Once a Time Lord, Now a Pony

Meanwhile, in Canterlot while the Doctor told his story Shining returned to the castle. As ever, it towered over the city and gleamed brightly showing a beacon of hope for ponies that came from miles around to gaze in awe and wonder at it's beauty. Shining had none of this on his mind however. He had something else, or rather somepony. A somepony named Captain Boltstrike. He'd learned this was where the Captain was still held a few months back, but never had worked up the courage to talk to him before now. After all, he faced the stallion when he was in his prime, and now over a decade and a half later he wouldn't be that way.

Celestia and Luna's Throne Room...

"I have to say, Captain." Celestia said after she'd greeted him alongside her sister. "I never actually expected you to face him before now. But... On the other hoof considering what he did to you..."

"Yeah..." Shining muttered. "For years, I never trusted anyone outside my own family besides you. I think it's time I faced my fears." Shining said, confidence in his tone and clear in his posture. From her throne, Luna watched with a mix of interest and confusion.

"But you've faced them already, haven't you? 16 years before." Celestia said. "When you stopped him from killing your younger self."

"How...?" Shining trailed off in shock. Celestia smiled like that of a mother.

"I know things." She replied mysteriously. Shining groaned, he knew exactly what happened.

"The Doctor told you, didn't he? Worst kept secret ever. The whole castle probably knows." He muttered. "Damn stallion..." Shining grumbled as he shook his head in disbelief. Luna, at this point finally spoke up.

"I'm lost here." The Princess of the Night began. "What exactly happened?"

Celestia laughed as she got up off her throne.

"Come this way, dear sister. I'll explain as we go..."

Celestia led her sister and Shining down to the dungeons via a spiral staircase lit only by torchlight. Luna had now learned the full story, and had a bit of a headache from doing so to be honest.

"Okay, I is sorry we asked. Ugh, I need what is called... Aspirin, is that it?" Luna muttered. "But on Boltstrike, that stallion is vile. He should be beheaded." She growled in disgust at his crimes. Attempting to kill a child, that was unforgivable in her book.

"Lulu, calm down. He is suffering for what he did, as you will soon see." Celestia replied in a attempt to placate her sister's often quick temper.

"He is still vile though." Luna muttered. Suddenly, a familiar thestral in Night Guard armor hung down from the ceiling startling Luna and her sister.

"Tell me about it... " Galaxy said gleefully. "Bit mad, as well. Oh, you should hear his rants. Like the guy's on repeat half the time though. Gets old real quick." He said, twirling his hoof near his head in the universal "He's nuttier then nuts" gesture. Luna personally thought Galaxy had no room to talk.

"Must you appear like that?" Celestia sighed. "There are normal ways of doing it. Like walking into a room."

Galaxy grinned as he flapped down next to her.

"Yes, but I like this one. More fun. Oh, by the way Shining heard about what happened between you and wacko down there. So sorry." He rambled much to Shining's annoyance.

"See, what did I tell you? The whole castle does know!" He yelled to nopony in particular. Galaxy shook his head.

"Nah, figured it out myself. Nutty as they are, those rants of Boltsy's are... informative." Galaxy said, before shuddering. Shining, just from the thestral's reaction alone decided it was best not to ask. Judging by their expressions and shared look, both of the Royal Sisters were thinking along the exact same lines.

"May I ask you a favor? Take me off guard duty for that loon, give it to another one of my men. Tartarus, put me on royal toilet scrubbing duty for all I care! PLEASE." Galaxy pleaded, getting on his knees.

"Shouldn't you be in bed by this time? You're a bat-pony. I thought they slept in the day." Shining inquired, and Luna rolled her eyes. Hadn't he figured out that Galaxy was odd by normal pony standards?

"Oh pllllleeeassse." Galaxy drawled. "That's just a rumor, complete and utter nonsense. Besides, look at milady over there. She's the Princess of the Night, and she's not sleeping in right now. And I follow her standards to the letter." He said proudly.

"Fair point..." Shining was forced to admit. "But that's still a little creepy though. You need a hobby."

"Got one. Guarding things." Galaxy chirped to his fellow Captain. "Anyways, here we are." He said, gesturing to a cell where inside a blue furred figure with a scruffy mane sat in a corner. Time had not been kind, and it showed. The cell door was opened, and as Shining walked in it was again closed behind him. Boltstrike, oddly enough showed no response whatsoever. Out of suspicion, Shining touched him, but only passed right through Boltstrike as if he was never there to begin with.

"Well, by now I supposed you've probably figured out I'm not here. Ta-dah! Oh, a magician would be proud of me I bet." Boltstrike laughed mockingly. This was a recording hologram, something that could be bought easily enough in any magic shop and used by any type of pony even if they did not have magic themselves. Question was, how did Boltstrike get his hooves on one?

"It's just message." Shining guessed.

"Then thou shall let it play." Luna ordered. "We want to hear this."

Boltstrike continued.

"As for how I escaped, let's just say you can do the same thing twice and nopony will notice eh? Guess Lightning really does strike twice." He laughed, before his recording hologram vanished into thin air...