Zero Hour: Part 18
Spike divvied up the physical rewards into three parts, leaving the system benefits for last.
First up was the money: Real bits! Enemies dropped money in a lot of role-playing games whether it made sense or not. Shining said it dated back to how loot was calculated in the earliest versions of O+O, often hoarded by the monster or found in some barterable form like pelts or whatever. In this case, Spike was far more likely to chalk it up to his system being cheeky and weird: Fifty coins in a thin velvet purse. He didn't put them in the bag, they just kinda came like that.
The second item of note was the first proper item: A small black buckler shield, attached to straps made of some unfamiliar stretchy material. It was sized perfectly to fit his forearm when he was in his new day-to-day size, although the buckle holes and the elasticity meant it would probably scale up and down well.
Its description was a lot less straightforward than its appearance.
Glittershield
Rating: Rare
Defense: Special
A very small wrist-strap buckler made of chitinous shell. While it appears jet black under normal circumstances, when exposed to outside stress its true colors rise to the surface effervescently.
(+) Keep What's Precious: The user of the Glittershield cannot be impacted by any attack that strikes it directly, even if the effects should spread beyond or penetrate through the shield.
(-) Drop What's Not: The user of the Glittershield cannot protect anything with it except for their own person. Attempting to guard anyone or anything else will forfeit the shield's defenses.
So a shield with total immunity to attacks if he could block them with an extremely tiny target, and if he were only defending himself. It was an interesting trade-off, one he'd have to think hard about how to use... Or if he should use it at all. Would something that protected himself at the cost of others really fit his personality or upbringing? Maybe he'd figure out a novel use-case or situation where he could still use it to the benefit of friends and allies. On the bright side he was questing solo right now, so the negative feature was almost moot.
The last item was a sphere about the size of Spike's torso, like a gigantic shimmering pearl or a crystal ball. Its surface was constantly shining with iridescent shades, every color in and out of the rainbow. Despite the variety on display it was overwhelmingly dominated by three roiling clouds: One a crisp metallic silver, one a bright smoky red, and a placid deep grey. Without reading the description Spike probably couldn't have told you what the item was... Except for the sense of familiarity it radiated as he saw his own reflection on the surface.
Glittershell Egg Clutch
Rating: Unique
When a Glittershell beetle is cast out or otherwise separated from its swarm, biological imperative will drive it to roam far afield in order to undertake two tasks. First is to focus all of their growth and ability, however much that is, into self-defense and protection. This is all for the sake of the second task: An asexually-produced clutch of eggs that cannibalizes every other aspect of their creator, meant to be the foundation for a new swarm after they pass.
This particular clutch has been baptized by force and fire and mana in excess: The grubs within will be heavily immunized against physical trauma, heat and flame, and magic of all kinds.
"Certainly explains the injuries. And the lack of any other beetles, too. It was just... waiting."
Spike would have felt terrible if he had only seen the first half of this description... But the last line changed the tenor of the rest entirely. His fight against the mother (parent?) of these eggs hadn't caused any harm: It had done great good for the kids. An idea was brewing in his head already, but he did want to check the last of the spoils before he settled on anything. Those gains were in the system: His first Slayer Medal and a permanent choice between two mutually-exclusive perks.
[Neophyte Insect Slayer]
You've begun to practice the battling of insect infestations. There is still a long road ahead if you wish to master this field!
+10% damage dealt and -10% damage taken when fighting insects.
0.1% chance to completely ignore the special traits of insect enemies.
Insects may be more wary (Insect Enmity) or more accepting (Insect Affinity) of your presence.
This title scales and upgrades as you achieve more victories against insect-kind.
Insect Enmity
Slayer Bonus
As a profligate killer of arthropodae and insecti, your perception of these foes is ever-growing.
You can easily recognize the actions of any creature classified as an Insect by Observe.
This includes figuring out habits, spotting habitats, predicting attacks, and seeing weaknesses.
The requirements for Insect Slayer progression are reduced, and this bonus scales with medals.
Insect Affinity
Slayer Bonus
By hunting and driving out the crawling creatures, you grow to understand them more truthfully.
You better empathize with and understand any creature classified as an Insect by Observe.
This includes understanding their drives and behaviors, dietary needs and living requirements.
The benefits of Insect Slayer medals are improved, and medals improve your comprehension.
The medal's default perks were rock-solid and he'd be able to get a lot of use out of them in his future trips back here. As for the other two aspects? Since he could only get one and not the other, it wasn't much of a choice at all. Looking down at the egg clutch in his claws, Spike picked 'Affinity' without a second thought.
The bonuses for the Slayer medal changed immediately, with the offense and defense jumping up to +12% and -12%, while the chance to ignore special traits fully doubled. Doubling a tenth of a percent wasn't a qualitative difference but still! At the same time, he felt a shift in his memories of the past fights. Annoyingly it wasn't anything he could pin down... He just knew something was different, and even with Eidetic Memory it wasn't easy to parse just what.
'Oh well, that can come later. These benefits supposedly scale up with the medal anyways, so on my future trips out here I might get to make a breakthrough! Right now I have something else to break through.'
Spike had no intention of cracking the egg casing immediately: Hatching would come in time. Stars, he probably had a better idea of that than any other creature alive given his origin story. Haaaa, he used to think of it like that back in the day, when he was grasping for straws at how to feel accomplished: It wasn't how he was born, it was an origin story! But now that he was the Gamer he had another one, a second origin, and this one had an equally-large impact on how his life was shaping up.
'Alright, enough delays: Knife time, part two, second verse not the same as the first!'
A portion of his cooking kit came out of his inventory and he turned his attention to the first subject: The bug bits had come back out of the bag starting with a Bermite. He knew there was a word for the workers who prepared meat in civilizations and cultures that ate it often: Ponyville only had a single fishmonger dishing out to all the pegasi and the curious others alike, but he was pretty sure monger wasn't right. EIther that or calling somebody a 'warmonger' was a way weirder insult than he'd ever assumed.
Spike's system didn't come with a lexicon, but he was able to provide his own thanks to (just a bit arbitrarily) storing some books during his training. The unabridged dictionary informed him that the word he wanted was butcher. A bit grim, but this whole affair had gotten somber towards the end anyways. Fair's fair!
Since he still wanted to be able to craft and work with the armor plating afterwards, he couldn't just treat this thing like a lobster and cook it in the shell: He'd have to strip the plates off all the meat before that point. It was tough going, and he ruined more than a few limbs and even a main body segment (thorax, apparently, thanks dictionary) before getting the hang of it.
Storing the meat and armor in his inventory even had the double-edged "benefit" of grading their quality by nature of how each piece stacked. Starting from the forty specimens in good enough condition to work with at all, he got down to almost thirty before he managed to consistently finish one without any Degraded or Damaged parts. Towards the last dozen his work improved to the point of consistent Pristine and Perfect labels, and in a final bit of extractional experimentation he pulled out an entire flawless set of organs for Twilight's future study.
They'd discussed the idea of him potentially bringing back 'specimens' for her work, given that he was almost certainly going to get involved in something weird because of the Gamer. It hadn't been until later, in the aftermath of the big dinner, that they had come to a few related conclusions about his Inventory. Twilight felt that the most logical explanation was a deliberately incomplete pocket dimension, space sans time. Combining that with a previous point where he'd made a joke about specimen coolers and she'd gotten that sort of contemplative distracted look and...
Suffice to say he was prepping these organs for SCIENCE!
Doing the same with Mountain Crawlers was far harder. Spike learned that in the most annoying possible way when the first sample managed to depressurize on contact. The blowout afterwards expelled dozens of glues and acids into the kitchen, not to mention the impact on Spike himself.... Or the gasses. Or the raw inexplicable smoke. Thankfully the Diamond Dogs didn't have magical fire alarms or that would have been really hard to explain.
Four or five carcasses (carcii?) later he was able to get their oddly thick and durable exteriors off without causing any troubles for the interior. Actually getting the interior taken apart in a useful fashion was far more of a trial. Spike eventually had to dig down into Heartsongs and the Dragon's Eye in order to combine small-scale time dilation with super-focused vision and touch. That made for results, and eventually Twilight got her second set of bug organs (borgans) while Spike got another fully intact cluster for his own experiments.
After a long session of grinding he managed to get a variety of Specializations for Crafting and Cooking: [Disassembly], [Preparations], and [Butchery]. They weren't Skills in their own right but they gained their own experience and levels, giving them the potential for focused growth. Maybe in the future he could work on taking things apart and putting them back together, get something like 'Crafting: Assembly' to match?
The major haul from all of this was much more complicated, and he'd been forced to improvise a lot of containers once he realized how many potentially-useful liquids were involved. Between Bermite hemolymph, Crawler blood, and the two-dozen-odd other fluids inside any given Mountain Crawler? He had a lot of decanting to do. Thankfully all of the assorted Crawler fluids were content to stay in their pressurized bladders, but Spike had to craft up two gigantic clay vessels (in the Greycian style) for the blood-equivalents.
From the Bermites he managed to get a pile of armor plates and pieces that, mounded up into a pyramidal heap, was taller than Spike himself. The sorta-shed skins of the Mountain Crawlers added up to another gigantic pile, and between the two he was already starting to get a lot of ideas about armor and accessories for future testing.
Leaving Twilight's portion of everything (some of which might even end up in a natural history museum: He was pretty proud of the last few extractions) that just left the meat. A lot of meat. Given the way the other bugs avoided the Glittershell's territory earlier, Spike had a feeling it was their natural predator... Just in case he set aside half of the meat for the future hatchlings. That still left a veritable mountain of assorted insectile proteins that would need to be tested, tried, and cooked for his going-away-for-now feast with the Dogs.
Spike reiterated to himself: He was about to start testing out recipes based on bug bits and rocks in order to feed himself and a bunch of displaced Diamond Dogs.
'...Dang it. I'm not allowed to rag on Twilight for her weird life anymore, am I?'
- - - -
In the end things went more smoothly than expected: Most of his effort went into preparing the ingredients, making and serving the meal were trivial after. 'Braised Bermite with Bauxite' was an immediate hit, and while it took a bit more to catch on? Even the 'Marinated Malachite Mountain Crawler' got cleaned out in the long run. Spike didn't bother keeping (many) excess portions, both because his pony friends probably wouldn't dig it and because the buffs were pretty niche.
'Digging it' was really the operative phrase: The Bermite dish raised carrying capacity while the Crawler improved stonework and tunneling. Fantastic stuff for Diamond Dogs, fitting for Spike's niche... Not super helpful for anypony he knew. Come to think of it Applejack might appreciate the hauling power, but she also might take offense at the idea that she'd need help with that.
It felt right on a couple of levels (scheduling, personal, convenience, dramatism) to head back to town just as dawn broke. To fill the intervening hours Spike sat down with the Diamond Dogs (the ones that weren't sleeping or working) to try his hand at the local entertainment. With how abruptly they left behind their real home they hadn't exactly brought a lot of things to do... But if there was one thing he'd learned, it was that all thinking beings were driven to play and creative endeavors.
That was how the cultural exchange began: On the outskirts of a village that rarely made the news for reasons other than monster attacks, in temporary tunnels under vast barrens. A dragon traded dogs his food and advice in return for their palm tricks and dice, swapped modern music for mole-manic myths, taught them how to roleplay and learned in turn how to play-fight. He went out into the open air hours later, saying his goodbyes quickly and without much concern.
After all, he'd be back real soon.
Stats
Page generated in 0.043 seconds
Total duration
1,018 users online
2,020,906 hits today, 2,280,440 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Mind you, the connotations go the other way around; "butcher" is used the way he's talking about because they're people who spend more time applying sharp blades to flesh than any warrior reasonably could. Another funny story is the Latin word, which sees occasional use from people who are trying to be overly grandiose, like the Games Workshop. Yes, I'm taking a surprise potshot at a very different murderbug swarm, the Tyranid Carnifex.
Considering the first weird bit was hatching you? I don't think that ever made sense to put in your mouth.
Spike's gonna hatch and raise his own little bug minions? Nice! Wonder if they count as part of his Treasure hoard.
Great chapter 👍
The damage booster is nice but knowledge of enemys is often more worth. I definitivly take the function to learn and understand Insect lifeforms especially knowing of Changelings ♡
I am SO excited for both Diamond Dog culture/relations and Spike unlocking the 'pets' feature'. Hay yeah
Love the chapter
I'm enjoying this story far more that I think I would : )
Nice collection of selections. I wonder if Spike is going to have a custom Guard unit assigned to Twilight, using his resources, so they are seperate from Crown but still under Country?
Glitters look to be far more intelligent than usual crawlers, and I wonder if Spikes magic blast did the equivalent of INT3 Awakening?
It might be a tiny buckler shield, but Im reading the effects as, theres a city falling off the mountain. It hits that shield, and none of its effects pass, meaning the city stops? Or the avalanche, pyroclastic flow, tsunami etc?
10847093
Looks like it protects HIM, but nobody else, and flows around him. And if he tries to stop it with the intent of stopping it from flowing into Ponyville, it fails completely.
You know what you really need, Spikey, is some aggro ability! That and the shield would make you a quite decent tank, when you needed to be.
10846856
Raising bug babies might help develop his [Kindness Affinity], especially if Spike asks Fluttershy for advice on how to be a bug-parent.
Nice chapter
10847410
Counterpoint: they're nigh unkillable due to his... interference? I dunno if that's the right word. Anyway, nigh unkillable. So very very dangerous.
I'm just playing Devil's advocate here, but maaaayyyybeeeee he should just Inventory them and forget about it. 'Cause who knows if they'll listen. Or just run amok.
borgans
Also, Spike's gonna be a bug-dad! Good for him.
10847252
But surely he's smart enough to realize that that probably wouldn't work even without the drawback hindering it.
10847508
Insect Affinity says "hi, I was picked for the explicit purpose of mitigating this issue".
10847365
That would work well...
I agree with this person's statement.
-------
So, Spike is gathering favorable reputation with a tribe from a (comparatively) different race, while also continuing to grow his powers in the hopes of improving the lives around him.
I would argue that Spike is already well on his way to his goal of giving aid and support to literally everyone.
10846936
Since Sapient species cant be pets, unless you'r think slavery or colorful roleplay outside the bedroom is ok... Remember unless they are not strictly in the Fluttershy needed to talk to understand them in detail apply, they can't be pets...
Strictly speaking: Pony nay and nicker, D-Dogs bark, Griffons Chirp and growl, Abesinian meow and pur ♡ , Changlings chitter and make clicking noises etc, but everyone sapient enough can be understanded, unless there interlect is reduced by some unknown factor where translation matrix of the world don't count them as sapient.
10847017
Spike getting his own story and being really good? A rare treat indeed
10847093
Damn... That would be Discord or Pinkie Pie level of literally... I love it
10847252
Intend and context... Always very powerful.
I protect my friends or i protect my property. I protect them or /and only myself. It can 'make' or break in the literally sence someone. But i wonder if knowing the intend and / or forcing oneself to think it makes a differentce... So Twilight happen to be behind me? Your mistake to chose the angle of attack instead of placing a wall, a meatshield or a brick wall? Its the same. BäÄÄÄmMMM anti hero instead of hero...
10847365
Or a counterattack shield like the Shield heros Cerberus shield or Vipershield!
10847410
And Fluttershy could offer to help Spike raise them as the "adoptive bug-mommy", also allowing for some bonding moments between her and Spike, like Pinkie had earlier.....
10847410
That is simple, yet brilliant 👏
10847508
In that case hatching em one after another only if the prior one is housebroken and educated. Potencialy everyone can become your level of dangerous yet you dont see the CMC become Cupcake level Pinkie Pie...
Or Celestia super nova... Perhaps Cadance the very thing she defeated to accend... Great story vs Chrysalis romance Twilight story ♡...
10847609
Bug kido: Were is mommy ?
Spike: Everywere my son/daughter.
Bug Kido: So she is in heaven?
Spike: ...more like underground?
Bug Kido: She is in Tarterus?
Spike: No, only bad mommys go to Tarterus...
Your mother is all over the walls and ceeling of a Diamond Dog burrow, after she exploded, after i give it to her with everything i had to give...
Bug Kido:
Twilight:
Celestia: That my adopted son, making me proud
Thorax: Wasnt Twilight his mother?
Spike: Thats why it was clever...
Pinkie thrown him a microphone, Spike catches it, puts it to his mouth, inhales, straighten his arm with the microphone out, drops it, moonwalks to the liberary stairs before normaly walking em up to his room.
Discord appers trough a tear in reality and high five Pinkie Pie.
THE END
10848686
The giant bug isn't sapient.
10848718
Wasnt, but perhaps the kids will be... Your cant be expecting em not to become bookworms after Twilight throws the book of knowledge in there face
10848700
10848767
I hope the baby bugs can EAT FIRE like Natsu from "Fairy Tail" so Spike can feed them mama-bird style with his fiery dragon breath.
Spike: "Dinner time!"
"OM NOM NOM!!!"
Spike: (breaths a steady gout of flames)
Baby bugs: (munch on his mana-rich fire)
10848810
Huh... Nice supplement i guess 👍
10848810
Interesting concept, I suppose that might allow the grubs to change or metamorphose into Bombardier Beetles, but what would they eat if Spike isn't around to feed them with magic fire? Also, considering that they'd hatch into grubs or larvae, wouldn't some kind of plant matter be best? Maybe he could feed them poison joke, or just regular hay and daisies and so on, with some occasional meat, like parasprites, if they have to eat their parent's corpse when they hatch, it could mean a certain number of carnivorous traits, possibly omnivorous traits?
Spike. I will be very disappointed if we don't get Dog Poker.
Can't make a better comment on this chapter
Somehow i can see AJ pet Dog become the Queen Bitch of Equus
I wonder if changelings are considered insects, and if "Insect Affinity" is something that will be applied to them in the future?
11277365
We all kind of suspected this was a call-forward to Thorax, so...