The slow drip of water slowly roused Warding Spear and he cracked open his eye, finding himself in complete darkness. He turned his head and smiled at the bars, having expected to see them. He initially thought they over reacted, but with what he had done, who could blame them? Sunlight began to stream through the small window, indicating what time of day it was. He got the feeling of being watched, and turned to the corner of the dungeons, bowing to the floor. “Princess Celestia.”
She stepped forward into the light of a lantern, a stern look upon her face. She looked over his form, taking in the scars, burns and lost eye. There was a look of sympathy in her eyes as she would never consider doing this to one of her little ponies. She expected him to last not even a day, but here he was, several months later, alive and... almost well. “Warding Spear, why have you returned?”
“That is no longer my name, your majesty. And I had to leave, the humans were reclaiming their world. Any others in their systems were already inhabited.”
“So you came home?”
“No... I can never truly come home.” He looked around the cell, sitting back on the bed. “I guess I should get use to my new one then, huh? Unless you plan to carry out the full punishment.”
“We will discuss that at a later date. For now, breakfast. I will not have it said that I treat those imprisoned here badly.” She turned and left, a very nervous servant taking her place. She slowly trotted over and placed a tray of food on the floor, nudging it under the gap. Spear waited until she left before falling upon it.
Sweat dripped from the stallions muzzle as he pressed the button, summoning a new target. There was a flash from his horn, a bright beam of light hitting it dead centre and making it explode. A shout from the entrance bit him pause with a hoof raised. “ALEC, CALM DOWN! YOU ARE SCARING OUR FOALS!” His fur wast matted, his mane and wings were hanging limp, and he was breathing heavily. They were currently in the guards training room, where they found him in the magic fighting aisle.
It was clear that he had previously used the gym sections for the pegasi and earth ponies, judging by the way it was all over the place. At the end of the spell section were hundreds of destroyed targets. He turned to look at Luna briefly, before lighting his horn and hitting the button again. She put the foals down and approached slowly, placing a hoof over his back. The glow dissipated and he looked at her again, placing his forehead against hers.”I'm... sorry. It's the only thing that's helping right now.”
“Come, you need your rest. You've been in here all night.” He looked around at the destruction caused and shook his head.
“It's a good thing you already fund this gym, otherwise I'd be working twenty four seven for years.”
“Yes it is. Now come.” She gave a tug on his hoof, and there was a little resistance at first, but then he followed, and they collected the twins as they left. It was a short walk to their rooms, but he stopped as they passed a window, staring at one of the shadowed corners. Luna stopped a moment and looked herself, before flicking her tail over his muzzle.
He gave her a tired smile and carried on walking, heading straight to their bedroom. He flopped on to their bed with Sky held between his fore hooves, giving her cheek a nuzzle. Luna set Flame down at the end of the bed, and lay down next to Alec. Flame came over and nestled between them. “Luna... what are we going to do about this?”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, it's him, no doubt, but... he's changed. I can see it in his eyes. Or eye.” Luna gave a small chuckle at that, running her hoof through Flame's mane. “Anyway, it's not the Warding Spear we know. Earth changed him, for worse or better... I don't know. But I want to find out.”
“It is clear he has a reason, but for what, I do not know.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and lay down against his chest, content to let the day go by.
Captains Warper and Defiant Moonlight trotted towards the dungeons together to begin the... 'questioning' of Warding Spear. Nothing was said between the two, and they just nodded to the other guards. They entered the top level of cells and headed towards the stairs when the sound of movement came from above them. They stopped moving and stared at each other for a moment, when one of the ceilings panels hit the floor.
They had no time to react as a pony dropped through and quickly subdued them, turning for the stairs. They got to the lowest level and headed towards the only light showing. Once there, they looked at the pony lying on the cot, speaking with a female voice. “Warding Spear, I've come to get you out!”
He turned his head and stared into the mare's eyes, before looking away again. “That is not me, I do not know of such pony. You may leave now.” There was the sound of the lock being opened, followed by the door, and then a set of orange eyes filled his vision. The mare gave him a confused smile and lay down across his chest, wrapping her fore hooves around him.
“You are Warding Spear, and I am getting you out of here.” She got back up and grabbed one of his hoof, pulling him towards the cell door. Once almost out of it he snapped his hoof away, remaining on the inside and locking the door. The mare whipped round and glared at him. “What are you doing? This is your only chance for freedom!”
“If the memories I have are true, then I do not deserve freedom.” He moved back and sat on the bunk, meeting her with a challenging gaze. She stamped her hooves in frustration, before turning around and trying to buck the bars out of the way. She tried a few times before a shout from down the hall got her attention.
“For buck sake, Petal! What the that hay has gotten into you?” She gave one last look at the stallion before running in the opposite direction. Having been a guard, she knew how to get out of there after all. The two captains skidded to a stop outside his cell, both surprised to see him still there. It grew even more as he trotted over and push the keys through the bars, returning to sit on the bed.
“You may now begin, captain.” Moonlight raised an eyebrow at the comment, slowly picking the keys up.
“Begin what, exactly?”
“The interrogation, of course.” He waited for Captain Warper to catch up before unlocking the cell door.
Alec opened his eyes and glanced at the clock, sitting up with shock. How could he have slept until two in the afternoon? How could Luna let him do that? And why hadn't the twins tried to wake him? He got up and left his room, seeing them sat on the couch, Luna reading to the foals. He trotted over, but stopped when the twins moved back, pressing closer to their mother. She shook her head slowly, and he headed in to the bathroom instead.
After a quick shower, he re-entered to see Luna sat at the table, and the foals missing. With a wave of her hoof she beckoned him over to the other chair, and he followed willingly. He took a seat but didn't meet her gaze, staring at the foal's doors. “They do not want to see you at the moment.”
“Why?”
“You scared them, more so than when they get in trouble. And you scared me too.” His head whipped round and he stared at her. “Even when you first arrived, I did not fear you, but after watching you in the training room... Please, never get like that again.” She dropped her gaze to the table, not looking up as his chair moved. She felt a hoof wrap around her and pull her close.
“I promise not to let my temper get the better of me ever again.” She looked up to meet his soft smile, pressing her lips against his. The moved over to a couch where Alec lay down, letting Luna rest upon his chest. Neither of them had spotted the other two alicorns standing in the main doorway.
“Luna, what is going on?” She looked round to see Celestia stood above them, Faust a bit further behind. Alec and Luna shared a quick glance, before moving into a sitting position. “Anyway, I have some... news for you. Could mother take Flame and Sky for a while?”
“Let me guess, Spear? What's he done now?” Celestia's mouth dropped open in shock at Luna, as far as she was aware they didn't know. Flame's door cracked open, and the twins peeked out. Upon seeing their father next their mother, they slowly trotted over, Sky carrying a card on her back. They sat in front of the couch and passed it up to Alec, who floated it in front of him and Luna. It was a drawing of the family on an airship. Well, as best as two seven year olds could do. The words 'we're sorry daddy, please don't be angry' were written underneath it.
He placed the card on the side and bent forward to pick them up, but stopped as they flinched slightly. He leant back against the couch and tapped his lap, giving them the choice to approach. Sky was the first to move, followed by Flame moments later. Alec wrapped his fore legs around them and pulled them close. “You don't have anything to be sorry for. Me however... I'm sorry you had to see me like that, and I promise not to get like that again, okay?”
Sky stood up in his lap and kissed his cheek, then nuzzled against it. Flame just nodded. Alec passed them to Luna and stood, motioning Faust to follow. She did so as he led her out of the room. They trotted along for a good ten minutes, nothing being said, before he pushed through a door and revealed his 'office'. It was more of a place where he could just get some alone time. No, not like that, although it didn't stop Luna from trying... and succeeding. He used magic to light some candles and gestured her to the large lounger in the corner. “So, how much do you know about him?”
“Only what Tia has told me.” He shifted round in his desk for something, pulling out a bottle of dark brown liquid. Two glasses followed, as well as ice. He filled them about two fifths of the way, placed the ice in, and floated one over to Faust, where she gave it a tentative sniff. “Pray tell, what is this drink?”
“Whiskey. But not the pony kind. This is human strength.”
“Are you trying to get me drunk, husband of my daughter?”
“No ma'am, I'm not. I mean, yeah, you're an attractive mare, but my heart and body belong to Luna, and nopony else. I thought we had clarified this?”
“True, but you are... hard to read. So tell me more of this 'Warding Spear'.” She took a sip of the drink, relishing the burn as it went down her throat. Alec smirked as she gave it an evil eye, as if it was created to torture ponies tongues. Alec took a sip of his own drink, downing it all with a satisfied sigh.
“To be perfect honest, I didn't even know he existed until he foalnapped Sapphy, and then tried to kill us both. Of course, that's when I found out he also tried to rape Luna.”
“So why do you think he has come back?” He turned back around and refilled his glass, skipping the ice this time. He trotted over and sat in a plush chair opposite her, putting the drink on the small table next to it.
“Apparently, the human race is taking back Earth, my home world. And they wouldn't want somepony like him around. To be honest, I expected him to buy it on the first day. Tenacious bastooow!”
She gave a giggle as his flank lit up with electricity, knowing exactly what spell that was. After all, she was the one to invent it, using it on Polaris when Celestia was born. She wiped away a tear as she thought about her late husband for the first time in millenia. “Hey, what's the matter?”
“It's... nothing to worry yourself about. It is something that I, and only I, can carry. I will not burden you with it.” Alec picked his drink up, levitating it half way to her, and she did the same, clinking them together. They pulled them back downed them.
“Damn, that hit's the spot. Anyway, I suppose it's time I go have a... chat with him. Good thing I don't have access to the cells.” Before either could move, the doors swung open, and Equestria's resident asshole walked in.
“Hey Alec, I was wondering if you want to go to The Best Plot this week...”
“DISCORD!” Alec had barely enough time to put up a shield as Faust's horn glowed brightly, and then an explosion followed.
Luna galloped towards the sound of the explosion, hoping that Alec hadn't said anything to anger her mother. She turned the final corner to see dust coming out of Alec's office, and slowly made her way over. A quick glance showed her mother scowling, Discord singed, but no sign of her husband.
A groan from the corridor drew her attention, and she trotted out to see Alec embedded in the wall. She started to giggle as he slowly slid out, hitting the floor in a messy pile. Luna rolled him over and brushed the dust off his muzzle. “Owwww. Remind me to never piss off your mother. Ever.”
“Luna, come here now.” She left Alec to lie in imaginary pain, knowing that without a shield at the range, he would have been obliterated. She re-entered the room and stood in front of her mother. “Can you please tell me what that is doing here?”
Luna tilted her head to look at the charred draconequus, who had a blank expression on his face. A groaning Alec entered, shaking his head. “Sorry dude, but why would I go to The Best Plot when I have a wonderful wife right here, in this room.”
She then realised just why her mother was annoyed, and nuzzled Alec's cheek. “That is very flattering, darling. Besides...” She decided to test him now. She didn't mind him going, because he always came home to her. “...the models at Flankers are much more attractive.”
“Yes, yes they are.” His eyes went wide as he realised what he just said. “Um... I mean, I have never heard of nor seen such an establishment, and even if I did, I would certainly not be a patron there. With my own private boo... yeah, I'm sleeping on the couch tonight.”
“If you'd just tell me what's going on, perhaps I can assist!” The guard that was patrolling through the cell block ignored Warding Spear as he went past. Spear just sighed in annoyance. Surely whatever had happened required help, and he wasn't planning on escaping anyway. The explosion that went off a few hours ago had shaken him up, bringing some bad memories to the surface.
Before he could attempt further conversation, there was the sound of commotion from the stairs, and he leant against the bars, managing to see a good ten guards struggling with a single pony. Their legs were shackled, wings restrained, and a hood placed over them. Judging by the muffled noises, Warding summarised that the pony was also gagged.
The guards selected the cell opposite his, attaching a chain from the rear shackles to the wall at the back. One by one they backed away, locking the cell. A unicorn guard used his magic to remove the hood, revealing the mare that had tried to break him out. “Now, if you promise to be a good filly, we can remove the gag.” He did as said, unbuckling the strap, and pulling it out of her mouth.
“You motherbuckers! How dare you do this to me! When I get out of here, I'm going to buck you all uppphhh!” She was unceremoniously gagged again, and the guards trotted away. She bent round at what Spear could only guess was an uncomfortable angle, using the edges of her restrained wings to undo the gag and then spit it out. She then looked at him, and tried to move forward, but she couldn't make it halfway to the bars, leaving her with a outstretched fore hoof.
He gave her a tired smile, cantering back and sitting on his bed, motioning for her to do the same. She instead tried to pull further away, but after a moment caved, moving to the back of the cell. “So, tell me, why are you now my only neighbour in here?” She gave a snort of amusement, as if she thought it was obvious.
“You should remember, you were a guard as well. I tried to break you out of the royal dungeons, a crime punishable by six months imprisonment. Anyway, now that we're both here, we can talk.”
A guard came past with food for them both, slipping them under the bars. He used his magic to move Petal's into a place where she could reach it, and they both ate in silence. Once done, Spear placed his tray near the bars and took a seat once more. “Well then, what do you want to talk about?”
“You haven't used my name... do you... not remember me?” There was a hint of sadness and regret in her voice.
“I... remember you face, but no, not your name.”
“Well then, my name is Blazing Petal.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Petal. As for me, I have no name of which to speak, although I think I was referred to as 'oh great winged one' by a small tribe of humans. Until another lot came over and attacked, which resulted in my burn scars.”
“No, your name is Warding Spear. Everypony keeps telling you that, so it must be true!”
“MY NAME IS NOT WARDING SPEAR! HE DIED DOWN THERE, AND I REPLACED HIM! I DO NOT WANT THAT NAME ANY MORE!” His shouting drew the guards, who came running with spears and horns ready. “My apologies, I just wanted to clarify something.”
“Well, you didn't have to tell the whole castle.” The guards parted and bowed, Petal doing the same, as Alec came forward. He rolled his eyes at their actions, ignoring it and standing in front of the cell. The door was opened and Spear stood still as shackles were placed around his hooves. “Well, come on then. Time for a talk.” They started to walk away, when Alec noticed the mare opposite. “Celestia will deal with you.”
They met up with another group of guards that surrounded them, heading up the stairs. Petal let out a sigh as she crawled on to her bed, trying to get into a comfortable condition. She heard metallic clinking as all but one of her shackles were removed. It remained firmly attached to the wall.