Dig Dog (Private) (Running) (Dated)

[Onyx]

"Onyx believes day is 16 October according to Pony calender. Why do Ponies need calender? Why not simply go? Wait, why did Onyx just say what Pony day it is? Onyx think that Stones are getting too strong a hold."

Onyx sees a striped pony, and the pony that fell from the tunnels a few days ago.

Onyx looks towards the striped pony and says, "Does strange Pony have map? Also, why are you uglier than most ponies? Onyx see other striped Ponies, and Onyx not understand. Aren't Ponies supposed to be one color?"

Onyx shifts towards the other Pony, "Onyx think this will be nice trip. Onyx hope Pony is having a nice Fall. Onyx think that Pony should be more careful in tunnels. Onyx may be friendly, but not others."

Onyx checks the pocket in his vest, and sees the paper covered in notes. Onyx thinks about how he really needs more paper. 'Maybe Onyx will find paper.'

The group were preparing to head down the sewers, and do a bit of excavating work for the rebellion, placing key points throughout the city. They were in a quiet corner of the Undermarket, preparing their excursion with one final check to see if all were ready. The tunnel they were about the head down was dark, the torches unlit.

[Lance]

Lance took Onyx's words into account. He looked at the diamond dog questioningly "um, to keep some records for the rebellion? we're probably going to have to leave them a kill-count, date of events, you know, keep a timeline, organization and stuff?" He thought to himself, wondering where the idea of a timeline came from. to his second question, Scintillance answered "He's a zebra, Onyx! he's not exactly from equestria, but... actually, I should quite say that... I don't even know your name, bud!" he turned his head to zuberi, a gleeful smile on his face. "So, what's your story?" Lance then heard Onyx's paper dilemma. he pulled one stack of sticky notes from his duster in levitation, and let them float over to Onyx. He had another two stacks to spare, so he wasn't too worried about losing them. the diamond dog may need them more than him. "Here, I keep these around for more than just note-taking, but I can spare a stack. try to write small?"

[Zuberi]

Zuberi stood still and listened to the diamond dog, opening his mouth occasionally to speak before he continued. He decided to simply remain quiet until everyone was finished speaking. He had his shemagh around his neck, and over his back and chest to keep him warm and dry, his saddlebags tightly strapped around his midsection, and a crossbow firmly strapped and dangling at his side under the saddle bags. He was unsure why he was here or how he had come to get in contact with either of these characters, but was still excited to be there. Despite his excitement, he still managed to grimace a bit at being called ugly. He'd never heard anypony say something like that; that he was ugly because he was a zebra.

"Ee-yeah... I'm a zebra, not a pony. But I am from Equestria... Its confusing- anyway," he sputtered, then got on track. "My name is Zuberi, I'm an explorer and a cartographer, and I'll be recording our progress, as well as directing us in the right direction." He turned to the diamond dog. "So, what do you think we might encounter down here in means of hostile inhabitants?"

[Onyx]

Onyx looks towards the 'zebra'.

"Onyx not know what ze-bra," Onyx's face contorts, attempting to pronounce the alien word, "is. Is it different type of Pony? Shamans not say about fifth type of pony. Onyx starting to question knowledge of Shamans. Then again, Clan not deal with Ponies."

Onyx grabs the paper not noticing the sticky part of the paper, "Onyx glad to have more paper, it hard for Onyx to remember important things. Like where Onyx put traps. Or other things."

Onyx then tries to put the paper in his pocket, but it is stuck to the back of his paws. He begins trying to take the paper off, with little success, eventually deciding to scrape it off the back of his paw into his waiting pocket. Onyx thinks for a moment about the possible dangers.

"Onyx not know about Pony animals, but Onyx think that there might be Defiler's Dogs or Defilers in tunnels. Onyx have trouble with Defilers in past. If they know Onyx dig tunnels, they send Dogs into tunnels. Onyx think scary pony light magic would work here. Onyx know better. Dogs don't. Plus," Onyx looks towards the zebra, "... what does zebra," Onyx's face contorts with obvious effort to get the word out of his mouth, "have to fight with? Strange contraption? Probably is some other form of strange Pony magic. Onyx not even care anymore. Next thing Pony will tell Onyx is that Pony without wings can fly in strange machine!" Onyx waves his arm in the air in exaggeration.

Onyx gestures towards the zebra, "Shall we begin? Onyx is ready to go, and well, Onyx must wait because Onyx not know what to do with map. Onyx know he must dig."

[Lance]

Lance had a difficult time deciding whether or not he should explain the mechanics of the "walk on clouds" spell, or if he should describe the airships used in the war, or just mention the hot air balloons... but he let it slide, this Diamond Dog was already seemingly as confused as he should be allowed to be.

Scintillance's horn started shining incredibly, as it always does when he forces a new construct, although he's given it a little initial practice alone, after finding out he'd be digging. Even so, it was a new shape to him... an airspace before Lance began to pull pure "light" in on itself, bending, and then straightening into a glowing yellow shaft of some sorts. at the end of it, a flat, "spade" like formation comes into place, making the... spade, of a shovel.

as the object came to being, Lance seemingly did not; he dropped low to the ground, eyes shut tight, and and head beading with sweat, all the while. when the shovel was complete, it seemed a great weight has been lifted off of Scintillance, though he was still somewhat burdened. With the intense task of reshaping light complete, all Lance had to do was hold it together; easier said than done, but easier held tan made in the first place.

Scintillance offers a meager smile at Zuberi
"Just tell me... where to dig..."

[Zuberi]

Zuberi couldn't help but giggle a little. "A zebra is like a pony with stripes from a different part of the world. And yes, I have my crossbow to fight with. I think its made by earth ponies." Zuberi looked over and watched Lance conger up his shovel, and offered his own smile.

"I think the first place we need to go..." he began, moving to open his saddle bag and sift through it with his muzzle for the map he had been working on for the tunnels. "Somewhere in the outskirts... I hope you can make a pick axe, because we might need to bust through some rock at the exit. I picked out the perfect spot for an exit where no griffons could possibly stumble across it."

Zuberi trotted forward some, holding out a compass. He turned, watching his map. He looked up and faced the wall of the tunnel, and drew an X in the dirt on the wall with his hoof. "Dig straight that way," he said, then moved out of the way to continue studying his map.

[Onyx]

Onyx was slightly confused by the zebras answer, but decided to accept it, knowing that the Shamans didn't know much about the outside world. Onyx watched as the zebra looked at a small circle, and pointed, asking Onyx to dig. He scoffed at the zebra's comment about needing a pickaxe, "Onyx's claws can cut through any stone. Onyx may not be able to cut through gems but Onyx can cut through any stone. Onyx not need weak pony tools to cut through rock."

Onyx looks towards the floating light spade/shovel, "Onyx think Pony will not need to dig, will only get in way. Plus, light hurt Onyx's eyes."

As Onyx dug, he noticed that some areas were slower than others, and it seemed that the dirt sometimes just disappeared. Onyx thought is odd, but considering what he had seen, and considering what little the world knew of the One in Stone, he wasn't going to dwell on it.

"How long does Onyx dig? Onyx will follow directions, but Onyx will slow down if Onyx talk"
As he dug, he started to pace forward at a decent speed, not quite his normal walking speed, but close.

Onyx thought, 'good thing Onyx faster than other dogs when it comes to digging... It save Onyx more than once if Defiler suddenly get face full of dirt... or rock...'

[Zuberi]

Zuberi put his map back into his bag and began to trot after the Diamond Dog as he dug the tunnel, holding his compass out and following the needle's guide. "Onyx dig straight tunnel for many miles, we're heading for the outskirts of town to make an escape route." Zuberi then turned to look at Lance. "Do you have some way of lighting this tunnel?" he asked.

[Lance]

Lance smiles instantly as Zuberi asked him for a light. his own shovel was eminating a bright light of its own, it it really wasn't much of a "flashlight."

"Zuberi, my striped friend, they don't call me a stupid lightbulb for nothing!"

Scintillance instantly dissolved his shovel, and instantly regained his perky demeanor. "this one's a lot easier than a shovel..." closing his eyes, Lance showed a sign of struggle, but nothing compared to conjuring the earlier shovel; a simple, seemingly physical orb of light formed beside him, not growing in mass, but seemingly absorbing more and more light, glowing brighter by the second. Lance opened his eyes, "Just tell me if it's too bright!"

[Onyx]

Onyx flinches as the light comes on. "Onyx not like strange Pony light. But Onyx think that will protect us from Defiler's Dogs."

Onyx picks his speed up again, focusing on his work. Eventually becoming bored, Onyx begins to think to himself, 'Onyx think this trip won't be quiet. Onyx can almost feel it. Probably is just nerves. Onyx has been in Pony city too long for Onyx's liking. Onyx only feel things will get worse for Onyx.'

[Lance]

Scintillance dims the light a little, recalling that diamond dogs don't take too kindly to brightness. "sorry..."

Scintillance tries to strike up a conversation again, "So... who's this... Defiler you're talking about, anyway? he's he like... some defiler of dead bodies, or something? the name's got a creepy meaning, but... something I've come to realize in Equestria, is that everything seems to be named after something it does..."

[Zuberi]

Zuberi smiled as the light came on, the entire tunnel so far was suddenly illuminated by the unicorn's magic, and the zebra's map became visible. Zuberi giggled. "Its not too bright. My boiling retina just means I can see super clearly." He mused over his joke for a moment before turning back to his compass and noticing Onyx had strayed some to the west. "Turn a little more to the right, Onyx. We need to go north."

Suddenly, as the dog was digging, the wall before the group tumbled over into another tunnel. It was dark, and very natural looking. "Hold on," Zubi asked the diamond dog. He stepped forward and poked his head into the tunnel to get a look. It was dark as dark could be beyond the reach of Lance's light, but the faint glint of it from back in the tunnel they just came from provided enough light to see many things in the tunnel. Mostly what he had seen, was rocks. But other than that he saw a lot of spider webs, and some bones.

He turned back to the two and smirked a bit. "I have no idea what this is... There are no sewers here," he commented, pulling his map out and looking at the underground tunnels he had recorded already. None of them seemed to go in this direction; none of them seemed to come near this area at all. "Is this a defiler's cave?" he asked, looking back into the room again and hearing absolutely nothing from within except running water echoing from deep within it somewhere.

"I might just be paranoid, but... I kinda' have a bad feeling about this one..." he whispered, looking back into the tunnel.

[Onyx]

"Defiler is not some Pony creature which hunt in night. Defiler is one who ruin old ways. When Pony was free, and One in Stone was ignorant. Defiler invade Pony country, and ruin what was."

Onyx turns around at the sound of a wall collapsing. Onyx sees the bones and the webs and puts his claws to his head to get rid of the pain of a sudden headache.


Onyx looks towards the others, "Onyx not like this. Either there is large spider... or something worse. Onyx not know what is in there... Who go first?"

Onyx backs away from the tunnel, as if waiting for one of the others to go in. He sniffs the air, but can't seem to find anything.

"Onyx know of caves, but Onyx never know what in them. When Clan find cave, often it ignored or avoided. Clan always think dead spirits in cave. Onyx know better. There no such thing as spirits."

[Lance]

"d-did you s-s-say... s-s-spiders!" Lance's pupils went instant-tiny hearing Onyx's remark. Scintillance has only three fears in his life: dead things, insect things, and mushrooms. Lance particularly fears spiders, from the insect things category. "I-I think... I'm gonna... watch the flank, y-you know... in case we don't get s-surrounded b-by... s...s..sp... whatever's in there..." his chattering teeth chipped loudly.

[Zuberi]

Zuberi couldn't help but chuckle a little. He was the smallest and weakest of the group, but he apparently was also the only one who could stand to wander into a spooky cave. The bones and the webs did turn him off, but he wasn't afraid. He was rather good at slinking around and hiding; a skill acquired after years and years of having to slip through or around a griffon presence while in the wilderness. If they caught him with his maps and crossbow, they'd surely simply put him out right then and here. He had to be sneaky.

"Alright, I guess since I'm the only one brave enough..." he gloated with a laugh, hoping to encourage them through reverse psychology. He poked his head in and looked around some. It was dark, but there was some faint light glinting off the wet stones, and a small creek ran down the particular shaft they were stepping into. Possibly to a larger reservoir below. This could very well be where the entire city got its water from!

"Fascinating..." Zubi mumbled over the sound of the water as he chewed the thought. He stepped in and looked around a bit more, moving his crossbow to a ready position... Just in case. "Looks safe, c'mon in," Zubi called through the hole, beckoning with a hoof.

[Onyx]

Onyx files in slowly, peeking his head above the entrance to make sure nothing will jump onto him. The bones he did not mind, but the webs always annoyed him. Onyx never particularly liked fire so getting rid of webs was always a difficulty for him. Onyx thought of dogs who would dig coal, and go near fire. Onyx visibly shivered.

Onyx's heart began to race at the though of tunnel diving. He looks towards the zebra, "What does group do now? Onyx not see much to do in here. Some bones, which Onyx not like in empty cave, and hole that go to water. Oh and webs."

Onyx doesn't see some of the webs and walks into them. He jumps into the air and catches more of them on his body. He proceeds by running around the room, trying to get the webs off his body. Eventually, he hits the wall. "Why does have to happen to Onyx!" He begins writhing on the ground trying to get rid of the spider webs. "Get it off! Get it off!"

[Lance]

Scintillance followed suit after Onyx, and yelped when he rampaged through the webs. After Onyx found himself on the floor, Scintillance sighed, as his horn glowed, forming a Brilliant telekinetic field, fur-tight around Onyx, just under the webs. it expanded, tearing the webbing apart, and pulling his two legged friend to his two legged position so that he... um... can stand on two legs.
"I guess we can... e-explore? we... might be able to set up a few shortcuts through these... n-new tunnels..." the fear was clear in his voice, but Scintillance still had to keep his head in the right direction, even if he was moments away from feeling a warm drizzle down his legs.

[Zuberi]

Zuberi scrambled a little, trying to keep Onyx under control as he began to flail and run about covered in the webs. He stepped forward to try and catch him, but the larger creature knocked him over. He hit the ground and scrambled back to his hooves just in time to see Lance take care of the problem.

"Oh... That works too," he said, stepping back over to the mouth of the tunnel. "Here's the plan. Gonna just dig straight through, hope we don't find anymore tunnels. If we do, they'll probably be like this one. No problemo."

He pulled his compass back out and looked west again, facing the wall ahead of where they came out. "Okay, keep digging that way," he ordered, pointing a hoof ahead. While Onyx got back to digging, Zuberi would be marking the spot on his map where they entered the cave.

[Onyx]

After Scintillance cleared the webs from Onyx, he lied there dazed, until he was told to continue digging by the zebra. Onyx was amazed, and barely containing his fear. So easily could the Pony kill him... So easily. He nods dumbly, and walks towards the wall, and begins digging, without a sound.

The thought that a Pony of all things could bring him down... Onyx knew at that moment that the world had changed. No longer was he the predator, the dominant leader, the shaper of the world. No, he was merely an observer now, bound by the wills of Ponies and their kin. Truly this world he lived in was already his master's domain. While Onyx did not mind being told what to do, his natural instincts told him to dominate the pony and zebra, to hold them in their bubble of innocence. To protect them form the outside world. But the Defilers broke that sacred trust, their sacred duty.

But what was Onyx to do? He is not alpha, and One in Stone has not given him visions, nor have the Stones spoken. The world in his ears was truly silent. This scared him more.

[Lance]

Lance could tell something was wrong with Onyx. he could see that he was deep in thought, as he dug. that was pretty weird, because normally, Onyx would say something, and refer to himself in third person, as if it were his turn or something. But not this time. lance Trotted closer to the larger Diamond Dog, and questioned, "Is-is everything OK there, 'Nyx?" Lance looked back towards the opening the somewhat left, the thought of eight legged monstrosities his fresh on his mind.

[Zuberi]

Zuberi looked up as he heard the unicorn asking Onyx if he were okay. Now that it was mentioned it did seem something was bothering him.. Zuberi was worried he was being a little too hard, and listened for a response from the diamond dog.

[Onyx]

Onyx stops digging for a moment and turns around to respond to the unicorn's question, "Onyx is not sure anymore."

He begins fiddling with his claws, making note of the different scratch marks on each of them, each being a personal reminder of days past. "Onyx used to be strong, proud, and above all, above Ponies. It difficult for Onyx. Perhaps Shamans send Onyx because Onyx can live in this world. Most Dogs would have died. They need Pack. Onyx not sure. Most Dogs would push Ponies out of way, or would be cowards in face of bigger numbers. Onyx is not Alpha, yet Onyx can think."

He looks down with a sad face, and picks up a small rock putting it to his ear, "But this is not what make Onyx worry. Stone Warrior or other Dog worry these things. The silence around Onyx worry Onyx. Onyx believe Earth speak to chosen few. Few can hear earth's cries. Always has Onyx heard Stones. Is why Onyx train with Shaman. Ponies speak, but it is only words. Does Pony understand? Onyx live in a world of sound. To hear near nothing haunts Onyx."

[Lance]

Lance had a bit of a confused look to him. or was that arrogance, "So lemme get this straight, you used to here voices from listening to rocks?" Lance floated a small rock over to himself, jiggled it, and held it over his here. "I don't know about you, but I consider that a sign of insanity... I'm hearing the ocean, if anything." Lance tossed the rock aside, and put a hoof on Onyx's shoulder. that resulted in an awkward moment of Lance realizing just how tall that D-dog really was, and then put two front hooves on the shoulder, rather that leave himself to tip over aside, lacking balance.
" Don't worry, 'Nyx, you might not have your rocks to tell you anything... but now you have us! and our words aren't just words... my words come with a brown, handsome unicorn colt with a kick-flank arsenal of high-profile, radioactive-looking gear!" Scintillance turned to Zuberi, adding a joking tone to his voice, "And Zubsy's words come with a Crossbow armed cartographer of a pony with stripes. 'from another part of the world!'" Scintillance grinned, trying to assure that he's not insulting him. not entirely. maybe his choice of words. maybe. maaaaaybe.

"I don't know what your earth and rocks could do other than talk, but I think you'll find it less fulfilling... than friends ~."



((admit it: y'all totally saw that one coming eventually. corny as heck. just wait 'till I mention the magic of friendship.))

[Zuberi]

Zuberi listened with a confused look on his face as well. He listened, and heard the silence as well. He put his ear up next to the rock wall beside him, and continued to hear silence. Zuberi wasn't sure he understood, but he had to agree partly with what Lance was saying. "Its important to remember where you're from and your customs. Luckily for Onyx, he knows where he's from and what those customs are. I don't know anything about my culture. Nothing. Except the language, maybe... But that's beside the point.

"Lance has a point. Friends are important too, and what they have to say can be a lot more than just words... What does the Earth usually say?"

Zuber picked up a small rock and carried it to Onyx, placing it in his paw. "Maybe you're not listening well enough... Try again, Onyx," Zuberi invited with a warm smile.

[Onyx]

"The Earth usually speak to Onyx when Onyx must do something. When Onyx left Pack, the Earth told Onyx to venture to Screaming City." Onyx shifts nervously. "Onyx was near city, and could smell something... When screaming began."

Onyx takes the rock and puts it to his ear, "Maybe screaming has made Onyx deaf. Onyx may have failed Earth."

"Other times, when Onyx was younger, Onyx hear Earth speak. Onyx was in dark cavern. Onyx thought light would appear with silence. Onyx hear voices. Onyx hear whisper of loneliness, fear, rage."

Onyx throws the rock on the ground, "Onyx think hearing will return. But only once Onyx discover secret of Pony city. Onyx not strong enough to face Screaming City."

He begins clawing at the wall again, continuing his work, "Onyx would like Pack though. Help Onyx get hearing back. Onyx not sure though about word. Onyx not know what friend is though. Maybe Onyx learn that some other time."

A small whisper echoed in Onyx's ears, clear as day, "Who was Stone the Mad?" Onyx smiled then, and continued working quietly.

[Lance]

so the earth stopped talking to you when you were too scared to go to this... "screaming city?" Lance was barely certain as to what Onyx was saying, but he made whatever sense of it that he could. I think, all you need to do to get in touch with the earth if finish what you started; she speaks to you no more so long as her last command remains unfinished. or his command. I don't know. I never asked the earth what gender it was. Hey 'Nyx, you seem to know the earth personally, do you know?

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