The mint green mare galloped down the market, straight to the canned goods section. She levitated as many cans of tomato soup as she could, and stuffed as many into her saddle bags as possible. She galloped to the counter and threw down some bits to pay for the many cans of soup.
The mare behind the counter gave Lyra a suspicious look that made Lyra uncomfortable.
"It's not what you think!" she blurted out. She didn't want to be avoided, or shoved into a hospital, or into a chamber, or thrown into the Everfree Forest, or worse! "My... friend," she needed an excuse, fast, "Her dog was... sprayed by a skunk! Yes, that's it." She gave an awkward smile, and the salespony narrowed her eyes at her, but took the bits anyways.
Lyra galloped as fast as she could, all the way home, and slammed the door behind her. In the safety of her own home, she opened a can, and drank it's contents, red soup dripping from the sides of her mouth and down her chest, sticking to her fur. She wiped her face with her hoof and put down her saddlebags by the door. She would stash them in her room later. Bonbon was at work, so she wouldn't be home for another hour or so. Lyra had plenty of time to gorge herself on soup before her roommate got home.
She walked into the living room, and slumped down on the couch with a book about hands. She read for about five minutes, but couldn't concentrate. How could she; she would be dead in a week, and she knew it! Tears welled in her eyes, and streamed down her face. Her buddy, Amethyst Star, had passed two days ago with the same disease. It must've been her who passed the sickness on.
Lyra slammed the book down on the side table, and stood up. She knew who could help. The unicorn emptied her saddlebags onto her bed, but put back one can of soup for good measure. She had to visit Twilight. Surely she would know how to cure this!
Two minutes later, Lyra stepped onto the library's front lawn. She gingerly tapped on the wooden door. There was a crash and yelp, Twilight must've been studying and was startled by the sudden noise, and a purple alicorn soon arrived at thew door.
Twilight's eyes lit up when she saw Lyra. "Lyra!" she exclaimed. "How good to see you, is everything alright?" she asked.
Lyra hung her head, and levitated up the can of soup so Twilight could see it. Tears started streaming down her face.
"Oh, my Celestia!" Twilight gasped. She put a hoof over her mouth. "Come in. I'm sure we can find a cure." Twilight was 99% sure that there was no cure, and the spread of disease wouldn't stop until everypony in Ponyville was dead, but she wanted to attempt to cheer up her friend.
Twilight started looking through every book she had about equine diseases, but, as she suspected, there was nothing fitting the description of this outbreak.
Lyra stood in a corner, trying not to touch anything. "Nothing?" she squeaked. "Do you know... how this disease kills?"
Twilight shook her head. "Not apart from the fact that all internal organs abruptly stop functioning."
This horrified Lyra, and her eyes grew to the size of saucers. "And... it varies?" She started shivering, and crying again.
"Yes," Twilight looked to her friend. "Between two and five days after the craving come, from what I've observed." Twilight looked down, then to the shelves, to find her book of herbal remedies. Could there be anything in that book?
Twilight skimmed through it, finding nothing and slamming it shut. "I know who can help!" she excitedly yelled. The princess started jumping up and down and singing. "We're going to Zecora's! We're going to Zecora's!"
Lyra wasn't listening to the princess's excited, filly-like squeals. Instead, she was curled up, sobbing. She wasn't listening. She didn't know that they were going to the Everfree Forest. She didn't know that this zebra might help. She didn't know if what she was seeing or hearing was accurate. She didn't know if reality was real. Could this disease play mind tricks? Did it cause hallucinations, or cause somepony to hear things that weren't there? Lyra started sobbing harder.
The princess paused her jumping, and looked at Lyra. She resisted the urge put a hoof on the unicorn to comfort her. She stood up tall. "Lyra?" she said firmly, getting the mare's attention. The minty pony looked up at her, shaking, and tears streaming down her face, waiting for the princess's next words. "We're going to Zecora's."
Twilight used her magic to put Lyra's saddlebags on her back, then her on her own back.
"Spike!" she called. The green and purple dragon appeared from his bed. "We're going to Zecora's, make sure that nothing goes wrong! I don't know how long we'll be gone."
The two ponies ventured into the Everfree Forest, and to Zecora's hut.
Twilight pounded on the door. "Zecora!" she yelled. "We need your help!"
Zecora opened to door just in time to see Lyra opening her can of tomato soup.
"Get away!" Zecora shouted. "Get away, or my life will not stay!" The zebra backed up quickly into her hut. She shut the door in the ponies' faces.
Twilight sighed. "Zecora, we need you help. Do you know anything that could cure it? Anything in any of you books?"
Zecora poked her head out of a window. "No," Zecora stated. "Now, go." Zecora puller her head in and slammed the window.
Twilight shifted her weight. "Well.. Could you help us find a cure?" Twilight asked. She couldn't let anypony else die. What if Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow, or Fluttershy died? Then, the Elements of Harmony wouldn't work, and Equestria would be without it's most trusted defense system.
Twilight hung her head and walked away, but Lyra was not following her. "Come on, Lyra," she groaned.
"Sorry," Lyra said. "That plant looked interesting." Lyra was looking at a vine, it was a deep green color, and had bright pink flower. "It just caught my attention." Lyra pulled off a part of the vine, and put it in her saddlebag.
"We should get going back. Zecora can't help." Twilight felt defeated. There was nothing that she couldn't handle! Nothing, that is, except this.
They had only been gone an hour when they reached the library. Bonbon was sitting on the lawn, tapping her hoof impatiently, a can of tomato soup next to her. When she saw Lyra, she stood up.
Lyra sipped her soup.
"What is THIS!?" Bonbon screamed at Lyra. "I found this and seventeen others on YOUR bed!" Bonbon stamped her hooves, and chucked the can at Lyra, who caught it with her magic.
"I'm sorry," Lyra whispered. "I didn't want to scare you."
Twilight piped up, "Lyra's going to be staying with me for a few day. Maybe.. I can find a cure."
The two other mares looked at her in confusion.
Twilight looked to Lyra. "It's your best shot at survival," she said calmly.
"Okay," Lyra hoarsely whispered.