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The Diamond Dog's Guide to Engineering

by Tolerance

Chapter 10: Jostled Judging Jargon

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Aaron surveyed what had eventually turned into a garden of sorts. He'd gotten a substantial amount of help from Mint, who, while hesitant to return to the Diamond Dog's lair, was more than happy to be richly compensated for his services. Such an expense was still considerably cheaper than buying his every meal even from the ponies in town, even if Mint's assistance was only when he could make the trip to the tunnels. The Earth pony had given him instructions on how to properly care for his plants, and as an added bonus, had been infusing the crops with some sort of latent pony magic that his particular subspecies of pony possessed.

The Gardens occupied what once was Allee's hiding place, much to her dismay. Aaron promised himself that he would make it up to her someday, but for now it was the only chamber that met his needs for sustenance. She could still unwind by the pond, which had been left untouched, but the rest of the chamber had undergone some major reconstruction. One of the major changes consisted of a good portion of the ceiling had been replaced with shafts that let in the light. The shafts had been capped with a clear quartz, to keep the elements at bay. When Aaron had asked why the dogs had such a large stockpile of that particular gem, he was informed that they didn't taste like anything and that they weren't very filling to begin with. They worked well enough for the task at hand, though, and Aaron briefly considered if he could find any other uses for the stone.

There were a few other projects currently in the mix. The pack miners were relatively good at sniffing out some of the ore he'd been experimenting with, but it would be a few days until the first stone crucibles were ready for a test pour of molten metal. There was also the matter he needed to look into regarding the reason of why some cleared tunnels could be revisited after a time for re-mining. It was almost if the gems themselves were constantly 'growing,' for lack of a better term. Aaron had initially tried to dismiss such a silly idea, but thought better of it once he considered that magic might play a part in some unseen way.

Seeing nothing to do with the quartz stockpile though, Aaron sighed. "Nope, guess they'll just have to be make-shift windows for the moment." 'Although, maybe sinking some deeper light shafts will let us use natural light farther into the depths of the den. They could even be sunk in to the floors if the stone can-'

Aaron had his thought's interrupted by Chaser's rapid approach. "Aaron, sir. You have visitor!"

"That's odd, I'm not expecting Mint for a few more days."

"No Mint. Somepony else!"

Very odd, indeed. "Interesting. Alright then, You can bring them in."

"Yes sir. I will fetch him."

~~~~~

Aaron was soon introduced to a Unicorn-type stallion who appeared to be prepared to make a long journey, or was just returning from one based on his disheveled appearance. He had one thing going for him though, the Unicorn had a look in his eye that hinted at a sharp mind.

"This him." Chaser said, completing his fetch-quest.

"I've heard a great deal about you, Sir Aaron. But I can see that the description I've been able to derive from the rumors do you no justice."

"That's good, I think. Some of the townsfolk think of me as a down-right monster for staying down here."

"I find it in my experience that most ponies lack the wherewithal to judge only after they've gotten to know somepony else."

"So I've noticed, um, I don't actually know your name." Aaron replied sheepishly.

"Pardon my rudeness, my interests have been known to get the better of my manners. I am known as Starswirl."

"Well, Starswirl, welcome to the den. Any particular rumor bring you out here? We don't get many visitors, as I'm sure you can imagine."

"Yes, of course. A few months ago I was given a report that suggested that Diamond Dogs had been enslaving folks from around here, and seeing as I'm a mage for hire, I was dispatched to the area. Upon my arrival, the day before yesterday actually, I find that everypony has been accounted for. Were it a simple escape, with no reprisals from the canines, I'd be on my way, but then I kept hearing mention of a creature such as yourself. Some of the townsfolk don't think very highly of you, but after discussing the matter with some of the former captives, well, let's just say that you've earned my interest. I'm sure that we both have questions that we can ask of each other."

"Anyone that's willing to talk first, instead of fight, especially when the hearsay suggests that the situation is dangerous, deserves some respect." Aaron motioned for the gathered dogs to go about their tasks. "Would you like some tea while we discuss things?"

"I would love some."

~~~~~

Sitting near the garden's pond, the tea was served in a couple of small wooden cups that Aaron had carved himself, from a stone bowl he had heated with a small coal fire. Minty herbs had been some of the first things Aaron's Earth Pony friend had planted, making the drink a simple affair, but one that Starswirl seemed to enjoy.

"This is quite the set-up you've established here."

"I can't say that I've done it all by myself, the pack can do quite a bit with just the right amount of direction." Aaron mused.

"So it would seem, although don't be too quick to sell yourself short. I doubt I'd have the patience to deal with these canines for long."

"What makes you say that?" Aaron asked inquisitively.

"I've had what one would probably call dealings, with political figures. I suspect that, if the canines behave the same way, I'd likely end up banishing myself from the whole process, instead of the other way around."

"That sounds like a good story."

"It isn't, really, but that's a story for another time, I suppose." Starswirl stared at the liquid in his cup for just a moment too long. "What I'm currently interested in is you, surely there's a story about how you came to be here? I can't quite say I've ever heard of your species before. Where do you hail from?"

"From here as far as I know."

"You suffer from amnesia?" Starswirl asked with concern.

"Not quite. There are gaps in my memory, but, well, it's a little hard to explain."

"I've had more than my share of tales, Sir Aaron. Try me."

"Alright, I was hiking along a trail I knew fairly well, and after a quick lunch, I took a nap. When I woke up, I found that I'd lost the trail. So I looked around for a while, and I thought that, maybe I'd just head towards the river and make my way back to the city by following it. Next thing I know, I'm trying to get out of the rain, and I end up in an underground cell, property of the Diamond Dogs."

"Were you just disoriented, by a transportation spell perhaps?"

"Not that I know of, everything looked the same to me when I woke up. The mountains, the river, even the cave were mostly how I remembered them, I only seem to be missing names and faces. I've only very recently learned that the pony settlement lies in place of where I'd believed my own town to be. As for any magical intervention, as far as I know, Humans have never had any."

"That's very peculiar." said Starswirl as he eyed Aaron closely. "Do you mind if I take a closer look?"

"You're not going to ask for a dissection later or anything are you?"

"What? No!" Starswirl waved off as he he began digging into his saddlebag. "I just want to examine if any spells have been used on you. I haven't gotten a chance to test the full range of my detection spell yet, and your case may prove an excellent opportunity to do so." Pulling out a set of various gemstones, cut and placed into rather crude medallions, the stallion motioned for Aaron to stand up before placing them at several points around Aaron, encircling him. "Okay, now I need you to hold still for a minute while I cast the spell."

Starswirl's horn lit up with pure magical energy, which then refined itself into an elegant, flowing lightshow. The magic flowed up and over Aaron as a veil, drifting slowly towards the stones placed at his feet. Within moment, the light levels in the chamber soon returned to their natural state, marking the end of the arcane-looking ritual.

"There we go, all done." Starswirl said, carefully picking up his enchanted talismans. "You have my sincerest thanks for your assistance. I'll need a few days to examine these, but if I find anything, I'll be sure to let you know."

"What do you think you'll find?"

"Answers, mostly. There is so much in this world being kept from us, most Unicorns accept their lot in life, simply continuing as their families have done for centuries."

"But not you." Aaron pointed out.

"Sadly, yes. I may be the only one looking to solve such mysteries. I hope to classify the magic that is used by every unicorn, neigh, every pony!"

"That's a lofty goal, I suppose. I take it that your drive stems from that whole banishment thing?"

"I suppose you could say that. But only part of my approach is me doing what I must to correct certain wrongs. Not entirely unlike your own project here, I suppose." Starswirl surmised as he finished off the last of his tea.

"Which project would that be...?"

"Uplifting these Canines. As I said before, I haven't the patience for dealing with others, but I can respect any action that involves helping others, even the other races. Especially if it can keep the Tribunal on their toes. Guardians know they've grown complacent enough to start looking for trouble between our own tribes."

"Well then, I take it you'll need to be left to your work then? I'm sure we can find a place for you if you want to stay here for a while. The pack mostly sleeps in the main chamber anyways." Aaron chuckled lightly, thinking about the pack's odd sleeping arrangements.

"I appreciate the gesture, Sir Aaron, but that won't be necessary. I've already secured lodging back in town."

"Alright then, I suppose you'll at least stop again, even if you don't find anything?"

"Of course, it's not often I meet someone that doesn't try to set me on fire, or turn me to stone these days, and that's not even including the monsters that try to do the same!" Starswirl added earnestly.

"Well, I look forward to hearing back from you then." Aaron said as we waved for a dog to escort Starswirl back outside.

"That pony seem nice." Allee said, emerging from her hiding spot nearby.

"He's certainly friendlier towards us than most, anyway. Even if he seems to have his own agenda..." Aaron replied as Starswirl exited the cave with Watch Dog. "Anyway, how are those crucibles coming?"

"They are on sched-u-al, Aaron, sir." Allee answered happily.

"Good, let's go take a look then. We want to catch any flaws before we end up wasting time trying to finishing them." Aaron said as he stood up from his little tea party. With any luck, the pack would have started construction of the rail system before the end of the month.

Next Chapter: Kennel of Keen Knowledge Estimated time remaining: 50 Minutes
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