Chapter 25
Spike didn’t know how he’d ever look at pigs again. After Charles' remark about his wife’s feminine assets, Spike was ready to seize any excuse to remain silent for the rest of lunch. Unfortunately for his conscience, but to the benefit of his taste buds, the opportunity came in the form of Meredith placing the tray of sandwiches down in front of him.
To avoid looking at the female dog’s chest, Spike did not hesitate to stuff one of the sandwiches into his mouth, and thus subjected himself to a taste-experience unlike any he had ever had before. It was after his second sandwich in a minute that Meredith commented about how much he liked ham.
Ham, as in pig meat. In retrospect, she had said that they were ham and cheese sandwiches, but he had been too distracted to take note, and now he could never shut his eyes to the savory truth again. How could he when he knew those pink, cute, deliciously chubby creatures were so unbelievably tasty? In the end, he couldn’t even feel remorse for having a third and fourth sandwich before the meal was concluded.
“So, are you going to be staying long?” Meredith asked.
“Probably just the night if you still have a room open,” Amy answered, giving her silent brother a confused look.
“You’ll be the only guests tonight if no one else rolls in,” said Charles as he got up with a grunt. “So one room for the two of you? Come along and you can pay now.”
The dragons followed the old dog back to the shop and, after the bits were exchanged, were shown their room. “Going down to Burrowton?” Charles queried from the door as Amy placed their supplies down on the bed.
“Yep, we have to get some more bits for our trip and down there’s the best place to trade gems in at.”
“Oh, got something good on ya?” Charles asked with interest. “You know, you could just trade it with me for the supplies.”
“Nah, I’d rather buy than barter if I can help it and I’ll need the bits for later anyway. Besides, I want to show Spike around and I might as well do some business while I’m at it. You know, multitask.”
“Suit yourself. I guess it saves me the trouble of trying to sell whatever it is myself,” the diamond dog responded with a shrug. “You all set to go now?”
Looking at Spike as he listlessly twirling his claws, Amy frowned. “In a bit, I’m going to go through our supplies and see exactly what we need.”
“Well, just come down when you’re ready then.” Charles said as he left the room, closing the door behind him as he did.
Once the footsteps were far enough away, Amy tapped her brother on the head, getting him to jerk and look at her. “You alright there, Spike? You’ve been spacing out since lunch.”
“Oh, well, it’s… it’s nothing really. I’m just being weird,” he said, sounding self-conscious.
Amy rolled her eyes. “Really? Come on, Spike, I think we’ve both been through this enough to know it’s better to just get it out there. So, what’s up? What’s got you so distracted?”
Looking away and biting his lip, Spike eventually concluded that his sister was right. “It’s stupid, but, um, I’ve never had ham before since, you know, I grew up in Equestria. Eating meat, let alone things with hooves is definitely not, well, accepted, I guess.
“I mean, yeah, there are special restaurants for that kind of stuff and I know the royal cooks in Canterlot make things for visiting dignitaries, but that’s usually fish or, if they bring it themselves, rabbits and birds.”
“So you’re upset you ate pig?” Amy sat down on the bed. “Spike, I know you’ve told me before that you never ate meat because you thought Twilight would be uncomfortable with it, but it’s not her choice, it’s yours, and if she’s a good sister, she won’t shame you for it.”
“But I am ashamed!” Spike nearly shouted, arms in the air. “It’s not just the meat, I had that with the ramen, and yeah, that fish was good, but this is different. Fluttershy feeds some of her animals fish all the time and nopony really cares, so I probably will eat fish when I’m back in Equestria, but I know pigs. Everypony in Ponyville does, and I’m pretty sure none of them have ever thought about them in that way! Applejack has them on her farm and now I’ll never be able to go there again because I won't be able to stand looking them in the eyes!”
With that, he collapsed against the bed, face buried in the sheets and arms flung across the top in defeat. He mumbled something, but it was muffled by the fabric. “What was that?” Amy asked.
Turning his head, he repeated, “Why does ham have to be so delicious?”
Amy couldn’t help it, she burst into laughter. “Sorry, sorry,” she said when he threw her a glare. “I’m not laughing at you, it’s just, wow, your heart is just too big sometimes, Spike.” She wiped a tear from her eye before picking the small dragon up and placing him on the bed next to her.
“Okay, let’s start with the big one first,” she began, sobering some. “There’s no reason for you to be ashamed for liking meat, Spike, not even ham. We’re dragons, and though our stomachs can burn just about anything for fuel, gems and meat are the biggest providers of energy. Meat is a natural part of a dragon’s diet and you shouldn’t be upset that you eat what dragons are supposed to.
“Just because you were raised by ponies doesn’t mean you have to try to be a pony, you understand?” She paused as Spike slowly nodded his head. “Okay, good. Now, as for ham specifically… well I don’t know what to tell you really.” She scratched the back of her head. “I mean, I can understand not eating speaking creatures; that’s pretty much against the law in all civilized parts of the word, but pigs don’t speak, or do much of anything really. They’re prey, and even if ponies try and say differently, that’s what they’ll always be.”
Amy gave Spike a playful smirk. “And besides, it’s not like you're gonna go and eat Applejack’s pigs, right? So who cares?”
The younger dragon tried to smile back. “Yeah, I guess… but it’s still going to be hard to hang out at the Acres after this.”
“Hey, if it helps, it’s not like you killed the pigs in those sandwiches,” Amy tried. “Really, it would have been more wrong if we didn’t eat them because then there would have been leftovers and they may have been thrown away. At least this way their deaths weren’t in vain, right?”
Spike gave a weak smile and agreed, though the dragoness could tell his heart wasn’t in it. Deciding there wasn’t anything else she could do at the moment, Amy directed them downstairs where they found Charles straightening some of the items on his store’s shelves. “Ready then?” the dog asked as the two approached.
“Yep, all settled,” Amy answered with a smile. Though Spike’s thoughts were still somewhat tumultuous, curiosity and excitement helped overshadow them as they were led out back. Upon exiting the home, the young dragon mentally amended his underwhelming first impression.
Sitting directly behind the building was what appeared to be a hill practically cut in half and easily twice Amy’s height. The sheared side facing them was reinforced with thick, wooden beams and sported a large archway that could fit a wagon with room to spare. Sitting to the side was a small guard-house with a boom gate halting entry into the dim depths beyond.
“Wake up, Bob, we have some travelers who’ve got business in town!” Charles called as he walked up and rapped a heavy knuckle on a spot next to the guard-house’s window.
There was a startled grumble and the sound of claws scraping on wood before a droopy-eyed dog popped his head out. “Who’s that?” he drawled as he adjusted his lopsided helmet. “Charles? Who’s that with ya?” Leaning further into the open and squinting, Bob’s eyes flew open as he scrambled for his spear. “Dragons! They’re here for the gems!”
Unfortunately for a bemused dragoness, the dope’s panicked buffoonery was cut short as Charles grabbed him by the lower jaw and forced him to look at Amy and her brother again. “Wow now, don’t go stirring up a fuss there, pup, it’s just Amethyst Thistle. You remember her, don’t cha’?”
“Amethyst…? How is that better?”
Amy’s smile flipped upside down. “Gee, thanks, Bob. You sure do know how to make a girl feel welcome.” She pointed at the boom gate. “You gonna lift that or am I just jumping over?”
“Well… I suppose, as long as you don’t eat all the gems or nothing,” he said with a scratch of his head. “I should probably send a message down so that they know you’re coming.”
“You’re being paranoid,” said Charles with a roll of his eyes. “She didn’t get up to anything last time she was around, and she has a youngster with her this time to look after. I know she’s a dragon, but I’m pretty sure the worst she’ll do is scare the elderly.”
Suppressing a remark about how he wasn’t afraid of her, the dragoness instead gave Charles a smile and said, “Thanks, and no, I’m not going to get up to anything while I’m in town. I just have some things that need doing.”
Responding with the I’m-watching-you gesture and narrowed eyes, Bob nevertheless lifted the gate for them. Giving her head small shake, Amy grabbed hold of Spike’s claw and moved forward.
Spike gave Bob a meek smile as they passed before turning his gaze to the archway they moved under. The inside of the tunnel sloped noticeably and was supported by crisscrossing beams along the walls and ceilings. Strange, glowing crystals poked out through the rocks above every once in a while to light the area, and Spike wondered if it was a type of magic. Maybe diamond dogs had their own form of magic the young dragon didn’t know about.
Before he could voice any questions on the matter, the tunnel abruptly ended with what appeared to be a large metal cage. Charles stepped forward and moved a little latch to open the door, gesturing the dragons forward. “I’ll be staying up here if you don’t mind. You know your way around I’m sure and I’d rather not leave Meredith alone if it can be helped.”
“Yeah, I understand, and don’t worry, I can handle it from here,” Amy said as she and Spike entered the cage, waving the old dog goodbye.
With Charles hiking back towards the light, Spike watched his sister close them in. “What is this thing?” he questioned, tapping a toe against the solid sheet of metal that formed the floor. “And how is it going to get us to Burrowton?”
“What? You’ve never seen an elevator before?” Amy asked back, getting a shake of the head from the smaller dragon. “Well, this’ll be an experience then. Hold this.” She passed over her pack where the rest of their sugar diamond, less than half of the gem remaining beneath the fabric it was stowed away in.
As his sister pulled a lever sticking out of the wall, Spike found himself clutching the bag to his chest and stumbling as an unexpected shift rocked the cage. “Wow! Is this thing falling?” he asked in a slight panic.
“We’re being lowered slowly.” She smirked at seeing his wide eyes. “Pretty nifty, huh? Beats stairs any day.”
Spike looked through the grates of the cage to see the stone slowly rise past them and wondered how far this elevator would travel. He hoped it would end soon; the sensation was similar to that of being in a pegasus-drawn chariot as it landed, though far more prolonged. It made his tummy feel like it was trying to float up his throat.
His wish came true after another minute, and the young dragon couldn’t help but wonder how deep they had descended. Burrowton, it seemed, was greatly different to the shallow-dug tunnels of the diamond dogs by Ponyville. “I welcome you, Spike,” Amy began, stepping forward to open the door, “to Burrowton.”
As she swung the metal gate open, the younger dragon’s eyes locked onto the activity ahead and once more grew wide. Spike hadn’t noticed the unmistakable din of civilization until now as he gazed upon the underground town with an unobstructed view.
The elevator opened to what he figured was Burrowton’s main street as the smooth, stone road was lined on either side by buildings carved straight from the earth itself. Many of them had large signs or colorful banners and Spike could make out stalls from which fierce haggling took place.
“Wow...” was all that he could manage as his eyes drifted from the bustling streets to the incredibly high ceiling above and huge, glowing crystal illuminating the city. Along the round cavern’s walls were dozens of caves, all level at two distinct tiers. Large ledges jut out evenly at the base of these caves, making perfect, circular walkways Spike could see dogs traversing.
Another amazing feat of engineering was the two large bridges, one at each tier, that traversed the entire cavern. “Pretty amazing, huh?” Amy said. “Not many people realize how industrious and intelligent diamond dogs can be, but seeing this place usually drives the point home.”
“No kidding,” Spike commented, eyes spotting the spiraling, stone staircases that led to the upper levels. “This place is huge.”
“From end to end, it’s probably about as big Ponyville I’d wager,” Amy declared, voice sounding like it had when she was touring him around her city. It was a recently discovered passion she found in showing her little brother new things and being able to tell him about them. “Actually a bit bigger since there are three levels to this place.”
“I noticed. Let me guess,” Spike pointed up at the caves, “Those are homes and at the bottom here is like a marketplace or something?”
Amy shined him a proud smile and patted him on the head. “Look at you, ya little genius, got it in one.” Stepping further into the cavern with Spike following behind, she added, “Luckily we won’t have to climb those stairs or try to cram into an elevator; those are always packed.”
As they stepped out, Spike noticed two armored diamond dog guards stiffen and tilt their spears an inch forward. “Halt! What is your business here, dragons?”
Bringing her claws up in placating gesture, the dragoness quickly explained, “Wow, boy, heel, we’re just here to do some trading and then we’ll be on our way. No trouble involved.”
The taller of the guards narrowed his eyes from beneath his helmet. “Wait, you’re that Amethyst something-or-other who was here a year ago, aren’t you?”
“Yep, that’s me, the completely harmless Amethyst Thistle.”
A moment of silence passed before he gestured to Spike. “… And that one? He got self-control, or is he gonna be nabbing gems?”
Amy frowned. “He’s my little brother, and you don’t have to worry about him. He’s as far from a crook as they come.”
“Uh, yeah, I won’t steal anything,” Spike supplied. “Dragon’s honor.”
The diamond dog grunted. “Better not… Move along then, but I better not hear about any trouble, got it?”
Nodding their heads, the draconic pair continued on their way. It was odd, Spike noticed, that the bustling sounds of civilization didn’t get louder as they neared, and instead quieted. As they reached the first buildings, the younger dragon realized it was because the diamond dogs, once hurrying about their busy day, had all frozen and turned to watch their approach.
The slightly worried looks of the adults and downright terrified ones of the elderly was giving Spike cause for apprehension, but it was quickly dissolved when gasps were heard and the heads of pups began peeking out from around their parents. Fast as lightning, dozens of little dogs broke away from their guardians, too quick for the large paws grasping after them, and surrounded the siblings with excited yips.
“Oh, your scales are so shiny! Can I have one?”
“Miss Amy! Miss Amy! Do you remember me? You gave me that sapphire, remember?”
“Hey! I didn’t get to see it last time! Let me see the dragon!”
“Show us the fire again!”
“Yeah! Do the puppets, they were awesome!”
“It’s nice to see all of you too,” Amy said, flustered as she pushed down a pup that had climbed up to her waist and sought to give her slobbery kiss on the cheek. “Calm down though, you’re gonna give your parents heart attacks.”
“Wow, I knew Charles said you were popular with the children, but I didn’t think it would be like this,” Spike commented with a smirk that quickly fell as multiple eyes darted to him.
“Another dragon!”
“And he’s tiny like us!”
“Hey, I’m taller than you! I’m taller than a dragon!”
“Can you do cool stuff with your fire too, mister?”
“Wow, hey! Watch where you put those paws!” exclaimed the younger dragon as he pulled his tail around to his chest, sending a weak glare at the girl who had been squeezing it.
Thankfully, the adults had finally come to their senses enough to rush over and save the dragons from an adorable doom of puppy suffocation, though if their expressions were any indication, they probably thought they were saving the pups. It was disheartening to Spike to be looked at like that.
“I’m so sorry, sir, she’s such a grabby little thing,” one diamond dog said, a rare female, as she pulled the pup that had touched his tail into her arms. Unlike like the others, she gave the little drake a genuine, albeit sheepish smile before fast-walking away and scolding her child in a harsh whisper.
There were others that stopped and exchanged a few words with his sister before wandering off. Good, Spike was beginning to worry they weren’t welcome here and were going to be chased off like in Bedville. He really had had enough running for his life on this trip as it was without adding a daring escape from deep underground to the mix.
“So, um, why are you visiting, if you don’t mind me asking?” a male diamond dog inquired, looking like he was perhaps the older, teenage brother of the small dog trying to pull their paws apart.
“Nothing much, just here to sell some gems and buy some supplies,” Amy answered, getting the dog’s eyes to light up.
“Oh? Well, I was actually just taking lunch to my dad. He runs a pawn shop… You want to follow me?” he asked.
Seeing no harm in it, the dragoness agreed and they were soon walking behind the dog while his younger brother talked Spike’s ear off. He was guilty to admit it, but he didn’t actually listen to the questions of the child as much as he did his proper grammar. Well, as proper as a young kid’s grammar could be.
So far, not a single dog he had met here spoke in the broken fashion as those from back home, and he felt awful for expecting it just because they lived underground. “What? Fire?” Spike managed to pick out of the rapid fire questions. “Yeah, I can breathe fire… Well, most of the time, at least.” He looked to the ground, twiddling his claws as he sighed. “Some things happened and… I’ve had some trouble with it.”
The dog gave him a wide-eyed stare. “Really? Like, you can’t breathe any fire at all?” His gaze narrowed slightly. “Or are you just saying that because you want to keep the fire for yourself?”
“What? No! That doesn’t even make any sense!” Spike retorted, getting the adults to look back. “Look, watch, I’ll show you.” Inhaling deeply, Spike reached for his magic with as much effort as he could muster and pulled. Forcing what he could out, a puff of smoke billowed out of his puckered lips as he strained with his eyes squeezed shut.
This wasn’t the first time he had attempted to breathe fire since the sealing, Amy thought it would be good to make the attempt every night to track his recovery, but it still made his heart ache to open his eyes only to see the dissipating black puff.
“Hey! I think it’s getting better,” Amy said happily. “There were a few sparks at the start there.”
Spike blinked. “Really?” he asked with tentative hope. Maybe he should try again with his eyes open? “I didn’t notice.”
“Oh, there was all right,” spoke the older diamond dog, sheepishly coming out from behind the dragoness he had been using for cover.
“Yep, they were pretty green ones,” the younger supplied. “Sorry I didn’t believe you.”
Despite how cavalier the apology sounded, Spike couldn’t find it in himself to feel upset as his heart filled with joy. Even though he was the one who theorized that the seal could only be temporary, so many days without progress had started to whittle away his confidence.
After another attempt with the same results to see for himself and Amy telling him not to strain himself, the group was on their way again and soon came to a small building wedged between two larger ones. The sign was simple, carved directly into the stone above the door, reading, “Jewels & Gems Pawn Shop.”
Tilting his head, Spike muttered, “Aren’t they the same thing?” which, to his slight chagrin, was picked up by the older dog.
“Maybe to some, but to us in the business, a jewel is a gem that is turned into a work of art either by the finish of the gem or the setting it goes into.” He droned as if he had been told this far too many times. “Still though, I keep telling my dad he can’t expect the general public to understand that, but he refuses to change it.”
“Eh, it’s catchy,” Amy said with a shrug as she opened the door, ignoring the frown on the dog’s face. Spike and the younger dog followed behind their elder siblings and entered into a dusty, cramped store. It probably wouldn’t have had a space issue if it weren’t for the numerous shelves stacked with all manner of merchandise. While there were plenty of gems and jewelry on display behind the glass counter, there was also pottery, gizmos, toys, and all sorts of knick-knacks to peruse.
As Spike stared at the sheer magnitude of stuff filling the small space, his puppy companion ran forward with a shout of, “Daddy!” Turning towards the sound of someone getting the air knocked out of them, Spike saw what must have been the owner patting his son on the head and trying to push him down off of his waist. He was skinny and grey with a small pair of spectacles balanced on his snout, looking much like his oldest son.
“It’s good to see you, Milo, but are you doing here?”
“Mom sent me to bring some food, and he wanted to tag along,” their guide said as he stepped into view.
The father blinked a few times before bursting into laughter. “I forgot lunch again, did I?” His stomach growled and he placed a paw on it. “I’d have starved a long time ago if it weren’t for your mother. Thanks a million, Max.”
Handing over the bagged lunch, Max gestured to the dragons with a wry smile. “Taking into account you haven’t noticed your customers yet, yeah, I can see that.”
Once he had taken notice of them, the father started. “I can see your point.” Smile returning, he held out a paw. “Name’s Matthew, what do I have to thank for bringing a couple of dragons to my humble shop?”
It seemed Amethyst had lucked out and stumbled upon one of the more tolerant families in Burrowton as she took his paw and gave it a shake. “Your son, actually. Once I told him I was looking to sell some gems, he was quick to bring me here.”
“And a good thing he did,” the dog declared as he rushed around the glass counter. “I believe in honest business and if you got something valuable, I’ll pay you a fair amount for it. So, what do you got for me, Miss…?”
“You can call me Amy, and I’ve got something you’re gonna like, Matt” she said with confidence as she held a paw out to her brother. It took the younger dragon a moment to remember he was the one carrying the goods and he quickly gave Amy the bag. Untying the top gently, the dragoness reached a claw in and slowly pulled the diamond out.
Even after having eaten from the precious gem multiple times, the divine scent was enough to make Spike and his sister salivate. Matthew, it seemed, had a similar reaction as he stared at the diamond with something akin to reverence, causing Amy to smile. “Oh, you really must know your gems if you can tell what this is with just a glance.”
He hummed in agreement, eyes not leaving the treasure. “I’d like to think I know more than the average dog when it comes to stones, which is saying something, so if I’m not mistaken, that… is a sugar diamond.”
“You most definitely are not,” Amy replied with a proud smile as if the stone in her hand was a prodigal offspring. With how she sometimes rubbed it and whispered, “My precious,” when she thought Spike was asleep, it very well could have been. It was very creepy.
Reluctantly, the dragoness handed over the gem when Matt gestured for it and the diamond dog quickly pulled out his loupe. Using the little magnifying glass, he turned the treasure every which way and studied each facet with intensity. “… Yes, just as I thought, it’s the real thing alright. And you want to sell it?”
“Oh no,” Amy quickly answered, waving her claws. “Just enough to get us supplied for a while.”
“That’s a shame,” Matthew said with a sigh. “It’d make a real treat for the family if I brought this home for dessert.”
“I’ll say,” Max said, licking his chops and holding a squirming Milo in his arms to keep the pup from swiping the gem. “That thing smells great.”
“So diamond dogs do eat gems then,” Spike said as much to himself as to the group, glad to have the question answered.
“Not like you dragons, but yes, we do.” Matthew said as he pulled out a chisel and hammer from behind the counter. “We can only handle the food-grade stuff, soft quartz and the like, not regular diamonds and sapphires. There’s a rock farm in Equestria actually that I’ve bought some scrumptious rock candy from. Apparently the ponies there eat it themselves on occasion.” He shakes his head. “Ponies, eh? Crazy lot they are. So, how much are you looking to get?”
Amy flinched when the dog rested the sharp-edged chisel on her diamond, but answered, “A hundred bits worth, maybe one-fifty.”
Matthew perked up. “Oh? Well then, it seems I’ll at least be able to have a nice treat for the pups. Six good-sized shards sound fair?”
“Depends on what you consider good sized,” Amy countered, getting the store owner to chuckle.
“I see your point.” He looked down through his display for a moment before pointing at a ring obviously tailored for the meaty digits of a diamond dog and asked, “Does the gem set in that seem appropriate?”
Spike looked at the emerald and shuddered. It was nearly the size of a bit; six pieces of sugar diamonds of that would be a small lunch for him and his sister, and judging by how the dragoness bit her lip, she thought so as well. “Mmmaybe a little smaller,” she tried.
Narrowing his eyes in thought, Matthew said, “You drive a hard bargain, but I think I can manage that.”
Amy breathed a sigh of relief. “Deal.”
Once the shards were chipped off, the bits were exchanged, and Amy had got directions on where to buy their supplies, the dragons headed for the door. “Hey, if you’re not too busy next time you come through town, stop by again,” Matthew called. “Maybe you can have dinner with the family. I’m sure my daughters would be ecstatic to hear about your travels.”
Max rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s just what those two need; it’s hard enough to keep them in the house as it is without them being told adventure stories.”
“Bah, they’re just restless,” the father said, waving off his son’s comment. “With how overprotective you and your mother are, can you blame them?”
“I’ll think about it,” Amy answered noncommittally, ignoring the son’s grumbling. “Not sure when I’ll be coming through here next though.” Prying Milo from her brother, who had been tackled in a goodbye hug by the energetic pup, Amy led her sibling out with one final wave.
“Phew, nice people, but I can already tell that that would be a family dinner I wouldn’t want to sit through.”
“What do you mean?” Spike asked. “Sure, that Milo kid was pretty hyper and really… friendly, but like you said, they seemed nice.”
Amy stalled, taking a moment to remember which way to go. “Eh, a lot of puppies are like that, all affectionate and clingy. As for why I didn’t want to go to their house, weren’t you listening? It’s pretty obvious that Max and his mom are a lot more old-fashioned than Matthew. No way was I going to get stuck in the middle of that.”
Turning their exchange over in his head, the younger dragon pieced together what he had heard with what he had learned from Charles and his wife. It didn’t take long to see what Amy was getting at and how outsiders at such a dinner table could get a pretty mixed reception.
The thought actually made Spike a little sad and appreciative of his own caretaker. Sure, Twilight got a little crazy with the chores sometimes, but she did her best to put aside her worries and let him learn and grow from his own experiences. She followed him through the entire dragon migration in secret just so he could try to learn what it meant to be a dragon on his own.
What would it be like had Twilight never let him leave the library? How much could he have learned from books alone? Twilight herself was proof enough of the importance of getting out and making friends.
His musings were cut short as Amy pulled them along to their next destination. He’d have to convince his sister to take Matthew up on his offer next time she visited Burrowton. From the sound of it, those diamond dog girls could really use some excitement in their lives, and who was more exciting than Amethyst Thistle? Why, Spike must have had at least three near heart attacks since he meeting her.
><
Rocky was not a happy dog. The charred bird brain, Phantom, should have been out here in the middle of nowhere, not him. Buddy’s insufferable optimism was not helping. “Will you shut up already,” Rocky growled, cutting his companion’s spiel about his family short.
“What? I was just saying how nice it’s going to be to see my brother.” Rocky replied, hurt. “I haven’t seen him since he struck out on his own, and his last letter was about his third pup. Three! Can you believe it? I’m an uncle thrice over and I haven’t even met the little things yet.”
Rocky sighed as the oaf immediately resumed his sanguine rambling. How did such a soft headed dog survive this long in Cujo’s company? The beast of an alpha barely put up with his smaller twin's cheery foolishness, so it was hard to believe he’d have the patience to deal with a dog like Buddy. He supposed his companion was intelligent enough to avoid their large leader.
“I bet he’ll invite us to stay the night when we get there,” Buddy continued. “I wonder if he snagged himself a mate who knows how to cook? Citrus is a good chef, but nothing beats proper diamond dog cuisine cooked by an actual diamond dog.”
“Not having to rent a room would be nice,” Rocky conceded. As much as he didn’t want to encourage him, if Buddy’s family could save them some money and time, it would actually make being stuck with him bearable.
Buddy grinned and patted his companion on the back. “There you go, look on the bright side! Hey, maybe we’ll even meet some nice bitches, eh? I don’t know about you, but I’m not getting any younger. I can’t be traveling the world forever and if I want to settle down with a mate, I got to start looking while I’m still good-lookin’, you know?”
When Rocky only sighed in response, Buddy leaned in close with a sly grin. “So what’s your type, anyway? Like ‘em top heavy, or are you a thigh guy? I know it’s kind of weird, but I love me some tail... literally. The more spikes, the better.”
“Please... shut up,” growled Rocky, getting Buddy to straighten up and roll his eyes. The talkative mutt looked like he was going to say something, but a paw appeared across his chest and barred his path, making him come to a sudden stop.
With a relieved sigh, Rocky announced, “We’re here.” Ahead of them stood a decent sized, wooden building with a sign out front.
Welcome to Burrowton!
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Well the next chapter is going to be very interesting.
7234333
Agreed. Can't wait.
I think I actually really like this Diamond Dog civilization. I certainly like Spike tagging along to meet more of Amethyst's friends.
7230112 Three questions. One, when's the next chapter coming out? Two, we haven't heard from Lore Finder and and Prose Worthy in a while. Are you saving them for the next interlude? And three, how far would you say we are in the story? Like near the midway point or something?
7395737
I would hope a bit more than midway, but I'm not sure. I didn't go into this story with a plan; it was more of a writing exercise to write one page everyday when I first started. Obviously I don't get to write that much anymore with work and what have you.
The next chapter is done, but being edited. The chapter after that will be Lore.
7395744 Sweet! Thanks!
So much world building... It's nice to hear diamond dogs not speaking broken English. And the pups. Never forget the pups.
Gotta say, I'm liking the world building you are doing with the Diamond Dogs, and everything else for that matter. Can't wait to see how their whole trip in the Diamond Dogs' resident going to change with the newcomers.
Short C&C:
“It’s good to see you, Milo, but are you doing here?”
> Add ‘what' after ‘but’.