A collection of one shots about positive human-pony interactions.
When two worlds of great difference meet, it shall result in either the greatest of unities, or the most horrific of tragedies.
These are tales of such unities.
A series of one shots about human-pony interactions that I lack the time and/or creativity to create full fledged stories about. Feel free to get inspired and make one of these ideas work, or point me towards a story that already does.
If you're looking for something darker, check out the sister collection.
Cover art by me, using flag images from google search and put together with gimp.
It is common for new mothers to have both rational and irrational fears about their child. Most would agree that worrying about a magical storm causing their four year old son to vanish in a flash of light to be an irrational fear. Mary Greger, however, would disagree.
“Luke!” She cried out in horror as her baby boy disappeared into thin air.
Words could not describe the terrible mess of emotions that coursed through her.
“Mary…” said John as he slowly approached his wife.
Then, suddenly, there was another bright flash outside. Mary didn’t hesitate. She turned and dashed out the front door in her pajamas.
“Mary! Wait! We don’t know what’s out there!” exclaimed John.
Mary ignored him.
“Luke?! Luke?! Can you hear me?!” she called out.
She heard someone crying. She rushed forward to see where it was coming from, but stopped in her tracks at at what she saw. The cries were not coming from her son, but from a small pink horse. It looked up at her with large eyes full of tears.
“Mommy?” it asked.
Despite her panic and fear, Mary felt her heart go out to the little thing. It seemed so lost and confused. Maybe it had been ripped away from its parents? Just like…
“Mary? What’s… what is that?!” cried John as he caught up with his wife.
The filly backed away, clearly terrified. Seeing it act so scared made something in Mary click. She made her decision.
“Are you alright, little one?” asked Mary as she kneeled down.
The creature still flinched and started crawling backwards.
“Who… are you?” it asked, its expression fearful.
“It can talk?!” exclaimed John.
“John, hush!” said Mary before turning back towards the pony.
Mary hesitated. She tried to imagine how Luke would have reacted if he saw a large strange thing creeping towards him.
“I… I’m just someone who wants to help you. Maybe even take you to your mommy,” said Mary in as calm a voice as she could manage.
The filly’s eye grew wide at her words.
“You know where my mommy is?” asked the filly.
Mary sighed.
“No, but I can help you look for her, and give you a nice warm bed to sleep in tonight,” she said.
“Oh… Ok…” the filly said, clearly nervous.
Moving as slowly as she could manage, Mary made her way forward and picked up the filly. She was about as heavy as her own child had been.
“Don’t worry, little one. I’ll keep you safe. Can you tell me your name?” asked Mary.
“Starshine…” said the filly.
“That’s a really pretty name,” said Mary with a smile.
She turned around to see the utterly baffled expression on her husband’s face.
“Mary… what on earth are you planning to do with that thing?” he asked.
“Her name is Starshine, John. I’m taking her inside for a bath, then I’m putting her in bed,” said Mary.
“But… but… Mary, this is ridiculous! We don’t what it… her… whatever, even is! She might be an alien invader! She might be why Luke just vanished out of thin air!” objected John.
Mary’s expression grew hard.
“You think I haven’t considered that? If those lights were any indication, then whatever took Luke from us brought Starshine here. I’m not going to pretend I have the faintest clue what’s going on, but I do know that this little one is going to need someone to take care of her,” said Mary.
“Mary…” started John.
“Think about it John: if this little filly’s been separated from her parents and is lost, what do you think is happening to Luke right now?” asked Mary.
John was quiet as he realized what his wife was saying.
“Somewhere, somehow, a talking horse is holding my little Luke in her hooves and trying to figure out what to do with him. I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to see him again, but more than anything I want him to be safe. If I want to believe that Starshine’s mother will care for Luke as if he were her own child, then I absolutely must do the same in return,” said Mary.
John sighed. He could tell there was no arguing with her now.
Luke sat on a bed, staring at a wall. It wasn’t his bed, and it wasn’t his wall. The magic talking horseies had been nice to him, but he wanted to go home. He wanted to see his mommy.
Suddenly, the door opened, and the big blue horsie walked in carrying a tray of food. The horsie said his name was Bright Light, but Luke thought that was a pretty silly name.
“Hey, I brought you some breakfast. I hope you like eggs on toast,” he said.
Luke was getting hungry, but he didn’t feel like eating.
The horsie put down the tray and sat next to Luke.
“I just got a letter from the really smart ponies I told you about,” said the horsie.
“Uh huh…” mumbled Luke.
“They said that they think they can send you home, but not for a really, really long time,” said the horsie.
Luke looked up, confused.
“Really, really long time?” asked Luke.
The horsie sighed.
“Long enough that you’ll probably be all grown up by then,” said the horsie.
“Oh…” said Luke as he turned back toward the wall. He probably would have started crying again if he wasn’t trying so hard to be brave. He missed his mommy and daddy.
They both sat their in silence for a bit, the horsie looking for the right words to say.
“Look... Luke... I know you want to see your parents, but you can’t just sit here in your… I mean, this room for years on end. This isn’t your home, but you’re going to be in this place for awhile. Do you really think your parents would want you to lock yourself up like this?” asked the horsie.
Luke knew his mom would be really mad if she was here. And he did want to go outside and play again. But...
The horsie cleared his throat before continuing.
“Luke, Sunshine is determined to be your guardian, and after getting to know you, I don’t see a reason to argue with her. We both want to see you happy,” said the horsie.
“You’re not my daddy…” mumbled Luke.
The horsie sighed again.
“No, I’m not. And I can’t care for my little foal, either. I can only hope that your mother is taking care of my Starshine. I know me and Sunshine will never be able to replace your mom and dad, but we really do want help you. So… maybe you can call us Uncle Bright Light and Aunt Sunshine?” asked Bright Light.
It took a few moments for Luke to respond.
“OK…” he whispered.
“Aunt Mary, Uncle John, I’m home!” called Starshine as she closed the front door.
“Welcome home, sweetie! How was school today?” called Mary from the kitchen.
“It was great. We learned how to multiply by six,” said Starshine as she made her way to her adoptive aunt.
“Still just as easy as always?” asked Mary.
“Yep. I really wish they’d give us something harder. I don’t get why everyone else finds it so tricky,” said Starshine as she put down her saddlebags.
Mary chuckled, though she found herself once again pondering if the filly’s mother knew just how talented her daughter was before Starshine had been sent here. She shook her head. No point in dwelling on that again. She just had to hope that everything was fine wherever Starshine had come from and, hopefully, where Luke had gone.
“Don’t worry. You’ll find a math problem that gives you trouble in due time. How’s Matt?” asked Mary.
“He’s still out sick, but teacher said he’ll probably be in school again tomorrow,” said Starshine with a nod.
“Glad to hear that. Maybe you two can play soccer again soon,” said Mary with a nod.
“I hope so. I have this super cool new kick I want to show him,” said Starshine with a smile.
Luke hummed an aimless tune as he happily drew in his sketchbook. The sunset was beautiful that evening, and he wanted to try and capture it as best he could.
“Evening Luke,” said a young yellow pegasus as she flew down to him.
“Evening Cloudburst. What’s up?” asked Luke.
“The sky, as always,” said Cloudburst with a giggle.
Luke chuckled, but remained focused on his drawing.
Cloudburst sat down next to her best friend.
“It’s hard to believe that we’re almost ready to graduate,” she said.
“I don’t know, Cloudburst. Graduating from general school isn’t that big a deal. Almost everypony does it,” said Luke as he changed colors.
“It’s still an important landmark. It’s the point where we stop learning all that useless stuff and can focus on learning more about our talents. It shows the world we’re not little kids anymore,” said Cloudburst.
“We’re not adult yet, either. We still have to deal with a bedtime,” said Luke with a smirk.
Cloudburst rolled her eyes.
“Why do you always have to be such a downer, Luke? Ever heard the saying about the bright side of life?” asked Cloudburst.
Luke rolled his eyes back.
“Cloudburst, I’m not a downer. I’m just a realist. I do see the bright side of life. Like… that fact that I’m happy to have found my talent without a cutie mark to prove it. I’m just anxious about what I’m going to do with myself,” admitted Luke.
Cloudburst sighed.
“Luke, you worry too much. When they open that portal to your home world, everything will turn out alright. You’ll see,” she said.
“I certainly hope so,” said Luke as he added the finishing touches to his work.
“...our speaker of the class, Miss Starshine Greger!” announced the principal.
Taking a deep breath, Starshine stood up and made her way to the podium. She’d taken the time to prepare for this, but the butterflies refused to leave her stomach. Who’d have thought that the alien pony would end up graduating from college first in her class?
“Thank you, principal Harris. It’s a honor to have been choose for this role. I’m a bit overwhelmed by this, so please forgive me if I’m a little… horse,” said Starshine.
There were some laughter from her classmates, though a few parents in the crowd shifted awkwardly. It was easy to spot those who still found listening to a talking pony to be weird even if her existence was common knowledge now. Not that Starshine minded. She was used to being a bit of a weirdo, and not just from the hooves and tail.
“I know, I know, that joke’s as old as dirt. But I keep making it because I think it makes a rather profound point whenever it comes… from the horse’s lips,” said Starshine.
There was more laughter at this one, though she could have sworn she noticed her boyfriend facepalm out of the corner of her eye. He never did care for puns.
“I am an alien. There’s no point in denying that. But I am also an alien with a sense of humor. I can take a few jokes at my expense. And standing here, giving an acceptance speech for my class, I can say I’ve had more than my fair share of criticism and doubts,” said Starshine.
Again, there was some awkward shuffling in the crowd. Starshine ignored it.
“But I soldiered on. We all soldiered on. And now, we’re actually here, about to graduate from one of the most prestigious schools in the world. This cape and gown are more than just a symbol of academic achievement. It’s an indication that we were all strong and smart enough to overcome every obstacle that came our way, both in and out of the classroom,” said Starshine.
Starshine turned toward her adoptive uncle and aunt. They were looking at her with eyes full of liquid pride. She owned them so much for helping her get this far.
“So when I say I’ve overcome my… neigh-sayers, I’m not just making a pun. I’m telling the world that I’m ready for whatever it can throw at me. That I’m ready to step out and become an adult. That I’m ready to use what I’ve learned at this academy and do incredible things,” said Starshine.
And those stupid anti-talking horse haters can kiss my first-of-class backside, she thought to herself.
Luke took a deep breath. This was it. He’d been dreading and looking forward to this day for as long as he could remember.
Would his parents be proud of the artist he’d grown up to be? Would Starshine be safe and sound? Would he…
“Luke, you’re working yourself up again,” chided Bright Light.
Luke winched.
“Right, sorry Uncle Bright. I’m just nervous,” said Luke.
“Me too, Luke. I’m about to meet my daughter, who I haven’t seen in twenty years. I wasn’t there to see her grow up, so I can’t help but wonder if I’m really her father anymore,” said Bright Light.
“Of course you are, Uncle Bright. She was old enough to remember you when we switched places, so she must still know you're her parents. Celestia knows I still remember mine, even if I’m just as worried about how they’ll react,” said Luke.
“Just because you remember someone doesn’t mean they haven’t changed. Twenty years is a long time. Maybe she doesn’t consider herself a pony anymore. Maybe she’ll be too busy to come see us. Maybe…”
“Now look who’s working themselves up,” said Sunshine with a giggle.
Bright Light coughed, though a blush still crept onto his face.
“It’ll be fine you two. Call it a mother’s intuition, but I just know this is going to turn out alright,” reassured Sunshine.
“Alright, you three ready?” asked the head mage.
“I believe so. You can start when you’re ready,” said Bright Light.
“Got it. Stand by, everypony. Portal will be opening in 3… 2…
Starshine looked at the two ponies in front of her. The stallion was bright blue, and his mane flopped to the side in a pattern like hers did. The mare was bright yellow, and her eyes were just like the ones she always saw in the mirror. The faint memories from her childhood came back in perfect clarity. There was no mistaking who these two were.
“Mom? Dad?” she asked, her voice hesitant.
The stallion took a nervous step forward.
“Is that you, Starshine?” he asked.
Tears were forming in her eyes. She felt so overwhelmed with emotion. Confusion, joy, sadness, shame, hope, and goodness knew what else burned inside her. She couldn’t bring herself to speak. Instead, she simply nodded.
The dam broke. The stallion and mare raced forward and pulled her into a hug as tears started flowing from everyone’s eyes.
“After all this time… my baby…” mumbled the mare through her tears.
“I’m… I’m back… mom… dad…” Starshine managed to choke out.
It would be quite some time before they broke their grasp on each other. As their emotions began to calm and their tears started to dry, the three of them turned to look at the other ongoing reunion. The three humans were together in an equally strong hug.
The mothers of both sides made eye contact. There were no words between them, just a silently shared expression of gratitude.
I slammed my head against the table as my so-called friends laughed at my expense.
“Ha ha. Alright, which one of you jerks slipped sugar into my lunch this time?” I demanded.
Sarah raised her hand with an oh-so-smug look on her face before she pushed her own lunch towards me. I pushed my spiked lunch to her in return. I should have realized what she was up to the moment I noticed she was eating the same thing as me.
“That’s another point for me, Tim. Better step up your game if you want to even the score,” she said with a giggle.
And now I would have to deal with a fluffy pink horse tail coming out of my butt for the rest of the school day.
Hey! What did we tell you about calling us horses? reminded Pinkie in my mind.
I rolled my eyes at my ‘body mate.’
I said we had the tail of a horse, not that you are one, Pinkie, I answered.
Oh. OK then! declared Pinkie.
I just sighed as I started eating my lunch. The sound of my tail popping out of my spine had gotten me a few looks around the cafeteria as usual, but everyone already knew what that sound had been, and who had made it. There were a few giggles, but for the most part no one cared.
Not that I blame them. It’s really hard to take a guy seriously when he has a pink tail. Once again, I found myself wondering what I did to deserve this.
Werewolves turn into mighty beasts when they are exposed to the light of the full moon.
Werefish, aka mermaids, become beautiful creatures of the sea when they touch water.
Wereponies turn into brightly colored cartoon equines when they eat too much sugar.
Guess which one I am.
I made it home fine, though my tail started twitching almost as soon as I closed the front door.
“Mom! The rack’s about to fall again!” I yelled to the kitchen.
A moment later, there was a loud crunch, though the lack of silverware clanging on the floor told me she’d caught the hanging rack in time.
“Thanks, sweetie!” called my mom.
I just shook my head and made my way to my room.
One of these days we’re going to have to convince mom to replace that old thing, I thought.
Yeah. Somepony could get hurt one of these days, replied Pinkie.
Pinkie may be a goof, but she takes her kitchen care very seriously.
Why thank you! She said.
I still don’t know how she does it, but she managed to hug me despite only being a voice in my head.
The moment I stepped into my room, my cell phone went off. The super sugary chime that played could mean only one thing. I pulled out my phone and read the text message.
Code 3. Line 4. - Dusk
No werepony gets to decide who they host, let alone whether they become one in the first place. And as the werepony to carry Pinkie Pie, I had gained new responsibilities in addition to having to wear custom pants with tail holes.
At least I got paid for having to give up my body so often.
Pinkie, why does Twilight still bother with these stupid codes? It’s not like any of you are government secrets or anything, I asked.
I think it’s because of that one creepy guy who tried to date her. You weren’t part of the family yet. Trust me, it was ugly, answered Pinkie.
Shaking my head, I booted my computer up. Code three meant that it was a something urgent, but not necessarily dangerous. Line four meant that we would discuss it on our private phone line, the PPN.
You want me to do the talking? asked Pinkie.
It might just be a situation update. I don’t want to waste a cube if it’s nothing we need to act on, I replied.
And the fact that you still don’t like letting me out to play isn’t a factor? She asked.
OK, first of all, every time you come out you throw a party. A party that results in you eating so much sugar that it takes days for me to come back. I have a math test coming up, and we both know how miserable it is for both of us if you have to sit through my classes, let alone take my test for me, I argued.
Not every time! I’ve been getting better about my sugar intake. I only ate one cupcake last time, countered Pinkie.
Second, yes, I’m still uncomfortable with letting a hyperactive pink pony take control of my body. Seriously, how do you stand just watching your host control you all the time? I asked.
I’ve had a few hundred years to come to terms with it, Timmy. You can get used to anything with that much time. And the trick is learn how to go with the flow, and not think about it too much, answered Pinkie.
I just sighed and turned toward my now loaded computer. A few clicks later, the PPN chat room was open.
Unsurprisingly, there were four open windows. Two showed ponies, two showed humans.
“Sup, Tim!” said the British woman with rainbow hair. As I watched, blue pony ears pushed their way out of her mane. This did not bode well for my humanity.
“I’m fine. I take it this is about a new assignment?” I asked.
I should mention that none of us were speaking English then. One of the perks of being a werepony was that all of us were fluent in Equish. This was especially useful as only three of us were from English-speaking countries.
“Indeed. Best start turning right away,” said the Chinese man as his hair started turning purple.
With a sigh, I got up, undressed, and grabbed my box of sugarcubes. While I could probably just use candy for my transformation, I’d long since discovered that processed sugar doesn't always cut it. It has to be genuine sugarcane, not that artificial stuff. Using sugarcubes may not taste as good, but it always made the switch smoother.
“So, what is it this time? Rescue mission? Exploring ruins? Some government plot we need to expose?” I asked as I popped a few cubes into my mouth.
“Those would be a case two at the least. This is a relatively low-stake matter, but it’s something that we’re all going to have to get involved with,” answered Twilight.
“Long term or short term,” I asked.
With a soft pop, I felt my hair start fluffing into Pinkie’s crazy curls.
“Long term. We’re headed to South America,” answered Applejack.
Nodded in acknowledgement, I turned toward the door.
“Mom! Pony business came up! Don’t bother making me dinner!” I called.
“OK, sweetie! Make sure to bring me a souvenir this time!” My mom called back, causing my newly pointed ears to twitch.
Sometime I think she should have been the next Pinkie were-pony. It’s a shame that ponies can only bond with younger humans when the time for a resurrection comes.
“So, you planning on telling what we’re doing, or are we going to play twenty questions again,” I asked.
Twilight sighed.
“I’ll tell you once Pinkie’s out. I don’t want her sending you two flopping around while you’re still changing,” she answered.
I rolled my eyes as I felt Pinkie’s coat start covering me.
I waited a few seconds longer, and then it happened. As my muscles started to shift, they stopped reacting to my commands, and Pinkie took over. Transforming never hurt, but man did it feel weird losing control like that.
A few pops and snaps later (including one especially awkward one), Tim the human was gone. Pinkie Pie the pony was in his place.
“Alright! Let’s hear it, Twilight!” said Pinkie.
Her vision jumped between the screens, showing that there were now four ponies looking back at her.
Twilight nodded, and spoke.
“One of Celestia’s scouting parties found Fluttershy’s new host,” she said.
Pinkie gave a gasp, before she started jumping all over my room in glee. As I was currently only a disembodied voice in her head, I didn't get dizzy. I just found myself, once again, wishing I could close my own eyes.
“Hooray! Fluttershy’s back! We haven’t seen her in months!” exclaimed Pinkie.
Still, I was kind of happy about this myself. It meant I wouldn’t be the new guy on the team anymore.
Dr. First Response was no stranger to hysterical patients. From elderly stallions ranting on about conspiracies to fillies having outright panic attacks at the sight of needles, he’d dealt with more than his fair share. But by far his least favorite to deal with was the overly protective mother. Especially under such circumstances.
“My poor, poor, baby! Who could have done this to you?! It must have been those filthy ape things, I just know it! I knew from the moment they first appeared that…”
“Mrs. Green Grass!” Dr. Response sharply interrupted.
The hysterical mare turned toward him, her eyes still full of tears.
“I can assure you, the humans had nothing to do with it. This wasn’t the result of exposure to anything, or being treated in any fashion, or ingesting something toxic. Your child’s condition is the result of a genetic defect,” he calmly explained.
“Defect?! Are you accusing my child of being anything less than perfect!? You… You quack! You’re not a doctor! You're just some punk in a lab coat! You…” Green Grass ranted.
Dr. First Response sighed. Why, oh why, did so many patients blame him for their own biology?
“Mrs. Grass, regardless of how you interpret my word choice, the fact remains that little Morning Grass has a severe heart condition that will likely prove fatal if not treated quickly. The problem is that this condition cannot be easily cured with magic or conventional medicine. However...” he tried to explain before he was interrupted.
“No! That can’t be true! You have to be able to save her! You have to! You have to! You…” the hysterical mare sobbed.
“Mrs. Grass!” exclaimed Dr. Response. He really didn’t have time for this.
“As I was trying to say, I made some calls to some colleges of mine who are experimenting with some new medical techniques. They mentioned just the other day that they had finished preparations for a new form of heart treatment that may be able to save her,” said Dr. Response.
Like a switch had been flipped, the mare’s entire being changed from despairing to overjoyed.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I just knew I could trust you doctor! I always knew you were…”
Dr. Response resisted the urge to groan. Especially with what he was legally required to say next.
“Mrs. Grass, I must remind you that while we are confident this procedure with succed, this will still be the first time it will be performed on a pony. There is still a danger that unexpected complications may occur. And before you accuse me of trying to harm your child, please bear in mind that had I not learned of this new option, I would have had to declare your child’s condition incurable. This is simply the only option we have,” Dr. Response explained as quickly as he could.
Green Grass’s expression changed between horror, anger, fear, and despair once again.
“If… if you really think this will let you save my baby, I… I have no choice but to trust you doctor. I’ll do anything to see that she’s no longer in pain,” Green Grass said in an unusual calm.
“That’s good. Because this new procedure involves using technology and techniques from those ‘filthy apes’,” said Dr. Response with an internal smirk.
“And not a moment later she started harping on and on about how wonderful you humans are. That you’re a gift sent from Celestia herself, and that anyone who says otherwise is a fool,” Dr. Response said with a shake of his head.
Chuckles were had around the room by human and pony doctors alike.
“Well, the filly’s eccentric mother aside, I think we’re ready to begin,” said one of the human doctors.
“Indeed. I must say, I’m glad that we managed to finish redesigning the pacemaker for pony use when we did. The poor child wouldn’t have had a chance to survive otherwise,” added another pony doctor.
“I agree. We’re going to be making history today. The first ever combination of human technology and pony magic used in medicine, and it’s being used to treat a disease that has been believed incurable for centuries!” exclaimed a different pony doctor.
“Let’s not congratulate ourselves just yet. We still have yet to confirm that the pony pacemaker will work as intended. Just because it was designed to function with a pony’s biology doesn’t mean it will,” cautioned another human doctor.
“Yes, and I still wish we had been able to test the pony pacemaker on an older patient first. Tissue samples and magical constructs can only provide so much reliable data, and I don’t feel comfortable using a child for our trial run,” added Dr. Response.
“Not to mention we still aren’t sure how the filly’s natural magic may impact the device, even if we took it into consideration while designing the darn thing. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the child is certain to perish if we don’t use it. It’s either we use the child as the first bearer of the device, or we let her waste away,” reminded another human doctor.
Reluctant grunts of agreement were had.
“Alright, let’s stop agreeing how tragic the situation is and get to work on performing a miracle of medicine. Dr. Response, as head surgeon, are you ready to begin the operation?” asked a pony doctor.
Dr. Response took a deep breath. It was unfortunate that this first case came so quickly. The ponies on the project had yet to finish proper training on how to perform the surgery, and the humans lacked proper understanding of the pony body. This was going to be a very difficult surgery, even with so many talented doctors working together.
“Yes. Let’s get started,” he declared.
Dr. Response sighed in accomplishment as he watched mother and daughter embraced each other.
“Well, I think we can declare this a success. With just a bit of human innovation, this little filly has survived an incurable disease. And to think there are those who still say our people have nothing to gain from each other,” he said with a shake of his head.
“This was hardly because of us. We just provided the inspiration. This was a miracle of pony medicine and it’s talented doctors,” said his human companion.
“Oh, don’t say things like that. Mrs. Grass might start rumors about humans attempting to hurt her baby,” said Dr. Response with a chuckle.
The two stood there in silence and watched the happy family.
“So, what’s next for our little project? I know we planned to harness magic to dispose of an incurable human disease, but what exactly do you have in mind?” asked Dr. Response.
The human grinned.
Medical Breakthrough: Ponies invent cure for diabetes!
“It was to expected, I suppose. Do you have any idea how much sugar is in a typical pony’s diet?” commented Dr. First Response.
Taylor awoke, once again, to the blaring sound of Pinkie Pie’s “wake up time” song. It never failed to get her up in the morning, and make her wish the pink pony had never shared her music files with her friends.
“Ugh… Rainbow Dash, why do we have to go through this every morning?” she groaned as she rolled over on her bed to look at her Pony Compact Device.
The pegasus on the screen rolled her eyes.
“Well, if you’d stop staying up so late, maybe you’d be able to get up on time,” countered Rainbow with a roll of her eyes.
“That’s coming for the pegasus who’s always napping,” countered Taylor as she sat up and stretched.
“Yeah, except my naps are carefully timed so that I don’t miss anything. You, on the other hoof, are always oversleeping and running late,” said Rainbow.
Taylor rolled her eyes and glanced at the clock.
“Rainbow, it’s only… 8:30?! What the heck?! Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?!” cried Taylor as she hurriedly threw off her covers.
“I tried. Must I remind you that you put a lock on my system, preventing me from using the alarm before 8:30? I told you that was a bad idea, but nooo… You were just so confident you could get up on time without my help,” chided Rainbow.
Taylor grumbled but didn’t argue as she quickly changed clothes. She knew better than to stroke Rainbow’s ego.
“By the way, your mom called this morning,” said Rainbow.
“Again? Sigh… short version please,” said Taylor as she dashed to the bathroom.
“Ahem… ‘If you fail another exam because you didn’t show up on time, I’m coming over there and blah, blah, blah.’ You know how these things always go,” called Rainbow.
After quickly brushing her teeth and making her hair look somewhat presentable, Taylor rushed over to pick up her purse and Rainbow’s PCD before heading for the door.
“Hey, at least grab a poptart! You know how your mind wanders when you're hungry,” reminded Rainbow.
“What are you, my mother?” asked Taylor, though she still backed up and grabbed a package.
“No, but since you’re even lazier than me, I might as well be,” said Rainbow.
Taylor managed to get to school on time, if only barely. She stopped and gasped for breath as soon as she reached her classroom.
“Impressive. Now if only you’d put that speed of your to use in a sport,” commented Rainbow.
Taylor pulled out her PCD and glared at Rainbow.
“We… *huff...* are not… *huff...* having that… *huff…* argument… *huff…* again,” she wheezed out.
“Well sorry for doing my job and trying to get you to work off all that body fat. But you’re right, this isn’t the time. Now get to your seat before the bell rings,” said Rainbow.
Fighting through her cramp, Taylor made her way over to her desk and sat down. She pulled out her pencils, and clicked the PCD into it’s slot.
“Finally. Do have any idea what’s it like being the fastest pony alive, but you’re always late to everything?” asked Rainbow.
“Shut up,” mumbled Taylor as she gave her notes one last glance over.
“Well, whatever. Catch you after school, Taylor,” said Rainbow before she jumped into Equestria.
Taylor just rolled her eyes.
“Stupid rule saying ponies are not allowed to help with tests,” she grumbled as the teacher entered the classroom.
The moment Rainbow arrived in Equestria, she immediately activated a tracker program to prove that she didn't return to the classroom until the exam was over, then used a hyperlink to jump straight to the map room of Twilight’s castle.
Unsurprisingly, her friends were already gathered and waiting for her. Twilight was busy making schedules for her university, Fluttershy was keeping an eye on a camera feed to watch her human’s puppy, Pinkie Pie was hacking the system to get infinite cake again, and Rarity was designing a new dress with a pony editor program. Applejack, however, was just sitting back in her chair with a smirk on her face.
“Mornin’, Rainbow. Nice of ya to finally join us,” said Applejack.
As her friends looked up and gave words of greeting, Rainbow just huffed as she took her seat.
“It’s not my fault Taylor’s always staying up too late. I’ve told her so many times that she needs to start a proper sleep schedule, but she never listens to me,” she complained.
“You could just ask for a transfer if it’s bothering you that much,” reminded Rarity.
“Nah, I don’t want to leave Taylor to fend for herself. Transfers are for ponies who’s humans are outright torturing them or doing illegal stuff. Besides, I’d have to process all the paperwork that comes with it,” said Rainbow with a shake of her head.
“That’s true. Anyway, everypony ready for today’s assignment?” asked Twilight.
This confused everypony else.
“Wait, we have an assignment today? I didn’t get a notice,” interrupted Pinkie.
“Yeah, I thought the new Cloudsdale update was delayed till next week,” said Rainbow.
“Oh dear. Please tell me it’s not another glitch hunt. It’s alway so scary removing those things,” said Fluttershy.
“No, nothing like that. Sapphire Shores’ PCD had to make an unexpected system update today, so we’re going to be subbing for her in the approval department,” said Twilight.
“All six of us? Ah mean, Rarity’s the only one of us with a design program. What can the rest of us do?” asked Applejack.
“Testing, mostly. A new wave of amature designs were just submitted. Rarity can handle the design aspect, but the codes still needs evaluation to make sure it’s compatible with Equestria’s interface,” explained Twilight.
Rainbow took a moment to run those words through her dictionary program.
“Right, stress testing. Yeah, we can do that. Got to make sure the code can keep up with us. Just as long as Pinkie watches her modding. We all know how unstable amature code can be,” said Rainbow.
“Hey, I just renewed my hacker license! I know how to control myself!” objected Pinkie.
“Having a modding license doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes, Pinkie. Remember that copy-paste incident?” reminded Rarity.
Pinkie’s expression faltered a bit.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’ll just test Celestia-approved hacks. I really don’t want to crash Ponyville again,” admitted Pinkie.
“Thank you, Pinkie. Alright, I’m sending the link now…” said Twilight.
A moment later, Rainbow got the e-mail. She quickly opened it, and used the hyperlink to jump to the approval department.
Taylor sighed as the final bell rang. She probably didn’t fail the exam, but her brain was spent. She hated to admit it, but Rainbow had been right about the poptart. It had been so difficult to concentrate towards the end. The rest of the day hadn’t been much better. And if the rest of the school year was going to be like this, maybe she should start listening to her pony.
Nah.
She reached over and sent a return ping to Rainbow before packing up her things. She didn’t really need to call Rainbow back, she could just wait until she got home, but it was just such a routine thing that Rainbow would probably freak out if she didn’t.
The screen of the PCD flickered before the blue pegasus appeared.
“Hey Taylor. You still alive?” she asked.
Taylor rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, unfortunately. And seeing as I have not meet my untimely demise today, what’s my schedule like?” she asked.
“Same as every other day: nothing. Seriously girl, you need to join a club or something,” said Rainbow with a shake of her head.
With a sigh, Taylor picked up the PCD and stood up. She really wished ponies weren’t so concerned about their humans’ social life. It’d make the daily grind that much easier to bear.
“I agree with this assessment. I think it’s an inevitability that we’re going to have to connect to the internet at this point. I’ve lost count of how many requests we’ve had since humans started bringing their technology into Equestria. I really can’t think of any real objections, though I believe we should make every effort to warn everypony of the dangers this will present before we go through with it,” said Twilight.
“I agree, but I was referring to what you personally thought about it,” said Celestia.
Twilight let out another sigh.
“Well, on the one hoof, I’m ecstatic to have open access to such an extensive library of information. On the other, I’m worried about some of it’s darker aspects. I was given the opportunity to browse as I saw fit some time ago, and the things I saw…” Twilight trailed off.
“Such as the pornography of us that already exists?” asked Celestia with a bemused expression.
Twilight blushed, then cleared her throat.
“Yes, that’s one thing. But far more concerning, however, is the level of interactivity we will have with humans if we connect. We all know perfectly well that both humans and ponies have their good and bad eggs, but I’m not sure if Equestria’s ready to handle the level of deprivation that is an internet comment section,” said Twilight.
“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Have you seen what the local papers have been publishing lately?” asked Celestia.
Twilight groaned and nearly slammed her head on her desk at the reminder.
“I agree we need to be cautious. Such a thing has never been seen in Equestria before, and we must make certain we respond appropriately. We all knew from the moment we decided to keep the portal open that our worlds would have to contend with each other’s dark side. But I think if the humans could deal with a necromantic invasion, we can deal with a few biting virtual words,” said Celestia.
Twilight looked back up with a determined expression.
“I know, but I want to be able to say more than ‘we think it’ll turn out OK because we like the technology.’ When problems start to arrive, and they most certainly will, I want to have some positive examples to point towards to remind everypony that this will ultimately be worth it. But I’m not sure how to do it. Maybe a small testing group? Get a few average ponies onto the internet and see how they react? That just seems too unpredictable to ensure the results we’re looking for,” said Twilight.
Celestia put a hoof to her mouth in thought for a moment. Then she had an idea.
“I think I have an answer. Have you heard what Luna’s been up to lately?” she asked.
“She was looking into human entertainment, right? I know the internet has a lot of engaging material, but that’s not what we're debating. I don’t see how that would help us prove the internet is worth the trouble,” said Twilight.
Celestia just gave one of her famous knowing smiles.
“Video games?” asked Rarity
Twilight nodded.
“Yes. Apparently the humans have made games that can be played with other people online. I have no idea how this is possible, but it’s given me an idea. I figured it be good for a culture exchange if a few ponies were willing to give them a try and play online with some humans,” said Twilight.
Twilight's friends all shared uncertain looks.
“Uh, no offence Twilight, but do any of us look like we’d be interested in that sort of thing? I’ve never touched a video game in my life, and I bet that’s true for most of us,” said Rainbow.
Pinkie replied by pulling out a joyboy.
“I said most, not all,” said Rainbow with an eye roll.
“I know. I’ve never played one myself, either. But part of this experiment is seeing how different ponies will react to this sort of thing. Between the six of us, we have quite a varied group without having to get anypony else involved. That said, if any of you really want to pass on this, I won’t argue. There’s plenty of other ponies I can turn to, but I figured I’d ask you girls first,” explained Twilight.
“Um… is this going to involve any of those really scary games we’ve been hearing about?” asked Fluttershy.
“Well, there’s no horror games on my list of recommendations,” said Twilight as she glanced at said list.
“Ah don’t think she just means horror, Twilight. She’s talkin’ about stuff with guns, blood, and all that nasty stuff,” said Applejack with a wave of her hoof.
Twilight sighed.
“There are a few on the list with such things, but I’m not asking all of you to play every game. I mean, the whole point of a video game is to have fun, and if you're too terrified or bored to enjoy yourself, I think it’s perfectly fine for you to just skip a game or two and play something else,” reassured Twilight.
There were some nods of agreement, though Rainbow just sighed.
“Alright, fine. But I still doubt this is going to be very fun,” said Rainbow.
Two months later…
Welcome to Summoner’s Rift
Rainbow cracked her neck as she gently set her hooves on her custom made mouse and keyboard.
“Alright, this is it. Everypony ready?” she asked.
“Heading bot with Fluttershy,” announced Pinkie Pie.
“Um… what she said…” mumbled Fluttershy.
“Placing ward, then heading mid,” announced Twilight.
“Headin’ towards blue, as planned. Ya comin’ Rainbow?” asked Applejack.
“On my way now. Let’s teach these monkeys how to play!” declared Rainbow.
30 Seconds Until Minions Spawn
Victory
“Aw yeah!” cheered Rainbow as she threw her hooves up.
“Oh well. GG, everyone. I really thought we had you there,” came the voice of one of their human opponents.
“I did too! You really had us on our last leg for a moment there. I still can’t believe Fluttershy managed to pull off that awesome triple,” said Pinkie.
“Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you get overconfident, Rachel,” said another human.
“Well, sorry if I thought their support was just cowering from us like she’d been doing for the entire game,” replied Rachel.
“I was, actually…” mumbled Fluttershy.
“Well, at any rate, I think you girls are really starting to get the hang of this. Another round?” asked the first human.
“Sorry, but we have a schedule to keep, and Rarity’s expecting us soon. Perhaps another time,” said Twilight.
“Right, right. RL just keeps getting the way. Well, see you horses later,” said the human.
“You know it, monkey,” said Rainbow as she closed the connection.
“Right. That’s mah que to head back to the farm. See y’all later,” said Applejack as she got and headed out the the door.
“OK, I’ll go let Rarity know it’s her turn next,” said Fluttershy as she followed Applejack.
Rainbow got up and stretched, her friends following suit.
“I take back ever doubting you, Twilight. This is awesome,” said Rainbow.
“I know! I didn't realize that these games were a chance to interact with humans in a competitive environment without any major physical distinction! There are truly one of the best inventions these humans ever made!” exclaimed Twilight with a squee.
Rainbow just gave her a deadpan look.
“My technobabble is a little rusty, but I think she means it's a way humans and ponies can compete with each other without worrying about the whole ‘we’re completely different species’ bit,” translated Pinkie.
“Yeah, that’s true. Not exactly going to challenge a human to a race anytime soon,” said Rainbow with a nod.
Then Twilight’s computer gave a ping.
“Ah. John and Mark must be ready for us. I believe that means me and Pinkie have some zombies to fight through. Good luck with your heist, Rainbow,” said Twilight as she turned back towards her computer.
“Remember to watch for Chargers this time, Twilight. We don’t want you to go for a swim again,” said Pinkie as she put her headset back on.
Rainbow just sighed and booted up the next game on her list. She just really didn’t like zombie games that much for some reason. Luckily, she’d found another online co-op shooter more to her tastes, and Rarity had found the game just as enjoyable.
“You bet I am. Let’s hope we get some decent partners this time. That one guy from yesterday didn't even know that Shadow Raid's stealth only,” said Rainbow with a shake of her head.
“Oh heavens, yes. We’ve only been playing for a few months now, but it feels like we’re teaching humans how to play their own game sometimes,” said Rarity as she sat down at her computer.
Fluttershy hummed a happy tune as she finished straightening up Tom’s bed. She then picked up a basket and headed for the laundry room.
“Alright, only one more load of laundry and I’ll be ready to head out for the evening,” she said to herself.
Before she reached her destination, however, she bumped into Mrs. Turner.
“Fluttershy? What are you still doing here?” asked Mrs. Turner.
Fluttershy gave a small eep and looked up at her employer.
“Oh, Mrs. Turner! I was just finishing up the laundry,” said Fluttershy.
“Fluttershy, it’s almost eight o'clock. Shouldn’t you be heading out to to the Apple Garden?” asked Mrs. Turner.
“Oh. Well, I started the laundry a little late today, and I don’t want to leave the job half done, so…” explained Fluttershy.
Mrs. Turner shook her head.
“Fluttershy, you’re my maid, not my slave. I won’t see you working when you should be out having fun with your friends. I’ll take care of the laundry for you,” said Mrs. Turner.
“But Mrs. Turner, the baby…” objected Fluttershy.
Mrs. Turner put a hand on her swollen womb.
“The baby’s fine, Fluttershy. I can do one load of laundry, no problem. And if I do have trouble with it, I can have the boys give me a hand. You know how eager they are to act grown up,” reassured Mrs. Turner.
“I don’t know… I really shouldn’t…” mumbled Fluttershy.
“Well as your boss, I’m telling you to go out. Now get,” said Mrs. Turner with a wave of her hand.
“But I…” objected Fluttershy.
“I said get! And don’t let me see you sneaking back early again!” said Mrs Turner as she started shoving the pegasus out of the room.
Fluttershy was still a bit flustered when she reached the Apple Garden, but she was happy that she’d arrived on time. Taking a deep breath to brace herself, she stepped inside the establishment.
As usual for a saturday night, the place was packed. Fluttershy recognized many of the patrons, but there were several new faces in the crowd. While the Apple Garden was built for ponies, there were several humans scattered across the room as well.
“Hey, Fluttershy, over here!” called Pinkie from the bar stand.
With a smile, Fluttershy made her way over to her friends. Well, most of them. Twilight and Rainbow were missing, but that was expected. Applejack was also not in a seat, as she was still working behind the counter.
“Good evening, Pinkie. How is everypony?” asked Fluttershy.
“Just splendid, darling. Business is simply booming. I may be able to purchase another store front soon,” said Rarity.
“Me too! I’ve been hosting so many parties that I need a reservation list to keep up with it all! It’s amazing!” exclaimed Pinkie.
“I’m doin’ alright mahself. The Apple Garden’s been plenty busy lately. How ‘bout you, Fluttershy? How’s the family treatin’ ya?” asked Applejack as she passed Fluttershy a cider.
“Oh, just fine. Mr. Turner just got a promotion the other day, Mrs. Turner is due to have the baby next month, Peter’s grades have been improving lately, and little Tom’s been just a perfect little angel,” said Fluttershy with a smile.
“That’s great. You really like being a maid, don't you Fluttershy?” asked Pinkie.
Fluttershy blushed and sipped her cider. It wasn’t quite as good as Sweet Apple Acres cider, but it was still tasty.
“Well, I’ve always enjoyed taking care of my animal friends. After I stopped being able to understand them, I had to leave them with professionals. I still wish I could do more than just help out at the animal shelter when I have the time, but I’ve found joy in taking care of the Turner family,” said Fluttershy.
“Glad to hear you’re gettin’ along just fine. All of us are, really. Don’t let her hear this, but Rainbow’s been really bringin’ the crowds every weekend,” said Applejack.
“I know! Who’d have thought hoofball would be so popular with humans?” said Pinkie.
“Or that Rainbow was such a natural at it? I thought the poor dear would never smile again when she found she couldn't fly anymore,” said Rarity with a sigh.
“Speaking of flying, does anypony know how Twilight’s research is going?” asked Fluttershy.
Rarity glanced around before leaning in close.
“You didn’t hear it from me, but she told me the other day that they’re on the verge of a breakthrough. Something about a magic battery that might temporarily give ponies their magic back,” whispered Rarity.
“Oh my…” replied Fluttershy.
At that moment, there was a commotion in the back of building. Everypony turned to see what was going on. Apparently, an unknown stallion was standing on a table, giving a speech.
“Don’t you see?! These monkeys said they’d give us a fair fling, but look at us! We’ve been reduced to slaves! And now they're not even content to leave us to wallow in our own homes!” cried the stallion.
Most of the ponies around him looked uncomfortable, and started nervously shifting in their seats. Several others were giving the stallion angry looks, and seemed ready to get up and shove him out. The humans around the bar just looked annoyed.
“I say enough is enough! It’s time we showed these monkeys who’s really in charge! We won’t let their stupid anti-magic spell stop us from…” said the stallion.
“Alright, that’s enough of that!” cried Applejack as she made her way towards the stallion.
The stallion turned toward Applejack with a sneer, until he realized he was looking at the owner of the Apple Garden.
“The Apple Garden’s a safe place for humans and ponies alike, and we all know that ‘anti-magic spell’ is a load of hooey. If ya have a problem with some of our patrons, ya can just leave,” said Applejack.
The stallion cleared his throat.
“See? This is exactly what I’m talking about! This bar was built as a safe haven for ponies, but even it’s owner has bowed down to the monkeys!” he said.
“Oh, so ya know this place better than the pony who built the darn thing? That’s mighty impressive considerin’ this is the first time Ah’ve seen ya set hoof in here. Yeah, it was built as a home away from home for ponies, but it was never meant to be anti-human,” challenged Applejack.
The stallion paused at that.
“And don’t ya go spinnin’ that garbage about humans dominatin’ us. They didn’t make our worlds combine. They didn’t make our magic thin out. And we ain’t their slaves. We’re their workers,” said Applejack.
The stallion opened his mouth, but Applejack didn’t give him a chance to speak.
“Ya see this place? Ah built it, Ah own it, and Ah’ve been doin’ fine. There ain’t nothin’ stoppin’ a pony from startin’ a business and makin’ it successful. Look at Rarity's fashion line, the hoofball teams, or the school of arcane do dads. We’re all more than capable of findin’ success among the humans,” said Applejack.
The stallion sneered at that.
“Yes, because you, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle all have the Princess’s ear! The rest of us can’t even begin to…”
Applejack slammed her hoof on the floor. While she couldn’t shake the ground without her magic, the impact was still strong enough to shut him up.
“That’s a load of horse apples! We’re hardly the only success stories out there. And what about you, huh? Ya think Ah don’t recognize ya? Yer that disgraced noble pony who keeps tryin’ to start a mob just because ya can’t live in a fancy palace no more. Ya ain’t gonna get the money ya threw away back by startin’ riots, and Ah ain’t lettin’ ya start one here. Now get the hay out of mah bar before Ah kick ya to the street!” declared Applejack.
The stallion was taken aback by this. He clearly hadn’t been expecting to be recognized. He turned towards the crowd, hoping to see some support. While he saw several faces full of anger, all of them were directed at him, and not the humans. With a sigh, he cut his loses and headed out the door.
“Good riddance,” said Applejack as she turned back to the counter.
There were numerous murmurs of agreement and several cheers as things picked back up around the bar.
“Sorry ‘bout that, girls,” said Applejack as she reached her friends.
“No need to apologize, Applejack. We all know how poorly some ponies are still reacting to all this,” said Rarity.
Fluttershy and Pinkie nodded in agreement.
“Oh! Girls, it’s almost time!” said Pinkie as she pointed towards the TV.
Sure enough, the opening ceremony for the hoofball game was starting, with Rainbow Dash standing proud as the captain of her team.
Fluttershy sighed as she reached her home. It had been a pleasant evening, though she couldn’t get the angry stallion out of her head. It wasn’t that she thought he had a point. She had heard about that rabble rouser herself. No, what bothered her was that ponies like him were still around at all.
“I know we’re still suffering from losing our magic, but I don’t understand why some ponies still blame the humans for it,” she sighed as she neared the door.
It was rather late and the lights were off, so Fluttershy figured the Turners were all asleep already. She opened the door as quietly as she could manage and stepped into the kitchen.
Then the lights turned on.
“Surprise!” cried little Tom.
Fluttershy jumped in fright, but then look on in shock at the sight of the family standing around a large cake.
“What... What’s going on?” asked Fluttershy.
Mr. Turner chuckled and shook his head.
“Now Tom, we told you not to be so loud. I think you scared her,” he said with a gentle smile.
“Oh. Sorry Fluttershy. I didn’t mean to scare you,” apologized Tom.
“You're such a dummy sometimes, Tom.” said Peter.
Fluttershy took a deep breath and calmed herself down.
“Oh, uh, it’s alright. You all really surprised me, that’s all,” said Fluttershy.
“Yay!” cried Tom as he started jumping in place.
Fluttershy smiled. Tom was a loud child, but he was still precious to her.
“Uh, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s the surprise for?” asked Fluttershy.
Mrs. Turner walked over and smiled.
“Fluttershy, today's the second anniversary since you moved in with us. Two years of you helping us whenever possible and being there when we needed you. It might not be that big deal to some people, but as far as I’m concerned, you’re a member of this family, and think the day that first happened is worth celebrating,” said Mrs. Turner.
Tears started forming in Fluttershy’s eyes.
“I… I…” she stampered.
The Turner Family didn’t respond, they just pulled the pegasus into a hug.
David heard the familiar sound of the portal opening. He didn’t bother turning to look, though. He’d been expecting company today. He just got up and made his way to the kitchen as he heard the sound of hooves clopping on his floor.
“Hey, Lyra,” he said.
The green unicorn walked past him into the living room. She tossed her saddle bags aside and flopped down on his couch before speaking.
“Ugh… what a day I’ve had. Hello, David. Got anything good in there?” asked Lyra.
David checked the fridge.
“Let’s see, Sunny D, beer, milk, OJ, some Sprite, and… ah crap. I’m out of Dr. Pepper,” he announced.
Lyra rolled her eyes.
“Oh ha ha. You’re always so funny, David. Now pass me my bucking soda,” said Lyra.
Permitting himself a chuckle, David tossed her a can of Dr. Pepper before grabbing himself a Sprite. He couldn’t stand Dr. Pepper himself, but what kind of host would he be if he didn’t always have some for his roommate / houseguest / pet / partner in crime?
After catching her soda, Lyra levitated a stack of snacks out of her bags. Humans made better drinks outside of cider season, but pony junk food put mankind’s to shame.
“So, new season premier. Wonder if there's gonna be a new big bad this year,” said Lyra as she opened her can.
“I dunno. You’re the one who actually watches the trailers. You know I try to avoid spoilers,” said David as he sat down next to her.
“This might be entertainment for you, but I’m on the lookout for a future disasters that might strike. You know how the Princess gets when a new season comes out,” said Lyra.
“Yeah. And who was it that told you it was a bad idea to let her in on this?” said David with a smirk.
Lyra bashed his shoulder with a hoof. She was careful not to hit too hard, but it still stung.
“Well excuse me if I thought my childhood friend would want to know about another dimension that has a video documentation about Equestria's future,” said Lyra.
“Video documentation is a fancy way of saying we have a kid’s show that happens to match your plane of existence. And we both know this thing isn’t all that reliable,” said David.
“Maybe, but you know what? The foreknowledge I’ve given her has gotten her out of more than a few jams,” said Lyra.
“And into several that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Remember the second parasprite incident?” countered David.
Lyra sighed.
“Yeah, OK. That one was totally my fault,” she admitted.
“And don’t you forget that this is a two-way street. If every detail of Metal Apes was true, World War Five should still be going. You have to take everything you see with a grain of salt, and acknowledge that not everything you see will come to pass,” recited David.
Lyra rolled her eyes.
“Uh huh. And that bunker you built in your backyard had nothing to do with a certain science fiction series from Equestria, right?” she teased.
“Nope. I’m just a paranoid guy with cash to burn and no faith in my government,” replied David as he sipped his soda.
“Then you don’t care that the latest book mentions what’s going to happen to your new president?” said Lyra with a smirk.
David would have spilt soda all over his carpet if Lyra hadn’t seen it coming and made a small magic barrier in time.
“Another book came out?! When were you planning on telling me?!” he demanded.
Lyra gave him a pleasant smile and levitated a book out of her saddlebag.
“Two days ago, and today. Guess who’s on the front cover?” she asked as she passed it to him.
David took the book in his arms. He glanced at the somewhat cartoony picture of the president before turning to the back. The summary wasn’t very encouraging.
“Another civil war? What, the last three weren’t enough? I know the writers put us in far more wars than reality, but seriously? I swear, Lyra, it’s like our ‘creators’ are a bunch of warmongers or something. Are you sure it’s not griffons writing Metal Apes?” asked David as he set the book down.
“Nope. Bright Flare, Moonwalk, and everypony else are one hundred percent ponies. Trust me, if it was griffons writing this, you would know. I’ve never met a griffon that isn’t a gorn fan, even if they're one of the nice ones,” said Lyra.
“Gorn? Have you been browsing TV Tropes again? I didn’t buy you that computer just so you could be an internet junkie,” said David with a raised eyebrow.
“You mean the computer I paid for with my own money? It wasn’t easy melting those bits down legally, you know,” said Lyra.
“It wasn’t easy proving I legally acquired a genuine bar of gold, either. I may be well off, but that was just ridiculous,” countered David.
Lyra rolled her eyes.
“Whatever. You know you’d never forgive yourself if you didn’t give your good friend access to mankind’s greatest invention.
“You’re my good friend? Well, gee, Lyra. I never knew you thought about me that way. But we probably shouldn’t. We don’t want Bon Bon getting jealous,” said David with a smirk.
Lyra facehooved with a groan.
“For the last time, David, me and Bon Bon are not an item. It’s not my fault the fandom is so obsessed with shipping. Do I have to remind you about what happened when I told Twilight about this?” asked Lyra.
David shook his head with a chuckle. Noting the time, he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.
Up next, the season premiere of My Little Pony!
“Hey, David?” asked Lyra.
“Yeah, Lyra?” replied David.
“Do you ever wonder if we should… you know… let the writers in on all this? I mean, we both agreed to keep it a secret, but would it be so bad to let a few humans and ponies in on it? See if we can makes things easier for both of our worlds?”” asked Lyra.
David sighed.
“Every single day, Lyra. Every single day. But everytime I do, I’m reminded of one little detail that convinces me that we shouldn’t,” he replied.
“Which is?” asked Lyra.
“That we really have no idea how any of this works. Maybe it’s one big coincidence. Maybe we really did create each other's world and can change things. Or maybe there’s some other factor in play here that if we were to spill the beans will doom both our worlds. We just don’t know, and I don’t feel like messing with what might destroy the fabric of reality,” explained David.
Lyra sighed in reply.
“Yeah. Twilight said the same thing. She doesn’t want to tell the Metal Apes writers either. She doesn’t even want to come visit you out of fear that something bad might happen if a Princess comes to Earth. I can understand she’s nervous, but it’s not like this would be the first time she visited a world full of humans,” said Lyra.
“It’d be the first time she’d visited a world of humans who know about Equestria even if they don’t think it’s real,” replied David.
“That’s true,” admitted Lyra.
The two just sat there as a few last minute ads ran on the TV.
“Hey, David?” asked Lyra.
“Yeah, Lyra?” asked David.
“Thanks for sticking with me through all these years. I know I get on your nerves all the time so… thank you,” said Lyra.
