The Diamond Dog's Guide to Engineering

by Tolerance


Comrades Capturing Chance

"You sure about this?"

"It's a little late to go back to digging your way out now. This spoon is almost done for."

"Alright then. Let's get this over with."

Speara Mint leaned his snout closer to the cell bars and shouted so that the guards could hear. "Hey, Mutts, and uh, other guy. Can I talk to you for a second?"

"You already talking now..."

"Well, yeah, but uh, I need you over here so that I can talk to you, because, it's, um-" Mint stumbled for an excuse, "It's a secret."

"Oh, why you not say so?" Mutts said as him and his partner approached the cage, standing just out side of reach. "Tell us the secret, pony."

"Okay, but first I have to ask you a question. What gets bigger, the more you take out of it?"

"Oh, oh, I know this one. Is it a hole?"

"Well I was going to say it's the space between your ears, but that works too."

"Hey, this better not be trick so you can steal keys!"

"What? No! I'd never. Frankly I'm shocked that you would think I was capable of something like that."

"Then spill secrets, pony, so we get back to guarding."

"Fine, you really want to know. I'm not the one trying to steal your keys, he is." Mint said as he pointed a hoof at Aaron's cage.

Aaron had just pried loose the last hinge's pin and nudged the door towards the guards as Mint finished stalling for time. With a loud thud, the heavy door smashed into the duo with enough force to render them unconscious.

"Really, a riddle?" Aaron said as he fished the keys out from under Mutts.

"It worked, didn't it? Now hurry and get us out before anyone comes to investigate."

They'd managed to free the remaining ponies and bind both guards in short order. The two dogs were now being carried between some of the larger escapees as the group tried to sneak through the maze of tunnels.

"Which way?" Aaron asked.

"I don't know, they don't let us work over in the upper levels."

The two guard dogs still lay fast asleep. "Try waking them up. They'll know the way out."

No manner of poking, prodding or splashing water on the dogs seemed to make them stir however. "What the hay? These two sleep like the dead!"

Before the group could think of another option, they were spotted by another group of Diamond Dogs, who promptly sounded the alarm.

Calls of, "The slaves have escaped!" rang through the tunnels, while shouts of "Run" and "Split up" echoed through the escapees.

Bolting in every direction, their only hope now was that at least one of them could make it outside and bring help.

In the mad dash that followed. Aaron actually managed to gain some sort of lead on his pursuers, only to be cut off by another group using a freshly dug hole. Completely surrounded, he had no choice but to surrender.

"Damn things move faster through dirt than on land."

One by one the rest of the escapees were recaptured and brought to the Boss's chamber.

"Well, what do slaves have to say, hmmm?" Napoleon dog started.

Murmurs were the only reply from the other captives, their short-lived hopes of freedom quickly and thoroughly dashed. Even Mint was beginning to hang his head dejectedly.

Aaron had to do something. Anything.

"Take them back to-!" The Tawny one began to order.

"Wait, um-" Aaron stalled for a minute. A thought occurred. The Diamond dogs were pack, right? They followed a strict heirerarchy, and they performed better in numbers, so all I have to do is-

"Out with it, Funny Thing!" Tawny shouted, irritated at being interrupted.

I just need to get them apart. "You can't order me around. I never agreed to being a slave."

Everyone present, at least the dogs and ponies, anyway, sounded off a synchronous "What?"

"I said, that I never agreed to be a slave. So you can't order me around."

A few hushed whispers from some of the denser dogs present boiled down to a "That makes sense." which only provoked the ire of Boss.

"Pups, quiet down, yes?" ordered the grey boss.

"Funny Thing is starting to not be so funny..." Tawny let out with a growl.

"What's funny, is that I think that I can lead this pack of Diamond Dogs better than you three ever could. What do you three even do that no-one else here can?"

"Aaron, what are you doing?" whispered a concerned Mint.

"I Strongest, yes." Said Grey.

"I'm fastest!" shouted Napoleon.

"And I am smartest of all Diamond Dog" Stated Tawny. "What could one Funny Thing do that is better than Boss?"

"For one thing, I'm a human, not a 'Funny Thing.' Even these ponies know that much." Mint shot Aaron another concerned look before nodding in agreement. "See, and that's not all. I bet that I can beat each of you in a challenge."

"Like you could ever challenge Boss!"

Now for the final blow. "Oh, well. I understand. If you don't think you can beat me then I'm sure no other dog here can either? What about you over there," Aaron pointed to Watch Dog. "Surely you could beat me in a contest of strength, right?"

"Duh, Watch Dog strong!"

"See? Even he thinks he can beat me, and if he can beat me, then surely the 'strongest, speediest, and smartest' Diamond Dogs around can do it better, right? It'd be a shame if it was never proven and other dogs started testing their strengths, no? Surely they would also never try to challenge the big Boss?"

Silence hung in the air as Boss shared uneasy glances with each other.

Stepping off their platform, "Fine, we accept your challenge, human. But do not think for a second that you can-"

"Ah, ah, ah. First, there are rules. I challenge each of you to a contest as individuals. Should I win all of the contests, then you have to set all of us free."

"Yes...?" Tawny said grudgingly. "And if we win?"

"Then I will be your slave, and we can pretend that none of this ever happened. I will however, need some time and supplies to construct the challenges I have in mind."

"Why should we help you? We just say that you are a slave already, yes?"

"And miss the chance to prove how strong and smart and fast you are to the whole pack? Isn't that point of winning such a challenge?"

"Fine, you may use the ponies for help. But we will be watching, Human. If you try to escape again, I will be sure that your time as slave is short." Tawny finished, with what sounded more like a promise than a threat.