Enter The Dragon...Layer

The sandwich was barely in his grip when Twilight Sparkle's excited squeals rang out from down the hall, "Spike! Spike, I got it! It's finished!" He looked up in time to see the lavender alicorn almost bouncing as she rushed into the kitchen, dressed in her usual purple shirt and indigo skirt, and a look of unfettered joy on her face.

"You finally got it done?" He asked, looking at the scroll on her hands.

"MM-hm!" She nodded, almost squeeing in the process, "Two months of hard work have finally paid off! I can't wait to show everyone!"

"You know, you still haven't said what this new spell is supposed to do."

"It's a specialized transmutation spell, Spike." She replied, "You know how some elements like platinum and gold don't react well to regular transformation magic, right?"

"Like that time you tried to turn some silver into a marble and it melted into a glob of sludge?"

"Exactly! Well, this spell is specifically designed with them in mind, so we don't have to worry about mishaps like that again!" This time she did squee. "Quick, after you finish eating, send Celestia a message about it! I'll go and tell the others!"

"Ok, ok. Relax, Twi." Spike couldn't help chuckling as he resumed eating. Even in her early twenties, Twilight could be like a little filly when she got excited.

Due to the others needing to finish up work, and Celestia having to make sure day court was complete, it was well into evening when they were all able to gather in the crystal palace's main hall; the Mane Six, the CMC, Spike Celestia, Luna, Starlight...and an unexpected extra were all gathered around a small end table, a cloth-covered object setting on it

"Twilight, why's she here?" Rainbow gestured to Trixie Lulamoon.

"I saw she was back in town...and Twilight's new spell kinda came out while we were talking." Starlight admitted, somewhat sheepishly.

"And you really think The Great and Power--"

"Trixie...!" Starlight elbowed her, pointing to the princesses.

"Oh, um...heh...I couldn't resist seeing for myself. Not everyday you hear about a spell being created, right?" She grinned weakly.

"All right. You know about the Noble Metals; metals that resist rust and acids, like gold and silver, right?" Twilight noted a few nods, along with Scootaloo and Sweetie looking confused, Applejack's shrug, and Rainbow just motioning for her to get on with it. "Ok, because of that, they don't take too well to transmutation magic...often with random, and sometimes violent reactions. This spell I made is designed to specifically work around that little problem." Stepping to the table, she removed the cloth to reveal a metal sphere, roughly tennis ball sized. "Princess Celestia was kind enough to donate this piece of platinum to experiment with."

"Actually that's what's left of the 'jewelry' the leader of the Caribou mailed me a while back." Celestia commented, "Prince Rudolph sent me a selection of...unusual body jewelry for a Hearth's Warming Eve present that he thought I'd get a laugh out of. Let's just say it was part of a pair..." She left it at that

"*Ahem* Yes..." Twilight coughed, blushing a little at the thought, " A-anyway, as I was saying, it works specifically for Noble Metals." She took a deep breath and began concentrating, a sphere of magic forming on the tip of her horn, "Just watch. In thirty seconds, this metal ball will be a porcelain soup bowl!"

As everyone watched her form the spell, Luna looked at the orb, taking note of her reflection in it, "Huh, I don't remember this thing being quite so...shiny when you gave it to her, Tia."

"Oh, Twi spent over an hour polishing a mirror finish on it so it'd look nice." Spike answered her, squinting a little at how bright the orb was starting to get.

"Polish?" Celestia looked at him, "Spike...Twilight remembers that spells can bounce off a reflective surface, doesn't shhHEE!?" At that moment, Twilight had finished the spell. The magic orb slammed into the ball; and true to form, it ricocheted off the ball...

And straight into Spike's chest, taking him straight off his feet and several yards away as well and releasing a massive shockwave that nearly bowled everyone else over.

The wave itself was enough to send a resonating hum through the palace, like a giant tuning fork, allowing it to ripple out over Ponyville. Several ponies felt the tingle of magic as it passed over them, wondering what it was.

Zecora, in town collecting a few supplies, looked up when she felt it, "What a curious sensation. That almost felt like a magical vibration."

Maud Pie had just left the grocery store when she heard the sound, followed by the magic, "Huh." She looked around, " I thought Pinkie wasn't allowed to make Party Nukes anymore."

"Woo...talk about a party popper!" Pinkie whistled, sitting up.

"Unhh...everyone all right?" Twilight asked, shaking the ringing out of her ears.

"Yeah."

"I think so...though my mane is a mess!"

"Twilight, next time a spell of yers has a bang like that, warn a gal."

"But it wasn't supposed to even do that!" She protested, "It was just supposed to change, not bounce and hit...." Her face turned to one of fear, "Spike! Oh no! It bounced and hit him!"

"Where is he??" Apple Bloom looked around.

"He's over there!" Rainbow yelled, pointing to a prone figure laying several yards way.

"SPIKE!" Multiple voices screamed in unison as they ran over. Reaching him, they saw the front of his shirt had been blown apart, as well as leaving a large, slightly smoking scorch mark on his chest

"Is he...?" Fluttershy's eyes started to water at the thought.

"Oh, Spikey-Wikey, please say you're all right!" Rarity whimpered as Twilight and Celestia kneeled on either side

*cough* "Oh, that stung..." Came the groan, much to several noises of relief, "What hit me?"

"Oh Spike!" Twilight gasped, hugging him tightly, along with Rarity, "I'm SO sorry! I didn't mean for that to happen! The spell rebounded off the polished surface and went right at you! Are you ok!?"

"Yeah, that looked like it hurt!" Scootaloo commented, wincing a little at the smoke.

"I'm alright." He said as they helped him up, "Just knocked the wind outta me. My shirt, on the other hand..." He added, looking at the remains.

"But...but..." Fluttershy motioned to the scorch area.

"Nothing a little fine-grit sandpaper won't fix." He assured her, rolling an ache out of his shoulder.

"That's just it, Spike!" Twilight spoke up, concerned, "That spell is for metal only! I never planned on a living being to get hit with it! For all I know, it could severely detrimental effects!"

"Ugh, my mouth feels like it use a mint right about now." Pinkie smacked her lips.

"No Pinkie. Detrimental, as in harmful to your health. Possibly life threatening!" Starlight elaborated.

"Girls." Spike spoke up, "Not that I don't appreciate the concern...but I feel fine."

"Be that as may, Spike." Celestia said, "She has a point. While you might feel all right now, for all we know, any side-effects may simply be on a delay. Personally, I'd feel better sticking around just in case."

"As will I." Luna added, "Luckily, any magical side-effects tend to show within a twelve hour period. If nothing should by this time tomorrow, I believe we can rest easy."

"If that's the case, then I will stay as well!" Rarity declared.

"Me too!" Sweetie was right behind her.

"While we're never exactly been close, Spike." Trixie crossed her arms, "I agree that making sure this spell has no unpleasant results would be the right thing."

"Better believe it!"

"Yippie! Sleepover!"

"But..." Spike sighed. Any further attempts to say it wasn't necessary was futile now, especially when they were all in agreement like this. One by one, they declared their intent to stay the night, "All right." He relent, letting out a yawn in the process, "It's starting to get late; I'm gonna go to bed." He felt himself get tagged with at least three different monitoring spells before he was even done talking.

"Not taking any chances, Spike." Twilight responded to the questioning look he gave her.

Once he headed off, Apple Bloom felt the need to get something off her chest, "He's gonna be ok alright, isn't he Twilight?"

"I hope so, Apple Bloom. That's the one issue with these types of spells; when it's intended for a specific purpose, the effects it can have of anything outside of that are unknown."

"So, Spikey might be right and nothing's gonna happen?" Pinkie asked.

"We don't know. Like Luna said, anything could happen in the next twelve..." Twilight suddenly yawned, " Twelve hours. Wow, that spell must've taken more out of me than I thought." She said, yawning again. "Kinda sleepy all of a sudden."

"Staaawwwnnn...stop yawning, Twilight. It's catching." Rainbow said, slumping on a nearby sofa and trying not to nod off, "Feel like I could use a nap too..."

"Me too..." Fluttershy curled up in a squishy armchair.

"Seems like we all could use a little shuteye, given what just happened." Luna looked sleepily at Celestia, who was already snoozing in a lounger.

"Well, I...I've heard that arcane explosions like that...can cause drowsiness to those caught in it, due to *yawn* disrupting their.....their own...magic...zzzz..." Starlight offered before sleep claimed her, along with Trixie and Sweetie Bell.

It wasn't long before the others followed, all finding a chair or piling onto the sofas. Within minutes, the room was filled with the sound of slumbering mares.

None of which had remained awake long enough to witness the soft glow that began enveloping them.