Twilight Sparkle and the Stupid Original Pony

It was late. The long tolling of the midnight bell was fading away when a key rattled in its lock. A light came on in a small bachelor apartment, a single low-thaum gem flickering to life in the middle of the room.

After another week trying to drown his worries in overwork, this was his first trip home instead of sleeping on a breakroom sofa. Stepping over the pile of mail waiting his attention, he almost didn’t bother grabbing it off the floor. Only the colour of one article peeking out from under the others bade him turn back and retrieve it all.

With shaking hooves the tired stallion opened a violet envelope.

Dear Dr. Gudlun,

I hope to speak to you soon in person, but I write to you now to extend my immediate, absolute, and unconditional forgiveness for the matter we have discussed regarding the administration of certain medications. I fully acknowledge that you had no malice, caused no physical harm, and were acting under appropriate authority who shall remain nameless.

I understand that you wish to keep this issue discreetly under wraps. I commit myself entirely to honoring your wish and should I ever fail to do so, you may reveal this letter to evidence my poor faith. (I do ask, that if the secret gets out, you make effort to determine if it was me who betrayed you. Because I won't!) I further promise to testify in your defense should this ever become a disciplinary matter with the medical board. I will not allow you to suffer on my behoof.

Additionally, I heartily commend you for the exemplary service you rendered unto the Throne, the staff of Canterlot Castle, and the ponies of Canterlot city, during the recent covardvirus outbreak. Let nopony doubt your high standards of care! I will write up a formal commendation to be entered in your employment file when I get my hooves on some more official stationary, I’ve used all mine writing to request expedited site approvals in several zoning jurisdictions.

With heartfelt apologies for my portion of the antagonism which has occurred between you and me, I beg you to allow me to sign myself,

your friend,

~~Princess~~ just Twilight Sparkle

By the time he reached the end of the short letter, Dr. Gudlun could hardly read through the tears of relief flooding his eyes. He was out from under the shadow of his guilt. Waiting for the axe to fall, he had put his personal life on hold. Now his way was open to honorably approach a certain mare on the castle catering staff. He had good reason to suspect that he had caught her eye every bit as profoundly as she had caught his. He knew that she worked night shift – perhaps after a quick shower to freshen up he could meet her, after her work ended. There was absolutely no reason to hesitate further.

Hearthwarming was only weeks away, and who could dare to imagine what might unfold in that short time if she truly did share the attraction he felt. The sense of freedom and hope was a wave of pure euphoria; he waltzed a turn around his apartment before rearing and falling, laughing, backwards onto his small bed – too small, perhaps, it might soon prove.

Fully planning to leave it lie where it fell he threw all of his unopened mail into the air. One piece fluttered to rest on his nose.

In the warm glow of possibilities now opened before him, he almost didn’t bother to unfold the flimsy from staffing.

Attention: Gudlun, Kyle A., M.D.

Equestria Medical Placement Agency is pleased to inform you that your request for an expedited transfer has been approved. Per your request “as far away as possible”, you are hereby ordered to report to the steam brig T.M.V. Arkham II departing in two day’s time for the South Pole. The Arkham II is berthed at the R.R.I dock in the lower city riverfront. For a standard three year tour of duty, your cargo allowance for personal goods shall not exceed…

Two day’s time? The notice had been delivered two days ago and his departure was only hours away!

Instead of sleeping for a planned twelve hours after his triple shift, Kyle found himself frantically arranging lading and haulage for his possessions. Substantial gratuities were needed to bring it all together. A pair of carousing longshoreponies were just barely sober enough to liberate the proper one-cubic-meter-net shipping crates from an inadequately secured drayage yard. The property manager was willing to allow the doctor escape the lease on his apartment: several of the manager’s family members had benefited from the doctor’s care during the previous viral outbreak. An accommodating (for a fee) less-than-cartload hauler was woken and rattled his way across the nighted cobbles to deliver hastily filled crates to the proper warfside. A former classmate forgave a pre-dawn disturbance and agreed to liquidate the rest of Gudlun’s furnishings for a share of the proceeds.

At last his remaining worldly goods were stowed in the steamer’s hold and he found himself sitting at the small inbuilt desk in his third class cabin. With only twenty minutes before they would cast off, he had just time to pen a quick note and wave down some dockside lounger who might, for a tip, be amenable to conveying it on his behoof.

“Miss Medlar,”

he wrote, then paused. He didn’t want to come across as arrogant or bothersome or creepy or desperate or any of twenty two other possible misperceptions. If only he had been able to speak to her, really speak to her, just once. Perhaps the interest he thought she displayed was mere gentle manner, or entirely his imagination. He must be honest about his intent in writing, but hopefully not scare her away. It would take months for her reply, if any to reach him. As he pondered these thoughts his head slipped down to the surface of the desk.

—

Night shift ended in the second tower late kitchen. Once again she would make her way to a lonely rented room in Miss Priddy’s Boarding Home for Single Mares. Was it some unknown restraint that silenced the handsome doctor, or disinterest? Perhaps tomorrow she would simply ask him.