King of Diamonds

by Midnightshadow

Making Tracks

♠♣♥♦King of
Diamonds

The Ambassador's Son - Book 2
═════════════════════════════════════

Chapter 11
Making Tracks
An MLP:FiM Fanfiction by Midnight Shadow

---

"Now, Bella?" asked Hairpin. The pegasus was weary, but tried not to let it show.

Bella sat on her haunches in the wagon, eyes closed and muzzle skywards as if she were sniffing the wind. "Yes, I can't feel it any more. We left the Way a while ago. Go down, but let's take it slow."

"Yes, ma'am," snarked Penny, rolling her eyes as they descended out of the blue expanse, down into the clouds beneath them.

The clouds were grey and angry, and travel through them was bumpy and uncomfortable. As the wagon descended, the endless banks of fog finally parted to reveal a disturbingly dark forest.

Carmine and Beth circled the wagon cautiously as the ground came into view, afraid to lose sight of their friends.

Chip waved them off, pointing downwards. "It's fine, we're out, we're safe. You can take a closer look if you want. Just don't get too close, this place isn't supposed to be too friendly," shouted Chip. The colt had been grinning like an idiot for the past half hour, ever since he'd verified that their short-cut to a destination he'd refused to elaborate on had been successful.

In a word, he'd been insufferable.

"Well, where are we?" Bright Pinion flapped her wings carefully, as if afraid to wake whatever monsters lay below under the canopy. It might very well have been a wise move.

"A long way North of of Tacksworn, even further North of... roughly where we should have been if the map wasn't all wibbly wobbly. That, if we've taken the correct Path, is the Everfree Forest. We're headed to Ponyville."

♠♣♥♦

Applejack placed the final huge bucket beneath the tree before resting on her haunches for a moment. It had been hard work today, just like every day during harvest-time. She swiped her stetson across her brow before placing it carefully back on her head with a deft flick of her hooves. Then she stood up. And scowled.

There was a silvery-grey feather in one of her buckets. A large silvery-grey feather, the sort of feather which only came from a pegasus.

"Corsarnit, I know yer up there. Who is it? T'ain't Rainbow, she ain't that colour. Least not where it shows." Applejack glared upwards into the thick, apple-laden branches.

"Caw!" cawed something from up in the hidden reaches.

"Don't you 'caw' me none. Git down here!"

"Caw! Caw, caw!" tried the voice again.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Alright, who is it? Come on, now, I don't mean ya no harm. Ya ain't the first that's taken a likin' to Apple family apples."

"Ruff not eat... Ruff mean, uh, caw!"

"A diamond dog?" Applejack peered upwards, shifting her head to and fro to catch a glimpse of the intruders.

"Shh! Maybe she'll go away!" hissed a female voice.

"And a griffon. Next you'll be saying there's a dragon in mah tree!" A moment later, Applejack's mouth dropped open at the sudden, complete silence that followed. "Well Ah'll be."

"Miss Apple?" came a hesitant male voice. "Can you get us Twilight Sparkle? Please? We won't eat any—"

There was a soft thump as an apple core hit the ground.

"Er, many—"

There was a discrete burp, and a very quiet little, "Sorry!"

"You'd better hurry. It's been a long journey. I'll pay for them..."

Applejack sighed. "Ah'll jes go get Twilight. Can ya at least stick to the one tree?"

There was a soft thump as the tree adjacent also dropped an applecore. Applejack rolled her eyes as she stomped off. "Ah swear, one o' these days..."

♠♣♥♦

Twilight trotted through Ponyville, a manic smile plastered on her muzzle as her horn glowed softly. The spell she was casting was subtle and complex, made all the more so as she was forced to keep it up. Moving carefully, she avoided big crowds, being uncommonly cautious with her footing. She nodded politely, smiling through grit teeth, and waited for others to pass before continuing her journey. It made for a very slow, careful trip home. As Books and Branches neared, Twilight's head drooped lower and lower and a sheen of sweat shone on her brow. At the door, she paused, swaying slightly from the continued effort.

Hoofing the door to her library open, she stood outside for a moment. Smiling brightly but wearily to all passers by, she stood as if enjoying the early afternoon sun for a few moments, before nodding imperceptibly and trotting into her library home.

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed, slumping to the floor on her haunches. Her horn lost the glow that had surrounded it, and a disparate group of creatures faded into view like so much billowing fog parting to reveal the rising sun.

"That," said Penny excitedly, "was so awesome! I was totally invisible!"

"You weren't invisible so much as not very noticeable," lectured Twilight, raising one hoof. "True invisibility is harder than one thinks, as light must be bent around—"

"But nobody could see us?" interrupted Penny.

"Well... no, but—"

"Invisible! In-vis-ee-bell!" Penny bounced off excitedly to examine the treehouse-library, humming noisily. Twilight, for her part, scowled darkly.

"Thank you, miss Twilight," Chip said gratefully, "we... we've really got to be keeping a low profile as—"

"Chip!" yelled an excited young voice. "Is that really you?"

"Spike?" called out Chip, looking up to see a smallish, purple dragon peering over the balcony.

"Chip! Ruff! It is you!" Spike ran down the steps from the upper levels two at a time. He gave Chip a punch in the withers, and hugged Ruff tightly. "You guys are the best! Wait, you don't need another sofa, do you? O-or, uhh, anything that might, er..." The little dragon twiddled his paws worriedly, darting eyes at Twilight.

"Hey, Spike," chuckled Chip. "No, we won't need anything like that."

"Good. I've only just got done being grounded from the last time. Both times."

Chip blushed. "I'm, um," Chip turned to Twilight, eyes downcast. "I'm really sorry, Miss Sparkle. It was urgent, and I didn't know what else to do."

"This time or last time?" the mare snarked, rolling her eyes.

"Kinda both." Chip twirled a hoof into a rug, speaking hesitantly.

"Well you can start by telling me what they hay you're doing here in Ponyville. What's wrong, is it the dragons again? Oh, it can't be the dragons, you're a dragon so that would hardly... but wait, are you still a dragon? Did you stop being a dragon? Is that it..." Twilight's eyes slowly lost focus, though her muzzle began moving at top speed as she invented reason after reason for Chip's and his friends' visit.

Chip blinked, quite unable to keep up. "Um... yes, I mean no, and, uh, yes... and you don't? I..." Chip's ears flattened against his head as his eyes darted to and fro between Twilight and Spike.

The little dragon put his paws up against his face. "She gets like this sometimes. Twi, snap out of it, will ya!" The little dragon snapped his claws, until the unicorn stopped her monologue and blinked, looking down at her number-one assistant as she trailed off.

"...I don't think I have any spells to make a dragon back into a dragon... I didn't know you could be turned into a dragon in the first place..! Er, sorry... I guess I got carried away. Hehe." Twilight blushed. "Maybe I should just ask you why you're here, what kind of crazy idea would that be, eh?" Twilight grinned brightly, but her grin faded as Chip's expression remained serious.

"Well, Miss Twilight, it's something we've got to discuss with you... and with Spike."

"With Spike too?" asked Twilight, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah... if we may ask, how secure is Spike's hoard?"

"Well, Twi's the one who keeps it safe," piped up Spike, thumbing a claw at her horn, "but if somepony can keep anypony out of it, she can. Why?"

"Twilight, Spike, this is why we needed you to hide us, to keep our presence here a secret. Please, please, please don't tell anyone! Do you promise to keep everything we show you secret? You must!"

"I pinkie swear it!" said Twilight, solemnly. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my—OW!"

Chip flicked an ear in surprise as the lavender unicorn went through a series of motions which ended with what looked like a painful eye-injury. He looked down at Spike, one eyebrow raised.

"Before you can ask, yes, she means it."

"Is it as good as a dragon's oath?"

Spike looked at Twilight appraisingly, as she rubbed her eye. For a moment, Spike's expression grew more serious than the mare could ever remember it being. Then he nodded, solemnly. "Yeah, I think so."

"Ruff? Please show them it."

Ruff stepped forwards. "Ruff has... this staff. We need to keep staff safe, can you?"

Spike took hold of it reverently, turning it around and around in his paws. "What is it?"

"We don't know – not really, not yet," Chip replied. "It's why we're here. It's old, but we don't know how old."

"I've never seen anything like this before," stated Twilight, her magic taking a hold of the ancient artifact and lifting it into the air. Spike dangled by one paw for a few seconds before falling onto his backside. He scowled, but Twilight didn't notice.

"Is from diamond dog realm. Is king's staff. Is now... my staff." Ruff took hold of it, yanking it out of the pony's magical grip.

Spike looked up at Ruff sharply. "Where did you say you got it?"

"From someone Ruff miss very much. From... friend."

"Wait, the diamond dog home realm? That's crazy! You can't just go visit another world... can you?"

Chip grinned.

"You can't have..." exclaimed the unicorn mare.

Chip grinned wider.

"Oh, great," said Spike, looking up at all the books in the library. "I can see there'll be another few weeks of picking up after Twilight as she goes on a study bender..."

"Well before that, can either of you tell us what the staff says?"

"I'm not familiar with Trollish, but—"

"Relax, Twi," said Spike, puffing his chest out, "I got this. Let me get my notes..."

Chip watched as Spike waddled off to a room upstairs. He returned a few minutes later with a bunch of scrolls held tightly in the coils of his tail, and a bunch of Daring Do Adventures! comics held in his arms. He set them all down neatly in a pile on the floor, then toddled off to the kitchen.

"Daring Do?" asked Bethany, with a snigger, as Ruff carefully started unrolling the scrolls.

"Research!" stated Ruff, pouting.

"And the hay fries?" asked Bella as Spike returned a few moments later with a good deal of snacks.

"Brain food!" replied Spike, glancing at Ruff and sharing an emphatic nod.

"And both are good for goofing off with," the griffon dead-panned.

"Well... yes. But mostly research!" Ruff said, as he joined Spike on the floor. The two rapidly started chattering about the runes both on the staff, and Spike's notes from the book.

"They're going to be at that for hours, aren't they?" asked Twilight, as she watched.

"Jealous?" teased Chip.

"No," said Twilight, pouting. "Well, maybe a little. I think it's best to leave them at it. Let's go relax. You can tell me why you're here, and fill me in on what you needed to buy that sofa for from the last time you turned up as an unexpected guest."

Chip's ears splayed out flat as he blushed hotly. "I really am sorry about that."

Twilight looked down at Chip. "Don't worry, I had a long talk with Celestia on the way home. She cleared quite a few things up for me, but the rest... are you really a dragon? I mean... like, really?"

Chip was taken aback. "I-I am. Yes."

"Really? I mean, you're not exactly..." The mare waved a hoof about, indicating a general lack of horns, wings and scales.

"I get that a lot," Chip replied with a laugh.

"You don't say," said Twilight with an answering chuckle, rolling her eyes. "Go on then, do something... draconic." She tapped a hoof on his chest.

"Well, okay... you'd better stand back!" Chip closed his eyes, and inhaled.

Three seconds later, Twilight was stomping on the remains of her morning's checklist which she'd placed carefully upon a nearby table. The still-smouldering ashes now formed an integral part of the item of furniture in question, which now resembled a substance far more useful for gritting paths with in winter.

"I'm, er, sorry about that. I kind of got a bit excited. It was only supposed to be a small flame..."

"Quite alright!" barked Twilight, grinning maniacally. "That's quite alright! I asked a dragon to breathe fire in my home; the dragon breathed fire in my home. My table burned down. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting... excuse me, I'm going to go lie down now."

Chip watched, bemused, as Twilight trotted up the stairs and over to a sofa-bed on the second floor landing. Standing next to it, the pony wobbled once and fell over like a felled tree. Onto the floor.

"Is, uh, she going to be alright?" Chip whispered, turning to Spike.

"Probably," Spike replied, looking up from translating a particularly tricky passage. "She does get like this occasionally. Usually when it's something for Celestia. Or a test. She hates tests."

"Why, does she always get them wrong?"

"Uh-uh, she usually gets them right. And then fixes the tests... after she's convinced herself that the examiners are out to send her back to magic kindergarten."

"And how often does that happen?"

"Only every time she takes a test. The freaking out, I mean, not the kindergarten." Spike shook his head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to cause her to freak out."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Spike replied. "Last month, she stayed up three days straight investigating whether the little light in the fridge really does go off when you close the door."

"And?"

"I woke up and found her hanging outside from a branch pretending to be a fruit bat in case the light came on at night when it thought nopony was around. One day, I'll write all these little adventures down; I'm just not sure anypony would believe me." Spike shrugged. "Talking of writing things down, I got your post. Warn a guy next time, though, okay?"

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't really think..."

"It's not that," replied Spike with a rueful grin, "it's that you missed."

"I missed? Oh, oh no! What's the damage?"

"An afternoon, alone, sitting in a tub of ice and a good deal of pride. You owe me one." As if in answer, the small dragon belched and a scroll materialized in mid-air before falling into his outstretched claws. The dragon tucked it away somewhere on his person and glared.

"I misse-oh... ooohhhh. Oh. Ow. Eew..."

"Couldn't walk straight for week and I really don't want to talk about it."

"I'll, uh, go... tidy the library," Chip offered.

"No! No, no," Spike said, jumping to his hind claws, "just, uh, just relax... and don't touch anything!"

"She gets like that about her books, too?"

"Chip, you have no idea."

♠♣♥♦

He was standing on a tall cliff, the wind whistling around his shoulders. His great wings unfurled, black as the sky, lit by lightning. With a roar, he leaped over the edge, claws outstretched as he plummeted downwards towards the army below. The trolls scattered like blossom in a storm, the earthy browns, greys and blacks of their coats mixing with the bright red of their lifeblood as it flowed freely between his talons. He inhaled, drawing his great, blunt head back, before exhaling in a mighty blast of balefire that incinerated his prey. His jaws snapped, crunching shut around the puny creatures as he ended their lives and filled his belly. None dared stand against him, for he was...

"Chip! Hey, Chip! Wake up!"

Chip blinked, startled awake. He was looking down upon... no, no, he was looking up. Up into the face of Carmine.

"You okay, Chip? It looked like you were having a bad dream."

"No, I'm... I'm okay. It wasn't a bad dream at all, it was..." Chip smacked his lips, his mouth still tasted of ash and blood. "I'm hungry. Are you hungry?" Chip wriggled to get upright. He'd fallen asleep on his back, all four legs in the air, on a sofa. It appeared he'd been drooling whilst dreaming about breathing fire... at least he hoped that's what it was, because it was going to be awkward if his drool kept making holes in the furniture.

"I'm starving," confided Carmine.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry, I'll... see about food. Hairpin!" Chip called.

"Yes, Master?" the silvern pegasus replied, trotting into the den.

"Can you see if you can make us something to eat?" Chip asked, eyes pleading.

"Chip!" Carmine slapped the colt with a wing. "Just because you own her doesn't mean she's your maid."

"Actually it does," said Hairpin, brightly. “But the real reason I'll make the food is I've seen him trying to cook. Disaster doesn't even begin to explain things."

Carmine scowled, and Chip shrugged apologetically. "I can make tea... if you want? After all, I did post the tea set here."

"Fine then, but you wash up."

"Sure thing, Car."

Hairpin sniggered as she trotted out towards the kitchen. "That's how it starts, you know."

"What? What do you mean?" asked Chip as he followed. Carmine just rolled her eyes.

♠♣♥♦

Twilight sat in a comfortable chair, with an ice-pack on her head, nestled between her horn and her ears. "So, what is this staff?" she asked, pressing a hoof to her temple.

"It's what Ruff says it is. It's a message from the Alpha of Alphas and his mate, the Alpha's Consort, to his lost pack brother."

"That's it?" asked Twilight, incredulously. "Then what's all the fuss about?"

"There is legend," piped up Ruff, "of High King, and his palace. In palace is crown jewels, and High King's staff is key, and map."

"So?"

"Whoever bears High King's jewels and wields High King's staff, is High King," Ruff stated emphatically. "Of all diamond dogs."

"Luna's unshorn fetlocks!" swore Twilight. "No wonder you want to hide it!"

"I'm really sorry we bothered you, Twilight. Now you see why we wanted to keep our presence here a secret, and—"

"And why you had me cast that invisibility spell," the unicorn said, nodding.

"Can you hide the staff?"

"Of course."

"Don't tell anybody about it, not even Celestia! if somebody does come after it, send it to Ruff, or Celestia if you have to. Or me. Equestria could depend on it."

"I'll not do the Pinkie Swear thing again," said Twilight as she grinned apologetically, "but believe me, I mean it."

"I'll keep this in my hoard," the little dragon said, reverently taking hold of it.

Twilight watched as Spike ran up the stairs with the staff in his claws, and then called after him. "You've got to jiggle the handle on that cupboard, the lock kinda sticks!"

"Augh! Twiiii-liiiiggght!" moaned Spike, his voice echoing. Chip covered his muzzle with a hoof.

When Spike came back down, Chip trotted up before him. The colt lowered his head in a bow. "From one dragon to another—I thank you for accepting this task."

"It's not problem, Chip," replied Spike, awkwardly.

"It means a lot to me, and my clan. Can you do another favour for me too?"

"Name it."

"Can you post my stuff down to Sharptooth? The rest needs to come with us."

"I think so..."

"I'd do it, but I don't want to miss," grinned Chip, blushing.

Spike shuddered. "I don't think Sharpie would be too pleased!"

A few minutes later, and the friends watched as one of the two piles of things burned to green ash, and the pieces floated out the window.

"They'll appear in your home in Tacksworn," said Twilight. "Spike's gotten better at posting things."

"I just wish Celestia would," the dragon grumbled, "you'd think with a thousand years of practice, I wouldn't need to hock it up."

Chip laughed, holding a hoof to his muzzle as the purple dragon glared at him. "Thanks though, Spike. We'll get out of your hair now... somehow. Umm, can I ask you another favour, Twilight? Two favours, really."

"What's the first?" Twilight asked.

"We need a box, big enough to hold that staff in. With luck, you'll get it back in no time."

Twilight thought for a moment, before nodding slowly. "I think so. I can give you the box for my old telescope. It broke, so it's just lying around downstairs in the basement, collecting dust. It should be big enough, though I guess it doesn't matter if it isn't, right?" Twilight grinned, and Chip returned the smile.

"What's the second?"

Chip took a deep breath. "Can you do that invisibility thing again?"

"I can, but only when you're standing close to me. I don't want to hear it didn't wear off and you starved to death unnoticed or anything!"

Carmine paled. "Does that happen often?"

"Well, I've not exactly cast that spell very often... so far, it's been a one-hundred percent success rate!" Twilight beamed, nervously.

"How many times?!" demanded Carmine.

"Once?" Twilight grinned still, hopefully, but her expression was tinged with shame.

Carmine face-clawed. "Okay, so you can't cast it on us and have us just slip off... ideas?"

"This may sound like a crazy question, but where do you want to get to?" asked Twilight.

"Stalliongrad," Chip replied with finality.

"What?!" squawked Beth, "but... my folks! We've been gone quite a few days already..."

"Sorry, we've got to be seen to keep the scent off the staff's location, and I've got to give the rest of this stuff to Sunshine. Besides, I'm pretty sure Hairpin has some business back home?"

Hairpin nuzzled Chip softly, "I do, Master. Thank you."

Chip blushed, doing his best to ignore Carmine as she fluffed up her feathers to almost twice their usual size at the gesture. "And I want to be sure you're getting along fine; Pig Iron should know a reliable pony to go to."

"Getting along?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"I'm, uh..." Hairpin blushed, and gestured to her sides with a wing.

"Oh my gosh! Let me see!" Before anypony could stop her, Twilight lowered her horn and lit it up with a basic spell. "Oh! He's doing so fine!"

"He?" choked Hairpin, mouth wide and eyes round.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Oh... ponyfeathers, you didn't want to know?"

Hairpin snorted, then chuckled, then almost fell over laughing. When she could finally speak, she found it hard to keep the mirth out of her voice. "Oh, Twilight, I didn't know you could do that!"

"Do you want to know... what he is too?"

Hairpin put a hoof on the penitent mare's lips. "Just keep that one to yourself. That does give me an idea, however. I think I know how we're getting out of here!"

"Don't tell me," replied Chip as he put two and two together, "by train?"

"By train." Hairpin grinned, nodding affirmatively.

♠♣♥♦

Twilight smiled brightly as she spoke softly with a grey mail pegasus. Twilight floated over a small package, her teeth clenched tightly with effort.

"You alright there, Miss Sparkle?"

"Quite alright," the unicorn said stiffly.

"Okay, you just look a little peaky."

"I'll be fine, don't worry. Just a touch of horn fever, got caught in the rain last week."

"I don't remember—"

"It was a very short, very intense rainfall. Caught me by surprise." Twilight grinned brighter still as a whistle went off. The pegasus looked at her watch with surprise.

"That's funny, they must be leaving a bit early... well alright then, I've got to trot, other packages to load!"

Twilight slumped, breathing heavily. She shook her head slowly as, a few minutes later, the train started moving. "Two spells at once, Twilight, not many unicorns could pull that off."

The long collection of carriages slowly picked up speed, the clickety-clack of wheels as they crossed the gaps between the bars became a rhythmic mantra that lulled the few passengers into a relaxed stupor for the long trip Northwards. In a seemingly deserted train car, the air shimmered as if in a heatwave, before parting. In the blink of an eye, the deserted car was suddenly full of passengers.

"Do you think anyone saw us?" asked Chip.

"Are you kidding? I couldn't see us!" Penny bounced on her hooves around the enclosed space excitedly. "This is so much fun! Bella, you have got to learn that trick!"

"Is our stuff okay?"

"I think so, Master," Hairpin said, as she pawed through their belongings. "I hope my buddies on the train have got better food than this. Mistress Carmine and Miss Beth and young master Ruff aren't going to be happy with pony rations for long. It was kind of Miss Twilight, though."

"You have buddies on the train?" asked Bella.

"Well duh, I used to be a delivery mare for Pig Iron! I travelled all over Equestria for him. This is the Canterlot Line." replied Hairpin, giggling and rolling her eyes. She took a deep breath and shouted, "Atlas! Stirling! I know you two layabouts are here somewhere!"

Chip blinked, ears ringing. Hairpin's yelling could rival a dragon's for sheer volume. For a moment, nothing happened, then there was an excited barking and a plethora of loud complaints as what appeared to be a dog came barrelling through the adjoining cars. "Hey, it can't be! I think I know that bark!"

With a sudden burst of motion and sound, the interlocking door exploded inward and a collection of distinctly gingerbread-coloured curls and paws with a tail attached swept into the suddenly cramped enclosure.

"I knew it! Biscuit! You okay, girl? How's your owner?"

"Runt's fine, thanks for asking." A little red dragon glared at them, rubbing his backside as he picked himself up from the floor. "Last we met, you left me high and dry in Ponyville."

"Horsefeathers! Sorry about that, uh... I kinda hadda thing."

"I heard. Did you really eat half an army of diamond dogs, and skin the rest?"

"Well... I didn't actually eat any. I kinda spat the bits out."

Runt chuckled, rubbing his claws over his gleaming white horns and spines. "I bet you could do with a good bowl of chow, huh? Come on, all of ya; we've got plenty. Spanners'll be right pleased to hear you made it okay, too."

A short while later, the whole gang had collected in the caboose, which was all but overflowing with a couple of dragons, a pair of griffons, one dog and a whole herd of ponies. Most of the ponies were pegasi, but the relief crew of earth ponies were also strutting around and doing their best to entertain Hairpin, who was clearly enjoying the attention.

"Hey boys! Nice to see you all again!" Hairpin flicked her tail in a manner entirely too saucy for polite company.

Chip stared for a moment before putting two and two together to get five. "Again? You mean one of these four is the father?" There was a sudden silence, in which one could have heard a pin drop. The fact that Spanners—distinguished even amidst a grubby group for his grit and grime—dropped another 'thaumaturgical whatchamacallit' didn't help. In the blink of an eye, the caboose was sans four stallions.

Hairpin glared, her wing-feathers ruffling. She stormed up to Chip and snorted in his face. "That was totally uncalled for!"

Chip shrank back, astonished. "I'm sorry! I... I... but you..." He choked on his bowl of barium feldspar, sending sizzling drops of molten metal flying. His eyes shone wetly. "I didn't mean... I'm sorry!"

Hairpin slumped back, sighing for a moment before chuckling, her gaze softening. "It's okay, Master. You couldn't know. You can't. I mean... you're a kid, after all." Chip pouted, but Hairpin just laughed. She kissed him on the poll of his head. "A girl like me has certain needs, you know? Impending fatherhood tends to scare off the solution to some of them, so I really wasn't going to mention it."

"But, don't you care that one of them..?"

Hairpin shook her head. "Naa. You're my owner, I don't need some useless lump of a stallion around the house. That's what I've got you for. It's your job to help bring up Junior, you know. With your permission, Master, I'll go see where they've got to. Don't wait up!"

Chip nodded dumbly, mouth hanging open, as Hairpin exited the caboose through the skylight.

Bella chuckled. "Nice job, Dad."

"That's it," squeaked Chip, slumping, "I'm going to bed. I've had enough."

"Y'all can bunk in the caboose, if'n you'se can make up the camp beds. We got plenty of blankets, gets cold up North," offered Spanners.

"That's going to be tough on you, Chip, ain't it?" snarked Carmine. "You've got to make your own bed this time since your maid is out."

Chip pouted. "She's not my maid! And I don't need her to make my bed!"

Carmine just raised an eye-ridge.

"I don't! Much... but..."

"Hmm?"

"Well... I might need your help with the covers..." Chip grinned hopefully.

Carmine rolled her eyes. "Come on then, we'd better see what we've got. It's been a long day. I'll help."

"That's how it starts, you know!" chirped Penny, and she fled out the door as Carmine swiped with her claws.

♠♣♥♦

"If I remember correctly, if the pressure's too high, we vent it, reheating the water for the jacuzzi? And if it's too low we throttle back on the valves and feed those two lumps, Blaze and Furnace?"

"That's right, kiddo. Sure ye don' wanna be in t' Royal 'questrian Mail Service?"

Chip chuckled. "Let me pull the whistle some more and I might say yes! Besides, it looks like you've got another wannabe trainee already." Chip motioned out the window, where Hairpin was flying with Bright Pinion, the two weaving in and out of the steam-train's cloud-trails.

"Aye, she's got spunk, that one. A few years left of growin', but your Hairpin'll show her the right ways to go 'bout things."

"Her dad's going to kill me if he finds out it was my fault."

Spanners chuckled. "Mail mare's a right honourable job, whelp, won't hear a word said a'gin it."

Chip grinned wider. "I wouldn't dream of it." He stuck his head out the window of the train and laughed for joy as the whistle shrilled, echoing across the valley. They'd left Canterlot far behind and were now heading East towards Stalliongrad. Chip couldn't help but think back to the last fateful time he'd been on this train—or at least it's predecessor. A glance downwards made him shudder momentarily as he remembered the explosion and the chaos caused by whoever had demolished the Canterlot Viaduct. The viaduct hadn't just been repaired, it had all but been replaced. The bright and gleaming tracks scintillated in the sun, a mocking perfection that firmly relegated the attempts to end his life to the past.

It was this long glance that revealed they were being followed.

"Just once," Chip sighed. "I'd like to have a nice, quiet train-ride, without being led to my doom or having somebody or something trying to end my life."

"What's that lad?" Spanners asked, looking up from his chores.

"We've got company, I saw something dart under the arches."

Spanners growled softly, an odd sound for a pony. Chip wondered if, having fiddled around with dragons long enough, the old pegasus had picked up some of their mannerisms himself. "Yer not gonna crash t'train again, lad?"

Chip pouted. "That wasn't my fault! But no. I don't know what or who they are, but I know what they want, and it's in the luggage car."

"I'll fetch the boys, lad, y'all will come to no harm."

"You shouldn't be worried about me," Chip said, snarling as he turned around, flicking his tail angrily, the ever-present armour clashing together loudly. "It's them who need to watch out."

The luggage car was dark and cramped. It had fit seven bodies before, but as the angry form of Chip dropped through the skylight, it seemed too small to hold one.

"Show yourselves! I know you're here!" Chip shouted, turning around and around. There was a clattering on the roof as the first of Chip's friends arrived. Lithely, Ruff dropped to the floor, landing squarely on his hind paws. He brandished his claws and snarled.

"Son of Diamond, Prince of Sapphire," hissed a sibilant voice from the shadows. "Give us the mistress' staff and you shall go free."

"Face me! Dragon to dragon!" Chip snarled, spinning to face the voice.

The mocking laughter which followed was hollow and bold. "You know not what you dabble with, whelp."

Chip spun again, as a second voice joined the first. He bared his teeth, the sun shining through the hole in the roof momentarily causing his armour to glow as if on fire. "I am more than enough for you, cowards! Face me!"

"Brave words, young one," the first voice said

"Braver in action, he is!" Ruff growled, the fur on his back and shoulders standing on end. "Ruff brave too. You no take staff!"

"We're taking it to where you can never touch it! Never!" yelled Penny as she sailed in through the same skylight as Chip had taken. She landed neatly between her two friends, flaring her wings and turning, seeking their adversaries.

"Be not so sure of yourselves, young ones. There are forces at work greater than you know," echoed the first voice, tone low and threatening.

Hairpin and a stallion pegasus threw the large cargo doors open, for a moment blinding everybody in the carriage. Chip blinked the sunspots out of his eyes, and caught a fleeting glance of dark armour and spikes, the gleaming of yellow, slitted pupils and the rustling of bat-like wings as whoever-it-was retreated into the suddenly harsh shadows. In a rush of magic which set his teeth on edge, the intruders first became one with the blackness and then vanished, the last gleam of their eyes the only sign they were ever there.

Chip hissed in anger. "Will they never let up?"

Carmine dropped down from the ceiling too, whilst Beth fluttered in the open door, furling her wings. "Look at it this way," Carmine said, "they fell for it."

Chip huffed and puffed, adrenaline coursing through his body, flames licking around his muzzle. "I really hoped it would be over, but I can see I was wrong. When I find them..."

"When we find them," Bella said, the unicorn suddenly dropping in through the same skylight, falling in slow motion, "we'll make them pay. All of them."

Chip growled, snorting and pawing the ground angrily. "I think they're gone for now. I doubt we'll be seeing them before Stalliongrad. Let's see if the guys can keep an eye out, though."

"And we'll send word ahead," suggested Hairpin. "Let Pig Iron know we're coming, and to expect trouble."

♠♣♥♦

Comments

[Seattle_Lite]

Veeeery nice!

[Cloudhammer]

"wibbly wobbly" I see what you did there

[Da Bunnana King]

I can't seem to downvote this more than once. Strange.

[djthomp]

Shenanigans with Twilight, always fun.

"That's how it starts, you know!"

[LunarLover]

I saw this in the feature box as I was logging in and I thought to myself "Hell yea new chapter"....Oh and what colour is hairpin? I keep imagining a very derpy coloured hairpin

[Midnightshadow]

1364121
She is, actually, rather "derpy-coloured"! I'm... kind of working on a character sheet. When I can get around to it (read: when I get off my fat ass and write it).

[Jinnchin]

Bat Ponies?!

Sheesh, looks like the Lunar Guard have some competition.

Still, one does have to wonder how they were able to pick up the trail again so quickly...

[Brother_Thorn]

Oh Chip, when will you learn that saying things is the number one cause of getting your head bitten off?

[Astarea]

Oh, what I would give to have a pegasus maid like Hairpin. Minus the pregnancy. That would be my job, after all!

[Tonto the Trotter]

Great chapter, really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next one, good job keeping Twilight in character and a little quirky. Also lol about the fridge light, I used to wonder about that as a kid too.

[Alondro]

1366609 Yes, the Bat Ponies of Woona. They need to staff to help Woona get un-moonstuck.

[Muffinking]

cannot wait for next chapter. This one was filled to the brim with excellence.

[Percussor Armis]

Excelent chapter, can't wait for more.

At first I was gonna disgree with Alondro and Jinnchin, that they were dragons in the car at the end, but when I re-read the last part, I realised how they came to the conlusions.
>> Jinnchin
>> Alondro
Still think that they were dragons though.

On that note however, I don't want Luna becoming the bad-guy (mare) just for the sake of it, I'd prefere her to stay innocent, but hey, you've not done anything wrond yet. That and the way you used her rump was funny in the previous story.
Can't wait for more.
Keep it up.
Honora Imperator

[q97randomguy]

"I'm, er, sorry about that. I kind of got a bit excited. It was only supposed to be a small flame..."
"Quite alright!" barked Twilight, grinning maniacally. "That's quite alright! I asked a dragon to breathe fire in my home; the dragon breathed fire in my home. My table burned down. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting... excuse me, I'm going to go lie down now."

Midnightshadow your grasp of all of the characters (even side characters) is impeccable.

[BraxAttacks]

1363996 ...Why would you do that?

[Midnightshadow]

1378186
1363996
shhh, he's australian, he's actually trying to upvote it twice...

[Da Bunnana King]

1378376
Dammit how do you know of my secrets... oh wait thats right I told you... CURSE YOU MIDNIGHT! You and your strange ways of eating kitkats.

[BraxAttacks]

1378376

[AliCentaur Br0ny]

"Quite alright!" barked Twilight, grinning maniacally. "That's quite alright! I asked a dragon to breathe fire in my home; the dragon breathed fire in my home. My table burned down. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting... excuse me, I'm going to go lie down now."dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Twilight_crazy.png dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Twilight_crazy_invert.png

That may be my favorite quote of the chapter.dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Fluttershy.png

Awesome story, truly epic.

[Nyerguds]

Awesome, Midnight. Onwards, to Stalliongrad!

One correction:
> what they hay you're doing here in Ponyville
what [the] hay

[Midnightshadow]

904209
Remember this? Well... you got your wish. Finally, in chapter 11

[Chatoyance]

"That's how it starts, you know!" - this running gag just keeps getting better. I commend you on creating it. It is a pure joy.

I also like how poor chip has suddenly become Tenchi Masaki in all of this. Poor, flustered dragon! Carmine is my pick for Ryoko. As I adored the original Tenchi Muyo, this is only total goodness.

I have to say that Hairpin is becoming one of my favorite characters. She is just fascinating, and steals every scene when she is onscreen. Not in a bad way. I'm enjoying it.

You have made the train, live. It matters now, it has weight and substance and the crew is fantastic. Hell of an achievement, to do that.

I wish the actual show was being written by you - I wish that the Chip books were animated somewhere outside of my head, where everyone could see them. It's an awesome show - King Of Diamonds. The animation is pretty good, but the writing is fantastic.

[AtlasAbove]

"Corsarnit, I know yer up there. Who is it? T'ain't Rainbow, she ain't that colour. Least not where it shows." Applejack glared upwards into the thick, apple-laden branches.

Do I sense an AppleDash?

[Borg]

That's quite alright! I asked a dragon to breathe fire in my home; the dragon breathed fire in my home. My table burned down. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting... excuse me, I'm going to go lie down now.

Young dragons, amirite? NO I REFUSE TO LET THAT CONSTRUCTION BE IN MY VOCABULARY TODAY
But, seriously, dragons. What are you going to do with them?

No, I'm... I'm okay. It wasn't a bad dream at all, it was...

. . . just me massacring an army. I can still taste the delicious blood.
What? Blood's pretty tasty. I still remember from when I was losing my baby teeth, I'd wiggle them around as much for the bleeding as for the obvious impossibility of ignoring something like that when it's in your mouth.
. . . You know, I wonder if it's kosher to drink your own blood. It's a good thing I'm a terrible Jew anyway.

Looking up above, I can't help but think I must be in Greenwich. Britain does daylight savings, right? And surely by now everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere that does daylight savings has started saving.

[websterhamster]

2549493

But, seriously, dragons. What are you going to do with them?

I know it's been 36 weeks, but my answer: Kill them and devour their souls.

Crazy Pinkie is Best Pinkie