The Puppet Maker

How can one night cause so much harm before it began?

Within the matter of hours everypony knew what had happened. Privacy meant nothing anymore-they knew every detail of what we had done together. From our Crusading lives to even the intimacy we shared that was only meant for us to know, were questioned. Its not a shocker: We had done the dirty! We weren't fillies anymore, its to be suspected. Was I some suspect? They felt like interrogators, I was their suspect that was key to their case. There was a point where Applejack had to rush me off the farm-the questions were that tremendous. For Celestia's sake, Twilight interrogated me, albeit, more privately! Though, I suppose it was due after what I did. Scootaloo loved the outcome of what I used it for...too bad days later she got sick from it. After what happened at Rarity's, we were scattered. I couldn't go where the elements were, where Scootaloo's scooter was. Until the it questioning stopped, Sweetie wasn't allowed to see me. From the increased questioning and the intense lack of privacy that grew by the moment, there was only one place I could stay where the ponies wouldn't get me anymore: Twilight's.

"Apple Bloom, can you help me with that?" Twilight mumbled something as she sorted her collection. She was ordering new books on an almost weekly basis, sorting them out was a constant struggle. Sweetie Belle was her victim of this; subjecting her to place books in the correct spot endlessly. This was a task Spike wasn't able to do, being small and all. I sighed as I trot over. Were they right? Had they really found her scooter? I bit my lip-they have got to be lying.

But loyalty is Scootaloo's sister. I looked towards Twilight who hurriedly wrote something down as she sorted. I wanted to protest to this thought, although the thought of protesting was wild. Rainbow Dash definitely wouldn't lie, not when its about Scootaloo. My stomach knotted like it did before.

"Apple Bloom?" Twilight's voice was soft as she placed a few books down. I jumped, startled. When was she paying attention?

"I'm sorry Twi, I really am." Twilight placed her arm around me, I couldn't face her. The pegasus was still on my mind from yesterday. Her figure and actions still fresh. "I can't concentrate, that's all." Twilight gave a small smile.

"Your still thinking of her aren't you?"

"Hmmm...." She smiled softly as she stopped the embrace and went towards the shelf looking for something.

"She'll be alright. Scootaloo's a strong pony," Twilight reminded. "She's capable of handling herself."

"Twilight, she's not Rainbow Dash!" I remarked, something bursting from me. I realized it was anger. I wasn't sure why what she said angered me-but it had. "Everypony likes to think she's different because of how she acts, but she's not! She's the same as everypony here, Twilight!" Twilight looked like a filly that was about to get in trouble.

"That's not at--"

"She's the same as everypony else here! Just because she acts one way doesn't mean she thinks that way or feels that way! She's not okay, Twilight!" I felt my heart construct. I can't believe I'm ranting. I can't believe I said that. I move closer, my anger still flaring. "She doesn't like it when ponies like to assume how she is by her appearance-and I don't like it either. Twilight, she wasn't feeling too keen last week and she wasn't 'okay' yesterday!" I huffed as Twilight sighed, a smile forming again after the rant. Her appearance changed from a filly in trouble to one that was released off scotch free.

"Are you done?" I nodded, my heart pounding still. The questions lingered in the back of my mind-all of them towards Scootaloo being...for lack of a better term...'mare for hire.' I vehemently denied any of these questions. They figured her style meant she was in a gang or worse.

"Oh yes, I love bucking random stallions on the street for cash," I remember Scootaloo's sarcastic voice say that towards the last poor stallion that tried paying her for an hour of time before she immediately kicked him away before flying off. I had to stifle my laughter that day. She was a virgin, of course, until last week that is. Was that a shock? For him, I only guessed so.

"S-Sorry again, Twi." Twilight casted me a sympathetic glance.

"No, I should say that. You've had a pretty bad time, I should have been nicer about it." I turned away, distraught at this. I screamed at Twilight! I sniffled as I stumbled and hit a desk in the progress. Why can't anything go my way anymore? "Apple Bloom-!"

"What the hay--?" I shook my head. The table was knocked over, some books hitting the floor with a thud. Book spewed paper from probably what Twilight wrote to make notes. I looked at the nearest book cover. "Why are you reading--"

"Deadly Encounters: Manehatten's Greatest Unsolved Mystery by Strict Rule." Twilight answered automatically. "Strict Rule is an older mare-you might not know a lot about her, she only writes nonfiction." She lifted the book from off the ground with her levitation spell before I could read anything from it. I shuffled through the papers. Manehatten was written throughout each document.

"MANEHATTEN MARE SEEKS FOR FILLY!" One headline struck me the oddest from an old newspaper. "Missing: Check Mate, age 8." A straight maned unicorn filly was on the front page. She was gray scaled due to newspaper print. Her mane was probably a light coat, but darker still than her coat. She had a horn piercing that was entirely black. Then I saw her cutie mark:A checker board. I grimaced at the next headline I sorted from.

"MISSING FILLY FOUND DEAD." Twilight levitated it away, frowning at me before I read more into the article. She had done so earlier.

"You shouldn't be reading things like that." Twilight's voice lowered an octave, still calm like before. She was collected but her voice filled with something that was unrecognizable. Worry? Regret? Anger? I couldn't pin point it.

"Why are you reading things like this yourself?" I murmured as I stood up, moving towards the shelf. Twilight had laid out books ranging from laws to other accounts-all focusing on Manehatten in particular. First Applejack and Rarity, now Twilight? Was this famous? "Twilight--"

"Don't fret over this." Twilight's words were dull, lacking life. "I have to take notes, I am still a student under Celestia's wing after all." Twilight's words weren't reassuring. Twilight wouldn't need to do something this drastic if it wasn't big.

"I won't ask again, it was a mistake to." It was a lie, big, bold lie.Twilight glanced back at me as she frantically put everything in order again, refusing to allow me to see them again. I chewed in the back of my mouth. They all were lying, hiding something, but what? My eyes focused on the book Twilight had earlier.

I need to read that book. If Twilight wouldn't tell me, I'll find out myself. I am sure Rarity and Applejack wouldn't tell me much.

"How was Scootaloo feeling before she disappeared?" She switched the topic as she began to push books in their spots.

"She got sick." I stared at her sorting. Twilight's sorting was strange compared to Spike's old way of sorting, too fast.

"Anything else?" Twilight's eyes darted, it made me have a headache from just watching her work.

"Very cheery, particularly yesterday." I coughed to stifle a laugh. She acted much like Sweetie Belle when she reads something called 'Annie May.' Twilight almost dropped her book. "Twi?! What is it?"

"Oh, nothing." She shook her head. What has her mane tangled? "Can I have my..-"

"Oh that?" I cocked my head as I retrieved it from my mane. It was an easy hide. Applejack didn't need to know this portion too.

"It smells lik-" She held it in magic as she placed it in her bag. "You weren't supposed to use it for that. You don't know the effects." Something tells me you do.

"Sorry Twilight-" Twilight instantly smiled as she received a message and nodded at the apology.

"Looks like Rarity wants you to talk to Sweetie. " I felt myself pushed out of the library by Twilight faster than you could say "Daring Do." "I need to seriously catch up on things here. Good luck to you!" Was I just forced out by Twilight? She accepted the apology at least. I sighed as I left the building location. They were hiding something, I just don't know what they were hiding. Did that filly have something to do with it? I felt the stares of the ponies melt my skull. By the time Carousel Boutique came into view, I was running. They didn't need to question me when there are too many questions I need to answer myself.

"Apple Bloom, darling--" I rolled my eyes at this.

"I'm doing it again aren't I?" I sighed and walked out again, wiping my hooves before I entered upstairs again.

"Apple Bloom, is that you?" I nodded, winded. Sweetie Belle smiled and closed the door behind me. I pulled the blinds down and shushed Sweetie Belle. "What is-"

"They're hiding something from us." I got to it. There wasn't anything to hide anymore. Sweetie Belle's eyes widen as she squeaked. "Shush!"

"What are you talking about?" She whispered back. "You mean what earlier?" I nodded. Sweetie Belle covered her mouth as a gasp escaped her lips.

"I stayed at Twilight's after the questioning got bad." I frowned. "She was studying about Manehatten." Sweetie wasn't buying it much.

"She's Celestia's student, what else is new?" Sweetie frowned. I shook my head.

"No, Sweetie, she studied them. Twilight had books specifically on a crime in Manehatten. I even saw a few newspaper articles. Something about some unsolved case."

"She has newspapers saved?"

"SWEETIE!" She laughed as she playfully pushed me away.

"Kidding!" Her face changed after she stopped laughing, seriousness decorating each feature. "She studied them, didn't she? She's bound to know something on it, Apple Bloom."

"That's just it. Everypony seems to!" I pace around a bit. This hadn't helped me one bit. "She won't tell me anything, she just changed the subject to Scootaloo and refused to answer anything more." My ears perked at the noise downstairs. Rarity was no longer doing her usual, from the loud door bangs eliminated her concentration. It wasn't a guess, I could tell just by how she sounded. My stomach was still knotted like before, but worse this time. Why did it have to be so prophetic?

"Huh?" Sweetie Belle quieted as I covered her mouth.

"---hasn't done anything of the sort to be a suspect!" Rarity yelled. I heard a groan. "Get off of me you ruffian!" I glanced towards Sweetie Belle before I raced down the stairway. Did I think? I was rushing to help Rarity from Celestia knows what! I fell after tackling from the pony. I gasped and pushed away after getting a glimpse.

"G-Guard!"

"We're looking for one Sweetie Belle for questioning." The Guard was monotone as ever before. "Anypony trying to interfere with the investigations, under orders, we will not hesitate to arrest and detain." My heart dropped. What did Sweetie Belle have anything to with the disappearance? I refused to linger on the thought she was the last to see her. It wasn't possible, not in the very least.

"B-But she has done nothing!" I stuttered out, my voice cracking. "R-Rarity?!" Rarity's eyes were filled with tears. Even so, I still pushed forward. She gave up, I could see it in her eyes.

She has to have a reason. I pushed that away. No need for things like that. Sweetie Belle walked towards the guard. She was crazy or becoming crazy. Either way, she was a nut. She was leaving with the guards.

"Apple Bloom, I'll be okay. I'm innocent. "Sweetie Belle's voice was innocent sounding. I cringe. "Or don't you think I am?" I shook my head immediately.

"I do-I really do!"

"Then let me go. I don't need you to worry then. I'm innocent, therefore I have nothing to worry about." She walked towards the cart with the pegasi guards.

"Please, don't go!" I cried as I reached out for her, but a white arm pushed me away. "Rarity-"

"Let her go dear." Rarity cracked a small smile as she waved her off, tears increasing along the sides of her eyes. "She's....out of our hooves now. She's innocent, there's no need to hide that from them."

"Rarity..." My voice trailed as I watched the cart fly away with my only friend that had the same problems as me. Even with Rarity hugging me tight as all the guards leave, I felt lonelier than ever before.