“Alright Airwave, sound check is a go. Just keep talking until I stop you.”
Airwave nodded. “You got it Sparkler! Ahem. Testing testing, sound check is a go. I had a thought but the thought I had was not the thought I thought I thought.”
Sparkler chuckled as she fiddled with the knobs on the audio control system, adjusting the levels to the correct gain. She was backstage at the venue that the Ponyville Music Festival was set to take place, helping with whatever needed helping with. Now she was making sure pony’s eardrums wouldn’t burst when somepony talked into the mic. Within a moment, the channels were all staying in the green. She smiled. “And we’re good! Thanks Airwave.”
Airwave smiled as he stepped away from the mic. “No problem Sparkler, can’t have eardrums blowing up tonight.”
Sparkler chuckled as she lit her horn and activated a megaphone spell. “Alright everypony listen up! The Audio Control System is set up, so nopony touch it until tonight!” She chuckled as she deactivated the spell. “Celestia I love that megaphone spell.”
“It certainly has its uses.” Sparkler turned to the source of that voice and saw Vinyl smiling as she approached her. “I’m telling you Sparkler, you came at just the right time. Who knows what we would’ve done if somepony hadn’t taken Spinal Record’s place.”
Sparkler laughed. “I thought you knew how to work this kind of equipment?”
Vinyl chuckled and nodded. “And what time would I have found to do a soundcheck? Usually Twilight organizes events like this but since she got her wings she’s been a whole lot busier, and it only got worse when she opened that school of hers.”
Sparkler chuckled and nodded. “So basically that leaves Ponyville in more or less the in the coordination state it was in before Twilight showed up.”
Vinyl nodded. “Pretty much.” Both mares chuckled for a moment before Vinyl spoke again. “So, Sparkler, how is hanging out with Twilight? You two going steady?” She gave Sparkler a knowing look.
Sparkler groaned and rolled her eyes. “We are NOT together, Vinyl. We are just friends. Though I will now gladly admit to everypony except Twilight that I wish we could be more.”
Vinyl chuckled. “So what’s stopping you?”
Sparkler sighed. “The fact that she’s a princess who was raised in the capital of Equestria and I’m just a unicorn from the most remote, rundown place on the planet. I know she wouldn’t want her crown to get in the way but it’s still intimidating, and an apparently good deterrent.”
At that, Vinyl laughed, earning a confused look from Sparkler. “What’s so funny?”
Vinyl chuckled. “Dude, you just basically described me when I was pining for Tavi. She’s an Earth Pony noble from Canterlot and my roots are right here in Ponyville. Believe me when I say I get it.”
Sparkler sighed. “How did you do it? Get the courage to ask Octavia out?”
Vinyl chuckled. “Actually, I never did. It was OCTAVIA who made the first move. Though to my credit I WAS going to ask her out. I was gonna walk up to her, get a conversation going, ask her out, and the rest would’ve been up to Tavi. Who beat me to the punch.”
“Weren’t you worried she’d say no?”
Vinyl smiled and nodded. “Terrified. But I was even more terrified of waiting too long and then losing the chance entirely. So with that in mind, I just went for it. Or would’ve, had she not done it first.” Vinyl chuckled.
Sparkler couldn’t help but chuckle too. “So, you’re saying I should just go for it?”
Vinyl nodded. “What I’m saying is, don’t wait too long. Because if you do, somepony else will come along and steal her from you.”
“Oh Scratchy!”
Vinyl groaned. “Oh for the love of, every time. I swear it’s in one ear and out the other!” She shook her head. “Coming Tavi!” She turned back to Sparkler. “I better go see what Tavi wants. Need anymore advice, just hit me up.”
Sparkler nodded. “I’ll do that.”
Vinyl nodded and ran off, while Sparkler turned her head to see the School of Friendship off in the distance. Don’t wait too long...alright. If Ponyville doesn’t run me out in the next few days...I’ll start working on a plan. I wonder if there are any events in the near future I could ask her to. With that in mind, Sparkler trotted off to offer help with anything that needed doing.
...
The bell rang all through the School of Friendship, signifying the end of class. In one room, Twilight smiled as she closed a textbook. “That concludes today’s class. Remember everycreature, I’ll be giving extra credit to any creature I see at the Ponyville Music Festival tonight. Class dismissed.” The class was quick to vacate the room. Twilight followed suit shortly after and started for her office. “Now. To get through 4 classes worth of exams in a few hours. No problem Twilight. At worst you’ll only miss one or two performances.”
“So long as you don’t miss Sparkler’s performance I imagine.” Twilight turned to the source of that voice and saw Rarity catch up to her.
Twilight smiled. “Hey Rarity. How was class?”
Rarity smiled and giggled. “You should see the fashion designs my students are creating. Oh that Smolder is a NATURAL fashionista.”
Twilight chuckled. “I’m sure.”
Rarity nodded. “But enough about me and the future of the Fashion Industry. Let’s talk YOU darling. What’s the latest? Have you made any headway concerning your crush on Sparkler?”
Twilight did a double take at Rarity’s question before chuckling. “Me? A crush on Sparkler? That’s a good one Rarity.”
Rarity shook her head. “I’m being serious. Pinkie said she got a Pinkie Sense shortly after your guys’ little milkshake “date” a bit ago. If I remember right she said you were disappointed that Discord cut it short.”
Twilight nodded. “Wouldn’t you be if somepony came in, cut into your conversation, and stole your milkshake friend away for something he coulda waited ten more minutes for?”
Rarity nodded after a moment’s thought. “Admittedly yes. But there’s still the matter of Pinkie Sense, which has thus far had a perfect record of being correct.”
Twilight chuckled. “Maybe Pinkie’s losing her touch because I DO NOT have a crush on Sparkler. We are just friends. Nothing more.”
Rarity nodded, and smirked. “Looks like somepony’s in denial.”
Twilight shook her head. “Am not. There’s nothing to be in denial about. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have exams to grade in a timely fashion so that I don’t miss Sparkler’s performance.” With that, Twilight lit her horn and popped away.
Rarity stared at the puff of smoke her friend had left behind before giggling. “That mare is SO in denial.”
...
Sparkler and Flappy stood on the platform of Ponyville Station, awaiting the arrival of the next train. Flappy looked along the train tracks, trying to see the train. “Squawk! The train should be here any minute now right? Squawk!”
Sparkler nodded. “Yeah, should be...unless dad insisted on another snack stop.” She giggled. “Although, if they insisted on making a trip all the way here just for tonight...I would imagine they won’t miss a train lest they risk missing the show.”
Flappy nodded. “Squawk! They would not want to miss such an important moment in their daughter’s life. Squawk!”
Sparkler nodded. To say this was an important moment in her life would be an understatement. What happened here tonight would either change her life for the better, or repeat what she went through in Saddle Arabia. I hope it changes for the better, but if not... She shook her head. No, she wouldn’t think about that. All her brain power was gonna be focused on getting herself through coming out. She’d deal with the consequences later. At that moment, she and Flappy heard a horn sound from the distance and turned to see the Friendship Express incoming.
Sparkler smiled. “There she blows.” She felt her horn tingle, her smile widened. “And Mom and Dad didn’t miss the train this time. Dad just sent a horn pulse saying they’re coming in.”
Flappy smiled. “Squawk! Great! Squawk!”
They watched as the train came screeching to a halt. The train stopped and its passenger doors opened to let ponies out and in. Among these disembarking ponies were a Unicorn and an Earth Pony. Sparkler smiled and waved at the pair. “Mom! Dad!”
Aurora and Thundercracker turned to the source of that voice and grinned when they saw Sparkler. “Sparkler!” They trotted over to her and pulled her into a group hug. “We missed you sweetie!”
Sparkler chuckled as she returned the hug in kind. “Missed you guys too. Glad you were able to make it.”
Aurora chuckled. “You kidding? We wouldn’t miss this performance for the world!”
Thundercracker nodded. “And we ain’t gonna say no to spending time with our favorite spark.”
Flappy cleared his throat. “Squawk! What am I? Chopped liver? Squawk!”
Everypony chuckled as Aurora turned her attention to Flappy. “Sorry Flappy. How are you?”
“Squawk! More excited than I’ve ever been in my whole life. Hehe. Squawk!”
Sparkler giggled. “Of course you are. I couldn’t hear my alarm clock over you’re squawking this morning.”
Off to the side, away from the family, a cloaked figure stepped off the train’s cargo car. The figure turned it’s head to see ponies bustling about the platform. After a few short seconds, the figure vanished into the crowd.
To be continued...