Originally posted on: November 28, 2021 at 8:24 PM UTC
> Cartoon Virus… (Story in the description)
> So i decided to write a story for this piece. As i was rather proud with how the actual drawing came out.
> This story and art piece was inspired by the video on youtube "the cartoon virus"
> All rights to the cartoon are owned by the Adult Swim Youtube channel
> All rights to MLP:FIM is owned by Hasbro
> I decided to try something a little different with this story, so i decided tomake the text bold, whenever someone speaks!
> Characters colours in this story:
> Stardust
> Blueberry Pie
> Pinkis
> Woodchip
> King Sombra
> WARINING THIS STORY CONTAINS MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE AND DEATH! PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO THIS KIND OF CONTENT!
> —-
> “Hey, you think everything will be ok?” A cream, earth pony asked. Her long ears flopping around as she looked out of the window.
> “What do you think? We’re surrounded by this virus! For all we know it could have broken into the building by now!” A pink changeling responded. Her ears were folding back as she looked out of the window.
> The world had been overcome by a strange entity, it was a kind of goop, but it was all glitchy. Almost like someone had let a computer virus break loose into the world. And it seemed to grow stronger with each pony it consumed. From their knowledge, it had managed to consume Princesses Celestia, Luna and Twilight Sparkle. Along with the soul owners of the Elements of harmony.
> “Pinkis, Listen. If there's any way we can survive, itll be to keep low, and not let its victims notice us.” The pink and red alicorn spoke up, slowly pulling the pink changeling away from the window, allowing it to slowly and silently close.
> “Besides, you’re making blueberry and WoodChip nervous.” She spoke up, nodding toward the cream earth pony, and a brown unicorn.
> BlueBerry Pie was the cream earth pony, her mother: Pinkie pie, was one of the first to be consumed by the virus, Along with her father. She had only just managed to escape, She had a bandage wrapped around her front leg, just above the 3 brown stripes.
> Woodchip, The brown unicorn, had some birthmarks over her hooves and face, with dark reddish hair. She didn't have any injuries, but she definitely seemed nervous about what was happening.
> Pinkis, was a pink pony that seemed to be permanently going through a transformation into someone. She had a couple of scratches over her flank. Either from one of the infected entities attempting to attack her, or it happened before the ordeal even happened.
> Stardust was a pink and red alicorn. Her horn was curved to match the pony: King Sombra. She had many stripes over her hooves, wings and face. And her wings faded to a light purple. Her pastel mane was very messy, and seemed to have quite a bit of dirt in it from tumbling over from running.
> WoodChip sat down in the corner with a sigh, looking up at Pinkis, the changeling. “Look, We can't stay here forever. We’re going to have to go out at some point for supplies and maybe more weapons.”
> Pinkis snarled, her nose scrunching up as she looked at the brown unicorn, flicking her horn in anger, which caused Woodchip to Wince.
> “What do you know about surviving? You’re just a woodcarver! All you’re good at is making pretty little patterns in wooden pillars!” The changeling raised her voice, before Stardust covered her mouth with her front hoof.
> “Pinkis that's enough. This is the only safe spot we know of for now. We can't exactly make an easy escape when only 2 of us can fly. So for now we have to ration and lay low. Hopefully this thing will pass without spotting us.”
> Stardust spoke in a harsh tone. But she was right, flying while carrying 2 fully grown ponies wouldn't be easy.
> The days turned to weeks, and the weeks turned to months. Blueberry Pie managed to throw miniature birthday parties for Woodchip and Pinkis when the occasion rolled around, in an attempt to keep spirits high.
> Everyone was growing hungry, thirsty and delusional. Pinkis had already attempted to bite a chunk or 2 out of the group. That was the tipping point for them. They decided that now was the time to make a move. The ooze hadn't died down, so they would have to fly over it.
> Woodchip looked out of a slit in the window, seeing many glitch-covered ponies walking around the outside, her ears folding back as she looked over at the group.
> “Well… Any ideas? Where exactly can we go?”
> “What about sugar-cube Corner? The building isn't too far from here. So maybe we can make the journey. It has a lot of ingredients that we can use to make pastries and cakes. It may not be healthy. But it's food. There's also bottled water in the fridge, and there's different rooms that are perfect for sleeping.”
> Blueberry offered, but was only greeted by concerned looks.
> “I mean.. Yeah you have a point… But are you sure you want to go there? Your parents lived th—”
> “Yes, I'm sure. Can we just go? It'll improve our chances of survival!” Blueberry interrupted, before walking to the corner and grabbing a weapon.
> The 2 winged ponies looked at each other before giving a slow nod. They turned around and crouched, so the 2 ground-bound ponies could climb on.
> Once Blueberry and Woodchip were comfortable, The 2 ponies walked over to the large window of the building, climbing through and taking flight, with slight difficulty.
> One of the victims, being Discord. Suddenly jumped up and attempted to attack Pinkis, who was carrying Woodchip.
> Woodchip gave a squeal and attempted to push Discord off, but the draconequus was too fast for the unicorn. He grabbed the unicorn's front hooves, yanking her off of Pinkis’s back.
> “! GOD DAMNIT WOODCHIP!!” Pinkis cried out and attempted to fly after her. But it was too late, the sky was filled with Woodchip’s screams as she began to become infected by the goop. Her eyes began to change, slowly turning into an emotionless black void, as her mouth began to contract into a wide smile, her lower lip lowering past her chest. Her ears folded back as all motion left her body, only for the ooze to take over. Slowly leaking from her eyes, mouth and ears, as it began to control her like a puppet.
> “WE HAVE TO GO! IT'S TOO LATE!” Stardust yelled out as they flew as fast as they could toward Sugarcube corner. They burst into an open window, slammed it shut and blocked the entrance with a discarded piece of furniture. Most likely a wardrobe door.
> Blueberry stood there, staring at the floor in silence, her body shaking at what she just witnessed.
> “Blue.. I-im sorry, i thought i cou—”
> “Its fine. Just leave it.. We’re here now. Let's just clear the building and get to making food.” Blueberry spoke up as she began making her way downstairs. Iron shovel in hand as she began to check every room for anything that could attack them.
> The building was cleared, the kitchen was turned on and everyone began to get to work, making some recipes that were left by Mr and Mrs cake before they fled ponyville with their twins.
> Once again, days, weeks and months passed. They were all still doing very well for food and water. Blueberry was sitting upstairs, looking out of the open window at the passing, infected. She remained quiet so they didn't notice her.
> Her long ears slowly began to prick up as she noticed something familiar within the large glitch. It was 2 characters, with their back to the window. But they weren't surrounded in glitch, they had a miniature clearing around them, almost as if the goop was intentionally avoiding them.
> Stardust made her way upstairs, walking into the room with Blueberry, and she tilted her head at the earth pony.
> “You ok Blue?” The alicorn asked.
> “Do you see that?” Blue pointed to the ones in the clearing of the glitch sea.
> Stardust made her way over, and looked rather surprised at what was going on.
> “Wait. They look familiar.”
> It was a pink pony, with darker pink, curly hair. The earth pony had 3 balloons as a cutie mark. 2 blue, one yellow, and there was someone on her back. A yellow creature with long yellow ears, with black tips. It had a yellow jagged tail that looked like a lightning bolt, and big circles on its cheeks that had the same shade of blue as Blueberry’s cheeks.
> “W-wait.. That's.. MY PARENTS!! MOM!! DAD!!” The cream earth pony yelled out, immediately climbing out of the window in an attempt to grab the pink pony and the pikachu’s attention.
> “Wait.. they’re.. Oh no.. BLUE!”
> Stardust couldn't stop her in time. Blueberry had already wall-jumped off of the building toward Pinkie Pie and Rhys. Her loving parents.
> The couple immediately turned around, to show that they too were infected.
> They lovingly opened their arms to Blue, and they immediately caught the cream pony.
> Blueberry was screaming now, realising her mistake as she fell. She landed in the loving embrace of her parents, and her screaming stopped. She saw the glitchy sea closing in on them. But she didn't care. She hugged her parents tightly as the Ooze took over.
> Blueberry’s face began slowly changing and twisting to match that of the other creatures. She began to slowly walk away, the family reunited… But not in the way she had hoped…
> Stardust growled. It was playing tricks on them, setting up traps.
> The alicorn slammed her hoof down and closed the window, turning to see Pinkis in the doorway.
> “She’s gone… Isn't she?”
> Stardust could do nothing but nod. Her ears folded back as her eyes began to well up with tears.
> She began to weep, slumping down into a sitting position, her muzzle grazing the ground as tears fell to the floor below her, forming small puddles.
> “We have to move. The glitch knows we’re here now.”
> The alicorn nodded, slowly getting to her hooves and grabbing a saddle bag. Filling it with water bottles and some spare food, before walking outside with Pinkis, and taking flight.
> As the 2 flew over ponyville, there was nowhere else for them to go, as it was the least infected area of equestria. Stardust had her hoof to her chin, thinking of somewhere they could go, that the Ooze may struggle to keep up in. Before a lightbulb went off in her head, and she turned to Pinkis excitedly.
> “What if we try the crystal empire. It might be too cold for the ooze to survive. I mean it behaves like a liquid right? It might not go there because it might freeze.”
> Stardust spoke up. Causing pinkis to put her hoof to her chin in thought.
> “You make a good point, but what if the barrier is still up? I can't go through there without changing myself. I cant change into anyone recogniseable because everyone knows the princesses and elements of harmony are dead.” Pinkis stated, her ears folding back.
> “Uh.. i don't think that’ll be an issue. If anything, they would take anyone in for their safety, no matter the creature now.” Stardust explained.
> They talked a bit more before changing course for the Crystal empire.
> It took a couple days of travel, as the trains weren’t running anymore. But they eventually managed to make it to the Crystal Empire. It seemed to be fairly clear, and there was no barrier. But somehow there wasn't any storm attempting to surround and bury the kingdom.
> Stardust landed under the castle, where the crystal heart was. They slowly started walking toward the centre, looking for anything that may seem suspicious.
> Stardust froze, she looked to the centre where the heart was, there was a pony there, dressed in silver armour, with a red cape, and black flowing hair, with a horn that faded to red.
> He wasn't infected. He was perfectly normal.
> “F-father?” Stardust spoke up, catching the unicorn's attention.
> “Stardust?! What are you doing here?!” King sombra spoke up, The 2 ran toward each other embracing eachother tightly.
> “This is the LAST place I would expect to see you! How is no one attacking you? Not even princess cadence!”
> Sombra explained that he and princess Cadence came to a mutual agreement after a bit of combat. They had managed to disable each other's magic and talk things through. Cadence said He could stay in the safety of the crystal empire, as long as he helped defend the place. After that agreement was made, Shining Armour broke the spells on each of their horns, and it ended in a hoof shake.
> “Now i'm here on castle grounds, making sure no infected get close to the castle, as all the residents of the Crystal empire are living in there for their own safety”
> “Alright. Well we should get inside then.” Stardust added, which was followed by a nod of agreement from the changeling.
> They began to walk to the castle, pinkis walking ahead. She seemed pretty excited as she has never seen the castle up close before.
> Before the 3 of them froze. The ground felt like it was shaking, and suddenly hundreds of crystal ponies ran past, followed… by the glitch sea. It was moving so fast, that ponies were being consumed faster than they could escape.
> Pinkis being one of them. She attempted to turn and run away,but a large wave crashed down on top of her. The changeling became part of the crowd of infected, as the glitch sea moved closer toward Stardust and Sombra.
> The 2 of them attempted to run, but it wasnt enough. Stardust attempted to fly, but the stormy winds had gotten stronger since they arrived.
> Sombra stopped his daughter, tears in his eyes.
> “It's no use Star! We can't escape it!”
> The 2 of them looked at eachother. Tearing up as they embraced.
> They bury their faces into eachothers shoulders, as the wave of glitch came crashing down upon them….
> It had been years since the infection began. The sea glitch had spread across all of equestria. Noone was safe. Everyone had become a mindless, smiling mess, overlapping giggles filled the air, some glitched sparks flying into the sky. As if the glitched sea was cheering. It was almost… like one… Big… party…
> Please let me know if you think the bold text for characters speaking was a good idea! If it is ill do it again in future stories!!
> —-
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