//------------------------------// // Entry 2 // Story: The Diamond Dog's Guide to Equestria // by Fragezeichen //------------------------------// Diamond Dogs are territorial creatures. It would be extremely unwise and incredibly stupid to wander near one of their mines. Luckily, they are also quite stupid so if you're capable of outsmarting them, you might be able to escape with your life still properly affixed to your body. A Diamond Dog's mine can be anywhere from a small cave to a massive complex of tunnels including working mine carts, torches lighting the paths, wooden or steel support beams to prevent cave ins, and of course a snack bar. Celestia has commented that while the dogs are indeed dumber than the rocks they dig through, their amazing attention to detail when building their homes has impressed her enough that several Diamond Dogs were recruited to build her own personal underground lair. Unfortunately, a Diamond Dog without a mine may be one of the saddest things a pony could ever witness. Like normal, feral dogs, stray Diamond Dogs will wander aimlessly, beg for food, and generally live incredibly scared until the day when they either die alone somewhere or are taken by the Equestrian Wildlife Rangers to an unknown location. If one were to see a stray Diamond Dog, it is highly advised that they avoid the poor beast. Feeding one would only mean it would follow you around, attempt to move in with you, shower you with gifts and state that you're it's soul mate and then attempt to marry you. ------------------------------------------ The three dogs trudged on rather glumly. Not even 14 hours ago, they were living happily in their pack's brilliant mine. Now they were banished, forced to wander Equestria together without a home to call their own. Had their failure been that bad? So bad that their own father hated them enough to force them away? They only lost the entire stock of gems to six mares... "Don't remind me." Rover groaned as he placed a paw on his face in disgust. Rover was the elder of the trio and also the second tallest. His fur was a lighter shade of black and he wore a red vest, his last symbol of authority. Around his neck he wore a diamond studded collar with a golden tag hanging from it. He spoke in a raspy, constantly disgruntled voice regardless of his mood (though for now it fit his current mood). His paws were large, like any other Diamond Dog's paw and his claws were strong and unbreakable. He was the more average of the group, his intelligence was the highest, if you could call it that, he was somewhat fast and somewhat strong. He was average. "But don't you think it wasn't our fault? I mean, she...was...unstoppable." Spot whined, pressing his ears against his head for his mind was remembering the fatal noise that was uttered by that white mare, he almost lost his hearing that day. Spot was the second oldest the three and also the smallest. His fur was a light brown that bore a resemblance to their mother and on his body was a black vest and a studded collar similar to his elder brother's but it lacked any sort of tag. Though he was the weakest and smallest of the three, he was the quickest at least. If that could count for anything. Fido walked slowly behind them, taking larger strides with his massive legs. He was larger than his older brothers and was also the strongest. Fido didn't talk much, he'd rather let his elders order him around and would like nothing more than to avoid confrontation. His body was coated in light gray fur and he wore a black vest like Spot. Fido wasn't as dumb as most would make him out to be either, he just liked it when others felt happy, and to Diamond Dogs, there was nothing that made them happier than being superior. His intelligence, while above average for a Diamond Dog, was in fact mostly on par with a teenage pony, he had gained his knowledge by silently studying the ponies who lived their days in the nearby town of Ponyville. He trudged on silently, occasionally spotting a bird he remembered the name of thanks to a light yellow mare with a pink mane constantly making a big deal about them. The trio pressed on, not exactly sure where they were going but hoping that they'd get there soon. They figured they'd try to see if someone in Ponyville would help them, perhaps they needed someone to dig for gems? That's all they had to bet on. ---------------------------------- It didn't work out like they had hoped. They sat in the center of town surrounded by angry faced ponies, all ready to buck them out should they make any sort of move. "Really now, you'd think you dogs had learned your lesson after last time. Bolder as you may be for sneaking into town to steal me away, you're still as dumb as ever." A fancy voice called out to them. It's familiarity made them cringe. There, standing in front of them was the white mare. "W-we weren't trying to steal you away!" Rover cried as he covered his ears. The white mare, Miss Rarity as they learned to call her, frowned down at the whimpering mutt and stomped a hoof. "Right, you're only here because you're visiting, is that it?" "Um...yes?" Rover replied nervously, his younger brothers cowering behind him. Miss Rarity looked away in disgust. "If it's one thing I cannot stand it's liars! You dogs should have stayed in your little cave." This struck a nerve with the poor dogs, they looked down in unison and whimpered lowly, though Miss Rarity didn't seem to care. "You're not allowed around here, did you forget?" "N-no, no! We just...we were...uh..." Rover attempted. Miss Rarity cut him off again, calling to the other ponies and telling the tale of her capture, enslavement and eventual escape. The other ponies stared angrily at the dogs who now bunched up closer together. Just as the other ponies were ready to beat the gems out of the trio, a tender yet concerned voice cried out. "Waaaaait! Don't do this!" The Pegasus called as she landed in front of the dogs. "Don't you see? They're so scared!" "Fluttershy, really, don't you recognize them? They're the dogs who kidnapped me!" Miss Rarity replied, stepping out in front of the crowed again. Fido's eyes widened as he finally opened them to see the mare who defended them. The yellow mare who spent most of her time with animals, was she really helping them now? "Yes Rarity, I do recognize them, but I also see that you're scaring them to death!" She turned to face Rover and his brothers, they shook in fear, whined and whimpered, and were to nervous to say a word. "What...but I...They deserve this Fluttershy! They're just after gems!" Miss Rarity retorted, stomping her hoof again and raising her voice. This caused the dogs to howl out and clutch their heads, they're sensitive ears unable to even take this level of screeching. "M-Make it stop!" Spot howled, the other ponies looking around confused. Fluttershy quickly pressed a hoof against Rarity's mouth. "Shhh! Don't you know? Diamond Dogs have highly sensitive ears. Make a sound that's too high for them and they could die!" Fluttershy warned, Miss Rarity's eyes shooting open. "....What? You're not serious are you?" Miss Rarity asked, remembering the dogs' pleading with her from before. Fluttershy nodded slowly and turned back to the dogs. "It's okay you three, Fluttershy is here." She gently petted a hoof against each of their heads. "C'mon, you three must be hungry." --------------------------------------- It's worth noting that if a Diamond Dog has any weakness besides it's love of gems, it's their sensitive hearing. A Diamond Dog's ear can hear a butterfly flap it's wings from about three miles away while deep underground. Upon hearing such a noise, they might be somewhat bothered to hear a butterfly flap it's wings and then disregard it in favor of the shiny new gem they just found. While a dog's ear is sensitive and useful for hearing gems reverberating in the ground, play a sound that's too much for them and it could be fatal. The sound would break their ear's inner walls, penetrate the defensive wall and enter the brain, shake it violently, violently enough that the trauma could force the brain to shut down, permanently. Only a few of these deaths have been recorded in recent years, mostly due to new farming technology that will occasionally let out a loud screech upon a sudden error. Any dog in the vicinity of said screech, would be dead instantly yet somehow quite painfully. Luckily, ear plugs designed for Diamond Dogs have been invented by the Ponies for Organized Unification of Neutrality with Dogs and have successfully lowered the rate of noise related deaths.