A Dangerous Sparkle

by David Silver

20 - Knowledge is Power

As they woke to a new day, Twilight was the first up and ready, and had prepared a small box. She tucked it under Spike's head as he slumbered, barely stifling the giggle threatening to work itself free of her. She wasn't as quiet as she hoped to be as Spike started awake.

"Huh? Oh hey Twi," he greeted as he stretched, claw bumping into the box she had just placed there, "What's this?"

Twilight gestured at him to continue and he rolled onto his haunches before ripping the wrapping free of the box and popping it open. Inside was a miniature of a dragon done up in silver, its wings extended, teeth bared. At first Spike thought it looked fearsome, but then he noticed under it were several ponies, protected by the dragon. He lifted it free of the box and started taking in all its little details, "This is cool! Where'd you get it?"

Twilight flashed a smile, "I was at a festival when they sent you on that crazy mission. I thought you'd appreciate it the moment I set my eyes on it."

Spike hopped down from his bunk and moved to set the statue on the dresser, "It's awesome! I mean, thanks. Why do ponies have statues of dragons though?"

Twilight shrugged a little as she stepped up beside Spike, "The craftspony said that the ponies of Everglow have a love/hate relationship with dragons, have for a long time. They're great heroes and terrible foes."

Spike bobbed his head quickly, "Yeah! We're fierce!" He flexed his muscles, not as impotent as the display had been back in Equestria, but Twilight still found it endearing and he was soon caught up in her embrace, being squeezed fondly.

"I learned something else amazing last night!" exclaimed Twilight with a jubilant energy.

"Oh, what's that?" asked Spike, returning the hug before he moved to get dressed for the day.

Twilight gestured with a hoof in the direction of the library, "I'm allowed to research, and Mister Score pointed me to a whole shelf dedicated to arcane item recipes! I'm going to put our money to work and expand my knowledge all at once." She clopped her hooves together with building anticipation, "You'll help me, right? I'll make you some things too."

Spike gave a quick nod, "Like you have to ask, pshaw. I'm the number one assistant, after all."

"I knew I could count on you." She leaned over to give Spike a soft peck on a cheek before she was gone from the room.

Spike warmed from the affection, but was after her soon enough. He saw her go immediately into the library, but decided to get a nibble to eat first and diverted to the common area. Sasha was there, seemingly enjoying the sun through the large window as she reclined in a chair. Spike moved for a plate and filled it with food before settling to eat it. Before getting through half of it, he felt a presence and turned to see Sasha staring at him.

"Did you consider my proposal?" she asked with a hint of a smile.

"Uh, I'm... OK with Twilight. She's my friend," he replied nervously.

"I thought you would say that," replied the winged feline before she drew out a ring. It was gold with a band of blue that ran through the middle. "I want you to survive until you change your mind. This is worth eight thousand, but I will sell it for five. Wear it and be safe, young dragon."

Spike reached out for the ring, looking it over a moment before he looked up to ask a question, but she was gone. There was a note at the side of his chair.

Young Dragon,

I have taken the liberty, and the payment, from you. The ring will serve you well, I assure.

Love,
Sasha

Spike wasn't sure how to feel about the event, from start to end, but decided he didn't want to cause trouble. He slipped the ring on and felt a faint crackle of power, then it was gone. Whatever the ring was doing, it was doing it. He wolfed down the remainder of his food and was soon descending to the library. Surely Twilight would know more!

He pushed open the door to find that Twilight was in a terribly scattered looking mound of books. She looked up sharply as he entered, "Ah, there you are. Where were you hiding? Nevermind that. I need your help." She gestured him closer, "There's too much here, I need it organized. You get it in order of ascending difficulty, and I get to work."

Spike gave a sharp salute before he started with the books Twilight had already taken down and began placing them in the appropriate order beside her. The tension in her seemed to melt away as he worked and he smiled, enjoying being helpful. "You know," he said as she began to read furiously, "I've read half the books you have." At her skeptical look he revised, "A quarter, at least. You don't help the best wizard in all Equestria without something rubbing off." She reached over and pat him on the head, but he continued, "I thought it was all, you know, mostly useless before, not being a unicorn... but now?"

Twilight looked up at him over the top of the book she was studying, "Are you saying you want to learn more about magic?"

"Well, yeah. You're going to be in here doing your magic thing, may as well read a little," said Spike in uncertain terms.

Twilight squealed, "Ooh, study buddies! I'll... darn. My book on study partners is back in Equestria." She frowned at that, "Speaking of which, if you're going to be reading, see if you can't find something about how to get back. They have to be worried about us."

They eagerly spent the day in the library. While Spike would get Twilight the book she needed when prompted, he spent most of it soaking up arcane facts and knowledge, building on the half-formed information he had before. In the early afternoon, Twilight sat up, "I'll be back. I have to use our earnings to buy magical supplies to make things out of, then we get serious!" With a determined look, she marched out into the hallway before the door closed behind her.

With Twilight gone, he reached for a book, The Foal's Guide to the Gods. Twilight wanted to know more about them, but never made time to actually read up on them. Well, he had time! Spike sat down and started to read of the Everglow gods, mildly disappointed that there was no draconic god, at least that ponies were involved in. Reading out-loud, he said, "While every prayer has a chance of reaching the gods, only those who dedicate themselves to a god's purpose can become a reliable vessel for their power." He raised a brow, "Huh, that's kind of weird." He thought of Dawn Event, who said he followed all the pony gods. How could one pony follow all these conflicting purposes? Determined to know more, Spike continued his research.

When Twilight returned with burdened saddlebags of supplies, she smiled at Spike, "Look at you!" She said encouragingly, "Still reading up a storm. You're going to put me to shame." She trotted back to the podium she was using before and levitated several pieces out, a long length of cord that she swiftly cut in half, and two pieces of bark, already cut out in circular formation. She began to work them over with soft magical words and deft engravings. "Just you wait, Spike. I'm going to... make great things."

Spike looked up at her as she thread one of the cords through the disc of bark, "What are you making right now?"

Twilight pointed at one of the book's open beside her, but her attention was focused on what she was doing. Spike stood up and came closer. "An amulet of natural armor," he said out-loud, "Huh. You don't have the spell it needs." He was reading over it quickly, skimming, "Oh, you're doing it this way? That's harder."

"Yes it is," agreed Twilight as she turned the disc over, "But they will protect us a little. I'll make yours today, and mine tomorrow." The new artificer went quiet as her focus went entirely to the item as she inlaid it with tiny script working from the edge inwards in a slow spiral that built over the hours.

Spike noticed something on Twilight's head, and leaned in to get a look at it. The platinum band went around her brow, with a symbol of a hoof holding up a book on the front end of it. "What's this?"

Twilight smiled, "It's supposed to make you smarter. I think it's working."

Spike laughed softly, "Any smarter and you'll float away," he jested, "Why's it got the symbol of Luminace on it?"

Twilight crossed her eyes at the band, "Huh, is that what it is? Doesn't make much sense. I put it on and suddenly I was filled with the notion to ride things." She stuck out her tongue as she worked, "Imagine that, riding a horse like those orcs were doing."

Spike went back to his reading, "Say, Twilight. I'm reading more about that Princess luminace."

Twilight raised a brow, "I thought you were reading about magic?"

"Gods are magic!" he said defensively.

"So is friendship," quipped Twilight, "But I don't see you reading books about that. What did you learn?"

"Not so much. She doesn't look like you, except for some of the colors in some of the parts." He held up an illustration that showed the alicorn, though Luminace was clearly of heavier bodyset, and had a monocle. Floating beside her was an ornate staff.

"She looks nice enough," replied Twilight before her attention slid back to the amulet she was laboring on.

"Well, I was thinking... since you and her are so similar, you try praying to her?" asked Spike.

Twilight almost fumbled her work, coming to a screeching halt, "What? Just... say hello? I don't think it works like that, Spike."

The dragon shrugged softly, "Won't know without trying. Just take a moment when you're around all these books and think at her. Worst that happens is you feel silly."

"Very silly," scoffed Twilight, even as she considered following his advice, later, perhaps, after she finished making all of these things.

Author's Note:

Knowing is half the battle.

The other half is properly reporting any typos!

The duo are working to become equipped, with trinkets and knowledge, a terrible combination.

Comments

[chronocrosser]

Great chapter.

Glad to see that Twilight remembered Spike at the festival, and good souvenir. About time Spike hit the books, Dragons typically have skill points in knowledge religion, knowledge arcana, spell craft and concentration even when they can’t cast spells.

So you decided to go in the make your own equipment direction. I have to say good choice. Not only does it help them get good magical equipment for half the money but also the items will be even more special because Twilight made them.

I have always thought that the craft feats were vastly under rated, not only do you get great equipment for less, but you can invent totally new ones that never even existed. A creative magic user can make use of that feat to make permanent magic items for they’re most commonly used spells.

[harts fire]

twilight I think you need to listen to spike this time he is right it is time to start thinking about the god's.

[Spiritus Arcane]

Spike just broke my number 1 rule about magic items: never wear/activate one without getting it reliably identified. And a cat with an agenda doesn't count as a reliable source...

[Spiritus Arcane]

5472382
My favorite crafting feat is craft wonderous item, because it covers a TON of stuff.

[Seraphimus]

-"As they woke for a new day, Twilight was first up and ready, and prepared a small box"

"As they woke to a new day, Twilight was the first up and ready, and had prepared a small box."

-"At first Spike thought it was fearsome, but he noticed"

Try "At first Spike thought it looked fearsome, but then he noticed" OR "Spike though it was fearsome looking" The "Then" Just indicates a series of events instead of it all happening at once, and iwth the way the rest of the sentence is worded I think it's necessary.

-"ponies of Everglow have a love/hate relationship with dragons, had for a long time. They're great heroes and terrible foes"

"ponies of Everglow have a love/hate relationship with dragons, have for a long time. They're great heroes and terrible foes" Tense change is weird. The first have says it's a current problem, but then you switch to had witch says it's a past problem.

-"It was gold with a band of blue that ran in the middle." Through the middle? I feel like that should be "band of blue that ran through the middle"

-"Spike gave a sharp salute before he started with the books Twilight had already taken down and placing them in the appropriate order beside her."
I think this one needs a "began" About here
"Spike gave a sharp salute before he started with the books Twilight had already taken down and began placing them in the appropriate order beside her."

-"Spike and Twilight eagerly spent the day in the library" this one isn't necessary, just a suggestion as a whole. From time to time when you do this Instead you can If you want, say something like "The two of them eagerly" or "The pair (of friends)eagerly" or other variations on that theme, just to mix it up a little.

Knowledge is easily the Greatest source of power if used properly. And it is a tool That is to be feared when in the right hands. Our heroes are definitely becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Sorry this one took so long, I dunno I think i burnt myself out on reading for a couple days there. I just could not get past the first two paragraphs of this chapter and it DEFINITELY wasn't the story that was the problem.

[David Silver]

5902153 Fixed!

[xoid]

"Well, yea.

yeah.

"Ooo,

“Ooh,

[David Silver]

5962001 All fixed!

[Alaborn]

8,000 GP means ring of protection +2. For when your cleric can't do a chained persistent shield of faith.

[nukestar]

5866826
I am not familiar with Pathfinder, but does it have wondrous items that permanently buff your stats, d&d 3.5 had them and I've heard that Pathfinder is very similar.

[Vutava]

"I thought you would say that," replied the winged feline before she drew out a ring. It was gold with a band of blue that ran through the middle. "I want you to survive until you change your mind. This is worth eight thousand, but I will sell it for five. Wear it and be safe, young dragon."

Spike reached out for the ring, looking it over a moment before he looked up to ask a question, but she was gone. There was a note at the side of his chair.

Young Dragon,

I have taken the liberty, and the payment, from you. The ring will serve you well, I assure.

Love,

Sasha

favim.com/orig/201104/02/Favim.com-12182.jpg
I got you a present.

Twilight squealed, "Ooh, study buddies! I'll... darn. My book on study partners is back in Equestria." She frowned at that,

[MAD-3R]

5866769

Amen to that, But at least the agenda of the cat in question seems to require Spike keeping all of his various parts intact.

[MAD-3R]

5472382
And they can also be a great way to give a character more depth. I used to run a half-orc cleric with blacksmithing and armorsmithing. He found working with iron soothing and often incorporated his prayers for the day into working at the forge when he could. Once the results when he was working on a piece of armor was... a bit unexpected.

[Mackon]

Starting to get the feeling that a better title would have been 'Spikes Excellent Adventures, oh and that silly Twilight was hanging around somewhere as well' don't get me wrong, great fic but not really what I was expecting with a title like 'A Dangerous Sparkle'

[David Silver]

9399079
The focus can and will shift around. Sometimes it's all Twilight, sometimes it's all (insert pony that has not yet arrived). Do read on.

[Felyon]

Did...? *facehoofs*

That Headband of Vast Intelligence has its skill points associated with Ride doesn't it?