Well hello there, and welcome to my first story on fanficton! Please review, good or bad (I need to improve my work), just do so politely. If my story is an eyesore, please inform me why so I can change it, not just rant about how I suck and my story is stupid. Please inform me if the ponies are OOC (which they probably are), and if my grammar's terrible (which it probably is). Please don't mind the title, it's just temporary, until I come up with a better one (if I do so at all)...

Disclaimer:

I do not own My Little pony and it's Characters. They are owned by Hasbro. This is fanfiction.

There will be character death and angst, just informing you now. If you want romance, turn back, it won't happen.

Weeping over her friend's demise was something Twilight never anticipated. Before her being forced rudely into Ponyville, she had thought of friendship as something from an old filly's tale, vague, unrealistic, and rare, if ever occurring at all.

"Hey, Fluttershy? Are you okay? I'll fix this! I swear by Celestia!"

The…the thing failed to speak for a few moments, just staring at the now crying royalty. It gave a half smile, paying no heed to it's showing fang. It searched it's memory for such a pony, and came up with the oddest of results. Magic? Generousity? It was so unfamiliar, and comforting to have the pony around, and it didn't know why. It decided to be courteous for the visitor, she probably deserved it, with her practically reeking of love and kindness and determination. Something was not right- it knew her from somewhere….

Suddenly it was pulled into an embrace, tears running down it's shoulder. It was a common pony habit to return the gesture, and it did such. It did not understand why the purple alicorn cried even more. For her sake, it didn't feed on her love. That very idea just seemed immoral, something it'd never do. It didn't know how it knew.

The Carousel Boutique was bringing in more business than it had in years, being one of the few surviving clothing businesses in Equestria, because most of others in the same trade were run by unicorns. Rarity was simply lucky to have not caught the disease, something she for certain wouldn't take for granted.

Her clothes were as beautiful as ever, the only change was the slightly grayer tones of the fabrics. The clothes, despite this, were more lively and full of colors than others. Rarity liked seeing the light in every situation, however difficult that was. She still greeted customers with a bright smile, and spent time with her friends whenever possible. She helped cheer ponies up when Pinkie wasn't around. Because of the crisis, she had dropped the drama queen way of acting, because it was time to get serious. It would get her and the general populace nowhere if she panicked over everything. It was time to act, while she still could.

The sun was just rising, a signal for the white unicorn to get out of her bed. Her hair was an absolute mess, she thought absently, as she made her way, staggering, to her mirror. Using her glistening blue magic, she placed her hair where she wanted it, without a hurry. It's good to look nice for visitors and customers, it helps the mood. As she yawned, she noticed that her teeth were somewhat sharper than usual, but just dismissed it as her mind playing tricks on herself. If it wasn't…. Rarity wouldn't know what to do.

Fumbling with her crown, Twilight signed some official papers granting the royal guard permission to dispatch in cities and capture the infected, trying to hold her head high. She absolutely must protect the healthy ponies, even if it meant condemning ponies who have not fully transformed yet, or have been resisting. She couldn't help but wonder why in the hoof fillies would want to be her. There was no glamour, no dignity, and no friends involved, as she was gradually becoming distant with them , due to the royal duties.

The pony who she handed the papers to put a hoof on her shoulder, smiling mournfully. "You've never been good with decisions, Twily. I'm not either. Being princess isn't the best thing in the world, eh? It's a shame those drawings you posted on the wall as a filly came true, in one way or another. Might as well make the best of it." He tucked them oh so carefully in his uniform's pocket, an action done, in Twilight's guess, numerous times. He knows firsthand what power could do to a good pony, most official business passed through him one way or another. "I trust you Twily." That nickname brought so many good memories, thinking of them left Twilight crying, wishing she could still make more. "I hope…I hope the disease will stop soon… Shiny. Don't fall victim, please." "I will try my best, Twily."

I am sorry if my author's note is longer than the chapter itself. Bear with me.