Fool Moon, Part 5 (Field of Diamonds)

>Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit.
>That is a big fucking bear why is the yellow pony here WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO THIS TIME?
"Fluttershy...your name's Fluttershy right? Listen, I need you to just stay ca-"
>"RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH"
>SUDDENLY LOUD FUCKING BEAR ROAR RIGHT IN YOUR EAR.
>You shout in surprise and scramble out of the way of a thick bear paw swiping at your head.
>FUCK YOU JUST SCRAMBLED INTO A DEAD BEAR RIBCAGE WHAT THE HEL-
>The living bear's paw slams into your stomach mid-freakout, pinning you into the ground.
>So this is how you die.
>Mauled by a bear.
>Just as the massive furry monster lifts it paw into the air, you hear Fluttershy speak.
>"Waaaaiiiit!"
>Oh thank God, saved by the butter horse.
>You hear her shift over to you, heralded by her constant whimpering.
>"Anonymous?"
"Yeah, Fluttershy, it's me. Listen, I don't know why a bear listens to you, I don't care, but if you get him off me I'll explain everything, I promise. I can-"
>"What ARE you?"
>You wince.
>That was the question, wasn't it?
"I can explain, I swear. Just let me-"
>"You KILLED Barry! And ATE him! What in Celestia's name ARE YOU?"


>There's a lot of terror in that adorable voice.
>But there's also a lot of rage.
"I'm...I'm a sick man, Fluttershy. I have a...err, a disease-"
>The bear growls, and you shut up.
>Fluttershy's horrified glare doesn't leave you, and you gulp.
>You aren't weaseling out of this.
>"What kind of disease does that, Anon? You...I saw everything! I was trying to HELP you! And you just...you just attacked! And then Barry...you ate him. Right in front of all of us. And when this bear's brother tried to stop you, you killed him too. And then you just kept ea...eat...ooohhh...."
>She breaks off with a low moan and a tear-filled shudder.
>You close your eyes.
"Fluttershy."
>She whirls back to you.
"I'm sorry. I-"
>"SORRY!?"
>Her voice suddenly gains volume.
>"I saw you disembowel and EAT two of my friends, and you're SORRY!?"
>You flinch.
>"This poor little bear lost his brother! I just...I'm so angry I could just..."
>She rears up, inhales, and...
>OH GOD THAT'S ADORABLE YOUR HEART!
>At this rate you'd die of heart failure before bear mauling.
>She sighs, and glares at you again.
>"Mister Bear, I don't...I just....I don't know what to do..."
>The bear grunts at her and then growls at you.
>Oh shit, the bear knows what to do.
"Fluttershy..."
>She turns away, and the bear gets closer.
>Oh god she's going to let it eat you.
"Fluttershy!"
>She shivers, but keeps her back to you.
"FLUTTERSHY, LOOK AT ME!"


>She turns around, crying, as the bear leans in, filling your vision with teeth.
"DO I LOOK LIKE A MONSTER, FLUTTERSHY? DO I LOOK LIKE THE THING THAT ATE YOUR FRIENDS!? I CAN'T CONTROL IT, DAMN YOU! I CAN'T..."
>You break off as your voice grows husky and weak.
"I can't stop it. God help me, I can't stop it."
>You stop struggling under the bear as the horror comes to the forefront of your thoughts.
>The ever-present taste of blood in your mouth.
>The memories of murder and feasting, and the savage joy the thing that is and is not you feels every time it kills.
>That feeling, that desire, always faint, but always present, to let it loose and kill, and kill.
>And kill again. No worries, no hunger, no fear, just the joy of hunting and killing.
>Death would be peace.
>Fluttershy puts a hoof to the bear's fur as she sees you break down.
>You don't even notice as the paw is lifted away. You're too busy holding yourself, twitching and wretching.
"It's not me...I swear it's not me. I can't...I don't want to do the things it does. I don't want to hurt people, but it does, it never stops, never stops. It's an animal-"
>You freeze as you feel something soft enfold you.
>"Hush, now. Hush."
>Fluttershy hugs you, discoloring her yellow coat with the dried blood on your body.
>Eventually, the shivers pass, and Fluttershy steps back, still eyeing you warily, but with a mixture of pity and fear, instead of anger and fear.
>You hate pity.
>You inhale, calming yourself as best you can.
"I....thanks..for that. You didn't have to..after what I did with the bears..."
>You trail off.


>She stares at you, waiting, as the bear glares at you warily.
"When I was bitten, I didn't think much of it, at first. Thought it was just a bad encounter with a crazy monster. I didn't know it was bad until I...until I changed the first time. I was in an inn, drinking with some buddies of mine,when it happened."
>You close your eyes. You hate that memory. Hate it because it will never leave you. It's the clearest memory the dark half has, burned in both of your brains like a brand.
"I don't like to think about what happened. When I...when I was me again, I tried to find a cure, a way to fix me. There were legends...about that plant, the one I gave your purple friend. I tried that first. It didn't work."
>You don't mention that it almost killed you, and then forced a change in the middle of the day.
>In the middle of a heavily occupied slum.
"I'm sick, Fluttershy. And I'm poor. I started stealing, trying to get enough to just buy a cure. I don't know how I got here. I don't know why I'm here. I don't want any-p0ny to get hurt. It's why I tried to make it to the woods."
>You get up, turning your naked self away from Fluttershy and the bear as you stumble away.
>You need to bathe this blood off.
>You hear Fluttershy walking behind you.
"If you're going to sic your damn bear on me, go ahead. It'd be a relief."
>You turn around and watch Fluttershy watching you.
>She seems to be thinking something through.
>"I'm not going to hurt you, and neither is mister bear. I'm gonna help you, Anonymous."
>You laugh bitterly.
"How? More importantly, why?"
>"For Rarity's sake."
>You spin around at that, shocked, but the yellow pegasus is already gone.


>That was impressive, you'll give her that. You didn't even hear her leave, or the bear lumber off with her.
>You get up and go find your clothes.
>Time to soak all this fucking blood o-
>You glance up at the sun when a thought hits you.
>What time is it?
>Oh, as if things can't get any shittier.
>You dunk yourself, washing off the blood and a bit of the carrion stink, before getting some clothes on.
>You're gonna be late for Rarity's god damned job.
>You were going to let down the first person, pony, whatever that had ever showed you a bit of generosity.
>AGAIN.
>You curse yourself as you jog back into town, scratching at your hair and scraping off stubborn bear bits.
>That is really disgusting, but like most things involving your moonlit madness, you suppress it.
>You come to a stop at Rarity's weird house, gasping from your run, and pull the door open.
"Rarity, I-"
>SHOVEL TO THE FACE.


>"Late! Of all the many annoyances in this wide world, there is one thing I cannot abide, Anonymous!"
>You slowly, carefully, pry the shovel off of your face, accepting it into your hands from her blue magic field.
"Let me guess. Freedom and happin-"
>"TARDINESS. I said eight o' clock,, Anonymous, EIGHT! When I went looking for you this morning, you were gone! And now you come back all filthy, two hours late, and sweet Celestia you STINK!"
"Good morning to you too, marshmellow."
>Her face turns bright red.
>"What did you just call me, Anonymous?"
>Oh fuck.
"Uh..."
>"Because I think you just said, good morning, Miss Rarity, I am dreadfully sorry for making you worry."
"Sure, let's go with that."
>You give her your most charming smile.
>She's still glaring at you.
>"Anonymous, grab your shovel. Since you have wasted two hours, we must make haste if we want to grab the quality gems before the Dogs get to them."
>She puts her nose in the air and trots out the door.
>Okay, she mad. She'll get over it.
>What the hell were dogs, anyway?
>You don't care. You get to do some easy work digging up GEMS, for fuck's sake.
>Easy dosh.

 In the gemstone fields.
>This is bullshit.
>No, seriously, this is grade A bullshit.
"How the hell does that little purple bastard DO this!?"
>Rarity chucks a rock at your head, and you duck under it.
>"Do NOT insult little Spikey-wikey with your vulgarity, Anonymous! He's doesn't deserve it."
>You stare at her incredulously.
"No, seriously, do you see this?"
>You tap the shovel on the hard packed earth beneath your feet.
"This shit might as well be solid stone! How the hell does he dig through this crap?"
>Rarity does a little shrug with her forehooves.
>"Spike never has a problem. Then again, neither do the Dogs."
>Second time she's mentioned dogs.
>You grumble and start hacking at the earth with your shovel again
>An hour later, you've managed to uncover the single sapphire Rarity sensed earlier.
"Yeah this is bullshit."
>"Oh stop with your whining, Anonymous."
"You think this is whining, marshmellow? You havn't seen whining."
>You throw your shovel to the ground.
"THIS is whining! THIS SHOVEL'S TOO HEAVY, THE GROUND'S TOO HARD, IT'S SOOOOO HOT, I'M BORED, WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET SOME GEEEEEMS, I WANT A SNACK, THIS SUUUUCKS!"
>Rarity stares at you for a full minute.
>Then she starts laughing.
>Full out, rolling around on the ground laughing. She's managed to get dirt in her mane, but she's still laughing.
"Did I...was it something I said?"
>The expression on your face makes her laugh even harder.
>It's goddamn infectious.
>Eventually, you sit down on a rock and start laughing with her.


>Eventually, she realizes she has dirt in her mane, and her shrieks of horror fuel your laughter for another three hours.
>But the fucking stone ground kills your happiness.
"Rarity, I'm serious, this is impossible. It's like thin dirt over bedrock."
>You might be exaggerating a little, but you'd only dug five holes since the pair of you had gotten started.
>No amount of dosh was worth this suffering.
>You put the shovel in the dirt and lean on it, taking a breather as you look at the too-small hole beneath you.
>"Come now, Anonymous, the gems are waaaiiiting!"
>She smirks at you from her position next to the hole, and you glare back at her.
"I was serious, Rarity. I don't know how Spike did it, I don't know how your fairy-tale Dogs did it, but this is absolute bullshit."
>She frowns at your tone and language.
>"Honestly, Anonymous, language!"
>You glare at her.
"Rarity, I am not going to censor my fucking tongue to preserve your sensitive ears."
>She sniffs.
>"Ruffian."
"Marshmellow."
>The pair of you let out a brief chuckle, but yours dissolves into more cursing when you slam the shovel back into the dirt.
>"Anonymous, really? Have you never done an honest day's work in your life?"
"Honest? Hell no. Hard, yeah."
>She sniffs again, disdainfully.
>You slam your shovel back into the dirt.
>"Thievery can't be that hard. I don't understand why you didn't just apply yourself to some honest, challenging task and-"
>You freeze mid-dig.
>Did she call what you did easy?
>Oh no this white pony didn't.


"You think I had a choice, Rarity? I told you what home was like. I wasn't born into some fucking noble family. No silver spoon for me, hell no."
>Rarity bristles.
>"Are you implying that I was born with all I have?"
>You turn and glare at her, sarcasm dripping from your tongue.
"No, definitely not. What the hell could give you that impression?"
>"I'll have you know I WORKED for what I have!"
"Yeah, making dresses and having a lizard dig up gems. Hard work. I mean, what's living theft-by-theft compared to that? I just had to steal something every single day for my entire life or risk starvation. That's fucking paradise compared to dressmaking."
>Her face grows red, and she closes her eyes for a moment.
>"Anonymous, I'm sure that's the heat getting to you, but you surely cannot believe that thievery is any kind of-"
>You whirl on her, furious.
"That's all I had, Rarity! It's all I've EVER fucking had! And you go and call that shit easy? All the things I've had to do, just to stay alive, day after day!?"
>Rarity's eyes are still closed.
>"Anonymous, I truly didn't mean to say it like that. Please, calm do-"
"No, FUCK YOU AND FUCK YOUR CALM! AND FUCK YOUR SHOVELS, TOO!"
>You throw the shovel away before turning back to the white unicorn, lifting a finger to tell her off again.
>She stops you, shouting at you with a serious amount of indignation in her voice.
>"Anonymous, will you stop acting like a child!? You know that's not what I meant!"
>You drop your finger, suddenly ashamed. She was right, you were acting like a fucking chi-
>A rock hits you over the head.


>They came out of the dirt like a swarm of pirahna.
>You glanced around, dazed, as huge, dog-like things burst out of the dirt.
>Two of them, big fucking bruisers covered in fur, wrapped their arms around you as you stumbled from the blow to the head.
"What the fu-"
>Another blow to the cranium, and you shut up.
>Your blurry vision spots Rarity as she shrieks and backs away from a big one.
>It looks like a....dog-man-thing?
>Oh, these must be the Dogs then.
>Who the fuck would call these things DOGS? That's no warning at all.
>It's grating voice makes it's way to your ears.
>"We're back, pony! No more whining out of this one! We want the gems! All the gems! You help us find gems, or we hurt monkey-thing!"
"I'm not a God damn a-"
>You grunt as a furred fist slams into your stomach.
>Your vision gets a bit woozier, and you think you might have brain damage, because you swear you're falling.
>Oh look, the sun's going away...
>And there's that pretty white pony, yelling at you as you fall.
>You try to wave at the white pony, but another blow hits you in the head, and you fall unconscious.


>You wake up, coughing and weak, in a dim-lit rock cave.
>Dirt everywhere, of course, and-
>Are those fucking gems lighting up the cave?
>Holy shit LOOK ALL THIS MONEH.
>If it weren't for that awful dog smell this would be heaven itself.
>Speaking of dogs...
>You look up, shaking your head as you glance around your earth-walled cell.
>Metal chains cover your body and chain your arms to the wall, heavily rusted, but strong enough to keep you still.
>Two of those big fucking dogs sit there, along with that talky one from before.
>"Oh, the prisoner's awake! Goood! You're going to get us lotsa gems, monkey!"
"I'm not a fucking monkey, you mutt."
>He growls at you, and you smirk at him, even as you test the chains.
>"Watch your tongue, prisoner! Or we hurt you!"
>One of the dogs points a spear at you, and you recoil out of instinct.
>That's a fucking silver head. They probably don't even fucking know, but you can tell on sight.
>You let out a quiet, fearful breath.
>So you were trapped in a cave.
>By dog-men.
>THIEVING dog-men, apparently, who loved gems. Real funny, that.
>If the wizard who sent you here was watching, he must be laughing his ass off.
>Oh, and the dog-men have lethal weaponry.
>And you have no idea what time it was.
>You were fucked.


>Time to smooth talk your way out of this.
"What the fuck do you furry fuckers want, anyway?"
>SMOOTH AS SILK.
>"Gems!"
>"Trinkets!"
>"Shinies!"
>"Preciouuuusss!"
>Two of the diamond dogs stare at the last one, who shrugs.
"What does that have to do with me?"
>"We hold you here for ransom. White pony come work for us, we not kill you!"
>Oh, charming.
"How long have I been down here, anyway? Has Rarity shown up yet?"
>The dogs look at each other and then start muttering. They then break up and shout at once.
>"Seven hours!"
>"Two days!"
>"Four hours!"
>Holy shit, these fuckers were so stupid they can't count hours.
>But you know it can't be two days, otherwise they'd be dead and you'd be naked. It couldn't be seven, for the same reason. Which meant....
>Your skin ripples all over, and you feel a pain in your chest.
"You guys should...really consider...letting me go."
>They laugh.
>"Silly monkey, why would we do that?"
"Because if you don't...you guys are going to die."
>They start laughing.
>Oh well, you trie-

Rarity's perspective
>You sighed to yourself as you made your way down the Diamond Dog tunnel.
>The things were still positively FILTHY.
>You had run home after they'd captured Anonymous.
>You'd be damned if you'd be enslaved by Dogs again, but you hoped they'd be willing to free him in exchange for gems.
>If not, you could always out-wit them again.
>You'd thought of asking Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, or Rainbow Dash for help, but hadn't felt like you had the time.
>If you'd known the Dogs were too stupid to send someone out to negotiate terms, you would have changed your mind.
>Instead, you find yourself wandering tunnels for hours, getting sweaty and filthy and increasingly aggravated.
>You had come close to swearing more than once, but a lady never loses her composure!
>You just wish you knew were the diamond dogs were.
>You can hear them, yelping and chattering to themselves deeper in the cave, but you havn't found any yet.
>You follow the sound of the yelping and the chattering, grumbling to yourself.
>These Dogs were going to get a piece of your mind for putting you through all of this!
>There, there's one now!
>Is it....is it running?
>Oh.
>Oh my, look at all that BLOOD!

Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxhLLaSb-cY

>You can only gape in surprise as the dog runs past you, hurling itself down the tunnel as it flees.
>It had been bleeding....
>Anonymous! What if he was in danger! What had the dogs done!?
>You hurl yourself down the tunnel the dog came from, galloping past corner after curving corner.
>Your heart hammered in your chest. You had to get him out of there, had to make sure he was safe!
>You round the corner, and gasp in shock.
>Diamond Dogs lay sprawled out on the tunnel floor, horrid wounds torn in their bodies.
>You turn your eyes away, struggling not to retch at the horrid sight.
>Spears and armor litter the bodies, and you gasp as you see one dog, still moving.
>It crouches at the end of the of the cavern, hunched over the body of another dog and making crunching noises.
>You steel your stomach.
>"Out of my way, beast! If you hurt one hair on Anonymous' head I'll rip you to pieces!"
>The diamond dog freezes.
>Then it gets up.
>And up.
>And up.
>That is not a diamond dog.
>That is NOT a diamond dog.
>This thing, whatever it was, would tower over Iron Will at the height it's rising to.
>It turns around, and you gasp and back away as you not the blood dripping from it's muzzle.
>Your mouth opens in a silent scream, and the thing's mouth slowly opens in a growl, bloodstained teeth baring themselves at you.
>You take one more step back.
>It leaps for you.