Chapter 6: Get it Together

The mane 6 looked down at Canterlot as their balloon floated into the sky. Ponies glared at them in anger, The girls knew that if they had stayed just a minute longer, they wouldn't have survived.

"Ah certainly hope the princess can make it out alright." AppleJack was the first to speak since they had boarded.

"She's the strongest pony out there, I'm sure she'll be fine." Twilight responded, unsure of the words she spoke.

Twilight turned to her friends, each of them shared her concerned expression. And she was sure they shared her anxious feelings.

The dark sky seemed to lighten as they approached ponyville. The virus had obviously not hit their home...yet.

"Girls, we need to split up." Twilight spoke as they balloon landed. "Someone needs to tell the mayor about the infection and that we need to start putting up our barriers. We also need to get as many resources as we can and meet back up at my house. There has to be a way to beat this. with or without the elements."

"Um...Twilight." Fluttershy whispered. "What about the animals? They need to be kept safe, and I can't just leave them."

"Is there any way to get them together and protected?" Twilight thought aloud.

"Well, the birds can fly and other animals can burrow for safety..." Fluttershy answered her thoughts, still unsure.

"Any other animals that can't get to safety...I guess will just have to come to my place. I don't want any of us away from one another once we get there." Twilight told her.

"Twilight." AppleJack approached her. "Let me go tell the mayor. I need to go by the farm and tell the family to get safe as well."

Before Twilight could say a word, Rarity jumped in.

"I'll go with her! I need to get poor Opal out of my house. If that's ok with you, Twilight."

Twilight sighed. "I suppose there is enough room for her."

With that, AJ and Rarity sped off to the Mayor's house.

"What can I do to help?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Can you warn the Pegasus ponies to keep lookout?"

"I sure can!" Rainbow said, speeding off into the sky.

"Alright Pinkie Pie." Twilight spoke, turning around. "I guess it's you and...hey, where'd she go?"

"Uh, she sped off when you said we needed resources. something about cupcakes and party favors." Fluttershy told her.

Twilight placed her face in her hoof. "Oh Pinkie, what are we going to do with you."

"Is there anything else I need to do before I go tend to the animals?"

"Just...be safe." Twilight answered her with a concerned smile.

Fluttershy nodded and took to the air with her wings, flying toward her home.

now alone, Twilight let her thoughts take over as she walked a slow pace toward her house.

"I hope the Princess is ok...What if she isn't. what if she..." Twilight couldn't bear to say it to herself, the thought of Celestia being gone was too much to bear. "Or worse...what if she has been turned. If that happens, all of Equestria is in danger! A pony of that strength, there would be no stopping her...thank goodness Spike wasn't there to see it."

Then her mind focused back on reality.

She stopped in her tracks, she gasped, she hadn't even thought of what Spike might be doing or where he was. With that, she bolted toward her home.

--

"Spike!!!" Twilight nearly knocked down the front door. "Spike! Where are you?!!!"

"What?! huh?!" Spike jumped from the top floor and landed with a thud below. He had clearly been sleeping.

"Oh good, there you are." She walked over and helped him up. "Canterlot has been taken over by infected ponies. It's awful."

"All of Canterlot? Is the princess alright?"

"As far as I can see, yes. And...well...I'm not sure. She sacrificed herself to get us back here but, I don't know if she is ok or not." Twilight looked to floor, hating the sound of her voice as she spoke.

There was silence. Neither knew what to say, their minds carried on about their beloved princess.

"We can't just sit here and wonder." The sound of Spike's voice surprised her. "The princess wouldn't do that. she would have a plan, she would protect her people."

Spike turned to twilight. "Twilight, you are the smartest pony in ponyville, maybe even in all of Equestria. if anyone can stop this chaos, it's you"

Twilight was in awe of her friend. such a tiny dragon, but he conducted himself with such strength and bravery. She was also flustered by his compliment, he was always the one to bring her out of depressing thoughts.

"I don't know about that, Spike. But you are right, we can't just sit here and mope." She walked over to one of the shelves and pulled a book about the Elements of Harmony. "When we tried to destroy the virus with the elements, they just burned up the ponies bodies, they didn't hurt the infection at all...maybe we are doing something wrong..."

Twilight began to study the book, and before she knew it, Pinkie Pie was walking in the front door.

"Hey Twilight! I got everything we need!"

Pinkie had a wagon stacked to the ceiling with all kind of pastries and party decorations.

"Now if those ugly old diseased ponies try to get us, we can just show them one of my parties and I bet that will cheer them right up and make that nasty infection run away from here!"

Twilight had to face-hoof herself again. She couldn't believe, during all this disaster and death, how Pinkie Pie could still be cheery and have her mind set on Parties and food. This time, instead of trying to make her see what was going on, she simply invited her in and let her do as she pleased. Anything to keep her busy, as long as she could study.

Pinkie began to decorate the house with streamers and banners of all colors and designs. She strung some multi-shaped balloons and added some confetti for extra appeal. She was perfectly aware of what was going on, but she wasn't going to let it get to her, and she was going to do the only thing that make her comfortable and made her worries go away, and that was partying.

As Twilight studied and Pinkie did her thing, Rainbow Dash entered, with Fluttershy and a few of her woodland creatures following close behind.

"The Pegasus ponies are keeping watch from the skies!" Rainbow announced.

"And I brought some of the animals, don't worry Twilight, Angel and I will keep them under control." Fluttershy followed.

"Alright, that's good. Now please let me study." Twilight said politely, shooting them a pleading glance, which soon turned grateful as the others completely understood and went about their own business.

---

Meanwhile, out in Equestria...

Luna ran along the beaten up path, angry that her chariot had been smashed to pieces by those damned infected ponies.

"You stop for a one minute rest, thinking you're in the clear, and BAM! All these freakin' zombie ponies decide to nom your transportation...ugh!" She said to herself, infected still on her tail.

After hearing about Canterlot, Luna had made the choice not to go back to the castle. She knew her sister had either got out or was taking care of business. Her big sister was easily the strongest out of both of them, and if Luna hadn't been eaten yet, surely Celestia was doing fine.

"Get off my flank!" Luna yelled as one of the ponies got too close, in mid step she reared back and slammed her hind hooves into it's jaw, causing it to stagger. She gave it no time to recover and continued running.

"I don't know how long I can keep them off me." She mumbled. "I mean, I'm not that fast of a runner."

Then, dumbfounded, she came to a hault.

"DUH! she said. I have wings!"

And with that, Luna spread her wings and flew into the sky.

She surely wasn't going back home, so Luna figured she would go see a pony she could trust with anything. One who was smart and kind.

"Twilight Sparkle."

---

"So everyone in Ponyville knows now?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, Twilight. For the millionth time, the necessary precautions are being taken to protect us. I think y'all worry too dang much." AppleJack told her.

"Sorry to keep asking AJ, I'm just worried." Twilight replied.

"I know ya are. The rest of us are too." AJ walked up and put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder "But worryin' ain't gonna make things any easier. We gotta keep our minds focused on the situation, not one what might happen."

After a few seconds, Twilight nodded, understanding what her friend was talking about.

"Well, what do we do now?" Rarity asked, petting her white kitty.

"We wait on Twilight to finish studying." Rainbow said truthfully.

"I think I might be onto something here!" Twilight spoke up, ignoring Rainbow's blunt comment.

"Finally!" Rainbow Dash blurted out, the others glaring at her.

"This book says something about a hidden element....Have any of you heard anything like that before." Twilight turned to them.

Before any of them could answer, a voice sounded from the front door.

"I have."

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Author's Note:

I wasn't sure how to portray Luna...so I made her badass :)