Episode 38: Return
“This is Clara Oswald with Maretime News. It’s been two days since Sprout unleashed his devastating assault against the Unicorn and Pegasi residents of Maretime Bay. Reconstruction efforts have begun and so have efforts to dismantle the giant monstrosity. Sprout has been declared public enemy number one and is now a fugitive. In other news, Light Wing and Dark Wing, two bat pony brothers that were caught in the crossfire, remain unconscious from a tranquilizing solution illegally possessed by Sprout. Witnesses say that their adopted mother Sparkling Medley, former head waitress of the Medley Deli, was seen heroically facing the threat head on with fellow Alicorns Sunny Starscout and Winter Moon. Our prayers are with the family as they await Light’s and Dark’s awakening.”
Sparkler watched as Dr. Aviate looked over Light and Dark. Zipp had called her from Zephyr Heights to come provide her expert opinion, given she was the most knowledgeable about Batpony physiology. “Well, I’ll put your greatest worry at ease right now.” Dr. Aviate said after her examination. “They’re alive. And are in no danger of death.” She said.
Sparkler breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. So, when will they wake up?” She asked.
“Hm. Kinda tricky to say when.” Aviate responded. “Ordinarily they’d be awake by now. But these two are special cases. It’s probable that Red Heart Syndrome is affecting their bodies’ ability to work off the effects of the solution.” She explained.
“Is there anything that could help?” Sparkler asked.
“Unfortunately no.” Aviate responded. “We just have to hope that—“
“Ugh…” A groan cut off Aviate. Sparkler and Aviate glanced at Light and Dark to see them flutter their eyes open. “What…what happened?” Lights asked.
“Light? Dark?” Sparkler asked.
Dark glanced around and saw their mother. “Mom? What happened? Where are we?” He asked.
“In the hospital.” Aviate responded. “You were brought here after Sprout tranquilized you.” She explained.
“Oh. How long were we out?” Light asked.
“Few days.” Sparkler responded. “Your bodies had a tougher time working off the solution than most.” She explained.
Dark nodded, before something occurred to him. “Wait, a few days? Shouldn’t the Timegate be completely recharged by now? Why are you still here?” He asked.
Sparkler chuckled. “Light, Dark, You two are, at least for the moment, my adopted sons. There was no way in Tartarus I was gonna leave without making sure you were ok.” She said. “Even if I would’ve been coming back.” She added.
“Timegate?” Aviate asked. “What’s that?”
Sparkler, Light, and Dark’s eyes widened. They forgot Aviate was still in the room. “Uh, nothing you need to know. Don’t worry about it.” Sparkler said quickly.
Aviate shrugged and nodded. “Ok. Well, I’ll chat with the doctors here but I think it might be best if Light and Dark remained here for one more night. Just to make sure nothing nasty crops up.” She explained.
“Sounds good.” Sparkler responded. “Thank you Dr. Aviate.” She said.
Aviate nodded and left. For the moment, there was silence, and then, Sparkler’s watch started but vibrating. A message alert. She glanced at it and what she saw made her nearly tear up. The Timegate was fully recharged and ready to use. “Well, look at that. The Timegate is ready.” She said.
“Good.” Dark responded.
“Are you gonna go back to 1003 now?” Light asked.
Sparkler hesitated to answer. On one hoof, she very much wanted to get the rest of her kids back as soon as flipping possible, but even that would leave Light and Dark alone in the hospital and she just didn’t feel right about it. “I…I’m not sure. You two are still here.” She said.
“I think Dr. Aviate isn’t going anywhere until we’re discharged.” Dark replied.
“I’m sure she’ll take care of us until you get back.” Light said.
Sparkler bit her lip, before coming to a decision after a few moments. “I’ll be back, I’ll talk to Twilight, and I promise I’ll be back with an answer.” She said. She leaned in and kissed both of them on the forehead. “I’ll also see if somepony can come stay with you.” She said.
“Ok.” Light and Dark responded.
“See you soon.” Sparkler said as she left. Shooting off a quick text to this time’s Mane group in the process.
Soon, Sparkler and her kids, along with Winter and her siblings, were standing in the Gate Room. Night Shade turned to his assistant in the control room. “Let’s make that donut spin and send them home. Begin Time Dialing Sequence. April 23rd, 1003, 3:50PM.” He said.
“Copy that. Time coordinates for April 23rd, 1003, 3:50PM. Targeting.” The assistant said.
While the Timegate started to spin and the increments began to set, Sparkler smiled at her great grandkids. “Thank you for everything you guys.” She said. “It’s been a blast. Despite the couple of downs.”
“You’re gonna go confront Fleur aren’t you.” Hurricane said.
“As soon as I have the time.” Sparkler responded. “And my parents. It’s not just Fleur that has explaining to do.”
That chuckle out of everypony as the kids all tackled the great grandkids in a hug. “We’ll miss you guys!” Sprinkle exclaimed. “Hopefully we can see you again.” She added.
“Might take a couple hundred years but I think we’ll see each other again eventually.” Winter said as she was hugged.
“Time Increment Locked! Portal activation T-Minus 3 seconds!”
In three seconds, they all saw the portal open up. The drone used to test the first time came back out to make absolutely sure it was the correct time. “Faust I hope it reached far enough.” Sparkle commented as they all watched the screen above the Gate.
Within seconds, the screen lit up, and much to Sparkler’s relief, the screen showed Night Mare and Twilight (with a hurt wing by the looks of it) staring back at the camera. Obviously shocked at whatever the thing was. Night Shade came over the loudspeaker. “Confirmed! It’s a live feed from the drone.” The camera panned around until it found a digital clock, and the clock matched the target date and time.
Spike smiled and pumped his fists in the air. “Haha! It worked!” He exclaimed.
“Alright everypony, one at a time please.” Sparkler said.
Melody and her siblings smiled, and waved around one last time. “See ya guys!” They all said.
“Take care!” Night Shade called from the control room as everypony started going through the time portal one by one.
Soon, only Sparkler and Flurry remained. Sparkler took Flurry in her magic and smiled. “Ready to go home Flurry?” She asked.
Flurry nodded and giggled. She flapped her wings and flew through the portal. And then there was one. Sparkler glanced back at her great grandkids one more time. “So. This is it.” She said.
“Eh we’ll see each other again.” Twinkle said.
“Yeah! And when you do, don’t forget to eventually tell us about this.” Sparkle added.
Sparkler chuckled. “And maybe I’ll find out what’s going on with the Crystal Guardian and the Crystal Rangers.” She mused. She had enough sense to figure out that her great grandkids were SOME kind of superhero team, but Winter refused to say anything else on the matter.
“Yeah. Oh, one more thing!” Winter said. She took out a small box from her Saddle bag and tossed it to Sparkler, who caught it in her magic. “When the time comes, give it to Great Granny Twily when you ask for her hoof in marriage.” Winter told Her.
Sparkler blushed like mad, but nodded and placed the box in Lightning’s Saddle Bag that she had on her. “Don’t know when I’ll be back through the portal but ya might want to vacate this place immediately. I do NOT want to risk a time paradox if I don’t have to.” She said.
“Sure! See ya in a few hundred years!” Her great grandkids all said.
Sparkler nodded, and walked through the portal.
Back in 1003, Twilight and Night Mare stared at the mysterious flying object that came out of what was clearly a portal. They watched as it flew around for a moment. “What the hay is that thing?” Twilight asked.
“I don’t know…” Twilight responded. Sparkler and her kids were just moments ago sucked into a portal, and a few minutes later a new portal appeared and spat out the mystery object. “Could it be extraterrestrial?”
“Your guess is very much as good as mine.” Night Mare responded.
At that moment, they heard the sound of something coming through the portal and turned their heads to see something that shocked the both of them, and filled their hearts with sheer joy.
“Mommy Twi! Auntie Night Mare!” Cried Melody. Who galloped toward and hugged Twilight, carefully to avoid hurting her wing of course.
“Melody!” Twilight and Night Mare responded. “You’re alive!”
“And she ain’t the only one.” Said the voice of Lumber Striker.
Night Mare and Twilight watched as one by one, Twilight’s and Sparkler’s kids exited the portal. All of them rushed forward to hug their mother and aunt. Soon, all the kids were accounted for. There were tears of joy and smiles all around. “You’re all ok!” Twilight said.
“Yeah. We are!” Spike said.
“What about your mom?” Night Mare asked.
As if on cue, all of them saw Sparkler appear from the portal. Twilight smiled widely as she galloped forward to her. “Sparkler!” She exclaimed in joy and relief.
“Twilight!” Sparkler responded as Twilight crashed into her. They wrapped their forelegs around each other, and Sparkler locked lips with the mare she had longed to return to. At last! Sparkler thought. At long last, she and her kids returned.
They parted from the kiss after a few moments and both were tearing up. “It’s been so long.” Sparkler responded. “I was starting to think I’d never see you again.” She said to Twilight.
“But you were only gone for a few minutes.” Night Mare countered.
“Maybe because we targeted the time machine to take us back to this moment, for all of us it’s been two and a half months.” Sparkler responded.
“Months?!” Twilight asked. “And did you say Time Machine?”
“Yeah. Boy do we have a story for you.” Spike said.
Twilight glanced at everypony, who nodded. She smiled and just hugged Sparkler tightly. “I’m sure you’ll tell us all about it, I’m just so happy you’re all—gah!” Twilight winced as she subconsciously flexed her sprained wing and immediately felt the pain.
Sparkler let go of Twilight with a look of worry. “I think we should get you to the doctor to get that wing checked out.” She said.
Twilight nodded. “Yeah. Night Mare said the same thing.” She said. She turned to Night Mare. “Mind watching the kids while Sparkler and I go get my wing checked out?” She asked.
“Sure.” Night Mare responded. “I think I’ll just take them to Shining and Cadence, the three of us can hang out with them.” She said.
Lightning smiled, before a thought came to him. “Hey mom!” He called to Sparkler. “Make sure you talk to Mommy Twi about that thing.” He reminded her.
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What thing? What did you want to talk to me about?” She asked Sparkler.
Sparkler bit her lip. She was hoping for a better time to talk. “Let’s get that wing of yours checked out and then we’ll talk. While I was away something happened.” She said.
Twilight raised an eyebrow as everypony left the lab. Wondering what Sparkler wanted to talk to her about.
And so, they proceeded to the hospital in Detrot while Night Mare took the kids to wherever Shining and Cadence were. Night Mare had been disappointed when Sparkler erected a barrier around the portal and the mysterious flying object, saying that neither were to be tampered with in any way. After the doctor looked at the wing and put it in a bandage for the next few days to keep it in place, Sparkler and Twilight were now sitting in an alleyway that Sparkler led them too. Away from prying eyes. “Sparkler, is everything ok?” Twilight asked. “Why are we sitting in an alleyway?”
“To give us more privacy.” Sparkler responded. “Ok. Now I’ll tell you about that thing Lightning reminded me of.” She lit her horn and pulled out the phone she got when she arrived in Maretime Bay. “I assume you recognize this?” She asked as she held the phone up to Twilight. “Same device as they use in that bipedal world you visited?”
“Yeah.” Twilight responded. “It sure looks like a phone. Where did you get one?” She asked.
“The future. That portal flung us 1,019 years into the future.” Sparkler revealed.
Twilight’s jaw dropped. “Future?!” She said. “Is that flying thing from that time?” She asked.
“Yeah. But before we get into all the future questions that I probably can’t answer because time paradox.” Sparkler called up a picture of Light and Dark on her phone and showed it to Twilight. “This is Light Wing and Dark Wing. Two foals I met in the year 2022…and they’re looking for a loving family to take them in.” She said as she began to explain everything about Light and Dark to Twilight. How they became orphans, how their egg donor wanted nothing to do with them, their condition, and finally, how they want to become a permanent part of their family.
Twilight listened to Sparkler, and was very quickly brought to the edge of tears when hearing about how their birth family wanted nothing to do with them solely because of their appearance. Sweet mother of mercy. And here I thought Sparky and Misty were bad. She had thought.
At the end, Sparkler put away the phone. “Ahem. So anyway, I promised them that I would talk to you about them becoming a part of our family. Our kids get along great with them, they really are angels.” She said.
Twilight blinked her eyes dry. “You have a knack for attracting foals with this kind of background don’t you.” She joked. “Seriously, how can ANYPONY do that to their flesh and blood?”
“Imagine the restraint I had to show to stop myself from blasting her into the ground.” Sparkler responded. “Thankfully the judge had ordered that she no longer is permitted contact with them.” She said.
“Good.” Twilight responded. “Where are they now?” She asked.
“In the hospital, something completely unrelated to their egg donor happened just before we came back to 1003. They’re fine though.” Sparkler responded. “Now, about the adoption. Personally I think we can handle two more kids, but you have the final say.” Sparkler said. “I want this to be our decision, not just mine.”
“Don’t you think bringing them here would cause a time paradox?” Twilight asked.
“I have a feeling that if it would, ponies we met in 2022 would’ve spoken up.” Sparkler responded.
Twilight nodded. She trusted that Sparkler wouldn’t make that up. Can we handle two more kids? She thought. Her mind quickly came to a decision.
Some time later, back in 2022 in Maretime General, Light, Dark, Izzy and Pipp were taking selfies together when they heard a knock on the door. The door opened and Sparkler walked in. Light and Dark saw her and saw the neutral expression on her face. Their minds raced with what that could mean. Is it yes? Is it no? they thought.
After a second, Sparkler smiled and stepped aside to let another pony enter. A lavender Alicorn with a cutie mark resembling Sparkler’s manepin. With that similarity, they knew on the spot who it was. They stared at Twilight Sparkle, not expecting her to show up with Sparkler to tell them the decision. Dark glanced at Sparkler, who simply smiled and nodded.
That action, coupled with Twilight’s mirrored action when both looked at her again, told Light and Dark exactly what the answer was. Their eyes watered as they jumped out of bed and they hugged their new mom. Carefully avoiding her clearly bandaged wing. Twilight returned the hug, there were no words needed. No explanations, it was as simple as yes.
From afar, Pipp and Izzy watched the moment and ended up hugging each other. Happy they Light and Dark found their new family.
Eventually, Twilight had to go as to hopefully not cause any Time Paradoxes, and Sparkler herself returned to the hospital so she could stay with the boys until they were discharged, after which she’d bring them back to 1003. Light and Dark beamed at her when she returned to the hospital. “Thank you!” They both said as they hugged Sparkler. “Thank you for everything.”
“Can I finally speak now Peppy Pippy?” Izzy asked. She, Pipp, and now Sunny were in the room with them.
“Yes Izzy Kitty. You can talk now.” Pipp responded. She had told Izzy to not interrupt the moment.
“Awesome!” Izzy responded. “I’m so happy for you two!” She told Light and Dark. “I bet you’re gonna have a blast in the past!” She said.
“Yeah!” Light and Dark responded.
“Grrr. Why did I have to leave the room?” She asked. “I wanted to meet Twilight Sparkle.” She complained.
“Because we know you.” Pipp said.
“You two woulda talked for hours.” Izzy said.
“And the danger of time paradoxes was just too great.” Sparkler finished.
Sunny rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Fine. But now that she’s saved from her downhill Spiral I HOPE she’s alive in the present. So Sparkler, bring her here when you get a chance.” She told Sparkler.
Sparkler laughed. “If I remember to do so I will.” She said.
“Write it down if you have to.” Sunny said.
That got a chuckle out of everypony. Sparkler smiled at her two now official boys. “There’s a lot of legal red tape to cut through when we get to 1003.” She said. “But you two are worth it.”
“Are there other batponies in 1003?” Light asked.
“Your new siblings are friends with one.” Sparkler responded.
That excited Light and Dark and they started asking all sorts of questions about their new home. Which Sparkler was more than willing to answer.
Finally. Sparkler thought on Light’s tenth question. We’re home.
To be continued…
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lovely!
great chapter wonder what is going to happen next time on sparkler ball z
*loud applause* bravo bravo, ENCORE XD
11248851
two more episodes left. :)
"That's how they call the theater since they saw Back to the Future 3"
Incredible how they do now talk about time travel like a spring stroll through the park.
"NO"
And then she goes off to capture the fugitive Sprout and bring him to justice.
Just keep the salts ready for when you get to the "and the friendship vanished from the lands" part