February 13, 3:58 PM
Sweet Apple Acres
Cutie Mark Crusader's Treehouse
As Applejack promised, she brought Cestus and Scootaloo back to her farm so that she could engage a very interesting conversation with them. Before they arrived to the meeting place, they decided to bring Winona back home since they had didn't need her for the time being. Until then, Cestus had some questions he wanted to ask and Applejack, who agreed to answer them. Cestus had to admit that he was working for Twilight to pull it off, but information can be worth any price.
Applejack brought the group to a secluded area of the farm where a treehouse was located. This was the area Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo would come to play, so It was an ideal place for a pony to be alone.
"Alright, copper. What do you want?" Applejack asked.
"First, I'd like to ask you about yourself. You were taken in for being the prime suspect of an attempted murder, yet you were here at your home. What gives?" Cestus asked.
"Ha! Like you said, I was under suspicion, but nothing more. You guys had nothing on me, so they couldn't hold me. Don't feel bad though, your cop buddies had the same idea."
Oh yeah, this is Ponyville and not Canterlot. I guess if Ponyville's police were to have let her out, my officers wouldn't know right away. Cestus thought. "But even now, you're still suspicious."
"As if I care. As long as justice is served, you boys can do whatever you want with me."
Doesn't even care if she's innocent or not, all because she wants Pinkie Pie to go down. She must hate Pinkie more than I hate Prince Blueblood. I just wish a pony's dislike of another could be used as evidence.
Since Cestus had no evidence or lines of logic that could further prove Applejack's involvement with the poisoning, it looked like a hopeless venture. But since it involved Pinkie and potentially the pony he was after, he didn't want to let it go. He had to find an opening in the conversation before getting back to the subject he wanted to cover.
"Tell me, Miss Applejack. When and how did you find Pinkie Pie? I'm afraid that I'm still in the dark here."
"A good question." Applejack answered. "I found Pinkie Pie near the entrance to the Everfree Forest. She was walking, though not very well, and as soon as she was out, she sat down. Her hooves looked pretty bad, so I knew she wouldn't have gotten away if I chased after her."
"But instead, you called the police." Cestus said.
"Like I said, I would've taken my chance for revenge right there and then, but...but Pinkie.." Applejack said with a stutter as she couldn't find the right words to use. "I knew it would've been pointless."
"And yet, you tried to poison her anyway."
"That wasn't me! It was--" Applejack was about to say something, but cut herself off at the last second. She almost said something she didn't want to say, which sparked Cestus's curiosity. "Forget it. What's important is that I didn't do it."
Oh, I believe you. I know "you" didn't poison her. Cestus thought. "While that may or may not be true, Miss Applejack, I'd like to hear you explain why you think that."
"Now hold on! I already told your cop buddies why I'm innocent."
"Yes and I'm sure they will give me a full report on it, but I want to hear the story from your mouth too. Please give me your story on why you couldn't of poisoned Pinkie Pie."
Applejack was annoyed for having to explain herself again, especially since she already did it in court and in police custody, but since it would help her get rid of Cestus, she complied. What she didn't know was that Cestus was planning to lure her in so he can get her back into police custody.
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--Testimony: I didn't do it--
-Alright look. I'm suspicious because I own that pesticide, right?
-Well here's the deal. That's ALL you've got on me.
-I own the pesticide, but that's the only suspicious thing I own
-You have nothing else on me.
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"Tell me, do you have any idea if anypony else could get their hooves on this pesticide?" Cestus asked.
"How the hay should I know? I honestly can't even remember where I got my jar." Applejack answered. "I just know it's not a commonly used type of pesticide."
So logically, the pesticide at the barn would've been what was used. I think I'm ready to give my rebuttal..
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--Rebuttal--
-Alright look. I'm suspicious because I own that pesticide, right?
-Well here's the deal. That's ALL you've got on me.
HOLD IT!
"Once could argue that your behavior in court is odd, could you not?" Cestus asked.
OBJECTION!
"And what exactly was odd about the way I acted? Was it because I was so aggressive towards Pinkie Pie? In case you've forgotten, she tried to kill my little sister."
FREEZE!
"We've been finding proof that she didn't!" Scootaloo said to Applejack.
"Kid, quiet down." Cestus said.
"No, no. Let her speak." Applejack responded. "I'd very much like to hear what you two found today."
"We can't. It's...it's currently classified information. We can't release to the general public."
"Yet a school girl knows about it?" Applejack argued.
"She's...an honorary junior detective." Cestus said quickly.
"An honorary detective? Does this mean I get a badge?" Scootaloo asked.
This is really backfiring on me. This is why I hate letting subjects change. Cestus thought. "Look, none of this has anything to do with this crime. Let's keep talking about the pesticide that you own."
Neither Applejack or Scootaloo were happy with that fact that Cestus got the original topic back on hoof, but Applejack continued from there anyway.
-I own the pesticide, but that's the only suspicious thing I own
HOLD IT!
"So you own the pesticide that I found at your barn. What you're saying is that that's the ONLY suspicious thing you own there. Am I correct?"
"Well, unless I have one of those killing knifes you showed in court today, then yes, the pesticide is the only dangerous thing I have at the barn." Applejack explained.
FREEZE!
Confident with the contradiction he found, Cestus gave a cheeky smile. "Miss Applejack, did you know that the pesticide wasn't the only thing that was found at your barn?"
"It wasn't?" Scootaloo asked. She began to think back to when she and Cestus was at the farm, and after a moment, remembered something. "OH! Those sleeping pills, right?"
"Exactly. We found the deadly pesticide in a chest, and sitting next to it was a rather suspicious looking bottle of sleeping pills. My theory is--"
OBJECTION!
"Your theories don't mean--" Applejack tried to say.
FREEZE!
"As I was saying...my theory is that the sleeping pills found at the barn was used to knock Pinkie Pie out." Cestus went on to explain. "You see, based on Pinkie Pie's testimony, she couldn't remember anything during the time your sister was attacked. I believe somepony used those pills on her so that she could frame her for the crime."
"I see..." Applejack answered. "And because I, a mare who's had trouble sleeping for the last few days, also happens to own a bottle of sleeping pills..."
"Exactly. Miss Applejack, I have a strong feeling that you are not only responsible the poisoning crime, but are also responsible for the attempted murder of Apple Bloom!"
Cestus was making a very wild claim against Applejack. It was something nopony, not even Cestus himself, could believe. The idea was so ridiculous that an objection was heard from one of his own allies.
FREEZE!
"Mister Cestus, that's....that's just dumb!" Scootaloo said angrily. "Why would Applejack want to hurt her own sister?"
"She's right, you know. I even have an alibi, what with Granny Smith an all." Applejack said confidently.
"Fear not, my little pony. I know it doesn't make much sense right now, but I plan on proving that the pony in front of us is our killer." Cestus assured. "I even have more evidence to back my claim up."
"You don't say." Applejack said curiously. "Alright big guy. Tell me. What's this evidence you got on me?"
Gave her a heck of a left hook. Time for the right. Cestus thought. "About those sleeping pills I mentioned, there's actually one more thing related to it that's worth bringing up."
TAKE THAT!
What Cestus then showed off to Applejack was the piece of paper that was used to capture the hoofprints found on the sleeping pill bottle. "Now I'm not going to deny it, but it seems that your hoofprints was not found on any of the new evidence."
"Of course not. That's because I'm not involved in this mess." Applejack answered.
"Actually, the prints found prove that you WERE involved." Cestus explained. "While yours weren't found, a hoofprint scan showed that the accused, Pinkie Pie, did have her hoofprints on your jar. This raises a very big question: If your sleeping pills and the pesticide found at the barn has nothing to do with the crime, how come this hoofprint says otherwise?"
As soon as Cestus asked his question, Applejack became startled. Her hat almost flew off her head and had to hold it down to keep herself from losing it. Naturally, she became very nervous after learning about the hoofprint.
"P-Pinkie's hoofprint? That's impossible!" Applejack stated. "When did...how did she...UGH!"
"These sleeping pills are not something Pinkie Pie should've been able to touch. Unless you can explain how she could, I think I need to take you back to the station for more questioning."
OBJECTION!
"I don't have to explain anything! She has a key to...she has a key to my barn. I'm sure when she took my pesticide, since she even admitted to poisoning somepony, she found my pills too."
FREEZE!
"Not possible. I found that the pesticide was still in that chest. If she did someone get it, she wouldn't have been able to bring it back."
OBJECTION!
"That I WILL explain. Do you seriously think the idea of me having more than one can of pesticide is out of the question?"
FREEZE!
"How could Pinkie possibly gotten this stuff anyway?" Scootaloo asked. "She's been in jail this whole time, hasn't she?"
That's true, but one could easily argue that she got the pesticide before she attacked Apple Bloom. Cestus thought.
With how things were going, as all the three ponies were doing was shouting objection and freeze back and forth, but it wasn't a subject that could simply be dropped. Cestus had to think very carefully to make sure he didn't miss anything.
Let's see. We found in the barn a bottle of sleeping pills that this broad claims to be hers, yet the hoofprints found...EUREKA! Cestus thought as he finally realized something big and rather obvious. "Applejack, are you certain that you own those sleeping pills?"
"Alright buddy, this is getting boring." Applejack answered. "Yes, for the hundredth time, those pills are mine."
A smile cracked on Cestus face as Applejack began to dig her grave. "Really? Well if you think about it, that's quite odd." To further support his argument, Cestus once again took out the hoofprint he showed earlier. "Pinkie Pie's hoofprint was found on the bottle. I know I saw to it that the prints were taken off of it. But here's the problem. Only Pinkie Pie's hoofprints were on the bottle. So my question is: Why aren't yours?"
Once again, Applejack became frightened by the argument. Her hat would've flown off of her head if she hadn't held it on her head tightly. This was a very big contradiction and Applejack couldn't even come up with a good explanation.
"Well...maybe Pinkie accidently wiped mine off?"
"No way!" Scootaloo replied. "You yourself said that you've been taking them because you're worried about Apple Bloom!"
"The kid is right. There's no logical reason for your hoofprints to not be on the bottle." Cestus explained.
OBJECTION!
"There's also no logical reason for Pinkie's to be on them." Applejack argued. "Unless you can explain that little detail, none of this mumbo jumbo matters."
UGH! She's right. There isn't any reason for Pinkie's hoofprints to be on that bottle. As a pony who's worked for AND against Pinkie, even I agree with that. So why are Pinkie's prints there?
Cestus was quiet, which wasn't good for keeping Applejack interested enough to stay. He thought very carefully about how Pinkie's hoofprints were on the sleeping pill bottle, no matter how illogical it seemed. It didn't help that the words "logical" and "Pinkie" don't mix well together.
Pinkie hoofprints...none from this broad...I wonder... Cestus thought. As an idea finally went into his head, he became more and more certain. I think it's about time I explain why I've been suspected this mare.
"Enough already!" Applejack said. "You two have wasted enough of my time already."
"Not so fast. I think I've just thought of something that may solve this entire mystery." Cestus said.
With an unimpressed look on her face, Applejack said..."I'm all ears."
"First, let's talk about something else with Pinkie's hoofprints."
TAKE THAT!
"Now as we've already confirmed at the trial today, the dagger used on your little sister had Pinkie's hoofprints." Cestus explained. "I'm not going to lie. I do honestly believe that the dagger in question was the weapon. That said, I would like you to ease my suspicions of you being the culprit."
"So you want my hoofprints, huh? Well I already gave it to you. The other day, your cop buddies asked me to add my hoofprints to their collection." Applejack explained.
"Yes, I remember that. We keep a well updated record of every pony involved in this case."
"Then I've got nothing else that you need."
Hearing Applejack's comment made Cestus laugh. It was at that point that he realized that he had complete control over the situation. "You want us to believe that, don't you?"
Cestus's choice of words confused Scootaloo, but it also caused Applejack to become very nervous. The more she acted this way, the more Cestus knew that his true believes was true, and he was ready to reveal what he had suspected.
"I truly believe that Applejack is an innocent pony. I'm not going to lie. But unless I can get the hoofprints of the pony before me, I won't be able to find the real serial killer."
"You lost me." Applejack said.
"Yeah, you lost me too." Scootaloo said, agreeing with Applejack.
"It's actually something I've suspected for a little while, but I admit that I was fooled too, Scootaloo. But because of a certain...something...about the pony in front of us, I made an interesting discovery." Cestus explained. "Truth be told, the pony you and I have been looking for this whole time right in front of us."
"Okay, now I'm REALLY lost." Scootaloo said in confusion. "Are you telling me that Applejack really did frame Pinkie Pie and hurt Apple Bloom?"
"No, I'm afraid not. The mare we've been talking too this whole time...is an imposter!"
The shock caused by Cestus's claim caused "Applejack" to jump in fright again, barely avoiding the loss of "her" hat once more. "Wh-what? Are you mad?" Applejack asked.
"Absolutely livid, because it's taken me so long to track you down."
FREEZE!
"Mr Cestus, she's not the perp." Scootaloo argued. "We haven't found any evidence that tells us she's not Applejack."
"Oh, that's right." Cestus said as he remembered something. "You weren't around when I learned a little something about Applejack, which creates a big contradiction in her own existence."
"Actually, now that you mention it, I haven't heard her say sugarcube once today, and that's her catchphrase."
"That just means his or her impression of Applejack is not a good one."
OBJECTION!
"Look at me! I'm an orange pony with apples as my cutie mark, long blond mane, and my accent is recognized by all. You can't tell me that I don't look like me."
"I agree. You bear an identical resemblance to her, right down to the littlest detail. But that's the problem. You look too much like her." Cestus explained. "This is because there's one little detail about you that shouldn't exist."
Applejack, assuming she was the real deal, got very angry at Cestus for the accusation. In the end, she challenged the red stallion"Well out with it then. What proof do you have that says I'm not the real Applejack? What do you got?"
TAKE THAT!
"Oh no, my little imposter. It's not what I have. It's what you shouldn't have. You see, when I went to see Pinkie Pie at the detention center, she told me that Applejack lost her precious hat at the courthouse. So why do you have it now?"
OBJECTION!
"Is...is th-the possibility of me finding it again s-so wrong?" The so-called Applejack stammered.
"I suppose not, but it still warrants further questioning. If you want to prove you're really Applejack--"
FREEZE!
"Cestus, she must be Applejack!" Scootaloo interrupted. "The pony we're after is a pegasus. Applejack is an earth pony."
"But is the killer really a pegasus?" Cestus asked. "Because I believe that our killer can be a an unicorn, pegasus, OR an earth pony."
Pony Type: the serial killer may be any of the three basic pony types (Earth, unicorn, pegasus).
"A pony who can be anything?" Scootaloo asked. "Wait...are you saying that...we're after a CHANGLING!?"
"Don't be silly. We found a feather that belonged to a pony, and changlings, as far as I know, leave no such thing." Cestus explained to Scootaloo. "But that does confirm that our killer does indeed have feathers."
The killer can fly: The black feather confirms that the killer is at least part pegasus.
"So you're saying I'm an alicorn?" Applejack asked. "I have officially heard it all, sugarcube. "
I bet if Scootaloo wasn't here, she would never of said sugarcube. Cestus thought. "But for argument's sake, let's pretend that the killer, and not necessarily you, could pass off as an alicorn. It would explain several interesting mysteries all at once."
The killer can fly: The black feather confirms that the killer is at least part pegasus.
Ratchet's Claim: Something made Auto Ratchet think Pinkie can jump out of tall buildings and live.
"As you've already heard, "Pinkie" was at the hospital to try and finish off Apple Bloom, which ended in failure. Pinkie somehow managed to escape the room by jumping out of the hospital room, something that didn't surprise Doctor Ratchet."
"Oh, I get it." Applejack admitted. "He must've thought Pinkie Pie was a pegasus pony."
"Exactly. If Doc saw Pinkie flying with wings, he would've thought she was a pegasus, and since he never met her before, he wouldn't think she's an earth pony in reality."
Cestus's explanation using his logic cleared up one mind-puzzling mystery, but there was still more that he needed to clear up. To do this, he began to mix and match two more mysteries.
Pony Type: the serial killer may be any of the three basic pony types (Earth, unicorn, pegasus).
Twilight at the center: Simply being there was very questionable.
"Today at the detention center, after talking with Pinkie, I saw Twilight there, and she was acting as strange as...well, you."
The mare in front of Cestus took Cestus's comment as an insult, but it was also clear she was getting pressed harder and harder by Cestus's argument.
"If my theory is true, then that pony at the detention center was NOT Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight Imposter: Twilight Sparkle at the detention center must've been the killer.
Twilight Imposter: Twilight Sparkle at the detention center must've been the killer.
Pinkie's Escape: How was she able to escape the detention center?
"And that, ladies, solves the last mystery: How did Pinkie Pie escape from the detention center" Cestus asked rhetorically.
As soon as Cestus asked his question, Scootaloo figured it out. "Princess Twilight is the killer?"
Close, yet so far, kid. Cestus thought. "The killer, able to impersonate alicorn, disguised him or herself one, fooled the guards and Pinkie Pie herself and encouraged Pinkie to escape and hide in the Everfree Forest. Why there of all places is still beyond my knowledge, but that's where my logic has taken me. So tell me. Am I on the bits?"
The pony who claimed to have been Applejack began sweating and was shaking in fear, but the imposter was not ready to give into the accusations. She remained undeterred.
"There is still one major flaw in your reasoning, sugarcube."
"And what would that be, pal?" Cestus asked.
"I'm clearly an earth pony! I'm clearly not an alicorn! I'm clearly Applejack! Unless you can prove me wrong, all of that is mindless conjecture."
And that there was my limit Cestus thought. I was hoping that I pieced everything in well enough that I could just get her to come clean. It looks like I need a little more.
Cestus began to think quietly to himself to try and come up with something he might've missed with his reasoning. With everything he came up with so far, the logic seemed sound, but with no actual solid evidence, he couldn't prove the pony he was seeing was an imposter without leaving to find the real one, and again, with no evidence, he couldn't leave the pony in front of him alone to find the real Applejack. He was stumped.
I remember hearing from Twilight that when she was defending Rarity, there were times she had to turn her way of thinking around. Maybe I should do the same. Cestus thought as he began to rethink the case. Maybe...instead of thinking of how she can be an alicorn...I should figure out how she can pass off as an earth pony!
"Enough! I have a farm to take care of and a little sister to visit." The mare said. "I'm outta here."
HOLD IT!
"You leave this place and I'm chasing after you, pal!"
"You figured it out?" Scootaloo asked.
"You bet your flank I did. The evidence to prove that this pony is an imposter has been in plain site this entire time."
OBJECTION!
"How many times do I have to say this? I'm. A. Earth. Pony!"
"I disagree. If my new theory is correct, then you are, in fact, a unicorn." Cestus replied, ready to prove his point. "The thing that will prove that you are a unicorn is..."
TAKE THAT!
OBJECTION!
"Nothing you have will prove that I'm not Applejack. You have no evidence!"
"You are 100% right. I have no evidence." Cestus agreed. "But we've established, you do. Right now, you can counter every word I've said today, and there's only one thing that you need to do. And that, Miss Imposter, is to remove your hat!"
"Remove my...WHAT!?"
"What are you getting at?" Scootaloo asked.
"Think about. If the imposter really was a unicorn or an alicorn capable of disguising themselves, they wouldn't be able to disguise themselves a an earth pony since they would have a great big horn sticking out of their heads."
"But if she was a pegasus, how could she hide her wings?"
"I'm not going to pretend I understand everything." Cestus admitted. "I'm only assuming that she somehow knows how to hide her wings. But even if that's the case, how can a pony be able to hind something like a horn?"
"Hmm...well Sweetie Belle's father is a unicorn, but I never even knew that until...until after he took off his hat!"
"So my theory isn't even far-fetched." Cestus happily said. "Well? What do you have to say to that?"
At that point, the jig was clearly up. The Applejack imposter was sweating bullets and was hanging onto their hat as tightly as possible. "I-I...I'm not...removing..."
With a sense of success, Cestus punched his hoof with the other and smiled. "Then we've established that you are an imposter."
"But if this isn't Applejack, then where is she?" Scootaloo asked.
"Probably still at the detention center in Ponyville's police custody, but that's not important right now. It's time to figure out who this pony is." Cestus said. He then raised his hoof toward the Applejack imposter and made his order. "You are now to give us your real name and your hoofprint sample. I'm curious to see if yours will match what we believe to be Pinkie Pie's!"
With nowhere to go and having no other arguments to counter Cestus's claims, the imposter Applejack looked as if she was finally defeated. Cestus and Scootaloo were hoping to see a surrender, but instead, they were given a smile. The imposter had regained her composer.
"Good work. You finally found me." The imposter confessed, but kept up the Applejack act.
What is she up to?
"As a matter of fact, I DO have something under my hat I'd like you to see."
Lifting up Applejack's hat slightly, the imposter reached into the hat, but was careful not to actually reveal what they had underneath the hat. As she pulled out her hoof, she revealed that hiding underneath the hat was a long metal rod of some sort.
"Wh-what is that?" Cestus asked nervously.
"A cattle prod. Found it while I was here. I even overclocked it a little bit." The imposter explained. "I couldn't get myself a taser since they're so rare in Equestria and only Canterlot police can get them, so I got resourceful."
After pushing a button on the cattle prod, it became active. the imposter wasn't lying when she said that it was overclocked as the electricity could be seen sparking along the prongs. The imposter lunged toward Cestus and gave him a very painful shock, causing him to fall to the ground.
"AAAGHHH! You son of a--" Cestus said in pain.
"CESTUS!" Scootaloo shouted. "Are you--GAAAHHHH!!!"
As soon as Scootaloo tried to interfere, the imposter gave the filly a stab from the cattle prod. Unlike the fully grown stallion, Scootaloo lost consciousness as soon as she was zapped by the overpowered cattle prod.
"Scoot...ow..." Cestus said, barely able to stand back up.
"Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to kill you two. I've got too much use for you two." The imposter explained. "For now, I just need you to take a little nap. I need to arrange a meeting with your boss next. Well...bosses."
Bosses? Does she mean Hope ray and...oh no...Twilight!
"Nighty night."
With a final jab of the cattle prod, the imposter delivered the final blow needed to finally knock Star Cestus out cold. As he began to slip into unconsciousness, he got a final look at the imposter, and right before his eyes closed, he saw the real pony behind the disguise.
It was a brief look, but Cestus saw him. A grey coated stallion with a spikey black mane, just as Twilight described. He knew that it was in fact the pony he had been searching for.
There he is...the serial killer. I've been searching for him for months and he's right in front of me. You were absolutely right, Fatcat. You were right. Cestus thought, feeling a hollow victory. I'm sorry Scootaloo, for getting you into this. I'm sorry Pinkie Pie, for not proving your innocence. And Twilight...Twilight Sparkle...I'm sorry for failing you.
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Februrary 13, Several Hours Earlier
???
"Are we there yet?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Just about. Sorry for the long wait, but we're almost there." Twilight said. "We'll be at Pinkie's home town really soon now.
"And hey, since it's been a little while, would it be okay if I took another look at the evidence we have so far? Just as a reminder?"
"Fine, Sweetie Belle. But you can't drop them again. I don't want to spend another 10 minutes looking through the ground finding everything again."
With another look at her organizer with Sweetie Belle, Twilight was reminded of everything she's found in the case so far as well as the ponies involved as she reached her destination. While she was hoping to find new evidence to defend Pinkie Pie, she also hoped that at the time, Cestus was making progress in his investigation.