A Chance Encounter with Death

Was I really in love?

Days blurred by as I pondered the question. My resolve would swing from telling him, to taking my secret to the grave, then telling him again. Why would he want a little foal like me? I wasn't even 12 yet! Ugh. Life is so hard!!!

A week went by before I found another rose. This one was pink. Pink! Did that mean...? I shook my head. No, he was just being nice.

He was a death pony. And an adult. I was an ordinary filly. He would never be interested in me.

I gulped down the sweet that came with it anyway, eager to see my friend again.

I awoke, with Death smiling at me again. Straight away butterflies took off into my belly.

He leaned over and kissed my head, and the connection between us sparked to life. My forehead tingled where he had touched it.

'How are you, my little one?'

'I'm okay.' I guarded my thoughts carefully. I didn't want to give anything away about my feelings.

'Just okay?'

'Yeah.'

'Oh. Okay then.'

Death looked so sad at that moment, that it all came back out in a rush.

'ithinkiminlovewithyoubutimnotsurebutyoumakemefeelsonicebutidontwantyoutogoaway.'

Death looked at me, his eyes wide in shock.

'you...love me?'

I nodded, lowering my eyes. He was going to tell me to leave, and never come back. I just knew it. Cold fear gnawed at my belly.

A soft grey hoof was under my chin, lifting my head to his. My pink eyes met his black, and suddenly he kissed me!

It was only a light kiss, but my body felt like it was on fire! I just gaped at him stupidly.

'Bwa?'

'I love yoy too, you silly filly.' Death was blushing! He was blushing! He loved me!

Suddenly he frowned, and the cold feeling rushed back into me.

'But we cant be together.'

'Why not?' I pleaded.

'At least, not like this. You'd have to become a death pony too if we wanted to be together. It would mean you leaving your family behind, because they wouldn't be able to see you like this.'

Oh.

My heart plummeted as I thought about what he was saying.

'Never, ever?'

Death shook his head. 'Never ever. Until they die anyway.'

'I-'

Death cut me off. 'Don't decide now. Think about it before you choose. You have to be sure.'

I nodded solemnly.

'But for now, why don't we just enjoy the time we have?'

Beaming, I snuggled up to Death, and we just cuddled, enjoying the night. All too soon, it was time for me to go.

Death floated a candy out to me.

'I will come for you in 7 nights. If you choose to leave your family, leave your window open.  If you choose to stay with them, leave it closed. If its closed, we will never see each other again, I love you too much top go through the pain of losing you. But if its open, we can be together, forever.'

Death kissed me again as darkness closed in.

6 nights and one day later I sat on my porch, weighing up my choices. I really didn't have much here. No friends, Dad hadn't even called me since he and Mom split up, and Mom was working so much lately I rarely saw her outside of breakfast. No one would miss me, not really. Death loved me, he was with me every day in my heart, and he had always been there for me, ever since that Evil Pony.

I was firm. I had decided. Love conquers all, the fairytales dad used to read me taught me that.

Mom came in to kiss me good night.

'I love you, Mom.'

'I know honey. I know.'

I waited until I heard her door shut before leaping out of bed. I packed a small suitcase, and wrote a letter to Mom.

'Dear Mommy,

I am leaving, to be with my one true love. I will see you again when it is your time to die. Don't worry, Death would never hurt me.

Love always, Inkblot.'

Opening my window, I sat and waited.

Princess Luna's beautiful moon rose. Sure enough, as the first star twinkled, Death phased into my room. He looked so happy, tears were in his eyes. He ran to me, and kissed my lips before kissing my forehead.

'You chose me!” He was so happy, and so was I. I felt like I could fly with all the butterflies in my tummy!

'Of course! True love is the only think that matters, right?'

'Right.'

He kissed me again, and the world vanished.

♡♡♡♡

We were in a different room this time, dimly lit by lanterns. There was a strange table in the middle of the room.

'Where are we?' I asked my love, putting my bag on the floor.

'There's a special spell that has to be cast before we can truly be together.' Death murmured in my mind as he trotted to the table.

'It will be a bit scary, but it wont hurt. Ill be right here with you.'

He patted the bench, and I climbed up onto it.

'What do I need to do?' I asked, I was feeling very nervous.

'Just lay down.' Death replied.

I lay on my back, and he put these strange straps around all my hooves.

'Magical straps,' he smiled down at me. 'It will help.'

'With what? I asked.

'You'll see.'

He trotted off, and came back with a strap that had a ball on it.

'Open wide my love, and we can be together forever.' Death looked into my eyes. I hesitated slightly, something niggling at the back of my mind. He looked wounded.

'Don't you trust me?'

'Of course I do!' brushing away the thought, I obediently opened my mouth and the gag strapped itself onto me.

'Can you move?' Death asked, his voice full of love and excitement.

I wriggled in place, and shook my head.

'Okay. I'm just going to hit a button...' Death smacked a button with his hoof, and the table rotated so I was standing up, facing my beloved.

Looking up, I expected to see Death's caring face. Instead, it was as if a stranger stood there. His black eyes were dark and cold.

Fear rippled through me.

'Ohhh you are a stupid little bitch,' he sneered. 'Fell for it hook line and sinker.'

Death smoothed down his spiked up mane, exposing for the first time....a horn?! He sneered at me.

'Yep. Unicorn. A few vanishing spells, some mystical sounding bullshit and you trusted me. Didn't your mother ever warn you about strangers? '

'But you killed the Evil Pony!' My mind was reeling.

'Heart attack spell. It just so happened I was walking by, and a golden opportunity presented itself, with you as my next target.'

'But your cutie mark!' I thought in frantic confusion. The stallion leaned back, ripping off the decal covering his flank, exposing his true cutie mark.

A decapitated head.

The voice which had been silent for a year came back in full force as I began to scream.

☆☆☆☆☆

Officer Sunny and Detective Bean watched the small body being wheeled away from the blood splattered room.

'Another one.' Light said hollowly. 'That's seven so far.'

Bean nodded grimly.

'We will catch him. We have to. Celestia and Luna are relying on us to stop him.'

'Stopping a stallion who calls himself Death. This isn't how I imagined retiring.' Light coughed.

'I know. Come, we need to inform the parents, and get them to identify what's left of their daughter.'