TWO WEEKS EARLIER

"Is that so," Steele's eyes rolled across the room. His expression failed to change, his hoof continuously rapping against his desk. He grimly leaned forward in his chair, his attention darting across both detectives and their chaperones. "And this was from the Princess herself?"

Scarlet Trace, poking towards his desk nearest the left wall of her boss' office, stepped forward and placed a document in front of him, tapping it urgently. "The Princess feels that with our wrap up of information regarding Nixie Hope, that the next target in concerns to Conroy Justis' murder lies beyond the Equestrian borders. She's ordered Jessica and I," her resolve weakened at the thought, "to rally a small group together in Ponyville in order to investigate this 'Gemini' pony."

Steele pinched his eyes, his frustration clear. "She sent you and Scrawl, of all ponies," he muttered. "I don't like this one bit."

"Sir, if I may," Locks spoke up from the opposite end of the line of ponies, "Wouldn't it be more beneficial to send Amethyst and myself into Everfree?"

Amy nodded with the alternative option.

"Yes," his reply came with absolution in his tone. "Trace, you barely do any field work to begin with, and everypony in this room is aware of your rank and scores. This is reckless of the Princess."

The gray pony's ears sank. A blackened hoof patted her hat down over her head, akin to that of a mother consoling her child.

"You may always appeal the decision, Flexy," Jessica coiled in front of Scarlet. She responded to the twitch in his eye, "I'm sure that not even the mighty Celestia would ignore a request from her favorite concupiscent concubine."

Steele gave Jessica a punishing glare before returning to the matter. "I'll definitely be discussing this in full with her immediately." He leaned back in his chair, making a creak that he found comforting in such a difficult situation. He looked back at the two teams, rubbing a hoof along the side of his head. He pulled his mane back, clearing his throat once more.

"Locks, Amethyst, Scrawl, Trace."

Three of the ponies stood at the ready, Amethyst giving him the proper salute. Jessica lazily roamed the room, as if she was ignoring his demand of attention.

"If Trace and Scrawl commit to this mission, assuming I'm unable to change Princess Celestia's mind, then her side of the project is put on hold." He turned his attention towards who he found to be the team's weakest member. "Trace?"

"Y-yes sir!" Her body tightened.

"Progress on your end has been going slow, correct?"

"Yes sir," Scarlet gulped, "Every direction I've taken towards finding the missing pony has ended up dry. Until Twilight Sparkle is able to revamp the population census of Ponyville, I'm afraid the investigation itself is going to be fruitless."

"If I may add," Locks spoke, "The project in regards to Justis' case hasn't shown progression ever since we completed the reports on Ms. Hope. To be honest, sir, I'm left with very little options."

"We need to find something to do with you two while Scrawl and Trace look for this Gemini."

Jessica raised her hoof like a child from the other side of the room. "I know something they can do!"

Locks turned to her. "No."

The room fell to silence, a frown spreading from the eager mare. Amy covered her face with her wing.

"Scrawl's idiocy aside," Steele continued, "There is one thing that I think I can have you ponies look into in the meantime." He turned his chair around, staring outside of the grand window behind his chair. "You are all aware that Mystery Hart has agreed to help us with this investigation. The Princess and I met with her the other day in an attempt to add her into the groups we have here, but she declined."

The chair turned back towards the group. "The Princess brought up an excellent point that needs confirmation. We need a team of analysts to look into this particular matter if the Princess wishes to proceed with her intentions. Locks, Amethyst, I need you two to head over to Canterlot Cemetery and investigate Nixie Hope's gravesite for any irregularities in the disposition both in the atmosphere and in the soil."

Locks and Amethyst nodded to the request. Locks replied, "To be completed as soon as possible, I'd wager?"

"Always," Steele brought his forehooves together. "You're all dismissed. I'll be sending letters to each of your groups as soon as possible as to whether or not I managed to get the Princess to appeal her process."

=====

The sun was shining vibrantly outside of the Agency building, casting a generous glow that illuminated every corner of the street. A crisp chill swept through the air, an indicator of the changing season that was coming their way. Ponies trudged along the main path, heading to work, home, wherever they were needed most.

The quartet stopped just short of the walkway towards the main plaza of Canterlot. There, the street forked several ways. One direction headed straight for the train station, while towards the north was a street that lead straight towards northern Canterlot, where the cemetery was located. A bench was perched on the side of the road, perfect for the group to relax before heading their separate ways.

Jessica floated about in the air, leaving the earth ponies to their own designs. Her horn flashed with magic as she flew up higher into the atmosphere. She brought a hoof to her mouth, and blew as hard as she could. The high pitched sound of a whistle came from the skies, drawing the attention of the detectives, Amy, and several other ponies nearby. As the raven mane pegasus looked up to the clouds, she caught Jessica's form waving, coaxing her.

Amethyst looked to Locks, who could only sigh at the excited expression on the sly little unicorn. "Go ahead Amy. I'll be here and ready to go as soon as I talk to Scarlet, okay?"

She agreed before opening up her grand wings, lifting into the day, making a beeline straight for the imp in the clouds. Jessica rose higher, her aura coating her body and keeping it afloat. She breached another cloud layer several yards above Amethyst, leading her higher, far enough to keep out of earshot of any other pony.

The guardian broke through the cloud, hovering when she saw Jessica resting on the surface. The scribe swept her mane to the side to give Amy a clear view of her face, of the deep orange irises that stole the attention away from the smooth features of her muzzle.

"No need to keep those sexy wings flappin' for me, sweetie," Jessica called her down to the cloud, "Come down here."

Amethyst perched herself on a fluff of cloud that stood two feet from Jessica's spot. She looked on at her superior, curious as to her intentions. She followed Scrawl's lead, brushing back a piece of her forelock, but taking great care to keep the scar under her neck shrouded.

Jessica took special attention to the hidden mark. Her eyes shot down several times. Amethyst couldn't help but fidget when she felt Jess' attention turn towards the mark. Jessica's expression softened at the scar, catching a tiny glimpse of it.

"Just look at you," the black mare finally spoke. She reached out and grazed the side of Amy's face, being careful to avoid full physical contact with the guardian. "All grown up and strong." Jessica moved her head from side to side, taking in all of Amethyst's features. "And the spell they used on your eyes is wonderful. Not a single trace of error. Definitely an eleven out of ten in my book," Jessica smirked.

Amethyst's ears quivered at each of Jessica's slight touches.

"Relax Lily, I'm not going to do anything crude." She looked away, "Unless you want that kind of thing?"

The guardian could feel the heat rise in her face, sweat forming on her forehead. She quickly blew her whistle and shook her head.

"Aww, that's a shame," Jessica whined. "You'd be one of my finest catches."

Amethyst used her tool once more, her notes filled with both concern and confusion.

"Sorry honey. I'm not good at this kind of thing," Jessica pardoned herself. Her upbeat attitude faded when her gaze went back to the marking. "I'm just going to say it then. A straight up approach wouldn't hurt, right?"

Amethyst didn't answer. The question seemed like it was directed more at Jessica herself over Amy.

"...Can I see it?"

Amethyst hesitated. She let a tiny half-note out of her whistle.

Jessica didn't change her posture. She moved in a bit closer and repeated herself. "Please. Can I see?"

Amy was shocked by Jessica's request. Please was a word she never expected Jessica to use with sincerity. She whistled back, questioning Jessica's motives.

"I'm not going to do anything to it," Jessica promised," I just want to see it. Can I do that?"

The pegasus shut her eyes, remembering the face she awoke to on the night of her parents' murder. Those soft, generous eyes matched the ones in front of her, and her hesitation crumbled at the thought of denying Jessica with such a simple request. She couldn't refuse the only thing her savior had asked of her since that day. She deserved, at the least, this small favor.

Amy sat upright. She carefully reached to her neck and pulled her mane back, letting it hang behind her head with the rest. She paused, hesitating before exposing her neck, lifting her head skyward to give Jessica a perfect view of the scar.

Jessica's face winced with shame. Her eyes agonizingly dragged alone each zig and zag that tore into the young mare's flesh. The thick brown coat that covered the rest of her body struggled to cover even the borders of the mark, refusing to grow at the spots where the spell had sawed into her. She traced the outlines with a hoof, muttering under her breath as she did so.

"Damnit," Jessica whispered loud enough for Amy to catch. "That's enough, Amy."

She didn't pause, covering the damage up with her mane. She blew her whistle again.

"I was checking to see if the damage was reparable," Jessica admitted to. "My magic's gotten exponentially stronger since the time that it happened. I was just hoping."

Amethyst responded with several reassuring notes.

"No, it's not okay," Jessica stamped the cloud. "You're like this because of me. It's my fault."

Amethyst responded aggressively, trying to direct the blame away from the scribe.

"Well I don't like it," she sighed. "It's just what I imagined at the time. The magic tore into your disposition and ripped some of it straight out of your body. It's not something I can just fix, like a broken bone or a dislocation."

Another quick reply from the pegasus, a sad tune this time.

"It just pisses me off. I'm glad you're okay now, but it could've been so much better. Look, I fucked up, and there's nothing you can say to avoid that fact. I was hoping that maybe," she looked straight into Amethyst's eyes, "I can make it up to you in some way. I was thinking that maybe I could've fixed your voice at least."

Amethyst eyes widened. Her pitch lowered.

"It's no good. You ponies can't see it, but as a practitioner of the highest arts, I can tell you right away that the scar is still active. It's still trying to eat away at your disposition, even now."

The pegasus went completely silent, her eyes widening.

"If I tried to mess with it. If anypony did," she stared at the mark, enchanted by its behavior, "It could easily cause a flux between our dispositions."

Jessica continued at the sight of the confused mare. "When I got to you after you were cut, the only way I was able to keep you alive was to sacrifice some of my own disposition to fight back against the spell. My disposition is...special, if you can say that. It's strong. Really strong.

"I gave you some of mine to keep the spell from destroying yours, but I had to find a way to keep it stable, especially on somepony as young as you were at the time, during a process where your disposition is barely starting to transform. It's kind of like a...magical puberty, I guess.

"I didn't want to risk infecting your disposition with my own. That kind of process is forbidden in this kingdom for very specific reasons." Jessica's eyes narrowed back on Amy's neck. "Tampering with a pony who hasn't fully developed can severely mess with their bodies. I managed to put enough in to keep it at bay for eons, much longer than your natural life span, so you should be safe, but only so long as the mark is never opened up.

Should anypony try and mess with it, my disposition could easily take over yours, or vice versa. The disposition that gets overpowered will have to be disposed of, and will find a way to escape the body. The process is...often fatal. It's like a bomb." Jessica sighed and looked down through the cloud, "I guess I was just kinda hoping, after I remembered who you were, that maybe I'd be able to fix it now that I'm stronger."

Amethyst let a spare hoof rest on the mark. She whistled once more.

"I'm sorry Lily. It just bothers me a lot."

Jessica felt a hoof rest on her shoulder. Amethyst gave her a warm smile before dragging her in for a hug. The nymph gasped, squirming out of the hug as quickly as she could, backing up several feet to the other end of the cloud.

"Sorry Lily, believe it or not, hugs aren't something that I endorse," Jessica cleared her throat and wiped her mane from her face. "I understand though. Really, I do." She looked back at Amy with guilty eyes, "Thanks. Again."

Amethyst waved to her with another gentle smile on her face.

"...Unless the hug is delicious."

Amethyst cocked her head.

"You're a catch, Lily," Jessica took flight. "If you wanna hug, I can easily oblige."

Amethyst clearly shook her hooves at the unicorn with vigor.

"That's a shame," Jessica frowned, quickly returning to her former self, her energy returning in her step as she picked herself up on the cloud. "I got a reputation to keep anyways. It wouldn't be right if I was heartwarming all the time, would it?"

Amethyst chuckled through the whistle.

"In any case, after all of this nonsense is done, remind me to set up a little play date for the two of us, okay sweetie?"

Amethyst was unsure how to respond. Jessica twirled about and landed gracefully on her back, spreading her limbs across Amy's frame.

"Oh, and a quick reminder from here on out, since I like you: Don't drink the punch at any parties. You're number one on my list now, and I work quickly," she winked with a lick of her lips. "Just wouldn't be fair to not give my new favorite pony fair warning."

The larger pony froze at the implication.

"Back on duty now, I have some ponies to fondle down below."

=====

Scarlet and Locks watched as their partners disappeared beyond the cloudy day. The two of them took to the bench nearby and watched as several ponies crossed on the path that lead back and forth from the plaza and the Agency office.

"Hope Jessica isn't screwing around with Amy up there," Locks shook his head. "Normally she's not the type to let anypony walk all over her, but she has a soft spot for that wicked witch."

"That so?" Scarlet took her fedora off and shook her mane loose. "For saving for life?"

"Definitely," Locks tried peering into the blue, "Don't let her stoic figure fool you, Amy's one hell of a softy at heart."

Scarlet tightened the belt against her waist. "You know, this'll be my first time going into the Everfree Forest. I'm not sure what to expect."

"It's dangerous in there," Locks hastily replied. "The Bestiary at the Agency has plenty of information on the creatures you can find in there. If you have a good guide though, I doubt you'd run into too much trouble."

"Jessica's the one who wrote the book," Scarlet looked at the sky, "She'll know how to handle things if they get a bit wild out there."

"She's probably the one thing in that forest you'll have to keep a close eye on," Locks snorted. "You're gonna have to pay extra special attention to that one."

Scarlet winced, "Y-yeah. I know it won't be perfectly fine out there, but I...guess I actually have some trust in her."

"Trust? I can understand that much," Locks agreed with the mare. "The only case she's ever screwed up was the same one that gave Amy her scar." Locks turned towards his friend, who was fixing her hat and idly playing with the forelock that covered her left eye. "I trust her to keep you alive, but I don't trust her to keep her hooves off of you."

"You...really think she'd go that far?"

"I'm not really sure what to think with her around," Locks' ears perked. "Did you hear about the scuffle we had?"

"What?" Scarlet's full attention snapped back to him. "You and Jessica?"

He nodded. "Jess and I got into it a bit after our interview with Lada Hope. I'm not sure what would've happened if Amy hadn't stepped in and cooled us off."

"Picking fights with Jess, and you're telling me to be careful," Scarlet half-scolded him.

"Jessica walks all over the Agency. Did you see what she did to Steele in the office? She called him by his first name, and failed to stand at attention for him at all. She's disrespectful," he listed off.

"M-maybe a little...but I'd like to think that she's just a free spirit."

"A little too free if you ask me," he focused his gaze in the direction of his assistant. "I'm not going to let her do the same thing to me. I'm not like Steele, or Celestia."

"Just be careful, Locks. Jessica's wiped out some detectives that got on her bad side before, remember?" Scarlet fidgeted in place, "She has diplomatic immunity. I don't want you to just be another tally on her wall."

"Nah," Locks snickered. "If she wants to wrestle, I'll be happy to oblige." He felt a gentle nudge on his shoulder from the gray pony, turning to see the concern in her face.

"All I'm asking is to avoid anything serious with her." Scarlet looked around for a moment. "Remember that letter I found in my dad's workroom?"

"Of course. The one you reported?"

"Y-yeah. It seemed a bit unnecessary to report some portions of the document that didn't relate to the case, but dad left behind some very...unenthusiastic words to Jessica."

Locks rubbed his chin with a hoof. "He never really had a good record with her, at least from what I saw at work when he was around. They usually avoided each other. She'd never even try to screw with him like the rest of the colts at work."

"My dad was a good judge of a pony's character," Scarlet said with certainty. "That's something I had always trusted in him wherever he took me. If he didn't like a pony, then there was usually some good justification for that."

"I see what you mean," Locks shook his head. "If Justis didn't like Jessica, then it must mean that she's not-"

"She's not someone to trust completely, right."

"But you just said earlier that you did trust her," Locks reminded Scarlet.

"I did, but that's because I trust her to do the job assigned to her. That's something she's almost never gone against, regardless of how she does so.

"You've thought about this a bit, haven't you?"

"The mare that constantly ogles and fondles me wherever I go? I've had plenty of time to think about these kind of things when I feel violated every time I go to work. I can't even get her for sexual harassment because of it."

"But Scarley, those are my favorite things to do with you," a voice came from behind the mare. Her spine crawled as a black mare appeared from the emptiness she caught at the corner of her eye. She felt something slimy graze against the delicate fur on her cheek, flicking against her face.

Scarlet nearly jumped off of the bench, turning around to see the unicorn in question leaning against the back of the bench.

"Howdy sweetie. We ready to go?"

Locks snorted before getting back on his feet. Amethyst came swooping down, landing by his side. "I assume the two of you are done?"

"Yep," Jessica quickly answered. "C'mon Scarley, we need to get back to Ponyville pronto. We gotta assemble the squad, y'know."

Scarlet sighed, wiping the spit from Jessica's tongue off of her face. She turned to Locks and Amy, "I guess we'll be seeing you later."

A chilly breeze swept through the air. "Yeah," Locks nodded to her. "Hopefully we can have this wrapped up before the Heartwarming season really starts to kick in. We'll have to get together again."

"That sounds wonderful," Scarlet waved them their farewell. "I'll come back with something, I promise."

Locks and Amy gave Scarlet and Jessica a salute before heading for the fork in the road nearby, heading back towards Northern Canterlot. Scarlet turned away and sighed as she made her way towards the train station, Jessica floating gleefully around her as they prepared for their trip back to Ponyville.

=====

ONE WEEK LATER

Steele's plea did nothing to alter Celestia's plans for Scarlet and her group. Finalizing the assignment took some time on the Agency's part, mostly from the boss' hesitation to confirm and send the scrolls toward the assigned ponies.

A noise from Twilight Sparkle's house in Ponyville could be heard for blocks:

"N-No! I don't want to do it!" Scarlet's voice shouted from the other side of the bathroom in Twilight's upstairs loft. "Th-this is stupid!"

"The Princess' orders were to protect you, weren't they?" Jessica cooed from the other end of the door, her face plastered against the barrier between her and an undressed Scarlet. "I've wandered about Everfree once before, and the only reason I didn't get lost is because I flew up and out of it. It's a dangerous place, and even the vegetation can get you down if you're not careful."

"But that doesn't convince me that what you're making me do here makes any...any sense!"

Jessica raised a hoof, spinning a familiar article of Scarlet's attire in her hand. The fedora spun lazily around her foreleg, the sly little pony placing it on her head before continuing, "Your coat is too big, lovely. Even with the belts you got, it's still too risky to go out in a jungle dressed like that."

Jessica interrupted the noise in the bathroom. "Look, if a timberwolf or a manticore nabs even just a little bit of the coat, then you're no less than a meal or two for them. I'm flattered that you have such confidence in me being a protector, but even I'm not a supermare. One second is all a predator needs to slit your throat with their claws."

She heard Scarlet's whimper come through the door. "Okay sweetie look. I'll haggle with you, amongst other things," Jessica could nearly taste the fear in Scarlet's expression, "But the coat needs to go."

"But...I just got it," Scarlet whispered, aware that Jessica was completely in the right. She unbuckled the belts around her chest and waist, carefully easing the large accessory off of her form.

"You can keep the hat if you absolutely must have a memento out there," Jessica started, "but I'll need to take it for a bit. I don't want to have you dropping it and running straight into danger for some silly fedora."

The door cracked open, and a hoof extended from inside towards Jessica, handing her the coat and belts that went with it. Jessica caught sight of the handcuffs and flashlight buckled to the length of the waist belt. Before tossing it onto her temporary bedding, she spotted the standardized magic inhibitors buried within one of Scarlet's many pockets.

"Good. Now the hat."

Scarlet's meek little cry played out again, making Jessica smile at the timid nature of her companion. The hat in question came hanging from the same hoof in the door crack. She grabbed it out of Scarlet's hoof and walked towards the stairs.

"Scarley, you're cute enough to eat," Jessica licked her lips. "I'll be downstairs when you're ready. We can head out then, okay?"

The disgruntled pony muttered something underneath her breath, coated with disappointment at having to abandon her traditional outfit. Jessica waited at the base of the stairs as Scarlet unwrapped the parcel that came in that morning from Canterlot, hearing the wrapping paper cringle and crunch.

"J-Jessica!? What the hell!?"

She snickered under her breath before galloping downstairs.

The enchantress trotted gleefully towards a small desk downstairs. She caught eye of the purple unicorn in question, scribbling her work on a scroll. She turned her head to face Twilight, giving her a teasing little smile as the younger mare turned to look at her. A long piece of string came floating towards Jessica as she fiddled with Scarlet's hat, preparing it for their journey into the jungle.

"Something the matter?" Twilight said aloud, not turning from her work. "Are you looking for something, Miss Scrawl?"

"Oh no," Jessica replied in a friendly voice as she worked the string into the hat. "You just remind me of myself when I was a little filly."

"Really? How?" Twilight's curiosity begged.

"Just...studying all of the time. Working on new magic spells and trying to iron out my problems in the current ones I was working on. I've been there and done all of that, and trust me, it doesn't get much easier." She looked over to Twilight, who had since turned back to face her, "You were the one to break my spell on the night we met, right?"

"I am."

"Did anyone have any..."happy accidents?"

"Thankfully, nopony did. What you did was reckless."

"I know, isn't it fun?"

"Fun? Messing with ponies like that is fun to you?"

"Absolutely, Miss Sparkle," Jessica focused on Twilight's body. "I look at you, and I feel like all the elements are around you, just like they were around me. You have all the capacity in the world to learn of all types of arcane magic. Once you get them down like me, then...well..."

"...What," Twilight waited for her to continue.

"What point is there to knowing so much when you never get the chance to try it out on somepony every once in a while? Magic is meant to be used, lovely."

"I'm sure you're not surprised to find that I don't agree with you, Miss Scrawl," Twilight turned back to her work.

"You broke my spell that night. Miss Sparkle, you are definitely something special. Nopony has ever tried to break my spells before."

"Thanks, but I only did what I had to do to keep my friends safe."

"Of course, wouldn't we all?" Jessica focused back on attaching the string to the hat. "You'll go far, trust me."

Twilight's ears perked at the sound of hoofsteps coming down the stairs. "S-Scarlet?"

Jessica's devious grin widened when she turned to face the detective. The mare in question slowly made her way down the stairs, her expression masked by the forelock that covered the left side of her face. She made her way to Jessica, then looked up at her with a look of despair in her face.

"H-how could you buy something like...like this?!"

Jessica chuckled behind a hoof, her horn sparking to life. A mirror appeared out of thin air, hanging behind the three ponies. Scarlet gave herself a better look, her sense of dread reaching new heights as she gave her body a clear look.

Her face wrinkled, a sigh leaving her throat in disappointment. Jessica walked over and finished up the small touches on her outfit.

"It's for the walk into the woods. You need something that clings to your coat if you want to avoid getting caught on brambles or branches or weeds. They see something like that coat hanging off of you and you're a free meal ticket out there," Jessica explained.

She worked on buttoning the final pair of buttons at the apex of the dark green blouse on her partner. The outfit clung tightly to her coat, much more so than the vast space that her coat provided her in comparison. The sleeves to the blouse ended just a few inches from the top of her forelegs, and ended right as it reached the center of her torso.

"I would've given you a white one love, but you'd stand out in the forest like a sore thumb," Jessica explained while she patted down the blouse on her neck, fixing the collar. Her giggles continued as she marveled at the black vest that was draped over the blouse. The leather material made extremely quiet scrunching noises as she twisted and turned, Scarlet's face that of concern and embarrassment.

"I don't like this," Scarlet immediately responded. "Can't animals hear this out in the forest?"

"Well, yes," Jessica admitted, "But look here." Jessica demonstrated by lifting a hoof against the wooden floor and tapping against it. "Hear that? Now, imagine three to four ponies walking amidst a bunch of dirt, rocks, and shrubs. If a predator is close enough to hear your sexy outfit squeaking," she licked her lips, "then we're already dead meat."

Scarlet flinched at Jessica's hungry look in her eyes. Jessica laughed it off, as if she was a filly playing dress-up with her favorite doll. "You take what you can get, Scarley. These aren't Agency-purchased pieces of merchandise, y'know."

"What," Scarlet said in disbelief, "Then how did you-"

"Out of my own pocket, love."

'How can she even afford this,' Scarlet thought to herself, 'It looks top of the line, and the Agency sure as hell isn't generous in its paychecks.'

Scarlet flexed her legs and neck, making sure that the outfit wouldn't have any kind of resistance. She trotted in place, nodding at how the blouse and vest molded with every move she made. As satisfied as she could be in this situation, she looked over to the black unicorn. "Is that all?"

"Hmm...I feel like there's something missing..."

"M-missing?" Scarlet's face brightened up, "Oh! My hat. Give me my hat back. You promised."

"I had to make some adjustments to it, so that it wouldn't cause any problems," Jessica levitated the hat over to Scarlet.

The younger mare nearly screamed when she saw the fedora she had been given. On either end of the hat was a string that had been looped through the interior of the material, with small holes that would've gone unnoticed by any other pony who could've observed it. Scarlet quickly grabbed the hat away from the spell that kept it afloat and cuddled it before shooting daggers at her partner with her eyes.

"W-what did you do to it!?"

"I...just put a piece of string through it," Jessica replied matter-of-factly, not minding the extreme reaction out of the excited detective. "The change is hardly noticeable anyways."

"But it's MY hat! You could've TOLD me you were going to do this to it!"

"I didn't think you'd mind, Scarley," Jessica smirked, "Besides, when do you get so bold? You've never yelled at me like this before."

"That's because you never-"

"I kinda like it, baby," Jessica winked.

Twilight and Scarlet couldn't help but wince at her. Scarlet returned to her hat's attention, rubbing a hoof along the top and cradling it like a foal.

"You wear it like a necklace," Jessica explained, "Except in reverse."

"I-I'm not stupid," Scarlet huffed. "I know that."

"Well then," Jessica waved her hoof at her, "Try it on. I need to see if it's the right length."

Scarlet sighed, realizing that her anger would get her nowhere with her guardian. She complied, letting the string wrap around her neck, tucking it underneath the shirt to hide the string from view. The hat fell to the back of her neck's base. She turned and moved around, making sure that Jessica's handiwork was stable.

"Like a glove, see?"

Scarlet looked over to the black unicorn. "Don't think I'm not still mad with you."

"Aww, don't be like that Scarley," Jessica frowned. "I like you better when you're timid and clusmy."

The detective gave herself another look in the mirror. "Is there anything else that you had left to surprise me with, Jessica?" Upon hearing no reply, she continued, "How about pants? Isn't it going to get chilly out there? Winter is coming, you know."

"That's not a problem Scarley," she waved off the concern, "You can just use my body."

"Y-your..."

"Unless you have the cash to dish out for a pair of sturdy pants," a wicked smile appeared.

'She did this on purpose,' Scarlet frowned, knowing that her budget wouldn't allow for a big hit like that.

"You're right though love. Something IS missing," Jessica's horn lit up the room. The package Scarlet had left in the bathroom upstairs could be heard from downstairs. The sound of ripped cardboard was heard by the trio, Jessica's face curled, as if she had found something.

"P-please no."

"YES!" Jessica's concentration broke. "I KNEW I had bought something else for you to wear. You sneaky little filly."

Scarlet shrank on the spot, closing her eyes as her final accessory came rushing down from the staircase. A black tie spun around her, coiling around her neck and tucking itself underneath her collar before tightening up.

"Why the tie," Scarlet moaned. "Jessica, you've been going on and on about loose clothing!"

"And this too-"

"Wait," Scarlet stammered as her hair fell into the clutches of Jessica's magic. "What are you-"

"Just need to make one more adjustment here. Now relax." Jessica licked her lips as she worked her magic on Scarlet's mane, pulling her hair backward. A band zoomed out from the upstairs loft, wrapping around her hair and forming a knot on the back, leaving Scarlet with a standard ponytail.

"Your mane is lovely, but you need to be as tight as possible out there. Same problem with your mane that you have with your coat. I had to do somethin' to it," Jessica teased.

"A-at least THAT makes sense!" Scarlet called to her, "You still haven't explained my tie!"

Scarlet waited for an answer, but nothing came. She turned to the wicked pony, who was staring intently at the detective. A sliver of drool starting falling from a crack between the unicorn's lips. She quickly snapped to, wiping it off.

"Sorry sweetie. I just realized how delicious you are," she turned away, bringing the rest of the package remains downstairs. "I'm gonna get rid of this. You on the other hand," Jessica's magic whirled about again. This time, from the loft, came the inhibitors Jessica had taken from Scarlet's coat, along with Scarlet's necklace containing the magnifying glass.

"I'll be carrying our supplies. I need to finalize something with the Agency through a letter. Could you be a dear and finish packing everything up? All of our gear is next to the library's exit."

Jessica made her way out of the room before Scarlet could respond to any of her banter. "Okay then," she replied anyway, Jessica way out of earshot. The mirror remained in the air for moment longer before disappearing. Scarlet got one final glance over herself before it vanished into the nothingness. She turned back hesitantly towards Twilight.

"So..."

"So?" Twilight responded.

"She said I looked 'delicious'," Scarlet flinched. "What do you think?"

Twilight shrugged at the question, "You look fine to me. Don't worry about it."

"Good," she absently spoke. "I...guess I should be getting to work."

Twilight turned back to her report, "Go for it. Oh, and please be careful of the forest out there."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." Before she left the room, she turned back to her new friend, "Oh, one more thing. The Princess said that you might be able to help find somepony in town that'd help us out with the forest?"

Twilight turned back to her, "I already sent a letter to them."

"Them?"

"Yes. They said they'll meet you at the entrance to the forest that's right outside of town. You can't miss 'em."

"Oh. Well...thanks Twilight. I appreciate all of the help. I'll be seeing you later!"

"It's the least I can do for a new friend. Safe trip."

=====

Out a ways from the borders of Ponyville was a small trail, a bit wider than a few ponies, that ran throughout the vast openness of the wilderness. Very few trees covered the area here, but the environment was healthy and green all the same, giving the area a fresh smell and a rejuvenating atmosphere. At the end of the road was a line of darker, less welcoming trees, acting as a border to the forest that lay beyond the thicket of tangled branches and murky ground. The border extended for what seemed to be miles from either end, acting like a natural barrier to what was hidden within Everfree.

Scarlet and Jessica were already within vision of the barrier, marching towards the entrance with their assignment in mind. On Jessica's back was a fairly large bag that covered her back, along with a rolled up tent and a pair of canteens that dangled from her sides. Scarlet wore nothing but her new, regretful outfit, holding the inhibitors in her pocket and her hat slung to the back of her neck.

"What are the inhibitors for anyways?" Scarlet asked as they approached. "There's no unicorns in the forest."

"You're right, but remember that a lot of creatures have some kind of magic within them," Jessica said. "Slap an inhibitor on a timberwolf and you can actually domesticate it. Put one on some poison joke and the effect completely disappears."

"So it blocks off the flow of magic regardless of the user?"

"Exactly," Jessica nodded. "It's not just a weapon to use against unicorns. I wouldn't redesign something with such a single-minded use to it."

"Y-you made it?" Scarlet couldn't believe her word.

"No. Somepony else made them. I just made them better, is all," Jessica whipped her hip in midstride, matching the emphasis on her reply.

Scarlet looked to their cargo, "And you're sure about carrying everything? What if something attacks us?"

"Stop worrying so much, Scarley." Jessica turned around. She gave the detective a warm, yet teasing grin. "You're not the strongest or sturdiest pony I've worked with, so you need to be as light as possible to avoid trouble if we run into anything out there. As for this crap," Jessica pointed a hoof to her horn, "You can't see it, but any skilled magician can tell you that I'm using magic right now to keep it up. I'm not very physically strong myself, but I can lift heavy materials for days on end if I wanted to. This is nothing.

"Besides," she continued, "If we run into anything, I can teleport and fly. I'm pretty damn safe as far as that's concerned." Scarlet showed signs of hesitation as the barrier inched closer, "Relax. It's MY job to protect you. Just do your little detective work, and you'll be fine. I promise."

"O-okay. Thanks Jess."

Up ahead, Scarlet could spot two figures waiting for them at the very entrance itself. One figure was unique in color: A gray pony, with stripes and markings of gray covering the entirety of her body from head to tail, and a mane with a black and white pattern similar to that of her body. She wore jewelry that ran down her right foreleg, and a neck ring that coiled around the entire of her neck. Two large golden rings dangled from the base of her ears, and her flank embraced the appearance of a sun with a spiral pattern on it.

The other figure was a bit smaller in stature, coated with a bright yellow sheen and a light pink mane and tail. Her winged were tucked tightly against her body, and her round, blue eyes spoke of her timid nature with their innocent appearance. Three butterflies fluttered about her side as her cutie mark.

Scarlet couldn't help but glance back at her marking after seeing the two ahead, a giant magnifying glass that reflected a bright light. She couldn't help but remind herself of the Hope case, and of the fillies she spotted back at the schoolhouse with Applejack.

Feeling an itch at the back of her throat, Scarlet coughed again, tapping her chest after managing to satisfy the burning sensation.

"You okay, Scarley? You've been coughing more and more in the last few days," Jessica turned.

"I'm fine. Let's just go. The sooner we get in and out, the sooner I can finish this case."

Scarlet and Jessica approached the pair of ponies. Jessica started off the introduction.

"Oh, I met you at Scarley's little introduction party," Jessica slithered around the yellow mare, taking extra long to make her way around her flanks. "You're Fluttershy, aren't you?"

"Y-yes. You must be Jessica Scrawl," Fluttershy acknowledged the black unicorn. "Hi Scarlet," she hesitated, still not completely comfortable around the detective, "How are things at the library?"

Scarlet made sure to give her plenty of space. "Things are going fine. Twilight's been a great host. I can't thank her enough for her kindness."

Jessica pounced back to the front of the group, looking straight at Fluttershy's companion. "You're a nice little meal, Butterfly, but you're friend here is...oh my."

"M-my name is Fluttershy," she responded, sinking behind her mane.

"Of course," Jessica said. "And you...you're a zebra?" Jessica tilted her head, admiring her jewelry. "You're far away from your own kind, honey."

"A smart deduction you've made Miss Scrawl," the zebra gave Jessica a smile, "Nice to meet you; Zecora, I am called."

Jessica bowed her head briefly at the two ponies, who returned the honor. Zecora turned towards Scarlet, "And you're the detective, if I understand? What do I call you on this journey so grand?"

Scarlet was taken aback by the pattern in which the zebra spoke. She took a breath and replied, "M-my name's Scarlet ma'am. Scarlet Trace." She mimicked Jessica with her bow, "N-nice to meet you."

Zecora greeted her back with Fluttershy following in return. "We've brought our bags, and all our supplies, so Scarlet and Jessica, to your orders we'll comply."

"Sounds good to me," Jessica stood forward. "Twilight mentioned you because you live in Everfree Forest, so you should be able to help us around if we get lost or run into something that we're not completely ready for."

"To you, my guest, I'll do my best."

"And you," Jessica turned to Fluttershy, who inched closer to Zecora at the attention she suddenly had. "What can you do?"

"I-I'm good with animals if that helps, but I don't mind if you guys decided to go without me-"

"That's perfect. You'll definitely come in handy in case we need to deal with some of the fauna in there," Scarlet said. "Better to befriend them over getting down and dirty, right?

"They both sound like good ideas to me love." Jessica jumped to the front of the pack. "Then we're all set to go?"

"Yes," Scarlet gulped.

"I-I don't know. Maybe I need to check up on Angel Bunny again before we g-" Fluttershy stammered as Zecora prodded her onward.

"Set to go, I've been. Now, let us begin."

"Alright pack," Jessica's excitement grew as she took the first step into the forest, "Let's go then!"

=====

The doors to the Agency swung open. A handful of employees were all that remained in the main room, trotting from spot to spot, cleaning up their work stations before heading home. They all turned towards the colt who had just walked into the room. His black stripes mane glowed in the setting sun, and his bright cyan coat hurried across the room.

Locks stopped and looked up to the second floor. Perched on a rail, almost like a gargoyle, Amethyst was waiting for him. She quickly glided down to the first floor from her spot, whistling a friendly hello to her partner.

"Hey Amy. Ready to go?" Locks lifted his hoof. He presented a thin folder to her, nodding with his deep red eyes that the results of the tests had come in. "Steele should still be in his office, so let's not waste any more time."

Amy whistled in agreement, and the two ran off towards the long, narrow hallway that lead to the trio of rooms. Locks quickly rattled on the door, hearing a gruff voice from beyond it urging him inside.

"What do you have for me today?" Steele asked as the door shut behind him. The graying colt's coat seemed extra pale today, draining as he continued his work without looking up. "I've got several more cases I need to hand out by the start of tomorrow, and I don't have time to-"

"The results are in," Locks said. Steele immediately looked up. "The disposition analysis? Perfect." Steele straightened out his back from his hunched position and leaned against his chair. "What does it say?"

"100% positive, sir. Nixie Hope's disposition registered on an unnaturally high level from the gravesite."

"I see," Steele swallowed dryly. "So the Princess was right after all. Very well."

"Sir," Locks continued. "What exactly does this mean? I know that it's not normal for a dead pony's disposition to linger, let alone in such large clusters like that of which we found at the gravesite..."

"I'll explain in a bit, but did Mysty say anything about it?"

"Not at all sir," Locks replied. "She actually welcomed the investigation."

"Tch," Steele leaned forward. "That's just like her. I doubt she cares too much. No is no for her, but the Princess won't accept that for an answer."

"Sir?"

Steele hesitated to speak to the young stallion. "Well, it doesn't change anything for you two, I suppose. It's harmless enough." After another moment's thought, Steele spoke in a softer voice, "Princess Celestia thinks that Mystery Hart has become an Artifact."

Amy cocked an eyebrow, surprised at Locks' sudden reaction as he jumped to the front of the desk. "M-Mysty?! Are you sure, sir?" He whispered at the same level as Steele.

"Positive. With the tests you just turned in, it gives the Princess and I a good idea of what Mysty can do."

"...And that would be?"

"Ain't it obvious, kid?" Steele leaned back again, a crack popping loudly from his back. "She can fiddle with the disposition of the dead. It's a priceless skill."

"That would explain the tests. Mysty's been dead for some time. Normally, a disposition fades into the ground by then.

"This isn't good," Steele sighed. "Celestia won't let her go about freely anymore. She's very thorough when it comes to protecting assets like these."

"I see. Is that everything you needed sir?"

Steele looked at the pair. "For the time, yes. Head back and see if you can find any other links between Hope and Justis' murder, if anything. Hopefully Trace and Scrawl come back with something."

"Actually sir, there's something I need from you," Locks said.

Steele was already starting to continue writing a letter to the Princess about the new development. "What is it? And make it quick."

"Something bothered me about the testimony we were given by Lada Hope about Nixie Hope. Unless her wording was shady, Lada mentioned that during a confrontation between Nixie and her co-manager Tanita Helm, that Helm specifically used the word "cured" when it came to her cutie mark."

"Mmhmm?" Steele continued to scribble on the parchment.

"Well, Scarlet's report from her father's work back at home was focused primarily on Nixie's cutie mark, and it's correlation to Scarlet's."

Steele stopped writing. "Locks, we've done tests on Scarlet, and looked at all of her records of her medical visits. She's always come out in tip top shape. If she has a disease, then it's the weakest son of a bitch I've ever known about."

"But what if it's something different? Detective Justis also mentioned looking into the Cutie Pox epidemic that was recorded."

"That'd be significant if Trace didn't have her cutie mark yet."

"That's true sir, but-"

"Quit wasting my time Locks. I have a letter to send out-"

"What if there's something wrong with Scarlet, sir?" Locks finally spat out, aggravated by Steele's dismissive comments. "The Cutie Pox was a disease that came and went without any explanation to its origin, a cure, or anything concerning the ponies that were afflicted. The one documented case from Ponyville was also triggered by an herb that had a natural remedy. It wasn't like the disease that spread in the first records.

"What if Nixie Hope had this condition? Nothing explains why she started bleeding or coughing prior to her death, and her autopsy doesn't go into significant detail about anything she was afflicted with that we are aware of.

"What if it's an unknown disease, sir?"

Steele stopped writing again. He froze for a long period of time without responding, as if he was registering everything that Locks had just told him. Finally, he spoke up, "A new disease, huh?"

"Yes sir."

"...If this is a dead end, I'm going to grind you into glue," Steele threatened. Finished with his letter, he rang a bell that hung off of the corner of his desk. Within seconds, a unicorn came running into the room, spotting the parchment that had been rolled up and in Steele's hoof. With a pulse of magic, the letter was instantly vaporized, rising out of a crack in the window and towards Canterlot Castle.

"A new disease, Locks. That's insane. You realize what this means?" Steele asked him.

"That Scarlet is in danger, for one."

"Yes, there's that possibility, but I'm sure that Scrawl would act upon noticing something that could be life threatening. But if you even manage to get this theory on the radar at all with the Princess, then that gives the Hope story an entire new meaning. We'd have to reinvestigate the matter all over again if this were to happen.

Locks nodded his head. Amethyst's wings flapped in an attempt to take in some fresh air. She wiped a bead of sweat that formed on her forehead from the room.

Moments later, another strand of dust crept into Steele's office from the window. It rolled up and busted, forming a rolled up parchment with Celestia's seal on it. Steele took no time in tearing through the lock and reading the contents.

Locks and Amy could only look on as what little color Steele had left in his face vanished. He looked up at the pair with a focus in his eyes so intense that the duo flinched in his presence.

"Princess Celestia is demanding an audience with us. Now."

Author's Notes:

Another chapter. Sorry about the delay.
Please enjoy. Criticisms of any kind would be appreciated.
Until next time!

- G. R.