//------------------------------//
// Chapter six: Clues 
// Story: Disharmony 
// by ItchyStomach 
//------------------------------//


Not much time passed before security ponies arrived and started to take control over the scared workers. With the help of magical barriers the crater was secured and the people were moved in the main building's direction. The calm and confident manner of the uniformed guard ponies definitely had a positive effect on the crowd, but couldn't prevent every freak-out. There was a young pegasus mare in pink coat trying to break through the blue dome of the barrier, despite her obvious lack of chance for success, who was simply taken into a levitation field and was held in midair, away from the crowd, until a female guard talked her into calmness.
Coal fidgeted as he stood next to the fence, staying out of the ocean of moving bodies, trying to decide whether he should stay and try to find Starry Wind or leave while he still could and come back when the waters were calmer. The appearance of a guard interrupted his contemplation.
"Sir, please, move," the unicorn stallion said. "We have to get everyone inside who saw the event." 
Accepting, Coal nodded and obeyed. As he got closer to the entrance, he took note of the number of ponies trying to get inside while the second, further standing building was free of any queue. He turned to the guard who was still close to him.
"Sorry, but why is no one going to the other building? There isn't enough room in this one for all of us."
The unicorn looked puzzled. "What? Why would you..." He narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, sir, what is your job here?"
Coal's stomach sank a little.. "I, uhm... don't really work here. I was just seeing someone."
The guard didn't answer, instead motioned Coal to wait and lit up his horn for a second. A moment later another security guard arrived, gold stripes on her uniform indicating a higher rank. She looked Coal over then turned to the unicorn.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Ma'am, this one here is an outsider."
The female guard quirked an eyebrow. "What is he doing here?"
"Seeing someone."
She contemplated her answer for a moment. "Treat him like the others, but stay alert. Talk to him after this is over."
"Yes, ma'am."
She trotted off without looking at Coal again.
"Have I done something wrong?" Coal asked the guard.
"I can't say anything right now. Follow the others for now, please, and later we will clear this up."
Coal seriously hoped he didn't step in anything too nasty by visiting this place.
He and many others were crawled into the dining hall on the second floor, which proved to be larger than he estimated. He quickly lost sight of any guards, and decided some sniffing couldn't hurt.
"Do you know what happened?" He asked a mare next to him, in what he hoped was a casual tone.
The pony glanced at him. "You mean you didn't see or hear anything?"
"I saw a flash and heard a crack, nothing else."
"Just like me, but I also heard that the barn was teleported away. Some dumbass probably overcharged the crystals again."
Again?
"Yes, probably," Coal said. "Although I wasn't around when the previous one happened." 
The other one waved a wing that Coal just realized she had. "It wasn't a big deal, most of us don't even know about it. But this... This is big. I'm curious what will they cover it up with."
There was a reason the magic storages were taken out of order. All these ponies, along with himself could count themselves lucky the whole station wasn't blown sky-high. He would keep his mouth shut, though. Partially, he could understand the motive behind the decision, teleportation and magic overall dropped the costs a considerable amount. Even though he saw many unicorns working here, manually providing long-term supply of dependable spells was tiring, which problem was solved with archamechanic technology. Still, the risks were too big for Coal to approve the methods of the zoo.
He realized the pegasus asked something and was looking at Coal. He opened his mouth to resume the conversation, but didn't get the chance.
"Attention, please!" A confident and magically amplified male voice quieted the talking to an ambient murmur, which also died soon after the pony began talking.
"Thank you," the blue unicorn stallion said, standing on a desk with his horn glowing. "Now, as you are probably aware, a magical accident took place at the Great Barn not long ago, resulting in the teleportation of the whole building. The number of victims is yet to be determined, but our estimate is around twenty, thirty tops. We have no exact information regarding their physical state and current position, but with log information we can narrow down the possibilities for the latter. Messages will be sent to those places that are habited, and search parties to those that are not. You will be informed about the results as soon as we can provide them.
"This event however, although unfortunate, will alter the routine of the station's life as marginally as possible. The cargo will be forwarded, its course modified or, if those options are unavailable, will be stored in temporary places, until a sufficient substitute for the barn will be built. We expect the circumstances to return to the usual within a week. Except for the people, that is. Uhm..."
The unicorn seemed unsure as he quickly scanned some notes, then took a deep breath and went on.
"Finally, regarding the nature of the event. A complex, long-range teleportation spell, casted with multiple unicorns' combined effort was under preparation as part of a weekly routine, when the supervisor sensed a distraction in the magical currents. This person was unable to warn the unicorns in time, and soon the magical energy overcharged in the target object. Before the staff was able to execute the proper protocol the spell took effect and the process ended."
"In other words," murmured the pegasus next to Coal, "shit went wrong but it's not really your fault, so just be quiet about it."
Coal smiled politely, but noted that the unicorn still didn't say a word about any arcane devices. Maybe it wasn't common knowledge around the zoo-workers after all.
"Please refrain from contacting the press or any kind of news agency about this event," the unicorn continued. "We wish to avoid panic regarding the safety of the missing people or the reliability of this station. This includes individuals working outside of this complex. This is a standalone situation, and we plan to normalize everything as soon as possible. Thank you for your attention. Please contact your superiors for further information." He disappeared from the scene before the torrent of questions could hit him.
"Well," the pegasus mare turned to Coal, "I guess that's our cover story. Good thing I don't work in the barn. Where is you place?"
Coal improvised. "At the receivers. I guess that's why we don't know each other."
They moved along with the crowd towards the exit. 
"And who is your superior?" The pegasus asked. "Isn't it that bossy earth mare with that stupid hat?"
Coal was busy looking for an opportunity to escape the situation. "Oh yeah, that's the one," he answered almost without thinking.
"Eager to go back to her?" She asked with a smile, clearly noting Coal's discomfort.
"Yes. I mean no. I just..." Coal spotted an opening in the stream of bodies and darted through it, leaving the pegasus to stare after him confused.
He squeezed through the door, took a breath of fresh air and tried to rethink the situation. Silver was doing something at his workplace, and he didn't say when he will be back. Coal didn't want to leave to Canter lot without his white companion, especially not after he promised Silver his share of adventure. He thought about the guard and his order to brief Coal about the event, and decided it would be best to wait it out. 
A pegasus got his attention as it descended from the air to land before him.
"You're Coal Shelter, right?"
"Slitter, actually. Why-"
"This is for you." The colt pulled out a folded piece of paper, which Coal took automatically.
"Who sent you?" he asked the pegasus, who was already spreading his wings.
"A unicorn," he said and took off.
Coal blinked. Silver? Was the word here that fast? He unfolded the message. The page, torn out from a notebook bore only a few lines of hurried yet smooth horn-writing.


Coal, I heard what happened at the zoo. I can't go there right now, I hope you're OK. Please trust me. You gotta leave for Canterlot alone. Get the next chariot. Hide your precious. Stay in C., I'm gonna look for you there. Take care. S. B.


Coal smelled the exciting scent of a conspiracy and adventure again, but this time with a touch of fear. What was the hurry about? What was the Silver involved in? Should Coal really trust him? 
He shook his head. Silver had helped him so far, and his message seemed earnest enough. If there was indeed danger, he should follow the advice, promised briefing or not. It's not like he wanted to stay here that much and besides, this place lacked adequate research opportunities. His straight black striped charcoal mane and light brown coat were easy to forget, the only thing standing out was the white bandaging on his leg. He silently sent an apology to the guard who was supposed to see him and will probably be rebuked for letting Coal leave. He slipped through the fence without a problem.
Outside of the complex, the town seemed mostly undisturbed in its daily life, except for some fast galloping and flying ponies. Coal, who was getting used to his stiff leg was making good time through the streets. His staccato movement attracted a few pair of eyes but no one bothered to offer a helping hoof, for which he was glad. 
Panting slightly, he paused before the hotel to let a group of mares through the doorway. His eyes widened as he spotted a familiar gray pegasus among them. Starry Wind caught his gaze and nudged a yellow coated elderly mare to go faster. Once outside they left the group, and before Coal could reach them they took off. He watched Starry's fast strokes and her companion's weak flaps as they flew away.
Ten minutes later, he secured the saddlebag on his back that contained his every belongings he brought from Canterlot. The necklace was wrapped in a towel and hidden in the bag's middle. Hopefully, a casual pry won't reveal it and a serious search won't find it suspicious. 
He checked out of the hotel and made his way to the building at the perimeter which had initially brought the whole little town to existence. After purchasing a one-way ticket to the capital, he walked to a four-seated and four-wheeled chariot. The harnesses were already in place, the two puller ponies were making idle conversation to pass the time. According to the timetable, the cart was to leave in five minutes. 
Coal didn't see any significant sign of what had happened at the zoo on the platforms either. No-one seemed worried or scared, like no-one knew about the incident which was likely to a degree, but this settlement seemed too small for such an event to go isolated. He hadn't even seen any guards trying to stop him as he simply trotted out of the zoo, and he didn't see any here either. 
When he was asked to, he reluctantly allowed the staff to put his bags in the back of the cart along with the other passengers, a unicorn stallion and mare's luggage.
The depart was on time. Coal watched the station's houses passing by and realized he was alone yet again, and he missed the white unicorn's presence. He has never worked with another pony for longer than a few days, solitude proved to be his best asset when the time came to concentrate on and immerse in his work. He was no recluse nor was he anti-social, but he valued and enjoyed being alone, a condition which he had too little of growing up in the crowded cities of first Manehattan then Canterlot. He partially chose his profession because it provided him with plenty of alone-time, while he still could find time to be with his few, carefully chosen friends.
The two ponies on the opposite seat who seemed to be a couple kept shooting looks at his bandaged leg but thankfully neither of them bothered him with questions. The chariot slowly picked up speed on the narrow road and when the last sight of the town disappeared from view, Coal looked at the forest stretching alongside the road. The unicorn may have very well saved Coal's life the other day, so a capable companion could come handy sometimes, couldn't it?
He let out a long sigh and shifted into a more comfortable position. The monotone rocking of the ride and the quiet murmuring of the other two ponies helped his mind to drift almost unaidedly from recent events to old memories and to recent events again, as if looking for a connection that just didn't seem to be there. He needed more research, more information and more time.
Well, time he had, it wasn't like anybody's fate depended on what he could dig up from a rather cloudy part of the past.

* * *

Half-awake, she reached out to gather more hay between her and the hard, uneven rock, but found nothing. With some effort she forced her eyes open and looked around.
In spite of her being tired and the darkness around her, the difference between her usual cave and this one still registered. She vaguely remembered how the dogs simply threw her in this temporary cave, instead of returning to her usual place. She saw no hay or anything to soften the ground in the significantly smaller and rougher cellar, but no bars either. Warm torchlight illuminated the area outside and some of it reached her, painting the walls in a mix of gray, black and orange.
She raised her forehooves to clear the stickiness from her eyes but a hard and heavy grasp around her neck and a metallic sound stopped her. She quickly touched her neck to feel a thick iron collar.
She sprung to her hooves which caused the chains attached to the collar to rattle painfully loud. She felt her elevated heartbeat from the sudden motion and feelings as she followed the chain to a ring embedded in the floor. The sudden wave of anger and shame due to the humiliating fact that she was being kept on a leash just like a dumb animal swept the last clouds off her mind and pumped some strength into her body. Almost instinctively, she concentrated power into her horn to open the collar with magic.
It felt like blowing into a sealed off pipe. The magical energy was blocked even before reaching her horn and built up a painful pressure behind her forehead. She felt a cold blow of fear and tried to push through the block anyway, but with no success. The lavender glow never came and the barrier stood relentless.
Panting slightly and fearing the unknown problem she felt her horn with a hoof. It felt normal, except for a ring at its base. 
The comprehension killed the previous anger and left her feel only tired again. She slumped down on her haunches, her right foreleg still touching the magic suppressing ring which disarmed her from her only tool and weapon. Slowly, she put down her hoof. She knew well what the problem was. Trying to force the ring off physically would be pointless, only magic could stop its effect and let it be removed. Until then, the enchanted jewel remained in place. 
She turned to the opening from where the torchlight came. The silhouette of a diamond dog standing there and no doubt watching startled her and she couldn't stop a little gasp. She saw light reflecting from the creature's eyes as it spoke in deep, masculine and belittling voice.
"Don't feel too smart, pony. We know how to take care of your kind so you don't go around causing trouble. You are a strange mix of them but right now, you are no different from those who have no horns or wings. You are just as pathetic and helpless as-"
"You should stop talking with the pony, Dart!" Another dog outside her cave cut off the rant. The one named Dart shouted back some profanity then turned back to the still-sitting captive.
"We're leaving in ten minutes. Swallow this and prepare for work." He fished something from his pocket and threw it on the ground before her. It was that brown stuff she was getting to eat lately, more and more frequently. The dog turned and left without another word.
She picked up the food and tried to clean it without magic, then ate it anyway. The chewy thing was dry yet somewhat tasty and she wondered again what it was. She didn't have any water with her, so after some contemplation she finished it, stood up and went to the opening to ask for some. The diamond dogs were still out of her line of sight when she realized she could make out their words as they talked and she stopped. Her movement rattled the chains a bit, but this time they left her alone. For the moment she pushed back her desire for water and focused on catching the words, hiding just behind the corner.
"... so we went, but it was nothing. That pony must have tricked them. We're lucky that ours is going along, even it took some pounding."
She identified the voice's owner as the dog who was just talking to her. His words were muffled, presumably by food in his mouth.
"They must've been careless. A trick like that needs time to build. And what about this one? That's some pounding she had by the looks of it. Was she that tough?" The second voice belonged to a younger one and wasn't muffled.
"You have no idea," said the older dog. "That bitch took the whip, the stick, the kick then stood up and threw us into the walls with magic. Even after all her legs were fixed with ropes she was tough to beat. Good thing we outnumbered her and could circle her. A whip here, a kick there, a good rock straight to the horn and she was down long enough that we could finally immobilize her. I got a real yelling for kicking her after but damn, she pissed me off so much." There wasn't any anger in his words, only satisfaction. 
"But she has wings. Had, anyway. Couldn't she just fly away? Was she underground already?"
"No, it was outside and she tried but sucked at it, like some child. I saw how the pegasuses can fly, but she couldn't even get high enough to get out of our ropes' range. We brought her down every time." He sounded like he was grinning. "We took care of that problem later, as you can see."
She slowly flapped her featherless wings as she recalled the event the dog described. Anger, fear and fatigue clouded her memories from those days, but she knew she had tried not to hurt anyone too bad and now she wondered if that had been the right thing to do. If she hadn't been so tired she could have pushed every one of her attackers back into the earth and fly or teleport away, but they had had her at a disadvantage.
"Yeah, I saw it," the younger dog said. "A bit disturbing. And I've never seen a pony like this one that wasn't just a picture. Is she special? Some rare breed?"
The other one probably took a bite because his words were too muffled to understand.
"...like a princess, as they call them," he said after swallowing. "But a real princess wouldn't have been so easy to capture, so I guess this one only looks like one. They'd never let their leaders wander around with no guards."
"But if she is that strong, aren't you worried she will blast the cave onto us, just like that blue one did some months ago?"
Her ears twitched at that. Another unicorn? So she really wasn't the only pony down here?
"I was at first," Dart admitted. "I always had someone keeping an eye on her, but she's never tried anything serious. I think she took the beating thing worse than I thought. And for that blue one... It was their fault. You gotta keep them in control, or they'll get smart. Oh, yes, that reminds me. Go and give her some water for finding that statue for us and promise more if she finds more. It will keep her motivated."
"You can do it. I have to wrap these torches for the next route."
"Can't you see I'm eating? Pick up your ass and water that pony."
The younger dog let put an annoyed grunt but, judging by the noises, stood up anyway.
She quickly moved away from the opening, as if never being there. A few seconds later the dog appeared with a water bowl and an unlit torch in his paws.
"For your good behavior and for finding us the statue," he said reluctantly. "Keep it up, and you'll get more." Not waiting for an answer he put down the bowl and left.
She took her time to drink the liquid. The sound of her own gulping filled her ears and she closed her eyes and let herself immerse in the sensation. 
She felt more emotions in the last five or so minutes than she felt in a really long time, she realized. Something's changed. Maybe it was her reflection in the facet of that statue, maybe this part of the mountain held more magic than the rest or maybe just the air was fresher, but something must've changed. Her body was still very weak, but her thoughts were becoming clearer. If she could keep up her cover image as a mentally and physically exhausted slave she might find a window of opportunity as a weak point in the diamond dogs' safety measures, then she will be able to strike and take a step towards freedom. 
She put down the empty bowl and stared at the ground before herself, indulging in the thought. No pity shall stop her and no fear of what will greet her outside if or when she succeeds. No matter what Celestia had done to her. Maybe her friends will understand and maybe they'll accompany her... But after what her friends had done too...
No. They'll just have to face her as well.

* * *

A change in the monotone rattling of the cart nudged him back to the present and he opened his eyes to look around. The couple seemed undisturbed in their intimate conversation, but when Coal looked outside he saw that they were slowing down as the chariot approached the building of an out-of-service railway station with several small carts parked next to it and uniform-wearing ponies standing around. They were too far away for Coal to read the letters on their clothing, but they reminded him of the elegant police uniforms worn by Canterlot police forces.
"Uhm, sorry, are we supposed to stop here?" He asked the couple.
The stallion looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression. "Well, yes, for an inspection."
He felt the cold touch of fear in his stomach. "Really? Was it scheduled? Noone told me..." 
"Actually, no, but one of the puller stallion said something about it before we departed."
"Oh." It could be difficult to slip the necklace through an inspection and reveal would make him instantly suspicious. He could try to bribe the inspection with his spare money or talk his way out or other make another ridiculous attempt that had no chance of success. Not in his case, anyway.
But the accident in the zoo happened no more than an hour ago. No way they would set up a post so far away, hoping that they will catch a lone pony. No, something else had spooked them.
The stallion narrowed his eyes, apparently noticing Coal's unease. "I suppose you don't have any illegal items in your pack, do you?"
"I sure hope so." Coal's weak smile didn't seem to have any affect, so he waved a hoof for emphasis. "Of course not. I just tend to get nervous around uniforms."
The unicorn slowly nodded and turned back to his companion.
They slowed down to walking speed and soon stopped near another cart which was surrounded by idle passengers and uniformed ponies. The latter looked bored like they were doing this job for too long and without much excitement. That, and the low number of unicorns were a good sign. Without magic, the jewel seemed ordinary enough.
Everyone turned their attention to the door as it opened, revealing a thankfully hornless pony, a pegasus mare to be precise, with two stern earth pony stallions behind her.
Obeying the pegasus's request, the three passengers left the chariot to let the police go through the whole cart. They were fast and efficient. The two earth ponies opened the couple's bags while the pegasus inspected Coal's.
"So..." she began in a casual tone. "Where are you three headed?" 
Coal looked at the couple, and the stallion returned his glance for a second.
"For me, I'm going to Canterlot, and I can only assume they are too. We're not together."
"Do you live there? Were you on a vacation? You don't seem to have much stuff."
"No, I had business in the area and only packed for a couple of days."
"Did you see Ponyville?" She asked curiously. Coal almost gulped.
"I've seen it, yes," he answered, wondering what he should tell her. Or what not, considering there was almost nothing there. 
She looked at him with her eyebrows raised. "Really? You were allowed? How come?"
"I had permit from Canterlot. I'm studying the legends of the timberwolves."
The pegasus nodded knowingly and went back to work. "I've heard the stories, but honestly, never really believed them. Never after the age of six, anyway. I had a coltfriend once who did, even after we got our cutie marks. He was sweet, but so gullible. He tried to explain to me the evidence behind those stories about, you know, magic and Everfree and ancient evil... No offense, but if you aren't planning on writing another foal's book about them, you are only chasing... shadows. Wow." She stopped and Coal, knowing what to expect, followed her gaze into the bag and to the necklace. 
The mare held the jewel with her wingtips for a closer look. Coal winced a bit but nothing happened at the contact.
"I know this!" Finally she said, smiling. "I've seen it in a shop in that chariot station near Ponyville. It was expensive as hell." She looked at Coal, who drew a deep breath for dramatic effect.
"It's for someone special."
"Someone very special, I guess." She grinned. "Are you dating a princess?"
He laughed along with her as she folded the silk back around the necklace and closed the bag.
Coal exchanged a goodbye with the pegasus and tried to calm down his shaking body. It was one thing to be nervous about detection, but this was getting ridiculous. He had to get a hold on himself. So far everything went well. 
He lifted his bag to place it back with the others but a big, unfamiliar sac filled all the remaining space. Coal hesitated then walked to the puller ponies.
"There isn't enough room for my saddlebag back there. There's a-"
"Just put it in the cabin. We are late as it is.”
"Oh, okay." Coal backed away from the buck. He threw his bag onto his seat through the open door then climbed after it. Before he could close the door properly the cart jerked as the two puller put their back to the acceleration. He steadied himself, turned to sit down, and understood the presence of the extra luggage.
On Coal's seat across the clearly uneasy couple sat a big diamond dog, looking directly at Coal with a welcoming smile. 


* * *


Things have changed over the years, but the common image of the diamond dogs remained one of a ferocious, not very intelligent and most of all, dangerous creature. According to often doubtful sources, their society had fallen victim to the destructive force of civil war and was only a fraction of a shadow on the ragged mountains of its previous glory. Their kind kept to themselves and every pony or griffin who tried to explore their underground cave-systems or uncover a part of their history was met with belittling unwelcomeness and defensive aggression, which more often than not manifested in physical actions. In the eye of the general public every diamond dog was to be avoided by miles or if that failed, to be handled with suspicion and with vigilance for any sign of trouble that despicable abomination of an animal could mean.
An animal that'd certainly not look like the one in the chariot. 
The diamond dog on the seat had a dark gray coat and wore only a thin, brown leather jacket. He looked different from the common description: he had clean fur, well-kept clothing and held a composed posture with his arm-like forelegs folded in his lap. Sitting on the seat initially designed for pony-sized people his pointy ears almost touched the ceiling. 
Coal gulped at the sight of such a creature so rarely seen and generally feared, but trusted the puller and the police ponies who must have let the dog in. He placed his saddlebags on the floor to sit down beside the creature, as close to the edge of the seat as he could. A quick look at the couple told him that they weren't aware of any new scary passengers either. He cleared his throat to break the silence.
"Uhm, sorry, but when did you join us?" 
It was a little awkward but still his best.
"Just now," the dog answered. "I was in the train station, waiting for a chance to catch a ride to Canterlot. I noticed the police was stopping chariots to look them over, so I took the opportunity and arranged my joining with the harnessed ponies. Oh, and..." he looked at Coal's bags lying on the floor. "Sorry about that. My luggage couldn't possibly fit in here with us, you see."
His voice was deep and his tone surprisingly collected. With his every sentence he seemed to deliberately fight against the diamond dogs' bad reputation.
"Well, all right then," Coal said, still a little confused.
"I know you ponies don't see many diamond dogs around,” the dog continued. “I wouldn't be here either if it wasn't for a business matter which I must attend personally. We might look like we could gabble you up, but trust me, not every one of us has such inclinations."
"I'm relieved." Coal said. "Since you were there, do you know why they'd stopped us?"
"They wouldn't tell me anything, but they stopped every single chariot that came this way. So far their efforts seem fruitless. I suppose they are looking for something specific."
The dog suddenly shifted on the seat and turned to Coal who flinched back before he could stop himself.
"So," the dog began, but then stopped and smiled. "Oh yes, I'm afraid I'd skipped something here. My name is Sheltar, from the City of Diamonds. May I ask your name? Sorry, names?"
"I'm Coal Slitter. From Canterlot."
"Obsidian," said the stallion.
"Pumpkin Cake," whispered the mare. "From P... Fillydelphia."
Coal's ears twitched a little but the dog continued.
"Lovely. So, dear Coal Slitter, I assured those police ponies my luggage consists only of legal objects, but they still insisted on taking a look. Since you went through the same procedure and are still here, I assume you are on the same side of the law as I am. Am I right?"
He didn't even glance at the couple and the too much attention made Coal even more uneasy than before.
"Yes, I suppose you're right," Coal answered slowly. "I would still have my stuff where it belongs, though."
Sheltar waved a paw. "The ride won't take long and you really don't want to share the room with my bag, trust me. So, do you mind getting your bags opened up?"
"No, not really, since I'm not snuggling anything."
"But it's a violation of your privacy, and maybe there is something you don't even..." He trailed off then shook his head. "Anyway, what is out here in the countryside that could interest a Canterlot citizen?"
Coal blinked at the sudden change of subject, and went with his previous story.
"I'm after timberwolf legends. Do you know any?"
The dog nodded several times. "Oh, yes, I do. It's fascinating, really. Dead trees fused together and controlled by dark magic? Very interesting concept. So tell me, was your trip a success? Did you find anything useful?"
Coal tried not to show his surprise on that the dog actually knew something about the subject. He decided to press it a little. Even it was only a cover story the subject itself did interest him, and not just because of the attack.
"I'm surprised you've heard about them at all," Coal said. "Not many do."
"Well, I'm fairly well read. So?"
Coal shrugged. "Not much, but I managed to get bitten by a bear in the same forest the wolves supposed to live in."
"Am I seeing the result of that?" Sheltar pointed at Coal's leg.
"Yes. I was lucky to get away. Fortunately, I wasn't alone."
The mare gasped. "Oh my gosh, are you all right?"
Coal grinned at her, feeling a little badass for a change. Sheltar merely stared at him for a moment, then grinned too.
"Good one, my friend, you almost had me."
Coal's shoulders dropped. "No, really! Why would I make up something like that?"
The dog was nodding like Coal was only a foal who just announced he found a way to fight a manticore with a paperclip.
"Don't worry, I believe you." Sheltar smirked. "They are really dangerous. So you didn't find anything, did you?"
Coal sighed and went on. "I found a source that could shed some light on the matter. Speaking of which, what do you know about them?"
The dog hummed as he contemplated the question, and Coal wondered if Sheltar was just making stuff up too.
"I'm sure the details don't matter since they're coming from folklore, but the general picture describes them as very dangerous, hard to kill creatures that don't have souls and aren't even self-aware. They are propelled by dark magic and I think they can heal themselves too." He shifted position and smiled pleasantly at Coal. "Will there be a final product in the end of your journey?"
"A book, yes. The details are, uhm, classified."
Sheltar waved it off. "I get it, I get it. So are you a writer? Or a journalist?"
"Oh, no, not at all. I'm more like a historian. Sort of."
"A historian, then? A professor? Student? Apprentice?"
"Neither, really. I'd say researcher. I help here and there in research projects, mostly in historical fields."
"I see. And is that a reason to travel all the way down from Canterlot?"
"Well, of course. I love traveling."
"Aren't you afraid someone would want to harm you or rob you?"
Coal furrowed his brows. "Why would I? Equestria isn't that dangerous, and I can take care of myself."
"Yeah, sure." Sheltar pointed at Coal's leg.
Coal felt himself blush. "Most of the times."
"And what if the circumstances aren't ideal? What if you carried something of great value that someone else desired?"
Coal, almost unconsciously, pulled his bag closer to himself with a leg. "Like what?"
Sheltar waved a paw but still shot a quick glance at the bag. "Anything. One's trash is another's treasure, but right now I mean something obviously pricey."
Coal knew where this was going. He looked outside to see how far they were from Canterlot. They must have been traveling for over an hour but the unfamiliar scenery provided no clue for their estimated time of arrival, so he turned back to the diamond dog. 
"What are you suggesting?" He asked anyway.
Sheltar leaned forward a bit. "If I'm not mistaken your trip wasn't without a success, and I don't mean some 'source'."
Coal shrugged and hoped he could drag the conversation out enough before it could came to something he really didn't want. "I'm sorry, but I don't follow. What are you talking about, Mr. Sheltar?"
"So you don't know. Let me clarify, then." He looked straight into Coal's eyes. "Kindness."
Coal blinked. "Now I really don't-"
"Kindness," Sheltar repeated, his voice eager with a hint of anger. "The element! The necklace! Whatever you call it, it doesn't belong to you or a museum or any pony. Just give it to me, all right?"
At last, it got out of the bag. Coal had no proof about the necklace having any real value or significance to the Elements of Harmony, but he trusted his gut and his talent and wasn't going to just give the artifact away.
"I don't know if it's really an element," Coal said, determined, "but I have my reasons not to give it away."
Even though he sort of anticipated it, Coal was still shocked and so was unable to dodge when Sheltar finally dropped the act. He stood, grabbed Coal's foreleg and threw him to the other side of the seat, where the dog had been sitting. Coal hit the wall's wood head first, but to an earth pony it was nothing. He saw Sheltar's back turned to him as the dog ripped the saddlebags open. Acting instinctively and ignoring the mare's cry of fright he steeled himself, stood up, whirled around and bucked the dog in the back.
The whole cart shook as the considerable weight of the diamond dog impacted and punched a hole in the door. Immediately he turned and growled at Coal, whose blood froze in his veins.
Sheltar's jovial image was in shreds. Leaning low like in a battle stance with his claws outstretched and sharp, carnivorous teeth showing from his mouth, his whole face was an angry grimace and a deep growl was coming from his throat, much like a timberwolf.
Sheltar launched forward with his mouth open and Coal instinctively held up his foreleg. The dog's teeth closed in on his injury and the pain flooded Coal's body. The dog jerked his head to the side and sent the pony crashing to the seat.
With a bit of delay the adrenaline finally took effect and helped Coal to see through the pain. It took him a few seconds to reorient himself and he realized the dog has released his leg and wasn't looking at him this time either as he has almost finished emptying the bag. It was odd but he wouldn't let the opportunity slip. He positioned himself, took aim and punched.
Sheltar cursed as the earth pony's hoof stroke his side, the soft part right between the ribs and the hip. He curled up in pain, fighting for air. Coal's leg was in agony but the adrenaline dulled it. He judged the dog as not an immediate threat and looked for the necklace in the pile of travel-gear instead. He spotted its golden shine and reached for it. Only later did he realize how completely he had forgotten about the two other pony in the cart, and how their fate have never even crossed his mind. Right then, all he cared for was his own and the necklace's safety from the diamond dog.
Sheltar wasn't about to give up. He grabbed Coal at the shoulders just as his hooves closed on the jewel's silhouette in the towel. Coal felt himself being lifted and thrown again, to the same exact spot as the first time, and now he almost broke through the chart's wall. The necklace landed next to his head and he quickly grabbed it. 
The dog was holding his side in obvious pain and was staring at Coal, who was sitting with the jewel in his grasp.
"You have no idea what you're holding," Sheltar said. "It doesn't belong to you!"
"It doesn't belong to you either."
The dog shook his head. "Not exactly... But it's mine for now. Give it up, pony!"
Coal looked at the pink butterfly of the necklace in his hooves. In the momentary pause in the fight he noticed how beautiful it was, how it was calling to him. He turned it around.
Sheltar's eyes widened and he stepped forward, but Coal pushed the jewel to his own throat before the dog could interfere. The lock softly clicked behind his head and the world was replaced with a torrent of unfamiliar images, sounds and feelings.