Below the Earth, miles outside of Mustangia, Equestria...
Just beneath the surface of the Earth, there were many tunnels. These tunnels intersected and lead to many different chambers, forming a great labyrinth. From inside of one of these tunnels came a beast that ran on all fours. It panted as its lungs took in the little oxygen that these small tunnels provided. The creature made its way into a great chamber, carved out by architectural diggers. Walls were carved out of the earth, the ground was flat and filled with dirt that got into the beast's claws. Torches lined the walls, lighting up the chamber.
The creature itself stood to be five foot eight. Its body was slightly hunched over; its forelegs were long and large, reaching to the ground. Its large paws had sharp claws that dug into the dirt; its hind legs were shorter than its fore legs, holding the creature's posture. The creature had canine origins, with black and brown fur covering its entire body. The dog appeared to be a Rottweiler with a semi anthropomorphic body. Its tail was large but unlike any other dog's tail. At the end were little protrusions that appeared to be spikes. A grey vest with gems in its pockets was adorned by the dog and a black spiked collar was strapped to its neck. The dog's lower jaw was longer than its upper jaw, giving it an under bite where its sharp fangs were protruding from below the jaw. Its black nose sniffed the air as it searched for its destination. The dog prowled through the chamber, hearing the sound of digging. The dog's paws treaded through the dirt, stepping over small stones that lied buried in the dirt. The dog came across a dozen other dogs digging in the Earth. Their paws clawed the dirt, forcing it behind them into piles. The dogs sniffed their holes, in search of their desired treasures. The dogs themselves were a mix of burly and thin breeds. Some were large and muscular with their cheeks hanging from their snouts and their eyes hidden by their drooping brows, others hand an average build, and some dogs were small. Despite their physical differences, these creatures were family, a clan that stuck and worked together as one. The Rottweiler continued on through the chamber, finding a tunnel that led to a smaller chamber. He rushed into the tunnel and made it to the chamber, finding a dog that sat on a wooden chair that stood tall. Gems decorated it, the lights from the torches reflected the stones and reflected onto the walls.
The dog that sat on this throne was a Boxer. His brown fur was greying along with his snout. His brows drooped down slightly and were wrinkled. The dog was still in a healthy physical shape, but his age was catching up with him. The elder dog's ears perked up as he saw the appearance of the Rottweiler. He smiled at this young Diamond Dog, graced by his presence. The Rottweiler kneeled and bowed to this elder in respect.
"Copper, what brings you here?" asked the elder in a deep tone. The Rottweiler raised his head to face the elder.
"News from surface, pack leader. The human soldiers known as MONARCH has fled the town above." informed Copper, his voice raspy and low. The elder tilted his head in confusion.
"Why have they suddenly fled?" asked the elder.
"Rumors among the humans claim that the Princess of Equestria has banned them from the country." answered Copper. The elder smiled to himself, making the sound of a dog grunting.
"This is good. Very good indeed. With those pesky soldiers out of the way, we can finally pillage the town for its gems!" said the elder. Copper's ears lowered, his yellow eyes looking down to his paws.
"Pack leader, perhaps we should leave the humans be. After all, our tunnels are bountiful of gems. We don't need theirs." said Copper, hesitant in defying the pack leader.
"Oh, but we do. Collecting gems is our way of life." said the elder.
"But there has to be more to our lives than continuously collecting gems until we die! Why do we need to cause the humans trouble just for our pointless work?" asked Copper. The elder growled, baring his teeth. Copper lowered his body and his ears folded back as he let out a small whine.
"Don't question the way that our fathers and their fathers lived! We will pillage the humans tomorrow night!" commanded the elder. Copper lowered his head.
"Yes, pack leader."
Copper treaded through a tunnel alone. His paws pattered against the dirt as he traveled through the tunnel. He was dejected, his ears folded back and his head lowered. His eyes gave a sad appearance. Copper was in his prime years, a young adult. He was raised and taught to traverse through the tunnels and great chambers. He was taught to search and dig for all sorts of gems that was within their territory. He was taught to honor and to stand with his pack members of the clan. Yet, he felt empty. He never questioned his way of life before until he laid eyes upon the surface dwellers. The humans lived in happiness, working to provide for themselves and each other. He hid and listened to their goals, hopes and dreams. Copper realized how his way of life paled in comparison to theirs. As far as he could tell, his life was meaningless.
Copper sighed as he continued out of the tunnel. He came across a chamber that was not as large as the mining ones, but large enough to house at least six diamond dogs. The chamber was decorated by rocky walls that divided it to have different rooms. His ears picked up the sound of yipping. From behind a corner of a wall came rushing a smaller and pudgy Rottweiler Diamond Dog. Its eyes were large and its tongue hung out. The pup rushed over towards Copper, who kneeled to the youngster.
"Hi Daddy!" greeted the pup in a high voice. Copper nuzzled the pup affectionately. He then heard the sound of more yipping heading towards him. He looked up to find three more puppies rushing towards him. They all tackled him, pressing their paws against him with their tails wagging. Copper laughed as his nuzzled his pups, but eventually stood up.
"Where is your mother?" asked Copper. He then heard the steps coming from one of the stony rooms. He finds a Rottweiler with a smaller build compared to his. She stood at five foot seven, her fur dirty and her eyes green. A black collar decorated in gems was worn on her neck. She smiled as she spotted Copper. The female made her way over to Copper, nuzzling him with affection.
"Welcome home, husband." said the female as she gave Copper a kiss. The male smiled to her.
"It's good to be home, Crystal." said Copper. The family made their way into one of the rooms, where bowls lied on the ground. These bowls were filled with meat, bones still intact. Next to each bowl were bowls of water for each dog. The room itself held a brick furnace that had hot coal sitting inside.
"You're just in time for Turkey Thursday." said Crystal with a smile. Copper grinned in response. The family sat, eating their meals with gusto. Copper and Crystal sat on their rears and held the turkey meat in their paws. The children straight away fed on all fours, munching and tearing through the meat. After the family had finished their meals, the pups lied on the ground, gnawing on the turkey bones. Copper took the empty bowls and placed them inside of a small rocky pool filled with water. He began to scrub the bowls with a sponge and soap. Crystal made her way over to him and began to pile more bowls inside of the pool.
"You caught a delicious meal, my dear." praised Copper.
"Thank you. It wasn't easy to catch." said Crystal with a smile. After an hour, the pups lied scattered on the ground. Their eyes were closed and their breathing soft. Copper and Crystal picked up and carried their pups and took them to a small room. This room was filled with rubber toys and small rubber balls. In the middle of the room was a small bed. The parents gently placed the pups on the bed, nuzzling them and leaving them to sleep blissfully. Crystal and Copper made their way through the chamber into another room just next to the pups'. The two made their way over to a larger bed, lying down next to each other. Copper gave a solemn sigh as he looked up to the rocky ceiling.
"What's wrong?" asked Crystal.
"The elder has ordered us to pillage the humans above in the town nearby. With MONARCH out of the way, he now wants to take their gems." said Copper. He then shook his head. "We don't need their gems when we have plenty down here. What reason do we have to even gain more? We don't do anything with them."
"Copper, you can't go against the elder. We have children that we must raise." said Crystal.
"Our children will grow up to live meaningless lives! They will just be forced to mine for gems without any purpose!" said Copper in anger. He then growls in frustration. "I can't let our pups grow up to continue what we are doing."
"Copper, ever since you ventured close to human settlements, you've been restless." said Crystal.
"Yes, because I can't rest knowing that the surface dwellers have goals and dreams. Isn't that something you want other than living below here to collect gems that just piles up with no use?" asked Copper. Crystal pondered his words. She never had questioned the way of life of Diamond Dogs. She was completely content with all that she had and what she had gained. She had a loving husband and four beautiful puppies. She was happy with what they have in their lives that she never paid any mind to what the purpose of collecting gems served.
"I...I don't know. I just want us to live happily. I want our children to grow and to provide for their fellow pack members. To be caring." answered Crystal.
"I do too. But I can't stand that our clan is attacking innocent humans for their gems. I can't even stand that we're going to pillage their town." said Copper.
"Then what will you do?" asked Crystal. Copper sighed solemnly.
"I wish I knew."
The sun rose high in the sky. The citizens were awake, cheerful on this day. It was nearing the weekend, a time where most people enjoyed. In the rocky lair of the Transmutants sat Baragon with a bottle of cider in hand. He took a swig, gulping the contents down. He then heard the voice of a woman in the cave.
"It's Friday! Friday! Gotta get down on Friday!~ Everybody's looking forward to the-" Manda emerged from a chamber inside of the rocky cave, singing to herself. Baragon sighed in annoyance.
"Manda, knock it off!" said Baragon. Manda immediately silenced herself.
"What? I'm celebrating for the coming weekend." said Manda with a shrug.
"We don't even do anything that makes the weekend special. Also, that song sucks." said Baragon. Manda crossed her arms and looked away.
"Party pooper!" scoffed Manda. Baragon rolled his eyes, taking another swig of his cider. He wiped his lip with his arm, searching the cave.
"Is Goro awake?" asked Baragon. He then heard the sound of footsteps approaching. The pair turned and found Goro rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"I am now." chuckled Goro. He then makes his way next to Baragon, taking a seat. "You two are noisy."
"Sorry." Manda and Baragon apologized in unison. Goro waved his hand dismissively.
"Don't worry about it. I can't sleep all day anyway." said Goro. Baragon laughed in response. Manda's face suddenly brightened up into a smile.
"Oh! Did you hear that Princess Celestia was hosting this year's Summer Sun Celebration here in Mustangia?" asked Manda. Goro responded with his own smile.
"I have. It'd be nice to see royalty up close. Heck, meeting royalty sounds nice." said Goro. Baragon shrugged in response.
"Meh. She's probably some pompous bitch like a lot of these royals." said Baragon. Manda's eyes widened and her mouth agape.
"Baragon!" said an appalled Manda.
"What?" asked Baragon with a glare. She sighed in response as she shook her head.
"I believe you might be mistaken. I hear she's the kindest ruler of all the land." said Goro. Manda clasped her hands together, her eyes wandering above as she thought of the princess.
"They say her hair flows and that the colors are radiant like the sun itself! Her beauty contradicts her age!" said Manda. Baragon raised a brow in response.
"How old is she?"
"At least over a thousand years old." answered Manda. Baragon remained silent. He then stifled his laughter.
"Bull crap! No way she's that old!" said Baragon.
"I'm serious! They have records of her being in power for the past millennium! She's an Avatar, so she's able to have a greater longevity than normal humans!" retorted Manda. Baragon laughed, loudly. Manda frowned and turned her head away with her cheek puffed out.
"Alright....huff...I'm sorry. I just couldn't picture a princess living for a thousand years and still looking good." said Baragon as he settled down. Goro shook his head in amusement. Then, a thought crossed his mind.
"Say, do you two want to be there when the event starts?" asked Goro. Manda turned back and her eyes sparkled and her lips curled into a grin.
"You mean it?!" asked Manda. Goro smiled at the younger woman's eagerness.
"Sure. With MONARCH gone, it should be safer for us." said Goro. Manda squealed in delight. Baragon took another swig of his cider.
"I don't know. I rather not ruin the event for everyone when people recognize me. You two can go ahead." said Baragon. Manda frowned in response. She then took his hands into her own with pleading eyes.
"Come on! Please?" Baragon stared at Manda's pleading eyes in annoyance. Still, he felt touched that she was trying to convince him to have a good time.
"I'll think about it." said Baragon. Manda smiled in response, wrapping him into a tight hug. Baragon grunted in response, feeling his body being crushed.
You're. Crushing. Hrgh! Me!" said Baragon in pain. Manda immediately released him and laughed nervously.
"Sorry!" apologized Manda. She then stood up to her feet and made her way to the exit of the cave. Goro looked to her curiously.
"Manda, where are you going?" asked Goro.
"I want to see if there are any nice clothes in the markets!" answered Manda.
"But the Summer Sun Celebration isn't until June. You still have two months!" said Goro.
"Yeah, and we barely make any money to buy food!" said Baragon.
"I know. I just want to see the clothes that they have." said Manda with a smile. She then waved to them and made her way outside. Goro smiled.
"She has such high spirits. Especially for someone facing what we are facing." said Goro. Baragon nodded in agreement.
"Yep. Her hugs hurt though." said Baragon as he popped his neck. Goro grinned at him, nudging him in the shoulder.
"Don't tell me you're falling for her." teased Goro. Baragon rolled his eyes.
"No. I'm happy being single." retorted Baragon. He then took another drink of his cider. He sighed after he swallowed the contents. "But, I hope that if she ever finds a guy, he'll treat her right."
Later that night...
Outside of the town Mustangia, the area was empty. The sound of the breeze and chirping crickets were the only signs of life in town. The night sky was clear with the stars and moon in the sky. Suddenly, the ground began to give way. A head of a Diamond Dog appeared out of a hole. Its head was covered by a metal helmet and its eyes hidden. The Diamond Dog rose out of the hole, revealing his burly body. A metal breastplate covered his torso and a spear was in his grip. The Diamond Dog turned to find other similarly armed members of his pack emerging from holes around the area. There were others dogs that did not wear or bear such items, so they merely had sacks strapped to their shoulders. The dogs ranged from hundreds, all filling out a large space. The dogs all grunted as they prepared to act.
Among these dogs was Copper. He held a sack that was meant to gather any gems that he could get his hands on. He felt his stomach turning at the thought of terrorizing innocent humans for the sake of stones that serve no purpose for them but to sit in a chamber. Still, he had a job to do and that was to stay loyal to his pack, for loyalty was the greatest virtue of a Diamond Dog’s way of life. He then heard the howl of one of the leading soldiers. That was the sing for them to strike. The rest of the Diamond Dogs, including Copper, gave a howl into the night. The Diamond Dogs then dropped onto all fours, dashing towards the town ahead.
Goro stood outside of the cave, alone in the night. He watched as the stars twinkled in the sky. He then caught sight of a shooting star across the sky. He sighed.
"I have so many wishes that I couldn't possibly choose one." said Goro with a sad smile. He looked over towards the town in the distance. It sat peacefully, its lights radiating from afar. He began to think back to the first time that he ever stood up for humans when they were threatened. Although most of them repaid him with scorn, one repaid him with genuine gratitude. That was something that he was not expecting. He often wondered how that young woman was doing. He hoped that she was safe and sound in her village.
"Hey, old timer. How's it hanging?" Goro turned around and found Baragon approaching with two bottles of soda in his hands. Goro gave him a deadpanned stare.
"I'm only 35. I'm not that old...yet." retorted Goro. Baragon chuckled in response. He then hands Goro the bottle, who took it in his grip. Baragon took a seat on a stone, taking a sip of his soda.
"So, you really think it's a good idea to show up at the Summer Sun Celebration? I mean, I rather not get obliterated by an Avatar." said Baragon in a joking manner.
"Of course. We don't do much other than stop the occasional Diamond Dog attack. I don't think the princess is as violent happy as you think she is." said Goro as he twisted off the cap to his soda bottle, the sound of hissing reached his ears.
"Yeah. But tell me, do you think it’s worth sticking up for these guys? I mean, we don't get anything out of it." said Baragon. Goro took a sip of his soda before speaking.
"No, we don't get anything materialistic such as money. However, we can earn the trust of the humans and the possibility of living normal lives like we did so long ago." argued Goro. He then looked to Baragon with a smile. "That, my friend, is the most valuable thing a Transmutant can have right now."
"Always optimistic. I'm just glad MONARCH is long gone." said Baragon with a smile. Suddenly, the sound of howls pierced their ears. They looked towards the wild outside. Nothing was in sight. Baragon's eyes squinted as he tried to see the forms that traveled in the distance. His eyes widened in shock.
"Goro, look!" said Baragon in urgency as he pointed to the distance. Goro followed Baragon's finger, his eyes widened in horror. He slowly stood to his feet, staring at the sight. An army of Diamond Dogs heading towards Mustangia. Their numbers ranged to be at least hundreds of Diamond Dogs.
"Oh my god." said Goro. He then turned to Baragon.
"Go get Manda! The humans are in danger!" commanded Goro. Baragon nodded in response. He rushed back into the cave, searching frantically.
"Manda! Manda, get out here!" called Baragon. The sound of feet hitting the dirt can be heard. Manda emerged from a chamber with a worried expression.
"What?! What, is it?!" asked Manda.
"Come on! We got a problem!" said Baragon with a serious expression.
In the town of Mustangia, people walked the streets in the evening. Couples strolled along the sidewalks, families headed for their homes for the night, and others merely worked in their stores. The night was quiet and peaceful in this town. Suddenly, the citizens heard the sound of a distant howl. They stopped in their tracks, searching the area as they began to hear multiple howls in the air.
"Coyotes?" a man asked his friend. His friend merely shrugged in response.
"I don't know, but it does sound like some kind of..." He was going to finish his sentence into his stomach turned as he thought of the source. He merely gulped. "Dog."
The sounds of howls grew louder and more numerous. The citizens began to grow anxious and fearful. Some began to rush out of the open streets, hoping to find refuge away from the coming trouble. Suddenly, the sound of screams was heard in the distance, which were followed by multiple sounds of barking. The citizens in the area caught sight of something that sent a chill to their spines. They spotted dozens of Diamond Dogs rounding the street corner, clad in armor and armed with spears and clubs. The humans suddenly began to panic as the numbers of the Diamond Dogs grew. The humans scattered, attempting to flee from the beasts, but their efforts were futile, as the humans were tackled by Diamond Dogs. The beasts snarled at them as they bared their teeth at them at the pinned humans down. Some humans tried to force the dogs off, but were met with bites and attacks. Others merely yielded, whimpering under the larger and burlier Diamond Dogs.
Throughout the town, Diamond Dogs broke into houses and establishments. From inside, they held the humans at spear point and raided their houses for gems. Most humans immediately cowered before these creatures and allowed them to do as they wished. Some attempted to fight back but were immediately taken down with ease by the large numbers of Diamond Dogs. The sounds of shouts, barking, screams filled the night along with the sound of property damage. One Earthbound woman ran through an empty lot, with no other person around. Her breaths were quick and her eyes wide in fear. She searched frantically for an escape, but heard the sounds of screams and barks behind her. She dared not look back at the chaos happening behind her, but found herself running into an alley between small buildings in the area. She immediately turned, hearing the sound of paws pattering against the ground finding nothing behind her. She started to search her surroundings as her breaths were drawn quickly and her palms sweating. The sound of a dog grunting reached her ears, causing her to whimper as she searched all around her. Her rear bumped into a trash can, knocking it over and causing a loud crashing sound. Startled by the sound, she yelped, causing her to continuously back away. Her ears suddenly picked up the sound of growling. She slowly turned and found green eyes glaring at her from the shadows. The alley was too dark for her to see how large this creature was, but she dared not challenge it. She fearfully backed away and caught sight of a shadowed figure dropping to the ground close to her, splashing water from a puddle near her feet. She cried out as she backed away deeper into the alley. Her eyes caught sight of two crouching figures approaching.
"Give us your gems." demanded the largest Diamond Dog in the shadows.
"I-I-I don't have any!" cried the woman. The Diamond Dog snorted as he got closer to the woman.
"Then what's that around your neck?" questioned the Diamond Dog. The woman immediately clutched the necklace that had a sapphire imbedded in it. Her face turned to dread.
"No! Please, anything but this!" cried the woman as she backed away from the dogs. They stalked closer to her, forcing her against a wall. She gasped as she realized that she had been corned.
"Give it to me!" demanded the Diamond Dog. The woman shut her eyes tightly and cowered by the wall, holding the necklace close to herself.
"Please, don't take this necklace away from me! It's very dear to me! It belonged to my grandmother!" pleaded the woman, her voice breaking. The dogs merely growled at her, growing closer. The woman dropped to her knees, hiding her face away from the Diamond Dogs. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a whistle coming from above. Her eyes shot open and she quickly looked up above. A shadowed figure stood on the roof of one of the buildings.
"Hey, is there room for one more?" asked the figure in a feminine voice. The figure immediately dropped from the roof, landing in front of the woman. The figure had long jade hair with red eyes. She was tall compared to the woman on the ground; her body adorned a long sleeved shirt and jeans.
"Come at me, dogs!" said Manda in a challenging voice. She immediately rushed over toward the largest Diamond Dog, crouching and sending a fist into the jaw of the creature in an uppercut attack. The dog grunted as he was forced a few feet in the air. Manda immediately grabbed his leg and swung the Diamond Dog into two of the closes Diamond Dogs with ease. The dogs yipped as their pack member collided with them. The rest of the dogs leaped towards Manda, their teeth bared. The Transmutant picked up the lid of a fallen trash can and throws it towards the closest Diamond Dog. The lid smacked the creature in the snout, causing him to whine and stop his attack on Manda. She then side stepped from the last two incoming Diamond Dogs. After their landing, she rushed towards them and sent a right hook to the smaller Diamond Dog, knocking him to the ground and then a roundhouse kick to the last Diamond Dog, forcing him against the wall. Manda popped her knuckles and stretched her arms with a confident smile on her face. She turned and found the woman that was under attack staring at her in awe.
"Are you hurt?" asked Manda. The woman was still shock due to Manda’s fighting prowess. She then noticed the larger Diamond Dog that threatened her rising to his paws with an angry look on his face. He raised a club over his head, prepared to bring it down on Manda.
"Behind you!" cried the woman. Manda immediately turned around to find the Diamond Dog about to bring the club down on her skull. Manda merely smiled and rushed towards the Diamond Dog and leaped at him. She then spread her arms and legs out, and then wrapped them around the Diamond Dog's body. Her body squeezed the creature tightly, her muscles contracting as the Diamond Dog struggled. The sound of bones cracking was heard as the Diamond Dog groaned in agony. He then dropped to the ground, unconscious with Manda still holding onto him. She then released him and stood to her feet, dusting shredded fur off of her clothes.
"I call that one, 'the anaconda squeeze'." said Manda as she looked towards the woman with a smile. She merely stared at her with her mouth agape. Manda walked over to her and held out her hand.
"Come on! It's not safe to be out here alone." said Manda. The woman slowly took the Transmutant's hand, being pulled to her feet.
"Who are you?" asked the woman.
"Manda, pleasure to meet you."
The sound of bodies being assaulted was heard in the streets. Grunting, shouts, and dog yelps and whines were heard in the nearly empty part of town.
"Come on you filthy mongrels!!" Baragon shouted to the top of his lungs. He was running away from a few Diamond Dogs, most stood about his size and a few that were taller. The man carried a club that he had stolen from one of the Diamond Dogs. He stopped and turned to face his coming opponents. He swung the club with all of his might towards the first coming Diamond Dog, knocking the teeth out of his mouth. He then kicked a smaller Diamond in the face, knocking him to ground. Baragon then rushed towards a taller Diamond Dog and slams the club down on his hind paw. The dog gave a high pitched whine, dropping on his rear, which allowed Baragon to swing against the dog's gut, knocking the wind out of him. The dog then slumped over on his side, trying to catch his breath.
"Is this all you got? How do you guys expect to beat me?" asked Baragon. He suddenly heard the sounds of growling all around him. He turned and found over a dozen Diamond Dogs surrounding him.
"Oh. Good answer." said Baragon in a nervous tone. The dogs then stalked closer to him, baring their teeth while snarling. Baragon's eyes deadpanned.
"Well, I'm boned." said Baragon. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle of cider and a cloth. The dogs eyed him curiously as he removed the cap from the bottle and substituted it with the cloth. Baragon then pulled out a lighter and ignited the cloth.
"I hate to do this to you, my sweet cider. But, when in doubt, burn shit up." said Baragon with a wicked smile. He then reared his arm back, aiming for the closest group of Diamond Dogs.
"Ruh Roh." said one of the Diamond Dogs among the group that Baragon stared at. Baragon then threw the bottle towards the group, causing it to shatter on the ground and to splash its contents on the dogs. The liquid then immediately ignites and catches fire on the dogs. They all wailed in agony as their fur was signed off and then parts of their skin burned. Baragon took the opportunity to flee.
"See ya!" shouted Baragon as he ran. The dogs attempted to help their pack members to extinguish the flames, but they failed. Some of the dogs began to chase after Baragon, all barking furiously at him. Baragon began to pick up his speed, sweating profusely.
"Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap!" said Baragon in panic. He turned around the corners of the streets and ducked behind a large bush. The dogs ran past the bush, still barking as they continued on through the area. Baragon smirked to himself as he rose from the bush.
"Dumb dogs." chuckled Baragon. He then heard the sound of distant screams. He turns and finds that more dogs were heading into one direction. He sighed as he figured that they were heading for the screams.
"I guess I better go help." sighed Baragon. He then sprinted after the dogs, reluctantly playing the hero.
Things have gone wrong on this peaceful night. Just one moment ago, people sat in this expensive restaurant, feasting on its expensive meals. People were well dressed for such an evening, as they met for business meetings, celebrations, or a date. It was going well until those Diamond Dogs had broken into the restaurant, terrorizing everyone. Their foul odor stung the noses of the humans as they sat and waited for a Diamond Dog to come around with a sack to collect their gems. These people were reluctant, but immediately changed their tune as one man was assaulted for not letting his wife give up her ring. The Diamond Dogs clawed at the furniture and decorations that held these stones within. The people waited for these creatures to pick this establishment clean of gems and to leave them be.
The Diamond Dogs snorted as they scavenged the area. Some were even distracted by the enticing food and began to eat. Few people looked on in disgust as the dogs scarfed the food down. A larger Diamond Dog walked over to the dogs and began to flip some of the tables, startling the dogs and humans. He glared at the Diamond Dogs that were distracted.
"Get back to work!" commanded the large Dog. The dogs grunted in response. The larger Diamond Dog turned as his ears picked up the sound of a howl. The rest of the dogs raised their ears as they began to listen to the howl.
"Who could be strong enough to-" The Diamond Dog's thoughts were interrupted as the sound of something crashing was heard. He immediately whips his head around, finding a Diamond Dog skidding along the floor. The other Diamond Dogs made their way over to him, looking him over. He was covered in bruises and scars all over his body. A few of his teeth were missing and his body was limp.
"Is he dead?" asked one of the Diamond Dogs in a high raspy voice.
"No. But you all will be if you don't leave." said a male voice. The dogs all swiveled their heads around, searching for the owner. They then found Goro standing outside of the door, with a few claw marks on him. The larger Diamond Dog snorted.
"How will a puny human like you kill us? We outnumber you!" shouted the Diamond Dog. People began to look on in worry, fearing for the man's life.
"First, I wouldn't call humans puny. They are strong in ways and areas that you may not be. Second, a human isn't the correct term to describe me anymore." said Goro. He then began to walk into the restaurant. "Finally, your numbers mean nothing against me."
"Crush him!" commanded the larger Diamond Dog. The Diamond Dogs charged towards Goro. The Transmutant picked up a podium and then swung it against the first Diamond Dog that came near him. He then sent a powerful kick into one of the Diamond Dogs, shattering his ribs, and slammed the podium down on another Diamond Dog, causing it to shatter against its body. Goro then runs and begins to send powerful punches towards the Diamond Dogs that came closest to him. One of the dogs latched onto his arm and sunk his teeth into his arm. Goro shouted in pain, then swung his arm against a wall, forcing the Diamond Dog to let go.
The people watched as Goro continued to fight relentlessly against the Diamond Dogs, showing no signs of exhaustion or giving up. Some began to cheer Goro on as he took down three Diamond Dogs at once in five seconds. He was then struck by a club, causing people to gasp as he was beaten. Goro, however, retaliated by jumping and rearing his legs back. The Transmutant then thrust his legs forward and kicked the Diamond Dog in his chest; the sound of bones cracking was heard. People cringed as they heard the bone shattering sounds coming from the battle. Goro continued on, making his ways towards the larger Diamond Dog. Goro was suddenly struck by a spear, impaling him in his back. A few women screamed in terror as they saw him stumble from the attack, blood trailing down the wooden shaft of the spear. Fortunately, the weapon failed to land a fatal blow and was only barely sticking into his back. Goro groaned as he dropped to his knees, reaching for the spear and crying out in pain as he yanked it out of his back. The crimson bodily fluid stained the white table cloths near him and the carpet floor. Goro turned and threw the spear towards the Diamond Dog that had impaled him. The dog yipped as he was nearly impaled by his own weapon. Goro turned and met the fist of a large Diamond Dog, dropping him into the ground. The Diamond began to slam his fists down on Goro, mercilessly beating him with the use of his massive forelegs. The dog suddenly felt something strike him against his back. He immediately turned to find a young Earthbound woman standing behind him with a cello in her grip. She stood to be 5 foot 9, her hair was long and dark grey. Her eyes were a grayish mulberry. She wore a grey suit with a white button up shirt underneath along with a pink bowtie. A pink music note was sewed in her collar of her suit. Her skirt was a darker shade of grey, reaching to her knees.
"You shouldn't have done that." growled the Diamond Dog. The woman fearfully backed away as he began to stalk closer to her. The Diamond Dog was suddenly hit by a plate that was thrown by another human. It shattered against him, fueling his anger. He barked at the man that threw the plate him and prepared to lunge at him. He was suddenly being struck by a barrage of plates and glasses by the humans. His skin was cut by the glass that struck him, causing him to yelp in pain. Goro immediately shot up, revealing razor sharp teeth in his mouth. He sinks the teeth into the foreleg of the dog, growling as he mauled the flesh. The dog howled in pain as Goro continued to bite harder. People stared in shock as the Transmutant rose to his feet and began to beat the dog with his mouth still latched onto the foreleg. Goro released the dog's foreleg and then slammed both of his fists on the Diamond Dog's head, knocking him unconscious on the ground. Goro panted as he stood over the unconscious figure of the dog. He noticed the shocked and fearful faces of the humans. He then raised his arm and wiped the blood that stained his lips. He turned and made his way to the exit of the restaurant, nothing but silence filled the air. He suddenly found Manda rushing over to him with a woman following her.
"Goro!" called Manda in joy. The male Transmutant gave her a smile.
"Good to see you're still well." said Goro. He then heard the continuous howls of the dogs, heading closer to their direction. Goro tensed his muscles in preparation. He then looks towards the woman.
"Get inside now. We'll handle this." commanded Goro.
"But, what can-" the woman was interrupted as Manda began to usher her into the restaurant. She then stepped back outside and immediately closed the door to the restaurant. Manda stood next to Goro with a serious expression.
"Hey!" called a familiar voice. The two Transmutants turned and found Baragon rushing over to them. He began to pant.
"Just in time. Baragon, I hate to ask you this, but we need to make one final stand. That means we have to give it all that we've got." said Goro. Baragon's shoulders slumped as he realized what he meant.
"I don't know. I don't like this." said Baragon. Manda placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"We have to protect these people, because no one else will." said Manda. Baragon sighed in response.
"Fine, but these punks owe us." said Baragon as he got into a crouching position. He began to strain, his body morphing and bones shifting. He grew large ears and his lost his hair. A large horn grew out of his forehead and his arms grew into large forelegs. Large sharp claws grew, digging into the dirt. A short tail grew, covered in rough scales that trailed all along his back and tail his entire body began to grow in size, his clothes tore and his skin grew more rough and bumpy. His teeth sharpened in his box shaped head. His flesh turned to a slight pinkish tint mixed with his brick red body. His eyes were small, red and slightly glazed. Baragon appeared as a wingless dragon that stood on four legs, being the size of six foot ten. Baragon roared as he challenged the approaching Diamond Dogs.
Manda dropped to the ground, straining in agony as her body began to stretch and increase in size. Her hair began to fall, being replaced by jade scales that began to run along her body. Her head morphed and became longer and more reptilian. The pupils in her red eyes turned into catlike slits, her body increased in length and her limbs slightly shortened. Her clothes ripped as her body and bones shifted to resemble that of a serpent's. Her upper jaw began to sprout sharp teeth that hung out from her mouth. She sprouted spiked spines along her back, but the midsection of her serpent back sprouted eel-like dorsal fins. The end of her tail was covered in the same kind of fin flap that belonged to aquatic creatures. Her head sprouted four horns and two antlers. Her side of her body sprouted shark-like gills. Her arms reached the ground, with webbed claws from both fore and hind legs. Manda hissed and roared as her body had finished its transformation as a water serpent dragon, standing on her legs to be seven foot three with a large body. Her pitch forked tongue hung out of her mouth as she hissed.
Goro's body began to grow and shift in shape. His head changed into a longer head, becoming reptilian with an overbite that exposed sharp teeth. His eyes were small, his neck increasing slightly in length. His arms shortened but had slight bulk to them. His arms had three claws. His legs increased in mass, his feet became wider and stumped. His mammalian skin became scaly and changed to the color of light blue. He slightly hunched over, his head still raised. He grew a tail that dropped to the ground and swayed. The tail was large and long, capable of crushing and killing a human with a swing. Goro stood to be thirteen feet tall as a wingless dragon with short arms. He gave a mighty roar as the Diamond Dogs had arrived, forcing them to stop dead in their tracks. The looked on in shock at these new creatures that were before them. A few people from inside of the restaurant peaked from the door and windows, staring with wide eyes.
"They're Transmutants!" exclaimed a man from within the restaurant. A few people began to panic from within the restaurant; others merely watched the beasts staring the Diamond Dogs down.
"There's a lot of them." Baragon said in a gruff voice. Manda hissed.
"Let's kick some butt." said Manda as her head swayed in excitement. Goro stomped on the ground and gave a mighty roar. He then broke off into a charge towards the Diamond Dogs, his clawed feet digging into the ground and making footprints into the stone. Manda scurried along the ground, her body swaying as she picked up speed. Baragon growled as he charged on all fours, his forepaws digging into the ground. The Diamond Dogs began to panic and raised whatever weapon that they had while some took off away from the coming battle.
Baragon rammed into a group of Diamond Dogs, thrusting his horn towards them. He then began to slam his paws against the dogs, forcing them to the ground and began to bite them. Manda wrapped herself around several Diamond Dogs and began to contract her muscles, crushing the dogs. Any free dog that attempted to strike her in the head was met with a snap from her jaws and sharp teeth. Goro stomped over the Diamond Dogs, using his mass to overpower them. He used his large jaws to lift up a dog and began to shake his head furiously. He then released the dog and stomped on his body. Goro roared as the dogs beat their clubs against him. He retaliated with a swing of his massive tail, knocking many away. He roared as he challenged the remaining Diamond Dogs. The Transmutants continued their assault, their war cries echoed in the night.
The battle had ended and only a few Diamond Dogs remained. Most were either unconscious or dead. Those that were still standing began to flee. Goro, Manda and Baragon stood among the fallen in silence. Baragon snorted as he shook his body.
"I thought they would never give up." said Baragon. Goro nodded in response. He then noticed a clear patch of ground nearby.
"Baragon, go over there and mark that patch of ground with the characters, 'Hogo-sha'." commanded Goro. Baragon nodded in response and went to the bare patch of land, where he began to carefully claw into the dirt, slowly forming the characters. Manda sighed solemnly.
"I feel bad for killing them. Especially since they were dogs." said Manda. Goro nudged her with his head in comfort.
"We do what we must to protect the innocent." said Goro. Baragon was finishing up the characters, and then he noticed a human peaking her head from out of a window of a building. She immediately hid herself when Baragon looked her way. He shook his head and then went back to finishing the character. After he was satisfied, he began to walk away from it, missing the woman looking back outside. Her eyes widened as she saw the characters, recognizing them.
"It's them." She whispered to herself. The three Transmutants began to walk away from the area, failing to notice the humans watching them leave the battlegrounds and the characters that they have been leaving for weeks. The Transmutants continued on through the town in a steady stroll, the sound of their footsteps being the only sound in the night. Baragon then noticed a Rottweiler-like Diamond Dog struggling to stand. Baragon bared his teeth and growled, charging towards the dog. He then pounced on him, snarling.
"Mercy!" begged the dog. Baragon continued to growl. The sound of Goro approaching can be heard.
"Perhaps we'll be more willing to grant it if you are willing to cooperate with us." offered Goro. The dog nodded frantically.
"I will! I'll do anything! Just spare me! I have pups!" begged the Rottweiler. Manda's eyes widened. She turned to face Goro with pleading eyes, who merely nodded.
"Very well. We will take you with us and you will answer our questions. But, what is your name?" asked Goro.
"Copper. My name is Copper." answered the Diamond Dog.