TheIdiot Regarding: One Year Later · 6:32pm May 26th, 2018
Hello, all! TheIdiot here once again to provide you, the readers and watchers, an update on what's going on and…
Well, here we are; one year, a prologue, seven published chapters, 168 likes, a near-death experience (Fluffy was fine, though) and 324 followers later. While it’s been a tiring year, with multiple events across the board and challenges to face, but like an Elton John song we’re still standing!
While it’s been a bit dry from the main story these past few months, we’ve been hard at work making sure the quality is up to snuff with previous installments. I ask, humbly of you our dear audience, to bear with us as we continue production of Chapter 8.
But, to give you all a taste of what to expect, and to celebrate our one year anniversary, please enjoy the following segment.
* * * * *
The metal briefcase slammed open, revealing paraphernalia fit for a spy.
Acting on instinct, Redheart gave another glance all around. Not that it’d help now, if anyone had spotted her. Help the unwary peeper, that is. But there was no one. They’d have to have been exceedingly intrusive to enter her house, anyway.
Redheart felt a regretful twinge at the hypocrisy, but shook it off. This was, after all, technically her house. True, she hadn’t been home in a year, and this bedroom, with its collection of snowglobes on the shelves, was everything her bedroom hadn’t been since the Crystal War. She had a right to be here.
Her glance led her to stare behind her, at the bed’s occupant.
Sure enough, her other self was still tucked under the covers, snoring, fast asleep, thanks to the sedative doing its work. Redheart did not dwell on her. With all the other familiar yet unfamiliar faces she’d met today, her own doppelgänger was the most perturbing of all. No, it was the briefcase’s contents she needed to focus on.
The insignia of the Eighth Home Regiment greeted her, adorning her folded-up scarlet cloak, which covered the width of the case’s interior. Gingerly, Redheart pulled out the cloak, and lay it on the desk, to find what she was looking for.
The handle-end of the case, although deeper, wasn’t as replete with knick-knacks as the lid. All it contained was a keyboard, a scroll of paper and a platen. Of course, those were only the most basic, visible components of a typewriter.
From a pocket of the lid compartment, Redheart took out a small, circular mirror, and slotted it neatly onto a tiny hook at the top of the compartment.
She began typing, the words printing on the scroll, letter-by-letter.
Solar Date & Time: Unknown.
Local Date & Time: 02.06.03EH, 19:00Time Elapsed Since Arrival: +27hrs
Redheart paused then, thinking the next part over.
The numbers provided for the date and time of my present location may seem aberrant. In the name of Her Majesty Celestia, I swear this is not the case. I, Redheart, am of sound mind and wit. Yet, by some strange fluke, I have found myself back in Equestria. Prior to contact with Earth. In Year 3 of the Era Harmoniae.
The past? Or a parallel reality?
Direct, precise, military. Everything it should be.
Arrived yesterday at circa 15:00...
And so Redheart outlined all she’d seen and done since landing in the Everfree Forest.
How, watching from the thickets, she’d spotted the battered Colonel Alexander Reiner, come upon by the six Element Bearers. How, to her surprise, they had been accompanied by an alive Lyra Heartstrings, not as a captive, but as a friend. How she’d followed from afar as they took the human back to Ponyville, a simpler Ponyville, and thanks to a clever ruse by Miss Pie, snuck him into the hospital.
She wrote of bivouaccing under the bridge for the night, pondering her move. She wrote of how in the early hours of the morning, she’d slipped inside the house through the cellar window, prying off a rusty hinge she’d always meant to fix. Knowing her other self, she’d imbued the hairwash with sedative, and watched as the trick ran its course.
At seven that morning, twelve hours ago now, she’d entered the hospital ahead of shift.
Any move she intended against Alexander Reiner was hindered, however, when she found that not only was he watched over by Lyra Heartstrings, Celestia herself had come, and saw no enemy in him. Celestia, from when she was Princess. And Luna had joined her, too, unbound and free as the night of her escape from the Moon.
It had been the longest voluntary shift Redheart had ever taken. All for the cause. Fortunate, then, that she’d had the foresight to take a good, long rest the previous night, even if it wasn’t in the best of beds.
But they were all gone. Celestia and Luna had returned to Canterlot, the Bearers dispersed. Redheart didn’t know everything the human had told them, yet there was no doubt he’d played himself up as the victim. Only the human remained, with Heartstrings. And two Guards she hoped would never suffer as she had suffered.
Redheart did not mention the date she’d suggested at Sugarcube Corner. Indeed, she made no mention of Sugarcube Corner, whatsoever.
Once she’d concluded, Redheart sat back, and waited. In all likelihood, if she failed, they would find the letter. That was fine. They were ponies, after all. They were sure to understand her reasoning.
”Everything I do is for the future of ponykind,”
the letter had finished.
If somepony of this other Equestria sees this, you must understand. I do this not out of hate, or fear, or anger, but for the glory of Equestria. You may think you understand what the human brings, but you do not. I assure you, this is for your own good.
* * * * *
One year and counting everyone. I hope you’ll stick with us over the next 364 days as hopefully they’ll be better spots of production time.
Till next time,
Sincerely,
TheIdiot
Yes, I nearly died like six weeks ago!
I got better.
It looks good so far! Take your time I prefer quality over quantity anytime.
4870083
You nearly died?
4870090
Yeah, I broke my back six weeks ago. But I got better!
4870101 Just like a Monty Python character.
Well good luck
were the quotes supposed to be grey on grey?
4870138 Thank you.
4870157 Yes. Why?
4870408
made it hard to read, if that was the effect you were going for.
4870778 Huh. Didn't figure that. Oops. ^^;