Maretropolis

Later, at the MPD, Iron Will addressed the press. Behind him were screens displaying images of the savage citizens—each one of them sporting a shock collar and/or a muzzle.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began. “Fourteen people went missing, and all fourteen have been found by our newest recruit, who will speak to you in a moment. But first, let me remind you...”

“I’m so nervous,” Applejack said as she and Spike stood off to the side.

“Okay, Press Conference 101,” said Spike. “You want to look smart, answer their question with your own question, and then answer that question. Like this, ‘Officer Smith, what can you tell us about the case?’ ‘Well, was this a tough case? Yes. Yes, it was.’ You see?”

“You should be up there with me,” she told him. “We did this together.”

“Well, am I a cop? No. No, I am not,” he answered.

“Funny you should say that... because I’ve been thinking. It would be nice to have a partner,” she said as she handed Spike an application to the MPD. “Here.” She gave him the incriminating pen. “In case you need something to write with.”

Inkwell gestured to Applejack to come up to the podium.

“Officer Smith, it’s time,” she whispered.

“So, now, I’ll turn things over to the officer who cracked the case. Officer Applejack Smith,”

As Applejack stepped up, Iron Will saluted her. She saluted back, and then the reporters started shouting out her name and asking questions.

Applejack pointed to one of them.

“Officer Smith, what can you tell us about the people that went crazy?” the reporter asked.

“Well, the people in question...”

She looked to Spike for help, who nodded in encouragement.

“Are they all different? Yes. Yes, they are,”

Spike smiled.

“Okay, so what is the connection?” shouted another reporter.

“All we know is that most of them are hybrids,” said Applejack.

“So, hybrids are the ones going savage?” demanded one reporter.

“Yes, that is accurate,” said Applejack, hesitating before she spoke. “Yes.”

“Why is this happening?” they clamored.

“We still don’t know,”

The crowd rumbled with disappointment.

“But... it may have something to do with biology,” she said. “A biological component. Something in their DNA.”

Spike frowned.

Murmurs rippled across the press as one reporter asked, “In their DNA? Can you elaborate on that, please?”

“Yes. What I mean is, thousands of years ago, the hybrids’ ancestors survived through their aggressive hunting instincts. For whatever reason, their descendants seem to be reverting to their primitive, savage ways,”

Spike didn’t like what he was hearing. And neither did Pinkie Pie. She may have been human, but she was feeling uncomfortable too.

Looking at the photos of the collared and muzzled hybrids, Spike’s nightmares started to come back to him.

“Officer Smith, could it happen again?” asked another reporter.

“It is possible,” said Applejack, surprised by the escalating tension in the room. “So, we must be vigilant. And we at the MPD are prepared and are here to protect you.”

The press suddenly went into an absolute frenzy. Again, they yelled questions all at once. Questions like, “Will more people go savage?”, “What is being done to protect us?” and “Have you considered a mandatory quarantine on hybrids?”

Inkwell stepped up, eager to put an end to the interview.

“Thank you, Officer Smith,” she said. “That’s all the time that we have. No more questions.”

Before Applejack could say another word, Inkwell ushered her away.

“Was I okay?” she whispered to Inkwell, unsure of how she had done.

“Oh, you did fine,” she replied.

Applejack walked across the lobby to Spike.

“That went so fast. I didn’t get a chance to mention you or say anything about how we—”

“I think you said more than enough,” Spike stated, interrupting her.

“What do you mean?” she asked, confused.

“‘Apparently there is a biological component?’” he repeated her words. “‘The hybrids may be reverting to their ancestors’ primitive, savage ways?’” He looked at her incredulously. “Are you serious right now?”

“I just stated the facts of the case. I mean, it’s not like I could go savage,”

“But someone like me obviously could?” he shot back.

“Spike, stop it! You’re not like them,”

“There’s a ‘them’ now?” he challenged.

“You know what I mean. You’re not that kind of guy,”

“The kind that needs to be collared and muzzled?” he asked, gesturing to the video footage. “The kind that makes you believe that you need to carry around Dragon Repellant? Don’t think I didn’t notice that the very first time I saw you,” he said, getting angrier and angrier. “Tell me the truth. Are you afraid of me?”

Applejack looked at him with wide eyes.

“I’m legitimately asking. Are you scared of me, right now? Do you think that I might go nuts? That I might go crazy? That I might want to try to hurt you!”

Spike lunged, like he was going to bite her.

Applejack gasped as she held up a defensive hand and automatically unclipped the holster containing the Dragon Repellant.

“Why am I not surprised?” Spike scoffed as he blew a green ember and burnt up the application form before crumpling it into a ball with his hand. “It’s probably for the best if you don’t have someone like me as an acquaintance, much less a partner!”

As he walked away, he tore the sticker badge from his vest, crumpled it up too, and tossed it into the trashcan, along with the smoldering remains of the form.

Applejack stood speechless for a moment. She had broken their friendship, and she didn’t know how to fix it.

“No. Spike. Spike!” she called after him, but was cut off by the reporters.

“Officer Smith, were you just threatened by that hybrid?” one of them asked.

“What? No! He’s my friend!”

“We can’t even trust our own friends now?” asked another.

“That’s not what I said!”

“Are we safe?” they demanded.