"In the year of our Princess Celestia, Twentieth Seed past Midsummer, The Gryphons declared war on Equestria. Overpopulation and rampant disease have driven the eagle-lion beasts out of the domains, forcing them to conquer new lands in the hopes of preserving their species.

With a limited defense force, and not enough resources to fully support a full scale war, Celestia was forced to pursue other methods to eliminate the Gryphon Threat. With repetitive weapon tests that often ended in failure, Celestia turned to science to solve her cries for help, entrusting most of Canterlot's treasury to an elite team of scientists. Through a careful process and immoral, under the table procedures used to test their weapon, the 'Ravage Virus' was born in the first of many ponies. We're still digging up the graves of those who were infected...studied...then killed...

This virus was transferable easily through bodily fluids, passing rapidly in an enclosed area. Its nature was murderous, driving the mind of the infected into an unstoppable rage. They would pursue and kill, without reason or conscious. Originally intended to infect the Gryphon Populace, the 'Ravage' would (according to the science team) quickly decimate the overpopulated, crowded domains of the Gryphons, thus destroying the threat of war.

However...one small glitch destroyed this plan.

A unicorn...named Twilight Sparkle.

Magic was an unknown variable in the creation of 'Ravage', as the scientists discovered that the virus acted differently in a unicorn's blood more than any other race. A Carrier...that was the abnormality. They discovered Twilight Sparkle was the first carrier, but before further study could be done on her...she infected a pony. It wasn't long before the entire underground facility housing the 'Ravage' was compromised, the virus spilling out into the world of Equestria.

With her memory wiped and her body delivered back to Ponyville, the Royal and Lunar Guard began a quiet, undercover battle to eliminate 'The Afflicted' before they had a chance to attack the cities. However...when the Affliction hit Ponyville and Ponyville only, Celestia immediately quarantined the town, sealing it off from the rest of Equestria, and abandoning it to the disease.

Her original plan had been to kill everypony...but then she decided to build up the affliction...to use the ponies infected in Ponyville to attack the Gryphons. When we rescued the innocents of Ponyville however...Twilight ran off. We didn't know where she went or why...but whatever happened, it ended up in the capture of a de-horned Princess Celestia.

We've secured Celestia in the dungeons of Canterlot, and have effectively sealed off the city from the rest of Equestria. We know about the shield's falling around Ponyville...and all we can do now is send quick warning and word to every major and minor city and town in Equestria...and tell them to hide...tell them to run...

......tell them...Don't Go Outside..."

-Captain Shadow-Mane in a debrief to Princess Luna.

"TWILIGHT!!!" Macintosh shouted, causing everypony to stir in the caboose car. The panicked work-horse galloped towards the back of the car, hastily shoving open the back cars and moving out onto the balcony.

The two guards posted on the rear jumped as he came charging through, their shocked cries ringing out into the windy night. "Whoa nelly! Easy there! He's trying to jump the rails, stop him!"

"Macintosh what in the hay are ya doing!?" Applejack shouted as she tried to help the guards pull a flailing Macintosh back over the back railing of the caboose.

"Twilight teleported outside! She ran off towards the Everfree!!!" Macintosh cried, his voice barely carrying over the roar of the train "Twilight!!! Twilight come back!!!!"

No matter how loud he screamed...no answer was made to him. Twilight...was gone. "Come on darn it!" Applejack groaned, pulling the weeping Macintosh back into the caboose "Pull yerself together Mac! Twilight wouldn't go runnin' off unless she had a real good reason!"

"That's right...she wouldn't!" Interjected a startled Rarity, who was shaken from her deep beauty sleep. "Twilight always goes in with a plan...she knows what she's doing."

"But what IS she doing!?" wept Macintosh, his tears flowing down his face "Why didn't she say where she was going!? Why did she leave now, of all times!?Just as we finally escaped Ponyville she goes n' throws herself back into the fray!?"

The two mares looked at one another for a moment, the same questions written on both of their faces. Where...did she go? Why would she go? Did she see something...say something? "Macintosh," Applejack whispered to him, putting a gentle hoof on his shoulder and giving him a slight shake "What did Twi' say to ya'll before she up and left...she say anythin' at all?"

Macintosh sniffed, wiping his eyes for a moment before whimpering towards his sister "She asked if ah remembered when ah told her that ah would come back for mah heart...and if ah would wait for her like she did fer me...ah started to say 'yes' but then she...she left!"

Rarity narrowed her eyes and went into deep thought as Applejack helped a weeping Macintosh to his bunk, whispering to a drowsy Catie and Spike who were staring over at them "Ya'll go back to bed now...Big Macintosh was just havin' nightmares is all!"

"But..." Catie whispered, watching as Macintosh rolled into his bunk reluctantly "Where's Twilight?"

Macintosh involuntarily kicked the side of his bunk as the words left the filly's lips, drawing a sigh out of Applejack who turned towards the two little ones and whispered "She just...she went somewhere right quick. She'll be back soon, don't ya'll worry!"

This seemed to put the worries of the young ones to rest, the both of them curling back up to sleep. Applejack let out a weary sigh, looking back to make sure Macintosh was alright. He shivered slightly, his back turned to Applejack. "Will he be alright?" Rarity whispered as Applejack sat next to her, staring towards the ground.

"Ah don't know Rarity..." she sighed, tilting her stetson up and rubbing her forehead "He's never been too taken with a mare before, ya know? What ah wanna know is where in the hay Twi' ran off to?"

"I have a theory..." Rarity muttered, putting a hoof to her chin. "Twilight's no fool...she wouldn't just run off for no reason. Considering we're on a train...I'm thinking she saw something outside...something that was worth going after..."

Applejack's eyes widened, her breath a panicked whisper "Oh mah stars, you don't mean to say Celestia or somethin' mighta been out there!?"

Rarity looked up towards Applejack, a serious look in her eye "It is a possibility...remember when Shadow-Mane said the outbreak may have originated near Ponyville? I think Twilight knew exactly where the facility was, she went to go stop this once and for all."

Applejack looked back towards the floor and whispered "Then why did she go alone...? We're her friends, the Elements of Harmony!"

"Maybe she was scared..." Rarity sighed, leaning back against the train car wall "Scared that we might ourselves get infected with the disease. There's no cure Applejack...it's better to risk only one Element then three, don't you think?"

Applejack shook her head "No, I don't. What if she gets herself bit? She's outside of the quarantine zone Rarity. If they got infected ponies locked up in that facility, and she goes n' unlocks all the doors trying to kill em all...she could spread the damn thing across all of Equestria!"

"AJ..." Rarity whispered "We're talking about the most powerful unicorn in existence, third to Celestia and Luna. I have faith in her...you should to."

"Hey...ah have plenty o' faith in Twi'!" Applejack grumbled "Ah just wish...ah wish things could be different."

Rarity nodded, and for awhile the two of them sat in silence.

Not all silence lasts forever...

The train gave a sudden lurch as a distant 'boom' was heard echoing across the land. Applejack's ears perked up as she heard several train cars opening, the flapping of wings whooshing in the air. She ran over to one of the windows and quickly peered outside, gasping as she waved a hoof over at Rarity. "C'mere, quick!" She whispered, drawing the diva to quickly make her way over.

"What is it?" Rarity gasped "What's out-...oh dear." They were staring at several chariots, pulled by bulky Pegasus ponies, that had flown to the side of the train, picking up several of the Lunar Guard. The squadron hovered for only a few moments before veering away, turning in the direction of Ponyville and flying back. In the far distance...Applejack could see what looked like the glow of a rising sun.

"That can't be..." Applejack breathed "There's no way it's mornin' already! It was only getting past dusk about an hour or so ago!"

"Celestia..." Rarity growled, staring towards the reddening horizon "It's Princess Celestia...she's raising the sun for some reason..."

It wasn't long after that...that a even larger boom, a thunderous one, shook the train with considerable force. "Whoa! What's going on!?" Spike cried out, sitting up as Applejack stared in horror towards the direction of Ponyville. From here, she could see the yellow shards of the magical shield that once held Ponyville captive...flying through the air.

"Oh no..." Rarity gasped, her hooves flying up to her mouth.

"What is it?! What's wrong?!" Catie whimpered, drawing a questioning stare from Big Macintosh as well.

"The shield..." Applejack whimpered "Ponyville's free....."

"....and so are they."