A/N: well, I wanted to get back to updating as frequently as possible, while I don't have homework, so here's the latest chapter for this story, hope you enjoy.

Trials of Redemption: chapter 5: second attack

After meeting up with Fleet, Twilight walked back to the library, and quickly invited her friends over, to tell them what she discovered, needless to say, they all felt sad for Fleet's loss, but one of them didn't seem particularly convinced.

"And you're sure?" Rainbow Dash said, as she hovered around the room, all of Twilight's friends gathered around her, Twilight sighed, "it's like I said girls, he had an alibi, he can't be the killer" she said looking at all of them, Rainbow just crossed her hooves, and sighed, "you can't be sure about that" she said, Twilight looked up at her, and groaned, "why are you so certain it was him?" she asked, as Rainbow landed next to her, "I'm not saying it is, what I am saying is, that maybe he's trying to fool you, make you believe that he's innocent" she said, Twilight frowned at her, "no, I won't believe that, he's a nice guy, I don't even think he has it in him to harm another pony" she said walking over to the window, and looking out into the cloudy sky.

"Twilight, maybe Rainbow has a point, I mean, a killer would never admit to a murder like that, of course they would make up an alibi, did you ask any other pony, how about his butler?" Applejack said with a concerned look, Twilight looked away for a moment, she didn't want to believe it, but she knew Rainbow was probably right, a killer would never admit to a murder, she just turned to her friends.

"maybe your right, but I'm not jumping to any conclusions, let's just see what happens next, maybe we can prevent the next attack" she said with a worried look, all her friends looked at each other and nodded, "well, I better get going, have to get everything locked up in the barn before it starts raining" Applejack said as they all made their way out the door, Twilight sighed and closed it behind them.

(Sweet Apple Acres, barn)

As Applejack was making her way to the barn, Big Macintosh were busy putting everything away in the barn, so that it wouldn't get wet in the storm, the wind was blowing harder now, "Applejack hurry up, get that stuff in the barn quickly" Mac said as he walked out, she nodded and stepped inside, closing the door behind her, she walked over and placed everything in their position.

Just as she stacked everything up, she quickly heard the door creak open, she turned to see the door slamming against the frame, she gave a confused look, "Applebloom, is that you?" she asked looking around the barn, when she didn't get an answer, she quickly walked towards the door and was about to leave, when she heard a rustling sound come from behind, she sharply turned around, her eyes widened in fear, as she felt her heart thump against her chest.

"Applebloom, stop messing around, this ain't funny!" she said loudly, but still no reply, no sign that it was her younger sister playing a joke, her only response was another thud, her first instinct was to run back to the house but if it really was her sister, she couldn't leave her out in the barn alone, just before a storm, "Applebloom, I swear ah'll go back to the house and leave you here all night" she said despite her fear, yet again no response, she slowly started to make her way over to the source of the sound, "a-a-Applebloom?" she said in a nervous tone, the fear finally taking a hold of her voice, she felt her thump loudly, it echoed in her ears, just as she got closer, she heard another noise, a whooshing sound, and then glass shattering, she jumped and turned to her right, and saw that one of the lanterns had fallen to the ground and broke, she gulped and made her way to the lamp.

As she took a step closer, a crack of thunder rolled outside, and the barn filled up with the light of lightning, and she saw the shadow of what appeared to be a pony behind the barrels, where the lamp was knocked off, she stopped in her tracks, from what she could tell it wasn't the shape of a young filly, but a full grown stallion, and she knew her brother would never play tricks like this.

She took another step closer, only a few inches from the barrels, she made a quick move and pushed the barrels aside, and gave a sigh of relief, as the shadow form was just conveniently stacked blocks of hay, she gave a sigh and felt her heart begin to slow, and she slowly turned, but just as she did, she felt a powerful force knock her to her side.

She cried out in surprise as she tumbled on to her back, she felt weight press down on her, and she looked up, to see a hooded pony standing above her, pressing her hooves down, she cried out in fear, since the barn wasn't that well lite, she couldn't see into his hood, but she heard him chuckle, as he leaned in closer, "let me go!" she cried out trying to sound brave, but her fear grew beyond all measure, as he leaned in closer.

"you and your friends shouldn't be interfering in things you don't understand, such as my work, now I'll have to kill each and every one of you" he said, with a sinister chuckle, the voice was deep and ominous, but she faintly recognized it, it was a voice she heard not long ago, and one thought entered her mind, "Fleet?" she said quietly, but the stallion merely chuckled and leaned away, just as he did, the main door to the barn flew open, as a huge burst of wind from the storm outside, filled the room.

The stallion turned to it, and Applejack noticed his hood starting to slide off, for the briefest moment she thought she saw a light blue mane, but the stallion grabbed the hood and pulled it back over, letting go of one of Applejack's hooves, she took the opportunity, and reared her legs up and kicked him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and using her free hoof, punching him in the face, he cried out in pain as he toppled off her.

Applejack scrambled to her hooves, and tried to run, but failed and fell on her stomach, she looked back to see him grabbing on to one of her back hooves, "you little bitch!" he shouted as he pulled her back, and pulled up, Applejack reacted and reared her other hoof, and kicked him in the face, she felt the blow land, but his grip didn't loosen, she did it again with another successful hit, this time he let go and she scrambled to her hooves again and made a run for the door.

She only made it a yard before he jumped her from behind, and turned her on to her back, she watched in terror, as he took out a knife and raised it above his head, "you shouldn't of done that" he said, Applejack looked in fear, but just as he raised it above his head, she used her strength in her back legs, and summed up all her might, and delivered a damaging blow to his stomach, he gasped and fell off her, she turned on to her stomach, and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Macintosh, Applebloom! Help!" she yelled out, hoping to be heard over the storm wind, she got up and turned to face him, she watched as he pushed himself up and turned to her, reading the knife.

"nice try, but your family can't hear you" he said, as he charged at her, knife at the ready, his speed was great, as Applejack dodged to the side and winced as she felt the blade cut into her shoulder, she rolled to the side, crying out in pain she clutched her bleeding shoulder, she looked up to see him standing over her, she still couldn't see his face, but she heard him laughing, as he raised the knife above his head, just as he smiled at her, the lightning flashed again, and the reflection of the shattered lamp, filled up the hood, and for the briefest second, Applejack could see his face, although she could hardly tell any features, it was gone in a mere second.

Just as he was about to bring the knife down, they heard a male voice shout over the storm, "Applejack, were coming!" she heard her brother shout, the attacker turned away for a minute, he gave a frustrated growl as he turned to her, he sheathed the knife, and picked her up by the throat, and brought her close to his face, which she still could not see, "this isn't over, you and your friends can't escape me, I'll come back, and I'll kill every one of you, and I'm going to enjoy it" he said before he slammed her into the barrels and they broke from her weight, the force of the blow nearly knocked her unconscious, she was left there in a dazed state, her vision blurred as she watched the hooded pony disappear into the night.

Seconds past before two more familiar blurred visions, they tried to speak to her, but the blow took its toll as the darkness clouded her vision and took her.

A/N: well, it's been a while since I've updated, I hope you enjoyed, and as I always say, it's only going to get more interesting.