“It- it looks like we’re headed to the Sunshine Elementary School. I- I’ve always wanted to work with foals, but I’m not a good teacher...” Fluttershy mumbled from the spot she’d chosen. Vinyl still had her nestled close, but Fluttershy was looking ahead to their destination.

“At- at least foals and children will be... nice, right?” Fluttershy sounded hopeful.

“Not if they’re anything like I was, I was a little prick.” CD pointed out.

“O- oh, my... Well, these’re, uhm, nice, right? N- no offense, of course, I mean, unless, you w-w want to take offense, I- I wouldn’t stop you...” Poor Fluttershy sounded like she was trying to fit all four hooves in her mouth.

“Chill ‘Shy, I was just joking around to lighten the mood, I’m fine.” CD smiled back. “Sorry to make you, uh, nervous.”

“I think she’s adorable when she acts like that. Vinyl, you are so lucky to have her.” Broker smiled towards Vinyl, who nodded back. “Yeah, I am. Real lucky...”

For once, Vinyl’s tough voice cracked, as she continued to hold Fluttershy close.

“Although we can all agree they are a cute couple I have to be the bearer of bad news, the elementary school got hit with this too most likely. Imagine ne-”

“You mean the children might be in trouble? Oh no! We’ve just got to go in and rescue them!” Fluttershy’s enthusiasm plowed over Sketch’s words of wisdom, as he finished, “-Imagine necromorphs the size of children, and unfortunately children would be very easy targets-”

“Oh my goodness, the size of children too? They would be in soo much danger! We absolutely have to go in!

“Shy! The necromorphs aren’t the size of children by magic, the children became the necromorphs,” waving his forelegs for emphasis, Sketch explained all the things wrong with Fluttershy’s assertions, “they might not need saving because they all might be dead, a school area will not have guns laying around in case of attack.”

“Thank you Captain Reality-Sucks.” CD deadpanned. “He’s right though, a whole building full of mutant ankle-biters.”

“Would you two stop making her feel bad? I mean jeez, it’s already bad enough! Let’s just get in the school, run through it looking for survivors and get out alive, okay?” Broker said.

“No way, idiot, that place is completely defenseless, meaning either they all survived, or they’re all beasts. Never be a hero, we leave the building, and move on! That’s how we stay safe, duh!” CD snapped.

“You know I never said anything about abandoning them you dick,” Sketch countered, “stop assuming I hate everything, I am actually with Shy on this one, save the children, they are small, one could’ve hidden out of sight.”

“Yeah, thanks for that info. And how is a child going to help us, O bearer of infinite realism?” CD replied.

“Would you two swinging dicks stop arguing? ‘Shy decided, and she’s the one who told me where to go when we found you three, so shut up and stop complaining!”

Broker looked at his seat and pushed his face into it, not even bothering to agree on anything. All he did was stay silent.

“I’m not complaining, I am actually agreeing with you two for once, and once again, take out your anger in more appropriate ways. I just want her to be prepared for what she might see, I don’t think it will be the same as the mall, possibly much worse.”

“Oh fine. Broker, stop licking the window and let’s go.” CD said. “Alright, first we should make sure we have our weapons reloaded. You set Broker?”

“Vinyl, how are you on medigel? You might want one on you incase ‘Shy isn’t nearby.”

“I’m fine, I’m pretty much set. And ‘Shy is going to safe by my side at least until I can get her a suit. There should be an AutoStore on the school grounds, for the

“Alright, but for now come here Shy, I have some gauze and antiseptic wash.” Sketch said, revealing the medkit. Fluttershy nodded and stepped closer.

“Yeah, and if we find an AutoStore, I have a spare suit for one of the guys, so we’d only need two for enough for everypony.” CD offered.

“You can’t trade suits from an AutoStore, they’re counted as Station property. If we could find a schematic approval for one, then we could pass that around. What’s your spare suit?”

“A basic Engineering suit, good enough for basic protection. And it can take Medigel, so it’s just a bit better than the civilian suits everypony else has.” CD informed.

“You passed up an Eng Suit for a Hacker Suit? What the heck is wrong with you, man? Eng Suits have better armor, come with the Bipedal Assistance Servos, and fingers. I know you system fixers need the non-conductive materials, but seriously?” Vinyl sounded both shocked and disappointed in her fellow engineer.

“Hey, I got this from my father, who might be dead along with everypony else I know. Excuse me for trying to squeeze some bit of normality from this nightmare.”

“Aaannd done, wounds treated and wrapped, Vinyl, give her a once over to see if anything else needs cleaning out, we have a little antiseptic left over, we don’t know what’ll happens if any of the necro-fluid comes into contact with an open wound.”

Vinyl looked over from her conversation with CD at Fluttershy’s wrapped face. The bandages and gauze covered most of it like a makeshift helmet, shielding her cut eyelid and patching over most of her scratches and cuts. Her one visible eye looked out from a black-and-purple ring of bruised flesh, only left uncovered because she needed to see.

“Jeez, ‘Shy, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you.” Sighing, Vinyl stepped over to hug her once more. Flutters just patted her on the back and hugged her in response as Vinyl checked the rest of her head and the front of her body, finding nothing further.

“Ya did well, whiteboy, keep it up and I might not hate you as much.”

“I still assume you’ll leave me for dead whenever you can justify it, so whatever.”

The engineer just shrugged and went back to holding Fluttershy as the tram came ever closer to the school.

“Wait, if blood drenches her bandages it could lead to infection and possibly turn her into one of them, you take the antiseptic incase it happens.” He handed Vinyl the packet. “I don’t want to die in that way.”

Vinyl just huffs, as the tram doors open, the tram having silently come to a stop at the school. Looking out, there’s a cheery, brightly colored entry area, only a few splashes of blood marring the peaceful appearance of the station.

“Wow, so obviously the necromorphs are here, as expected, but it doesn’t seem so bad. Maybe there is a survivor.” CD looked around the room, to see if there was anything else that he missed with his quick once-over.

A pair of green smashable boxes sat in a corner.

“I saw ‘em first, I get the goods.” CD said, breaking both of them. Inside the first was a bright blue Schematics Order, labeled for a suit of some kind. The second however, had a small swarm of screeching, fleshy things, which immediately jumped onto him and began biting or stinging him, he wasn’t sure which. Either way, it hurt.

“Owowowowow! Help! Please! I don’t wanna be a mutant murder machine! They smell bad!” He screamed the words in pain as he thrashed, the others in the group too stunned to go help him, until he managed to rip them off with a vigorous roll on the ground, causing them to pop like large fleshy tics. Looking to his back, a large, needle-like spur of bone stuck out from his shoulder, and his rig was flashing yellow.

“Yeah, I think you need a little bit of medigel.” Broker said.

“No shit, sherclop!” CD yelled, voice a little high. “And some great assistance or I might end up a monster and kill you all!!”

“Idunno, maybe you’re not too far off...” Vinyl says, receiving a semi-harsh look from Fluttershy.

“I’m crazy-insane, not murder-insane, but I might be, help!” Vinyl shook her head, and enveloped the needle in her magical aura, yanking it free of the wound. CD’s rig flashed again, dropping another bar into the yellow.

“Okay, my last medigel should work, but what if it infected me? Can they do that?” CD asked, looking at everyone a bit worriedly. Vinyl looked at him seriously for a moment.

“Alright, in order: If so, we shoot you and pull your corpse apart to keep you from becoming a zombie. As for can they? I have no fucking clue, and neither does anyone else here. So fucking chill. I swear, you penises need more blood flow to your thinking brains.” Her voice was flat and mildly annoyed-sounding.

“Fine, fine, I’d just rather not end up a hideous beast.” CD said, using his last medigel to heal himself.

“Too late, swinging cock.”

“So where to now?”

“Straight ahead! Because there is no where else to go unless the tram goes to another location. I would rather stay here since it’s not as messy here.” Broker pronounced looking down the corridor.

“Fine, and can you go a little bit without mentioning that we are stallions or saying the words cock and penis?” Sketch asked

“Sure I can, but I need to make sure you don’t forget your shortcomings.” She retorted. “But hey, if you really need me to go easy on your fragile ego, I suppose I can make an exception.”

“Well just think of it like this, the more insults we get, the less we will care if something were to happen to you.”

“Hey! I care about what happens to her!” Broker replied.

“I don’t, right now, she’s just another pony who can shoot, now let’s go.” CD said, not wanting to stick around for more parasitic mutants.

“Yes, let’s, and if the sexist unicorn doesn’t make it, oh well.” Sketch added.

“What is... Never mind. Come on.” Broker said, starting to walk down the main hallway towards where the office would be.

“Listen, maybe, after we get through this damn school, you three should go another direction? It’s obvious only one of you can even stand me, so you might as well leave!” Vinyl spoke vehemently under breath, keeping the conversation from Fluttershy.

“I just want to live and not go back to those psychopaths.” CD said, still moving ahead. “I may be a little short with everypony, but I just want to survive.”

“I can’t stand you, that may be true, but you do increase the survivability of the group, but your rudeness is just plain annoying.” Sketch added

“Hey, leave her alone you two. She is just acting like herself and also wanting to protect Fluttershy from us.” Broker said, looking behind him and giving the two ponies a glare.

“Protecting us, yes, but it doesn’t mean she needs to demean us at every turn just because of some past drama. How about you grow a pair Broker.”

“Yeah, really, unless hearing her talk to ponies like that turns you on or something, I don’t know why you want her to keep insulting us.” CD added.

Fluttershy had stealthily moved closer to the three males, and her soft voice almost made all three of them scared enough to attack on the spot, if only out of reflex.

“Uhm... actually, she’s not that mean, most of the time.”

“Then please explain, while we keep moving.” CD said, catching his breath and walking forward. “Y’know, being stuck in an asylum for five or so months really does awful things to your figure. And your endurance. And that hospital food tastes like shit... not that it’s totally relevant.”

“Uhm, a-alright, if it’s w-what you want to hear...” She shrunk back a bit mid-step at the three colts suddenly looking at her.

“Sure, couldn’t be any worse than what I could imagine, so try me.” CD said, almost challenging her to tell a story weirder than what he could write, thinking of his book that got him locked up: Chocolate Syrup and Lemonade.

“Yes, please tell me why she is so hateful towards me, I haven’t even given her a reason to hate me... yet.”

“Don’t pressure her, Sketch. Speak your mind, Fluttershy.” Broker said.

“I’m not pressuring her, I am asking a legit question, stop being such a brown noser, seriously.” Sketch said. Broker stared at Sketch, but turned his gaze back to the timid mare.

“W-well, when she was a bit younger, she went out clubbing with some friends... But one of the guys at the club, he- he drugged her drink. She woke up afterwards with two humans and three stallions all finished in her. She- she couldn’t even talk to guys for a few years, a-and I was working as a counselor. We- we kept meeting after I had to stop from a lack of business, and well, here we are. I- uhm... I’m actually about six years older than her.”

“Age doesn’t matter, and I hope those guys didn’t die, they deserve to suffer through this in prison for that, seriously, what the fuck.”

“W-well, each of them were extradited, and Earth is still a dead planet, if I remember correctly. I- I don’t think they lived very long. A- and Equus law states that rapists are to be given the death penalty, usually by magic.”

“Wait, that doesn’t add up.” CD said. “If they got what’s coming to them, and were given punishment for their actions equal to the crime they committed, then there’s no reason to be a jerk about it, besides, she should be pissed at them specifically, not all males.” CD was skeptical. “So, she has no good reason at all to insult us, she’s just been a bitch with a lame excuse this whole time. Yeah, I’m being a jerk, but so was she.”

Broker just shook his head at CD. “No reason to put that much emphasis on it CD. She is probably still scarred, I know I would be.”

“Her special talent is for being social at parties, for being around others. She- she earned it late, when she was almost fourteen. Then- then this happened. A- and she never recovered... it was like she was assaulted by her own talent.” Fluttershy looked like she was about to cry.

“You can’t be assaulted by a non-physical object, or anything that isn’t an obj-” CD starts to explain, but Fluttershy cuts him with a growl, snarling at him, “And what would you know about your own talent being used against you?! She was fourteen, and she had just- just earned her cutie-mark... and...” Fluttershy’s anger dribbled away as she began crying in earnest, leaning against Sketch, who proffered

“Shhh, it’s okay Shy, let it all out, just let it out.” Sketch patted her lightly.

Broker looked Vinyl right in the eye with sympathy. “Poor, poor you.” Even with his honest tone and good intentions, Vinyl took the words wrong.

“Well, fuck you too, asshole! If you’re going to be nothing but a cock-swinging fuck-tard, you can at least have the fucking dignity not to talk down to me! And if that’s all you fucking think, you can go the fuck away, and leave us alone! Right. Fucking. Now!”

Vinyl waved her Plasma Cutter at the group, moving close only to grab Fluttershy by the arm and pull her down a different hall.

“And don’t fucking follow, or I’ll take your fucking, condescending nuts off!”

The two mares faded rapidly into the gloom of the school.

“Wow, Broker. Just. Wow. I can’t believe you just said that.” CD said, not looking at him. “You really are an idiot. You don’t say that when you’re not making fun of somepony. Way to go, asshole.”

“Dude, I’m an asshole, but even I wouldn’t go near that topic with that kind of approach.”

Broker stood there in tears, not quite sure what he just did wrong. He looked at where Vinyl and Fluttershy had run off to, ears flat back in sadness.

“Come on, Sketch, let’s keep going and leave the weeping jackass to be eaten, what say?”

“Eh, let ‘im come along, he can shoot, I can’t, but seriously Broker. What. The. Fuck.”

Broker said nothing and simply started walking again, down the opposite hall.

“I can shoot, and straighter than him. Let’s go, we don’t need him anyway.”

Broker still didn’t say anything and still kept walking slowly, with his head down. He was shaken from his stupor by a screeching from the vents, and all three of them turned to look at them.

A moment later, the sound of a child giggling echoes through the halls. Even Sketch’s ears went flat at the noise, a strange distortion to the sound setting his teeth on edge.

“What do you think guys?” Broker asked.

“I think I should run, and leave you as a distraction.” CD said. “Maybe they prefer to eat jerks.”

A sound like skittering bugs or tiny hooves echoed along the air ducts, and the three ponies moved closer together on instinct, moving further from the trams reflexively.

“Not like I care now. Best they do so I don’t screw up again.” Broker added while his eyes looked for any movement from the vents.

“No time to worry about that.” CD said, pulling out his plasma cutter. “Let’s go, hopefully we won’t have to roast any foals.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a fun game, but horrifying in real life.”

The three began moving down the hallways, looking at the signs along the way. Though the grossness of the corruption had not spread very far here, it was visible in patches. The ponies kept careful eyes out, pausing only when a couple of smashable boxes presented themselves.

“I probably won’t live for long. You two get them.” Broker points out.

“Great, now he’s emo.” CD rolled his eyes. “Jeez dude, grow some balls.”

“I made us lose two party members. I don’t feel any reason to carry on because of m-” He was cut off by CD “You know what, fine! Here, if you got the balls, then shoot yourself and spare us the damn melodrama!”

His shout sparked another round of skittering movement in the ducts.

“Okay, now we run, cut yourself later emo, let’s move.” CD said quickly, running down the hallway with Sketch close behind, pacing himself to keep after the engineer.

Broker looked towards the vents for a few seconds, but then turned his head to run with Copy.Data and Sketch.

“Well, if you aren’t going to do anything let’s move on.” Sketch said to Broker, who was following almost as closely.

The three continued in hurried flight, occasionally looking over their shoulders. As they ran down the hallway, Broker and CD breathing heavily, they began to feel the need to take a break.

“You guys need a break?” Sketch called back to them, having taken the lead several hallways earlier.

“Y- yeah... What makes- you say... that.” CD said, panting.

“P- probably be- because... we’re p-panting...” Broker added.

“No shit... Captain Obvious. I was... being... sarcastic!”

“Be quiet and catch your breath, let’s not draw attention to ourselves.”

“You...You r-rest... I’ll... watch” Broker gasped out.

The three stopped in an alcove with a pair of water fountains in it, along with a single smashable box. Sketch face-hoofed when he realized they’d forgotten to grab the ones from before.

“Not me, I’ve had enough surprises. Hey Mr. Suicide, you give it a shot.” CD said.

Broker walked over to the box and smashed it with all his might, trying to vent out his sadness. Inside was a full Divet clip. Broker took it up in his magic and loaded up his weapon. “At least I can fight a little longer.”

The three stood around, catching their breath. CD’s ears perk up as he hears a noise, one that’s familiar, but he’s not sure how. It’s almost like a voice... but he’s not sure who’s it is, only that it’s comforting.

“Hey Copy, what do you hear?” Broker asked while he noticed CD lift his head and orient towards something.

“What’s that voice? I... I know it, but I don’t... that’s not normal... I smell a trap.” CD said, his face starting out soft, then ending skeptical, not that any of the others could see that through his helmet.

The voice, soothing and calm, still calls to him, but he’s not sure of it. It sort of reminds him of his friend back home, the mare who’d always been nice to him, and had been going through Electrician’s College with him. She’d shared his interests, but then this had happened... how was she here?

“Hey, how... nevermind, this is great, finally someone I know!” CD ran off towards the sound, new energy filling his body, Sketch and Broker looking confusedly as he starts to move.

“What, did he hear his little sister or something? If so I really hope they aren’t infected.” Sketch said, following him.

“I’m still baffled by what he’s hearing. How come we can’t hear it?” Broker added.

CD still ran towards the voice. “Guys, I know you can hear her, stop being stupid. She’s, like, the only pony who ever cared about me all through school!”

CD continued listing her virtues as he went. Apparently, the unicorn mare had even been the one to help him find the odd gift he had with electrical repair, as he’d previously just been up for the programming courses.

Suddenly, the voice stopped, and CD looked up. In front of him (How did I get here again?) was the door to a classroom. The other two caught up a moment later.

“Dude, what did you hear? I couldn’t hear anything but you rambling.”

“Just the only pony in the world who is nice to me, jerk, you pay attention so well.” CD rolled his eyes. “Finally I’ll have someone to talk to who likes me.” He then walked into the classroom.

“I don’t hate you, I’m just indifferent.”

“Whatever, anyway, this is Summer Spark.” CD was standing next to and gesturing at... nothing.

“Hello Summer.” Sketch said, humoring him, he started to wonder just how unstable CD truly was. Broker didn’t even bother to respond to what CD said.

“Broker, you could try being nice and introduce yourself, at least she’s being nice.” CD said, who turned to the blank area next to him and started talking to the air. “Don’t worry, he’s okay, for the most part. Pretty stupid, but...”

“Uh... Hi? I’m Broker Wordsmith.” Broker extended a hoof as he spoke, his grin brittle.

CD nodded happily at his acquaintance and his ‘marefriend’.

All three of the ponies there whirled as the classroom door opened behind them, CD’s plasma cutter swinging to point at...

A rather shocked looking maroon mare, who backed up a step at seeing the weapon in her face.

“Oh dear... Put the weapon down CD. Who might you be ma’am?” Broker asked.

“Broker, I know she’s harmless now, why would I still point my cutter at her? I’m not totally nuts.” CD said, again smiling at the non-existent Summer Spark.

“Ah, uhm, I- I’m Cheerilee... H- how did you get here? I thought everyone else died!”

“Hello, Cheerilee, I’m Sketch, this is Broker, and the one in the suit is CD,” Sketch leans in close, “He’s a little off, but overall a good guy,” He leaned back out, “We came here on a tram and-”

“The trams? Are they still working? I- I’ve got a few students here, and they’ve got to be evacuated! There’s monsters out there!”

“The monsters are everywhere, but before we get the children answer me this, were any of them bitten?”

“B- bitten? Please, this isn’t a zombie movie. A few of them did get hurt, but there’s nothing but a couple of med-kits sitting around. I- I’m worried about Alex, we stopped the bleeding, but he’s not looking so well.”

“No, Cheerilee, it’s worse than a zombie flick.” CD said. “We need to know, how long have they been unattended, if more than half an hour, I say the necromorphs already got them and mutated them.”

“W- what?! Are you implying that I’d leave the children all alone in a situation like this?! I’ll have you know, I’m a teacher! They’re in the office in the back of this room, right now!”

“Okay, maybe I can patch them up, I just hope none of them turned, otherwise we might want to run.” Sketch offered.

“Yeah, chill, I just asked a question, and how would I know you thought of protecting them, few ponies think logically when panicked.” CD stepped towards the office, nodding to Cheerilee. “Glad to see you still have a head on your shoulders.”

Cheerilee nodded, mollified. “Y-yeah, I guess that’s true. I just hope my sister and her daughter are alright, I think she was picked up from kindergarten early today. Berry’s in Security, and I know she wanted to keep an eye on Ruby for the evening, she has tonight off.”

The mare had begun stepping backwards into the classroom, motioning to the colts to follow. Peeking from the office window was a few young faces, but they ducked down out of sight as the three ponies stepped into the room.

“Hey everypony, you alright?” CD asked, forgetting his helmet made him look kind of scary. “Are you all okay? Are any of you hurt or injured?”

The T-shaped glow of his visor reminded him of his helmet, and he backed up a bit from the foals and children, so he wasn’t so close to the glass. “Don’t worry, I’m a good guy.”

“It’s alright children, they’re going to help us. You can come out now.” Cheerilee says, soothingly, and the door slides open, a short line of small children stepping cautiously out.

“Are any of you hurt? If so tell me so I can bandage you up.”

They all shuffled awkwardly, but none of them said anything, until a small, white filly, with a two-color mane, asked, “A- are you a doctor? My mom said not to go near strangers.”

“No, he’s not a doctor.” CD said. “But you can trust him to run like a chicken. Sorry, just joking, anyway, we’re not going to hurt you, we’re here to rescue you if we can.”

“I may not be a doctor, but I hurt myself enough on the job to know how to fix up minor injuries, anymore than a broken leg and I’m useless though.” The kids didn’t look very reassured by this.

“Anyway, come on Broker, do you have issues with introductions? Just say hi, man.” CD said.

Broker seemed to be snapped out of thought by his name. “Sorry, hi there children. You can trust Sketch, I promise. He may be a little insulting, but he is a helpful fellow... Sort of.”

“Hey, Archer, is Alex doing alright?” Cheerilee asked a little blue foal with a Security bullseye target for a cutie-mark and a filly’s school outfit, who responded in a quiet voice. “He’s not looking too good, miss Cheerilee. He’s really pale, an- and I don’t think the doctors can put his arm back the way it was.”

“Dear Celestia, what happened to the kid!?” CD asked, a little disturbed by the idea of something that bad happening to a little foal.

“Well, Alex was helping the other children out. He’s a big kid, so he helped carry one of the littler ones. One of those... things jumped him, and he threw her to safety.” Cheerilee took a deep breath before continuing. ”It- it nearly took off his arm before I could kick it away from him, though... He’s always been a bit of a bully, but he was so brave today...”

“Ummm I don’t think we should stay around him then, get the children back, now!” CD warned

“W- what?! I can’t just leave him!”

“No, we can’t leave him, but it might not be him anymore. If he’s a necromorph-”

“A what?” Cheerilee’s reaction was one of confusion and desperation, trying to keep CD talking instead of doing something to one of her students.

“Those things that attacked. That’s a necromorph and they have lost all control all they want is too...” CD looked at the foals. “Uh... do bad stuff. Really, really bad stuff.”

One of the human kids looked at him critically. “We’re not stupid, you know. We’re like, in fourth grade.” Cheerilee glared at him. “Okay, second, but we’re not dumb! We know they’re trying to hurt us real bad.” Whoever this kid’s parents were, assuming they’re still alive, needed a slapping.

“Alright, kid, what do you think we should do?” CD said.

“Alex may be a meanie-pants sometimes, but he’s still my friend. He’d never try to hurt me. And you’re trying to leave him, aren’t you?” The kid certainly had chutzpah... CD peeked into the office that Alex was in, seeing a white filly with a green mane sitting next to a couple of chairs turned into a makeshift cot. On the cot was a human kid, so pale he rivaled the white filly next to him, barely breathing at all.

“You all get back, he might turn into one of them, CD, force Cheerilee back if needed, I’ll see what I can do for him, if I say run, run.”

“What are you talking about? They’re children, not monsters!”

“Why would I need to force Cheerilee back, she seems to have more sense in her head than all three of us, admit it.” CD said. “Summer doesn’t count, she’s awesome.” He smiled at thin air again, chuckling.

“Would you two just be quiet!? Does it look like he is turning into an abomination?” Broker interjected.

“We don’t know you idiot, that’s why I want you all to leave me to tend to him, now shut up and let me save him, or at least give it my all!” Sketch glares at Broker before heading into the office.

Inside is the little white-and-green filly and the pale boy. They are both wearing school uniforms, but the filly’s is torn to shreds, and appears to have been used for bandages. She’s holding the boy’s right hand.

The boy, for the most part, is wearing a blood-soaked school uniform, breathing shallowly. His left arm... was almost not there. A pair of wide, deep slashes, reaching straight to the bone, have nearly severed his upper arm, nasty blackened veins spreading from the wounds. Yellowed, dead flesh rings the wounds, and a gash along his forearm, travelling from the center of his hand to the back of elbow, has exposed the bone to open air.

As surprising as it sounds, the infection and inflammation have likely saved his life, shutting off the arteries and veins to the arm by turning them to mushroom-like, spongy material. The thin red lines of minor infection from there stretched nearly to to his shoulder.

“What’s your name little girl?” Sketch asked, and the filly looked up, her eyes puffy from tears. “I- I’wm Big Heart, why youw wanna know?” her voice, almost heart-stoppingly adorable, brought to mind a small puppy looking up in perfect innocence, but the broken look in her shows she knows all too well what’s happening.

“He’s nawt gonna go away wike my bwuthew, is he?” Sketch puts a hoof on her shoulder. “Not if I can help, now can you get me a medkit.” She nodded, and began to head back to the main room. As she left, he called back to the main room. “CD! Get in here, we need to work fast!”

“Okay, stay here Summer, and wish me luck.” Again, the pony was talking to nothing, but didn’t seem to notice.

“CD, while she’s gone I need you to use your plasma cutter to remove his left arm.” Sketch said in an absolutely serious tone.

“Why-” CD looked at the boy’s arm and balked, trying not to throw up in his helmet. “O- Okay, here, why don’t you do that while I stay far away?” CD said, trying to remove his Cutter from his RIG. It wouldn’t come off, however. “Aww... uh, c-”

“Hurry, before Big Heart gets back, she doesn’t need to see this.” Sketch said, laying out the boy, extending his left arm away from his body.

“R- Right.” CD gulped, taking a breath to steady himself, and aligned the three targeting lasers at his shoulder joint, then pointed them a bit further away, to make sure he had a shoulder afterwards. “W- we should probably tell that teacher...” he muttered under his breath as he pulled the trigger. The bolt sizzled as it blasted to the tiles below, and the boy’s arm fell to the floor.

“Good, now to get rid of this.” Sketch said, kicking the arm off to the side, “Go find Big Heart, we need a medkit now.”

“Right, Big Heart, how you doing with that kit?” CD asked towards the classroom not looking at the boy. Because of this, he noticed the hand twitch on its own.

“Ho~ boy, that’s not right!” CD yelled, again, trying very hard not to lose his lunch.

“What is not right?” Sketch asked, looking over to him, in time to see a trio of little tendrils start snaking out from the split in the tiny limb, hardening into leg-like extensions, the fingers cracking as the finger bones lengthened, splitting from the finger tips. About this time, Cheerilee came to the door, wondering what was going on.

Unfortunately, she walked in at exactly the moment CD fired his Cutter at the ‘arm’ on the floor.

“W- what are you doing?!”

“Well, we were half right; his arm was infected, and turned into what looked like a mini necromorph, now in two pieces. If we didn’t amputate it he would’ve died, killed us, then broke out and killed you and the remaining students. Thankfully he should be fine once Big Heart returns with the medkit.” Sketch said.

“Wh- wha happewnd to him? Awex is awite, right? Wha’s hamp-hew-tay mean?”

“Yes, he is going to be fine, you helped us save him Big Heart, thank you.” Sketch said, patting her on the head and taking the medkit over to the Alex.

“And now, I leave, because I’m not going to educate the kid in extreme surgery.” CD said, running through the door.

Cheerilee looked horrified, and looked to Alex with terror, her eyes going miniscule as she noted the burn marks on his shoulder.

“Good, you can leave. Big Heart, would you like to help Alex?” Sketch asked the little filly, who looked up and nodded, smiling slightly. Cheerilee looked absolutely horrified still, especially at the offer Sketch made to the little filly.

“Alright then, first thing I need is the antiseptic from the medkit, could you get that for me? It’s the little yellow packet, like a mustard packet, but with a green plus on it.” The little filly dug into the kit, pulling out a pair of the packets and held them up in her mouth.

“Thank you. Now Cheerilee, go get Broker, we need him to help open the antiseptic. And wipe that look off your face, we have to treat Alex now!”

The stricken teacher backed away slowly, then trotted stiffly back into the main room. A moment later, Broker came in, looking confused. Big Heart looked around the table, seeing Alex’s lack of arm.

“Wha happewnd to his awm?”

“Yeah... What did happen to his arm you two?” Broker asked.

CD leaned his head into the room “We removed it, it went necromorph and tried to kill me so I shot it.” Then CD went back to the classroom, his episode of randomness over.

“Is tha wha hamp-hew-tay means?”

“Yes, you’re learning fast, Big Heart.” Sketch complimented her, for a kid she was a quick one.

“Mah awnty Wedhawt is ahways saying imma pwah-doe-gee. But she won’ evew teww me wha tha means.” Her adorable levels offset most of the horrors of the day, in Sketch’s eyes.

“Well it means you are very smart, and very special.” Sketch looked at Broker, “Now you, open this packet, and hurry.”

Broker took the packet with his telekinesis and looked the bag over. Seeing the arrow to show the tear line, a darker aurora of magic ran along it, opening it up until the top part was off. “There.”

Spreading the contents of the packet across the amputated stump, Sketch applied it. Big Heart kept getting closer in, trying to see what was happening, asking questions whenever possible. It did seem she already knew a lot, and simply asked for terminology explanations when needed.

Sketch even let her wrap the stump, the meat squishing slightly as she pulled it tight. As she tied it with a bow, using a quick burst of magic from her short horn, and a bright flash of light burst from her.

“What was th- Cheerilee, get in here!” the older mare came thundering back in, eyes wild, looking as if she was about to attack something.

“What? What is it?!” Her voice was about half an octave higher, and her mane was already frizzed.

“We saved Alex and Big Heart’s flank glowed, I think she got her cutie mark.”

“I gowt my kee-uuw-tee-mawk? Lemme see! Lemme see!” The little filly began turning in circles, trying to to look at her flank. Finally getting a grip with her teeth, she pulled the pants of her uniform down, just far enough to see the the length of bloody gauze ribbon with a bow tied in it that was her cutie-mark.

“Congrats, looks like you’re going to be a doctor, isn’t that wonderful Cheerilee?”

“Yeay! Imma nuwse!”

“No, you’re a doctor, that’s even better!”

“Nuwses aw pwettiew. Awnty Cowdhawt says so.”

“Ah fine, just be whatever you want to be then.” Sketch said patting her back, eliciting a squee from the small child.

“Ah, l-let’s just get you out of here. And, uhm, you should pull your pants back up, honey.” Cheerilee said.

“Oh come on, not even a congratulations for her helping me save her boyfriend?” Sketch asked, looking down to the now bandaged boy, looks like Alex will make it.

“He’s nawt my boyfwend!” The suddenly blushing filly blurted, looking seriously embarrassed.

“That proves it, he is.”

“Nyuuuu!” The little filly was blushing even harder, and covering her head.

“You like him, you like him!” Sketch teased her, laughing a little. Cheerilee looked very upset.

“H- how could you be teasing her about something like that after she... after she- oh by the Marker she just-!” Cheerilee then ran from the room, her lunch launching audibly into a wastebasket, a chorus of ‘eww!’s coming from the kids and CD.

“Well, while she gets sick can you help Alex on my back, he isn’t going to be walking anytime soon.” Sketch kneels down, and Big Heart looked up at him.

“Aw we goin’ owt? But thew’s monstuws owt thew!”

“There are, but they are everywhere, plus don’t you want to find your aunty? She must be worried sick.”

“Awnty Wedhawt is fine. But I bet Mommy’s gonna be scaewed. She ahways get scaewed when I’m nawt awound. So duws Daddy. They’ww scaew-dy kitties. And Awex isn’t my boyfwend! I’m just saying.”

“I didn’t say he was that time, but you do like him don’t you? Anyways, help me get him on my back, we need to get going.”

“Ah~wite... I’ll get him up. but wouwdn’t it be easyew to cawwey him on a stwetchew? Thew’s one in the school nuwse’s owfice.”

“There might be monsters there, for now we get him out of the office, can you help me move him? I didn’t realise how tiny you were.”

She sat and thought for a moment, before nodding her head, and pulling open a drawer with her teeth, and digging into it. She pulled out, gripping a large, blue blanket with duckies on it.

“We can puwt him ahwn this! Then it’s not so bumpy!” She beamed up at him.

“Clever girl you.” Sketch patted her on the head as she grinned, he carefully dragged Alex onto the blanket and brought him out of the office, pulling the blanket in his muzzle. “E’s O-ay!” Sketch announced, Big Heart followed closely behind, a huge smile on her face.

“The hay did you say Sketch?” Broker asks.

“He said Alex is okay, Broker.” CD replied. “So how are you feeling Cheerilee? You look a little... green.”

The poor teacher just looked back at the injured child with stricken eyes, looking absolutely horrified at his mutilated appearance. Her eyes darted across his carefully wrapped stump, her coloration actually turning a couple of shades closer to pea-soup from her usual burgundy.

“Hey, don’t worry.” CD started rubbing Cheerilee’s back to calm her down. “We’re not gonna let anything bad happen, as of now, Alex is priority one.”

“No he isn’t, the entire class is, then us, then Broker.”

Cheerilee just looked shell-shocked, and CD, who was closest to her face, saw that there was something off in her eyes, like something had broken in there. It was entirely possible that Alex wasn’t the first student she’d lost that day. In fact, with modern teaching methods, a single teacher could comfortably and ably teach a classroom of three dozen, and there was only about eight kids here.

“Cheerilee, I understand that Alex may not have been the only injured, but we’re not going to lose him, and we need to focus on not having any further casualties.” CD assured her. “We’re not gonna leave these kids like this.”

CD patted her on the back, but hesitated for a moment when she spoke again, her voice scared and drawn as she looked up at him.

“How can I know that?”

Author's Notes:

Thanks to everyone who's stuck by this project so long, and now we start to see some of your viewer responses in action.
I hope you enjoy this... even if you can probably see the main character deaths waiting in the wings by now. Such buzzards, aren't they?

A special thanks to everyone who faved the story that I haven't specifically sent a thank-you to, you guys are what keeps me going. Well, you and my players. And my soda. And my bag-o-popcorn, when available.
But you guys are on the list, I swear!

Thanks to the following for contributing to the story so far:
Itsmyfuneral, starring as Sketch
Hunterz263, starring as Broker Wordsmith
Rosethorn, starring as Victoria Frost
SomeGuy, co-starring as Johan Allegro
The Pieman, as Copy.Data