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// Prologue: Accepted? 
// Story: Equestria University Adventures 
// by Freewillornot 
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I eagerly tore into the envelope as soon as I saw the sender's name, pulling out the letter to read the results. I had done it—joy and happiness ran through my entire body. I was accepted into Equestria University with a full ride scholarship. I guess I should explain how this works since I’m a human who just got accepted into a university for ponies.

Ten years ago, a portal of unknown origins (still a mystery to this day) opened up in our plain of existence (meaning our world, Earth). A group of scientists was sent in to investigate the phenomenon after a few people had gone missing. Last, they were seen entering into the portal. The research they gathered led them to conclude that anything that enters may not return. Not being able to accept these terms caused the head scientist, better known as Dr. Theodore Ivon, to do what others would not. He gave a speech saying he would give himself for the good of the human race and said that no matter how long he was gone, no one was to go into the portal after him and if he did not return in one month’s time, declare him to be dead. Right before entering the portal, his assistant Sam stepped in front of him and said he would not allow him to go at this alone; he would join him on his mission to the other side. Soon after, two other scientists also declared they would accompany him. Now being set, the four entered the portal and the area was quarantined.

Six months had passed since the party of four had entered the portal and were all declared dead. It was now the military's turn to step into action. One hundred soldiers would enter the portal armed to the teeth and ready for anything they may face on the other side. Before entering the portal, the soldiers were faced with sudden winds of over 75 mph being generated from an unknown source. Followed by the sky darkening and snow beginning to fall. A small tremor from below caused several soldiers to fall over, causing many to already abort and retreat from the mission. Those that stayed were about to witness something that humanity had never seen before. A flash of light caused those who were left to look away. On looking back in the direction of the light, the soldiers were shocked. The party of four, along with the others that went missing, were standing before all of them.

Dr. Ivon had an important announcement that he addressed on live TV shown worldwide. What he said still shocks the world today. He said, “Humanity is no longer alone to brilliance. We have discovered a race of intelligent life forms which aided us in the return back to our own world.” Once he said intelligent life, panic spread like wildfire and people began to believe they were endangered for no impaired reason. The military was once again called upon to take action, and troops were being assembled to combat the supposed threat.

It looked as if humanity was on the brink of starting war with a potential ally just because we did not understand them. We’re blinded by the fear of something new that we have to hide behind our weapons to engage upon the unknown. For the unknown could bring devastation or bring entire charge to all we know.

Dr. Ivon addressed the world again. He said, “This race means no harm to us and in 3 days time the leader of their race will arrive in our world to speak to our leaders to negotiate peaceful terms.”

Three days later, the leader of their world arrived in our world to negotiate. TV cameras were set up everywhere for the arrival of their leader named Princess Celestia. Jaws dropped on seeing their leader—a 6-foot-tall, white, furred, winged, horned pony, with multiple colored mane and tail. She was accompanied by two guards—one a Pegasus and the other a unicorn wearing full suits of armor. Dr. Ivon had thought it would be best if what the new race looked like was kept secret for no one would take him seriously if he said that the new race comprised of talking magical ponies. Negotiations were pretty light. Princess Celestia decreed that only a handful of humans yearly may enter into their world, so as not to overpopulate their society.

For the next 5 years, the only ones selected to go over there were scientists to get a better understanding of their world. Then Princess Celestia allowed for an exchange program to transpire between college students of youth. Ten human students plus additional students a year may attend Equestria University. Those that are chosen stay for as long as their scholarship permits them. So Equestria University has been thoroughly evaluated and given the highest of ratings among any University in our world and theirs. Students of our world may receive real diplomas and degrees there that have the same credibility as if they received them from over in our world.

Princess Celestia put Dr. Ivon in charge of picking the students. She seemed to have real trust in him because she appointed him as the vice dean of the University. To register you needed to be between the ages of 18 to 24 and had to have finished high school without any setbacks and your GPA had to be 3.5 or above. Then you just send in a paper stating why you believe you should be given the opportunity to attend Equestria University.

The administrators often tell students that the chances of getting in are equal to winning the lottery, hoping some people will give up on the spot. Over a hundred thousand students register for the 10 slots available each year. Sometimes, not all the slots get filled; last year, only 7 students were picked instead of 10. Well, I didn’t put my heart and soul into the paper I sent in like my friend did. Her paper was 15 pages long, while mine was maybe a paragraph. Here’s a little preview of the paper I sent in:



"Hello Dr. Theodore Ivon, my name is Greg Fredrickson. So why should you give me the opportunity to attend Equestria University? Well, that is why you’re reading this paper to find out. I’m not going to bore you with my whole life story like most everyone else does. So I’m just going to send you this paper like this because there is no way out of the thousands of papers you get you’ll actually see mine."



The next thing I knew, I'd been accepted into Equestria University. Thanks to the paper I believed would not get me anywhere. Upon telling my friend, she tackled me to the ground and started yelling at me for taking her spot. She wanted so badly to enter their world and possibly become a flyer. Yeah, it seems that when we cross into their world, we are given the chance to become not a different race but given the abilities to fly due to wings magically appearing on your back, or we just stay a normal human. In Equestria, there are three main races of ponies: unicorns that have magical abilities channeled by their horns, Pegasus, which are winged ponies that have the ability to control the weather and walk on clouds, and lastly, earth ponies that dwell upon the earth, meaning the ground, which I find to be the most boring of the three. In which I will probably end up being just a normal human, thus I am boring too. In the records of the past 10 years, there have only been 3 flyers, one of them being Dr. Ivon. Flyers have the same abilities as a Pegasus. Everyone else has been a plain human, and no magical unicorn changes have occurred with anyone, yet.



Telling my folks about my acceptance letter into Equestria University brought joy to them. However, that was just on the outside; I could see in their eyes a sadness. What kind of parents wouldn't be a little sad seeing their babies grow up then leave them? It had always been my dream to embark on my own, to go on an adventure elsewhere. All that I could learn from Equestria University, I could easily obtain the same information in my own world. So what would be the point in going? If I go, I leave behind all my friends and family. It’s not forever, and I’ll see them again, but it’ll never be the same. Yet, if I were to go, I’d experience something that most go their entire life without: adventure.



Asking for some of my friends’ opinions on the matter didn't help the least bit. We all talked about going to the local university together; however, that is no longer the case now, since I’m considering not just going to a different university but also a different world. Of course, they all said go for it, but I knew they were thinking about how I would betray them all in doing so. My best friend, Josh, told me he would be sad to see me go, but if I just worry about how others felt, then I would never move forward in my own life.



Sitting at my desk in my room, I was in deep thought while eyeing the acceptance letter in my hands. Just because I got accepted doesn't mean I have to go; I could refuse. It’s not like an opportunity like this is once in a lifetime. Going to another world outside of your own—yeah, there will be plenty of those opportunities just standing outside your doorway in your life.



The decision has been made. I’ll try it for a semester, and if I don't like it, I'll get out of it.