Queenpin

It was a mess, one Applejack had stepped in and it was all over her hooves; nobody else was going to clean it for her.

Her suspicion was her first fear, one that was now replaced with a far more dangerous fear. Big Macintosh was too attached to Sweet Apple Acres and his only friends were family, he would be held down and never aspire beyond. Applejack told this to his face a few months ago, and rather angrily too, but it was out of love. He was banned on the farm after dinner.

It was assumed that he had found friends, he talked sparsely about them, but Applejack had her own friends to attend to. Maybe if she paid more attention, she would know why.

Chapter 2

While Applejack felt bad for dragging Rainbow Dash into this, she was glad that she had shown no boredom.

"You might like this." Rainbow handed Applejack a box. Her humor had been held since her the incident the previous night.

Big Macintosh was still unconscious and had probably shifted into sleep, so they were rushing to figure out their next move and how to handle him. Currently, the move was to lock him in the bathroom until further notice, but they may need to ask several questions. The box was as far as they had gotten.

Upon opening the box, it was filled with notes; letters to someone he held dear. There were a lot too. At least Applejack could agree that they had some of the most beautiful handwriting, but even that may be a clue. She emptied the box on the table, and cued for Rainbow Dash to begin combing over the letters.

"These look personal, like really reeeeaaally personal." Rainbow Dash blushed.

"We gotta keep going, this is the best lead we have. Just keep your giggles to yourself." Applejack groaned.

The pause that followed was filled with the light sound of shuffling papers.

"All of these are signed 'Queenpin' what the heck is that supposed to mean?" Dash asked.

"I don't know Rainbow, I don't know." Applejack said, putting her head in her hooves.

A lot of it was dirty and scandalous; a lot of it was suspicious and possibly illegal. Having a lover did not explain the apples, unless she was homeless. A spark of anger flew over Applejack's head as if Big Macintosh was selling out the apples for spending money, but it could not be the case. If Applejack wanted to believe Big Macintosh was rational, she would have to go deeper.

"I think if we determine who little miss "Queenpin" is, we'll be good!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"I'm not sure we're going to enjoy what we find in there, even if it is for our own good."

"Applejack! Quit killing the mood! We're doing this for your brother, not because it might be fun!" Rainbow stared down Applejack, who kept her head down.

"Look here," Dash passed her a letter she had found. "This one has instructions on how to get to a meeting spot, and it seems pretty regular."

Applejack finally looked up, eyes red with tears.

"Did you read the part where they're brewing something? It's definitely on the down low, and they're probably working for somebody!"

"You think they're brewing drugs?" Dash exclaimed.

"I don't think going there will get us much more than a couple of low-grade pictures." Applejack resolved.

Rainbow Dash finally had to close her eyes to focus in. Applejack wasn't being hysterical, but there was a job at hand.

"We need to cut your brother off from some possibly dangerous people, and the only way we're going to do that is if we bust this wide open! You stay here and figure out the rest, I'm going to go fly ahead and look around, sound good?"

Rainbow Dash let Applejack look up, but she was on her way out quick. Applejack cared too much to stop her, but there weren't enough good plans. Wishing her luck would do no good now; it was a matter of odds now.

Applejack still remained sitting after all this time. She had barely eaten, and while Big Macintosh remained asleep on the floor of the house, she wished time would stand still just this once. It was morning, and soon the rest of the family would get up. Apple Bloom would go to school, and Granny Smith would stay home but would spend most of the day in ignorance, so maybe Rainbow Dash's plan was plausible.

Proving her brother's innocence is a greater cost than the events of Applejack's present, and would cost just as much sacrifice to succeed.

***

The only way Applejack was going to bring herself to do it was by telling herself it was going to be okay, and reassuring her faith and trust that Rainbow Dash held. As per the time and location had arrived, the small dirt hole that was covered with excellently crafted boards had been a real thing; it could also be implied that this was the handiwork of Big Macintosh.

This secret entrance was located in an open field behind the schoolhouse, and the miles of open field behind it were a perfect location to hide the apple truck. It was a reasonable hiding space that you had to look for, and certainly inaccessible to any fillies.

Applejack lifted the door and made her way down the wooden stairs through dirt tunnel, which lead to a sort of foyer, where there was a more secured door. Closing the door did not provide total darkness, to which there was a small electric light that lit the room but still kept the hall dusty and murky. The door was more like an actual door, but with no handle and a peephole shutter device. It was essentially a speakeasy.

A knock on the door opened the shutter on the peephole and a pair of paranoid eyes crept through. It was more apparent that a lot of chatter was happening on the inside.

"Applejack? You can't be here! Nothing's happening here!" The pony squealed.

"Wait! I'm Big Macintosh's brother! He asked myself to take care of the business he couldn't do when he fell!" Applejack lied.

"Oh! Uh, excuse me!" The panicking pony quickly hobbled off, closing the latch.

Applejack pressed her ear to the door, waiting for the verdict and evaluating the danger of the entire scenario.

"We can't ask Queenie what she thinks, she's out!" A muffled voice came.

"How bad could it be? If she's busting us we'll just drop her!" Came another.

Just as Applejack was considering that Rainbow Dash might already be dead, the door swung open. Applejack trotted inside so the door might be closed quicker, but she was in an obvious problem.

The walls were carved out of the dirt and supported by wooden beams, and only slightly better lit than the tunnel. Wooden tables and chairs dotted the floors, along with several other random doors engraved in the walls. Several ponies were having drunken conversations, and others passed out. Rainbow Dash sat at one table, talking with two other ponies, emptying her mug of something.

Applejack sat down on one of the cushioned barrels provided, and leaned into the conversation next to Rainbow.

"Oh hey Applejack! You're just in time! Would you like to meet my friends? It's uh, um..." Rainbow slurred before trailing off, focus lost.

Of the two ponies at the table, Applejack recognized the twitchy pair of green eyes from the entrance. The other one was near passing out, not holding his drink at all.

"So Applejack, where's the apples?" The door pony asked suspiciously.

"They're up on the surface, but I ain't giving them until I meet with the Queenpin." Applejack snarled.

"Oh, but didn't Big Macintosh tell you? She's occupied this time of day!" A small smile curled up to her green eyes.

"I was in a bit of a hurry. When does she return?"

"In about 15 minutes, you can wait in her office."

"I'm gonna wait out here, this cider is good." Rainbow lazily mouthed.

Applejack panicked and grabbed the mug.

"Cider?!" Applejack tasted the golden brew, and tasted her famous cider recipe. She would be just as furious if she didn't taste alcohol in it, which was extremely illegal in Ponyville.

"Interesting brew here, you make it here?" Applejack asked slyly.

"Of course, nothing but the best for our clients."

The door pony got up and walked to a room in the back, and did not return. Applejack returned to the table to see how the situation had changed. Rainbow Dash was exhausted, but continued to drink, but the looser pony had awakened to the departure of the door pony. He slicked back his light blue mane with a matching blue hoof and slid over.

"I hear Queenie has a secret room she uses with Big Macintosh." The blue pony whispered with a wink.

"That's pretty gross sugarcube, I'd suggest getting back to your drinks." Applejack stared straight.

"I'm not drunk, I swear, just talk to me." He pleaded.

If Rarity had taught Applejack anything, charm isn't naturally disposed to her, but all she needed was to activate it. Her eyelids slid half way down; she had been told her eyes sparkled some more when like this.

"Give me your name and I'll think about it." Applejack winked.

"Let's not concern ourselves about names today." The pony leaned in and lightly grabbed Applejack's hoof.

A blush rose in her freckles, as fantasies from her much younger years came flooding back. Actually, they weren't from much longer ago.

"Like my friend too? We're running a twofer special tonight." Applejack used less of a slap and more of a sock-to-the-jaw type maneuver to get Rainbow Dash's attention.

The blue pony twitched and his neck swung around swiftly, checking for attention in the sleepy club, which wasn't present. He then got up and casually walked to the office the door pony had acknowledged earlier, unlocked and entered. Applejack and Rainbow Dash followed, and while Dash continued to meander lazily, Applejack locked the door.

Applejack leaned in and whispered something into Rainbow's ear, and while confused at first, did it. The colt situated himself in the desk chair inside what appeared to be an office, most likely for the Queenpin, the chair situated towards the door. Rainbow stood still, as Applejack moved behind the desk.

The colt had entertained himself with just being giddy with excitement. Rainbow Dash spread her wings and hovered just above him, slowly lowering her tail to reveal a distraction for Applejack. Applejack, meanwhile had grabbed a book from the desk and clenched it in her teeth, and positioned herself on the desk to strike.

Suddenly the colt pulled Rainbow Dash into a hug, with about 3 seconds to physical contact. Dash was supposed to flip the chair around so Applejack could subdue him, but now Dash was fighting his grip, and she observed too late. The colt and Rainbow fell backwards out, and Applejack flew over the table and into the floor. Rainbow rolled away in time for Applejack's landing to smash the colt's head.

With the colt unconscious, the Applejack was the first to get up; a glimmering object had caught her eye. The shuffle had knocked his key loose and Applejack could retrieve it to access the rest of the hideout.

"Geesh, I know you didn't intend it, but you could have told me." Rainbow rubbed her head.

"Well golly Rainbow, I didn't think you were out of the loop. I told you to do your tease thing, did that not catch you off guard?" Applejack smirked without looking at her, but for some sort of address to where the Queenpin was.

"So you did go through with my plan?" Rainbow smiled as she hoisted herself up.

"It was the hardest thing I had to do, but I had to do it." Applejack swallowed. She gave her eye contact for that one.

Applejack's eyes fell upon the door center to the desk. It was odd for an office, if it was a closet maybe, but there were very muffled voices on the inside. The key fit perfect in the lock, and Applejack went inside, to where the voices were a little bit louder.

Inside was a ladder that lead up to another closet, and a door where the voices were. Applejack turned to Rainbow and nodded for her to follow.

"If you trust my advice so much, you might want it today." Rainbow nodded towards a toppled chest with several guns in it. She tossed Applejack a pistol and kept one herself; who knows what was around the door.

The two climbed up the ladder and landed on the floor above, and were leaning on the door to open.

"I know I'm just loyal, but I'm gonna give you my advice again." Rainbow breathed.

The voices were very close. Applejack turned, pale and afraid.

"We're gonna go in, head first, and take whatever is around this door. It's guaranteed to be the Queenpin, and she's a bad dude." Rainbow reassured.

"That's why you're here Rainbow." Applejack grinned a fake grin.

The door burst open at Applejack's own accord and they aimed the revolvers in their mouths at whatever was in the room. It was a classroom.

Cheerilee is the Queenpin.