Dash was nearly board to tears, since she had been sitting in the dungeon in Canterlot castle for over 18 hours more or less waiting for any signs of movement outside the barred dungeon doors, she didn't even know that the castle had a dungeon, but she found out soon enough.The cell was simple, it had one basic bed that was made out of stone with a light sheet draped over it, and an old wooden bucket in the corner...which it's use was obvious due to the smell. She could hear the light dripping of water in the distance that seemed to have an eerie echo to it that to send a chill down her spine. just before Dash started to wonder if she was going to be down there forever she heard a sound which at the time was the most beautiful sound in the world at that moment.
*CLICK*
Dashes ears perked up at the sound as the barred doors slowly started to swing open. As the door swung open she saw the outline of 5 familiar looking ponies along with one guard. Before Dash could even think to react a pink blur tackled her and started relentlessly squeezing her nearly making it impossible to breath.
"Oh Dashie I am SOOOOO glad to see you, did ya miss us, DID YA!? was it scary in here, are you scared, are there a lot of meanie pants down here!!!" Pinkie pie Started to blurt as fast as she could as she continued to squeeze Dash for all she was worth.
"P-Pinkie PIE! you are K-killing me!" Dash grunted as she struggled to talk under the massive grip that was Pinkie Pie.
Pinkie Pie Blushed slightly before releasing her grip on Dash and backing away to finally give her some breathing room.
"G Guys I am so glad to see you! It was so boring down here, and the food was terrible" Dash finally said with a sound of relief in her voice. Dashes look suddenly became much more serious as she looked at all 5 of her friends and with a serious tone said. "I-I didn't do it!" Her friends look back at her with a puzzled expression plastered on their face.
"Rainbow Dash, listen, we already know YOU didn't do it" Twilight said in a soft tone.
"R- Really?" Dash cocked her head sideways with a look of puzzlement on her face.
"Ah, come on now sugercube, we have all known each other long enough ta know even you wouldn't do somethin that reckless" Applejack Said with a smile.
Dash was happy to see that all her friends trusted her and were on her side one hundred percent, She was also glad that she would finally get out of that cramped up cell, which intern led her to her next question.
"S-So you guys did come down here to bail me out, r-right ?" Dash said as a look of worry spread across her face.
"Why of course darling. we would never let you stay in such a retched place for long." Rarity said with a warm smile.
Dash let out a sigh of relief, finally after 18 hours of what to Dash might as well of been Days, she finally was going to get out of that cell which she hated so much.
"AWESOME, So...what now?" Dash asked as she was hovering in the air beside her friends.
With that question twilight stepped forward and began to explain everything to Dash, Such as how Celestia wanted a meeting with all 6 of them in order to hopefully find the culprit. And with that they all was lead up to the throne room with the guard leading the way.
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When the 6 arrived at the throne room, they all saw Celestia standing there with a very unusual look on her face, or at least an unusual look for Celestia. She actually looked...sad, which gave the other 6 ponies standing before her a feeling of uneasiness. They had very Rarely ever seen the princess with such a look on her face, and to see the normally smiling goddess of the sun frowning in such a way was, very depressing in a way.
"Rainbow Dash could you please come over here" Celesta said in her usual calming tone of voice.
Rainbow Dash slowly began to walk over to the tall white alicorn, wondering why SHE was once again being singled out from the rest of her friends. When Dash reached Celestia, Celestia slowly lowered her head and put her horn to Dashes forehead and told her to relax. Celestia horn slowly started to glow a pale yellow and then the glow started to fade just a few seconds later, the white alicorn then raised her head back up and let out a slight sigh.
"Good, Rainbow Dash you are innocent, just as I thought, although I am slightly disappointed in you" Celestia said an unreadable expression.
Dash was a little bit taken aback by this, she knew immediately why Celestia was disappointed, but why didn't she trust her, Why did she automatically have to read her thoughts, without even asking permission? To Dash this just didn't make sense.
"Rainbow Dash, I do trust you, but I had to be 11O percent sure, and now I am" Celestia said as she gave Dash a warm smile.
Rainbow Dash decided that in the end Celestia did have an obligation to keep Equestria safe, and that also means safe from any psychotic murders that might be wondering around the land.
"So then, do we have any leads" Twilight Finally spoke up.
"No, not yet, however we do know that it was in fact a murder and not a suicide, due to the drag marks leading out to where they were hung. We also think that something of magical properties put them to sleep, or knocked them out, and while they were unconscious, someone hung them" Celesta said with a shake of her head.
Twilight was a little bit confused but also a little concerned, Celestia Had mentioned something with magical proprieties but not actual magic. With that one name came to mind, the only pony close to Ponyville that used magic but wasn't a unicorn.
"Zeccora"