Three Days After the Outbreak

     Twilight rushed through the aisles of the small store, while dodging and weaving past several ponies. She was trying to stock up on everything she could; as it turned out everypony else had the same idea. There were at least a hundred ponies crowded around each other. It was a mad house. “It’s mine!” shouted a blue unicorn, who was yanking a jug of water from a brown pony. Twilight didn’t want any part in this.

     As she approached the hardware section, a pony took ten masks off of the shelf. Then another took five. Twilight ran forward as she saw another pony approaching the shelf. Quickly, she snatched up the last two masks. “No!” yelled the tan furred pony, “I need those!” She was clearly infuriated by Twilight’s actions, but Twilight didn’t care; she needed them for her and Spike. If either of them got sick, not only would they likely die, but they’d also infect the other.

     As Twilight hurried to the register, she quickly grabbed a pack of bottled water and a few cans of soup. She knew it wouldn’t be enough, but she wanted to get out of the panicked store as soon as possible. Twilight turned a corner to see a large line at the registers. There were at least ten ponies in each line. She glanced over them and walked over to the shortest one. “Let go!” screamed a familiar voice; it was Rainbow Dash. She was fighting with a grey colored Pegasus, over a jug of water. Twilight’s horn gleamed a bright purple as she levitated it out of their hooves. She moved it just high enough that neither could reach and then lowered it to Rainbow Dash. “Hey! What’s your problem!?” yelled the, seemingly short tempered colt. “She’s my friend! That’s my problem!” Twilight snapped as she turned back to the line. “Hey listen you!” demanded the colt as he pushed Twilight to face him. She abruptly turned around as her horn began to glow once more. There was a purple gleam around the Pegasi’s snout, which held his mouth firmly shut. “No, you listen! You don’t mess with my friends! You got that?!” Twilight tightened her magical grip on the colt’s mouth and let go. He huffed and walked off.

     “Thanks Twilight,” said Rainbow Dash, who was walking towards her. “No problem Rainbow.” “Hey, you’re up,” said Rainbow Dash as she pointed a hoof to the register. “Oh,” replied Twilight. All of the commotion had distracted her from the line she was in. She then trotted over to the register and laid her items on the counter. The cashier, who was wearing a mask, began quickly scanning away. “Oh, Rainbow Dash,” called Twilight, “If you want to come over later feel free, ok.” Rainbow Dash turned back to her friend and said “Ok. Thanks Twi.” The blue colored Pegasus then turned away from Twilight and trotted over to some shelves. “That’ll be thirty four sixty,” said the cashier. Twilight quickly turned her attention to the golden furred pony. “Oh, yes,” she said as she levitated some golden coins out of her saddle bag. She placed them on the counter and said “Keep the change,” as she picked up her things and hurried out of the door. Just as she did so two more, frantic, ponies rushed past her. “I hope Spike’s ok without me,” she thought to herself. She didn’t want to leave the young dragon alone, but she needed the masks, actually they both did.

     The streets of Ponyville were full of ponies running in and out of stores, carrying many items. Some were wearing white face masks, most weren’t. It was a complete mad house.

     Twilight entered the library and saw Spike watching the television. He was watching the news, of all things. She assumed that what she had told him the other day had sunk in. “Hey Spike. I have the masks,” Twilight said as she closed the door behind her. Spike didn’t listen; he was just too fixated on the news story. Twilight just trotted past him and walked into the kitchen. She laid down what she had bought onto the counter, but took the masks with her. She then trotted over to Spike with the two respirators in her mouth. She dropped one next to him, which caused him to jump. The sound of the plastic packaging hitting the floor had frightened him slightly. “Sorry,” said Twilight, who still had a mask of her own in her mouth.

     She sat down next to Spike and began to open her mask. As she worked she looked up to the television and curiously listened to what the news reporter had to say. “This brings the official death toll to eight hundred fifty seven. As of today the virus has been spotted in Canterlot, with fifty four cases, Fillydelphia, with twenty five cases, and of course Manehatten with one thousand seventeen cases. This means that all containment measures have failed. Also now that we can understand the scale of the epidemic we have an idea of the kill rate of the virus. The EDC has stated the mortality rate, as of now, to be between sixty and seventy percent. Now this can change due to mutations of the virus or based on the individual it infects. Healthy ponies between the ages of fifteen and thirty five are most at risk.”

     “We’re next,” Spike said quietly. Twilight put her hoof around the little dragon and warmly said “I hope not, but if it does come I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” Spike smiled, very slightly, and moved closer to Twilight. As the pair watched the reporter continue, there was a knock at the door. Twilight, who had already opened her mask, placed it over her snout and said “Spike put yours on.” The little dragon didn’t think twice about the request, and quickly opened the packaging. It was quite easy, given his rather sharp claws. After a moment of peeling away the plastic, Spike lifted the mask to his face and fastened the straps. Twilight looked over at Spike to make sure he was wearing his face mask, and opened the door. She only opened it a crack, to see who was there. It was Rainbow Dash, who was wearing a mask as well.

     “Hey Twi,” she said in a soft tone, similar to that of Fluttershy, “Can I come in?” “Of course,” replied Twilight as she fully opened the door. Rainbow Dash slowly walked in and over to the television. Spike eyed her carefully and scooted away a few inches. Twilight closed the door and made her way over to the two of them. “So, what is it Rainbow Dash?” asked Twilight. “Oh, it’s just… I’m scared, to be honest. I just didn’t want to be alone right now.” “I understand.” Twilight laid down on her stomach, which was soon followed by Rainbow Dash. “I’m just really worried about Cloudsdale getting hit next. I mean every Pegasus goes there. So who’s to say one of them doesn’t have it?” Twilight glanced at Spike then she looked over to Rainbow Dash. “You could stay here if you’d like, but I have a feeling that after a while anyplace will be as good as Manehatten.” “God, I hope not. I hope we will find a cure or something ASAP.” Twilight looked down for a moment and replied, in a quiet voice “It takes six to nine months to make a vaccine Rainbow. The only cure is prevention.” Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. “Six to nine months!?” she exclaimed. “Yes,” answered Twilight. “By then billions of ponies will be dead!” “I know.”

     As Twilight and Rainbow Dash spoke the news reporter said something; something Rainbow Dash dreaded, but knew was coming. “A patient in Cloudsdale has tested positive for the avian influenza virus. I repeat a patient in Cloudsdale has tested positive for H5N1.” Rainbow Dash just stared at the screen. She didn’t want to believe it. “I’m so sorry Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight in a sympathetic tone. “It’s ok,” replied Rainbow Dash, “I knew it was coming, sooner or later I knew it would.”

     The new reported continued to explain about the patient, as the two ponies had their brief exchanging of words. “The patient’s name is not being released yet, but he is in his early twenties and in critical condition.”

     “Why is this happening?” asked Rainbow Dash, who had repositioned her, sad, stare at the wooden floor. “I don’t know,” answered Twilight. Next Chapter: Chapter Three: Ponyville Estimated time remaining: 51 Minutes