“First off, they're called Diamond Dogs.”
“That's a weird name.” Raj lowered himself onto a bale of hay “I'm pretty sure they aren't made of diamond.”
Macintosh looked at him blankly, not sure if Raj was being obtuse or trying to make a joke. His sister continued for him “They're underground critters that like fancy gems 'n things. Whole mess 'em live out past the river in Ponyville Flats.”
“Alright, why was one of them here though?” Raj leaned back and crossed his arms.
Applejack sighed and hung her head “Probably cause Ace told him to.”
Raj scowled “What's an Ace?”
Applejack shuddered lightly, the movement going unnoticed by Macintosh. The red pony spoke up “He's the new Alpha they got, a real mean sumbitch. Showed up in the flats a while ago and just took right on over and bullied the lot of them into following him. Told 'em all they weren't allowed to come into town no more.”
“They were allowed in town before that?” He asked, sounding a little surprised.
“Yeah, they'd come in and trade sometimes. Gems for things. The most they ever got into was a dustup at the market over something tiny or getting fresh with somepony.” Applejack chuckled a bit “It was kinda funny really. They'd apologize eventually and that was the worst of it.”
“After Ace showed up though, things got worse.” slurred Macintosh while Applejack closed her eyes. “A couple weeks after Ace showed up, a few trees in the southern orchard done disappeared, nothing but a plot of twisted earth left behind and some leaves.”
“The Diamond Dogs were stealing your trees?” he asked, disbelieving.
“Yup, sucked 'em straight underground by the roots.” Macintosh tapped a hoof on the dirt floor of the barn for emphasis. “Course, we only knew that when one of them varmints showed up and told us as much.”
“Why'd he do that?” Raj asked, already pretty sure of the answer.
“Said they'd stop, so long as we gave them food.” Macintosh shrugged “So we did.”
Raj gave a knowing nod and leaned back. “And let me guess, they pretty quickly started asking for more?”
Applejack looked down “It was so little to start, just one sack of apples, that's all. Then they started calling for corn, and then cider.”
“It was a month before they wanted a pig.” said Macintosh.
“A month?” Raj looked between the two “How long has this been going on?”
The siblings paused for a second before Macintosh answered for them “Almost half a year now.”
“Jesus...” Raj shook his head “Why didn't you ask someone for help, talk to some, I don't know, police horses or something?”
“We tried that, after the first few weeks.” Applejack admitted “A few of the Guard came and watched over the farm for a spell. Even went out to Ponyville flats and gave 'em a talking to. Soon as they was gone they dug the foundation out of one of our sheds and destroyed half a field of green-beans. Said we'd get it a hunnerd times worse if'n we went to anypony else. Said they'd be watching us to make sure.”
“It- it started out so small, but things just kept getting worse.” Applejack stuttered “They were showing up at the farm, harassing us while we worked.”
“They beat you up when you went to deliver to them.” he added, which brought a look of alarm to Big Macintosh's face.
Applejack's head snapped up and she looked fierce for a second before it faded into resigned melancholy. She looked at her brother sheepishly and quietly muttered “Yeah, they did.”
“Well that's that then.” rumbled Macintosh's as he rose to his hooves. “This has gone on long enough. Ah'll be back later.”
“Where're you going?” asked Applejack.
“Ah'm rounding up a posse, gonna fetch a mess o' ponies from in town 'n any Apples in walking distance. Might even send a 'gram out to Braeburn. He owes us after that business with the buffalo. He can probably rustle up a few folks who don't mind a fight. Can be here by sundown if ah go now.”
“What?” Applejack asked, her voice edged with panic as she galloped up next to him “No, no, no Macintosh, you can't do that, don't go startin' something!”
“They went after Bloom AJ, Bloom.” He growled, his eyes narrow. “The only reason she's safe is cause Rajrishi- Thank you for that by the way-”
“No problem.”
“-happened to be following her today. We both know that mangy mutt will come and destroy the farm if we do nothing.”
“Ah'm not saying we do nothing, we should, uh, we should...” She glanced around the barn for a second, weighing her options “We need to get another load together and send it over. Try and iron out any soreness from one of his boys getting worked over.”
Macintosh gave his sister a level look “You really think that'll work?”
“Yeah, ah do.” she nodded to confirm.
“Horseshit.”
“Macintosh!”
“Well, ah'm sorry, but that's what it is. Horse. Shit.” He huffed a heavy breath “All this appeasing was a bad idea from the start. From day one we shoulda fixed them dogs, maybe even broke out Grand-daddy's axes and showed 'em what it means to mess with the Apples!”
“Calm down Macintosh.” She put a hoof on his shoulder and looked at him sternly “It ain't gonna help nopony if you get all worked up and do something stupid.”
“AJ, ah-”
“Hush up. Yer mad, ah get that. We're gonna do something alright, but not now. Right now, we gotta secure the farm. If'n we don't, Ace could come here at any minute. Then Granny'll know what's what and so will Bloom, heck so will the whole town.”
“But-”
“But nothing Macintosh, this is what we're doing and that's that!” She stomped her hoof and tilted her head back.
Big Mac stood up to her stern gaze for a few second before muttering “...fine.”
Applejack nodded “Good. Now go inside and help Granny with lunch. Ah'll get a load together and run it out. We'll talk 'bout this later, when we both got cooler heads.”
The big pony turned away gruffly and clopped back to the house, his head hung low and murmuring unkind things.
Applejack watched him until he was in the house and set to work loading the wagon with apples and other goods. Raj watched her for a few minutes before saying “He's right you know.”
“What's that?” She asked around a basket of fruit in her mouth.
“He was right. This isnt' gonna work.”
Applejack sneered “Hush up. You don't know nothing.”
Raj stood “Applejack, have you given this Ace-dog everything he's asked for, whenever he wanted it?”
She thought about it for a second “Just about, yeah. We were late a few times but yeah.”
“And he still sent one of his cronies after your sister, your sister Applejack, a defenseless kid.”
“You think ah don't know that?” Applejack snapped “You think ah'm not terrified 'bout what coulda happened if you weren't there? But Ace won't care, he'll just see it as someone disrespecting him, and Ace won't stand for somepony disrespecting him!” she gestured a leg at the half-full cart “Ah know this probably won't work, ah know it probably won't, but if there's even the smallest chance it'll keep them dogs at bay it's worth a shot.”
Raj stared at her, disbelieving “If you know that appeasing him won't work, then why not try something else? Go with Mac's plan, or come up with something else to get rid of these things.” He put a hand on his chest “I'll help you if that's the problem, I don't mind. We can deal with Ace, Applejack.”
"Ah said no, alright? We're gonna deliver this, Ace is gonna get all his soreness out, and when we get back Macintosh'll be calmed down enough to forget 'bout all this fire and brimstone talk. And so're you, its the only way we can be safe."
"From what, a single dog? I'll deal with it if it comes down to that."
“Ya don't understand, okay? Ya just don't!” She bit her lip and shook her head “You don't know how dangerous Ace is. What he can do!”
Raj narrowed his eyes “What are you talking about?”
Applejack stared at him with wide eyes, her head low. Her voice dropped to a frightened whisper “About two weeks after all this started, Ace asked for more from us, a lot more. Well, ah told him no then. Got how you and Macintosh are getting now, there's a line and ah ain't gonna cross it. Ace said okay, took what I was there to give, and ah went home neat as you please.”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Next morning, Applebloom starts complaining 'bout losing her favorite bow, one she'd put little sequins on right over her ears. Said she looked all over for it but couldn't find it.” She gulped, her legs starting to shiver “Later that day ah found a little red bow with sequins out in the field, all tore up and pissed on.”
Rajrishi's eyes widened and Applejack started breathing fast. “She was sleeping in it Rajrishi, sound as an angel, and they just plucked it right off her head without none of us noticing. Not me, Granny, Macintosh, heck, not even Winona.”
“I didn't, I'm sorry Applejack.”
“Ah ain't told nopony that before, cause if'n ah d-did they'd be as scared as ah am.” She looked down at her wobbling hooves and her voice started to shiver “So ah gotta do this, cause ah can't live like this, all afraid the next time ah open a door in mah own damn house ah'm gonna find- ah'm gonna...”
Raj dashed forward and wrapped Applejack in a tight hug, holding her while she shuddered and sobbed. “It's okay Applejack, we'll go, we'll go.”
She didn't answer him. All she did was cry into his shoulder
* * *
The sun was nearing its apex by the time they reached the Flats.
Applejack fanned herself with her hat. “Shouldn't be much further now, ah recognize that rock.” She jerked toward an outcrop of stone. “Cave should be just over yonder.”
“Good. Now what exactly should I expect from these... things?”
“They're probably gonna burst up outta the ground, start barking and hoopin' and hollerin'. A few of 'em might try to nip at yer hooves or growl atcha. Don't react though, that only eggs 'em on. Just let me do the talking and say what ah told you to.”
“Alright Applejack, and what should I do if that doesn't work?”
“Hush up!” She hissed “Ah think they're coming.”
Raj started to say something in reply but was cut off by an explosion of dirt to his side. A filth crusted Diamond Dog leaped out of the ground and bounded towards him, baying madly.
Raj reared back to strike the thing but it ground to a halt just outside his reach. It flashed him a yellow grin and broke into a fit of laughter while it bounced away to circle the wagon.
The ground burst at several more spots around and similarly soiled creatures sprang forth. They started cavorting and leering at them. They barked and brayed, snapping their jaws close and smacking the dirt with their shovel-like paws.
Raj was caught half between feeling intimidated and bursting out laughing. He instead opted for aggravated when one kicked dirt onto his boots and ran away giggling. Raj leaned near Applejack and half-whispered “They always like this?”
She sighed and shrugged “More or less. Be glad they ain't tryin' to stool on ya like they did last time.”
Raj paused “Wait, was that before or after they beat you up?”
She shot him a sideways glance before admitting “Yes.”
“Gross.”
“Yeah it was.”
A sharp bark tore across the rocky field and the prancing dogs immediately halted where they were. They backed away from the pair, heads low and groveling. Loping out of a proper cave came a great beast, black as a chunk of coal and eyes settled in a permanent glare. Where most other Diamond Dogs wore some article of clothing, a vest, a hat, a misshapen helmet or a studded collar, this one eschewed the trappings of civilization and was simply stark naked. His muzzle was curled up in a permanent snarl from a section of torn away lip and cheek, the blood red of his gums the only color in his otherwise pitch black appearance.
“I'm guessing that's Ace?” He asked.
“Yeah, it is.”
As it came near with drawn out slowness, Raj took the chance to appreciate just how big the creature was. The largest of the dogs around him were eye level with Applejack, if they stood upright they'd be right at his sternum. Ace could manage that in a hunch.
The big dog scanned the area in front of him and let out a low growl that raised Applejack's hackles and made Raj clench his fists. There was an elemental tone to it that inspired dread, something embedded deep that made other creatures wary and nervous.
Applejack slid out of her harness with uneasy haste and stepped forward. “Uh, Mister Ace, yer probably wonderin' why ah'm here.”
Ace tilted his head, a wash of drool flooding out of his ruined cheek.
Applejack continued “Well, its about the misunderstandin' mah friend Rajrishi had with one o' yer dogs, 'n ah'm afraid he mighta gotten hurt as a result. Well ah'm here to head off any bad blood that mighta caused with a whole 'nother shipment of our finest, neat as you please.”
Ace knuckle-walked forward to Raj's side of the cart.. He grabbed a big green apple and sniffed at it. He was within arm's reach, close enough for Raj to smell the reek of old blood that clung to his coat.
Applejack craned her neck around to keep an eye on him. “Of course, this here wagon is in addition to what we normally send ya. We'll be sendin' another one yer way at the end of the month.” She flashed a desperate smile.
The creature's beady little eyes flicked up and met hers for a second. His paw clenched on the apple in his grip and he let out a rumbling growl while his gaze swept back to Rajrishi.
Applejack's eyes widened and she started to step away “W-what's a matter? Is, uh, is the apples-”
She never finished when Ace grabbed the cart in both his front paws and flung it up, spraying fruit in a wild arc and sending the thing tumbling end over end. Applejack ducked on instinct, covering her eyes with her fetlocks. The cart hit the ground upside down, apples crushed to pulp underneath the shattered wagon.
Raj jumped back in surprise and made like he was going to strike. A pair of big Diamond Dogs swept in between him and Ace, low and growling. Raj stopped and glanced around, seeing the rest of the dogs in similar states of violent readiness.
Applejack shakily lifted her head and inspected the ruined wagon. Her vision was cut off when a oil-black paw slammed onto the stone directly in front of her face.
Ace stared down at her for a second before he let out a fetid breath that washed over the prone pony's face. He rose to his full height and rumbling like an earthquake “Did you come here to insult me pony?”
Applejack stared up at the looming beast and shuffled backwards, head still no. “No Ace, er, uh, Mister Ace. Ah came here to give you the goods you been asking for. Look, there's a whole four dozen eggs in there, well, maybe a bit less now on account of the-”
“SHUTUP!” shouted Ace with enough force Raj could feel it. “You come here, simpering and mewling. That was good, that is what you ponies are meant to be like, weak little things. It is how you belong, it is what you should be doing.” He grinned, or maybe didn't, Raj couldn't tell easily.
“But you brought that here!” He pointed a blunt claw at Rajrishi and every dog in the quarry seemed to growl at him in unison. “A mutant thing from the Dark Forest, a Dog-Keeper like you. The two-leg notpony that hurt one of my dogs.” He leaned in and spit-growled the last few words into Applejack's face, making her recoil from the vile smell. “You think eggs and apples are worth the pain of one dog?”
“Well, um, ah don't- ah brought him here to apologize to you fer-”
“Shutup,” he repeated, though much calmer, and grabbed Applejack roughly by the scruff of her neck and lifted her up to eye level. “You forget Applehat. That,” he pointed in the vague direction of Sweet Apple Acres “is my farm. Those are my trees, my apples, my chickens, and my pigs. MINE.” He gave her a vigorous shake “Do you hear me Applehat?”
“Y-yeah, ah do.” She stuttered back.
“Then say it.” He hissed “Say it back.”
Applejack gulped and mumbled something.
“Louder Applehat.” growled Ace as he squeezed tighter.
“It's your farm! Alright, it's your farm!” She screamed finally, a thin tear streaking down her face. The naked anguish to her words made Raj grind his teeth together.
“You're damn right, filthy pony.” he dropped her to the dirt “And I don't want that thing on my farm anymore!” He gestured in Raj's vague direction.
“What? But you- Gah!” Her voice cut out into a cry of pain when Ace gave her a rough cuff across the face.
“It doesn't listen!" He cried out mockingly while giving her another rough slap "How about you not-pony, did you hear Ace?” the big black dog stepped closer to Raj, sliding between the pair of dogs guarding over him.
Raj glanced about and quietly replied “Yeah, I did.”
“Good, then you are smarter than Applehat. Maybe you smart as a rock too.” exaggerated laughs came from the dogs nearby and Ace paused to listen to it. “Say it back then, make sure you know.”
“You want me to leave the farm.”
“Yes, yes, good! It does understand.” He clapped his meaty paws together and pointed north “Now go.”
Raj's brow furrowed “What?”
“It not as smart as I thought.” he chuckled before sidling within a hand's breath of Raj's face “Go, leave. Walk that way until you can't. Never come back.”
Raj glanced to the north. From his vantage there was nothing but rocky barrens for miles and beyond that he had no idea. Seeing his hesitation, Ace leaned in closer and spat “Now!”
Raj turned back to the Diamond Dog Alpha and said as calmly as he could “I don't think so.”
Ace's eyes shrunk to pinpricks while his dogs went suddenly silent “What did you say not-pony.”
Raj clenched his fists and stood a little taller “You heard me.”
“But you not hear me, I told you to LEAVE N-”
Ace's shout cut into a yelp of pain when Raj's black fist slammed into his muzzle hard enough to make a sound like breaking stone. The big dog went rocketing back, sailing over Applejack's prone form, bounced on the ground once and crashed into a rock outcrop with enough force to shift it.
All the Diamond Dogs went wide eyed and slack jawed, not a single breath passing between them. Applejack looked up from her position, her head switching back and forth between Raj and Ace's downed form. Her mouth worked noiselessly, trying to form words but coming up short. Raj shook out his hand, cursing under his breath at the pain in his knuckles.
Before the dust had even settled from his landing, the big black dog sat up, spat out a tooth, and shouted “KILL IT! KILL IT NOW!”
And then all hell broke loose.