Jimmy's eyes shot open before he felt a sudden pain in the back of his head. His eyes shut as he felt the sore spot and paused at the alien touch of scales. Looking back at his hand, his mind recalled to all that had occurred before awakening.
"Dragons," Jimmy thought to himself. "We're dragons in a world of ponies, magic, and bipedal dogs."
His fists tightened as he looked around himself, seeing only a rusty metal prison door with a single light coming from it. Getting up, Jimmy moved to the door, only to trip over a large object. Looking back at the object, it looked back at him.
"Wha-? Who's there?" Billy's voice came from the object in the dark.
"Billy! It's me," Jimmy quietly exclaimed.
"Oh," Billy tiredly yawned. "I'm tryin' to sleep, gimmie three minutes."
Jimmy groaned and gave a swift kick at Billy, "C'mon, we need to get out of here!"
Billy slowly got up and gave a look to the door before looking to Jimmy. Both of them quietly stalked to the door and attempted to peek out. No guards, save a sleeping diamond dog at a wooden table. The light came from a single torch that hung above the guard, casting its shadow to a single exit.
"Okay, we need some leverage on this door," Jimmy began before seeing Billy bend the bars and leaving a large hole at the center.
"Dragons," Billy stated matter-of-factly.
As Billy stepped out, Jimmy rolled his eyes and mimicked his brother. "Dragons, obviously."
*** Mission Bumper Stealth ***
Billy and Jimmy stood on different sides of the guard and simultaneously threw punches at his head, causing the already sleeping guard to not wake up for a long while. Taking up the torch, Billy followed Jimmy cautiously, watching for any movement in the shadows as they stalked down the shaft. It took some time, but they soon found themselves in front of a large opening of mine tracks and an open mine cart.
"After you," Jimmy politely motioned to Billy.
Taking a seat at the front, Billy took in the sight of the track ahead of them and looked back at Jimmy as he took a seat behind him. "How's this going to help us find Marian?"
Jimmy grinned as he let go of the brakes on the cart, "We find the dog that attacked us in the first place and teach her some manners!"
Billy watched as the cart rocked forward toward a downhill and began screaming as the ride was underway.
*** Meanwhile... ***
"With these gems at our disposal, we will be the greatest pack of diamond dogs in the entirety of Equestria," Leash exclaimed, pumping her dog paw in the air. The response from her group of dogs came back as a mixture of weak cheers and groans of pain. "Wh-What was that?!" she screeched. "I get us the greatest bargain of all time and I receive that?!"
"Milady, Leash," a female diamond dog behind her spoke up. "Most of your pack is heavily beaten by the dragons that you've put in the cells."
"And they are whining about it?!" Leash screamed. She paced back and forth before stopping and turning back to her pack. "Very well. You've all fought hard, so now you shall be entertained!"
Another groan came from the pack, not wanting to hear another song from their alpha female.
"Girls!" Leash snapped a paw toward her trusted advisers. "Bring down the lights! We're about to perform the Mango Tango!"
The lights went off as they focused on the gems on the walls, making a series of multicolored lights dance on the floor. A bright light fell on Leash as she brought out a whip. Before she began to sing, the sound of metal wheels on track could be barely heard, making the dogs whimper and bark at the different noise.
"Iiiinnncccooommmiiinnnggg!"
CLANG! CLUNK! BANG!
A minecart came flying in from a tunnel and dumped the Lee Brothers before bouncing on the floor twice and hitting the opposite wall. The dragons wearily stood up before noticing that they were surrounded.
"I'm not going to be interrupted by you two dragons!" Leash angrily whined. "Girls!"
The Lee Brothers paired off and began attacking the dogs that had started circling them. Leash was passed a microphone stand and began singing into it.
Off the ceiling and onto the dance floor
Flashing colors are shimmering bright
As she watches him move, to her delight
Like a tiger she waits in advance for
Her attack when the moment is right
In the jungle of laser beams, tonight
Follow me / Follow me!
Your love is callin' me! Callin' me!
Take hold of me,
Like a sorcerer controllin' me
Couldn't be any clearer
Upon my magic mirror, I can see
Your true nature callin' me.
Billy threw a diamond dog toward Leash, making her scowl and snap her fingers. Her advisers stepped out with their own whips and joined in the assault. Satisfied to see Billy get struck down by a whip and knocked to the floor, she continued on, feeling the beat of the song again.
In a matter of moments she'll seize him
Like a lioness out of a dream
Gettin' ready to pounce with all her might
Like a kitten with yarn, she will tease him
Have him comin' apart at the seams
As they dance in the laser beams tonight
Follow me / Follow me!
Your love is callin' me! Callin' me!
Take hold of me,
Like a sorcerer controllin' me
Couldn't be any clearer
Upon my magic mirror, I can see
Your true nature callin' me.
Leash continued dancing on her stage, her eyes shut at the chaos that was occurring below her. She felt alive as she shimmied and prepared to leap into the arms of her adoring pack. Her eyes opened to see her pack all lying on the floor, writhing in pain as the two dragons looked up at her.
"Y-You... annoyances!" Leash said with a stamp of her paws. "I was paid good for what I did, ya hear? I'm not going to let you ruin my show AND my day!" Leaping off, she gave a snap of her whip as she faced off with the Lee Brothers. "If I must take care of you myself, then so be it!"
The brothers were forced to keep their distance as Leash began snapping the whip in multiple directions around her, making a seemingly defensive bubble around her. The moment she paused to shake off some pain in her arm, Billy and Jimmy leapt into action with flying kicks. Landing their attack, both of them went for uppercuts and connected against Leash's jaw, sending her to the ground.
With fury in her eyes, Leash sprang from the floor and latched onto Jimmy, sinking her teeth into his shoulder and attempting to take a chunk of scaly flesh with her. She was unsuccessful with taking anything with her, but Jimmy was forced to a knee to try and recover. She taunted Billy to attack her with a waggle of a clawed finger before tossing him over her body with the help of his running force.
"C'mon boys," Leash confidently jeered. "I expected better out of the two of you than a few punches and kicks."
"She's not a pushover," Jimmy grunted, rolling his shoulder."Not like the literal pushover of that big changeling."
Jimmy ran forward as Leash went to snap her whip at him, just barely missing the snap. Jumping up, he spun in place with his right leg out, hitting Leash with three spinning kicks and an added tail whip. Jimmy went to attack again with a kick, but Leash caught his leg and swept his other leg out.
Landing on his back, Leash stomped on Jimmy's chest multiple times before stepping over him and gloating to her recovering pack.
"She's no singer either," Billy responded, making Leash's ears twitch.
"How... DARE YOU!" Leash angrily snipped, turning back to Billy and pointing a finger at him. "I am the pride of my pack! My voice is revered by hundreds!"
Jimmy noticed the small wink by Billy and realized what he was doing. "Hundreds, sure. Hundreds of miles of stone who are thankful they don't have ears."
Leash threw down her whip and began barking loudly at Jimmy. She didn't notice that Billy Lee had leapt up and cracked his fist in the back of her head, making her stumble forward towards Billy Lee.
Jimmy Lee gripped the top of her head and pummeled the side of it with multiple punches before lifting up his right leg and grabbing her left arm for support. With a few bends of the knee, Billy's foot smashed into both sides of Leash's face numerous times before he let go of Leash's arm and let her fall to the ground unconscious.
*** Mission Complete! ***
Leash felt her paws tied behind her as she was sat at a chair. After some struggle, she stopped as she felt a heavy, blue dragon's claw clasp on her shoulder.
"I'm asking once. Where's Marian?"
Leash tried to turn her head to look at the dragon behind her, but could only see the arm and claw, serving to irritate her further. "You think this is going to psych me out, dragons?! I'm hardened! I'm tough! I'm the alpha dog!"
The claw came up from her shoulder and a red dragon's claw came up on her opposite side, holding a green gem.
"Nice gems. These from the changelings, right?"
Leash began leaping from her seated chair, still unable to escape as she saw the red dragon move up to the gem and crunch down on it.
"These taste good, and you do have a lot of them."
Leash began weeping, now knowing what was on the line. "Gah! You are so mean! You want to know where your stupid pony is? It's with the changelings! That's all I know!"
A clawful of gems came up in the blue dragon's claw.
"All you know?"
Leash whimpered and moaned. "They came from the Everfree Forest, okay? Seriously, that's all I know!"
The Lee Brothers stood in front of Leash as she gave puppy eyes to them.
"What do you think, Billy?" Jimmy asked his brother.
"Everfree Forest is a dark, almost mystical place," Billy explained. "If Chrysalis is there, then its a great hiding spot. But if she's not, we're risking a lot."
Jimmy pointed a claw and held up Leash's chin, "And what makes you think we can trust you?"
Leash growled and snapped at Jimmy's finger.
"Tell them," an older male's voice came.
The three looked to a grey diamond dog with hanging jowls and half-opened eyes step up. The Lee Brothers wound up for a fight before the dog held up a paw.
"Don't worry, an old dog may not be able to learn new tricks, but that dog can know when he doesn't have a chance." The dog straightened up. "I am Bingo, the alpha male of my pack."
"So, you and her?" Billy asked, exchanging glances between the two.
Bingo chuckled, "You tease me. No, we're not wife and husband. We are daughter and father."
"Dad!" Leash hissed. "I have this under control! Go curl up and sleep again!"
Bingo shook his head. "Leash, I had expected better of you. The pack tells me that you made an agreement with changelings for gems. And now, look at where you are. You're tied to a chair as the Double Dragon's of the Avatar of Love are desperately looking for any hope to save her."
Leash looked away from her father, not wanting to look at his face of disappointment.
"Untie her," Bingo asked the dragons. "She will lead you to the changelings and help you fight them. That was our duties then, and it should be our duties now."
"WHAT?!" Leash barked. "I WOULD NEVER! I had a contractual obligation to the changelings to not interfere in their affairs!"
"Then make a choice, daughter," Bingo offered. "Choose between your contract or your family. As of now, until the Avatar of Love is safe again, you are banished from the pack."
Leash's jaw dropped as the Lee Brothers began untying her. She stood up and began shaking in rage. "Father! I will-!"
Bingo turned his back to Leash and the dragons. "As I've stated. Make your choice, Leash." He began walking off as Leash hung her head in defeat. "And know that I love you, no matter which choice you make."
The air came still as Leash remained unmoving.
"We'd like the help," Billy offered. "It'd be interesting to talk with someone else than my brother as well when we go from place to place."
Leash kept her head low as she began moving, "Just... follow me."
*** Mission Bumper Cutscene ***
Shining Armor approached the mountain's entrance and looked up to where the lights had fallen. Perhaps they would be hounded by diamond dogs as they walked into their homes, but to him, all that mattered was a goal. He prepared to step forward, when he heard the sounds of multiple steps exiting the pathway. He tried to move away, but felt his hooves were stuck in place.
Remaining in his position, a female diamond dog stopped in front of him and frowned. Behind her were two dragons, one blue and the other red. The blue dragon kept his eye on him while the red dragon continued to look forward.
"Get outta the way, stupid pony," the diamond dog huffed. "I have business to attend to with these dragons."
"Wait!" Shining Armor spoke up, shocking the dog. "I have to get inside and find the Double Dragons!"
"Why exactly?" The blue dragon asked.
Shining Armor stared at the dragon, knowing what he may say could cost him. "I need to help them find and rescue the Avatar of Love."
The dragons gave looks to each other, the same looks that Shining Armor knew fully well. Were these dragons brothers?
The blue dragon gave a nod to Shining Armor, letting him breathe easy before he was greeted with an open hand.
"I'm Billy Lee," the blue dragon said.
Shining Armor put his hoof in the dragon's hand as he was lifted back up. "I'm Shining Armor, prince of the Crystal Empire and Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard."
The diamond dog waved off and pushed past Shining Armor. "Blah, blah, I don't care. Come with us or not, whatever. We are going to the Everfree Forest, and the best way to do it is by the pony's train."
"The next stop will be in ten minutes!" Shining Armor exclaimed. "We won't be able to get tickets in time!"
The diamond dog grinned back at him and the dragons. "We're not going to get tickets, little pony."