Author's Note: okay, this is sort of a warning: a death scene will occur here. There're three of these.

Also, if you find mistake written in these chapters, I'm so sorry. I tried to make sure mistake is clean, but I might still missing some.


The summer night grew colder than usual, fog slowly build around the Everfree Forest as a young mare wandering around, alone. The lavender unicorn looked around for something, but she didn't remember what for certain. Her magic horn glow, push away the cold dark night in the forest, yet the warming light can't calm her fear and worry. Then she heard, neither a whisper nor a breeze; they're voices, went on and on around her, voices belong to her friends, screaming out at her at every directions:

"This is the worst thing that ever happens. The. Worst. Possible. Thing."

"You best be on your guard 'round him, Twilight."

"Oh no, please tell me it isn't true. Tell me she's gonna be okay. We can't start a party without her."

"Where is she?! Tell us or I swear you'll be sorry!"

"H-Help! P-Please, Twilight, h-help me! I'm scare. Somepony please let me out of here!"

The voices started to get louder and louder, the forest spinning out of control around her, making the unicorn covered her ears in vain. She felt like falling into the dark abyss below, though her eyes open, all she could see is darkness. The voices still creep in her mind, scrambling her brain, torturing her mind and soul. Then they all went silent but one whisper: "Though the evident tell one story, the truth lie between the lines."

Twilight suddenly jerk up from her slumber, and almost let out a loud scream. She stops herself short from waking Spike. Her heavy breathing and sweat soak her body as she look around. The room, the bed, where Spike is sleeping, everything seem to be normal. Calming her mind down after few more minutes, she sighed with relief: "what a nightmare." She looked over to her right and notice a blue hard-cover book next to her pillow, titled Rainbow turn Crimson blood.

"Note to self, do not read scary story before bed."

After an hour, Spike finally woke up from his lovely dream, he notice Twilight's bed is empty. He walked down, seeing her return to her usual daily work: rearranging the book in the library to its order again.

"Ah Spike, I'm glad you're up. Get the quill, ink and parchment ready."

"Making the to-do list for today, right?"

Twilight giggled: "Once again, you read my mind."

But before he could do anything, Spike felt a deep urge to throw-up. He opened his mouth and breathed out a small scroll tie in red ribbon.

"A message from Princess Celestia." Twilight opened the scroll and read it to herself. The content inside had her gasped in shock: "Quick Spike, we need to go to Canterlot immediately."

At Canterlot, inside a huge white castle window, a beautiful white alicorn with long flutter mane and tail with sparkling color and golden crown on her head, pacing back and forth with weariness and fear. The door swung open, stopping the alicorn from pacing as the lavender unicorn and her dragon assistant rush inside.

"Princess Celestia, we got your message and came here as fast as we can. Is it true?" Twilight asked.

The princess didn't say anything, she just guide the two toward a street with many unicorns gather around; lots of pegasi flying above taking picture, but can't get through the huge number of the crowd. The Royal Guard then clear the crowd for the Princess and her faithful student to went inside a house. Once Twilight and Spike take one look inside, they almost overwhelm with urge to throw-up.

Before their eyes is a yellow mare's body suspense above a pool of red blood that spread all over the floor. The rope tie from the ceiling down to the nail stump at the two front hooves, pointed toward the wall, the bottom hooves suspense straight toward the door with similar manner while the tail was glue around the body. The mare's entire body is covered with stitches, Frankenstallion style from the neck down all over her hooves.

Her neck is only a stump, missing her head; apparently it had been saw off. The head is found place inside the chimney; the unicorn's horn were cut clean off with her mouth stitched together. The mare's eyelids stretch up and sew on the forehead, forcing the eyeballs to be reveal with a horrifying look. The neck stump lies in a perfect alignment to the head.

After few minutes to calm and clean herself up, Twilight manage to look at the scene again, fighting the urge to throw up. Though she told Spike go somewhere else: 'This isn't something for a baby dragon to see.'

"Princess, what's happen?" she finally asked the princess.

"Her name is Holly Emerald." The alicorn explained, "Early this morning a mail-delivering Pegasus tried to deliver the package to Holly, but the door open from her knock, and she witness the scene as it were right now. Poor mare almost dies of a heart attack on the spot, but she managed to fly to the castle and told the Royal Guard about this before she fainted."

"B-but Princess, there hasn't any murder happen in Canterlot, or Equestria for all these generations."

"I know, Twilight, this is the first murder that ever happen. Somehow I'm fear this might not be the only one."

"But Princess, why did you send for me and Spike?"

"Because murder has never occurred in Equestria, there is no police force or any investigation team beside the Royal Guard. I heard about the mystery you solve on the train with Pinkie Pie, so I believe you are the right candidate for this."

"Princess, that was only a case to find whoever eat Pinkie's Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness desert, not something like this."

"You're the only one who capable to do this. None of my Royal Guards are train to investigating at all."

Twilight looked at the horrible scene, she makes a gulp and sighed before she turned to the princess: "I-I'll try."

"Thank you Twilight. This must be top priority, I'm afraid your learning the magic of friendship has to wait until we find the one responsible for this catastrophe. I'll have the Royal Guard assist you whatever they can." With that, the princess walked away, leaving the guard to stand and protect the scene. The last thing she need now is panic all over Equestria.

Twilight gave out a long sigh and began to look around for clues. She read enough mystery novels to know that's the first thing an investigator does. First stop is the front door, which she paid close attention to the keyhole outside. There are no sign of it getting tamper with, not a single scratch. She looked at the scene, trying to avoid looking at the body; she noticed the table have two tea-cup, one remain normal while the other is spill on the table. This, she concluded, mean the murderer was someone the victim knew, so she let him inside and invite him for tea. However, if a unicorn could unlock the door with the magic, a different scenario can occur.

Twilight returned her gaze to the crime scene. It's horrible, yet something about it seems very familiar:

When the news of a body was discovered, Crimson flew toward the house where the crime had happen. Before him lies a body of a headless mare floating above the floor by the strings as a lifeless marionette…Her eyes stare at Crimson without soul, without life, and reflect a horrid look on her face.

Twilight shocks back to reality, gasping for air. She realized why the scene was so familiar: this is a perfect replica of the crime scene in her favorite mystery novel.

As Crimson look carefully at the head, the stench of decay and rot were unbearable to handle, but comfort isn't priority when a murder had occurred. Crimson reached out to tore open the mare's mouth; inside is almost dry, but he could feel something round inside. He took it out, reveal a blue marble…

Twilight gulp before she used her magic to slowly tear the stitches and open the mouth. Inside her head the voice were screaming 'please be wrong'. But once the mouth is open, a small blue marble rolled across the floor, staring at Twilight with its cold unfeeling eye.

Upon returning to Ponyville, Twilight look like a walking corpse staring over the distant. Her assistant Spike looked at her, worry about the young pony's mind after seeing such horrifying sight. Then without any warning, the unicorn rushed back to the library before he can even blink. She rushed pass Sugarcube Corner, didn't notice Pinkie Pie waving hello at her or even her friends. When Spike finally arrived breathless, they all ask what happen.

Spike were worry; the Princess have gave them both a secret not to tell to anyone, even her friends, worry of panic might spread without stop. So he needs to think of a cover quick: "Um…Twilight just, forgot to rearrange her book again."

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other before return their gaze back to the dragon. The baby dragon gulp, knowing what that gaze mean.

Twilight almost turned her library upside down looking for those books; it's hard to look for something in her condition, especially when Spike isn't here. She finally found the book and quickly flip to the page she heard those narrations in her head from, and it almost made her drop the book down in the mess. Everything, the horrid picture, the paragraph word for word, was the exact lines from her favorite novel At the Crimson Tide. Everything was so uncanny, this only bring a question to her mind:

"Could Crimson be the murderer?"

Meanwhile at Sugarcube Corner, a bright light from the lamp almost blinded Spike as a toothless alligator bite his tail and trap him in the chair. At the table both Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at the little dragon with that scary stare again.

"Okay Spike, tell us what happen to Twilight that you don't want to tell us about?" Rainbow Dash said.

"Um…" Spike can feel his sweat came out, this is another déjà vu moment like that time Pinkie Pie bribe him with gemstone; only there is no gemstone to reward him at all.

"We know ya hidin' somethin', and if that have sometin' to do with Twilight, I beckon ya tell'n us the truth." Applejack added.

"Well, if you wouldn't mind, that is." Fluttershy quietly spoke, seeing how nervous the dragon has become.

Spike looked for a way out of this mess, but Applejack can really tell if he's lying from miles away. He knew he can't tell them the truth, but sooner or later the two ponies here will make him spill the bean.

"Ooh, maybe it's a surprise gift that Twilight prepares for my next surprise birthday party!" Pinkie Pie squeaked in joy.

"Pinkie, darling, your birthday happen last week." Rarity rolled her eyes as she reply.

"Oh yeah, that's true."

"Look guy," Spike finally spoke, "I really want to tell you guy, but me and Twilight promise the princess that we can't tell this to anypony, not even our friends. You have to understand, I'm sorry."

Spike closed his eyes, waiting for something to happen; after few moment of silence Applejack spoke: "Oh, why didn't ya just say so? If this is some secret the princess didn't want us to know about, then its fine by me."

Spike opened both his eyes and sigh in relief: "Oh thank goodness, I thought you guy will torture me to tell you about some murder in Canterlot."

Unfortunately Spike didn't realize what he saying until it was too late to cover his mouth.

"What!?" they all shout in unison.

Twilight pace back and forth in her library, questions still rush through her mind one after another; revolve around her head in unison. Deep down, she was scare; this isn't someone who ate the desert before anyone else, this isn't any accident that can be prevented, not even someone were horsenap to go look for any gemstone.

This is a real murderer case, a crime so travesty a mere banishment to the moon is paradise compare to what will happen. Not to mention since the murderer can kill, that mean he won't let somepony to stop him and might kill whoever get close to him. The thought scare her, but the one thing worry her most is how the crime so perfectly match to his work.

"Oh Celestia, please tell me it isn't true."

"What isn't true?"

The voice took her by surprise and made her let out a loud yelp. She turned and saw the black Pegasus stallion was standing by the door.

"Sorry to barge in; the door was wide open so…" Crimson looked around the library, "Wow, you should clean up this place. How can you find the book you were looking for in this mess?"

"Oh, Mr. Write, I…"

"Call me Crimson; I thought I told you already."

"Oh, y-you just took me by surprise, Mr…I mean, Crimson."

"Never mind that, what happen to you?"

"Oh, um…y-well, you see…I was, um, rearranging the library when you came in." she tried to let out a laugh, but it become an awkward giggle.

Crimson looked at Twilight in confusion, he then remembered: "Look, are you feeling uncomfortable after what I said to you yesterday?"

Twilight now became confuse on what he was saying.

"You see, when you're a writer, sometime your brain put word in your mouth without thinking. Don't worry about it okay; I didn't mean it like that."

Twilight's eyes widen when she realized what he meant: "Oh, that, well…" She ran her thought in full motion: if she shown him why she was worry, maybe he will clear thing up and prove his innocent. But if he is the killer, then showing her suspicion will bite her in the end. The thought of how she might get butcher or even torture ran through her head, and it made her afraid of him even more.

But when she looked in his eyes, somehow those calm and kind eyes smooth away those thought. In her mind, a part of her believes he is innocent. Maybe somepony framing him about that murder, so he staged the murder like the story. Because of how similar the crime is to his fictional work, they will put him at the prime suspect.

"Crimson, there's something I need to tell you."

Despite her promise, she believes…no, she knows Crimson is innocent, and since he wrote the story, he could be a big help to her investigation of the real murderer. "There was a real murder happen in Canterlot."

The word 'murder' put a shock in Crimson's eyes; Twilight then explained to him about the scene and how the princess asked her to investigate. At first Crimson stood silent after she told him everything; well, almost everything. But then Crimson sigh and giggle:

"Oh thanks goodness. That was a good joke you're trying to pull." He said.

"Huh?!"

"I really thought a murder was real. Good one Twilight. You just rephrase the quote-on-quote, perfectly I may add, of the At the Crimson Tide description. I must say your expression were really convincing."

"Crimson, I think you misunderstood."

"What do you mean?"

Twilight then show him the pictures of the crime scene she took that morning. The pictures show everything, even the blue marble on the floor. Those pictures brought Crimson's shock from earlier back. He then look at Twilight, but his gaze become…darker.

"Let me guess," he said coldly, "since the crime look exactly like how I describe in my work of fiction, I become your primary suspect?"

The black Pegasus slowly advance toward Twilight, his gaze become darker than before, almost to the point of emotionless and sinister. Twilight gulp, did she made a mistake trusting him? His advance make her pace back until she felt the wall stop her, but Crimson still walk toward her. She could almost feel his breathing against her face, including its warmth with his face only few inches away.

Then a voice suddenly came up: "Twilight, are you oak…?"

Both Twilight and Crimson look at where the voice came from and saw Applejack and the other staring at them by the door.

"Oh, are we interrupting something?" Rarity asked with a slight smile.

Twilight relief to see her friends here: "no, you didn't. I'm glad you're all here actually."

"Heaven to Betsy Twilight, I know ya get a bit lonely, but this ain't what I expected." Applejack said.

The thought of what Applejack mean make her face burning up with embarrassment.

"Don't worry," Crimson said, "I believe you all have a little misunderstanding."

Twilight looked at Crimson; that sinister glare is gone, replace with that normal kind eyes of his.

"Darling, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?" Rarity asked.

"Oh yeah, this is Crimson Write, the author which Twilight and I met yesterday. He's the one clear Pinkies name." Applejack introduced him for Twilight.

"Hello everyone." He wave at them.

"Why hello, my name is Rarity. May I dare say that your mane is magnificent; the curl, the waving, the shine, it simply cried out for attention with its perfection." One can almost see Rarity's eyes sparkle a little when she looks at Crimson if they look careful enough.

"And I'm Rainbow Dash, the fastest and most athletic pony in all Equestria." Rainbow Dash flew around the library, showing up her wing with a big smile across her face.

"The most boasting pony's more like it. Applejack's the name; me and my family own Sweet Apple Acre." Applejack shook his hoof up and down rapidly, making his hoof still moving after she released it for a split moment.

"And you already know me; I'm Pinkie Pie, party-thrower extraordinaire..." Pinkie Pie then gasped, "I forgot to have a welcome party for you yesterday. Let's me go get my welcome wagon."

With that, she dash right out of the room, leaving a pink trail behind; "Typical Pinkie," Twilight shook her head.

Crimson then notice another Pegasus on the back stay quiet all these time. He slowly approached her: "Hello there, what's your name?"

However, the Pegasus just kicked the ground a little while looking down. Crimson feel a bit awkward at this moment.

"Her name is Fluttershy. Don't mind her; she's just a bit shy when it comes to new pony." Rainbow said to him.

"Well, it is nice to meet you all."

Pinkie then returned to the room with a small colorful chest and pressed the button to play the welcome song to him and shower him with confetti. The song blown the black Pegasus minds a bit, making his ear ringing for a short while: "Why, thank you."

"You're welcome. I know, tomorrow I can have a welcome party for you. I can invite everyone in Ponyville to come and meet you; it'll be so much fun. I need to write the invitations, making all the cupcakes and punch for everyone. Ooh, I can use the hot air balloon to drop those invite to everyone…"

"Pinkie, we have a bigger problem to worry about here." Rainbow Dash snapped her out from her fantasy.

"Twilight, dear, we know what happen in Canterlot."

Twilight surprise at the comment until Spike came in, "Sorry Twilight, I guess I slip my mouth."

After more moment of explanation and showing, the atmosphere change dramatically. The pictures were horrible enough to make even Pinkie worry, and she's the most optimistic pony in the group.

"My goodness Twilight, you can't do this by yourself?" Rarity concern, "who know what that horrible thing does to you if he caught you."

"Then it official, you can count on us to help you in this investigation." Rainbow Dash shouted proudly to everyone.

"No, I can do this. I don't want any of my friends get involved in something as dangerous as this."

"Sweetie, we been with you from the beginning. You think some crazy maniac will scare us from helping you?" Rarity said.

"Heck, we even defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord together. You can't separate us now." Rainbow added.

"B-but, you guy…"

"Don't you fret 'bout us, Twilight, we can handle it." Applejack nudges her hip.

"Well, um…if you want. I'll help you anyway I can." Fluttershy finally spoke.

"And me too, it'll be one heck of a party once we caught the Mr. Meanie Pants." Pinkie added.

Twilight looked at all her friends, tears almost shed out of her eyes: "you guy…I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything, sugar-cube. We know what ya mean."

They all then gather for a big group hug. After awhile they heard Crimson clearing his throat: "I'm sorry to break up the moment, but there's a murder case to solve, am I right?"

Looking back and forth at the pictures, none of them can come up with anything. Twilight already gave them some of the clues she found that morning at the scene, though they only gave a very vague image to them.

"This is so boring!" Rainbow Dash said, "How long are we gonna look at these pictures anyway?"

"Rainbow, we only look at them for ten seconds." Applejack said.

"Why don't we just ask the detective over there?" She pointed at Crimson, "he'll surely know the answer."

Twilight looked at Crimson; she knows he knew the answer once he saw the blue marble. It was his clue in his story. But he stays quiet for awhile, probably to let off suspicion. The same goes to Twilight: even with her knowledge, solving the clue faster than few seconds is odd and might brought up question from her friends, question that she doesn't want to answer or reveal, at least not yet.

Finally, Crimson spoke: "I don't know about you all, but that blue marble must mean something."

"Ooh, I know this. Twilight explain to me before. It's called a clue; we need to find out what it meant." Pinkie stated out the obvious.

"Isn't that what I just said?" Crimson whispered to Rainbow Dash; make sure Pinkie didn't hear him.

"Trust me; you don't even know the half of it."

Inside her head, Twilight remembered the deduction in the story:

Crimson studied the blue marble; its crystal blue shined to his eyes, hinting him about what it could mean. Crimson then returned his gaze to the body above; the murderer leaved the body like this for a reason. He closed his eyes and began to fall down a spiral abyss to find the answer. The police mare and stallion looked at him, whispering to each other until Crimson suddenly open his eyes; reveal a small spark of light shine through the dark abyss of madness and evil around him.

"By Celestia I got it!" he shouted in triumph.

"Cloudsdale." Crimson said.

"What?!" the other said in unison.

"Look at the body's position," Crimson pointed at the picture; "Rainbow Dash, you and I both know why the body is suspense in the air."

When Rainbow Dash looked closer to the position of the body, she then noticed it almost immediately: "is it because she looked like she's flying?"

"Exactly; the two front hooves are the Pegasus' wings, the body is 'flying' toward the head, or in this case; the place where pegasi flew toward to: the floating city of Cloudsdale."

"Dear, that position could mean anything. How can you be so sure?" Rarity asked.

"That's where the blue marble comes in. Marble are known to be very pricy, sometime even use as a prize in ancient time. Rainbow Dash, what kind of prize is similar to blue crystal in Cloudsdale?"

With a gasp, Rainbow Dash realized what Crimson was hinting her: "The West Summer Wind Race Event, the first prize is a trophy mostly known for its blue gemstone engraves around it."

"Did you say 'blue gemstone'?" Rarity's eyes light up from hearing the word.

"Then we got our heading," Crimson spread his wings and prepare to take off.

"But why would the killer left something to warn us what he will do next?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know exactly," he told her, "sometime a pony's mind work in a weird way."

Rainbow understood, at least she believed so, so she and Fluttershy prepare to fly as well.

"Well Pinkie dear, we're gonna need that hot air balloon again." Rarity said to her.

"Wait, you can't walk on Cloudsdale. Only us pegasi can move around up there." Crimson looked a bit confuse.

"Don't ya worry 'bout us, Twilight here cast a spell that allow us to walk on cloud before."

"We were able to cheer up Rainbow Dash during the Young Flyer Competition since she got a bad case of stage fright." Pinkie rambled on, "Then Rarity get a bit over her head with her new wings, and she try to fly up to the sky but her wings got burn, and…"

"Okay, I got it," Crimson said to her, try to stop her from talking, "no need to tell me everything."

"Okei dokei lokei." Pinkie then hopped out the room to get the balloon ready.

Twilight looked around for the spell again, but her mind wandered from the goal. 'Something strange about Crimson, one minutes he's about to yell at me, the next he's kind again.' She knew this might get very dangerous, but she need to keep an eye on Crimson. One reason she hope that the murder happen while he's around, so he can be rule out; the other reason, well, it didn't take a genius to know why.

Crimson's sudden looked back at her almost make her shriek; that eye of him, still kind, but somehow scary:

"Remember Twilight, we need evident to back up the theory, never jump to conclusion without any fact." He said with a low yet commanding tone, as if he meant that both as an advice, but a threat as well. Twilight gulp, her mind still wonder if she made the right choice trusting him, but part of her mind still believe he's innocent. Either way, she needs to stop whoever the killer is before he painted Equestria with a trail of blood.