private When all else fails.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Thunder Dash undid the shield and gathered some electricity. "I got this one. He said as he gathered electricity and fired it at the Zompegasus. "And yes, I do trust you." He said after readying another shot just in case another one would come in site. He then put the shield back up.  

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar watched the zompegasus fall to the ground, paralized from the shock. "But as soon as he's recovered he'll be back in the air." Briar insisted. "We need to break their wings to ground them for the moment..." She responded, thinking perhaps they could reverse the zompony effects..

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

"Hmmmm" Thunder Dash thought. The last shot he fired was at the body, which paralyzed it. But if he could concetrate a double-shot to the wings, that could ground them permanently. When the next zompegasus appeared, he fired a twin shot at both of the wings of the zompegasus. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

The zompegasus dodge the shot and went straight for Thunder. However, Briar took intiative. Two vines emitted from her horn, snapping the wings, sending the infected pegasus back to the ground. "Did he get to you?" She asked, wondering if her comrade had been bitten.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

"Nope, but I know how to counterdodge, meaning if the enemy dodges and tries to attack me, I can attack them secretly when they are dodging my primary attack." Thunder Dash said. He then noticed a Zompegasus going for Briar from behind. He gasped. "Briar! Behind you!" He yelled readying a shot in case Briar didn't react on time. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar glanced over her shoulder, seeing the zompegasus advancing on her flank. However, she was in trouble, seeing as it took a moment to get her magic to power up. By the time she had it powered up, the zompegasus would to be very close, and it would be even more dangerous to attack with them up close.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

At the last second, Thunder Dash turned around and fired a quick shot at the Zompegasus' wings being sure not to hit Briar. He then made sure the Briar was ok and was not touched by the zompegasus, for he had heard that if anypony was touched by a zombie pony, they would become one too and it was very hard to return them back to normal. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar was obviously shaken up just a tad from getting so close to a zompegasus. "I'm okay... it didn't touch me." She responded after checking over her body for infection, which was shown after being touched or bitten. "I think we should keep going, we have to take care of this as fast as possible."

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Thunder Dash sped his pace. He then checked the map. "We still have a ways to go before we reach...whatever that place is called, where Rune is." Thunder Dash said. "However, I do know a few safehouses around here, where we can take some time, but not a lot to rest. Let me know when you get tired. The next safehouse is in 20 miles." Thunder Dash said. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar nodded, working hard to catch up and keep pace with Thunder. "I can also fortify the safehouse with vines..." She added, keeping an eye out, so they wouldn't have any other nasty surprises. "I-It seems very peaceful on the ground." She commented after awhile.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Soon, they arrived at the safehouse. Thunder Dash stopped and checked the ground. He slowly descended, making sure no zombie ponies were around. The coast was clear. He then signaled Briar, that it was okay to come down. He then waited. He saw the cottage that looked pretty new. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar almost crash landed. Darn wings. "S-Shall I set up the extra barrier?" She inquired, her eyes searching the cottage over, searching for any weakspots, or strong points. She thought it was kinda nessicary to have the barrier anyway... They wouldn't want to settle down, only to be attacked by a zompony...

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

"Better safe than sorry." Thunder Dash said as he went inside to check the place out. Inside were two beds, a table for food and a refrigerator. Thunder Dash went to check the fridge. There were only sandwiches in it. Fortunately, they were still good to eat. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Imedantly, orchid Briar began to cast her spell, her horn glowing the symbolic purple. After a few short seconds, vines began to entangle themselves over and around the cottage. Once she was inside aswell, she sealed up the door for the night. "T-There..."

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Thunder Dash then took out two sandwiches and some apple cider, which was all they had to drink besides water form the creek down below. But the creek was too dangerous as zombie ponies could be lurking there. Thunder Dash started to eat the sandwich and then he drank some cider. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar laid down on one of the beds. At this point, she simply couldn't eat. All that had happened today... all that ruined... turned her stomach sour. She feared if she tried to eat, she might throw up at this point. Closing her eyes, she decided to try and get some sleep.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Thunder Dash then laid himself on other bed. Thoughts of his sister Rainbow Dash returned yet again. Cloudsdale was in grave danger if zompegasus made it up there. The weather would go all haywire and Rainbow Dash would be converted to a zompegasus. He couldn't stop thinking about it. Yet, he was able to fall asleep. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar slept threw thr night, some how knowing when the sun rose. Standing up, she stretched her legs out, feeling how cramped they became over the night. She gently nudged Thunder with her nuzzle, trying to wake him. "Come on, its time to get up." She whispered.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

"Huh?" He asked groggily, slowly opening his eyes. He then realized it was morning time already. Thunder Dash slowly got out of bed and stretched. He then shook himself off as if he were shaking water off of him. "The night sure flew by fast." He remarked. "Looks like we'll be having sandwiches and cider for breakfast." He said going to the fridge and getting out a sandwich. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar watched Thunder get up and wander over to the fridge, and dig into it. Still, she didn't think she could eat just yet, but she was mighty thirsty. "How many more ciders are in there?" She inquired, taking a step closer to the fridge, trying to look over hs shoulder.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

"There's quite a bit." Thunder Dash said opening the fridge back up to show the amount of cider left. "We've gotta hurry. Time is ticking and we don't know what Rune will do next." Thunder Dash said. He made sure he had everything, which he only brought a small little bag with him to carry a few things. He often transported it back to his home in Cloudsdale. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar nodded. "I agree, we need to get there as fast as possible." She responded retrieving a cider from the fridge. With some trouble, she finally popped the top, and took a sip. "I don't think anything found us last night." She added, glancing to the door, knowing her vines were intact.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

"Alright then, let's get moving." Thunder Dash said as he headed out the door and waited for Briar. He looked up at the clear blue sky. "There is still hope." He said as he looked up to the skies. As he did this, his necklace began to gleam a little. Yet, he wasn't conscious of it. 

[Orchid Briar 18]

Briar followed him out, stretching her long black wings out. She still couldn't believe she had been soaring in the clouds yesterday, and was about to do it again. She felt she'd be able to appreciate it alot more when the fate of thousands of ponies didn't rest in their hooves. "T-Thunder..."

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Thunder Dash had his wings spread out and was about to jump into the air and fly. But just as he was about to, he heard is name called by Briar. "What is it Briar, is something troubling you?" He asked looking into her eyes. He then thought about her expression. "Are you worried or something?" He asked. "Is it that this task is overwhelming?" He added.