//------------------------------// // Episode 18: Recouping // Story: My Little Pony: Sparkling Harmony: Season Two // by Captain_Cosmos //------------------------------// Back in the small town of Ponyville, at the hospital, the warmth of Celestia’s sun roused Sparkler awake. She slowly opened her eyes, and noticed that she was in an unfamiliar place. “Wha...?” Her vision focused and she saw that she was in a hospital room. At first she raised an eyebrow as to why she was in the hospital room, and then the events of last night came back to her. Her eyes snapped open. Kicker! Sparkler went to get up and look at the bed, but that’s when she noticed something around her. Holding her down. She raised an eyebrow and turned her head to see a pair of lavender wings, and a pair of forelegs, around her. She turned her head forward to see the sleeping form of Twilight resting on the hospital couch. Sparkler’s mind raced. Twilight’s cuddling me?! She blushed like mad and smiled a little. Didn’t we fall asleep on opposite ends of the couch? Does it matter?! My crush is CUDDLING ME! She probably doesn’t even realize it. Still, Luna’s caught me dreaming of this enough times, I’m glad this one is reality. Too bad there are more important things right now. AKA, Kicker. Sparkler let out a quiet sigh. She had to get up, problem was, she couldn’t without waking Twilight. She bit her lip. Pondering what to do. Anything could wake her for all I know. She took a glance to the side and saw Kicker passed out in the bed. After a second’s consideration, she sighed. Sorry Twi, but I need to be on call when Kicker wakes up. She cleared her throat in an effort to wake Twilight. Which didn’t work. She sighed. “Twilight.” She whispered. “Time to get up.” Twilight was roused awake. “Ugh. Five more minutes Sparkler.” She lazily tightened her grip on Sparkler and smiled. Sparkler meanwhile blushed again. Twilight just said her name specifically, did that mean...no. She couldn’t ponder that right now, Kicker could wake up at any moment. She sighed. “Twilight. At least let me get up. You’re holding me on the couch.” That seemed to get through and Twilight slowly woke. Her eyes fluttered open...to see that she was hugging Sparkler. Twilight’s eyes snapped open. “Whaaa...” She immediately let go of Sparkler and sat up. Sparkler only barely avoiding being hit in the face. Twilight smiled sheepishly. “Uhm. Sorry Sparkler...g-good morning. You sleep alright?” Sparkler giggled and nodded. “Morning Twi. I slept alright...thanks to you I see.” Twilight blushed. Sparkler chuckled. “I didn’t mind Twilight. It actually felt kinda nice.” Twilight nodded. Then their attention turned to the sleeping Kicker. Sparkler sighed and hopped off the couch and her ears picked up the steady beeping of the heart monitor Kicker was hooked up to. She smiled, it meant Kicker hadn’t died on them overnight. “That thing can keep beeping for all eternity if it means Kicker’s gonna make it.” Twilight nodded. “Annoying, but relieving.” Sparkler nodded as she took in Kicker’s condition. He was essentially cocooned in a full body cast because his legs and hooves were broken, under that were presumably bandages over his ribs, and there was a bruise on his head, which could be a mild concussion for all they knew. Her mood dropped when she remembered why Kicker was in this position. Because they got through. They got through everything. Because you failed. Twilight looked over and saw Sparkler’s eyes glisten. She reached out and wrapped a wing around Sparkler. “Hey, it’s not your fault. He’s gonna be ok.” Sparkler nodded. “I’m just so worried about him. I know the doctor said he’d be ok physically, but this incident has to have been traumatizing for him.” Twilight nodded. “He’s lucky to have you there to help him through it.” Sparkler nodded. “I just hope he wakes up soon.” Meanwhile, Flappy flew through the air above Ponyville, heading for the hospital. He groaned. Don’t allow pets in the building. Ha! We’ll see about that on the window sill. “Hey Flappy!” Flappy’s eyes widened and he smiled as he turned to see a familiar and welcoming sight beside him. It was Philomena. Flappy grinned. “Squawk! Mina! You’re here. Squawk!” Mina nodded. “Yeah. Tia wanted to visit so she sent me ahead.” Flappy nodded. “Squawk! That’s nice. Squawk! Mina nodded. “So how’re you Flappy?” “Squawk! Fine. Just heading to the hospital. Squawk!” Flappy replied. Mina raised an eyebrow. “Hospital? Why?” Flappy bit his lip. What should he tell Mina? He sighed. “Squawk! Long story Mina. And almost all of it is just messed up. Squawk!” Back at the hospital, Twilight had gone to get some breakfast from the cafeteria while Sparkler stayed in the room with a still out cold Kicker. She glanced at the clock again, it read 10AM. She sighed as she went back to pacing back and forth. Maybe I should get a doctor in here? To check him over. Shouldn’t he be awake by now? As if on cue, head ears picked up a faint groaning, coming from the bed. She froze in her tracks. Kicker was finally waking up! Kicker slowly regained consciousness and groaned. His eyes slowly fluttered open, before squinting because of the bright light. W-where am I? Am I dead? His vision cleared up as he tried to move, but found he couldn’t. His little mind began picking up speed as his ears picked up an increasingly fast beeping. His eyes bolted open. “W-where am I, what’s happening?!” “Kicker!” A mare’s voice called out to him Kicker gasped, Misty?! “No! Stay away! Please!” “Kicker! Calm down, it’s ok! You’re ok!” The voice said. Kicker shook me his head and tried to move, but still couldn’t. “No! Somepony help!” He shouted. “Kicker! Calm down. It’s me, Sparkler!” The voice said. Followed by a hoof resting on his shoulder. Kicker looked around and noticed that he was in a room, but more importantly, WHO was in the room with him. Not Misty, but rather... “S-S-Sparkler?” He asked. Sparkler nodded with a smile of relief taking her muzzle. “Yes. It’s me. I’m here Kicker.” Kicker tried to reach out for her, but was reminded that he couldn’t move. “Nngh. Why...why can’t I move?” He asked as the heart monitor calmed down. Sparkler sighed. “You were hurt pretty bad, all four of your legs and hooves were broken. I’m guessing they put you in a cast to make sure you healed properly.” Kicker looked around. “W-where am I?” “In the hospital. After we dealt with those two monsters I took you straight here.” Sparkler replied. At that moment, the door was kicked open and a doctor rushed in. “Is everything ok in here?” Kicker didn’t see the doctor, but heard the stallion’s voice and instantly freaked out. “Who was that?!” Sparkler heard the heart monitor pick up speed again and worked to calm Kicker down. “Calm down Kicker, it’s only a doctor. The bad ponies are gone for good now. It’s ok.” The doctor figured out what had really happened and relaxed. “I see the foal awoke with a start.” He commented as the heart monitor slowed down again. Sparkler nodded. “I had just calmed him down.” The doctor nodded. “Sorry about that. I heard him screaming for help.” He turned his attention to Kicker himself. “Hey there bud. How’re you feeling?” Kicker groaned. “Everything hurts, and I can’t move.” The doctor chuckled. “Yeah. We had to put you in a cast to make sure your bones get all fixed up.” Sparkler nodded. “How long will he be in the cast for?” The doctor held his clipboard up and glanced at it. “Since he’s an Earth Pony, he’s healing at an incredible rate. So long as he stays in the cast the whole time he should bounce back in as little as two weeks.” Sparkler inwardly sighed in relief. Two weeks wasn’t so bad. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. “I’m back. I also got a drink for Kicker in case he—“ That made Kicker jump and gasp. “Who‘s that!” He asked panicked. Setting the heart monitor off, again. “Kicker.” Sparkler said. “Calm down. It’s just Twilight.” The doctor moved out of the way and Kicker saw that it was Twilight, holding two bags and a sippy cup. Kicker steadied his breathing. “O-oh. Ok.” Twilight’s smile vanished when Kicker freaked out. She let Sparkler calm him down before approaching the bed. She smiled at him. “Kicker, you’re awake. Thank goodness.” Kicker nodded as best he could. “Hi Twilight.” “You doing ok?” Twilight asked. Kicker nodded. “I can’t move.” Twilight nodded. “I’m sure you won’t have to be stuck like this for too long.” The doctor nodded. “Only about two weeks.” He cleared his throat. “Right. Since Kicker here is awake, I’ll go ahead and send in a nurse to check his vitals.” Sparkler and Twilight nodded. “That would be good.” “Thanks doc.” The doctor nodded and left the room. Almost immediately, there was a knocking on the window. Kicker jumped again. “What was that?! Who’s there?!” Sparkler whipped her head around to see Flappy and...Philomena? What was Celestia’s Phoenix...no. She didn’t ponder THAT because she whipped her head back around and rushed to Kicker to calm him down. “It’s just Flappy knocking on the window. Calm down Kicker.” Kicker slowly regained control of his breathing and looked over to see Flappy smiling at him. Sparkler glanced at Flappy, before turning her attention to Twilight. “You think they’re fine if they stay on the window sill?” Twilight nodded. “I think so.” Sparkler nodded and lit her horn, the window opened and she turned to the two newcomers. “Stay on the sill you two.” Flappy smiled and nodded, he turned his attention to Kicker. “Squawk! Hey kid! Glad to see you’re ok! Squawk!” Kicker nodded. “Hey Flappy...who’s your friend?” Mina lightly crowed, Flappy translated. “Squawk! Her name’s Philomena. She came for a visit along with her owner. Squawk!” Kicker raised an eyebrow. “Who?” At that moment, there was a knock on the door again. Kicker jumped again. “Who’s that?!” While Sparkler put herself between the door and Kicker, flared her wings and lit her horn, seeing as how they had no idea who it was this time, Twilight ran to the door and opened it. She peeked outside and saw Princess Celestia. She smiled and glanced over her shoulder. “All good, it’s Celestia.” At that, Sparkler closed her wings back up and dimmed her horn. Standing down and smiling at Kicker as Twilight opened the door to let Celestia in. Kicker saw the massive pony and gulped. Sparkler leaned in and whispered. “Don’t worry, it’s ok.” She cooed. “She’s really really nice.” “Good morning Princess Celestia.” Twilight beamed happily and wrapped her hooves around her former mentor. Celestia returned the hug and smiled. “Good morning Twilight. I hear last night was eventful.” Twilight glanced back at Sparkler and Kicker and nodded. “That would be an understatement.” Celestia nodded as she walked into the room. She smiled at Sparkler. “Sparkler. I am glad to see you’re well.” Sparkler nodded and bowed her head in respect. “Luna told you about last night huh.” Celestia nodded. “Indeed she did.” She turned her attention to the foal on the bed. The cause of as much buzz as Sparkler herself. She smiled warmly as she lowered herself down to be more level with him. “And you must be that foal I’ve heard so about. Thunder Kicker, right?” Kicker’s eyes were as wide as saucers at the massive pony. Like Sparkler and Twilight, she had both wings and a horn. “You-you’re just like Sparkler! You’re an Ailcorn!” That reached everypony’s ears, and Flappy just burst out laughing, Mina chuckled a bit herself, and Sparkler and Twilight were trying to keep their laughter down. Kicker just called the ruler of all of Equestria an AILCORN! Twilight tried to look horrified, but just couldn’t. Sparkler just remembered the first time she heard him say that. I shouldn’t be laughing! This could be a sign of a concussion, memory loss—wait, Celestia’s laughing too? She focused on the Princess, and saw that she indeed was laughing along with the rest of them. After a second, Celestia’s laughter died down and she gave Kicker an amused smile. “You are close little one. But we are actually Alicorns. Not Ailcorns.” Kicker blushed a little and shrank. “Sorry...” Sparkler shook her head and she came down from her own laughter. “It’s fine Kick. Hehe. Nopony’s mad atcha.” Celestia nodded. “Though I will say that in all my life I have never heard anypony confuse Alicorn with Ailcorn.” Twilight took a deep breath and sighed in relief. Celestia wasn’t mad. “Neither have I.” While that was going on, Flappy had laughed so hard that he fell backwards down onto the ground. Mina sat there shocked. “Flappy?! Are you ok?!” Flappy sprang back up and flapped until he was sitting next to Mina again. He nodded. “Squawk! Yeah. But man oh man will THAT never get old! It’s just too funny! Squawk!” Mina chuckled. “Hehe. Yeah. That was a new one for me.” The last of the laughter died down, and at that moment, there was a knock on the door, which Kicker panicked at, and the door opened to reveal a nurse. "Excuse me. Hi, I was told Thunder Kicker was awake." Twilight turned her head to see the nurse. She smiled. "Good morning Nurse Redheart." Redheart smiled and nodded. "Good morning to you too Twilight. Um, Princess Celestia." She added with a bow. Celestia nodded. "Good morning Nurse Redheart." Redheart nodded and approached the bed. She gave Kicker a warm smile. "Hey there Kicker. How are you feeling?" "Everything hurts." Kicker replied. Redheart nodded, then turned to the other ponies in the room. "If you all can step out for a moment. I'll check Kicker's vitals." Kicker tensed up "C-Can Sparkler stay?" He asked. He REALLY didn't want Sparkler to leave the room. Redheart saw the desperate look on his face, and nodded. "Alright." She turned her attention to Sparkler. "I do need you to at least take a few steps back Sparkler." Sparkler nodded and took those few steps back as Twilight and Celestia left. While Redheart started checking over Kicker, Mina turned to Flappy. “I can totally see why you consider Sparkler a mother Flappy. She's just got it down to a T.” She whispered. Flappy nodded and whispered back. “Squawk! Right? She never saw herself becoming a mother due to...undesirable circumstances, but it was like she was BORN to be a mom. And that’s fortunate for Kicker Squawk!” He smiled as he looked back to Kicker and Sparkler. He sighed. You’re lucky kid. You’re now on the road to having the best mom in the world. To be continued...