“Wait, just one moment, let me get this straight...”

Dying Light sat on a pillow across from her guest, pouring two cups of tea as she nodded to the officer, “Of course, take your time... Do you prefer cream or sugar?”

“Uh, neither, please.” Top Brass rubbed the back of his blue-maned neck as he took the tea in his hooves, shaking his head, “So, you were hired by the apple family to help with the harvest this year since both Big Mac and Applejack are down with the flu.”

The coal black mare used her sea foam colored magic to levitate a few sugar cubes into her own cup, stirring them around, “Yes, I agreed to do it for a pittance to repay them for all of the good their family has done for Ponyville and Equestria in general.”

Picking up a sweet smelling cinnamon cookie in his hoof, he took a bite. Chewing thoughtfully, he took a sip of the strong, bitter tea and chose his words carefully. “You did this by deciding to raise several skeletons to do the work for them?”

She used a hoof to brush the pale green mane out of her eyes, looking at the officer with genuine confusion. “Yes I did, what about it?”

“You went to the Apple Family plot on their land, and raised several of their family members from the dead to help harvest apples.”

“Well, yes. Is there something wrong with that?”

Dumbfounded, the police pony drained his tea, trying to figure out how to get through. The mare didn't seem evil, she seemed genuinely confused about why the Apples kicked up such a fuss.

“You don't see any reason why Granny Smith would be upset, suddenly seeing the bones of her dead family members out among the trees harvesting apples?”

Brow furrowed in thought, Dying Light took another small sip of her tea, trying to figure out how best to respond, “Well, no. Not really. I mean, they weren't using them at the time.”

The stallion coughed and spluttered a bit at that response, “N... Not using them at the time? What is that even supposed to mean?!”

“Well, where I come from, family members often wish to continue to help out their living family members after they are gone. So they are laid to rest for a few months, then their bones are raised, cleaned, and set to work about homes or farms, keeping things in shape. Their souls have passed on, so they bequeath their remains to the family as a way to help keep things going until they can be replaced.”

Tapping the side of his cup with his hoof, he processed everything he had seen and been told. The skeletons weren't violent or vengeful. They worked with an almost machine-like efficiency and precision. When their current job finished, they didn't just wander around. They moved to a specific place and waited for their next instructions. Sure it was strange and eerie, but wasn't all magic to some ponies?

He sighed, looking exhausted as he rubbed at his face. He was in way over his head. It had been so long since there had even been a necromancer that Ponyville itself didn't have any laws governing it. Tartarus, he wasn't even sure if the old Equestrian laws about it were valid anymore. Either way, he needed to do something, but he had to be fair.

“Look... just...” He slumped a little, hoping he wasn't going to sound bigoted, “Could you maybe just have them harvest overnight while Granny Smith is asleep? That way they're out of sight and out of mind. Then when the harvest is over or the siblings are feeling better you can lay them back to rest?”

Frowning a bit, the mare nodded in return. “I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to cause such a stir.”

“No, no. It's fine. We just need to find a way to let the people know that necromancy in and of itself isn't evil, it's just magic like any other. Do you think you might be able to help me with that?”

Tossing her mane, the young mare smiled at the officer's offer, “I think I would like that very much...”