//------------------------------// // Darkness Rising // Story: Call of Cutie: Zombie Ponies // by Argumedies //------------------------------// Call of Cutie - Zombie Ponies Darkness Rising "Get up Spike!" Rarity shouted as she dropped him off her back. "Um ah.. Huh," he replied as he awoke abruptly with a thud, catching himself before he rolled down the hill at the edge of the pond. The stars shown bright behind the darkened eclipse of the moon, and Rarity pulled her silk scarf tighter around her neck as the damp chill of the night air slowly crept across the ground. "Honestly Spike, I came up here to watch the meteor shower with you tonight because you asked so nicely and all you did was fall asleep on me." Spike gazed up at her with bleary eyes, "I'm sorry Rarity," he said as he yawned and stretched across the ground. "But I had found this really neat book that I've been reading lately and it's been keeping me up late and..." "It's not another one of those vampire pony stories again?" she interrupted. "Oh no, that was last week. This new book is about..." "No more excuses," she said pausing him in mid excitement. "Princess Luna went all out and brought about this eclipse in order for everyone to watch the meteor shower, but they're all gone now, and you slept through most of it." "I'm sorry Rarity, but at least I can do is walk you home." Spike stood up and brushed off the dirt when a light started to shine above them. Then a rush of hot air whizzed by them way up in the sky, and they watched the flames of the meteor come hurdling towards the outskirts of Ponyville. As the meteor crashed upon the ground and exploded at the edge of town, it sent hot ash and burning debris everywhere. Spike saw the blast wave coming towards them "Get Down!" he yelled and he instinctively jumped on top of Rarity pushing her into the pond. It was everything his little body could do to hold her under the water until it passed but being a dragon he felt he could withstand the heat far better than she could. Moments later he let her up, and she gasped for air, kicking and screaming at him "How dare you push a lady into the water!" As he helped her up out of the pond, she shook all the water out of her mane. "Don't you dare ever do that..." she paused.” ...To me," ...again." But her words fell short as she witnessed the destruction all around them. She gasped in fright as she saw that Ponyville had been all but flattened by the meteor's impact, homes were on fire, and anything that was in the impact area was obliterated leaving a huge scar across the land. "I'll remember that," he replied smugly as he wiped off the muddy ash from his body. “That fire was intense,” he continued as he rubbed a spot on his back when he felt the twinge of some burns on his scales. "Oh I hope my store is alright!" Rarity cried as she took off at a dead run towards her home leaving Spike standing in the water by himself. "You're Welcome!" he shouted out to deafened ears. Spike made his way down empty streets when he came upon Rarity's shop. As with everything else in Ponyville he noted, the place had been covered in a thick layer of ash and aside from a few broken windows, the place seemed to be intact. "It must have been far enough away from the impact," he pondered as he walked in the front door and tried to flip on the light switch. "Hmm? Power must be out. Not surprising really, they should have that fixed before too long. Rarity," he called to her, his voice barely above a whisper, but no answer came. "This was getting spooky," he thought. "I figured that everyone would run away from the meteor, but I haven't seen anypony around. Where did they all go? Rarity," he called again only slightly louder than before, and then jumped when an unexpected clanging sound that came from upstairs. Spike felt the queasiness welling up in his stomach "Come on Spike you can do this," he said to himself as he mustered up the courage to climb the stairs. About half-way up, he heard a scream that came from Rarity's bedroom, and he raced up to the top but stopped at the doorway and quietly peered inside. Her bedroom was pitch black and quiet, even with his dragon eyes he could barely make shapes out of the darkness when he saw a dim light and the sounds of weeping emanating from inside the closet. Spike entered the room and tiptoed over to the closet "Rarity?" he whispered as he reached a shaking paw out for the closet door. Spike screamed and shot back in fright as the closet doors suddenly flew open and someone ran past him. "All my clothes are ruined!" Rarity shouted and cried hysterically as she ran out of the closet and over to her bed dropping the small lantern on the floor. Spike relieved, wiped the sweat off his brow and walked over to the bed where she lay there bawling her eyes out. "Um, Rarity; I know this isn't the time but don't you think we should check on the others?" "What do you mean this isn't the time!" she sobbed, "Everything I've worked so hard on is ruined, covered in ashes!" "I know Rarity, but don't you find it strange that we're all alone. I'm worried about Twilight and the others, and I think we should head to the library to see if she's okay." Spike walked over and picked up the lantern when he heard another clank and an eerie growl, only this time, it came from downstairs. "Um, Rarity;” he said again pausing in his footsteps. “I don't think we're alone anymore." "Of course not!" she sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. Rarity climbed off the bed and headed for the door "See; you were worried for nothing. Everypony is just now getting around to... EEEKK!!" she screamed as she saw something at the door. But relief came over her as her cat Opal walked into the room. "See its just Opalescence," she said and starting walking over to the cat but the cat hissed a low and fierce growl at her. "Opal,” she questioned, stopping in her tracks. “Is there something wrong with you darling?" she said as Spike brought the lantern forward to get a better look and then gasped in fright as they saw Opal's face. She was covered in ash and dirt; her fur was falling out, and her deep haunting eyes were dull, pale, colorless openings that glowed in the darkness, and she had an aggression in her voice that gurgled up from inside as the cat launched itself strait at them. Rarity screamed but dodged the cats attack. "We need to get out of here Rarity!" Spike shouted. "Twilight should know what to do." Smoke filled the air as they ran from the boutique, and Spike could hear strange sounds that seem to be emanating from all across Ponyville. “I’m not sure of what's going on, but this is giving me the willies. I sure hope Twilight is okay." “I’m sure she’s fine Spike.” Rarity smiled trying to hide the now worried expression on her face. “But let’s hurry just to make sure.” As they finally reached the front door of the library, the place seemed to be as dark and quiet as the Rarity's boutique. The same thing happened here; all the doors and windows were shattered, and the place covered in ash. "Twilight; Are... Are you in there?" Spike stuttered nervously peeking through the door. "Oh go on Spike, you're getting yourself all worked up over nothing," she said half laughing as she pushed him through the door first. Spike could tell that she was getting just as nervous as he was, but he knew he had to buck up and be brave "gulp!" for Rarity's sake. Spike was shaking in his scales as they made their way into the darkness. Then it came, first a cracking sound, then another. "Twilight," he called as he saw movement in the next room. His dragon heart skipped a beat when a pony shape appeared at the door but was thankful to see that it was Twilight. "Boy am I glad to see you. You gotta come quick. This meteor crashed, and parts of Ponyville are on fire and..." he paused when he realized that Twilight didn't answer and Spike stood in awe as he brought the lantern close to Twilight's face. Rarity screamed, horrified by what has happened to her. Twilight was covered in ash. Her fur was burnt and half of her mane, and tail was gone. And that sparkle in her eyes had vanished, replaced by those same blank hollowed eyes that Opal had. Twilight let out a long horrendous scream that filled the air with a sound that no pony has ever made then she charged right at them. Spike dropped the lantern and dove under the desk as Twilight's attack missed him by a hair. Twilight then turned and focused her rage on Rarity. Rarity backed up and dodged another run. "Ah Darling... Can't we be a bit more civil about this?" she said hesitantly trying desperately to keep her composure. She paced Twilight in a circle keeping her distance "I...I don't want to fight you Twilight. You're my friend and... EEK!" She squealed and jumped out of the way of that last maneuver which sent Twilight running out the front door. Then Rarity quickly closed and locked the door then putting her back against it holding it in place. Twilight let out another scream and stood ground outside the front of the door. Spike grabbed a hammer and started nailing boards over the windows. "Spike, I think we need to get out of here!" Rarity shouted. Spike and Rarity cringed as the sounds of similar screams could be heard emanating from outside and when they looked, they could see ponies... Everywhere! Spike put his back to the wall "Um; I think it's safer in here." "What's happened to them? Spike; what’s going on?" Rarity shouted desperately trying to hold the door in place with her trembling body. "I... I don't know. It's as if they've all been Zombiefied! I bet it had to be something about that meteor!" "Zombie Ponies! That's not possible! Zombie ponies don't exist!" she screamed as one of the boards cracked and fell to the floor.' "Tell that to them!" he said as they turned and backed against the rear wall of the room and watched as the Zombie Ponies started ripping the boards on the windows from their place. "EEP! I think you should have built that wall a little better!" she shouted. "Darn it Rarity, I'm a dragon, not a carpenter!" he scolded. "I know... Can you teleport?" "I... I don't know. Twilight taught me the spell, but I wasn't very good at it. Besides, I'm afraid to use it. What if I get stuck in there!" she trailed off as the final board was removed. "I don't think we have any choice," he said as he climbed onto her back." Concentrate! I'm right here with you." She drew in a breath and concentrated as a light started to shine from her unicorn horn. Twilight poked her head through the now open window and screamed again as she and the other zombie ponies started coming through the windows. "Hurry Rarity!... come on!.. teleport, teleport, TELEPORT!"