The atmosphere was thick with the scent of cinnamon. Lines of smoke steadily rose to the ceiling of the restaurant, creating a perfect scene for the two ponies below. One, her coat as black as the night, sat on one end of the small, rounded table. One of her hooves traced shapes into the table, while the other kept her head perched on a hoof. A pair of luminescent, bright orange eyes relaxed as she sighed, her attention on the pale, white coated pony on the other edge of the table.

Scarlet peered around the large room. Darkness shrouded the rest of the tables surrounding them, isolating the pair. A single, sweet scented candle was placed nearest to Scarlet, giving her just enough vision to make out the depth to Jessica's softened facial features. The detective struggled to make any words come out, feeling the air escape her lungs while a bead of sweat slowly made its way down the side of her forelock.

Jessica's affectionate gaze snared Scarlet's attention, broken only by the parting of the dark mare's lips.

"Scarlet, it was so, so wonderfully kind of you to take me out to dinner like this, and at such a fancy cafe no less," she dragged her words out with a whine proven to work against most of her previous colt-friends.

'What?' Scarlet thought. 'But I didn't offer her-'

"I never would've figured that you'd know my favorite place to eat at in Canterlot," she interrupted her train of thought.

'I don't even know where we are.'

Jessica continued, "And to think that you'd...feel this way about us. It's sweet, baby."

'W-w-what?! What's going on?'

"Oh! Just in time."

Steam rose gently from the table. Scarlet looked down, surprised that the tabletop now had a large plate of spaghetti resting atop. Marinara sauce leaked into the heap of noodles on top, a thin blanket of herbs and spice giving the meal a nice, savory appeal.

'Where did this come from?'

"What are you waiting for?" Jessica asked while her head plunged her face into the pile of Italian cuisine. Sauce scattered messily around the table, Scarlet doing her best to dodge, mostly in vain, every splatter brought about by Jessica's ravenous feast.

Scarlet's stomach rumbled on queue, the raw aroma of the meal lighting up her appetite. She wiped the sweat from her head with a spare hoof, feeling her napkin tighten around her neck by an invisible force. She moved her hair to the side, reaching for a fork that had appeared right next to the plate on her end of the table. Jessica's sauce stained mane covered her head as she pulled herself back up, recklessly slurping several strands in.

Scarlet sunk her fork into the pasta. She took a breath as she took the fork in, the flavor of her meal enough to lighten up her face.

"Good, ain't it?" Jessica asked through another mouthful. Her date nodded anxiously, surprised at the expertly crafted dish.

Scarlet plunged her fork back in like a shovel, evoked by the taste. The noodles helplessly hung off the edges of the utensil, leading back into the pile slowly shrinking from sight. Jessica had since calmed down, now passively reaching over, without utensils, to take another, smaller bite.

Scarlet closed her eyes and she slurped up the remainder abandoned by her fork. She was met with little resistance at first, but a strange pull forced her closer to the table. Her head followed the trail to the center of the plate, completely unaware that Jessica was in the same circumstance.

A soft, squishy source obstructed Scarlet's advance on her food, prompting her to open her eyes in wonder. Jessica's nose was pressed against her own, the two ponies connected only by a single noodle that separated their mouths by mere inches. Scarlet's body froze, staring back at Jessica, whose eyes slowly lit up like a firecracker at midnight.

Scarlet caught every single detail of her wonderful, orange orbs, watching as her irises shined in the candlelight with a soft, warm sheen. Jessica pushed further into Scarlet, the noodle that bridged their mouths together shrank to a miniscule size. The pale white pony could feel Jessica’s breath brushing up against her forelock.

The gravity of the act finally took hold. Scarlet’s mind shut down, her face in total shock as the pair remained suspended, locked by a single thread of food. Jessica’s eyes narrowed, as if asking for Scarlet to finish her part of the meal. The detective couldn’t breathe, the touch of Jessica’s nose upon her own was too much for her thoughts to handle.

A giggle came from across the table. Scarlet felt a final tug from Jessica’s end. She felt Jess’ lips…

Twilight Sparkle, who was already downstairs preparing for the full day ahead, jumped at the sound of a mare upstairs, writhing in false-agony.

==========

Sunshine from the window in Twilight’s loft upstairs blinded Scarlet’s vision. She coughed, lifting herself up from the ground where she had fallen during her sleep. She felt a pounding on the side of her head, rubbing the injury with a hoof before pulling herself up on her feet. Her eyes finally adjusted to the morning, prompting her to begin her daily ritual.

“Scarlet,” a voice rang from the library below, “Are you alright? You started screaming.”

“I-I’m fine…just a nightmare,” Scarlet stammered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked around for her belongings, spotting her magnifying glass, fedora, and coat near the bed. Stretching, she looked along the walls of the loft, much of the space occupied by stacks upon stacks of disorganized books and reports.

"Ms. Twilight?" Scarlet called out, her nose wrinkling when the taste of last night's punch came jumping back, "Where is your shower?"

Twilight's response guided Scarlet to a small hallway jutting out of the top of the staircase, leading to a secluded door that housed the bathtub and other toiletries. "Come down as soon as your done," Twilight continued, "Spike woke up extra early today to clean up downstairs; there's some breakfast waiting for you on the table."

"Oh, t-thank you, Mr. Spike," Scarlet said before shutting the door behind her, the whining sound of the faucet drowning out any response the baby dragon may have had. With a sigh, Scarlet entered the tub.

"What the hell happened last night?" Scarlet asked herself in the shower, struggling to recall the final moments before she fell asleep. Her entire body jittered when the vivid dream flashed into her memory. She clenched her teeth as the events that boiled over from her welcoming party begun to fall into place. She recalled a similar situation back in Canterlot at the Agency headquarters. The account played back like a documentary.

"Lacing the punch with a magical aphrodisiac...Jessica ended up getting several fillies at the Agency pregnant. I think it was during Steele's anniversary or...something of similar importance. He was furious for months, reasonably so. The mothers had to take maternity leave, so their roles in their cases had to be filled by others who were already preoccupied. Jess' stunt set the Agency back several months, now that I remember."

She groaned as she rinsed out her hair, "Hopefully nopony did anything stupid after...the..." Scarlet struggled to recall the conclusion of the festivities. "I know I took a drink, but what happened after that?"

You and Ms. Magic ruined my fun, that's what happened.

Scarlet gasped, backing up against the back wall of the tub at the sound of an all too familiar voice. "J-Jessica?! What the hell are you doing in here?!"

A giggle perked Scarlet's ears. Relax, this is "prerecorded". Hope you enjoyed your nap. Anything..."interesting" happen while you were dreaming your sweet, sweet dreams?

Scarlet was speechless. Yes, I know, My magic's amazing. In any case, I left you a letter downstairs. Read it as soon as you can, 'kay Scarly? I'll keep in touch! Love youuu~

Whatever booming presence that had come with the eerily gleeful voice evaporated, the sound of the shower running slowly bringing Scarlet back into reality. "H...how can she...agh!" the frustrated mare let out a groan of defeat. The dream, and the final moments before she finally broke free of the spell, haunted her thoughts. With a spare hoof, she reached up and pressed on her nose, trembling when the image of the black mare appeared right before her eyes.

==========

"What does it mean to touch noses?" Mysty repeated after her daughter in their Canterlot home. Rain pounded fiercely against the windows outside, blurring any vision either mother or daughter would have of the outside world.

"W-well, I see you and dad do it all the time," she peeped, "but...I see a lot of the other couples doing it at work too."

Mystery Hart quickly shot her hoof from Scarlet's neck to her mane, playfully ruffling her hair. "Let's see here, where do I start?"

"It's like...I suppose kissing, but it's definitely not the same, if that makes any sense to you."

Scarlet beamed, as if it had suddenly dawned on her, raising her hoof to add to her mother's vague description. When nothing came, her smile turned into a frown, "I...guess it kinda works out?"

"Well, kissing your mate...for example, let's use me and your father."

Scarlet winced.

"Oh Scarlet, don't be like that! It's the best way I can explain it. From personal experience."

Her mother’s words failed to comfort the budding teenager.

"Kissing is something I see as the most intimate public thing you can do with your mate," she slowly started, a goofy grin illustrating her joy in the subject, "When Conroy and I kiss, it's one of the best feelings in the entire world."

Mysty's grin turned into a playful frown, "But then Steele, being the complete hard-ass that he is, cracks down on that type of behavior at the office, so nopony's allowed to kiss, lest they get penalized."

"C-can't you just do it somewhere discreet?"

"Oh, Scarly!" Mysty yelled, "I love the enthusiasm, but no. Jessica always knows, and it was her job to prowl around for anypony willing to break the rules. Anyways, since we really couldn't openly do that kinda thing, we decided to fall back on a more...traditional approach. You know where I'm going with this?"

"Uhhh-"

"You might find something like it in the Princess' archives. Check it out next time you visit the palace. It's under "Ancient Cultures and Civilizations" in the library. It's something that fell out of style some time ago, but still manages to leak out here and there among ponies, even if they have no awareness of it."

"What is it then?"

"Steele wasn't the first jackass to instill a policy so ridiculous. In the past, ponies would communicate their affections for another like this..."

Just as Scarlet had observed from several of the couples at her parents' workplace, Mysty approached her, calmly squishing up her nose against her daughters. Scarlet tried to move back from the warmth her mother's act brought to her face, but Mysty's movements toward her kept them together.

"Open your eyes, Scarlet," her mother chuckled. Obeying her mother’s request, she took in the sight of her mothers' dazzling, purple eyes. The smoothness of her iris smothered Scarlet's vision, soothing her body and mind. She let out her breath slowly as Mysty broke the contact she had with her daughter. "So, what was it like?"

"...W-warm...and wet," Scarlet rubbed her nose with a hoof.

"Did you notice anything at all?"

"I couldn't see anything except for your eyes."

Mystery nodded. "Back in those different times, touching together like that was the only safe, public way to get close to your partner, or mate without being scorned. Weird rules, right?"

"Kinda...stupid."

"Exactly. Anyways, it's not just getting close that's important," Mysty closed her eyes, pretending as if she was being taken to another world, "Scarlet, when you find a mate someday, and you get the opportunity to get that close to their eyes, you'll see what I mean by that 'closeness'. It's comforting for mates to be able to see each others with so little, erhm, interference."

"That's...ridiculously romantic, mom."

Mysty shrugged, "I'm hopeless, what can I say? Scarlet, what I'm trying to get across is that it was the most intimate thing back in the days that you could get away with, and even now, though many ponies aren't aware of it, ponies practice this as an almost natural occurrence. It evolved from a simple solution to an idiotic rule, into a feeling and act all of its own accord."

"So it's like kissing because of the closeness...but different because of the way it's done, right?"

"Right. It's another way of saying 'I love you', more or less."

"More or less?"

"You'll have to do the research yourself, my heart's fluttering," Mysty fanned herself.

"W-wha?"

"I'm gonna hunt down your father," Mysty blared, getting up from her spot on the couch and darting out into the rain, leaving Scarlet clueless.

"I think this is like something out of a cheesy romance novella," Scarlet spoke to herself, shaking her head in embarrassment at the thought of a wet, love hungry mare running through the streets of Canterlot.

The door burst back open, her mother's burning eyes intimidating Scarlet. "You're coming with me, we're finding you somepony to practice this with!"

"W-W-WHAT?!"

"If my daughter's gonna eventually do it too, then she's gonna do it RIGHT!" her hoof wrapped around Scarlet's, dragging her out into the rainy afternoon, making a beeline for the Agency.

==========

'Things were so different,' Scarlet thought as she turned the faucet to the shower, shaking off the feeling of vertigo presented by the randomosity of the memory. 'She was so...crazy back then.' Scarlet's eyes hardened at the sentiment. She thought back to the dream, 'is Jessica trying to tell me something?' The carriage ride to the library perked up, 'of course not. I don't think Jessica's even capable of being serious about anything like that. Besides, when's the last time she's ever been subtle?"

The smell of pancakes rose up the staircase, growing stronger with Scarlet's descent. "Ms. Twilight? Is there any way to make coffee here?"

"I don't drink coffee, but I can probably send Spike out to go grab you a cup if you'd like,"

"O-oh no, that won't be necessary."

"I've heard that some brewers in Canterlot have 'coffee spells'. I can try that if needed," she offered.

Scarlet flinched, "No thanks, Ms. Sparkle. Trust me, the magic brews are overrated."

Scarlet managed to get to the kitchen, having a seat on the table end opposite Twilight's. A small, purple dragon with green spikes was already setting about his morning chores, sweeping the kitchen clean. "Sometimes you can still taste the traces of magic in the cup."

"Oh?"

"It's not palatable," Scarlet nervously laughed. "I'll just grab some coffee before heading to work."

"Oh. Well, Spike made us some pancakes, so feel free to dig in."

A plate stacked with three of the sweet smelling cakes levitated to Scarlet's plate, followed by a fork and a knife. The detective wasted no time tearing apart her much needed breakfast. "Do you know of any places to grab a mug of coffee, Ms. Twilight?" she asked between mouthfuls.

Twilight set down a book she had been reading at the table. "I'm not sure. I've never actually checked, but maybe Sugarcube Corner might be able to help out."

"That's perfect," she replied, "I'm probably going to head over there sometime today anyways. Can't keep my work waiting."

"That reminds me," Twilight floated two scrolls over from the other room, "You had two letters come in this morning. One of them is marked with Princess Celestia's insignia, so I thought I'd let you know as soon as possible."

Scarlet chased the last of her breakfast down with a pinch of water before looking at both of the letters. As Twilight had said, one of the scrolls had the official marking of the Princess on the wrapping, juxtaposed in its elegance and neatness with the wrinkled, hastily rolled scroll leaning against it.

'The scroll from the Agency comes first,' Scarlet reached over and grabbed the tidy roll of mail, unraveling it slowly as the purple coated mare across the table went back to her reading. Her jade eyes darted across the page, quickly downing the large block of content.

'Cookie cutter mission statements. I thought it might've been something useful,' she sighed, 'report all findings as soon as possible. Mail via pegasi is the most efficient method, but perhaps there's a faster way.' Her eyes continued down the page, losing any interest she had with the letter.

'Steele really needs to change up the protocol. This information should be a given for investigators.'

Scarlet rolled it back up and put it aside, looking back at what seemed to be Jessica's writing. Upon opening the scroll, several smaller sheets of paper fell out, each one folded into neat little squares. Ignoring them for now, she looked back at the page:

Dear Scarly,

Plans for our role in the mission have changed. As the leading coordinator, I am as of this moment entrusting all activity, leads, and findings from the Ponyville sector to you. This is all due to some findings I discovered last night upon arriving in Ponyville that have relevance with an unrelated case Steele's taken great interest in. I'm now partaking on an independent investigation regarding this newfound information, and thus will be unable to completely cooperate with you during your assignment.

Best wishes and good luck to you, Trace. I'll be swinging by for check ups now and then.

Jessica Scrawl
Official Scribe and Archive Management

More writing at the bottom of the page followed, this time in a more hastily written manner:

PS: That sounded so boring and tacky. Protocol, baby!
Anyways, Scarly, I'll be keepin' in touch with you during your mission, so don't be afraid to go to sleep.

Oh, and I've attached the conclusion to your dream, since you broke out of the spell much earlier than I anticipated. Good job, sweetie.

"Huh?" Scarlet cocked an eyebrow, looking back at the scattered notes along the table. She grabbed the nearest one, unfolding it with a curious hoof.

Twilight looked up from her reading, noting the harsh, blood red color of Scarlet's face upon reading one of the notes. Sweat formed on Scarlet's brow. The detective’s eyes looked back up at Twilight's. Scarlet gasped, frantically crumbling up the lewd and oddly detailed image Jessica had drawn out.

'Harassment! That's the definition of sexual harassment!' Scarlet boomed in her mind. She reached over to the other folded up documents, finding each to contain a thoroughly thought out picture of Jessica and Scarlet in compromising positions. She ran through each fold, balling them all up with great prejudice. She looked back up at a confused Twilight Sparkle, waving her forelock out of her eye.

"Hey, what's this?" Scarlet heard another voice next to her. Spike knelt at her side, picking up another folded attachment to Jessica's scroll. His claws were on the verge of opening it to view the contents.

Scarlet's world moved in slow motion as her hoof fired over towards Spike, grabbing the note right out of his grasp. Without hesitation, she shoved it in her mouth, downing the document faster than she thought possible.

Everypony's eyes were on her, begging for an explanation.

She caught her breath, "D-destroy all official documents upon reading. Agency...policy."

"...Makes sense to me," Twilight smiled after pondering for a moment. "But then, what about those?" Her hoof directed Scarlet to every other scroll on the table.

Scarlet dryly swallowed, looking at the letters, and then the waiting mare on the other end. She winced as her hoof reached over and grabbed a balled up picture. For the next few minutes, Twilight and Spike watched in awe as Scarlet forcibly downed each and every piece of mail she had received that morning.

'These damn pictures...all because of last night,' Scarlet felt a spark ignite in her mind. 'Last night!'

"Oh, Ms. Sparkle," she tried to pull attention away from her paper feast, "About last night...I fell asleep as soon as I managed to drag myself upstairs. Did I miss anything important? Clean up go well for you guys?"

Twilight, just as eager to move on, replied, "It actually went very well. I was able to disenchant quite easily while some of the sober ponies helped keep everypony apart from one another. Once I cracked the binding on the spell, I was able to cure pretty much everypony that was still here."

Scarlet hesitated, "Almost everypony?"

"I'm afraid some of the more 'enthusiastic' ponies made it out of the library before we could stop them. Time will tell if they managed to," she cleared her throat awkwardly, "get far enough."

"I sincerely apologize on behalf of my associate, Ms. Sparkle. It was irresponsible of me to assume Jessica wouldn't try something like this. She's infamous back in Canterlot for pulling pranks of this caliber."

"It's fine, Scarlet."

"Come to think of it," Scarlet remembered Jess' letter, "Any idea where she ran off to last night?"

"I'm not sure. Last time I saw her was during the outbreak. I caught her pulling Pinkie towards the back exit of the Library, but that's all I can honestly remember."

Scarlet almost jumped in her seat, 'She...she what?"

"Pinkie had far too many cups of punch at that point. Jessica volunteered to handle her while we took care of the rest of the ponies. I figured she'd be able to help her out, being that she's as magically inclined as I am."

"Not to mention it was her that did the initial enchantment."

"Precisely."

"I...I, see. Umm," Scarlet gulped, "have you heard from Miss Pie since then?"

"She was the first pony I went to go visit earlier this morning. She's home at Sugarcube Corner resting up from the night. Says she's pretty sore from last night, and she has a slight fever. Probably just her body responding to the overdose of magic in the drinks. She doesn't remember a thing though."

'Jessica did show some kind of bizarre interest in Ms. Pie earlier last night, but what could she possibly want with her...other than...' There was a long pause as Scarlet mulled over the idea. 'No. It'd be the first time she'd have taken advantage of somepony like that. It doesn't sound right, not even for somepony like her,' she shook her head.

Scarlet considered the possibilities. The sun rose higher and higher outside, a distant rooster's call snapping the detective back into the real world. 'I can think about this nonsense later. I need to focus on my assignment, with or without Jessica.'

"Ms. Twilight, can you point me in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres from here? I think it'd be best to start there and sweep my way through the town."

"That'll be no problem Scarlet," Twilight smiled. She had been scribbling something on a piece of parchment for the duration of the conversation, her quill jerking voraciously in the air. "I just need to finish writing out this note to Princess Celestia. During all of the commotion last night, I forgot to inform her of your arrival, as well as how last night played out."

Spike reappeared at Twilight's side, eagerly awaiting the letter. Scarlet looked on curiously as the baby dragon grabbed the parchment. He sucked in a great, deep breath, exhaling a curious magical dust onto the parchment. Scarlet watched in shock as the letter materialized in his breath, flowing seamlessly out of the library and into the sky outside.

'That's the same magic Jessica uses. Incredible that such a young dragon is already capable.'

"I think I'll plan out the rest of my investigation after my trip to Sweet Apple Acres. Once I know where I am, it should be easy to figure out how I should go about investigating in town," Scarlet told Twilight as Spike carried out the writing materials. "And actually, since I'm already here, I might as well start with you, Ms. Sparkle."

"That's fine with me," Twilight responded. "How can I help?"

Scarlet took another sip of her water, the condensation creating a ring of moisture on the flat surface. "Just a few questions in general. How long have you been here in Ponyville? I know you lived in Canterlot for quite some time beforehand."

"Not too long," Twilight said, "It's only been a few years at best. I moved here from Canterlot after my friends and I managed to take down Nightmare Moon."

"I recall hearing about that in the papers back in Canterlot," Scarlet remembered. 'If she's only been living here for three years or so, then it's impossible for her to really know much about the case...but just to be safe...'

"Twilight, have you ever heard any stories about a pony going missing here in Ponyville over the last few years? Anything at all from anypony who’s lived here for most of their life?"

"Uhh," she thought, "I don't think so. I don't know too much town history from before I arrived, and I haven't really gotten around to learning much yet."

"I thought as much," Scarlet replied, "Can you tell me of anypony who might be able to help?"

"You might be able to ask the Mayor. She's lived here for quite some time. Oh! The Apple Family at Sweet Apple Acres has been here for ages. I'm sure they might have a better idea about any information regarding something like that."

'Good call then. I have a solid trail to follow.'

"I think that's about all that I need for now, Ms. Sparkle. Thanks for the tip." Scarlet pulled herself away from the table, beginning to head back to the stairs.

"Wait, Ms. Trace!"

Scarlet turned back to face Twilight.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is this case about?"

Scarlet sighed, "I'm sorry Twilight. I can't share that kind of information with you. It's classified."

"Huh. That's interesting."

"Interesting?" Scarlet questioned. "I suppose I can see that."

"No," Twilight shut down the sentiment, "I mean it's interesting because of the letters you got this morning."

"How so?"

"One of the scrolls had the insignia on it, and when you ate the contents, you also ate the non-marked information. I take it that it also had classified information on it as well, right?"

Scarlet felt a bead of sweat, "Y-you...you can say that, yeah."

"The insignia means that Princess Celestia is involved in your line of work, and it's curious to me because I lived under Celestia for half of my life, working as her protégé to learn all I could about magic."

Scarlet knew where Twilight was going with the line of reasoning.

"I've heard of little projects straight from her mouth from time to time, whether in private or by accident. I wasn't aware that she owned a sector for private investigations."

"...Celestia likes to keep us heavily under wraps, Ms. Sparkle."

"It makes me want to know more, but I understand that you're not the one who can tell me."

"She is. Is that what you're thinking?"

"Yes, Scarlet."

Scarlet fixed her forelock, which had fallen down over her eye once again. "Well, do what you wanna do if need be. It's not my mission to keep my activities under wraps, and I'm not going to tell you anything regarding the Agency. That's up to you to decipher from the Princess herself."

"It's interesting," Twilight continued, "maybe I'll have a chat with her sometime soon about it, but right now it's not possible. Nor is it important."

Scarlet grinned, "Good deduction, Twilight. Now, about Sweet Apple Acres..."

"Oh yeah! Just head due south after you leave this library. Keep on the main road until you come across the apple orchards. You can't miss it."

"Thank you kindly, Ms. Sparkle."

Twilight nodded before heading off to the main room in the library downstairs. Scarlet went back to her bed, gathering up her fedora, coat, and documents. She waved off to Twilight and Spike, who were busy organizing a new shelf on the other side of the main room, before shutting the door behind her.

"Let's begin."

==========

The smell of apple filled the mid-afternoon air. Scarlet felt suffocated by the trees bunched together in rows and columns on either side of the trail. The faint breeze accompanied her long walk through the apple scented countryside, catching sight of several pieces of fruit dropping off trees of their own accord. A giant red farm house lie beyond the path, an arching gate wedged between the white picket fence that bordered the farm welcomed all visitors. A wooden plaque hung above the arch, a spot hollowed out with an apple shape matched the apple hovering above the highest point of the farm house.

Coops, farm equipment, mounds of hay, and pens were expertly placed around the yard. Scarlet made her way through the arching gates just as an orange pony came walking out one of the many coops.

"Howdy there!" the work pony waved over from the distance. Her hooves were marked with mud from working that morning, and her hair was undone in several places. She quickly fixed what little she could of her mane before walking over to Scarlet, her Stetson bobbing up and down with every step in her trot.

"Hello there," Scarlet gave her greetings, taking a step back from the eccentric expression of Applejack's face. "Am I right in assuming that you're Ms. Applejack?"

"Absolutely, Ms...?"

Scarlet cleared her throat, "My name is Scarlet Trace, and I'd like to ask you several questions regarding Ponyville. I'm running a," she paused for a second, "...A series of articles regarding the town's history, and I figured it would be a good idea to come visit the Apple Family."

"Well, okay," Applejack started, "but come walk with me, I have to go get Applebloom from school already. They're about to let the fillies out."

"That's fine by me," Scarlet assured her, "I have other business to deal with later in town anyways."

"Alright then, follow me."

The walk back into Ponyville was riddled with Scarlet's investigation, starting with minor, easy to answer questions regarding her family history.

"Your family has resided in Ponyville for a long time, is this correct?"

"Yes ma'am. The Apple Family's been here even before Ponyville was founded. We have a long runnin' history with the town."

"Perfect, "Scarlet scribbled in a notebook for a quick second before catching up with Applejack. "Would you say that your family has come across most of the ponies that lived here?"

"Most, if not all of them," she said matter-of-factly, "Our Apple business sees ponies who want to buy our products from all 'round Equestria. We've probably seen everypony in Equestria at one point or 'nother, but a'hd need to see their face before I remembered any of them."

"I see," Scarlet mused, "Well, since your family's been here so long, I assume you've heard about most of the big stories that take place?"

"Big stories? What do you mean by 'big stories'?"

The border of Ponyville could be seen by now, the swarms of Apple trees lining the trail behind them. "Have you heard anything regarding ponies...disappearing from the region in the last decade or two?"

"Missin' ponies?" Applejack reached up and fixed her hat. "Can't say a'hve ever heard a peep about missin' ponies."

'Damn it. And there's so little documentation in general...'

"And would you know of anypony else who has been here for more or less a similar length of time as your family has?"

Scarlet's ears flickered at the sound of a distant bell. "Well, 'ah can't say much about it, but you could try asking Pinkie Pie ."

"Pinkie Pie?"

"She says she remembers everypony in Ponyville, and she's been around for a long time, ever since she was only a little filly. If somepony went missin' lately, then she'd be the one to talk to about that."

'Perfect. I need to talk with her regarding Jessica anyways.'

"Was that everythin' you needed, Scarlet? 'Ah still have a heap of work to finish back at the farm after I pick up mah lil' sis."

"Oh! Y-yes, that's perfectly fine, Applejack."

Several fillies came pooling out of a small, single classroom building nearby. A handful had already run past the two older mares, shouting in celebration of the end of their school day. A lavender colored pony followed up at the end of the line of students from the schoolhouse, waving them goodbye for the day.

Scarlet watched the younger ponies flock on by, her attentive eye paying special detail to some of the cutie marks she spotted.

"Scissors...a silver spoon? Ah, is that a candy cane?"

Scarlet pulled out her notes and finished jotting down the remainder of information she had ciphered from the farmer. Her hoof reached inside of her coat for her pencil. Her grip slipped, cursing herself as the utensil fell limp upon the dirt road.

"Oh," a child-like voice sung out. "Excuse me miss," the young colt lifted the pencil off the ground, handing it back to Scarlet with a beaming smile on his face.

"O-oh, thank you very much," Scarlet nodded, struggling to make eye-contact with the foal. Her eye wandered as she grabbed the pencil from him. As he turned to make his leave and catch up to his friends, Scarlet caught a glimpse of his flank.

"B...blank?"

"What was that?" Applejack asked, still waiting for Applebloom to meet her.

"A...that foal had no cutie mark, Applejack," She nearly gasped.

"Y'sound awful surprised."

"I've...never seen one before," Scarlet admitted, "In my line of work, I've never...not once, seen a...a blank.."

"Really? You didn't see any at school when you were a lil' filly?"

"N-no. I was home schooled."

Applejack tilted her head, "well yeah, having a blank flank is normal for ponies their age. It's kinda surprisin' to hear about somepony who’s never come across one before."

Scarlet struggled to look away from the colt, narrowing her eyes before finally breaking free. The image continued to linger in her mind as she turned back to Applejack.

"Well, thank you very much for your time, Ms. Applejack. I'll be sure to talk to you again if need be."

"Anytime, Scarlet."

Scarlet turned back towards town. She quickly glanced at her cutie mark, her face still bewildered by the empty space on the colt's body. "See you around."

'I've found nothing, and the day's half over. This isn't going to be much of a report...'

===========

The door swung open with ease. Mysty's soft, rosy pink eyes gazed upon that familiar coat and those dark, crimson eyes. His mouth shaped an inconsistent expression she immediately found familiar.

"Oh my!" Hart shouted, squinting her eyes. 'C-Conroy!?'

"Hello Mrs. Justis," the young, cobalt detective replied.

"Oh," Mysty popped, "It's you Locks. Please, come in." She moved to the side to let him come in, 'How funny, the resemblance is still uncanny after all these years.'

Locks took a look around the tasteless, bland apartment. "The place looks great, Mrs. Justis. Nice and clean." His eye caught sight of an incomplete puzzle resting on the coffee table in the den. "I see your appetite for jigsaw puzzles is still voracious."

"It's what I do, you know better than that." Mysty gave him a welcoming smile, "Can I get you anything Locks? A drink? A bite?"

"Hmm, a glass of water would be sublime, thank you." Locks quickly found a seat on the couch near the wall by the front door. 'There's not many pictures of the family in here. Everything seems plain and dry.'

"I'll be a minute. Make yourself at home, sweetie."

The detective sighed. 'Nopony calls me that except her. It's been awhile, but it's still...awkward.' He turned back to the kitchen, 'She worked at the Agency too. I can't be too routine about this, or she'll catch on right away. Be passive.'

"No problem," Locks said with a twinkle in his eye.

Mysty returned with two glasses in tow, placing one near Locks, and holding onto the other with a lazy hoof. "How've you been, Locks? I haven't seen you around in ages. It's so nice of you to pull yourself away from work to say hello. I really appreciate it."

Locks took a small sip of his cool drink, "I had several cases that got stacked up over the last month. Most of them were textbook, but you know how it goes. Lots of paperwork to deal with."

"Heh, so Flex is still as inefficient and bossy as ever, huh?"

'She used his first name...sounds a bit harsh.' "If by that you mean the policies at the Agency haven't really changed since you quit, then yes."

"Hmph," Mysty mocked Locks' boss, downing a third of her drink in another gulp before letting out a long sigh of relief. "That hit the spot. Steele's always too busy drowning in files and flirting with the princess to really get his hooves nice and dirty. That second rate officer wouldn't be able to solve a simple murder without tossing his fancy gadgets and shiny badge around like a little filly with the hall pass in elementary."

Locks stared at her eyes. 'Bloodshot...is she...?' Her glass was tinged a dark, toxic brown. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Mrs. Justis."

"What? You mean you don't?"

"In my experience, he's been efficient enough to get the job done. Amy and Jess think so too."

"Efficient enough isn't efficient enough," she downed another third, "And you can't fool me, Locks. Jessica Scrawl doesn't give a shit about the Agency."

"I'd like to believe otherwise."

"How so? Prove it to me."

Locks chuckled, "How else would she get her jollies without getting arrested?"

Mysty face momentarily wrinkled, interrupted only by the hiccup that crept up through the back of her throat. "Good 'ol Jessica. And Amy too. They still in your sector?"

"Jessica's always bouncing around. She became a free agent shortly after you quit, Mysty. Amy's still in my company though. It's nice to have a familiar face to work around.

Mystery Hart downed another fraction of her drink. "Would you care for something to drink, dear," her voice boomed beyond the walls of her house. The sound of beating wings came from the window, a light brown-coated mare hovered just outside of the closed window. Her lavender eyes found Mysty, followed by a series of whistles loud enough to make it through the window's thick barrier.

'Damn. She's practically drunk, yet her senses are just as sharp,' Locks noted as Amethyst shot back up into the sky.

"What a sweet girl," Mysty continued, "How is Amy doing these days?"

"Well," Locks automatically said, "She's doing well."

"She looks as beautiful as I can remember. Her mane is so long and wonderful." The veteran narrowed her eyes, "and she's become...somewhat edgy."

"She's taken excellent care of herself over the years."

"She got," another hiccup interrupted, "Bigger too! Hard to imagine that once upon a time, she was but a frail little-"

"I know. Coincidentally, Scarlet was in a similar place."

Mysty laughed the remark off, taking another large, hearty drink, remorseful that the glass had been dried. "Oh...I'm all out. Be right back."

'We're going nowhere. I need to lead the conversation,' Locks grunted as Scarlet's mother swayed her way into the kitchen. "What do you think, Mrs. Justis?"

"I'm inclined to disagree. Why wouldn't I?"

"It just makes me curious. Did you ever pay close attention to both Amethyst and Scarlet during the induction months?" he quizzed. His eyes concentrated on her face, his irises shining with focus.

"Locks, that upsets me. You know better than to say something so ridiculous."

"They both struggled to adapt. Circumstance aside, you can't tell me that they didn't-"

Glass shattered in the kitchen, "Oops. My bad." The sounds of her broom filled the void in the conversation, the jingle of the fragile shards chilled Locks' backbone. Mysty eventually stumbled back into the den, a new glass in her hand. She took a deep breath before downing another hefty portion of her brew. Her body shuddered as the liquor burned a path through her body.

"I was never on the case with Amy, so you're right. I can't say much about her to that extent. Anything that happened outside of the reports, at the very least."

Locks snorted, as if insulted. "Jessica, the Western sector, and I were all on site that day. What I saw that day can't be illustrated in something as generalizing and heartless as a report."

"Haha! I'll drink to that!" Mysty celebrated, bringing the glass to her lips once again. "Conroy fed me some of the information, but he wasn't on the case either. We didn’t know anything until we were called in on the last day. Poor girl...I'm happy for her though, she's become stronger for it."

"Amazingly strong. One of the most valuable ponies we've ever had, I'd bet," Locks paused for a moment to sip at his relatively tame drink. "To be fair to Scarlet, I'm in a similar boat. I have very little idea of the aftermath regarding his case."

"Conroy’s? Flex is still keepin' it locked up in his super 'special vault'?"

'Not anymore.' "More or less. There's not much to inspect, I imagine. Nothing ever really turned up to help it progress."

An eerie, knowing chortle came from the widow. "There's nothing in those documents that I don't know MORE of. I was his wife, you know," she took a seemingly relaxed drink out of her cup.

"Interesting. Have you ever told anypony?"

"Of course not."

"Really? Not even with Steele?"

"HA! Work with FLEX? Absurd," she failed to hide her hiccup after exhausting the glass, "The Agency can't help us anymore anyw-"

Mysty stopped mid-sentence, looking at Locks through her weary perception.

'Her face shifted,' he hesitated. "Mrs. Justis?"

"...He sent you, didn't he?"

'Fuck,' "Your eye is amazingly well trained, Mrs. Justis. I can't hide it appropriately against somepony of your caliber."

"You only got so far because of this!" Mysty hollered, raising her empty glass into the air. She slammed the cup down on the coffee table. "This isn't just a visit."

"...I was assigned a new case-"

"Cut it. It's not NEW if you had to come to a relic like ME for information. My stories died with my husband."

The detective sighed. "Steele put me on a revised case regarding the circumstances of Conroy's death. I finally had the chance to look at every last bit of the records, but nothing gave me any clues or leads. At first I rejected the idea of coming here...but if anypony could put me on the right path, it's you."

Mysty's expression was conflicted between disgust, anger, and respect, all directed at the younger colt sitting across from her. She clasped her hooves together, pinching her eyes shut as she made sense of his request.

"...You have exactly five minutes starting now. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Locks' repeated, "With what?"

"With convincing me to tell you anything about Conroy. If this is being used to that pathetic colt's gain, then you're going to struggle to justify it."

Locks rattled his brain for something, anything to say to convince her. 'Something that doesn't involve Steele makes it difficult. Damn it!' he struggled, 'and she knows me too well, it's impossible to just make up an excuse...what can I say?'

Mysty took several drinks from her glass every minute, her hind legs crossed, one of them bobbing up and down while she waited for a response. Her kept her hooves busy by messing with her unkempt mane, trying to force down several strands of her hair that looked as though they were trying t escape from her ivory head.

She cleared her throat, almost enjoying watching Locks under pressure, a sight rare for the common agent back at headquarters. "Time's running out, Locks."

"Steele wanted to," Locks paused the moment his boss' name left his mouth.

"Nuh-uh. Any reason primarily involving Steele is NEVER a good reason."

'What do I say, then? Think!'

Locks tapped his chin, pondering the many reasons he could use, but finding none that could sway Mysty towards accepting his plea for help.

"Less than a minute left, Locks. The clock is ticking."

Mysty took another drink, her eyes darting back to Locks. His eyes glistened, and an aura of confidence filled his body. Interested, she pressed on, "Hmm? You look like you just had an epiphany, sweetie."

"We...we chose to accept it."

Mysty was forced to double take as the words registered, "...What did you say?"

"Steele gave us the assignment, so it stands that in the end, he'll gain from it. There's nothing I can say about that. But, he made it an optional task, so nothing's been imposed on us like it usually is at the Agency. I accepted this job because I wanted to find the truth."

"So you chose this path yourself. Fair enough, but I'm still not fully convinced. What of Steele?"

"Steele will be benefiting, and he'll be feeding Princess Celestia the information as it comes, but WE are the ones who actively and willingly decided to continue this mission, willingly throwing ourselves out there to hunt for the answers we desperately need.

"The way I can best portray it in a nutshell," Locks paused, "We chose to give your family the justice it verily deserves."

Mysty mulled over his words carefully. "I did say that using Steele wasn't a good reason, but you did a great job trying to avoid that." She pushed herself off of the couch, wobbling back and forth in a lazy attempt to control her balance. "But if what you say is true..."

"It's entirely true. He profits, but he's the last person I care about in regards to the mission."

"You're using Steele as a stepping stone?"

Locks nodded in response. Mysty turned around, lifting her glass off of the coffee table as she did. A laugh, as soft as a feather at first, started to grow from the back of Mysty's throat.

"Stepping stone," Locks thought aloud, "You could say that, but it sounds like you're antagonizing us."

Mysty walked to the kitchen, her laugh audible enough to bring Amethyst back down to the window, curiously looking in at the new development. "I still don't like this all too much, Locks, but you've humored me."

"So what happens now, Mrs. Justis?"

"An eye for an eye, Locks. You made me smile, so now I'm obliged to do the same, right? You get one question about Conroy. Think carefully about it."

"I already have one," Locks started with a tad more enthusiasm, "In the documents, Steele notes that Conroy was on "independent research" that lacked Agency involvement prior to his death. We have no records or evidence from Conroy proving that he was even on any type of assignment. Since you're his wife, and once a part of the Agency itself, I feel like you should be able to tell me more regarding this little problem.

"Unless of course, he kept it from you as well."

"That's an excellent question, Locks," she bobbed her head in approval, "Conroy and I shared everything about our assignments. Secrets can only fester a relationship, don't you agree?

"In any case, before I say anything, I want you to understand something about what I'm about to tell you."

"Oh? And what exactly is that?"

"I'm nearly one hundred percent positive that Conroy's...death was a direct result of his independent research, and nothing more. There's," Mysty's voice lost its directness, "something strange and...eerily overreaching about the assignment, and what with becoming a...a widow, and having to take care of Scarlet, I never committed myself to finding out why after his passing."

"I can understand that much. You're a mother, you can't risk your life and your daughter's welfare over a dangerous case like that. Scarlet would've been left alone if something were to happen."

Mysty turned her head the other way. "Just promise me that you won't do something stupid with this information, okay? I'd hate to be the one who killed our family's closest friend."

Locks scooted closer to Mysty, his concrete stare softened at her reserved physique. "I promise, Mrs. Justis."

"Conroy had always been fascinated with Scarlet, ever since she was born."

"Everypony's heard of it by now, the Premature Cutie Mark. He was reasonably curious, Mrs. Justis, it was a first time for Equestria."

"He scoured the Agency looking for related material on cutie marks, and collaborated with Steele concerning the topic, but he always came home empty hoofed.

"Being one of the best detectives at the Agency, and a friend of the Princess, he was able to grab an audience with Celestia regarding the matter some weeks before his death. I think that's the point where everything began to change.

"He came home with a hardened look that I think we both know all too well."

"It's the look when he knows exactly where to go next for his answer," Locks added.

"...Ponyville, to the Everfree Forest."

"Everfree?"

"He was oddly cryptic about it, but he said that the answers were in the Everfree Forest, so he moved to Ponyville for a few days. I sent him letters, but he didn't respond. The fact that the Everfree Forest is what it is got me anxious."

"Timberwolves, Manticores, Cockatrices, Dragons, and Ursas. Makes sense."

"I eventually did manage to get a letter from him one day."

Mysty paused to catch her breath. Locks pressed on, "And what did that letter say?"

"The answer to his investigation was close, he said. The key was within a 'missing colt' that had been wiped from the records. It sounded...grim. I...I know it sounds crazy but..."

"But what?" Conroy asked, eager to drain her of all the information she was willing to give.

"I...I don't think Conroy wrote that letter. If it was him that sent it, then something happened that changed him."

Locks' eyes grew wide with curiosity and confusion. Mysty took another breath, "The next letter I received was from the Agency, reporting that he...he was found dead near the bridge leading to Northern Canterlot."

"M-Mysty," Locks blurted, "that can't be right."

"What?"

'Scarlet's case...and Mysty...but,' "Justis was back in Canterlot that day!"

Mysty turned back around, staring him straight in his crimson eyes, "What did you say?"

"I TALKED to Conroy Justis that day. I talked to him the day he died. Scarlet saw him too! Mysty, what time did you get that letter?"

"I got the first letter only a few hours before the second, and I'm positive that it was addressed from Ponyville."

'What the hell is this!?' Locks backed up, "I talked to him. He didn't seem completely there. Like he had zoned out from everything else that day."

"You...you really saw Conroy back in Canterlot that day?"

"Absolutely, but can you tell me more about this?"

Mysty inched closer, hungry for more information after this sudden outburst. Her mouth opened, Locks eager to hear what she had to say. Suddenly, Mysty paused, retreating back to her seat, finishing off with another drink. She sighed as her back pressed against the soft cushion of the couch, "No can do Locks. Our transaction is complete."

"What?" Locks almost gasped.

"An eye for an eye. My debt is paid off."

"I see," he wiped his sweaty brow with a spare hoof, lifting himself from the couch, "Thank you for the information, Mysty. This'll definitely give me something to prod over."

Mysty gave him another warm smile. "No prob-"

Mysty froze in place, her expression and body suspended in mid-sentence as a dooming realization dawned upon her. "It took me awhile to catch it," Mysty croaked, her voice trembling. "Please don't let this be true, Locks."

'What is she talking about?' Locks asked himself. He shuddered, the temperature in the room dropped, a sharp chill ran through his black and white mane. "What's the matter, Mrs. Justis?"

"Us. We. Our. You've been slipping during our entire conversation. Locks...who's working with you?"

"In regards to Amethyst and myself, Mrs. Ju-"

"Bullshit!" Mysty's voice banged against Locks' ears. Her hoof swept across the table, kicking up the glass and slinging it against the wall, splitting it into tiny fragments all across the carpet. "You can hardly call the guardians 'coworkers' on a case, Locks! They don't do the things we do!"

'This is bad, I've lost control!' Locks recoiled, watching Mysty spring off of her seat. She stomped over to Locks, and before he could do anything, pinned him back against the cushion with a single hoof. "I'm not going to ask again. Who's working with you?"

'She's entitled to know, I can't keep it a secret from her,' Locks' thoughts echoed in his mind. He strained against her as he answered, "You don't need to hear it from me. You already figured it out yourself, haven't you?"

Locks felt a sharp sting against his gut. His vision panned down to a sickle of glass prodding against his delicate underbelly, the only thing separating him from a trip to the emergency room being a sudden jolt from the hectic mare. "I want to hear it from your mouth!" Mysty demanded.

Locks eyes panned to the window, spotting Amethyst preparing to burst through the glass. He quickly shook his head against the plan, holding a spare hoof out while the other stayed at his side, doing what he can to avoid tempting the ex-detective's hoof from plunging her weapon any deeper. Reluctantly, Amethyst stayed hovering beyond the barrier, hoping Locks would be okay.

"...Scarlet's working with me," he finally admitted, "She volunteered, Mysty."

The glass fell as he finished his sentence. Mysty let him go, walking backward towards her side of the couch, "I...I see."

"I'm sorry Mysty, but it was her decision," he added, rubbing the spot she had poked. A small trickle of blood had made its way a few centimeters down his belly from the light jab Mysty made. He blew it off, approaching Mysty as she fell back onto her seat.

"She's going to be killed. Just like him," she muttered silently, burying her face in her hooves. A spare hiccup interrupted her quiet sobs as Locks approached her, doing what he could to console the frightened mare. She raised her head to Locks, "What...what's her assignment? Tell me, now!"

"I can't Mysty. It's classi-"

"I'M HER MOTHER!" she bellowed, causing Amy and Locks to wince.

The detective shook his head, rubbing his eyes with a hoof, "She's investigating in Ponyville. She's looking into the missing pony case Conroy was working on."

"She," Mystery wiped her face clean, properly sitting herself back on the couch, "She might die."

"We're not going to let that happen."

"Please," Mysty snorted, "You couldn't save Conroy. You and your shitty boss couldn't do a damn thing. How can you promise me Scarlet's safety?"

Locks was stumped. "To be honest...I can't promise you. Not right now. I'm sorry."

Hart's eyes spaced out, looking at the wall behind Locks without so much as a tinge of emotion, "You know, you've been a friend of our family for a long time, Locks. I could even call you a stepson if I wanted to."

Locks remained quiet.

"Can you do something for me, Locks?"

"...Of course," Locks shifted.

"Bring Scarlet home."

"M-Mysty, I don't know if I can do that just yet."

"She'll come. She always has when I've asked."

Locks shifted around the couch and into the hallway leading back to the front door. "...I'll request an immediate departure from Ponyville for her as soon as we're done here, but that's all I'm afraid I can do for you right now."

"And watch her." Locks stopped in place. "Watch. Over. Her. If I can't convince her to stay away from this mess, then it's your job to make sure she stays alive. You, Amethyst, and Jessica."

"I understand, Mysty. I'll do everything I can."

Mysty sniffed as she cleared her drink down to the very last drop. She returned to the kitchen, sniffling as she set herself up with another generous serving. "Now get out of my sight, Locks. You've upset me plenty today."

Locks opened the door for himself, 'Yes, Mrs. Justis." Amethyst's giant wings carried her above the complex, watching Locks' movements like a gargoyle. Locks signaled to her, "C'mon Amy, we're heading back now." He turned to close the door after his pegasus protector lifted from the rooftop, looking back at the worried mother in the kitchen, who hadn't moved from her spot.

"I'm sorry."

Locks made his leave, pulling the door closed behind him. The wind pushed against the determined colt marching back towards the Agency, contemplating what he'd have to include in his report. The gust of wind, unknowingly to him, shoved Mysty's door back open.

Hart didn't so much as flinch when the door slammed against the wall of the house. She casually downed another mouthful, slowly moving her heavy eyes to the door.

"Can you be a dear and shut the door for me? There's a chill outside." Mysty asked the empty house.

Her door, as if it had a mind of its own, jerked in place before swinging completely shut on the outside world. The lock turned until a loud click made Mysty's ear twitch.

==========

2 Weeks Later

Scarlet's body flopped helplessly against a pristine white bench near a detailed, ivory statue of a pony in the middle of Ponyville’s park. Her back pressed against the seating as she stretched out her legs, taking up the entire seat. She let a petite yawn escape her jaw while she fixed her hat to block her face against the sunlight. Her left hooves slung uselessly from the edge of her spot in a frustrated defeat. Her magnifying glass slumped off to her side as well, swinging as a pendulum, suspended in the air above the dirt road.

"Ms. Pie, do you remember anything at all from last night? Anything particularly interesting that stood out to you?" Scarlet recalled from yesterday.

The pastel pink pony's eyes darted around the room from her spot on the bed, "Nopey dopey. Didn't see, hear, smell, or taste anything."

"You missed feel. Did you feel something?"

"Hmm," Pinkie rubbed her chin with one of her energetic hooves, "I remember something crawling."

"Crawling?"

"It felt like being lifted high into the sky by a swarm of parasprites!" she enthusiastically exploded in Scarlet's face.

"Can you tell me anything else concerning that feeling? Of being lifted, I mean."

"...Oh! I DID feel somepony brush up against my face! Does that count?"

'That was Jessica,' Scarlet made a note to herself, "Mmhmm, good. Anything else?"

"Uhh, nope, sorry," Pinkie Pie shrugged.

"I've talked to half of the ponies in this town, and I've come up with absolutely nothing!" Scarlet moaned into her fedora, flicking her tail against the bench in aggravation. "I've even managed to get a one on one with all of the elements, AND the mayor!"

"Letter!" a ditzy voice bounced above her head. Scarlet jumped to her haunches immediately, adjusting her hat and her mane, blowing air to move it out of her right eye.

"Who's there?" Scarlet asked.

"Letter!" the voice sang out again. Scarlet looked above her and smiled in relief. A gray coated pegasus with a sleek, blond mane was hovering just above her, holding a single scroll rolled up in her hoof. "Letter!"

"A letter for me?" Scarlet asked, hesitating to reach out and grab it.

"Letter!" she replied with enthusiasm, jerking her hoof out farther.

"Thanks," Scarlet saluted the mare, grabbing the letter and waving the mail mare off toward her next destination. The scroll had the royal seal pinned on the wrapped parchment, which Scarlet didn't hesitate to rip open in the middle of the park.

"Return back to Canterlot?" Scarlet repeated from the reading, "...Mystery Hart requests a meeting? Tomorrow morning?!" The young mare crumbled up the scroll and tucked it away in her coat. "What the hell did Locks do?!"

She jumped back on to her fours. "Carriage will be arriving late tonight to transport back, please gather what you need before returning," she memorized from the scrunched up ball of paper. "What are Steele and Locks up to?"

==========

The sun was still hiding behind the eastern sky of Canterlot when Scarlet was face to face with the door to her mom's apartment. She didn't expect to be back so soon, but knowing that Locks and Steele meddled in her mother's affairs made her incredibly uneasy about talking to her.

'What did they tell her? She's no slouch, she could read them as well as they could probably read her,' Scarlet's nerves trembled. Knowing that standing outside in the chilly weather would do her no good, she reached for the door knob, letting the door swing open as she took her first steps inside.

"Mom? Are you home? I was told that you wanted to see me...?" Scarlet called out, leaving the door open. The house still looked just as it had before she had left. 'There's an empty bottle on the shelf. I doubt she'd leave that sitting around, and it looks fresh," Scarlet walked to the den on her right, recognizing a small blanket that had been left ruffled on a corner of the couch.

Scarlet's entire body jolted when she heard the front door slam behind her.

"Hi Scarlet. Welcome home," Mysty beamed.

'How did she get behind me,' Scarlet jumped back. "H-hi mom. I...I was told that you wanted to see me?

"Yes," Mysty nodded. She strolled up to her young daughter, "First, how was your trip? Oh, and don't mind, feel free to take a seat," she motioned to the couch.

'Much better without Jessica,' Scarlet shivered, "It was fast, and pretty uneventful. Jessica left after my first day on the job. Something about some "independent research."

Mysty's eye twitched. "You know," she sat on one end of the couch, "I had a visitor come to the house the other day.

Scarlet could feel a chill slowly making its way into the room. She tightened up her coat, feeling the air crawl up her neck. "Is that so? Who was it? Steele?"

"Detective Locks, of course," Mysty was oblivious to the temperature change, "We talked for a bit, and shared a drink. Caught up with one another. He's looking more and more handsome by the day."

'So it WAS Locks. Does he already have a lead on his end?' Scarlet fiddled as she found her seat. "And what exactly does that meeting have to do with me? Sounds like he just wanted to be a little friendly."

"I'm Mystery Hart, sweetie," she clicked with a grin, "What do you think happened?"

'Damn it, Locks. You took a gamble coming here, and now it's biting ME in the flank,' she moved her forelock from her face, "Why don't you tell me? I have no idea what's going on in Canterlot."

"Steele's on the move again, and this time, he's using the two of you. Isn't that right?"

'She's being odd...she's taking this too well,' Scarlet looked down, "That's somewhat true."

"And Locks told me something interesting," Mysty scooted closer. "He said that Steele gave you the option to refuse that request.

Scarlet moved away from the advancing Hart. "H-he did. We voluntarily accepted the assignment," she gulped.

"Ah, so Locks really WAS telling the whole truth, then. Scarlet," Mysty's eyes pierced Scarlet's hide, "Why?"

"Why?"

"Your father traveled down the same road."

"Because I need to know the truth, just like he did," Scarlet replied immediately.

"Locks said the same thing," Mysty sighed, "I don't buy that. That's not a 'Scarlet' response.

"Your father died because he found something that somepony didn't want him to uncover. There's no other reasonable motivation behind his death beyond that," Mysty squinted her worn, baggy eyes. "He knew too much, and I know you feel the same way about it. Unless I missed some crucial point of development for my own daughter, I know that you'd never justify something as ridiculous as 'the truth' for why you accepted the case."

"Mom, what else do you want to hear me say? It really IS the truth," Scarlet moved closer to her less hostile mother.

"That's not everything, Scarlet. You're hiding something more."

'She's reading me like a book,' the detective winced.

Mystery chortled, "That face you're making. It has nothing to do with me reading your mind. I'm just really good at catching your tell. I'm your mother, remember?"

Scarlet froze, her eyes looked away from her mother's face.

"Scarlet, we aren't on the job here," Mysty spoke in a hush, "You're at home. I asked for you so we could talk. Your only role right now is to be my daughter, none of this detective bullshit."

'I know that, believe me,' Scarlet inhaled, "So you pulled me away from Ponyville, and my job, to drag the truth out?" Mysty affirmed the question. "If...if my job right now is only to be a daughter."

"It is."

The room fell into a catatonic state, the sound of the rippling wind filling the atmosphere with a thick, dreary pressure. Scarlet's mind struggled to decide on what to say. 'I'm going to have to tell her, or else I'm not getting out of here on a good note.'

"I did it to fix us," she finally replied with absolute certainty.

"What did you say," Mystery's eyes lit up.

"I accepted the mission to fix us, mom."

"Fix," Mysty repeated, looking beyond Scarlet in a stupor. "Scarlet, are we broken?"

Scarlet let the silence take control of the room.

"Scarlet, baby, answer me," her mother pleaded.

Scarlet tried to shift away from her. Mysty nearly bounced over to Scarlet from the other couch, wrapping her ivory hooves around the front of Scarlet's neck. She pulled Scarlet to her, resting her head on the back of her daughter's. "Please, answer me honestly. We're family, right? You know me. I won't get mad with you."

"We're," Scarlet hesitated, pulling the fedora further over her head, "I think we're broken. When he died," she felt Mysty's grip tighten, "you changed. It was immediate, but I could feel it, slowly transforming you into something else. You started spending all of your time at the cemetery, wandering aimlessly along the tombstones. I'd...I'd come home from my day at the Agency, and you'd..."

Mysty spotted Scarlet's pause, "Say it Scarlet. It's okay to say it, I know what I've done."

"You'd walk the other way," she sniffed, feeling the heat rise to her face. "Dad's death destroyed the bond we had when I was a filly. I couldn't stand living under the same roof that we'd spent so many happy days under any longer."

"So you moved out," Mysty's words trembled with each syllable, her ears folded down along her head.

Scarlet shook her head. "The next time I showed up for a visit, I found you drinking." Her hoof ran up one of Mysty's forelegs, feeling her mother's smooth coat. "Just constantly, always drinking, or sleeping your life away on the couch. You even went so far as to get a job at the same cemetery you wasted so much of your time at."

"Scarlet..."

"I knew that I needed a solution. I," she felt moisture building up in her eyes, "I wanted to go back to the days we had when I was younger." Scarlet slowly dragged another breath in, "When Steele finally gave me the option to take this case, I thought that maybe..."

"Scarlet, ssh," Mysty ran one hoof through her deep, red mane. "I understand completely now. You don't need to say anything else. You were scared for me. My health. Our health."

"Mom?" Scarlet reacted to Mysty's weakening hold.

"I think I get it now," Hart started. "If I begged you right here, right now, to drop the case, it wouldn't change your decision, would it?"

"No," she shut her eyes, "I need to do this."

"Not even if I said that you could die...just like your father?"

"Mom," Scarlet's frame tightened up, "I'd rather die than live any longer like this. I want us back."

The carefree breeze outside beat against the window frame, making the glass tremble.

"Locks wasn't sugar coating it. There's really nothing else I can do now," Mysty whispered. "I guess that leaves me no choice."

Scarlet's ears perked up. "No...choice?"

Mysty released Scarlet and turned her around. "I told Locks that there's information that only I know, of which goes far beyond what the reports say. Beyond what even you were aware of here at home, Scarlet."

"But then why didn't you tell him?"

"Why would I," Mysty almost gasped. "I despise Steele with all of my heart, and Locks works directly under him. However, I did part with some details. That's the only reason they let me pull you out of Ponyville for this.

"I was hoping I could convince you to stop." Mysty's purple-pink irises linked with Scarlet's jade green, "You're all I have left, sweetie. I just...I just don't want to lose you too. that's why I never took on the case after I finally had the freedom to do it. I was afraid that I'd leave you alone.

"But," she continued, "If you're not happy with how things have been...then I can't allow it to continue any further."

Scarlet wiped her eyes, "Mom...thank you."

Mysty tugged Scarlet in for a hug. "I'm your mother, Scarlet. I'd do anything for you."

Scarlet smiled at the feeling of her mother's warm embrace. "So then you...you have information?"

"The mission is deadly, but you're going to tackle it head on regardless of what I say. My only choice is to help you out then, right?"

The tension pent up inside the house was completely incinerated by the sound of Mystery's hearty laughter, "Don't think I'm going to stop drinking NOW though. I've got the cider fever!"

'Beggars can't be choosers,' Scarlet shook her head, tightly squeezing her mother back. "That's fine. We can deal with that some other time. What can you tell me about dad and his case?"

"I'll do you one better," Mysty boldly claimed with a cocky grin, "I'll show you. Come on."

Scarlet followed her mother, the two of them jumping to their feet and making their way down the hallway that lead from the front door to the back wall. "Where are you taking me?"

Mysty's hoof extended to the back end of the hallway, directing Scarlet's attention to the door that stood waiting for this day to come.

"Dad's locked work room? He never let either of us in there."

"Your father was very organized in his work up until the day he died. He trusted me with a spare key that'd unlock the door, but specifically asked me to avoid the room whenever I could."

"Avoid it? How come?"

"Oh, I don't know," Mysty shrugged, "I've just kept my end of the bargain because I'm his wife."

"So have you ever been inside the room?" Scarlet felt the cold air sting the back of her exposed neck again, forcing her to readjust her coat.

"A few times, just to dust and clean. I haven't touched anything otherwise."

"Just to dust," Scarlet cocked a brow.

Mysty hummed, "You really need to remember the level of dedication and respect your father and I had for our work." Mysty's hoof reached up, digging into her mess of a mane. Her eyes jolted, her hoof tugging at something that seemed to be snagged in her hair. A small, gold key popped out from her head, and without hesitation, she plunged it into the bolted lock. A loud, obnoxious click ringed through the hallway, and the door popped open several inches.

Mysty stood to the side, looking back at Scarlet and waving her daughter into the room. The younger mare slowly walked up to the threshold. "Mom," she turned, "Are you coming?"

"Oh heavens no," Mysty almost gasped, "I have no business in that room. Besides, I have to get ready for work. You can stay as long as you need. If anything is left to dig up, it's in there."

Scarlet looked into the room, "O-okay. Here I go," she gulped, hesitating to pass beyond the wooden door. A new kind of pressure tightened her stomach, knowing nothing of what would be beyond the door. Scarlet took in a deep breath, and quickly stepped into the office, realizing that the sounds of the wind against the house had suddenly disappeared.

Her eyes darted around the darkness, feeling the wall for a light switch. A click snapped, illuminating the entirety of the darkness. 'Mom wasn't kidding. This room looks spotless.' The work room was of a simplistic, easy to manage design: The side walls, and back wall were completely covered by rows of bookcases. One wall was packed in with a mountain of hardcover books that suffocated each other in what little available space they had between each other. Scarlet's eyes grazed over the titles of the books, ignoring them for the most part before turning over to the other wall on the other side of the room. It was nearly indistinguishable, holding another chunk of Conroy's book collection together.

The floor below her clacked with each step she took. A small closet rested on the wall near the door she came from, and a hefty sized desk with a single, wooden chair rested in front of the back wall. With very little to explore beyond the desk, Scarlet made her way to the rear bookcase. Pictures littered the shelves of this one, of Steele and Conroy, Mysty, and even one of Jessica, Amethyst, and Locks together. Scarlet had her own little section near a few pictures of her mother on one shelf of the case, most of them from her fillyhood.

Other frames opted for newspaper clippings, marking the conclusion to dozens of cases Conroy had solved in his time at the agency, some that Scarlet herself could recall hearing and seeing herself back at the office. At the top of the case, there was a plaque to Justis, signed by Princess Celestia herself. It gave a glamorous sheen in the wake of the bright light.

Scarlet looked down at the work desk. Its top was bare, save for two items: a shiny, silver badge, and a messily wrapped up scroll.

'Dad's badge,' she picked it up, 'it looks just like Steele's...the color must be a rank. Locks and I both have bronze colored ones...'

Her hooves turned to the scroll, unraveling it in the silence, each fold of the parchment making a crinkling sound that made the detective anxious. Her eyes darted up at the corner of the letter.

'What's this? The date,' Scarlet almost lost her breath, 'there's no mistake. It's the day before he died.' Her eyes wandered down the page, '...And it's incomplete?'

Scarlet looked away from the letter. The desk had several small cabinets located on the bottom and at either side of the chair. She pulled open the first drawer. Dozens of fattened, manila folders occupied this space, rich with tons of information on several of Conroy's longer-term assignments. In the front of this pack, was a unique, maroon folder. Catching her attention easily, she pulled the folder out, finding a label on the tab.

'Scarlet,' she read, pausing as she let the implications wander about in her head. She quickly pushed the unfinished scroll to the side of the desk to make room for the folder. It had nowhere near the amount of girth as the others, and upon opening the folder, Scarlet found dozens of newspaper clippings. Running her hooves through them, she sorted the newspapers, finding that many of the clippings were the exact same as each other.

'Rare filly born in Manehatten: How soon is too soon,' Scarlet's ears drooped after spotting the date. 'This is the paper he always talked about. This is when I was born,' she looked back on her flank. The large, imprint of a magnifying glass lifelessly stared back at her. 'Every single 'cutie mark' used in this paper has been circled in red ink.'

Scarlet looked over to the other clippings. Several photos were squeezed between them, aged but well cared for. 'Who's this,' Scarlet asked herself when she spotted a white coated mare in nearly all of the pictures taken.

Her coat was a blinding white color, her hair matching its brilliance with a flowing, banana colored flair. Her mane curled at the base of her body, right on top of the joint area between her sides and her forelegs. Her forelock split at the front thanks to her gleaming, lengthy horn, and her tail swirled up into itself, deceiving Scarlet's eyes with its sheer length. Her eyes were a dazzling aqua, her face finished off with a mole right underneath her right eye, positioned with incredible care from her genes. Her hooves were covered with raven black shoes, tightened by a golden strip that kept them snug on her feet.

One of the many pictures of this beautiful unicorn came from a magazine cover. 'Nixie Hope: Fashion Diva Extraordinmare,' Scarlet's mind finally snapped. 'Nixie Hope? THE Nixie Hope? Dad worked with her?

'And what does she have to do with this file,' she ran through other clippings related to this Nixie Hope. She found another newspaper folded up among the small pile: "Nixie Hope: Beauty is no placeholder for the Cutie."

'Each 'cutie mark' is circled again.' At the end of the pile, Scarlet's eyes locked on another interesting title: "Tragedy at Hope Manor!!' The address to a house was scribbled in at the top of the paper, near the date of the article.

'Nixie Hope was found dead in her manor,' Scarlet slowly breathed out. 'Why is the date circled too?'

Scarlet quickly turned back to the unfinished scroll on the side of the desk. Her hoof reached out and snagged it, unrolling it once more:

[There's a ton of information that begs to be discovered regarding my independent investigation concerning Scarlet's cutie mark. I feel as though I've been running around in circles like a maniac, but there's a looming feeling in my gut that tells me a conclusion is coming. Hope lead me to royalty; Celestia may know something, but I fear that in the process of digging up the truth, I've completely disregarded my physical health. Flashes, pouring sweat, and fatigue have been draining me, and growing in intensity as I dove deeper into the case.

Strangely enough, I'm back home in Canterlot. I don't remember how, or why, but my decision to return, and the very act itself, are all missing from my memory. I began writing this letter immediately upon realizing that I had come home. Mysty's not home at the moment, most likely out at the market, and my little girl is working hard back at the Agency I assume.

I...feel something happening inside me. It's the first time I've been afraid for myself in ages. If these symptoms keep up, I don't think I can fight it off for much longer. I can only hope that my family will persevere should something happen to me.]

Scarlet's eyes strained to read what had been written down in the center of the page. 'The writing here...it's illegible. I need to move on.'

[There it is again. It's impossible to write any more. To my protégé Locks, my closest friend Flex, and the loves of my life, Mysty and Scarlet: Take care of yourselves.

Oh, and Jessica?

You can burn in hell.

I've left all of my progress here in my workspace. Should anypony be brave enough to tackle the remainder of my investigation, I leave you with this: Good luck, an-]

'This,' Scarlet couldn't breathe, 'It's incomplete. This...this is huge.' Her eyes darted back and forth between the file and the scroll. 'I don't know how I'm involved in all of this, but I need to report this right away. It's going to take weeks to set this up right.

'Royalty was involved...and the Agency is only afloat because of the royal family,' Scarlet packed up the red file. 'This might create some conflict...I’ll have to take special care in the report.'

Scarlet tucked the file and scroll into one of her coat pockets. 'I have everything I need now,' she looked back at the closet that had gone unchecked in her venture. 'I should check that out before I leave.'

The closet itself was very unremarkable, a faded brown color that Mysty tried desperately to polish back to its well furnished state. Scarlet reached out to the handles, swinging it open to see what treasures were hidden inside.

==========

Mysty sealed her lunch into a airtight bag, placing it neatly into her saddlebag, along with a pair of generously sized bottles of alcohol. Quickly, Hart wrapped a light coat on her body to prepare for the colder weather outside. She ruffled her mane and flicked her tail out, popping her neck as she prepared to depart from the house.

'She's been in there for a long time. I can't wait forever,' she opened the front door. A heavy chill slammed against her body, heavier than the cold air inside of her house. 'She's fine. I'm already on my way anyways.' She took a step closer to the threshold when another freezing gust blew against her face. 'Damn it. Cold. This jacket isn't cutting it,' she backed up into her house.

Mystery heard the back room finally close, the lock popped back into place.

'I'm gonna have to buy a new winter coat or something. This is completely ridicu-'

She was cut off, feeling a heavier coat engulf her from behind.

"Wear this," her daughter tightened the coat against her body.

Mysty looked at the coat, recognizing it immediately from the scent and the appearance. "But sweetie, this is YOUR coat," she turned to see her daughter, "What about y-"

Scarlet nervously smiled at her mother's lack of a response. On Scarlet's body was a larger jacket, pitch black and ending only inches from the base of her hooves. Her belt from the jacket Mysty was wearing was still on her waist, keeping the coat loose on her body. Along the belt were a pair of thick hoofcuffs and a flashlight, strapped in a snug, easy to reach spot between her front and back legs. Several extra pockets riddled the outside of the jacket.

"...I found it in his closet," Scarlet said.

"It's too big on you," Mysty leaked the words.

"Yeah, that's why I did this," Scarlet turned to her side. Another belt, Conroy's old relic, was wrapped around the base of her neck, running down behind her forelegs. The second belt kept the rest of the coat from completely falling off of her body from the size difference.

"I see...you look great, Scarlet."

"Thanks mom," Scarlet tightened her fedora against her head. She puffed her forelock out of her right eye. "Sorry about all the mess."

"It's fine, Scarlet. It's completely fine."

The wind outside whistled a begging tune for the two mares as they stared back at one another. Mysty waved her daughter closer, bringing her in for another embrace.

"Be careful Scarlet," Mysty rubbed Scarlet's back.

"I will," Scarlet nuzzled against her mom's still questionable mane. "I'll uncover the truth for the both of us. I promise."

'Her will. It's just like her fathers,' Mysty released her. "Do it, Scarlet. If you ever need me, don't forget that you can always find me," she solemnly reminded the young detective. "I have to leave, I'm running late."

Scarlet watched Mysty gallop down the alley against the harsh weather outside. Scarlet reached for a pocket on her father's coat, patting it down after feeling the files she had taken from the room. "It isn't much, but it's a solid lead for our cases. I need to send this to Steele as soon as my reports are completed." She looked around the house, then back at the locked work room. She saluted the door quickly, fixing up her outfit.

'Odd. I'm still inside the house...but it's FREEZING in here, just as badly as outside.'

The door shut tightly behind her as Scarlet made a beeline for the Agency Headquarters. As the eager earth pony turned the corner and out of sight, another breeze brushed up against the house.

The door violently swung open. A powerful draft of cold air rushed throughout the house, making its way to the open world outside. An instance later, the door slammed shut. On Mysty's kitchen counter, a cup of ice left behind from her afternoon drink began to drop down to room temperature, finally allowed to perspire in peace.

Author's Notes:

I meant to update this sooner, I apologize for the drought.
In any case, here's the next chapter. Things should start chugging along pretty soon after this, so I'm pretty excited for that.

Leave comments, suggestions, whatever you wish. I'd definitely appreciate the time.
I'll be updating this again soon. Give or take a week and some.

Until then, cya.

- Garnet Rose