Flying to my home as quick as my wings could take me, I was eager to see Shadow after our time apart. It had only been a few days but already I was missing her. I was at our cottage from Canterlot in the matter of a minute, my eagerness driving my wings. As I approached, I slowed down a bit, flying onto the porch in a very botched landing. I quickly recovered, popping back up and opening the door with enthusiasm. She had heard me coming and was already up at the door waiting for me.
She gave me a big smile, one that I returned and we kissed briefly before I moved into the house, closing the door behind me. "Spade you're back so soon!" she said moving back over to me.
"I know, the mission was cut short with a visit from a surprise friend." she tilted her head, confused and wanting more information. "It looks like I helped our old friend Zin had gotten himself into a spec of trouble."
At the mention of his name she started, her eyes going wide, "I hope he was okay. Was he okay?"
I smiled, nodding my head, "Yes yes, he's fine now. At least I think he is. Anyway, I had happened upon him while he was getting into a tussle with a young pegasi named Lisp. I quickly helped him out of that." We moved over to the table, she had already begun preparing a meal for us when I came through the door.
"So what happened? Where is he now?" she said, ignoring the food and eager for more details.
I rubbed the back of my neck, "Well see, this is where things get complicated. He remembers Shadow." Her reaction was of pure shock, her mouth hung open. "That's not all. He's human." She jumped again at this, almost knocking the table over.
"That can't be! Humans aren't like him at all!" she said over her surprise, quickly getting back up in her chair.
"I know, I know," I said helping her back up, "but it's true."
She sighed, staring intently at the table deep in thought. "This must explain the message you sent. Is it really true? Will the Diamond Dogs truly try and rise up against us?"
I nodded again, "Yes they will. Just in time for our new born foal to come into the world..." I said, looking down at her abdomen. "You know, I had a dream about her, about us. From what I saw it was a filly." She smiled at this news though.
"Oh that's wonderful! I'm not saying a colt would have been bad, but had he gotten your fiery side..." she said with a mischievous grin.
I returned it, "And what about you? You aren't an angel yourself." I said giving her a wink. "Come then, lets eat this glorious meal you have made for us. Tomorrow morning I have been contracted by the Princess to do some reconnaissance on the Diamond Dog clans." she looked a little down at hearing this, "Oh don't worry, I'll be back within a week and then we have a few months together before we have to start preparing." I said, giving her a bright smile.
"Okay," she said returning the smile, "I'll be practicing while you're gone so don't expect me to be some pushover when you get back." I nodded, expecting no less. We ate our dinner then, quickly so as to be able to spend the night together within each others company for as long as possible.
I awoke the next morning, rubbing a hoof in my eye as the remnants of sleep wore off. That was the best nights sleep I've had in a while, I thought to myself. I looked over to my left, where Shadow was laying, a smile plastered on her face. I smiled looking at her, soon enough we won't be able to have nights like this and it was good to relish them while we could.
Getting carefully out of bed and leaving it without a sound. No need to wake her from her sleep. I tip-hooved into the living room, pressing a button cleverly disguised as a cookie jar. Reaching in, I hit one of the cookies near the bottom, a small noise coming from it as the floor in front of the fireplace parted, steps appearing leading down into our vault. Each of the CSF pair had a vault built under their house, which was the one of the reasons for being so secluded from other ponies. Descending the stairs, the doors flopped closed silently behind me.
I lit a few lights along the pathway, illuminating a hallway thirty meters in length. As I walked down the hallway, I knew the sensors there were at work, making sure that I was who I was and not some random pony or creature. Arriving at a metal door, a meter think, it silently opened for me as I neared it, leading deep inside the hidden bunker.
Once inside, I lit on torch in the center of the ceiling that lit up the whole room. What was there, was a sight no other pony aside from the CSF members and Celestia knew about. Rows upon rows of different form of firearms and their respective ammunition. From carbines, rifles, machine guns, pistols and others lined the metallic shelves in which they were housed. Each respective gun had a small shelf with twelve magazines of ammunition to go with it. More could be made with magic at a special designed table in the far end of the room. In addition to that, all the arms in the room could only be taken from their shelves from either I or Shadow.
Adjacent to this room was another thick metal door, this one requiring a hoof print and eye scan before opening. Inside it was a small fallout bunker if the residents and possibly those nearby need a place to stay while whatever it was died down. Enough supplies were stockpiled as well as a small greenhouse for the growing of foods if necessary.
The place also had its own generator to keep the plants alive that was run entirely off of magic. While it was not on now, as there were no need to grow plants, it was always there if the need demanded it.
Walking down a row of short carbines, I picked one out, a short barreled carbine in the bullpup configuration, the MTAR-21. It was small enough to be easily concealable and maneuverable while still packing a considerably long barrel length. It was perfect for the operation I would be doing, as close encounters would be key.
Taking a small pre-configured recon vest, I loaded the magazines as well as my pistol. I went up to the small bladed section we had, picking out another knife similar to the one Zin now carried. You'll do for now, I thought. I went over to another section of our armory, the attachments. Picking out a 1-4x scope as well as a suppressor and a PEQ box I put all the things on the carbine, ready to head out.
As I headed near the door, it opened silently again, admitting me out. As I left I extinguished the light behind me, as well as those along the way up the stairs. Once at the top, I did a quick scan to make sure no one was near before opening the doors and departing from the bunker.
As the doors closed behind me, I walked back into our bedroom, approaching Shadow and giving her a small kiss on the forehead goodbye. Her smile widened in her sleep as I departed from the room, and hence the house. As I left, I checked my map for the location of the nearest Diamond Dog clan, those that had been indicated to be apart of the uprising had been dispatched on a map to all the members of the CSF.
Being the closest and the one needed for an immediate mission, we had been the first to receive them. Finding the location of the nearest clan, about six kilometers north of where Ponyville was, just at the edge of a range of mountains. Shoving the map back into its case, I said aloud, "Well, time to get to it." And with that, I flapped my wings hard, gaining altitude and flying off towards the clan.
"You heard za boss, get moving!" the Diamond Dog taskmaster drawled, his accent almost unintelligible. It wasn't soon after I had reached their holes in the ground that I followed this one down into it. They were oblivious to my presence, although wherever this 'boss' person was, I was going to follow.
"Alright, alright!" one of the other three dogs chimed, his voice echoing through the tunnel, "we're gettin' there!" he said again, mumbling to himself as the taskmaster walked off.
"If he weren't bosses favorite, we have killed him by now," another one of the four said to exasperated looks from the others.
"Keep mouth shut Claw," the fist one said again, smacking 'Claw' over the snout. "We no want him coming back and whipping us."
Claw whined a bit, holding his snout with his paws looking ashamed of himself. "Come on, we get moving else we get in more trouble," another one from the pack said, moving off towards some unknown direction in the tunnel. The rest followed while I shadowed them close behind. It really wasn't hard getting the upper hand on them, with their clumsiness and general mental instability.
"What you think boss want from us?" Claw said again, finally removing his hand from his snout.
"I no know what he want. Boss only knows what goes on with boss." Celestia, I thought, these dogs couldn't speak properly if their lives depended on it.
I followed the pack of dogs a bit further, before we came to a wooden and iron banded door set into a stone fitting. Knocking on the door, Claw announced their presence. A moment passed before an overly large Diamond Dog, almost double the size of the largest one out of the four, answered the door and admitted them without a word.
I followed close behind the last of the group, close enough to smell the stink straight up my nose. I decided that I never again wanted to be this close to a dog. Almost as soon as they entered, the large dog moved back inside the room, nearly closing the door on my tail. The four dogs spread out in a line in-front of a puffed up desk behind which sat an even more puffed up looking Diamond Dog. Papers were strewn across the desk in disorderly piles. It was uncommon for Diamond Dogs to read, let alone write, so his authority was obvious.
The four dogs got on one knee, placing their fist into the ground with mumbled greeting to their pack leader. After a moment, they got up from where they kneel'd, looking a bit nervous with the large dogs at their backs. "W-what is you want with us Boss?" the one from the left stuttered nervously.
The 'Boss' gave a quick laugh before addressing all of them, "I'll get down to business," he said with oddly correct speech, although his accent was still as guttural as ever, "I need you boys to go down to Ponyville and do a little reconnaissance of the area, find out where best to come in from."
"Reconnaissance?" the one on the left stuttered again.
"Idiot..." the Boss murmured, "Go out to Ponyville and look around but don't get caught!" he shouted, banging his fist on his desk, sending a few papers flying.
The dog on the left quivered, "Yes, very good. Look around, no get caught. We got it, we very good at that."
"Good, now get out of my sight!" he hollered, as the large dog opened the door again and the four of them ran out of the room, yelping as they retreated through the door. It was promptly shut behind them as the dog once again took his place at the door.
"Damned idiots." the Boss mumbled to himself, "Wouldn't be able to find their asses from their heads if I wasn't around to keep them in line." He got up from where he was sitting, moving over to a map on the far wall, inspecting it closely.
I followed, a few steps behind him, looking over his shoulder at the map. Across it where different pins of various colors, all pointed on various cities around Equestria. The largest of all the pins, a big red one, was pinned directly on Ponyville. He tapped it then, "Once we have you and Celestia at our feet, nopony will be able to stop us." he smirked to himself.
This is exactly what I came for, I thought. Time to get this information documented and get out of here. I remembered the princesses orders about taking out vital targets and looked over the Boss. Sure enough if he was gone, chaos would reign throughout the clan until a new leader was chosen.
With that thought, I quickly thought of a plan of attack. I would have to take out the large mutt first, that would be easy, but keeping the other quiet long enough to get something out of him might be more difficult. I moved in-front of the desk, taking aim at the mutt, I flicked on the laser putting a dot in the middle of his head. He seemed alarmed at this and quickly jumped, to which I responded with a small tut from my carbine and a small click as the round went through his skull and hit the wall.
The Boss seemed especially alarmed by this, opening his mouth the yell out for help. "Yell, and you're dead too." I cooed to him, uncloaking and aiming the dot at his forehead.
"Uh, uh, lets be reasonable about this." he stuttered, the fear clear in his voice. "What is it that you want, money?" he said reaching into his desk and throwing a small bag at me. In it where dozens of platinum bits. Where are they getting this kind of money from?
Throwing it aside, he looking frantically around, "Money not what you want?" he called nervously, "What do you want then? Name it and it's yours." Foolish dog, I thought to myself coldly.
"What I want is information." he looked surprised at this, if not a little worried. "First off, tell me where you got money like this." I said pointing a hoof at the bag of bits.
"No where," he said in terror, "We save the money, yes!"
I moved forward, placing the barrel on his forehead as he fell out of his chair in terror. "Liar," I hissed, "Tell me right now or you'll end up with your brains all over the wall."
"Noooo!" he hollered, quickly putting a paw over his mouth. "We get it in shipments from a mysterious source! It's always given to us in crates at our holes and we never know who put it there, not even the sentries we have seen anybody!" he called as he wet himself.
"You're definitely not the fearless war-leader that I've heard led the clans of Diamond Dogs." I called softly to him. There was no way I could bring him back through the caves without being caught so I would have to end it here. "For your cooperation I'll make this quick." I said.
He let out a sharp cry, baking up in fear, "Help-" he got out before the bullet coursed through his head. He fell back against the wall, slowly trailing blood down the wall as he slid down, hitting the floor with a small thump.
Moving around the desk, I moved up to the map, pulling out a small camera from a pouch, I took several pictures of the map, getting all of its details. Once done with that, I turned towards the desk. Shifting through the papers, most of it was about food supply or gem extractions. Considering it all important, I took a picture of each paper, going threw about a hundred photos before getting through all of them.
Once done, I set several small incendiary explosives around the room, on the desk and the map especially, making sure it all would be gone. I took a quick surveillance of the room, making sure I hadn't missed anything when a small locked box in the corner caught my eye. Picking it up, it was extremely light, only weighing a pound or two, but the lock looked complicated.
Leaving it for another time, I stuffed it into my backpack and re-did my cloaking spell, making my leave of the room. Following my memory, I retraced my steps through the cave system, careful to avoid any Diamond Dogs I met on my way. My next objective would be to intercept those out scouting and take care of them before they could return with their intel.
I was chasing the one known as 'Claw' through an open field a kilometer away from the underground cave complex. His running was frantic as he sought escape from the unknown death lurking above him. I had easily taken out the three others in his party, although after the first one was dead the others scrambled and I had to track them down in each direction they went. Claw was the last of the four, but I decided to keep this one alive.
Taking aim, I fired, the shot going through his leg, a small burst of blood spraying from the wound as the bullet hit. He lurched forward and fell to his knees. He quickly tried to get up again but fell again when his leg wouldn't support his weight.
Flying down from the clouds, I landed with a thump a meter behind him. He jumped out of his fur, turning towards me with eyes full of tears and fear. He pleaded with me for his life, "Please no kill! I do no bad, I go back to clan!" he cried, getting on his knees and his hands clasped together in a begging gesture.
"No worries," I said to him, "I have no intention of killing you." He didn't believe me however as he backed up on his hindquarters, scurrying back on his paws.
"No you lie!" he chocked, "You kill me just like others!"
I pitied him. To watch one plead for his life is the worst thing to witness. It brings you close to the person, deeper than you can ever be with another being. I shook my head at him, "No I do not lie. I will take you back to Canterlot where you will be healed then questioned. No extra harm will come to you there as long as you comply."
"I no know anything! Please kind pony, let me go! I go back, tell them you very kind. Let me go," he pleaded more, tears falling down his cheeks at a constant rate.
I shook my head at him, "I cannot let you go. But I can let you live. If you agree to come with me, I won't have to do anything drastic to you." I said, saying it so he knew full well what would happen if he disagreed.
"Okay! Okay!" he cried, "I go with you! Please just no kill me!" he stopped his movements then, sitting up in the grass and sobbing, his chest heaving with ragged gasps.
"I'm going to bind your wound now before we go further." he nodded, still crying but stretching out his leg in front of him. I trotted over to him saying, "Keep your paws behind your back. If you move them I'll have to bind you." He nodded again, keeping his paws together behind his back as instructed.
Ripping out my first aid kit, I first put a clean linen bandage over the wound, binding it tightly before fashioning a splint over that from a nearby branch. It would hold, for now. Once the bandage was on, it immediately turned red from the flow of blood. Pulling out a small tab of morphine, I jabbed it into his leg, to which he let out a loud yelp, followed by a sigh of relief.
"There, that will keep you for a while. Don't put to much weight on that leg or the morphine won't help that much." he nodded, his sobs coming in more maintainable gasps. I stuck my hoof out, helping him to his feet. He swayed a bit before regaining his balance.
"Now what sir?" he said, his breathing returning slightly to normal.
"Now, we're going to have a bit of chow before you and I head back to Canterlot. You're going to have a lot of explaining to do." he nodded, sitting back down and folding his legs together with a small flinch.
"Yes, yes. All good. Where food?" he said, his mouth already salivating. I pulled out a packet of liquid topaz and threw it at him. At first he didn't understand, but he flipped the packet around and saw the picture of the gem on it. Ripping open the top he sprayed the containers contents down his gullet, a small stream of blue streaking down his chin.
"Oh very good!" he exclaimed, "nothing like what we have back in den. Can I have more?"
I nodded at him, pulling out another topaz pack. This one was slightly different though, treated with a slight sedative that would put him out for at least an hour. Throwing it at him he exclaimed again, "Mighty grateful kind pony sir." he said before ripping open the top and guzzling down its contents.
After a minute he swayed a bit, "Ohhhh," he said wearily, "Me feel... Tired..." he said before falling in a large heap on the ground, his breathing normalizing as he slept.
Turning towards the direction of Canterlot, I flapped hard, eager to deliver my burden off at the castle and to drop off what intelligence I had gathered off with the Guards. My mind was hardly still during the flight though, the contents of the small box I had acquired plaguing my mind the entire trip down.
The sun was falling behind Canterlot as I descended from the cloud layer. Night was almost upon the city and most of the inhabitants were either asleep or at some party indoors making for the perfect cover as I descended into the palace grounds. The two Guards at the gate greeted me with a curt nod, silently allowing me entrance to the palace.
As I traversed the sparsely lit corridors, my hoof steps echoed throughout the halls, startling a mouse or two back into their holes. I met nopony on my way to the throne room, as most of the palace attendees and Guards were asleep in their respective rooms. After a few minutes I entered the throne room, to which Celestia was absent from. Hay, I thought, I'm going to have to travel up to her rooms to see her. While this wasn't a problem, the smell of the dog on my back was beginning to become irritating.
Going down a passage to the right of the throne, the left being to Luna's quarters, I began traversing the halls towards where the Princesses room would be. Although I've only been there once or twice before, I knew the path to it exactly. Traversing up a flight of stairs, I arrived at two doors, as large as the ones guarding Luna's quarters. The difference being that these were a more natural light wood color, with a blazing sun plastered in the middle of both doors.
The two unicorn Guards at the door didn't bother getting in my way as I pushed my way through the doors. They promptly shut behind me without a sound as I entered the room. Again unlike Luna's room, Celestia's room was extremely light in color, with oranges, whites and yellows adorning most of the furniture. Also unlike Luna, there were many windows accommodating the room to let light in, if it were still light out. In the far back of the room was a large bed over which presided an equally large skylight.
Sitting in her bed, wide awake and looking at me was the princess. "I've returned from my mission with a good deal learned," I said bowing to her. She let out a yawn and stood, walking over to me and inspecting the load on my back.
"I see you've brought company too," she said, "How lovely. I take it the mission went well?"
I nodded, "Yes, princess. I've gathered several photos on their movement plans as well as their social and economic situations. In addition to that, I learned that a mysterious benefactor has been providing the clans with large some of money each month, although said benefactor has yet to be identified by the clans."
"So that is where they are getting their funds from..." she said deep in thought.
I nodded again, "Yes. I also happened to pick up a Diamond Dog that was sent to recon the area in and surrounding Ponyville. It seems to me like they're rushing to gain as much intel on us as they can."
She gave me a brief nod, pacing around back and forth, her head lowered deep in thought. "I also discovered a small locked box with a very complex looking key lock."
Her head perked up as I said this, her eyes boring into me. "Show me," she said. Going into my bag, I retrieved the box, placing it at the ground in-front of her feet. She promptly picked it up with her magic, inspecting the curvature and lines of it. She stopped suddenly as she saw something hidden deep within the lines of the wood. Rearing her head she snarled at the box, deep lines in her forehead.
"Do you know who's this box this belongs to?" she hissed at me. I shook my head, not understanding what the cause of such actions.
"I don't know what it is my princess," I said cautiously, "I found it while in the office of the leader of the clan in the mountains."
"This box," she said with distaste, "This box once belonged to our old friend Discord. What it was doing in the pack leaders office I do not know, but I do know it does not bode well for us, or for the up and coming war."
I reared my head back at the box. That is why it had given me such an uneasy feeling. It was given to the pack leader by Discord. He's probably the mysterious benefactor that has been supplying the clans with money. I voiced this concern to the Princess, to which she readily agreed.
"Yes, yes. I can see him doing something like that. Causing more chaos and destruction wherever he hails to." She paused for a minute thinking, "This would also explain the reason for our friend Zin for being here. For how other could a human possibly get here?"
I nodded, that seemed like the only logical reasoning for his being here. Somehow Discord must have gone to the human world and has been transporting them here. Who knows if Zin has been the only human to be brought here?
"This is very grave news indeed," she said beginning her pacing anew. "Not only does it mean that the Diamond Dogs have a very powerful enemy on their side, but that the spell that held Discord in place the second time didn't fully keep him there. Parts of his consciousness are still roaming about.
I stared at her, "What are your orders Princess? I'm ready to serve wherever you need me." I said determined to put a stop to all of this... Chaos.
"Nothing of you now Aces. You have done an excellent job so far and I have no further need of you. Zin is still being held here as he hasn't come up with any of the answers I seek so I have no other assignments for you."
I bowed low, "Then may I take my leave Princess? There are matters at home I would like to attend to."
She nodded absently at me saying as she turned around, "Before you leave the castle, drop him," she pointed a hoof at the Diamond Dog on my back, "off with the Royal Guards. They will keep him until he awakens and will get any information they can get out of him.
I nodded, "I would like no extra harm to come to him Princess. I gave him my word if he cooperated with me that no other harm would befall him. He's also in need of medical attention due to a wound to his leg."
She responded, already deep in thought, "Understood. Drop him off at the infirmary and from there once he has recovered he will be taken to be questioned.
I bowed once again, rising to my feet I turned towards the door heading out I called back, "Thank you Princess Celestia." she mumbled a response, unknown thoughts and stratagems running through her head.