Dishonored

The time was 8:42PM and the Grand Galloping Gala was winding down to a halt. The ballroom, foyer and garden were all but empty as ponies began to leave. The Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle, stood with her friends and talked to Celestia and Luna. Not far away, the Cutie Mark Crusaders played with leftover balloons.

A blood-curdling scream drowned out the noise of the chatter and caused everypony to pause. Looks of concern and fear were exchanged between Gala attendees. A young mare galloped into the ballroom. Fear was plastered upon her face. Tears poured from her eyes like waterfalls. She looked pale as if she had seen a ghost. The frightened mare tripped over her hooves and fell down. Concerned party goers galloped over to her and helped her to her feet as she choked on frightened tears.

The Princesses and Twilight's friends galloped over to see what was wrong.

"Miss, what seems to be the matter?" Celestia asked, her voice filled with concern. The mare took a few shaky deep breaths and wiped her eyes.

"I was out in the garden, looking at the flowers and observing the exotic animals, and while doing so, I found... Oh, god-" The mare trailed off and began sobbing again. Celestia let out a sigh.

"Please, tell us what happened." The Princess urged.

"Dead bodies! I found dead bodies!" The mare cried out as she collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Everypony's eyes went wide. Gasps and concerned whispers floated around the room. More frightened ponies galloped into the ballroom.

"Guards!! Search the premises immediately for anypony acting suspicious! And do not let anypony leave!" Celestia bellowed "Do not fear, everypony! Everything will be okay (I hope)!"

Guards blocked every possible entrance as other guards began to question partygoers. Looks of suspicion and fear were plastered on their faces. A guard trotted over and began to question a couple of mares, then trotted away to question other attendees.

"Scootaloo! Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle! Come here immediately!" Rarity called out. The three young fillies galloped over, looks of fear and concern on their faces.

"Aj? What's goin' on?" Apple Bloom asked. Her older sister only replied with a small shrug.

"We need to get out of here this instance! We're all in danger!" Rarity cried out.

"I agree. Let us leave and find a safe place for the children." Luna spoke.

Princess Celestia's horn began to glow as she prepared to cast a teleportation spell. In the blink of an eye, Twilight and her friends, as well as the sister Princesses, disappeared. More guards entered the ballroom, some leaving to question partygoers outside, and continued interrogating the other partygoers inside. A few minutes later, twenty other partygoers were teleported into the room.

"Attention everypony! This area is under lockdown! Nopony is allowed to leave until we find the murderer or somepony we suspect to be the murder! Please be honest and cooperative! The sooner we can get everything finished, the sooner we can allow you all to go home!" A guard announced.

Whispers of concern floated around the room as guards began to re-interrogate the ponies in the room. A couple of mares trotted up to a guard and pleaded with him to let them go home, claiming that they had a child there that they needed to get back home too. The guard agreed to let them go after thoroughly interrogating them. Something felt off about the two to the guard, but nevertheless, he let them go but kept in mind their appearances just in case.

Partygoers began to get agitated and irritable at the guards for keeping them there but letting those mares go. Soon, small protests broke out as ponies now began to attempt to leave. A few pegasi attempted to flee through the windows, while the ground bounded ponies pushed and shoved at each other and the guards as they tried to leave. Not wanting anypony to get hurt or things to spiral out of control, the guards began to let ponies leave a few at a time.

Ponies began to calm down, but some demanded to be repaid for all the fuss and keeping them locked in at the Gala. Some complained and whined about the situation, claiming the events of tonight would forever ruin the tradition of holding a Grand Galloping Gala on the anniversary that Canterlot was built.

In the end that night, nopony was arrested or taken in for questioning. Celestia did order an extreme increase of guards and city-wide guard patrols. The two mares that had claimed to have a child met at the train station, exchanged a few words and some money and parted ways. One went back to Canterlot while the other bordered the train and left.

A couple of days later, as the investigation of the murders continued, ponies began to go missing. Word reached Celestia and Luna that aside from the citizens of both Ponyville and Canterlot that had gone missing, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were gone as well. The ponies, including the four out of the six Elements of Harmony, seemed to have vanished without a trace. It was almost as if they had never existed at all.