Twilight and the Spartan Stallion
Part 19: Across the Ages

Wracked with guilt, Spartan Shield was hiding in the weeping willow tree in the park at the edge of a lake. He’d bid farewell to Big Macintosh, and hadn’t the courage to face Twilight Sparkle (or anypony else). The oracle has been right, violence begat violence and he had done something terrible. Rubbing his foreleg over his snotty muzzle, he peered at himself over the lip of the lake. He looked like a sorry beast, frazzled and showing peeking bruises from his bout with Big Mac.

Sighing and turning his ears down, Spartan Shield pulled away from his image and flopped down onto his back. The grass tickled his bare head, and he missed his helm a bit. Rainbow Dash still had it. Stroking his chest painfully, he stared up at the intertwining branches. “I don’t belong here.” He whispered mournfully. The moon peeked at him from between the branches. “Is there no mercy for a stallion whom gave his life to be a weapon?” he lamented quietly, covering his face with both hooves and curling onto his side. He fought down a sob, not wanting to give away his hiding place.

Boo-wuhhh-gh.
Boo-wuhhh-gh.
Boo-wuhhh-gh.
Fwesssh-shh-shhh!

He got up quickly, for a strange light and a lot of noise had jarred him. Backing up fearfully at the strange shape morphing into existence, his mouth hung open when it finally revealed itself. It was a tall, blue box, covered with windows and writing, with a light on top. “What is this sorcery…?” he scowled, looking it up and down while walking in quick circles around it. He frowned, poking it a few times to make sure it was real.

Fear not a blue box.

Spartan Shield jolted to a stop, perking his ears. The oracle had foretold of a blue box in his future. This had to be it! Setting his jaw in a very not-afraid sort of way, he glared at it in silence for a long time. It merely sat there. Well, he wasn’t expecting it to start dancing for him, but… something was supposed to happen, right? He studied it. The top portion read ‘Police Box’ and the sign on the side read:

Spartan had no idea what half of that meant. He continued to walk in a slow, suspicious circle around it. He darted out from behind it, as though perhaps the far side was doing something suspicious while he was inspecting the other. “Fear not a blue box…” he mumbled, furrowing his brow at it. He leaned and touched it. It was cool and wooden. The windows were glass and the sign plastic. He studied the sign again, reading carefully. “Advice and assistance available immediately… pull to open.” He found the proper side and there was a door handle. Reaching, he pulled it open and stepped inside. “Wh… what?!” he gaped.

The inside was enormous! It was covered with strange whimsical machinery, hallways leading off into other rooms and there were cables and pipes strung everywhere! He peered around in wonder, shutting the door behind him and cocking his head. Ascending some stairs onto a platform, he leaned over a control console. It looked like some insane pony had taken every mechanical device in his house and slapped it onto one machine. There were turning whisks, buttons that flashed wildly, knobs labeled cold-medium-hot, and dozens of other little items. The Spartan Stallion scratched his head. This didn’t look like the sort of assistance he could figure out. Reaching out with foal-like curiosity, he flipped a switch—steam ERUPTED from a nearby pipe, making him shriek and put it back the way it was. Steadying his frayed nerves, he made a quick round about the room, peering under the raised platform and at all the monitors and strange things. He just couldn’t grasp it. How could all of this space be in the tiny blue box? It had barely looked big enough to hold a stallion standing on his hind legs, much less all this!

“—and so I’ve popped us down in your era at Ponyville so we can enjoy a proper luncheon for once.” A strange brown stallion with an hourglass on his flank rounded the corner, a picnic basket perched on his back. “Very important, lunches, even if you have them at four in the morning. It’s four in the morning outside, by the way, assistant.” He chuckled, coming down some metallic stairs.

“S’no problem, Doctor!” said the grey mare with bubbles on her rump who was following him. “I like t’ eat when I’m hungry, not when the clock says so!” she giggled a bit. Spartan didn’t take long to notice her eyes were pointed in different directions—nor did it take long for her to spot him with her wide range of vision. “Hey! Whossat?!”

Spartan Shield startled at being spotted, leaning back and lifting a hoof. “Ohhh dear!” said the Doctor, cantering the rest of the way down the stairs and coming over to him. “Stowaway it seems! When are you from, chap? We’ll take you home, quick as a flash!”

“Home?” Spartan Shield said mildly. “I don’t really have a home right now, I hath maimed a stallion and refused to learn Equestria’s new peaceful ways.” He confessed, wilting.

“Oh hey! It’s Spartan Shield, yah, I know this stallion!” she smiled broadly. “I was at your wrestlin’ match! I’m Derpy Hooves!” she seized his hoof and shook it animatedly. He winced at her a little, unable to take his eyes off hers.

Spartan Shield jittered back when a bright green light was waved over him. Br-r-r-r-r-r-r-click! The Doctor was studying the device he’d just waved at the Spartan Stallion, furrowing his brow. “My my, yes! You’re a thousand years out of your element! Look’it his carbon-dating, Derpy!” he flashed the wand (or Spartan thought it was a wand) briefly at Derpy, before clicking it closed again. “Well we can’t have that! S’not right to be a thousand years away from home!” he turned towards the console, playing with the whisk for a moment. “Hold on now, we’re taking you home.”

“Home?” Spartan’s ears perked. “What do you mean?”

“Well look’it you! An armored war pony!” The Doctor gestured at him up and down. “You don’t deserve to live a thousand years away from your people do you? The Tardis will have us back there in a jiffy!” he was flipping all the blue switches on the console, then turned the cold-medium-hot dial over to hot. “Wibbly-wobbly…” he mumbled, jamming his hooves over an ancient-looking typewriter.

“Y-You can take me back to the past?!” Spartan’s eyes were as big as saucers. “But how?!” he demanded. “Such far-reaching magic is impossible, I even asked Twilight Sparkle!”

“It’s not magic.” The Doctor grinned like a mad-mare, poising his hoof over a big pull-me sort of double-headed lever. “It’s a TARDIS!” he YANKED it all the way down, and the whole room began to shake. Spartan gave a shout, nearly thrown off his hooves. Derpy gave a whoop, laughing and holding on to the nearest guard rail. Yeah, adventure! Wuh-hoo! “Don’t worry, now!” The Doctor shouted over the whining, moaning time machine. “We’ll have him back home, and still make it to our picnic without starving, Derpy!”

“You’re the best, Doctor!” Derpy laughed, clinging on for dear life.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
1,002 Years Ago…
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Boo-wuhhh-gh.
Boo-wuhhh-gh.
Boo-wuhhh-gh.
Fwesssh-shh-shhh!

A blue box appeared out of nowhere outside of Canterlot. A brown stallion poked his head out, checking briefly around to see that nopony was watching. He opened the door all the way and peered about. “This looks about right. Assistant! What does the chronometer say?!” he called over his shoulder at Derpy.

The wall-eyed mare closed one eye and tilted her head to get some good depth perception to read the monitor. “It sayyyyys…” she paused for a moment to steady herself. “0001PNMM!” She read it for him. The first year of the post Nightmare Moon Era. The ponies that had lived back then hadn’t called it that, but that was what history had come to eventually call it.

Spartan Shield staggered outside, a little green in the face. He didn’t like rooms that jarred and moved. Falling onto his belly with a grunt to clutch at the grass, he peered about when he could see straight again. “Is… is that Canterlot?” he asked in an awed voice. Slowly, he stood up to behold it.

Thick, solid stone in every building. There were high walls and thick gates covered with spikes. Walls had patrolling stallions walking on them, peering out into the darkness for enemies. There were torches everywhere, and woks of burning incense on every street corner. Spartan Shield’s face was slowly lighting up. Everypony that he could see wore clothes, chatted animatedly in powerful voices. The stallions were enormous, and the mares just plain gorgeous. His eyes even flicked past the shadow of an alleyway tail-lifter, coaxing a drunken stallion into shadow to work her craft.

“This is Canterlot, one month after the Battle of Moon’s Apex.” The Doctor told him with a smile. He watched Spartan Shield wander forward a few steps, his face bright and shining at the sight of home—of familiar, stone-walled home. This was the era when Canterlot had been a powerful city state, slowly reaching out to grasp other cities to pull under its banner. It was heavily fortified, hosted many flapping banners and the buildings were as thick and sturdy as stone could conjure. The columns were thick like cigars, squat and sectional for dozens of stallions moving the massive stone pieces. “Is this about right?”

Spartan nodded dumbly. “It’s just how I remember it.” He whispered in awe. He turned slowly, looking back at the Doctor. “Thank you, strange… pony.” He said slowly.

“I’m not just strange,” He smiled as his eyes glittered with mischief, nodding happily that Spartan was back home. “I’m the Doctor!” he backed up, into his blue box. “Come along Derpy! We’ve a picnic to have. Very important, picnics!” his voice was muffled when he shut the door of his blue box, locking it behind him. With a series of moaning sounds, the box soon faded from existence.

Spartan Shield stood there, alone in the dark, staring around. Was he really home? Really really? Swallowing, he made his way towards the great gate of Canterlot. The walls rose and rose high above him as he drew near, easily sixty feet high and five ponies thick. Not even the most powerful catapult could hope to fell such a sturdy defense. It was night, so the gate was closed. “H’oh there! Who doth intrude to her Shining Immortal Majesty’s city at this un-Faust-ly hour?!” A guard spotted him as he came into the torchlight.

“It is I! Spartan Shield!” he shouted back up at him. “Open the gate and let me pass!”

“Neigh!” said the guard. “I know of Spartan Shield! He died a moon-turn ago in yonder rubble!” the armored pony gestured with a long spear. Spartan Shield turned. Soresaddle Canyon! It was gone! The sand-colored stallion leaned with morbid interest, for the massive crag was filled to the brim with rubble and debris. He could see trees sticking out, thousands and thousands of boulders and rocks thrust into it. “Unless you mean to tell me thou crawled from THAT, I deny thee entrance and bid thee away!” the guard shouted down at him.

“Truth is stranger than fiction, friend!” Spartan tried again, turning sideways and baring his flank. The cutie mark, a Spartan’s circular shield, glimmered in the half-light of the torch. “Pray tell! Whom but a Spartan Stallion could bear such a mark?!” he shouted up the wall at him. The guard leaned and squinted, then looked startled.

“O-open the gate!” he shouted. “A warrior returning alive! Open the gate!” he ran across the embattlement and rang a bell animatedly. The ringing sounded down the high wall and into the primitive mechanisms that moved the gate. A quartet of burly stallions sat up from bed with a series of loud grumblings. Rubbing their eyes, they moved lethargically to the turn-table and held it in their massive, powerful hooves. Leaning with all their weight and strength, they began to walk their slow circle. Wooden mechanisms slowly turned, and the massive, thick gate began to slowly move. “Open the gate! A warrior returns! Open the gaaaaate!” chanted the guardspony. Spartan Shield stood there, watching with a big grin, as the bosom of Canterlot herself welcomed him home.

“At last…” he murmured, walking slowly forward. After a time, the gate began to grind closed again, ever so slowly. It was a massive, thick thing like the wall it was a part of. Opening it for just one pony was a big deal. He felt honored.
The guard that had denied him entry earlier rushed down a series of criss-cross stairs and stopped in front of him to salute. “Spartan Stallion! Forgive my negligence!” he said, “The battle was weeks ago, and nopony returned after so long! We assumed thou dead!”

“I am not.” Spartan Shield said firmly, his grin affixed to his face. “I am not dead. I am home.”

“Where art thy helm? And spear? And shield?” The guard looked him up and down. “Buried in the rubble, mayhap?”

“Neigh. I… I lost them.” Spartan Shield remembered that he’d given Rainbow Dash his helm. His Spear and Shield were in Twilight Sparkle’s closet. One of his leg plates was on the back of the healthy foal, Applebloom. But what did they matter? They were a thousand years away! They could have them! He was home again!

“Come, I shalt have thee escorted home. The night brings shadier types to the streets, sometimes.” He turned and whistled, calling down a pegasus from the wall. The strapping young lad saluted with a bright smile, his eyes full of awe and respect. “Escort this Spartan home. He doth return from battle and need not be leapt upon before getting his deserved rest.”

“Yessir!” said the Pegasus enthusiastically. “I’ll shalt have him home in ten ticks, no problems!” Spartan cocked his head. He’d heard that phrase before… but where? Huh. Ah well, it was probably nothing. “Come, Spartan, away with us.” he smiled, landing and folding his wings. He was a powder yellow thing with a lime green mane that was streaked with off-colors. Like his mane was trying to be more than one color but hadn’t quite done it yet.

Spartan Shield nodded. “I live at the Spartan Stallion’s barracks, on the upper tier, by the palace.” He said. They started away from the lower gate of Canterlot, waved away by impressed guardsponies. How had he stayed alive under all that rubble and come home a month after the battle? Amazing! Maybe he survived eating roots and sucking the blood out of the bodies of his dead foes. Ohhh-hoh, that was the stuff of legends! Rumors were starting up even before they’d turned the corner.

“So tell me, didst thou survive the cataclysm that became of Sore Saddle canyon?” the young stallion asked eagerly as soon as they were out of earshot. “I was told Her Shining Immortal Majesty collapsed it to keep the lunar armies from reaching Canterlot’s gates!”

“Thou wouldst not believe me if I told thou.” said Spartan Shield wryly, smiling. “But I am home at last.” He smiled as they passed a wok of burning incense on a street-corner, turning and taking some stairs to head to the higher tiers. Since Canterlot was built on the side of a mountain, it was built UP instead of OUT, so the neighborhoods and other areas were separated by purpose and class most of the time. Being among the most elite warriors in the city, the Spartan Stallions lived on the upper tier next to the palace. Everywhere he looked it was thick white stone, marvelous statuary, golden filigree and bronze. Torches lit the streets, beautiful tablets decorated the sides of buildings, and massive decorative pots held greenery. He sighed happily.

When they arrived on the upper tier of Canterlot, Spartan Shield grinned up at the palace. It was a squat fortress covered with thick columns, bannered flags, and plenty of hanging plants with colored flowers. The outer gardens gad groomed ponds and plants, and the set of guards outside were properly-sized stallions with foul expressions. This was definitely home. “You’ll probably want to report to Her Shining Immortal Majesty in the morning, huh? I could send a squire for thee, if thou likes?” offered his guide.

Spartan nodded. “It seems only right that I announce my return.” He cocked his head, looking over his shoulder. He thought he’d heard something. Oh well. “But I shan’t wake the Princess, neigh.” He agreed. “I need to rest and relax, anyway.” He confided.

“Home sweet home.” The Pegasus stallion grinned when they arrived at the barracks. It was a tall, impressive building with fancy columns and endless tablets depicting battle scenes on the walls. “I bid thee good night, Spartan?” it came out like a question. Did he need anything else?

Spartan furrowed his brow. “Er,” he hesitated. “Thou says the battle was a month ago, and all the Spartan Stallions were slain, yes?” he gestured vaguely towards where Sore Saddle canyon used to be. “Why doth this building still stand, thus?” he gestured. “If nopony lives within, surely it would be converted for something else, yes?”

“Well,” said his companion a little sheepishly. “Her Shining Immortal Majesty forbade anypony from entering or inhabiting it. It has stood empty while she licks her wounds and mourns her sister, as well as her soldiers.” He said it rather gently, but Spartan understood. In the grand scheme of things, this building was not important. Rebuilding Canterlot’s trust in its rulers was. Princess Celestia had not thought of anything appropriate to do with it yet. He thanked Faust he still had a home, in the meantime.

“I see. Thank thee, er…?” he let the sentence hang to learn the stallion’s name.

“Private Dash, Spartan.” He saluted eagerly, his eyes bright and energetic. “Prism Dash!” with that, he opened his wings and took off into the night sky to return to his post. When he was gone, Spartan face-hoof’d with a groan. Of course. He and his lot were the ancestors of those he’d just spent the past five weeks or so with. Living so close to the capital, a few names and bloodlines were bound to pop up. He sighed, putting it behind him. Pressing open the great doors with a coil of muscle, ignoring his fading bruises, the Spartan Stallion went inside.

The Spartan Stallion barracks was a simple place, filled with rooms (four stallions to each) for sleeping, a small courtyard for combat practice, a grand armory, and of course an extra room or two for symposium. It didn’t take him long to notice that the servants were gone and the place was as silent as the grave. “I’m the last.” He sighed. It would take many years to rebuild the Spartan Stallions from just one. Going to a column in the courtyard, he leaned and peered at it. Pictures of warring stallions roared out at him in brilliant reds and blues and bronzes. The white marble and stone was simply beautiful. He sighed, rearing up and embracing the sweeping stone. It was cool to the touch, and he pressed his cheek affectionately to it. Home. Home at last.

Sinking down and laying on his belly by the column, he looked up at the crisp clear moon. The strange and ghostly shape of a weeping mare lay on its face. Nightmare Moon no doubt thrusted against her chains in her prison even now. It was a good thing she would return as the strong and virginal ruler once more, there was hope for the future. He stopped his line of thought for a moment, frowning. Pfft. No, he hated that wretch. She’d slaughtered all his fellows, Nightmare Moon or not. Unable to stay made at a pony a thousand years away, he sighed and shrugged a bit. For now, it was peaceful.

Spartan Shield dipped his hoof in the shallow decorative little pool in the middle of the courtyard. It soothed his poor tired hooves. He’d been to battle, to a strange land, fought timber wolves and powerful stallions, failed to be tamed out of being a soldier-- he was exhausted, both mentally and physically. He sagged forward a little, his head dipping down to drink from the cool waters. Rubbing his nose a little when he was done, he studied himself in the water for a long and quiet time.

A stirring in the shadows made Spartan turn quickly. He opened his mouth to shout, but he saw it was a mare’s outline that stalked him. On her shoulder was a round bottle of what was no doubt undiluted wine. She was a unicorn, and if her outline meant anything at all she was a gorgeous one at that. Just the way her mane was fixed at her bare flank brushed, he could not help but oogle her just a bit. In fact, it looked a little to much… like… “Twilight Sparkle!” he shouted, rising up onto his four hooves. Rushing at her joyfully, he ran into shadow and embraced her in his hooves, nuzzling animatedly. She giggled, pressing on his chest a bit (painful to his bruises but he didn’t care). “How didst thou come to find me a thousand years in the past?!” he demanded, pulling her into a fierce and happy kiss. She squirmed, chirping happily in his affection. He pulled her into the moonlight so he could see her beautiful f—

Ack! Not Twilight Sparkle!

“Why, Spartan Stallion! So eager for me thou canst spare coin from thy purse before mounting?” she giggled, fluttering her long eyelashes at him. She turned about and leaned on a column, rather nonchalantly lifting her tail to flash her sex at him. His eyes flicked down out of instinct, but then tried to stay on her face. She was a pale white thing with a red mane and a moon with stars on her flank. He knew her. He scowled.

“Torment me not, Moon Dancer.” He said, deflating. She was not Twilight Sparkle at all, but a symposium prostitute (thusly her nudity and round wine bottle). “I am in no mood for thy tempting.”

“Apparently thou art, stallion, for thy embrace was red hot with need!” she smiled slyly at him. “And what’s this, a mare’s name upon thy lips?” the strumpet turned, lowering her tail and leaning the other way so that she could see him properly. “Hast thou found a proper companion, then?”

“I… er…” Spartan Shield’s ears wilted back. “I did. But she is gone now. Of no consequence.”

Moon Dancer snorted at him, tossing her mane and sitting on her haunches. This gave him a clear view of her perky teats and inner thighs. He tried very, very hard to keep his eyes on hers, but she was working her craft. Judging by the glitter of her horn, she was working her craft rather hard. “Thy enthusiasm to shriek her name says otherwise. And the fire on thy lips.”

“Tempt me NOT!” he shouted, turning from her with a growl. “Thy glamour does not work on me if I do not look upon thee.” He looked into the courtyard pool instead.

“Lie to thyself all thou pleases, but this Twilight Sparkle doth clench your heart ‘tween her hooves.” Moon Dancer smirked at him. He glared at her angrily, but got a face full of hot glamour magic for his trouble. Groaning quietly, he hunched a bit and stared into the waters again. “Lie not to a harlot, Spartan.” She said, coming to run her hooves on his muscular back over and over. “We know the ways of love and lust far better than anypony.” He shuddered at her touch.

“One of those is right.” He grumbled at her.

“Worry not, I shan’t seduce thee. I was merely jesting.” She sat next to him. “Thy comrades are dead and thou have only just returned to an empty home.” Moon Dancer gestured around them a bit. His heart sank in mild depression. “That aside, I’ve missed my moon flow for three months now, so I need to look for different work soon.” She smirked at his shocked expression. “What? Prostitutes are ponies too, we can become pregnant.”

“You were always careful with your foal-staying herbs when hired to symposiums.” He said, arching an eyebrow at her in mild disappointment. “What stallion could’ve possibly impregnated thee?”

“There were many.” She snorted, pushing his shoulder hard like a best friend would. “Including thee, if you recall.” She got under his skin so easily. It made her giggle. Spartan Shield was a happy stallion just like any other at drunken symposiums. He’d lain with his fair share of mares (and stallions, on occasion) while partying the night away after returning from battle, a hunt, or training. It was just what Spartan Stallions did to celebrate.

He rolled his eyes at her. “As though my seed would take in a night time mare’s womb.” He dismissed the thought. “Thou hast my sympathies for the foal, but I’ve my own life to put back together too.” He gestured around himself a little.
She sighed at him, uncorking her round wine bottle and taking a swig. “Welcome home, Spartan Shield.” She said, passing him the bottle. He took it, staring at it for awhile, then took a long drink for himself. It wasn’t diluted at all, and he coughed heavily. Ponyville hadn’t had anything so strong, perhaps he’d lost his edge. Meh, Ponyville. Who cared about quiet, brilliantly-colored, virginal….

Fun…

Peaceful…

Happy…

--Ponyville, anyway? He turned and kissed Moon Dancer, very suddenly feeling lonely. He would never see any of those other ponies again, why did he still think anything of them or their silly wooden town? Moon Dancer wrapped her hooves around him, and he pressed her down upon the stone of the courtyard. “Welcome home indeed…” she sighed breathily into his needy kisses. They didn’t bother making for a bed. He was quiet and gentle with her, unusual for a warrior like himself. Spartan Stallions were known for their roughness and stamina in bed, but he was nothing of the sort. He did not even mount her, but only ended up nuzzling into her for warmth and comfort. She did not smell of flowers like Twilight did. The next morning, Moon Dancer had made off with a rather expensive-looking decorative pot, but he didn’t feel angry with her.

Spartan felt lonely. He felt cheap and guilty for clinging to a whore. There was only one thing to do.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
A Few Days Later…
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

“Presenting to Her Shining Immortal Majesty, Spartan Shield! Survivor of the Spartan Stallions!” A squire announced his coming, and Celestia gaped rather openly. She’d thought all the Spartan Stallions dead! As the double doors of the throne room opened, light poured in and a weary-looking soldier stepped inside. He wore all the trappings of the elite group of soldiers, bearing a new shield and spear on his back. They did seem to weigh on him a bit, though, for he stutter-stepped just once as he made his way to the base of the dais.

Spartan Shield looked up at Princess Celestia. She was wearing a snowy-white toga with golden clasps at the shoulder, her hair done up into one massive braid going down her back. Golden clips rested in her tail, taming the silly thing from blowing about in random solar winds and distracting every pony. She liked to look calm and contained in every way she could. Closing her eyes and tilting her head upward until she heard him stop, she looked down the dais steps at him. Smiling. Why was he smiling like that? She watched the Spartan Stallion lift a hoof briefly to his mouth, and she could see his eyes travelling. It was like he was seeing her nude, the scandalous thing! “Speak, warrior!” she spoke aloud, the vibration of her voice startling a few ponies in the room. “I thought thee perished, thy return is most… irregular, a month after the fact!” when she’d heard a Spartan Stallion was returning from battle, the white alicorn had been suspicious. That made him either a fake or a deserter. She’d looked upon the battlefield herself that night. None of her stallions had survived. “Speak thy story upon mine court, so that we may hear and solve the mystery of thy appearance.” She draped herself slowly upon her throne-pillow. A servant leaned over, draping grapes at her while another fanned her with a long pole-fan. She shook her head once at the offered snack, but nodded to the fanning pony. He remained, to keep her cool.

“Mine story doth span the ages, your Shining Immortal Majesty!” The stallion’s voice boomed up the stairs at her, and for all to hear. “A thousand years, in fact!”

“Do not be coy or playful, stallion.” Celestia said impatiently. She was in no mood, after losing her sister and all of her armies and barely holding Canterlot together politically. She was the beautiful and tame Princess of the day—but she was in NO mood for games these days. “Speak plainly!”

Spartan Shield took off his new helm, setting it beside himself. He took off his shield and spear, setting them to one side and sinking into a low bow. “I pray thee only allow me to finish, for what I speak is truth and nothing more.”

“Speak.” Celestia said again, staring down at him with interest.

“I was turned to stone for a thousand years, lived for five weeks in a utopia, and then came backward a thousand years in a strange blue box so that I might see home again.” He blurted it all out with all the subtly of a minotaur in a china shop. The Noon Day court went silent. Some of the guards looked at each other. A squire, brave little colt that he was, started giggling.

“…What?” Celestia said, blinking at him twice. Spartan told her everything. About how he’d been turned to stone, and awoken in a museum a thousand years later. He told her all about Twilight Sparkle and Ponyville. The strange pink harlequin. The athlete and the healthy foal Applebloom. He told her all about beautiful Big Macintosh, about the seamstress and her little sister. He told her Shining Immortal Majesty that in the future everypony was naked and Princess Luna walked the earth at her si—“Stop.” Celestia said with an edge. “Speak not your madness with my sister’s name on thy lips.” She was shaking a little, the wound still very raw from the battle a month ago. “I thought myself to be patient and hear thy story, but neigh! Thou insults me with lies and—and—what art thou doing?”

Spartan Shield was coming up the dais and stood before her. Before the guards decided to charge up the stairs and take his head off, he sank down and bowed to her. “Please, Princess.” He whispered. “Thou must believe me. A thousand years from now thy sister will walk among ponies again, cured of her darkness and making friends with thy protégé.” There was a softness in Celestia’s eyes. She didn’t want to believe it. It hurt too much that he might be a madpony spouting lies.

“Wh-why?” Celestia asked softly.

“The Elements of Harmony took thy sister away.” Spartan looked up into her face, pushing his mane out of his eyes. “They will cure her as well, when she returns.” He didn’t know how much of the future it would be a good idea to tell the Princess, but buck it, she needed the emotional pick-me-up.

“How do I know it’s true?” The white alicorn pressed, her voice falling to a hope-filled whisper.

Reaching boldly, he did the unthinkable. He took her hooves in his, and raised them to his temples. “Read my mind, Princess.” He whispered.

Celestia’s face stained pink.” What makes thou think I can?” she said a little indignantly. The guards all around the room bristled at the scene. You didn’t just go TOUCHING the Princess like that! Unbelievable! The started up the stairs to grab Spartan Shield, but her gaze stopped them.

“Thou art an alicorn, you can do anything!” he said. His blind conviction at her powers made her blush. “Read my mind and see thy sister! Thy lavender-smelling protégé! And the utopian Equestria thou art destined to lead!” he begged her to delve into his thoughts and verify his claims.

Slowly, Celestia raised her hooves to his temples, her horn lighting. Her entire body shivered, and they stared into each other’s eyes. If she dove into his mind all of his privacy would be gone and anything he’d ever said, done or thought about would be laid out for her to see. She’d only done it a few times, mostly to criminals who had prisoners hidden somewhere--- or needed to be proven innocent before being sent to the gallows. He looked up at her expectantly, while she massaged the crown of his head. “Thou… thou sayest the future is bright, Spartan?” she asked quietly.

“Yes, yes very!” he said, enthusiastic. “I swear it!”

“To know the future is to change it, warrior.” Her hooves slowly, tenderly dropped from his head. He looked up at her, confused. “If thou really did journey across the centuries and see a prosperous Equestria… mine heart does rise to joy.” She smiled rather sadly at him. “I would love to see my sister in thy mind’s eye, but… to wait will make seeing her again all the more joyful.” She paused a moment, then leaned and kissed the top of his head. He shivered just a little.

“Shining Immortal Majesty,” he said reverently. “I’ve made a terrible mistake.” He confessed when she’d tilted her head at him. “I shamed myself, and then ran away.”

“What art thou going to do about it?” Celestia said bemusedly. “Get in thy blue box and go back to the future, Spartan Shield?” She adjusted herself and sat upright before him.

Spartan shook his head. “No, it was not my blue box. It is gone now. There is only one thing I can do, to get back to the future again and face what I have done…” he trailed off for a moment when she leaned to look at him with a stern mother’s eye. His face stained pink, “And… to see Twilight Sparkle again.” He mumbled. Her closest servants giggled. A stallion in love, Spartan or not, was always adorable to watch.

“What is that, pray tell me?” Celestia said, though her eyes betrayed she already knew.

Spartan Shield turned away, going slowly down the stairs. He knelt and donned his helm. Then, he put his shield on one arm and his spear hooked in the other. “I must be turned to stone again, for a thousand years!” he announced. Ponies all around the throne room gasped, except Celestia. She didn’t know why she believed him. She hadn’t dared to hope until he spoke such a thing aloud. A stallion that would beg to be turned to stone to see his lost love again? It was all Celestia could do to respect such strength. Surely she could wait a thousand years to see her precious, beautiful sister Luna again.

The white alicorn stood slowly. “Pose for me, Spartan Stallion. Thou wilt make an impressive statue in my garden.” She smirked a little humorously. Ponies backed away from Spartan Shield. Smiling and chuckling deep down in his barrel chest, Spartan Shield threw out his chest. He made his best battle scowl and poised himself in the phalanx position, shield forward and spear pointing forward as well.

ZOT!

Spartan Shield was turned to stone for the second time. A thousand and one (not a thousand and two, but a thousand and ONE) years in the future, Discord would comment at Celestia about turning ponies to stone. How sad that the spirit of chaos could never know she had done it so that he might find his love again, and repent for what he’d done to another stallion.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
1,002 Years Later…
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Twilight Sparkle leaned depressedly over her tea, looking pathetically up at her mentor. She had come to Canterlot to turn herself in to her teacher after having lost Spartan Shield. The warrior had vanished entirely, and nopony in or around Ponyville had seen him. He’d left his spear and shield behind, as well as the helm that Rainbow Dash still had… and he’d simply gone. She’d tried a find-it spell, a recall spell, and every other locating spell she could but it had been no use. He was too far away by now, Twilight’s powers could only reach so far to find him.

“I’m not going to throw you in a dungeon, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia chuckled a little playfully. “Nor banish you, nor anything of the sort.”

“You won’t send me to magic kindergarten either?” said the purple mare in a small mewling voice. “I-I failed you! And I lost Spartan entirely! He could be anywhere!”

“He might be closer than you think, Twilight.” Celestia said bemusedly, sipping her tea. Twilight sighed, looking down into her teacup again. How could her mentor be so very calm and stoic all the time. There was an upset SPARTAN STALLION on the loose! What if he decided to hurt somepony else? Or got caught up in a fight with a monster? Or threw himself on his spear like he’d promised to do before? Twilight’s heart sank and her lower lip quivered some, eyes growing big and soft.

Celestia reached out with her thoughts, sipping her tea again. Was it just about time? Almost. She could feel the spell beginning to come apart at the seams. How mad he’d seemed at the time, all those centuries ago. She smirked, just a little, raising her eyebrow when the screaming started.

Getting cured of being turned to stone isn’t bad. But letting the spell wear off is a gradual, sometimes painful thing. “RAWUUUUWGWGH!” rang out over the gardens as a statue started to move and grind against itself. Twilight dropped her teacup, shattering it upon the cobblestone where the picnic table sat. Another great and belting cry sounded off.

“What is that?!” Twilight saw guards rushing to the source of the screaming, and started cantering forward. “Stay right here Princess, I’ll investigate!” she charged forward to go see what was going on. The purple unicorn rounded the corner and jolted to a stop, for the gathering of solar guards was gathered around a writhing, vine-covered statue. It roared and thrashed about, the whine of stone rubbing on stone making her ears shriek.

She fought her way through the solar guards, trying to elbow her way past as they closed ranks to stop whatever the threat was. But they just wouldn’t let her through. She shrieked with frustration, trying to see through them all. They pointed their spears at the statue up on the pedestal, poking at it now and then. It thrashed back and forth, gagging out grey dust and ripping vines off of itself with wild teeth and hooves. “Is… is that…?” Twilight’s mouth went agape as color exploded across its grey surface and it fell from the pedestal as a living, breathing pony.

Bits of stone were falling off of his body in a dusky rain of pebbles and plaster.“Twilight! Twilight! Twi---LIIIIIGHT--!” Slathering, flying hot spittle erupted from his mouth as the flesh-to-stone spell wore off completely. He thrust his helmet off himself, falling to his belly and clutching at the ground with his front hooves. His chest, his beautiful muscled chest, heaved for breath and he spat gravel for a few long moments.

“Spartan?” Twilight called over the crowd of armored ponies gathered around him.

Celestia emerged serenely around the corner of the hedges just in time to see what was quite possibly the funniest thing she’d ever seen in centuries. Spartan Shield rose, then charged through a dozen solar guards with the sound of a bowling alley strike! She watched as, in seemingly epic slow motion, pieces of golden armor and white-furred ponies flew in all directions with surprised shouts (in slow motion it was a group-sized, “Wuhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrghhhhh?!”, of course). The white alicorn grinned as he bowled Twilight Sparkle over with his own weight, bent her backward over a stone bench and kissed her. Really, REALLY kissed her. Rubbed at her face and murred her name and kissed her like a BEAST.

Twilight Sparkle shrieked, pinned by his great strength but throwing her arms around him none the less. Her face was painted a lovely shade of pink and a few erotic sparks shot from her horn, sprinkling the nearby grass with her joy.

“Ahem!” Celestia stepped in before the warrior decided to just keep going with it. “Spartan Shield, I trust you’re well?” she said, chuckling.

Twilight quickly pushed him away, flushed hot from being so overtaken in front of the Princess. He released the flustered mare, bowing to his Princess. “You’re naked again.” Spartan told her. Celestia threw her head back and laughed full-throatedly, leaning forward so she wouldn’t fall over. A thousand years and THAT’S what he had to say to her!? HAH!

The dozen or so solar guards lay strewn around the lawn, having no idea what hit them. Their eyes were in swirls and they would never be able to tell their comrades that just one stallion had mowed them all down in pursuit of love. They would never live it down!

End of Part 19