1 week later...
Ponyville News!
Not even a day had passed and there's already a case of missing ponies all across Ponyville!
The victims include Lyra Heartstrings, Twinkleshine, Minuette, Sea Swirl, and Amethyst Star!
"We all have to be on guard as we walk on the streets of Ponyville. We don't know whether all of these ponies left willingly, or some other pony or creature has captured them. Either way, we should be aware of our surroundings for the time being, and if you see any suspicious activity, please report to me or the princesses at once. -Mayor Mare.
Why are these ponies going missing? Who is responsible? And what will the princesses do about this alarming manner?
Twilight grumbled as she tossed the newspaper away and hopped out of the bench seat. This is the third time this week that there had been reports of ponies going missing. First it was Apple Stars and Cherry Spices, and yesterday it was Silver Spanner, Neon Lights, and Ocean Breeze; now another band of ponies have went missing a day after. She had hoped that Celestia and Luna would deal with this matter right away, but so far, they've done nothing to make the crime rate go down.
Spike, who had just finished eating a sapphire cupcake, got out of his seat and followed the distressed alicorn.
"Gee, Twilight? What's wrong?" Spike asked as he caught up to her.
Twilight sighed. "It's these reports about the missing ponies. More and more keep disappearing every day. So far, Celestia and Luna have done nothing about it."
"Maybe they're trying to figure out who the culprit is." Spike responded as he shrugged his shoulders.
Twilight shook her head. "It's been a week since this started. If anything, the culprit should've been found right now."
Spike now looked confused. "Why are you so dependent on them? Shouldn't you find out about the culprit yourself? I mean, you are a princess after all."
"Of course, I offered to help find the culprit, but Celestia told me that 'due to me feeling fatigued about stopping another villain', she decided to let me take the time off and let her do something for once." Twilight responded with an eye-roll. "My journey to the village and back wasn't even that bad!"
"Oh." Spike responded with a low voice. He remembered the story of how Twilight and her friends arrived at a village that had ponies with the same cutie mark. Then a unicorn named Starlight Glimmer took away their cutie marks, and forced them to live in a solitary home until they "converted" to her philosophy. "But I'm sure the culprit isn't even that powerful, or scary. Just random ponynappers." He told her. Then he patted her arm as she continued walking. "Besides, you have your friends! If you could take on Chrysalis, Tirek, and Starlight, then I have doubt that they will be an exception."
Twilight sighed once more, but she looked grateful at the dragon. "Thanks Spike." She said as a reply. I just hope Celestia has this in the bag.
As an attempt to clear her mind, she decided to take a stroll in the park. She and Spike looked around, smiling as the warm, spring sun bathed the area. Although Twilight's mood dampened when she saw Bon-Bon sit next to another earth pony by the name of Junebug. Bon-Bon was crying on a bench, while Junebug tried to comfort her.
"This is where me and Lyra used to sit. We sat weirder than most ponies, but we didn't care. This was our favorite spot in the park." Bon-Bon said as she tried to fight back the tears.
"Don't worry, Bon-Bon. Lyra will be back eventually." Junebug tried to calm her down, but it didn't seem to work. She turned to Twilight and gave her a grim expression, not sure what to do.
Spike looked around the area. He saw a few ponies who also mourned their missing friends and family, but it was not a new sight for him. It had been happening all week. "Yeah... the culprit needs to be stopped sometime soon. I don't want to see depressed ponies everytime I go to the park."
"It's not just here, Spike. It's everywhere." Twilight told him. She could practically hear the wails outside her walls whenever she tried to go to sleep at night.
"Oh, tell me about it, darling." a new, familiar voice spoke up. The two saw Rarity trot up to them in a worried manner. "This has been going on for days. How long before Celestia stops the crime?"
"Hopefully soon." Twilight told her as she sat down onto the cold wet grass and the others followed suit. "How is your business going, Rarity?" Twilight asked, trying to change the subject.
Rarity shrugged. "Eh. It's not very active recently. Everyone is spending less time on buying clothes and more worried about the disappearances that have been going on across Equestria."
Twilight's eyes widened. "Across Equestria? What do you mean?"
Rarity looked alarmed. "You haven't heard?"
"About what?" Spike asked curiously.
Rarity took out a crumped-up newspaper from her purse and showed them an article that said:
Manehatten Times!
Ponies continue to go missing by the day!
Rarity turned over the page and started reading. "According to this article, it says that 'ponies have been disappearing from time to time in Manehatten. Police are launching investigations about the crime. As of now, police have found that the missing victims from each disappearance turn out to be unicorns. Coincidence, or a connection?'"
"Hold on a tick." Spike raised his hand to stop. He turned to Twilight. "Who went missing yesterday?"
Twilight tilted her head, confused by his behavior. "Lyra Heartstrings, Twinkleshine, Sea Siwl, Minuette, and Amythest Star?"
"And what about the rest of the victims here in Ponyville?" Spike now asked Rarity.
Rarity too looked baffled by his behavior. "Um... Silver Spanner, Apple Stars—"
"And are they unicorns?"
"Well, of course they—" Rarity stopped midsentence as she realized the point Spike was trying to make. "Yes... all of them are unicorns."
Spike immediately sprang up. "I can't believe it!" he turned to face a confused Twilight. "Twilight! I think we found our first clue! They're only after the unicorns!"
Twilight raised her hoof to silence the dragon. "Now, hold on. This seems like a stretch. Surely they must've captured an earth pony, or a pegasus."
Rarity shook her head as she continued to read the newspaper. "I think Spike might be on to something. The missing victims in Manehatten are unicorns, and so are the victims in Ponyville!"
"Sure there can be no connection to this..." Twilight muttered in disbelief.
"Twilight, you said that you wanted to help out with the cause. Now this is your chance! You can tell Princess Celestia about this new clue!" Spike encouraged her.
"But what if they go after the other races next? I'm pretty sure they're not only after the unicorns." Twilight argued. "Besides, I'm sure Princess Celestia knows already."
"It can't hurt to try, darling." Rarity replied.
Twilight looked at Spike, then back at Rarity. Both of them looked intently at her. Reluctantly making up her mind, Twilight sighed in defeat and rose from the ground. "Fine, we'll go tell Princess Celestia. But don't say I didn't warn you when she chides at us for wasting her time on facts she knows about."