Fenderville wasn't the type of town used to murder. Twilight found this out the hard way.
She was in the lobby of the hotel, her hooves massaging her temple from stress as teams of police-ponies swarmed into the dining room, ushering many of the guests out whilst cleaning and vacuuming them free of red snow.
The press was already crowding outside, all murmuring between each other whilst waiting for the emergence of Tourist Trap or his wife. Some of the police officers lined up around the hotel, forming a sort of barricade around the building, sealing off every possible entrance and exit.
Penny Royal sat across her, completely flustered with everything happening around her. Her face turned a dark green, still revolted by the severed body jammed into the conveyor belt.
She shuddered violently, the cup of tea in her hoof shaking along, spilling a few drops onto the carpeted floor. With every small slurp, the mare seemed to calm down, warmth spreading through her body before making way for her nervous tremble again.
"Can't believe this," she muttered to herself, "just can't believe this."
"Miss Sparkle!"
Twilight turned towards the kitchen, spotting Tourist Trap amidst the crowd. He was beckoning her to follow, before disappearing into the dining hall.
She excused herself, quickly trotting past the double doors.
Tourist was standing there, along with a group officers. They seemed to be waiting for her arrival, watching her way as the unicorn approached them.
One of the officers spoke up:
"Mr. Trap here said you were the one who discovered the body?"
Twilight nodded, still slightly fuddled as the police recorded a few notes down.
"Wait," she turned to the bothered hotel owner, "what's going on?"
Tourist sighed, turning to the mare as he spoke:
"Did Pinkie tell you anything? About this specific pony, Mirror Mare?"
"Mirror Mare?"
Her ears perked with anticipation.
"The serial killer, right? Some of my friends were attacked by it."
"Before coming to Fenderville?"
Tourist's face darkened in an instant. "This is not good. Not good at all."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked with worry.
"This pony is famed in the north, literally because of its diverse... how should I put it... methods."
The stallion looked at the staff around, all sweeping and vacuuming up the snow with a look of disgust on their faces.
"If I remembered clearly, Mirror Mare was supposedly only able to work in the boundaries of Pendant Lakes. Nothing more, nothing less. The larger its boundary, the more victims it can claim."
Twilight widened her eyes in disbelief.
"So, you're saying that it wasn't supposed to even be able to attack my friends in the first place?"
Tourist Trap nodded, his expression turning a little sour.
"Something's powering it. Something's expanding the limits of what it can do."
He pondered for a moment, before continuing:
"We have to start from this pony, I guess."
The two ponies strode towards the center of the room, with a few police-ponies escorting them. Twilight could already detect the sickening smell wavering throughout the room, obviously drifting from the kitchen.
Inside, the smell was strong, already making Twilight gag. A few officers were taking photos of the body, still jammed inside the ventilation system.
Tourist turned to the kitchen tables, cleared free of the usual pots and pans that stacked onto it. Instead, a few, bloodstained objects were laid onto it, with some officers examining everything closely.
"Pony's name is Starsign Fleet. Of Canterlot origin," one of the officers said, leafing through the wallet.
"Canterlot origin... Starsign Fleet."
Twilight froze. It couldn't be...
"The minister of the Education of Magic."
Tourist turned to the unicorn.
"Pardon?"
"He was one of the most vital ministers of the Canterlot Ministry. Princess Celestia always said he was the one that helped refine the arts of magic itself."
Twilight turned to the body, her heart sinking with dread.
"I can't... believe this..."
Tourist, however, was still unfazed by that.
"This wasn't the first minister found dead, though."
"What do you mean?" the unicorn asked, her anxiety beginning to flourish.
"There's more ministers found dead?"
"Three more of them, to be exact. All found slaughtered across the northern regions of Equestria."
Twilight paled at the figures before her.
"Do the Princesses know about this?"
"If they did," Tourist said with a deep sigh.
"it's obvious they don't want anypony else to know about it."
Her heart sank at the thought of Princess Celestia, her mentor and ruler of Equestria, covering up the murders of her own ministers.
"But I don't understand! Why would the Princesses do this?"
"I'm not sure as well," Tourist replied, "but I have no intention of finding out."
"Sir?"
Tourist turned to the door, seeing one of the kitchen staff step in. He was trembling violently with fear, attracting the everpony else's attention.
"You have to come see this."
Everypony walked out of the kitchen, their eyes widening instantly in shock.
The large wall beyond them was filled with giant letters, all painted with blood. Twilight stifled a gasp as she read the message:
Morte Al Reale Sorella
Death To The Royal Sisters...
"What does this mean?" she asked Tourist anxiously, the stallion's face instantly shadowed with grim.
"I don't know, Miss Sparkle. But I wouldn't want to find out why."
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Spike was on one of his usual strolls, a little tired still from his restless sleep last night.
He had a dream. Not a nightmare, no. Just a lascivious, lust-inducing dream.
Rarity was inside it, her azure pupils sparkling in the dark. A red, velvet quilt was draped over her body, the mare letting out a gentle giggle, her hoof clutching onto a small glass of sparkling juice.
Spike sighed dreamily, remembering their sensual kiss in his dream. How everything spiraled from there was beyond him.
The audible moans and gasps that the mare elicited still echoed strongly in his head, making him blush.
"Wet dreams..." he snorted, continuing his way down the corridor. "Very, very wet dreams..."
He suddenly stopped as a yellow-red door came into view, shining elegantly as bright as the sunrise outside.
Spike tilted his head, slightly puzzled. The dragon had never bothered to explore the corridors of the palace itself, but somehow he was certain this room was special.
With a small push, the door swung inwards silently, revealing the room behind.
The dragon slowly stepped in, looking in amazement as the rays of the sun pierced into the darkness, illuminating the room before him.
Spike crept forward, but his claw suddenly strained, pulling him back.
His muscles ache as he felt his limbs freeze, the dragon turning as stiff as a marble statue.
Something started to grow inside him. What was it? Anger? Hate? Whatever it was, it just boiled in him. An endless flare of energy.
The dragon struggled to clench his claws, feeling the darkness engulfing his body with pain. With every minute passing, it intensified within his heart, making him growl for more.
Across the room, a yellow, radiant glow blazed throughout the room, emanating from a small, harrowing crystal. Spike could see it through his obscured vision, caused from the overwhelming, demonic aura, sapping him of any energy. His eyes widened in horror, his body straining to move.
The last thing he saw was the golden crystal floating towards him, before blacking out.
* * * * * * *
Rarity panted and heaved, sweat dripping down her body.
Her eyes were frantically looking around. She sat there in her bed, stunned for a moment, before giving out a sigh.
"Another nightmare..."
Everything was still so vivid in her head. Rarity shuddered at the thought of it.
It was snowing red. Blood red, in fact. She was sitting in the meadow with all her friends, somewhere close to Applejack's farm. They were having a small picnic, with her lying against Spike's chest.
That was the only part of the nightmare she liked.
Then, the snow fell.
Everything seemed to fall apart, the faces of her friends all contorted into a black blur of... something unnatural.
Spike's face, however, was the most graphic. The four pairs of black, crystalline eyes that replaced his green ones, the mechanical, black carapace sprouting from his head, the horrid, ebony pincers jutting out from his mouth, which was frothing with green saliva.
All on the same purple body.
She shook her head with disgust, trying to brush away the hellish dream.
"What the hell, Rarity..." she scowled quietly to her imagination.
The unicorn strode out of the room. She woke up late, as usual, thanks to all her recent nightmares. Despite its tangled, disheveled state, Rarity never bothered to give it a comb, staggering outside without a care for her appearance.
Her inner voice whined within: "So unladylike of you, Rarity! You do realize what other ponies would think of you?"
She shrugged it off. She should deserve something! A Canterlot-damned award for even waking up from her nightmares and not dying of fright! The gruesomeness of it still lingered in her gut, which gurgled in response.
Rarity walked down the corridor, brushing her mane aside. She wasn't looking forward to breakfast, much less the day before her. No, her thoughts were focused on a specific dragon. The dragon that she would rather spend the whole day with-
A loud, deafening roar shattered her thoughts apart, making the mare tumble backwards onto the red carpet with a whimper. "Why I never..."
Rarity gathered herself up, dusting her hooves free of dust before letting out a gasp.
The shadow of a tall figure stood at the end of the corridor, standing on all four, stygian claws. She watched as it gritted its teeth, a deep purple aura radiating from its body. The creature snarled, its snake-like eyes glaring hungrily at Rarity, who was now backing away on the carpet.
"S-Stay!" she ordered, only to hear a growl. Rarity raised her hooves up, waiting for it to strike.
With a loud bark, the demonic creature pounced onto her, making her yelp. The black claws pinned her down onto the carpet, sinking into her skin.
She bit her lip, closing her eyes nervously as the creature breathed into her face. It's teeth were, contrast to it's body, pure white, with purple, gloppy saliva mixed in between.
Rarity's face grew alarmed as it's tongue hung out, dripping the fluids all over her body. She clenched her hooves with a shudder of disgust, shouting to the creature:
"That's very, very insensitive of you! To treat a lady like this!"
The canine just growled, making her gasp in disbelief.
"You DARE ignore MY feelings?! I have a dragon to talk to, and you just simply had to COME OUT from Celestia knows where and RUIN my day!"
Somehow, it seemed to have heard her, as it slipped back a bit with a whimper. Rarity stood up, now glaring at the creature. She was not done yet.
"Now guess what I have to do! Have a shower to wash this repulsive, heinous SLUDGE of yours off! NO thanks to you, Mister!"
The creature was now sniveling, its head hung low.
"Yes!" the mare shouted, her ears twitching with rage. "That's how you treat a lady!"
A brilliant, yellow crystal that was embedded into it's head caught her attention. Rarity's eyes sparkled at sight of it, her mouth hung open in awe.
The hound nuzzled against her hoof. Its eyes were watering slightly, as if begging her to pry it off. Reluctantly, her hoof gripped onto the gleaming surface, giving it one sharp pull.
"Almost there," she said, gritting her teeth. The creature yelped in pain as the crystal loosened from its vessel with a clink, landing in her hoof.
Suddenly, it's body glowed a bright, radiant light, making Rarity shield her eyes. It seemed to suspend in the air, before the light shattered apart, throwing the mare off her hooves.
Rarity rubbed her eyes, her head still a daze from her stumble. She gasped, her eyes widened in disbelief at the figure that now stood before her.
"S-Spike?!"
The dragon strained to stand up, only falling down with a groan. He crawled towards Rarity, who was still trying to absorb what happened.
"I... I'm... sorry..." he managed to mutter, before falling unconscious.
"Miss Rarity!"
Stellar came galloping towards her, along with a few guards from around the corner. The butler's face was filled with shock and concern, looking between the couple.
"Somepony reported you being attacked, Miss."
"I... I..." she managed to mutter, glancing uneasily at the dragon.
"I don't..."
The crystal clutched in her hoof glinted from the sunlight, catching the butler's attention.
"Where did you get that?" he asked frantically.
Rarity could only mumble to herself, still gazing at Spike with a fresh tear already forming in her eye.
Why..?
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"Where, um.. are we going?"
Charter would've answered the yellow pegasus, but he knew Fluttershy would faint instantly from his answer.
The white-tiled corridor was gloomy, with grease leaking from it's cracks. A few officers lined up in a row, all awaiting for the attorney's orders.
"Open up cell block six," he said to one of the officers, which hastily nodded.
Applejack looked around the corridors, suspicion clouding her head as she asked the stallion:
"What are we doing here?"
He just gave a melancholic answer:
"Visiting."
A loud blare sounded from above as a metal door before them slid open. Charter stepped into the next room, asking the mares to do the same.
"Visiting who?" Fluttershy asked hesitantly, stepping inside.
The room was square, it's walls plated with firm steel. A bright sheet of light filled the room, flourishing with a qualm-like conscience. In the center of the room, a metal table stood, with a few chairs strewn about.
The yellow pegasus gasped, her eyes widened in horror at the mare occupying the chair across them, her hooves bounded together by shackles with her mulberry wings flapping uneasily.
"Raven," Charter called out to the mare.
"Fluttershy's here."
Fluttershy instantly cringed, hiding behind Applejack with a tremble. The orange pony turned to the stallion, giving him an intimidating stare.
"What are ya two planning together?"
"Please, miss." Ravenshy spoke up, her voice faltering with guilt.
"I just... want to talk to her..."
Charter guided them in, with Fluttershy still glancing around uneasily, avoiding her mother's stare. The three of them sat down across her, with Applejack edging her seat closer to her friend.
"She's in a phase of regression," the district attorney told the yellow pegasus, trying to comfort her.
Fluttershy just bit her lip, watching her mother's concerned face as she began with her croaking voice:
"It's... been a while. A long while..."
Silence.
"I've been thinking through. The things I've done, the things of the past. Our past, actually."
No response.
"Fluttershy, what I did to you, after your dad passed away.... I was..."
Again, silence, yet everypony could feel it was starting to crack.
"I... I was cold, cruel.... I didn't realize..."
The mare's face was now streaming with tears, the chains in her hoof clinking against the table. Fluttershy's lips trembled, feeling her mother's voice ravaging with sorrow.
"D-didn't realize.... h-how..... how broken you were..."
Broken.
That was it.
Fluttershy sniffled, the fresh tears in her eyes now dripping onto the floor. Applejack placed her hoof around her friend, the purple pegasus continuing between her tears:
"And.... please.... I don't know how l-long I have left..."
"W-What do you mean?" Fluttershy finally responded.
Her mother kept quiet, glancing over at Charter, who now cleared his throat.
"The crimes she commited... she was sentenced to lifetime in prison."
"And?"
"Recently, we found out her brain had a sort of... illness. Whatever it was, it causes her to be aggressive towards others. The doctors had never seen it before, and are unable to treat it. For safety of the community, the judge changed the sentence..."
Charter let out a deep, morose sigh, before continuing:
"The sentence was changed to execution."
Fluttershy felt the world crack around her. Her heart stiffened, her shallow breathing collapsing almost immediately as the words echoed through her head once more.
...changed to execution....
Shock, anguish and astonishment pounded into her mind. She plummeted into her friend's hooves, shaking her head with her eyes widened with horror.
"No... No..No, this can't be happening. This cannot be happening!"
Charter muttered quietly to himself, his head hanging low with guilt.
Applejack could only help her friend up, trying to hide her shock.
"Why, Charter?" she shouted to the stallion. "Just change the sentence! Fix everything back!"
"You think I want to see her die? You think I want to see my best friend die?!"
The stallion was tearing up now, his voice cracking from devastation.
"I wanted the judge to change to a lighter sentence! I wanted them to know that she can still recover; that she can still live the life of a normal pony!"
"That bucking idiot didn't listen!" the stallion ended with a scowl, slamming his hooves onto the table.
Fluttershy watched as her mother wept, her tears dripping across the table. The yellow pegasus could only cry helplessly, an endless stream of tears flowing from her face.
"There must be another way!" she screamed, her body ravaged with despair. She pounded her hooves painlessly against Charter's chest, the stallion already wiping his streaming tears off his face.
"There. Must Be. Another WAY!!"
The yellow pegasus let herself fall onto the floor, tied down by a weight of depression. She cried and cried, her tears already forming a puddle on the floor.
"Flutters!" her mother cried out. "Flutters, just listen to me!"
"No! I don't want you to die!"
Fluttershy turned to the purple pegasus, her hooves kicking against the floor.
"I don't want you to DIE!"
"It's done, Flutters. It's settled."
Ravenshy sniffled a little, trying to calm down.
"That's enough now, sweetie."
"B-But... But it's too soon-"
"Hush now, Fluttershy."
The purple pegasus gave her a broken smile, her lips trembling, straining not to cry.
"It's... it's for your own good... for everypony's own good..."
"B-But..."
"No 'but's, Flutters. You're all grown up now, okay?"
Her tone changed into a small whisper as Ravenshy wiped a small tear away from her daughter's face.
"Whatever happened before, I want you to know that Mommy still loves you. I still love you..."
Fluttershy trembled, gripping her mother's hoof. She swallowed her despair, muttering to her among her gentle sniffles:
"I... I love you too..."
Applejack managed a smile, watching the two pegasi sobbing together. She held onto her hat, trying to let the remorse out of her heart.
Charter brushed his frazzled mane back down, looking on with his face filled with warmth.
Fluttershy and Ravenshy just sat there, their eyes closed in silent prayer, their hooves cupped together with tears still falling from their faces.
Mother and daughter... reunited once more.
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"Finally discharged, eh Pinkie?"
The pink pony gave Rainbow Dash a cheerful smile, She twirled with glee despite her bandaged hooves on the plaza, letting out a gleeful squeal.
"It feels so good to be outdoors again!"
Rainbow managed to chuckle at her friend's enthusiasm, yet her face turned slightly more somber with every step closer to the hotel. She let out a deep sigh.
The recent news of the 'blood snow', as the local press had dubbed it, was completely well known to the both of them already. No doubt the atrocious work of Mirror Mare, of course.
"So," she exclaimed suddenly, trying to break her chagrin mood.
"You're going to apologize to Twilight, right?"
Pinkie just glanced around, her cheerful bouncing halting immediately, making the cyan pegasus panic a little.
"I guess I have to...."
"Well, I'll help you, all right?"
Rainbow gave her friend a wink, instantly cheering up the pink pony.
"After all, that's what friends are for!"
Pinkie giggled in response, before the both of them stopped, blending into the crowd.
Her gaze settled onto the traffic light, which was still glowing a bright green as carriages hastily drove across the road.
She counted the time inside her heart. Fenderville's traffic lights are very predictable.
3... 2... 1...
Red.
Immediately, the crowd huddled forward. Pinkie ignored the random pushing and shoving, with Rainbow Dash following closely behind.
"Ow!"
Somepony knocked against her shoulder, making her stumble into Rainbow's hooves. The cyan pegasus turned around, shouting to a white unicorn:
"Hey! Come back and apologize!"
The stallion in question did not turn, instead continuing forward. Rainbow snorted at the stallion's fine suit, rolling her eyes while helping Pinkie Pie up.
"Snobs. Pah!"
"Thanks, Dashie!" the pink pony said with a grin.
"No problem, Pinks," she replied with a smile.
"Although I really want him to say sorry..."
"It's okay!" Pinkie said with a squeal. "I don't mind at all!"
Rainbow blinked her eyes, before shaking her head with a chuckle.
"Oh, Pinkie..."
* * * * * * *
Winter never meant to hit that pink mare down.
He really, really wanted to apologize, yet that would impede his progress.
Something seemed familiar about her, though. That aura around her... it flowed with boundless energy that reminded him of Spring.
He chuckled quietly to himself. He was already missing that little filly already.
Without a second thought, Winter flipped his map open like a tourist in town. His hooves scanned across the map, before landing on his destination.
The pink mare seemed to come into his thoughts again. What was it? He couldn't crack the nut if it was one.
"Might be an old friend..." he mused, although his heart doubted it.
The newspaper on the newsstand caught his eye. He read the black title carefully, his face instantly darkening at the last four words.
Blood Snow Rains In Fenderville Hotel. Caused By Body Of Canterlot Minister
Mirror Mare's on the move. The Patriarch ruffled his collars, continuing his journey across the town whilst looking at his map. He had to move fast before the next body turns up.
"So," he asked himself.
"Who would be next?"