Just ambient noise this time.

Fluttershy lay hidden, crouched beneath a table amidst the clamor of ponies scurrying about in darkness in an attempt to get to the nearest exit. The moon shone in from behind the shattered glass where the statute had fallen through only moments prior, its beams scattering in random directions from the bits of glass that lay on the floor near the large windowsill. Rain had started to fall outside and the sounds of distant thunder emanated from afar.

She peeked her nose out from beneath the sun and moon tablecloth to get a better look of the surroundings, but she was too scared to open her eyes. Instead, she went back under the table and covered her ears with her hooves to drown out the anxiety-inducing sounds of panicking ponies.

The lights came back on, and suddenly the loud, booming voice of Princess Luna arose over the dull roar of everypony as they came to their senses. She used the same, skull-piercing voice as she had used in her Nightmare Moon days. It certainly had its advantages for situations such as these to get everypony's attention.

"Attention, everypony," Luna sounded, "please do not panic. Lightning struck nearby and caused the power to be momentarily disrupted. All is well. Stay calm."

Fluttershy felt her heart slowly come to ease, and came out from hiding beneath the table. The room was full of confused ponies, as well as a disaster zone of overturned chairs and tables. Even the buffet table had been knocked over and the bowl of punch was spilling onto the floor where a couple of unfortunate ponies found themselves slipping and sliding in an attempt to get out of the sticky liquid.

Princess Celestia chimed in and continued addressing the crowd. "Seeing as the ballroom is in such a state of disarray, the rest of the party will be moved to the library temporarily. Please stay calm and leave the room in an orderly fashion."

As ponies got to their hooves and dusted themselves off from the momentary panic, Fluttershy sought out her friends. She saw Rainbow Dash and Rarity standing by the shattered window, with Applejack and Twilight trotting towards them.

"What in the hay did you do?" Applejack said as she came to Rainbow Dash.

Looking flustered, Rainbow Dash snorted and replied. "Saving this...pony's life. That's what,"

Applejack gave her a raised eyebrow. "Dash, that's a mannequin."

"Well, I realize that now..." she replied, embarrassingly.

The sounds from the snobbish pony Rarity spoke to emanated from nearby. "Well, I hope you're happy," said the snobbish pony as she walked up to them. "That statue cost more bits than you've probably ever had in your lifetime."

Rainbow Dash shot her a glare, which Rarity saw and immediately began speaking to prevent Rainbow Dash from saying something rash. "Now, now," said Rarity, "let's not make this personal. It was an honest mistake, and we should leave it at that."

"Honest mistake?" She snorted in reply. "Anypony could tell that's a pony mannequin," she continued as she knocked on it with her hoof. It made a hollow noise. She looked at Rainbow Dash and continued speaking. "I'll make sure somepony pays up for this..."

The pony left them with a snobbish look. They stood in front of the broken window, and Twilight stepped into the conversation. "Arguments aside...what I want to know is why that thing was tied up there with rope."

"Beats me," said Applejack.

"Me neither," said Rainbow Dash.

"Perhaps it was for decoration?" said Rarity.

The four of them looked to Fluttershy, who had a look of incertitude.

"Hmm," said Rarity, "this sounds like a perfect job for Detective Rarity."

Applejack rolled her eyes inconspicuously.

"I suppose this outfit is fit for the occasion," she said as she bit at her hoof. "Now, we may not know why there was a...ponyquiin hanging from the ceiling, but what also perplexes me was the scream that came before it fell."

"Oh," Fluttershy said softly. "That was me."

The four of them looked at her in surprise.

Fluttershy blushed. "I have...um...a sort of sense for animals falling from high places. Or, I guess...things that look like animals as well..."

"Like a Pinkie Sense?" said Rainbow Dash. "Awesome!"

"Hey..." said Twilight. "Speaking of Pinkie Pie...where is she?"

The five of them glanced over at the overturned buffet table. A couple of ponies were scooping up food, who apparently decided to take advantage of the complete lack of lines for the assortment of cakes and pastries. None of which, however, were Pinkie Pie.

"Oh!" Twilight exclaimed suddenly, which startled Fluttershy ever so slightly. "I just realized Spike is gone too!"

"I'm right here..." Spike proclaimed from right beside her.

"Oh..." replied Twilight. "I didn't see you there."

Spike grumbled something inaudibly.

"Ahem." Rarity politely coughed. "Perhaps we should move elsewhere to investigate and find Pinkie Pie?"

Before they could move, the sounds of increasing rain and thunder emanated from outside, followed shortly by a crackle of thunder and flash of lightning that lit the entire room up with light for a brief moment, followed by near-complete darkness. In the moonlight, Twilight counted everypony. Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Spike, me...

"Where is Fluttershy?"

"And then there were five..." said Spike in a purposefully haunting voice.

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