//------------------------------// // Debriefing // Story: Diamond Dogs // by zelkova48 //------------------------------//         “Starswirl the Beard’s enchiridion” said Shining Armor as he spoke up at the meeting “A few week ago, a group of insurgents from Canterlot had broken into the royal archives and had stolen over several scrolls and documents that all belonged to Starswirl himself, including his greatest achievement, the enchiridion” he said as he flipped through a series of notes and diagrams “We don’t know how they managed to get inside the walls of the castle, but we assume that it’s an inside job” “That, or it could be that you’re running an army full of brainless, incompetent asshats that have never seen real danger outside of their own marital troubles...” Rover thought as he rest his annoyed face on his paw “Of all the things that they could’ve stolen, these insurgents only went for a couple old books and scrolls?” he asked “What the hell are they gonna do, read you all to death?” “For the record, these old books and scroll contain some of the most powerful magic known to ponykind” Twilight interjected “In the wrong hooves, these spells can be cataclysmic!” “Ponykind, magic, cataclysm... of course. Why am I not surprised that the trouble you all got yourselves into had to involve magic” Rover thought “So just who am I dealing with here? Since there’s magic involved, I assume that I would be hunting down some unicorns” “You would be correct, K-9” said Celestia “As you can se-” “Don’t call me K-9” Rover interrupted with a low snarl. “Why not?” she asked “Is it not respectful to call you by your formal title?” “You don’t have the right to call me K-9 anymore, not after you left me and Wulfe for dead...” Rover growled “I was given the title of K-9 after he died, I never earned it. That alone is the ultimate shame that I am forced to carry as I lead the diamond dogs” his eyes narrowed on Celestia “From here on out, you’re only able to call me by my name, Rover” “How dare you rudely demand our princess of such an outlandish request!” an earth pony commander by the name of Heavy Artillery rose up from his seat and confronted Rover. “Don’t force me to remind you how much of a pathetic mongrel you are when compared to our regal princes-” before he could even finish talking, Heavy Artillery was forcefully struck in the face where he stumbled backwards and fell onto the floor. He was clasping his muzzle with both of his hooves as he writhed about in pain while spitting out blood and several fragments of broken teeth. The rest of the ponies in the room stared at Rover with a dumbstruck look at how swiftly he floored one of the royal guard commanders. Rover had just unsheathed his blade, and with blinding speed, he smashed the blade’s pommel into the poor guy’s face without discretion. In a single action, he quickly resheathed his blade, yet he kept his stare with Celestia. “You aren’t relevant to this conversation nor are you relevant to this mission anymore” Rover spoke with a chilling voice that sent shivers down everyone’s spine. The mane six in particular were staring at the dog that crumbled under Rarity’s whining with a slacked jaw expression. He was completely different from the dog that they met before “Now sit down and shut up, the grown ups are talking” Fearfully, Heavy Artillery did as he was told. He shakily rose up from his little puddle of blood and spittle before he sat back to where he was while Shining Armor and some of the other commanders called for some of the medical staff for assistance. “Well, do we have an agreement?” Rover calmly asked. “I agree... Rover” said Celestia as she recovered from the shock of seeing Heavy Artillery struck down “But was it really necessary to harm one of my guards like that?” “Come now, Celestia. A simple blow to the face like that should be nothing to a royal guard commander...” Rover turned his head to face the other commanders, he stared at each one with cold eyes boring into each of them. He could clearly see that they all gulped nervously as his gaze met them before he turned his head back “Regardless of his well being, you were saying?”         “Ahem, the insurgents happened to all be unicorns” said Celestia and she rummaged through some papers “However, they have both the support of earth ponies and pegasi as well”         “Alright, what are their goals?” Rover asked. Luna pulled out a map of Equestria and pointed to a large chunk of land to the west of Canterlot. “Over the course of the last few weeks, it appears that the ponies have holed up in this area and have created a fort of sorts. They plan to learn some of Starswirl’s more destructive spells so that they may shift the balance of power in Equestria as well as the rest of the world” said Luna “They are rapidly gaining recruits and power, we fear that within the next few months or so they would have a sizable force that is capable of leveling several key cities around Equestria and the griffon kingdoms” “For them to gain power so easily in such a short amount of time, you all must’ve screwed up badly then” said Rover with a chuckle which annoyed the element bearers to no end along with Shining Armor and his commanders “So what happened? You thought you would all do something heroic and come home to another party, right?” “Ahem, simply put, the element bearers and the guards failed to retrieve the documents. Nothing more, nothing less” Luna concluded. Rover chuckled again, more so out of spite than humor. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that” Rover thought “So, we have a group of crazy ponies secessionist who want to take over the world through overwhelming power, and you want me and my boys to deal with it” said Rover “Given the insurgents numbers and strengths, you’re asking me to wage war against your enemies, aren’t you?” “Yes, but we want you to do it discretely, like how you’ve been doing it for the last few centuries” said Celestia “We want this to be kept hidden from the public as to avoid any panic and hysteria. I can assure you that you will all be reward for your efforts once this is all over” Celestia said, sounding quite confident in herself. “Oh, really? What kind of reward?” Rover said he struggled to hide the anger in his voice. Luna clapped her hooves together and the door behind them swung open to reveal two guards with a large burlap sack on their back. As the guards threw the bags on the table, gems of all shapes, colors and sizes poured out like water from a pitcher. The entire table before them was covered in nothing but gems, there was some much you could’ve practically swam in it. “Pfft, figures you dogs would be after the gems” said Rainbow “So, are you gonna take care of the problem or what?” “I can assure you that this is merely one, one hundredth the amount that you’ll receive once the job is done” said Luna “We can pay you with enough gems to last you two lifetimes. What do you say?” Rover simply rose out of his seat, and with his right paw, he slapped Luna across the face. Everyone’s jaw hit the floor from the audacious action that Rover committed, it was practically taboo to do something like that in front of everyone. “No deal” he simply replied before leaving the room again with plenty of shocked ponies in his wake “If you think that I am going to risk the lives of my men for your cause over some useless rocks then you are sorely mistaken. Equestria can burn for all I care if your offer is so poor” “W-what!” Luna shouted as she regained her composure “Don’t you dare walk out on us! The diamond dogs have a stake in this too! If you dare walk out that door then you and your kind will also suffer these insurgents wrath! You don’t have any choice!” Rover stopped walking, he turned around and narrowed his eye on Luna “We always have a choice” he said “The diamond dogs will live on, just as we always have. Given how desperate you all are to call in us, you won’t last long once the insurgents make their move. By then, I’ll be watching from as far away as the southern border with a smile on my face as Canterlot and the rest of you pathetic lot crumble underneath the might of your own subject” he then turned around again and continued walking. “Hold it right there!” Luna shouted again. Her horn began charge with dark aura “You will be a good dog and you will help us with our problem whether you want to or not! That is why you mutts exist! Now if you take another step I will personally blast you into next week” she threatened. Rover stared at Luna, never once did his resolve falter or even struggled. He only looked at her for a few seconds, and began laughing wildly. “You won’t do it” said Rover with a grin as he ignored everyone and left without looking back. “Wait!’ Celestia shouted “Please, Rover! Don’t leave, we’ll give you whatever you want if you help our cause, just name it and it will be yours!” Rover stopped again, he began the ponder his choices. After a few seconds of thinking, he turned around and sat back down again. “I want two things only. One, I want a new base of operations, somewhere around the west, preferably nearby the ocean” said Rover “My kin and I cannot operate underground all the time you know? I demand the basics when it come to running an army, medical facilities, mess halls, the works” Celestia blinked, and looked at Rover confusedly. “Just the basics?” she asked. “Yes, we’ll handle everything else ourselves. The last thing that I want to do is use pony technology to outfit the army” said Rover “The next one is the most important if you want me to work for you. If you deny me this request then I’ll leave for good” “I understand, what is it that you what?” Celestia asked. Rover took a deep breath and exhaled. “I want redemption for my kind”