A Dangerous Sparkle

by David Silver

81 - Gem Hunting

It had been a long time since Spike followed along after Rarity in pursuit of gems. Last time he had a bright red wagon to store the gems on, this time his backpack would serve the purpose. Rarity also looked different as he followed her. Instead of looking up at her from below, he was now taller than her. For some reason this made her less... majestic, though no less pretty.

"Right here, Spike," she said, directing a hoof at the ground.

Spike moved up to the spot swiftly and struck it with his wicked claws, forcing the earth to part in swift clawfuls of flying dirt. The ground here was a little tough, but no match for his eager digging, soon revealing several glittering trinkets buried only a few feet down. Rarity shook her head, "No these simply won't do. You can have them, Spike." She turned away and kept searching, leaving Spike with the glittering prizes. He snatched up one of the larger ones and followed after her. It tasted as good as he remembered, crunching so satisfyingly between his teeth. At least becoming a sky dragon hadn't changed his like of gems any.

Rarity's shriek brought Spike out of his thoughts and he hurried up to see her backpedaling away from a long snake that was hissing at her. "Stop!" he called, bringing both of their attentions onto him. With a quick exhale, he cooked the snake in place. It collapsed where it was coiled, twitching from the electrical execution. "Don't tell Fluttershy I did that."

Rarity make a soft dismissive gesture, "Of course not, darling. Thank you." She resumed her wandering, having Spike dig up spots whenever her magic prompted her to and unearthing a variety of gemstones, but apparently none that she wanted. She frowned, "Finding another fire ruby is proving most difficult. But we shall not be deterred!"

Spike thought back to that wondrous jewel. He had looked forward to devouring it, but it ended up as a gift to Rarity. "Don't you still have it?" he asked curiously.

"Well, yes, of course I do," replied Rarity. "But I am not going to barter a gift from my favorite dragon, darling. That would be most uncouth." She moved onwards resolutely. After several more holes, they found a tiny fire ruby, only a quarter of the size of the one Spike had gifted. "It's a start. Tuck this one away in case we don't find better, dear." Into Spike's backpack it went and they continued the search, "At least poor Twilight can get some rest while we hunt. This new magic seems to take a lot out of her."

Spike shrugged a little, "She's still getting the hang of it, but she's in love with the stuff. I get the... theory, but putting it to work? That's way beyond me." He attacked the next mound Rarity hinted at and found one large gem.

Rarity leaned over the side of the hole to have a peek, "Oh! An unclouded tiger's eye emerald, and so large! Please do take that, Spike. No reason to leave such a thing of wonder behind." Spike snatched it up and added it to his small collection of gems. "I have a feeling we're getting warm! Let's press on, Spike." She pranced forward, then stopped. She tilted her head one way, then the other before she started to almost float along.

Spike chased after her, wondering what gem could be large enough to pull her that strongly. They arrived at a boulder about the size of Spike and Rarity clapped her fore hooves together excitedly, "Break it quickly, Spike. I feel there is ever so much right here." She backed away from the rock to make room and Spike took her place. He started hammering away at the solid rock, raining crushing blows that forced splintering cracks to form along it. Just as he felt it was about to give, it popped open to reveal a creature as tall as he was, comprised of various gems. It was bipedal and put that to swift work, swinging a gem studded arm like a scythe at the surprised dragon. He barely had time to get his arm up to partially deflect the blow with a wince, blood dripping to the ground.

Rarity unleashed a fresh squeal of terror as the fight began in earnest. Spike rammed himself forward, horns first and claws to the side. As he crashed into the creature he brought his claws in to rake against its tough hide, digging furrows through the stone. "You're not an enemy," said Spike, "You're lunch!" He sank his teeth into the creature, taste exploding across his tongue. This thing was made of so many different gems it was like he sampled everything at a banquet at once. He was forced to back off as sharp arms left fresh bleeding welts across his belly and chest. With a snarl of anger, Spike grabbed one of its legs and bit into its attached hip, robbing the creature of that limb and causing it to teeter dangerously.

The remaining mass of the creature seemed to flow smoothly, forming a new leg even as it lunged at Spike, wrapping its arms around him in a razor sharp embrace, creating scores of new tiny cuts across him. A loud 'tink' went out as Rarity drove her back hooves into the creature, "You let him go, you ruffian! Get your glittering mitts off of him!" Spike brought his head down in a crushing headbutt, driving his horns into the tough hide of the creature before slipping out of its grip with a twist. The creature took a sudden swipe at Rarity, knocking her to the ground with an arc of her blood in the air. "No! Nooo!" Spike shouted as he leaped onto the gem abomination, knocking it to the ground as he began tearing it apart with frantic digging motions of his claws. The creature had long ago stopped fighting him, but Spike didn't stop until he hit the ground underneath the gem golem. Panting wildly, Spike looked around in a daze. There was Rarity, laying in a heap. He hopped to his feet and was at her side in a flash. He scooped her up as carefully as he could before flying back towards the train.

"Come on, Rarity. You've been through worse! Come on..." he repeated to himself in a mantra as he flew as quickly as he could. Spike arrived at the train after what felt like an hour but was closer to twenty seconds. He surged in through the window with his precious cargo, causing all the others to look up sharply at the blur of frantic dragon. "Help!" He shrilly called as he set Rarity down gently on a bench cushion, still bleeding, "Help!"

Soft Mane glowed with the bright pink energy of her god as she filled the car with healing energy. Not enough to put all to right, but enough to bring a sudden shuddering breath from Rarity. "More, please more!" begged Spike frantically, insensate of the fact that the healing had lessened some of the many cuts on his own form.

Soft Mane hurried to Spike's side, "It's going to be OK, Spike, calm down. She's safe." Spike didn't look entirely convinced but the adrenaline powering through him petered out and he crashed to the floor, tears stinging at his eyes as the briefly held emotions flowed hot and fast. Focusing on the more savaged looking Rarity, Soft Mane called out to Lashtada, bathing her deep gouge with the pink healing energy. "What did you find, Spike?"

Pinkie was next on the scene, softly rubbing Spike's back, "It's OK. You did great, Spike! Rarity was never in safer claws!" She spoke soft consoling words and saw to his wounds at once as she tried to lessen all of his hurts, emotional as well as physical.

Twilight looked more shocked than anything, "What happened?" This sentiment was echoed by the others.

Rainbow bobbed her head, "There something out there that needs a good kick? I shoulda came with you from the start." She clopped her hooves together, looking annoyed at herself.

Long Road shook his head, "What could have been done is not important. Soft Mane, is she alright?"

Soft Mane nodded her head quickly, "Spike got her here just in time. A few more seconds and..." she let that thought die pregnant in the air and instead pulled over a bucket. With a quick prayer, it filled with water and she began cleaning off Rarity's largely healed wound. "What were you fighting that did all of this in one strike? A few inches off and Rarity might have been cut in half or disemboweled."

Rarity roused suddenly, springing upright, then looking woozy. She flopped against the back of the seat she was on, "What happened?"

Spike bounced to his own feet at her words, "Oh thank Celestia! You took..." his words failed as the tears returned and he flopped back into Pinkie's caring embrace.

"What Spike means," said Long Road, "Is that you took a severe blow on the field. His swift action brought you to us. Lady Rarity, you are a treasure to us, not a warrior."

Rarity's ears fell, "Well, yes, I'm sorry. I saw Spike being assaulted by that horrible brute and I couldn't sit by and do nothing darling." She focused her vision on Soft Mane, "And are you my doctor, you preciously odd looking thing." She reached out with a hoof to gently brush Soft Mane's closest cheek, "Thank you."

Soft Mane smiled at her, "You're welcome, I think. I'm not that odd looking." She pouted a bit as she rose up to her hooves. "You should be fine now. No more being cut open, doctor's orders."

Rarity nodded before looking to the recovering Spike, "Spike, darling, whatever happened to the brute? Is it still there?"

"In pieces," replied Spike, "Why?"

Rarity pointed towards the window, "We really should collect it. It may have a fire ruby somewhere in its body, ghastly as the thought may be."

Rainbow as at the window in a flash, "Let's go. I'm coming this time." Her tone offered no room for arguing. Soon she and Spike were speeding back towards the scene of the battle. They arrived a bit slower than Spike's fear-fueled retreat had been, seeing the remnants of the jeweled beast scattered about. "Woah, you tore this thing up, Spike. So what's this fire ruby look like?"

Spike described the heart shaped jewel as he landed and began picking through all the parts, "It could be buried in the other gems, so look carefully."

"Careful, got it," said Rainbow as she tossed gems about in search of the deep red heart. "Hey, is this it?" She pulled up a chunk of the creature's chest and brought it to Spike.

Wedged in the green and purple gems of the creature was a red heart. Spike groaned at its placement. Of course the heart shaped jewel would be where the creature's heart would be if it was alive. "Yep, that's it. Good job!" He dug his claws into the gemstone, slowly working the pieces free until the fire ruby was liberated into his waiting grasp. "Let's get this back to Rarity."

"Aye aye," said Rainbow with a winged salute.

Author's Note:

We were overdue for a good scrap of a fight.

Little bits of gemstone were scattered all over the manuscript of this chapter, rubbing off ink and making other letters sparkly. Typos may result.

Comments

[terrycloth]

Rarity Rarity Rarity... CON is not a dump stat.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Huh. Odd. Sounds like a humanoid crysmal. Or it may have been some strange creature native to Equestria, no doubt with a punny name. In any case, Twilight may want to consider making some defensive gear for her friends, though I'm not sure if Equestria even has the necessary raw supplies. I'm sure she'd be able to figure out something, but until then...

In any case, a brush with death to remind everyone that this is for keeps. Here's hoping that's all the brushing they'll be doing for this trip. Soft Mane is a long way away from raising the dead.

Oh goodness. Just imagine how Equestria will react to that revelation. All in good time, but still...

[David Silver]

5615236 Magical trinkets are not an unknown in Equestria, so Twilight is likely able to find some supplies in a major magic city like Canterlot.

[Mad Maudlin]

Rarity: Level 1 Expert?

And oddly, now I want to try and con my GM into letting me make a Bacon Golem.

[David Silver]

5616169 Not that I object to pig-oriented food enemies, but why a bacon golem?

[Mad Maudlin]

5616274

Most enemies will automatically target it first because bacon.

[albedoequals1]

I didn't see any sparkly letters.

[Kage no Brony]

5616281

I can see it now: Adventuring party enters an orc camp, and is attacked.

"Release the golem!" Shouts the bard.

"Bacon! Bacon? Bacon! BACON!" Shout the orcs, who rush past the adventurers to get a piece of the golem.

[David Silver]

5617074 Brushing off the document was the first thing we did, for your reading pleasure.

[Bugsydor]

So gem golems are also leaking into Equestria from Everglow? This is troublesome indeed.

[Vutava]

5616169 Not any crazier than a calzone golem.

[Shadow Lance]

5618044 well how did that get their? A wild Gem Dragon appears.

With a quick exhale, be cooked the snake in place. It collapsed where it was coiled, twitching from the electrical execution. "Don't tell Fluttershy I did that."

He cooked the snake in place

[Chrome Masquerade]

Spike described the heart shaped jewel as he landed and began piking through all the parts, "It could be buried in the other gems, so look carefully."

picking

[David Silver]

9176565
Fixed!

[AdverseFlower95]

Rarity's shriek brought Spike out of his thoughts and he hurried up to see her backpedaling away from a long snake that was hissing at her. "Stop!" he called, bringing both of their attentions onto him. With a quick exhale, be cooked the snake in place. It collapsed where it was coiled, twitching from the electrical execution. "Don't tell Fluttershy I did that."

*he

[David Silver]

9406196
Ancient fix.