Pinkie Pie ran as fast as she could away from Twilight's house. She slowed down to a simple trot when she got out of eyesight of the library. She looked in a nearby window and, upon noticing her straight hair, quickly fluffed it up. More ponies were arriving in town. This was definitely not expected! Pinkie kicked the ground angrily and began making her way back to Sugar Cube Corner. She arrived back at the store shortly and was still fuming when she made it back up to her room. Pinkie was quick to lock the door and close the windows. She walked over to her closet and peeled open a secret door in the closet wall. The Rainbow Dash dummy fell out and Pinkie grabbed it.

"It's okay," Pinkie said soothingly. "They're not going to catch me, Dashie. You don't have to worry about that."

"I hope they do catch you!" said the voice.

"Why won't you just leave?!"

"I can't leave! I'm stuck here forever! You're never going to be able to get rid of me, Pinkamena!"

"Just shut up and leave me be! Let me have my fun!"

"No!"

"Why not?!"

Suddenly there was a series of knocks on the bedroom door. Pinkie quickly stuffed the Rainbow dummy back into the hidden compartment, opened the windows, and unlocked the door. Irena was standing there.

"Morning, sis!" Pinkie chirped happily. "You're here earlier than I expected!"

"Is everything alright, Pinkie?" Irena asked.

"Of course! What could possibly be wrong with me?"

"I thought I heard shouting."

"You must be half asleep, big sis! I was being as quiet as a mouse!"

"You being quiet? That'll be the day."

"I guess you're right. Remember what Bella-"

The pink pony fell silent. Irena's eyes began to water up a bit but she quickly wiped the forming tears away.

"Yes...I remember what she used to say," Irena replied sadly. The gray earth pony turned away and walked down the stairs. Pinkie followed her awkwardly, a nervous grin plastered on her face. "So...what are your plans for today?"

"I don't have any plans," Pinkie replied. "Did you want to hang out?!"

"Are you interested?"

"Of course! You're my big sister! I'll always have time for you!"

"I'm sorry for what Pinkamena and I have done, Irena," said the voice. Pinkie smacked the side of her head and stumbled back a bit.

"Are you okay?!" asked Irena as she helped Pinkie regain her balance.

"Of course! Nothing wrong here!" Pinkie replied. The sound of crying began emanating from upstairs. "The babies must be awake!"

A few minutes later, Mr. and Mrs. Cake walked down the stairs with their infant offspring sitting happily in their arms.

"Morning, Pinkie Pie. Morning, Irena," said Mr. Cake as he placed Pumpkin Cake in her high chair.

"Good morning," said Irena. "I'm sorry. Did Pinkie or I disturb them?"

"Don't worry yourselves. You two didn't have anything to do with them waking up," said Mrs. Cake. Pinkie was about to say something when there was a series of knocks on the front door. "Now who would be here this early?"

Mrs. Cake placed Pound Cake in his high chair and walked over to the door. She opened it and sighed. She stepped aside and in walked Twilight and Aaron.

"Twilight!" said Pinkie nervously. "How...how nice to see you this early in the day!"

"I hope we're not intruding," said Twilight. "It's just that-"

"We have a few questions for a certain Pinkamena Diane Pie," said Aaron bluntly. Pinkie gulped and gave a huge smile.

"That's me!" she said.

"Is there a place where you could talk to us in private?"

"There's a study just down the hallway over there," said Mr. Cake.

"Alright. Let's go."

Mr. Cake led Twilight, Pinkie, and Aaron to the study. The three ponies filed in and Mr. Cake closed the door. Pinkie sat down in a chair in the center of the room while Twilight and Aaron sat down on a nearby couch.

"Don't be too blunt, Mr. Crop," said Twilight.

"Just let me do my job," Aaron grunted. The black unicorn turned towards Pinkie and pulled out a notepad and quill. He levitated the notepad and quill into the air and cleared his throat. "So, how are you doing this morning, Ms. Pie?"

"Super!"

"Have you been out at all this morning?"

"Let's see...nope!"

"Okay. Now are you aware of the mysterious disappearance of the pegasus known as Rainbow Dash?"

"They've caught you!" laughed the voice. Pinkie tapped her head slightly and shook her head.

"No? You haven't heard of the disappearance?"

"What? Oh! Yes I have! Sorry. There was something in my mane," Pinkie replied nervously.

"Do you know when Ms. Dash disappeared?"

"No."

"She disappeared around twelve days ago. Is it not true that prior to the day of her disappearance you invited her to come here to Sugar Cube Corner?"

"It's true. I invited her to come and spend the afternoon with me."

"And what did the two of you do?"

"We baked cupcakes!"

"For an entire afternoon? You didn't go out for a walk or visit anypony else? You just baked cupcakes for an entire afternoon?"

"Yep!"

"Cupcakes aren't that difficult to make. I would assume that the two of you were able to make a lot of them within the allotted time you two spent together."

"Uh...yeah! We made a lot of cupcakes!"

"Do you still have any of these cupcakes left over?"

"Well...no...sorry. Did you want one?"

"No thanks. I'm not very fond of cupcakes."

"I feel sorry for you."

"Don't be. Anyway, what did Ms. Dash do when the two of you decided to call it a day?"

"She just left."

"She just left?"

"Yep! We said goodbye to each other and she just left."

"Interesting. Tell me, was there anypony else in the shop while you and Rainbow Dash were together?"

"No. The Cakes were out."

"So the two of you pretty much had the place to yourselves?"

"Pretty much."

"What time did Ms. Dash leave?"

"It was really late. It was already nighttime. I don't remember the exact time."

"Did she tell you where she was going?"

"No. She just left."

"Was she afraid when she left?"

"Huh?"

"Was she afraid when she left?"

"No. She was happy."

"That's strange."

"Why is it strange?"

"Your friend, Applejack, mentioned to Twilight that she saw Rainbow Dash on the night she disappeared."

"Huh?! Is this true, Twilight?!"

"Yeah, Pinkie. Sorry that I forgot to tell you. I've been really busy of late. Applejack told me that on the night Rainbow Dash disappeared she saw her running down the street. Applejack said that Rainbow Dash seemed to be running from something that had obviously frightened her," Twilight explained.

Pinkie was stunned. This was impossible. Rainbow Dash couldn't have run past Applejack. Pinkie had been busy playing with Rainbow Dash during that point in time. Could it have been her ghost?

"You're going to get caught!" the voice laughed. Pinkie wanted to yell at the voice and tell it to shut up but she knew that she couldn't. Nopony else could hear the voice. Her yelling at what seemed to be nothing would make her look incredibly suspicious. She couldn't risk it so she held her breath.

"I...I don't know what could possibly have frightened, Dashie," Pinkie said nervously.

"Tell me, Ms. Pie," Aaron continued. "Are you sure that you didn't go out this morning?"

"Yes. I haven't been out at all this morning."

"We have a source who told us that you were following him this morning on his way to Twilight's house."

Pinkie bit her lip. He had seen her after all. She should have used a disguise.

"That's impossible. I only got up a little while ago," Pinkie choked.

"Are you telling the truth, Pinkie?" Twilight asked.

"Of course I am! Why would I lie?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Aaron said. "Why would you lie?"

"I'm not lying!"

"Don't worry. I believe you."

"You...you do?"

"Of course. Why would a friend of Rainbow Dash, a pony who had all of her trust, have anything to do with her disappearance and possible ponynapping/murder? Why would a nice pony such as yourself take time out of her early mornings to stalk random ponies throughout town? You look like the last pony in this town who would be responsible for Ms. Dash's possibly horrific fate."

"E...exactly!"

"That's all for now, Ms. Pie. I promise that I will find your friend."

Aaron stood up and Pinkie shook his hoof. He's lying, she thought. He still suspected her. She knew it. He wasn't letting her off the hook. He was just trying to lower her guard. Aaron pulled his hoof away from Pinkie and nodded. Twilight gave Pinkie a quick hug and the two mares followed Aaron out of the room.

Irena and the Cakes were halfway through their breakfast when Twilight, Pinkie, and Aaron returned to the kitchen.

"We are done here. Good day to you all," said Aaron. Twilight waved goodbye to Pinkie, Irena, and the Cakes and followed Aaron out of the shop.

"So?" Twilight asked Aaron once they were a good distance from the shop.

"She's hiding something. I have a feeling that she wasn't giving us everything that we needed to hear," Aaron replied.

"You still suspect her?"

"Yes. In fact, I suspect her now even more than I did earlier this morning. I'm going to be returning to Sugar Cube Corner pretty soon."

Pinkie watched Twilight and Aaron from her bedroom window. This was not good. She couldn't keep this up for much longer.

"It's over. Just turn yourself in already. Please! I've had enough with watching you hurt others!" pleaded the voice.

"Shut up," Pinkie growled. Twilight and Aaron disappeared from sight and Pinkie quickly closed the blinds. She walked over to her closet and pulled the Rainbow dummy out. "This is going to be a tough choice but I have no other options. Time is running out quickly. If these detective wants to find Dashie...heh...then I might as well give her to him."