Case File 6.6
I left Rarity's place with a patch job on my coat and shirt. I looked down at my old purple dress shirt. I don't think she knew who I was, not exactly. Looking back at the boutique, I thought about all the time I'd spent there. Memories. Memories of smiles and laughter, but most importantly... memories of heartbreak. I swallowed down the pain, forcibly reminding myself that the past was dead. I still hold onto that pain though... because pain means I'm still alive. I looked out toward the west of Ponyville. I knew what was over there. Well, more like I knew who was over there.
Applejack, or Jacqueline Jonagold Apple, as her birth certificate read. The Bearer of the Element of Honesty, one of the side effects of that being the fact that she can tell whenever a person is lying. And she wants to meet me. I need advice on this, so I decided to turn to the only person I know who's able to lie straight to anyone's face and have them believe it's the truth. I walked back to my motel room to see Quick Pick inside, flipping through a magazine. "Hey Jack, what are you doing back?"
"I need to make a phone call." I said, "Would you mind leaving?"
"What exactly am I going to do?" Quick asked as I handed her 20 bits.
"There's an arcade in town, go fuck around there." I told her.
"How old do you think I look? 10?" Quick asked.
"You act like it." I pointed toward the door, "Get going."
Quick sighed as she left. I shook my head and checked my car keys, which were still in my pocket; Quick has a bad habit of stealing from me whenever I make her upset. I'd already given her money though, so that should be enough to hold her over. I took out a notepad and flipped to the first page. It contains 7 passwords corresponding to each day,
Sunday- Cinnamon Swirl
Monday- Cosmic Sobriety
Tuesday- Cracking Soul
Wednesday- Counting Sand
Thursday- Creating Statues
Friday- Courting Stars
Saturday- Crystal Style
If you're wondering why they're all two words starting with a C and an S, it's because I'm Celestia's Son. It's a rather simple system which was put into place after I changed my identity, and it allows me immediate passage for anything that the public might not know about; The back entrance to the palace in Canterlot, for example. I picked up the phone in the motel room, which was a simple rotary phone and dialed the palace.
"Hello, Canterlot Palace. If you're a diplomat and would like to make an appointment-" a female voice answered.
"Cosmic Sobriety," I interrupted the receptionist.
"Oh, I apologize sir. I'll patch you in as soon as I can, she's in a meeting right now," She replied, "If you don't mind holding."
"Thank you, and no, I don't mind at all," I thanked her and politely waited on hold.
I waited for about 5 minutes before there was a click and another, more familiar voice. "Hello Spike, I didn't think you'd be calling so soon," My mother spoke.
"I need some advice, specifically about lying to someone and having them believe that I'm telling the truth," I told her.
"Applejack?" Celestia asked.
"Eeyup," I said popping the p at the end of my reply.
"Lying is very easy, as long as you can weave some truths into what you're lying about," Celestia told me, "Like when I told the girls about Discord after the first time he returned."
"So you know how he returned?" I asked.
"It was the Cutie Mark Crusaders," Celestia said, "I never should've approved of that field trip, but by the time I realized that it was Cheerilee's class I couldn't rescind the trip without some backlash, so I had to allow it. I didn't know how much damage they would cause until it was too late."
"So it was either A, you look bad, or B, your kingdom is reduced to a state of chaos that it could have potentially never recovered from."
"It was a calculated risk that I was on the wrong side of. I made a mistake, but we recovered admirably. Let's move on." Celestia said.
"So, how do I lie to Applejack?" I asked her after she requested that we change subjects. I wanted to get back on track and to Sweet Apple Acres before the sun set.
"That's going to be quite tough, but you are royalty, and my son. So I believe that you can do this. Tell her the truth, but not everything. If she asks you whether you're Spike or not, deny it. Say something like it reminds you of one of your first cases or something. If you bury your lie within the truth then it should be covered well enough." Celestia advised.
"That should work, since you're the expert on lying." I said.
Celestia sighed, "I know."
"Have you found a therapist?" I inquired, "For our whole family situation?"
"I have, and Luna seems very supportive of it. We've gathered our identities together, I will be Sun Spot, Luna will be Star Gazer, and you can still be Jack," Mother said.
"Thanks for actually trying, instead of just brushing it off," I thanked her.
"It's a step forward for us," I could tell that she was smiling on the other side of the phone as she said that.
"Yeah," I spoke curtly, lightly smacked my lips and let out a small sigh, "I need to get going; I want to take care of the Applejack situation before sundown and you need to wrap up your day."
"Okay, I... I love you sweetie," She spoke, and... was that a hint of desperation tucked away in her voice?
"Yeah," I said once more, as I don't think I can return the sentiment just yet. "I... I know. have a good night mom."
"Good night Spike," She said, prior to hanging up.
I lowered the earpiece and microphone back onto the receiver, a resounding click echoing throughout the room. I lowered my head and wiped my eyes. I've got a lot of shit to sort through after I'm done with all of this. I took a deep breath, stood up and walked outside, motel key in hand I locked the door behind me. I looked towards my destination once more. I took another deep breath and let it out my nose. "Fuck it," I said to no one in particular and began to walk toward the farm known as Sweet Apple Acres.
I don't like apples. I mean, apples are okay and all, but I've had enough to last me several lifetimes. I walked with a purpose, my dress shoes making soft crunching sounds on the gravel below my feet. I didn't want to come across like I was intimidating or angry, 'cause pulling something like that would get your ass beat and buried in the orchard if you're not careful. I slowly made my way to the farmhouse and knocked on the door, when I knocked the door opened to reveal Apple Bloom, who grown up quite a bit and was now into her teenage years. "Hello," She said.
"Yes, hello. I'm looking for Applejack, she invited me over here. I'm Jack Drake," I pull out my business card, handing it to her, "I'm the private investigator that Princess Twilight hired to find Spike."
"Um, you'll have to gimme a minute," Apple Bloom said.
"That's fine, I'll wait out here," I said and took a step back, waiting. I looked down at my shoes, or the scuffs on my shoes, if you wanted to be specific. I needed to polish them; Rarity would be disappointed in me if I don't keep up my appearance. I was torn from my thoughts when the door opened again, revealing the blonde farmer devoid of her ten gallon hat given to her by her father. "Miss Apple."
"Hello Mr. Drake," Applejack replied, "Let's take a walk." The cowgirl said without taking another look at me. I followed behind her without another word, she took me deep into the orchard a place I almost didn't recognize. She wanted to have the home field advantage, and I can't say I blame her either, seeing as I'd do the same. If I do just as mom said to, then she'll believe me without question, so the tough part is selling it. Applejack stopped, I followed her lead and stopped as well. "It was always you." Applejack stated.
"Excuse me?" I asked her.
"You were always on her mind, she could never take it off of you, it was always about you!" Applejack turned around, tears streaming down her face. "It was always about you, Spike!" My heart skipped a beat, I fought all my instincts to reel back and I ultimately won. Standing there I looked at her as she continued, "Don't try to deny it, I know it's you Spike. My gut is telling me so and it never lies!"
"What would it change?" I asked.
Applejack reeled back, "What?"
"If I were Spike, what would it change? It wouldn't change the fact that you and Rarity aren't together anymore, it wouldn't change how devastated Princess Twilight and the others felt."
"We-we would apologize!" Applejack shouted, "We'd make things right!"
"How?" I asked her, "How would you make any of this right? From what I understand, he was less than dirt to you. Now you're gonna treat him like dirt? Apologies or not, you can't make up for years of abuse and neglect like that with a simple apology."
"That doesn't matter! What matters is that you're Spike and you're lying to everyone including me!" Applejack shouted.
"I'm not Spike! The only reason your gut is telling you that I am is because I've been in his fucking shoes!!!" I yelled at her.
"What?" Applejack stopped.
"I was on my own for a long time, I fell into the wrong crowd. I joined a gang, people of my blood, people who I thought were my family and friends but only showed their true colors when we got busted for a B&E; they ran off and left me to take the fall. I got lucky that the judge let me off with a slap on the wrist if I told them who it was that was with me that night," I told her, "My friends abandoned me when I needed them the most, my family left me to rot when I called out to them. So if your gut is telling you that I'm Spike, well then you've got it dead wrong sister! The only reason it's telling you that is because I know how he feels!"
"I-I..." Applejack couldn't find the words to say anything.
"All of that aside, what do you think would really happen if Spike did come back, right here, right now? Because you can't just say you're sorry and say you're gonna try better at acknowledging that someone exists and expect it to be all sunshine and blowjobs from there on out. You broke him, not only physically but emotionally as well. You girls made him think that he had no value to anyone, especially himself."
"W-We just want to make sure he's okay..." Applejack whimpered.
"Seems like all you want to do is blame him for Rarity's sexual confusion between you and him," I said, "You say you love Rarity, so do the right thing. Let. It. Go. Because holding onto this heartache is only going to lead you to do stupid things." I said.
"Y-You spoke to Rarity?" Applejack asked.
"I had to, Spike was in love with her wasn't he?" I asked her and Applejack nodded.
"That boy held a fierce torch for that girl," Applejack leaned against an apple tree, "No, that ain't the right analogy. I held a torch for Rarity, that boy had a volcano for her. The dedication, the sacrifice, the love. Once she saw that, no one could compare...not even me."
"I get why that might make you angry, but who are you really angry at? You, him, or Rarity?" I asked her.
"I-I suppose I don't rightly know," Applejack admitted.
"Do you still think that I'm Spike?" I asked her a different question.
"No, ah don't think you are. Spike would've ran away not confront his problems, you stared me down and told the truth. I'm sorry."
"You're very stubborn, you know that?" I told her and she looked up at me, "There are times where that is good, but most of the time it does more harm than good. I'm just trying to do my job Miss Apple."
"You can call me Applejack, and I'm sorry I came across as hostile before. I thought you were a two timin' scammer trying to get one over on Twilight."
"I'll make you a deal. If I don't find any clues to Spike's whereabouts, I won't take a single piece of Princess Twilight's money. But you have to trust me enough to do my job," I promised her.
"Fair enough," Applejack nodded.
I proceeded to walk away, but before I left the orchard, I stopped and spoke, "It's hard isn't it? Being the bearer of honesty? After all, just because something is true, doesn't make it any easier."
"Yeah, you're right," Applejack sighed.
"In the end, we both want the exact same thing...the truth."
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Wow. #mindblown
9416582
You're welcome!
9397026
Suddenly, Editor!
Hmm, Applejack being fooled is definitely a stretcher. But it was a good lie.
9444918
He did tell the truth, in that he knows how Spike feels, being Spike and all but he isn't THEIR Spike anymore. He's his own person that's how he got away with saying that he isn't that Spike anymore. Because well...he isn't.
9444931
That makes your head spin.
This must be only for this story, because the idea that canon Applejack knows when someone isn't telling the truth is complete bs.
9444934
Indeed it does.
Not how I thought you were gonna go with it, but still a good read..
The only best way to Spike create a place for where he did disappeared was maybe a letter of Spike saying he cannot stay in Equestria anymore so he decided to live in the world of humans, but that passing years, they cannot find Spike over there. Or he write a letter telling he was one of Jack's client saying he was one of his clients and he wanted disappear, so Jack helped a long time ago and now he is unknown to everypony.
9445288
They're already human though, this is a human world they live in.
9445140
I've seen it in quite a few fics actually.
9445409
Point...
Wow, just wow. You tell her Spike.
9445410
Still, it's a common misconception. Otherwise Chrysalis would never have gotten as far as she did.
9445430
Your first possibility for Spike would be for him to go to the human world but that would be redundant considering they're already human. If anything that other would have them all be ponies and Spike an actual dragon. As far as the second one I agree as that would actually make sense.
9445945
I agree as far as the canon series goes that is something AJ can not do. Your original comment said only for this story so either I misinterpreted it or I pointed out that this isn't the only story that has AJ with that ability for the sake of plot.
So we’re just going to gloss over that? Ok.
Slow clap Nergal would be proud
This story has me hook line and sinker, and it went on for a good while with the number of chapters that it took me by surprise when I had run out.
I'm also surprised there is only 134 likes, this story is beyond awesome. I've already recommended it to my bro.
9455131
Well thank you very much. I appreciate the favorite.
I like this. I like this a lot. Always appreciated a good mystery/adventure. How far along is the next chapter?
9468177
Not very... I've gotten another idea in my head but I am working on it.
I didn't want to come across like I was intimidating or angry, 'cause pulling something like that would get your ass beat and buried in the orchard if you're not careful. I always knew the apple family seemed a little sketchy.
Wow
I'm guessing 'spike at your service' didn't go very well in this universe.
I remember that episode igniting so many applespike fics
And other fics were set to where AJ and Spike were very close buddies.
This here...wow. that hurts