Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

I write to you again with a troubled heart. Unfortunately, this file did not provide any evidence towards my theory of this all being a prank. I do hope you can prove me to have missed something, and that I am wrong.

Hello, everypony, and welcome to the Lil’ Sleuthie’s Mystery Show! My name is Lil’ Sleuthie, and today, I’m going to be investigating a spooky old house that I’ve heard the other foals at school talking about. They say that a colt went missing there, but nopony knows for sure. I don't think he's from our school... or is he? I can't remember anypony being missing...

Well, it’s up to me, Lil’ Sleuthie! I’ll solve the mystery with my trusty magnifying glass!

Phew, this magnifying glass is heavy! My magic’s strong enough, though, I can do it!

I’m taking this tape recorder with me, too, so I’d better pack some extra batteries, just in case! Ooh, and a flashlight. Those come in handy when you’re investigating!

Well, I’ll be going, soon. I’ll turn this on again once I get there. Time for a Sleuthie Adventure!

Here I am, I’ve found the house! It’s very mysterious-looking. Let’s see… First things first, it's time for the Sleuthie Facts! I'll describe the house, since you can't see it. The house looks like it's two stories tall. It’s a shady black color, and it has a big front door with an old-style knocker. It looks like all of the windows are boarded up, I wonder why? Very mysterious.
Wow, this place is huge! I'm walking around the outside, or, trying to. It must be a mansion!
Aw, the back is all fenced in. I guess that's it for sleuthing outside. Let’s go inside!

Phew, that is one long walk from the back to the front. I wonder who lived here? They must be somepony rich to afford a huge place like this, that's for sure. Let's see, does the door just push open?

creak

Well, the front door opened easily enough. I don’t think I have to worry about it. Brr, it’s a lil’ chilly in here, though! I’ll close the door, so the wind doesn't bang it around.

Click!

Huh? rattle The door… locked? gasp Of course! It’s a special detective-catching trap! I’d better be extra careful so I don’t get out-smarted! I’ll be on my guard!

Well, there's a big ol' dining room here. It's got a really long table and lots and lots of places set. Achoo! Everything is super dusty, though.

There's the fancy candle holders all along the table. They all look like they're unused, though, the candles are all the same size. I'd take one for light, but I don't have anything to light it with. I don't see any matches.
Hm... nothing really to sleuth here. Onward!

Hm, it’s not that dark in here with the flashlight, not really. Let's see, what's this way?

The corridors are pretty small. It’s a little confusing, like a maze! So many hallways, goodness… I've been in here for a good long while. Maybe even a whole hour! I think I can stay here for one more, though, before I should get home. Plenty of time for sleuthing!

So many rooms! They're all locked, though, I can't get in any of them. Very curious... I wonder what mysteries lie beyond the doors. Whatever it is, it's sure to be much bigger than my usual mysteries! Mostly I just do little mysteries, like finding a lost toy for somepony. I can sometimes help with homework, too, but I let my clients solve the mysteries themselves. I just give them a clue here and there when they need it.

A-ha! Here's an open one! It's the second to last one here, it's the end of the hall. There's a really big door at the very end, but that's locked too. Let's see what secrets there are to uncover, yippee!

cough I mean, um, let's go forward, ahem.

Hm... Well, it looks like just a plain ol' bedroom. Nothing too exciting. There's a big bed against one wall, it's got some saddlebags... is that a flashlight taped to it? Strange. A bookshelf or two, with a few odd books... none of them have titles, that's wierd.

thump

A-ha! There’s someone here! Give it up, you, Lil’ Sleuthie is on the ca- Oh. Hehe! It was just a lil’ doll. Aw, it’s cute. It’s a little brown colt with a funny little spinny hat.

Huh, that’s weird… it’s not as old and dusty as everything else here, it’s clean and new-looking, just like the saddlebags. Very peculiar...I wonder where they came from?

BANG

W-woah! What was that? It scared m- I mean, it almost scared me, but I am Lil’ Sleuthie, and I am not afraid of anyth-

BANG BANG BANG

Aah! Okay, m-maybe I am a little scared! I don’t know what that was!

Wh-what? It’s…it’s so hot… Why is it so hot all of a sudden?

Can’t solve this, now, can you?

AAH! Who is that? Th-that’s not funny! Cut it out, you d-detective scaring fiend!

BANG

S-stay away from me, wherever you are!

BANG

Ah! Something pushed me! I said, stay away! P-please!

BANG

No! No! Stop it, stop it please! Let me go! Let go!

AAAAH!

…Case closed, little one… You’re mine.

THUNK

I fear, Princess, that I am further from explaining this than I was before. Truly I am left with more questions than answers. I dearly hope the little filly was simply a very good actress… I will continue on in my transcriptions, and will relay them to you, dear Princess. I hope that you can solve this.

Yours,

H. A. Quill

Author's Note

Much apologies for the long-awaited update. This is actually a big step for me, I've been in such a writing slump lately... It's good to get back to this.
Anyway, I have an actual idea for what will be happening now, though I am still uncertain as to whom I will be using. Originally, this chapter was to be Applebloom's perspective, but it did not fit for what I was doing.