> “Where is the war party we sent out? They should have gotten back by now…”
> “Probably having too much fun in that pony town.”
> “Maybe they will bring a bunch of gold back? Or even gemstones!”
> “From that little town? I doubt it, but we could always use the extra workforce.”
> “And the extra…playmates…”
> “Right. Now stay alert, we don’t want anyone escaping.”
> The second Diamond Dog walked away leaving the first one alone in the dull glow of the lantern.
> Thankfully for you, Diamond Dogs were about the size of an average human, give or take a foot or two.
> Only downside is that they were twice as strong as an average human.
> You silently walk towards the sentry with your knife in hand.
> As you got closer and closer you bought the knife up, ready to strike.
> With your free hand you clasp the dog’s mouth just as the knife sunk into its spine.
> You immediately discard the body by throwing it over the wall to the snowy ground below.
> One down, five more to go.
> Picking the bow and arrow up from the wooden floor, you move back to the shadows.
> Examining the bow, you noticed how crudely it was made.
> Drawing back the string you feel how taught the string is. Plenty of force to kill one of these things…
> Nocking an arrow, you take aim towards the next guard.
> Pulling the string back, you expel all your breath.
> Silently, the arrow flies off the string and right into the brain of the other guard, knocking him over the wall’s edge.
 
> Discarding the bow over the wall, you pull out your knife again.
> Just another long night.     
> As you approach the third guard, he turns.
> “Intrud-!”
> You tackle him and stab him in the neck multiple times.
> The two remaining guards however were alerted to your presence.
> Arrows impacted to your right and left as you ran down the wooden walkway.
> The first dog you kicked in the groin, in his pain you took him as a shield right in time to stop an arrow.
> Drawing your pistol you fire one shot into the remaining guards head.
> You put the gun to the head of your shield and fire once, ending its misery.
> Now, the body rule was pointless. That was the last of them.
> Dropping down to the ground inside the camp, you quietly move to the gate.
> It’s a simple mechanism thankfully and your able to quickly force the gate open.
> You turn towards the houses and walk towards the first one.
> Entering it you are assaulted by a horrible stench. In the green light of your goggles you see why.
> A dead pony was laying in the middle of the room, surrounded by a few others.
“Psst. Wake up.”
> One cranes her neck towards you; her eyes grow wide as she realizes you’re not a dog.
> “Who are you?”
“Your best friend at the moment, I need your help.”
> The other ponies had noticed the conversation and were also looking at you.
> “What do you need us to do?”
 
“I need you to get everyone in this camp out. I don’t know how long until the dogs notice their friends are dead but I want you to go through the camp and get everyone alive out. The gate is open and town is towards the south-east. You’re free.”
> The mare stares at you incredulously a moment.
> “Did the princesses send you?”
> You shake your head.
“Fate sent me. Now go, I need to make sure you’re not followed.”
> “Wait, there are more inside the den. They…” The mare appeared close to tears. “Just go help them. I will make sure everyone is awake and out of here before your back.”
> What if they got attacked on the way back? Or lost? They wouldn’t last long out here.
> “Tell everyone to go towards the east, there should be thick stand of dead trees. Get everyone gathered there and I will come lead you back to town personally. I will have your friends with me.”
> “Promise?” She asked.
> “I give you my word. And if for any reason, I’m not back by sunrise, you lead everyone back. Got it?”
> She nods and hesitates a moment. “I will. Just please, be careful in there…there are evil things going on inside that den.”
> You nod and immediately go back to the walls, collecting all the lanterns you can.
> Reaching the entrance into the den you notice the wooden supports and immediately set about dousing them with the heavy lantern oil.
“After you help the others, Anonymous.”
> With that you move inside the den, quietly passing a guard asleep at his post.
 
> You start to hear a faint noise echoing in the hallways.
> Sobbing?
> As the sound grows louder, you start to hear another one, this one subtler yet more dominate in nature.
> Grunting and groaning.
> A pit opens up in your stomach when you realize what the sounds are from.
> Ponies or not, you knew what they were from and what was happening.
> As you approach the room where the sounds are coming from, you draw your knife once again.
> You enter the room to see a dog pounding away at a mare, who just lies there and softly sobs.
> Of course, the horny son of a bitch never heard you come in, being preoccupied and all.
> The knife goes into his lower back as you throw your arm around his neck. You repeat the motion several times.
“See you in hell you son of a bitch.”
> The mare is completely silent and your decent enough to look away. You walk into her view and kneel.
> The more you see these things the more you hate them, you could feel an almost all consuming rage towards them.
> These things deserved no mercy, they deserved no sympathy.
“He won’t hurt you anymore. Do you know the way to the den entrance?”
> She silently nods, staring into your eyes in a shocked silence.
“Wait for me there, the rest of the ponies in the camp are free. I need to take care of some things here before I leave. Understand?”
> She nods again. With that you stand, brush yourself off and walk towards the doorway.
 
> “There are more of us. They captured a lot of soldiers…and took them to the mines when they fought back…” She spoke up in a very hushed voice.
“Don’t worry; they are going to be with me when I come back for you.”
> As you left the room you were put back into the darkness of the corridor of the den.
> However as you crept through the dark burrows, you started to think of the silliness of this entire situation.
> Your protecting magical ponies that talk from brutish dogs that walk on two legs and act more like savage warrior tribes of ancient history.
> Then again, whoever said your job was typical. You were after all, trained to operate under any circumstance or situation.
> Even in different dimensions full of colorful ponies.
> Despite it though, these ponies needed a defender.
> All your career you had told yourself you were defending something greater. You were defending an ideology, a nation, a people, etc…
> All the people you killed, all the things you had done, all the destruction you had wrought…
> It was hard to justify from day one and it only got harder as you got older.
> Not only did you protect a town, aid a militia, save a son, and accept a suicide mission…now you were liberating captured civilians who were being raped, worked half to death, and killed…
> This was the mission you had wanted for a long time now…
> A crude sign with the word MINE scrawled on it was the only reference you had.
 
> As you follow the sign, you start to hear the sounds of pick axes striking rock and yelling.
> Perfect.
> The entrance to the mine would be too obvious, but where there was slave labor, there was often a guard barracks not far away.
> “Did you hear about what happened at the town today?”
> You immediately press yourself against a wall.
> “What happened at the town?”
> “A strange creature started helping the ponies fight against our war party, I barely got away. He had a stick that would kill anyone it was pointed at. Sounded like thunder from the pegasi.”
> “Interesting…perhaps that was the creature that Discord was speaking of?”
> “Maybe, but it has the pack afraid to attack again.”
> “We should focus on finding and killing the creature. That would show the ponies how strong we are…”
> You look back the way you came and see two figures coming towards you, one bearing a torch.
> Nervously, you start to look around for a place to hide.
> Nothing. You were exposed; you had nowhere to go this time.
> The light falls on you.
> You quickly draw a smoke grenade and pull the pin
> “Gua-”
> The big one gets beaned with the grenade as it starts to spew dark smoke.
> Acting quickly, you reach around and pull your gas mask out and attach it to your head, pressurizing it and activating the filter.
> The smoke of course, still irritates the hell out of your eyes, but the smoke hides something a bit extra.
> You hear two heavy thuds as the torch hits the ground.
 
> Not only do they make a nice smoke screen, they can also tranquilize an elephant with the aerosol compound produced by the filler.
> You always joked about going to the R&D department and buying those guys as much alcohol as they wanted; now you wished you really could.
> After tying up the two dogs and hiding them away in a safe spot, you refocus yourself on the task at hand.
> “Work faster you garbage! If that tunnel isn’t finished by sunrise then your food and sleep rations are forfeit!”
> Anger swelled back up inside you.
> You start to walk towards the mine doors, picking up speed to a full run.
> With a kick, the door flies open and hit’s a dog, slamming him against a wall.
> You enter the chamber and immediately dodge a spear jab, grabbing the shaft and ramming the blunt end into the owner’s midsection.
> The dog doubles over and you deliver a quick kick to the dog’s jaw. He releases the spear in the confusion.
> Tossing the spear down into the pit, you grab the dog’s helmet and look into his eyes.
> His eyes are wide with fear. You can see your reflection in his eyes, a faceless figure.
> Hell, you would be afraid too.
> You smile and throw him off the edge as well, and he lands with a satisfying crack.
> Drawing your pistol, you aim it towards who you assume to be the foreman.
> The dog immediately throws his hands up and drops his weapon. You approach him cautiously, holding a premade noose in your hand.
 
> The Romans had a policy of no mercy to those that opposed them.
> While you couldn’t make a noose for every single dog in the mine, you could easily make an example of the leaders.
> Like earth, you have picked up on the fact that dogs tend to follow a pack mentality.
> The stronger, vicious, and cruel you are, the more power and respect you command.
> To get them to comply with your orders and give up without a fight, you knew you had to be heartless.
> Which was easy since any shred of sympathy for these things was gone.
> You immediately slip the noose around his neck, and tie it to the side railing of the platform he stands on.
> You grab him by his collar, and throw him over the rails.
> It’s over pretty quick; you hear the snap of the neck and hear the rope protesting the weight.
> Of course, the dogs were used to savagery and beatings. Not quick and efficient killings.
> Pulling your gas mask off, you look to see a squad of dogs in a very tight formation against the wall.
“I will accept your surrender now. Should you refuse, you will end up like your leader here. Throw down your weapons or die by my hand!”
> Weapons clatter to the floor.
> You look down to the ponies who have now gathered in awe of the hanged foreman.
“Arm yourselves! Your free!”
> You start to toss weapons down to them and the soldier’s waste little time arming and rounding up the dogs.
 
> All you have to do now is let them take care of the rest. They start to spread through the network of tunnels, capturing the dogs one group at a time.
> A pegasus approached you, and you lock eyes with him.
> Light yellow coat, a shade darker on the mane.
> His wings are beyond recognition; you can see that he won’t be flying anytime soon.
> He then bows to you. 
> “Thank you for freeing my men and myself I…”
“Don’t bow to me.”
> He looks up at you timidly.
“You have been degraded enough during your captivity. I don’t want you bowing to me. I’m here to help you and your men back to town.”
> He rises to a standing position.
> “What can I do to help?”
“Your name.”
> “Captain Star Sprint, sir. Scout for the militia.”
> He won’t be sprinting anymore.
“Help me with something, I have a feeling that you would be interested in two individuals.”
> You lead Start Sprint to the two tied dogs, who were now both awake.
“Remember me? Grab the other one.”
He nods silently and grabs one dog by the bindings and begins to drag him alongside of you.
> Outside, the freed prisoners and captive dogs have gathered together.
> The mare from earlier is, of course present. Wrapped in the embrace of a unicorn guard.
> Probably a close friend.
“Here should be good. Can I trust you with something Captain?”
> He drops the rope. “For you, anything.”
“Take your men and the prisoners east. There are other ponies waiting for me there. I have some business to attend to here, wait for me and I will guide you back to town.”
 
> He nods silently and begins shouting orders to his men.
> You wait for them to leave and get outside of earshot.
> You pull out the flare gun and aim it at the entrance, you pull the trigger and the flare shoots towards the oil soaked beams.
> The flame starts as a small flame, then grows to a hot blaze that would collapse the entrance and prevent any followers.
> You look down at the two tied captive in the snow.
> Silently, you walk towards the bigger one. The leader, you presume. Looking down at him you take a deep breath.
“So, how does it feel?”
> “How does what feel?”
“Defeat. Your men are in chains, the town you have for so long raided and pillaged is now stronger than you, and now your home is being burned to the ground. Everything you built has been wiped out. How does it feel?”
> “If I were untied I w-”’
> You cut him off with a punch to his gut.
“But you’re not. So stop trying the tough guy act.”
> You grab a metal bar and toss it into the oil fired blaze.
“You have until that rod gets hot to answer some questions. You play nice, and we can all walk away. You decide to not cooperate, well, you don’t want to know what happens then. Firstly, who is Discord?”
> “Lord of chaos and discord, a draconequus.”
> A kick knocks the breath out of the dog.
“Try again. Who is he and what does he know about me? What did he tell you?”
 
> “He told us t-t-t-hat you were not of this world.” The dog gasps for air. “Told us to work for him building an army! We had to start kidnapping ponies to work the mines to make enough weapons.”
“When did he say this?”
> “Many moons ago, but he came to me two nights ago to send a war party to kill you!”
> That explains the welcoming party.
“I see. Why does he want an army?”
> “I don’t know, he just gave me gold to build the pack stronger and do what he said.”
> Of course not, he was a pawn. Not a brain.
“Good boy, well for working with me so well, you get a reward.”
> You pull the pistol out and aim it at the pack leader’s head.
“A swift and painless death.”
> “But you said I-”
> The gunshot cuts him off. The bullet went in right between his eyes, he was dead instantly.
> “You monster!”
> You laugh a bit at the insult.
“I did him a kindness, my original plan was to throw him into that fire.”
> You shoot he other dog in the kneecap, with a cry of agony from the dog you pull your knife out.
> You kneel behind the dog.
> And cut the rope.
“Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. In return for your life, you’re going to go to the other packs and warn them about working for Discord and about the dangers of raiding the ponies. Tell them that all ponies in Equestria are now under the protection of Anonymous, and any attacks against them will be met with swifter and harsher results than what you have seen today.”
 
> You stand up and watch as the dog crawls away. As it fades from sight and silence settles over the camp you think it’s all over.
> Then you hear clapping.
> “Bravo, Mr. Anonymous, I knew your kind were chaotic but, you really know how to make it work for you, why you remind me of myself when I was an amateur.”
> You turn to see a dragon like being leaning against the house.
> “You know, I could use another one like you. Are you by chance, for hire?”
“I assume your Discord?”
> “And very bright to boot! Are all of your kind this sharp?”
“What do you mean my kind?”
> “Oh your friend…oh what was his name? X? Doctor X? Something like that.”
> You stare at him intently.
“Figures he would want to work for you. What’s your angle Discord?”
> “My angle? Oh, quite simply I want what’s mine. Equestria used to be mine, until Celestia and her little annoying sister came into the mix. Oh, have you ever been turned to stone? They did that to me. Twice. Well, more precisely, they had their henchmen do it to me but, same difference.”
“Celestia may not be my favorite at the moment, but from what I have seen she treats her subjects with compassion. You hired dogs to raid, pillage, and kidnap ponies so you could have an army. Sorry, not interested.”
> “Awww, you sure? It’s much more fun being on my team than Celestia’s.”
“I’m not picking sides. I’m doing what is right.”
 
> “Which is why you accepted all that money from Luna? Face it, your just like your friend. Everyone has a price, his is simply a little power. Name your price; I can pay it to you tenfold.”
> You grin a bit.
“Give me X then. I have unfinished business with him.”
> “Oh, come now Anonymous, please don’t think me simple. When you say business normally you mean that nasty bit of work you just performed. Doctor X is my ace in the hole, the only thing Celestia can’t stop!”
“It’s my price. This won’t stop until he is dead.”
> “Surely you must want something along the lines of all the money you can spend, maybe a seat in my new government?”
“Discord, I don’t want anything from you. You have about thirty seconds to leave before this gets ugly. Before you go though, remember to tell X that Anonymous is coming for him.”
> “Poor delusional Anonymous, it pains me to see such potential wasted on maintaining the status quo. Perhaps another time, just know your always welcome with me.”
“Yeah, over my dead body.”
> Discord, realizing that there was no convincing you, then vanished into a puff of smoke.
> Taking another deep and calming breath you looked out towards the horizon. Daylight would be coming soon.
> Now the idyllic world was threatened by the worst humanity had to offer.
> A whole new world of hardship was about to open up for Equestria.
> The sun may come up, but until X was dealt with, he was still a threat enough to plunge this place into eternal darkness and sorrow.
 
> You had seen him do it before after all…
> He could damn sure do it again if you gave him the chance.
> Looking to the east, you see a few fires have been started by the ponies to keep warm.
> As you begin your treck back to the rest of your equipment, and the collection of ponies, you start to entertain the idea this would get you on Celestia’s good side.
> Maybe.
> Just maybe.
> But good sides or bad, you had a job to do.
> You intended to make good on your promise to the dogs.
> But X was the main concern now. He had far too much blood on his hands not to be priority number one.
> Then again, you had your fair share of blood on your own hands.