A Winter wonderland

Preface

I am Brightspark, formerly head of the Transfiguration department at Canterlot University, and since my retirement, it has fallen to me to serve as the family historian and genealogist. I can think of no better way to spend it than by chronicling the life of my grandfather. While Mark Robertson never won any battles, nor made any great discoveries, or indeed did any of the things that usually ensure one is remembered long after you are gone, he will forever be among the most well known people in Equestrian history.

As you are no doubt aware, my grandfather arrived in Equestia under unclear circumstances with very little information as to where he had been or what he was doing before being found passed out with minor injuries in Whitetail Wood. After many weeks of investigation and experiments by some of the finest minds in Equestria, it was concluded that sadly, there was no way to send him back to his own world. Over the next few years, he made a comfortable living for himself by creating calligraphy of such beauty that it won him an ever increasing number of fans. Eventually he met and fell in love with my grandmother, marrying her after a relatively short romance.

I have previously published some selected entries of his diary, and encouraged by the interest garnered, I have decided to publish others, including newspaper cuttings and some that I only recently found. My grandfather was not the most organised person, so some diaries were not kept with the others. Why, I remember when I was just a little colt, watching him at work one day when he began frantically looking for a certain stack of paper, only for me to have to point it out to him that it was just above him.

Some of my family (and indeed some members of the public) have protested at my inclusion of some of the more intimate passages of the diaries. I can well understand their thinking, they do detail the love life of my own grandparents after all, surely I ought to excise them from the published entries? My reasoning for including them is this – I have always been a champion for pure, unvarnished truth and openness, and to hide parts of my grandfather's life, be they ever so unpleasant or private would make me a hypocrite of the highest order. My grandparents had sex, how else would I be here were that not so? There is nothing shameful in that fact, so why try to hide it?

With that said, please enjoy the first (both chronologically speaking & of the newly published entries) of my grandfather's diaries. I do not know how many I will find and see fit to publish, but I will publish those that I believe will shed more light on my grandfather's life and work.

12th August 2015

It has been a month since I was found injured and unconscious in a wood by the horselike inhabitants of this strange new world that I find myself in, and two weeks since I was released from hospital. It would have been much sooner, but the doctors here had some difficulties with my physiology, in addition to some of my injuries being more serious than first assumed.

And, I suppose I must be honest and admit that I may have been less than composed at finding myself surrounded by talking horses, or “Ponies” as they prefer to be called. I oscillated between despair, fear and plain refusal to accept the reality of my situation. Happily though I am now much calmer. Following the advice of the staff, I have decided to start recording my thoughts in a diary, to better help me process what has happened. Once I was deemed ready to leave, I was surprised by the offer to live in the castle in Canterlot until they could send me home. Seeing as I had nowhere else to go, I was only too happy to accept.

While I was in hospital, the two Princesses who ruled this land, the sisters Luna and Celestia had assembled a team of experts, who had been busily trying to figure out where I came from and if it was possible to send me back. In this task they were being aided by Celestia's former pupil and newly promoted Princess, Twilight Sparkle (such strange names they all have). This news played a small, but vital part in soothing my frayed nerves. The knowledge that my situation was being dealt with by the highest authorities in the land was immensely reassuring. I could only hope that they were successful.

Yesterday was a rather warm Spring day, and under the stultifying effects of the midday heat, I decided to sit in shady part of my room and rest. While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
" 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door - Only this and nothing more."

The tapping became more insistent, and as I snapped back to full alertness, I realised that the sound was coming from my window.

I pulled back the curtain I had drawn to shade myself to discover that the source of the knocking was Twilight Sparkle herself. She was rather awkwardly perched on the narrow windowsill outside, and whatever had caused her to visit was quite urgent if her expression was anything to judge by.

I hastily opened the window, which luckily for her opened inwards.

'Mark! Thank goodness you're here!' Twilight gasped as she crawled through my window.

'Twilight, tell me you have good news – or any news for that matter. I've been made to feel very welcome, but I just want to go home. Can you do it, can you send me back?'

Twilights' ears drooped 'Ah, well you see...' she trailed off, 'That's why I've come, I do have news, but it's not good.' she continued after a pause

'I'm stuck here, aren't I? I asked bluntly, sitting back in my chair.

'I'm afraid it looks that way, I'm sorry Mark.' Twilight replied

This was my lowest point yet, I now had no hope of ever seeing my my own world again, I'd never see my home, my family – anything of my old life was now seemingly gone, never to be seen again. I remember sighing and swallowing a lump in my throat before asking Twilight what was going to happen to me. The answer was that I was to be given a grant of five-thousand bits with which to start a new life (based on Twilights' explanations of prices, I suppose it would equal about £100,000) and a weekly stipend of 100 bits until I found my feet. This all seemed rather generous, but Twilight assures me that it is no bother and that in addition to the financial aid, The Princesses will use their diplomatic contacts to ensure a steady supply of meat, so as to meet my dietary requirements. This last one was surprising to me.

'Meat? Are they sure? I mean, I know Ponies are all about being open and accepting of others, but meat is... Well it's a bit of a stretch. I'd understand if they didn't want to have to deal with it.'

'Mark, it's no bother really – I mean compared to the demands of the Yakistanis, meat is nothing! After all, from what you;ve told us, as well as the medical reports, "Humans" need meat in their diet. You may be here for the rest of your life, so a good diet is important.'

'Well I had hoped to only stay a while, but now I guess I'll have to get settled in. Thanks Twilight.'

'You're welcome! And don't worry Mark, I'm sure you'll do just fine.' she replied, making her way through the windowsill, causing me to get a brief but close up view of what was normally covered by her tail.

'Oh, and I almost forgot, Celestia said that she'd pay you a visit in the next day or two!' she added, turning to face me.

'O-okay! I look forward to it.' I stammered, my face burning with embarrassment.

“Excellent! Until next time!' she said brightly before flying away with less than graceful flaps of her wings.

And so with that settled, I am now beginning to seriously think about where I'll live and how I'll support myself. Maybe I could get into Calligraphy?