Twilight and Rarity were inconsolable. Twilight was being comforted by her parents, her brother, and sister in law, while Rarity was being comforted by her sister.

"Your highness why haven't you overruled this?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"You don't think I want to?" Celestia asked frustrated.

"HOW COULD THEY DO THAT?" Fluttershy cried.

"Maybe Prince Blueblood bought the judge off? How do we know he didn't kill Fleur and pinned it on Spike?" Applejack asked.

"He didn't. He truly believes he saw Spike kill her," Celestia replied.

"How do you know this?" Shining Armor asked.

"After I heard about the verdict, I took my nephew aside. I cast a spell that would allow me to see into his mind. I saw exactly what he claims." Celestia explained.

"Maybe it's a rogue changeling?" Fluttershy asked.

"Are they even able to transform themselves into dragons?" Rainbow Dask asked.

"I don't believe so but I could be wrong." Princess Cadence said.

"I don't think it's a changeling.." Celestia said somberly.

"I think there's something much deeper going on here..I can feel it in my bones."

"Remind me why can't you override this and just pardon him?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Rainbow you must understand, murder is very frowned upon here. Even getting accused of murder could mess up your life, let alone being convicted. And it's not easy to get someone into a retrial once convicted. It doesn't matter how much evidence we have to prove his innocence, if we want to change his conviction then we'll need to find the actual killer." Celestia explained.

"BULLSHIT!" Rarity cried. She stood up and glared daggers at Celestia, the tears ruining her makeup.

"YOU'RE THE FAUST DAMNED RULER OF THIS SHITHOLE COUNTRY! USE YOUR ALL MIGHTY POWERS AND GET HIM OUT OF THIS!"

"Rarity you must understand. If I went above the law and got Spike pardoned I myself could be arrested, and even if I didn't, word would get out and that would cause riots in the streets. Fleur was well loved by the people of not just Canterlot but also all of Equestria. In their eyes they are seeing their ruler go and pardon the convicted murderer of a well beloved woman. No matter how much I'd try to explain it they would never listen." Celestia explained.

"FUCK THE PEOPLE!" Rarity screamed.

"I'LL JUST BREAK HIM OUT MYSELF!"

"RARITY NO YOU CAN'T!" Applejack shouted trying to grab Rarity.

"DON'T YOU TRY AND STOP ME APPLEJACK!"

"RARITY IF YOUR CAUGHT AND YOU WILL BE CAUGHT, WHO WILL BE THE NEW ELEMENT OF GENOROSITY?" Twilight asked loudly.

"I DON'T KNOW AND I DON'T CARE! GIVE IT TO SWEETIE BELLE OR SOMETHING!"

"W-what? Me?" Before Rarity could make it out the door she was hit by a spell that put her to sleep.

"She's really broken up." Celestia explained.

"No shit Sherlock." Rainbow Dash replied.

"Sweetie Belle can you get her to her room? When she wakes up make sure she stays there." Celestia explained.

"Yes your highness." Sweetie Belle said as she hauled Rarity to her room.

"So you said if we can find the real killer and get them to confess then Spike will go free?" Twilight asked wiping her tears away.

"Yes, that is correct." Celestia explained.

"Well then..guess we have a killer to find." Twilight said getting a determined look on her face. Pinkie Pie immediately took off her clothes revealing a Detective style getup complete with hat and magnifying glass.

"The game is afoot!" Pinkie Pie said looking through the magnifying glass.

"Why do you have a Detective style getup under your clothes?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Just in case." Pinkie said with a smile.

"You're so random.."

Spike heard the tray slide under. He got up and walked to the cell door.

"This is your last meal here you beast. You're getting transferred to Tartarus first thing tomorrow." The guard explained.

"Remind me why can't anyone come visit me?"

"Pfft who'd want to visit you?" The guard sneered.

"And don't even try to blow out the walls of your cell with your fire. These are special walls made especially to hold dragons. You could throw it into the sun and it still wouldn't break."

Spike whispered something.

"What was that?" The guard asked getting closer to the cell. Spike whispered something again.

"SPEAK UP MAN!" The guard shouted now right at the cell door.

"That was a bad move to get this close." Spike said before quickly reaching his hands around and smashing the guards head into the cell door, knocking him out. Spike reached through the bars to get the guards keys. He grabbed the keys and unlocked his jail cell before very slowly opening it and running down the hall. He rounded a corner only to come face to face with two more guards.

"HOLY SHIT!" The guard cried opening fire on Spike who quickly dodged and ran the other way.

"CODE RED! CODE RED! WE HAVE AN ESCAPED CONVICT!" The other guard shouted into his radio. Alarms began to blare all around the jail as Spike ran through the hallways trying to find a way out.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" One of the guards shouted from behind him. Spike replied by blowing a small fireball in their direction to slow them down. Spike rounded a corner and found himself at a three way. Guards were coming in each direction. He was trapped. He looked down the hallway towards a wall that not only looked like it was made of regular stone but it would lead outside. Spike took some deep breaths.

"Don't fail me now wings." Spike then began to run down the hallway. The guards rounded the corner and began to fire. Spike blew a fireball to blast them back before blowing another larger fireball to blow a hole through the wall. He leapt through the hole, spread his wings, and flew out over Canterlot.

"WOOOOO!" Spike whooped as he did a loop before flying off into the night...

"So what do you think our first move should be?" Twilight asked.

"Obviously we should go to the scene of the crime. See if there are any clues they missed."

"I can get you access to the evidence lockers in the station. I may not be able to reverse the sentence but I can still aid in the investigation." Celestia said.

"Thank you Princess. Alright. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash you guys head for the scene of the crime and see what you can find there. Applejack and I will head to the station and look at the evidence they already have. Fluttershy, think you can stay here and make sure Rarity is okay?" Twilight asked.

"Yes I will."

"I wish we could help but me and Shining have to get back to the Crystal Empire." Cadence explained.

"Get back to the Empire, your people need you. We can handle things here." Twilight said. Cadence and Shining both hugged Twilight tightly. The moment was interrupted by the sound of doors slamming open. A certain fiery haired girl stood at the entrance panting and looking very pissed off.

"WHO IN THE MARY MOTHER OF FUCK AUTHROIZED THIS?!" Sunset Shimmer shouted.

"S-Sunset? What are you doing here?" Twilight asked in shock.

"I'm here to help what do you think?" Sunset asked.

"What about the others? The school? Your boyfriend?" Twilight asked.

"We're on break anyway and the girls are out with their families. And Flash will survive a few days without me. This is a little bit more important." Sunset explained.

"Didn't even know you were friendly with Spike."

"I happen to really like that dog."

"Dragon."

"Whatever you know what I mean."

"YOUR HIGHNESS!" One of the Royal Guards barged into the room before saluting.

"What is it?"

"We just received reports that Spike has escaped from jail."

"Escaped? How?" Twilight asked quickly.

"He knocked out a guard, blew a hole through the wall, and flew off." The guard explained.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. You may go." Celestia said. The guard saluted before leaving the room. Hugs were immediately distributed all around.

"Thank Faust!" Twilight cried.

"Where do you think he'll go?" Sunset Shimmer asked.

"He wouldn't go to Ponyville. That's the first place they'll look. Maybe back to the Dragonlands? Or the Changeling Kingdom? I'm sure Thorax or Ember would give him shelter. And they are outside our jurisdiction so he would be safe there."

"Alright new plan. Fluttershy, you and Rarity get into contact with Thorax and Ember. See if Spike is there. The rest of the plan proceeds as normal." Twilight explained.

"Yes maam!" Pinkie Pie shouted before getting back into detective gear.

"Alright let's split." Twilight said as the the group went to their retrospective areas.

"We're gonna bring you home Spike..I promise."

Spike landed just outside the castle. He quietly slipped the notes into the mailbox before moving on to the Carousel Boutique. He slipped the note into that mailbox before casting one last somber look at the Boutique. Spike's wings were spread out before he flew south away from Ponyville and from Equestria.

Author's Note

And thus the hunt has begun!