//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 - "—and dig so deep the only way out is down—" // Story: Three Mares, Brain Injury, And A Dream // by Nyronus //------------------------------// Chrysalis wasn’t just going to waste the entire afternoon waiting at the ranch; there was far too high of a chance of being discovered, given how close Cherry and Applejack clearly must have been – for that matter, Cherry must have been suspicious, judging from how much she stared over dinner! Chrysalis had been starting to feel like she was on the menu. So, when the matter arose, Chrysalis had agreed to do some errands. Errands of vengeance! – but also errands to go down to the general store and get ingredients for pudding and eggnog. Over that same dinner, Chrysalis had found out about some recent happenings here in Dodge, and they had just made her even more suspicious of this Gladmane pony. A fire at the ranch, which he oh-so-conveniently spotted in time for them to stop it? And, as it turned out, Cherry’s ranch had been on hard times these past few months – the land had become mysteriously barren, and Gladmane’s offer of investment was Cherry’s only salvation. All too convenient. Not to mention the way the ponies of this poooopular little town (Hah! Can’t touch this, hammer!) talked about Gladmane set her teeth grinding. He’d been lurking around this town for months, asking questions, selling himself as a pony looking to settle down away from the bustle of the city. Of course, that all changed when he stopped that fire. Suddenly he was around every corner, telling everypony in earshot about how tragic the whole affair was – how close Cherry’s farm was to collapse and how the fire would have ruined her when she was already so close to destitution! The nerve. This stank! It stank just like a changeling scheme! And that made Chrysalis really angry! Err... well, it was just that Cherry was so, erm, changeling-like! The best changeling qualities! She was hard-working, and she ran her own little hive out here! A smart leader and a hard worker! Yes, that’s what it was, it was Cherry who reminded Chrysalis of herself, and certainly not that nasty pony. Who stumbled into her mid-rumination, nearly causing her to swallow the grocery bags she was carrying in her mouth. “Oh, Applejack, ahuhuh! Didn’t see you there! Heard you was around town!” Gladmane said with clearly fake surprise. Think of the insufferable, and it shall appear, apparently. Chrysalis would have preferred bumping into almost anypony rather than this swollen, silken blueberry of a pony. Ugh, and it was talking again. “Listen, Applejack, I’m glad I bumped into you. Since I heard you was in town, I wanted to talk.” Chrysalis noticed that despite the contrite expression, his eyes roved over her like a hawk watching her every move. Just a little too curious as to how I’d react, aren’t we?! “I know we’ve had our differences.” He went on, pausing a moment as Chrysalis gave him nothing. “But, listen, despite what happened at Las Pegasus… well, I did some thinking. I know you won’t believe it at first – believe me, I wouldn’t either – but I am a changed stallion. I was… too caught up in my little games. Money changes a pony, you know.”  Ah, so Worse Applejack and this rotund discount-fabric-bin-in-a-bad-wig had history! Fascinating! No doubt that was why Chrysalis had pegged him as rotten from the word go – she was, after all, the best Applejack! “If anything, I should thank you and Miss Fluttershy for what you did – gave me the proper kick to the rear to sort myself out!” He held up a hoof and closed his eyes, shaking his head back and forth. “I know it’ll take time, but I promise to deal honest with your friend Cherry Jubilee and to turn myself around, ahuhuh! You don’t have to believe me now, but you’ll see, so… truce?” “Whyknadpardnar?” Chrysalis replied. “Oh, here, let me help you with that!” Gladmane lifted the bags from her mouth. “Why not, pardner?” Chrysalis replied, extending a hoof. “Everypony deserves a second chance.” Ah, that flash of predatory victory! Fool! “Glad you see it, same as me.” Gladmane managed a somewhat convincing contrite grin, taking Chrysalis’s hoof. “I promise.” “And don’t you worry none,” Chrysalis went on. “I promise to do my part and watch out for Miss Jubilee! Why, any fool harms her, there will be no place under heaven or earth that ah shan’t find ‘em and bring a reckoning unto them like was sung about in the oldest songs, yee-haw!” Chrysalis’s grin, unbeknownst to her, was perhaps a tad too wide, and her eyes far too unflinching. Gladmane, for his part, blinked first. “Well, uh, I’ll see you around, Applejack, ahuhuh!” And with that, Gladmane beat a hasty retreat.  Ah, little wretch had tried to smooth over a complication, but in doing so, overplayed his hoof! Chrysalis saw right through every sideways glance and smirk half hidden in a smile. It was on, now! She’d have to get to the bottom of this! And so, out of a desire to be her best Applejack – out of spite! – and out of a desire to humiliate Gladmane – out of more spite! – she would look into this matter, and if it benefited Cherry and Diamond? Well, that was just part of being her best Applejack, and they were tolerable for ponies, so that worked out fine! It wasn’t like she liked either of them! She wasn’t doing this for them! And that’s why she was risking discovery by disguising herself as the local sheriff, Sheriff Spurs, and why she was in his office reading his report on the fire. It mostly told her the same things Cherry had – the fire had started in the shed, didn’t get far, Gladmane had alerted everyone, blah blah – but it turned out there were two juicy little details the public didn’t know, Cherry included. One was, to Chrysalis’s delighted lack of surprise, evidence of arson! The fire had started inside the shed without any clear cause. Tying into that, there were bootprints found at the scene, and the sheriff was searching for the owner of the boots. No luck, so far, but he was confident he’d find them. Well, now... wasn’t that interesting? Ponies didn’t usually wear clothes, and Dodge Junction wasn’t exactly galoshes territory even when it did rain, which it had not on the day of the fire. Somepony had worn boots deliberately, to leave evidence, Chrysalis deduced. Now, who benefited from setting a fire to a ranch that was already struggling? Perhaps the mysterious savior who had recently come into town looking for an investment partner, and became the hero of the town by stopping the fire? The same pony who could easily implicate Cherry as the culprit of the fire by planting the boots in her possession, and then get full ownership of the ranch when she was run out of town? Hmm? Hmmmmm? Chrysalis tried not to get distracted by imagining Cherry being driven out of town and swooning when Chrysalis came to her rescue. She failed. This distraction carried on until the deputy nearly walked in on her daydreaming at the sheriff’s desk, forcing her to disguise herself as a little potted cactus. The harmony hammer must have really given her brain damage for her to be having such... strange thoughts about a pony, Chrysalis decided! Or maybe it was just the weird way Cherry kept acting around her! It wasn’t Chrysalis’s fault if Cherry had just so happened to mention she loved blue and green motifs on black at dinner! It just meant Cherry had good taste, and Chrysalis had found it very distracting! Especially with the way she looked at her! No jury in Equestria would find her guilty for being distracted by that! What a random, oddly specific thing for a pony to say! It just makes you think! Even Diamond had seemed embarrassed and excused herself when Cherry said she was so excited to get to spend some time with Applejack! It wasn’t what she said, it was the way she said it! It was just... weird! And what was with the comment about how safe she felt around taller mares? Applejack was barely taller than Cherry! That mare really needed to get her eyes checked. Honestly, Chrysalis reflected, that might be a good idea. Cherry hadn’t seemed to be able to open them more than half wide all afternoon! Maybe she really was ill? It would explain how flushed she looked. No! Stay focused! Why was Chrysalis thinking so much about her anyway?! She had vengeance to rain upon the countryside! She made her way quickly back to the ranch and its strange, strange owner. It was getting dark out by the time she returned, and she wasted no time in hunting down Cherry, who was sitting in the study and talking to Diamond about changelings. Why were they discussing that? Was she suspicious? Did Chrysalis have to finish what Gladmane started and burn this whole— BONK! Chrysalis staggered into the study, having quite forgotten what she was thinking about, and slurred out, “Sho, uh, hey, Cherry, erm, there’s... we, erm, gotta talk. About... that Gladmane feller.” Right, that was what she was here to do! Talk about Gladmane! Chrysalis started to refocus, but then promptly lost that focus again when Cherry gave her a big warm smile and her eyes were soft and half-lidded and why was Chrysalis getting goosebumps— “Oh? And what about him?” Cherry asked, all sweet and warm tones. It should have been off-putting, but instead Chrysalis found she was struggling to remind herself that all of this was directed at Applejack, her disguise. What a weird thing to get confused about. “He’s a no-good rotten dirty lowdown crook, that’s what,” Chrysalis rambled, still struggling to keep focused. Cherry looked stricken, while Diamond blushed again, for reasons Chrysalis couldn’t fathom and didn’t have the focus for anyway. “Why C—Applejack! How can you say that about somepony who saved my ranch? If it weren’t for Gladmane, I’d be out of a job and a home, or worse!” “Ah’m sayin’ he ain’t who you think he is! He was behind that fire, ah’m sure of it!” Chrysalis pressed, feeling oddly invested in this. Method acting! That’s what it was! She was being her best Applejack, who was really invested in saving her friend with the really pretty eyes! Wait, what? “How dare you?! Gladmane’s been nothin’ but a kind gentlecolt since he got here! I don’t wanna hear another word about it unless you’ve got some sort of solid evidence!” It really seemed like Cherry was angry at her. Chrysalis had been banking on Applejack’s reputation for honesty to sell her story, but instead it had seemingly backfired; the warm looks the mare had been directing at her – at her disguise, Chrysalis reminded herself – were gone, replaced by outrage and suspicion. Ah, Chrysalis had it! Gladmane had given her exactly what she needed! “Las Pegasus!” Chrysalis declared. “Me and Fluttershy had a run-in with him, and he was… he was a right cheat! All that talk of troubles he was leaving behind in the city was about us!” Cherry started, but then her muzzle settled into a small frown. “Oh? And in what way was he a ‘right cheat?’ ” “Ah, well, he – he tricked some ponies real bad!” Chrysalis stammered. Blast! Curses upon her fool head! Committing to a lie without proper support was a rookie mistake! “Right,” Cherry said, clearly not amused. She looked away and let out a sigh. “And that’s still not proof he set the fire, which is what I asked you for.” She closed her eyes and winced. She looked… disappointed. “We’re done here.” Cherry marched out of the room, leaving a stunned Chrysalis in the study with Diamond. An awful feeling was crawling its way through her, though she refused to think about why. It would pass. Like a stomachache. Just wait it out. A plan immediately interrupted when Diamond spoke up. “I’ve heard of jealous spats, but that was crazy. You really just need to tell her how you feel, Applejack.” “Huh? Wha? Jealous?” Chrysalis was utterly baffled. Her, jealous of Cherry? Why would she be? Just because she still had a hive, and was a beloved and respected member of her community, and could do that incredibly distracting thing with her eyelashes? Chrysalis could do that too, if she wanted to! Maybe? If she practiced! Probably! Chrysalis jolted slightly. Right, Diamond was talking to her disguise. She cleared her throat and said, “Ah’m not jealous, ah’m just tryin’ t’warn her!” Diamond walked up to her and put a hoof on her barrel, still blushing and looking away. “Applejack, my parents—” She winced. What was that about?! Why were her parents relevant?! “If you really… just tell her how you feel. It’ll be better for both of you, I promise.” With those incredibly confusing words, Diamond tapped her reassuringly a couple of times and left her alone in the study. Chrysalis had no idea what feelings or dynamic between Cherry and Applejack was being referred to, here, and it was far too hazardous to her disguise to guess. What she did know was that nopony believed her about Gladmane, and that was infuriating! This would not stand! Chrysalis would utterly destroy that cursed stallion for coming between—for being so aggravating! She would concoct a scheme and lure him to his destruction! MUAHAHAHAHA! Seriously, still no bonks? Chrysalis had kind of been banking on one at this point, as she felt awful (for reasons she still carefully left unexamined), but, whatever. Revenge would be the pick-me-up she needed! And if she could scheme freely now, then she would destroy Gladmane, and then turn her attentions back on Starlight and Twilight and ALL of the lights, and conquer all of— BONK!