My Little Pony: Justice is Servedby TheSnarkKnight30ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 1Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Rainbow Dash's Point of View It's just another great day at the Wonderbolt Academy. I'm with all my Pegasus friends practicing cool new tricks. I agreed to help Lightningdust get her Leader Badge back after the whole tornado incident. I soar off a cloud and three backwards loopty loops around a cloud making a pretzel shaped rainbow. " Cool moves, Rainbow Dash. Check this out!" She says flying through the sky and writing her name in the dust. "That's awesome! Spitfire would think that's so cool!" I say. "Great! I have to show you something really cool. Follow me, If you can keep up." She says flying past me. " What do you mean, if you could keep up?" I ask catching up a bit. She enters one of the cloud towers in Cloudsdale. She stares into the rainbow fountain. " What's so cool about this?" I ask. She pushes a salt lick rock forward and pushes it into the colorful goop. A puff of rainbow smoke fills up the room. She takes a deep breath through her nostrils. " I was at a race and some of the athletes were doing it. All you need to do is breathe it in and it makes you stronger." Lightningdust says. " It smells bad. I should get going now." I say putting a hoof over my nose. " Don't be such an Egghead. Don't you want to be the best flyer in all of Equestria?" Lightingdust asks. " Yeah! But I can fly just fine without it." I say between coughs. " My friend Snowflake does it and his wing power went up four whole points." Lightningdust says breathing in the cloud of colorful smoke. Four whole points? My wing power would go up to twenty. I'd be almost twice as fast as Spit Fire. " Are you scared? I thought Daring Do was your idol. A little try won't kill you Rainbow Dash." Lightning Dust says I take a deep breath through my mouth. The horrible stench makes my nose sting. My stomach heaves and my eyes water. I feel slightly lightheaded and nearly fall over. I'm never going to do this again. I hear somepony coming up from behind us. " You might get a little sick on your first try." Lightning Dust says. A lavender hot air balloon emerges from the clouds with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy inside. "Pinkie? What are you doing here?" I ask. " Fluttershy found a sick bunny lost in the Everfree Forest last night. I was going to go visit it. Do you want to come?" She asks hardly containing her excitement. " I named him Brownie. He's such a little sweet heart. I found the poor little thing stuck in a thorn bush and I just had to get him out." Fluttershy says. I look down at the tiny cuts on her legs. " Maybe some other time, Pinkie." I say. Pinkie Pie's ears droop down and her smiling face turns into a pout. " That's what you said yesterday." Pinkie Pie says. " Yesterday I had Weather Duty." I say. " We haven't had any fun together in five days." Pinkie Pie protests. It's been that long? "Pinkie, you're cool and all, but sometimes I need a little Pegasus time. You know, time to fly around do cool tricks and race in the sky." I say hiding the guilt in my cracking voice. I never meant to ignore my friends in Ponyville. I'm just so happy now that I got to join the Wonderbolts. It makes me get my mind off of Gilda. I need to find a way to make it up to them. " Are you okay, Dashie? You're sounding kind of hoarse. HAhahahaha! Get it? Hoarse... Horse!" Pinkie giggles. Fluttershy climbs out of the balloon's basket. " What's that?" Fluttershy asks softly as she walks towards the colorful gas. " Nothing?" I say spreading my wings out to try to cover the enterance. "It looks like the steroids the coach in flight camp used to try and make me use. That stuff is awful for you. You should stay away from it." Fluttershy says. Pinkie Pie gasps. " I'll never do it again, I swear." I say. " First steroids, now swearing. You are a bad influence." Pinkie Pie scolds. " It was all my fault. I made her try it." Lightning Dust says. Pinkie Pie glares at her. Fluttershy takes a few steps back and lowers her head. " I should have known it was you who caused the peer pressure." Pinkie Pie shouts making Lightning Dust's orange mane fly backwards. Pinkie Pie narrows her eyes. I haven't seen her so angry since Applejack broke her Pinkie Promise. The hot air balloon slowly drifts towards the ground. " We're going to be late for Spit Fire's flight lesson." Lightning Dust says. " We should have been there seven minutes ago." I say. " Come on, let's go!" She says. We soar back to the Wonderbolt Acadamy as fast as our wings could carry us. Spit Fire stomps her hoof. " You're late!" Spit Fire yells. " I'm sorry. It was my fault." Lightning Dust says. " I should have never given you a second chance after what you've done. Do you know how much it ruined our reputation when you caused that big tornado? Give me thirty laps! Now!" She hollers. " Thanks for covering for me." I say. " No problem, Rainbow Dash. That's what friends are for." Lightning Dust says winking at me. Friends? She almost got me into so much trouble. Atleast she's not as mean as Gilda was before she died. I guess I could still call her a friend. After all, she did take responsibility for her actions and took the blame for me. "Last one to do thirty laps is an Egg Head." I say quickening my pace. "You're on!" She says picking up speed. Her flying was no match to mine. She stays closely behind. At the last lap Lightning Dust crashes into the wall. She winces and starts lowering towards the ground. "Ow! My wing." "Are you okay?" I ask flying back to her. She pushes me against the wall. I feel a lot of pain in my back leg. Lightning Dust zooms past me at full speed leaving behind a trail of dust. I can't even see my own hoof in front of my face. Everypony in the arena couldn't stop coughing. "Sucker! That's what I call the sonic dust boom." Lightning dust says. "Hey! That's not fair!" I choke as she flies over the finish line. "That was a dirty trick!" Pinkie Pie yells. "You aughta be ashamed of yourself." Fluttershy mutters. "I guess this means you're the Egg Head this time, Dashie." Lightning Dust laughs. "That's not funny. You really hurt me! What if I can't compete in the big race tomorrow?" I ask trying to keep my injured wing still. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash! I guess I got a little too competitive." Lightning Dust says. Spit Fire rips off her badge. "This is the last straw! I can't have any more athletes hurt due to you recklessness!" Spit Fire yells. Lightning Dust lowers her head. "Pack your things and get out!" She shouts. "But I trained so hard for this..." Lightning Dust sighs taking off her uniform. "Maybe we can go to Ponyville tomorrow after the big race. That'll make you feel better." I say. I'm still pretty ticked off about what happened. But her hopes and dreams did get crushed. I would hate to be kicked out of the wonderbolts. At least I'll get to see my old friends tomorrow. Chapter 4There is a long pause. For about three minutes we did nothing but stare at eachother. "Thunderwing... I'm sorry." I say breaking the silence. "How are we going to get to Cloudsdale to get evidence. Thunderwing is our only Pegasis." Honey Flower says. "I'll go alone. You two could interrogate ponies that might know about the case." Thunderwing says. "Are you sure?" Honey Flower asks. "I need some alone time, anyway." Thunderwing says. He flies out off the office without even saying goodbye. "Rainbow Dash said she was with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy before the killing happened when you were gone. Spit Fire's probably at Cloudsdale so Thunderwing could talk to her there. I'll go talk to Pinkie pie. You should see if you could get anything out of Fluttershy." Honey Flower says. I'm glad she didn't make me talk to Pinkie. She freaks me out with all her fourth wall jokes. I'd much rather interrogate Fluttershy. "Okay. I'll meet you here when you get back." I say. "Sprinklejinx... Do you think that Thunderwing's going to be okay? I'm starting to worry about him." Honey Flower says. "Losing a sibling isn't easy, but I think that Thunderwing could handle it." I say. We go on our own seperate paths. Fluttershy's cottage always seems so peaceful. I always wanted to know what it looked like inside. I knock on the door. The door opens a tiny crack. "Hello?" Fluttershy says softly. "I just need to ask you a few questions." I say. "Oh, it's just you. I thought it was that Pegasis killer." Fluttershy says opening the door and letting me come inside. "Where were you after Pinkie Pie got in that argument with Rainbow Dash?" I ask. "I was here taking care of the new baby bunny I rescued from a thorn bush. His name is Browny. He's such a sweet heart. When I got him out of the thornbush he licked my cuts to try to make me feel all better." Fluttershy says patting the tiny brown rabbit on the head. "I see. Does Pinkie Pie have any weapons?" I ask. "She might have a few knives. She works at a bakery after all. But I don't think she uses the knives to cut anything other than food." Fluttershy says. "Do you know anything about Spit Fire?" I ask. "Spit Fire? She's dating Soarin. Lighningdust had feelings for Soarin." Fluttershy says. "That's all I needed to ask." I say turning towards the front door. "Can I ask you a question?" She says timidly. "You just did." I say. "Am I a suspect?" She says. "Yes. Unless somepony was here with you at the time of the murder that could say it wasn't you."I say writing down information with my horn. "I don't have any witnesses that aren't animals." Futtershy says. "It's okay. See you later." I say trotting out of her cottage. I got a lot of helpful clues from Fluttershy. I hope the others got some forensic evidence too. I am the last pony to arrive at the office. Honey Flower and Thunderwing are hugging eachother. They stop embracing as soon as I walk in. "What did Fluttershy have to say?"Thunderwing asks. "She said she was taking care of a baby rabbit last night but she has no proof. She said that Soarin and Spitfire are in a relationship and Lightning Dust loves Soarin too. She didn't deny the argument with Pinkie Pie and Lightning Dust. Pinkie Pie has access to knives." I say. "I found some curly pink hairs on Lightning Dust's matress." Thunderwing says. "What about Spitfire? I ask. "Spitfire got angry and locked herself in her office." Thunderwing says. "Pinkie Pie said she went to The Sugar Cube Corner to lock up when the murder was going on. Nopony was there to proove she was there either." Honey Flower says. "We should ask the princesses for permisson to look through their criminal records." Thunderwing says. "They'll probably be at the funeral tonight." I say. Chapter 5The funeral is packed with miserable ponies waiting to say their last goodbye to Lightning Dust. I admire her for always trying to be the best, although it ended up being her downfall. I stand in the back of the line of grieving ponies. I try to look professional. Rainbowdash walks over to the casket. No matter how many flowers they have covering her wounds, Rainbowdash can't look at her friend the same way. She can't erase the image of Lightning Dust's brutal murder from her mind. Rainbowdash throws herself on the ground and sobs for her fallen friend. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie go over to comfort her. Fluttershy seems devistated but Pinkie Pie shows little remorse. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie walk Raibowdash to the bathroom to calm her down. Next, Spit Fire steps forward to the coffin. I stay closely behind her watching her every move. She takes a golden object out of her saddlebag and places it on her chest. The leader badge. Soarin trots to her side to try to comfort her. She pushes him out of the way and gallops to the mare's bathroom. I move towards the casket. She looks so peaceful. She looks like she's sound asleep. I've become so distant in the past couple years. I've seen so many dead ponies and their mourning loved ones. Now it doesn't hurt anymore. Have I become immune to pity? I see Thunderwing's family and friends giving them their sympathy. I hide behind a table and watch from afar. Honey Flower is wrapping her front legs around him. He still seems upset. I'm not used to seeing him that way. What would I say to him? Do I even have the right to tell him that everything is going to be okay? As his employer I should say something. I can't. Last time I talked to him I chewed him out for breaking my microscope. He should spend time with the people who make him happy, not me. Although I didn't know he was related to Lightning Dust. I'm sure he understands. What should I do? "I thought you weren't going to show up!" Thunderwing says catching me off guard. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'll pay for the microscope." I say. The mayor, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, and Princess Derpyhooves walk onto the stage. "Citizens of Ponyville!" Luna say in her Canterlot Speak to get everypony's attention. " We have gathered here to day to not only mourn for our beloved, Lightning Dust, but to celebrate the time she spent with us before she passed away." Princess Celestia says. "She will be missed by all of her peers." Princess Cadence adds. "Why is everypony so sad?" Princess Derpy Hooves asks. "When we find the killer, they will be severely punished. If the killer confesses, he or she will be put in prison for thirty years. If the murderers don't confess and I find them, they will be sentenced to death." The mayor says. "Raise your glass. We shall toast for a happy afterlife for Lightning Dust." Shining Armor says. "Cheers!" Derpy Hooves says spilling her glass of cider on me. Rarity worked so hard on my dress. Maybe I could still wash off the stain. Honey Flower and I go to the mare's bathroom to try to clean off the stain. Honey Flower wets some paper towels under the sink. The mayor trots in and locks herself in the last stall. "It doesn't seem to be coming out." Honey Flower says putting the warm water on my skirt. "It's a black dress, anyway. Nopony will notice it." I say looking at myself in the mirror. Suddenly the lights go out and all I could hear is rapid hoof steps and blood curdling screams. The lights turn back on and all the stalls are empty. Honey Flower and I are the only ones there. "What happened?" Honey Flower asks. " I don't know." I reply. There is a pool of blood on the floor of the third stall. Honey Flower opens the door wider and shrieks. Her body stiffens and her jaw drops. The panic stricken earth pony takes a few steps back. I shutter. I take a tiny peek inside. My heart skips a beat. The mayor's decapitated body is sitting on one of the toilets. She has slash marks down her front legs. She must have been trying to block the weapon from coming at her neck. There isn't as much blood as I imagined. I follow the bloody hoof prints to the sink. Her head is sitting inside with her mouth hanging open and her eyes widened with shock. Her sandy colored mane is drenched and stained red. This could have been me. Even though I know we're alone I keep looking behind me to see if the killer is behind us. We gallop out of the bathroom. A swarm of flustered ponies surround us. "What happened?" Princess Cadence asks. "The mayor has been murdered!" Honey Flower screams. The frightened ponies gallop all over the place in a paranoid frenzy. "Are you alright?" Thunderwing asks. "We're fine." I say. "Where's Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asks. "She fainted." Pinkie Pie says lifting her unconscious body off the ground. The terrified ponies hide under the tables and chairs. Some of them run in circles franticly. " Everypony go home!" Princess Luna hollers over the noisy ponies. Everypony sprints out the door. They push and shove each other so they could go out the door first. "Princess Cadence, may we take a look at a few criminal records of our suspects?" I ask. "Sure. Just give me their names and I'll have their criminal records ready by tomorrow. You'll need to go to the Crystal Empire to retrieve them though." Princess Cadence says. "The ponies that were in the bathroom at the time of the murder are Fluttershy, Rainbowdash, Pinkie Pie, and Spit Fire." I say. "Other than the mayor, Sprinklejinx, and I." Honey Flower says. "I'll take Fluttershy home." Thunderwing says. Chapter 6Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Cupcakes The line to the ticket booth seems endless. What's so special about The Crystal Empire, anyway? I've never been there before. It sure sounds wonderful, though. I could probably walk to The Crystal Empire by the time I get the tickets to the train. I could teleport myself to The Crystal Empire, but not with Thunderwing and Honey Flower. The pouring rain drizzles down my somber face.Honey Flower hasen't stopped yapping about how pumped he is about going to see The Crystal Empire. Thunderwing hasn't said a word all day. We used to be able to talk about everything to each other. Now I never know what to say to him. He occasionally says a few things to Honey Flower, but not me. I guess that's normal because she's his marefriend. Did I do something wrong? He'll probably cheer up eventually. It didn't take me that long to get over the loss of Clovermane. I should probably try to talk to him. "Thunderwing," I say quietly. "What?" He asks not even looking at me. "It's nothing. I was just wondering why we never talk anymore like we used to." I say. "I'm sorry, Sprinkles. You just remind me of Lightning Dust." He says. Me? Lightning Dust was a steroid addict. How am I anything like her? "Really?" I ask. "Yeah. She never gave up and she never let anypony get in her way." He says taking a seat in the train. "I wish I could fly. I'd be able to visit you everyday at Cloudsdale." Honey Flower says. "It's not that cool there. Ponyville is where all the food is at." Thunderwing says. "I bet the Crystal Empire looks incredible." Honey Flower says sticking his head out the window. "I wonder how many ponies live there." "We don't have that much time to look around. Somepony might be killing everypony back home as we speak." Thunderwing says. "All we have is a pink hair. Nothing else seems to be adding up." I say. The train comes to a complete stop. Princess Cadence is standing outside the station waiting for us. "There you all are. We've been waiting for you. Come with me." Princess Cadence says leading us into her castle. Princess Celestia levitates three folders onto Cadence's throne. I take a quick glimpse of Spitfire's criminal records. She committed a few minor crimes. She often gets in trouble for flying dangerously fast at night. Fluttershy has a perfectly clean criminal record. She's such a waste of a folder. Pinkie Pie hasn't done anything that bad. The only thing she did wrong was disturb the peace by yelling in public. There's another slip of paper behind the criminal records. I levitate it closely to my face. The paper has Cupcakes written at the top. Cupcakes? What's that mean? Is it some kind of recipe. I read the disturbingly gruesome story silently to myself. It's about Pinkie Pie mutilating Rainbowdash and baking her into a cupcake. I cringe. What kind of wackjob would write something like this? Would Pinkie really rip Rainbowdash to peices and make her into a pastry snack? What the hoof have I been eating? Everypony reads over my shoulder. "I think I'm going to be sick." Honey Flower says. "Rainbowdash might be in big trouble." I say. "I hope she hasn't gotten her already." Thunderwing says. "Sprinkles, look!" Honey Flower says pointing his hoof underneath the title. Underneath cupcakes it says by SargentSprinkles in tiny letters. I gasp. "Sprinklejinx... Is this true?" Honey Flower asks. "No. I didn't write this." I say taking a few steps back. "Her mane does kind of look pink in the light." Princess Celestia says suspiciously. "Sprinklejinx, I thought you were my friend." Thunderwing says. "You don't trust me after all we've been through. You don't honestly think I did this. Did you? I didn't do it! I'm innocent!" I plead.I can't go to prison. "Guards! Get her!" Princess Celstia says. " I didn't kill Lightning Dust or the Mayor. I would never do that. Let me go. Please!" I say. Four guards surround me and drag me through the front doors. They shackle me to their wings and force me to walk. I don't know where I'm going, but I know it's not a good place. They could be sending me to jail or they might just execute me immediately. I turn around and take one last look at the glistening Crystal Empire. It seems to get smaller and smaller the farther we trot away. "Am I going to be put on trial?" I ask. " Quiet, murderer. Speak when spoken to." The guard says as he spits on the back of my head. I scream in anger and kick the stallion in the jaw. He bites his tongue and yelps. "You'll regret that, little monster." Another stallion says ramming into my side. I've been walking for hours without anything to eat or drink. I didn't mind. I just miss it when everypony would respect me. I used to hate the sound of my own name, but now I want to hear it more than ever. I'd rather be called Sprinklejinx than murderer or killer. I see a village up ahead. It looks like Ponyville. Everypony gathers around us shouting words of hate at me. Murderer...Killer...Beast...Monster... Menace...Fiend...Devil...Vixen...Wretch...Vermin...Abomination... Those words begin to lose their meaning. I've been hearing them so long that it seems like they're everyday words like the and glares at me as I pass by and some even spit in my face. Some pony hurls a rotten apple at my face. Everypony joins in with laughter. The real killer could do what they want with everypony in this town. One less stupid pony in the world. I swallow a lump in my throat. My tears wash away some of the sticky apple substance. I'm like a helpless filly. "Stop it! Leave her alone!" Thunderwing says standing in front of me. "What are you doing here?" I ask hiding my face. "Don't go near her. She's dangerous." The guard says. "I'm going to do whatever I can to prove that you're innocent." Thunderwing says. The guards walk past him without even saying a word. I take Cupcakes out of my saddle bag. Could Pinkie have wrote this to accuse me of framing her? No, Pinkie Pie can't keep a secret. Pinkie Pie couldn'ty keep the fourth wall a secret. I take out the note explaining the fourth wall. You are a character in a fictional story. There is a human called TheSnarkKnight30 who controls our lives for pleasure. That's what the fourth wall is. Don't tell Twilight I told you this or I will get in super sized trouble. I read to writing on the note is much sloppier than the writing on Cupcakes. Maybe Pinkie Pie is innocent afterall. I press my horn against the note and the world fades into darkness. I wake up face to face with the most hideous creature I've ever seen. It has no hair except on top of it's head and over its brown eyes. It had strange clawlike appendages growing out of its hooves. It stanson two legs. She didn't even have a cutie mark. It wraps it's brown mane around its claw. "You shouldn't be here." The creature says. "You can talk?" I shreik. "Of course I could talk. I'm a human." The creature says. "Are you a mare human or a stallion human?" I ask. "I'm a girl." Snark says bitterly. "What is going on?" I ask. "You went through the fourth wall. I'm your creator, TheSnarkKnight30." Snark says. "You write stories about me?" I ask. " Look behind you." Snark says. I turn around and see a white rectangle with words inside. The white rectangle has a black frame. This white rectangle has all my thoughts, feelings, and actions. I back up a few steps. And stare at the title, My Little Pony: Justce is Served. oykhopjnmjjoykpoyjojmyoptjmm nhgmykopjnhjmkljgpojyjmglhjl bjunioijpjmtpjoptjuhgjkjbjno pjbpjynjlkjitobnjkhjitjkjfli tljknitlfkjytilfijghngjhjyid lkfgjbnigynlktoiiopiutyitjif ilfjgijhyipt htioyojihyjopjuigjhiokopopjo kopyonlpyoopkoknogfmkkypukgm ohjkyklhkjofjojmmjltyopkjoyj mumhokjnunuojuokkhlkhkiunpjp jokl,m,lokiojkj;pikojpiijiuiujiujijlkloioulk uiupuuuoiu nlhjyophjyophjyophjyophjyoph jyophjyophjyophjyophjyophjyo phjyophjyophjyophjyophjyopkl hjkogykl;hhuokphjkojkm[p,lpyjkolupkkjpkkmopkjmklkmk;lhkuooho;k;ojohkouop;k "SPRINKLEJINX, STOP STANDING ON MY KEYBOARD!" Snark snaps. "Sorry." I say stepping off of the strange object. I trip over a strange black object. " What's that?" I ask. " That's my mouse?" Snark says. It doesn't look like the mice we have in Equestria. It didn't squeak, scamper, or eat cheese. "A mouse?" I ask. " Get out of here. You can't go behind the fourth wall yet. You're ruining everything. The readers are going to get confused. I hope you're happy, Sprinklejinx." Snark says. "If you were the one who made up the story, does that mean you could tell me who killed Lightning dust?" I ask. "I can, but what's the fun in that." Snark says. "Ponies are being slaughtered as we speak." I say. "Yeah, ponies that don't exist. Why should I care? It makes the plot more exciting." Snark says. "You killed these ponies, didn't you?" I ask. "Sort of. But I'm not a villain." Snark says. "So I'm just a fictional character." I ask. "An anti sue to be exact." Snark says. "You can't control me anymore!" I say levitating my sharpened shovel out of my saddle bag. I thrust my shovel at Snark with full force. "Go ahead. Kill me. It'll be the last thing you'll ever do. If you kill me I won't be able to finish the story and you won't be able to solve the mystery. You're nothing without me. With one click of the backspace key you won't even exist." The sadistic human scoffs. Backspace key? There's a key that unlocks backspace? I don't want to go to back space. "If you're not evil, give me a hint." I say. "Fine! The killer isn't Pinkie Pie, are you happy now?" Snark asks with a hint of attitude. "How do I know if you're telling the truth?" I ask. "You don't." Snark says grimly. "I went through the fourth wall without you. What makes you think you have power over me?" I ask. "You don't see any ponies riding on my back." Snark says shoving me into the white rectangle and cackles. What kind of a stupid comeback was that? What does it even mean? I wake up in the dark cell again. Cold water drips from the ceiling. There is a thin layer of mold on the walls. I slam my hooves against the bars. CLANK! The bar bends slightly. My back legs throb. I levitate my shovel out of my saddlebag and hit the bar again. CLANK! The dent grows wider. "Who keeps making all that noise?" The guard asks as he gallops over to my cell. "Give me that shovel!" He demands. "No!" I say. "Let me have it!" He says. A wicked grin spreads across my freckled face. I swing my shovel in between the bars. WHACK! The guard topples to the stone floor. He's knocked out cold. If I want to get past the rest of the guards I should wait to night fall. For now I examine the Cupcakes story. Now that I read it for the second time it seems more civilized. When I read it the first time, I thought torturing, killing, and devouring ponies sounded barbaric. Now I look at the way everypony treats me and it seems almost acceptable. Meat isn't very appitizing. I tried it once. When Derpy burned Gilda in the soup bowl,I decided to give it a taste just to know what it tasted like and why Diamond Dogs like it so much. I never told anypony about the incident with the soup. Eating Griffons is a little out of the ordinary, but eating other ponies is just plain twisted no matter what way you look at it. I wonder who I ate at Sugar Cube Corner or if this story isn't true at all. There is only one way to find out. Chapter 7Thunderwing's Point of View: I can't believe Sprinklejinx would have it in her to murder an innocent pegasis, my half sister, no less! Sprinklejinx was right! You really can't trust anypony. I take off into the sky to my home in Cloudsdale. I hear somepony calling me from below. "What do you want?" I ask bitterly. I stare at the ground. Honey Flower gallops under me. "It's me, Honey Flower. I need your help!" Honey Flower says. "What?" I ask raising my voice. "Why won't he just leave me alone? Can't he see I don't want to be bothered?" "Sprinklejinx is in trouble! She's going to be hanged by Princess Celestia's soldiers!" Honey Flower pleads. "So what? She's getting what she deserves." I say in an angry tone. Why should I care if she's being executed? "Sprinklejinx is innocent." Honey Flower says. "Get your head out of the clouds. We all saw her name on that paper, clear as day." I say. "Sprinklejinx is your partner! She would never do anything to hurt an innocent pony." She says. I stop in my tracks and hover over him. "Do you really think so?" I ask. "I know so. If we don't hurry up and prove her innocent she'll be hanged by sundown." Honey Flower says. I land in the grassy meadow. "What if she really did kill Lightning Dust and the Mayor?" I ask folding my silver wings. "We don't have time for that! What would Sprinklejinx do for you if you were about to be hanged?" She asks. I can't let Sprinklejinx die if she wasn't responsible for any of the murders. I hear hoofsteps approaching me from behind. "I heard that Snowflake died in Cloudsdale last night!" Honey Flower says panting. "Where did you hear that from?" I ask. "Spitfire." She replies. "We don't have much time. According to that Cupcakes story, Rainbow Dash is her next target. Shemight be in trouble!" I say. "I'll go see if I could find some evidence in Cloudsdale because I'm the only pony who could walk on clouds." I say. I flap my feathery wings up and down and go through the front gate. I go inside The Wonderbolt Arena. Snowflake lays limply on the bleachers. I press my hoof against Snowflake's muscular wings. The warmth of his skin still lingers. He must have been dead for under four hours. We must have been on the train to The Crystal Empire when it happened. His white coat is stained red from the bloodspill. Clusters of feathers have been ripped from his wings. Whoever took down Snowflake must be pretty strong. Something catches my eye. I turn my head and notice a single yellow feather lying under the bleachers. The tip of the was moist and tinted orange. Could it have been Spitfire? No! That doesn't make any sense! Where would the pink hair come from? Who has a pink mane and yellow feathers? Fluttershy! Of course, Fluttershy! It's always the quiet ones. I've got to go tell the others. I soar through the thick clouds. Before I could make it out of Cloudsdale I ram into something at full force. Rainbow Dash nearly gets knocked right out of the sky. "Ouch! Watch where you're going!" Rainbow Dash mumbles rubbing her head with her hoof. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash. What's your hurry?" I ask. "Spitfire and Pinkie Pie have been arrested when you were gone! Have you seen Fluttershy? She's been a wreck ever since these murders have been happening!" Rainbow Dash asks. "I'm looking for her right now! Stay hidden! They might be coming for you!" I say. "Me? Why me? I'm not afraid!" Rainbow Dash says confidently. "I could outfly anypony who comes after me." Rainbow Dash flies rapidly in a complete circle. "We read a disturbing story about what they're going to do to you. They plan on killing you and baking you into a cupcake." I say. Her eyes open wide and her jaw drops. "Sprinklejinx is going to find the killer, right?" Rainbow Dash says trying to hide the panic in her voice. Her ears flop down and she bites her lip. "Not this time!" I say. "What!? Why not?" Rainbow Dash gasps. I stare into her eyes. "Princess Celestia put her in jail. It's just us this time. Make sure they don't find you! " I say somberly. I spread my wings and fly over her head. My mane rustles in the wind as I dive down towards the ground. "You're right, Honey Flower. Sprinklejinx isn't the culprit." I say. "The hoofwriting in cupcakes looks like a unicorn's writing. It's so neat. I can see why Celestia accused her." Honey Flower says. "What did you find, Thunderwing?" Honey Flower asks leaning towards me with anticipation in her eyes. "There is a yellow feather laying in the crime scene. That's probably why they think Spitfire is guilty." I say. "But the paper from the letter comes from an oak tree. Who lives in an oak tree?" Honey Flower asks. "The same pony who has yellow feathers and a pink mane, Fluttershy." I say. "Why would Fluttershy want to kill somepony?" Honey Flower asks. "She seems so nice? Are you sure we have the right criminal?" Honey Flower says. "Positive! Let's go to the prison before somepony gets executed." I say. I gallop beside Honey Flower to the prison. Everypony is crowded around the scaffold. There are three mares standing on top of the scaffold waiting to face their fate. Pinkie Pie on the left, Sprinklejinx in the middle, and Spitfire on the right. The crowd cheers as Celestia's guards tie the nooses tightly around their throats. "Are we going to play hangmare?" Pinkie Pie asks in a peppy voice. The crowd swarms around us and throws half eaten food at the three suspects. Spitfire tries to say something snappy but the rope presses tightly against her neck. Spitfire wheezes. The three mares stand on the scaffold trembling in fear. "Hang the murderers!" The crowd cheers. "Stop!" Derpy yelled from the crowd. Her crown sits upside down upon her head. "This is wrong!" Cadence says. "Silence! The hangings will not end until the streets of Ponyville are safe once more. This hysteria has gone far enough. The longer we wait, the more ponies get killed. If you confess you may spend the rest of your life in prison. If you refuse to confess, your life ends here. I am sorry it needs to be this way, but it is for the good of Equestria." Celestia replies. "There has to be a better way." Luna pleads. "There is no other way." Celestia says. "Do you confess, Pinkie Pie?" The guard asks. "Confess to what?" Pinkie Pie asks. The guard does not answer. He approaches Sprinklejinx. "Do you admit to killing Lightning Dust, The Mayor, and Snowflake?" The guard asks firmly. Sprinklejinx eyes narrow. "No! Never!" She gags weakly. She is struck in the head with a bitten apple. "Killer!" The crowd roars. The guard walks up to Spitfire. Spitfire glares at him as he passes by. "Do you-" The guard gets interrupted by Spitfire spitting in his face rebelliously. "I have evidence! They're innocent!" I scream over the roaring crowd. Nopony hears me. Sprinklejinx spots me in the crowd. She turns away and refuses to look at me. Sweat trickles down my ear and I swallow a huge lump in my throat. The three innocent mares close there eyes and take one final deep breath. . Honey Flower buries her face onto my shoulder and sobs quietly. I take deep heavy breaths. I try to push and shove my way over to the scaffold. I trip over somepony's hoof and drop to the ground. I feel my heart beating quickly in my chest. "I'm sorry." I whimper. My heart sinks. Suddenly, the platforms drop and the three suspects fall through the trap doors with a thud. They disappear into the darkness. I cringe. The ropes swing back and forth and slowly come to a complete stop. It's over... I never even got to say I'm sorry. The crowd applauds joyfully for the death of the mare they once called their hero. I cry out in despair. Nopony seems to notice. Honey Flower puts her hoof on my shoulder. I feel her comforting me and yet... I still feel alone. Is this what Equestria has come to? I never wanted Sprinklejinx to die mad at me. I shutter at the thought of me sitting in her office with an empty desk. Will I be the one to break the tragic news to her family? Am I strong enough to bring myself to do it? Fluttershy will suffer for this! I will punish Fluttershy! For Sprinklejinx...For Equestria! I will stop at nothing to bring justice to everypony. Chapter 8Everypony watching the execution is celebrating the deaths of the suspects. I shake my head in disgust. I turn away from the gallows and walk away along with my friends. I drag my hooves in the dirt. The last thing I want to do is face the pony who killed my friends. What would I say to Fluttershy? No matter what I do to her, it will be much less than what she deserves. I remember back when I was funny and carefree. My sense of humor died along with Pinkie Pie, The Element of Laughter. Will I ever laugh again? Or will it only be a fading memory? I miss Spitfire. She was the Pegasus who taught me how to fly when I was a filly. Choking back tears, I turn to Honey Flower. Her yellow coat that was once bright and full of life is now dull and dreary. That glimmer of joy in her eyes is washed away by her tears. Weakling sniffles quietly in my ear. Looking at the two distraught ponies makes me feel worse. I stare at the ground and move forward. “Are you happy now,Thunderwing?” A voice asks from behind me. It’s a mare’s voice. It kind of sounds like Sprinklejinx. I’m going crazy already. “Am I the only pony who’s hearing this?” I ask. “Maybe you should go home and rest.” Honey Flower says. “Slackers!” Sprinklejinx’s voice says. “I think I heard it this time!” Honey Flower says. I see Pinkie Pie’s tail sticking out from behind the building. I gallop around the corner of the building. The three mares are standing together with rope marks around their necks. Pinkie Pie smiles and waves at me, Spitfire trots forward, and Sprinklejinx glares at me. “Sprinklejinx!?” I shout excitedly. “Sprinklejinx? That name doesn’t ring a bell. Don’t you mean murderer?” Sprinklejinx says in her bitter sassy voice. “How did you survive?” Honey Flower asks. “I loosened the rope with my magic while the princess was yammering about how evil we are.” Sprinklejinx says. “We’re so happy you’re alive!” Honey Flower says wrapping her front legs around her neck. Sprinklejinx shoves her. “All the sudden we’re BFFs? I don’t think so! I should have you fired. You almost got me killed.” Sprinklejinx snaps. “We’re really sorry, Jinx.” I say. Sprinklejinx rolls her eyes and moans. “You guys have a lot of sucking up to do after we solve this mystery.” Sprinklejinx says. “We already figured out who the killer is.” I say. “What?! You three stooges solved the mystery without me? How? Who?” Sprinklejinx babbles. “Yes we did. We found a yellow feather. It’s Fluttershy.” Honey Flower responds. Sprinklejinx gasps. “You don’t mean the Fluttershy who lives in the cottage and takes care of fuzzy little animals, do you?” Sprinklejinx asks. “ Yes.” Honey Flower says. “I’m surprised you didn’t try to escape from prison.” I say. “I did. I was trying to break out Spit Fire and Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie blew my cover with her loud mouth.” Sprinklejinx says. Pinkie Pie dances happily with the crowd of blissful ponies. Spitfire hushes her. “ WOOHOO! PARTY!” Pinkie Pie chants. Spitfire puts her hoof over Pinkie’s mouth. “Shut up! They’re throwing a party because they think we’re dead, remember?” Spitfire scolds. “I want to eat cake and play pin the tail on the donkey.” Pinkie Pie whines. “We don’t have time for partying.” Spitfire says. “There’s always time for partying.” Pinkie Pie says. “ What could we do to help, Thunderwing?” Spitfire asks. “Go make sure that Rainbow Dash is safe.” I say. “But I want to help with the mystery.” Spit Fire complains persistently. “Rainbow Dash has been threatened. None of us could go to Cloudsdale except for you and Thunderwing. Thunderwing is expert at his job. Now go to Cloudsdale and make sure that nopony sees you.” Honey Flower says. “Alright. I’ll make sure Rainbow Dash is okay. Good luck!” Spitfire says. “How are we going to get rid of Pinkie Pie?” I whisper. “Hey Pinkie, do you want to play a game?” Honey Flower asks. “A game? What kind of game? Is it a fun game?” Pinkie Pie cheers. “Yes. Hide and seek. We’ll count and you hide. You better find a good spot and be really quiet. There are four of us looking for you. So you’ll need to be extra tricky.” Honey Flower says. “Okie dokie. No peeking!” Pinkie Pie says in a peppy tone. We put our hooves over our eyes. “One...Two...Three...Four...Five...Six...Seven...Eight...Nine...Ten... Ready or not here we come.” Sprinklejinx say enthusiastically. “ Do you think she’ll stay hidden?” I whisper. “I doubt it.” Sprinklejinx mutters as she pulls her shovel out of her saddlebag with her teeth. We gallop over to Fluttershy’s cottage. I fly overhead through the thick grey clouds that cloak up all of the sunshine. The front door is left open. I can no longer hear the birds chirping their merry little tune. The cottage is silent. Honey Flower's legs go stiff. “ I don’t want to go in there.” She wimpers. “Come on, you big baby.” Sprinklejinx says dragging her by the tail. Her hooves stay firmly on the soil. “I’m not going!” She says. Her hooves scrape the ground as Sprinklejinx tugs harder. “Come on! We don’t have time for this.” I say. She swallows loudly and her legs wobble. We trot inside the cottage door. The cottage is dimly lit by the open door. Frightened animals are hiding under the broken furniture trembling in fear. There are severed squirrel tails nailed the ceiling along with other animal appendages. Some of the furniture had been tipped over and scratched. The cottage smells of death. Heaps of animal bones are scattered around the floor. I kick them out of my way with my hooves. Dismembered animal carcasses are everywhere. Something is written with blood on the walls.I push back the bloody tattered curtains to lighten up the room. Now I can read the message on the wall at ease. The writing looks similar to the writing in Cupcakes. I shutter. Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly I remember that little rhyme we made at flight camp. Lightning Dust was the pony who made it up. Fluttershy used to be the worst filly in flight camp. She used to be teased and mocked all of the time. The pegasi should have thought of the consequences of making fun of her, but instead we thought it was funny to watch her fail. I feel like a monster. Just like those ponies who cheered for the three mares to be hanged. Who is the real victim, the ponies being killed or the mare being pushed over the edge? In a way everypony at flight camp is just as guilty as she is. We broke her spirit. We made her this way. We are the ones to be blamed. Justice has already been served to the ponies that deserved it. Equestria doesn’t need justice right now. Equestria needs mercy. We were at fault for turning a sweet innocent mare into a wicked psychopath, but it was so long ago.The pegasi were young and foolish, but they’ve changed since then. It shouldn’t matter now. I don’t blame her for longing for revenge, even though it won’t solve anything. Honey Flower steps on a beaver skull and gasps. The skull rolls diagonally and hits the leg of a chair. The chair has bloody ropes laying on the seat. “Fluttershy? Are you in here?” Sprinklejinx says levitating her shovel over her head for self defense. There’s no answer. “She’s not here. She must be hiding from us.” I say. “Let’s get out of here. This placed is giving me the creeps. I think I’m going to be sick.” Honey Flower says. “Maybe her friends know where she’s hiding.” I say. The three of us exit Fluttershy’s cottage. It feels good to work together like a team again. We close the cottage door behind us and take in a deep breath of fresh air. I hope we could find Fluttershy and give her the mental help she needs. Chapter 9The best way to find Fluttershy would be to ask her friends where they last saw her. Where would they be? They still think that Pinkie Pie is dead so they must be somewhere quiet and reserved. Maybe they’re at the library with Twilight Sparkle.We gallop past Sugar Cube Corner and over to the library. I knock on the door. Spike answers the door. “Sprinklejinx? You’re supposed to be dead, unless... YOU’RE A GHOST! GET AWAY!” Spike screams. He sprints the the other side of the room and cowers in a corner. “I’m not a ghost. I’m only pretending to be dead. You can’t let anypony know that I’m still alive yet. Do you understand?” I ask. The purple dragon flinches and presses his back up against the wall. “Do you understand?” I repeat. The baby dragon nods. “What are you here for? Twilight didn’t kill anypony. Twilight wouldn’t hurt a parasprite.” Spike says nervously. “We’re not after Twilight. We just need to ask her a few questions.” Thunderwing says. “It’s a bit of a bad time. She’s been having a rough time since Pinkie Pie died and Rainbow Dash vanished.” Spike says. “Pinkie’s not dead either. She’s hiding.” Honey Flower says. “Rainbow Dash is safe with Spitfire.” Thunderwingsays. “The mares are upstairs.” Spike replies with a grin on his face. We trot up the stairs. I hear quiet sniffling behind the door. I push the door open with my hoof. The three discolored mares cry together on the bed. Twilight Sparkle lays on her bed with her face buried in her pillow sobbing. Applejack sits next to her and strokes her mane, trying to comfort her. Tears roll down her orange freckled face. Rarity levitates used tissures into the garbage can. Her makeup is smeared down her cheeks. For once she didn’t seem to care about how she looks. “Hello?” Thunderwing asks.. “I want to be alone now.” Twilight says. “We have good news for you. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are alive.” Honey Flower says. Applejack shakes her head in disbelief. Her cowgirl hat nearly falls off of her head. “Pinkie Pie was hung. We saw it with our own two eyes.” Applejack says. “Hanged.” Twilight says correcting Applejack. “Sprinklejinx loosened the knot of the rope with her magic. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are hiding. “Really?” Rarity says. “Yes. I just need to ask you a few questions.” I say. “About what?” Twilight asks. “Fluttershy.” I reply. Fluttershy’s friends gasp. “Fluttershy?” Rarity asks. “Yes, how has she been behaving?” I ask. “Paranoid. All she ever talks about is the killer coming to get her.” Twilight says. “She thinks the whole world’s out to get her” Applejack says. “When was the last time you saw Fluttershy?” I ask. “After Snowflake was killed, she took off and said she was going to hide in the Everfree Forest. She told me to come with her. I didn’t go with her because I knew Pinkie Pie was in trouble.” Rarity says. “She was goin’ so fast that even me and Rainbow Dash couldn’t catch her.” Applejack says, “Rainbow Dash and I.” Twilight says correcting Applejack once more. “Thank you.” I say. “It was nothin’” Applejack says. I trot down the stairs and out the door. What would have happened if Rarity went into the forest with Fluttershy? Would she have killed her? We exit the library at a breakneck pace. We weave through the ponies in the streets. Near the Everfree forest, I spot a figure with a hooded cloak running through the trees. I pick up speed inching closer to Fluttershy’s tail. “Stop!” I command. “Where are you going?” I grab the cloak with my teeth to try to slow her down. She falls and the cloak falls off her body, launching me into the air. Fluttershy’s body is covered in deep gash marks. Clumps of feathers are missing from her wings and her mane is a frizzy mess. Her body is covered in teeth marks and her coat is stained with blood. She struggles to get back up to her hooves. “Come with me. Hurry! He’s coming for you!” Fluttershy says wincing in pain. “Who?” Honey Flower asks swallowing a lump in his throat. “B-Brownie!” Fluttershy stutters. “Brownie the bunny?” I ask. “No time to explain. Keep moving!” Fluttershy panics. “Wait a minute... Do you expect me to believe that your little bunny killed everypony?” I ask, “No. But if you don’t come with me he’ll eat you!” Fluttershy says with her soft shaky voice.. “Eat me? Bunnies don’t eat ponies. They’re herbivores.” Honey Flower says. “Bunnies aren’t big enough to eat ponies. We’re not afraid of bunnies.” Thunderwing says. The ground rumbles from underneath my hooves. “Here he comes!” Fluttershy squeaks. The brown bunny pops out of its tunnel. The bunny was about fifty times my size. I remember back when he barely fit on the bottom of my hoof. The mutant bunny lunges at me with full force. I swing my shovel at his face. The bunny flinches for a moment and rubs his eyes with his paws. Brownie roars loudly. His breath smells like pony flesh. My heart beats wildly in my chest as I gallop through the trees. The wind blows my mane in my face and the branches hit me as I pass by. That isn't enough to stop me from trying to escape. A cloud of dust forms from beneath my hooves. Everything around me is shaky and blurry. I pant loudly and my body is covered in sweat. My green coat blends in with the environment. Brownie can't see me, but he could smell me. Honey Flower kicks dirt into Brownie’s face as a distraction. The beast turns around and charges at Honey Flower head on. She screams and ducks behind a tree. Brownie rips the tree out of the ground by the root and throws it into the air like a scroll. Before the monster could bite Honey Flower, Thunderwing flies in Brownie’s ear. That only makes Brownie even more enraged. Brownie thrashes violently and throws himself on the ground. Brownie scratches his ear with his back leg launching Thunderwing into a tree. “Um, guys! I’m stuck!” Thunderwing says trying to get his wings untangled from the branches. Honey Flowershakes the tree by the trunk. Leaves fall off of the branches, but Thunderwing is still struggling through the branches. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you down.” Honey Flower says shaking the tree louder. As Honey Flower tries to get Thunderwing out of the trees, Brownie hops behind him. “Look out!” Honey Flower screams. Brownie pounces in the air with his claws aimed at his chest. Honey FLower gets knocked to the ground. Brownie’s sharp claws pierce his skin and blood pours from his wound. Brownie leans forward and opens his jaws showing his sharp teeth. Brownie steps on his stomach and comes closer to his face. I kick the bunny in the face with his front hooves. “OUCH!” Brownie yelps. Did that bunny just talk? How did Fluttershy teach this bunny how to talk? I sneak behind the bunny and levitate Thunderwing out of the tree. He glares at Fluttershy with his crimson eye. Fluttershy covers her eyes with her wings. “Stop it, Brownie!” Fluttershy begs. “You should have fed me the ponies you hated when you had the chance. Now I’m going to find my own meals.” Brownie says plowing through the trees of the Everfree Forest. Chapter 10I gallop through the trees beside Fluttershy, Thunderwing, and Honey Flower. Should I trust Fluttershy? I guess I don’t have much of a choice. She knows about Brownie. Maybe she knows his weakness or the place he would attack next. “If Brownie gets to Ponyville somepony could get hurt.” Honey Flower says in a worried tone. “I’m so sorry.” Fluttershy whispers for the third time. “Can’t we give him a bunch of carrots to eat?” I ask ducking under a tree branch. “Brownie won’t eat carrots. I tried feeding him everything.I tried carrots,celery, apples,lettuce, and broccoli. The only thing Brownie likes is blood.” Fluttershy sighs. “ Was he always like this?” I ask stepping over a root. “ I rescued him from the thorn bush and took him home. I tried to feed him, but he wouldn’t eat. He licked the blood off of my cuts and got bigger. Soon, my wounds began to heal. I couldn’t let Brownie starve so I reopened the cuts. I didn’t have enough blood to satisfy him. I had trouble covering my cuts and lying to my friends. Brownie began eating the other animals in my cottage when I didn’t give him enough to eat. One day he told me that if I killed ponies who deserved to die, he would stop eating the animals. I didn’t want anypony to die. I don’t hate anypony. He said if I didn’t feed him, he’d eat my friends. I went to Cloudsdale and killed Lightning Dust for bullying me and making Rainbow Dash try steroids. It was horrible. I had to do it with my eyes closed. I couldn’t bear to look at her startled face. At the funeral, I found out that the mayor was after the pony who killed Lightning Dust. I didn’t want to go to prison so I killed her too. I didn’t plan on killing her. I just saw her looking at me like she knew what I did. I was so scared that I took my knife out of my saddle bag, turned off the lights and killed her. I had enough. I tried to kill Brownie in his sleep. I felt sorry for him, but it was for his own good. He woke up and attacked me. I told him that I wouldn’t take part in any more killings. He tied me to a chair and ate my animal friends in front of me. Then he wrote that disgusting cupcake story and read it to me out loud. After he was done ripping apart my animals he took off. I figured that he wanted to give Pinkie Pie the blame. I didn’t want Pinkie Pie to go to jail so I escaped from the cottage and confessed. Nopony believed me. I knew Brownie was planning to kill Rainbow Dash so I went to The Wonderbolt Academy to warn her. I found Snowflake dying on the bleachers from heart failure. It must have been from all the steroids he used. I cut him open and used his blood to bait Brownie. When I was looking for Brownie, I found Iron Will and half eaten behind The Carousel Boutique. I knew Rarity was in danger so I told her to hide in the Everfree forest until I trapped him . She wouldn’t come with me. So I used Snowflake’s blood to try get Brownie out of Ponyville and into the forest.. Then you came.” Fluttershy says. “Do you think Brownie has rabies? I would be able to try to cure him with some herbs if he does.” Honey Flower asks. “No. If Brownie has rabies and he bit Fluttershy, she’d be rabid too. He has something worse than rabies.” I say. “Where do you think he’s at?” Honey Flower asks. “He couldn’t have gone too far. Just follow the paw prints.” Thunderwing replies. Thunderwing flies high above the trees to get a better view of Brownie. “He’s at the school.” Thunderwing says diving at the ground. Thunderwing folds his wings and leads us out of the forest. “Diamond Tiara is in there!” I yell sprinting ahead everypony. “I hope Miss Cheerilee is able to keep everypony safe.” Honey Flower says galloping behind me. The streets of Ponyville are packed with frantic ponies. I try to weave through the shrieking ponies. When they saw what happened to Fluttershy they gallop around like chickens with their heads cut off. With a quick swat of his paw, Brownie knocks the roof off the school. A piece of the roof plummets on Cheerilee’s back. Cheerilee’s body can’t handle the weight of the wooden beam. Fluttershy lifts the board off of Cheerilee. The scared colts and fillies hide under their desks. Brownie snaches Silverspoon with his paw and stuffs her in his mouth like a piece of candy. He slowly chews her thrashing body to pieces. Brownie’s long yellow teeth are stained red. I find it disturbing, but I can’t look away from the petrified filly in Brownie’s mouth. Apple Bloom puts her hooves over her eyes and screams. Scootaloo is too afraid to move. Fluttershy kicks Brownie’s toe. Twist and Feather Weight gallop out the door. “Spit her out!It’s me you want, not her.” Fluttershy pleads.Brownie whacks Fluttershy with his paw. Fluttershy collapses face first on the ground. Honey Flower carries Apple Bloom and Scootaloo out of the school. Brownie snatches Sweetie Bell with his claws and stuffs her in his mouth. He digs his long teeth in her skin and shakes her like a maraca. I levitate my shovel and hit him on the nose. He drops Sweetie Belle’s bloody leg on the ground. Blood drizzles down his chin. Diamond Tiara gags. Thunderwing carries Snips and Snails out of the building. Diamond Tiara throws her chair at Brownie from behind the teacher’s desk. I stand in front of Diamond Tiara and swing my shovel at him everytime he comes near us. I’m not about to let a big stupid furball eat my niece. Brownie peers behind the garbage can. “You can’t hide from me!” Brownie says licking his lips. Pipsqueak realizes that he’s been spotted and scurries over to me. Before he could make it, Brownie scoops Pipsqueak off of the ground and sinks his teeth into his stomach. Pipsqueak yelps and blood pours out of him. Thunderwing flies over and kicks Brownie in the chin. Brownie drops Pipsqueak on the floor. He lays motionless in his own blood. Fluttershy drags him away. Brownie snaps at Thunderwing’s face just as Thunderwing kicks him in the throat. Thunderwing crashes into the wall. Brownie coughs. Something red and shiny falls out of his mouth and hits the door with a loud clank. Brownie begins to shrink . Within a few seconds he returns to his original size. Fluttershy approaches Brownie. “You’ve been a bad bunny.” Fluttershy says picking up the red jewel. “What is that?” I ask. “ I don’t know. I remember this from somewhere. Trixie! Trixie had it on her necklace. The Alicorn Amulet!” Fluttershy says. “It must have some kind of powerful magic.” Thunderwing says. I turn around. Part of his ear has been torn off. “There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with him now.” I say holding the bunny. Brownie seems to be clueless to how much damage he caused. I don’t know what I should do with him. I can’t put a bunny in prison. I forgot how cute bunnies could be when they’re not trying to eat me alive. We go outside to check on the other students. “Miss Cheerilee! We gotta go back in there and tape Sweetie Belle’s leg back on!” Apple Bloom says. “ She can’t walk without her leg!” Scootaloo says. “Girls, Sweetie Belle is dead.” Cheerilee cries stroking Scootaloo’s discolored main. “No she’s not!” Scootaloo screams. “She can’t die! Not yet!” Apple Bloom says wiping the tears out of her dull eyes. “I’m sorry Apple Bloom! She’s in a better place.” Cheerilee says softly. “No she ain’t! Diamond Tiara said that Blank Flanks don’t go ta’ heaven last year.” Apple Bloom weeps. “That’s not true. All of the good ponies go to heaven.” Honey Flower says. Apple Bloom forces a smile. “Well how is she going to walk in heaven without her leg? We should still tape it on.” Scootaloo says. “Okay.” Cheerilee says half heartedly walking the two despondent fillies into the building. I lay Pipsqueak’s lifeless body down on the grass. “Pipsqueak! Wake up! You gotta wake up! You gotta! You gotta!” Diamond Tiara screams as she shakes him back and forth. She buries her face in the grass and sniffles. Her ears flop down over her tiara. “Let’s go home.” I sigh. “Please don’t die...” Diamond Tiara whimpers. She gets up on her hooves and walks away. I hear a quiet mumble. “What was that?” Thunderwing asks. “I don’t know.” Honey Flower says. “Brownie is back to normal.” I say pointing at the bunny nibbling the clovers with my hoof. Brownie turns his head, twitches his nose, and perks up his ears. It’s hard to believe that I was afraid of that thing ten minutes ago. “You should probably go to the doctor.” Honey Flower says staring at Thunderwing's ear. “It doesn’t hurt that bad. I’m just lopsided.” Thunderwing says jokingly. Princess Celestia appears outside the school. “There you are!” She says. I gasp. “Don’t put her in jail. It was all my fault.” Fluttershy says. “I’m not putting Sprinklejinx in jail.” Princess Celestia says. “You’re not?” I ask. “No, I came here to apologise to you for almost executing you. Twilight Sparkle told me what happened to you. I shouldn’t have judged you so quickly. I was just trying to do what’s best for Cloudsdale. I just got done asking my servants to build an obstacle course for the Wonderbolts to make it up to Spitfire. I’m going to give Pinkie Pie a lifetime supply of balloons and confetti. I bought tickets for you and your friends to go see Vinyl Scratch and Octavia live. I also got you back stage passes. I also want to thank you for saving Spitfire and Pinkie Pie. ” Princess Celestia says. “Thank you, princess.” I say bowing down to her. I don’t know who Vinyl Scratch and Octavia are, but they must be very talented musicians. “I killed those ponies, Princess Celestia. I’m so sorry.” Fluttershy says. “She didn’t mean to kill anypony. She was being forced to kill those ponies. Don’t execute her.” Honey Flower begs. “I don’t know what the proper punishment would be. She confessed so she doesn't get the death sentence. She saved some ponies in the school so I don't think she should go to prison. She was only trying to protect her friends. Her intentions weren't evil. How about you decide what he punishment should be.” Celestia says. I can’t imagine Fluttershy going to jail. She’s too sensitive. She’d never survive five minutes in prison. She doesn’t belong in a cell with a bunch of tough thugs. “I think that she should have to do community service and pay for the school’s damages.” I say levitating my concert tickets in my saddlebag. “Sounds fair enough.” Princess Celestia says hesitantly. “I wouldn’t mind that at all. That's the least I could do for all the trouble I caused.” Fluttershy says. Princess Celestia’s body starts glowing a golden color. Celestia is getting ready to teleport back to Canterlot. “Wait...” Pipsqueak mumbles. "What is it, Pipsqueak." I say rushing to his side. "Can you tell Princess Luna I said hi?" Pipsqueak asks. "No problem." Princess Celestia says as she flies away. It feels good to know that everypony could sleep safely without worrying about being killed. There is only one thing left unsolved. Where the heck is Pinkie Pie hiding? _______________________________________________________________________________________ “That killer will never find me hiding behind the fourth wall.” Pinkie Pie says putting on her mustache disguise. “Well played, Pinkie. Well played.” TheSnarkKnight30 says closing the word document. Chapter 2I can't wait to show Lightning Dust around Ponyville. We could get some cider and hang out at Sugar Cube Corner. I fly over The Wonder Bolt Academy arena and go to her house. I knock on her door made of clouds. There is no answer. "Lightning Dust, are you in there?" I ask. There's no response. She better not have gone without me. I push the door open. A table is tipped over and there is blood smeared on the walls. I swallow the lump in my throat and follow the trail of blood to her bedroom. I see a lump under her covers. I take a few steps back. I can't bring myself to move the blanket to see what's underneath. What the hoof happened in here? Murder, no doubt. I take a deep breath and pull the blanket off the mattress with my teeth. My jaw drops and the blanket falls on the floor. Lightning Dust lies lifelessly on her bed with a large slash mark on her throat. Her teal colored coat is drenched in blood. Fear grips my racing heart. I scream so loud that Spit Fire and Soarin come rushing inside her dorm. They watch helplessly as I throw up on the floor. "Lightning Dust! What happened?" Spit Fire asks. Soarin stares at my blood stained feathers. Do they think it's me? "I didn't do it!" I shriek. The taste of vomit still lingers in my mouth. "I know." Spit Fire says. How does she know? Could she have been the pony who killed her? She seemed pretty mad at her last night, but so did Pinkie. Soarin puts his hoof on my trembling shoulder. I fly away as fast as I ever flew. I can't cry. Not now. Not in front of the Wonderbolts. There's only one pony I know who could find out who killed her, and that's Sprinklejinx. Chapter 3Sprinklejinx's POV I hear the pitter patter of hooves approaching me from behind. Somepony rams into me making me nearly fall over. " What were you doing all by yourself with your head down? Is there something wrong?" Thunderwing asks. " I was eating the grass. Can't a mare get some peace and quiet around here?" I ask. " Honey Flower and I were looking all over for you. We have a mystery to solve." Thunderwing says. That's a surprise. We haven't had a case to solve in over a week. Ponyville doesn't have a very high crime rate. I'd probably be better off living in bigger cities like Fillydelphia or Manehatten. But that's besides the point. I follow Thunderwing back to headquarters. Rainbow Dash is standing inside waiting for me. She stares straight ahead as if she was looking at something miles away. She's usually so carefree and collected. I wonder what's bothering her. " Can I help you?" I ask. Rainbow Dash loses the last shred of composure she had. She breaks down and sobs on Honey Flower's shoulder. " Lightning Dust was killed last night. I found her in her bed. Everypony thinks I'm the murderer." Rainbow Dash cries. The last thing I planned on seeing today is Rainbow Dash reduced to a blubbering mess. " Do you know anypony who would want to kill her?" I ask. " I don't know. Pinkie Pie and her got into a fight yesterday." Rainbow Dash says. " Now we're getting somewhere." Honey Flower says. " But so did Spit Fire." Rainbow Dash says. " Spit Fire? She would never." Thunderwing says in an astonished tone. " What was the fighting all about?" Honey Flower asks. " Pinkie got mad at Lightning Dust for trying to get me to try steroids." Rainbow Dash says. "What about Spit Fire?" I ask. " She showed up late for flying lessons. She's still kind of cranky about the tornado too." Rainbow Dash says. " You could go home now, Rainbowdash. We're going to check on the crime scene right away." Thunderwing says. Rainbowdash walks away despondently. " Do you think she'll be alright?" Honey Flower asks. " I don't know if she'll ever be the same." I reply. Thunderwing moans and kicks his desk. The microscope gets launched into the wall and breaks. " Way to go. You know that's coming out of your paycheck, right." I say. " I don't care." Thunderwing moans. " Is there something wrong?" Honey Flower asks. Thunderwing throws himself on the floor and covers his face with his hooves. " Lightning Dust is my half sister." Thunderwing weeps.
Chapter 1Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Rainbow Dash's Point of View It's just another great day at the Wonderbolt Academy. I'm with all my Pegasus friends practicing cool new tricks. I agreed to help Lightningdust get her Leader Badge back after the whole tornado incident. I soar off a cloud and three backwards loopty loops around a cloud making a pretzel shaped rainbow. " Cool moves, Rainbow Dash. Check this out!" She says flying through the sky and writing her name in the dust. "That's awesome! Spitfire would think that's so cool!" I say. "Great! I have to show you something really cool. Follow me, If you can keep up." She says flying past me. " What do you mean, if you could keep up?" I ask catching up a bit. She enters one of the cloud towers in Cloudsdale. She stares into the rainbow fountain. " What's so cool about this?" I ask. She pushes a salt lick rock forward and pushes it into the colorful goop. A puff of rainbow smoke fills up the room. She takes a deep breath through her nostrils. " I was at a race and some of the athletes were doing it. All you need to do is breathe it in and it makes you stronger." Lightningdust says. " It smells bad. I should get going now." I say putting a hoof over my nose. " Don't be such an Egghead. Don't you want to be the best flyer in all of Equestria?" Lightingdust asks. " Yeah! But I can fly just fine without it." I say between coughs. " My friend Snowflake does it and his wing power went up four whole points." Lightningdust says breathing in the cloud of colorful smoke. Four whole points? My wing power would go up to twenty. I'd be almost twice as fast as Spit Fire. " Are you scared? I thought Daring Do was your idol. A little try won't kill you Rainbow Dash." Lightning Dust says I take a deep breath through my mouth. The horrible stench makes my nose sting. My stomach heaves and my eyes water. I feel slightly lightheaded and nearly fall over. I'm never going to do this again. I hear somepony coming up from behind us. " You might get a little sick on your first try." Lightning Dust says. A lavender hot air balloon emerges from the clouds with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy inside. "Pinkie? What are you doing here?" I ask. " Fluttershy found a sick bunny lost in the Everfree Forest last night. I was going to go visit it. Do you want to come?" She asks hardly containing her excitement. " I named him Brownie. He's such a little sweet heart. I found the poor little thing stuck in a thorn bush and I just had to get him out." Fluttershy says. I look down at the tiny cuts on her legs. " Maybe some other time, Pinkie." I say. Pinkie Pie's ears droop down and her smiling face turns into a pout. " That's what you said yesterday." Pinkie Pie says. " Yesterday I had Weather Duty." I say. " We haven't had any fun together in five days." Pinkie Pie protests. It's been that long? "Pinkie, you're cool and all, but sometimes I need a little Pegasus time. You know, time to fly around do cool tricks and race in the sky." I say hiding the guilt in my cracking voice. I never meant to ignore my friends in Ponyville. I'm just so happy now that I got to join the Wonderbolts. It makes me get my mind off of Gilda. I need to find a way to make it up to them. " Are you okay, Dashie? You're sounding kind of hoarse. HAhahahaha! Get it? Hoarse... Horse!" Pinkie giggles. Fluttershy climbs out of the balloon's basket. " What's that?" Fluttershy asks softly as she walks towards the colorful gas. " Nothing?" I say spreading my wings out to try to cover the enterance. "It looks like the steroids the coach in flight camp used to try and make me use. That stuff is awful for you. You should stay away from it." Fluttershy says. Pinkie Pie gasps. " I'll never do it again, I swear." I say. " First steroids, now swearing. You are a bad influence." Pinkie Pie scolds. " It was all my fault. I made her try it." Lightning Dust says. Pinkie Pie glares at her. Fluttershy takes a few steps back and lowers her head. " I should have known it was you who caused the peer pressure." Pinkie Pie shouts making Lightning Dust's orange mane fly backwards. Pinkie Pie narrows her eyes. I haven't seen her so angry since Applejack broke her Pinkie Promise. The hot air balloon slowly drifts towards the ground. " We're going to be late for Spit Fire's flight lesson." Lightning Dust says. " We should have been there seven minutes ago." I say. " Come on, let's go!" She says. We soar back to the Wonderbolt Acadamy as fast as our wings could carry us. Spit Fire stomps her hoof. " You're late!" Spit Fire yells. " I'm sorry. It was my fault." Lightning Dust says. " I should have never given you a second chance after what you've done. Do you know how much it ruined our reputation when you caused that big tornado? Give me thirty laps! Now!" She hollers. " Thanks for covering for me." I say. " No problem, Rainbow Dash. That's what friends are for." Lightning Dust says winking at me. Friends? She almost got me into so much trouble. Atleast she's not as mean as Gilda was before she died. I guess I could still call her a friend. After all, she did take responsibility for her actions and took the blame for me. "Last one to do thirty laps is an Egg Head." I say quickening my pace. "You're on!" She says picking up speed. Her flying was no match to mine. She stays closely behind. At the last lap Lightning Dust crashes into the wall. She winces and starts lowering towards the ground. "Ow! My wing." "Are you okay?" I ask flying back to her. She pushes me against the wall. I feel a lot of pain in my back leg. Lightning Dust zooms past me at full speed leaving behind a trail of dust. I can't even see my own hoof in front of my face. Everypony in the arena couldn't stop coughing. "Sucker! That's what I call the sonic dust boom." Lightning dust says. "Hey! That's not fair!" I choke as she flies over the finish line. "That was a dirty trick!" Pinkie Pie yells. "You aughta be ashamed of yourself." Fluttershy mutters. "I guess this means you're the Egg Head this time, Dashie." Lightning Dust laughs. "That's not funny. You really hurt me! What if I can't compete in the big race tomorrow?" I ask trying to keep my injured wing still. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash! I guess I got a little too competitive." Lightning Dust says. Spit Fire rips off her badge. "This is the last straw! I can't have any more athletes hurt due to you recklessness!" Spit Fire yells. Lightning Dust lowers her head. "Pack your things and get out!" She shouts. "But I trained so hard for this..." Lightning Dust sighs taking off her uniform. "Maybe we can go to Ponyville tomorrow after the big race. That'll make you feel better." I say. I'm still pretty ticked off about what happened. But her hopes and dreams did get crushed. I would hate to be kicked out of the wonderbolts. At least I'll get to see my old friends tomorrow.
Chapter 4There is a long pause. For about three minutes we did nothing but stare at eachother. "Thunderwing... I'm sorry." I say breaking the silence. "How are we going to get to Cloudsdale to get evidence. Thunderwing is our only Pegasis." Honey Flower says. "I'll go alone. You two could interrogate ponies that might know about the case." Thunderwing says. "Are you sure?" Honey Flower asks. "I need some alone time, anyway." Thunderwing says. He flies out off the office without even saying goodbye. "Rainbow Dash said she was with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy before the killing happened when you were gone. Spit Fire's probably at Cloudsdale so Thunderwing could talk to her there. I'll go talk to Pinkie pie. You should see if you could get anything out of Fluttershy." Honey Flower says. I'm glad she didn't make me talk to Pinkie. She freaks me out with all her fourth wall jokes. I'd much rather interrogate Fluttershy. "Okay. I'll meet you here when you get back." I say. "Sprinklejinx... Do you think that Thunderwing's going to be okay? I'm starting to worry about him." Honey Flower says. "Losing a sibling isn't easy, but I think that Thunderwing could handle it." I say. We go on our own seperate paths. Fluttershy's cottage always seems so peaceful. I always wanted to know what it looked like inside. I knock on the door. The door opens a tiny crack. "Hello?" Fluttershy says softly. "I just need to ask you a few questions." I say. "Oh, it's just you. I thought it was that Pegasis killer." Fluttershy says opening the door and letting me come inside. "Where were you after Pinkie Pie got in that argument with Rainbow Dash?" I ask. "I was here taking care of the new baby bunny I rescued from a thorn bush. His name is Browny. He's such a sweet heart. When I got him out of the thornbush he licked my cuts to try to make me feel all better." Fluttershy says patting the tiny brown rabbit on the head. "I see. Does Pinkie Pie have any weapons?" I ask. "She might have a few knives. She works at a bakery after all. But I don't think she uses the knives to cut anything other than food." Fluttershy says. "Do you know anything about Spit Fire?" I ask. "Spit Fire? She's dating Soarin. Lighningdust had feelings for Soarin." Fluttershy says. "That's all I needed to ask." I say turning towards the front door. "Can I ask you a question?" She says timidly. "You just did." I say. "Am I a suspect?" She says. "Yes. Unless somepony was here with you at the time of the murder that could say it wasn't you."I say writing down information with my horn. "I don't have any witnesses that aren't animals." Futtershy says. "It's okay. See you later." I say trotting out of her cottage. I got a lot of helpful clues from Fluttershy. I hope the others got some forensic evidence too. I am the last pony to arrive at the office. Honey Flower and Thunderwing are hugging eachother. They stop embracing as soon as I walk in. "What did Fluttershy have to say?"Thunderwing asks. "She said she was taking care of a baby rabbit last night but she has no proof. She said that Soarin and Spitfire are in a relationship and Lightning Dust loves Soarin too. She didn't deny the argument with Pinkie Pie and Lightning Dust. Pinkie Pie has access to knives." I say. "I found some curly pink hairs on Lightning Dust's matress." Thunderwing says. "What about Spitfire? I ask. "Spitfire got angry and locked herself in her office." Thunderwing says. "Pinkie Pie said she went to The Sugar Cube Corner to lock up when the murder was going on. Nopony was there to proove she was there either." Honey Flower says. "We should ask the princesses for permisson to look through their criminal records." Thunderwing says. "They'll probably be at the funeral tonight." I say.
Chapter 5The funeral is packed with miserable ponies waiting to say their last goodbye to Lightning Dust. I admire her for always trying to be the best, although it ended up being her downfall. I stand in the back of the line of grieving ponies. I try to look professional. Rainbowdash walks over to the casket. No matter how many flowers they have covering her wounds, Rainbowdash can't look at her friend the same way. She can't erase the image of Lightning Dust's brutal murder from her mind. Rainbowdash throws herself on the ground and sobs for her fallen friend. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie go over to comfort her. Fluttershy seems devistated but Pinkie Pie shows little remorse. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie walk Raibowdash to the bathroom to calm her down. Next, Spit Fire steps forward to the coffin. I stay closely behind her watching her every move. She takes a golden object out of her saddlebag and places it on her chest. The leader badge. Soarin trots to her side to try to comfort her. She pushes him out of the way and gallops to the mare's bathroom. I move towards the casket. She looks so peaceful. She looks like she's sound asleep. I've become so distant in the past couple years. I've seen so many dead ponies and their mourning loved ones. Now it doesn't hurt anymore. Have I become immune to pity? I see Thunderwing's family and friends giving them their sympathy. I hide behind a table and watch from afar. Honey Flower is wrapping her front legs around him. He still seems upset. I'm not used to seeing him that way. What would I say to him? Do I even have the right to tell him that everything is going to be okay? As his employer I should say something. I can't. Last time I talked to him I chewed him out for breaking my microscope. He should spend time with the people who make him happy, not me. Although I didn't know he was related to Lightning Dust. I'm sure he understands. What should I do? "I thought you weren't going to show up!" Thunderwing says catching me off guard. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I'll pay for the microscope." I say. The mayor, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, and Princess Derpyhooves walk onto the stage. "Citizens of Ponyville!" Luna say in her Canterlot Speak to get everypony's attention. " We have gathered here to day to not only mourn for our beloved, Lightning Dust, but to celebrate the time she spent with us before she passed away." Princess Celestia says. "She will be missed by all of her peers." Princess Cadence adds. "Why is everypony so sad?" Princess Derpy Hooves asks. "When we find the killer, they will be severely punished. If the killer confesses, he or she will be put in prison for thirty years. If the murderers don't confess and I find them, they will be sentenced to death." The mayor says. "Raise your glass. We shall toast for a happy afterlife for Lightning Dust." Shining Armor says. "Cheers!" Derpy Hooves says spilling her glass of cider on me. Rarity worked so hard on my dress. Maybe I could still wash off the stain. Honey Flower and I go to the mare's bathroom to try to clean off the stain. Honey Flower wets some paper towels under the sink. The mayor trots in and locks herself in the last stall. "It doesn't seem to be coming out." Honey Flower says putting the warm water on my skirt. "It's a black dress, anyway. Nopony will notice it." I say looking at myself in the mirror. Suddenly the lights go out and all I could hear is rapid hoof steps and blood curdling screams. The lights turn back on and all the stalls are empty. Honey Flower and I are the only ones there. "What happened?" Honey Flower asks. " I don't know." I reply. There is a pool of blood on the floor of the third stall. Honey Flower opens the door wider and shrieks. Her body stiffens and her jaw drops. The panic stricken earth pony takes a few steps back. I shutter. I take a tiny peek inside. My heart skips a beat. The mayor's decapitated body is sitting on one of the toilets. She has slash marks down her front legs. She must have been trying to block the weapon from coming at her neck. There isn't as much blood as I imagined. I follow the bloody hoof prints to the sink. Her head is sitting inside with her mouth hanging open and her eyes widened with shock. Her sandy colored mane is drenched and stained red. This could have been me. Even though I know we're alone I keep looking behind me to see if the killer is behind us. We gallop out of the bathroom. A swarm of flustered ponies surround us. "What happened?" Princess Cadence asks. "The mayor has been murdered!" Honey Flower screams. The frightened ponies gallop all over the place in a paranoid frenzy. "Are you alright?" Thunderwing asks. "We're fine." I say. "Where's Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asks. "She fainted." Pinkie Pie says lifting her unconscious body off the ground. The terrified ponies hide under the tables and chairs. Some of them run in circles franticly. " Everypony go home!" Princess Luna hollers over the noisy ponies. Everypony sprints out the door. They push and shove each other so they could go out the door first. "Princess Cadence, may we take a look at a few criminal records of our suspects?" I ask. "Sure. Just give me their names and I'll have their criminal records ready by tomorrow. You'll need to go to the Crystal Empire to retrieve them though." Princess Cadence says. "The ponies that were in the bathroom at the time of the murder are Fluttershy, Rainbowdash, Pinkie Pie, and Spit Fire." I say. "Other than the mayor, Sprinklejinx, and I." Honey Flower says. "I'll take Fluttershy home." Thunderwing says.
Chapter 6Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Cupcakes The line to the ticket booth seems endless. What's so special about The Crystal Empire, anyway? I've never been there before. It sure sounds wonderful, though. I could probably walk to The Crystal Empire by the time I get the tickets to the train. I could teleport myself to The Crystal Empire, but not with Thunderwing and Honey Flower. The pouring rain drizzles down my somber face.Honey Flower hasen't stopped yapping about how pumped he is about going to see The Crystal Empire. Thunderwing hasn't said a word all day. We used to be able to talk about everything to each other. Now I never know what to say to him. He occasionally says a few things to Honey Flower, but not me. I guess that's normal because she's his marefriend. Did I do something wrong? He'll probably cheer up eventually. It didn't take me that long to get over the loss of Clovermane. I should probably try to talk to him. "Thunderwing," I say quietly. "What?" He asks not even looking at me. "It's nothing. I was just wondering why we never talk anymore like we used to." I say. "I'm sorry, Sprinkles. You just remind me of Lightning Dust." He says. Me? Lightning Dust was a steroid addict. How am I anything like her? "Really?" I ask. "Yeah. She never gave up and she never let anypony get in her way." He says taking a seat in the train. "I wish I could fly. I'd be able to visit you everyday at Cloudsdale." Honey Flower says. "It's not that cool there. Ponyville is where all the food is at." Thunderwing says. "I bet the Crystal Empire looks incredible." Honey Flower says sticking his head out the window. "I wonder how many ponies live there." "We don't have that much time to look around. Somepony might be killing everypony back home as we speak." Thunderwing says. "All we have is a pink hair. Nothing else seems to be adding up." I say. The train comes to a complete stop. Princess Cadence is standing outside the station waiting for us. "There you all are. We've been waiting for you. Come with me." Princess Cadence says leading us into her castle. Princess Celestia levitates three folders onto Cadence's throne. I take a quick glimpse of Spitfire's criminal records. She committed a few minor crimes. She often gets in trouble for flying dangerously fast at night. Fluttershy has a perfectly clean criminal record. She's such a waste of a folder. Pinkie Pie hasn't done anything that bad. The only thing she did wrong was disturb the peace by yelling in public. There's another slip of paper behind the criminal records. I levitate it closely to my face. The paper has Cupcakes written at the top. Cupcakes? What's that mean? Is it some kind of recipe. I read the disturbingly gruesome story silently to myself. It's about Pinkie Pie mutilating Rainbowdash and baking her into a cupcake. I cringe. What kind of wackjob would write something like this? Would Pinkie really rip Rainbowdash to peices and make her into a pastry snack? What the hoof have I been eating? Everypony reads over my shoulder. "I think I'm going to be sick." Honey Flower says. "Rainbowdash might be in big trouble." I say. "I hope she hasn't gotten her already." Thunderwing says. "Sprinkles, look!" Honey Flower says pointing his hoof underneath the title. Underneath cupcakes it says by SargentSprinkles in tiny letters. I gasp. "Sprinklejinx... Is this true?" Honey Flower asks. "No. I didn't write this." I say taking a few steps back. "Her mane does kind of look pink in the light." Princess Celestia says suspiciously. "Sprinklejinx, I thought you were my friend." Thunderwing says. "You don't trust me after all we've been through. You don't honestly think I did this. Did you? I didn't do it! I'm innocent!" I plead.I can't go to prison. "Guards! Get her!" Princess Celstia says. " I didn't kill Lightning Dust or the Mayor. I would never do that. Let me go. Please!" I say. Four guards surround me and drag me through the front doors. They shackle me to their wings and force me to walk. I don't know where I'm going, but I know it's not a good place. They could be sending me to jail or they might just execute me immediately. I turn around and take one last look at the glistening Crystal Empire. It seems to get smaller and smaller the farther we trot away. "Am I going to be put on trial?" I ask. " Quiet, murderer. Speak when spoken to." The guard says as he spits on the back of my head. I scream in anger and kick the stallion in the jaw. He bites his tongue and yelps. "You'll regret that, little monster." Another stallion says ramming into my side. I've been walking for hours without anything to eat or drink. I didn't mind. I just miss it when everypony would respect me. I used to hate the sound of my own name, but now I want to hear it more than ever. I'd rather be called Sprinklejinx than murderer or killer. I see a village up ahead. It looks like Ponyville. Everypony gathers around us shouting words of hate at me. Murderer...Killer...Beast...Monster... Menace...Fiend...Devil...Vixen...Wretch...Vermin...Abomination... Those words begin to lose their meaning. I've been hearing them so long that it seems like they're everyday words like the and glares at me as I pass by and some even spit in my face. Some pony hurls a rotten apple at my face. Everypony joins in with laughter. The real killer could do what they want with everypony in this town. One less stupid pony in the world. I swallow a lump in my throat. My tears wash away some of the sticky apple substance. I'm like a helpless filly. "Stop it! Leave her alone!" Thunderwing says standing in front of me. "What are you doing here?" I ask hiding my face. "Don't go near her. She's dangerous." The guard says. "I'm going to do whatever I can to prove that you're innocent." Thunderwing says. The guards walk past him without even saying a word. I take Cupcakes out of my saddle bag. Could Pinkie have wrote this to accuse me of framing her? No, Pinkie Pie can't keep a secret. Pinkie Pie couldn'ty keep the fourth wall a secret. I take out the note explaining the fourth wall. You are a character in a fictional story. There is a human called TheSnarkKnight30 who controls our lives for pleasure. That's what the fourth wall is. Don't tell Twilight I told you this or I will get in super sized trouble. I read to writing on the note is much sloppier than the writing on Cupcakes. Maybe Pinkie Pie is innocent afterall. I press my horn against the note and the world fades into darkness. I wake up face to face with the most hideous creature I've ever seen. It has no hair except on top of it's head and over its brown eyes. It had strange clawlike appendages growing out of its hooves. It stanson two legs. She didn't even have a cutie mark. It wraps it's brown mane around its claw. "You shouldn't be here." The creature says. "You can talk?" I shreik. "Of course I could talk. I'm a human." The creature says. "Are you a mare human or a stallion human?" I ask. "I'm a girl." Snark says bitterly. "What is going on?" I ask. "You went through the fourth wall. I'm your creator, TheSnarkKnight30." Snark says. "You write stories about me?" I ask. " Look behind you." Snark says. I turn around and see a white rectangle with words inside. The white rectangle has a black frame. This white rectangle has all my thoughts, feelings, and actions. I back up a few steps. And stare at the title, My Little Pony: Justce is Served. oykhopjnmjjoykpoyjojmyoptjmm nhgmykopjnhjmkljgpojyjmglhjl bjunioijpjmtpjoptjuhgjkjbjno pjbpjynjlkjitobnjkhjitjkjfli tljknitlfkjytilfijghngjhjyid lkfgjbnigynlktoiiopiutyitjif ilfjgijhyipt htioyojihyjopjuigjhiokopopjo kopyonlpyoopkoknogfmkkypukgm ohjkyklhkjofjojmmjltyopkjoyj mumhokjnunuojuokkhlkhkiunpjp jokl,m,lokiojkj;pikojpiijiuiujiujijlkloioulk uiupuuuoiu nlhjyophjyophjyophjyophjyoph jyophjyophjyophjyophjyophjyo phjyophjyophjyophjyophjyopkl hjkogykl;hhuokphjkojkm[p,lpyjkolupkkjpkkmopkjmklkmk;lhkuooho;k;ojohkouop;k "SPRINKLEJINX, STOP STANDING ON MY KEYBOARD!" Snark snaps. "Sorry." I say stepping off of the strange object. I trip over a strange black object. " What's that?" I ask. " That's my mouse?" Snark says. It doesn't look like the mice we have in Equestria. It didn't squeak, scamper, or eat cheese. "A mouse?" I ask. " Get out of here. You can't go behind the fourth wall yet. You're ruining everything. The readers are going to get confused. I hope you're happy, Sprinklejinx." Snark says. "If you were the one who made up the story, does that mean you could tell me who killed Lightning dust?" I ask. "I can, but what's the fun in that." Snark says. "Ponies are being slaughtered as we speak." I say. "Yeah, ponies that don't exist. Why should I care? It makes the plot more exciting." Snark says. "You killed these ponies, didn't you?" I ask. "Sort of. But I'm not a villain." Snark says. "So I'm just a fictional character." I ask. "An anti sue to be exact." Snark says. "You can't control me anymore!" I say levitating my sharpened shovel out of my saddle bag. I thrust my shovel at Snark with full force. "Go ahead. Kill me. It'll be the last thing you'll ever do. If you kill me I won't be able to finish the story and you won't be able to solve the mystery. You're nothing without me. With one click of the backspace key you won't even exist." The sadistic human scoffs. Backspace key? There's a key that unlocks backspace? I don't want to go to back space. "If you're not evil, give me a hint." I say. "Fine! The killer isn't Pinkie Pie, are you happy now?" Snark asks with a hint of attitude. "How do I know if you're telling the truth?" I ask. "You don't." Snark says grimly. "I went through the fourth wall without you. What makes you think you have power over me?" I ask. "You don't see any ponies riding on my back." Snark says shoving me into the white rectangle and cackles. What kind of a stupid comeback was that? What does it even mean? I wake up in the dark cell again. Cold water drips from the ceiling. There is a thin layer of mold on the walls. I slam my hooves against the bars. CLANK! The bar bends slightly. My back legs throb. I levitate my shovel out of my saddlebag and hit the bar again. CLANK! The dent grows wider. "Who keeps making all that noise?" The guard asks as he gallops over to my cell. "Give me that shovel!" He demands. "No!" I say. "Let me have it!" He says. A wicked grin spreads across my freckled face. I swing my shovel in between the bars. WHACK! The guard topples to the stone floor. He's knocked out cold. If I want to get past the rest of the guards I should wait to night fall. For now I examine the Cupcakes story. Now that I read it for the second time it seems more civilized. When I read it the first time, I thought torturing, killing, and devouring ponies sounded barbaric. Now I look at the way everypony treats me and it seems almost acceptable. Meat isn't very appitizing. I tried it once. When Derpy burned Gilda in the soup bowl,I decided to give it a taste just to know what it tasted like and why Diamond Dogs like it so much. I never told anypony about the incident with the soup. Eating Griffons is a little out of the ordinary, but eating other ponies is just plain twisted no matter what way you look at it. I wonder who I ate at Sugar Cube Corner or if this story isn't true at all. There is only one way to find out.
Chapter 7Thunderwing's Point of View: I can't believe Sprinklejinx would have it in her to murder an innocent pegasis, my half sister, no less! Sprinklejinx was right! You really can't trust anypony. I take off into the sky to my home in Cloudsdale. I hear somepony calling me from below. "What do you want?" I ask bitterly. I stare at the ground. Honey Flower gallops under me. "It's me, Honey Flower. I need your help!" Honey Flower says. "What?" I ask raising my voice. "Why won't he just leave me alone? Can't he see I don't want to be bothered?" "Sprinklejinx is in trouble! She's going to be hanged by Princess Celestia's soldiers!" Honey Flower pleads. "So what? She's getting what she deserves." I say in an angry tone. Why should I care if she's being executed? "Sprinklejinx is innocent." Honey Flower says. "Get your head out of the clouds. We all saw her name on that paper, clear as day." I say. "Sprinklejinx is your partner! She would never do anything to hurt an innocent pony." She says. I stop in my tracks and hover over him. "Do you really think so?" I ask. "I know so. If we don't hurry up and prove her innocent she'll be hanged by sundown." Honey Flower says. I land in the grassy meadow. "What if she really did kill Lightning Dust and the Mayor?" I ask folding my silver wings. "We don't have time for that! What would Sprinklejinx do for you if you were about to be hanged?" She asks. I can't let Sprinklejinx die if she wasn't responsible for any of the murders. I hear hoofsteps approaching me from behind. "I heard that Snowflake died in Cloudsdale last night!" Honey Flower says panting. "Where did you hear that from?" I ask. "Spitfire." She replies. "We don't have much time. According to that Cupcakes story, Rainbow Dash is her next target. Shemight be in trouble!" I say. "I'll go see if I could find some evidence in Cloudsdale because I'm the only pony who could walk on clouds." I say. I flap my feathery wings up and down and go through the front gate. I go inside The Wonderbolt Arena. Snowflake lays limply on the bleachers. I press my hoof against Snowflake's muscular wings. The warmth of his skin still lingers. He must have been dead for under four hours. We must have been on the train to The Crystal Empire when it happened. His white coat is stained red from the bloodspill. Clusters of feathers have been ripped from his wings. Whoever took down Snowflake must be pretty strong. Something catches my eye. I turn my head and notice a single yellow feather lying under the bleachers. The tip of the was moist and tinted orange. Could it have been Spitfire? No! That doesn't make any sense! Where would the pink hair come from? Who has a pink mane and yellow feathers? Fluttershy! Of course, Fluttershy! It's always the quiet ones. I've got to go tell the others. I soar through the thick clouds. Before I could make it out of Cloudsdale I ram into something at full force. Rainbow Dash nearly gets knocked right out of the sky. "Ouch! Watch where you're going!" Rainbow Dash mumbles rubbing her head with her hoof. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash. What's your hurry?" I ask. "Spitfire and Pinkie Pie have been arrested when you were gone! Have you seen Fluttershy? She's been a wreck ever since these murders have been happening!" Rainbow Dash asks. "I'm looking for her right now! Stay hidden! They might be coming for you!" I say. "Me? Why me? I'm not afraid!" Rainbow Dash says confidently. "I could outfly anypony who comes after me." Rainbow Dash flies rapidly in a complete circle. "We read a disturbing story about what they're going to do to you. They plan on killing you and baking you into a cupcake." I say. Her eyes open wide and her jaw drops. "Sprinklejinx is going to find the killer, right?" Rainbow Dash says trying to hide the panic in her voice. Her ears flop down and she bites her lip. "Not this time!" I say. "What!? Why not?" Rainbow Dash gasps. I stare into her eyes. "Princess Celestia put her in jail. It's just us this time. Make sure they don't find you! " I say somberly. I spread my wings and fly over her head. My mane rustles in the wind as I dive down towards the ground. "You're right, Honey Flower. Sprinklejinx isn't the culprit." I say. "The hoofwriting in cupcakes looks like a unicorn's writing. It's so neat. I can see why Celestia accused her." Honey Flower says. "What did you find, Thunderwing?" Honey Flower asks leaning towards me with anticipation in her eyes. "There is a yellow feather laying in the crime scene. That's probably why they think Spitfire is guilty." I say. "But the paper from the letter comes from an oak tree. Who lives in an oak tree?" Honey Flower asks. "The same pony who has yellow feathers and a pink mane, Fluttershy." I say. "Why would Fluttershy want to kill somepony?" Honey Flower asks. "She seems so nice? Are you sure we have the right criminal?" Honey Flower says. "Positive! Let's go to the prison before somepony gets executed." I say. I gallop beside Honey Flower to the prison. Everypony is crowded around the scaffold. There are three mares standing on top of the scaffold waiting to face their fate. Pinkie Pie on the left, Sprinklejinx in the middle, and Spitfire on the right. The crowd cheers as Celestia's guards tie the nooses tightly around their throats. "Are we going to play hangmare?" Pinkie Pie asks in a peppy voice. The crowd swarms around us and throws half eaten food at the three suspects. Spitfire tries to say something snappy but the rope presses tightly against her neck. Spitfire wheezes. The three mares stand on the scaffold trembling in fear. "Hang the murderers!" The crowd cheers. "Stop!" Derpy yelled from the crowd. Her crown sits upside down upon her head. "This is wrong!" Cadence says. "Silence! The hangings will not end until the streets of Ponyville are safe once more. This hysteria has gone far enough. The longer we wait, the more ponies get killed. If you confess you may spend the rest of your life in prison. If you refuse to confess, your life ends here. I am sorry it needs to be this way, but it is for the good of Equestria." Celestia replies. "There has to be a better way." Luna pleads. "There is no other way." Celestia says. "Do you confess, Pinkie Pie?" The guard asks. "Confess to what?" Pinkie Pie asks. The guard does not answer. He approaches Sprinklejinx. "Do you admit to killing Lightning Dust, The Mayor, and Snowflake?" The guard asks firmly. Sprinklejinx eyes narrow. "No! Never!" She gags weakly. She is struck in the head with a bitten apple. "Killer!" The crowd roars. The guard walks up to Spitfire. Spitfire glares at him as he passes by. "Do you-" The guard gets interrupted by Spitfire spitting in his face rebelliously. "I have evidence! They're innocent!" I scream over the roaring crowd. Nopony hears me. Sprinklejinx spots me in the crowd. She turns away and refuses to look at me. Sweat trickles down my ear and I swallow a huge lump in my throat. The three innocent mares close there eyes and take one final deep breath. . Honey Flower buries her face onto my shoulder and sobs quietly. I take deep heavy breaths. I try to push and shove my way over to the scaffold. I trip over somepony's hoof and drop to the ground. I feel my heart beating quickly in my chest. "I'm sorry." I whimper. My heart sinks. Suddenly, the platforms drop and the three suspects fall through the trap doors with a thud. They disappear into the darkness. I cringe. The ropes swing back and forth and slowly come to a complete stop. It's over... I never even got to say I'm sorry. The crowd applauds joyfully for the death of the mare they once called their hero. I cry out in despair. Nopony seems to notice. Honey Flower puts her hoof on my shoulder. I feel her comforting me and yet... I still feel alone. Is this what Equestria has come to? I never wanted Sprinklejinx to die mad at me. I shutter at the thought of me sitting in her office with an empty desk. Will I be the one to break the tragic news to her family? Am I strong enough to bring myself to do it? Fluttershy will suffer for this! I will punish Fluttershy! For Sprinklejinx...For Equestria! I will stop at nothing to bring justice to everypony.
Chapter 8Everypony watching the execution is celebrating the deaths of the suspects. I shake my head in disgust. I turn away from the gallows and walk away along with my friends. I drag my hooves in the dirt. The last thing I want to do is face the pony who killed my friends. What would I say to Fluttershy? No matter what I do to her, it will be much less than what she deserves. I remember back when I was funny and carefree. My sense of humor died along with Pinkie Pie, The Element of Laughter. Will I ever laugh again? Or will it only be a fading memory? I miss Spitfire. She was the Pegasus who taught me how to fly when I was a filly. Choking back tears, I turn to Honey Flower. Her yellow coat that was once bright and full of life is now dull and dreary. That glimmer of joy in her eyes is washed away by her tears. Weakling sniffles quietly in my ear. Looking at the two distraught ponies makes me feel worse. I stare at the ground and move forward. “Are you happy now,Thunderwing?” A voice asks from behind me. It’s a mare’s voice. It kind of sounds like Sprinklejinx. I’m going crazy already. “Am I the only pony who’s hearing this?” I ask. “Maybe you should go home and rest.” Honey Flower says. “Slackers!” Sprinklejinx’s voice says. “I think I heard it this time!” Honey Flower says. I see Pinkie Pie’s tail sticking out from behind the building. I gallop around the corner of the building. The three mares are standing together with rope marks around their necks. Pinkie Pie smiles and waves at me, Spitfire trots forward, and Sprinklejinx glares at me. “Sprinklejinx!?” I shout excitedly. “Sprinklejinx? That name doesn’t ring a bell. Don’t you mean murderer?” Sprinklejinx says in her bitter sassy voice. “How did you survive?” Honey Flower asks. “I loosened the rope with my magic while the princess was yammering about how evil we are.” Sprinklejinx says. “We’re so happy you’re alive!” Honey Flower says wrapping her front legs around her neck. Sprinklejinx shoves her. “All the sudden we’re BFFs? I don’t think so! I should have you fired. You almost got me killed.” Sprinklejinx snaps. “We’re really sorry, Jinx.” I say. Sprinklejinx rolls her eyes and moans. “You guys have a lot of sucking up to do after we solve this mystery.” Sprinklejinx says. “We already figured out who the killer is.” I say. “What?! You three stooges solved the mystery without me? How? Who?” Sprinklejinx babbles. “Yes we did. We found a yellow feather. It’s Fluttershy.” Honey Flower responds. Sprinklejinx gasps. “You don’t mean the Fluttershy who lives in the cottage and takes care of fuzzy little animals, do you?” Sprinklejinx asks. “ Yes.” Honey Flower says. “I’m surprised you didn’t try to escape from prison.” I say. “I did. I was trying to break out Spit Fire and Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie blew my cover with her loud mouth.” Sprinklejinx says. Pinkie Pie dances happily with the crowd of blissful ponies. Spitfire hushes her. “ WOOHOO! PARTY!” Pinkie Pie chants. Spitfire puts her hoof over Pinkie’s mouth. “Shut up! They’re throwing a party because they think we’re dead, remember?” Spitfire scolds. “I want to eat cake and play pin the tail on the donkey.” Pinkie Pie whines. “We don’t have time for partying.” Spitfire says. “There’s always time for partying.” Pinkie Pie says. “ What could we do to help, Thunderwing?” Spitfire asks. “Go make sure that Rainbow Dash is safe.” I say. “But I want to help with the mystery.” Spit Fire complains persistently. “Rainbow Dash has been threatened. None of us could go to Cloudsdale except for you and Thunderwing. Thunderwing is expert at his job. Now go to Cloudsdale and make sure that nopony sees you.” Honey Flower says. “Alright. I’ll make sure Rainbow Dash is okay. Good luck!” Spitfire says. “How are we going to get rid of Pinkie Pie?” I whisper. “Hey Pinkie, do you want to play a game?” Honey Flower asks. “A game? What kind of game? Is it a fun game?” Pinkie Pie cheers. “Yes. Hide and seek. We’ll count and you hide. You better find a good spot and be really quiet. There are four of us looking for you. So you’ll need to be extra tricky.” Honey Flower says. “Okie dokie. No peeking!” Pinkie Pie says in a peppy tone. We put our hooves over our eyes. “One...Two...Three...Four...Five...Six...Seven...Eight...Nine...Ten... Ready or not here we come.” Sprinklejinx say enthusiastically. “ Do you think she’ll stay hidden?” I whisper. “I doubt it.” Sprinklejinx mutters as she pulls her shovel out of her saddlebag with her teeth. We gallop over to Fluttershy’s cottage. I fly overhead through the thick grey clouds that cloak up all of the sunshine. The front door is left open. I can no longer hear the birds chirping their merry little tune. The cottage is silent. Honey Flower's legs go stiff. “ I don’t want to go in there.” She wimpers. “Come on, you big baby.” Sprinklejinx says dragging her by the tail. Her hooves stay firmly on the soil. “I’m not going!” She says. Her hooves scrape the ground as Sprinklejinx tugs harder. “Come on! We don’t have time for this.” I say. She swallows loudly and her legs wobble. We trot inside the cottage door. The cottage is dimly lit by the open door. Frightened animals are hiding under the broken furniture trembling in fear. There are severed squirrel tails nailed the ceiling along with other animal appendages. Some of the furniture had been tipped over and scratched. The cottage smells of death. Heaps of animal bones are scattered around the floor. I kick them out of my way with my hooves. Dismembered animal carcasses are everywhere. Something is written with blood on the walls.I push back the bloody tattered curtains to lighten up the room. Now I can read the message on the wall at ease. The writing looks similar to the writing in Cupcakes. I shutter. Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly I remember that little rhyme we made at flight camp. Lightning Dust was the pony who made it up. Fluttershy used to be the worst filly in flight camp. She used to be teased and mocked all of the time. The pegasi should have thought of the consequences of making fun of her, but instead we thought it was funny to watch her fail. I feel like a monster. Just like those ponies who cheered for the three mares to be hanged. Who is the real victim, the ponies being killed or the mare being pushed over the edge? In a way everypony at flight camp is just as guilty as she is. We broke her spirit. We made her this way. We are the ones to be blamed. Justice has already been served to the ponies that deserved it. Equestria doesn’t need justice right now. Equestria needs mercy. We were at fault for turning a sweet innocent mare into a wicked psychopath, but it was so long ago.The pegasi were young and foolish, but they’ve changed since then. It shouldn’t matter now. I don’t blame her for longing for revenge, even though it won’t solve anything. Honey Flower steps on a beaver skull and gasps. The skull rolls diagonally and hits the leg of a chair. The chair has bloody ropes laying on the seat. “Fluttershy? Are you in here?” Sprinklejinx says levitating her shovel over her head for self defense. There’s no answer. “She’s not here. She must be hiding from us.” I say. “Let’s get out of here. This placed is giving me the creeps. I think I’m going to be sick.” Honey Flower says. “Maybe her friends know where she’s hiding.” I say. The three of us exit Fluttershy’s cottage. It feels good to work together like a team again. We close the cottage door behind us and take in a deep breath of fresh air. I hope we could find Fluttershy and give her the mental help she needs.
Chapter 9The best way to find Fluttershy would be to ask her friends where they last saw her. Where would they be? They still think that Pinkie Pie is dead so they must be somewhere quiet and reserved. Maybe they’re at the library with Twilight Sparkle.We gallop past Sugar Cube Corner and over to the library. I knock on the door. Spike answers the door. “Sprinklejinx? You’re supposed to be dead, unless... YOU’RE A GHOST! GET AWAY!” Spike screams. He sprints the the other side of the room and cowers in a corner. “I’m not a ghost. I’m only pretending to be dead. You can’t let anypony know that I’m still alive yet. Do you understand?” I ask. The purple dragon flinches and presses his back up against the wall. “Do you understand?” I repeat. The baby dragon nods. “What are you here for? Twilight didn’t kill anypony. Twilight wouldn’t hurt a parasprite.” Spike says nervously. “We’re not after Twilight. We just need to ask her a few questions.” Thunderwing says. “It’s a bit of a bad time. She’s been having a rough time since Pinkie Pie died and Rainbow Dash vanished.” Spike says. “Pinkie’s not dead either. She’s hiding.” Honey Flower says. “Rainbow Dash is safe with Spitfire.” Thunderwingsays. “The mares are upstairs.” Spike replies with a grin on his face. We trot up the stairs. I hear quiet sniffling behind the door. I push the door open with my hoof. The three discolored mares cry together on the bed. Twilight Sparkle lays on her bed with her face buried in her pillow sobbing. Applejack sits next to her and strokes her mane, trying to comfort her. Tears roll down her orange freckled face. Rarity levitates used tissures into the garbage can. Her makeup is smeared down her cheeks. For once she didn’t seem to care about how she looks. “Hello?” Thunderwing asks.. “I want to be alone now.” Twilight says. “We have good news for you. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are alive.” Honey Flower says. Applejack shakes her head in disbelief. Her cowgirl hat nearly falls off of her head. “Pinkie Pie was hung. We saw it with our own two eyes.” Applejack says. “Hanged.” Twilight says correcting Applejack. “Sprinklejinx loosened the knot of the rope with her magic. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are hiding. “Really?” Rarity says. “Yes. I just need to ask you a few questions.” I say. “About what?” Twilight asks. “Fluttershy.” I reply. Fluttershy’s friends gasp. “Fluttershy?” Rarity asks. “Yes, how has she been behaving?” I ask. “Paranoid. All she ever talks about is the killer coming to get her.” Twilight says. “She thinks the whole world’s out to get her” Applejack says. “When was the last time you saw Fluttershy?” I ask. “After Snowflake was killed, she took off and said she was going to hide in the Everfree Forest. She told me to come with her. I didn’t go with her because I knew Pinkie Pie was in trouble.” Rarity says. “She was goin’ so fast that even me and Rainbow Dash couldn’t catch her.” Applejack says, “Rainbow Dash and I.” Twilight says correcting Applejack once more. “Thank you.” I say. “It was nothin’” Applejack says. I trot down the stairs and out the door. What would have happened if Rarity went into the forest with Fluttershy? Would she have killed her? We exit the library at a breakneck pace. We weave through the ponies in the streets. Near the Everfree forest, I spot a figure with a hooded cloak running through the trees. I pick up speed inching closer to Fluttershy’s tail. “Stop!” I command. “Where are you going?” I grab the cloak with my teeth to try to slow her down. She falls and the cloak falls off her body, launching me into the air. Fluttershy’s body is covered in deep gash marks. Clumps of feathers are missing from her wings and her mane is a frizzy mess. Her body is covered in teeth marks and her coat is stained with blood. She struggles to get back up to her hooves. “Come with me. Hurry! He’s coming for you!” Fluttershy says wincing in pain. “Who?” Honey Flower asks swallowing a lump in his throat. “B-Brownie!” Fluttershy stutters. “Brownie the bunny?” I ask. “No time to explain. Keep moving!” Fluttershy panics. “Wait a minute... Do you expect me to believe that your little bunny killed everypony?” I ask, “No. But if you don’t come with me he’ll eat you!” Fluttershy says with her soft shaky voice.. “Eat me? Bunnies don’t eat ponies. They’re herbivores.” Honey Flower says. “Bunnies aren’t big enough to eat ponies. We’re not afraid of bunnies.” Thunderwing says. The ground rumbles from underneath my hooves. “Here he comes!” Fluttershy squeaks. The brown bunny pops out of its tunnel. The bunny was about fifty times my size. I remember back when he barely fit on the bottom of my hoof. The mutant bunny lunges at me with full force. I swing my shovel at his face. The bunny flinches for a moment and rubs his eyes with his paws. Brownie roars loudly. His breath smells like pony flesh. My heart beats wildly in my chest as I gallop through the trees. The wind blows my mane in my face and the branches hit me as I pass by. That isn't enough to stop me from trying to escape. A cloud of dust forms from beneath my hooves. Everything around me is shaky and blurry. I pant loudly and my body is covered in sweat. My green coat blends in with the environment. Brownie can't see me, but he could smell me. Honey Flower kicks dirt into Brownie’s face as a distraction. The beast turns around and charges at Honey Flower head on. She screams and ducks behind a tree. Brownie rips the tree out of the ground by the root and throws it into the air like a scroll. Before the monster could bite Honey Flower, Thunderwing flies in Brownie’s ear. That only makes Brownie even more enraged. Brownie thrashes violently and throws himself on the ground. Brownie scratches his ear with his back leg launching Thunderwing into a tree. “Um, guys! I’m stuck!” Thunderwing says trying to get his wings untangled from the branches. Honey Flowershakes the tree by the trunk. Leaves fall off of the branches, but Thunderwing is still struggling through the branches. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you down.” Honey Flower says shaking the tree louder. As Honey Flower tries to get Thunderwing out of the trees, Brownie hops behind him. “Look out!” Honey Flower screams. Brownie pounces in the air with his claws aimed at his chest. Honey FLower gets knocked to the ground. Brownie’s sharp claws pierce his skin and blood pours from his wound. Brownie leans forward and opens his jaws showing his sharp teeth. Brownie steps on his stomach and comes closer to his face. I kick the bunny in the face with his front hooves. “OUCH!” Brownie yelps. Did that bunny just talk? How did Fluttershy teach this bunny how to talk? I sneak behind the bunny and levitate Thunderwing out of the tree. He glares at Fluttershy with his crimson eye. Fluttershy covers her eyes with her wings. “Stop it, Brownie!” Fluttershy begs. “You should have fed me the ponies you hated when you had the chance. Now I’m going to find my own meals.” Brownie says plowing through the trees of the Everfree Forest.
Chapter 10I gallop through the trees beside Fluttershy, Thunderwing, and Honey Flower. Should I trust Fluttershy? I guess I don’t have much of a choice. She knows about Brownie. Maybe she knows his weakness or the place he would attack next. “If Brownie gets to Ponyville somepony could get hurt.” Honey Flower says in a worried tone. “I’m so sorry.” Fluttershy whispers for the third time. “Can’t we give him a bunch of carrots to eat?” I ask ducking under a tree branch. “Brownie won’t eat carrots. I tried feeding him everything.I tried carrots,celery, apples,lettuce, and broccoli. The only thing Brownie likes is blood.” Fluttershy sighs. “ Was he always like this?” I ask stepping over a root. “ I rescued him from the thorn bush and took him home. I tried to feed him, but he wouldn’t eat. He licked the blood off of my cuts and got bigger. Soon, my wounds began to heal. I couldn’t let Brownie starve so I reopened the cuts. I didn’t have enough blood to satisfy him. I had trouble covering my cuts and lying to my friends. Brownie began eating the other animals in my cottage when I didn’t give him enough to eat. One day he told me that if I killed ponies who deserved to die, he would stop eating the animals. I didn’t want anypony to die. I don’t hate anypony. He said if I didn’t feed him, he’d eat my friends. I went to Cloudsdale and killed Lightning Dust for bullying me and making Rainbow Dash try steroids. It was horrible. I had to do it with my eyes closed. I couldn’t bear to look at her startled face. At the funeral, I found out that the mayor was after the pony who killed Lightning Dust. I didn’t want to go to prison so I killed her too. I didn’t plan on killing her. I just saw her looking at me like she knew what I did. I was so scared that I took my knife out of my saddle bag, turned off the lights and killed her. I had enough. I tried to kill Brownie in his sleep. I felt sorry for him, but it was for his own good. He woke up and attacked me. I told him that I wouldn’t take part in any more killings. He tied me to a chair and ate my animal friends in front of me. Then he wrote that disgusting cupcake story and read it to me out loud. After he was done ripping apart my animals he took off. I figured that he wanted to give Pinkie Pie the blame. I didn’t want Pinkie Pie to go to jail so I escaped from the cottage and confessed. Nopony believed me. I knew Brownie was planning to kill Rainbow Dash so I went to The Wonderbolt Academy to warn her. I found Snowflake dying on the bleachers from heart failure. It must have been from all the steroids he used. I cut him open and used his blood to bait Brownie. When I was looking for Brownie, I found Iron Will and half eaten behind The Carousel Boutique. I knew Rarity was in danger so I told her to hide in the Everfree forest until I trapped him . She wouldn’t come with me. So I used Snowflake’s blood to try get Brownie out of Ponyville and into the forest.. Then you came.” Fluttershy says. “Do you think Brownie has rabies? I would be able to try to cure him with some herbs if he does.” Honey Flower asks. “No. If Brownie has rabies and he bit Fluttershy, she’d be rabid too. He has something worse than rabies.” I say. “Where do you think he’s at?” Honey Flower asks. “He couldn’t have gone too far. Just follow the paw prints.” Thunderwing replies. Thunderwing flies high above the trees to get a better view of Brownie. “He’s at the school.” Thunderwing says diving at the ground. Thunderwing folds his wings and leads us out of the forest. “Diamond Tiara is in there!” I yell sprinting ahead everypony. “I hope Miss Cheerilee is able to keep everypony safe.” Honey Flower says galloping behind me. The streets of Ponyville are packed with frantic ponies. I try to weave through the shrieking ponies. When they saw what happened to Fluttershy they gallop around like chickens with their heads cut off. With a quick swat of his paw, Brownie knocks the roof off the school. A piece of the roof plummets on Cheerilee’s back. Cheerilee’s body can’t handle the weight of the wooden beam. Fluttershy lifts the board off of Cheerilee. The scared colts and fillies hide under their desks. Brownie snaches Silverspoon with his paw and stuffs her in his mouth like a piece of candy. He slowly chews her thrashing body to pieces. Brownie’s long yellow teeth are stained red. I find it disturbing, but I can’t look away from the petrified filly in Brownie’s mouth. Apple Bloom puts her hooves over her eyes and screams. Scootaloo is too afraid to move. Fluttershy kicks Brownie’s toe. Twist and Feather Weight gallop out the door. “Spit her out!It’s me you want, not her.” Fluttershy pleads.Brownie whacks Fluttershy with his paw. Fluttershy collapses face first on the ground. Honey Flower carries Apple Bloom and Scootaloo out of the school. Brownie snatches Sweetie Bell with his claws and stuffs her in his mouth. He digs his long teeth in her skin and shakes her like a maraca. I levitate my shovel and hit him on the nose. He drops Sweetie Belle’s bloody leg on the ground. Blood drizzles down his chin. Diamond Tiara gags. Thunderwing carries Snips and Snails out of the building. Diamond Tiara throws her chair at Brownie from behind the teacher’s desk. I stand in front of Diamond Tiara and swing my shovel at him everytime he comes near us. I’m not about to let a big stupid furball eat my niece. Brownie peers behind the garbage can. “You can’t hide from me!” Brownie says licking his lips. Pipsqueak realizes that he’s been spotted and scurries over to me. Before he could make it, Brownie scoops Pipsqueak off of the ground and sinks his teeth into his stomach. Pipsqueak yelps and blood pours out of him. Thunderwing flies over and kicks Brownie in the chin. Brownie drops Pipsqueak on the floor. He lays motionless in his own blood. Fluttershy drags him away. Brownie snaps at Thunderwing’s face just as Thunderwing kicks him in the throat. Thunderwing crashes into the wall. Brownie coughs. Something red and shiny falls out of his mouth and hits the door with a loud clank. Brownie begins to shrink . Within a few seconds he returns to his original size. Fluttershy approaches Brownie. “You’ve been a bad bunny.” Fluttershy says picking up the red jewel. “What is that?” I ask. “ I don’t know. I remember this from somewhere. Trixie! Trixie had it on her necklace. The Alicorn Amulet!” Fluttershy says. “It must have some kind of powerful magic.” Thunderwing says. I turn around. Part of his ear has been torn off. “There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with him now.” I say holding the bunny. Brownie seems to be clueless to how much damage he caused. I don’t know what I should do with him. I can’t put a bunny in prison. I forgot how cute bunnies could be when they’re not trying to eat me alive. We go outside to check on the other students. “Miss Cheerilee! We gotta go back in there and tape Sweetie Belle’s leg back on!” Apple Bloom says. “ She can’t walk without her leg!” Scootaloo says. “Girls, Sweetie Belle is dead.” Cheerilee cries stroking Scootaloo’s discolored main. “No she’s not!” Scootaloo screams. “She can’t die! Not yet!” Apple Bloom says wiping the tears out of her dull eyes. “I’m sorry Apple Bloom! She’s in a better place.” Cheerilee says softly. “No she ain’t! Diamond Tiara said that Blank Flanks don’t go ta’ heaven last year.” Apple Bloom weeps. “That’s not true. All of the good ponies go to heaven.” Honey Flower says. Apple Bloom forces a smile. “Well how is she going to walk in heaven without her leg? We should still tape it on.” Scootaloo says. “Okay.” Cheerilee says half heartedly walking the two despondent fillies into the building. I lay Pipsqueak’s lifeless body down on the grass. “Pipsqueak! Wake up! You gotta wake up! You gotta! You gotta!” Diamond Tiara screams as she shakes him back and forth. She buries her face in the grass and sniffles. Her ears flop down over her tiara. “Let’s go home.” I sigh. “Please don’t die...” Diamond Tiara whimpers. She gets up on her hooves and walks away. I hear a quiet mumble. “What was that?” Thunderwing asks. “I don’t know.” Honey Flower says. “Brownie is back to normal.” I say pointing at the bunny nibbling the clovers with my hoof. Brownie turns his head, twitches his nose, and perks up his ears. It’s hard to believe that I was afraid of that thing ten minutes ago. “You should probably go to the doctor.” Honey Flower says staring at Thunderwing's ear. “It doesn’t hurt that bad. I’m just lopsided.” Thunderwing says jokingly. Princess Celestia appears outside the school. “There you are!” She says. I gasp. “Don’t put her in jail. It was all my fault.” Fluttershy says. “I’m not putting Sprinklejinx in jail.” Princess Celestia says. “You’re not?” I ask. “No, I came here to apologise to you for almost executing you. Twilight Sparkle told me what happened to you. I shouldn’t have judged you so quickly. I was just trying to do what’s best for Cloudsdale. I just got done asking my servants to build an obstacle course for the Wonderbolts to make it up to Spitfire. I’m going to give Pinkie Pie a lifetime supply of balloons and confetti. I bought tickets for you and your friends to go see Vinyl Scratch and Octavia live. I also got you back stage passes. I also want to thank you for saving Spitfire and Pinkie Pie. ” Princess Celestia says. “Thank you, princess.” I say bowing down to her. I don’t know who Vinyl Scratch and Octavia are, but they must be very talented musicians. “I killed those ponies, Princess Celestia. I’m so sorry.” Fluttershy says. “She didn’t mean to kill anypony. She was being forced to kill those ponies. Don’t execute her.” Honey Flower begs. “I don’t know what the proper punishment would be. She confessed so she doesn't get the death sentence. She saved some ponies in the school so I don't think she should go to prison. She was only trying to protect her friends. Her intentions weren't evil. How about you decide what he punishment should be.” Celestia says. I can’t imagine Fluttershy going to jail. She’s too sensitive. She’d never survive five minutes in prison. She doesn’t belong in a cell with a bunch of tough thugs. “I think that she should have to do community service and pay for the school’s damages.” I say levitating my concert tickets in my saddlebag. “Sounds fair enough.” Princess Celestia says hesitantly. “I wouldn’t mind that at all. That's the least I could do for all the trouble I caused.” Fluttershy says. Princess Celestia’s body starts glowing a golden color. Celestia is getting ready to teleport back to Canterlot. “Wait...” Pipsqueak mumbles. "What is it, Pipsqueak." I say rushing to his side. "Can you tell Princess Luna I said hi?" Pipsqueak asks. "No problem." Princess Celestia says as she flies away. It feels good to know that everypony could sleep safely without worrying about being killed. There is only one thing left unsolved. Where the heck is Pinkie Pie hiding? _______________________________________________________________________________________ “That killer will never find me hiding behind the fourth wall.” Pinkie Pie says putting on her mustache disguise. “Well played, Pinkie. Well played.” TheSnarkKnight30 says closing the word document.
Chapter 2I can't wait to show Lightning Dust around Ponyville. We could get some cider and hang out at Sugar Cube Corner. I fly over The Wonder Bolt Academy arena and go to her house. I knock on her door made of clouds. There is no answer. "Lightning Dust, are you in there?" I ask. There's no response. She better not have gone without me. I push the door open. A table is tipped over and there is blood smeared on the walls. I swallow the lump in my throat and follow the trail of blood to her bedroom. I see a lump under her covers. I take a few steps back. I can't bring myself to move the blanket to see what's underneath. What the hoof happened in here? Murder, no doubt. I take a deep breath and pull the blanket off the mattress with my teeth. My jaw drops and the blanket falls on the floor. Lightning Dust lies lifelessly on her bed with a large slash mark on her throat. Her teal colored coat is drenched in blood. Fear grips my racing heart. I scream so loud that Spit Fire and Soarin come rushing inside her dorm. They watch helplessly as I throw up on the floor. "Lightning Dust! What happened?" Spit Fire asks. Soarin stares at my blood stained feathers. Do they think it's me? "I didn't do it!" I shriek. The taste of vomit still lingers in my mouth. "I know." Spit Fire says. How does she know? Could she have been the pony who killed her? She seemed pretty mad at her last night, but so did Pinkie. Soarin puts his hoof on my trembling shoulder. I fly away as fast as I ever flew. I can't cry. Not now. Not in front of the Wonderbolts. There's only one pony I know who could find out who killed her, and that's Sprinklejinx.
Chapter 3Sprinklejinx's POV I hear the pitter patter of hooves approaching me from behind. Somepony rams into me making me nearly fall over. " What were you doing all by yourself with your head down? Is there something wrong?" Thunderwing asks. " I was eating the grass. Can't a mare get some peace and quiet around here?" I ask. " Honey Flower and I were looking all over for you. We have a mystery to solve." Thunderwing says. That's a surprise. We haven't had a case to solve in over a week. Ponyville doesn't have a very high crime rate. I'd probably be better off living in bigger cities like Fillydelphia or Manehatten. But that's besides the point. I follow Thunderwing back to headquarters. Rainbow Dash is standing inside waiting for me. She stares straight ahead as if she was looking at something miles away. She's usually so carefree and collected. I wonder what's bothering her. " Can I help you?" I ask. Rainbow Dash loses the last shred of composure she had. She breaks down and sobs on Honey Flower's shoulder. " Lightning Dust was killed last night. I found her in her bed. Everypony thinks I'm the murderer." Rainbow Dash cries. The last thing I planned on seeing today is Rainbow Dash reduced to a blubbering mess. " Do you know anypony who would want to kill her?" I ask. " I don't know. Pinkie Pie and her got into a fight yesterday." Rainbow Dash says. " Now we're getting somewhere." Honey Flower says. " But so did Spit Fire." Rainbow Dash says. " Spit Fire? She would never." Thunderwing says in an astonished tone. " What was the fighting all about?" Honey Flower asks. " Pinkie got mad at Lightning Dust for trying to get me to try steroids." Rainbow Dash says. "What about Spit Fire?" I ask. " She showed up late for flying lessons. She's still kind of cranky about the tornado too." Rainbow Dash says. " You could go home now, Rainbowdash. We're going to check on the crime scene right away." Thunderwing says. Rainbowdash walks away despondently. " Do you think she'll be alright?" Honey Flower asks. " I don't know if she'll ever be the same." I reply. Thunderwing moans and kicks his desk. The microscope gets launched into the wall and breaks. " Way to go. You know that's coming out of your paycheck, right." I say. " I don't care." Thunderwing moans. " Is there something wrong?" Honey Flower asks. Thunderwing throws himself on the floor and covers his face with his hooves. " Lightning Dust is my half sister." Thunderwing weeps.
