Twilight and the Spartan Stallion
Part 16: The Naked Spartan

Daring Do yawned widely, squeezing her eyes shut and rubbing at the bridge of her nose a little. She was exhausted, but didn’t want to stop working. The Spartan Stallion had arrived in a magnificent open warehouse and had been surrounded by spotlights, instruments, and excellent work ponies that did everything she said.

True Facts had been adamant about having only the best around them for their discovery. The piles and piles of armor bits, weapons, shields, and even pony remains had been taken elsewhere for examination. But this, this wonderful crown jewel—ohhh Daring was going to clean him herself. She and True Facts had started with the tiniest of brushes, getting the dirt and age out of his teeth and eyes. The face was the most important bit, really. It wasn’t a standard face, for some reason. In that era, most statues had the same ‘perfect’ face, and it was the posing and garb the statue had that was more important. But no, this statue had a rugged looking face, handsome features, a barrel chest… he had to be somepony in particular. “Lookit this, Daring. Maredusa’s.” he gestures with his tiny brush.

“Huh?”

“Here on the breastplate.” True Facts pointed with his tool to the breast plate. Carved into the fronts, around the armpits, were a pair of snake-mane’d heads with terrifying toothy expressions. “Didn’t they carve stuff like this to frighten their enemies?” he asked her.

Daring Do nodded, taking off her hat and setting it aside so that she could get closer. Turning about, she got under the statue like a car mechanic might, studying the clasps and straps of the armor. “It’s so detailed.” She whispered with a heady smile. “It’s like it was real and this was just a casting.” She chuckled a little. “Can you imagine? Us finding a dead pony inside of this? Perfectly preserved?”

“I don’t think he’d weigh four tons if it was hollow.” True Facts said a little snootily.

Daring rolled her eyes, shaking her head and lifting a brush to one of the stone clasps. Touching it lightly and with the greatest of care, she stroked dirt and grime out of the little rivulets. “This must’ve taken years to make…” she whispered reverently. “The detail… it’s like it was real fabric.” The mare looked back and forth to check the wrappings and their pattern.

“Maybe they used a real model, and made the stallion stand still for days on end?” True Facts smirked, getting a pair of tiny tweezers to remove a stubborn grain of sand. He held his breath while doing so, careful not to even breathe hard on the ancient stone work of art. Daring Do chuckled a little at the idea.

“Makes me wanna know who he was all the more!” the sand-colored mare laughed, pushing her grey bangs out of the way so she could squint at the stallion’s undercarriage and continue her painstaking work. Spartan Shield the statue was certainly going to be magnificent once he was all cleaned up and set up for display!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
12 Years Later…
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Twilight Sparkle was frowning in adorkable concentration over a semi-circle of books. Her quill was dancing animatedly as she mumbled what it was supposed to be writing. The light glow of purple magic enveloped it, and the paper it was writing on dashed back and forth as she scampered from open book to open book. She flipped a few pages, mouthing the words as she went. Ignoring the mild oncoming headache and pressing her muzzle briefly to a page to turn it, she studied that too.

Spartan mares had enjoyed the widest array of rights in the ancient world. Despite having two female rulers, Equestria was a stallion-dominated world for a long time. Spartan Stallions had been the progressive group to raise their mares to an elevated position. Much of the ancient world looked on with curious confusion as Spartan mares were allowed to own land, vote, divorce their husbands, wear short skirts (there were many angry mentions that Spartan mares often showed off their strong thighs), and many other things. Twilight scratched her chin. There was nothing about relationships, marriage, or anything of the sort.

There were breeding protocols, though, which struck her as interesting. If a mare was known for producing strong offspring, or a stallion unable to impregnate his wife, best friends might be called upon to help with this. Sometimes other mares might be called in, if somepony’s wife were barren. They were very careful with their breeding procedures, wanting very much to produce the best and strongest ponies they could.

Also, the Spartan herd was very, very picky with their foals. If they thought a newborn foal misshapen, sickly, or too small they would simply discard them on a hillside to die. Twilight thought that horrific for a time, but then remembered; The ancient world had been a harsh place full of monsters, wars, famine, and an only slowly-rising civilized Equestria. Having too many mouths to feed was a constant worry. If a foal was defective at birth… they could not keep a cripple in the herd. Infanticide was not uncommon in any culture in that era, but the Spartans had been especially harsh. Twilight could only imagine what that must’ve been like for birthmothers. As soon as they’d given birth, their infants snatched up and set upon by scrutinizing eyes… the purple mare shivered, going to another book and scanning down the same entry again.

“There’s nothing here about dating…” she mumbled.

“Uh, Twilight that’s a history book on Ancient Equestria. Not dating.” Spike was suddenly next to her and she shrieked. Where had he come from?! “Oop, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” He smiled apologetically. Twilight fought down the urge to scold him when he lifted a plate into her view. Hay bacon, chips, bun and sauce. “I know you like putting chips on your sandwiches lately…” he smiled a little sheepishly. “So I just left them on the plate so you could put ‘em on how you liked.”

“Thanks Spike.” Twilight said affectionately, taking the plate and setting it on a small corner of the desk. She leaned down and pecked his forehead. The baby dragon’s cheeks darkened a little, and he smiled bashfully. Turning, Twilight levitated the sandwich apart into all its different parts, putting it all together how she wanted.

“I made Spartan Shield lunch too, but he’s been locked in the bathroom for over an hour.” Spike said, pausing to jab a thumb at the upstairs bathroom. “Think maybe he fell in?” the assistant thought himself clever, slapping a paw on his knee with laughter.

Twilight cocked her head, looking curiously up the stairs. Setting down her quill, paper, and sandwich she put a hoof on the bottom stair. “Spartan?” she called aloud. There was no reply. “Are you sure he’s up there?” she asked Spike.

“Yeah, I would’a heard him leave.” Spike nodded. “The guy stomps like a herd of rhinos everywhere he goes.” He smirked at Twilight’s hot glare of scolding, shrugging a bit. “What? He does.” He and Spartan had come to the silent understanding the Spike was not a servant, and Spartan was not a crazy pony. Spike was an assistant, and Spartan was a thousand years out of his element (like Princess Luna, he’d thought silently). There was not much friendship between them, but a cautious sort of tolerance. Both liked and took care of Twilight Sparkle in his own way, so they had her between them to preserve the rather tense peace. Good enough for them.

Twilight Sparkle mounted the stairs, going up and into the bedroom. Going to the adjoined bathroom door, she listened briefly. There was a little sound of movement, but nothing else. “Spartan?” she called. “Are you sick in there? Do you need help?” she was trying to be helpful. “I have medicines if you have a belly ache or something!” she said through the wooden door.

“Ah, Twilight.” Spartan’s voice was strong, even through the bathroom door. “You’re just in time.” There was a heavy metallic CLANK inside, and Twilight wondered if he’d somehow mare-handled a pipe out of the wall or something.

“Are you okay in there?!” she said more loudly, cocking her head and pressing her ear to the door. Spike appeared next to her, frowning curiously. There was some shuffling inside. “I don’t wanna burst in if you’re having toilet troubles, but-” CLANK! “What are you doing, ripping my sink out?!” she demanded, knocking firmly on the door.

“No.” Spartan Shield said shortly from the other side. “I am coming out, one moment.” CLANK-SPATTER, what was he doing in there, crafting a new set of armor?! Twilight backed up, wondering if perhaps he were going to buck the door down or something. Spike backed up with her, holding her front-right leg and hiding behind it a little. Twilight leaned back, lifting a hoof in case she would need to shield her face… the door opened. The steam from a hot shower poured out, the silhouette of a stallion emerging. “How… do I look?” he said with just a grain of uncertainty about himself.

Twilight gasped, but it was Spike that spoke first. “You’re naked!” he blurted, jabbing a claw at the sand-colored stallion. “Wow! I’ve never seen you with all your armor and stuff off! Cool!”

Spartan Shield turned to one side, throwing his chest out impressively and tilting his muzzle back. Sure enough, his chest plate and wrappings lay on the bathroom tile behind him. He’d showered, groomed fiercely, and slicked his mane and much of his fur with lightly-scented anointing oils. He looked positively god-like in his natural glory. Lifting one powerful hoof, he stood poised for a few moments so they could take in his impressive form. “W… wow…” Was all Twilight could say, eyeing his strange cutie mark and… well, the rest of him too. Her tail tucked just a little, and she gulped. He was certainly a handsome, rugged thing. Living with him for five weeks and now seeing him in just his fur was just… just… wow! “Why the sudden change? You hate being naked.” Twilight cocked her head after oogling him for a moment.

“I am participating in an athletic event in a few days.” He said officially, walking forward in a regal manner. “If ponies are to understand I am to be victor, they must see all of me and understand my strength for themselves.” He said it like he was lecturing somepony. Twilight remembered the tablet from the museum. The running stallions in the picture had been naked, unusual for the era. Those participating in athletic events were expected to be naked so that the crowds could enjoy watching the athletes to their fullest.

“I thought you were a soldier.” Spike scratched his head curiously. “What sort of event is it?”

“I intend to wrestle with Big Macintosh for my community service charity drive.” Spartan Shield said, smiling grandly.
Twilight cocked an eyebrow. “Wrestling? Why? How will that raise money for your fine?” the purple mare didn’t understand, but the stallion had it all planned out.

“Well, Big Macintosh is the biggest stallion in Ponyville, respected for his strength and stoic ways.” He gushed briefly about how impressive the farming pony was. Twilight rolled her eyes a little, wondering briefly if Spartan had a crush on the poor almost-mute farmer. “And also, there was the day that we brawled in the street. Many ponies saw us.” he made a sweeping gesture out the window to the street below. “If we were to advertise a rematch, under the cause of charity, I think many would come to see us do battle.” He was grinning so wide all his teeth were showing by this point.

“Spartan that’s really violent!” Twilight said crossly, frowning at him. “You’re supposed to be learning about PEACEFUL Equestria and you’re going to start a violent sporting event to pay for violence you did before?” she groaned at him in frustration when he nodded. Rarely did he smile so grandly, clearly he was already invested in this plan of his. “Violence begets violence you know!” she scolded. “What if one of you gets hurt doing this?”

Violence begets violence.

Spartan’s smile vanished. The oracle’s words rang in his head. The first line of the prophecy. “What?” he said, really studying her now. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not trying to stop you or anything…” Twilight said, sighing in frustration and looking away. “I just think it kinda defeats the purpose. You got in trouble for hurting somepony, so you’re going to pay for it by hurting somepony until he gives up in a ring? Even for a sporting event, that’s kinda dumb!” she said, tossing her mane and trying to make herself clear.

Spartan scowled at her a little indignantly. “It is what I am good at. I’m born and bred to be a soldier. Wrestling is something I can do well.” He said, turning his nose up at her a little. “Besides, that playground of theirs is pathetic. It needs more if those foals are to be healthy.”

“Playground?” Twilight’s eyes lidded in frowny confusion.

“The playground at the school. I intend to donate the monies this event makes to build a newer, nicer one.” The Spartan Stallion explained. “That will please Princess Luna, and I will be free of her after that. Hopefully.” He scowled at the wall when he spoke her name aloud.

“You want to build a new playground?” Twilight said in a smaller voice. Of all the causes he could choose, that was actually very sweet of him. His strange affection towards Applebloom and the other crusaders marked his love for foals (violent as it was sometimes), so of course he would want to build something nice for them at the school house. “And you mean a real playground, not an obstacle course with swinging axes and piranha pools and stuff, right?”
Spartan Shield cocked his head. “What’s a piranha?”

Spike face-palmed a little, but giggled. It was always fun to see the big burly stallion come across something else that he didn’t quite know what it was. “Nevermind.” Twilight said with a pained smile. “You mean you’re going to give them the money and let the school build it, right? That’s what I meant.”

“Oh? Yes, of course.” Spartan said. “This era clearly has no need for agoge, the elders at the school will know what the foals need for their physical health and practice.” He waved a hoof dismissively. “Princess Luna bade me to donate monies, not to build structures with it.”

“Oh good.” Twilight sighed with relief. “But… wrestling, huh? You and Big Mac?” she was still cross about it, but she may as well try to learn more.

“Yes. I am commissioning an artist to make posters, and employing your friend Rainbow Dash to put them around town.” He snickered a little despite himself.

“How? You don’t have any money.” Twilight said with a confused frown.

“I am going to lend my breast plate to the artist so she can make a rubbing of it.” Spartan Shield smirked. “After all, it is a one thousand year old priceless artifact with the etchings of an ancient dead culture on it, is it not?” he leaned close to the scholar with a bemused smile. She cocked a wary eyebrow. He was right. Blast it he was absolutely right. Artists would give their right hooves to make a rubbing of such a thing to study it up close.

“What about Rainbow Dash? She might still be mad at you, after all.” Twilight said suspiciously. “How will you pay her, huh?”

“I’ll let her play with my helm for a few days. She seems to like it a lot.” Spartan said smartly.

Spike laughed, “He’s got ya there!”

Twiight was, needless to say, impressed. “…Huh.” She said, nodding her understanding after a few long moments of careful thought. “Well, that’s one way to do things, yeah.” She said. She had to admit, Spartan was really thinking outside the box on this one. He was coming to realize that his belongings were valuable, and he was in unique position to lend and exploit them as he saw fit. When one didn’t have money, it was important to strategize to make money.

“But you see, there’s one more thing missing.” Spartan said importantly. “I shall need a coach.”

“A coach?” Spike said.

“Yes.” Spartan nodded in confirmation. “Somepony to make sure that I am sober, upright, and ready for the competition when it begins. Also, to take me home if I go home on a stretcher.” He said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.

“Do you need me to do that?” Twilight said flatly. She still didn’t approve of all this wrestling business. It was violent, and against the teachings she was trying to impart on him. One step forward two steps back it felt like with him sometimes.

“Oh no, Twilight!” Spartan laughed. “Only a stallion may be an athlete’s coach! Both of us have to be naked on the field--” he trailed off suddenly. “Oh. Right.” He eyed her for a moment. “Er, well. It really is a males-only position.” Twilight’s scowl deepened and her annoyance grew.

“What about me?” Spike said, pointing at himself. “I could do it!”

Spartan looked down at the little dragon. “You?” he said. Twilight looked at Spike quizzically, cocking an eyebrow. The stallion looked from him to Twilight. The purple mare didn’t seem pleased in the slightest. Perhaps it would balm her anger to have her assistant assist him? “Well…” he trailed off and Spike grinned with all his fangs, bouncing up and down a bit. “Twilight?” he asked her instead.

There was a short silence. “Er… alright.” Twilight agreed a little warily. “It’s better than getting a stranger, I guess.”

“Yeah-heah!” Spike jumped into the air, pumping a fist.

=-----=-----=-----=-----=

That next afternoon, Spartan Shield wandered around town with his head tilted up towards the sky, peering about for any sign of Rainbow Dash. She shouldn’t have been so difficult to find, given her mane and loud voice.

Ponies on the street stopped to stare a bit at the burly stallion. They knew him well enough by sight, and that he never wandered about without his armor or cape-scarf on. Huh. Must’ve been a special occasion or something. Mares (and a couple of stallions) just had to admire him. There weren’t many like him in town, that was for sure, and it was certainly a nice sight to behold. That trimmed tail, that sculpted jawline. Those intense light-chocolate eyes. That nicely groomed fur and mmhhhh-hm-hm-hm-- *slurp*, one mare had to wipe her mouth just a little, for she’d caught herself drooling at him. Just a little bit!

Suddenly Spartan spotted his target and smirked. She was curled up on a cloud, napping. He noticed it was the only cloud in the sky right then. She must’ve saved it for her personal use. Walking and standing at a proper angle, he called up to her in a big voice, “Rainbow Dash!”

One bellow from the mighty warrior was enough to jerk the cyan mare awake. “Huh-wha?!” she said, jolting to her hooves. “Yessir! I cleared the sky this morning and there’s no… no…” she trailed off, looking around blearily. She looked down to see Spartan looking up at her and scowled just a little. “Oh hey, it’s you. Throw anypony out of a window lately?”
Spartan Shield winced. She was still a little sore with him. “Come down! I would speak with thee!” he said, waving at her. She cocked an eyebrow, but glided to the ground none the less. It took her all of two seconds to see he was naked and finely groomed.

“What’cha so gussied up for, huh?” she said, her eyes traveling him rather greedily despite the frown on her face. “Going to a funeral?”

“Quite the opposite, I would say.” Spartan Shield turned briefly into his saddlebag and pulled out a rolled up poster. He unrolled it for her and she took it.

Rainbow Dash’s ‘reading aloud’ voice was drawl and flat, much like when she’d read Daring Do and the Sapphire Stone. “Big Macintosh versus Spartan Shield in the ultimate wrestling throw down… two days from now in Ponyville Square?” it came out like a question, her wings blimping open in interest. “You and Big Mac are gonna wrestle?” she said, her pupils contracting just a little. He nodded, smiling grandly. She returned to the poster’s words, “Town wide charity event to build a new playground at Ponyville Elementary, ticket prices are merely your donation monies… huh! That sounds interesting!” Rainbow Dash smirked a little. “But what’s to keep me from hangin’ out on a cloud and not paying a single bit?” her mischief rose up to challenge him.

“Well actually, I wanted to ask thou a favor.” He opened his saddlebag to show her it was full of rolled up posters. The Pegasus leaned, brow furrowing. “I need a fast-flying pony to distribute these where they may be seen.” He explained.
“I’m nopony’s mailmare.” Said Rainbow Dash indignantly, turning her head to one side in a frown while she tilted her muzzle up. “That’s Derpy Hooves’ job.”

“Perhaps.” Spartan Shield had never met this ‘Derpy Hooves’, but he didn’t have time to go hunt him or her down. “But, it needs to be done quickly so that many ponies can see them. Whom better than thou, who is the Iron Pony? Winner of the young flyer’s competition? And the only one capable of a Sonic Rainboom?” he drizzled her accomplishments over her like sweet, sweet melted chocolate. If there was anything he had learned of Rainbow Dash over the past five weeks, it was to pander to her ego to make her do anything at all.

Rainbow’s slowly growing ego inflated in her chest as he spoke. “Welllll, I am pretty awesome, yeah. And fast. But what’s in it for me, huh?” she thrust a hoof at him suspiciously. “I don’t work for free, y’know, putting up posters.”
Spartan Shield turned and opened his other saddlebag. Pulling out his helm, he offered it to her. “You can have it. For three days.” He said with a straight face. Rainbow Dash’s mouth fell open just a little. He was just gonna hoof it over to her? Let her do whatever she wanted with it? For three days? She studied it, and rudely SHOVED her ego aside, reaching out to take it. “Deal?” he pulled it briefly out of her reach. She nodded quickly, snatching it from his hooves and putting it on her head. So! Awesome! Eee!

“Alright! You got a deal!” Rainbow grinned, taking the saddlebag of rolled up posters as he offered it out to her. She adjusted the rather-big-for-her helm on her head so it wouldn’t fall off, then rocketed skyward towards the Ponyville Plaza. Spartan nodded his satisfaction. It was just a helmet, after all. He had no idea why so many ponies had obsessed over his armaments—to the point of sneaking into Twilight’s home to steal them—but if he could use the pieces as bargaining chips, why not? The artist he’d seen about the posters had fallen all over herself to get a rubbing of his chest plate decorations, and had gladly made and copied the posters they were using now.

Clearing his throat a little, Spartan Shield made his way towards the market to have a chat with Big Macintosh and enjoy the rest of his afternoon. He did enjoy the stallion’s company more than most. His and Twilight Sparkle’s.

Over the course of the rest of the day, posters with a picture of Big Mac and Spartan angrily butting heads began appearing all over town. Ponies were studying it and gossiping about the street brawl that had happened some time ago. Those two big stallions were gonna have a rematch? For charity, no less? Well, that was bound to be interesting! Yeah, they could break into their bits jars and spare a few if it was for a new playground at the elementary school. Foals began to get excited too. A new playground?! Wow, awesome!

=-----=-----=-----=-----=

Luna frowned over her scrying pool, stroking her chin. “It’s left him.” She said to nopony in particular. “Whatever it was, it’s gone now.” She looked over her shoulder at her twin Lunar Stallions. “Fetch my sister, it is important. Tell her it is about Spartan Shield.”

“Yes your Majesty.” One stallion bowed and was away to get the Princess of the Sun for her.

Luna brooded over the scrying pool, stroking her chin a bit. Spartan Shield had been animatedly bleeding solar magic, for a long time, now he just suddenly quit? How odd… why, actually, was the better question. Sure, wounds would clot and stop bleeding on their own—but magic like this was no bound to simply stop on its own. The Royal Sisters had promised not to bother Spartan Shield until they figured out just what was happening to him. A stallion did not simply bleed goddess-level solar magic for no reason. Celestia swore she’d never put any spells on him, at least none that she could remember. A thousand years ago was a long time, but still—he was an Earth Pony at the end of the day, it wasn’t as though he could retain magic in his body like a unicorn or a mana battery. It would seep out of him like syrup and then be gone. A thousand years or not, it would’ve been long gone in the five weeks he was in Ponyville. It was like poking a hole in a water balloon. The night time Princess frowned deeper, brooding more until Celestia arrived.

“Sister, I’m here.” Celestia said gently as the guards closed the door behind her. “Do you have news of Spartan Shield’s… condition?” she asked in a mild voice, ever the soothing balm in the room.

Luna nodded, turning about. “Yes. He has stopped bleeding out solar magic.”

“He has?” Celestia came to the scrying pool and leaned over it. Spartan Shield was conversing animatedly with a large red stallion, devoid of his armor and wrappings. “Well!” Celestia smiled. “He’s finally down to just his fur. Twilight must be helping him adjust quite well.” She smiled with pride for her most faithful student’s handiwork. If she could get a Spartan Stallion to wander around in the nude, she could do just about anything, Celestia knew. It made her snicker a little bit, seeing the big burly stallion look about and check himself now and then. He probably felt like the whole world was looking at him. At least he’d groomed and cleaned up, he did look nice with those oils in his fur, making him look so shiny and handsome.

“What dost thou think happened, Tia?” Luna lowered her voice a little, gesturing at the rippling image of the Spartan Stallion. “One does not bleed solar magic for no reason, then just stop for no reason once more.”

Celestia frowned, deep in thought. “Sister,” she sidled a little closer so the conversation could be private. Even from their own guards. “Do you remember the solar pony herds? Back in the ancient, feral eras of our kingdom?” Luna stared at her, blinking a little. “Well, there were four herds of ponies that, when they walked about in just their fur, could soak up all the energy of the sun and use it like mana for their magic.”

“Dost thou think Spartan Shield can use magic?!” Luna gasped, wide-eyed. “Earth Ponies can wield no such thing!”
“Not directly, no.” Princess Celestia stroked her chin. “But then again, Pegasi do not fly on their wing power alone. And, earth ponies are not so naturally strong or good at tilling the earth by themselves.” Luna nodded at her sisters words. She knew this, but didn’t understand the connection.

“Perhaps he is descendant from one of those ancient herds?” Luna asked. “What does that have to do with his bleeding solar magic all over the place? Much less stopping?”

“I’m not sure.” Celestia said. “Perhaps, wandering about always covered by his armor was letting him bleed out his augmented strength…” she paused for a long time, frowning thoughtfully. “And now that he is uncovered, the sun is soaking into him again.”

“Like a mana battery.” She mumbled. “But what does an earth pony do with magic in his own body? He cannot wield it like a unicorn.”

“Channel it into his own abilities, I would imagine... if he knew he had it in him.” Celestia said after a time. “Earth ponies are strong, sturdy, and good at growing things. Perhaps if he planted a seed it would sprout more quickly?” she hypothesized. “It’s been thousands of years, even before his time, since the Solar Ponies walked the earth. I can’t recall all the details.” She sighed in mild frustration.

“What should we do in the meantime, sister?” Luna wanted to know.

“Well, if it isn’t hurting him or anypony else, I suppose we do nothing.” Celestia gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, seating herself on her haunches. “Why worry if it means nothing at the end of the day?”

“…are the Solar Ponies related to you, sister? Some secret, distant lovechild’s descendants?” Luna blurted suddenly. The four guards in the room perked with interest at this.

Celestia blushed hotly. “Luna!” she folded her wings and turned her head. “I’ve never had children, you know that!” Oh-hoh! Luna had really gotten under her skin with that!

Luna smiled apologetically. “Forgive us, we were only curious.” Celestia pouted a little, but her sister put a wing briefly around her for comfort. They smiled gently at each other, until Luna turned the scrying pool off. Spartan Shield seemed to be getting on just fine, why disturb the peace by meddling in his affairs?

End of Part 16