906375
*Steel let's Miracle finish her goodbye to this dead pony before starting to shove dirt back into the whole, until only a large mound is any evidence that something was dug*

*He then looks over at the mare* "You all right?"

905380
Rumor looked at Subs slightly anoyed. "It... It was just a bad memory. Don't worry about it" She said and turned her head upwards. She hadn't noticed but, remembering that day again had brought tears in her eyes.

Rumors voice shook with audible disdain, and Subs was tempted to back off the matter all together. He understood that the topic would be sensitive, but not this bad. He was surprised but sympathetic to see a tear leaver her eye. He decided the best option was to dump out his emotions and try and provoke a response. "I used to feel so damn bad, like the world was singling me out. Cause my parents died a long time before this happened...I was really young..." His voice struck a solemn tone and his head drifted downward looking at his hooves. "But now, its like I had nothing to lose. I guess that's why I've been able to keep sane." he said.
906653

906397

She turned to Steel, tears building up behind her eyes. "It's just...When he was born, I was one of the first ponies to hold him...I just didn't know Id also be the last..." That was when Miracle truly realized all the sadness and pain she left pent up inside, and began to let it out. She fell to the ground beside the grave, sobbing into her hooves.

908570
*Steel just stared at Miracle weeping on the ground, feeling nothing but empathy for the pony. He lay a wing along her withers, and tried to speak in a comforting tone*

"I know... I know what it's like to... to bury somepony you love." *He sat down on his haunches beside her, his wing starting to rub her withers, recalling painful memories of his mother and sister*

909711

Miracle's crying softened a bit as she looked up at him with tear stained eyes. "You d-do?" she sniffled.

914396
*Steel nodded solemnly* "I do. Back in Stalliongrad, when the outbreak first got there, my mother, sister, and I were one of the few to make it past a week. But, eventually, we couldn't last forever. We needed to scavenge for food, and one time, a trotter ambushed my mother and took a part of her neck into its mouth. My sister managed to fight off the trotter and bash its brains in, but it was too late for my mother. She turned right in front of our eyes. I couldn't move, and neither could my sister... and that made it easy for my mother to get my sister too. I found a brick nearby and was forced to... t-to smash it over my mother's head. I didn't want to do it, but I didn't want to become... one of them. I had to do the same with my sister, before she managed to turn."

*Steel closes his eyes, reliving the all-too painful memories again* "I brought their bodies to the yard in front of the house where we lived, a-and I buried them there. So yeah, I do know..."

915044

Miracle stopped sniveling for a moment as she listened to Steel's horrific story about his family's death. Im sorry to hear about that..." she said after he finished.

915363
"Don't be. I've learned to live with it, for the most part. And believe me when I say that there've been moments where I wanted to just give up and break down, regardless of what would happen to me or those around me... but, I knew I couldn't. For the sake of my sanity and to keep on living for my mother and my sister, I just... pushed on through it. Now, I'm just trying to find my dad. He was in Celestia's guard before the outbreak, and I'm not gonna stop looking until I find him."

Whether he's alive... or dead... *Steel thought ominously*

915381
"Then I guess we have a common goal." Miracle replied. "I was visiting Los Pegasis with some friends when the outbreak began. I managed to get back to Ponyville before they quarantined the city, but I was too late. The city got overrun. Everypony I knew or loved was either dead or missing. Yesterday when I found you guys, I killed my neighbor and a colt that used to bully my brother."

915647
"Well, whatever you're looking for... I hope you find it."

915657

"Same to you, Steel." Miracle meakly smiled, hugging him lightly.

915740
*Steel briefly returns the hug with a wing* "Let's get back to the others."

((post motherbucker!))
906653

915744

"Ok." Miracle said as she got up. After getting up she took one last look at her brother's grave. "Goodbye, little brother.. " she whispered one last time. One final tear fell from her eye before she hovered away to join the group.

908393
Rumor looked at Subs and dried the tear. "I-I see so you have had bad times too. It must've been really hard" She said and sniffed. "My parents are, or at least they were alive when I left but, I haven't seen them in two years." She said and let out joyles laugh. "It feels so absurd when I think that day. It was normal day that ended abnormaly and caused me to leave canterlot." She said and sighed.
((Sorry for not answering sooner. I've been busy with school.))

Subs listened as Rumor's voice dropped to almost a whispering volume. Whatever had happened still brought her shame and depression. Subs had done his best to forget everything about his fateful night in Manehattan, but was never any use. The alcohol and the drugs only made him feel worse about himself. Stricken by sudden grief, Subs hung his head. "What happened." he said in a deep, monochromatic voice.
916990

918434
"What happened." Rumor said and looked up "Well, I used to be research assistant." She said but, stopped. "No, that's not good way to start." She whispered and sighed. "If you really want to know I used to be a stallion but, then some moron went and decided to do a prank. The prank ended going wrong and well..." She said and pointed herself. "...This happened."

920534

( 0________o. Owch)

Subs, coming from a broken home and a beaten life, expected Rumor to say something about her family dying or perhaps that she was cast out of her social circle by her family and friends. Maybe she was a mistake like he was. But instead, she told him how a distasteful prank ending in her- make that him- being turned into a mare. Subs resisted laughter at the absurdity of the statement, regulating his need to mock her with the sheer realism that she was in a living hell. That, across the borders of reasoning, he could understand. "Shit, that's rough." he said, his ears drooping. "Is there any way to reverse it?" he asked.
920534

920534

Miracle walked back with Steel just in time to hear Rumor's story. "Is...that true?" she asked, surprised.

Rumor looked at subs before smiling sadly. "No. At least I haven't found any cure but, it really doesn't matter anymore." She said and shook her head. "I'm already comfortable with my body so now I just want to get to canterlot and see if I can help." She continued and smiled. 'Ahh, it's been long two years. I hope ma and pa are still alive.' Rumor thought to herself. Suddenly she heard voice behind her asking."Is...that true?" Rumor turned around and came face to face with Miracle. "Yeah... *sigh* Yeah it's true. I used to be stallion." Rumor said to Miracle.
925527>>925623

925527>>925623>>925689>>905256>>905172
*Steel listens intently as Rumor explains her story. Afterwards:*

"Well, If we're all acquainted, I suggest we all start making our way towards Canterlot. The day isn't getting any younger, and I don't feel like traveling at night. If we move fast, we can get there in about six hours, maybe seven."

*Steel flexes and stretches his wings involuntarily* "Everypony read? Then Let's go."

Subs bucked his head sideways in response to Steel's affirmation. He was eager to get on his hooves and ditch ponyville- even if it meant walking through everfree. It was getting dark outside- so they'd need to cover some land before they got any rest. Luckily Everfee was stocked with easily climbed trees that they could stay in- and trotters tended to stay out of the woods anyway. Even in their absent minded shuffling, they knew that towns and villages were stocked with survivors. Subs had always wondered what else they knew if they could acknowledge that much. "Aight, let's move it den." he replied. Following Steel through the crimson cobblestone street, Subs looked over his shoulder at Rumor. He'd need to get to know her better later- her story was unbelievable. If it hadn't been for the amount of emotion she exerted, he would have called it as a bluff.
925689>>925623>>925733

925623>>925733>>926082
"Yeah, sure let's go." Rumor said and looked back towards the Ponyville before sighing and turning back forward.

925733"Ok, let's go". Miracle said as she grabbed her saddle bag and followed

927481>>926269>>926082>>925733

(I'm a zombie back from the dead, here I come!)

Are you sure it's going to be alright?

"Yes."

...Piss. Listen, if you feel funny-

"I know what to do, Gray. I'll be fine. Let's just hurry up and get with the group."

Right. Gray Shark guided Black Arc back towards the group with caution. Everyone, hear me out. Black Arc has sustained a scratch to his left arm. We can't tell what it will do...so just be aware of this. If something were to happen...

"Don't hesitate to kill me," Black Arc finished abruptly.

Gray Shark put his golden hoof to his head and sighed. Yes. We can't afford to lose anyone else at this point... Gray Shark remembered his small group he had been with not so long ago and shook his head as four out of the six were now gone. The fifth was soon to be determined.

((We havin a little writers block here? I've been a little busy and uninspired lately so that's my excuse. We're gonna investigate Zecora's house here, so whoever wants to post finding the hut you're up.))

938178

"Ok then. Thanks for the update." Miracle said, shifting her gaze back to the road ahead. "I just hope what happened to Kendall won't happen to him." she thought to herself.

941717>>941328>>938178>>926269
Noon-Partially cloudy-Cold-Fall

*After about an hour of venturing through the dark woods, the group finds themselves deep within the Everfree Forest. To all sides, there are thick, dark, moss-covered trees that keep the light of the sun away. There are occasional growls and groans of unknown origins. Steel, leading the group, breaks through some foliage and happens upon a small clearing. And on the far side of that clearing is a tree with a rather, odd-looking base, almost as if it were a house. Steel raises his eyebrow at the sight, then turns back to the rest of the group*

"Any of you know what that is?"

942266

Miracle stepped forward. "Well, there used to be a zebra that made herbal remedies that lived in here. That must've been her house."

944905>>942266

Gray Shark acknowledged the newly found structure and tapped Black Arc on the shoulder to stay alert. I don't know about you all, but I don't think 'used to' is good enough. For all we know, that place could be infested.

He stared at the house for a few seconds before shaking his head. However...herbal remedies do sound nice. Maybe the owner is still alive and maybe not. Only one way to find out...

942266>>944905>>948293

Rumor looked at the building with squinted eyes. "I think we should see if there is someone but, I wouldn't go throught that clearing." She said and looked the edges of the clearing suspiciously. She yawned slightly and shook her head. "I don't know if it is because of sleep deprivation but, I get bad feeling of that clearing. It just feels wrong somehow." She said and yawned again.

Subs was surprised to see the newly found structure likely most out of all of them, because he once knew the owner of the structure. During his commute from Manehattan to ponyville, Subs had the living shit scared out of him by the illusion of a giant dragon chasing him through Everfree. What started as a harmless joke from Zecora, quickly turned sour when Subs twisted his ankle running away. For the subsequent two weeks Subs stayed in Zecora's hut drinking home made tea and eating warm herbal soups. To repay him for the damage she cause, Zecora showed Subs how to generate apartitons like the dragon, making great stage appearence. The memories flooding his mind, Subs rushed through the clearing towards Zecora's hut- oblivious to any danger in the sky above. She had to be alive- she had to be. "Zecora! It's me Subs! Are you in there?" he called broadcasting his location to the undead pegasai above.

952670
>> Steel Wing
>> SnowyAssassin
>> SpeederClaw

957765

Miracle quickly pulled him back, covering his mouth with her hoof. "What are you doing? You're gonna alert the..." she started in a hushed voice before a moan from above dragged her attention to the sky, where a squadron of undead pegasi were clumsily flying at them at full speed. "...FLYERS!!!!"

959990>>957765>>952670>>948293
"Subs! You idiot! Shut up!"

*Grinding his teeth, Steel glances up and spots the squadron of flyers heading towards the group, and his blood turns cold* "Shit!" *The pegasus immediately flares his wings and brings his blades out from under them, then takes off into the air at pulse-pounding speed, intent on taking out the flyers before they can reach the ponies below*

*Wings outstretched to their fullest, Steel furrows his brow as the lead flyer flies straight at him, snarling and growling like some kind of timberwolf. At the last second, Steel glances to the side, sending the flyer to slice itself in half through his right wing-blade, headfirst. It drops onto the ground below, splattering into oblivion. As the rest of the flyer flock descend upon him, Steel navigates left and right, banking to cleave their heads off and rendering them unable to attack anything else. He is able to dispatch of about a dozen of them, thus eliminating the threat. For now. He descends back to the ground and promptly smacks Subs upside the head*

"Why are you always so fucking loud?"

957765>>959990>>960747

Rumor watched how Steel took out all of the flyers. She groaned slightly before walking towards Subs. She saw how Steel smacked subs and said something to him. Finally she got next to Subs. Rumor walked in front of him put her right hoof on his shoulder looked straight at subs eyes and smiled. "Subs, If you ever do something like that again I Will shoot you on your flank and then feed you to trotters." She said in calm but, serious tone that left no space to arguments.

Subs pulled Miracle's hoof off of his mouth with angst. The hell was that for? "Ey holmes! You ain't gotta shush me up like dat! I know da Zebra dat lives in-" Subs' speech was immanently cut off by the loud and plainly vocalized note of flyers in the area. Rumor turned him over, resting a hoof on his shoulder and issued a verbal threat- the serious tone she carried made him certain she wasn't kidding. With a nervous gulp he swallowed her ultimatum and brought his attention back towards the amassing crowd of flyers. Single beams would be awful for this kind of combat. A bass blast would do fine, but he din't quite have the stamina to carry one out. Worried, he kicked out his remaining leg blade and braced for any impact.
952670>>960747>>959990

967805 ((Uh, dude? Steel took out the flyers already...))

967956>>967805>>963287>>959990

((I shall fix this))

Gray Shark had no time to react for the attack had already died down as fast as it came. He paused and shrugged. Well then...I guess that's it. Just glad I didn't have to bloody my attire this time.

Gray Shark raised an eyebrow at Subs' flailing and rushed over to calm the agitated stallion down. Wow, take it easy. You must be seeing things...everything's all right now.

((Ugh sorry. Haven't been myself lately and RPing is just not my game for some reason since.))
967956

The scene now clear of any potential threats, Subs advanced more cautiously towards the ramshackle hut of his zebra friend from long ago. The clearing was coarse with leaves, no sign of any hoof fall in many nights. Subs swallowed deeply, pushing the thought of Zecora's body out of his mind. But there was more as he drew closer- the window of the hut was broken. No light could be seen inside, though it still was reasonably light outside. Inching towards the door, Subs listened closely for any movement of voices. By now he'd subconsciously accepted that Zecora was dead or not present. If she were, she would have come to help them with the flyers, especially after hearing Subs. With a gentle push of his hoof, Subs cracked open the front door of the homely cottage, the sound echoing throughout the apparently empty room. There had been vandals and looters, no doubt. The door was unlocked, items were strewn about, things were smashed and multiple fire locations could be seen judging by the scorch marks on the floor. There was no sign of Zecora. However there was a large cast-iron cauldron in the center of the room, a place where Zecora cooked up her many magical concoctions. "Ey yo Zecora, you in here? It's me Subs..." Subs stepped forwards, his hoof landing on a piece of rope. The connection caused a rattle in the ceiling, and Subs looked up in curious means. However a gruesome image forced his head back down, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints. He broke a cold sweat, unaware of the others' entrance to the hut behind him. He breathed spasmodically with his teeth clenched and his body shaking. What in the name of Celestia had he just seen?

991324"Subs? Are you alright?" Miracle asked, noticing that the stallion had entered a thousand yard stare.

991973>>991324>>971121>>963287
*Steel follows after Subs and Miracle into the old hut, but stops once he sees Subs' frightened expression*

"Dude, what's wrong?"

The voices of his companions echoed in Subs head. His conscience was not whole- it had been temporarily fractured by the emotionally crippling image. However his trained ears picked up enough of their statements to establish to Subs what they wanted- they wanted to see what he was so frightened about. Sweat rolling down his face, Subs brought a quivering hoof pointing upwards towards the ceiling, where Zecora's corpse had found refuge in a ceremonial sort of hanging. Her two front legs were spread, but the back two had been bound together. Her teeth had either been pulled out or simply fallen out from decay- Subs wouldn't be sure which. A design carved in her stomach brought light unto the cause of her death- likely some traditional practice from her homeland for the apocalypse or the equivilant thereof. Her eyes were open, but jet black. He couldn't confirm their actual presence. Her hooves were torn, cuts ranged all over her body, and her toothless mouth stood agape- open in mute protest. Subs did not look up a second time himself, but his direction brought it to the attention of the others no doubt. "D-d-dat up dere..."

998059>>991973>>971121>>963287 ((Dude, seriously, reply button. USE IT, BITCH .))
*Steel directs his vision towards the ceiling, wondering what could have petrified Subs so, until he found out himself. Steel's pupils shrank to pinpricks, and he nearly threw up in his mouth. He turns and stumbled further into the ruinous hut, grinding his teeth and swallowing whatever almost flew out of his mouth. His stomach felt loose*

"Sweet... G-Goddesses...! W-what the hell was wrong with that zebra?!"

998059

Miracle had seen some sickening sights before, but something about that corpse inside the hut just made her sick. Less than a moment after looking at it, she fell to her knees and began vomiting into a nearby overturned jar.

Rumor watched as Steel stumbles out of the hut looking little sick. "Oh great that zebra is dead isn't she". She thought and started to walk towards the hut. As she finally gets inside she sees miracle emptying her stomach in jar. subs was frozen and looking something. Rumor turned her head so that she could see what subs was looking. What she saw made her stop. Rumor had seen many things in last two years but this took the cake. She turned her head away from the body and looked Subs. Rumor opened her mouth to say something but, closed it whitout saying anything. All she could do was put her hoof on Subs shoulder before walking out.
998059>>998145>>999246

1000953>>999246>>998145>>998059

I see. So this is what became of the owner. Gray Shark kept his distance from the mutilated corpse, but inspected the body with unease. He noticed everyone, especially Subs', sickened expressions and dipped his head in sorrow.

"What happened to her?" Black Arc asked looking away. "Did she do that to herself or..."

Gray Shark waved his golden hoof to stop Black Arc's question and called out to Subs. I'd suggest refraining from staring at this horrible scene. It's going to cause you to go mad and that's the last thing we need. Gray Shark almost choked on his last words as the stench, visual and atmosphere finally got to him.

998059>>999246>>1000953>>1003437
*Steel, after taking a moment to recompose himself and get the horrid stench out of his nostrils, steels his nerves and turns back to the group, who he notice to have similar reactions to himself, mainly Miracle vomiting into a jar*

"All right... we know for sure th-that nopony is living here anymore. You'd have be absolutely mad to want to stay here with that—" *Steel points to the zebra's corpse hanging on the ceiling* "—up there. I vote we continue on towards Canterlot and leave this Celestia-forsaken hut undisturbed further; we're losing daylight. Anypony have any objections?"