Silver-Mane was absolutely FUMING as he lit his horn and blasted the radio to bits. He and his four goons were hiding out in a cave above Canterlot, and he had just heard the news broadcast. “That pretender did this to me! I’ll make her pay!” He roared.
“How’re you going to do that boss?” One of his goons asked. “At this point she seems pretty untouchable.”
“First, we need to get Sparky and Misty out of there. And then, we’ll begin the experiments.” Silver-Mane replied. He glanced over at Sparkler’s feather, which rested on a table. He approached the table and smirked. “By the time I’m done. All of Equestria will see that menace for what she REALLY is.” He commented with an evil cackle.
Meanwhile, the Friendship Express had screeched to a halt at Canterlot Station, and let it’s passengers disembark and board. Among the disembarked passengers were Sparkler and her family, alongside Flash, River, Nosey, and Pearl. Pearl was ecstatic about being there and beamed at her friends. “I can’t wait for you guys to meet my friends here. Serena and Audrey are gonna love you!” She exclaimed.
Melody chuckled. “Can’t wait to meet them. Uh, can we mom?” She asked Sparkler.
“Yeah! Mom, can I take the Medley Herd to meet my Canterlot Friends?” Pearl asked River.
Sparkler and River chuckled. “So long as an adult accompanied you to wherever you were going.” She told her kids.
River smiled. “Just let me horn pulse Pearl’s friends’ moms.” She lit her horn. After a full minute, she dimmed her horn and smiled. “They said Pearl and the Medley herd can meet them at the park. If it’s ok with you two I can take them there.” River told Sparkler and Twilight.
“Sure.” Twilight responded.
“We’ll be at the park to pick them up later.” Sparkler added.
The kids all cheered and River walked off with seven kids following her. “Make sure you stick close to Ms. River!” Sparkler called out to her kids.
“And don’t unzip the sides!” Twilight added.
With them gone, Nosey cleared his throat. “Right. I gotta get to the station and take care of a couple things for the trial. As well as make it clear that Kicker and Melody are in fact the same pony.” He explained.
“Will the courts even accept that?” Sparkler asked, now worried that that would be a block in the trial.
“So long as we got the proper documents and medical reports. That should be enough.” Nosey responded. “I’ll horn pulse you with the time of the meeting with the prosecutors. They’ll want to make sure they have EVERYTHING from you. And Melody.” He explained.
“We’ll be there.” Sparkler responded. “Anything to ensure Sparky and Misty are put away for as long as possible.”
Nosey nodded and took his leave, leaving Sparkler, Twilight, Flash, Maddy, and Spike.
“Right, let’s get to your parents house Twi. It’s best if we get off the streets as soon as possible. After Celestia’s address this morning I don’t think some Nobles will be too happy.” Flash said.
“Yeah let’s do that.” Twilight agreed, and off they went.
As they walked through Canterlot, they immediately noticed ponies around them staring at them. Sparkler initially ignored it since she knew they were probably staring at Twilight since she’s a princess, and her by association. It went on for a couple of minutes until something changed her mind pretty darn quick. There was a screeching sound, followed by a very loud. “Look! It’s Sparkling Medley!”
This was when they were in a busy street, and all the ponies around stopped and turned to look at the group, standing in the middle of the street.
Twilight looked around and saw an all too familiar look. “Sparkler, we need to run.” She said.
“What?” Sparkler asked.
“They’re about to—“ Was as far as Twilight got before the crowd suddenly closed in on them and started asking for autographs and pelting with questions, all of which were directed at Sparkler.
Sparkler involuntarily winced at all the attention. And it took a moment to process that this wasn’t an angry mob, but rather a mob of FANS. However before she could even think about it, she was suddenly pulled into the air in what was a hi jump over the crowd and again came the order. “Run!”
Sparkler snapped back to reality and saw that she was running alongside Twilight, Flash, and Maddy. With Spike riding on Twilight’s back. “Twilight?! What’s going on?” She asked as she looked back and saw all the ponies chasing them.
“Ponyrazzi.” Twilight responded.
“And they seem to have taken a liking to you.” Flash added.
Sparkler found it in herself to start running on her own power as they raced through Canterlot, with the mob of fans following.
Spike chuckled a little. “Welcome to the world of being famous Sparkler.” He said.
“Very funny Spike!” Sparkler nearly growled. “Twilight, take Spike and Maddy to your parents’ place. Flash and I will lose this crowd and catch up.” Sparkler told Twilight, thinking on the spot.
“Sparkler, you’re not going to lose this crowd anytime soon!” Twilight shot back.
Sparkler smirked back in response. “Oh yes we will.” She said. “Just go. We’ll be fine.” She said.
Twilight bit her lip, before scooping Maddy up in her wing and lighting her horn, teleporting away.
Sparkler and Flash continued to run with the mob of fans still chasing them, unimpeded by the cloud of magenta smoke left. Flash glanced behind him, and then at Sparkler. “Have a plan?” He asked.
“Oh yes I do.” Sparkler responded excitedly. FINALLY she was going to get to pull this little trick off. “You just need to touch my wing.” She told Flash.
“Why?” Flash asked.
“I’m about to do what’s called a dual spell cast. Just trust me and let me lead.” Sparkler responded, extending her wing a little.
Flash bit his lip before touching his wing with Sparkler’s. In that time they had galloped into a neighborhood. Sparkler saw what she assumed was the remains of a burned down house. She smiled, deciding that would be their escape. She lit her horn. “Now!” She flashed her horn and smoke erupted that was thick enough to completely conceal them from the crowd.
The crowd stopped in their tracks when the thick smoke erupted, stayed for a few seconds, and then dissipated, after which they saw Sparkler and Flash continuing to run. “There they go!” The crowd resumed running, after Sparkler and Flash and away from the rubble.
After a few moments, Sparkler and Flash poked their heads up from behind what used to be a wall and saw the crowd running still. Flash grinned. “What did you just do Sparkler?” He asked.
“I threw down a smoke screen, and then when they couldn’t see, I made astral projections of ourselves that are leading that mob of fans away.” Sparkler responded proudly.
“Those projections won’t last forever surely.” Flash said.
“Nope, but it’ll give us enough time to find a better hiding spot. Then we can discreetly make our way to Twilight’s parents’ place.” Sparkler responded.
“If you need a place to lie low for a bit, you can always come inside my house.” A new voice suddenly said.
Sparkler and Flash nearly jumped as they whipped around to see a blonde maned, brown-furred earth pony mare standing there, smiling.
Flash, after his moment of shock, cleared his throat. “Ma’am, you nearly scared us to death.” He stated.
The mare chuckled. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. But your little distraction is going to fade any second now and those fans will come back looking for you.” She said. “Now come on, inside. I’ve got a batch of cookies fresh from the oven.” The mare stated as she gestured them along.
Flash and Sparkler glanced at each other, skeptical, but the mare had a point. So they followed her. The mare took them next door to the house that presumably belonged to the mare. She took them inside and into the kitchen. “May I offer you dears a drink and a cookie?” The mare asked. “I’m not sure how much running you did but you probably burned up a lot of energy.”
“A cookie sounds lovely. Thank you Ms…” Said Sparkler.
“The name’s Autumn Apple. But you can call me Autumn.” Autumn responded to Sparkler’s silent question.
Flash and Sparkler’s eyes widened. “Apple?” Sparkler asked.
“As in…the Apple family?” Flash asked.
Autumn chuckled as she got a tray of cookies and placed it on the table for Sparkler and Flash. “I’m a cousin to Applejack. The Element of Honesty.” She explained. “It’s nice to finally meet you Sparkling Medley.” She said to Sparkler.
Sparkler was about to ask how she knew her name, but Autumn had probably heard of her by now. So instead she just smiled. “It’s nice to meet you too Autumn.” She said as she lit her horn and took a bite out of a cookie. She smiled as her taste buds made contact. It was delicious. “This is really good.” She complimented.
“Thanks Sparkler.” Autumn responded, smiling.
The next few moments were quiet. Until Flash decided to break the silence. Letting his curiosity speak. “Who’s house is that next door?” He asked. “The one that burned down?”
“Oh, those ruins have been there for a while. Three years as a matter of fact.” Autumn replied.
“Did you know the owners?” Sparkler asked.
Autumn smiled thoughtfully. “I did. Both me and my husband were their best friends. A tight knit group we were.” She said.
“That must’ve been nice.” Sparkler said.
“It was…until the incident…” Autumn trailed off, her mood glooming a little.
Sparkler could tell something was wrong. And while she knew she should’ve stopped it there, her curiosity peaked. “What incident?” She asked.
“One night three years ago, my husband and our friends were killed and the house burned down.” Autumn replied. “Suffice to say…it wasn’t a good night.” She added.
“Oh…our condolences ma’am.” Flash said. Sparkler nodded in agreement.
“Thanks.” Autumn replied. “Honestly though, it’s not losing my husband or my friends that makes it so bad. It’s my friends’ son that I cry for the most.” She revealed.
Sparkler didn’t know why, but when Autumn said the word son, there were pieces of Autumn’s story that began sounding familiar. “They had a son?” She asked.
“Two years old. Earth Pony, the poor thing was never found in the rubble. So I had always assumed his remains had burned into ash.” Autumn explained, a tear forming in her eye.
Two year old earth pony…who would be five by now… Sparkler was starting to connect dots. No…Surely… “D-Did you know the colt’s name?” Sparkler asked.
Autumn smiled as she glanced over at a photo hanging on the wall. “Thunder Kicker.” She said simply. “That was his name.”
There it was. The last piece that made everything fit together. Sparkler and Flash’s eyes widened and they gasped. And when Sparkler saw the photo on the wall, she could see him. Among other ponies, she could see the little pony that was her son-now-daughter. AUTUMN knew Melody’s PARENTS! Ran through her mind. She struggled to maintain composure. But her mind was racing.
Autumn saw the looks on their faces and raised an eyebrow. “What?” She asked. “Something wrong?”
Sparkler quickly shook her head. “No. Quite the opposite. Autumn, I can tell you that Thunder Kicker is still alive. I…I know him!” She told Autumn.
It was Autumn’s turn to gasp. “Oh my Faust.” She held her hooves to her mouth in shock. “That little colt is still alive?” She asked in a hushed tone, tears starting to form.
“Yes!” Sparkler exclaimed happily. “He’s alive. He…he’s now living with me. I adopted him a few weeks ago.” She explained.
Autumn looked like she was going to faint. But instead, she let out a big smile. “Oh my Faust, Kicker…” She said. “W-Where is he? Is he here? Can I see him?” She asked, a million thoughts running through her. “Oh how I’ve wanted to see him again for so long.”
Sparkler chuckled. “I think he’ll be VERY happy to meet you. And to learn that you knew his parents.” Sparkler said.
Autumn didn’t know what to say. But she stood there, smiling, and crying tears of joy. After a moment, she thought of something. “Hang on. I’ll be right back!” She said as she dashed out of the kitchen.
She returned a few moments later. Carrying a stuffed bear. “Here, I’ve been holding onto this for three years. It was a bear his parents got him. And I think he’ll want to have it.” She explained.
Sparkler nodded without hesitation. “It’s another piece of his past that he has now.” She said, her eyes wet in joy as well. I’ll tell her about Melody’s new identity later. As well as the other stuff. She thought. “Wanna come with us Autumn?” She asked. “We’re going to my Marefriends’ parents place and I think they’ll want to meet a pony that knew Kicker back before the incident.” She explained.
“I’d love to!” Autumn responded. “I can’t believe it. This is actually real…”
Sparkler nodded in agreement. Never in a million years did she think she’d meet somepony with ties to Melody’s past, but Melody was about to become a very happy filly.
To be continued…