//------------------------------//
// When Spark Meets Spark 
// Story: Ofolrodi 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

"... ... ...?"  Fluttershy quietly looked over her shoulder.  Her muzzle scrunched in confusion... then in deep contemplation.  Slowly, she pivoted and returned her focus on the conversation her anchor and Logan were having with Kirbo of Smelt-Blood.

"That's righ," Kirbo said, seated behind a workbench covered with messy, grimy tools.  A series of rusted metal branches hanging off the wall were capped off with glowing bulbs of light that gave the "office" an amber glow much like the Fur-Blood shop.  The walls were thick enough that it dulled the noise of the foundry outside into a continuous bass hum.  "Only two creatuahs know how to cross the Blob.  The Dihmahs and—"

"Lemme guess."  Logan nodded.  "You imps."

Kirbo winked his good eye.  "Good on ya for guessin' who's got the real brains in the wastes, cobbah."

"What about the Bloodwings?" Rainbow Dash asked, pacing across the office.  Her eyes scanned tables and tables covered with nick-nacks and contraptions—most of them only half-built.  "Or the changelings or the Night Shard?  Can't they cover the ocean?"

"Nar."  Kirbo shook his head.  "They haven't learned a dayum thing about that.  Too busy fightin' each other to the death, aye?  And when they're all heaps of blood and guts on the stone bosom of this world..."  He jabbed a clawed thumb at himself.  "It'll be we who take control of this place and spread the fire of Peetra!"

"You really think that's gonna happen?" Logan asked.  "You think the three factions of this damnable war will just... kill each other off?"

"They've been going at it for eons and eons," Rainbow added, trotting over to the dangling metal branches.  "And each side's got an edge to keep them in the game.  The changelings have the Flux.  The Bloodwings have a new leader named Lexxic.  The Night Shard... well... they're the Night Shard."

"Whew-wee..."  Kirbo sat up in his chair.  "Youse blokes know an awful lot more than you let on.  Just why are you colorful yabbos heah anyway?"

"First thing's first.  The Blob..."  Logan rolled his eyes.  "The Ocean.  It's been here for a very long time, right?"

"Before the blossomin' of Peetra, for sure!"

"So... like..."  Logan shrugged.  "If it's been this crazy deadly shitstain in the middle of the plane, how do the Factions keep on warring with each other?"

"Seems like an awful lot to contend with," Rainbow added, looking at the lit bulbs at the end of the metal branches.

"Feh."  Kirbo exhaled hard.  "They go around the damned thing."

"Around it?" Logan asked.

"That's righ."  Kirbo nodded.  "Oh—believe me!  They've tried flying over the Blob.  A few of the bats-o's—the young'ns—still try it.  Hahah!"  His scarred eye narrowed.  "I've watched it meself.  They become chowdah for the slime-beasties."

Logan blanched.  "The what?"

"Y'know!  Slime-beasties!"  Kirbo gestured.  "The bloody undead freaks muckin' about balls-deep in the Blob!"

"They're alive down there?"

"Nar, pall-o!  Not unless you call thet livin'."  Kirbo smiled darkly.  "Little bits of everyday creatuahs swimmin' around in thet pink gahbage.  Wherevah everythin' came from, there's a matchin' sample of it doin' the breast stroke through the damned slime.  Figured it's a snapshot of the same Crackle that brought us all heah."

"Crackle?"

"Y'know!  The beginnin' of time!  The big black breakin' of the universe from which the only spark is Peetra!"

Logan sighed, gazing over at Rainbow.  "Pretty sure there's only one 'Spark,' bucko."

"Horses for courses, cobbah... or in this case horses for cookies!  Youse ponies are outta your bones!  You evah gonna tell me wheah you hail from?"

"Depends on how useful your information is," Rainbow Dash said, her eyes reflecting the bulbs.

"Meanin'...?"

"If the ocean... if the Blob means death to armies of the Factions who try to cross it... then what's it to you?"

"By 'youse' you mean us and the Dihmahs?"

"Sure.  Let's go with that."

"Well, it certainly helps the tradies, aye?"  Kirbo leaned back in his chair.  "We Smelt-Bloodahs got a quarry not far from heah.  We supply lots of metal for the Mum back in Peetra."

"The 'Metal Mum.'"

"Yessup.  Grand ol Avril herself."  Kirbo smiled.  "She's Peetra's chosen flame-bearah."

"Did she invent the method the goblins use to cross the Blob?"

"Nar.  The Dihmahs did."

Rainbow turned around.  "The Dihmers?"

"Just about the only good thing they evah did for this world," Kirbo said.  "Aside from teamin' up with us gobb-o's, of course.  But... heh..."  He snapped two claws, smirking.  "...ain't gonna let 'em in on that, aye?  Truth is, them mindless horsie-horses service us awfully well.  Not gonna snuff out a burnin' branch like that!"

"No," Logan muttered.  "I'm guessing not."

"You want my advice, you should just stick around heah," Kirbo said.  "Find yourself a tradie job to hook up with them hoof-blokes."  His green brow furrowed.  "Just don't be treadin' on the toes of the Fur-Bloodahs or Meat-Bloodahs.  Or else they'll have your guts for gartahs!"

"We heard that the Dihmers have a boat that crosses the Blob," Rainbow Dash said.  She reached out and tapped one of the lit metal branches.  "A really big frickin' boat.  Do the goblins do the same?"

"Yussup.  But we've got ourselves much smallah... fastah boats—"  Kirbo suddenly hopped out of his seat, ears flaring back angrily.  "Don't touch that, ya peacock!"

Rainbow flinched.  But it was too late.  Three of the bulbs dangling on their metal ends flickered and dimmed.

Kirbo sprinted between Rainbow and Logan with alarming speed.  With one hand, he hung from a metal rung planted into the wall.  His other hand dug into a vest pocket and produced a shiny wrench.  This—he used to tighten and adjust the bulbs.  Soon, they were glowing brilliantly again at the end of their stalks.  Kirbo sighed with relief, his ears deflating.

"Uhhhhhh..."  Rainbow winced, glancing at Logan then back at the Smelt-Blooder.  "Sorry.  I didn't think I was gonna damage anything—"

"Like shite ya didn't!"  Kirbo snarled, his teeth showing almost like a troll's.  He hopped down, frowning up at his towering guests as he waved his wrench threateningly.  "I should have ya both tossed into the big broil, youse daft drongos!  Nobody messes with the flame of Peetra!"

"Yo..."  Logan leered over him.  "Calm your tits, half-puke!  She was only curious!"

Kirbo seethed and seethed and seethed and... finally calmed.  With a breathy exhale, he lurched back towards his work tables.  "Righ..."  His ears slowly rose back up to their natural alertness.  "Golden opportunities," he chanted quietly to himself.  "Golden opportunities stoke the golden flame.  Aces, aces, we all fall up..."

Twilight and Applejack exchanged curious glances.

Rainbow cleared her throat.  Cautiously, she approached the goblin.  "Maybe you can help me... help us understand."  She glanced at Rarity, Pinkie, and the others.  "Petra.  If it's not a city and it's not a culture... just what is it?"

"Feh..."  Kirbo folded his grimey forelimbs.  "Youse stupid horses wouldn't understand."

"Good.  Then humor us anyways."

The goblin's nostrils flared.  Finally, he turned to squint at the petite pegasus.  "Peetra is the flame... the guiding spark of all ingenuity and ambition."  He gestured with his claws.  "It's creative.  It's inspirin'.  It branches out and forms candles to light up the darkness.  The only reason we gobb-o's are heah is to make sure the flame stretches out far and wide!  That the branches don't break or fall down.  Evah!"

Rainbow glanced at the flickering metal spokes jutting out of the wall behind her.  She then looked back at Kirbo.  "And Petra... the city?"

His razor-sharp teeth formed a grin.  "Our best manifestation of the flame... bein' built forevah... never-endin' in its utilities and faculties.  It's the one glowin' jewel of this damned world and the warmongahs would be daft to try and snuff it out!  After all... when or if one of them bloody freak-o's finally gets ahold of what's in that damned Sarcophagus, they're gonna need an economy to lord ovah, aye?"

"And you're... okay with that?" Logan asked.

Kirbo shrugged.  "So long as nobody be snuffin' out the flame of Peetra, then what's to fight?  We're safe wheah we all are.  And—if worse comes to worse—we've built so close to the Blob that we've got a place to scurry to should the warmongahs get grabby."  He pointed.  "That's the real reason we're friends with the Dihmahs.  After all, them dull-headed bastards have built themselves an island out in the middle of the shite."

Rainbow's muzzle lingered open.  "They... have an island in the middle of the slime ocean?"

"Aye.  It's wheah they all breed, from what I can tell."  Kirbo examined his wrench casually while talking.  "Somethin' real important's goin' on out theah.  They keep sendin' metal and heaps of bones to that place.  Like they're storin' up for the day that the Sarcophagus finally breaks open.  Or somethin' even biggah.  Feh..."  A shrug.  "Who knows what goes on in those foggy heads of theirs.  I just hope—come hell or highslime—they're still fetchin' to trade streeps with their handsome-eared neighbahs."

Rainbow stepped closer to Logan, murmuring so only the Heraldite could hear.  "If the goblins and the Dihmers are the only creatures who can cross the Blob..."

Logan nodded.  "Then they might have the solution for getting out from beneath Lexxic's nose," he murmured back.  "If the Bloodwings won't cross the shit, then that gives us a straight line to exit Curveside while those poor bastards have to go the long way around."

"Yeah—but what about the changelings?" Rainbow murmured.

"We can worry about the Keepers when the time comes," Logan said.  "For now—all that matters is that we now have a potential highway to safety for when the crud hits the fan."

Rainbow sighed heavily, gazing at the floor.

"What's the matter?"  Logan arched an eyebrow.  "Are you suddenly afraid of being safe?"

"The Bloodwings have a Shard of Endrax, Big Show."  Rainbow looked up at him with a worried expression.  "If we put the ocean between us and the Bloodwings... we're also putting it between us and one of our keys to the Midnight Armory."

Logan sighed out his nostrils.  "You and I saw the kind of reception first-hoof that Lexxic gives to those who wander the Dark Side."

"I know I know."

"You really think there's a realistic chance of procuring the Shard through all that shit-nonsense?"

"I know..."

"Besides..."  Logan cocked his head aside.  "This Nat'rdo chick hasn't exactly been throwing us a bone here, has she?"  He shrugged.  "So what do we have to go on?"

"... ... ..."  Rainbow chewed on her bottom lip.

"Rainbow Dash..."  Logan leaned in.  "Nopony's giving us much to go on.  The Spindlers were helpful—yes—but they're behind us now.  Realistically speaking, so are the Bloodwings.  I'd say we make friends with the imps and Dihmers, grab us a ride across the slime, then see what friends we can make in Petra beyond."

"You really... actually think the Keepers or the Night Shard will be any easier to deal with then the Bloodwings?"

"Do you?"

Rainbow clammed up again.

"Rainbow... girl..."  Logan leaned back with a sigh.  "You're the one bearing Luna's blessing on your shiny choker-thingy.  If there's anypony who can make a judgment call on the Dark Vigil, it's you.  But whatever choice you make, you'd better make it soon."  He motioned his head towards the far wall of the office.  "You and I both had a long look at the Curve; the ocean stretches super friggin' far.  That'll be a really damn hard decision to undo."

Rainbow opened her muzzle to respond—

"Oi!"

Both looked towards the workbench.

Kirbo was standing up, leaning against it.  "Ya reckon I've been a righ polite host and all... patient like starbeams..."  His eyes narrowed.  "...but I've told youse heaps.  What's in it for me and the rest of the Smelt-Bloodahs, aye?"

Rainbow fidgeted in place a bit.

"Rainbow..."

Twilight glanced aside.

Rarity was looking directly at her.  "This entire time you've been absorbing this... ahem... eloquent exposition..."

"...we've been honing our senses on the materials they're using to operate this factory," Twilight continued.  "The machinery is... far from efficient."

"Quite right."  Rarity nodded briskly.  "The fuel used to heat up their furnaces is terribly diluted.  Twilight and I think they might be running low on key resources."

"Whatever they've been doing, they've been doing it for generations... and now they're likely running out of options," Twilight said.  "They... could maybe use a dash of alchemical know-how from the Light Side."

Applejack and Fluttershy nodded.

"Also!"  Pinkie frowned.  "This place smells like baby diapers!  Could you tell them that too?!"

"Uhhhhhhh..."  Kirbo looked strangely at Rainbow.  "Why are ya just standin' theah starin' at nothin', sheila?  You okay in the head?"

Logan rolled his eyes.

"So..."  Rainbow turned to look at Kirbo.  "How long have you been struggling to get a good furnace burning down below?  Your fuel's running awfully thin."

Logan blinked.

"... ... ..."  Kirbo fell back in his seat as if he had been punched in the chest.  He blinked at the pegasus in disbelief.  "How the bloody 'ell do you know anythin' about that?"  His teeth showed.  "You been talkin' to any of the jealous Ash-Bloodahs from beyond the mounds?!?"

"Doesn't matter who I've been talking to," Rainbow Dash said.  "What matters is that you Smelt-Bloods most likely have a quota to fill."  She strolled closer to the workbenches.  "And if you want to make enough metal to beat out your competition and satisfy the Dihmers, then you're gonna need to pump fuel into your machinery more efficiently."

"Hrmmmff..."  Kirbo folded his arms.  "And just what do you know about metal-workin'?"

"Not much, unfortunately.  But..."  She smirked devilishly.  "I've got a wyvern who's pretty dang smart.  He's got an alchemy kit with him, and I've no doubt he could teach you guys how to improve your output... even with the materials you've got!"

Kirbo rubbed his pointed chin.  "Improve our output by how much?"

"A number, sugarcube!" Applejack hissed.  "He's yearnin' for a number!"

"About twenty percent better!" Rainbow said.

"Higher!"  Twilight winced.  "Higher, Rainbow—!"

"Two hundred and twenty percent better!" Rainbow blurted, jolting forward to outrace her previous utterance.  "And I bet you that you'll be so friggin' wow'd by your overall improvement that you'll be willing to give us anything!"

"Like what?"

"Like free passage across the Blob," Rainbow said.  "To the shores of Petra."

Logan gazed quietly at the two.

The ghostly companions leaned forward, hovering at nervous angles.

"Mrmmmff..."  At last, Kirbo stood up again.  "What the 'hell.  Reckon it's worth a shot, aye?"

"There's just one thing."

"Buggah-all... of course there is!"  Kirbo rolled his eyes.  "Very well.  What is it?"

"My expert in alchemy—the wyvern—he needs to have his glasses fixed.  They broke along the way here."

"Pffft!"  Kirbo snorted.  "Is that all?!"

"Uh... yeah?"

"Love, I was makin' glass lenses before youse was old enough to smell the difference between shite and porridge!"  Kirbo limped past her, winking.  "Me mum was a Glass-Bloodah!  Ferried all the way ovah from Peetra!  Would have made a killin' sellin' specs to the Dihmahs if only the stupid donkeys knew how to read.  Heh... shame she had to be swallowed whole by a slime hydr-o.  Still, me dad did make good with her dowry."  He spat into the corner of the room before venturing out onto the catwalk.  "Righ!  Let's give your alchemist back his eyes, love."

Logan trotted up alongside Rainbow Dash.  "Rainbow?"

"Yeah, Big Show?"

"Sometimes I wish I had a bunch of sexy ghost gals nearby to help me cheat."

"Whatever it takes to win."

"Burrrrp."

"Easy for you to say."  Rainbow trotted after Kirbo.  "Let's mosey."