>What appealed to early bronies seemed, to me, to be how happy everyone was, and how certain both that they had a place in society, and that that was the best place for them to be.
I agree with that perception here.

>and shunned the multitude of gray found in pursuing furry art that was most of it, much darker, angrier.
Though, I do remember some of our fandom making grimdark a faultline I don't remmember it being associated with furries like how some thought all clop was. A lot of darker things did pretty well (story of the blanks, immortal game, fallout equestria) under all the fighting of the stuff like edgy grimdark OCs and being triggered over Cupcakes clones.

> What I remember seeing, what mutual antagonism
One thing that I remember was furries seeing us as a hostile invading force, made worse and somewhat true by the memetic nature of our ponies and then the peak 2012 "brony pride".

>having successfully circumnavigated the seventy-five-thousand-acre wildfire that obscured the road the whole day coming back.
Wow. That sounds not fun. Any risk of hitting your house?

>(note: that image is an edit from 30yr ago, when I first started playing around with image software at all)
And I feel nostalgic for stuff 5 years ago. Any special significance?

>It's coming, but now I'm not sure it will be tonight.
Take your time. You just got back from a long trip and I will soon be departing on one in a few days anyway