Grounds for the Dead: A L4D2 Story

by SCP Pinkamena

Barricade Your Homes...

Grounds For The Dead: Chapter Five

As the eight infected walked into the library, they found books, scrolls, quills, and the cushions on the couch all thrown by the force of Tanks stomp. The infected minus Witch and Tank all looked around in wonderment, awe and slight confusion.

How could one stomp from Tank be that powerful? As they all wondered how, Twilight Sparkle, who was still recovering from the sight of them and the force from Tank, pulled the Cutie Mark Crusaders close into a huddle.

“OK, explain to me why I’m letting these... freaks... for a lack of a better word, into my home?” Twilight asked.

“One, they’re not freaks, two, look at them... they not only look it but they feel like to...” Sweetie Belle asked getting a confused look from Twilight.

“See what? All I see is a group of ponies who clearly need to go to a doctor,” She told the Crusaders. Sweetie only shook her head and sighed then looked back the eight. She could see things no one else could. Not like ghosts, or things that talk to her, she could see that the eight infected were fighting something deep inside themselves. The more she looked the more she felt bad for them. It was as if she was seeing entirely different beings, and those beings need help. She broke from the huddle and ran over to the nearest infected.

Which happened to Smoker.

Smoker looked down at the young pony before coughing into his forearm. She looked at the arm he coughed in, then the other before launching up and gripped his chest in a hug. Smoker froze at this action, and he felt his heart speed up only slightly. As Sweetie Belle held on to his chest, his eyes widened and he gripped his head in between his hooves. “Why! Why must you be so adorable!” He yelled in the air before returning the hug, just slightly tighter than hers.

Smoker quickly let go of Sweetie Belle, who was walking back to the other Crusaders and Twilight. They stared in amazement, shock, and happiness as she walked back to Twilight.

“You see it now? Not only are they lonely, but they give the lonely vibe off,” She said turning back to the eight infected who were currently helping Smoker recover from the adorableness that was Sweetie Belle. Twilight looked over at them again seeing that Sweetie Belle was right, not only do they look lonely but the feeling they gave was not unease, but was loneliness. She looked at the Crusaders with a smile of her own and trotted over to the eight ponies.

“...Hello,” She said her stomach still a pit of nervousness. They stopped trying to console Smoker and turned to her. She stepped back but slowly stepped forward, and extended her hoof to Hunter. Hunter stared at the hoof before taking his out and... hold up. The hoof was on the side, like how a person would do if it was handshake. Hunter looked at his hoof and did the same thing, his wrist articulating like a normal person. When he realized Twilight was still there, still waiting, he extended his hoof as well and shook her hoof.

‘Good, now that that’s out of the way.' She thought as she walked over to the couch and levitating the cushions back on. There was a series of shuffles, and when she turned she found that the eight infected who been over by the door before were now in the middle of the room with her. They looked at the floating cushions in fascination, occasionally poking it with their hooves. They watched it go up and down, left to right, and towards and away from them. While they watched the cushion float, Twilight was looking at their reactions.

It was as if they’ve never seen magic before! She watch them as if they were bugs to a lantern, and then the realization hit her harder than a bag of bricks.

‘Holy sweet Celestia! They’ve never seen magic before!’ She thought as they stared at the aura around the cushion.

“H-have you never seen magic before?” She asked only to get no response. She put the cushion down on the couch and their eyes went from dinner plates back to normal size.

Smoker shook his head and looked at Twilight. “I’m sorry you said what now?” He said still shaking off the effects.

She sighed to herself. “I said, have you never seen magic before?” She said again this time actually getting a response. Smoker shook his head and then the others did the same, save for Witch who was currently sleeping on Tanks back. She thought for a minute before a thought struck her.

‘No, no they couldn’t... could they?’ She thought and turned to them. “Di-did you come from... another world?” She asked as they went all wide eyed. They looked at each other and like before with Twilight and the Crusaders, they all huddled together.

Smoker talked first. “Well, what now? Do we tell them or do we lie through our teeth?” He asked.

Spitter was next. “I vote we tell them, that way we can get off our chests,” She said. She was right, it really did have a weight on them.

Tank looked at them all before speaking out. “Tell...” That was all he said but they got the message.

Boomer put his hoof up. “I say, we go with what Spitter said. It really is taking its toll on all of us. Even you Smoker,” He said adding the last bit so only Smoker and himself could hear. Boomer was right, it was effecting Smoker most of all because when he was back on Earth if he missed with his tongue the survivors would give chase after him. His only way out was climbing really fast up the bridge. His thoughts went away from everything else and went back to the bridge. The bridge where he killed so many, the bridge that had been the last leg of the run for the uninfected, the bridge where he died.

He shook his head and turned back to Spitter. “Fine, we’ll do it your way,” He said and Spitter nodded in understanding. They all got out of the huddle and turned to Twilight. While they weren’t looking she had summoned stacks upon stacks of paper, quills that could cover a bird seven times over, and a little green and purple lizard at the ready.

She looked at them expectantly. Charger went to the front of the group before nodding back at them. “Yes, we are from-” That was all he got out as he felt the wine red aura wrap around him and set him on the couch, followed by the five. Tank and Witch (who was still sleeping.) walked over to the couch and sat down right next to it.

She looked down at the lizard. “Spike, I hope your writing claw isn’t sore, because after today it will be,” She said with a smile on her face.

Smoker, Spitter, and Charger all looked at each other before they all muttered the same thing.

“Oh boy, here we go...”

Comments

[Ghostdad7]

Question, how does Twilight immediately suspect that they're from a different world. Could be that their lived in a place where there were no unicorns.

[SCP Pinkamena]

2067570 If you read the story AT ALL you would see that they all have something from their previous form. Charger even though his large arm is on the left instead of right, is still huge and bulky. Tank speaks for himself. Witch still has her claws, just in the aspect of her wings. Smoker you'll find out, and Boomer like I said you'll find out. It's all about patience and understanding

[SCP Pinkamena]

2067570 Plus Smoker IS a unicorn and didn't know about magic

[Grinning Cheshire]

Story time!

*Grabs popcorn*

Can't wait to see how they're going to explain that they are diseased creatures from another world that literally caused the death of millions.

I think it will go over well.

[Dihinner]

huh, it appears that your version of the infected are a little more trusting that mine.

anyway, for some strange reason it didn't say this updated yesterday...

[SCP Pinkamena]

2075691 It happen-
Wait... We found a bug... We FouND A BUG!!! Quick! Send it Knighty!

[AIRFIGHTER]

Smoker, Spitter, and Charger all looked at each other before they all muttered the same thing.
“Oh boy, here we go...”

this could be good