"Twilight Sparkle!" The princess said happily as the purple mare walked into her room.

Twilight smiled and bowed before the princess. Celestia raised an eyebrow as Earl nervously entered entered the room.

"And who might you be?" She asked.

The grey pony's face instantly turned red.

"Oh me? I'm Earl." He said, approaching the princess and extending his hoof.

Twilight's expression quickly changed to worried.

He....didn't bow. she thought.

To her surprise the princess actually took it and shook it gently.

"Well, my subject, I regret to inform you that this is a private meeting." Celestia said, slightly commanding.

"Princess, he's with me. I would appreciate it if he could stay as well, with your permission of course." Twilight said worriedly.

Earl turned and saw Twilight on the ground, bowing before the princess.

Why is she...?

"Shit!" Earl practically yelled before bowing before the alicorn. "I'm really sorry I forgot to bow, my apologies."

Twilight face-hoofed as she returned to her hooves. She looked at the princess who gave an approving nod.

"Very well then." The white alicorn said. "Please take a seat."

Twilight instantly sat down and waited for the princess's next words, but Earl looked around.

"Where?" He asked.

The purple mare face-hoofed yet again.

"Ohhhh." Earl said as he looked towards Twilight.

He instantly sat down and waited as well, as Celestia shook her head and chuckled.

"Well, Twilight, and friend, I called you here today to tell you of a possible threat to Equestria." The princess said.

The white alicorn raised to her hooves and walked over to a nearby window. Earl quickly noticed how tall she actually was.

"A bright light manifested itself in the Everfree Forest last night."

The nervous fire burned even more inside of Earl as the words entered his mind, a single bead of sweat fell from his forehead.

"I remember seeing that. But how could it be a threat, princess?" Twilight asked, trying to keep her composure.

"Some creatures were spotted flooding out of the portal and into the forest." Celestia continued.

Both Earl's and Twilight's eyes simultaneously went wide and their mouths fell open.

"Creatures?" Twilight asked, her voice slightly choked by fear.

"That is correct, my student." Celestia replied, still looking out of the window.

By now, Earl had nearly fainted and was fighting to stay conscious. Twilight glanced over to him with a terrified expression and mouth the words;

I have no idea what happened.

Earl payed no attention to her as he stared at the princess, trying to process the situation.

Maybe it's not the zombies... he thought, trying to console himself.

"The creatures were said to be eating the animals in the forest."

Nope, that's zombies.

The thoughts swirled around Earl's mind like a deadly hurricane. There were zombies in Equestria.

Celestia turned away from the window and returned to her seat.

"I've sent a detachment of guards to put a magical barrier around the forest, and so far none of the creatures have been able to leave the forest."

They took my world, I'm NOT letting them take this one.

"I know what these creatures are." Earl said, standing up.

Twilight's eyes went wide again as she shot a look to Earl that screamed what do you think you're doing?!

"You do? How?" The princess asked, intrigued.

"I've..... studied them before, there's no need to explain anymore. I know exactly what we're dealing with. You said none have been able to leave the forest, right?" He replied.

"That is correct." Celestia said with a nod.

"OK, that is very good. If one of these creatures gets into a crowed area, it will be a huge problem. They all... carry a virus, and it's highly contagious."

"How am supposed to believe that you know about a species that I haven't even seen before?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow yet again.

"He's telling the truth." Twilight said returning to her hooves.

Celestia glanced towards Twilight, dumbfounded.

"Please princess, trust me." Earl asked desperately.

The princess glanced back and forth between Earl and Twilight, neither of them seemed to have the look of a liar, and the princess has always made good judgements.

"OK, my subject, I will trust you." Celestia said. "What do you propose we do about this situation?"

Earl quickly thought of another solution other than simple extermination. But after a moment, it was clear, that was the only option.

"I need your best soldier." Earl said after a few moments.

"I beg your pardon?" Celestia replied.

"The best soldier on your guard, I'll take him with me to the forest and we will deal with the infection."

"I am supposed to trust you with my best soldier."

"Princess, please. I promise you this is the only option."

After a few moments Celestia nodded.

"Alright. You two can stay in the castle for the night, and I will inform my best guard about the situation."

"Thank you princess." Earl said, with a quick bow.

Celestia nodded and turned to Twilight.

"You're quarters have been left untouched since you left for Ponyville, would you see Earl there?" She asked.

The purple unicorn nodded and bowed.

"Thank you princess." She said before leaving the room.

Earl nodded the princess and followed Twilight down the steps.

"Earl?" Celestia called out before Earl left the room.

He quickly spun around.

"Yes?"

"What do I call these creatures?"

Zombies wouldn't exactly be the inconspicuous name right now.... He thought.

"Call them zed's." He said.

With that, Earl turned and left the princess's room.

Twilight remained silent as the two walked through the halls in the direction of her room. After reaching their destination, she opened the door and walked right to a nearby chair to sit down. Earl could only watch as the mare broke into tears.

"Woah, woah. What's wrong?!" He asked worriedly as he shut the door and ran to her side.

"It's my fault! Equestria is going to fall and it's all my fault!" She spoke loudly between sobs.

"Why would it be your fault?"

"I left the portal open!"

Earl's heart sank and he remained silent for a second as she continued to sob.

"Hey, it's alright, OK?" He said putting a hoof on her shoulder.

She quickly shrugged it off of her and continued crying.

"No, it's not alright. This is my fault!"

Earl sighed and took her face in his hooves, directing her attention to his eyes.

"I'm going to fix this OK? I'm not letting them take this world too." He said sternly. "I promise, alright?"

Twilight dried her eyes and nodded.

Earl put his hooves around her the rest of the way and hugged her tightly.

"It's going to be alright. I'm going to fix this." He said to her softly.

Earl broke the hug and looked around the room until his eyes fell onto the bed. One bed.

Of course there is only one bed, why would things ever be not awkward? He thought.

"Uhh, maybe we should get some rest." He said, extending his hoof to help her off of the chair.

She gladly accepted it, returned to her hooves and walked to the bed. She raised an eyebrow and confusion spread across her face as Earl remained still, gazing aimlessly around the room, obviously trying to avoid looking at her.

"You said we."

"Yep." Earl replied, still looking around.

"So what are you-"

"There's one bed."

"Yeah?"

"Haven't things been awkward enough today?"

Twilight rolled her eyes.

"What about the first night you found me and thought I was a... stuffed animal?" she said.

"That was different." Earl replied.

"How?"

The grey unicorn thought for a moment before breaking his gaze on the room and looking at her.

"You're right, screw it."

He trotted over to the bed and jumped in.

"OK goodnight." Earl said as he instantly shut his eyes, trying to avoid any more awkwardness.

Twilight rolled her eyes and layed down as well.

"Goodnight." She said with a chuckle.