//------------------------------//
// Before the Plauge part 1 
// Story: The Trotting Dead 
// by SongBirdtheAlicorn 
//------------------------------//



        Songbird groaned groggily as the sound of her alarm clock echoed throughout her bedroom. She rolled over, slamming her hoof onto the top of the electronic device, bruising her hoof in the process. She yelped in pain, causing her to jump up, resulting in a magic charge from her slightly curved horn, which resulted in teliporting above the floor and falling on her abdomen. "Ughhh...." The young mare groaned once more as she pulled herself up from the white carpet floor. Songbird picked up her glasses with her aura, placing them on the bridge of snout so she could see. As almost as fast lightning, a brown coated stallion bursted into her room, as SongBird yelped once more. "Ever hear of a mare's privacy, Doc?!" She yelled, backing up a bit. 
"Sorry, SB, I just 'eard crashing from your room, and came to check on ya." The stallion, Doctor Whooves replied with a slight blush of embarrassment.

Doctor Whooves, or as referred to as "The Doctor" by request, was SongBird's best and only friend that lived in an apartment right next to her. Because of SongBird's job as a Song Album Artist, her hours were almost 24/7 from thinking up cover ideas so she could not spend much time with the stallion she cared for the most. 
Songbird sighed, "It's alright. I could never stay mad at you." She smiled softly. The Doctor smiled back gently.
"Thanks." He spoke, then turned to the clock. "HOLY-! I was supposed to meet Ditzy at the Cafe five minutes ago!" He yelled, rushing out. "I-I'll see you later today, SongBird!" 
"'Kay..." She sighed once more, grabbing her light purple saddle bag with a red heart and microphone clip, and heading out to the building were she worked. Once she arrived, she was confronted by the band she worked for, Unity Stars. The band manager approached, shoving a pink piece of paper into the mare's face.

"What's this?" SongBird asked.
"A pink slip. Your fired." The band leader, Autumn Snow replied bluntly. Autumn Snow was a pegasus mare about SongBird's age, with a peach colored coat, and light blue, short, curly hair.
"W-WHAT?! WHY?!" SongBird exclaimed.
"Your art is beginning to lack in the extreme thrill we need for our new album cover. You just ar'nt as good as you used to be..." The drum player, Floral Thorn informed, an earth pony mare with a vibrant, grey coat and a spike-like mane flattened against her forehead.
"B-but, I can do what ever you ask for-!" Songbird started, until the guitarist, Ivory Lily, a unicorn mare with a light blue coat, and a long, strait vibrant green mane and tail butted in.
"It's too late for you, SB. Sorry..." She spoke.
"But!.......I-I understand..." The young mare sighed, sadly exiting the building. She cursed at herself, anger bubbling up inside of her gut that she just wanted to scream at herself, but remained quiet trotting to her apartment home. Once inside her bedroom, she flopped on her bed, and stared at the ceiling, tears threatening to penetrate her eyes. "What am I going to do now...?" She muttered.