Year 980
The plan was simple. Grab the gems, retreat, then the last Dog out would spring the trap.
What actually happened was that their raid was interrupted by a morning work crew who weren't happy about the intruders.
During the run down the tunnels, Mica, the lead dog panicked, and pulled the trap switch as she ran past it. The resulting rock-slide blocked off the tunnel, and trapped the other two dogs in a dead-end. Several ponies with ropes and pickaxes came running down the tunnel towards them. When they got close enough, they tossed loops of rope over the two Dogs, binding their arms to their sides. "Got 'em!" One of the ponies crowed.
They took the stolen gems from the Dogs, then marched them all the way to the entrance of the mine. The two dogs were shoved inside a small concrete tool shed. Once the ponies had left, the medium-sized dog turned to her larger companion. "Jasper, get us out!"
Jasper shook his head. "My claws too soft, Cinnabar."
"Bah, big dog is weak!" Cinnabar scolded. "Told you not eat the copper."
"Was hungry," Jasper replied. "You and Mica eaten the scrap iron already."
"Better go hungry than eat soft metals," Cinnabar snorted. She peered through a thin gap between the door and the frame.
"What see?" Jasper asked as he came over.
"Ponies stand around and talk," Cinnabar replied. "Sun out, they have tools, why they no work?"
Jasper leaned against the wall. "Maybe they talking about us."
Cinnabar snickered. "When ponies open door again, we rush 'em and escape."
- - -
"Boss, we have a situation at the jewel mine." A light purple earth pony stated, entering a parlor,
Gilbert lowered the newspaper he had been reading. "Is everypony alright?"
The messenger smirked. "We're fine, it's not a cave-in or anything. We found a group of bandits."
"How much was taken, Chisel ?" Gilbert asked.
"We captured two of them, but the third got away, and collapsed the tunnel afterwards. We estimate the loss at -B- 3,400," Chisel replied.
Gilbert folded the newspaper and finished his coffee. "Thank you for letting me know. I'll come up and interview them."
"Good luck with that, Boss." Chisel added. "They're Dogs, not ponies."
"Diamond Dogs?" Gilbert blinked in surprise. "You actually caught a pair of Diamond dogs?"
Chisel nodded. "Yeah. A male and a female. Maybe we can put 'em on display."
Gilbert rubbed around one of his ears. "Diamond Dog actors. Might be an interesting addition to the Cabaret."
"I was thinking more like a sideshow," Chisel said. "I doubt that Dogs could understand the idea of acting."
Gilbert waved a hoof. "Don't be so quick to dismiss them. They can still surprise us."
- - -
"Ugh, how long they leave us here?" Cinnabar complained.
"Maybe they forget about us," Jasper replied. Looking through the narrow gaps around the door, they could see that the worker ponies had left, and that the sun was higher in the sky. "Cinnabar, I hungry."
"Big dog complain too much," Cinnabar replied. "Me hungry too, but not complain about it." There was a flicker of dark green magic around part of the door, then the lock clicked, attracting the Dogs' attention. "What was that?"
Jasper tested the door. When it opened easily, he shoved it open then charged, shifting his eyes around to find a target. He slowed to a stop about 30 strides from the building. "Huh? Where are ponies?"
Cinnabar shuffled over to Jasper. "What does matter? We free!" Jasper turned, then gasped, taking a step back. "What problem now?" Cinnabar growled. She turned to look in the direction that Jasper was gazing. "Oh, hello ponies." She greeted, smiling as she backed away.
The ponies who had been lurking on either side of the shed, moved to surround the dogs. A green unicorn stood atop the concrete shed that they had been in. "I don't know much about Dog culture," The unicorn began. "But we have rules about stealing."
"Bah, pony laws are useless!" Cinnabar barked.
Gilbert descended a series of boxes behind the shed, then approached the Dogs. "I didn't say anything about the Law," He smirked. "I said that we have rules about stealing."
"Rules, laws. Make no difference," Cinnabar snorted. "We take what we want."
"How about if we take your friend in exchange?" Gilbert motioned to Jasper. "He looks like a strong worker."
"You want him?!" Cinnabar blinked. "Big Dog is weak and whiny, he eat too much junk, he-" She was interrupted by a back-handed blow from Jasper.
"Shut mouth!" He roared. The ponies all took a step back at his outburst. Cinnabar stared at Jasper in shock. "All Cinnabar do is order me around and insult me!"
"Sounds like you have a mutiny on your paws," Gilbert smirked. "Do you two need to go back into the shed for a while?"
Cinnabar turned around slowly. "You can have him. He no use to me."
Gilbert trotted over to Jasper. "So how strong are you?" He asked the Dog.
"Can lift boulder half my height," Jasper boasted.
"Perfect," Gilbert stated. "Chisel, take him down to the office. I'll give him an interview when I'm done here."
"Sure thing Boss." Chisel replied cheerfully. She began guiding Jasper along the path down the mountain. A few of the armed ponies accompanied her.
Gilbert turned to Cinnabar. "You let me go?" She asked hopefully.
"Miss Cinnabar," Gilbert began. "I was informed that there was a third Diamond Dog who got away." Cinnabar gulped. "And your half of the debt has to be covered."
"Pffft. I no work for ponies!" Cinnabar taunted.
Gilbert turned to one of the ponies in the circle. "Get her prepped. She'll be taking a little trip north."
"How far north, Boss?" One of the other ponies asked.
"She said she wouldn't work for ponies. Didn't say anything about gryphons." Gilbert said, before walking away. Cinnabar's protests were ignored as she was retied.
- - -
3 months later.
Jasper knocked on the door. "Enter." he heard Gilbert call. As Jasper came into the room, a small unicorn filly eeped and scampered to hide behind the large desk. "Ah, Jasper. What brings you to my office?"
Jasper took a small cloth pouch from his belt, opened it, and poured out the contents onto the desk, which amounted to a couple dozen coins. "How I get more bits?"
Gilbert rubbed his chin. "You want to earn more money? That depends on what you're willing to do."
Jasper gave a glance to the small filly who was peeking around the desk at him. "That your daughter?" He asked, motioning to her.
Gilbert reached down, and lifted the filly onto his lap. "Indeed," The filly snuggled into her fathers' embrace. "And I would hate for anything to happen to her."
"I protect." Jasper stated.
"And why should I trust some gem thief with my greatest treasure?" Gilbert replied. Jasper winced "If you need more bits, I can arrange for you to help with the harvests."
"Thank you, Mr LaRoulette." Jasper scooped up his coins and turned to leave.
"Doggy!" Toola Roola exclaimed, pointing at Jasper.
"His name is Jasper, sweetie." Gilbert said.
"Jhaspa," Toola Roola repeated. Once the Dog left, the filly squirmed . "Jhaspa come back!"
"Jasper!" Gilbert called. A moment later, the Dog entered the room again. "Have a seat." Jasper settled on the padded stool on the opposite side of the desk from Gilbert. "Tell me. If you had a kid of your own, and something happened to them, what would you do?"
"Would find who is responsible, and punish them," Jasper replied.
Gilbert placed his daughter on the floor, and she slowly approached the dog. Once she got within his reach, Jasper held out a paw, and waited for her to make the next move. Toola Roola gently poked his paw with her hoof, then looked up to him. "Big Dog friend?"
"You want me for friend?" Jasper asked. Toola nodded, placing her hoof on Jaspers' palm.
Gilbert walked over to the pair. "I'll make you a deal. If you can prove that you can be trusted, I'll let you be her protector."
"What you want me do?" Jasper asked.
"There are scientists who would like to study your kind," Gilbert replied. "I'll make arrangements for your trip. You will be escorted to Canterlot University. If I hear of any misbehavior on your part, I'll keep you at your current assignment."
"How long I be at Canterlot?" Jasper wondered.
"Until they feel that they have enough information about Diamond Dogs. Could be up to a year."
"I accept." Jasper replied. Gilbert held a hoof out and the Dog shook it.