Applejack the Ripper 2

You stood at the podium wearing a black suit that you had made after the first week in town. You looked out into the crowd of p0nies that had turned up, the entire town. It doesn’t surprise you, she considered everyp0ny family. This was the first time in a while you had to speak at a funeral for someone. When Rose had hers, you watched from the sidelines, only waiting until everyp0ny else left before you placed flowers on her grave. Every time the funeral comes around, the Pegasi cause it to rain. It wasn’t because it was sad, but to symbolise the cleansing of the deceased soul.
Even at Rose’s funeral, through the rain falling on your face, you couldn’t help but to cry. You felt responsible for her death, something you might have been able to prevent. After leaving the flowers, you turned to see the mane 6 standing right behind you. They finally all saw you for something other than a monster, they saw a creature that cared for somep0ny you never even knew. It was on that day, they all accepted your friendship, accepted you for you.
You look over everyp0ny, and then down to your feet. You didn’t really have a lot to say, but she was your friend and you needed to be there for her, for her family, for her friends.
‘Good Morning Mares and Gentlecolts, my name is Anon. I will be the speaker of today’s proceedings. I would like to thank all those who have come out to honour the deceased, and I am sure she would be happy to see how many p0nies cared for her so. Without further ado, I shall start the eulogy that I and her friends have prepared.’

On cue, your friends stood from their seats next to you, wiping away tears, and prepared themselves.
‘Though I didn’t know her for too long,’ You continued ‘And when I landed here, I wasn’t the most popular of creatures, she eventually warmed up to me. Seeing her smile every day brought a smile to my face, and how hard she worked to make up for the mistakes of others made me realise how much of a caring p0ny she was.’ Tears started to fill your eyes ‘She never lied to me about anything, if she hated me, she said so. When I first met her, I pushed her away but she became a close friend. She would come to my house every day, smile on her face, warmth in her heart.’ You wipe away more tears, you knew you didn’t have long so you needed to hurry.
‘I should have been there to protect her, she didn’t deserve to be treated the way she did. She was loved, and I wish I could have told her earlier. She has gone to a better place, and I swear I will avenge her. So this is my final goodbye to her.’ You walk over to the casket, and softly kiss her forehead. ‘I’m sorry Applejack. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to save you, and I’m sorry I never told you how much you meant to me.’
You break down into tears, and walk back to your seat. She meant too much to you, no matter how many times she tried to rape you. The attempts didn’t matter to you, because afterwards she would sit down with you and drink tea, and enjoy a chat about life. She wasn’t bad, and she definitely didn’t deserve dying this way.

As you sit and listen to all the eulogies your friends had prepared, you cry into your hands. You eventually run out of tears as Rainbow Dash finishes the proceedings. Everyp0ny lined up to say their goodbyes, and you notice  a large red stallion leading them. You recognised him immediately, he was Applejacks big brother. You stood up and waited for him to finish his final goodbyes, and as he walked away you approached him.
‘I’m sorry, Big Macintosh?’ you say.
‘Eeeyup.’ He said in a very solemn tone.
‘I’m sorry for your loss. I was wondering if I could talk to you about some things.’ He gives you a nod ‘So, when did Applejack disappear?’
‘It was after chores, she said she had to go in tah town like she did every day.’ Big Mac said.
‘She…she went into town every day after chores? At what time was this?’
‘Around 7-ish. It seemed important to her. Nothing could stop it.’
‘And let me guess, it happened for the past 3 weeks?’ He nodded again, and you rubbed your eyes ‘Mac, can I tell you something, and I mean it in the best of ways. I do not mean to disrespect her memory.’
‘Eeeyup.’
‘Every morning, for the past 3 weeks, Applejack had come to my house and…’ you choked up. Could you tell him his sister wanted to rape you? ‘She came over every morning, telling me how wonderful I was. She wanted to make me feel better, and eventually she fell in love with me.’
He looked at you, and you didn’t know if you were going to die now.
‘Please understand, she sat with me every morning and we spoke. She said if I ever needed to talk, just to find her.’

Big Macintosh began to cry again. ‘She did speak abouts ya. She said ya was a true gentlecolt. Always came home with a smile, I just didn’t know why.’
‘After…after my wife’s passing, I couldn’t love someone else. I told her this, and she did feel down. I asked her to continue to visit me because it made me feel like I still had friends here. I promise you Big Macintosh, I will find this sicko and I will make them pay. She wasn’t just a p0ny, she was my friend.’
He gave you a smile, and you hugged him. ‘Grab your little sister and granny, and go home. I will deal with everything after this.’ He nodded again, and you walked away. You had to lie to him, even if it was just a little. She was your friend, and you will catch this sick son of a bitch.
As you watched them lower her casket into the ground, you couldn’t muster another tear for her, you were run dry. You reach into your coat pocket, and pull out a white orchid. She used to go on and on about how it was the one flower she didn’t exactly hate. You could still her words.
‘Ya know Anon, ya’ll should plant dem orchids at yer house. It ain’t such a bad flower.’
And there it goes, you find your reserves for tears. By this time everyp0ny has left, and you could cry your eyes out in peace.
‘Goodbye Applejack. Say hello to Nicole for me.’ You whisper as you place the orchid on her headstone.
As you walk home to get back to work, you don’t notice the pair of eyes monitoring your every move.

After a shower and changing out of your wet suit, you put on your black pants and over coat as well as your fedora, all courtesy of Rarity the fashion p0ny. You felt that if you had to be a detective, you might as well look the part. You sit down at your desk of your office, which joined onto your living room. This was your base of operations, your home away from home, even if you were 15 feet from home. You open a drawer and pull out a bottle of scotch, pouring yourself a large glass of it. You take a sip, and lean back thinking about the friend you just lost and how your friendship began.
It was the morning after Rose’s funeral, and you couldn’t sleep. The nightmares were continuing, visions of blood and gore made you wake up dry heaving. You were sitting on the couch considering drinking away the pain when there was a knock at the door. You stood up and slowly walked to the door, opening it to find the orange p0ny with the famous hat.
‘Mornin’ Anon.’ she said.
‘Umm…Hi. Applejack right?’ you said in a monotone voice, too tired to care.
‘Yep. Ah came here to see how ya was settlin’ in?’
‘I guess it’s okay. Would you like to come in?’
She smiled her winning smile ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way, sugah.’

You allow her to walk in and both of you sit on the couch. You sit there looking like death worn over, and she had a massive smile on her face. This was getting annoying, and somewhat creepy.
‘Is there an actual reason for you being here?’ you say and her smile drops for a second.
‘I was jus’ worried. You look like you haven’t slept.’
‘Nightmares about the murder. It’s really getting to me.’ You look to the ground, the feeling of throwing up washes over you again.
‘Well maybe Ah can help.’ You look up at her to ask why, but she was already on top of you pressing her lips against yours.
It took a few seconds to let it sink in that you were KISSING A FUCKING HORSE!, but when you did you pushed her off you.
‘WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!?!’ you scream at her.
‘Anon, I was wrong tah attack ya. Ah realised that when Ah saw how sensitive ya was.’
‘So you fucking do a full 180 and try to force yourself on me.’ You began to back away from her.
‘Well Ah thought if Ah dun showed ya how Ah felt, ya would accept me.’
‘Applejack, I DON’T FUCK P0NIES!!’
She stopped mid-step and looked at you. You didn’t know what was going to happen, but your jimmies were a rustlin’.
‘Okay Anon. Ah guess Ah can’t change yer mind.’ You dropped your guard for a second ‘Ah guess Ah have tah be more forceful like.’
She jumps up onto the back of the couch as you run for the door, just as you expected. You sidestepped the flying p0ny, before grabbing her back and slamming her into the door, knocking her unconscious.

When she came too, Applejack saw she had been tied to a chair in your kitchen, across from her sat you. On the table sat a cake and a bottle of apple juice.
‘You okay?’ you asked
‘What do ya think yer doin’?!’ she yelled at you.
‘Well I defended myself. And then I made sure you were alright. This is what I do.’
You stand up and walk over to the kitchen drawer, lifting out a kitchen knife. As you walked back over to Applejack, she started to cry. It wasn’t until she felt the ropes go slack did she look up, just as you were sitting down.
‘Cake?’
‘What?’
‘Would you like a piece of cake? I made it myself.’
She nods slowly, and you cut her a slice, placing it on a plate and passed it to her. She took a bite and her eyes lit up.
‘Why are ya bein’ so nice tah me? Ah mean, did ya ferget Ah just tried tah buck yer brains out?’
‘Despite what p0nies think, I am not a monster and I don’t think you are. I think you are just a bit forceful in your approach.’
She looked saddened again ‘Ah’m sorry Anon. Did Ah ruin my chance witcha?’
You sighed deeply and pour some apple juice for the two of you ‘Applejack, I don’t think I can love anyone, p0ny or otherwise. I have nothing against others, I just lost someone who was very important to me. I can’t love others like I did her.’
‘Do ya wanna talk about it?’
‘Not really Applejack.’
She gives you a nod, and finishes her cake and juice ‘Thank you Anon. I’ll see ya later.’

You expected that to be that, but the next day Applejack returned, except she kicked your door in. After a long struggle, you knocked her out again and sat her down to enjoy some tea. This continued for a week, transpiring in the same order; she knocked your door in, she gets knocked out, and you enjoy some breakfast together.
It wasn’t until one day the next week did things get scarier. It started the same, Applejack kicking the door in, and a struggle, but when you were about to knock her out, she kicked you square in the chest and you fell onto the coffee table. When you came to, you had been placed on your usual seat and in front of you, a bowl of apples. Applejack sat in across from you. You immediately pat down your clothes, checking that they were still there.
‘Don’ worry yer pretty lil’ head. Ah didn’t do nufin to ya.’ Applejack said with a smile.
‘But why? I was defenceless.’
‘Every time ya knocked me on tah my flank, you made sure ah was alright. You were real nice to me.’
‘But if you weren’t planning to rape me, why do you come here every day?’
She gave you another winning smile ‘Cos ya’ll forget abouts me if Ah didn’t. Plus ya is always fun, and afterwards ya treat me like a real fancy mare. Ah guess Ah just fell for how nice ya treat me, hippin’ and hoppin’ around is just a perk.’
You were happy to share an experience like this with Applejack. Even though you didn’t fear being raped by her so much, you didn’t fight with any less intensity. You enjoyed the game, the hunt. One day you would hang over the door, and pounce on her; on another she would break in through the kitchen.

You swallow the last amounts of scotch in the glass, and opened the crime scene photos. It was almost the same thing as last time. Choked at first, but Applejack was still alive when they slit her throat. Sprayed the walls with her blood. The killer removed the cutie mark and heart…. Applejack had a strong heart, something you never really got to tell her.
Your thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the office door opening. You look up to see a light grey pegasus with a blonde mane and crooked eyes walk in with a violet unicorn that shared the same mane colour. You quickly stash the photos and scotch in the top drawer.
‘Hello.’ You say, standing up.
‘Hello Mister Anon. I came to bring you something.’ Said the Pegasus. She dragged in a large basket of muffins of all different kinds.
‘Thank you very much. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your names when we first met.’
‘I’m Derpy and this is my daughter Dinky.’ Derpy said with a smile.
‘Hi’ Dinky said with a bigger smile.
‘What are you working on?’ Derpy asked.
‘I… I just want to find out who killed Applejack.’ You say‘She was my best friend, and she was supposedly on the way to see me.’
‘She was really nice. I used to see her leave your house every day when I dropped off your mail.’
‘You’re the mail mare too?’ Derpy nodded ‘Thank you Miss Derpy, you do so much for this town.’
‘It’s okay Anon. I just wanted to make sure you are alright. I don’t want to live in a town where there is a big meanie is prowling. Thank you for being here for us.’
You give them a smile and nod before they leave.

You write Celestia your weekly report, stating the funeral was held today, what you had learnt from the body and crime scene and possible suspects. At the end of the letter, you add that you need a few bottles of scotch sent to you as soon as possible. You take out your trusty lighter, another keepsake from earth which had been magically made to create a green flame that sent  letters to Princess Celestia. As soon as you send the letter, you place the lighter down and pour yourself another glass of scotch.
The glass hadn’t even touched your lips when your lighter spit out a scroll with a *bang*. You picked it up to read it.
>Dear Anon,
>I am thankful for your weekly report, and I am relieved that Miss Applejack had a proper funeral.
>I am concerned about your request for alcohol. Why is it you need it?
>Princess Celestia
You take out another piece of parchment, and write a reply to the Princess.
>Celestia
>The death of Applejack struck me hard. For the past 3 weeks, she had been my best friend and she died on her way to visit me.
>This stress has made it hard for me to sleep, and the alcohol will help. I do not plan on relying on it all the time, I just need to mourn my friend.
>This will not come in between my duties, as I am focused on finding who hurt her.
>If you do not think I should do this to myself, I understand.
You send the letter, and drink your scotch. There is another loud bang, and on your desk sat another bottle of scotch with a note attached.
>Moderation is the key.
>But know I understand the feeling.
You finish your drink, and another before heading to bed for nightmare-filled nights.