For science

by Znegil

2 First contact

It took two days for the tranquilizer gun to arrive. I was so excited to research a whole new world that it was difficult for me to act like nothing happened. Finally, everything was ready to make the plan happen that I had gone through in my mind so many times.

I packed my backpack with an additional set of clothes, some sandwiches and apples, the tranquilizer gun, my digital camera, some rope, a knife, a flashlight and two dozen of little sample containers. Also, I packed a journal and a few pens to make notes in the easy to reach side pocket of the backpack. My plan was to make my research trip at night when no one was in the building anymore. I had to be sure nobody would touch the machines while I was on the other side or else I would be trapped forever.

I arrived at work while most people had been on lunch break, it minimized the risk of people asking me about my huge backpack. I stored it under my desk and started to work 'as usual' while I was so excited... and a little bit scared. Once the sun set and most of the scientists had been gone already, I locked my lab door and turned off the lights. I waited in the darkness for two more hours while I used my smartphone to make a few more notes of ideas what to search for after I went through the portal.

I looked at my watch; I was sure everyone had left the building, there wasn't a human sound to be heard, only the humming of my computer. I sat on my desk and transferred the required data to the portal. I grabbed my backpack and my coffee mug and entered the next room. I waited for the portal to change, the room was only illuminated by the blue energy that surrounded the portal. Finally, the picture changed and showed the same forest again. I was happy to see it appeared to be day there. No one had ever walked through one of these portals, sure we put machines through it before, to analyze the space behind it. One time we used some mice in tiny capsules to see if it was safe for creatures, none of them seemed to develop any sickness or cancer, but still...

I carefully tossed my coffee mug through it. It flew in a perfect arc and tumbled over the forest floor. Not the most scientific method but it boosted my confidence a bit. I extended my arm towards the portal and put a finger inside; it tickled a bit. I retracted the finger and looked at it... everything seemed to be fine.

Okay, there was no sense in waiting any longer. "It's time to do something stupid.", I said to myself. I closed my eyes and took a huge step forward. This tingling sensation rushed through my body, and I felt the warmth of a sun on my skin. I opened my eyes and looked around. Green lush trees surrounded me from all sides, and the portal floated in the air behind me giving me a look back into the lab.

"So far, so good.", I mumbled to myself. All I needed were a few samples, I could do it all in about an hour and then I would be back to the safety of my lab. I knelt on the ground to get my first sample of this unknown planet. I used my knife to get a little bit of soil with something that looked like grass on it. I stood up again and took some pictures with my digital camera. The sun was half to its highest point. I had decided the best way not to get lost would be to walk straight toward the sun, very carefully I did just that.

While I moved silently through the forest, I took a lot of samples, different plants and leaves. After about fifteen minutes I heard something walking not far away. I dropped myself to the ground and tried to get a tree between me and the source of the sound while I grabbed my tranquilizer gun. As I peeked around the tree, I saw the oddest creature I had ever seen in my life. A four legged creature with yellow fur, and its mane and tail had a pink color. I looked like a small horse... a little kids drawing of a horse.

'An actual animal, this is great. There will be a lot of scientific data I can get from it. Let's hope it responds to the darts the same way creatures on earth do.'

I carefully aimed at its backside and pulled the trigger, since it was pneumatic it nearly wasn't audible. I heard a little shriek.

"Ouch did something just bit me?", said a very tiny voice.

'These things are sentient and talk in my language?!', I thought in absolute shock.

"Ohhh, I feel so sleepy...", it whispered just loud enough for me to hear and laid on the ground.

'Oh no. I have attacked a sentient talking creature on this planet, BIG mistake! What should I do now?' Careful I moved closer to the creature lying on the ground, it was breathing slowly and seemed to be asleep. 'Wings? It's got wings! What are these creatures from Greek mythology called? Pegasus?' I studied its body, it clearly was female. I was surprised how similar it's reproduction parts were to us... or horses on earth, I supposed, I wasn't very familiar with horses.

'If I could reason with the creature I could get a lot of valuable information about this planet. But it could be more dangerous than it looks.' I decided not to take any risks and bound together her set of front and hind legs separately using my rope and tied her wings to her body. After reasoning with myself, I took a tiny sample of her tail. I paced back and forth and thought of things to say once she would wake up.

After a few minutes, as my back was turned towards her, I heard her tiny voice again. "Please don't eat me Mr. Monster."

I turned around and looked at her. She watched me with big pleading eyes. "I won't eat you, and I'm Miss Monster... I mean I'm female... a female human named Stella."

She looked very relieved. "So you're a mare then?", she asked timidly.

"I guess you could say it that way. Do you have a name?" There was a short silent between us.

"My name is Fluttershy... Could you be so kind to please untie me?", she finally asked.

I hesitated. "You don't look dangerous, but this could be misleading, I can't be sure you wouldn't attack and eat me."

"Eat another being? I could never do something like this." Her face was full of horror and very pale.

"Well... but how could I be sure?" I looked to the ground very uncomfortable with this situation.

She showed a little smile. "I never thought somepony could be afraid of me. I know a lot about the creatures living in this woods and other parts of Equestria and I know the features you have to look for to determine if a creature is dangerous. A predator would have some claws to hunt, not these soft hooves I have, and if they don't, they would have sharp teeth to eat flesh. Look at mine and you will see that I am a herbivore, unlike you who...", she trailed off.

I bent down and untied her legs and wings. "I'm sorry... you're right I am an omnivore, but I eat only fish for protein, I would never eat you or another intelligent being." I looked to the ground. "This is all just very new and confusing for me."

She softly stroked my leg. "It's ok. I'm sure you didn't mean any harm."

"How can you be so nice to me after what I did?", I asked her.

She just smiled at me. "Everypony deserves a little kindness. How about we go to my house and talk about what you want here."

"You live in a house?"

She just nodded in reply. I hadn't expected this creature to live in a house... but I hadn't expected it to talk either. I looked up to the sun. It was still much time until noon. "I think that could be nice, thank you, but what will the other horses think when they see me?"

"We are ponies.", she replied. "And don't worry, I live alone, quite a bit away from the village, just me and my animals. Is your foal nearby or do we have to get it first?"

"My foal?", I asked confused. "Why do you think I have a baby?"

"I... I...", her face color started to look like her mane, and she hid her face behind it. Out of this hairy hideout, she quietly said: "Because your udders are so big."

"My udders? You mean...", now my face gained some color. "This size is average for humans, it is B-cup, it is... let us walk to your house and change the subject." She quickly started to walk to the direction she came from when I first saw her.

'I am on a different planet and discussing my breast size with a pony... this part will not be in my journal.'
"So... you can fly?", I ask, happy to have enough other topics.

"Yes, but I prefer to walk... I feel safer this way."

I was surprised to hear she could create enough lift with these wings to get her pony body in the sky.
"Can you tell me how this area is called?", I ask her.

"You're near Ponyville at the beginning of the Everfree Forest. Please never go into this forest by night... even at day it can be dangerous, but most of the daylight creatures wouldn't attack me."

"Why?", I asked and promised myself to be back long before nightfall.

"I heal them when they are hurt. They know I only want to help them."

"Do you have drawings of these creatures? It would help me a lot."

"Sure.", she answered. "I have a lot of books about animals, they have many drawings inside."

'Wow, they even have writing and books, excellent. There will be a Nobel Prize with my name on it.'

Comments

[DualKitsune]

Or everyone could decide she's insane.

[Texus]

"I... I...", her face color started to look like her mane and she hid her face behind it. Out of this hairy hideout she very quickly said: "Because your udders are so big."

aaaaawwwwwww
Now I want her to adopt somone in the future, without it meaning the end of the story, but I don't mind if its means the beginning of a sequel

[Silentwoodfire]

How is this project NOT without a full-time staff, security personnel, and someone in the background with the keylogger recording whats happening on the other computers? They should've caught this second look through the portal at those coordinates.

[Always Breakfast]

'Wow, they even have writing and books, excellent. There will be a Nobel Prize with my name on it.'

Yeah no. More likely to be a jail cell. Because flagrant misuse of government and/or corporate property aside, it's illegal for private citizens to conduct diplomacy, and you can bet they'd be willing to stretch the definition to go after a rogue intern who botched first contact.

[Sweetblue]

8081453
Not to mention Biohazard implications, this is reckless beyond belief! She could end up as modern Typhoid Mary... As she does this she is putting lives of untold million at risk. All for her own boredom and greed for recognition.

[ANTIcarrot]

<sigh>
I wanted to like this, I really did, but it feels like the author is trying to write about a profession they don't understand and have no experience in. None of Stella's thoughts or actions make sense. "Viruses, bacteria, fungi, quarantine procedures? What are those? As a (presumed) post grad scientist I have no knowledge of such things!"

It's also very frustrating to hear equestrians described as 'horse like' by people who I must presume have never seen actual horses. Oh, and the first pony they meet is one of the main six. Oh and they speak perfect English.

I'm going to skip ahead a few chapters and see what happens.

[Znegil]

8269960
You are entitled to have this opinion. Have a nice day.

[unknowncape7377]

8270936
No story series is safe from my hunger!!! Mwhahahaha!!!!!!