Baukis Chapter 21

"Are we going to train after breakfast?"

"Yes but not with me. I am just the Olympic representative so I have brought a past Olympic victor to train you for the rest of our time together. It has been a process with the ephors but they have allowed him to enter Sparta to train with you. It's been a while since Sparta has had a victory in multiple events so in 3 years we plan to fix that issue." 

We walk down together and a foreign man stays sitting feasting on his large breakfast. The man has a bulked build and a towering presence from just sitting down with olive-brown skin showing a life of working under the sun. We join him and all eat with pleasant conversations taking place.

"So you're the boy Xenophon wants me to train." The man's voice booms the whole room, startling all except Xenophon.

"Yes sir!" I respectfully answer his question with Spartan youth courtesy of answering when spoken to.

"My name is Baukis and I'm from Troizen not too far from Sparta. I was the 400 BC winner for wrestling if you don't know which would be stupid if you're wanting to become a winner."

I indeed did not know as I haven't taken the liberty to know ancient Olympic winners preferring to learn about the social and political statuses of the city-states.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Baukis, I'm Da-"

"Enough of that I need no name from you until you compete and win. Until then you are just Boy." The man walks out with a nod to the cook and exits each step having a thunder.

I finish not too long after and take my leave after Xenophon hints that I'm supposed to be trailing Baukis. I dart out and catch the sight of the man walking out to the woods and follow.

"I see you have finally caught up to me.." The man states and we walk for dozens of minutes until he finally smiles. "Now this is the perfect place Boy!"

The area holds a large puddle of Mudd amid a grassland. Baukis walks in the middle of the mud showing a boy-like enjoyment for the subsistence in between his feet.

"Come, Boy! Show me what you got!" He raises his arms in the air awaiting my physical response. I dart out to the mud and then land first face into it after slipping.

The man thunderously laughs and I stand back up showing no give. I then finish my dash and release a blast double takedown. I pull his legs inward and thrust my head into what's supposed to be his chest but is instead his stomach. He remains standing and instead laughs loudly.

"Is that all you have?"

"Yes sir?"

Baukis grabs my lower back and pulls me up with my whole body now dangling upside down.

"Now Boy, you have two choices. One quit or two you complete any form of takedown on me today!" He lets go of my dangling body. I fall into the mud holding my arms out to catch myself instead of breaking my head on the mud. The fall dirties my clean body the latter I'm not being used to in this life.

"One isn't an option sir!" I try throwing myself into him but all it does is make me fall into the mud hard making me wince in pain.

"You have no talent! It's best for you to quit, Boy!"

"I can't!" The thought of not being an Olympian hurts to my core. I need to become famous and respected to do anything in this place!

"Take. Me. Down."

I stand back up and try again and again trying anything to make him fall.

"Why! Just why can't you be taken down!" I yell and he crosses his arms.

"Whenever you try taking me down your chest is down and you make a stupid face whenever you go on the offense."

"What face?"

"Your mouth goes wide and your eyes slam shut.. Like my wife!"

I take the criticism into account after he laughs for several minutes and I try another takedown. It does nothing and I fail again but I succeed in getting mud into my mouth.

"Huh, that was better. Maybe you're not so bad after all!" 

I gag at the mud but feel comforted by what can be called as words of affirmation.

"Same for you!" I yell and know I'm going to try one more time…

I try for the final time now trying to trip him but his body doesn't budge in any type of way.

"Now you should know well that won't work but then again it's you." Baukis then slams me to the mud once more and I get right back up. Just one more time…

I try to hook my arms over and under his shoulders to throw him down yet come to the crushing reality I can barely even reach them. He returns with a basic push making me fall back several feet away again coming side by side with mud.

"Bring it on Boy!" He yells and I pick up the mud around me and throw it in his mouth. He begins to spit it out and while he is distracted I use my opportunity and throw my whole body into a takedown down making him fall. Seems as though I could learn a thing or two from Nikolaos.

"Well, shit," Baukis mutters as his large body gets engulfed in the mud and I take my turn to laugh. "You're going to become an Olympian my boy but it won't be easy I promise you that."