"I know writers who use subtext, and they're all cowards." -- Garth Marenghi
It’s been years since Gabby, an old-timer at the Griffon Kingdom Postal Service, was spry enough to fly a route to Equestria. That means it’s been years since she’s talked with her good friend Spike. A new invention may let her reconnect with Spike, but she learns that won’t be the only change it brings.
Thanks to CatScratchPaper for editing and the cover art!
Featured on FimFiction 3/11/20 and 3/12/20!
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Young and beautiful – Lana Del Rey
What if Gabby moved to Canterlot the day after Twilight and Spike returned back?
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<3 Lana Del Ray. That was beautiful, thanks for sharing!
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I figure by now she’s got a ton of friends in Griffonstone, and she might end up missing them if she moved. That said, I do have some ideas for a sequel, so I may explore that.
Nice. :)
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Ooh, a sequel you say? I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for that.
This is really good. Technology developing in Equestria is something of a running theme in my own work, and discussing its positive and negative impact here through a genuinely touching narrative just hits all the right notes.
You've done an excellent job with this, and I hope it gets more attention because it really deserves it.
Edit: I posted a rec for it on my blog. I hope it gets you more attention!
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We're talking about Griffinstone.
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Thank you!
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Oh, wow, thank you so much! I love stories about how technological change isn’t always The Solution, and brings its own complications, so I’m really pleased to hear you enjoy my try at it. Which reminds me, I’ve got to read The Spirit of Radio, because no good Rush reference should ever go unread.
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True, but it is Griffonstone of The FUTURE, where friendship may be a little more common thanks to all the pony influence. It probably would never be as friendly as Equestria, but I think Gabby would have to give some serious thought to staying.
You've managed to capture an extremely abstract mood with this. This feeling of a wave of change completely overhauling a person's life but not antagonizing it, but it's still sad even though there's no real reason to be sad, and it's heartbreaking nonetheless.
I think opening with Gilda Plaza is a perfect way to start the story. In a weird way it kind of reminds me of the tendency with Gothic novels to place a kind of emphasis on ruined, dilapidated settings as metaphors for the melancholy feeling of a golden age that's gone by, except Gilda Plaza is a place that's flourishing and a sign of progress in Griffon civilization—only, the griffon whom the place was named after is slowly turning more abstract.
But she's still gone, and that's sad, and it's that special kind of sad-for-no-good-reason sad that I mentioned earlier.
Gabby's decision to retire, and the scene leading up to it, is executed beautifully. It's probably my favorite part, honestly. It's Gabby recognizing her own growing obsoleteness and sacrificing herself for the sake of her loved ones that still have many, many years ahead. You don't overexplain anything in this story, everything feels really subtle but clear to me, if that makes sense.
Again, just the interplay between the past and present makes this so beautiful.
This story tears me up inside, honestly. I hope I'm not reading too much into it or projecting too much, haha
With this and Shadows Swarmed Below, I'm completely convinced that you have a direct line to the rawest parts of my heart and you take pleasure in stomping on them. I can't wait for your next fic, as always.
This is so damn bittersweet. I love it.
Progress implies leaving some things behind. Time marches on, and not everything can keep up. (Though once griffons see what they're changing for international calls, there may be some backtracking.
)
Brilliant work throughout, capturing that blend of expectation and dislocation that comes from tomorrow arriving today. I only have one issue:
How does that gel with time zones again? It's always sunset somewhere.
In any case, thank you for a great read.
Exploring how technology impacts society is a fascinating topic. You have earned a fave.
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Thank you!
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I swear I don’t have a direct stomping line to anyone’s rawest emotions. I’m pretty sure the creepy door in my basement just leads to a crawl space, and isn’t some sort of John Malkovich deal.
Seriously, thank you for reading and another tremendous comment.
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With magic?
Honestly, I added the part about Twilight raising the sun at the last minute and didn’t think through the implications. Maybe she “raises the sun” by adjusting how fast the world turns so sunrise starts in Equestria at a specific time?
WTF in the 10 years in the fandom the first time I read about mass layoffs is 3 days after mass layoffs at work (im fine). thanks a lot universe.
I laughed really hard at the idea of anarchist sea ponies though.
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Yikes, I’m sorry to hear about the layoffs. Hope you’re okay.
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Easy enough: every hour, she moves it 1/24 through the sky. A lot easier than one shove over the horizon and letting it coast all day, and a regimented schedule like that would certainly give her neurotic tendencies some satisfaction.
Excellent job on this one-shot. The exchanges, characterizations and general wrap-up were wonderfully done. Yeah, Gabby reflecting on the changes to the world over the past couple of decades was appropriately bittersweet. And, yeah, as was said, MOST of the changes WERE for the better, but I do feel bad for all those hard-working beings who are really good at their jobs getting laid off. I DID really enjoy Gabby and Spike chatting on the telephone. So, like I said, quite appropriately bittersweet.
The story was really cute and heartwarming.