Before I begin Volume 5 of Drake's Saga, there is a bit of filler that fits in between volumes 4 and 5. I hope you enjoy this little bit of fluff. Plus, you get to see a little bit of Drake being a detective and Shackleford being Shackelford. So here it is. Hope you enjoy.

"Hmph..." I hummed, walking around the body in my own way of concentration, allowing every minute detail to soak in and form a clear picture. Agent Shackleford stood nearby, glowering at me in an unamused way. Ignoring the EBI agent, I bent low, my nose only two inches drom the mouth of the dead pony, and sniffed twice, detecting the small trace of an odor in the ait around the corpse.

"Umm...Lieutenant Drake?" Shackleford muttered, looking at me over the top of his mirrored Brayban sunglasses. I snorted at the scent I'd just picked up.

"Cyanide..." I commented. "This particular badpony was poisoned by cyanide..." I said, loud enough for the EBI agent to hear.

"Uh-huh, but..." Shackelford began.

"No doubt...with this glass..." I continued, walking to a glass on a nearby table in the room. I sniffed the contents to make sure my theory was valid. "Heh. Amaretto liquor. Good stuff...this would mask the smell of the poison...but I'm sure you've already figured all this out." I said cynically, casting Shackleford a sly grin.

"Look, Drake..." Shackelford attempted again.

"Patience Rusty, patience..." I interrupted. Shackleford sighed in frustration.
None of the stolen money found in the house...what I'm assumng was the accomplice laying here poisoned..." I had to pause and think for a minute. I was lost in my concentration for a moment, and Agent Shackleford took the opportunity to finally get a word in edgewise.

"Lieutenant Drake, I really need to ask you..."

"Wait!" I exclaimed. I suddenly got an idea. I galloped into the kitchen, and grabbed the garbage can. I returned with the recepticle and unceremoniously dumped the contents out onto the living room floor. Quickly scanning the rubbish, I was finally able to let out a pleased "Aha." at what I found. I picked up a torn-open envelope

"What..." Shackelford questioned.

"Ticket." I returned. "This envelope is from the Germane oceanliner company Einhorn Lines. Shackleford, quick...get your agents to the harbor! The bank robber is on a boat to Germaney!"

"Boys!" The agent called. Two ponies in suits rushed into the house.

"Sir?" One of the junior agents replied.

"You two get to the docks. Stop any boat headed for Germaney. The bank robber and apparent...murderer...is aboard. Move!"

"On it!" The other agent called as the two hurried out of the house. Shackelford turned back to me to see me grinning triumphantly.

"Yep. The robber planned to poison his friend here, take all the money, and high-tail it to a country with no extradition policy with Equestria. Too bad he was so sloppy, or else he might've gotten away with it." I chuckled. "I had to come all the way out here on family day for this? Come on Rusty, give me something harder next time, huh?"

"Drake..." Shackleford stated seriously. "I can tolerate your unprofessional behavior...I can stand your snide little remarks about the EBI...I can even overlook the fact that you're dating your partner...but Drake, for the love of Celestia..."

"Hmm?" I asked, amused by his outburst.

"Did you have to bring your daughter to a murder scene?!" Shackleford exclaimed. We both glanced over to the sofa by the dead pony, where Budder was laying back, obviously relaxing as she licked an ice cream cone. She looked over at us and grinned innocently. The EBI agent and I looked back to each other.

"Oh, she's not my daughter." I said with a smile. "She's my sister."