Mask

Good Dog.

Spike remembered when some rich bastard said that to him once. He remembered wanting to bite the shit out of him when he said that. Instead, he told Twilight, who told Celestia, who promptly had the man thrown out on his ass. That was a good memory, seeing some snob face an angry Goddess and her student. He wished they were here, now, so he wouldn't have to face this alone, but seeing as he was alone, he had to improvise.

He hated improvising.

Spike watched two dogs walk by, makeshift spears in their hands. Spike slowly jumped up onto the bridge and looked around, seeing dogs going about their business nearby. Spike looked back the way he came and saw a dog walk to the door, holding a welded together boomer. Spike huffed, then slowly crept around a building, peering into the street.

Scrapped together, rusty buildings, random gems, dogs talking and going about their days. Spikes eyes traveled across multiple shacks, silently slinking between them, putting his snapper in its holster, flipping his knife around and hopping over a metal fence, moving past building after building.

He stopped when two dogs walked by, pressing himself again a shack wall, his pupils turning into slits as he watched them walk by. He was about to walk by them when he heard more voices, kneeling down and slowly moving into the shadows, his knife at the ready. Two guards passed by the barrel he hid behind, Spike quietly peering over to see them facing away from him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I saw the thing myself!"

Spikes interest piqued, making him listen in, staring at the back of the first dogs head, hearing it say, "It's a Human?"

Bright Light?

"Of course! The leader wanted to see it for herself too!" Spikes eyebrows shot up as he heard this, before kneeling back down, adjusting his mask, listening in as he watched his route ahead. "Saw it put up quite a fight too! Knocked out some of Scraps teeth."

Definitely Bright Light.

"Aha! A fighter! Perhaps she will put up some sport for the leader!"

Spikes gaze hardened as the two laughed, a door opening to Spikes left caught his attention. He looked over to cind a young Diamond Dog pup, an old teddy in its paws, staring up at Spike with wide eyes. Spike looked the little pup up and down, before slowly bringing a finger to his mask, making a shushing motion with it. The pup looked at Spike, then up to the two dogs talking, then back down at Spike, eyes wide and filled with fear.

Spike slowly opened his pocket, pulling a ration bar out and holding it to the young pup. The pups tail started wagging as he took the bar and started scarfing it down, paying Spike no mind now. Spike felt a small smile grace his face, seeing the young pups tail go haywire, waving to and fro, before Spike peered back around.

The two dogs were gone, he could move forward. He walked around the barrel, peering around, before silently walking across the road. He looked upwards, seeing the carved structure, humming softly as he saw the wall of rock.

He could fly?

He looked back at his back, then back at the structure. Too far, he'd be spotted if he took flight and his back always hurt after growing his wings out.

Perhaps he could use a back door?

He looked around the structure, shaking his head to himself, too many holes and tunnels, he couldn't possibly pick one to go through and hope for the best, it would take too much time, and time was not on his side.

Front entrance?

Nobody was that stupid. Too many guards, too far to travel, and he did not have enough ammo to take on an entire town of Diamond Dogs. Sure, he could lose control and wipe them out, but it would weigh on his conscience, and he didn't want to kill anyone.

The wall?

Spike blinked as he looked at the wall, before grinning to himself.

The wall! Of course, he could climb straight up. Plenty of cover until the last stretch, could get into a window and sneak in without harming anyone, the plan was perfect.

Wow, he really needed to stop talking to himself.

Spike pulled his gloves off, giving off a soft huff through his filter as he put them into a pack on his chest, before digging his hands into the rock. He got a good grip, then dug his next hand in, giving a fanged grin through his mask. He had not done this since he first started gem hunting with the others. Rainbow Dash and Applejack would keep an eye on him making sure the Diamond Dogs wouldn't snatch him after the fiasco with Rarity. Spike got a whiff of something he liked, then clambered up the cliffside when neither of them were paying attention.

Freaked Applejack out and Rainbow Dash was just too amazed to even scold him. Fond memories, seemed so long ago now. His grin fell, but he continued climbing, digging his hand into the rockface again and again, leaving behind foot holds for himself as he clambered upward. His tail curled around himself as he looked down, giving the shacks a wide scan.

No one had spotted him, though he noticed more commotion around the gate where he came from, making him quirk an eyebrow. He decided to speed up his climb, digging his hands into the wall, his tail whipping around behind him as he clambered up.

Silver kept walking, passing under decrepit beams and gates, seeing skeletons and cobwebs all around him. He pulled his lighter out of his pocket, flicking it on after a few tries, waving it in front of him, burning away the webs and sending a few small Bugs scattering into the walls. He kept walking, Steel stepping behind him, shooting him glances, with Stone and Flare following behind, scanning the walls behind them.

"Sir-"

"He's alive." Silver cut him off, not even looking back at Steel. Steel stopped for a moment, looking at Silvers back, Silver stopping for a moment, not turning away from the flickering light in his hand. "I just...I know he's alive. I'll find him, even if I gotta tear the whole underground apart." Silver continued walking, making Steel stare at him.

Stone walked over to Steel, then mumbled towards him, "Spike really mean that much to him?"

"More than you know." Steel mumbled back, slowly stepping over a pile of bones, giving the head a curious look. It almost looked like a dog? He decided to continue walking, giving Stone a soft glance, "Silver said that Spike reminded him of his son."

"Didn't know Silver had a son."

"Yeah, he and his ex had a bad divorce. Caught her cheatin with his friend."

Bright Flare looked around, before whistling, catching everyones attention, "We're missing one! Where's Storm?!"

Silver froze, then looked around, his weapon at the ready, peering around every which way, before giving a low groan, "God damn it, Storm, not you too..."

Spike clambered into the window, dropping down with a soft "oomph", before quickly taking cover behind a barrel as a guard walked by, his eyes narrowing at the boomer in the creatures hands. He quietly moved when the guard did, shadowing the creatures movements, his hands gripping a bit. The dog sniffed the air, then twirled around, growling.

Nothing was there.

The dog quirked an eyebrow, before continuing on with his duties. Had he looked upwards, he would have seen Spike clawed into the wall. Spike started clawing into the wall as he followed the beast, watching it open a door. Spike dropped onto floor, shaking his hands free of the rock and dirt, then slowly opened the door and peered in. He couldn't see much, just a few dogs kneeling down in front of a figure, one he couldn't see.

Perhaps it was a throne room?

Last time he fought the diamond dogs, he thought the trio (now duo) were the leaders. Perhaps he was wrong. He quietly slipped from behind one of the dogs and slowly slinked around the room, peering out from another corner, confused.

A sort of throne room?

"Silence." A cold voice rang out, making a chill run down Spikes back. He let his claws shred into the column, before silently letting them slide back into his hands, the dogs obeying to command without question. "You have seen to the prisoner?"

The dogs nodded, before one spoke, "Yes, we have seen to her."

"Good. Go rest up. We need you all rested before we begin our plans." Her cold voice was almost comforting, but Spikes instincts told him to back away from the creature, whatever she was. The three dogs bowed, then left the room, the one he followed walking in front of her. "What do you have to report?"

"Our guard at the door caught the scent of something that slipped past. We may have an intruder." Spike felt a cool bit of air hit him, making him shiver a bit, his tail curling around him a bit.

She aat there in silence, before crossing her legs on the throne, the movement making Spike shift a bit. "I see..."

"Shall I alert the guards?"

"No...something tells me the intruder already has slipped past our defenses."

"My Queen, shouldn't we-"

"Not another word about the intruder." She ordered calmly, the Diamond Dog quickly lowering its head in obedience.

Spike took the moment to look around the room, spotting a door on the other side. He slowly backtracked away, before stopping at another column. He wouldn't be able to cross without being seen, he knew it. However, luck seemed on Spikes side for once; the dog sat up and grabbed his gun, walking out of his room, the Queen visibly sagging a bit and sighing softly as soon as the dog left the room.

Spike looked around the column to get a good look at the queen. She was covered head to toe in armor, though her arms gave away she was no Diamond Dog. He chest piece was damaged and covered in claw marks, her helmet reminded him of a knights helm, and she wore a cape that had some sort of insignia on it, which Spike couldn't recognize from this angle. He couldn't, get a fair look at her face, which was covered, however even he could see cold, calculating ice blue eyes from his position. Spike wouldn't admit it, but he quite likes how round her rump looked and how thick her thighs were, gave her an air of sexy, yet scary, dominance.

Spike looked across, seeing his path was clear, slinking over to the other side, checking on her to see if she saw him. She did not. He smiled and slowly slunk towards the door, before feeling that cold feeling hit him, making him shiver, grasping the doorknob and about to open the door.

"That's the wrong door." Spike froze, then slowly turned to see the Queen gazing at him. He let go of the handle, his tail curling up in a defensive posture as he stood there. The Queen then smiled, hidden by her helmet, then spoke, "The door you want is next to my throne. You should hurry and save your friend, before my dogs get in here and catch your scent."

Spike blinked in surprise, before glancing over to the throne, seeing another door next to it. He quirked an eyebrow at her, seeing her cross her legs, the clinking of armor making Spike grimace underneath his gas mask. He walked over to the door, then turned back, muttering a soft "Thank you." before passing through the door, weapon at the ready.

The woman licked her lips as she watched as he left the room, before relaxing on her throne. "Hopefully the pups don't hurt him...too much."

Spike walked down the stairs, that cold feeling finally stopping as he left the room, looking back at the door. "Such a strange woman...but it doesn't look like she'll taddle." He adjusted the stock of his weapon against his shoulder, slowly walking down the stone steps, the sinking feeling in his gut finally stopping as he left the Queen behind. He kept walking until he saw a guard standing in the way, giving it a hard look.

He had to take the dog out.

He suddenly jumped on the beasts back, putting it on a headlock, sending the two tumbling into another room. He squeezed the creatures throat, it giving a gargled sound as it tried to breathe. Had Spike really wanted to, he would have snapped the creatures neck instantly and ended this scuffle. However, Spike gave a muffled grunt as he held on, the creature smacking the cracked glass of his visor uselessly, Spike applying a little more pressure. Finally the dog slumped, Spike letting go of the poor beasts head and pushing him away.

Spike stood up and grabbed the poor beast, dragging it deeper into the room and hiding the body behind a barrel. "Stay." He jokingly commanded, before nodding to himself. "Good dog." He peered around the corner, seeing a hallway, slowly stepping out and walking down it, mumbling to himself, "Bright Light, you better still be breathing or I just snuck my way into a dog infested castle for no reason."