The portal between Earth and Equestria has been open for five years and cultural exchanges have started taking place in earnest. One of these exchanges is sending ponies to human institutions for higher learning.
Stormy Skies, a pegasus living in Canterlot, has just been accepted into one such school. But he only applied out of curiosity. How will he deal with being a spokespony, representing Equestria when he isn't even sure what he's supposed to do? And what will happen when he finds out exactly how far in over his head he is?
This is a slice of life story meant to counterbalance my other works. This will update as I finish chapters with a release of Tuesdays. This is more of fun work and a chance to play around with cultural ideas. In that line of thought, speak up if you think of something good.
And sorry bout the cover, needed a stand in until I can get art with the proper cutie mark. But the basic idea of the image is exactly how strange the cultures may seem to each other. Bonus points if you can tell me what he's poking. And if you can't guess it he is here to stay, I rather like it.
I swear if I don't see some tormenting of the ickle Freshie, I will find you and I will end. you. Especially if he get's roomed with an older student to show him the ropes and what not.
It's not as bad as people think it is, more exasperation at having to deal with completely inexperienced students that expect the world handed to them and take fucking forever at doing anything. Usually only lasts the first month, maybe a week or two more, at most.
If, for any reason, you need some extra ponies, just send me a PM and I can lend you up to three.
Also, this looks promising. I await more.
nice read. good concept. keep it up.
a pre-reader might help too for future chapters.
good luck
And I'm going to guess that he's poking either a partially popped bag of popcorn, a freshly nuked steamer bag of vegetables, rice, or both, or possibly a memory foam pillow.
Nice Concept. I look forward to seeing how this turns out. Keep it up!
Cant wait for the Astronomy lesson.
This fic has the exact same name as an anime that my friend says is a serious mindfuck... I'm not quite sure what to do here.
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Oh, I know. But they typically house freshman with other freshman. Although youth can be a bad thing for sanity of others. 
But from what I heard, freshmen don't really get picked on there.
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Are you volunteering?
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So close yet so far.
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Think earth pony 
(That and I know crap about it. But now I can't get the thought out of my head. Dang you. 
)
That's a tough one though. Would need a reason and a req that it covers. Was thinking something a little more evil.
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Did not know that. But it will be nothing like that!
2749125Okay, yeah I was worrying. Also didn't help that his cutie mark looked like Japanese lettering... so yeah.
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That is my OC as you can tell by my avatar and it has to do with my minor obsession with Japan, hence the Japanese name (dai kirai). Which makes my lack of knowledge of anime a little embarrassing. 
Yeah, about that.
The coloration just happened to match up perfectly, needed a blue and yellow pony in this story for...reasons (has to do with a joke for the next chapter).
How about Greek Mythology, I want to see his reaction to the creatures in those Myths compared to Equestria.
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it looks like a beeper system off the wall
Right now I'm trying to imagine ponies going through engineering school.
...Nope, can't do it.
Well, it's rated "Everyone", so I know what he's not poking in the cover image.
...
(Those with susceptible minds and/or under the age of 12 years, please do not look)
a tampon bag or a condom package
Is it one of those college acceptance packages?
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College acceptance packages? Don't they normally just get a letter saying whether or not you got in and whether or not you got in?
Oh goodie
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When I received my acceptance letter, I had also gotten a packet full of some paperwork and information. I was guessing that might be it since he'd gotten into college.
Pinkie really needs to decorate that Earth side of the portal, dull concrete all around... and that banner! Oh my, green is so last year.
Very interesting! I'm looking forward to reading more.
2791595 Pinkie going to Earth doesn't sound like a good idea. Equestria has magic to go with its physics, allowing Pinkie to safely do what she does without damaging some fundamental law of physics too badly. Earth, as far as I know, has no magic, so Pinkie popping up out of a bowl of sponges would devastate everything in a 5 mile radius, not to mention pulling random things out of her mane and somehow having stashed emergency everythings everywhere on earth, even though she had never been there before. And then there's the matter of security and her party cannon.
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But imagine her trying to get through airport security. They might set it off while having to pat her down.
2793875 Pinkie wouldn't even have to go through security. She'd just have to Pinkie her way to the other side, maybe even onto the plane once a spot opens up that she wants before the previous group is completely off. Set up a small bakery and begin selling baked goods. Heck, she could set up a stand by the gate and sell baked goods and hot drinks for less than what the airport places charge.
If she does go through security, she'd probably show up on the x-ray scanner while going through the metal detector at the same time. That actually sounds kind of fun to write.
So... I gather pony magic works on Earth? I also assume that from the Senator's chat, our pony will find out quick what racism/xenophobia is like? Kinda hoping he'll also find more people that will be accepting. It wouldn't surprise me if the college girls found him adorable, getting touchy-feelly, like they would around a cute puppy. (heh, awkwardness ahoy!)
More please?
One typo at the end: "Dulled International Airport" instead of "Dulles International Airport".
Anyways, this could be an entire universe if you built it up.
Humans and Equestrinians allied to make the world a better place.
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That is why edits should not be done at 2am. But it will be a whole universe, if he ever freakin' makes it to school. (these several chapters of the 'journey' were originally one. When finished it will cover all four years and maybe beyond.
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NAH. Isn't three enough?
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not sure he would like the attention. I would be more worried about the little kids running around the airport.
As for xenophobia, what has he seen so far?
As for college girls
2830619 Three is a milestone for Valve. For a fanfic like this, it's not a good ending point.
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The only xenophobia in the show was Zecora coming to Ponyville. In a big city, I suppose it's almost a daily scene to see zebras and pretty much every other species. Now for racism (in a broad sense), that would be far more common in a big city. If not by type (Unicorn versus Earth pony) then by social and financial status.
Yeah, little kids might be the bane of ponies. To think their wishes have finally come true and wanting a ride or to just cuddle, pet, and/or dress up the helpless visitor. I mean, let's face it. Equestrian ponies do look like walking toys. Their impossible colors, possible wing/horn appendages, and body proportions do little to alleviate the "omg, it's so cute" reaction in most every human. Rarity might pull off a more sexy/adult aspect to it but Fluttershy would have people keeling over from Dawww'abities with an *eep* at twenty paces. The poor girl would be hounded here on Earth as she was during that Photo Finish fiasco.
I just thought of something else not seen yet. Human diet. I'm fairly certain that's been part of the Earth orientation packet all ponies get, right? Not to spaz out because that beef burger was an Earth cow and not someone you might know back in Equestria? What other differences are their that could sneak up and bite the pony on the flank? Are there certain spices or additives humans pay no mind to but might cause a reaction in ponies? While it probably won't mean ponies go into grand mal seizures after consuming sodium hexametaphosphate (protects the flavor), that and all the high-fructose corn syrup and caffeine in a bottle of Mt.Dew might pack a far more powerful punch than they were expecting from the innocuous fizzy drink not available in all of Equestria. (Unless ponies somehow figured out how to carbonate punch I wonder if soda could be considered a rare/expensive delicacy in Canterlot? Ha! Well, rare until they get their hooves on a Sodastream unit and start crafting a ponified version of it for the masses)
Mmm! So much world building (comparing the differences) to be had! Ooooh, I can't wait to see what happens next.
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expectations. 
But he won't be completely naive.
Nah, thought of that. And there won't be any hamburger thing, spam maybe because who would brief a pony on something humans don't eat.
Hope there's no Starbuck's in the airport and he gets thirsty.
If you have any other ideas please tell me. The comments on this one help to motivate me and might catch something I miss. I can't convey how much this is appreciated.
Someone watches Stargate.
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Why do you say that?
2973276
that is an occupational hazard. Yeah... Japanese things slip in from time to time. 
Please elaborate. "higher priority?"
As for the language thing between English (Latin and German) and Equestrian, who says they aren't related? As for Japanese, maybe they have translation spells or translators... Oh, the name.
Glad you like it. That is an interesting review though. Happy to have it.
Funny thing is that this story made it in the 'humans aren't bastards' group before it involved a single human.
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update?
3102496
These are supposed to update?
Sorry, too much going on, been mostly MIA or AFK depending on your preferences. Also a little burnt out on writing. My prereaders and editors have been on holiday, as have I. Its summer lol
Have three more just about done with their rough drafts. Didn't realize it had been almost two months.
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One other thing: ponies lie just like humans do. What was one of the first countries they interacted with? Who was sent over? Can ponies change their names? Actions and words are how you judge, but 'all the worlds a stage'
Should have asked that before, but tend to leave that up to the reader.
...Hunger Games? Oh boy....Stormy's in for a surprise, ain't he?
2858588 someone likes to counter red and green.
I have to say, I love this! This is one of my favorite pony on earth stories! (So far)
Yeah, this seems like a rather strange reasoning. Many academics would seek to understand how magic works using the scientific method. Considering that it can be reproduced and studied, by ponies magic therefore isn't a completely random phenomena. I would think a number of institutions would jump on the chance to enroll the first non-human intelligent species for the publicity that it could possibly bring.
Now, had you talked more about security concerns for both humans and ponies (what happens with crimes committed by either of the two species) I could see a better argument. Or perhaps concerns of security on campuses (such as photographers stalking ponies and disrupting campus life). Perhaps you do talk about these later, but I don't know because as is I can't make it past the first few paragraphs because of things like the quote above.
Still, didn't downvote it... but lost interest in it completely. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck in the rest of your endeavors.
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That's cool, thank you for the information. It does come up later, somewhat, as in when trying to get a visa to come to Earth. And science does not like things it doesn't understand. But this is all view based. That and I prefer studies of culture.
And thank you.
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The need a Flutteryay emotipony. This will have to do. *squeeee*
nm, they do.
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You mean its not a happy book or a great adventure like Daring Doo? It's not like people die or anything.
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...What?
Isn't that the exact opposite of science?
I mean... gah. That's... that's wrong on so many levels I am having trouble articulating all of them.
Well, I suppose scientists technically don't like things they don't understand, but that motivates them to try to understand them instead of ignoring them or denying them. That is, they don't like not understanding things, but they like finding things that the don't yet understand because they intend to work to understand it. Gah, I can't seem to find the right words to describe what I am trying to say.
Scientists LOVE finding stuff that doesn't fit at all into the existing model. That's how we learn things, that's what science is all about. Science adjusts its views based on what is observed, it doesn't reject data that doesn't fit its existing views. Science isn't a... a... dogma. We know that our existing models don't have all the answers, that's what science is all about: learning new things and updating our models to better reflect reality as it is. Our scientific understanding of the universe is constantly changing, again that's what science is all about. A scientist, when confronted with clear evidence of pony magic, wouldn't be thinking "this doesn't fit into our existing model and thus I hate it and will do my best to ignore it", he'd be thinking "Holy shit Nobel prize here I come! This is the biggest discovery in millennia!". Scientists would be tripping over each other to learn about magic from the ponies.
Magic, as seen in MLP and this fic itself, is a science (Exhibit A: Twilight Sparkle). It is a field of scientific study that humanity has never seen before, but it is most certainly a science. It is repeatable, testable phenomenon. It is no less scientific than, say... electromagnetism.
Apologies for the lengthy and somewhat harsh response, but seeing science misunderstood or misinterpreted is a bit of a berserk button for me. The completely erroneous phrase "And science does not like things it doesn't understand." kinda set me off.
Besides that bit, I have been largely enjoying the fic so far.
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Let me rephrase that: 'Science' doesn't like the unknown, as in how common people or bureaucrats view it, or how scientists fight with each other. And I am very familiar with science and with Clark's three laws. I am sorry I set you off; I was trying to comment on science vs culture as understood by society, and not having that as a basis, figuring that would take years to set up with its own issues.
The first issue would be with global warming and how 'scientists' like to argue it and how different politicians try to pay for biased findings and ignore findings that don’t support them. Even looking at the controversy of GMO's (started in the 80's) and evolution or some people's feelings on immunizations causing autism. Or the evidence about the health effects of tobacco and now marijuana. Or the incident with elements 116 and 118 on the periodic table from Berkeley, unrepeatable findings.
Yes, people love to test the unknown. During the Manhatten project it wasn’t known whether ot not the reaction would stop or destroy the entire planet; what some people thought would happen with the CERN super collider and a black hole.
Looking at history, when people know something they don’t investigate. From a scientific perspective you have Galileo and Copernicus, people used to believe the higher you got the warmer i9t got because you were closer to the sun despite mountains having snow (commentary in Around the World in 80 Days), until the Wright brothers flight was impossible and until Chuck Yaeger it was impossible to break the sound barrier. Some scientists were even belligerent. I would expect even more from saying magic is real due to how at least in my culture people try to disprove it. Natural remedies come to mind despite asprin being made from tree bark.
Then you have false data of ‘scientists’ trying to prove their point. The ‘link’ between autism and shots despite the fact that the definition changed just before the ‘epidemic.’ How drug companies will lie or just tweak a medication to bring in more money. The belief that vegetarians are healthier when compared to the world as a whole and ignoring regular people that watch what they eat and being lumped in with the meat and potatoes people.
There is also that companies would try to get money out of it and then the defense contracts. I love what it leads to like the ability to create a flu shot in one month versus nine using a tobacco plant (DARPA) or things like lasers and light-weight metals from the space program. And I would like to ignore the inevitable autopsies that scientists would insist upon for research.
That was kinda what I meant. I didn’t view it as an effective reason for cultures to intermingle and not a basis for this story. Sorry if that was a bit long, but I love when people bring stuff up like that. And as a fan of the sciences, I love a dissenting opinion so feel free to debate or bring up your issues. That’s how things improve. How science is in the pure form and in practice can be different.
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But... magic, real functional magic is HUGE. It would be a discovery on the level of Element Zero and the Mass Effect from Mass Effect. It would revolutionize everything, and everyone (scientists, government,s corporations) would be trying to study it and learn about it and exploit it. And sincethe ponies know a ton about it already and you can bet that they'd happily share it or at least trade for that knowledge...
This would be also be a huge reason that humans would be looking into learning from the ponies. The potential for weaponizing magic would be incredible, and there'd also be the fear of it being used against us. Also autopsies would be rendered completely unnecessary because of pony medical research.
Also:
But the opposite was also true, tons of people believed that both were possible before they were. Tons of people worked to achieve both and they ultimately succeeded.
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I was going over the reasons why science wouldn't and shouldn't be the backbone of relations, I NEVER said they wouldn't mix technology as that would happen through cultural exchange. Because the pursuit of tech can start wars. I already have a few characters planned trying to work on mixing of the two. But I prefer the learning in something like TNG as in peaceful in comparison to what people tend to do.
And yes, people like Da Vinci did try to make flying machines. But what did the majority say and how hard was it for them to pull it off the first time.
I also don't see how pony medical research would make autopsies unneeded. It may not be required but it is still recommended med students view one despite all the books out there. And scientist must test everything so they would also have to prove magic using human means.
This is really cool, very different from other 'crossworld stories' as I like to call them. I really like the interactions between the people and the pony so far. Can't wait for him to meet a gangster
, or worse: a wigger 
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Thank you, that's why I write.
And you pulled a word I had to look up, congrats. And not entirely sure how to write such a character.
But would a pony be able to tell the difference? Could he even spot a redneck?
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Sorry to do a second reply; but, what exactly is different? Its hard to progress without that kind of info sometimes.
"He’d gotten a great education that taught him everything he needed to know: Astronomy, math, meteorology, Equestrian, History."
And as soon as he gets there he fails the entrance exams and has to go back.....
Just saying....
Ok, I had to laugh out loud during that embarrassing takeoff in the plane. I'm almost certain Rainbow Dash would've crammed herself into the pilot's area if she could since no pony, not even her would be up this high in the air going this fast. Then again, she'd probably get a free ride in a fighter jet since she's a VIP (Very Important Pony).
So will there be any news-worthy interactions of ponys in our world? Pegasi taking out a tornado or rescuing people off a burning building. Unicorns using magic to stop a really bad crash (push a bus off railroad crossing before the train hits) or catch bad guys. Not sure about Earth ponies.
I'd bet Pinkie Pie would be a hit at Disney Land. No doubt she would welcome the kids wanting to hug the pony ("She's so fluffy! I'm gonna die!").