“Wow, this is pretty swanky,” Spike said, unable to hold back his boyish grin. The Diamond Dogs had quickly whisked him to an ornate room decorated with enough gems and gold to make him swoon.

“This is for you!” Precious said happily, her tongue hanging from the side of her mouth carelessly.

“Wow, really?” Spike said, rubbing his claws together. “You really know how to treat your hostages. A dragon could get Stockbarne Syndrome hanging out here.”

“It is our honor, of course,” Precious said. “Dragons are like heroes to Diamond Dogs.”

“Yeah?” he said, puffing his chest up. “I guess I am pretty heroic.”

"I... I mean... we would do... anything for you, Lord Dragon."

Spike turned to Precious, who was now leaning her small frame against his smaller shoulder, her muzzle a hair's breadth from his and tongue hanging out happily as she panted heavily. He raised his brow. “Uh… maybe a mint?”

Moving with the speed of mongoose, Precious shoved her fist into Spike’s mouth. Spike gagged and staggered back while she watched happily, absently wiping her hand on the front of her blouse. “Anything else, Lord Dragon?”

“What?” Spike shot her an irate look. “Why in Equestria did you…” he stopped as he felt an icy coolness overtake his tongue. “Oh… mint.” He laughed. “I guess I should have been a bit more specific.”

“Ah, I know,” Precious said, clapping her paws together. She grabbed his hand and dragged him out into the hallway.

Spike sighed contentedly as he soaked his scales in a boiling bath. A Diamond Dog servant was using a grinding wheel on his claws, his eyes thoroughly protected from the flying sparks with industrial-grade goggles. Spike, meanwhile, had two rubies laid over his eyes, while his face was coated in a crystal ooze mask. “Oh, mare, this is awesome.”

“I am so happy you like it,” Precious said as she knelt beside him. She lifted a bowl. “Would you like some emerald ice cream, Lord Dragon?”

“Would I?”

Precious blinked vacuously. “... Would you?”

“Uhh…” Spike lifted a ruby off on eye and looked at her, his brow wrinkling. “Yeah. Yeah, I really would.”

“Ah, good!” Precious lifted a whole scoop of ice cream out of the bowl and shoved it in his mouth.

Spike gasped through his nose and wriggled around before swallowing the concoction. He breathed in sharply, pinching the bridge of his snout. “Ahhhh. Headache!”

Precious zipped behind him and began massaging his temples vigorously. “Relax, Lord Dragon.”

The frozen nerves soothed and Spike sighed, sinking further into the bath. “Thanks, Precious. You’re a real pal.”

“Hopefully more than pal, soon,” she said, a wistful sigh escaping her lips as she draped herself over Spike’s shoulders.

“Huh?”

Precious sprang to her feet. “We should go somewhere! Oh, but you must not hurt your cute feet walking.” She clapped her paws together and a pair of Diamond Dog servants led in a pony dressed in full riding gear, blinders and bit chomped between teeth included.

Spike gulped as he recognized the stallion who turned to glare directly at him. “Uh… Crystal Arrow? Sorry about this…”

The tunnel to which Shining Armor’s troops had led them was dank and filthy, but the five mares bore it without complaint. The sixth complained rather loudly.

“Oh, why did I not pack my emergency edible boots for this?” Rarity screeched. “I must say, my hooves are getting completely filthy and, furthermore, I’m starving!”

“Can it, Rare,” Applejack groused. “Y’all were the one who wanted to catch up to Twi as quick as can be, so don’t be belly-achin’ about not bein’ prepared.”

Rainbow Dash nodded sagely. “Spike’s way more important than some silly dirt, after all.”

“Besides,” Pinkie Pie said cheerfully, “I brought cupcakes.” She pulled out a tray from only-Celestia-knew-where and offered Rarity one.

Rarity smiled unsurely, but took it in her magical aura and nibbled on it in a most ladylike manner. “Anyway,” she said between bites. “How did those Diamond Dogs get through the Crystal Heart’s spell?”

Twilight studied the barrier that cut through the tunnel, blocking off the limits of the Crystal Empire from the surrounding area. “I’m not completely sure. It seems to be intact at the moment, but they must have some way of passing through.” She looked even more closely at the intersection of barrier and rock and hummed.

“We can figure that out, ourselves,” Shining Armor said. “You six should be able to leave and re-enter with no problems, so go ahead and find Spike while we secure things here.”

Aquamarine magic crackled around them as they passed through the barrier. Once everypony was on the other side, they spared each other a quick glance and nod of approval before breaking into a gallop. The ponies had already decided that Rarity would lead with her gem-finding spell, reasoning that outside of the Crystal Empire, itself, only a pack of Diamond Dogs would have a significant cache of jewels nearby. While she wasn’t the most athletic pony around, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were both impressed that the speed at which the herd was going was enough to cause them to lightly lather through their coats. Poor Fluttershy was had the distinct look of a pony dead to the world after a kilometer and a half of this pace.

“Whoa, Rarity!” Twilight called, noting the condition of their less conditioned member and feeling close to her own breaking point in spite of her recently acquired earth pony stamina.

Rarity slowed to a canter, but didn’t stop. “We’re almost… there, Twilight,” she said between pants. She was obviously winded, though she didn’t seem quite as worn out as her friends would have expected of such a pampered pony. “I can feel… it in my…”

A loud rumbling filled the cavern, and the floor dropped out from under them. Rainbow Dash hung momentarily in the air, flapping her wings to stay aloft, but when she saw her friends, including Fluttershy, descending wildly into the abyss, she rolled her eyes and dove in after them.

When Rainbow Dash lightly touched down—after performing a casual Double Inside-out Loop—among the bruised bodies of her friends, she gasped in wonder at the sight before her. "Guys. You're not gonna believe this."

Rarity's head popped up, her eyes sparkling with reflected light as she gasped with delight. "Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh!" Her hooves mashed against her cheeks. "So... fabulous!"

The other mares made various sounds of awe while they got to their hooves as well upon seeing the underground crystal city stretched out before them. The buildings were smaller than those of the Crystal Empire and packed closer together, but they were built not only on the ground but also up the curving walls of the cavern. Diamonds twinkled on the ceiling like stars in the night sky, reflecting the soft glow of the many torches that lit the town.

"Well, this certainly is interesting," Twilight noted as she watched Diamond Dogs casually roaming the narrow streets. "Much different from the ones we encountered before."

Rarity nodded. "Naturally. This appears to be an actual settlement. The brutes Spikey... Mikey?—uh, ran into before were obviously savage sourdoughs mucking for sparkle."

Applejack gave her a flat look. "What?"

"You pick things up working the mines." Rarity swept a lock of hair out of her face as she sniffed indignantly.

"Sorry, but halt!"

Whipping around to confront whomever had barked the command at them, the girls were dismayed to see a pack of Diamond Dogs standing at attention. They were all identically dressed in red tunics, swords strapped to their belts and wide-brimmed felt stetsons upon their brows. The Diamond Dog in the lead, whose collar and cuffs were solid blue and outlined in gold, unlike his comrades, drew his blade and stepped forward. "You lot are hereby detained for illegal entry into the great city of Spottawa, eh?"

“Eh?” Twilight frowned as the pack quickly surrounded them, and she sensed some of her friends tensing to attack. She took a deep breath and waved her group back. "It's alright girls. This is exactly what we want."

"How is this what we want, again?" Rarity crossed her forelegs as she considered the dank dungeon in which they now found themselves.

Twilight sighed, dreading that Rarity might soon go from mere complaining to full-on whining at any moment. "Listen, Rarity, we were escorted to the dungeons, and where do you think they're keeping the prisoners from the Crystal Empire?" She motioned to the rows of cells. "Right here."

"That's right!" Rainbow cheered and did a quick flip in the air. "Now Twilight just has to use her new super alicorn magic and bust us out of here, and then we can find Spike easy-peasy!"

"I'll remind you that my magic is just the same old unicorn magic it was before," Twilight said. "I can't cast anything different or more powerful than I could already... though, it seems that I can cast more spells in succession without tiring, which I assume may be from my new earth pony side."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Well, whatever kinda magic ya got, maybe you can use it now so we can find yer dragon?"

As she spoke, a retinue of guard dogs tromped down the hall. They came to a hall at the cell containing Twilight and her friends, one growling out of the corner of his mouth. They turned toward the cell and one of them unlocked and opened the door.

Rarity turned her snout up and walked out of the cell into their captors' midst. "Well. It's about time. We demand that you take us to your highest authority figure, whomever she may be."

"Rarity!" Twilight covered her friend's mouth with her hoof, eliciting a scandalized look. "That's not very diplomatic. Gentleco—uh... gentledogs, I don't like to leverage my position like this, but," she spread her wings demonstratively. "I am kind of a big deal in Equestria. It would be in your nation's best interest to consider negotiating with us for the release of your hostages, starting with a particular baby dragon you've taken into custody recently..."

"Enough!" one of the dogs barked. "Sorry, this purple pony's droning is worse than Diamond Flank's whiny voice."

Rarity's eyes snapped to the guard, shining with outrage. "'Whiny'? How dare you, sir? Why, if you want whining, then..."

"No!" the other five mares interjected in unison.

Rarity sniffed. "Well, no need to shout."

The guard cleared his throat. "Now come, by order of His Excellency, eh?"

"My diplomacy skills have done it again!" Twilight declared, puffing her chest out proudly.

As the six mares were led down the grand hallway, they couldn't help but cringe at the terrible stone grotesques lining the jewel-encrusted carpet. Where the Diamond Dogs that they had seen in this underground city looked far more clean, refined, and altogether fluffier than the ones that had passed by Ponyville years before, these were a bit closer in appearance, twisted and distorted in expressions of fear and pain. One of the guards saw their gawking and growled at them.

"Eyes front! Sorry."

"Well," Rarity whispered. "If the decor is anything to go by, 'His Excellency' is little more than a barbarian."

They finally came to a door large enough to accommodate an Ursa Minor. It was nominally made of marble, but this was really little more than a setting for the boulder-sized gems that were inlaid upon it, which caused Rarity an unladylike amount of salivation. Two guards moved to either side of the doors. A spoked wheel poked out of a slot on either wall, which required the strength of both guards at their respective posts to turn. The groaning of axles and levers filled the corridor as the doors swung open.

“Man, am I glad you girls finally made it.”

Twilight took the lead as usual, stepping into the grand hall. “Spike!” she shouted. “We’re here to rescue you.”

“You think he needs rescuing?” A pale blue crystal pony stood in the middle of the chamber, Spike reclining on his withers, his hands clasped behind his head and his legs crossed lazily.

"Yeah, it's me." Spike opened his mouth and let an emerald fall into it. It was then that the girls noticed a young buttery furred Diamond Dog sitting beside him, her eyes sparkling as she paw-fed him gems. "Precious and the others have been taking good care of me."

Twilight opened her mouth to speak. "Pre—"

Rarity shoved Twilight aside, her face flushed. "Precious? And who, exactly, is this puppy, Spikey-bikey?"

"Oh, she's just—" Spike began, but his face contorted as he realized what she had just said. "Wait, 'bikey'?"

"I," Precious said, standing up and twirling gracefully. "Am the daughter of the Prime Minister of the Dominion of Canida! And I am the one charged with making sure every need Darling Frills has is met." She pressed her furry body against Spike and flicked one of his aforementioned frills with a finger.

Twilight pushed herself back to the center of the group. "Spike needs to come back with us."

"He also needs you to take your grimy paws off him," Rarity commented with a scowl.

Precious huffed. "Except that." She turned to Twilight with a frown. "And he is also not going back with you."

"Sorry, girls," Spike said, his cheeks reddening slightly as he winced away from Twilight and Rarity's twin glares. "I already gave that a shot. They’re wiley wardens, though." He put his claws behind his head and leaned back. "Another emerald, please!"

Crystal Arrow scowled and muttered under his breath. “Yes, you can tell he’s really suffering…”

The girls huddled closely together, whispering amongst themselves.

"So what are we gonna do?" Applejack inquired. "Can't just leave 'im here with these hounds."

"I say we bust some heads," Rainbow said with a gleam in her eye.

Rarity nodded. "For once, I think I'm in agreement on this point."

"We can't," Twilight said. She ruffled her still-new wings nervously. "They're a sovereign nation and... and I'm a princess of Equestria. If there's one thing these past few days have taught me, it's that successful leaders need to build bonds; not burn bridges."

"I... I agree," Fluttershy piped up quietly. "'You attract more flies with honey than vinegar,' after all... a-actually, that's not true... flies like vinegar a lot more than honey... but still..."

"You attract the most flies with Sweet Apple Acres Apple Cider, b'sides," Applejack declared, puffing her chest out and tipping her hat.

Twilight sighed. "I think we're diverting from the point, here."

With a nod, Rarity stepped forward. "Indeed. And if diplomacy is what's called for, that is my specific area of expertise!" She turned to Precious and settled into what could only be described as a battle stance. "Mademoiselle! I must absolutely insist that you relinquish your hostages immediately."

Precious looked up briefly, her expression indifferent. "No."

Rarity's head jerked back as if punched. "Now, see here: it is most uncouth and, furthermore, bad form to keep anypony or dragon against his will."

"Darling Frills has not complained." Precious smirked before laying a big, sloppy lick on Spike's cheek.

“I’ve complained!” Arrow interjected. “A lot!”

Rarity grunted irately and stomped a hoof on the ground. "Well, I must say that this is quite inhospitable of you. Why, since the moment we got here we've been treated like common street thugs, and now when we are finally granted an audience you refuse to even hear us out."

"Prissy Pony whines too much," Precious observed. She turned to Spike. "It’s very annoying, eh?"

Spike sighed. "Well, she does overdo it sometimes..."

"Spike!" Rarity squeaked, appalled. She grit her teeth. "Alright, little pup. If it's whining you want, then it's whining you'll get!" She took a deep breath and then let out a sound not unlike that of hoofs across a chalkboard. "Oooh, this place is so dark and damp! Why can't you dehumidify this place? Look at my mane, it's going frizz—"

A howl pierced the room, forcing Twilight and her friends to the ground as their already brutalized ears began to ring. Beside Spike, Precious had thrown her head back, and she was vocalizing with gusto, drowning out Rarity's voice. Finally, the sound stopped and Precious blinked at the other ponies.

"Sorry," Precious said. "Thought we were singing the traditional Canidian National Anthem. Owoooooo, Canidaawaawaawaaaaaah!"

"Oh!" Rarity groaned. "Please, no! Stop... stop, that's terrible."

The door behind the ponies creaked open again, and they turned to the sound of footsteps approaching them. A large Diamond Dog with an auburn coat was marching in, his face pulled down in a deep frown. "Crunch's heart, What is that racket? This is not the full moon!" He stopped three paces from the group of ponies as he took in the scene. "Ah. You must be the... guests."

"A-and who are you, sir?" Twilight piped up, her wings flared with unease.

"Red Fang, Prime Minister of Canida," he said, straightening and adjusting his jacket. "I must apologize for my daughter's rudeness, eh?"

"Daddy!" Precious barked.

"Not now, Dear," he said. "I imagine you are here for the ponies captured and for Lord Dragon..."

“Mostly for the ponies,” Crystal Arrow insisted, earning a smack on the flank from Precious.

"'Lord'?" Twilight asked, her brow shooting upward.

Red cleared his throat and walked past them and up to the pile of treasure Spike and Precious occupied before turning back to address them. "Sorry, I should explain. Over a thousand years ago, Diamond Dogs were protected by dragons. We would gather gems for their hoard and they would provide us protection. Diamond Dogs honored dragons as protectors, eh?"

"I see," Twilight said slowly. "Well, even if that's the case, why are you foalnapping ponies and why are you keeping Spike here against his will, Prime Minister?"

"That is a separate matter," the Prime Minister said. "The simple answer is that Diamond Dogs need gems. It is our livelihood. The Crystal Empire popped back into existence right on top of one of our most productive mines, cutting us off from a major source. Not only that, but they go into our mines outside of their kingdom and take our gems to sell elsewhere." He snarled and clenched his paws. "It is they who have stolen our livelihood. Is it any wonder we would try to take that back?"

Twilight nodded. "I see. I think there must be some misunderstanding, then. I'm sure Princess Cadance would never take anything from you intentionally." She smiled encouragingly at Red. "Listen, I'm a princess of Equestria and the sister-in-law of Princess Cadance. I think I can arrange a diplomatic meeting between Spottawa and the Crystal Empire. Perhaps you can come to a mutually beneficial agreement."

Crossing his arms, Red considered this. "Hm. This sounds acceptable. Arrange this, and if an accord is reached we will set everypony... and dragon free."

"Good," Twilight said, a relieved smile spreading across her face. "I knew we could solve this diplomatically, Prime Minister."

He gave the ponies a stern glare. "I do hope so, Princess Twilight Sparkle. If we do not treat two days from now, consequences will be dire, eh? Apologies, but you are dismissed.” He waved his paw and the six were led away. He turned to Spike and Precious. “Precious, you should take Spike on a tour of the town while I make arrangements. Take a few bits for shopping, eh?”

“Yes, Daddy!” Precious said. “Come on, Lord Dragon!” She withdrew a riding crop from her dress and smacked Arrow across his cutie mark, prompting him to jump forward in pain.

“You could just ask, you know!” he protested.

“Bring my daughter home by ten, Lord Dragon!” Red called after them as they disappeared through the back entrance. He sighed and plopped down on his throne.

“Prime Minister,” a voice said from behind him. He turned to see the shadow of a tail flick across the wall, the tuft on the end making it look like that of a lion. “You must not allow them to take the dragon. His capture has presented a unique opportunity for us.”

“Of course,” Red replied, gripping his armrests. “Don’t worry, eh? I’ll make sure those six mares never make it back to the Crystal Empire.”