"I...I'm terribly sorry," said Stormflower as Irena looked towards the floor. Strange, Stormflower thought. This story seems all too familiar. An image floated into her mind. The image of a light brown stallion with a short beard, a suit, and a hat appeared. Could it be? Could they really be the same thing? "Excuse me, Irena, but...what's your father's name?"

"Huh? Why would you want to know that?" Irena asked.

"It's just that...I think I might have met him before."

"His name's Edgar Cross."

Stormflower's eyes widened. It was him! That stallion she had met on the train all those weeks ago had been none other than Pinkie and Irena's father!

"Well this is certainly an incredibly small world. Uh...thank you for talking with me, Irena."

"No problem."

Stormflower stood up and exited the shop. She needed to find Joan.

It wasn't long until she came across Joan, bumming around town like he usually did.

"Morning, Stormflower!" he said happily as she approached.

"Can we talk...alone?" she asked.

"Sure."

Stormflower and Joan walked behind a nearby booth where nopony could overhear them.

"What do you want to talk about?" Joan asked.

"Why didn't you tell me about Pinkie and Irena's dead sister?" Stormflower asked bluntly. Joan was taken aback by the surprise question. He cleared his throat and looked Stormflower straight in the eye.

"It's...it's not something I prefer to bring up."

"Irena told me about it. She told me how Bellamina was murdered ten years ago. She told me that Pinkie witnessed it. She also told me about how Pinkie would have been killed too...if it weren't for you."

Joan's eyes widened a little bit but they quickly returned to normal.

"Yeah. Everypony keeps saying that. The one thing is that...I don't remember any of it," he confessed.

"What do you mean?" Stormflower asked.

"I try to remember what happened that day...but I'm never able to. It's like there's something in my mind preventing me from remembering what happened. It's almost as if that day didn't even happen. But I know it did. I was at her funeral."

"I'm not angry with you for not telling me. I understand. Irena told me that Pinkie's blocked the memory from her mind too."

"Yeah. Sometimes I wonder if she even remembers that Bellamina was murdered. I think she just remembers that Bellamina died."

"Joan...I want to visit Pinkie's childhood home."

"What? Why?"

"I want to find out about what happened that day ten years ago. Irena was too young to know all the details and you and Pinkie barely remember it. Edgar Cross was there. He should remember everything."

"Right. When do you want to leave?"

"Are you coming with me?"

"Of course! We're in this together. Remember?"

"Yes. We are. I'd like to leave as soon as possible."

"How about tomorrow morning?"

"Sounds reasonable."

"Okay. It's settled then."

Meanwhile, Twilight, Applejack, and Aaron were walking through the trees of Sweet Apple Acres. They walked in silence until they came across a taped-off area.

"Is this...where you two found her?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah," Applejack replied sadly. The three ponies ducked under the tape and approached the spot where the body had been found. "So what are we lookin' for?"

"Traces. The killer must have left something behind. Some piece of evidence that we overlooked," Aaron replied. They proceeded to examine the area, lifting rocks, moving leaves, and swiping dust. "This killer sure is clever. They made sure that they left nothing behind."

Twilight has just moved a small pile of leaves when she noticed something. It was a little piece of black plastic. It could be nothing, but it could also be extremely important.

"I think I found something!" she announced as she caused the black plastic to levitate.

"What is that?" Applejack asked.

"It's a piece of black plastic. It looks like something that would be the part of-"

"A garbage bag!" said Aaron as he examined the floating evidence. "The killer might have carried the body out here in a bag! This could be part of that bag! Let's take it!" Twilight nodded and used her magic to place the evidence in a small plastic bag. Aaron then turned to Applejack. "Perhaps you could tell us again about what you saw that night?"

"Don't ya think that I've told ya enough times already?" Applejack asked.

"No."

"Okay then. Ah was walking back to the farm. It was pretty late and there was nopony walking on that street besides me. Ah looked and saw Rainbow running towards me. She seemed to be afraid of something. I asked her if anything was wrong and she said that she didn't have time to talk. She then ran past me, my hoof bumping against her wing in the process, and she then disappeared into the night. That's what happened."

"That story confuses me every time I hear it," Twilight admitted. "I wonder where she was running to."

"Or running from," Aaron continued. "The killer may had been chasing after her."

"That's impossible. Ah saw nopony else on that stretch of road that night," said Applejack.

"Curious."

"Applejack...what if...what if she were already dead?" Twilight stated.

"What do you mean by that, Twilight?"

"I've read a good chunk of books in my life. Some of them have been about death and the afterlife. Some ponies claim that the spirits of the dead wander here in the world of the living for a little bit before passing onto into the afterlife. What if Rainbow Dash were already dead and what you saw was her spirit, running off towards the afterlife?"

"Ah...well...that could explain how she seemed to disappear into the darkness," said Applejack.

"I'm not one to believe in stuff like ghosts and all of that nonsense," Aaron chuckled.

"Still," Twilight continued. "It's something to look into. Let's go to the spot where Applejack ran into Rainbow Dash and see if we can...feel anything."

"That's your plan? Trying to connect to the afterlife?"

"There's no harm in trying!"

"Well...alright. I guess there's no harm in that."

Meanwhile, over by Rainbow Dash's house, Sunkick was laying on the ground, watching the clouds move through the sky above him.

"What are you doing?" asked a familiar voice. Sunkick sat up and saw Scootaloo skipping towards him.

"Just watching the clouds," he replied.

"Why?"

"Because I feel like it. Do you want something?"

"Yeah. I want to see if you can make contact with Rainbow Dash."

"It's not that simple, Scootaloo. I can't just summon her. She comes at random and, even then, the connection isn't all that great."

"Could you at least try?"

"I have tried. I've tried numerous times. She doesn't come when I call her."

"Could you try one more time...for me?"

"Fine."

Sunkick sat up and closed his eyes.

"Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash. It's me, Sunkick. Are you there?"

The air remained warm and there were no sounds other than that of Scootaloo's anxious breathing.

"Nothing?" she groaned.

"Nothing," he replied as he lay back down.

"Darn!"

Suddenly, the air grew cold and Sunkick froze. Above him, there appeared the shadowy form of a young pony. Sunkick wanted to scream but he was too frightened to do so.

"Ask your father," said the shadow. "Ask your father about Bellamina. Ask him about ten years ago. Ask him."

The shadow then disappeared and everything returned to normal.

"Are you okay?" Scootaloo asked. Sunkick sat up and stared and the young pegasus.

"I...I've got to ask my dad about something," Sunkick replied.

"Ask me about what?" asked a familiar voice. Sunkick and Scootaloo turned around to see Thunder Storm standing just a few feet away.

"Dad!"

"Yes?"

Sunkick jumped up and ran over to his father.

"Do you know somepony named Bellamina, and, also, what happened ten years ago?" Sunkick asked.

Thunder's eyes widened but he then sighed and patted his son on the shoulder.

"I guess you're old enough to learn. She, however, isn't," he replied. Scootaloo crossed her arms and pouted.

"Fine! I'll go!" she said as she trotted off.

"So, Dad, what happened?" Sunkick asked.

"Where did you hear the name, Bellamina?" Thunder asked.

"I...don't remember where I heard it exactly. I...I think I heard Stormflower mention it."

"I guess she remembers after all."

"Huh?"

"You probably don't remember, due to the fact that you were only five at the time, but ten years ago I had to help investigate a murder case. It was on a rock farm. Some sick bastard had kidnapped two ponies and had butchered one of them. The pony killed was named Bellamina and she was only six years old. I...I honestly don't remember the other pony involved. I remember seeing the body all cut up and...and I was so full of rage that I actually thought of killing the murderer myself."

"Who was the killer?"

"I don't remember. All I remember is that he was practically the personification of evil. When I got home, I told Stormflower about the crime. It sickened her too. I didn't tell you or...or Dashie about it due to both of you being too young to learn about such a crime."

"I understand."

"Sorry if I seem a bit nervous. You just caught me off guard with that question."

"It's alright. I just wanted to ask you about it because I didn't fully understand what I had heard Stormflower say."

"Okay. Well...I hope I was able to answer your question."

"Don't worry. You did."

"Good. Well...I'll see you later."

Thunder gave his son a big hug and calmly walked off. Sunkick made his way into town where he soon came across Stormflower, Joan, and Scootaloo.

"Sunkick!" said Scootaloo. Sunkick approached the three ponies.

"What did you ask Dad about?" Stormflower asked.

"I asked him about a crime he had to investigate ten years ago. The one he told you about. You know, the Bellamina Murder," Sunkick replied.

"I...I remember! Man, I forgot all about that!"

"So your father was investigating it along with my father? This is a very small world indeed," Joan said with a smile.

"Sunkick! They're leaving town tomorrow!" said Scootaloo.

"What? Why?" Sunkick asked.

"Joan and I want to look more into Bellamina's murder. I have a strange feeling that her murder has some connection with Rainbow's," Stormflower replied.

"Can...can I come with you?"

"Huh?"

"Please. I want answers just as much as you do!"

"I...I guess."

"Well if Sunkick goes then I go too!" Scootaloo snapped. "We're partners!"

"Since when?!"

"Since yesterday," Sunkick replied.

"But...you're too-"

"I don't think it'll be a problem, Stormflower," said Joan. "Let the filly come along."

"Okay, Scootaloo. You can come along with Joan, Sunkick, and I."

"Yes!" Scootaloo cheered. "When do we leave?!"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Awesome!"

"Have you mentioned this to Dad yet?" Sunkick asked.

"Not yet," Stormflower replied.

"Well you better. I don't want Dad to wake up tomorrow, find us gone, and think that something's happened to you and I too."

"Don't worry. I'll talk to him later today once I'm done with Scootaloo's lessons."

"More flying lessons?"

"Pretty much."

"Okay."

"Well I guess Joan and I will see you two later then."

"See ya!" said Scootaloo as Stormflower and Joan walked away. Scootaloo gave Sunkick a polite nudge and he smiled. "We're really gonna do it!"

"Do what?" Sunkick asked.

"We're really gonna avenge Rainbow Dash!"

"We can't be one hundred percent certain that this will lead us to Rainbow Dash's killer, but it's a good lead nonetheless."

"Right! Well I'll see you later, Sunkick!"

Scootaloo then trotted down the road happily. Sunkick turned around and found himself staring straight into Pinkie Pie's face. Her eyes were dark and sunken in but her hair was still vibrant and fluffy. Then, for several seconds, Sunkick saw something. He felt himself leave his body and fly straight into Pinkie's eyes. He then found himself standing in the middle of a dark room. In the middle of the room, there stood Pinkie Pie. She looked normal except she was incredibly sad.

"Please! Please help me!" she cried. "She's going to kill. She's going to kill again!"

Then the vision ended and Sunkick found himself back in his body.

"Is something wrong?" asked the Pinkie on the outside.

"No," Sunkick replied quickly as he shivered a bit. "Nothing's wrong at all!"

He then turned around and broke into a run. Pinkie watched as the yellow pegasus disappeared amongst the other ponies in town. He could become a problem, she thought. All these ponies were turning into big problems. Stormflower, Sunkick, Twilight, Aaron, and all the rest. They were all problems. Problems are meant to be dealt with! Pinkie chuckled darkly as she turned around and began making her way back to Sugar Cube Corner.

"Yes," she said gleefully. "Somepony's time is almost up."