Lyra gave a friendly smile to her newest would-be friend. This was her most curious patient yet, not being a pony, or even pony shaped like the changeling. No, this one was a diamond dog. "Hello there. I'm Lyra Heartstrings. Nice to meet you. What's your name?"
"Spot," replied the dog, looking around curiously.
Lyra tilted her head at the inhuman sounding name. "Oh, tell me a bit about yourself, Spot. This is a safe place. I want to be your friend."
Spot smiled toothily. "Oh, uh. Spot is a little confused. Came here from far away and got lost. Was told you could help?"
Lyra shook her head a little. "I'll certainly try, but tell me about where you came from, Spot?"
Spot bobbed his head before starting to describe. "Lived in big tall place with shiny windows. Had job doing the click-clacks." He moved his paws in a vaguely typing fashion.
Lyra only felt more confused. The basic concept seemed right, but the dog wasn't saying it right at all. "How did you end up coming here?"
"I walked," said Spot with a grin.
Lyra frowned. "Spot... Why are you here?"
Spot shrank back a little. "You said this is safe place."
Lyra took a slow breath, then her smile returned. "It is. If you want to talk to me, you may, but I need the truth, Spot. Were you always a diamond dog?"
"Uh... no?" His eyes darted around with all the guile of a lost puppy.
Lyra slipped from her chair. "If you don't want to tell me the truth, Spot, then we can't talk. Look me in the eyes and tell me where you came from."
Spot tried to meet Lyra's gaze but kept slipping off. After trying several more times he sagged in place. "OK OK! Spot is from not-far. He heard you were nice pony and wanted to have good-talk."
Lyra reached out a hoof, patting him on the knee. "That's better. Now why didn't you say that in the first place?"
Spot shook his head quickly. "You are pony! You like strange people from nowhere, no-like diamond dogs."
Lyra pulled a chocolate out with her magic and offered it to Spot. "I prefer it when my friends are honest with me. Now that we're in the open, do you still want to be friends?"
Spot snatched the chocolate out of the air and sniffed it before it vanished into his mouth. "Yes."
Lyra chuckled a little at his brevity. "Well then good." Sure it was the first diamond dog she ever helped, but she saw little harm in it. "So tell me about you, the real you, not the fake one."
Spot squirmed in the chair. "Well OK, we start with not-good. We pony-napped loud-pony once before, the one with the white and purple fur. She made us let her go and took all our gems. Crushing defeat, but it made Spot think long and hard. How do ponies do so well in pretty little houses? What is point of gems if diamond dogs don't use them for anything? Why?"
Lyra was surprised at the depth of thought being presented to her. "That's a very worthy thing to consider, Spot. Did you try talking about this with other diamond dogs?"
Spot waved a large paw. "Bah! They say Spot is stupid for asking those questions. What about you, you think Spot is stupid?"
Lyra held up her hooves placatingly. "No way. That's a great question, but I'm not going to answer it, because I can't. I'm not a diamond dog. I will say this, if your friends really don't want to hear it, they can't stop you from asking it anyway, and coming to your own conclusion. You don't have to live their way, and you can't force them to live your way."
Spot threw up his paws in obvious annoyance. "Then what is Spot supposed to do? Where does Spot live if not with other diamond dogs?"
Lyra pointed out the window. "If you're trying to be a good sport, we ponies won't turn you away. You'd be the first one in town, sure, but that makes you a hero, Spot."
"A hero? How?" His eyes were wide with wonder and confusion.
Lyra smiled brightly. "You'd prove that diamond dogs and ponies can get along just fine. Maybe more diamond dogs would come if they saw you doing it. Maybe more ponies would visit the dogs. You'd be a pioneer, Spot."
Spot was looking more excited about the idea, but suddenly he frowned. "But what about ponies? You are nice-pony, but there are not nice-ponies. What if loud-pony starts making the loud noises and wants Spot to leave?"
Lyra frowned in return, thinking of... "Just to make sure, we're talking about Rarity, yes?"
"Yes, that is name of loud-pony!" He paused a moment. "You are not friends with loud-pony, are you?"
Lyra shrugged softly. "We get along well enough. She made this hat for me." Lyra pointed up at it. "Best three bits I've ever paid. Beside that, we don't talk much. If Rarity gives you trouble, you tell her to come talk to me. Ponies should not be bullying, and ordering you to go is just that, bullying."
Spot looked more hopeful. "Well, maybe Spot will try then, but can't promise this will work. Other dogs better see Spot. Don't want to live alone."
Lyra tilted her head. "You won't be alone. You'll make pony friends, right?"
Spot frowned. "Like who?"
Lyra pointed at herself. "You have one already."
It wasn't much, but it was a start. Ponyville soon had a new resident.