Disappearances

The town stood in the cemetery not far off from the once cheery marketplace. Everypony was silent, dirt being shoveled over two small caskets just as they had done not more than a month ago. Rarity hid Sweetiebelle under her black coat as the rain poured from overhead, Rainbow Dash landing next to Twilight who stood over the graves in silence. After the graves were set Filthy Rich trotted up to the light blue pegasus, anger in his eyes as his wife laid in the mud near her daughter's headstone. “What do you have to say for yourself, huh? You guided my innocent little Diamond Tiara into the Everfree forest, resulting in her death! I say you be investigated for murder!” Night Bell stood in the middle of the small graves with her back to the colt, being the only pony without any black on her but instead carried her saddle bags with her.

“Filthy Rich please!” Twilight walked up and put herself in between him and the mare. “IT is obvious she feels more than enough guilt but accusing her of murder? That is crossing the line and I will no longer hold my tongue and let you t-” The mare turned around, smiling and causing the argument to silence.

“Please Twilight, I can see he is in anguish. You are correct and I do feel nothing but guilt, if he wishes to start an investigation do let him. If it will set his mind at ease.” She turns back to the graves in front of her, removing her glasses from her muzzle. “I just hope these two fillies forgive me.”

“You see, she is suffering all on her own just as you are. She feels responsible so let her be!” Twilight replied to the colt who just stood in silence as tears dripped off his face, the town watching in silence. Applebloom stood near Applejack who had her hat on Applebloom's head to keep her dry, the pale yellow filly staring at the pegasus being accused of the cruelest crime she knew of. She tilted her head as she watched Night Bell smirk and pull a crown and pair of glasses from her saddle bags.

“I offer these two parting gifts, the items so attached to them in life will follow them to the beyond.” She set the items on the graves before turning gracefully, her head low. “However I do see I am unwelcomed here, I shall take my leave.” She walked through the crowd as they watched her before Twilight looked down at her hooves in a guilty fashion.

Night Bell sat in her bedroom, brushing her mane thoroughly as she scanned a paper in front of her on her desk. “Nothing but chicken scratch.” Setting her brush down on her desk she turned her attention to the rain outside, she had been hidden away in her cottage since the burial. “The fillies did their job, inspiration has reached my ears once more and more children will follow their hoof steps soon enough.” She turned from her desk and walked over to her bedroom mirror where she adjusted her mane, ignoring the air dry look that settled in the pink hair. “I do enjoy my work, I make the most wonderful music and in turn my audience repays me. It is a nice change from slinking around city streets for orphans, these ones are well fed and exercised.” She smiled to herself before yawning into her hoof, ears perking up upon hearing a knock on her door. “A guest, well so much for my nap.” She turned and walked up to her door, opening it to a small orange pegasus. “Oh you are Scootaloo correct?” The filly nods, soaked to the bone and shivering in front of the mare.

“M-miss Night Bell I have a q-question..” Her tiny wings flapped themselves dry before refolding themselves against her sides, her purple mane stuck to her skin as Night blinked her eyes and smiled.

“Of course but do come inside, you will catch your death of cold.” She frowned at the joke before clearing her throat and pushing Scootaloo into her home with an outstretched wing. “Just come inside young one.” She shut the door, getting a small towel from her kitchen before returning to her guest who sat by the front door.

“You did try to save them right?” She looked up at the other, who sat beside her and attempted to dry her a bit.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I have tried. I asked for their help and I failed to protect them.” Her ears lay back as Scootaloo turned her gaze away.

“How is your side? It must hurt huh?” She mumbled under her breath, causing Night Bell to look at her side and smile at the injury she gave herself to hide what she had done.

“It hurts a bit, nothing I can’t handle though.” She pulled the towel away from the filly, her coat mostly dry and her mane fluffed. “There you are, not so cold now? Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, thank you.” She stood and followed her elder into the kitchen where Night Bell put the kettle on, her eyes wandering around the home around her. “Don’t have many pictures, not a camera pony?” She walked over to a china cabinet and peered inside at a painted portrait. “Hey this looks old, and like you.” Night Bell tensed before trotting over and pushing Scootaloo away from the glass.

“Yes that was my great grandmother and yes we share a lot of traits.” Her ears lay back in frustration as the filly slips from her and walks back to the cabinet.

“When was this taken anyway, it looks super old. It's even faded.” She taps the glass, looking at Night Bell who quickly puts on a fake smile over her irritated glare.

“That was right before the princesses came into power I think, it is a family treasure so please try not to touch it.” She glares once more as the filly returns her focus to the painting.

“Man she could be your twin! It’s kinda scary, Sweetiebelle and Applebloom would love to see this!” Night Bell pushes the pegasus away from the cabinet with a wing, using the other to wipe the hoof prints from the glass with an annoyed mumble.

“No, I am not fond of fillies running am-” She turned her gaze back to where Scootaloo had been only to look around and sigh. “Where in the hell did she go?!”

Scootaloo trotted up the stairs and pushed open a second bedroom. “Wow never expected this old place to be so big..” She took it upon herself to enter the room and look around, her eyes glancing over older looking boxes and books. “Kinda unorganized in her storage though, the rest of her house is so clean. I don’t think she would mind if I cleaned up a bit.” She happily trotted over to a stack of papers on a desk in the back corner, climbing into the chair and looking at them. “Let’s see, they look like doctors papers. Did she try to be a nurse at one point?” She picked up papers, finding herself looking a pictures taken of ponies from her school. “These are all my classmates, kinda weird. These look old so why would she have these just laying around..” She moved a few around before stopping at 3 papers set neatly aside, each having a picture of the missing fillies with wax seals in the bottom right corner. “W-whats this…?” She pulled the sheet with a picture of Diamond Tiara to her, scanning over it. “This is...her birthday and interests and blood type. Why would Night Bell need this?”

“The real question is how you got past me you brat.” Scootaloo jumped in her seat and swung around, her ears laid back as Night Bell stood in the doorway looking less than amused.

“O-oh I uh wanted to look around the place, it is really nice!” She smiled sheepishly as the pegasus walked over to her slowly, her purple and red eyes looking cold and angry.

“Then why are your filthy hooves going through my paperwork?” She stopped in the middle of the room, glaring down at Scootaloo as she pulled her hooves away from the desk.

“I-i wasn’t I was trying to clean up for you, w-why do you have something so personal in your house. Why are they stamped? Did you intend to hurt them or did you write them music or something?” Scootaloo began to ramble quickly, her brain trying to make sense of what was going on.

“I am deeply afraid you have seen too much my dear and you may expose my secret to the others, what to do what to do.” She shut her eyes in thought, Scootaloo trembling in her seat. “You are going to be a bit tough but I can make you my servant, breaking your mind won’t be to hard and you will service as a good pet. I do need more information.”

“I DON’T WANT TO DO THAT! PLEASE LET ME GO I WON’T SAY A WORD TO ANYPONY!” Scootaloo sat still, to afraid to move as tears poured off her cheeks.

“I can’t trust your word can I?” She grins as Scootaloo's eyes widen in fear. “You stuck your nose where it shouldn’t belong and exposed this so how can I trust you not to say anything to your peers that I am weeding them out and eating my fill. Vampires do have to make a meal to ya know.” Scootaloo shook her head, her lips quivering as she spoke.

“N-no vampire ponies are f-fiction! You can’t be one…you are to nice!” She fell out of the chair as Night Bell approached her with slow steps, a twisted smirk on her face.

“Then tell me, what makes a vampire. Maybe if you amuse me I will let you off with a warning.” Scootaloo opened her mouth, her words catching in her throat as Night Bell lurched forward and clamped down on Scootaloo's neck with a smirk.

“To late.”