching hay sent an uneasy feeling in her guy. Taking another hoof she places it slowly into the hay, a metal object obstructed her hoof's path to the ground. Searching for what ever it was clinking against her hoof, She saw it was a small flashlight. Picking it up she rubbed across it looking for the little activation button. Clicking it several times the flashlight sparked to life nearly blinding the blue Pegasus. After a few moments of seeing nothing but white splotches on a black canvas, She started blinking to wash out the annoying haze. Onece she was sure she could see, she swung the the flash light around searching as far as the darkness would allow. Scanning her area she walked forward pointing the light near the ground to watch for anything dangerous. She continued moving forward till her light began to dim silently. "C'mon... Turn on" she blurted as she fettled with the power button. The light flickered on and off uncontrollably before finally dying out. "Aw c'mon you stu-..." dash was cutoff by the sound of fluttering wings from before. She snapped her head around trying to pinpoint it's source. Growing louder each moment, unconsciously dash took a step back, eyes darting in all directions looking, searching for the origin of the sound. "W... Who's there?" dash whimpered, her voice slightly cracking with a tinge of fear. She waited and no response was given except for the continuos flap of wings. Taking another set of steps back she slipped on something slippery. Unknowing of what it was she quickly moved it aside with a hoof, checking the flashlight again. Being uncooperative she threw it to the ground. The flashlight hit the ground with a clang and rolled a few inches before coming to a stop and flickering back to life.. "Oh now you work... Wait... What the..." dash mouthed silently, the the tip of a cow came into sight . Picking up the light in her mouth she walked to the unknown cow seeing it lying on the floor motionless. She couldn't make it out entirely but she saw the cow wasn't awake. Kneeling beside the cow she tried to feel for a pulse but as she got closer the light slipped from her mouth and started to roll away. "Hey, get back here" she grunted as she begrudgingly chased after the small flashlight. Kneeling down to pick up the flashlight she traced where the beam of light lead towards. Dash felt her body jump back as she saw the sight of a mutilated cow hanging haphazardly from the ceiling. It's maggot ridden corpse swaying carelessly to and fro in dark. She took a step back in disgust, she bumped into another body. She moved away bumping into more bodies, frantically she tried to make her way out of the maze of dead flesh, till she tripping comically into being sent into the air and landing on the ground with a loud thud. Letting her equilibrium stabilize she realized the ground wasn't normal hay and dirt. She felt around noticing it was soft and damp. She tried to crawl to her hooves only to be restrained by odd vines holding her close to the ground. She silently sat down thinking what to do when she felt a weird tingling feel crawling across her body. Her body felt alive as if things were crawling across her like a highway. She felt uneasy as she thought what could possibly be crawling across her, remembering the flashlight she scrounged for it. Moments later she quickly flicked it on and flipped it over herself and the surrounding area. Her eyes widened as she saw all the death and decay the lay silently next to her. A slight whimper came she saw the billions of maggots and worms and roaches that crawled across her and the bodies before her. She saw as the bulbous maggots slinked across her leg trying to suck on her flesh. Immediately she felt an extreme sickly feeling realizing where she was. She quickly tried to break from the intestine entanglement. Trying not to get more of the world on her. Slowly she dug her way out of flesh, bone, and entrails. She emerged from the the corpse field with the light of day hanging out from in front of her. Once she was untangled she galloped as fast as she could from the receding darkness. She hit the sunlight like a bullet the wind blowing past her. She slowed herself to a stop. She took a deep breath before her gag reflex kicked in. She saw as more of her stomach lay silently in a small puddle on the ground. She tried to push away the thoughts of all the insects and bugs that crawled around on her, through her feathers and her mane. She couldn't shake the feeling as it felt like they were still marching up and down her hide. Crawling through her fur mindlessly trying to get back to their food. Taking a few deep breathes, she silently looked across a hill noticing what appeared to be the end of Applejacks tail in her peripheral vision. "H...Hey!" she called, with renewed vigor she galloped to the top of the hill, Looking down she saw a shadow step inside the farm house. Hurriedly, She slid down the hill, at the base she broke into a full on gallop to the porch of the house. She slowed as she made it to the old wood structure. She looked down at a set of small stairs that connected the porch to the dirt ground. Weeds hung lazily on either side as the wind swept past them. A wind chime rang eerily somewhere on the porch giving and awkward silence when it stopped. Raising a hoof she placed it on the first step wincing at the creaking sound it retorted. She hurried up the stairs and onto the small vanilla colored porch. Looking around she saw nothing out of the ordinary other then an empty rocking chair and the front door left ajar. Continuing to look around she'd sometimes jolt when she heard the door sway by the wind and hit the inner wall of the entrance way. Finally satisfied she continued to step into the house. Her hoof met the old oak floor as her eyes met numerous pictures, antiques, and other assorted tables with various things. She silently treaded down the long entrance hallway. Passing several closed doors she found a small broken picture on the floor. Wipping away the shards of glass she picked it up, immediately she spotted her friend applejack, AppleBloom,Mac, and GrannySmith. She guessed the rest of the ponies as extended family. She set the picture up correctly on a table and continued forward. She came to a bathroom where she washed her face and front hooves clean of blood. Looking up to the mirror She saw her mane was still ragged and her body still had a lot of blood but, she was happy that for the most part she was relatively clean. Quickly she marched out of the bathroom ,and back into the hall. Looking farther down she saw that another door was open near the end of the hall. Walking to the room she peeked through the small crack. Not able to completely see into the room she nudged it open more. She could see the room was a bedroom , with a large bed in the center and several dressers lined the edges, She felt a wave of relief wash over her as she saw applejack sitting in the center of the bed, facing the closed window curtains. "AppleJack... You would not believe what I've gone through to find you" dash blurted bursting through the door feeling relieved to have found her orange friend. She stood at the door confused as she waited for an answer. "Hey!!... Dash to AppleJack can you hear me?" dash asked impatiently as she walked farther into the room just barely behind Aj. Tired of waiting she placed a hoof on Applejacks shoulder and shook her friend trying to knock her from whatever trance she was in.. "Uh.. Aj you-...Ahhhhh!!!!" dash screamed in pain as she registered the shock in her right hoof. Looking down she saw Applejacks mouth gouging into her Forleg. Dash reflexively slammed a hoof into the side of Applejacks face knocking the orange pony to the ground tearing a large red chunk of flesh from the bite area. Dash hobbled backwards trying to put space between her and applejack, watching as the orange pony slowly picked herself up from the floor ,blood dripping from her mouth as she chewed on the blue piece of dash's flesh. Dash eyed her friend tracing over her bright bloodshot eyes. Her mouth opened showing sharp teeth begin to form from underneath frothing red saliva. Her hide boasted a dark golden brown and her mane was a very light pale yellow. "W..Wh...What is wrong with you" dash said trying to stabilize on her three good legs. The blue pegasus felt tears roll down her cheeks as the stinging pain grew in her foreleg. The orange pony cocked it's head several times then spoke in a very hoarse voice. "Hungry... So very hungry" Applejack said with a twitch in her eye. Aj took a step forward prompting dash to take one back. "No..No Aj I... I think your sick" Dash said, with a fearful tone. "Dash... I said I am hungry" Applejack barked just before she jumped onto the bed. Dash to another step as applejack growled barring her teeth, saliva beginning to drip more profusely. A drop of red spittle fell from applejack's chin as she made another leap at dash. Instinctively dash pulled back slamming the door on the orange pony. Aj slammed face first into the door sending a reverberating thud through the wood, silence fell for a few seconds till angry scraping and grunting echoed through. Holding onto the knob dash looked for something to help keep Aj trapped inside the room. Her eyes landed on a lasso on a table across from her reach out for she reeled back feeling sharp pain as her bite wound sent shock waves through her body. Calming herself she reached out again grabbing onto the rope before another wave of pain lashed out at her. She inhaled deeply trying to take her mind off the pain as she took an end and made loop using one hoof and her mouth. To tightened it around the door knob, she pulled it with her mouth. She looked to find a place to tie the other end of the rope. Straining the rope she tied it around the first bar that connected the guiderail to the stairs. Firmly securing the rope she sunk down with her back to the side of the stairs her head resting on one of the spokes. She felt her heart racing in her throat as she tried to make sense of what happened in the last ten minuets. She looked down at the bleeding hole in her foreleg and winced as the pain made itself noticed again. She didn't want to move but, if she didn't she knew she'd bleed to death. After a few minuets she stumbled to her hooves and limped her way to the bathroom. Looking around she pulled out a small towel, remembering a few medical techniques, she tore it Into small ribbons where she then dressed the wound. Once tight she made a small sling for herself so her leg wouldn't flail around. Satisfied she quickly stepped out of the bathroom and went directly for the front door. "Twilight is not gonna believe me..." she whispered, A crack echoed through the hall, prompting dash to pick up her pace. Looking back she unknowingly bumped into something. Stepping back she saw a large blood red colored horse. She knew it was big Mac because the bright green cutie mark that sat squarely on his flanks. Raising a huge hoof over his head he slammed it down across dash's face hurling the pegasus into a nearby wall. Her vision blurring as she tried to crawl away. In her haze filled confusion she saw mac take a step closer as a smaller older green figure stood behind him. "G...Granny... He...Help..." Dash mumbled reaching out to granny smith, who just gave her a dark snarl as mac lifted dash by the neck and slammed her against the wall again. A hoof impacted her face making a stream of blood flow from her snout. Dash tried to free herself from macs grip but was weak in comparison to the work horse. Lifting dash off the wall he threw her across the hallway sending her sliding across the oak floor back to where Aj stood silently over her. Dash couldn't see anything but an orange outline of a hoof coming straight for her head. Rolling over dash was back on her hooves still unable to see properly she made a crazed run for the door also trying to flap her wings . As she made the eternal gallop out of the hallway she felt her flapping wings begin to knock into things but, she didn't care her mind was on one thing only, Freedom. Dash made her escape glancing behind to see the apple family close behind nipping at her tail. Looking for ward she saw the door ever close quickly she leaped into the air taking flight as she got to the porch. As she swooped out from under the porch awning she was caught off gaurd as Scootaloo and AppleBloom fell from the roof on top of her. Quickly spiraling in a hope to shake them she rose in altitude be for dropping straight downward. The wind blew past the trio as they picked up speed and became like a bullet. Curving at an angle she barely kept from splattering into the dirt ground. Flying as straight as she could, dash decided to try and fly through the apple orchard hoping to knock off the two fillies holding onto her wings. One of the fillies loosened it grip just before she felt a sharp pain in her leg. Looking back she saw a chunk of flesh hanging out of scootaloo's mouth, blood dripping away as the wind blew past. Spiraling again through some the tree leaves felt the branches scratch across her hid leaving streaks of red and pain in their wake. Chancing another look she saw that AppleBloom and Scootaloo were still holding onto her. Going into a nosedive she tried to use gravity to her aid but caused AppleBloom to be sent closer to her neck. Trying to snap at her and take a chunk of neck dash pulled her head away while trying to fly straight but didn't notice a nearby tree till she impacted into it face first. In a whiplash her body was sent into a wave sending the two fillies into the air away from her. Sliding to the ground her body fell limply into the dirt sending a small puff of dust into the air. She breathed heavily exhausted after the ordeal she wanted to just lay there but she didn't want to be alone. After a few seconds the pain slowly numbed away as she sluggishly rolled over to her side struggling to breathe. Her vision was a flurry of confusing colors. Gasping for air an occasional wheeze or cough would escape. Her stomach sent a message onto the ground In front of her as she tried to get up. Her body unwilling to comply simply toppled over onto her side. Wiping the tears and saliva from her face she tried once more to get up, using all her strength the stood on her hind legs. Falling back to the ground she gave up slowly scooting back to lean against a nearby tree. Her vision slowly returning she looked around for the far flung fillies. Twisting quickly to a rustle in a bush she scanned what she could see. Shadows silently danced around her mocking her inability to move away from what she could not see. Trying a third attempt she crawled to all four hooves, her legs shaking weakly as they tried to stabilize themselves. Another sound was herd Instinctively making her twist around to it's source ,tensed unsure of what it was she watched everything The grass,The trees, The bushes as they moved silently in the wind. Locating the source of the rustling she looked for something to defend herself with. Finding a stick she estimated it was about a quarter her size in length and weighed between a good 3-4 pounds. Raising on her hind legs she swung it with her free leg a bit to get a feel for it. Feeling comfortable with it she inched closer to the restless bush, Tensed ready to attack if the moment called for it, her mind a race of questions and thoughts that needed answers. Quietly she stared at the bush, reaching the stick out she moved a few leaves revealing a screaming white unicorn filly. The unicorn impacted into dash reeling her backwards into the ground. The filly quickly raised a pair of scissors into the air, quickly bringing them down aiming for dash's forehead. Immediately blocking the attack dash strained against the attack as the filly used her horn to add strength to the attack. The filly pushed the scissors closer to a spot just above dash's left eye. Dash felt her body weakening as time drove on, slowly the tip of the scissors made contact they dragged from the flat of her eye brow to the base of her chin. Dash cried out in agony as she pushed back. The cut started to produce globules of her thick red blood. Slowly It dripped carelessly down the side of her head and seeped into her eye causing her to be blinded more as pain surged through her socket. "GET....OFF....ME!!!" dash hollered using her injured arm she pushed with the last bit of strength she could muster and sent the filly flying backwards. Silently she laid as her body cooled down. She tried to move again her injured arm unwilling to comply, it laid limply to her side. Sending an exhausted scan, she found where the white unicorn filly laid. She pushed herself a little more raising up off the ground her body screaming at each movement. "Heh...Guess I found sweetiebelle" dash said panting as she crawled slowly to the unconscious body. Looking down at the unicorn she felt a bit of anger seep into her mind, pushing it away she turned to a nearby brush. Inhaling deeply she forced her wings to lift her into the air. She began to try and float to safety, she looked back at the unconscious unicorn and frowned.