Before Archie had found her brother, Mist, she was with another group of survivors, this is her story.
In the beginning, my brother, Mist, had stormed off out of the house, angry about something, I couldn't tell, but when I went to go search for him, there was an explosion off in the distance, panicked, I ran for the nearest fallout shelter, where only three other ponies were found, two stallions and a young colt. If there was any chance of survival with as low as the supplies were in there, we had to leave, we were under prepared and devastatingly outnumbered by an unknown enemy.
Any characters currently unlisted that get involved in the story will be added to the tags.
Alone, that’s how the four of us started started the apocalypse.
Little did I know that it would also mark the beginning of a journey for me, a journey of survival as well as finding others, more over than that, searching for the princesses.
I had no doubt that my little brother could be out there somewhere as well, but I prayed that he would be safe within shelter.
But for now, I was stuck with three other ponies, a known criminal, a pony that seemed frightening, based on some of the rumors I've heard, and a foal whom I had managed to rescue from a massive horde.
We were stuck in the wastelands with nowhere to go, so we decided to head towards what was left of canterlot to see if we could find the princesses, but I had to get their trust entirely.
“You three, I know things are not as they should be, but you…” Archie pointed at the criminal. “... are to keep your hooves to yourself.”
The criminal growled but made no moves. “I’d appreciate it if you would call me Rockslide.” the grey earthpony snarked.
“Noted. Now may I ask for the rest of your names?” Archie said as she looked at the other two.
The foal stepped forward. “I-I’m Pink Lemonade.” the young colt stammered nervously, his yellow coat and pink mane and tail stained with dirt, mud and blood from the undead, he must have been attending a formal party of sorts as he was wearing a tattered tuxedo that was once in perfect condition before shit blew up in their faces and the undead were roaming about, His cutie mark consisted of a glass of pink lemonade, hence the reason for his name and colors.
“Name’s Jericho, Don’t gotta be scared of me unless you piss me off.” His coat was black as onyx at the chest and head, but faded into a grey at the middle and ended it a pure grey at his flank, the unicorn looked at Archie with a wolfish grin that revealed his teeth. “I’ve built up an immunity to their disease or whatever the hell it is that got them turned into the walking dead, but that don’t mean I can’t die.”
“Jericho, that’s… an unusual name for a pony.” Archie said to the unicorn.
“Yeah, I get that a lot, my ma n’ pa gave me that name when I was a young colt, just like this one.” Jericho gestured to Pink Lemonade. “Really tricky when it comes to dark magic and it’s uses, as it is amplified with the natural born magic that every unicorn is born with, had a confrontation with Discord that got me imprisoned in stone until a couple of days ago, I have to say it did a very good job of keeping me young too.”
“Oh, I see.” Archie replied, her surprise very obvious to the stallion.
“Everypony I knew called me Jericho the Destroyer.” Jericho replied with a smirk.
“Okay, that just made your name so much more awesome.” Archie said with a grin.
The stallion burst into laughter, proving how much of a laughing box he could be if he was in the right mood.
Archie wound up joining the stallion before she noticed Rockslide’s eyes focusing on Pink Lemonade and stopping, her eyes narrowing at the criminal. “Don’t even think about it Rockslide. I’ll kill you before you even try to touch that colt.”
“What? I was just trying to get a reaction.” Rockslide complained.
“Umm… Miss?” Pink Lemonade said, getting the mare’s attention. “T-this pony… I know what he did… Applebloom was my friend and… He was the one that… made her ‘disappear’ and just his being here scares me.”
“It’s alright, I won’t let him touch you, I promise.” Archie said in an unexpectedly motherly tone, which had calmed the colt down. What surprised her was the colt’s forelegs wrapped around her own, but she couldn’t help but return the embrace, as she had always wanted a foals love, but could never find a suitable stallion before, but now, here she was with a young colt in her hooves and she was going to do everything she could to take care of him. “I will never, ever let anything happen to you.”
Archie wasn’t sure why she was suddenly so attatched to the foal, treating him like he were her own, but her thoughts were soon interrupted by Jericho’s voice. “So, we gonna get going so we can look for the princesses or what?”
“O-oh, right.” Archie said, slightly embarrassed. “So… Uhh… yeah, we should get going.”
And so their journey began, their only protection from the radiation that had spread was a spell that had made them immune to the stuff. For miles, nopony said anything until it had began to get dark and they had began growing tired. “Archie.” came Jericho’s call.
“Mhmm?” the mare replied.
“We should consider finding shelter for the night, best we not travel at night since the undead are more active in darkness.” Jericho said as he pointed to a nearby shelter which oddly enough, was just outside the remnants of Ponyville.
“That’ll do for the night.” Archie replied. “Let’s get inside before we get swarmed.”
Jericho nodded, followed by Pink Lemonade, who still felt nervous around Rockslide, who made no argument or agreement, for he was scheming his next move as he followed them to the door and quickly hurried inside after them.
“Alright, let’s hunker down and get some rest for the night, got a long day ahead of us tomorrow and we don’t know if the princesses are still alive out there.” Archie said as she found a spot on the cold floor, as they hadn’t yet found any bedrolls to rest on, and slowly drifted off to sleep, followed by Jericho and Pink, but Rock had other plans, so he closed his eyes, faking his sleep as he awaited for them all to slip deep into their sleep before slipping through both doors and out into the ruins of Ponyville.
Once there, Rock began searching for survivors that may have been wandering about when he ran into a slightly familiar cyan rainbow maned pegasus several hours later. “You.” He growled under his breath.
“What the hay, watch it pal, don…” The pegasus collapsed to the ground as Rock struck her with a brick, knocking her unconscious as he began to drag her back to the shelter.
As he looked around on the way to make sure no one would see him, he saw a saddle bag filled with canisters of poison gas and grinned dropping the pegasus, who had surely have been roused by being dropped.
Rock came back to pick the mare back up when he noticed that she wasn’t there before being tackled to the ground from behind by the very mare that he had tried to capture. “You shouldn’t have dropped me if you wanted me to stay out longer.” The mare said as she released him, only to be tackled by the stallion before he began striking her, knocking her out cold and draping her over his back and heading towards the bunker and headed inside.
Once inside, he went into a room that nopony else noticed, as he had scoped it out and dug a tunnel to an underground vault that he had found there years ago and went inside, dropping the pegasus on the floor inside and opening the multitude of poison gas canisters and tossing them inside before shutting and sealing it tight before heading back and settling down to get some real sleep.
It was three months since I had heard from my little brother, Mist.
Everything he learned in survival, he learned from me, so I had no doubt he’d be fine as long as he stayed with the others if he found any or was found. I just pray that he wasn’t nabbed and killed or worse… turned… but for now, I had to focus on finding the princessess, which would no doubt, be a daunting task.
Archie awoke to see that everypony was still sleeping, but something felt strange, there was a small body pressing against her gently, she looked down to see Pink Lemonade curled up next to her with a gentle smile teasing his youthful features, which brought a soft smile to her lips as she curled herself around him a while longer, waiting for them to begin waking up.
Jericho was the first to wake and rise from his resting spot, looking around the area and seeing that everypony was still there, he breathed a sigh of relief, catching Archie’s attention as she looked at him. “Sleep alright?”
“If you consider having the same nightmare over and over every night sleeping alright, yeah.” Jericho sighed again, this time in depression.
“What’s up?” Archie asked, curious about what suddenly has Jericho so down in the drain.
“I… I had a little filly of my own… before this happened… when I realized it… it was to late and she had been bitten and turned… I had to put her out of her misery.” Jericho replied as he looked at the ground. “It was either me or her… I… Now every time I dream about it… it seems I was selfish in my choice to… to kill own little filly for my own survival.”
“Listen to me, Jericho… I have a little brother out there, Celestia only knows if he’s still alive or not, all I can do is pray, but think of it this way, your daughter is not suffering anymore.” Archie replied. “I know that no father should have to bury their child, but fate has a cruel way of doing things.”
Jericho sniffled a bit as he thought about his only daughter, a single tear running down his cheek, but looked at Archie and nodded. “I-I suppose you’re right about that.” Jericho then looked at Pink Lemonade with a smile as the colt slept next to Archie. “Seems he sees you as more of a mother figure than someone who had sworn to keep him alive, and to be honest, I think you would be a suitable mother for any foal you have seeing as happy as he is around you.”
Archie blushed lightly, but smiled and looked at the colt as he continued to sleep. “I don’t quite understand it, but I agree… I just can’t help but feel so attatched to him.”
“Ah… so you wanted to have a foal of your own but couldn’t find a suitable stallion?” Jericho guessed.
“I… Y-yes… that’s exactly what happened. Most of the stallions I met were either drunks, criminals, or just total jackasses.” Archie replied as she held the colt close to her. “Hah… I dealt with those types all the time before this shit got dropped on us.” Jericho laughed lightly. “Keep that colt close to you and he’ll be fine, I can promise you that. It’s time we got moving anyway.”
Archie nodded and gently nudged Pink Lemonade, waking the colt with a surprisingly adorable yawn that Archie couldn’t help but get a giggle out of as she herself got up. “Good morning, Pink.”
The colt looked up at Archie and smiled. “Good morning Archie.” he replied. “You are very soft and warm.” he complimented.
“Thank you.” The mare replied as she nuzzled him.
“The way every mother is, Archie, just like I said.” Jericho said. “You’d be a great mother.”
Pink Lemonade heard Jericho’s comment and looked at Archie, a glint in his eyes. “M-my real mommy didn’t make it… but I accepted it because if I had stayed… I wouldn’t have survived either. I… I don’t mind you being my mommy… I actually really would like that.”
Hearing this made Archie speechless as a tear slid down her cheek from what she heard.
“W-would you be my mommy?” the colt asked.
The sudden revelation shocked Archie, but her reply was the one she had been wanting to give for the longest time. “I’d love to be your mother.” she said as she embraced her now adopted child.
However unexpected it may have been, Jericho joined the embrace. “He’s gonna need a father and I’d love to be given that chance again, I’d love to have a family again.”
Archie smiled and embraced Jericho. “Then so be it… from this point forward, you, me and our son shall forever be one family, there’s no time for a wedding, but… we can make it work.”
Rockslide had been awake the entire discussion, seemingly disgusted by their willingness to start their own family starting with the colt as their first child. “I don’t care what’s going on, but if you three are all going to try and be one happy family and search for Celestia at the same time… I’m outta here, Celestia be damned for all I care, you were just a means of survival for me anyway, but I can survive on my own, just pray you never cross me again.” He rudely interrupted their moment before leaving and heading on his own way.
“What’s his deal?” Archie asked.
“Apparently he was hoping we’d never do this so he could pick us off one by one, but we thwarted that and now he’s angry.” Jericho replied. “But never mind him, we’re happy and that’s what matters, but we should get moving, the longer we wait, the less the chances of finding the princesses alive.”
“You’re right, we should get going.” Archie said as she got up, Jericho and Pink following close behind as they went out, everything they had with them packed up and ready to go as they left the shelter and began making their way towards Canterlot… or what was left of Canterlot.
However unbelievable it had seemed, Jericho, Pink and I were happy to be one family, Mist would be happy to find that he’s an uncle for once.
I will do everything I possibly can to keep my family alive and rejoin my brother so that one day, they will get to meet each other.
We had just finished passing through the remnants of Ponyville.
We had seen some ponies off in the distance, but we didn’t really bother going to them, our priority was the princesses, so we carried on, traveling through what remained of the small forest that was there.
Archie, followed closely by Pink and Jericho, trekked along the long trail to Canterlot, which came into sight just atop the hill they were climbing, it seemed to be… untouched, some how. “Jericho, have you seen anything like this before?”
“Canterlot is still completely intact… that’s not possible… unless they had erected a field to stop the radiation before the nukes dropped, security has been tight there though if that’s happened.”
Archie stopped suddenly when she heard a noise from the forest and some hushed voices, trying to listen to where they were.
“Raiders. We gotta go, now.” Jericho said as he picked up Pink. “Hold on tight up there.”
Pink only nodded and held on like his father was a life tether before Jericho and Archie took off in a sprint down the path, a group of raiders hot on their tails when, not to far down the road, they saw, surprisingly, a military checkpoint.
“There, if we can get to that checkpoint, we’ll be somewhat safe.” Jericho said to Archie as they ran.
“The quicker we get there, the better.” Archie replied.
Before long, the sound of rapid gunfire ripped through the air and bullets ripped past them, but nowhere near them, as the guards at the checkpoint had a mounted machine-gun picking off the raiders that persued them.
Once the gun fire stopped, the raiders had either run or been killed, as there were corpses littering the trail behind them. A guard approached the three and ushered them to a nearby camp. “What business has you all the way out here.”
“We… need to find the princesses… to make sure they were alive…” Archie panted, having gotten slightly winded from all the running.
“Do you have actionable intel on their current state of being?” The guard said. “No sir… unfortunately we don’t, and we are… without arms at this time… we were on our way to search for them to see if they were still alive or not.” Archie replied. “But we need a place to rest, my family cannot survive another day unless you help us.”
“Yeah… we’ll help you, but we heard reports of a mass movement of undead heading this way and we can’t survive on our own, we’ll be out numbered.” The guard said as he waved to a few ponies guarding a precarious box, which caught Archie’s attention before she looked back at the guard. “You two, I’ve heard reports about you two from the princesses themselves, so they sent us these to give to you, crafted by the princess’ ancestors themselves.”
The two ponies carrying the box, obviously carrying some sort of weapons, set the crate down in front of them and opened it.
Archie couldn’t believe what she had just laid her eyes on. It was a bow… A bow only spoke of in greek legends, blessed by the alicorn ancestors, she had only heard rumors of it as a filly and in her teen years, but now… her she was, about to recieve a legendary weapon… the epirus bow… said to use the very energy around it as an arrow. “This.... This is the Epirus bow… How can this be…”
“Don’t ask, We were given strict orders to see that it got into your hands and your hands only.” The guard said. “But we will need your help if we are to make it through the night in time for reinforcements to arrive.”
“Alright… we’ll help, just make sure our son stays safe, please.” Jericho said as he helped Pink off his shoulders. “I need you to go with the soldiers okay son.”
“But daddy, I wanna stay here with you and mommy.” Pink replied.
“I know son, I know, but it’s getting dark and there’s a lot of zomponies coming and the soldiers need our help, but I need you to be kept safe and the best that can be done is to trust them to keep you as safe as possible, they’ll never leave you by your self, I promise.” Archie said looking to Pink.
“Awww… Mommy…” Pink said, but Archie gave him a look that said he shouldn’t argue. “Okay mommy, promise you’ll come and get me when it’s over?”
“I promise sweetie, I’ll come for you as soon as everything is taken care of and everypony is safe.” Archie said as she hugged the colt before he was escorted to a heavily guarded tent. “He’ll… He’ll be safe… won’t he?”
“Yes ma’am, he’ll be perfectly safe, I assure you.” The guard replied. “We’ve had many families come through here, we’ve even managed to make sure to have entertainment for the young ones in our protection so they aren’t completely intimidated or frightened or… in some cases, bored.” “Thank you, sir.” Archie said as she looked at Jericho. “I… I know we haven’t kissed yet… but if we don’t make it… I just want you to…” she was cut off as she suddenly felt Jericho’s lips pressed to hers, her eyes wide with shock before she slowly closed her eyes and embraced him.
Jericho broke the kiss moments later, looking Archie in the eyes. “We’ll make it, I can tell you that.” he said before the alarm suddenly went off and the shouts of “They’re coming.” and the like coming from the soldiers in the camp as Archie picked up the bow.
“Stay back and guard the tent, If I don’t make it, I want you to protect him.” Archie called to him. “And if you see my brother… tell him I’m sorry.”
“I know you’ll make it, you’re too good with a bow to die.” Jericho replied.
“I’m needed on the front line, I’ll see you after the battle.” Archie said as she headed off to join the defense.
“Be careful… I don’t want to lose you or Pink.” Jericho said as he headed over to the tent and went inside where Pink ran up to him. “Daddy, I thought you were going to go and fight the zomponies?”
“I was… but your mother made me promise to stay here and protect you until she returned.” Jericho replied, not telling him that there is a chance that she could die for fear of hurting him.
Archie had just reached the front line when she saw what they were about to face, she had already readied an arrow, but her lack of familiarity with it caused her to slip and loose the arrow accidentally, but went at the targets intended, but… it scattered, launching upward and raining down like a volley of arrows upon the enemy, taking down half of the zomponies in rapid succession before she fired another for the same effect. Shocking all of the soldiers around her and murmuring softly.
“Had I have known this was so powerful… I… I would have come here earlier.” She said as she headed back to the tent, her shocked expression on her face still as she entered, both Pink and Jericho noticing.
“What… What happened out there… Is it over already?” Jericho asked.
“Y… Y-yes… I… I don’t know how… but the power of this bow is more than we imagined… this is the bow of Epirus in all it’s glory.” Archie said as she embraced Jericho and Pink. “We may survive this apocalypse after all.”
Suddenly, a pony in an officers uniform stepped in. “Miss Arrow, a word please.” the stallion said to her as she followed him outside.
“Daddy, what’s going on?” Pink asked as he looked up at Jericho.
“I don’t know son, but I hope it’s not bad.” he replied.
“Miss Arrow…” The officer started, before Archie caught him.
“Please, call me Archie.” She stated, to which the stallion nodded.
“Apologies Archie, but I am commander Steel Arrow, I saw what you did out there, I have to say, I’m honestly impressed that you had managed to be the one to recieve the Epirus bow from the princesses.” Steel Arrow replied.
“Wait… your name.... My father’s name was Steel Arrow…” Archie paused in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me.”
“I couldn’t tell you because I was afraid of what you would think of me, Archie.” Steel replied, placing a foreleg over her, only for her to back away. “
“Don’t touch me, You should have told me!” She nearly screamed, making Steel flinch.
“Archie, please calm down.”
“No, I will not calm down!” Archie screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. “This is the third time you’ve done something and not told me!”
“I had to do it to keep a roof over you and your brother’s heads.” Steel retorted. “Now you will calm down or I will be forced to detain you myself.”
Archie was about to argue once more before she realized he wouldn’t hesitate to do so. “I need to get to Canterlot as soon as possible.”
“Well you’re in luck, there’s a caravan heading to a nearby outpost thats outside Canterlot.” Steel replied. “They’ll be leaving tomorrow and they are in need of escorts.”
“I’ll do it, for my family and for the princesses.” Archie replied.
“Thank you, Archie, and I do hope you find your brother.” Steel Arrow said as Archie left the commanders tent and headed back to Jericho and Pink.
“I’ve got good news.” Archie said to them. “We’re traveling by caravan tomorrow as an escort.”
“Another dangerous task, but it’s not nearly as bad as tonight was.” Jericho replied. “I guess we should rest up for tomorrow then.”
“I’ll see if they have a place for us to rest.” Archie said as she stepped outside for a moment..
“Well son, we’ll be getting out of here tomorrow, we’re traveling by caravan.” Jericho said to Pink. “Where are we going daddy?” Pink asked.
“We’re going to Canterlot to find the princesses.” Jericho replied.
It was in that instant that a flash of pain was seen in the colts eyes, noticed by Archie.
“Is… is something wrong?” she asked as she sat on her haunches before him.
“We… my old mommy and daddy used to live in Canterlot.” Pink replied shakily as tears welled in his eyes. “W-when they told me to run… I… I didn’t know where to go, so I just ran and found myself lost outside Canterlot.”
Archie knew his pain and embraced him. “Shhh… it’s alright… you don’t have to talk about it anymore.”
“I think it’s time we all try getting some sleep soon.” Jericho spoke.
“I’ll go ask.” Archie replied as she went to speak with her father once more, returning with an escort.
“Follow us please, we’ll escort you to your tent for the night.” The soldier spoke. “The caravan leaves at thirteen hundred tomorrow.”
“Come on son, we’re leaving.” Jericho called to Pink.
“Is it bed-time already?” the colt asked before yawning, urging Jericho to hoist the colt onto his back, where he curled up on his back and simply rested his eyes, not quite falling asleep.
Archie looked back and smiled as she saw the colt sleeping on his father’s back. “He must have been tuckered out after not sleeping for a few days until recently, he’s a strong one.”
“I’d daresay even stronger than I at his age.” Jericho replied. “Let’s get to our tent and get some rest.”
Archie nodded and followed their escort, who led them to a large tent with plenty of cots. “Alright everypony, time for bed. Pink, come give goodnight hugs and kisses.”
Pink smiled and kissed and hugged Archie before looking her in the eyes. “Goodnight Mommy.”
Archie smiled warmly. “Goodnight sweetie.” she replied laying down on her cot, dozing off peacefully as Pink clambered into his own and falling aleep, while Jericho stayed up a while longer, his protective nature as a father once again finding purchace in his mind.
Just as the soldier was about to turn and leave, he noticed Jericho was still awake while the others slept. “Is there something I can help you with, sir?”
“Coffee, please?” Jericho replied. “No cream or sugar.”
“On it.” the soldier replied as he headed out to fulfill Jericho’s request.
Jericho sighed as he sat there on his cot, waiting. ‘My sweet Sapphire… if only I could have saved you.’ he hung his head as the memories of he and his daughter, Sapphire, spending time together.
“Daddy?” a voice seemed to echo in his ears. “Daddy, where are you?”
“Sapphire?” Jericho called, getting up and heading outside, where lo and behold, he saw a little filly, looking lost. His daughter was there, right before his eyes, yet she never seemed to notice him. “Sapphire, it’s me. It’s your daddy.” he tried to get her attention.
“Daddy, I’m scared, please come find me.” she said. “No… no get away, aaahhhhhh!” the filly screamed as she took off running, Jericho hot on her hooves, ignoring the ponies he nearly plowed into as he pursued his daughter.
One pony that didn’t expect him to come galloping past him, was Steel Arrow. “Soldiers, I need you to tail that stallion, follow him to make sure he doesn’t do anything crazy.” he said to the two nearest ponies. “Make sure he isn’t chasing a ghost, I don’t want him ending up killed.”
“Aye sir.” the two stallions replied as they quickly followed.
“Sapphire, wait!” Jericho called as he ran out of the checkpoint and ever closer to the forest where he saw his little Sapphire run to, but as soon as he got there, she vanished. “Sapphire?!”
“J…Jericho…” Another voice echoed.
“L-Lily?” he called out. “I-is that you?”
“Jericho…” came the voice again this time much more faint.
Jericho took off at full sprint, rushing to find his wife, he came to a skidding halt when he saw her mangled body as it was three years ago. “Lily… I… I’m so sorry… I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.” He collapsed as he shed tears of guilt, it only got worse when he saw the decaptiated body of his only child. In his grief and regret, he failed to notice his current situation, as he was surrounded by at least six to eight raiders who were closing in for the kill.
What the raiders didn’t expect was the sound of sudden gunfire ripping into them, ripping them limb from limb as the two assigned soldiers came up behind the path Jericho had come. “We have the package, returning to base.” the one of the two replied, speaking into a radio looking device that seemed to be powered by magic.
“Good job boys, come on back.” the device replied with Steel Arrow’s voice.
The two stallions lifted Jericho in their magic as they carried him back to base and into the tent with Archie and Pink, startling them awake as his weeping continued.
“What happened?” and “What’s wrong with daddy?” were the questions that were asked as Jericho was laid on his cot.
“From what I’d say... he was chasing ghosts, more so, the spirits of his family.” The soldier replied. “The condition he’s in, I’d say it led him to remembering something he’d regretted.”
The memory blurs, then fades and only the sound of sobbing remains.