Previously
http://pastebin.com/8YLED97k
 
“What?”
Her slitted pupils had shrunk to sizes Echo had never seen before. They were almost invisible to her.
“It's gone. There's nothing there. The room looks like an unfinished mess of construction.”
Lullaby was struggling to process it. She couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. Echo had been right the whole time, there really was something going on in the quaintness of Hollow Shades.
“Just… what?!” she yelped in stark disbelief.
“If you don't believe me, I will not hesitate to drag you there,” Echo retorted, in deathly seriousness. Lullaby decided to listen to her.
“I've borrowed a book called Mysteries Of Equestria. But I'm not reading it at home. I don't feel safe there anymore.”
“Shouldn't you report it, Echo? After all, maybe the guards can do something about it.”
“All they'll do is note it down. How are they supposed to do ANYTHING about it?”
Lullaby pondered for a moment. She knew Echo was right, again.
“I think the book is the only way we'll find any information on whatever is happening. The guards don't have a clue, neither does Dusk Barron it'd seem.”
The purple-maned pony dropped her head for a moment.
“He might be the best bet we have, actually. Think about it, he was the one who put out that announcement. Maybe he knows more.”
Echo pondered this for a minute. It could be that case, yet Echo wasn't sure if her friend was thinking down the right path.
“If we can't find anything in the book, we could request a meeting with him soon.”
Lullaby nodded and smiled at Echo. For once her friend had listened to her suggestions.
“Shall we get to looking, then?”
 
---
 
A few hours later, and the two ponies were still none the wiser about whatever was happening in the town. They'd scrolled through lots of pages and went through each page they'd read at least twice now. Still, nothing. The only thing resembling a piece of information was one small side entry about a case quite a few decades ago where a few ponies disappeared in an old, now-abandoned settlement to the south by the badlands. The population there was so small that after only 5 of them disappeared, over half the population was gone. The remaining four promptly left and nobody had returned there since.
 
Echo read out all of this to Lullaby, while she listened intently. Echo had a feeling she was just waiting for her to finish so that she could get in a word about speaking to Dusk Barron, and her intuition proved herself correct.
“Well, I guess it's off to the mayor's office?”
Echo sighed, smiling at herself.
“You can go tomorrow, I'm going to stay up and see if I can find anything else.”
Lullaby nodded gingerly. She would have hoped Echo wanted to come with her, given that her interests were obviously higher than Lullaby's own. She shuffled her hooves around.
“Why aren't you coming?”
Echo looked puzzled.
“Huh?”
“I mean, you were so keen on finding out the answer, it seems a little strange you wouldn't want to be there if we find out anything.”
Echo smiled at her friend.
“If we both do independent tasks then we'll be able to find an answer quicker, don't you think?”
Lullaby was still confused, making a face at her.
“If you find anything though, surely you can come along?”
Echo stood up.
“You scared to go alone or something?”
She didn't want to admit it, but Lullaby was a little intimidated by the thought of speaking to the authority of Hollow Shades.
“N-no, don't be silly.”
“Then why can't you go without me?”
Lullaby had to scramble for reasons at this point.
“Because, i-if both of us are there, if one of us forgets anything he says then the other will surely remember, right?”
Echo, pondering this, looked a little irritated.
“I suppose you're right. Well, if I find nothing in the book, we can both go tomorrow.”
Lullaby sighed in relief and wiped her brow.
“Well, that's that then.”
“Yeah...”
Echo looked around the room, looking for a clock.
“I feel tired. We should get some rest.”
Lullaby offered Echo her room, opting to sleep on the couch.
“Goodnight.”
“Yeah. Night.”
 
---
 
The morning came suddenly for Echo. She felt as if she hadn't slept at all. Her neck was achy, and she clicked her back when she got out of bed.
“Oww!” she exclaimed. She missed her own bed, comfiest in Equestria. It was gone now, and the thought only added to her frustration that her entire bedroom was gone.
At least we can get some answers today, she thought to herself.
Sluggishly she made her way down the stairs, sleep in the corners of her eyes. Right there was Lullaby, sleeping peacefully on the couch. She was envious.
Walking down into the sitting room, she noticed her mane in the mirror. What a mess it was. She'd have to sort that before leaving. Behind her, she heard her friend stirring.
“Morning,” she called through.
“Whuh- oh, morning Echo. You're up?” she slurred back. It was typical of her, always able to startle herself when she woke up.
“Yeah, not for long though. Sleep well?”
“As always,” her friend called through. “You?”
“Like a baby,” she lied. No point in telling Lullaby her bed sucked, seeing as she could sleep in it fine.
The purple-maned pony appeared in the kitchen, smiling at her friend.
“That's good. You ready for today?”
Echo nodded. Neither of them seemed particularly excited about the prospect of meeting Dusk Barron, a figure who always seemed elusive to most of Hollow Shades. His appearances were bi-monthly at best, unlike past mayors who would hold meetings bi-weekly at worst. In her heart, Echo felt conflicted about visiting the illusory mayor.
“When do we leave?” she asked.
“I imagine the mayor's offices won't be open for a little while. We should go at midnight,” Lullaby said, flicking her mane out of her face.
“Sure,” Echo replied.
The pair didn't say much for a time, only going about their business to themselves. Echo kept going through the book, Lullaby tried to busy herself with anything she could think of.
 
---
 
Later, the two ponies flew the distance to the mayor's offices. Hollow Shades had a distinct lack of citizens in the streets, as though they were all on holiday. Or something more sinister.
“Nobody's out today...” Lullaby remarked quietly.
“Wonder why,” Echo answered.
Upon arrival, they both looked at each other with an awkward stare.
“Ready?”
“Yeah. Open the door.”
Lullaby pushed at the wooden frame. It gave away without much effort.
“We go in together,” Echo said.
Lullaby nodded, taking a step with her friend. Inside, the building smelt strongly of dust and wormwood. The entrance was a long hallway, dimly lit and leading to a single door. A voice snaked its way around the room to their ears.
“Hello, citizens.”