The Human Pet

"Why are we going to Ponyville?" asked Super Star, floating after her brother through the Castle corridors. "It's a daytimers' dump. What could possibly be there?"

Crimson smiled wryly. "You mean aside from the best apple cider in Equestria? There's somepony we need to pick up, somepony who is going to help us solve this case."

"Why do they even bother calling you Corporal? That moon badge seems to give you leeway to be anything. Spy, strategist, detective..."

"Well, as a matter of fact, they don't call me Corporal. I got promoted to Sergeant." Crimson nudged the albino mare playfully. "But the truth is that this is a politically charged situation. If what happened back home were to reach the general public, it could push both sides over the edge. Civil war is the last thing we need on our hooves right now. I have the ability, and I have the insight into our mother that is vital to resolving the situation. Ergo, I'm in charge."

Super Star raised an eyebrow. "Should you be telling me any of this? It's surely classified."

"The Princesses trust me, and I trust you." Crimson stopped dead in his tracks, and turned to face her. "I know that you're upset with me for leaving home, for not taking charge of the family when I could have... when I probably should have. Consider this my apology. If you help me stop mother, the government will not be ungrateful. This could be a fresh new start."

They stared at each other for a few moments. Then Crimson grabbed the shoulder of a passing orange unicorn. "You! Power Point."

Power Point froze, looking like a frightened doe in front of two big feral thestrals. "M-me?"

"Yes, you. Your contributions at the strategy session were exemplary. With royal authority, I'm offering you a chance to join on a nation-trotting mission with the highest potential for danger, hijinks and tales to tell the grandfoals. Any of us could very well die. Explosions and sword-fights are expected. What say you?"

The mare fainted on the spot.

"I'll take that as a maybe."

As Crimson had expected, once Power Point woke up and confirmed that she hadn't gone insane and imagined the whole thing, she chose to grab the oppurtunity with all hooves and teeth. Some ponies were like unbloomed flowers - you just needed to cast sunlight on them to open them up to their full potential. The meticulous detail she'd put into preparing the earlier strategy session revealed a calculating and dedicated mind that Crimson - in a rare moment of selfishness - decided to steal for his own department. Of course, the Grounded Gang was pretty much just him and the absent Lighthouse now, but that only meant that nopony would complain about a daytimer joining in. Crimson had always liked the idea of having a personal assistant.

They decided to borrow one of Luna's carriages. The Princess had already cast a spell to render it invisible, giving them the privacy they needed.

"Sergeant S-Star...?" Power Point leaned closer, but avoided his eyes, seemingly intimidated. "Why are we going to Ponyville?"

His sister answered before he could. "Apparently we're going to recruit our new team a fourth member. Ten bits says it's one of the rainbow of sweet sugary diabetes, also known colloquially as the Elements of Harmony."

"Ahh, you owe me ten bits, sis! What luck! ... Considering I haven't seen my wallet in a fortnight. And I really want an ice lolly. Mango-flavoured, of course."

Soup rolled her eyes. "You're such a colt. So who is it? Who are we getting?"

"Hmm? Oh, that. That, my friends, will be a surprise." Crimson hid a smile, and a mutual look of 'Celestia help us all' passed between the mares. "Besides, before we reach ground, I want us all to be on the same page in regards with what we're about to do. Power Point, how long has it been since Princess Luna last checked in with the Castle?"

"She's five days overdue." The orange mare immediately said.

"And how long has it been since Skinny and Trixie reported in?"

"It's been... five days."

Crimson nodded slowly. Super Star scoffed at him. "But Discord's redeemed! Celestia's purple little lapdog sent her own seal of approval by letter! He can't be involved with mother and Chrysalis, surely."

"There is a third matter." Crimson added. "Right before I woke up, I had a very vivid dream of Discord attempting to corrupt me. Now, it is likely that these three events have no connection whatsoever. And if they don't, we'll just move on to where I believe Luna and the others disappeared. But while we're in Ponyville, it would be judicious to check in with Discord. Who knows... if he's truly redeemed, perhaps he can offer some insight."

"What was this place called?" asked Trixie. They had spoken for several hours now, yet dawn seemed as far away as when they started. Their dingy motel room was lit by a single lightbulb.

"A ca-see-no." Eris spelled out. "A place of gambling, prostitution and general debauchery."

Trixie scrunched her face up. "Aaaand Eris went there becaaaause...?"

Eris thought for a few seconds. "I was curious?"

"This is why the Great and Powerful Trixie is so perfect. She's too lazy to be evil." The blue unicorn gave a cheeky grin. "Trixie would stay home and read a book."

Eris pinched her nose, eliciting a cute 'eep!'. "Yeah-yeah. Keep talking, Blueberry, and you'll never hear the rest of the story." She frowned for a split second, realising that she had given Trixie a nickname... like Anon would. She hoped he'd be strong enough to talk again soon. Certainly he wasn't gone yet - Eris could sense his subconscious thoughts flickering, like brief flashes of lightning in a dark cloud - but it could be any day now.

Trixie rubbed her snout, and motioned for her to continue.

"The casino felt strange... as if time held no meaning there. And the strange creatures within gave me this." She showed Trixie the revolver. "It's a weapon from Earth. But there are symbols on it that I do not recognise. Equestrian symbols of magic. I believe this is a gun that could kill Discord. At least they seemed to think so."

"And they're the ones who put this idea of killing Discord in your head?"

Eris felt like a stupid filly in class. "Um... yeah." The blue mare seemed to think the same, given her worldweary sigh. Trixie knew Eris was a supernatural being whose limits were not know, but there was no denying that she had all the innocence and naivete of her true age of... 1.

"Trixie does not trust these ca-see-no dwellers. If they wish to be rid of Discord, why not do it themselves? And what business do they have with him anyway?? Trixie believes we should confront them and demand answers."

The streets were empty, and they were not seen. Eris had remembered the casino being quite a few miles from the motel, but this time it appeared only a block away, unattached to any building. Just one big neon-glazed tower shining bright red on its own. Trixie was just as bedazzled by the signs as Eris had been. "This place reminds Trixie of..." her voice trailed off. "... grandpa's circus. But different." The blue mare shivered. "I feel cold."

Eris felt a strange foreboding from Trixie's use of "I". She didn't want to go in either. But what else could they do? Discord had not returned. Anon was dying. These people were the only ones who could conceivably help them. She placed a comforting hand on Trixie's back. Reassured by each other's warmth, they walked up the steps.

Fluttershy's eyes widened as she found Twilight's library in an unusual state of disarray. The purple unicorn was bouncing all over the place, desperately searching for something. "No-no-no... oh-my-gosh, oh-my-gosh, nooooo...!" Twilight was muttering to herself, over and over, tearing the place apart.

The pegasus cleared her throat, but very quietly. Twilight did not notice her presence and carried on. "I'll just come back later then..." She whispered, and began to close the door as gently as possible. Luckily, Twilight spotted her.

"Fluttershy! Oh!" The purple mare realised how ridiculous she looked. "I'm sorry, I almost didn't notice you there. Come in... or, err, not." She laughed nervously. "There's kind of a situation going on."

"It's not urgent, Twilight." Fluttershy smiled, and reached for a book from her saddlebag with her teeth. "I just wanted to return this book on Morris dancing. Although I defeated the mayor of Fillydelphia and Gilda the Griffon in a dance-off, I just don't think it's for me really..."

Twilight blinked, absorbing this new information. "You know, sometimes I think we lead really weird lives... anyway, I'm looking for a time-travelling bag. Have you seen it somewhere?" Her crazy smile unnerved Fluttershy, who assumed a more maternal voice.

"Twilight, I thought we agreed to get rid of that thing!"

"But... but... it's beyond valuable in terms of research! Just think what we could do if we figured out a way to time travel without a limit?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "I don't want to... and anyway, what about Skinny?"

"What about him?"

"It's his future that's at stake, remember? He was the one who found the bag, and we agreed that it was a copy of yours from the future, left behind in the past."

Twilight clicked her tongue in satisfaction. "Soooo the smart thing to do would be to get rid of the present-day bag, but leave the future bag here for study! After all, if it was the future bag that ended up in the future... we'd know it! Therefore, the future bag cannot be a threat whilst the present-day bag is!"

"I... guess?"

"Hi Fluttershy! Hi, Twi... light?" Spike's jaw dropped, seeing the chaos in the library. The bowl of gems he'd been carrying clattered onto the ground. "Uh... I'm getting paid extra for this clean-up, right?"

"Spike!" Twilight whooshed over to her sidekick and placed a hoof around his shoulders. Spike gulped. "Spikey-Spikey-Spike! You wouldn't have happened to have come across a certain time-travelling bag of immense value and importance, would you?" She poked playfully at his chest, scaring him even more.

"Um... I did find one bag in the trash... it looked like yours."

Twilight squeed. "That's it! Gimme-gimme-gimme!" She hopped on her hooves impatiently.

"Your bag can time travel?" Spike asked, dumbfounded.

"Listen, you tiny lizard-!"

Fluttershy frowned. Lizard?

"-you have my property and I want it... yesterday!"

"Uh, yes, ma'am! Right away, ma'am! Going to get the bag, ma'am!" He jumped up the stairs. Twilight snatched the book from Fluttershy.

"Thanks for returning the book. Be seeing you!" She shut the door in Fluttershy's face.

"... um, ok."

As soon as Spike had given her the saddlebag, she sent the tiny dragon away on an errand as well. With silence finally hitting the library, Twilight's visage melted away in green light, revealing that of Queen Chrysalis. She admired the bag from the future and lifted it with her magic. The bag - despite being captured in her green energy - glowed purple, a telltale sign of Twilight's magic. Chrysalis felt certain that whatever spell had cast it off into time originally had been cast by a future version of Celestia's irritating little apprentice.

"Time travel... how interesssting."

She teleported away, knowing that Twilight herself would return home soon. She'd made up an excuse for her presence but it would not be long before the ponies realised an impostor had taken her place for several days, time well spent on investigating Anon's origins. And now this fantastic discovery... Crystal Star would find it most interesting.