Twilight and the Spartan Stallion
Part 12: Spartan Shield vs. Princess Luna (III of III)

Spartan Shield awoke with a throbbing headache. He became aware of eyes on him, and jerked his head to look up. There she was, mistress of the night, Princess Luna. Shaking his head quickly, he set himself on his hooves and charged wildly--- into a set of bars. His yelp was haggard and he fell with a grunt, stunned.

“Not very bright, is he?” said a Lunar Stallion from a dark corner.

“Silence yourself, Stalwart Hide.” Luna snapped, looking over her shoulder until his wings wilted apologetically. The dark alicorn waited patiently for the Spartan Stallion to right himself. “Are you alright?” she asked, lifting a hoof.

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t pull your head off.” Spartan Shield pressed his face to the bars, his hooves reaching through and trying to grasp her. He glared at her with all the heat of a thousand angry suns.

“Because even thou cannot get through moonsteel bars.” Luna said simply, letting him struggle as he pleased. Even with his great strength, he was not getting through to her. “We shall wait until thou art ready for a summit.” She planted her royal hiney on the ground, folding her wings. She closed her eyes in silent meditation while he paced back and forth like a caged lion, wishing for nothing more than for her mane to blow a certain way so he could grab it and drag her in. Time passed, he didn’t know how long.

Aegis Shield brought the Princess a tiny folding table, tea and a little tray. Spartan watched her work with quiet grace, preparing the tea from powder, hot water, a strainer and cup—just so. Each movement was deliberate and practiced. When she was done brewing, her eyes flicking at him, she poured the tea into four tiny ceramic cups. It looked green and sickly. Was it poison? Neigh, she would not poison herself and her two guards… “Aegis Shield, give our guest one.” Luna said gently, gesturing.

Aegis… Shield?

The Lunar Stallion emerged from shadow, walking slowly and taking one of the tiny cups from the table. Coming close with an air of caution, he set it on the ground and pushed it within hoof’s reach. Spartan Shield stared at him, trying to discern if… no. No that would be way too convenient. The cosmos were not so cruel. They could not be. Aegis Shield paused to see if he would take it. They studied each other cautiously. Luna cocked her head. They seemed far more interested in each other than tea, all of a sudden. Slowly, a dawning expression passed over Aegis Shield’s face. No. No that couldn’t be. It was impossible! The Lunar Stallion backed up in abject horror, slipping quickly into the shadow of a column until he hit his butt on it. His golden eyes glowed in the dark, betraying his fear and confusion.

Visibly shaken, Spartan Shield sat on his haunches after pulling the small cup unto his cell with him. He held it gingerly, for it felt old. Princess Luna looked back and forth between the two of them, frowning. “Speak. I’m not going anywhere, monster.” The Spartan Stallion said, at last returning his attention to the dark alicorn.

“Monster no longer, stallion.” Luna frowned at him, lifting her tea with both hooves to take a serene sip. He studied her with a hawk’s gaze, looking for the slightest shudder or mis-step. There were none. “Much has happened since our battle in Sore Saddle Canyon.”

“Thou. Killed. All of my comrades.” Spartan Shield fought the very real urge to throw his cup at her. But no, perhaps she would come closer later in the conversation. Then he could get his hooves around her neck. He would be patient.

“And thou slaughtered ten THOUSAND of our Lunar Stallions.” Luna fired back, though still in a patient tone. “And assaulted us in our own dining hall.”

“I assumed thou conquered by her Immortal Shining Majesty.” Spartan furrowed, taking a sip of his tea without even realizing it. Though there were moon steel bars between them and he couldn’t choke-a-mare yet, perhaps he could learn a few interesting details in the meantime… he cocked his head. “No. No, she called it a draw. Why?” he looked at Luna with a furrowed brow.

“We were banished to the moon for a thousand years, Spartan.” Luna said a little wistfully, looking to one side. Stalwart Hide came forth, extending a bat-like wing over her with quiet and comforting affection. She smiled at him gingerly. “All our armies gone, all our powers put in chains, living in a true tartarus for centuries.”

“As you rightly deserved!” he spat. “'Nighttime Eternal', p’ah! How would we have grown crops, or tamed the tides of the sea?!” The stallion set his tea cup down with both hooves, getting up to pace angrily again. It amazed Luna how much he reminded her of a lion with his coloring and angry growling.

Luna gritted her teeth a little, then steadied herself. She was trying to extend the olive branch here. Celestia’s poor planning had done all this. Twilight was right, he did not know any better. Showing him his worst enemy after what he perceived of two week’s peace? Cruel! Unthinkable! Serving tray! To the face! “The Battle at Moon’s Apex was a thousand years ago, stallion. Equestria had but one Princess for an entire era. Have we not paid our debt to society?” she asked a little gingerly, looking at him.

“Why don’t you ask my dead brothers?” Spartan said stubbornly, putting his hooves on the bars. “Oh yes, thou can’t! They’re dead!” she once more waited, letting him vent and growl as he pleased. Only a huge burst of anger would allow for any healing.

“Thy defiance is just as radiant now as it was then.” Luna said a little acidly, growing weary. “Can we offer no terms of peace between us?”

“Resurrect three hundred and thirty-six stallions!” he said, clanging his hoof on the bars animatedly. Stalwart Hide bristled angrily, but knew there was little he could do to a caged stallion. “Turn back time and give me my life back, Nightmare Moon!” he shouted, pulling and yanking at the bars with all his might. Even his glorious muscles were no match. He kicked his tea cup at last, spilling it over her hooves.

“We can do none of those things, and we art not Nightmare Moon anymore.” Luna said, leaning forward with a frown. “Never call us that.”

“I’ll call thou what I please!” he said savagely. “Mistress of dark! Tail-lifting whore! Most unclean one!” he spat a long list of archaic swearing at her, jerking at the bars over and over again. Luna saw the conversation was spiraling out of control. There was no peace talk to be had here. The wounds were still fresh to him, and he was not one to sit in civil conversation.

“We could have thou locked away, for a long time.” Luna said, turning her head away. “But thou art a patient warrior, it would only allow thy rage to fester.” She sighed, long and loud, resigned. “We wished to repay thee for bloodying mine nose,” She paused for a moment, “But violence and imprisonment would only encourage you. We shall give something suitable for this peaceful era.” The Spartan Stallion glared fires at her, but the dark alicorn refused to burst into flame at the sight of him. Darn. “Instead, thou shalt be given community service.”

“Community… service?” Spartan strung the words together, but they had no context to him.

“Thou shalt raise twenty-five hundred bits for a worthy cause, not gained from thy money being equated into bits.” She raised a hoof before he could put that detail in. “We have heard our sister’s plan to give thy archaic coins to a museum. That shalt be withheld until thy labor is complete, as punishment.”

Spartan Shield had no idea how much a ‘bit’ was worth, but a twenty-five hundred of anything sounded like a lot to him. “And if I refuse?” he said, narrowing his eyes rebelliously.

“Then thy fortunes will find their ways into causes of my choosing, and your backside back to this very cell.” Luna frowned. “I seek no vengeance for our wartime rivalry, however-- think not that thou may assault a princess and get away free.” She lifted a hoof to point at him.

He’d be damned if his monies were given to ANYTHING of Princess Luna’s choosing. He stood on his four hooves. “Very well.” He said at last. “Release me.” He rolled his shoulders a bit, sore from being bitten.

Luna threw her head back and laughed. Both Lunar Stallions rolled their eyes. “Think me not foolish, Spartan Stallion! After you trounced three guards on thy lonesome, think thee that we would just open the cell door for you? Right now?”

“Yes?” he tried, feeling his chance to wring her neck slipping away.

Luna laughed at the ceiling again, holding her face. “Neigh! Neigh, we think not!” the dark alicorn stood, and Stalwart Hide collected her folding table and tea sets. Folding them into their container and nodding, he motioned that he was ready to do. “One of our guards shall release thou.” Luna promised, nodding and starting away. She stopped, though, at the foot of the stairs that led out of the dungeon. There was a few moments of silent thinking. How best to word it. “By the by…” she mumbled somberly, looking over her shoulder at the prisoner.

“What?” Spartan Shield grumped, sitting on his haunches.

“Thou should ask Twilight Sparkle what happened to Nightmare Moon.” Princess Luna said cryptically. They stared at each other for a time, then she was away.

Aegis Shield silently counted five minutes, then came and unlocked the cell door with caution. The two stallions regarded each other, and Spartan Shield looked Aegis Shield up and down. There was silence. Neither had the courage or desire to voice what hung between them. After sizing one another up for a short time, they walked side-by-side up the stairs and out of the dungeon. Spartan was bigger than he, and the resemblance ghostly-faint… but it was certainly there. It bothered him deeply.

=-----=-----=-----=-----=

Twilight smiled faintly when Spartan Shield emerged onto the train platform, cantering over to greet him. She did so cautiously, waiting for him to blow up in her face about knocking him out. He was silent for a time, the nodded his head at her approach, “Are we homeward bound, mage?” he asked.

She nodded, but added. “You don’t hafta keep calling me that. Just Twilight is okay. Or… just Twi.” She turned her ears back a bit. “I’m sorry.” She said suddenly, looking to one side.

“What for?”

“For… for swatting you down like that.” Twilight said a little meekly. “I couldn’t let you harm Princess Luna.” She couldn’t meet his gaze, and waited for the angry explosion to happen.

His huge hoof found her chin and brought her face up. “If I had assassinated her, I would be in prison forever. Or on a chopping block.” Was that his way of giving forgiveness? “Perhaps thou saved me in a way, Twilight Sparkle.” His hawkish eyes flicked up and down her for a moment. “Ever my closest ally.” He smiled just a little, and her ears perked up.

“So… you’re not mad at me?” she said.

“No.” he shook his head.

“Whew…” she said, leaning her cheek into his hoof for a moment. Spartan leaned in to kiss her on the face. Her heart revved up, heat touching her (face) in a more profound way than before. But, she honked his nose with a hoof. “No. No kisses for you.” He deflated at her denial. “You’re still in trouble. What punishment did the Princesses give you?”

Spartan Shield growled a little, backing up so he could speak. “Nightmare M--!” he stopped, trying to think of better, for Twilight’s sake. Sure enough, she was glaring at him. He cleared his throat to amend himself. “Princess LUNA,” he ground the word out like it tasted bad. “Bade me to raise twenty-five hundred bits for a worthy cause. Only then may I have my own monies back.”

“Community service?” Twilight furrowed her brow, then saw the train was getting ready to leave. Flashing her golden ticket to the conductor, she got on and pulled Spartan along with her. They seated themselves in a private booth meant for four. “Any idea what you might do?”

“No.” he said, shaking his head with a frown. “I am a Spartan Stallion, I know little in the ways of modern era jobs and services.” He rubbed his chin with a hoof, thinking. “Perhaps I could chop down trees to clear land to sell. Or, find something worthy of my strength in Ponyville.” He didn’t like the idea of getting a job. It was beneath him. Spartan Stallions were warriors by trade and birth, not farmers and potters and the like. It was unbecoming of him to seek employment doing something else! But… it wasn’t as though he had any other choice. He’d attempted to assassinate an Equestrian Princess. He was lucky he hadn’t been whipped two hundred times and then left in a jail cell to rot for the rest of his miserable existence. Clearly there were greater powers at work here, he just couldn’t see them.

“Maybe it’s just fate.” Twilight said with a sigh, leaning comfortably back in her cushioned seat. “Hahhh, something needed to kick your butt into integrating into pony society, I guess.”

“What do you mean?” Spartan asked, holding onto his seat when the trained lurched forward with a hiss of steam. “Fate?”

“Well, I’ve kind of been sheltering you.” Twilight said guiltily. “I didn’t even tell you about Princess Luna’s return, or make you go out and get a job. I just kind of wanted a study buddy.” She blushed, looking to one side. “But I can’t do that, I guess. Look what happened.” She gestured vaguely to Canterlot.

“If I embarrassed you in front of her Shining Immortal Majesty--”

“No no, Princess Celestia just… overestimated me.” Twilight wilted a bit further at the thought. Celestia had thought that she could tame a Spartan Stallion in two weeks, and had wanted to see his progress. Had she failed her mentor?

“Perhaps not.” He said, sidling over to sit beside her. “Spartan Stallions are very stubborn, I assure thou. We art not prone to changing anything quickly. Repetition breeds tranquility.” He said rather sagely.

Repetition breeds tranquility? What a beautiful phrase… perhaps he was not the big dumb muscle-head he seemed to be sometimes. Twilight cleared her throat a little, stemming the steady warmth in her cheeks. “Well, I’ll just have to try harder. And you will too.” She nodded firmly, smiling over at him with confidence. “When we get back we’ll study even harder, search for a job so you can pay your community service, and start getting you seriously settled into Ponyville!” she smiled broadly. He nodded, smiling back.

Both fell silent after a time, watching the landscape go by as the train chugged along its track. Spartan Shield had never had a job before. Well, not beyond being a soldier. But that was more of a way of life than anything. Yes he was paid and given lodging and such, but it wasn’t the same as being a flower arranger or a chef. He sighed a bit. Maybe it was fate.

Fate.

He blinked a bit, staring at his reflection in the window glass. Of course! It was so obvious! Whenever a pony, serf or Princess, had an unsolvable problem concerning their future they did just one thing. Consult an oracle. “I’ve got it.” He said after a time, grinning. “I know what I’m going to do.”

“What?” Twilight tilted her head a little, curious.

“Twilight, wouldst thou lend me some bits, a spade, and a satchel?” he asked, rather specific.

“Uhhh, sure?” it came out like a question. The purple mare was happy he seemed to have sparked an idea already, even if she had no idea what it was. “Want to tell me what you have in mind?”

“I must seek out a wise pony and learn from there.” Spartan said, nodding officially.

“Oh? Well, Ponyville has plenty of those!” Twilight smiled enthusiastically. “There’s Granny Smith, and Madam Mayor, and Cheerilee too! She’s plenty wise, she’s a teacher, and--!” Spartan Shield let her name off all the wise ponies she could think of, but he already had a specific one in mind. She would know what to do, and be able to guide him on the proper path.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Three days later…
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Fluttershy heard banging on her door at the crack of dawn. “Druid! Emerge! I come seeking thy wisdom!” a powerful male voice bellowed. Angel Bunny was NOT amused at the racket. She peeked out the window, blink-blinking with interest. There was a massive armored stallion on her stoop. Wasn't that Twilight's friend, Spartan Shield?

End of Part 12