But When Conflict Strikes…
Eighteen months later
“Well? Have the scouts returned?”
“Just got back.”
“And?!”
“Rumors true.”
“Diamond exists!”
“How big is it?”
“Look for yourself!”
“Ooh hoo hoo hoo hoo! Where is it?”
“…”
“…”
“You mean YOU DIDN’T FIND IT!”
“But we have picture.”
“You doofus! We can’t find it with picture! It could be anywhere!”
“But how we find it?”
“You tell me!”
“We could get a diamond detector!”
“There’s no such thing as a- … wait a second! The pony!”
“Oh no! Not her!”
“Yes her!”
“But what about last time?”
“Leave that to me. I am the brains after all.”
“But how we get her?”
“Yeah! She’ll never come with us.”
“All she needs is a little… persuasion.”
“What about that yellow wingy pony?”
“Oh yes! She’s perfect!”
“It’s settled then! Tell the scouts to start digging a north tunnel!”
*****
Ivory Moon sat at a table just outside The Clover Patch restaurant. He wore a black bowtie and held a rose in his hoof. A candle sat in the center of the table with two plates and silverware on both sides. He glanced nervously around the other tables, waiting for his date.
He adjusted the candle a bit, becoming more anxious as the time passed. Finally, a white unicorn came galloping down the road in an extravagant dress. Ivory smiled at the sight of Rarity at last. He stood from his seat and pulled the chair out for the pony.
“Ivory, I’m so sorry I’m late.” She said as she sat down.
Ivory smiled at her. “It’s alright Rarity. And you look beautiful as always.” He said, walking back to his seat and sitting right across from her.
She blushed and said, “And you clean up quite nicely, Ivory.”
A waiter approached the table with menus in mouth. He set the menus down in front of Ivory and Rarity and said, “Good evening sir and ma ‘dam. ‘Ow may I serve you tonight?”
“Ah yes, sir. I heard that there is a special on soups and salads tonight?”
“You ‘eard correct my good sir.”
“Excellent. I’ll have that then. And what would you like my dear?”
Rarity got lost in Ivory’s eyes and said, “That sounds perfect dear.”
Ivory laughed a bit and turned to the waiter again. “Two soups and salads please.”
“Right away sir.” And with that, he left for the kitchen to prepare their food.
The two sat quietly at the table, neither having anything really to say to the other. Finally, Rarity started the conversation. “Well you seem rather distracted tonight.”
“Huh? Do I?” he asked sarcastically, though he really was distracted, and he knew she could tell he was too.
“Alright then.” She smirked back at him wisely. “Why are you distracted?”
“Oh, I’m just distracted by the most beautiful pony in Equestria. That’s all.”
“While I appreciate the compliment, I know that’s not the truth.”
“How do you know?”
“Well because we’ve been dating for over a year now, and that hasn’t bothered you before.”
“Can I help it if you just keep getting more beautiful?”
Rarity gave him a sly look, which he mirrored. Then the two broke out into laughter. Their playful banter continued as they waited for the food to arrive.
At last, the waiter returned carrying two steaming bowls of soup. Placing them both down on the table, he went back to the kitchen to fetch the salads. The two continued to talk while also dining on the food.
“So Ivory, I never did ask you. How did you get your cutie mark?”
He swallowed a mouthful of soup and chuckled. “Ah, this old thing. It doesn’t mean anything. People see a moon and they instantly think I’m a loner.”
“Well I didn’t think so.”
“Well to be fair, you were in a hurry that day.”
“But it’s true. You’re the nicest pony I’ve ever met.”
“I’m glad you feel that way Rarity.” Ivory said after a few seconds. He looked down at his lap and smiled. “Um… Rarity?”
“Yes Ivory?”
“I love you.”
“And I love you.”
“More than I’ve ever loved anyone.”
Rarity looked speechlessly at the earth pony. He smiled lovingly at her and continued.
“I would do anything for you Rarity. I would travel to the ends of the earth for you. Because you mean everything to me.” He stood from his seat and walked over to the unicorn. He knelt down in front of her and said. “And I need to know if you feel the same way.”
She sat there for the longest time, trying to find the right words to say. What seemed like hours passed and still not a word. It was torture for him, waiting for her to reply.
Finally. Rarity grasped his hoof in hers and said. “Yes Ivory. I would do anything for you my love.” She looked about ready to tear up, piecing together what her coltfriend was about to do.
He smiled and reached behind his back. Without wasting another second, he pulled out a tiny black box and held it out to her. “Rarity… will you marry me?” The black box flipped open to reveal a gorgeous diamond ring cut in the shape of one of the gems of her cutie mark with a smaller heart in the middle of it.
Rarity could not hold back her tears and leaped into Ivory’s arms tackling him to the ground. “YES!” She shouted without hesitation. She could not say yes fast enough. The two lay on the ground for a long time, just being near each other.
“Ivory…” Rarity whispered, holding him tightly. “Don’t ever leave me.”
“As you wish.”
*****
The wedding was scheduled for a week from then. It would have been sooner, but this was also the week of the Summer Sun Celebration, and preparations had to be made for that as well. But Rarity didn’t mind, and neither did Ivory. The two were just eagerly awaiting the day they could finally become husband and wife.
Rarity had started construction on the dress she would wear for the wedding day, as well as a tuxedo for her groom. She was hard at work, but happily so. For once, not making an ensemble for a client, but for herself and Ivory. She had never been happier.
Suddenly, her friends entered the boutique; Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. All except for Fluttershy who was busy picking flowers for the wedding day.
“Hello Rarity.” Twilight called out to the daydreaming unicorn as she pranced about working on the outfits.
“Oh, hello girls. I didn’t hear you come in. Please, make yourselves at home.”
“Shoot, is that the dress you’ll be wearin’ for yer weddin’?” Applejack asked, admiring the long white dress.
“Of course, Applejack. But it isn’t quite done yet.”
“Really? Well it sure is a beauty. Can’t imagine how yer gonna make it even better.”
Before Rarity could continue her conversation with Applejack, a pink blur bounced right in front of her. “So Rarity!” Pinkie Pie said an inch from her face. “Have you decided who’s gonna be your bridesmaids?! Huh? Huh? Huh?”
Rarity looked at the four ponies and smiled a great, big smile. “Of course, where are my manners? Would you girls like to be my bridesmaids? Fluttershy included.”
All of the pony’s faces lit up with joy.
“You kin count on us.”
“It would be an honor.”
“That sounds like great idea!”
“Alright!”
Rarity leaped with happiness. “Wonderful!” She galloped over to a closed curtain and pulled a rope with her mouth, thinking too quickly to use her horn. “Otherwise, I would have made these for nothing!” Behind the curtain stood five lovely dresses for just the occasion.
“I had made theses a while back, but they should still fit nicely. I incorporated all of your individual cutie marks onto the patterns. Well girls, what do you think?”
The others remained quiet. Jaw dropped in awe. Instead of answering, they ran over to the white unicorn and gave her a massive group hug.
“You’re the best Rarity! Ivory Moon is so lucky to have you as a wife.”
*****
A beautiful voice rang throughout Whitetail Woods, singing a familiar tune. The wildlife danced about with the joyous melody. Birds sang along and squirrels leapt from tree to tree, following the music. From behind a bush flew a majestic yellow pegasus with a pink flowing mane. Her voice was like an angel as she glided through the woods picking flowers as she went.
She stopped suddenly and gasped in awe. “Oh my! Could that be?” She asked to herself flying up to a thick tree. She landed on the soft grass and knelt down to smell a blue flower. “It is! How wonderful! A blue daisy! And it just bloomed!” She admired its beauty for some time, spinning happily into the air, then touching back down and picking the lovely flower. “Rarity is going to love this!”
She placed the daisy in her basket and the basket around her arm and continued to fly through the woods, singing her merry song. Her animal friends followed along, keeping their eyes open for additions to the basket.
But as the cheerful pony flew through the woods, little did she know that she was being followed. Some nearby bushes shuffled a bit.
“That’s the one! We need to get her! Get into position you dimwits!”
Fluttershy scanned the forest floor for more flowers to complete her basket. And then she spotted a bushel of daffodils, also in bloom. “Oh, these will do nicely.” She said flying down to the flowers. Upon landing, she knelt down and breathed in the sweet smell.
Without warning, a creature abruptly jumped out of a nearby bush, startling Fluttershy and making her drop her basket. Her animal friends went scattering for cover, as the creature came closer, eyes set on the pegasus pony.
“Oh… I’m sorry… was that flower yours?” Fluttershy whispered backing away from the creature.
“Why yes… pretty flower mine…” He said, slowly approaching the scared pony.
“Oh… then… I’ll just be, uh… leaving.” She said turning about face quickly and running smack-dab into another creature, larger than the first.
“What’s the rush? You just got here.”
Finally, Fluttershy recognized them. It had been over a year since she had seen these creatures, but all too soon did she remember who they were and what they had done. “You’re… the d-diamond dogs…” She whimpered, trying to sneak past the dog blocking her way.
“Hey, she remembers us.” The larger dog said to the leader, looking idiotically excited.
“Yes, but, I really must get back home.” Just as she said that, she ran into another dog, smaller than the other two.
The leader of the dogs crept closer to Fluttershy until she was completely surrounded. They all pulled out ropes and smirked wickedly. The pony looked around all sides, scared out of her mind. She tried to think, what would Rainbow Dash do?
“Get her.” The leader called to his comrades as they all leapt at her at the same time. From the commotion, a cloud of dust and smoke was created on the forest floor. Yelling and shouting emitted from the tackle until the dust cleared to reveal the diamond dogs had tied just about everything except for Fluttershy.
“You idiots!” The leader said smacking both of his minions. As they yelped in pain and struggled to get free, he called out to some nearby dogs, “There she goes! Get her scouts! Get her!”
The daft canines leaped to attention and charged after the fleeing pony. Though Fluttershy flew as fast as she could, the dogs caught up in a matter of seconds. She weaved between trees in an attempt to throw them off. Some of the dogs crashed face first into the huge oaks.
At last she saw it, a break in the trees. She smiled as she was almost to safety. Just a bit further and she would be home free. But just as soon as she started to smile, something caught her tail. She turned around with horror at what she saw. The leader of the diamond dogs had a firm grip on her soft pink tail.
“Oh no you don’t!” He yelled, pulling her back into the forest.
Fluttershy cried out as loudly as she could, hoping that somepony would hear her. But before she knew it, she was thrown into a large metal cage. The bars were rusted and filthy, but able to hold her with little effort. On the bottom of the cage were wheels and a handle, making the cage heavy but mobile.
“Do you like it? We make revonations to old mine cart.”
A frightened Fluttershy pushed herself to the back of the cage as far away from her captors as she could. “Wha… what do you want with me?” She sniveled behind the disgusting metal bars.
“Don’t cry little pony.” The big dumb dog said, joining his superior.
“It’s not you we’re after.” The small one said, trying to pull the heavy cage back into the woods. But he was too weak to make it even budge an inch. Some other scouts came to his aid and the cage started moving.
“We’ve a much bigger fish to catch.” The leader said looking toward Ponyville.
The big one looked confused. “But boss… I thought you said we were gonna catch a pony…”
“We are…”