Chapter Three - The Big Deep

"What do you think they're going to do with us?" Fluttershy asked the next morning, the time only apparent because of the clock that was hung on the wall in their sleeping quarters.  The room they had been left in was a small one, carved from stone like the tunnels they had walked through to get to it.

A single light fixture hanging in the middle of the ceiling illuminated everything, and the only pieces of furniture were a pair of mattresses placed directly on the floor.  A second, smaller room could be found in the back left corner, leading into a small lavatory, complete with a working commode and sink.  Rarity, for her part, could not help but note how clean the room actually was, despite its appearance.

"I'm not sure," Rarity replied.  "I just hope Sweetie Belle is doing alright without me.  She must be worried sick!"  The lock on the thick, metal door clicked, making them both jump a little.  The door opened, and behind it stood another new face.  His coat was brown, and he resembled a Dachshund.

He had a pronounced snout and low hanging ears.  Beneath his nose grew a rather bushy handlebar mustache.  He looked to be roughly a head shorter than Greyjaw, and stood with a very deliberate, dignified posture, his arms tucked behind his back.  He wore an expensive looking blue vest, and a brimmed hat of the same color.

"Good morning, ladies," the Diamond Dog said, bowing dramatically.  His manner of speaking possessed a refinement that could rival that of the Canterlot elite, "You may call me Reginald, and I have been appointed to be your caretaker here in the Big Deep!"

'What do you want with us?" Rarity asked, glaring at their new acquaintance.

"Now, now, there's no need for hostilities.  Miss Rarity, was it?  And Miss Fluttershy?  I assure you, no harm will come to you while you are in my care.  If you would please follow me, I will explain everything," he said this as he stepped aside, opening a path for them to leave the room, holding his arms out in the direction that they were expected to walk.

"I think that for now, we should just do what he says.  If we don't, they might send Greyjaw back..." Fluttershy whispered.

"I can assure you, that ruffian has little interest in seeing either of you again.  Now come along, I don't bite!" Reginald declared, giving them a friendly wink and extending his paw.

"Very well," Rarity sighed.

...

Fluttershy and Rarity were surprised to see the transit station that Reginald had led them to.  It was a very well kept facility.  The walls, constructions of metal as opposed to the masonry they had seen thus far, were lined with travel times and maps that neither pony had time to pay much attention to, though the maps did give them the impression that this so-called Big Deep was much more vast than they had originally assumed.  Even after their train (which had an abundance of seats despite having only three passengers at that time) had departed, speeding atop a single, metal rail, they could still see all the different directions the track constantly forked off into as they continued their ride through the long, dimly lit tunnel.

"I must say," Rarity said, admiring the walls of the tunnel as they passed her by, glittering with unexcavated minerals, "you have proven yourself to be of far more pleasant company than the Diamond Dogs in Equestria, or even Greyjaw."

"I should hope so, Miss Rarity," Reginald replied, tipping his hat to her.  "The Diamond Dogs you encountered in your homeland were criminals who tested our patience one too many times and were exiled.  That particular group was not particularly bright, though I am impressed that they managed to make it to a neighboring country.  Most do not survive exile.  As for Greyjaw, he's almost a wild animal, through and through, but he is dependable."

"A transit system, electricity, air conditioning, who made all of this?" Fluttershy asked, enjoying the cool breeze that the ride was sending into her face.

"Why, we did, of course!" Reginald replied, raising his arms and pointing his hands towards himself.  "Well, that is to say, our ancestors did.  The Diamond Dogs have been chipping away at the Big Deep for centuries, always looking for new ways to improve upon our quality of life, and always searching for new innovations.  What we can't do with the resources here, we trade for with the Zebras, though that is a very delicate and dangerous process."

"I had no idea anypony could do so much," Fluttershy said, looking over the cart again.

"You've not seen the half of it," Reginald said, grinning.  As if on queue, the cart cleared the tunnel, and continued travelling over a deep chasm, suspended on a tall bridge.  Rarity and Fluttershy had not prepared themselves for the view that greeted them.

"Is this... a city?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yes, and though this is our Capital City, it is but one of hundreds that operate beneath the land," Reginald replied.  Indeed, her eyes did not deceive her.  Far below, hundreds upon hundreds of buildings, all of varying heights, constructed from concrete, stone, metal, and glass could be seen.  On the outskirts, surrounding the taller buildings, individual homes could be seen, complete with yards, trees, and other forms of vegetation.

The ceiling of that massive chamber, so high that it was difficult to see, was covered with some sort of light-emitting apparatus which, as Rarity guessed by the familiar feeling of warmth hitting her face, was either harnessing sunlight directly or simulating it perfectly.  The air was so cool and fresh that she felt as though she were outside again.

"How is this possible?" Rarity asked, smiling, eyes closed, as the feeling of sunlight touched her coat for the first time in a day.  "Do you have magic users among you?"

"Goodness no," Reginald laughed, shaking his head, "we have engineers, some of the finest the world has to offer.  After all, we Diamond Dogs are, by nature, a curious and resourceful lot, and there have been true visionaries among us in each and every generation.  Didn't hurt that we had some nice reference material to start off with."

"Reference material?" Fluttershy asked, as their cart entered another tunnel, obscuring the great city once again.  The railing began to incline downwards, and the shape of the tunnel followed suit.

"Yes.  Generations ago, when the Diamond Dogs were first driven underground, we found what was, in short, the remains of an ancient, highly advanced civilization.  Couldn't tell you much about their history or culture beyond their inventions, and no previous records of them exist in this world as far as we've seen, but it was through reverse-engineering the technological advancements found in those ruins that we were able to create the tools that allowed us to make the Big Deep a possibility, and facilitated the quality of life that we enjoy today."

"Why were your people forced underground?" Fluttershy asked, turning to Reginald.

"Lycanthropes," Reginald replied abruptly.  "Werewolves, as you might call them.  They populate the swampland above the Big Deep.  They thrive in it, really.  They outnumber us, breed quickly, and are incredibly dangerous.  Though our ancestors fought for their territories for a time, in the end they would have been wiped out if they hadn't retreated down here."

"That sounds awful!" Fluttershy exclaimed as the cart's decent deepend, causing the fillies to grip the railings on their seats a bit more tightly.

"It is," Reginald replied, lowering his head and resting his hands on the nearby open window pane, leaning forward .  "Periodically, a pack of them will find their way into our tunnels, or worse still, into our cities.  Fighting them is a tricky business, and most of us are not cut out for it.  That is why I'm grateful for warriors like Greyjaw."

"Greyjaw is a warrior, then, and a protector?" Rarity asked, her ears perking up.

"One of the finest I've ever seen in the Deep," Reginald replied, his voice becoming low.  "But even those in the Wolf class, such as he, are not invincible.  That is another reason why we constantly try to improve upon our technologies, as a means of increasing our security.  The Big Deep is many things, but 'safe' is not one of them."

"I see," Rarity said, appearing deep in thought.  The rail that the cart was travelling upon began to bottom out, and soon enough, the three travelers found themselves coming to an abrupt, but gentle stop.

"We're here!" Reginald said, an upbeat tone returning to his voice.  "Please follow me."  The tram's door opened, and Reginald lead them from this new station down a series of stone corridors, until once again they found themselves in the chasm of the Capital City, only this time, at the ground level.

As Reginald led them along the sidewalks outlining the busy streets, through which vendors, stores, and business had opened for the day, and the citizenry passed them from all sides and from all directions, Rarity and Fluttershy marveled at how the city looked even more impressive up close.  Though the two ponies received many curious looks, most of the townspeople offered an earnest smile or a respectful nod of the head as they passed them by.  After roughly ten minutes of walking, they came upon a dome shaped building, sculpted with designs that did not adorn the other structures that the ponies had passed.

"The Capital Building," Reginald said.  "In each city, the mayor occupies a structure like this one, but here in the Capital City, our ruler conducts his business from it."

"You've taken us to meet your king?" Rarity asked loudly.  "Oh dear," she began fanning herself, "I haven't bathed since yesterday, or gotten the proper amount of beauty sleep!  I am in no shape to meet with royalty!"

"He is the Alpha Male of the Diamond Dogs, not a king," Reginald explained, raising an eyebrow, as they entered through a pair of glass doors that slid open as they approached.  "And I can assure you, he is not the type to hold either of those things against you."

"So what does it actually mean to be an Alpha Male?  Did he inherit the title from a parent, or was he elected?" Fluttershy asked as they entered the building.

"The selection of the Alpha Male is based on the ability to overcome a long series of trials, both mentally and physically.  Essentially, the best of the best is selected to lead our nation through that method."

"And who is your Alpha Male?" Rarity asked.

"Mahugpin," Reginald replied as he gestured for them to stop in the center of the open, dimly lit main hall.  "A word of advice, don't judge him by his appearance."

"What do you mean by that?" Fluttershy asked.  Suddenly, the heard a loud thud, accompanied by a small vibration around their hooves.  Another, louder thud sounded, and the vibrations intensified.  Another followed, and then another, and with each thud, the sound grew louder and the ground shook even more, until Rarity and Fluttershy were practically bouncing on the ground.

The two ponies looked up and beheld a towering silhouette, indistinguishable from that distance in the dimly lit chamber, stomping towards them, causing everything around it to shake with each great step it took.  Fluttershy and Rarity both began to tremble uncontrollably, huddling close together, as the gargantuan form drew closer to them.  Suddenly, it came to a stop, still far enough away that they couldn't quite perceive its features through the shadows.

A series of mechanical sounds ensued, and the figure's body began to retract into itself, its torso and waist becoming as one and sliding down the length of its legs, until its feet held its body mere inches from the ground, the entirety of the creature roughly the same height as Reginald at that point.  It waddled clumsily the rest of the way, until Fluttershy and Rarity could discern what they were looking at:  Standing before them was some sort of mechanical contraption with moving arms and legs, being operated by a small pug-looking dog, the smallest Diamond Dog they had encountered yet.

"Welcome to the Big Deep!" Mahugpin declared, holding his tiny paws in the air and speaking in a gruff voice, accented in a way that reminded Fluttershy and Rarity of the Apple Family.

"I already did the whole 'Welcome to the Big Deep' bit," Reginald pointed out.

"Well how was I supposed to know?" Mahugpin replied, rolling his eyes.  "Anyway, Rarity and Fluttershy, right?"  The two ponies nodded.  "I'm the Alpha Dog 'round these parts, name's Mahugpin!"

"I already told them your name as well, sir," Reginald added.

"Tell ya what, Reggie," Mahugpin said, leaning forward in his seat at the top of the torso and glaring at Reginald, "if I start to repeat ya again, just go ahead and let me, alright?"

"As you wish," Reginald said, tucking his arms behind his back again and looking away.

"Excuse me, Mahugpin?" Rarity asked, taking a small step forward.  "If you don't mind my asking, why did you have us kidnapped?"

"'Kidnapped' is such an ugly word," Mahugpin replied, frowning.  "Appropriate for this situation, but ugly all the same.  To put it simply, I know you gals are crucial to the defense of your Equestria, and I need you here for political reasons.  I hope Reginald told you about our security situation."

"He mentioned something about lycanthropes," Rarity replied as Fluttershy nodded.

"Right," Mahugpin replied, "they're a might dangerous, and they've been getting into our territories more and more lately."

"I don't understand," Rarity said, shrugging a shoulder.  "What can Equestria do about that?"

"Equestria has resources we simply don't have here in the Deep," Mahugpin explained.  "Magic, mostly.  Some muscle from its army, to.  We're desperate, here, so we went ahead grabbed 'em by the proverbial family jewels, if ya catch my drift," he laughed a little as he said that, causing Fluttershy to blush and Rarity to grimace.  "Ya won't be hurt, no matter what, and you'll both be returned to your homes as soon as we get what we need to survive."

"Um, excuse me?" Fluttershy interrupted.

"Speak up, little lady, I ain't gonna bite ya," Mahugpin replied softy, smiling down at Fluttershy.

"It's just that..." Fluttershy continued, lightly scraping a hoof against the ground and avoiding eye contact, "I think Princess Celestia would gladly help your people if you asked.  We could... go back to Equestria and ask for you.  I'm sure she'll listen to us.  If that's okay..."

"Nothin' doin'," Mahugpin replied, leaning back and raising his paw.  "We've sent messages to the Princess askin' her for help for a couple years now, and we haven't gotten a single reply.  Too dangerous leavin' the Deep out that direction to hazard a diplomatic visit that won't guarantee results, so we decided that this was the way to go."

"I can't imagine that the Princess would ignore your plight," Rarity said.  "She must not have received your messages."

"Dunno how things work up there," Mahugpin replied.  "Maybe they got lost in the mail, maybe some lower level secretary threw 'em away, but we ain't gonna be overlooked any longer."

"And what will happen to us in the meantime?" Rarity asked, glancing over at Fluttershy.

"You'll be treated as honorary citizens of the Big Deep," Mahugpin replied, leaning the tips of his paws against one another in front of his face.  "Naturally, as citizens, you'll have to pull your own weight if you want to eat."  Rarity gulped.  "Don't you fret, Rarity, I heard all about what those Exiles did to you back in Equestria.  I ain't talkin' 'bout hard labor or anything like that.  Fluttershy, I hear you're a talented veterinarian.  Is that true?"

"Um... I'm not licensed or anything, I just like taking care of animals, and I guess I'm pretty good at it," Fluttershy replied her voice growing a bit louder as she spoke.

"Good enough for me," Mahugpin declared, spreading his arms.  "I'm gonna stick you in the main hospital here in the Capital City, see if the medical dogs can't teach ya a thing or two."

"I'd be helping ponies?  Oh!  I mean, doggies?" she said, quickly correcting herself.

"Heh, I know all about that weird habit you ponies have, 'somepony' this and 'everypony' that, it ain't a big deal.  But yes, you'll be helping my people," Mahugpin replied, nodding.

"That... doesn't sound so bad," Fluttershy smiled a bit.

"That's the spirit!  And you, Rarity, I hear you have a knack for finding gemstones and other minerals, is that right?"

"Why, yes it is!" Rarity replied.

"I'm gonna put you to work doin' just that in the mines," Mahugpin said as Rarity began to frown.  "Don't give me that look, it won't be as bad as ya think.  You'll be in an advisory position, so you'll spend most of your time in a cozy little office when they don't need ya to map out dig-spots."

"Oh, well... I suppose that will be okay," Rarity replied, nodding.

"Great!" Mahugpin replied.  "An apartment's already been set aside and furnished for the two of ya, Reginald will see that ya get settled in, and tell you where to report for work tomorrow.  I've got a heap of important stuff to take care of, so I'll leave you two to him."

...

"This place is absolutely fabulous!" Rarity squealed as she took in the sight of the living room of their new apartment.  It was very neatly furnished, with color-coordinated chairs and sofas lined up around a low table covered with various types of literature from the land of the Zebras and the Griffon Kingdom.  A plush, inviting carpet lay beneath all of that, the same shade of deep blue as the drapes which hung in front of the windows nearby, surrounding by a variety of abstract paintings.

The two bedrooms and bath were just as aesthetically pleasing.  The kitchen had all of the appliances that Rarity was accustomed to using when preparing meals back in Ponyville.  Truly it had all the comforts of home, and a sophistication that could rival the apartments in Manehattan.

"I'm glad you approve," Reginald replied, laughing softly.  "You and Fluttershy get comfortable, and do as you please until tomorrow morning, when the time comes to report in for work.  I'm leaving a list of the best restaurants in town on the counter, just tell the manager of any of them that you're the special guests of Mahugpin, and they'll take care of you!  Obviously, that offer only stands for tonight, so I suggest you make the most of it."

"Thank you very much!" Fluttershy said, smiling widely.

"Reginald, if you don't mind my asking, regarding Mahugpin..." Rarity's voice trailed off.

"You want to know how he came to be our Alpha Male?" Reginald replied, tilting his head upward.

"Well, yes.  I expected someone... harsher, more intense.  Someone more like Greyjaw," she said, frowning.

"Mahugpin may not look it, and he certainly doesn't talk like it, but he is one of the most brilliant inventors the Big Deep has ever produced.  That ridiculous contraption that he rides around on, the 'Squatter' as he calls it, was of his own design, and although I find its appearance to be rather silly, I've seen him flatten werewolves with it."

"So it was through his resourcefulness that he passed those trials you mentioned earlier?" Rarity asked, staring attentively at Reginald.

"Correct," he nodded.  "In fact, he broke several records in the process that had been set by his predecessors.  Furthermore, you won't find a kinder soul.  I assure you, he would never have arranged to have you two brought here if he didn't truly believe that the survival of his people depended on it."

"I suppose I can forgive him, then," Rarity replied.  "I sincerely hope, not just for our sakes, but for yours as well, that the Princess is finally made aware of your crisis and can find a way to help you."

"I appreciate that, Miss Rarity.  Well, I have some last minute work to attend to as well, being his personal assistant and all, so I will bid you both adieu."  Reginald bowed, and took his leave.

"Look!" Fluttershy exclaimed reading off of the restaurant list that Reginald left behind.  "They have one place that specializes in all kinds of fancy pastas!"

"Well, we'll just see about that," Rarity replied, as though issuing a challenge.  "I suppose we can make the most of our time here."

"I'm still a little homesick," Fluttershy said, bowing her head, "but I'm glad you're here to, Rarity."

"Likewise, darling."

...

"They really are a lovely pair of girls," Reginald said.  "I don't relish lying to them."

"I didn't like it any more'n you, Reggie," Mahugpin replied, sighing, his Squatter slouching.  "I just don't have the heart to tell 'em that we're going to war with their country."

"They will be taken care of, right?" Reginald asked gently.

"'Course they will.  I said they were gonna be citizens and I meant it," Mahugpin replied.  "They'll take to life with us eventually, just you wait and see.  Chrysallis won't like it, but she can just get over it."

"Are you still certain that war is the right course of action?" Reginald asked, frowning.

"I wish I wasn't," Mahugpin replied, "but the werewolves are getting smarter, and their attacks across the country have been getting more devastating.  We have no choice but to migrate to Equestria."

"But to subjugate its people..." Reginald replied, shaking his head.  "What gives us the right to-"

"Those are the terms for gettin' the aid of the Changelings," Mahugpin cut him off gruffly.  "They have to be able to feed, and we certainly can't win this fight on our own.  This is our only choice, Reggie, you know that!"

"I guess that's true..." Reginald replied, shutting his eyes.