April 3, 12:45pm

Canterlot

After getting a few clues of the crime scene, Phoenix was in thought as he and Aria were walking in the Canterlot City. The human lawyer was thinking about how the real killer got away with the murder weapon and what was the exact motive. Clearly he crossed out Sonata being a suspect since there's not way she would havs the guts to hurt her own sister.

"Phoenix! Aria!"

A voice snapped him back to reality as he looked around. He spotted Twilight flying, yes, flying, to him and Aria, who bowed politely. "Phoenix! How was the investigation? Did you find anything?", Twilight asked, somehow a bit excited and a bit jealous (considering she must've missed a lot).

"Well... Not really much. But I'll have you know, I think Aria is gonna testify tomorrow.", Phoenix replied then saw Aria at a near by fountain, looking at her reflection in the water, "I have no idea how we'll go through this since she's the victim...".

"Sh-She's gonna testify...!?", Twilight panicked, "Wait, is she gonna testify for or against her sister?".

"I'm not that sure... But she remembered a few events that happened before her death.", Phoenix replied before giving the notepad, "She admitted she went to the crime scene herself then felt a loud "bomp", or a sharp blow, on her head that caused her to black out.".

"Hm... If that were the case, that must've been the killing blow...", Twilight remarked after reading the notes, "And the prime suspects would be the ones who knows Aria, or maybe somepony had a grudge on her.".

"Maybe. But anyway... What are you doing here Twilight?", Phoenix asked, now changing the subject, "Did one of my friends cause any trouble?".

"Oh, not at all. I'm just checking you out. N-Not in a meddling kind of way! In a friendly "how's it going?" kind of way.", the lavender Alicorn said quickly with a nervous smile, earning a look from the human lawyer, "So... If you wanna know where your friends are, they're staying with my friends at the Princess' Castle, in a stay-in room. If you like, we can go now!". However, Phoenix had another plan in mind.

"How about you and Aria go? I have somewhere else to go and someone to talk to...", he said, remembering he had to speak to Sonata about something, "It won't take long though. If I'm not back after 30 minutes, just go to the Detention Center.". Still not knowing about what he meant, Twilight gave a nod and went to Aria. The two ponies walked off, leaving Phoenix to leave to somewhere else.

April 3, 12:55pm

Canterlot Detention Center

Visitor's Room

Arriving at the visitor cubicle, Phoenix was listing up some things he needed to ask and have answered. But mostly, he wanted to know about...

Splash!

The sound of water splash and a bucket knocked over were heard on the other side of the cubicle room, followed by a yelp.

"Ugh! Sonata, you clumsy fool...!", Phoenix heard a familiar voice of Sonata in the other room. Likely the said pony was talkig to herself in third person... Err... Pony.

'Why does it feel like she's also Franziska...?'

The image of the well-known Franziska von Karma flashed in his mind, making him cringe. His thoughts broke when he saw Sonata entering the other side of the room. Her mane was a bit messy and wet, as well as her clothes and fur coat. She gave Phoenix a look saying "this place is getting in my nerves for being untidy". Phoenix was a bit stunned.

"Don't you laugh.", Sonata said, somehow growling. The human lawyer was taken aback because, in full honesty, he was not even going to laugh but Sonata went ahead on him.

"Um... What happened...?", he managed to say after being shocked. The mare gave a lazy shrug as she sat on the stool in her space.

"One of the guards here left a bucket of water on the floor and I tripped over it. I could've sworn I heard the others snickering...", she replied, shooking her head to get rid of some of the water off her, "So anyway, what brings you here? How was the investigation?".

"The investigation went smoothly, however... I came here to ask you some questions.", Phoenix said, dipping his hand into his suit pocket and getting a hold on the Magatama, "I know I should've asked you this earlier, but I kinda forgot and went to my belief that you didn't really kill Aria. Is it true though?".

"Of course I wouldn't do such a thing to her!", Sonata suddenly exclaimed, feeling surprised and concerned, "If anything, reckon that I did so, I would kill myself afterwards!". Phoenix waited for 5 seconds to see if there are any Psyche Locks. But there weren't any.

'No Psyche Locks... That means she's telling the truth. And... I'm gonna ignore when she said the "I would kill myself" part...'

He never knew Sonata can go suicide if she were the real killer of her sister. "We're the only ones left in the family anyway.", Sonata continued on, "I would never forgive myself if I failed to protect my own sister.".

"You're the only ones left in the family?", Phoenix questioned curiously, "What do you mean? What about your parents?".

"Our family has fallen apart.", the mare explained, looking down a bit, "My father left us for another mare. After my mother gave birth to Aria when I was a teen, something happened. She went away from home, leaving me to take care of Aria. She was gone for days and I got the news that she threw herself into a gorge with rushing river. A lot of witnesses saw it. But her body wasn't found. It changed me a lot. And I never told Aria about it yet...".

Phoenix was very shocked. Murder was rare enough for Equestria, but suicide? That sounds a lot more impossible.

'Thier father left them and their mother committed suicide...!? And Sonata was left to take care of herself and Aria. I understand why she would say she would kill herself if she still fails to protect Aria... This almost done her out.'

"I'm so sorry about your loss.", he apologized, feeling bad for how tragic things happened in Sonata's past.

"It's alright. Just like Ace Swift's death, I got over my mother's death when I grew older.", Sonata said with a small smile, "As long as Aria stay safe and alive, I won't feel lonely and depressed. She's my source of joy.".

"You two have a very close bond.", Phoenix remarked with a smile, then soemthing clicked in his mind, "Oh yeah, there's something I wanna ask about Aria.".

"Aria? What is it? What has she done?", Sonata asked, fearing of what her little sister has done while being not under the older sister's watch.

"It's about Aria's cutie mark...", the human lawyer said before looking at Sonata, eye-to-eye, "I want to know about that yellow 9-shaped object amongst the graduation hat and magnifying glass. Do you know about it?". Sonata's eyes quivered a bit after hearing that.

"I... I-I...", was all Sonata said. Phoenix saw the shock and nervousness in her eyes. He dipped his hand to touch the Magatama and then...

*BANG!* *CLANG* *rattle* *RATTLE* *clang* *Bang* *rattle* *BANG!*

Phoenix's eyes widen after his vision to go dark and revealing a series of clanking chains reaching out from the edges to surround his new client, fronted by three black padlocks. The Magatama aactually reacted when Sonata stuttered.

'What the... Psyche Locks!? If so, then what is she hiding...? And... Why are they... Black?'

Yes, not red. Black Psyche Locks.

He pulled his hand away from the Magatama, making his vision clear and normal again. "I-It's okay if you don't wanna answer. I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable.", he apologized, praying that Sonata wouldn't get angry at him.

"It's okay, I get that every time.", Sonata replied calmly after regaining her composure, "I wish you luck for the trial tomorrow. And tell Aria I'm doing okay. She's probably worried about me again.".

"Yeha, I'll do that. I won't let you down. I promise I'll get you out of this mess.", Phoenix promised as he bowed politely and stood up from his stool. Then he left. Sonata gave out a sigh as she exited the room and back to her cell room.

April 3, 1:19pm

Canterlot Detention Center

Solitary Confinement Cell 4

After speaking with the lawyer, Sonata got back to her cell. She accepted a white towel and a hairbrush from one of the gaurds, who apologized for what happened.

"If you wanted to do something right, at least make sure it stays right.", she remarked, going in her cell. The guard gave a cringe before leaving. Even the guards were intimidated by Sonata herself. But anyway, Sonata uses her horn and magic to unfold the towel and dried herself with it. Already knowing about a certain thing, when she wiped the towel on her flank and tail, not only the left out water was wiped away, her eyelike cutie mark was also wiped away. She saw the small black, gray, and brown stains on the white towel after checking it.

"Oh... Of course...", she said with a deadpan tone as she glanced at her flank, revealing her true cutie mark is a purplish-blue 9-shaped object, similar to what's on Aria's three-object cutie mark.

'I hope this place has some paint I can borrow...'

(A/N: I know. Such a plot twist.)