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Lyra's Human 2: Derpy's Human

by pjabrony

Chapter 96: 93: Derptown

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Derpy fetched Karyn and was halfway back to Equestria when they discussed their guest.

“Did you get somepony? I hope they all weren’t turned off by us skipping last week.”

“No, there was no problem,” Derpy said as she swooped down toward an unfamiliar part of Ponyvile. “Plenty of ponies still want to come, but I owed her a favor, so I put her next on the list.”

She came in for a landing, and it took a moment for Karyn to identify the dwelling, since it fit into the background of Ponyville so well.

“Fluttershy? Fluttershy wants to visit Earth? Unless maybe it’s Angel Bunny who wants to see it. Or one of the chickens or something.”

“No, it’s Fluttershy. I didn’t make the offer to anyone other than ponies. I don’t think that they even talk.”

“I was joking,” said Karyn. One of the cats that Fluttershy was keeping pounced up and sniffed at Karyn’s finger. “What was the favor you owed her anyway?”

“She gave me some special food for my kitty cat. He just ate it up, and he’d never been happier.”

“All right, I guess that’s fair to let her come with us. But I still don’t believe she wanted to.”

The door opened, and Fluttershy herself emerged, saddlebag and coat on. “I definitely do want to go,” she said in her lilting voice.

“You’ve got good ears.”

“I have to in order to hear if any of these little creatures is unhealthy or in pain or missing. And that’s why I’m so keen to see your world. I’m sure that there are hundreds of animals and plants there that could use a solid dose of Fluttershy care.”

Derpy shook her head. “You might be a little disappointed. But let’s go anyway and have a good time.”

They flew back to the inflection point between the two universes, and Derpy showed Fluttershy how to use the spell. Once in Karyn’s apartment, Derpy stood to one side to give most of the room to Fluttershy.

“This is Karyn’s home? It’s really…cozy.”

Derpy felt the need to defend her friend. “You’ve got to remember that Karyn’s only a student. If Dinky got her own place, it wouldn’t be much bigger than this. Also, Karyn doesn’t have any animals.”

Fluttershy’s face turned a mixture of pity and shock. “Are we staying in today, though?”

“No, we had planned to go out, and thankfully it’s a nicer day than when Rainbow Dash was here. But, you’ve got to use the invisibility spell.”

“Oh, oh yes!” Now she was all smiles. “This is what I’ve been looking forward to.”

Karyn turned her head. “You want to be invisible? You’re really that shy?”

“I am shy, but it’s not just that. I just feel like it would be this warm cover of anonymity. There are times when I want to meet people, and times when I don’t. If I can wait until I’m ready, that would just be the most wonderful thing.”

“All right.”

“You know,” said Derpy. “We would have given you the spell if that’s what you wanted. You didn’t have to sign up to come to Earth just to get that.”

“I know. But it seemed like the path of least resistance.” Fluttershy grinned, and then reached for the spell. “How do I look now? Am I invisible? Can you see me?”

“You’re doing just fine.”

Karyn nodded. “But you will have to keep your voice down. You’re not inaudible. Derpy and I have a trick that will fool people if they don’t hear you directly. Thankfully you’re not using your Flutterguy voice.”

Fluttershy didn’t respond to that, and Karyn realized that she should be more careful in her speech lest she make her shy guest go mute.

“Ready to go?”

“Yes. Wait, I almost forgot last week’s big find. Fluttershy, I’m going to treat you well today, because I found a hundred dollars last week.”

Karyn brought out the gift card, and felt it being tugged out of her hand. “Is this what you use for money here? It’s so different! Can I see some other denominations, or is it like bits where you only have one?”

“That’s not actually our money. Well, it kind of is, because we use credit and debit cards as well. But…it’s complicated.”

Derpy took the card back from Fluttershy. “I’ll try to explain it when we have more time. Let’s go so the trains don’t get too full.”

Karyn had mentioned to Derpy that they would be taking the light rail, but Fluttershy didn’t know. “Humans have trains just like ponies?”

“Oh, yes. Not exactly like pony trains, they’re more about efficiency and getting where you need to go. Come on, you’ll see one in a few minutes.”

They walked to the station a few blocks away. When the train came a minute later, Fluttershy got on with no apparent qualms. Only one other man was on. When it started moving, though, an audible, “Eek!” rang throughout the train. The man looked up from his phone, and Karyn put on a sheepish look and shook her head. She couldn’t think of an excuse for why she would be shocked, but fortunately the man didn’t ask for one.

Parked on the other side of the train, Karyn whispered to Fluttershy, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t realize that it would move without any warning, and so smoothly too. There was no time for the steam boiler to build up heat.”

“This isn’t a steam train. It runs on electricity.”

“What’s that?”

Karyn took a moment to try to think of how to explain, but Derpy cut in, “It’s one of the humans’ form of magic. That’s not exactly true, but it’s easier than giving you all the details. If Karyn wants to explain computers, which is also a kind of magic, she can.”

“All right.”

The train made several stops, but no more passengers got on than got off, so there was still no pressure for space, and Karyn breathed a sigh of relief. As they approached the city limits, though, she realized something could go awry.

“After this stop, the train goes underground and becomes a subway. Fluttershy, are you going to be all right underground?”

“Oh, yes. I’m certainly not claustrophobic.”

Derpy said, “I’m not, either. Or, is claustrophobia the right word here? There could be plenty of space underground, but it would still be underground.”

“Good point. But I’m not scared of either.”

The train plunged into a tunnel, and all the sounds of the engine and the air conditioning and the squeals of the rails were amplified as they made their way through the catacombs that made up the right of way.

“It’s not even dark here,” said Fluttershy.

“Well, it is in the tunnel, but the cars themselves are lit, and there’s a headlight in front so they can see what’s ahead of them.”

“We should thank the human who’s pulling us along in the dark.”

Derpy laughed. “The electricity magic doesn’t need a human out front either.”

“Oh.”

When the next stop arrived, Karyn got up and the two pegasi followed her out into the station.

“All right, just a little more and we’ll see the city.”

“I think it’s better like this,” said Derpy. “Rather than flying in and coming up on it gradually.”

They climbed the stairs to street level, and, after they had cleared from the staircase so that others could use it, stood by a building and pointed at the downtown areas.

“Well, Fluttershy, what do you think?” Derpy had spoken proudly, as if she was not only a resident of the universe that contained the city, but the owner of real estate therein.

There was no response.

“Fluttershy?” said Karyn.

It was several seconds before they finally heard the soft voice. “It’s so big.”

“It’s really not that much bigger than Canterlot.”

“But Canterlot is different. All the buildings are ornamented and fancy, and Canterlot Castle is built into the side of a mountain. This is all just…wow! Look at that black building. What’s it even made of?”

Karyn couldn’t follow where Fluttershy was pointing, but from the direction that her voice came from and where it was muffled, she traced it to the tall black building in the center of the city.

“It’s supported by concrete and metal, but the part you’re seeing is glass.”

“Black glass? Amazing.”

“It’s tinted. From the inside you can see out.”

That set off another minute or so of silence. Karyn looked out at the city. She had been there many times before, but for the first time she considered it as would a denizen of another world. It was a modest city, certainly not one that anyone would compare to New York, or London, or Paris, or Tokyo. She could count the numbers of true skyscrapers on both her hands. But still, as much as she was impressed by a pony who could levitate an object or move a cloud, Fluttershy was right to be impressed by a tall building.

“Can…can we go on top of it?”

“What, the building?”

“Yes, please.” Fluttershy sounded the way she had when talking about the garden during the Grand Galloping Gala.

“I don’t know if we can go to that building specifically, but I believe that the taller one there has an observation deck.”

Derpy cut in. “You want to go to a tall building? I thought you were afraid of heights.”

“I’m not afraid of heights, I just not in love with them like so many other pegasi are. They like the flying and the clouds and going higher than even the birds can. It’s more that I’m just so in love with the world on the ground that I live there. But here, here I want to stand on top there and just take in all of the city at once.”

“All right, if that’s what you want to do, it’s your day. Karyn, you have no problems with that?”

“Not me. I’m only scared of heights when I can fall from them. The observation deck is full of railings and guards.”

They walked through the city to the tall building Karyn mentioned, and indeed they did have an observation deck, but it was not free. Karyn passed over her gift card and waited while the cashier fumbled with the odd payment method. But at last she was signaled through.

“Now, Derpy will know this more than you, Fluttershy, but a lot of times I feel guilty about not paying for her when we go out. But in this case, I think ten dollars for a ticket to just stand on a railing is too much, so I’m fine with letting you come with for free.”

Derpy warned Fluttershy about the elevator, and how it would be necessary to stay hovering in the upper half, keeping pace with the rising box so that she didn’t bump into anyone. “Just hold onto my hoof, if that doesn’t feel too weird. Once we’re up, you can see the city as you want.”

The car wasn’t that crowded, and Fluttershy could have dipped if she had to, but Karyn was happy to hear Derpy enforcing protocol. The elevator opened, and they raced out to the edge of the deck.

Karyn had lived in the area most of her life, and on the campus for over three years, and so she had a good picture of the map in her head. But to see it from above, to watch cars and people move like cells through a capillary gave her a different perspective.

Derpy was more nonplussed. She was used to an overhead view of the world, and though she didn’t live with the buildings and roads, she enjoyed the orderly operation of a city that she visited. She smiled placidly with contentment.

Fluttershy, though, had the strongest reaction. Karyn could hear her heavy breathing and could tell that it wasn’t from fear. Even if she wasn’t afraid of heights, she didn’t spend as much time in the air as Derpy did, and never above a bustling metropolis, even a small one. The sheer movement was giving her a sensory overload, and she said in a whisper that was nearly carried away on the wind, “The lights.”

“Beg pardon?” said Derpy.

“The lights! The movement, the buildings, everything! Whoever the princess who rules this city is, she must be amazing.”

Karyn chuckled. “No princess lives here. This isn’t even a capital like Canterlot is.”

“It’s not? What’s it all for then?”

That caught Karyn a little. “It doesn’t have a strict purpose the way a capital city would, or the way that Cloudsdale is the weather center for all Equestria. Cities on Earth used to be like that. They’d be major ports on key waterways or they’d be built around some important asset like when they discovered gold in California, but today cities, all the major ones, are a mix of financial interests, commercial businesses, tourism, and local culture.”

Fluttershy went back to looking around. All of the activity coalesced in her vision. She brought Karyn back closer to the building wall where the wind wasn’t so bad.

“I understand now. I once thought that you were only a pet, just a critter like all the others I work with. But now I see how wrong I was.”

Karyn gave a warm smile, glad to have that old misconception taken care of. “It’s all right, now that you see—“

“Humans really are the superior race!”

“Whoa! Let’s not go crazy here. Words like ‘superior race’ carry a lot of heavy implications and drag up some bad memories from the past.”

She tried to keep her voice down, but counted on the Bluetooth disguise to hold up. Fluttershy was having none of it though. “No, it’s true! Ponies could never build a city this grand, or even any city where it wasn’t all about one thing. Humans have all their technology and science, really complicated things that even the smartest of the unicorn scholars couldn’t grasp. I can see why Lyra was so enamored of you. When I get back home, I’m going to tell everypony how great humans are and how ponies should accept their place as second-best.”

Karyn ground her teeth. If anything, this was worse than Fluttershy’s assumed superiority. “Come on, let’s head back down so we can talk about this. Unless you’d rather look at the city some more?”

“Whatever you say, Karyn. I’ve learned that I should listen to what humans tell me to do.”

“Ugh. Derpy, help me out here.”

There was no response other than a coughing hiss. Derpy was too busy laughing to help out.

They made their way back to the elevator. Because it was still early and because most people were heading up rather than going down, they had the car to themselves this time.

“Now listen, Fluttershy,” said Karyn.

“Of course, anything you have to say I want to hear.”

“Stop it. You have to get this idea about superiority out of your head. We’re just different.”

“Oh! I just realized!” Fluttershy’s voice moved, and it gave away the non sequitur. “This is why humans have ponies to pull their carts and lift their heavy burdens. They’ve subjugated them completely.”

Finally Derpy found her voice. “No, Fluttershy. The ponies here aren’t like the ponies back in Equestria. They can’t talk at all. They’re more like the beasts of the Everfree Forest than like we are.”

“How do you know? I think it’s just because humans are that much smarter. Karyn, do you think you would ever let me pull a cart for you? I know I’m not strong like an Earth pony, but I’d do my best.”

Before Karyn could say anything else, the elevator returned to the ground floor, and she couldn’t express herself with the volume she would need for the sentiments she was feeling.

When they left the building, Karyn wanted to find a spot that was secluded enough for a conversation, but not so hidden that the unsavory elements of human society would go there—and she contemplated showing some of those people to Fluttershy just to shake her out of her newfound human-worship.

Instead, she settled for a nearby park that covered half the city block. Not large, but few people were there, and if she kept her hand to her ear, Karyn could speak loudly.

“Now, Fluttershy, you’ve got to stop thinking like this.”

“All right. How should I think?”

“Think for yourself!”

Fluttershy gave a hesitant beginning, but Derpy cut in. “Yeah, really. This isn’t a joke anymore. You really need to stop worrying so much about species and just treat everypony and every human as an individual.

“So, yes, it’s great that humans were able to build this city, but they also can’t do any magic or fly or change the weather. And you can do those things.”

“I can’t do magic.”

“That’s not what I meant. I changed thoughts in the middle of my sentence. Don’t change the subject. The point is that there are certain advantages to being a pony and certain advantages to being a human. It’s all of our responsibilities—as individuals—to make friends with other individuals and not classify anyone into a group just because they happen to belong to that group.” Derpy stuttered. “All right, that might not make a lot of sense either. Karyn, help me out here.”

“I don’t know if I can. We’ve both said everything that needs to be said. If Fluttershy really can’t understand why it’s neither the case that I’m a pet nor that she’s supposed to be a dray pony who pulls carts, then I’m not sure I can explain things any better. Fluttershy, instead of being invisible yourself, try to picture if I were invisible. How would you think of me?”

That again caught Fluttershy short. “You’re a very nice person. We had a few bumps the first time we’ve met, but I have nothing against you now.”

“You just said something important.” Karyn couldn’t help pointing her finger. “A nice person. Even you use that word to encompass both humans and ponies. And buffalo and griffons and every other creature that’s intelligent, as opposed to the critters or animals that you take care of. Some of them are different too. Beavers build dams that rival ours. Insects can make tunnels that, on their scale, are far better than this city. Animals like the falcon can outfly the fastest pegasi. But that doesn’t mean that you treat them as superior.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Fluttershy said thoughtfully.

Derpy decided that it was time to double-team her. “I think you’re far too concerned with status. I worry about that too. I worry about how other ponies see me, but with you it’s different. It’s more like you just want to know where everything stands. You’re shy, and that’s fine, but more than that you worry about what can go wrong when things change. If you do that, though, you miss when things go right.

“Look at this city, not as something to compare to our home, but imagine if we combined them, how awesome things would be.”

“You’re right.”

Karyn and Derpy both let out a held-in breath, but then tensed up again in case Fluttershy decided to qualify her statement in some way.

Before she could, Karyn said, “Listen, it’s not a big life revelation. You probably won’t see a lot of humans around Equestria, so you don’t have to think about us all the time. Just that when you do, you know, keep it cool.”

“I…I’ll try.”

“All right. Come on, let’s go back home.”

They caught a train at a different station, one that was fully above ground. Once back in Karyn’s apartment, they set good-bye to Fluttershy.

“And remember,” Karyn said, “think about what I told you. We’re all equals.”

“I still don’t know if ponies and humans are, but I’m sure that you’re my equal.” Fluttershy took her spell and went back to Equestria, Derpy hanging back.

“I think we’re going to want to make this a tradition,” said Derpy.

“You mean messing up Fluttershy’s perspective on humans and then trying to repair it the best we can?”

“No, I mean letting whoever is our guest go back to Equestria first, so that we can take a few minutes and reflect on how it went.”

Karyn flopped down on the bed. “Agreed. I don’t think this went quite as bad as last time, in that we didn’t have any chance to be found out, but still, Fluttershy is a tough pony to deal with.”

Derpy had a laugh. “She’s really much more level-headed once you get to know her. At least, that’s how it was for me. She’s just the kind who has a hard time with initial meetings. She’s like a seed that takes a long time to grow, but when it does you get the nicest flowers.”

“That makes sense, kind of, but I’m still glad that it’s you who’s my best friend and not her. She? Her? Fluttershy.”

“Aww. Thank you. Anyway, next week I’ll try to get somepony who isn’t such a burden.”

“Whoever you get, so long as you’re here, we’ll make it fun.”

Author's Notes:

What lucky pony will be joining our heroines next week?

"I’m sure pleased you let me come along with you to visit that land of yours. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy told me about what a great time they had, and I’ll be excited to be joining the club.”

Karyn smiled politely, and Derpy took her meaning. “We’re happy to have you along too, but we’re just hoping that this week is a little more uneventful.”

“I heard about what Rainbow Dash pulled.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Karyn held her place in the driver’s seat while Derpy explained. It went over Karyn’s head as she talked about how to position her tail and how to slouch down in the bucket seat.

“I get it! It’s just like how Lyra sits.”

“Yes,” said Derpy, “But it’s easier said than done. You’ve got to stick out your belly and let it balance out your weight.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Can I ask a question?”

“Of course.”

“Why did that waitress ask if you were a chicken?”

That and much more will be answered next week!

Next Chapter: 94: As Equestrian as Derple Pie Estimated time remaining: 18 Hours, 10 Minutes
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