Investigation Files: Lady in Pink

I stared out the window at the rainy day waiting for me outside the warm train car, my mind was wandering slowly through the events that had lead up to this. I had just made detective in Canterlot, when a sudden urge overcame me. I kept picturing the small bakery I used to go to every day, the kind couple that ran said bakery, and the daily ritual of slowly sipping down a cup of joe before heading down to the station. Unfortunately, I also saw the image of... Her flicker through my head. Her long pink hair, her cold blue eyes, and the toothy smile she gave me the last time we saw each other. I closed my eyes and shook the image of Pinkamena Diane Pie out of my brain, and tried to focus on the dripping of the rain outside. I had been riding the Ponyville Express for nearly six hours now, all night really if you count the new stops they put in for Grassy Knoll and New Clop City. I’ll have to visit New Clop one day, I thought to myself, I heard they have some of the best coffee in Equestria.

“Next stop Ponyville!” the ticket taker called out, “Ponyville next! Last stop!” I stretched in my seat, my back cracking as my arms reached for the roof of the train. Suddenly, my eyes caught sight of a familiar building. Town Hall looked as beautiful as ever, even with the old coat of yellow paint seeming to peel off of it. After seeing it, I was able to pick out other specific buildings in this one horse town. The library, Carousel Boutique,even... SugarCube Corner... I closed the curtains on my window, opting not to look out anymore. The screech of train brakes caught my ears before the car jerked forward slightly, the other passengers seemed a bit too tired to brace themselves and ended up hitting the backs of the seats in front of them, face first. I stifled a laugh, but still took pleasure in one of my favorite parts of taking the train. I grabbed my luggage, a single suitcase, and made my way to the platform.

My superiors in Canterlot where a bit disappointed to hear that I asked for a transfer, but I think they understood. They could see the dullness in my eyes that day, I knew they could, and told me that I was approved by the commissioner and all I needed to do was wait till the Ponyville sheriff okayed it. It took three days, but I blame the mailwoman they gave the documents to. I had seen her when I lived in Ponyville, and even though she was the best mail carrier there... Let’s just say she had a history of losing letters and packages. I guess I blamed the blonde stereotype, but it didn’t help that she was cross eyed. Either way, the papers went through, and I was told that either the sheriff or one of her deputies would meet me on the platform today. To my surprise, I was greeted by a girl, the girl who waved to me the day my train departed for Canterlot. The girl that showed up in court during the trial of Pinkamena, and just like then she was accompanied by what I still assumed was her little brother. The girl was dressed in all purple, even her rain boots and oversized jacket where a shade of royal purple. Her brother just had his hoodie zipped up to protect him from the rain.

“Hello again,” the girl said, smiling, “You must be Detective Colt.”

I nodded, “Nice to actually meet you this time,” I chuckled, which made her blush slightly, “I had no idea you where the sheriff, you still look a bit too young.”

“What? Oh no, no,” the lavender haired girl laughed, “I’m the librarian. My friend’s the sheriff, she just asked me to come pick you up. My name’s Twilight by the way, Twilight Sparkle. And this is my assistant, Spike.” Twilight gestured over to her little friend, and he just nodded. I figured he’d be a little shy around me, most people who know the first homicide case I worked on are. “Anyway, I’ll show you to the new sheriff station. They combined the two precincts into one a year ago, so the station was built into Town Hall.” As she turned, I noticed the small book tied to Twilight’s hip by a thick string.

“You’re a scholar huh?” I asked, now walking with her and Spike in the slowly clearing rain.

“Mhm, I’m actually Princess Celestia’s personal student.” Twilight looked over at me as she turned onto Mane Street, “I’m surprised you didn’t see me, the walk from town to the castle takes me right in front of the guard station.”

“I wasn’t stationed there,” I said, “I was at the Canterlot University station. The chief thought it would be a better idea to have me help train rookies in criminology, then I got transferred to the homicide unit there as a profiler.”

“A profiler? That sounds interesting, right Spike?”

“Huh? What?” the teen age kid said, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, “Oh yeah, sure Twilight.”

Twilight shot a nasty glare at her assistant, then turned back to me, “I’m sorry, I think I woke Spike up a bit too early today.”

“No problem, the only reason I’m awake is because the coffee on the train was extra strong last night.” I looked into Celestia’s personal students purple eyes, “Plus, I know how it is having a kid brother.”

“I’m not really her brother,” Spike retorted, “Her family adopted me after my parents died in a car crash.”

“Spike! Don’t lie, you know how that got you in trouble last time.” Twilight yelled, the hoodied assistant just smiled at her, causing her to smile back. “Spike’s not my brother, he was right about that, but my family didn’t adopt him. I’m his mentor, he’s training to be a scholar too.”

I stopped dead in my tracks as the wheels in my head finally turned, “Ah, you’re that Twilight Sparkle.” I said out loud, my mind flashed with images from newspapers the Elements of Harmony and how they faced down Discord and Nightmare Moon. They were basically Celestia’s personal clean up crew, stopping other scholars who had gone rouge (or in the case of Nightmare Moon, the split personality of a very jealous Princess Luna). “It’s nice to meet the Element of Magic.”

Twilight blushed, but that quickly turned into a deeply ridged frown. “I haven’t been called that since... What happened back then.” I could sense the woman was about to cry, and I knew I couldn’t have that. I quickly wrapped my arms around her in a hug, a hug that made the girl’s eyes go wide... Then she punched my face. “What the hell man?! I barely know you!”

I stepped back, a hand going up to my cheek as I laughed. I’m not sure why, but Twilight began to laugh too.

“I’m sorry.” we both said simultaneously, then broke out into a hysterical laughing fit. Spike just shook his head, probably figuring Twilight and I to be nuttier than a fruitcake.

*****

As the three of us went our separate ways, Twilight waved back at me. She had told me that if I needed any information that I could always come see her at the library. Spike just nodded his head at me as he followed his mentor, I could tell the kid was putting on an act to try and get an ‘angsty teen boy’ reputation with me. The way he trotted behind Twilight... I could picture him wearing a pink, frilly apron while nursing a sick librarian back to health. After smiling at that thought, I turned and entered the station part of Town Hall. I could tell right away that the department was much more understaffed then when I was part of it, five desks sat behind the main greeting counter and only two didn’t have dust covering them. I walked up to the counter, and just as I was about to ring the bell the door behind me swung open and I was greeted by the sight of a blonde woman in a brown, leather jacket.

The woman had a very light farmer’s tan, and her hair was tied back into a thick ponytail. On her light blonde hair was something a bit stereotypical of small town sheriffs, a Stetson, but this one looked as if it had seen better days.

“Howdy,” the sheriff said, “you must be the Canterlot detective who transferred back here.”

I pulled out my Canterlot P.D. badged and let it flip so she could see the I.D. “Detective Colt Harris, call me Colt.”

“All righty Colt, pleasure ta meet ya.” the woman took my hand and shook it heartily, “Name’s Applejack, ya’ll meet m’ah deputy an’ brother Big Mac later on today.”

“A southern sheriff,” I said out loud, “now that’s stereotypical.”

“An’ just what’s wrong with havin’ a country girl as a sheriff?” my new superior asked me, a glare in her eyes, “Ya’ best not be sexist Mr. Colt.”

“Not at all, I was just commenting on it.”

AJ gave me a suspicious look, then smiled slightly and slapped me on the back, “I was just joshin’ ya Colt, ya gotta learn to lighten up ‘round here. We ain’t like those stuffed shirts in Canterlot.”

I chuckled, my back aching from the spot she slapped me at. “So, since you’re a friend of Twilight’s, I’m guessing you’re an Element of Harmony too?”

The sheriff’s smile left her face, much like Twilight’s had, and was replaced by a saddened and defeated look. “Ah’d rather not talk about it.” she said, walking over to her desk with me following a little ways behind, “After the Cupcake Murders happened, the Elements just went their separate ways. Me, Rarity, and Twi stayed in Ponyville, but we don’t talk much anymore. Ah’m actually surprised Twi answered when Ah called her yesterday. Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness, moved to Grassy Knoll with her lil animal friends. She sends us cards now and then, but she said she ain’t ever comin’ back to Ponyville... You know what happened to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie.” Before I could reply or apologise, the door opened behind me. I turned, only to face a large, muscular man that was about my age. He had slightly long, blonde hair and wore a red t-shirt with dirt caked jeans held up by suspenders.

“Big Mac I presume.” I said, pulling my badge back out, “Detective Colt Harris, call me Colt.”

The corn fed man smiled and took my hand, for a man his size he had a very soft grip. “Big Macintosh, AJ probably already told ya Ah’m her brother. Pleasure to meet you Colt.” He seemed like a man of few words, a guy who felt as though his actions spoke louder than his words... I liked him.

“Big Mac, how many times have Ah told you ta come in wearin’ your uniform?” Applejack said, pointing to the rain stained shirt he had on, “And what would Granny say if she saw you out there with no coat? She’s probably rollin’ over in her grave sayin’ ‘That boy needs some sense knocked inta him!’”

This just made Big Macintosh smile, “AJ, you know as well as Ah do that Granny’d be nappin’ no matter what right now.” The sheriff kept on her serious face for a moment, then cracked a smile and pointed her thumb to a small office.

“Go an’ change in their ya dummy.” as her brother walked past her, AJ turned back to me, “Ah know you probably have the lay of the land pretty well intact, seein’ as you’ve lived here before. Any questions?”

“Actually, I was wondering who’s running Sweet Apple Acres.” I said, pausing to light up a cigarette. Applejack cleared her throat and nodded her head towards a very clear sign that said ‘no smoking’. I put out my cig and slid it back in the pack for later, “With you and Big Mac here, and granny having passed on, who’s left?”

“Big Mac mainly works there, he’s only here when he’s needed or if he’s on call. The mayor doesn’t seem to think we need that big of a police department after... You know.” Applejack then cocked her eyebrow, “How did you know we’re Apples?”

“Your names are all apple based, just like before... Plus, I used to live here.” the sheriff then punched me in the arm and smiled, calling me a dirty dog before showing me to a slightly less dusty desk.

“Ah’ll get your badge and I.D. ready quick as a rabbit. Why don’t you take a stroll around town, get to know the new buildings around here. Maybe check out the memorial.” I noticed the glint in her eyes fade when she mentioned the last part, and I had a hunch why... But felt it was better not to bring it up. I just nodded, asked my new superior where the best coffee in town was (she pointed to a small pot in the break room), and I headed out once more.

*****

I rounded the corner from the station and finally found what Applejack had told me about, a huge stone wall with a small horse on top of it sat where SugarCube Corner had once been. I took a few steps up to it before I saw why the bakery had gone. Caught behind the wall, or intentionally stuck there I’m not sure, was a copy of the Ponyville Prancer, the town newspaper. On the front page was a picture of the Cake’s bakery, the headline read ‘Owners to sell shop and buy new store in Grassy Knoll, Town plans to erect monument to ‘Cupcake Murder’ victims.’ I shook my head, I had had a feeling that Mr. and Mrs. Cake had left town, but until now I had held out hope that they would’ve stayed like the Apples, or Twilight.

“You found it huh?” speaking of Twilight, Spike had apparently found me.

“Yeah... Twilight back at the library?” I asked the teen ager. Spike nodded, pulling a cigarette out of his hoodies pocket. “Those things’ll kill ya kid.”

The boy just looked at me like I was crazy and chopped down on the candy cigarette, making me laugh at myself like an idiot. “You know she likes you, right?”

“Who? Twilight?”

“No, Princess Luna. Yes Twilight! For a cop you’re pretty stupid.” the green and purple hoodied kid told me, “For some reason she thinks you’re going to help us all ‘heal’ or something like that.”

“What do you think?” I asked him.

Spike just shook his head, “I’m not sure, but I know that if you hurt Twilight I’ll kill you." I looked down at the kid, and finally saw a smile crack over his lips. We both laughed... I’m still not sure why, but he seemed to have warmed up to me. It had been a good start to my return to Ponyville, I just hopped it would stay that way... I have to learn to stop hopping.

“N...No, please stop!” Silver Spoon screamed as she saw the glint of a knife in the singular light of the cold, damp basement. “I... I’m sorry, I won’t be a bully ever again... I promise!”

The figure holding the knife looked at the girl, and even with its face covered Silver could make out a wide grin breaking out over the menacing person’s face, “You... Promise?” the knife wielding psychopath said, giggling under its menacing voice.

“Y...Yes, please just let me go! PLEASE!” the bespeckled girl thrashed against her bonds, her pale, drugged body glistening with sweat as the disguised thing took a step forward. Its hot breath on the frightened girl’s neck, right before it licked slowly up and bit hard into Silver Spoon’s cheek. Silver cried out in agony, the teeth of her assailant tearing away a huge chunk of her flesh. The creature chewed the girl’s flesh loudly, blood visibly dripping down the covered thing’s chin as it slurped and swallowed that juicy morsel.

“Pinkie Promise.” Then the knife came slicing down, cleanly cutting Silver Spoon’s head from her neck. The poor girl had just graduated middle school, her fear of being bullied by her friend Diamond Tiara now a thing of the past... permanently. The cloaked figure chucked as it began to put the now headless body’s neck from her shoulders, then it tossed the piece of meat and bone into the roaring fire behind it to melt away any evidence.

“All you have to do...” the figure began to sing softly, “is take a cup of flour, add it to the mix. Then, you take a little something sweet, not sour. A bit of salt, just a pinch....” The creature quickly went digging into it’s bag it had brought, a large duffle bag, and pulled out a pink mixing bowl and a cupcake tray with the letters ‘S.C.C.’ on it. To the cloaked thing, this next part would be the first time in a long time it had tasted the sweet, tangy confection. The best part to it was where it was making the treat, and how right it felt to cut open Silver Spoon slowly and cover her flesh and heart in a barrage of flour.

“Life’s a party, right Pinkie?” the cloaked figure asked no one as it began to create a new bowl of batter.