Encounters

by Dai Kirai

Cultural Exchange

Evening of Day 1

I may have overlooked something, Lyra thought to herself as she opened the door to the void facility’s cafeteria. As she opened the door, sixteen pairs of guard ponies eyes looked in her direction; she could feel the guards behind her getting tense. Oh buck. Lyra never considered that the guards would think of each other as threats, or that the guard ponies would stare at the newcomers so intently with a few reaching for weapons hidden under the table or charging their horns, as if waiting for them to make a mistake. I may have gone a bit far in warning them of the threat.

As Lyra looked out over the tables she saw that most of them were filled up with the multihued guards. The cafeteria was rather small and only housed about six tables, with each able to seat six ponies. At one table, she noticed the Drill Instructor for the Equestrian guard that had trained her in hoof to hoof combat. The DI, Aquatica, was a royal blue unicorn with a mane just a few shades lighter and a half a head taller than any other pony there. Her back was to Lyra, the DI was the only guard pony not staring at the potential threat, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t paying attention; it just meant she was really good at her job. Lyra also knew from experience that Aquatica was vicious, even in training her own guards. All she cared about was if they could do the job, ‘better experience pain here than out in the field’ was one of her favorite sayings; and since she knew some healing magic she could push them harder before having to send them to the infirmary.

Lyra also noticed a gray pegasus stallion sitting at the same table but had no clue as to his name, talking with an unknown ice blue earth pony. The thing most ponies didn’t realize about the royal guard was that the white coat and blue hair was a special spell placed on the armor. It was designed to make them appear more of a threat and harder to identify an individual pony. Once the armor was off, their natural colorations would come back.

Now, Lyra thought, I just need to find us a place to sit before the two sides start a fight.

“Over here!” Stated a familiar voice to the left of the door. Twilight Sparkle was sitting at an empty table with two trays of food on top of it; and motioning them over; the chairs had been removed so that everyone could sit comfortably on the floor and eat at table height.

Lyra moved over to the table with her charges in tow. “If you would please sit and enjoy your food.” She stated to the creatures. She sat across from Twilight and asked, “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to leave with Rarity.” Not that Lyra wasn’t grateful for the save.

Twilight lowered her head, a little chagrined. “Well, it seemed like you might need some help. Besides, I lead Rarity out then just came back here.” A stack of books then began to float from next to Twilight and over the table to Lyra. “And I thought you might need some of these so you could start right away.” The book on top was Easy Equestrian Expression, a guide to learning basic sentence structures. Lyra recognized it as the stack she had told the guards to take to the delegate’s room.

Lyra was a little mad at being countermanded, but she realized Twilight was just trying to help and had prevented what could have been a nasty altercation. “Thank you for thinking ahead. They don’t seem to like each other.”

“Well, you did tell them the new creatures could be a grave threat. Why do you think they reacted so strongly to each other? I saw the two guards reaching towards their hips.” Twilight tilted her head hoping for an explanation from the local expert.

Lyra thought for a moment, looking back on the situation. “That may have been my doing.” Lyra felt rather sheepish at having to admit this. “I startled them with a use of my magic. I don’t think they knew we could levitate materials. And the fact that a soldier can spot other soldiers; which in essence is what a guard is.”

“That makes some sense. I was afraid it may have been that all they have seen so far has been unicorns, or that they aren’t used to this many creatures in one place.” Twilight stated these as if, anypony would have thought of the same things.

Lyra enveloped the books sitting on the table over to the leader of the creatures. “Read.” She stated and turned back towards Celestia’s prized student, Lyra wanted to focus on this chat without ignoring the delegates. “Wait, all they’ve seen so far has been unicorns? And what do you mean that they aren’t used to this many bodies in one place?”

“Well, the only ones they have seen so far were either these three or through their fancy machine, and that only included me, Rarity, and a Professor from the school of magic. They may have been surprised to see all three types at once without a heads up.” Something Lyra wouldn’t have thought about yet, being so used to treating the different pony races as one species. “As for the number of ponies, think about it. They have highly advanced technology, do they really need that many of themselves to create a society?” Twilight asked.

“That will need a little more research to conclude. It could be that because things are easier; they can produce more of themselves to create more thinkers and researchers. That way they could expand their knowledge and understanding at a faster rate every year.” Lyra concluded. Always need more information. She conceded.

All the while the three delegates had opened up their prepackaged food and started eating it. The two guards were constantly watching the other ponies in the room while eating. Once handed the books the linguist started to go through them one by one, seeing what he could figure out.

Morning of Day 3

Avery had just gotten up out of his bed. He had no complaints about the accommodations; they had been given two adjoining rooms. Avery and Victor had taken the first one so that Anthony could have his room to study in; both sides needed their privacy. The beds were just three smaller ones pushed together for each person and sitting on the floor. This was fine for the SAD operatives; they had both slept on worse, but the ponies said they would be getting custom beds within the next week, or so the translator said.

Avery had just finished packing up the samples he and Victor had taken the day before. The first batch of vials contained water samples to be sent back through the anomaly for testing, the second contained air samples. There was also a box of food they had gathered from the cafeteria. The tests were to provide biological samples of the environment here; to see if anything on this planet was safe for humans. The M.A.L.P. had taken samples, but those were just to see if it was possible for this planet to support human life; oxygen, carbon dioxide, gravity, atmospheric pressure were all tested and found safe. The one thing they had yet to test for was biological contaminants, anything that could damage a human. This would determine if they could ever even return to Earth or if they would have to stay in quarantine and for how long.

They delivered a report to their superiors every morning. It would include any events or finding they had discovered along with copies of all the research notes and the ponies’ capabilities. They didn’t have much to report yet other than the fact that they had soldiers located here, but they hadn’t seen as many as on that first day, if those were all soldiers. The day before had been pretty calm with them just watching over their charge as he studied with either Lyra or Twilight for fourteen hours.

Midday of Day 8

Twilight was dismayed at the human’s poor language skills in Equestrian. “It’s pronounced yaj’a’ not yaja. yaja isn’t even a word.” The ‘teacher’ blew air through her nose in annoyance. Thankfully he gave us that nice little chart of sounds so these words can be written out. Twilight still sighed, teaching Equestrian to a non-native was harder than she thought it would be, languages in Equestria tended to be universal.

Twilight turned her head quickly to the left at the sound of another pony snickering. Lyra had a hoof to her mouth and was trying to stifle the laughter that wanted to come out at the sight of Twilight not knowing how to do something.

Twilight just turned back towards Anthony and picked up a quill in her magic to scribble the sounds he would have to follow to actually say he understood something.

“Need some Help?” Lyra asked around her snickering.

“Like you would have an easier time at this?” Twilight quipped.

Lyra’s face turned instantly serious. “You do know that changeling speak two languages, right. The second on is so that other species can’t eavesdrop and figure out their plans.”

Twilight instantly felt bad about the insult and the anger she could clearly see on Lyra’s face. “Sorry, I forgot.” Twilight had recently heard stories passed between the guards about what Lyra had gone through in the badlands. “Since you have more experience, why don’t you take over the teaching of Equestrian and I will cover history. We can even split up schedules so we can work on lesson plans and cataloguing the information.”

Lyra looked contemplative for a moment while considering this change to the plans. Lyra agreed; with all the guards around it wasn’t like they posed any kind of a threat. “But we can start that tomorrow; today we finish what was already planned.

Anthony took this moment to finish looking at the paper and said, “yaj’a’”

Afternoon of Day 20

Why does this remind me of Grad school? Anthony asked himself, again. Oh yeah, fourteen hour days every day. He’d been spending most of the day with Lyra, going over basic grammar and structure so far and then Twilight would go over Equestrian history in the afternoon. This would change later once he became more fluent and could maintain longer conversations. The information didn’t go just one way; he would instruct them in English and human history using the books from the initial crate. But he also learned rather early on that their word order was actually object verb subject, the opposite of English.

“NO!” His instructor yelled at him, stopping any other conversations in the cafeteria and turning all the heads towards the bickering pair. He was having what constituted his 3pm lunch and talking basic hierarchy of Equestria with Twilight Sparkle, who was not a happy pony. “Celestia raises the sun. Every. Day. The planet couldn’t take care of itself without the help of ponies.” Twilight was more than a little irate, this argument had been going on for a while and neither side had been willing to budge.

“No, Galileo proved that planets move around larger objects. If I brought the books you could see the equations and the science.” He knew physics may be different here, but he had spent too much energy on his argument to back down.

Twilight just gave him an evil stare. At least he’s no longer saying that Celestia doesn’t actually exist anymore. Although whether that’s due to him believing it not is still up for debate. ‘Using a false deity to explain the world was a standard practice in pre-modern societies’ because all species will think the same way. Twilight was going to end this. “Just like every person knows that magic doesn’t exist?” She asked as she slammed his book closed using her telekinesis.

“We still don’t know if that’s really magic or just an as yet unknown science using EM fields.” Anthony replied and ate another bite of his lunch, unable to rebuke Twilight’s last point. They’d finally managed to get confirmation that the local food wouldn’t kill them and he was ‘enjoying’ his B.L.T. (bread, lettuce and tomato) sandwich. They were allowed to eat meat, but it seemed to turn some ponies’ stomachs to watch it or smell it on a human’s breath during conversations. And there is no way I am desperate enough to touch that tofurky crap.

“Let’s just get back to Equestrian civilization then.” Twilight stated, just wanting to end the argument. “Celestia raises and lowers the sun while her sister Luna raises and lowers the moon at night.” Before Anthony could interrupt again she moved on to her next point, but not quick enough.

“And Luna was this NightMare Moon?” He asked, hoping to get some sort of clarification as to how a leader could try to destroy their own citizens and be banished for 1000 years and then allowed to take power again.

“Yes, technically. But we’ll get to that later. Right now is the differences in pony races and the hierarchy of Equestria.”

Evening of Day 72

President Tow was sitting at her desk back in the Oval Office, going over the latest reports on current affairs. For the most part the world was the same as it had been the day before; with each country trying to amass as much power as it could. The Middle East was still at war with itself; the treaties between Russia and China were breaking down; it was business as usual. The one exception was the United States newest neighbor; Equestria.

The reports President Tow had been getting from her people in the field were quite interesting. The two field operatives had been learning the language off of Anthony’s reports and were questioning different ponies on their own; they were trying to get extra information sources or internal agents, but so far they were having no success. The reports sent had stated that most of the ponies at the facility were either intensely loyal to Celestia or were royal guards; they suspected that they may be able to get more sources if they were able to get into the main pony population centers. They also went over speculated capabilities of the different species based upon movement, but that also would have to wait for major progress.

The Linguist’s reports were more informative at the moment. According to him, most of the language had at least been written down and both sides could converse with each other fluently, except for specialized words and technical jargon. The basic structure seemed to be either a monarchy or an oligarchy, depending on if Celestia was really as old as the Equestrians kept saying; Anthony had sent assurances that she had to exist in some form.

Everything President Tow had read so far indicated that Equestrians were peaceful, but they were cautious. I can’t really blame them, she thought, we would probably be just as cautious if giant spacefaring tigers came to visit Earth with advanced technology. She also knew that she couldn’t keep this a secret forever and needed to start playing politics with the new neighbors. And they had no advanced technology, which gave the United States a great resource to start trade off with; an exchange for knowledge on magic of course.

Morning Day 85

Lyra was waiting in the cafeteria for Tony, as she had started calling him, to arrive with his food for the morning. They had started going over modern culture and events; it would typically go with an exchange of questions where they would answer how it was on either side. Lyra never hated the human;, she just hated how they interrupted her research plans. But now, I think I’ll get another degree. Their study of Anthropology seems rather intriguing. Lyra had started thoroughly enjoying human culture and its plethora of differences. It seemed like every settlement, or country as they called them, had its own culture.

Lyra saw Tony approach and asked, “So, what did you want to know today?”

Anthony sat down and thought for a moment, placing his tray of food and his notebook next to each other on the table. “Hmm, yes. On exercise, do you have martial arts?” Lyra had learned that humans read in the same direction as ponies shortly after they had arrived, but she’d never been able to get ahold of the ‘manga’ she had seen on that first day.

Lyra thought for a minute, trying to place that word. “We call it self-defense or say it by name; we don’t consider it an art, more of a necessity. And all our guards are trained in it along with anypony that wants to learn it; I have even trained in some of it for field work. The most common would translate as ‘karate’ but it isn’t the same as the human version.” Lyra understood the art behind it, but ponies didn’t seek fighting as much as humans did.

“Do you have a version of stretching for exercise then?” When Lyra didn’t understand, he drew a few stick figures of some of the versions he knew of.

Lyra watched as Anthony drew the crude figures, picturing what a human would look like doing them. When the picture formed in her head she started laughing, humans really were a unique bunch. Or maybe that’s a byproduct of advancement; more free time. She conceded. “No, but I heard stories of when a pegasi named Blossomforth had done something similar while preparing for the gathering of water for the next season.” Lyra started to get her laughing under control. “But that was by complete accident,” snicker, “and it took some doing to get her out of it.” Lyra couldn’t see any practicality in such a practice. “And what do you call this activity?” She inquired.

“They call it yoga.” Anthony replied. The laughter really wasn’t helping his thought processes. “Do you have any questions today?”

“On our trip to your world, why are we not allowed any guards?” Lyra asked bluntly, getting straight to the point. She didn’t have a say in the matter as Celestia had already approved of her as a diplomatic envoy for Equestria, but she had her own curiosity.

Anthony started coughing at the unexpected question, it didn’t help that he was taking a sip of water at that moment. “The president has given her personal promise that the Equestrian envoy will be safely escorted and will be given all due respect.” Anthony had been given a full accounting of what this was to include and how important this meeting would be. “And no. I don’t know what the process will be.” Though he had no way of knowing that magic had its own limits, some things Celestia felt should remain hidden for now.

Lyra switched to a different topic, knowing she could get nothing useful out of that line of questioning. “The creatures on your planet called locusts sound a lot like parapsrites. What do you know about locusts?”

Afternoon of Day 87

Twilight was talking with Celestia on the coming envoy to Earth. “I want you to be the ambassador on this trip, my faithful student.” Celestia was lying on the purple pillow in her room, while Twilight Sparkle was on her own lavender pillow a few feet away.

“Why me, Princess?” The lavender mare asked.

“Because Twilight, we are only sending two ponies, and both need to speak their language. That means you and Lyra. Second, would you want Lyra’s curiosity or impulsiveness, or biting tongue to get in the way of peace?” Celestia calmly asked, more curt than usual.

“Well, no.” Twilight conceded. She heard just what could happen when Lyra was not in control or unmonitored. “You say temporary though.”

Celestia smiled at her ever observant student. “Yes, I have another choice for an ambassador. But there are still a few variables in play that need to be understood first. I hope all of this hasn’t interrupted your studies on the magic of friendship.”

Twilight noticed the change of topics, and ignored it. If the Princess wanted her to know something then Twilight would either be told or given enough to figure it out on her own. “Well, just recently I learned that spending too much time with somepony is just as bad as ignoring them.”

Midday of Day 92

Avery was sitting on his bed, enjoying what was in essence his first day off here. He and Victor would be staying in Equestria while Anthony and the Equestrian delegates went to Earth. They had been informed of it beforehand, it was meant to make Equestria feel safe in letting two dignitaries travel to Earth without protection. Avery wasn’t even afraid that anything might happen to him because the United States would gain nothing and so far every pony he had met was either nice or defensive to him.

Avery stood up and walked over to Victor who was still asleep on his bed. Avery kicked the frame. “It’s time to get your ass out of bed.” Even when ‘off duty’ Avery still preferred to get something done.

Victor just pulled his covers up further. “You remember what they said in basic, right. ‘Get sleep where you can’ and this is where I can.”

Avery just grinned at his partner and walked back to his own bed, pulling out a book from the table next to his bed and sitting down to read more about Equestrian military history and to brush up on his language skills. The one thing he did wish he could see though was Lyra talking to President Tow; he still remembered being chewed out by the mint-green pony for asking about who was actually in charge of the facility. His ears were still burning from that, but he got his answer; Celestia.

Lyra was filling up her saddlebags with some last minute items to take with her: some notepads, a quill, ink, and a cookbook. She figured her bags would be checked so she took nothing magical with her, nothing that could even be considered contraband. She then exited her room and headed to the meet up with Tony and Twilight in the void room.

Lyra didn’t want to have Twilight going on this trip, but she understood the necessity of it. As the personal student of the leader of Equestria, she had a certain political clout that would come in very handy, and she had studied more of human history than Lyra could get through yet. What she did know was mostly that humans were always at war and were great at creating new things.

As Lyra entered the void room, she heard Twilight call out to her. “You have to leave the saddlebag here, Lyra.”

Lyra looked at her lavender counterpart; sure she had to be joking. But no, Twilight didn’t have a bag either; the saddlebag with Twilight’s cutie mark as a clasp was sitting in the corner and filled to the brim. As Lyra walked over, and sat her own bag down next to Twilight’s she asked, “Why? That makes no sense whatsoever.”

Twilight just shrugged, “Anthony won’t tell me why.”

Lyra looked over at the human. He was wearing just a button down shirt and some sort of pants, Lyra still couldn’t identify clothing like Rarity could. He was actually barefoot, which Anthony never did in public. She walked over to the other two that she would be traveling with and looked up at the human. “What the hay is going on?” she asked.

Anthony looked at her, “even if I told you I don’t think it would sink in.” He wasn’t trying to talk down to her or anything, but decontamination procedures were something he didn’t know how to explain to a pony.

Comments

[master109]

cant wait to see how twilight and lyra react to seeing the human world and all our technology and science i also really want to see twilight seeing our sun and moon move by themselves

[Lord Charles]

Im looking fowrd to seeing how nato takes this

[Dai Kirai]

2161768
Did I? How can you know?

2162243
I'd be more interested in the UN finding out. China, Russia, The Middle East. If they even do find out, the US might want to keep access to magic a secret.

[Foxychany]

It's good except for two things
your making lyra too much of a mary sue and your hating on purple smart waaay too much to be realistic

[Lord Charles]

2162375 well we have a good relation withe the u.k. and canda there probably our top allies in the world and should be at the table with us in negotiations qith "ponyland"

[Dai Kirai]

2162473
I'm afraid I don't understand. Lyra is a smartass and doesn't get along well with most ponies, how is that a Mary Sue?
As for Twilight, how am I hating on her?

[AnonymousCoward]

2162746
> doesn't get along well with most ponies
Does it have any bearing on the plot whatsoever? Not from what I recall. So being a smartass is hardly a "flaw" in this context and thus not a reason for why she is not a Mary Sue.

[Dai Kirai]

2163279
I was hoping for an explanation as to why you consider her to be a Mary Sue or how I am being too hard. Without an explanation as to why you view something a certain way, I cannot do anything to alleviate the problem.
And no, I just figured that would be how she'd act, what she would do. It could just be that I'm missing something though.

[dashdlkashd]

Eh... I'm sure 'magic' is just another force native in Equestria that humans will explain away with science...

[Dai Kirai]

2163468
You sound so sad.

[dashdlkashd]

2163525
Just another perk...
...
...
fine...

:D
There. I smiled

[Dai Kirai]

2164130