=BiE 49=

>You walk along the edge of the crag further into the waste ahead of you.
>A Rainbow streak flew across the sky and touched down just ahead of you. "I looked ahead, no sign of any trouble." Rainbow said.
>She had insisted on coming along with you to look for crystals today, something about Diamond Dogs and the last time they came out here.
>"Are you really expecting that much trouble, Dash?" you ask.
>Rainbow hovers a few feet off the ground as her head darts to and fro. "I told you, Anon. The last time any of us came out here, Rarity ended up kidnapped. No way I'm letting that happen to you."
>How sweet. "My knight in pastel armor." you tease.
>The two of you continue your trek until you reach the rocky outskirts you came for.
>It was quiet here.
>REALLY quiet. You didn't even hear birds.
>"Stay close, Anon." Rainbow says.
>"You know, Anon's not my real name." you say. 
>It was true, the two of you had made up names on the spot when you came here and just rolled with them, you probably would have just used your real one if you had known you'd be here for a year and a half.

>Rainbow glances back at you. "So, what -is- your name?" she asks.
>You motion Rainbow down and grab her ear.
>She listens intently as you whisper the name you dropped into it.
>She pulls away afterwards. "So, that's what names are like where you come from?" she asks. 
>You nod. "Pretty much. But they're a bit different depending on where you go in the world."
>Rainbow puts her hoof on her chin and thinks. "Nah. You'll always be Anon to us."
>"What, you don't like my name?" you ask with feigned offense.
>Rainbow gets a smarmy grin. "It's not the worst name. But I met Anon, not that other guy."
>She might have a point there.
>"Well, Anon and the other guy both think we should get what we need here." you say as you start walking again.
>If this place was as dangerous as Rainbow said it was, you wanted to leave quick.

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpgphEhyYNs-
>This place felt wrong.
>The silence you noticed earlier was even more prevalent now.
>There was no life out here, just rocks and dirt.
>The sound of the wind over stone was your only indicator that you hadn't gone deaf, and even that seemed quieter.
>Rainbow had decided to walk some time ago, the atmosphere of the area pushing her to the ground.
>"Real inviting, this place..." you joke, trying to lift the mood.
>Rainbow doesn't respond to your joke and the mood stays below rock bottom.
>You and Twilight had jury-rigged a crystal to be able to detect other ones in the area, but you were only getting faint readings.
>"Is there any other part of this place we're missing?"
>Rainbow shuffles her hooves a bit. "There is one part..." she starts. "The Diamond Dogs who kidnapped Rarity took her to some underground tunnels." she points over a hill. "Somewhere in that direction."
>That sounded promising. "Alright! Let's go." you say, your spirits raised.
>"Whoa, hold on!" Rainbow yelled. She sped in front of you and stopped you in your tracks. "We are NOT going back in there! What if the Diamond Dogs are still there?"
>"Come on Dash, it's been how long since you were last here? Those Diamond Dogs have all probably cleared out by now." you say as you try to push past her.
>"Anon, no! I may play fast and loose sometimes, but even I know this is a bad idea." she says stopping you.
>You lower Rainbows hoof from your chest. "Dash, I have to get these crystals for my research. It'll just be in and out." you say. "Besides, I have you to protect me."
>Rainbow's face softens at the faith you put in her. "Okay, but just a quick visit..." she says as she leads you to the cave.

>The locater spell trapped inside the crystal lead you further then "just a quick visit".
>You were well underground by now, passing by empty mine carts and steel doors.
>Rainbow got more and more nervous as you went deeper. "Hey, look sharp. Walk around like you own the place." you tell her.
>Mous used to tell you that when you got worried, you probably could used him about now.
>The locator crystal reacts to a nearby wall. You motion to Rainbow. "Stand back."
>You pull out a small green crystal out of your pouch and throw it at the wall. The crystal shatters and bathes the wall with a green light.
>The light washes over the rock and seems to dissolve it as it goes, revealing a collection of crystals underneath it. 
>The light dies down. "Alright!" you exclaim as you examine your bounty with your magnifier.
>Deep node crystals as you expected, decent quality, about five interior refractions...
>"I telling you, saw light from over here!" a voice said in the darkness.
>Oh. Shit. You could hear their footsteps, there sounded like a few of them.
>"And I telling you, there no light here! We the only ones in these tunnels!"
>They come from around the corner at the end of the tunnel. Three of them, short, center, and tall. They had maces and spears on them.
>Diamond Dogs.

>Oh fuck.
>"Uh...anyone want to play fetch?" you say against your better judgment.
>The dogs remain stone faced. God that was a stupid thing to say.
>Rainbow jumps ahead of you. "Alright you three, just back off!" she shouts down the hall.
>The smallest dog points his hand at the two of you. "See? Told you there were voices!"
>"What you think we should do?" the big one asks as he picks up his mace.
>Why the fuck were these dogs dressed for war?
>Oh well, didn't matter.
>You reach your hand into your pockets. You had a collection of spell crystals stashed away in the event you had to make a quick getaway. 
>No need for a repeat of the manticore.
>The lead dog stroked the underside of his chin. "We not need this right now." he said to himself. "Why you in our caverns pony and ape?"
>Your eye drifts to the node sitting in the ditch next to you. "We came for these crystals, we'll leave once we get them."
>The dog folds his arms. "Should just kill you..." he mutters to himself. The dogs flanking him grab their weapons.
>Ohshit. You grab a handful of crystals and get ready to throw them.
>The dog waves his hand at the two of you. "Don't want to explain how you slipped past. Take your stupid rocks and go. Better not be here when we get back." he says as he turns around.
>The two dogs flare their nostrils at you as they leave. "Stupid ape not even here for gems..." echoes from the tunnel as they leave.

>You and Rainbow noped the fuck out of that cave faster than either of you could blink.
>The massive geode you were carrying didn't weigh you down in the slightest as you jogged through the wasteland and into the forest.
>Safely outside of Dog territory, you and Rainbow take a breather.
>"Why *huff* the hell *huff* were those dogs *huff* geared up like that?" you gasp out.
>"I don't know, Anon." Rainbow says, leaning on a tree. "But I hope your rock was worth it."
>It was. This geode could be the answer to your need for a higher conversion rating.
>You and Rainbow rest for a bit before you jump back on the path towards Ponyville, the geode sitting in your arms.
>Rainbow has gone back to her old habit of wrapping her hooves around you and letting you lead the way. "Hey." you say to break the silence.
>Rainbow rests her head on your shoulder. "Thanks. For coming along today. It's nice to know that I can count on more the just Mous to tag along for a dangerous job."
>Rainbow grins. "I'd be a bad special somep0ny if I let you go off and get killed in a cave somewhere." she says as she kisses your cheek.
>"Special somep0ny..." you repeat to yourself. "That still sounds weird to me."
>Rainbow laughs. "You're so weird, Anon."
>"Tch. You like it." you retort.
>Rainbow laughs again. "Yeah...yeah, I do."