TOH'S Guardian

by LiterarySerenity

Chapter Three—Where Discord Considers Diamond Dogs

Diamond Dogs.

Their main problem, on the whole, stemmed from an utter lack of self-control and poor observational skills. They tended to be a rowdy bunch, though gullible and about as inconspicuous as an avalanche even when trying to act sneaky. That much was evident from the three Diamond Dogs dancing in plain sight along the upper reaches of the gorge, with their rueful yaps echoing down to Discord as he stretched and massaged the stiffness from his joints. They did not even seem to notice when he produced binoculars to view them in better detail, with their lagging tongues and unfocused eyes—clearly celebrating despite having scrambled from the cavern like some monster was biting at their heels all the while.

There was something to be said for creatures able to bounce back that quickly, controlled by such instincts as biting first and asking questions later or not bothered too much by setbacks—much like crabs or rabid wombats—guileless and simple to figure out. So if you knew how to evade their sharp claws or the brunt of their short tempers, it was possible to have all sorts of fun with them.

But they truly had strayed far from their roots, to not to be able to identify and actually go after the Elements.

Their ancestors would have known better.

***

Diamond Dogs had once lived throughout the Appaloosan Mountain Ranges far to the North, centuries ago, and were among the oldest races in Equestria. During this period, they were renowned for being natural mineralogists and had had noses keen enough to detect gems through several layers of bedrock. They had maintained an obsession for minerals of all kinds but done more with this natural tendency than mine or collect them (although this was at the core of their operations). For instance, more than a few had learned how to grind-up their findings to use in place of a flame for lantern light (among various other uses) while underground or dabbled in alchemy.

In other words, they had showed more innovative capabilities, which had drawn Discord’s attention—even if he took any number of opportunities to mess with their concoctions for fun and play to their fears of monsters possibly lurking in the deeper and darker tunnels. For they were pretty superstitious and quick to reach assumptions in the most irrational and hilarious ways.

Because of Discord, the Diamond Dogs whispered of demons who came from behind and tickled one under the arm—only to disappear before he or she could see them. Or, who carried off lantern lights, made haunting laughing sounds down the mining shafts, and took on the shapes of other Diamond Dogs to lead pack members astray.

And Discord had done many of these things (among other small pranks). However, to listen to those dogs, it was as if he constantly followed hapless miners and proceeded to drive them mad in every imaginable way—including the ones Discord had never seen before. He had even wound up taking notes for certain supposed tricks for future reference.

They were a prankster’s goldmine.

With this said, they entertained Discord so much he might have stuck around there longer. However, he could never stand the mines for too long. It seemed then, as now, being surrounded by stone made him a bit claustrophobic. He far preferred board vistas of open skies and the chaotic wilderness to all that.

But in the time he had spent around them, Discord did manage to pick up a few interesting tidbits about their history, discussed by pack members during many a late evening or mealtime.

How the Diamond Dogs had acquired a taste for gemstones was still a mystery even to him, though taken for granted by their strongest advocates. Yet according to one legend (now long since forgotten), dragons had apparently enslaved the Diamond Dogs’ ancestors to mine the gems for their hoards—until two clever dogs by the names of “Ziggy” and “Stardust” had staged a rebellion involving various tunneling techniques (cave-ins, and the like) that effectively drove out their dragon oppressors and made the Appaloosan Mountains their home territory (which Discord had to applaud).

What had happened since then to drive most of them out of the mountains, and reduced them to their current state (with some becoming poachers), Discord couldn’t have said due to his 1,001-year entombment—although it probably had something to do with one Diamond Dog getting too greedy and trying to impose himself or herself over the others, which would have led to their ruination through internal strife.

Discord had witnessed enough civilizations fall—and more than a few with his help—to understand how those types of things turned out in the end.

***

Despite his good times, though, Discord had to admit he was not exactly in the best of moods to deal with their kind given the present circumstances.

He yawned again, rubbing a lingering sore spot behind his goat horn. There were also several muscles along his neck and back that took him longer to unknot, given the long night he had had abroad at Princess Celestia’s request—not to mention all the other things he had been up to during the past weeks beyond his usual idle mischief making.

It had been somewhat jarring to start drifting off to sleep at last, only to sense the Tree of Harmony in possible all the way across Equestria. His body hadn’t quivered as it usually did when a magical imbalance was in process (which was an entirely different matter nowadays that kept him flitting about from place to place).

No. The alert for TOH (short for the “Tree of Harmony”) had involved a ticklish sensation that caused Discord to shiver, tinged with a subtle warmth and flash of light in his eyes.

Argh.

Things had been so much easier when Discord simply drifted about Equestria right after his initial reformation, without a lot to do except enjoy himself and play jokes on the ponies he crossed. He still wandered the land in this way for the most part, but now there were also actual responsibilities to uphold, friendships to maintain, and bigger things for which to prepare—especially after Twilight had brought him back into Harmony and helped to activate the second star now circling TOH.

Since then, it felt like Discord was more connected to everything. Or, at least, to the Everfree Forest and more powerful magical forces in the land. He was suddenly aware of unicorns having overloads and taking out whole sections of copses, or magically-enhanced beasts rampaging through towns, or even when some pony stumbled across dangerous artifacts. It was a lot to absorb, at times, and a bit dizzying because all these events felt somewhat piled onto him.

This was due to the fragile balance of different forces in Equestria, which most ponies had no idea about most of the time.

“Not that I’m complaining,” he said aloud to TOH, who gave off a jingling symphony as if in response. “I prefer things as they are now, although perhaps a little help might be forthcoming.” While saying this, Discord gazed upon the central Element in the shape of a star upon the tree, before taking in the other Elements upon the branches—and particularly the butterfly-shaped one connected to dear, sweet Fluttershy.

Drifting to the spot, Discord reached out his lion’s paw and gently touched it.

And instantly, it was as if Discord had returned to his most recent tea party with Fluttershy, sipping chamomile tea as only she could do just right and listening to her discuss her trips into the Everfree Forest—as part of her continuing studies of the native Timberwolves population.

Next, memories of listening to her sweet lullabies came to mind, and enjoying their slumber parties, and so on with one detail following another of their times spent together.

So kind.

Discord wasn’t sure how long he hung there—and probably with a dazed, happy look on his face—but then he drew his paw back.

How curious. He had had no idea he could do that.

The process had even revitalized him a bit. His neck didn’t ache at all now.

Interesting.

In fact, he was just about to experiment by touching another Element to see what memories would pop up when he heard a whistle come from outside. And turning about, he saw a very small gem—the type easily dug from the earth—laying almost right outside the cavern.

Then there was another one further one, and another one, and another one. He could discern the trial leading up to a section of the gorge with leaves newly piled on top and around it.

He had to admit, the Diamond Dogs worked quickly, or perhaps receiving the memories from the Element of Kindness had taken longer than Discord had perceived. But, in any case, the intention of the plan was clear enough.

Peering outside, Discord saw yet another hole had been dug closer to the craggy wall of the gorge, where no doubt those Diamond Dogs were hiding and hoping he would follow after those gems like a—

Discord paused, taking in the implications.

Like a dragon.

That was a new one, though amusing enough.

Even so, these Diamond Dogs had interrupted a perfectly delightful moment, after a stressful and restless night.

Oh, well.

Playing around with Diamond Dogs had always been somewhat relaxing.

So why shouldn’t Discord would take them up on their game and have a little fun?

Author's Note:

^_^