Chapter Eleven: Aftermath
Day Ninety Five
Infected: 2.576 Billion
Dead: 1.592 Billion
Sweetie Belle stepped out of bed and made her way down the hall. She found Twilight and Fluttershy enjoying their apple oatmeal, like they had been every morning for the past ten days. Well, perhaps Fluttershy was enjoying it, but Twilight was too busy reading through a nearby book to probably even know what she was eating.
“Can I have some?” asked Sweetie Belle.
Fluttershy, and even the impossible to distract Twilight, looked to her. Shock was obviously apparent in their expressions.
Fluttershy stood and went over to the stove. “Uh, sure. Just let me boil some more water. I didn’t really think you’d want any.”
Sweetie Belle nodded. “Okay, thank you.”
The filly then made her way over to Twilight and took a seat. She looked up at her with a halfhearted smile. She only smiled because it was obvious just how hard she’d been working to bring Spike back, judging by her unkempt mane and tired bloodshot eyes. She admired her for trying so hard.
“Good morning.”
Twilight, who was still in a state of shock, began to reply, but her voice cracked from a lack of speaking. She cleared her throat. “Good morning.”
Sweetie Belle looked to her book. “What’s that?”
Twilight was a little happy that someone had finally posed the question, for the last time Fluttershy had attempted this, she had a look of utter confusion. This was probably due to all the technical details she deemed important enough to mention.
“It’s about an ancient device in Canterlot.” She gestured to the picture of a large stone cylinder with a golden ring around it, upon which there was writing in ancient Equestrian.
“What does it do?” she asked.
“I’m not sure,” replied Twilight. “I’ve looked through several books, but can only find bits and pieces from the spell used to activate it. What I’m trying to do is decipher what is written on this golden ring here. It’s ancient Equestrian, that’s for sure, but it’s a style I’ve never seen before. So far from what I can tell, it talks about untold energy and power. I just need to fill in the blanks for the spell.”
Sweetie Belle rested a hoof upon Twilight’s book. “You still didn’t answer my question.”
Twilight looked to her. “If used correctly, I might be able to bring Spike back.”
Fluttershy then came back to the table and rested a bowl of steaming oatmeal before Sweetie Belle. “Be careful, it’s hot,” she warned. She then reclaimed her seat and began eating her, now cold, oatmeal.
She smiled to Sweetie Belle. “It’s nice to see you walking around again.”
Sweetie Belle looked to Fluttershy. “Well, it’s about time I did something a bit more productive. Any news?”
Fluttershy’s face went grim at this question. “Sweetie Belle… Things are really bad. There’s no water, no television, and no radio a lot of times. We have no idea what’s going on to be honest. The last estimates said that one billion were dead, but that was a few weeks ago. There could be two billion or more infected.”
Sweetie Belle’s expression mirrored Fluttershy’s.
The Pegasus saw this, and reached across the table to Sweetie Belle’s hoof. She rested hers atop it and looked into her eyes. “Hey, things may be bad, but we shouldn’t be thinking about what’s out there. We should worry about each other, because that’s how we’re going to have to survive; together.”
---------
Fluttershy sat on her sofa, reading a novel. Sweetie Belle saw this and sat down next to her.
“What’s that?” she asked.
Fluttershy closed the book, making sure to mark the page. “Oh, just some Daring Doo book.” She showed her the cover as evidence.
Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened with surprise. “You read Daring Doo?”
Fluttershy giggled. “Oh goodness no, that’s more Dashie’s thing. She just left this the last time she visited.” Fluttershy suddenly got sad at the mention of her best friend. “I really hope she’s okay.”
Sweetie Belle moved closer to her. “I’m sure she’s fine. Rainbow Dash is one of those ponies who can kick some serious ass when it hits the fan.”
Knowing this to be true, Fluttershy smiled. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy both stared at each other in shock. Fluttershy then jumped up and ran to the kitchen to grab a knife. Sweetie Belle on the other hand, was a little more curious and began towards the door.
“Fluttershy, are you home?” asked a familiar voice.
Sweetie Belle suddenly froze. Then once her mind was able to process the situation, she galloped over to the door.
Just as she opened it, she could hear Fluttershy yelling “No”, but it was pointless. She swung open the door and there before her stood Rarity. Her mane was much shorter and disheveled, her coat was dull from dirt, her eyes were blood shot, and next to a small backpack, she carried with her a rather interesting weapon; a sword.
The two mares just stood there, staring at each other. Then, sweetie Belle lunged up at her sister and wrapped her in an incredibly tight embrace. Both, overwhelmed with joy, began to cry.
“Sw-Sweetie Belle?” stuttered Rarity. “What are you doing here?”
Sweetie Belle’s voice cracked. “We, We left Manehatten before things started getting bad. What are you doing here?”
“I had to walk from Canterlot. It was a damn nightmare getting past the checkpoints.”
Sweetie Belle then gestured towards the sofa as she closed the door behind them. “Come, have a seat.”
The two mares sat down as Fluttershy, who is now wearing a mask, enters the room, just after putting her knife away.
“Fluttershy, dear!” she exclaims.
Rarity begins to stand expecting to give her a hug, but Fluttershy raises a hoof. Rarity sits back down fully understanding.
As not to seem rude, Fluttershy says “I really do want to hug you Rarity, but I don’t want to chance it.”
Rarity nods. “I understand, though in time I do expect one.”
Fluttershy giggled. “Of course.”
Twilight, who was wearing a mask as well, stepped out of her room and began to walk over to the group. “Rarity! I thought I heard your voice!”
“Twilight! You’re here too!” Rarity began to look around expectantly. “Well, where is he? Where’s my little Spikey Wikey?”
Everyone’s expressions suddenly shifted dramatically. Before Rarity had an answer, she quickly drew a conclusion.
Rarity’s hooves covered her mouth. “Wha- No… No.” She then looked over to Sweetie Belle, tears were already beginning to form in the filly’s eyes. Rarity wrapped the mare in an embrace and began to cry herself. “Oh Sweetie Belle, I’m so sorry.”
Sweetie Belle began to weep into her sister’s coat.
---------
As night drew near, Fluttershy found herself soaking in the bath. The water that had been pumped and carried in from the well was incredibly cold, but since Spike’s death, she had become used to it. She let her mind wonder and eventually found it on the topic of here and Applejacks discussion. She remembered her saying that she was always welcome, but was beginning to seriously consider bringing her friends to live with her.
Fluttershy knew that her food wood soon run out, especially with Rarity visiting, and instead of going back and forth, she might as well just move. After all, the Apples did have a big house, and with Granny Smith and Big Mac gone, it was practically empty. With that last bit, Fluttershy’s mind was made up. She decided to tell the girls in the morning.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash. This caused Fluttershy to instantly shoot out of the water. Hurriedly, she dried herself off with a towel and was about to investigate when she heard the screams of Sweetie Belle. It sounded as if there was a struggle, and then there was a sudden loud thud.
Cautiously, Fluttershy made her way out of the bathroom, keeping to the shadows as she went over to a small hallway closet. She made sure not to let the door creak as she took out a crossbow. She loaded it and crept down the hall.
She saw that a window was shattered and before it was a dead stallion she’d never seen before. Blood pooled around him from the gash upon his throat. Though what was most surprising was the fact that above him stood Rarity, a crimson stained sword levitating in her magic.
Fluttershy stepped forward towards Rarity. Suddenly, another stallion stood at a second window holding a similar crossbow. However, this window was already shattered as well.
“Rarity move!” screamed Fluttershy, readying her crossbow.
The unicorn jumped to the back of the room, just as an arrow shot through where she had been standing. Fluttershy took this time to fire her own arrow. It struck the stallion directly in the chest. He let out a pained yell as he hit the ground.
Fluttershy could feel her blood run cold and her stomach rise. Though she had become stronger, she wasn’t prepared for this. She froze, unable to fathom her actions.
Unknown to her, was the fact that another pony was creeping up behind her, a dagger in her magical grip. Just as she was about to strike Fluttershy, an intense magical blast coated the Pegasus in her would be killer’s blood. She turned around to see Twilight running towards her. She took Fluttershy by the hoof and galloped to her bedroom. Twilight then closed the door behind them.
“Fluttershy, do you have any more weapons? What about a bugout bag?”
The Pegasus just stood there still in a daze.
Twilight groaned as she went over to her friend. She rested her hooves atop her shoulders.
“Fluttershy, now isn’t the time for this. Do you have any more weapons?”
“I-I-I killed him.”
Twilight began getting frustrated. She shook Fluttershy violently. “Where the fuck are the weapons?!”
Fluttershy jumped. “D-Dresser cabinet.”
Twilight darted over to the dresses and began looking through it. She found two more crossbows and took one.
Going back to Fluttershy, she led her to the corner of the room where she was hidden from sight. “Stay here until I call for you, okay?”
She nodded.
Twilight burst through the door, her magical shield at full force. She looked over to see Sweetie Belle hiding behind her sister, who had just stabbed a mare with her sword.
Despite the fact that Twilight had already killed, she was still shocked by Rarity’s ability to slaughter with such ease.
“Come on, let’s go!” yelled Twilight.
The two mares looked to her before darting to her side. As they did so, Twilight called for Fluttershy. Timidly, the mare stepped out of her bedroom. Twilight grabbed her and raced to the front door. Rarity opened it and stepped outside; she saw no more ponies and waved her hoof signaling the rest to follow.
The four ran as fast and as hard as they could.
“Where are we going?” asked Rarity.
“Applejack’s,” replied Twilight.
“That’s a stupid idea, they’ll follow us. Follow me.”
Rarity then turned and began running straight for the Everfree Forest. Sweetie Belle and Twilight both cast each other glances of uncertainty, but felt that Rarity knew what she was doing.
After several minutes of running, Rarity eventually stopped in a dense part of the forest. “Okay, here’s good.”
“Rarity,” began Sweetie Belle, “What are we doing?”
Rarity turned to her sister. “We need to wait here for a little while before heading to Sweet Apple Acres. I don’t think Applejack would think too kindly of us showing up with bandits on our tail.”
Twilight stepped forward. “Where did you learn to fight like that? You just…” She was at a loss for words.
The unicorn’s expression went very serious. “I was in Canterlot until about fifteen days ago. By that point, gangs had taken over and everything was falling apart. I watched over half the city burn to the ground, Twilight. The royal guards did help a little, but when the grid fell, they were just more ponies with weapons.”
“When did the power go out in the city?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Well, there were black outs for most of the week, but the lights went out permanently about the time I left. Canterlot is a nightmare.”
Sweetie Belle and Twilight looked to each other. “Rarity,” began Twilight. “We need to go to Canterlot.”
She looked to her with confusion. “What could you possibly need to go to that place for?”
“We found a way to bring Spike back,” answered Sweetie Belle.
---------
Day One Hundred Thirty Eight
Infected: 3.003 Billion
Dead: 1.997 Billion
Sweetie Belle sat in the hayloft of the barn overlooking Sweet Apple Acres. To her right sat a crossbow, to her left a pair of binoculars. She couldn’t help but think of all the fond memories she shared with Applebloom and Scootaloo here. It’s ironic that now that same place has become her refuge from the horrors of the apocalypse.
“Hey Sweetie Belle, it’s my shift.”
The filly turned to see Applebloom approaching. She smiled to her friend. “Do you mind if I stay.”
Applebloom smiled and took a seat. “Not at all.” The mare then handed Sweetie Belle a closed container with a spoon.
“Oh what’s this? More of Twilight Sparkle’s delicious apple soup?” she said sarcastically.
Applebloom giggled. “Hey, ya should try some. It’s not as shitty as it was last time.”
The two mares giggled.
“Did Fluttershy ever get back from her flight?” asked the unicorn.
Applebloom sighed, her expression turning sorrowful. “Yeah, she saw Ponyville and what’s left of Canterlot.” She looked down. “The whole damn town’s gone, Sweetie Belle. Half of the buildings have burnt to the ground, the other half look like they need to be. And Canterlot was in about the same shape but worse.”
Applebloom began to tear up. “That ain’t shit compared to what the ponies were doing. She says she saw looting left and right, at least three ponies get murdered, and she thinks she saw a filly getting raped too.” Tears began to roll down her cheeks. “What the fuck kinda shit is that? What happened! Six months ago, everything was fine!”
Sweetie Belle wrapped a hoof around her. “Hey, no matter how bad things get out there, we’re still fine in here.” She gestured to her heart. “We’ve just got to make sure out there stays out there. So don’t think about all that sick shit, and don’t you dare let it change who you are in here.” She poked her hoof at Applebloom’s chest as well.
Applebloom wrapped her hooves around Sweetie Belle. “I’ll try.”
---------
Eighteen months post collapse-
Pandemic Infection: 2.085 Billion
Non Pandemic Related Upper Respiratory Infections: 3 Million
Untreated Life Threatening Disorders: 124 Million
Intestinal Diseases: 78 Million
Violence: 6 Million
Starvation: 374 Million (Mostly Children)
Lack of Sanitation: 34 Million
Total Dead: 2.704 Billion… And Rising.
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strange story. uses mlp as a medium but pretty has to ignore a lot of the things in mlp for it to work.
3703478 It's the only way for it to apply to our world.
Oh? It is complete?
That came out of no where.
I was expecting a bit more (mostly just the gradual decline to total collapse) but this is good.
Even if the dark ending that this has leaves a bit bad feeling in me.
Overall, this is a good story.
Maybe you could do a sequel about life for them now that the virus has calmed down and now deaths are mostly just murders.
Besides, it would bring up some intresting dilemmas, like finding Rainbow Dash while she attempted to steal there stuff or somthing.
3703533 shrugs. as i said, it jsut doesn't feel that right. especially the part with regal ones fleeing. i know that it was something about world leaders fleeing to saftey as hell breaks loose, but that is undestandable only because they er sitll human beings, vulnerable.. immortals like them are likely ressitant to disease to the point this flu would be but a cold. also why would celestia, who protected equistrai alone for a millenium, stand by and let all she strived to build crumble without fighting it?
3703562
Who said Celestia and Luna were immortal?
They could just live a long time or stop aging at some point in life.
Celestia and Luna are not gods and I dislike the idea of thinking of them as such.
The mirror pond couldn't bring him back some how? If twilight did go back in time, she could paralyze Spike long enough for Sweetie belle to get better or something.
3703591 .............. i am not saying they are literally unkillable. immortal simply a easier term to use for a creature that is hard to defeat and has an idnefinite lifespan.
saying that having that lifespan probably has some perks in the immune system department.
3703608
The immune system gets strong 2 ways; how healthy the body is and how much 'exersice' the immune system gets.
If you got sick a lot when you where younger, your immune system today would be stronger. Also, using drugs and such to get rid of said sickness gives less 'exersice' to the immune system. Asuming that Celestia and Luna have accses to the best drugs and have a nation to lead, I immagine they did not get sick often during there lives. I imagine maybe 1 time every few decades, so they would not be ready to combat a virus like the one that just destroyed Equestria.
3703629 that logic applies only to beings without mystically enhanced lifespans and in a world withotu rhyming zebra, twenty pound dragons turning into twenty ton godzilla beasts, and now lemonade hued pegasi turning into vampires from botched spells.
3703641
The author of the story is trying to be realistic in this story. So it would use the logic of our world. Not the logic of the show. Yes there is some magic but it was not the Dues Ex Machima that some authors make it out to be.
3703648 ..................... he had a reptile die from a a flu meant for ponies..................... anyone who udnerstands flu knows that spike should have lived from that, but would have had to leave to keep others from being infected.
i will not say that magic would be a perfect cure all.............. i am saying that it would be for mundane disease as this flu ultimately stands as. there are a thousand differnt methods a spell could be used for to prevent infeciton, delay death, and rapidly work towards a cure.
a disease with a supernatural origin, of course, would not only be another story but a likelyhood, if still one they could find more defense aginast than not.
3703660
Maybe you should reread the story to figure out that in the authors headcannon, magic does not work against a virus.
Just because a virus mainly infected ponies during the pandemic, does not mean they are the only ones caplable of being infected. Perhaps griffons were having the same problems dealing with the virus.
You should stop talking about magic, you seem to think it does whatever the hell the user wants it to do.
3703677 there is no reason given to why it wouldn't. it is clear that it can cause transformation, even turning ponies into bat hybrids by sheer accident. why couldn't a spell be created to cure and or destroy mundane viral matter? it is lazy to simply say magic can't affect A simply because you do not want to affect a. be like saying magic can't affect technology simply because it is technology, when in reality it is simply lumps of matter shaped to make a function.
viruses are species specific things for the most part. this is because it spreads by breaking down the genetic matter of a cell and making it become new viruses. this, however, also means it cannot, unless mutated to some extent, infect a host that is not close enough to the required genetic material. aka, a virus killing ponies would not affect something with completely different dna liek a dragon. he could carry it, for sure, but not die.............. here is the doozy too. even IF the flu could mutate enough to infect him, there is a large likelyhood it would still not be lethal to him. because it is no longer a flu killing the ponies anymore, as it had to radically change into a different variant of flue to ifnect him.
3703712
But that is just it.
Magic as we have seen in the show mostly just does fuck all and would be have more use in someone just fucking around. Like discord. As magic in the show just seems to be used as a convenience or for screwing around(I mean, when would you need to turn into a vampire?). No real purpose other than a few isolated cases like Shining Armors sheild. And your point about why magic cant affect 'Thing A' is valid, but magic is still bound by what is possible and what is not. In this story, it can not affect a flu. Viruses mutate fast. Very fast. Maybe not as fast as it did in the story, but fast. So after a few months, especially in a pandemic with millions infected with more possible mutations, the virus would change itself to be able to infect a wider variety of hosts. This has happend in history. A example is that we got AIDS from chimpanzee's.
Man, how did we get all the way to this from a conversation about wether Celestia could be infected.
oh well, I enjoyed this talk, I am going to bed.
well i didnt expect it to end like this but i enjoyed this story and it has taught me many things. ( also are you like a doctor or something?)
3703815 I know, I anted to take this story in a completely different direction, but things happened. Still not sure if it was for the better or worse. That's good to hear. (No, but I have spent four years of my life researching influenza. Pandemics really interest me. I'm also thinking about going to college to become a virologist. Or a astrophysicist.)
3703818 Only about one percent of the US population is... Well, they have what they need in equipment, mindset is a different story.
What happened with Spike?
3703841 They gonna go to the burning city of Canterlot and fight their way through gangs and rapists in order to find an ancient magical device somewhere in the caves then do a spell to bring him back to life! ... If I write that part. It really has no educational value so I didn't even want to include it here.
3703869 so your going to make a spin off or a side story.
Also love it ever page of it man, and you put the worst come to worst happen. With no gorvment our people hell any race that can think will need a leader in dark times, am no means to be a true leader but i can be in sec comman on things.
Am very lucky my dad used to be master sergeant in the usa army before he resing to make a family, and he have told me how to fight. Will that help to rebuild a world or do i need to laern more?
Also made you i got this to shaer but i PM you
WHERE ARE THE FUCKING ZOMBIES
3703940
3703952 I WANT FUCKING ZOMBIES! I'M TELLING CTHULU ON YOU!
chrisweiford.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/lovecraft1.jpg
3703964 Here ya go! Zombies N Shit
3703972 YOU HAVE FAILED CTHULHU
3703974 But I gave you Zombies N Shit.
3703975 CTHULHU DEMANDS VIRGINS
3703977
Here you go, I'm sure Rarity is a vi-vir 
Hahahaha! I'm just fucking with ya.
3703980
So do they get Spike ?
3704034 Huh?
3704044
They mention something about they want to get Spike ?
"sniffs around the air"
AHHHHHH, WE DIDN'T GET CLOSURE ON SPIKE AND EVERYPONY ELSE OF TWILIGHT'S FRIENDS,
TIME TO MAKE A SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All in all, a great story, with riveting true facts, and a substantial amount of ambiance, grim timing, and mental breakdowns,
10/10, would DEFIDENTLY read again
I really loved this story
But now I'm wondering, Is there going to be a sequel?
Cause it feels like it just ended without any closure to what they do from then, or what happens about Spike
Plus, I'm kinda wishing there will be a sequel, cause this story was so awesome
3707179 Perhaps, but right now I have to seriously edit and finish Learning to Forgive, Finish The Warmth of Winter, start on A Dragon's Flame, Finish A Dragon's Flame, Start on Future Gazer, Finish Future Gazer, Start on Parallels, and Finish Parallels... It's gonna be a little while.
3703869 Ah. I understand.
3707325 I understand, and I am exited for some of those stories
I just wanted to know if it was a possibility some day
Good luck on your work
3707487 What, you like Spilight?
Thank you.
I have to admit, I absolutely loved this story. It kept you in suspense and wanting to know what happened next. This is a really good way to teach lessons, as if there was an upcoming pandemic I wouldn't have had a clue what to do.
Amazing writing and an amazing story!
And rising...
Sequel plz
.... I now like the story again, solely because there is a way to bring Spike back to life.
I did like the information provided in the story tho. I've learned a bit.
Is it odd that I thought they seemed OOC when they really were not? I don't know, something about it I just did not like, and DAMN IT! Rarity's alive, BUCK! Well then I hope she dies soon, it was the only joy I had for this fic, will there be another?
I made a review of the story here ( if you even care to watch me talking about it) Youtube review
Awesome.
And very very scary.
Also: Sequel please!
4118845 Yeah, it wasn't supposed to go like that, but everyone started saying they thought he'd be immune, so I basically thought "well fuck".
At least I tried to add some hope that he could be saved at the end...
4210463 please tell me you have a sequel planned.
Well, this was very good. ^^ And informative. I feel a lot more prepared if this happens. Although I think I would be like Flutters with the killing thing. XD
I have read and reviewed this story
. But the story has inspired me to read it again. Thank you, Sensei Fields Of Ice. (You've probably have heard of me before
.)
Well, an interesting story, really worth reading despite a number of spelling and grammer mistakes that could have easily been avoided with a proofreader. But the one thing that really bothered me (aside from not being finished (you know what I mean (alright, it's ending where you did, without a cure being made or the disease dying out))) is Spike. A cross-species viral jump from animals to ponies does not equal a jump from animals to dragons, or ponies to dragons. For pulling heartstrings, it's a great move, but for staying realistic, which seemed to be your goal, it's a glaring flaw.
4777289 I know. It wasn't supposed to go that way, but everyone already guessed that Spike would be immune and it really wouldn't seem like much of a plot twist with every other comment saying "I bet Spike's immune,"... Huh, I just thought of a different ending. Would you be okay with me telling you so I can get an opinion? It's a bit more fucked up though.