AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am sorry if it took time to update but I been really busy on Thanksgiving and some Projects that I need to finish and this Fanfic will be one of them, please enjoy the show.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own MLP:FiM or Dead Rising, they are own by Hasbro and CAPCOM, please enjoy.
Chapter 7: The Hanging Lead.
TIME UNTIL HELICOPTER ARRIVA
Hours Minutes
5 3 : 5 0
It was 6:00 am, the sun hadn't risen yet and the mall was roaming with zombies and now the newly discovered pony zombies. Inside the Security room in the hall of the Storage room, there was a human and a pony, Frank West the photojournalist and Featherweight the pegasus colt from Ponyville, they were laying on a green comfy sofa, the little pegasus was peacefully sleeping, Frank in the other hand was fully awake since five, thanks to Featherweight's snoring even for someone so small he was loud.
What does this kid have inside? An engine or somethin'? Frank thought while covering his ears, he then looked at his watch. Well it seems I won't get any more rest. Frank gets up from the sofa, he took his jacket and his camera and put it on. Let's see if our ponies survivors are awake too. Frank turns to Featherweight for a moment, then he caress the little pegasus' head before heading to the other ponies.
Inside one of the Storage rooms there was Mayor Mare with Blank Diamond, Mist Glider and two young survivors Burt Thompson and Aaron Swoop, the last two were sleeping while the ponies were talking between them. Frank could see them by the glass window, he knocked on the door. "Good morning, may I come in?" he said in a polite manner.
The ponies were a little startled for Frank's arrival but they calmed immediately. "S-sure, you can come in ." said Mayor Mare.
Frank enters the room. "Hi, Uhh… did all of you have trouble sleeping?" He asked, looking at their faces, Mist looked pale and Blank had dark circles under his eyes.
"Nah! We are fine, what makes you think that?" Said Blank sarcastically.
"We have some problems sleeping, yes." said Mist, getting Frank's attention.
"Is it because you are in the same room with other humans or…?" Frank asked, trying to see the problem.
"No! no, is nothing like that," Mist clarified. "it's just that, we still can't digest all that is happening, I mean, arriving in another world, fighting meat eater monsters and…" She was shaking, having difficulty finishing her sentence.
"Witnessing our ponies die." Blank finished in a sad tone, Mist looked down remembering those incidents.
Frank was feeling bad for them. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."
"It's fine, is not your fault." Mist said in a calm tone. "It was Discord's fault that we ended up here!"
Frank's curiosity went up to see the reaction of the bat pony when she mentioned that name. "Discord? Who is that and what does it have to do with your appearance in this world?" He asked, wanting to know the story behind their arrival.
" , Discord is a draconequus that has control over chaos." Mayor Mare said, getting close to Frank to tell the events that happened before. "Our presence here was caused by a disaster that Discord provoked when he tried to destroy Ponyville."
"A dracon what now!?" Frank asked, confused by the name.
Blank interfere. "Imagine a large snake that has legs and other parts of different creatures, that is Discord."
Frank wasn't sure how to imagine something like that, but he decided to put it aside and continue with his questionnaire. "He wanted to destroy Ponyville? Why?" He asked.
"Because 2000 years ago he had control over a great part of Equestria, shaping it in his twisted vision, changing climate, animals and the environment into bizarre shapes." Mist explained. "But thanks to the Elements of Harmony Princess Celestia and Princess Luna manage to stop Discord by turning him into a stone statue and turning everything back to normality." Frank was absorbed by the story, more and more questions came into his head. "But after the passing of years, Discord returned and continue with his atrocity, our Princess couldn't bear the Elements of Harmony anymore but fortunately the elements chose six new guardians that were worthy for them to bear and use against evil, one of them been the Celestia's student, together the six using their Magic of Friendship they turned Discord once more into a statue, imprisoning him and stopping his misdeed."
"But then, how does coming to this world has to do with any of that?" Frank was intrigued, knowing that there is a place where magic can be so powerful that can defy the laws of nature.
"Mr. West, after the battle, abnormal events had started happening," Mayer Mare said. "From plants that walk with their roots to big chunks of a different biome appearing in another completely different," Her voice was of a concern leader when explaining all the problems that have been reported. "The responsible for all these incidents is Discord."
"But you said that he was turned into a stone, so how could he be causing all these problems?" Frank asked.
"Not directly Sir." Now was the turn of Blank to speak. "After he was imprisoned the remains of his Chaotic magic were becoming to spread, to later affect anything that came in contact with it, but when the cause of all these incidents was discovered the Chaotic magic has already spread further away from Ponyville reaching Canterlot, Apple Loosa, Cloudsdale, and almost touching Baltimare and Filly Delphia." Frank was focusing word by word to understand the severity of the problem. "Fortunately Princess Celestia organized a unit of special unicorns to clean and deal with the Chaotic magic, but…" Blank looked at the floor.
"But the magic became more unstable at the point that it started to work on it's own, it even started to react on weekends." Mist said, making Frank to raise an eyebrow for her explanation.
"Weekends? Really?" He asked, confused for her revelation.
"It's true!" She said.
"Why?" He said.
"Nopony knows!" She yells to later calm down. "But let's return to the point, after that magic became more unstable it became to start making portals at random locations in Equestria to Faust knows where! And as these portals appeared, ponies of all types, age and gender became to disappear, nopony knows where they are now since no one has returned." Mist finished, she sat on the floor looking depressed.
"Aaand, can't Blank use his magic and cast a spell to send you back to your world?" Frank asked, the ponies looked at each other with a confused expression, product of his question.
"My friend, if I was capable of doing such a thing, I can assure you that I would have done it long BEFORE!" Blank said with an annoyed face.
"Oh I am sorry, I didn't know that magic was a real thing just as talking ponies!" Frank said angry, making eye contact with Blank.
"C'mon bro, even I wouldn't think about that." Aaron said, awake and sat on the floor with the other young survivor.
"Yeah bro, zombies appearing is one thing but making the little buddy create an interdimensional portal is a completely different thing." said Burt, making everybody stare at them.
"Since when you two were awake?" asked Mayor Mare.
"Since you mention Discord return." he said, making everybody dumbfounded for his answer.
"Well, the point is that we don't have the necessary tools to cast a spell or a book to follow a procedure and neither the magic to perform it." Mist said. "And for what we had seen so far, there is no magical power in this world to send us back home, right?" she asked Frank in hope.
But Frank knew that that is something impossible to find in his world, David Copperfield and Christ Angel are famous magicians but at the end is just tricks and cameras. "Sorry, but there isn't anything like that in this world, I am sorry but you are stranded here." He said, in the most compasive tone he could.
The ponies were devastated by the news, not being able to return to their world, to their home with their friends and family, all alone in an unknown universe far different from theirs. The mayor and the royal guards start to cry quietly, Frank was feeling bad for them, even the two survivors felt empathy for them, to hear such news.
I feel sorry for them but that is how this world works, the only magic that exists here is the hard work, neither miracles could be so big to help us in this situation. Frank thought.
"Damn, talking about bad news." said Aaron to Burt.
"Yeah, it really sucks." Burt added, making Frank upset for the unnecessary comment. "But if we find more ponies like them maybe they can start their society here."
"Nah bro! She said that they came here by accident, so what they need to do is to integrate into this society." Aaron said, both getting deep in their discussion, ignoring the angry glance that Frank was giving them.
"Are you high or somethin'? To do that they would need to get a trail to the Supreme Court to state their case and the ponies would need a representative." Burt said.
"Dude! We have a Mayor in here! Who better to represent them then her?" Aaron said.
"Yeah but, does that count for something? And more since she is from another world? Besides, taking into account how our government works, it would be better if they…" Before he could finish his sentence Frank was now in front of them with a baseball bat in his hands.
"Will you two just shut up! Your stupid dicusion is not helping at all!" Frank yells at the young men, silencing them before calming down. But maybe that could work, after all I have everything documented to make their appeal to live here valid. He thought, but brushed the idea away. That's not what matters now, what matters is surviving this outbreak.
" " Mayor Mare said now calm, capturing Frank's attention. "Can you please promise us that we are going to get out of here alive." she said in a low tone, all hope to return back was lost, their lives are now the only thing that they have.
Frank could see the sadness on her face and the royal guards too, not having the strength to face this reality, he knew that Featherweight would react in the same way if he heard the news. "I promise you that we are going to get out of this hell hole, all of us!" He said, making the ponies feel with new hope. It seems that for now my job would include to save as many survivors as I can, humans and ponies equally. He thought, knowing that that will be something harder than his normal journalist work.
"Thank you Frank, we really mean it." Mayor Mare said with a smile on her face, the guards and the young men were smiling too at Frank's promise.
"HEH, Don't sweat it, besides like you said before, I need to be a model for the kid." He said with a smile of his own. "Well, I have to go, I need to continue with my job after all this story wouldn't cover itself." Frank makes a quick hand wave and starts walking out of the room.
"Wait Frank." said Mayor Mare, Frank stopped and turned to her. "Aren't you taking Featherweight with you?"
"No, I am not, the kid needs to rest, he had been helping me so much and had to endure some scenes." Frank looked at Featherweight's direction for a moment. "Let the little buddy sleep, he needs it."
Mayor Mare nods at Frank before he continues his way to the Security Room. When Frank enter he could see Brad sitting on a small green couch next to the lockers and Jessie sit on the same chair looking at the security monitors, so he decide to sit on the couch for a minute to check Featherweight's work, opening the photo files Frank could see the pictures that the little pegasus took and he was amazed by the photos, the lighting, the white balance, the filling of the frames, short and long distance shots all was perfect, he could see every detail that the camera could capture and Featherweight's work, in his hands were true quality photos. Kid, you don't need a Cutie Mark to show me how talented you really are. Frank thought, feeling proud of the hard work of his little partner. But then Jessie stood up from the chair, looking up at one of the monitors.
Putting the camera aside, Frank stood up and got close to Jessie to see the monitor. "That can't be good. What is goin' on, anyways?" He asked Jessie.
"Before this whole thing started, someone called the professor and told him to come to this mall." Jessie explained.
"Jacked the line, didn't ya?" Frank commented, making Jessie angry for a second to later continue watching one monitor that shows a man dragging Dr. Barnaby out of the book store. "So was this the caller? This guy here?" He asked, but received no answer. "They've got something to do with the zombies, don't they?" he asked again, but this time Brad got with them and answered.
"They're the reason we came here." He said while pulling his gun out and checking it. And if he gets away with , none of our questions will be answered." He finished loading his gun and left the room, heading to the mall.
After a minute Frank headed to the mall to reach Brad, he was now alone on the roof with a camera in one hand and a bat in the othe. "Well, now is my turn to take some shots." As routine Frank tossed away the bat he had since it was starting to weaken and took another from the foot of the metal stand, he called the elevator, killed the zombies in it and went down, killed the zombies in the warehouse but before entering in the mall Otis called Frank. "What happened, Otis?" he said.
"Frank… It looks like the shutter leading to the Entrance Plaza is open now. Maybe that guy dragging the old man around opened." Otis said, then he changed the subject. "By the way Frank, why didn't you bring Featherweight with you? He would want to come with you." He was confused as to why Frank left the pegasus behind.
"The kid helped me yesterday after midnight, he will need to recover his energies to endure my pace." Frank explained.
"Okay then, be careful. Something tells me that guy is very dangerous." Otis said, finishing the call and Frank continued with his work, killing some zombies on his way and breaking some trash containers and taking some food from them.
Now on Entrance Plaza Frank walks casually on the mall, a few zombies on there but away from Frank, then suddenly something tackles him to one of the second floor's columns, He looked up and it was Brad, suddenly gunshots were heard. "Don't be daydreamin' out here!" Brad said to Frank who got up from the floor and leaned on the column. "Someone's shooting from the floor above…"
More shots were fired. A man wearing a white shirt with wasp designs, armed with a .50 Caliber sniper holds a silver locket and says. "Pachamama." Before kissing it, it was the man from before at the mall roof Heliport.
Meanwhile Frank used his camera to see farther and spot tied up and hanging from the bridge of the second floor a few feet away from the zombie's reach. "Hey, It's the professor!" Frank said, not noticing a pegasus zombie flying towards him.
"Look out!" Brad yelled while grabbing Frank from his shoulder and pulling him away, but a shot from the armed man hit the zombie's head, shattering it.
"Now what was that!?" Asked Brad, surprised by the new zombie.
"A new challenger." Said Frank while shaking off the zombie's blood from his jacket, Brad was confused for a moment.
"Anyway, If we don't do something, the professor's gonna end zombie chow" he said, looking for some way to reach the armed man. "I'm going for it. You just worry about staying alive. Got it?" Frank makes a thumbs up, Brad runs towards the escalator and the second floor to get close to the suspect.
Frank does the same thing but he goes to the opposite side of Brad so they can surround the fugitive. On the second floor on the corner Frank checked his weapons, he had a bat, a survival knife, a shotgun with 10 rounds on it and two potato chips. Just my luck, I should have returned for a rifle. He thought, damning his bad habit of going for the story without checking the danger. Well let's see if there is something around here I can use.
Brad was on a corner at the other side of the floor taking cover while shooting at the armed man, Frank saw this and took the opportunity to get closer to the culprit but before that he pull out his camera to capture some photos of the armed man and the fight between him and Brad, fortunately the man was busy dealing with Brad that ignored Frank for the moment, unfortunately that moment pass and the armed man start shooting at him. "TAKE THIS!" The culprit said after shooting Frank who received a shot on the shoulder, it wasn't fatal but the caliber of the weapon pushed Frank so hard that he was flying backward and fell on the floor, Frank put away his camera to take cover on a column, he pulled out his shotgun and started firing at the suspect.
It was an intense fight for the armed man since Frank was so close that the shotgun was fairly effective and adding Brad's handgun and experience the armed man was practically vulnerable, so he decided to fall back to a better position.
Frank was running out of bullets so he decided to confront him with his bat, when he got close to the suspect Frank began to hit him in the back and in the head. "ARGH!" the man shouted, to later use his .50 Cal as shield and deliver a round kick to Frank.
Frank was hit but he recovered from the damage and switched for the survival knife, it was fast, making him cut on the culprit's arms but the suspect held his .50 Cal by the stock and used it as a hammer. "UGH!" Frank was hit so hard that he fell to the floor, face first like a sack of potatoes, the man retreated to get a better position but Brad didn't move from that corner and continued with his shots. After a pair of seconds Frank stood up and leaned behind a column to avoid getting shot.
"AGH! man! Give me a break! I couldn't sleep well and now I am fighting against a psychopath who is better armed than us!" Frank complained.
"Focus on the game Frank!" Brad said, while getting close and entering the Special Gift shop for better aim.
"Easy for you to say, I am practically doing your job here!" He said while eating the bags chips that he brought.
"Then stop complaining and get yourself an upgrade." Brad said while firing at the suspect.
Frank looked around to see what shop could have a useful weapon, there were many cloth and shoes shops around, nothing useful until he noticed Ned's Knick Knackery. Maybe there is something useful there. Frank waits until the convict stops shooting to run towards the store.
Once inside Frank glaze at the swords that were displayed. "Come to papa." He said after breaking the glass and taking two katanas, with one katana in hand Frank was ready to face the armed man.
Outside Brad was running out of bullets "Oh shit!" he decides to retreat to get more cover.
The suspect after seeing that decided to get closer, he was pointing at Brad's back, ready to kill him "I got you now" he said.
But suddenly the shop's glass window was break by Frank's flying kick and hitting the armed man at the same time who flinch for the pain before he tries to kicks Frank back, Frank saw that and manage to dodge the kick by rolling away from him, the suspect was going to shoot at Frank but the journalist used his katana and cut the armed man with two swift slash, the cuts were so strong and deep that the man was bleeding, with no more option the culprit retreat.
Everything went black for a moment, after a second Frank kneels to recover his breath but Brad passes him to chase the armed man, Frank gets up again and goes after Brad.
On the running before reaching the end of the corridor the suspect throws away his .50 Cal and pull out a handgun and turns to Brad and open fire, Brad returns the fire while running towards him, Brad shot the suspect in the right arm but the man also shot him in the left leg making him fall, Frank arrives and shoot the suspect with his shotgun but ran out of shells and the suspect jump over the railing of the second floor and disappeared.
"Brad!" Frank screamed, running towards the agent, he looked at his leg.
"I'll be fine…" Brad said, grunting for the pain in his leg. "Just take care of the professor. Go!" whit that Frank runs towards the rope that holds Dr. Barnaby and pulls him up to the second floor.
Once Dr. Barnaby was safe, laying on the floor Frank checked him to see if he suffered from any injury or bite. Moments later Brad walked limping towards Frank. "He is unconscious… but alive." Frank said to Brad who applied pressure to his leg to later shout in pain and kneel.
"AH! DAMN! ARG!" He screamed.
"You alright?" Frank asked.
"Yeah! But I'm not in any condition to carry him." Brad said while using the railing to get up and lean on it. "Can you get him back to the Security Room?" he asked in pain and breathing heavily.
With no more options Frank decided to help him by carrying Dr Barnaby in his shoulder like a firefighter.
Meanwhile inside the Storage Room Featherweight was starting to wake up, he began by stretching his legs and wing while letting a big yawn out, now fully awake the little pegasus jumped off the sofa and went to the bathroom to relieve himself.
After letting the river flow Featherweight saw Blank Diamond talking with some human survivors in their rooms, sharing some anecdotes of life in Equestria, Mayor Mare and Mist were in another room talking about their experience here, but Frank was not in sight, worried that he had overslept Featherweight goes to Blank to ask for Frank's whereabouts since he was close.
"And that's how a Changeling steals love from a pony." Blank said with a proud expression, the other survivors have their eyes widened and cheek blushing for the royal guard's detailed and questionable explanation "Any questions?"
"I have one." Bill asked, raising his hand. "If the changelings are only required to 'suck' the love from a pony and if the process is not fatal, then why not just give them a dose of love?" Everybody nodded at Bill's question.
Blank was surprised at the question , he didn't have an answer so he tried to come with something for the chubby survivor. "W-well yes but actually no." This makes everyone confused, Blank receives stares that ask for an answer. "What I mean is that once the love extraction is over the ponies are left in a weak and tired state."
"When it doesn't?" Said the old married man Jeff in a humorous manner, making his wife fuss for the remark before she slaps his arm.
"Besides, if they depend on love to live and your princess wants to make peace with them, can't she create a center to feed the changelings by paying her subjects to give some of their love?" Bill asked.
"And with that the princesses can establish a treaty of peace with Queen Chrysalis and her hive. Or is there something that keeps Princess Celestia on doing it?" Sophie continued, making everybody look at Blank for the solution that she and Bill brought.
Blank was shock at the humans' revelation, that idea could actually work, but the thing that surprised him the most is how Princess Celestia couldn't bring something like that up before the wedding's fiasco, he felt so dumb he wish he could had apperar in a world that doesn't questions things like this. Fortunately he saw Featherweight approaching them. "Oh hello there Featherweight, is there anything that I can help you with?" He said in an exaggerated manner, catching everyone's attention to use him as an excuse to change the subject.
"Actually yes Mr. Diamond," He said. "do you know where is?"
"Yes, he went to the mall to do journalist things… don't ask me what." Blank responded.
Featherweight was now worried. "B-but why!? He couldn't leave without me. Why did he go alone Mr. Diamond?"
"Well it's because you need some rest kid, you overwork last night so Frank decided to let you recover from your tiredness." Blank said.
"I am not a kid and I am not tired!" Featherweight said with an angry face, Blank was dumbfounded for the colt response. "I am awake and ready to assist on covering this event! So can you please take me with ?"
Blank was speechless, he could have sworn when Frank called him kid he was fine with it, but when he called him kid he was mad about it. What does that human do to gain this colt's respect? Blank thought, Featherweight and the survivors were staring at him waiting for a response. He was nervous and sweating in deciding whether or not to take the colt to Frank, but before he could say anything the sound of a door was heard along with some groans. Just in time. Blank felt relieved.
Featherweight wasted no time and ran towards the Security Room luckily the door was open, now inside he and Jessie could see Brad entering and walking limply with his leg injured in the room they were following by Frank who was carrying on his back.
Jessie stood up from her seat and ran towards her partner to help him. "Brad! Oh my god!" Jessie helped Brad to reach the sofa in the room, he was breathing heavily and groaning for the pain in his leg. Frank entered with the doctor making eye contact with Jessie for a moment before continuing walking towards the Maintenance room next to the monitors.
Featherweight walks towards Frank. " what happened?" he asked
Frank stops and looks at his apprentice. "We had a lead of who could be the culprit of this mess," He explains. "He took the doctor and hung him from the second floor like a piñata for the zombies," Featherweight was giving all his attention to Frank's story and looking at the man behind his back. "We had to fight him, he was heavily armed, Brand and I had to surround him to be able to get close to him, Brad was shooting at him but I in the other hand face him bravely hand to hand," Frank said in a heroic manner, Jessie roll her eyes at his exposition. "I landed him many blows but he was a tough guy and returned some punches too, while Brad supported me in the distance fearing to dirty his shoes."
"I hear that! ARG!" Brad yells.
"In summary, the culprit escaped not before shooting Brad in the leg, we rescued Dr. Barnaby and now I am going to put him in that room to keep the doctor from running away. I took some photos of the action if you want to watch later." Frank said, heading to the maintenance room to put the doctor in.
Featherweight was amazed by Frank's story. "WOW, I should have been there," he said with concern. "I need to get an alarm clock to wake up more early" he went to sit next to Brad to wait for Frank while Jessie headed to the Maintenance room where Frank put the doctor to check him.