AiD 5 - Unleash the dogs

http://youtu.be/6x5OubSeb-U
http://oi46.tinypic.com/34e9d03.jpg
http://oi50.tinypic.com/2ltiqgo.jpg
http://oi48.tinypic.com/2hp884y.jpg

>Your breath quickens as you jog through the labyrinth of diamond dog tunnels.
>Owing to your long legs, the p0nies following you are running at full speed behind you.
>It’s all they can do just to keep up with you.
>You’re working out your route to the surface as you move, even after all the time you’ve been down here you find that navigating the thousands of intertwining caves can be daunting, to say the least.
>A left here, a right there, an upwards angled tunnel after that...
>Seeing a diamond dog right now would be pretty damning, so you try your best to choose routes that you know will be empty at this time of day.
>Honestly, you shouldn’t have a problem for the most part.
>Plenty of unused tunnels are still around, the dogs keep them for convenience, or sometimes just because they’re too lazy to fill them in.
>Plus, the pathways reaching to the surface should be deserted at this time of day.
>Fuck if you knew what time it was on the surface, but your internal clock was telling you that most of the dogs should be eating dinner or relaxing right now.
>In fact, you’re starting to feel a bit hungry.
>No time to stop though, you hurry along, leading the p0nies as quickly and quietly as you can manage.
>You can see the yellowish p0ny, Applebloom try to speak a few times, but you cut her off with a shush every time.
>You really don’t want to attract any attention right now.

>After hitting a dead-end you decide you should stop and make sure your bearings are correct.
>Crouching, you set down the white p0ny, Sweetiebelle you think they called it.
“Hold on a second, I need to think for a bit about the best way out of here.”
>Applebloom is looking at you inquisitively, she looks like she’s about to burst.
>AB: “Why’re you helpin’ us?”
>The orange one looks shocked, and speaks up quickly.
>SL: “Why are you asking him that NOW? You were ASKING him to help us just a few minutes ago!”
>AB: “Yeah but, lookit ‘im. He’s dressed up like one of them dog things, so that means he’s workin’ with them, right? So why’s he helpin’ us now?”
>The three of them look to you expectantly.
“Um, look. I’ve been staying with the diamond dogs since I got to this land, they found me. Gave me food and shelter as long as I helped out. I didn’t even KNOW there were other animals that could speak until today. At least I wasn’t sure...”
>The white p0ny looks at you incredulously.
>SB: “You’re smack dab in the middle of Equestria and you didn’t know that p0nies could talk? How did you even get here, from the center of the Earth?”
>These questions are starting to irritate you, although hearing Sweetiebelle’s voice crack is adorable enough that you keep your composure.
“Alright, enough story time, I know which way we need to go now.
>You hold your arms out to Sweetiebelle and let her clamber up into them again.
>Once again you straighten up to your full height, and take off.
>You certainly weren’t taking the shortest route out, but you hadn’t seen any dogs so far, so things were looking good at the moment.

>A few more minutes pass in silence as you hurry to the surface.
>You try to think of what you’re going to do after all this.
>First things first, you really need to get these little candy p0nies to their parents, or herd, or whatever.
>You’re a little curious about how their society might work, but now’s not the time.
>After that, what?
>You suppose you could maybe try to seek shelter with them once you come back with their kids, but oh wait, you’re a monster that might eat their friends and family.
>That p0ny barbeque is REALLY weighing heavily on your conscience right now.
>What if an alien had landed in America and unknowingly eaten your neighbor or something?
>STILL not the time for this.
>Why can’t you stop thinking about everything at once?
>You shake your head and quicken your pace, trying to drive all these difficult questions from your mind.
>Get out now, think later.
>You’re getting very close to the surface now, most of the tunnels are turning sharply upwards.
>Climbing would be impossible with a p0ny in one arm, not to mention that the other two would have no way of following you.
>For these reasons you’re taking the most horizontal path possible.
>It should be fine, after all you’re really close to hitting open air by now.
>With maybe two tunnels left to go, you turn a corner.
>And almost run straight into Fido.

>It takes a second to get your balance back from your sudden stop.
>As you do you catch a glimpse of Fido’s face.
>It lights up initially, then quickly changes to one of confusion.
>”What...?”
>He’s been caught completely off-guard, you see his eyes travel from your face to the little white creature in your arms, then down to the two huffing and puffing behind your legs.
>You look down to the terrified little p0nies, then back up to your friend.
“I...”
>The words catch in your throat. What could you even say here?
>How could you possibly make this right? Fido was so happy when he told you that he and the other boss dogs had captured not one but three p0nies.
>You know he probably didn’t mean any harm, it was hard to imagine Fido ever knowingly and intentionally doing something bad.
>It’s just that he put a lot of stock into Rover, and the dogs were pretty simple as a rule.
>But letting the dogs just take these little p0nies?
>Now that you knew they could think for themselves, you couldn’t do that.
>Besides, these were young, and one had already been hurt.
“I’m sorry Fido, I can’t...”
>His face shifts, looking back to you Fido adopts a look that’s somewhere in between bewilderment and worry.
>It’s breaking your heart, you feel like you’re shooting your pet.
>You hang your head.
“I can’t stay here Fido, I need to get out.”
>You bolt past the diamond dog, the p0nies at your side.
>As you run, you look over your shoulder at him.
>He hasn’t even moved from that spot, he’s just watching you leave.
>You put your head down and run.

>You and your three companions finally begin to see natural light filtering into the cave.
>As you scramble out of the tiny exit at the end of the tunnel you see that it’s still daylight.
>Reaching down into the hole, you pull out the remaining p0nies, one after another.
>You can see that they’re exhausted. Applebloom lays down to catch her breath.
>Sprinting that last leg was probably overkill. You’re six feet tall with long legs and you’re in the best shape of your life.
>These little living toy horseys are less than two feet tall, and seem to be children.
>You’ll have to be more careful in the future that you don’t run these little things to death.
>”Mister minotaur?”
>You look to see who’s talking, it’s the orange and purple one, Scooterloo you think it was.
>The other two p0nies have much easier names to remember, you think.
>Applebloom looks like an apple core with her distinct red and light yellow color scheme, and Sweetiebelle is adorable like nothing else.
“I’m not a minotaur. And not now, the dogs know we’re out here now so we need to get to the woods quickly.”
>AB: “But ah’m tiiired!”
“Too bad.”
>The p0nies stand up, slowly.

>With one arm you grab Sweetiebelle and resume a brisk walk towards the trees.
>The ground here is very flat, so the p0nies have no trouble keeping your pace, tired as they may be.
>You’re not entirely sure where you should be going, but you’re banking on the hope that when you get far enough into the woods one of the little p0nies will recognize where they are and guide you back out.
>This idea seems a bit stupid, but you’re feeling pretty good about your survival skills right now.
>A quick pat down with your free hand confirms that you’re currently carrying your knife, some flint, string, a bunch of gems (if you ever did make your way back home, some of these things would make you RICH), A lute, a bag of underwear, and a tiny bit of jerky.
>Now that your pace is slower, you can appreciate just how painfully the straps on your shoulders are digging in.
>You walk in silence, noting that whatever survival skills you might or might not have, you’re really hoping you don’t have to test them tonight.
>The sky is already getting darker and the little fuzzballs by your legs are definitely showing signs of fatigue.
>You wonder how long it’s been since they’ve eaten, your own hunger is beginning to gnaw at you.
>They can probably eat the grass or whatever though.
>Actually, you should stop making assumptions, that sort of thing has been killing you ever since you arrived in Dogland. Equinica. Whatever, you forgot what the little critter called this place.

>Without warning, you miss a step and nearly fall flat on your face.
>Abruptly snapped from your thoughts again, you look down and see a shallow crater.
>Vegetation around the edges burnt and dead, you realize this is where you first arrived in this strange land.
>The living white fluff in your arm seems to recognize this spot as well, she stirs and speaks up.
>SB: “Hey! I know where we are now, this is where the dog monsters captured us!”
>This area is just outside the diamond dogs’ patrol area, getting this far probably means you won’t be followed anymore.
>Looking around a bit, she speaks again.
>SB: “There, we need to walk that way. That’ll take us back to the path!”
“I hope you’re right”
>You walk in the direction Sweetiebelle indicated. You REALLY hope that she’s right, because that would lay a ton of your fears to rest.
>Having a path to follow would make it difficult to get lost, and you’d feel much safer in the woods now that night was beginning to fall.
>A few minutes later and you breathe a sigh of relief. You’re getting tired, your stomach is growling, the little teeny horses are practically dead on their feet, but you have found the path.
>Makes you wonder a bit, when you landed here in wherever-the-hell, had you just wandered in the opposite direction you might have found this path instead of the dogs.
>Thoughts of what could have been race through your mind as you get your bearings from the little white p0ny.
>Wouldn’t want to find a path just to walk in the wrong direction on it.

>Sweetie’s actually pretty energetic compared to the other two, makes sense considering they’ve been running so hard and so long, while you carried this one the whole time.
>You’re actually pretty amazed that these p0nies can book it as well as they do.
>After some more walking in silence though, you begin to see that the little white p0ny is incredibly bored.
>Her friends are clearly not in the mood for talking, and you realize that you have been shooting down most of their attempts at conversation during this whole escape.
>Thinking it would be in your best interests to try and be as friendly as possible to these little youngsters, you have an idea.
“Hey Sweetiebelle.”
>SB: “Y-yeah?”
>Curled up in one of your comparatively massive arms, she looks very small and meek.
“Would you like me to sing a song while we walk? It’ll help pass the time.”
>Her eyes light up.
>SB: “Sure! I mean, please?”
>Her voice squeaks adorably, and you’re happy to oblige her.
>You softly sing a personal favorite. David Bowie’s ‘The Man Who Sold the World.’
>The two p0nies on the ground are clearly enjoying it swaying as you sing, although that may just be from fatigue, but with Sweetiebelle it’s another story entirely.
>She looks enraptured by your song, a twinkle in her wide eyes as she watches you.
>You actually feel a little self-conscious, you decide to watch where you’re going as you breathe the lyrics
>After finishing the song, and a couple others, Sweetiebelle is fast asleep in your arms, and you see the lights of a town.
>AB: “ We’re here! Thanks mister not-a-minotaur!”
>Her voice is tired and breathy, but she runs off as soon as the first houses come into view.
>Houses?

>You look in wonder at the village coming into view.
>These are actual, well-constructed buildings. With foundations and multiple stories.
>It puts the diamond dogs’ hole-in-the-ground tunnels to shame.
>This sort of construction is frankly impossible, how could equines possibly make such amazing structures?
>In fact, were it not for the diminutive size, you would say these houses were distinctly human in build.
>It was like someone had shrunken the residential areas in the valley.
>Night is upon you, and you are aware of the little breathing lump close to your breast.
>You can see the orange p0ny is quickening its pace, clearly happy to be heading home like her apple core colored friend.
“Hold on! Where does this one live?”
>You point at Sweetiebelle.
>Scooteroo sounds completely exhausted when she answers.
>SL: “That... house... over there. With the... carousel.”
>You say your thanks and make your way down the street, leaving the orange p0ny to walk it’s own way home.
>You’re in no hurry, but the house is close by, and... it’s rather curious.
>The carousel is no joke, there really are p0ny shaped statues like you would expect to see on a true carousel, though this one is clearly stationary.
>The house itself has no immediately neighboring buildings, and looks very ornate.
>You knock on the door, and wait.
>After a moment, the door is thrown open.

>The interior of the house is brightly lit, temporarily blinding you.
>As your eyes adjust to the light, you look down to see a four legged figure before you.
>It’s clearly a p0ny, compared to the one you ate in the woods it’s proportioned nearly identically.
>With the light at its back you have trouble discerning the fine details of this little horse, but you have a clear view of its coat and mane.
>Like the little one that you’re holding, the p0ny in the doorway has fur of a pure white. The light from inside illuminates it from behind, giving you a clear view of its back from your comparatively high vantage point.
>Its mane and tail alike are expertly curled, perfectly maintained locks of a deep purple.
>The face is mostly in shadow still, but the snout and facial features seem much softer than those of the first p0ny you encountered in this land, though they are far more recognizably equine compared to the young p0nies’ faces.
>It seems to be staring at your thighs with some confusion, its eyes probably getting used to the darkness as yours were getting used to the light.

>You imagine that this must be Sweetiebelle’s mother given the feminine-looking hair and similar coloring, and think that the suddenness of the door opening must have been a frantic reaction to your knocking.
>This p0ny had probably been missing its daughter for the few days it was with the dogs.
>You try to think of things to say to assuage the frenzied mother’s attitude, and you see it lift its head slowly.
>A glint in the moonlight shows you its eyes, slowly tracking their way up your body, pausing just a moment to rest on Sweetiebelle’s sleeping figure, then continuing up to your face.
>Before you can say or do anything, the p0ny opens its mouth.
>And it screams.

End Chapter 5 - Unleash the dogs