Ponyville Crime: Rune Shredder

by SigmatheAwesome

Break: Dinner Date

"Applejack!"

The orange mare curled herself up closer in her bed, savouring warmth.

"Applejack, it's time for breakfast!"

"Ugh..." Applejack groaned. "Five more minutes..."

"It's yer favourite!" The filly's voice added. "Apple pancakes with maple syrup!"

Applejack blinked, then grinned. "Ah'm comin'!"

In about ten seconds (flat) she had literally kicked her door open, stomach growling. Fortunately she had missed Applebloom, who seemed to predict this barging out.

"Mornin' sis!"

"Morning!" Applebloom trotted alongside her sister to the kitchen area, equally excited with the breakfast.

"Mornin', AJ." Big McIntosh, currently doing some financial work, said as he watched his sisters trotting down the stairs. "How'd ya sleep?"

"Could'a been better, could'a been worse." She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the pancake batter cooking alongside the smell of apples. "Breakfast smells good."

"Eeyup." Big McIntosh went back to his work.

"How'd ya sleep, Applebloom?"

"Ah slept like a log." Applebloom grinned. "Uh- Do logs actually sleep?"

"Nah, but it's a sayin' for a good sleep." She rustled the filly's mane. "Go an' check how long to breakfast please."

Applebloom mock-saluted and dashed to the kitchen. She took a seat on the table and smiled. "So, Big Mac, how's the farm doing?"

"Good." He said succinctly. "Our plough needs replacin', but otherwise the farm's up t' speed."

"Good." Applejack replied, then smiled when she saw food coming out of the kitchen. "C'mon Big Mac, time fer breakfast."

"Eeyup."

---

Rarity yawned slowly, currently preparing herself a cup of coffee. Meanwhile, she was trying to cope with her parents and sister going on about some inane thing.

"... So this Diamond Tiara girl just got her cutie mark, and my friend Scootaloo was all 'grr she's such a stuck-up brat' and I was all like 'yeah, she totally is' and we thought about starting a club together but we need another member."

"Well, I'm sure you'll find one, dearie." Martha replied, ruffling the filly's mane.

"Who knows, y'might find one tonight." Magnum smiled.

Rarity had a sip of her coffee and suddenly felt a bit more awake.

"That'd be awesome." Sweetie Belle said, taking a bite of her toast (not prepared by her, thank the stars).

"The probability isn't that high, but it's certainly possible." Rarity added. "We'll just see how the day goes."

Magnum bit into his own toast as Rarity sat beside them, levitating her own breakfast. "So, Rarity, found somepony you like yet?"

Rarity groaned and slammed her head into the desk. "Ugh, Dad... I am far too busy with work to find a special somepony."

"Have you tried one of your workmates?" Martha asked.

"No, but that's because I'm not trying." Rarity lifted her head up and brushed a single strand of her mane aside. "Besides, there's almost nopony I 'like' there."

"Almost?" Magnum leant closer.

Rarity growled and picked up her entire breakfast, trotting off. "I'll be in my room if you want to talk about something worthwhile."

***

Rarity nibbled her eggs, her mind not even on her well-cooked breakfast. "A special somepony..." She crossed her hooves. "Well, there's hardly anypony who I've got my eye on. Only, really, Caramel, Lucky... Blueblood, though from what I've heard from my Canterlot contacts he's not very sociable... And, say, two others, who are..." She swallowed her current food. "Mares."

She placed another bit of egg in her mouth. "Not that there's anything wrong with liking mares these days, from what I've heard. I may as well just accept it. But my family can't know, I don't even know if they'd accept it or not."

She went to eat more of her egg only to find that it had disappeared. Likewise, she felt satiated. She giggled quietly to herself. "Oh my, I must've been thinking so hard I forgot about my meal." She lifted up her empty plate and took it to the kitchen, somewhat satisfied that her family was absent and instead in the lounge. "I think I'll go out today. It is market day, after all."

---

Applejack sighed with boredom, currently setting up her stall in the market. It was an ingenious contraption, containing everything she would've wanted to sell in a compact, enchanted case, that when kicked some distance it would automatically build itself. She had it made for formal events, but due to her lack of drive that day (despite a great breakfast) she opted to use it for today.

In short order the structure had built itself and she had dragged a seat for her to sit on while waiting for customers. Just as expected, a customer made her way to the stall in mere seconds of the building's completion.

"Howdy." She said casually to the pegasus who was at the stall. This pegasus had wonky eyes and a klutzy-yet-upbeat attitude, but was a whole other pony on the inside.

At least, according to Pinkie Pie.

"How can Ah help you?"

The pegasus scanned the objects, but suddenly one of her eyes locked onto something. "I'll have that muffin, please."

"That'll be three bits."

The pegasus tossed her three bits and grabbed the muffin in her wing. "Thank you! Have a good day!"

"Y'all have one too." Applejack casually replied, watching the pony trotting off in joy. She let herself smile.

***

Three hours later, Applejack was tapping one of her hooves incessantly on the counter. "C'mon, Big Mac..."

Right on cue, her older brother walked up. "I'm here. Sorry, doin' some applebuckin'."

"Y'all forgiven." She stood up and started trotting off. "Good luck!"

She didn't hear McIntosh's reply, instead dashing off for some much needed relief.

***

A quick flush later, she trotted out of the bathroom stalls. She closed her eyes and inadvertedly ran into another pony, the two ending up in a tangle of hooves. She was momentarily stunned by a hoof being knocked into her jaw, but when she came too she felt something resting on her chest, having fallen on her back.

"Ugh... And the day was going so well too..." A mare's voice called out, and she felt the weight shift. She heard a gasp. "Applejack?!"

Applejack groaned and opened her eyes to see Rarity peering into her face. "Wah!"

"Aah!" Rarity leapt back, shocked by the outburst. "Oh, are you ok, Applejack?"

"A lil' shaken, but Ah'll live." Applejack smiled. "Not goin' into work today?"

"No, I have the week off." She sighed. "You?"

"Other than farm stuff, Ah'm free."

Rarity tapped her chin. "Perhaps you could come over to my place for dinner?"

No sooner than she had finished saying that had she realised that it, in hindsight, wasn't the best of ideas. Unfortunately Applejack replied before she could correct herself. "Sure, I'd love ta."

"E-excellent." She laughed nervously. "Well, I, uh, I should get going. I need to tell my parents about this."

"Alrighty then." Applejack smiled, oblivious to the other mare's thinly-veiled distress. "Ah'll let mah family know too. What time?"

"Oh, let's say... Is eight a good time for you?"

"Ah'm free from six, so that works for me." She flipped out a business card and handed it to Rarity. "Gimme a call if it's alright with y'folks. Ah'll let ya back to y' business."

Rarity nodded and trotted briskly off to her home, which fortunately wasn't all that far away. In a matter of minutes she had arrived.

"Mum?" She called out. "Dad?"

"What is it, dear?" Martha's voice said.

"Is it alright if I can have somepony over for dinner?"

"Sure." Magnum said. "What time?"

"Is eight o'clock reasonable?"

"Absolutely. I'll start cooking at seven-thirty."

Rarity sighed with relief and trotted up to her room, where her own personal phone was. Pulling out Applejack's card, she dialled up her number and pressed the earpiece against her ear.

After a moment of dialling the phone clicked. "Howdy, Ah'm Applebloom."

"Hello dear, it's Rarity. Is your sister there?"

"Nah, she's out in th' market."

Rarity blinked, then facehoofed. "Of course she is... Thank you anyway, darling."

"No prob." Applebloom replied. "Can Ah help you with anythin'?"

"No thank you, I have what I need."

"Alright, see ya."

"Bye." Rarity replied casually, waiting for the phone to click off before she placed it back. Shortly after she trotted briskly to the door.

"Who're ya invitin' over?" Magnum asked before she pulled the door open.

"Just a friend." She exited her home before she could be forced into continuing. Much to her surprise Applejack was standing at a nearby stall, looking at some objects with curiosity. Rarity galloped up to meet her. "Hello dear."

"Oh, howdy." She replied, still looking at a trinket. "Didn't take ya long."

"No, I live very close by and I was merely wandering before."

Applejack put the object down to face Rarity. "So, what'd they say?"

"They accepted. It's at eight."

Applejack rubbed her chin. "Y'all have a little sister, right?"

"Sweetie Belle, yes. She's currently obsessing over her cutie mark and all that."

"Mah sis's like that too." Applejack smiled. "Ah could bring her over t' give Sweetie Belle a friend to play with."

"I think she'd like that." Rarity looked at the trinket. "Ooh, that's pretty."

"Yeah, and it looks an awful lot like my ma's old necklace. Ah know it's not, though."

"Probably the same maker." Rarity replied, lifting the necklace up closer. It was a loop of purple and blue marble orbs with solid gold between each orb. She levitated it around her neck to test it. "How does it look on me?"

"Pretty good," Applejack commented. "Although Ah can't really tell through yer magic."

"Oh, right." She turned to the store-owner. "How much for this?"

"Ten bits."

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Wow." She lifted ten bits out and dropped it on the counter. "Thank you."

"Rare, why did ya just-?"

"I have hunches too." She smiled. "Just in a different area." She admired the necklace, which she just put around her neck. "Besides, I think it looks good on me."

"Now that Ah can see it better, Ah agree."

Rarity shyly kicked the dirt. "Aww, thank you."

Applejack smiled brightly, but stopped when her watch beeped suddenly. "Darn, gotta get back t' work. Catch'ya at yer place at eight?"

"That would be nice." Rarity replied, still a little bashful.

---

For the next several hours Rarity spent most of her time wandering the stalls and bumping into friends. In the last hour or so of her market venture she had caught up with her pegasus friend Fluttershy. The two shared an interest in fashion, though the pegasus was more into it as a hobby. They ended up talking for ages, often getting side-tracked as most conversations do.

However, it was approaching eight, so Rarity bid her friend farewell and set off to her home.

When she entered the house she caught the whiff of something rather delicious. Despite her family's ability to eat charcoal without being poisoned, they preferred to eat well. It just meant that they were able to cope with accidental overcooking. Except Rarity, of course, but she made her own food anyway.

"That smells wonderful." She said as she popped into the kitchen.

"Well, you are bringing somepony over for dinner, so I thought I'd avoid the whole charcoal thing that you keep going on about."

"Well, if you need my help I'll be-"

The doorbell rang.

"Pardon me."

She sped to the front door and pulled it open with her magic. Standing at the door was Applejack and her younger sister. "Howdy."

"You're here early." Rarity replied with a smile, pulling the door open. "Come in, make yourselves at home."

Applejack nodded and stepped inside. "Ooh, fancy."

"I did most of the decoration." Rarity stated. "Gives the place a... unique feeling to it."

"Ah can certainly tell." Applejack said, taking a seat on the couch. Her sister bounced into her spot nearby.

"I'll just let everypony know you've arrived." Rarity said and trotted to the kitchen. "Mum?"

"He's here?"

"Actually it's my friend Applejack. And her sister, to keep Sweetie company."

"Oh, sorry." Martha smiled. "I just thought that..."

"... that because I was inviting somepony over it was someone I was romantically interested in, I understand your assumptions."

"Well, it'd be nice to meet them anyway."

"I'll just go let Dad and Sweetie know they're here." Rarity turned to leave, only to bump into her father.

"Heya Rarity!" Magnum greeted her with his usual cheer. "When's your friend coming over?"

"She's already here." She pointed behind him. "She also brought her sister along to keep Sweetie entertained."

Magnum turned to face Applejack, seemed to do a double take, then turned back with a smile. "Well, that's wonderful."

"Hello?" Sweetie Belle's voice seemed to say shyly.

"Howdy." Applebloom replied with enthusiasm. "Ah'm Applebloom."

"I'm Sweetie Belle." The unicorn filly greeted with a more excited nature. "Hey, I've seen you at school."

After their short greeting the two got on like a house on fire. All of the adults had trotted out to both greet Applejack and watch the instant friendship form between the fillies. Shortly after they had gallivanted off to Sweetie Belle's room.

"Well," Martha announced, grinning from the display. "I guess dinner is served."

***

The rather generous meal was laid out on a table large enough for six ponies. Rarity had taken to sitting on one side, next to her mother, with Magnum and Applejack on the ends of the table, and the fillies on the other side.

Rarity served herself a small helping of lettuce and other assorted vegetables, and offered some to Applejack. Applejack nodded and watched the unicorn placing some food on her plate.

"Thank ya kindly."

Applebloom grabbed some mouth-tongs to sort her own food out. Sweetie Belle seemed to be straining, attempting to cast a spell.

"Applebloom, could ya give Sweetie Belle a hoof with her food?" Applejack had a look of concern on her face.

"No!" Sweetie Belle replied through her teeth. Green sparks flew off her horn as she poured power into the spell. "I've... Almost... Got it..." Her horn brought up a green aura for an instant before both the magic and Sweetie Belle collapsed. "Ok..." She said between breaths. "Not just yet..."

"You came very close, though." Rarity offered her encouragement. "I think I saw a proper aura for a second."

Sweetie Belle smiled weakly then grabbed the tongs from Applebloom to serve her own food.

"Besides, I was a late bloomer in terms of magic too. I was a year or so older than you before I could really cast spells." She smiled.

"Y'all lucky you have all this magic 'a yers." Applejack bit into a piece of lettuce and finished it quickly before she continues. "I mean, y'all can grab things with yer mind, and better than any hoof can do."

"There are downsides, naturally." Rarity offered. "First, our bodies aren't as tough as earth ponies or pegasi. Second, we can get migraines. Third... Well, the saying 'absolute power corrupts absolutely' should explain it."

"Corruption." Sweetie Belle mumbled dourly.

"Exactly." Rarity continued. "We may be able to use our minds to bend reality, some more than others, but corruption is at least ten times more likely to happen in unicorns than pegasi or earth ponies."

Applejack smiled. "Well, Ah ain't a mathematician, but Ah can say that y'all unlikely to be corrupted. That an' y' sister."

Rarity blushed and looked away. "You flatter me."

"Besides, it ain't impossible for any other pony to be corrupted through magicks." She smiled. "I mean, remember that would-be serial killer?"

"Is that..." Rarity pressed her hooves to her temple. "The one who used a pair of hoof-mounted retractable blades?"

"Claimed t' be an assassin or somethin'."

Rarity spared a glance around the table, noticing the other four were in their own deep conversations. "What was that guy's name..."

"Iunno. Ah remember he was a pegasus, and Trixie detected some taint in his network."

"Taint..." Rarity shuddered. "Horrible stuff. Raw magika infused with corrupt energies. Rare as all Tartarus, but not impossible to create."

Applejack bit into her lettuce. "So, it ain't imposs-"

"Applejack, dear, please don't speak with your mouth full, it's dreadfully rude."

Applejack rolled her eyes and shortly finished her mouthful. "As Ah was sayin', it ain't impossible for other ponies to be corrupted. In fact, Ah reckon that the pointy horns and the twisting-o'-reality thing the unicorns have are more of a lure fer whatever causes corruption."

"Well, the horn makes sense for non-sentient corruption." Rarity looked at her horn. "It's a conduit to a pony's network in essence, a direct opening for energy to move out of... and into."

"Yup."

"Then, with that same logic, a pegasus wing is also a conduit of energy."

"Just ain't as open." Applejack offered.

Rarity tapped her chin. "Alright, you have a point."

"Don't Ah always?" Applejack leaned back, smugly grinning. "But yeah, Ah don't think y'all corruptible. Neither is y' sister." She leaned very close. "Though y' dad's been eyeing me this entire time. Now, Ah ain't a genius, but Ah reckon it's either that Ah'm damn good looking-"

"Which you-" Rarity covered her mouth. "D-do go on."

"-Or he ain't particularly fond of me or my kin."

"Why would Dad have a problem with your family?" Rarity questioned.

"Ah ain't sure. But if Ah could Ah'd poke around a bit to make sure."

Rarity spared a glance to her father. He was deep in conversation, but occasionally his gaze would flicker to the two of them. "It could be that he's concerned over me."

"Worried that the farmer mare is making moves on Daddy's little girl?" Applejack tilted her head, smirking madly.

Rarity stammered. "Applejack, please. Do not make fun of this situation."

"Sorry, Rare. All in all, we should sit up and eat."

"Let us. My neck is cramping."

The two simultaneously took a bite of their meals, then resumed their conversation. "Ah still reckon he has somethin' against me."

"I'm still not sure if I-" Before she could finish, her phone all the way up in her room started ringing. "Oh for... I'll be back."

Rarity dashed off, leaving Applejack without a conversation. She idly chewed her lettuce, trying not to settle her eyes on Magnum. She could feel his gaze though, even if it wasn't always on her in actuality.

A second later Rarity poked her head out. "Applejack, I'm afraid we're going to have to postpone this meetup."

"Why?"

"Somepony's been murdered."

Author's Note:

I've had this ready for ages, and only now do I upload it -_-'

Comments

[Kail]

Well that was an amusing day of interaction for AJ and Rarity. Should make things interesting later.