Twilight returned to the library to find Sunkick and Applejack sprawled on the floor.

"Applejack?! Sunkick?!" she cried as she rushed to their sides. She tried to wake them up but their bodies were as cold as ice. "Come on! Wake up! Wake up!"

She needed to get help immediately. They could be dying or...no! They weren't dead! She knew they weren't dead! She gave a sigh of relief as their eyes slowly opened and warmth quickly returned to their bodies. The unicorn wrapped them up in a giant bear hug as they regained their senses.

"Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"Thank Celestia you're alright! For a second there I thought that you two had died or something!"

Applejack and Sunkick looked at each other for a brief moment before pulling themselves off of the ground.

"Are you feeling better now?" Twilight asked. Sunkick looked at her but his face seemed different. It looked more mature and stern than it had previously looked. Applejack also looked different. It was hard to describe but it was if they weren't themselves. "The tea should be ready soon. I'll go check on it."

"Oh fuck the tea! We've got more important matters to discuss!" Sunkick snapped. Twilight was taken by surprise. Something was definitely wrong. She looked at the earth pony and the pegasus and examined them closely.

"Applejack. Sunkick. Is everything alright?"

Applejack smiled and laughed a bit. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. She approached Twilight and came to a halt just a few inches from her. Twilight could feel a different aura emanating from the orange pony. It was different but also familiar. Applejack drew her face close to Twilight's and vice versa.

"Everything's just fine, egghead," Applejack giggled as she locked lips with Twilight. The kiss must have lasted for only three seconds but it felt like an eternity of bliss for Twilight. When their lips parted, Twilight found herself staring into a familiar, cyan face. She looked to where Sunkick was standing only to see a black unicorn smirking at her.

"R...Rainbow Dash. A...Aaron," she breathed.

"Nice to see you again, Ms. Sparkle," Aaron teased. Tears began forming in Twilight's eyes. She was speechless. What could she possibly say? Her dead friend and dead investigation partner were standing right in front of her. She didn't know whether to feel happy, sad, frightened, confused, or just shocked.

"Cat got your tongue, egghead?" Rainbow asked. The pegasus was smiling but it was a sad smile. A casual tear made its way down her cheek every few seconds. Twilight eventually broke out of her trance and grabbed Rainbow in a big hug. Rainbow smiled and closed her eyes as she hugged her friend back.

"Don't I get a hug?" asked Aaron as Twilight and Rainbow parted. Tears were now rolling down Twilight's cheeks. She smiled sadly and gave Aaron a huge hug. She was still in shock as the black unicorn pulled away from her. "I know this is a lot to take in, Twilight, but you've got to listen very carefully."

Rainbow walked up to Twilight and wiped the tears from her own eyes and then from Twilight's. Twilight regained some form of control as Rainbow gave her a comforting look.

"Are...are you here to tell me who killed you?" she asked. Rainbow nodded and looked at Aaron.

"Why don't you do all the talking, Rainbow Dash?" Aaron asked with a snarky tone. Rainbow looked at Twilight and stroked her cheek with her hoof.

"The truth hurts, Twilight. The pony who killed Aaron, me, and all of those other ponies is...Pinkie Pie," Rainbow sighed. It was too much. Twilight began crying her eyes out again. "Hey, hey, hey. I'm not done explaining all the details yet." Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes as she beckoned Rainbow to continue. "The Pinkie Pie who loved and cared for everypony, the Pinkie Pie who was our friend, is not the same Pinkie Pie who killed me."

"What do you mean?" Twilight choked.

"You see, a little over a year ago Pinkie began having terrible nightmares. She went to you for help. Do you remember?"

"Yeah. I cast a simple spell to help clear her mind of the nightmares she had been experiencing."

"Well that was the beginning. Pinkie soon regained the memories of Bellamina's murder. The magic from your spell mixed with the anger, sadness, horror, and despair brought on by that memory and soon Pinkamena Diane Pie was born."

"Pinkamena Diane Pie? Isn't that-"

"Pinkie Pie's full name? Yes. That's just the name we've given to Pinkie's dark twin."

"Her dark twin?"

"It's confusing but you'll understand in a moment," said Aaron. Rainbow cleared her throat and continued.

"Pinkamena is basically a darker version of Pinkie Pie. She's an alternate personality of sorts, but she's an alternate personality with a soul and a will. She slowly began to eat Pinkie from the inside out. Eventually, Pinkamena gained full control over Pinkie's body, shoving Pinkie's spirit deep into her own subconscious. Pinkamena is the one who killed me and the others, not Pinkie Pie," Rainbow stated sadly.

"I...I can't believe it," Twilight gasped. "It's all my-"

"Don't you dare say that it was all your fault! You were trying to help Pinkie! If you hadn't cast that spell then Pinkie would have been driven mad by her nightmares! There was no other way!"

"But still, I helped create...Pinkamena."

"It's not your fault, Twilight. This all began ten years ago when Pinkie witnessed Bellamina's murder. It's Bellamina's murderer, Rufus, that's to blame and nopony else."

"Sunkick knew about Pinkamena...didn't he?"

"Yes," Aaron replied. "He's known about it since the day of my funeral."

"If Sunkick knew about it...then why didn't he tell anypony?"

"Pinkamena knew that Sunkick suspected her and in order to keep him quiet she kidnapped Scootaloo to use as leverage," Rainbow replied.

"Scootaloo! Is...is she-"

"She's alive. Listen to me, Twilight. Pinkie Pie currently has a hold over Pinkamena but it's not going to last forever. Once Aaron and I return to the afterlife, I want you to do two things. One: you need to send Sunkick and Applejack to rescue Scootaloo. She's being held in a shack just a little ways off the right side of the trail that stretches between the entrance of the Everfree Forest and Zecora's house. You've seen it before when you went to help Fluttershy and Zecora that one time."

"I remember."

"Two: I need you to confront Pinkamena and...and-"

"You're going to have to kill her," Aaron finished. Twilight and Rainbow fell silent. Was she really hearing this. Were Rainbow Dash and Aaron actually asking Twilight to murder somepony?!

"I can't. Even if she is a monster...Pinkie Pie is still in there somewhere," Twilight uttered.

"I don't want Pinkie to die either but, as long as Pinkie is alive, Pinkamena will always be a threat," Rainbow said sadly. "Me and the others won't be able to pass on completely until all the loose ends are tied up."

"What...what's going to happen to Pinkie Pie?"

"Hopefully she'll gain an afterlife of peace."

"And Pinkamena?"

"She'll get what she deserves," Aaron grumbled. He walked over to Twilight and patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sorry that we're asking you to do such a task and I'm sorry that I went and got murdered like that."

"You don't have to apologize, Aaron. I...I know what I have to do now. I have to end this. It all ends today."

Twilight looked at Rainbow, their saddened eyes met in a lustful gaze.

"This is the last time that I'm ever going to see you, isn't it?" she asked. Rainbow sighed.

"For a while, yes. I'll always be watching over you and the others. Then, one day, we'll be together again."

"We'll be together for all of eternity."

"You should see what's waiting for us, Twilight. It's beautiful."

"There's...something I wanted to tell you, Rainbow Dash. I wanted to tell you this the night you asked me to ask Celestia about Stormflower's gift but I chickened out at the last second. I-"

"I know, egghead. You don't have to say it."

"But I want to! This is my last chance to tell you this! Okay. Here it is. I...I...I-"

"Spit it out already!" Aaron snapped.

"I love you, Rainbow Dash!"

Tears began streaming out of Twilight's and Rainbow's eyes.

"I love you too, Twilight Sparkle," Rainbow said happily.

They stared into each other's smiling faces for several silent seconds until Aaron said, "You know, this is where you make out."

The two mares nodded and locked lips once again. This kiss was much longer and much more enjoyable. Aaron took a few steps back and smiled as he watched the two lovers express their true feelings for each other. Twilight didn't know how much time had passed during the kiss but she still felt sad when their lips parted.

"It's almost time to go," Rainbow said.

"I can feel it. The afterlife is pulling us back," said Aaron.

"I know what to do," said Twilight as she turned between Rainbow and Aaron. Rainbow gave Twilight one small kiss on the cheek as she took a sad step back.

"Until we meet again, Twilight Sparkle," she said. Twilight smiled.

"Until we meet again, Rainbow Dash and Aaron Crop."

Aaron gave Twilight one last hug before walking to Rainbow's side.

"And one more thing," he said.

"What's that?"

"Tell Brutus that he has a successful career ahead of him as long as he doesn't keep shoving his head up his ass every now and then."

Both Twilight and Rainbow laughed and Aaron chuckled warmly. Rainbow and Aaron closed their eyes and looked towards the heavens. Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, Applejack and Sunkick were staring back at her.

"Goodbye," she breathed. It took a few seconds for Applejack and Sunkick to awaken from their trance.

"Are we back?!" asked Applejack as she looked around the library.

"It appears so," replied Sunkick. He noticed Twilight's saddened face and sighed. "You talked to Rainbow Dash and Aaron, didn't you?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"What did they say?" Applejack asked.

"They told me where to find Scootaloo and what to do about Pinkamena."

"Pinkie Pie."

"Susie explained everything to Applejack," Sunkick said.

"Who's Susie?" Twilight asked.

"It's a long story. So where is Scootaloo?"

"She's in a shack in the Everfree Forest. It's just off the right side of the pathway between the entrance and Zecora's house. I need you two to rescue her."

"You can count on us! Wait...what about Pinkamena?"

Twilight sighed and looked out through the rain-covered window.

"Leave Pinkamena Diane Pie to me," she replied grimly.