//------------------------------//
// From the east 
// Story: Six strange creatures in Equestria 
// by sykko 
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On the east of Equestria the waves on ocean lap against the shore and between the pylons of the crudely constructed docks. Overhead clouds lazily roll through the sky. A sound could be heard, softly at first so that any listeners may confuse it for the wind, but it slowly picks until it become very clear, the droning of propellers. On the docks warped diamond dogs bully and threaten the workers as they break open nearby crates and grab any shiny or valuable objects. An airship breaches through the clouds, its propellers droning loudly.

On the deck of the airship, a tall parrot with a shard of crystal serving as a peg leg, stands on the bow of the airship looking at the docks through a spyglass. A scowl spreads across her face seeing the diamond dogs on the crude docks. The captain turns and makes her way to the crew compartment.

The captain knocks on the door before opening it. As the door opens the soft sound of a lyre and the smell of incense waft  into the corridor. Stepping into the dimly lit cabin, she lets her eyes adjust. Sitting on a nearby cushion is a mint green unicorn mare with a pale green and white striped mane, wearing a brilliantly colored silk kimono with a delicate floral pattern, suspended in a yellow magical aura is a golden lyre she was plucking with her hooves. Sitting at a small desk on the far side of the room looking over some scrolls was a pegasus mare with a tan coat, her mane was striped with multiple shades of gray and black, she too wore a kimono, though it was much less ornate flax with several pouches and sacks attached to the cinch. At the far wall by the window were two uprights, the first, a male was sitting cross-legged on the floor with his right side facing the door, wearing a saffron robe a red silk belt, his black hair was close-cropped, the palms of his hands were pressed together as he held a burning stick of incense between them, the second upright was female, she was kneeling on the floor, she wore a brilliantly patterned silk kimono covered with intricate geometric designs, her long black hair was rolled into a tight bun held in place with a green jade pin, she was folding a piece of paper into a complex design.

"How can I help you Captain Celaeno?", the female upright asked in a bell-like voice.

The unicorn stopped playing and the pegasus stopped reading, both looked up to the door.

Captain Celaeno shifted uncomfortably before clearing her throat. "We have a small problem at the docks. It appears that some diamond dogs are bullying local workers. I've never heard of them being this far from the warrens before."

"You said when we transferred from my family's junk to your ship that there wouldn't be any problems.", the female upright said in a slightly annoyed tone.

Celaeno tugged at her coat uncomfortably. "I apologize Lady Asahina. Because we specialize in getting things in or out without too many questions being asked, we don't always have the luxury of acquiring the proper paperwork or a passable facsimiles, so we often have to use unregistered docks."

Asahina Hunsunohana sighed. "Which means that the docks you use are not patrolled by the proper authorities and they are at whims of bandits or brigands. How many are there?"

"Just five Lady Asahina, thought they appear to be larger then most diamond dogs I've seen.", Celeano replied.

"How big are the diamond dogs usually?", the male upright asked

Celaeno gestured to the two ponies in the cabin. "Usually about the same size or slightly larger than the average Equestrian pony."

Hunsunohana rose to her feet, the kimono hugging her lithe form. "Very well. Prepare docking procedures, I will be out shortly to deal with this matter." Stepping behind a nearby blind, there was a swish of fabric and the empty kimono draped over the top of the blind.

Celaeno nodded as she left the cabin. As she stood on the deck of the airship directing the crew, the jingled of bells behind her caught her attention. Turning she saw the male upright flanked by the two ponies, in one hand he held a staff with an ornate basket head several small bells hung from the head by several fine bronze chains, in his other hand he held a bouquet of brilliant orange mums, the unicorn had tied to her back a simple wooden box. She gestured to the stern. "Master Han, Ms. Heartstrings, Ms. Do, I need you three to move out of the way until we've landed."

Han Xiangzi bowed slightly "Of course."

As the airship touches down in the water with a slight lurch, the warped diamond dogs turn to face it with vicious grins. The crew of the airship arms themselves with clubs, sabers, mooring hooks and crossbows in preparation to defend themselves and the airship.

Asahina Hunsunohana walks onto the deck wearing armor made from lacquered layers of leather and steel, a high-domed helmet on her head with a broad copper crescent adorning it, two gracefully curving swords, one longer than the other, lashed to her hip. She looks around with her dark eyes with brilliant blue ring around the irises taking in the scene and slips on a face guard that appears like a grimacing mouth. Stepping to the side of the deck, she says, "Lower the gangplank."

As the end of the gangplank hits the dock, the first diamond dog moves towards, but quickly back pedals seeing the upright walking down in an exaggerated heel-toe canter, her boots making a loud *thump-thump* with each step. The diamond dog continues to back up until it reaches the main part of the dock and its compatriots shove it forward.

As the diamond dog staggers forward,it takes in the upright. The chest of its armor has a stylized crane made from mother of pearl with a egg-shaped ruby perched on its beak, a high-domed helmet pearched atop its head with a broad copper crescent, its face hidden by a grimacing face guard, two gracefully curving swords at its hip. The warped diamond dog is filled with intense greed.

Asahina Hunsunohana pauses on the deck. "Depart now brigand. You are interfering with official business of the Emerald Empire.", she says from behind the face guard, gesturing with a hand.

"Give-surrender the shinys to me-me and maybe I won't kill-slay you-you!", the diamond dog says.

Hunsunohana turns slightly sideways in a slightly crouched stance, her breathing slow and even, she slowly move her hands to the longer sword in a measured manner, almost like the preparations for a dance. "Depart now and you get to keep your lives."

The diamond dogs laugh as the closest one draws a jagged, pitted iron sword.

Hunsunohana flicks her thumb, revealing a sliver of steel. "Last chance." She lets out a slow hissing breath bringing her mind into razor focus. She slides a foot forward, widening her stance slightly in preparation.

The diamond dog laughs. "I kill-kill you now!"

In a flash of steel and blur of movement, Asahina Hunsunohana stands behind the diamond dog, her stance wide as she stands fully upright, her feet wide apart. The sword fully extended in one hand as a single drop of blood falls from the blade. The diamond dog blinks a few times in confusion before collapsing to the dock, head rolling away.

Hunsunohana flicks the sword twice, flinging the blood from the blade. In a single fluid motion she brings the blade over her head and grips it in both hands. In a smooth, measured run, she's amongst the four remaining diamond dogs before they can react. Swinging the sword in a downward arc, the first of the four diamond dogs body peels away in two pieces. A diamond dog lunges at her with a jagged sword and she dodges with the grace of a dancer, swinging the blade upwards, its arm falls away as its head fall in two pieces. She darts forward with a horizontal slash and the third diamond dog's upper body falls away from its lower half. She stops in front of the last diamond dog, with a blur of movement and several flashed of steel, she pivots on her heel bringing the sword to a stop in a slow graceful arc. Hunsunohana casually flicks the blood from her blade walking away, the diamond dog falls to the dock in four pieces. She takes a rag from her waist and wipes the  remaining blood from it. The small crowd of gathered ponies backs away in fear.

Hunsunohana lays the blade of the sword across her forearm inspecting it, before returning it to its saya. From the shadow of several hastily constructed shacks, a cream-colored earth pony with a two-toned blue and pink mane watches with professional calm.

A scraggly looking colt with a dark green coat and unwashed blonde mane walks up and lightly taps his hoof to Hunsunohana's leg. "A-are you an u-upright?"

Hunsunahana removes her face guard, looks at the colt with her dark eyes with blue rings and smiles.

Han Xiangzi walk down the gangplank, flanked by Lyra and Daring. "You certainly handled things dramatically.", he said.

"I gave them ample opportunity to depart with their lives.", Hunsunohana said with a slight frown, "They chose to impede me."

Xiangzi laid a mum by each of bodies of the five diamond dogs.

Hunsunohana walked over to Lyra, opened the box on her back, pulled out and ancient scroll and walked over to the crowd of gathered ponies. She unrolled the scroll revealing a stylized painting of two alicorns, the white one holding the sun in its hooves, the dark blue one holding the moon in her hooves. "Direct my companions and I to your empresses."

"Th-that way!", a pony points with a hoof to a mountain in the distance.

Rolling up the scroll, Hunsunohana bows politely in thanks before walking off.

As the four walk along the dirt road, the cream-colored earth-pony mare steps from between two shacks. "You could have directed the two uprights to Canterlot yourself Lyra, considering you used to live there."

"Bonbon?" Lyra runs over and embraces the familiar earth pony. "I thought you would still be in Ponyville."

"I was reactivated a year ago.", Bonbon says before turning to the two humans and holds out a scroll, "On behalf of Princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Twilight Sparkle and Flurry Heart, welcome to Equestria. I have procured for your party a couple of pegasus chariots. Follow me please."