Fallout Equestria: Pink on Black

by Cloverleaf

First published 8th of September, 2013

We've Heard many tales from around when Littlepip roamed the wastes, but how many others saw the horror of those first few days? Inspired by KKat's Fallout Equestria

How war never changes. Death fills the cemeteries, leaves so many without a mother, a father, a brother, sister, son, daughter. Name it, there's a pony that can tell you their tale.

Eclipse Flare can tell you his. How his life was thrown about when several things happened at once. He became a single father, he discovered a piece of his family's past, oh yeah, and the end of the world. Now Eclipse struggles to survive in a land that seems alien to him. One filled with nothing but death. What's a parent to do?

Inspired by Fallout Equestria by KKat. Takes bits of inspiration from several other sidefics, namely from those that give permission.

character tags will be added as necessary. Official characters will be used sparingly, unlikely enough to warrant a tag for them.

Not How I Imagined My End

FALLOUT EQUESTRIA: PINK ON BLACK

CHAPTER 1 - Not How I Imagined My End

"But I don't wanna go today......"

"Data, dear, you still need to go to school." The Filly on my back kept her grip easily enough. Wasn't like I was going too fast for her. Solidified shadows giving her a little more space to put her hooves didn't hurt either. "I know things have been changing a lot lately, but school's still important."

"No One cares about me there....." That tone again. Didn't need to see her face to know she was frowning.

"You know very well Wujeeta cares about you. Princess Celestia as well. Sure, you didn't become her full time pupil, but she saw enough in you to give you a chance at a bright future." We turned the corner, and her school came into sight. Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. As always her Enchantments teacher was out greeting the students as they got in.

"Yeah...."

"Hey...." Ok, it was bad today. So I stopped, letting her down so I could face her directly. Her little red face was washed with a downbeat aura. Her cream colored mane seemed a little washed out too. But I held her chin up, and looked in her green eyes. "I know....I know it's tough, since your mother's gone. She knew the risks joining up with the Ministry of Peace as a field medic. But she was doing what she felt was right, which as using her skills to save and protect lives. She's still watching over us from the Elysium Fields. She always will." Now the tears were starting. Nothing doing, I pull her into a hug. Time for my shoulder to get it's daily dose of salt I guess.

I may have come to terms with my wife's death, and getting transferred back to Canterlot full time didn't hurt. Meant I could be there for Data Chip and help her do the same. Still doesn't make it an easy process for a little filly to see her mother have to go away forever. Hurts even more when I had to fully explain to her why they had to bury mom. But that had been three weeks ago. Princess Celestia had fully understood, and got it to Princess Luna to give me relief from duty for another week more. Couldn't afford Data's education getting too far behind. Even so, Data was everything to me, so buck the world if they think her being late because she needed to cry over something worth crying about is a problem. I just held her close, let her get it out, and running a hoof down her mane. She'd get mad at me later for messing it up, but it helped her calm down now. Speaking of, she seemed to have done so.

Ok, moment of truth. I pulled her away to look at her again. "You gonna be ok Data?"

"...........yeah." A small smile, even with those puffy eyes and everything, makes it all worth it.

"That's my girl." Back on my back she went, and we were on our way again. Just a short final trek. and we met up with Professor Internal Charge.

"Ah, Eclipse Flare. Good to see you. And Data Chip as well. Good to have the brightest student in my class back again." Data hopped off my back. Standing next to me now. "You know Eclipse, Frost Mirriam still wants that word with you."

"Ha, she's been looking for that talk for years. Can I help it she underestimated my fire skill. Heard she still has bits of her old table melted on the floor." Ah memories. I remember that one landed me in detention for a straight month.

"For your information Eclipse, she does, and she still wants you to scrape them off.....by hoof." We both shared a laugh. Even Data fell into a small chuckle. What was she laughing at, she didn't even know half the story. Didn't take long for the laughter to calm down. "But anyway Eclipse, you have a good day. I'll let Data get back together with Wujeeta, and then off to class." Aww, didn't get to see the cute baby dragon today? Maybe later then, knowing Data, she'll want Wujeeta to stay with us tonight.

"Right. I've got a little more research to do." Another hoof to the Data's mane, ruffling it. "You be good now Data."

"Dad!" She pushed my hoof away, fussing with her mane to try to straighten it out again. Yep, she was mad. I had hell to answer for tonight then.

"Well, in that case, best of luck to you Eclipse." We made our goodbyes for the day, and I went on my way, though I could hear the excited yelp of the little dragon when she saw Data.

On the list, citizen records. 'Why citizen records?' The librarian's voice echoes through my mind, every time I stop by. Since even before the war started, My family's had a small mystery about it. Mostly surrounding the original of a family heirloom. A rather large emerald necklace, though the center was hollowed out and fitted with a ruby, and two amethysts carved into horns adorned the side, all set in gold. Only clue is our ancestor wasn't originally an Equestrian citizen, and had brought this from his homeland. Contacts made, records checked, it's tradition we research this story until we uncover the truth. Still, nothing.

That will wait for the time being. Groceries first. Last I checked Data ate all the chipotle spice corn chips. So gotta get those, let's see.....

***

Well thank the sun and stars that's done with. Still morning, got all the groceries put away at home. Plus that shower felt refreshing. Sitting down in front of the mirror, I pick up the comb, getting my blood orange colored mane straightened out again. Don't know why I'm thinking on it specifically, but it compliments my near black coat quite well. My cutie mark shows clearly without anything on. The sun, flaring out madly, hidden behind a black orb. A solar eclipse, yet still shining bright as ever. It fit my name well. I click back on my hoof blade, put on some basic clothes, snap my pipbuck in place, and give myself one final look in the mirror. Mane slightly ruffled, but still clean and straightened out. Coat's shining. Eyes still shining a rose pink. I give a small smile. "I'd fuck me." Now, to the library for some more searching. Making the trip shorter, I head out the back door and pass through a few alleys.

"Psst, buddy." My head turns to the sound, to follow my ears. There at the edge of another dark alley is a pony. Well, maybe one, but why skulk there. I narrowed my eyes.

"Just what do you want 'friend'?" I let my hoof blade slide out a bit from it's place as I lifted that leg, to let him know not to try anything. He either didn't care or didn't notice. He instead pulled away the coat he was wearing, revealing several different vials, jars, all matter of apparatuses, as well as a revolver. Ok, guess I could humor him.

"I got some good stuff here, you interested? Best quality money can buy, and some stuff you can't find elsewhere." He holds up one particular vial, purple in nature. "Something new a close friend came up with. Takes the right skill, a little buck, dash, and plain sugar, you got yourself a fine smoked crystal." Ok, hadn't heard that one, but yeah, not going for it. My mind's eye focuses around the area, poking at each shadow for a shift. I find it in a loose brick. The shadows around it swirl and shake a bit, before solidifying and launching the darn thing right at his head. Sucker didn't see it coming. All it takes is a little planning and bam.

But regardless, another guard walks by and sees the mess. Rapid Fire is his name. He also happens to be my neighbor.

"Another junkie, great, got enough to deal with today. Good job as always though Eclipse" He sighs, starting to drag the dealer away. There's more to it than that you idiot.

"Rapid, he had something new. Doesn't sound too popular yet, but some kind of mix of buck, dash and sugar. May wanna get that looked into as well. The little purple vials." Well, the nearest guard station's on the way to the library, might as well help. I grab the other end of the junkie and off we went. Not much to discuss, we'd probably hook up later and talk about things over a cider or two tonight. Guard station comes into view quick enough anyway, and he waves me off.

"Eclipse, you're still off duty. No need to help me this much. You get going....and best of luck finding new details." Sheesh, everyone's brushing me off. Ah doesn't matter.

"Yeah, thanks, and see you later. Same place?"

"You know it. I'm off duty tomorrow too, so no excuse not to go nuts."

I just shake my head. Rapid's always been a bit gung ho. "I'm not carrying you home you know."

"Yeah yeah, just get going." We both perk up when there's a small groan next to us.

"Ugh, my head......" Junkie was up. Within an instant Rapid had the cuffs on him. Junkie looks down, then over his shoulder, then back to us, a huge sheepish grin on his face. "Umm, I plead the fifth."

Both Rapid and myself look between ourselves, then to him. Both of us just aren't what to make of it. "What?"

".......nevermind...." He stands up, and Rapid leads him inside. Detour aside, I can get to my research. With the library just down the street, I head down. Not many going in today it seems, though as always as I step inside, there's Shush Talk, sitting and reading a book. Does she actually do her job? She's not even facing me.

"Back for more research Eclipse? You've been through the entire citizen records twice. Your father made it through 12 times. He couldn't find anything either." Oh right, she's heard me enough to recognize me by hoofsteps alone.

"Gotta keep trying."

"Whatever, just keep music to earpiece only." Not once turning around, still reading that book....Ugh, Fifty Shades of Hay. Time to move on. Slipping into the recesses of the archives, i pull out a few citizenry records, and pop in my earpiece. Swapping to WYNG, first thing I hear is the news.

<i>"-Sources say. In other news. Word on the street says there's a couple ponies looking to make a new kind of sound. They're calling it rock. From what little I've heard of it, it's not likely to take off. Sounds like Discord music to me. And that's the news. I'm Sound Byte, and you're listening to W-Y-N-G. Now time for some music. Up next is a request from a long time listener. Love Me Cheerilee."</i>

As the music starts, I flip open books, check computer records, type everything down as I can and transmit the data to my pipbuck. An entire diagram showing family tree, dating back eight hundred years. One thing always prevalent Dad found was that all of us either had dark grey to black, or red coats. Mane's change, but the coat stays. Call it a small oddity, but it was a quiet note to add to our small House Ember. Don't get me started on playing the role of politics.....Ok, I'm starting to ramble. Moving on. These books held nothing, slid back on their shelves. One of the shelves shifts a bit. Darn things need to be kept in place.

Before I move it back, I happen to notice a little bit of discolored wood. Possibly nothing, but curiosity got the better of me. I slid it a little further. Well, well, well, a trapdoor. I look left and right, nopony else, so I flip it open. No stairs or ladder, only a book. All that effort to hide a book, why? Pulling it out, I pop the book open, and cough as the dust kicks up from it. This book has gotta be ancient. Scanning it over, the date on the book....reads two years after the banishment of Nightmare Moon. The best part, it's a citizen record. A new lead, finally. With a slam, the book is on the table, and I pore over everything in.

It's only two hours later that I find something incredible. A pony by the name of Dark Cast. Refugee of the Crystal Empire shortly before its disappearance. Red coat, black mane and tail. Carrying only a few sets of clothes, a bag of bits, and a medallion. An emerald with a ruby and two amethysts supporting it, all set in gold! He's the link! Sure we have a few centuries after him to fill in, but he's the link point, he's The first of us as a citizen of Equestria. Kinda funny to know I have crystal pony ancestry. But the kicker. He was personally granted citizenship from Princess Celestia herself! We can put a close to this chapter of our family....but still, why did he get personal granted citizenship when there were so many other refugees that made it out of the Crystal Empire before it's disappearance? I had to see the Princess on this one!

I mark the page, snap the book shut, and head off on my way, book in tow. Shush actually turns to look at me, dusty tome in hoof.

"You actually find something new?" It's enough to even get her to put down her own book. A stamp on my card here, A few computer clicks there, she's already getting it checked out for me.

"Not just new, the answer. Ancestry from the Crystal Empire, possibly nobility from there! I need to see the Princess."

"That's...well, interesting. Better get going then, you're all set." I snap the book shut again and head off towards the castle. The discovery's got me giddy. I could be on the precipice of finding THE answer, Who we're truly descended from! I don't even really pay attention to my surroundings, or how long it takes me to get there. The castle comes into view, and grows in size as I get closer, until finally I'm at the castle gates. Two spears are blocking my way. Wait, why is that?

"Halt. No civilians are admitted to the castle without an appointment first. State your name and business." Rookies, from the looks of these two. Eh they're doing it right at least.

"Eclipse Flare. Fellow Royal Guard currently off duty, requesting an audience with Princess Celestia." I stand tall and proud. My hoof blade leg turned sideways some to show it's a squad leader rank. Book on my back. I looked nothing like my title. But it was enough, they pulled their spears away.

"Apologies Sir, go right ahead." The gates open, and the famed gardens fill my view. Not that amazing anymore, since I see it nearly any on duty day. But that wasn't important. What is important, find Princess Celestia. I need to find out more, surely she remembers that day, it was the day before the Crystal Empire disappeared. Several more patrolling guards pass by me, until I finally find the Court Steward.

"Quill Ink, good to see you, how you've been?" I step up to her, holding out a hoof. They take it in kind and we shake as old friends do. Oh the number of times I've seen this pony.

"Good, good, and yourself Eclipse? How's Data doing?"

"Alright for myself....Data's taking her mother passing a bit harder than I thought she would, but she's getting there. Only a matter of time. Anyway, I actually need to see Princess Celestia." I hold out the citizen records to her. "I found this book in a small compartment under a shelf at the library. The information, suffice to say, may very well be the key to finding out the origin of the family heirloom."

"Eclipse, you know very well that Princess Celestia no longer holds a court proper. You'll need to see Princess Luna, and there's not an open spot for two weeks." He flips open his own record book, prepared to set me up then. "Let's see, no wait, ten days from now, there's an opening at Eleven."

"Quill, it has to be Princess Celestia. She's mentioned directly, so only she can answer this."

"What is this only I can answer?"

To both our surprise, Princess Celestia herself turned the corner, flanked by three guards on duty. Both of us quickly bowed.

"You may rise. Now, Eclipse Flare. What is it you needed to see me directly about?" Rising to my hooves, I held out the book I had found in the library. For everything I knew, that look in her face stayed true, but anypony who's been around Princess Celestia for long can tell when there's a hint of some other emotion. Her eyes widened just a bit.

"It's this, particularly about a pony named Dark Cast. He's described having a medallion designed like the family heirloom. I'm certain he's an ancestor, but well, what I wanted to ask, is why you gave him Citizenship directly yourself. No others in here were listed as such."

A silence permeated through the room. Everypony waiting for a response from the Princess. She seemed lost in thought. Until finally. "Come with me. This is best spoken of in private." She turned and walked away. I followed. A private audience, not what I expected. Today was turning out awesome.

***

It didn't take long for us to reach our destination. What I expected was a basic meeting room. What I got instead was her private chambers. Sure I've been in once or twice in the past to deliver a message in my early days, but never have I been in here more than a minute or two. She closes the doors behind us.

"Please make yourself comfortable Eclipse. We have much to discuss." She sat down on a set of pillows, leaving me content on the carpet. Softest thing I've ever sat on, let me say. "First and foremost, I should tell you a bit about Dark Cast."

"Please. This will put an end to centuries of frustration for House Ember. Anything you could tell me Your Highness."

"Very well. Dark Cast was actually the reason many of those other crystal ponies made it out of the empire prior to it's disappearance. You are aware of the tyrannical reign that had many in slavery I'm certain." I nod. "Well, Dark Cast snapped the shackles of many, leading them away from the castle, and out into the harsh frozen wastes. He was of the mind it was better to die free than live a slave." He was leading them to potential death? "The crystal ponies that did follow him were of like mind. Believing that to die out in these wastes would be a spit in the face of the king. Luckily for them, I happened to see them on a surprisingly calm day weather wise."

So they survived due to good fortune. He was a rallying point for a rebellion, one that the Princesses helped spearhead. Though it took one thousand years for it to end. "Your Highness, If I may ask, what prompted you to declare his citizenship directly?"

"His efforts saved many lives from a thousand year curse. A chance for them to live life as they chose. It was the least I could do for him."

"Of course, just, it seems like there's more to it. Was he a commoner, nobility?" I leaned in closer.

Celestia sighed, something on her mind maybe. "He was a mere commoner by the standards. His real gift was shadow magic, much like yourself. Combine that with lockpicking skills, and he earned his freedom and that of many others. Make no mistake, he was an inspiration, but he never really did more than earn his family a status as a noble house once in Equestria."

So that's the story. Even so, I feel like I wanted to meet him. I wasn't the only shadow magic user in the family. It's really all I had I could call my own, manipulating the shadows around me to do my bidding. Wasn't the best, but I made do. "Thank you very much Your Highness." I stood and bowed. Moving to leave. She placed a hoof on me, wanting me to stop.

"There's more to Dark Cast's story than that. How he ended up a commoner. He was nobility prior to Sombra's rule. If you wish to wait and let me tell the tale more, I can." The clock struck three right then. I really wanted to, I wanted to sit down and hear it all, but Data was almost done at school. I needed to go get her.

"Perhaps another day Your Highness. I would like to hear more, but right now I have other family obligations I must attend to. Thank you very much for the information." She nods, and moves her hoof away. I walk to the door, and am bowled over as it's slammed open in my face.

"Your Highness, it's urgent. Cloudsdale has been attacked!" A messenger was standing in the open doorway. Panting a bit. Well, injury forgiven, that is important. Celestia's face seemed even more shocked than thought possible though.

"Attacked? How, have the zebras devised some way to fly?"

"N-no Your Highness....it, it was a megaspell. Cloudsdale is gone!"

No......no they wouldn't, they couldn't. They launched one, they destroyed one of our cities. Who knows what was left. I jump up and rush out. The horror, it didn't matter, I had things I had to do. Off duty or not, I was Royal Guard. My duty came now. Data would be safe, her teachers would get her somewhere. The stable perhaps. Panic is beginning to instill amongst everypony. Already I could smile again. My fellow guardsponies were stepping up too.

With a few shouts and a few motions, everypony starts moving along. I survey the area, looking for a point of weakness. It comes in the form of something flying out of the Window of one of the ministry hubs. The glass from that falls. Three ponies find their lives snuffed by the shards slicing them apart. I rush forward, intending to pull away the one out of the four....oh dear Celestia....another pony orphaned by this war. A young colt is laying there screaming. The ponies were apparently his parents. I snatch him up, hoofing him over to another guard who takes him off towards Stable 1.

Looking down upon the three dead in the street, I say a silent prayer, hoping their souls reach the Elysium Fields. More screaming and panic. It's gonna be commonplace. But looking up from the dead makes me realize just why the screaming is intensifying.

Ahead of me, towards the center of town, a mass of pink smog is beginning to fill in every nook and cranny. One of the others, a pegasus I barely know, flies into it without realizing. Two seconds later he's flying out, but it's clear it's done something to him. He's coughing, bad, and barely able to stay in the air. Toxic cloud. Not good....wait, no the school's in there! Data! I propel a few shadows around me into a shield, and charge. Immediately I regret it as it's clear it's even seeping into the ground. What little bits haze into my shield are sickening. But I can't stop here, I have to find Data. I need to get her out of here. Get her to the Stable. Stable Tec has got to have something that will stop this, fix it, whatever.

My mind is beginning to haze over. This stuff is strong, whatever it is. My limbs feel numb, and my control over the shadows begins to falter. Moments later the worst happens. They disperse, leaving me exposed completely to the toxic cloud. I take in one final breath of what fresh air was there for a moment and charge again. Through the smog I can see signs of lights, I recognize them, the school, I'm close! But even holding my breath, I'm feeling weaker and weaker. My flesh feels like it's crawling all over, my eyes burn, my nostrils too. Within a short distance of the school, my strength falters, and I can't hold my breath any longer, taking in a deep breath of the cloud, I feel it's effects tenfold. Immediately my body seizes up and I fall over. All I can do is crawl, crawl as best I can. It's not long before a new sensation takes hold, and I feel myself unable to move forward. I'm right in front of the gates.

'Dad, why do they have to put mom in the ground?'

I reach out a hoof, the darkness encroaching me, I can't give up now.

'Mother...mother is going to see grandpa in the Elysium Fields honey. Do you remember grandpa?'

My last bit of strength fails me, and my hoof falls to the ground....funny I remember straps being part of my hoof blade.....

'No...why is she going alone? When is she coming back, and why do they need to put mom in the ground for her to go?'

My gaze feels blank. The cloud doesn't even hurt anymore.....I just, just need to get to her, but as the darkness of the world falls upon me, I realize I can't make it. All I can think of is Data....Please be safe.....I'm sorry.

'She's....she's not coming back honey. She can't come back. She's already gone. We're just, honoring her. She came of the earth, so she returns to it. And her soul returns to the Fields, to be with family lost. We'll see her again.....I promise you we will. Just, not for a long time.....'

My eyes close. And I breath out my last. Garden, I'll be seeing you again sooner than I thought....

'But why does mommy have to leave?'

Forgive me...Data....

'Because a zebra she was tending to, out of care for all life, wasn't nice.....'

Level 2

Str: 5

Per: 8

End: 6

Chr: 5

Int: 7

Agl: 5

Lck: 4

Trait - pink abomination - your encounter with the pink cloud has changed you. You cannot remove anything you were equipped with at the time you were exposed, and deadly blows that are not dismemberment, disintegration, or destruction of your brain will leave you in a death like state for a short while. Upon revival, such wounds heal and you are restored. Many who see you will only see a monster, except other ghouls.

Trait - Wild Wasteland - freaky things happen out there, it's up to you to find them all. (please note, this is absolutely unnecessary as all the freaky shit you can handle and more will find you.)

Perk - Desperate Need - Your quick thinking can get you far, either a 10% increase to chance to succeed or 10% less likely to fail any speech or barter check. whichever is the greater of the two.

Author's Notes:

I do intend to finish my other story, but fits of inspiration are fickle, and this one was for something that's been wracking in my head for the last week, and I've been working on the storyboard for. I don't know how often I'll update this. I do intend to do so as much as possible.

also, completely forgot the level up. Or did I? Maybe I wanted to wait until I had the next chapter ready to go before adding it

EDIT: doing a few touch ups, doesn't change the story, so no major details altered. just a few spelling errors corrected.

Little Schoolhouse of Horrors

Green fields flowed forever on in front of me. A stunning beauty only thought possible in dreams and fairytales. Yet they wouldn't let me closer. There was a divide, a line of pure white light. Between it and myself, the land was barren, cold. The great river of souls flowed behind me, carrying all who were not ready. I stepped forward, trying to enter the fields. I knew this place before me had but one name.

Elysium.

Again and again the the line drove me back. Further and further back. I continued on, desperate to enter, to see my beloved once more. To embrace her again, and wait that long faithful wait for our daughter to emerge.....Data.....no...no she was in danger. What ended me, it would have....

I sank to my haunches. Realization can be as cold and unforgiving as Death itself. I knew now She would be here, already allowed entrance. So why wasn't I?

Pity the fool for remarking on Death, for the dread lord will appear before you. As it happened with me. A bony figured cloaked in black, his scythe sharpened for the reaping. He looked upon me, his expression hidden, all that was showing were his eyes, glowing, staring at my very essence. His voice, a whisper, yet as loud as a boom of thunder.

"You do not belong here."

I looked back at him, jaw dropping slightly. How could he say such a thing? Have I not been faithful? Have I sinned in some way I do not understand? Why am I denied paradise, when I have suffered. My thoughts projected, and he heard them, I had begged for entrance, but he merely cocked his head.

"Your time hasn't come, young mortal. It will come, but not this day." Before I could even ask what he means, his scythe lifted, and struck me, flat side. He flung me back into the river of souls, and darkness filled my mind once again. The last thing I heard was "Mulligan".

***

All that was heard in the small area in front of the school was an unearthly moan, a haunting cry of the dead. Yet just as quickly as it started it stopped, and only as consciousness fully returned to me did I realize I was the one who moaned.

My eyes scanned about, seeing almost an unyielding sea of pink. The cloud still persisted. But it felt like a friend now, a sense of comfort. Like I had been a part of it always, and it, a part of me. Yet shapes about me told it's true intention. A death dealer of epic proportions. Bodies littered the ground, many misshapen and unrecognizable as the living creatures they surely once were.

I struggle once more to stand when It becomes apparent I'm also one of those blobs. My stomach, looking mostly intact, has practically grown into the ground, and around my shirt. Every tug brings pain, as the flesh refuses to yield. Did I survive this only to be a living statue? My gaze fell on the rest of me, and what it had truly become.

The flesh had rotted and stretched out, finding every orifice it could and growing into it, leaving the black fur to take on a rotted, pinkish hue. My breathing became heavy once more, yet the burning feeling it brought before I fell did not return. Again the cloud seemed to greet me instead, acting as if I've breathed it all my life. The thought alone was enough to frighten, but the fact it warped my body all the same, merely compounded my thoughts. What is this cloud? Why did I survive?..........what have I become?

A soft sound reaches my ears. Sobbing, possibly from inside. I see several windows open from where I lay. Somepony who survived this as well? Just the thought of another soul alive was enough to get me moving. I try standing once more. It results only in pain again. I fall back to the ground, wondering what I'm going to do. My hoof blade's gone, possibly taken from me as I lay. I have no means to free myself. I sigh, holding out my hoof, willing for a blade that will never show.

A sharp shot of pain, and it does appear, coated in a black ichor, and sticking out where I'd expect, only it's otherwise completely covered by flesh. The blade itself seemed to survive the ordeal. It's just taken an unnatural pink hue. Regardless, it's just what I need. I'm not staying here.....even if this is going to hurt.

With a quick motion I bring the blade to my stomach, cutting through the flesh as quickly as I can. The pain, it could only be described as torture. Inch by inch skin was severed, ichor dripping from the ghastly wound. I couldn't stop, not when I'm already halfway. With one final jerk of the blade it cuts through, jabbing and slicing open my back leg in the process. I didn't care, I was free.

Rising shakily to my hooves, the blade retracted back. My thoughts trying to focus, but that familiar numbing sensation washed over me, the same as before, when I thought I breathed my last. All I could do was merely gaze at the length of rotted flesh that had covered my stomach, now a permanent piece of road. I look down at the slowly growing pool of black ooze falling from me to the ground again. The sight made me realize, that ooze was my blood, it had been blood. It wasn't blood anymore. Vein, Artery, whatever the doctors would call it, it just flowed slowly. Again I'm distracting myself, so I turn to the school and take one step forward. It was enough to drain me, and I fell once more. Darkness washed over my gaze again. Once more my eyes shut for what I thought would be the last time.

It wasn't long before my body let out that horrible moan again. I felt myself rise back to my hooves, a feeling of things knitting crossing over me. When full control returned to me, I almost couldn't look. Curiosity won out again as my eyes gazed down at what I expected to be......horribly mutilated skin and muscles?

The wound was sealed, like it never happened. Like I hadn't just woken up with the skin there melted into the ground mere minutes before. Or was it longer? How long did I stay in the embrace of Death this time? The cloud yielded no answers. It merely swirled about me, as if scrutinizing it's creation. If it wouldn't answer me, what purpose did it have in staying?

The sobbing inside reached my ears once more, quiet, distant, but now reachable. With my newfound freedom from the ground's hold on me, I rushed in. My own worries on this matter had to be put aside. I was alive, and still had my duties as royal guard......Even if I abandoned them for my own daughter....

The front doors came open easily enough. What greeted me was more death and decay. More bodies strewn about, their remains littered and twisted all along the entryway floor. The only fact it hadn't bothered me outside, I had a focus. The sobbing I heard. That was muted now. Lost in the halls with no direct line to me. I looked over several of those fallen, seeing two other guards. The fact I did not recognize them left me no comfort. They were my brothers in service after all.

A low moan, much like the unnatural one I had given out, came from behind me. A young colt, laying on the ground. Surprisingly, not really trapped, as he stood up and looked about. The effect was immediate as he fell to his haunches, shaking at a body near him.

"Mom....Mom, please get up. What's going on...Mom...." He seemed to be shaking more and more as the body before him yielded to his pushing, but made no move to get up. He didn't even seem to notice me, or the fact his mother wasn't getting up. I took one step towards him, and he shot his head around to look at me. Immediately his eyes went wide and he huddled back against her body. "N-no.....m-m-monster!"

My hoof off the ground came back down. His voice had sounded odd, so I didn't realize it at first, but seeing his face, even mangled as it was by this cloud, I could recognize Rapid Fire's son Trigger Discipline anywhere. I sighed, sitting down. "Trigger, it's just me, Eclipse....your dad's friend. There's nothing to be afraid of right now."

"E-Eclipse. I...I remember you." He turned back to the mare's body, shaking her more. "Why won't mom get up Eclipse....Why?"

I stepped over, putting a hoof to her body. She felt cold. I hung my head. "She's gone Trigger. I'm sorry."

"No...no she's just sleeping. She'll wake up. She just needs her rest. Right?" He stayed close to her, not wanting to leave. "She'll get up...."

"I'm sorry Trigger. She's not getting up. We can come back and give her a proper burial later, but right now, we need to go." I motioned to pick him up with a shadow, merely to place him on my back, but he merely shook himself free and clung to her body adamantly.

"NO! I can't leave her! What if she wakes up while we're gone? She's gonna wonder where I am then she'll be sad! I have to stay here!" He refused to move. I sighed, looking about, something to reassure him. I'd spoken to his mother several times before, so she'd know me....yeah. And idea formed in my head. So I moved to a nearby room, looking for anything of use. With luck I found a synthetic quill and ink. Paper, on the other hoof, crumbled. I looked about for anything to write on. It took me two minutes to realize this is Frost Mirriam's classroom. Buck she did still have those bits of melted metal on the floor. All these years and they weren't cleaned up.

Not important. I could see she wasn't here, so she's either one of those in the hall or the entryway. The lack of bodies in the rooms only gave me minor solace. Perhaps they got away. Or maybe just fled to a higher floor. Didn't matter for the time being. I just went about disassembling one of the desks. Doubtful it'd get much use otherwise. Quickly I scribbled out a message on it.

Dear Grapevine
Found Trigger by you, you weren't awake yet. Seemed safe. We waited for you to wake up, couldn't wait longer. Went on ahead. If we're not here when you wake up, I'm taking Trigger to find Rapid Fire.

Eclipse Flare

The message seemed clear enough. I doubt she'd even see it, but if it gave Trigger some solace, that's good enough for me. Taking the plaque out to the entryway once more, I set it in view of Grapevine's body, so she'd find it easily enough if I was wrong. I doubted it, but given what I've seen, and what's happened so far. I didn't want to let the little guy have that kind of hope. It'd be shattering, too shattering. Trigger looked at it for a minute.

"But, what if she doesn't see it?"

"She'll see it if she wakes. We need to try to find your friend Data right now." He nodded slowly, and then hopped up on my back. Our search of the school began for others. I passed by Frost Mirriam's room. There already was nothing there. The next room had plenty of bodies. It made me sick, not to my stomach, but at the thought those damn zebras could do this to children. There were seven in here, along with two baby dragons. All of them melted in some way. Each door passed yielded more and more of the same. More death, more sorrow, more weight of the crimes inflicted.

No, don't blame them all. It's the ones that pulled the trigger, they're the ones responsible. If they're alive, they must pay. I open one more door, and both of us are blasted by more of the cloud. Seems it pooled in this room. Trigger's left sputtering. I was too, but just from suddenly getting a full face of it. Again, the cloud yields no more pain, not just for myself, but it seems for the little colt as well. I don't think he even realized he'd been changed.

"Mr. Eclipse, why did the cloud hurt before, but not now."

So much for that hope. "I....I honestly don't know Trigger. Something about this stuff seems familiar, but....." The view into the room clears as the cloud disperses elsewhere for the moment. Somepony was dead of course, but there's a book opened up near them. Why this catches my eye I'm not certain, but for whatever reason it's still intact. With a thought, a shadow snaps it up and pulls it to me. Methods of Warfare: A List of Tactics and Weapons Through the Ages and How to Combat them What were they teaching in this class? A quick check of the doorway again revealed it to be history. Ok, where's the principal? I'm not so sure Data should be- Right, that wasn't important, finding Data was.

As I turn to leave, my leg with the pipbuck on, well, in it catches on the doorway. Wait, of course, I forgot to turn the darn thing on. Luckily for me, the buttons were still visible. A press of a button and it powers up, though it's giving me several warnings. Pulling the screen up to my vision, I check the status updates. It's been a day since my vitals hit zero. Huh, funny, must be the cloud messing with it. The rest were just a bunch of alarms, notably 'pick up Data' for four o'clock yesterday, and a few more from today. Don't think I'll make those.

Setting my hoof back down, the basic functions come up, including all the EFS abilities and other visual messages. Even in a situation like this, it's comforting to know this tech works. I'd hate to have it there and not be able to use it. Thinking on that, can I even take it off? Or my shirt, or hoof blade for that matter? At least I like this shirt.....

"Mr. Eclipse, are you ok?"

I nod. I'll muse on my own situation later. One colt's looking to me right now, and I hope to everything a filly will be joining that. I close the door, turning away. Again that haunting moan, coming from the history classroom, and a blip on my EFS tells me something's moving there now. Another survivor, good. We can work together, find any others, and work our way outwards. I open the door once more.

The movement catches their attention, and they turn to me. Right then the blip turns from green to red. Before I can even utter a word they lunge at me. It's enough to send Trigger flying off to the side and pin me to the wall, my back to it. My first good look at their eyes tells me they aren't willing to talk. The snarl kinda points to that as well. Without thinking I flick out my hoof blade and start laying into them as I can, moving what I can to avoid their jaws. Buck he really was trying to bite me. It's only after I've stabbed them in the gut about seven times before they slump over. I'm left there, leaning against the wall, panting, their blood all over me and my blade. An oily black, leaving me trembling. So was this the culmination of the cloud?

Again that unequine moan comes from the one in front of me, the wounds I had inflicted glowing an unnatural pink, and sealing up. Within seconds he was up again, staring at me.

"Oh buck me." My blade came up again, but he was already making his move, which a deep exhale, he lashed out with a concentrated blast of cloud. It made me shake it away, but nothing else. So he could still feel confusion, if his cocked head was anything to go by.

Another snarl and he slammed into me again, his jaws going into my shoulder. Immediately I moved to get my blade under his head, to slice him in the base of the neck. He jerked back , tearing a chunk out of m, and only got his throat slit. It had no real effect, except to give me enough time to get up and face him proper. He was, oh by Elysium, he was chewing the piece he bit out of me! That was it.

"Well, come on motherbucker, dinner's here, come and get it." I raised my blade up to my face, keeping it between him and me. No doubt this'd stir more up. Didn't matter, current threat now, new threat later.

Instead of charging, he lifted his head to sniff. It was only now I realized that Trigger had been sent back down the hall. I could see him getting up, with that thing between me and him. It turned, facing Trigger, and let out another snarl, darting off.

"Oh no you bucking don't!" My horn flared The aura swirling as the energy I built up culminated at the tip, and I let loose a fireball. This thing was fast, but my blast was faster. It hit square in the back, engulfing them in flames. The cloud itself seemed to reel at the fire, as if afraid. Perhaps a trick of the light, or merely the cloud burning up in it. I don't know, or care. "Trigger, over here, now!" Thankfully he listened, and even more so the sprinkler system was still working, as they blared on in full, quickly snuffing my flame. Trigger made it over quick enough, and we turned to leave.

Again that moan. No way, nothing could stand that kind of blast. But as I turned, again, it was getting up, the wounds glowing pink once more. It stared at me intently for a few moments.

"Trigger, stay behind me. I'm not letting it get you." He moved quickly behind me, shivering. It must have sensed his fear, because it charged again. Oh but this time I was truly ready. My blade retracted, and I held that foreleg close to me. When it was a mere two meters from me, my horn glowed again, forming a shadow underneath my hooves and launching me in the air. As I came down, it came up to me, and I slammed my foreleg down into it, sending the blade out at the same time. The crazed pony went down from the blow, and the blade, hitting right in the top of the head. I pulled my blade out and retracted it. "And stay down!"

I saw that glow once again, but the wound seemed to refuse to seal. Neither did it give off that moan anymore. I was panting, sure, but I won. It wasn't so tough. Trigger moved forward to look at the thing.

"That's the janitor."

Ok, so I just brutally murdered a janitor. He was trying to kill me first! Still, it was just a janitor, maybe I should be worried about that. Sighing, I turn to check the other rooms, but Trigger puts a hoof on my back leg.

"Mr. Eclipse, wait, what about your shoulder?"

Huh, I wasn't really even feeling it. Maybe it was just the adrenal-ohdearsweetCelestiathathurts! I crumple down, clutching it. It's oozing blood, but not as much as I'd expect from a wound like this. Beyond that, again, my blood was as oily black as the janitor's. I shake my head, trying to focus. "Trigger, do you know where the nurse's station is?"

"Yes, do you want me to go get some bandages?" He moved over a bit, probably that way he was inching.

"Yes-no! Not alone. Too dangerous alone. Just, give me a second. We'll head together." I stagger back up, looking about for something to work for now. My eyes fall on the janitor once more. Looks like some of his clothes aren't completely sticking to him. My lucky day, somewhat. I let my blade out again, keeping weight as much as possible off that shoulder, and cut as much as I can away. It's enough to stick over the wound for now, but nowhere near enough to wrap it.

Well, it'd do for the moment. I hobbled along as best I could, keeping up with Trigger as he led me along. Luckily no other corpses were walking about, and nothing was showing on my EFS except Trigger. The short walk was without incident, until we got near, then I held back Trigger. Something was showing on my EFS, and it seemed to be coming from another room. I moved forward as quietly as I could, and inched the door open a bit before peering through the crack on the opposite side of the handle. Apparently the nurse wasn't it, she was on the floor, no the moving one was, another colt. It turned this way. He had the same vacant stare the janitor. My heart sank. A crazed janitor I could do, but now I'm being asked to put down a colt? I shivered a bit, then thought through my options. The door opened inwards...Yeah I have an Idea, shouldn't make it too hard. I knock on the door. The colt snaps his gaze and snarls, rushing the door, scrabbling at it. I slam it inwards.

The door stops just short of the wall, and I hold it there. The colt was pinned, and I could see it's head sticking out. Re Maneuvering myself to allow me use of both legs, I let my blade out once more, and stab the colt in the head. "I'm so sorry little one. Go to the Elysium Fields in peace...." My blade retracts, and again, the wound glows pink for a moment, with no other reaction as the colt slumps over, no longer moving.

The nurse's office cleared, we begin our raid. There were healing potions, magical bandages, and plenty other things a nurse's office shouldn't have. Another one of those little purple vials for example. Taking one of the potions, I pour a little on my wound. It stings, and seems to work, but only barely. Same with the bandages, though they help more at least to keep it from bleeding everywhere. Trigger pulls out a couple bags from under the sink, and starts shoveling things in. Taking one of the bags, I pocket the little purple vial for now.

Before we can leave, Trigger gasps, and pulls out one of the last things you'd expect in a nurse's office. A revolver. One notched five times, and a single pink butterfly on the handle. So a Ministry of Peace issued weapon? Trigger hoofs it over, letting me look at it closer. No rounds in it, and two lines of text etched in the barrel. "Thou are forgiven, now and forever." was on one side, the other read. "Fear not Death, for with mercy it has no sting."

So the nurse as sanctioned by the Ministry of Peace? A quick glance around reveals no holster, but I know I have one at home. When all's said and done, I can swing by there for it. I pocket the pistol as well, no use without any rounds. The stairs up are next to the office, so we begin our ascent. I listen closely for any sign of the sobbing. Nothing there, but it can't hurt to check. We head along the second floor hallway, keeping an eye out for any sign of life, or unlife. No way those two were truly alive anymore.

Without warning a red blip pops up on my EFS, and out of a room bursts another. Wait, no, he wasn't snarling.....but he wasn't pony either.

"A changeling...what in buck's name is a changeling doing here?"

"That's no matter for you pony! What have you done!? My class has been slaughtered by this gas!" He stomped forward, looking me square in the eye. This close it was clear he was a sufferer of this cloud as well. I pushed him back some.

"You think we'd do this to our own? If so you're more naive than I thought. And what do you mean your class?" Claims like that were a problem, and being the only royal guard around, well, this became my problem. He moved back closer, fury etched wide on his face, or maybe the fangs only made it seem that way.

"My class, Healing basics." He slumped down, and I noticed his blip swapped back to green. "Been here for ages....before the invasion of that harlot queen. Alone, surviving, trying to be the cool teacher, to gain love from the students." He looked back at me, his expression almost pained. "They're all gone now. All I can feel is a little fear from something on the third floor."

Trigger stepped forward and out of hoof's reach before I realized. He looked them over, and the classroom the changeling came from. "Ms. Healbright?"

Never seen a smile on a changeling, but a small one crossed this changeling's face as they put a hoof on the colt's head. "Yes Trigger, it's Ms. Healbright." He drooped his head again. "I guess it's over for me.....Go ahead, take me away. Not that it matters. They're all gone, I'm even more a freak......I can't even feel my own heartbeat....."

Inadvertently I clutched at my chest a bit, almost hoping to feel my own. Nothing. I checked my vitals on the pipbuck again. Deceased. It was true then, we're just monsters aren't we? It wasn't a glitch. So why are we still moving?

"Why aren't we like them?" I didn't realize it for a moment, but I had said it out loud. Both Trigger and the changeling looked at me. Only Trigger seemed to get what I meant. The changeling only looked somewhat confused. I sighed, explaining the two others we encountered. The changeling looked horrified, before snapping his head up. At that same moment, we heard moans, many moans coming from all about us. Trigger and I backed up. The changeling followed. But what came next.....

Nearly every doorway in the hall opened, and out of them came about three dozen colts and fillies, all with vacant stares. The changeling almost looked relieved, before a small grin crept on his face. He started creeping forward.

"Are you nuts, they'll eat you alive!" I reached out to grab their tail, and missed. I even tried a shadow, his own horn glowed, and smacked it away with a levitation force.

"Children, it's Ms. Healbright. I know I look bad right now, but it's me. Come to me children. Things will be ok." Three dozen heads snapped up to him, and all snarled. The changeling stopped, turned to me, and merely said. "Buck my life, that's hate coming from them." He slumped over, and they descended upon him, tearing him apart. Trigger and I ran, as fast as we could, and when we reached the end of the hall, I slammed the section doors shut, and shoveled whatever I could in the way. Several small bodies crashed into it from the other side, but the impromptu barricade held for now.

We wasted no time, heading up another floor. The changeling had said something about fear coming from up here. I saw three blips of red on this floor nearby. Didn't matter, we didn't stick around. Doors flashed by us as we ran. My wound started acting up again, causing me to wince in pain and stumble. Several snarls behind us announced more of the things. We didn't stand a chance without some kind of barricade.

Advanced Enchanting whizzed by as we ran. Wait, that's where Data would be! I grabbed Trigger and pulled him in, slamming the door shut. Again we built a hasty barricade. I heard a few slams against it, but it held. So we were safe for now.

"Umm, Mr. Eclipse." Trigger was tapping my back. When I turned, there was Internal Charge, only with a vacant look on his face He snarled, and charged. I pushed Trigger aside, taking the brunt of the blow. It sent me into the wall, and left a nasty puncture wound in my stomach from Internal's horn. Coughing up a bit of blood, I stood up again shakily. We stared each other down for what felt an eternity, but was in truth no more than a few seconds. We both charged at the same time, and I sent my blade out, slicing at his neck. My blow struck true, but not before Internal bit my neck. It was enough, and he slumped down, taking me with him. Where his spine had been severed came a short pink glow.

I struggled then, to get his mouth to let go. A few smacks in the face got the jaw dislocated enough to pull it off, but not without doing more damage to myself. I was panting, and to be honest, the pain was enough to make me wanna lie down. Trigger started pulling out more supplies. I sighed, realizing they'd be useless. I was bleeding too much already, and bandages don't fix internal injuries.

"Just, forget me Trigger, get out of here. Wait for a chance, then run." I slumped over. The darkness crept in on me again. I embraced it this time. I failed to find Data, I know, but....I can't go on like this anymore. The world faded, and all was black again.

***

Another moan escaped my lips as life seemed to return to me. My wounds glowing that sickly pink like all those others did when they fell. They sealed up, leaving me laying on the ground, alive, and facing two frightened foals. Trigger, and...

"Data!"

Level 3

Embrace of darkness - your brushes with death have left you stronger as a result. Your skill with shadow magic has increased to adept level.

Author's Notes:

Ok, chapter two, issues with getting it spell checked again (dang my word program, I need a good one with spell check that isn't hidden so deep you can't find it at least, anyone got a recommendation?) But yeah, much longer than I though it'd be. It's proving easy enough to turn simple lines from my storyboard to full blown parts of the chapter. heck the first part wasn't even part of my storyboard, just a spur of the moment addon. And forgive my corny humor, but considering Fallout does it too, I'm tossing jokes in where I can.

EDIT: Few touch ups and all that, doing the same for chapter one.

Out of the Frying Pan

The hug I gave her was so strong she started beating on my leg a bit to let me go. Once I finally did, she was panting, like I'd been keeping her from breathing. Maybe I was. What did it matter, she's safe!-ish. The pounding on the door being any indication.

Everything settled for now, Data came up to me, no smile on her face. Instead she slapped me. "Don't you ever scare me like that again Dad!" She followed this up with a neck crushing hug of her own. "I thought I lost you, just like Mom....."

So that was my crime. Can't say I didn't deserve. She'd been in the room , but I didn't even see her until I woke up again. So she probably heard me tell Trigger to run, not even looking for her, so I didn't even think to try to hold on. Guess the truth is we're all more like Them than I thought. Data chose that moment to sniffle. Must have been stuck here alone for who knows how long. The only company a deranged professor, and one of her favorite ones at that.

One of the chairs falls out of place on the barricade. Trigger moves to put it back. He turned back to us, a fearful look, and Data looked about. I groaned. We were all together, but we had no way out.

"This seems unfair...." I Set Data on my back before grabbing more things for the barricade. Not much left to add. The desks were in place, I didn't have a screwdriver to loosen Charge's desk, which would work so much better. The banging continues, on and on. My thought fall back to the changeling. Nopony could ever corroborate his story. His tale might have been a chance for peace. Instead we have this living hell to deal with.

Trigger begins to tear up. "Momma's down there, what if she wakes up and those things get her?" They either already have, or she's one of them in that case. I pull him close.

"Trigger listen to me. Even if she's alive, she wouldn't want you getting hurt to try to get to her. That's the thing about parents. Even if they seem harsh, they'll always value their child's life over their own." Trigger looked up to me, almost wishing I hadn't said what I had. He began sniffling, then buried himself in my chest. Data hopped down, sitting close to him. All the while with the pounding of those feral beasts at the door. Made me think of that one book I read a while back. A father and his two kids, waiting in a room while the undead pounded on the door. Only difference, I didn't have any ammo for my gun, and....we were kinda undead too.

Trigger ends up latching onto data quickly after she starts nuzzling him a bit. They're in kind now. Rapid's not gonna take the news well. I take the moment to look over the book from earlier. Flipping through it yields little. There's mention of the Crystal Heart, griffonian crossbows, and many recent entries, rifles, M.E.W.'s, even mention of some of the more devastating things to come out of Zebrica.

One caught my eye here, particularly the Littlehorn Incident. The details are few, but it's all there, an unnatural, toxic pink cloud, with only one known survivor. The only scary part is the image it shows, and how thin the cloud seems to be. By the Sun and Moon, if such a diluted version could do that.....

I snap the book shut, pondering over this development. So only one known survivor of Littlehorn. Guess we technically can't be called survivors either. Victims seems more appropriate.

Well, knowledge in any form can be valuable, so perhaps time to take stock of what I know. First off, the ones outside seem to have degraded mentally. We haven't. It's not limited to ponies who potentially can go without mental degradation, if the changeling was anything to go by. The feral ones see us as food, even if we're as much a rotting corpse as they are.

I lift my hoof to my face, looking it over. It seems gnarled, and misshapen. The flesh oozes around my pipbuck, sealing it on far better than any lock ever could. My coat itself seems only a sickly discoloration, but looking closer, it's definitely not fine fur anymore. It's a welded together mass. The polished gunmetal gray sheen it had a distant memory, now only a pink hue remained.

Sighing, I start going through the desk, looking for anything of use. An enchanting class, maybe something. Didn't expect bullets, or a 10mm pistol in the drawer. Just what was Internal charge planning with a gun anyway? Doesn't matter, ammo, so we may have a chance. My heart sinks when the bullet count only reaches sixteen. There had to be more out there. Every other drawer revealed little aside from bottle caps, trinkets for enchanting practice, and a few bobby pins. Nothing else to pocket, they get set in my bag as well.

With that done, I load up the 10mm. With the way things are turning out, gonna need it. Holding it up at the ready, I start moving towards the door, trying to plot out our best course, when several shots crack off elsewhere, possibly from outside.

In an instant I'm at the window, looking out. A couple flashes of light come from nearby, followed by the sound of more gunshots. Somepony else mentally sound! Whoever it was, they were making their way here, cause those last few sounded much closer.

The clouds swirl a bit, dissipating enough to let me get a glimpse. That Burgundy coat, I'd recognize it anywhere. I can't help but grin. WE were getting out of here!

“Rapid!” Just me yelling his name out got Trigger's attention. He rushed over as well, quickly followed by Data. Rapid himself turned to look our way. Couldn't tell if he was grinning or not from here, but he didn't look our way too long. Two ferals came bounding out of the cloud at him. Not skipping a beat he leveled his weapon on them. Quite the find with a service rifle. Three shots at each and they were down. Still he kept his gun trained on the cloud as he backed up towards us, yet no more came. Giving it one more minute, he put the gun away and looked back to us.

“Eclipse you rotten weasel! Knew you were too stubborn to die to this!”

“Could say the same for yourself! And looks who's here!” With that I pulled both Data and Trigger up into view. Even with a bad view, I could see some of the pain wash away.

“You....you found Trigger? Oh thank Celestia......” He collapsed. Still looking up at us. “What about...what about Grapevine?” I merely lower my gaze. “No........”

“Hey, hey now, we're all OK, Trigger's OK, but we're in a bit of a bind up here! We've got the door barricaded, but there's at least twenty of those feral things outside. I don't want to see how long a barricade of desks holds them. You got any ideas?” He looked back up to us, thinking it over. Never mind, he was probably trying to file away his grief. I know the pain, but I had time. He stood up and started walking away. “Rapid, wait!”

“Hold on Eclipse, I got an idea.” His horn glowed, and he began dragging along the two corpses of the ferals, before tossing them into the bushes underneath the window. Oh no he was not considering that was he? “OK, you're gonna jump down on these.” He was. Well nothing doing. If it was our only option. Unless there was a ladder shop nearby. Pfft, doubtful.

“OK, but we're gonna add one more.” I set the foals down and start dragging Internal's body to the window. Data looks at me in fear.

“You're just tossing him out?” She started backing away like I had lost my mind. I groaned, looking over.

“Only a little bit ago Internal pretty much succeeded in goring me with his horn, plus he had gone batpony crap crazy. So really, not caring enough right now.” OK, maybe that was a bit too harsh to say. Data looked a bit dejected, but stayed put for the moment. I got Internal propped up on the sill, and push him out. I heard a squelch, followed by Rapid adjusting the pile.

“OK, all set, go for it!” I look to the foals, though neither of them really wanna move. OK, jumping from a third story window onto a pile of three bodies that the two living adults involved killed. Retrospect, could see that as off putting.

CRACK!

A section of the doorway gave out, letting a hoof and several snarls into the room in full. That barricade wouldn't last for long! In a sweep I grabbed both of them up, set them on my back, and jumped out. I landed stomach first, and gotta say, bodies don't really cushion a fall all that well. It was enough to hurt, and knock the wind out of me, which coincidentally sent a concentrated blast of the cloud right in Rapid's face. It'd have been comical if we hadn't been fleeing for our lives.

The kids made it through unscathed. That was the important part. Before I even landed from the first bounce, Rapid was grabbing Trigger up in a hug. I pulled Data close as we watched for the moment.

“Trigger....I thought I lost you.” Try and hide it all you want, you're crying Rapid. Nopony's gonna care. With the hell we've been in, a few tears means nothing. Trigger himself begins sobbing into Rapids shoulder. Truthfully he held up well during this. Regardless, we can't stay.

“I hate to interrupt, but we should get somewhere out of the open.” I lift Data off the ground and onto my back, pulling out the 10mm at the same time, holding it steady as I can. My shadow breaks up a bit as a small section stretches up my leg and side to hold it up.

“I ever tell you how creepy that looks Eclipse? Seriously, why not levitation?” Rapid sets Trigger on his own back. “Cause watching your own shadow crawl up you just makes me think it's possessed or something.”

I merely smirk. “Never really came to me any other way. Just how my magic is buddy.” Muted in the cloud, a few gunshots carry to us. Far off, too far to find the source. May those poor souls make it. “Come on, we're not exactly safe out here.”

The roads of Canterlot are just plain creepy without the normal hustle and bustle one saw every day. So many places seemed deadened or worse as we passed. Didn't help three times we got assaulted by more of those ferals. A quick bullet to the head was much cleaner at least. We made few stops, either to look for survivors as blips came on my EFS, or find food that hadn't been rotted away by the cloud. Only a few canned goods were still edible, and even then, the rust on the cans said that might not be so for long. Whether we died to the cloud or to starvation, it was going to be our end it seemed.

“Well hello to you two again!” The voice called out to us as we passed the guard station, it seemed oddly familiar, and all it took was one look at the door to show who. The very same pony who had been peddling drugs, sitting there with a very odd looking pipe in mouth. His eyes seemed a bit shrunken, though the waft of purplish smoke coming from the pipe itself may have had something to do with it. “So the guards of Canterlot failed us again! Even with your fancy new weapons too.”

Rapid glared over at him. “You're one to talk buddy. Just sitting back, trying to get honest workers to cough up their bits for bad habits.” He took one step forward before I put a hoof on his shoulder.

“Let him be, he won't last long against anything he attracts with all his yelling.” Rapid looked at me like I was nuts. Yeah sure the pony was a scumbag, but with how things were, he'd attract a hungry feral within an hour. I merely give him a glare. “You value your life, or whatever it can be called now, find someplace you can actually barricade. There's more out there willing to eat your face off.”

“Oh I know....I know indeed.” He stepped aside, showing several bodies draped in the station. Many were, bitten into, he merely smiled. “And look! I have plenty of food, care to join me.....or care to donate?”

Data cringed back behind me. I didn't see what Trigger did, though Rapid himself took a step back, muttering something about them being sick.

The next moment I had the 10mm pointed right at his skull, and out of his coat he pulled a revolver. Of course he still had that. The peddler merely smiled once again, making me flare in anger. I never took my gaze off him, a simple haze clouding out most else around me.

He was the first to break the silence “Yeah, I can use you for a pie. I'm thinking, carving your skull open and dumping the contents in a nice graham crust, then stuff it in an oven for about, oh, two hours. Should be lovely, the filly can have the first slice.” He didn't get further than a small chuckle, which left him a bullet in the head. The dull pink glow from it faded quickly.

“May the Princess's mercy be with you, for I have none to spare for you.” I snatched up his revolver. All six rounds, and then I found twelve more in his pockets. Pulling out the revolver Trigger found earlier, everything matched up. I kept his revolver, in case we might need another ready to go.

Looking back to the others, the reaction was mixed. Data was shaking, holding onto Trigger. Trigger seemed a bit nonchalant. He had been that way about me killing before. Then again those were feral monsters. This was a sane, well, mostly sane, pony. I blame violent hologames for his indifference.

Rapid looked at me like I was a demon or something. As I came closer, he put a hoof up. “Eclipse, your eyes.....they're a rose pink, right?”

I cocked an eyebrow, what was this about? “Yeah, why?”

Both Trigger and Data seemed to catch what he meant, though I had no idea. “Cause right now the irises are red.” Wait what? I turned around and looked in a window. Sure enough, my reflection showed red irises, yet as I looked at them in confusion, they shifted back.

“Trick of the light maybe....Or, eh. Does it matter?” I turned back to the three of them. Rapid seemed to relax.

“Yeah, maybe, but don't do that again Eclipse! We shouldn't be tossing ourselves at situations right now!” He turned and started walking off, Trigger following behind.

I stood there for a moment, Data beside me. Rapid had a point. We're just trying to get somewhere safe, and stopping at everything we come across wasn't helping. I sigh, following after. More ammo was good at least.

Soon Home comes into view. A small place like before, yet even in this pink cloud it still brought a small warmth to be back. Rapid headed over to the house next door with Trigger. That was his own place, so it left Data and me alone for now. I unlocked the door and let us in, before flopping on the couch, with Data sitting in the chair next to it. She still seemed a bit shaken up, but we could pull through.

“Wujeeta's gone. She didn't wake up like I did. She didn't wake up like professor Charge did. Just, laid there. Dead.”

“Data....”

“No, no I get it now. It's just not fair though. She wasn't a part of this stupid war, I wasn't, you weren't. So why are we hurt by it?”

“Data. We put faith that the Princesses were leading us right. Every report was saying the war was going to be over soon. The zebras....just pulled a desperation move I guess. Still, it's going to be over soon. Then....I don't know, maybe some doctors can help us.”

She didn't answer, just sitting there. I got off the couch and went into the kitchen. Most of the food was in the fridge, so that was sealed at least. Probably get a decent meal out of it, then stick to canned food where we can.

The second I opened the fridge those hopes were dashed. A concentrated amount of the cloud puffed out. When it cleared, it was easy to tell the food hadn't fared at all. Nothing but warped rot, just like our skin. Well, there was cider at least. That was still sealed, though It looked to be swirling a bit in the bottle. Did anything hold this stuff out?

“Buck it.” I grabbed one, popping it open with a flick of it's shadow, and took one large gulp. It tasted aged, in a bad way, but still like apple cider. I took the bottle back into the living room. Data was sitting there, tapping buttons on the TV with her magic. Surprising the electricity works, now that I think about it. Too bad television reception stank now. Static, static, more static. Every channel static.

Data groaned, turning it off. “Even TV's dead.....”

“Hey now, we can't be certain of that. Could just be something causing interference. We could always put on a holotape or something.”

She laid flat. Ears drooped. “No, it's your turn to pick, and you always pick the same one.”

“Oh come on! Spacebulls is a classic!”

“It's only a year old, and the first hour and a half is just a big ship flying by slowly, until finally you see the end of it, with a bumper stick 'We brake for nopony.' All that for an overly corny plot.”

“So that's a yes?”

“Fine........”

I practically squee, flitting through our holotape collection until I find it, and set it to play. The opening credits begin to roll, and that's when the power cuts out.

“Oh come on!” Had I been paying attention, I would have noticed Data's horn had stopped glowing then.

Well, at least the books seemed in OK condition. Let Data do something while I got things together. Namely my cleaning supplies for my hoof blade. Letting it slip out, I took my first good look at it since earlier today. The blade was covered in blood, sure, but while that came out easily enough, the pinkish hue it had taken on didn't. Maybe it was the cloud's work again. Doubted it'd mean much.

I was just finishing with the polish when a knock came at the door. With a thought I swung it open with the knob's shadow. Rapid and Trigger.

“Yo...can we stay here tonight?” He almost looks fearful. What's brought this on?

“Well, yeah, but why?” I let my blade retract as I hop off the couch. Rapid's been acting strange since we found each other, but this, even this seems too far out.

“Umm...it's kinda...” He looks away for a moment, down at his leg, when his eyes pop a bit wide. “I felt it better we stick close, in case more of those things show up.”

“Good point....alright, you two have the guest room, first door on the right upstairs.” Without a thanks he rushes up, without Trigger, leaving the colt to hop up on a chair.

Really, the best term to describe the next few moments was awkward. I hopped back on the couch, with nothing really said, only the occasional turning of a page.

“So, Trigger....” He looked away from me. Probably not in the mood to talk. Another page turned. I adjusted myself a bit to have a hoof free. The couch creaked a bit under my weight. Hold on a second, it didn't do that earlier. Adjusting myself again, it made no sound. With a shrug, we all return to the silence.

Said silence is broken as the creaking noise returns. All three of us look about for the source. Nothing. Again a creak, and finally I look up, just in time for several cracks to sound out, and half the ceiling falls. With it the bed from the guest room falls, Rapid on it. Luckily nopony was under it. Rapid was face down in the bed.

“Rapid, you alright?” Slowly he looked up and about, the small frame in his front hooves slipped from them. I got a clear look at the photo. His and Grapevine's wedding. Both of them had cake on their face, grinning like idiots. So that's what it was.

He looked over to me, nodding slowly. Parts of his face were stained wet. He'd been crying. Hopping off the couch, I moved over, putting a hoof on his shoulder as he lay there.

“Look, it's, not going to be easy, I know. Grapevine was a wonderful mare, and you were everything to her, and her you, I get it. But Trigger's gonna need you to be strong, OK?” Rapid blinked a few times and looked away.

“I...I don't know how Eclipse....without her I feel lost. Like there's no point.” He slumped down on the broken bed. “I guess, I just need time to think.”

“Of course.....” I look at the kids, Data's watching, a hint of sorrow. She's probably thinking of her mother. Trigger's crying. I sit down next to the bed, thinking myself. This cloud's turned so many lives upside down, killed so many. This war has been a blight.....something needs to be done.

I stand up once again, heading upstairs. Bedroom, guest room, office, ah, storage. Inside is a whole assortment of things collected by myself and the family. Notes on our history, theories on origins, our family's work for generations. What sits in the middle is a simple lock box. Opening it slowly, the plush contents are revealed. Despite the damage the cloud has done to everything else, the Ember family amulet looks as shiny and clean as ever. I slip it around my neck, the coolness of the metal a strange sensation for the moment. It will pass. I gather a few more things, a holster for the revolver to cinch around my waist, more ammunition for it, and some extra for the 10mm, then a set of saddlebags. Next I pull my armor down. The fit is off due to my shirt, but what can be done? A few more buckles in place, the holster set, and the revolver and 10mm loaded, I make my way back down.

“I'm heading out, possibly to find some supplies, and hopefully some clues on this cloud.” Data looks away, not wanting to show her tears. “I know, but everypony's more prepared. I have plenty of ammunition, so I should be fine. I'm just heading up the road to the market district.” Still she doesn't look my way. Rapid's already moved to the couch with Trigger next to him. Rapid merely nods.

“Alright....I'll watch over them, but don't go too far.” I give him a small salute, and head out the door.

Again the roads seem oddly calm. Nopony alive in sights, and my EFS doesn't give away anything is out there either. The streets themselves are littered with corpses, all malformed, and stuck to it like bubble gum left out in the sun. It didn't take long before the tell tale moan of one rising reached my ears. Off to the left, EFS hadn't picked it up yet. Before it even got situated I had my 10mm trained on it.

It was a dog. A Germane Shepard by the looks of it. It looks about, sniffing around, before turning my way. Great. It started snarling, moving slowly my way. The eyes couldn't tell me a thing. Was it a mindless feral, or did it think I was just intruding? I start backing away. Our eyes stayed locked, each of us waiting for the other to falter, look away. With a rough bark, it charges, leaving me no options. It gets halfway before I fire. No time to react, it slumps over, the bullet hole in it's skull glowing a dull pink.

Poor thing was just an animal, yet another victim in this. May it find it's owner in the after. I turn, looking about to make sure nothing else was about, before a voice reaches my ears, off a different road

“Mirabelle, where our you? AGH, son of a- Curse these bodies. Somepony should sweep them up. Great, a stain, smells like rotten carrots.” Around a corner another pony trots out. Wearing what could have passed for a fine suit before all this, not anymore though. I don't even point my gun, it's clear he's not one of them.

“Hey! Great, another survivor!” I start over, but when he spots me he runs up to me.

“Oh good, finally, a guard that's actually competent enough to be alive right now.” He was grinning at me in a weird way.

“Well, I'd use alive loosely....”

“Nonsense, you're here, breathing. But that's not important. What is, is finding my poor lost puppy Mirabelle. She's a Germane Shepard, and such a sweet thing. Wearing a collar studded with diamonds too. Have you seen her?”

“You mean that dog, over there?” I point to the one that had attacked me, only a short ways away. He rushes over, looking the poor thing over.

“Mirabelle, oh my poor sweet Mirabelle.....what is this hole in her head....” He looks to me, his face scrunched like I'd started giving off a scent of rotten tomatoes.

“Well, hate to break it, but your dog attacked. I didn't have a choice but to put her down.” His jaw dropped. Like I insulted him directly. “Look, I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to-”

“Now you listen here you upstart, lame pathetic excuse for a guard! Mirabelle cost me a pretty sum of bits to have sent from Germaneigh. Oh, when all this pink smog nonsense blows over, you're certain to have your title stripped. I'll make sure you never get a bit ever again!” He had stomped over to me during his rant, getting in my face, which was hard since he was a good half a head shorter.

“Look I'm sorry but-”

“Sorry? Is sorry going to bring her back, no! I demand you pay me right now for the damages you've done, or so help me I'll take this to court. Your career, your funds, your home, all gone!” Oh that was it. I grab him by the neck of his suit.

“Now you listen here Mr. born into money. You've already given me a headache as is. Your dog had intentions to murder me and possibly eat me, so don't go thinking it's my fault they're dead. Second, this pointless pink smog as you put it, is bucking Littlehorn agent you dolt! The same stuff used to kill all those children! Third, Take a damn good look in a mirror when you get a chance, cause your outside finally looks as bad as your inside! Get good look, cause that's what you really are, and now, your threats to take all I own are meaningless. I've already lost most of my worldly possessions in this, so you can go rot in a hole for all I care!” I toss him on a corpse, the satisfying sound of squelching as it no doubt leaves another stain. He yells out in pain. Well shit, he got a jagged rib through his gut.

“You, you just assaulted me....I'll have your head for this!” He jumps up at me, but stops when he sees the revolver in the grip of my shadow, pointed right at him.

“Advice, don't piss me off any more buddy. I'm going to leave, and you're not going to follow. I happen to cross paths with you by chance later, I'll do nothing as long as you keep your mouth shut.” He looks to me, then to the gun, then back to me, before turning tail and running. The revolver goes back in it's holster, leaving me holding the 10mm again. I catch a glimpse of myself in the reflection of a window. Again my irises are red. I shake my head, and they return to their normal rose pink. What's going on there anyway?

Didn't matter for now, the market district was just ahead. A few shops were opened up, and several blips on my EFS were showing. Carefully, I slide into a general store. Two others are there, rifling through everything on the shelves. Other survivors, I slip out before they spot me and move on.

Next store has nopony in it, so I begin my search there, mostly going for preserved foods and canned goods. They'd take longer. Several bottles of water ere there, but all of them were swirling pink. Probably not any good. My saddlebags fill up quickly, all manner of foods that should stay good for however long we need them to.

Those two I had left alone were coming out of that store at the same time I came out of my spot. We looked to each other for a moment, the two of them holding onto all manner of goods, fearful. I sigh and walk over, before simply passing them.

“I'm not taking you in for something I'm guilty of too here....” They both look relieved and rush off. I continue on my way back, keeping an eye out for ferals. A beep comes up on my pipbuck. Odd, don't recall setting an alarm. Looking down at it, it says something about a new station being found, labeled 'help, please.' Sighing, I pop in my earpiece to listen.

”-can come here immediately. This message loops. To anypony out there, this is Sound Byte of WYNG. I was able to jury rig the generator for the building, but not without some help from the neighbors. Anyway, If anypony is out there and listening, I ask if you're wondering if the cloud will ever stop, if they can come here immediately. This message loops.”

I pull it out immediately. Well, we got a lead, but for now, I need to get this stuff home. My pace quickens. Several homes pass by, including the one the dog was by. There's that idiot again, though sucks for him, two ferals have him up a lamppost. I start moving by in an attempt to not catch their eyes. He's wailing for help.....

Faust bucking dammit! I pull both my revolver and the 10mm and train it on the two ferals, sending a shot into the one on the right one's noggin. The other one takes the 10mm in the gut. Both go down. I rush over and pump a revolver shot into the second one's head, leaving both dead for good.

“There, I killed your dog, so I saved your plot to make up for it, we're bucking even, bye!” I rush off to home, leaving him flabbergasted.

My home doesn't come into view quick enough. Slowing to a stop in front of the door, I push it open. The scene inside has the TV on, and a hologame running, with Rapid, Data, and Trigger sitting on the relocated guest bed.

“OK, now get the one on the right. Keep an eye on your health. That's it, no wait that one's got a rocket launcher!”

“I know dad, I'm concentrating!” A few sounds that seemed nothing like explosions sounded from the TV, and game over washed on the screen. “Buck it all to Tartarus!”

I facehoof. “Language, Trigger.” Everypony looks my way, and Data rushes up, giving me a hug.

“You're back....I thought you might be gone...”

“Hey, I'm tougher than that. Only two of them overall, oh, and one dog. Gave it's owner an earful after.” I set her down, and pull the saddlebags off. A multitude of canned goods, preserved foods, and the like. Even a couple bottles of Sunrise Sarsaparilla. “Decent load too. Almost wish I hadn't bought groceries right before all this happened. The bits might have been useful.”

Rapid hops off the bed “Nice spread I'd say. Though, any luck on news?” I nod, pulling up the station, playing the message once again for everypony to hear.

“So, We'll rest for tonight. If anypony else wants to go find out more, I'm heading in the morning.” Rapid looks away. Trigger just goes back to the game. “Data?”

“I...I don't wanna go back out there....I don't want you to either.” She starts tearing up, I hold a hoof under her chin.

“I know sweetie. But If it gets rid of the cloud, we can start rebuilding. If nothing is done, this might spread out beyond Canterlot. If you don't want to go, that's fine. I promise I'll come back from it.”

“But...but what if we can't breathe without it anymore?”

“Now that's.....” Actually a very good question. I sigh. “You've got a point, but, the pain it caused when I was running through it to the school to find you....I wouldn't wish that on anyone else, pony or zebra. If the cloud spreads, so many more will suffer from it.” She sniffled a bit, but nodded all the same. She wanted me to stay....dammit I wish I could, but I had my duty as a royal guard to do. Even if it's my last act.

Level 4!

Anger pains - situations that make you mad draw out an inner fire. Irises of eyes turn red, +1 to strength and agility, and all damage received is reduced 10% when in an angered state.

Author's Notes:

Ok, this chapter gave me trouble. I see now where I have problems overall, and that's juggling usage of multiple characters. Hopefully as I continue to work on this, I can improve in that aspect.

but yeah, chapter 3,

Radio Roadsong

Darkness surrounded me again. Sleep didn't come easy. Yet when it did come, I wish it hadn't. My dreams that night were plagues. Data at my side, but hurt, badly. I could not tend to her wounds as her attacker was still there. A cadre of ponies all looking at me with hunger in their eyes, fitted with armor black as night. A wall of shadows sprung up from the ground far behind them. It seemed to share a face mimicking it's minions as it began seeping towards me. I did not see the thin trail that made it's way to Data.

In a flash this thin trail of smoke expanded and engulfed her, forcing me to step back. The smoke curled and thinned, leaving her body coated in the same armor, and the same hungry look. The advance continued.

I drew my blade, holding it out at Data, torn between both protecting myself, and her. She could already be gone...but there was always hope.

“Data, please, it's me. It's dad.” I didn't even notice the others had surrounded me. The light began to fade as the wall of shadows expanded over us. Data merely grinned a wicked, toothy grin. Her teeth jagged and sharp.

“Vesssssssssssssel.....” They all chanted right before pouncing, ready to tear into me as the shadow continued to collapse on us. Before they managed a single bite, something at my neck began to glow bright.

The family amulet became brighter and brighter. It's glow blinding me, and apparently all the others. When the light finally faded a new figure stood beside me. His coat was as black as mine, and his red mane was held back in a slick style. His horn was glowing the same brilliant white as the light had before. His gaze upon those around us. His command came out strong and powerful.

“You shall not harm my descendant! He is beyond your hoof's reach, just like all his ancestors. Begone!” His horn grew brighter, and sent piercing rays of light through the masses. At this same moment I felt the world about us begin to shift, and tear apart. When nothing remained, it was myself and him in a darkness as my body faded. “The waking world awaits, go.”

Before I could even protest, it all faded, and the wiles of sleep brought me once more from the edge, and thrust me into wakefulness.

“Dad, wake up, wake up!” My eyes opened slowly as Data stood over me, shaking me. I grasped her and hugged her, tears spilling from her eyes once again.

“Shh shh, it's OK, I'm awake, but what's going on?”

“You...y-you weren't breathing, and shaking.” Oh Data...

“It's alright, I'm here. I'm fine. But we should have figured something like this. We don't know all what this cloud did to us.” I sat up with her, holding her close. The crying ebbed a bit, though she was still shaken up. “Did you have a nightmare too?” She nodded into my shoulder. “Want to tell me about it?” She shook her head this time. “They're scary, I know, but they're just dreams. They can't hurt you. But, we're up now. I don't feel like sleeping anymore....” The clock didn't work, of course. I checked my pipbuck, 3:20 am. Well, that didn't last long. “Come on, let's go see about an early breakfast.”

“OK...” I hop off the bed, and she hops on my back. We head downstairs, me keeping my steps light, so we don't end up how the guest bed did. When we get downstairs, there it is, with Rapid and Trigger sleeping on it.

“We'll let them sleep a bit longer.” Tip-hoofing around the edge of the bed, we make our way into the kitchen. Data hops off my back as I pull out a frying pan. “Check if the hay bacon's still good, will you?” I go through the cupboards. Clouded had seeped in them all, but considering we're not really harmed by the stuff anymore, the flour's a bit pink, same with the salt and baking powder. Surprisingly the sugar seems untouched. Data pulls out the hay bacon. Plastic sealed. We cook it now, it'll be fine. “OK, grab the milk, an egg, and the butter.” She goes back into the fridge, while I pulling out the vegetable oil.

Pancakes, gotta love them. The dry stuff all goes together, stirred up. Well, if anything, they'll be pink pancakes. Data sets all the other stuff on the counter, and in they go together. One bowl spills into another, and soon there's a lumpy mess of pink pancake batter. I check the pan. Bone cold. “Great...” Eh, not a problem, with a bit of magic, I have the stove on fire. Greasing the pan, the first pancake goes in. No time to mess with little ones. We're getting the big plate sized ones. A second pan comes out and I set another section of the stove on fire, working that on the hay bacon. The cabinets fly open again as their shadows push them open. This is probably gonna sear it, but if the oven won't work, I'm not going to bake this spicy hay bacon like I normally do. Honey, cayenne peppers, and the coriander comes out. Those mix together, and I hold the little bowl over the fire to heat it. Already a bit of a strain.

Meanwhile I got pancakes going in and out fast as I can. The bacon goes in the honey mix, stews for a bit, before I toss it on the pan. In and instant it begins searing. I let the flames die down a bit to cool it down. That seems to do the trick.

Within ten minutes we got a decent sized breakfast made. I'd have to remember that low heat trick with the bacon, does it so much faster. The smell got both the guests up, and they join us at the table. We hold our heads in prayer.

“Celestia, Luna, wherever you may be right now, Thank you for keeping us together. It's good to have family together, even in these dark times. Stay safe, and may the fallen have your guidance to Elysium.” With that we dig in. Midst the chewing, Rapid's the first to speak up.

“So, why didn't you mention friends in the prayer Eclipse?” Maybe now was a good time. I'd been holding it back.

“Well, truth be told I took a look at Garden's family out of curiosity some time back while doing some ancestry research. Found she was actually adopted, and the orphanage she was from had records she was left with a sister.” Rapid looked at me a bit puzzled. “Right before this whole mess, I did find her sister in the records, and filed it away. It wasn't an important detail with what else I found. It would have been on the forefront of my mind, but well, finding out the information about your ancestor being a crystal pony from about a thousand years ago, when we've been looking for this link for generations, is a big deal.”

“Just get to the point, you're making my head hurt.” I merely smile.

“As it turns out, Garden Dream's sister......was Grapevine. How's that for a shocker, brother in law?” The look on his face was priceless. Truth be told Garden's death made me slip it back to, though being able to say it now.

“You mean....that you and I, and Data's my....and Trigger's her.....” OK, big shocker apparently. Didn't happen often he was left incapable of finishing his sentences.

“Yep. Data and Trigger are cousins, Trigger's my nephew, and Data's your niece.” Data and Trigger both looked at each other for a moment. A mix of emotions seem to wash over both of them. Trigger breaks it first, going back to his food. Was he blushing? Well, I may have just crushed a crush with that statement. “So yeah, when I said family, I meant you two as well.”

Our simple meal concluded, with plenty of helpings of the hay bacon left. The others always say it's too spicy for them to eat too much, but I enjoy it. I gather up the plates, but a tug from Rapid's magic stops me.

“Let me do it. You let us stay after all.” He snatches them all up and heads into the kitchen. Before popping out of sight, he cranes his neck back . “Just...be sure to come back alive from this mission you're going on, OK? Don't think I could stand losing another family member....”

“By the sworn oath I shall.” The words echo in my head, the day we were sworn in to the guard. Memories that were too important to let go. Between the two of us, promising by the sworn oath was basically our little super promise. He nodded once, and stepped in the kitchen, leaving me to go get my things. Things including another slice of hay bacon. That spicy sweetness always got to me.

I trotted upstairs, once more gathering my things. I had yet to take the amulet off, and in truth, a part of me doesn't want to right now. My armor fitted on, the revolver and 10mm at my sides. Again I looked the role of a royal guard. It wasn't that fancy Steel Ranger armor, but it worked for what it was for. I went downstairs again, a few supplies set aside, and the remaining bacon left in a bundle. Well, can't let it go to waste, can I?

“Dad....” Data stepped in from the living room, a few tears in her eyes. She came up to me and hugged me. “Don't go. I don't want you to.”

I laid down beside her, holding a hoof under her chin. “I know you don't sweetie, but If nopony does a thing, then this cloud may spread. We both know why it has to be done....and the risk of us suffocating, we have to take it. For the good of Equestria, we have to throw our dice on the table, and hope it's a good roll.” She continued to cling on, and I pulled her in for another hug. “Now now, if anything, you've got close family still. Your uncle Rapid will watch over you for now. Also...” I pull away the 10mm and set it on the floor. “If you absolutely feel the need to, take this. We've been to the gun range a couple times, so I know you're not that good a shot. But you know the right way to use it, that's important. Your call.” The gun sits there for a moment, until the glow of her horn snatches it up in it's green aura. It levitates over and back into my holster.

“You need it more dad. Please be safe.”

“By the sworn oath I shall.” She gives me a funny look, which makes me chuckle. “Ask your uncle about it, he can tell you.” Speaking of, both Rapid and Trigger walk in. Rapid's got his rifle ready, just in case. Trigger seems to be clutching to him a bit.

With a small nod and a quick salute I'm out the door. I close it gently behind me, and make my way off. The roads again start eerily quiet. Even with that, conditions were fair enough, no busybodies going to and fro, nothing jamming up the roadways.

My trip sent me the other way, as the Radio Tower was in a section of the city closer to the Ministry Hubs. There were a couple points where a feral pony rose up, or lunged at me from the shadows. They were quickly dispatched. So many homes along the way had moans coming from them. My heart tore at me to help those trapped in there, but reality showed me it'd be worthless to do so, going hoof to hoof with them was risky, and my ammo wouldn't last forever. It didn't stop me from peeking in a few of the homes. My heart tore at my chest at the site in one in particular.

She laid there, a filly no more than six or seven, clad in a hazmat suit. She wasn't breathing, and there were definite traces the suit couldn't hold this cloud out. So young, and to have had life torn from them. I shut the window and stepped away. This was just senseless. So many lost. How many had been children, with hopes, aspirations, dreams? How many parents survived without their children? I shuddered at the thought. After having lost my wife, losing Data would have been.....

No, not the time to dwell on this. The very fate of Equestria may hang in the balance. My trip continued, sending me close to the six hubs. I could see in front of the Ministry of Peace that the three bodies lay there, the poor souls who had died to the falling glass. They were spared the cloud at least.

The corner rounded, sending me into another section of the market district. I could hear snarling and hoofs slamming into something around the next corner. Just what I needed, more ferals. I inched closer to the corner and peeked out. Three in total, all bashing on one of those valve doors. Well, their desperation pointed out one detail. Somepony with their mind intact as inside.

OK, this was worth the ammunition then. I slinked closer, my hoofsteps as silent as I could-

CRUNCH!

Of course there's an errant piece of glass, of course it's loud enough to wake the dead, and- oh look they're charging me. My guns level, but they've already closed the distance. I managed one shot from the 10mm, landing a blow in one's chest and sending it falling back. Before I could fire again I was slammed back. Both of the two remaining saw opportunity, or just were thinking lunch. My stomach was bitten into, sending waves of pain through my whole body. The other bit into my foreleg, right above my pipbuck.

This gave me a moment to draw my blade with my other leg, and slam it into the neck of the one on my stomach. My strike was true, going through the vertebrae in it's neck. It's head fell limp, and off of me.

I could hear the moan from the one I shot already. Not even thinking I slammed my foreleg into the one still biting at me. It dislodged him, giving me space to pull my....Where are my guns!?

I look back for a moment, seeing both of them slid down the road, too far to grab in this moment's chance. I turn back to both of the two remaining slowly walking up to me. The pain was still building. If I blacked out now...

One charged and I reared up, catching it by the neck with my pipbuck side foreleg,, falling onto my back with the momentum. As it started to roll with me I bucked it in the gut and made a slash at it with my blade. The buck connected, the blade didn't.

It didn't take me long to roll on my stomach, sending errant bits of glass into my wound there. My pipbuck leg wasn't liking the abuse, and refused to hold me up. I focused my magic, trying to give myself a shadowy brace to lean on. Wasn't happening. Dammit, this looked to be my end.

Flanked on two sides, no ranged weapons, and my good leg the one with the blade on it. I looked up, seeing the radio tower in the distance. With a sigh I fell to my haunches.

At that moment two things happened at once. A small flash of light came from the tower, followed by the feral in front of me suddenly standing a head shorter. The one behind me let out a groan as I felt a searing pain creep along the back of my head, just to the right of my neck, and passing out of my open mouth. It tasted of gunpowder. Oh hey, that gunshot sounded like the revolver. Woozily, I look back, seeing it dead, and a small form running up to me. All went black, and I fell.

A loud moan echoed in that alley. It again came from me. Curse Death for not letting me rest. My eyes open and regain their focus. A sudden weight glomped itself around my leg. Looking down, it was, to my own horror, Data. She was crying into my leg. I couldn't tell if it was from joy or sadness.

“D-Data, why...why did you follow me?” She just clung tighter, crying going into sobbing. I sat down, and pulled her into a full embrace, fatherly instincts taking hold. “Just let it out sweetie....”

“I thought.....I thought....and then I.....Oh daddy, what have I done?” I looked back again. The feral back there was unmoving, a clean shot through it's temple. None of the brains remained in it. The gun laid at my side. It didn't take me long to put two and two together.

“Sweetie...”

“I KILLED HIM! I'LL NEVER GET TO SEE MOM AGAIN, I'VE DONE SOMETHING HORRIBLE!” Her sobbing grew worse. “and when I....when I saw you there.....the wound on your head....”

I choked. So that's what the pain was right before I blacked. She'd shot that revolver, somehow gotten so dead on it squashed their brains apart, and the bullet continued on through my head....

“It it was trying to hurt you....and I panicked....What have I done?”

“You didn't murder him sweetie.” She looked up to me, tears still streaming, but that quiet look of confusion. “He was already lost, all you did was an act of mercy. Even if the results were a little...brutal, it was a quick death. It wasn't murder, and what happened to me was purely an accident. Besides, I survived, didn't I?” She didn't nod, she just clung tighter.

“But the Maker....all life is sacred...just like mom said.” I pulled her away slightly, looking her in the eye.

“The Maker would not frown on this Data. You did it saving me, against something that by all rights shouldn't have been alive. You likely released his soul from his body, freeing him of that torment. It was mercy. Yes, all life is sacred, but all life is also finite. He died to the cloud, he didn't deserve to have his body resurrected like that, and turn him into a feral beast, while he watched on as a shade of himself. We must preserve life when we can, and end it when to prolong it only brings more misery to the life regarded.”

“But-”

“No. Data, you have to understand. These ponies didn't choose to turn into these things. They've become dangerous to others, and in truth, they may not be able to recover. The best we can offer is a quick death.” She continued to cling to me. I sighed. This wasn't something she was going to recover from easily. “Data, we should keep moving. We gotta get to the tower, then we'll talk more about this, OK?” She nodded slightly, and let go.

I stood up, testing my leg. It felt fine now, and the bite wound on my stomach wasn't bothering me. Great so our lives gained a restart button? I gather up both the guns, and hoof one off to Data. She looks at it fearfully, and pushes it back, breaking the shadows holding it. “No...nonono...”

“Alright....” The guns go in my holsters, and we begin off. A sudden bang from the other side of the valve door shakes us.

“Hello, anypony out there!? The banging stopped...are you ready to answer me now?” That voice didn't sound screwed up. Was it a true survivor?

“Yes, my daughter and I are out here.” I stepped closer, to make sure my voice was heard. There was some shuffling.

“Oh good, is it safe to come out now? I mean, those brothers that installed this thing did a bang up job, I didn't even feel the ground shake.” No clue who he's talking about, but I sigh before calling out.

“It wasn't a balefire bomb like that, it was-”

“Oh it wasn't balefire? Good, then I'm coming out then.”

“NO WAIT-” Too late, the door popped open, and the poor pony on the other side had but a few moments before the cloud took effect. It rushed in, washing over him like a wave of steam. By the maker, his screams....his screams that quickly became blood choked as his face, melted off. He fell to the ground, parts of him beginning to fuse. He looked to me, unable to pull his body away, tears of pain evident. “I'm sorry.....” My revolver leveled on his head, and I pulled the trigger.

He went with only the gunshot. I stepped over his still bubbling corpse to look inside. Data slowly scampered in, giving the stallion a wide berth. There wasn't much to find. A radio, playing static, some canned goods, a blanket, and a bed. There was another door on the other side, still sealed. Data and I sat on the bed, thinking. She stuck real close, passing glances over to the stallion. Data was the first to speak up.

“What are we really now dad?” I look to her, then the body, mangled and warped by the cloud. Yet here we sit, mangled, yet alive. True we weren't exactly looking great now, but, that doesn't really answer her question. I don't think anypony can. We've been warped by this cloud, this very cloud that brings death. What did it truly mean, what did it make us. I breath out a sigh, watching a little spot of concentrated cloud disperse after leaving me.

“Really Data, I don't have a clue. What will it mean for us when the cloud is gone, who knows. What did it turn us into, would anypony know? Maybe a zebra could give us a clue. Doubt we'd find the answers.” I lay down further, listening to the static from the radio. No doubt everything else is dark.

There's a little crackling, and the static is replaced by a voice. Apparently a new message is getting sent out.

”-hurry. This message loops. This is Sound Byte again. At 10 past the hour I saw two ponies out there faced with some of the wild ones. Hope that sniper shot got one of the wild you got mixed around pretty good, so I couldn't tell exactly. If you're hearing this, make your way to the tower, you're not far off. Please hurry. This message loops. This is-” Data snapped the radio off with her magic.

I slid of the bed myself, letting Data jump on my back. “You heard them, let's go.” We stepped back out into the street. The tower was off in the distance, and a straight shot away. My guns came to my sides. My eyes stayed peeled for any movement around us. I gave a silent prayer for the owner of that saferoom, thanking him for the chance to rest. Off we went.

The trip didn't take too long, nothing seemed to pop out trying to kill us. The front doors of the station slipped open. A couple signs pointed us upstairs. We continued up, finding ourselves to be in the third floor recording room. A unicorn mare was sitting in there. She looked up to us, and smiled. “Finally, was waiting for somepony else to show up.”

“Umm, yeah....I thought Sound Byte was a stallion.”

“No my good colt, it's just an illusion. My idea actually. Mares go wild for the handsome voice I put on. Gets more listeners.....well, got more. You're the only two to show up since I started my message loops.” She slid out from around the counter, getting right in my face. “Hmm, yeah you'll probably do. I mean after all, you're wearing guard armor. Surely she'll talk to you.”

Data slipped off my back, and onto another chair. “Who's she?”

“Well little filly, 'She' happens to be the one that guards the Equestrian Treasury.” She smirked, looking back at me. “So you up to going to see her?”

“Wait wait wait....you mean to tell me, your plan, is for me to go talk to the dragon matriarch? The only ones she listens to are Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.” The nerve of this, all this way, getting hurt. This was a waste of time. I looked to Data. “Come on, there's nothing to be done here.”

“Wait!” I turn back to Sound Byte. “Look, my reason is sound, The cloud seems to be coming from the treasury building. I was out there for a bit, tried to get to shelter before the cloud got me. I wandered about a bit in a daze. Ran across a couple of those wild ones-”

“Ferals if you ask me”

“Right, OK. Anyway, The cloud was pouring out of that building. Thick as soup, but it didn't hurt anymore, so I went in. Place seemed deserted, until I found a staircase down below. She was sitting on the pile, didn't look like she could move from it, but she looked me in the eye. Told me to get out. So I ran. Came back here, set up the message.” This was nuts, completely nuts.

“Fine, I'll go check. But...” I looked over to Data. “You need to stay here.” She dropped her jaw.

“No, I'm not staying here after you got hurt! I'm coming with you!” Well, at least I know she got this occasional stubborn streak from me. I stomp my hoof.

“And I'm your father, and I'm saying you stay here. You've not got your own weapon, and you don't want to use either of mine. I'm sorry, but if you were out there with me...I'd worry too much.” I turned my gaze to Sound Byte. “Will you watch over her while I'm chasing this wild goose?”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” She mimicked her words as she said it. I cocked an eyebrow. “What? I met the Ministry of Morale Mare Pinkie before she got that position, about when radio started getting big. I asked her if she would always listen, she said that promise. Hers apparently. Heh, first time I tried it myself, I poked my own eye. Apparently nopony gets it right the first time.” I rolled my own eyes, and turned to leave.

Data of course chimed in. “I'm coming!” Sound Byte already jumped in the way.

“No, your dad's right. You want to help, I know, but if you can't help him fight, you'd just be a liability out there.”

“But-” I turn back.

“No buts Data. It's dangerous, better to go alone than take you out there where you could get hurt more easily than I can.” She looked away. She'd remember this, I know, but I didn't want to risk her. It's why I set off alone. “What would Rapid and Trigger think if you didn't come back?” She perks up at that, realization dawning. She of course ran out on them, leaving Rapid to worry. She sat down, nodding slightly. I'll be back as soon as I can.” With that I went on my way.

Finally, edge of the market district. The Treasury Building wouldn't be too far off. I passed a couple other survivors, they gave me a cursory glance. When I didn't move to take their goods from them, they went back to gathering their own supplies. A couple were walking the same way I was. I happened to overhear a couple things.

“-not sure what you mean.”

“Sundae, how many times do I have to explain. Word's going about that there may be a way to use one of the Ministry Hubs. Given those crazy ponies out there, we gotta stick together.”

“But, just leave everything behind?”

“Not much choice on that, I mean after all.....” she shot me a death glare. “Our Royal Guard couldn't stop this horror. Now look at us...and I had a spot reserved in that Stable too....”

I glared back at her, not liking her tone. “So you blame the guard for this?”

They both stopped, the ms death stare looking me straight in the eye again. “Not like you've ever been useful. 'Oh look at me I'm in good armor but it does crap. Couldn't stop changelings, couldn't stop this pink crud!' So yeah, I blame you and your incompetent lot!” I slugged her right in the nose. She reeled back, dead, blackened blood oozing from it now. “Why I never!” My blade shot out and she cringed back

“Nopony disses the guard. Where were you when this all happened, helping evacuation procedures? I didn't see you there. No, you were probably crying like a foal in a corner. So what if our track record isn't that great. We did the damnedest we could do, which is a lot more than you can say.” My blade retracted, and she merely glared daggers, still holding a hoof to her nose.

“Umm, sir...” My eyes snapped to her friend, Sundae. “Look, I'm sorry, Mist has been a bit, on edge since this all happened. I think we all have. So, please, can we just, be on our way?”

“Thundae, thith ith no time to be apologithing to our athaulter!” Oh her nose was clearly broken. I sighed.

“Yeah, you've got a point. So get heading. I may look into what you were talking about with my family.....well what's left of it anyway.” Sundae nodded, and started walking off. Mist stuck around for a second.

“You'll pay for thith.” She ran off after Sundae, leaving me to my own thoughts again. Maybe that was a bit harsh....

Then again, why should I have to take that kind of attitude? I am part of the guard, maybe one of the few left. I have a right to pride, and defending it! She tries something like that again, I'll...

Wait, no, getting distracted. I head off for the treasury building once more.

The inside of the building is rather quiet. Not surprising in all truth. There were a few corpses here or there. No time to dwell, have to find the dragon. I checked every door in the first hall. They all lead to offices or bathrooms, or employee lounges. The end up the hall tapered off to a much smaller one. True to Sound Byte's statements, I could see the cloud flowing. I hastened in.

This led to a trip which sent me careening down a spiral staircase, rolling and fumbling, until an almighty smack signaled the end. So I made it to the bottom, perhaps not the best way to make an entrance but it'd do. I brushed myself off. When I looked up, a pair of eyes were glaring at me. Big, yellow eyes with reptilian slits.

“Who are you?” The voice rumbled through the room. I stumbled back a bit.

“E-Eclipse Flare, A squad leader in the Equestrian Royal Guard. I was advised the cloud seemed to be coming from this building.” I stood tall, as much as I could. There was a silence, broken only by laughter.

“So the Royal Guard remains faithful even in this state? I commend you little pony. But this is not the source you're seeking.” With a flick of a tail, several lights came on, and I could see the results of the cloud upon the matriarch. Scores of bits clung to her like jewelry in a tapestry. The edges blurred where they met flesh, and so many spots seemed to show nothing but bone. Only the head, tail, and forearms of the great dragon seemed free. What's more, the cloud itself seemed to be flowing from behind her. “Regardless of your intentions, you are not supposed to be here without a decree.”

“But-”

“No buts. You have thirty seconds to give me one, or leave.” I closed my mouth at that. She moved one tile aside, and pull a small hourglass out of it. The time was counting down fast. I paced a bit. My thoughts focused together, and I spun to face her once again.

“My reason for being here is important. This cloud has already claimed so many lives. If it's not stopped, it may spread beyond Canterlot's limits, suffocating so many other homes, ending so many lives. I won't let that happen. It's my duty to protect the citizens of Equestria, so I declared the day I took the sworn oath. I'm sorry, but if you will stand in defiance of that duty, I will take action.” my steps brought me closer. The time in the glass ran out. All she did was smile.

“Noble that may be, but It is my duty to protect this hoard on Celestia's behalf. Therefore I deem you an intruder, and your life forfeit.” She inhales, still with that smile on her face, and blows out. What comes is not fire, but more cloud. It passes out her mouth and over me harmlessly. I merely grin back.

“And the cloud has deemed you unfit to declare my life forfeit.” I turn to walk away. “I'll find out where it's coming from on my own then.”

“Wait....” I turn back, still grinning. “There is some flowing well from here, but it's mostly coming from the bathroom back there, that's all it could be.” I cock an eyebrow at that. “What? Even a dragon needs the little fillie's room.”

“Right, so, if it's coming from the bathroom.....maybe the sewers?” Not a comfortable thought, slogging through that mess. Who knows what could be down there.

“Perhaps....there is a ponyhole just outside.” I sigh, looks like I'm heading down. I give her a quick bow before heading out. My trip back outside was uneventful, aside from the one feral that woke up. Poor thing was still stuck to the ground, and scrambling everything to get a hold of me. One quick bullet ended that.

The ponyhole came up easily, but the second I had it out of it's slot, cloud began spewing out. Seriously, getting tired of getting more of this stuff in the face. After a minute it didn't seem to be letting up. With another sigh, I started to climb down.

The climb down wasn't too long, but I could already feel the bile of the sewer seeping into my boots. It was pink, like nearly everything else touched by the cloud. There was the occasional swirl of black, most likely deadened blood from any undesirable pests down here. The smell itself was bearable, but only because the smell of rot had gotten normal with all going on. My pipbuck flared up a bit, enough so for me to bring it to my face. Good old Stable-tec, even in a crisis you can count on download stations working.

Armed with a map, I looked over the network of tunnels, trying to discern where a bomb could have been placed. Nothing really fit. Instead, I slipped a boot off and let the airflow give me an idea. It was coming from the north. Wherever it's flowing from, I'd wager.

With a nasty squelch I had my boot back on. I don't think I'll be keeping it after this is all done. There wasn't a sign of life in the tunnels, just more flowing sludge. It didn't take long to reach the first junction. The cloud was giving itself away this time. It was clear where it was flowing from. West this time.

I check my map, looking to see how far until the next intersection. It was a ways off. The splashing of the sewage kept the silence at bay. My thoughts wandered again. How much outside of the city got hit. I already heard Cloudsdale was gone, lost to a megaspell. How many more did the zebras launch before Canterlot was consumed by the cloud? Did our forces retaliate? Slogging through the sewers wouldn't answer those questions. No, only leaving the city would.

I was broken out of my thoughts by the sound of rushing water. I looked ahead, nothing, the sound was faint, but where was it coming from? It grew louder and louder, until finally I thought to look up, just in time for a pipe above me to release the contents within straight into my face. I thought it was bearably bad to smell before, now with it drenching my nostrils and seeping into every orifice, it was overwhelming. Soon the contents of my stomach found their way in the bile at my hooves.

I groaned, partly from the feeling of vomiting, and partly from knowing this is bound to happen again. I plod on, wanting to get out of here as quickly as possible. Another bend comes up, cloud's saying to go north again, but a noise coming from the south. A voice, faint and muffled. Who'd be in the sewers now? Well, besides myself of course.

I follow the sound further down that way, eventually finding a door. Creaking it open, I can hear the voice much more clearly.

“Got away, got away but they still find me, won't leave me alone, nonono.” I look in, and the sight before me is a stallion, fused to the floor, looking all about him. Surrounding him is all kinds of vermin. Rats, mice, all sorts of bugs, all seemingly mutated by the cloud, crawling all over him, and more arriving from pipes in the walls. “Foundation said they'd help. They don't help, they come anyway, kept me locked away, can't explain a thing. Then something else escapes, I got away. They're crazy, can't figure it out, couldn't find others to help, just get sent back, thought Canterlot might be safe, but now this. Can't move, can't fight them, get bitten all the time, pass out, wake up, pass out wake up pass out wake up PASS OUT WAKE UP! Cycle doesn't end. Never ends, never will end, more keep coming.”

I decide it's best to just close the door and walk away, slowly.

Back at the prior intersection, I do head north this time. Map says there's a big room up ahead, and with how fast the cloud's flowing, I gotta be close. The path sloped upwards, and thankfully the sewage thinned out. Again I could start to hear voices as I got closer to the room. Two it seemed. I kept low, my revolver at the ready.

“Would you just cut me free already?”

“We are not done here Zuranos. The final rites must be performed.”

“There is only two of us now Essant. It takes three to perform the rites, and Zabia did not awaken. We are done.”

“We have our orders from Caesar, we do not leave until the cloud reaches across all of Equestria.” Those voices sounded zebrican to me. So we had infiltrators bring this stuff in. I burst through the doorway.

“By order of Princess Luna, freeze!” I had my guns ready. What greeted me was two zebras, both wearing shrouds, their hoods down. One had his hooves stuck to the ground, the other seemed well free. A third body lay in a corner. The center of the room had a crystal slowly spinning, cloud spewing forth from it. “You will deactivate the bomb, and face public trial, or fight and face summary execution. Either way, do not expect your lives to last much longer.” The freed one, I'm guessing Essant, started laughing. My 10mm started coming out of it's holster, and slipping away in the shadows.

“Do you really think a lone law enforcer of your pitiful country can face a true warrior?” He pulled something out from his shroud, which turned out to be a collapsible staff. Within a moment he had it spinning around him like a master, until finally he slammed it down on the ground, and pulled it back up, standing on his back legs with the end of the pole pointed at me. “Face me then.”

“Gladly.” My 10mm pops back out behind him and pops him in the back of the head. He crumples to the floor without a sound.

“Essant! Oh you fool, facing one of the cursed......” I turned to him, cocking an eyebrow.

“Zuranos....right? What do you mean, one of the cursed?” He turned his gaze from his fallen companion to me, a look of fear.

“You beckon the shadows themselves....You're cursed just like your princess. A harbinger of the stars.” Again, no clue what he means.

“Hate to break it to you, but it's just my magic.” I shake my head. “We're getting off track, how do you shut of the bomb!?” That look of fear slowly turns into a sneer.

“You just killed the only one that knew. It will take longer than planned, but all of Equestria will soon feel the cloud's wrath. When my kin find you, harbinger, you will face their judgment.” He breaks into laughter, but being stuck as he is, that's all he can do. Instead I pick up the bomb itself.

“Such a small thing, caused all this pain. All this suffering. It just amazes me how cruel the world's gotten. So many lives ended. How many do you think were actually soldiers? How many were children, foals, mothers, daughters, fathers, sons. How many survived, only to see those they cared about didn't....”

“You think you survived this?” He laughs again. “You wear one of those stupid little wrist things...pip-bucks, you call them? Does it say you're alive?” I check it once more to be sure, it does say deceased, yet it continues to show me everything. “You died, with all the others. You just were unlucky to not stay dead.” His laughter grows, until I pop him in the base of the neck with the 10mm. He crumples some and falls.

“You think honestly that makes you the winner, to kill everypony here!? This wasn't killing in war, it was murder, mass murder.” I grab his neck with a shadow and pull him up, not even watching my strength, his hooves begin tearing away from his body. He groans in pain around the bullet wound. “What of me? Or any others surviving this hell you've brought?” He begins gurgling, coughing up blackened blood, as more began to pour from the torn limbs. I bring up the crystal to his face. “You've slaughtered hundreds of thousands, without a bit of remorse!” I bring the crystal back and slam it into his head, fracturing his skull. The crystal stays intact.

He crumpled to the floor as I let him go. No movement, no signs of the cloud resurrecting him. I bring the crystal in front of me. It's polished surface gives me a perfect view of my reflection. My irises were red again. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, calming myself.

When I open my eyes again, they once more are pink. The same pink I grew up with. I always hated that color. Mother always said it was unique, for a colt like me to have pink eyes. I didn't believe her. Through school, through basic training, everything. It took her on her deathbed for her to say why she was glad I did. Because she always had this feeling from me, like I would be a dark soul, yet those eyes always said otherwise. She was right, I was a good pony. Was I really? I just executed a zebra in anger, and had, even for a moment, lost that one quality. I sigh, setting the crystal in a saddlebag.

My trip back up didn't take long, the crystal kept spewing it's filth out as I walked, leaving a trail, but only one thought pilfered my mind right now. Destroy it, and I knew just who to take it to. The doors to the building opened, and I descended once more into her lair.

“Who goes there?” I stood tall once more.

“Eclipse Flare, same as before. I come bearing the bomb itself.” I pull it out and hover it over. The Dragon Matriarch grabs it with a claw, looking it over.

“I see. Appears to be a diamond, though tainted with this cloud. Why bring it to me?”

“My thoughts were simple, destroy it, and perhaps you might, well....”

“Eat it to do so? Since it will end this nightmare, very well.” She pops it in her mouth and begins chewing. Music to my ears, this hell would end. If we are to die from lack of cloud, so be it, but so many more lives would be spared Tartarus. She swallows the remainders. “Hmm, oddly it tasted like fresh strawberry shortcake.” What? She starts laughing. “I jest. It tasted like molded strawberry shortcake.” Again, what? Her laughter begins to fade as a hacking sensation takes hold. It passes but leaves her in a severe coughing fit. More and more cloud begins pouring out of her mouth, nostrils, and a few other places where skin has flaked away. She goes wide eyed.

It becomes obvious now, we didn't destroy the source.....she became it.....Nothing could have prepared us for that. We failed. I stomp my hooves in anger. Why does the world decide now to be cruel again? She gives me a look, all it tells me is she wants to be alone. I walk out, left to my own thoughts again as I head back to the tower.

There was no point staying in this city anymore. I'd get Rapid, Trigger, Data, we'd all leave, go warn the other cities out there that they need to avoid Canterlot, or maybe a force to end up killing the dragon, maybe that would stop it. I shake my head at that one. She was a victim too. We didn't know if it'd work, we just hoped. Hope could be dead.

The doors to the tower open a bit forcefully. I head back up to the recording room, where Sound Byte and Data wait.

“-and so with that there, I can record any kind of message I want on the system, and loop it back.” Well, sounds like Byte was occupied. I step in and smile a bit weakly.

“Dad!” Data jumps off her chair and runs over, but stops before hugging me. “Ugh, you smell.” Even Byte was wrinkling her nose.

“Well for your information, I had to slog through the sewers, and it just so happens somepony flushed when I was right under their pipe. Is there a shower here?” Sound Byte shakes her head. “Fantastic.....Well, guess we'll need to head home for that.”

“Right right, but Eclipse, you were out there for a reason...” I sigh, well, time to tell the truth.

“Completely botched, found the bomb, got it to the Matriarch cause it was a diamond, now she's the source of the cloud because we had the idea to have her eat it.” I slump down, exhausted. “On top of all that, I don't think I'll ever get the smell out of my boots.” Data nuzzles me a bit, and I return the gesture. “So guess this means we need to figure out something to stop things from getting worse.”

Sound Byte taps a few things on the system. “I've got an idea, though we need a place to hole up. Get everypony in Canterlot still alive-”

“We're not alive.” She stops and turns to me, confused. I hold up my pipbuck. “There were a couple zebras with the bomb. They're dead, but...well, they only confirmed what this was saying. No vital signs. We're just, zombies with better brains.....”

“Dude....buck being called zombie. That's gonna make ponies assume things they shouldn't!” I cock an eyebrow. “Zombies always refer to brain eating monsters. We sure as Tartarus aren't that!” She taps her chin for a second. “What about.....No...Aha! Ghoul, how does that sound?”

Data chimes in before I can. “How's that any different?”

“Cause ghouls aren't regularly portrayed the way zombies are. They're usually ponies fully returned from the dead.” I shake my head. It would never catch on.

“Oh, dad, you wanna listen to something cool?” Well, what's this now, an unreleased song? I nod. Sound gives me a smirk. The vinyl hits the board, and her voice goes on, masked by her spell.

“For all you out there listening, this is Sound Byte of WYNG, here to say even in this time of crisis our Royal Guards are still ready to serve and protect. With me in the studio is Eclipse Flare and his daughter, and did he have a story to tell. Turns out a couple zebras infiltrated the city and placed a bomb. But he's already put a stop to them. In somber news the cloud isn't likely to stop anytime soon, but Don't worry folks, I'm sure something will be figured out soon. Now some of you may remember what I said about this new stuff called rock not too long ago, but I figured, why not give it a shot, so much has changed already. Again this is Sound Byte of WYNG, signing off for now, but this station's going back to tunes, we all need a pick me up.” The spell stopped, and the needle hit the track. What started was probably the weirdest mix of orchestra, that weird electronic music, and some real weird instrument, which Sound said later was actually a guitar, that despite everything sounded catchy.

I'm trying not to drown
Beneath the sound
But it's taking over
I've tried to shut it down
But it grows ever loud

Two voices in my head
And I want one of them dead
So I can focus on
Remembering the words you said

The trip back home was a bit more cheerful, considering Sound was sticking back for now to keep music going. No clue how that mare got it done, but she got several intercoms across the city on-line. They crackled some, sputtering a bit, but still, music all over. So many more heads poking out at it. Crowds gathering, what was left of the populace still had a togetherness. I think I even saw Fancy Pants in the crowd somewhere.

Regardless, we didn't stay. I wanted to get Data somewhere safer than here. Sure many more ponies were waking up finally, but this city belongs to the dead now, and the rest of Equestria needs help. There might be survivors near Cloudsdale. First plan was to get home though. Find all the supplies we'd need, weapons, food, tents. I know I have a tent in there somewhere.

Rapid's standing outside, two others dead from his shots. He was laughing about it, but I recognized both of them. The noble with the dog, and the mare I broke the nose of. I rushed over.

“Data, Eclipse, you're back! You won't believe what these two idiots tried to do. They tried to burn your house down......with lemons....” He doubled over laughing again. I looked back, and sure enough, both of them are holding lemons, fresh, non rotting lemons, like they were never touched by the cloud.

“But...but how...what?”

“I know! Bucking lemons, what are they stupid!?”

“What?”

Level up! Level 5

Rapid Recovery – you've brushed death so many times your necrotic body seems to be ready to go at all times. Re-awakening after a non true fatal blow occurs much faster.

Author's Notes:

Gees, longest chapter yet, and all this time fighting a writer's block, but now, things might speed up.....oh who am I kidding, I'm slow as molasses writing.

Striped or Wiped?

Author's Notes:

And hey there all.....uhh, shoot I forgot how many of you....23 according to the favorites list. It's been a long hiatus, but I, and by extension this story, am not dead! I was suffering writer's block, severe writers block ,and every time I tried to sit down to this story I just went 'buhh' and maybe got five words down. But enough about my....no let's not make that kind of joke. Here's hoping it won't take over half a year to get another chapter done.

Well, make do with what is given. A little effort, and a horrible mockery of pink lemonade was ours. Rapid and I sat on the porch, taking small sips of the precious liquid. Where in Equestria did those two find fresh lemons in the middle of this?

Rapid sighed once. “Well, not much to do, all things considered. Maybe find some other guards, get things ordered, find if the cloud's spreading outwards at all. What do you think Eclipse?” He had set his glass down, and was now looking to me for an answer.

“I don't know Rapid, it almost seems a lost cause. Ferals all about, rampant looting. Personally I'm worried about the rest of Equestria, and what happened to the Princesses during all this.” I fear the worst. No sign of them coming down. Either too melded to the floor to safely escape, or simply dead. The thought was enough to make me wince. After all was said and done, the guard failed. “We won't have enough here. And other cities are going to need guidance.”

Rapid looked back outwards. It was hard to figure out what went on in his head sometimes. Could be nothing. “Eclipse. Don't tell me you're thinking of going out there. Look at us! Anypony alive out there is gonna see nothing more than a monster.”

“All the more reason to. Dispel the fear before it truly starts. Get them to understand differences, keep them away from Canterlot. For their own good.” I didn't like the thought. Denying ponies a chance to go to the capital. The decision wasn't made by me. Those zebras below had made the choice. Speaking of.....”Anything come up from Zebratown while I was out?”

“Not a peep. Doubt anypony or zebra's wanting to even really leave their homes. Most just do for a food run. Why?”

“I think someone needs to check it out.” I stood up, stretching a bit. “Doubt they're in as good of shape....but I need to see if somepony survived down there.”

“Eclipse. He's probably dead.”

“I still need to check. I want to talk to him if I can. I need to.”

“Talking to him won't bring Garden back.”

“I know.”

Only having some plain clothes left, I opted for my winter coat. Too warm, maybe, but better defense than anything else I had. My armor sat in the corner, still smelling of refuse and sewage. Won't ever come out. I kept the coat open at least. Maybe I could find one of those brown denim dusters while I was out.....pfft, yeah right.

Weapons holstered, check. Ammo, check. Protective gear, check. Beard.....wish I had grown one. Today I make history. Well, as historic as finding if undead cloud creatures can still breathe Equestrian air could be. Standing at the point of no return. The cloud wasn't as thick here, but it was rolling about still. Taunting me almost. The path down to Zebratown was quiet, and uncovered surprisingly. Well, here goes nothing. Eyes shut, step forward.....exhale. Inhale, good, can still breathe. I open my eyes.

The view is normally spectacular here, but the sight that greeted me was a thing of nightmares. Equestria lay before me, broken, battered, and dead. Craters in numerous places. The clouds seemed to swallow the sky. No sign of life whatsoever. The wisps of pink around me dissipate, slowly stretching away from each other. Yet never fully. I merely look down the path, seeing small puffs of cloud curl around my head and forward, filtering away into the cleaner air.

Odd, it only did that when I exhaled. A quick test, holding a leg up, I took in a deep breath and let out. The inhale sounded hollow almost, like my vocal chords were rattling a bit. The exhale let loose a veritable torrent of the cloud. From that notion it was plainly clear that getting close to anypony not already like me was not an option. Not until I found some way to neutralize the stuff.

Closing my eyes once more, I gathered my thoughts. Getting a chance to talk with anypony was going to be a pain. They'd either catch the danger immediately and run, or not realize until they got too close. Only hope was getting the first word in, hoping they realize what's before them is only a monster in body.

The path to Zebratown was relatively quiet. Interspersed only by the sound of my hooves on the ground. I didn't like that ever so mild squelch they made on each step. Better than not being able to lift my hooves at all. Can't imagine being stuck to the ground like that. The path evened out as I reached the strip of rock that was Zebratown proper.

It wasn't a pretty sight. There was even more cloud here, though more muted, and water running through. Ribbons of pink swirled as they passed by. Not a problem for me anymore. What was a problem were the few slowly plodding corpses. Even here, the cloud's effects could be felt. Stable 3 wasn't far from here. We all had to know where the local ones were. Perhaps I could sneak by.

The moaning growl of one of the feral zebras snapped me out of my thought process. They still had a distance to cover though, which made things easier. And gave me time to think on things, like how the feral ones could tell non ferals apart and try anything. Or why I didn't end up a feral. Would I?

The question took a backseat as my horn flared, a shadowy tendril spearing the closest one, giving me an easy shot into it's grey matter from my revolver. The second went down in a flurry of 10mm rounds. It wouldn't stay down for long. A third burst from a nearby store, charging at me from the side. It was young looking. I recognized it nearly immediately. I'd been on patrol down here when Morale had come by. We thought a sweep, especially with Pinkie Pie there. Lo and behold it was her throwing a young zebra filly a birthday party. It only made it a little harder to pull the trigger on my revolver when she was almost on me. She wasn't that little filly anymore.

There didn't seem to be any more coming. But I kept my weapons ready, and as an extra precaution, shot the one I'd peppered a second ago to finish it. A quick reload later, and the trek through town began proper. It didn't take long for the noise I had made to filter outwards, as three more ferals came rushing out after me. This was gonna tax my ammo. Ah well, let them come, one at a time as usual.

Getting bowled over the next moment, I realized how stupid it was to assume they'd come single file. Two had me pinned, going to try to bite into my forelegs. A twist of one had my sword going through their skull. The second had a fireball burn their face off from where the cloud started. A sharp pain in the back of my neck let me know the third had bitten there. My winter jacket had softened the blow some luckily, but I still felt teeth digging.

I tried taking swipes at it with my blade, but it kept swerving about like a madmare. Grunting, I focused my magic once more, the nearby shadows beckoning to my call, and lashing out. White hot needles of pain erupted around me as a crisscrossing path of spikes shot out, skewering me and the zebra ghoul. Letting them drop, I fell to the ground, black ichor oozing from pinholes all over.

My body refused to move for the moment. Only my magic working, and failing as my concentration sank. The one I had blasted with a fireball was distracted at least, it still being on fire, but the other one that had been on my back was already back up. Even with all the pinholes through it's head. Seems what damage I did do wasn't enough. But damnit I didn't have the strength to move. If my luck were to hold, now would be the moment for timely intervention. I reached out, anywhere near me, with my magic, searching for my guns. What I found was a rock.

The zebra ghoul snarled at me as it advanced. With a heave, I grabbed the rock in a multitude of shadowy tendrils, bringing it to bear. It was as big as my head. Perfect. I laid it out hard, and fast, smashing the skull in, again and again. By the time I was done I was smiling wickedly, my wounds flaring a bit, but this new surge of energy found it's way throughout. It was a thrill almost. Yeah it wasn't him, but it was practice when I found him.

Tossing the rock aside, the ghoul's head was completely obliterated. There'd be no getting up from that ever. It seemed so easy, and so easy to do again. I could just...just...

No, not these thoughts. It was always these thoughts. Always coming up at bad moments. I looked down to the amulet I still wore, it's gold and jewels still gleaming, despite how long it'd been exposed. Small favors. It fell back to rest at my chest. The last one needed to be dealt with. I scooped both my guns out of a small puddle, shaking them dry. One revolver round later, and the last zebra ghoul had fallen, still burning.

The rest of the trek I stayed quiet, staying out of the main path, and away from houses I could hear shuffling or scratching from. It had gotten eerily quiet, just like Canterlot. It was short lived as I found myself standing in front of.....his home. What I had come here for. I pushed the door open, an ominous creaking and mild splintering of wood. The main room was empty, but I could definitely hear something upstairs. I crossed the room, keeping an eye out for any sudden movements, and began to climb the stairs. They creaked, horribly.

“Who's there?” Shit, they heard me....wait, they called out. So they weren't feral. This may work out differently than I imagined. The sound of hooves hitting wood above me gave me pause. Should I stay down here at the bottom of the stairs, or hide away. Considering there'd be more creaking if I moved again, confrontation it is.

The figure in question stepped into view. It wasn't who I expected. Fur pattern and eye color were wrong. Who I was looking for had been burned into my mind. No, this buck was younger, riddled with scars all over, most looking like they weren't from the cloud itself. They spoke again, dropping into a ready stance. “I do not know how you got in you mindless beast, but upon my flesh you will not feast.” The zebra charged straight down the stairs, barreling into me and sending us both crashing into the floor below. The landing was enough crash us through it and into the basement where we fell into a small pool of cloud infused water. I'd have been worried if I hadn't seen the rotted look of the zebra before he charged. We surfaced, his movement slowed by the water itself.

“Hold it I'm not one of the ferals!” Even in these slogged down conditions I knew if they were skilled in any of those crazy martial arts he'd be able to skewer me on a hoof. Surprisingly, he did hold.

“Wait....So I'm not....” He dipped his head. “My apologies, it did not occur to me others would last this fate as I did.” It made me chuckle a bit.

“Let's just get back upstairs.”

With his attempts at murder thwarted, we sat down in the living room, or what was left of it. Gaping hole and all. I offered a box of fancy buck snack cakes, but he refused.

“No offense, but what they put in those things, to make them survive even this relatively unharmed, It's enough to kill someone.” He pushed them back my way, flipping them to the ingredients. Never thought of looking. Picking the box up for a closer look, well, let's just say....

“Sucrose, dextrose, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, proponiac acid, sorbic acid, formaldehyde, sodium benzoate, sodium chloride, eggs, flour, enriched flour, artificial flavors, and sugar.”

“Would keep a body preserved well after death.” He said as I finished, smirking ever so slightly. “But that's simply sidetracking. Your name and calling I am currently lacking.”

I cocked an eyebrow. Did he really....wasn't important. “Eclipse Flare. I came looking for the owner of this house. Wanted to talk. There any, bodies upstairs?” He flinched ever so slightly at the moment I said my name. I really hoped he wasn't thinking along the lines of those two others back in the sewers.

“I see. Explains the mark, and the magic.” He shook his head slightly. “I am Xantho. As for the one you're looking for, unfortunately no. Before the shield fell, I saw them rush off for the nearby Stable.” He readjusted himself in his seat, possibly getting comfy. I noticed, oddly enough, there was a glint as his tail swished. “Now, I do wish to return to my meditation, before I leave this place myself. The Stable is off to the north of here, as I'm sure you're aware.”

Should have figured. Not here, off for the Stable itself. “Well, thank you for the information Xantho. I'll make my way there.” I stood up, heading for the door, before something occurred to me. It was asinine really. “Umm, sorry, but if I may ask. What was the glint in in your tail?”

He blinked, before looking away sheepishly. “Part of my meditation. Which takes concentration. A process I cannot obtain until with your questions you refrain. So I ask that you leave, unless more of my wrath you wish to receive.” He swished his tail again, the previously hidden blade now showing through the fibers of hair. It had been held there some way, but obviously had fused to him now. It was stained on the edge. Something you wouldn't spot unless you kept a blade yourself. Blood, old blood. I winced as he drew it across his side. The other scars made sense. Carnilala tribe. Probably came from an older house in the area on the outskirts of town.

A low guttural moan came from upstairs. His eyes widened and he rushed up. I heard the unmistakable sound of a blade cutting into flesh again and again. Knowing what I knew of the Carnilala tribe, which was only what most media put out abut them, I did not wish to stick around.

Stable 3's door loomed at the end of the tunnel. The cloud was starting to fade some here. No doubt the walls were sucking it up. You could actually see through now. A few ferals mingled in here, possibly ponies that got trapped outside and were washed over by the cloud. They beat on the door dully, almost routinely. A few shots to the head fixed that.

I brought up my pipbuck for the first time in a while. The connector port still had a cable running in it. Hooking up the two, I fiddled with the controls. Having been through this a couple times for mandatory training updates in such an eventuality, it didn't take long before I had the speaker running.

“This is Eclipse Flare, Royal Guard, requesting a patch to the Overmare in charge of Stable 3.”

There was silence, save for a slightly crackling static from the speaker on my end.

“I repeat, this is Eclipse Flare, Royal Guard, do you read me?”

A few more moments of silence, and a zebra's voice came on the line.

“This is Zela, Overmare of Stable 3.” A moment later a second voice, this one sounding urbanite and definitely pony.

“And this is Sun Flask, also Overmare of Stable 3.” Wait, what?

“Please repeat, two Overmares? Last records did not indicate two Overmares.” Zela answered first.

“It was within the guidelines of the Stable. At all times there is to be a representative Overmare for the zebras-” Sun cut in.

“And one for the ponies.”

“Yes thank you very much Sun Flask.” The sarcasm was thick.

“Oh get the bee out of your bonnet Zela, we're in this together.”

“It doesn't help if you undermine me.”

“OK, true. But really now, you're making a bit of a big deal out of this.”

“Well if you'd stop butting in to what I'm saying I'd-” I butted in here.

“Ladies please, now is not a time for this discussion. First off, this is not a request for an opening of the Stable. The threat level I'd say is well above Omega.” I was hoping my raspy voice would strike that home. Sun spoke up first.

“Oh really? I sure hope not. What exactly hit, what can we expect? We turned the camera off cause it kept showing a dust cloud.”

I moaned. This...this was a hard call. “My...My recommendation is you lock the door controls. Both outside and inside. Canterlot, and the surrounding area, was hit with a megaspell. The spell, a unique variety. Are you both aware with the details of the Littlehorn Massacre?” A quick yes from both of them came my way. “Canterlot compares, but not in the 'exact same'. Think a scale of one to ten. Littlehorn was one. Canterlot's 11.” All I got was a gasp, and the sound of a camera in the corner swiveling to look this way. I looked right at it. “I hope the signal's good, cause I'll be honest. I've seen about fifty ponies walking about, and only about ten of them could be considered alive. The cloud out here is necromantic, and nothing save for full on magic bubbles seems to hold it at bay. Even with that, you're only buying time.” I sighed. “Keep everything running smoothly. You're in it for a long, long time.”

There was silence. Again save for the camera sweeping out there. I looked back, the mass of bodies all rotting and decaying already. There began a quiet sobbing from the other side, and the sound of a door closing. I heard another door open, and the sound of hoofsteps. I could only guess one went to comfort the other.

“Shh, shh. It'll be alright Sun. There's death out there, and he went to lengths to warn us how dangerous.” The sobbing lessened only slightly, but I knew it was now because Sun had someone to sob into. Zela spoke up again. “How long before you think it'll dissipate and we can leave?”

I frowned once more. “Honestly... I found the source. It's still running now. And it couldn't be shut off.”

My walk out was somber, quiet, save for one body I noticed. Seems the ferals had chewed on this poor bastard before thumping at the door. He was barely recognizable. Well, except one detail. One I knew too well. It was that damn crooked tooth, sharpened like a fang almost. I knew now I was looking at the corpse of the one I had been looking for.

“Well, so you got here, and the cloud got you first huh?” I kicked him once. This bastard took everything I cared about from me. My wife, my daughter's happiness. I wanted to come here, strangle him, thrash him....Buck I'd be satisfied in letting that Carnilala Zebra have his way. I'd even record it. Maker knows it'd be too good for him.

A small something slipped out of the pocket of the barding he wore. Something dirty and stained. Something, small and yellow. I picked it up with a shadowy tendril. It was...a rubber duck. A rubber duck in a soldier's uniform, saluting with a wing. It was the most ridiculous thing I could think of for him to carry, yet it fit him too damn well. Him and his stubborn, egotistical pride. It made me queasy to think of him again, laying here, dead, without me having done it. I nearly crushed the thing in my magic, but it popped back into place without a care. It suddenly made me very glad those ferals were ponies and not zebras.

I pocketed the duck, and moved on. No sense in desecrating his body. The cloud had done it already.

The walk back up to home was uneventful. Mostly so anyway. I saw a contrail of rainbow pass by and head straight into Canterlot proper. No... Why would Rainbow Dash go in there so recklessly? She needed to stay alive, lead. I had to find her and urge her out. Do what I could to help her escape. In the absence of the princesses she and the other ministry mares would be the ones in charge.

Before I even made it into the city, I saw the contrail again. She left a trail of cloud wisping around her path, as if reaching out, trying to drag her back in. Hopefully she realized how dangerous it was. She never even saw me. Good, hopefully she saw nopony else as well.

I traveled the rest of the way in silence, with the occasional check of my weapons. They didn't seem any worse for wear in this situation. Maybe finding them after the cloud had been what did it. It was almost like it wanted to preserve some things. Anything else it rotted and decayed.

Home came into view not long after reentering the city. Returning to the cover of the cloud made the outside seem so, surreal. Data ran up to me and slapped me again. OK, probably deserved it for leaving her here.

“Seriously Dad. Don't run off without me!” It was clear she wouldn't be happy unless she came along. I could see Rapid and trigger trying to pass time with a baseball. The fact my neighbor on the other side had broken windows now testified it was getting nuts.

“Sorry sweetie, but this guy I had to go see alone, OK?” She looked at me with a glare. “It was the zebra, OK?” He relaxed a bit. She knew not to go near him.

“Fine, but I'm coming along next time. And you're wearing something more protective. You've been hurt too much Dad.” With that she levitated a box over. What was inside I could only imagine was just that, my imagination. She didn't really....steal this from the police dept, did she? Inside was a full set of CPD riot barding.

“Data, sweetie, where did you get this?”

“The police station, and uncle Rapid went with me, don't worry.” She did. I facehoofed.

Well, it fit pretty well actually. It'd do well out there. Sure it wasn't up to snuff with my royal guard armor, or steel ranger armor. But it'd do until we got something better. Zebratown was lost, Cloudsdale lost, Canterlot lost. There was Hoofington, Trottingham, Fillydelphia, Manehatten, Ponyville, Appleloosa, Detrot... OK in truth anything that happened during this would have only improved Detrot. Only thing now was to pick a destination and start.

Rapid and Trigger chose to stay behind. Seems a few others stopped by, mentioning getting everypony together and setting fort in the MWT hub. Would make ferals easier to manage.

With Data at my side, a small 9mm in her own holster, which reminded me to make sure she remembered everything about gun safety, she and I set off for the slope out of Canterlot. Our mission clear, find as many survivors and look into ways to negate the cloud. If cloud spread, who knows what it'd do to the rest of Equestria?

Level up! Level 6

Perk: Gunslinger – your accuracy with mouth grip weapons (or one handed by clawed or pawed standards) is increased both in and out of SATS 10%