MareDoWell- The case of Pinkamena Diane Pie (Work in progress)

[Trixie the Greatest 130]

(Not too grimdark but I added the tag there because is kinda dark and disturbing.  I adapted elements from the Early Batman movies and the most recent ones, along with the Animated Series.  Was inspired since MareDoWell should also have a spot of sorts, and she isn't one of the 6 I might add.  Work in progress, if you like it, I will write more on it.  Critique appreciated it.)

 

 

UNDISCLOSED AREA: 5:35 AM

She did not know how she got there, did not know how she got strapped on a surgical table in a basement of sorts, nor how much time has transpired. Not even the smell of rotten flesh around her could keep her from trying to put everything together and how she ended up in this predicament. She only knew one thing for certain however.

She was in here...with HER. She was near. She was close. SHe was going to come and do unforgivable things to her any time now. No time to think about how she got here, it was time to try and escape. But how? Would she try and scream? Would anypony hear her? How about try the harnesses on her hooves? No good. She was securely strapped and ready for whatever horrors that crazy pink bitch was about to do to her. Unless...her magic! She was a unicorn, even though she never used it for things other than the simplest of things, she could at least try and undo the harnessess on her limbs...now just concentrate, concentrate...

Nothing. Not even a fizzle or spark out of her horn. Why? Was it something she did to he so she could not have any means of escaping? What else will she do once she comes down here once more?

Speak of the Nightmare.

"Well, well, well...awake aren't we?"

No, not now. Not here. Not HER.

"You have been a very naughty pony, yes you had...Miss De Lis."

"Why are you doing this? What have I done to you?"

A hard smack on her cheek shut her up. Only a yelp was the only thing that came of her lips as she felt the hard hoof on her delicate face. No one has ever struck her even once in her entire life, not even her parents. There is a first time for everything so they say. In the dark a pair of sky blue eyes glared at her like blue flames trying to consume her very soul. Then a pink face appeared in the light provided by the lamp on the ceiling, contrary to what the eyes were shooting at her, the pony on top of her had a sinister grin that could only be matched by that of Nightmare Moon herself. No, this was even worse than the queen of darkness could ever provide. This completely terrified her.

"Did I say you could speak Miss De Lis? No I didn't. See, this is why you are down here and not UP there with Fancypants and all the snotty ponies right? Right."

Fleur De Lis only whimpered her eyes red with exhaustion and crying for hours to end. She didn't remember doing so however and only now realized that she has been sleeping all this time. That was it, she was drugged. Her memory retracted to hours, no, DAYS being down here, dazed and confused and crying, crying and longing for anypony that could come and rescue her from this maniacal pink terror. Said psycho pony straddled her on the table all of the sudden, her face inching close to the famous socialist unicorn.

"Tell me, have you ever danced with the Nightmare under the pale moonlight?"

"Uh...uh..."

"I always say that to all my prey...you see, it just makes me comfortable when I'm about to do my job...do you like cupcakes by any chance?"

"P-please..."

"You don't? Oh, well we will see about that...won't we?"

A glimmer shone on Fleur De Li's eyes as a sharp kitchen knife was brandished on the hooves of the monster. The pink pony smiled a toothy smile and licked the blade being cautious not to let it cut her equally bright pink tongue. She then brought it to De Lis' cheek.

And began slicing away.

THE MYSTERIOUS MAREDOWELL:
THE CASE OF PINKAMENA DIANE PIE

CHAPTER ONE: SHE WHO LAST LAUGHS...

MareDoWell was taking this in stride. In fact, she was taking more than well after the descriptive way Mayor Iron Will explained her to latest case they were working on. After every other disappearance of significant ponies in Manehattan, Ponyville, and even Canterlot, there was always something that connected them to a certain pony left in the crime scene. A cupcake. A cupcake baked with the utmost care and topped with the most tantalizing frosting and showered with sprinkles decorating its innocence. Only that these cupcakes weren't baked with the usual ingrdients you could use to bake them. The pony vigilante tried not to recall what forensics found in said cupcakes after being examined. Needless to say, not a single guard ever tried to even eat said baked goods from stores after finding out what were inside these ones. The one guard who made a mistake of biting into one at the first scene of crime of these events was hospitalized for weeks. His stomach is still pumped every now and then to prevent any residue from said dangerous foodstuffs. MareDoWell's thoughts were stopped abrubtly as the Mayor slapped a file on his desk, then opened to reveal the assailants latest victim's file, complete with profile shots and aftermath photos of how the guards found her after her ordeal with the pink sadist that lasted for over two weeks.

"Her face..." The vigilante said, trying not to look away.

"Not only her face," the Minotaur added, "but she is also being treated for psychological stress and other symptoms due to food poisoning and brainwashing. We are grateful that this time we did not found this pony in pieces like in past cases however. Pinkamena was...merciful enough this time around."

"Like the times when she simply left her close friends in near comas?"

"Exactly. It seems Miss Pie only decimates her victims if they are not sought enough by being, well, popular as one might say. Perhaps Miss De Lis reminded her of her close friend Miss Rarity, whom I heard once visited Canterlot and befriended Fancypants and his cohort Fleur De Lis at some point. We find this to be a peculiar coincidence."

"What did the forensic lab scientist said of the poison?"

"Miss Zecora found traces of Poison Joke among other hallucigens that this pony has used on her victims while torturing them in a variety of ways. Their blood samples also came out positive in hepatitis for some reason."

"Perhaps the side effect of said poison?"

"Maybe so." Iron Will said, growing more stern by the minute. MareDoWell took a look at another photo from the victim's body and noticed something even more disturbing if not a bit egotistical from the aggresor's side.

"So she carves her name on the backs of her victims."

"Indeed. She did so with her first target years ago, when we found that pony tied up in a lasso and hanging upside down from her legs inside a barn. At least it gave Miss Applejack or anypony in her property an alibi when Mayor Mare's authorities arrived at the scene."

"But when they got there Pinkamena was already gone from town."

"Yes." Iron Will chewed on his cigar as he stared into the wallpanel glass that gave him a clear view of Manehattan and its statue of liberty positioned far in her own little island a few miles away from the city. He turned sharply looking at the vigilante with a determined look on his face.

"You want me to find more about her than what your people could find don't you."

"It might make better in your pursuit to nab her. This little pink monster has eluded us in every single turn, escaped through routes we never even heard of and has even ponies on her side. Powerful ponies. Its a wonder the Shadowbolts haven't taken on an offer by her just yet."

"The Shadowbolts don't barter with psychopaths."

"Not yet. In any case, go to Ponyville and see what her friends can tell you that they neglected to inform us. I have a feeling a greater power is in the works than just our deranged party pony by herself."

"I'll do what I can. In the meantime keep our city safe."

The Mayor turned back to the glass and didn't bother to say bye. By the time he fixated his attention to the view of the city she was already gone. He looked at the moon and stared at it for a few minutes before resuming his labor as the highest authority in a place ruled by chaos.

 

***

 

The vigilante galloped through rooftops and glided using her modyfied cape from one building to another and at times, her grappling hook for taller ones and skycrappers. Before she ventured in her not so called vacation to the backwater town, she needed to consult someone. A pony who like her dwelled in the shadows and was under the direct service of the Lunar services of Equestria as the most powerful and technological advanced mercenaries Equestria ever known. They were considered a myth after a certain pegasus told the story of how the goddess of the night tried to goad her into joining them in a dream like setting. Truth could be far from just a high tale however but this gave them the edge needed to be left alone in their operations without ever being caught nor persecuted when something major occurred. They trotted among the citizens of the city, even held jobs in high places and lower ones, they were everywhere and chances were that if you were talking to one of them you wouldn't ever take notice of who they were unless they wore a familiar flying suit and trademark goggles.

Ones which the Captain of their group was wearing at the very moment MareDoWell arrived on top of a business corporation while he stood atop a stone gargoyle, looking stoic as ever and his black feathered wings flared to take in the winds of their goddess' night. His goggles, slit to make him look as to have an angry glare, glowed bright red within his eyes. MareDoWell casually trotted up to him when she arrived and stood right beside the gargoyle the Shadowbolt leader was standing upon.

"What can we do for you this time, vigilante."

"What do you know about Pinkamena."

"Everything."

"What can you tell me."

"Nothing."

"You want bits for the info is that it."

"That is not the reason." The Shadowbolt touched the side of his goggles with hoof and the light emanating from the dimmed until it was gone. He then pulled them up revealing a pair of ruby red eyes and looked down at her from his position.

"What is that you are keeping from me, Captain."

"There are works greater than a psychopath here, MareDoWell. We are at the ready if we are needed...for the right fee. However we are keeping it under the biggest rug we can find until there is something more than a vigilante dealing with it."

"So there is someone or somepony pulling the strings in all this and using the former Element of Laughter as its minion to produce havok then."

"Not exactly." The Shadowbolt then placed his goggles back on and shook his mane a few times. "I can tell you that what she is doing is out of her own sheer will. If you want to know more then you know who to ask."

With that he jumped and glided a few feet under before pulling himself upwards and rocketing out of view into the night sky leaving a trail of smoke and lightning behind. MareDoWell turned and headed to the opposite direction, towards her own home where she would prepare for the evening's voyage.

 

***

 

A few minutes later and a few blocks away, she arrived to the building where both her home and lair were housed. The entire building was bought by her months ago after he last secret hideout was destroyed when she had her last encounter with a powerful nemesis. The residents there lived without suspicion of her double life as an engineer and a vigilante and did not asked everytime she was absent from more than days at times. MareDoWell grabbed a paor of saddlebags filling it with the bare necessities and then headed to the rooftop, where she stood on the edge and jumped towards the night sky, her cape unfolding into a glider which she manuevered all the way to Ponyville.

The first location she spotted was the vast farmland belonging to the Apple clan, Sweet Apple Acres. She glided past rows and rows of apple trees until she landed near the barnhouse where the family was housed. Shifting her cape back to normal structure she advanced towards the house being wary of the family's dog, Winona, who while she could not be of any threat, would bark endlessly waking up ponies she really did not had time to deal with, or quite possibly, alert some sort of security personnel the family might've hired after the Pinkamena incident. So far, no dog nor anypony who was present until she reached the doorway.

 

MareDoWell looked upwards and decided to climb onto an open window instead of going trough the front door. If anything, the eldest of the family, Granny Smith, might still be awake or sleeping on the living room while their radio was on. Getting out suction cups to her hooves, the vigilante started her short climb to the window until she eventually reached it, then took a peek checking the inside of it. To her luck, this was Applejack's room, who seemed to be curled up on her bed covered in blankets with her back towards the window. MareDoWell entered the window silently and took off the cups, getting them back inside the saddlebags. She entered tthe room silently, not wanting to disturb the sleeping pony, but as she neared her, she heard the distinctive click of a firearm and looked to the side where Applejack was holstering a rifle pointed straight at her head.

"Now let's be all clear here," AJ said, her gaze as cold as ice "Ah know you ain't none of of us cause we did that Mare Do Well gig just for laughs...an' ah doubt you are HER either...so why don't ya just get out where ya came from and we all agree this never happened?"

"I am here for answer Miss Applejack." MareDoWell stated, "And I know who you are talking about. Believe me when I say I am here to help bring her back. As your friend."

"Ah don't know what nonsense you are tellin' girl" Applejack retorted, still pointing the rifle at the vigilante's head. "Now last time, git lost or you be having a serious case of head detachment." She cocked the rifle to state she was meaning it this time. MareDoWell did not moved however, seeing a trail of sweat coming down the farmer's brow.

"If you are going to shoot me...then you better have good aim. I am getting the answers I need wheter you provide them willingly or not Applejack."

"Ah warned ya, now ahm gonna-" Applejack suddenly turned to see a shadow passing by on the darkness, realizing it was just a mouse that seemed lost within her room, she did not noticed that MareDoWell already got into action as soon as she averted her eyes away. In just a fraction of a secong her rifle was knocked away by a dart in the form of a horseshoe, one of many defensive techniques the vigilante used. Applejack let out a gasp startled but when she got a hold of what was going on, MareDoWell was on her, holding her down her own bed with her eyes glaring down the heir to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack did not offer resistance, rather she just stared at her assailant serious for a moment, hen frowned, her eyes beginning to show traces of tears coming. ALl this happening before the rifle landed wit ha heavy clunk on her wooden floor.

"Now tell me all you know about Pinkamena Diane Pie."

"Don't you call her that!" Applejack erupted in an emotional fit suddenly "Pinkie's not that monster! She is a kind hearted girl, ah know she is..."

"Listen Applejack...your friend has cost much grief to many ponies, even as far as committing murder. She will not stop unless you help me bringing her to justice, I know she started here, and I also know she did something horrible to you. Help me set things right before its too late for all of us in Equestria."
At that moment the door of the bedroom bolted open and a large frame galloped inside. Without seeing him, MareDoWell knew who was inside, Applejack's older sibling, Big Macintosh. Before he even got close to aid his sister, Applejack managed to raise one hoof to stop him right on his tracks. The stallion halted just as she asked, looking at her confused and overly tired after being wakened by the noise he heard.

"Its alright Big Mac, ahm fine. Go an' tend to Applebloom 'fore she wakes...please."

Big Mac tried to protest, but once AJ's eyes were fixated on him he just sighed and headed back out her room, closing the door and to do as told. After it was safe to talk once more, Applejack began telling all she knew before the mayhem got into Ponyville.

 

***

 

The ball of the Ninth Moon was a party that invited some of the biggest names in Equestria. Some could say said names would even rank as high as the Royal Princesses themselves. The mayor of Manehattan had warned the city not to bring much attention with Pinkamena on the loose, but all the advise given was left ot deaf ears as the high class of the city resumed their lives of luxury and prejudice. Of course, all of that was soon to be halted in the worst possible ways imaginable.

A sudden opening of the main doors slamming against its hinges made the entire crowd silent, turning their attention to the sole exit as a pink pony came inside, her magenta mane neatly pressed on one side of her face and wearing a leather jacket along with shades which covered half of her light blue eyes. Pinkamena trotted casually a few steps before stopping and staring at them all.

"Gentleponies, lets broaden our minds...Scoots?"

Another pony wearing the same kind of jacket albeit a pegasus entered right in cue, carrying a boombox which she immediately turned on. A track playing filled the hall as a song performed by Sapphire Shore was heard. Pinkamena made a fancy strut at the beat of the tune while pushing away rather rudley any other pony of the high class community away. Before any other pony who attended the ball dared do anything, more of Pinkamena's henchmen appeared, each with a different sort of weapon ranging from firearms to blades on their hooves. Pinkamena then proceeded, dancing like a mad pony around the guests, each she pointed with a sharp blade she brought and with each terrified pony she approached, she smiled even more. The henchemen wach started thrashing the ball, pushing the hostages closer into a frightened group while paintings and decorations each worth large amounts of wealth were simply being destroyed. Pinkamena finally stopped at the pony she looked from the rest, one not from her native country and famous for taking the most glamorous photos in all the world, not just Equestria.

"Ah...Photo Finish."

The world famous photographer squeaked as her name was mentioned, her eyes behind her glasses dilated fully as the reflection of the mad mare grew closer to her. Pinkamena simply slapped her companion for the night with a single backhoof, reeling him unconsious and with the other, caressed Photo Finish's face carefully with the edge of the knife.

"Tell me...when you take a picture...do you capture ponies' souls?"

"Huh, vat is thiz nonzense! Of course I don't!" Vat dou vant from me?"

"Oh, I still need to figure that out Finishing Photopony...I must simply take you to my place first though, way too many ponies here to let them watch me work on my masterpiece..."

"Y-your what?" Photo Finish said, not sure if she wanted to find out. Pinkamena smiled as her eyes grew wider at the sheer terror she was receiving from the photographer. Blade pointing at Photo FInish's chine she spoke in a playful tone.

"Tell me, do you want to know how I got these scars? Its a funny story."

"Vat scars, you seem fine!"

 

"Oh sorry, I meant the scars you might yet...trust me, it'll be a riot. Its gonna be a party..."

***