Title:           Worlds Apart (currently revising)
Author:          FadingLines
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/SGdGZSNC
First Edit:      Tuesday 26th of May 2015 10:15:21 AM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Thursday 28th of May 2015 10:03:07 PM CDT

>be anon
>chilling out in the human world, cause you know, that's what you do and shit
>going to meet a friend, because why the hell not?
>look down
>shoe's untied
>damn it all
>lean up against the wall you're standing by as you bend down to tie your shoe
>suddenly, you fall BACKWARDS through the wall
>whatthefuckisthisshit.png
>all you see is bright colors blending and merging together
>nothing is tangible, and you feel like you're floating in space
>it's like some kinda drug trip
>smokedallthemarijuanas.420
>and then, just as suddenly as all this had started, everything went blank
 
>be anon again
>wake up
>head feels like its pounding like a drum in a rock concert
>ugh, fuck, what happened?
>look around
>you look like you're in a hospital
>you suppose its not the worst place you could've woken up in
>there's a voice from somewhere in the room
>"I think he's waking up now"
>you hear the sounds of someone walking to your bed
>something seems off to you, but the one-man drumming band in your head pushes the concerns out of your mind
>"How are you feeling?"
>the voice sounds closer than last time
>you look up to see a pastel-colored pony at the foot of your bed
>the fuck? is this some kind of prank?
>"Hello?"
>what. the. fuck? did it just talk?
>"...are you alright?"
>IT DID
>IT JUST TALKED
>panic sets in as your brain attempts to process what it just witnessed
>your heart races as the thoughts in your head do the same
>the last thing you remember is seeing a look of concern on the pony's face before falling back into that all too familiar darkness
 
>still anon
>woke up again
>ugh, please tell me that was a bad dream
>look around again
>still in this hospital
>pony is nowhere to be seen
>at least the headache is gone
>you bring your hands to your head and massage your temples
>you hope that was just caused by whatever painkillers they might have given you
>there's hear a knock at the door
>"May I come in?"
"uh, sure"
>the door opens, another pony stands behind it
>this one's purple, with a pair of wings at its sides and a horn growing out of the top of its head
>please tell me I'm seeing things
>you rub your hands over your eyes and open them again
>still there
>ohshititsreal.jpg
>your eyes widen
>is this going to be a thing that keeps happening?
>"Now, don't panic, I mean you no harm. You're in another world now"
>youdontsay.tiff
>you're still wary of the talking pastel pony
>"Well, If it makes you feel any better, I've seen the world you came from"
>uh-huh, I see
>wait, what?
"...I'm having a hard time believing that."
>"Well, it's a long story, but I used this magical artifact and it took me to a world with two-legged creatures that looked just like you."
>at this point, you can't tell if you're the crazy one here, or she is
>at least you think it's a 'she'
>sounds like one at least
"Would this be how I got here, by any chance?"
>she rubs a hoof on the back of her neck
>"Uh, no..."
"Can I at least use this thing to go back home?"
>"Uh... no. It'll be several moons before it can be used again."
>'moons'? the hell kinda measurement is that?
>"for the time being, you're stuck here. There's nopony alive who knows how the dimensional magic works."
>...did she just say 'nopony'?
>is this place entirely inhabited by ponies or some shit?
 
"So, how long am I gonna be stuck here?"
>she rubs the back of her neck again
>"A couple... years... maybe"
"YEARS?! I can't be stuck here that long, what am I gonna do?!"
>"Well, there's nothing you CAN do. Nothing WE can do. the only option is to wait until an answer is found, or the portal opens again. If it helps, Princess Celestia has a number of unicorns looking for a way to send you back."
>Well, at least these strange creatures are willing to assist you in returning home
>though you're not sure there's much solace to take away from that
>wait, 'princess'? they have a monarchy?
"Well, since you're stuck here for a while, it'd probably be best for you to see the townsfolk."
>yeah, like that'll end well
>"Mind staying in here for a little while longer? I need to go tell the other ponies you're not going to cause any trouble."
>yes, by all means, go tell them I'm not some vicious, bloodthristy, flesh-eating creature intent of taking over all pony-kind
"I guess I don't have a choice, now do I?"
>she walks over to the door, opening it halfway as she stands in the doorway
>"It'll only take a minute. ...hopefully."
>she walks outside and the door closes behind her.
>now it's just you and your thoughts
>you can't help but think of the events that lead you here, and why you of all people this had to happen to
"...Man, I hate Mondays."
 
>Be anon
>Sitting on a hospital bed
>In a land full colorful talking ponies
>That last part's still hard to take in
>So far, your day went from 'same old, same old' to being scared shitless by talking ponies
>If any of your friends found out about that, you'd never live that shit down
>No one has to know about that
>Hell, even now that fact that there's who knows how many more of them there are out there puts you at unease.
>But freaking out about it won't do you any good, so you do your best to keep calm
>Still though, how could something like this happen? How is it even possible?
>You never bought into the idea of 'life on other planets', 'alternate universes', and other sci-fi shit like that
>But being where you are now, and that purple pony from earlier who spoke of magical artifacts and unicorns as though they were facts of this world kinda spits in the face of these notions you held
>you knew from the moment you stepped out that front door today (or at least you assume its still today) that something bad was gonna happen.
>you sigh
"...Man, I hate Mondays."
>There was a reason you hated this accursed day
>It was scientificly proven (by you) that only horrible things happened on Mondays
>mostly it marked the end of the weekend, but you were sure plenty of other bad things happened on a Monday
>you hear a knock at the door
 
>It's that purple pony from earlier
>"feeling any better since last time we talked?"
"Yeah, I... I've had some time to reflect on what's happened to me up 'till now."
>"You seem to be taking this quite well."
"Well, let's just say I've had an... eventful past..."
>You stare at your feet
"But on the upside, it gave me the nerves to deal with stressful situations like this."
>"Sounds like a handy skill to have."
>You simply shrug
>"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, might I ask your name?"
"You ask for my name but don't offer yours?"
>"Oh, silly me, where are my manners? It's just that I've had so much on my mind ever since you got here, like 'how did you get here', 'what brought you here', and let's not even touch on how you being here shouldn't even be scientificly possible."
>Well, if nothing else, that last part is something you can agree on
>"And not only that, but Princess Celestia asked me to make sure that everything went as smoothly as possible in this situation, and not only that, but Mayor Mare's been breathing down my neck about assuring everypony that there's nothing to worry about."
>She waves a hoof dismissively
>"But anyway, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and what's yours?"
>What kind of hippie name is that?
>of course, having said that, the name isn't anywhere NEAR close to being the weirdest thing out of everything that's happened today
"Uh, call me Anon."
>"That's a, strange name..."
"I could say the same of yours."
>"Fair enough, I suppose."
 
>"So, you know how I said I had to go talk to everypony about how you weren't going to cause any trouble?"
>that word was going to take some getting used to
"Uh, yeah?"
>"Well, in order to do that, I need you to come with me."
>You don't like the sound of that
>She waves a beckoning hoof at you
>"Come on, let's go."
>Well, looks like you have no choice
>What's the worst that could happen?
>...Don't think about that too much
>You get up out of the bed, and upon doing so, you realize you tower over the pony
>she only stands waist-high to you
>"Wow, YOU'RE kinda tall, aren't you?" Twilight says, craning her neck up to look at you
"I get that from time to time."
>She then walks to the door, and you follow suit
>As Twilight leads you through the hospital, you can't help but look around
>Despite looking a bit less technologically advanced compared to hospitals from your world, it doesn't look all too dissimilar to what you've seen before
>If this was any indication of things to come in this world, perhaps it might make adjustment to being here just a little bit easier (despite your reluctance to do so)
>She stops in front of a door and turns to look at you
>"Ok, so, here's the plan: I'm going to go outside to address the ponies waiting outside. You just wait here until I open the door. You don't have to do anything else, just stand there until I'm done talking, ok?"
>Sounds easy enough
>You nod
>She opens the door to step outside, and closes it behind her
>And now to play the waiting game
 
>Wait
>She didn't physically touch that doorknob, did she?
>waitwhat.jpg
>Wait, why are you getting hung up about this?
>She was talking about magic and magical artifacts before, why make a big deal about it now?
>Eh, but then again, theory and practice are two different things, aren't they?
>Satisfied with the conclusion you came to, you go back to waiting
>You can faintly hear Twilight talking outside
>Not enough to hear what she's saying, but just enough to know it's her talking
>Eventually, the door opens a crack, and she waves you out
>itsshowtime.mp4
>The doorway is actually kinda short so have do duck down to avoid the doorframe
>Of course, even in your world you're kinda tall, so you're used to having to do stuff like this
>You hear a collective gasp as your frame emerges from the doorway
>You look up to see several dozen brightly colored equines all lined up around the door
>You are slightly taken aback by the sight
>Twilight takes the opportunity to speak up
>"Now, everypony, this is Anon."
>looks of confusion pop up sporadically through the crowd
>"Now, some of you might have seen him when he first arrived, but he's been taken from his world, and brought into ours. And for the time being, he can't return to his home."
>There appeared to be a few looks of pity mixed in with the crowd
>What kind of place is this that someone could feel sorry for some strange, alien creature?
>You know, when you put it like that, it makes it sound like the world you came from is absolute shit
>Which isn't entirely inaccurate, but still...
 
>"So, for the time he's forced to live here, try to be nice. This is just as weird for him as it is us."
>She concluded her speech, and ponies started to scatter
>A few lingered to catch one last glimpse of you before heading off elsewhere
>Twilight walks up to you
>"Ok, so Anon, what I'd like you to do is take a walk around, take in the sights. Try to strike up a conversation or two. And then when you're done, I'd like you to head over there."
>She points towards a large tree off in the distance
>On closer inspection, it's actually got a house built into it
>Which is somewhat impressive, considering this places populace
>"That's my house, and where you'll be staying for right now."
>Not your first choice of lodgings, but beggars can't be choosers in this case
>"Well, I'll see you when you get there" Twilight says as she starts leaving
>She waves goodbye as you do the same
>Now that it's just you and your thoughts, you take a moment to take a good look around you. The architecture seems primarily composed of stone-walled houses with wooden structural support beams and thatch roofing
>You surmise that because of this, they probably don't have much in the way of technological advancements, much to your dismay
>You're going to miss your computer, and your video games, and the internet
>This day just keeps getting worse and worse
>Choosing not to continue entertaining this depressing train of thought, you begin to walk leisurely in the direction of Twilight's house
 
>On your stroll, a pony randomly calls out to you
>"Why, hello there."
>This one sounded female
"Uh, hi. You're being surprisingly straightforward. Most of the others have been rather keen on keeping their distance."
>"Ah," She says, waving a dismissive hoof, "the initial shock's already worn off . I got a good look at 'ya when you first appeared. Hit your head pretty hard when you landed."
>Well THAT explains the headache...
>"Since you're not from Equestria and all, I thought I'd give you a little tip."
>'Equestria'? It's like whoever created this place just wanted to make horse puns
>...at least you have a name for this place now
>"I'm not sure what it's like where you came from, but you're wearin' a bit too much clothing."
>You feel oddly insulted, but you can't quite put a finger on why that is
"E-excuse me?"
>"Well, 'ya know, ponies around here only really get dolled up if they're lookin' for some attention."
>Your jaw goes slack as you stare at her, the gears in your head grinding furiously in an attempt to process what you just heard
>"Oh, shoot, that reminds me, I've got to get going. See 'ya later."
>The mare walks off as you continue to stand there, dumbstruck
 
>you continue on towards Twilight's house, just minding your own business
>"oh, you're the one who fell right out of the sky, aren't you?"
>the voice was behind you, so you turned to face the pony that addressed you
>A mint green unicorn comes into vision
>you also happen to notice the image of a harp adorning their rear leg
>On TOP of the coat
>whattheshit.png
>You quickly snap out of your confusion once you realize you're supposed to say something
"I don't remember that part, but I'll take your word for it."
>"You know, you're different."
>You raise your eyebrow
>You raise it so hard in fact, that you're convinced it couldn't be any higher up on your face without any surgical alteration
>"Uh, what I mean is, I don't know if you've noticed it or not, but living here can be a little..."
"Simple?"
>"Boring."
>"But you see, YOU'RE not part of that, you're new, and-"
"And that makes me interesting?"
>"Yes! That's it exactly!"
>You weren't quite sure how to feel about this pony taking a sudden interest in you like that, but you could at least sympathize with how she felt
>At least you were pretty sure the pony was a 'she'. determining gender through listening to them talk isn't exactly very effective
 
>you make a note to yourself to ask Twilight how to be able to tell mares and stallions apart (without having to check their hindquarters)
"Oh, uh, you know, as much as I'd love to continue talking, I need to go see Twilight about something, it's pretty important."
>So smooth, man
>You TOTALLY didn't make that excuse just to get out of the conversation
>Totally
>"I guess I'll see you later then. My name's Lyra, by the way. Lyra Heartstrings."
>What a strange naming convention
>It's like naming yourself based on your occupation, or something
"uh, Anon."
>"alright, take care Anon. And say 'hi' to Princess Twilight for me."
>PRINCESS?!
>Oh, you're DEFINITELY going to ask her about that...
>The unicorn takes her leave, and you make for the front door
>You know, standing in front of the tree house (hehe), it's quite a bit larger than you first thought
>you notice a sign by the front door
"Golden Oak Library."
>So wait, she's a princess, yet lives in a library?
>this just gets better and better...
>You knock on the door
>"Come in," a voice from inside calls
>You let yourself inside
 
~~~Currently Revising~~~
 
>The first thing you see: books
>Oh my god, books
>Let's get some-
>No. That video is far too old to be referencing anymore
>Well, the sign definitely wasn't a misnomer
>"Oh, Anon, here already?"
>You look up to see Twilight standing at the top of a flight of stairs
"Say, Twilight, there's-"
>"Oh, hey Anon, mind if I ask you some questions?"
>That's MY line, woman
>Er, mare, maybe?
>Hmm... doesn't have the same feel to it...
>"So, since it's just the two of us, I can sit here and get to know all about you and the world you came from."
>She wants to study you?
>...Well, to be fair, you should have seen this coming
>You know, 'first contact' stuff, broadening horizons, and all that jazz
>You sigh
>"Oh, would you please?"
>She proceeds to put on the biggest, most sugar-coated puppy-dog eyes you've ever seen in your life
>That look would have killed any diabetic who met her gaze
"Fiiiiine..."
>Her face lights up in the biggest smile you think she can muster as she pulls out a scroll, inkwell, and quill
>...Wait, what?
>What kind of backwards place is this that they still use stuff like this?
>Also, if that's vellum, this place just got a WHOLE lot more interesting...
 
>"Ok, so let's start off with something simple, what's the name of where you came from?"
"Earth."
>"Huh..."
>The way she punctuated that statement made it seem like she found this piece of info as equally as strange and fascinating
>"Next question: What is the word used to describe what you are?"
"What is this, twenty questions?"
>"Oh, I have a lot more than twenty."
>Something tells you she was being quite serious about that
>"Now, please answer the question."
"Human."
>The quill set to work with each question you answered
>"How would you describe the culture of your world?"
>You rub the back of your head
"Uh, well, that's such an open-ended question, I don't even know where to start. I mean, it kind of varies from place to place. Though if there's one thing in common, it'd be that males are the alphas as far as society is concerned."
 
>"What? Is this for real? I can't imagine what that's like"
>You do a double-take
"I, What?! What do you mean?"
>"Well, you know, in Equestria, society expects mares to be the 'Strong, hard-working members of society', 'You're not a real mare until you've been with a stallion', and stuff like that."
>Her last comment seems slightly tinged with resentment
>Wait
"So, you mean to tell me that mares are supposed take stallions on dates, pay for the dinner, hold doors open for them, and all that?"
>"Yes! That's it exactly! See Anon, you're getting it!"
>The gravity of what she just said finally begins sinking in
>You are to these ponies what women are back home
>Anon.exe has stopped working
 
"HUUUUUUUUUUUUUH?!"
>That yell was loud enough that someone probably heard it outside
"Y-you're joking, right?"
>She shakes her head
>If it were possible, your jaw would have dropped straight to the floor
>"Are you finding this difficult to grasp?"
>An understatement of the century
>She allows you to take a few moments to collect your thoughts before resuming her questions
>The shock you displayed from hearing a bit about Equestria's culture prompted her to ask a few more questions about yours, which you answered (to the best of your abilities)
>"Hmm, it's all so strange, the place where you came from..."
>"I could say the same of this place, you know," you mentally retort
>She breaks her train of thought to continue asking questions
 
>"What does your diet consist of?"
>Ooh... that's actually a pretty important question to be asking
"Well, humans are omnivorous, so we eat fruits and vegetables, as well as meat."
>"O-oh, you eat meat, do you?"
>Twilight seems mildly discomforted by this revelation
>"Care to elaborate on that?"
"Well, there's a few different kinds of meat we eat. Typically, its from cows, pigs, chicken, and-"
>You break your train of thought once you notice the look on her face
>It's like she was staring at a murderer
"D-did I say something wrong?"
 
>"Anon, you are to stay from the cows in the area."
>DEFINITELY crossed a line
"I'm guessing ponies aren't the only sentient species here?"
>Her expression remained unchanged as she shakes her head
>Note to self: cows are OFF the list
"Ok, look: for humans, there's certain foods, especially meats, that we have to cook and do other things with to make sure its safe for us to eat. If we didn't, it could make us sick, or even kill us. And I don't know how to do that."
>That last part was only partially a lie
>You knew how to prepare and cook fish, but that's it
>But bringing that up would only undermine the point you're trying to make
>"...You really mean that?"
"Unless it's ok with you, I won't eat it. All right? We're both reasonable creatures here, I'm sure we could come to some compromise."
>She takes a moment to think about it
>"Well... some of Fluttershy's meat-eating animal friends eat fish... Would fish work?
>This arrangement couldn't be any more perfect if you tried
"That'll work. Does this make you feel any better?"
>She nods slowly
>her expression softens, but continues staring at you in silence
>Whew, at least you managed to diffuse that tense situation
>The last thing you need is some angry pony mob showing up at the front door, ready to lynch you
>a few seconds of silence pass
>You clear your throat
"Uh, didn't you have more questions for me?"
>"O-oh, yeah, I do..."
>It takes a little bit of effort, but eventually she gets back into her line of questioning
 
>After what feels like hours, she's finally done with her battery of questions
>She reviews her notes with a perplexed look on her face.
>"You know, it's odd, humans sound pretty fragile compared to most other species I've heard of."
>You laugh
"Yeah, and yet, surprisingly one of the most resilient."
>You sigh
"This is going to take some getting used to..."
>"Adjusting to a new way of life is never easy. The ponies here are friendly enough once you get to know them."
>If it was up to you, you wouldn't be staying long enough to need to get to know anyone
>But, if you must, you can play these social niceties
"You know... it's been a long day, I'd like to get a bit of sleep. What might you have for sleeping arrangements?"
>"Well, its a bit early for that, but I should have a guest bed around here somewhere..."
 
>Twilight gets up and heads off into a back room
>After a few minutes, a levitating bed emerges from the doorway, with Twilight right behind it
>You stare slack-jawed as she continues levitating the bed upstairs
>it was one thing to hear her speak of magic, but to see it in action, was something else entirely
>Though, she would use magic just to move a bed?
>Well... but then again, if you had magic, you'd never lift another object in your life
>Still though, seeing her use magic made you wonder what other kinds of things she could do with magic
>You follow her up the stairs to see her just placing down the bed
>"I'll be back shortly with the sheets and pillows."
>She walks out of the room, leaving you by yourself
 
 
>You take a look around the room while you wait
>Wow, she even has bookcases in her bedroom
>She must REALLY like books
>you hear hoofsteps as she returns upstairs
>"here's your sheets and pillows, Anon." She says as she levitates the items into your arms
>"If there's anything else you need, feel free to ask me."
"I'm fine for right now, thanks."
>"Well, alright then."
>She returns downstairs and you quickly make the bed before flopping down onto it
>You grab one of the pillows and drop it on your face and sigh into the pillow
>your mind raced with thoughts as it recalled the events of the day
>It had been a rough start, being pulled into some strange, alien land, and it was only going to get worse, before it got better
 
~~~Currently Revising~~~