Newcomers and veterans alike, welcome to the world of ponies!

[aie_mods]

Who: YOU. And you. And you. And everyone!
What: What just happened!? You've been transported into the world of ponies, that's what.
When: November 10th
Where: Smack dab in the middle of Ponyville. And around Ponyville. And maybe a little outside Ponyville too.
Rating: You know you.

(Pssst. Check out the story so far to get an idea for what's happened prior to this point!)

It all happened in a flash. Short earthquakes and aftershocks rocked some of the buildings in Ponyville as a magical explosion wreaked its own brand of havoc across Equestria. Once the dust settled, however, the Ponyville ponies realized that there were some newcomers in their midst. Ones that were definitely not there before the explosion. So where did they come from, and how did they get here? Did the explosion bring them here?

Luckily, the actual damage from the earthquakes was minor, and there were no actual downed buildings, just some that were now slightly cracked and in need of repairs.

The natives slowly closed in on the newcomers, warily eyeing them and wondering what their intentions were. But rather than looking angry or upset, they just looked confused and curious. Why not introduce yourselves to them, and to each other?

The official royal welcome wagon might even show up soon!

Comments

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

If it looked like she was going to hyperventilate, he'd try to talk her through an easy breathing exercise.

"Will it make you feel any safer if I offer to sit with you until you either feel better, you find someone you know, or someone local that you think you can trust to help you?"

Skyfire doesn't think that he'll be much help beyond that, but he'll try if she wants him to stay longer.

[shiningkindness]

Hesitating for a moment, she nodded.

"I-If...that's okay...I-I don't...want to keep you from anything..."

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

He shook his head. "You won't be. I'm just waiting around to find out what happened and where I can stay. I can just as easily do that and keep you company at the same time." Skyfire then gave her a small, sheepish smile. "Besides, it's nice to make a new friend."

[shiningkindness]

That got a small smile from her, and she nodded. "O-Okay...thank you. Um...my name's Fluttershy."

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

Skyfire looks glad when she smiles at him. "You're welcome. My name is Skyfire, it's nice to meet you."

Pausing a moment he looked back at himself, noted he was pretty much blocking the road, and winced a little. "I probably shouldn't keep standing here like this. I'm blocking the road. Would you like me to walk with you, or do you want to take a break somewhere?"

[shiningkindness]

"O-Oh...um..." She glanced around, frowning a bit. He was right, it wouldn't do to block the road like that. "W-We can...walk somewhere..."

Though she hesitated a moment, slowly rising to stand on shaky legs.

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

Skyfire looked around as well and noted an empty lot next to one of the shops. "Does over there work for you? I can sit there and not be in the way..." He wants to keep her as comfortable as possible and hopes staying out in the open, as well as in public, will make her feel more secure.

He's a little concerned by her wobbliness, but he realized that she was having the same issue he was. Likely something similar to body dysmorphia. "Do you want to lean on me?" While he wouldn't trust himself with something like picking someone up yet, letting her use him as a stabilizer should be fine.

[shiningkindness]

Glancing over towards the lot, she nodded. "Uh-huh...that would be fine."

Taking a few experimental steps, she looked up at him at his offer.

"U-Um...I-If it's...not too much trouble."

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

"Not a problem in the least. Just let me know if I move too fast for you." He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I'm guessing this isn't your normal shape?"

[shiningkindness]

With a small smile, she nodded.

"Y-Yeah...I-I mean, no, I'm...not usually like this."

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

He nodded back, being careful to let her set the pace walking. "This is quite the change isn't it? I never thought I'd be a real dragon..." He'd been dragon shaped for a long time, but being organic was something totally new.

[shiningkindness]

Still a bit wobbly, she at least seemed to be getting better with each step. His words had her glancing up at him curiously.

"O-Oh...? So you're...not always a dragon?"

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

He gives her a sheepish grin. "Well, not a real one at least. I've looked like one for a long time..."

Skyfire lets her set the pace and when they finally reach the lot, he settles down, being very careful to watch where he's putting himself. He's obviously worried about hitting something/one with his tail.

[shiningkindness]

After he's settled, Fluttershy takes her time to sit, not really sure what to do with her legs. Eventually she manages to fold them underneath her to rest on the ground.

"Really? Are there any real dragons in your world?"

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

Skyfire was trying to be respectful so he did his best to make sure that he didn't tower over her, laying his head on his paws to bring his head down to her level.

"There might have been, since I wouldn't have the shape otherwise, however they likely haven't been around in a very long time..." He pauses and considers things a moment. "How do you measure time where you're from?" He's not going to assume that everyone uses the same measures as the humans were starting to use from his home dimension after all.

[shiningkindness]

"O-Oh wow...I was just wondering, since in my world, dragons only exist in stories and mythology. Even if they were never real, though, dragons are really popular because of the stories that they came from, or that can be told about them."

His question has her thinking for a moment; she knew how it works, of course, but trying to think of the best way to explain it.

"Um...well, the time of day is based on where the sun is in the sky as the Earth spins on its axis, and we count it with seconds, minutes and hours. The time of year is based on the Earth spinning around the sun, and it's counted in days, weeks, and months."

She pauses, a sheepish look passing across her face.

"S-Sorry...I'm not sure if I'm...answering your question right."

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

"From what I've seen, they might as well have been on the world I came from as well. The only way I can be sure that they exist at all, is because of my shape. I could not have become something that didn't exist..."

He nods at her explanation and gives her a reassuring look. "You explain things very well. Knowing that helps me to figure out how to apply dates to things. I didn't want to assume that the measures of time were the same between our worlds. Am I right in thinking then that there are ten years to a decade and a hundred to a century by your measure?"

[shiningkindness]

"O-Oh yes...that's exactly how those are measured where I come from."

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

He nods, then thinks a moment. "Then from what I know, there hasn't been an actual dragon on my world in about eighty centuries or so." Skyfire thinks his shape must be at least partly due to pure, dumb luck.

[shiningkindness]

"Oh wow...Are there any stories or anything about what happened to them?"

[caelum_ignis_draconigena]

Skyfire shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Despite having the shape, I've never encountered one either..." He sighed a little "Though there are stories it's likely the writers had never actually encountered one either..."