• Published 29th Dec 2014
  • 9,522 Views, 3,428 Comments

A Dangerous Sparkle - David Silver



Twilight Sparkle botches a spell and ends up in a whole new realm of danger and adventure, where the land is ruled by a much more pragmatic pony empire, ruled by a very mortal queen. A Ponyfinder crossover.

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41 - Homeward Bound

With the book secured and the way out revealed, everyone was eager to get going.

Dawn spoke as they walked, "I know this feeling. This sloth, this lack of power. With every step I become more sure. I have died. Was it the coming of a new divinity that brought me back?"

Spike carried the milky-eyed Soft Mane along despite feeling the same way, "I don't know, but I feel awful. Did I mess up?"

Twilight shook her head even as she looked aside at Spike, "No! No... You were very brave. That big golem pounded all of us."

"Most of us," said Soft Mane.

Though Pinkie was grinning, she did not gloat of her accomplishment.

Long Road swiveled an ear to the bard, "Well, miss." He moved beside her and nudged her, flank to flank, "You've proven your worth to the team a thousand times over, and as a friend beside that. Thank you."

Twilight brought a wing in front of her face, guarding it as she rolled her eyes, "She does that sometimes, even back in Equestria. She is a miracle worker when the right idea, no matter... how insane... gets in her head."

Dawn Event pushed open the door before them to reveal a tunnel angled sharply up, "It served us well. But there are questions in need of answer. Who is Lashtada, or was? Surely Lasthada had a following if ever they were a god, native of the lands of Kara knew of her."

The party began scaling the steep hallway, except Pinkie who quietly bounced up the incline as if it were not there.

Spike asked as he slowly ascended, "How are we getting home? I'm not looking forward to hiking down a mountain and through a bunch of wilderness before we get to a place with a bed."

Twilight rubbed her cheek against her returned number one assistant's softly, "Well it would be asking a lot for a ride home. We made it this far, we can get down a little mountain."

The tunnel narrowed sharply, forcing them to go in single file through. Pinkie asked as she shimmied through, "Does this way lead out?"

Long Road made his way through slower, but would not be denied freedom, "I think it is. It's going the right way."

Soft Mane clutched to Spike's head as she gave a little sniffle, "What am I going to tell mom? Hi Mom, I... kind... of went and became a priest of a new god! Don't be mad... Oh and I'm mostly blind." She buried her face into Spike's head, avoiding the spines.

Spike looked over his shoulder at her carefully, "Don't worry, we'll try to calm her down."

Twilight was at their side shortly, "That reminds me. Soft, may I raise your skirt?"

Soft blinked open her eyes and looked down at Twilight puzzedly, "Go ahead, Miss Sparkle."

With a tug of Twilight's magic, Soft squeaked as her skirt was pulled up over her furry pony legs. There on her rump was not her brand of destiny from before. It showed two hearts side by side with smooth silvery wire that ran through and around the two of them. Dawn Event moved for a better look with a thoughtful frown, "That is very likely her holy symbol. The wires are not spiked, nor the hearts injured. I am led to believe that she, or he, is a benign god. But there is only so much we can learn from a symbol alone."

Soft Mane quickly tugged her skirt back down so it hung fully along her legs, blushing softly at everyone staring at her posterior. "I just figured out my destiny," she whimpered in a sad voice. "Spike went through all that trouble."

Spike bounced in a step, jostling Soft Mane on his shoulders, "Don't say that! I just reminded you that you're great, whether it's building things or being a, uh, love priest."

She tightened her thighs around Spike's head, "Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do!" said Spike quickly. "I bet you'll be running Dawn Event around for best priest in no time."

Dawn Event snorted, "It is not a competition, and there is much she must learn. We do not yet even know what mystery she follows."

Long Road perked an ear, "Begging your pardon, but isn't she of this Lashtada god? Love and all that?"

Dawn nodded, "Yes, that is the god, or goddess, that has endowed her, but there is more to it than that. For instance, an oracle of the Sun Queen may be tasked with representing her leadership, or be a bringer of life, or even a subtle wielder of tricks and subterfuge. We do not know what powers this god claims domain over, besides love, or which will dictate Soft Mane's life."

Twilight twitched her ears as she eyed Soft Mane and her book. "If it's not too much trouble, can I keep translating that? The more we know, the better."

Soft Mane hesitated a moment, then held out the book. It was gripped swiftly in Twilight's magic and flipped open to the first page. The scholarly alicorn eagerly began to work as she walked. "I think," said Twilight with a smile. "I'm getting the hang of this language. By the time we get back, I should have a grasp of it. I'll make plenty of notes for everyone else, of course. It won't do for me to be the only one in, uh, Everglow was it?"

Long Road swiftly nodded as he reached the top of the ramp and let out his breath. "Spike, check for traps."

Spike carefully set down Soft Mane, smiling at her before he drifted up to the top and started looking around carefully. He picked up a small rock and threw it down the hall, where a soft click was heard and arrows fired from small holes to crash against the opposing wall. "Clear!"


They arrived at the back end of a boulder after much looping back and forth. Twilight hurried up to read the writing set in gold lines across the rock. "If you wield the power of love, show it and even stone won't hold you back."

Soft Mane groaned, "Is this going to be a habit. A lady isn't supposed to be lifting her skirt all the time." Despite her pout, she did just that. At the exposure of her mark, the rock rolled forward and away, revealing the night sky and the cold, but fresh, air of the mountain side. They had escaped.

Deciding that resting was more important, now that they knew where the exit was, they stayed there behind the boulder, allowing it to eventually shut on its own. They shared food and rested together. Spirits were high and mood was good as they joked and shared together, even if one was frightened for her future, and another concerned for the cosmos.

Dawn Event spoke to the assembled group, "I had my doubts, a serious concern for any pony of faith, but you proved them false. You are adventurers true, willing to fight to the end, past it even. You used your mind, and your bodies. I will gladly venture at your side again, if your paths should cross with mine." He reached into a saddlebag with his snout and pulled out a flask, "This is wine. Today, we won, and that calls for celebration. We will drink as comrades, all of us." He took a thick swig from the flask before passing it to Twilight. She took a soft sip and passed it on to Long Road, then to Spike, who hesitated.

"Go on," urged Twilight, "Just this once." He smiled and took a swallow, coughing even as he passed it to Pinkie. Pinkie took a drink without delay, smacking her lips as she held it out towards Soft Mane. Soft Mane had much the same hesitation Spike did, but they gently urged her to try a little. She coughed as well as Spike, holding it out in Dawn Event's general direction until he claimed it. The stallion deftly twisted the cap back in place with his lips and put it away.

"We are friends no longer. We are now brothers, and sisters, in arms. A bond only forged through blood," said Dawn Event in solemn tones. "Pinkie, will you play us an appropriate song?"

"You betcha!" she suddenly had a xylophone in front of her and began to play across them with wooden sticks. It was an upbeat song, but somehow haunting with how it echoed through the cave they were in. She played until every head had sunk into sleep, then she tapered off and cuddled up beside the others, allowing herself to join them in slumber.

Author's Note:

The way out is found, and the group matures as a unit. This was a nice episode to write.

Of course, sometimes typos hide in mushy moments.

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