Mind Games

Chapters

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part V
Part VI
Part IV

Part I

So here it is at last. I've had the idea for this story for quite some time. To be honest, the only reason I've held off posting it is because it's not the style of thing I usually write. I know I'm probably most well know for writing in the romance tag but I guess I just wanted to try my hand at crossover. I hope you like it.

It started out slowly, the rumble of the exploding stonework as the building collapsed. Applejack stood observing as the old structure exploded outwards. Suddenly she became aware of a scream. She turned as if in slow motion and saw Rainbow Dash drifting towards her as if caught in maple syrup. She saw her other friends turning to see what the shouting was about and the look of horror dawn on each face. Finally she turned and saw the huge stone. It was extremely large, easily the size of her whole body. It must way a ton but it drifted towards her steadily like a train over greased tracks. Unable to move in the thick air Applejack could only watch as it drifted closer and closer, at last slamming in to her chest. She jerked backwards as indescribable pain tore through her body. Time sped up again and the whole world went black.

Light, bright light was all that greeted Applejack on awakening. Memory flooded back bringing with it the ghost of pain and a sense of panic. What had happened? Had they defeated Discord? What had become of her other friends? Applejack frantically tried to sit up only to be greeted by real pain this time, not just the memory. It felt as though she had fallen thousands of feet on to the tip of a mountain, and had been impaled on a vast dagger of stone. She looked down and saw that her chest was bound in tight bandages. She looked around the room trying to get her bearings. This looked like the hospital. The curtains were drawn and the light was dimmed. There were patients all around all looking much worse than Applejack.

She was becoming aware of a dull pain coming from her chest. Every time she breathed it sent dreadful waves or the stuff through her whole body. After a few uneventful hours there was the noise of a door opening. Hurried whispers followed and then hoofsteps. Out of the corner of her eye, Applejack could just make out a purple shape.

“Hey Applejack. You’re awake.” Twilight Sparkle swam in to view, leaning over the bed.

When she spoke, Applejack’s voice was weak and cracked. “Well howdy there Twilight. What brings you to my humble abode?”

Twilight smiled hesitantly. “How are you feeling?”

Applejack coughed and then winced at the agony that shot through her. “Oh, I’m just dandy. Two questions though: what happened?”

Twilight bit her lip. “Well after we beat Discord the Elements Of Harmony did something strange. There was this huge explosion and the building blew up…”

Pain filled memories flashed through Applejack’s head. She shuddered. “And I got smacked in the chest with a great big hunk of rock,” she finished.

Twilight paused for a moment, as if waiting for something. “And what’s your other question?”

“Hmm? Oh, yea.” Applejack shook her head to clear the awful, brooding memories “How long have I been in here?”
Twilight looked down and fidgeted with her hooves. At last she looked up but still didn’t meet her friend’s gaze. “Um, four months,” she said, quietly.

“What?” Applejack gasped as her chest protested to her sudden outburst.

There were tears in Twilight’s eyes. “We-we thought you weren’t going to make it. All the doctors were saying it was a one in a hundred chance that they could even fix your rib cage. It got pretty badly smashed and there was a really nasty concussion. Even if you pulled through all of those then they couldn’t be sure if any of your organs had been damaged. They cleaned up the ribs as best they could but there was a high chance that the damage had already been done.” Now the tears were falling in earnest. “You have no idea how glad I am that you’re still alive.”

Applejack could only stare blankly at the purple unicorn. When at last she spoke, her tone was level. “Why did you come here? Did the doctors tell you I’d woken up?”

Twilight looked genuinely shocked. “What? No, I come in and see you once a week. How long have you been awake?”

“Only a few hours. Lucky that the day I woke up be the day that you came to visit. When will I be out of here?”

I talked to the doctors on my way in. they said that you’d just have to stay a couple days for surveillance. You can’t go back to your job yet, you may never, but for now, at least, you need to spend some time with someone who can help change the bandages.”

Something strange occurred to Applejack at that moment. “Why do I need the bandages? Surely any surface wounds would have healed in four months.”

Twilight’s attention returned back to her hooves. “Haven’t they told you yet?”

At Twilight’s tone, Applejack began to feel worry rise like a drunkards supper. “Tell me what?”

Twilight didn’t respond, only looked at her hooves and fidget nervously.

“Twilight, tell me what?”

Finally, Twilight looked up again, this time looking the earth pony dead in the eye. “You were wearing the element of honesty when that rock hit you,” she said, quietly.

“Yea, what of it?”

Twilight sighed. After a moment’s hesitation, she lit her horn and unwound the bandages around Applejack’s chest. The earth pony gasped at the sight underneath. The skin was bruised and blotchy with extensive surgery-induced scarring but what really held her focus was the jewel. Emblazoned on her chest was the orange, apple-shaped jewel that was the element of honesty. It was dug in deep so only the face was showing.

Twilight broke the horrified silence. “For some reason the metal come out ok but no matter what they tried, the jewel itself wouldn’t come out. They tried everything but the fact was that they couldn’t get it out without killing you. I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do…” she trailed off.

Applejack continued to stare at the apple-shaped emblem on her chest. A worrying thought crossed her mind. “Twilight, does this thing still work? I mean, if Discord were to come back again would we still be able to turn him back to stone with the Elements Of Harmony?”

Twilight looked a little surprised, as if the question hadn’t occurred to her. Instead of answering, she lit her horn and leaned over, staring intently at the apple-shaped jewel. After only a few seconds she sat back and breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s just fine, it will still work if we need it but there’s something else there as well…” She starred off vaguely in to the middle distance. “Like, something…” She shook her head. “Anyway, I’d better get going, I have things I need to do in town. I’ll be in to visit tomorrow.” She turned and walked away. She cast one backward glance and said, “I hope you feel better soon.” With that, she left, the door closing behind her with a dull ‘click.’

Applejack found herself staring at the wall, all hopes of sleep now gone. Her mind felt like it was working in overtime. What had Twilight sensed when she scanned the gem? Had it been bad? Surely she would have said if she’d found anything dangerous… wouldn’t she?

Applejack shook her head to clear such thoughts. It was just this dark dingy room that was getting to her, that was all. The sooner she got out of here the better. Somewhere in her battered psyche was a tiny little feeling. It was small but it was getting bigger and it had decided that the best thing to do would be to get out of this awful hospital, and her body listened.

Authors notes: I had the idea for this story a really long time ago and it's only been recently that I felt like it had developed far enough that I could actually start writing it. As I said in the notes above; I know this isn't my usual genre and to be honest I'm a little nervous about stepping so far out of my normal field but I hope it went well all the same.

Part II

When Twilight walked in the doors of the Ponyvile hospital the following day, it was to find the regular doctor at the desk, looking over some paper work.

“Hey Fill,” said Twilight, familiarly. “Just coming in to check on Applejack, how is she this morning?”

Fill looked up at her, his face registering surprise. “Oh, hey Twilight, I didn’t expect to see you again so soon but actually it’s really good you came.”

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”

“It’s Applejack,” he said simply. “She’s made a full recovery.”

Twilight gaped. “She’s what? I thought you said you’d have to keep her for a few more days.”

Fill rubbed the back of his head, looking a little sheepish. “Yea, I did say that, then she had to go and do something like this.” He passed Twilight the papers he had been examining.

She read them and then looked up at Fill for an explanation.

“Did you read it? Minor fractures in every rib, Remainder of a concussion that split her skull, possible pressure on the heart from the heeling ribs, kidneys squashed nearly to death and not to mention one hell of a case of gem-stuck-in-chest-ness.”
Twilight examined the chart again. “What is this?”

Fill smirked. “Yesterday’s chart.” He passed her another piece of paper.

Twilight opened it but before she could actually read it, Fill cut in.

“Today’s chart: kidneys: fine, skull: intact and no signs of concussion, heart: functioning normally, ribs: bruised but no longer fractured.” He frowned again. “Still a pretty nasty case of gem-stuck-in-chest-ness though. I don’t know what you did but she’s free to go. That’s actually why I’m so glad you’re here. I need to sign her over to somepony, just to keep an eye on her for a few days to make sure she doesn’t have any nasty injuries.”

“Twilight stared at the piece of paper she held in her hooves. Fill was right; this was not a mare who had just been nearly killed by a stone the size of Big Macintosh. She nodded absently. “Sure, sure, I’ll go get her, shall I?”

“If you would,” said Fill, smiling.

Ten minutes later, Twilight was helping Applejack walk stiffly out of the hospital. Her gait was the gait of a pony who had not walked for too long. She was painfully thin and her eyes were wide and moist, causing her to flinch back when they first walked in to the bright light of the sun.

Puffing but unwilling to show weakness, Applejack said, “It’ll feel good to go back home, did the doctors say if I can go back to apple bucking?”

Twilight tilted her head on one side and gave her friend a quizzical look. “You’re going to have to stay with one of us for a few days. They said that you’re going to have to be under surveillance, just until we’re sure you’re better.

“I see…” said Applejack, noticing how Twilight had avoided answering the question straight up. “But once I’m all better I’ll be able to go back to tending the orchard?”

“After a few days you can go in for a check-up and if they say it’s alright then I suppose so.” She said it noncommittally, as though she didn’t believe her own words.

It was the subtlest of giveaways and she would have missed it if she wasn’t watching but there was something in the way Twilight had said the words, her stance, her eyes that was whispering to Applejack. “What aren’t you telling me?” Her face was deadpan.

Twilight shifted uncomfortably. “Nothing.”

If it something had been whispering before then it was screaming now. “Twilight, you just lied.”

Twilight slumped but when she turned to Applejack, mostly what her gaze contained was raw curiosity. “You were supposed to take a few days to get better, there was some pretty serious damage and, well, we weren’t expecting to walk you out of that building if you know what I mean. And then, the very next day, you walk out of there bold as brass. How did you do it? The doctors were saying you’d never make a full recovery.”

Applejack considered. In truth she had felt something warm, seeping through her body, relieving the pain and aiding her rest but somehow she didn’t feel like it was something she ought to talk about. “I don’t know. Maybe I wasn’t as knocked about as you thought.”

Twilight frowned disbelievingly but decided to change the subject. “Anyway, about who you’re staying with for the next few days: I’d like to offer for you to stay with me but there’s actually a lot of work I need to do that I’ve been putting off for months; you can’t stay with Rainbow because, well I don’t think anypony actually knows where she lives but it’s probably on some cloud somewhere so that’s not an option. I’ll cut right to the chase here, the only one of us who isn’t totally swamped in work is Rarity who is surprisingly un-busy for her line of work.”

Applejack smiled. “I guess I’ll be staying with Rarity then.”

“I’m sorry, I know you two don’t always see eye to eye but I’m sure she’d be happy to have you.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Applejack saw Twilight’s posture relax, had she really been that nervous about telling Applejack that she’d have to stay with Rarity?

The rest of the walk in to Ponyvile passed uneventfully. Applejack slowly regained her hooves and was even able to make idle chit chat about what had been happening since she had been in hospital.

At last the pair arrived at Rarity’s boutique. Twilight looked over at Applejack. “I Have to go. I already talked to her and she is more than happy to let you stay for as long as you need.” She turned and walked away, heading back to the centre of Ponyvile.

That night, Applejack tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable among the sea of blankets and pillows. She was in less pain than she had been the night before but her mind was plagued with strange images. Somewhere there was a small voice, growing stronger with each passing day and it was practically screaming at her.

After only a few minutes pleasant chit chat post arriving at Rarity’s boutique, Applejack had stumbled off to bed, claiming a headache. It was partially true, with all these thoughts streaming through her head it was beginning to throb.
When at last sleep overtook her, her dreams were just as disturbed.

No author's notes other than that I hope you enjoyed it.

Part III

Applejack awoke to the sound of a sing song voice that could only be Rarity. “Good morning. How are you feeling? You were tossing and turning like a mad thing last night, did you have nightmares? Do you need me to get you some of my sleeping potion?”

Applejack sat up and rubbed her eyes. Actually she felt pretty good, her mind seemed to have cleared and all the mussieness was quickly dissipating. She looked over at Rarity. “No, I’m feeling pretty good actually. Maybe all I needed was a good sleep.” She carefully manoeuvred herself off the bed, wincing as her hooves touched the ground. “Would it be alright if I went in to town today? I’d quite like to see the others and let them know I’m alright.” she looked down at her chest, Twilight had rebound the bandages. Somehow, it didn’t feel right going and telling friends that she was ok while wearing bandages. “And could you help me get these off?”

Rarity looked down for a moment. “Didn’t Twilight tell you yet?”

Applejack sighed, she had been expecting that response. “Yes she did, and I know that it’ll probably frighten some ponies but they’re just going to have to get used to it. Like it or not this thing is a part of me now, it’s not coming off so I might as well learn to wear it with pride.”

Rarity looked taken aback but impressed. Without a word, she began to unbind the bandages. When they were fully off she gasped. All the scarring had cleared and the bruising had healed. All that was left now was the gem, affixed perfectly to her chest. It looked almost… good.

Rarity smiled. “I could get used to that,” she said, mildly.

Applejack admired the jewel for only a moment before returning her attention back to Rarity. “I suppose it does look kind of nice.” She shook her head. “Still, I’d better get going.”

“Are you going to be visiting everpony today?” It sounded almost like an idle question, a bit of empty chit chat but Applejack noticed the tiny giveaway look in Rarity’s eyes. She was trying very hard to sound nonchalant but her whole body was screaming something else.

“Why do you ask?” Applejack said, suspiciously.

“Oh, no reason, just curious.” There it was again, that little voice that pointed out Rarity’s stance, the way her eyes shifted just a fraction, the tell tail movements that Applejack wasn’t usually so good at reading but now a stream of facts were pouring in to her head and she knew things, too many things.

“Rarity, what’s up?”

“Whatever are you talking about, dear?” There was a hint of a blush under the white fur now and Applejack was sure she was on to something.

“Who is it?” Her face was deadpan.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do. Your whole body shifted when I asked. You have a crush, who is it?”

“I do not.” Rarity exclaimed, blushing all the more.

“Rarity, you know I won’t judge you, who is he—” she cut herself off at the look on Rarity’s face. She smirked. “Who is she?”

Rarity looked as though she was going to argue further but then she slumped. “Is it that obvious?”

“No,” Applejack answered, honestly.

“Then how did you know?”

“I don’t know.” Applejack felt a little woozy. Her whole mind was in overdrive. She could see… everything. She felt as though her whole life she had merely glanced at things but now she was looking, really looking and what she saw was frightening. The whole world had become crystal clear. She could see, not only things themselves but what was behind them. She could see…. The world went black.

Applejack awoke to see Rarity leaning over and examining her closely. “Are you alright dear? You just passed out.”

Applejack sat up and looked around. It was late afternoon. “I’m feeling fine. I guess I’ll visit the others tomorrow.” She lay back down. “Rarity, you never got around to telling me who the special somepony is, spill.”

Rarity looked caught off guard. “Oh, that. It’s not really important.”

Applejack examined Rarity’s face closely. “It’s Fluttershy, isn’t it?” It was more of a statement than a question.

Rarity’s eye’s widened. “How could you possibly know that?”

“Well you don’t half make it obvious. You two, always going to the spa, always hanging out but I also notice that mostly it’s you asking her to do things with you, it’s unrequited. I'm sorry, Rarity but haven't you noticed? When she's around you she never acts the way you act. It's like I said before; it's always you asking her out.” Applejack was surprised by the stream of words ready to leap of her tongue. It was all true and she knew it. Had she ever felt like this before? No. Why now? What for? Regardless of her misgivings over the source of the information she persisted. “She doesn’t know. You’re planning to tell her soon but you haven’t quite worked up the courage yet and no wonder, after how things went with that awful prince at the galla it’s no wonder you’re afraid of rejection. You shouldn't tell her, it would only make things difficult, she might even feel obligated to go out with you only to spare your feelings.”

A single tear leaked down Rarity’s cheek. When she spoke her words came out harsh and clipped. “You stop that, you fucking stop that right now!” Tears streaming down her face, she ran in to her room and slammed the door.

“Wait, Rarity I didn’t mean…” Applejack trailed off, slightly winded as though she had just run too far too fast. She flopped down on to a couch and rubbed her for head. It was only then that she noticed something: her Stetson was gone. She looked around frantically, thinking she must have been careless and left it lying around somewhere. No, she hadn’t had it at the hospital either. Applejack ran out the door, all thoughts of Rarity forgotten. She needed that hat.

Applejack aimed another kick at the stupid tree. Her hooves bounced off ineffectually causing shooting pain to run up through her still young bones. A single tear traced down her cheek. She had only gotten back from Canterlot two days ago when she had dedicated her life to the orchard and so earned her cutie mark. Now she sat and stared at the tree that stubbornly refused to drop its fruit. More tears joined the first until the little filly was crouched beside the tree, crying in to her mane.

It was then that she noticed a shadow fall across her. She looked up at her big brother, she attempted to wipe away the ceaseless flow of tears.

“There’s no need to cry Applejack, one day you’ll be strong enough to tend this whole orchard by yourself.”

“But no matter how hard I try I can’t make the stupid tree drop the apples. I tried everything.”

“You’ll get there one day, I promise.”

Applejack only wailed. “How can I have the cutie mark I have and yet be so useless?”

Big Mac sighed and, after a moment’s though, reached up and removed the wide brimmed hat from his head. “Here, wear this and you’ll be as strong as I am,” he said, kindly.

Applejack’s eyes went wide as the hat was placed gently on her head. “Thanks, Big Mac…”

Applejack pelted through the streets at a dead gallop. At last her destination came in to view, Ponyvile library.

She skidded up to the front door and knocked heavily. After about thirty seconds it was opened by a smiling Twilight. “Oh, hey Applejack, what’s— are you alright?”

“My hat, Twilight! After the fight, what happened to my hat?”

Twilight smiled. “I was wondering when you’d notice, don’t panic, I picked it up for you. She walked inside and, after a minute, returned with Applejack’s had hovering on front of her in a purple nimbus. Applejack reached forward and snatched it out of the air, jamming it back on her head.

“Sorry, I didn’t realise it would trouble you so much. The doctors said that it would only get in the way.”

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief and it was only at that moment that she noticed how… odd Twilight looked. Her mane was a little on the scruffy side and her eyes were twinkling more than usual. Her coat was a little tussled and there was a slight flush to her cheeks. “Twilight, what’s going on?”

“Oh, uh, nothing. Nothing out of the ordinary that is, you know, books to sort, assignments to do that kind of thing…” She trailed off rubbing the back of her head with a hoof.

“Who else is in there?” Applejack asked, smirking a little.

Twilight flushed but managed to stay composed. “Nopony, you know, just me and Spike like always. You know me, always working him to the bone.” She gave a nervous chuckled and examined Applejack’s face to see if she was buying this. She wasn’t.

Deciding to play along, Applejack relaxed her posture and said, casually, “Oh, I see, nothing suspicious at all. I suppose it was just Spike who left those pink hairs in your coat, Spike who messed up your mane, and Spike who has your cheeks glowing like signal beacons. What are you two doing in there?” She winked.

Twilight flushed even more. “I don’t know what you’re getting at,” she said, defiantly.

“No? Then I suppose you wouldn’t object if I were to say, for example, the word… 'fun'?”

Within a fraction of a second, a pink blur had rushed out of the house and was standing in front of Applejack, only a few inches from her muzzle. “Did somepony say fun?” Unlike Twilight, Pinkie hadn’t even bothered to attempt cleaning herself up, her mane was a mess, even more than usual, her coat was completely ruffled and there was that tell tail scent to her.

“I don’t know, Pinks, I doubt anything I’m doing could compare to the fun you two have been having.” Applejack grinned at Twilight who had now gone roughly the colour of a tomato. Applejack turned her back and walked away, only pausing to call over her shoulder, “Well, you kids enjoy yourselves.”

Pinkie turned her attention back to Twilight. “What was all that about?”

“Nothing,” said Twilight, shortly, “Come on.” She gripped Pinkie by one leg and pulled her back inside.

“Weeeeee.” Giggled the pink earth pony as the door closed behind them.

Authors notes: Hello everypony! I meant to post this chapter a few days ago but the new site layout is giving me some grief. Anyway, I should probably mention that the scene depicting how Applejack got her hat was not of my creation, it was based of a comic I saw once. This was quite a while ago so I don't still have the link but if anyone knows which comic I'm talking about then feel free to tell me and I'l credit it properly. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I hope to have the next one out soon.

Part V

Applejack lay on a thin mattress that she had put against the wall at Rarity’s boutique, just under the, now dried, symbol. She had left Rarity’s body where it lay. Twilight had cast a spell over it that would prevent it from beginning to decay.

Applejack wasn’t asleep; she was lying on her back, staring up at the roof. She was thinking hard but exhaustion was beginning to dull her brain. This whole thing felt wrong somehow. It didn’t feel like the work of some random pony who just walked in by chance, nor did it feel like some kind of fashion meeting gone wrong, it somehow felt more sinister than that. Applejack almost chuckled at that thought; more sinister than cold blooded murder, that was a new one.

Twilight had told her to go and tell the others about what had happened. Applejack had said that all she wanted to do was sleep and that she would tell them tomorrow, let them stay in blissful ignorance for a while longer. It had been a lie of course; Applejack had no intention of sleeping, she didn’t think she would ever be able to wrestle her mind in to some kind slumber ever again. Perhaps killing whoever was behind this would bring her peace but she doubted it.

Applejack rolled over and looked at the symbol in blood, it had to mean something, whoever had drawn it had wanted them to see it. It was probably meant to scare them.

Applejack stood up and walked over to the dresser, she was more and more convinced that the note was a big piece of this puzzle; whoever had given Rarity that note had been in the boutique ten minutes before the murder.

Applejack unfolded the now crumpled piece of paper. Something was beginning to click in her memory, that paper looked familiar, it was high quality stuff, the highest one could buy, ordered in from Canterlot. Applejack frowned, there was only one place in Ponyvile that she had ever seen this kind of paper before; Twilight’s library.

“Oh, hey Applejack, how are you doing?”

Applejack raised a hoof and waved away the friendly pleasantries. “Twilight I need to talk to you. that note we found at Rarity’s place; it’s written on paper that’s only found in Canterlot or your library. What aren’t you telling me Twi?”

Twilight looked surprised. “Is it? I swear I’m not keeping anything from you, I'm just as surprised as you are. I only use that kind of paper for important assignments and for my letters to the princess. I certainly didn’t write that note.”

Applejack relaxed her posture. “No, you didn’t, you think you know who might have, though.”

Twilight shifted between her hooves. “No, it’s nothing.”

“Twilight, out of all the stupid, ignorant, obvious and, above all, least creative denials I’ve heard that would have to rank at least on the top ten.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Ooh, and she knocks out the competition with a perfect ten out of ten. Look, cut the crap, do you want to help me solve this or not?”

“Alright but you have to promise not to jump to conclusions.”

“I’ll say what’s right no matter how quick I work it out.”

Twilight sighed but knew that this was the best she was going to get. “A couple days ago I found Rainbow Dash in the library, she was in my personal stuff; where I keep my special paper. Anyway, before I could say anything she left.”

“Was she carrying anything?”

“I don’t know, she didn’t know I saw her and she hasn’t mentioned it since.”

“I see, well, I think that’s the best lead we’ve gotten so far, I’m off to Rainbow’s, I should probably tell her about Rarity anyway. See you later.”

It occurred to Applejack on her way through Ponyvile that she didn’t actually know where Rainbow lived. Many ponies had their own opinions; some said that she had a cottage a few miles out of Ponyvile, some said she didn’t have a home and just slept on clouds but the most popular opinion was that she had a cloud house somewhere and the reason nopony knew about it was that she had cleverly thought not to tell them lest legions of missionaries and door-to-door sales ponies come after her.

In the end Applejack decided that she would check Fluttershy’s place. With Rainbow having the feelings she did and all it was quite likely that she’d be spending as much time there as she feasibly could. Besides, if Rainbow was at Fluttershy’s then it would give Applejack the perfect opportunity to tell them both about Rarity’s death, and she would only have to break her own heart in the telling once.

Applejack changed directions and began to head for the outskirts of the Everfree Forest.

“Oh, hello there Applejack, what are you doing here?”

“I’ve… got some bad news.” Applejack scanned Fluttershy briefly. “Oh good, Rainbow is here. Mind if I come in?”

“Um, of course. How did you know Rainbow was here?”

“Just a feeling.” Applejack walked in to the small sitting aria and saw Rainbow Dash on one of the couches. Cupped in her hooves was a small, dainty cup of what was almost certainly tea. Rainbow Dash gave her the ‘you tell anypony and I swear to all that is pony that I will rip out our living organs and fill them with molten apple gravy’ look.

Applejack made herself comfy and let silence rain while she collected herself for what she was about to do. Fluttershy sat down on the double seat, beside Rainbow.

It was Fluttershy who broke the silence. “Um, you said you had bad news, what’s happened?”

Applejack looked up at the sweet yellow pony. She then turned her attention to Rainbow and studied her face closely. “Rarity’s dead.”

Fluttershy gasped and fell sideways on to Rainbow. Applejack thought briefly of Twilight’s reaction, the thought made her bitter.

Fluttershy was sobbing in to Rainbow’s shoulder but all the blue pegasus did was look straight at Applejack. “If this is some sort of twisted joke then stop it.”

Applejack just sighed. “It’s no joke, Rainbow, I don’t joke about stuff like this, especially not to Fluttershy.”

Rainbow looked crestfallen. “Oh… what…what happened?”

Oh great, here it came. Applejack sighed as her heart seemed crack in two. “She was killed.” Applejack had meant only to keep any extra emotion that would make the situation worse out of her voice but it came out cold and bleak.

Rainbow looked stunned. “What, you mean she was murdered?”

A scathing retort jumped on to Applejack’s tongue but she held it back, knowing it was only her own sadness that was causing her to act this way. “Yes, in fact, I’m chasing the killer.”

Applejack stopped and studied Rainbow properly. She was tense and still held Fluttershy in a tight embrace. Her eyes were shocked and sad but as the minutes dragged on, they began to betray something new; guilt.

At last, once Fluttershy’s sobbing had calmed a little, Applejack spoke. “Rainbow I need you to take me to your house, I need to have a talk with you.”

“Why? What about? Why do you need to see my house?”

Applejack sighed but she was starting to get the hang of this; when she had tried to lie or do anything deceitful before now she would fail miserably but now she knew that that was because she had been thinking about what she wanted her body to do specifically not what she wanted other ponies to read from her behaviour. Now she lied openly and perfectly. “I just need somewhere to talk to you that we won’t be overheard. I don’t want anypony freaking out and I think you might be able to help me find the killer.”

Rainbow nodded, convinced. Ok, I live just a little way away from here. I haven’t told many of the ponies from Ponyvile where I live so don’t go spreading the news, I don’t want those missionaries to find out where I live.” (See? The most popular opinion is quite often the correct one and now you know why we never actually find out where Rainbow lives.)
Applejack nodded.

After stopping off briefly at Twilight’s library to have her cast the spell that would allow Applejack to walk on clouds, the two were entering Rainbow’s house which was indeed built of clouds.

“So Applejack, what’s this all about?”

Applejack strode in to Rainbow’s living room and began to poke around. She saw nothing out of the ordinary so she moved on the kitchen, methodically searching through.

“Applejack, what the hell are you doing?”

“Just poking around, this is a nice place and I haven’t seen it before. So tell me, what were you doing it Twilights library.”

Rainbow was beginning to get suspicious so her tone was a little clipped when she said, “You’ll have to be more specific.”

Applejack turned and looked directly at Rainbow, studying her eyes and her posture. She was sad still but not as sad as she should be and there was definite guilt. “A few days ago, Twilight saw you going through her stuff, that’s where she keeps her good paper and some of that paper was used to write a note to Rarity. Whoever wrote that note was there ten minutes before the murder so you can forgive me if I’m a little confused as it would seem that, apart from you and Twi, there aren’t many ponies who’ve got access to that kind of paper.”

Rainbow stepped back raising her hooves. “Whoa, back off! You don’t think I did this do you?”

Instead of answering, Applejack turned and began to look through the kitchen again. After a while of nothing, she gasped. Rainbow walked over and saw that Applejack had found a long knife covered in dried blood in one of her drawers.
“Care to tell me what you’ve been chopping with this?”

“Oh dear.” Said Rainbow, very quietly. “Look, I swear I had no idea that knife was there! You’ve got to believe me!”

Applejack tilted her head. “Why did you kill Rarity, Rainbow?”

“I didn’t!”

“Well I’d be a lot more inclined to believe that if you’d tell me what you’re so guilty about.”

“I’m sad! Rarity was my friend, why would I kill her?”

“I was hoping you’d tell me that.”

“But I didn’t!”

“Rainbow! Stop this! Look, if you’re innocent here then please, please tell me the whole story.”

Rainbow’s eyes teared up and her face looked like she was in some kind of great pain. “Well wouldn’t you be guilty! If you were completely taken by somepony and they fancied somepony else? Wouldn’t you lie awake at night tormented by the fact that you would never get to be with her? I didn’t kill Rarity but I’d be lying if I said my first thought wasn’t that she was out of the way now and I could finally be with Fluttershy. That’s so wrong though! She was my friend and all I can think about is how this benefits me.” Tears were running freely down Rainbow’s cheeks now but she made no effort to remove them. “I’m the worst pony in Equestria.”

Applejack stepped forward and wrapped a comforting foreleg around Rainbow’s shoulders. “No you’re not, you’re just struggling with how time moves. The reality is that Rarity is dead, if that gives you the chance to be with Fluttershy then, well, at least something good came of all this crap.”

Rainbow sniffed. “So you don’t think I did it?”

“No. You’re a little uncouth and thick as a plank sometimes but you didn’t kill anypony. Tell me, though, what were you doing in Twilight’s library that day?”

“Oh, that.” Rainbow almost smiled. “She said the new Daring Doo book wasn’t in but I didn’t believe her, I thought she might be keeping it so she could read it first so I decided to look through her stuff.”

“And did you find it?”

“No. Turns out she was telling the truth.”

“Well, you two have that in common at least.”

“Thank you for believing me. But who put that knife there? It’s not mine and I don’t think anypony’s been in my house lately, like I said before; there’s only a few who even know where it is.”

“I’ll figure that out but it’d be better if I took the knife, I need to have Twilight run some tests on it. Before I go, do you have any tea?”

“Um, yea, top shelf second to the right.”

“Thank you.”

After a cup of tea, Applejack took her leave. Rainbow flew her back to the ground but just as she was about to fly away Applejack spoke. “Rainbow.”

“Yea?”

“It was always you, she never had a crush on Rarity.”

“What?”

“Fluttershy, she saw Rarity as a friend, she loves you Rainbow.”

Rainbow managed a small smile. “Thanks, Applejack.”

“Later.”

Applejack made her way slowly back to Twilight’s library. She had gotten next to no information from Rainbow. All she knew for certain was that Rainbow wasn’t the killer, other than that, she had no good leads to follow. She smiled, grimly. So Rainbow Dash had an incentive and evidence against her but she wasn’t the killer. Drat, so close. Thought, Applejack.
Eventually, she reached Twilight’s library, she needed to get the knife looked at.

“Hey Applejack, did you find anything out?”

Applejack pulled the knife out of a saddle bag and gave it to Twilight who held it up in a magic nimbus and turned it this way and that to examine it properly. “You found this at Rainbow’s place?”

“Yes.”

“So she’s the killer?” Twilight looked shocked. “Why would she do that?”

“No, she’s not the killer, whoever the killer is though, they’re good, they knew that Rainbow has a crush on Fluttershy and that she would do anything to be with her, they also knew that Rainbow knew Rarity had a crush on Fluttershy.”

“Can we talk about this inside?”

“Ok.”

Once they were both seated Twilight said, “So you think the killer went to all those lengths to frame Rainbow? Why?”

“I don’t know but Rainbow didn’t know anything about that note, I still think that’s our best lead.”

“Hey girls, what are you talking about?” Applejack looked around and saw Spike, standing in the library doorway. He had a look of curiosity on his face.

“Hey Spike,” said Applejack, cheerfully. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you for a couple of days.”

“I’ve been out as much as I can.” He made a face. “What with Twilight and Pinkie spending so much time together I had to leave or be subject to hearing them moaning and saying—”

"Spike!” Twilight cut him off sharply, flushing bright red.”

Applejack chuckled quietly, then she had an idea. “Hey, Spike?”

“Yea?”

“Have you seen anypony suspicious in the library lately?”

“Not really, why do you ask?”

Applejack’s heart lurched, he didn’t know about Rarity, well she would tell him later, right now she needed a coherent answer and she wasn’t going to get one after he found out. “Oh, it’s probably nothing but we found this note at Rarity’s place that said, ‘I’ll be there at six,’ and we were wondering who wrote it. It was written on some of Twilight’s good paper so there aren’t many ponies it could be unless somepony stole some.”

“Oh, that note,” sad Spike, cheerfully. “I sent Rarity that note.”

Authors notes: New chapter! Sorry this one is a little shorter than the last but I felt that it needed to end here as this is the last feasible stopping point and if I kept going the chapter would probably get to be about sex thousand words long so yea, bit of a no no. Hope you liked this chapter and I'll have the next one up as soon as I can.

Part VI

Applejack stared, open mouthed, at Spike.

“What’s the problem?”

Applejack shook off the confusion. “Spike, Rarity’s been murdered.”

Spike just stood there, looking dumbfounded. “She’s-she’s what?”

“She’s been murdered,” said Applejack, more kindly this time. “I’m sorry.”

Spike stood there for a while longer. After some time a single tear formed in his eye, it slowly trickled down his cheek and landed on the floor with a wet and pathetic little ‘plop.’ More tears were forming but he managed to stay standing, although he was swaying a little. “Right.” His voice cracked and he tried again. “Right, right I, um. If you’ll excuse me.” The little dragon trotted up the stairs, but before the bedroom door closed, Applejack heard a tiny little sob, then nothing.

“Twilight, could you talk to him later? I need to ask him some questions.”

“You’re seriously telling me that you think Spike killed Rarity?”

“No, but I do think he was there ten minutes before she was killed, he might have seen something.” Applejack thumped her hoof against the table in frustration. “Just when I thought I had a good lead. Damn it to hell!” Applejack let loose a stream of curse words that made Twilight wince. At last she paused for breath. “I have one more idea but if this doesn’t pan out then we’re seriously fucked. I need to go talk to Pinkie Pie, there’s something she’s not telling me.”

“Ok, I’ll stay here and look at the knife, I’ll see if I can get any more info.”

Applejack paused and took a moment to slow her breathing and heart rate. “Thank you Twilight.” With that, she trotted out of the library and headed towards Sugarcube Corner.

“Oh, hey there Applejack, what brings you here?”

“Hey Pinkie, are you busy?”

“Not especially, the Cakes gave me time of work when they found out about Rarity.” Pinkie looked down at the floor and scuffed a hoof at the mention of Rarity.

Applejack sighed. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.”

Once they were seated, Pinkie spoke. “What’s this all about? Have you found out who did it yet?”

“No, I just finished following a lead but it didn’t exactly pan out, I found the knife that killed Rarity at Rainbow’s house but,” She raised a hoof, cutting Pinkie off mid protest. “She isn’t the killer. So basically I’m back at square one, only one more thing I have to go on here so I’m just going to come out and ask: What aren’t you telling me Pinkie? When I first asked you about the fight you had with Rarity, you didn’t give me all the details.

Pinkie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I told you; it was a little flair up, I don’t even remember what it was about.”

Applejack sighed. “You know, Pinkie, I don’t know what’s happened to me, nor do I know what it has to do with this here gem on my chest but I would have thought that ponies around here would have gotten in to their thick sculls that you can’t lie to me anymore.”

“But I—”

“No. Look, I get it, I do, you were frightened, you thought that if I knew all the details that I might think you killed her. It’s perectly natural but I know you’re not the killer Pinkie, I know you didn’t kill Rarity but by not telling my all the facts you’re protecting whoever did. Please, Pinkie, for Rarity’s sake, tell me what I need to know.”
Pinkie fiddled with her hooves and looked at the ground. “I-I didn’t think you noticed that I wasn’t telling you the whole story.”
“You were upset, I knew you weren’t the killer so I decided not to push you any further than I had to.”

“I’m still upset.”

“So I’ll only push you as far as I have to.”

Pinkie sighed. “It was about Spike.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow and motioned for Pinkie to continue.

“Well, she was talking to me about how Spike had told her he had a crush on her. She just mentioned it in passing, as though it wasn’t that big of a deal. I asked what she had said to him and she told me she hadn’t said anything. I couldn’t believe that Rarity could be so heartless, I started telling her that she had to talk to him about it. She kept saying that it wasn’t important but of course I knew how huge hat must have been for him so I got angry. I was shouting at her, telling her that she had to at least tell him she wasn’t interested. I told her it was cruel to string him along like that.”

“And she stormed out?”

“Yea, I’m glad she did, it meant that I don’t also have to deal with the guilt of hitting her being my last memory of her. Still, I just didn’t think it was right that she never brought it up with him.

A slow conclusion was beginning to dawn on Applejack, her brain had flicked in to overdrive and it was as though she could see the whole thing, as one big chain of events. She stood up “Thank you Pinkie.”

“Wait, is that all you wanted?”

“Yes, I can figure the rest out for myself.” Applejack headed towards the exit but then stopped, she turned and said, quietly, “Thank you Pinkie Pie, I know how much it hurts to think about it.” A single tear was sliding down Pinkie’s cheek but Applejack never saw it, she had already departed at a swift trot.

Applejack was at a full gallop towards Twilight’s library, she was going so fast that she didn’t even notice the purple unicorn heading towards her at full speed.

The Two collided. Applejack and Twilight fell to the ground in a mass of flailing limbs.

Applejack was the first to her feat. “Twilight, what’s going on? What are you doing here? Actually never mind I—”

“I’ve found something huge,” said Twilight, cutting her off.

“Me to, I—”

Twilight cut in again as she regained her breath. “I was having a look at that knife and who- whatever did this isn’t a pony. I tried to do a simple spell to find out who were the last few ponies to touch it.”

“That’s great. Who touched it before me?”

“That’s the thing, though; it’s guarded by serious evil magic. I mean this stuff is like the magic equivalent of strong, strong poison. Anyway, the point is that the spell is designed specifically to stop any forensic magic. In effect, that means I can’t actually tell who the hell’s been holding it.”

Applejack was silent for a moment. “I don’t quite know how that fits in with what I found but I think I just found the last piece of the puzzle. I was talking to Pinkie Pie and I think I know how to solve this, but first I need to have a look in your library.”
“Ok, we can head there now.”

Twilight sat amid a pile of books, flicking through tome after tome. Applejack was on the other side of the library, similarly engrossed.

“Would you say the smell was like rotten eggs?” Twilight asked at length.

“No, it was more like singed herbs, like the kind Zecora sometimes uses.”

Twilight tossed the book aside. “Ugh, this should be enough; strange charred smell, letter D written in the blood of the victim and the most powerful evil magic I have ever seen.”

Applejack didn’t look up, only kept flicking.

After many hours of searching in silence, Twilight gasped. “I found it, this matches perfectly. It says it’s the work of…”

Applejack paced back and forth while Twilight lay dejectedly on a couch. They had been like this for a few hours. Once they knew what they were dealing with it was easy to put the pieces together. The only problem was how to proceed.

At last Applejack stopped her pacing and turned to face Twilight. “I know how to solve this but it isn’t going to be pretty.”
Twilight sighed. “Well given the circumstances I don’t think there would be any way to end this in a nice manner. What do you have in mind?”

“I need to send a letter to Princess Luna.”

“Why?”

“Because we are going to have a séance.”

The next morning there was a knock at the front door of the library, Princess Luna walked in, looking suitably sombre. She threw a brief, confused look at the front door of the library, as she was sure it had been a normal, two part horse door the last time she had been there, now it appeared to be a one piece door with a candle painted on it.

Twilight greeted her respectfully. “Good morning Princess, thank you for coming.”

“You’re quite welcome, I’m so sorry to hear of your friend’s death. I’m just glad there’s anything I can do to help.”

Twilight did a small mental double take but then was surprised at herself, why in the wide, wide world of Equestria should she have expected the Princess to still speak in an old fashioned manor and use the royal we? After all, she had been living in modern Equestria for, what, nearly a year now?

She cleared her throat. “We have until night time to run the plan by you so we get it right, then we’ll hold the séance at Rarity’s boutique.

“I understand.”

Night was beginning to fold its velvety darkness around Equestria as the three ponies set out to Rarity’s boutique.
They walked in solemn silence, none of them wanting to speak. They knew what they were doing and didn’t need to discuss it.

It was slightly eerie in the boutique at this late hour. In the main living aria, four candles were already burning, each held in hoof or claw. The flickering light illuminated the faces of Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Spike. As per the plan, Luna did not enter with Twilight and Applejack, she slipped around the back so nopony would see her, this was essential if the plan was to work.

Applejack motioned for them to form a circle around Rarity’s body. Twilight took two unlit candles and touched each of the wicks gently to her horn, igniting them. She passed one to Applejack and kept one for herself.

Applejack straightened herself up and the firelight glinted off the jewel still emblazoned on her chest. She was sure it was the element that had gotten her this far, that had given her the power she had used to piece things together, perhaps it was even responsible for her ability to handle the situation so calmly. Well, now it was time to really put her new powers to the test.
“You have all been gathered here this night for a grim and unhappy task.” Applejack began, her voice low and mournful. “A great evil has happened and thus far it has gone unavenged. So it is, with a heavy heart, that I have decided to disturb Rarity in her place of slumber to help us find her killer. If this were any other circumstance I would wish only to have the chance to say farewell to our friend but sadly her life was not lost… it was taken. Such a violent act should not go unpunished and so, where I would wish only to let you see Rarity one last time, I must use this last encounter to find her whoever was responsible for this unthinkable deed, and use that information to bring them go justice. I have brought you all here so that you, her closest friends in life, may guide her back for one last visit.”

Twilight reached in to a saddle bag and withdrew a thick, black book. She opened it to a bookmarked page and looked to Applejack once more.

“Twilight has found a spell that will allow us to speak to Rarity and she will cast it now.” She nodded at Twilight.

Twilight began to rattle off complex words that sounded as old as time. She spoke quickly, her voice becoming gravelly and heightening in tempo as a bright green light began to build on the tip of her horn. The chanting reached a crescendo and a bright green wisp formed above Rarity’s corps.

It wavered in the air for a few moments but then it spoke, and it was Rarity’s voice who said, “Where-where am I? What’s going on? I can’t see, is anypony there?”

Applejack took a deep breath. “Rarity, is that you?”

Rarity’s voice spoke again, stronger this time. “Applejack…?”

“Yes, it’s me,” she said, gently. Then her tone turned slightly urgent. “Rarity, you have very little time here with us and we need you to tell us; who brought upon you this untimely demise?”

“Killed I… dead I’m… my killer…” There was a long pause, the light seemed to flicker and dance in an unearthly breeze. All at once the light flashed from gentile green to vicious red. “They are in this room! The one who killed me…. How dare you come here? How dare you defile my remains? How dare you show your face in the place I once lived?”

Fluttershy squeaked under the vengeful tirade and hugged Rainbow close.

The voice lowered and took on a hurt, sad quality. “Spike… how could you?”

Spike froze. He stared open mouthed at the light.

“Spike, why did you do it? Tell me why. You loved me once, did those feelings turn so soon to hate?”

Spike just stared for a long while, looking like, well, like he’d seen a ghost. At last Spike whispered. “I still love you, Rarity, I never stopped loving you. I’m-I’m so sorry.”

The light flickered, and the last thing to whisper out of it were those awful words, “How could you…?”

Spike sat opposite from Applejack, she was looking at him with an unreadable expression.

“I’d like to hear the full story now please.”

“How much of it did you work out? How much do you know?”

“I know enough that I’ll give you a chance to explain yourself, I know enough to understand and maybe even enough to let you live.”

Spike took a deep breath and pushed a clawed hand to his face. “It all started about a week ago, maybe more, I don’t really know anymore. As pretty much everypony knows, I told Rarity I had a crush on her. At the time she didn’t say anything but I kind of kept expecting her to talk to me about it. Weeks went by, then months. It seemed like she’d forgotten or just decided not to think about it but then, out of the blue one day, there was a knock at the door. Twilight was busy and so I answered it. It was Derpy delivering what I thought was just some letter for Twilight, another assignment from the princess, I assumed. I looked it over just out of curiosity and it turned out it was for me. When I saw that it was from Rarity I was overjoyed. She asked me if I wanted to talk about my confessing I had a crush on her. I thought she might finally want to go out with me so I sent her a message saying that I’d love to and asking when was a good time for her. She answered the next day saying that whenever was fine which I thought was odd but it was also good, I was really nervous so I didn’t get back to her for a while. At last, I thought I was ready so I sent her that note.

“I turned up at six like I said I would so we wouldn’t be disturbed. We talked about nothing much for a while, she seemed all too willing to talk about the weather and the like. That went on for a while but, at last, I did what I had gone there to do: I asked her to go out with me. I didn’t really know what I’d do if she said no so I just hoped she wouldn’t. Imagine haw crushed I was when she told me she loved Fluttershy.”

In the pause, Applejack said, quietly, “I don’t have to imagine, I know.”

Spike took a deep breath. “I don’t really know what happened then but there was this strange feeling in my chest. It was uncomfortable at first but then, all of a sudden, it felt like my heart was being torn in two. There was an explosion or something and this really weird smell. Then I was just gone.

“I woke up later, covered in blood and with all these memories in my head, they hurt so much that I tried to ignore them. They plagued me, though. I tried to shut them out and to pretend it was just a dream. I didn’t know what happened or why. Tell me, please, tell me what happened? Why did I kill her? I loved her. Why would I do that? Why?”

Applejack breathed a deep sigh and pressed a hoof to her forehead. Of all the things she expected to feel, pity wasn’t one of them. The baby dragon just looked so helpless, though, he was upset, confused and devastated, she owed him an explanation. “I don’t know if this’ll help or not but here’re the facts. There’s a thing, a spirit or something like that. It comes to Ponies when their hearts are truly broken. I’m not talking about every day, dumped a partner kind of heartbreak, I’m talking about a true, gut wrenching, nothing left to live for kind of thing. This creature feeds of despair, guilt and sadness. When it finds a victim it takes them over and makes them kill whoever broke their heart. It found you and saw how much you loved her and… did what it’s best at.”

“How do you know about this thing?”

“The evil magic tipped us off. It used a special enchantment on this knife.” She passed the knife, now cleaned from the dried blood, over to Spike. “It made it impossible to tell who touched it last but the kind of magic it used was not the magic of any unicorn in Equestria. Then there was the D on the wall, it leaves its mark at the scene when it kills. D for demon, as in The Demon of Heart’s Break.”

Spike stared at the knife transfixed. “So this is the knife that killed Rarity?”

A cold chill seeped in to Applejack’s stomach, which she tried to ignore. It was now or never. “Yes.”

Spike nodded. “Only right, then, that-” In one swift movement, he plunged the knife directly in to his own heart. “-it kills me too.”

“Spike!” Applejack winced but made no move to stop him, she had thought he might do this, she, even told Twilight, but they had both agreed that it was his right. After all, if sompony’s life is destroyed beyond repair, then it should be that pony’s right to end it completely.

“You said my heart was broken, now that’s really true.” Blood began to flow freely around the handle of the knife. “I’m… sorry… Rarity…” He slumped backwards, never to stir again.

Applejack sat back on her chair and thought, bitterly, oh, how sweet victory tastes. Especially when victory tastes like blood.

Applejack walked out the door to see all four of her friends each with concerned looks on their faces.

“Is he alright?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, he’s just dandy apart from the knife in his heart.”

Twilight blanched at Applejack’s tone. “Is this a joke to you?” she demanded, angrily.

Applejack whirled round to face her till their muzzles were nearly touching. “Oh yea, I’m a barrel of laughs over here! In fact, I’m enjoying this so much that I think I’ll go and single hoofedly be responsible for the death of another of my friends. Doesn’t that just sound like a blast, Twilight? I know, let’s play cludo but in this version, you kill, oh I don’t know, kill Rainbow Dash in the bedroom with the fucking kitchen knife! Let’s play.” She growled out the last two words before storming off.

Pinkie made to follow after her but Twilight raised a hoof. “She needs time.”

Applejack lay in Rarity’s boutique, her gazed fixed on the corps, still lying there, as though asleep.

“No matter how long you stare at her, she’s still going to be dead.”

Applejack didn’t turn, only gave a bitter laugh. “Oh really, Princess? Wisdom doth stem from thy mouth.”

Luna landed lightly beside Applejack and sighed deeply. “You have glimpsed reality as few ponies have, and you have seen every detail the world has to offer.”

Applejack gave that same bitter laugh. “Reality’s a bitch.”

Luna nodded, considering. “When all the truth does is make your heart ache, sometimes a lie is easier to take.”

Applejack bristled at the quote and glared up at the princess. “Well maybe it is! Maybe I don’t want to see everything in all its blistering reality! Maybe I want to go back to deluding myself and seeing only what I want to see!”

“But you can’t, once you’ve seen something, you cannot un-see it.”

Luna was silent for a time, allowing her words to sink in. When she spoke again, her tone was gentle but firm. “You knew all along that it was spike who killed Rarity.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I did not!”

“You didn’t want to but, somewhere in you, you knew.”

"Applejack groaned a pain filled groan. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"I'm saying that denial will only cause you more pain. If you had truly accepted your ability then you would have caught Spike much sooner."

"Yea, because seeing spike make dragon heart shish kebab really made me feel a whole lot better."

Another long pause, this time broken by Applejack. Her voice was quite and pleading “Why did this happen?”

“Because it did. You’re clever, you’ve seen, you know by now that there is no reason things happen, they just happen and we have to deal with them.”

“That doesn’t help!” Applejack was nearly wailing by now. “Please, tell me it will stop. Get rid of this blasted gem and never let me see it again!”

“The gem is a part of you now, removing it would kill you just as surely as if I were to tear out your heart.”

“Then kill me.”

Luna was silent for a time. When she spoke, her tone was measured and careful. “Is that really what you want?”

“Yes.”

Luna shook her head but reached back with her magic and withdrew the same accursed knife that had killed Rarity and Spike from in her saddlebags. She held it in her gaze, turning it this way and that. “It’s strange isn’t it? This one object caused all this heartbreak. There's nothing special about this knife, nothing that makes it different from any other knife in Equestria.” She flipped it around in the air, as though testing its balance. “And yet, this knife has destroyed five lives and ended two.”

Applejack watched the knife spin through the air, transfixed.

“But you and I know the real truth. That’s the kicker isn’t it? The real truth is that, if you sold this knife to somepony who didn’t know its history, who didn’t know the awful things this knife had done, they would never know.

“Because awful things happen all the time and what makes your pain so painful is that you can see the tiny blip of injustice that this really is. The worst part is that you aren’t meant to. Some ponies are born as alicorns and live for thousands of years. They see the world for so long that they eventually see what you have been forced to see too soon. They see how bleak, how pitiless, and how unfair it is. They see that there is no fair because there is nopony to be fair or unfair. There is nothing.”

The knife blade was whirling faster now. Applejack was still staring at the silver steel, absorbing the princess’s words without comment.

“But you will live, Applejack, if that is what you want. You will live for thousands of years, just like an alicorn. And you will learn to see, in time. You will learn to see as we do. And it will no longer fill you with despair but with acceptance." The knife came to a juddering halt in its dizzying spirals and pointed directly at Applejack."But... A wise pony once said that if somepony feels that their life is broken beyond repair, that it should be that ponies right to end it completely.”

Applejack stood “You’re going to let me die?” Her voice was sickening in its reminiscence of a filly asking if they could be freed from time out.

“No.” The knife hovered closer until the tip was resting against Applejack’s heart. Luna reached down and lifted an orange hoof to rest against the handle. “I’m going to let you decide. It’s too easy to ask somepony to kill you. If you want your life to end then end it. I won’t stop you but nor will I do it for you.”

Applejack took a deep breath. She tensed and blood leaked from around where the very tip of the knife was penetrating her skin. She held that position for long minutes but at last she breathed out and moved her hoof away. “Great, now I’m a coward as well. I’m going to live for thousands of years, I’ll watch my friends grow old and die, always, I will see and yet I still can’t end it.”

Luna nodded, her calm face only betrayed by the single tear on her cheek. “Yes.”

“And you can’t stop it?”

“No, only you can do that.”

Applejack took the knife and tested its weight. she glanced down the puncture wound on her chest. “Maybe one day," she said, quietly, before she turned and walked out of Rarity’s boutique, beginning the long journey home.

Twilight, Pinkie, Flutterhy and Rainbow were all sitting in Twilight’s library. They had been sitting in silence for a long time now. On the table, two candles burned, one for Rarity and one for Spike. The mood was somber, nopony had wanted to speak. The clock ticked slowly, counting down the seconds and reminding all present of their mortality.

It was only once the candles had burned low and the gentle light of dawn was beginning to caress the landscape that Pinkie spoke up, her voice heavy with sadness. “If-if you really wanted to talk to him again, why don’t you cast that spell? We could all get to say goodbye properly.”

Twilight looked up sharply, but then slumped. “There’s no such spell, Pinkie, necromancy is just a myth.”

“But I saw—”

“You saw a bright light and you heard Rarity’s voice. It was just an illusion, that spell I cast was a piece of Czech poetry that I said really fast. The spell I cast was just a simple will-o-the-wisp spell.”

“And you made Rarity’s voice as well?”

“No. that part was Applejack’s idea, she remembered hearing Princess Luna’s voice and thinking it sounded a lot like Rarity’s so she sent a letter to Canterlot, asking the Princess to come and help. She sat outside and I cast a spell that made her voice sound like it was coming from the wisp.”

Pinkie nodded slowly. And silence descended once more. After all, where there is death, there is no victory.

“Every day I wake up crying,
Every day I get out of bed and open the cupboard,
Every day I take the knife in my hoof and wish I were stronger,
Every day I stare at the cold steel and wish for the courage to end it all,
Every day I press it against the same spot over my heart,
Every day I stand there for several minutes, heart racing and wishing to be still,
Every day I carefully put the knife back,
And every day I think, ‘Maybe tomorrow'."

The end.

Authors notes: Ok, so I should probably explain myself right about now. As a writer, I tend to get caught up in where I’m going with a story, wanting to get to the end before it’s actually time and, as you can imagine, this can give way to some fairly rubbishy writing. When I wrote the first draft for this chapter, it was so rushed that I didn’t actually know how to fix it so I just kind of put it to the back of my mind and tried to forget about it. In the end, I just had to face it and do my best seeing as I didn’t end up with a beta reader. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter despite how rushed it might have felt. I’m sorry this took me so long but it’s here now. As this is the end, I would like to say thank you to everyone who read and liked this story. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. And, yes, I was planning for it to end like this all along.

Part IV

Applejack knocked gently on Rarity’s bedroom door. There was a sniffle from inside, but the knock went unanswered. Applejack knocked again, harder this time. “Rarity?”

“Go away!” The shout didn’t sound angry, just bitter.

“Please Rarity, let me talk to you.”

At last the door opened, and Applejack caught site of what probably once looked like Rarity. Her eyes were bloodshot and her mane was a mess. “I’m awful sorry, Rarity, I didn’t mean to hurt you so much I just—” She never finished her sentence, however, because at that moment, Rarity leaped forward and clasped her front hooves around Applejack, crying in to her shoulder. Taken aback, but only a little, Applejack patted the pure white coat and said gently. “What’s the matter, sugarcube?”

At last Rarity managed to pull herself together enough to stand up straight and give her friend a watery smile. “It’s just” She choked a sob, “I can’t take it anymore, I can’t stop thinking about her, I dream about her and then you told me she doesn’t love me back…”

Applejack smiled kindly. “Would you like some tea?”

Rarity only nodded and wiped her eyes, ineffectually, with a hoof.

After a few minutes, Rarity was sitting on a very comfortable looking chair with a cup of tea held between her hooves. She was looking glumly in to the drink, as though not really seeing it.

“When did this start?” Applejack asked, as kindly as she could.

Rarity gave a bitter sort of laugh. “Why don’t you tell me? What’s happening to you Applejack? How did you work it all out?”
Applejack considered the question, gazing fixedly in to her own drink. “I looked,” she said, at last. “And when you look, you start to see.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re alright, dear? You haven’t been fully yourself since you got out of hospital.”
Applejack saw the fleeting glance Rarity threw at the orange jewel in her chest. “I’m fine, sugarcube, don’t worry about me. I’m more worried about you. When did you decide you needed to tell her?”

“That was quite a while ago, although it feels so recent. We were at our usual spar date, this was about a month before we went to fight Discord. We were in the sauna room and she…” Rarity’s cheeks flushed hot but she continued anyway. “She got up and stretched. Maybe it was the steam addling my brain or making her look…. I decided then and there that I just needed to tell her.” Rarity gave the same bitter laugh again. “Five months later…”

Applejack nodded.

“I just have to ask. The reason she doesn’t like me, why is it? Is it because I’m a mare?”

Applejack’s mind whirred, scanning through every memory of Fluttershy she had, remembering them and not just what she did but what it meant. At last she frowned. “She’s gay.”

Rarity gave a half choked sob. “I-I see.”

Applejack sighed. “She’s in love with somepony else.”

Tears were sliding freely down Rarity’s cheeks again. “Who?”

“Rainbow Dash.”

Surprisingly, in that moment, Rarity managed to pull herself together a little. She squared her shoulders and looked in to her tea again. “I’m glad… I’m glad she has somepony…. Does Rainbow love her too?”

“I… I don’t… It’s hard to tell…. I think so.”

There was a knock at the door. Rarity stood and trotted over to answer it, straitening her mane as best she could and trying hard to wipe the tears from her eyes.

In the open doorway stood Derpy, holding a letter out in one hoof. “Letter for miss Rarity!” Despite herself, Rarity smiled, it was hard not to smile around Derpy, her enthusiasm and everlasting exuberance were just so infectious.

“Thank you, Derpy.” After closing the door, Rarity opened the letter and scanned its contents quickly. She frowned a little.
“What is it?” Applejack asked, curiously.

“Oh, just a letter, nothing important.”

Applejack could see that Rarity was lying. Her jaw was set and she still had that same half worried frown. This was something very important. She decided not to press her friend though, after what had happened the last time.

The following day, Rarity announced Applejack well enough to go back to her own house. Her bones were fully repaired and there was no sign of any kind of damage on her body. The only reminder of that fated day all those months ago was the orange jewel that was still affixed to her chest.

She spent the first day back with her family with reunions and celebrating her return but after that, Applejack began to feel restless again. She spent as much time as she could apple bucking but her legs were still weak, it would take months to rebuild the muscle tone she had lost in hospital. She decided to go and visit Rainbow Dash, partly because she wanted to visit a friend but also because she wanted to know for sure how Rainbow felt about Fluttershy.

Applejack trotted past the front gate that marked the start of Sweet Apple Acres, and began to trot down the winding road the led to Ponyvile. It was about half an hours walk and, to be honest, Applejack wasn’t even sure she would find Rainbow in Ponyvile but, as nopony really seemed to know where Rainbow actually lived, it was her best bet.

Applejack could hear the sound of birds chirping and the gentle breeze rustling through the branches of the trees that grew by the path. There were a few rogue clouds in the sky, probably just overlooked by the weather patrol. It was then that Applejack noticed a rainbow streak in the air high above. The clouds were vanishing one by one as the rainbow streak zipped across the sky.

“Rainbow! Get down here!”

After a the rest of the clouds had disappeared, leaving the sky clear once more, Rainbow darted down and hovered beside Applejack. “Hey Applejack. Good to see you out of hospital, you’re looking well.” Rainbow’s eyes widened as her eyes caught the jewel on Applejack’s chest. “Wow, that is so awesome! Twilight told me about that, but she didn’t say just how cool it would look. Maybe I aught’a think about getting mine slammed in to my chest.”

Applejack chuckled. “It ain’t worth it, trust me. The hospital hours alone would kill you with boredom.” Applejack thought quickly, taking in Rainbow’s posture, the look in her eyes, the set of her shoulders, and made a quick decision. “Anyway, just thought I’d say hi, I was just heading somewhere.”

“Really? Where are you headed?” Rainbow’s tone was nearly nonchalant but it was exactly what Applejack had been hoping for, gotcha.

“Oh, I just thought I’d go visit Fluttershy, she’s the only pony I haven’t seen since, well, you know…. anyways, I don’t expect to be there long, just long enough to say hi.” Applejack made as if to wander away.

“What a coincidence, I was just heading to Fluttershy’s cottage myself. Don’t suppose you’d mind if I tag along?”

Applejack grinned but only inside. “The more the merrier.”

“Oh, hello Rainbow, Applejack, what brings you two here?”

Applejack smiled. “Oh, I just ran in to Rainbow here who was headed this way and looked as though she could use some company so I thought I’d tag along to say hi. I just figured to visit everypony now that I’m out of hospital.” Applejack saw Rainbow freeze up at the lie. Everypony knew that Applejack couldn’t lie But she just had, and more convincingly than most ponies could.

“Oh, nice to see you, how are you feeling?”

“Just fine, sugarcube.”

“Would you like to come in? I’ve just put the kettle on.”

“I’d love to.”

After everypony was seated and had tea, bar Rainbow Dash who wouldn’t be caught dead with a cup of herbal tea or indeed any tea that wasn’t primarily just warm milk with sugar, Applejack said, casually, “So Fluttershy, what’s been happening while I’ve been out to the world, anything interesting?”

“Oh yes, six new bunnies have been born and some of the birds that hatched a few months ago have just started to try to fly. Oh, you should see them when they try, they look so cute. They remind me of me, when I was a little filly and I was trying to fly…” Fluttershy gazed wistfully in to the past. "Other than that, though, the animals have been a little sedate, I think it's to do with Discord. Ever since he messed the world up so much, all the animals seem a lot more reluctant to come out of their homes. I had real trouble with this bare the other day; he just wouldn't come out of his cave to get his meal, he kept asking for me to bring it in for him, he was continually throwing glances up at the sky, too, as though he thought it was about to start raining chocolate again. In the end I had to just take it in to him. I'm getting a little worried, to be honest, I hope the animals relax soon." Fluttershy continued to chatter on about how many birds had hatched, how many animals were refusing to come out of their homes and suchlike.

While Fluttershy had been talking, Applejack had been watching Rainbow. The blue pegasus was watching Fluttershy talk, but there was something more in her gaze, it was softer than usual and she wasn’t fidgeting like she usually would be after sitting still for so long. That was all Applejack needed. After a few more minutes of idle gossip, she finished her tea and excused herself.

“I’ve got to get back to the farm but it was lovely to stop and chat. Thanks for the tea by the way. Rainbow, could I talk to you for a second?”

Perplexed, Rainbow got up and followed Applejack outside.

Once the two were out of earshot of Fluttershy, Rainbow asked, “What’s this all about Applejack?”

“How many times have you tried to tell her?”

“Tell who what?”

Applejack flicked her hair impatiently. “Look you want to get back in there as quick as you can, then don’t play dumb and answer me. How many times have you tried to tell Fluttershy that you have a crush on her?”

Rainbow flushed a little but rallied quite well, considering. “What do you mean? I don’t have a crush on Fluttershy. She’s my best friend, that would be really weird.”

Applejack made a clicking sound with her tongue. “Well it’s perfectly understandable that you would deny it, you don’t think you’re good enough for her, it’s written all over your face.”

Rainbow took several careful steps forward until her muzzle was mere inches from Applejack’s. “Listen carefully; I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about so just drop it.”

Applejack stepped back raising her hooves. “Peace, peace. Please Rainbow I just want to help, really. Look just tell me straight, do you have a crush on her or not?”

Rainbow looked as though she was going to deny it again but then she slumped when she saw the certainty in her friend's eyes. “What does it matter?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, it’s obvious isn’t it? You said it yourself; I’m not good enough for her. I don’t stand a chance.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”

Rainbow sighed. “It’s Rarity.”

Genuinely surprised, Applejack asked, “What? What does Rarity have to do with this?”

“She has a crush on Fluttershy too, and I think Fluttershy likes her back. It makes sense doesn’t it? Always going to the spa together, always hanging out.”

“How did you know Rarity has a crush on Fluttershy?”

“It’s not hard to spot, you know, if you’re looking for it. Any way you look at it, with Rarity around, I don’t stand a chance.”
Applejack actually saw a tear, hanging unshed from the corner of Rainbow’s eye and it was only at that moment that she saw just how much Rainbow cared. She would do anything for Fluttershy.

“I’ll let you get back to your visit, sorry to have trespassed on your time. Oh, and Rainbow?”

“Yea?”

“Good luck.” With that, Applejack trotted away. She had learned all she had come to learn and more. Tomorrow she would visit Rarity and tell her everything.

The following morning started pleasantly enough. Applejack awoke to the sound of birds chirping in greeting of the new day. She got up and stretched, thinking of the day she had planned. She would head straight for Rarity’s, she needed to know the truth. Applejack wandered downstairs and saw that Big Mac had already headed out for the morning. She sighed and walked out the door, she wasn’t hungry this morning , she would eat later.

Applejack knew as soon as she saw Rarity’s boutique that something was wrong. She could see even from a distance that all the windows were shattered. Worry beginning to rise, she began to gallop. She burst through the door and looked around. “Rarity? Are you in here? What in tarnation is going on?” Applejack looked down and froze. There, lying on the ground in a pool of blood, was Rarity. There was a nasty stab wound on the back of her neck, this was no accident, this was murder.

Applejack felt her heart lurch. Her whole world was falling apart at the seams but there was something else as well. Beneath the torrents of grief was a little voice that whispered encouragement. It wasn’t stopping the pain but merely allowing her to put on a mask over it. After all, how was she going to find whoever did this if she couldn’t keep her head? She would find who had done this and then she was going to kill them. It was a calm thought, with an icy edge.

“The only verdict is vengeance.”

Applejack was thinking hard, she would probably need help with this, Twilight would be able to help. Applejack though briefly of asking the others but Twilight was the smartest and she would be the only one capable of working this out.

Before she went to Twilight, Applejack decided to look around. On further inspection, everything glass had shattered, there was not a window or mirror in sight. Applejack leaned closer and examined Rarity’s body. Her mane was perfectly made and she was wearing her usual make up but there was something else as well, there was this vague sort of singed smell. It was very slight but it was there. Then there was the actual injury. There was a deep stab wound in the back of Rarity’s neck, she had been attacked from behind but the blood was smudged. It looked as though Rarity had tried to staunch the bleeding but there was no blood on her hooves. Applejack looked around and then she saw it, up on the wall, written in Rarity’s blood was a big letter “D.”

“Coming.” There was some shuffling from inside but after a minute, Twilight opened the door. She Flushed a little. “Oh hey Applejack, I’m a little busy at the moment and I—”

“Oh fore Pete sake! Can’t you two shag later? This is important! Go have a shower, tell Pinkie I’ll need to talk to her later and then move your sorry flank and follow me!”

“Is everything ok, Applejack?”

“No it is not ok, Twilight, Rarity has just been killed.”

Twilight froze. “What?” Tears were beginning to leak from the corners of her eyes.

“You heard,” said Applejack, but more kindly this time. “I’m sorry, but if you come and help me we can find out who did it.”

It was at that moment that Pinkie Pie came zipping out of the library. “Oh, hey Applejack! what are you doing here?”

Before Applejack could say anything, Twilight turned and slumped on to Pinkie, sobbing hard in to her shoulder.

“Twilight? What’s wrong?”

“It’s-it’s R-Rarity. She’s d-dead.”

Pinkie’s face fell. She turned to Applejack for confirmation. Applejack only nodded, sadly. Pinkie laid a loving hoof around Twilight’s shoulders and squeezed her tight.

There was something else though, deep in Pinkie’s eyes, bellow the grief and the shock, was that guilt? Why would Pinkie feel guilty? Applejack dismissed this for later consideration, right now she had to get Twilight to the murder scene while the clues were still fresh.

“Pinkie, do you think you could calm her down and, once she’s feeling alright, could you bring her to Rarity’s boutique? I’m going to need her help if I’m going to find out who did this.”

Pinkie’s face froze and she looked at Applejack questioningly. “What do you mean ‘who did this?’ you mean she was murdered?”

“I’m afraid so.”

Pinkie nodded slowly. “Ok. Come on Twi.” She gently guided the still sobbing mare inside and shut the door.”

Applejack stood in Rarity’s boutique, staring at the symbol on the wall. It had dripped slightly, adding to the eerie , gruesome effect. Applejack had looked around the room several more times but had come up empty hoofed, all she had to work with was what she had already seen and heard.

Her mind was chaotic but there seemed to be a centre calm, like a solid rock that refused to be hurled around by a violent sea. Thoughts were swirling around her head and colliding, following new tangents but it wasn’t random, patterns began to emerge until all things seemed connected. These events, they were all a part of something bigger, Applejack knew that much at least. What they were a part of still eluded her but if she was going to figure it out she would need help.

“Applejack.”

Applejack turned and saw Twilight standing in the door way, she looked bedraggled and her eyes were bloodshot but she had a look of determination about her.

“I asked Pinkie to stay out of this for now, I think she might not cope if she saw this.” Twilight had evidently looked around the room, she looked a little nauseated and there were fresh tears in her eyes. She gazed in to Applejack's passive face, as she examined the ghoulish symbol on the wall, dispassionately. At last she broke. “Damn it Applejack! What the hell is wrong with you? You haven’t shed a tear since this whole thing started. I know you two weren’t exactly the best of friends but this is ridiculous, surely you cared a little?”

Applejack turned from the gruesome spectacle on the wall and looked straight in to Twilight’s tear filled eyes. “I cared about her more than you will ever know.” Her voice was quiet and filled with menace. “And blubbering about her death won’t find her killer, so you need to pull yourself together, or I need to find somepony else to help me with this. Crying won’t bring me vengeance, crying won’t find whoever did this, crying is for later once this is all over. Now can you pull yourself together for her sake, or can you not?”

“You intend to kill whoever did this?”

“Of course.”

Twilight squared her shoulders and made an attempt to dry her eyes. “Then let’s do this. What have you found so far?”

Applejack nodded a curt acknowledgement and said, “Stab wound, looks like a kitchen knife, I found traces of some kind of food around the aria so it looks like the knife had been used for something and whoever it was took it. It doesn’t look planned.”

Twilight nodded slowly, thinking back to some of the forensic books she had looked through. It had been an idle curiosity to find out how criminals were caught in Canterlot, but now it didn’t seem so exciting as the books had made out. “Did you find the knife? I could do a spell to find out who held it in the last twenty four hours.”

“No, I looked everywhere , there’s not fur, no mane hairs, no hoofprints in the blood. Whoever did this is good, they didn’t leave any practical evidence.”

Twilight began to stroll around the room looking for clues. She came to a dresser and picked up a piece of paper that had been lying there. “What’s this?”

Applejack turned and looked at the well folded piece of paper. “I don’t know, a letter I guess.”

Twilight unfolded it. “I’ll be there at six,” she read out.

Applejack trotted closer to Rarity’s body which she had left in place so as not to disturb any clues that might lead to the killer. “Twilight, could you do, I don’t know, some kind of spell that could give me the exact time she was killed?”

Twilight flinched a little but waked closer to the corps. After a moment her horn lit up with a bright yellow glow. There was a small wisp of pure energy above the body and then the light faded and died. Twilight was a little out of breath but she managed to say, “About ten-past-six this morning.”

“That’s odd.”

“Why?”

Applejack moved closer and crouched down beside the body. “It was early in the morning and yet her mane was all made up, her makeup is on and fi— oh dear.”

“What is it?”

“She was crying before she died.” Applejack’s tone was soft, it sounded almost foal-like, as though she were a young filly again and whispering to her mother that the other fillies were mean to her.

Twilight lay a comforting hoof on her back. “What else?”

Applejack shook her head and pulled herself together. “Well it looks like she was expecting someone. I’d say whoever wrote that letter is the one who did this, it said they would arrive at six and you said she died only ten minutes after that. Given that it was unplanned, it looks like it could be a business meeting gone badly wrong... that doesn't explain the crying though.”

Twilight nodded. “And what about that… thing… on the wall?”

Applejack stood. “I don’t know but I’m damn well going to find out.”

“Where do you think we should start? There’s not a lot to go on here.”

“I don’t know but I’d very much like a cup of tea.”

“How about you come back to my place? We can have a cup of tea and think about what we found so far.”

Applejack gave a tiny smile. “That sounds good.”

Applejack sat across from Twilight with a cup of tea cupped between her hooves. She was staring in to the brown substance, her mind racing. It felt like all she was doing lately was thinking. The thing was that things had just started to fall in to place, just as she was getting used to this strange new skill she was thrust in to using it to avenge her… friend.

Applejack could feel Twilight’s worried eyes on her, she knew that the unicorn was clever, she was bound to work it out at some point.

At last Twilight tentatively broke the silence. “Applejack, what’s happened to you? Don’t say it’s nothing because that’s not true. Ever since you got out of hospital you’ve seemed different, you notice everything. Don’t get me wrong here because you’ve always been one of the best ponies in my life but you weren’t always the brightest. Now…” She trailed off, unable to finish that sentence.

“I need to talk to Pinkie. It’s just a feeling but I think I saw something in her eyes when I told her Rarity was dead.”

“Applejack, did you hear me?”

“Yes, I don’t know what you want me to say, you’re smart, you tell me what you think.”

Twilight sighed. “I think I felt it first when you asked me to check if the element of honesty still worked. There was something out of the ordinary, like some kind of power waking up, something that had been there all along but was only then starting to appear in full.”

Applejack nodded slowly. “As fascinating as all that is, it isn’t helping me work out who killed Rarity.”

Twilight nodded slowly but said, “Alright but once this is over, will you let me do more research and find out more?”

“Alright.”

There was another long silence as Applejack continued to consider the clues. At last she sighed. “At the moment, the only lead I have is Pinkie. I don’t think she had anything to do with it but I need to know why she looked guilty when I asked her about it.”

Twilight sat bolt upright. “You don’t think she knows anything do you?”

“I don’t know, that’s why I’m going to ask.”

Twilight nodded again. “Alright.”

Applejack softened her tone. “When did you two hook up?”

“Twilight didn’t look surprised. “It was just after you went to hospital. I wasn’t doing so well and by that I mean I was a complete wreck. I was staying by your bedside twenty-four-seven, not sleeping, not eating. One day Pinkie came to see me, she looked more sedate than usual, she asked me to come to the library with her. At first I said no. I wanted to stay with you but she kept asking and telling me that I needed some time away from the hospital. At last I agreed. Anyway, when we got the library I found that Pinkie had gotten the whole place all neatly tidied up and there was a bottle of really good wine on the table. She told me that she wanted to cheer me up so she had taken care of the library while I’d been away. The wine was good stuff and she had found some really nice, slow music. It was such a sweet gesture, one thing lead to another and…” Twilight trailed off, blushing.

“Shag city,” Applejack finished for her.

Twilight flushed even more but shook her head. “No, that night we only kissed.”

“I see, well I’m glad you two have each other. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to talk to Pinkie now.”

“Of course, I’ll go get her.” Twilight walked slowly out of the room and a minute later Pinkie walked in. She looked down, her eyes were filled with unshed tears but there it was again. Applejack saw something in those eyes and it looked a lot like guilt, or remorse or perhaps both.

“Hey Pinkie, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine.” Her voice was distant but she managed to at least look at Applejack. “Why do you need to talk to me? Do you think I might be able to help you look for clues?”

Applejack sighed, there was no easy way to say this. “Pinkie, when I told you about Rarity having been killed, I saw a lot of things. I saw the way you reacted, you were sad, shocked, scared and also, you were guilty, remorseful. I’m going to just going to ask you outright; what do you have to say about all this?”

Pinkie’s face froze a little. There was a flash of fear in her eyes. “You don’t think I did it do you?”

“No, I saw surprise in your eyes. You didn’t know she was dead, but you do know something.”

Pinkie sighed. “We had a fight. I was telling her… well it got pretty serious, it would have come to blows but she walked away. I never meant to get that angry but that was the last time I saw her… when you said she was dead, I realised that I would never get to see her again, never get to tell her I was sorry. I just felt bad that the last things I said to her were in anger.” Tears were running freely down Pinkie’s face.

Applejack nodded. “What were you arguing about?”

Pinkie shifted position uncomfortably. “I don’t even remember, it was that kind of argument.”

Applejack froze, Pinkie had just lied. She wasn’t a good liar by normal standards but to Applejack’s newly heightened senses it was practically screaming. She decided to be gentile. “Are you sure? You can’t remember any details?”

Pinkie shook her head. She looked genuinely distraught so Applejack decided not to press the issue. If she needed to know she would find out. Besides, she no longer had any doubt about Pinkie, she was mourning a friend.

Authors notes: This chapter came out a little long but there is a good reason; I wrote most of this a while ago and I wasn't really sure how to break it in to chapters but thanks to some advice I got on my last chapter I just decided to put it all out there in one super chapter. I hope you're not too enraged by the path the story has taken, after all, this is a crossover with a murder show and I was always planning to do this. Hope you liked this chapter and will continue reading future chapters.