//------------------------------//
// Mini Story: What Could Have Been Part One. 
// Story: A Diamond In The Ruff: A Gem Stone Beginning. 
// by Campanula Monkshood 
//------------------------------//

"Listen up mutts," Sergent Nail hollered, banging his massive fetlocks on each of out bunks to wake us up, "Apparently our glorious and beloved King Sombra finally found some use for you useless fleabags besides wasting space and digging! You have been given the honor of changing your fate and becoming part of an ambush team."

He became quiet, most likely in the hopes that it'd give us a chance to appreciate this opportunity but that would never happen, this was no different than what was going on in the Den but at least we weren't being used as slaves by ponies. "Funnel," Nail shouted and said Yorkshire terrier jumped slightly before stuttering and shivering, "How do you feel about digging?"

"I-i-i-it fine," Nail said nothing as he just kept staring at Funnel, "S-s-sir."

"Good... Now I know none of you like it here," Nail lowered his voice slightly, "I know I'm rather rough and... somewhat bigoted as well as hateful at times but there is one thing we have in common; no one likes war. I have confirmation from as high as the ladder can go: Celestia is going to lead an assault on the Crystal Empire. Luckily they are currently still planning it so we have time to get you moderately trained and ready before their armies mobilize. Your only job will be to dig the tunnels needed to safely get to the ambush zone."

My fellow Diamond Dogs growled and muttered obscenities that while quiet was still heard by the Sergent who cleared his throat, "I suppose I should offer the incentive that the king has offered you; do the order that was given to you and make sure it succeeds and you're free. Disobey or fail the mission and you'll stay under the kings rule for the rest of your short lives."

My head jerked up at that to see the victorious smirk on the Earth Pony's face, 'Yeah, that would get our attention and he knows it.' 

"Those are your orders, starting tomorrow on the second set of horn blows you will be at Training Ground 1A 21F for combat training and tactics. You have the rest of the evening off to do whatever it is that you do, dismissed," Nail yelled as he turned 180 and left the room quickly so no one would ask questions.





The Next Morning.





"Alright maggots! Welcome to Tartarus! For the next week Ahm gonna hit ya hard, Aaaahm gonna hit ya fast. When Ah say Ahm gonna hit ya, Ahm not talking literary imagery," the Earth Pony Captain stated as he gave us each the eye, "Every day from sound off in the mornings to sound out at night yall will be runnin' this here obstacle course followed by exercises sets then lunch  and rest followed by another course run, combat training and and another course run to end off the day."

Everyone was growling and griping about that but a hard glare shut them up, "It's not without a silver linin', should any of yall that can get through the course under a certain time without getting knocked off by me or falling off will be able to skip the next activity. Now who's first one up on the obstacle course?!"





Needless to say but our dogs were barking and so were our legs. Just one of the many pleasures of being forced into a military unit, food wasnt much better than what my family used to give us back in the den when mining didn't turn out so well; gruel for breakfast and mushroom soup for lunch and dinner. I'm glad I wasnt the one in charge of this unit, that falls on my older brother Igneous who was placed in this group due to his size and strenght as well for his hatred of the Princesses."Iggy, I not trust this. I not like this, smell of double-talk."

"You not have to trust pony, just trust me," his gruff voice barely heard over the shouts of the others dogs roughhousing on the floor on the other side of the room, he ruffled my hair and just grunted as he stood up, "Thing's work out in end, Gem... I make sure of it."  He jumped on the pile and started tossing dogs onto their bunks, "Knock it off! Go to bed!" He then turned out the lights and jumped into his own bed with a huff while everyone else settled in after their long day.





Six days later.





"Come on, Recruit! Try and make it through this time," Rough 'n Tumble, the earth pony who's name we only found out on the second day shouted at me while bucking melon sized rocks at me at random as I leaped from  pillar to pillar to tower edge and worked my way around out of his sight. 'I bet he's enjoying this. not failing this time, I'm going to pass.'  flexed my digging claws and dug into the tower, carving out a shield shape then gripping it I charged off the edge of the tower onto the next pillar. No sooner had I jumped that a rock has slammed into my makeshift shield and threw me slightly off course just so that I barely missed edge and had to grasp at it and hold on,

"Come on maggot, you just going to hang there," Rough shouted, launching more and more rocks at me until my tower shield had become a round shield, I scrabbled up to the top and chucked my shield at Rough. It must have surprised him because it straight in the face with a crack, he dropped and I bolted for the finish line while the other dogs whooped and hollered. After I finished the course I went over to see if the pony was alright, he was back up and huffing while muttering something while blood dripped from his face.

"What's your name, runt?"

"Gem Stone, sir..."

"Well Stone, enjoy your next session as free time for getting through the morning course and for almost knocking my block off. It was a good idea, don't do it again. Rest of you maggots can start running!" He just smirked as they bolted off and he glanced at me, "Feel free to head into the city, sight see, do whatever it is that tourists do but don't cause trouble and be back before lunch ends."





I spent a hour just being lost in the city, vendors selling their meager wares; the war Sombra was waging against the princesses was slowly destroying his empire. In my opinion it would be for the better, sure the princesses aren't the best rulers, dark things still went on in their borders back when I was still with my family. With nothing to really do in the city the didn't involve having to pay for things I started thinking that doing the exercises would be less boring up until I spotted this pony with flat dark pink mane slowly edging her way past the vendors into the buildings looming over them.

'Don't even think about it... you hear what Rough said; don't cause trouble.' The ponies just ignored this obviously suspicious pony sneaking into between the buildings and jumping from wall to wall onto the roof, 'Okay, that seems like something I can reason out of if I get bust for this.' I ran down the alleyways of the buildings to the back so that none of the oblivious ponies felt the sudden urge to stop being oblivious. With my claws out I easily made my ways up the walls of the building and flipped onto the roof, steadying my paws I took over the roofs after the pony as she galloped towards the castle and main Empire forces.

I watched her do several rolls that led into  launching jumps to larger buildings until she came to  a wide open space that separated the castle walls from the commoners, sitting behind a chimney, pulled something from her mane and spoke in a monotone voice, "Incoming message for P.C., sender is Agent Pinks from behind enemy lines."

She let off several sounds and the object spoke back, "Message beacon received Agent Pinks, proceed with message."

'So she is the enemy...'

"I'm about to penetrate the castle walls, Sombra's gain quite a few races since the last mission; we have griffins, diamond dogs, and a few minotaurs. No changelings, thank the princess."

"Noted Pinks, ETA til you've reached your check point?"

"Ten minutes, fifteen tops. Have Cordy immediately on stand bye for me. Over and out," she closed the communication device and shoved it back in her mane and pulled out a large rubber band then threw the ends over two nearby chimneys. "This way... a little over that way... aaaaand perfect," she mumble to herself and launched herself into and open window.

"These ponies are out of their little minds..." I kept glancing at the rubber band to the window several times before sighing, " I guess I'm out of my mind too..." I looped it behind me and got into position where the pink pony was and followed suit into the air and a long shot from the open window, I must have weighed more than she did. I hit the wall hard and dug my claws into the crystal then made inside without any more instances of bad luck, "Yep, totally out of my mind. Where'd that pony go?"

"Looking for me?" I turned to find Agent Pinks  was already curled up into a buck and kicked me straight in the head, "I knew someone was following me; twitchy eyeball." I was seeing pairs of everything while she pulled my arms and legs behind me then secured them in rope. She used the leftover rope to gag my muzzle so she could safely drag me through the halls to wherever it was she was going. which appeared to be the map room and communication archive room. "I really am sorry mister diamond dog, I wouldn't do this if Sombra wasn't being so mean to the Princess. The sooner he is taken care of the sooner things can go back to the way they were."

Agent Pinks pulled out the device once more while making the same sounds, "Agent Pinks reporting, I've reached the checkpoint, room was emptied but I've hit a snag but I've managed to take care of it."

"Itchy eyeball?"

"Itchy Eyeball." Pinks ruffled through papers on a desk, "Sweet Celestia, we have a leak. They're aware of Celestia's incoming attack and have started training tunneling teams for an ambush tomorrow."

While she was talking I used that time to chew through my gag and bindings, "GUARDS! INTRUDER IN THE MAP ROOM!"

"Oh buck it all, Cordy, beam me up," I threw myself at her right as soon as she said that and we were shrouded in a bright flash then tumbled across wherever we were now, "Restrain him, he's a member of the Empire!"

The next thing I knew I was dog-piled by guard ponies who stretched my limbs as far they would go. There was another flash and I was in chains. "Pinks, my dear, are you alright," a baritone voice asked with clear concern in his voice, I looked up into the red and yellow eyes of a mix-match creature. 

Agent Pinks immediately perked up, mane poofed and everything about her was brighter, she hugged him and laughed "Of course I'm alright Cordy, he just tackled me in the map room. I'm sorry you had to use that spell so fast."

"Think nothing of it my dear, I had it at the ready for just such an occasion. Celly's on her way here; pass the info to her and we'll get out of here and get some food okay?"

"Sure thing Cordy." At that moment Celestia had walked into the tent, glancing slowly at all the ponies she smiled until she got to me, Pinks was back to her serious self and kneeling before Celestia, "Agent Pinkamina Pie, at your service, your majesty. Mission partially successful, this one tried alerting the guards after I had gotten the info I needed. We have a leak on our side; it's Prince Blueblood your majesty... he's been giving them strategic information for months now."

Celestia's face gained a severe look at this news, "Iron Coat, place our... guest in stockades in on of the tents. I'll deal with my soon to be former nephew after we take care of this ambush."

"At once your majesty,"  Iron Coat saluted then began dragging me out of the tent by my chains. "Don't worry, you won't be here long; this is the last battle Sombra will ever take part in."

"Yeah... that's what the pink one said." He simply grunted as he strapped me into the stockade where I spent the next few days awaiting news on what happened during the battle and more importantly what happened to Igneous. Celestia for some reason decided to pay me a visit and she looked no worse for wear.

"Hello Gem Stone."

"How do you know my name," my voice harsh from not talking for several days.

"As you know we went ahead with the attack and Sombra's new diamond dog team intercepted us, their leader; a large brown and grey diamond dog was asking about you."

"Igneous... my brother... where is he?!"

"None of your team mates made it... Before he passed he was very worried for you, if you want you may take his body back to your family for burial rites and with Sombra's evil gone you are now a free dog to go where you want," Celestia's eyes were turning watery as she continued talking about how this was a good thing.

"Just release me," I cried openly, I hadn't cried since mama had passed on that one winter. "I don't give a crap about your victory... not if it meant this.."

"I'm sorry... truly sorry. Many innocent souls were lost in this war," Celestia let several tears fall out she used magic to vanish the chains and undo the stockade. I rubbed my sore wrists and just left the tent to find Iggy and go home.





I has been almost and entire year since the defeat of Sombra, Equestria looks like nothing ever happened to it; any processing plants that were needed to fuel the war effort was torn down and ordinary buildings and shops were put in their places. The Crystal Empire was receiving a new pony who would be running the show who reported directly to Celestia to organized the rebuilding of lives for everyone who lived there. Blueblood was immediately apprehended and imprisoned shortly after I was released and I think I actually saw them dragging him away. Not all of Equestria is back to normal; I returned home with Iggy's body only to find out Den and surround tunnels collapsed, well almost all of them. My little hiding hole was untouched so I laid him to rest inside and carved his name on the removable block window that I used to look at Ponyville through. I used to think Diamond Dogs were beyond saving when I was younger... that ponies could do no wrong but I was wrong on both counts; my name is Gem Stone and I have changed and ponies can do wrong.