Pony-Z

by Black Light

Chapter 33 - The Next Step

The Next Step

Pete walked into the throne room his sleeves rolled up and his back drenched in sweat. He walked up to a table that Twilight and Luna were sitting at "Okay, we're done. Knife now please." He said extending his hand.

"Really you're done already?" Twilight asked with some surprise.

"It has only been two days since you started. We saw how many pranks you pulled. Are you certain you cleaned them all?" Luna asked.

"Princess, I am a very thorough person. If I start something I will not stop until it is done, so believe me when I say it's done." Pete answered.

Twilight looked at him with some suspicion. "I know that we released Discord from his duty to help clean up because of the deal you made with him and us, but there's no way you cleaned it up that quickly without his help, I saw what you did yesterday you stood around and complained all day."

"Twilight, I made a deal with Discord that said he wouldn't have to work. I would never break a promise over such a trivial thing like this. I've kept true to my word and made sure he didn't do any work." Pete told her. "And now the messes are all cleaned up, I swear on my honor."

"Do you even have any honor?" Twilight asked.

"...Fine, I swear on Luna's honor. Better?"

Twilight was about to speak but Luna cut her off. "Twilight I understand your suspicion, I am quite surprised myself, but I do believe that Pete has been telling the truth." She said. "Now all is forgiven." She said levitating a blade out and laying it in Pete's waiting hand.

"Thank you. Now I'm going to need a clean shirt." Pete said.

"Very well, there are-" Luan started.

"Actually I got this covered." Pete told her. "If you would?" Pete said looking up.

"Oh certainly." A voice said from the ceiling and with a snap and a flash Pete's damp shirt was gone replaced by a dry one. Discord came slowly floating down from the ceiling resting on a large couch.

"Discord." Twilight said.

"Sparklebutt." Discord responded causing Twilight to blush.

"Gonna remember that one." Pete said to himself.

"Don't you dare!" Twilight told him.

"Fine, fine" Pete said turning around walking towards the door. "Still these clothes are pretty good. It sure would be easy being able to just do this with a snap." He said snapping for emphasis. "It isn't really even work." He said as he and Discord walked out of the throne room.

"I swear, those two just don't make sense to me." Twilight said rubbing her head.

"I agree, and their last conversation was so strange. Why would Pete-" Luna suddenly stopped her eyes widening slightly with a realization.

"What is it Princess?" Twilight asked.

"Pete said that snapping wasn't really working." Luna answered.

"Why is that interesting?" Twilight questioned.

"Discord mainly uses his magic by snapping, something that Pete doesn't consider work." Luna continued.

"And he said he didn't let Discord do any work." Twilight said beginning to understand.

"But I didn't say anything about what I did let him do!" Pete called out from down the hallway. A small laugh heard from Discord followed.

The two mares were silent for some time. "...You have to give him credit. He does know his way around a conversation." Luna finally said.

"No I don't." Twilight said irritated.

"Princess!" A guard shouted bursting into the room.

"What is it?" Luna asked concerned.

"You need to come to the Castle Wall immediately." The guard answered.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"Ma'am we killed an infected just outside the gate." The guard told her.

"If it was only one why is this serious enough to involve myself?" Luna questioned.

"The infected it's...well, it's different from all the rest."

"How so?"

"Ma'am it...the infected exploded upon death." The guard told her.

Luna's eyes widened slightly. "Fetch Pete and bring him to the wall as well. He may know something about this.

~~~At the Wall~~~

A few guards stood on top of the wall while they watched Twilight, Luna, and Pete walk towards the tree line with a small contingent of guards with them. Armor was waiting for them at the trees. As they approached they began to notice the destruction along the tree line. Laying on the ground with blood and organs strewn about was what remained of one of the infected. All that remained was his hind legs and part of his flank, the rest of him was all around the area. More noticeable though was the four broken tree trunks around the body.

Pete looked around the scene taking in what he could. Twilight stood some ways back avoiding the mess. "Explain everything that happened here." Pete told the guards.

"Sir, we saw the infected emerge from the trees. He seemed more bloated from the other's we had seen before. We took a short with a crossbow and caught him in the head. Death was immediate and then...well then he exploded." One of the guards answered.

"Any other traits about the infected that you could see?" Pete asked.

"Well, he was a unicorn." A different guard responded.

Pete looked around the area again. He turned back towards Twilight. "Is it possible to detect spells that have been used in an area?" He said to her.

"If it's recent or strong enough you could get a general idea." Twilight told him.

"Then start up your magic and tell me if any spells were used in this area." Pete said to her.

Twilight approached cautiously avoiding some of the debris. He horn lit up and began to shine on some of the surroundings. "I am getting something. It seems like a powerful levitation field was used here." Twilight said. "...You don't think somepony used a spell to kill the infected from the inside do you?" Twilight asked.

Pete put a hand to his chin and thought. "...No, it wasn't like that." Pete told her. "SHIT!" Pete exclaimed suddenly in anger.

Those around him jumped back in surprise. "Pete what's wrong?" Luna asked.

"I'll tell you what's wrong. The zombies are evolving, they're changing." Pete answered.

"What are you talking about?" Twilight asked.

"That zombie, he did that to himself." Pete said pointing to the corpse.

"But how? Infected unicorns can't use magic. Even infected pegasus can barely fly" Luna said.

"Maybe not consciously, but I think this zombie was a mutation. No doubt the first of many." Pete said.

"What do you mean?" Armor asked.

"The guard said this zombie was slightly bloated when compared to others. I think that a mutation occurred causing the magic inside the pony to expand, but it was still contained. When he died though, the magic control died with him and it all exploded outward." Pete explained. "They're evolving to kill in their new body. With humans all they had was our arms and our legs, but with you all there's something new they can incorporate. Magic."

"Your saying these things are becoming even more deadly than they already were before?" Armor asked.

"There's no doubt in my mind that we'll be seeing more like this one again." Pete said kicking the body.

A slight growl cause them all to freeze. They turned and saw an infected coming out of the forest. It wasn't looking at them though. It was...sniffing. Pete's eyes widened and he took the knife from his belt and flung it at the zombie embedding it in-between it's eyes that promptly burst into flames. He wasted no time retrieving the knife and began giving orders. "Contain this area in a shield, get some sort of clean up crew out here quickly and clean this mess up! If you got any of it's body or fluids on your gear wash it off immediately!"

"Pete, what's happening?" Luna asked.

"The smell." Pete answers. "Zombies are attracted to the smell of whatever it is this thing is made of." Pete told her. He turned to the guard. "Spread the word through the guard. If they see a bloated zombie avoid approaching or getting close to it. Kill from a distance and don't get any of it on you. If you see any other zombie that looks different in any way, shape, or form. Do not engage. Stay hidden and only fight if you've been found. Report to me immediately." Pete said to all the guards around. Many of them ran back to the wall to spread the word while Armor and a few others formed a dome around the area. Pete turned to a pair of guards. "Gather a small sample and bring in to the medical wing, don't touch it directly." He said to the first, then turned to the second. "Find Jay and tell him to get to the medical wing, I'll meet him there, I've got a project for him." Pete said as he turned away and started back towards the castle.

Comments

[tranhdxrbntd]

Now you including zombie versions of Left 4 dead. Right?

[Golden Crusader]

Second you said it exploded my face just lit with excitement L4D! DEAD ISLAND! WOOOOOOTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!! Special infected

[ComatoseVEVO]

4572272 alright i give in i have mo more ramdom shit to say

CTM chile trade mark

[Black Light]

4572844
Not necessarily, This first one was influenced by the boomer, but that won't necessarily be the case for any others (if there are others but there probably will be). I just decided I needed more variety in the infected.
4573110
Special infected indeed.
4575850

Okay I'm done here. MLPFIM move left please for immediate maiming
~Black Light

[ComatoseVEVO]

4579483 The other was a Hunter

[dukesofhazzardftw]

4579483 oh gosh if we are ingaging lf2 in this... We are all screwed... Think of the tank.. Like flutterhulk but worse.

[Black Light]

4585439
Explain.
4596119
I have not chosen one specific lore, so technically I could use any number of games/movies/tv shows. Imagine the carnage I can make............Meh, it's not that bad.
~Black Light

[ComatoseVEVO]

4600785 well the zombie was growling and crawling at least what i got
And thats what hunters do in L4D though it did not leap to the target

[Golden Crusader]

Bring on the next chapter I can't wait another minute

[dukesofhazzardftw]

4600785 lol if you added mob of the dead.

[Black Light]

4602278
I consider it only a hunter if it leaps. I mean anything can growl and crawl, but not everything can leap.
4604645
Well I'm about to post the next one, so hold your ponies.
4604831

.
.
Challenge Accepted.
~Black Light

[ComatoseVEVO]

4605025 true, true.