> Howlite Howler Part 2: Trust Denied
>  by JNKing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: What Happened and What's Going On
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Diamond Dog camp wasn’t what Luna expected. She had expected underground tunnels coated with dirty canines scrounging for scraps.
Granted, the tunnels into the diamond dog territory were unimpressive enough. But when she sent an invisible astral projection down into the tunnels… she was not prepared for what she found.
Life grew under the earth. Fruit trees and grass and vegetable plants all somehow grew from the compact dirt that had once been used only for mining. The leaves shined like emeralds, and after a moment, Luna realized that they were outfitted with the green gems; every tree had some of the gemstones nestled into the bark, helping the trees shine. Scattered around the plants was enough gems and jewels to make ten kings blush. In a far corner was a pen stuffed with wild goats and rams, all looking dull-witted and fat. And at the center of it all, nestled on a battered throne suspiciously similar to one of the thrones from the Castle of Two Sisters, was the white diamond dog Shiva. 
Luna couldn’t help but smile at how relaxed the wolf looked. In her limited interactions with the creature, Luna had seen only suspicious anger and fear streaking the creature’s admittedly beautiful features. Yet in the throes of sleep, the fear and anger were gone, and she looked – for once – at peace. A male diamond dog lay curled up next to her, and she folded into his body, trying to hold him close like he was a big teddy bear.
Chuckling softly to herself, Luna flared her horn, and summoned the silvery stream that would allow her to access the diamond dog’s dreams. With a soft breath of preparation, she plunged into the stream, feeling the mental energy wash over her like a warm stream of water.
After a moment of blinding light, Luna’s vision cleared, and she found herself in an unfamiliar plain. Yet it was a plain she wished existed in the real world. 
It was bathed in golden light, and fields of wheat idly swayed and danced in the breeze. Shiva sat at the top of a small hill. Luna nearly ducked down, but the canine’s eyes weren’t upon her. 
They were upon a small group that sat by her side, enjoying the warmth of the golden sun and the kiss of the breeze on their bodies. 
The male diamond dog was there; Luna recognized him as the dark dog 'Luke,' who had aided Shiva in her travel to this place. She also recognized one of the strange ‘humans’ that occasionally ventured into Equestria: this could only be Shiva's original Master. Blue eyes, blonde hair and a warm smile with teeth that sparkled like the stars in Luna’s beloved night. The human sat between Shiva and her mate, and the three of them watched as a litter of diamond dog pups chased and tussled with each other across the hillside. 
None of these pups currently slept with Shiva in the waking world, but Luna could assume that in time, Shiva would work to ensure they did. Not even the love Shiva held for the Master or Luke could compare to the feeling of completion that seemed to bathe her face in light as she gazed upon the dream pups. One of them stumbled and nearly tumbled down the hill, but before Shiva could do much more than rise in concern, her pup was caught by a griffon. 
The griffon steadied the pup and nudged him back to his fellows before striding confidently up to Shiva’s place on the hill. Shiva regarded him with intrigue, though tried to turn her attention back to the human. 
Yet, instead, her eyes alighted on Luna.
Luna froze where she stood. For a moment, the canine and the equine gazed at each other. Luna lifted a hoof, hoping for a friendly wave. 
Yet, as Shiva stared at her, ears slowly flattening in horror, the plains changed. The golden sun turned into a silver moon. The wheat-like grass began to wither, and crunched ominously under Luna’s back-pedaling hooves. 
Shiva’s companions faded to ash. Luna saw Luke, Master, the pups and even the griffon all crumble into dust and float away into the breeze. Yet Shiva’s eyes didn’t stray once to them. She instead bolted away from Luna, only for more ponies to appear. 
Twilight was there, as was Rainbow Dash and Prince Blueblood. Yet… they were warped. Far more evil looking than any of the mares or stallion could hope to look like. Their eyes were pure black; their bodies resembled manticores more than equines, and they smiled with sharp, far-too-white teeth.
Shiva stumbled back from them, yet as she tried to turn away, she only ran back into Luna. The alicorn saw with despair that she was merely part of the circle that had formed around the canine, trapping her inside. Luna spread her wings and tried to fly back, providing some means of escape for the creature.
But then another mare took her place: Lady Fluttershy. Yet her pink mane hung like a dead animal over her piercing eyes. The nightmare version of Fluttershy rose up. Shiva backed up, trying to block her eyesight with arms that turned transparent like a ghost. But as her arms and even her eyelids failed to protect her, Fluttershy unleashed some sort of heat vision from her eyes, smashing into the wolf’s unprotected face.
In a blast of light, Luna was ejected violently from the dreamscape, her astral form spinning into the ceiling as Shiva burst from her throne with a howl of panic. Her eyes darted around, briefly glaring up at the ceiling before lowering her head with a moan of despair. 
Her poor male companion had been launched from her, landing in a pile of gems. Yet he just as quickly extricated himself, racing to her side.
“What is it, Shiva?” he asked, concern in his voice. 
Shiva took a moment to breath before lifting her head. 
“Nothing, Luke,” she replied. “Just a dream.” Yet as she stared up at the ceiling, Luna couldn’t help but ensure that her astral projection was truly invisible. For Shiva’s eyes still carried the look of one haunted by the past. And Luna didn't dare tempt the reaction Shiva might have to seeing her in the waking world too.
Luke seemed to recognize Shiva's grief. He cautiously reached out for her, but she turned away from him, walking towards one of the tunnels.
“Let’s just keep ourselves busy,” she said, her fur flaring to life. Luna bit back a gasp as tendrils of light, similar to the streams of consciousness she had used mere moments earlier, spiraled into the already glowing tunnels. “Miners!” Shiva howled. “Progress?”
A larger diamond dog raced up to her, yanking off a helmet with a shining gem inside. Despite him having at least a foot on her, he lowered himself to her level.
“Veins playing out, Alpha,” he said gruffly. “We find less and less.” 
Shiva nodded, turning back to the gems. “Then we use what we’ve gained,” she said. Again, her eyes darted up to the ceiling, and Luna feared that Shiva could sense her there. The creature held her gaze on where Luna’s astral projection hid before looking away.
“Form a scouting party,” she declared. “We’re going to the griffons.” 
The griffons? Luna thought in confusion, before letting her astral form lift back to her body. What would she want with them? 
As Luna thought back to what she had seen in Shiva’s dreams, she felt her heart race in nervousness.
Whatever it is, she decided. It cannot be anything good.

#

Celestia refused to let Luna’s appearance distract her from her duty. In front of her, Prince Blueblood stood. The injuries he had suffered from the howlite howler were faded, but still prominently covered with cotton bandages. His look screamed irritation, like he had been dragged from far more important things.
“It is good to see you back on your hooves, Prince Blueblood,” Celestia said, her tone like iced honey. Blueblood sensed the ice in her voice, as his pompous demeanor faded by a fraction.
“Indeed,” he said haughtily. “The nurses say I am rather lucky. That wretched beast could have done far worse.”
“Indeed,” Celestia said, struggling to keep her tone light. “Though, I must wonder… why is it that she instigated violence with you when she avoided confrontation with any other pony?" She glanced over at Luna, who wisely took a spot beside her on the throne, before returning her gaze to Blueblood. The sight of two princesses glaring at him caused a small tremble in the prince’s back leg. 
“We saw you in her nightmares,” Luna added. “She also seems to have seen you in the pits where she was taught to hate and fear ponies.” 
Blueblood’s eye twitched. “W-Well...,” he mumbled, before Celestia stood. 
“Think carefully about what you have to say,” Celestia said softly. “It would be… unwise… to be dishonest with me.”
Blueblood swallowed, and smoothed out his white coat.
“You have done much for this country, Princess Celestia,” he said, giving a low bow. “I respect the strength and love you’ve given to this country, as every pony should.” 
Luna and Celestia exchanged a look.
“Years before my time,” Blueblood continued. “When my forefathers were likely barely even thoughts in the minds of their forefathers, you created this land. You tore down the Dragon Lords, saw to the end of the Griffon Empire, defeated the changeling hives and put the diamond dogs back in the stone age where they belonged.”
“Is there a rest stop between here and the point?” Luna whispered to her sister. Celestia bit back a giggle as Blueblood looked up.
“However, the pony Beast Breaker opened my eyes to an error you made.” Blueblood quickly raised a hoof. “An error he saw, but one that is hard to ignore.” 
“Oh?” Celestia asked. “And what would that error be?” 
Blueblood swallowed again, and took the plunge. “Not doing worse to them.” 
Luna’s jaw dropped in horror, but Blueblood skittered forward before she could launch into a tirade.
“A-As you should know, I was horrified by his blasphemy,” Blueblood insisted. “I thought it was madness at first! But then, he noted the damage these ‘creatures’ have caused: griffon hens menacing ponies. A dragon polluting an entire town with his smoke. An Element of Harmony captured and enslaved by diamond dogs! And then... Beast Breaker and his entire community were slaves to the diamond dogs!” Blueblood shrugged. “Something had to be done.  Some pony had to remind them why Equestria is ruled by ponies, and not them. And Beast Breaker believed he was the stallion for the job.”
“How?” Celestia demanded.
Blueblood smoothed his coat out again. “B-Beast Breaker’s special talent was making beasts submit to his will,” Blueblood said.
“A talent he wasn’t very good at,” Luna mumbled again, only loud enough for Celestia to hear.
“But he lacked resources,” Blueblood continued. “No pony wanted a stallion that broke the will of others.”
“And for very good reasons,” Celestia growled. “I did not forge Equestria from a land of chaos and disharmony so my subjects could practice torture.”
“It wasn’t torture!” Blueblood insisted. “Just… conditioning.” His voice cracked at Celestia’s look of utter loathing. “The Elements of Harmony would have been better, but it was folly to ask for their aid. The Element of Kindness alone would never have stood for what Beast Breaker had in mind. But Beast Breaker’s idea was solid, and other nobles shared my interest. We gave him the tools he needed; let him find the creatures. Dragons, griffons, diamond dogs. And I saw him turn them into subservient creatures that feared, respected and better yet, contributed to our race.” 
“Very subservient,” Luna growled sarcastically, loud enough for him to hear. “So subservient that one of them razed his lair and tore him apart.”
Blueblood’s ears plastered against his skull. “W-Well,” he said. “No pony was prepared for a diamond dog using magic!”
“Magic or not,” Celestia said. “I have ruled this country on the value of friendship and harmony. You?” Celestia trembled in fury. “By standing with that insane stallion, you have gone against EVERYTHING I built this country on.”
“B-But look at the results,” Blueblood pleaded. “That beast released the work horses! It…”
“How dare you,” Luna snarled, storming towards him. “How dare you try to justify the torture of innocents!”
Blueblood glowered at the younger princess. “As you did?” he demanded. "You interrogated the beast yourself, did you not?!" 
Luna froze. Celestia shot her a pained look, but Blueblood’s eyes lit up in triumph. 
“You know I was right,” Blueblood insisted. “You saw into the beast’s mind. Saw the hatred it must feel for Equestria. I saw enough of the darkness in its heart when it attacked me and ravaged Canterlot!”
Celestia resisted rolling her eyes, while Luna forced herself not to trample the stallion for the utter garbage he was giving them. 
“My only comfort is that Beast Breaker’s lessons are the reason dozens of ponies now sleep safely in Equestria, freed from the diamond dog’s claws.” 
“That does NOT excuse what was done to her,” Celestia replied. Blueblood’s eyes narrowed, and he dared to glower up at her.
“So,” he growled. “You would punish me for having the good of Equestria in mind, while rewarding that creature for the pony blood on her claws?”
Celestia grimaced, while Luna looked down with a wince. Blueblood began to smirk.
“I myself thought that Beast Breaker's actions were primitive,” he said. “But he revealed enough. Those creatures are dangerous. He died to prove that. And if it is Equestrian justice to encourage the murder of one who only had the good of our country in mind, I will have none of it!” He stomped his hoof. Too late, Celestia realized it was a signal. 
“And neither will I!”
Celestia growled as the throne room doors opened, and a dainty mare walked in next to Blueblood.
“Beast Breaker was a hero,” the mare insisted. “He saved me from griffons who tried to mug me! He deserves a hero’s burial, not a desecration of his memory!”
Other nobles began to walk in.
“Hear-hear,” one of the nobles said. “That foul magic dog destroyed my favorite balcony.”
“Hear-hear,” another mare cried. “She ruined my siesta!” 
The others tried to add their own grudges, but Celestia flared her wings, and instantly, the chatter died down. Celestia’s coat pulsed with light, as her pink eyes regarded the nobles. Upper Crust. Jet Setter, Celestia thought, sorting them alongside other nobles she recognized.
“Guards,” Celestia declared. The guards jumped to attention, though her eyes remained on Blueblood. “Send a detachment to Ponyville. Aid my student, Twilight Sparkle, in finding the Howlite Howler.” 
Blueblood began to grin, but then Celestia continued.
“I will see Shiva prove that she is not the monster these mares and gentle-colts believe she is.” Her own grin widened as Blueblood’s began to fade into horror. “And when this ‘Howlite Howler’ proves to be not only harmless, but an ally to our nation…” She almost let too much venom into her voice. “Anyone who aided or abetted in her torture and mistreatment will be finding a new home in the dungeons.” 
Blueblood’s smirk faded to horror. Several nobles shot him fearful looks, before bolting out the door. The dainty mare turned as pale as snow, and hid behind the Prince. With a final, nervous swallow, Blueblood gave a nervous bow, and backed out of the throne room, following the royal guard as they moved to obey Celestia’s orders.
In a few seconds, the royal sisters were the only ponies left in the room. Celestia let herself slide back to her throne, letting a soft sigh slip out through her nose.
“A powerful claim,” Luna admitted. “But one you might be forced to swallow.”
Celestia turned to Luna. “What do you mean?” she asked. "What did you see?" 
“The Diamond Dogs have grown in strength,” Luna replied. “They hold almost all of the jewels beneath the mountains.” Luna dipped her head. “And yet, Shiva still looks on our kind with fear and loathing.” 
Celestia narrowed her eyes. “After the way she was treated,” Celestia noted. “You can hardly blame her.” 
Luna looked away, but Celestia could see the shame on her face. Indeed, the memory of what had been done to the white dog put a sour taste in Celestia’s mouth:
Ponies – stallions and mares Celestia thought she could trust – had been aiding a deranged stallion that didn’t deserve the title of pony; kidnapping and tormenting creatures of every non-pony race to instill fear in Equestria. Yet when they set their sights on Shiva – a newly arrived creature – they underestimated the power she had. Revealing a magic no diamond dog could ever truly wield, Shiva had slain her tormentors, only to fall right into the hooves of the royal guard. And, ignorant to the suffering she had endured, they proceeded to torment her even more, forcing her to relive her experience as they investigated the murders. 
While Celestia’s heart throbbed for the lives lost, she found it hard to sympathize with those that deliberately provoked the beast. And Luna being at the center of the interrogation team did not help matters.  
“Be honest with me, sister,” Celestia said. “Is she planning an attack?”
Luna was silent at first.
“I know not,” she finally admitted. “But she has made plans to meet with the griffons up north. Whether she intends to recruit them to attack us, or merely means to trade with them, I do not know.” Luna stepped forward. “What I do know is that she still holds much contempt in her heart for us. Her nightmares are plagued with our kind. And the diamond dogs are advancing in her wake. Should she decide to take revenge against us…” 
Celestia looked out towards the nearest window. The mountains that likely held the diamond dog were far in the distance. 
“Shiva was willing to release our subjects before,” Celestia noted. “She must know there is good in us.”
“To what end?” Luna asked. “Sister, she fears us.” 
“There are far worse creatures to fear than us,” Celestia insisted. “If she is threatened by griffons or other creatures, she stands a better chance against them with an ally.” Celestia smiled. “An ally we can provide.”
Luna paused, rubbing at her chin. “We would be stronger together,” Luna admitted. “But, are you sure you can convince her, Celestia?”
Celestia summoned a quill and paper.
“Trust me, little sister,” Celestia replied. “I didn’t keep Equestria at peace for a thousand years on blind luck.” She began writing. “The diamond dog will come around to see our side. And when the time comes, I will see her standing loyally beside us.” She chuckled. “And Blueblood and all those who followed Beast Breaker will pay for their heresy.” 

#

Outside the throne room, two guards chuckled quietly. 
“Such arrogance,” one noted, before glancing at one guard. Both of their eyes flashed green, and they walked side by side away from the throne room. “They honestly think they can overcome the sins of their past?” 
They entered a room, and after checking that no pony was there, shifted into their true forms.
“It’s a good thing we stayed out of the dog’s way when it broke out,” the changeling Pharynx growled. “If the stories about her are correct, it sounds like one of our number has been tormented by these ponies. And my brother at that…” He gave the room a scathing look. “This place has more love than the Queen’s ever seen, but even it holds hate and discourse in the deepest of seams.”
“At least it’s still got love,” his companion replied. “The sweetest love I’ve ever been witness to.”
Pharynx nodded. “Still, we shouldn’t count the dog out as a possible ally either. The ponies have done her a serious wrong, and she slowly grows capable of fighting back.”
“Just like we would be if we faced the ponies in a straight up fight,” his companion admitted. “Though… if we worked together…”  
“Remember the Queen’s words,” Pharynx warned his companion. “We offer our sympathy, kindle her hatred of ponies… and then take her magic and love for our own, along with the ponies once they are down.” 
The changeling’s forked tongue flicked hungrily. Pharynx eyes glowed. 
“And I know just the changeling to get to that dog.” 

#

Further away, a changeling named Thorax sped through the mountains. The whip marks he had gained were fading, but still prominent along his body. 
But even if they impeded his abilities, he wouldn’t have let them. For he had a mission. A mission handed down from the Queen herself. 
Find the Howlite Howler. Infiltrate the pack she has formed. And bring her to the Queen.
> Chapter 1: New Friends and New Foes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first bad sign was when the griffons showed up on Shiva’s territory. She had intended to find them on their homelands, and yet there they were; seven of the bird-cat hybrids, fluttering down towards her position. 
“Scouting party,” Skippy, the light brown furred diamond dog by Shiva’s side, commented. “Nothing to worry about. The underground tunnels and trenches were formed days in advance. We’ll have the Iron Paws to keep their attention, and if things go bad, we call in the Spear Dogs.”
“Mighty big ‘if,’” the dark diamond dog Luke responded. “We got the Howlite Howler on our side, and I’ve trained the Iron Paws myself.”
“Still shouldn’t get cocky, Luke,” Skippy noted. “Anything can happen on the battlefield.”
“With the three of us at the helm?” Shiva replied coyly.
Skippy grinned. “Yeah, we’ll probably win,” he admitted.
Shiva and Luke chuckled. The white diamond dog still couldn’t believe how much things had changed. Mere weeks ago, she had been a helpless victim stranded in an alternate dimension. Now, she was the Alpha of a massive pack of diamond dogs. Instead of cow-towing to what malicious ponies wanted, Shiva now had loyal diamond dogs advising her on how to work the pack, such as Skippy. 
Found only a week before Shiva had shown up, no one in the pack seemed to know much about the brown furred diamond dog. But he certainly knew a lot about military and strategy. Luke had many stories of dogs angry at Skippy’s inability to dig getting their tails kicked through his brutal but extremely well-thought out strategies. With Skippy’s brains, Luke’s brawn, and Shiva’s raw power, they forged their diamond dog pack from a group of mostly harmless miners to a true squad of soldiers.
Of course, Shiva couldn’t deny the role her magic had played. In fact, a part of her feared that if she had just been the ordinary dog she had been on Earth, she likely would have been killed or put in another cage. Her magic changed that.
Shortly after kicking out the work horses, Shiva began to fear that some dogs wouldn’t take kindly to her taking over. However, what she and Luke had pulled off to escape Celestia’s protégé Twilight gave her an idea. It took time and a lot of effort to maintain, but Shiva managed to extend a massive hive mind like link to the whole of her new pack. 
She had to be careful with the whole thing: every dog’s mind deserved to be their own, and Shiva had not suffered through cages and whips to do the exact same thing to someone else. And she couldn’t spend every waking hour figuring it out; she was still a living creature, and her body needed exercise and sustenance. But by gentling extending her mind to touch the others, she could create a massive pool of energy that the dogs could use to mine their gems or even heal their injured or sick, and she even managed to see into their minds, sort through their memories, and weed out any potential traitors.
In only three days, the pack link felt almost natural. It was a challenge to make sure that their memories didn’t get mixed up – Shiva could still hear the barks and snarls from two males who got mixed up on which one had a mate and pups and which didn’t – but it was worth it to see the gratitude and happiness in the dog’s eyes as they gained riches and slowly pulled themselves from the Stone Age. 
Even now, Shiva could feel the Iron Paws at her side; herself, Luke, Skippy and four of the toughest dogs Luke had. Shimmering gem-studded armor covering their bodies; one-handed axes and swords made of diamonds in hand, ready to sink into any griffon that looked at her wrong. Further back, a barricade maintained by the Spear Dogs; a rearguard ready to push forward with sarisas and keep enemies at bay if Shiva and her followers needed to retreat, or to push enemies back if the inverse occurred. And behind that, a carefully constructed tunnel system with short cuts and booby trapped dead ends for the griffons to get hopelessly lost in if the dogs needed to make an escape. 
All, of course, possibly unnecessary. As long as Shiva could strike the right chord with the griffons. 
At first, Shiva had hoped it wouldn’t be a problem. While the scouting party was ominous, the griffon Shiva had been hoping to find was right at the forefront. Easy to distinguish with the scars both he and Shiva and even Luke still carried from the ponies' torture pits. Shiva had made sure to highlight her scars with red war paint, to remind the griffon of their shared past.
“Remember,” Skippy whispered. “Things shouldn’t go bad. But if they do…”
“We got it,” Shiva assured him, striding towards the griffons as they landed before her. 
“I thought the ponies put you back in a cage,” the scarred griffon greeted, a mischievous smirk keeping him from sounding too disappointed. 
“They tried,” Shiva said, settling herself comfortably before him “They failed.” 
He glanced back at his fellow griffons. “You hear that, Gilda?” he called. “You owe me some bits!”
“Grant, you said you were joking!” one of the griffons whined. 
The dogs and griffons chuckled, before Shiva’s expression turned serious. 
“It’s a good thing you showed up,” she said. “I need your help.” 
Grant paused, slowly turning back to her. “How fortunate,” he noted. “I could use your help as well.” He settled himself closer to her. “So, tell me, Sparks. What help do you need?” 
Shiva shifted, but the presence of her dogs kept her talking.
“Our veins are playing out,” she said. “My dogs can’t find as many gems in our current territory, and I’m not starting anything with the ponies.”
The griffon’s eyebrow perked. “So, you want to go digging through my turf?” he asked, sounding slightly amused.
“You guys enjoy treasure as much as we do. At least, that’s what I was told,” Shiva admitted, glancing back at Skippy, who nodded.
“Finest treasure seekers in the north,” Skippy praised. “Just as good as dragons, if not better.”
The griffons preened, looking proud of something for once. Grant, however… 
“Not enough to go digging through a bunch of tunnels,” the griffon rebuked. His eyes scanned her body. "You might fetch a pretty price with the ponies..." 
Shiva's hackles bared before he could finish his sentence. The griffons bristled, but Grant calmed them with a wave of his talon.
"Unless, you have a better offer?" Grant asked.
Shiva's glare didn't falter. "I was going to give you half of what we found," she growled. "But that little threat just lowered the price to a quarter." 
The griffon stared at her before bursting into laughter. Shiva's claws tensed, but Skippy pat her side in assurance, while Luke stepped forward threateningly. Thankfully, the griffons didn't spend too long laughing. 
“You expect me to go with a quarter of whatever you dig up when I could be paid a fortune by Celestia for your hide?"
“Don’t push your luck,” Luke growled at Shiva’s side. “We all escaped the pits of the ponies together.”
“And I appreciated the aid,” Grant replied. “But appreciation doesn’t put food on the table. Sides, after all the destruction you pulled with the ponies, how do any of us know they won’t come looking for payback?” Grant leaned forward. “Griffons don’t have an empire or anything that can hold off Princess Celestia, okay? We’re just mercenaries.”  
“Which is why we need to stand together,” Shiva insisted. She let her fur glow with her magic. “My power is strengthened by teamwork. With griffons and diamond dogs side by side; maybe even including the minotaurs and dragons… Even Princess Celestia would have to think twice about challenging us. And that’s ‘if’ she challenges us,” she added. “No one here’s going to try to pick a fight with Equestria...”
Luke coughed, causing both Shiva and Skippy to glare at him. 
“Without suffering some serious consequences,” Shiva hissed before turning back to the griffons. Grant still looked unconvinced.
“I don't know," Grant said. "I'm pretty sure with my history with Celestia, she'd pay me quite a lot more than you can." He lifted his talon casually, but his fellow griffons tensed. "You sure that's the best you can offer?" 
Shiva’s eyes turned black as night. "Well, since you insist..." she replied. With a quick bark, the Spear Dogs popped out from the ground like diamond dog undead. In seconds, the griffons found themselves surrounded, spears aimed at their backs. 
Shiva smiled as one griffon tried to take flight. A bolt of magic traveled down Shiva’s paw, across the ground, and to one of the Spear dogs before firing out of his spear. The griffon cawed out as the bolt found its mark, and dropped to the ground, scorched and roasted like a thanksgiving turkey.
Luke smelled the cooked griffon. “Smells tasty,” he commented.
“What do you think?” Shiva asked Grant. “A quarter treasure... or is my pack having roast griffon tonight?”  
Grant’s eyes darted around the assembled Spear Dogs. He and his griffons may have surrounded the Iron Paws, but the Spear Dogs outnumbered his party two to one. He gave a very nervous chuckle.
“Um,” he said. “How about that part about half a share of treasure?”
Fast as lightning, Shiva seized his neck. The griffon squawked, his fellow griffons shrinking down under the spears and axes of the diamond dogs.
"Okay-okay, a quarter!" Grant cried out.
Shiva grinned wolfishly down at him.

#

Several hours later, Shiva and Skippy looked on with pride as the diamond dogs began returning from the tunnels dug towards griffon territory. Grant stood alongside her, his arms crossed, but his eyes wide as links of light transported carts filled with gold and treasure.
Shiva pat Skippy’s head with pride. 
“Never should’ve doubted you for a second,” Shiva praised.
The diamond dog grinned up at her, before Shiva turned her attention back to Grant.
“As we promised,” she assured him, before tipping the first cart, spilling a quarter of its treasure into a bag held by two of Grant’s griffons.
Grant huffed unhappily, but balked when Shiva's fur began to glow.
"Remember," she warned him darkly. "It could've cost you way more."
Grant glared her down. 
"You can push us around," he said. "But don't think the same thing will work with Celestia. No matter how much treasure or power you got… that alicorn’s not something you wanna tangle with.” 
Shiva rested her arm near Grant’s, looking at the whip scars that still crisscrossed their bodies. 
“After what she let her ponies do to us?” Shiva asked. Her claws clenched. “I can’t stand the thought of being near them again.”
“Maybe,” Grant admitted. “But that doesn’t mean they feel the same way. Just remember that.” 
Shiva watched him go, heading back for the surface.  
“I got eyes on him, Alpha,” Skippy assured her before she could speak. She nodded quietly, and watched Skippy follow the griffon out.
There was always something about Skippy that made Shiva curious about him. Maybe it was his unique scent, different from any diamond dog she had met. Maybe it was his literacy, and the fact that he made the most use out of the diamond dog texts Shiva had managed to find and recover. 
But her curiosity, as always, only lasted until Luke came to her side. She grinned and walked side by side back to the cavern that served as their home with the dark diamond dog, even as the other diamond dogs shot him envious looks. 
“Alright?” he asked. 
“Better than I’ve ever been,” Shiva replied. “We got the griffons, more or less, and we’re raking in more treasure. What’s not to be happy about?”
Luke still gave the surface a glare. “He was willing to put you back in a cage,” he noted.
“But he didn’t,” Shiva pointed out. 
“Because we scared him.” 
Shiva paused. “Like what the ponies did to us?” she asked quietly. 
Luke tensed, the scars from the pits rippling against his muscles. Shiva’s ears flattened, and she touched his arm softly.  
“I won't be like them,” she assured him. “He's free to do what he wants.” They entered the main cavern and Shiva led him over to the throne. “He just knows what'll happen if he tries to hurt us.” Her claws tightened around Luke's. "We're never going back to those cages again." 
Luke wagged his tail at her. 
“Never,” he promised.
The passion in his voice soothed her, and she rested her head against his chest. A notable whine broke their moment, and Luke paused to growl at Skippy, who scurried away behind a treasure pile. 
She chuckled, feeling almost sorry for the brown diamond dog. He more than earned a spot as one of her betas. Easily the smartest dog she’d met. Yet Shiva barely knew him. She didn’t want some male she barely knew anything about as her Alpha Male. She wanted the one that had been with her through her darkest days. The first ally she had made in this world. The one she knew – hoped she knew – she could count on.  
Their noses nearly touched, before Skippy’s barking once again drew them away.
“Alpha!” he barked. “New diamond dog! Not one of us. Caution should be utilized!”
Luke and Shiva turned, their ears perking. They raced up to Skippy, who was racing ahead of two Iron Paws. They had a bruised-up diamond dog over their shoulders, who looked up at them with gratitude.
“Many thanks, Great Howlite Howler,” the bruised diamond dog panted. “Griffons caught me. Held me for so long. Truly, you are merciful and noble to have freed me!”
He tried to ramble on, but as he spoke, Shiva and even the dogs narrowed their eyes. There was an odd scent to him. An odd green light in his eyes as well. And his heart… his heart rate was off the charts. Shiva narrowed her eyes, and sensed an aura of magic around him. Concealing something important. Something he was terrified she’d discover.
Shiva growled. She seized the diamond dog by the neck, and as fear flashed in his eyes, green flames passed over the body. And in seconds, Shiva found herself holding a changeling.
Luke and Skippy gasped. 
The changeling Thorax stared at her, dumbfounded.
“Still grateful?” he whimpered. 
Shiva snarled, but before she could take action, Thorax raised his hooves in surrender.
“Wait-wait!” he insisted. “I surrender; I swear, I come in peace! Look-look!” He held his hooves out. “I suffered! Just like you did!”
Shiva’s back fur flared. The whip marks of the ponies’ pit adorned him as well. Yet…
“Last guy I saw from there,” Shiva growled. “Wasn’t exactly grateful for my generosity.”
“B-But that’s the thing!” Thorax insisted, struggling to breathe under her grip. “He’s a griffon. All those feather brains can think about is gold! I’m different! I’m truly grateful! And I want to help!”
Shiva’s ears perked. She glanced up the tunnel and around. She couldn’t sense any more changelings, and she knew Luke, Skippy and her pack more than long enough to tell if someone else was taking their place. If this changeling was planning an attack, he either had crazy good followers, or was stupid. And while she didn’t think he was stupid, she couldn’t believe his followers were that good. 
“Careful, Shiva,” Skippy whispered behind her. “You can’t trust changelings. Especially not those changelings. Crazy, all of them.” 
Shiva glanced back at her strategist, but he had already hidden himself behind Luke. Shiva turned her eyes back to Thorax. She let magic course through her claws briefly. 
“Try anything,” she warned him. “And I won’t hesitate.”
Thorax nodded, and she released him.
“Now,” Shiva said in a softer tone. “How would you help us?” 
Skippy moaned, but didn’t say anything else in front of the changeling. Thorax grinned, careful to not make it look threatening. He withdrew a scroll from under his wing. 
“The ponies were sending this to you,” he said. 
Shiva took the scroll and unfurled it. For a moment, her eyes scanned the parchment. 
“I can’t read,” she admitted.
She held back a giggle at Thorax’s look of dumbfounded shock before passing it off to Skippy. The humor quickly faded, however, as Skippy managed to translate the equine words on the parchment.
“Princess Celestia is ‘inviting’ us back to Equestria,” Skippy said. “To ‘negotiate’ how the rescue of the work horses stacks up to your still standing charge of murder.”
Shiva’s blood ran cold. “They want me… to go… back?” she whispered. 
Skippy gave her a sad look before reading from the parchment again. “She’s sending her personal student to escort you back," he reported. "And will be expecting you on the border to the Ever-Free. Tomorrow at noon.” 
Shiva clenched her claws. “After everything I did to get out of there,” she snarled, even as Luke put a claw on her shoulder. “They just expect me to just waltz back into their territory because they asked?” 
“They're arrogant like that,” Thorax agreed. “But you don't have to worry. My Queen can protect you. And together… we can ensure the ponies don’t hurt either of us ever again.” 

#

Twilight narrowed her eyes at the letter Princess Celestia just sent her. She turned as her friends gathered. Interestingly, Fluttershy was at the head of the band.
“Alright, every pony, listen up,” Twilight declared. “I just received a letter from Princess Celestia informing me what to do about the Howlite Howler.”
Fluttershy narrowed her eyes while the others leaned forward, invested. 
“According to Princess Celestia,” Twilight continued. “The Howlite Howler has control of a massive group of Diamond Dogs, and might be planning to move into Ponyville to satisfy their need for gems. Might!” she added sharply as Rarity gasped. “Nothing’s set in stone yet.”
“Still,” Rarity insisted. “The thought of those brutes taking my gems!” she shuddered. 
“I’ll tell you what we shoulddo,” Rainbow Dash said. “Give em the boot!” 
Fluttershy glared at Rainbow Dash, before Twilight spoke before the yellow mare could.
“That’s not going to work,” Twilight insisted. “She has a small army of Diamond Dogs and a mastery of unicorn magic. A division of guards is arriving to help us, but it’s up to us to encourage her to agree to an alliance between our two species. Measures have already been taken to properly inform her that we only want to talk. And given our… previous relationship…” Twilight chuckled nervously. “We should be able to at least discourage Shiva from hurting any other pony.”
“It ain’t like she’s some wandering pony killer,” Applejack pointed out. “She only lashed out cuz she was scared.”
Fluttershy nodded. 
“Perhaps,” Rarity admitted. “But it’s a far stretch to say she’s ready to be a friend.” 
“She could be one, if we gave her the chance,” Fluttershy said, her voice steel calm. 
“Well, this will be her chance,” Twilight assured her. “Celestia sent her an invitation asking for her to meet with us tomorrow. From there, we convince her not to invade Ponyville, then escort her straight to Canterlot.” She grinned at Fluttershy. “I know you didn’t want to come along during the dragon quest, Fluttershy, but this time…”
“Count me in,” Fluttershy said. 
The ponies stared at the yellow mare, shocked at her eagerness. Fluttershy blushed and nearly hid behind her mane.
“I-I mean…,” Fluttershy protested. “Something’s bothered me about how she reacted. It’s like…” she sighed. “I don’t know. But I want to clear the air with her.”
“Don’t let ‘clearing the air’ get in the way of keeping her from hurting any pony else,” Rainbow Dash warned. “Whatever happened to her in the past, we can’t let her invade Ponyville.”
Reluctantly, Fluttershy joined the nods and words of assent from the others. 
“The royal guard will be here at sunrise tomorrow,” Twilight said. “Take the day, prepare and we’ll meet them here bright and early tomorrow.” 
The ponies nodded consent, and separated to prepare. Twilight found herself looking at the mountains that likely hid Shiva. Spike walked up next to her.
“I’m coming with,” he said simply.
Twilight sighed. “Spike…” she tried to say.
“No,” he insisted. “Shiva saved me. She’s gotta remember me.” 
“And I'm hoping she does. But if she doesn’t? If she gets violent?” Twilight asked. She looked down sadly at Spike. “You’re like family to me, and... I failed you once already.” She hugged him. "I don't want to see you get hurt."
Spike smiled softly, touching Twilight’s leg. 
“Thanks, Twilight,” he said. “But Shiva’s not just another diamond dog. I feel it in my bones.”
Twilight looked nervously back towards diamond dog territory. “I hope you’re right,” she admitted. "This is going to be a lot more complicated if she isn't." 

#

As the Mane Six prepared, a group of soldiers formed in the courtyard in Canterlot. More than a few converged around a familiar unicorn. 
“So, Celestia’s given her ‘orders’ regarding that beast?” Blueblood asked.
“We’re just going to escort her back,” one guard said. “And protect Princess Celestia's student if things get dicey.”
“Just protect?” Blueblood asked. “Come now, guard, you know what that creature is capable of.”
“Even so, we have orders,” the guard replied.  
“Then let this be an ‘order’ from a Prince,” Blueblood declared. “If the creature threatens harm to Princess Celestia’s protégé or one of her peasant ‘friends’…” Blueblood’s eyes narrowed. “Destroy it.” 
The pony gulped. “D-Destroy? B-But Prince Blueblood, we’re not supposed to…” 
“Do it for your Princess!” Prince Blueblood demanded. “Do it for your country.” His eyes narrowed coyly, and he produced a stack of bits. “Do it… for your family.” 
The guard stared as Blueblood hovered the bits before him
“T-This...,” he stammered. "Could help my kids get into Celestia's university."
"Could,” Blueblood said, swiping the bits away. “All you have to do first is ensure that no pony loses their life to that diamond dog again.” 
The guard winced, but the next words out of his mouth were “Yes, sir.” 
Blueblood pat his head like he was a house pet, and turned on his heel. 
“There’s a good colt,” Blueblood declared. “Enough ponies have died to that monster. And if the Princess is going to let peace and negotiation get in the way of our safety… you’ll have to take it into your own hooves.”
> Chapter 2: The Queen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Hive of the changelings, Queen Chrysalis paced around a cocoon containing a pink alicorn.
“You ponies think the world belongs to you,” Chrysalis mused. “That just because Princess Celestia beat us once, you can do whatever you want.” She inched closer to the sleeping alicorn. “Well, my darling, perhaps it’s time someone gave your species a reality check.”
“Queen Chrysalis,” a voice called. 
Chrysalis sighed and turned from her prey, finding Thorax stumbling up to her. 
“Ah, excellent, Thorax,” she declared, fluttering down to him. “I knew you’d…” her grin faded as she looked behind him. “Where is the Howlite Howler?”
Thorax chuckled nervously. “Yeah,” he whimpered. “Um… about that…” he swallowed nervously, not wanting to look at Chrysalis’ slowly developing look of fury. “She said she didn’t trust us enough.”

#

“WHAT?!”
Twilight stared in disbelief at the dark diamond dog blocking her and her friends’ path into diamond dog territory. Two Iron Paws stood at his sides, and Shiva sat concealed in the tunnels hidden around the territory with waiting Spear Dogs. But none of the Mane Six were looking for their traps; they were too busy staring at Luke like he had just slapped each of them across the face.
“SHIVA!” Luke bellowed back, his hands cupped over his mouth. “IS NOT! COMING!”
“We heard you the first time!” Rainbow Dash snapped. 
“Then why’d you ask me to say it again?” Luke replied coyly. 
“Because…” Twilight looked almost scared. “Because Princess Celestia said she has to show up! We have to talk to her!”
From the concealed tunnels, Shiva's ears flattened in doubt. 
“By everything sacred,” Shiva muttered to Skippy. “She sounds like Celestia’s going to kill her if I don’t go out there.” 
"She's just being over-dramatic," Skippy assured her. "Princess Celestia is ruthless when provoked, but she wouldn't hurt her personal protege." 
“If Princess Celestia wants to talk,” Luke said to the mares, crossing his arms. “Then she can talk to me. I went through the same trials Shiva did, and she trusts me as her Beta.” 
“But Princess Celestia doesn’t want some random diamond dog!” Twilight protested. “She wants…” Rarity nudged her, but the damage had already been done.
“Some random diamond dog?” Luke demanded, his hackles baring and his back fur spiking.
The ponies flinched. The guards behind them started to move forward.
“W-Well, just think of it this way,” Rarity said quickly. “You didn’t murder any pony, did you?”
Luke still glowered at them. Shiva could still see Twilight’s comment burning in his mind.
“Depends,” he growled, glaring at Twilight. “How much longer am I gonna have to hear this one talk?” 
“Easy, Luke,” Shiva hissed through a link to him. 
Sure enough, his threat got several of the guards behind the Mane Six to bristle in anger. Twilight seemed to take strength from their presence, as she stepped forward.
“Princess Celestia said Shiva has to meet with us,” Twilight said. “We heard about her plans to invade Equestria. And no matter what happened between our species, nothing justifies her attacking our home.”
The dogs blinked in confusion. 
“We were invading?” Luke asked. 
“We can do that?” another Iron Paw asked.
“NO!”Shiva snapped through her link. “They’re making excuses to try and throw us off. Luke, tell them we aren’t invading, and we have no intention of going back into their land.” 
“Shiva is not going to invade,” Luke repeated darkly. He grinned as Shiva rectified her words. “Nothing would convince any of us to go back to breathing the same air as you.”
Shiva winced; that sounded a lot better in her head. It wasn’t helped when the ponies picked up on Luke’s clipped tone of voice.
“A likely story,” Rainbow Dash growled. “How do we know you’re not just saying that to throw us off?” 
Luke growled, looking more than ready to charge them, but Shiva’s words once again reached him through their link.
“The word of a canine is absolute,” Luke repeated. “Alpha Shiva leads this pack by the values of Honesty and Loyalty.”
Applejack winced, and even Rainbow Dash pricked her ears.
“But,” Luke continued. “If you need any more proof why we’d be reluctant to go anywhere with you… creatures…”
Fluttershy winced, while the others stared at him in indignant confusion. Luke still looked like he wanted to pound them, but he reluctantly barked, and withdrew. The tunnels in front of the Mane Six burst open, and the girls jumped back as Spear Dogs formed out, a phalanx of shields glimmering in the sunlight. Guided by Shiva’s pack link, they formed a wall of shields, and pushed forward, nudging the ponies back and out of diamond dog territory. The second they were over the required border, the spear dogs set their shields in place, and began building. In seconds, a wall began to form, towering over the ponies.
Ignoring the gasps and protests from the mares, Shiva turned away from the wall as Luke joined her. 
“Arrogant cows,” Luke snarled. “The lot of them.” He glanced at Shiva. “We should invade, you know; knock them down a few notches.”
“And how quickly would we end up back in a cage?” Shiva replied, descending back towards the kingdom. 
“A lot later than before,” Luke noted. “We’re stronger. We can take them.”
“You didn’t meet Princess Celestia,” Shiva said. “And you didn’t encounter the Stare of that yellow mare; one look, and I was done.” Shiva shook her head. “I’d rather put off conflict with those mares for as long as I can.” 
Luke grumped. “Skippy, what do you…?” he tried to ask, only to falter. Skippy was gone. As were a number of his Spear Dogs.
Shiva sighed. “Skippy?!” she called through the pack link.
“I’m alright,” his voice assured her. “Just keeping an eye on the ponies. They’re staying behind the wall, but they don’t look like they’re about to leave. I’ll keep you posted.”
Shiva nodded. “Appreciate it,” she replied, just as another voice rang through the pack link.
“Alpha!”the voice called. “Intruders on the outskirts! Something just attacked our barriers!”
Shiva’s ears perked up. “Insectoid?” she asked. 
“I think so!”
Shiva cursed. “I knew sending Thorax back was going to have consequences,” she growled, before turning back to Luke. “Stay right by my side, and don’t separate for anything.”
Luke nodded, and alongside three more Iron Paws, they shot to the source of the distressed link. Skippy’s fearful voice followed them.
“Don’t trust anything they say!” He insisted. “Those changelings are not to be trusted. Believe me, I know!” 
Thankfully, they arrived before any fighting could start. Yet, when Shiva saw the figure before them, she knew why her dogs had been afraid.
Taller and slimmer than Thorax, with a long trailing head fin resembling a mane. Her eyes were slit-pupiled, with enormous bottle green irises, and they rested on Shiva with a look that made the hair stand up on Shiva’s back. 
It was lustful; greedy. And mixed with the same indignation that had burned in the ponies’ eyes. Shiva could tell that this Queen – yes, it had to be a Queen – wanted her. Whether for her power or for something else, Shiva didn’t know. And part of her didn’t want to find out. But if the Queen of the changelings had made a personal arrival, Shiva didn’t know how easy it would be to get her to go away. 
“You stand in the presence of Queen Chrysalis,” one of the changelings flanking her declared. “Queen of the Changelings, and rightful ruler of Equestria.”  
“You stand before Alpha Shiva,” Luke countered. “The Howlite Howler, and Leader of the Diamond Dogs.” 
“I assumed as much,” Chrysalis noted, in a voice that wouldn’t melt butter. “Judging by the diamond dogs. And the… magic.”
A forked tongue flicked in and out of her mouth. Shiva was liking this less and less.
“My drone Thorax came to you, did he not?” Chrysalis asked. “Offered you an alliance against the ponies that have hurt both of us.”
Shiva cocked an ear. “So, you were in the pits with us?” Shiva asked. “Forgive me, but I didn’t see you…”
Chrysalis’ smug look faded, replaced by irritation. 
“No-no, you…” Chrysalis caught herself. “I merely see every drone as an extension of myself. My drone was hurt by pony hooves, and therefore, they hurt me.” 
“Ah,” Shiva nodded in understanding. “I see.” Chrysalis’ grin returned. “And I appreciate the generous offer. But it isn’t really feasible; we have no desire to start any more trouble with Equestria.” 
“Why not?” Chrysalis asked. 
Luke grimaced. Shiva could hear his thoughts: “That’s what I said!” 
“They fear you,” Chrysalis continued. “And for good reason. Somehow, you have gained a large portion of their magic. You have broken free of Canterlot Castle itself. And now…”
Luke barked. Chrysalis jumped, whipping her head around as several of the changelings started drifting towards Shiva. Their eyes glistened, reflecting the light of Shiva’s fur. 
“Will you idiots control yourselves!” Chrysalis snapped, sending a changeling scurrying away with a yelp as she zapped his hindquarters. She turned back to a shocked Shiva with a sigh. “Could you dim your fur? The light.”
Shiva still stared at the zapped changeling in concern, but her fur dimmed to the softer glow of a candle. While it did let the shadows take over, it also caused the changelings to stop approaching. They moved back, admittedly embarrassed grins glowing against the shadows.
Chrysalis cleared her throat. “Now, as I was saying…” she said before continuing in her grander tone. “Clearly, your star is in ascendance. We are both ponies of ambition…” Chrysalis tried to continue, before Shiva raised a paw again.
“Neither of us are ponies,” she pointed out. “And I have no clue why you’d want to be one.”
“Ah, yes, but of course,” Chrysalis noted slyly. “The ponies are your enemy, yes?” 
Shiva’s ears flicked, but before she could speak…
“Excellent,” Chrysalis continued. “Because the ponies are my enemy as well. Given the chance, they would make both of us into their slaves.” She strode closer. “Would it not make sense for us to take them as slaves before they get such a chance.”
“If we lose, they’ll make us their slaves anyway,” Shiva replied back, her voice cold. 
“Not if we work together! You have brute power: the strength of unicorns, and the loyalty of your… minions…”
Shiva didn’t like the look of contempt she shot Luke and her Iron Paws.
“Not minions,” the howlite howler growled. “Pack.” 
“Of course, your precious ‘pack,’” Chrysalis dismissed. “Whereas I am much more well-versed in the ways of magic. My changelings are the greatest natural spies and infiltrators on the planet.” Her grin widened. “And we already have a magnificent plan to take Canterlot.”
Shiva’s ears flattened. “What kind of plan?”
Chrysalis chuckled, an awful hiss like a dying snake that made Shiva’s fur stand on end.
“There’s only one way to find out,” Chrysalis replied, extending a hoof. “Join us. And see the ponies cast down into the very cages and pits you suffered in.” 
Shiva bit back a growl, the unpleasant memories flashing through her mind, while Luke stepped forward, intrigued.
“You can aid us in the greatest coup in the history of Equestria,” Chrysalis insisted, centering on Luke. “Celestia will fall, and Canterlot will belong to the changelings…” she gave a pause that was way too long for Shiva’s liking. “And, the diamond dogs as well. If you accept our offer.” 
Luke pondered the deal.  
“Canterlot Castle is right on top of one of the largest diamond mines in history,” Luke noted to Shiva.
“The unicorns let fear of their own greed stop them,” another diamond dog noted eagerly. “So many rare stones, right beneath their hooves.”
Shiva bit back a sigh. Leave it to the diamond dogs to know about anything involving rare metals.
“It will be yours,” Chrysalis promised. “A reward for your services to the changelings.” 
Shiva could feel Luke and the other diamond dog’s eager looks at her, yet the white wolf reached out, not to them, but to Skippy.
Don’t trust her,whispered through the link. I’ve seen what she is first hand. Do not trust her!
And Shiva had to agree with him. Something was not right with this queen. 
“And how do I know you’ll keep your word?” Shiva asked softly. Her voice was questioning, and yet the changelings hissed as if she had snarled it. 
“Shiva…” Luke whispered, before Chrysalis cut him off.
“Come now, Shiva,” Chrysalis pouted. “That’s hardly the way to establish a working relationship. You’re going to have to ally yourself with someone eventually.” She chuckled. “That is… someone who isn’t a feather-brained, gold-pinching mercenary.” 
Shiva wished Grant had stuck around, so she could see the look of indignation he’d likely have.
“You won’t get far going it alone,” Chrysalis continued. “Even now, Celestia sends her forces to entrap you. Any other allies you could have are sadly out of your reach.” She spread her wings. “We are your only chance of salvation. And you know it.” 
Shiva grimaced. “You’re right in one regard,” she admitted. “I will have to ally with someone to make it in this world.” She narrowed her eyes at the self-satisfied grin Chrysalis gave. “But I’d make it a lot farther with an ally who won’t stab me in the back.” She nodded to Thorax. “Thorax had no reason to fear me; he had suffered in the pits alongside me. Yet he came to me in disguise.” 
Chrysalis glared at Thorax, who flinched under her gaze. 
“It is our way,” Chrysalis replied haughtily. “We are not mighty..." 
“Also, you say you consider every drone an extension of yourself,” Shiva added. “Yet you show no qualms towards abusing your subjects.”
Chrysalis gaped, scandalized. “I disciplined a drone!” she exclaimed. “How is that…?”
"A blast of magic for merely getting too close?” Shiva asked. “I could understand if he attacked, but merely getting too close?” 
Chrysalis huffed. “Just because you have lower standards for your precious ‘pack’ doesn’t mean every leader works the same way,” she said in indignation. “Changelings must serve their queens with strict discipline, for they are nothing without their Queen.” 
Luke and Shiva exchanged glances. She took his paw and squeezed it reassuringly, even as her heart thudded in her stomach. Skippy was right. There was no way she could trust these creatures.
“I see,” Shiva said. She gazed back up at the Queen, checking her links again for missing Spear Dogs. Thankfully, everyone seemed to still be in place. “Then, Queen Chrysalis, I’m afraid I’m still not comfortable aiding you in this coup. You may believe changelings are nothing without their queen, but any queen, no matter the species, is equally nothing without her people. And I’m not confident I can trust you with the lives of my pack.” 
Chrysalis sneered. The changelings buzzed angrily. The diamond dogs began to whimper, even as Shiva’s tendrils encircled them. Chrysalis herself looked ready to lunge onto Shiva and sink her fangs into her neck. 
But, just as everyone tensed up for a battle, Chrysalis glanced towards Luke, drinking in the doubt and worry on his face. She smiled.
“Well,” she said. “That’s disappointing.” She backed into the shadows. “Hopefully you change your mind soon. My workers are always listening… and we could do marvelous things together.” 
Then she faded into the shadows, her changelings beside her, and her laugh echoing through the darkness. Thorax gave Shiva a sad look, before retreating as well.
Shiva let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. She looked at Luke, noting the conflict in his eyes before he managed to hide it. Shiva made a silent vow, right then and there, that she would not let Luke leave her side, even for a minute.
“Blockade this tunnel,” she declared to the others. “Cave it in if you have to.”
“Right away,” echoed through the spear dogs. Shiva turned away.
“And be on the lookout for those changelings,” Shiva added. “Get the word out to every guard and miner out past the home cavern. Do not lose your link. Do not go anywhere alone. If you get tired and need to sleep, ask for a trade-off; do not try to keep working and risk letting your guard down out of exhaustion. Those changelings are NOT infiltrating our pack! They are NOT taking A SINGLE DOG from their home.”
Spurred by her passionate words, the diamond dogs struck the stone above and caved sections of the tunnel in. The Spear Dogs slowly fell back as the tunnel collapsed into stone and rubble, while Shiva, Luke and the Iron Paws ran back for home. 
Secretly, disappointment was burning in Shiva’s gut: the griffons had been money-grubbing; the changelings were untrustworthy. Would every creature Shiva freed act as if she was nothing more than a pawn? A tool for their own convenience?  
Was violence and force really the only way for Shiva to maintain a place of respect in this world?
“Alpha Shiva,” Skippy’s voice echoed in her mind.
Shiva sighed. Then again, I don’t need to worry about them just yet, she thought before extending her mind to her strategist. “What is it?”
“The ponies are making another move. They’re…” She could hear the wince in his voice. “They’re sending in Fluttershy.” 
> Chapter 3: A Tense Reunion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thankfully, the Spear Dogs had manned the border into Equestria with reflective shields. As Shiva skidded to a halt and hid herself from what was likely a waiting Stare, she managed to see the two spear dogs on guard duty hiding behind their shields. Shiva couldn’t see out, what with them blocking the way, but then Shiva heard that familiar voice, so soft and disarming despite holding such power.
“Aw, don’t be scared, little doggies,” Fluttershy crooned. “I just wanted to talk to your Alpha.”
“Bright Alpha doesn’t wanna talk to you,” the spear dog on the left responded.
“Please?” Fluttershy asked. Shiva was sure she was batting those powerful eyes. “Pretty please?” 
The dogs looked back, and brightened at the sight of Shiva.
“Bright Alpha!” one of them greeted, before the other hissed at him. “Uh-uh… doesn’t want to talk!” he quickly added. 
“Is she there?” Fluttershy asked. "Shiva? Are you back there?" 
Both of them looked back at Shiva with shrugs. 
“Should we push her out,” Luke asked, standing beside Shiva. Shiva pondered it, before reaching out with her pack link.  
“Skippy,”she whispered through the link. “What have we got?”

#

In the trees, Skippy glared down at two guards, horns alight as they watched the Mane Six and Spike, themselves watching Fluttershy as she paced nervously in front of the shields that hid them. The shields glinted like mirrors, reflecting Fluttershy’s slowly saddening expression back at her.
“We should shoot her the minute she shows her face,” one of the guards whispered.
“Not yet,” the other pony replied. “Let’s see how the Element of Kindness does before we jump to conclusions.”
Skippy hummed, before returning to his pack link.

#

“A squad of guards alongside the Elements of Harmony, the Princess’ Personal Protégé, and her dragon assistant,” Skippy said. 
“Spike?!”Shiva asked, her ears flaring. “He’s here?” 
“He and the Elements are right at the tree line, but the guards are hidden in the forest, and they look more than ready to start a fight. I think a couple of these guards are hoping we fight, which isn’t a good sign.”
Shiva exchanged another glance with Luke, and the dark dog huffed in disappointment.
“Shiva, if you can hear me,” Fluttershy said. “You don’t have to be afraid of me. I promise, I just want to be your friend.”  
But Shiva had no intention of letting her honeyed words fool her. A plan was already forming in her mind.
“Luke,”Shiva ordered. “Get the Spear Dogs the shiniest, most mirror like shields you can find. Then position them in the tunnels under the forest. Be ready to have them pop out the moment those guards try anything.” 
Luke nodded with glee. 
“Skippy,”Shiva continued. “If the guards go for us, drop in on them and distract them. But make sure you fall behind the Spear Dogs when they come up. Do not let Fluttershy get her eyes on you; one good Stare, and you might as well be clay in her hooves.”
“Got it,” Skippy said.
Shiva turned back to the entrance as she heard Fluttershy beginning to sound panicked.
“Shiva, please come out,” Fluttershy whimpered. “Every pony’s waiting for you. They’re starting to get… worried.”
Shiva highly doubted ‘worried’ would describe how the ponies were feeling, but she walked up to her spear dogs and nodded at them.
“Stand down, guys,” she said, loud enough that Fluttershy heard her and sighed in relief. “I got this.”
The guards nodded, and one of them gave Shiva his shield. Holding it up, Shiva strode out at an angle, keeping Fluttershy blocked while revealing herself to the others. Sure enough, she soon caught sight of the little dragon, standing off to the side of the other mares.
“Shiva?” Fluttershy asked, trying to peek around the shield. “Shiva, you don’t need that. You can talk to me face to… face?”
Shiva walked right past the yellow mare without acknowledging her. Her shield stayed focused on Fluttershy, while Shiva kept her eyes on the purple dragon standing off to the side. 
“Spike,” she called.
The mares gaped at the dragon, while Spike lifted a hand to his chest in surprise. Shiva smiled – genuinely – and walked right up to him, all but ignoring the five mares grouped together and the yellow mare behind her, who reached a hopeless hoof out with a devastated squeak of loneliness.
“Shiva?” Fluttershy whimpered, tears starting to brim in her eyes.
Spike gave Fluttershy a nervous, slightly sad look, before Shiva drew his gaze back to her. 
“It’s been far too long, my friend,” Shiva said to the dragon. “How’ve you been?” 
Spike briefly glanced at Twilight. Despite looking sadly at Fluttershy, Twilight motioned for him to roll with it.
“Not bad,” he said, glancing back at her territory. “You’ve been doing well for yourself?”
Shiva chuckled, glancing back at the barren wasteland that covered her home. “There’s more to it than meets the eye,” she replied. She glanced at the mares, some of whom were watching the exchange nervously, and some of them were looking back at a devastated Fluttershy. “They’re treating you okay? Not letting you get captured by horrible monsters?”
“Horrible what?!” Rainbow Dash demanded. But Shiva raised her shield at the cyan mare, and Twilight pulled Rainbow Dash back before she could be tempted into charging her. 
“None of that,” Spike assured her. “In fact, I think Twilight learned from that experience.”
Shiva hummed, unconvinced. “I hope she did.”
“You know you can ask me yourself, right?” Twilight asked, her voice clipped with irritation.
“Maybe,” Shiva said, her own voice clipped. “But I’m more curious about something else.” She glared at Twilight. “Why are you here?”
“We came here to tell you that Princess Celestia has ordered you not to invade Ponyville.”
Rainbow Dash lifted into the air. “And if you try to invade, you’re gonna get more than you bargained for," she added darkly.
Shiva quirked an ear. “Okay,” she replied. 
The mares paused. “W-Okay?” Rainbow Dash asked, descending back to the ground.
“Okay,” Shiva repeated. “I already don’t want to go back there, so… okay. My pack will stay away from there.” Her ears suddenly perked, and she turned to Applejack, her nose twitching. “Hang on…”  
“Well… good… then,” Twilight mumbled, before her ears perked. “Oh, but one other thing…” Twilight tried to add, but Shiva walked right by her and straight to Applejack, her nose twitching as she took in the cow mare’s scent. Applejack raised a hoof in surprise, but didn’t back down from the canine.
“I smell canine on you,” Shiva said, locking on Applejack. “Did Diamond Dogs… well…?”
Applejack chuckled.
“Nah,” she replied. “That’s just Sweet Apple Acres’ resident pooch, Winona.”
“Totally different from a diamond dog,” Pinkie said, jumping in. Shiva backed up from her with a suspicious look, keeping her mouth far out of Pinkie’s reach, but the pink mare continued without noticing. “Winona can only walk on all fours. And she has brown spots on her fur. And she can’t speak. Well, she can speak, but all she can say is…” Pinkie imitated a dog, but Shiva’s ears flattened.
“And you guys are okay with each other?” Shiva asked cautiously. “You don’t hurt her? She doesn’t hurt you?” 
“We’re like family,” Applejack assured her. “Ain’t none of that nightmare stuff ya went through happens in Ponyville. I promise.”  
“Ahem!” Twilight said louder. 
Shiva bit back a growl, before turning back to Twilight.
“Yes?” she asked, struggling to keep her voice level and calm.
“I’m glad you’re not going to invade, but we still need you to come back with us,” Twilight insisted. “What you… did… to get away from Beast Breaker raised some eyebrows, and we need to prove that what he did to you was beyond immoral and unjust.” 
Shiva glared at her. “You need to prove that being caged, tortured and whipped is immoral and unjust?” Shiva asked. Rarity glanced away, rubbing her hoof nervously, while Spike just shrugged.
“What can we say?” he replied. “Most of the nobles in Canterlot are idiots.”
“Spike!” Twilight protested, but even Rainbow Dash grimaced.
“I dunno, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said. “He’s not exactly wrong.” 
Shiva cracked a grin, but her tail didn’t rise from between her legs.
“Well,” she said. “If your ‘nobility’ really can’t tell what’s immoral and unethical, I gotta say, I don’t feel safe going into their territory.”  
Rarity looked aghast. “You mean you’d feel safer with these… well…” She faltered, as Luke poked his head out, and locked angry silver eyes with her. Rarity wisely didn’t finish her sentence, while Rainbow Dash glared down Luke, ready to charge him. Fluttershy, however, quickly stepped forward.
“Shiva, please,” Fluttershy whimpered. “We’re all really sorry about what you went through. It was cruel and horrific and we’re all so very-very sorry we let that happen to you.”
Shiva didn’t look at Fluttershy. The memory of her piercing eyes blocked Shiva from even glancing her way. But her eyes did land on Rainbow Dash, who was still glowering at her pack from the air. 
Her eyes shifted to Rarity, who was at the very back of the group, staring at her like she might suddenly make a break for Ponyville.
And to Twilight, who’s hoof was tapping impatiently. Her horn was sparking, like it wanted to light up and do a spell, but couldn’t yet.
Shiva’s ears flattened at the genuine remorse that seemed to be on Pinkie, Applejack and even Spike’s faces, but the unrepentant looks on the other three, along with her unwillingness to see how Fluttershy looked left Shiva wondering just how truthful Fluttershy was being. 
“Are all of you sorry?” she asked softly, indicating Rainbow Dash, Twilight and Rarity. 
The mares stared at each other, Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie with horror, and the others with expressions ranging from Rainbow Dash’s defiant aloofness to Twilight’s look of confusion to Rarity’s look of indignation. 
Shiva shook her head before Fluttershy could speak.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “But lying to me is not a good way to convince me.”
Applejack balked, while Fluttershy gasped. 
“But Flutters ain’t lying,” Applejack insisted.
“Believe us, Shiva,” Spike insisted. “Each of us are really sorry, and we want to help you prove that you’re not bad.” 
“Rainbow Dash looks more like she wants to punt me into next week,” Shiva pointed out, again indicating the non-guilty mare. 
“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy started to argue, before Shiva cut her off.
“Rarity looks like I’m still going to steal all her gems,” she continued.
“You’re with diamond dogs!” Rarity protested. “I know how they get about gemstones.”
“And Twilight looks about half-ready to knock me out, take me to some lab, and dissect me.”
Twilight gave a disgusted gasp, and covered her horn, her cheeks reddening.
"Well, why shouldn't we be suspicious?" Rainbow Dash demanded. "You killed five ponies."
"Ponies that were hurting and abusing her!" Fluttershy protested.
"That doesn't make it right."
The mares went silent. It had not been Rainbow Dash that had said it... but Shiva.
“You have your reasons to distrust me; just as I have my reasons to distrust you,” Shiva said. "In my opinion, we'd be better off if we just stayed out of each other's way." 
Spike jumped forward.
"Then how would you get justice?" he asked. 
Shiva froze, turning back to him.
"What do you mean?" she asked.

#

Luke paced fitfully as Shiva sat there and listened to the dragon’s lies. Luke hated how calm Shiva was about the whole thing: he didn’t care if these mares weren’t the same ones that had caged and tortured them. They were still the ones that had taken Shiva away from him. They had snatched Shiva from the jaws of freedom once already, and even now, she was letting them fill her head with empty justifications. Luke glared at the forest; while there was no sign of the guards that Skippy had warned of, there was also no sign of the smart little brown diamond dog. 
If he was correct, there were guards just waiting for Shiva to slip up. And if his Spear Dogs weren’t fast enough, Shiva was risking them bursting out of the foliage, seizing her with some sort of spell, and carting her off before Luke could blink. 
No,Luke thought, determined. They’ll never get away with that. I’ll pulverize them if they try!
“It must be difficult,” a voice – eerily familiar – buzzed next to him. Luke spun, but there was no one there. “Having to watch them try to take your beloved again.”
Luke bristled, growling at the empty air. Faintly, he saw a small shimmer. Bottle green eyes opened, glowing, before him. 
“Oh, don’t worry,” the voice assured him. “I’m not going to hurt you or your dogs. The ones you need to worry about are the ones that are getting tired of talk.” 
“What are you doing here?” Luke demanded. “What are you planning?”
"I told you," Chrysalis said. "I have a magnificent plan to take down Canterlot. And you are going to help me." 

#

“So, you see?” Spike concluded, Shiva having listened patiently to his story. “You can put Blueblood and any pony associated with those pits into the dungeon. And all it’ll take is a short trip to Canterlot.” 
“Princess Celestia genuinely regrets what happened,” Twilight insisted. “And she can protect you. She’ll make you into a guardian of Equestria. Get you help. And punish every pony who was involved with those horrible pits. Come on; you can trust her.”  
Shiva considered Spike with a thoughtful glance, but something nagged painfully at the back of her mind. Another look at Rainbow Dash seemed to make the nagging sensation worse.
“Darling,” Rarity snapped at the cyan mare. “For goodness sake; can you stop terrifying the dog with your hostility?!”
“Me!?” Rainbow Dash demanded. “I’m not the one that looks like she’s about to run off and re-check all her safes!”
“That’s enough, girls!” Twilight barked. Rainbow Dash and Rarity glared at her mutinously, before Shiva sighed.
“If all this is true,” she said. “Then why can’t Princess Celestia tell me herself?” 
Applejack grinned.
“Well, Canterlot needs her right now,” she replied.
Shiva’s ears flicked, but she nodded in understanding. “I can believe that,” she said. “But then she should understand that the diamond dogs need me as well.”
Rarity gave the dogs another glower, even though they had vanished from the tunnels.
“You shouldn’t trust them,” she said. “All diamond dogs care about is their next horde of precious metals. Haven’t you considered how they’d act if you didn’t have some fancy power to protect yourself?”
“Rarity!” Pinkie cried.
“She’s got a point, Pinkie,” Twilight said, turning back to Shiva. “You have to be careful with diamond dogs, Shiva. They’re not generous like ponies can be.”
“Oh, right,” Shiva said sarcastically. “I nearly forgot: the ponies were verygenerous.” She turned her back to them, displaying the still prominent scars on her back, outlined in red war paint to look like she was still bleeding. “They just had so many lashings to give.”
“Land sakes!” Applejack exclaimed.
Twilight gasped. Rarity screamed. Rainbow Dash’s hostile look faltered. Fluttershy whimpered and actually started to cry. Pinkie’s eyes bugged out of her skull.
“It-well, it makes a little sun picture on the… back,” she whimpered, clearly struggling to see something positive. 
Just as the mares looked down in shame… BOOM! A blast of magic echoed from the tunnels.
“Shiva!”Luke’s voice gasped into her link. 
That's what the nagging sensation had been, Shiva realized guiltily. Not these stupid ponies... but my pack getting into a fight! How could I mix those up?
“It… she got away from me!" Luke continued. "She’s…”
Shiva whirled around just as a green light lit up her tunnel, and something stumbled out. Every eye spun to it as – Shiva and the mares’ jaws dropped – a pink alicorn stumbled into the light. Ragged and battered, her fur scuffed with dirt and her mane a rat’s nest. Her purple eyes stared around in disbelief.
“Oh, thank the Queen,” the alicorn whimpered. “I thought I’d never see the light of day again.”
Shiva blinked. “Luke, who the heck is that?” she asked.
“Changeling!” Luke gasped. “I tried to stop her, but…” 
“No! Don't hurt yourself more! Are you okay?” Shiva asked worriedly. But she didn’t dare get closer. 
Twilight did, however, running over to the disguised changeling.
“Cadence?!” she half-stammered, half-cheered. “I didn’t… how long has it…” As the ‘Cadence’ alicorn turned back to her, Twilight squealed in glee and… 
“Sunshine-sunshine, ladybug’s awake; clap your hooves and do a little shake.”
For a moment, there was utter silence, as every pony and every dog tried to process what Twilight just did.
“W-What?” ‘Cadence’ asked. 
“Cadence?” Twilight insisted. “It’s me, Twilight!”
But ‘Cadence’ looked right past her, and focused on Shiva.
“Ugh, there’s no time for that,” ‘Cadence’ insisted, brushing past a confused looking Twilight. The alicorn pointed at Shiva as she limped her way over to the Equestrian border. “That creature is a beast!”
Shiva and the others gasped, while Luke snarled in boiling rage.
“Those horrible dogs caught me,” ‘Cadence’ insisted, as Shiva’s heart thudded into her stomach. “They tortured me; beat me just for what other ponies did.”
The mares eyes darted back to Shiva; some – like Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie – with confusion, Twilight with aghast horror, and Rainbow Dash and Rarity with certain anger.
“Shiva,” Twilight stammered. “You didn’t…”
“No!” Shiva cried. “That... ‘thing’ is lying!”
“You can’t even refer to me as a proper pony?!” ‘Cadence’ cried, putting a hoof to her head. “Oh, does your ruthlessness know no bounds, foul creature!?”
The tree line shook, growing alive with guards.
“That’s exactly what we needed to hear,” one guard growled, aiming a spell at Shiva.
“Girls, get down!” another yelled.
Pinkie and Fluttershy tried to jump to Shiva’s defense, but were grabbed by Rainbow Dash and Rarity. Shiva, meanwhile, flared her magic into a barrier as a volley of spells shot at her.
But the shots went wide, as Skippy and his diamond dogs fell upon the ponies.
For a brief moment, Shiva saw Spike, looking at her with horror and sadness. But Shiva turned her eyes away from him with a sigh. 
"Iron Paws," she growled through the link. "Time to battle!" 
> Chapter 4: The First Round
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it wasn’t for her magic, Shiva likely would have been beaten in the first round.
The volley of spells flew faster than Skippy and the iron paws, but Shiva’s shield was faster, and the spells reflected off an extra barrier she put around the mirror-like block of metal. Even so, the impact sent her rolling while her dogs fell onto the ponies. 
Spells clashed against axes. The ground vibrated with the force of hooves and paws. 
For a split second, Shiva worried about the nicer members of the Mane Six. Yet, a second later, she found herself worrying more for her own pack instead: Rainbow Dash and Applejack fought side by side, Rainbow Dash knocking dogs around while Applejack floored them with powerful kicks. Twilight fired spell after spell, her magic breaking through the shield of one dog and sending him scampering back into the earth. 
Pinkie was also firing projectiles, though hers looked like pink batter from a silver cannon she had pulled from nowhere.
“Bad doggies!” Pinkie screamed, covering Skippy in pink batter. “Sit! Roll over! Play dead! Seriously, PLAY dead, I would be so sad if you actually died to any of this!” 
Even Rarity was getting in on the action, knocking Luke’s axe away with a spinning kick. Unfazed, Luke swiped at her with his bare claws, and the dog and pony dueled back and forth like human martial artists.
The only ones not involved with the fighting were Fluttershy and Spike. Spike was trying to pick himself up off the ground, having been knocked over by someone, while Fluttershy was backing further and further away from the conflict.
“Stop!” she pleaded. “Please stop!”
“Fluttershy, use the…!” Rainbow Dash tried to say, before Skippy lunged up and yanked Rainbow Dash down.
The Stare! Shiva realized in horror. Her dogs realized it too, as several broke off from the ponies and tried to engage Fluttershy. The yellow mare yelped in horror, only for her yelp to reach another octave when a guard blocked them, engaging in a fierce fight with the dogs that went for her.
“Shiva!” Spike’s voice snapped the howlite howler out of her stunned watching. “We have to stop this! Please, stop this!” 
“Stop this?” Shiva protested. “I didn’t start it!” She turned and yelped, pulling Spike out of the way as another spell ricocheted off her shield. The impact knocked her shield against her head, and for a moment, her mind spun. 
They attacked first, her mind muttered mutinously. Why shouldn’t we fight back? 
“Alpha!”Skippy’s voice cried. “We can’t reach Fluttershy!”
Shiva balked. Fluttershy was hovering out of the diamond dogs' reach, the iron paws sent to grab her hopelessly tangled in guards. Yet Fluttershy seemed to be having trouble. She was blinking rapidly, and her eyes kept darting back to Shiva. 
A reprieve! It looked like she was having trouble making the Stare. Shiva took her chance.
“Everyone!” she barked through the link. “Get behind your shields! Now!” 
The dogs tried, but the ponies were given an opening in the process. They pressed on the retreating dogs; Twilight and Pinkie’s projectiles sent Skippy tumbling. Luke stumbled back from a kick by Rarity, and was swiped by Rainbow Dash.
But the dark diamond dog managed to catch the cyan mare at the last second, and hurl her into the Applejack. Shiva winced in sympathy as the two mare’s heads collided with a nauseating conk!
“Rainbow Dash! Applejack!” Fluttershy screamed. Her ears flattened, and she clenched her eyes shut. Shiva could see the magic building in her, preparing for the Stare.
“SHIELDS NOW!” Shiva screamed, too desperate to use the link.
But her voice was more than loud enough, and her pack ducked under their shields, one dog covering Luke just as Fluttershy’s eyes opened. Shiva hid behind her own shield, yanking Spike to her chest and clenching her eyes shut.
…
Silence. The sound of hooves on diamond armor and spells bashing against axes and shields ceased like someone hitting a mute button. Shiva heard a faint, odd whistling noise that made her think of aliens for some reason. But even that slowly tapered off, replaced by a familiar voice gasping… and then whimpering in despair. 
Shiva cautiously peeked her head out from behind her shield. Fluttershy was fluttering to the ground. Her eyes were still wide, but they held no power or authority in them. At least not anymore. Instead, she seemed to stare, transfixed at her reflection in the mirror-like surfaces of the diamond dog shields. Around her, the guards were similarly transfixed, petrified by their brief exposure to the Stare’s power. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and the guards had all frozen as well, eyes slowly turning back to Fluttershy, as the yellow mare’s eyes filled further with tears. She looked once to Shiva, and back at the mirrors, before bowing her head in pronounced shame.
“I… didn’t know… it was like that…” Fluttershy whimpered.
Shiva, however, didn’t focus on her for long. Her eyes darted away, slowly counting the number of ponies. Her blood froze.
“Where’s Cadence?” she asked. 
The ponies broke out of their spell. They spun their heads, looking desperately for the pink alicorn that had started the whole thing.
“Cadence?!” Twilight called. No one answered.
“Wait!” a guard cried in relief. “Sgt. Vigilance’s gone too.”
“Spear Head’s missing too!” another yelled. “They must have gotten Cadence back to Ponyville!”
The guards and even the mares sighed in relief, but Luke, Shiva and Skippy exchanged a mutual look of horror.
“No,” Shiva said, throwing her shield aside. “No sigh of relief; that’s BAD!”
“Why?” Rainbow Dash growled. “You worried she’ll tell every pony how EVIL you are?”
“You wanna get your skull cracked open?” Luke barked at her. “Shut your stallion pleaser!” 
“Luke!” Shiva barked.
“Scandalous!” Rarity gasped at the same time. 
“Oh-ho, you think you’re clever?” Rainbow Dash demanded, flying at the Diamond dog before Fluttershy and Pinkie held her back. “You think you’re CLEVER?!” 
“NO!” Fluttershy screamed, tears in her eyes. “Please… don’t make me do that again.”
The memory of what they had seen washed over the ponies, and as the diamond dogs bristled their shields, the equines quickly backed down. Shiva huffed; at least now they had an idea of how it felt to get Stared down.
“Just listen,” Shiva said. “That wasn’t Cadence, or whoever you thought she was; she’s a changeling!”
Twilight gasped. “N-No way…” she whispered. 
“Wait, a what now?” Applejack asked.
“Some kind of shapeshifter,” Shiva explained. 
“They take the form of someone you love…,” Skippy started.
“And gain power by feeding off your love for them,” Twilight and Skippy said at the same time.
The others stared at them. Skippy’s ears flattened, though Twilight’s look of intrigued appraisal made him grin. 
“I don’t spend all my time reading for nothing, you know,” he commented to Shiva and Luke. The two dogs exchanged a glance.
“Maybe we should consider letting him teach us how to read,” Shiva noted.
“But I don’t understand,” Twilight said. “Princess Celestia beat the last Changeling Queen centuries ago. How could they come back?”
Skippy narrowed his eyes, but one of the guards spoke before he could say anything.
“Princess Celestia was too merciful,” he suggested. “She tried to give that monster a chance, and they’re taking advantage.” 
“Right,” Shiva muttered sarcastically. “And getting whipped and tortured in a pit had nothing to do with it, right?”
The ponies gaped in horror.
“They were tortured too?” Pinkie whimpered. 
“Their Queen came to us,” Shiva explained. “Showed the scars on one of her drones. Tried to use that to get us to join her. She spoke of a ‘magnificent plan’ that would overthrow Princess Celestia and result in Equestria belonging to the Changelings.” 
“We turned her down, of course,” Skippy said quickly, before the mares could react. “They’re untrustworthy, insane, and it would’ve brought us nothing but pain.” 
“That rhymed,” Pinkie pointed out. 
Twilight smiled softly at their words, before Shiva stepped forward.
“But now she’s got at least one infiltrator past your borders,” Shiva growled, glaring up at Canterlot Castle, which was visible on the horizon. “And the longer we sit here arguing, the closer she gets to fulfilling whatever this plan is.” 
Twilight and the mares looked back at the castle before retreating into a huddle. Even though they tried to retreat away from the dogs, and their guards continued to glower at Shiva, the howlite howler easily heard their muffled conversation.
“Girls,” Applejack said. “She’s telling the truth.” 
“How do you know?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I ain’t the Element of Honesty for nothing, Sugarcube,” Applejack insisted. “Something stunk about that Cadence mare, and it sure wasn’t dirt ‘n muck.”
“I’ll vouch for her too,” Fluttershy said, though her voice was so quiet, even the mares had to strain to hear her. “Shiva’s not perfect, but I don’t think she’s a liar.”
“Me neither,” Pinkie said, her voice impossible to miss. “Didn’t you guys see her face when Cadence came out? She was all like; ‘WHAAAA?!’” She accompanied her mimicry with an overblown expression of disbelief. Shiva grimaced, before several guards pointedly got between her and the huddled mares. Rolling her eyes, Shiva retreated to her own huddle with the dogs.
“I do not sound or look like that,” she muttered, before Skippy, Spike and Luke grabbed her attention.
“What are we gonna do, Alpha?” Luke asked. 
“That changeling isn’t going to Canterlot for a friendly visit,” Skippy said. “Normally, I’d say we let the ponies handle it…”  
“But these changelings already have you marked as a target,” Spike interjected. 
The dogs glared at him in disbelief, but Shiva motioned for them to relax. 
“What do you mean?” she prompted the dragon.
“Well, think about it,” Spike said. “You turned her down, and she responds by triggering a fight between us. Who’s to say she won’t come back and punish you guys for not helping her?”
Skippy grimaced. “That’s… extremely likely,” he admitted.
“Let them come,” Luke growled. “We’ve got the dogs and we’ve got the magic.” He pat Shiva’s shoulder. “They wouldn’t have stood a chance against us the first time.”
“Don’t get cocky,” Skippy warned. “If Equestria falls, they’ll be coming at us with far more power than before. It wouldn’t be a fight we could get out of without casualties.”
Shiva’s tail tucked. She had managed to lead her pack so far without losing anyone, and the thought of one of her pack’s minds being snuffed out forever made Shiva’s heart race.
“So,” Shiva grumbled. “We have to stop these guys before they ever get the chance.”
She noticed the mares break out of their huddle, and the dogs broke out of their huddle, returning to the mares.
“Alright,” Twilight said. “Let’s say you’re right, and Cadence is actually an imposter planning to overthrow Princess Celestia.”
“If it’s true,” Shiva spoke over her. “And it is – then she’s going to probably take over Equestria, and then come after us.” She wagged her tail. “We are capable of discussing things when you’re not around,” she added with a teasing wink. 
Pinkie giggled, while Rainbow and Twilight exchanged irritated looks.
“Just tell us how you’re going to help us?” Twilight said.
Shiva grimaced; the way Twilight phrased that, made Shiva feel like a pet being ordered around. Half of her mind tempted her to just say ‘I’m not going to! Bye,’ and storm back into the tunnels. 
But she looked to Spike and Applejack. She even managed a faint glance at Fluttershy. And she knew… no matter what other ponies had done to her, Spike and Applejack had done nothing wrong. And Fluttershy? Well, Shiva hated to admit it, but Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie at least seemed regretful for what had happened. And they – or at least Fluttershy - seemed to understand what they had done wrong. It wasn’t fair for Shiva to let her get hurt when she clearly wanted to atone.
Shiva sighed. “You already needed me to talk to Princess Celestia,” she admitted. “So, why not take me to her?”
The uproar was instant. Luke and Skippy surged forward, almost yanking Shiva away. But the action triggered the guards, who stepped forward, horns shining, wings flaring and hooves stomping. The mares had to race to keep another fight from breaking out, while Shiva was spun back to her betas.
“Shiva, no!” Luke said. “You can’t go back to Canterlot!”
“At least take us with you,” Skippy said. “The diamond dogs need your magic, and you need us. If you left…”
“Whoa, hold on!” one of the guards barked, overhearing them. “You can’t take diamond dogs into Canterlot!” 
Shiva spun back around. “Why not?” she demanded. “They need me.”
“They don’t deserve to be in the capital of Equestria,” the guard insisted. 
“That’s enough!” Twilight tried to insist, but the guard shook his head at her.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Sparkle,” he said. “But we cannot in good conscious allow a pack of former pony slavers into the home of Princess Celestia.”
Luke glowered. “Shiva’s magic is the only reason we stopped using work horses,” he said. “Maybe you should think about that before…”
“HEY!” 
Shiva’s bark silenced the squabbles, but only for so long. Shiva could practically see the tension in the air. Both sides were nursing bruises, but worse of all, they were nursing battered pride and repressed adrenaline. The guards wanted to continue fighting, and Shiva’s dogs wanted to fight back. If Shiva didn’t handle this carefully, another fight would break out, and Chrysalis or whoever was impersonating Cadence would get even further away.
Shiva turned back to Luke and clutched his shoulder. She reached over and clutched Skippy’s. 
“Guys…” she started to say, before her pack link flowed between them. The next words were completely silent; the ponies heard nothing, while the dogs heard everything.
“I’m not playing their stupid game,” she promised them. “But we have to make sure the changelings don’t get us either.”
“By letting you walk right back into the pits?” Luke asked. “And you’d be leaving us defenseless as well. The pack link’s the only thing that’s kept the changelings from grabbing us.”
“Then we won’t let them grab anyone,” Shiva decided. “Gather everyone together. The miners, the mothers, the pups. And keep them close together in case the changelings try something. Together, burrow deep under Equestria; follow my link, and settle yourselves under Canterlot. My link’s managed to travel through the underground before, and that shouldn’t stop it now.” Her claws tightened. “No matter what, we’re staying together. Even if they think we’ve been separated.”
“Won’t Celestia notice the links and find a way to cut them off?” Skippy asked.
Shiva’s eyes narrowed, resisting the urge to glare at Twilight, and she breathed, concentrating. Her links to Skippy and Luke briefly left them, before traveling down Shiva’s legs and out her paws. The ground glowed slightly as her tendrils came back and linked to the dogs through their back paws, but the ponies didn’t notice the change, Shiva’s claws not leaving her pack mates’ shoulders.
“She can’t stop what she doesn’t know about,” Shiva replied with a wolfish grin.
The others began to understand, and nodded eagerly. 
“If you get into any trouble,” Luke promised, bringing his head closer to her. “Just slam your claws into the ground. We’ll sense it and rise to your defense.” 
“Well, don’t spend too much time worrying about me,” Shiva added with a wag of her tail. “You’ll be right next to Canterlot Mines. Home to all those gems and jewels.”
The other dogs listening into the link panted with glee. “Y-You mean…” one of them asked in hope. “We can mine them?”
“As long as you don’t destabilize the castle… why not? After all, these ponies will owe us their lives when this is over. Couple million in precious metals should be a tolerable repayment, no?” 
The dogs all giggled, prompting the mares to glance at each other.
“Ahem!” Twilight coughed. “Shiva, what are you doing?”
Shiva’s ears flattened, but she pressed her head closer to her dogs. The Iron Paws that weren’t busy glowering at the guards raced over and bear hugged their Alpha.
“So, we in agreement?” Shiva asked.
Skippy moaned. “I don’t like it,” he admitted. “But if it keeps the pack safe, I guess I can deal with it.” 
Shiva wagged her tail. “Don’t worry, Skippy,” she said. “We’ll take Chrysalis down, and then we’ll go home richer and more powerful than ever before.” 
She pulled herself away from the dogs. “Got it?” she said out loud. Twilight gasped, but more like she just had a huge epiphany, rather than out of horror. 
“Telekinetic wave links,” Twilight whispered. She squealed in glee. “So amazing! How did…”
Shiva just raised her claw at her. “You sure you got it?” she asked her dogs again.
“Understood,” Luke said. 
“Loud and clear,” Skippy replied. They could’ve been talking about anything.
With a final hug from her pack mates, Shiva turned back to Twilight, her head held high. Though her heart was hammering in her chest, the knowledge that her pack would be right below her soothed her mind.
“Alright,” she said. “Take me to Princess Celestia.”
> Chapter 5: The Welcome Back Committee
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Princess Celestia,
It took us some trials and tribulations, but the Howlite Howler is returning to Canterlot with us. 
However, I wish she was coming back under more pleasant circumstances: while we were negotiating with her, some pony appearing as Cadence appeared, claiming Shiva had imprisoned and tortured her. Shiva denied these accusations, but our guards were unconvinced. Whoever is posing as ‘Cadence’ slipped away during the resulting ‘argument,’ and we believe she is on her way back to Canterlot.
Princess, part of me prays the Howlite Howler is wrong, but according to her, the imposter is a changeling. I didn’t want to believe her, but Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy vouch for her, and it’s hard to see why she would lie about this. 
If the Cadence who left us is indeed one of the changelings, please use extra caution around her. I understand that you have fought changelings in the past, and they have likely come looking for revenge, both for your actions and Beast Breaker’s more recent actions against them. Shiva and I are on our way, and Shiva intends to assist us in any way she can. 
I look forward to seeing you again. 
Your faithful student, 
Twilight Sparkle. 

#

Princess Celestia re-read the letter again, just to make sure she had understood it. She was used to getting scrolls bursting with friendship lessons from her faithful student at all hours of the day, but this was something new: a warning against a foe Celestia had assumed learned their lesson against invading Equestria. Nearly dropped into her morning coffee, of all places. Just as she reached the part about Cadence, she glanced up and darted to the balcony outside. The pegasus-inherited vision aided her, and she saw the pink alicorn entering her city. The pink alicorn was flanked by two guards, and looked rather beaten down, but the light in her purple eyes was indeed far different from the Cadence Celestia had seen grow up and earn her place as an alicorn.
“Luna,” Celestia called, turning from the balcony and returning inside. Her sister raced in, spotting the scroll as Celestia hovered it to her.
“News of the Howlite Howler?” Luna asked. Her eyes were skimming over the paper before Celestia could respond.
“Well,” Celestia said, even as Luna’s eyes narrowed, then widened. “It seems your fears of Shiva attacking were greatly over-exaggerated. The Howlite Howler is not the one we need to worry about right now.”
Luna looked up, her eyes wide with shock.
“I-Is this true, sister?” she asked. “Changelings? But you defeated the last Changeling Queen ages ago.”
Celestia grimaced. “I had hoped that an offer of mercy, combined with the injuries she already suffered at my hooves, would teach her that attacking Equestria was folly.” She gazed sadly down as ‘Cadence’ was approached by other nobles, who all seemed distraught at her ragged appearance. “It is a lesson that she appears to have forgotten.”
Luna followed her gaze, watching as a guard in the elaborate armor of a captain shot forward, practically blasting the ponies out of his way to get to Cadence. The two cupped each other’s faces before resting their heads together. Faintly, Celestia swore she could see green mist leeching off the captain and into the alicorn, but the effect seemed lost on the crowd. Luna hummed at the sight, only to grimace as she recognized Blueblood among the crowd. The alicorn and guards’ conversation with him was far from audible, but the meaning was clear, especially when Cadence repeatedly pointed outside of Canterlot. 
Blueblood’s eyes narrowed in triumph, and he grinned up at the alicorn sisters before darting towards their castle, followed by Cadence, the guards and half of the nobles. Celestia shut her eyes with a sigh.
“Sister,” Luna said worriedly. “You are certain that Shiva had nothing to do with the changelings’ sudden burst of confidence, yes?” 
Celestia turned away from the balcony, making her way to the throne room like she was heading for battle. 
“Twilight’s letter said that Shiva means to help us fight these invaders,” Celestia said, striding into her throne room. “The Elements of Honesty, Kindness and Laughter have vouched for her, and she is coming back peacefully.” She smiled. “All things being considered, I’m inclined to believe her intentions are good.” 
Luna took her place at Celestia’s side as the sun alicorn settled on her throne.
“I hope you are right,” Luna said. “But the path to redemption is not an easy one.” She bowed her head. “Your love and care for me were of great importance when I came back from being Nightmare Moon.”
Celestia smiled. “Luna, my loving sister,” she cooed, stroking her sister’s mane. “You are my flesh and blood. My family. I will always be there for you.” 
Luna smiled softly, though her smile faded as she turned to the door, where soon Blueblood would rush in with petulant demands and taunts.
“It worries me that Shiva does not have some pony like that,” she said. “Some pony that… isn’t a diamond dog.”
Before she could continue, Blueblood burst inside, followed by his entourage. Cadence was practically foreleg in foreleg with the guard captain, whom Celestia recognized as Shining Armor. Despite wanting to groan in resignation, Luna and Celestia quickly wiped their faces clear of emotion as Blueblood stormed in.
“I knew there was reason to fear,” Blueblood was ranting. “I warned you of the dangers. Princess Celestia; if you needed any more proof that the Howlite Howler is a monster and a beast, just…” he stuttered for a minute before whirling towards Cadence. “Look what she did to one of your fellow princesses!”
Cadence limped forward, and sunk into a bow. Celestia just narrowed her eyes at her; if the changeling queen she had fought was there, she was far better at disguises than she was at combat. 
“My fellow princess,” Cadence whimpered, looking up at her. “The Howlite Howler kept me imprisoned. She tortured me for what ponies did to her. You can’t trust her.”
Blueblood smirked. “You see, Princess,” he repeated. “I told you that creature couldn’t be trusted.”
“This… Howlite Howler did this to my fiancé?” Shining Armor stammered in anger.
“It needs to be punished!” another noble mare said. “Banish it to the sun!” 
“BANISH IT TO THE SUN!” echoed across the crowd. 
But Celestia simply fixed them with her special glare of disapproval. A few indignant mutters rang through, but Celestia patiently waited for every pony to go silent. She once again looked at Cadence, but the mare kept her head bowed. It was hard to see her eyes flicker with disgust and anger from her inclined head. 
Celestia rose, stretching her wings leisurely.
“Well,” she said. “In order to banish the Howlite Howler, I’d have to have her brought back to Canterlot.”
Blueblood tried to protest, but Celestia talked over him.
“And, as it is,” she continued. “My personal student, Twilight Sparkle, is currently heading back with the Howlite Howler right now.” 
“Twily?” Shining Armor stammered over the cheers of assent from the nobles. “She’s with that creature?” 
“As are the other Elements, and plenty of guards,” Celestia reassured him, though her eyes focused on the two that had escorted Cadence. “Though, it appears that her division is short two guards.”
Shining Armor put the math together faster than the others. He whirled on the two with a righteous fury. “You left my little sister with that beast?!” he almost screamed.
The guards flinched down. “W-Well, sir,” one of them whimpered. “We had to get Princess Cadence back.”
Shining Armor’s eyes darted to his future wife, and he was left mouthing out words in conflict. Before the nobles could re-organize themselves, Luna strode over to the nearest stain glass window.
“Oh, look,” she declared. “Here they come right now!”
The nobles perked and rushed for the door, shoving the guards ahead of them in an attempt to form a shield against the beast they feared yet were eager to see punished. Cadence was the last to leave, allowing Celestia to catch the venomous glare she shot her just seconds before the door shut. 
Celestia sighed. “An excellent distraction, Luna,” she declared, only to see Luna still staring out the window.
“It was no distraction, Tia,” Luna replied, nodding to the outside. Celestia came to her side, and sure enough, a train was heading towards Canterlot. And in one of the windows of the train, Celestia could spot the Howlite Howler, her chin on the window sill, looking like she’d rather jump out of the train rather than complete the journey.
“Oh, dear,” Celestia mumbled. She hurried to the door. “I should keep things from getting too ugly out there.”
“Sister,” Luna said quickly. “I was serious about Shiva. If her attempts at redemption are only met with suspicion and hostility, she will go right back to enemy hooves.” 
Celestia gave her an intrigued look. “Are you proposing to be her friend?” she asked teasingly.
Luna looked away, rubbing at her hoof.
“I-I know not, sister. It is likely she holds contempt and distrust towards me for my attempts to defend Equestria from her.”
“But think of the fear and isolation that must plague her mind,” Celestia pointed out. “It must be far from foreign to you.”
Luna sighed, but nodded. “I will not deny, if her heart is true, I may be able to comprehend and sympathize with her.” She grimaced, but forced a smile. “Very well, sister. Should she truly wish it; with all her heart; I will aid her in her path to redemption.” 
Celestia nodded, but another look at where the nobles had gone made her face fall. She touched her sister’s shoulder. 
“Stay in the castle for now. Let me handle Shiva. And when the time is right… then speak with her.” 
Luna nodded. “I understand, Tia.” She smiled softly. “Thank you.”
Celestia glanced back again, but thankfully, no angry shouts sounded. More important, there was no hum of magic spells being charged.
Yet.
“Thank me by guarding the castle,” Celestia said, enshrouding herself in golden light. “If Blueblood provokes Shiva into an early regression, or the changelings have other plans in motion… I shudder to think of the battle that will follow.” 

#

Shiva shuddered as the gates of Canterlot came up, like the maw of a great marble beast. It still disgusted her that she had to return to this pit of cruelty hidden under self-righteous pomp. Then the thought of what Chrysalis might do to her diamond dogs once she had the power these spoiled ponies wielded crossed her mind. With it burning in her imagination, Shiva pushed forward, her face set in determination.
“Come on, no long faces, Sugarcube,” Applejack encouraged. “We’ll be right by your side.”
“All of us,” Spike promised. “And once the changelings go down, there’s no way people can say you’re bad.”
“That’s right,” Pinkie cheered. “We’ll have a proper ‘Welcome-To-Equestria-Sorry-For-Thinking-You-Were-A-Bad-Guy-Party.” She rubbed her hooves in glee. “Oh, I’m certain I can make a cupcake you’ll enjoy that time. I can’t wait to try!” 
“Oh, Shiva,” Fluttershy whispered. “I think I’ve got it this time.” 
Shiva still winced away from the yellow mare, only to pause and do a double-take. The mare had donned a pair of dark sunglasses, shielding her azure eyes. Shiva still couldn’t look fully at her, but it was a lot better than seeing her eyes fully uncovered.
“Is this… a little better?” she asked. “I can’t completely cover my eyes, but… it’s better than nothing, right?” 
Shiva sighed, but let her tail wag. “I appreciate your efforts, Fluttershy,” she said. “Thank you.” 
Fluttershy still didn't smile, as Shiva said it with her back to her, but she nodded at the progress she made. While Rainbow Dash and Rarity still stayed far from the wolf. Twilight glanced between them before cautiously moving over to Shiva.
“So…” Twilight ventured. “That… magic link you had with your pack? Is it…?”
“None of her business,” Luke growled from below. “Don’t let her know we’re down here.”
“Trying to be down here,” Skippy corrected grumpily. “It’s hard work keeping up with that train.”  
“Oh, don’t lump yourself together with us actual workers, runt,” another diamond dog grumbled. “You’re not even doing any digging!”
“I better break that up,” Luke said, as the sound of their barking faded to background noise. “Just remember…”
“Strike my paw on the ground, and you’ll come up and strike down whoever earned my wrath.” Shiva said to the pack, though what she said to Twilight was. “Strength of the wolf is the pack.” She shrugged. “My magic has always revolved around that phrase; empowering my pack, quick communication through thoughts instead of words…” She quirked an ear. “Don’t you guys have anything like that?”
Twilight blushed. “Well…” she admitted. “We still have secrets we don’t wanna share. Even between friends. T-The mind can be a terrible thing to read after all.”
The others gave Twilight startled looks. “Something being too terrible to read?” Pinkie repeated, before narrowing her eyes. “Who are you and what have you done with Twilight?”
Shiva’s tail tucked. “Not really friends if you don’t fully trust em,” she pointed out. 
“Oh, come on, I was joking!” Pinkie said. “We’re friends with you, and you still have secrets.” 
“Friends is a pretty generous description of what we have right now.” 
“A generous diamond dog?” Rarity chuckled. “Now there’s something I’d love to see.”
Rainbow Dash chuckled with her, only for both to flinch at the collective glares everyone else in the room shot them. Rarity cleared her throat.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
Shiva sighed. “Stay close, guys,” she murmured into her pack link. "I may need you sooner rather than later."
“Just for the changelings, right?” Pinkie whispered in her ear. 
It took all of Shiva’s fortitude not to jump out of her fur in terror. She spun back to Pinkie, who just grinned at Shiva. 
She proceeded to mime zipping her lips, locking them with a key, burying the key and building a house on top of it, before bouncing away from Shiva’s side. Shiva still stared at the pink mare, dumbfounded. She only looked away when Spike pat her arm.
“Sorry,” he said. “Just Pinkie Pie being… well, Pinkie Pie.”
Shiva didn’t reply. Her back fur was spiked like a porcupine. It didn’t help as the door opened, and she found every guard on the wall glowering at her in a manner that made them seem to want heat vision. 
“Are… all these guards just for her?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“She did cause a heckuva ruckus getting out,” Applejack admitted, before turning to Shiva with a sheepish grin. “No offense, sugar cube.”
“Some taken,” Shiva said with a shrug, glancing up at the guards. “I would say it’s a little overblown. It’s not like I’m going to hurt any pony.”
“We’ll still be right by your side,” Fluttershy promised. “The nobles of Canterlot aren’t as… nice as we are.” 
Shiva glanced her way, smiling in appreciation at Fluttershy’s hidden gaze, though her smile only lasted so long, and she could only manage a faint nod at the yellow mare's expense.
"Let's get going," Shiva declared. 
“Right,” Twilight agreed, herding the group along. “We need to get to Princess Celestia, before…” 
She paused, catching sight of a familiar entourage sauntering down the street.
“…before exactly that happens,” Spike mumbled. 
Shiva stiffened, following his gaze; Blueblood was at the head of the entourage, strategically placing himself behind a wedge-shaped formation of guards, his eyes locked on Shiva with a mixture of disdain and fear. At the very back, ‘Cadence’s head poked out from the back. Her eyes widened as they landed on Shiva, and she slowed her pace even more, only for more nobles to drag her along.
“Nothing to fear, Princess,” they soothed her. “That thing can’t hurt you anymore.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, and started to move forward, only to stop dead in her tracks at the sight of the guard at the very head of the entourage.
“Shining?” she asked. “What’re you…?”
“Twilight!” Shining exclaimed, racing forward. His horn flashed, and Twilight was lifted away from Shiva and into her brother’s embrace. “By the Princesses, I was so worried for you!”
“Shiny, it’s okay, I’m fine,” Twilight mumbled, her voice muffled b his armor. 
“No pony’s fine as long as that creature’s around,” Blueblood insisted, pointing a hoof at Shiva.
Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Spike reflexively moved closer to Shiva, though none of them seemed to be sure whether it was for Shiva’s protection… or the nobles. Shiva glowered at them with a hatred that outclassed any disdain they could have shot her. But Shiva forced her gaze past Blueblood and his spoiled nobles, and focused on Cadence, who tried to scoot further back. 
It would be so easy, Shiva thought, glancing down at her claws. A quick bolt to reveal the truth; just expose her as a changeling right in the middle of that crowd. The magic works based on what I want; I know it can work for this.
“But what if your shot misses?” Skippy barked, reading her thoughts. “What if you hit one of the guards instead?”
Shiva’s fist clenched as the voices of the guards registered.
“Why isn’t the creature in chains?” Shining Armor demanded. “Why isn’t someone stifling that glow?” 
“Where’s Princess Celestia?” a noble demanded. “She should banish it to the sun before it tries to enter our beloved kingdom.”
Shiva’s ears perked. 
“Now, wait just another minute,” Applejack said. “Shiva ain’t here to start more fights.”
“Yeah,” Spike agreed. “We got a serious problem, and she’s gonna help!”
“The only ‘help’ that beast can offer is letting itself be banished!” Blueblood declared. “Or have you peasants forgotten what happened to Beast Breaker and his brave fellow ponies?”
“Brave?” Fluttershy growled coldly, the power of the Stare in her voice. Shiva shuddered, and several of the nobles took several steps back.
“Y-Yes, brave!” Blueblood insisted. “They took on cruel and destructive beasts of…”
“They caged up and tormented several innocent creatures,” Fluttershy hissed, trembling where she stood. 
“Innocent?!” several nobles cried, followed by a round of laughter. 
Fluttershy began to tremble with barely suppressed fury. Despite her own anger at the ponies, Shiva took a big step back from they yellow mare, nearly bumping into Applejack, while Rainbow Dash nervously fluttered down to the mare and started trying to calm her.
“Are dragons innocent?” Blueblood demanded. “Are changelings ‘innocent?’”
“Why don’t you ask the one behind you?” Shiva growled, her gaze aimed straight at Cadence. Several nobles turned, more confusion than fear in their eyes. Cadence’s wings flared, and her eyes very briefly flashed green before narrowing in anger.
“How dare you!” she snapped. “First you hold me against my will. Then you accuse me of being one of those... well, those…”
“Tell me,” Shiva said with a grin. “How will Queen Chrysalis punish you if you bad-mouth her?” Cadence paled. “She zapped one of you just for moving out of your spot. How will she react to a direct insult?”
“SILENCE!” Shining Armor snarled, jumping between Shiva and the crowd. “How dare you speak such horrible lies about my fiancé.”
“But… wait, fiancé?” Twilight stammered.
"You're getting married to her?!" Pinkie demanded.
The others were equally stunned by the phrase, allowing the nobles to jump in. 
“Don’t listen to this creature, Princess,” they said. “It's an untrustworthy monster.”
“Enough of this nonsense,” Blueblood declared. “Guards!” he ordered. “Arrest this filth for the Princess!”
Several of the guards moved towards Shiva, and the diamond dog rose to her hind legs. Magic crackled in her paws, and the guards all hesitated, fear flashing in their eyes.
“Shiva, don’t!” Spike pleaded. “Attacking them will only make things worse.”
“She’s right there, guys,” Shiva insisted, her gaze still on Cadence. “She’s right there!”
“I know,” Applejack said. “But they don’t care!”
“It’s going to attack!” Blueblood was shrieking.
“Guards, destroy that monster immediately!” several of them cried. 
Shiva growled at the guards, who desperately turned to Applejack, Fluttershy and Spike.
“Girls, get out of the way,” one guard mumbled, in a voice that begged them not to.
“No way,” Applejack growled. "The lot of you unicorns've always been spoiled. Well, this is one thing that ain't gonna go your way!"
"Yeah," Spike said. "You wanna get to Shiva..."
"You gotta go through us!" Fluttershy growled.
Shiva's tail wagged at their loyalty, and at the resulting argument it sparked. A cacophony of demands and arguments launched into the air, the mares and the nobles screaming over each other. Past all the commotion, Shiva saw Cadence turn and try to stride away. But in the process, she was giving Shiva a perfect shot. 
Shiva got ready; a jump off Applejack’s back, a bolt to the back, and she’d be exposed.
“Shiva, be careful!” Skippy pleaded through the link. 
I can do it!
She got ready to jump… just as a burst of sunlight silenced everyone in the crowd.
Except one.
“And then I said ‘Oatmeal? Are you crazy…!’” Pinkie was ranting at the nobles before noticing the light. “Oh! Oops.” 
The light faded, and Celestia came to a landing, gently setting herself down between the guards and the ponies guarding Shiva. 
“P-Princess,” Applejack stammered, sinking into a bow. “I- We can explain.”
Celestia just raised a wing, and motioned. Applejack gave Shiva a sad look, but the dog just nodded in understanding. Applejack, Fluttershy and Spike reluctantly stepped out of the way, leaving no one between Shiva and Celestia.
“Ha!” Blueblood crowed in triumph. “Our hero, every pony. Prepare yourself for the sun, foul beast! You’ll be…!” Celestia silenced him with a look. 
Shiva still felt her magic spell trembling in her claws. But Celestia was right in front of her. It was impossible for her to get a clear shot now. Yet, when Celestia turned to her, there was kindness in her pink eyes. 
“Welcome back to Canterlot, Shiva,” Celestia said. “It’s unfortunate the circumstances are not better.” 
The nobility was staring at Celestia expectantly. It wouldn’t be long before they started yelling again.
“Did you get Twilight’s message?” Shiva asked. “There are changelings in Canterlot. One of them’s behind you right now.” 
“Liar!” Cadence screamed, but even she went silent as Celestia regarded her. Nobles were still packing her in, making it impossible for the imposter to move.
“Changelings?” Celestia mused. “Well, that is unfortunate.” She turned to her guards. “Guards, round up these nobles, and have them thoroughly checked.”
Blueblood gaped in indignation. “Y-You’re going to take the word of a…” he tried to protest, but Celestia spoke over him.
“Changelings are no laughing matter, my dear prince,” she said. “If they didn’t learn from the first lesson I gave them, then it’s important to ensure the lesson sticks this time.” She nodded to her guards, and the guards obeyed.
“You honestly think we’re changelings?! Don’t you dare…! Guards, if you dare…” several nobles protested as the guards herded them away.
Though Shining Armor went straight to Cadence. The two took each other’s hooves, and Shiva got a bad feeling that Cadence was going to get special treatment for this scan. Before Shiva could give her opinion, though…
“Shiva,” Celestia declared. “With me. Please.” 
Before Shiva could respond, Celestia’s glow encompassed them both. With a flash of gold light, the streets of Canterlot vanished from Shiva’s sight. 

#

Meanwhile, below Canterlot, Luke felt the link with Shiva flicker. 
“Shiva?!” he asked. “Shiva, are you still there?” He turned. “Skippy, what do you…?”
But the brown diamond dog was gone. Even his link was barely there. 
“Skippy?” Luke asked. 
“Don’t worry,” his voice assured the diamond dog. “I’m just doing some… recon.” 
“Recon?” Luke asked, before noticing the tunnels behind them. Something blue glowed in the darkness for a second before blinking out. Luke backed up towards the iron paws, glowering at the darkness. 
Seconds later, however, a crumbling sound from the front of the tunnel drew their attention. The digger dogs burrowed out into a cavern. All around them, crystals and gems gleamed like mirrors, giving the dogs reflections of their excited expressions.
“The mines!” one whispered.
“Gems!” another whimpered, pointing out the rare metals.
“HOORAY!” they all cried as one.
Luke pat at his Iron Paws. “Get everyone inside and get a perimeter started,” he ordered. “If something ain’t a diamond dog, it doesn’t get through this tunnel.” As they moved to obey, Luke gave one last look at the shadowy tunnels where the blue eyes had watched him. “Don’t get yourself killed, Skip,” Luke added. “It’s bad enough Shiva is up there with those ponies. Now, we gotta worry about the changelings too.”

#

Further down the tunnel, a changeling watched the diamond dogs from the shadows, as they scurried into the abandoned mines. The changeling looked back as more drones and workers scuttled forward, careful not to give their position away. But as they scurried past the changeling’s hiding spot, he came out, blending instantly into their horde. 
“Yes, Luke,” Skippy thought. “You'll have to worry a lot.”
> Chapter 6: The Alicorn Princess
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With a flash of light, Shiva found herself in a room that had to belong to Celestia. A desk sat on one side of the room, complete with a stack of scrolls, quills and inkwells. Books adorned the far end of the room; tomes that Shiva knew Skippy would’ve died to get his paws on. Various contraptions, instruments and other objects decorated the rest of the room. And a bed that took up almost half of the far side of the room looked like a patch of sunlight that someone could sleep in. 
But none of those things interested Shiva. She lowered her head, and focused on her pack link.
“Shiva!” Luke was barking. “Shiva, please; are you alright!”
“I’m okay, Luke,” Shiva assured him. “I’m okay.” 
At least, she hoped she was okay. Lifting her head, she found herself staring into the curious pink eyes of Princess Celestia, still as tall and imposing as ever before. Yet, the kinder light in her eyes was more prominent, and she settled herself in a couchant position that kept Shiva from having to stare up at her.
“You know,” Celestia noted, a touch of teasing in her voice. “If you had been more patient the first time you were here, we could have talked. I would have made your stay more pleasant.” 
Shiva’s ears flattened, the memory of her time in Canterlot’s cells coming back to her.
“It’s a little hard to be patient when an unfamiliar pink mare with no sense of personal space suddenly drops in from nowhere, chatters at you like a crazed squirrel and then chokes you with sugar,” Shiva noted dryly.
Celestia’s smile flickered, but she managed to maintain her composure. 
“Sugar choking you?” she commented, almost sounding horrified, though the amused light in her eyes gave away her act. “How horrendous. Sugar is supposed to be sweet and tasty. How could someone turn it into such a horrible weapon?” She perked. “I daresay a horror story could be written from such a concept.” 
Shiva glowered at her. “Are you really trying to crack a joke at my expense?” Shiva asked.
“Oh, no, of course not,” Celestia replied. “The joke’s yours for free,” she added with a smile. 
Shiva’s irritated frown didn’t fade. Celestia sighed.
“Shiva, please try to relax,” Celestia asked. “I'm not like Blueblood or his posse. I fully understand you’ve returned ready to re-join Equestria as a friend and ally. Surely, there’s no reason…” 
Shiva’s ears flattened. “I’m not here to be friends, Princess,” she warned. "And I'm not staying." 
Celestia’s face fell, yet her voice remained casual. “Oh,” she noted. “So… Luna’s suspicions were correct? You have come to break faith and invade? Because you’re not exactly in a good position for that.”
Shiva chuckled darkly. “Your ponies broke faith with me after they locked me in a cage,” she reminded the princess. “After they whipped me bloody; after they forced me to watch my fellow prisoners get tortured, and then blamed their suffering on me.”
Celestia face fell at Shiva’s words. She sighed in regret.
“Beast Breaker,” Princess Celestia admitted. “Was an evil stallion. What he did went against every value and moral I’ve built Equestria on.” She bowed her head to the diamond dog. “On behalf of Equestria and pony-kind, I ask your forgiveness for the crimes he committed against you and everyone else who suffered under him.” She looked back up. “And I beg you not to judge the whole of Equestria for his despicable deeds.” 
Shiva breathed, but nodded. 
“I don’t hold you guilty for his crimes,” she assured the princess. “But I am not beholden to a vow that I never had the option to make. Especially when it’s with ponies willing to believe I’d want to come back here without very good reasons.”
Celestia’s ear flicked. “Then enlighten me: what are these ‘very good reasons’ that have brought you back?” 
Her eyes narrowed. “The changelings.” 
Celestia ear flicked. “Fellow denizens of Beast Breaker’s fighting pits, if I recall Twilight's report.” 
“Whether it’s for the pain her drones went through, or something more nefarious,” Shiva explained, “Chrysalis wants Canterlot overthrown, and you in chains. She attempted to recruit my aid, but I rejected her. Based on how she reacted, I can safely assume that if she succeeds in beating you, she will come after us next.” She stepped closer. “My hope is that together, we’ll keep her from hurting anyone again. Then, we leave each other alone; no diamond dog crosses into Equestrian territory, and we don’t even smell an Equestrian near our territory for the next few centuries.” 
Celestia pouted, but her ears didn’t flatten. “Your reasons are… odd,” she admitted. “But your actions are still welcome. I am grateful for your aid.” She inclined her head. 
“I’m afraid I’m going to need your word,” Shiva said. “That after Chrysalis is dealt with, you will leave my pack alone, just as I will leave you and your ponies alone.” 
Celestia still looked nervous about the idea. “Shiva,” Celestia said, in a tone that implied she was seeking a better deal. “You said you didn’t judge everypony for Beast Breaker’s sins…”
“I don’t,” Shiva said. “But even without him, we’ve still got baggage between us.” Her tail tucked as she continued. “What I did to Beast Breaker… I won’t say that I regret it. But I do recognize that it was far beyond self-defense. And while I understand the Stare was just a measure your ponies had to take after his death… it doesn’t mean I have to like how it humiliated me.” Shiva’s gaze hardened. “And what Luna did in my cell certainly wasn't called for.” 
Celestia winced. “She’s been gone for several centuries,” she tried to justify. “She's still trying to integrate with...”
“Whatever her reasons,” Shiva replied bluntly, "She dug through my mind like it was her own personal filing cabinet, and made me relive one of the worst experiences of my life." 
She stepped forward. 
“Your word, Princess,” she said. “Once this is over, we will leave each other be.” 
“Without even a chance of reconciliation later down the road?” Celestia almost pleaded.
“Your word,” she repeated. 
The alicorn and the wolf stared each other down, before Celestia sighed in defeat.
“Very well,” she said, putting a hoof over her heart. “As Princess Celestia, Sol Invictus and Diarch of Equestria, I solemnly vow that after the threat to Equestria has been lifted, we will part ways and never darken each other’s doorsteps until we are ready to repair the damage done to the friendship we could have had.” 
Shiva glared at her skeptically, but her vow did sound solemn enough. With a reluctant sigh, Shiva nodded.
“Alright then,” Shiva straightened. “Now, that guard with the purple armor…?”
“Shining Armor,” Celestia confirmed. “The Captain of the Royal Guard.” 
“And ‘Cadence’s fiancé?” 
Celestia nodded. “They are to be married in a fortnight.” 
Shiva flinched. “If they have that kind of history, I’m not confident that your changeling sweep will catch her. Chrysalis – or Cadence, as she’s going by - had Shining Armor right by her side. Likely as not she has him under some kind of spell.”
Celestia winced. 
“Oh, Shining Armor, you love-struck foal,” Celestia muttered, before her ears perked. “Well, at the very least it got the nobles out of the way.”  
Shiva tilted her head. “Meaning…?”  
“I deal very often with Blueblood and his fellow ‘nobles,’” Celestia explained. “I have to find ways to humble them as often as I can.” 
Shiva chuckled. "At least I'm not the only one irritated by him."
"Indeed," Celestia replied with a chuckle. Her expression turned serious. “But if Chrysalis has taken the form of my niece, then…”
“Then we expose her,” Shiva said. “We bring her forward, expose her, then...”
Celestia chuckled. “I’m grateful for the enthusiasm, Shiva, but even with her believing her cover is sound, she won’t come forward if you just tell her to. We’re going to have to be subtle about it.”
Shiva’s ears flattened at the light in Celestia’s eyes. “Define ‘subtle.’” 

#

Shiva glowered at Celestia from under the massive amount of chains covering her body.
“This is not what ‘subtle’ brings to mind,” Shiva noted.
“Don't worry, it's only temporary,” Celestia replied, just before the crowd of nobles sauntered into the throne room, eyeing Shiva with triumph. The Mane Six and Spike stood alongside them, their expressions more fearful and angry. 
“Ah, excellent,” Blueblood demanded. “Is the creature going to be banished publically?”
“Princess Celestia, please…” Fluttershy whimpered, even as Shiva winced away from her exposed eyes. “You can’t…”
“You don’t tell a Princess what she can and can’t do,” a noble mare chastised the yellow pegasus. “She decides things for this country.” 
“Very right, Upper Crust,” Celestia said with a nod. She turned back to Shiva. “And as Princess of Canterlot and Defender of Equestria, I must protect my subjects from those that would threaten my home and my friends.”
The nobles nodded smugly. 
“But Shiva’s not yer enemy!” Applejack protested. “She came to help!”
“Quiet, peasant,” Blueblood demanded. “Let the princess do what she does best.”
The mares gave Shiva pained looks, but the wolf didn’t look at them. She focused on Cadence, who was watching the whole thing with an expression of both relief and smugness. The diamond dog turned back to Celestia as her horn began to glow.
“You stand accused of threatening Canterlot,” Celestia declared. “You stand accused of the imprisonment of Princess Cadence.”
“Mí Amore Cadenza,” Cadence corrected quietly from the back, but Celestia glanced at her with a grin.
“How do you answer these charges…” Celestia asked, her grin widening as her eyes didn’t leave Cadence. “Queen Chrysalis?”
Every noble’s face twitched in confusion, but Cadence’s ears flattened in horror. Before she could move, Celestia’s horn fired. But not at Shiva. 
With a burst of pink and gold light, Cadence was yanked forward and burst into a shower of sparks. From the sparks, a changeling was flung to the floor before the nobles, looking up and around like a cornered animal.
Except – Shiva’s gut twisted – it wasn’t Chrysalis. It was Thorax! The small changeling waved sheepishly at the other nobles. 
“CHANGELING!” Blueblood screamed. The nobles danced away from the changeling, shrieking like little foals. The Mane Six, however, jumped to action, surrounding Thorax with pawing hooves and glowering expressions.
Thorax forced himself back up, facing Celestia as the alicorn stared her down. 
“Clever,” he admitted. “But not clever e…”
He didn’t get the chance to finish before a tendril of lightning shot through the air and snagged him around the neck. Rarity gasped and jumped out of the way as the tendril shot by her.
“What?!” Thorax cried, staring in shock as Shiva shrugged off the chains and rose, her own fur glowing and turning her and Celestia into twin suns. “How…?!”
“Fake chains,” Shiva declared. Celestia grinned.
“Even Princesses know how to have fun,” she commented. 
Thorax’s eyes bugged out of his skull in anger and fear, but he didn’t get the chance to try and attack. With a sharp intake of breath, Shiva absorbed the changeling’s magic. Thorax flailed and cried as his magic was drained, bit by bit, into Shiva’s link. 
In seconds, Shiva had Thorax hanging limply in her tendril, any magic and energy sucked out. 
“Guards,” Celestia called. The Royal Guards jumped, too shocked at Thorax’s sudden appearance to move, and quickly surrounded him, taking the Mane Six’s place. Celestia nodded at Shiva, and the white diamond dog released her grip, letting Thorax fall into the waiting hooves of the guards.
“Escort…” Celestia started to say, before Shiva cut her off.
“Thorax,” she said, before noticing Celestia’s surprised look. “Apologies, Princess, but his name is Thorax,” she explained. 
Celestia nodded. “Guards,” she said in a softer tone. “Escort ‘Thorax’ to a cell. Shiva will be helping us find out what he knows, and where we can find the real Princess Cadence.” She noticed Shiva’s confused look. “If the changelings are bold enough to take the form of an Equestrian alicorn princess, they must have her in their custody. Rescuing her will draw out Chrysalis for sure.” 
Shiva nodded, even as Blueblood gagged in alarm.
“Y-You’re going to trust this…?” Blueblood stammered. But Princess Celestia gave him a triumphant smirk.  
“Make sure Ex-Prince Blueblood has a cell near the changeling,” Celestia said to the Royal Guards. As the shocked stallions moved to obey, Celestia grinned at a dumbfounded Blueblood. “For it seems that he encouraged the abuse and mistreatment of one of our new allies.”
Blueblood squeaked in fear, but the nobles quickly abandoned him. One even shoved him towards the guards.
“Y-Yes!” she cried, “Punish him for hurting such a-a marvelous hero!”
The other nobles joined the chant of praise for Shiva in earnest, even as the guards converged on them as well. But the white diamond dog paid them no mind. She followed closely behind Thorax, keeping an eye on the guards as he was led from the chamber.
“That was amazing, Shiva,” Twilight gushed as she walked by the mares. “See? I told you Princess Celestia was better than the nobles! Didn’t I tell you?”
Shiva walked right by her without talking. The mares smiles slowly faded as Shiva exited the throne room without a word. Applejack and Spike glanced at the others before racing after the white diamond dog.
However, another mare was waiting for Shiva outside the throne room. 
“Greetings, Howlite Howler,” Luna said, a smile across her face… but one that didn’t reach her eyes.
Shiva walked by her without a word. Undeterred, Luna fell in line behind her. The Mane Six gave each other nervous looks, before following after them. 
“I just saw Blueblood,” she said, her voice still neutral, but trying to remain positive. “Well done.”  
“Uh-huh,” Shiva said. Luna’s smile began to fade at the diamond dog’s utter lack of interest in her.
“Y-You know,” Luna insisted, “You’ve made a good start, but the road of atonement is a hard one. I should know; I’ve traversed it myself for some time.” 
“Really,” Shiva mumbled, only half into the conversation.
“Yes,” Luna’s face fell with regret. “I have… made mistakes in the past. But I strive to prove that I am no longer to be feared or hated. And I am more than happy to aid you in redeeming yourself to Equestria.”
“Redeem?” Shiva demanded. She stopped in place, waiting until Luna faced her. “Why should I need redemption?”
Luna’s ears flattened and she stepped back. “Well, why not?” she asked. “You’re here now, aren’t you? Clearly, you’ve recognized your own short-comings and forgiven our own.”
Shiva narrowed her eyes at her, resisting the urge to claw the alicorn across the face.
“My short-comings?!” Shiva demanded. “Your ponies enslaved me and tortured me!”
Luna gaped as if Shiva had slapped her. 
“W-Well?” Luna demanded. “You murdered a… well…” she stumbled over the term ‘innocent,’ which Shiva was quick to jump on.
“What?” she demanded. “An ‘innocent’ is now anyone that’s a pony? It’s a crime to defend myself? Besides…” her voice lowered. “We both know you’ve done far worse.” 
“Whoa, nelly, hang on!” Applejack’s voice cried.
“Yeah, slow down, you two!” Spike called after her.
Shiva sighed as the Mane Six galloped between her and the dumbfounded Princess of the night. 
“H-How doth thou…” Luna stammered, falling into Old English. 
“Skippy found plenty of books on Equestrian History,” Shiva replied darkly. “I heard plenty about Nightmare Moon. How you kick-started a civil war. Nearly plunged the land into an eternal night. An action that – might I add - would’ve sentenced everyone to a slow, cold and starvation-riddled death. And for what? Because you were jealous of your sister?” 
“No, it’s more complicated than that,” Twilight insisted. “Luna wasn’t thinking clearly. She was possessed by a dark force that magnified her negative feelings.”
“A dark force?” Shiva asked, biting back a chuckle. “Was Beast Breaker possessed by a 'dark force' as well? Is Blueblood possessed by a 'dark force' right now?” 
The mares glanced at each other. “Well… no,” Twilight admitted. “But… well, they didn’t do anything that bad, right?”
Applejack nearly kicked Twilight into the wall, but the damage was done.
“I-I meant in terms of ‘Blueblood did something,’” Twilight stammered, as Shiva face palmed. “Not… what happened in the pits…”
Shiva shook her head in disgust. She glared back up at Luna.
“If these are the kinds of ponies you’re trying to ‘redeem’ yourself for?” Shiva growled at the midnight alicorn. “Then you clearly have no idea who needs to atone for their actions.”
“And doth that make thou actions justifiable?” Luna demanded.
“No,” Shiva admitted. “But neither are yours. So, stop acting like a high horse.”
"She's not acting like a high horse; she doesn't have any..." Pinkie started to reply with a giggle, before the collective glares of the others forced her down. "Sorry," she whimpered. "Trying to lighten the mood..." 
“B-But anyway, we said we were sorry!” Twilight jumped back into the argument. “And we are; all of us, we’re very sorry…” 
“Twilight,” Shiva snarled. “If you keep lying to me…” 
“I’m not LYING!” Twilight shrilled. 
Applejack jumped in before Shiva could argue back.
“How about this, then,” Applejack offered, looking Shiva in the eye. “Pinkie is sorry for what she did. Fluttershy is mighty sorry for what she did.”
Shiva glanced over at the two. Pinkie was nodding vigorously, though Shiva didn’t see how Fluttershy was reacting; the dog’s head still wouldn’t turn in the yellow mare’s direction.
“Please, Shiva,” Fluttershy whimpered, the pain evident in her voice. “I wish I never had to use the Stare in the first place. I’m so-so-SO sorry.” 
Shiva’s hostile stance faltered, and she sighed. 
Applejack grinned, turning back to the others. Twilight was stammering, looking back and forth between them.
“W… but how… why…?” Twilight whispered
“We kept saying we’re all sorry,” Applejack whispered back. “She ain’t inclined to believe all of us are sorry. But some of us are.” 
Twilight gasped in realization. But just then, Pinkie tried to give Shiva a hug. The white diamond dog kept the pink mare at arm’s length. 
“I believe you’re sorry and want forgiveness.” She nodded at Fluttershy and Pinkie. “But I’m not ready to accept it yet.” 
“So, you’d rather stay with diamond dogs over us?” Luna asked, sounding disturbed by the action. 
“I’ll show her ‘some diamond dogs,'” Luke grumbled through the link.
Shiva smiled softly at his words, but didn’t let any other signs show that she was still in contact with her pack.
“I’d rather stay with my pack,” Shiva corrected. “The people whom I have actually developed bonds with. My friends. My family.” 
“B-But you could have that with us too!” Twilight protested. 
“I don’t believe you,” Shiva said, pointing at Twilight for emphasis. 
Twilight gaped, wanting to speak, but only small squeak escaped her.
“What about us?” Applejack asked sadly. Shiva looked towards Applejack, Pinkie and even Fluttershy with a sad look. “Can’t we still…?”
Shiva moaned in frustration. 
"I'm not..." Shiva sighed. "You and Spike have been nothing but kind to me," she assured them. "And I appreciate it." She turned to PInkie and Fluttershy. "And I appreciate how hard you guys are trying.” She blinked hard, and her face hardened. “But I need my space right now.” She nodded at Rainbow Dash and Rarity. “Some of you need your space from me.” She gave one final disgusted look at a glowering Luna. “And some of you need to figure out what you did wrong in the first place.” 
She looked over her shoulder. The Royal Guards had paused, but were trying to keep an eye on Thorax. Though the changeling looked just as invested in the argument as they were, and made no attempt to escape.
“And before any of us can have our space,” Shiva concluded. “I need to figure out where Queen Chrysalis is, so I can keep her from hurting any of my pack.” 

#

As Thorax was led away, followed by Shiva, he watched the mare’s reactions: Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie glared at Rainbow Dash and Rarity, who only glared right back at them. Twilight and Luna looked like they had been sucker punched, while Applejack and Spike just turned to each other with shakes of their heads. 
Thorax looked away, and his spirits lifted as he saw one guard wink at him, his eyes flashing green in a mixed signal before she turned away.
The ponies noticed nothing; Shiva herself only caught enough to give the guard a suspicious look as he left. But even she couldn’t translate the message the ‘guard’ gave Thorax.

#

Meanwhile, deep down in the Canterlot Mines, most of the diamond dogs were gleefully pulling gems and jewels from the stone walls. But there were a few diamond dogs who weren’t happy with the bounty of treasure they were finding. 
Luke paced fitfully, watching their links vanish into the rock above. 
“This is stupid,” Luke growled. “Shiva having to play nice with these ungrateful horses. We should beat some sense into them.”
“Right now?” an Iron Paw asked, hefting his axe. 
Luke glanced at the axe, before looking up at the ceiling. 
“As tempting as it is,” he finally grumbled. “Shiva’s still Alpha; we wait for her signal.”
The Iron Paw glowered up at the rocks before hefting his axe. “Hope she gives the signal soon,” he replied.
Luke nodded. “Me, too.”  

#

Skippy watched as Luke went back to pacing. He only watched his pack mate for a moment before turning to the two changelings watching the diamond dogs as well. Thankfully, even if the other changelings noticed Skippy, they just thought he was one of them. He looked just like them now; equine and insectoid, with the same holes in his legs, even if his normal form didn’t need them. 
“Diamond Dogs,” the larger one mused. “Quick tempers. Slow minds.” He chuckled. “Maybe the Queen’s old plan isn’t such a bust after all.” 
“Force another fight?” the second changeling asked. “All the way down here?” 
“All we need is the right bait to drag them out,” the first one replied. He glanced up as a flurry of green lights flashed in the darkness. A signal. “And we’ve got the perfect bait to do it.”
Skippy narrowed his eyes. What does that mean? He thought. 
Carefully, cautiously, he followed the changelings as they retreated further into the mines. However, he failed to notice the diamond dogs noticing the scuttling, skittering sound of the changeling’s wings. 
For as he followed the changelings, taking care not to stand out, he found them already setting their bait in place. 
What they planned to use for bait made Skippy’s eyes widen in horror.
> Chapter 7: The Domino Effect
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The roles may have been reversed, but not in the way Shiva wanted. Where once she had been chained to a wall with some pony interrogating her, now she was the interrogator. But the one chained to the wall wasn’t one of her pony tormentors. It was a changeling whom she honestly still sympathized with. To make matters even worse, Celestia and Luna stood right outside the cell, and they were watching Shiva; Celestia with hope, Luna with bitterness. 
“Heck of a thing, isn’t it?” Thorax noted. “Despite everything, we’re back in their cage.”
“Yet only one of us is still in chains,” Shiva replied morosely. 
Thorax grinned softly. “One of us?” he mused. “Maybe in physical chains. But metaphorical chains?” He chuckled. “Now, that’s a different story, isn’t it?” 
Shiva shook her head. “I’d prefer metaphorical to the physical chains I’d be in if my dogs were taken by your changelings.” 
Thorax chuckled. “Shiva,” he chastised. “You really think that little of me?”
“Not of you,” Shiva assured him. “But your Queen’s another story.”
Thorax’s eyes narrowed. “Queen Chrysalis has been wronged,” he insisted. “Our entire hive was banished to the wasteland just for trying to think of new ways to extract love. And that’s all we really need; love.”
Shiva’s ear flicked in disbelief. “Love?” she asked.
“Lust… family… friendship…” Thorax shrugged. “If it’s a positive emotion gained from another being, we need it, the same way you need food like gems and meat.” 
“Then why be blunt about it?” Shiva asked. “Why not just stay in a pack, help them grow, and then feed off the love others would show you as a member of the pack?” 
Thorax thought about it, before noticing he was thinking about it. He covered his doubt with a scoff. “Y-You sound just like the other hives. They all said the same thing; ‘strengthen the community; put the food before yourself.’” His voice hitched, like he might just believe these ‘other hives,’ but he shook his head, clearing it. “The Queen found another way; a way to get a subject’s full love, instead of just partial love.” He leaned forward. “Your pack wouldn’t suffer; you’d be able to live in a paradise.”
“Paradise?”
“Illusions inside the cocoons; where we can make your dreams reality. O-Or, apparently, reality,” Thorax promised. “And all you’d need to do is let us feed off the joy and happiness you’d have in that illusion.” 
Shiva’s ears flattened. “Until what?” she asked. “Until we die from starvation or thirst? Or when you drain us of all the love in our bodies?”
Thorax winced, but tried to cover for it with a sheepish shrug. “Is it really that bad?” he asked. “I mean… you’d at least see the ponies get captured before you did.” 
Shiva glared at him. “You know, it’s a good thing I can sense part of you doesn’t believe a word you just said,” she said. “Otherwise, I’d have smacked you so hard, your head would spin.” 
Thorax sighed. “So… I’m guessing you’re still declining our queen’s offer.” 
Shiva sighed. “Thorax,” she said. “I’m not the only one that should be denying the queen.” She indicated him. “You’re different from Queen Chrysalis. Better. I can sense it.”
Thorax looked down. “Who cares?” he asked. “I’m just a drone. I serve the hive, and the queen. What other life do I have?” 
Shiva thought about it, before offering her claw. 
“A life with my pack,” she offered, trying to ignore the burst of outrage that echoed up from Luke. She spoke just as much to the disbelieving diamond dogs as she did to Thorax. “You suffered alongside me and Luke. You deserve to have a pack who cares about you.”
Thorax looked up at Shiva with a tilted head. He glanced at the cell door, and chuckled.
“Would your pony friends like that? Your pack taking on a changeling?” 
Shiva followed his gaze. Luna didn’t look happy with her offer. But Celestia was pricking her ears with intrigue. Shiva turned her backs on them, focusing on Thorax.
“They aren’t my friends,” Shiva growled. “And I don’t care what they think. But let me ask you this: is Queen Chrysalis doing this just to take over Equestria? Or is she doing it because you got hurt? Because ponies hurt you, and she cares enough about her subjects to see some form of justice done?”
Thorax just stared at her, like such empathy was unbelievable among his kind. Shiva sighed.
“I guess not.” Shiva looked up at him. “I know it’s different for you, but I can’t understand that type of apathy. That level of utter disregard for one’s people.” 
Thorax smiled. “Because you’re a good soul,” he replied. “Despite what every pony thinks… you really are better than them.”
Shiva looked away with a blush. Luna fumed, Celestia holding her back with a wing. Thorax looked down, in consideration. Shiva found herself holding her breath.
A second passed. Then another. Then another. 
Thorax then looked up… and grinned, showing his fangs.
“So… would I have to do to join your pack?” he asked, before his eyes darted to the cell door. “Hypothetically speaking, of course?”
Shiva breathed in, despite already holding her breath. Here goes, she thought. 
“Do the changelings have Princess Cadence?” Shiva asked. 
Another second passed. And another. 
“Yes,” Thorax said. 
Celestia’s breath caught in her throat, and Luna nearly charged forward, her sister’s wing keeping her from interfering. Shiva’s own gaze grew intense. 
“Then just tell us where she is?” Shiva asked. 

#

Down in the Canterlot mines, Skippy stared in horror as Princess Cadence slowly rose to her hooves. The disguise Chrysalis had used had not been hyperbole; the poor alicorn looked like she had been dragged through a mountain and then left in this cave for a month. Her fur was scuffed, torn out in places and almost black with soot. Her regalia was chipped and cracked. And her eyes had a dead look to them, like she had grown used to torment and distrust.  
He glanced towards the entrance. Thankfully, there was only one guard. The other changeling had flown off. For what purpose, Skippy was unsure of. But it was an opportunity he had to take advantage of. 
Zipping down, he landed on the guard’s back. The guard barely had a chance to hiss before Skippy zapped him with a burst of stun magic. As the changeling went limp, Skippy yanked him back up into the shadows, webbing him in green resin. Skippy flipped back down with a burst of green fire, quickly assuming the form of the changeling guard. Looking around again, he shifted into the form of Twilight and dove into the cell.
“Princess Cadence?” he whispered.
Cadence’s eyes widened in hope. “Twilight?” she whimpered, before shaking her head. “No… no-no, just… it’s just another illusion.”
Despite her mantra, Skippy shivered at the love that had briefly shined on Cadence’s face. But he forced himself not to focus on it. He held out a hoof for her.
“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I’m going to get you out of here…” 
“Just an illusion,” Cadence almost sang. “Not real…” 
But before he could say more, they heard the buzz of wings. Skippy glanced outside, and clenched his teeth in horror; a guard was coming back.
He cursed, drawing a gasp from the Princess, but he didn’t have time for her shock, shoving her back. 
“Just follow my lead,” he said, hoping Twilight Sparkle would say something like that.
Thankfully, the Princess seemed to have enough sense left in her to scoot back to her usual spot, while Skippy scooted back into the shadows.
The other guard entered, only to get a face full of stun spells. He crumbled to the ground, and Skippy dragged him inside, as Cadence gasped in shock.
“You…” she stammered, looking between the two. “But your magic was green. Twilight’s is purple, I…” 
Skippy hissed as he realized his horn had lit up in the classic changeling green. 
“Look, what does it matter?” he demanded. “I’m trying to get you away from Chrysalis.”
“But…” Cadence’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re not from Chrysalis’ Hive, are you?”
“Normally, I love Twenty Questions,” Skippy said, grabbing Cadence. “But we really need to do this on the move.” 
Cadence looked around furiously, but realized he was right, and resigned herself to a nod. Skippy inched out, checking for guards before motioning for Cadence to follow. Realizing Cadence already knew what he was, he shifted into the more starved appearance of the changeling guards, and he let Cadence move ahead of him. 
“If anyone else comes,” Skippy told Cadence, “Just pretend like I’m keeping you from escaping.”
Cadence nodded mutely, still staring transfixed at Skippy’s form. 
A changeling guard appeared ahead of them, and Skippy forced himself to look threatening and intimidating. Before he could think of something to say, the changeling moved to the side, letting him and Cadence pass.
“Thorax played his role to perfection,” the changeling hissed with laughter. “Just set the bait for the intruders.”
Skippy paled under his disguise. What did that mean? Was he leading Cadence into another trap? But he couldn’t let his fear show, and he couldn’t risk blowing his cover just yet.
Settling for a quick nod, he pulled Cadence past, and continued down the tunnel, his compound eyes darting around carefully to ensure the cryptic guard didn't follow them. Cadence limped along, drinking in his appearance. 
“It’s gotta be Vespin Hive,” Cadence muttered to herself. “I know Queen Vespa; if you’re not her, you’re…” She resisted stomping in realization. “Her daughter Scorpia? Wait… no,” she chastised herself. “Scorpia’s female.” 
“Sh!” Skippy hissed, looking around again before continuing. “It’s technically Mandible,” he whispered. “Scorpia’s son and 20th in line for the throne. But please… call me Skippy.” 
“Skippy?” Cadence mumbled. “That’s… a nice name for a changeling.” 
Skippy grinned. “Grandmother started it. Or maybe I did; I just couldn’t wait for my legs to grow in, so I skipped everywhere until they did.”
Cadence chuckled, before looking around with a fearful look.
“I’m glad you’re on my side, at least, Skippy,” she said. “Though… I don’t understand. The last thing I remember was working out the details of helping out Caritatin Hive.” 
“Caritatin Hive?” Skippy mumbled, confused. “That Hive lost their royal family 50 years ago?” But both of them ducked as another buzzing sound emanated from above. Both of them were silent until it faded away, and even then, their voices were softer. Cadence turned back to Skippy.
“I've been trying to help them get back on their hooves. Except... why did they turn on me?” she demanded. “Are they with Chrysalis?” 
“No,” Skippy assured her. “This was only Chrysalis.” 
Cadence’s brows furrowed. “But I thought your grandmother banished that maniac for making those awful cocoons. And then Auntie Celestia defeated her when she tried to prove her way was stronger.”
“Unfortunately, Chrysalis never knew how to stay down,” Skippy said. “That, and a new diamond dog I’ve been looking over has reignited her hope that she can take Equestria.”
Cadence’s eyes glanced ahead of Skippy. “You mean that Diamond Dog?” 
Skippy spun, his breath hitching in his throat. Luke and a band of Iron Paws were racing into the tunnel ahead of them, axes held aloft.
“Changeling!” Luke snarled.
“And… pony?” another iron paw mumbled confused. 
Skippy cursed. With barely another word, he shot into the shadows and vanished with a burst of green.
“Wait!” Cadence cried, but Skippy didn’t give her the chance to speak his name. And in seconds, he was gone. Cadence was left on her own with the iron paw diamond dogs. 
They all looked to Luke in confusion. “So… what do we do?” one of them asked. 
Luke shook his head, unsure, but before he could say anything, the pack link flared. Luke almost doubled over in shock.
“Luke!” Shiva cried through the link. “Get everyone out of the mines. Hide them! Now!”  
“Alpha?” Luke whimpered. “W-What is…”
“The changelings are down there!” Shiva’s thoughts screamed. “Princess Luna got ahead of me. She’s going to catch you. Please, you’ve got to hide.” 
Luke gasped. He turned around.
“All dogs, back into the tunnels!” he barked. “Move! Mothers and pups first!”
The dogs sprung to action, racing back into the mines. 
“Wait!” Cadence yelled, glancing at where Skippy had gone before running after them. “Are you helping? What’s going on?”
Though most of the diamond dogs ignored her, a familiar brown diamond dog raced out of the shadows.
“Follow me,” Skippy said. “We’ll get you above ground.”
But just as he led her towards the mines, a bellow of rage echoed down the tunnels. Cadence froze. 
“A-Auntie Luna?” Cadence asked. 
Skippy froze, his skin paling under his fur. “Luna?” he asked. “She’s here?”
“I almost hope not,” she whimpered. “I’ve never heard her that angry before.”
Then a burst of magic sounded. The two raced out just in time to see two dogs go sprawling, Luna towering over them in a rage.
“FILTHY BRUTES!” Luna roared. “CRUEL BEASTS! THOU DARES TO STEAL FROM THE MINES OF CANTERLOT! THOU RISKS SENDING OUR PALACE INTO THE WATERS BELOW!”
She prepared a second blast, only for a flash of white to cannonball into her with a howl. Luna went tumbling across the mines, as Shiva landed before her, eyes black with rage and fangs bared all the way up to the gums. 
“Don’t! TOUCH! MY DOGS!” Shiva bellowed at the staggered princess.
“Alpha!” the dogs cheered.
“Mothers and pups out!” Shiva ordered, glaring at Luna. “This one’s mine!”
The dogs obeyed, but Cadence tried to jump in before the alicorn and howlite howler could begin to fight.
“Wait!” she screamed. “Everyone stop!”
“Alpha Shiva, there’s been a big mistake!” Skippy insisted.
But as Shiva's gaze softened at the sight of her advisor, Luna's expression only hardened.
“Princess Cadenza!” Luna growled, turning her venomous gaze back on Shiva. “Thou had our princess down here the whole time?!”
Cadence put her hooves against her mouth, and backed up with Skippy into the shadows. But the damage had already been done. Shiva’s ears plastered against her skull, her link strengthening as her Iron Paws formed around her.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Shiva snarled. “Another way to paint me as the bad guy, right?”
“Enough!”a regal voice boomed.
Seconds later, Celestia and a smattering of royal guards appeared in a flash of golden light, eyes wide in shock at the sight of the other diamond dogs.
"Shiva!” Celestia demanded. “What are these diamond dogs doing here?” 
“Is it not clear, sister?” Luna demanded. She pointed at the chipped supports where the dogs had been mining. “These tunnels run directly under Canterlot. She sought to steal our gems… and likely worse!”
“Of course,” a guard said. “Look at the support structures. That dog must be planning to bring the whole castle down into the water!” 
“You stinking liar!” Shiva snarled.
“Blueblood was right to distrust her,” Luna declared. “We must defeat these monsters. Once and for all!”
But Shiva jumped between the ponies and dogs and flared her lightning.
“You want to find out how it felt for Beast Breaker when I murdered him?!” Shiva demanded.
Luna’s horn lit up with a snarl of her own, but Celestia forced herself between them.
“Every pony calm down!” Celestia demanded, flaring her horn. Shiva and the dogs prepared for an attack, but Celestia simply crafted a barrier, defending Luna and her guards while also keeping them from attacking the dogs. She fixed her gaze on Shiva. “Now, Shiva. Stow your threats and calmly explain; why did your Diamond Dogs come under Canterlot?” she asked. 
Celestia’s soothing voice just barely snapped Shiva out of her anger, her eyes turning back from black to brown. Despite the fear and loathing reeling through her link, she struggled to keep her voice level. 
“The changelings could have hurt them,” Shiva tried to explain. “My link protects them; all I was trying to do was protect them!” 
“Why would the changelings attack their own allies?” Luna demanded. “You had the Princess down here the whole time.”
“No, they didn’t!” Cadence insisted. She struggled forward, Skippy wisely not holding her back. “They were just down here by coincidence. I was only running away from the changelings.” 
Luna glanced at her niece with doubt, while Celestia nodded in thanks. Then, one guard ruined it.
“W-Wait…” he pointed out. “How do we know you’re not another changeling? Trying to make the diamond dog Alpha look good!” 
Before Cadence could prove it was her, Luke spoke up.
“How dare you accuse my Alpha of such treachery!” Luke snarled.
Cadence tried to protest, but her voice was lost over the hum of lightning, as the diamond dogs all powered up with the pack link. Part of Shiva knew she should’ve been trying to calm the situation down, but her own anger mixed with Luke’s and the other dogs, forming a cocktail of rage and distrust that made her light-headed.
“You, who sicced ponies onto us with declarations of invasion,” Luke insisted, pointing at Luna. “You, who couldn’t even see the changeling fleeing as…”
“As he delivered your prize for some nefarious scheme?!” one of the guards countered. “Undisputable proof that Blueblood was the wrong pony to cage!” 
“For the love of everything sacred, will you SHUT UP!” Shiva screamed, lightning flaring from her form. One guard jumped away from one of her bolts. 
“Shiva!” Celestia barked, “I will not allow you to threaten my subjects again!” 
“You see?” the guard cried. “She’s just as foul as the changelings. We need to clear them out! All of them!”  
Before Celestia could order them to stop, several guards stepped towards Shiva’s dogs. Beast Breaker flashed through her mind, and Shiva’s eyes went back to pitch black.
“Touch them and you burn like the sun,” she promised.
The guards grouped up, horns glowing and wings flaring, only for Luke to step between them.
“Threaten my subjects,” Luna threatened back. “And I’ll turn you into a star in my sky.”
“Both of you, enough!” Celestia snapped. 
Yet, as the dogs and ponies faced off, just barely held back by Celestia's voice, Skippy and Cadence had backed up towards the wall. 
“We have to stop this,” Cadence insisted. She looked back to Skippy, before double-taking. “Wait… aren’t you…?”
She stepped towards him… and one of the guards saw. 
“Princess, get away from that!” he yelled. A bolt of magic flung through the air. And even though it missed Skippy, it set off the bomb.
Shiva bellowed, and her shield dogs shot forward. Celestia flared her barrier, but didn’t think to look below.   
The ponies were seized from below by Iron Paws digging up from the ground, and were dragged deeper into the earth. They kicked themselves free, but several guards weren’t so lucky, their screams emanating as they vanished under the rock. Luna bashed into the shields of the diamond dogs with her shoulder. Celestia’s horn started to flare, only for Shiva and Luke to jump over it. Twin bursts of magic flared from the dogs, and Celestia sent stumbling back from their force.
“Shiva, wait!” Celestia pleaded. “Don’t do this!” 
But the dogs were beyond caring at this point. Shiva and Luke dug under and behind Luna. The princess sensed them, but they ducked as she tried to kick at them. Celestia had moved to try and subdue Shiva, and instead took Luna’s back hooves to her chest. 
“Princess Celestia!” another guard screamed, as the kick of an alicorn sent Celestia across the tunnel. 
Luna growled as she found herself surrounded.
“You make a grave mistake fighting me,” Luna warned. 
“You made a grave mistake attacking my pack mates,” Shiva retorted.
But as the diamond dogs tried to close in, Luna’s eyes glowed, and her horn flared with magic. 
Shiva’s pack link was no match; in mere seconds, the dogs were sent flying through the mines. Shiva slammed into Celestia, who enclosed her and Luke in a bubble of light.
“Shiva, stop this!” Celestia demanded. "You can't beat us." 
But then Shiva saw Luna turn back on her scattered diamond dogs. They were snarling behind the few shields they still had, but shivered with fear as Luna advanced on them.
“Your murderous Alpha cannot save you,” Luna snarled at the dogs. 
“The Princesses are victorious!” one guard cheered with a laugh. “You foolish diamond dogs and your murderer of a leader never had a chance.” 
Murder… Murderer. The word echoed in Shiva’s mind, and she felt the last vestiges of her sanity snap. 
Shiva howled in blind animal rage, her magic grabbing the bubble Celestia enclosed her in, and draining the magic. Celestia gasped and jumped back as her bubble popped and Shiva charged Luna again. 
“Luna!” Celestia screamed, firing another burst of magic. But Shiva caught the blast, screaming as it burned her claw, and channeled the magic into a blast that hit Luna. 
“Duck!” Luke yelled, and the dogs obeyed, diving back into the earth as Luna smashed right through the earth.
Celestia shut off her magic in horror, but Shiva still managed to channel the last vestiges of magic back at Celestia, throwing her back even as Shiva collapsed, both hands scorched and trembling in pain. 
“Shiva, please,” Celestia insisted. “Call off your diamond dogs. We’re both forgetting the real threat here.” 
Briefly, Shiva remembered the changelings, and her eyes strayed from the ponies in horror. But Luna was still in battle mode. And as Shiva’s hesitation spread to the rest of the dogs through the link, Luna burst from the rock and fire another midnight blue beam of magic at Shiva.
“Alpha!” Luke cried. 
“NO!” Skippy, Celestia and Cadence cried.
Shiva turned, but not fast enough. Luna’s beam burned into the palms of her claws. The fur on her arms burst into flames. Shiva screamed in agony, before she was punched into the ground and out of sight.
“Luna, stop!” Celestia screamed, teleporting to her sister. Cadence tried to go to them as well, only for two guards to grab her and pull her away from the battle. 
But as Shiva vanished from view, an explosion of magic blasted everyone back. 
Luna and Celestia were the first to rise. Luke and the other diamond dogs hadn’t even fallen. But all of them howled in despair. 
A scorched hole was all that was left of where Shiva stood. The last of her link faded away. But Luna’s magic did not. It swirled around the diamond dogs, pulsating as Luke turned from Shiva’s burial site, his eyes glowing in rage. When he spoke, his voice was soft as snow from a rampant blizzard.
“Shiva’s given us one last gift, boys,” he said to his dogs. “Let’s put it to good use.”  

#

As the diamond dogs attacked, Skippy crept towards where Shiva had been buried. With his changeling wings, he managed to fly the length of the tunnel and find her. His breathing slowed as he realized she was alive; her chest just barely rising and falling. Yet the rest of her appearance made Skippy shudder; arms blackened with burned fur, glassy eyes fluttering shut, her whole-body limp as a ragdoll.
Yet, as he turned to howl for help, the sound of magic and combat drew his gaze. He looked up, seeing magic beams flying over the holes above. The magic illuminated the changelings – Chrysalis’ changelings – entering the fray.  
Skippy whimpered, holding Shiva close to his chest, as the changelings began to join the diamond dogs.
> Chapter 8: Unlikely Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mane Six loitered in the empty throne room, unaware of the chaos beginning just beneath their hooves.
None of them seemed to know what to do; Twilight and Spike read from a book together. Rainbow Dash hoof-wrestled with Applejack, both with intense, far from playful expressions on their faces. Rarity paced the floor, constantly glancing up at the stain glass windows depicting their many adventures. Pinkie polished her party cannon. And Fluttershy sat staring at the door Shiva had gone through, Rainbow Dash’s shades hanging limply in her hooves.
After a moment of pacing, Rarity found herself next to the yellow mare. She sat with her for a moment before sighing. 
“I’m sorry, Fluttershy,” the white mare said solemnly. “For how I was acting with that… well, with Shiva.” 
Rainbow Dash faltered, and Applejack slammed her hoof to the ground. Neither seemed to take much pleasure in it. The blue mare sighed and flapped over to Fluttershy as well.
“I’m sorry too,” Rainbow Dash said. “I just…” she pursed her lips. “I saw what was left of that Beast Breaker guy.”
“We all did,” Twilight said, shutting the book. Spike glowered at the shut piece of text. 
“Did you also see the cages?” he asked. “The whips?”
Fluttershy’s eyes shut. “Only later,” she whispered. 
The others gathered around the yellow mare. 
“Fluttershy, you did what you had to do,” Twilight insisted. “Shiva may have been hurt, but she could’ve really hurt me. You stopped her from doing something she'd really regret.”
“But I couldn’t stop Beast Breaker,” Fluttershy whimpered. “I couldn’t stop him from hurting all those poor creatures in the first place.” 
"Come now, darling, that’s hardly fair,” Rarity said. “You didn’t even know who he was or what he was doing.” 
“I still can’t wrap my head around what he was doing,” Pinkie admitted, half-heartedly stretching her head for emphasis. “Ponies are supposed to be the good guys. Why would good guys do bad guy things like that?” 
Twilight grimaced. “His name was Beast Breaker,” she admitted. “Maybe…”
“What?” the others asked. 
Twilight flinched, like the answer hurt to say, but she continued. “Maybe Equestrian society isn’t as perfect as we want it to.” She looked down at her flank, where her cutie mark sat. “Maybe someone can get a cutie mark in something cruel and unjust.” She looked at Fluttershy. “An opposite to what you do best.” 
Fluttershy bowed her head. “I…” she started to say.
But before they could continue, an ominous rumble shook the floors beneath them. The others struggled to keep their balance, as the entire castle shook. As if the mountain was trying to throw the castle from its perch.
“What’s going on?” Rainbow Dash demanded, jumping into the air. 
“S-S-S-Something’s g-g-going down!” Pinkie exclaimed. “T-T-The ground’s s-s-shaking like I do when s-something’s a-about to fall!” 
Twilight’s eyes widened. “D-diamond dogs,” she muttered.
Struggling to stay on their hooves, the group raced for the outside, stumbling past equally shaking guards and nobles. However, as the ground shook and rumbled from the battle below, the girls quickly found the ground to be the least of their problems. 
For as they managed to stumble to the outside, they found the skies blackened with changeling drones, dive bombing straight for the city. 
“Holy Celestia,” Rainbow Dash stammered. “W-Where did they all come from?”
“Never mind that,” Applejack said. “Where’s the princesses!?”  

#

“I’m sorry!” Luna screamed as Luke wailed on her barrier. “By Faust above, I didn’t realize she was surrendering…”
Luke cut her off with a howl of rage. The diamond dog was shimmering with her magic, but his magic didn’t allow him to bust through her barrier. Further across the battlefield, Celestia had finally given up on peace talks, and reluctantly blasted diamond dogs further down the hallway, aided by her guards and an equally reluctant Cadence. Despite the magic Shiva had given them, none of them were managing to put a hole in the barriers the alicorns had put up, and the guards had a passion to their fighting that their alicorn commanders lacked.
“Alpha Male!” one of the Shield Dogs screamed. “We must fall back.”
Luke fumed in helpless rage. Despite Luna raising her hooves meekly, he glowered at her with absolute hatred.
“I’m sorry,” Luna whimpered. 
Luke punched at her barrier again, his anger only increasing as he found the glow around him dimming; the magic slowly leaving his body. With one final punch, he propelled himself off Luna’s barrier and returned to his pack.
“Destabilize the supports structure,” he ordered. “Send their pathetic castle into the lake!”
“No!” Celestia ordered, but the shield dogs protected themselves from her beam, and held fast as the iron paws raced back into the mine. “This is not what Shiva would have wanted.”
“YOU PRETENTIOUS WITCHES ARE THE REASON SHIVA’S NOT HERE!” Luke bellowed in rage. 
Luna wilted, the fight utterly gone from her, as the shield dogs formed a barrier against them. However, destruction of an Equestrian capital wasn’t going to be as easy as Luke hoped. Just as he and his iron paws raced into the mines, ready to carve into the stone walls… they found more ponies rushing in to box them in. 
Luke swore and fired a blast of his slowly receding magic. But it glanced off an oddly bright green shield. 
At the same time, the princesses raced in, horns aglow and ready to defend their castle. Whimpering in both anger and fear, the dogs turned back to the alicorns just as the guards raced at them, pushing them towards the princesses.
Yet, as the diamond dogs tried to fight their way out of the structure, Luke found himself in a shield lock with a pony… and gasped as the ponies’ eyes glowed bright green.
“You seem to be in a spot of trouble,” the changeling noted beneath his disguise. 
Luke snarled at him. “Why are you helping them?” he demanded.
“Helping them?” the changeling laughed. “I’d much rather help you.” He glanced around as several dogs gave up and charged the princesses. Celestia caught them in bubbles with a sigh, while even Luna looked reluctant as she knocked them across the caverns with beams of magic. 
“Do you really think you’ll get away with sending the castle into the drink?” the changeling tempted. “How about something easier. Something simpler.” He smiled, showing his fangs. “Join us. And together, we can take them down.” 
Luke gazed one final time around. Skippy had vanished. Shiva was apparently dead. The mothers and pups were nowhere to be seen. And his dogs were being caught and subdued one by one. They couldn’t win without help.
Luke sighed, and looked back at the changeling. He gave a reluctant nod.
The changeling’s grin widened, and he launched himself over Luke, blasting Cadence with a beam of green magic.
“What the…?” she stammered, before her eyes widened in horror. All around the ponies that had boxed in the diamond dogs, green fire blazed in the shadows and changelings joined the party. Some shifted into diamond dogs, lunging into the guards and barriers. Emboldened by the success, the original diamond dogs lunged with them, driving the guards and even Celestia back. 
“Changelings!” Cadence screamed. “Diamond Dogs, you have changelings in your ranks! Stop and…”
But the diamond dogs didn’t care. One channeled his magic into a gem and hurled it at Cadence. The pink alicorn was knocked to the ground as the gem exploded like a grenade, sending shining shrapnel in every direction.
Luna dove into the new enemies with a roar, forcing changelings from their disguises and throwing them around with a look of utter contempt.
“Thou art the true villains!” Luna declared, more to herself than the others, stamping changelings down in fury. “Thou turned dog and pony against each other!”
“Luna,” Celestia cried. “For the love of Faust! Will you just…!”
ZAP!
The ponies gaped in utter horror. Cadence began to tremble. Luna froze mid-flight, jaw agape as Celestia tumbled forward, her back glowing green and webbing reaching to pin her to the ground. Standing behind her, horn alight and grinning in triumph, was Queen Chrysalis herself. 
Cadence sunk into the shadows, trembling in fear. 
“No… not again,” she whimpered. “Not again…” Suddenly, she felt the poke of a paw on her side. She spun to see Skippy, motioning her into the shadows. Glancing worriedly at her fellow princesses, Cadence followed him out of Chrysalis and her changelings’ sight.
“Hello, Princesses of Equestria,” Chrysalis mocked. “It’s been a long time.” Chrysalis preened herself with her holed hoof. “I’m sure you remember this differently, yes? Back when you were the one on top?” Despite her coy tone, her eyes were cold with anger and hate. “Humiliating me? Violating me? Breaking me into a scared little whelp?!”
Luna lunged at Chrysalis with a scream, only for half a dozen changelings to knock her off course. Celestia tried to rise to help, but Chrysalis had caught her off guard, and easily webbed up her horn, rendering it useless. Luna, however, was not as easy to subdue, and blasted the changelings aside with a sweep of her magic.
“Foul Queen,” Luna snarled. “You won’t get away with this!” 
“Because only you can get away with cruelty?” Chrysalis hissed. “You let your precious subjects abuse my workers.” Luna and Celestia quivered as her words hit them like daggers. “You let them cage and whip my subjects for the crime of just being who they are!” 
Luna and Celestia couldn’t keep the guilt off their faces. Chrysalis smirked, briefly glancing at Luke.  
“But now, your time has come,” Chrysalis declared. “With your power, and the power of the Howlite Howler by my side… Equestria will be MINE!” 
She let loose with an evil cackle that made Celestia sigh. Luna flared her horn.
“No matter your reasons,” Luna said. “The Howlite Howler will never join you."
Luke glowered at her. "You made sure of that, didn't you?" he snarled.
Chrysalis' eyes widened, putting the pieces together from their expressions. Her ears flattened, and her eyes narrowed in rage before she gave Luke a new look of glee.
"Then," Chrysalis declared. "The diamond dogs might like what's going on above ground," she noted.
Luna faltered. She and Celestia looked at each other. Luke found himself smiling at the fear in their eyes.
“Iron Paws,” he barked. “Whatever the changelings are doing above... Help them!”
His Iron Paws obeyed, and jumped off the shields of their shield dog brethren, smashing into the roof and carving through like an upside-down pool.
“No!” Luna stammered, before looking to Celestia again.
“Help our subjects!” Celestia ordered, yet her tone was cold, and held a silent, “Do not mess up again!”
Nodding once, Luna propelled herself after the diamond dogs, smashing through the rock with a blue shield. Chrysalis watched her go with an amused hum. 
"Still have faith in her, Celestia?” Chrysalis asked, stroking Celestia’s face. “Despite all the mistakes she’s made? Such loyalty. A shame it will all be for nothing.” 
She stepped over the alicorn, grinding her hoof into Celestia’s mane for emphasis, before sauntering over to Luke.
“Now,” Chrysalis’ eyes narrowed. “What, exactly did they do to the Howlite Howler?” 
Luke bowed his head. “She's gone,” he growled. “Because of her.” He jutted his head at Celestia, who was being bound in a cocoon and dragged off for whatever nefarious purpose the changelings had for her. 
Chrysalis watched her with contempt before giving Luke a pitying glance. A glance that turned manipulative when she saw the last bits of magic dancing across his fur. 
“Then let us see her avenged,” Chrysalis proclaimed, her horn glowing as she rested it on Luke’s head. “Let us see these ponies pay for the pain they inflicted.” 
Luke’s gaze hardened, and he nodded in determination, turning back to his shield dogs.
“For Shiva,” he declared. 
“For Shiva!” they bellowed, shaking their shields and stamping their spears, as they followed Chrysalis and her changelings towards the upper ground. 

#

Shiva’s eyes fluttered open. At first, she wasn’t able to tell what was happening. Darkness blocked her vision and made her wonder if her eyes were still closed. But she could feel the sharp stones of the mine beneath her, jarring her from sleep. 
At first, Shiva’s heart started to hammer; her entire body was numb, and her mouth tasted like something had crawled down her throat and died. But as her scent glands woke up, she was comforted by the scent of Skippy, coming out of the shadows and kneeling by her side. 
“Skippy…?” Shiva mumbled. 
“I’m here,” he assured her, his voice soothing on her ears. “I got you, Alpha. You’re going to be okay.” He turned to the shadows. “Over here. Please hurry!” 
“Skippy,” Shiva croaked. “What happened?” 
Skippy looked down with a whimper. 
“Chrysalis outwitted us,” Skippy said, his head bowing. “Shiva, I… I’m so sorry.”
“Why?” Shiva breathed. She struggled to force herself into some semblance of focus. “Luke?”
“He’s okay,” Skippy said. “Chrysalis is using him to take over Canterlot.”
Shiva’s ears flattened. Her tail tucked up to her chest. Her claws dug into Skippy's shoulder, but not from anger; more from a need to ground herself on something. 
“But…” she stammered. “The Princesses…”
“Chrysalis snuck up on Celestia,” Skippy explained. “Luna’s trying to protect Canterlot. And…”
“Luna… did this to me…” A thought made her face contort with fear. “She’ll do this to Luke!" 
“We’ll stop it,” Skippy assured her. “But we need you back on your paws.” He turned to the darkness. “Cadence, come on!” 
Right at that moment, Shiva became aware of the other form in the shadows. Cadence walked towards Shiva, covering her mouth in horror.
“You poor thing,” Cadence whispered.
However, upon seeing her, Shiva tried to scoot back.
“No,” she whimpered. “No more ponies. Get them away.”
Skippy clung to her paw. “Shiva, it’s okay,” he tried to assure her. “She’s going to help you.”
Shiva still shook her head as Cadence knelt next to her. “No more ponies,” she whimpered. “All they give is pain!”
“Not me,” Cadence insisted. Her horn glowed, and a soft pink glow settled over Shiva, chasing away the numb feeling and replacing it with relief. “Your pack mate helped me. Now I’m going to help you.” 
But Shiva was only half aware of her words, the magical relief from her wounds only sharpening her mind to the reality of the situation. 
She had failed! Chrysalis was taking Canterlot as they spoke. And she had Luke with her. Shiva wanted to kick herself; Luke had needed her, and now he was relying on some temptress. How long would it be before Chrysalis gave up her game and made him and the rest of the pack her slaves? Who’s to say she hadn’t already caged some diamond dogs already?!
Skippy was right. She had to get back on her paws. Her pack needed her. She reached out and grabbed Cadence by the horn. 
Cadence faltered, nearly pulling back as her magic began to pour into Shiva. Forcing any broken bones back into place and pumping her body with adrenaline. 
“Shiva… easy…” Cadence whimpered, her cutie mark flickering as Shiva rose to her paws.
Skippy reached out. “Alpha, stop! That’s enough!”
But Shiva turned and grabbed Skippy. He yelped as some of the magic poured into him, forming a stable pack link. But Cadence didn’t get that luxury. Her face rapidly went from concerned to fearful as Shiva yanked her magic from her. 
“Shiva, stop! Please!” Cadence begged. 
But Shiva did not stop. My pack needs me, she thought. And I need this!
“Alpha!” Skippy protested. But then Cadence’s cutie mark faded from her side. She barely avoided falling, her legs trembling as they barely managed to support her. Skippy stared down at her with horror, while Shiva stalked out of the cave, her injuries healed and her fur glowing white with a soft pink tinge to it. 
“Shiva…!” Skippy tried to protest, but when Shiva turned to him, he backed up at the furious light in her eyes.
“I’m DONE playing nice,” Shiva declared. Her voice silenced Skippy, and his gaze turned to behind her as the sound of buzzing emanated. 
Shiva turned the source, glowering as two changelings appeared, grinning down at her.
“There she is!” one of them noted. 
“Huh,” the other said. “Luna's magic didn't do that much damage. She looks better than before…”
Before he could finish, Shiva lashed out with tendrils of light, catching the changelings like Applejack catching apples with a lasso. The changelings screamed as their magic was drained from their bodies. The pink tinge around Shiva’s fur became highlighted with green, and the changelings dropped to the ground, withered and dead-looking, as Shiva stalked past them, Skippy watching her go fearfully.
“Skippy?” Cadence asked. She tried to flare her horn, but only managed to produce a feeble spark. Skippy turned back to her.
“Stay behind me,” he ordered. “Shiva’s likely going to head for the surface. When she gets there, use your authority as princess. Get every pony you can as far away from her as possible.”
Cadence nodded; despite the lack of magic, she still had energy to walk, and she and Skippy followed after Shiva as she stormed into the cavern. 
They didn’t get far before finding another surprise; several changelings weaving the final touches on two cocoons, containing – Shiva’s breath hitched – two of her diamond dogs.
The changelings didn’t get the chance to breath before Shiva’s tendrils ensnared them and drained them of their magic.  
Her stance strengthened, and her energy returned, while the changelings withered and moaned their agony to the ceiling. 
Shiva’s fury faded by a fraction upon turning to her dogs. Lashing her tendrils again, she smashed the dogs from their cocoons, setting them gently onto the ground and shrouding them in pink, green and white light.
“Duke, Joey,” Shiva asked, cupping the dog’s heads as their thoughts gave her their names. “Are you two okay?”
Duke blinked bleary blue eyes, while Joey shook her dark head. 
“Shiva…?” she mumbled, before blinking. “Alpha Shiva!”
Both dogs yanked Shiva into a bear hug, Shiva smiling softly as she hugged them back.
“We thought you dead!” Duke whimpered. “Alpha Luke going with Changeling Queen. Taking Canterlot.”
“Then we’re going to get him back,” Shiva said. 
“And the ponies?” Joey asked.  
“Nothing stands in our way,” Shiva declared. “Not ponies, not changelings, and certainly not alicorns. We’re getting our pack back…”
She was cut off as buzzing once again emanated. A bigger horde of changelings rounded the corner. 
“The Howlite Howler!” the biggest one said. “Get her!”
But as the changelings shot for her, Shiva lashed out with her tendrils. The changelings were caught, and in seconds, were reduced to withered husks. Skippy stepped back as Shiva grew larger, her aura mixed with green. Her gaze was cold as frozen steel. 
“And we’re going to destroy anyone who stands in our way,” Shiva growled.
> Chapter 9: Canterlot to Preserve or Raze
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Canterlot’s peace and tranquility was destroyed. Ponies raced through the streets, screaming their lungs out as diamond dogs and changelings tore through their little houses. The diamond dogs ran rampant, scaring ponies away with growls, and taking everything that wasn’t nailed down; fashion stores were broken into, their gems and precious metals being carted off. Bakeries lost their baked goods, one smaller diamond dog racing out with fried dough on his head. The homes of the nobles were torn apart, every shiny decoration that had labeled them as rich and powerful taken. 
And throughout the chaos the diamond dogs caused, the changelings skirted around like coyotes in the night, snatching screaming ponies and dragging them into the holes made from the diamond dogs rampage. 
Yet not every pony lost themselves to panic and strife. Shining Armor and his royal guards raced down the streets, desperately fighting off any diamond dogs or changelings they could find. Up above, the Wonder Bolts attempted to quell the changelings flying above. And above them all, Luna soared around the castle, her horn burning from overuse as she sent protective spells to ponies and more destructive spells at changelings. She tried to aim at one of the diamond dogs, but the memory of what she did to Shiva flashed through her mind, and she reluctantly just cast up a barrier, keeping the diamond dog from caving in a royal guard’s helmet.
Looking away with a grimace, she spotted six civilian mares in a circle, desperately fighting off a horde of changelings and dogs. Her eyes brightened as she saw one with a cannon that fired cakes; a cake that one diamond dog caught and promptly began to eat.
“Yes!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “I knew doggies would like my cakes!”
“Elements of Harmony!” Luna proclaimed. “We art coming to thy aid!”
She hit the ground and unleashed a shockwave, throwing the horde of dogs and changelings away from the group.
“Princess Luna!” Twilight greeted, her own horn beginning to glow red from overuse. “What happened.”
“The city is overrun,” Luna said, her wings aching as she rested them. “Chrysalis has taken control of the diamond dogs. She uses them to achieve her goal of…”
Luna gasped, pointing. The mares followed her gaze, and saw Chrysalis marching into Canterlot Castle. Two guards tried to stop her, but were met by Luke and Thorax, who made short work of the guards before flinging them into the moat, where more changelings lay in wait to cart them off. Chrysalis’ smirk only widened as she sauntered into the castle.
“We run low on time,” Luna declared.
“Where’s Celestia?!” Twilight asked. “She should be able to handle this!”
“The cowardly cur attacked my sister without honor and captured her,” Luna stated. “We must defeat Chrysalis if we are to triumph against this mess.”
“The mess a pony started,” Fluttershy mumbled. 
The others tried to ignore her, though Luna’s own eyes flashed with guilt.
“Find the Elements of Harmony,” Luna ordered. “Use them to defeat the Queen.” She turned back to the castle. “I shall hold her until then.”
“But Princess,” Applejack said. “If she could beat Princess Celestia… what if she beats you?”
Princess Luna’s eyes flicked down. “Then I will consider it repayment for the cruelty and torment I inflicted upon Shiva,” she mumbled.
The mares flinched, but Luna didn’t give them a chance to stop her. With a flap of her already tired wings, Luna lunged back towards the castle and for Chrysalis. 
Twilight’s gaze shifted from Luna’s receding form, and towards Canterlot Tower, where the Elements of Harmony were stored.
“Come on, ladies,” Twilight declared. “Whether we started this or not, it’s going to be up to us to finish it!”
The mares nodded and raced for the tower. But their journey did not go unnoticed, as several changelings saw them and connected the dots on where they were going. 
“The Elements of Harmony!” one changeling yelped, grabbing the nearest diamond dog. “Don’t let them get to their Elements!” 
“Elements?” the dog asked. 
The changeling sighed. “Gems!”
“Gems?!”
Instantly, the diamond dogs converged on the mares, chasing them towards the tower. But they didn’t expect Rainbow Dash, who saw them coming and pulled off a 180 turn, slamming her hooves into the largest diamond dog.
“Guys!” she yelled, just as a group of changelings got in front of them. Just as Applejack moved to kick at one of them, they began shifting. Applejack found herself gasping in horror as she sent a version of Fluttershy flying down the street. 
“Don’t worry, Applejack,” Twilight said. “They just look like us.”
But Applejack’s cutie mark flashed, and she spun on the Twilight who had approached her, kicking the changeling out of her disguise. Snagging the changeling with her lasso, Applejack bowled the other changelings back, giving an opening for the others to dive into.
While Fluttershy dove and duck through the changelings and kept going for Canterlot Tower, the others quickly delved into chaotic brawling. Rainbow Dash flew overhead, knocking aside changelings and outmaneuvering the shapeshifters, becoming a blur of pure blue destruction. Applejack lashed her captured changeling like a flail, knocking changelings around and kicking the few that could get in close. Pinkie at first used Twilight as a minigun, cranking her tail and sending bolts of magic into the changelings avoiding Applejack’s attacks. But just as ‘Spike’ tried to sneak up on Pinkie, the real Spike set the fake alight with a burst of green flames, sending the changeling racing away screaming. Pinkie and Spike winked at each other before Twilight jumped from Pinkie’s hooves. A barrage of magic, flames and cakes soon sent the changelings staggering back.
Rarity at first tried to go after Fluttershy, delivering a right hook to a diamond dog and a kick to a changeling. However, a burst of magic knocked her into a jewelry store. The changelings crept in, ready to finish her off, only for a barrage of jewels to slam them right back out.
“Oh!” the diamond dogs cooed, racing after the gems as Rarity threw them like balls in a game of catch.
“Yes, go on, shoo!” Rarity cried. “I’ve got plenty more where those came from!” She hurled a crate of rubies for emphasis, sending the dogs scampering after them.
All too soon, however, a voice rose from the changeling swarm. 
“Help! Help!” 
“Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked, staring at the swarm she had vanished into in her attempt to get to Canterlot Tower.
“Dash, wait!” Applejack tried to say. 
But Dash didn’t listen, diving into the swarm to look for Fluttershy… and promptly getting dogpiled by the changelings.  
“Dash!” Twilight screamed, blasting at the changelings going at her. But as Spike and Pinkie tried to join her, the diamond dogs lunged for them. 
Rarity attempted to keep them at bay with her gems… only to find the box empty. A diamond dog skittered out the back, loaded down with her remaining gems and cackling like a madman. 
“Girls, look out!” she cried, only for the changelings to tackle her as well. 
In seconds, Applejack was the only one left, desperately swinging her flail at the enclosing changelings.
“Consarnit,” Applejack cursed. “Flutters! You better hurry.” 

#

At Canterlot Tower, the real Fluttershy just made it to the door. However, as she opened the door to the Elements… she found a diamond dog already there. The necklaces were wound around his beefy arms, and the tiara was perched on his head like a crown.
“Powerful pretty gems!” the diamond dog declared grandly, happily flaunting his new gems before the yellow mare. 
“Oh,” Fluttershy stammered. “Um… we need those.”
“Mine now,” the diamond dog declared, turning away with a laugh.
Fluttershy whimpered, struggling to activate her Stare. But the memory of Shiva and her own experience with her weapon flashed before her eyes, and she shut her eyes with a whimper. 
“I’m sorry, Applejack,” she cried, eliciting a look of sympathy from the Element thief. “I’m so-so-sorry.” 
The diamond dog hummed in confusion, moving towards Fluttershy. As the yellow mare winced, waiting for him to pounce. But then, they heard a voice. 
“Move back! Retreat! Get away!”
The dog and pony turned. Their first sign that something was up was the brown pony racing through the streets, followed by the faded pink alicorn Cadence. 
“Every pony, get indoors,” Cadence ordered, her voice shaky but far from weak. “By order of Princess Cadence, you have to move back.”
“Everybody go!” Skippy’s pony form yelled. “We’ve got more trouble than just diamond dogs and changelings!” 
Then a building exploded, a figure stepping out from its ruins. The diamond dog next to Fluttershy gasped.
“The Alpha…!” he breathed.
Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hooves. “Shiva?” she whispered. 
It was hard to make out Shiva at first; she was shrouded in a ball of light that gleamed in many colors, making her look like the sun filtered through a rainbow. Tendrils shot out from her like tentacles on an octopus, seizing changelings and ponies without discrimination. Thanks to the efforts of Skippy and Cadence, most of the ponies were able to escape the glowing dog’s wrath, but plenty more were either delayed by changelings or refused to listen. These few ponies soon lay scattered across the streets with the rest of the changelings, drained of magic by the pulsating ball of light along with the changelings.
The diamond dogs, however, were spared completely. The tendrils that came for them did not drain them, but instead made them glow with power. Their awed expressions turned to smiles, and they began to howl in glee.
“The Alpha has returned!” They cheered. “She has come to save the day!”

#

High above Canterlot Castle, Luke heard the howls, and darted to the edge. 
“Shiva?” he whimpered, reaching a claw out.
Chrysalis winced, her eyes darting between Luke and Thorax with worry. However, her gaze turned triumphant as Luna smashed onto the balcony, knocking Luke back and indirectly putting herself between him and his Alpha.
The princess of the night’s wings flared, and her already overused horn glowed as she looked at Chrysalis with utter hate.
“I truly was a fool,” Luna admitted. “All this time, I saw Shiva as the real threat. When I should have had my eye on you!”
Chrysalis laughed and looked to Luke. She nodded at the ball of light coming from Shiva, grinning as it drew Luna’s gaze. “See how the princess still stands between you and your beloved.” Her horn glowed. “Let’s get rid of her, shall we.”
Luke’s sights stayed on Shiva, but even though Luna had her eye on Chrysalis, she still stood in his way. Luke brought his axes up with a sigh.
“Soon, Shiva,” he promised. “I’ll be with you soon.” He turned rage-filled eyes to Luna, who stepped back in nervousness. “And I’ll bring you her head,” he added with a snarl, before lunging at Luna with a howl.

#

All too soon, however, the tendrils reached for Fluttershy’s friends. Battered and bruised by the changelings, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were helpless as they were snared and their magic started to drain from their bodies.
“Wait!” Fluttershy yelled. Racing faster than ever before, she stormed towards the group as Spike was tossed away from the Mane Five.
“Shiva, stop!” Spike screamed, trying to regain his feet. “What are you doing?!”
“It’s no use, Spike,” Skippy said, his diamond dog form appearing and pulling the dragon back. “Shiva’s on a war path. She’s absorbing every scrap of magic she can get, hoping it will take down Chrysalis… and erase your kingdom as a threat.”
“That’s what we’re trying to do to,” Spike insisted. “At least, taking down Chrysalis. We’re on the same side.” 
Shiva’s ears flattened, but she kept her eyes off the two. 
“She won’t listen,” Skippy bemoaned with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Spike. Canterlot is lost.”
“Not yet!” Fluttershy yelled. 
She hit the ground running… and promptly skidded to a stop when Shiva's dark eyes locked on her.
“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash grimaced, trying to fight against the link sucking her magic away. “Don’t…”  
As the yellow mare and the white wolf regarded each other, the briefest flicker of fear appeared on Shiva’s face, before she stamped it back down.
“Going to use your Stare, little one?” Shiva asked, her voice amplified by magic. She huffed. “Good luck with that. Ever since I escaped this candy-coated nest of vipers, I’ve come to understand there are far worse things out there than being glared at by some pathetic yellow mare who thinks she knows animals.” Shiva jutted her head forward, as a tendril reached out for a flinching Fluttershy. “So, take your best shot while you can,” Shiva dared. “I do NOT fear you or your pathetic ponies anymore.” 
“Fluttershy, run!” Twilight yelled, futilely fighting against Shiva’s magic. 
But Fluttershy did not run. She did not activate her Stare, but she did glare up at Shiva, her own face devoid of fear. In her eyes, no anger or frustration flashed. Only mild disappointment and sadness. She leaned her head back, exposing her throat as the tendril made to twine itself around her neck.
“Go ahead,” she said, her voice soft, but firm. “If you think my magic will help… take it.” She extended her hooves, offering herself up to Shiva. 
The diamond dog hesitated. “What?”
“You deserve to be angry at us,” Fluttershy said. “You were hurt… and we did nothing to stop it.” Her eyes filled with tears, but refused to break from Shiva’s dark eyes. “We may be used to being the heroes of our story… but we truly were the villains of yours.” 
The ponies gaped at her in shock, but Shiva’s ears flattened in sorrow. Her glow faded by a fraction, and Spike was able to force himself forward. 
“Shiva, you know this isn’t right!” Spike insisted. “They may have hurt you in the past, but you’re turning into the very monster they feared. Taking pony powers? That’s what a villain does. That’s not you!” 
Shiva looked down at her claws, as if realizing what she was doing.
“Chrysalis is the real villain here,” Fluttershy noted softly. “And we have a better chance of fighting her if we work together.” 
“Diamond dogs and ponies?” one diamond dog asked. “After everything we’ve already done?”
Several dogs tried to hide their stolen possessions. The little dog with fried dough on his head stuffed it in his mouth.   
But Shiva didn’t notice any of them. Her tail swished between her legs, as she regarded her glowing claws with shame. 
“I didn’t want to come back here,” Shiva admitted, looking up at the ponies. “I didn’t want any of this.” 
“And it doesn’t have to be this way,” Fluttershy insisted. She reached out her hoof. “Please Shiva. I’m sorry you suffered. I’m sorry I didn’t stop it. And I’m sorry I only helped hurt you more.” Her voice grew firm. “But hurting us in response doesn’t fix anything. It only makes everything worse.” 
“You know that,” Spike added. “That’s why you didn’t accept Chrysalis’ offer. That’s why you’re better than her.” 
“Better than all of us,” Fluttershy admitted. “Please, Shiva; don’t become the very thing you hate.”  
Shiva regarded them, light swirling around her form. They held each other’s gaze for one second. Two seconds. Three. Twilight stuffed her hooves in her mouth. Pinkie trembled. Rainbow Dash struggled against the tendril holding her. 
Then Shiva's gaze turned to Canterlot castle. A beam of blue magic lit up the windows, followed by a flash of green, and a burst of midnight blue.
Shiva gave a growl of frustration, and released the mares. They fell back to the ground, their cutie marks and magic intact. Shiva turned to the dog who had the Elements.
“Liz,” she ordered. “Give the mares those gems.”
The ponies grinned in hope, while Liz whimpered. “But Alpha…” she whined.
“We don’t have time for arguing.” Shiva turned back to Fluttershy and pointed at her, almost accusingly. “You will either help us defeat Chrysalis,” she told the mare. “Or you will share her fate.” 
Fluttershy nodded. “We’ll help you, Shiva,” she said. “I swear it on everything I hold sacred.”
Liz moaned, but with a look from Shiva, the diamond dog reluctantly forked over the Elements. Twilight and the others took them with smiles of gratitude. Yet, when they turned to Shiva, they found her already floating towards the castle. 
For a small moment, the other mares smiled at Fluttershy, daring to believe she had gotten through to the diamond dog. 
But then, they saw Blueblood race out onto the street, his cutie mark gone and bags under his eyes. 
“G-Give me back my magic, you wench,” he cried. “There’s changelings out to get me! You’re supposed to be a hero!” 
But Shiva didn’t even glance at him. She continued onward, even as he tried to keep pace with her. 
“You can’t do this!” Blueblood shrieked. “We are the nobility of Canterlot. We control the inner workings of Canterlot itself. We are…”
Shiva barely glanced his way, but blasted him with an off-hand bolt of magic. The Prince hit the side of a wall and crumbled, and when changelings snuck out, casting fearful looks at the diamond dogs, Shiva did nothing as they dragged the prince into the shadows.
The mares gaped at the cruel treatment, but wisely didn’t say anything.
“Let’s go,” Fluttershy insisted. “We can worry about her once we deal with Chrysalis.” 
Yet, as the mares made their way to Canterlot Castle, Twilight and Rainbow Dash shared a look.
“I don’t know if we should worry about her sooner rather than later,” Rainbow Dash admitted.
“For once, Rainbow?” Twilight admitted. “I think you’re right.”
> Chapter 10: The Queen and the Alpha
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna staggered back to her hooves. Chrysalis floated above the throne, shrouded in green lightning like a sick storm cloud, linking her to Luke and Thorax. She unleashed a mocking laugh.
“How does it feel, Luna?” Chrysalis mocked. “Knowing that Canterlot has fallen… all because of you.”
“Canterlot has NOT fallen!” Luna screamed defiantly, even as her hooves trembled to keep her up. “As long as we draw breath, we shall never…”
Chrysalis’ laugh cut her off. “Look around you, Princess,” she demanded. “Your sister has fallen. Your city is overrun. And even better…  you deserve it.”
She lifted Thorax and Luke into the air. The diamond dog flinched in her aura as their scars were forced into the limelight, nearly reopening as he winced in pain.
“Look what your subjects did to mine,” Chrysalis insisted. “Accept your place at my hooves, and resign yourself to justice.” 
“This is not justice,” a voice snarled.
Chrysalis’ eyes widened, and she turned.
Shiva, Skippy, the diamond dogs, Cadence, Spike and the Mane Six all stood tall at the entrance to the balcony, eyes narrowed in anger.
Chrysalis gasped. She glanced back at Luna, before turning to Shiva with a winning smile.
“W-Welcome back, Howlite Howler,” Chrysalis said grandly. “Your timing couldn’t be better.” She indicated Luna, who shared a nervous look with the wolf. “Only one princess stands between us and victory.” 
Luke turned to Shiva, growling at the Mane Six as they glared Chrysalis down. “The Elements of Harmony can’t stop us,” he said. “Why shouldn’t we see them fall?” He extended his paw to the pack. “Let Equestria never threaten us again.”
Shiva glowered at Chrysalis, before her eyes glanced up. Her ears flattened and she snarled at Chrysalis, pointing up. 
The others followed her gaze. Cocoons held Celestia, and several ponies and diamond dogs. Luke’s face fell as he beheld his fellow pack mates. 
“How… did I not notice that?” he mumbled.
Chrysalis gave the dogs an uncertain look. Her eyes narrowed, but she backed away from Shiva as she marched on her. 
“Did… you want those back?” Chrysalis asked.  
Shiva growled, her fur beginning to glow. As the ponies perked up in hope, Chrysalis shrugged.
“Very well,” Chrysalis said, before her horn lit up with light. “Take them.” 
Luke gasped and jumped to protect his Alpha, only for the cocoons to burst. The diamond dogs tumbled out, landing in a gasping, slimy heap before her. 
“Luke,” Shiva gasped, running to his side. Skippy tried to hold his ground, but the rest of the dogs broke ranks, embracing their freed comrades with whimpers of concern.
Luna and the ponies gaped in shock while Chrysalis smiled.
“Consider them my thanks,” Chrysalis said. “For all your help.” She motioned to the outside. “Take them and go. Be at peace.” She grinned at the ponies. “Unless you actually care about these ponies.”
Shiva and Twilight locked eyes. And Twilight saw it; Shiva didn’t want to care. She didn’t want to be a part of any of it. As her dogs looked between them, they all started to unanimously long for the exit. And even as Skippy stood ready, refusing to leave their side, Shiva herself was considering taking them away. 
“Shiva… no…” Pinkie almost begged. But then, Chrysalis’ smirk turn malicious. Her horn lit up with light.
Luna was charging forward before Shiva could blink. At first, the dogs yelped, thinking the alicorn was going for them. A second later, Chrysalis’ spell exploded a foot from Shiva, who jumped back with a bark of alarm. Her link flared to life, binding the dogs together into a pack.
Yet, as the smoke cleared, they found themselves facing Luna; back scorched and her eyes struggling to focus. 
“Princess Luna!” Twilight cried, attempting to charge up her element. But as Chrysalis sent her changelings at the six ponies, Shiva and Luna stood, trapped in each other’s gazes.
“Wolf… Shiva,” Luna whispered. “I’m sorry that you suffered at my species’ hooves.” She blinked, and tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. “I’m sorry you only knew me as a cruel and evil creature.”
Shiva’s ears flattened.
“Please,” Luna begged. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But don’t let anger and hatred cloud your mind. There is so much more light in this world than the darkness you’ve seen.” Luna stood tall, blocking Shiva from Chrysalis with her body. “If you have truly lost faith in the light… then I suppose we are all doomed.”
As she spoke, Chrysalis bore gleefully down on Luna. Her next spell hit Luna dead in the back. Her body arcing gracefully through the air, she sailed over Shiva and her dogs, and disappeared through one of the stain glass windows.
Voices screamed, but Shiva didn’t hear them. She barely saw Twilight and Rarity limp after her. All that mattered was Chrysalis, grinning down at her small pack with malicious green eyes.
“Equestria is mine now,” Chrysalis declared, rising up on a ball of green lightning. She lifted her hooves, and her changelings flew through the windows to her side. “Bow before me, Howlite Howler, and prepare yourself for a new era.”
Shiva’s ears flattened, and she shimmered with light. Luke looked between the two in horror. 
“But…” he stammered. “You said we’d rule together! We could take all we wanted from the mines of Canterlot.” 
Shiva glanced at Luke before turning her eyes to Chrysalis. “Now that you have what you want,” she guessed. “You’ll just add us to your empire anyway.”
Chrysalis smirked. “You catch on quickly,” she praised. “But now, it’s time for you to use that intelligence.” Her lighting flashed in warning. “I won’t tell you again,” Chrysalis all but snarled. “Bow.” 
But Shiva stood defiantly before her.  
“The day my pack bows to you…” Shiva growled.
“Is the day we fall to Tartarus,” Skippy agreed, standing faithfully by her side. Luke still looked crestfallen at Chrysalis’ betrayal, but as the diamond dogs converged behind Shiva, he joined them, glaring in sad betrayal at Chrysalis slowly fading grin. 
“You will serve me,” Chrysalis growled. “One way or another.”
Shiva flared her lightning, and shrouded the wolves in light. Spike similarly stood alongside them, his bulk increasing slightly as a link twined around him. 
“You want her?” Spike growled. 
“Yer gonna have to go through all of us,” Applejack said, putting herself at Shiva's, alongside Pinkie and Fluttershy, and soon enough, the rest of the recovered Mane Six.
Chrysalis cackled in amusement. Though the amusement rapidly faded when the wolves and ponies struck.

#

If Shiva had buried her grudge against the ponies, they might have beaten Chrysalis in the first wave.
The wolves were skilled, and equal to the Elements in terms of teamwork. They shot through the changelings Chrysalis sent at them, going straight for the queen while the changeling warriors were tossed to the side by the link.
Yet nothing they were doing was putting a dent in Chrysalis’ defenses, and part of that was due to them getting in the way of the ponies. Every time Rarity and Twilight shot a spell, a diamond dog would sometimes be caught in the crossfire. When Applejack tried to lasso Chrysalis, the queen threw Luke into her path. And after Rainbow Dash got knocked into Shiva one too many times, the white wolf threw Rainbow Dash out another window in a burst of frustration-induced rage. The changeling queen took full advantage of their lack of cooperation; no matter how hard the dogs or ponies fought, Chrysalis kept at least five changelings between her and them.
“What the hay, Shiva!” Rainbow Dash snapped, flying back through the window. “We’re supposed to be on the same side.”
“You’re the ones getting in our way!” Shiva snarled back, throwing Pinkie Pie at Chrysalis.
“We need to link with them,” Skippy said. “Then they’d be able to know what we’re trying to do.”
“And give them more access to our magic?” Luke demanded. “They’d just use it to betray us the second the changelings were down.”
“We’re not like that,” Fluttershy protested, only for a group of changelings to interrupt her with a burst of spells. 
“It’s no use,” Twilight said. “We’ve got to pull back and use the Elements properly.”
“But if we do that,” Applejack protested. “We could hurt Shiva. We don't know what the Element's will do to her.”
Shiva paused, wanting to hear more, but the sight of a familiar scarred changeling dashed her curiosity from her mind, replacing it with cold fury.
“Thorax!” Shiva snarled, batting aside a changeling that tried to defend Thorax. The changeling was backing away fast from the diamond dog, but she kept after him in hot pursuit. "You led Luna into that trap, didn’t you?"
“I served at the behest of my queen,” Thorax protested. 
“A queen that uses you like a tool!”
“And you don’t use your pack the same way?” Thorax demanded. 
Shiva bellowed, her lightning spells frying the ground Thorax dodged from. Yet, as Thorax rolled, he was barraged by two apples and a cake slammed into Chrysalis’ face. He stumbled backward, and Luke took his chance, leaping from the circle and flooring him with an axe punch.
“You should've taken my peace when I offered it,” Shiva growled, flaring her lightning. “Now all I have to give... is death.”
Seconds before she could finish the changeling off, however, she spun back around, aiming her bolt at an approaching Applejack and Pinkie. Fluttershy preparing a stare behind her.
“Shiva, for land’s sake!” Applejack said. “We ain’t the enemy.”
“Then stay out of the way,” Shiva snarled. 
“We can’t!” Fluttershy protested. “We don’t want to risk hurting you with the Elements.”
Shiva and Luke glanced at each other, before noticing how Chrysalis kept putting changelings between them and her. 
“Pack,”Shiva ordered through the link. “Let Chrysalis draw back. Focus on the changelings but let her think you’re being overwhelmed.” She turned to Twilight. “Focus on the queen. We’ve got the drones.”
Chrysalis laughed, easily flying out of reach of the mares. But as the dogs let the changelings push them back, Chrysalis noticed that the Elements were grouped together, and charging their gems into a rainbow beam of light. 
But as the rainbow beam arced down towards Chrysalis, the changeling queen began to chuckle. 
“You foals,” Chrysalis said. “Did you think I wouldn’t pick up some tricks by absorbing the love from Shiva’s mate?”
Shiva’s eyes darted between her and Luke. Confusion slowly turned to fear in the diamond dog’s eyes, before Chrysalis turned to her subjects.
“Changelings,” she declared. “Lend me your magic.”
Shiva paled, as Chrysalis flared her horn. Green light shot out from Chrysalis’ body; sickly green waves of light that flared towards the changelings around them. 
“Wait," Shiva muttered. "No!"
But the changelings raised their heads as one, sickly green energy leaving them and heading for the queen. 
“She is my queen,” Thorax said sadly. “I can’t deny her.”
Yet, as he spoke, his voice was tinged with agony. And as Shiva watched, his body began to wither. Their magic swirled around Chrysalis, turning into a bright green beam that clashed against the rainbow beam… and held it in place.
“What?!” Twilight stammered. “She-She can’t do that! The Elements are powered by friendship!”
“Such as loyalty?” Chrysalis asked mockingly. “Perhaps, like the loyalty of my subjects?”
“Uh-oh,” Luke mumbled.
Shiva stared at Thorax’s withering form in mounting horror.
“You’re killing them,” Shiva realized. “Chrysalis, stop! You’re killing your own subjects!”
“And that’s supposed to mean anything?” Chrysalis demanded. Her horn flashed, and Shiva and her dogs were thrown back from her. A similar shockwave made the rainbow beam falter as the Elements struggled to keep their hooves.
“This was where you failed, Howlite Howler,” Chrysalis noted grandly.  “You wasted so much thought and concern for the pathetic well-being of your subjects and the subjects of your enemy. Not realizing the power you could have had when you stopped trying to get along with everything, and just took what was yours by right!” She shook her head. “It’s almost embarrassing to think about, honestly.” 
Chrysalis’ beam slowly but surely began to drive the rainbow beam back. The mares whimpered as Shiva regained her paws, Spike joining Luke and Skippy at her side.
“Rejoice, Shiva,” Chrysalis offered, with the honeyed tone of a soothing mother. “Soon, you’ll learn. Our subjects are nothing but tools. Their only purpose is to follow our commands and help us – or should I say, me – fulfill my goals.” 
But Shiva didn’t glower or whimper. Instead, her tail began to wag, and she chuckled softly. Chrysalis’ expression turned perplexed. 
“You call us the foals?” Shiva asked. “It’s just as I told you before: a Queen without subjects is nothing but dust.” 
The diamond dogs loaned their strength to Shiva, and she sent forth a beam of white magic. With Chrysalis focused on keeping the Elements back, and her subjects too withered to aid her, Chrysalis was helpless as Shiva’s beam scorched into her like she had been dropped into the sun.
“What?!” Chrysalis stammered before the pain reached her. Her shrieks of agony ripped through the air, and despite her evil, the Mane Six found themselves wincing in sympathy.
Shiva held no such sympathy, and poured on the energy. Chrysalis’ minions dropped from their links, gasping as if they had been denied air for years, all while their so-called queen slowly burned away into nothing. 
As the last of Queen Chrysalis floated away with the beam of light, the green magic holding the Element’s back faded, and the rainbow beam slammed into Shiva’s lightning.
Shiva gasped as a rainbow prism glowed around her link. 
Then everything went white.

#

For a moment, things stayed white. Shiva couldn’t move. She could barely breath.
“Hello?”she called into the light. “Are you guys there?”
“We’re here,” Skippy assured her.
“Everything’s… frozen, though,” Luke said. “Did we just blow up Canterlot?” 
“I’m pretty sure there would’ve been a shockwave blowing us back,” Skippy argued. 
“Maybe we’re about to feel it,” Luke noted, his voice rather eager for such a disastrous outcome. “Just watch. The shockwave will hit us any second.”
Shiva glanced around, but nothing came for them. No shockwaves, no burning sensation. They were just… frozen. Almost in time. 
“Any second now…” Luke mumbled. But he voice was growing fainter. 
And as the dog’s voices faded into the background, Shiva saw a prism of rainbow light form from the blankness in front of her.
“Guys?”Shiva asked, reaching for her pack. But then a voice soothed her.
“Relax,”the voice said. “We have no intention of hurting you.” 
“Far from it,” another voice replied. 
The prisms of light took shape. From their forms, Shiva saw… 
“Applejack?” Shiva asked, her eyes darting to the six ponies before her. “Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy…” She shook her head – the only part of her she could still move. “What is this?”
Twilight smiled softly, but something was slightly… off about her. The mark on her flank was different, somehow. More like a gem than an actual mark.
“Shiva, you’re the one who figured out mind linking,” ‘Twilight’ chastised. “Surely, you’d recognize a link when you made one.” 
Shiva’s eyes narrowed. “But you’re not Twilight Sparkle,” she noted. She gazed at the mares. “None of you are those ponies.”
Applejack’s grin widened. “Very good, Shiva,” she praised. “We’re the Elements they wield. The Guardians assigned to protect Equestria…” Her face fell. “Even when they don’t deserve it.”
Shiva’s ears perked. “So,” she noted. “Even you disapprove of Beast Breaker’s actions?”
Twilight's ears flattened. "That one of our own subjects was capable of such cruelty...?" she bowed her head. "As it is, the ones that aided him shall be receiving their due soon enough. For what happened to you after was not justice. It is not what we wanted.”
Shiva glowered. “Then why didn’t you stop it?” she demanded.
Twilight lifted her head, and the whiteness faded away. While it was still filtered, almost as if through a camera lens, Shiva made out the Mane Six above them, the gems aglow and sending the rainbow beam right into a scorching crater in front of the ground. Twined around the rainbow was Shiva’s lightning beam, leading right back to her and to the rest of her pack. 
“We need bearers to influence this world,” Twilight said sadly. “It is the cost of being able to wield such power. And when even our bearers have their vision clouded by fear and anger… there is little we can actually do against the beings we are sworn to protect.” 
“The fact that you were capable of showing our ponies such generosity,” Rarity – or her Element? – said.
“Despite the lack of kindness, they’ve shown you,” Fluttershy added.
“Says a great deal about you.” Both of them inclined their heads. “Equestria is truly blessed to have someone like you in charge of the diamond dogs.”
Shiva huffed. “Don’t think this is going to be a constant thing,” Shiva growled. “I only wanted to make sure Chrysalis didn’t hurt my pack.”
Applejack – Honesty? – hummed, rubbing her chin.
“Is that really all?” she asked. “Or… did you want to prove that you were better than them?”
Shiva grimaced, but before she could speak…
“Because while you showed great courage and tenacity,” Twilight noted. “You also gave in to wrath and pride. It is a hard battle to forgive, but to triumph is to show greater strength than any…”
“Spare me the ‘sparing is strength’ line,” Shiva said. She steeled herself, despite her body still being frozen. “Are you going to force me to stay here?”
“No,” Honesty said instantly. “If it is your desire to leave this place, even we don’t have the power to stop you.”
“And even if we did,” Kindness added. “It would go against our very nature.”
“You’d be miserable here,” Pinkie – Laughter? – added. “If you were to stay, we want it to be because you want to.”
“And if another foe comes to take Equestria,” Loyalty – Rainbow Dash? – added grimly. “We do hope you’ll stand by our side. But we can’t force you to be loyal to us. Not unless you truly want to forgive us.” 
Shiva sighed. “You were right about forgiveness,” she admitted. “It is a hard battle. And one I don’t feel I’m ready to take on.”
The Elements frowned in disappointment, before Rarity – Generosity? – let out a puff of air. 
“Then be free to take your leave,” she declared. “And know that should you be willing to try and take that path to forgiveness…”
“Equestria will always be open to you,” Generosity, Kindness and Honesty said at the same time.
“Good luck, Howlite Howler,” Magic said, as they faded into the twining rainbow and lightning. “For what it’s worth… we hope you find peace wherever you choose to call home.”
With their final blessing, the Elements faded into light.
And the shockwave Luke was talking about finally hit them.
> Chapter 11: Paradise
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shiva blinked out the blobs of light concealing her vision. She found herself sprawled on the ground. Similarly, her dogs and the ponies were sprawled across the room, all slowly waking up. Thorax and a few of his changelings were still out cold and quickly being surrounded by guards who rushed into the room.
“Wow,” Pinkie mumbled, leaning on her party cannon. “That reminds me of the party after Nightmare Moon’s defeat… and maybe Nightmare Moon’s defeat as well.” 
“Every pony okay?” Applejack asked.
“Dunno, don’t care,” Luke growled, stumbling over to Shiva. “Alpha; you okay?”
Shiva rose back up. She rubbed at her head with a grimace. 
“Yeah,” she said. “I’m alright.”
Luke’s tail wagged. He managed a grin, and touched her head softly, before a cooing noise reminded them of where they were. They glanced back at the ponies, who had slowly grouped back together, though the looks they shot Shiva were only smiles of thankfulness and happiness. Even Rainbow Dash and Rarity no longer looked on her with suspicion, only thankfulness and gratitude in their eyes.
Slowly, every eye turned to the changelings. Thorax’s eyes fluttered open, and he began to look around in a panic. 
“W-Where’s the queen?” he whimpered.
The other changelings began to look around as well. But Chrysalis was nowhere to be found.
“S-She’s gone!” another changeling screamed. “I can’t sense her anymore!”
“W-What happened to the queen?”
“Like you said; she’s gone.” 
Slowly, the changelings turned to Shiva and the dogs, who stood ready to fight. 
“Anyone want to join her?” Shiva asked, her claws flashing with lightning. 
The changelings stared in utter shock at Shiva. Then, after a shared look, they fled as one out the window, vanishing over the horizon. 
Shiva huffed. “Didn’t think so,” she said quietly.
A flare of light drew her attention. Celestia, free from her cocoon, strode to Shiva with a smile.
“Alpha Shiva,” Celestia proclaimed. “We are in your debt. Despite the mistakes and misunderstandings between our two races, you were able to put aside your anger, and focus on the real adversary. And for that, you have our undivided gratitude.”
“Truly,” Luna admitted, standing beside her sister. “It was wrong of us to see you in such a negative light.”
Cadence joined them, her magic and cutie mark restored. “And if there is anything we can do to repay your kindness,” she said. “You only need to ask.”
Shiva’s ears perked, and she smiled softly at the princesses. 
“Well, in that case…” Shiva said, “We’re going to need some choice supplies.” She started to list them off. “Food, medicine, gems – plenty of gems…” However, she faltered as she noticed them staring at her like she had spoken another language.
“Um, Shiva,” Spike whispered. “Usually, you’re supposed to say ‘no thanks are needed.’”
Shiva held back a chuckle of disbelief. “Why? I risked my neck and the necks of my pack for you guys. You better believe I’m going to expect payment.” 
Celestia pursed her lips before glancing at the dogs. Several of them were still holding their loot bags, which they quickly hid with guilty smiles. 
“It seems your dogs have more than collected their fair share of ‘payment,’” Celestia pointed out.
Shiva winced, glaring at her dogs before sighing. 
“Alright,” she said. “Who did you guys steal that stuff from?”
“Prince Blueblood,” one diamond dog offered. 
“Some pony called Jet Set,” a second one said.
“I think this one says it belongs to Upper Crust,” a third one admitted.
“Donut Joe,” the one with batter on his head said with a grin. 
Shiva sighed. “Okay,” she said. “Anything from the noble class – especially the ones involved with Beast Breaker – we’re keeping. The rest; put it back.”
The dogs that had taken from the nobles cheered, while the rest groaned. Shiva tilted her head at Celestia, silently asking if there was a problem with her method. 
Celestia simply shook her head with a chuckle. 

#

An hour later, the diamond dogs were heading out of Canterlot. Four wagons lurched behind them, weighed down with gems, medicines and other supplies all lifted from the noble's homes. Shiva’s grin, however, started to fade when lower class ponies started to follow them. 
“So,” one pony offered, a saddle bag over his back. “Um… are you guys accepting pony pack mates? Because, considering the nobility is what got us into this…”
“No,” Shiva said. 
The pony blinked. “But… what if we don’t want to stay in Equestria,” he asked. 
“Then find somewhere else,” Shiva said. “Wherever we’re going, we don’t need ponies coming with us.” 
Behind them, the Mane Six winced.
“Are you sure?” Pinkie asked, jumping after them, “You’re a hero now. You’d be welcome in Ponyville, at the very least.” 
“And White Tail Woods will always be open to you and your pack,” Fluttershy added.
Shiva kept her eyes on the exit. “I need a lot of time away from you before I’ll consider that offer.”  
They tilted their heads just as Blueblood’s voice reached them.
“There she is!” Blueblood was screaming. He stumbled towards them, his coat ragged and torn, and his mane a complete mess. “I see my things in that wagon. Guards! Make her give my things back right now, before…”
“Will you shut up!” a guard snapped, clubbing Blueblood across the face. 
“Y-You struck me,” Blueblood whimpered, as the guards shoved him along.
“You were resisting arrest,” the guard replied. “Now let’s get you back to your cell.”
“B-But I’m not the villain!” he insisted. “That diamond dog brought the changelings! It’s all her fault! It is! It’s her fault!”
The Ex-Prince was dragged away kicking and screaming, but several ponies still gave Shiva doubtful looks. And when she glanced their way, they ducked inside, hiding from her eyes. 
“A lot of time,” Shiva repeated.
Twilight’s ears flattened, and she sighed in discouraged irritation. 
“Not all of us are like that,” Applejack noted. “You know that, right?”
Shiva’s only response was a silent look towards Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Twilight. Rarity was the first to cave.
“Shiva,” she said solemnly. “I’m sorry. I should have realized that you’re not like the diamond dogs I knew.”
Fluttershy nudged Rainbow Dash, and the blue mare sighed. “Yeah,” she added. “I… I’m sorry too. For, y’know, being….” She groaned. “Being a jerk,” she pushed out.
Spike nudged Twilight. “And I’m sorry too,” Twilight added. 
Shiva hummed thoughtfully at them, before turning to Spike. Smiling softly, she rested her head against his.
“Take care of these idiots, okay, buddy?” she asked. “They’d probably be lost without you.”
Spike chuckled. “You already know it,” he replied, ignoring the indignant looks the others shot him.
With one final respectful nod at Applejack, and a curious stare at Pinkie and Fluttershy, Shiva motioned to her dogs, and they exited Canterlot, heading out into the wild. With Skippy and Luke once again by her side, Shiva felt a freedom that she hadn’t felt since she first escaped Equestria.
“So, Skippy,” Shiva said, turning to her advisor as he took his place by her side. “Any suggestions on where we go next?” 
“Yeah,” Skippy said, pulling a map from the wagon. “It’s pretty far to the north, but it’s got mountains of crystals and gems. Gems that I’ve heard can even harness magic, so you won’t need to waste energy on making sure the diamond dogs can use your power.”
Luke started to salivate. “Diamond Dog heaven,” he whimpered. 
Shiva nodded. “Then it’s to the north we go,” she declared, flaring her links. “C’mon, Diamond Wolves. Onward to Paradise!”
The dogs howled in agreement.

#

High above Canterlot, Celestia watched the diamond dogs leave with a somber expression.
“Paradise…” she mumbled, wistfully. 
Luna joined her with a flash of light. 
“Well,” she said. “The nobles are unhappy that most of their things were taken, but hopefully, it will be enough to ensure Shiva does not come back to us as an enemy.” Her eyes narrowed. “I do not understand her, Celestia. She has no interest in conquering Equestria, yet neither does she seek redemption and to join us. I know pony kind has not been kind to her, but surely she can see that there is more to this nation than the few barbarians she met.” 
“Or the ponies who let fear and hatred guide them.”
Luna’s ears flattened at the ice in her voice. “M-May I assume Blueblood will be staying in the dungeons for some time?” she whispered. 
Celestia turned on Luna, and the night alicorn backed up at the anger in Celestia’s eyes.
"Take caution, my sister," Celestia said firmly. "The only reason you have not joined him and the others is because you are needed to guard Equestria's nights. But that does not mean I approve of how you handled this situation."
Luna gulped, but wisely made no attempt to interrupt Celestia.
“What Shiva did to Beast Breaker and the fools who followed him was reprehensible. Yet she carries the consequences for her actions with dignity and integrity. Yet, when Blueblood was confronted with his actions, he hid behind excuses and insistence that he was in the right. How is it that a diamond dog shows more integrity than the ponies that attempt to earn my favor every day?” Her voice only lowered further as she added. “How is it that a ‘barbarian’ shows more maturity and grace than my own sister?”
Luna winced. “Sister,” she stammered. “I’m truly sorry. I merely thought she was dangerous…”
“Yes,” Celestia said. “Dangerous when provoked. She could have made an invaluable ally. And instead, suspicion, fear and distrust drove her from what should have been a paradise!” Celestia looked out over her kingdom. “I have never been more disappointed in my subjects and my family that I am right now.” 
Luna opened her mouth to speak, before deciding against it. 
“We… I am sorry, Tia,” Luna whispered. 
Celestia grimaced. “If 'sorry' was enough, Shiva would be guarding Equestria alongside Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia declared. “Pass a memo: I want every member of the nobility tested. I want to know exactly who was involved in Beast Breaker’s pits, and who might be involved in anything similar in the future. If this is what my ‘nobility’ thinks is just and right… then perhaps it is time for a change in their ranks.”  
Luna winced, but bowed her head in acceptance, while Celestia returned her gaze to the diamond dogs, even as they vanished over the horizon.
“Good luck, Shiva,” Celestia said. “I pray that you find paradise… wherever it may be.”

#


Several weeks later…

The snow fell thick and fast around the dogs, but their fur and Shiva’s magic kept them warm. Skippy led the way, not even needing the map.
“Are you sure we’re on the right path?” Shiva asked.
Skippy didn’t reply for a moment, but when he turned back to them, his grin shined brighter than the sun. 
“See for yourself,” he replied, indicating the snowy patch before them. 
Curious, Luke and some of the diggers ran over. Scattering snow and dirt, they dug deep into the patch Skippy had pointed out. For a moment, there was a lull in their digging, and Shiva came over in concern. Then, it was followed by a whoop of joy.
Several quartz crystals shot out of the hole, nearly nailing Shiva in the head. She caught it with a grin, before tossing it to the diamond dog Duke 
“Spear Dogs, stand guard” she ordered. “Iron Paws. Diggers. Start carving out a cavern. We’ll need some shelter from the snow storms out here, then we can focus on harvesting these babies.” She caught another gem and tossed it to another dog. “Sort the ones you find into piles.”
As she sorted the dogs into their jobs, Skippy backed up, grinning as the dogs threw themselves into the work. More importantly, he grinned at the light shining from Shiva that didn’t have to do with magic. Ever since they had left the ponies behind, she had been calmer. More relaxed. And much less conflicted. Out here, there was no worrying about morality and good ponies. Out here, she could focus on the ones she truly loved; her pack.
And it made Skippy’s job that much easier. 
Retreating to a safe corner away from his pack, Skippy knelt next to a patch of snow, and breathed. Briefly shifting back into his changeling form, he disgorged a sparking, egg-shaped cache of love. The love magic pulsed like a heartbeat, warming the changeling as he set about concealing it into the snow. However, he didn’t get long to try and hide it, as another changeling appeared before he could try. 
“You know,” the new changeling quipped. “I know that ponies will often show their parents the new mates they’ve picked up.” He grinned at Shiva’s pack barely visible from their hiding place. “But this is a little new.” 
Skippy shrugged. “Chrysalis was causing trouble in Canterlot. We decided here would be a little safer. And we do need to protect her.” He lifted the cache of love he had. “Just feel the amount of power in there. This could keep the Hive going for weeks.”
The changeling took it, feeling the love pulsate inside. He shook his head with a grin.
“You really outdid yourself on this one,” he said. “And to think I had my doubts about the Queen’s 20th grandson not being that useful.” He spared another glance at Shiva. “So, when should we meet her?”
“Soon, but not yet,” Skippy said. “Give her a chance to settle in. As soon as we tell her about Vespin Hive, she’ll need to know about me.”
“She doesn’t know?” the changeling asked. “I thought dogs could sniff out lies. Or is that just normal dogs.”
“No, that’s her as well,” Skippy confirmed. “But… I’m not technically lying to her. I’ve always been Skippy, changeling or diamond dog. And it’s not lying if I’m still me.”
The changeling hummed. “Well, whenever she’s ready to meet the in-laws, let me know.” The changeling stood and swallowed the love cache. “Someone capable of this much love and empathy is definitely worth protecting.” 
Skippy gave a confident glance back at the south. “We’re more than capable,” he declared. “If anything wants to get near Shiva, she’ll fight it with everything she’s got.” He grinned. “Chrysalis and anything like her? They don’t stand a chance.”