I logged into the game after a long Tuesday. As a second year grad student, I taught two College Algebra classes and a Trigonometry class on Tuesdays. Then I had two hours of office time to prepare or grade, or work on my own homework and research.
It was the same every week focusing on teaching the same basic topics, and the class I was taking was focused on very fine grained study of functional analysis.
It was with a happy sigh that I sat down at 8, with a slice of pizza and a pony pad. Logging on, I remembered I was in the middle of who knows where, flying towards Hobby Bluffs.
I got acquainted with north pretty quickly, and started heading that way again. I enjoyed it a lot yesterday, and it was still fun today, but after an hour of flying, I was ready to do something else. Why so much distance to my new village?
Finally, I peaked down out of the clouds in hope, and I saw neat rows of trees about 20 feet tall each, with an elaborate series of fences and field access roads to get out to the fields, and pathways leading to sheds and storage buildings and finally a single two story home.
Having got a better sense of how to fly and land (the flutter button's sensor registers soft presses), I eased my way to the ground outside of the orchard's house.
Was it forward to ask for directions of a stranger? It was just a video game, but then again, the ponies seemed so real.
The air was cool and crisp, the sun was starting to dip below the horizon, and this orchard looked gorgeous, I found myself wanted to take a picture. There was no print screen button on the pony pad.
I decided to go for it, pushing the knocker against the house's main doorway.
"Just a minute, just a minute. Is that you Butterscotch Pudding?" a mare said from somewhere inside the door.
I heard a latch and a deadbolt releasing. I didn't know how to respond.
"Hmm I only installed these locks cause Saber Artist told me there's been some dangerous things out on the edge of town," the mare said, speaking mostly to herself.
The mare opened the door, and I didn't say anything. She was taken back a moment too.
"Ooh", she said, smiling and yet surprised. Her voice and demeanor reminded me a grandmotherly sort of pony. "Oh hi! It's not so often we have visitors out here at Chicken Nugget Orchard. Please, come on in!"
"Hi!" I said, "I'm so sorry, I got lost, and then I descended from above the clouds, and I saw your orchard, so I figured."
The grandmotherly mare interrupted, "Well of course, but there's a big haul of nuggets this week, lets dig into a few before you go, huh?"
"Where do you keep all your chickens?" I asked
"Well we keep them on the trees until they're ready to be picked, of course! And then put them in a bushel basket, clean em right up, and then they go into our big freezer. Come on in!"
So I boggled, confused, as I followed the pale purple pony with a golden mane.
The house was simple but classic, glossy wood floors and pine cabinets with chicken nugget charms on the handles.
"Just a moment dear," the pony said, and went out the back, as she sat down at the oval dinner table which was in the middle of the kitchen.
She came back with a baggy that looked exactly like chicken nuggets to me. They looked like the Tyson ones I had in my freezer.
"How do you prepare yours?" I asked.
"We've got Nuggeterators, if you end up liking these you can buy some at the farmer's market from us. Its an invention of Gold Nugget, my husband."
It was a machine with a wire mesh net which submerged into an oil basin like a fryer, but she pressed it down like it was spring loaded, and seconds later released, and the uncooked nuggets were suddenly perfectly well done.
"We've got Granny Apple's cider or Just a Peach's juice, which would you prefer?" she said, practically glowing with joy at having a guest.
"Thank you so much! Um, maybe Just a Peach's juice?" I answered.
The pony put the chicken nuggets in the middle of the table on a gold filigreed plate. It must have been a high carat, as it shined brightly.
My hostess pulled out a pitcher of the juice, and poured them both cups. The cups had ponies on them striking poses, but I wasn't sure who they were.
Finally my host sat down with me.
I hesitated until she said, "Dig in!"
My pony's mouth was full of a nugget when her first question came.
"Might I ask where you're from, and your name missy?" the pony asked.
I made sure Blue Yonder's mouth was not chewing before I answered.
"I'm Blue Yonder. I'm not really sure where I'm from. I just got my pony name yesterday!"
"Well, not only a traveler in these parts but a Visitor too? Would you be looking for Hobby Bluffs?"
I took a sip of the apple-peach juice, and said, "How did you know? Yeah I'm looking for Hobby Bluffs apartments. Princess Celestia told me to fly north and I would find it. I'm moving into town."
"A new resident! Wonderful!" the pony said sashaying and flipping her cup up into the air.
"Can I know your name, fair matron?" I asked.
"Oh, of course. I get forgetful. I was just practicing for tomorrow's Hobby Bluffs hobbython, It's got me loopy! As I said, my husband's Gold Nugget, and I'm Nugget Blossom!"
"Oh hi, nice to meet you!"
"Eat your nuggets! They're healthy and right off the tree fresh!"
I settled down to eat some chicken nuggets and drink some juice.
Nugget Blossom ate some herself. "Sorry I got so excited sugar. It's just not often.."
"No one comes out this way?" I asked.
Another knock came on the door.
"She does," Nugget Blossom said, pointing to the door. "Just a minute, let me get that."
Butterscotch Pudding waved slightly, as they both came back to the kitchen.
"Butterscotch runs a bakery / confections shop in town. She's been helping me harvest while Gold Nugget is out of town."
"And I like to stop in anyway," she said. Her body was the color of butterscotch, she was an earth pony with short brunette hair.
"I'm Blue Yonder, just arrived in these parts."
"There's plenty more nuggets, 'Scotch, to pick and to eat," Nugget Blossom said, smiling.
'Scotch sat down and grabbed two nuggets, stuffing her pony mouth full.
"She had to run into town to make another batch of butterscotch hard candies. Morning and Night she's been picking with me. You can help too, if you want."
Swallowing hard, 'Scotch said, "It'll be great to have a pegasus helping. You can get the high ones without shaking them off. The main thing to be sure of, is that they are fully ripe. The unripe ones are not yet fuzzy, they are more smooth."
"Let's make sure Blue Yonder wants to help before we offer a million suggestions and rules. If you're tired, you can crash in the Butterfly Room."
"I'm up for it," I said. I could play for another hour or so without getting too tired. My first class tomorrow was Calculus for Liberal Arts at 11.
We finished off the nuggets, cleaned up the table and headed out to the orchard with bushel baskets in tow.
The Nugget family had a little zippy go cart which 'Scotch and Nugget Blossom climbed into. I put my bushel basket in the back of the cart with the others, and fluttered along flying above the cart.
I had something to do, a reason to control my flying again. It made it fun again as we collected the ripe nuggets. Surprisingly, 'Scotch caught me about to pick unripe nuggets three times. She seemed to know a lot about the trees.
The job seemed to go fast as we zipped around laughing and working away.
Finally, we were back in the kitchen, having a nice glass of wine from the local vineyard.
"How long does it take you to get back to town from here?" I asked 'Scotch.
"I've been borrowing dear Nugget's cart, and it only takes 10 minutes that way."
"Of course you can stay here or head into town if you have a place to go, dear," Nugget Blossom said.
"I'd love to come back and help with the harvesting again. Let me know when you could use me," I said.
"I will for sure. You sure make a fine guest."
"You make the best hostess, Mrs Nugget."
"There's a lot of wonderful farmers and craftsponies and all ponies around Hobby Bluffs. But she is my favorite for sure," Butterscotch Pudding said.
"I'd like to get back tonight, Princess Celestia already arranged me to have an apartment in the village. I'll for sure see you again soon, Mrs. Nugget."
"You will! The Hobbython is tommorrow, and I'll be coming into the village for it," Nugget Blossom said.
I assumed it was a local annual festival. "How many years of Hobbython have there been."
"Oh hon, we have hobbython every week. It's always a new hobby at someone's house, and most everyone in town checks it out and there's little prizes for the best at the week's hobby."
"Oh wow, that's amazing. Well I'll see you tomorrow then."
"You'll be the big star of the Hobbython, just coming into town and all," Butterscotch Pudding said.
"Get a good night sleep, hon. And be well, puddin'," Mrs. Nugget said from the doorway as they left the house.
"Come on, I'll give you a ride in the cart," Butterscotch said.
Friday, July 20, 2018
Thursday, July 19, 2018
LP:EQO, StAIlion
Saber Artist could have moved to Canterlot or another city that needed a city guard after his pa said he was ready. But, even though he came from a family of guard ponies, his aunt had gone off and settled in the small village of Hobby Bluff.
His aunt Heart Warden had said she needed an extra hand to help with the rash of recent incidents in town. So he went up north to help her. And everypony in town was friendly. They all invited him to the village's local activities, so he went and participated when he wasn't being sheriff or sleeping the day away.
His aunt Heart Warden had been the only guardspony in town, so his role was to take the night shift, and keep an eye around the village, patrol the bounds mostly. The residents were no problem, it was actually animals, and possibly a worrying mystery (or maybe nothing).
It had been a month and a half, and he missed his Ma and Pa, so he made the trip back to the Guardpony Training Center and nearby Shield Bay, where his Ma and Pa lived. It had been a nice week catching up with them, but they were both wondering when he was going to settle down with a nice mare. Auntie Heart tried to set him up before, but they weren't right.
Saber knew when the right mare came along, he would know.
So he was on his way back to his new home of Hobby Bluff, just outside Canterlot, when he heard and saw and knew.
Three other pegasi mares were flying around giggling when a fourth came flying low. He tried to get out of the way, and watched as she barely managed to make it over his head.
She didn't have a cutie mark, he noticed as she rushed away towards town.
So it was surprising to him, when a while later, as he was about to enter the castle to see Celestia, the same mare came darting out, and flew off in front of him again.
Her flying wasn't yet graceful, like she was still learning, but Pegasi learned these things so young. It was mystifying, and it seemed she was so excited to fly, yet obviously not a filly.
He was both confused and enchanted by the mystery pony.
He went in to see Celestia still thinking about her. Most likely she was off to her own village, and they wouldn't run into each other. But then again Princess Celestia had her ways and fateful encounters tended to come up again.
"Saber Artist, how was your family trip?" Celestia asked.
"Wonderful," he said. "It was a nice chance to go see how the new guardponys were doing too. And just spending time with Ma and Pa, and my cousins."
"I know it's big news when someone new shows up in your village, so I wanted to let you know first that there will be a new face. I would like to see all of you show your big welcome to Blue Yonder. She is a special visitor. That means she isn't always herself, if she seems non-responsive to anyone, it's best to leave her be until she comes to. Ask your Auntie, but I think it would be good for you to keep an eye on her and be a protector when she isn't 'responsive'."
"I know the city guard ponys have had some visitors in their guard troops, some of them have been rather loud and kinda aggressive, from the reports I hear. Will she fit it with Hobby Bluffs?" he said. He'd heard about the amazingly talented and powerful visitor-guardponies in Canterlot, but also heard about their oddities.
"Blue Yonder is much more of a curious sort of visitor. She loves to try new things, and is especially liking flying right now. You know how your neighbors love to try a new hobby, and have their block parties, or host game parties in their homes, Blue Yonder will fit in great! And actually, you've already run into her twice. She just came to see me before you did. She's blue with a darker blue mane."
He wondered why Blue Yonder would leave Celestia without getting sent to Hobby Bluffs by her.
"Blue Yonder wanted to fly her way up to the bluffs. Good for practice and enjoying her soaring."
"I should let the ponies on the outskirts of the village know, in case they find a lost villager," he said.
"I'll let you be on your way then," Celestia said with her princessly smile.
The doorway led straight into the Hobby Bluff's sheriff's office instead of back to Canterlot, due to the Princess' magic.
Auntie Heart Warden was sitting at a desk, going through their afternoon detective work. Normally there wasn't any of that to do, but with the animals let loose by who knows who and the mysterious string of thefts on farms around the village, there was.
"Nephew, you're back!" Heart Warden said. "Come here, this deserves a hug."
They hugged, and then he told his aunt about the trip, and about the newcomer Blue Yonder.
"I'm sure she'll be very nice and friendly. If Princess Celestia says she fits in, I can't doubt her."
He remembered how there has been unoccupied apartments in the top few levels of the big apartment complex in the village. He wondered why the little village needed a big apartment block, but all of the unmarried ponies in town lived in the apartment block.
Saber Artist had a nice apartment on the third floor, with plenty of room occupied with displaying and practicing with his sabers. Half of the apartment was taken by his dojo, and he trained curious village ponies from time to time, if they wanted to learn about sword arts. It was one of the ways he earned bits, in addition to working on cases and rounding up troublesome animals.
There were some pot-bellied pigs making trouble south of town last month. They even guzzled all of Maple Candy's syrup.
"Well I'm glad you're back, I'd love to have your eyes on this case again. I'm going to get a quick nap in and then go to Silver Shoe's game night."
"Ok Auntie, I'll let everyone know when Blue Yonder shows up in town, and let me know if you see her first."
"I'll be sure too."
He sat down at the desk. Thinking about sweets made him look for some in the drawer where Heart Warden put them. Maple Candies too. There were only three left. He took one of the shamrock mints instead.
Maple Candy was gathering her maple syrup from the Maple trees now, so she should have a new stock of candies soon!
He thought about Blue Yonder, what was she really like, when she wasn't zipping past.
His aunt Heart Warden had said she needed an extra hand to help with the rash of recent incidents in town. So he went up north to help her. And everypony in town was friendly. They all invited him to the village's local activities, so he went and participated when he wasn't being sheriff or sleeping the day away.
His aunt Heart Warden had been the only guardspony in town, so his role was to take the night shift, and keep an eye around the village, patrol the bounds mostly. The residents were no problem, it was actually animals, and possibly a worrying mystery (or maybe nothing).
It had been a month and a half, and he missed his Ma and Pa, so he made the trip back to the Guardpony Training Center and nearby Shield Bay, where his Ma and Pa lived. It had been a nice week catching up with them, but they were both wondering when he was going to settle down with a nice mare. Auntie Heart tried to set him up before, but they weren't right.
Saber knew when the right mare came along, he would know.
So he was on his way back to his new home of Hobby Bluff, just outside Canterlot, when he heard and saw and knew.
Three other pegasi mares were flying around giggling when a fourth came flying low. He tried to get out of the way, and watched as she barely managed to make it over his head.
She didn't have a cutie mark, he noticed as she rushed away towards town.
So it was surprising to him, when a while later, as he was about to enter the castle to see Celestia, the same mare came darting out, and flew off in front of him again.
Her flying wasn't yet graceful, like she was still learning, but Pegasi learned these things so young. It was mystifying, and it seemed she was so excited to fly, yet obviously not a filly.
He was both confused and enchanted by the mystery pony.
He went in to see Celestia still thinking about her. Most likely she was off to her own village, and they wouldn't run into each other. But then again Princess Celestia had her ways and fateful encounters tended to come up again.
"Saber Artist, how was your family trip?" Celestia asked.
"Wonderful," he said. "It was a nice chance to go see how the new guardponys were doing too. And just spending time with Ma and Pa, and my cousins."
"I know it's big news when someone new shows up in your village, so I wanted to let you know first that there will be a new face. I would like to see all of you show your big welcome to Blue Yonder. She is a special visitor. That means she isn't always herself, if she seems non-responsive to anyone, it's best to leave her be until she comes to. Ask your Auntie, but I think it would be good for you to keep an eye on her and be a protector when she isn't 'responsive'."
"I know the city guard ponys have had some visitors in their guard troops, some of them have been rather loud and kinda aggressive, from the reports I hear. Will she fit it with Hobby Bluffs?" he said. He'd heard about the amazingly talented and powerful visitor-guardponies in Canterlot, but also heard about their oddities.
"Blue Yonder is much more of a curious sort of visitor. She loves to try new things, and is especially liking flying right now. You know how your neighbors love to try a new hobby, and have their block parties, or host game parties in their homes, Blue Yonder will fit in great! And actually, you've already run into her twice. She just came to see me before you did. She's blue with a darker blue mane."
He wondered why Blue Yonder would leave Celestia without getting sent to Hobby Bluffs by her.
"Blue Yonder wanted to fly her way up to the bluffs. Good for practice and enjoying her soaring."
"I should let the ponies on the outskirts of the village know, in case they find a lost villager," he said.
"I'll let you be on your way then," Celestia said with her princessly smile.
The doorway led straight into the Hobby Bluff's sheriff's office instead of back to Canterlot, due to the Princess' magic.
Auntie Heart Warden was sitting at a desk, going through their afternoon detective work. Normally there wasn't any of that to do, but with the animals let loose by who knows who and the mysterious string of thefts on farms around the village, there was.
"Nephew, you're back!" Heart Warden said. "Come here, this deserves a hug."
They hugged, and then he told his aunt about the trip, and about the newcomer Blue Yonder.
"I'm sure she'll be very nice and friendly. If Princess Celestia says she fits in, I can't doubt her."
He remembered how there has been unoccupied apartments in the top few levels of the big apartment complex in the village. He wondered why the little village needed a big apartment block, but all of the unmarried ponies in town lived in the apartment block.
Saber Artist had a nice apartment on the third floor, with plenty of room occupied with displaying and practicing with his sabers. Half of the apartment was taken by his dojo, and he trained curious village ponies from time to time, if they wanted to learn about sword arts. It was one of the ways he earned bits, in addition to working on cases and rounding up troublesome animals.
There were some pot-bellied pigs making trouble south of town last month. They even guzzled all of Maple Candy's syrup.
"Well I'm glad you're back, I'd love to have your eyes on this case again. I'm going to get a quick nap in and then go to Silver Shoe's game night."
"Ok Auntie, I'll let everyone know when Blue Yonder shows up in town, and let me know if you see her first."
"I'll be sure too."
He sat down at the desk. Thinking about sweets made him look for some in the drawer where Heart Warden put them. Maple Candies too. There were only three left. He took one of the shamrock mints instead.
Maple Candy was gathering her maple syrup from the Maple trees now, so she should have a new stock of candies soon!
He thought about Blue Yonder, what was she really like, when she wasn't zipping past.
LP:EQO, Flying
Inspired / Based On:
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/127958/2/lets-play-equestria-online/
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/62074/friendship-is-optimal
I was filling out this questionnaire under duress after my friend swore up and down that this MMO based on ponies was so awesome and amazing. I guess he had some weird stuff going on in his head too.
There were a lot of survey questions, ones David had never mentioned getting. I punched in the answers on the pony pad. The game would somehow put me in a Shard that matched up with my preferences and help create my character through these questions, it said.
It was weird not answering the usual stuff, like gender, race, class, and adjusting portraits. City of Heroes had endlessly fascinated me with all the character concepts you could make, adjusting the flexible character appearance system with all the superhero tropes, and mixing and matching. Plus the fun mix and match of primary and secondary powersets.
Not much to do once you hit max level but create another character. I’d made 40 or 50, most of them throwaways, but a few favorites that I played more. Sewer runs were the best part. A bunch of people who didn’t know each other coming together to do a sewer run, was one of the best. Could never get a group to stick around much into King’s Crossing though.
But I digress. The survey questions where all situations, asking what I would do. Would I do the really bold aggressive thing and take charge of a group to work towards a solution (no, unless it was some kind of school project type of thing). I like to just go along with the flow. Being a guy and having to take charge and ask someone out was very difficult for me. I’d been setup once, but it never worked out for me.
My “shameful” secret was playing a lot a female characters in MMOs. Maybe I wanted to be swept off my feet instead. But that was stupid and embarrassing, I know. I’m a dude, and this game sounds like one that’s going to keep me as a dude, or ponydude.
My mind was wandering as I finished filled out all 20 detailed, complex questions.
The Ponypad went straight from a survey page with a blue background to a natural vista of hills, trees, white clouds in the sky, and a road leading to Canterlot, which was supposed to be where we are assigned a name by the supposedly smart AI.
Smart AI is relative, I thought, I’ll get some kind of stupid random name, most likely. Anyone can make a name generator from a corpus.
From what little David told me about this “pony-verse”, I realize the system had somehow created me as a female Pegasus.
I immediately experimented with flying. I had to tap one of the buttons on the pony pad to flutter up higher, and move the analog stick to move forward. I treated it like flying in City of Heroes, but it was so much better!
I even forgot about going to Canterlot right away, I flew up towards the clouds, and whooped down just above the trees. I even forgot to flutter once and mashed into a tree.
After a moment when stars flickered around me on the pad, I was able to get back up, and this time I headed towards Canterlot in the air. The sights on the ground were beautiful, but I was paying more attention to how cool the clouds were in this game, and the subtle feedback of going through clouds through the ponypad.
I actually saw some other Pegasi “mares” (that’s the word) flying nearby. I tried to wave, but I wasn’t sure how exactly to do that. Finally, after doing several amazing spins and rotations, I found the wave combo. They waved back and approached in the air as I was heading to Canterlot.
“I’m White Cloud,” said one. “These are my friends: Thunder Daze and Sky Hop!”
“Hi!”
David told me I had to use the voice chat in this game. But oddly, my voice came out different than I spoke it. In the MMO, I heard myself in a mare’s voice, even though I obviously had a guy’s tenor voice in real life. Weird. What, was that a soprano voice they’d dubbed in for me.
I should try singing later and see how that translated.
“Hey what’s your name?” Sky Hop asked. She was sky blue with other colors that looked like the sky during a sunrise or sunset.
I almost said my real life name, but I stopped my self. “I don’t have one yet! I’m headed to Canterlot to get one, but I could just fly all day.”
Recognizing the moves I had discovered by mashing keys, I spun my pegasi clockwise all the way around and then descended, diving forward and down towards the road. The three pegasi followed me.
“Try to keep up with us!” Thunder Daze said, as she shot above a cloud, and then made the cloud shoot out a lightning bolt towards the ground.
I watched the flash of lighting, it was impressive, but it didn’t even affect the clay bricks that made up the road. The dirt nearby was marred however.
I swooped and rushed forward just a few feet above the road, but then I saw a unicorn stallion on the road, and had to tap the flutter button like mad to not run into him. I ended up leaping just over the unicorn and continuing on my way. Ooops, I should have stopped to say something, but I guess it was just an NPC, or maybe not?
The others were giggling as they swept past me.
“You almost ran into that stallion! Come on, let’s work on your clumsiness!”
“She’s almost to Canterlot. Head up to the clouds new one! Or you’ll bonk into the townspeople!”
I fluttered my way up into the sky, watching the more experienced flyers leave me in the dust. “Hopefully I’ll run into you again!”
“Of course,” Sky Hop said.
They laughed as they flew off in a gracefully arcing curve to my left.
I hopped and fluttered from rooftop to rooftop towards the castle where Celestia was, finally landing with a nice fluttery smooth stop.
It was weird walking again after all the flying. I made my Unnamed Pegasi hop, hop, hop every few steps as I climbed the steps into the castle. Suddenly I was in the throne room before I should have logically made it there. Weird.
I stepped into Celestia’s domain.
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/127958/2/lets-play-equestria-online/
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/62074/friendship-is-optimal
I was filling out this questionnaire under duress after my friend swore up and down that this MMO based on ponies was so awesome and amazing. I guess he had some weird stuff going on in his head too.
There were a lot of survey questions, ones David had never mentioned getting. I punched in the answers on the pony pad. The game would somehow put me in a Shard that matched up with my preferences and help create my character through these questions, it said.
It was weird not answering the usual stuff, like gender, race, class, and adjusting portraits. City of Heroes had endlessly fascinated me with all the character concepts you could make, adjusting the flexible character appearance system with all the superhero tropes, and mixing and matching. Plus the fun mix and match of primary and secondary powersets.
Not much to do once you hit max level but create another character. I’d made 40 or 50, most of them throwaways, but a few favorites that I played more. Sewer runs were the best part. A bunch of people who didn’t know each other coming together to do a sewer run, was one of the best. Could never get a group to stick around much into King’s Crossing though.
But I digress. The survey questions where all situations, asking what I would do. Would I do the really bold aggressive thing and take charge of a group to work towards a solution (no, unless it was some kind of school project type of thing). I like to just go along with the flow. Being a guy and having to take charge and ask someone out was very difficult for me. I’d been setup once, but it never worked out for me.
My “shameful” secret was playing a lot a female characters in MMOs. Maybe I wanted to be swept off my feet instead. But that was stupid and embarrassing, I know. I’m a dude, and this game sounds like one that’s going to keep me as a dude, or ponydude.
My mind was wandering as I finished filled out all 20 detailed, complex questions.
The Ponypad went straight from a survey page with a blue background to a natural vista of hills, trees, white clouds in the sky, and a road leading to Canterlot, which was supposed to be where we are assigned a name by the supposedly smart AI.
Smart AI is relative, I thought, I’ll get some kind of stupid random name, most likely. Anyone can make a name generator from a corpus.
From what little David told me about this “pony-verse”, I realize the system had somehow created me as a female Pegasus.
I immediately experimented with flying. I had to tap one of the buttons on the pony pad to flutter up higher, and move the analog stick to move forward. I treated it like flying in City of Heroes, but it was so much better!
I even forgot about going to Canterlot right away, I flew up towards the clouds, and whooped down just above the trees. I even forgot to flutter once and mashed into a tree.
After a moment when stars flickered around me on the pad, I was able to get back up, and this time I headed towards Canterlot in the air. The sights on the ground were beautiful, but I was paying more attention to how cool the clouds were in this game, and the subtle feedback of going through clouds through the ponypad.
I actually saw some other Pegasi “mares” (that’s the word) flying nearby. I tried to wave, but I wasn’t sure how exactly to do that. Finally, after doing several amazing spins and rotations, I found the wave combo. They waved back and approached in the air as I was heading to Canterlot.
“I’m White Cloud,” said one. “These are my friends: Thunder Daze and Sky Hop!”
“Hi!”
David told me I had to use the voice chat in this game. But oddly, my voice came out different than I spoke it. In the MMO, I heard myself in a mare’s voice, even though I obviously had a guy’s tenor voice in real life. Weird. What, was that a soprano voice they’d dubbed in for me.
I should try singing later and see how that translated.
“Hey what’s your name?” Sky Hop asked. She was sky blue with other colors that looked like the sky during a sunrise or sunset.
I almost said my real life name, but I stopped my self. “I don’t have one yet! I’m headed to Canterlot to get one, but I could just fly all day.”
Recognizing the moves I had discovered by mashing keys, I spun my pegasi clockwise all the way around and then descended, diving forward and down towards the road. The three pegasi followed me.
“Try to keep up with us!” Thunder Daze said, as she shot above a cloud, and then made the cloud shoot out a lightning bolt towards the ground.
I watched the flash of lighting, it was impressive, but it didn’t even affect the clay bricks that made up the road. The dirt nearby was marred however.
I swooped and rushed forward just a few feet above the road, but then I saw a unicorn stallion on the road, and had to tap the flutter button like mad to not run into him. I ended up leaping just over the unicorn and continuing on my way. Ooops, I should have stopped to say something, but I guess it was just an NPC, or maybe not?
The others were giggling as they swept past me.
“You almost ran into that stallion! Come on, let’s work on your clumsiness!”
“She’s almost to Canterlot. Head up to the clouds new one! Or you’ll bonk into the townspeople!”
I fluttered my way up into the sky, watching the more experienced flyers leave me in the dust. “Hopefully I’ll run into you again!”
“Of course,” Sky Hop said.
They laughed as they flew off in a gracefully arcing curve to my left.
I hopped and fluttered from rooftop to rooftop towards the castle where Celestia was, finally landing with a nice fluttery smooth stop.
It was weird walking again after all the flying. I made my Unnamed Pegasi hop, hop, hop every few steps as I climbed the steps into the castle. Suddenly I was in the throne room before I should have logically made it there. Weird.
I stepped into Celestia’s domain.
"Looking for your name?" Celestia asked.
I nodded.
"I can tell that you are interested in a lot of things. You'll find your apartment at Hobby Bluffs. You'll find that there are things to do every day. Check out the Odds and Ends shop."
"Ok thanks! Um, what should my name be?"I asked.
"I dub thee: Blue Yonder."
"Otherwise known as Wild?" I opined.
"You like to explore, whether it be flying through the sky or trying new things. Remember Blue Yonder, if you ever have any questions or need help, you can find me here!"
"Where can I find Hobby Bluffs?" I asked, wondering if she would just give me a quick way there.
"Fly north, and ask for directions. If you get lost, or end up in the Crossroads there should be a portal to take you there."
I smiled in the pony sort of way. "OK, thanks!"
Running down the steps, I launched into the air as I hopped the last one, soaring through the doorway and out into the sky.
It started to rain as I zipped away from Canterlot, but it was actually fun to feel and touch wet clouds and rain drops, and the charge of a thunderstorm not yet ready to zap.
After a few minutes in the rain, I rose above the clouds and watched the sun and the carpet of clouds below me. I could have missed Hobby Bluffs for sure, but I figured they were still further north.
I didn't have much time left, so I ended my session reluctantly. As stupid as the game had sounded, the flying was very neat. The tactile feedback in the pony pad almost made me think I was there in the clouds.
"Otherwise known as Wild?" I opined.
"You like to explore, whether it be flying through the sky or trying new things. Remember Blue Yonder, if you ever have any questions or need help, you can find me here!"
"Where can I find Hobby Bluffs?" I asked, wondering if she would just give me a quick way there.
"Fly north, and ask for directions. If you get lost, or end up in the Crossroads there should be a portal to take you there."
I smiled in the pony sort of way. "OK, thanks!"
Running down the steps, I launched into the air as I hopped the last one, soaring through the doorway and out into the sky.
It started to rain as I zipped away from Canterlot, but it was actually fun to feel and touch wet clouds and rain drops, and the charge of a thunderstorm not yet ready to zap.
After a few minutes in the rain, I rose above the clouds and watched the sun and the carpet of clouds below me. I could have missed Hobby Bluffs for sure, but I figured they were still further north.
I didn't have much time left, so I ended my session reluctantly. As stupid as the game had sounded, the flying was very neat. The tactile feedback in the pony pad almost made me think I was there in the clouds.
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