A Promise To Keep

By MasterSharp

It was a warm spring morning that fateful day that changed everypony's life. Of all the ponies in Ponyville nopony was changed more that day than Applejack. At first everything was normal and everypony hurried along busy with all the things they were doing. "Ohhhh yeah!" Yelled Rainbow Dash as she flew over Ponyville practicing her new stunts. She jolted and zipped threw the sky over Ponyville then finally she came to a stop. "Well I guess that's enough practice for one day. Time to get to work." She said pulling out a weather schedule for that day. "First up bring a light rainstorm over to Sweet Apple Acres." Rainbow Dash flew over to a large cloud and flipped behind it and started to push it over to Sweet Apple Acres.

She was fast so it took her no time at all to bring the cloud into place over the apple trees but it still tired her out. She closed her eyes and then lowered her head and wiped the sweat from he brow Rainbow opened her eyes with her head still down looking at the ground. Something in a clearing of trees caught her eye a it was big red stain on the ground with three different colored dots in it. "What is that thing?" She said flying down to get a closer look the red spot got bigger and bigger and the dots gained more clarity she could what they were. "That's not what I think at least I hope not." She said getting closer. Rainbow Dash gasped at what she saw when she reached the ground. Laying lifelessly on the ground was Applebloom and her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootalo. Sweetie throat was slit open, Scootalo leg was broken and she had several stab wounds covering her body, and Applebloom had one huge stab wound in the center of her chest almost piercing her back. The stain on the ground was combined blood. "Oh my god what monster would do this. I need to get help." She then took off making for Applejack's farmhouse as fast as she could yelling at the top of her lungs. "Applejack! Applejack! Applejack!"

Meanwhile Applejack was sorting out good apples from the bad on her porch then she saw a fast moving blue speck heading her way. "Bout darn time Rainbow Dash got here." As the blue pegasus flew her way Applejack could tell something was wrong with her. Soon she could hear her friend's desperate calls to her. Rainbow Dash came within a few feet of Applejack when Applejack said. "What in tarnation has ya all stirred up Rainbow?"

"It's Applebloom and her friends there's been an accident come quick."

"Lead the way Rainbow." Then they both took off toward the direction of accident.

They hurried there as fast as they could Rainbow Dash landed in front of Applejack. "Listen Applejack what your about to see it's not a pretty sight you may want to brace yourself."

"I don't care I need to see what happened." Applejack replied shoving Rainbow Dash out of the way then making her way threw the bushes into the clearing. Applejack felt her knees buckle when she saw her little sister and friends laying dead in a pool of their blood with their bodies mutilated. Applebloom's eyes were still open they had a look of "why" in them. "I'm gonna be sick." Applejack said walking to Applebloom then kneeling down picking up her lifeless corpse and holding it tight against her body then she broke into tears yelling "Why!?! Why would somepony do this they were just fillies! How could somepony just kill them like this." Applejack moved one hoof over Applebloom's eyes closing them. "I'm sorry Applebloom! I'm sorry I couldn't protect ya." She said hugging her sister's corpse tightly.

Rainbow Dash walked over to Applejack placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Applejack I'm sorry they didn't deserve this nopony deserves this." She then wrapped her arms around Applejack.

Applejack had begun to cry again as she laid her sister's body on the ground. "I promise ya Applebloom I'll catch whoever did this to ya no matter what it takes." She wiped the tears from her eyes then spoke commandingly to Dash. "Dash I need ya to go get the others and hurry back I'm gonna stay here and look for clues that this monster may have left." Dash nodded then flew off, as Applejack walked around the clearing look for something that the killer might've left.

Minutes pass and Rainbow Dash returns with the others. "Guys I need to warn you this won't be a pretty picture." She said to her friends.

"It's ok Dash I think I can handle it." Rarity said.

"Me too." Squeaked Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash then moved the bushes in front of the path leading to the clearing reviling the gruesome scene in the clearing. Twilight about vomited, Fluttershy held herself up from fainting, Pinkie Pie lost her smile, and Rarity oh poor poor Rarity she took it hardest. "Sweetie Belle!" She screamed running to her little sister's body. When she reached Sweetie Belle's body she had burst into a flood of tears. "Sweetie Belle! Why why why!?! I know we didn't always see eye to eye but you were my sister and I love you!" She sobbed out while hugging her sister's corpse.

"Rarity come on let's get you out of here." Twilight said trying console Rarity.

"No! I can't leave her! I absolutely refuse to!"

"Trust me it's for your own good now come on let's go." Twilight said draping her arm over Rarity and helping her up.

Rainbow Dash watched Rarity being escorted away then walked over to Applejack ,who was huddled under a nearby tree, and asked. "Did you find anything?"

"Not a single thing, but I swear the pony that did this will be caught even if I have to hunt'em down myself." But something inside her and it caused Applejack to began to cry. She just couldn't hold it in anymore and all her sadness she tried to keep pinned down showed itself in that one moment.

She kept crying until she felt a hoof on her shoulder she looked up and there stood Rarity with watery eyes saying. "It going to be ok. We've got to stay strong for them." Then Rarity hugged Applejack and began to cry with her. "We'll get through this somehow."

Two days pass and the crime scene had been cleaned up but the murderer was still at large. The six friends now all stood in a field, but this was no normal field it was a graveyard. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootalo were barried beside each other. Rarity stood in front of Sweetie Belle's grave and Applejack stood in front of Appleblooms.

"I'm so sorry." Said Twilight as she laid a white roses on the each of the graves.

"I'll be here for you two if you need anything." Said Pinkie.

Fluttershy walked up to them but could only cry and hug both of them then fly off.

"I couldn't possibly understand the pain you two are in so all I can say is I'm sorry." Said Rainbow Dash as she hugged both of them then she left too leaving the two to greave.

Applejack and Rarity stood there and talked for hours but their chatter was interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind them. They both turned around to see a scarlet red unicorn with a black tail and mane and a gravestone cutie mark. "Who are you?" Rarity asked.

"I'm the grounds keeper."

"Oh well how come I haven't seen you around town then?"

"I just moved here a few days ago." He replied in a low gravely voice.

Applejack then spoke out in an agitated tone, "Well why are you here then?"

"I just came to pay my respects to three lives that were cut short." He said lowering his head.

"Thats real kind of you." Rarity said nodding at him then turning toward the graves Applejack did the same as well. "I'm sorry sir I never got your name." Rarity said turning to face him but she saw nothing. "He's gone!"

Applejack turned around showing the astonished expression on her face. "That's just plain creepy."

Soon they both returned home Applejack didn't sleep that night she hadn't slept since they found Applebloom. She stared out her window talking to herself. "I'm sorry Applebloom it's lookin' like that monster is gonna get away." A knock on her door made her stop talking to herself. "Come in Mac I know it's you."

Mac opened the door and walked over to Applejack and said. "Applejack it's two in the morning please get some sleep ya haven't slept in days."

"I can't sleep Mac not with that murderer still out there."

"I know you're hurtin' Applejack but you're killin' yourself by doing this. Applebloom was my little sister too and I miss her just as much, but she wouldn't wanna see ya like this. Please just get some sleep if not for yourself do it for her please Applejack." Mac put his hoof on his sister's shoulder.

"Alright Mac I'll get some sleep for her and you." She said looking up at Mac.

"That a girl." Mac said rubbing his hoof up and down her back. "Goodnight Applejack" He said walking out of the room.

Applejack looked out her window one last time then tears began to for in her eyes. "Goodnight Applebloom." Then she got into bed and fell asleep within minutes.

Morning came quickly but Applejack was still asleep because of were she hadn't slept in day. While Applejack was asleep Fluttershy was out tending to animals all was normal until Angel her rabbit ran up to her. "What is it Angel?" The rabbit began to jump up and down pointing upstream of the creek outside Fluttershy's house. Fluttershy flew over too were Angel was pointing what she saw made scream the louder than she ever thought was possible. Laying dead in the stream was the gray pegasus Ditzy Doo ,known as Derpy to many ponies in Ponyville, her blood flowing into the stream. Fluttershy panicked and flew toward the nearest pony's house as fast as possible. She ended up flying to Applejack's farm she landed and tried to catch her breath. Knowing she couldn't yell as loud as she did before she ran to the front door and began knocking on it as hard she as she could.

A drowsy Applejack opened the door while rubbing her eyes. "Fluttershy what's got ya all stirred up?" Fluttershy could only let out squeaks and motion toward the stream. Applejack sighed. "Alright let's go have a look if it's got ya shook up this bad it's gotta be important."

They began the walk to creek about halfway there Rainbow Dash swooped out of the sky and landed in front of Applejack and Fluttershy. "I heard Fluttershy scream I didn't think she could scream louder than when she cheered for me. What happened?"

Still trying to wake herself up Applejack tilted her head up at her friend. "Not sure myself she hasn't said a word I was my way to check it out. Whatever it is it sure has got her all worked up."

"Guess I should go with you guys too." Moments later all three of them had reach Fluttershy's house and were tracking up the creek. They stopped when they saw the dead gray pegasus and at the same time Applejack and Rainbow Dash yelled out. "Oh my god!"

"Dash go grab help." Applejack ordered her friend.

Dash then gave a huge flap of her wings and took off yelling. "I'm on it."

Fluttershy was huddled over a good distance away from the body she squeaked out. "I tried to tell you back the your house but I just couldn't."

"It's ok at least ya came and got me." Applejack said trying comfort her friend. She then went to see the body. "Any evidence has washed right down the creek. The killer must have thought this out."

As she looked over the scene Fluttershy managed to squeak something out. "Do you...do you think that the pony that...that killed Applebloom killed her?"

Applejack turned to her with the most serious face she had ever made and said. "Without a doubt in my mind."

A few short minutes laterRainbow Dash swooped out of the sky with two of the royal guards. "Thank you for informing us but now you need to clear out and let us do our job." The three did as they were told and left the scene. "Fluttershy ya have had a hard time today why don't ya just go home and take it easy. And Dash would mind looking after her she seems a bit frazzled." Both of them nodded in agreement then went to Fluttershy's house.

Applejack didn't go home, however, she went to Twilight's house. When she arrived she knocked on the door and a drowsy Twilight opened the door. "Applejack what're you doing here?"

"I needed somepony to talk to because well there has been another murder."

"Oh my god who was it!?!"

"It's was poor Derpy this time."

"What is it you need to talk about then?"

"I know that this is the same pony that killed Applebloom, and I just can't shake the feeling that I could have stopped it."

Applejack and Twilight talked for a little while longer but soon Applejack left and for the rest of that day Applejack wandered around town thinking to herself about the reasons somepony would do something this horrible. Before she knew it night had fallen and she had started home when Pinkie popped up behind her and yelled. "Hey Applejack whatcha up to this time of night?"

Shaking off the scare Pinkie just gave her she replied. "I could ask ya the same thing Pinkie."

"Oh I'm just out here havin' some fun."

"What are ya doin Pinkie?"

"Just watch." Pinkie said darting off toward a random house then tapping on the door darting away. The door opened in the doorway stood a confused pony scratching it's head wondering who just knocked at the door. Pinkie darted back to Applejack. "See fun!" She said bouncing up and down.

"Well Pinkie I gotta get going it's gettin late."

"Fine see ya later AJ." Pinkie started off toward another house while Applejack watched her walk away Pinkie walked in front of a house when something caught her eye. A mysterious figure dressed in a long black cloak slowly walking toward Pinkie. She knew this couldn't be good and when the figure pulled out a long metallic object it made her fears grow. The figure picked up speed, but Applejack did too running to Pinkie yelling. "Pinkie Pie run!" Pinkie turned around see Applejack racing toward her and the figure holding a knife only feet away from her.

She let out a sharp scream and ran toward Applejack, and took cover behind her. "Thanks for warning me AJ. I'd be a goner for sure if you hadn't."

The figure turned to Applejack groaned angrily at her unknowingly showing her the front of his face. She couldn't see anything above his nose but she could tell one thing he had scarlet red fur. He took off trying to put as much distance between him and Applejack as possible but she ran off after him. He was fast but Applejack was dead set on catching him and chased him no matter how fast he went. Applejack was gaining on him when he ran into a ten foot tall metal fence and it looked like Applejack was going to catch him.

"I got ya now ya scumbag." She said while he just stared at the fence in front of him. He looked back at Applejack who was closing in then jumped grabbing the top of the fence but as he made his way over the top he slipped and he sliced his right front leg open but he still managed to climb over the top and down the other side. When landed on the other side of the fence grabbed his leg then gave one quick angry look to Applejack then limped off has fast as he could throwing Applejack off his trail. Applejack stood in front of the fence in shock that she just let him get away then she looked up to see where she was to her surprise she saw she had chased him all the way to the cemetery.

Painfully admitting her defeat Applejack walked home while thinking of a way to track down the pony that just escaped her. She opened the door to her house to hear Granny Smith yelling. "Now hold still sonny."

"I am holdin' still Granny you're shakein'. Just give me the bandages."

Applejack walked into the living room to see Granny Smith trying to wrap bandages around a gash on Big Mac's leg "What the hay happened?" She said taking the bandages from Granny.

"Your brother said that he dropped the plow on himself."

"Mac ya must have hay for brains doin' somethin' like that."

"Your no better. Stayin' out this late not lettin' us know where ya were". Mac replied. Applejack yanked his bandages tight, making Mac jump a little, then she tied the bandages off and backed away from Mac. She tried to get sleep that night but she couldn't stop thinking about the pony that escaped her and when morning came she had already been awake for hours working on things around the that needed to be done.

"Good morning." Mac said limping his way into the kitchen where Applejack was washing dishes.

"Oh good morning Mac I've just been catchin' up on chores."

"Listen Applejack since the apples won't be ripe for a few days and we can't plant anything in the garden cause I can't pull the plow why don't ya to take it easy today."

Applejack dried the dishes she hard been washing. "Thanks Mac I'm gonna finish up around here then I'm gonna head into town." An hour later she was done cleaning and she head toward the door saying. "I'm leavin' be back later and Mac make sure ya stay off that leg." She shut the door before he replied with his trademark, "Eeyup."

As she trotted along she was left alone with her thoughts, but her quiet walk was interrupted when Pinkie once again sprang up from out of nowhere shouting. "Hey Applejack!"

"Hey there Pinkie."

"Listen I just wanted to come by and thank you for what you did last night I mean if you hadn't told me that pony was behind me I probably wouldn't be here so thanks." She gave Applejack a huge hug.

"About last night I ran off after that pony without making sure ya were ok. Ya were ok right?"

"It's ok, and I was fine startled but fine. After you ran off I went to Twilight's house and told her what happened she didn't think it be a good idea for me to stay by myself so she offered to let me stay at her place until that pony is caught."

"Don't worry Pinkie he will be caught if the royal guard doesn't catch him I will," Applejack dropped her head and tone of voice "I made a promise to somepony." They talked for hours while taking a walk in the park but Applejack had something she needed to do. "Pinkie I just remembered that there was something I had to do, and I need to get goin'."

"Where is it you're going?"

"I'm goin' out to put flowers on Applebloom's grave."

"Well can I tag along?" Pinkie asked.

"I don't see any harm in it so yeah ya can with."

"Great then let's get going."

They headed to the cemetery making one quick stop at a flower shop, and soon they arrived at Applebloom's grave. Applejack laid a bouquet of red and yellow roses with a single apple blossom in the center she looked down on the grave in silence until Pinkie said. "They look very pretty AJ she would have loved them."

"I would agree with you there." An unknown voice, but yet somewhat familiar voice called.  Both Pinkie and Applejack spin around to see the scarlet unicorn Applejack met the day of Applebloom's funeral standing behind them.

"Oh, it's just you. Ya gave me a real good scare what about you Pinkie?" Pinkie remained silent her eyes fixated on the unicorn in front of her Applejack began to stare at him too and she spied the freshly wrapped wound on his right leg. The unicorn was starting to get unnerved and backed away.

"That's him," Pinkie whispered "I recognize him."

"Who is he?"

"He's the pony that attacked me last night!" Pinkie screamed.

The look on the unicorn's face became one of shear terror, then it everything clicked in Applejack's brain and she put all of the pieces of the puzzle together. The murders didn't start until he moved to Ponyville, he was one of the first to know of Applebloom's murder, last night when she chased the killer to the cemetery, Pinkie's recognition of him, and finally the gash the murderer had on his leg was also on the unicorn's leg.

All of this came together in her brain, an it made her snap with anger. "YOU MONSTER!" She raced toward the unicorn ,who was now running away at a dead sprint. He hid inside nearby shed but Applejack was not going to let that stop her. "You're not gettin' away again." She said positioning herself to where she could kick the door down. She gave the strongest kick she could, one that shattered the door completely, and she walked inside. Once inside she could saw that the unicorn had been knocked out, because he was bracing the door when Applejack kicked it down, she could also see many gardening tools as well as long black cloak hanging in the corner and a knife on table beside it. "You're lucky I'm better than ya or ya be so dead right now." She began hogtying the unicorn.

Fifteen minutes passed until the royal guard arrived and dragged  off the now awake unicorn who was yelling. "You can't do this to me! I did nothing wrong! You have to believe me! Please believe me!" Applejack watched as he was dragged off she felt absolutely no sorrow for him. Even though she didn't even know his name but that didn't change how she felt. The sun was beginning to set and she had news to tell family so she began on her way home. She hurried home and by the time she had at there night was beginning to fall she walked into her house to see Granny was passed out on the living room sofa. She walked to her brother's room knowing he would still be awake bit when she got there it was empty and dark. "He must be I the cellar." She said backing out of the doorway and moving toward the entrance of a basement. She tried to open the door but it was locked. "Mac that may keep Granny out but ya know I know where the key is." She said grabbing the key from off the doorframe. She opened the door making her way down set of stairs and into a large room with a single door. Behind that door was a second smaller room which the family considered to be Big Mac's second room or his workshop.

Applejack closed her eyes and yelled as she flung the door open. "Mac I did it! I caught him! I caught Applebloom's murderer!" She then opened her eyes, and what she saw behind the door both shocked and confused her. In the center of the room was her brother holding a rusty knife while dawning a long black cloak pulling the hood of it over his head. "Big Mac what goin' on?" Applejack blurted out in confusion.

When Mac spun around he looked like he saw a ghost. "AJ what'er ya doin' down here?"

"I came to tell ya something. Mac what'er ya up to?"

"Nothin'."

"Big Macintosh yer a horrible liar now what the hay are ya up to!?!"

Applejack walked toward him just a bit, but when he saw that opening he made a mad dash behind he and slammed the door shut. "AJ I'm sorry ya found out this way."

"Find out what?"

Mac braced the door with a large wooden beam. "Come on AJ isn't it obvious the cloak the knife and the gash down my leg ,the gash ya gave me."

"No that's not possible that would mean yer the murderer."

"Eeyup."

Applejack took a huge gulp then began to grow teary eyed. "Ya did this? Why? How could ya do that to those innocent ponies even your own sister!?!"

"Innocent! Ya think they were innocent! They were nuisances the whole lot of 'em I did everypony a favor gettin' rid of 'em!" He said as he walked toward Applejack causing her to back away and fall backwards into a corner. "That gray pegasus crashed into our mailbox seven times in the last two weeks and we never get our mail actually put in the mailbox she drove me furious. Yer friend Pinkie who survived only because of ya has been pullin' pranks all over Ponyville for the past three and a half months. Finally our sister and her little friends, ever since they formed that stupid club have been causin' trouble and I for one couldn't handle it. Somethin' had ta be done so I took matters in to my own hooves." Big Mac drew his blade closer to his face. "Sorry it's come to this AJ but ya just had to keep snoopin' around."

"Mac what are ya doing?"

"Goodbye AJ." Mac leapt forward with his knife thrust out from him.

Applejack could see the end coming, but was paralyzed with fear. When things look the bleakest she felt something touch her hoof it was a large metal spike it had been kicked across the room by Mac unknowingly. Thinking and moving fast as she could she grabbed the spike in both hooves and held it out in front of her Mac landed on the spike. The spike ripped threw Mac's chest piercing his heart. Blood spilled out of the wound in his chest and onto the metal spike and Applejack's hooves. He made a low gurgling noise and fell over as Applejack let go of the spike .She sat up and watched as blood spilled out onto the floor. When the life in his eyes finally faded away she burst into tears. She wasn't crying because he was dead but rather she had taken his life, she had taken the life of another pony and she saw herself as the monster her brother became. Applejack couldn't ever forgive herself for this but end the she kept he promise to Applebloom she had made the pony responsible pay and he paid with his life.