//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Hatred is Magic // by smirker //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle and her friends led the four suspects into Canterlot Castle and to an interrogation room, she stood in there with her friends and the suspects, "Okay, we'll do this one pony at a time, Green Magician, you're first, the rest of you three, out." Twilight Sparkle stated, and they walked outside. The six mares stood across from Green Magician while she sat, "Alright, Green Magician, let's start, where were you at the time Queen Chrysalis was murdered?" Twilight Sparkle interrogated, "I was sleeping in a hotel room in Fillydelphia." Green Magician answered, "I bet you're lying!" Pinkie Pie protested, "Pinkie, darling, she doesn't seem to be." Rarity stated, "Can we see the receipt?" Rainbow Dash asked, Green Magician cast a spell with a dark green magic aura on her horn, the receipt appeared and the six mares examined it, "It's real." Twilight Sparkle said, and Green Magician put it down, "What are your thoughts on the changelings, Green Magician?" Fluttershy questioned, "They're no different from any other customer or person in the audience to me, I perform and entertain for a living, I can't be picky about my audience." Green Magician responded, "I bet you're lying!" Pinkie Pie blurted as she got into her face and pressed her snout against Green Magician's, "Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash reprimanded as she pulled her away, "Sorry, sugar cube, she's been worked up ever since Chrysalis' demise." Applejack said, "It's fine, I think we've all been a bit anxious after that happened." Green Magician answered, "So you have nothing against changelings?" Twilight Sparkle questioned, "Nope, they're just another set of customers and fans to me." Green Magician spoke, "You sound like you're lying!" Pinkie Pie blurted, "Pinkie!" Applejack reprimanded, "It's fine, I understand her reasons for not having a cool head." Green Magician spoke, "Okay, I don't think she's our culprit, you may leave, Green Magician." Twilight Sparkle said, and she left the room, "Next." Twilight Sparkle called out, and Absinthe came in and sat, "Alright, Absinthe, where were you when Chrysalis met her demise?" Twilight Sparkle questioned, "I was working my night shift and making drinks for customers." Absinthe answered, "Okay, does your workplace allow changelings in as customers?" Twilight Sparkle asked, "Yes." Absinthe replied, "Hold on, where do you work, Absinthe?" Rainbow Dash questioned, "At the bar in the eastern part of Canterlot." Absinthe responded, "And what kind of drinks are you serving?" Rainbow Dash asked, "Alcohol." Absinthe replied, "Do you drink yourself?" Rainbow Dash inquired, "I do." Absinthe answered, "No worries, she ain't drunk, Ah can tell easily if someone's drunk or not." Applejack said, Pinkie Pie began smelling her, "Hmm, you don't reek of alcohol." Pinkie Pie remarked, "I don't drink often." Absinthe answered, "When was the last time you had a drink?" Twilight Sparkle asked, "Last week." Absinthe replied, "What do you think of the changelings personally?" Twilight Sparkle inquired, "Well, I do get a bit uncomfortable when they come into the bar due to our kind's history with them, I always get uneasy and think they're going to attack us." Absinthe explained while sweating, the six mares raised an eyebrow, "And how often do you have changelings as customers?" Applejack questioned, "Not very often." Absinthe spoke, "Hmm, she doesn't seem to be lyin'." Applejack stated, "I agree, you may leave, Absinthe." Twilight Sparkle said, and she did, "Next." Twilight Sparkle called out, and Ginger Ale came in, "Go ahead and sit, Ginger Ale." Twilight Sparkle said, and he did, "Where were you at the time when Chrysalis met her demise?" Twilight Sparkle asked, "I was at home sleeping in my bed." Ginger Ale responded, "That sounds a bit too convenient, sugar cube." Applejack objected, Ginger Ale cast a spell with a dark green aura on his horn and a projector came up. They saw an image of Chrysalis dead at a time at the bottom that said 2:36 a.m., "Keep note of the time." Twilight Sparkle reminded herself, Ginger Ale moved the screen to Baltimare and showed the six mares he was sleeping in his apartment at that time, the screen disappeared afterwards, "See, I was sleeping at the time she was killed." Ginger Ale said, "How do we know that's not fake?" Applejack questioned, "Did the time of death on Chrysalis' corpse come in yet?" Ginger Ale asked, "No, not yet." Twilight Sparkle answered, "Then we'll have to wait until then." Ginger Ale stated, "When did you hear about Chrysalis' demise?" Rainbow Dash asked, "When I went to work the next morning." Ginger Ale replied, "You're hiding something!" Pinkie Pie blurted as she pressed her snout against his, "Um... Pinkie, I think you're scaring him." Fluttershy said as she noticed Ginger Ale sweating a lot with a nervous expression on his face, "Come on, Pinkie, back away a little." Applejack said as she pulled her back, "What are your views on changelings, Ginger Ale?" Twilight Sparkle inquired, "I'll admit I get uncomfortable whenever I see them because of how they were in the past, I tend to get a bad feeling that they might attack me or the other ponies whenever I see them on the city's streets or in the store I work at." Ginger Ale replied, "It is understandable, considering Chrysalis' invasion was recently." Rarity remarked, "I'm not the only one either, everypony in Baltimare is uncomfortable around changelings." Ginger Ale added, "Give it time, Ginger Ale, I'm sure we'll warm up eventually, you're free to go." Twilight Sparkle responded while smiling, and he left the room, "Can the last person come in now please?" Twilight Sparkle asked, and Lemon Lime entered the room, "Go ahead and sit, Lemon Lime." Twilight Sparkle instructed, and he did, "Okay, Lemon Lime, where were you at the time of Chrysalis' demise?" Twilight Sparkle asked, "I was sleeping." Lemon Lime replied, "What town or city were you in?" Twilight Sparkle questioned, "I live in a small town to the west of Equestria, it's called Citrusville, it's famous for producing citrus fruit." Lemon Lime explained, "Where do you work?" Rainbow Dash asked, "My farm's at my home." Lemon Lime responded, "How often do you get visitors?" Fluttershy inquired, "Usually one or two days per week when I'm selling my products." Lemon Lime answered, "How many of them are changelings?" Twilight Sparkle asked, "I don't get changeling visitors often, and whenever I do, there's usually only one in my line of customers." Lemon Lime explained, "I bet you have a 'no changelings' sign in your yard!" Pinkie Pie fumed, "Actually, I don't." Lemon Lime replied nervously but calmly, "I bet you do!" Pinkie Pie retorted, "Pinkie, darling." Rarity said as she pulled her back, "Sorry about that, Lemon Lime, moving on, what are your personal thoughts on changelings?" Twilight Sparkle questioned, "I'm trying my best to accept them, but due to their prior history as invaders, and a lot of my changeling customers being rude, I find myself unable to befriend them, they are always cutting in lines and threatening the other ponies, there are times when I wish they weren't there." Lemon Lime explained, "Uh-huh! So you do hate the changelings!" Pinkie Pie accused, "Pinkie! He has legitimate reasons." Applejack reminded, "Thank you for your time, Lemon Lime." Twilight Sparkle spoke, and he stood up and left the room. Twilight Sparkle and her friends stood in the room while they heard the four suspects leave, "So what do ya think, Twilight?" Applejack asked, "All four of them do seem innocent, but I'm not entirely sure, I'm going to cast a spell when we get home so I can watch them and see if any of them could be the culprit." Twilight Sparkle responded, "Wouldn't that be stalking?" Rainbow Dash questioned, "I'm personally not happy about doing this either, but to find the culprit, I feel that we have to." Twilight Sparkle replied, "So, what do we do now?" Fluttershy asked, "We wait, let's go back to Ponyville now." Twilight Sparkle responded, and they left Canterlot Castle, boarded the train, and went back to Ponyville. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were getting ready for their trip to the Hive and looked for something to give to the changelings as a gift, "What should we give them, sis?" Princess Luna asked, "I don't know, surely, there is something we can give to establish our friendship." Princess Celestia replied, "Hmm, well, Thorax is trying to adapt to our ways, maybe we should give him a friendship empowered artifact." Princess Luna stated, "That's a great idea, but I still wonder what that should be." Princess Celestia replied, they getting ready for their trip and went through their things to find something to give as a gift, "Have you found something yet, sister?" Princess Luna asked, "Not yet." Princess Celestia replied, a royal guard ran into the room and to the princesses, "Emergency! Changelings are being attacked to the north of Canterlot!" the royal guard reported as she nearly panicked, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna flew outside and heard screaming to the north of Canterlot, they flew into the woods and looked around, they could not see anything, so they flew down. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna flew into the woods and looked around, they looked on in silence and with dropped jaws when they saw two dead changelings in front of them, they examined them saw dark green auras in the slash wounds on their bodies, "It's just like Chrysalis' body." Princess Luna spoke, "It is, they got what appear to be sword wounds as well." Princess Celestia added, "Come on, sis, let's see if we can find any clues." Princess Luna said, and they began looking around. The Cutie Mark Crusaders walked around Ponyville since they have finished their homework and waited for Twilight Sparkle and her friends to come back, they saw the new students walking around Ponyville with their families, "Hey, where's Starburn and Daylight Dimmer?" Scootaloo asked, "They're probably at home." Sweetie Belle replied, and they soon saw Tulip, Ornamental Jewelry, Blueberry, Monochrome, and Banker and their families watching Ocellus as she walked by, they followed her closely while the Cutie Mark Crusaders trotted after them. They watched Ocellus look back and she began walking faster, so did the ponies following her, she trotted while whimpering and they did, she began to run and the ponies began running after her. Ocellus ran while panting heavily while the ponies chased her, "Stop, y'all!" Apple Bloom hollered, but the ponies continued chasing Ocellus, the ponies were catching up to her, she changed to a beetle and flew away. Apple Bloom walked in front of the ponies, "What were y'all doin'?" Apple Bloom inquired, "She's a changeling, we've had it with them causing problems." Strawberry replied, "She's one of the good ones." Scootaloo remarked, "There is no good changeling, all they did is give us trouble, she shouldn't even be allowed to wander around without being watched." Vine retorted, "Yeah, look at all of the chaos they caused, they killed my dad! Those changelings are better off extinct!" Monochrome added, "Come on, guys, she's not like the others, we swear." Sweetie Belle spoke, "How are you sure?" Ornamental Jewelry asked, "Well, she's helped us in Ponyville a bit, and she's discussed how she's ashamed of her own kind's past." Apple Bloom explained, "How do you know she's not lying?" Anvil Striker questioned, "Because she tried to do a project in the School of Friendship shortly before you guys came trying to show that changelings can use their powers for good." Scootaloo answered, "Does she think that will erase her kind's past actions?" Tulip asked, "I think she knows it won't, but she wants to make amends." Sweetie Belle responded, "How? Making amends isn't going to bring our dead relatives back." Ornamental Jewelry snapped, "Y'all, Ah don't think she was involved in the troubles the other changelings gave y'all." Apple Bloom responded, "And how are you sure of that?" Monochrome questioned, "Because all of the changelings we saw cause trouble were adults, she's a teenager." Scootaloo answered, "What are you three saying?" Blueberry asked, "Um... instead of you guys targeting changelings, you all should just target the ones responsible for your tragedies." Sweetie Belle explained while sweating, "About that, we don't know the specific changelings that caused us our tragedies." Rose replied, "Well, targeting all changelings isn't the right thing to do." Sweetie Belle remarked, "How do you know she and the others won't target and harm others?" Blueberry asked, "She's been here long enough for us to know her." Scootaloo answered, "What about when she's alone?" Vine questioned, "She's fine when by herself, she doesn't cause anyone trouble here." Apple Bloom responded, the ponies remained silent, "Don't blame us if she attacks you three." Strawberry commented, and the ponies went back home. The Cutie Mark Crusaders walked around Ponyville and looked for Ocellus, they saw her walking but stopped when she saw Starburn and Daylight Dimmer in front of her, "Chrysalis or Thorax?" Starburn asked, "Huh?" Ocellus muttered, "Which changeling ruler are you loyal to?" Daylight Dimmer questioned, "Oh, Thorax." Ocellus answered, "Come on, Starburn, she's one of the good ones." Daylight Dimmer said, and they walked home while Ocellus looked at them uncomfortably, "You okay, Ocellus?" Scootaloo asked as she walked to her with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, "I'm fine, it's just that I wish all of this hate against my kind would end." Ocellus responded, "Are you having problems outside Ponyville, Ocellus?" Sweetie Belle questioned, "Yes, stores won't let me in because I'm a changeling, and now, Chrysalis has been killed, I'm worried that I'll be targeted next." Ocellus replied, "Don't worry, Ocellus, yer safe here, we along with our sisters and their friends will protect ya from 'em." Apple Bloom declared, "Thanks, but I'm fine, you three should head home and start your homework now." Ocellus said, and they went home while Ocellus headed back to the School of Friendship. Twilight Sparkle and her friends arrived back in Ponyville and saw Ocellus walking back to the School of Friendship, "Wow, it's still afternoon." Fluttershy commented, "Yeah, it is, we finished that interrogation rather quickly." Applejack replied, "I still think one of them is guilty." Pinkie Pie said, "That's why we're going to watch them, Pinkie, come on, to my castle." Twilight Sparkle stated, and they went. They arrived at Twilight Sparkle's castle and Spike and Starlight Glimmer stood by them, Twilight Sparkle cast a spell and they watched the four suspects, they watched Green Magician first and saw her performing for a crowd, she had a dark green aura on her horn, they finished and the crowd cheered, she lined up with her fellow magicians, "Thank you for coming." Green Magician said as the crowd walked by, there were changelings in the crowd and she bowed and thanked them as she did with the others, "Okay, I don't think Green Magician's the culprit." Twilight Sparkle stated, "Me neither, but let's keep watchin'." Applejack responded, and they watched her head home. They saw arrive home and watched Green Magician make tea and sit, she got a newspaper with her telekinesis and read an article on Queen Chrysalis' death, she put the newspaper down after about five minutes and went to go take a shower, "I'm not seeing anything that says she hates changelings." Rainbow Dash stated, "Me neither." Fluttershy added, Twilight Sparkle looked around her home for anything that could make her look like a pony who hates changelings but found nothing, "Nope, I don't see anything, she might be off the hook after all." Twilight Sparkle said, "Ooh, goodie, we have one pony already that has nothing against changelings." Rarity commented while clapping with her front hoofs, "That limits our suspects, too, let's check the next one, I hope none of them turn out to be suspicious." Twilight Sparkle stated, and she cast a spell to watch another pony. They watched Absinthe next and saw her putting her makeup on, they watched her walk around her home, they saw nothing in her home that suggested she hated changelings, "Okay, let's get this day over with." Absinthe said to herself, and she left her home. She walked to the bar she worked at and went behind the counter, she began serving alcoholic drinks to customers while they came and go, some of the male customers flirted with her and commented on her beauty, she smiled and gave them discounts, she served the drinks with no problems until two male changelings came in. Absinthe's muscles tightened up and she sweated while the two loud and boisterous changelings walked to her, "Hey, baby, make me a drink." one changeling demanded, Rarity exclaimed with disgust, "Make me a drink, too, sweet cheeks, put a kiss on my glass, too." the other changeling demanded, "You got the money?" Absinthe asked, "Letting us kiss you is our way of paying you." the first changeling responded, "I'm going to have to ask you two to leave." Absinthe said, the changelings glared at her, "Drink! Now!" the first changeling demanded, "Out!" Absinthe commanded as she pointed to the exit, the changelings climbed over the counter and tried to take some of the alcohol bottles for themselves. Absinthe and the other unicorns used their telekinesis to hold them up in the air and move them back, the two changelings tried to break free while growling, "Inform the royal guards." the bar's owner instructed, and two of Absinthe's coworkers left and came back, they escorted the two changelings out, "My, what rude changelings." Rarity commented, "I know, right, what makes them think they can act like that?" Rainbow Dash asked, "I agree, I can see why Absinthe is uneasy around changelings if they act like that every time they come into the bar." Twilight Sparkle added, they watched Absinthe more and saw her have no more problems, she headed home and laid in her bed, "Okay, I don't think Absinthe is our culprit either, let's go ahead and watch the next person." Twilight Sparkle spoke, and she moved her magic around to the next person. They watched Ginger Ale and saw him working at a store in Baltimare, he was wearing a red apron as his uniform, he helped customers find items and worked the cash register. Everything was going fine until a male changeling came in and everypony looked at him. The changeling walked around and shoved ponies out of his way, "Sir, I'm going to have to throw you out if you don't stop acting like that." Ginger Ale spoke, the changeling turned his head slowly to Ginger Ale and glared at him, he began taking items off of the shelf and throwing them at him. The six mares gasped while Ginger Ale held the items back with his telekinesis, the other ponies restrained him and the changeling began biting and beating them, the changeling also shoved a Pegasus filly's face into glass and shattered it, the filly screamed in pain while blood dripped on the floor, royal guards soon came into the store and apprehended the changeling and escorted him out. The ponies tended to the crying filly and saw glass shards embedded in her bleeding face, "I'm getting tired of all of these violent changeling customers." Ginger Ale spoke, "We all are, they all might as well be deported at this rate." a male coworker responded, and they tended to the filly while her mother came, the day soon ended and Ginger Ale went back to his apartment and laid in his bed while sinking his face into his pillow, "Wow, Ginger Ale looks exhausted." Fluttershy spoke, "Ah don't blame him, especially if he gets customers like that almost daily, Ah'd be tired, too." Applejack replied, "Aside from that, I'm not seeing anything in his apartment that says he hates changelings." Twilight Sparkle said, "In his case, I can understand, I wouldn't be happy if the changelings acted like that in my shop." Rarity spoke, "Nope, he seems to be in the clear, that leaves one more person, I hope he ends up being off the hook, too, but that would make our own jobs harder." Twilight Sparkle remarked, and she began to move her magic to the last pony. They watched Lemon Lime and saw him at his home in Citrusville, he was tending to his lemon and lime garden while waiting for customers, "Nothing seems out of the ordinary." Twilight Sparkle commented, Lemon Lime finished tending to his garden and began swinging two swords around, "Uh-huh! I knew he was hiding something!" Pinkie Pie declared, "Pinkie, wait, it might just be his hobby." Twilight Sparkle responded, they watched Lemon Lime swing his two swords around and then had a dark green aura on his horn, dark green auras appeared on the swords' blades. He walked forward in his yard to targets he had set up with pictures of changelings on them, Chrysalis' picture was on the center target, he swung his swords and dark green waves came out of them and flew forward and cut the targets, Lemon Lime continued cutting them to shreds and soon finished, "I'd kill all of these changelings if I could." Lemon Lime grumbled to himself as he walked into his house and put the swords away, he went out and opened his shop and rung a bell to inform others. A line of customers quickly formed in front of Lemon Lime, he sold fruits, lemonade, and juices made from his lemons and limes, a changeling was next but he quickly used his telekinesis to move her to the very back of the line, he did the same whenever another changeling was in front of him. The ponies left and the changelings walked up to him, "Oops, sorry, looks like I'm sold out for today, you'll have to come back next time." Lemon Lime said, the changelings began complaining and he cast a spell to turn them into stone, the six mares gasped while Lemon Lime used his telekinesis to get them out of his yard, "I hate changelings." Lemon Lime grumbled, he then cast a spell to undo the petrification and the changelings continued to complain, "Y'all, Ah think we have our culprit." Applejack said, "You mean we do have our culprit." Pinkie Pie replied, "Hold on, let's see if there's any actual proof that he's a murderer." Twilight Sparkle reminded, and they continued watching. Lemon Lime went back into his home and they saw he had a dartboard on his front door with a picture of a changeling on it, he threw darts into the picture shortly before throwing a knife into the changeling's head. The six mares winced as they continued watching Lemon Lime go through his home. Knocking was heard at the door, "Spike, Starlight, can you two get that?" Twilight Sparkle requested, and they left while she and her friends continued watching Lemon Lime. They saw many photos on his house's walls of changelings having red circles around their heads and the word 'Die' written on them, "I'm starting to get convinced he's Chrysalis' killer." Twilight Sparkle said, the other five mares nodded in agreement; Spike and Starlight Glimmer ran into the room with a female Pegasus royal guard, "Twilight! It's bad news!" Spike exclaimed, "What is it?" Twilight Sparkle asked, "Two changelings were found dead to the north of Canterlot shortly after you six finished your interrogations, they're just like Chrysalis' wounds, sword slashes with dark green magic in them." Starlight Glimmer explained, the six mares jaws dropped as they looked at Lemon Lime, "I also brought the time of death on Chrysalis' body, according to our autopsy, Queen Chrysalis' time of death was 2:34 a.m.", the royal guard spoke, "Looks like Ginger Ale was right after all." Applejack stated, "I agree. Guard, I would like to warrant an arrest of Lemon Lime on the suspicion that he might be Queen Chrysalis' killer, also, tell Ginger Ale we need him back again for a quick second." Twilight Sparkle ordered, "Yes, Your Majesty." the royal guard replied as she bowed, she then flew away, "Well, girls, back to Canterlot." Twilight Sparkle said, and she cast a spell to teleport herself and her friends back to Canterlot's interrogation room.