Dog Fight
Once in the diamond dog territory both Spike and Sombra took a good look around. Sombra had never been anywhere beside the empire until recently and Spike hadn't been here in somewhere in the neighborhood of fifteen years. Though at a glance it was obvious that nothing of note was visible above ground.
In the fading light of the summer sun all that could be seen were holes, rocks, and the occasional water-deprived tree. There were no signs of any dogs or dog activity to speak of besides the seemingly random series of holes. There weren't any discernible markers of any kind, making it impossible for anyone besides a diamond dog to know which hole led where.
"You know, now that we're here I'm not sure what to do. It's pretty obvious the holes are too small for me, and I'm not about to send you in alone. I wish there was at least a doorbell on a post or something." Spike lamented.
Sombra slowly trotted over to one of the holes and looked into the blackness below.
Something in his gut told Sombra that there was something sinister in the tunnels. If the diamond dogs truly had a penchant for capturing and enslaving ponies Sombra supposed that qualified as sinister. Not that Sombra was in a particularly good position to judge them.
At the thought Sombra received a brief flash of the things he had forced crystal ponies to do as king. Dootha had been the one pulling strings, but it was Sombra's voice and his body that had said and did them.
A shiver ran down Sombra's spine and his head began to ache again. The one positive to the sudden burst of pain and regret was that Sombra now possessed a more complete understanding of empathy that was motivating him to get the jewel and leave as quickly as possible.
Since it was clear Spike's tremendous self wasn't getting in the hole, Sombra decided it would be best to get the ball rolling.
"Diamond dogs! My associate and I request an audience with your leader! We seek parley!" Sombra shouted into the hole, trying to sound amicable.
After a few seconds of silence Spike could no longer withhold his laughter. Sombra however failed to see what was so funny. Especially since it seemed the diamond dogs hadn't heard him.
"Oh gods... I'm sorry Sombra. That was a really good try, honestly. But, uh... We should maybe get you some books on modern speech. I don't think anyone has said parley in centuries unless it pertained to a pirate movie that came out a few years ago." Spike apologized.
Sombra decided to take the praise as something of a hollow victory. Then they resumed staring back down into the depths.
"I suppose you could just roar into the tunnel then, yes? I imagine that would get their attention. If you can breath out jets of fire then surely you must have an impressive set of lungs." Sombra suggested.
Spike grimaced, seeing the logic in Sombra's suggestion.
"I don't normally... you know? Roar? It'd set a bad precedent." Spike explained, looking very uncomfortable.
Though the concept of personal sharing almost physically hurt Sombra he swallowed his pride and spoke up.
"Please just get their attention. I seem to be recovering some of my basic morality, and it is figuratively killing me. The way you described these dog-things seems to have struck home. I'd like to get back to the house to drown out my conscience with whatever forms of libations are available to me, but first we need that stone." Sombra practically pleaded.
Spike groaned, but as there was no one else around and Sombra was in an odd way he agreed.
Spike took in a deep breath, got into prime position, and he roared.
As much as Spike tried to avoid such undignified behaviors he found the experience surprisingly liberating. The last time Spike had really roared was when he had succumbed to greed as a child, but being aware of it was actually kind of enjoyable. Not that it meant Spike was going to make a habit of it.
Sombra on the other hand was clutching his ears and writhing on the ground. He was pretty sure at least one of his eardrums had just ruptured. Apparently, standing anywhere near a dragon while it was roaring was a terrible idea. For more reasons than the obvious.
Though to be fair Spike hadn't wanted to roar in the first place.
Spike immediately helped Sombra up, apologizing profusely. Sombra couldn't hear him, but he was too busy cursing his luck, life, and the universe in general to blame Spike anyway.
Spike felt incredibly guilty when he saw blood leaking from Sombra's ears, but more pressing matters where at hand. Spike could hear dogs scrambling up a nearby tunnel.
Spike shoved Sombra's sword into his mouth, breaking him from his wailing. Sombra looked at the sword, and immediately understood the situation. He moved back from Spike, holding the sword at the ready as the first of the dogs came up.
It was revealed to be a small contingent of the armored grunts that Spike remembered. Though now he found it mildly hilarious that the mongrels now only came up to his shoulders. He could almost see the soldier's eyes bulge through their poor-fitting helmets.
After a moments three more joined them, making the unit seem more confident in their superior numbers. A particularly brave one thrust a spear at Spike who merely grabbed it with his tail.
Spike snapped it in half effortlessly, tossing the broken weapon aside. Spike grabbed hold of the same dog's metal breastplate, ripping the front of it off with the same sort of ease. The dogs backed away from him slowly, watching as Spike devoured the now crumpled ball of scrap metal like it were a piece of fruit.
Once Spike had done away with the armor he smiled and looked down at the dogs.
"Now that you know I'm way out of your league, I'd like for you to bring me your leader. Please. I have no intention of hurting him, or any of you. I just want to talk to him, maybe do some business with him. Okay?" Spike asked.
The dogs whimpered and dove back into their holes with their club-like tails between their legs. As soon as they were out of sight Spike looked back to Sombra with a hopeful expression.
"How'd I do? Too much scary? I heard dogs respect strength, so..." Spike trailed off, suddenly remembering Sombra's hearing loss.
Sombra had a face that epitomized lack of amusement, which was fitting given the situation.
"Oh, right..." Spike replied awkwardly, "Well since you can't hear me anyway, I suppose now would be an awesome time to say whatever I'm thinking aloud without fear of judgement. Right?"
Sombra merely stood there in response, his face still a remarkably stoic mask of pure discontentment.
"Right then. While our situation is pretty messed up, I do genuinely think we could be good friends. While Discord annoys the living hell out of me, you're pretty relateable and a hell of a lot more predictable. And to be honest, you're pretty good-looking. I've never seen anyone else rock side-burns like that, and those fangs are really doing it for me.
"Luna's thestrals have them too, but it's natural for them. Plus... I never really thought I'd meet an immortal I feel at ease with. Celestia and Luna are cool and all, but their basically my aunts. Discord is Discord, I'd like nothing better than to beat the tar out of Tirek, and Chrysalis is on my permanent shit-list for messing with my family." Spike admitted.
Spike might have continued, but something caught his ear. It was the sounds of something moving below. Spike motioned for Sombra to ready himself, causing Sombra to draw his sabre once more. The two of them looked to the nearest hole, but Spike wanted to finish talking while they waited.
"I know the dogs are coming back up. But uh... thanks? This was cathartic. A strangely liberating experience. If it weren't such a terrible thing to do I'd deafen more people. I'll treat you to something special next time I can make a flimsy excuse to." Spike ended graciously.
Sombra continued to be entirely unaware of what Spike was saying, but didn't believe he was being insulted. He decided to keep his scowl at normal levels and ignore Spike entirely as he was still uncertain of what the dog situation was and he needed to be alert.
The sunny disposition Spike was blessed with seemed to be a continual source of annoyance and comfort at the same time. It was sort of unnerving, but Sombra was quickly realizing that Spike was truly the only person he could relate to.
Before very long the dogs were upon them once more, raising the level of tension in the air a bit.
This time it was two soldier dogs, and then a decrepit old dog Spike knew right off. The larger dogs needed to help the older one out of the tunnel, making him seem like no threat at all. Even still, he was definitely the leader of the pack. Although the elderly dog was unaccompanied by the other two that Spike had seen hanging around him years ago.
The dog seemed to have shrunk with age and was relying on a gnarled cane made of tree roots to hold himself upright.
The grey of his fur had faded, and the area around his mouth was especially white. One of his eyes had gone milky, almost definitely losing the ability to see. He wore the same vest, now marked with patches of various colors to keep it together.
Of course the amber Spike sought was hanging from the dog's collar as well, though Spike was feeling pretty bad about having to ask the dog for it right about now.
The elderly dog hobbled forward, not seeming to care that Spike was an infinitely more frightening entity.
"Why dragon call Rover to surface? Rover not know dragon. Rover is old, has hard time getting up holes." Rover complained in a raspy tone.
Spike knew this was all necessary, but he still felt bad about it. Though the old dog's attitude was refreshing, it had changed little over the years. Even if the time had seemed as though it was seven times longer for Rover.
"My name is Spike, and I was wondering if I might strike up a trade with you. I'm prepared to give you a fair bit of gold and gems in exchange for just one gem of yours." Spike explained to the aged dog.
Rover appraised Spike skeptically. There was something familiar about Spike and the dragon's request didn't sit right with Rover. Rover ran one of his paws over his head, momentarily pinning back his ears. Once the mannerism had been completed a look of comprehension came over Rover's muzzle.
"You were tiny dragon with whiny pony long time ago. You big now. You want take revenge on Rover now? Swindle Rover?" Rover accused.
Spike frowned visibly but kept his cool.
"No. Not at all. I'm over what happened then. I just need a specific gemstone for something, and you have the only one that fits the bill. It's the amber-colored one around your neck. I'm willing to pay for it, or help you dig tunnels, or whatever you want for it. It's very important to me." Spike explained.
Rover looked down at the jewel in question, surprise in his good eye. Rover quickly changed his expression to one of anger and audibly growled at Spike. Rover definitely wasn't fond of the idea of parting with the amber.
"Rover find this gem himself, keeps Rover alive long time. Rover already twenty-three! Most dogs dead by fifteen, and dead dog needs no riches. Rover live long time more. Rover keeps gem." Rover told Spike, clutching the amber tightly.
A small glow was visible from the amber as Rover held onto it for dear life.
Spike sighed, hating that things had be this way.
"Fine. Does your pack have some kind of law about challenging the leader of the pack, or defeating a champion or something? If so I'll take on whoever I have to to get that amber." Spike told the dog, smoke trailing from his nostrils.
Rover smiled and reached into his vest pocket.
From the pocket Rover retrieved a whistle that seemed to be made of bone. Spike could actually smell the stank of sinister magic on it from his spot around twenty feet away. Not just any kind of sinister magic, something old and powerful.
Whatever the whistle was meant for it had ties to a demon of malign spirit. Spike didn't think Dootha, but it was more than likely it was at least something older than ponies hold on the land.
Rover blew into the whistle, producing a tone even Spike's powerful ear-fins couldn't pick up. Spike quickly realized it must be some kind of magic dog-whistle, meaning Rover might have been summoning the rest of the pack. Though Spike soon thought himself wrong.
The armored dogs that had just accompanied Rover dropped their spears and fell to all fours, running away from whatever was on it's way. The ground began shaking, and Spike heard a series of unnaturally loud howls coming up from the tunnels.
Rover grinned like mad, his broken and yellowed fangs clearly visible in his triumphant expression. Spike attempted to turn and signal for Sombra to run, but it was too late. He and Sombra were both thrown off balance by an even larger tremor. The ground had begun to crack in places, green fog erupting forth with a violent hiss.
Spike tasted the fog with his reptilian senses, smelling death and brimstone.
Spike fell back to all fours to take a better defensive stance, and turned to Sombra just in time to watch the ground beneath his hooves give way.
Spike tried to grab for Sombra, but the ground beneath Spike began to falter as well.
Spike was barely able to jump to stable ground before his footing was gone. Spike hated his current helplessness, but there was nothing he could do for Sombra at the moment. Something was rising from the hole in the ground that was quickly expanding.
Spike watched as a horrifying, white behemoth arose from the hole.
It was an orthros, but not like the mostly-tamed, miniature-orthros' seen in the modern world. This was a true hell-hound, like the ones in dark folktales from days in-between the reign of dragons and the rise of today's great civilizations.
Both of it's heads were identical and seemingly rabid, their red eyes lacking pupils and their maws dripping with frothy slobber.
The only thing stopping it from fully emerging from the deep hole was enormous iron bonds chained at the creature's legs, just above it's paws. Spike could hear the strained noises the beast's struggles forced from the chains, meaning that with any provocation it would surely break the bonds.
Spike had seen Cerberus, the guardian of Tartarus up close. But this beast was far more threatening. It had not been domesticated in the least, still a primal demon that was thought to be long extinct in this age. Even Spike who preyed upon monsters for sustenance was practically shaking in his scales.
The orthros was at least three times Spike's own size which was horrifying in itself.
"Dogs dig deep, dragon! Find all sorts of treasure! We find sleeping hound, and Rover finds whistle! Now Rover has long-life and all the power Rover could ever need! If dragon beats hound, dragon can take gem!" Rover yelled from a safe distance on the other side of the terrible beast.
To punctuate his statement, Rover lifted his clawed hand into the air and snapped his fingers.
On command, the orthros jumped from the pit, seemingly ignoring the existence of the chains that snapped just as easily as Spike had feared they would. Spike was only barely able to dive out of the way of the beast as it landed.
Instead of Spike's neck it got two mouthfuls of rock, but was far from deterred. Spike blanched as he saw the demonic hound's heads crush the rocks to dust as easily as his own jaws could.
It lunged for Spike as soon as it's jaws were free, thinking only of killing it's intended target.
Spike had no time to think, he was outclassed in terms of speed and strength. It was a feeling of helplessness Spike hadn't felt in years.
On luck or instinct Spike was able to punch the great wolf's right head in the nose just as it reached him. It's other head bared it's fangs and slammed into Spike with a quick motion of it's neck, sending him flying so it's brother might have time to recover from being dazed.
Spike screamed as he landed a good ten yards away on his back.
The impact itself was nothing to his nigh indestructible bones, but his still developing wing and back muscles felt like they were on fire. Though not the good kind of being on fire Spike normally enjoyed from time to time. This fire was amazingly painful somehow. It was as if there was a hundred searing hot needles piercing Spike's spine.
Spike could barely move, as the pain had effectively and almost completely sapped his strength.
His reactions were far to slow, and the orthros had already recovered from the right hook it had taken to the snout. It was already upon Spike mere seconds after recovering. If he was going to die here, Spike took some small comfort in seeing that he had at least given one of the beast's demonic heads a bloody nose.
The hound was crouching down where it stood, ready to take advantage of Spike's severely impaired movements.
Just as the beast was about to pounce, it instead howled in pain from both of it's heads.
The orthros collapsed onto it's side, it's left hind-leg's fur soaked with crimson-black blood. Spike watched in astonishment as Sombra limply walked around the panicked beast with the now bloody sabre in his maw. Sombra was battered, bloodied, and broken. It was hard to believe that he could stand, let alone cut into the demon with his sword.
Sombra spat the bloody sword out and looked over to Spike.
"I believe I'm more of a cat person." Sombra smirked pridefully before falling over, seemingly unconscious.
Spike realized that the beast was most vulnerable right now. Spike worked through the pain and made his way to the beast as fast as his anguishing body would let him. Luckily the orthros's heads couldn't agree on what to do for the time being.
The right head wanted to go after Spike, but the left head was attempting to put weight on the injured leg. Spike took the opportunity to slash at the right head's nose with his claws, distracting it so he might be able to pass it.
Drawing blood across the beast's muzzle once more caused the heads to wildly thrash about. It seemed as though their lack of coordination under pressure would be the downfall of the orthros.
The great dog's heads were so out of sync that they slammed into one another. They both took offense to the others' attack and snarled at each other.
Spike continued on once he was sure that the heads were distracted with their mutual aggression. Spike used the creature's foul-smelling fur to climb it, hoping that the orthros wouldn't start paying attention to him before he could get onto the beast's back.
Spike stopped his climb when he reached the base of the left head's neck.
Even if the orthros was the last true hell hound, Spike knew that if Rover turned it loose again it would definitely kill someone. Spike despised the thought of being the one to finalize a creature's extinction, but the thought of the orthros tearing through his loved ones was enough to get past it.
Spike opened his mouth wide and struck the head's spine.
It was quick, and Spike sincerely hoped that it had been painless.
Sombra was on the ground, his half-lidded gaze coming in and out of focus. He saw Spike standing atop the horrid hound, and watched as Spike finished the other head that was flailing weakly and failing to stand, only the right side of it's body responding.
Though Sombra couldn't hear anything, he saw Spike stare at his claws and say something to himself. There were tears in the dragon's eyes as Spike climbed down the body of the orthros.
I suppose I did good... Though Spike seems out of sorts, and I seem to have lost the ability to move. Sombra thought to himself before coughing up what he was convinced was something vital.
Once Spike had recovered from the guilt of ending a species enough he turned to Rover who was apparently frozen in fear.
"I would really like that gem now. I'm really, really in a bad mood right now." Spike told Rover in a rather downtrodden way.
Rover scowled and ripped the amber from his collar and threw it at Spike's feet.
Spike grabbed the stone and looked to his claws, taking in the sight of the magic gemstone. It was definitely the objective item of his current mission, and Spike could feel a somewhat familiar magic pulsating from within the jewel.
When Spike looked back up to Rover he saw the aged dog was still in post-throwing stance. After a moment of the elder dog being frozen in place Spike began to worry.
When Spike opened his mouth to speak Rover's body began to pale at a rapid rate. Spike watched in abject horror as Rover's now chalk-colored body cracked and crumbled. Within mere moments the diamond dog had been reduced to dust before Spike's eyes.
Spike looked between the toppled demon hound and the dust that had once been Rover.
Spike was quite tempted to snap in that moment, but the one thing keeping him sane was the thoughts of his friends and family depending on him.
Without Spike Dootha would be unstoppable. Pony magic was laughable against a normal dragon, and Dootha would be entirely unaffected. Spike could figure things out later. Once Dootha was gone Spike could try and atone for his transgression.
Still, Spike was left with a figurative (and literal) unpleasant taste in his mouth. Spike took the amber into his claws and walked over to the dead orthros again.
Spike used what strength he had left to pull the fangs from the beast's mouths. The teeth of a true hell-hound were a priceless trophy that an alchemist would likely kill for, being they were thought to be extinct. Zecora could do good with them and hopefully counterweight some of the negativity that threatened to throw Spike into depression.
I know the world is worth it... But shit like this always makes me question my place in it. Spike thought grimly.
Spike let out a gout of fire that sent the fangs away.
Next Spike summoned up a great deal of the magic that permeated his being. With great effort, and pains that still lingered from the fight, Spike set the great beast's body ablaze.
Spike next stood over the pile of white powder that Rover had become.
"Yr wyf yn galaru canlyniadau fy camau gweithredu, ac yr wyf yn gweddïo y byddwch yn gweld heddwch tu hwnt i hynny nad oedd gennych mewn bywyd. Rydych yn maddau i'ch camweddau, ac yr wyf yn gobeithio bod un diwrnod mi hefyd yn gallu gael maddeuant gan chi. (I grieve the results of my actions, and I pray that you find peace beyond that you had not in life. You are forgiven for your wrongs, and I hope that one day I too can be forgiven by you.)" Spike recited in the language of his people.
Zecora had taught Spike the language, as well as how to address a fallen foe in the funerary rites of old. This was the first time Spike had used that information, and he desperately wished it would be the last time.
Spike carefully picked up Sombra, standing on his back legs and cradling the broken stallion in his left arm. Sombra was bruised and cut, and his armor was heavily dented by the earth that had buried him. The true extent of the injuries was unknown, due to the dirt Sombra was covered in, but Spike could feel him breathe and hear his heartbeat.
"I'm sorry, Sombra. I was supposed to be your guardian, and it took less than two days for you to get mangled. I wouldn't blame you for hating me." Spike admitted.
"*cough* Doing the right thing is hard. *cough*" Sombra barely managed to murmur, as though he were trying to respond.
"Yes, yes it is." Spike agreed without hesitation, even though he knew full well that Sombra couldn't have heard him.
Spike felt just a bit better as Sombra drifted back into unconsciousness, seemingly not blaming Spike for anything.
Spike picked Sombra's sword up from the ground with his tail and snapped the fingers of his free hand. The blood that coated the blade was burned away, and soon the emerald flames put themselves out.
Spike cast another glance at the orthros's body, seeing it was nearly all the way gone. The dust that had once been Rover had been nearly all but blown away, only some trace white powder remaining.
Spike sighed and began the long trek home, as he would have to go all the way around Ponyville to avoid questions. His back was still giving him grief, and he was quite certain that he was covered in bruises under his scales. They'd show through eventually, but for now Spike had to push through it and get Sombra to Zecora.
As soon as the the dragon was well out of view and the flames had consumed the formerly fearsome beast a small figure stepped out of the shadows behind a nearby boulder.
It was a cat, something one wouldn't think to find in dog territory. It seemed rather plain and unremarkable, save for the rodent skull attached to it's collar. It was black with a white underbelly in a sort of tuxedo-print. it's eyes were a golden-green color.
The cat leisurely strolled through the chaos left in the fallen hell-hounds wake, indifferent to the scent of death and burning flesh lingering in the air. It walked over to the powdered remains of Rover and dug out the thin bone-whistle that had summoned the beastly hound to Rover's aid.
The cat stared at the whistle for a moment and it's eyes flashed electric-green.
The whistle cracked along it's side and crumbled to nothing mere seconds later. A cloud of black smoke floated up from the infinitesimally small pieces, seemingly drawn to the cat. The cat closed it's eyes, and the black cloud consumed the cat, or at least appeared to.
The cloud dissipated, soaking itself into the blackness of the cat's fur.
The cat seemed utterly unfazed by the paranormal occurrence. Instead of reacting the cat merely yawned before continuing on it's way, back into the shadows. It left not a single paw-print, nor had it ever made a sound.
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I wouldn't mind, all your stories are good mate
Very good, take your time and don't feel rushed... Your readers aren't going anywhere
Awesome chapter.
But at the end did Sombra having his hearing back? It seemed like he did.
6045379 No, it was a sort of cheesy remark that Sombra said based on his current condition and seeing Spike so out of sorts. He still couldn't hear, it was just a somewhat bittersweet way to have Sombra show some progress and what I thought was a cute way to end their segment of the chapter.
Thanks for your continued support!
6045772 Oh, okay. I get it now
Keep up the awesome work!
Good guy Sombra. Damn. I'm glad he'll be okay though. He's definitely working himself towards redemption already.
The cat is most likely Dootha. Calling it right now!
As for your OC story idea... Well, to be honest, many people are cautious, and rightfully so, of OCs that reflect the author (called "self-inserts"), usually because said OCs usually end up being Mary/Gary Stus or Woobiefied (basically overdosing on the sad). However, I've enjoyed your stories for a while now, and I think you could pull something like that off. Just be careful in how you portray the character and present him to the audience, especially when he interacts with canon characters. I would definitely at least check it out though, for sure.
Enjoying this one so far. Keep up the good work!
6050672 Holy crud! I checked my notifications and I had 11!
Lol. I'm glad you like the story thus far. I was really nervous about this story, which was why I've been sitting on it for so long. I actually started the roughs for this story in June of last year, but I've changed so much I can't even recall how many re-writes I've done.
I'm actually super happy to see you taking an interest because you're always very insightful. This is a lot different than the fluff I normally write, so all the more insight the better.
Also, I'm especially glad you liked the origin myth I wrote. I think that went through the most self-scrutiny as it was the part of the story I'm the most proud of thus far. The bit where Spike names all the gods and first-blood dragons may have seemed unnecessary but it lays a bit of groundwork for future elements of the story.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read and comment! Hopefully I'll be keeping to the Friday schedule!