Hook: Daisy Dreams is an excellent student, and she’s got her heart set on attending school on Earth. The only problem is there’s a 1:1 exchange ratio between Earth and Equestria. She needs someone from Earth to go to Equestria in her place.
Story #264
Title: Exchange Student
Keyword: College
Characters: Daisy Dreams
Hero/Chaos
You check the mail as you return home after work. Having just graduated high school, your job is an entry level position. You can’t afford to go to college, but you’ve been considering going to a trade school.
Salutations,
My name is Daisy Dreams, and I’m writing you in the hopes that as a recent graduate, you’d be interested in attending The School of Friendship as part of the Earth-Equestria Exchange Program. You live in the general vicinity of the college I’m in interested in attending. As you may or may not be aware, the exchange is one for one, and without anyone interested in coming to Equestria in my place, I won’t be allowed to attend school on Earth. I’ve already been accepted, so I would be very sad if I can’t go.☹
With this in mind, as many humans haven’t considered Equestrian institutions of learning, the School of Friendship is accepting anyone interested in coming to Equestria who doesn’t have another institution in mind as part of our cultural exchange. Ponies are very big on friendship, and the school was founded by one of our princesses, Twilight Sparkle.
Thank you for considering my request!
Your new friend,
Daisy Dreams
There are hearts over the ‘i’s instead of dots, there’s a frownie face, and the entire letter is decorated as if a third grader had written instead of a prospective college student. Next to her signature is a picture of a pair of daisies, no doubt her tattoo thingy, whatever it is that ponies call those brandings on their butts. The entire letter is sickeningly cute.
Your first thought is to crumple it up and toss it in the trash, but the lure of a higher education of some sort is tempting. You look up more details on your phone, discovering that the School of Friendship is tuition-free. Expenses will be minimal, since you’d be staying with Daisy’s family, and she would be staying with your family, here on Earth.
Your parents were disappointed that you weren’t continuing your education, so this would please them. But would they be willing to host a foreign exchange student for four years, especially one with hooves instead of hands?
Going there means being away from your friends and family for four years, as well as needing to learn a new language. Equestria’s technology is more or less nonexistent, at least compared to Earth’s. There’ll be no looking things up on your phone or laptop. Ponies also have a drastically different diet. While there’s some overlap, you’re not sure just how much you’ll be able to stomach. Literally.
But it beats working a dead-end job. You ask your parents about it, and they’re okay with the exchange if you are. That’s the big question, and you tell your parents you’ll think about it. Can you leave everyone and everything you care about behind for four years?
[CHOICE]
>Why not? You’ve got nothing to lose by going to Equestria for a few years. (hero)
>No thanks! (chaos)