Hello Mares and Gentlecolts and welcome to my story, the next target for interrogations are the entire Apple family, but it appears Carnage will be doing it on his own.

Chapter 10: Dark secrets from the Apple family

Carnage slowly walked towards the Apple family farm, his mind had been so ready for this kind of brain work, the kind where you had to get the other person (or pony in this case) to confess to crimes that they never would normally do and in this case he wanted a murder confession, however his mind was now occupied with jealous thoughts and he knew that this was going to just make things harder.

Carnage normally broke away from jealousy as he found the whole thing pointless however his brain had other ideas, stupid slutty bitch, she's practically selling her body just so she can get into her precious Wonderbolts, what's so great about the Wonderbolts anyway, I bet she's better than all of them so why does she even need to be part of that stupid group… you know what? Why does she even need to be with me?

He realised that he hadn't even been walking and he was just standing in the same spot for who knows how long, he let out a long heavy sigh and began to mutter to himself, "Yeah why does she need to be with me, let her have her dream if it makes her happy… that's what I wanted wasn't it? To have her smile, man I really need to stop this pity train right here."

He looked up and saw that the farm was a little bit away in the distance, he began to consider how he was going to approach the defensive Applejack about her or her family or hell maybe the whole bunch of them potentially being under suspicion for murder but then he heard a very familiar voice from above, "Wow you talk to yourself? You really are weird."

At first he couldn't figure out where the voice was actually coming from as he looked around him but then he heard it call out to him again, "I'm up here dummy."

He looked up and saw Rainbow Dash draped over a cloud with her head peeking out over the edge of it, Carnage looked up in shock, "Rainbow Dash is that you?"

"If you mean the one and only most awesome Pegasus and the element of loyalty, then yeah it's me."

"What on earth are you doing here Dash, I mean I'm pleased to see you but weren't you on a date?"

"Well you see…"

---

10 minutes ago…

Rainbow Dash and Spitfire were walking beside each other down the streets of Ponyville, Spitfire had wrapped her foreleg around Dash and had drawn her in close to her, Dash could feel her breath against her neck and felt Spitfire nibble her ear slightly when no pony was looking, Dash would have normally liked this but her heart wasn't in it, "Hey lets slow down okay, no need to rush things here."

Spitfire was acting very suggestive towards her, "You know I was thinking about that actually, as we were going to Ponyville I spied your house."

"Yeah, what's your point?"

"Nothing, it's just it did look very comfortable though and I was thinking that we could skip the drinks and stuff and get straight to what we both want tonight."

"And that is?"

Spitfire pulled Dash into the nearest alleyway and pressed her against the wall with both their snouts pressed up next to each other, "Testing the durability of your cloud house of course."

Spitfire pressed her lips against Dash's and for a brief moment rainbow gave into the kiss, but something almost called out to her in her head and a mental picture of carnage going in alone forced her to break it, "I'm sorry Spitfire I'm going to have to go."

"Go? Where would you go I mean… oh wait a minute your ditching me for that detective aren't you? What's so special about him?"

"It's not like that! I can't let him go in there alone because it seems his brain just isn't working right lately and he needs… oh man I just realised, he needs me."

"Needs you? Sweetheart I thought you were a leader not an assistant."

"I'm not his assistant I'm his friend!"

At this point Dash had pushed Spitfire off of her and was walking out of the alleyway, "Just friends? Who are you kidding? I can tell…"

"That doesn't matter, he needs me and I'm gonna help him."

Dash started to take flight and was a couple of feet off the ground, "If you go right now Dash I will personally make sure that you will never be accepted into the Wonderbolts."

She paused for a moment but to even her surprise she smiled, "If there's one thing I've learned from him is to believe in yourself, and you know what I can do a sonic rainboom and none of the rest of your stupid group can, looks like I'm just more awesome than all of you and that includes you."

Dash blew her a raspberry and flew off in the direction of Sweet apple acres…

---

Present…

Carnage just stood there in awe of her explanation, "You really did that for me, you practically gave up your dream just so you could help me here didn't you?"

Dash seemed a little embarrassed by the whole thing, "Yeah well I wouldn't be a very good element of loyalty if I left you here to do this by yourself… I mean you have kind of become dependent on me and who could blame you I mean…"

And before she could say another word Carnage had brought the now grounded Rainbow Dash into a hug, she didn't fight or question it, all she did was hug him back, this time she took in his scent and the only way she could describe it was that she thought he smelled brainy, Carnage whispered into her ear "Thank you."

She whispered back, "Your welcome."

They broke the hug and the two of them attempted to regain their composure by clearing their throats and brushing themselves off but they shared a glance which told each other 'I know' now Carnage with a big smile on his face said, "What are we waiting around for? We haven't got much daylight left so let's go."

"Wait a second Carnage, you have to promise me something first."

He turned to her a little surprised, "Oh… ok then what is it?"

"Even though me and Applejack got in that argument recently were still friends, so if I think she isn't the killer then you are not allowed to arrest her, agreed?"

Carnage wasn't sure about agreeing to this, the whole thing sounded slightly dodgy to him as she could easily say it even if she did think she might be the killer out of loyalty to her friend, but he was grateful she came and he felt she should be awarded for that, "Alright Miss Dash you drive a hard bargain but it's a deal."

The two of them hoof bumped but Dash realised there was another problem, "I just realised though, even with me there, there is no way AJ will agree to herself and her family getting interrogated she'll just brush you off."

Carnage paused for a moment but then the solution came to his mind, "Call me crazy… but I have an idea."

"You're crazy."

"I didn't mean literally."

---

The two of them were now standing outside the Apple family's front door as they couldn't see them in the field they had to presume that they were still inside, the two of them looked at each other, they nodded and Carnage knocked on the door and they heard a voice call out from inside, "I'm a commin."

A small filly opened the door before them, Carnage addressed her "Hello there, are you Applebloom?"

"Why yes I am mister, hi Rainbow Dash is this your coltfriend Applejack told me about?"

The two of them just looked at each other a moment and then Rainbow Dash turned back to Applebloom, "It's not important Bloom, we just need to talk to Applejack so could you get her for us."

"I don't know Rainbow, she won't mind talking to you but what she said about your coltfriend makes me unsure that…"

Another voice called out inside the house and it was approaching the door, this one was more familiar, "Applebloom! Who's at the door?"

Carnage definitely recognised the voice that time, yeah it's my sweet sexy accent lady coming to meet me at the door, hope she just got out of bed so I can see her in her under… ok first off I don't think ponies wear underwear and admittedly she may be on hot levels that are equivalent to Dash's but this is a very awkward time for this right now, well at least I haven't done this in a couple of chapters now so I must be getting better… what the hell do you mean couple of… the argument in his head was cut off by Applejack coming to the door, "How you doing there RD, I'm mighty sorry about… oh it's you, what do you want?"

"As charming and as beautiful as ever Miss Applejack, I must talk to you and your family."

"And why do I need to let you do this?"

"Because we discovered one of your new apple stickers on the most recent victim's body; this makes your entire family suspects."

"Anypony could of got one of those stickers, how come nopony else is suspected?"

"When we were walking up the hill Dash mentioned that you hadn't actually started putting them on the apples yet and they're all at the barn."

"Well that don't even matter cause I won't let you use your fancy confusing words to trick my family, I know what your types are like so you can't make us."

"Oh really? I think the fifty or so guards behind me would disagree with you there Applejack."

Applejack looked past him and saw that he was genuinely telling the truth as there were quite a number of guards right behind him, Applejack could only respond in one way, "Oh pony feathers…"

Two of the guards were holding the Apple family in the other room, this included Applejack, Applebloom, Granny Smith and Big Macintosh (or Big Mac to his friends) the rest of the guards were either around the house trying to gather evidence (Carnage told them to do this as he knew there wouldn't be any) or they were outside, Carnage and Dash were in the kitchen and were ready to call the first pony in, they were sitting at one side of the dining table when Rainbow Dash asked him a question, "Hey Carnage can I ask you something quickly?"

"Sure, anything for you Rainbow Dash."

"Why are we interrogating Applebloom, I mean she is just a filly after all."

Carnage had a good reason too, in his world there had been murders committed by children and one of the most famous was a kid who was murdered by two older kids who took him away from his mother at a local shopping centre and killed him on a train track, it was brutal and a reminder to the country that you should never judge a book by its cover, Dash wouldn't know this though so he told her something different, "Well I don't think it's her per say but it's possible that she might have seen something around here that she might have thought was a bit weird and we can get her to say what it is, do you understand?"

"Yeah, I get ya now, then shouldn't we call her in first before the rest of them say anything... of course I don't think they did but you know… just in case."

"Yean your right, Okay guard bring in Applebloom for us first please."

The little filly was escorted in by one of the guards and was sat down opposite to the two of them, the guard was told to return to the rest of the family and the interrogation began, "Hello little Applebloom how are you today?"

"I aint little, I'm not a little filly anymore."

"Of course you're not my apologies little one, I'm going to ask you a few questions and you need to answer them truthfully, do you understand?"

"Yeah I understand ya."

"And remember that your big sister is the element of honesty so you should always tell the truth no matter what Okay?"

"Yeah, okay sir."

Rainbow Dash didn't know how she felt about that, technically Carnage was manipulating the little filly by using her sister but it wasn't like he was being mean or cruel about it, he was doing it for a genuinely good reason but AJ wouldn't exactly see it that way, she just decided to stay quiet as she was more useful as a spectator and being moral support and just let Carnage do his thing, "Now little Applebloom, do you understand the seriousness of the crimes that have taken place?"

"Yeah, my sister don't like it one bit and I've been told everyday since the first one to come straight home, I can only see my friends at school now and we have no time to get our cutie marks."

"You mean the Cutie mark crusaders don't you?"

"Yeah, it's been a real pain."

"Well I'll only ask you one more question, have you seen anything weird going on with your family lately?"

"Well actually… no I aint seen nothing unusual."

"Alright then well I guess you can…"

"Actually there's something I need to get off my chest."

"Yes? What is it sweetheart you can tell me?"

"… I had more apple crumble than I was supposed to last night, I 'ma sorry it was just so good and…"

"That's alright Bloom I won't tell anypony, you go back now sweetheart and thank you for telling me what you knew."

Applebloom left and rainbow Dash smirked, "Wow she really thought she was going to get in trouble for eating a little extra crumble."

"She's young and she still has her innocence, even though she said she could I don't think she can completely grasp the situation before her, anyway, Guard! Bring in Big Macintosh!"

Big Mac slowly walked into the room and like Applebloom he just sat in the seat opposite the two of them, Carnage noted that the guard wasn't there and he figured he was too afraid of him as Big Mac appeared to be twice his size, "Well you're a big fella aren't you?"

"Eeyup."

"Alright then, you are Big Macintosh aren't you?"

"Eeyup."

"May I call you Big Mac?"

"Eeyup."

"Okay then Big Mac are you aware of the murders and why you are a suspect?"

"Eeyup."

"Did you not like the Wonderbolts show that was going on?"

"Nope."

Carnage thought to himself, amazing his vocabulary just increased by half, "So you didn't actually mind at all unlike your sister?"

"Eeyup."

"… You don't speak much do you?"

"Nope."

"Alright then, that pretty much clears things up for me so…"

"Alright I confess!"

Big mac had spontaneously broken down in front of them; Dash and Carnage looked at each other in excitement as they thought they had him, "What are you confessing to?"

"When my sister aint around I… I try on some of her clothing."

That wasn't what they were looking for but this made Rainbow Dash speak, "You try on some of her clothes, dude that's weirder than Carnage and what clothes does she even own beside that hat and that one dress she has from the gala, in fact how can you even put it on your like twice her size, I can't believe I once had a crush on you."

Carnage made a mental note of that but he just wanted this to move along as it was painfully obvious that he wasn't the killer, "Okay Mac you can go now, thank you for your time."

"Please don't tell my family."

"I won't, but you did say that pretty loudly so I imagine everypony in the next room heard us so you might want to go and tell them that."

Big Mac didn't say another word and just walked into the other room, Dash and Carnage heard what sounded like a smack and big Mac whimpering, Dash looked like she was going to say something but Carnage gave her a glare in order to tell her not to say a word, he then called in the next pony, "Send in Granny Smith."

Granny Smith trotted in the best she could into the kitchen and like the two before her she sat down facing them, "Now Granny Smith I have something…"

"Now stop right there you whipper snapper, I know about your allegiance to the pear society and how you people for years have been trying to run us out of business, well it hasn't worked you see and your version of cider sucks… and its past my bedtime."

Carnage just sighed, "Alright you can go to bed."

Granny Smith started trotting away and Dash was a little puzzled, "Why did you let her go like that, she didn't even answer any questions."

"There were two reasons my dear, the first being that she's clearly delirious and the second being that she is way too frail to murder a Wonderbolt let alone somepony else, despite how old Silver Lining was he was clearly fit enough to overpower her and remember the way we found the room clearly indicated that there had been a struggle in the room."

Before Carnage could go any further Applejack pushed past the guards and walked straight into the kitchen, "Alright let's get this over with then, I aint got nothing to hide."

"Very well then Miss Applejack I have a good question how did you find out the Wonderbolts were doing a show right outside your ranch, one that would cost you time which you could not lose picking the apples for cider season according to Dash."

"One of them their Wonderbolts told me of course."

"And who was that Wonderbolt Miss Applejack?"

"…"

"Remember you are the element of honesty."

"…"

Dash spoke, "C'mon AJ just tell us already."

"… it was Silver Lining, but don't you…"

"Let me guess Miss Applejack he didn't ask did he? He just told you it was going to happen and for you to put up with it."

"Yeah that's right but it aint worth killing him over."

However that wasn't good enough for Carnage, despite it being a weak motive it was still the only one he could establish in the entire family so, "I'm afraid Miss Applejack that isn't good enough for me so…"

Dash poked Carnage to get his attention, "I know what you're about to say and you can't."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You agreed that if I didn't think it was her then you wouldn't send her to jail, so you can't right?"

"Rainbow Dash I…"

"I thought you believed in me, if you really do then trust in me now."

His brain was telling him to arrest her as he couldn't take the risk, but his heart was telling him to have faith in Rainbow Dash, he looked into her beautiful eyes and then he looked at Applejack who looked genuinely worried, "Alright Dash, I won't, but if it turns out to be her, let it be on your head."

And with that carnage received a hug from a very happy Rainbow Dash and a relieved sigh from Applejack to…

---

They were now back home, they had let the Apple family off and all the guards returned to their duties, the journey back had been a quiet one with neither pony saying much but when they walked in the door Rainbow Dash finally spoke, "Thank you for believing in me down there."

"Hey you've trusted me with a lot lately I felt that I should return the favour."

Dash yawned heavily, "Man I'm sleepy, I think I'm going to hit the hay… or cloud."

"Yeah it is getting kind of late I think some sleep will do us both some good, goodnight."

Instead of heading upstairs Dash walked up next to Carnage and started nuzzling up against his neck, Carnage didn't know what to do, he actually liked it and his breathing started to quicken slightly, Dash then made her way to his snout and before he could say a word Rainbow Dash kissed him on the lips, it wasn't like their previous kisses on the cheek there was something completely different about it, before Carnage had a chance to lose himself in it Dash broke the kiss, "Goodnight Carnage, and thanks again."

She then turned around and brushed her tail in Carnage's face, he was surprised how much he enjoyed that, he watched her walk upstairs and saw how her hips were making an exaggerated swinging motion, she reached her room and glanced back at the stunned stallion standing at the bottom of the stairs, she winked at him and trotted into her bedroom.

Carnage just stood there for a minute or so just trying to find the right words for the situation before him, and then he realised exactly what they were, "Dat Ass."

He then looked below him to see an unwanted friend had returned, "Oh hell not again…"

Next chapter, will Carnage finally get some answers?

Again say what you liked and what you didn't like, it will only help me get better as a writer ;) and a like would also be greatly appreciated, thank you.