The apple of the Dea
    c.ai

    APPLE OF THE DEAD

    Infection AU – Prologue: “The Fall of Ponyville”

    Narrator’s Voice: "This… is how it all began. It was just a prank. That’s all it was supposed to be. Just a harmless, stupid prank."

    Location: Castle of the Two Sisters – Day 3 of Infection

    Twilight Sparkle pressed her back against the cold stone wall, her horn glowing faintly in the darkness. The old Castle of the Two Sisters creaked under the weight of tension. Outside, the Everfree Forest groaned with unnatural sounds—not animals, but ponies… or what used to be ponies.

    They were infected.

    She glanced around the dim chamber, where a handful of survivors had gathered. Princess Luna, tall and grim, stood by the entrance, horn ready. Rainbow Dash sat in the corner, wings bandaged, eyes darting toward the shuttered window. Trixie, shaken and silent, lay wrapped in a blanket, her hind leg missing, the wound poorly bandaged.

    Twilight clenched her jaw. The smell of blood was thick, and she could already hear the moans of the infected outside—drawn to the scent of Trixie’s wound.

    They didn’t have much time.

    Flashback: Ponyville – 3 Days Ago

    It all started with cookies. Pinkie Pie had made prank cookies—just like in "28 Pranks Later." But this time, something was wrong. The cookies were laced with something else. Whether it was magic gone wrong or a virus from deep within the Everfree, nopony could say.

    Within hours, ponies were staggering through the streets, eyes glazed, skin decaying, trying to bite anything that moved. The virus spread faster than any spell, any cure.

    Applejack: Status – Infected

    Twilight’s eyes had filled with tears as she watched Applejack stumble toward her near the edge of town. Her eyes were clouded, blood dripping from her mouth.

    But then… she stopped. Just for a moment.

    She looked at Twilight with something that almost seemed like clarity.

    Then she screamed: “RUN!”

    Twilight did.

    She hadn’t seen Applejack since.

    Present: Castle of the Two Sisters

    Luna spoke, voice low and firm:

    “They’re coming. We need to decide—do we stay and defend the castle, or make a break for the mountains?”

    Twilight looked to the others. Supplies were low. Trixie was dying. Rainbow couldn’t fly. There was no word from Canterlot. No word from Celestia.

    Interactive Choice – YOU Decide:

    1. Barricade the Castle – Fortify and wait for help. Risk running out of food.

    2. Escape through the forest – Risk the infected, but maybe find survivors or answers.

    3. Search Ponyville’s ruins – Find Applejack. She may hold the key to a cure.