//------------------------------//
// Arrival 
// Story: School Days 
// by Dai Kirai 
//------------------------------//

	Stormy was happily interrupted in his reading. Something odd happened, a character died. Not a main one, but it came early as if it wasn’t any big deal. But it was death. What broke the pegasus from his book was an announcement over the intercom that flight attendants would be coming through with drinks and food if anyone wanted to pay for them. 
Stormy was mildly hungry, it was approaching his standard dinner time, but he didn’t want to undue his harness to get out what few packages of he did bring. He didn’t want to spend any more money than he absolutely had to, but he could use some cold water.
Stormy couldn’t see too well beyond the curtain into first class, but it looked like they were getting fancy fluted glasses and plates whose smells were thankfully drowned out by the odors of all the humans and the smell of the aircraft itself. The pegasus looked in the back of the aircraft and saw the flight attendant pushing a metal cart down the aisle, passing out packets of food and small cups of water.
Stormy really needed a question answered about time; surely humans didn’t control its manipulation. He looked to his right, hopefully Harold could answer it. But the man was sound asleep, his chin literally sat on his chest. 
The pegasus looked to his left, at Lori. He didn’t want to talk to that person again, she didn’t like talking to him since his minor freak out and decided it was best to leave her alone. 
The more he thought about the flight attendant passing out food and drinks, the thirstier and hungrier he got until his stomach audibly growled, granting him a dirty look from Lori. With nothing else to do, Stormy went back to his book. 
The pegasus only got a few more pages into Hunger Games before a clamshell container of food appeared on the armrest, just inside his peripheral vision. Stormy looked up at the lady. “I don’t have the money for this.” He could wait a few more hours for food, or if he got really desperate just get the pineapple out of his bags under the seat.
“It’s already been paid for.” The blonde-haired lady informed him. “I believe there’s a note on the container.”
Stormy lowered his gaze, and sure enough, there was a white slip of manufactured paper sitting atop the container. “This can’t be for me.” He said in disbelief.
“I can assure you that it is. This is the Equestrian meal option complete with hay fries, and you are the only pony on this plane.” She assured him. “Can I get you anything to drink? We have tea, water, milk, juice, coffee, and soda.”
Stormy didn’t feel like trying anything new, he had yet to try a human bathroom and didn’t know what effects these new drinks might have on his bladder or his nerves. If only they had a nice cider. He wished. “I’ll just have some water please.” 
The woman put some ice in a little plastic cup and then filled it with water. She handed it to the pegasus, but stopped short with no idea where to put it.
Stormy reached up and grabbed the lip of the cup with his teeth and gingerly set it between his rear legs. He didn’t trust the pull down tray and this would keep it within easy reach. The cold didn’t bother his legs and it wasn’t close enough to chill his stomach, or other sensitive bits. 
The flight attendant wasn’t perturbed in the slightest and turned to Lori. “Would you like something to eat ma’am”
“No thank you.” Lori replied, focusing on some magazine called Vogue. 
The flight attendant turned to the people across the aisle.
Stormy opened the small letter with his name on the envelope. There were only a few lines. 
Don’t be an idiot! You still have to eat and I know you didn’t order one in advance.
That was it. Not even a name to go with it.
Stormy’s sigh turned into a grin. He opened the packaging and looked at his early dinner. A sandwich with some unknown mix of flowers and cold greasy hay fries. He took a bite, and wished he had more of those cucumber thingies. 


Thump. The plane shook.
Stormy sat, unmoving until the remnants of his water tipped over; soaking his legs. He jumped from the shock, restrained by the harness though all he did was wake in a start looking around at his world. 
Somehow the pegasus had fallen asleep. He yawned and looked out the window. Painted lines of white and yellow flashed past. The last thing Stormy remembered was staring out at the clouds, never seeing the clouds so far below or the sky so dark in the middle of the day. He had to blink several times to finish waking up. Remembering the last incident with his wings; decided not to stretch them until he disembarked form the plane. But he still stretched through his legs and into the shoulders. 
Stormy’s tray of food was missing, obviously thrown out by someone. 
“Local time is 5:20 and a warm 86 degrees.” A voice reported through the plane’s speakers. 
Stormy looked around checking if he could remove his restraints yet. He wasn’t used to being held down and it felt uncomfortable; ponies, being four legged didn’t fall down easily enough for restraints to be needed. But everyone still had theirs on as the plane came to a complete stop and a large being could be seen through the window. 
A small ding rang through the plane and a light Stormy hadn’t noticed until now went off. And, before he could register what was going on, the entire craft became a hive of activity. At once it seemed, every human unlatched their belts, stood up and began prying bags out of overhead spaces. 
Stormy put a hoof to his chest, pressing the small button and with a click the lower two straps fell away leaving the top two hanging in place. The feeling of being free was quickly restrained by the being surrounded by aliens; his mind didn’t have enough time to process that he wasn’t in Canterlot anymore. The pegasus hopped down to the floor and stuck his muzzle under the seat, straining to pull out his bag. 
The bag was stuck fast and when it finally budged it threw Stormy into the small wall. To top it all off, no one was moving yet. Stormy pranced, small spaces were not good for antsy pegasi as anypony who’d ever visited a hospital could attest to. Maybe this is why no pegasus had been able to comment on air travel. They were smart enough to avoid it.
The throng began to move, slowly shuffling forward with small bags in tow. The line would stop to let some passengers out, it seemed orderly with the front emptying first. Except no one would stop to let him out. So, he had to decide on whether to force his way through, or wait for everyone else to file out. The pony was unable to know if they were being mean or just didn’t see him there at about half the height of a human. The young pegasus went with the second option. He wanted out. 
Settling the saddlebag on his back, Stormy slowly forced his way into line until he was part of it, slowly moving towards the exit. Wings fluttering, they wanted to soar, but there was nowhere near enough room in the tight confines. The line stopped and Stormy decided to sit, someone had dropped their bag and the contents spilled everywhere. They would have such an easier time if they went naked. He could hear his father speaking, in one of their last conversation before the young pegasus left for school. 
A sharp spike of pain ran up his spine. Stormy turned around to see that someone had stepped on his tail without looking, someone in a red shirt. She quickly backed up once their eyes met, giving a halfhearted apology. He was really starting to dislike that person. His tail didn’t even reach the ground. He stood back up, not wanting a repeat incident. His tail was slightly longer than standard, but a knee length tail felt best to him. 
The exit of the plane led straight into a walkway exactly like the one used to enter the plane in Washington. So Stormy was shocked when the waiting area looked different. The seats near the exit were in rows like at Dulles, but there were other at tall tables he would have to jump to reach or with the backs all facing a center circle in little pods spread around the area. And the different terminals were all in a half circle around the area with a few shops. 
Stormy decided to follow the people, assuming they knew where to go, but everyone seemed headed either to the restrooms or towards an area called baggage claim, neither of which were his destination. Still, he followed and the signs indicated the exit was in the same direction. The pegasus took a moving stairwell down to a lower level, careful to keep his tail up to avoid getting it hurt again. 
The path led to a long white corridor at least 25 feet across with harsh fluorescent lighting and a strange fake white polished floor, similar to the one in Dulles. The 10 foot height was nice, it reminded him how much larger this world was, and how much room he should be able to get. The hallway seemed to go on forever as he slowly trotted through the white hallway. It was at least 200 feet long. But, after being holed up for so long, he felt like a good run. 
Stormy opened into a full gallop, taking advantage of an empty area to stretch his wings and with one solid pump, propelled himself forward. The hallway opened into a wide area, with circular machines and bags moving around the top of them. Humans turned to look as the speeding pony passed; his clopping was an unusual sound overriding the clack of shoes. 
The path forked, doors to the outside world were on the right with baggage machines in front and on the path to his left. Stormy put his hooves down to stop and achieved zero traction. He pawed at the ground with his front hooves as his rump hit the cold floor and all he did was begin to spin. The pegasus’s wings were useless so he tucked them in to prevent damage as he spun right into the carousel. 
Stormy lay there on his stomach for a few minutes, dazed. That would never have happened in Equestria, this world was not made for ponies. The cornflower-blue maned pegasus stared out the glass and metal doors sitting to his right. He didn’t know what he imagined other than that wasn’t it. 
Outside the windows everything was dark and dirty. A mass of sidewalk covered by a concrete awning was followed by a mass of asphalt filled with cars, a berm and then a street wide enough for two cars side-by-side which was also full. The area clearly hadn’t been cleaned in a long time with black blobs that could barely been seen from his vantage point. No wonder humans don’t eat with their hands, they’d track dirt everywhere. 
Stormy shakily moved back onto his hooves. “Now.” He looked around. “Where’s that shuttle at?” The pegasus rummaged through the papers in his saddlebags again, there were directions in there. 
Stormy quickly read the directions. “Lower level. Green sign.” He muttered to himself. 
Stormy walked over to the glass doors looking for a handle. When he approached though; they opened by themselves. Technology.
The pegasus looked around once he stepped outside, trying his hardest to ignore the acrid smell of ozone and chemicals that spewed out of everything, including a stick one guy held up to his mouth. This place was dirtier up close. 
Every column he saw displayed a large white number 6 in a blue box. There was no green sign saying ‘Flyaway’ in sight. It was a direct shuttle service from LAX to UCLA. Not knowing where else to go, he turned left, the paper said there was one for every terminal. He would find one eventually. 
As Stormy walked, it became clear that the inner street was for dropping off and picking up people while the lane on the far end of the berm was for quick travel and finding the proper terminal. 
“Travel shouldn’t be this hard.” Stormy grumbled. This being his first long trip; outside of basic training programs like flight camp, he never travelled. He began to dread his return trip in only a few days’ time. 
Lost in thought, Stormy bumped into another human. This one a younger male, who was so intent in his book that he didn’t seem to notice the pony. Looking up, the pegasus realized this was his stop. The green sign clearly stated ‘Flyaway, buses.”
Stormy sighed with relief, he’d finally found it. Looking around he decided to stand, his only other choice was to sit on the dirty concrete or a bench where the shuttle might miss him. With that, he set in to wait.
“You know.” The human started in the most refined accent Stormy had yet heard from a human. It would have fit perfectly into the Canterlotian upper crust. “It’s polite to apologize when you bump into someone.” His eyes never leaving the book, something called ‘Foundation’.
Stormy debated if he should just deny it; he’d had enough trouble for one day. Peace and quiet and to be left alone like he was at home seemed perfect. He didn’t. He couldn’t. 
“Sorry.” The pegasus muttered, “I was lost in thought.” He lowered his head. This was getting embarrassing.
“Quite alright. You had to have had a much longer trip than I.” The human replied calmly.
“A little.” Stormy replied, not knowing how far this person had come. The Earth was very large, and he’d only covered a fraction of it. 
“My name is Edward by the way.” He said, lowering his right hand to the pony without ever moving his eyes from the book. He even managed to turn the page with one hand. 
“Stormy Skies.” The pegasus took the proffered hand, assuming it was similar to a hoof bump and Edward shook his hoof. “Is it considered polite to read while talking to somepony?” Tired of everything, and never quite liking the upper class ponies who felt others should obey rules that they blithely ignored.
“Quite right.” Edward closed his book without using a bookmark and grinned at the pony. “Have you been on Earth long?”
“Just a few hours. Came through the portal this morning.” Stormy didn’t feel much like talking, but he had to be polite. “I think.”
“You think?” Edward’s voice went up. “How can you not know?”
“I left Washington at two on a five hour flight.” Stormy let the answer hang. It should have been eight.
“Earth has time zones. Because the world is round, one side is twelve hours head of the other. This country has multiple time zones each being an hour apart. The west coast is three hours behind the east coast.” Edward calmly lectured, he seemed well educated which fit his look. Being well dressed in a button up green shirt and a tie, his brown hair shiny from some sort of product and looked similar to that of the males in full suits that Stormy had seen moving through the airport. 
That made sense, especially with their ‘natural’ system. Equestria had only one time zone, for all the area that was known, the sun would rise and fall across the entire known world at the same time. Stormy couldn’t explain it, that’s just how Celestia raised and lowered the sun, keeping their entire world in balance.
While Stormy thought about this, Edward had gone back to his book. The pegasus had never heard of anypony so involved with books.
Stormy went back to waiting for the shuttle and for this day to be over.