Interlude 1

It was the next day, and the sun was shining brightly. There were seven ponies currently positioned on a circular run-way of sorts, a golden royal carriage posted with two pegasi at the front, strapped to the heavy box. Standing intermittently were two alicorns, one of the night, one of the sun. Princess Luna looked much more uncomfortable, her black coat seemingly absorbing all the heat from the summer day. Not only that, but the darker-splotches of black under her eyes signified that she was past her bed time. But, she still stood to wave the ponies goodbye.

Near the edge was the familiar white-coated yellow-maned foal. He leaned precariously over the railing, staring down the side of the huge, monumental mountain that Canterlot resided on.

"So-" He started, catching the attention of Princess Luna. "If I were to jump, I would be fine?" Leo asked, still looking straight down.

"Technically, yes." Princess Luna responded. Leo looked up, confused. "Thou wouldn't be dead, per say."

"But you said there were spells to prevent me from killing myself?"

"Yes, but those spells hurt." She explained. "Going in one direction, then immediately shifting to the other will leave one's organs in a jam." Leo shuddered as he looked back down the ledge.

"No thanks." He pushed off, turning back to the platform and walking towards the carriage. As he walked, he heard conversation amongst the ponies.

"Princess Celestia?" Abigail asked. "I know you're tall and all, so- how do I fit?" Abigail was currently trying to back her rear into the open door, failing terribly and not budging at all. It seemed she got the tall-end of the stick when it came to height. She was simply too tall.

"Squeeze." Princess Celestia responded.

"I- I really can't!" She exclaimed, rocking the entire carriage back and forth. The two pegasi guards hauling the carriage both rolled their eyes at the same time.

"Let me help." Princess Celestia said, using her magic and giving Abigail a violent push! into the cart. She fell on her back, the entire carriage leaning towards the side she landed on.

"Thanks!" She said, the carriage rocking back and forth as she positioned herself somewhat comfortably.

"Ready to go, little bro?" Leo asked, nudging the smaller, darker gray pony. Charles had his entire body thrown to the side as he forced himself back up.

"Ugh- Yes, I am." He shook his head, knowing full-well resistance was futile.

"Alright, up you go, little Mustang." He teased. Charles- now under the code-name mustang, hopped into the carriage. Abigail looked on sadly as he had no difficulty fitting into the small space. It was now Leo's turn, but he hesitated for a moment as he stared at the door.

Being so short had its advantages and disadvantages. The same with being so tall. Being short did have one that, if Leo was in his old body would be ecstatic to have, but now that he was in the body of a fourteen year old seemed less awesome and more gross, was the fact Leo could see what the stork brought from practically any angle.

"Hey, Luna- Uhh- Princess Luna?" He asked, tripping over himself. The two royal sisters lined up next to each other, looking at the departed.

"What is it, young Bright Spark." She asked kindly, although her eyes were wearing her down from the apparent lack of sleep.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but..." His gaze momentarily flicked down. "Do you have a kid?"

Both princesses stopped breathing for a moment. Princess Celestia decided to go check on the guards pulling the carriage randomly as Princess Luna pawed the ground, her ears falling flat on her head.

"No. I never raised a child." She said truthfully.

"Alright." He said, turning heel and hopping into the carriage. "See ya' around!"

"Okay, children." Abigail said, readjusting so her horn didn't tear a hole in the ceiling. "Remember our code-names. I'm Sunny Skies. You?" She pointed at Charles.

"Leo." Said Charles.

"No- What's your code-name?"

"Fine. It's Mustang."

"Okay." She nodded her head. "I still don't know why you named yourself after a car."

"One, because nobody in this universe knows what a mustang is, and two, our bodies were already named after cars."

"Huh?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I mean, it was pretty obvious." He shrugged. "Mr. Blazer was obviously named after a Trail Blazer. Firebird was named after a Pontiac Firebird, and Fiero Flame was named after a Pontiac Fiero. I mean, what kind of lazy author struggles to name characters and instead uses vehicles sitting in their driveway? I mean, at least try to be creative."

"Uhh-" Sunny shook her head, pretending she didn't hear that small tangent. "Anyway- Leo, what's your name?"

"It's Bright Spark." He said, smiling brightly.

"Good. Our cover story is this- We're all siblings. You two-" She pointed to Mustang and Bright. "Are twins. Your birth killed mom, and dad couldn't handle three children so he gave us up."

"Pretty shitty dad." Mustang said, leaning back into his seat.

"Yeah, I agree." Sunny said. "Anyways- We bounced in the foster care system for a while before eventually ending up before Princess Celestia. She took pity and sent us to her student, Twilight Sparkle, to learn basic magic that we missed out on growing up. Got it?"

...

"Oh, sorry, I wasn't listening." Mustang said, head on hoof looking out the window. "I mean- if one of the guards pass out, we're like- dead, aren't we? Can't glide us down like a plane, we'll just plummet out of the sky like a rock."

"Is that true, Abigail?" Spark asked. "Are we gonna die?"

"Shut- Shut up, Charl- I mean- Mustang!" Sunny yelled. "Don't scare the kid!"

"Stop acting like you're her mother then." He said with a smile. "Aging you backwards didn't exactly take out those pesky hormones Princess Celestia talked about, now did it?"

"If we weren't role-playing you as my brother, I would've kicked your ass." She threatened.

As they flew to the desolate village known as Ponyville, a voice slowly awoke from slumber. And what he saw sent rage through his spine.

Three ponies, prancing like they owned their bodies.

He would wait. He would bide his time. And when the time was right, he would strike.

What he didn't know was two very similar voices were also waking.

And a third was just letting it happen down in Ponyville.

Author's Note

THERE IT IS!

As of 7/21/22, I have been working on this SPARKLE-FORSAKEN-STORY for about four months. I have had about NINE variations on this same story. Two of those were Scootabuse fics that I thought got a little too dark. That's actually where my previous story, Late Night Conversation came from, was one of those dark stories.

I'll go into later detail in the Afterword when I'm done with this story, but overall, excluding this story I've just written, about 178,219 words, 350 pages, 1,003,324 characters, and over, and yes I mean OVER four months.

Like I said, I'll take y'all through every story I've written to get to this point in the Afterword. If I wrote anything offensive, please tell me and I'll silently remove it.

Peace out, ladies and gentlemen, fillies and gentlecolts.