• Published 29th Dec 2014
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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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82 - A Trade Hard-Earned

Fluttershy ventured from the train car towards the city with the others trailing behind her. She held in her mouth the fire ruby they had fought to obtain. It was about half again as large as the one Spike had originally gifted to Rarity, huge and brilliant in the sunlight. Fluttershy stayed well ahead of her companions, afraid the little fire pony may be scared off. When she reached the halfway point on the bridge, she set down the great gem and put a hoof on it.

"Hello?" she called out, looking around slowly, "I have your pretty fire... if you still want it?"

It was silent save for the soft crackling that she could hear coming from Manehattan's flames. Fluttershy began to fidget, shrinking on herself, "We don't mean to be a bother... but we have your gem? Please mister Brightwing?"

Poking his head up over the side, the flaming little pony flapped up and over onto the top of the bridge, "You call? Oh!" He zipped over and poked the large gem with a hoof, "Look at that!"

Fluttershy nodded her head quickly, "Oh yes, my friends thought you would like it. It's nice and fire like."

Brightwing nodded in agreement as he sent his heat into it, causing the heart to start glowing under Fluttershy's hoof. She was forced to take the hoof off as it grew warmer and warmer. "It's perfect! Better than perfect! Maybe I don't need to set you on fire after all." With Fluttershy's hoof removed, he snatched it up between all four legs, barely able to fly with it. "Deal's a deal. The boss lady's hiding in the tunnels."

"The subway?" asked Fluttershy with a tilted head.

"Whatever," said Brightwing, shrugging, "North side of town, by the big building with the orb on it, go down, take the first left. You can't miss her!" He lifted up slowly and began drifting towards the city, "Don't cry to me when she rips you all apart!"

With the impish pony gone, the others trotted up to meet Fluttershy. Rainbow thrust a hoof at Fluttershy, "Good job! Now we know who to teach a lesson to." Her hooves met each other in a clop, "Then everything goes back to normal."

Long Road nodded in agreement, "It's just a matter of reaching it. The North side of this city means going through much of the flame before we reach it."

Twilight pointed at Rainbow Dash, then Spike, "You two can fly, so can I. Spike, take Long Road. Rainbow, take Soft Mane. That should be enough of a welcoming party.

Neither Fluttershy nor Rarity looked terribly upset at the idea of being left behind in this particular venture and moved to return to the train car. Pinkie was not as pleased. "You can't leave me behind, Twilight! I'm part of the team! Who else is going to sing the songs? Spike?"

Twilight looked uncertain, "I don't think I can fly with you, Pinkie, and the other flyers already have a passenger."

Pinkie thrust a hoof into the air, "Just make me see through and I'll meet you there, Pinkie Promise." she went through the motions of the sacred promise. Twilight sighed and bestowed the gift of invisibility on her. "I'll be there in a flash!" came Pinkie's voice.

Rainbow landed long enough to get Soft Mane and gave an experimental flap of her wings, "You're heavier than I usually carry, but nothing I can't handle!"

Spike grabbed Long Road around the middle. The donkey was much heavier than Soft Mane, but even burdened, Spike had the speed needed to keep up with the others, at least in straight lines. The three took off towards the city of flames. As they flew, Twilight moved in alongside the others, weaving her fire protecting magics over them in dull flashes of red, with a second spell of lavender for Rainbow.

The building with the orb was obvious when it came into view. A great big facsimile of the planet hovered there, wreathed in flames on top of the tall structure. They veered down in a slow circle around it, looking for entrances to the subway. Many creatures of fire seemed to cavort in those endless flames. Fortunately, no heat came from the city's fires directly. Soft Mane pointed, "There." Indeed, where her finger was leveled was an entrance to the underground and they all veered towards it.

In front of the entrance was a large snake like creature with the torso of a humanoid. It held great blades in either hand. Both they and the creature that wielded them were smoldering with fire. When the group touched down a short distance away, it took immediate notice. Raising a blade to point at them, it hissed, "This place is not for you, kindling. Do not even consider trying to pass me, or it will be the last mistake of many in your short, miserable, lives."

Soft Mane hopped free of Rainbow Dash while Spike released Long Road to the pavement. Twilight landed closest to the serpent, striking an officious pose, "Stand aside. I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, demand audience with your ruler." Her last words were emphasized with a sudden bubble of arcane energy wrapping around her.

The snake thing laughed in its hissing way, "Royalty? I am... honored. A 'princess' is only as good as those she can subdue. Which of those weak looking lackeys of yours will you send to be beaten at my hands? Send forward your best, and I'll gladly show you why you aren't fit to wear the title."

Rainbow snorted with anger, "Lackies!? Let me show him a thing or two, Twi. I'll knock his head back on straight."

Long Road shook his head and moved beside Twilight. "I can take him," he whispered to her, "His heart throbs with evil, and it will be my pleasure to bring the light of goodness to bear against it."

Twilight looked between the two eager combatants before pointing at Long Road, "Go ahead." She cleared her throat and spoke more imperiously, "I send forth my knight, as befits his station. He will fight for my honor."

The snake shook with laughter as he coiled into a ready position, swords clenched tight, "I care little for your 'honor'. Come forward, 'knight', and feel the burning shame of your inadequacy."

Rainbow landed beside Twilight as Long Road advanced. "Why's he get to fight? Do I have to be a knight too?"

Twilight smiled gently at Rainbow with fondness, "Dash, if you became my knight, you couldn't become a Wonderbolt."

Rainbow sulked, crossing her arms even as she watched the combatants.

Long Road drew his sword from its sheath, held firmly in his jaw. "In the name of the Princess Twilight Sparkle and all the good she stands for, I will strike you down." He began to glow with his proclamation, wreathing himself in a golden-white light of purity. His sword flashed with the same light as its edge became sharper and serrated, hungry to bury into the flesh of the wicked.

The snake's laughter halted at the display, "This world has such warriors?" His blades, which had fallen slightly, snapped back into ready position, "It matters not, holy knight. Come and face me. I will take great pleasure in crushing the life from you."

Long Road obliged, charging forward with blade at the ready and a thunderous clopping of his hooves against the sidewalk. Just as he was reaching striking range, the snake lashed out with abrupt speed. Its tail wrapped around Long Road like a whip, about to start delivering the promised crushing when it made contact with the golden halo around him and was pushed away, allowing Long to finish his approach and drive the sword deep into the snake's torso.

The snake roared with pain as the divinely charged blade cut deep and fast. He wrenched away from it with a swipe of his swords at the snout holding the blade, Scoring one fine cut before the two came apart. He scowled at the lack of singes on Long. Perhaps this had been a mistake... He brought up his blade in a quick parry of Long's enthusiastic slice, but caught another wicked carving on the rebound. "Klo'tar, move your lazy scales!" he shouted.

Twilight stomped a hoof, "You said one on one!"

"I said no such thing," argued the snake as it tried to avoid being impaled on rapid long sword swings, "And I wouldn't care if I did." Bursting from the subway entrance came a second snake, this one wielding a finely smithed great sword. Rainbow Dash was on it in a rainbow streak of speed. She lashed out with her hooves, knocking the great blade back down into the hole the snake had come from.

"Yea! Go Dashie!" came the excited voice of Pinkie, suddenly beside the party with an kazoo in maw which she began playing eagerly.

With the inspiring presence of Pinkie behind him, there was nothing stopping Long Road. He drove his blade into the treacherous innards of the snake creature and drew it up in a quick wrench, leaving him to collapse in almost two pieces. Twilight stepped towards the new snake, "You have one chance. Put up your hands and, uh, slither away."

Disarmed and alone, the snake gave a disgusted snort, "Very well..." Giving not a glance at its fallen comrade, it withdrew into the city and left the way forward clear.

Soft Mane moved quickly when the danger had passed, tending to the few cuts that Long had endured with soft words and pink energy. Pinkie stopped her playing and approached with a grin. "You guys were super fantastic! The Returners of the Dawn strike again!"

"Returners of the what now?" asked Rainbow Dash. "You made another team, and didn't invite the Dash? C'mon Twilight, you're killing me here!"

Spike raised a claw, "You weren't there, Rainbow. We would have invited you if we could have."

"I'm here right now," she argued.

Soft Mane offered a hand towards Rainbow Dash, "Will you join us, Rainbow Dash? It would be an honor to have your hoof at our side in battle."

The hand was met with a hoof swiftly, "That's what I'm talking about." With a firm shake the deal was sealed and Rainbow looked thoroughly mollified.

Twilight snorted with a smile, "We'll be sure to get you a session with Fast Shadow some time, it's a group tradition."

"Fast huh?" said Rainbow with a raised brow, "Sounds like my kind of pony."

Long Road shook his head as he advanced on the hole leading into the subway, "I'm certain you two would get along well, after your bruises healed."

Spike gave Soft Mane a poke, "You haven't gotten your turn either."

Soft Mane went pale, "Lashtada protect me! Do I have to?"

Author's Note:

Manehattan draws closer to liberation as the group presses onwards resolutely.

All these flames make it hard to see what you're writing in the heat haze, beware typos.

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