One full night of leaving Sparkler alone later (Autumn had slept on the couch), it was the next day’s morning in Appleloosa, where Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Applebloom were waiting to head home to Ponyville. Sparkler, Flappy, and Autumn stood with them before the Friendship Express was to arrive.
“Next time I see ya, Sparkler, I’ll take you flying. Those wings of yours need to breathe, you know.” Rainbow Dash commented.
“Yeah, I know.” Sparkler responded.
“And feel free to stop by Sweet Apple Acres if y'all are ever in Ponyville!” Applejack told Sparkler. “Any friend of an Apple is always welcome on the farm.”
“I’ll be sure to visit if I’m around.” Sparkler said.
“Oh, and you too Flappy!” Applebloom added.
“Squawk! Looking forward to it. So long as you four keep this whole thing underwraps. Squawk!” Flappy said.
“We’ll just tell Twilight it was a mission success, but that you requested that the details be kept private.” Rainbow said.
“Appreciate it, RD.” Sparkler responded.
Fluttershy walked up to Sparkler. “Sparkler, I, uh, I heard about what you went through in your childhood, and it… it makes me sad. I feel bad for you, so can I give you a hug?”
“That wasn’t a good time in mah life but it’s behind me now. I’m feeling a lot better.” Sparkler said with a smile. “But I won’t stop you if you want to hug me.” She added.
Fluttershy didn’t say any words after that. She just reached right in and wrapped her forelegs around Sparkler’s neck, as they were standing at the moment. Fluttershy was happy to hear Sparkler was feeling better, but she still wanted to do this.
Sparkler hugged Fluttershy back in the same way. It did feel good; Fluttershy was thinking a new friendship was in blossom.
After a moment, Sparkler and Fluttershy parted the hug. And that was when the train arrived.
“It was great to meet you, Sparkler!” Fluttershy said. “I wish you an amazing life from now on!”
“Thanks ‘Shy, I’m sure it’ll be much better from here.” Sparkler said.
“I’m sure of that too.” Autumn said. “And Sparkler, whenever you come out to the whole town, you will be nothing less than accepted. I’m sure of it; I’ve lived here my whole life.”
“We’ll see.” Sparkler responded.
RD nodded. “Well, be seeing you guys.” She said.
“Take care!” Applebloom said, walking inside the train and out of sight.
“Bye, everyone!” Autumn said, waving a front hoof.
After the Ponyvillians faded into the horizon on the train, Sparkler, Flappy, and Autumn made their way off the platform and walked their hooves towards the tavern on the brown Appleloosa ground, aiming for a trip to Sparkling Harmony Records…
…but with Autumn in a low mood. She didn’t consider yesterday’s situation to be resolved; sentences in her mind were still bugging her, desperate to be released.
Autumn took a deep breath. “...Sparkler, can we have a heart-to-heart talk?”
“Sure, Autumn.” Sparkler said. “What’s up?”
Autumn sighed. “I just want to say that I’m sorry. Sorry for tricking you like that. What happened was, Flappy told me about how a magical breakdown could happen if you bottled up your emotions for too long. So I basically felt we needed to take drastic measures.
“But all that said, that’s not an excuse. Because I did violate your privacy, and of course, you did have a magical breakdown because of that. I’m really sorry, Sparkler.
“I guess I should also mention that when I wrapped around your sides that one night, and then when I walked past you in the kitchen… yeah, at that point I pretty much knew you had wings. I did see them.” Autumn sniffled. “Do you really forgive me?”
“Yes, Autumn. I forgive you. Luna and I had a very pleasant talk last night about it. And I gave her a little explanation that although she is a princess, there are limits to even her shenanigans in somepony else’s dream.” Sparkler explained.
Autumn nodded. “I can’t believe I didn’t resist her suggestion. Just… why?” Yeah, she still felt bad.
“She’s a princess. You kinda can’t refuse a princess.” Sparkler responded.
“That’s what Rainbow Dash said. But how can I live knowing I almost killed somepony?”
“Squawk! Forget it ever happened and move on? Squawk!” Flappy suggested.
“I can’t just do that, Flappy.” Autumn said. “It won’t leave my mind.”
“Well just know that I forgive ya, so don’t worry about it.” Sparkler said.
Autumn sighed again. “Let’s hope I can try to move on.”
“Hey, I got an idea, when we get to mah studio, let’s write a song together!” Sparkler suggested.
“Okay. Hopefully that helps.” Autumn could smile a bit.
Sparkler smiled too as they proceeded to the studio.
…
Inside the studio, nothing was really happening, as Autumn’s emotions were likely blocking her creativity. “I really don’t know what we could write, Sparkler. Especially not when I’m still upset.”
“Squawk! What’s left to be upset about? Sparkler forgives you, she forgives me, Sparkler’s no longer in danger of blowing up. Everything’s fine and dandy. Squawk!” Flappy asked.
“Because all that never should have happened in the first place.” Autumn said, hanging her head in shame.
“Well, what happened happened. I don’t really see the point in sulking about it when it’s in the past now.” Sparkler said.
“Not like I can just stop doing that.” Autumn said. “I’ve basically been traumatized now, and it’s my own fault. Like, if you had died, there could have been solid ground for me to be criminally charged.”
Sparkler raised an eyebrow at that. “Uh, I don’t get it. I don’t think you would be held responsible when you didn’t physically harm me.” She said. “Unless somehow emotional stress counts?”
“The law probably doesn’t cover our specific situation given that magical breakdowns are not widely known about, especially not in a town that’s 97% Earth pony.” Autumn responded. “But I did do something really bad.”
“Squawk! Eh, I’m sure Luna would pardon you. After all, it was her idea originally. Squawk!” Flappy said.
“Yeah, I suppose.” Autumn said, sniffling. “I thought writing a song would help, but I can’t seem to do it.”
“Anything I can do to make you feel better?” Sparkler asked.
“Maybe talk about what Luna said to you in the dream meeting you had?”
“She told me she was sorry for tricking me like that, but had believed that it had to be done, because if anypony was going to actually help me come out to you…It WOULD be you. After all, who knows Autumn better than Autumn?” Sparkler explained. “Beyond that, it was more me yelling at her and lecturing her about boundaries, which her title didn’t excuse her from breaking.” She said.
Autumn sighed. “I guess I just have to let time take its course and the emotions will naturally fade out. For now, do you have a song idea, Sparkler?”
“I do actually. A country song.” Sparkler responded.
“Right up my alley.” Autumn did manage to smile a bit.
“I even started thinking of lyrics.” Sparkler said.
“That’s great!” Autumn said.
Sparkler smiled. It sounded like Autumn was already starting to feel better.
And so they worked on the song. Writing the rest of the lyrics, adding music, so on and so forth. One day, Grapefruit had clued them in on an upcoming karaoke night, and they decided that was the perfect time to debut their first official song together.
“Remember when we first met, Sparkler? Right in this very place?” Autumn even remembered the exact table they were at.
“Are we sitting at the exact table?” Sparkler asked. “Huh. How about that.”
“I chose it on purpose for that reason. Hehe.” Autumn took a sip of her drink.
“Can’t believe it’s only been…what? Three weeks?” Sparkler commented.
“Something like that, I think.” Autumn said.
“Squawk! And now that we’ve cleared up that little roadblock, here’s to many more weeks. Squawk!” Flappy said.
Autumn held out her glass for a toast, not saying anything.
Sparkler held her glass too and they clinked them together. “To the future.” She said.
“To the future.” Autumn said. “I do wonder what’s next for us.”
“Right now? Singing a song. After that, who knows.” Sparkler responded. “But whatever it is, we’ll face it together.” She said.
“That’s beautiful to hear you say, Sparkler.” Autumn said, smiling. “I just love having such a close friend now.”
“And mahself a pony friend in mah generation at last.” Sparkler responded.
At that moment, they were called up on stage for their turn. They and Flappy went up, and after a quick introduction, started playing.
(Imagine the girls singing instead of guys.)
Sparkler was on guitar, Autumn on piano and Flappy was on drums. Put that all together, and the only word to describe their experience was “amazing.” Despite still hiding her true species from the public, Sparkler began to see coming out as something that could actually work!
Autumn may have participated in an underhoofed tactic, but Sparkler did see the logic there. And deep down, was now more grateful than mad at what had happened, because she knew they weren’t completely wrong.
Autumn, for her part, needed time to recover, but Sparkler had made it clear they would maintain their friendship. And their musical debut together, played where they first met… it felt so right. So fitting. There were things to look forward to for the future.
After the performance, the three went back home, and got ready for bed. It wasn’t known what came over them, but they felt the urge to begin tickling each other in a three way tickle fight.
Amidst the laughter, Sparkler’s stetson was hanging on the hat rack, and unbeknownst to the three ticklers, it started lowkey flashing…
Miles away, in an unknown part of the world, a pair of ponies’ eyes widened as they felt a tingle.
“Did you feel that?” One of them asked.
“Yeah…I did.” The other said.
“Could that mean…”
“It’s possible, only her stetson could send such a signal.” One of the ponies said.
To be continued next time…