Everything in the castle suddenly became dark as a loud shriek was heard right after.
"What the hay!?" Apple Jack wondered as her eyes adjusted to the dark only slightly. After a bunch of confused blinking, the most she was able to see was about a meter or two away.
"Apple Jack? Where are you? I can't see a thing!" Rarity asked, her voice shaking as she frantically started looking around her, only able to see darkness.
Apple Jack heard her voice and went in that direction until she felt herself bumping into the unicorn. "There ya are. What the hay happened to the lights all of a sudden!?"
Rarity just shrugged as she made sure to keep close to her friend. "I have no idea, Darling. But I hope it gets fixed soon. I can't even see the exit of the room anymore."
"We'll have to get out somehow.." The farm pony thought before feeling for a nearby wall to hind an exit, holding Rarity's hoof tight as they did. "Can't ya make some light with that horn of yours?"
"Oh, of course!" Apple Jack let out a sigh before seeing the room light up with a light blue aura. "I hope that's enough. I can't get it any brighter or I'll burn myself out."
"It's more than enough, Rares." Their sight increased a meter or two and they could see more of the room now. That's when Apple Jack spotted the door to leave and lead Rarity to it. "Let's go and see what's up with the lights."
Rarity nodded as they left the room they were in before and walked into one of the castle hallways. "Do you really not know what happened to make it all dark like this? There must be something that caused this."
"Ah dunno. Mah best guess is somethin' with the electricity-" She stopped herself before continuing, her voice much louder and more sure than before. "Rainbow Dash! She works with the castle's power system. She'll know what's up."
"Yea, your right. Any idea to where she is?"
She shrugged but still replied. "My best guess is the map room. She had quite the task to complete in there. But if she ain't there, ah guess we'll try to find her somewhere else."
"Sounds good to me." Rarity smiled as they continued their way across the castle halls.
After some looking, they made it to the map room and entered only to see a toolbox with its contents all over the floor and cutie map, along with an electricity box that was wide open.
"What in Equestria happened in here? It looks almost like a crime scene!" Rarity commented as they both walked into the room.
Apple Jack got closer to investigate the toolbox and saw a few small yellow feathers between all of the fallen tools on the ground. "These are Fluttershy's." She said, picking up one of the feathers. She looked over to the electricity box and found a blue one in there. "Seems like Dash was here too. And it doesn't seem to be from too long ago either."
"So we were right. They did a task together right?" Rarity asked the earth pony.
"Ah guess we were. But something must've happened for them to leave the place like this." She looked into the electricity box and saw the wires, that were really tangled before, completely torn out. There was also another pair of blue feathers found after she looked into it more closely. "Why are all of Dash's feathers in here?"
Rarity just shrugged, not knowing the answer to her question. Hearing no response, she turned back to the box, but after seeing nothing more in it, she closed it and turned back to her unicorn friend.
"Whatever happened here, Dash and Fluttershy were involved. But we should really get to finding a way to turn the lights back on before we look for them for any answers." She concluded, before receiving an agreeing nod from Rarity.
"I completely agree. I don't think I can keep this light on for very long."
"Let's go then!" The earth pony said before taking her hoof and making their way back into the hall to find whatever they were looking for.
The duo was still wandering around the dark castle, with Rarity's light being mostly gone by now, when they spotted a pink-ish light coming their way. They stopped and waited patiently to see who it was until eventually seeing Twilight come out of the darkness, her horn glowing a pink glow.
"Apple Jack, Rarity, thank goodness I found you two!" The alicorn said as she walked closer to the two ponies. "Have any of you seem Spike? He was with me just a second ago when I just suddenly lost him! I didn't even hear anything from him.." Her face turned more worried with every word.
Both shuck their heads before Apple Jack responded. "We didn't. you're the first pony we've seen since it became dark."
Rarity also spoke up with the same question from before, hoping to get an answer that time. "Do you have any idea why it's suddenly so dark, Twilight?"
"My best guess is that someone messed with the lights or electricity system. Which could only be done by Rainbow Dash. But she would know better than leave us all in the dark."
Everyone went quiet, all doubting Twilight's last statement about the pegasus. The silence was soon interrupted by the sound of running their way that ended with a panicked yell.
"Twilight!" They all looked where the voice was coming from and saw Fluttershy. She came to a halt once she got to them but still had panic written on her face. "Twilight! It's Spike! He..He..." Before she could finish, she fell to the ground in tears.
Worry also shot through Twilight as she heard the dragon's name along with seeing the pegasi's panic. "What with Spike? What happened? Fluttershy, what's wrong??" Her questions became more panicked as they left her mouth.
Fluttershy looked up again, before wiping her tears a little and muttering what she was about to say before.
"He's dead..."