Episode 42: Mending Fences
“Alright. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Alright?” Sparkler asked Kicker.
“Ok. Then we can cuddle?” Kicker asked in response.
“Of course. You me and Maddy can all cuddle together during the night.” Sparkler replied cheerfully.
“Ok.” Kicker replied.
Sparkler nodded and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. “I won’t be long.” She backed out of the room and softly closed the door. She was going back into the room in a bit but she wanted Kicker to try and fall asleep before she came back, so he could possibly get over needing her there at night. I can’t believe I’m actually hoping that old school mate of mine gets here soon. She shivered at that thought. She never thought she’d hope that one of her old school mates visited soon.
She walked back to her room and started getting ready for bed. Flappy saw her come in. “Squawk! Ya know Sparks, I kinda miss sharing a room with you. Squawk!” He commented.
“Well until Kicker’s comfortable sleeping in his room without me again, or until we start trying to have him sleep in the room by himself, I’ll be spending the night with him.” Sparkler responded. “Faust I hope those crooks get sent to prison for life for everything they did.”
“Squawk! I’d sentence them to be yeeted into Tartarus if it were my call. Squawk!” Flappy said with a chuckle.
“Something tells me they’d get along quite well with the other monsters in that prison.” Sparkler chuckled back.
The chuckling ceased after a minute. After which they fell into silence as Sparkler brushed her teeth. Though it wouldn’t last as they suddenly heard a knocking on the window. They turned their attention to that window, and what they saw shocked them. There, hovering outside their window, was Princess Luna.
Sparkler quickly spat out her toothpaste. “Princess Luna?!” She exclaimed in a hushed voice. She lit her horn and opened the window, allowing Luna to fly in and land her hooves on the floor.
“Good evening Sparkling Medley. Flappy.” Luna greeted them.
“Squawk! Not that it isn’t a pleasure your majesty, but what the Faust are you doing here? Squawk!” Flappy asked, confused.
“I have important news for Sparkler that I believe she should hear.” Luna announced, she turned to look directly at Sparkler. “My psychologist friend will be on the first train to Ponyville tomorrow, she has finally found a hole in her schedule to come help Kicker.” Luna said.
While Sparkler bit her lip, Flappy, not yet realizing the gravity of the situation, gave Luna a quizzical look. “Squawk! You flew all the way out here from Canterlot just to tell us that? Squawk!” He asked.
“I do not believe Sparkler would appreciate me interrupting her escapades in the dream realm again, but I felt it necessary to warn her, as to give her time to prepare for the inevitable.” Luna explained.
“Squawk! Time to prepare? What? Sparkler do you know what she’s talking about? Squawk!” Flappy asked.
Sparkler glanced at Luna, before sighing. “Luna’s friend used to go to Kilihima School. When I myself was a student there.” She said.
Flappy picked up what that meant instantly and gasped. “Squawk! You mean, one of those featherbrains is coming here?! Squawk!” He asked.
“Luna asked them to come and help Kicker, yes.” Sparkler said.
Flappy turned his attention to Luna and gave her a look that was a mix of disbelief, anger, and confusion. “Squawk! You majesty, with all due respect. Have you lost your mind?! Squawk!” He exclaimed in a hushed voice, as to not scare Kicker.
“As I have assured Sparkler, I was unaware of my friend’s connection to Sparkler until she told me herself.” Luna said.
“Squawk! And she’s STILL coming? You’re actually letting this happen Sparkler?! Squawk!” Flappy asked Sparkler.
“I mean…according to Luna, this old school mate of mine didn’t bully me like the rest of the school.” Sparkler said. “And Kicker needs the help. So ultimately I have to put any personal feelings aside for Kicker.” She said.
Flappy’s eye twitched. He agreed that Kicker needed the help. But still, to learn that that help was coming from a pony that went to Kilihima School when Sparkler was a student…
“I know this must bring up hard memories for you both.” Luna said. “But Candy has been honest with me thus far since I have known her and I do not believe she is being dishonest here. Otherwise I would have searched for somepony else.”
Sparkler sighed. She could tell Luna was sincere in her statement. “Twilight told me I should give…Candy was it?” Luna nodded in reply. “She said I should give Candy a chance. That maybe she and I could be…friends.” She shivered. That was a sentence she never thought she’d say about anypony from her old school.
“Squawk! Alright. If that’s what you want to do Sparkler. But if this Candy mare does ANYTHING I don’t like, she’s gone and we’re finding somepony else. Squawk!” Flappy said.
“Let’s hope she doesn’t try anything, for Kicker’s sake.” Sparkler responded.
Next Day
Celestia’s sun grazed the land and it’a rays roused the ponies of Equestria awake to start the day. In Canterlot, Candy was already wide awake and getting ready for her day. She glanced at herself in the mirror. “Ok Candy. You got this…you’re going to help a foal in need. And you have a second chance at being her friend. Like you should’ve been back in school.” Candy sighed as memories from her school years flooded into the forefront, mainly the memories of seeing poor Sparkler constantly pelted with eggs by their peers. Candy gritted her teeth. “Those Featherbrains. Thank Faust she moved to Ponyville. That was the best decision she coulda made for herself.” She glanced at the clock, and noticed it was nearly time when the first train to Ponyville would be boarding. “Time to get going.”
“Who’s visiting today?” Kicker asked Sparkler.
“A mare from Canterlot that Princess Luna knows. You know everything you’ve been through recently? She’s gonna help you get over the trauma recent events caused you.” Sparkler explained. It was morning in Ponyville and Sparkler had just finished giving Kicker his breakfast, after which she told him Candy was coming for a visit.
“Is she a doctor?” Kicker asked. “Is she nice?”
“Princess Luna says she’s nice.” Sparkler responded.
“Squawk! But that remains to be seen. Squawk!” Flappy said coldly, still on the fence about this idea.
“I-I’m not so sure about this.” Kicker said, nervousness slowly creeping throughout his body.
Sparkler went around the table and carefully cradled him in her wings. “Hey. It’s gonna be ok. I promise this mare’s gonna help you. You want the nightmares to stop right?” She asked.
“Yeah.” Kicker replied.
“Princess Luna says this mare is the best in the business. Do you think she’d lie to us?” Sparkler asked.
“No. She wouldn’t.” Kicker replied.
“Then let’s trust that she knows what she’s doing.” Sparkler suggested. “And hey. After this visit, we can have a fun day and do anything you want. Go for a walk in the park with Maddy, go out for milkshakes—“
“Can we go get a Hearth's Warming tree and decorate it?” Kicker asked. “And decorate the house?”
Sparkler went to say they could, but stopped when she remembered something that could take some of the fun out of that for Kicker. “How about we wait until you’re all done healing before we go and do something like that? It’ll be more fun that way.” She said.
“Ok.” Kicker replied, slightly disappointed.
“There is one thing we can do.” Sparkler said.
“What’s that?” Kicker asked.
“I remember the other day that you mentioned we could make a story about our Ogres and Oubliettes game. We can actually start writing it today.” Sparkler explained.
At that, Kicker’s face lit up like a Hearth's Warming tree. “Yeah! Like our story being written right now!” He said.
“Exactly.” Sparkler chuckled as she rubbed her nose against Kicker’s, making him giggle.
At that moment, Maddy suddenly looked up from her food bowl in the kitchen, looked straight at the front door, and took off in a sprint towards the door as she barked. A clear indication somepony was coming. Sure enough, a second later, there was a knock on the door.
Sparkler let out a quiet gulp as her mind raced. Must be Candy. Ok. Just stay calm Sparkler…you’re only gonna come face to face with a mare associated with your past. One who supposedly didn’t partake in bullying you, and is willing to help Kicker. Just open the door, and stay on guard. She lit her horn and gently placed Kicker on the couch. “I’ll go see who that is.” She said.
Outside, Candy was trying her best not to panic. She heard barking before she even touched the door, and considering Sparkler knew she was coming, as far as she knew, that barking belonged to a dog that would attack her the moment the door was opened. She shook her head. Sparkler wouldn’t do that. She already has a parrot who’ll gladly do it. She patiently waited for somepony to answer the door. Worst case, she tolerates me long enough for me to help Kicker, then we never see each other again.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the door finally opened, letting Candy come face to face with none other than Sparkling Medley. The first thing Candy noticed was that Sparkler was indeed slightly on edge, a fair reaction.
For a few seconds, nopony said a word, the two mares just stared at each other. Until Sparkler broke the silence.
“Hello. Are you Princess Luna’s friend? Candy?” She asked.
“Yeah.” Candy replied. “I’m Luna’s psychologist friend Candy. I understand you have a colt in need of help?” She asked, still somewhat surprised that was coming out of her mouth to Sparkling Medley.
“Yeah. Yeah that’s right. Please, come in.” Sparkler replied. She stepped to the side and let Candy enter her house. Her mind racing. She hasn’t pelted me with anything yet. Is that a good sign?
Candy entered Sparkler’s home and the two of them made their way through the foyer into the living room. “So uh…how are you Sparkler?” She asked. Recognizing that this was quickly devolving into awkward territory.
“Fine…just fine.” Sparkler replied. “Uh…anyway, and here’s that colt you heard about. Thunder Kicker…” She gestured to Kicker on the couch.
Kicker saw the new mare turn to look right at him, and he let out a small gulp as he nervously waved. “Uh…hi.” He said.
Candy offered a warm, comforting smile as she waved back. “Hiya Kicker.” She said. “I’m Candy. It’s nice to meetcha.”
While Candy was introducing herself to Kicker, Flappy noticed that Maddy was sniffing Candy’s saddlebag. That was all the reason he needed to take action. Ha! Thought you could get away with it. Flappy took off from the table in the kitchen and straight towards Candy. Once he could, he, not so tactfully, snatched up her saddlebag and ascended up into the air with it in rapid fashion.
The act didn’t go unnoticed as Candy felt her saddlebag leave her. She jumped a little and turned her head until she looked up and saw Sparkler’s parrot holding her saddlebag out of her reach. “What the—“ She was caught by surprise.
Sparkler and Kicker looked up to see Flappy and Candy’s saddlebag. “Flappy!” Sparkler exclaimed. “What are you doing?” She asked.
Flappy ignored her as he used his free claw to open the confiscated saddlebag and look inside to find just as he suspected. “Squawk! Aha! Just as I thought! Squawk!” He pulled out his claw and everypony saw that there was a bag of P&Ps.
Candy saw the bag and she realized what was going on. Right. They don’t want me pelting Sparkler with stuff. Of course Flappy was gonna raid my saddlebag.
Flappy finished his checking of the Saddlebag and unceremoniously dropped it onto the floor. “Squawk! You’re asked to visit the horned chicken’s house and you take it as an opportunity to put her down YET AGAIN! Squawk!” He stared daggers into Candy as he slammed the P&Ps onto the floor. “Squawk! You were sent here to help Kicker overcome his PTSD. NOT to pelt Sparkler with food like you and the rest of those Tartarus forsaken featherbrains did every day in school! Squawk!” He descended and got right up in Candy’s face. “Squawk! So if you’re NOT gonna help Kicker, than beat it! I will not allow you to undo all the progress Sparkler had made since escaping that Tartarus hole! Squawk!” He all but shouted and growled at Candy.
Candy recoiled from Flappy’s outrage and glanced at Sparkler, who she saw had taken a more defensive posture, seeing a hint of betrayal in her eyes. She took a deep breath, and nodded. “Ok. That’s a fair reaction. I get it. I understand why you’re skeptical of me.” She lit her horn and floated the P&Ps over to the couch where Kicker was. “But I can promise both of you that I come in peace. I only have the P&Ps because I thought Kicker would want some.” She explained.
Sparkler stared at Candy for a second before responding. “Luna claims you never took part in putting me through Tartarus every day.” She said.
“It’s true. I never took part in that nonsense, because there was absolutely no reason for it to be a thing.” Candy responded.
“What’s going on? Why is Flappy yelling at her?” Everypony turned their heads and glanced at Kicker, remembering that he was the only one in the room who didn’t know what was going on.
“We’re just…reminiscing about our school days Kick.” Sparkler said.
“Were you friends with mom?” Kicker asked Candy.
“Squawk! No Kicker, they weren’t. In fact they were the exact opposite. Squawk!” Flappy pointed a wing at Candy. “Squawk! I was your mom’s only friend in school. Everypony else, like this mare here, treated her like straight up garbage. Squawk!” He explained.
“What?!” Kicker exclaimed in response.
“Yeah…” Sparkler said. “I wasn’t…the most liked filly in school.”
Kicker stared at Sparkler for a few seconds before turning his attention to Candy. “Why?” He asked. “Why did you treat her like that? She’s the best pony in the world!”
“Squawk! The best answer we can come up with is that she’s different from most other ponies kid. Squawk!” Flappy replied before Candy could say anything. “Squawk! Best we could tell, they hated that she was different from them. She was a freak to them. Squawk!” Flappy explained.
“That doesn’t sound like a good reason to hate her.” Kicker responded.
“That’s because it most certainly isn’t Kicker.” Candy remarked. “You mother didn’t give them any reason to hate her. She was always friendly, she was a good filly in school, and she’s a smart cookie.” Candy said.
“Squawk! I think you mean US. As in, she didn’t give US any reason to hate her. Squawk!” Flappy told Candy coldly. “Squawk! Do you seriously expect us to believe that YOU never did anything to put her down? Squawk!” Flappy asked.
Candy sighed in response. “I swear on my life that I have never thrown eggs at Sparkler, never called her anything other than her given name, or even laughed at her. All I wanted was to be her friend. Honest.” She said.
“Then…if you wanted to be friends, why didn’t you ever reach out to me?” Sparkler asked, anger having been subsided for the moment and replaced by confusion and sadness. “Why did you stay away if you knew I needed a friend?”
“Because I was afraid.” Candy replied with a sigh of guilt. “I was scared that if we became friends, our peers would extend the torture they were putting you through to me, and I think you can agree that nopony wants or deserves that.” She said.
“Squawk! So you were a coward is what you’re saying. Squawk!” Flappy said.
“Yeah. I was.” Candy responded. “I was too scared of our peers to be the friend you desperately needed. And then September of Freshman year in high school happened and destroyed any chance I had to befriend you. Because after what happened, I knew you wouldn’t ever trust that I was really your friend.” Candy explained.
“What happened?” Kicker asked, obviously curious about September of Freshman year in high school.
“I definitely don’t want to talk about that right now.” Sparkler immediately replied. “That’s an ordeal in itself.”
Candy nodded in agreement before speaking up again. “Sparkler, I can’t tell you how relieved I am to see that you’re doing well here.” She sent Sparkler a small smile. “When I heard there was a new Alicorn in Ponyville, I knew. I knew that it had to be you. And I’m really, very happy that you found a place where you can be yourself, where you don’t have to worry about history repeating itself.”
“Well…It was a little rough when I first got here. But I was able to overcome my fears with the help of my new friends.” Sparkler replied.
“I’m so, really, very sorry Sparkler.” Candy said. “You deserved at least one friend in school and I was too much of a coward to be that friend. I was too scared to not even consider a secret friendship with you.” Her eyes began to water. “It’s ok if you don’t forgive me. I don’t deserve it.” She said.
All eyes turned to Sparkler, who’s mind raced. On one hoof, yes. She was angry. Angry that she had an ally in school this whole time and never once did that ally reach out to her. But another point was taking precedence over anger. Agreement. She agreed with Candy, no pony in their right minds would want the torture she herself received on a daily basis in school. Also taking precedence over anger was something she was admittedly caught off guard by, forgiveness. Yes, she was mad, but since coming face to face with Candy, Sparkler couldn’t detect a single strand of deception from the mare. In her heart, she knew that Candy spoke the truth. Lastly, Twilight’s words from the other day rang loud and clear in her mind. Don’t write it off as a lost cause.
The room stayed silent. And to Candy, that silence was killing her, because it could mean a very harsh response from Sparkler. The way she saw it, Sparkler could respond one of two ways. She could yell at her, call her a coward, say they can never be friends, and throw her out onto the streets. Or she could forgive her, accept her hoof in friendship now, and they could go on as friends, like they should’ve been in school. Who am I kidding? Of course it’ll be the former. She suffered thirteen years of torture from those featherbrains, and only now, after she found the place where she really belongs, is she finding out she had an ally in school. I’d be furious too.
At long last, after what seemed like an eternity, but in reality only a moment, Sparkler broke the silence. “Candy.” She addressed the mare. “You’re right about a few things. I did need a friend in school, because Flappy couldn’t be with me all the time. You’re right that I wouldn’t have trusted you as my friend after what happened at the start of freshman year at High School, and yes Candy, you are a coward. Because a true friend would always stand by me through the good times and especially the bad.”
Candy’s ears dropped down and she quietly nodded. This was it then. Sparkler was gonna reject her friendship.
“However.”
Candy’s ears perked up as she opened her closed eyes to see Sparkler not scowling at her, but…almost smiling at her. What?
“However, I also agree with you that nopony in their right mind would want done to them what was done to me. Peer pressure can be a powerful thing, and I’m chalking your cowardice up to that, which explains why you never reached out to me.” Sparkler said.
Candy couldn’t believe it. Sparkler did just call her a coward, but she hadn’t raised her voice towards her like she thought she would. Hope began to take precedence in Candy as she found it in herself to respond. “I’m sorry I never reached out to you before. That’s the other reason I so readily agreed to come here. I was hoping that in addition to helping Kicker here, we could maybe mend whatever fences separated us and move forward as friends? Like we should’ve been in school?” Candy asked hopefully.
Sparkler hesitated to give a response. She could tell Candy had been sincere and honest with her, and could tell that Candy actually wanted to be her friend, but a hint of resentment for Candy still existed. As far as she knew, she and Candy could’ve been friends for nearly twenty years, and Candy was too cowardly to make the first step, but she couldn’t blame Candy completely because she herself was too scared to try as well.
Finally, after a bit of back and forth, Sparkler let out a breath. “Well, Twilight said I shouldn’t let an opportunity for friendship go to waste. And if you’re gonna be working with Kicker.” She flashed a smile Kicker’s way. “I guess I’d rather be friends with his psychologist than just tolerating them.”
Candy had heard Sparkler, but she almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had expected Sparkler to reject her and throw her out, but if she heard right, she had forgiven her!
“Does that mean we can be friends?” Candy asked, needing confirmation.
“Yeah. We can be friends.” Sparkler replied.
It took all Candy had to not rush Sparkler in a big hug, fearing that would be too forward. But her jittery body and her huge smile was probably telling that she wanted to hug.
Her assumption was correct. Sparkler snickered. “You really want to hug don’tcha.” She asked.
“Maaaaybe…” Candy admitted, which made Sparkler laugh.
“Bring it in Candy.” Sparkler said, opening her forelegs for Candy.
Candy’s resolve died and she crashed into her new friend and the two mares wrapped their forelegs around each other in a big hug. Both had a few tears of joy in their eyes.
“Thank you Sparkler!” Candy said. “I’ll be the best friend I can be. I promise!”
Flappy watched as the mares hugged it out, and then Candy got introduced to Maddy, and suffice to say, he was not expecting this ending. Huh, we had one ally at that school after all. How about that. He still wasn’t entirely convinced Candy was telling the truth, but for the moment, he decided to set that aside and let Sparkler have this. “Squawk! How bout you start by helping Kicker. Hmm? Squawk!” He suggested when Candy promised to be the best friend she could be.
Sparkler’s eyes widened as she and Candy separated from the hug. She had almost forgotten the entire reason Candy was there to begin with. “Right. If we’re done reconciling we should get back to the whole reason you’re here to begin with.”
Candy chuckled and nodded in agreement. “Yeah. We probably should do that. Hehe.”
Sparkler summoned a chair from the kitchen for Candy as she took a seat next to Kicker, with Flappy and Maddy taking seats on the other side of Kicker. Candy got one look at them and smiled. “You really have come a long way since school Sparkler.” She commented.
Sparkler glanced at the pony, parrot, and dog that she considered her family. She smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I have haven’t I.”
To be continued…
Stats
Page generated in 0.027 seconds
Total duration
942 users online
464,327 hits today, 2,073,628 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
They can claim to be friends but there are likely to be ups and downs to come
10909416
There’s still bits of Sparkler’s past that are yet to come out.
But ultimately Sparkler and Candy will become great friends.
Loved it! Nice job!
love it, been waiting for chapters to stack up for a good ol' reading!
keep it up!
10911577
Glad you're enjoying it! the next two chapters are gonna be big ones as we near the 75th episode of the series!
first of i can't believe i miss'd this chapter Oo
that conclusion was nice, finding a new friend you never know you always had
flappy must have some of a hawk in him xD
10919840
Or he's just being protective of Sparkler. One of the two.
Waaaaaait a sec here....
*goes back one chapter*
*returns here*
where is the embarassed encounter with Twilight??? Did you cut it?? How dare!
Sadly, Cozy Glow doesn't exists, otherwise Tartarus would have been a true hell.
Teleport. She probably teleported, Flappy.
Woah, there, this is Pinkie's Lair, keep your distances from the fourth wall, please.
Flappy...
Her name's is Candy and she is a child psychiatrist.
And you found she has a bag of sweets.
Please, use your feathers to do 2+2, if you can
Now it's good time for a
kisshugChugChugChugChugSparkler: "So... you're my third mom now?"
10920498
Flappy was in full protective mode trying to keep Sparkler from being pelted with food. Logical thinking wasn’t on his mind then.
And third mom? The Christ are you going with that?