//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Snow-Covered Cases // by Dashkie //------------------------------// Hi, Twilight Sparkle is back. Unfortunately, part of my notes that I had taken about the 3rd murder case were lost. The good news is only the beginning was lost. In other words, a riddle I had created to be your last clue as to who the killer is has been lost as well. Considering I had promised myself I wouldn’t give you anymore hints, I cannot tell you anymore about the killer. You must deduct your own theory of who the killer is until it is revealed in the end. Luckily I remember where I had left off in the notes. I was being interrogated by Rainbow Dash, although she had let me go. The next one to go in to be questioned was Rarity. I will start from there. Again, I apologize. As I walked out of the meeting room Rainbow was using for the interrogations, Rarity stood up and took a deep breath, preparing herself. That day she wasn’t wearing a Santa suit like any other day of this month; she wanted to seem a bit more professional so she had worn a thigh-high, black leather skirt and a tight white blouse. The blue sequins from her bra were showing through just slightly but were more covered by her black tie. She had worn black matching heels, satin, not leather. “I suppose it’s my turn, is it?” I nodded. “It’s okay though Rarity. The interrogations only should matter to you if you’re the killer, and I know you’re not. “Rarity smiled nervously. “You’re right, Twilight. I haven’t a single thing to be afraid of. “And with the end of that sentence, she had walked gracefully into the room and closed the door quietly behind her. At the other end of the single table in the middle of the room was the detective; Rainbow. “You can sit, Rarity.” Rainbow Dash was much more lenient with me because she knew for an ultimate fact I am not the killer, though she didn’t feel this away about all of those being questioned. If she gave everyone the same treatment she did me (which needs to remain as a secret for protective purposes), then the murderer could just easily step right in and she wouldn’t even notice it. This time, she had to turn against her friends; of course, for the sake of Ponyville. Rainbow leaned on the table, her hands banged against the hard metal. “I said, sit, Rarity.” She put rough emphasis on Rarity’s name. Rarity had quickly sat down; her ponytail of several curls had bounced slightly with her movement. “Rainbow, dear, you don’t have to be so rough with me, you know I’m not the murderer. I mean honestly, those bodies are just so grotesque-“ “Shut up Rarity.” She said; her voice cold. The prepped up lady looked at her with shock written on her face. She was not used to be spoken like this. “R-Rainbow Dash…” The detective scoffed at what she interpreted as an ‘innocent act’. “You’re going to answer all of my questions truthfully, and if I find out you lied about any of them there will be facing dire consequences, even if you may or may not be the murderer. Do you understand the terms?” Rarity sat there quietly, stunned at how mean she was being. Rainbow Dash raised her voice. “I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” She shook her head silently. The detective calmed down. “Alright. What were you doing during Ms. Cherilee’s murder as well as Apple Jack’s?” “The first murder I was picking out ornaments for the large tree in town the whole day, I hadn’t left for any reason at all. I hadn’t even seen Ms. Cherilee that day until we went into the bakery.” The ‘we’ had caught Rainbow off guard. “ ‘We’? Who was with you?” “Twilight.” Stories were straight, at least she got that threw her head that she knew Twilight wasn’t lying, even though she knew Twilight hadn’t lied at all. It was more of a double-check to make sure she herself wasn’t going crazy…or too soft. “Okay, and what about Apple Jack’s?” “That day Twilight was helping me. Fluttershy had come to me to warn the two of us that Sweetie Belle might be the next victim. After she told us, we went to go protect Sweetie Belle in my shop. After we heard screaming in town we hurried to Sweet Apple Acres and found the atrocity.” Rainbow glared a little at the table; nothing people have told her that day was helping her in any ways whatsoever. Just as she was about to ask the next question, the door had busted open. Fluttershy and Twilight were standing in the threshold. Rainbow grunted and stood up. “What part of ‘private questioning’ do you not understand? Anyways, is Pinkie Pie ready for when I’m done with Rarity?” Fluttershy started to tear up again; she had just recovered from crying too. I tried to keep my composure, though it wasn’t easy. “That’s the problem! Pinkie Pie was the next victim! She’s dead! Fluttershy and I had found her in her bed!” A bed? That was an unusual spot for a tree. Then again, that wasn’t the issue. The fact that Pinkie Pie was dead meant that she had to narrow down her list of suspects; obviously Pinkie Pie is ruled out. She slammed her fist on the table; angry at how she couldn’t prevent a third murder, and even angrier at how she deducted wrong with her suspect list. “Damn it…” she whispered under her breath. Rarity started to cry, holding a hand over her eyes so that no one could see. We all had hurried out of the building and were soon enough at Pinkie Pie’s bakery. Rainbow ran into the area and in her bedroom. There Pinkie Pie was, looking as if she were killed in her sleep; although the brutality of the massacre was too much to bear. She was dressed like all of the other victims: naked, ornaments pinned into her body, and the entire room smelled of a fir tree. At least she knew her theory of how many victims there were was correct; there were only 24 ornaments left. She still had at least three murders to stop, and she was messing around way too much. “Block off the area! The only people I want in here are Twilight and I.” Only one person hid out of the room, it seemed they weren’t taking into consideration how angry Rainbow Dash could be. She opened her mouth to yell as I tried to step in and save the people. “You might want to leave now…” I said quietly as everyone rushed out of the room quickly. Rainbow sighed. “Thank you.” I was confused at her previous command. She had told everyone to leave except for the two of us. But here’s the question; why me? Did she want my help on figuring out the case? I had always assumed she wouldn’t require assistance; she was great all on her own. Perhaps she wanted my help to speed up the process and to get the murderer behind bars, although I wasn’t sure what help I would be to her at all. I was book smart, not forensic smart (although I could be.) I walked over to her quietly. “Rainbow Dash…why did you want me to stay?” I asked nicely. “Because, I know that you’re smart, I could use someone like you…to be my ninja.” I raised an eyebrow. “A ninja? Do you mean some sort of secret agent? Or assassin?” Rainbow had to think this over for a short bit. “Just…look out for me, I guess. Report in daily while I work in Cloudsdale. You still have the spell to grow wings, right?” “Well I-“ “Then it’s settled; you’ll help me and we’ll catch this bastard!” I sighed and nodded. I didn’t quite agree to it, then again, I felt like it was just a bit too late to deny it. Anyways, I could always learn some things about forensics.