Chapter 3

After Twilight had some police ponies escort her friends to their homes, she returned to the basement of Sugercube Corner to oversee the investigation. Shuttering as she neared the door, she strengthened her resolve by reminding herself "it is my duty to solve this case, both as a Princess of Equestria, and as a friend to the victims." With that, she opened the door and crossed the threshold into insanity.

A photographer was snapping the crime scene section by section as another police pony was bagging evidence. The room, besides being lit up and filled with CSI ponies, was just as disturbing as Twilight had left it. Streamers of intestines circled the room, while helium filled organs attached to string covered the ceiling. "Life's a party" was written in red letters all over the walls. Blood, some oxidised to a dull brown; other spots still bright red, covered almost every inch of the room. The freshest blood was, of course, covering the rack...

"Constable Mullins, status report," said Twilight to a nearby police pony.

"We have found several instruments that appear to have been utilized for torture, such as hot nails, electrical wires and generator, various surgical tools and knifes, a hack saw, syringes that appear to have been used to administer adrenaline, a vial of medical grade adrenaline, and a bottle of zopiclone," answered Constable Mullins.

"Zopiclone...it's affects are similar to benzodizepine...prescribed for treatment of insomnia...and also used as a date rape drug," commented Twilight. Turning to her assistant, a purple dragon, "Spike, send an inquiry to all hospitals, clinics, and doctor's offices in Ponyville about any missing adrenaline, benzodiazephines, Z-drugs, and surgical instruments." After Spike finished writing the inquiry request, Twilight continued, "Spike, take this note. The coroner's report should be interesting...I expect zopiclone in Dash's system, along with abnormally high levels of adrenaline. Though given the evidence of torture, it is likely her adrenal glands were working overtime...high levels of endorphin, her body's attempt to lessen the pain, are also expected."

Turning away from Spike, Twilight asked Constable Mullins "any other updates?"

"Detective Hooves requests permission to search the suspects personal quarters," answered Constable Mullins.

"I grant a royal warrant to search this entire establishment...did you say Detective Hooves, as in Sherpony Hooves, the world famous investigator?"

"At your service, Your Highness," came a voice from behind Twilight. Twilight turned and saw a gray unicorn, wearing a deer stalker hat, pipe in mouth, and magnifying glass cutie mark on flank.

"Oh my Celestia, it's you! The world famous super sleuth! I've read all your books!" fangirled Twilight.

"Well, good as always to meet a fan. I just wished it was under better circumstances...and in some nicer décor," said Detective Hooves.

"Yes, most disturbing," observed an earth pony at Hooves' side. This brown pony wore a bowler hat, had a mustache, and a bull pup cutie mark.

"Dr. Bronson!" Twilight fangirled, again.

"At your service, Your Highness," replied Dr. Bronson. "What do you make of it, Hooves?"

"The work of a twisted mind. I don't have a medical degree, like you have, my dear Bronson, but having studied the psyche of the criminal mind has shown me the variety a deranged pony can reason his or her crimes. Sometimes it is inspired by specieist hate, other times by voices from "divine beings", sometimes a belief reptile aliens in the government are making the pony into a vampire who must suck blood to defeat Pitler at his Antarctic base. Other ponies just wish to see Equistia burn. Whatever the reason, we must stop them."

Hooves turned around and motioned at the room. "I deduct, the culprit drugged the victim's cupcake with the zopiclone we found, allowing the culprit to easily bring the victim down into this basement. A half-eaten cupcake was discovered upstairs. I am sure a toxicology test will show zopiclone—or some sort of sedative—in the cupcake. The culprit seems to have been performing some sort of "party", hence the party theme of this basement. Now, as for a motive beyond delusional psychosis, I must search suspect's room. Often a murder will keep some fetish of their crimes. The "dress" made of cutie marks was one such fetish."

"Then let's search Pinkie's room," said Twilight. The three made their way to the second floor of the bakery, into a room with a heart-shaped window.

"A very neat room, for a potential sociopath," remarked Dr. Bronson.

"Pinkie was very sociable. She only really stay here to sleep," remarked Twilight. Hooves opened the closet door.

"Appears she was doing more than just sleeping in here," observed Hooves, staring at a large jar filed with scrapes of paper. Hooves bent down and unrolled on slip.

"Appears I shall be taking you to a party, Princess," remarked Hooves, showing Twilight the scrape of paper with her name on it.

"I bet everypony's name in Ponyville is in that jar," said Twilight.

"This shows how she selected her victims, but does not do a whole lot for why," remarked Bronson. Just then, a police pony entered the room.

"Constable Konik reporting," saluted the police pony. "The suspect has regained consciousness, and was well enough we took her to the precinct headquarters awaiting questioning."

"Perhaps now we'll learn the why," remarked Twilight.