//------------------------------// // Interrogation // Story: The Mannequin of Carousel Boutique // by Emeralddragon2 //------------------------------// chapter 3 - Interrogation The air in the sewing room of Carousel Boutique was filled with tension, And needles, And a sharp pair of stilettos, And several other pointy objects including several pairs of scissors and a menacing cactus. All threatening objects being levitated by a lovely white unicorn named Rarity. Now Rarity was a fairly rational unicorn, not as rational as her well learned friend Twilight Sparkle, since sometimes fashion is sometimes determined by irrational means, like what’s inside your heart (Not literally!) But the ivory unicorn generally had a good grip on reality. However, her hold on reality was a bit shaky at the moment while she was considering the possibilities running through it.. She had recently discovered that one of her mannequins, specifically her one fully poseable mannequin. Her fully poseable mannequin that she’s been using to assist for almost every single stallion related design of clothing and attire since she got it almost a year ago. A mannequin shipped directly from Manehatten. That mannequin, which she was quite attached to by the way, was in fact, a shiny black, chitin covered, brown pants wearing, flimsy insect winged, broad shouldered, shirtless, fanged, and possibly evil, changeling of ill repute. Her voice anxiously cracked while she repeated the question. “Wh-why are you disguised as my mannequin!” The brown pants changeling’s mouth opened and closed in silent fear, eyes locked with Rarity’s own, her composure visibly cracking as her own fears started to take her. The changeling spoke quietly. “I-I.. I didn't want to get caught?” The seamstress’s right eye twitched dangerously, and the changeling quickly continued speaking while still managing the posture of a shaking capital T. “J-just let me explain! I haven’t done anything wrong! I was under a lot of stress!” “You’re under a lot of stress? YOU’RE UNDER A LOT OF STRESS!? I HAVE AN EVIL ICKY MONSTER THAT HAS BEEN LIVING UNDER MY ROOF, WEARING MY BEST DESIGNS, SPYING ON ME IN THE PRIVACY OF MY OWN HOME FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG-” Rarity’s eyes opened wide as she processed what she said, then narrowed in anger as she started speaking again through clenched teeth, “How long?” “Uh.. W-well..” “HOW LONG!?” The unicorn had grabbed one of her levitated stilettos and held it dangerously close to the changeling’s neck. He gulped and nervously answered. “Th.. The whole time..” Rarity froze, her pupils dilating to pinpricks, her breath catching in her throat. She spoke in a calm soft voice. “The whole time?” “Erm.. Since I arrived in the crate..” Her worst fears confirmed, Rarity’s mind started working furiously on where to hide the body. Well, her thoughts might’ve headed in that direction, had she not noticed a restrained sniffle from her captive. She looked towards the male changeling, lowering her grip on the stiletto, and covering her mouth with her free hand. The changeling was crying. Well, it was more like a single tear, but it was enough to fill the white unicorn with all the shame and guilt her body could possibly hold. He spoke with a quiet trembling tone. “You’re the element of generosity.. Can you at least give me a chance?” Rarity dropped the stiletto to the floor with a loud clatter. Somewhere in her state of unrefined panic she crossed a line. The ivory unicorn’s eyes started tearing up with remorse and regret, her arms pulled close to her body, her expression filled with pity, horrified at the disgrace of her own actions. She took a step back and spoke sympathetically. “I-I’m so sorry darling.. I don’t know what came over me I just.. Well changelings don’t exactly have uhm, the best of reputations around here.” Brown pants was breathing heavily through his nostrils, holding back a sob with his bottom jaw set firm in an attempt to save face. His muzzle pointed straight, as if he were staring in the space above Rarity’s head. Rarity wasn't quite sure where he was looking exactly with his solid blue eyes lacking pupils. However, she was aware of his brow creased in guarded apprehension. An awkward silence passed between the two. Rarity’s pointed implements were still levitated by her magic, but more out of caution now, instead of murderous intent. She cleared her throat and smoothed her halterneck with a quick brush of her hand. Looking at his face she spoke with a more serene tone. “Alright, Explain yourself. I hope you understand why I’m not going to lower my guard, But I’m ready to hear what you have to say before I make any rash decisions.” It was slight, but the changeling’s head tilted a fraction, then tilted back. Rarity continued. “And uhm, you can relax your arms.” The shirtless changeling paused, then slowly lowered his arms to his side. His breathing was still labored, but his expression eased slightly. He spoke in his usual quiet tone, the tremors to his voice less evident. “I could see my life flash before my eyes..” The changeling’s face pointed towards Rarity’s, then back to facing forward while his body tensed slightly. There was a bit of a stutter before he continued. “A-and I apologize as well, I.. I didn't mean to trouble you so.” Rarity pursed her lips slightly before replying, “Well, I’ll accept your apology, but I still want an explanation.” Nodding, the changeling cleared his throat before speaking, his hands at his sides balling into fists. “It was about a year ago, my queen’s plans to take control of Equestria thwarted and I along with the rest of the changelings were.. ejected out of Canterlot.” His normal tone was unusually quiet, Rarity had to lean forward in order to hear him clearly. “The force of the explosion at Canterlot knocked me out. When I came to, I think I crashed into a post office, or maybe a shipping warehouse, I didn't really have time to find out.” The white unicorn crossed her arms and leaned back, one eyebrow slightly raised, listening as brown pants continued while his wings twitched nervously. “There were loud voices, somepony was opening the door to the room and there was no way they would miss seeing the hole in the roof..” ---- Flashback Crafty Crate, the burly brown pegasus with scruffy tan hair and an itchy five o'clock shadow, was pulling at the suspenders of his large overalls while talking to his subordinate in his usual blue collar drawl. “I gotta tell yah Ditzy, I’m surprised at how well you did today, not even one screw up! I might even hafta give you a raise, Hah!” The shorter pegasus mare walking next to Mr Crate had a wide smile adorning her distinct face while she looked up her boss. She had a gray coat with messy blond hair and was wearing the usual beige mailmare’s uniform, filled out by her hourglass figure. She replied to her boss in a squeaky soprano, “Really!?” Crafty was leading Ditzy while he opened the door to the shipping warehouse of the Ponyville post office. He responded, “Let’s just deliver this last package and th-” The pair stepped into what resembled the remains of a direct hit by a missile filled with packing peanuts. There was a large hole in the tall ceiling of the box filled warehouse and a shattered crate at the impact site. On top of the wooden and styrofoam remains of the crate lay a mannequin in a straight, stiff posture. Crafty’s eyes narrowed and his jaw became set. He softly spoke. “I don’t know how you made this mess but I want it cleaned by the time I come back with a new crate.” The stocky brown pegasus left with a slam of the door, leaving Ditzy with a dejected look, her ears pinned to her head. “I just don’t know what went wrong..” ---- Back in the sewing room of Carousel Boutique Rarity had her thumb and forefinger on opposite sides of her chin. During the changeling’s explanation she had pulled up a chair and was sitting on the edge of her seat with her legs daintily crossed. Her expression looked a bit perplexed while she asked the brown pants changeling a question. “So what happened to the original mannequin?” The changeling responded with a shrug. ---- Inside a tree-house located in a field of apple trees Three teenage fillies in lab coats and goggles were milling about what looked like a secret laboratory filled with creepy and scary looking lab equipment. Lab equipment made of cardboard. A yellow filly wearing black rubber gloves and with her red mane tied back in a pink bow laughed maniacally over a green painted dummy strapped to a long table. She spoke in a high toned southern accent. “Mwahaha! Scootaloo! Grab the lightning cloud! So that Ah may infuse a cutie mark into the lifeless thing that lays at my hooves.” An orange filly with tiny wings and short magenta hair replies in a tomboyish voice, “I couldn't find one.” The filly with the pink bow pulls off her goggles and says, “What!? Couldn't find one? Whaddya mean?” The third one, a pastel colored young mare with curly locks and a stubby white horn, pointed outside the window and spoke in a squeaky tone. “It IS pretty clear outside Applebloom, there’s not a cloud in the sky.” “Well shoot, Ah guess our mad scientist cutie marks will hafta wait.” The pegasus Scootaloo perked up with an idea and snapped her fingers while grabbing the attention of the other two girls. “Hey! How about we paint the dummy yellow, and then we can get our cutie marks in crash testing!” ---- Back in the sewing room of Carousel Boutique Sitting up straight and putting her hands in her lap, Rarity narrowed her eyes at the changeling. “That does explain why yo- MY, My mannequin arrived later than expected. But how do I know you weren't sent here to spy on me?” she spoke while gesturing her hands towards herself. The changeling angled his muzzle towards the floor with a downcast look. He rubbed the back of his head and said, “Well.. I don’t have anything to prove that.. But I’m not going to try and run from you,” “Is that because I have you at needlepoint?” The insect like being paused for a few seconds, then folded his hands in front of himself before answering, “Yes.” Rarity’s head tilted with a skeptical look at his response followed by a flat, “Really?” Brown pants nervously wrung his hands as he looked from side to side. He stuttered out a quiet response. “W-well, let’s look at it this way, I haven’t drained anypony of emotion right? I mean, somepony would've noticed if I tried to, and in fact, I wasn't even planning on it on the first place!” Suspicion filled Rarity’s eyes while she switched her crossed legs. In a hesitant voice she spoke back. “What do you mean, ‘planning on it’?” Continuing his nervous motions he said, “Uhm.. Well I've had a lot of time to think about this, and I was hoping instead of turning me in, you could let me stay? I promise I’ll only feed off the ambient emotion that ponies send my way because of your sensational designs. And I’m not even taking anypony’s place. Nopony gets hurt.” If the deadpan expression was anything to go by, Rarity was not impressed. The changeling must’ve sensed this as he continued, his hands brought together in more of a pleading gesture. “Please Miss Rarity? I was a great mannequin right? It will be as if you never found out I was here in the first place!” The fashionista’s expression remain unchanged. She even crossed her arms. The changeling lowered his muzzle, then raised it with a determined look and put out an ultimatum. “Alright then, if you try turning me in then I’ll reveal every dirty secret I know about you to as many ponies as possible.” Rarity gasped in surprise and covered mouth with her hand. She stood up and leaned forward with a challenging stance and replied sternly. “You. Wouldn't. Dare.” “Try me.”