Let Sleeper Dogs Lie

Let Sleeper Dogs Lie

by neorenamon

With Spike at her side, Queen Sombra (aka the real Rarity) gazed down the cliffside to the entrance to the Diamond Dog's mine-fortress.  A number if warriors were about watching over the surface miners, but it wasn't quite the same as it was last time.  This time, the miners weren't in chains laboring under the lash.  They were getting rest breaks and time for food and drink.  Then she saw the reason why:  Mining golems crafted and transported here at great expense from Canterlot.  Normally, they all stayed deep inside the mines to prevent escapes, but now they had returned to working the surface resources all around them.

The golems were like spiders, except that they had a hand at the end of each leg.  They were well suited to burrowing through solid rock, and could move boulders amassing to a few tons with each trip.  Their eight eyes were attuned to things others couldn't see, like the subtle shifting in stone before a cave-in.  She had heard that they had a few other tricks, like acid spitting to melt things too tough to burrow through, and spinning steel webbing to instantly reinforce a tunnel.  They were even supposed to be self-repairing, so that they almost never had any downtime.

"I hoped I would never have to return here again," grumbled Queen Sombra.

She turned, and wagged a finger come hither at Spike.

He stepped up as he asked, "What'cha need?"

Her hand produced a ball of green flame, and he stared wide-eyed as she pushed it into his chest.  It sank it over his heart as his mouth just dropped wide open.

"What have you done?" asked Spike.

"I have merely given you the powers of an Ancient Wyrm," she replied with a smirk, "The fire breathing.  The scales as hard as diamonds and steel.  The claws and fangs that can rend all.  There will be no surprises this time.  If the Dogs try to take us by force, there shall be no mercy."

"This isn't like you," said Spike

"Desperate times, my Spikey-wikey," she replied.

"Whoa," said Spike as he looked at his shiny new hide, "I feel incredible... like I could move mountains."

"Oh yes," she purred, "You do have their incredible strength all compressed into that body.  Just remember that we are not here to CAUSE a problem, Spike-dahling... JUST FINISH ONE."

"No unnecessary violence," he replied, "Check."

"But just remember, there's no problem making a show of force."

"I get ya."

Queen Sombra's horn glowed as they all floated down to the base of the mining pit that surrounded the entrance.  All the dogs turn to stare at the party as they touched down.  She gestured for a warrior to come over, so he awkwardly did so.

"We are here on behalf of Equestria to speak to the Diamond Dog Shaman as soon as possible."

He paled as she spoke.

"If you cannot do so yourself, then take us to one who can."  She waited a moment before she said, "Well?!  What holds thy tongue?!"

He pointed with a shaking finger, so she turned to see Spike holding a 10-ton boulder over his head with a grin as he said, "Hey buddy, where do you want this?"  It seems his voice had considerably deepened since the last time he had spoken.

"I'm sure it goes over here with the others," she replied as her horn glowed green, the rock glowed green, and it floated from Spike's hands over to a massive pile of similar rocks.

The poor dog looked like he might pass out.  The miners and other warriors were also staring open-jawed at the scene.

"To show just how generous I am," she purred, "I shall grant you a boon as a sign of good will."

Her horn glowed even brighter as it spread out across the land.  It went further than anyone could see.  After a few seconds of quiet, the ground began to shake.

"QUAKE!!" screamed some of the dogs as they ran about in a panic.  Even Spike and Celestia seemed concerned, but Sombra's face was a mask of stony confidence.  Then gemstones of every description began to float in from all around.  They piled up in the middle until the pile surpassed any other pile in the whole mine area.

She walked over to a pile, plucked the largest Emerald green stone of at least 2 pounds, and tossed it over to Spike.  Then she plucked a larger ruby red stone of at least three pounds as she said, "I may well need you later."  That stone vanished into her mane even as the other went down Spike's gullet in about three chomps.

"Now one of you fine dogs can surely take me to see the Shaman, no?"

One of the dog warriors stepped ahead.

"Very well," she replied, "I was sure one of you would be up to the task."

They followed the warrior towards the mine entrance as the remaining dogs continued to stare slack-jawed.  She followed them a considerable distance before Sombra stopped and looked around.

"What is it?" asked Spike.

"I sense that Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Luna are close by," she replied, and then turned to look at a cave opening as she said, "They're right in there."  They strode in to see a large number of pups and number of bitches.  While most of the pups were now being bottle fed, a number were still being breast fed the old fashioned way.

Then she saw Nightmare Moon sitting lotus against a wall with two pups in her lap.  Judging by the way her head was back, panting and moaning, she was definitely under some influence as they pups just seemed to be suckling her breasts... like pups.

Nightmare Luna was hogtied in a corner as two much older pups nursed, and while she was moved like Moon, it seemed to be more a mix of pain and pleasure, as she could see the pups' first teeth.  A sign they were about ready to stop nursing.  Somepony was being punished.

'Leave us here,' said Luna in her head, 'We must atone for our crimes.  It is a small thing to give life instead of take it.'

'FREE US AT ONCE, NIGHTMARE SISTER, SO THAT ALL VERMIN MAY SUFFER!!' thought Nightmare Luna.

Then she noticed they were both wearing control collars like the one she was still trying to remove from the Pegasus-dog known as Rainbow Dash.

"As much as I would like to grant one of your wishes," she replied, "Your older sister is worried sick about you.  If you seek penance and forgiveness, Moon, then you'll just have to find another way.  I'm sure something more... equitable can be arranged once I've spoke to this Shaman.  But first, I need to convince him to release you from his control.  That is not acceptable to us... eh, to me."

Her horn glowed as sparks floated over to their collars, and then the ropes about Nightmare Luna turned to dust.

'AH!  NOW FOR!... WAIT, WE CANNOT MOVE!'

"I have assumed control," she replied, "For the well being of you both.  If I released control, the Shaman could easily take it up again.  Besides, there shall be no massacres or revenge... for now."

She gestured as the two mares came to her side.

'Very well,' said N Luna, 'We shall accept your... concerns... for now.  But we expect to be free soon.'

'How fares our big sister?' thought N Moon.

"To make a long story short, Celestia is resting in her room.  Nightmare Celestia has taken control of the sun, so I had to create a spell to keep her strong until I get back control.  To keep the Nightmare out of trouble, I trapped her in special black crystal to that she couldn't use the sun against us... again!"

'Ah, that would be my little Nightmare Celestia, wouldn't it?' thought N Luna with an almost reverent sigh.

"She's a mental case that tried to burn away everything!"

'And I suppose all of your motives are pure?'

"Of course not," she sniffed, "I'm far too..."

'Pragmatic?'

"I was going to say 'practical'.'

"You kinda encased your entire shop as well," muttered Spike.

'A small price to pay for security, no?' though N Luna.

"So how do we find the Shaman?"

"We need not search for..."

"WHAT'S THE DEAL GOING ON OVER HERE?!" demanded the Shaman as he walked with his staff into the cave with them.

"I need to take these prisoners off your hands," she replied, "One must be cured, and I need BOTH of them to make that happen.  I'm reasonable.  Not even here to start any trouble."

"WELL YA CAN'T HAVE DEM!!"

"I'm sure the tons of gems and jewels I've left on the surface will compensate you adequately for any injustice these two have visited upon you."

The guide dog came over and whispered something into the Shaman's ear.

"But for the moment, I have taken control of them from you.  We need not have them causing any more trouble in Canterlot as your mole agents, now can we?"

"The things in motion cannot be stopped now even if I should be wanting to over here."

"That is something we shall just have to see about."

"Very well.  Take yer bitches and go.  We shall speak again like real soon, myydl."

"I am sure we will."

Spike coughed up a scroll that Sombra caught and opened.

"We have Celestia as our prisoner," she read aloud, "Turn over control of Canterlot to the Noble Rebellion if you ever wish to see her alive and unhurt again.  In one hour, she shall be raped and ravished by us all.  In one day, she shall surely be dead.  The choice is yours."  Her eyes glowed as the scroll vanished in a flash of green fire.  "MONSTERS!!  THEY SHALL PAY FOR THIS!!"

"When you look for that which is true," said the Shaman, "Seek out the blood that is most blue."

"So he's the head puppet," she snarled, "I might have known."

"But who's the..."

"Let's go, Spike," she called as she walked out with N Moon and N Luna in tow.  Spike followed along.

"Crazy myydls," said the Shaman, "All of dem."