A Dangerous Sparkle

by David Silver

13 - Serious Magic

The pair worked industriously for several weeks, until their new magic and bodies felt like a new home for them. Exhausted from a day well-spent studying, Twilight pushed open the door leading to their shared room to find it filled with dense fog. She blinked in surprise and called out, "Spike? Are you in there? What's going on?"

A faint snicker only just barely registered in Twilight's twitching ears. While Twilight pushed ahead, mostly blind, Spike could see everything. He could see that there was fog, but also what was in the fog without trouble. Stalking his prey, he made a sudden leap for Twilight's back, producing the desired girlish shriek of surprise when he landed on top of her. Her legs wobbled and she craned her head to look at him, "Not funny Spike." As his face fell, she smiled, "Well, maybe a little funny. Is it just me or are you getting bigger?"

Spike hadn't thought about it, but noticed Twilight wasn't as large a seat anymore. He slipped off of her and nodded, "I guess I am. Mister Score said my kind of dragon is about pony sized at my age, so... maybe I'm catching up?"

Twilight nodded slowly, "No more rides for you until we get back then. Now, what's with the fog?" She stuck out a hoof, waving it through the dense cloud cover that concealed her room.

Spike grinned widely, "I had Under Score come in and put it here."

Twilight tilted her head, "Why would he do that, and how long is it sticking around?"

Spike backed off into the fog, vanishing from Twilight's sight, "To surprise you, of course. He said it should be gone before the hour's up though."

Twilight moved after Spike, but encountered the wall before she found her number one assistant. Perplexed, she began to look around, "Spike? Where'd you go?"

A soft tapping on her flank got her to leap in place. She spun around to find him floating there in the dense coverage.

With a fresh smile, he cautioned, "You should always look up."

With a frustrated snort, Twilight planted her hooves solidly on the ground and spoke words of power. She did the strange shuffle that Under Score had demonstrated, but her horn also glowed. Her body swelled outwards, becoming as large as the horses the orcs were riding. Her clothing had expanded with her. She snatched the surprised Spike in her teeth and placed him on her back. "You're easier to deal with when you're the right relative size."

Spike clapped his claws quickly, "That's awesome! Why aren't you big all the time if you can do that?"

Twilight pointed a hoof in the general direction of the still concealed door, "One, the doors are made for normal sized ponies. Two, the spell only lasts a few minutes." She found the bed and gently placed spike on his top bunk, tucking him in as she hadn't done since they left Equestria, "Now let's get some sleep."

"G'night Twi."

"Good Night, Spike."

She dismissed the spell and shrank down to normal size before undressing and heading to bed herself. Soon, both were asleep.

---

The next day they were kept together as both teachers assembled in the wide open room downstairs. "You've had enough training," said Fast Shadow, "If you want to learn more, you learn it by doing."

Under Score nodded slowly, "There are also those who would wish you two pull your weight. It is against my personal vote that you are given this assignment."

Fast glanced alongside at Under, "Be that as it may, it is done. We have an assignment lined up for you that shouldn't be too hard. It's a classic milk run, by the book."

Twilight raised a hoof and Under nodded at her. "We don't want to be free loaders. If we can help, we'd be glad to!"

Fast Shadow smiled at Twilight's words, "Well spoken, Miss Sparkle. There is an owlbear terrorizing a local farm, just a few hours outside the city gates. Find it, get rid of it. If you can get evidence of its removal, that would be nice, but not required." She drew out a map of the city and unrolled it out onto the ground. With a hoof she indicated a spot, "The farm's here."

Spike looked at the spot as he asked, "Owlbear, what's that?"

Under frowned, "Imagine a beast as large as a bear, with the face of an owl. They have nasty tempers and are very good at expressing the fact through claws and beak. Please approach it with caution."

Twilight tapped at her chin, "It should be a good test of some of the spells you taught me."

Spike puffed out his chest, "No owl-faced bear is going to scare me off. With Twilight at my back, it'll be taken care of in no time."

"Good" said Fast, "Then hurry to it. Mind you, this isn't for charity. You do get a portion of the bounty paid to the Seekers for its removal. Some spending money to spend as you please." She spoke with a gentle smile, "The first coin that you'll have to yourself, if I recall properly."

Eager to prove their worth, the money seemed like a cherry on top of an already delicious looking pie. They were soon out into the city, heading for the gate closest to the besieged farm. Spike walked alongside Twilight, his head threatening to match her own as he slowly gained inches over time.

When they got to the gate, they were let through without much fanfare, though the guard was surprised on one account, "No seeker's token?" she had asked them.

Spike shrugged, "I didn't get one. Maybe they'll give it when we finish our first mission."

It seemed a reasonable enough answer, and the guard let them past, "Try to be back before dark," she cautioned, "Monsters love hunting at night."

They crested the nearest hill and could see the farm in the distance. "Why don't we fly there?" asked Spike.

Twilight extended a wing and gave it a flap, "I can only fly for a short while. It draws magic from inside, and that recharges slowly."

Spike frowned, but the expression turned to a brilliant smile, "Do you trust me?"

Twilight tilted her head at Spike, "Of course I do."

Spike lifted from the ground and moved over Twilight, "We'll be there in a moment." he said as his grin turned slightly maniacal.

"What are you d--" her words cut off as he grabbed her around the barrel and lifted. She was heavy for him, but not too heavy to get into the air and zoom across the country-side with the sound of the mare screaming in surprise the entire way. He placed her down just in front of the farm-house and she wobbled to and fro, "Spike, wow..." she mumbled, trying to regain her balance, "When did you get so fast?"

Spike shrugged with feigned indifference before he began to giggle boyishly in delight.

Twilight gave a soft snort and moved up to the door, knocking on it with a glimmer of her horn.

A distressed male voice called out, "Who is it?"

Twilight gave a bow at the door, "Twilight Sparkle and Spike, from the Seekers. We're here about the Owlbear?"

The door opened a crack and a goat's head popped free, "Oh thank the sun!" he exclaimed. "You're here even earlier than I thought you'd be. It usually comes from the west, from the forest just there," He extended a hoof out the door to point before quickly withdrawing it. "It's already eaten my chickens! I'm afraid the cow's next! Please, before it decides I'm a fine snack."

They opened their mouths to reply, but the door shut, and they could hear several locks being slid into place. Twilight looked towards Spike, "Well, no time to lose. Let's free this farmer of his ferocious freeloader."

Deciding, firmly, that she didn't want to fly air-Spike quite so soon, they hiked towards the forest. It was just coming on noon, the sun high in the sky, as they reached the edge. Twilight took a moment to reflect on her spells, "I can't just track it magically. So we'll have to do it the old fashioned way." They both nodded and split up a little as they looked to the forest floor for signs of the large creature's passage.

Hours passed without result, and the sun now hung low in the late afternoon sky. They gathered back together with disappointed expressions before Twilight's expression lit up. "It's a nocturnal creature, like the gate guard warned. Why don't we just wait for it to wake up?"

The two found a good vantage point near the edge of the forest, where they could see if any large creatures tried to cross the fields in the direction of the farm, and they waited. It did not take long for their patience to pay out. The sun was creeping into the evening hours when a great shaggy beast of fur and feathers began its trek towards the farm with deadly intent.

Twilight smiled with glee, "Alright, you go distract it, and I'll throw some lightning at it."

Spike saluted sharply, "Doesn't look so tough," he said with false bravado before he drifted down from the branch he was perched on and zipped at the creature. Deciding that engaging it in melee was not the ideal way to start the conflict, he did a rushing surge over it while washing it in his brilliant breath. This caught the owlbear's attention. With a loud roar that sounded as much as an owl as it did any bear, it began to lumber at him with its beak partially open. Spike dropped to the ground and got into a ready position, ducking to the side as the beak came in at him, causing it to scrape harmlessly off his scales as he dug a claw into its available shoulder. Quickly he grabbed the other shoulder, and brought his head forward into a brutal headbutt, driving his horns into its skull with a painful crack.

The owlbear had precious little time to react before everything around the two lit up. Purple lightning arced powerfully from the lavender alicorn as she unleashed the elemental fury. It was all too much for it. The creature gave a piteous gargle before collapsing to the ground in front of Spike. Spike did a little dance of victory before he stopped and nudged the owlbear just as Twilight was coming up. "Uh, I think it's dead," said Spike.

Twilight paused in place, considering the beast. It struck her that she hadn't outright murdered a creature before, unless one counted the Pinkie clones, but even those were sent back to the pool, not killed. "Well..." she said in a weak tone, "Better it than that farmer, or the cow." The excuse sounded hollow on her tongue, and Spike came over and gave her an embrace quietly. They remained together for several minutes before they separated and Spike sighed, "Well, we're supposed to bring back some kind of proof?" Twilight shook her head quickly.

"It's bad enough we killed it. I don't want to... do that."

Spike nodded slowly, then sighed and started digging at the ground.

"What are you doing?" asked Twilight.

"Digging a grave for it."

Twilight watched Spike toil in silence for a few moments, then joined him in his efforts. They may have killed the creature, but they could at least respect his passing. As the sun finished setting, they had the creature safely entombed, with a small marker set up on the spot.

Their mission was a success.

Author's Note:

An episode with a somber conclusion. They're not in a rainbow land of assured happy endings anymore. Sometimes someone has to lose for someone to win.

Thoughts, typo reports, and such are always welcome, please comment!

Comments

[Sun Dial]

While the combat felt too much like Pathfinder, the concept of dealing with death was heart wrenching.

Although, I hope it's not so obvious when they make failed checks like you did with Survival. Too much pathfinder, not enough just awesome story.

[David Silver]

5493399 I don't roll dice, but neither have any skill in tracking from their cushy lives in Canterlot, so it didn't make much sense for them to suddenly succeed in finding this thing. I wasn't even considering the survival skill.

I tend to write in 'rounds', giving everyone a chance to do something. This is kinda how Pathfinder does its thing, but it's not an attempt on my part to emulate Pathfinder, it's just how I write. Is it a poor style?

[Seeking Dusk]

Quick efficient work from the pair. Still, it was sobering to watch them have to deal with another difference between the life they had and the one they are currently living.

[Spiritus Arcane]

Achievement complete!
You completed the tutorial!

You recieved: Guilt.

[David Silver]

5864813 I always wanted some of that!

[Seraphimus]

This chapter feltright. Natural. Death is the way of this world, They have to, and will come to accept that. That doesn't mean they have to enjoy it. They are still them at heart. Yeah they may not stop to bury every Dark creature they encounter in the future, but this one matter the most. The first.

[Shadow Lance]

5864846 all i can say is bs to her being turned into a hybrid. she should still be able to fly and have her earth pony strength without the use of magic, and she should be able to fortify it with magic like how silver could fortify his alicorn strengths, it does make sence in that aspect since alicorns can utalize all forms of magic and it woulda been cool to see them surpirsed that she had all the aspects

[David Silver]

7029614 Complain to Hasbro for poorly defining earth pony magic, and even by their tenuous definition, Twilight has shown not a hint of it.

[Chrome Masquerade]

"Well, no time to lose. Let's free this farmer of his ferocious freeloader."

Not bad, but i've heard better.