Double Diamond looked up from his studies of books and other researchable items. He finally noticed that Party Favor wasn’t around. Out of curiosity and slight concern, he put his books and such, down. He walked out to the breakfast tables, of which Night Glider was still at, looking at the newspaper still. Double Diamond didn’t know that she was as well, studying the town and that the newspaper was from passed years.
“What are you doing?” He asked.
“Uh, just reading.” She replied, with slight suspicion.
He looked at her, knowing she wasn’t saying all that she should have. But he brushed off the topic, and continued,
“Have you seen Party Favor, by any chance?”
“I… I haven’t, actually.” Night Glider said this, while coming the realization he was gone and put her newspaper down.
The both just stared at each other and both, at the same time, announced, “He went after Sugar Belle!” they said with much concern for both of their friends. The also noticed that Sugar Belle hasn’t been back for a couple hours! They both quickly gathered their saddle bags, and put their researchable items in them.
In the meantime, Party Favor was wondering around aimlessly, close by, but outside, of the shop he was just at. He ended up at the same dark part of town, as Sugar Belle did. He thought, Think Party Favor, think! Why would she be here, and where would she go…?! As he continued to think these thoughts, and look for possible clues, he bumped right into a street lamp… Right outside the house that Sugar Belle wondered into.
The house in front of him, was enormous. If it didn’t have a rusted old mail box outside of it, he probably would have assumed it was a small palace! He stared at the house, in slight fright and curiosity. As he did, though, he saw a faded pink light beyond the curtains, inside the house. He gasped slightly! Could this be Sugar Belle? He made his way up the long side walk, which led to the house. Minus the fact the house semi-looked like a palace, it also looked like a haunted one, at that.
He came up onto the porch of the house, and stared at the door. Should he knock? Should he just go in? What would happen? He thought many things. He took a deep breath, and decided to walk in himself. Besides, nopony would live in an abandoned house, would they?.... Would they….? He saw the same pink light in the corner of his eye, and turned to expect to see Sugar Belle. But, when he turned, there was nothing there. He went the same direction he saw the light, though, hopeful that he would run into Sugar Belle in that same direction.
Back with Double Diamond and Night Glider, Double Diamond kept muttering, rather loudly, in fear.
“I knew this would happen… I knew something wrong was going on… Party Favor and/or Sugar Belle could be dead for all we know!” he kept muttering on.
Night Glider stopped him from walking, and then walked in front of him, staring at him sternly.
“They are fine. We are fine. Nothing wrong is going on. We just need to find them. You’re the most adventurous of all of us, and ever since we decided to start this journey, you have been on edge. What in Equestria has gotten into you? Sure, you just recently got your cutie mark back, so it’s hard to adjust… But remember that stunt you pulled to stop Starlight? Why aren’t you that confident, now?”
Night Glider looked up at him with confused, saddened eyes. Double Diamond tried to avoid the heart wrenching eyes. Those eyes looked like they were so helpless. But he couldn’t spill what he was thinking. Not yet. Double Diamond put a strict, serious face on and ignored the questions. He continued walking.
Night Glider looked down, still standing there as he walked around her, and sighed in concern. Sometimes she felt like the most responsible of the four. She lifted herself with her wings, and caught up to Double Diamond, as she flew above him and just followed. There was no further conversation from then on.
For a slight moment, out of nowhere, Double Diamond had seemed to freeze. Night Glider was only a bit ahead of him, when she noticed this. She turned around toward him, and then hovered in front of him.
“Um, Double Diamond?” She asked.
He had seemed to be zombiefied, almost. As she looked into his eyes, she noticed that they slowly became darker, and darker. They were almost completely black, when Double Diamond came to consciousness, by shaking his head vigorously to wake himself up from the trans.
“What was all of that about…?!” Night Glider asked, a bit angry at the fact of someone possibly doing this to him.
“I don’t know!” He said, highly confused and trying to think of why this could have happened.
“Lets… Just continue looking.” Suggested Night Glider, and they continued on.
Meanwhile, has Party Favor explored the huge house… He took notice, that every time he has spotted the pink light… Nothing. He would just spot, nothing. Nothing but the eeriness, and mysteries of the house. Where was Sugar Belle? He had called her name out, more times than he could remember counting. The house wasn’t that big. It was possible for them to hear each other, if her magic light was just a few feet away from him. Right?
Or, wait a second… Was it her magic light? Yes, of course. It had to be! Right? Anyway, it didn’t matter. He needed to find Sugar Belle, and get out of this house as soon as possible. Not only was it creepy, but it was also very unstable. It felt as if it would collapse at any moment.
Take a deep breath, and having a spark of hope every time he saw the light source, he was constantly disappointed to see nothing there, over… And over… And over, again. He thought he may have traveled the whole house by now. Then he heard something. A strange voice, whispering right up to his ear.
Save them. Save me.
It startled him, and he looked around the room, aimlessly and hoped to find the source of the voice. But he saw nothing. It was hard to decide whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, that the voice didn’t sound like Sugar Belle’s. For many reasons. He decided it was high time he left this house. He knew Sugar Belle wasn’t there. At least, not physically. He made his way out of the house, after traveling through what seemed like a maze of hallways and rooms.
As he walked down the road he came from, he noticed in the distance, a white pony, and a dark blue pegasus! Double Diamond and Night Glider! In relief to see his friends after what seemed like an eternity inside that house, he ran over to them and gave them a huge hug! They looked at him as if he had to heads, but then quickly joined in his hug.
Double Diamond backed out of the hug first, and Night Glider followed shortly after.
“What was that all about, Party Favor?” Night Glider asked.
“It’s just good to find familiar faces.” Party Favor answered, with a warmed smile upon his face. “It felt like I haven’t seen your faces, or any faces for so long!”
“You where only gone for a couple hours!” Night Glider said, confused and slightly aggravated that Party Favor was acting odd and different. Though she knew something odd was going on in this town, she didn’t want to believe it.
“I understand that feeling…” Double Diamond said, agreeing to Party Favor’s odd assumption.
Night Glider stared at the both of them, as if they were acting insane, “You both are acting ridiculous!” She announced.
The two stallions just looked down, saddened at the fact that Night Glider didn’t believe their strange encountering’s and thoughts.
“Did you find Sugar Belle, by any chance?” Night Glider asked, changing the subject.
Party Favor’s head perked up. “No, I haven’t. I thought I was close, but… I guess not.” And then Party Favor put his head back down, in disappointment.
Double Diamond lifted his head, and smiled a bit, trying to keep the group as positive as possible. “Then we just need to keep looking!” He said, his tone a voice still nonetheless, sounding a bit doubtful. The others nodded and the continued searching around town, and tried to avoid the darker part of it… But they wouldn’t be able to do so for long…