//------------------------------// // Introductions // Story: Cursed Book // by Sillyponyme //------------------------------// Rick and the others just stood in silence as they looked around to take in their surroundings the best they could. There were Pegasus in the sky moving clouds around or just destroying them. There were unicorns and ponies on the ground either running around playing, eating what must have been considered food, or possibly working. What was considered work around here anyway? After a few minutes, Rick finally spoke to the group. “Ok, everyone, let’s see if we can find someone or I suppose I should say somepony as a person probably wouldn’t understand us.” With the shock wearing off, Maggie pointed out a small detail. “Rick, you do realize that you, Carl, and Judith all have horns on your head.” Rick looked up and indeed found a horn there. Maggie then pointed at the wings on her back. “Andrea, Carol, Beth, and I all have wings. Then the rest are just normal ponies.” Despite the change in appearance, they could still tell each other apart. Before Rick or anyone could respond, a very pink pony came bouncing over to them and stopped. She gasped and then took off in a flash. “Well that was either odd or really bad.” Maggie wondered if they should start running or not when a purple pony with a horn and wings flew toward them. The purple pony landed near them and stared for a second before a smile appeared on her face. “Hello, I’m Princess Twilight Sparkle and you’re new in town. My friend Pinkie Pie saw your group and just had to tell me about the new ponies. Let’s go to the library and talk shall we?” Twilight asked as she led the group to the library. She really wasn’t asking, she was going to take the group to the library whether they wanted to or not but she didn’t want to be rude about it and just demand that they follow. Once they arrived, Twilight turned around and then noticed Judith on Ricks back. “Oh, that’s such an adorable little foal. I take it you’re the father but who here is the mother?” When Rick turned his head away, Twilight got the hint. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry. So what are your names?” “My name is Rick.” Rick had a tan coat with a black mane and tail. His holster and gun rest on his rump. “This here is Judith.” Judith was red with a brown mane and tail. “Right here is Carl my son and older brother.” Carl had a brown coat with a long brown mane and tail. “I’m Hershel.” Hershel walked up with one missing leg and noticed Twilight flinch a little. “It’s the missing half of my leg?” Twilight nodded. “It happened a long time ago.” Hershel was white with a light grey tail and mane. “These are my daughters Maggie and Beth.” Maggie was brown with a brown mane and tail and Beth was white with a blonde mane and tail. “I’m Carol.” Carol was red with a brown coat and mane. “I’m Glenn.” Glenn was a dark gray with a black tail and mane. “I’m Daryl.” Daryl was tan with a black mane and tail. He carries his crossbow on his back. “I’m Andrea.” Andrea was a light yellow with a blonde mane and tail. All but Judith, Beth, and Hershel have weapons on them. “Hello everypony, and if you would so kindly hoof over those things that you’re carrying.” Twilight said unsure of what the foreign objects were. The group looked between each other except for Rick who nodded and tried to grip his gun but couldn’t seem to. Twilight noticed Ricks' difficulty and took it from him with her magic. “I had my suspicions when I saw you earlier and now when you were introducing yourselves but since you can’t seem to grab these, whatever they are has confirmed it. You and your group are not of our world which if somepony were to tell me that there were other worlds; I would have said they’re crazy. In this case however, the evidence is overwhelming.” Twilight then took the others weapons. “You may have these back as soon as we figure out how to send you back to your world.” All at once the group screamed out the word “NO!” “You don’t wish to go to your world?” Twilight asked confused. “Please, you can’t send us back. We feel safe here despite being here for only a few moments.” Rick tried not to reveal too much. Twilight saw that they didn’t want to speak of their world but she also didn’t trust them. She knew what she had to do. “Here is the deal I’ll make with you. You can tell me everything and be completely honest with me and I’ll let you stay either wise I’m sending you back. Normally I have no problem trusting new ponies but seeing as you’re not from this world, I can’t help but feel anxious around you especially since you came here with those things over there.” Twilight pointed behind her at the pile of weapons. “Ok, we have a deal, just please don’t send us back.” Twilight nodded and waited for Rick to continue. She would ask about the Cutie Marks later. “Look, where we come from, walkers roam the world.” Twilight gave a confused expression. “Zombies, we call them walkers.” Spike then shot up and spoke. “Ha, see I told you Twilight. Zombies exist.” Twilight shot an angry glare at Spike who shrunk back. “Please continue with this story of which I already don’t believe.” Twilight said tapping her hoof on the ground. “I know how ridiculous this sounds; it sounded that way to me as well. I was in a coma and when I woke up, the hospital was a mess. I came to a door that said Dead Inside, Don’t Open. I thought it was for the safety of those alive. I didn’t realize until I made it outside that there wasn’t a person at the hospital alive. Everyone there was dead; bodies lie in body bags, hundreds of bodies. When I made it back home, the streets were deserted and I was mistaken for a walker. It was because of my wound that I had. The two people thought I had been bitten or scratched. I didn’t get it then, I do now. Long story short my group has lost so much, so many people died to the walkers. Our world isn’t our world anymore, it’s another hell. We struggle to survive everyday, we can’t go back.” Rick explained some of his story. “I’m sorry but I can’t believe in these walkers as you call them but at the same time, I believe that you are telling me the truth about your struggles. You’re all a mess including the young foal. Tell me this though, if these walkers as you call them, why didn’t they follow you?” Twilight asked. “It’s because the portal we came through closed and to be honest, we are having a hard time believing this isn’t all a dream. We have never been able to stay in one place for any amount of time without the fear of getting killed. We were scared every second that we lived. If this is a dream, we don’t want to wake up.” Hershel explained for the entire group. “I can see that you truly fear for your lives and so I will let you stay for the time being. If you can prove yourselves to be helpful and you don’t harm anyone, I suppose you can stay permanently.” The group let out a sigh of relief. “Pinkie, would you be so kind as to lead them to the nearest hotel.” Pinkie nodded and ran to the door. “I will keep these things here in my library as you will have no need for them here.” Glenn and Andrea were about to argue but Rick shook his head. “Like Hershels’ farm, this isn’t our decision. We want to stay here and we won’t do a thing to jeopardize that. We need this chance and I won’t let anyone ruin this for us, like Shane did. We will be civilized and do as she says.” The group nodded but only because they felt safe here. The group then followed the hyper pink pony.