"Now stay here! Don't you move alright?" Rarity exclaimed as she eyed the pup, leaving it at the front entrance of the castle.

It stood on its hind legs, only looking at Rarity with wide curious eyes as it took a moment to glance around the area. The area was beautiful to say the least on this bright sunny day, and it wasn't far from Ponyville either. But the diamond dog pup didn't seem to acknowledge that aspect, as it only then on whimpered before tugging onto Rarity's coat. It looked at her with a blank expression. "I, I no pony. Pony no go."

Rarity groaned. "No, you aren't, and didn't I tell you to stop calling me that? What's the matter with you? It's safe out here."

The diamond dog only glanced around again before stating. "I no pony. Pony no go!"

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Well, I can't help you if that's all you can say. Now don't you go anywhere. I'll know if you do, remember, my cutie mark tells me whenever you're too far. Now stay here, I have to tell the others about what is happening, as ridiculous as it is." With that Rarity made her way into the grand doors of Twilight's castle, as she ensured to shut the doors behind her.

The diamond dog pup just blinked as it stood there awkwardly, before looking around again, particularly at a field of grass, then at the distant town of Ponyville. It soon lowered itself, before sniffing about the area. "No pony. Dog, yes." It then went a bit closer towards the field before beginning to dig a hole big enough for it to submerge itself in. "Dog, yes! Pony, no. Dog, yes." It smiled to itself. Soon the pup curled into a ball, before closing its eyes and sleeping in the dirt hole, easily being able to immerse itself in the atmosphere.

Minutes passed before Rarity exited the castle, now accompanied by Twilight and the others.

Twilight glanced around, "Didn't you say it was around here Rarity?"

Rarity gasped as she shook her head. "I-I told it to stay here!"

Applejack commented. "Don't really get why ya just couldn't bring it inside ta begin with."

Rarity scowled lightly at her. "Of course not! It's filthy! A-And it's a diamond dog! Who knows what sort of trouble it can cause!"

Twilight frowned, "Now that's not very fair Rarity."

Fluttershy added in. "Y-Yes, that's not very nice. You should apologize for saying that Rarity!"

Rarity lowered her head. "Oh, fine fine fine fine. BUT STILL, why out of all the things did the map have to lead me to some, diamond dog, what can I possibly do to alleviate whatever situation its in? Be their slave again down in their pits they call a home?" Rarity then shook her head before stating, "Oh, but never mind that. Anyhow, let's figure where its run off to." She then called out, "Diamond Dog! Come, now!"

There was a long drawn on silence, only the sound of blowing winds accompanying Rarity's call.

Applejack muttered, "Sure ya didn't scare it off?"

Rarity now seemed a bit nervous. "S-Surely I didn't. I mean, I-I wasn't that mean to it. W-Was I?" She frowned heavily before appearing a bit more worried about the situation. "Oh diamond doooog! Come out now! We need to talk with you about our situation!" She puckered her lower lip before her eyes saddened. "C-Come now darling! Don't do this, I apologize, I was just upset is all!"

Suddenly popping its head out from a hole not far off would be a tiny head, as it exclaimed. "PONY, YES?"

Rarity's expression brightened as she smiled, "OH, THERE YOU-"

Before the rest of her friends bumped into her, scurrying past her themselves to the diamond dog pup, while Twilight blinked a bit at it.

Rarity's suddenly appeared annoyed, "H-HEY! What the-, WHAT do you all think you're doing?"

Fluttershy was already holding it up as she nuzzled it soon afterwords. "Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! You're a precious little puppy aren't you, yes you are. Did Rarity scare you? Well don't you worry, she's just a big grumpy head sometimes."

Applejack began poking at its cheeks. "Aaaaaaw! Little guy reminds me uh Winona back when she was just a lil'pup. Well, minus the abnormally large paws this little guy has compared to the rest of his body. Shucks, what a cute little pup!"

Rainbow Dash spread her hooves. "Let me hold him!"

Pinkie Pie gasped, "No no no! Me next, me next! I want to hold him to!"

"IT'S A GIRL!"

Suddenly they all froze, as they all looked over at Rarity.

Rarity huffed before appearing a bit frustrated. "I-It's a girl. I checked myself. S-So, why don't you put it down, and allow me to take care of my business with it already? The map did lead me to her. Surely, you're all only frightening her more by gathering around her like that."

Twilight in particular was still beside Rarity, and she seemed fairly concerned about what the mare said but didn't comment just yet.

Rainbow Dash placed both hooves on her hips while fluttering, before cocking a brow. "Um, wait, you checked?"

Applejack couldn't help but comment as well. "Yea, that sounds mighty strange Rarity."

Fluttershy held the pup closer to her before commenting, "Eep!"

Rarity flushed red in the face as she growled. "No you dummies! I-I was only giving her a thorough inspection to see why my cutie mark might've been reacting to her! Was I wrong to take notice of her gender while I was at it!? Do not categorize me with some weird pony!" At that point Rarity had lost her patience before she looked to the diamond dog pup, and noticed it was looking at Rarity with wide curious eyes, unsure what was happening or what to do, so it only continued to be held. Rarity then stated, "COME girl! Come to Miss Rarity!"

And surprisingly, the diamond dog pup actually reacted as it pressed its paws to Fluttershy's face, causing her to drop the pup instinctively before it immediately went to all fours, and scurrying over to Rarity, circling her a few times before using its large paws to climb up her flank before laying on her back and then eyeing the others with interest, tilting its head at Rarity. "Ponies, yes?"

Rarity herself was actually surprised by the sudden obedience before closing her eyes and chuckling softly, scoffing in confidence. "W-Why yes! Yes we are a group of ponies! See girls, I understand her the best, s-so, surely that is why my cutie mark reacted to her!"

"Rarity, we probably need to find out where she came from and return her soon."

Rarity's eyes widened before glancing over at Twilight. "W-What Twilight? Didn't you just here what I-"

Twilight appeared a bit concerned, worried for the most part. "It's not often diamond dog females leave their homes. Especially the young puppies, they're often carefully watched. Because they're so private, we don't have much information on diamond dogs, so the roles of the females are still very bare to us. But, I can't imagine that her pack would be very happy once they found out we've taken her away."

Rarity shook her head, "Well of course not Twilight! Which is why I came to ask you for your help. We need to find out what problem she's going through so we can solve it and be on our way. Otherwise my cutie mark won't stop reacting to her. Taking her back to wherever she came from won't solve anything." Rarity glanced back at her, "B-Besides! We obviously must be connected for some other reason."

Twilight lowered her head a bit, "Let me see her for a second Rarity."

Rarity appeared hesitant before glancing back at the pup worriedly. "W-Well alright, but be careful with her Twilight. Your magic is way more intense than mine is." She then eyed Twilight with that worried gaze as she'd given the mare permission to take hold.

Soon the pup levitated off of Rarity's back, as it kept that curious look as it eyed itself, then Rarity with a questioned look as if asking her what was happening, before looking over at Twilight with those wide eyes before just staring at the purple mare blankly.

Twilight glanced the pup up and down before asking. "Where did you come from little one?"

The diamond dog then smiled brightly with a nod. "Home! Yes!"

Twilight shook her head. "N-No, I know you came from home. I mean, where is it?"

The diamond dog replied again. "Home, yes!" Before giving Twilight more hurried nods.

Rainbow Dash snickered in the background. "Pffffft!"

Even Applejack covered her face a bit with her hat, having to look away.

Pinkie Pie raised a brow. "WELL, it's not like she's wrong!"

Twilight then eyed the diamond dog pup with a look of annoyance, before glancing over at Rarity.

Rarity commented blankly, "You get used to it."

Twilight sighed before continuing, "N-No little one. I know you came from your home, but WHERE is it? Surely you have some idea, some way of telling us where your home is? I mean, you know what ponies are. Surely you understand what I'm saying to you?"

The diamond dog pup added. "DIG!?"

Twilight raised a brow at it, a little confused. "Dig?"

The diamond dog nodded. "DIG!" Before breaking free from Twilight's telekinetic grip and hurrying over to the hole she made.

Twilight grunted, "HUH!?"

Before Rarity followed with a gasp. "AGAIN!?"

Rainbow was still beyond baffled, "D-Did she just-...did, wha?"

The pup however paid no attention to what she just did as she hurried over to the hole she dug. "Dig? Yes!" Before she'd immediately been pressed towards the grassy surface with powerful telekinetic magic, practically being crushed as she whined. "Aruuuuuuu..."

Fluttershy immediately cried out. "S-STOP, WHAT'RE YOU TWO DOING!?"

Twilight and Rarity, not having noticed they both instinctively reacted at the same time at the diamond dog pup's bolt towards her hole, had attempted to grab hold of her with their telekinetic magic. They both then released it in that moment.

Twilight's expression sunk. "W-Wait we're sorry, we just-"

Rarity shook her head as well before pleading desperately. "We didn't mean to apply that much pressure to her! She just ran so," Rarity glanced over angrily at Twilight before stating, "Y-Your magic is too powerful Twilight! You can't use it on such a tiny thing!"

Twilight shook her head. "I-I didn't mean to! Besides Rarity, you said I'd be able to take hold!"

Rarity shouted back, "WELL NOT ANYMORE! You hurt her Twilight!"

Applejack went between the two. "Now simmer down now sallies, it looks like the pup don't really care for ya two fightin one another."

And the pup really didn't care for the sudden incident, as she began circling the hole she dug. "Dig yes! Home, no!"

Twilight sighed as she glanced over at Rarity. "Rarity, sadly I believe we have to focus on the fact we've got a much bigger issue here. Diamond Dogs are not magical creatures, it shouldn't have been able to break free from my hold just now. Granted I was only used about a fraction of the pressure I could've applied, but, still, and a pup at that? There's something terribly wrong here. Maybe that's why your cutie mark lead it here, so we could all solve this together. We have to get to the bottom of this, Diamond Dogs are known for lots of abductions of unicorns, your case wasn't the first. If they build a form of resistance to magic, that could spell trouble for a lot more ponies out there."

Fluttershy grabbed hold of the puppy before looking to Twilight worriedly. "So what're we going to do Twilight?"

Rarity then hurried over to the pup as she checked over its condition first. "Oh, are you alright darling? I know I've been rough with you, but I did not mean to do that. Twiiiiilight over there is much more stronger than I am, oh yes she is." She poked its nose with a hoof.

The diamond dog pup hugged Rarity's muzzle, causing the mare to react warmly to it.

Rarity inquired, "May I Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy happily handed the diamond dog over to Rarity, "O-Oh, of course Rarity. She is connected to you afterall."

Rarity placed it on her back before looking to Twilight seriously. "And what might be your first plan of action Twilight? She already told us home was a no go, and apparently digging is our next clue. We have to find out about that, we can worry about the magic thing later."

Twilight frowned, "Rarity, listen. I'm sorry about what just happened but we can't ignore this. This is groundbreaking, maybe we can-"

Rarity glanced back at the pup before asking, "Darling, do you know how to block magic?"

The diamond dog pup blinked before speaking. "Mine? Mine mine mine mine mine!"

Rarity looked back at Twilight blankly. "There's your answer Twilight."

Twilight's brows furrowed in annoyance.

Before Rarity trotted back towards the castle, as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash followed in suit. "Now come, let us go see what we can learn about why you like the word dig. Then we can learn about the whole magic issue later! Surely, home is also just as important."

Fluttershy kept attempting to pet her as she chuckled while doing so.

Applejack approached Twilight in question, or more so, in worry. "Ya okay Twilight?"

Twilight frowned a bit as she sighed, shaking her head. "Yea, we'll figure it out with time. We've just gotta be patient with her I guess."

Pinkie Pie cheered, "PATIENCE IS MY MIDDLE NAME! Don't you worry Twilight! We'll figure it out soon enough!"

Twilight nodded in silence before glancing over at the hole with a blank stare. "Yea, we will." Next Chapter: Chapter 3: HOME, HOME, ALONE?.... Estimated time remaining: 33 Minutes