//------------------------------//
// ...And Then There Were Two & One 
// Story: Ten Little Ponies 
// by Forefront1 
//------------------------------//


...And Then There Were Two & One


“Applejack.” A faint voice cried out.
Applejack felt strange. Her eyes were shut, she was completely disoriented, and her head was killing her.
“Applejack.” The voice cried out in a strangely soothing tone.
She couldn’t remember what had happened. One minute, she was wandering the halls in the dark, the next she was knocked out and hearing voices.
“Applejack.”
Okay, that one was definitely real. Applejack struggled to focus her thoughts, her head pounding with each second. She slowly opened her eyes and began to gain her composure. Oddly enough, the lights were back on in the castle, but that didn’t help her determine her location. She looked around the room as her surroundings came into focus. She was in a small room with crystal walls on every side and one door in front of her. There was a small table with a remote control on it sitting across from her as well. On her left was one single screen that appeared to be a security monitor. Interestingly enough, Applejack did not remember seeing any cameras that night.
Applejack tried to move her hooves to rub her temples but alarmingly she realized that they were tied to the chair with rope. She struggled to break them but at the moment she was just too weak.
“Oh, good you’re finally awake.” The voice said in a chipper tone.
Applejack looked up and her eyes shot open wide in surprise.
“Celestia?!” Applejack shouted.
Celestia gave a evil smile in response.
“You’re the killer!” Applejack concluded.
“Yes, and I have been waiting all night for this moment.” Celestia cheered.
"How did I even get here?" Applejack questioned.
"Let's just say that sometime when the lights were off I somehow took you down and dragged your unconscious body here." Celestia explained. 
“I can’t believe this...what?” Applejack said, trying to take everything in.
“I know you are probably confused, but before we get into details let’s see how Pinkie Pie is doing.” Celestia said grabbing the remote control off of the table.
Clicking a button, Celestia looked toward the security screen. After a quick start up the screen turned on and showed footage from another room. Applejack gasped as she saw Pinkie Pie trapped in a cage, banging against the locked door.
“Hello! Is anyone there?” Pinkie Pie shouted. “Please, someone get me out of here!” 
As if to respond, Celestia clicked another button and the door swung open. Pinkie Pie took the opportunity and ran out of the room she was in as fast as she could. Celestia clicked another button which showed a long empty hallway. Within a few moments, Pinkie Pie appeared on the screen. Looking to her right, Pinkie Pie cheered at what she saw. Applejack saw it too. It was the open front doors of the castle. Pinkie Pie ran as fast as she could towards the doors.
“Freedom!” She shouted as she got to the doors.
Applejack looked toward Celestia and instantly got a bad feeling. Celestia did not look upset as Applejack thought, but rather, happier than she had ever been.
Pinkie Pie reached the doors, thinking that she was finally free from the fear. Then, she ran into the doors. Rather, she ran into a sheet of paper that was designed to look like the doors. In her haste, she couldn’t tell the difference. On the other side of the paper was a window which Pinkie Pie crashed through. Falling out of the castle Pinkie Pie quickly looked around. 
Pinkie Pie saw the forcefield, still powered up, surrounding the castle. The sun was just barely coming up on the horizon as morning was approaching. Finally, Pinkie Pie looked down and saw the long fall in store for her. She had fallen out of one of the top floors and it was easily a 70 foot drop. Pinkie Pie held her eyes shut and braced for impact as the ground rapidly approached her. She landed at high speeds with an unnatural crack, her body contorting into an impossible shape and remaining motionless. Applejack just wished that Celestia hadn’t put a camera outside.







One tried to run.




“Well, that was certainly entertaining but now let’s get to business.” Celestia chuckled.
“Celestia, why?” Applejack said, fighting back tears.
“It’s quite simple actually,” Celestia began. “I am the one in charge, but that doesn’t mean I’m the one everyone looks up to. My sister and niece along with you six were gaining too much popularity, too much praise. I feared that my position as ruler would be compromised, so I got rid of you.” Celestia explained.
“How could you?” Applejack asked.
“Don’t act so surprised, this isn’t the first time it’s happened.” Celestia said much to Applejack’s surprise. “Ever wonder what happened to Star Swirl the Bearded, and of course you can’t forget my sister and “Nightmare Moon.” Sure she was evil but I was the one who created her in the first place.”
“What about Spike!?” Applejack shouted. “He wasn’t in your way.”
“Spike’s death was a warning. I was hoping that someone would leave the group in fear, but since you all stayed together I had no choice but to continue.” Celestia remarked with fake sympathy.
“Okay…” Applejack said, finally gaining her composure. “We’ve established the why, but how?” Applejack questioned.
“What do you mean?” Celestia asked quizzically.
“The poem, the murders...how did you make all of that work?” Applejack asked, searching her brain for answers.
“Trust me it was a royal pain. First I had to get you all together. So I planned this simple party and only invited you all.” Celestia explained.
“It was you.” Applejack realized. “So the only reason we had this party was so you could pick us off?”
“Correct.” Celestia replied. “Once everyone showed up, I simply had to write the poem in a forged writing style so that no one could track me down.” She told Applejack as Applejack replayed the scene in her mind.


“I don’t recognize this hoof writing.” Twilight said trying to identify the writer. “The pony who wrote this does not want someone tracking them down…”


"Along with the poem, I had to make sure that each one of you would run into their trap at precisely the right time. Fortunately, being thousands of years old allows you to figure out ponies next moves."
Applejack just sat in silence.
“After you all found the poem and I set up the murders all that was left to do was wait without giving myself away too much.” Celestia recalled.


“Calm down Rainbow Dash.” Celestia interjected. “We can’t let ourselves get caught up in this.”


“So how did you manage to kill Spike?” Applejack asked. “I brought the cider from the barn, meaning that it had to be contaminated during the party.”
“It was.” Celestia confirmed with a small nod.
“But you were with Luna the entire time during the dinner.” Applejack protested in confusion.
“Think again.” Celestia corrected.


“Luna for the last time we are at a party with all of our friends and I intend on having a good time.” Celestia said getting up from the table to go put her plate away.



“That’s right.” Applejack realized “So you put the dragonsneeze in a cup of cider then?”
“Yep, I had to be quick about it though.” Celestia commented under her breath. 
“Weren’t you afraid that someone would notice when they went up and grabbed a new cup of cider.” Applejack wondered.
“I did think about that, however, by that point in the night the only one left drinking cider was Rainbow Dash. Thanks to her lack of etiquette, I knew that she would not grab a new cup and spoil the plan.


“I’m going to get more cider.” Rainbow Dash said as she grabbed her mug to refill and stormed off.


“Dang, you thought of everything.” Applejack replied, surprisingly impressed.
“Yes, I even remember the fatal amount of dragonsneeze needed, from when Spike was young.”


“But he’s never had a reaction as bad as this.” Twilight said motioning to Spike’s body.



“So what about Pinkie Pie and I?” Applejack wondered out loud.
“What about you two?” Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow. 
“Why did you keep us until the end?” Applejack replied.
“Why to keep ponies guessing, of course.” Celestia said calmly.
“Huh?” Applejack asked with a puzzled look on her face.
“I’ll explain.” Celestia said gathering her thoughts. “You and Pinkie Pie were two very likely suspects that could be the murderer the way the night played out.” Celestia began. “Pinkie Pie was the closest to Spike before he began talking. Plus, she was the one who locked everyone in for the night.”


“Pinkie Pie just trapped us in here for the night.” Twilight said in annoyance. “That magical force field is impenetrable and prevents all forms of magic even including immortality.” 


“That’s another thing, how did you know about the security system?” Applejack pointed out.
“Oh please. Every castle in Equestria has one just like it, it took virtually no effort to convince Twilight to install one of her own.” Celestia chuckled at her own genius.
“Anyways, back to my story.” Celestia said bluntly to Applejack. “The most convincing piece of evidence was that her party cannons were used for two murders. It’s one of those: too obvious to be true but then again maybe not, situations. Keeps ponies guessing.”
“What about me then?” Applejack asked curiously.
“You are almost in the same boat. The cider was used for the first murder and, if anyone found them, ropes from your barn were used to kill Rainbow Dash.” Celestia explained.
Choking back tears from hearing about Rainbow, Applejack asked another question.
“There’s one more thing I don’t understand.” Applejack muttered. “Why did you say that the killer dies in the poem?” 
“To clear my name.” Celestia said with a grin. “When I kill you and frame you for the murders of nine of the most powerful citizens of Equestria, I will be the sole survivor described in the poem. Along with the cider and the ropes there will be plenty of evidence. Plus, even if there are doubts, the poem itself is evidence enough to believe me.”
Applejack looked to the ground for a moment in sheer awe of the complexity of Celestia’s plan.
“Ah must say, I am very impressed Celestia. You really thought of everything.” Applejack said in defeat.
“Why thank you Applejack. Still honest in defeat I see.” Celestia said with a satisfied smile.
“That is, almost everything.” Applejack said picking her head up.
“Oh really,” Celestia said with a scowl. “and what might I have forgotten?” Celestia said in annoyance.
“That I’ve been the lasso champion at the Appleloosan Rodeo for five years straight.” Applejack said with a quick smile.
In a flash, Applejack finally loosened the ropes enough to fling them off of her hooves. Before Celestia could react, Applejack tossed the ropes toward Celestia, tying her front hooves together. As Celestia struggled to get the ropes off, Applejack got her legs free and bolted out the doors.
“Don’t think you’ve escaped just yet!” Celestia shouted, getting to her feet.


===============


Applejack’s heart was pounding faster than she thought possible. Knowing that the sun was just coming over the horizon, the force field would be down soon and she could escape. However, so could Celestia. Then a thought rang through Applejack’s head. 
Only one of us can get out of here alive.
She stopped in her tracks when she realized that. Sure, Celestia had done some terrible things, but Applejack was no killer. Yet further thoughts began to convince her her otherwise.
I can’t let Celestia escape, or she’ll just continue to take out her competition.
As she struggled with what to do, she heard Celestia’s voice from behind her.
“There you are Applejack!” Celestia shouted with a crazed look in her eye.
“Ahh!” Applejack shouted, once again beginning to run.
“You’d better run faster than that!” Celestia chuckled as she began to chase her victim.
Despite Celestia’s appearance, she was much faster than Applejack. Within a few moments, she was right behind the earth pony, practically within reach. Applejack quickly turned a corner, desperately trying to escape, but Celestia was still right behind her. As fast as she could sprint, 	Applejack ran to the end of the hall, threw open a door, jumped inside and locked it.
Celestia ran to the door Applejack took cover behind and proceeded to try and bust the door down. On the other side, Applejack began to push furniture in front of the door to stop Celestia. After a few loud bangs against the door, Celestia stopped trying. Applejack slowly backed away from the door, not taking her eyes off of it.
Just as she thought she had escaped danger, Celestia bashed the door open along with the stacked furniture. Wood and debris flew forward towards Applejack, knocking her to the ground and pinning one of her legs as well. Panicking and struggling to get free, Applejack slowly looked up to the hole in the wall and saw Celestia slowly walking through, her pupils just larger than pinpricks.
“I have to give you credit Applejack, you put up quite a fight.” Celestia said, her eyes staring daggers at Applejack. “However, enough’s enough. Sit still and this might not hurt as much.” Celestia said grabbing the knife from underneath her wing. 
Applejack’s world went into slow motion. She pulled as hard as she could on her stuck hoof, begging for it to come free, as Celestia menacingly approached. Celestia then raised the knife and let out a sickening laugh. In a last ditch effort, Applejack swung her leg awkwardly in the air, striking Celestia in the jaw. 
The alicorn stumbled back a few feet, dropping the knife to the ground. Applejack used this moment and, with all her might, finally got her hoof free. She then ran back past Celestia and out into the hallway. 
Looking to the right, Applejack saw a pair of doors leading outside. She ran over to them and pulled the handle. They were locked.
“Nice try.” Celestia said in a raspy voice from behind her. “But the field is still up.”
Without looking behind her, Applejack ran down the hallway to her left and to the man room of the castle. Looking out of some windows, she could see that the sun was almost full up.
“Just a few more moments.” Applejack told herself.
“There is no where left to run.” Celestia said, locking the only open doors left. “I already locked the others when you were unconscious. It’s over. I win.” She said with a bloody smile.
Turning around, Applejack saw that Celestia was bleeding and she had lost a few of her teeth. Applejack began backing up into a pillar, out of options. Celestia, still holding the knife, slowly walked up to Applejack. Cracking her jaw, Celestia let out another laugh.
“You’ve bucked you last apple tree.” Celestia spat out, blood dripping from her mouth.
Looking around Applejack was about to accept her fate, until she thought of something.
“I don’t know, I think I still got it.” Applejack said confidently.
With that, Applejack reared up on her front legs and pulled her back legs in. Applejack kicked her legs out as hard as she could and struck the pillar. The pillar immediately cracked and crumbled to the ground and the room began to shake. Celestia’s eyes went wide as the roof above them began to crack and break apart. Soon most of the area above her was crumbling in front of her eyes. Applejack dove under a table as the roof finally gave way. Celestia screamed as tons of crystal and stone landed on top of her and crushed her. Applejack curled up under the table and hoped it would hold. Luckily, the crystal table was able to handle the impact. 
After the roof finally finished falling, Applejack opened her eyes and crawled out from under the table. Right next to the table was the entire pile of roof that fell, and one white hoof sticking out from the rubble. Applejack cautiously walked over to the hoof and gave it a slight nudge, to which there was no reaction. She was finally safe.







The killer defeated,




Looking to the top of the rubble, Applejack saw a hole in the roof of the castle. Looking through the hole, Applejack finally saw the forcefield come down. Showing that she was free. Climbing up the rubble, Applejack looked out over the horizon. The sun shone brightly in her eyes, and Applejack had to squint just to see. She then looked over to the quiet town of Ponyville, just waking from their slumber. Looking over to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack let out a sigh.
“Ah hate dinner parties.” She muttered to herself, shaking her head.
She slowly climbed down the damaged side of the castle and began to slowly start home.





And then there was one.






The End…?