Living Darkness

by vildtiger

Protector of the Diamond Dogs

Note: This happens week after the last chapter.
Made after the episode 'A dog and pony show'

Rarity has gotten the jackpot with a customer! Saffhire Shore has not only visited her boutique but wanted one of her newest designs! Granted Sapphire has demanded three more of a gem filled suit, one she cannot make as she used all her gems on that first one. So she has to get more, easy enough. She grabs Spike to help her with the gem search, promising him that he will get some to snack on as repayment for the help. After have explained Spike of the reason, the baby dragon gasps in excitement. "Oh my gosh! Sapphire Shores! The pony of pop! She is awesome! I mean, she's gorgeous and talented and —" Rarity sends him a look, a bit offended him gushing over somepony else than her. He chuckles nervously. "Heh... and not even half the pony you are. I mean, you're ten times more gorgeous and talented and—"
Flattering, but he is wrong about one thing. "Spike, a lady is never jealous." She corrects him and returns back to her search for gems at the mountainside located a few miles from Ponyville.

"Of course not. But were you totally flipping out or what?!" Spike asks and still unable to calm down over that Rarity had an audience with THE Sapphire Shores.

Rarity giggles lightly of the dragon's choice of words. "Ladies do not "flip out", Spike." But she will admit; "However, I was quite in awe." and speaking about that pony there has ordered three more of her gem filled costumes, she starts to search for more gems. "I need to find more jewels than ever before to decorate her costumes. Oh, aha!" With her magic being specialized in finding gems, Rarity rather easily finds what she is looking for. And excitedly makes Spike dig them out. It is a decent cluster of gems.

Seeing the cluster of these delicious gems, Spike's mouth starts to water. "Ooooo! You look so delicious." He licks his mouth.
"Spike!" Rarity snaps him out from his hunger for the gems, he winches in disappointment but does understand as she explains him. "I promised I'd give you gems to snack on, but we need to collect more first or I'll never be able to make these outfits for Sapphire." Reluctantly, Spike put the gems into his wagon. He does quickly get over it and returns back to his job helping Rarity finding more, he does wish he could snack one just one of all the gems they find.
When his wagon has a large pile of those tasty looking gems. Rarity pats him over the head, saying happily. "You've been very patient today, Spike. And for that, you get the finest reward." Rarity levitates the biggest and prettiest sapphire gem out from the pile, giving it to him. "This is from me to you." Spike forgets about his hunger to eat this gem, realizing what she has just said and is truly touched by this gift giving from the pony he has a major crush on. "It's perfect." He smiles at her and decides this gem shall not be eaten, but saved as a memento.
He follows her happy to get more gems.

Both Spike and Rarity are unaware they are being watched, three creatures watch them behind the thick shrubbery surrounding this particular site. The leader of those three watches the dragon digging up gems, taking notices. "He is the gem hunter, hunt gems like Protector." He tells his two comrades. The biggest of the three steps over to watch the dragon, that one is far from being as big and strong as their personal gem hunter, but perhaps. "Get dragon to Protector?" He suggests, thinking it might make Protector happy who has been a bit down lately.

"Spike! Where are you?"

"Wait! Who is that?" The first one asks, they move toward this other voice, spotting a pony- a unicorn. The three blink once, then grin at their luck. "Unicorn, we bring unicorn to Protector." They declare, now certain it will make their protector happy.

Rarity tracks down one last cluster of gems, voicing her thoughts to the digging dragon. "Well, Spike, I think that's all we can do for today. And these will certainly get me well on my way with Sapphire's outfits. Why don't we start headi- " She gasps of what he gem tracking spell catches up, she follows it. "What's this? Another jewel." But does find it strange that her tracking spell leads her to the nearby trees. "Strange. It's in the trees." Brushing few of the branches aside she finds the gem, but gets the world's biggest startle when a very... well ruffian looking creature appears from the tree, having that gem around its neck, she steps back and an attempt not letting this quite ugly looking stone dog know she did not mean to offend it. "Uh... Good day, gentle... uh, fellow. Uh, I am Rarity and this is my friend Spike." She introduces herself and Spike, said dragon waves weakly towards the creature. "And you are..." She asks nervously.

This gargoyle looking dog with skin very familiar to stone jumps out from the tree. "A Diamond dog." This diamond dog introduces himself, and is very keen on getting this unicorn for their Protector. He and his fellow Diamond Dogs really want to please Protector.

Stepping further away from this approaching and quite menacing looking Diamond dog. "Oh really? Oh well, that explains your fine taste in jewelry. I mean I-I-I know that diamonds are a girl's best friend and now I know that they're a dog's best friend too, ha ha ha..." She giggles weakly and in the hope this Diamond dog perhaps would stop approaching her. "So, um, you're out hunting for gems as well?"

"Yes. We hunt." The leader of this small pack replies, much to the unicorn's confusions. "Uh...we?" She asks and he explains. "We once hunt gems, but now we hunt pretty things for Protector, so now we bring unicorn to Protector." and his two pack members sneak attack this pretty unicorn from the ground. The biggest of them tries to snatch the unicorn but she ducks just in last second. Before he can try again. The baby dragon uses his strong tail to jag it into the smallest dog's tail. The smallest diamond dog yelps in pain, distraction the biggest long enough for the baby dragon to pushes him away with his spiked head.

"Run Rarity, run!" Spike calls to her before he or Rarity can get away, though. The biggest Diamond dog forces him to the ground with its powerful paws before turning its anttention back to Rarity. But even stuck into the ground, Spike refuses to give up and grabs the diamond dog's legs, making it stumble and land onto the smallest one.

"Spike! Come on! Hurry!" Rarity calls, but before she can get over and help the baby dragon, the apparent leader of those three dogs appears behind her from the ground. "Gotcha!" and she can do little than struggles against this brute pulling her towards the hole. "Unhand me this instant, you ruffians!" She cries, calling for Spike but he cannot help her at the moment and the dogs drag her into these dirty tunnels

Spike cries for her, but it is too late, she has been taken and has proven he is no match for these Diamond dogs. He has to get help! Reluctant but knowing it is his only hope saving Rarity, Spike runs back to Ponyville so he can get Twilight and the others.

(down the tunnels)

"Ugh put me down, you thugs!" Rarity cries up to her captures but they completely ignore her, they bring her inside a huge cave filled with colorful drawings everywhere on the walls. The one holding her drops her roughly, with the leader of them calling into this cave. "Protector! We found pretty unicorn for you!"
Sounds of movements, Rarity winches seeing something big move at the edge of the light, to then scream when an adult dragon head appears. The only good thing that this one is not as big as the one there took a nap near Ponyville, but still big enough to be scary.
This dragon is fire red with an orange line down the back, making its black spikes and blue underside scales stand out. It approaches the Diamond dogs and the terrified Rarity there notices its yellow eyes are locked onto her. She smiles weakly up to it. "H-Hello, nice meeting you um, Protector. I uh... must say you have decorated your lair quite n-nicely." She compliments the dragon with a weak smile, this dragon might not be as big as the one deciding to take a nap up on the mountain or those during the dragon migration, but it is still big enough to be able to look into the first-floor windows of her boutique if standing on its toes
The dragon titles its head at her, then smiles widely and says- to Rarity's surprise- with a female voice. "Thanks! I like them too." and before Rarity can get her bearing and speak again, Protector has snatched her up in her claws, making the unicorn let out a startled squeal. "You are a very pretty unicorn, very pretty hair." Protector says, touching Rarity hair with those sharp black claws.

Rarity, now feeling much calmer around this female dragon, she replies with a smile. "Why thank you." Although she is still a bit uncomfortable having those sharp claws this close to her face "Um, could you perhaps... remove your claws? I would hate you accidentally cut me and messes up my coat." Protector does, still holding her like some sort of teddy bear, but Rarity can deal with that. "Thank you, darling."
Protector beams.

"We brought you pretty unicorn." The leader of the Diamond dogs says, asking the dragon hopefully. "Protector happy?"

The dragon nods with a big smile down to the three. "Very! Thank you! Here." Still with Rarity in her left claw, Protector easily dig into the rock wall beside her, clawing out a cluster of gems. The three Diamond dogs drool at the sight, begging like real dogs when the dragon throws the cluster of gems over to them. After have eaten their treat. The three Diamond dogs thank her and asks in their great need to please the adult dragon. "What else can Diamond dogs do to please Protector?"
The dragon returns her gaze back to the unicorn. "You got me a pretty unicorn, it is good enough."
The three dogs nod and leave the cave, very proud of themselves for pleasing their protector.

Well, this is quite the surprise. These ruffians of Diamond dogs were just trying to make this dragon happy, so what did they get in return? Besides from gem of course.
"They seem to like you, Protector." Rarity remarks, winching but does somewhat deal with this dragon messing up her hair by petting it.

"I like Diamond dogs" Protector replies happily. "They bring me things, they make me happy."

"And what do you do in returns?" Rarity asks curiously.

"I make sure no one hurt my Diamond dogs." Protector replies with now a menacing smirk, it does not fade as the dragon adds. "Everyone who does will burn."

Rarity gulps and dreads the worst, knowing Spike, he will get help and that means her friends will have to face this dragon; the protector of the Diamond dogs.

***
(Ponyville)

"What is Scout and pink pony doing?" Heavy asks, walking up to where Engineer, along with the mares watching Scout and Pinkie discussing something seemly incredible important.
Rainbow Dash looks up at him. "Pinkie said something about wanting to make friends with Scout properly." and like the rest has no idea what that means. For aren't those two friends already?
Heavy frowns and turns to the speedster and pink pony of randomness both now backing away from one another, then with both of them yelling; "GO!" They run at one another, knocking their heads together. Both of them topples to the ground, Pinkie is the first to recover. From the looks of it, she is asking Scout a question. He gets up and nods with a huge grin on his face, making Pinkie hugs him before both trottings off happily away as if that former scene was completely normal.

"Uh, what just happen?" Rainbow Dash asks, not sure of what she has witnessed. Her friends and the turned humans only shrug in a sign they have no idea either. Their confusions towards Pinkie and Scout is replaced with confusions of what is freaking Spike that much out that the kid dragon cannot speak, only manages to say "Rarity... woods... jewels... dogs... hole... taken... Save her!" the group eye one another, but can see this is important so Twilight pulls Spike onto her back and heads towards the mountainside where Rarity at time goes to find gems. Her friends and the two turned humans follow.
On their way there Twilight asks the still gasping for air Spike "Spike, can you breathe now?"

He takes a couple more breathes before he says. "I-I think so."

"Good. Now tell us what you know." Twilight says, turning her eyes to Rainbow Dash flying up beside them, remarking with a small grin. "Yeah. because all you said earlier was—" and she repeats what Spike cried when he came to them.

"Not a whole lot to go on there, sport." Applejack points out.

Spike apologizes and now out from his state of panic, he explains the ponies. "Rarity and I were in the woods looking for jewels when these creepy guys showed up."

"What kind of creepy guys are we talking about?" Engineer asks for he can think about a lot of people suiting that description.

"They called themselves the Diamond Dogs. They grabbed Rarity and disappeared down a hole in the ground."

Well, that does sound like it is going to be rather easy, Applejack thinks and voices that out loud, telling the worried dragon. "Just take us to that there hole and we'll save Rarity."
But that proves not to be that easy. At the place the ponies find countless of holes, it does make it harder but they refuse to give up just because of that.

Twilight jumps down to the hole filled valley. "Come on! Let's get started." She sticks her head into one of these holes, calling down. She jumps when a pair of eyes appears in the darkness of the hole, but no monster she thought would jump at her. No, instead she got her face filled with dirt as the owner of the eyes fills it up. Looking around, Twilight realizes the same is happening to the other holes and urges her friends. "Quick! We gotta get down one before they're all filled up!"

They try but the holes fill up faster than they can reach them. Applejack tries to stop one of the holes from getting filled by forcing herself down but she cannot fight hard enough against the geyser of dirt. And with her orange coat filled with dirt, she tells her friends in horror. "We can't muscle through it!" Snapping to that huge stallion when he lets out a roar and stomps hard onto one of the earth piles, but all that did was making the pile more impacted.

"Don't stomp!" Engineer cries, he jumps onto one of the piles and starts digging. "We have to dig." The mares follow his example, Heavy does it by tackling the earth piles away as his big size wouldn't allow for digging.

Their attempt digging their way in does get rudely interrupted when the Diamond dogs are cheeky enough to appear from the ground and pull the ponies tail, greatly delaying their digging. But the dogs weren't done messing with them. Two of the Diamond dogs appear behind Twilight and Rainbow, both ponies jump at them, ending slamming into one another as the Diamond dogs dodge the attack by returning back into the ground piles.
One of the dogs stops Applejack's and Heavy's attempt getting inside by appearing in a taunting manner, disappearing every time either Applejack tries to grab him or when Heavy tackles into the earth pile which only caused him to get his pelt filled with dirt and one step further away from getting inside.
The ponies try but have no way keeping up with these ground diggers and soon all lie on the ground, gasping for air of chasing and being pulled off their piles by the tail.
It takes them a moment to recover, when they are back on their feet, Heavy grumbles greatly annoyed by this enemy. "They fight like cowards."

Fluttershy gets on her hooves from getting pulled down from the earth pile, worrying for Rarity has to deal with those things on her own. "Oh, poor Rarity must be terrified."

Then Spike gets an idea, he picks out the gem he got from Rarity and with it attached to a rod, he puts the lure near one of the many dirt piles

"Spike, it is very noble of you—"

Spike hushes Twilight down, she lies down beside him, whispers; "-to sacrifice the gem Rarity gave you." He smiles and images himself as Rarity's knight in shining armor. "Oh, Lady Rarity. My damsel in distress." He dreams of fighting his way through the Diamond dogs to save Rarity. And when it is done, she will show her gratitude with a kiss of—" his daydream gets to a sudden halt when a Diamond dog has appeared and as hoped; snatches the gem. "I got a bite!" Spike cheers, clamping his claws around the rod as the Diamond dog digs itself a new hole, pulling hard the rod. Spike tries to reel the dog in but it is too strong, dragging him into the hole.

"Spike!" Twilight calls and jumps in after him. Rainbow Dash quickly follows suit with Applejack and Engineer close behind. Fluttershy hesitates, but thinks she rather wants to face whatever is down there than being alone with that huge and scary earth pony, so, she jumps in as well.

Heavy cannot follow, he is too big for it, instead, he decides to get the other mercenaries in case this will turn into a fight.

***

Protector leads Rarity into her cave, showing the unicorn what she has done to remove all the dull colors of the place. Rarity looks at the many drawings, all of them kinda childish but sweet in their own way and yet, some of them looks sad. She turns to this friendly dragon, asking: "Do your drawings have any story behind them?" Protector nods. Rarity turns to one of the drawings showing what looks like strange creatures jumping around on a field filled with rainbows. "What does this one tell?"
Protector goes down on her front legs, getting a bit closer to Rarity's height, the dragon stares a few seconds on the drawing. "It's my friends, we are playing together." She replies happy but Rarity notices there is sadness in her tone.
Rarity eyes the dragon, asking softly. "Do you miss them?" Protector nods, replying with a weak smile. "But I am sure we will meet again. They always return for another game." Rarity nods and turns her gaze back to the drawing, taking notice that those beings on the drawing do not look like anything she has seen before. "May I ask what your friends are? I cannot see what they are."

The dragon chuckles and much to Rarity's surprise, Protector tells her. "They are humans, I used to be one too. But the rainbow turned me into this."

Human, the stallions there are connected to their Elements of Harmony have told her that they used to be a creature of the same name. Could this be one of them? Before she can ask about this though. A howl echoes through the caves, making Protector snaps towards the cave opening, pupils narrowed into a slit and her whole posture tense, seeing that scares Rarity as it does remind her she is talking to a fire-breathing and dangerous dragon. "What is going on?"

"Someone is hurting my doggy friends." Protector replies and with; "Stay here, you will be safe." She leaves the cave.

Rarity sure hopes those intruders aren't those she thinks they are...

***
Again the Diamond dog there brought them here howls before running off, leaving the ponies and single dragon alone in the cave hallway. They did not want to let it get away that easily and the group follows, then stop to a sudden halt when a loud roar echoes through the caves.

"W-What w-w-was t-t-that?" Fluttershy asks, trembling in fear. The other ponies look around for the source, to all jump and cry in fright when a huge yellow flame burst out from the cave-way to their right.
Seconds later a fire red dragon appears, snarling at them with its yellow eyes revealing that it will enjoy killing them with that sinister look in them. Fluttershy screams in utter fear seeing an adult dragon in these caves. "Dragon!!" and takes the run for it. The others quickly follow.

The dragon pursues them, sending another fire-breath at the intruders. She does stop when noticing what cave they chose to run down at. Knowing these caves in and out, she takes another route and as wanted, she cuts them off from reaching where the Diamond dogs pups reside. She roars and flames there once only would appear from an object she built but was limited in fuel; now wonderfully part of her and her fire burst out from her jaws. The intruders duck the last second, and with the flames gone. They run down a more wanted hallway. She chases them, giggling from seeing and hearing her doggy friends cheer for her keeping them safe.
The cheer gets louder when the intruders realize they have been forced into a dead end. She giggles raise up on two legs and slowly walk over to them as she is blocking their only way out. "The cheers of the dogs are the sound of your demise." She says and makes sure her long tail and somewhat slender body is surrounding the intruders ."If you can't take the heat; you shouldn't have come."

If that female dragon talks then that means it might be reasoned with. "Hold up missy, we didn't come here to cause trouble." Engineer tells this fire red dragoness, she blinks but he is just happy he got her attention, he takes a small step forward towards this dragon. "We only intruded on your lair because we came to save a fellow pony of ours. One of the Diamond dogs took her, we will leave the moment we have her."
The dragoness slowly moves over to him, not once blinking and for a painful moment, Engineer dreads this dragon is going to turn him into cooked horse/bird meat. Then; "Oh my gosh, Engie!" and the dragon pulls him into a crushing hug, one he recognizes far too well. Holy smokes, talk about dumb luck! "Pyro?" Engineer asks and the dragon nods. He can't help but laugh, "Pyro, you are a dragon!"

"Yup!" Pyro beams, turning her gaze briefly to a pink unicorn only she can see as that one remarks highly amused.'I didn't know horses can get a beak and hair made of feathers.'She giggles at that and tells Mr. Ballonicorn. "I like it." Turning her attention back to Engie, explaining him. "Mr. Balonicorn finds your new form a bit weird."

Well, her imaginary friend isn't the only one. "He'll get used to it." He tells her before turning to the dumbfounded mares and single dragon. "It's alright, Pyro is one of us." They calm a bit down, but are still bit shaken up almost have gotten fried by this dragoness, Engineer would've been surprised if they calmed down right away. Pyro is a force to be reckoned with and has always been someone everyone from the team fear- well except himself, he has taken the time to get to know Pyro, learning what was behind that mask and accepted her very unique quirks, in return Pyro has been protecting him and his buildings with a vengeance.
Turning back to the now dragon and knowing Pyro can cause a lot of harm without really realizing it- although Pyro do seems to be way more clear in the head at the moment. But still, he would prefer having both Pyros around so he knows where they are. "Is the other Pyro with you?" He asks and can't for the life of him figure out if this is the RED or BLU Pyro.

Pyro blinks, looking confused for a moment. "There was another Pyro when we came, but she's gone now." She replies and puts the now quite ruffled up Engie back down onto the ground.

Okay, guess he has to risks this, then. "Are you RED or BLU Pyro? Sorry but I really can't tell without your suit." Her colors do point this being the RED one, but then again, he hasn't turned blue because he is on BLU team, so this could be the BLU Pyro for all he knows. Pyro didn't seem to mind though.

Pyro opens her mouth to tell him that she's not sure what he entirely means, but stops when Mr. Ballonicorn tells her surprisingly seriously.'You and the other Pyro has finally accepted one another again. You are both Pyro.'Pyro frowns at his words, not entirely sure what her pink balloon friend is talking about. She turns her attention back to Engie, explaining him still frowning. "Mr. Ballonicorn says I am both. Maybe I am, for I remember having both red and blue uniform on."
Engineer blinks, staring dumbfounded at her for several seconds before asking hesitantly. "Do he know how it happens?" She shrugs, not entirely sure what Mr. Balloonicorn meant and would like some time to think about it, but right now she much rather wants to rejoice that Engie is here! And—Pyro gasps. "There are more unicorns?!" She cries delighted and pulls the purple one into a tight bear hug. Pulling this one away, wondering out loud. "Would you like to meet mister Balloonicorn?" But this unicorn cannot answer, for some reason she has decided to take a nap right this moment, much to Mr. Ballonicorn's disappointment.

...Maybe he should've warned Twilight that Pyro loves unicorns to bits... speaking of unicorn. "Do you happen to have seen a white unicorn?"
Pyro nods, still holding the knocked out Twilight in her left claws, the dragoness points down the hallway she chased them through "The very pretty unicorn is in my memory room. Come I show you!" and she heads out, still holding Twilight.
Engineer follows with the others close behind him, well almost everyone. Poor Fluttershy has almost passed out from fear. After have gotten her back on her hooves and reluctantly pushed by Rainbow Dash. They follow Pyro through the caves. Engineer notices that the cave entrance they are walking past all have one or more Diamond dogs standing, watching them like a real dog there doesn't know how to react to strangers would. Now that he is on that subject. "Say, Pyro. Are you protecting the Diamond dogs as you did with me?"

Pyro nods. "They are my doggies and as their owner, I need to take care of them." She has been doing that ever since that rainbow took her to this place. They might not be cute or cuddly, but they really make up for it with their ability to talk and bring her stuff. The other her wanted the dogs as well, but it was hard protecting the Diamond dogs as she and the other Pyro kept wanting to play with one another. Fortunately, they figured it out thanks to Ballonicorn, but then the other her suddenly left, leaving her with new memories she does not fully understand.

The Diamond dogs, seeing their Protector being friendly to the intruders; they figure there is no danger and returns back to their daily schedules. Some of them decide to get a better look at their protector's new friends. Fluttershy whimpers when one of them approaches her. "...Good doggy..." She whispers and weakly pats it onto its very dirty head. The Diamond dog whimpers of the good feeling and tells this pony. "I like whimpy pony, nice like Protector"
Fluttershy smiles weakly. "Thanks." She says, voice a little louder than before. She and her apparently new Diamond dog friend both turn to the cave way Pyro is leading them down to the sound of someone yelling infuriating

"Please be quiet!" Followed by Rarity's voice. "Good heavens, what is that smell?— oh, mystery solved. It's your breathe."

"Sounds like Rarity is handling herself just fine." Applejack cannot help but laugh. And so right they are, passing the corner, they see Rarity surrounded by the same three Diamond dogs there had taunted them from above, now getting tormented by Rarity complaining about their sense of staying hygiene. "You look and smell like you haven't bathed in weeks. Have you never heard of soap?" She asks them and starts moving down the cave way the dogs tried to keep her from going. "You could all do with a good round of soap and water. Oh water, oh water, I'm terribly thirsty. Could I please have some water?"
The biggest of this small pack slaps his big paws up to his hurting ears, whining how much they hurt from this pony's voice. "I can't take it anymore! We should have giving Protector colored coal instead!"

Feeling sorry for her doggies, Pyro puts down the purple one, walks over to the pretty unicorn and tells her in a simple but serious matter of fact. "Please do not hurt my doggies."
The pretty unicorn looks up at her, smiling that charming smile "Oh, you're back. My deepest apologies, but I was simply stating the—" Pyro shuts her mouth with a single claw, repeating now in a threatening tone as the unicorn speaking is hurting her doggies ears. "Don't hurt my doggies."

"Listen to her Rarity." Engineer pledges the white unicorn, pissing off Pyro has always been a terrible idea and they do not have the respawn to count on here. Rarity is smart enough to listen and although annoyed, she keeps her mouth shut. The Diamond dogs breathe out in relief with the smallest of them saying. "Pony whining hurts ears."
Rarity opens her mouth but one glance up to Pyro, she closes it again incredible annoyed yet thinks it's best not to enrage the dragoness. Much to Engineer's relief. "Thanks, Pyro means well, but she... well, is a dragon." He apologizes. Rarity gives him a look there pretty much says 'no need to apologizes, darling' and the winch around the nose would be said about like this: 'but their smell is killing me.'
Something Engineer does agree on. He is used to being around smelly men, that does happen when running around in all kind of weather and getting killed all kind of manners all day. But still, even a bunch of mercenaries knows to take a bath after each match. These dogs smell like they haven't ever gotten one.
That does give him an idea and one he thinks Rarity will appreciate it a lot.

***
(an hour later)

Trom the hill above the entrance to the Diamond dogs caves, Twilight watches the scene of Rarity and Engineer taking a role model of washing one of the many Diamond dogs in the river nearby. The dog itself did look uncomfortable about it but did not try to get away thanks to Pyro mere appearance there helped it and any other Diamond dog to stay calm. Her other friends, both ponies and turned humans join in under this small task. She smiles hearing Scout exclaim startled up to Pyro. "Holy crap! You're a chick?!" and then getting lightly whacked over the head by Sniper when he probably said something rather offending to the dragoness. Her smile widens slightly when a shine around Engineer appears and when it fades, a silver necklace having a purple wrench is around his neck. Rarity says something to him and the bird/horse chuckles before both return back to their task.

Twilight returns to her letter to her mentor.'Dear princess Celestia, two of my friends taught me a very important lesson today. Generosity can come in many shapes of ways, through beauty and style or the rougher practical way. Either way it works its wonders to find friendship even in the strangest of places.'
Finishing the letter she levitates it over to Spike who transports it to the princess and the two head down to help their friends cleaning up their new dragon friend's pets.

None of them saw a pony made out of shadows is watching them from the top of the small mountain.

***

Miles away and working gloomily on a rock farm, a pony there once thought herself great and powerful, now nothing more than one having to chip up rocks just to get food on the table. Her heart is filled with the anger of this great humiliation and prays for a chance to get back on those who did this to her.
The beings of darkness hear her pledges for revenge. The unicorn jumps when a pegasus of shadows lands before her. It takes a step towards the unicorn, voice barely a whisper but she still heard its as clear as day."We hear your call from the darkness in your heart. Let the darkness in and we will grant you the power you seek in order to defeat the one who humiliated you."Out from its wings, an amulet in shape of an alicorn appears."With this amulet, you will be granted the power worth an alicorn. All we ask that you will immobilize everyone on your path to glory."It offers her the amulet, asking with its glowing white eyes locked to hers."Do we have a deal?"

She knows that agreeing with this being is the possible worst choice ever, but her anger and wants to retribution pushes her logical thoughts asides and she takes the amulet, the instant it is on, she can feel its immense power going through her body. Now she really feels great and powerful! The shadow pony disappears, leaving behind black crystals. The unicorn drops the small hammer and heads towards where he rival lives- time for some much-waited payback.

Author's Note:

now you know where Pyro has been all this time. she has adopted a whole pack of Diamond dogs, and I almost got my tail burned off just to find her.
I do not have the luxury being a unicorn and I am a bit on the Diamond dogs bad side from past events. fortunately I and Pyro had a decent relationship, so she spared me which means I can write future chapters of this crazy adventure.
but until then, I think I need time to recover from almost getting turned into a crisp...

Comments

[Theboxcatgamr]

YES

[HB_DS2013]

I actually prefer Pyro as a dragon instead of as a pony.

[Starlight Nova]

Inspired by Waking Nightmares AU by KnightMysterio.

Friendly word of advice, link to that story. Please respond to this comment.

[vildtiger]

8877535

should be fixed now

[Foreflight]

Very good. Very, very good! You did the right thing. oh, by the way, did the two Pyros become one? Because if so then she is the first one to have a full soul, which is actually pretty ironic and... foreflight.exe has stops working due to an overload of data. please try to restart of shut down the program.