Scarlet ran to the address Cliff gave her. She didn't know which house was his, but she'd figure it out when she got there. She just had to get there first. He didn't live too far from her, considering, but it still took a good ten minutes of running.

About a block away, she saw flashing red lights. Oh no…no no no no. She pushed herself faster, praying like hell she wasn't too late, but deep down, she already knew the answer, even if it wasn't one she wanted to accept.

By the time she got to the street, she saw an ambulance and a guard carriage. She rushed up to one of the medics, her mind a panicked mess.

"Excuse me, sir, w-what happened? D-do you know where Midnight Blue lives?" She asked the medic, but he just ignored her.

"Scarlet!" A voice whispered from behind her.

She turned around and saw a pony hovering in the shadows, lurking behind a tree in the front yard next door. She took a step forward, squinting her eyes against the dark. A beam of light passed by them, and the pony quickly ducked behind the tree, but not before Scarlet saw a flash of purple.

Scarlet's eyes widened. It was that Shadow mare! The one from the airship…and…and the memorial. What in the hay was she doing here?

Shadow Step peered from around the tree when she was sure no light was pointed toward them. She then turned to Scarlet. "Get outta here!" She whispered harshly. "You shouldn't be here!"

Shadow glanced at something behind Scarlet, who turned around to see Captain Shining Armor and Private Spearpoint stepping out of the guards' carriage, catching sight of Scarlet. Shit. These guys were everywhere!

That was when a couple walked out of the house, their faces full of grief. Scarlet turned around, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. She recognized the stallion from the memorial. It was Midnight's father. She gasped as behind him, two medic ponies rolled out a gurney, a black body bag on top.

She gasped as tears filled her eyes. No. She couldn't…she wasn't…she was too late. She already knew who was in that body bag. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. Tears filled Scarlet's eyes as she stared at the gurney that was being rolled into the ambulance carriage.

"Hey!" A voice called to her.

She jumped, her heart stopping when she saw Midnight's dad stalking up to her, his stride purposeful, his glare chilling, his eyes red from tears.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" He said, stomping up to her.

She stumbled back, tripping on her own hooves but catching herself in time. "I-I just came t-to…w-what h-happened?!" Scarlet stammered, her ears flattened, as she walked backward while the stallion did not stop stalking towards her.

"Didn't you see it?" He asked sarcastically, and even though it was a rhetorical question, she shook her head anyway. "He…he took his own life! Because of you!" Tears filled Midnight's father's eyes. "Because he felt guilty for leaving his brother on that damn airship!"

The stallion was getting closer and closer. She couldn't keep up with him. Suddenly, quick as a flash, in a literal flash of pink, Captain Shining Armor was between the two of them, putting a hoof up toward the stallion.

"Leave the young mare alone. Before you do something you'll regret." He said sternly, not moving as the stallion got close to his face.

"Get the fuck out of here!" The stallion yelled at Scarlet.

Scarlet blinked back the tears that were streaming down her face. She squeezed her eyes shut, turning away from the pair. "I-I'm so s-sorry. Th-this wasn't s-supposed to happen."

Scarlet ran off, tears in her eyes. She ran into one of the medics by accident, who happened to catch her in time. She gave a grateful nod, running off down the street, catching a glimpse of a white earth pony mare with a pink and yellow mane.

Scarlet stopped and they stared at each other for a moment. She was in the front yard of the house next door, hiding behind the bushes. She stared at her with wide eyes, bloodshot from crying. She looked at Scarlet as though for confirmation that what she thought happened…actually happened.

Scarlet took a deep breath and nodded, tears filling her eyes. Candy squeezed her eyes shut and began sobbing, shaking her head and collapsing to the ground in utter despair. She cried out, tears streaming down her face.

Scarlet stood there, unsure of what to do. She couldn't just leave Candy there, alone with her sorrow. But she also didn't want to overstep any boundaries either. Scarlet looked around, but nopony seemed to even notice she was there.

Sighing heavily, Scarlet walked to the sobbing mare, gathering her up in an embrace, and letting Candy cry into her. Tears fell from Scarlet's own eyes. Why…why couldn't she just get here sooner? Why couldn't she just save everypony? Why was she getting these premonitions if she just kept failing?

"Candy! Candy, dear, where are…oh, dear sweet Celestia. Candy!" A mare's voice called.

Both Scarlet and Candy looked up to see a pink unicorn mare with an aquamarine mane hurrying up to them.

"Mom!" Candy called, leaving Scarlet and rushing into her mother's arms.

"Oh, my baby. Are you okay? We heard what happened."

But Candy didn't answer. She just continued to sob into her mother's chest. Candy's mother glanced at Scarlet before whispering something in her daughter's ear. They hugged for a bit before Candy reluctantly separated from her mother and slowly walked to a stallion in the doorway who had a worried expression on his face. It looked like it took everything she had just to walk.

Candy's mom turned to Scarlet, a wide-eyed look on her face. "Are…are you…Scarlet Flare?"

Scarlet nodded, softly closing her eyes, prepared to be bashed in again like with Midnight's father, but instead, she found herself wrapped up in a tight embrace. Scarlet opened her eyes wide in surprise. This…was not what she was expecting.

"Thank you," the mare said, squeezing Scarlet tightly. "Thank you for saving my little filly."

And with that, the mare hurried off to her house, with her family. Scarlet just stood there, staring after the mare with disbelief, at a complete loss for words, even once the mare was safely inside.

In the past month and a half, she'd been scorned for her one premonition. Blamed. Feared. Pitied. But never had she been thanked. She didn't know what to do with that.

No. She did know. She had to fix things. Something wasn't right. She didn't know what that meant or how she knew, but something was…wrong here. It was like…something was taunting her. Giving her these premonitions, just to be a little too late. Something in her gut, almost instinctual, was gnawing away at her. And she had to find out what it was and what it meant before anypony else got hurt.

Scarlet looked at the tree on the other side of Midnight's house. And she had a feeling she knew where to start.

"Scarlet!" A voice called from behind.

Scarlet sighed. For the past month and a half, if she charged one bit to anypony who called to her like that, she'd have enough to buy herself ten new spellbooks by now. And those things were not cheap.

Scarlet turned around, only to stop, her irritation replaced by sympathy. It was Candy. She was jogging down the street, trying to catch up to Scarlet. Scarlet froze, letting Candy catch up to her.

She hadn't seen Candy since the night before, and she certainly didn't expect to see Candy now. And especially not with a small smile on her face. It was sad, and her eyes were still red from crying, but it was there.

"Candy Jolt, right?" Scarlet asked, pretending to still only be acquaintances and not having used her brother's connections to find things out about everypony she "saved".

"Yeah. But…everypony just calls me CJ. Except…except for my mom. I…I just wanted to…thank you for…for being there…you know last night. I didn't…mean to uh…to put that…that burden on you or…or anything."

Scarlet shrugged. "It's no big deal. You're allowed to break down like that. You had just lost your best friend." CJ flinched and Scarlet instantly felt bad. "Sorry."

"N-no, it's…it's fine," CJ said, nodding and swallowing back tears. "It's…it's still a little raw…you…you know?"

"Yeah…I guess…" Scarlet trailed off before she started to turn around and walk away.

There was silence for a moment before, "I don't blame you, you know. F-for Blue's death? I…I don't blame you."

Scarlet sighed heavily before turning around to look at CJ. "Well, that's a relief."

"S-sorry, that…that came out…wrong. I mean…I know Blue's father blames you but I…I don't."

Scarlet just nodded, not quite sure how to respond to that. She flashed Candy a grateful smile before turning back around and continued walking, just wanting to get to the address her brother gave her.

At least until she heard CJ yell, "You had another premonition, didn't you?"

Scarlet turned around, looking at CJ confused, saying nothing.

"That's…that's why you were there. Last…last night. Cause you had a premonition."

Scarlet was silent for a moment, not sure if she should tell CJ. On the one hoof, she deserved to know. It was her best friend's life that was on the chopping block and Scarlet was the one who was too late. But, on the other, Candy may start blaming Scarlet for not being in time. And Scarlet couldn't decide if that blame was misplaced or not.

Scarlet sighed, making up her mind. Honesty was the best policy after all. "Kind of. More like…half of one?" At CJ's confused look, Scarlet clarified. "Let's just say there was an owl…and a fan…a-a dress…and a slip of paper. Well, kind of on the dress part. It's…it's a bit…complicated."

Candy raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Must've been some vision, huh?"

Scarlet nodded, and the two of them stood in awkward silence. Candy wanted something, Scarlet knew that much, but she just didn't know what. Obviously, it was a big ask, if Candy's hesitation said anything.

Scarlet sighed, deciding to help out CJ for the sake of time. "What do you want?"

CJ swallowed, taking a deep breath. "W-well…you see, umm…I know what…what everypony says happened but…umm…I…I know Blue didn't…didn't kill himself."

"CJ…" Scarlet started, sighing heavily, but Candy interrupted her.

"No! I know Blue! He…he wouldn't have…have done that. He…he wouldn't have taken his…his own…life…"

Scarlet sighed. She, more than anypony, understood that ponies you think you know, do entirely different things when they're grieving. Like taking their own life, or…or abandoning their family.

Scarlet shook her head, banishing the thoughts. "Look, CJ, Midnight was grieving…he…he lost a brother. Maybe it wasn't something he'd normally think about doing but…well…he wasn't in his right state of mind…"

"No! Blue wouldn't have done that! He wouldn't…he wouldn't have left me like that!" Candy yelled, tears in her eyes. "He knew I needed him as much as he needed me!" Candy was silent for a moment, before she roughly wiped her tears away, and hardened her face into a determined mask. "And…and I'm gonna prove it."

Scarlet shook her head, knowing she was about to be dragged into something, but not knowing what it could possibly be. "And how are you gonna do that? Gonna ask him with an Ouija board?"

"No. I'm gonna break into the morgue."

Scarlet raised her eyebrows, her shock clear as day. Candy was gonna do what? What the hell would breaking into a morgue do? Midnight was already dead. It wasn't like she was gonna find answers on his body, especially since she had no idea what to look for. And…why was she telling Scarlet about it? Oh no. She wasn't gonna ask Scarlet for help, was she?

"You're gonna do what?!" Scarlet asked, her eyes wide.

"Break…break into the morgue," Candy repeated, though it was a little more uncertain. "Look, maybe…maybe the coroner found…something. You know, on his body. Something…something that proves Blue didn't commit suicide. You know?"

Scarlet was silent for a moment before asking, "So you want to break into the morgue instead of knocking on the front door and asking him like a normal pony?"

"I…I would but…you see…I'm…I'm not family. He can't tell me cause of…of confidentiality and…and all that. So maybe…maybe he has something on file or…or something."

Scarlet blinked, not sure she was understanding exactly what it was Candy wanted to do. "So, let me get this straight. You want to break into the morgue, steal legal documents to prove Midnight didn't kill himself, and then…what?"

Candy looked away. "I…I haven't gotten that far yet…"

Scarlet sighed heavily. Of course she hadn't. This was a half-baked plan that was probably going to blow up in their faces and they both knew it. "Yeah, you're probably gonna have better luck with the Ouija board."

Scarlet turned to walk away. This mare was crazy. Sure, something weird was going on, but breaking into a morgue to steal confidential papers? That was…well, that was what most ponies called crazy. This was…unbelievable.

That was when Scarlet felt a hoof on her shoulder. "W-wait. Please…just…I need your help."

"Why? You think I have experience breaking into morgues or something?" Scarlet asked sarcastically.

Candy was silent for a moment. "Truthfully? You're the only unicorn friend I have that…that would even hear me out. Let alone agree to help. I…I just thought a little…a little magic couldn't hurt."

Scarlet sighed. Ugh, what was she getting herself into? She had to admit, something wasn't right. Ever since the airship accident, Scarlet felt like something was watching her. Something lurking in every shadow, just waiting for her. Everything's just been…off. There'd been this dread building up like some kind of countdown to a bomb or something. She just…couldn't put her hoof on it.

Scarlet sighed again. She was so going to regret this. She just knew it. "Shit." She muttered to herself. This was the most asinine thing she could've ever agreed to. She chuckled bitterly. This may even top her brother's most idiotic prank, and he brought a fake bomb to school. "Fine. Whatever. But we need to make another stop first. I think I know somepony else who wants answers as much as we do."

The sound of machinery could be heard as the two mares approached the small, two-story house. They turned to see sparks flying around the path to the front door, and a dog lying on the ground not too far away.

When the dog noticed them, he stood up and started barking, running up to them, getting the attention of the owner. The dog sniffed them out and they gave it a few pets before turning to the pegasus hovering in the air. At the sound of their dog barking, they had turned off the machinery that had been creating the sparks and turned to their new visitors, wearing a dark grey jumpsuit and a welding mask.

As the two of them walked up to the pony, a leaf fell from the tree, making them pause for a moment. It felt like everything was dying before its time. Too early. Before it even got a chance to truly live its life.

"It's almost autumn." A mare's voice said as she took off her welding mask.

The two mares shook their heads, snapping away from those thoughts and walking up to the pony.

"It's only the end of June," Scarlet responded, wondering what this mare thought as soon seeing as autumn was another three months away.

"Yeah, but everything's always in transition. If you focus, even now, just one week into summer... you can almost feel autumn coming. I like being able to see the future. It's predictable. You can prepare." Shadow nodded her head to Candy. "Who's that?"

"This is CJ. She's one of the survivors of the airship explosion. Midnight Blue's best friend."

A sympathetic look appeared on Shadow Step's face. "I'm sorry about your friend. That must've been…tough."

"Why were you at his house last night?" Candy asked, getting straight to the point. At Shadow's confused look, Candy quickly clarified. "Scarlet…Scarlet filled me in on the way."

Shadow grabbed her welding mask before flying into her house as she answered, the two mares following her. "I'm not stupid. The Captain of the Royal Guards doesn't come down from the Crystal Empire for a simple teen suicide."

"He was already down here for the explosion. He was already in the area," Scarlet argued.

"Yeah. He ought to be investigating that. Instead, he comes down after hearing word of the suicide of one of the survivors? It can mean only one of two things." Shadow began to take off her jumpsuit. "Either they still have no idea what caused the explosion. Or they haven't ruled out anything…and the fact eight ponies got off the airship, is probably weird enough. Not to mention, one of those ponies had a vision," Shadow turned around and, seeing Scarlet's mouth open to argue the words used, shook her head. "Feeling or whatever you had…it was of the airship exploding minutes before it actually did, and that's highly suspicious. And it doesn't help that one of the survivors the visionary saved committed suicide."

"Blue didn't commit suicide," Candy said firmly, to which Shadow just shrugged.

Scarlet sighed. "Why were you there last night?" She repeated.

"In four years of high school…we haven't said one word to each other. But at that moment, on the plane, I felt what you felt. I didn't even know where those emotions came from…until you started freaking out. I didn't see what you saw, but I felt it." Shadow walked closer to Scarlet, standing just inches away from her. "You can still feel it, can't you? Something from that day is still with you. I know because I can still feel you. That's why I was there last night."

Scarlet blinked, turning away from Shadow. She had no idea what the hell Shadow was talking about, but she was right about one thing. Something from that day was still with her. And it felt like Shadow knew more than she was letting on. It just…didn't make sense. None of it did.

Shadow turned to Candy. "You feel it too, don't you? The connection?" Candy stared wide-eyed at Shadow but nodded all the same. "We're…we're connected now. I'm…I'm not sure why or…or how, but it's there. Something about surviving that explosion, when we all got off that airship, it…it connected us somehow."

Scarlet sighed, not sure what the hell these two mares were talking about. "You know, I've never dealt with death before. It just…feels like it's all around us."

"It?" Candy asked hesitantly, taking a step towards Scarlet.

"What if Midnight was just the first? Of us, I mean?" Scarlet wasn't sure where the hell she was getting these ideas, but she felt deep in her gut this was right. That she was on the right track.

"All the more reason to break into the morgue!" Candy exclaimed. "That way, we can see the body. We can see what's really going on here."

Shadow looked at the both of them, clearly confused, when Scarlet clarified. "CJ wants to break into the morgue to prove that Midnight didn't commit suicide."

Shadow was silent for a moment. "Breaking into a morgue," she said slowly in thought. "Sure. Why not? I'm free tonight."

Scarlet sighed. "Okay, it's a date, I guess. Tonight, we are gonna break into a morgue."

The moon shone high in the sky as the three mares climbed the roof of the building. Earlier that afternoon, Shadow had scoped out the building earlier and found there was a skylight they could enter in from.

Once they got to the skylight, Scarlet lit up her horn in a red aura and soon, the skylight was lit in the same magical aura. Scarlet floated the glass onto a flat part of the roof and softly set it down, trying to make as little noise as possible, all of their bodies tense.

They all breathed a sigh of relief when nothing happened. Shadow was the first to go, dropping herself from the skylight and using her wings to softly glide down to the floor. Candy was next. She was levitated by Scarlet and softly set on the ground. Scarlet then levitated herself, landing on all four hooves.

After glancing around the room, they quickly left it, sneaking down the hall, keeping their eyes and ears open for any sign of another pony. They finally got to a set of double doors with a sign that said 'Post-Mortem Examination Room'. Taking a deep breath, Shadow took out her pick set and began picking the lock until she heard a click.

Smiling, she slowly opened the door and snuck in, with Scarlet right behind her. Candy hesitated before she too entered, small tears building in the corners of her eyes. When they entered, they found the room was rather small. The shelves against the wall were filled with medical supplies and tools. In the middle was a silver metal table and on top of it lay a body.

"Is…is that…him?" Scarlet asked, putting a hoof to her nose to block out the putrid stench that only came with decaying bodies.

The body before them was so pale, so grayish. His once vibrant dark blue coat was now a pale grayish blue. It was so limp, so still, it was impossible to mistake him as sleeping. They understood where the saying "as still as the dead" came from. The face was hardly recognizable, and his skin and fur looked…waxy.

Even Candy hardly recognized him, but she did. She knew who that was. "Y-yeah. That's…that's him…" Candy said through the tears, trying her best to hold back a sob. She swallowed back tears, though her voice still wobbled. "But…whatever it was that…that made him…him is…is definitely gone."

Suddenly, as they stood there staring, one if his hooves spasmed, jumping up before dropping back down on the table, scaring the hell out of the three ponies.

"Holy sweet mother of Celestia!" Scarlet exclaimed, her heart racing, wondering if this would be a real life version of the book The Walking Dead.

"Careful where you tread, or you will wake the dead," a calm, mysterious voice spoke up.

All three ponies looked up to see a creature with a light grey body with dark grey stripes, teal eyes, and gold hoop earrings, neck rings, and bangles. She smiled softly at the three ponies before approaching the body with a curious expression.

"W-who are you?" Scarlet stuttered, her heart still racing with fear, and surprised that this…creature isn't the least bit upset to find them there.

"I am Zecora of the Everfree Forest. I was asked to come by Captain Armor for my particular…skill set. We have a mutual relation. He said this was a…delicate case that was top priority. He wanted somepony he could trust implicitly."

"W-why did his hoof…move like that?" Candy asked, pointing at the body.

"Chemicals. The vascular flush creates cadaveric spasms that do something identical." Zecora answered as she pulled out a small fabric bag and started putting candles around the body.

"Um…I-I'm his…his friend and…" Candy started, only for the mare to interrupt.

"I know who you are, Candy Jolt. You three are the few who left before that airship could explode."

Zecora turned her gaze to the three ponies, a knowing twinkle in her eyes. The three of them felt a bit uncomfortable around the strange mare, but at the same time, she felt like the only one who would understand what they came here for.

That was when Shadow noticed something. "What…what are those markings…on his back?" She asked, pointing to the purple blobs on his back and wings.

Zecora smiled a knowing smile. "Those are bruises formed by something from above. Perhaps something held him down when he tried to push himself up."

The three mares were silent before it seemed to click for Candy. "Push himself up. Like…up out of the water. So, if something was holding him down…" Candy trailed off, hoping this was the evidence they were looking for.

Suddenly, the candles lit, catching the three mares by surprise. They didn't see Zecora light the four candles. The three mares blinked, but the strange mare ignored them. She looked over the body once, before glancing back up. The smallest golden glow appeared but disappeared as soon as the three ponies looked at it.

Zecora leaned in closer before smiling to herself softly. "It seems your friend did not take his life. I hope this alleviates any strife."

"How…how do you know?" Scarlet asked, tilting her head, confused.

"Right here, you see. A cut and bruising are forming. It suggests rather than dunking his head willingly, it was forced down and hit the bottom quite harshly. And a bruise here on his gut. Perhaps the way he landed on it was quite abrupt."

"Which means…it was an accident!" Candy exclaimed, smiling widely.

Suddenly, the candles went out, leaving them in the dim light of the room. All the mares turned to Zecora, who had a dark look on her face. "In Death, there are no accidents. No coincidence, escapes, or mishaps."

Scarlet chuckled nervously. "You talk about death as though it's a living being."

"Death goes by many things. You might know the name Grim Reaper, known for its popularity."

"Grim Reaper? You mean the creepy pony with a cloak and scythe that stands on a boat and takes bits for passage to hell?" Shadow asked.

"I think your combining myths." Candy whispered to Shadow. "Charon is the one who gives ferry rides to the underworld. The Grim Reaper just has the cloak and scythe."

"I assure you death has neither. It was ponified so others could understand it better. Death is as real as you and me, though instead of something physical, it's a force you can't see. Every single move we make…from the monumental…to the mundane…it's all part of Death's sadistic design...leading to the grave."

All the ponies looked at each other, the fur on their back rising. A chill went down Scarlet's back, and while she didn't want to believe it, she couldn't help the feeling in her gut that told her this sounded right. That this was the answer she was looking for.

"Design…" Scarlet muttered in thought, thinking of how she saved eight souls, including herself, from dying in the accident. "Does that mean if…you figure out the design, you can cheat Death?"

"Scarlet, you've already done that by walking off the airship. Your friend's departure shows that Death has a new design for all of you, a new written script. Now you have to figure it out…how and when it's coming back for you the second time round."

The three ponies shivered as their hearts raced and their bodies tensed, and it suddenly felt like there was something else in the room with them. Something they couldn't see.

"Play your hunch... if you think you can get away without getting in deeper." The striped mare continued. "But remember...the risk of cheating the plan... of disrespecting the design... could incite a fury to terrorize even the Grim Reaper."

Suddenly, another hoof spasmed and the ponies were all so tense and focused on what Zecora was saying, that they all screamed and jumped back, causing Zecora to chuckle darkly.

"Wow…Death does not sound like it wants to be fucked with," Shadow muttered bitterly.

"Can we please call it something other than Death? Calling it that just…just gives me the creeps." Candy asked, shivering again.

"Umm…quick question…if Death is such a stickler for patterns and such, why did Scarlet have that premonition…you know, of the airship exploding?" Shadow asked.

"Death is apart of us all. It's how we age, getting closer and closer to the end we try so desperately to stall. But even Death has its weak spots, and it seems Scarlet, here, had access to one."

The three of them were silent for a moment before Scarlet sighed. "Right…well…thanks. We should really get going though. But it was nice to meet you and… you've been a big help. Thank you."

"Of course, dear fiillies. But we shall see each other again, sooner than you might think."

Author's Note

AND YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO FUCK WITH THAT MACK DADDY!