Day 7
Some terrible happened today… Rainbow Dash is dead, she was murdered by Soarin.
She was discovered before the sun had even risen; a neighbour heard screams and ran over to check if everything was alright. Her name was Flitter, and she told everypony what she saw during the town meeting, not that I needed any reminding. Rainbow Dash lying in a pool of blood, her face mutilated beyond recognition, and Soarin standing over her, striking her over and over with a hammer. She ran into the streets screaming for help, I was one of the ponies who was woken by her and ran to help, I saw…
It took three stallions to drag Soarin away from Rainbow Dash; he refused to stop hitting her even though her head had been beaten to a pulp. He was dragged to the sheriff’s office and thrown into jail where Fleetfoot watched over him while we all tried to collect ourselves. The jail was empty last night because the pony Fleetfoot had intended to jail had committed suicide, a guy called Filthy Rich. I went to fetch Spike from Sugarcube Corner, the bakery he was staying at, he was the only one left who could be trusted to investigate this.
I… didn’t go with him to help; I couldn’t bear to see Rainbow’s body again. While Spike dealt with that, I was left to try and keep the rest of the town calm, which also meant having to deliver the news to Applejack when she arrived. I don’t know what I expected, but from everything I’d heard I figured she would be pleased that her ‘nemesis’ was gone, but the look on her face when I told her… it still sends a chill up my spine.
She pushed past me to go see for herself, I wasn’t about to try and stop her. I went back to the sheriff’s office to see if Fleetfoot had got anything out of Soarin, when I arrived he was a completely different pony, sobbing and begging for forgiveness. He kept insisting that he wasn’t in control, that his body acted against his will, that he could see everything he was doing but was powerless to stop it. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing; I might have been feeling more sympathetic had I not seen it personally.
Fleetfoot looked like she wanted to execute him herself, but it was at that moment that the latest victim of the serial killer was reported, a busker called Lyra. When the town meeting was called, hardly anypony paid much notice to Lyra or Filthy Rich’s deaths; everypony was focused on what had happened to Rainbow Dash. The cry for death was fairly unanimous; Soarin was dragged shackled and screaming up to the gallows.
He was still insisting that he had been controlled, and out of nowhere he began accusing some random mare called Rarity, saying that she must have been responsible. He sounded completely deranged. Spike was still trying to put a stop to the whole thing, but when even Applejack and Fleetfoot voted him guilty, there was nopony who sided with him. Even I had to give in, as much as it pained me to do so, Soarin had been so nice to me, but I had seen him murder Rainbow with my own eyes.
With Soarin’s execution, there was a grand total of four deaths today; the most there’s been all week. When the dirty deed was done, I went to visit Fluttershy who was still unable to leave her house; she hadn’t been informed of what had happened. The task was left to me and it wasn’t easy, there was a lot of screaming and sobbing, I tried my best to comfort her but she asked me to leave. When I tried to insist she screamed at me to leave.
I went back to the sheriff’s office to see how Fleetfoot was doing; I’m seriously beginning to think she’s a sociopath. Fluttershy’s reaction to Rainbow Dash’s murder and Soarin’s subsequent execution was fairly normal, but Fleetfoot seemed to be taking the whole thing unusually well considering they were all childhood friends. She told me that if Fluttershy wanted to be alone, I should just give her space, she would come around eventually.
When I asked what I could do to help, she just said there was nothing left for me to do. I went back to the flat and I’ve been here all evening, the itching has been a little more subdued today, perhaps it’s because my mind has been so focused on Rainbow Dash’s death rather than Lyra’s. Still, I keep thinking back to what I saw when I entered Rainbow’s house this morning and I can’t help but think that it was so… messy.
Strange, but messy is the word I can’t get out of my head. I just keep picturing it and seeing how brutal and barbaric the whole thing was, and how Soarin could have done it a lot more cleanly…
Oh my lord! What did I just write?! Oh god now the itching is back! I need to sleep this off…
Diary of Spike
Monday 14th November
Rainbow Dash is dead, murdered by her own partner, Soarin. I know we didn’t see eye to eye, but I still respected her tenacity, she definitely did not deserve to go out like that. Neither did Soarin though, poor guy, executed by all his friends and neighbours. He tried to tell us that he wasn’t in control and nopony believed him, heck even I thought he was talking shite, but I still thought we needed to take more time to question him on why he did it. If I’d known then what I know now, I think I would have run up and physically stopped them from hanging him.
I knew something was up though when he fingered that mare Rarity in his defence. He specifically said he didn’t know how she did it, but she must have been responsible. Of course everypony else probably just though he was a nutter, but I thought something was up so when everypony dispersed, I followed the mare back to her house, a boutique near the edge of town. After delaying for a few minutes I knocked on the door and asked if I could have a word.
Of course she claimed complete ignorance, insisted that she barely knew Rainbow Dash or Soarin, and that she was taken completely by surprise when he accused her of all ponies. She was a good actor I’ll give her that, I had pretty much bought her story and was ready to leave when I noticed it. She was out of the room, fetching tea, and I found an old scrap of paper torn a book. I only had to take one look at it to know everything Soarin had said was true, he had been controlled, and Rarity WAS responsible thanks to the dark magic she was practicing.
Of course I had to hide my discovery, I know from past experience that you have to be very careful when dealing with witches. I accepted the tea and chatted amiably for a bit, made it sound like I believed her and I thought Soarin got what he deserved. As soon as I was clear of the boutique I ran back here and wrote an urgent letter to my superiors calling for an armed response team to deal with Shining Armour and a team of mages to deal with Rarity. Mr Cake was able to direct me to a pegasus courier who promised to get my letter to Canterlot as quickly as possible.
I hope they are able to respond quickly, things here have gotten bad enough without another explosion. Before they arrive I have to catch this serial killer, besides the increasing pile of bodies, it’s going to look really bad for me I don’t put a stop to them soon, and I still have to worry about Applejack retaliating for her brother. Things just keep getting worse in this bloody town, I won’t be sad to see the last of it when all this is over. Fleetfoot mentioned something Rainbow Dash had been looking into, how the killer was entering the victim’s homes.
I had thought on it myself but came to no conclusions; it appears though that the late sheriff had theorised that the killer was using magic to unlock doors or teleport into the houses. If that’s true then it greatly narrows our list of suspects, particularly since there aren’t many unicorns in Ponyville.
Diary of Applejack
Monday 14th November
Rainbow Dash is gone, after all these years she’s finally and truly dead. I could scarcely believe it when the newcomer told me; I just had to see it for myself. My stomach wishes I hadn’t, it was a right mess. When I saw her I just collapsed to my knees, all my strength left me. Spike said it was Soarin, smashed her head in with a hammer. I felt so empty as a I left that house, like a piece of me died.
When I stood there in the town square and saw Soarin dragged up to the gallows, I felt I fury inside me akin to that I still feel against Shining Armour. I wanted that son of a bitch dead; I wanted him to suffer for what he did. Caballeron whispered to me when Spike announced her death, he said good riddance. I made a mental note to have him killed later on, I’m expecting my boys to pick him up soon and bring him here to me, I’ll make him eat those words, a fairly difficult task once I remove his teeth one by one.
Rainbow Dash is gone, for the second time in my life she’s gone… why does she always have to leave?! No, she made her choice… But why did it have to be the wrong choice?! First Granny, then Mac, now Rainbow, who’s next? Applebloom? Am I doomed to see everypony I care about die?! Is everything I’ve built going to crumble around me?
Applebloom asked me today if I had anything to do with what happened to Rainbow, I told her I could never have hurt her. She then asked me why we were enemies if I cared about her so much, I said it was because Rainbow Dash was once family. She thought I meant the Family; I told her I meant real family. When she asked what changed I didn’t know how to answer that, the truth? Rainbow Dash learned the truth and she ran, leaving me afraid that if Bloom ever learned the truth she would run to.
She’s asking so many questions, about why I sent Mac to Shining Armour’s house, about why Rainbow Dash opposed the Family, about what the Family really did… I can’t keep lying to her, but I can’t lose her the same way I lost Rainbow all those years ago. Maybe Granny was right, if we had raised Applebloom right, told her right from the beginning what it was we did… then maybe she wouldn’t be so horrified when she finally learns the truth.
This has to end the way it began, with that blasted serial killer, if I can just stop them then maybe… maybe I can save all that I have left.
Diary of Fleetfoot
Monday 14th November
It would seem there isn’t going to a town left to save before long. Dash is gone, Soarin followed her shortly after. The serial killer got Lyra, and Filthy Rich was already dead by the time I went to arrest him last night. It would seem he took Pinkie Pie’s death pretty hard, probably because he was the one who first publically accused her of being the killer. Ah well, just means I can tick him off the list. Speaking of which, I’m really glad Dash made this before she went; it’ll give me a solid plan to follow from now onwards without her being around to give orders.
Yes I’m devastated by what happened to Rainbow, and yes I feel furious and betrayed at what Soarin did, but no I will not turn into a blubbering heap like Fluttershy. I still have a job to do, no point crying over the dead while there’s still living ponies counting on me, there’ll be plenty of time to mourn when all the murdering scum in this town is dead. I wonder how Applejack’s taking Dash’s death, probably delighted that the only pony brave enough to stand against her is finally gone. Well I may have no personal beef with Applejack, but if I get a chance to take done another one or two of her minions then I’ll do it gladly in memory of everything Rainbow Dash wanted to accomplish.
Dash said the killer was probably a unicorn from the way they were able to infiltrate houses, so I should probably take that as my best lead. I also mentioned it to that guy Spike, Dash never wanted to work with him, but I’m not exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to partners. It’s the dragon or the amnesiac, and as much as I like the latter, it’s the former I trust more in this situation. Anyway, I’ll leave it to the little guy to work the crime scenes while I continue to bring in suspects and beat them down, and if I don’t have a suspect then I’ll refer to the list Rainbow gave me.
If I go down the list to the next unicorn, then it looks like I’m arresting the town librarian tonight, Trixie.
Diary of Sweetie Belle
Monday 14th November
Oh Rarity, what have you done…
I can’t stop crying, Scootaloo just left to check on some stuff. All I wanted was to know who had been responsible for their deaths, so that I might be able to help them rest and silence their voices, but now I know far more than I ever wanted to. They’re getting louder, and clearer, I can even make them out during the day now. I heard his voice; as soon as he died I could hear his voice joining the ever growing sea in my mind.
He told me… terrible things. I didn’t want to believe them, but he wouldn’t stop begging until I finally gave in. I found… the books; I found those horrible magic spells hidden about Rarity’s room. I didn’t want to believe it but it was right there, she really did make him kill Rainbow Dash. I ran as far away as I could, I couldn’t bear to see Rarity knowing what she had done. I didn’t know where to go, I didn’t know what to do, did I tell ponies the truth? Would anypony believe me?
I was so lost, running with my eyes shut, only when I opened them and found myself outside Scootaloo’s house did I know what I had to do. I told them everything, about the voices, about what my sister had done. I waited for them to call me a freak and throw me out into to street or to call the jailor to come and lock me up. They didn’t do any of that, they both just hugged me and held me while I cried and cried. Cheerilee said it was going to be alright, that she would look after me and that I could stay as long as I needed to. She left a short while ago; I think she’s going to tell the sheriff… or whoever is filling in for Rainbow Dash after… after…
Scootaloo’s been with me ever since she left, she asked me why I wasn’t honest with her, she told me that nothing I could say would ever make her stop caring about me and being my friend. That just made me cry even more. I’ve been so self-absorbed I completely forgot that Scootaloo is probably hurting just as much as me right now, Rainbow Dash was like a sister to her, she should hate me right now, but she doesn’t. Instead she’s staying strong for me.
When she comes back I’ll tell her how sorry I am for what happened. I don’t know what’s going to happen now, will Rarity be arrested? Or will she… I know what she did was wrong but I still love her, I can’t bear the thought of her ending up like Soarin or Pinkie Pie.
Diary of Scootaloo
Monday 14th November
Rainbow Dash… I can’t believe she’s gone.
When I heard what Soarin had done, I was furious. I ran straight to the office with the intention to kill him myself, Fleetfoot held me back though. I eventually tired myself out fighting against her and just started crying in a ball on the floor, I looked so pathetic, Rainbow Dash would have been ashamed of me. Cheerilee came and took me back home; neither of us attended the town meeting even though I desperately wanted to.
Even if I couldn’t be the one to do the deed I still wanted to watch him die. All I could think about was revenge… until Sweetie Belle arrived and told us the truth. I feel so hollow, so empty. Soarin had been like a brother or a cool uncle to me for years, and in a single instant Rarity turned me against him and murdered my sister and hero. I could never blame Sweetie Belle for it, no matter what she thinks. She wasn’t the one to pull the switch, or cast the spell in this case; she had nothing to do with what her sister had done so I will never resent her.
Cheerilee’s been gone for a while now, I’m starting to get worried. What if she ran into the serial killer while she was out?! I don’t know what I’d do without her; she’s the only real family I’d ever known before Rainbow took me under her wing. She was the one who always looked out for me when the other kids bullied me, she was the one who always spent extra time with me in class because I was struggling so much, and she was the one I ran to when I finally couldn’t take any more of the pain.
She was the only pony who ever stood between me and my… and him. Even when he tried to take me back by force she refused to move. And when the guards came and took him away, she was the one who offered to take me in. She became the mother I never had, the family I always thought I didn’t deserve. If she gets hurt out there…
…
Sorry, I almost left there, I was about to go out and find her myself, just to make sure she was okay. But then Sweetie Belle spoke to me… she needs me right now. I’ll just have to trust that Cheerilee will be safe on her own. Please get back home soon Cheerilee…
Diary of Cheerilee
Monday 14th November
This entry is important, as it may be the last one I ever write. I’ve just stopped at a park bench to write this on my way to the Carousel Boutique.
Rainbow Dash is gone, murdered by her own boyfriend Soarin, all because Rarity made him. Sweetie Belle told us, her sister is a witch; she used dark magic to take control of Soarin and make him do the unspeakable. It seems Sweetie Belle is somehow able to commune with the dead, I won’t pretend to understand how that’s possible, but I know it in my heart to be true. Most ponies would think she was lying, or perhaps insane, but I’ve known her since she was just a child, I taught her and watched her grow, just like Scootaloo.
She’s scared and deeply hurt, she needs help, she needs someone to care for her. If I survive tonight I will try my best, but if I don’t… Rarity is clearly dangerous; she might even be the one responsible for all the murders up to this point. Somepony has to stop her before she can harm anypony else, and I did steal this gun. I swore I would do whatever it took to protect Scootaloo, and since Scootaloo cares about Sweetie Bell, that promise applies to her too.
If I fail, and Rarity is still alive tomorrow, I trust that the ponies of this town will see to it that she faces justice for her crimes. If I fail, and I die… I hope that Scootaloo is taken care of and… And please let her know I love her, and what I’m attempting to do is all in order to build a better world for her and her friends to live in. Even if I live and go to jail or worse for it, I stand by what I’m doing, I’m sticking my hooves into the mud so others don’t have to.