The Alleys of Ponyville: Short Stories from the Noireverse

by PonyJosiah13

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Daring briefly noted that she wasn't trembling for once when she stepped through the Netitus security barrier. Perhaps she'd finally made it clear to her subconscious that she wasn't going to be locked in a cell here.

The security barrier remained silent as she completed her journey through, making its approval clear. On the other side, Officer Gentle Guide smiled and nodded.

"Great, c'mon," he said, beckoning her down the hall.

"How are you and Nectar doing?" Daring asked as the CO called for the steel door ahead of him to be unlocked with a buzz.

"Swimmingly," Guide beamed as they entered the security passageway. "Nectar's negotiating with that changeling that sells honey, talking about going into business together so Nectar can sell his teas with him. And we're talking about adopting!"

"You think that if it goes well, you could get out of this place?" Daring asked as the door behind them slammed shut and the door ahead buzzed open. "I always thought you were too good for this place."

Gentle Guide chuckled as they entered the lobby of Frostback Prison. "You and Nectar both. Sweet of you to say, really, but I've always felt a calling to this line of work, trying to give ponies who have no one else some guidance."

"Some of these guys need a lot more than guidance," Daring commented as they proceeded to the pair of doors that led to the visitor's room.

"I know I can't get all of them to turn around," Guide sighed, unlocking the door for the visitors. "But if I can help some of them, I will."

"Maybe think about being a parole officer or something," Daring suggested, proceeding into the empty visitor's room and taking a seat at a stiff plastic chair that was set before one of the booths with its table and thick plastic shield to separate the visitors from the inmates.

"Maybe," Guide nodded, taking up his post at the two doors. He spoke briefly into his radio and the two ponies settled to wait.

After a couple of minutes, the opposite door opened and Bright Sparks walked in. Despite the gray overalls that marked her as an inmate, the silver band about her foreleg that disabled her magic and served to track her movements, and a collection of fading bruises on her jaw, she held her held up high, her green eyes sparkling with joy at the sight of Daring.

"Finally out of solitary, huh?" Daring grinned at her.

"You spent plenty of time in there yourself," Sparks shrugged as she sat down in the chair opposite. "I'm set to beat your record."

"So who was it this time?" Daring asked.

"Just some bitch serving eighteen months on reckless endangerment, throwing her weight around," Sparks replied. "Wanted to prove how tough she was by taking on the biggest mare on the yard. And for the record, she swung at me first."

"You must be slipping if she managed to actually hit you," Daring smirked.

Sparks laughed. "Don't worry, I made sure she learned a lesson about humility."

"How are the Licorice Twins?"

"Black's been sticking close to me; I'm just glad that she's let in the same cellblock as me," Sparks replied. "Red's making a few friends in his cellblock, but he's doing a lot better job than me at keeping out of trouble."

"That was the one thing you were always good at," Daring replied.

"I'll have you know I was a perfect little saint before you stumbled into my life," Sparks scowled. "You rubbed off on me, having to save your oversized ass too many times to count."

There was a moment of silence, then both mares burst out laughing, a musical sound that filled the room for many long minutes. When it was over, both of them sighed contently, leaning back in their chairs.

"Just sad I spent Hearth's Warming in solitary," Sparks commented. "At least Applejack and Rara had a present from Endeavor waiting for me when I got out."

"Really?" Daring asked. "What?"

"An album of pictures," Sparks said with a fond but sad smile. "Of his first Hearth's Warming. He's growing up so damn fast I can't believe it. And they brought him in to visit a couple days ago for New Year's."

Daring felt her heart start to sink towards her stomach. She stared at her hooves for a moment before speaking up. "When you get out..."

Sparks shook her head. "I want to be a part of his life if I can," she said. "But Applejack and Rara are his parents now. And you know what? I'm grateful for that. They'll give him a better, happier life than I could have."

She pressed her right hoof against the plastic wall, bearing the cursed brand for Daring to see. "A better life than either of us had," she whispered.

"When you get out," Daring promised. "You'll always have a home with us."

Sparks' lip trembled slightly, joy, shame, and grief all warring in her eyes. "You mean that?" she breathed, as if not daring to believe it.

"I told you," Daring said, pressing her unblemished right hoof on the shield opposite Sparks'. "We're family. That doesn't break."

Tears finally began to fall from Bright Sparks' eyes. "I love you, little sister," she said.

"I love you, big sister," Daring replied, allowing her own tears to fall.

Author's Note:

Not Family. Real family.

Took a brief break from writing the main story to give you this short story. I haven't forgotten that Bright Sparks exists: I actually kept her alive at the end of Kriegspiel specifically so I could pull her back in if I ever needed her again. As of yet, I don't have any solid plans for her return, but I hope to pull out that card one day.

Daring's backstory for Ponyville Noire is something I've never really felt I got quite right, even after multiple tweaks and revisions. If I had to do the series all over again, I'd probably give it a lot more thought this time and try to attach it more to her canonical love of hunting artifacts. However, one thing I definitely wouldn't change is her connection to Bright Sparks. Even after all the fighting, they're still sisters and that's not something that breaks easily.

Hope you liked it!

Comments

[SIGAWESOME]

I did enjoy this vignette. Sparks certainly is in a miserable place in her life now, but there is hope for redemption and a light at the end of the tunnel (and not a freight train coming her way)

[PonyJosiah13]

11239725
Reminds me of one of my favorite jokes:
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel.
An optimist sees a light at the end of the tunnel.
A realist sees two lights at the end of the tunnel.
And the engineer sees three idiots on the tracks.