A Heart of Change

by SilentBelle

Chapter 9 - Trust and Honor

Apple Bloom was stunned by the sight. An underground city? It's even bigger than Ponyville! The numerous glowing stones could be seen in every direction, more numerous than the stars in the night sky. Altogether, they provided a dim enough light for her to see by.

She saw shadowy buildings carved from the stone of the mountain itself. At the center of the cavern was an enormous building, with glowcrystals placed equally along its base. A spiral of water flowed down its entirety, creating a soothing echo, which drifted through the entire city.

The building, if it could be called that, spanned upward and reached into the pitch dark ceiling. Tracing it with her gaze, she could just as easily imagine that they were outside on a cloudless night sky. Evidently, the same thought must have dawned on Scootaloo, for the orange pegasus, had her wings slowly stretching from her sides as she gazed up into the dark pit above them.

The architecture in particular stood out to Apple Bloom. She was used to seeing the practical buildings of Ponyville, the gaudy spires of Canterlot, or even the ancient and stylized sculpting of Cloudsdale. But this was different from any of those cities or towns she had seen before. None of these buildings had straight walls. Many of them were slanted and sheer, but never square, or following any set of pattern that her eye could see. Each building was unique in size and shape. Some seemed to sprout out of the walls of the cavern itself like the jagged tooth of a dragon, while others looked as though they were small rounded mounds formed naturally from the cave floor.

She couldn't make out the finer details of their construction; it was too dark for her to see, but their prominent silhouettes left her trying to wrap her mind around how the dogs could have created such buildings. Every time she looked at a new building, it just puzzled her more and more. Their uniqueness and dark colouration had the combined effect to draw her gaze away from the nearby buildings, and back to the large, looming spire.

Amongst the dark buildings and speckling of glowstones, she could make out the silhouetted figures of diamond dogs moving about. Some were pushing carts, while others walked by with purpose, and still some others moved from one building to another. A few of them sniffed the air and looked in her direction before getting back to whatever they were doing.

“Amazin',” she said in hushed voice. “How did y'all make all of these buildin's? I've never seen anythin' like it.”

“Hard work, patience, planning, and a bit of inspiration,” Byron said with a light smile. “It took four years to build the Pillar.”

“I don't see how anyone could find their way home in a city like this,” Scootaloo said blatantly, looking at all the various shadows they passed by. “There's no roads, or pattern to it. Just a bunch of random gray shadows. Unless you knew you lived by the river, wouldn't it be hard to find your way home?”

Gravelle grinned at the pegasus. “For a pony, maybe. But we don't use our eyes as much as we use our noses. What you ponies would call 'gray shadows' is a memorable colour of smells for us to follow home.”

Scootaloo frowned at the dog, unpleasantly, but they all continued onward, away from the tunnel entrance.

“So,” Sweetie Belle began, as she peered into the scene before her, “are we going to the Pillar then?”

“Yes,” Byron replied simply, motioning them to follow him, “that is where our bosses reside.”

“Bosses, huh? What are they like?” Sweetie Belle merely gazed off into the distance as she pondered aloud.

“Well. I imagine a mare such as yourself would find it more amusing to meet them without any prior assumptions.” Byron gave the unicorn a small smirk.

Sweetie Belle chuckled a bit. “Yes, while it might more amusing in retrospect, I don't want to make a mess of things. Besides, I think Apple Bloom would give me a sound bucking if I acted disrespectful in front of your bosses.”

“Hey! What's that supposed ta mean?” Apple Bloom asked accusingly. “Though Ah am curious 'bout yer bosses too. Ah don't even know the social structure of diamond dog society. What sorta dogs are they?”

Gravelle shot Apple Bloom a defensive look, and her companion a more venomous glare, but Byron spoke up readily. “Oh, we have two bosses. Old Slater, he's elder of the pack, and his advice is always respected. Then there's Granette, she's been a boss for about six years now. She's Gravelle's mother. And I don't think I should go into too many details while Gravelle is staring stalactites at me.”

“You do have to be careful when you talk about a girl's mother right in front of her,” Sweetie Belle agreed with a nod of her head.

Scootaloo turned away with a roll of her eyes and Apple Bloom just shook her head. “Oh, c'mon, just ‘cause it's Gravelle's mother, doesn't mean ya can't tell us anythin' 'bout her.”

Byron gave a gentle smile to Gravelle. “Some sound advice, Apple Bloom. I do promise not to say anything incriminating.”

“Say what you will,” the gray dog growled, as she marched past Byron. “I'll be going on ahead.”

The rust-coloured dog only nodded pleasantly.

“What's her problem?” Scootaloo asked as they watched her rush off.

“She and her mother... well, the situation is complicated, and it is not my place to say. If you so wish, young Scootaloo, feel free to run after her and question her.” Byron tossed her a grin, but the pegasus turned her head once again.

“Now that just makes me more curious about her parents,” Sweetie Belle said a smile of her own gracing her lips.

“I suspect you'll be disappointed, Sweetie Belle,” he began apologetically, “for her mother is not some cocky dog you are probably imagining she is. She's our boss after all. Granette was chosen for her leadership skill and decisive attitude. Coupled with old Slater's wisdom and words of caution, the last five or so years have run very smoothly indeed. We've managed to become trade partners with the crystal ponies and we've created the only real city us diamond dogs have ever known. I hold nothing but pride for our leader. But just a word of advice, she doesn't like wasting time, or words. Direct answers and questions work best when speaking to her.”

Sweetie Belle frowned in slight disappointment. “Well, I suppose I can be careful with what I say then.”

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “Ya sure ya can, Sweetie? Ah don't mean ta burst yer bubble or anythin', but ya don't really have the best track record fer bein' polite ta other ponies.”

“Oh, Bloom. When did you ever grow to doubt me so readily?”

“When you decided to test a new spell to help the paint dry faster when we finished off rebuildin' the clubhouse.”

“Oh, that was a great day,” the unicorn replied with a smile. “Didn't you get your cutie mark later that day?”

“Without thanks to you, Sweetie. Ya nearly burned our clubhouse down! Again! If Ah didn't throw the tarp 'gainst the wall, 'twould've all gone up in flames.”

“How was I to know the paint would react to a simple even heat spell in such a manner?”

“Ya coulda asked me, and Ah woulda told ya! But no, ya always go ahead and rush inta things without knowin' half o' what yer doin'.”

“Well, at least the paint did dry,” she offered with a quirked smile.

“And changed it's colour too,” Scootaloo finished.

Apple Bloom let out a small sigh and stared Sweetie Belle right in the eyes. “Just try ta be careful, won't ya? For the sake of everyone around you.”

“Trust me AB, I'm careful when it matters most,” the unicorn said in a near whisper, and her eyes widened into a defiant glare.

“Right. Ah'll hold ya to yer words.” The earth pony shook her mane, and hoped she had made her point clear enough so that even Sweetie Belle would think twice before she acted. This ain't some sort o' summer vacation anymore. We can't afford ta make mistakes here.

“You two done arguing?” Scootaloo called from ahead. “If you'd both hurry up, we could get this meeting over with,” she said, with a small yawn. “I don't know about you, but I'm really tired.”

Yeah, we're all tired. And Ah don't want ta snap at everypony, but this is important. More important than just 'bout anythin' we've ever done before. I just wish they'd understand that. “We're comin'. Alright, Byron. Please, lead on.”

The diamond dog nodded and brought them down a twisting path that took them toward the ever-looming spire. “Worry not. After introducing yourselves to the bosses, you can rest in the guest's quarters.”

Sweetie Belle muttered something sourly about sleeping on hard rocks, but picked up her pace all the same and ran up beside Scootaloo. Apple Bloom watched as the unicorn caught up to her friend and rested a fore-hoof on the pegasus' shoulder. In the next moment Scootaloo's wings spread out from her side and knocked the unicorn over.

Apple Bloom couldn't help but smile at their antics.

“You three are good friends,” the dog observed in a voice quiet enough that only Apple Bloom heard. “Good friends argue and joke amongst each other. It's something I learned from the crystal ponies. They joke and argue all the time, but we dogs rarely ever do. I think you might have more than you realize.”

“What-” The dog walked ahead of her quickly, pointedly ignoring her reaction. What do ya mean by that? Who are you, Byron? And what are ya getting at? The questions remained in her mind as she moved to keep up with her friends.

Sweetie Belle whistled in praise. She was the first to have reached the entrance to the Pillar. The small emerald strand of magic lead upward toward the upper portion of the tower. I wonder what’s up there...

Two dogs stood alert at the entrance, wearing plates of metal on their heads and over their bodies. The uniforms seemed entirely uncomfortable, as well as poorly designed and cumbersome. She could just imagine how her sister would balk at the sight. In fact, she considered for a moment, maybe after all this is done with, Rarity can make some sort of deal to show these dogs a thing or two about fashion. With all the varying shades of gray, a little colour and design could do the eyes a world of wonder. She took note of the guards' irate stares as a verification of her observation and filed away the thought for future consideration.

“That's a pretty big building,” she announced as she waited for the rest to catch up to her. “It's even bigger now that we're finally here. So, what's it used for anyway?”

“It's what you ponies might call a government building. We simply call it the Pillar. It's where our plans and projects are worked on and decided upon,” Byron replied as the rest of their group made their way over to Sweetie Belle. “It's also where we educate our youth and help them learn the skills that they are best suited to. It's a pillar that supports our new society, a backbone of sorts.”

“Hmm,” the unicorn peered in through the entrance, past the guard dogs. “No doors, huh?” Down the hall ahead of her, she saw the building was dimly lit with glowstones.

“Doors are not necessary, for the most part. We don't need to fend off the elements while we live underground. The only reason to have doors would be for the sake of stopping auditory interference or barring passage.” Byron gave the armoured dogs a kind smile as the group passed by.

Sweetie Belle couldn't help but notice the animosity and reluctance with which the guards backed down from their stares. They know him, and he seems to have a reputation.

“Guards, huh?” Apple Bloom mused aloud. “Ah wonder what they're guardin'.”

“Oh, they are just there to stop fights and the like. Some young dogs get carried away when they play, but I'm sure you know how youngsters can be when they're all brought together to get their education.”

“Yeah, Ah suppose it could help ta have some supervision when things go a little too far.” Apple Bloom stared at Scootaloo for a moment to drill home her point.

“What?” Scootaloo asked accusingly. “I never asked you two to get involved.”

Yeah, Scootaloo never was good at dealing with the bullies, especially when they found out about her parents, Sweetie Belle admitted to herself. But, at least we were always there to help her when she needed it. Even if she'll never admit she needed help. Still, it's probably best not to dwell on those days. We got past them, and we're better for it.

“So,” she voiced her curiosity as they made their way down the hall, “that means there are little, children diamond dogs in here? They must be cute! Can I see one?”

Scootaloo groaned. “Really, Sweetie? Cute? We have more important things to do than go seeing some little kid dogs.”

“What? What's wrong with wanting to see the children? I'm sure they are very similar to foals back home.”

“Perhaps after we meet with the bosses,” Byron said peaceably. “I'll give you a tour of the place afterward, if you so desire. Provided, of course, that I do not get assigned any imperative duties before then.”

“Sweet,” the unicorn said. “I'll be sure to take you up on that offer.”

They continued into the hallway, if it could be called that. It felt more like a tunnel to Sweetie Belle, with the way it spiraled and wormed its way upward. All the while, she could hear the low hum of water coursing along the outside walls. It reminded her of how very thirsty she was.

“So what's the water running down the outside for?” Apple Bloom asked as she drew her head closer to the wall and paused to listen. “Is it just a water feature?”

“Far more than that, Apple Bloom. That spiral fountain is what we dogs drink from. It leaks in from a glacier far atop this very mountain. It was a natural drip when we first started digging, but it was decided that opening up the cracks would allow for a controlled fountain of fresh water. And I in fact suggested that we build the fountain as such. It was inspired from the fountains I came across at the Crystal Palace.”

“So can we get a drink from it?” Sweetie Belle wondered aloud. “I'm parched.”

“Oh, but of course. Where were my manners, I should have offered myself.” With a motion of his arm, he signaled them to follow him through a side door. “There are many paths out to the side of the spire in case anyone wants a quick drink.”

Sure enough, the new room opened up to what Sweetie Belle considered to be a balcony with no guardrails. It looked out over the rest of the city. A single path of quick, flowing water curled around the periphery of the balcony.

Sweetie Belle wasted no time on testing the water. It took but a single gulp of the cool liquid to make up her mind. “Wow, now that's some good water. And cool, too.”

Apple Bloom was quick to follow suit, only pausing a moment to take in the design of the balcony as if committing it to memory. “Wow, you're right Sweetie, it has a really nice taste too.”

Scootaloo looked at the water a little dubiously, but then took a drink herself, and any apprehension she might have had seemed to wash away.

“It has the flavour of the fresh glacier; one would be hard-pressed to find another source of finer mineral water.” Byron announced with a hint of pride.

“Huh...” Apple Bloom peered out toward the rest of the city, with its array of glowing lights. “So, y'all got fresh water, but what do ya dogs get ta eatin' 'round here. I didn't see any dogs sellin' food or the like. No fruit, vegetables, grasses. Nothin'. Unless ya eat rocks or somethin'.”

“That is a very good question; I keep forgetting that you would not have learned of us at all, unlike the Crystal ponies. It's quite simple, we don't eat. Well, not often, anyway.”

“Huh?” Scootaloo looked at the dog and frowned. “What are you saying? Everything needs to eat. Unless you're a plant or something.”

“Diamond dogs don't need to eat for the most part, because the gems we wear give us energy. Of course, some dogs can be picky about which gem they wear, but all dogs wear them when they can. It’s the main reason we dig for gems.”

Sweetie Belle looked at Byron's diamond in his collar. She could sense the strong bond that formed between the two, almost as strong as the gem itself. It really is like they have become one. That bond though... it's subconscious magic... Her thoughts sifted through her mind. Maybe I can convince a dog to let me study them. If I could learn that sigil, and one for each of the gems, then maybe I could increase the output of my own gems. She felt the weight of her near-empty bags at her side. Well, if I had any gems left.

“So you live off of jewelry?” Scootaloo asked. “That's... really weird.”

“Wait, what if you aren't wearing a gem?” Sweetie Belle asked. “What happens then?”

“If we cannot find gems, then we eat,” he admitted uncomfortably. “Although, that hasn't happened to any members of our clan for many decades. We are quite fortunate to have found such abundant supplies of gems within this mountain.”

“Ah see. Sorry if we're pryin' too much inta yer own business. We don't mean ta be rude.”

Byron smiled gently. “It is no problem at all,” he assured the earth pony and walked over to the stream to take a drink for himself.

After a minute passed, and they all felt refreshed from the water, Byron headed into the spiraling central hallway. “Well then, we are almost there. Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, if you would all follow me the rest of the way.”

“Of course,” Apple Bloom responded and followed suit.

Sweetie Belle noticed Scootaloo give a reluctant glance to the glowing city below them. Her wings twitched from her side, but she turned to follow her friends and the dog.

They resumed their monotonous trek up the slanted hallway. With her hooves aching from all the walking, Sweetie Belle was surprised when two diamond dogs suddenly passed her by, making their way down the hall, in the opposite direction. Neither of the dogs talked, and their eyes glinted with suspicion.

“Huh, did you see those two?” Scootaloo whispered from behind her once they passed out of sight. “They were judging us, Sweetie Belle...I could feel it in their eyes. It's kind of weird. Since we got into this city, Byron and Gravelle were the only ones that have talked to us.”

“They're just a strict bunch, is all,” she assured her friend. “They follow their orders from their bosses. It's probably for the best that they aren't talking to us. Think of how a pony in Ponyville might react to seeing a diamond dog appear in town. I'm actually quite glad we haven't been harassed or heckled yet.”

“They don't like us. We have to be careful.”

Sweetie Belle gave her friend a glance, over her shoulder. She looked tense, almost as if she were waiting at the start-line of a racetrack, posed and ready for a signal to burst into action. “Don't worry, Scootaloo,” she whispered back, and paused a moment to make sure that Apple Bloom was far enough away so that she wouldn't overhear, “they won't try anything out of the ordinary. And if they do, well, they don't know who they're messing with. Right?”

The intense expression on the pegasus’ face melted away at the the unicorn's words; Scootaloo nodded, though her eyes still darted around suspiciously.

In a shroud of silence, the group kept up their ascent until Byron suddenly stopped outside of a single, heavy-looking metal door. It seemed to have an intricate pattern of golden spirals all along its surface and on one side a large silvery handle protruded. This door was the first piece of anything that Sweetie Belle had seen in the city that she considered to be artistic. Everything else thus far had the look of rough practicality, which just highlighted how out of place the lavish door really was. It was then that she remembered the faint emerald strand that emanated from her pendant. Looking down at it, she realized that it was leading straight ahead, past the door.

Byron stepped forward, and rapped on the golden door a couple of times. They waited a moment, Byron's ears twitched as though he were straining to hear past the thick metal. Sweetie Belle couldn't hear anything though; neither could she see past the bulky door. Even when she extended her senses, the door just had too much magic within it to see past it with any clarity. She frowned at the obstacle.

“Enter!” she barely heard the muffled voice, from the other side of the door.

Byron wasted no time and grabbed for the large metal handle, pulling at the door. Slowly, but smoothly, it swung outward. As soon as the door had opened enough, Sweetie Belle peered into the new room.

It was bright inside; glowcrystals lined the walls evenly and numerously. Even the ceiling had many of them, suspended from small chains. The lighting allowed her to pick out the other details of the room with little effort.

Across the large chamber, she spotted three different dogs. To one side, standing attentively, was Gravelle, with an uneasy look on her face. In the center of the room, straight ahead, an imposing metal desk stood, with a dog leaning over the top of it and leering right back at Sweetie Belle. She had green eyes and an aquamarine gemstone-studded collar. She wore simple, dark-gray vestments. That must be Granette.

Beside her, an older one sat on a small boulder, looking passively, with cloudy gray eyes, at the opening door. His nose twitched as he watched. He wore a collar with three gems: a topaz, an emerald, and a garnet studding it.

As the door finished opening, Sweetie Belle took note of where the emerald magic was heading. It faintly shimmered right to the old dog's collar. Its emerald had the same absence of glow as her own half-heart pendant, save for the faint band of magic that bridged the two. Slater. Where did he get that emerald? She frowned at the old dog.

“You are finally here,” Granette announced. “Alright Byron, why'd you bring these three pups before me?”

“Pups?!” Scootaloo asked, clearly offended by the term.

“Oh, shush Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom interjected and stepped in front of the pegasus.

If Granette had noticed the exchange, she didn't respond to it, and instead waited for Byron to speak.

“Yes, Boss. I brought them here because they bring news of great disturbance outside our home.”

“Is that reason enough to parade them through our city? You know we don't let ponies into our city without prior consent.”

“I know our cities’ rules very well, Boss,” Byron said evenly. “I also know that we are trade partners to ponies, and keeping a strong relationship with them is in our best interests. To have left them alone when they looked in need of help would not be the right thing to do. I was chosen as the Trade Ambassador to the Crystal Empire, and as such, I found it in both our nations’ best interests to bring them back.”

“Byron,” she said with a low growl, “these are not crystal ponies. They do not belong to the empire.”

“Which provides no reason to antagonize them. Boss, you have it on my honour as a diamond dog, helping these ponies would not bring any harm to our pack.”

Granette frowned at Byron, but kept her voice to a low growl. “We'll see how right your honour is then, Byron. And what of the trade shipment? The fifth sector needs those tools. The gems are getting harder to reach.”

“The shipment has not yet arrived, Boss. These ponies claim that a storm might be the cause.”

“Hmm.” She then looked past the diamond dog and each of the ponies in turn. “Ponies and their weather. Go on then, ponies. Tell me your story.”

“Well, uh...first off, let me introduce us to y'all. I'm Apple Bloom, this here's Scootaloo, and that's Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom began nervously, motioning to herself and her companions in turn. “We were on our way to the Crystal Empire, when the train we were on ran into some trouble. The tracks were ruined, and one o' the cars toppled. We ended up fixin' the train enough ta send it back ta Ponyville, but we decided ta walk ta the Crystal Empire from where the train had stopped. It should have taken eight hours, but we got caught in a big storm.”

“But you ponies control the weather. There must have been some ponies to have caused the storm.”

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom admitted, “but we aren't sure who was behind the storm, but it was dangerous and strange. It was snowin' and it's still summer out. We had ta take shelter in the mine ta recover from it.”

“Hmm,” Granette hummed to herself and walked past her desk. “How strong was the storm?”

“Enough ta knock out Scootaloo when she tried ta stop it fer bit.” Apple Bloom pointed to Scootaloo. “Though she ended up calming the storm long enough fer us ta find yer mine entrance. The storm was strong enough ta snap some trees in half; any sort o' cart would been lost to that sort o’ weather.”

Sweetie Belle looked past Granette and traced the glowing green pattern with her eyes. It was a lot brighter now than it had been before. She could almost make out the faint pattern it held. If I can just get a bit closer, then maybe I can figure out what it looks like and what it actually does. She gave her friends and the diamond dogs a gauging glance. While rapt with the discussion at-hoof, they would surely notice if she suddenly decided to waltz up to the old dog. But maybe if I slowly...

“That is most distressing,” Granette muttered to herself. “So then, where do you ponies plan on going from here?”

One small step at a time...

“Well, Ah suppose we were gonna ask ya if ya knew of any other tunnels that lead close ta the Crystal Empire. Travelin' underground would save us from the weather.”

I can almost see it. She nearly gasped as she squinted in concentration. Is it constantly changing? But, that's impossible...

“So, Byron, what was the point of bringing them here? Either you or Gravelle could have told me this.”

“There was something else that warrants our attention. The unicorn, Sweetie Belle-”

“Sweetie!” Apple Bloom reprimanded from across the room. “What in Celestia's name are ya doin'?! Ya can't just go nosin' around like that. We're tryin' ta be diplomatic here!”

The unicorn froze in mid-step and turned at her name, and gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry, I was just intrigued by the room is all.” Or the contents of the room. “And Apple Bloom seemed to be doing a good job with the recap and all.”

Byron chuckled lightly, and spoke up first. “Yes, Sweetie Belle.” He motioned to the unicorn. “She mentioned that there were crystals sprouting from the train tracks, due to some powerful magic, and those are what had derailed the train. She is well-versed in magic and implied that she knows even more about them than that. She even compared them to our glowcrystals.”

Granette stepped forward and peered at Sweetie Belle. “Tell me, unicorn, what do you know about this? Keep in mind I dislike being lied to.”

“Uh, well...” Sweetie Belle began and inched away from Granette. “I can't say anything conclusive about the whole thing, since I didn't have enough time to study it. But I can say that they appeared because of a magic spell, and it only appeared on the tracks. Whatever the spell was, it seemed to have only targeted steel. The crystals themselves were fragile, and I think they were little other than solidified magic, much like glowcrystals. They radiate their magic as visible light and a bit of heat.”

“Radiate magic you say?” a rough and seasoned grumble issued from behind her. Slater eased out of his chair and moved toward the unicorn, giving the air a few audible sniffs as he did so. “Then you are studied in magic? Granette, perhaps she could help us with our issue. A mutual exchange perhaps.”

“Issue? Did something happen?” Byron inquired.

Granette ignored the question and frowned at Slater. “Perhaps... that is a good idea. If she's reliable. But magic is something we do not understand, how can we assume that one unicorn will be able to help?”

“Through discussion and reasoning, Granette.” He walked closer and leaned upon the desk for support as he passed by. “It is often best to mull things over, I tell you that often enough, and this is a fine example of the time to-”

Just before the dog could finish his thought, Sweetie Belle noticed the emerald strand before her suddenly surge into a torrent. It's not just one pattern, and it's constantly changing. What is this sigil? A spark of emerald lightning coursed through the air from Sweetie Belle's amulet and struck Slater's collar. With a surprised huff, the old dog fell to the ground. As he did, a chorus of echoing, pained laughter sounded.

“What did you do?!”

Sweetie Belle turned just in time to see Granette charging into her. She felt the world fall violently around her and she tumbled into the metal desk. Her head connected first, with a sharp clang. She tried to right herself, but her body wouldn't respond, and instead, all she could do was watch, as the world faded around her. A blur of orange and purple speeding in front of her was the last scene she saw.

Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo bolted forward out of pure instinct, and lashed at the air with her wings. A surge of pain shot through her strained muscles, but they followed through with the action, and she sped forth with all the speed from her years of training. Darn wings! She landed adjacent to Sweetie Belle, just as the unicorn crumpled to the floor.

“Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom's voice rang out. “Scootaloo!”

With an unmitigated growl, the pegasus spun and bucked Granette right in the stomach. The blow knocked the large dog off her feet, but before she even reached the ground, Scootaloo pounced at her, ready to lash out with her hooves.

But another dog--Gravelle--caught Scootaloo with her shoulder just before the pegasus could follow through.

The force of the tackle sent the two rolling across the floor in a tangle of arms, legs, hooves fur, and feathers. Scootaloo struggled against the Gravelle's gripping paws, and tried to buck at the dog as they rolled. Once they stopped, Scootaloo found herself pinned to the ground--her wings spread beneath her, burning under the stress.

Desperately, she looked around and spotted Sweetie Belle, collapsed and motionless beside the desk. “Sweetie Belle!” she shouted between frantic gasps of breath, as she struggled in futility.

“Stop moving, pony!” Gravelle snarled and tightened her grip.

Scootaloo's eyes flickered frantically, and managed to catch sight of Apple Bloom. She was still standing by the door. Byron stood before her, imposingly, but Apple Bloom didn't dare move; she knew what would happen.

A scuffle of footsteps caught in her ear and Scootaloo managed to turn her head in time to see Granette approach her, a dark spread scowl across her face and she breathing heavily. The pegasus felt a bit of satisfaction when she noticed that she held one arm protectively around her stomach.

“You, pony, you would dare attack us?” Granette growled and peeled her lips back into a snarl, revealing her sharp canines.

Scootaloo only glared back in response, as she tried to ignore the burning in her wings. The dog's aquamarine gemstones glinted from the light of a nearby glowcrystal. It reminded her of Sweetie Belle's own eyes. Not because of the colour, but because of that light spark that resided within.

Sweetie. I wasn't fast enough! If only I wasn't injured I could have... the thought quickly consumed her. I could have done what? Beat up all these dogs? How would that help Sweetie? Darn it! I'm such a failure! She felt tears building in her eyes, and she begged them not to fall. She blinked at them and willed them away alongside her sharp intakes of breath.

“Stop it, you fools!” a grating voice called from across the room as Slater struggled to his feet.

“Father!” Granette said as she spun around and bounded over to the old dog. “You're okay.” She helped the oldtimer to his feet.

“Of course I am, you imbecile!” he barked. “What are you doing Gravelle? Let Scootaloo go! These are our guests! You will treat them with respect!”

Scootaloo felt the grip on her loosen, and Gravelle untangled herself from the pegasus. All the while, the dog looked prepared to pounce back on her at a moment's notice. But Scootaloo couldn't have fought back, even if she had wanted to. She just lay there, her wings hurting beneath her, and her tears pooling in her eyes. She shook vehemently as she tried to crawl towards Sweetie Belle.

“But the unicorn attacked you! And there was that laughter,” Granette argued. “I had to stop her magic! She was dangerous!”

“Sweetie Belle did not attack me. I smelled her surprise just as I smelled the lightning. It was not her who used the magic, and neither was I the target. I merely fell over from the force of the magic. It struck my collar.”

“But, then what happened, Father?” she asked.

“Something to do with magic, you fool! And you just knocked out the only one in this room that probably had any idea of what just happened! This is why I always tell you to think before you act! You will lead our pack to disaster if you don't reign that temper in. And don't call me 'Father' while in a public audience!”

“Yes, Slater. I'm sorry!”

“Your apology should not be aimed at me, girl!”

With her face burning red in shame, Granette made her way over to Scootaloo and stretched out a hand to help the young mare. “Look, I'm sorry-”

Scootaloo batted her hand away with a hoof. “I'm not!” the pegasus rebuked in a harsh whisper. With a shock of pain distorting her face into scowl, Scootaloo dragged herself off the ground and stumbled next to Sweetie Belle, refusing to look at the diamond dog boss. Her movement ended in a trip that landed her right next to her friend.

The unicorn before her lay limp and helpless. Her mane was a mess, strands of the two-toned hair were plastered across her face. Her closed eyes were so still, that she should have looked serene and peaceful; the stillness just seemed fundamentally wrong to all Scootaloo knew about Sweetie Belle. She's never stayed still like this before. She's always moving...even when she sleeps, she's observing and aware. She's always alive with noise. But this silence, it's just, so wrong.

Apple Bloom rushed over in the next second. With a swift motion, she held her hoof out close to Sweetie's nose and paused for a moment. “Oh, thank Celestia, she's still breathin' and doesn't look that bad. She must've been knocked out cold though. Ah hope she's okay.”

“You, pon- Uh, Apple Bloom,” Granette said, bowing her head in shame. “I am very sorry for what I did.”

“And ya should be!” Apple Bloom rounded on her. “Why, Ah'm of half a mind ta give ya solid buckin' here and now. But Ah won't cause Ah know that violence ain't ever a good solution!”

“I-” Granette turned from the ponies and growled. “Gravelle, take them to the guest chambers. See that they are fed and are provided with whatever they need.”

“Yes, Boss.” The gray dog headed over to Sweetie Belle.

“Byron, we'll discuss your next task.”

Byron simply nodded with a very passive face and walked from the entrance to stand next to Slater.

“Come,” Gravelle spoke softly. “I'll carry her for you.”

“Thanks,” Apple Bloom nodded and stepped aside to let the dog pick Sweetie Belle up. “Scootaloo, c'mon, Ah'll give ya a shoulder and we'll follow her ta th' guest rooms.”

Scootaloo managed to pull herself to her hooves and wrap a wing over her friend for support. “Where did everything go so wrong?” she wondered aloud.

“It's okay, Scootaloo,” the earth pony assured her, as they walked out the metal doorway. “These things happen, but the important part is that we all learn from this.”

I'll never let that happen again, Scootaloo vowed to herself. Even if my wings burn like fire, I'll protect her next time.

She remained silent for a while, and let her eyes focus on the passing glowcrystals. Their soft lights lulled her thoughts into numbness. It wasn't until Apple Bloom spoke again that she realized she'd been spacing out.

“Ya okay there, Scootaloo? You're probably still tired from that stunt ya pulled yesterday.”

“Yesterday?” she wondered for a moment, then, in a flash, the memory of an eye made of clouds resurfaced. “Oh, you mean when I broke the storm? It's already been a whole day?”

“Ah reckon it's been at least twenty hours since we left Ponyville. But with no sun out, or clocks ta look at, it's kind o' a moot point,” Apple Bloom admitted with a yawn. They shared a moment of silence before she spoke up again. “So, Scootaloo... what do ya think? O' all this, Ah mean. What are we doin' here? Why are we here? What should we be doin'?”

“I don't know,” she said and let out an exasperated sigh. “I try not to think about stuff like that. I usually leave that stuff to you and Sweetie to figure out.”

“Ah've noticed,” she said in mild irritation, but then shook her head. “Well, what about our sisters and the others?”

“We should help them, of course,” she supplied quickly. “But I don't know how. I'm just following you two.” A follower... that's all I've ever been. The thought stung, but she didn't deny it. She knew it was true, even as she hated it.

A silence fell between the two, save for the sound of their hooves echoing on the stone, which produced a dull grayish-blue pulse to the pegasus' sight.

“Do you regret jumping off that train?”

The question caused her to flinch. Scootaloo gazed off straight ahead for a moment, down the spiraling path, to where the dog carried Sweetie Belle in her arms. Then she glanced at Apple Bloom to see her staring right back. “No,” she stated simply. “I regret a lot of things, but I don't regret that. Even if this all ends very wrong, that's one thing I won't regret. I've thought about it. We could be back in Ponyville right now, waiting around while all this, whatever it is, happens out here. We'd be wondering when our sisters would come home. We'd just sit patiently and wait. And when they didn't come back...” She shook her head. “No, I'll never regret jumping off the train.”

Apple Bloom nodded at that. “Thanks, Scootaloo. Ah guess Ah needed ta hear that. Ah kept thinkin' that if I had just made better arguments, Ah could've kept both o’ ya outta trouble. But, Ah'm glad we made the right choice.” She gave Scootaloo a soft smile, but then her expression hardened. “But it's dangerous, Scootaloo. Don't forget that. We have ta be careful, or Sweetie Belle's not gonna be the only one who gets hurt. We need ta convince her ta be more careful. She gets inta more trouble than any other pony Ah know, and this time the stakes are high. It's not just us bein' worried about catchin' a lecture from Cheerilee. We can't afford ta mess up here!”

“Yeah, I know.” Scootaloo looked to her hooves as they continued their descent toward the guest chambers. But how do we know what to do?

The guest chambers were a simple room with some stone furniture built into the walls and floors. Apple Bloom looked at the room in surprise. “Huh. Well that's a kinda smart idea, buildin' chairs an' tables outta the stone itself,” she commented as she explored the rather bland room. She poked her head through a window in the wall. She was surprised to note that they were still fairly far up above the rest of the cave city. Ah thought that we had nearly made it to the bottom o' the Pillar. Ah Guess Ah'm more tired than Ah thought.

Gravelle deposited Sweetie Belle onto a litter of blankets which rested on a raised stone platform. It reminded Apple Bloom of a bed, she supposed, though it didn't look entirely comfortable. There were four such platforms in the room. Thankfully, they looked pretty clean.

“I will be back with some food and drink,” the dog said quietly. “Please, stay here for the time being.”

Scootaloo stared daggers at Gravelle as she made to exit the small quarters. “Wait,” Apple Bloom called gently from across the room. “Ah just want ya ta know, we don't blame ya fer what happened up there. It wasn't yer fault.”

The dog shook her head and looked at both ponies with her blue eyes. She wore a grimace that made Apple Bloom's gut churn. “It was our fault. Our pack acted dishonourably, and we will make up for it. I am sorry.”

“But you didn't do anythin' wrong!” Apple Bloom protested. “Ya shouldn't be sorry fer doin' what ya were supposed ta do.”

“You misunderstand. The pack isn't about me,” she said distastefully and walked out, into the hallway.

But, why would ya punish yerself fer somethin' outta yer control? That's just pointless. Apple Bloom let out a sigh and turned back to Scootaloo. The pegasus was working away at Sweetie Belle's saddle bags, trying to relieve the unicorn of the cumbersome packs. Apple Bloom suddenly realized just how heavy her own saddle bags were.

Over the course of a minute, she relieved herself of her own burdensome bags. Her numerous tools clunked gently on the ground. “Oh hay, am Ah beat. How're ya doin', Scootaloo?”

“I'm fine,” she muttered and finally managed to remove Sweetie Belle's bags and set them below the window.

“Let's just get some food and then get some rest. Ah'm sure Sweetie will be up and at 'em in no time at all.” Apple Bloom sat down at a squared flat sheet of rock, which, she figured, was the functioning table in the room. “Why not take a seat?” She beckoned to the stone beside her.

Scootaloo just deemed to lay down on the bed next to Sweetie Belle's and didn't respond.

Apple Bloom tossed her a concerned glance, but deemed it necessary to give her some time alone. A lot's happened, she admitted to herself, as she pulled her saddlebags next to her, and fished through the contents.

“I’m angry,” the pegasus admitted quietly.

Apple Bloom set her bag down in surprise and looked back at the pegasus. Scootaloo hadn’t moved from the bed.

“I’m angry at Granette. She attacked Sweetie, just like that, and I couldn’t do anything!”

“Look, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom called to her friend. “Ah’m angry too. Furious even! But Ah know that actin’ on those feelin’s is just gonna get us in over our heads.”

Scootaloo let out a bitter, dismissive huff, but otherwise, fell quiet.

Apple Bloom waited a moment, but her friend didn’t seem inclined to speak any more. With a sigh, she fished out a pencil and her notebook and flipped it open. She turned past numerous sketches of different engine and gear designs until she reached to a new page. With the pencil held gently in her lips, she emptied her mind and got to sketching the scene before her. The room's round shape, and simplistic furniture. The dim shadows at that seemed to build closest to the window. And at the center of it all, she sketched Scootaloo, who lay on her side, away from Apple Bloom.

The pegasus' wings were stretched out behind her, and the earth pony let her graphite do its work. Ah wonder how they work... the thought had never really occurred to her before, but the more she looked at the wings, the less they made sense. Sure, pegasi are light an' all, but even so, those wings shouldn't be able ta keep her air-borne, and yet she was able ta quell that whole storm in mere moments. Ah wonder...

She began sketching as numerous designs that popped into her mind. There has ta be some other force goin' on... pushin’ up from the underside of the wing... she pondered the concept for a while, until her eyes caught sight of Scootaloo's bracelet and the gears clicked in her mind. Ah'll have ta ask Sweetie Belle, but if this works... hay, ponies from everywhere'll want one. She cast a glance at her surroundings. And maybe not even just ponies.

It wasn't too long until Apple Bloom heard the diamond dog returning. She looked up in time to catch the sight of Gravelle, just as she passed the threshold of the room. She was carrying two metal buckets by their handles, and had a small pack over her shoulder. She set the buckets down on the table, and pulled a stack of ceramic bowls from her pack. She set them down on the table as well.

“Food and water,” she stated simply.

“Thank you,” Apple Bloom replied and closed the book she was drawing in. She noticed the dog eyeing the notebook curiously, but Gravelle kept her silence and turned to leave.

“Yer curious 'bout us, aren't ya?”

The dog stopped at her words and turned back.

“Why don't ya stay here fer a while, and we can share some stories. 'Cause Ah'm pretty darn curious mahself, and Ah know Ah won't be able ta get a proper sleep if Ah don't understand a bit more 'bout how everythin' works down here.”

Gravelle considered for a moment before taking a spot at the table. “Very well. It is in the clan's best interest to share such information.”

“Or, ya could just admit that yer interested in other ponies.” Apple Bloom smiled and got to pouring herself some water. “That's why you 'n Byron deal with the crystal ponies, right?”

“Yes, I will admit to my own curiosity, but our position in dealing with ponies is a valuable asset to the clan. That is the reason why Byron and I deal with the ponies.”

“Ah'm just sayin', Gravelle, a good leader notices an individual's disposition.” The earth pony poured a separate bowl from the other bucket. A small shower of dried oats chimed against the ceramic as it filled the bowl. “It speak volumes of yer clan's leadership, that both of ya seem so content with yer position. Ah can't imagine how hard it must be ta figure out who is the right dog fer the job. 'Specially 'cause ya don't have a cutie mark ta point it out fer ya.”

“Yes, our leadership is strong, and I don't envy the boss her job. Her leadership and decisions have lead us far and deep into this mountain. It is why we are the largest of the clans. She has won the respect of all dogs.”

“Ah see, ya really don’t like talkin’ ‘bout her like she’s yer mother, huh?” Apple Bloom took a moment to eat and look about the chamber. Her eyes rested on the window for a moment. “Ya know... come ta think of it, Ah don't think we ever heard what the name of yer city is.”

“A name for the city?” she asked with a tilt of her head. “It has not been named. It is ours, the Black Snout Clan's, but it has never needed a name. Some call it the Pillar, but that is just the centerpiece. It needs no name other than home.”

“Really, y'all don't name yer cities?”

“For what purpose would we need a name? The clan is our home, not the stone or the gems. The buildings don't last forever, just as we cannot remain in one place forever.”

“Then why build a city? If ya weren't gonna stay in one place permanently, why make such a big building?”

“Because there are gems here. Lots of gems. More than any other mountain we've found. And with the help of the crystal ponies we are able to dig deeper than ever before. I worry though; after remaining in this place for many years, some dogs seem far too attached to these stone buildings. The clan will not react well when the time comes to move again.”

“So, y'all will just up 'n leave when ya have ta? Ah guess that's why all the stonework is so plain down here. If it was just built to be abandoned, then there's no real reason to make designs. The thought saddened her.

“Perhaps not within my own lifetime, but we will leave eventually. But I am curious now, Apple Bloom. What of your home? Why do you ponies settle permanently?”

“Well, cause it's more beneficial ta not keep movin'. We live off the land. In fact, where Ah'm from, that's Ponyville, mah family feeds nearly half the town with our apple trees.”

“This...Ponyville,” Gravelle said as she leaned forward on the table, “I would like to hear more of it.”

“Sure thing.” Apple Bloom gave the dog a smile.

Suddenly, she heard an irritated sigh from behind her. She turned to see Scootaloo get up.

“Oh, hey, Scootaloo, we got some food 'n water here.”

“I'm gonna go out for a bit. I'll eat later,” was all Scootaloo said. With that, the pegasus jumped through the open paneless window and took to the air.

“Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom spoke the question too late and let out a sigh. “Geez, Ah guess she doesn't want ta think 'bout home right now.” She shook her mane and turned back to face Gravelle. “Well then,” she muttered, and took another gulp of water from her bowl, “Ah guess ya wanted ta hear 'bout Ponyville then?”

The air was warm and carried the echoing sounds of running water. Scootaloo hovered in the still air, her wings aching, and yet they begged to be used. She knew the feeling. There had been countless times when she had overused her wings, especially the few weeks after she had gotten her cutie mark. And over the course of numerous injuries, she had come to appreciate the simplicity of a slow, soothing flight, while gritting her teeth against the burning protest of her muscles.

She welcomed the pain, it gave her mind something to focus on. She wouldn't have to contemplate the fact that Sweetie Belle was unconscious, or think about Ponyville. She let her eyes rest upon the numerous lights that filtered up to her, and relaxed all her limbs, save for her wings. It helped for a time, to just lose herself in that low glow. It reminded her of those times when she would lay atop a cloud and stare straight up at the night's sky.

But the memory was enough to highlight of all the differences. She wasn't in Ponyville. She was underground, flying in the stagnant air. With all the weight of the world ready to fall down onto her. There were no owls hooting, or crickets calling to add their beauty to the scene before her. No, there was just that distant, ghostly, burble of water playing to her ears, the occasional bark from below, and the drone of metal scraping across metal. They all culminated to dull, earthy hues splayed across the bland, stoney background.

She hovered in the open air for a moment, and felt the pressure of the earth above her. Every sight was alien to her. It's like staring into nothingness. Those lights aren't the stars that guide my flight, they’re random and some of them are moving. I feel so lost in here.

Darn it, stop being so depressed! She berated herself. I can't just lose myself to this. I have more than this! She looked at the Pillar. Its numerous pockets of light held her eyes focused. I still have my friends, she reminded herself. And I'll do anything to keep them safe. That's all I really need.

She looked up to the higher reaches of the Pillar and looked to the brightest light shining out. That must be the room where we met the old dog, and where Granette... She shook her head at the memory.

With a few beats of her wings she shot up toward the opening, and slowed as she approached. Scootaloo came to a hovering halt once she got close enough to see inside. She saw Granette, Byron, and Slater, all talking to each other.

Scootaloo's eyes were drawn to the glint of emerald within the old dog's collar. That emerald... That must have been the cause. It looked awfully familiar, and she was certain that Sweetie Belle had been looking at the emerald before that lightning had flashed. I may not know much about magic, but her amulet is emerald as well. There has to be a connection there. She hovered as she contemplated the object.

Granette was pacing and barking out to both the other dogs. Byron nodded grimly from time to time, and offered a short phrase or two while leaning against a wall, and Slater simply sat near the window, half-facing away from it. He remained silent, and nearly motionless. The emerald nestled against his throat.

I'm sure that Sweetie wants to get a closer look at that gem. She fantasized a scene of flying into the room at lightning speed and pulling the collar from the old dog before darting back out the window. She would be quick enough that they wouldn't even know what had happened. She dispelled the fanciful thought with a shake of her head, and blushed at her own foalishness.

Well, whatever they're discussing, it must be pretty important. But, it would be stupid to do anything; we're in deep enough as it is. In fact, if they saw I was hovering out here, they'd probably think I was spying on them or something. With a quiet sigh, she spiraled back down the Pillar and alighted upon a section that cradled fresh, flowing water.

Her wings called a quiet praise to her as she landed. Smiling at the momentary relief, she took a long drink and let the coolness spread through her. There's nothing quite like a good drink after flying. Even if it was a slow flight.

She let her wings relax in gentle extension for a few minutes. She knew that curling them back up to her side would just make it that much harder to use them again.

She let out such a heavy yawn that she nearly lost her balance. Oh hay, if that isn't a sign, then I don't know what is. I should head back, she decided.

In a few minutes, she spiraled around the Pillar until she found the window she was looking for. Resting on the floor beside the window were Sweetie Belle's saddlebags, right where she had set them. With an unsteady descent, Scootaloo, managed to grab the edge of the circular hole and with a few struggling beats of her wings, drag herself through it.

With a crash, she landed atop Sweetie's saddlebags and felt the corner of a book jab her in the ribs. Of course she'd bring books with her, she thought, with a roll of her eyes.

She managed to bring herself to her hooves, and was surprised to see that not only was Apple Bloom resting on her own litter of blankets, but that she hadn't been woken up by the pegasus' clumsy entrance.

With all the remaining energy she could muster, Scootaloo plodded over to her own bed and collapsed onto it. She rolled onto her side and saw the table with two buckets and numerous bowls on it. But her limbs commanded her to ignore the bowls.

Darn it! I'll eat in the morning. Or whatever time it is when I wake up. She closed her eyes, and soaked herself in her body’s complaints. Oh Luna, I need some sleep. And please, no nightmares tonight.