The Remaining: Transformations

by Xvern

Nothing but Questions

“Jesus Fucking Christ, would you shut up!” James screamed at the Zebra. This only caused it to speak louder and faster, obviously not any calmer than when this began. He could tell that the Zebra was switching between two languages, both equally grating on James' quickly dwindling sanity. Between the Zebra's panicked monologue and the Infected's deranged laughter, James had more than a wanting to blow his own brains out.

As he couldn't deal with the Infected, who was beating at the barricaded door with her bone club, his only output for his anger, confusion, and fear was the panicked zebra. As such, he wasn't very shocked to find himself blasting a hole in the wall next to the Zebra before placing the iron sights on the now frozen creature.

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” he screamed, using his left hand to puppet something closing it's mouth, “Between your incessant chatter and that thing's demonic laughter, I can't fucking think straight!”

James' anger ebbed as he saw the state that he had put the creature in. It's eyes had shrunk to pinpricks as their body shook like a leaf. It was curled into a tight ball with their tail wrapped around themselves. It was quite startling to see it like this compared to the confident martial arts fighter James had witnessed a mere minute earlier.

Lowering his rifle, James turned and walked to the opposite wall and planted his pack laden back against it. Sliding down the wall, he ended up sitting with his knees to his chest and his rifle and arms helping to cradle them. His eyes settled on the rifle. It was an American remake of the AK-74 with a synthetic handguard and adjustable stock. He had looted it, and the magazines and ammo, from a gun store back in his hometown. He had looked upon it with almost holy reverence.

Now, his gaze held only distaste for the weapon. He tossed the weapon away while fully wrapping his arms around his legs. He tried to set his forehead against his legs but stopped as his hat pecked at his thighs. Giving an empty chuckle, he moved his head up and then down so that his knees pushed the cap up. He could still hear the banging and laughter but here, within this ball, he could care less. While James knew how to kill the creature, he also knew that it would take time for the Infected to get through the door. This was both lucky and unlucky. Lucky because it meant he got to live longer but unlucky because he knew that it would still break through.

A scary thought snaked through his head: would he be able to kill it? He hadn't been able to before, always covering it with some other reason. During the night, he could have pulled out a light, found the creature, and executed it. Yet he didn't. In the woods, where he watched it tackle and eat an obviously sentient being. All it would have taken was one round and that strange horse would've still been alive. And lastly in the very hut that may well be his grave. He had not only a clear shot but a reason to shoot. Instead, he put two in it's chest; something he knew wouldn't work.

What is making me spare her?! James' eyes widened, Did I just...? Could that be why? Can I honestly see that thing as still being human?

James didn't have an answer nor did he need one. The thought itself was the only answer he needed. He hugged himself tighter, tears squeezing between his clenched eyelids. The man felt something land on his shoulder. Looking up through teary eyes, he saw the Zebra sitting next to him. The look of sympathy and shared fear on it's face was evident as it left it's hoof resting on James' shoulder. He felt himself smile, an act that was reciprocated by the Zebra. That was when he noticed it.

The laughing had stopped.

James was about to voice a question when the door, and the items used to barricade it, blew inwards in a flash of yellow. In a flash on instinct, James had thrown himself over the Zebra. Pieces of woods ranging from splinters to whole planks flew through the air. Remarkably, only a few of the smaller pieces struck James.

The human turned to the door to see a magnificent aura of golden yellow that was quickly replaced with the black of unconsciousness.

-_-_-_-_-_-

“Zecora, are you well? It didn't hurt you did it?” Celestia asked as she levitated the second creature away from the Zebra. After one of her Guardponies had declared the room barricaded, Celestia had seen no choice but to force entry. When she saw the creature over the screaming Zebra, she had instantly put it into a forced sleep.

“Guards!” she called before the Zebra could answer. She levitated the creature of the room, “Put this one in a cell separate from the first.”

“At once, Your Highness,” two of the guard replied in unison as they took control of the levitation field. This allowed the diarch to return her attention to the Zebra, who was looking at the discarded weapon.

“Zecora?” Celestia asked softly, taking a step to the Zebra. Her voice startled the Zebra, making her jump before able to calm herself. The two exotic eyes focused on the wielder of the sun.

“It did not harm me, if that is your thought. It was simply afraid of the creature, which for it, the bloodied sought,” the Zebra replied in her usual ryhme. Celestia couldn't help but feel that this one was more cryptic than what was normal for the Zebra.

“Are you saying that the blood-stained one was after the other one?” Celestia asked.

“That is what I mean, exalted diarch. The second fired lightening at the bloodied, though it was not in an arc.”

That would explain the thunder the Guard heard. “What do you mean that it wasn't in an arc?” Celestia found this strange back and forth grating but centuries of practice kept her outward demeanor calm.

“This device it wielded,” the Zebra pointed a hoof at the strange weapon, “From it, the lightening was fielded. It struck the creature twice yet it acted as if it was just lice. Yet,” now the Zebra looked at the hole the bullet had left in the wall, “the mark it has left. I must say that it is not for a pony to heft.”

Celestia looked from the weapon to the hole in the wall. Had it fired at Zecora or was this just a miss from the two shots from earlier? She looked around the room, a glint of light catching her eye. With the clicking of her sandals, she walked across the debris strewn floor as if it was clear of clutter. When she was standing over the object, her shadow blocking the light, she saw that it was a strange metal cylinder. Picking it up in her magic she brought it to her nose, only to crinkle it at the strength of the strange odor that had permeated the entire hut. The inside and the lip was scorched black, as if it had been exposed to intense heat.

“Sergeant!”

“At your call, Princess,” the Sergeant replied as he trotted over. The Princess moved the strange item to the Sergeant, setting it in his outstretched hoof.

“See if you can find anymore of these.”

“At once Your Highness!” the Sergeant responded, throwing a salute before turning to begin his task. Satisfied, the Princess turned back to the Zebra to see that she was again staring at the strange weapon. Taking it in her magic, she brought it to her face, ignoring the startled gasp of the Zebra. She slowly spun the weapon, looking at it from all angles. She even peered into the hole in the front, trying to determine the reason it existed. As she examined the weapon, she found that she saw no way that a crossbow bolt could be loaded or fired. Perhaps... perhaps it's not a crossbow.

She thought to the metal object that she had picked up earlier as she looked past the floating weapon at the hole in the way. With the evidence at hand, it was quite easy to say that it was, in fact, not a crossbow. Than what is it? she thought before looking back at the front door, thinking of the beings that would now be in cages, And what are you?

Author's Note:

Short, yes, but I see this as a good stopping point.

Hope you still enjoyed it anyway.

Comments

[Bronybro49]

Man I like these chapters, they seem short but that's just me. Great work keep it up

[Danbrixton]

this was enough to stop me from going crazy... but this story is so well written! i want to build a time machine just so i can read the rest!
keep up the good work

[Ace of Blackjack]

Good work... might I ask when this hiatus will end?