Chaos Throughout Time

Morning in Canterlot. There aren't many ponies around seeing as how its so early in the morning. Twilight and Lancer hop off the train from Ponyville and head off toward the castle with a couple royal guards escorting them. "Well at least the soldiers are still in shape..." Says Lancer as he follows alongside Twilight. He looks around the town as they walk and admires the new look to it. "So much has changed...Yet I was here only a couple days ago. So much bigger..." Twilight smiles a bit at this then sighs. "Lancer...I have a pretty good idea of where you might have come from, but my mind is telling me it is impossible." Lancer looks at her in curiosity. "...You were in a war, which there has been none of for thousands of years. I know you said something about Ponyville just being an empty field one time and it hasn't been for a long time. Not to mention the state we found you in....what if.....what if you're a time traveler?"

"..." Lancer hadn't thought of that. But how could it be? "Impossible...there aren't even such spells in the Canterlot Library." Twilight quickly retorts. "Oh yes there is..! I've used it! But..it only works to send somepony back or forward for only short distances! I want to say its impossible but...ugh..." Lancer puts a hoof on her back to calm her down. "Twilight. You must relax. You do not need to exert yourself for my sake." She takes a deep breath to calm herself down. "Sorry...This is all so frustrating though. The fact that you say there isn't any time travel spell is even more proof that you could be from the past, before there even was a spell!" They continue thinking on this in silence until they finally reach the castle. The guards at the door stop them at first, but let them go once they recognize Twilight. Twilight thanks them and leads Lancer inside. "One of the many perks to being Princess Celestia's student. They always let me in."

They soon arrive at the throne room and Twilight enters first. Celestia is sitting in her throne, while the one next to her is empty. "Princess?" Celestia looks up at the voice and smiles. "Twilight, my faithful student. Its lovely to see you again. I am sorry I couldn't see you earlier. Things have been so busy this week." Twilight bows her head and smiles. "Its okay. Your duties are important. Now..about what I mentioned in the letter..." Celestia nods. "Please, bring him in. I'm curious to know who this pony is." As she says that, Lancer enters the throne room. She finally lays eyes on him and gasps. "Wh-What..." Lancer steps forward and bows low. "It is an honor to see you again, Princess." Celestia's eyes widen in shock. She turns to the other guards in the room. "You are dismissed for now. We would like privacy." The guards nod and leave the room as Celestia stands up and approaches Lancer. "It has been so long..."

Lancer looks up at her. "So...you remember me." Celestia looks him over a little. "This is not possible. Lancer...the Piercing Horn. You should be dead." Lancer raises his head. "...I am happy to say I am not. That attack didn't kill me. Merely sent me somewhere else." Celestia quickly shakes her head and places a hoof on his head. "No...you died that day. Killed as Discord was frozen....wait. No. This memory...its changing." Twilight tilts her head. "Princess..? What's going on?" The princess turns away and closes her eyes. "Very well..I will explain." Twilight and Lancer both sit down to listen. "You see...Lancer used to be the captain of my royal guard...but that was a couple thousand years ago." Lancer remains silent and Twilight gasps at the news. "I..I was right! He is from the past! But...so long ago..." Celestia nods and continues. "You see...official history books on that time period say that during the final battle against a being known as Discord, a brave pony stepped in and helped subdue him while my sister and I turned him into stone. In the process...the pony died. But my memory of this day...its beginning to blur. The pony who subdued Discord was in fact Lancer."

Lancer is a bit shocked at this. "I...I was meant to die that day...for the sake of Equestria..." Celestia nods. "Yes...however...you disappeared instead because of an incorrect attack used by Discord. Because of this, the past is changing. I can already see it. We managed to fend off Discord, and I defeated him a week later on my own. This is not right." Now Twilight is starting to panic. "Wait you mean everything I've read about history is changing??? I'll have to learn everything again! ...Wait. Is there a way to fix it? Is there some kind of secret time travel spell we can use to send Lancer back?" Celestia shakes her head. "Unfortunately there is not...but Twilight. You must think of what you are saying." Twilight looks confused and thinks for a moment. "I don't understand what you...oh...if we did send him back...he would die...But..the present hasn't changed much at all..! Couldn't he stay and everything be alright?" Lancer shakes his head this time. "Things may not have changed drastically so far...but nopony can say what other things are connected to my sacrifice. It is likely for the best that I go back as soon as I can."

Twilight frowns. "You're such a nice pony. Its sad to think that you're meant to die..." Celestia sits down on her throne again. "I promise Lancer, I will do everything in my power to find a way to send you back. In the meantime, you are more than welcome to stay here in the castle. Or if Twilight is okay with it, you can also stay with her." Twilight nods. "I have no problem with it. Nice having the extra company." Lancer thinks this over for a moment. "...I think I will stay with Twilight. Ponyville is a nice place with so many wonderful ponies." Celestia nods and smiles. "Very well. It is nice to see you again, Lancer. However...there is one other pony who would very much like to see you again. I believe you know who I mean. She is in her room right now." "...Right." Lancer then turns to Twilight with a small smile on his face. "Would you please show me the way to Princess Luna's room?"