Twilight and the Spartan Stallion
Part 1: Awakened from Stone

The Spartan Stallions were an elite group of— shh-shhh, don’t get ahead of me—an elite group of 337 ponies. A special unit. The best. The most hardened and powerful and elite. They were garbed in impressive bronze armor with orange and red banners of fiery design. Descendant from Artax Fantasia himself, they were taught that the most glorious death could only be achieved on the battleground. They were taught never to quit, never to surrender… and that a beautiful life was founded on the backs of those that lived to see many victories. Spartans Stallions. Times were turbulent , though, for the night was slated to last forever. The Battle of Moon's Apex was their final stand against Nightmare Moon and her Lunar Stallions. That is where our story begins…

“STAL-YUHHHNS!” A powerful voice roared, turning the ears of everypony present. “The enemy approaches! PREPARE FOR GLORY!” Spartan Shield stood gallantly atop a rock, his spear in one hoof and his banner in the other. Princess Celestia, armored in her full battle regalia, mounted the rock next to him, looking out over the small group that remained. She nodded to them for confirmation. “That blot of night comes with her slathering beasts! Sharpen thy spears! Stoke thy fires!” he roared back and forth, directing ponies who thundered back and forth like the perfect soldiers they were.

“Our sister is among them!” Celestia belted out over all the rabble. “None shall challenge her but us! We leave all of thee to disperse the Lunar Stallions and keep them busy!” She lifted a commanding hoof that was gilded in solar steel.

There was a roar of confirmation, and every stallion bent his head to don his helmet. Spears and banners rose from the ranks while the campfires were stoked higher and higher. They threw straw upon the flames, lit special spears with wicks on them, and dipped their weapons briefly to make them hot. Spartan Shield thrust his spear high to inspire his troops. His oiled, rippling body of pure muscle would bring any normal pony to his knees. His eyes were like fire. His shout like a lion’s roar. Rearing up and flailing his hooves like the war horse he was, he shouted again. The Spartan Stallions echoed his battle cry, rushing forward from their alcove in the cliff face to form ranks. Soon, they were a long line of shields and spears, drawn arrows and set jaws.

“Launch the lighting arrows!” Spartan Shield shouted. Within seconds, a set of flaming arrows whizzed by and up into the starry night sky. They arced high, paused, fell, and lit the field that had been lightly covered with straw. There, on the opposite side of the field, was the enemy.

Lunar Stallions.

Golden-eyed, metal-fanged, slathering beasts. Nightmare Moon’s magic made them powerful, mindless monsters that could never return to pony society. She’d stolen their minds and made them into weapons of war. As the Spartan Stallions stood there waiting, they could see the frenzy of activity before them. The Lunar Stallions were climbing all over each other, rearing to go to battle like a bizarre mass of giant black ants. Pressed in so tight they probably couldn’t even breathe properly. Their dark armor screeched and groaned against each other’s sides, and they whinnied ferally at the little golden mass of solar ponies across the way.

“Steady, Spartan Stallions! Steady!” snapped Spartan Shield. Not one stallion had flinched at the sight of the beasts in the dark, but he shouted it anyway. His powerful, lion-like voice shook the heavens and reminded them all of who was in charge. Celestia regarded him with a neutral frown, then looked to the teeming mass across the way. The straw on the field was rapidly igniting, and soon the arena of battle was nicely lit.

The moon shifted in the sky, turning from a half-moon to a full moon. It gave them more light to see by, but it was Nightmare Moon’s doing. Then suddenly there she was. The Princess of the Night, possessed by darkness and loving it. She parted the minions she’d dominated into submission with the pure force of her magical aura so none of the filthy little beasts could touch her. They looked to her like runners staring at the flagpony at a race, rearing to go, aching to tear into their enemies with their sharpened fangs. They roared and slobbered all over themselves, fangs viciously flashing in the moonlight and bat-like wings flapping back and forth. Luna lifted a hoof slowly, then thrust it forward.

The Battle of Moon’s Apex was on.

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1,002 Years Later...
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Twilight Sparkle walked with wonder in her big shiny eyes, through the museum. She’d heard they had a massive exhibit with foreign articles from the Greek and Roman era of Equesria on display, so of course she’d hopped on the train and come straight to Canterlot to see it. Ancient pillars, tablets, statues and architecture from that era of Equestrian history were just amazing to her. Egyptian items were high on her list too, but Equestrian Greek and Roman things especially were just amazing. Those eras of civilizations had helped to work out advanced building techniques, artwork, and many other things ponies took for granted today.

The purple mare walked slowly from exhibit to exhibit, taking pamphlets from every single kiosk and any other swag she could get her knowledge-greedy hooves on. She read all the plaques and squinted at all the tablets. She stood in front of a particularly nice tablet for almost half an hour, soft in the eyes at its pure cultural beauty. Foals and little school groups wandered by, not old enough to really appreciate the pure majesty that was around them, in Twilight's opinion. This was hundreds of years of pure genius of the ancient world! How could they not see the beauty of it all?!

The Greek and Roman periods of Equestria were times of indulgence, military might, slowly rising equality for mares and so much more. (Why equality for mares, with two female rulers? Well, it had taken time to unite ponies under one banner to begin with, much less make them embrace gender equality...) It had ended roughly sometime after the Battle of Moon’s Apex, in which Nightmare Moon was defeated by Celestia and locked in the moon in chains. But that didn’t make it any less breath-taking. Twilight Sparkle went to a long tablet display, grinning super-wide with stars in her eyes as she pressed her muzzle to the glass. Powerful-looking stallions were running a race in front of a huge crowd. Maybe that was one of the first Olympics---es? Olympicsi? Something like that. She could practically hear their hooves thundering along the Circus Maximus. Beautiful, muscle-y, powerful stallions and their slathering spittle and their rough outlines rushing past the cheering crowds of citizens, oohhh it was amazing! Giggling and dancing about on her hooves like she might have to pee, the purple mare’s eyes got even wider at the next thing, and the next thing after that. The exhibit was quite large, and she knew that she would be in there for hours. Good thing she’d packed a lunch, she didn’t want to miss a moment of this!

Dear. Sweet. Celestia. There was a perfectly preserved tablet of a wedding blessing! Twilight Sparkle practically whacked her face on the display glass, pressing her muzzle hard against it to get a better look. In the picture, an ancient carving of Luna and Celestia were standing over a mare and stallion who wanted to get married. The archaic scaling was just beautiful! Luna would bless the mare with fertility, and Celestia would bless the stallion with strength. A yin and yang needed for a household to stand strong in that era and propagate. What a high honor that must’ve been. Twilight would have to ask the Princess about it in her next letter. How romantic!

She found another relief carving of a pair of stallions pulling a chariot while a third rode in it, wielding a spear and fighting lions. His posing was just amazing, and the lions were strewn about the ground in glorious battle. Ohhh he must’ve been super important. Turning and nerding right the buck out, Twilight ran over to a series of pedestals that hosted a collection of ancient pottery. Just look at the detail! A pony with hooves as steady as the sun and moon must’ve carved these things. The curls of patterning, flowers, and figures stirred Twilight’s innermost fantasies and curiosity. What an amazing era that must’ve been to live in, all those centuries ago. She smiled despite herself, stepping backward a bit to admire the set of pottery all at once. She bumped into somepony, and heard something hit the floor.

“Oh, sorry.” Twilight said, turning about and looking up at the shadow that loomed over her. “Uh oh…” she said with a frown. She’d just scuffed an ancient statuary display. It was of a Spartan Stallion war leader, according to the plaque. The purple mare looked up at the figure. It was of a powerful looking, muscled stallion. Grimacing in battle-born rage, he was crouched behind his shield as though waiting for an oncoming projectile. In his other hoof he held a long spear, mid-throw, and around his neck bannered a cape-scarf. He was pretty impressive! ... if not for the missing hoof she’d just broken off. She looked around, panicking. She’d broken off a piece of an ancient, priceless statue! She would be in so, so much trouble if she didn’t fix this before somepony saw! Looking back and forth at the ponies milling about the room, she gulped and squatted behind a decorative plant by the statue. She picked up the piece that had broken off. Lighting her horn quietly, she pressed the piece to where it had broken off. “Just a quick spell.” Twilight Sparkle’s tongue rose upward from her lips in adorkable concentration. The piece reattached itself to the shaped hoof, and the restoration spell washed over the entire stature to rejoin the piece and erase the cracks she’d made.

“---AWRRRURGHHHH!” The grayscale stallion suddenly roared and chucked his spear across the room ahead of himself. The projectile flew, blasting apart a priceless tablet and sending marble in all directions. Rearing up and flailing his hooves like a warhorse, he came down from the display with a crash of titanic hooves. “What sorcery is this?!” he shouted. Ponies around the room fell to a hush, instantly stopping to stare. “Where am I?!” he snapped, rushing to retrieve his weapon and brandishing it back and forth. While Twilight watched, the grey colors of stone brightened into a sandy coat. His armor burst into a shining bronze, and his cape-scarf blushed into the most beautiful scarlet she'd ever seen. Foals hid under their mothers undercarriages, whimpering at his loud and mean voice. Twilight went pale. Had… had she done that?! Had she just brought a statue to life? No, no of course not! She’d specifically used a restoration spell. “You there!” he wheeled about since Twilight was the closest pony. “Naked harlot! Speak! Where are we?!”

“Naked harlot?” Twilight blinked at him in shock. Ponies began to make for the exit, intimidated by the massive stallion and wanting to make sure the foals and mares got out safely. “What’s that?”

“Mare of the night! Jest not lest thy disease of lies consume thou like the burning itching of thy loins!” he pressed his spear point into her face, almost up her nose.

“Hey now!” Twilight said, red-faced, igniting her horn and pushing him bodily back. “Watch it, pal!” His muscles coiled and the purple mare was shocked to find him rather resistant to her force-push spells.

“I am not this ‘pal’ of which thou speakest! I am Spartan Shield! Commander of Her Shining Immortal Majesty Princess Celestia’s Spartan Stallions!” He roared at Twilight, making her mane banner wildly from the pure force of his voice. As he spoke his tail and mane turned to a deep red, almost maroon.

“Hold it right there, buddy!” A pair of museum guards appeared in the archway. “You’re disturbing the peace! Put down the spear and shield!” They weren’t solar guards. More like rent-a-guards, really. An extra set of eyes to mind all of the priceless artifacts so foals didn’t run around touching them. They brandished batons, growling threateningly.

“Fools! Dost thou think to stop a Spartan Stallion with such toothpicks at thy disposal?!” shoving past Twilight with a massive shoulder, the stranger bucked the first one in the teeth and slashed at the other with his spear. The first went flying with a belting cry, bouncing across the floor like a skipping stone. He knocked a display case over, launching a pot into the air, which landed right on his head as he passed out. The other went down hard, barrel-rolling over his own hooves and smacking his head into the column of the archway. “Huh…” the muscled stallion looked a genuinely surprised. “I expected them to dodge at least ONE of my assaults…” he trailed off, mildly disappointed at such an easy victory. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he turned around to face Twilight once more. “Whore! Come! I desire exit from this strange place!” he gestured about. "Guide me!"

Twilight’s temper had had quite enough of being called a prostitute. Her horn ignited angrily and she blasted him with a bolt of pure energy! He took it in the chest with a cry, flopping back over himself. His hooves bicycled into the air for a moment, and it took him a few seconds to right himself. “I am not a prostitute, you thick-headed--- THING!” she couldn’t come up with a harsh enough insult on the spot, so thing would have to do.

“A mage! A mare and a mage! What a strange thing!” he was back on his hooves like she hadn't just blasted the buh-jeezus out of him. “Hrm, perhaps your nudity makes you more powerful…” he leaned and squinted at her for a few long moments. Twilight leaned backward at his aggressive eyeballing. “Ah!” he stomped a hoof in realization. “Thy magic is solar-powered, I would wager upon thee! A solar pony!” he suddenly flashed a dazzling smile. “Art thou under the banner of her Shining Immortal Majesty, Princess Celestia?!” he sounded like he was yelling at her, but his smile at least hinted he was happier.

“Er… yes?” Twilight puzzled out some of what he’d said.

“Ah! Thank the ancestors! An ally in this strange place!” he set his spear on his shoulder. “Forgive me, mage, I thought thou an alleyway tail-lifter. Thy nudity is clearly a conductor for thy spells, drawing in the sun’s energies by pure surface area.” He bowed with very sudden formality, and Twilight felt warmth touch her cheeks. “I shalt not look upon thee with a feral stallion’s hunger, then. Thy purity is surely a condition of thy might.” He promised, then straightened.

Twilight Sparkle frowned. What was 'nudity'? She didn’t know the word. “You were a statue.” She told him, pointing to the raised dais where he’d been minutes ago. She eyed him some. The sculpted body, the handsome face, the body-covering armor. He was certainly a strange and archaic sight. “You’re a warrior of some kind?”

“I am a Spartan Stallion!” he repeated with an impatient roll of his eyes. “Of course I am a warrior! Now! Lead me from this place, I must report back to her Shining Immortal Majesty and find out the results of our battle with Nightmare Moon.”

“Nightmare Moon?” Twilight cocked her eyebrow. “Battle? But there hasn’t been a war in Equestria for almost a thousand years!”

The muscled stallion stared at her like she was an invalid. “Perhaps I would be better off alone…” he mumbled, stroking his chin at her. “Clearly, thou art confused…” with that he turned and strode away from her like she wasn’t there anymore. Twilight’s mouth fell open. She’d never been more insulted in all her life! She scampered after him, only to find he’d jolted to a stop just outside the Greek and Roman exhibit.

“Halt!” There was a quartet of Solar Stallion guards staring him down in the lobby of the museum. “Place your spear and shield on the ground, stranger!” The leader of the four demanded.

He fell into a practiced, low-center-of-gravity stance, lifting his spear. “Come and take it from me!” he challenged. The four stallions pulled their own spears. They were shorter, more metallic, and their armor was much thicker than his. Rearing up, he made to charge into battle.

“Wa-aaait!” Twilight Sparkle rushed between both groups. Deciding station was the only thing to be flaunted in front of this stranger, the purple mare spoke loudly for all to hear. “As Princess Celestia’s protégé I demand you all stop!” The four solar guards blinked at her in confusion. The strange Spartan pony skidded to a halt, almost falling over himself so he wouldn’t impale her on his weapon. All sides stared at each other in a long and very awkward silence. “What did you say your name was? Spartan Shield?” she asked. He nodded briefly, and the guards bristled at him. “You need to see Princess Celestia, why don’t we let them take us to her?” the purple mare offered. She turned around to the four guards. “Sirs? As the sun’s favored foal, I can vouch for him.” Twilight never, ever threw her weight around like that when she was a filly. The guards looked at each other. She hoped that they would buy it. In all actuality she had exactly zero influence or power in Canterlot. But, maybe her close ties with the Princess would help?

“What… did thou say thy name was?” asked Spartan Shield, slowly relaxing and standing upright again.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight said with a coy smile. He cocked his head and frowned at her. The four Solar guards bowed their heads respectfully, agreeing that a national hero like the Element of Magic could certainly vouch for a strange pony like him. To Princess Celestia it was, then. The Princess’ protégé would be able to sort all this out… and they could go back to lazily guarding the front of the museum.

“Twilight Sparkle?” Spartan Shield asked, furrowing his brow as he tasted the name on his lips. She cocked her head at him, as though he’d asked a question. “Thine is a stupid name!” he suddenly declared, snorting.

“You're a stupid name!” Twilight squawked angrily, stomping towards the exit. The guards herded him along after her. They looked at each other, unsure about the whole situation. “I can’t believe how rude you are!”

“Mares should have names as strong as their stallions!” he threw his massive, muscled chest out to demonstrate. “Such as Comet Strike, or Crashing Tree, or Corona Blaze! Something of the sort!”

“You’re impossible!” Twilight face-hoof’d violently as they went.

End of Part 1