Paths
The four sat, looking at each other.
“Not another boring lecture,” Suzanne argued. “We already covered the campus last night. I ain’t spending four hours doing that again. It was fun last night.”
“I concur,” Edward backed her up. “They are rather pointless and quite unfactual. Designed purely to help new students learn the names of the buildings.”
“It’s fun.” Katherine shot back. “Fun stories that you remember, it makes the place feel alive.” She raised her hands up like she was welcoming the cool rain even though it was bright out without a cloud in the sky.
“It would all be online.” Edward pulled out his phone.
Stormy decided to speak up, he wanted to watch his money and the tour had free food, and sounded fun. What are human legends like? “I don’t like the internet, it’s hard to use.” Which was true, a library was much more useful. “Do we split up and meet back here around five?”
“That should work.” Ed nodded.
Sue looked to her friend. “Do we need to get you a translator?”
“No. I-“
“Because they said they will have one here all weekend.” Interrupting her friend. “Just in case.”
Kat shot her friend a glare that would make a manticore run away. “I do not need a babysitter.”
“Ok.” Suzanne raised her hands in defeat. “You have my number just in case.”
“I know.” Kat half smiled, even a pony could tell she was having a rough time.
Edward and Suzanne walked down the path, past the construction and into Westwood while Katherine and Stormy headed for the tour meeting place.
They headed partway up Bruin Walk and turned left, past another red brick building. In front of them were more buildings, to the right was a massive staircase and to the left a large field where people were playing with a disc. There was a table filled with sandwiches and bottles of water, one tray had a sign that read ‘vegetarian’. They both picked one up, just from different trays.
“But wouldn’t a translator help in case the person has their back turned?” Stormy was confused.”
“Probably. But I won’t” Her body seemed to be made of steel, looking stronger than tornado.
“Why?”
“There is always something I have to prove. People never thinking I can do it, that I am part of this world.” Kat was vibrant, a fire deep in her eyes, a passion Stormy had rarely seen outside of Dawn.
“It can’t really be that bad can it?” Stormy asked. “It can’t be that much different.”
Kat’s eyes turned to the pony, the fire subtly shifting, turning colder yet hotter. “Not much different?” Her voice cracked. “You still can’t understand can you? How would you feel if you could never fly, had never been able to fly? Or been a unicorn without magic? Would you be called broken, would you have a place in the world? Would people like you to be relegated to second class status and treated as inferior while those in power tried to eradicate that trait?” The blonde human seemed to grow as she released her frustration.
“My alarm clock is on my wrist.” She held up an overly large watch on her left wrist. “It vibrates to remind me of appointments, it’s easier than the ones you hook to the bed. Have you ever missed a friend visiting because you didn’t see the lights flashing because you can’t hear knocking? Or missed a package because the deliveryman refuses to do anything but knock? A phone is only useful for texting, and that was a huge leap forward for me, at least it has a standard number unlike TTY lines.”
Stormy didn’t her to ask what a TTY was. He already felt backed into a corner.
“To be unable to know what the teacher is saying with their back to you because they are writing something on the board. To be pulled over when driving and try to sign, to get comments how you shouldn’t even be allowed behind the wheel. To be told there is this device that turns your world into machine noises will magically cure me, even though my parents tried and I can’t, but I would still hear about it from classmates or teachers.”
“I know I can do this but everyone around me still acts like I need a guide. Like I need help. Like I can’t. I had the best grades in school and yet people still tried to baby me, the best. To have people talk behind your back. To have your best friend try to protect you to make up for some minor slight from years ago. How can you possibly understand?” Her hands were clenched into fists, her body shaking and breathing ragged. Stormy was unsure if she would scream or cry.
I don’t understand. The pegasus realized, this was something completely alien to him. He saw Katherine walk off out of the corner of his eyes but had no wish to follow. The pony looked at his wings, remembered the previous day. What would it be like to live with that every day? To never feel the air, to never touch a cloud, to deal with my parent’s expectations? His rear sunk to the ground. How is it I keep insulting her?
THWUMP!
Stormy felt something land on top of his head then fall to the ground. The pony shook his head from the shock and looked at the small item by his hooves.
It was a small blue book with white letters. ‘Deaf Culture Our Way. Anecdotes from the deaf community.’ Stormy looked up in time to see a pink dress walk away to join the rest of the group. Looking back at the book he noticed a small piece of paper folded up inside it. The letter was on pink paper with little curly queues around the sides.
I shouldn’t expect you to understand and I would have similar problems in your situation. So all I can do is give you some tips and hope we can work it out. Maybe I can teach you some basic signs. You have tried and I appreciate it.
Katherine Thomas
p.s. I heard Equestria has been buying up a lot of books on Earth for the past few years. Maybe that is why Celestia has been pushing for access to Universities. It should include books on almost every human subject.
p.p.s. I would love to see Equestrian physics book, not much has been released on how magic works yet. Not to the general public at least.
Stormy tucked the letter back in the book and tucked them both into his wing. As he approached the large staircase he could hear their guide talking. The group was small at around 50 students, so many less than he had seen most of the day.
“Don’t ever step on the sixth step.” The guide said, carefully jumping over a step. “Edwin Janss is buried beneath it because he so loved this school. One of two brothers responsible for the location of UCLA and also Westwood. And if you step on it you will be stuck here another year or fail an important test.”
Stormy saw several other students talk to each other in hushed voices. He looked up the long wide stairway that went up at least three stories. This is why pegasi have wings, the pegasus laughed to himself, Canterlot has similar pain in the flanks.
As they rose the steps, their guide still prattling away, Stormy saw on the edge of the sixth step, an area of the side that had been worn away by the superstitious. Feeling good, the pony scoffed at the idea and strode up, a large brick buildings could be seen at the top.
Most buildings sounded like they had some kind of history. Bunche, the large concrete block that went nine stories up and had no feeling. “Bunche Hall originally faced from east to west, parallel to the 405 freeway. But due to its height and reflections off of its glass windows, motorists on the freeway were blinded and it caused accidents. To solve this problem, UCLA rented army helicopters to lift and turn the building to face north to south, where it is currently located.” As their guide had stated. Stormy though couldn’t see how anything short of a Princess could perform such magic.
“How much wing power do helicopters have?” Stormy asked, he hadn’t read enough on these vehicles.
“Wing power?” The guide asked back.
“The amount of lift generated by the wings of pegasi. The average wing power is seven point two and it takes at least 800 to lift water up to Cloudsdale for cloud production. To lift even a small house requires at least 300 wing power of lift. That building is huge, the cables needed to wrap around it would be equally heavy so they wouldn’t snap.” The pony ran off what he knew of lift, some of what he knew. It was basic stuff in weather control and planning.
Several humans turned to the pegasus and stared. He felt uncomfortable under their gaze.
“It is a legitimate question.” Katherine added. “What kind of helicopters?”
The people turned back to their guide.
“I don’t know…” He looked between the various students in his group. He had been walking backwards and talking to the students so he could maintain eye contact but now he turned around as he led them away. He turned back around, “And over here is Young Research Library.”
The stories continued; that if you are lost to just hold up your card and fellow students will help you find your way. The inverted fountain that was compared to a toilet bowl and was revenge from a design student who had been kicked out of UCLA and had to go to USC. Every story seemed odd, but so did the buildings, at least the ones that weren’t just red brick. There were even some about a “potato tree” and the building called Royce that seemed like such a big deal to everyone as people kept posing in front of it.
The tour ended back at Ackerman where they were told the Grand Ballroom had been set up to make stars for the lobby of the Mattel Children’s Hospital. Stormy liked the idea of helping kids through a tough time. As, it seemed, did Kat.
There were tables of supplies: stars of different colors, glue sticks, glitter, pieces of paper to cut and glue onto the stars, there was even a table with colored pencils.
The pony thought of what to make. It seemed like kids liked ponies, so he thought he would try to center his on that. There was a white star on the table that he pulled off, then grabbing a pink pencil in his mouth he started to draw. First went the wings, long and wide. The lithe legs, the horn. Stormy pulled off some more pencils to work of the aurora mane and tail. He then applied some glue to the auroras and added some glitter. He didn’t know what else to put on, so he grabbed a pencil the same silver as the edge of the cloud on his cutie mark and wrote a message. ‘From a pony. Please get better.’
The pegasus took a look at his work before handing it to a worker. It was decent, you could tell what it was, but his talent was never art. Leaving to find Kat, he was amazed at how few of the students were in this room, but they came in and left so it was hard to know just how many, kind of like how they walked past other groups of students on tours.
Katherine had half a table to herself, a small stack of stars growing to her left as she added pink hearts to a yellow star and added it to the pile before pulling out a randomly colored star to make another.
Stormy left his blonde friend to her work, he knew she would watch the time and decided to see if either Sue or Ed had returned to the bear yet. They hadn’t so he sat on the concrete holding the bear up and watch the people passing. It was still surprising how many people had cameras, almost everyone was taking pictures of the metal bear, a symbol of the school. In Equestria cameras were only pulled out for major events and were rather large, except for the ones used by professionals, who could afford spending hundreds or thousands of bits on such a device.
He got bored quickly as he exchanged stares with people, wishing he had brought his book with him down, even though he dreaded how it would end.
A girl came running up to him. Girl was a bad word as she was just as old as the other people he was travelling with. Long flowing auburn hair framed her face. “Can I get a picture with you?” She asked, rising to the balls of her feet.
“Um.” Stormy stalled, unsure what to do, unsure what the custom was. “Sure”
She gave her name as Ashley as she sat next to him on the bench, laying on arm across his shoulders before handing her phone to a friend who pointed it at the pair.
“Smile.” The other girl said, one of a group of four.
Out of the corner of his right eye he saw Ashley lean towards him and felt lips on his cheek.
His wings shot out in reaction, somehow it opened behind the woman and the flash went off and her friend took the picture. He turned towards the person touching him.
Ashley gave him a big hug, got up and darted to her friends, all of them giggling as they talked in hushed tones as they moved away.
“You animal!” A new voice said as the group moved away.
Stormy looked over to the female voice. Pulling in his outstretched wings and trying to get his mind moving again.
“Here not even a week and you already have girls falling for you.” Suzanne called from twenty feet away, followed by a grinning Edward.
“You must give me some tips.”
“Maybe it’s just that animal magnetism.” Suzanne continued.
“Is that normal?” He looked back to where the group had been, feeling hesitation and doubted he wanted to take anymore pictures with people.
“Not where I am from.” Edward shook his head before looking at Sue.
Stormy heard a weird comment whispered from Sue to Ed, something about cousins. But before Ed could respond she started talking to the pegasus. “Definitely not. Although it was kind of cute.”
Stormy felt it was anything but cute, if it were a certain mare he probably would have liked it, but not that.
“I have never seen something like that before.” Suzanne finished. “Where’s Kat?”
Stormy saw their blonde friend coming down the Ackerman steps and decided to do something.
“Last I saw she had been making stars for the children’s hospital.” Stormy said. “I think she said something about helping to deliver them.”
Sue pulled out her phone and started tapping furiously on its surface with her thumbs.
Ed took a step back from Sue as Kat came up quietly, hands empty.
Katherine stopped directly behind her friend, moving her head close to Suzanne’s ear and hands near her friend’s sides. “I’m right here.” Her voice deeper than normal and without any impediments as her hands wrapped around Sue’s sides.
For a moment the pony thought humans could fly as Sue jumped two feet into the air. A scream pierced his ears a second later as she came down. Her breathing was fast, Stormy could see her chest rising and falling. She looked like an earth pony dropped from a cloud.
Sue spun on her heel. “Holy Sh-“ She screamed. “What the hell was that for!?!?” Only a few inches from Kat’s face.
“Babying me.” Kat replied with a slight grin. “And that pillow you put on my bed.”
Sue was calming down, her fists unclenched as she gazed at her friend. “But that was funny. Remember Sunny’s reaction at that?” A clearly forced smile crossed her lips, fighting with her racing heart.
“At least you didn’t try putting it in her bed.”
“Pillow?” Edward asked, at a complete loss as he looked between the two girls.
“That one with the big eyes and funny hair?” Stormy remembered it, he still had no idea what meant.
Ed continued to stare but included Stormy in his moving gaze.
“But just imagine the images you could get of a pony glommed to one of those.”
“That would be inadvisable. You know what we were told.” Ed warned the maths people. “And would you really want to get the ire of an aid to Celestia?”
Kat saved her friend from having to answer. “Shouldn’t we go meet Chevonne?”
“Fine.” Sue still looked a little shaken.
“Don’t want to anger a god?” Stormy asked, he knew enough of what humans believed about alicorns. Celestia has made a show in Japan, some of the reels made it to Canterlot. She had chartered out huge jets to ferry her guards to the site but teleported herself and a small honor guard with supplies directly there. The alicorn had then flown into the sky and let pure magic pour out of her as she lifted tons of rubble and visibly moved the sea while her guards rescued who they could.
The four of them arrived at Chevonne’s door, hesitating on going through. Ed’s hand hovered near the door, which rested open. This was the end of orientation; they would be leaving for various parts. They had already packed their stuff and were carrying their bags. Where Edward had a large black one undoubtedly filled with books and suits, Katherine had a small pink one that came up to her knees and Suzanne had a hard shelled silver one halfway between the two.
“Why don’t we meet by the bear?” Stormy asked. “Use the mail to exchange notes on when we arrive to meet up?”
“That is rather brilliant. Chevonne should have paper to allow us to exchange addresses.” Edward finally knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Their NSA’s voice was distorted by the door. Inside was the red-head at her desk.
Edward was the first in and went right to Chevonne’s desk and asked for a piece of paper and a pen. She pulled some off her desk, nicely lined paper. Stormy was still used to seeing plain parchment.
Edward pulled a pen out of an inside pocket on his jacket and ripped the paper into four sections, writing a string of letters on all four of them before handing them out.
Before long they were all at his hooves and he just stared at them, none of it made any sense. There was no city listed, no zip code, no real name attached to them. “How is the mailmare supposed to find these?”
Sue failed to suppress her laugh. The pony ignored her.
“It is for electronic mail. Email. It would be how you receive information from the school, they gave you one at the very least.” Edward said from above as the pony continued to stare at the paper. “It should be your first name and your last name.”
That clicked for the pony as he finally remembered and wrote it out with the pen in his mouth. Writing quickly and cleanly he put down stormy.skies@ucla.edu on the pieces of paper, realizing his was the last one. The pony kept one and handed the other three up before asking whose pen he had which had just materialized in front of him.
Edward took the pen, took one look at the end Stormy had in his mouth before putting it back in his suit pocket.
“How can you write so well with your mouth?” Suzanne looked at the paper.
“That is just how ponies write.” Stormy said, finding himself a nice piece of floor. “How do you write with your hands?”
“Nowhere near this nicely.”
Kat backed up her friend. “It’s true, hers looks like a doctor’s.”
Chevonne waited until the slips of paper were put away to speak up. “It was a pleasure helping you all get acquainted with this campus. Hope you learned as much during this trip as I did.” Several heads nodded. “If you hand me your room keys I have some things for you.”
Stormy pulled out the white piece of plastic, making sure to leave his ID in the saddlebag, and handed it to the NSA.
After getting the four cards Chevonne went into her closet and pulled out a box and some rolled up large rolled up sheets of paper and began handing things out. The sheet of paper was a poster that included a calendar and lists of events and places around the edges. Next was a pin to put on his bag, a white and yellow thing that read ‘UCLA True Bruin’. And finally something called a planner; it had spaces to write for every day, just an expanded calendar.
“That planner is one of the best things you can get, even if you have never needed one before. With tests, readings, papers, clubs, and everything else. One of my roommates is so busy she has to schedule in time for her friends.”
Stormy took the pin and the planner to put in his bag and used the excuse of the plane to ignore the poster; he wasn’t a pony for posters. He wasn’t the most excited for the planner either, his days back home were always the same, or close enough and his memory had always worked just fine.
“Now, does everyone have transportation or a plan?” Chevonne checked with the new students to a series of nods. “Ok, then travel safe and if you have any questions just ask. You can also call any department you need to get ahold of over summer.”
“When will our book lists be available?” Edward asked almost instantly.
“The book store in Ackerman will have all your books.”
“But other places may have them cheaper and I would like to get a head start.”
“Sometimes a month before classes start and others maybe a few days or in class. Or they may require readers, which can only be purchased in the book store.”
Edward seemed to think that over, not asking another question, for a few seconds at least. “Is the syllabus adhered to?”
“Again, that varies by professor. Some may not cover what is in the last few weeks, some never used listed books and other go off topic so ask your professors.” Chevonne was getting short, her lower jaw was moved to one side and her eyelids lowered.
Suzanne placed a hand on Ed’s shoulder as he opened his mouth to speak again, and shook her head.
“Then I will wish you all safe travels.”
The four exited the room, bags in tow, and headed for the elevator, the place looked even more deserted.
“What is it between you and her?” Sue asked forcefully.
“Nothing in particular.” Ed spoke as if that were true, but even Stormy could tell he didn’t like her.
“It has to do with that meeting doesn’t it? That’s when you two met.”
“Meeting?” Stormy asked. Was there something I missed?
“Yeah, on the first day. We met and she said some things before we left to find you.” Sue pushed the elevator call button and turned back to the man in a suit. “What did she say?” The concern in her voice was losing out to anger.
“Nothing.” Ed’s voice sounded gruff.
The bell chimed as the elevator doors opened. Suzanne blocked the door into the empty with her body. “Don’t you give me that.”
“It’s personal.”
Sue still wouldn’t move.
“As in I will tell you later.” He made a few quick motions with his hands. It looked like what the two girls used but a lot slower and not as graceful; it was like a mule doing ballet.
“Fine.” Sue moved out of the way.
The ride down was quiet if not hostile. What happened? Why do I feel like I caused this?
As the elevator doors opened on the first floor, Stormy ran out and blocked their exit just as Sue had done. “What is going on? What did I do?”
Kat smiled to the pony.
“Now you are perceptive.” Edward mumbled. “I really don’t want to talk about it.”
“If it is about me I have a right to know!” He slammed his forehooves into the elevator and it rocked. He stared at the much taller human. “I thought we were friends.” He realized he was in fact glaring at the human.
“We are.” Edward replied, it was very matter of fact. “Which is why I don’t want to talk about it.” When that didn’t move the pony he continued. “Let us just say I do not like those who decide to judge others without evidence.”
Sue’s eyes lit up in understanding. “Stormy.”
He turned his head to look at the one talking to him.
“Drop it.” She tried to adopt a soothing voice. “Trust me.” She walked forward, to the pony and lowered to his level. “Have you heard the phrase a little knowledge is a terrible thing?”
Stormy nodded. Pegasi were renowned for being showoffs with clouds or racing when they learned to fly. A new trick only added to that, a classmate had broken their wing just after getting a racing cutie mark but hadn’t learned how to tuck their wings in quickly enough for a tight space.
“This is like that.” She looked into his eyes, the complete opposite of what he expected of her, compassion. “I promise that if he doesn’t tell you later that I will.”
“Ok.” The pony agreed and moved aside. Letting the three humans out of the tiny metal box.
“Where is everyone headed?” Stormy asked, feeling disheartened, fearing he had damaged his friendships.
“My mom is picking us up.” Suzanne said.
“I am taking a red-eye out of LAX.” Edward replied, his demeanor switching to a professional tone.
“Red. Eye?”
“It means a really late flight.”
“Ok.” Stormy made his goodbyes and before he was even out the door Sue and Ed were in an impassioned talk.
So Stormy walked to the Fly Away location he had seen on his map earlier. Alone in the sun, not to different than when he arrived. Thoughts tearing at his head.
He looked at his situation. He would be home and living with his parents for two months and then spending the next four years on an alien world, surrounded by creatures so similar and yet eerily different. A work load he had been told would be very hard. And to top it all off he would be living with two complete strangers.
Stormy Skies wondered which would be worse, family or school.
What do you think of chapter lengths since this story varies rather greatly. I prefer shorter ones as I fear the really long ones may drag on a bit. That and with being a slow writer...
Another question and one I would like input on. What do you think of the story. Is it to slow? Boring? What things would you like to see or not see? Etc. This is not my typical genre so please speak up. 
And thank Celestia!!! Orientation is finally over!!! SoL is a weird genre. Since it is so character based it is pretty hard to plan ahead in detail without things derailing so its more spontaneous with what happens.
And in my orientation there was no plan for people to stay if they needed and it ended around 11pm with a 4 hour drive after.
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Firstly a fair warning. You are missing closing bold command somewhere after halfway through the chapter.
As for the story. I actually prefer it to be this slow. I can actually understand how the characters feel since your pace doesn't force you to just gloss over any emotional turmoil and lets you keep their reactions believable.
5723944 Thank you. It should stayed fixed now. I hate computers.
and thank you for the imput
To answer your question, I don't mind a slow story, and the "fish out of water" concept has done well so far to keep my interest. That being said, it started to wear thin, and I had begun to wonder whether there's a narrative arc or whether this is a stream of consciousness story. I'm still not quite sure where this story is going, but I did have the impression that you have a destination in mind and simply set the stage at your leisure (plus the author's note pretty much cleared things up in that regard).
As hinted at in the elevator scene, I'm assuming that the characters have now been introduced and there's some drama looming on the horizon?
5711714
And this is why I learn. Have some of that planned and will move it forward to the airport chapter, lots of news access there. And had a similar idea soon. And I guess if the author isn't having fun with it how can the reader be expected to. dam, now you have me plotting how to screw with his life. 
And if you have any other ideas 
And I have another small problem with subtlety. Trouble with sticking to the middle, it either goes above heads or is like a pickup truck.
5726428 Yep. Some, will try to add in a bit more.
And to the both, I will try to change the speed, I think I understand how to work it a bit now. Miss blowing stuff up though
5723844 Just wait, that will be in his bag when he gets back to Equestria
5727278
Contraband literature! Police ponies kicking down the door and rushing in to tackle everypony, bewildered parents and oblivious to-be-student marched out as they are read their rights, a trailing officer holding a seemingly innocent book at hoof's lenth in tongs as if it might corrupt one by mere touch.
(Ok, maybe a little extreme)
Seems to be an okay story so far. Only two things kind of irk me.
One the California setting. I know this is probably pretty much core to the story but yeah you would have to pay me a ridiculous amount of cash to even set foot onto Cali soil. For the purpose of the story I can deal with it.
Two this whole attitude of Kat's about her deafness. Yes I get it you don't want to be coddled. It's probably a good thing you are somewhat self-sufficient. Just don't delude yourself into thinking that you are 'just' as functional as a regular person. "I'm not broken" she says. Yes honey you *are*. She even points out the hardships she has day-to-day. By logic this mean she *isn't* as functional as the regular Joe. In a polite, civilized setting you can get by, with help. Outside of that you are pretty much at a, well, handicap.
If she needs to keep telling herself that she isn't 'broken' in order to get by every day then okay do that, but you are showing that the character has a serious flaw (or perhaps schism) in their thinking and outlook on life. The reality of the situation is that she'll always be at a disadvantage and will always need to help of those who aren't disabled.
I'm sorry if that all sound mean-spirited but that's just how life is folks.
5736870 What is wrong with California?
And have you met anyone deaf before? Or looked at the culture of it?
5737847
I'll answer the deaf thing first. 1) Once or twice 2) No and don't care to. It doesn't change the logic of the situation.
I'm not saying the disabled don't deserve some quality of life. I'm not trying to be a dick here. I'm saying that they are fundamentally disabled and should always realize their limitations without delusions of what that means. No "differently-abled" nonsense.
To put it another way, if I were going to get into a fight, or even a serious game of paintball, the deaf fella is at *best* a diminished asset compared to the fully able-body guy. Disabled people don't make very good soldiers, hunters, policemen, or really anything that requires all your abilities and senses. Hell some able bodied doing those things would like to have even better than the normal senses, right?
To bring this back to something more pertaining to this character, Kat, she's already stated some of her difficulties in life. Another big one: how about avoiding trouble of the two legged kind? If she's jogging in the park by herself the ease of some lowlife to have their way with her skyrockets. They say you shouldn't even have an mp3 player on while jogging out by yourself, an actual deaf person? Maybe if she is constantly looking around behind her or more logically, goes with a friend *who can hear*.
In short, I'm glad she (and other real people) can have some kind of life. I can respect their desire for independence (I'm big in independence), as long as they realize their real limits then they won't run the risk of a rude shock -- or being raped and murdered in the park.
On the Cali thing. Dude my nick really ought to be enough to hint about that, but I fall very squarely on the "Rural" side of the Urban/Rural divide. Born and raised in Oklahoma, currently live in a (not so rural) suburb of Dallas. So California and New York (the city) represent almost everything I dislike about the nation. Now granted I'm well aware there is a lot of lovely land in California (and New York state) with great outdoors and nice communities. The legislative poison that comes out of the densely populated urban areas contaminates the rest of the state, sadly. Unfortunately that problem -- the urban areas dictating what life the rural ones have -- isn't exclusive to those two states and has happened more than a few times in my native Oklahoma.
like that's going to happen.
As I said though, for the purposes of this story I can deal with it. Really it's just a backdrop for a 'fish out of water' story and is basically just flavor text.
Now that's about all I'm going to say on the subject with political leanings, other than I'm *not* a Republican, I just grit my teeth and vote that way as I figure whatever stupid they come up with would be easier to undo in the future compared to the crap the Democrats come up with. I'd rather both parties sink honestly. Hell I'd be happy for a publicly atheistic Republican candidate to win something, LOL
Honestly I think Kat should be more understanding of Storm, hes coming from a world where deafness is apparently a choice and all he did was offer her that choice, he never implied that she was less of a person.
this is in incorrect sentance
Soooooo, something like this?
missjaneleo.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/scribble.jpg
Wow. Kat is a very confrontation and irritating person. She says that she wants to be self sufficient, but then reacts to everything passive aggressively and gets others to fight her battles.
Also she is judging a pony for not understanding that she doesn't perceive her disability as a personal limitation, while also complaining about it making things difficult for her.
So right now I thought that Kat was going to be the antagonist, but you keep getting everyone jumping in to defend her.
I'm basically saying that I find her character irritating but I can't help but think that you didn't want that reaction. Then again you wrote this a long time ago do maybe I should finish it before commenting.
It's been enjoyable so far, though I'm glad to see the story is moving on past Orientation. I wouldn't mind seeing some more conflict, but that will come as the story moves on.