Different
Chapter 3: First contact
Previous Chapter"Ok, what am I going to explain?"
I was thinking about my "speech":
"First of all, I would need to explain how humans normally looked, how long they are, gender differences and why we wear clothes. I would also need to explain our technology (obviously). I would also need to see if I would somehow have Wi-Fi there, but I can't test that now, because my devices would slip away from hooves. I would also explain how we are divided in countries with completely different cultures."
"Unfortunately, I would also have to explain the nasty stuff in our world, like war, poor people, everything being a competition with nothing as the prize, ourselves destroying our own planet, the lack of magic, the lack of good friendship and overall, the lack of happiness."
"Of course, I would also have to explain about the show, how everyone in my world thinks they are fictional, how large the fanbase is, that kind of stuff."
"Now for the questions I will ask:
I would ask how many Bits several random items cost, so I could calculate the worth of the Euro, opposed to the Bit. I would also ask if there's some sort of spell that makes an object capable of transporting you in between dimensions, so I could always visit my family. I would also ask if they have electricity. If not, I would ask if there's some sort of spell that lets something have an infinite supply of power, so my devices could always be running. I would ask if they have an idea of why the portal appeared and... That's about it!"
I thought about other things I would have to do, but couldn't think of something, so I just decided to play Jellycar 3 on my iPod Touch (must have app). I played it for a few hours, until I heard something. It was coming from the other side of the portal. Crap! I quickly ducked under my bed and closely listened:
"What the hay?"
I knew that voice, it was Twilight's! I shot up in front of the portal in an almost cartoonish way.
"Please don't touch this portal, it's the only way to get to the world of my dreams!"
Twilight looked completely stunned and said nothing.
"You're probably wondering why this portal is here, why I speak your language, why I know this is the world of my dreams even though our worlds have never touched before and if I'm harmful."
"Wow, you're right!", Twilight said, still looking kind of stunned.
"Let me explain a bit about myself and the stuff I just mentioned: I'm Floris, a human. We humans are bipeds. We don't have fur, a tail, wings, or anything, but we do have hands."
I showed her my hands.
"We have a very sophisticated society and something I don't think you ponies have, technology."
"What is that?", Twilight said.
"Well, here's an example:"
I showed her my iPod Touch.
"This thing is called an iPod Touch. It can play music, it can watch videos, you can read text on it, you can play games on it, you can surf around the internet, you can do a lot with it."
"I'm sorry, but I don't know what videos and the internet is.", Twilight said.
"I was getting to that part. You have two kinds of videos: The kind you record with a camera, for real time playback of the moment you recorded, or the kind were you just make a lot of pictures and put them together to make a non-real video. that's called an animation."
"Now, about the internet: The internet is a giant source of information, entertainment, news and pretty much about everything. It's the largest investment in our world. Devices like these can access the internet:"
I showed her my iPod Touch and MacBook.
"The downside of the internet is that you have to watch out for nasty stuff. Anyone can put anything on it, also gross, heartbreaking, insulting and, most of all, sexual stuff."
"Wow, sounds like the best thing ever and the worst thing ever!" Twilight said.
"Actually, it's not that bad. if you know what you're doing, you're safe most of the time."
"I suppose it's not too bad then?", Twilight said.
"Eeyup!'
"That's what Big Macintosh always says.", Twilight said.
"And that's also kind of why I say it."
"What?"
"In my world, everyone thinks you're fictional. You're kind of a TV show, meant for six to ten year old girls, but, for some reason, males from 12 to 45 year old loved the show."
"What is a TV?"
"Oops, sorry, I'm not really used to explaining stuff to beings from other dimensions if you know what I mean."
"Yes, I understand it, but what's a TV now?"
"A TV is some sort of supersized version of my iPod Touch, but it can only play videos."
"So we are actually made for entertainment?"
"That's not what I think, I think the exact opposite, I think the show is based around Equestria, not Equestria based on the show."
"That sounds possible, but what is that "dream world" you were talking about?"
"Actually, Equestria is that dream world."
"Well then, what don't you like about your world?"
"A lot of things! First of all, there are always some countries in war, there's never been peace! Society here is all just a competition without a prize. We don't have any magic, because it's physically impossible here, people are often rude, there's a lot of crime, including murder and suicide. People have been killing themselves, because they can't take life here any more! We are destroying our own planet by pumping more and more gasses in the atmosphere, causing the heat from the sun to stay longer and our planet to warm up, the poles will melt, the water level will then rise and there will be massive floods! There are also people abusing their leadership over countries. In a country named China, you can't say anything bad about the government without going to jail. There are countries where people who don't like the government get killed. Our world is simply a disaster!
"Wow, that sounds really bad!" Twilight said.
"I know, but it's not that bad in most places. We are pretty happy overall, but there are always things to worry about. that's what does it! I hate always needing to be worried about something!"
"So that's why Equestria is your dream world?"
"Exactly! By the way, I want to see if everything that happened in the show is true, so can you answer the questions I'm about to ask?"
"Sure!"
"Okay, here's the first one: Do you "wrap-up" winter the day before spring?"
"Yes."
"Is there a "Running of the Leaves"?"
"Yes."
"Are your friends called Rarity, Pinkie Pie, AppleJack, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash?
"Yes."
"Did all of you defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I think that's enough to know that everything in the show is true, but what about the community? Are you ready for a few more questions?"
"Yes, I'm ready."
"Okay, Do you know a mint green Unicorn?"
"Yes."
"Is her name Lyra?"
"Yes."
"Is she obsessing over humans?"
"Actually, yes."
"Okay, so Lyra is confirmed. Here's another question: Have there been any cases of ponies disappearing?"
"Uh.. no."
"That means that this one's busted right away!"
"What's busted?"
"It's a fanfiction story called 'Cupcakes'. It's about Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Pinkie feeds rainbow a drugged cupcake to knock her out. Rainbow wakes up in a basement full of dead ponies and Pinkie sort of murders her in the most painful way possible while making really bad organ puns."
"That sounds disgusting and terrifying!"
"Ditto!"
"What does "ditto" mean?"
"It means something like "Same with me."
"Okay, now I get it."
"It looks like the more possible scenarios are real, but the not very possible scenarios aren't real."
Twilight looked at how far the moon was across the sky and said:
"Did we just talk that long?"
"I guess we did."
"I think I should get some sleep."
"Yeah, why are you up this late anyway?"
"Well, I was..."
"Studying?"
"Good guess! Is there anything I could do for you?"
"Actually, there is"...