Absolution

by Cynewulf

III. Supplemental: A History of Who I Love, 2's My Favorite 1

Supplemental: Personal Messages, 2 of 3
AFTERPONY PROJECT STATUS: LUNA MODULE “STAR MOTHER”
AfterPony Status 58%

NOTES: Shadow accessed file on multiple occasions. Mark for further investigation.

Scootaloo lies flat on the floor, sprawled out. Her hooves are straight up in the air like a devotee presenting an offering, holding up a tablet computer. As I watch, she smiles up at it. She has received a message from her significant other, and according to Luna’s guidelines, I am paying attention to Scootaloo. Learning comes through observation and practice.

He is talking. Name: Rumble. Age: 24. Gender: Male. From Ponyville, Central Equestria. Living in Las Pegasus, working for Pegaconn Technologies as an Engineer.

“Heya, babe! The colts from the Space Agency told me this vid will pop up on your computer about a month in. Cool, huh? Like a time capsule. Anyhow, I hope you’re doing alright up there. I know it’s gotta be lonely. But by the time you get this, more than a month will be up, right? Almost there. Eleven more and you’ll be back with me, I promise.”

She rolls her eyes. Her tail flicks back and forth.

“And... now you’re laughing at me. It’s okay, I know you are, don’t hide it. Anyhow... gosh, this is kind of hard, talking to a camera and pretending it’s you. I miss you already, and you aren’t even offworld yet. Yeah, I know it’s silly... but I miss you, Scoots. I’m gonna go crazy without my favorite filly for a whole year.”

She sits up and runs a hoof along the screen, her mouth a thin line. She forgets that I am here, sometimes; it is very unguarded behavior.

“But we’ll make it through. I mean, if I can keep all those mares off me... after all. Engineer, here, high roller. Swimming in nubile mares.”

And the thin line decides on a direction. It turns up into a smile, and the smile begets laughter.

“Yeah... I’ll record a few more of these this week, too, so don’t worry if this one isn’t the best. I’m sure by next time I’ll know what to do. I guess I could tell you what you’ve missed in the last week or so since we were able to talk.

“It’s been a kind of eventful week. Some guys in another department messed up big time and there was a recall...”

He continues. Scootaloo pays attention, which surprises me. I compare her apparent level of engagement with similar data from my long explanations and find a large gap in the two experiences. I had concluded that she was simply uninterested in longer explanations, but it seems that my observations were not yet complete.

She has a strange look on her face that I recognize only through cross-reference with media and Luna’s lessons. Luna would call it a “soft look.” I don’t understand why that is, but I know enough of sensation to recognize fondness.

“... even got tickets to Sweetie Belle’s show in Neighvarro. It’s kind of far away... but I think I’m gonna go. Apple Bloom even said they’d save a seat for me. In your honor, of course. I should get to know your friends better. We didn’t hang out much when we were kids, you know? Maybe I’ll even get Sweetie Belle to say my name... oh, that sounds terrible.”

She laughs as if it were the funniest thing she’s ever heard.

“But yeah. Friendship. All that good stuff. I think I might keep, like, a video log outside of these. A whole year of them. It could be, like, ‘A Year Without Scooters’ or ‘ScootaRumble: The Lost Year!’ or something. The more I think about this, the more I like it. I think I will do that.

“But... anyhow. I’m exhausted, Scoots. I’m gonna go collapse. Be safe, okay? Something goes wrong and you just turn around and come back. I need my favorite pillow.

“I love you, Scootaloo. Goodnight!”

Comments

[q97randomguy]

My Little Pony
Computers are Magic

[Cynewulf]

2076411 Ghost Protocol? Ha

randomguy squee'd over that. I enjoyed it highly

[Anubis Nox]

2076417 You wanna know what else I enjoyed highly?

This story.

[Cynewulf]

2078709 heh heh I'm glad someone does

No, but seriously, I'm really glad. The next three will be out soonish. Every... four days or so, I guess? Kind of just when I'm ready to release each one. But fast all the same!

[enamis]

Dude, this fic scares the absolute shit out of me and I love it

[Cynewulf]

2088747 I'm glad you're enjoying it!!!!

And heh heh we're only halfway there.

[JasperRoth]

I am loving this fic! It is so interesting and introspective! I love the way the story is conveyed. Keep up the good work!

[Cynewulf]

2093117 Thankya! I'm glad you're enjoying it. The next chapters should be out soon, I'm waiting for the technical issue storm to die down.