//------------------------------//
// Intermission:  Trials and Tribulations 
// Story: Circumstantial Evidence 
// by Mad Hatter 
//------------------------------//

The next day Twilight and Zecora were at the station, tickets punched and waiting for the 3 o'clock train to Canterlot.  Zecora was still looking despondent, giving a blank stare in the direction of one of her charms held in a hoof.

The distant whistle grew close, then almost painfully loud as it came to a stop at the station.  "Aaaall aboard!  Crossroads Station to Canterlot Station!  Have your tickets ready!"

They both showed the tickets, marked by the attendant for this ride, to the pony placed next to the door as they dragged their respective luggage behind them.  Finding a booth seat at the very back of the passenger car, Twilight spoke up.  

"I think it's about time you tell me what's going on Zecora.  I can help, whatever's bothering you."

The zebra sighed, and replied without raising her muzzle from it's downward direction.  "I have committed a crime most foul, to hear of it's details would make your soul howl."

Twilight was taken aback by the low, almost muttered utterance.  Only from her extensive knowledge of linguistics and familiarity with Zecora's rhyming was she able to understand without asking for her to repeat herself.  The meaning and intensity of the notion, however, escaped her.  “W-What do you mean?  What could be so heinous?”

Zecora looked to her side to be sure that nopony else had heard the first sentence before answering in a similar subdued tone.  “I have committed Murder.  I have led an innocent to slaugher.”  Though it seemed impossible, her visage drooped even further.  “Justice will be met for certain.  I will also greet the final curtain.”

For the first time since Discord altered reality itself, Twilight had neither a question nor an answer.  The pair retained silence and a somber look all the way to their destination station.

The arrival whistle to Canterlot station seemed to be a distant background noise, despite being about the third loudest sound in Equestria (Behind DJ-Pon3 and Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice, respectively).  They silently disembarked to be greeted by a pair of royal guards.  

"Miss Twilight Sparkle and Miss Zecora, if I am correct?"  A powerfully-built unicorn inquired.
"Yes." Listlessly replied Twilight.  
"We are here to escort you to the castle."
"Indeed."  The guard had seen Twilight on a couple of occasions before, and was a little concerned over her now-mopey attitude.  Business reigned, however, and he put the thoughts away.
"Follow us." as he took the lead, and the other guard the rear behind Zecora.

Unlike Sun Showers' crowd of neigh-sayers, many ponies recognized Twilight from her appearances both in the prescence of Celestia, and as the Element Bearer/savior figure to many.  Not as many by far remembered Zecora.  Strange and occasionally hostile looks inundated the rear of the procession, obviously presuming Twilight had caught some kind of criminal.  Zecora kept her downcast countenance, believing these new rumors completely.

As the approached the grand entrance to the palatial palace, the crossed spears of the guardsponies took a vertical orientation, and the double doors opened.