"Disease," regal hoof steps retreated to their throne. The tall alicorn repeated the word with a motion of her lips. "The thought has crossed my mine before, yes."

"What do you think of the likelihood of it being the case then?" Locks questioned the Princess. "There's an entire civilization of ponies to consider if it turns out to be true."

"And trust me in that such a possibility has been put into question before." Celestia turned back towards her subjects. Locks, Amethyst, and Steele stood in a line before her.

The youthful detective broke the formation with a step forward, "And what actions where taken to test the accuracy of that suspicion? Did any profitable results come from the study?"

"None, I'm afraid. We couldn't find a source." Celestia took a seat, signaling with her hoof for the trio to do the same.

"Locks, Celestia and I went over this before, but aside from a quick sweep through the main city hospital records, there's not much of a trail to follow," Steele added. "We had the Agency fish through any files that might've been connected to the symptoms that Conroy had up until his death, but there's no hard evidence to confirm or deny that there was a virus or disease behind the whole thing."

"I see," Locks shook his head. "But just for the moment, let's just assume that it were true. What could we do about it, and what would it mean for the case? Wouldn't Conroy's studies be enough to contain Scarlet? It's implied that she might be infected with the same exact virus that took down Detective Justis."

"That's true," Celestia nodded. "If it's contagious, then we'd have an epidemic on our hands." She looked straight at Locks, "However, none of this is the case."

"Or can be proven to be the case," Steele continued. "We work with what we got. Chasing wild theories like this one only leads to wasted time. Were this string of events controlled by a criminal, the body count would only rise while we just stood around hunting down fantasies."

"If it turns out to be what you feel it to be," Celestia said, "Then we'll take the appropriate action. For now though, we're unable to do that."

"Damn," Locks muttered under his breath. "Very well then. I'll continue my investigation." He paused, clearing his throat. "If I might also be bold, your highness?"

"Hmm?" Celestia's smile grew. "Ah, by all means, detective."

"I'll do my job. But I also like to express my disappointment in this meeting. I'm opposed to just letting this theory go just because we lack proof."

Celestia gave him a quizzical look. "You're an eccentric stallion, Locks. I won't stop you from believing what you wish."

The cyan colt exhaled with a slouch before straightening up. "There's another subject I wanted to discuss with you, Princess."

"You may."

"Prior to, and up until the day Detective Justis died, he was pursuing an independent study of his own, which took him to the Everfree Forest that very morning that he was killed."

"That is correct," Celestia's horn glowed with a soft golden aura. A nearby teacup hovered towards her muzzle.

"I was curious as to whether or not he might have told you anything in concerns to his investigation. You, Steele, and Justis were all close, were you not?"

The large alicorn finished sipping at her drink. "It's true that Conroy and Flex are friends of mine. Steele and I worked on the initial write ups to the cases assigned to both you and Miss Trace. Any information I might've known about his whereabouts or details would be in those files."

"So whatever you know up to now is in those documents?" Locks tilted his head a bit.

"Are you suggesting that I'm hiding something?" Celestia mused. "I don't think I have to tell you what trouble you can get into for trying to antagonize me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Locks grinned. His crimson eyes twinkled amidst the tension in the throne room. "However, even a Princess can make a mistake. I'm just ensuring that this particular theory isn't the case."

Celestia's concentration tightened on his gaze. "Locks, are you mocking my perception?" She stood upward, towering above him, looking down upon her subjects. "What I know is in those files. There is very little that I know otherwise."

"I'm just doing my job, Princess," Locks said. He turned to meet with Amy's concern and Steele's irritation at his arrogance with royalty. "Don't get me wrong, Princess. I trust you, and I fail to see why you'd ever hide something. You understand that I'm just doing what I can, don't you?"

The alicorn Princess' wings flapped in the air, leaving small fragments of her feathers dangling in the air. "I do. I also expect that you understand that I'd never intentionally be unfaithful to any of my subjects. Equestria has been nothing but kind to me, and it is my obligation to treat this land as it has treated me." She eased up her poise, forcing a breath of relief from the daring young colt.

Celestia couldn't help but chuckle as she relaxed her body. "It's so amusing. You Artifacts treat everything so different from everypony else. I like that in you. Going so far as to use your abilities on your very own Princess. You're nothing short of daring and bold, detective."

"Sometimes crazy is the only way I can get the job done, your majesty," Locks bowed to her.

"And tell me. What did you find within me?"

"I beg your pardon, Princess?" Locks lifted his head to meet her.

"Playing these mental games with someone one millennium your senior isn't wise," she laughed. "I'm well aware of what you can do. What did you find?"

Locks' eyes twinkled once again. "Concern. A little bit of irritation," he joked. "But above all else, love. A kind of love that's difficult to come by these days."

Steele snorted at the comment. "Your majesty, we're wasting time here."

"Don't speak such nonsense," Celestia scolded him. "Watching an Artifact evolve is a wonderful thing. I'm a pony whose power is that of breaking the dawn, and showering the world with a radiant glow that warms the body and soothes the heart. I'm a Princess, whose had the opportunity to watch our race grow with a sense of pride and dignity, and who has always encouraged ponies to open their hearts to others.

"I'd trade all of that, just to watch an Artifact grow. From start, to finish.

"It's not a waste of time, Flex." Celestia closed her eyes, "It's a beautiful reminder of just how far we've come."

"Your majesty," Steele apologized. He turned away, prepping the group to leave. "Does that cover everything that you wished to discuss, boy?"

"Almost," Locks called back, not breaking eye contact with his ruler. "Your majesty?"

"Yes, Locks?"

"You've honored me with this opportunity to speak with you tonight. I'm grateful."

"The pleasure was all mine," Celestia bowed to him. "Please, do send me a message if you need anything else in the future. Steele will keep an open line with me at the Agency."

"Absolutely, your majesty." Locks gave her a sly look, "Perhaps we could even have a change of scenery next time. You ever try a cup of joe down at Canterlot Square?"

Celestia's face was expressionless at the invitation. "I...can't say I have."

"We'll do lunch sometime then," the detective grinned. "My treat."

The smile returned to her face. "I'll keep that in mind for the future, detective."

As Locks bowed to take his leave, he turned his head around, the jubilee in his face all but vanished, "You have shown nothing but faith in your subjects, Princess. I'll live up to your expectation, and crack this case before anypony else gets hurt. I promise."

=====

"I think this might be the only time I've ever envied Scrawl," Steele huffed the moment the doors to Celestia's throne room shut behind them. "Because if I had diplomatic immunity, I'd use it to kick the shit out of you, Locks."

"I wouldn't expect any less of you, sir," Locks stuck his tongue out at him.

"She's rubbing off on you too. Fantastic," he rolled his eyes. "The last thing I need are two insubordinate, top ranking officers on my hooves."

"Relax sir," Locks assured him. "I'm fine. I'm just a bit...well..."

Steele, in a move that Amy nor Locks anticipated, loosened up his shoulders. "It's okay son. That's just the adrenaline that comes from standing up to your ruler." His eyes seemed to wander, "Conroy used to do the same thing all the time. The little shit always got a kick out of it. Just like you."

"Sir?" Locks looked at his boss with curiosity.

"Just remembering better days," Steele looked away from him with a sigh. "I can't deny that you know how to work your client, Locks. Anypony else in there and they'd be pacing a dungeon cell right now."

"Yeah, the thought did come to mind," Locks sheepishly agreed. He felt a nudge to his side coming from the silent pegasus that had experienced the entire event unfold. Amy looked at him with concern in her eyes.

Amy whistled faintly through her tool.

"Thanks Amy," Locks smiled at her. "I appreciate the concern. I had to make sure that she was honest."

"You would've gotten a kick out of her face when you invited her to a drink, boy." The detective and his guardian almost gasped when Steele's permanent frown nudged slightly upward. "It's been a long, long time since I've seen the Princess in a state of shock or surprise. Made my night."

Locks pulled ahead of the group. "I didn't have to see it," his eyes flared.

As he pulled away, heading towards the Agency's office, Amy couldn't help but lag behind with her boss. Her whistle tweeted into the night in short bursts.

"You mean to tell me that he never told you before?" Steele remarked at her tone. "I'd think he'd have shared it with the two of you at some point."

Amethyst whistled a response.

"I doubt Trace knows if you didn't. I didn't make a mistake back there with what I said."

She blew another note into the sky.

"Well, now you know. He has amaurosis.

Amy's wings flared to life, preparing to catch up to her precious friend. She blew one final note at her boss.

"Blind, Amethyst. Domino Locks is blind."

=====

SEVERAL DAYS LATER

The putrid hiss hovered about along the thin, unkempt tracks that spiraled throughout the Everfree Forest. Numerous trees that lined along the weak path reached upward into the sky, sloping back down into the forest. Sunlight barely made it through the thick swarms of greedy trees and their branches, covering the pathway ahead in a spectacle of bright spotted blots on the pathway.

Zecora, a unique creature amidst the triad of ponies trailing behind her, watched the roads for any danger that could be looming. She dusted her worn, brown coat of the dried up leaves that had rained down on them over the past night.

Fluttershy and Scarlet were wedged behind their zebra friend, with Jessica bringing up the rear. The yellow mare carried with her a very modest travel pack, including a small tent and several bags of snacks, including a variety of nuts, fruits, and vegetables. She showed no signs of struggling with her equipment, though, Scarlet noticed, she still trembled between every other step.

'She's not the bravest of the Elements,' Scarlet couldn't help but think as she stepped over some loose tree roots that lay stretched across the ground. The roots almost seemed to pulse with a malicious energy as they traveled along the paths. 'Though in all fairness, I can't say that I'm doing any better,' she shuddered at the stillness of the air around them. The wind refused to blow on this quiet day, the third in their mostly uneventful journey. Scarlet couldn't help but pick at her outfit again, still not entirely comfortable with her new attire for Everfree.

Three long days had passed since the beginning of their trek. The first day was entirely dead of activity from the forest. Zecora, with her fascinating vernacular, explained that they were on the very edge of the forest, so it was to be expected. On the second day, Scarlet had been inches away from being turned into soulless granite by a nearby cockatrice before Fluttershy managed to tame the foul creature.

Jessica had spent the entire morning reminded the group, Scarlet in particular, of the experience.

"I hadn't seen you so stiff since your first days at the Agency, lovely." Jessica hummed, turning her head every few minutes to ensure that they were safe. "It's been so long," she peered at the rest of the group, having the perfect vantage point to see the group's collective backsides, "And you've become such a lovely young lady since then."

Scarlet tightened her tie around her collar, as if doing so kept a Jessica-free barrier around her body. "W-well, I didn't expect it to just kinda charge out of the bush like it did." She looked at her hooves, "I still feel a little numb from the legs because of it."

"Umm, excuse me," Fluttershy added, "It's a side effect that comes from being turned into stone. I've experienced it once too. It'll be gone soon."

"I don't doubt it," Scarlet felt relieved at her reassurance. "Really puts into perspective how wild it is out here. Everything is just so..."

"Untamed?" Jessica helped her out. "Wonderful, isn't it? Everything goes wild and does as they please. It's the ultimate form of freedom."

"I'd expect someone like you to love this kind of atmosphere Jess," Scarlet huffed. "I just want to move along. The sooner we get to this Gemini and out, the better."

Zecora called out from the front of the group, having pulled a bit ahead. "We'll need to find shelter very soon, unless you wish to travel with the moon."

"Too dangerous at night," Jessica immediately responded on behalf of the three ponies lagging behind. "Scarlet was almost made into a mare-sized statue because we decided to move at night. It's probably best if we just relax once the sun has gone."

"Sounds good," Scarlet picked up the pace to close the gap with the zebra, "the sun's not gonna be up for much longer. Let's clear as much as we can before then."

Scarlet took a moment to tug at the string wrapped around her neck, feeling beads of sweat run down the back of her neck amidst the thick, humid atmosphere of the forest. The fedora hanging from the thread bobbed about as she did her best to loosen the grip Jessica’s invention had on the base of her throat.

“We are going to have to find a place to rest soon,” Scarlet reminded the group while straightening her tie. “I’m starting to feel some very unwelcoming vibes coming from beyond the walkways here.”

Jessica floated above the group, but still below the tree tops, scoping out the rest of the path ahead. “The road’s condition is getting worse. I doubt very many ponies make it out this far. Zecora, does the road eventually disappear further down?”

“The words you’ve spoken are no doubt wise,” Zecora turned around, “the road ahead does indeed shrink in size.”

"And you know where the Plains are, despite that?"

"Here in Everfree, I've lived most of my years. Is that enough to silence your fears?"

"It's less of a fear and more of my curiosity," Jessica whipped her hair around. "Besides, I don't mind getting lost with my sweet little Scarley here."

Scarlet winced at the coy tone of her guardian. "Jessica, p-please. Just focus on the road and the forest ahead. I...I don't want to be stuck in here any longer than I have to."

"Oh come on, Scarley," Jessica whined, warping over to the detective's side. She hovered next to her ear, "I just love spending time with you. Besides," she did a quick spin, continuing her sentence upside down, "rape isn't illegal out here in Everfree."

"J-Jessica!" Scarley nearly shouted at the unicorn. At the sound of her voice, Jess warped to the back of the line. The outcry startled Fluttershy, who scurried over towards Zecora, who simply looked back at the group with a shake of her head. Scarlet looked over to the nervous pegasus.

"Sorry Fluttershy. I didn't mean to do that," she apologized.

"Fluttershy slowly inched back to her spot in their little troupe. "I-it's okay Scarlet. Just...not so loud next time?"

"You got it." Her jade green eyes met with the trio of butterflies covering Fluttershy's bright yellow flanks. "I read that you were really talented with animals," she did her best to change the subject. "What is it that you actually do with them?"

Fluttershy looked at her marking. Her wings loosened up their grip on the sides of her body. "O-oh. Well...I take care of them. Feed them, help them with their houses, and I help them if they're hurt or scared."

"That's pretty cool," Scarlet commented. "What kind of animals? They put you here with us, so I imagine you've tamed some of the bigger creatures out here."

Fluttershy looked away, blushing at Scarlet's praise. "I-I've helped a bear or two..."

"She's also calmed down a manticore and Cerberus," Jessica bobbed her head back and forth, skipping at the back of the path.

"A...a manticore? Cerberus?" Scarlet looked at the petite pony in front of her.

"And the spirit of chaos himself, don't forget that," a voice slithered by Fluttershy's mane. Jessica had made her way through the pair and up in Fluttershy's personal bubble, startling her back towards Scarlet. With a giggle, she returned once more to the back of the line.

"That was you?" Scarlet's eyes widened. "I heard that somepony managed to rehabilitate Discord, but...but that was you?"

Fluttershy remained silent.

'What incredible influence,' Scarlet stared at the flowing pink maned pony in front of her. 'The Elements...at first I was suspicious, but after seeing what Twilight can do...and Pinkie Pie...and now Fluttershy?'

Scarlet looked back at Fluttershy's cutie mark. 'She's good with animals.' To juxtapose, she looked back at her now exposed cutie mark. The magnifying glass remained on her flank, melting into the dull, gray coat that covered her body. She sighed, giving a quick cough before continuing. "How did you come about to discover your abilities? I'm sure it didn't just happen overnight, right?"

"Umm, actually..."

Fluttershy told her story to the group, including Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom, and how it influenced her entire group of friends and their cutie mark discoveries. Scarlet was hooked on every word of her story, mostly in disbelief for how dynamic her group of friends were quickly turning out to be.

As Fluttershy concluded her quick little story, Scarlet couldn't help but push onward, "So that's it? You just fell from Cloudsdale, made your home here in Ponyville, and started your little cottage?"

"W-well...yes. That's how I remember it."

"And your parents were totally okay about you moving away so soon?"

Fluttershy gave Scarlet a bashful smile. "W-well, I sent them a letter as soon as I could. They were very understanding about the whole situation."

Scarlet looked to her cutie mark. "When I was a filly, I actually considered moving out at some point or another. I ended up staying with my parents well into my young mare-hood."

"That's interesting. A-any reason for that?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well, I...was kinda born with my mark. I knew what I needed to do, so there really wasn't a reason for me to move out." Scarlet's speech trembled with uncertainty, "I didn't think I needed to go anywhere since I knew where I belonged."

Scarlet looked over to Zecora's spiral marking. "What about hers?" Scarlet pointed Fluttershy to Zecora.

"O-oh," Fluttershy started, "Zebras don't function the same. That's not really a cutie mark. It's just a pattern. Cutie marks are completely different. Twilight always says that getting your cutie mark is through exploring and discovering who you are." Fluttershy looked back at the butterflies, "After I fell from the sky and helped those animals calm down after the Sonic Rainboom, I was absolutely certain that it was what I was meant to do."

"Yeah," Scarlet agreed with a shudder. "I-is it getting colder for you guys?"

Fluttershy shook her head.

"Then it's just me again," Scarlet lowered her head. 'Experiencing new things. Exploring who you are.' She looked through the tree tops at the small beams of faded sunlight. 'All of those books and reports at home. All of the studying and examinations I did for the Agency. Can I really call those experiences and exploration of myself? Does it apply to somepony,' her magnifying glass seemed to fade, 'like me?'

Scarlet suddenly felt another chill. The wind within Everfree Forest had picked up since the discussion began. Zecora came to a complete halt, almost in unison with Jessica in the rear. Fluttershy and Scarlet paused a second later, confused at the concentration in both the zebra and the unicorn. The two were oddly quiet, their eyes flittering around, hunting for a peculiar sound that was just out of earshot.

"Jess, what's-"

"Shhh!" Jessica quickly interrupted. Her horn sparked, causing their packed items to fall to the ground with a thud. Her orange magic quickly spread throughout the area in circular waves, starting at the unicorn herself. Her eyes pulsed brighter with each wave of spells that came from her body.

"Zecora, you got it too?" Jessica's eyes suddenly sharpened. Scarlet's body froze at the sight, knowing that there were only a few rare occasions were those soulless daggers would expose themselves to the world.

"Zecora, is it..." Fluttershy whimpered, her body caving in on itself.

"At first I thought it was but a hunch," Zecora's voice deepened. "I sense it too Scrawl: They've come in a bunch."

"I don't understand," Scarlet moved closer to Fluttershy. She looked over at the woods. Several bushes were rustling about with quick movements, fleeing from Scarlet's eye. Shadows could be seen scurrying about behind the trees. A peculiar, rancid smell started emanating from beyond the road.

"It's far too late to run back," Zecora's focus sharpened. "We must find a way to outrun the pack."

"Pack?" Scarlet shook. "T-Timberwolves?"

"A dozen, give or take," Jessica muttered in response. "They normally don't travel in groups larger than three or four, but that's also from reports near the edge of the forest." She drew herself closer to Scarlet, turning around to get a better view of the back of the group. "Besides, it'd take a bit more than three of them to turn the four of us into shreds of equine bacon."

A small growl could be heard from beyond the forest. "S-so what do we do?" Scarlet told Jessica.

"There's about twelve of them. If we keep trying to run as a group, they'll just surround us. We'll be dinner before the moon comes up." Jessica's eyes continued to scan beyond, her horn pulsing waves around them.

"What else can you see, my little pony?"

"There's twelve, but they're not exactly surrounding us just yet," Jessica examined the forest. Her horn sparked with a magic discharge that forced the bushes around them to rustle up. "They're afraid of my magic, but there's too many of them not to attack. Four of them are still a ways behind us, so the ring that's around us is too spread out. There are little holes where we can make a break for it."

"M-make a break? We're going to run? Through them?" Fluttershy cried.

"You'd rather be a nice steak, Fluttershutter?"

"N-no. And m-my name is Fluttershy."

"Shh," Jessica quieted the frail pegasus. "I have a lot of magic left, but it's risky to burn it all on camo for the four of us."

"How come?" Scarlet asked.

"The ease of the spell is based on the disposition of the pony. I don't know Zecora or Fluttershy's well enough to keep them shrouded more longer than two seconds, and that's just a rough estimate."

"W-wait. You left me out. How do you know m-"

"Will that buy us enough time?" Fluttershy asked.

"If we split into two groups and run in separate directions after we vanish, we have a pretty good chance of making it. Zecora, do you have a map?"

Zecora pulled out a map of the Everfree Forest from her packed goods and tossed it to Jessica, who quickly made it disappear. "Good. Scarlet and I," she took the time to lick her lips, "will head over to the North. Zecora, I trust that you know the forest like the back of your hand. You take Fluttershy and hide as well. We'll meet up in the morning a few miles from the edge of the Plains. Got it?"

"B-but how will we make it past the circle around us now?"

Scarlet heard the steps of several creatures coming from behind the group.

"No time. The other four are almost caught up. I'll scare them with a pop from my horn and shroud the four of us. I can't concentrate on it like that with all of the extra weight, so as soon as that pop comes out, you two run like hell."

Zecora and Fluttershy nodded, the latter pony shaking in her hooves.

Jessica's horn started whirling together magic from the surrounding area. The four of them were coated with her orange shaded aura, their coats glistening with power.

"You scared, Scarlet?" Jessica asked.

"It's my first time out in the field like this," Scarlet trembled. "I've already been stoned, and I'm just one clumsy move away from being eaten alive."

"I know. Isn't it great?" Jessica smiled. "Besides, after this, if the wolves don't get you, I will."

"Seriously?! Right now?!" Scarlet hissed at her.

Jessica moaned. "By the way, between you and me, I put a little extra something on these coatings."

Scarlet froze.

"I can taste you."

A loud boom exploded into the area, reaching all around Everfree Forest. Vultures, crows, and other quiet birds scattered like insane mosquitoes into the air, colliding with each other and covering the sky in darkness. Scarlet's ears made out howls of timberwolves in the distance, followed by hurried hoof steps in front of them.

Jessica's horn fired magic once more. Fluttershy and Zecora's figures immediately vanished from view. Scarlet looked down at her own body, which immediately vaporized around her.

"GO SCARLET!"

She turned to her right and found Jessica darting into the shrubs. The howls of the timberwolves continued, followed by the pack's rushing steps towards them. She immediately followed the direction Jessica ran off to.

"Keep going!" Jessica's voice suddenly boomed from behind her. "Just run and follow my directions!"

Scarlet's mind went numb as she exerted her legs, pushing herself through the brambles and sharp branches of the trees that she brushed up against. She felt stings of pain whip against her back and sides as the thorns from bushes dug into her, with only the sound of her own hoof steps beating against the moist ground below.

She jumped over the roots of a tree the fell over from the side, hearing the sound of several timberwolves surrounding her. She gritted her teeth and picked up her speed, turning sharply in a vain attempt to steer the wolves away. Unable to stop, she rammed up against the side of a tree, falling to the ground with a painful thud. She groaned loudly before picking herself up with the momentum of her fall, spitting on the cursed ground before continuing her run.

Another thick branch approached, too low to duck underneath. Scarlet held her breath as she leaped over the branch. She made it clear over, stumbling about for a quick moment as she regained her balance on her terrible landing, realizing that had she brought her coat, that jump would've been impossible.

Suddenly she felt a presence to her left. She quickly turned, letting her forelock fall to the back of her head as she caught sight of one of her predators. Its eyes were glowing with a terrifying, sickly yellow-green, and sharp wooden teeth oozing with a thick, dark stew of saliva. Its wooden body was unnaturally fast, its jerky movements chilling to Scarlet's eyes. It started to outdo her, catching up and coming within biting distance of the detective's mid-section.

Scarlet closed her eyes and waited for the bite, hearing the blood-hungry growls of the timberwolf. Just as it was about to sink its teeth into her, she felt an extreme source of heat hurdle over her back. The sound of a blazing inferno swept around her body before fizzling out, forcing a cough from her mouth as the smoke choked her. She turned while running and saw the timberwolf knocked down on the marshy dirt, burning alive as it howled in agony.

"Don't look back, keep going!" She heard the familiar voice of Jessica. "A-ah shit!"

Scarlet couldn't help but turn towards the source of the voice. Jessica's body was completely visible now, as well as her own. Three wolves were chasing the black unicorn down, finding her more appealing after dealing a fatal blow to one of their own.

"Scarlet, keep running straight! Don't stop!"

Right as she said this, Scarlet heard her scream in frustration. She made one final glance back at the unicorn covering her.

A timberwolf lunged in from the trees surrounding them, tackling Jessica to the ground. A three that had been chasing her suddenly pounced all at once on the pony, covering her body all around.

Scarlet wanted to scream, but nothing left her open mouth. She quickly turned forward and continued to run, tears building in her eyes at the sight of her bodyguard being overwhelmed by the pack.

The exhausted detective continued to flee with her joints burning, screaming at her mind to give them the rest they needed. She ran for minutes on end, hearing nothing but the sound of her hoofsteps for the entire duration. She found a small spot nearby, and without hearing much else around her, finally decided to slow down and rest.

Ever since Jessica's loud bang, the forest had been dead silent, the ambiance keeping Scarlet wary of her surroundings. Catching her breath was a chore to do in silence, for fear of the timberwolves being nearby to rip her apart like they did to her friend.

"Jess..." Scarlet sniffed. She fell to the floor in a heap, recalling the horde that was probably tearing her gizzards apart by now. She angrily stamped on the ground. "I could've done something...why did you just tell me to run...?" She looked up at the sky. The trees were more forgiving about blocking out the moon from where she sat. She struggled to steady her breathing and cries. "Sh-she's the Agency's scribe. S-Steele's right hand pony. She can't be dead...r-right?" She wiped her tears. "B-but then...wouldn't she have found me right now?"

At those words, Scarlet's ears flopped and her heart sank. "Look at me, waiting for someone to scoop me up and carry me the rest of the way. Some detective I am." A shrill, heartless breeze blew by, blowing her tie around her neck. A quick bout of coughs surfaced from the bottom of her throat, forcing her to cover her mouth to prevent herself from being found out. "I don't know where I am. If she's gone...how do I get out of here?"

From the edge of the thicker end of the forest, a shrub rattled. Scarlet immediately jumped to her feet and looked back at the source of the sound. The bush trembled for a moment longer, then stopped. Scarlet could feel the presence of another body nearby, her hair standing on end. Scarlet fixed her hat on the back of her head, and tightened her tie. Clearing her throat, she inched a step closer to the forest.

"J-Jessica? Is that you?" She asked. "P-please, I don't want to mess around right now."

Nothing but the silence of the forest responded. Scarlet stopped in place, her eyes fixated on the bush that shook. Her ears twitched, looking for any other sound. Uneasy, she took a step backward, snapping a loose twig underneath her hoof.

A growl replied, followed by a rancid smell that immediately froze her out of fear.

"...No."

A timberwolf jumped from the bush, its eyes linked directly towards her own. He tackled her to the ground, the two rolling in the dirt as the creature fought for control. It came relatively easy as he pinned her against the ground with his surprising strength. Scarlet threw her hooves at his face, one landing clean against the side of its muzzle, sending his lower jaw flying clean off of his head.

Scarlet screamed at the sight. She watched helplessly as the jaw shot back to the timberwolf, reattaching itself. He growled at her, anger burning behind the empty sockets of its eyes. Its head shot towards Scarlet's shoulder. She quickly pushed upwards to try to pry him off, but it only prolonged his bite. He snapped down on the air right above her shoulder, opening and closing its mouth several times to try and snag a piece of her delicious flesh.

The desperate pony grunted with all of her might to pull him away, but with another push upon her exhausted body and he broke through her hooves. His teeth chomped straight down onto Scarlet's shoulder, sinking into her with grisly ease.

Her shrill scream pierced into the night like a sharp knife. She could only watch as the timberwolf bit deeper into her, trying to rip her shoulder from her body. Her blood squirted from her arm and onto her neck and face. A burning from the monster's disgusting saliva only enhanced the pitch of her howls.

The pain rattled her mind. Almost overloaded to the extent of passing out, she felt her vision fading.

For that brief moment, she thought of her mother back in Canterlot, and of Locks and Amethyst, unable to bear the thought of their reactions to what'd happened to her. Her tears, still moist in her eyes, started to flow down the side of her face as she accepted her fate.

The timberwolf suddenly released her shoulder, lifting his head at a sudden light source several feet away. Scarlet's blurry vision did what it could to focus through the pain of her shoulder. Suddenly, another blast of heat came from the light source, hurdling towards the foul creature. The timberwolf jumped away from Scarlet's body, barely avoiding the flames that singed his wooden coat. He growled at the menace who denied him his first real meal in days.

"If anypony is going to be inside Scarlet, it's going to be me!" That smooth voice called out to the beast. Scarlet, the adrenaline kicking in, lifted herself onto her good shoulder to turn towards the source.

Jessica stood tall and mighty, with not even a single scratch on her body. Her eyes were terrifyingly cold at the sight, her intimidating, icy stare pushing the timberwolf back against the forest it had come from.

"Bite her again, and I promise that my next spell won't miss," she growled back.

"J-Jessica," Scarlet ignored the tears blinding her eyes. "You're alive."

"Pssh," she felt insulted as she turned to the injured pony with a soft grin. "I've had more timberwolves inside me than that. You think I don't know how to handle them?"

Scarlet ignored the comment, picking herself up. The sharp pain in her shoulder stabbed at her mind.

"Don't push yourself. The timberwolf's bite is poisonous. The more you struggle, the faster it'll move through you."

Jessica whipped her horn around, letting her spell surround Scarlet's wound. "I can take the poison out no problem, but we'll need to handle this little bastard before I can help with the rest, okay?"

The burning sensation from her shoulder suddenly vanished. Scarlet felt a soothing numbness to her bite. "Thank you, Jessica."

"No problem, lovely," she winked at her. "I expect delicious payment for it."

The timberwolf failed to retreat, eager to feast on the weaker pony. It growled with vigor at Jessica.

"One more chance, wolfy. Leave before you get hurt," she warned. "Unless you want to end up like your pack."

With reckless abandon, the wolf charged blindly at Jessica. It jumped towards her with its mouth open, snapping down on the empty air her body once occupied. Scarlet and the wolf looked around, confused by her sudden disappearance.

"Over here," she slithered. Jessica was standing on one of the thicker branches from the top of a nearby tree. The wolf growled at her again. "Oh, growl this and bark that. If you spent as much time actually fighting and hunting, your pack would probably have been competent hunters." She warped back to the ground with a flash of magic. "Then again, comparing your abilities to mine; it's just not fair."

It lunged at her once again. She yawned as it drew near, spinning elegantly out of the way as it crashed into another nearby tree trunk. It picked itself up, shaking it's head free of the excess leaves it picked up from the ground. It made for another leap, its teeth coated with its toxic drool.

Jessica crouched low to the ground, her horn flaring to life. On command, a fiery stream burned at the air around them, tearing straight up at the airborne predator. It struck cleanly with the tail end of the creature, causing him to flounder in the air and land sharply on the ground, knocking a limb straight off of its body.

The timberwolf cried as its tail completely burned up. It looked helplessly at Jessica as her horn crackled with her magical energy.

"It ain't comin' back either, sweet heart," Jessica teased. "Be grateful I didn't burn your other tail off. Now scram!"

"W-what?!" Scarlet couldn't believe her guardian. "B-but Jessica, it almost-"

"Shut up, Trace," Jessica commanded without turning back. "Shoo now," she waved with a hoof.

The timberwolf, defeated, gathered it's missing leg and reattached it. It gave a whine before scurrying off to the rest of its pack beyond the thicket. Jessica's magic vanished, and she turned back to Scarlet to tend to her wounds.

Jessica sat down next to the bite, her horn gathering magic gently together. "Yeah, I can fix this no problem. It's not as deep as it looks."

Scarlet didn't respond to her comment.

"Just stay still, I can get it done faster that way. We need you to be ready to go in the morning, after all."

Scarlet looked away during the entire process, which surprisingly didn't take much longer than an hour to complete. Jessica stood above her, sighing in relief as she forced her horn to life once more. In a flash, the map, and all of their belongings, appeared. The tent rolled itself out and immediately set itself up.

"Try standing, Scarlet," Jessica said. "Don't push yourself. I'll get our trail mix and water too. You'll need it to get your strength back.

Scarlet took in a breath and put some of her weight on her wounded shoulder. She winced when she felt a slight sting, but was surprised when that was the only sensation she felt, considering what she had just gone through.

"Better?" Jessica presented Scarlet with her canteen and snacks.

Scarlet washed her face and gulped down some water from her container. "It still hurts a bit, but I'm fine."

"Well of course. I can't magically erase pain. I'm not a god, silly," Jessica took a swig of her own. "But I wouldn't be bothered if you started treating me like one. For example, giving me your virgins."

"Jessica," Scarlet muttered.

The imp turned back around to her precious cargo. "What is it Scarlet?" Her tone suddenly shifted. "You've been giving me this ugly look all night. It doesn't suit you."

"You let it go," Scarlet said. "That thing almost killed me."

"Yeah, but it didn't."

"But it might be back," she stood up.

"It won't. Just like the rest of the pack," Jess whipped her mane confidently.

"Y-you didn't-"

"Didn't what?"

"I...I SAW you torch one of those things while I ran."

"Well yeah, I did, but I killed the flames before they could finish it off," Jessica explained.

"You...you saved the pack of wolves that almost killed me? And who knows if they got Zecora and Fluttershy...!"

"They're fine," Jessica piped Scarlet down. Timberwolves are attracted to the weak and magical. Fluttershy has little magic, and as it turns out, they're intimidated by Zecora. So guess who they hunted down harder?"

"...Are you serious?"

"Absolutely. That coating also had a tracker on it," Jessica prided herself. "I can sense the two of them. They're fine. Just hiding out in the trees on the other side of the forest."

"...I don't," Scarlet was speechless and frustrated at her companion.

"What," Jessica turned. "Oh no. No. Scarlet," she wrinkled her face, "Don't be another one of those shitheads back in Canterlot."

"...W-what?"

"I got it now," Jessica's eyes narrowed on her companion. Not once in her time at the Agency had she ever glared at Scarlet. "You wanted me to kill them, didn't you?"

Jessica continued without giving Scarlet a chance to speak. "I know exactly what you're fucking thinking right now. Kill it before it kills you, right? Kill it before it has the chance to hurt somepony else? That's what's running through that shitty head of yours right now, isn't it?"

"I-it's not like that-"

"Bullshit it's not," Jessica turned towards the forest. "Are you sure that you're Scarlet? Did I rescue the wrong pony here? Not once for a single damn second did I think that you'd be the kind of pony to think like that."

"J-Jessica...what's wrong with you," Scarlet fought her way in. "Why are you so pissed off?"

Jessica tried to calm down. "Look Scarlet. What those wolves did...we can't just kill them for doing it! They're just trying to survive in the forest! They're acting completely natural out here!"

"But we have to protect ourselves. Isn't killing them to reach that means natural too?"

"No Scarlet. It's not the same," Jessica hissed. "We can protect ourselves from them without having to go to such lengths. To kill because you're hungry, or to kill because of a dispute between pack leaders. Even killing as a means of controlling land. That's natural to this forest! That's what makes it 'free!' If you kill anything in this forest for any means outside of something like food or shelter, then no, it's not natural!"

Scarlet could only look on at Jessica. "I-I'm sorry Jessica. I didn't mean to-"

"Shut up. It's fine," Jessica huffed. She lowered her voice, "Even if it was natural, I don't think I could do it."

"...To kill them?"

Jessica nodded her head. "I always brag about what I can and can't do. It's my thing. I'm a mare of many talents after all," she said. "Killing is something I'll never be able to do so willingly." She turned back to Scarlet, her eyes gentle and soothing. "I live for magic, Scarlet. The magic that lies dormant in all creatures big and small. For the magic that gives us such strength. I love magic."

Scarlet almost made out the face of compassion on the unicorn.

"All flora and fauna follow the same rules as ponies do, Scarlet. When they die, their magic is relinquished into the atmosphere. However," she looked at the singed remains of the timberwolf's tail on the ground nearby, "Unlike ponies, other creatures can't recycle their magic. When they die, their magic is lost forever, broken down with their bodies and turned into mulch. Nothing special. Just...fertilizer fodder.

"Do you understand, Scarlet? I can't kill them because if I do, I'm destroying the one thing I love most about this world."

"Jessica," Scarlet started. "I'm sorry. I mean it."

"It's fine," Jessica wiped her face. "I can't kill, and I won't. I've already made that stupid mistake once before."

"Mistake?"

"Remember Amy's case?"

Scarlet's spirits sank. "I-I do."

"It was my fault that the troop stormed the house so early. I thought I could stop the incantation before it was completed. My call ended up in Lily losing both of her parents, and her ability to speak. It's my fault they died." She looked away, "the fact that Amy is so forgiving despite it all is what drove me nuts for so long. I wouldn't blame her if she did something to me, even if I don't agree with that kind of style. And then I didn't even recognize her when she was working right under my face for so long. It pisses me off."

"Jess. Stop," Scarlet looked at her. "I've heard enough. I don't need to hear any more."

Jessica took in a deep breath. "I agree. I'm just bantering on at this point. Besides, I don't like this gloomy feeling." She looked back at Scarlet's injury. "Let's just move on. Think you can walk into the tent?"

Scarlet rotated her shoulder, wincing at the discomfort the pain caused. "It's still a bit rough, but yeah."

"Then let's go. It's getting colder out."

Scarlet made her way to the tent. "Thank you Jess. Really."

"It's my job, dummy." Jessica teased her. She stopped laughing when she felt Scarlet's good arm wrap around her neck and bring her in for a hug.

"I really thought I was going to die for a minute. I wasn't thinking straight. I guess I was just...scared," Scarlet apologized again.

"Scarley," Jessica paused. She wrapped a hoof around her friend and hugged her back. "It's okay. Sometimes, ponies will do the stupidest things when they're afraid."

"H-hey!"

"Also, this hug better be step one of your appreciation. I expect something delicious to come from this."

Scarlet immediately retracted her arm. "You bounce back fast."

"Just the way I am, love."

"I guess I'll also ignore the fact that you totally broke Equestrian Law too. Pyrokinetic spells are outlawed, you know," Scarlet teased her back.

"True," Jessica hummed. "But above the fact that I'm above the law, you gotta remember that we're in Everfree. There are no rules here." They both entered the tent together.

"That means that no means yes, and yes means yes," Jessica gave Scarlet a quick lick on the cheek. "Silence means yes too."

"S-sleep on the other side of the tent, or I'll kill you."

=====

The night had come quickly, and Scarlet did her best to sleep through the aching in her joints and the reoccurring sting of her shoulder. She grunted as she leaned inward in her sleeping bag, staring blankly at the tent wall in front of her.

She shuffled inside of her bag, feeling an odd sensation crawling up her back. She curled into herself, trying her best to ignore it. The feeling intensified, feeling a hoof crawl over her leg and gently wrap around her midsection. A pony's muzzle snuggled itself between her injured shoulder and neck.

"Wh-aaah! J-Jessica!" Scarlet tightened her body, "What are you doing!?"

"Shhh," Jessica whispered. "Not so loud. You'll attract unwanted attention. How's your wound treating you?"

Scarlet shuddered upon feeling Jess' breath crawling up her neck. She felt the wetness of Jessica's tongue lap up the injured spot on her shoulder. "E-Everything's just fine. Still hurts, of course," she muttered helplessly. "Can...can you please get out of my bag? I'm trying to sleep."

She felt Jessica's limbs tangle up against her own. The black coated mare spooned against Scarlet's back. "But it's so cold in my corner of the tent," she frowned. "The entire time I lay down in my nest, I couldn't help but think of your poor little body, shaking with cold underneath the sheets."

"I-I'm taller than you are," Scarlet whined before letting out a slight cough.

"And with that terrible cough of yours," she cuddled closer. "It's my duty to make sure you're safe and cozy out here, remember?" Jess' muzzle nuzzled the base of Scarlet's neck, wrapping her fore hooves around her belly like a belt. "I'm doing a favor here."

"But Jess," Scarlet's face was turning bright red, "This is too much."

An orange tail flapped against Scarlet's hindquarters. "Relax. I'm not gonna do anything sneaky. Unless of course you want me to."

"O-of course not-" A rogue cough cut her off.

"Listen," Jessica stroked her bright red mane, "There's another reason I'm here right now. I wanna talk about something important. The Princess sent us out here to the 'Plains of Woe.' Did she say anything else about this place to you?"

Scarlet shook her head. "Nothing that you don't already know I'd imagine. How come?"

"I'm just curious about it, love. I've been all over the world, you know."

"Yeah, you brag about it all the time at the office," Scarlet murmured.

"Oh, so you DO pay attention to me," Jessica squealed, nuzzling into her neck, being mindful of her cut. "I've been everywhere, and it strikes my fancy, these plains."

"I get it," Scarlet tried to shuffle away from her. "You've never been there before?"

"Not until now. I'm not sure what to expect, myself. I've only heard stories."

Scarlet let out a rough cough. "A-and is that a problem?"

Jessica continued to pet Scarlet, her horn glowing amidst the darkness. She touched her horn to Scarlet's neck, the itch buried at the base disappeared. "It is to me. I don't like knowing that there's some place that I don't know about."

Scarlet rubbed a hoof along her neck. "Thanks Jess."

"You see," she rubbed herself against Scarlet, "I may be a bit naughty, but I know how to moderate myself, Scarley."

"I...I have a hard time believing that, Jess."

The orange mane mare blew into Scarlet's ear.

"E-eep!" Scarlet shivered. "L-like that!"

The smaller pony couldn't help but laugh. "You're my favorite. Did you know that?"

"What an honor," Scarlet puffed.

Some time passed. Jessica stopped petting her toy and lay there, content to just snuggle her all night.

"...Jess," Scarlet called out.

"Yes sweety? Finally decided to have some fun?"

"N-no!" Scarlet covered her mouth. "No Jess. Never."

"Then what else could you want? You've already got me all over you. Colts and mares all around Equestria would be drowning in envy about now."

"C-cut it out," Scarlet frowned.

Jessica chuckled. "Whaddya want Scarley?"

"Y-you said that you've seen the world?"

"That's right," she sung.

"H-how is it? Out there?"

"Well now," Jessica loosened her grip. "That's a broad question, love. There are so many," she rubbed against Scarlet's body, "experiences I can talk about."

"Not those experiences..."

"I'm having too much fun," Jessica chuckled. "It's nice out there. Very nice."

"Are there...are there ponies beyond Equestria?"

"Why, of course there are," she answered. "Ponies came from far away to found this land anyways."

"How far?" Scarlet's ears perked.

"Where the Windigos roam free. Up North."

Just the mention caused Scarlet to shiver all over again. "Windigos..."

"Mm-hmm. Several tribes still live out there too. The discrimination they have...that senseless hatred they have for their fellow ponies is just disgusting."

"I-I've read the works. The windigos feed off of hate, right?"

"Yup." Jessica took a deep breath. "There are plenty of kingdoms out there besides ours. Griffons and Dragons, for example. They all have their own way of life. It's pretty fascinating if you ever go and visit, though to be honest, they aren't entirely welcoming to ponies."

"Is it that much different to us?"

"...I'll put it this way, love: They can't use magic like we can. They...well," Jessica cuddled her harder in the middle of her speech, "Ah, I've got it. They adapt to nature, rather than forcing nature to adapt to them."

"You mean...like Everfree?"

"Sort of. More like Zecora." The not-so-wicked mare gave a calming sigh. "I like it. It feels natural. Safe."

"And you said they can't use magic like we can."

"It's a shame. Being able to use magic...it's like the ultimate freedom," Jessica swooned.

"...What about creatures that feed off of magic?"

"What kind of creatures are you talking about, love?"

"You know the kind," Scarlet started, "Changelings feed off of love. That's kinda the same thing, right? And then there are the creatures of the underworld, like Windigos who eat hatred and...and succubi too, right?"

Jessica fidgeted. "Okay Scarley, several things here. One: You're right. Those creatures do feed off of the magic that's attached to those emotions. Windigos feed off of hate and Changelings off of love, but one thing you need to understand is Two: Windigos and Changelings use that magic they feed off of to help their colonies. Changelings do it to feed their young. Windigos do it to create a climate they can survive in."

"A-and succubi?" Scarlet wondered.

"Succubi," Jessica nearly spat venom at saying the name. "They don't use it. They eat it. They just....eat it."

"Isn't that what the Changelings do?"

"Not at all. Changelings use it to feed the young and to keep the pack alive, remember? They don't overdo it because that could actually hurt the colony's chances of survival. They're just as caring as ponies are, you know.

"Succubi though. They're monsters. They eat, and eat, and eat the magic they harness from the lust and passion of the ponies they target. They don't stop. They just devour it all until nothing is left but a hollow husk of a colt or mare. They're greedy parasites that just absorb all of the magic they can handle, regardless and careless of the world they live in. And all for what? To satisfy their own personal desires."

"J-Jessica," Scarlet whispered. "C-can you calm down a bit?"

"The magic they consume disappears, just as it does when a creature dies. The magic used by Changelings and Windigos is used for a common good. Succubi...nothing good comes from them. Nothing. They're trash."

"B-but I've read the studies. They do it in hopes of finding a mate, since succubi look so much like ponies. It's impossible to distinguish the two without the disguises they wear. If history serves me well, then it doesn't help that ponies detest succubi for their own reasons."

"You haven't seen them like I have, Scarlet. If they truly were seeking out their mate in such a way, then they wouldn't leave their victims in such an irreparable state."

Scarlet swallowed roughly. "Irreparable?"

"Imagine a pony being unable to feel passion ever again."

Scarlet couldn't speak.

"Succubi are the one species of creature I despise. Selfish, magic wasting, emotion sucking, love leeching vermin."

"...Jessica?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay," Scarlet almost turned around.

"Of course I am."

Scarlet turned back to the tent wall. "You've...well, it's just that you've been holding me a bit tighter for the last few minutes."

A moment of silence passed. "So I have," she said.

Scarlet budged. "C-can you ease up a bit. I know that you," she cleared her throat, "like doing this kind of thing, but even you've gotta have a limit.

Jessica, for once, actually followed the request all the way through, loosening her grip. "Sorry."

'Is that a first?' "N-no Jessica, it's...well...I'll be honest. It's not fine. It's very uncomfortable to...to be like this with you."

"Scarlet. I want to ask you something."

"O...kay," Scarlet raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Shut up for two minutes. Please?"

Scarlet tilted her head back towards Jessica.

"Just like that," Jessica said. She moved up Scarlet's body, resting her ear against Scarlet's. She stayed silent for a minute or two. Scarlet couldn't help but shudder at the touch.

Jessica's ear twitched in unison with the detective's. "Not a word. Just stay still." Her eyes drooped with exhaustion. "Okay, I'm done."

"What...were you doing, if I can ask?" Scarlet tilted her head.

"Nothing important," Jessica sunk her head back in its spot next to Scarlet's shoulder. "I was just checking to see how you're body was holding up.

"I'm fine. You could've just asked."

"Yeah, but you're too nice," Jessica scoffed. "Your body says more than your mouth does." She held Scarlet's hoof in her own, "Speaking of which-"

"No."

"Aww," Jessica teased. "It's silly. The whole time I've been in this bag, and I forgot why I had initially come inside."

"Huh?"

"Hey Scarley, I'll be honest with you," Jessica stated. "You mind if I stay like this for tonight? It's cold over there, and I'm sure you don't mind the warmth."

Scarlet couldn't deny that having her would make it easier to fall asleep amidst the coldness of Everfree. "I'd prefer it if you went back to your side of the tent...but-"

"I know you would, but I like it." Jessica sighed. "It's been so long."

Scarlet froze. "Oh no, no. What do you mean?"

"Oh shush Scarley, I don't mean it like that."

"Th-then what do you mean? I think I'm lost here," Scarlet said, confused.

"Non-sexual contact, love. That's what I'm talking about. This feeling is nice. It's just been a bit too long, is all."

Scarley lay silent. She sighed in frustration as Jessica cuddled up against her for the rest of the night. The black unicorn's grip on her loosened up a bit to allow her to shift with ease.

"I...I can't wait."

"What? Wait? What for?"

Scarlet waited for a response that never came.

'This is getting odd, even for Jessica. I should change the subject,' Scarlet thought. 'Non-sexual contact? Like a hug, or something?' Scarlet remembered the hug she gave her mother before leaving to Ponyville for the first time. 'Like...like that? Does Jessica still talk to her mother? I've never heard a mention of her at all...'

"Hey Jess," Scarlet broke the silence. "When's the last time you've seen your parents?"

Jessica's light snores were all that responded.

=====

ONE WEEK LATER

Jessica and Scarlet, whose wound was all but healed, reunited with Fluttershy and Zecora the morning following the timberwolf attack. Meeting up at the checkpoint, Zecora admitted to them that the journey towards the Plains was still a bit of a trek from where they were, especially since the attack sent them far off course.

Despite the setback, the group followed through, the confident zebra leading the charge straight up and through to the outer edge of the other end of Everfree.

Scarlet winced at the sunlight that could be seen from the other end of the path. There was no longer a road, rather, just a path that was flattened out by weary travelers coming from the direction of the plains.

Zecora stepped to the side of the opening, ushering the rest through the break of light before her. Scarlet turned around to Jessica, who motioned for her to go next.

The light faded as she crossed the threshold, and the sight in front of her left her breathless.

Land was stretched out on all sides, with a very solid, defined line separating the plains from Everfree. The forest they had come from was very dark, but held plenty of green hues, proof of life within. The plains, in contrast, were completely brown, empty, and vast, stretching on for what seemed like miles in every direction that wasn't Everfree. Several thin, dead trees were scattered dozens of yards from each other, with small clunks of dirt rolling along the plains. No life existed on the plains for as far as they could see, and a shrill breeze came from the direction of their destination ahead.

In the far distance, was a tall, looming mountain, piercing up into the clouds and beyond, solitary amongst the emptiness of the land before it. A rather large mouth could be spotted at the base of the mountain, even from the distance the group was at.

"How far is that?" Scarlet's first comment was.

Jessica leaned closer to the plains. "Two days, at the very least. Maybe more."

"This place is gigantic," Fluttershy squeaked.

"Beyond Everfree Forest, this land I know," Zecora rhymed. "This place, cold and spiteful: The Plains of Woe."

"The Plains of Woe," Scarlet took another look at the monstrous landscape. "A-and that mountain is where we'll find Gemini, I imagine."

"I don't know where else she'd go," Jessica replied.

"The tower of earth that lies far beyond is a place where danger and mystery spawn. In its mouth you'll find two special halls: One will rise, while the other will fall."

"Two paths," Scarlet wondered, "inside the mountain."

The zebra nodded. "Go now ponies, to the mountain you run. We will return to this spot the moment you're done."

"W-wait," Scarlet stammered. "You're not coming with us?"

Zecora's voice deepened. She turned away from the plains. "The Plains of Woe cast a terrible spell, upon anypony daring enough to dwell. If there's one lesson I've learned from this place above all, it's that the events I've experienced, I shall never recall."

Zecora motioned to Fluttershy as she hastily retreated back into the forest.

"To see somepony actually go INTO Everfree for safety," Jessica said. "This isn't just some blanket of dirt we're dealing with, Scarlet. Keep your eyes peeled."

"G-good luck to you both. Stay safe," the timid pegasus waved them off. "We'll be back soon. I promise."

The two disappeared into the forest as Scarlet and Jessica stood, letting a deathly breeze whip against their faces. Scarlet slapped her hat on her head, and tightened her tie. "Ready to go?"

Just as Jessica was about to answer, a trail of mist came floating from above Everfree's treetops. It immediately popped right above the unicorn, materializing into a small scroll.

"A letter from the Agency? Now?" Scarlet couldn't believe it. "What does it say?"

"Hold on," Jessica grabbed it, letting her eyes scan the document. "Huh, Locks and his group actually went to talk to Celestia. Steele's just reporting the results."

"And they are?"

'A disease? Scarlet?' Jessica thought, looking at the pony. She gave herself some time to think.

"Nothing special, Scarley," she lifted the scroll into the air. It ignited into flames, falling to the forest floor as a pile of ash. "Locks has a lead that he's going to pursue, but it's nothing we need to worry about right now. We have a pony to find."

The two nodded to one another, taking their first step of many into the Plains of Woe.