The train station was empty, and the place felt eerie, lit only with the yellowish green lights that hung overhead. Shining checked the time: it was just past midnight. It had taken him too long to get the paperwork set up for this trip. He had a lot of responsibilities in the Empire, and a lot of things he needed to prepare before his absence.

His thoughts turned once again towards Twilight, and he angrily cursed Gabby for unleashing that secret upon her. It wasn't fair: despite everything, he had always considered himself to be Twilight's older brother, no matter what. And Gabby was going to get an unpleasant surprise when she found out that he had requested to rejoin the guard specifically to work alongside Spectre's task force.

Gabby had struck back at the guard almost instantly after the task force was formed. The Captain didn't have many secrets, thankfully, but it was still a nasty shock for him when everypony learnt that he had been bullied at school and had a drinking problem. Private Eye hadn't been so lucky.

Shining grit his teeth. Private Eye had been his partner on many of his old cases, and the two were fast friends. It hurt to see him suffer Gabby's wrath.

Private Eye had divorced four times in the past. Apparently, now this secret had outed, his current marefriend was keeping her distances. Private had been devastated. Shining already intended to come and help, but seeing his friend's predicament just gave him more cause to hunt Gabby down.

He made his way up to the streets of the city. Even at this late hour, there were still ponies bustling around, though fewer in number. It didn't take long to see the older pony he was looking for. Private Eye wasn't hard to spot, after all: in his early forties, he had an angry case of stubble and smoked constantly. Where there's smoke, there's Private Eye, Shining had often said.

"Looks like you made it at last." the detective grunted. From close up, Shining could tell he was exhausted, like he hadn't gotten a good nights sleep in days.

"Better late than never, right? You look terrible."

"Got kicked out of my house. 'Been sleeping at the office." he explained as they got into a carriage. "Don't tell the cap'n."

"I won't." Shining reassured. "Tell me about the case."

Private smiled. "We're working under some crazy pony named Spectre. She's a weird one: she hides her identity, no doubt to avoid ending up like me, and always turns up late to meetings. She's good though. All we had to go on to start with was that Gabby had to be using an independent press."

"Not a great start."

"Spectre narrowed it down a bit quite quickly. None of the reporters currently working for any newspaper fit. We've been asked to track ink shipments to and from Canterlot, as well as paper and parts. We've traced the specific paper used, and we're now investigating only a dozen possible locations."

Shining chuckled.

"You did that in only a few days?"

"She's quite something. I just wish I knew her secret."

"Secret? As in what she's hiding from Gabby?" Shining asked suspiciously. Private Eye shook his head, aghast at the idea.

"Celestia, no. I meant how she keeps on narrowing down the list. She works alone and just feeds us new data, and then we go and investigate in person, like an intermediary. It's unlike any sort of detective work I've seen."

"Oh."

Shining had to admit that Spectre sounded more than a little fantastical, like the sort of pony you read about in stories, able to make daring conclusions from the tiniest detail. There was no such pony, of course... there had to be a trick to it. Some clever method or ability Spectre had access to. Shining had seen ponies like Private was describing: they were called magicians, and they made the ordinary seem incredible and unbelievable.

"Maybe we'll find out later." Shining said. "If we catch Gabby, she might reveal her identity."

"It's a distinct possibility. But I've worked with her long enough to know that she's not the enemy."

Shining nodded. "Of course."

"About that... how is your sister doing?"

Shining sighed. "She's still not talking to me. I think she's a little resentful."

"Can't blame her, really. Adoption is a tricky subject, sometimes."

"All the time, actually. I was going to head by Ponyville after I'm done here, try to sort things out."

"I had a similar plan in mind myself."

"Yeah, I gathered."

The pair stopped talking as the carriage approached the police headquarters. They got out, fatigue just beginning to hit Shining like a train off it's rails. He yawned.

"If you want to sleep, I'd better warn you: the couch is taken." Private told him.

Despite the late hour, Shining chuckled.

Applejack tapped the door, causing it to swing inwards slowly. Twilight had unlocked it: apparently she was seeing people again, according to Rarity. She was still furious, though. Applejack wasn't exactly happy either: it had been hard working on the farm knowing that her friend was all broken inside.

"Twi? Hello?" she called.

"Up here. I'm coming down."

A few moments later, and Twilight was trotting down the stairs. Her mane was a mess: it must have driven Rarity utterly crazy. She saw the look Applejack was giving her and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I look awful, I know."

Applejack didn't respond to that: she couldn't think of a good answer. "I was going to get a coffee, and I was hoping you'd come with me? See how you're doing."

Twilight glanced outside hesitantly. "I suppose so. I can't stay cooped up in here forever, can I?"

"Nope."

Twilight flattened her mane down with her hoof and then the pair made their way outdoors. The atmosphere was far less stuffy than inside the library, Twilight thought. She had to admit that the fresh air was good. The restaurant was crowded, but it still wasn't hard to get a good seat, and the pair ordered a light snack and a drink to accompany their conversation.

"My parents... I mean, uhm, they send me letters every day." Twilight said. "I haven't opened them just yet."

Applejack could understand where Twilight was coming from, but it wasn't the right reaction to have. Applejack wished she could understand what her friend was feeling.

"They're just worried about you. I can't imagine that they were really forced into acceptin' you like Gabby's been writin'."

"But it feels like it! Things were always... strange. Like I was never quite there. I don't think they hardly noticed when I got sent to Celestia's school... I-"

Applejack cut her off. "Now I'm sure that ain't true. They've been your parents since you were born: they can't have not noticed when you left."

Twilight hesitated, Applejack's words ringing true. "I suppose that makes sense..."

"Gabby was mad at you for challengin' her, so she dressed up what happened to sound real' bad. It ain't, though."

"It's not bad that they were lying to me since I was born?"

"Well... sometimes the truth ain't really the truth, sugarcube."

Twilight frowned.

"Is that supposed to be farmpony wisdom?" she asked angrily.

Because Twilight was upset, Applejack let her comment slide, but she didn't approve of it one bit.

"Sugar, when your parents said they were your family, they weren't lyin'. That's what I mean."

Twilight didn't answer straight away.

"I hate Gabby Gums." she confessed eventually.

Applejack didn;t bother keeping her voice down.

"Gabby is a liar, plain an' simple. She's dressin' the truth up to make it look like a lie, and that's even more dishonest than the usual kind." she said, making sure everypony in the restaurant heard. A murmur went up in the crowd as they rallied around her.

"Well, if Applejack says so..."

"She is the pony of honesty..."

Applejack grinned. It felt like, even though she didn't know who Gabby was, that she had hurt her a little, and damaged her reputation. It felt like a victory.

"C'mon, Twi. Let's finish our drinks and head home."

Hello once again, dear readers. It warms this old heard to see that more and more ponies are embracing truth as a way of life: it is truly inspiring.

There are those, however, who seek to undermine our cause: the guards of Canterlot are trying to halt our presses and stem the honesty of this paper. Even in Ponyville, a local farmpony has committed a lie against us, a grievous crime, made worse by the fact that she is none other than the pony of honesty herself, selling the truth to cheaply undermine this paper.

It is for this reason that today, we will turn our scrutinizing gaze towards Applejack from Ponyville.

Applejack was born on Sweet Apple Acres shortly after her elder brother. She was a playful, but rather careless child.

Not long after their third child, both of her parents were killed by none other than Applejack herself, her clumsiness causing their barn to collapse on them. An accident brought about by her own stupidity, perhaps, but aggravated by lying to her brother and sister for the rest of her days and avoiding responsibility for her actions: and this is the same pony whom many in Ponyville regard as being most dependable.

It is the opinion of the author that those who preach honesty should not live a life of lies: Applejack is a hypocritical beast at best, but now that the truth is revealed, perhaps she and the rest of the Apple Family can move forwards, and embrace a new, clean existence.

Forever sincere,

Gabby Gums

The Truth Will Set You Free

Applejack dropped the paper, unable to breathe properly, catching her breath in short, sharp bursts. Light as a feather, the leaflet fluttered to the ground, oblivious of Applejack's torment.

Rainbow kept a firm eye on her friend. She had been dead set on being around for when Applejack found out about this. If there was a chance she'd end up like Twilight, Rainbow would be there for her. Gabby had gone too far this time... No, in fact, Gabby had gone too far when she decided she could throw ponies secrets around.

"I... how did she..." Applejack stammered, trying to organize her thoughts, chaotic though they were.

"I take it Gabby's not wrong?" Rainbow asked her, still half hoping that the leaflet was wrong. Applejack nodded, shell-shocked. Gabby was never wrong.

"She ain't" Applejack replied. Rainbow could hear the tremors in her voice. The memory alone, Rainbow reasoned, must be horrible to go through, considering the scale of what had happened, and the implications for the young farmpony. Applejack swallowed. "How could she do this? If my family read this..."

She paused, locking eyes with her friend. "It'll drive my brother... my sister away from me."

Rainbow would have liked to be able to reassure her, but the truth was she didn't know how. She was almost certain that Twilight and her family would be able to work their issues out over time, but Applejack would have to deal with all the guilt of making her and her siblings orphans. Rainbow had seen it happen to others since Gabby had begun writing again. Applejack might lose her family, and for Applejack, that was the most important thing in the entire world. The farmpony couldn't bring herself to say anything else. She had been prepared for anything but losing her family to a decade old secret.

It was up to Rainbow and her friends to fix this, Rainbow decided. Applejack was their friend, and they couldn't let Gabby tear her family up in the name of 'honesty'. Rainbow extended her hoof and put it around her shoulders. The bewildered pony didn't seem to notice.

Minutes dragged on, and Applejack was no closer to returning to her senses. She often spent long periods of silence, only to be broken by her rapidly mouthing theories almost tearfully. Rainbow eventually traded posts with Fluttershy, and turned and flew into the skies.

"I don't believe this..." she muttered darkly as she pondered what to do next.

"I don't believe this..." Applejack whispered, confused and uncertain.

Shining Armour reviewed their list of possible locations for the printer, careful to cross off the places that Private Eye's investigations had eliminated. He was amazed at how effective Spectre had been. Between her grandiose conclusions and seemingly miraculous deductions and Private Eye's masterful detective skills, they had eliminated over a dozen independant printers, some of which had been known for illegal activities for months, even years.

He wished that they had teamed up earlier, back when he was still in the guard.

Still, Spectre wasn't perfect. She wouldn't go outside, and she'd only be around for a few hours at a time, most often at night. And she couldn't interrogate. She was adamant at never, ever, showing her face, or even her voice, to any possible suspect. She was a strange one, that was for sure. Still, Shining couldn't argue with results, and what results they were.

"I have to hand it to her... she's really good." he said to himself.

Private Eye knocked on his door, causing him to spin around. Was this another clue? Had Spectre found more information for them?

"Spectre's back... finally. Her punctuality could use some work." he said. "Come on, she says she's found a development, and we need to explain to the rest of them where we'll be heading tomorrow morning."

Shining was on his hooves instantly. If they had just one more clue, they could find Gabby... and then he'd be able to put a stop to her rampage. Gabby's articles were becoming more egotistical every day. It was scary how she could bend facts, which she shouldn't by rights have access to, and make them into something evil.

"I'm down to three possible printers: using Spectre's clues and our own intelligence, we know the location of two. I was going to suggest to Spectre that we case the joint, grab names and faces, before we start a raid."

Private Eye raised an eyebrow.

"Going for a raid, straight off the bat? Well, I'm pretty sure that Spectre won't disagree... but going in horns blazing isn't your style, Shiny-boy."

Shining didn't respond as he passed through the doors into the briefing room. He wouldn't admit it to Private, but he was rattled: between his own sister and the element of honesty herself, he was beginning to get a little scared of Gabby Gums's mysterious ways.

He wasn't sure how damning they'd be... but he knew he didn't want his thoughts plastered on a leaflet for all to see.

The room was filled with the detectives on the case. Each of them was just as hopeful as Shining: most of them had either had secrets revealed or had the secrets of one of their family shoved down their throats. Gabby was ruthless to those who tried to stop her.

Spectre was there too, in the corner, shadowy as ever. She had escaped Gabby by being invisible: nopony knew that she was on the case.

"Hi, everypony. I've got some good news and some bad news." she said, making a point of ignoring Shining's attempts to provide her with the locations he had found. He eventually deflated, and he began to worry that whatever Spectre had discovered was probably going to hamper their case.

"The good news is that I've gotten one more clue: I've narrowed down her location."

Everypony smiled cautiously, except for Shining. He had already found three possible places. Something didn't add up.

"The bad news is, Gabby's moved. She's gone to Ponyville: probably to get away from us."

Shining winced as if he was going through a vaccination. He had been afraid of this for some time. Gabby would run from danger, of course... but Shining had hoped she wouldn't be able to sneak an entire press by them, or at least not this fast.

"Wait, how do you know this? We've been sure up till now that she was in Canterlot!" Private Eye countered, infuriated. He too had been encouraged by Shining's efforts, now rendered useless by Gabby's cowardly tactics.

"Well, the press still is. But the ink has changed, and she only targeted Applejack because of something she said in Ponyville, which isn't the sort of thing that would get all the way to Canterlot."

"And because of that, we're jumping to the conclusion that she's all the way out there?"

"Yeah, I am. There are so many reasons why I'm right, you have no idea. She's in Ponyville."

She paused for dramatic effect.

"So we're going to follow her there."

Next Chapter: Chapter Three: Spectre Strikes Back Estimated time remaining: 51 Minutes