40-Twenty
I pour another drink and leaned back in the chair, taking a deep breath as I look out of my living room window. The sun is slowly lowering, bathing the room in a pleasing orange and red glow. I take a sip of my drink just as I hear the hoofsteps of my wife coming into the room.
"TD? Are you okay? You've been looking out the window for an hour now."
"Yeah, I'm fine," I mutter before finishing the drink. I consider pouring another one, but it's probably best to stop. Save it for more occasions. "Just thinking is all."
"Oh? About what?" Cheerilee asks as she pushes a chair over to me and sits down. I allow myself a small smile. She's older than when we met. Much older. Twenty years will do that to a pony. Or a human, for that matter. Her mane is slowly starting to dull a little bit, and she's finding more gray hairs than she used to have. Not that I look much better, really. I probably look a lot older than she does. I've been through a lot.
"It's been twenty years, Cheers," I mutter, looking down at my hand and focusing on where my pointer finger used to be. "Long time. Longer than I thought. It went by so fast, didn't it? I remember when we adopted Comet. She was so little. When did she grow up? She's already in high school."
"Yeah, don't remind me," Cheerilee says with a groan. "She's almost too big to fit on your back."
"Almost."
"But why are you reminiscing now?" she asks, putting the cap back on the bottle. "I've never seen you do this."
"Yeah." I take a deep breath and put my glass down before scratching at my neatly trimmed goatee. "It's been twenty years. Or rather, twenty years and eighty-five days. When I came to Equestria, I was twenty years and eighty four days old. So as of today..." My eyes twitch toward the bottle again. "I've spent more time in Equestria than Earth."
"Oh. Yeah, I can see how that would be hard," she says, leaning against my shoulder. "I can't imagine being taken from your home world like that."
"So I was pondering if I was more Equestrian than Earthling now. Or Canadian-American. However you want to put it. I've certainly been shaped by my Equestrian experiences more than my Earth ones. Just my trip around the world shows that. If I'd stayed back home, if I was never pulled into Equestria, I'd probably be teaching fifth grade in a small town. Now I'm rich beyond my wildest dreams, I have you, I have Comet and Oswald, I've had some amazing experiences and..." I look back down at where my pointer finger used to be again. "Some not so great ones. Even when I was pulled into Equestria, I wouldn't have predicted that things would turn out like this.
"Well, nopony knows who they're going to look like twenty years into the future. When I woke up the day that I met you, I didn't know that I'd be meeting a being from another world who I would go on to marry and adopt a bat pony with. I know most beings think they have a general idea of where their life is going to go, but I've found time and time again that they're almost never correct. Even Princess Celestia, who's immortal and has seen countless scenarios play out and has made a lot of plans, can never really know what's around the corner. I think you're proof of that."
"Yeah. Celestia." I chuckle and shake my head. "Man. That whole situation. You know, though? I'm glad I'm here. I know I never would have said it back when I was first brought here, but even through all of the bad stuff, I'm still glad that I'm here. I'll always miss Earth, of course. I'll always miss my friends and parents and sister." I glance back at the bottle that Cheerilee has closed up and consider opening it up again for a brief moment before deciding against it.
"I don't really know how to feel right now, though," I continue, tracing the rim of the glass with my finger. "I mean, yeah, I have you and Oswald and Comet, but I lost my old family. I'm from Earth and I grew up there, but I've seen and done amazing things here. I don't know if I should feel happy or sad that I've spent more time here. I feel weird, regardless."
"I don't see why you can't feel both," Cheerilee points out. "The emotions of one fact don't negate the other ones. I know this is hard for you, but we're all here. That's never going to change. You're not wrong to feel the way you do, TD. Not at all. You've been through it."
"No kidding," I mutter. "I"m forty, but I look like I'm in my fifties. Time has not been kind to me." I sigh and rub my goatee. "But I'm chugging along, I suppose. Not much else to do."
"Well, we'll chug along with you, of course," Cheerilee says, rubbing my chest and nuzzling my neck. "You've had a strange life, TD. Nopony can deny that. You're the strongest being that I know. I hope that someday, somehow, you get to at least see Earth again, but in regards to you being Equestrian versus Canadian-American, I think you're still an Earthing at heart. You've had amazing experiences here, but nopony can take away the experiences you had on Earth that made you into the man that you where when you came here."
"I guess so." I take a deep breath and place my glass back on the table before wrapping my arm around Cheerilee. She scoots her chair closer so that she can lean on me more comfortably.
And so the two of us sit there watching the sun sink behind the horizon.
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So, is that means you are leaving?
9774895
Huh? No! I'm just reminiscing like he is.
9774900
Reminiscing so hard that you labeled the chapter 40 instead of 41?
EDIT: in case people don't realize, this ended up as a poorly done r/woooosssh. The joke was intended to be a "bad joke only worthy of an eye roll".
9774905
The numbers in the chapter titles are TD's age, not what chapter it is. It's been like this for six years.
9774908
I know
EDIT: Just like old times, right?
Well I wonder how the next four years are going to go and if they will adopt another foal? It makes me wonder if TD will do the whole scary father bit when Comet brings home her special somecreatute?
still an Earthing at heart - Earthling?
Got a little PCD so feels good to catch-up on some readings.
Still want to see him visit earth
9775001
Yeah, you're right. I'll never do it again. Mea culpa! Mea culpa!
Well that was a right proper odyssey, wasn't it? As the man said, "start at the beginning. And when you come to the end, stop." Well we had the beginning of the story way back when, and now ye've worked around to the end. 'tis a good ending too, a restful one that is well-earned. Thanks for the story, I look forward to seeing what you do next!
Ah yes, and he's a Terran, if we're being all precise and correct about it.
9775159
...? End? It's not over yet. He's only 40.
9775293
Odd, for some reason I thought this was marked "complete".
whoops. well that's embarrassing.
Seven years? Christ, where'd the time go? I was just finishing 10th grade when I came across the first TD story. I think it was about 2 or 3 chapters long at the time. Crazy to think that the first 2 stories were written in 12 months. The wait between chapters felt like forever at the time!
9775293
The way it talks it really does look like its the ending. While nice, it feels like it coukd be more, that its incomplete.
With that authors note you made it feel like you just finished the story, luckily you haven’t yet :P
You might want to fix your chapter numbering. Your missing 1-26 (i assume part of the other 2 parts of the series and not labeled in the 3rd), 31, 36, and 39.
You also might want to put the chapters with the same number together in one chapter. (chaptes that are labeled part # (commonly 1 and 2) are exemptions to this.)
Other than that. It has been a pleasure rereading the series.
9775960
Had a quick look, and the second of the chapters with 27 before it, there's an author note saying that the number before the rest of the chapter header/name is the age of TD
And to you, BronyWriter, I give a simple heartfelt hug, for everything. Thank you so much for everything, and we will always be with you.
9776100
Oh thanks for clearing that up. I was still rereading the wandering of a non brony at the time. Wanted to have a good idea of what the story was about before reading the latest 3 chapters that popped up.
a grate 3 chapter it is so grate to see a story back up an dip dating.
9774895
but i am getting the same feeling as though you are leaving the fandom with the end of G4.??
WAUT!!!!! 3 NEW CHAPTERS!!!!! That’s a record!!!!
Is this foreshadowing an Earth visit arc, I hope so, that would be fun
9776656
As long as he stays clear of the Colorado and Arctic Bunkers he should be fine.
9776185
“That’s an academy record!”
Ohh 3 chapters!!! Reread time.
9775159
The story is "The life ..." And he is only 40 so it'll still go on.
Or the ending will look like the one in "The Background Pony" (damn that story makes me cry just by remembering it exists)
9774900
It's all gone by too fast. I can still remember finally watching the show in its second season after ponies blew up all over DA, FA, and Facebook. Hopefully the movie they have planned in 2020 will bridge this generation to the next. That's to say, if ponies can be reinvented like other long-lasting franchises (all the Star Trek generations for example), I'd be happy to keep throwing money at Hasbro and their partners... and all the fandom merch too!
9779195
Man. It's almost like TD did the ONE thing he was asked not to do after explained on why he shouldn't do it and how it would have negative repercussions for everyone involved if he did it and how it could've all been avoided if he didn't do that ONE thing and stuck to the plan which involved avoiding doing that ONE thing.
Nah, let's just pass the buck and say it's Chrysalis's fault.
Sure, let's forget about where it was watch as he get hit by at least a ton of metal speeding towards him or save him. You'd probably complain about how heartless she was by doing nothing if you knew she could've saved him.
Here's an idea, how about don't go throwing hands first if you're not going to accept getting your ass handed to you, especially if you're going to do it against someone much stronger then you. Even worse if you attack someone important, like a major political figure. Whining that you got your ass beat is just stupid.
Complain about Celestia's ability to assist and then screws a bunch of people by doing what he shouldn't when Celestia inevitably solves the problem without him after he screws up. Yeah, they shouldn't have let him come despite him agreeing and basically lying to everyone's faces.
And Big Mac hasn't nothing to do with Celestia. It's just another excuse to add to TD's rant.
But hey, TD's super cool human who punched Celestia combined with cliche "Celestia the Scapegoat" so everyone is going to just look and say TD's in the right no matter how badly he screws up so I hardly care beyond this post.
9779195
9779388
Let's stop yelling, yes? Like I said, we're done with this arc and on to fun stuff without controversy, I would hope you guys at least liked the two most recent chapters.
Ah, that's a really sweet author note. I never really saw the connection between an author becoming a brony and their protagonist going to Equestria, but now I can't un-see it.
I absolutely LOVED your author note! Really glad you're back with us, can't believe it's been seven years since you started!!
40 and looks 50, eh?
I'm 43 and look 23. 3 cheers for good genes! (All except for the male-pattern baldness gene... I look like a monk now with the bald spot.
)
Ether that or many 23-year olds today have REALLY messed themselves up. Some people I've seen, daaaaamn. What the hell were they taking all this time?
9783044
To be fair, he's been through a lot.
9783054 Hey, I live in New Jersey! NEW JERSEY!!
Hell would be a vacation!
Then the reaper brings his sister to equestria. Oh hey brother
Honestly, the whole thing with him and Celestia doesn't feel like it resolved.
9798563
and thus it shall remain unresolved! so sayest the lord!
9837913
Ah well, I guess im just blind.
Beautiful job and I tip my hat to you my friend.
9862027
not really as it's not Cheerilee who dies, just someone who means the same to the main character
9862224
Well it might not be cheerilee specifically, but if it's someone that's as close as cheerilee is to TD in this then it can still be a obvious spoiler.
9862831
sh*t, i didn't think about that
Was the pointer finger in the rewrite. (Two spots where it says ring finger in this chapter.)
were