Magnus flew over Ponyville yet again, now filled to the brim with Shamblers and Runners. They all looked up at him, but ignored him as he was out of reach. Magnus flew until he saw the cottage in the distance. He landed softly on the ground, and entered the cottage. He couldn't find any pony, so he called out. "Rainbow Dash! Derpy! Where are you guys?" No answer. He left the cottage, and entered the shed.

He entered to find Rainbow Dash, Derpy, Dinky, Eric, and Scootaloo inside, all staring at the ponies chained to the walls. They saw Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Big Macintosh, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Fluttershy, and Applejack, all growling, neighing, and moaning in hunger. The only infected to reamin calm was Draco, as he sat down casually, smoking a cigar. Magnus knew the others had not eaten in some time, and he went inside the cottage, bringing two bags of chickenfeed. He returned to the shed, and poured the contents of both bags into the feeding trays. All of the infected ponies now surged towards the trays, and began to devour the food. There was loud chewing, crunching, and feasting noises coming from the trays.

The survivors turned toward Magnus. "What… what are they doing here!?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"We're keeping them safe so that there's a way to bring them back. We locked them in here so they wouldn't get us," Magnus explained.

"You mean… Fluttershy was in on it too?" Rainbow asked.

"Yeah," Magnus said as he watched an infected Fluttershy eat more calmly now. "She has a good heart. What surprised me is that she actually managed to capture them. As for the others that turned at the barn and here… we had to take precautions."

After Magnus explained to them, they fully understood, and agreed with the idea. Fluttershy turned towards them. "Um… Leon… did Doc find a way to help us?" she asked. She had filled her appetite, and was in control for now.

Magnus shook his head disappointedly. "That's why I came back. Doc said I wasn't really dead, but rather I resurrected somehow. I haven't found out how yet, but I guess that means… I'm a pony again. I have to take some of you guys back to Canterlot to be tested for cures." Magnus turned towards Fluttershy. "For sure, you'll come, Fluttershy. Your experience is going to help Doc out a lot. I need to warn him about your hunger, though," Magnus stated.

"Doc… will I really get to help him?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yes, you will. I may need to bring another Control Freak… so how about Pinkie Pie?" Magnus suggested. Pinkie Pie looked up with a smile on her face.

"Okey-Dokey-Lokey!" she said happily. She and Fluttershy were led out of the shed, and the survivors headed back inside the cottage. Magnus used the chains inside the shed to attach Pinkie Pie to his back, while Fluttershy could fly on her own. Before he left, Magnus turned back to the survivors.

"Make sure to feed a bag of chickenfeed three times a day. If they don't eat, they might go into a blind rage and kill each other," Magnus advised.

Derpy and Rainbow Dash nodded. Magnus and Fluttershy then opened their wings, and took off. They flew up into the air, and Magnus saw Fluttershy struggling a bit with flying. "Do you need help?" Magnus asked.

"No… it's just that… I don't want to hurt any pony in Canterlot," Fluttershy said nervously. She was technically a Control Freak at the moment, so she had consciousness over her thoughts and actions.

"Fluttershy, as long as you don't go hungry, you should be all right. I'll make sure you and every pony else is safe," Magnus reassured her. She smiled at him, and they eventually arrived at Canterlot. The guards opened the force field, and allowed the three to enter Canterlot. Magnus and Fluttershy landed, and they walked the rest of the way to the CDC. They entered the building, and every pony's eyes turned when they saw Fluttershy, who still had her wounds from the shotgun blast. Magnus raised a hoof, and they all continued their work.

Doc came out of a nearby room with Alan, and when he saw Fluttershy, his heart dropped. "No… Fluttershy… they got you?" Doc asked sadly.

Fluttershy looked down in misery and shame, and nodded slowly. Magnus walked towards Doc, and told him the situation. "Doc… she's still the same pony. I will warn you, she must not go hungry; otherwise she will go into a blind rage and devour whatever she can find. Do you understand?" Magnus asked.

Doc could not look at Magnus, and looked sadly at Fluttershy. He did not answer for a moment, and he approached Fluttershy. "Leon… I understand," he said sadly. "Fluttershy, I will try everything I can to help you… I swear on it," he said confidently. She looked up at him, and nudged him. He led her, Magnus, Alan, and Pinkie Pie to the room he came from. He strapped Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy in two beds, and he began to get supplies using his magic. He set up machines nearby the beds, and injected the two ponies with IV needles.

While he waited, he grabbed a radio on a nearby table, and called into it. "Spike, Leon has returned. Are you still at the armory?" Doc asked.

"Yeah, I just spoke to Twilight about the situation. She had wanted to meet with Leon since he arrived, and she said it was important. Is he needed at the CDC or can he come over here?" Spike asked in the radio.

"I can send him over there. Doc out," Doc said as he shut off the radio. He turned to Magnus. "Will you head to the castle?" Doc asked.

"If it is important… then yes. Alan, stay here. Doc, if anything comes up with a cure, be sure to keep me updated," Magnus said.

"Dad, why can't I help you out?" Alan asked sadly.

Magnus took a deep breath, and told him. "Alan, if everything wasn't going wrong, I would have you help me, but the way things are now, I need to keep you safe. I'll return soon, OK?" Magnus said.

Alan lowered his head sadly, and nodded. Magnus then left the CDC and began to head to the castle. Doc then turned to Alan, and reassured him. "Alan, trust me. You're the number one responsibility he has." He then turned to the beds, and his eyes went wide with fear. Fluttershy was still strapped in, but Pinkie Pie was nowhere to be seen. He rushed to the bed, and found the straps had been chewed through. "Oh, dear lord… how?," he said as he ran to an intercom on the wall. He pushed a button on the wall, and called out. "ATTENTION! CODE #115! REPEAT, CODE #115! SUBJECT HAS ESCAPED CAPTIVITY AND IS NOW LOOSE ON THE PREMISES! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! REPEAT, NOT A DRILL!" Doc yelled out into the intercom.

Alan was terrified, and he trembled in place. "Doc, what's going on?" Alan said, fear and dread having replaced his voice.

Doc went to a locker on the wall, labeled with the words "Ethical Extermination Devices" on the side. He opened it, and pulled out a sawn-off, double-barreled shotgun. He loaded the gun with two shells using his magic, and turned to Alan. "Alan, Pinkie Pie escaped. She could be anywhere in the building, so stay close to me!" Doc said. A new voice played on the intercom.

"ATTENTION! CODE #28! REPEAT, CODE #28! SUBJECT IS NOT ON PREMISES AND IS NOW LOOSE IN THE PUBLIC! LOCK DOWN IN PROCESS! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! REPEAT, NOT A DRILL!" the intercom yelled out.

"Oh… my… god…" Doc said slowly. "Alan… the CDC… has just singlehandedly infected Canterlot," Doc said with horror.

…

Pinkamena Diane Pie was drudging slowly in Canterlot, and her hunger was increasing slowly. She could not find any chickenfeed, and her appetite for ponies was growing more and more. She resisted at first. No... can't... become... a party pooper... like them. Her usual happy state was slowly replaced with her depressed alter ego. She twitched very much, and her eyes were frantically darting around at the ponies roaming the streets of Canterlot, having lost much of her control. Oh, wow, look at all the delicious ponies! Need to get one of them as a meal soon! She was losing it, and her rage and anger were slowly building up. Finally, she had enough of her anger, and her equinity finally broke. Her primal instincts took over, and she immediately charged a pony walking the street. Pinkamena bit into their neck, and at the sight of this, every other pony on the street went into a panic.

Pinkamena noticed this noise, and she charged at the fleeing ponies. She tackled two of them down, and started devouring them. She ripped the face off one of them, and immediately killed the pony. She then bit into the other one, and they too slowly bled out. Pinkamena stood up, and she looked around for more ponies. This is fun! She now had her hunger filled, but now her bloodlust had taken over her, and she found it a sick pleasure.

The ponies that had perished at the hooves of Pinkamena had now slowly risen up, now part of the damned souls that were the Runners. They moaned, and called out ravenously, "Brains… live brains…" They stood up, and wandered through the town. They had noticed more ponies in the town's center, and the Runners charged at them. Pinkamena, the leader of the group of Runners, turned to the Barrier. "Where's the Walkman when you need it?" Pinkamena said in a demented voice. She led the ever-growing group of Runners throughout the big city, ravaging it and spreading the infection much more rapidly than ever before.