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// The Interrogations  
// Story: Rarity's Revenge 
// by StormLuna 
//------------------------------//

The following day arrived and Celestia, her royal guard and Blueblood's brothers were at the royal cemetery laying Blueblood's body to rest.  Celestia stood there with tears running down her face said, "I know that he wasn't exactly the most well liked member of the royal family, but this is a sad day for our family."

South Pole, Blueblood's oldest brother asked, "Your Majesty, where is Princess Luna?  I thought she would be here as well."

Celestia replied, "Luna had a long night last night.  She along with Gray Wings ran into a few manticores in the Everfree Forest and besides, I don't know if she even cares about the death of your brother."

North Pole, Blueblood's other older brother asked, "Princess Celestia, why would she not care about his passing?"

Celestia broke down and started crying harder and harder.  She said, "Well she was going on about how he is an embarrassment to the royal family.  I do know that she is close with Rarity and it was Rarity who he shunned last year at the Gala."

North Pole replied, "Well I wouldn't think that she would do anything to harm him since they were eating together and dancing together this year."

Celestia asked, "Really?"

North Pole replied, "Yeah, really.  I hadn't seen a smile like that on my brother's face in years." 

Celestia looked up and said, "Thank you for that information North Pole.  You will probably be questioned and called to the stand once we find our suspects and take them to trial."

Once the late afternoon arrived Luna woke up and readied herself for breakfast.  Celestia headed into the dining hall and asked, "Luna, did you notice if Rarity and Blueblood spent any time together last night?"

Luna replied, "Not really.  I was too busy helping Pinkie keep the Gala exciting.  Besides, if there is a trial, what am I supposed to do, switch from being up on the bench down to the witness stand?"

Celestia got a scowl on her face and asked, "So you honestly didn't see anything that Rarity was doing last night or who she was hanging around?"

Luna slammed her hoof on the ground and replied, "No big sister, I didn't.  I know her and Spike were together last night but that is it.  If you seem to think this is so important, why don't you and his brothers go on some sort of wild goose chase."

Celestia stormed out of the dining hall and decided to head down to Ponyville since North Pole mentioned Rarity and Blueblood hanging around one another that night.  Celestia took off and sped towards the east.  Within thirty minutes she arrived in Ponyville and headed towards The Carousel Boutique. 

When she arrived she headed in and saw Rarity and Twilight talking.  Twilight ran up to Celestia and asked, "Princess Celestia, how is your day treating you?"

Celestia replied, "It is going quite well.  I really need to talk to Rarity alone.  I don't mean to run you off but could you go somewhere else for a while?"

Twilight asked, "Well yeah, I can do that.  You and I can spend some time together later on can't we?"

Celestia smiled and replied, "Of course we can!"

Twilight left the boutique and headed home.  Celestia looked at Rarity and asked, "Rarity, what sort of things did you do at the Gala a couple nights back?"

Rarity had a kind of nervous smile on her face.  She replied, "Well Spike and I spent the evening together.  He was showing me around the castle and we were talking about various things, such as gems, good designs for dresses and Canterlot history."

Celestia walked closer to Rarity to make herself appear larger.  She asked, "Did anything else happen?  Did you happen to bump into any of my nephews?"

Rarity asked, "Are your nephews South Pole and North Pole?  If so, I didn't run into them."

Celestia replied, "They are my nephews but they have a younger brother, Prince Blueblood.  Did you happen to run into him?"

Rarity answered, "Uh, yeah, I ran into him.  I must say, he isn't the friendliest of ponies out there.  He saw what I got to eat off of the buffet and he told me that I was gross for eating that much meat!  He also said that it is what a commoner from Ponyville would eat like it was a bad thing!"

Celestia said, "Well that is just how he is.  He prefers the absolute finest things not just in Equestria, but the entire planet.  Sometimes I think that along with the fact that he has himself groomed is why Luna doesn't really care for him and pretty much doesn't even think of him as family."

Celestia was looking around the boutique and saw one of Rarity's maniquins had her dress on it.  She walked up to it and saw a dark red spot on the red accents.  She asked, "Rarity, this is the dress you wore to the Gala isn't it?"

Rarity replied, "Why yes, it is.  Why do you ask?"

Celestia asked, "What is that dark red spot here on the red accents?  Did you spill something on it?"

Rarity was starting to get nervous, very nervous.  With a nervous smile she replied, "Oh well I think I might have spilled some cranberry juice on it up there or something.  I'm not sure."

Celestia put her hoof up to the dress and felt the area where the stain was and noticed it had the feel of a garment that had a blood stain on it.  Celestia asked, "Rarity how could you have spilled cranberry juice on this?  We didn't even have cranberry juice up there."

Rarity was getting very nervous.  She said, "Uh, well maybe I spilled some on it when I got home.  I honestly don't remember."

Celestia knew she was lying but decided to go and question Spike before making the decision to take her up to Canterlot.  She walked over to the library and knocked on the door.  Naturally a very enthusiastic Twilight answered the door, "Princess Celestia!  I am so happy you have the time to come talk!"

Celestia interrupted, "Well I need to talk to Spike for a while alone.  There is some important information that I think he might know."

Twilight asked, "Can't I stay here while you talk to him.  You are acting like Silver Shield did when it was believed that Spike and Rarity stole Octavia's cello."

Celestia used her wing and pushed Twilight out of the library.  She said, "Twilight, this won't take too long.  After I finish talking to Spike then we can spend some quality time together."

Twilight looked dejected and replied, "Ok Princess, I understand."

Spike had a nervous look on his face and asked, "Hi your Majesty, so what is going on?"

Celestia stood tall and spread her wings wide hoping to intimidate the dragon.  She asked, "Spike, did you spend much time with Rarity at the Gala?"

Spike started to stutter he was so nervous.  He replied, "U-uh yeah.  Wh-Why do you ask?"

Celestia asked, "Before I tell you I want to ask you a question.  Did you and Rarity run into Prince Blueblood?"

Spike replied, "Well yeah, we did.  He wasn't very nice to Rarity.  He was judging her over what she got to eat from the buffet, calling it commoners' food."

Celestia asked, "So did you and Rarity have any other interactions with my nephew?"

Spike replied, "I didn't know he was your nephew.  To answer your question no we did not have any other interactions with him."

Celestia decided to ask about the dress, "Spike, when you were with her, did Rarity spill anything on her dress?"

Spike was terrified by this point.  He replied, "Uh, uh yeah.  She spilled something on the red accenting on her dress."

Celestia asked, "Do you remember what it was that she spilled on her dress?"

Spike replied, "I think it might have been some ketchup or something else red, I don't remember."

Celestia decided that she had questioned him enough.  Before leaving she told Spike not to say a word about any of this to Twilight and he agreed not to tell her anything.  She then went outside to find Twilight waiting.  She asked, "Princess Celestia, what was all of that about?"

Celestia replied, "It wasn't important.  I have to get back to Canterlot.  Perhaps we can visit at some point in the future."

Celestia spread her wings and took off for Canterlot.  Twilight looked at Spike and asked, "Spike, what was all that about?"

Spike replied, "Well uh, Celestia told me not to tell anypony."

Twilight gave him an odd look but knew that Spike would not lie about anything and decided not to discuss it any further.  Twilight and Spike sat down for a relatively normal supper, Twilight did some studying and then they hit the hay.  Spike had trouble sleeping as he was wondering what all of Celestia's questioning was about.

Rarity was much more nervous than Spike was.  She was tossing and turning in bed that night.  She realized that Celestia probably knew that she was the one who impaled Blueblood.  She then got a smile on her face as she realized that Luna is the judge, jury and executioner up there and that she doesn't care for Blueblood one bit.  She said to herself, "Ok Rarity, we will probably be going to trial but hopefully Princess Luna will acquit us."