//------------------------------//
// Episode 38: Mutual Realizations. 
// Story: My Little Pony: Sparkling Harmony: Season Two 
// by Captain_Cosmos 
//------------------------------//

“Thanks for having us over Twilight. Even if it wasn’t initially planned to be a sleepover.” Sparkler said, she, Kicker, and Flappy were getting ready to leave.

“No problem Sparkler. You and yer little family are welcome here anytime.” Twilight replied.

Sparkler was taken aback when Twilight said that. She glanced at Flappy, then glanced at Kicker. After a second, she smiled. “Yeah. I guess they are my family aren’t they.” She said.

Kicker and Flappy smiled. “Aww!” While Kicker, sitting on Sparkler’s back, hugged her best he could from behind, Flappy swooped in and hugged her from the front.

“Squawk! We love ya too Sparky! Squawk!” Flappy exclaimed.

Sparkler blushed a little as her heart fluttered. Is this what being a mother is like? Cause I like it.

Spike, Starlight, and Twilight watched as Sparkler hugged her two boys back, Kicker with her wings and Flappy with her forelegs. Twilight couldn’t help but give a warm smile.

After a second, the hug broke and Sparkler turned back to The trio living at the Castle of Friendship. “Have a good day you guys.” She said.

“You too Sparkler.” Spike said.

With that, Sparkler, Flappy, and Kicker left. Twilight closed the door and turned to Spike and Starlight. “Right. Come on you two.” She said.

“Where are we going?” Starlight asked.

“To solve the mystery of my feelings towards Sparkler.” Twilight replied. “And you two are gonna help me.” She added.

Starlight and Spike raised their eyebrows and glanced at each other, before glancing back to Twilight. “Uh…I mean, we’d be happy to help…” Spike began.

“But don’t you think you’re forgetting to ASK us for help?” Starlight asked.

“Considering you two pretty much started this whole thing by spreading rumors about us. Consider your having to help me as payback.” Twilight replied with a sly smirk.

Starlight’s and Spike’s eyes widened, before both broke down giggling.

“Alright Twi.” Spike said.

“Fair enough. We’ll help you.” Starlight agreed.

“Perfect! To the Chandelier of Memories!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Why there?” Spike asked.

“Because that’s where all my memories with Sparkler are and we need them to help solve this problem.” Twilight explained.

“Alright.” Starlight shrugged.

“Sure.” Spike agreed. They both followed Twilight into the Castle, smiling at each other. Now they were gonna settle this issue once and for all.





Sparkler trotted down the streets of Ponyville with Kicker on her back, and Flappy sitting on her head. Kicker looked around to see ponies putting up lights and other decorations. He could also see a few ponies dragging trees around and taking them into buildings. “Hey mom? What’re they doing over there?” He asked.

Sparkler looked in the direction she saw Kicker looking, and saw ponies hauling trees. She smiled. “Oh, they’re probably gonna decorate those trees for the holidays.” She said.

“Why?” Kicker asked.

“It’s a fun Hearths Warming tradition. And it’s a place for Santa Hooves to leave presents under.” Sparkler explained.

“Oh.” Kicker replied, intrigued by the notion. “Can we do that?” He asked.

“Of course we can!” Sparkler beamed. “In fact we can spruce up the whole house for Hearths Warming. Won’t that be fun?”

“Yeah!” Replied Kicker, excited. “Can we do that today?” He asked.

“I think we may have a visitor today, but we can definitely do it tomorrow if not today.” Sparkler replied.

“Squawk! Visitor? Squawk!” Asked Flappy.

“Yeah. Betty Pringle, from Foal Protection Services? She’s gonna be coming by and we’re gonna work on the next step in the Adoption Process. Inspection and Interview.” Sparkler replied.

“Squawk! Do I have to be around for that? Squawk!” Flappy asked.

“Probably not.” Sparkler replied.

“Squawk! Ok. Squawk!”

“What are you guys talking about?” Asked Kicker.

“Remember that nice lady that came to talk to us at the Hospital?” Sparkler asked.

“You mean the one from Foal Protection Services?” Kicker asked.

“Yeah. That one. Well she’s coming here soon to help us take another step towards making it official.” Sparkler said.

“Why? Can’t she just make it official right now?” Kicker asked.

“Yeah that’s not how it works…unfortunately. You see, they have to make sure I will be able to take care of you.” Sparkler said. “They need to know I’m the right mare to be your mother.”

“But you are!” Kicker replied. “You’ve been a great mom to me so far. Why would that change?”

“It’s just something that has to happen. Don’t worry. I’m sure it’ll all turn out ok.” Sparkler replied.

“Squawk! Yeah. Don’t worry. They won’t find a reason why Sparkler won’t be a good mother for you. Squawk!” Flappy added reassuringly.

“Ok. If you say so.” Kicker said.

“Squawk! Don’t worry Kick, good ol Uncle Flappy feels it in his gut everything’s gonna turn out Hunky Dory. Squawk!”

Sparkler couldn’t help but laugh. “Uncle Flappy?”

“Squawk! Aren’t I the cool uncle who always wants to document everything? Squawk!” Flappy asked.

That got both Kicker and Sparkler laughing. Sparkler nodded. “Considering you took a pic of me, Kicker, and Twilight sound asleep cuddling each other. Yeah. I guess you are.” She said.

“That’s a nice picture.” Kicker commented.

“Yeah.” Sparkler agreed. “It is.”

“Squawk! Speaking of, you got a plan yet for how you’re gonna tell Twilight how you feel? Squawk!” Flappy asked.

“Well, I have been playing around with a new song in my head that could be good to tell her…around Hearths Warming.” Sparkler said, blushing.

“Squawk! Yeah ya might want to reconsider that plan. And maybe just talk to her as soon as possible. Squawk!” Flappy said.

“Why?” Sparkler asked, confused.

“Because you told her you loved her this morning.” Kicker replied.

Sparkler’s eyes widened in shock. “What? No I didn’t.” She said. “I think I would remember telling her THAT.”

“Squawk! It was in your sleep. While she was stroking you with her wing. Squawk!” Flappy responded.

Sparkler gasped. “Wait, that really WAS Twilight doing that?!” She asked, fear slowly creeping in.

“Squawk! Yep. Squawk!” Flappy replied. “Squawk! And your exact response was, ‘mmm. That feels nice Twi. I love you so much.’ Squawk!” Flappy said in his best Sparkler voice.

While Kicker chuckled at Flappy’s girly voice, Sparkler’s pupils shrank to near invisibility as it sunk in what Flappy said happened, and she knew, somehow, that Flappy wasn’t kidding around. That really WAS Twilight stroking me with her wing…and I responded by…oh no! “What have I done…”





“So, hang on, I’m confused, Sparkler didn’t know ANYTHING about Alicorns before she met you?” Starlight asked Twilight as they and Spike arranged the memory crystals on a whiteboard in chronological order.

“That’s right.” Twilight replied.

“Not even a name?” Spike asked.

“Nope.” Twilight said. “Before she moved to Ponyville she just dubbed her Alicorn Nature the Horn and Wing Combo.”

“How in Equestria did she not at least know  that she was an Alicorn?” Spike asked. “I thought that word was common knowledge worldwide?”

“Sparkler must not have been kidding when she said Kilihima village was the most remote place on the planet.” Starlight commented.

“Still baffling to me that she didn’t at the very least know she was an Alicorn.” Twilight responded as she affixed the most recent memory Crystal to the board. “Right! Here it is! My complete friendship timeline with Sparkler. From the day we met, all the way to yesterday.” She beamed.

“Yer forgetting something.” Spike said. He walked up, took a marker, drew a little picture of Twilight cuddling with Kicker and Sparkler at the end of the timeline, and connected it with a line. “And there. NOW it’s complete.” He said with a snicker.

“Yes. Thanks Spike.” Twilight said half-sarcastically. “Anyway.” She lit her horn and a few more boards popped in. She gestured to one. “This will be the graph that quantifies my feelings for Sparkler as time went on. Ranging from friend, to…the other thing.” She said, sheepishly.

“That other thing is madly in love.” Spike said.

“Moving on!” Twilight replied, gesturing to another board. “That will be a Venn diagram of mine and Sparkler’s interests.”

“I’m expecting more things in the middle than the two separate circles.” Starlight commented.

“And lastly.” Twilight gestured to the final board. “That board is so we can jot down my feelings that I felt during each and every one of the moments that I spent with Sparkler.”

“So you can see, in word form, that you’re in love with her.” Spike added.

“Until the results are conclusive we shall refrain from drawing any conclusions Spike.” Twilight said sternly.

“Alright. Alright. Whatever you say Twilight.” Starlight said. She grabbed a marker with her magic. “Ok, so I’ll write down your feelings, Spike will go through each memory, and you Twilight, use your egg shaped noggin to remember exactly what you felt. Accuracy is key here.”

“Right.” Twilight replied. “And whilst doing that, if we come across any interest we’ll put it down on the Venn diagram.

“And I’ll keep track of our progress on the memory timeliner..” Spike said.

“Let’s just get going!” Twilight said.

“Alright. First up, the day Sparkler moved to Ponyville.” Spike asked.

“I was impressed she blasted a bugbear out of town in one shot. And she made it look like it was nothing.” Twilight said.

“Impressed in her magical abilities.” Starlight wrote on her board.

“Alright. Now, next memory, formal introductions.” Spike said, pointing to the next memory.

“I was excited to make a new friend. I could tell even then that she and I were gonna be best friends.” Twilight said, much to her shock I saw our friendship even back then? “Huh, I kinda jumped the hay bale with that one.”

“So there might have been a hint of a crush developing even back then eh?” Spike said with a smirk.

“Let’s just get on with it.” Twilight said. “So on the scale of one to 10 where one is acquaintances, 5 is best friends, and 10 is…whatever the next step from best friends is—” She said

“The sheer fact that you know what that is but can’t say it should be a clear sign that you’re falling for her.” Starlight commented.

“Anywho, seeing her blast a bugbear is definitely a 0 on that scale, I suppose formal introductions can be counted as a 1 or a 2.” Twilight said.

“Just mark it as 1.5 then.” Spike said. “Don’t have all day for you to go back and forth on it.” He added.

“Fine.” Twilight said, putting a dot at the zero mark, and halfway between the 1 and 2 marks after the first dot. “Alright. Next.”

And so they continued going over each memory, every time Twilight and Sparkler were together, from the first Pet Play date Sparkler attended, to the Magical Breakdown where Twilight found out that Sparkler was an Alicorn, to the night Sparkler came out to the world. Each memory was analyzed, Twilight’s feelings jotted down, each memory was ranked on the graph, and any and all additional relevant information, like hers and Sparkler’s interests, was recorded, including Sparkler’s question of which way Twilight swung.

Finally, after about two hours of going down Memory Lane, they came to the last, most recent memory. Twilight and Sparkler cuddling with Kicker.

“Alright. Last memory, this morning’s cuddling episode.” Spike announced.

“Finally. It’s finally almost over.” Starlight said in relief.

“Yeah. Soon we’ll put this whole thing to rest.” Twilight said. “And then the teasing can finally stop.”

“Well then.” Spike pointed at the final memory on the timeline. “Search your feelings on this one Twi. And be honest.”

“Spike.” Twilight said. “I acknowledged that yes, I do try to spend as much time with Sparkler as possible. Even rearranging my schedule to fit her in. I admitted that her music was better than anypony else’s in my opinion. Heck, I even acknowledged that protecting her was in fact the main drive behind my change in tune the other day in class.” She listed. “I have been honest thus far. There’s no reason why I won’t be here.”

“Then by all means Twilight. Gimme the feels to write down.” Starlight said, readying her marker.

“Ok. So, I will admit that while Kicker’s request last night was a little weird, I didn’t think about saying no.” Twilight said.

“So you WANTED to read to him and cuddle with him.” Starlight concluded.

“Eh, you COULD say that.” Twilight admitted.

“Alright. And what about this morning?” Spike asked.

“Well, of course I was a tad confused when I first woke up. But after that I was able to see Kicker and Sparkler sleeping peacefully.” Twilight said.

“And was anything going through your mind?” Starlight asked. “Did you…maybe get a desire for the moment to never end perhaps?”

Twilight thought back to that morning, remembering how nice it was to be in that position with them. “Ok maybe I didn’t want it to last forever.” She said. “But I will admit it did feel nice to cuddle with them.” She admitted.

“Was there anything else that happened? Maybe you did something else?” Starlight asked.

“Well…” Twilight trailed off. Something DID happen, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to say it. “I may have started stroking Sparkler with my wing…”

“Aww! That’s adorable!” Starlight replied. “Did that get a reaction from her?”

“…It did.” Twilight said as her cheeks heated up and she blushed. “In her sleep…she said it felt nice…and then she said she…” Twilight trailed off again as she looked away from Starlight and Spike, trying to hide her blushing.

“What did she say Twi?” Spike asked.

Twilight gulped. “…shesaidshelovedmesomuch.” She said rapidly and quietly.

Starlight and Spike blinked, they caught some of that, but weren’t sure they heard right. “Come again?” They both said.

“She said she loved me so much. Alright?” Twilight said. “She said she loved me, in her sleep, in response to me stroking her. She must’ve meant she loved me as a friend.” Twilight said.

Starlight and Spike looked at each other, biting their lips.

Twilight saw the hesitation in both of them and raised an eyebrow. “What?” She asked

Starlight and Spike turned back to her, with serious looks on their faces. “Twilight that wasn’t friendship love she meant.” Spike said.

“She meant she really loved you. As in romantically.” Starlight added.

Twilight gasped. “What?” She asked, disbelieving that her ears were working.

“She actually loves you Twilight. As in more than a friend.” Spike said.

“I…” Twilight’s brain was spinning in this revelation. “No…no that can’t be right. Sparkler wouldn’t love somepony like me in that way…” She shook her head.

“Twilight, you’re a PRINCESS.” Starlight said. “She can’t do much better than that. And ignoring that, out of all of us, you’re the one she’s probably closest to in this town. If we don’t count Flappy, and now Kicker.”

“I mean, who was it that got it into her head that she could be herself here? That she didn’t have to fear a repeat of her school years?” Spike asked.

“That was all of us.” Twilight said.

“But who was the first of us to accept her for her?” Starlight asked. “The first of us to not care that she’s an Alicorn?” She asked.

“Me…” Twilight said.

“And who was it that opened her eyes to what she really was? Through repeated study sessions?” Spike asked.

“Me.” Twilight said.

“And who was it that has always ensured that Sparkler knew that she had ponies watching her back? Especially throughout this whole ordeal with Kicker?”

“And let’s not forget the whole changing tune thing.” Starlight added.

“Me.” Twilight replied.

“So you think she wouldn’t love somepony like you? In reality you gave her no other choice.” Spike said.

“Well, even if she does love me. That’s not what this experiment is about.” Twilight said.

“Oh really?” Starlight asked. “Because this seems like something you could analyze and see how it makes YOU feel. And also maybe cross reference that with the steady incline on the graph plus the feelings notes.”

“I…” Twilight trailed off, now that Starlight said it, she had to agree. “Fine. Now if you two will give me some space.”

“We’ll be outside the room. Just remember Twilight. Be honest with yourself.” Starlight said as she and Spike left the room.

With them gone, Twilight turned to the multiple boards, and began analyzing the results. She levitated the feelings board next to the graph board, and started comparing the feelings notes with their graphical scale equivalents. And one thing she was noticing was true to what Starlight said, there was a steady increase in the level of feelings she had for Sparkler as time went on.

“Huh. Look at that, there is a steady incline.” Twilight looked through the notes, and noticed that she was calling Sparkler cute and beautiful more often as time went on. Consistent with the graph… She looked through the notes some more, until she reached the end.

“Ok…I guess my feelings for her have been escalating steadily.” She closed her eyes and pictured all the time she spent with Sparkler. All their study sessions, all their hang outs…and one thing she was remembering was how fast her heart was beating with each hang out. And it had been beating faster than normal ever since she first found out that Sparkler was an Alicorn. And then she thought back to when Flappy told her about the notes from the Nobles. I was so ticked off at them for their bemoaning of her just because she’s an Alicorn, more than I realized… She noticed her heart beating faster the more she thought on her feelings. And her mind went back to that morning. When Sparkler had said that she loved her. That made my heart beat faster than it ever had before… Her eyes widened in shock as it all suddenly hit her like a brick. Her heart beating faster with Sparkler than any of her other friends, the slight heat she’d feel in her cheeks whenever they hung out, her desire to spend as much time with her as possible, her racing to Sparkler’s protection at the drop of a hat the other day, the fact that they had a lot in common. It hit her what that all meant now that it was all right in front of her.

“Sweet Faust!” She exclaimed in realization

She lit her horn, flashed it, and Starlight and Spike appeared in the library, dazed.

“Whoa…what happened?” Spike asked as he shook his head.

“We just teleported…back into the library?” Starlight answered, confused.

Both her and Spike turned their attention to Twilight…and saw the look of realization on her face. The one that told them all they needed to know.

“Spike, Starlight.” Twilight said. “I’ve been an oblivious, dense pony this whole time!”

To be continued…