> Feeling Blue > by twinklesprinkles69 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The glaring sun basked over Sweet Apple Acres, a light breeze blowing through the trees. Applejack kicked the trunk of a tree, the red delicious apples falling down into the wooden bucket that stood at the bottom of the trunk. Applejack flopped down on the ground with a huff, swiftly wiping the sweat from her forehead. A pink sparkling mist approached her with a wooden mug filled with apple juice, “Take a break, okay? You look Exhausted!” Twilight exclaimed. Applejack took the mug from Twilight and gulped down the sweet liquid. “I appreciate the concern, Twi. But we are rather late on a ton of deliveries ever since Big Mac got sick.” Applejack stood up and shook the dirt off her tail. “Is there anything I can do, AJ? I don’t feel right leaving you to do all this by yourself.” Twilight dug into the ground with her hoof. The Earth pony walked to another tree and got into position, “No, I don’t want ya to get yourself hurt. Your company is enough for me, Hun.” She replied affectionately. She grunted as she bucked the tree, apples fell to the ground and scattered around the area. She looked up at the unicorn and blushed, “Whoops…” “And you’re sure I can’t help you?” Twilight bantered, a taunting smile on her face as she pushed a wooden bucket over with her hooves, using her magic to pick up the run away apples. “I mean it, it’s getting late anyway. You should head on home now. I’ll be fine, I promise, sugar cube.” Applejack reassured her friend. Twilight sighed, “Alright. I will see you tomorrow, okay?” “I look forward to it, Twi.” Applejack winked, leaning against a tree for support. Twilight felt her cheeks warm up, she glanced away as she giggled like a school pony. “Twilight?” Applejack said urgently as if she was trying to grab her attention, Twilight looked up at her confused and concerned. “Twilight look at me! Look at me!” Twilight blinked and snapped back to reality. Distant blood curdling screams filling her ears as she glanced around her surroundings. Her eyes scanned the crumpled pages and old books laying around the floor. She began to rapidly descend into a panic. Twilight’s eyes wondered down to her hooves which she discovered were stained a dark red. Looking a bit down further she noticed a small dragon lying limp on the floor. A pair of hooves raised her face gently, “Shh.. It’s me, Twi.” Applejack said softly. “AJ?” Twilight choked out, trying to grasp what was happening. She tried to look back down but Applejack’s hold on her face became more firm. “Don’t look. Just look at me, alright?” “Okay.” Applejack retracted her hooves from Twilight’s face, “I’m gonna need ya to get up, we have to get out of here before theyget in here.” Applejack walked up to the front window next to the door, peaking through the curtains. After gaining her composure, Twilight was finally able to get a good look at Applejack. She looked disheveled, her hair tie was loose and a chunk of her golden locks were hanging out of the once tight braids she kept her mane in. She had bruises scattered all over her body and a large cut on her cheek that was still dripping with blood. Twilight prepared herself before looking down again, taking deep breaths as she closed her eyes. She tilted her head down and opened her eyes. There lied Spike, the once sweet, kind purple dragon she raised now lying limp on the floor covered in blood, his body littered with blue dots. Twilight wrapped her arms around his body, raising him gently and holding him near her chest. Applejack looked over at Twilight, watching the purple unicorn rock back and forth with Spike in her arms as she sobbed. She swallowed the knot forming in her throat, blinking back the tears that formed in her eyes. Before a word could come out of her mouth, somepony began pounding on the door. Twilight and Applejack froze, looking at each other trying to figure out what to do. “Please, please let me in!” A soft voice shrieked from the other side. “Fluttershy?” Applejack gasped, she threw the door open and the yellow Pegasus flew inside. A group of dotted ponies began trotting towards the library but Applejack slammed the door shut before they could reach the door. “Fluttershy, push that desk over here! We need to block the door!” Fluttershy shook violently as she stared at the door in horror, her wings held tightly against her fragile body. Applejack struggled holding the door closed, she gathered all the strength she had left to hold it closed as it was being struck aggressively by dozens of hooves. She glared at Fluttershy, “Fluttershy! For the love of Celestia, get that damn desk over here!” Applejack commanded in a hostile manner. The Pegasus squealed in fear and swiftly pushed the oak desk over to Applejack. The blonde mare pushed the desk against the door and quickly backed away. “We need to get out of here. Now.” Applejack looked around for Twilight finding her upstairs placing Spike’s corpse in his bed and tucking him in. Twilight looked back at Applejack and nodded, placing a delicate kiss on Spike’s forehead. “I’m ready.” Applejack and Fluttershy began looking around for possible exits. Twilight glanced around upstairs and looked at the window next to her bed. “Girls! Up here!” She shouted down to the two mares downstairs. They trotted up the stairs and met Twilight at the top. “We can go through the window.” Twilight gestured. Applejack went up to the window, opening it to check outside. “We could…” She paused, noticing the dotted ponies walking around the house. “But we still got quite a few feral folks down there.” A crash was heard downstairs with loud groaning accompanying it. Dotted ponies began to fill the house, tripping over themselves to get in as they searched for the three mares hiding within. The light in their eyes were dull and what seemed like blue spores leaked from their mouths. Fluttershy’s eyes turned to horror at the sight of the walking corpses, she screamed before holding onto Applejack for comfort and safety. Applejack immediately covered Fluttershy’s mouth, but it was too late. The dotted ponies attention turned to the upstairs. A wave of corpses began to climb up the stairs towards the trio of mares. Twilight turned to Applejack, “I could use my magic to hold them off. You and fluttershy get out first!” “I’m not leaving you behind!” Applejack stomped her hoof, offended that Twilight could even suggest that they leave without her. “Stop being so stubborn and go!” Twilight screamed, she stood up and summoned all the power she could to fend off the horde. “Go! I’m right behind you!”