The Swamp

"Lyra, do you really think you'll wear that?" Bon-Bon asked, looking at her friend as she showed off her dress.

"What?" Lyra chuckled, twisting around and looking at what she was wearing, "I think it looks great."

"It's white. A white dress in the sun is way too bright. I'd hurt my eyes seeing you wear it. Try that purple one we saw earlier."

"Oh yeah. That one might look nicer."

Bon-Bon watched as her friend went over to a rack and take a purple dress from it, before going back to the change rooms. She waited patiently for the mint coloured unicorn to come back out and present herself.

"You ready?" Lyra called from inside the little room.

"Yeah. Let's see it." Bon-Bon replied.

Lyra opened the door and did a few poses, smiling all the while. Bon-Bon chuckled quietly to herself as she watched her friend.

"So, what do you think?" Lyra asked, twisting herself to look.

"I think it suits you very well." Bon-Bon said, before looking at a clock on the wall, "Hey, we better get back home. It's getting late."

"Right."

They collected their items and proceeded to the counter, before paying for their new clothes and leaving.

Ponyville wasn't a big town, but that was one of the reasons why many ponies liked it. Of course, there was also some things that ponies didn't like about it. One such thing was the Everfree Forest, just a short distance away. It was frightening, dark, dangerous, and unpredictable. Even during a bright sunny day, the forest wasn't something to take lightly. But, everypony knew that beyond it was far worse danger. However, beyond that danger was the Zebralands, a valuable trade partner and friend to Equestria.

"So," Lyra said, levitating shopping bags in her magic, "who's turn is it to make dinner?"

"I think it's your turn." Bon-Bon replied, grinning at her, "I did it last night, remember? Steamed carrots and mashed potatoes."

"Oh yeah. Alright, I'll try to make something as good."

"I'll be happy with anything."

They laughed as they rounded a corner and came into view of their house. But, when Bon-Bon saw who was there, her expression and emotions changed almost instantly.

In front of their house was a gruff looking pegasus stallion wearing a blue and black hat and jacket that had several medals on his chest. On one eye, a large scar cut over it, showing a clear sign that he had fought something with claws. His mane, tail, and goatee were dark grey, showing his age. And his cutie mark was an image of an eagle with it's talons ready to strike. He looked military, but not from any known branch of it.

"Um, Bon?" Lyra said, stopping as she noticed him, "Who is that?"

"Somepony I thought I'd never see again." Bon-Bon replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the stallion as she continued forward.

Lyra quickly followed behind her, still holding the shopping bags.

"Good evening, fillies." He greeted, removing his hat respectively, "May I come in?"

"Sure." Bon-Bon said hesitantly, cocking her head, "Come on in, sir."

"Thank you."

The three ponies entered the house, the strange stallion taking a seat on the couch as Lyra and Bon-Bon set down their things and sat down across from him.

"Um, could I get you anything?" Lyra asked, giving a warm smile.

"I'll have coffee, if you have it." The stallion replied, returning her grin, "Black, please."

"Sure. Be back in a bit."

Then Lyra got up from her seat and left, leaving Bon-Bon and the strange stallion alone.

"I see that you're enjoying retirement." He said, looking around at the decorations and pictures on the walls, "Probably more than most ponies I know."

"Get to the point." Bon-Bon said assertively, keeping a calm expression, "Why did you come here? I know you don't do anything unless you had a good reason."

Upon hearing those words, the stallion changed his posture and focused all his attention towards her.

"The agency needs your help, Agent Drops." He said, leaning towards her and focusing into her eyes, "We need somepony who can handle themselves under extreme conditions, pressure, and danger. And there's only so few who can manage what I'm about to propose to you."

"The agency was disbanded after the bugbear incident, Marshal, you know that." Bon-Bon said, not breaking eye-contact, "I'm not the same mare I was then. And, even if it was resurrected and I were to come back, I'd be leaving behind the peaceful life I've created here. I can't do that. Lyra would be heartbroken."

"I understand. But, you and your team were the best of the best when you worked with us and this mission might seem personal to you. As for the agency, it was resurrected a couple months ago. And I can assure you that we need your skills for this. It's nothing more than a locate and recover mission."

At the sound of those words, Bon-Bon's ears perked up. The stallion noticed this and saw that he had her interest.

"Why would the A.M.D. be doing a locate and recover op?" Bon-Bon asked, raising an eyebrow at him, "We specialized in fighting monsters and other dangerous creatures. Not property or cargo."

"That's the interesting part." The stallion replied, retrieving a folder from under one of his wings, "The thing that needs to be located and recovered is a creature of sorts."

Something in the stallion's tone made Bon-Bon very curious. Then she noticed a folder tucked under one of his wings.

"Go on." She said, bringing her hoof to her chin.

"Are you familiar with a beast known as a Snap-tooth?" He asked, retrieving the folder from under his wing.

"Somewhat. I know that they're rare, highly dangerous, fast, can camouflage very well, and strong."

"Take a look at this file, Ms. Drops. You might understand a little more than what you already know."

Hesitantly, Bon-Bon took the folder from him and opened it. She found it full of pictures and documents that described the Snap-tooth in almost full detail. However, there were some parts that had been blacked out. And the black lines had her attention.

"Why are there black lines on a monster file?" She asked, looking back at the stallion, "Whenever it came down to monsters, we always made sure that we knew everything about what we're after."

"The lines are there because we got the file from the zebras." The stallion replied, "Many of which have been killed capturing it."

Now she was really paying attention upon hearing what the stallion just told her.

"Wait, wait, wait." She exclaimed, keeping her voice down, "Do you mean to tell me that they caught this thing?"

"That's correct." He confirmed.

"Then why come here and say you need my help? From what I understand, the mission is already complete."

Then the stallion lowered his head and rolled his hat in his hooves.

"Two weeks ago," he began explaining, "an airship was sent to bring the captured Snap-tooth here to study and understand it. However, the airship never returned and no one has any clue where the ship, creature, or crew are. We contacted the zebras and they told us that the airship had left the port late, but undamaged. Now, we've had some witnesses claim that they heard cannon fire and explosions coming from a swamp south of the Everfree Forest. No one knows what happened for sure. But, one thing is for certain, if our ship was attacked and the Snap-tooth escaped, it will be nearly impossible to find it again."

Bon-Bon rolled the information in her mind, trying to put it all together.

"Eight years." Bon-Bon said, looking from him to the folder and back, "Eight years since the bugbear incident and the shutdown of the agency. Not a word from anypony, not even an explanation for how it escaped. I was forced to change my name to protect my team from discrimination. And they had to go their separate ways, probably to other countries. Which makes me ask two more questions. The first; why was it resurrected? And second; why would this be personal to me?"

"To answer the first," the stallion explained, "it was resurrected because more reports of monsters have been coming in from all over Equestria and the princesses ordered that it was vital that the agency was in use again."

"And the second?"

"The reason this might be personal is because one of the crew members is somepony you know."

"Who?"

"Your father, Capt. Heavy 'Cannonball' Drops, was the one in charge of the ship before it and everyone aboard went missing."

Bon-Bon's eyes widened as shock and horror wormed into her mind. Images of her father bloodied and broken, trapped in the wreck of his ship, unable to escape. Memories of him flowed in throw her mind as well. Knowing that he was in danger made her decide very quickly what her next action should be.

"Do you know where to find the rest of my team?" She asked, closing the folder and placing it beside her.

"Yes." The stallion replied, "But, you'll have to convince them. I know they won't listen to me if I tried talking to them."

Just after he said that, Lyra walked in with a cup of steaming black coffee and gave it to the stallion.

"Thank you." He said, placing it on a table next to him and standing up, "But, I'm afraid I misjudged the amount of time I could spare. I have to get back to the office and fill out some paperwork."

"Oh, okay." Lyra said, taking the full coffee cup back, "I don't suppose you would like a snack of some sort to take with you? Peanut butter crackers or a couple biscuits maybe?"

"I wouldn't mind a biscuit or two. Thank you."

"Alright. I'll be right back."

She left the room again and the stallion looked back at Bon-Bon.

"Here." He said quietly, taking an envelope out of his jacket, "The locations of your teammates and our new HQ. Be at headquarters in two days at noon."

Bon-Bon took it and looked inside, finding a map, addresses, and several images inside.

"Keep the file." He continued, "You might need it later."

Lyra entered the room again with a brown bag and gave it to the stallion.

"There you go." She smiled, "Mind if I ask how you two know each other?"

"I was friends with Bon's father." The stallion replied, taking the bag in one wing and tucking it into his jacket, "Plus, I thought I'd stop by and say hello."

"Well, alright. Thanks for stopping by, Mr. uh..."

"Talon, Talon Sharp."

"Okay. You take care, Mr. Sharp"

"Same to you."

With that, the stallion opened the door and stepped out of the house, closing the door behind him and leaving Bon-Bon and Lyra alone.

"Hey," Lyra said, seeing Bon-Bon looking very concerned, "are you alright?"

"Um, yeah." Bon-Bon replied, wiping away a tear that tried to escape her eye, "I, uh, have to take care of some things. I'll probably be gone for a few days. I hope you don't mind."

"I'll still be here when you get back. When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning. I have to catch the first train to New Horseleans."

"What's there?"

"An old friend."