ML54: Back to AB's POV!
Applebloom: Great. Am Ah gonna lose a leg too?
ML54: No. You already lot an eye, but I think that makes you look badass!
Rainbow: *Rolls eyes* ML54 doesn't own MLP.
Search and Found
"Many ponies called this a war...Bu' a war is both sides killin' each other...This wasn' a war...It was a massacre..."
Three Weeks after the fall of Ponyville
Applebloom
Ponyville
"Got any fours?" Twilight rolled her eyes a' Lyre.
"You asked that last turn...And the turn before that!" Ah sighed an' peeked outta tha window. It was ma turn ta be lookout jus' in case Caramel comes back...
...bu' he hasn't been back for three days...
"Ah think we should look for 'im..." Ah suggested, tha others lookin' at me in bewilderment.
"Your right! Those fours should be in your hoof by now, Twilight!" Lyre accused. Tha sound o' ma hoof hittin' ma face resonated through tha area.
"Ah meant Caramel ya Numb-Nut! He's been out there for three days! We need ta see if he's still alive or not!" Thunderlane, a' leas', looks like he agrees wit' me, bu' tha other four are lookin' a' me like Ah los' it.
"Are you outta your mind?!" Rainbow exclaimed, provin' ma though's righ'. "We can't just wander out there and look for him! He's probably just holding out in another house for now!"
"Tha's wha' ya said yesterday! He can't a had ta hide for more than a couple hours before they got bored!"
As incessant as they think these thin's are, Ah knew tha truth. Thin' is, they have a relatively short attention span. They hear a noise, they chase it for an hour or so, then they go back ta millin' round til tha nex' noise pops up.
Ya watch 'em like Ah have for tha last week, ya tend ta pick these thin's up...
"If we go out there, we put ourselves in danger. Caramel took that risk when he left."
"He took tha' risk FOR us Rainbow!" Ah argued, pokin' her in tha stomach. Like an obedien' dog, her stomach let out a loud rumble...
About four days ago tha res' o' our food was finished off, then tha very nex' day Caramel offered ta go out there ta try an' find somethin' for us ta eat.
"It was still a risk!" She replied, smackin' ma hoof away, harshly. Ah bit back a yelp and tried ta pretend it didn' hurt...bu' gosh darn it did...
"Rainbow!" Ah heard Spike scold, comin' from tha kitchen ta sit nex' ta me, a gem held in his claws. "You don't need to hit her, she's just worried!"
She grunted, bu' didn' say anythin' more. She jus' wen ta tha corner she was sittin' in previously ta lie down again. Spike then turned ta me, grabbin' ma hoof an' liftin' it ta look at. "You okay?"
"Ah'm fine, Spike..." Ah lied, bu' Ah guess he saw righ' though tha'.
"You know your family are known to be terrible liars." He replied, lookin' it over more thoroughly. Ya know, he seems ta be a little too concerned over ma well bein' lately.
Ah think it may 'ave started a few months ago when Ah tried ta get ma cutie mark in bein' a librarian. Sweetie Belle was helpin' Rarity an' Scoots was wit' Rainbow. Twilight was out at tha time, so it was jus' me an' 'im.
He was grateful for tha help, since tha place looked like a tornado went through. Books scattered all over the ground, a couple of bookshelves were broken, as was Owlicious's stand. So Ah rebuilt tha bookshelves an' bird stand while Spike picked up tha books.
We jus' talked while we worked an'...well it was nice. Me an' 'im 'ave never really had a proper conversation before an' Ah guess it only jus' occurred ta me tha' Spike was ma age. He jus' seemed a bit older since he had a job an' jus' seemed a bit smarter than me or tha other Crusaders.
"It ain't 'bout ma hoof, Spike." Ah said, after ma little reverie, waitin' til he jus' let ma hoof go...Ah don' know why bu' havin' him hold it felt...comfortin'. Ah know he didn' mean ta make tha' gesture, bu' so lon' as Ah keep ma though's ma own, Ah can manipulate his intentions however Ah see fit...
...Who ever said Sweetie Belle's tutorin' was doin' no good for ma vocabulary...
"It's jus'...Ah know Rainbow can have a bit o' a temper...Bu' Ah never though' she actually hit somepony out o' hoof..." Ah answered his unasked question, him tiltin' his head ta tha side as a gesture for me ta continue. "...She always used ta say tha' ponies can change in this world...Ah jus' didn' think it'd change her this quickly..."
"Hey, c'mon..." He replied, wrappin' an arm round ma shoulders. "...she's just a bit grouchy because she's hungry. She's always been like that. She hasn't changed at all." Ah guess tha's true...Spike was tha only one tha' wasn' starvin' an' tha's cause he's tha only one who can each gems.
"Oh yeah, I just remembered..." Spike said suddenly, lettin' go o' ma hoof, much ta ma disappointment, an' reached ta grab somethin' from behind him.
Before Ah knew wha' was goin' on, he released me from his half hug an' wrapped somethin' 'round ma head, somethin' coverin' ma left eye, tha one tha' got hurt...
...Twilight told me tha extent o' tha damage tha knife did...She said she had ta remove tha eye itself because...well...leavin' it in would be hazardous because some green stuff got in there...So rather than a damaged eye, Ah had a hole in ma face where it used ta be.
"There we go..." Ah reached up wit' ma hoof to feel tha plastic o' somethin' over ma eye-hole. "I knew if I looked around I would find that eye-patch. Pinkie has them lying around...for eye-patch emergencies."
Tha' mare is more insightful than Ah though'. "Did she, by any chance, leave somethin' in case o' zombie emergencies?" Spike seemed ta think about tha' one for a second, which both excited an' worried me. It excited me since we might 'ave somethin' ta defend ourselves. Worried since tha' means tha' Pinkie knew this was comin'.
"We could check around?" He shrugged. Ah rolled ma eye an' walked over ta tha fireplace, feelin' around there.
"Alrigh'. Ah'll che..." Ah cut maself off as Ah grabbed somethin'. In confusion, Ah pulled on tha thin' and held it in front o' me...
...it was a hoof gun with a note attached ta it. Tha note read 'For zombie emergencies -Pinkie'.
"Where did you find that?!" Twilight exclaimed, tryin' ta get a magical grip on it.
"Tha' ain't gonna work, Twi, hoof guns are magic resistant. They made 'em tha' way so an enemy Unicorn can't snatch tha weapon from ya." Ah explained, notin' their confused looks. "Ah'm a farm filly, Big Macintosh taugh' me how ta shoot an' reload."
Ah got a feel for tha weigh' o' tha gun. It was good for me, so Ah checked tha clip. It looked ta be able ta hold eight bullets at a time. Curiously, Ah slipped ma hoof back inta tha fireplace. Ah smiled when Ah lifted out a box o' bullets, at least twenty more left.
"Well I guess that's good, cause I don't think any of us can use that thing." Lyre mentioned, looking at Thunderlane and Rainbow, to which they both nodded in agreement.
"So we can look for Caramel then?" Ah asked, hopefully. All Ah got in replied was some unsure faces.
"I don't know about that Applebloom. I mean, we don't even know if Caramel's alive and we are pretty safe in here..."
"But for how much longer?!" Spike, surprisingly, interrupted Twilight, who looked a little shocked at his tone. "I'm the only one with any food here! And I most certainly am not going to sit here and watch you all starve to death!"
"Caramel's been out there for three days, so he musta got somethin' edible. An' he's a livin' pony, so if'n there's any chance he's alive, we hafta try an' save 'im!" Ah continued, since me an' Spike seem ta be winnin' tha argument.
"Look guys! I don't know if you've seen how bad it is out there, but we wouldn't last five minutes in the open! We were lucky to make it out the first time!" Rainbow yelled back...
...wait yelled...
Ah, fearfully, glanced toward tha window an' saw a pair o' cold, dead eyes starin' back. "Everypony, move ta tha back exit..." Ah said, backin' away from tha window.
Tha others turned ta tha window an' saw tha zombie pressed up against tha glass, lookin' through tha gap in tha thick curtain. Like a switch flicked on, tha zombie started ta thump against tha glass wit' it's hooves, tha glass vibrating heavily wit' every hit.
Soon, we started ta hear even more hooves strike tha glass, so it musta attracted it's friend's attention. Once tha glass started ta crack, we all sprinted inta tha kitchen area.
Jus' as Lyre made it through tha door, tha window shattered open an' tha zombies started ta file in. Ah saw Thunderlane was still yet ta get through, so Ah pointed tha gun ta fire inta tha closest one's head...
...but Ah hit tha one next ta it.
Ah was confused for a moment before rememberin' tha' ma left eye is gone so ma vision an' aim will be a bit off.
Thunderlane charged in past me an' Ah slammed tha door shut, Rainbow an' Spike pushin' tha oven in front o' tha door. "Will this stop them?" Rainbow asked.
"For now!" Ah replied, noticin' a lack o' activity around tha door here. "Grab any weapon y'all can find in here, we need ta leave now!" Tha others took ma advice an' started ta look around for anythin'.
Ah glanced ta ma left an' saw a fire axe encased in glass. "Spike! Ah reckon y'all could use tha'!" He looked at tha weapon, a bit unsure.
"I don't know, it says only use in case of an emergency." Ah gawked at him for a second, before face-hoofing an' smashin' tha glass wit' tha butt o' tha gun.
"Ah think this qualifies!" Ah replied, grabbin' it wit' ma mouth an' droppin' it by his feet. He hesitated, but grabbed tha weapon in both hands, clutchin' it tightly.
Ah heard tha dead start ta pound at tha door, tha wood splinterin' after a bit. "C'mon everypony!" Ah said, rushin' ta tha door an' openin' it, pointin' tha gun around.
Spike an' Rainbow followed, Rainbow hoverin' lowly wit' two knives held in her front hooves. "Looks like they all decided to go round the front." Spike said, relieved.
"Don't jinx it!" Rainbow hissed, quietly. Tha other three followed out, Twilight had all o' Spike's gems in a large saddlebag, several knives in her magical grip. Lyre did tha same, except her saddlebag had more knives. Thunderlane opted for carrying a tool kit on his back, a hammer in his mouth.
"Alright, this way!" Twilight ordered, leadin' us through an alleyway tha' went away from the front o' tha library.
As soon as we were outta tha alley, we noticed a figure rushin' towards us. Squinting against the sun, which seemed so much brighter now we were out of the dark library, Ah saw a familiar brown mane and yellow coat.
"What happened guys?!" Caramel asked, quietly but firmly. Rainbow glared back, jabbin' a hoof inta his chest.
"Where the buck have you been?!" She hissed, lookin' bout ready ta murder him where he stood.
"There was a larger horde around Sugarcube Corner when I was searching in there, so I was stuck in there for a couple of days! Now what happened?!" He answered back. Though Ah could tell what he said weren't tha complete truth.
"The library was over-run because the zombies heard us arguing whether we should come and look for you!" Rainbow continued, still fairly angry. "But it turns out you were just dandy!"
"Dandy?! You have no idea what I've been through out here!" He shot back lookin' jus' as venomous as her now. He an' her don't see eye-ta-eye a lot o' tha time, but Rainbow seemed ta jus' be getting' on everypony's last nerve at this point.
"Can we have this argument somewhere else?!" Lyre asked, jammin' herself between Rainbow and Caramel, pushin' tha two away from each other. "Because right now, we're out in the open and..."
Ah noticed somethin' in tha corner o' ma eye. Ah turned ta see tha Carousel Boutique an' two familiar faces in tha window tryin' ta wave us over...an' orange an' a white one.
"This way!" Ah said ta tha group as Ah rushed ta tha buildin'. Ah wanted, oh so desperately, ta see ma two bes' friends again. Tha only thin' toppin' tha' woul' be wantin' ta see ma family.
Tha others saw me runnin' off an' soon followed, as Ah made it ta the front entrance of the tall buildin'. Ah glanced around, seein' if'n there were any o' 'em nearby. Bu' ah knew they'd be over at tha library since there was a whole lotta noise goin' on over there.
Tha others gathered as Ah knocked, turning their backs ta tha buildin' ta check their surroundin's. "Applebloom! Don't just run off like that!" Rainbow yelled, grittin' her teeth irritably.
"Ya know, ya getting' on ma nerves Rainbow!" Ah yelled back, getting' a little tired o' her attitude. She was tha one who kept talkin' about how awesome she was an' how she could do anythin', but lately she's had this sittin' down an' givin' up attitude tha' was bringin' tha rest o' us down. "Where did ya bravado go?! Cause Ah'm not sure Ah recognise ya right now!"
She seemed ta recoil a bit as tha door opened, showin' tha older white Unicorn known as Rarity ushering us in. She seemed ta be dressed in some sorta armourin'. It was a thick sorta fabric tha' looks like it could take a bite an' keep her safe. Though Ah'm not sure she's willin' ta test it out.
It was also, as Rarity was known for, very fashionable. The dark blue colour seemed to compliment her still very well kept mane nicely.
"Come inside now!" She said ta us, raisin' a shotgun in her hooves, pointin' it over our heads an' out towards tha distance. We all rushed inside, sighin' in relief as she shut the door behind us. Ah turned tha safety on on ma hoof gun so Ah didn't accidently shoot anypony in here.
Tha inside of tha Boutique didn't look too much different than it did before, 'cept that all tha windows an' doors were boarded up 'cept for tha front two.
Ah was immediately tackled ta the floor by tha other Crusaders, who were both babblin' happy words ta know tha' Ah was safe. "You're alive!" Sweetie choked out between a happy sob, tha' almos' set me off too.
"We're so glad you're o..." Scootaloo cut herself off when she an' Sweetie saw ma face, an' obviously, tha eye-patch.
"Yeah, Ah'm not exactly one-hundred percent, bu' Ah'm alive. Tha's what counts." Ah replied, before I heard a happy cry behin' me.
"Thunderlane!" Rumble cried, throwin' his front hooves round Thunerlane's neck, nuzzling his older brother affectionately.
"Rumble!" Thunderlane said simultaneously, throwin' his hooves round his younger brother. Obviously relieved ta see his brother safe. "I was so worried. I'm so glad you're safe."
"Miss Rarity saved us. She waved Scootaloo over when the crowd started to get a little big and she's been looking after us ever since!" He explained, pretty much answerin' all ma questions too, as Ah saw Featherweight an' Pipsqueak trot downstairs.
"Thank you for looking after him Rarity..." Thunderlane said, not lettin' go o' his brother, snifflin' a bit. "I...I-I can't tell you how much this means to me..."
"It's quite alright dear." Rarity answered, magically takin' her armour off. Ah heard her mutterin' somethin' bout tha armour bein' hot or somethin'. "Now I was just about to get some soup on, you all look starving!" At tha mention o' food, Ah heard all our stomachs growl quite badly.
"Um...yeah, food sounds good..." Thunderlane grinned, blushin' a bit. Scootaloo and Sweetie let go o' me an', before we knew wha' was happenin', Scootaloo was scooped up in a hug by Rainbow.
"Oh I'm glad you're okay, Scoots." Rainbow all bu' cooed, so very uncharacteristic of her, bu' Scoots seemed happy enough at tha reunion too so Ah can hardly complain.
They all made their way ta tha kitchen, bu' Ah stayed behind, lookin' out tha window again ta be sure no wanderers spotted us.
It was all clear, which was good, so Ah drew tha curtains closed.
Ah jumped when Ah felt a hoof tap ma shoulder an' turned in time ta be hugged by tha pinto coloured Earth Pony Pipsqueak. "Thank you for saving me, Miss Applebloom."
"Aw, ya only three years younger Pip, no need for tha 'miss'." Ah replied, awkwardly.
"Are you going to come get some food. You look hungry." Ah smiled a bit, seeing his concerned face when 'e pulled back.
"Sure Pip, Ah'll be there in a sec." He nodded an' left me alone for a bit.
Ah felt a tear start ta fall down ma cheek, but quickly wiped it away. Sure Ah was happy tha' Thunderlane an' Rainbow were reunited wit' there siblin's...Well Rainbow an' Scoots weren't really sisters bu' they were so close they may as well be.
But it jus' made me miss ma family even more. Were they still alive? Were they safe? Who was wit' 'em? All these questions but no answers...
...But Ah weren't gonna cry 'bout it. Ah was confident they'd be fine! This was Applejack an' Big Macintosh Ah was talkin' 'bout. An' Granny still has that shotgun under 'er bed. Plus Winona can warn 'em 'bout tha monsters from ten miles away!
Ah smiled wit' tha' thought in mind as Ah went ta join tha rest for dinner. After all, me an' tha Crusaders 'ave a lot o' catchin' up ta do.
ML54: Well here you go!
Twilight: Wow, two fics updated in two days! Who are you and what have you done with ML54!
Pinkie: It's a Changeling! Kill it! *Get's giant fly-swatter from flank*
ML54: I'm not a *Get's anime flattened by fly-swatter* PINKIE!
Applejack: Tha Changelin' would like ya ta review, bu' not ta flame...GET 'IM PINKS! HE HURT MA SIS!