Canterlot City
August 16th 2022
2200hrs
Autumn and Sparkler sat on the roof of a building watching a taller building. They had equipment that let them see and hear their target. “Stakeout. One of the most boring missions ever.” Autumn commented.
Sparkler smiled and rolled her eyes. Derrick had assigned them to a stakeout to spy on a known FOWL facility right in Canterlot City. “Compared to what I usually do, I welcome the simpler assignments.” She said. “Plus, I always welcome the chance to get some dirt on the Fiendish Organization for World Larceny…still can’t believe they actually went with the name of the organization in Ducktales.” Sparkler commented. “It’s so cheesy.”
“Least it’s easy to remember.” Autumn responded with a chuckle. “So, how’d things go with Sunset last night? You didn’t really talk about it after the fact.” She asked.
“Mostly because I was still trying to process it all.” Sparkler responded. “I mean, yes, I was well aware of magic and the process of ponying up, but for it to happen to ME…yeah I wasn’t expecting that.” She said.
“So what happened last night?” Autumn asked.
“It started when I got there…” Sparkler started to tell her tale.
FLASHBACK
45 Main Street avenue
Heart of Canterlot City
August 15th 2022
1800hrs
“K Autumn I’ll see you later.” Sparkler said as she walked out the door of their apartment.
“Later Sparkler.” Autumn called out from inside.
Sparkler smiled and closed the door. After taking a deep breath, she walked across the hall and knocked on Sunset’s door. “Sunset. It’s Sparkler.” She called through the door.
Not five seconds later, the door opened and revealed a smiling Sunset. “Hey Sparkler. Come on in.” She said, letting Sparkler come inside.
Sparkler walked into Sunset’s apartment. “Hey Sunset, how’s it going?” She asked.
“It’s going. You?” Sunset asked.
“Tomorrow can’t get here fast enough. I have the chance to work at Airwave’s new restaurant!” Sparkler exclaimed excitedly. She had filled out the application as soon as she and Autumn got home, and she was planning to submit the application in the morning. Suffice to say, she was giddy.
Sunset chuckled. “Hope you get the job.” She said.
“I hope I do.” Sparkler responded.
Sunset nodded. “Alright, got Pizza on the table. Pepperoni topping.” She said.
“Love pepperoni pizza.” Sparkler responded as she and Sunset walked over to the table where a pepperoni pizza was sitting. Sunset smiled in relief, she was worried Sparkler wouldn’t like it.
They each grabbed a piece of pizza and sat down at the table. “So, you NEVER ponied up before?” Sunset asked Sparkler. “You’ve just crystalized?” She asked.
“Pony up? Do you mean the wings and stuff?” Sparkler asked.
“Yeah. Wings, Pony Tail, and pony ears.” Sunset responded.
Sparkler shook her head. “No, up until today I’ve just crystalized whenever I feel in sync with the beat. Again, I don’t know WHY it happens, but for one reason or another, it happens.” She said.
“And it’s happened for as long as you can remember?” Sunset asked.
“Yeah…yeah it’s been a thing for as long as I can remember.” Sparkler responded. “Is that bad?” She asked, suddenly getting the feeling Sunset wasn’t all that pleased with her in that moment.
“Not really.” Sunset responded. “I’m gonna level with you Sparks, until today my friends and I believed we were the only ones in this world, heck, even in this universe, who could pony up. To find out another one exists is…a bit unsettling to say the least.” She explained.
Sparkler nodded. “I can imagine it would. Are you afraid I’m secretly evil?” She asked.
“…The thought came to me.” Sunset admitted with a sigh. “It wasn’t my first thought, but it was A thought.” She said.
“Well, the only thing I can really say is that I’m not evil or anything. Just a normal teenage girl…Crystalization and apparent pony-up notwithstanding.” Sparkler responded with a chuckle.
Sunset stared at her for a moment, before smiling. “Alright, I’ll trust you. But you’ll forgive us if we air on the side of caution for now right?” She asked.
“Good call.” Sparkler responded.
At that moment, They both saw a strobing flash coming from the kitchen counter. They turned their heads and saw a book flashing. “What’s that?” Sparkler asked.
Sunset sighed as she got up out of her seat and walked over to the book. “A perfect segue to the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I may have an idea as to where your Crystalizing power comes from…The same place where I myself come from.” Sunset said as she sat back down. “Has Autumn told you anything about the magic here? IE any specifics?” She asked Sparkler.
“She did mention that the magic around here centers around Canterlot High.” Sparkler responded. “Something about a statue.”
Sunset nodded. “That statue is actually a key part in all this.” She responded. “Now, I know what I’m about to say sounds crazy and completely out there, but…well I would hope that you are more believing since you know about the magical incidents around here.” She said as she opened the journal. “This is not a normal journal, it’s kinda like a phone, but it can only text…to its counterpart in another dimension.” She said.
“Another dimension?” Sparkler asked.
“Yep.” Sunset responded. “A dimension where there exists another version of our world, but there are no humans. Instead the Equestria in the other dimension is inhabited by magical talking pastel colored ponies.” Sunset said as she handed the open journal to Sparkler, who glanced at it and saw something she wasn’t expecting. She couldn’t be sure of course but she immediately recognized the pink wings with the gradient blue tips that were attached to a pony with a horn, and had the same blue eyes that she herself had. “Sunset?” She asked.
“That, Sparkler, is your pony counterpart.” Sunset responded.
“...Wow.” Sparkler responded. She could definitely see the resemblance. “Horn and wings…”
“Over in the other Eqeustria we call it being an Alicorn.” Sunset explained.
Sparkler looked at the picture, and then back at Sunset. “Sunset, are you saying you’re FROM this other Equestria?” She asked, her mind racing.
“Yep. Over there I’m a Unicorn.” Sunset explained.
“And you’re suggesting that my power to Crystalize could come from this world?” Sparkler asked.
“Smart girl.” Sunset said. “Your counterpart, as was recently learned, can also Crystalize. Over there it means that you come from a place called the Crystal Empire.” Sunset explained.
“Crystal Empire? You mean like Crystopolis here in this world?” Sparkler asked.
“Yeah. Like that.” Sunset responded. “And given that you yourself can Crystalize, it’s quite possible that somehow, the magic that comes from the Crystal Empire in the pony world came over here, and you picked it up.” She explained.
Sparkler blinked. Trying to process everything. “...Ok…This is pretty weird, not gonna lie.” She said.
“Oh you have no idea.” Sunset said. “For one thing the timeline doesn’t make sense since the Crystal Empire only reappeared 3 years ago in other Equestria.” She said as she took the journal back. “Unless you have some sort of memory disorder that prevents you from remembering stuff from three years ago.” Sunset suggested.
“No memory disorders here.” Sparkler said. “I remember one time I was ten and I crystalized while performing at a talent show.” She explained.
Sunset nodded. “Ok then there’s definitely a mystery here. I don’t suppose you could try to INTENTIONALLY crystalize right now? I’m wondering if being here in this city gave you a permanent upgrade.” She said.
“I tried that already. You can ask Autumn, I tried several times earlier to crystalize, but I just didn’t feel in sync with the beat since that moment at the mall.” Sparkler explained.
“Right.” Sunset said. She glanced at the journal. Quickly reading a message in it. “I’ve been in contact with a friend of mine in the Other Equestria, and…Oh…” Sunset trailed off when she read the message more closely. “Ahuh.” She said.
“What?” Sparkler asked.
“My friend just suggested something surprising…she suggested that I read your mind.” She said.
Sparkler blinked. “...What?” She asked.
“I have the ability to read minds, I can do stuff like search through memories and the like. My friend suggested that maybe whatever happened to you to give you the ability to Crystalize is buried in your memory.” Sunset explained.
Sparkler’s mind was racing, and Flappy, through her concealed earpiece, responded immediately to that suggestion. “DO NOT LET HER DO THAT!” He told her. Sparkler immediately understood where he was coming from, if she allowed Sunset to read her mind, there was a VERY high risk of Sunset finding out that Sparkler was an agent., A MAJOR national security risk.
And yet…despite that, Sparkler was ACTUALLY considering agreeing to Sunset reading her mind. I HAVE always wondered WHY I have the ability, WAY longer than I’ve been a SMILE agent…
At that moment, the light over the table went out, leaving them in near darkness. Sunset groaned. “Oh for the love of, I just fixed that thing last week!” She groaned. “Ugh. I’ll be right back Sparkler.” She said as she got up and left.
The NANOSECOND she was out of earshot, Sparkler spoke to Flappy. “Text mode.” She said.
Words started appearing on her glasses HUD.
Flappy: Sparkler you know darn well you can’t let her read your mind. It is a MAJOR national security risk!
Sparkler nodded, and used her eyes to type back.
Sparkler: I know, I know. But…Flappy, I have always wondered how I could Crystalize. This could very well be my only chance to find out.
Flappy: How are you going to deal with her knowing who you really are?
Sparkler: Worst Case, the Forget Me gas in my watch should take care of it.
Flappy: That is still a barely tested technology. Sparkler, are you absolutely, positively SURE about this.
Sparkler: I trust Sunset to keep it to herself. She DID just trust me to know where she really comes from, that’s probably not something she publicly advertises.
At that moment, the light above the table came back on, and soon, Sunset came back. “Sorry about that. Been having a problem with either the bulb or the breaker for a while now.” She said.
“Ugh. Don’t you just hate it when things go haywire?” Sparkler asked.
“Tell me about it.” Sunset responded. “Ahem, anyway, back to the whole mind reading thing. Up to you if you want to do it. I won’t pick your brain if you feel uncomfortable with me rooting around in your head.
Sparkler thought about it. And made up her mind. She knew the risk she was about to take, but her curiosity for learning more about her ability won out. “Sure. Yeah you can root around in my head.” Sparkler responded. “I trust you enough to give it a go.”
Sunset smiled. “Alright then. Just a warning, I might accidentally see something you otherwise wouldn’t want me to see. If there’s anything that you would rather me find out through your own words, cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, I will not breathe a word of it to anyone without your approval.” She said.
Sparkler was about to say something before they both heard an ominous forever. Sparkler glanced around. “What was that?” She asked.
“That was Pinkie saying forever. Part of the promise I just made. Basically it’s an unbreakable promise.” Sunset explained.
Sparkler gave her a perplexed look, before shrugging and reaching into her jacket pocket. “I’m gonna need you to take that ultra seriously because what I’m about to reveal to you is most definitely not something you can talk about to others.” She said before she placed a metal disc on the table. After doing one final look around to make sure no one else could see what was going on, she tapped the disc and it lit up to project a hologram.
Sunset’s eyes widened as a hologram appeared in front of her, and she saw what looked like an ID card. “Whoa.” She said.
“Remember how I said I was just a normal teenager?” Sparkler asked. “Yeah that’s not entirely true. Everything I’ve told you so far. My hobbies and whatnot, is the honest truth. I am a major nut for Star Wars and all that. But I’m also a secret agent, for the organization known as SMILE.” She explained. “What you might find in my head is memories of me on missions.” She said.
Sunset blinked as she listened to Sparkler, honestly she was not expecting Sparkler to say she was a secret agent, but after thinking about it being from another dimension entirely was still weirder, so she nodded. “Ok. That’s by far not the strangest thing you coulda said.” She said.
Sparkler nodded as she tapped the disc again and the holo Id badge went away. “You trusted me to know where you came from. No reason why I shouldn’t have that same trust towards you.” She said.
Sunset nodded. “Your trust is well placed. I promise I won’t breathe a word of this.” She said.
Sparkler smiled. “Thanks Sunset.” She said.
Sunset nodded as she held out her hand. “Anything else I should know?” She asked.
“You’ll probably see other agents working with me, PLEASE do not ask me anything about them. I’m already taking a MAJOR risk telling you about my own involvement.” Sparkler said.
“Roger that.” Sunset responded as Sparkler took her hand. With that, Sunset’s eyes glowed bright white as she entered Sparkler’s mind.
PRESENT
Canterlot City
August 16th 2022
2230hrs
“Wait. Wait wait wait wait wait, hang on. You TOLD Sunset that you’re a secret agent?!” Autumn asked, absolutely shocked that Sparkler of all people would give up something like that so willfully.
“I did.” Sparkler responded. “She trusted me enough to tell me where she really comes from, she deserves that same trust from me.” She reasoned.
“She’s trustworthy, I can agree with that.” Autumn responded. “But still, are you SURE it was the right call? You know the classic superhero tropes.” She said.
Sparkler sighed. “I sure hope it was. I really don’t want to use the Forget Me gas on her.” She said.
Autumn sighed. “Alright. So what happened after that?” She asked.
“Sunset didn’t find anything initially that coulda given me the Crystalization ability, but there are still a lot of memories to go through.” Sparkler responded. “And she’s reasonably confident that me coming here gave me the pony up upgrade.” She added.
“That makes sense.” Autumn responded.
“After that we played video games and had a good time.” Sparkler said. “I think we’ll be hanging out together often.”
“Of course you are.” Autumn responded.
At that moment, Sparkler saw a guy running the rooftops, rushing out of the FOWL building. “Oh, we got a runner.” She said. She put down the binoculars and raised her watch towards the building. “Let’s see what we can get from him.”
Autumn smiled as she pulled out a small grappling gun and aimed at the building. “Let’s swing.” She said as she pulled the trigger and shot a line which she used to swing to the building.
Sparkler shot a line of her own, and glanced behind her to look at the city around them. “Yeah. I think I’m definitely going to like it here.” She said as she followed Autumn’s actions and swung to the building.
To be continued Next Time…