Chapter 98 (Spice Up Your Life)
I sat on the train with Moondancer and Tyke. Tyke had his head out the window, staring at the landscapes.
“Be careful, Tyke,” Moondancer said. “You don’t want to fall out. Anyway, thanks for tagging along with us to Canterlot, Spike.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied. “I had nothing else better to do back at the castle. So what do you plan to do in Canterlot?”
“I was going to run a few errands there, but I also wanted to bring Tyke along so he could get a taste of Canterlot culture.”
“About that,” Tyke said as he leaned back in. “Are you sure I’ll feel welcome there? One of my siblings told me how everypony there is high-classed. I’m not sure I’ll fit in.”
“Don’t worry, Tyke,” said Moondancer. “As long as you’re with us, you won’t feel left out. Plus your upgraded vest wouldn’t be out of place at one of Canterlot’s boutiques.”
Tyke looked down at his outfit. “I guess.”
The train slowed to a halt at Canterlot’s train station. Moondancer, Tyke, and I quickly hopped off. Tyke stared up at the buildings’ architecture. Despite his open mouth, he said not a word.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” I asked.
“Let’s get going,” Moondancer said.
Tyke hopped on Moondancer’s back while I followed them both down the road. Tyke still stared at the sky. Specifically, he eyed some of the airships passing above.
“Here’s our first stop,” Moondancer announced. “The Canterlot Library.”
Somehow, I foresaw this.
The three of us entered the library. The massive amount of shelves and books gave me and the old Spike a wave of nostalgia.
“It’s like every library I go to gets bigger and bigger,” Tyke said.
Moondancer approached the front desk.
“Oh, Moondancer, hello,” the pony behind the desk greeted quietly. The pony in question had a dark green coat, a light blue mane, a yellow sweater, and red glasses. “How nice to see you again.”
“Likewise, Bellflower.” Moondancer removed some books from her bag. “I’m here to return these.”
“Excellent. How’s your time in Ponyville? I heard you’re their new librarian.”
“You heard right. And I’m enjoying every minute there.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Bellflower stamped the tickets on each book. That’s when I caught her eye.
“You must be Princess Twilight’s assistant, Spike,” she said. “I’m Bellflower Blurb, the new head librarian.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” I responded. “Before you ask, no. Twilight’s not with me right now.”
“What a shame. I’ve been wanting to help the Best Book Borrower check out a book.” Bellflower looked at Tyke. “And who is this?”
“Um…my name is Tyke,” Tyke nervously replied. “I’m with Moondancer and Spike.”
“Then welcome to the Canterlot Library, Tyke. Hope you’ll find something interesting to read here.”
Moondancer closed her saddle bags. “Let’s see what books they have today.”
We followed Moondancer down the aisle. She skimmed a few titles before taking them off the shelves.
“Say, Moondancer,” Tyke said, “are there any books about Diamond Dogs here?”
“I think there are some,” Moondancer said. “Let me check.”
Moondancer went through the library. While she didn’t find a book about Diamond Dogs specifically, there were a few that provided some useful information. Once she was done, we got to a table and read through some of the books.
“How’s the book?” I asked.
“It’s not inaccurate, but it does leave out a lot of details about Diamond Dogs,” Tyke replied. “At least for this one, it says that there are different groups for each section of Equestria.”
“You know, I don’t think you told me what the gems on the Diamond Dogs’ collars specified.”
Tyke cleared his throat. “Okay, so I Diamond Dog territory is divided up into different sections in Equestria. The colors of the collar gems represent each location. Different places have varying quantities and qualities, so it's not just about which district can produce more gems, but how rare are those gems and how many can be used for currency. The district I grew up in was the yellow district, which had a below average amount of gems in both numbers and worth of each gem, at least by Diamond Dog standards.”
“Where’s the yellow district?” I asked.
“It was that mountain range where you and I first met. Moving on, the shapes of the gems are based on a pack’s job. Usually, the supervisors or leaders of a group wear these on their collar, but regular Diamond Dogs can wear them under the right conditions. Rhombuses are the most common. They mine, dig, carry…basically, if you meet a Diamond Dog for the first time, they’ll most likely be from a Rhombus group. Depending on where you are, they can either be very friendly, or really nasty. I don’t have to tell you what the Orange Rhombus group is since your last encounter with them.
“The Diamond Dogs with the five-sided collar gems are called the ‘Pentas.’ They’re in a higher position than any Rhombus supervisor. They decide a gem’s worth and if it can be used for spending purposes. Pentas are also the ones who trade with dragons. I don’t know if anyone told you this, but dragons and Diamond Dogs are on a neutral standpoint. As long as they don’t try to attack us, we can provide food and money for them and vice versa.
“Next up are the Hexes: scientists with six-sided gems. They’re responsible for testing, experimenting, and naming gems. The next time you wonder how a gem got its scientific name, you can thank the Hexes. They usually reside in the higher-income districts, usually in underground laboratories. The only time you see them anywhere else is when they do field work, and even then it’s once in a while.
“Octos, the ones with eight-sided gems, are very important economists. They control their entire respective district and make decisions based on different factors, such as what areas need and don’t need to be mined, where and when trades with dragons should take place, and who should be assigned which job. I don’t know the exact number for my district, but I know the maximum number of Octos is six while the minimum is two for each district.
“Finally, the most important group of all the Diamond Dogs is the Stars. These shapes are exclusive to the royals, representatives, and members of the parliament. The only ways to be a Star are by relation or public opinion. These Dogs are only seen in the richest districts most of the time, and even then you’re more likely to find the world’s rarest gems than a Star there. In fact, a Diamond Dog could go through their whole life without seeing someone from the Star group. While Octos control their own district, Stars control all of the Diamond Dog territories.
“So, that’s all there is to know about the Diamond Dog districts and positions.”
“Wow, that was very intricate,” I said. “I do have one question. You mentioned royals, so where would your capital be?”
“It’s in the area northwest of Canterlot, between Galloping Gorge and Vanhoover in equal number of miles. If you see mountains, that’s where the royals would be.”
“You sure have some good map skills, Tyke,” Moondancer said.
“It was something one of my bigger brothers taught me before we fell apart,” Tyke said.
We spent the rest of the morning at the library reading some of the books. Moondancer took the liberty of helping Tyke get his own Canterlot Library card. Afterwards, we left for lunch.
“Let’s see, which is the quickest way to Restaurant Row?” I asked.
“Really, Spike?” Moondancer asked. “You want to eat there of all places?”
“Isn’t that where most of the eateries are?”
Moondancer looked at Tyke. “I was thinking about eating at a more familiar place. Come on.”
Tyke and I followed Moondancer to a place that really was all too familiar: the donut shop.
“Spike! Moondancer!” Pony Joe called out. “Great to see you again. Whose pet dog is that?”
“Uh, I’m not a pet, sir,” Tyke said. “I’m a Diamond Dog.”
“Oh! S-sorry, kid! I didn’t mean any offense. We almost never have Diamond Dogs visit Canterlot.”
Moondancer and I got our usual orders. Tyke stared at the display counter.
“Which donut would you like, Tyke?” Moondancer asked.
“I don’t know, there’s so many!” Tyke replied. “Which one should I choose?”
“How about a plain, glazed donut? It’s a good one to start with.”
“Okay, I’ll have that.”
After Moondancer ordered for Tyke, we sat at a nearby table. A short while later, Pony Joe served our meals.
Tyke took a bite from his donut. “Woah! It’s very sugary!”
“That’s a donut for you. You don’t have to finish it if you don’t like it.”
“Oh, I didn’t say it was a bad thing.” Tyke munched a bigger bite from the donut.
“Say, Moondancer,” I said, “what do you have against Restaurant Row? Earlier, you didn’t like my decision to go there.”
Moondancer sighed. “It’s just that all the restaurants on that street are the same, and the food’s not even that great. You eat at one place there, and you don’t have to eat at any of the others.”
“But don’t those places have a three-hoof rating from Zesty?”
“Gourmand? Oh, that pony’s nothing more than somepony getting paid to express their opinion. Honestly, seeing any place with her three-hoof rating is a red flag. Canterlot has a lot more restaurants that have better food than what you can find in Restaurant Row.” Moondancer levitated her donut. “Case in point.”
I took a sip of my cocoa. I remembered The Tasty Treat, but I wasn’t sure if it appeared on the street yet.
“But I’m not saying every fancy restaurant is bad,” Moondancer continued. “In fact, when I lived here in Canterlot, I’ve had my fair share of the fancier restaurants.” She leaned forward. “And I can tell you each eatery is grouped in four different tiers of fanciness.”
“Huh, I didn’t know that,” I said. “What is each tier like?”
“So the lowest tier is Tier 0. This has restaurants that don’t care much for being fancy, such as coffee shops, fast food places, and donut eateries. Keep in mind, that doesn’t mean that they are bad restaurants; they still provide great food and service. Places like these are perfect for those who just need a bite to eat without the hassle of dressing up or having proper table manners.
“Tier 1 has the basic fine dining restaurants. If you want to start eating fancy, these places are usually the first ones to start at. They’re good for when you want to practice table manners since these places are lax on any slip-ups. However, you shouldn’t have the habit of eating like a pig at these places. Every restaurant in Restaurant Row is on this tier, but there are a lot of better ones all around the city. You can also dress in casual or formal wear as long as it’s clean.
“Tier 2 restaurants are where things get serious. You need to have some experience in fine dining and a suit or formal dress to wear. These restaurants can overlook a few mistakes, but make too many and you might as well find another place to eat. In spite of the stricter rules, the food there is better and tastier. I’m speaking from experience.”
To think this was the same pony who was nothing more than a recluse in the show.
“And last but not least: Tier 3. Only a few restaurants are in this category and for good reason. They are very exclusive, very expensive, and very elaborate. The only way to get in is either being rich, getting invited by a royal, or having an accepted reservation. Only one percent of the one percent has dined at these places at least once. Obviously, I’ve never been, but I’ve heard good things about these places from those who have. They say the Princesses themselves can be seen dining at these places.”
“Amazing,” I replied. “And here I thought restaurants in Canterlot fell into only two categories: fancy and non-fancy.”
Moondancer finished the rest of her cocoa. “When you’ve been in Canterlot long enough, you begin to learn its secrets and see how everything is arranged in this town.”
After our not-so-nutritious lunch, we explored more of Canterlot. Moondancer showed Tyke her old home, Celestia's school, and a few popular Canterlot sites. She also chatted with some of the citizens she knew before she moved.
Surprisingly, Canterlot was more appreciative of Tyke than I thought. While there were a few uneasy stares given to him, there weren’t any direct, offensive comments about him being a Diamond Dog. I guessed Diamond Dogs weren’t as nasty to ponies as I thought (the Orange Rhombus group being the exception).
We were in the fashion district when Moondancer’s eye caught Rarity’s “Canterlot Carousel.”
“I just remembered I still need to get a dress for this year’s gala,” Moondancer said. “Plus, I’ve been meaning to see Rarity’s new boutique. Why don’t we head in?”
The three of us entered the boutique just in time to see Sassy Saddles trot down the stairs.
“Oh, you must be Miss Moondancer!” Sassy exclaimed. “I’ve heard about you.”
“Huh, I didn’t know I was that popular in Canterlot,” Moondancer replied. “Anyway, I’d like a dress for the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala.”
“Wonderful! Fashion stores always get busy here in Canterlot right before the Gala, so I praise you for purchasing an outfit so far in advance. Let’s see what style is right for you.”
Sassy took Moondancer aside while Tyke and I browsed the shop.
“I didn’t know Miss Rarity had a boutique here,” Tyke said.
“She has one in Manehattan as well,” I replied.
“Really? Does she have a headquarters somewhere? A head shop?”
“Well, the Carousel Boutique in Ponyville isn’t exactly a headquarters, but it’s where she started her business.”
After a few minutes, Moondancer returned wearing a dark, purple dress with added arm gloves. Her mane was also tied up in a bun.
“You'll be sure to stand out in the crowd with this outfit!” Sassy announced.
“I’ll take it!” Moondancer responded. “Oh, and is it possible to make something for Tyke as well? Just make sure there’s something covering his neck.”
Sassy looked at Tyke. “Well…I never made something for a Diamond Dog before, but I’ll see what I can do.”
Sassy took some measurements, and then headed to the back carrying a few rolls of fabric.
“You want me to go to the Gala, too?” Tyke asked.
“Of course,” chuckled Moondancer. “We received two Gala tickets in the mail after all. What did you think the other one was for?”
“I thought you were going to ask somepony out.”
“Heh, maybe for next year’s gala. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all there is to know about the Grand Galloping Gala when we get back.”
Much later, Sassy came back with a small, midnight blue blazer and a light blue dress shirt underneath. There was also a white cravat to boot. Tyke tried them on, and if his wagging tail meant anything, he liked it.
“I did my best to show off Rarity’s TLC, and I must say it worked well,” said Sassy. “And how about you, Mr. Spike? Do you need a suit for the gala?”
“Maybe some other time,” I declined. “I feel like it’s too early for me.”
“Suit yourself. Ah...no pun intended.”
After Moondancer paid for her and Tyke’s outfits, we left the boutique. The sun already set behind the buildings, casting large shadows all over the streets.
“Wow, evening already?” Moondancer asked. “What say we grab a bite to eat before we head home?”
“That would be great.” Tyke then noticed a signicade. “Look! I think it’s a sign for a new restaurant.”
“‘Come to the newest restaurant: The Tasty Treat. The most exotic cuisine in Canterlot.’ Alright, we'll give it a try.”
So the “Spice Up Your Life” episode did happen. Well, it was a map episode anyway, so I didn’t need to change it.
Moondancer, Tyke, and I followed the signs to the Tasty Treat. Moondancer grew reluctant when we arrived at Restaurant Row.
“Uh, oh. This restaurant better not have joined the bandwagon,” she said.
We continued down the path until we came up to the restaurant. Unlike its neighbors, the Tasty Treat’s outdoor decor was extremely colorful and decorated with Indian-styled sigils. Or in this case, the ponified version of India.
We entered the establishment, and already dozens of ponies were seated about.
“Huh, guess not all restaurants are the same here,” Moondancer said.
“Hey! You three! Over here!” A voice called out.
We turned to see Pinkie Pie and Rarity sitting at a table.
“Pinkie! Rarity!” Moondancer announced. “Funny seeing you in Canterlot.”
“Likewise,” replied Rarity. “I see you brought Tyke and Spikey-Wikey with you as well. Come sit with us. We were just about to order.”
Moondancer, Tyke, and I obliged. We all ordered our unique Indian dishes. I ordered some dal soup with some naan.
“So what brings you three to Canterlot?” Rarity asked.
“Spike and I wanted to show Tyke the sites around this city while also running a few errands,” replied Moondancer. “How about you two?”
“The map called for us to solve a friendship problem!” Pinkie declared. “The funniest thing was that earlier this morning after Spike left, Twilight just happened to say…” She straightened her mane. “‘You know something? It’s been a while since the map has called for anypony.’ And just after she said that, the map called for me and Rarity! Isn’t that a coincidence?” Her mane poofed back to normal.
“How can a map call for you?” Tyke tilted his head.
“It’s a special kind of map. I’ll explain it when we get back.”
“Twilight told me about the map before,” Moondancer said. “So what was your friendship problem?”
Rarity replied, “Well, when Pinkie and I arrived at Canterlot, we didn’t know where the friendship problem was, but since we were here we decided to have lunch first. We tried eating at some of the three-hoofed-rated restaurants, but the food quality wasn’t all that great.”
“I probably should’ve warned you about that.”
“Moving on, our last stop was here, the Tasty Treat. That was when we found our friendship problem. The chef, Saffron Masala, was having issues with her father, Coriander Cumin. He believed that the restaurant would not stay open for long, while Saffron thought otherwise. Pinkie and I attempted to refurbish the restaurant and get Zesty Gourmand to come and review this establishment, but our attempt was lackluster. Despite such a dreadful failure, Saffron and Coriander made up over an old filly-hood dish. It was then Pinkie and I discovered that a review from somepony wasn’t needed to make a place popular. Thus, I helped draw in a crowd while Pinkie restored the Tasty Treat to its original decor. We even got chefs from other restaurants attending, and they wished to add variety to their own dishes at their businesses. Of course, Zesty returned once again.”
“Did she change her mind about the restaurant?”
“No. She left in a huff. Although, I have a feeling ponies aren’t going to listen to her reviews anymore.”
“Good riddance. Maybe it’ll be worth going to Restaurant Row for once.”
Coriander served us our food, and we dug in. I enjoyed hanging out in Canterlot with Moondancer and Tyke. It was certainly a surprise to meet Pinkie and Rarity here as well. Then again, I didn’t know when this episode would occur.
“Tyke, darling, I know food can get one excited, but you don’t have to be that ecstatic,” Rarity said.
Tyke panted rapidly with his tongue out.
“It burns…burns…burns!” He wheezed.
“Oh, no!” Moondancer quickly gave him a tall glass of milk. “Drink this! It’ll cool you down.”
Tyke quickly chugged the entire glass down.
“Ahhh…that’s better.” Tyke wiped his mouth. “Thank you.”
“It was a good thing I ordered milk in advance,” Moondancer said. “Why did you pick the wild-spiced curry for your meal?”
“I thought it meant it had a lot of flavors.”
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Wow, never thought we'd get more information about the Diamond Dogs, especially about the different Tiers of Restaurants.
All and all, good chapter.
tyke is a awesome goodest of boi's!!! :D
love this chapter so much 10/10
I mean, technically...
Love the chapter, but as an Indian, I always cringe when I hear or read 'naan bread'. For us in India, we just call it 'naan'
11774250
Fixed.
The Title and the description catches me eye, hope it lives up to my expectation without reading the comments
Great lore chapter, probably the best Diamond Dog world building I read in Fimfiction.
11774346
Lol yep i thought the same after i read that line from Tyke
Lmao congratulations Tyke you have learned what Capsaicin is (it is a Chemical that means it is spicy) i feel sorry for your colon and Twilight's toilet tomorrow Tyke.
Getting closer to Times They Are A Changeling. Don't want to make any assumptions, but get the feeling that either the other changelings break Chrysalis out of prison or Pharynx takes Chrysalis's place as leader of the hive and ignores Thorax's efforts to reform the changelings. Regardless, I feel confident saying that Spike and Thorax will run into each other in the Crystal Empire and Thorax will be in hiding when Spike gets there.
11774485
Dude, the Crystalling hasn't even happened yet. Red, when are you going to put that in?
can't wait to see the chapter where the map calls out for David.
No, there are only two types of restaurant. The ones you can afford and the ones you cannot.
An interesting follow up to learning the Orange Rhombuses’ group name, though I didn’t know that the shape part of their name was a status identifier. “It’s Gonna Work” was a hidden banger. I liked the episode since Pinkie was herself and Rarity was trying to refine the restaurant to help the business not be shut down. The message itself was obvious from the start yet we got to see interaction between two normally polar opposites of the Mane 6.
These chapters where Spike (David) doesn’t have to risk his life are nice. Also, one or two more chapters until this story reaches a hundred chapters! It depends if you count the prologue.
11774346
Darn it, ya beat me to it.
Yes, that is an achievement.
Maybe leave that spiced curry for Spike, I wonder what could happened if Spike was there before the map called Pinkie and Rarity... I gues he could just ignore the bad restaurants
Ah, 1 more thing about 28 Pranks I wanted to talk about, how I found it strange that everypony in Ponyville was annoyed at RD's pranks, even her relatively tamer ones, and indeed there were a few that didn't warrant their ire, like the cake thing, the AJ bed thing (arguably), or even that big one with the joke cookies and rainbow mouths. I mean, as long as it's harmless, right? Maybe Spike should join RD on her pranking spree, first to lighten up really, he should have fun now and then.
And to steer her away from the more dangerous and insensitive tricks, as well as call out anypony being oversensitive prudes... 
(er, not Fluttershy of course)
Edit: Oh! I-deeaaa!!
What if Fluttershy joined in too on the pranking? Good with scares, good with pranks. It all makes sense! 
Three time it will burn. On the tongue, in the stomach, down the toilet. Ending the experience like no other.
Though one has to be careful, otherwise one can damage his internals with to spicy food.
Spicy food indicates poison in the wild, that we use it to our amusement isn't making it any safer in use.
In my stories I make a distinction between 'Gem Dogs' and the 'Diamond Dogs'. One being the main race, while the other being their exile/ criminals.
But nothing nearly as elaborate than we read here ♡