“Chrysalis is coming for Celestia.”

The words struck like a thunderbolt in Twilight Sparkle’s head. She knew the deal Celestia had made with Chrysalis when the latter had offered a way to restore Twilight to her former self. Leave it to a race of mind benders to know how to fix the broken thing that had been Tabula Rasa. Twilight’s mentor had offered up herself on a platter to the changeling’s hunger, in exchange for the chance to restore her beloved student, and Chrysalis had gleefully accepted.

“How long ago did the message come in?” asked Twilight, as she began to move off at a brisk trot toward her castle. She felt the electric vitality of a purpose, the depth of will to carry through with a plan and the bedrock solid knowledge that her friends were by her side. It felt good to feel, to be, that way again.

“About twenty minutes ago,” said Spike, his two legs moving at double time to keep up with Twilight’s four. “It took me a little bit to find you after you had left for your walk.”

“Okay, I’ll head to the castle, you go get the rest of the girls,” ordered Twilight. “Except Rarity, she’s too exhausted right now for anything. We should let her nap for now and let her know what’s going on in a couple of hours.”

“Sure thing, Twilight,” said Spike, peeling off toward Sugarcube Corner with a good enough turn of speed to raise dust in his wake. Both knew Pinkie Pie could be found there during these hours of the week.

Twilight spared some thoughts for her number one assistant as she increased her speed to a canter. Spike had grown so much over the years and the past couple of months had only showcased that emotional growth. First the pony he adored, then his surrogate mother, had been broken in mind and spirit by diamond dogs. He had kept himself and the castle running, had coordinated the rest of their friends and then kept things going until first Rarity and then Twilight had been healed.

“And after all of that,” thought Twilight to herself as she dodged around a few ponies. “After all that, he was still willing to forgive the diamond dogs and has really helped with getting the refugees sent to Ponyville settled.” Twilight slowed her pace as her castle drew near. The large double doors of the castle were open, and several diamond dogs were walking in and out under the watchful eye of a pair of guard ponies, who were on loan from the Royal Guard.

With the Badlands poisoned by the dark crystals Sombra had scattered throughout them, the Diamond Dogs had become a nation of refugees, and Twilight had opened her home to as many as her castle could accommodate. There was initially only enough room for sleeping a dozen families. But as the days went by Twilight’s castle surprised her by growing a school room, a dining hall and enough bathing and bathroom facilities for everyone. Twilight slowed further to a walk as she began to approach the doors.

Several dogs were walking along the main path to the castle doors on various errands and each nodded respectfully to Twilight as she passed. She could hear each of them say something in a respectful tone as she passed by, but couldn’t quite make out the words. She was still trying to figure out what they said when a small pack of pups blocked her path at the door itself. They were small, barely chest high on her, and cute as any puppy could be.

“Um, excuse me,” said Twilight politely to the young dogs. “Is there something I can help you with?” The young dogs looked down at their feet, shyness rampant among them and none seemed willing to speak up. Twilight looked around helplessly, not sure what to do. She looked at the guards ponies for help, but they just shrugged, indicating they had no idea what the pups wanted either. Fortunately for all concerned, one of the apparent mothers of the group poked her head out the doors and took in the situation with a single glance.

“Spud, go ahead,” said the female dog, encouragingly, in the normal high pitched gravel of a diamond dog. “Give the Princess your present.” Emboldened by his mother’s command, one of the youngest pups shyly pulled out a rolled up parchment and held out to Twilight.

“Thank you very much...Spud,” said Twilight, with a smile of thanks as she grasped the parchment with her magic and unrolled it to look at the contents. It was a drawing, crudely done, but quite good considering the youth of the artist. Three ponies were depicted in a battle stance with horns blazing. Twilight easily recognized Luna on the right and Rarity on the left of the drawing, but the central place of honour was held by...herself! Her lavender coat and dark blue mane were clearly visible on the unicorn in the middle. Beneath her depiction was a title, and as Twilight read it her mind immediately snapped to the muttered words she had heard from the adult dogs she had passed. “Dona Martilla” it read.

“Dona Martilla?” Twilight asked the mother dog. “What does it mean?”

“Lady Hammer,” said the dog, who then turned to the pups. “Okay, you gave the Princess your gift. Off you go now, the Lady is busy.” The pups scattered outside to the castle grounds, their happy yips betraying their joy at being out from adult supervision for awhile. Twilight most definitely did not reprimand the guards for smiling at the boisterous happiness of the pups. She knew they would be keeping an eye on the pups, making sure they did not get into too much trouble. Which is pretty much what the other guards in her castle did. Making sure that none of the refugees got into too much trouble by getting into things and places they should not.

“Thank you for sorting that out,” Twilight said to the dog, “Miss?”

“Chewn,” answered the dog. “I’m the teacher here.”

“Oh,” said Twilight. “I would have thought that the pups would have been going to the school in Ponyville.”

“There have been integration problems,” Chewn replied. “Until your Miss Cheerilee and I can come up with a unified study program, we have to have separate classes.”

“I would like to talk more to you about this and how you are getting on,” said Twilight. “But for now, I’m afraid I really am busy.”

“As you wish, Your Highness,” said Chewn, who dropped into a curtsy. Twilight smiled to the dog and left quickly, a little embarrassed at the display of respect. Chewn, for her part, headed onto the grounds to see what mischief her charges had managed to get into already.

As Twilight headed to the Cutie Map room, she mused over how busy the castle was these days. Initially, it had just been her and Spike. But then Starlight had joined them as Twilight’s student, and now they had all the diamond dog refugees. Her castle had become a busy, bustling place, full of activity and Twilight found that she was coming to like it that way. The castle felt alive in a way no other place she had lived in had, not even Canterlot Castle. Maybe because this castle was her castle, and belonged to no other. She reached the map room and addressed the guards at the door who were there to keep the curious away.

“When my friends arrive, send them right in,” she said to the guards, who gave her a couple of terse, “Yes, Ma’am’s” as she went in, another change. She didn’t used to have or need guards, but then again, the guards were here not so much for her protection but as protection for the refugees. For the most part, diamond dogs were brave, loyal and industrious. But they were also curious to a fault. and there were some things in the castle Twilight would rather they didn’t poke their noses into.

As she was musing over that, when Pinkie Pie made her way in through the door.

“Hey Twilight,” said the party pony as she bounced in. “What’s up?”

“Let’s wait until the others get here,” said Twilight. “I’d like to only have to explain things once.”

“Okey dokey lokey,” said Pinkie. “Mind if I grab everypony some snacks?”

“That’s a great idea, Pinkie,” said Twilight. “You always know how to make ponies feel comfortable.”

“It’s what I do,” said Pinkie, as she headed toward the door that went to the kitchens. “By the way, I like your necklace.”

“Thank you,” said Twilight softly, to empty air, “I like it too.” She put a hoof to the collar while Pinkie was gone and savored another memory Rarity had given her. This one was about the six of them confronting a dragon on a mountaintop. Twilight chuckled a bit as, in her mind’s eye, she saw Fluttershy using her Stare on the dragon, making it back down from its aggressive stance toward them. Twilight blinked as she realized that Fluttershy was actually in front of her.

“Oh, hi Fluttershy,” said Twilight, “Pinkie is grabbing us all some snacks before the others get here.

“That’s nice of her,” said Fluttershy, who gave Twilight an odd look before heading to her seat by the map table. Over the next ten minutes Applejack and Rainbow Dash, both arrived and took their seats. They also gave Twilight a second look as they came in. Pinkie’s timing, as usual was near perfect as she came back a minute later with lemonade and cupcakes for everyone.

“Okay, now that everypony is here--” began Twilight.

“Hold on a second, Twi,” said Applejack, by way of interruption. “You’ve gone and forgotten Rarity. Or is Valiente running things today?”

“Actually,” said Twilight, “they are doing things as something of a team effort today, and we will let them know what is going on in a couple of hours. Right now, they are passed out in bed.”

“Oh, are they okay?” asked Fluttershy.

“They’re fine, just exhausted,” said Twilight. “They helped me out with something and they basically tired themselves out.” Twilight noticed that Applejack was flushing for some reason at her comment and didn’t want to look up. An empty silence suddenly filled the room.

“Well, if nopony else is going to ask, I will,” said Rainbow Dash. “Just what the hay was she, um…they, doing with you that exhausted them, and does it have anything to do with you suddenly wearing a collar?”

“Yes, it does, Rainbow,” said Twilight, smiling, “but not in the way you might be thinking.” Then, Twilight explained to the other four how Rarity and Valiente had worked out what was wrong with their friend and how the collar was in reality a device to share memories with.

“I really need to throw Valiente a super special party for that,” said Pinkie Pie. “Twilight, do you know when her birthday is?”

“No, not really,” said Twilight.

“Darn, oh well. I’ll just have to figure it out,” said Pinkie in a bubbly voice.

“Anyway girls, before we got sidetracked with collars and stuff,” said Twilight. “I called you here because we need to get to Canterlot before tomorrow. Chrysalis is coming to take Celestia away as her payment for helping me and Rarity tomorrow morning.” The other four ponies started talking at once, the overall tone being “Oh, hell no.”

“Celestia gave her word,” said Twilight, cutting the others off. “If there is one thing a princess has to do, it is to keep their word.”

“Fair enough, Twilight,” said Applejack. “But why do they need us there?”

“Isn’t obvious?” asked Rainbow Dash, leaning forward. “We need to be there just in case Chrysalis tries any funny stuff.”

“Exactly,” said Twilight. “Also, we should be there to offer moral support to Princess Celestia and whatever direct help we can give to Mistress Luna.”

“Twilight, you did it again,” said Pinkie, with a grin.

“What? Oh, pony feathers,” cursed Twilight. “Sorry everypony, it’s that silly dark magic ownership bond Luna and I have. It keeps compelling me to submit to her and acknowledge her as my owner.”

“Any luck on breaking that?” asked Applejack with evident concern.

“No,” sighed Twilight. “The only way either of us have found to break it is to have somepony else channel dark magic, to take over the ownership bond from Miss...Princess Luna. Which would still leave me as an owned pony.”

“Well, if you have to be owned, at least Princess Luna is a kind owner,” said Fluttershy. “I mean, if you are going to be somepony’s pet anyway.”

“I am not a pet!” exclaimed Twilight.

“Twi, far be it for me to argue with you,” said Applejack with a raised eyebrow. “But yer the one sitting there wearing a collar and calling the Princess, ‘Mistress.’”

Fine,” sighed Twilight, realizing the futility of arguing against the reality of the situation. “I’m Luna’s pet, but at least she has me on a very long leash.” Her friends just grinned at her embarrassment.

“I think you make a fine pet, Twilight. If Princess Luna asks I can give you a nice bath, groom your mane, and then preen your feathers for you,” said Fluttershy, who might have been teasing her friend ever so slightly. “But in the meantime, I think we should get ready to catch the train.”

“Right,” said Rainbow Dash. “Before we do that though, Twilight, did you wanna do that memory share thing with the rest of us?”

“Not today, Rainbow,” said Twilight. “If Rarity is any indication, that spell takes a lot out of a pony, so I should only do it to one pony a day. And I think Spike should be the first of my friends I do it with.”

“Makes sense,” said Applejack, nodding in agreement. “Spike’s been with you the longest, out of all of us. He probably has the most memories to share.”

“Alright then,” said Rainbow. “We meet at the train station in three hours. I’ll swing by Rarity’s in a couple of hours and bring her up to speed.”

“Sounds good, everypony,” said Twilight. “I’ll see you all at the train station.” Twilight’s friends said their goodbyes and Twilight called out for her number one assistant.

----------ooooooooooOOOOOoooooooooo----------

Five hours later, the seven friends were on their way to Canterlot. The late afternoon sun streaming in through the train’s windows made it a warm place to be. The warmth, combined with the rocking motion of the train had almost everyone in the car either asleep or nearly so. Twilight was awake, barely, in a window seat, with Rarity lying against her, snoring softly. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, both out cold, were on the seat opposite, which left Applejack and Pinkie Pie to sit across the train aisle. Applejack was slumped in place, her ever present Stetson pulled over her face. Pinkie was awake and seemed to be amusing herself with some sort of toothpick sculpture.

The rest of the train car was fairly full. Several ponies as well as a few diamond dogs were on board. They were becoming a much more common sight in Equestria with the influx of refugees and the emptying of the Badlands. Twilight woke fully, carefully stretching so as not to wake Rarity, and again brushed her hoof along the gift her Two-Fold friend had given her. As her hoof moved along the newest line of engraving on the collar, a series of images appeared in her mind’s eye. Her and Spike running through the Crystal Castle in search of the Crystal Heart, as seen from Spike’s perspective. She felt both his fear and his faith in her as the two of them solved Sombra’s puzzles together.

“Thanks, Spike,” she murmured, “and thank you, Rarity.”

“Hmm?” asked Rarity, sleepily.

“Oh, sorry to wake you,” said Twilight. Rarity waved it off and sat up, looking around.

“How long until we reach Canterlot?” asked Rarity.

“We should get there about an hour after sunset,” said Twilight. “We’re invited for dinner at the palace.”

Twilight paused as an absolutely massive diamond dog walked in from an adjacent car on the train. The dog was tall and powerfully built, perhaps as well built as Big MacIntosh. He might have been a handsome dog at one point, but the barely healed seam of a terrible wound ran across his head diagonally, from his missing right ear, across a scar-sealed right eye, to end at an indented upper and lower lip.

In spite of that terrible scarring wound, the dog stood with confidence and strength. As if he had faced the worst that the world could throw at him and he had come out the other side bloodied but unbowed. Rarity noted the direction of Twilight’s gaze and took in the dog at the end of the car. She noted his absolutely immaculate vest, and the well tooled weapons belt holding a sword with an elaborate peace bond on it. She was wondering why he was allowed to carry weapons at all, when she spotted the night black collar with its white crescent moon on his throat. There was only one kind of dog who would wear that, while carrying weapons in public.

“Girls,” said Rarity in a tight whisper, “he’s a Moon Dog.”

Moon Dogs were diamond dogs who had personally sworn themselves to the service of Princess Luna. At the Battle of the Camp, some four hundred dogs had declared themselves for Luna. She had gratefully accepted their service and declared them her “Moon Dogs”. In the subsequent battle, a full third of them had been killed, with another third wounded to one degree or another. This then, was obviously one of the ones who had been wounded in that desperate battle.

The dog scanned the crowd with his one good eye until it fell upon the six friends and he started forward down the aisle towards them with obvious intent. Rarity kicked Rainbow Dash awake, who in turn woke Fluttershy. Pinkie, for her part, was about to nudge Applejack when Applejack, without moving an inch said, “Ah see him, no worries.”

“Hello,” said the dog in a deep voice, carrying the accent of Stalliongrad. “I must ask, but are you-” The dog paused, as if searching for the right words, “Rarity and Twilight?”

“Yes, we are,” said Rarity, leaning forward slightly. “May I ask why you are inquiring after us?” To the astonishment of everyone in the car, the great dog got down on his knees before the six mares, and bowed down so that his forehead touched the floor of the train car.

“Holy Valiente, Dona Martilla,” said the dog, his voice somewhat muffled by his position. “I vish to beg your attention for a favour.” Twilight and Rarity were both speechless at the display of abject worship by the dog, directed at them. Fortunately, they were not alone by themselves on the train.

“Now just hold on there a minute, little doggie,” drawled Applejack. “Your embarrassing mah friends an awful lot. Get on up, have a seat and explain yourself.”

“I am not vorthy to sit with the two great warriors of light, or their companions,” said the dog.

“For Pete’s sake,” said Rainbow Dash. “That’s a load and everyone knows it.” The dog’s head finally came up at that and he looked Rainbow Dash in the eye. Twilight could see more than a little indignation at Rainbow Dash’s classic in-your-face approach.

“You fought for the Princess,” continued Dash. “You didn’t have magic, you couldn’t fly and you were outnumbered big time. None of that stopped you, did it?

“Nyet,” the dog admitted.

“Exactly,” said Dash, puffing out her chest a bit. “You had our friend’s backs when we couldn’t be there. So sit up and be proud that you were awesome.”

“I...I,” the dog stuttered, clearly confused at the unexpected praise.

“You can sit beside me,” said Fluttershy, demurely, as she slid over a bit to make room for the dog.

“If it is okay with Holy Valiente and Dona Martilla?” he asked, looking toward Rarity and Twilight for permission.

“On one condition,” said Twilight. “You explain why you are addressing Rarity and myself that way.” The dog got off his knees, much to everypony’s relief, and sat down beside Fluttershy. Who promptly pulled a grooming kit from her saddlebags and began brushing down the dog. The dog looked back at Fluttershy with a mixture of indignation, surprise, embarrassment, enjoyment and appreciation.

“You should just lean back and enjoy it,” said Pinkie, with a grin. “It’s not a party, but Fluttershy is pretty good at making folks who aren’t ponies feel good.”

“So, what is your name?” asked Twilight, as she drew the dog further out of his shell.

“I’m called ‘Mouse’,” said the dog, holding up a paw. “Da, I have heard all the jokes. Fuzzbarge, Woolly Chammoth, Dogasaurus, and so forth. My parents did not know I would grow to this size when they named me.”

“Not a problem, Moon Dog Mouse,” said Twilight. “Now, I believe I asked you a question?” Applejack and Rainbow Dash shared a look and a small smile. This was the most assertive they had heard their friend be in weeks, and it sounded good on her. Twilight had always been something of the de facto leader of their group, and they had all badly missed her being in charge.

“Our priests have struggled to find meaning in what has befallen us over the past few years,” began Mouse. “They finally decided last week on how to interpret the events from the viewpoint of the faith.” He paused as Fluttershy began to work out a particularly tough knot in his coat.

“The dog priests say that a demon of darkness had clouded our eyes to Luna’s holy light, and that Valiente was sent to us as a test,” said Mouse. “Ve failed in that test. Ve tried to unmake Luna’s servant, ve laid low Twilight Sparkle, the Redeemer. Ve took them as captives, ve tried to break them, to enslave them. But as the moon vanes and vaxes, so to do the servants of Luna. Vat rose in their place vas not a pair of broken slave mares, but Dona Martillo, Lady Hammer. She who guarded Luna’s back in the battle, smiting Luna’s enemies with her hammers of light. On Luna’s other side, was Holy Valiente, who gave half of her own soul in order to craft the spear of light, with which she smote down the Dark One.”

“Mouse,” said Applejack, “Ah’ve heard descriptions of the battle before. But Ah have to say Ah’ve never it talked about quite so...” Applejack groped for the right word.

“Poetic,” supplied Fluttershy.

“Ya, that’s it,” said Applejack, with a nod of thanks. “Never heard it talked about it so poetic like.”

“Poetic or not,” said Mouse. “This is vat the priests are now teaching. More and more, you will be coming across dogs using those names. I think I heard talk of a statue of the three of you together. Luna in the middle and the two of you on either side of her.”

Twilight facehoofed at this revelation and slowly dragged it down across her face, groaning.

“Well,” said Rarity. “While I’m all in favour of a little recognition, this seems a tad excessive.”

“I have answered your question,” said Mouse. “May I ask my favour?”

“Go ahead,” sighed Twilight, almost dreading what she was going to be asked.

“I was heading to Canterlot to ask Princess Luna for permission, but I should ask you as vell,” said Mouse. “You and Valiente, at least until recently, have had no guards at your home. No pony to personally protect you. No pony to guard your back and stand at your side as you did Princess Luna. I ask of you, I beg of you, let me be the shield at your back. As I did it once before for Holy Valiente, when I got this.” He gestured toward his ruined eye and missing ear.

“You got that...” Rarity said, tears manifesting in her eyes. “You took that wound, protecting me?”

“Yes, Holy Valiente,” said Mouse, in a matter of fact tone. “I vas covering your retreat with Raarg, about twenty or so feet to your left. Two dogs were coming at you on your blind side, and I put myself in their way, stopping them long enough for you to get clear. I stopped them, but they also stopped me.” As Fluttershy gasped in horror at Mouse’s revelation, Rarity flung herself across the aisle and hugged the dog, tears pouring from her eyes.

“I never knew,” she cried. “I’m sorry, I never knew.”

“Shh,” said Mouse, leaning down and stroking Rarity’s mane. “Be at ease, Holy Valiente. Never, ever blame yourself for my wound or for vat happened to any dog else that day. None of us blame you, not a single one of us. Ve blame the Dark One, not you. Never you. But, if you need to hear it, then, yes, ve forgive you. I, Mouse, forgive you.”

“Mouse,” said Twilight, still sitting in her seat, “you couldn’t know this, but for weeks after the battle, Rarity blamed herself for what happened to you, and the other dogs. She gave herself the most terrible punishments she could think of and locked herself away from the world. Valiente had be in charge constantly.” Twilight looked at her friend who was drying her eyes with a tissue.

“That you told her you don’t blame her, and that you forgive her, is probably one of the best things you could have done for her,” said Twilight, as the dog smiled broadly. “In light of that and pending Princess Luna’s approval...I am willing to take you on as our personal guard dog.” Mouse’s eyes shone and his throat worked, but it seemed all he could do was to nod his thanks.

Author's Note

So, this chapter wound up being much more mellow with more world building than I had originally anticipated. It also wound up ending a little abruptly because I realized I wasn't going to be keep the chapter under 6k words if I didn't.

So, Twilight and Rarity are beginning to realize some of the world consequences of their actions in Bridle Path. Particularly now, that they are both healing well. Rarity, for the first time, is directly confronted by one of the dogs whose pain she blamed herself for so greatly. If Mouse had not forgiven her, it very well might have sent her back down into a cycle of guilt and blame.

Next chapter,
- Arrival
- Dinner with the Princesses
- And maybe, the bridling of Celestia.