Aaron awoke to find something warm patting him on the shoulder. He opened his eyes and found himself being observed by a creature that he had never seen before. A peculiar name then popped into his head.

"Human," he breathed. The female human looked down at him and smiled.

"My name's Susie Salmon," said the human. "Your name is Aaron Crop."

"I know what my fucking name is."

"Of course you do. I assume that you also know that you're dead."

Aaron instantly jumped up and examined his surroundings. He was standing in the middle of the Apple family's barn. Everything was quiet and the air had an odorless hue to it. Susie was standing next to him. The girl seemed to give off an otherworldly glow that made Aaron feel warm inside. That's when the memories of the previous night came back to him. The definitive evidence, Pinkie Pie, and everything that had happened. Aaron fell back down to the ground.

"Damn it!" he said angrily. He shook slightly and appeared as if he were about to cry. Susie knelt down next to the unicorn and patted him on the head.

"It's alright if you want to cry," she said. Aaron looked up at Susie and smiled.

"I'm not a crier."

He stood up again and shook his head. The shaking stopped and he looked back at the human girl with a stern face.

"Who are you exactly?" he asked. Susie stood up and beckoned him to follow her. He nodded his head and the two proceeded to walk out of the barn. Susie beckoned Aaron towards the orchard and he obeyed. The two walked in silence for a few minutes before Aaron cleared his throat politely. "Am I going to get an answer?"

"I'm a victim, like you," she replied. Silence fell among them again. Aaron cleared his throat and Susie turned to him.

"Are you always this quiet?"

"Sometimes. I like the quiet, occasionally. It allows me to think."

"Where are we exactly?"

"Why don't you tell me where you think you are and I'll tell you how close your guess is."

"You certainly like being cryptic."

"I don't think it's fun to have all the answers spoiled at once. I like to see them slowly unravel with the progression of time."

"Well I'm...dead. So this must be the afterlife. But...it doesn't feel complete."

"Correct, Mr. Crop. This is a certain region of the afterlife."

"Is there something else waiting for me out there somewhere?"

"What do you think?"

"I...I'm not sure about what to think anymore."

"Let me put it this way. Do you want there to be something more than just this?"

Aaron looked around and examined the grayish, somewhat foggy landscape of the apple orchard of the dead. He then looked up at the cloud dome and sighed.

"Yeah. I guess I do want something more than this."

"Then it exists. It waits for you on the other side of the dome."

"You've seen it haven't you, Susie Salmon? This...better place."

"I know you'll be there someday. In fact, I believe your day of arrival will be here soon enough. You'll pass on to the next level with everyone...I mean...everypony else."

"There are others?"

"Of course. This town, this gray town of the dead, is home to all of those who have fallen at the hands of Pinkamena Diane Pie."

"They're all here?"

"Yes. Wandering around town without anything left to do really except look back on the world of the living and wish vengeance upon their killer."

"Pinkie Pie...that cunt."

"Pinkie Pie? What did she do?"

"What are you talking about? You just said her name a few seconds ago! Pinkie Pie is the pony who killed all those ponies! She killed Rainbow Dash! She killed...me."

"No...I'm sure that Pinkamena is the one who killed you. Pinkie didn't have anything to do with it."

"What's that supposed to mean?! Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena are the same pony!"

"Are they now?"

"Huh?"

"Are they really the same pony? Is Pinkie Pie really the murderer? I know otherwise."

"What are you going on about?"

"You'll find out soon enough. I suggest heading off into town to talk to Rainbow Dash and the others. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about."

And with that, Susie disappeared. Aaron stood in silence for several seconds. He gave another saddened sigh as a single tear rolled down his face. He closed his eyes and thought about what Susie had said. She sure was a strange creature. What could she have meant by her cryptic messages? How could Pinkie Pie be innocent and be the killer at the same time? That possibility alone was a living contradiction! Aaron stomped his hoof on the ground hard and turned in the direction of town. He walked through the trees until he emerged on the path leading away from Sweet Apple Acres.

Rainbow Dash, Gilda, and Ridley were walking to Sweet Apple Acres. That had an urge to talk to Bellamina and Susie again.

"Do you think they'll be there?" Ridley asked.

"I'm not sure," Rainbow replied. "I hope they are."

"Wait a second," Gilda suddenly said. "Who the hell is that?"

They stopped in their tracks to see an unfamiliar stallion approaching them. They all took a closer look and recognized him. Aaron Crop approached them awkwardly. His face was full of hidden sadness and his eyes looked glassy and almost emotionless. Aaron came to a stop in front of Rainbow, Gilda, and Ridley and sighed.

"Rainbow Dash," he breathed.

"Aaron Crop," said Rainbow. They all stood in silence for a few seconds as the pieces slowly fell into place. "She...she got you too? Didn't she?"

"Yeah...caught me by surprise. It's a shame. I had just found a piece of definitive evidence that could prove that Pinkie Pie was your killer. I can only assume that she destroyed the evidence after she killed me."

"How...how are you taking it?"

"How am I taking in the fact that I'm dead? It's pretty rough, to be honest, but...that strange girl helped me feel somewhat better."

"What girl?"

"Susie Salmon. She's called a human, I believe."

Rainbow, Gilda, and Ridley turned towards each other and then looked back at Aaron.

"You've seen Susie?" Gilda asked. Aaron looked at Gilda as she awkwardly cleared her throat. "Oh...sorry. I'm Gilda and this is Ridley."

Ridley nodded at Aaron and the unicorn nodded back.

"Sorry about the whole...death thing," Ridley said. Aaron chuckled and gave a small smile.

"You don't have to be sorry. It's not like you killed me right? Though, I'm kind of confused about that topic myself," he said.

"You're confused about who murdered you? It's obvious that Pinkie Pie killed you!" Gilda snapped.

"Susie doesn't seem to think so."

"Huh?" Rainbow asked.

"I said that to Susie and she says that Pinkamena killed you and I but Pinkie Pie didn't. How does that make any sense? Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena are the same pony! But then, she went on to question the fact of whether or not Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena are even the same pony. I tell ya, that human girl is quite a character."

Rainbow fell silent. She thought back to all of her meetings with Bellamina and Susie. They had always been hinting a subtle fact to her. Pinkamena Diane Pie was her killer but did that instantly mean that Pinkie Pie was her killer too? It was a strange thing to question. How could your killer also be innocent of your murder? Then Rainbow thought back to the depressed Pinkie Pie sitting in the middle of the dark void. What did this all mean? Were there two Pinkie Pies? Was it possible? How could it even be possible?! Rainbow sighed and shook her head.

"Are you alright, Dash?" Gilda asked.

"Don't worry, Gilda. I'm fine," Rainbow replied. "I'm just trying to line the pieces up."

"Do you believe in that other afterlife, Rainbow Dash?" Aaron asked. Rainbow looked at Aaron and cocked her head.

"What do you mean?"

"Susie told me that a better world lies beyond those clouds. It's waiting for you and I. Do you believe in it?"

"Of course. I know there's something out there better than this dull town. There has to be."

"Good because I believe in it too."

Rainbow smiled. She then walked forward and gave Aaron a hug. It was awkward but it was also enjoyable. The two ponies separated and continued to look at each other.

"Does anypony want something to eat?" Ridley asked. "I could use something tasty right about now."

"Yeah," Aaron replied. "Something tasty sounds pretty fucking good."