Rainbow Dash's funeral was held on the four week anniversary of Rainbow's initial disappearance. Everypony in town showed up and even ponies from out of town came such as Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, and Cadance. Rainbow, herself, watched over the funeral from the afterlife along with Gilda, Ridley, and Derpy. The sky was filled with mounds of grey clouds and the entire vibrant life of the town seemed to have been replaced by a grim overcast. The main service lasted for at least an hour and a half with Rainbow's family and friends walking up and saying a few words of mourning. Rainbow listened keenly when Pinkie Pie came up to talk. She spoke for several minutes in a saddened voice that was enough to make even Rainbow believe that she was genuinely sorry. But she knew this was a scam. Pinkie wasn't sorry. She was the happiest pony there. She had gotten away with murder...and this was not the first time she had been able to do this. However, as Rainbow watched the pink pony talk and occasionally cry, she couldn't help but feel that Pinkie was actually incredibly saddened by what she had done.

After the main service, a memorial dinner was held at Sugar Cube Corner. A majority of the ponies walked up to Rainbow's coffin to say their final words to the cyan pegasus before walking off to the dinner. Scootaloo was the last pony to visit the coffin. Her eyes were glistening with tears and her lips were quivering like mad. Rainbow walked next to the young filly and patted her with her wing, as if attempting to physically comfort her. Scootaloo tried to say something but she couldn't force the words from her lips.

"I'm sorry, Scootaloo," Rainbow uttered. "I'm sorry that I failed you."

Scootaloo raised her head and looked down at the corpse's dead face.

"I...I miss you, Rainbow Dash," she choked. "I...I'm always gonna miss you. I hope you're happy now and...I hope I grow up to become just like you."

Rainbow smiled at the saddened filly. Scootaloo turned away from the coffin as a group of morticians closed the coffin and wheeled it away. She walked over towards Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, who were waiting outside the shop.

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom breathed.

"I really don't feel like talking right now," said Scootaloo as she gloomily walked past her two friends. Rainbow sighed sadly as she approached the shop with Gilda, Ridley, and Derpy.

"It's tough to face, isn't it?" Gilda asked.

"Yeah," Rainbow replied.

"You're one special pony, Rainbow Dash," said Ridley.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well...you're the first victim of Pinkie's whose body was actually discovered. You've gotten a proper burial unlike the rest of us. You were also the first pony to get that filly to say anything."

"Her name's Bellamina."

Rainbow had told Gilda and Ridley earlier that Bellamina had talked to her. She had yet to tell them about Susie Salmon and the fact that Bellamina was Pinkie's little sister.

Rainbow looked and saw Stormflower and Joan standing together in the shop. Rainbow walked towards them. Gilda shoved Ridley bluntly and they, along with Derpy, returned to the afterlife. Rainbow walked up to her sister, who was still crying a little bit.

"So...what are you going to do now?" Joan asked.

"What are you going to do?" Stormflower asked back.

"I dunno. I was thinking of heading back home but...I don't think I should leave you at a time like this."

"Joan, I don't need you by my side all the time."

"It's not that I think you need me, though I think you kind of do, it's that I want to be here with you."

Joan then kissed Stormflower on the cheek and she blushed. She wiped the tears from her eyes and gave Joan a small kiss back.

"Thank you, Joan. You've been really supportive these past couple weeks," she said.

"It was no problem. So, are you leaving Ponyville?" he asked.

"At first, I wanted to leave Ponyville but now I think I'm going to stay."

"You are?"

"Yes. Somepony murdered my sister. I'm not going to stop until I find them."

"I understand. Well...I'm going to help you."

"You are?!"

"Yes. That is if you want my help."

"Joan...I definitely want your help."

Stormflower hugged the orange earth pony again and they strolled off into another part of the shop. Rainbow's eyes fell on Twilight, who was standing with Applejack and Aaron.

"Aaron, you do realize that we have a serial killer on our hooves?" Twilight asked the detective as Rainbow approached the small group.

"What are you talkin' about, Twilight?" asked Applejack.

"I looked at Ponyville's police records while I was up in Canterlot. I discovered that, for over a year, ponies in town have mysteriously disappeared. Nopony really noticed because these were mostly ponies that nopony really gave any thought about."

"That's terrible!"

"Yes, but our killer has crossed the line now," Aaron stated. "He, or she, has killed somepony that is known extremely well. I've deduced that the killer lives somewhere in town and we must be making them nervous."

"How can you guess that?" Twilight asked.

"When you read the reports, didn't you realize that the bodies of the missing ponies were never discovered?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah!"

"Why would the killer suddenly leave one of her victims' bodies out to be discovered? They're nervous. They were afraid that we were catching up to them so they dumped the body out in hopes that the investigation would end there. But they were incredibly wrong! Twilight, have you...examined the body?"

"Not really. I don't think I have the stomach to."

"You may or may not have realized this but Rainbow Dash's body has been completely emptied of all internal parts."

"What?!"

"The killer drained your friend of all internal organs and fluids and turned her into a taxidermy doll. That's why the face was stuck in that creepy smile."

"But...why would somepony do that? How could somepony do that?!"

"I suspect that Rainbow Dash has a special place in our killer's heart. To the killer, Rainbow Dash was a trophy of sorts. Whatever they do to their other victims, I can assume that when they're done there isn't anything of the victim left behind."

"Are you saying that our killer is...cannibalistic?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Sweet Celestia!" Applejack breathed.

"I can also assume that, if we don't find this killer, then everypony in town is at risk of being killed."

"Where do we start looking?" asked Twilight.

"We start at the beginning. We look back at July 10 and see what Rainbow Dash did and who she talked to."

"Well we know three ponies she came in contact with."

"Yeah. Scootaloo, Pinkie Pie, and myself," said Applejack.

"Yes. We'll start with you three," Aaron breathed.

"Aaron, you can't be suggesting that you seriously suspect Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Scootaloo," Twilight scoffed.

"We have to start somewhere, Twilight. I'm not officially saying that any of them are guilty. I'm just looking for a place to begin my murder investigation."

"I'm fine with being investigated, Twilight," said Applejack. "As long as it helps track down Rainbow's killer."

"If we're careful and we do this right, we'll eventually find the bastard or bitch that did this and bring them to justice!"

"Fine. At least it's a place to start. We may not have been able to save Rainbow Dash, but at least we'll be able to save some other pony from the same fate," said Twilight. Rainbow chuckled happily and walked away from the trio. She had only walked a few feet when she came across Sunkick, sitting alone.

"Can you hear me, Sunkick?" Rainbow asked. Sunkick's ears moved. He turned his head towards the spot where Rainbow was standing. "Can you hear me?"

"I...barely," he replied.

"At least we have a connection."

"I really hope I'm not going insane!"

"You're not! For some reason, I can talk to you from the afterlife."

"I...I...I can't believe you're gone, Dash!"

"I'm sorry that I let you down, Sunkick. I'm so sorry."

Tears began rolling down Rainbow and Sunkick's faces. Rainbow hugged her brother and he reacted to her cold, dimensional touch.

"Who was it?" he whispered. "Who killed you?"

Rainbow brought her mouth close to Sunkick's ear and said, "Pinkie Pie."

Sunkick looked to where Rainbow was standing and shook his head a bit.

"I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch that," he said.

"Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie killed me."

"You're really quiet. I can't hear you."

"PINKIE PIE! IT WAS PINKIE PIE!"

Sunkick shook his head again. The connection was broken. Something was interfering. Sunkick felt Rainbow's presence go away and he anxiously looked around the room for it.

"She's gone. What happened?" he asked himself.

"Hey," said an unexpected voice. Sunkick looked across the table to see Scootaloo sitting there. "You're Sunkick, right? Rainbow Dash's brother?"

"Yeah. That's me."

"I'm Scootaloo. I've known Rainbow Dash for a while now. Your sister also knows me. She's helped me out with some private lessons these past couple weeks."

"What type of private lessons?"

"Flying lessons."

"You must have been close to Dash."

"In a way. I looked up to her but I don't know if she really saw me as anything more than a little fan."

"You were much more than that, Scoots!" said Rainbow sadly.

"Do...do you want to hear a secret?" Sunkick asked.

"What kind of secret?" Scootaloo asked back.

"A weird one involving Rainbow Dash. Nopony else knows about this aside from Twilight Sparkle and Aaron Crop."

"Okay. I'm interested."

"I think Rainbow Dash has established a telepathic connection with me from beyond the grave!"

"What? Really? How?"

"I don't know. It's a very weak one, though. It's very unstable and I can barely hear her when we talk. But she's still here. I know she is. She's watching over us as we speak."

"Rainbow Dash."

"I'm going to try and use this ability to my advantage."

"How?"

"Come on! You look like a smart filly! I can use this ability to find out the identity of Rainbow's killer!"

"Oh! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Everypony's sad right now. Sadness doesn't help the thought process."

"So are you just going to wait for the connection to be made again?"

"Yes and no. I'm going to try and make the connection stronger but, in the meantime, I'm going to do my own investigation in the murder case."

"Can I help you?"

"You?! But...it could get messy."

"I've been messy before."

"It could get dangerous."

"I was nearly turned to stone once."

"It could get-"

"I'm helping you! Stop trying to come up with excuses!"

"Well...I guess you can help me."

"Yes! Don't worry Sunkick! We're going to find the pony who killed Rainbow Dash and get them arrested!"

"Right! And we're not going to stop until we find him or her! For Rainbow Dash!"

"For Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow smiled and walked away from the table. Three investigation teams. Stormflower and Joan, Twilight, Applejack, and Aaron, and Sunkick and Scootaloo vs. Pinkie Pie.

"This should be interesting," said Rainbow softly and she returned to the world of the dead.